Waterhorse

     “Wh- no!” The words were spoken in a huff, brows drawing downwards as that all too familiar scowl flit across the child’s expression once more. Of course he wasn’t worried! Only babies worried about being on the naughty list!! 

     The child huffed again, as though for good measure, and turned his attention back to the paper and crayons he’d been busying himself with while he’d been waiting for Izuku to finish his classes. Naughty list. Feh! That was so stupid! 

— She sat on the porch, hugging herself. Scared of everything that was unfamiliar to her. She knew, rationally, that she was safe here. That now that she had her freedom she should enjoy it. But there was this looming thought that perhaps this was all just a dream. Something temporary that could be snatched away. Besides, what to do with all this freedom? There was too much space. It was overwhelming to not know the rules of the world you moved in. She’s been kindly taken in by some hero she did not know. She had wanted to stay with Mirio or Izuku, but they, of course, were children themselves and had their own problems, not to mention they had some time to spend in the hospital too. 

    Other than her weakness from lack of sunlight and constant draining of blood, she was declared healthy and hadn’t needed too long a stay at the hospital. So here she was… There was another child here. A boy. And she’d never even met anyone her age. She was too shy to actually speak to him though, and he didn’t seem very interested in her either. Up until now…

    “W-wah! No!” She’s vocalised her fear before even realising what exactly it was that he was planning to do to her. The light pat is nothing compared to what she’d expected, and as she finds herself staring at him with big eyes she starts to wonder what he’d mean’t when he said ‘you’re it’. 

    “I’m what?” She asks tentatively, rubbing her head a bit, though it hadn’t truly hurt. She’s never been submitted to the subject of ‘play’, and she has no idea what ‘tag’ is. All she knows are the toys she’s been given as some sort of bribe for good behaviour, and even her fancy, talking dolls could not engage with her the way real life children like Kouta could.

     “You’re it.” The child reiterated, lowering his hand back down so that he could jam it ( and his other ) against his hips. Was she being serious right now? Who didn’t know how to play tag?? If this was some trick to let her catch him while he was waiting for her to get with the program, he was going to be so mad! Not hair-pulling mad ( because he was better than that; only jerks pulled girls hair and made them cry ! ) but- well, mad! 

     Kouta’s scowl deepened, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he watched the girl for any quick moves. When there didn’t seem to be any coming, however, he canted his head to the side, expression somehow even more irritated in its curiosity. She.... really looked like she had no idea what he was talking about. How was that even possible?? 

          She resigned to accepting that as an answer. There was no point in pressing forward, even though it did seem to make him feel somewhat dull, so she opted to accept the new change of subject before lingering on this one any further.

          He seemed interested in her quirk, at least, ‘Quirk: Frog.’ It allows Tsuyu to do whatever a frog can, from extending her tongue, to swimming well, to – various other things a frog can do. While one wouldn’t really consider such a thing to be impressive in terms of some quirks, Tsuyu was still quite capable of performing outstandingly as a hero, specifically as a supporter for others and a rescuer for those who need it.

          “Mhm,” she answered, placing her hands on her lap as she leaned forward, allowing her legs to sit in the water to stay moistened. “I can do pretty much anything a frog can do. I could jump all the way from here to the ceiling and stick to it if I wanted to. It helps a lot when I need to help others.” She shakes her head, tapping her fingers against her knees, thoughtfully.

          “It’s not as impressive as some other quirks, but it still allows me to do what I’ve wanted to become a hero for - help others. As long as I can do that, I’m satisfied, kero.”

     That....sounded really cool. Much cooler than that explosion guy’s dumb, flashy quirk, or half the other stupid quirks he’d seen up on the mountain retreat. 

     ( maybe not as cool as Izuku’s though, but then again, perhaps he was a little biased on the matter ) 

     Kouta considered the information he’d been given, returning to his idle kicking of the water as his teeth chewed on the inside of his lower lip. He didn’t want to sound super impressed by the fact that the heroics student before him could stick to the ceiling if she wanted to, but at the same time.... it was really cool. 

     “So... does that mean your mom or dad are like you?” That’s how quirks worked, right? He’d inherited his quirk from his mother, but his father had had such a similar quirk that he might as well have inherited the both of them. Or- at least, that’s what Mandalay had told him. He... honestly couldn’t remember their quirks himself, and his own quirk had manifested a year after they’d- 

Izuku nodded a little bit at the confirmation that the other boy was hungry. In his mind he went over a couple different options that he had with cooking. He wasn’t the best at it, admittedly, but he’d come a far way from where he’d been as a kid. So while he could make things that weren’t terrible he’d be extremely hesitant to say he was any good at it. More than a few things he’d attempted to create had come out in various levels of burnt. 

 His attention was pulled away from these thoughts though as he watched the other boy respond, proceeding to shrug lazily as if it really didn’t matter whether or not he told his aunt where he was going. Sure, they were on UA and things would be safe here- and even on the off chance they weren’t it wasn’t like Kouta was in bad hands. They’d already established that Izuku would do whatever it takes to keep those around him safe. 

 Still, he can feel his cheeks redden a bit by how the little boy calls at his aunt, interrupting their conversation and causing both parties to turn their gaze towards the source. Izuku waves a bit awkward, moving to rub the back of his neck lightly as he grins a bit sheepishly. 

 However, whether or not he’s a bit embarrassed wasn’t necessarily important, what mattered was that they’d been given permission. So, with a bit of renewed excitement he smiled at the younger boy before beginning to lead him. 

“I’m… okay. I could make a sandwich or something? Or I could make katsudon, but that would take me longer. It’s my favorite though, so I know how to prepare it pretty well.” He replies, laughing under his breath with slight embarrassment. His skills in the kitchen weren’t exactly renowned.  

 “What do you like to eat?” Izuku asks, beginning to lead Kouta towards the dorms. It was a pretty short walk, but it did give them some time to talk while they walked. 

     “I like katsudon...” The child murmured, his words almost thoughtful in their airiness. He was quite fond of the meal, actually, and even though he held some reservations about the level of quality in which the student knew how to cook, he was willing to give it a go if it meant maybe ending up with a good bowl of the stuff. He hadn’t had katsudon in... well, a long time. Long enough that the child didn’t exactly remember when. 

          Poor boy, she thought, he’s trying so hard to bottle up his feelings. Tsuyu didn’t need a mind–reading quirk to know that something was bothering him, and although he said he was fine Tsuyu knew he wasn’t.

          Hopping out of the water and landing beside him on the pool’s edge, Tsuyu issued a careful glance over him before she leaned forward and spoke a bit more softly to the boy.

          “… I’m not about to make any more assumptions, because I don’t want you to be upset with me,” she started, her words issued carefully to try not to upset him further, “but if you want anyone to talk to, I’m here, and I’m willing to listen, kero.”

     Of course she was. All these dumb heroes-in-training were annoyingly comforting like that. 

     ( well, within reason; Izuku and frog girl were, that was for sure, and he was sure a good handful of the others were too, but then there were also a few like the loud exploding boy that seemed less than gentle, and the gross purple kid that needed to learn how to be a decent human being before even attempting to become a hero in the mix too, unfortunately ) 

     But that wasn’t the issue at hand here, and so Kouta sniffled, drew the back of his arm roughly across his eyes, and pulled himself together once more. He was a big kid now. He didn’t need to go crying to somebody just because he got a little bit sad. 

     “I’m fine.” He grit out, but the words left his lips less sharp than they’d have been before the girl offered her kindness. He wasn’t a complete jerk, after all. She was being nice to him, and so.... it was only fair that he be nice back. 

     He sniffled once more, seemingly done with his near-cry, and cast his navy eyes out across the surface of the water once more. 

          Eager at first to hear his answer, Tsuyu glanced upon the boy with a wide, interested smile, though as soon as he began answering, he seemed to stop. Now, Tsuyu was a very observant person, and she happens to be good at reading people’s faces and expressions. In this case, staring at his reaction to her question, she thought, at first, that she had said something wrong. Though, after observing him a bit longer, she began to read something else in his emotions- pain. He was in pain. Almost like he’s lost something.

          She was about to speak up to tell him that he didn’t need to answer,  if that made him uncomfortable, but before she could, he ended up answering the question, almost begrudgingly.

          “.. I’m sorry if that made you feel uncomfortable, Kero,” she apologized, “I didn’t mean to ask such a personal question,” The question itself wasn’t that personal, but she still feels like it had something to do with his parents in general.”

     “Tch- shut up. You didn’t make me uncomfortable. I answered, didn’t I??” The child retorted, his words unknowingly defensive despite the way he denied feeling such a way. What did she know, huh?? Nothing, that’s what! She didn’t know him, or where he learned to swim, or who- or who had taught him, or- or- 

 “Just double checking.” He replies cheekily, turning his attention back on the boy. He’s still smiling, looking at the boy fondly. One of the moments Izuku looked back on with the most pride was making sure that the other boy had made it out of the villain attack unharmed- even if it hadn’t been a great experience. 

 It was the very, very least Izuku could have done. Especially after Kouta’s parents had dedicated their lives to protecting others. 

 At the agreement the older boy laughed quietly, nodding a bit before glancing around them. Class was over, so Izuku was free to do as he pleased with the remainder of his day. He figured it would probably be a good idea to stop by the dorms so he could put his backpack up. 

 “Are you hungry?” He asks, fiddling with a strap as he asks. 

 “I can make you something back at the dorm, if you want. Do you need to tell Mandalay that you’re coming with me?” Izuku questions, figuring she’d like to know where her nephew was going, and not wanting to get in trouble himself. Aizawa could be downright terrifying when he wanted to be. 

      .....He was hungry, actually, and the mention of food only served to remind his stomach of that fact. It had been a while since lunchtime, and though he was more than capable of holding out until dinner ( he was a big kid, after all ! ) , the thought that he didn’t have to was certainly an appealing one. Vaguely, he hoped the heroics students had juice boxes- good ones, not that overly-sugary fake apple stuff that made his head buzz and his teeth feel fuzzy. 

    “I guess.”

     A hand rose to drag along the underside of his nose, the action strangely dismissive coming from a child with such a sour expression on his face. He supposed he should tell Mandalay where he was going, considering this was a completely new environment and she’d fuss otherwise, so he rolled a shoulder in an acknowledging shrug, and turned to face the adults. 

     “NE- OBASAAN-!” 

     Whatever conversation they’d been having was put on pause, two sets of inquisitive eyes turning their way. He had no idea what the guy was portraying with that bored look on his face, but his aunt’s expression was curious- she must be wondering what he was doing shouting at her from so far away. 

     “I’M GOING WITH IZUKU!” 

     There was a moment of silence, the woman’s gaze flitting between the child and the teen, and then something must have clicked in her head because an easy smile broke out across her face, and an affirmative call of “Okay!” was echoed back through cupped hands. He acknowledged the permission with a curt nod, and turned back to the freckled heroics student once more. 

          “That’s impressive!” She chimed, immediately interested in the boy as soon as he’s confirmed his ability to swim. Not every boy as young has him had the ability to do that, not even ones with specific quirks. She did not know, however, of his history as a Waterhorse. She’d heard the stories about them, and how they made their heroic sacrifice in order to save a town, but she wasn’t aware the two of them had a child.

          “You have a gift, then. Not many children your age can swim that well,” she said, not thinking that he could have been telling a small fib like most kids do about their abilities, but she thought she’d humor this one. He seemed to have a bit more of a rougher attitude. “How did you learn, if you don’t mind me asking, kero?”

    “Yeah, well.” The child puffed out his chest a little in obvious self-adulation, leaning his weight back on his palms as his feet continued their idle kicking beneath the surface of the water. “My mama and pa-” 

     And then he faltered, the words failing on his tongue as his haughty expression hardened into a heavy scowl once more. He felt a pang in his chest, that sickeningly hollow, familiar wrenching at his heart, and it hurt. It hurt just like every other time he’d moved to speak about them, and for a moment he considered simply dropping the subject entirely and leaving. 

      But that.... 

      That wasn’t the kind of person he wanted to be anymore, and so the child hardened his resolve, kicked his heels against the side of the pool wall, and tried again. 

      He narrowed his eyes, watching the girl from afar as his signature scowl twisted at his childish features for absolutely no reason other than the fact that it had somewhere, along the lines, become his default expression. That was her, huh. Mandalay had told him about her; told him that the girl had recently gone through some very traumatic events and that he, as both a child her age and someone who could relate, should show her kindness, but he wasn’t entirely sure what that entailed. He wasn’t a particularly kind person ( he knew himself enough to admit that outright ) and the girl looked so..... well.....scared. How did he know he wasn’t just going to make this worse?? 

     But no- he had to at least try. He’d been given a mission, and he wasn’t about to fail at it just because he didn’t know what he was doing! 

     ( besides, Izuku hadn’t known what he was doing when he was being heroic, and if Izuku could be like that and still rescue people then so could he ) 

      And so, with that thought spurring him on better than any form of bribery ever could, Kouta stomped forwards, coming to a harsh stop before the girl, and reached out to tap his hand against the top of her head. 

     “Tag, you’re it!” 

          “Really?” She’d  muse, arms crossing just over the edge of the pool as she relaxed against it. Indeed, this body of water was chlorine-free. It irritated her to swim in pools that had too high a level of chlorine, so she preferred purified water or ponds or lakes to practice in. This pool was a special exception to that.

           “For someone your age, I’m impressed. Can you swim well, too?” She tipped her head curiously, scanning the boy over as he sat there at the edge of the pool.

     The child scoffed, kicking his feet beneath the water and causing ripples to jar across its surface. Could he swim? Was that some kinda dumb question or what!! 

 Izuku couldn’t help but find himself amused at the boy’s insult. He’d always been particularly fond of kids, but admittedly he couldn’t help but make the connections between Kouta and Katsuki when he’d been a child. 

Of course there were a few very key differences, and he wasn’t about to pretend that he could interchange how he’d treated his childhood friend with how he interacted with Kouta. 

 Especially not when this boy had called him his hero!!

So he doesn’t let the insult get the best of him, after years of teasing from Kacchan it would take more than being called ‘dumb’ to really hurt him. That was, of course, under the assumption that the boy even meant it. 

 So instead Izuku follows his line of sight, looking over to where the older woman was talking to Aizawa-sensei. “Ah,” the boy supplies expertly, though to his credit he does catch on fairly soon after. 

 “Does that mean you’ll be spending the week at UA? If so, I could show you around if you’d like. You could come see the dorms, or maybe where we practice. One of my classmates has a bunny too, if you’re interested in animals.”

    "I just said that, stupid!" Obviously the fact that Mandalay was teaching at U.A for a week mean that he'd be here with her, duh. Did Izuku get even dumber since the last time they'd met??? Or had he hit his head during that fight and-

     He faltered, lips pursing into a thin line and hands curling into tiny fists by his sides as, unbidden, memories flit to the forefront of his mind. He hated thinking about that fight; hated thinking about the splatter of Izuku's blood, the injuries, his own uselessness, him-

    "...Whatever." The child bit out, lifting his arms to cross them over his chest as he forced those thoughts back. The last thing he wanted right now was concern from the hero student ( he'd gotten enough of that during his short lifetime to last him the rest of it, in his opinion ) and so he glanced up to focus once more on that stupidly happy grin on that stupidly freckled face instead. If Izuku was offering him something better to do with his time than hang around the talking adults, then fine.

     ( and honestly, he kind of liked bunnies )