Beating Hearts! Chapter 2 (Patreon)

“Just training won’t do us any good.” Kyoka says, and I hum as I move the pawn forward.

I’ve been having these kind of dreams often these days.

An empty and seemingly endless white landscape, with just me and her in it, and a small table with chess pieces on it.

“Can’t really do anything beyond that without drawing attention.” My training is progressing smoothly. Insanely fast too, but that might be Anime Bullshit at work.

I shouldn’t be able to carry nearly the triple of my body weight already, a month into my training.

It’s crazy, but it might just be me building the initial muscles. I feel like it’ll all slow down quite soon, or it won’t. If it doesn’t, then I’ll be glad.

“The Support Gear plans are good. Weaponizing sound in a way I didn’t in… Canon.” Kyoka scrunches up her nose in a cute way, her right jack moving down to wrap around her horse so to move it forward.

I frown in thought as I remember the plans and ideas for the Support Gear I have in mind. “Simply using your Jacks and what we can release through them is far too restrictive. Using your-”

“Our.” She corrects without even lifting her gaze.

“-Your, voice as a weapon will bring far greater effects as long as it can be amplified to extreme levels.” I press forward and ignore her correction, earning me a light roll of the eyes from her.

“Testing it beforehand would be great, so to have a great deal of time to perhaps improve it before U.A., ya know?” I pause at her words.

That’s true, but… “Finding someone that can build this stuff without permission from the Hero Commission and shit will be hard. Not to talk about the cost for such stuff.” It’s not that I don’t trust some Support Company, but it’s just that in order to make use of one, I’ll need to be part of a Hero School.

And that’s years in the future, far too much time to waste that I can use to start putting down a good Support Tool and perfecting through the years until U.A. starts.

But finding someone good at this stuff and that isn’t shackled by the Hero Commission is pretty much impossible, and askingon the internet will just draw unwanted attention.

Plus, there’s always the worry that even if I get my hands on such a thing, the creator will be afraid that it’ll be misused and outright report me.

Or, if they are assholes, use me to get the money, then report me right as the item is finished.

Albeit Japan is a cesspool of pure greediness and Hero Worship bullshit, at least they get the laws right and are careful with things breaking out… Though I did not miss how the majority of the laws – around the world, even– tend to favor those with Quirks.

Their suicide rates below the age of twenty… Jesus fucking Christ…

“We’ll just have to keep on looking then.” Sometimes, I hate her optimism, even though it’s a nice way to keep on going.

Just hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

“That’s fair… We do have plenty of time, after all.” I sigh deeply and drag a hand across my face.

I do not want to grow lax and waste the time that I have. I want to make the best of it.

Kyoka hums and drops her chin on her open palm. “I’m afraid too… But remember, we can’t lose sleep over this. We gotta live too.”

“Let’s enjoy ourselves for as long as we can, yeah?”

“Kyo?”

I jolt awake as a hand shakes my shoulder, and I nearly instinctively react with violence before my brain catches up.

I still, then sigh through my nostrils and drag my hands across my face and rub my heavy, sleepy eyes.

Gods, I fell asleep during class?

I’m more tired than usual.

“I’m awake…” I drawl out, lifting my gaze up to look at Stelle, who is giving me an amused and worried look at the same time.

“You were snoring.” Looks like I will have to end her life now for acquiring such forbidden knowledge. “And drooling a bit too.” In the most painful way possible.

I sniff, then relax when I realize that the classroom is empty. “Did you let me sleep?” Her cheeks flush slightly at my question.

Her hand comes up to scratch the side of her right cheek, golden eyes flicking away from mine. “Yeah, you looked tired, so…” My heart soars at her words, but I ignore the nice feeling in my belly and just smile softly.

My back arcs, and I cover my mouth as I release a loud yawn.

My body feels so heavy, numb and tired, and I just wanna go back home and collapse on my bed.

“How long?”

Stelle quickly glances down at her phone; “Half an hour. Still in time to catch your train.”

I hum, then sniff. “Our train.” She blinks at me. “Wanna come over?” And there’s the little smile I like.

“I-… Yeah, I’d like that.” Good. It’s become a common occurrence now, and I don’t hate it.

I actually love it. She’s fun to have around, and pretty much the only friend I need from this school.

She’s mature, and not a Hero Fanboy like the others… Actually, I don’t think she even has a favorite Hero.

“Good, then c’mon…” I grunt and sit up, ignoring the fact that all my things have already been packed up. Again, Stelle proves to be a fantastic friend.

Slowly, we make our way out of the empty school, then outside of it. All the while, Stelle keeps glancing my way with worry in her eyes.

So, after a bit, I just give her a flat stare. “Just ask what you want to ask.” Her cheeks flush at being caught, but well… Her and the word ‘subtle’ don’t really fit.

“It’s just…” She pauses, and her tongue snakes out to wet her lips, and I can’t help but stareintently before I catch myself. “I’m worried about your health. You’re pushing yourself a bit too much.”

Her being worried about me shouldn’t make me feel this good. Goddammit.

I ignore the nice feeling in my belly yet again to hum to myself. The reason I am in such a state and so tired is because I pushed my weights to forty kilograms on each limb and around the belly…

Then had the dumb fucking idea to do a whole ass training session like that.

Others would have surely died back in original world, but here? Here, somehow I fucking did it.

I regretted ever second of it, and I still do… But I did it. Somehow.

“Do you want to be a Hero that much?”

“Hell nah.” My answer is immediate, startling Stelle, and the look on her face is just adorable. Enough so that it brings a giggle out of me.

“I’m not… Altruistic, or Heroic, or even want the fame and money that come from the job.” I drawl out, uncaring if the first two reasons are basically ‘flaws’ for many.

I don’t know those people… So why the fuck should I waste my time saving them?

That’s basically my reasoning with such things. If I don’t know them, I have no reason to help them even if it’s right in front of my face… Though, with the merging I had with Kyoka, there’s a big chance that I might help if it’s in front of my eyes.

But outside of that? Nah. Waste of time.

Stelle yet again licks her lips, but I manage to contain my stare this time around. “Then… Why work so hard? Why even want to become a Hero?”

Unable to help myself, I reach over to grab her hand and give it a squeeze. She squeezes it right back, and my shoulders relax, the tension leaving most of my body.

“Because I’m terrified.” And I hate admitting it. “All Might is growing older and weaker, and it won’t be long until someone lands a lucky shot.”

“He goes down? All of Japan goes down as well due to how the glorified him. The whole Hero Society of Japan depends on his presence.”

“The whole fucking low crime rate is just because criminals are more afraid of the ‘What if he comes?’ than the police or other Heroes.”

I breathe in, then release my shuddering breath as Stelle gives my hand another comforting squeeze. “So once he goes down, so do our lives. I’m just… Hoping for the best, but preparing for the absolute worst case scenario.” Like I usually do.

Silence falls over us as we keep on walking, hands still joined. She looks deep in thought, but also quite worried and conflicted.

“You never told me what you want to do in the future.” I decide to probe, as I do not like that look of worry on her face.

Stelle perks up and blinks, then shrugs, much to my surprise. “I really don’t have anything in mind.”

Yet again, I’m unable to help myself. “Oh? Not even planning on stretching your trashcan looting operations through the world?” And now she’s pouting at me. Adorable.

Also, squishy cheeks.

But funnily enough, the gray-haired girl decides to match me. “Foolish of you to think that I haven’t achieved that yet.”

I nod sagely. “Truly you are the most glorious Trash Panda in existence.”

She chokes on air and stumbles, using our joined hands so to not kiss the ground.

Also, that’s a damn fine nickname!

“That’ll be my nickname for you from now on.” Yep, I got something new to bully her with.

“That won’t be my nickname!”

“Yuh-uh!”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Too late. ‘Tis set in stone.” Pretty sure she’s about to tackle me, but she’s holding herself back.

At least until we get back to my home, that is.

Another yawn tugs at my lips as we reach the train station. Close enough that the train is about to pull up too.

Stelle speaks up then, her hand giving mine another gentle squeeze. “But yeah, I don’t really have anything planned for the future. No goals, no nothing.”

I hum, then shrug. “Well, you got time.” I feel like I’m saying that a lot these days.

Silence falls over us yet again, my sensitive ears filled with the random chatter of the people around us, and from the distant train drawing closer and closer to us.

“Say, Kyo…”

“Hm?” I perk up, blinking the sleep out of my eyes to glance at Stelle, her cheeks strangely flushed.

“Would you like to, uh… Go to Hosu with me one of these days?” Like a date?

I kick away that traitorous thought. “Trash looting?”

Her snort bubbles into a cute peal of laughter that brings a fond smile on my face. I really do grow attached too easily sometimes.“No!” Sniffing softly, Stelle contains her smile, a shy look in her eyes. “Just… I wanna go check out the place, and the Trailblazer.”

I blink. Thewhat?

“The what?” My confusion is transmitted to Stelle just as the train arrives.

Even Kyoka’s memories don’t bring up whatever this Trailblazeris.

“You don’t know her?” So it’s a person. A Hero, then?

I shake my head as we board the train, then take a seat beside each other like usual. “She was a big Hero from around twenty or so years ago, loved and cherished by the whole of Hosu.”

“She was a big Preservation Path Hero, with a Quirk that granted her a flaming lance and a giant Mech.” Okay… What?!

With a big grin, Stelle brings up her phone and taps away at it. I just watch with a smile on my face, drinking in the adorable sight before me while leaning back against my seat.

“Here.” I lean against Stelle’s shoulder to peer at her phone, then nearly gape at the picture of the gargantuan silver-and-black Mech.

It towers over all the buildings in the surroundings with sheer ease, even when crouched down and hunched over, it’s enormous form resting in a massive part and already covered in moss and rust.

“How the hell did that thing even move around?” No, seriously. It’s feet are so enormous that even buildings aren’t wider than them.

Plus, it must weight enough to cause tremors across the city with it’s footsteps, so… Yeah. Lots of damages.

And this was created by a Quirk!?

“Trailblazer could teleport the Engine by her side near instantly, and make it disappear to who knows where when she didn’t need it.” Stelle explains, but it just confuses me even more. “The spot it is laying at is where her last battle took place, and where she used to leave the Engine running at night while she went to sleep.”

“You should see some of the videos of this beast shooting laser to take out Villains across the city. It’s so cool.” And it can shoot lasers too.

No, really… What the fuck? Have Quirks decided to defy reason all of a sudden- Actually, fuck that. When did they ever make reason?

The energy needed for one to be capable of shitting out fire for minutes on end should be quite large, and the dumbfuck that is Endeavor always keeps his flames turned on for hours on end.

So… Yeah. Guess Quirked Humans can make for some terrifyingly good batteries, huh?

“And she died with a Quirk like that?” I ask her, honestly a bit horrified that even someone with a busted weapon like that can still get taken out.

My friend’s face falls as she nods. “The Villain was terrifyingly strong. Someone who apparently lost control of his Quirk- Or that’s what the Hero Commissionstarted blabbering on.” Yeah, and I don’t trust any of the shit those guys spout.

So something fishy surely went down.

“Their battle tore down a third of Hosu before Trailblazer had Engine expend all of it’s energies to release an enormous laser that lit up the night sky.”

“Though, for the laser to hit, she used herself to pin down the target since the Villain could fly, so…”

She put her life on the line to save the whole of Hosu, even though she could have probably stalled for time until All Might came around… But that was when All For One was still around.

And from the looks of it, the Hero Commissions started spewing bullshit to cover-up All for One’s existence pretty much instantly.

Why? I don’t know, nor do I really care what those idiots ‘plan’. They are just a bunch of murderers

“This really puts into perspective how dangerous this shit is…” I sigh lowly, mostly to myself, but I do find an arm wrapping around my shoulder in comfort.

So, without care, I lean further against Stelle and close my eyes. A low sigh escapes my nostrils, and I vacate my head of any stray and unwanted thoughts in order to rest.

Oh right, I haven’t answered her question.“But yeah, we can go this weekend if you want.” I don’t need to look at her face to feel her light up.

But I can hear it. And damn doesn’t that creep me out.

I’m close enough that I can hear the muscles contract, the blood flowing, the skin pulling, and the beating of her heart.

And I’m not even concentrating my hearing through my jacks, else I’d be able to hear far beyond just Stelle. I’d be able to hear the organs ofall the people in the train car, albeit not with the same precision as Stelle’s due to the close proximity.

...Huh, my hearing has kinda gotten better now that I think about it.

Pretty sure Stelle just pumped her fist from excitement, and I squash the thought that this might be a date yet again. “Wanna watch a movie while we are there? They have a big movie theater from what I’ve seen.” Hmm, that’s tempting…

Actually, no. “What movie? ‘All Might: The Age of Dark Might’?” Stelle lurches forward with a wheeze as I lift my head to look up at her with a deadpan stare from her shoulder.

Ain’t even a made up name, that’s a real-ass fucking movie that has recently come out.

What is it about? All Might, fighting his Evil Multiversal Counterpart that took over his Universe.

Her wheeze turns into a cackle before she breathes in to collect herself. “The previous movie was about a clone of him going evil, wasn’t it?”

“Yep, the movie producers clearly got a lot of imagination… Especially since the movie beforethat was about an evil All Might Android.”

“That one had some good CGI though. The final battle, while clichè, actually looked very good.”

“...The All Might in that movie was black.” Stelle wheezes again, nearly downright squealing and loosing control of her laughter.

I ain’t kidding. They really grabbed a jacked dark-skinned guy, put on an All Might hairstyle wig, gave him blue contact lenses… Then said ‘Yeah, he look like him.’ and went ahead with the movie.

Said creation led the Americans to flood the internet with memes using a certain word, switching it out with ‘All’ to create ‘...-Might’… Yeah.

Needless to say that when I discovered it I nearly threw up from laughter.

Only thing that hasn’t degraded in this day and age are memes.

...Still, this gives me an idea. “Alright, here’s what we are going to do today.” I straighten myself, even though I was very comfy leaning against Stelle.

Her golden eyes flick to me, and I grin. “We’re gonna binge all the shitty All Might movies and laugh at them.”

Slowly, one of her eyebrowsrises up. “A trash movie night?” Her nose scrunches up. “We are going to cringe a lot, aren’t we?”

“That what it’s all about! Cringe one-liners, bad jokes at inopportune moments that make us go silent, super dumb inner-monologues, all that bad stuff.”

It’s always fun to torture myself with such horrors. They bring laughs out of me, but it’s also a way for me to just kill time with Stelle.

And maybe I can sneak in a cuddle or two. Just gotta yoink the couch from the living room for that.

“Then…We buying junk food?”

“But of course!”

                                                                                     xxxXXXxxx

I come to with a low groan, my hand lightly brushing against something as I move it to my face.

I open my eyes, blink a few times, then close them so to rub my fingers over them.

My body still feels heavy, and I feel a bit dizzy too. Did I fall asleep while we were watching movies?

I remember we started on the third one, but then it all just fades away after that.

Gods, I really need to take a break from my training. I know I am desperate, but feeling like this… It’s too much.

“Heaven-Breaking Smash!”A roar filled my ears together with cheesy heroic music, a crescendo of drums and trumpets that very much did not fit into all the explosions and whatever the fuck else is happening in the damn scene.

Opening my eyes again, the first thing I notice is that my room is very dark, barely lit by the flashing colors of the TV.

And the second thing I see is a head full of gray hair snuggled against me.

My heart leaps to my throat when I swiftly catch on the fact that Stelle is sleeping against me, and my arms are wrapped around her.

Gods, she looks so fucking cute…

I bite my inner cheek to calm myself, using the pain to focus, even as I move my raised hand to brush a strand of hair out of her face and off her lips.

I fucking hate getting attached so easily.

The first person I got to know in this damn world, my first friend, and one that matches my vibes and actively hits all my likes.

How the fuck could I even manage not to catch feelings? Especially with how desperate I am for… anything. Something to focus on aside from the grim future.

I breathe in, and the scent of lavender floods into my nostrils.

Stelle stirs lightly, her hands coming up to rest against my chest as she cuddles herself deeper against me, not knowing the things she’s making me feel right now.

I gulp and breathe in again, then slowly lift myself up so that I can move over Stelle.

She stirs again, releasing some cute noises that make me swoon, but I manage to get off the couch without her waking up.

Gently, I move her head so to rest on the pillow I stole from my bed, then remove the covers from said bed to rest them on her.

She’s a heavy sleeper, huh?

I turn to the TV, where another bad copy of All Might is now throwing a ‘Gatling Smash Gun’ move that just makes me cringe. Heavily.

These are the movies of this day and age.

...And to think this shit actually won a prize when it came out.

I turn the volume down without sparing the bad movie a second glance, then side-step the discarded empty bags of chips and snacks me and Stelle devoured before making my way out of my room.

Ate a lot of salty stuff, so I am thirsty as hell.

“Hey mom…” I yawn out as I walk into the kitchen, faintly noticing that she’s already cooking dinner. We’ve must’ve been out for longer than I thought then.

“Finally awake?” She drawls teasingly towards me, and I just grunt while my jacks reach out to grab a glass cup, my hands instead opening the fridge to grab a bottle of fresh water.

In the cup it goes, and down the throat it comes- “Slept well with Stelle?” And up the fuckin’ nostrils it came.

I choke. Hard. My throat and cheeks burns as mom starts laughing delightedly at my misfortune, looking far too pleased with herself.

“Y-You saw us?” Oh Gods, did she take pictures?! She definitely did!

Dad must not see them! And if he has already, then a concussion is in order.

Mom shrugs, her own jacks shrugging with her shoulders. “Checked in on you two, came in to see two cuties all cuddled up together!” She swoons while I want to scream and punch something.

So I punch the fucking fridge. Gently, cause I’m pretty sure I can dent the motherfucker now.

“Sooo~!” No, I hate that tone of voice…“Anything Mommy should know about?” I want to die.

“We’re not… like that.” I grunt out, filling another glass full of water before downing it, soothing the burning of my throat and my thirst.

Mom hums, having set her knife aside to stare at me, eyes narrowed lightly behind her glasses. “But you want to?” I just huff and refuse to meet her gaze.

“Do you feel like you got attached too easily?” But I do end up meeting her gaze either way. How the fuck-?

Mom powers, I guess? Can that even be considered a Quirk?

Mom Path?

“How’d ya guess?” I ask, and she hums, her gaze growing slightly nostalgic.

“It was the same with me and your dad, actually.” Now that I think about it, I’ve never really learned how they met, did I? “Both shy geeks in school, and both not really having friends that stuck…”

“Then, one day, I accidentally remove my jacks from my phone, letting some music slip out. Your father was nearby, and pretty much lost it at the fact that not only was I listening to his favorite song of his favorite band… But he was also listening to it himself.” Yeah, sounds like the old man.

“Then of course I started loosing it too because ‘Oh my God, someone that likes old music like me!’ and well… We became fast friends, and not even a month later he asks me out.”

“We confessed our love within two months of knowing each other, so…” She shrugs, thengives me a soft look. “It’s not something taboo, or something bad. It’s completely alright-”

“But I’m different though.” I cut her off involuntarily, letting my worry and fear shine through by the fact I nearly throw the glass cup across the kitchen, but settle down by sliding it across the counter with a huff.

“I’m not like… the others.” I wave to my body, mostly the lower part. Albeit it’s a favored kink of mine, it’s not something everyone enjoys, plus… How the fuck does one even come out with revealing such shit to the target of their affection?

“Oh honey…” Mom sighs, her shoulders sagging as she brings me into a tight hug that I openly welcome and lean into.

Her fingers brush through my hair, and a kiss is placed on the crown of my head. “You should see the looks Stelle-Chan gives you when you aren’t looking. You two are just made for each other.”

If she truly is attracted to me too, then I can guess on the why, though it might be a long shot.

She’s lived all of her life very likely getting picked on for being ‘Different’ from the others, for lacking her Path and for being unable to use her Quirk.

She did tell me she was bullied and isolated a lot while growing up exactly for that, and while she keeps saying that she never cared and still doesn’t… I know that deep down she does.

And then I come along, latching onto her because her being ‘Different’ from the others makes me very fucking happy.

She’s not someone babbling on and on about All Might this and All Might that or about other Heroes I could give little fucks about.

We talk about music, songs, animals and fucking trash cansof all things for God’s sake!

So I latched onto her because her being ‘Different’ from others is a Godsend for me, and she latched onto me because I accepted her for just being Her. No fuck’s given about her Quirk or Path.

I sigh out, releasing all of my worries and stress. It’s useless to do this, as I’d rather just… risk it, and see how it goes.

But I don’t want to lose her.

“We’ve never had these kinds of talks before, have we?” I muse softly, breaking away from the comfy hug as I brush away more unpleasant fears and thoughts.

Mom’s hand brushes against my left cheek, a loving smile on her face. “That we haven’t.” Hesitation flashes by her eyes for a split second before she breathes in through her nostrils. “Want to keep going?”

Kyoka never had much of a connection with her parents, did she…?

Far too shy to do anything, socially awkward, afraid of any kind of reprisal and refusal…

Guess it’s time I make up for the lost time. Parents are to be cherished.

Especially two wonderful ones like these.

“Well…” I start, licking my lips a bit nervously. “What do you want to know?” The kitchen is forgotten as we move to the table, taking a seat right next to each other.

Her hand grasps mine, and a low hum flows out of her lips. “Why don’t you tell me your greatest dream? Or desire?” Ah, that’s an easy one.

A wistful smile makes it’s way on my face as I lean back and raise my head towards the ceiling, imaging that there’s nothing in my way and that I can stare at the starry night sky.

No Light Pollution, no nothing being in my way. My eyes free to fall upon the ocean of stars high above.

So, with that imagine in my mind, I reply. “I long for the stars. They call for me.” It’s a craving I’ve had for the longest time. “It’s probably my greatest desire in life, to just sail through the cosmos with no real destination in sight.”

“...You never told me about that.” And that’s why I am now. Making up for lost time.

So that I can learn to be a daughter once again.

So that I can learn to love my mother once more.

“...I never told you about a great many things, Mom.” That unfortunately pains me quite a bit.

Her hand comes to brush through my slightly longer hair in a way that conveys all of her love, warmth and worry. “Perhaps we should rectify that, then?” She whispers softly. Soothingly.

It tugs at my heartstrings, and my eyes redden slightly.

My nerves ease, but my gaze never moves to meet hers. “Everyone deserves to have some secrets… But-” I bite my lower lip in thought, then just sigh softly. “I feel like I’ve changed.”

Mom hums softly yet again, her fingers still coursing through my hair. “In what way?”

“All ways.” Is my immediate reply. “I feel… Different. Less me, more someone else… But also more… whole? If that makes any sense.” And it’s not hard to realize that they have noticed my clear changes.

My different personality, the way I carry myself, and so much more.

“From that day you fell sick, huh?” Mom muses softly, and I nod. Just as I thought, they noticed it. Not that I tried hard to even hide it, or even tried at all.

I nod again and wet my lips with my tongue, finding my throat suddenly quite dry yet again. “I… Yeah. I just… I’d rather not get into it, but this change… It makes me happy. I feel… free.”

Mom’s hands brush through my shoulder-length hair yet again, and my shoulders relax as the light tension fades away from my body thanks to the affection-filled touches.

“We have noticed some little and big things since that day, but… We really love these changes, honey.” A kiss is once again placed on the crown of my head. “I can finally tease my daughter without her running and hiding away.”

“Of course that’s what you’d love the most about this…” I grumble out, and she laughs happily, arms tightly wrapping and holding onto me as she does so.

But she breaks it off just a few seconds later, ruffling my hair as she stands. “Now it’s time for me to be a Mom, and put my foot down on a few things.” I perk up and straighten myself.

This… might not bode well?

Slowly, Mom breathes in, then breathes out. “I do not know why you are training so hard, honey-” Her hand comes up, halting the words that I was about to say. So I slump back against my chair. “-Nor am I going to pry. But as a mother, it pains me to see you so… destroyed.”

“It’s been more than a month since you started, and you seem to get more and more desperate. More and more tired. It’s not good for your health, honey.”

I slump even more at the slightly disappointed and worried look on her face. I know why I am doing this, and it’s very important, but she doesn’t.

It pains me to keep such things hidden, and it pains me even more knowing that were I to reveal the reason… I might just worry them so much more.

“So… What?” I shrug, not really knowing what else to say. “Want me to slow down on my training?”

Mom frowns lightly, then surprisingly, she shakes her head. “I know it’s important for you… But I need you to find a Balance.”

“You are trying to juggle so many things at once right now, honey. School, music, that other thing you are working on, work-outs and, well... Stelle-Chan.” I keep my blush contained, but I get her point.

“You’ll fall apart if you keep going like this.” She’s right.

It’s just been a month, but things have been getting stressful already.

My budding feelings, me pushing my work-outs too far, school and so much more…

I’m so swamped with stuff that I rarely get to live. To actually enjoy something like I did today with Stelle.

“You’re right.” I sigh out, then breathe in. “I’ll take a break for a bit. Work up a schedule of sorts.” My words greatly please Mom, who sags her shoulders in relief, a warm smile spreading across her lips.

Then, said smile gains a teasing glint. “Make sure to account some Stelle-Chan time in it!” And my blush comes back full force.

This is gonna become a common thing.

But she’s right. I want to spend even more time with her.

She’s probably the one thing that makes me want to not train, so that I can focus fully on her.

Silly, but I don’t really care.

“Moving on to another topic…” Mom starts, her teasing grin turning into a beautiful smile. “I’ve recorded the drum part that you needed for the ‘Daylight’ song.” Oh.

That took far less than I thought it would have, but then again… Dad’s Quirk is kinda busted for these kind of things.

“Then I can probably put it together later tonight.”

“And post it.” Mom states cheerily.

I blink at her. She just stares down at me with a very intense gaze. “You will post it on HeroTube, yes?”

“Uuuh… It’ll just get buried beneath-”

“You will post it, right?”

“Of course, mother. What a silly question you have asked.” Fuckin’ hell, she can get terrifying…

Plus, with me and her having completely pitch black eyes, our staring can get downright nightmarish.

“Good.” She nods, and her terrifying stare relents. “Now shoo, back to Stelle-Chan with you. I’ll finish the curry here, then we can eat.” Oh fuck yes, that’s her best recipe!

I pump my fist and stand, then skip back to my dark room and quietly enter, only to find Stelle already awake, but still laying down on the couch while holding her phone.

“Hope I didn’t wake you up.” I say softly, gaining her attention as I do so, her sleepy golden eyes making her look oh so adorable right now.

She grumbles and stirs some more, turning off her phone and settling it aside. “All Might did, with a Smash whose name was far too long for me to remember.” And I lowered the volume too…

I snort and take a seat beside her as she stretches her limbs like a cat. “Slept well?” She hums, and I notice her cheeks darkening slightly even under the faint light coming from the TV.

“Perfect.” Stelle whispers softly, then grins lightly without meeting my gaze. “Then it went down to ‘Good’ once the thing that made it ‘Perfect’ decided to leave the couch.” It takes me a second to connect the dots.

And when I do, I feel my face start to burn quite a bit.

God-fucking-dammit.

So now it’s all out flirting, eh!?

Fine, then it’s my turn. “Yeah, for me too. I had a good pillow to hold my head, and two large ones to rest against my chest.” Stelle squeaks and reaches up to cover her chest.

She always wears baggy clothes, so it’s not noticeable… But she’s very curvaceous in all the right ways.

“Perv.” Stelle cutely grumbles at me, but I just shrug without a care.

“Count yourself lucky that I didn’t cop a feel.” She blows a raspberry at me, cheeks even more flushed than before.

I sigh with a smile on my face, then lean back and fall down on the couch right beside her.

And my smile grows when her arms wrap around me and bring me into her very desired embrace.

“You staying for tonight?” I ask her, leaning my head back and closing my eyes. “Mom is making her killer curry.”

Stelle hums and burrows closer into me. “Haven’t had some good curry in a long while, so count me in.” And she won’t have better curry anywhere else.

“Also…” I wet my lips and breathe in. “Looks like I’m posting my song on HeroTube tonight.”

Stelle goes still, then her head perks up with pretty golden eyes wide open. “Really?”

I smile and chuckle softly at her reaction. “Yeah, else I might get whipped by Mom.” That draws a snort out of my gray-haired friend.

Who then leans against me, beautiful eyes peering at me for a few quiet seconds. “You need an artist name though… Any ideas?”

I didn’t really think about that…

An artist name, and one that will fit me. One that I love.

I lean my head back, and another smile comes to my lips as the perfect name comes to mind. “Interstellar.” Why not use the name of my most beloved movie?

This world had the misfortune of never having been graced by the God that is Christopher Nolan.

Nor by the amazing music artist that is Hans Zimmer.

Gotta rectify that with my hands.

Stelle blinks at me. “I feel like there’s a story behind that.”

My smile grows bigger, and I raise a brow at her. “You could say so… Wanna hear it?”

Her smile is all the answers I need, so I wrap my arms around her and snuggle deeper into the couch.

So, I start telling her about the story of a Father and a Daughter.

A.N. And this marks the Birth of ‘Interstellar’ in the world of MHA!

I meant it when I said that I’m going to take things slow, and I want to show every little bit of growth, both physical and emotional and relationship-wise.

So, I hope y’all enjoy this and are along for the ride!

Toodles!