Valentine's 2020 (Zashi)

When Elly opened the door to her office this morning, she spotted proof that another person had already been there.

A bacon and egg croissant sat neatly on a paper plate in the center of her desk beside a foam cup of coffee. She sniffed the wonderful smells, appreciating the gesture and rather touched. When she drew out her chair to sit, another surprise - someone else was sitting there!

Well, something, anyway.

There was a medium-sized bright yellow <i>banana</i> plushie in her place, holding a rose with a note clipped to it. The banana had a twirly, Dali-esque mustache under its googly eyes. The note pinned to one of its cartoon glove hands read:

"<i>I mustache you to be my Valentine</i>" ♡

It was clear who had sent it not only because it was written in English, but who else in Japan would know that this day where she came from - America  -- was typically gender reversed?

Also, mustache.

She hid a huge smile behind one hand as she picked the stuffed fruit up and sat it on her desk, propped up beside her computer. The rose she slipped into a bottle of water after uncapping one of the few she had stored in her drawer.

The counselor went about her daily routine until lunch, when she heard the rapid beat of impatient fingers drumming on her door.

"Hey hey! You comin' to lunch or what?" Present Mic stood there beaming down at her.

Elly smiled back and held out a small box towards him. "Yep. I was looking for this first."

"Eh?" His grin got wider and he took her offering, popping it open to peer inside. What he found caused him to squeal with delight. "<i>Cookies!</i>"

"Chocolate chip cookies," she laughed.

Mic had already crammed several in his mouth. "Ohmigod, Ches," he raved through a mouthful of crumbs. "These're <i>so good.</i>"

"Well, I'm glad." She laid a gentle hand on his arm. "I badgered Aizawa unmercilessly until he told me your favorite."

"They're excellent." He swallowed mightily. Crumbs dusted his lips and chin and he wiped them off with the back of one hand. "I would've accepted anything you gave me, though," he admitted shyly.

"You're way too cute, you know," she told him with a smile.

Mic pulled his shades down with one finger to stare deeply into her eyes. "Actually, babe, I'd've never guessed." He laughed abashedly. "I'm not a huge or muscle-y hero, an' I'm cranked up to an annoying level most of the time. I got a lotta bad habits. But I never seem to bother you."

"Bother me?" Elly frowned, her ears twitching. "You're tall and lean. That doesn't mean you're not strong. And as for your 'levels', as you put it, I think that's what makes me love you so much. Your enthusiasm for <i>everything</i> you do, big or small, is infectious!"

The Voice Hero stood, stunned and anazingly mute for a few long seconds. She could see red creeping up out of his neck speaker to flood across his cheeks and brighten his ears endearingly. His lips twitched in a wobbly grin.

"M - Mic? You okay?"

"Oh, <i>yeah</i>." He sighed dreamily. "I'm perfect."

"Uh, okay." She blushed too when she saw how intently he was staring at her.

"Dude," he giggled faintly. "Ya don't even realize what you admitted, do ya?" He pushed back his chair and stepped close, wrapping his arms about her waist. "Hmm? The chocolate was one thing, but you <i>said</i> it!"

"I - I, er..."

Mic bent down and whispered into one of her furry ears. "I love you, too." 

Blackout Confessions

Elly rolled over in bed, fussing with the sheets. She was tangled, wrapped up too tightly and she panicked and gasped sharply, waking in a sudden, jarring jolt upright.

She sat in the darkness, panting with her heart racing at some unknown nightmare. As she took slower and longer breaths to calm down, she saw the reason for her panic unwind itself from her waist. A muscular arm slipped from her lap when she moved.

"S'wrong?"

The husky, sleepy mumble was very wrong. It was a low baritone and far more annoyed sounding than concerned.

And, of course, there shouldn't be anyone else in her bed!

Elly swallowed very hard and turned to face a very bleary-eyed, very nude Shota Aizawa.

"Erk!" Her ears shot up in the air and she choked, her throat too constricted to push out the shriek that was her first reaction.

Aizawa propped himself up on one elbow and stared harder at her. "Hey, Ches. You all right?" He sounded more awake, less cranky and his tone was softer. When she didn't answer and remained sitting there, stunned and trembling, he sat up beside her. The sheets pooled low around his hips, showing the line of dark hair that trailed down his abdomen.

"Ai - Aizawa ..."

"What." He coughed dryly, and she realized with mild surprise that he had laughed. "You still asleep?" A hand reached out and touched her brow, resting there a moment. His palm was rough and calloused, but very gentle as he checked her temperature. She blinked, struggling to snap out of her stupor and move but she just couldn't seem to.

The scruffy man next to her muttered, "Not hot," to himself and withdrew his hand. He squinted at her and she saw the red flash of his eyes in the dark as he tested to see if her strange behavior was quirk-related. "Okay," he sighed, giving up on that idea when nothing happened.

"I have to -" Elly made another attempt to leave the bed but froze, a small squeak slipping past her lips as he wrapped both arms around her.

"What's wrong? You woke up like you had a bad dream and now you're acting irrational. Let me comfort you." He tugged a little, pulling her closer, and she was made aware once more of the fact that he was naked as she bumped against his hairy leg. His arms were very warm and strong, too. It would be easy to go along with it, to imagine this was only a -

"Dream," she blurted out.

That was it. Had to be!

"Hunh?"

"I, uh, I'm dreaming now." Aizawa's eyes slid half-shut and he groaned. Before she could say another word his hand slipped down her side and under the long t-shirt she wore. His fingers deftly tweaked one of her nipples and she moaned despite herself.

"Realize you're awake now?" This time she could hear the dry amusement in his voice. "Or do you need more ... convincing?"

"I don't remember us getting together. I went to sleep in my bed - alone -- and woke up with you here!"

He rubbed at his eyes with one hand, his shoulders slumping as he considered this. When he spoke next, his voice shook just a little. "You don't remember. So you don't really ... love me?"

"Um." Elly bit her lower lip.

"Oh?"

"You're... I can't lie to you now. It would be ridiculous in the position we're in." She hesitated, then went on quickly. "I kind of - felt that way already. I didn't tell you since you seemed like you weren't interested in anyone, let alone me."

His lips twitched in the faintest of smiles. "You do love me."

"Damn it! That's not the point -"

"Isn't it? If this is what you want, why fight it?"

"Aizawa -"

"You called me Shota last night," he sighed sadly.

"I - I don't know what to say."

"Look," he said firmly, "we both got a little drunk and confessed to each other. This -" He waved a hand at them in bed, "happened as a result. You didn't fall asleep alone."

"We - so we..."

"Made love. Yes."

"Oh my god." She buried her face in her hands. "I don't remember. And I don't feel hungover at all."

Aizawa looked more nervous when she admitted it. "You really don't..?"

"Remember?"

"Yes."

She shook her head. "I really don't."

His brow furrowed even deeper and she saw pain in his gray eyes as he flinched. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I shouldn't have taken advantage of you. I didn't think you were intoxicated since we talked for a long time beforehand. We discussed our ... ah, feelings, like I mentioned. I don't do that for just anyone." A long, shaky sigh followed and he drew the sheets up to cover himself. "I was under the impression that you wanted this. Me."

Elly watched as the scruffy man beside her hang his head, his long, black hair obscuring his face. She could hear uneven, hoarse breathing coming from him and was shocked that he could be so vulnerable. If he was telling the truth - and she believed him -- neither of them were at fault. She was just forgetful after drinking and rarely overdid it. Supposing she had, this could be the result.

Because she did love him. She was madly in love with this scruffy, haggard, bleary-eyed asshole that acted tough but had the softest heart of anyone she knew.

"Aiz - err, Shota," she purred softly, reaching out to brush his dark hair back and lay a hand on his shoulder. "I believe you. You're one of the best, the honest person that I know. I - to tell you the truth, I can black out like this if I drink too much. And, well, my 'too much' is probably far less than most people think."

"That seems excessive." He lifted his head to stare blankly off into the dark room.

"Yes, well. It has to do with the drugs the doctors gave me when I was younger."

He uttered a small sound of outrage that was oddly comforting. It was a protective growl that somehow conveyed his disgust at how she had been treated as a child. His arms twitched as if they wanted to hold her again, yet he held back this time.

Elly took a deep breath. Now that she was calmer, she could smell his bitter coffee and energy drink scent. It mixed with the warm, puppy like smell his unwashed hair gave off. They had been asleep for several hours and he probably smelled more like him than she ever noticed at work or the bar.

She very much wanted to kiss him.

So she did.

He twitched a little when her lips met his, letting her make all the opening moves. Aizawa pressed forward with a soft groan when she parted her mouth in clear invitation.

"Ches."

"Mm hm."

"Would you like to start over?"

"I think that's a good idea," she agreed, smiling when he wrapped his arms around her once more.

Loud and clear

So warm.

Everything felt <i>right</i> in the moment when Elly woke. The feline part of her nose twitched, picking up a soothing blend of smells. Bubblegum and leather are mixed with a subtle, more personal scent she recognized even in the dreamy state she was in. She sighed, easily slipping into a personal fantasy of hers.

It would be so wonderful to be held in those long, strong arms. Like - well honestly, kind of like how she felt now.

<i>Wait a second...</i>

This definitely wasn't her bed. Also, when she'd fantasized before she had never felt weight around her. It was as if she was actually being held. Elly froze in place, her ears laying back as a low, muzzy snore sounded to her left. She opened her eyes and started to shake all over when all she saw a long, black expanse of leather stretching out in front of her.

"Ohmigod."

Her mind recalled the past series of events all at once. Everyone was exhausted after an extensive raid at several warehouses on the docks. Elly had almost stumbled and fallen after putting in a full day's work at U.A after that long night of hero work. Present Mic - Yamada -- had offered to walk her back.

The Voice Hero was as tired as she was, though, and in the end they had crashed in the nearest apartment available - his. She was laying on top of him on his couch. The bigger problem was that Elly must have wandered down his body as they dozed, comforted by his warmth and the fact that his arm was indeed draped around her. There was, however, no excuse for her head resting so comfortably on Mic's leg. She was far too close to the junction of his thighs, the smooth bulge that indicated he likely wore a cup with those tight pants.

But although she was panicking, she couldn't help but savor the moment before it turned into disaster. This wasn't just any man. She had a gigantic crush on him for a year and running. And if he <i>smelled</i> good, he felt better under her head, his muscles relaxed for the moment and the leather slick and smooth. Elly knew she could just slip off and escape - she <i>should</i>, in fact -- but she might never be in this position again.

So she hesitated just a little longer, eyes closed while a purr rumbled softly in her throat.

"Oh, hey." A low baritone interrupted her thoughts. Mic's normal tone was higher pitched and his voice only dropped when he got serious. "Therz'a kitten on my leg." His speech was slightly slurred from sleep.

She tensed all over, her purple eyes snapping wide. "Uh  - I, uh, must have ..."

"S'okay," he murmured. He reached down with one hand to thread his fingers through her short hair, rubbing her furry ears. The leather of his fingerless gloves were soft and smooth. "If yer okay, I'm okay."

"I'm..." She paused, then took a deep, trembling breath and nuzzled his palm gently with her cheek. "I'm a little freaked out, if you want to know the truth!"

He chuckled, one hand carefully cupping the back of her neck. His fingers traced the skin there, causing her to shiver. "Good freak or bad, babe?"

She considered this, lips pursed. "Good, I think. It's good if you're interested in me, that is."

"Oh, I'm interested," he breathed in a husky growl. "Just bring yourself back up here, baby. I wanna kiss you, an' yer too far away."

She crawled up from his lap, and he slung his arms low around her waist while their mouths met for the first time.

It was <i>excellent</i>.

He was gentle and patient, something she would not have guessed from his exuberant nature. There was no rush or hurried banging of teeth, only the languid, soft lapping of his tongue when she parted her lips. His mustache points tickled outrageously as he nuzzled her, grinning when she giggled.

"Your mustache is so <i>soft</i>," she whispered shakily into his mouth.

"Ahhh," he breathed, setting his forehead on hers while they each caught their breath. "That was righteous. Better'n I dreamed."

"Want to do it again?" She stared deeply into his naked green eyes. The prescription shades he wore with his hero outfit lay on the coffee table nearby, and she could see when the concentric circles in them seemed to thin when his pupils dilated.

"<i>Please</i>," he whined softly, and she happily obliged. 

Counseling: the house

Elly sobbed, her breath wheezing out and then sucking back in as she whined loudly. "She - she sent me a photo of my <i>house</i>!" Her phone was thrust into her boyfriend's face as she cried, the screen depicting a somewhat shabby looking ranch home with an ugly paint job. It looked almost nothing like the immaculately landscaped home he had seen in other photos.

Hizashi flinched visibly. When she said "her house", she meant one place - the spot she grew up in, the home that meant more to her than anywhere in the world. She had a crappy childhood, but the house was loved. Her grandfather had built it, and the entire family had worked the land for a long time to create a feryile, beautiful landscape of flower gardens, fruit trees, bushes and even a grape arbor. Her parents hadn't cared for it as much, instead preferring to build their own "dream house" in another state and sell the one she grew up in.

She cried about it from time to time <i>on a regular basis.</i>

She couldn't have kept it and she knew that; it didn't lessen her grief about losing such a special place, however.

He paid close attention as he made his way to the kitchen to pour her a drink. She was taking this very badly and needed something to calm her nerves. He said nothing at all yet - she couldn't hear him anyway -- and concentrated on mixing up a gigantic margarita. Hizashi ran his tongue out, clucking absently as he rummaged for fruit slices to garnish the monstrosity with. She would need to eat, too, and that might get her started.

Ah, there.

Once he had topped the salted, plastic mug with a maraschino cherry and some citrus slices, he placed it on the coffee table. He headed straight for his sobbing woman and didn't hesitate to lift her in his arms in her favorite princess carry. Her sobs tapered down almost as soon as he was holding her, and Hizashi smiled.

"Brave baby," he whispered lovingly.

"Zashi."

"I know. Look, I made you a treat."

Elly sighed weakly but tried a smile when he sat on the couch and didn't let her go. He reached out and grabbed the drink for her, pushing the straw to her lips as he held it.

"Thanks," she murmured.

He shrugged and kissed her forehead. "We can talk when you're calmer."

Elly did just that, and slurping the alcoholic drink from a straw worked much faster to dull her pain. She was soon nibbling on his necklaces, ignoring the drink in favor of him. He set her margarita aside, now half empty, and stroked her hair while she relaxed.

"Oh, Zashi," she purred in a scratchy voice, "how the hell did I live <i>without</i> you?"

He chuckled. "I dunno, babe. But I think the same 'bout you." She grabbed him on either side of his head and kissed him so forcefully that his breath was taken away. "Aw, princess!"

"I love you."

"I love you, t - <i>yeeeeek</i>!" The furniture rattled as he lost control of his quirk, his greenish-gold eyes startled. She had vanished from sight and simultaneously nipped him on his neck, working to the spot on his throat she knew made him squeal. "Ohmigod, babe, wuh - what, wait..!"

"Nope."

A slightly chilled tongue lapped at his Adam's apple, causing him to shiver. Hizashi didn't protest as she sucked hickies all over his pale skin. He was certain at least some would be brightly visible in public even if he wore his speaker. And in civilian clothing he would look <i>wrecked</i>. 

Shota was going to tease the hell out of him.

Fuck, they all were.

But she needed to feel control over something she loved very much right now. He was honored that the "something" was him. And, if it pleased her, he was more than happy to let her do as she wanted with his body. He moaned a little as the thought crossed his mind. "F - f - fuck, yes," he groaned, twisting a hand in hair he couldn't see. "Mark me up."

"Everywhere?" Her voice was low and dangerously soft.

His breathing grew hoarse. "Yeah, baby. Do whatever you want."

The staff at U.A and the press were both relentless in their observations. To be fair, he <i>did</i> look like he had been mauled by a hundred or more hungry leeches.

Elly apologized profusely, of course, sheepish that he had to deal with a lot of public and media attention due to her outburst. He soothed her with kisses and assured her that he had enjoyed every second.

Especially the parts where they made frantic love and when she laughed out loud in joy because he always made her feel so much better. 

NSFW

"Augh! Ughh... nnf. Ew! Oh god oh god oh god..."

Elly stuck her head cautiously through the entranceway to the teacher's common room, her ears laying back nervously. She padded quietly in, hoping that she wasn't intruding. Her paw boots had been replaced by soft slippers since she was dressed casually, but out of habit she was always as silent as possible. Thus it happened that she completely snuck up on Yamada and Kayama as they sat on the couch. The dark-haired woman was smirking as she pointed to something on a laptop he held on his knees.

"Gross! What th' hell, Kayama!"

"Hey, you wanted to know about this, didn't you? Here you go." She calmly tapped the mouse, navigating to another page. Hizashi's spiraled pupils shrunk in his anxiety as he whipped a hand quickly over his mouth.

"Barf!"

"Oh, grow up, Yamada." She huffed impatiently and rolled her eyes. "Fans always ship heroes together. Doesn't matter who, and the more unlikely, the more rabid the fanbase."

"But I'm not - he's not ... that's not how it is, yo! An' even if it was, that's way too personal!"

Elly peered over his shoulder and blushed heavily. The screen depicted 1-A's taciturn homeroom teacher tangled together in a very complex sexual position with the Voice Hero. "Oh god," she choked faintly. "Shipping."

His hands jerked and he guiltily snapped the computer shut with a loud snap. Elly winced but Kayama just smirked harder.

"Yamada was very interested in what the term meant after he heard that pink girl - what's her name ..."

"Mina Ashido," Elly supplied helpfully.

Kayama waved glossy painted fingernails around airily under her nose. She snorted and stepped back. "Yeah, that one. She was talking about -"

"Nothing!"

Elly's ears flattened as he lost the tiniest bit of control of his quirk. The high pitched squeak went straight through her. "Ow, Yamada!"

"Sorry." He bit his lip, looking ashamed. "I just... nuh, it's nothing." He nervously fidgeted with the fuzzy tie holding his long hair away from his face, his cheeks stained pink.

"Ooooh no it's not!" The other woman cackled with glee. "You wanted to know something in particular -"

"Quit it!" He gave her such a hard look Elly raised her eyebrows. The lanky man was giving off a menacing vibe that spoke of her impending doom should she open her mouth again on the subject.

Kayama was not impressed. "I'll leave if you promise to show her the other link."

"Gaahh! Fine, ya crazy witch! Just get outta here before I scream!"

His threat carried more weight than he realized at the moment. Kayama tossed her hair back and stood. "I expect you to honor that promise, Voice Hero," she called over her shoulder on the way out, stressing the last word.

Yamada sighed, one hand splayed across his face as he struggled to think what she had left for him - no, now it was them -- to see.

"Here goes," he groaned, and opened the laptop, navigating where she had requested. The site was a dull, grey color and there was a lot of art on the screen. He looked at the tags first, and flinched when he saw one prevailed.

"MicShire".

"Oh holy shitfuck crap no," he wheezed in horror.

The first piece was a larger thumbnail and very visible. It was a sketchy depiction of her and Mic in their costumes... or, rather, just enough of their costumes to be identifiable. They were doing pretty much what the image of him and Aizawa had shown, with one important variation.

"Ches," he gasped, face flaming all the way down his neck. "Ches, I swear to ya, I didn't know it would be like this. Mina was sayin' like it's cuddles and, and uh -" He squeezed his eyes shut hard behind his red glasses as he thought. "Uh..."

"Fluff?"

He snapped his fingers as he craned his neck to look up at her. "Yeah! That's the word!"

Elly didn't hesitate this time as she had so many other instances before. When their eyes met, she bent down and kissed him softly on the mouth. Yamada's eyes went impossibly huge. The kiss was sweet, but brief due to the awkward position. Her heart beat wildly at the way his mouth chased after hers when she backed away, eager for more.

"Fluff is good, Yamada," she said with a smile. "Fluff is more loving than the hardcore stuff."

The blond man bounced around on the couch, kneeling and facing towards her. He placed his hands gently on top of hers where they lay on the back rest, while his face was lighting up in a way that melted her completely. He had no right to be that sickeningly adorable.

"A'ight," he said in that low voice that caused shivers to run up her spine. "If more lovin' is good, you better call me Hizashi, baby."

"I can do that."

"You wanna sit?" The way she smiled at him made his own heart flutter. He took one of her hands in his and risked it all, pressing his lips to her knuckles. "Or ... you wanna go back to my place for more lovin'?"

"Before I answer that, I need to ask you a serious question."

He blinked at her with those wide, mesmerizing eyes. "Mm hm?"

"Is there time for both?" Elly grasped his hand and brought it to the area just over her left breast.

He answered quickly by placing her other palm on his heart. "If yer willin', there'll be time for that an' much more."

Kids Say the Darndest Things

The first years dorm was pretty barren as everyone got ready for bed. Only two students sat on the couch in the common area talking in low voices.

"He could be in love with her," Mina insisted. She clutched her fists to her chest and stared imploringly off into the distance, where she knew Aizawa sat in Eri's room brushing her long hair before bed.

"Look, I know the guy's got emotions, but, like, barely!" Kirishima shrugged, pointing. "I overheard Midnight telling another teacher she's never seen him date anyone."

"But -"

"And I mean, really look at him. If he wanted her to like him, wouldn't he try more? He's so scruffy, and with his bloodshot eyes and rumpled hair and clothes from sleeping in that bag everywhere, he looks like a vagrant. I doubt she likes him, even if he does." He shoved a bit of his chunky red hair away from his forehead impatiently when it tickled him.

"Ms. Joke liked him!"

"I almost believe that's the joke," he said, snorting. "Really, though, you see anyone lining up for him? And did you see how he looked at Joke?"

"Yeah," she agreed, rubbing her arm. "He looked sick when he saw her coming over. But there's another point: he doesn't do that to her."

"She doesn't tease him like Joke does. Of course he doesn't. "

"Oh." She looked crestfallen.

"Face it, Mina," Kirishima sighed. "There's nothing there. Mr. Aizawa doesn't like her that way. And I really doubt Ms. Cheshire's got a crush on him."

"Are you two done discussing my personal life?" The tone was icy cold and threatening.

"Eek!" Mina looked behind them, cowering, to see Aizawa standing with his eyes blazing and his hair straight up. He was so furious his capture weapon was swirling about.

"Oh, shit!" Kirishima scrambled to his feet. "Sorry, sir! I was trying to convince her that she, well..."

"I'm well aware of our resident 'shipper', as I believe it's called," he said firmly.

"What's a shipper?" Eri asked, her voice faint as she hid behind the couch. She edged away from him, her eyes apprehensive.

Aizawa immediately de-quirked, his hair falling messily down about his shoulders as his eyes faded back to his usual tired gray. He grimaced, inwardly swearing at himself for frightening her.

"It's from the word 'relationship'," Mina explained to her, smiling. "It means I like seeing people happy when they get together, as couples. You know, fall in love."

"Oooh." She crept closer, and Kirishima lifted her onto the couch between them. Aizawa slouched there awkwardly, not knowing how to halt the discussion without further terrifying his ward. "Then why was he mad?" She whispered, crouching down so he couldn't hear.

Aizawa heard anyway. He winced.

"He - uh, well, honestly, Eri, I thought Mr. Aizawa and Ms. Cheshire would like to be with each other." Mina was honest and Aizawa could hardly fault her for that, though he wished she would have kept quiet. "I guess I was wrong."

"No you're not." Eri's reply was quick and sure.

Aizawa started to sweat.

"What?!"

"He likes her," Eri said in a manner of fact way, swinging her legs. "When went out to get ice cream the other day he got her some, too."

"Eri," Aizawa coughed lightly, "that was common courtesy -"

"Did you bring other people ice cream too?" Mina asked shrewdly. "Or just her?"

"And the other day," Eri continued innocently, looking up at him in confusion. "The other day you were asking on the phone if roses were the right flower to get if you had - if you had..." She wrinkled her nose, trying to remember. "Ro-man-tic feelings for someone. And then Ms. Cheshire had a whole bunch of pretty flowers in her office the next day."

He stared at her in stunned disbelief, his ears burning. The teenagers blinked in equal astonishment. They remembered the roses, too. It had been a huge, elaborate display that had flustered Cheshire even more when she couldn't find out who had sent them.

"Eri, please don't tell people that."

"But I was just saying you like her. It isn't a bad thing." She frowned, starting to get upset. "Why don't you want her to know?"

"Adults are complicated," he said sourly. "I'm not angry at you, but please promise not to tell anyone else."

"Tell them what?" Someone new asked off to the side.

He snapped at the question, not realizing it had come from a new source. "That I'm in love with Cheshire!"

There was a thump, and they turned to see the woman in question frozen near them. Her tail, which was almost always up and waving around, had fallen limply to the floor. Elly's left eye twitched as she opened her mouth, then closed it. She shook her head instead and leaned against the wall for support.

"C'mon, Eri," Mina whispered. She gestured to her red-haired friend and he nodded. They crept quietly out of the common room to leave them alone.

"Aizawa..." Elly's voice was weak.

The exhausted man ducked down into his scarves, his entire face aflame. "You should ignore that."

"Why?" She asked, confused. "I came down here to see if you wanted to go get drinks at the bar after she was tucked in."

Aizawa rubbed the back of his neck, watching her carefully as he straightened. "Why?" He echoed her previous question perfectly.

"I was hoping you sent the roses."

He really had no response to that but a soft grunt. The scruffy teacher nodded, checking his watch. "Eri's ready for bed if she gets a bedtime story read to her." He turned to glare in the general direction his two students had dashed off to, knowing they were still there snooping.

Mina squeaked faintly.

"No problem, sir!" Kirishima called out.

Aizawa sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He left with the counselor, his tired shuffle a little more spry than usual.

"Did I do it right?" Eri whispered loudly to the pink-skinned girl.

Mina's huge smile was infectious. She winked at her. "You were perfect!"

Thunder Snow

"It's just weather," Aizawa announced wearily, glaring at the cluster of students packed tightly by the windows on the far side of the classroom. "Get back to your seats before I -"

He didn't have to finish the threat; the teenagers were seated before he finished. The scruffy man nodded and shuffled to the blackboard to outline the lesson plan for the day.

To be fair to the kids, the weather outside was fascinating. It was dark and dreary, yet millions of cheerfully flickering snowflakes filled the air. Everything seemed ordinary for a winter day, except for the fact that there were rumbles and cracks of intermittent thunder. It didn't do this often.

After a few hours the school grounds were covered in a soft blanket of snow. A couple more and the fluffy white stuff was beginning to worry Aizawa. Not for him, but for his rather heavily pregnant wife.

Elly's posture was starting to resemble his on a good day; the weight she was carrying was immense and caused her to move at a snail's pace. She was also incredibly awkward and much more prone to stumbling, which was his main concern in the slippery conditions. He hurried over to the lounge when work was over, hoping to get there before she did and minimize the amount of any accidents.

"Geez, where's the fire?" Present Mic stood still, amazed at the speed his normally leisurely paced friend rushed by.

"Ches?" Aizawa asked in a quick grunt. Mic pointed at the room he was headed for, nodding. He reached the lounge and went quickly inside.

"I don't believe you got this big," Midnight was chuckling at the size of the counselor. "Don't they say that means it's a boy or something?"

Elly groaned. She was thankfully stationary, sitting at the table in the middle of the room. There was a bottle of water close by her hand she was poking at from time to time. "I don't care what it is, as long as it gets out. You can not believe how hungry I am all the time."

He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I can," he said drily.

"Shota!" She would have gotten up but it took several tries and she gave up after two, ears flattening with annoyance. She held her hands out instead, stretched imploringly out for a hug.

He walked over and bent to embrace her in the chair, sighing a little at her familiar smell. "You're not going out there by yourself," he commanded firmly, getting right to the problem he'd been worrying about all day.

Midnight started to laugh, hanging on to the lockers where she had been pulling out her purse and keys. "Didn't you text her that like, five times already?!"

Elly held up her phone with a wry grin. "Seven. The threats got better, though. The last one reads almost like a bribe: 'Stay put until I can escort you home. I'll buy you meat buns later.'"

He snorted and pulled back to get their things, yanking the lockers open and handing them to her. "I promised, and I will deliver. The sooner I get you home, the sooner I can go out and pick them up."

"You don't have to get food, dear," she told him. "It's terrible out there." She sighed and began the laborious task of getting to her feet.

Aizawa half supported, half carried her the short distance to their apartment. Once he was sure she was safe and secure he kissed her and left despite her arguments that he shouldn't go. He wouldn't listen, of course, and told her not to worry.

Elly shook her head and waddled into the bathroom to shower and slip on a soft, oversized shirt and pants. This all took significantly more time than before her pregnancy, so it was about an hour later when she was clean and had gotten a thick, fluffy blanket out to snuggle down with and watch television. She would have been more worried but she knew he was a careful man.

Sure enough, in a couple of minutes the doorknob rattled and Aizawa stumbled in.

"I'm back," he announced tiredly. He did his best to shake off the snow that had accumulated on his head and shoulders before stepping inside.

"Oh, my poor baby. I wish you'd have stayed here. I didn't need those, really. Look, you're soaked!"

He tossed the takeout container on the kitchen counter and sneezed. "Nonsense. You're eating for two, and I promised. If you want to help, though, get my belt please? The clasp froze and I'm having enough trouble with the scarves."

Between the two of them they wrangled him out of his outfit and he immediately headed to the bathroom to take a hot shower and change.

When he came back to the living room he was dressed more comfortably in a simple black v-neck shirt and sweatpants. His favorite pair of fuzzy, cat-faced slippers were on his feet and his damp hair was tied back in a ponytail. He found Elly sitting on the couch under a fuzzy blanket, the meat buns warmed back up and a pot of tea and two cups on the table in front of her.

"C'mon over. It's cold out and we have warm food and a big blanket..."

He grinned and slouched next to her, yawning hugely and slipping an arm about her shoulders. "Nice," he commented softly.

"Yep." She hiccupped, then frowned at her stomach. "Cut it out, food's coming!"

Aizawa watched her as she grabbed a bun and bit ravenously into it. He reached under the blanket with his free hand and laid a hand on her belly.

Elly glanced over, startled. He didn't usually initiate contact with the baby yet, seeming to be almost afraid. But his hand was steady as he gently rubbed. "You take it easy on your mom," he chided in a voice she recognized as his teacher tone. "It's hasn't been easy carrying you around all this time."

Aizawa flinched and she chuckled, her heart overflowing with love as the baby kicked his palm. "Looks like someone heard you, daddy."

His expression was priceless.