Chapter Text
Hero costumes. The literal defining feature of every hero looking to make it. A calling card meant to comfort the innocent and spark fear into the evil. Hinako had thought long and hard over the paper packet provided to her and her brother, ideas of what her calling card might be swimming around in her head. Many sets of flashy silver armor had crossed her mind, something that made a statement and kept her heated skin from being an issue. She had drafted a full suit before scrapping the idea entirely, the idea of sweat pooling in crevasses and heat trapped in metal making her squirm. She spent a full night sketching, brainstorming, taking all her preferences into consideration. Finally, finally, she had made her choice, submitting the form early that morning while sleep deprived.
In her hands now, she held her finalized product,heart swelling with more excitement than she cared to admit. The design was quite simplistic, focused on helping her current setbacks rather than showing off. Well, for the most part. She figured she'd build upon it with time.
Hinako's suit was a black accumulation of pieces wth red embellishments. An armor plated chest piece spread across her chest, black metal covering the breastplate, and top ending just below her assets. An open v shaped motif left her mid chest open, sheer red fabric covering the would be exposed flesh. The red fabric connected to a black throat plate that extended from her collarbones to. Just beneath her jawline. This device was the backbone of her costume, Hinako made sure of that. The piece was a multilayered metal plate, designed to flex with her body, and the center of her throat had a vertical pocket filled with a specialized coolant. Two thin tubes connected to the pocket and led up to the underside of her jaw, designed for releasing steam and allowing for a smoke like appearance. Hinako had noted on her forms that she would need a reliable source of protecting her skin from burning, and while this wouldn't have much effect on her internal temperature, this feature would help her push a little farther at least.
Hinako's stomach was left exposed, showing off a toned body she was quite proud of, and her next costume piece was a pair of black shorts that covered her upper thighs. Capsules of emergency coolant hung from a red belt, and they made a slight jingle as they hit her hips. The remainder of her thighs were left bare, the expanse of flesh only stopped by a pair of knee high boots with uniquely shaped crimson knee pads placed for close combat. Her boots were a simple black, special leather designed to handle flames, in expectancy that her shins decided to flare up again. The small wedges at her heels were designed with built in springs that would boost her levitation, her end goal to be able to go higher, faster. Her arms consisted of two black metal shoulder plates, sporting small spikes for defensive measures. Two elbow pads identical to her knees were connected to black leather that covered her forearms, both hands equipped with black gauntlets. Her palms were coated with the same red on her chest, designed for trapping heat. Finally, purely for her own enjoyment, the girl placed a pair of straight dragon horns into her hair.
To say she was in love with her appearance would be an understatement, Hinako staring at everything in a mirror and not noticing the girls around her. The designers rally outdid themselves, she thought, poking at the spikes on her shoulder. Tying her hair into a long ponytail, she felt the ends of her hair tickle the small of her back as she turned to the rest of the girls. Mina caught her eye, an extravagant design covering the pink girl's bodysuit. Mina's eye was caught as she was sliding on a pair of white boots.
"Oh. My. God!" Mina squealed, hopping over to the red head in excitement, still zipping up a boot. "You look amazing, Hina! Your horns are awesome!"
A toothy grin was plastered on the pink girl's face, a finger touching one of her own horns. "I guess we kinda match now."
A giggle escaped her, and Hinako let out a small laugh of her own, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder to keep her from stumbling as she zipped up her second boot.
"Yeah, I suppose so. I think that's pretty cute." Hinako's voice was warm and sincere, happy to share something with a new friend. It gave her something to hold onto, to help her push forward even when she felt like throwing in the towel. Her fingers traced over the horns, allowing the new thought to marinate within her mind.
"I love your costume, too, it's so vibrant and quirky, much like you." Hinako told her friend, getting the full details as she stood up straight after zipping her boots.
"Aw, thank you!" She beamed, hands on her hips to strike a confident pose. "I wasn't too sure what would totally help my quirk other than my boots, so I just made sure to make myself look like a cool alien princess that you'd find in older movies or magazines!"
Nodding, Hinako understood the vision. "You know your stuff, that's for sure."
Grins covered the two girls and they took a peak at the rest of the girl's costumes, admiring each design and asking questions regarding them. Attention to detail was apparent among each of them, making Hinako appreciate the designers behind them.
Seven girls walked out of the locker room, each fully equipped with their new gear. A couple girls were nervous, Yaoyorozu a bit embarrassed by her exposed thighs and stomach. It could've been worse, Hinako thought. Her cleavage could've been on display, but at least it was covered with the maroon fabric of her costume. Hinako herself personally felt a bit prideful while stepping out of the room and meeting with their male classmates. Her own costume had been a minor passion project for her, so she held her head high and broadened her shoulders in confidence.
Class A stepped onto the training grounds, each new costume meeting the sunlight for the first time.
The girls walked out of the locker rooms, a few like Yaoyorozu a bit embarrassed by the revealing details of their costumes. Hinako herself felt a bit prideful. Her own costume was a passionate project for her, so as she walked out of the locker room, she held her head high and broadened her shoulders to scream "look at me". Class 1-A walked onto the training grounds, each student sporting their new look. Hinako caught herself peering over at a particular redhead, the boy wearing a costume that allowed him to show off his own body. She grinned at herself, shaking her head of any thoughts before they spiraled. She scanned the area for her brother, spotting a blond boy in the process, and wow. Bakugo certainly went all out himself. She admired the extravagant grenade gauntlets covering his entire forearms, the eye mask. And was that eyeliner she saw? Without thinking about the fact she was staring at his eyes, Bakugo's irises quickly found hers and it startled the girl, freezing her momentarily before she looked away from him, diverting her gaze to look for Izuku once more. She felt the blond's eyes on her, studying her costume. She wouldn't shy away from it. 'Look at me. Admire it.' Hinako thought, feeling smug.
She finally found Izuku, the boy wearing the simple store bought body suit their mother bought him after peeking at his notebook. Hinako would've giggled if she didn't know how much it meant to him. "A symbol of her love." He told Hinako, and she thought that was admirable.
Uraraka was speaking to him as Hinako walked up, smiling at her green covered sibling. "Lookin' cute, bro. Mom went all out, huh?"
Izuku met her gaze, a shimmer in them as her looked over his taller sister's costume. "Woah, Hina! You look so good!" He praised, examining the details. "And yeah, I really love it."
Chuckling, Hinako ruffled her brother's hair, making him groan. "That's good. You look like a bunny."
Izuku only groaned again at her statement, slightly shoving her arm away in annoyance as she laughed again.
Before anymore conversation continued, All Might spoke up, his presence demanding attention. Hinako was still in awe of the man, a star too bright to ignore. She could understand her brother's complete admiration for the man now, the energy electric. As it stood, though, her favorite was still Hawks. She was aiming after the number three hero, the man's success at such an early age something she'd mold into her own accomplishment. Hinako would follow his footsteps, even if it meant stumbling along the path.
All Might's voice was cheerful as he began his speech. "Looking good, everyone! Welcome to your battle training!" Both of his arms raised, the expanse between his fingertips showing off the large cityscape similar to their entrance exam.
Iida's voice sounded, and Hinako found the voice coming from a costume of full armor, white and silver plates glistening under the sun. "Sensei, I notice that this area is similar to the one from the entrance exam. Will we once again be performing cityscape maneuvers?"
His hand was raised as he spoke, body stiff in his costume. Maybe he was adjusting to the metal plating, or maybe that was just Iida.
"Nope." All Might answered, smile brighter than the beaming sunlight. "We're going to move on to the next step, indoor antipersonnel battle training!"
Hinako cheered in her mind, mentally doing a fist pump. She had been itching to spar with someone for a while, unable to due to preparations for U.A. Daisuke only talked to her about new moves as she practiced them on a new training dummy he bought for the gym. Practice on a dummy and on a person were two different things, unfortunately.
"You usually only see villian battles on the streets, but statistically the most heinous villains appear indoors." All Might turned his head to the side, a small cough that was covered up as clearing his throat leaving him. Hinako barely noticed, but her green eyes watched him carefully as he readjusted.
"Between confinement, house arrest, and black market deals, in this hero society of ours, the cleverest villains lurk indoors."
All of the students began to ask questions as Hinako watched their teacher pulled out a small sheet of paper from one of his costume's hidden pockets.
"Now, now. One at a time. My quirk isn't super hearing." He pleaded, opening the paper. "Listen up! Here's the deal. Villains will be guarding a nuclear weapon in their hideout, and the heroes have to secure it." The man was reading off the small paper like a cheat sheet, making Hinako let out a quiet giggle. A metal shoulder pad produced a small noise as she raised a hand to cover her grin.
The rules were simple, villains needed to guard the weapon with their lives, and the heroes needed to used capture tape or only touch the weapon to win the exercise. Both parties needed to strategize on how they would carry home the victory. The red headed girl scanned the crowd for her teammate, finding a plain looking boy with a thick tail. He looked like he belonged in a dojo. Team I. She wondered what all he could do, already planning out multiple scenarios of how she might run this exercise.
"Now! Moving on, the first two teams will be," All Might rummaged his hands through the two boxes full of lettered balls, villain and hero. "Team A are heroes! And team D are villains!"
Izuku immediately froze beside his sister, shock glazing his eyes. Hinako only sighed and looked over to the angry blond, noticing his own shocked expression.
The villains were to go first, and Hinako looked at her brother before departing with the rest of the class. "Listen, don't let him hurt you, kay? You got this new quirk, so use it. I'll kill both on you if anything happens." She had both of her hands on his shoulders, stern words burning into him.
"Of course, Hina. I'll do my best." A weak smile appeared on the boy's face, and Hinako pat his head, suffocating a sigh in her throat.
"Use what we practiced during our fights and beat his ass." Pulling away, the red head ran off with the class, putting all of her trust into Izuku's victory.
✶
The class was lead into an underground area in the training grounds, surprisingly cool air flowing over Hinako's skin as she stepped inside. A massive tv covered the wall opposite of the entrance, camera feed showing different angles of the training building.
"Woah, this is so cool!" A boy with black hair exclaimed, holding his black and yellow helmet between his oddly shaped elbow and hip.
"All right, watch closely and try to learn something, everyone!" Their teacher held up a clipboard and pen, marking on the paper as the first match officially began.
Hinako felt a presence come up beside her as she watched her brother through the screen, her peripherals catching shades of red.
"Hinako! You look amazing!" Kirishima's voice was warm and friendly, excited to see the girl next to him.
Hinako's lips formed a bashful smile, head turning to look at him. "Thank you. Could say the same about you." Her gaze traced over his costume once more, finding the gears on his shoulders and his face piece quite cute.
Kirishima's teeth shown as he grinned at her, eyes glimmering with pride. "Thanks! I wanted something to show off my quirk since it's not too- ah, never mind." He interrupted himself, scratching the back on his head with a nervous laugh.
Hinako's smile softened along with her gaze, and she nodded in understanding. "I only wanted the cute horns. Guess we match now too, huh?"
The boy was thankful that the room was so dimly lit, the pink on his face lost to the blue light from the large screen. "Yeah, guess so, heh."
Turning her head back towards the screen, she noticed her brother and Uraraka traversing a corridor, the green clad boy speaking feverishly. Before either of them could react, Bakugo's form blasted in front of the two, the boy blasting another round right by them. Hinako's smile vanished, lips forming a slight frown.
"That's low, Bakugo! A sneak attack is so unmanly!" Kirishima called out as if the blond could hear him, or as if he'd care even if he could.
"It is still a valid strategy!" All Might told him, eyes on the screen. "This is practical experience, after all."
Green irises were glued to the screen as a red head girl studied her brother's movement, the boy quickly grabbing Bakugo's arm as he went for an attack, flipping him over before a blast landed.
"Yes!!" Hinako shouted, fist pumping into the air as she watched the boy. Pride swelled in her chest as she watched her brother defend himself for once, using all their previous training to his advantage. The determination in Izuku's eyes was like a lit torch determined to morph into a raging fire.
The atmosphere in the small underground monitoring room was charged with electricity, awe of Izuku's move against Bakugo. Hinako's energy fed into it, excited to see the match play out.
"Hey, who's Bakugo talking to?" Kirishima questioned, standing near their teacher's side. "Why aren't we hearing anything?" Everyone's eyes were glued to the screen, currently watching Bakugo's muted yell.
All Might quickly explained that each student in the exercise had small communication devices in their ears, allowing them to speak to their companion. He also explained the time limit, and Hinako breathed out, anticipation washing over her as she rubbed her hands together in effort to soothe. Standing by her side, Mina placed a warm hand on Hinako's shoulder, shooting a smile before turning her head to All Might.
"So, the heroes have no idea where the nuclear weapon is?" Mina asked.
"Correct!" Their teacher replied, along with a slight nod of his head.
"Then the heroes are clearly at a disadvantage. A really big one!"
All Might had agreed with the sentiment, explaining how heroes faced dilemmas like this daily, so it was important for students to learn how to deal with stressful situations properly. Hinako stared at her brother through the screen, hands slightly clenching.
"He'll win. I know he will."
✶
The blond was relentless with his attacks, explosions filling the cameras with black smoke. Hinako noticed a few moves he pulled against her when they roughed around in Daisuke's gym, even a kick she had taught him. The rage oozed from his pores, and Hinako wondered if he had been holding in all his resentment towards Izuku over the period she had spent with him. Biding his time while putting on a docile mask, believing that he'd only need to tolerate the Midoriya siblings for a few months before never having to see them again. Seemed sound enough, but Bakugo had consistently been straightforward about any hatred he felt, so why play nice?
Classmates were cheering Izuku on, admiring how well he was doing even without his quirk, but energy shifted from eagerness to concern, air suffocating the students as the match continued. Bakugo's attacks had grown violent, causing his green haired opponent serious injuries. Hinako had yelled at her teacher to stop the fight, the reality that her brother was about to be killed by a dumb ass kid. All Might refused, insisting that the ignorant blond didn't aim to kill, but voiced through at intercom that if he made the same move again, the match would be cancelled. It was unsatisfactory to say the least, Hinako feeling a fire manifest in her lungs.
The worst thing she could possibly hear right now found its way to her ears. Praise for that damned idiot. Bakugo's so talented and smart. The noise made her blood boil, and her eyes burned into the screen, jaw clenched. The negligence of All Might refusing to stop something that should've ended from Bakugo's blast crawling under her skin. She couldn't lash out, though. She feared if she did, then her flames would consume her entirely, leaving nothing but ash,
Hinako shivered with adrenaline pumping through her, mind far off from what any other her classmates were saying. Her brother was practically limping away from unnecessary inflicted damage, and she promised herself that she was going to kill Katsuki Bakugo as soon as she got her hands on him. The situation was fucking ridiculous, and her teacher did nothing but watch on, necessary words left unspoken. The red head ground her teeth.
"Come on, Izuku. Beat him, beat him." She muttered through grit teeth, slight smoke leaving the corner of her lips. If All Might wouldn't stop the fight, she'd cheer her brother on, despite the rage she felt.
In an instant, the two boys on screen clashed, Izuku using his quirk to send a massive air wave through the roof, and Bakugo blasting the side of his face, leaving nasty injuries as Izuku's body fell to the ground. Kirishima yelled at All Might to shut down the match, but it was too late. Heroes had won, thanks to Ochaco, but Hinako barely retained that information as she dashed out the door, running to her brother. Kirishima tried to run after the girl, but she was out of the underground room before he reached the door. Springs in her boots helped the girl's levitation boost her into the air for further jumps, and she levitated into the air high enough to be by Izuku's side. Tears formed in her eyes as she knelt down next to him, ignoring the stunned blond before the two.
Hot fingers found a pulse point on his throat, Hinako relieved to find it stable, and she slowly gathered her brother into her arms, deadweight heavy as she moved to float back to street level. Looking back at Bakugo for the first time, she studied his features as he stared into an abyss of disbelief. Sympathy almost creeped into her heart, but the boy in her arms shut off any sense of care she might've had for the blond.
Leaving the dumbfounded boy in a pile of rubble, she quickly jumped off the building, body unsteady as she tried to gently land on the ground. Her muscles burned, her stamina draining quickly before she stumbled onto the concrete, barely finding her footing. She had been practicing holding heavy objects while levitating, but doing it with a human was still new ground for the girl, causing her to pant lightly. At least her costume allowed her to hold her brother until two robots arrived with a stretcher, which she gently laid the boy on. Her nerves were shot, flames just beneath the skin cells of her body.
Everything was a blur as she walked back with Bakugo, Iida, Ochaco, and All Might. She had been furious, but lashing out at a teacher, especially one as imposing as the number one hero, wasn't a reasonable option. She didn't know why he let things go on for so long, but maybe he wanted to see Izuku win, too.
✶
"Now, for the next teams!" All Might beamed as he brought out the two boxes from the start, rummaging through them.
The class had revised the previous match, a girl named Yaoyorozu criticizing each student's performance. She was quite smart, which Hinako admired for a brief second before looking into the abyss. The training had to keep going, no matter how Hinako felt currently.
Finally pulling out two balls, he called out the teams. "Team I are villains, and team B are heroes!"
Here Hinako stood, inside a separate building prepared for their training next to a boy named Ojiro. Turns out, the boy's only quirk was his tail, and his specialty was close ranged combat. An index finger caressed her chin as she thought, the quirks of their opponents coming back to her.
"I see." Turning to Ojiro, she laid out her thoughts. "Ojiro, I think Todoroki, the half and half guy, is going to use his ice to try and freeze us in place. I'll use my fire to get us out, but you need to be careful about where you're standing." Hinako's brows were furrowed as she looked at her companion, the blond nodding with her ideas.
"I'm not sure about Shoji, but his limbs could be an issue when it comes to locating us. I don't want to split up just in case I need to defend you against Todoroki's ice, so right now our best hope is for you to defend the weapon while I keep them away with my flames." Her fingertips found her throat armor, lightly grazing over the coolant pocket that trailed down the center. She hoped it would help her out during this battle. "Any thoughts, Ojiro?" She questioned, wanting to take his ideas into consideration.
"It all sounds good to me, I'll defend close ranged attacks with my tail if I get frozen to the floor." Pointing out across the room, he made a gesture to spread out. "It'll be better if we aren't so close to the weapon, if they touch it we're done for. So pick me up before the ice comes and set me down after to get into position."
Nodding, the red headed girl walked closer towards the doorway, levitating in the air just enough to avoid any surprise ice attacks. Ojiro was close by her side, ready to be picked up when needed.
Her heart began to beat faster with anticipation, the inability to know what the hero team could be planning making her nervous. She hoped they could bring home this victory, heavy reliance on her abilities making the situation even more challenging. She was also being watched by the entire class, by Kirishima, Mina, and maybe Bakugo, so she had to do her best.
Slowly, the sound of ice began to crawl up the building, crunching sounds gliding over pipes and concrete. Just as Hinako figured, the ice pop was planning on freezing them in place.
"Ojiro, ice is coming! Quickly, grab onto me!"
The boy grabbed onto Hinako's shoulders, and she placed her hands under his armpits to lift him into the air with her. He almost looked like a baby getting held up. Soon, the ice flooded the room they were guarding, frost sparkling from every angle. Nodding at him, Hinako slowly set Ojiro back down, the boy almost slipping from the smooth ice. That would be a problem.
"I don't know if I can move like this." He whispered, unsteady on his feet.
Hinako agreed, thinking quickly before bending her knees in the air and floating down, fire bursting from her hands as she melted the ice below so he could stand.
"This is tricky." She stated as she straightened back up in the air, body heating up unconsciously to stave off the cold temperature. "You aren't compatible with this match, and he's likely going to send another wave of ice."
Mentally groaning, she tried to decide what to do. Ojiro might not be able to help at all, due to the slippery surface, and she couldn't keep melting ice, it would only keep her distracted from the weapon and their enemy. Damn, this was frustrating. Tapping her forehead, she decided that maybe she could try out her new gear. Hinako had hoped to save it, but this was their only option. A swirling fire filled her lungs before she blew out fire, careful to not hit her teammate. A small clearing was made for the boy as he jumped over to the path, walking back towards the weapon. Ojiro only nodded, the two not wanting to speak just in case Shoji was listening in.
Steps were heard coming up the staircase, and Hinako levitated towards the left side of the door, hoping to stay hidden for a surprise attack. She pressed up against the wall, holding her breath as the sound go closer.
'You got this, you got this. You're gonna kick his ass, Hina.' She thought to herself.
A figure appeared, walking through the doorway to see Ojiro standing in front of the weapon, defensive stance prepared. Ojiro knew he probably wouldn't be able to actually do anything, but he stared at Todoroki, careful to not give his companion's position away.
"Sorry." Todoroki simply stated as he sent another small ripple of ice towards Ojiro, trapping him in place. "This matchup was completely unfair to you."
Before he could continue any further, Hinako blew fire at Todoroki, catching him slightly by surprise. His head turned to the left to see Hinako make a flying kick straight to his head. Raising his right arm to her shin instantly, he formed ice around her shin to stop her attack.
"Nu-uh, half n half bastard." Hinako grinned and her eyes widened, a rush of flames coursing through her as her shins bursted into flames, hurting her but also melting the ice that Todoroki formed. Without letting him think, Hinako landed a solid flaming kick to the right side of his cranium, making the boy fall back slightly as he grabbed his head.
"Ojiro, you all good?" She asked, not taking her eyes off their opponent.
"Yeah, just freezing."
That was all she needed to hear. She'd focus of freeing him from ice once the opportunity came, but right now she needed to keep Todoroki away. Her throat was beginning to feel hot, but the coolant in her costume was already proving its worth.
'I'll do a large fire attack if he sends any ice my way.' She thought, watching as the enemy steadied himself for another attack.
This time, a larger ice attack came towards her, and she blew a large breath of fire to combat it, ice slowly melting and keeping her safe. Steam released through the small tubes on her armor, blowing up on her cheeks as she left out her own breath of black smoke. This device was a miracle. Todoroki's form rushed towards her through the flames, right hand grabbing for her face, and she jumped into the air, hands on both of his shoulders as she levitated herself over his body, twisting just in time to land a blow to his back with her spiked knee pad. Careful to avoid the boy's spine, she aimed for a rib instead. Todoroki let out a choke, impact of the attack hurting him.
"Sorry, little hero. But I have a message to send." Hinako said, voice saturated with faux venom.
Her opponent stumbled forward, body slouching from pain before he turned once more, ice attack aiming straight for her. Hinako's hands were consumed with flames, her fists punching through the ice. She wouldn't risk using her breath just for the hero to rush at her again. The metal over her knuckles helped dull the pain that came from the ice. Thankfully, Todoroki was trying to preserve the building's integrity, so anything higher than his current output was assumed to be off the table. Hinako punched through what seemed like an endless amount of ice before she made a decision that proved to be risky. If she could get on his left side again, she noticed he never noticed her earlier as he passed through the door way, he never used his left. It was vulnerable for reasons unknown. Maybe he could only use ice on his right?
"Ojiro!" She whisper shouted through her earpiece, using the loud sounds of her punches to cover her words.
"Get his attention, I'm going to attack his left side again."
Ojiro's voice didn't sound through the earpiece, but Hinako's heat had allowed the boy to safely wriggle out of his trapped ice prison, and he dashed at Todoroki, tail swinging to slam into him. This action caused Todoroki's attention to divert, shifting to look at Ojiro to use his right hand to freeze the boy upon contact.
Time to dissect, Hinako decide as she used her levitation to float into the air, quickly bouncing off the ice wall formed to reach their opponent faster. He didn't notice her, focused on her companion. It was strange. No offense to Ojiro, but Hinako was obviously the bigger threat here, so why the sudden cold shoulder? Never mind that, she thought, her flaming fist colliding with the left side of his jaw bone. A small crack sounded, and Hinako felt pride before worry for the kid, faltering her momentarily.
Todoroki stumbled back,but readied himself to take advantage of her hesitation, another ice attack forming that ignored Hinako and headed straight for Ojiro. Without thinking, the girl flew in front of her teammate as fast as her body allowed, and took the brunt of the attack. Her whole body was frozen, and Todoroki started to make his way over to the weapon.
"Nice try." His cold voice sounded, impartial and apathetic. "But you weren't meant to win this."
She wouldn't let it end like this. She couldn't. Not when she had so much to prove, when she had her own expectations she needed to live up to. Flames engulfed her legs and forearms, heat flared in her chest roaring with a rage she couldn't place, melting the ice before she punched through the thick slab that trapped her. Her whole body felt like an incinerator built for the purpose of pushing forward. She hurt so bad, insides raging against her, but she wouldn't stop over something so trivial as pain receptors. How barbaric, pushing herself so far over an exercise.
"TODOROKI!" She yelled, the boy not even looking her way as she ran on slick melting ice to punch him in the jaw once more. Flames met his iced over face and melted through it, his skin feeling the heat. He fell back a bit, ice on his face dripping away and showing his left side completely. Scarring was covering his left eye, red shade matching his hair.
Hinako lunged at him again, fist meeting his right palm as he tried to freeze up her arm, but it only melted through her flames. She felt them growing hotter with every counter he tried to make, nerves searing in pain as she pushed on. He had grabbed both her fists, and Hinako kneed him in his most sensitive area to make him fold over. Shins of fire kicked the boy over onto his side and she quickly flipped him over, flames dying down finally with her spiked knee in his back as she grabbed tape from her pocket.
"Sorry, half and half." She managed to choke out, a slightly scary grin covering her face as smoke left her mouth.
"You weren't meant to win this."
Hinako hurriedly wrapped Todoroki up in tape, arms and legs restricted as he lie on the icy cold floor. After she was finished, she levitated over to Ojiro, using her flame breath to free his feet from the cold restraints.
"So, we only need to worry about Shoji, now, right?" Ojiro questioned, glad to be free from the ice.
"Maybe." Hinako started, landing on the ground finally now that Todoroki wouldn't be a threat. Gravel coated her throat due to the burn, coolant slowly cooling what she had overworked. She was a bit worried, her flames weren't completely in her control as her most passionate desires took the forefront of her rationality.
"If Todoroki iced up the whole building though, Shoji might have a difficult time even getting up here. Even then, we have the advantage of two on one."
Grinning at Ojiro with a sweet smile, Hinako lifted her arm to give him a high five, which he gladly accepted. So, he was able to touch her without hurting, she thought.
"Sorry I couldn't do much, heh." He said apologetically, scratching the side of his face with uncertainty.
"No, no, don't sweat it. We had no say in who we were going against, Todoroki is one nasty guy." The pair looked over at Todoroki, the boy unmoving as his back was facing them. Hinako knew that he was insane, and that she had only gotten lucky due to her fire. Either way, she was grateful for this victory.
She melted more of the ice in their room after the pair agreed to stay in place, leaving the building unsafe for Shoji to traverse. It was an anticlimactic victory for the villain team, but they both cheered anyway. Hinako quickly ran over to Todoroki's side, ridding him of the capture tape and checking on him.
"Hey man, you okay?" She asked, looking over his features with concern.
"Yeah." He stated simply, looking at his freed hands.
"Sorry I went so overboard with my flames. I hope I didn't injure you too badly! Is your cheek okay?" She asked sincerely, nervous smile quivering on her face. She didn't know that her flames could grow hotter, she'd never tried, but looking at the burn marks on Todoroki's face and arms made her feel a bit guilty, even if it was for the win.
The half and half boy stood up, heading towards the door to make for the exit, small spikes in his boots making it easy for him to walk. "It's fine. I'll make a path out of here for us."
The villain team quickly followed after the hero, slowly making their way to the exit. Excitement rushed through Hinako's veins as they melt All Might out front, the girl momentarily forgetting about her brother's earlier match.
"Congratulations, filthy villains!" All Might's voice boomed, making Hinako and Ojiro look away at being labeled as such.
"You did an excellent job at keeping the weapon guarded and your teammate informed, young Midoriya!"
Hinako blushed at the praise, grinning slightly and thanking her teacher as the five of them headed to the monitoring room. The class was ecstatic upon their arrival, cheering on the girl and complimenting Todoroki's quirk.
"I thought Todoroki was totally gonna demolish you two, but you completely beat him down, Hinako!" Kirishima called out, being the first to greet her. "Yeah! Your flames were a perfect matchup against Todoroki for sure! And your team didn't damage anything!" Mina popped out from behind him, cheerful and bright.
"Looks like there's a lot to compare to in this class, huh?" Kaminari sighed, folding his arms.
"That's U.A. for you, man." The raven haired boy with the odd elbows called out.
"You're exactly right, young Sero. U.A. only accepts the finest, and you'll all only grow stronger from this day forward. So learn from today and shape a bright path forward!" All Might's rang through the class, making everyone feel giddy.
Hinako and Ojiro had been the MVPs of their battle, Todoroki losing points for abandoning his companion outside and potentially compromising the weapon with his ice attacks against Hinako. Hinako's planning allowed for her team to think ahead, using information from previous observations to plan their moves. Ojiro wasn't able to do much, but believing in his teammate and his careful decision to not give away Hinako's location was smart, leading them to success. Poor Shoji tried, but was only able to show off his scouting ability before getting kicked from the fight entirely.
Hinako and Ojiro stuck together, talking about fighting styles and preferences as the class made their way to the next monitor room, teams J and H competing next.
"Good luck, Kirishima!" Hinako called out to the red head, smiling at him and he smiled a toothy grin and waved at her, running off with Sero.
Everyone had a chance to show off their abilities, and by the time battle training was over, the students were exhausted. All Might had praised them for their good work, and the class was relieved to have such a positive experience after Aizawa's traumatic introduction.
All Might was planning on leaving to check up on Izuku, and Hinako spoke up. "May I come with you, sir?" She asked, rubbing over her palm gently.
He hesitated for a moment, looking at her. "Get changed first, and let your teacher know what you're doing, then you can come."
Nodding quickly, Hinako lightly bowed and thanked the man before watching him run off. The class was amazed at his speed, Ojiro noting that he'd never be able to reach that speed.
Hinako's green eyes hardened as her sight found Bakugo, the blond looking completely different from his usual demeanor. He looked broken, like today finally taught him something he's been needing to learn for a while. Hinako's heart almost squeezed in pain for the boy before she recovered, remembering what he did to her brother earlier. Damn bastard never changed, the facade she encountered just a ruse to keep her from fighting him. Bakugo didn't look at her, or anyone, eyes just on the ground. Maybe she could mourn the boy she thought she knew while accepting the truth that Bakugo isn't who she wanted him to be. It couldn't hurt, surely.
As she changed in to her uniform, she plucked the golden locket that Daisuke had gifted her from a secret pocket in her costume shorts, opening it as she sat on a bench. Her eyes examined her mom and brother, both smiling at the camera, along with Daisuke's smile on the opposite side, but this time, the image of the Bakugo's scowl didn't fill her heart with warmth, it only branded her with the idea that he never wanted her around. That she was unwanted and he was forced against his will to partake in something else he didn't want. Sighing, Hinako closed the locker before holding the golden chain attached to it around her neck.
"Ooh, was that Bakugo I saw?" A voice behind her asked, causing her to jump.
"Oh my god, Mina. Don't do that!" Hinako squeaked, pitch high as she latched her necklace and began to button up her uniform shirt.
"Sorry, sorry." The pink girl giggled, shaking her hands in defense. "I was just curious. So?" Her black eyes looked expectantly, shining bright.
"It was. But it's nothing, just something my mentor made him be a part of. He's not close to me like that." Hinako frowned, not looking at Mina as she slid on her skirt, sliding on her shoes after.
"Hmm, I see." Mina hummed, thoughtful of her friend's expression. "Well, I hope he comes around. I'm sure somewhere beneath that tough guy act, he's a decent guy.
Hinako's eyes were sad as she pulled on her uniform blazer, nodding slightly as she finally looked at Mina with a small smile. "Yeah, he might be."
In attempt to raise Hinako's spirits, Mina changed the subject to her earlier accomplishments. "Well, all I know is that you totally dominated Todoroki in your match!"
A pink fist pumped into the air as she and Hinako exited the locker room along with their classmates, all changed with their costumes safely tucked into metal cases. The damned things were heavy, at least the red headed girl thought. Smiling with a bit of ego, Hinako graciously took the praise from Mina.
"Thanks, I was a bit nervous about how it would go, but studying everyone yesterday gave me a small advantage." Hinako figured she and Izuku held that habit in common, watching others to gage their strengths and weaknesses. She never studied any heroes for too long, but analyzing an opponent in the ring was a different story.
"Oh, yeah!" Mina agreed, skipping alongside Hinako's left side with her head in the clouds. "That's definitely a strong skill to have, hopefully I can pick it up from you. The way you fought was so awesome, too. I loved the move where you flipped over him while holding his shoulders. You looked like a dancer!" Mina thought back to the partner cartwheel inspired move, one that Hinako had worked vigorously on with Daisuke.
Hinako spent the three weeks before school to train with her mentor, learning light acrobatics with help of her levitation to gain more combat knowledge. Hinako was nothing less than a perfectionist, and the brief longing to try the moves with Katsuki crossed her mind before she vigorously shook the feeling away. Katsuki had no idea about anything regarding her new skill set, and Daisuke was the perfect sparring partner anyway. She was thankful he finally agreed to engage combat with her, quirks prohibited during their sessions. Acrobatics had been a blast to Hinako, the rhythm of the movements allowing her full body to work together in a seamless flow. It was easy to drown out the doubts or worries she had when her focus was concentrated on perfecting her form, nothing but correcting her form surrounding her thoughts.
"It's an acrobat move originally called the 'partner cartwheel'." Hinako replied, enthusiasm dripping from her tone as the girls from class A listened in, curious about her move.
"You're supposed to perform a cartwheel in the air while holding a partner's hands for stability, but my mentor and I adjusted it so i could move to an opponent's side, using their own body against them. I haven't perfected it yet, but I used my quirk while using it against Todoroki, allowing me to perform it a bit faster."
Hinako was rambling, a state identical to her brother's as she continued her flow of words.
"My end goal is to preform it fast enough without quirk reliance, using my body to its full potential. As it stands, my stamina while using levitation drains rather fast, meaning I can't use it for too long without over exertion of my body, so my goal is to build stamina with my quirk while also utilizing my natural body strength to perfect it's maximum performance."
"Wow." A voice interrupted her thoughts, Hinako snapping out of her trance to look at the source, finding a girl with two earphone jacks hanging from her ears.
"So you have everything planned out?" The girl asked, curious about the consistent plan Hinako was mapping. "What happens once you max out your physical strength?"
"Impossible." Hinako smiled at her, eyes shimmering with a glow she obtained from Daisuke, her saving grace. "You will always surpass what your current limit is, your body will always evolve as long as you continue to discipline it." Hinako repeated Daisuke's words, the same ones once carved into her as she lied helpless on his gym floor, too tired to keep pushing forward.
"As long as you stand up, even after every fall, you win. Our resilience to stand up even after surpassing our limit is what makes us heroes. What's important is not allowing ourselves to stand by while allowing someone to suffer because you do nothing." Hinako's eyes found the girl's eyes staring at her, mesmerized by her words that Daisuke had taught her. Heartstrings swelled with happiness and she blinked tears away as she finished her words.
"Keep pushing forward, even if you feel like you can no longer continue forward. The path of a hero is a painful one, but a necessary one. There are people out there who rely on our help, so throwing in the towel just because we think we've contributed enough isn't going to save the lives that are counting on us."
Hinako's words ignited small sparks among the girls, kindling being nurtured, eyes shining at her words. Hinako made a mental note to thank Daisuke later, grinning at her class mates. The girls soon integrated with the boys, many of them communicating with one another. Worry filled Hinako's mind regarding her brother, but a lively red headed boy pulled her from her concerns, his bright face fighting away her current demons.
"Hinako!" Kirishima called her name, running to her side. "Awesome job earlier. You looked amazing."
Pink spread across her face at the compliment, her posture shying away from him as they walked.
"Ah, thank you. I trained super hard." She was able to make out a sentence, counting her blessings as she cast a quick glance to the boy beside her. His red spiked hair still showed two small horns within the front, making her smile.
"You did amazing, too. You and Sero had your base on complete lockdown." Trying to divert the compliments off of her, Hinako mentioned Kirishima's own combat exercise.
"It was mainly Sero who solidified our victory." Kirishima started, confidence in himself still lacking in fervor
"Kiri." Hinako began, voice soft and reassuring.
This nickname made the boy tense in nervousness, the casualty unfamiliar to his usual conversation.
"You fought well. Your quirk was an Iron Maiden against your opponents in your battle." Hinako wasn't sure where her confidence had come from, but she decided to ride the high while she had it.
"You're a wall that one day none shall pass. Your quirk is beautiful to witness, Kirishima, and it will save many as you continue to perfect it. Stop selling yourself so short. I think you're amazing." Her soft gaze met his, the boy blushing as he turned his gaze away from her, looking at the pavement.
"Thank you, Hinako." He said quietly, unwilling to move his line of sight. "It means a lot."
"I'm serious, dummy." Hinako revolted against Kirishima's conservative attitude. "You looked awesome out there, or what you usually say, uh, manly?" She asked, harmless teasing gracing her tone. Hinako was half serious, though, tone trying to tell him that she admired his performance.
An idea crossed her mind, though she was hesitant to voice it to the boy.
"Um." She stuttered, pink blooming on her cheeks as she prepared her question. "Maybe you could train with me? We could learn each other's moves and learn new ones together."
Green eyes left the boy, finding solace in the gravel below them. Looking at him any longer did nothing for her besides provide a hammering in her chest and a stumbling of her speech.
"I'd like that." Kirishima responded, small grin present of his face. "Where were you thinking?"
Hinako stopped breathing for a quick second, the idea of her offer being accepted throwing her off guard, before she answered Kirishima.
"I usually, um, go to a local gym, but we could go anywhere. I'm okay with adjustments!" Hinako quickly sputtered her answer, hyper aware of her response as the boy smiled at her reaction, arm slinging around her shoulders.
"I'm fine with whatever, we can figure out the specifics after classes, right?" He asked, face close to hers as he brought her closer.
"Um! Yeah, definitely! You better keep that offer." Hinako smiled nervously as she agreed with the boy's carefree words, stomach churning with excitement.
"Of course. I'll always keep my word." Kirishima pulled her closer under his arm, toothy smile on his face quite infectious, drawing one from Hinako.
The pair walked back to the main campus along with their class, unaware of the pair of eyes watching them from afar, glare sharp and pained.
✶
Hinako submitted a request to go visit Izuku in the nurse's ward, Cementoss clearing her absence to go see her brother before returning to classes. Nerves rose to the surface as she entered the room to see Izuku, his figure resting peacefully on the same bed she had seen weeks ago after the exam. Recovery Girl took notice of Hinako's presence, offering a polite smile and the run down of Izuku's situation.
"So, it will heal over night?" Hinako questioned as she studied her brother's form, his chest moving with each breath. The cast around his arm worried her, the injury boring into her.
Recovery Girl nodded her head, looking at the siblings. "Exactly right. I apologize for being unable to do more, but this is the stretch of my ability."
Hinako sighed, head shaking as she pulled away from Izuku in defeat. "It's fine. As long as he's okay, that's all that matters to me."
Hinako departed from the nurse's station shortly after, leaving Recovery Girl sighing at the jumbled situation the young green haired boy had been tangled into. This path wouldn't treat him with kindness, and she grew tired of mending wounds from his careless behavior.
Classes went by smoothly after Hinako's visit, boring subjects passing through her mind that was wandering elsewhere. In one class, she found herself staring at Katsuki Bakugo, the boy following the lesson as instructed. To an outsider, this behavior seemed relatively normal, but Hinako studied his clenching jaw and the tight grip around his pencil. His gaze wandered to stare at the wall when he finished any obligations, pencil twirling in his grip with focus and deep in thought. A scowl was carved into his features, blond furrowed eyebrows making creases in his forehead. His mind was on his encounter with Izuku, Hinako knew that much.
Hinako longed to reach out to him, to explain herself. To try and mend a fraying bond that Bakugo's nitroglycerin had coated, just waiting to destroy the few strands that were determined to remain. She understood the boy's anger. The whole situation with Izuku was a lot to take in, and Hinako too felt a sense of betrayal from her brother. It was no excuse to cut the boy off, though. He was still the same person that dreamed of being a hero. He never looked down on anybody, in fact he was always looking up, even though he should've been looking forward.
✶
"No body is created equal." Izuku once told her after a particularly bad day of Bakugo's bullying.
"That's why I want to work so hard, sis. I want to be good enough to reach Kacchan, or you. I want to be a hero that saves everyone, just like All Might."
Hinako held her tight while he voiced his feelings, comforting him the best she could. She disagreed with his sentiment, head turning with a minuscule shake.
"You're wrong. Every person is equal. We all have what it takes to be a hero, it just doesn't look the same." She told him, conviction dripping from her tone. "Every single person has the capability of doing good, quirk or not."
The statement was straight from her heart, but she wasn't naive to the rules of society. Legally, if you wanted to pursue heroism, you'd need a quirk. That's why she told Izuku her dream.
"No matter what happens, I'm going to be your hero. I'll always be here to remind you that you can achieve anything you dream of."
✶
This mindset was completely altered by a blond boy that wouldn't even speak to her now. Striving to be a hero on her own terms instead of following a shadow was constructed by a boy who looked down on her like an insignificant bug. A footnote in the story of his life. Hinako's fingers gripped tighter around the pencil in her hand, reality of losing someone she grew to see as a friend settling into her bones. The pain that shredded through her heartstrings at the loss made her lungs burn. Why did it have to be this way? Why this outcome? As if noticing her stare that had long since faded into the depths of her mind, Bakugo looked back to see Hinako's distant stare. His eyes were still angry, red irises dark with another emotion dancing within them. Something in him was cracking towards the surface, a glass on the brink of shattering.
Piercing gaze breaking Hinako from her inner turmoil, her eyes shifted from the boy, startled by being caught like a kid in a cookie jar. Bakugo didn't look away from her though, studying the way her index finger twirled in a red ringlet of hair. Honestly, the boy's insides were eating him alive. So much change happened within them past two days, the confidence of being the best in his class ripped apart by all his classmates, especially half and half and the one person that outplayed the bastard, the girl that Bakugo couldn't look away from. Was he really this weak? So much strength displayed while he couldn't even beat a damn Deku that he'd always remained ahead of. Fear of weakness coursed through his bloodstream, embedding a narrative that he wasn't enough to keep up. Bakugo wanted to crush that feeling, and if saying goodbye riddance to some stupid girl that held secrets from him for years led to him reaching his goals, then so be it. The blond's vulnerability would be on lockdown. He couldn't afford another setback, almost losing himself to a girl's kindness. Damn, she was just like her stupid brother.
Hinako sat, burning a hole into her textbook as she felt Bakugo's eyes on her. Like a bug trapped under a microscope, the red head squirmed uncomfortably as she waited for time to slowly tick by. Kirishima was sat beside her, struggling with something he was looking over, and her green eyes found his visage in attempt to shrug off the red gaze that seared her.
✶
The class was currently preparing their things to leave, when a green head of hair peaked through the classroom door. Hinako snapped her focus to her brother, running up to him with a crushing hug. Iida's demand for respectable classroom etiquette was ignored by the girl who was currently suffocating her sibling in her arms.
"I'm so glad you're okay, you idiot." She murmured, finally letting go of Izuku. The boy was only able to give an apologetic smile before their bubble was popped, another red headed classmate calling out to him.
"Oh, he's back!" Kirishima beamed, looking straight at Izuku."welcome back, man!"
Walking up to the pair, Kirishima's actions were imitated by the remainder of the class as they all came up to introduce themselves and compliment Izuku's battle. The love was appreciated by the green haired boy, but his eyes focused on the lack of one particular person. Hinako noticed it through her mask of smiles and cheerful agreement with her brother's greatness. Before, she'd only be annoyed with her brother's odd infatuation, but now, she understood where he was coming from a bit better.
Uraraka was asking Izuku about his arm when he politely excused himself, chasing after a certain blond. Hinako let him go without a fight, instead deciding to return to her desk and gathering her things. Kirishima walked up to her desk, calm expression on his face.
"So." He began, voice sounding energetic. "Where were you thinking of training?"
Hinako slung her backpack onto her shoulders, her eyes looking at the boy. "Oh, well like I said, I usually go to a gym, but I don't want it to be an inconvenience for you."
She genuinely didn't want Kirishima going out of his way over a suggestion, it'd only make the girl feel bad. Red hair twirled around her finger as Hinako tried to calm down. Why did she feel so jumpy around a guy that was just being nice to her.
"Don't worry! I don't mind that at all! Mind if I come today?" Kirishima asked hopefully, red eyes searching her features.
"Of course not. It'd be nice." Hinako's voice got quieter at the end of her words, the situation flustering her.
"Great! I'll walk with you then."
Nodding, Hinako left with Kirishima following her closely, the two waving goodbye to Mina who held a smug grin on her face.
✶
"You live quite far from the school." Kirishima noted as the two kids walked along the sidewalk leading to Daisuke's gym.
They had both said goodbye to Izuku, Hinako yelling at him to be safe as they parted ways. She wasn't joking, worried about her brother and his condition. The plan had been to walk home with him before Kirishima asked to join her today. Now that they were alone, Hinako's skin felt hot and cold at the same time. Every nerve in her body was making itself known.
"Yeah, it's a pain, but thankfully Izuku and I wake up really early anyway." Hinako managed to get out before apologizing. "Sorry to make you come all this way."
"Don't sweat it. I wanted to come." The boy reassured her, happy expression on his face.
"I'm glad." Noticing the glass doors of her favorite place, Hinako's face lit up. "We're here."
Cold air hit the two as she opened the door, Daisuke's face a welcome sight. Both of them stepped inside, Hinako instructing Kirishima to place his backpack and blazer in one of the free lockers.
"Daisuke!" Hinako called out to the man who was already looking at the two.
"Hey kid. New friend?" Daisuke's voice was deep and friendly, curious about the boy who was currently placing his things away.
Blushing slightly, Hinako nodded. "Um, yeah. This is Kirishima. I offered him to train with me, and he wanted to come today." Her gaze was shifted to the side, finger scratching her cheek in slight embarrassment.
Daisuke chuckled at the girl's response, stepping up to the pair to introduce himself.
"Well, nice to meet ya, Kirishima. You certainly have a handful when it comes to my girl here." A grin spread across the man's face when Hinako huffed, amusement showing from his face.
"Nice to meet you, sir!" Kirishima beamed, now in his uniform pants and white shirt. Sharp white teeth shone as he prepared to defend his decisions. "Maybe so, but she's a spectacle. I'd love to learn more from her."
"Hah! Well look no further, my boy!" Daisuke's chest puffed out a bit as he raised his arms. "You're looking at the man who taught young Hina all she knows!"
Hinako giggled at her mentor, finding his behavior towards Kirishima equally amused. The statement from her friend didn't pass her, but Daisuke's response was enough to keep her from turning into a mumbling mess.
"Woah, really? Sweet! I came to the right place then." Kirishima practically yelled, causing the girl to shift away from him slightly.
The two guys got along quite well as Kirishima was shown the ropes, seeing the main fighting ring that Hinako spent countless hours in, the dummies she bullied to a pulp, the exercise equipment lined up in neat rows. It was all exciting for the boy.
"Hey." Hinako started, question unable to be pushed aside. "Has he..?"
Daisuke looked at the girl, shaking his head slightly. "Afraid not, kid. Just give it time, yeah?"
Nodding, Hinako looked out the wide glass windows at the front of the building, sun shining on the pavement.
"What?" Kirishima asked, noticing the slight tension in the air between them.
"Your classmate, Katsuki Bakugo, comes regularly to complete chores with Hinako here, but he hasn't come around the past few days." Daisuke answered, voice steady and unbothered. "He's a stubborn kid, so it's not surprising."
"Yeah, he's intense." Kirishima agreed, eyes on Hinako's dejected form. "He was too intense today against Hinako's brother, that's for sure. Totally unmanly."
Hinako couldn't help but release a small chuckle at Kirishima's statement, her gaze turning back to the two males.
"Yeah, but it's like Daisuke said, he'll come around. He's just difficult sometimes." False security about the statement came from her, a mask of positivity covering her fear of abandonment.
"Absolutely." Daisuke noticed Hinako's false indifference, wanting to divert the subject. "But are you two wanting to train today? Or just scoping the area?"
"I don't have a change of clothes, sir." Kirishima scratched his neck, realization hitting him.
"I do, but yeah. Today was just an introduction to the place. We still don't know if we really want to meet here." Hinako explained, eyes focusing on Kirishima for some type of transparency.
"This place is awesome. Of course I'm coming here, Hina!" Bright and happy, Kirishima's energy blinded Hinako as pale pink brushed over her face.
"Oh, okay. Then I guess it's settled."
Daisuke smiled at the young girl, an idea popping into his mind.
"Well, I have a change of clothes young Kirishima here can fit into, if you two would like to try sparring today?"
The offer hung in the air, Daisuke hoping that the red haired boy would bite, and his offer was accepted.
"Really? Heck yeah, man! You okay with that?" Kirishima looked over at Hinako's pink face, smiling at her reaction.
"Sure! Sounds nice." She nodded, neck stiff.
"Great! Be right back." Daisuke led the kid to the back room, finding an older set of work out clothes left by none other than Bakugo, and Hinako went to her own bag to dig out a cropped compression shirt and shorts.
The two kids ran into shower rooms, changing quick and meeting each other in new outfits. The clothing was a bit tight on Kirishima, the boy's arms completely filling out the fabric over his biceps.
"Looks like they're a bit small, you okay, kid?" Daisuke asked Kirishima, noticing the difference.
"Yes sir! I can always take the shirt off if I need to." Kirishima assured Daisuke, walking to the wide arena where Hinako waited for him, ears red as she looked at him.
"Good to hear." Daisuke walked to the side of the expanse of the arena, ready to guide the two opponents.
"You ready for this, Kirishima?" Hinako asked, teasing him as she took a deep breath and readied her stance.
"You know it!" Kirishima grinned, bumping his fists together and finding his own stance.
"Okay, we'll start basic with basic martial arts so I can place you, Kirishima. Then I'll let the two of you perform moves that will benefit you both. What's your quirk, son?" Daisuke asked, wanting to take quirks into consideration.
Shifting his flesh into a hardened state, Kirishima showed off his hardened state briefly. "Hardening, sir. I can turn into stone and take the brunt of most attacks."
Daisuke's eyes brightened at the sight, finding it complimenting to Hinako's quirk. "Perfect, you two were made for each other."
Noticing Hinako falter with his words, Daisuke clarified. "For training, this'll be beneficial for the both of you."
Kirishima grinned, his own flustered emotions hiding underneath his bright enthusiasm.
"Right." Hinako said, voice firm as she hardened her eyes and let go of the fact that her growing crush was standing before her. "Bring it, Kirishima. I won't go easy on you."
"Wouldn't want it any other way! Give me all you got!" The boy answered her call, determination of his own apparent.
"All right. Let's begin!" Daisuke called out, beginning the session.
✶
Three full hours passed, and the two kids laid on the gym floor huffing, air moving quickly through their lungs. Red hair from the two tangled together as it sprawled out, Kirishima's spikes faltering from sweat and wear. Hinako's jaw was sore, along with her throat and her stamina depleted to its lowest, using all that she had against the opponent that lay beside her.
"Man, you put up a fight." Kirishima huffed, burn marks on his cheek and abdomen.
"Weren't too bad yourself, you know." Hinako replied, eyes finding Daisuke as he walked up to the pair after fetching water bottles.
"Great work, kiddos. Now drink up."
Weakened arms reached up to grab Daisuke's gift, Hinako sitting up first before grabbing Kirishima's hand to help him sit upright.
"Thanks, old man." The girl breathed, moving red hair away from her face before twisting her water open, chugging the liquid.
Kirishima could only bring himself to nod, breath heavy as he slowly sipped the water in his hand. Red eyes found Hinako, watching her throat bob as water dripped down the expanse. His eyes trailed up to her flushed cheeks, red hair sticking to the sides of her face, then to her nose, her long eyelashes. The accumulation made Kirishima flustered, a question forming in his mind before he set it aside, focusing on the present.
"You both performed well, today." Daisuke praised the two. "Especially you, Kirishima. Your battle sense is strong already, and that quirk of yours is pretty handy."
Kirishima still wasn't used to his quirk being complimented, the only one to do it being Hinako so far, so the boy was only able to manage a small thanks to the instructor.
"Hinako, you'll need to remember how to predict instead of waiting for impact. You can't rely on tanking everything, got it?"
"Yes, sir." Hinako replied, bashful due to the boy beside her. It was embarrassing to be singled out like this. Her knees rested her arm and head, red locks of hair falling over her form.
"I did it earlier today, I think. I won, too." She followed up, wishing for Daisuke to compliment her.
"That's good, but without consistency, it's meaningless. Keep practicing." Daisuke's voice was indifferent, knowing that what Hinako needed wasn't praise, but a steady lead.
"Got it." Hinako nodded her head, crushing the emptied plastic bottle in her hand and shifting her head to look up at Daisuke, the man's gaze not harsh or warm, only steadied with concentration.
"I'll do better, promise." She voiced truthfully, watching Daisuke's expression soften a bit.
"Good to hear. Now, you two get changed and run out of here. Don't need you staying too late." He finished, gesturing the two bodies to get off his floor.
Changed back into their school uniforms, the red heads exited the gym, not before Daisuke's waved at the two and told Kirishima that he looked forward to seeing him again. The sun was lowered in the sky, clouds tinged pink and purple, casting a warm hue over the two as they walked back to the train station.
"Hey, thank you for coming with me. I enjoyed it." Hinako broke the short silence between them, shy and soft.
"Thanks for inviting me. I had fun." Kirishima matched the softness of her voice, his red hair now fallen around his face. "You were so fluid with your movements, it was cool to witness first hand."
"Well, if you keep coming around, you'll get to see more." Hinako smiled slightly, eyes soft as she looked at Kirishima. "You'll learn, too. I'll make sure of it."
"Count on it. I want to get as strong as possible." A pause came from Kirishima before his thoughts formed into words. "That way I can be the unstoppable wall you talked about."
Her breath caught momentarily, posture straightening before she agreed with him.
"Hell yeah. Let's make it happen!" She pushed her bashfulness aside to show her genuine support for her friend, smile on her face and a thumb held up. "Let's make you the Kirishima that I see inside of you."
"Right!" Kirishima replied, brain wracking with words he wanted to say, but couldn't voice.
✶
The train stop acted as a beacon as the two kids reached their destination, Kirishima walking ahead of Hinako as she stopped her legs. Hinako was exhausted from both training sessions that transpired today, a slouch visible in her posture before she straightened it, a tired but genuine smile forming.
"See you tomorrow, then. I had fun today." She told him, eyes sparkling as his presence. Happiness overpowered the fatigue her body held, Kirishima being an energy source that warmed her.
"Yeah, see you!" Kirishima responded, hesitating on his next words. He wasn't going to say anything, but as he watched Hinako turn, he couldn't stop himself from speaking.
"Hina." The name made the girl stop in her tracks, gaze meeting him once more.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you." Kirishima took in a deep breath, trying not to second guess the decision to speak up.
"Before getting into U.A., I didn't have much confidence in myself. Even today, I compared myself to our classmates, to you. But you telling me that my quirk would be an unstoppable force and that you'd call for me whenever you needed help made me feel like I really belonged. Mina is a wonderful friend, but having someone else tell me that I would make an amazing hero made me really happy."
His hands squeezed around the handles of his backpack, red hair falling into his face as his head dipped forward to bow.
"Thank you for making me feel like I deserve to be here, and for helping me train. It was really nice, and I can't wait to do it again."
Hinako's breath caught, chest tightening with a certain intensity she couldn't explain. Shades of pink and red cascaded over the boy that had found the confidence to express his appreciation, and the girl felt foolish. This whole time, Hinako had focused on her mushy emotions towards Kirishima, yet it all seemed to dull in comparison to what she felt right now.
The idea of her helping someone believe that they're worth the time? The reassurance that told someone they could be a hero? She was behind it? A small crush was microscopic to the serotonin that came from someone telling her that she had made them feel like they belonged. It was like she was a small child again. The one promising to be a hero that would make her brother smile once more, helping him believe he could achieve his dream. Hinako shifted on her feet, walking over to Kirishima who still had his head tilted forward, and reached out a hand to pat his head gently.
"Kirishima." She started, voice warm and gentle. "I'll always believe in you."
She ruffled his hair before he straightened his posture, his eyes searching her soft ones.
"You do belong at U.A. You're strong, resilient, and kind. You'll make a wonderful hero, and I'll always look out for you. I'll always include you, no matter what."
Red hair was tangled as Hinako pulled her hand away, and Kirishima brushed the few strands that covered his face away to see Hinako clearly. His expression was calm, embers of happiness reflecting in his eyes.
"Thank you."
Nodding, Hinako walked backwards as she waved again.
"Get home safely, okay? I'll be waiting for a text." Turning on her heels, the girl walked away from the boy who was left with a swelling emotion that felt overwhelming.
Kirishima left the small town he was in with this emotion, a feeling we wasn't necessarily comfortable with. His hand stayed latched onto one of the orange handles as he stood in the train cart, Hinako's face sending a jolt to his chest that hurt in a lovely sort of way. He was grateful to have found someone like the natural red head, someone so kind and supportive. She was strong, flashy, and made him feel like he belonged somewhere. His presence felt needed. Warmth fluttered in his chest at the words she told him, playing them on repeat as he allowed himself to have the feeling of importance.
Hinako, on the other hand, felt any fatigue she might've had melt from her body as she ran to her apartment, heart swelling with a sense of accomplishment. Someone believed that they could be a hero because of her. She helped someone feel like they were wanted, like they were deserving of their achievements. This feeling seemed like it was designed for her, every doubt or concern she had melting away from the idea that she had helped at least one single person. Arriving at her home, Hinako kicked her shoes off and made her way to her bedroom, entering and leaning on the bedroom door as she closed it. Stress from the day disappearing as she allowed herself to bask in the warmth of a friend's confession.
"Hina, you okay?" Izuku called out through the wooden door.
A smile that shown her teeth broke free from her.
Yeah, she believed she was.