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Iida rolled over in his bed for the 40th time that night. He knows. He's been counting. He let out a frustrated sigh as he tried once again to turn off his brain and get as much sleep as he could before school started tomorrow. He already knows he isn't going to be able to get the recommended eight hours but he could at least minimize the damage by falling asleep right at that very moment.

His curiosity got the better of him and he opened up his eyes to try and read the glowing red numbers of his blurry alarm clock. He didn't have his glasses on, but he was still easily able to make out the glaring 1:35 PM.

"Great."

He thought to himself.

"If I fall asleep now I will have about four hours and twenty-five minutes left to sleep before my alarm goes off. Technically I could get an extra hour in if I don't go on my morning run, but that would ruin my morning ritual and probably throw the rest of my day off."

Iida let out another frustrated sigh, looking at the clock one more time to make sure his math was correct and quickly getting discouraged again when he saw that he just wasted another minute not sleeping. He forced himself to turn away from the mocking numbers and to instead stare up at the ceiling in the hopes that would be boring enough to let his brain settle and finally allow him to sleep.

He didn't know how some of his classmates dealt with their restlessness, knowing that some of them had a hard time sleeping, but never questioned what methods they used to overcome it because he never used to have this problem. He was always able to just lay down and fall asleep naturally but as of late, his mind has been too preoccupied to allow him that luxury. His mind keeps replaying a conversation he had with Mina not too long ago and how she wanted to have a class outing but he shut it down because of the test the next day. His mind forced him to watch her face fall and people mumbling about how he was a party pooper or a killjoy.

His brain didn't seem to let him ponder why that interaction bugged him because soon it would show him the time he was directing the class to leave the school building in an orderly line and how Sero had pointed out he was the only one going against the rules. His friends laughed at him for being called out and at the time he thought that it was just some harmless teasing, but now looking back at it; he couldn't tell.

He hasn't deviated from how he usually antics and neither have his classmates, but he can't help but feel like he was missing something. Like what he thought was mutual respect and light-hearted banter was actually something a little more sinister. He tried not to let it bother him, knowing that as the leader of the class, he was going to have to make some hard choices that not everyone would agree with, but suddenly he was starting to wonder if they actually all viewed him as the bad guy.

He put his hands over his eyes, hoping the extra layer of darkness would banish all these insecurities that seemed to creep up on him, but it didn't work. If anything it made him feel more awake and aware of how disconnected he felt between himself and his friends. All the fumbles that he had in conversations because he didn't understand the reference or turned it into an educational moment because he thought someone was making an uninformed decision. Were they mad at him? Was he reading all their signs wrong? Does anyone actually like hanging out with him?"

Iida abruptly got up and out of bed, unable to handle these questions right now but unable to think about anything else. He grabbed his glasses off the nightstand before standing up and pacing around the room. Jogging was his happy place and where he felt the most at peace, but he can't do that right now with how late it is. The last thing he wanted to do was wake someone up or break a rule by leaving his dorm after curfew. But the pacing wasn't working. It only seemed to put him more on edge, his heart rate spiking as his thoughts began to spiral with every memory that seemed to surface. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, and he didn't know what would happen if he allowed himself to continue down this path, but he didn't want to find out.

"I need air." He mumbled to himself, suddenly making a sharp u-turn and marching to his balcony doors. He was about to bust them open, feeling suffocated and wanting to get to the fresh air as soon as possible, Still, his logistical brain had stepped in at the last minute and reminded him that others were sleeping and the last thing he wanted to do was wake up one of his neighboring classmates.

Taking a moment to collect what was left of his sane mind, he slowly opened the balcony door and stepped out, immediately feeling the cool breeze hit his face and ease the tension in his shoulders. He didn't realize how stuffy his room had gotten until now and decided to leave the door open as he walked over to the railing. A small part of his brain yelled at him for allowing bugs to fly through the opened door, but he ignored the voice for now as he leaned his upper body on the cool metal railing and focused on his breathing.

Slowly he felt all his worries fade to the background, not completely out of sight, but enough for him to begin to process why these thoughts have suddenly encompassed his life.

"You are an Iida. You have a family legacy to uphold and a brother to make proud. These silly insecurities mean nothing in the grand scheme of things and you are only acting in everyone's best interest. You have nothing to worry about and should head to bed."

Though his usual pep talk would usually be enough, he found himself unwilling to listen. His body refused to move from the spot as he thought about it a little more.

"I'm acting in everyone's best interest because I care about them. They are my friends along with the next generation of heroes. If we are to work together in the future I need to make sure that I can communicate and effectively help them all succeed and it doesn't feel like I've been doing that as of late."

"That is their problem."

The voice countered.

"You are correct that they came here to become heroes so they need to learn how to act like one. It's not your fault that you've been trained since childhood on how to behave and they haven't. As class representative, it is your job to guide them and give them the knowledge so that they can also succeed."

"I know that,"

Iida answered in frustration.

"I operated my whole life around that thought, but why do I suddenly feel like an outcast? Like I'm the villain in all my classmates' careers because it feels like I'm missing something important."

The voice stayed silent in his head, causing him to let out another sigh. It seems even the logical part of his brain didn't have an answer when it came to his feelings. He felt like he had hit a wall, or a question without an answer if he was being honest with himself. He had no idea how to find the solution to these questions, but he was afraid he won't be able to sleep until he does. Iida stood up from the railing, already ready to accept his fate and live the rest of his life with barely any sleep and these unanswered questions forever swirling around in his head, but suddenly stopped at the faint sound of music coming from his right.

Turning his head, Iida looked around for the source of the jaunty little tune but wasn't able to spot anything out of the ordinary. He was about to write it off as him being sleep deprived, but he suddenly looked down and noticed for the first time that someone was sitting on the ground of the balcony next to him. A head of messy blond hair was hunched over a gaming device, and the soft sound of buttons being hit could be heard just over the wind as they continued to play without a care in the world.

"Kaminari? What are you doing up this late?" Iida asked curiously as he walked over to the edge of his balcony, noting the blanket and pillows Kaminari seemed to drag out of his room to make a comfortable little gaming area to sit on as he played his game.

Kaminari let out a startled yelp at the sound of his name, fumbling what Iida could now tell was a switch in his hands as he whipped his head up to look up at him. "Oh shoot! Was I being too loud? I'm sorry. I thought for sure that you wouldn't hear me out here!"

"I- no. You didn't wake me up." Iida quickly reassured his frantic classmate, hoping that by doing so that the other would lower his voice. The last thing he wanted to do was make a scene right now. "I was already up and just noticed you out here."

"Oh," Kaminari said again, looking a little relieved that he wasn't in trouble before his face became one of curiosity. "Why are you up? I know you aren't as strict with bedtime as Kacchan is but you still like to follow curfew."

"Oh, uh. Well, I believe I asked you first." Iida stuttered out, not wanting to admit why he was up just yet.

Kaminari gave him a curious look, seeming to also see he was avoiding the question but ultimately not pushing the subject. "I had too much energy stored in me and didn't feel the need to sleep yet."

"Didn't feel the need, or ignore the need?" Iida countered, his class representative mode coming out as he prepared to scold his classmate for his poor sleeping habits.

Kaminari didn't seem to mind Iida's change in tone, taking it in stride as he quickly explained himself. "The first one. My quirk is literally based around me being able to store energy within my body. Sleep is supposed to give the human body energy but with the excess I carry around with me every day, I tend to need less sleep than most people do."

"Oh," Iida mumbled, feeling bad for not knowing this fact about his fellow classmates' quirk. "I was unaware of this information and I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions."

"Don't worry about it," Kaminari said with a wave of his hand. "Just because I can go a full 24 hours without sleep as long as I charge doesn't mean I should. I still need to sleep to help regulate my brain or whatever so the reminder isn't unwarranted."

Iida gave a hum in acknowledgment and allowed the conversation to lapse into a comfortable silence again. He looked away from the blond for a moment to look at the night sky, trying to find any star that hid somewhere under the light pollution. It would be a peaceful atmosphere but his analytical mind decided to use this time to think about the conversation he just had with Kamianri and compare it to the conversations that have been haunting him over the last few days.

This conversation seemed to go well for him. He showed concern for his classmate and was ready to tell them about the importance of sleep, but was then informed about how his information was inaccurate. He apologizes and is then told his efforts were appreciated even if they were misguided. It was simple, to the point, and made sense in his head. So why did the other conversations twist his insides uncomfortably and make his head hurt? Was it because he won those arguments and the others were sore losers? What about the time Sero called him out? Was he upset with himself for not following his own rules, or was he upset because he felt that the others were making fun of him?

He shook his head, scrunching his eyebrows in concentration as he tried to rid the silly idea from his mind.

"You're overthinking things. You just had a lovely conversation with Kaminari and you did nothing different. Those other times were one-offs and don't matter in the grand scheme of things."

As if to prove his point, Iida turned to address Kaminari again, some confidence back in his voice as he tried to sound like his normal self. "I understand why you're still up, but I don't understand the need to set up for the night out on your balcony. It seemed like a waste of time to bring all of your bedding out here where it can get ruined."

Kaminari blinked for a second as he registered Iida's words, having already been absorbed in his game but quickly paused it so that he could address Iida properly. He frowned at that, knowing that Kaminari doesn't pause his games unless he needs to actually concentrate on something else. His fears were confirmed when he was suddenly gifted with a sheepish smile.

"Yeah, heh. Well, the funny thing is that I usually set up shop out here…when the weather allows at least."

Iida raised an eyebrow at him. "Why is that?"

"Because," Kaminari sighed, now looking away in embarrassment. "I know I'm not the quietest person in the class and I was scared that by walking around in my room or playing my games that I would accidentally forget and get loud and then you know…" He didn't finish his sentence but Iida picked up on the context clues when his left hand suddenly went rigid and was moved up and down in a rhythmic pattern.

"You were afraid I would say something to you?" Iida asked, wanting to confirm his suspicion.

Kaminari nodded his head. "Yeah, no offense to you man, but you aren't only my neighbor but also the only person I can think of on this floor who would scold me for being up this late and I REALLY didn't want that to happen."

Iida felt his stomach start to twist in knots, his previous insecurities coming back in full force as he accidentally proved them to be viable. Kaminari was out here because he didn't want to deal with him. He decided to give up his own comfort because he thought he was going to be yelled at for going against the rules and wanted to avoid it at all costs. He wasn't these people's friends, he was a nuisance that only seemed to bring a wet blanket every time he showed up. No wonder they teased him. They hated him and were hoping that he would take a hint and leave them alone. How did he not see the signs? How has it taken him this long to realize that his classmates didn't like the authority he was given, or how he wields it? He has been a dictator this entire time! Shoving his own beliefs and rules onto his class without a care for their opinions or thoughts. No wonder none of them like him! He's a disgrace to UA and his family.

Iida felt sick, already able to see the disappointment in his brother's eyes as he tells him he failed not only him, but also their shared dream for
Ingenium. He already knew his parents would be upset with him, but their displeasure wouldn't hurt nearly as much as it would to let his brother down. He wanted to make him proud. Wanted to become the hero that he was -still is- and let the world see just how amazing his family and their dedication to the city was, but none of that can happen if he is already hated by the next generation of heroes.

"Why don't they like me?"

His mind whispered, his logical brain unable to stop the insecurities from voicing their questions as it also wondered where they went wrong.

"Don't they know that I'm just trying to help? Don't they care about their future? Why did no one tell me that they hated me? Why didn't they ask me to stop? What is wrong with--

"Iida!"The sound of his name suddenly being called snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. Looking up he found a blurry yellow blob looking at him in concern. "Hey, man. Lost you for a second. Are you okay?"

Iida cleared his throat, trying to compose himself before he spoke. He went to push his glasses back into place, thinking the blurriness was due to them falling but found them squarely where they are supposed to be. He cursed silently to himself, quickly registering that the blurriness was due to the tears in his eyes. Moving his glasses out of the way, Iida wiped his eyes, trying to play it off like he was tired as he quickly tried to reassure his classmate.

"I'm fine. I'm sorry for worrying you."

Putting his glasses back on, he could now clearly see Kaminari and how his eyebrows were still scrunched up with uncertainty, probably not buying his excuse. "Are you sure? I mean if you want-"

"I would also like to apologize for making you think that you can't relax in your own room without me coming and lecturing you. That was not my intention and if I ever make you feel like that again please tell me to back off. As class representative, it is my responsibility to ensure everyone is safe and in an environment where they can succeed and… and if that environment means that I need to step down then I understand."

Kaminari's eyes widened in shock, sitting up more as he registered what Iida was saying. "Step down? What are you talking about? Look, I--"

"I'm talking about my utter lack of social skills." Iida interrupted, frustration starting to surface the more he thought about his shortcomings. "I never noticed how my actions negatively affected all of you and now I see it clear as day. I'm not helping anyone reach their hero potential but holding them back."

"What? No! That's not tru--" Kaminari tried again, but Iida once again cut him off.

"All I've done is put my own expectations and rules on all of you and never let you have any say. I'm sorry it took so long for me to see but my interventions are obviously unwelcomed and only causing frustration. I'll talk to Aizawa in the morning about stepping down from my p-"

"Iida!"

Iida shut his mouth, finally taking in Kaminari's shocked expression and noting that he also looked a little panicked. He was confused by that reaction, figuring that Kaminari would have been thrilled to hear that he was stepping down and freeing him from the rules he had placed on him, but that didn't seem like the case. Looking down to assess himself, Iida took in his tense posture and the hand that was stuck in mid-chopping motion, suddenly becoming embarrassed.

"I'm sorry." He spoke quickly, dropping his hand as if it burned him. "It seems old habits are hard to break, but I promise my intention wasn't to lecture you or-"

"Iida," Kaminari said with a huff of frustration. "Why don't you take a deep breath and let me speak for a while, okay?"

Iida opened his mouth to ask what good that will do but he didn't want to upset his classmate anymore than he already has, so he quickly shut it and gave him a nod to let him know that he can continue. Kaminari let out a sigh of relief as he ran a hand through his blond hair. He seemed to be searching for the right words to say, letting the silence take over as he stared daggers into the floor.

Iida swore hours had passed by as he waited for Kaminari to speak, but he knew that wasn't possible. Still, he felt on edge as he waited for what he assumed to be told off like the class wanted to do from the day he became their representative.

"I'm sorry…for what I said." Iida blinked as he registered what Kaminari had said, focusing on his classmates' determined eyes as he stared directly at him, finding guilt swirling around in his golden eyes the longer he looked into them. He was about to ask him why he felt the need to apologize, but Kamianri beat him to the punch, not letting him have a chance to speak. "What I said earlier came out wrong. I didn't mean to make it seem like I was avoiding you --well I was-- but that's because I didn't want to disturb you. I know you care about getting your eight hours of sleep or whatever and it would be rude of me to do what I want without considering that most people are asleep at this time."

"Oh."

Iida thought as he slumped in on himself.

"Kaminari was just being respectful. That makes sense. How kind of him."

"He's just trying to stop you from lecturing him."

The unhelpful voice in the back of his mind spoke up.

"He doesn't really care about that and just wants you to leave."

Any tension that had left his shoulders came flooding back, his brain suddenly going into hyper speed as he tried to figure out if his classmate was lying to him.

"He's a hero! He wouldn't lie to me."

"But he hates you."

"Kaminari is notoriously bad at lying! He always wears his emotions on his face."

"Besides," Kaminari continued, not seeming to notice Iida's inner turmoil. "You aren't the only one I'm worried about. I mean, you're the only one on this floor that would say something to my face -which I respect- but Koda is right next door and the last thing I want to do is get on his bad side."

Though his mind was still trying to wrap his head around what was going on and why he cared so much, Iida couldn't help but latch onto that last comment, probably needing a distraction while his mind continued doing somersaults in order to make everything make sense again.

"Koda has a bad side?"

Kaminari just shrugged. "Not sure, but I don't want to be the one to find out, you know? He has a rabbit in his room and the last thing I want to do is rile it up while he's trying to sleep. I don't think I could survive if he decided to attack me like he did with Present Mic."

Kaminari physically shivered in disgust at the thought, probably imagining all of the bugs crawling over his skin. Iida also grimaced, not liking the mental image of being on the receiving end of that particular attack. "I see your point." He mumbled, crossing his arms as a cold breeze suddenly blew past him.

Kaminari snuggled closer into his blanket, looking as comfy as ever as he continued the conversation. "Exactly, so don't feel bad or responsible for me being out here or whatever. It was my choice so no need to apologize or go so far as to renounce your spot as class rep!" Kaminari gave a small chuckle at the thought, shaking his head like even the idea of him stepping down was funny to him. "Man, I really hope you don't step down, or else our class would be screwed!"

"You think so?" Iida asked, unable to help it when this question has been plaguing him for so long.

"Oh, I know so," Kaminari answered instantly. "If you weren't here then I could guarantee that we would have burnt this place to the ground already."

"Give yourself some credit, you're all smart and capable young heroes."

"Trust me when I say I am, but you literally have enough responsibility stored in your body that if we learned how to turn it into raw energy, you could probably run all of UA! That really helps when some of us are lacking in the common department." Kaminari pointed to himself at the end of his little speech, giving Iida a wink just to make sure the joke landed, but Iida wasn't really in a laughing mood.

He knew that Kaminari was just trying to make him feel better, his fellow classmate always trying to cheer people up with a joke, but the action only set him off on another unwanted tangent. Iida knew that Kaminari was well-liked by everyone in the class. He somehow made friends with Bakugou and the other more rambunctious people in their class, while also somehow being able to have tea time with Momo every week. He is even able to get along with Tokoyami and his more alternative hobbies. There isn't one person in the class that Kaminari can't seem to get along with, but with his easygoing attitude and energetic personality it's easy to see why he would be well-liked. He seems to always know how to read the other person and match his energy to theirs so that conversation can instantly flow between them. He just knows what to say to lift people up or distract them when things get tough. He is by definition, what a best friend should be -what a good person should be- and he is the exact opposite of what Iida is.

Iida knows that he is a square, his brother likes to remind him of this fact all the time. Though Tensei usually only means it in the sense that Iida is a good student that stays out of trouble, he can also apply it to his personality, his style, and even his movements. He's been molded to be the perfect role model for his family. He was taught to dress sharp, taught to be polite but direct when he talked, and that his movements should be driven with a purpose.

He admits that his parents probably went overboard on him when they noticed Tensei having a small rebellious phase when he went to UA, but he can't change who he is now. Iida has always been this rigid, this loud, and somewhat abrasive towards those he felt went against his belief and upbringing. And he was fine with not being everyone's friend. He didn't have time for that because he was looking towards the future when he was a pro hero and making his family proud. His family was the only people's opinions that he cared about, but somewhere along the way things changed.

He doesn't know when, why, or how, but he suddenly doesn't feel the drive he once did. He still wants to become a hero and make his brother and family proud, but for some reason, he now cares about the people around him opinions and he wants to be liked and included.

"You've started to care."

his brain supplied to him and he had to agree. He started to care about his classmates more than just future coworkers but as people that matter to him. They have been through a lot together their first year so it makes sense for them to grow closer and form bonds, but he still feels like it went beyond that. Iida was used to caring about one's input on a plan -communication is key when working with others- but this wasn't about training to be heroes. He cared about how his classmates viewed him. He wanted them to like him and enjoy being in his company.

It was a weird discovery to make. He never cared about something like this before, yet it now was keeping him up at night. He isn't sure how far this new desire to be liked went, but he knows for a fact that he doesn't have a clue as to how to solve it. Iida felt a frown tugging on his face as he came to that conclusion. He already concluded that he can't change who he is, so if the others are already annoyed, or dislike him being around, then there is nothing he can do to fix this problem. That was a sad realization to make.

"You can't change yourself or others, so I'm stuck being the annoying bad guy in everyone's hero career."

Iida can hear it now. Mina complaining about how boring he is for shutting down her fun, the class laughing at him when they catch every one of his slip-ups, and even his supposed friends laughing along with them as they tell him to chill out. This was the life he was going to have to get used to for the next two years.

He let out a disappointed sigh, wishing that there was some other solution instead of the sad fate he is doomed to live through, but he doesn't think there is one. He looked up at the sky one more time, a small childish hope that maybe he would find that one lucky star and be able to wish all his problems away but the sky remained empty. Iida scolded himself for even thinking that it would be that easy, walking back into his room in the hopes he had done enough thinking for one night and he could get at least some sleep tonight.

"Iida wait." Looking over, Iida was surprised to see Kaminari was still sitting in the cozy little corner of his balcony. The blond looked a little panicked at seeing him leave, making him take a step away from the doorway and towards the blond.

"Yes, Kaminari. Did you need something?"

The blond suddenly looked sheepish, a slight blush covering his cheeks as he looked down at his blanket. Iida brushed it off as him being cold, the wind has picked up a bit since he stepped out here.

"I don't mean to overstep because I know we aren't that close but…I…uh. I was just…why…"

Iida raised an eyebrow, not used to the blond hesitating to blurt out the first thing that came to mind. "It is okay to speak your mind, Kaminari. As class representative, it is my job to ensure that you-"

"Then why did you just say that you were going to step down?"

"Ah."

Iida thought.

"Theirs is the Kaminari he knew."

Though Iida wasn't offended by the question, he didn't really know how to answer it, unsure of how much he wanted to share. Kaminari seemed to take his silence as a bad sign, immediately backtracking his statement.

"I mean it is okay if you do, but I already said my piece about how you should STAY as class rep. I was just curious because that kind of talk isn't really like you?" Kaminari winced at how unsure his words sounded, and let out a grunt as he tried to once again get his thoughts in order. "What I mean to say is that I feel like something is bothering you and I'm more than willing to listen if you want to talk about it."

"Ah," Iida said, still unsure of how he wanted to approach this line of questioning. He feels like the best course of action is to evade and dismiss. He already decided that it was useless to think about it anymore so why get someone else involved? "Sorry if I seem off, but I assure you that there is nothing to worry about."

"Then why are you up?"

"Pardon?"

"Then why are you up?" Kaminari repeated the question. "I asked you that at the beginning of the conversation and you never answered it."

"I didn't think it was relevant at the time." Iida sputtered, confused as to why Kaminari was pushing the subject now.

"I think it is," Kamianai replied bluntly. "Especially seeing how you almost worked yourself into a panic attack and then started spouting about stepping down as class rep."

Iida cringed, only now realizing how much he let his emotions get to him while someone was watching him. "I'm…sorry you had to see that. I think the late hour just got to me and that I should go and try to get some sleep."

Kaminari let out a sigh, looking at Iida like he just used recipro burst to kick his switch across campus and making him feel antsy under such an intense gaze. "Look, I already said that we aren't close so I get it if you don't want to talk with me, but I can clearly see you need to. Something is bothering you and I can't just let you leave without offering to help you talk it out."

"That's…very kind of you." Iida answered cautiously, stalling for time as he tried to think of how to escape this conversation as fast as possible.

Kaminari just shrugged. "Eh, that's what friends are for."

That sentence made Iida come to a halt, all thoughts of leaving vanishing as he let those words echo in his head.

"We're friends?" Iida would have felt ashamed of the pure shock that was in his voice but he didn't care right now, once again feeling like Kamianri had flipped his perspective once again.

Kaminari for his part only looked mildly offended at being asked that question, only raising an eyebrow at him before he answered. "Uh, duh. Obviously, I'm not as close to you as Midoriya or Uruaka but I still consider you my friend. We're balcony buddies after all."

The blond gestured to the space between them, trying to emphasize the unique friendship they had, but Iida didn't really see the significance or had the brain power to try and figure it out. He had already decided that thinking about his problem was a waste of time, but then again, getting an outsider's perspective might shed some light on the situation. Plus, he already knew Kaminari wouldn't lie to him, his previous conversations confirming that when he bluntly told him about how he tried to avoid him proving it. He also already decided that the blond was the most well-liked person in the class, so he would have insight into how he could improve himself to be well-liked.

Iida nodded to himself, seeing there were more benefits to confiding with Kaminari than negative. "Very well, I would like to have a conversation with you if you are willing to listen."

"I'm all ears, dude!"

"Well, you see. Lately, I've…The role of class rep…" Iida gave a frustrated sigh, not realizing how hard it would be to voice his concerns out loud. "I…I'm sorry but I don't really know where to start."

"How about you start with my earlier question? You still haven't answered it." Kaminari replied easily, his voice sounding a little softer as he tried to encourage him.

He gave a hum in agreement, but still didn't say anything, Kaminari's question encompassing too much for him to voice in one statement. He thought about it a little more and finally settled on a question of his own that will hopefully put some of his worries to rest. "Do you really think I'm a good class rep or were you just being nice?"

Kaminari squinted his eyes at him, searching his face as if he knew that wasn't the main issue he wanted to discuss but once again didn't push. "Of course, I was telling the truth. You do a good job at keeping us on schedule and focused on tasks when we need to. I know for a fact that I can't do either of those things so I appreciate you stepping up and doing it for everyone."

Iida nodded, not really hearing his answer as he immediately went to the next one. "And everyone else? Do they have an issue with me or how I lead the class?"

"Uh, not more than usual? Why do you ask?"

Iida winced and looked away from the blond for a second, feeling his stomach start to swirl again uncomfortably. "So they DO usually have a problem with me."

"What no! That's not what I meant!" Kaminari quickly realized his mistake at how downtrodden Iida had become and quickly tried to clarify. "It's just that you're the Dad of the class, you know? You're the one that puts their foot down when we get too rowdy or ask for things so people sometimes get annoyed at being denied, but they aren't actually mad at you!"

"It sure seems like they mean it." Iida mumbled to himself, not expecting Kaminari to hear him, but seeing how the blond's eyes widened, it seems he had.

"Are you serious right now? Iida, everyone holds the highest respect for you!"

"Then why do they call me a wet blanket to my face? Why do they laugh and tease me at every moment? Why does everyone make me feel like a villain every time I make a decision?!"

Iida didn't mean to raise his voice at the end of his sentence, but his emotions finally got the better of him. These questions have been plaguing him for so long, he didn't realize how much worse they would make him feel to say them out loud. It's like he accidentally spoke an ancient spell that cast a blanket of misery over him and now he was forever stuck in this terrible swirling mess of emotions he can't seem to escape. He let out a ragged breath, wanting to take back the control he is so used to having, but it didn't seem like it was coming back any time soon.

"Hey, Iida." Kaminari whispered, a little too softly for his liking. It reminded him of how his mother talked to him when she told him about Tensei's accident. He didn't dare look up, not wanting to see the sadness or pity that was surely in his eyes after he admitted how weak he is.

"Iida, can you please look at me?" Iida didn't move from his spot. "Can you at least let me know that you are listening?"

He nodded his head numbly.

Kaminari took a deep calming breath, whether that was for himself or in the hopes of helping him he wasn't sure, but then the blond was talking to him again. "Look, I'm sorry if we took the teasing too far. We- I didn't know it bothered you so much or else I wouldn't have done it at all. I want you to know though that it was never done out of malice or anything. We were laughing WITH you, or so we thought."

"It used to not bug me." Iida admitted, finding it easier to speak the truth now that he had gotten started. "It only started recently and I'm not sure why but it's making me question my relationship with everyone in the class and if they actually enjoy having me around." He shook his head in frustration, looking up at the pitch-black sky as if they were the sole cause for his dilemma. "The most frustrating thing is I don't even know why I suddenly care."

"Hmm," Kaminari said, weighing his words carefully before speaking. "I think that it's normal for you to care."

"What?" Iida asked, finally looking over at the blond and finding his face held no judgment or pity and instead was contemplative as he also looked up at the sky. "I've never cared about something like this before, so why now."

Kaminari shrugged. "I can't really tell you why you suddenly care, but I think it's normal for you to want to be liked by your classmates and friends. I mean, you're a kid after all, and isn't every kid's dream to fit in?"

"We are at UA to become heroes!" Iida protested. "Not one of us fits because we all stand out for our exceptional skills and quirks!"

"We aren't pros yet." Kaminari countered. "We are still students that spend our days studying and hanging out with each other. We don't have to carry the weight of the world just yet."

"But that's not what we are taught!" Iida tried to argue, reminded once again of his upbringing and how he always knew what his life, goals, and the type of pressure he will be under in the future.

"Iida, I hate to break it to you," Kaminari drawled. "But I think you take that lessons a little too seriously."

"What do you mean! I'm just followi--"

"And you are doing a great job and everyone appreciates the hard work you put in, but you have to admit that you take yourself too seriously at times."

"What?"

"I think that is where the teasing stems from honestly." Kaminari continued like he wasn't shattering Iida's entire perspective of the world. "You try so hard to be perfect, and not just the perfect student or hero, but like the perfect adult. The rules, the sternness, and basically everything you do screams adult. We tease you because we see you as what you are; a kid, instead of the adult you try so hard to pretend to be."

Iida didn't know what to say, never having thought about it like that. His parents and other adults always complimented him on being so mature for his age, and he always got along with the business people he had to interact with but he just assumed that it was due to his intelligence. He never thought that it was because he was acting just like a businessman in their late 40s. He didn't know what to do with this information.

"So when Sero teased me about not being in line?" Iida asked, needing more clarification about Kamianri's hypothesis.

"You were doing the classic, 'do as I say not as I do' adult thing." Kaminari answered simply.

"And when everyone laughed?"

"They were agreeing with him. But it wasn't AT you, just the similarities were funny."

"What about when I denied Mina the trip out during the week of exams?" Iida questioned further. "She called me a killjoy and everyone agreed with her."

Kaminari grimaced. "Yeah, okay. She was kind of mad that her request was turned down but you had a valid reason. Those tests were hard and we all needed to spend more time studying. If it makes you feel better she calls me boring every time I tell her no to one of her schemes."

"It…doesn't but thank you for letting me know."

"I'm just saying that Mina is prone to call people names when she's upset, but she literally forgets about it two seconds later. You know, she might be spending too much time with Bakugou now that I think about it." Kaminari mused out loud before shaking his head clear of that train of thought. "The point is that she didn't mean it. We all care about you so if you want us to stop or whatever we will."

Iida ignored the last part of the electric user's speech, not wanting to ask his classmates to stop, but he thought that the rest of what he was saying sounded plausible. He did feel like he was the only person to think like him, Momo being only second to him but she also got easily swept up in everyone's excitement and forgot about her duties. Maybe he was trying to be the adult of the group but that position felt natural to him.

"This is…how I am." Iida admitted to Kaminari, "I have to be the responsible one in order to be the class representative, and…I just always operated like this."

"Don't get me wrong," Kaminari said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "We all appreciate you having a level head and actually thinking about the consequences of our actions, but you never seem to take a break from being the adult of the group. That can't be healthy, and you deserve to be a kid just as much as the rest of us."

"But I don't know how to do that. I can't magically start over and leave all the parts that make me who I am to become…well, you."

"Me?" Kaminari asked in shock. "Wait no, Iida. No one is asking you to change yourself. I'm just saying you can take a breather. Why do you think you have to become me?"

"Because everyone likes you." Iida stated matter of factly, watching as Kamianri's face tinted pink in embarrassment.

"T-that's not t-true!" Kaminari sputtered out.

Now it was Iida's turn to raise an eyebrow in disbelief. "Kaminari, I have seen you get along with everyone in our class and create meaningful bonds with them. I don't think there isn't one person in this school you haven't befriended yet."

"I-I just make people laugh sometimes, it's no b-big deal." The blond tried to wave him off, but Iida didn't feel like letting this topic slide.

"It's more than just making them laugh. You seem to always know how to cheer someone up, how to flawlessly interact with new people, and can read the room like no one else I know. You…you have an incredible skill that I'm sad to admit that I envy."

"You…envy me?"

"Of course!" Iida said with a huff, his arm starting to chop the air as he bluntly stated the truth. "I wouldn't be having these issues if I just understood how to interact with our classmates. I don't know how to be anyone else but myself, and it seems that myself isn't working, but you, you just walk into a room and suddenly everyone seems to be in a better mood."

"Dude, stop," Kaminari mumbled, his face as red as Kirishima's hair. "You don't want to be like me, trust me."

"Why not?" Iida asked curiously. "You said it yourself that I need to act more my age and you seemed to just have the skills I'm lacking."

"Because you shouldn't want to be anyone else but yourself!" Iida scrunched his eyebrows up, not understanding what his classmate was trying to say. He already had the eternal discussion on how he knows he can't change himself to fit in, but he didn't see the issue with admitting if he had some of his classmates' social skills then all his problems would be fixed.

Kaminari let out a couple of noises of frustration seeming to not agree with him at all. "Look, I get that you are feeling a little isolated because of the disconnect between the class and yourself, but that doesn't mean you need to change who you are and that especially doesn't mean you should start acting like me."

"I don't understand."

"You are an amazing person with a lot of great attributes! I'm not asking you to throw all that away."

"But if I change aspects of myself to reflect you more I can interact with everyone better and create a healthier work environment. If I have the ability to do that then why wouldn't I?"

"Dude, no. I'm the side character, the comic relief. I help people and make them feel better." Kaminari tried to explain slowly, hoping to get his point across. "Sure, that's what friends are for but that's all I am. I have no drive, or goals, nothing to offer the world unlike you. Yes, you might not be the most socially in tune but neither am I mean, even during this conversation I've said the wrong thing to you and hurt your feelings!"

Kaminari shook his head, probably feeling like he was getting off-topic and trying to bring the conversation back around. "You're in the same league as Todoroki and Midorya so I know you are going to make a name for yourself once you're out of school. You should take pride in that! You have the skills AND the attitude that makes the picture-perfect hero before you even started learning how to be one, and that is amazing in itself! I wish that I had even an ounce of the drive that you had because maybe then I would have a chance of making something of myself as well, but as I see it…" Kaminari trailed off, seeming to have lost steam at the end of his rant, and had nothing left to say. He didn't need to, Iida understood what he was trying to say and though he was flattered by the praise he was receiving, he didn't like how Kaminari continued to put himself down while he did it.

"That's not true. Pro heroes have to deal with fans and the media all the time and I know you'll excel in those aspects of being a hero!"

"But having the knowledge and the skill to actually do the job?" Kaminari countered bitterly, looking at Iida with what he can only describe as defeat.

Iida wanted to argue and say with some hard work and some guidance he knows that he will be a great hero like everyone else in their class, but Kaminari didn't seem to want to talk about the subject any longer as he hugged himself even tighter, making him as small of a target as possible. "I'm just not built like that and can't seem to focus enough on those types of things, but that's okay because you are."

Kaminari looked back up at him, the emptiness that was once in his eyes had now been replaced to show only admiration. "You're going to be an amazing hero! You already have the skills and the right attitude for it so I know you're going to go far with your career by just being yourself!"

"But…" Iida started to say but couldn't quite finish his thought, he didn't know if he wanted to argue Kaminari's point or circle back to the blond's sudden display of self-doubt but the blond once again chose the option for him.

"What I'm trying to say in a long-winded way, is that you shouldn't change yourself, especially not for other people. You're great just the way you are."

"Then why doesn't our class like me?"

"I like you."

Iida felt heat rise to his cheeks at how earnestly Kaminari admitted to liking him. He hoped that it didn't show and if it did, that the cold wind could be the one to blame.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't think this conversation has eased any of my worries. I now have a working theory on why I don't see eye-to-eye with the class but I still don't know how to fix it if I'm not changing myself to fit in."

Kaminari blinked at him for a minute, thinking over his words before answering. "I thought we already agreed that you just needed to take more breaks and just be a kid."

"You also said that I shouldn't be anyone but myself."

"Yeah?"

"I don't know how to be a kid, Kaminari. I only know how to be myself."

Iida didn't realize how sad that sounded until it had already left his mouth. He can't deny that it isn't true, they already established he is an adult in mindset, but it feels wrong to have to admit that he doesn't know how to be anything else. Kaminari must be thinking the same thing, worrying lining his face before quickly masking it with his usual smile.

"Oh, well no worries! That's an easy fix!"

"Really?" Iida asked as he leaned against the railing that separated his balcony from Kamianri's. "How so?"

"I mean, you ARE a kid so you just need to flip the switch and turn your adult brain off." He replied with an easy smile.

"Turn it off?"

"Yeah, like a light switch!"

Iida rubbed his tired eyes, starting to feel the late hour catching up to him. "Thank you for the analogy Kaminari, but that visualization doesn't help me understand HOW to turn it off."

Kaminari's smile faltered at that, looking down at his knees for a second before looking back up sheepishly. "I guess it would be hard to do if it has been switched on this entire time."

Iida felt his stomach give a painful twist at how sad Kamianri suddenly looked, quickly realizing he had let his frustrations get the better of him again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so upset, but this all is just…new and confusing to me."

"Hey, don't worry about it, man." Kaminari tried to cheer him up, already bouncing back from Iida's harsh words. "I'm the one getting up in your business and spouting nonsense."

"I don't think it's nonsense," Iida replied gently, easily starting to pick up how Kaminari puts himself down now that he's heard it a few times. "I just need a little more direction."

The two sat in silence for a bit, allowing them time to gather their thoughts and think things through without interruption. Iida had a lot on his mind as he tried to sort all the rules he had learned from his parents, from what he was taught in school, to then analyzing his classmates and seeing what stood out to him. Maybe he would find the answer to what makes a kid within the outliers.

He shook his head, quickly finding too many variables to be sure that he was even looking in the right direction. He decided to start small, and only look at himself and his family. He knows that logically he was a kid at some point and had to have acted like it, but also somewhere along the line, he forgot how and somehow he zoomed right past his rebellious teenage years and went straight to being an adult. He chuckled to himself at his own joke, his family always having a thing for speed.

"Speaking of the rebellious phase…"

His brain reminded him, instantly going to his brother and when he caught him being scolded by his parents for being out past curfew with friends or using his quirk to skip taking the stairs in their house. His parents always told him to not be like his brother and always remember that wherever he goes, he's upholding the Iida family name. But was his brother actually being bad or rebellious like his parents said? Or was he just acting his age?

The more he thought about it, the more he remembered playing with his brother and roughhousing in the backyard. They used to get into so much trouble together as kids. But then as they got older and his older brother got more responsibilities, things changed. He also got older and had responsibilities but that didn't stop their fun. His brother would still whisper jokes to him at all the fancy business events, sneak him an extra popsicle from the freezer when their mother said no, and they stayed up late together watching old hero films. Those all went against what their parents wanted, but it was also a lot of fun and he cherished all those times he got to spend with his brother.

It didn't change until his brother went to AU and he went into middle school. His parents started hounding him on what it meant to be a legacy hero and ensuring that he got top grades. He knew they were just making sure that he was well equipped for the future, but he didn't realize how all the extra studying and classes he had had to take had made him so distant from his older brother. Of course, he was busy with his own schooling and going on class trips, but he always seemed to manage to have fun. He would come back and tell him stories about his friends, something funny that happened or show him a new technique he was trying out with his quirk. He would always just tell him about his studies, or what new fact about hero law he learned that week. His stories never seem to compare or sound as interesting as his brothers and when he was younger he thought it was because Tensei was in UA, but now he thinks it's because he stopped being a kid. Iida felt something stir within him, unsure if it was a good feeling or a bad one, but his sudden epiphany sent a shiver up his spine.

Has he really not been a kid for so long? How did he let this happen? Why did it happen?

"Your parents' expectations kept you busy and your brother wasn't around as much to help remind you to be a kid."

His brain supplied and he had to agree. Regret started to weigh him down as he thought of all the times he scolded his brother for acting out like his parents did, the approval his parents gave him when he chose studies over games, and how much time he wasted not acting his age. He felt like he missed out like he had skipped a couple of chapters in a book just to read the conclusion at the end and expect it to make sense. Iida let out a sigh, allowing himself to sit with this remorse for a while longer as he realized how much he wasted his childhood being an adult.

"You're still a kid. You're not a hero yet."

A small voice in the back of his mind whispered, sounding vaguely like Kaminari. Iida let the thought tangle around in his mind and eventually had to agree. Technically, he still had rules and the status of a UA student to uphold, but he was also a teenager that was still trying to figure out where he stood in the world and wanted to have fun with his friends. He wanted to be a kid again while he still had the chance.

"Kaminari?" Iida asked suddenly, looking at the still zoned-out blond sitting across from him. The electric user blinked at him, startled at suddenly being called on, but sat up straighter to show he was listening. "Can you teach me how to flip the switch… How to be a kid again?"

The blond blinked up at him one more time before a wide smile stretched across his face. "I would be more than happy to try!"

Iida gave a small smile back, finally feeling like some of the tension in his shoulders disappeared for good as he finally had a plan in place. He didn't know what his request would entail, but just having one of his friends saying it could be easily fixed made it a little easier to breathe. He let out a yawn, finally feeling tired now that his panic had subsided.

"Okay, so the first thing you need to know about being a kid!" Kaminari started, his hands out in front of him as he focused on what he was trying to say.

"What?" Iida gasped, leaning over the railing to get a better look at him. "We're doing this now?"

"I see no reason why we shouldn't start now." Kaminari answered back, his easy-going smile still plastered on his face.

"The fact that it's probably two in the morning if not later seems like a good enough reason."

"Oh," His classmate said, looking up at the sky as if he suddenly expected it to be daylight. "I guess it is kind of late."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm towards helping me, but I will admit I'm not used to staying up this late and I don't think I'll last much longer." As if to prove his point, Iida let out another yawn, turning his head away from his classmate as he did so not to be rude.

"I get that." The blond said with a hum, still looking at the sky before turning back towards him a teasing glint in his eye. "Do you think you could hold out for just a while longer? I think this is important enough to stay up for. I mean, it WOULD be something a kid would do."

Iida had a lecture on the tip of his tongue about how it was already late enough, but he held back. Not only because it would be rude for lecturing the blond when he was just trying to help, but also because Kamianri looked so earnest as he teased him like he was actually enjoying this interaction and didn't want it to end. How was he supposed to say no to that? "I suppose I don't see any harm in that." He finally replied a small smile of his own on his face.

"Good!" The blond beamed up at him, wiggling around in his blanket to get more comfortable. Iida silently envied the other as he felt the wind pick up again. "The first things first! Uh… Hold on, let me think." Iida let out a sigh, kind of regretting his decision if Kaminari didn't even have the solution in mind.

Apparently, his sigh was loud enough for Kaminari to hear, and the other boy started to panic a little. "S-sorry, I don't mean to waste your time, I just…need time to think."

Iida frowned at his sudden shift in mood, once again curious about the usually happy-go-lucky students' insecurities and why he never noticed them before. "Take all the time you need." He mumbled softly, looking down at the space between their balconies. "I'm not going anywhere."

Kaminari looked up at the other for shock for a moment before quickly replacing it with his usual look. "Cool, uh yeah. I guess I just wanted to say…no matter what is said tonight or what I ask you to do…Just don't change yourself or act differently tomorrow. Okay?"

Iida raised an eyebrow at the blond, not understanding why he thought he needed to say this. "You already argued admittedly that I shouldn't change who I am, so why would I act differently tomorrow?"

Kaminari gave him a weak shrug. "Because saying something and then doing it is kind of difficult. Especially… when you feel like you are in the wrong for doing something. But I stand by what I said earlier! Don't hesitate in calling us out when we misbehave or get up to something we shouldn't be doing." Iida felt like there was something more to what the other was saying, like he was talking from experience, but didn't get to ponder long when the blond looked at him with a teasing glint in his eye, the other emotion vanishing as he started to move his arm up and down in a chopping motion. "If I don't see you scolding people like this tomorrow then I will know something is wrong."

"I don't do it THAT frequently." Iida mumbled to himself, in embarrassment but kept all other comments to himself. He supposes Kaminari had a point after all. He was insecure about how he interacted with his friends and classmates so it would make sense that he would subconsciously change his routine if he felt like he was annoying someone. Having someone say out loud not to change was helpful to hear so he doesn't go into class tomorrow worrying about doing the wrong thing. He gave a firm nod at that conclusion, looking back at Kaminari to show he understood. "Okay, I will try and make sure I'm the same as I always have been."

Kaminari nodded back at him with a smile. "Good! That's where you need to be professional and adult-like anyway. You can start being a kid once classes let out and you're no longer on the clock so to speak."

"On the clock?" Iida asked, intrigued by what Kaminari was saying.

"Yeah," He replied happily. "That's the second part of the first lesson. When we aren't at school or doing an internship, that is considered our free time, the time where we can be a kid! It's like how adults have jobs but also a weekend, or time after their job to do what they want if that makes more sense in your adult brain. That's our time to let loose!"

"I see." He replied with a hum.

"Yup! So don't worry about being a kid just yet, you won't have time to be one until after school anyway."

"And what do I do once that time comes around?"

Kaminari paused at the question, having to think about it before giving him a shrug. "Do what you normally do, I guess. I don't want to make you change your routine or anything and again, it's not like you're doing anything wrong by being yourself. You're learning how to take breaks after all and not changing who you are."

Iida nodded again, understanding the concept but finding it hard to think that his worldview has changed in a matter of an hour but nothing in the actual world will change. "Then when can I take my next break and flip the switch?"

Kaminari gave a hum, picking up his game once more to fiddle with it as he thought. "Whenever you want I guess? I don't really think like 'now I will act like a kid' because my brain is wired differently than worse and I have to instead be like 'now is time to act like an adult'. You get me?"

"I think so. You do it naturally and in the moment. It's not a conscious effort."

"Exactly!" Kaminari nodded his head before pausing to give him a sad smile. "That doesn't help you though, does it?"

"I'm afraid not." Iida said with a sigh, hoping that he could pull off the same small smile Kaminari did so he didn't worry the other with his disappointment, but he doesn't think he pulled it off right.

"Well, that doesn't matter!" The blond quickly said, eyes scanning around them as he tried to think of an idea. "You just have to uh…figure out how to relax enough to be a kid?"

Kaminari didn't sound too sure in his answer, making Iida feel even worse about it. "I don't think telling me to act like a kid enough times will get me to understand how to do that."

"I get it. I know I'm just…struggling to think of how to explain this to you. I'm not the best with words after all."

"But you are genuine with them," Iida said, thinking about all the times Kaminari has spoken out of turn or said something odd. His heart was always in the right place if people gave him enough time to explain his thoughts, so he didn't see the harm in giving him that time now. "I'm asking a lot from you so…take all the time you need."

Kaminari blinked at him before giving him a shy smile. "Thanks, Iida. I appreciate that."

He just waved the other off, looking up at the still-dark sky as he waited for the other to collect his thoughts.

"Okay, so what makes a kid? That's the question we need to answer so that we can then apply that to you." Kaminari started talking out loud, sounding a little like Midorya as he started to ramble. "I'm not a kid expert or anything but there are things that make us different from adults…I mean besides the obvious age part."

"Can you really conclude the difference between the two though?" Iida asked. "I mean, I know of some adults that act childish, and kids that act more grown up." He waved to himself as an example of the latter. "So how can you find the difference?"

"By using stereotypes or archetypes." Kaminari said with a shrug. "I mean, they don't apply to everyone but they usually have some truth lying within them, and seeing how stereotypes are usually caricatures of the real thing the differences will be starker."

Iida was impressed with Kaminari's reasoning, not expecting the other to use such logic to figure out his odd problem. "Wouldn't the results still be the same though? The age, how they look, and how they act will still be the same."

"Yeah, I guess so." Kaminari conceded, his face scrunching up in concentration as he tried to think things through. "But those are all physical attributes, right?"

"Those are things you can observe, yes."

"Then why don't we use their emotions instead." Kaminari concluded.

"But we can't possibly know how they feel." Iida raised an eyebrow at him challengingly. "This is all hypothetical, we can't ask them how they feel."

"But if we are using stereotypes then we can use common phrases that adults use to criticize kids!" Kaminari announced with a gasp, his eyes moving back and forth as he got lost in his train of thought.

"Yes! That makes sense! Okay, what do adults usually say about kids?"

"Uh, they have no manners?" Iida tried, still not sure how this will help, but trying to be a team player.

"True." Kaminari agreed, nodding along but not moving past the idea as he continued to think. "They say we are messy, inexperienced, rude, ungrateful, rambunctious…" He suddenly gasped, blinking out of his thoughts to look directly at Iida with a giant smile on his face like he was just told Pikachu was real and waiting for him in his room. "And Impulsive!"

"Impulsive?" Iida repeated, not seeing the significance of that word.

"Yes! That's what you're missing! That's how you become a kid!"

"I'm…sorry Kaminari but I don't think I'm following."

Kaminari sat up a bit, letting the blanket around his shoulders fall as he began to explain himself using his hands. The blond shivered at the sudden cold but ignored it for now. "Look, you are the definition of control. Your speech, your movements, even how you operate as a person all has to do with you having control over everything."

"I…yes?" Iida hesitantly agreed, not sure if he should be offended or not.

Kaminari must have picked up on his hesitation because he quickly tried to comfort him. "I'm not saying that is a bad thing. It's a really good skill for a hero to have. You can handle the responsibility, and your schedule because you understand how to take control of the situation and solve the issue. I mean, if I had at least a third of the self-control you had I probably wouldn't be at the bottom of the class!"

"Kaminari--" Iida tried to put in, already deciding that his classmate needed to stop putting himself down but the blond cut him off, seeming to be on a roll and not stopping anytime soon.

"The point is that control is an adult trait while kids have the impulsive one! So in order for you to be a kid you need to let go of your control and be impulsive!"

"Huh," Iida sighed, as he tried to wrap his head around what his classmate was saying. "Are you sure? I feel like it's too simple of an answer."

"I'm positive!" Kaminari yelled out his body, vibrating in excitement at the idea.

"You need to learn to let go and not worry about the consequences every once in a while! I guarantee that you'll have fun in no time!"

Iida grimaced suddenly being reminded that the last time he decided to be impulsive and not care about the consequences he almost got himself and two of his friends killed by a notorious villain who killed heroes for fun. "Yeah, I don't think impulsive decisions are for me."

Kaminari cocked his head to the side in confusion. "What do you mean they aren't for you? You haven't even tried."

"Let's just say that I tried in the past and the results…were less than favorable."

Kaminari squinted at him, looking like he really wanted to ask him what he did, but luckily didn't push the subject. "You probably did it wrong then."

Now it was Iida's turn to squint at him in disbelief. "What do you mean I did it wrong? I followed the impulse and it led to bad things."

"Well, duh. You did it wrong." Kaminari repeated like Iida was an idiot. "You can't just follow any impulse you have, that will just lead you into getting in trouble."

Iida can't argue with that, Kaminari having unknowingly hit the nail on the head. "Then how do I know what impulse to follow, surely all of them lead to the same consequences…to lesser degrees."

"Trust me, dude. I'm aware. I'm the king of accidentally opening my big fat mouth when I shouldn't, so it's hard to tell which ones to pursue and which ones you should leave as an intrusive thought." Kaminari joked before becoming serious again. "I think it boils down to what emotion you're feeling at the time of the impulse."

"Emotion? Why does that matter?"

"Well, what were you feeling when you made that bad impulsive decision?" His classmate questioned, looking at him expectantly for an answer.

Iida didn't like how close they were skirting around a very serious matter, but his need to know the answer outweighed the risk. "I was…angry…and hurt."

"And that's why it ended up bad," Kaminari stated matter-of-factly, as he pointed at him. "No good decision is made when you're angry or sad."

"I guess you're right." Iida conceded, feeling like he was doing that a lot tonight and not feeling like it has gotten any easier over time. "So what emotion should I make these…decisions with?"

"Happyness, duh." The blond giggled like it was obvious. "You make decisions that will make you happy. Some people impulse shop, others make a batch of cookies, and some just take a couple of friends to a drive-thru at three am because the mood struck them. All of these are impulses that they did because it would make them happy at that moment. Those are the types I'm talking about."

"Those…count?"

"Of course they do! They're basically how I spend all my weekends." Kaminari said with a laugh.

Iida watched him, seeing his shoulders shake from the force of his laughter, and wondered if he could ever get to the point of being just as carefree as he was. "How…do I do that?"

"Do what?"

"How do I…get those impulses?" Iida internally winced at how pathetic he sounded, Kaminari has already done so much yet he still doesn't feel like he has made any progress toward solving his problem. The wind seemed to agree with him, picking up again and making him shiver.

Kaminari blinked at him while he snuggled back into his blanket. "You just kind of get them. I guess it becomes easier the more you act on them."

Iida let out a huff of frustration as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But how do I start? I only really do things if I know it will benefit me, or the class. I don't do something unless I think it through."

Kaminari pointed an accusing finger at him. "You do it all the time in training! Your first instinct is always to act first, and think later so how is this different?"

"Those are life or death scenarios, you can't possibly compare the two."

"But it does show that you CAN act first, which is a form of impulse."

"I guess…"

"Here, why don't we do a practice one? Tell me, what do you want to do right now?"

Iida let out a sigh, wanting to tell Kaminari that this wasn't going to work but figured trying was the least he could do. He took a moment for himself to think about what he wanted then shook his head.

Thinking about it means I'm overthinking it, right? But what can I do without thinking about it? This doesn't make sense."

His classmate must have seen how he was struggling to come up with an answer and tried to help him along. "You just have to be in the moment!" He encouraged him, gripping his blanket tighter as he looked over at Iida. "Don't think about how it will affect the future or whatever, just think about what you want!"

Iida eyed the blanket the other was still snuggled up in, the wind seeming to remind him how cold he has been this entire time. He crossed his arms to try and keep out the cold while his eyes went from the blanket to Kaminari's face. He didn't want to upset the other student by failing him after spending so much time trying to help, but his mind was coming up blank as to what he wanted. He knew he wanted to be liked by his friends, that's the whole reason this conversation started, and he then knew he wanted to learn how to be a kid again, but those aren't the answers Kaminari wanted to hear right now. Those were complicated feelings and wants, nothing that he could fix or do right now.

"Think Tenya! What do you want"

He tried to think about his brother and all the stories he told him about his days at AU and if there was some kind of answer within those. He wanted to have stories like those for him to tell his brother. He never was the one that had something interesting to say unless it was about a life-threatening attack on his class, and he wanted to change that. He wanted to see his brother proud of him while also laughing with him just like old times. Iida suddenly realized that he wanted a lot more out of life than he originally thought, and though he's happy with this little discovery, it doesn't help him narrow down what he wants right now.

Just then, another gust of wind blew by, his eyes going back to the blanket that he has been eyeing the entire night. "I want that blanket." He blurted out, instantly ashamed of how demanding he sounded. He also felt embarrassed, all the wants in his head seem a lot more righteous and honorable than asking for a blanket. Kaminari also seemed surprised by his declaration and unconsciously gripped the blanket tighter. Iida cursed to himself instantly feeling bad about how selfish and borderline bullying he sounded, but before he could wave his arm to explain and apologize, Kaminari let out a little giggle.

"Well, I'm not letting you take my blanket, but you are more than welcome to come over here and share it with me."

Iida closed his mouth and stood up straighter at his offer, not expecting him to say that, or how much he really liked the idea of sharing the blanket. "A-Are you sure?" He found himself asking. "You don't have to say yes because of the lesson, I understand what I asked was a little demanding and--"

Kaminari laughed again, opening up his blanket to invite him into his warm cocoon. "I get it, Iida. It's as cold as Todoroki's quirk out here. I'm honestly surprised you lasted this long out here without getting a jacket or something."

Iida shifted his weight from foot to foot, not sure what to do next. "Yeah, well. I could always get one if you prefer. I don't want to invade your space or anything."

"Iida," Kaminari huffed. "Just get over here already and fulfill your impulse! Be a kid, man!"

Iida opened his mouth to point out the contradiction in Kaminari's sentence but stopped himself as he thought over the rest of what he said. He was right. Thinking about it anymore would ruin the whole purpose of the exercise and he didn't want to let Kaminari or his brother down by backing out now. Instead, he took his time to gauge the space between their balconies and how much run-up space he had on his.

"This seems doable."

He thought to himself.

"I'm barely going to even need to use my engines."

"Okay, I'm coming over

."

Iida said out loud to Kaminari, who instantly let out a cheer in excitement for him.

"Hurry up then!"

Kaminari's excitement was soon cut off by a gasp as Iida stepped as far back as he could before taking a running start and launching himself over the railing and onto Kaminari. He messed up the distance a little and used a bit too much of his engines having to fumble the landing so he didn't step on Kaminari and instead stopped before him, having to grab onto the railing above the other's head so that he didn't fall over and crush him.

After Iida had caught himself he looked down at Kaminari, making sure he was okay and was met with wide, shocked eyes looking at him. They stared at each other without moving, both seeming to need to process what happened and the position they were now in. Iida felt his face heat up as he realized how much he was crowding over Kaminari but couldn't find it within himself to move. He just kept staring into Kaminari's golden eyes, absently thinking about how he finally found where all the stars in the sky went.

It seemed like the moment lasted forever, and Iida was honestly okay with that, but Kaminari couldn't seem to keep his excitement in any longer, throwing his head back and laughing without a care. Iida silently thought that this view of Kaminari was also quite lovely, but pushed that thought away as soon as it came. He instead took a step back, allowing Kaminari his personal space as he continued to laugh.

I-Iida! What w-was that?!" He finally got out between his giggles.

"What do you mean? You said to come over and I did."

"Y-Yeah. I k-know but I expected you to use the d-door like a normal person, not that."

Iida felt his face burn at suddenly forgetting they were neighbors and he could have calmly walked over instead of flinging himself over the railing. "I- sorry that was foolish of me."

"Hey, none of that!" Kaminari quickly waved him off, having finally recovered from his laughing fit, but still had a giant smile on his face. "That was WAY cooler, dude! It looked like something out of an action movie!"

Iida turned away from the blond, still feeling embarrassed for doing something like that without even thinking. Of course, that was what the exercise was about, but he knew they weren't supposed to use their quirks outside of training yet he did it without a thought. He just wanted to be next to Kaminari and somehow that lead him to be laughed at again. He knew he would mess up this impulsive thing. A warm hand suddenly clasped around his wrist making him turn back to the still smiling blond, his smile looking softer than he did a few minutes ago.

"Hey, I'm sorry for laughing but I promise it was about the situation and not AT you…it…it did look really cool."

Iida felt his own smile wanting to tug on his lips, wondering how he never noticed caring and perceptive Kaminari could be. He let out a sigh, wanting to shake all the negative thoughts that suddenly flooded his head to instead focus on what was happening in front of him.

"It was…pretty impulsive, huh?"

Kaminari gave a small chuckle, using the grip on his wrist to pull Iida towards him, opening up the blanket and scooting over so that there was room for him. "I say it was a perfect example of the type of impulsive we were going for." Iida let out a chuckle as he easily followed Kaminari's lead, settling into his spot, wrapping that blanket around his shoulders, and instantly melting into the warmth.

"Feeling cozy?" Kaminari asked, nudging his shoulder playfully.

Iida just gave a hum in reply, far too content to give him an answer, resting his back against the metal railing and letting the exhaustion from the day finally settle in.

"You can go to sleep if you want." Kaminari continued, his voice becoming a whisper. "I think you did more than enough tonight."

"I don't want to leave. I just got here." He mumbled back, feeling like he was getting a little too good at this impulsive thing if he was saying things like that without thinking.

"Then you can sleep here if you want. I'm probably going to play a little longer so you can sleep and I'll wake you up when I go back inside, okay?"

Iida peaked an eye open at his classmate, wanting to gauge his face and see if he was really okay with that. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'm actually on a really hard level right now and I promised Sero I would beat it and then help him figure it out this weekend, so I've got some work to do."

"Hmm. What game is it? Maybe I can help."

Kaminari raised an eyebrow at him curiously. "Do you play video games?"

"I did when I was younger with my brother." He admitted, with a shrug.

Kaminari raised an eyebrow at him curiously but didn't say anything else. He just scooted a little closer to Iida, leaning into him as he showed him the screen.

"Okay, well it's an open-world game with a lot of quests and puzzles you need to solve in order to unlock new places or get items you need. I'm trying to figure out this new area that has…"

Iida watched Kaminari continue to ramble on about the game and its mechanics, he didn't really understand a lot about what he was saying but he could see the passion in Kamianri's eyes, and how much excitement carried into his voice even with him trying to stay quiet. He felt himself drifting off to sleep but tried to fight it for as long as he could, his eyes trying to take in how the other looked in the low lighting. How his eyes still sparkled brighter than any star he has ever seen, and how the small smile on his face was so gentle, but the most expression he felt the other ever showed towards him. He felt the warmth of the other's body squished next to him and he also felt a warmth in his chest, feeling lighter and more alive than he has in who knows how long.

He just felt like himself, like he belonged in this little world he and Kaminari created for themselves on his balcony and he didn't want this moment to end by shutting his eyes. He felt a smile tug on his lips as he just watched how focused Kaminari was on what was happening on screen, but still talking to him in a nice cadence that seemed to lull him into a state of contentment. The other looked just as happy as Iida felt and the knowledge that Kaminari was actually enjoying his company sent him over the moon.

Seeming to be on a roll now that he somewhat figured out how to be a kid, he had one last impulsive thought before he finally fell asleep.

"I think I want to kiss him."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next few days were completely normal and orderly if Iida had any say in it. He has gone to classes, done his homework, and kept up the routine that comes with being the class representative. He was even doing the extra reading assignment right now even though he knows many of his other classmates aren't using their afternoon to do the same thing. Iida has remained focused and true to himself even if he felt himself hesitate on more than one occasion because of his sudden fear of being laughed at, but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, or at least no one commented on his slip-ups. The class still talked and interacted with him as they normally do and though he should be happy about that, he can't help but feel slightly off due to it. His entire worldview has changed and yet, nothing around him has. It was like the world was askew but no one noticed the miss alignment but him. Overall, though, he is grateful that everyone has remained relatively the same, unsure if he could handle more change after the talk he had with Kaminari.

He had to force himself not to blush at the thought, immediately thinking about how they had woken up tangled together under Kaminari's comforter as they tried to keep the cold wind out of their little fort. Iida was thankful that his internal clock is so good, waking him up around the same time his alarm clock usually went off and scrambling to get up and ready for his day. He felt bad for waking Kaminari up when he tried to leave, knowing he also stayed up late, but the embarrassment of finding himself in that type of situation with the blond was enough to motivate him to get up and inform the blond they should get up as well or at least sleep in their actual bed before sprinting away.

"I guess that part did change."

Iida mused to himself, putting down his book as this train of thought fully took hold of him. Kaminari seemed to acknowledge him more than he used to. Not to say the blond ever ignored him, but now his classmate would wave to him across the food court, or smile at him when he caught him daydreaming instead of focusing on the lesson. It wasn't much but those little moments meant a lot more to Iida than he would like to admit. Those smiles are proof that they're closer than they once were, and that he had someone in his corner rooting for him to succeed not only in the heroic department but in his own happiness as well.

"Uh, duh. Obviously, I'm not as close to you as Midoriya or Uruaka but I still consider you my friend. We're balcony buddies after all."

They haven't talked since then, or beyond the friendly moments in between their own lives but Iida hasn't felt the need for it yet. Classes have been taking up most of his time and he doesn't really understand switching the flip once school is out just yet. He has homework and workout routines he still needs to maintain after all, but now that the weekend is upon him, he hopes that he can put his new knowledge to the test. Though he already "practiced" his new skills with Kamianri he didn't think that was a fair test due to how contained it was. It was like when he practiced a new move by himself; he didn't know how it would work until he tried it out during a training exercise.

Luckily for Iida, tonight is their weekly movie night as a class. Momo had decided that the class needed to do an activity together to help bond and learn about each other, but also make sure that everyone in class rested their minds and bodies for an appropriate amount of time. She noticed how some of their fellow classmates don't ever seem to rest if left to their own devices -Iida probably being one of those students- and decided that every Friday after dinner they would hold a movie night where each week a different student gets to choose a movie for the class to watch together.

Iida of course supported his second in command and attended every movie night. He usually organized who got to choose the movie and distribute the popcorn, but it was the price he paid for being class representative and ensuring all his classmates were taken care of.

Looking over at his clock, Iida cursed to himself as he realized how late it was. He quickly bookmarked his page and hurried down to the kitchen to make the popcorn before the rest of the class started arriving. He needed to be done before an argument about whose turn it was to choose the movie broke out again. He tried many different tactics how to keep the class from rioting every time they didn't get to choose the film, but nothing seemed to work, or the class would claim it was unfair. Eventually, Momo and he had given up on the diplomatic approach and instead had a spreadsheet with everyone's name on it. Once the person had picked a movie, they were checked off the list and weren't able to choose again until everyone else had a turn. It didn't stop people from fighting over whose turn it was that given night, but at least they couldn't complain about it being unfair.

Iida could already hear the murmuring of people suggesting movies as he waited for the microwave to finish another bag of popcorn, counting down the seconds and wondering what would explode first. It seemed the class outlived their expectations once again, a shout coming from the living space right before the timer hit zero. He was about to rush into the room but he soon heard Momo's voice going over who had yet to choose a movie and that it was up to them to decide. Figuring the situation was handled for now, Iida quickly put another bag in and started distributing the already cooked bag into different bowls. He already figured out the perfect bowl, to student ratio and who was responsible enough to hold the bowl while the movie was playing.

He still grabbed a few small bowls from the cabinet, knowing some students weren't keen on sharing a large bowl or had the confidence to sneak in and steal some. He kept his ear open as he worked making sure Momo had everything handled as the class continued to argue.

"But this horror movie looks so good! Can we PLEASE watch it!"

"Mina, you already went this month, remember? We watched Legally Blond."

"You don't even like horror, Pinkie!"

"So! I heard it was good!"

"Can we watch an All Might Documentary?"

"Bro, we just saw the guy like thirty minutes ago. Why do we need to WATCH something about him?"

"Can we watch the SpongeBob movie?"

"What? Kaminair, no one wants to watch your weird American shows."

"But it's a classic!"

Iida let out a huff, somewhat enjoying the usual banter as he poured the last bag and then gathered up all of the bowls. Struggling to carry all of them by himself but refusing to ask for help as the others already sat down. He carefully made his way into the living space and found that most of the class was already there, talking quietly to themselves or shouting out suggestions. Iida maneuvered around the group expertly, handing out the popcorn as he went. He gave a big bowl each to Todoroki and Bakugou, both of them sitting in the center of their respected friend groups and also least likely to throw the bowl if something scary popped up on the screen. He gave out smaller bowls to Koda, Dark Shadow, and Sato due to their reluctance to share, or having a hard time asking for more. He gave the last big bowl to Momo, the girl usually sitting with the rest of the girls and having no problem sharing with whoever needed more.

Momo gave him a grateful smile, trading him the popcorn with the clipboard that had the class names written on it. He quickly skimmed the list, seeing half the class already chose a movie.

"Have we decided on what movie we're watching yet?"

Iida knew the answer was no, but he still turned to pick up the remote like he was going to search for it just to ensure no one tried to steal it before they had decided (something he also learned from experience).

"Spiderman!"

"White Chicks!"

"Tick Tick Boom!"

"Hercules!"

"The Room!"

Iida put his hand up, trying to stop the assault of answers that was being yelled his way. "Unfortunately, I believe all of those who just spoke already had a turn." A chorus of boos and curses rang into his ear at the mention of the list. He felt something dig into his heart, his brain darkening as the negative noises were directed at him, but he tried to push past it so he could do his job. "Does someone that still hasn't chosen have any suggestions?"

Iida scanned the room, looking at all the students that haven't chosen yet, and was met with head shakes or shoulder shrugs. He raised an eyebrow never having this situation before. "Really no suggestions?"

"If they don't have an idea then let someone else choose." Tsu said with a hand raised, trying to push the process along.

"Yeah!" Hagukura agreed. "If they don't care then why don't we watch 50 first dates!"

"Hey, no fair! Why does she get to decide what we watch?"

"She doesn't." Iida quickly butted in before another argument could start. "That wouldn't be fair to the system we all agreed to."

"Well, someone has to decide!" Bakguou grumbled, already put out by the fact he was stuck doing this class activity. Kirishima put an arm around his shoulder in a form of comfort, looking at the rest of the class encouragingly.

"Just give the others a moment to think! I'm sure they will think of a totally manly movie for us to watch."

The redhead looked around the room but no one that could choose a movie met his eyes, all of them were either lost in thought as they tried to think of a movie or just ignored the situation altogether.

Iida frowned as he shifted from foot to foot, feeling dread seeping into him as he could already picture the chaos that will occur if someone doesn't speak up soon. Momo seemed to be thinking the same thing, looking frantic as she tried to encourage the others to speak up. Iida looked down at the list again, wondering how they ended up in this situation with a class that is so full of opinions. Even Koda already chose to go this time around so the few people that are left had no excuse as to why they couldn't voice their opinion. A shout caught his attention and he lifted his head enough to see the class was once again back to shouting suggestions at one another, making him glad that he grabbed the remote when Mineta started looking under the coffee table for it.

"I have the perfect film for us to watch!"

"No one wants to watch whatever you suggest." Jirou snapped back.

"Let me choose! I haven't chosen a movie in months!"

"I will choose something dazzling!"

"Please! Can we watch Spiderman?" Sero asked again.

"I-I'm sure there is a movie we can all agree on if we just settled down and talked this out." Momo tried to say, her confidence wavering in the face of their argumentative classmates. Iida felt sympathy for the girl, knowing she sometimes struggled with her confidence, especially when her people-pleasing streak shone through. She probably won't be much help in this scenario now that she had gone into damage control mode which means solving the actual problem rested on his shoulders. He felt the urge to sigh in exhaustion but held back, not having time to feel like this when he had figured this out before the verbal fights started to get physical.

Scanning the list one more time, he noted that once again his name remained missing amongst his classmates. He never voiced his preference in movies not only because he never really indulged in watching films that weren't educational in some way once he was in middle school, but because he felt it was unfair as one of the hosts of movie night to demand that others watch a film he chose. He was supposed to be diplomatic in this scenario and not use the power for his own gain. But looking at the situation he was in, maybe it was time for him to finally give a suggestion.

As if to prove his point, Bakugou had just stood up on the couch and was pointing an accusing finger at Todoroki. "Fuck that Halfie! I'm not wasting MY time watching Frozen for the thousandth time!"

"But it is a great film. I think you would really connect with the reindeer character."

"That's it you stu--"

"I believe that is enough!" Iida cut in before things went too far, using his authoritative voice to show he meant business. "I see that no one on the list has a suggestion for what we watch, but it is still unfair to allow others to choose and ruin the system we have created. Therefore," Iida cleared his throat, trying to stay strong as told his class his decision. "I will be choosing the movie tonight."

"What?"

"How is that fair?"

"Is that even legal?"

"I haven't chosen a movie this time around, have I?" Iida easily countered, trying to hide the discomfort his classmates' shouts brought him. "I have a right to choose a film just as much as everyone else, correct."

"That seems fair to me!" Momo chirped in, already looking relieved at finding a solution to their problem. Iida gave her a small smile in return, both of them aware of the crisis they just nearly avoided.

"So what's the movie going to be glasses?" Bakugou's shout broke Iida out of his moment of peace, snapping attention towards his class.

"What?"

"What movie are you picking, bro?" Kirishima asked again for the still-irritated blond.

"Oh, right! Well, I uh…I was think--"

"Please don't let it be an educational video!" Hagakura suddenly blurted out with a groan. "Class was hard enough today and I don't think I can fit any more new knowledge in my brain right now."

"Of course I--" Iida tried to assure his fellow student but was cut off by a conversation happening on the couch.

"I bet you ten bucks it's going to be one of those, "how it works" documentaries." Sero whispered to Mina.

The pink girl let out a laugh. "I bet you 20 bucks it's going to be an old silent film that apparently has historical meaning."

"You are so on!"

Iida floundered at hearing the conversation, wondering if they knew that they were talking loud enough for him to hear. "I…well. How about--"

"Don't you dare say an All Might movie!" Uraraka suddenly yelled out, looking embarrassed at her words but not backing down. Giving him a sheepish smile to hopefully soften the blow. "We get enough of them with Deku and Bakugou's suggestions. I don't need to see a third one this month."

"What did you say Round Cheeks?! Don't compare me to the nerd!"

Iida tuned out the argument as he stared in shock at the class. Unsure as to what he should do with all of their negative comments bombarding him. He expected a few due to how movie night arguments always go, but he didn't expect someone he called a close friend to call him out. It sent him down an even further spiral as he tried to figure out what movie he should choose. He would be lying if their suggestions weren't spot on to what he was considering choosing, but was that a bad thing? Was he just predictable? Did the class hate him for it? He needed to choose a movie soon or else another argument would occur, but what should he suggest?

He didn't know movies. He didn't know what the others would like, or what wouldn't cause an even bigger fight to break out over how terrible of a movie he chose. All of his usual picks seem to not be an option if all the shouts of protest were anything to go by but those are the only movies he knows. He racked his brain for anything but his mind remained blank.

"Tensei would know what people would want to watch."

He thought absently, remembering how his brother would always choose the movies they watched as a kid and how he enjoyed every single one. He supposes he enjoyed spending time with his brother more so than what they watched but he always seemed to find the perfect one to boost his mood or one with the best jokes they could both laugh at. It was a fond memory he held dear, but it didn't help him right now.

"I wish I was like Tensei. I wish I just knew what to choose. I wish people would stop arguing. I-- I wish I knew what to do!"

"Hey, knock it off, guys!" A voice suddenly shouted over the rest of the class, making them fall silent at how oddly stern it sounded. Iida also looked up from his spiraling thoughts, his eyes immediately catching Kaminari's golden ones in surprise. The moment only lasted for a second, but in that flash, Iida saw the determination and almost protective fire within those eyes before Kaminari's goofy smile and relaxed mannerisms smoothed his features.

"Stop harassing Iida on his choices. The guy hasn't even chosen yet and you're already complaining! This is supposed to be fun for everyone, you know? Let people choose films they like so we can learn more about them and experience new things or whatever." Kaminair shook his head as his sentence started to ramble on, trying to get back on track. "The point is just let him choose. The faster you let him speak, the faster we get to watch the film, you know?"

The blond sounded uncaring, yet so confident at the same time it honestly didn't make sense in Iida's head, but it seemed to be just the right tone for his class to stop and listen. The group pauses before either letting out a huff in annoyance or nodding in agreement.

"You're right, Kami," Uaraka spoke up first. "That wasn't fair of me to say. Sorry, Iida, I kind of meant for it to be teasing but I guess it did come off a little rude. You can choose whatever movie you want!"

Iida gave her a curt nod in return. "I appreciate the apology, I understand our class is very…passionate about movie night so I will do my best to choose a film everyone will enjoy."

"Then what's it going to be?" Ojiro asked curiously.

"Ah, right. I still have to choose one."

Iida thought his panic was coming back full force as he tried once again to think of a movie.

He isn't sure why, but in his panic, his eyes seemed to be pulled once again towards Kaminari, the blond sitting comfortably wrapped up in a blanket and ducking from Bakugou's wild hand gestures. Kaminari was giving him an encouraging smile, even giving him his signature thumbs up to let him know that he's got his back. Immediately Iida felt himself relax, suddenly feeling like he could not only breathe but think again with only one thought racing through his mind.

"I want to choose a movie Kaminari would like."

As if that was the gun going off at the beginning of a race, his mind suddenly went into hyperspeed, running through his memories until he stopped at the finish line with a film Tensei showed him as a kid he loved dearly.

Without taking a moment longer to think, Iida, turned towards the T.V. and started searching for the film, speaking over his shoulder to the class. "I know what we're going to watch."

"Really? What is it?" Momo asked excitedly, moving to sit down now that things seemed to be solved.

"A movie from my childhood called Sonic the Hedgehog."

"A kid's movie?" Tsu croaked. "How unexpected."

"Trust me when I say it is a fantastic film -even though it is considered old now- and the villain is delightful."

"If you say so."

"Trust me," Iida said with a firm hand chop, a smile on his face as he once again locked eyes with Kaminari. "I know you'll love it."

Kaminari smiled back, snuggling into his blanket more out of excitement than anything else as he turned towards the screen. Iida felt warmth fill his chest at the sight, feeling good not only by his choice but also by the situation in general. He hasn't watched this movie in years and he was honestly excited to revisit it. The other class could mock him for his choice all they wanted but he knew he made the right call.

Fortunately, it seemed the rest of the class was also invested in the film. They all laughed out loud or groaned at the dumb jokes. Iida felt his heart sore every time he was able to pick Kaminari's voice out of the crowd. Mina was ecstatic by the obvious romance between Dr. Eggman and his henchman, and the rest of the class got a kick out of Tom's reactions to everything.

"Oh my, All Might!" Shoto whispered halfway through the movie, still able to catch everyone's attention because he never talks during the movie. "Sonic is Iida." He stated simply, his eyes wide with wonder as his conspiracy brain woke up.

Everyone stayed silent for a while before suddenly roaring with laughter. The class took the joke in stride and yelled at the screen every time Sonic did something un-Iida-like. He thought he would get annoyed by their commentary, or their need to compare him to the cartoon, but he just felt happy. Laughing with them instead of worrying about if there was a deeper meaning behind their words. It also helped that Kamianri kept giving him looks as if asking if he was okay and for some reason that just made him even giddier than he already was.

By the end of the movie, everyone was thoroughly happy and in a good mood. Some were still giggling to themselves as they thought about certain parts of the film.

"That was such a good film. Good choice Iida!" Hagakura complimented him.

"Yeah, man! Can't believe you were hiding a gem of a film like that from us." Sero chimed in.

"It wasn't intentional, I assure you."

Kirishima let out a series of giggles. "I still can't believe you chose a film with YOU in it. Man, that is so manly."

"I would be lying if I didn't go around the house saying, 'gotta go fast' after I first saw the film."

Kaminari burst out in laughter, almost falling off the couch at Iida's admission to saying the iconic line. The rest of the class laughed as well but he didn't seem to hear them as much.

"Man," Kirishima continued once he caught his breath. "I wish I had a cartoon counterpart that would be so manly."

Iida didn't even have to think about it before he was already speaking. "Well, there is a character that is somewhat like you in the sequel. He has--"

"There's a sequel!" Midorya yelled out, several other students yelling in excitement with him.

Mina grabbed the remote and started hunting it down. "I don't care that we already watched a film. We're watching the sequel right now."

The rest of the class didn't complain, all of them settling back in to watch the other one. Kirishima was bouncing in his seat as he impatiently waited for the cartoon version of him to appear on the screen. The class enjoyed this film even more, already talking about the characters, the love story, and the sheer silliness of it all.

Everyone screamed when Knuckles was introduced, easily able to tell that it was Kirishima. The redhead spent the rest of the film calling everything Knuckles did manly or unmanly depending on what was happening and everyone laughed each time it happened. Mina lost it at the dance battle scene and due to her still holding the remote had to pause the movie and try out the moves herself before they could continue. It was overall another great success. The entire class had fun through the credits rolling.

"I think Midoryia and Occhaco are Tom and Maddie if we are comparing characters." Tsu suddenly spoke up, her finger on her chin as she thought. "I think it suits them." Midoryia immediately turned a red stuttering mess, Uraraka not doing much better next to him.

"I see it." Jirou agreed with a sly smile as she looked over at Bakugou. "You would definitely be Dr. Eggman."

"Shut up ears! Am not!"

"But for real, who would be Tails?" Kirishima asked seriously. "We already have Iida and me as Sonic and Knuckles so we need to complete the Sonic Squad!"

"Oh! Me!" Kaminari yelled out with his hand raised high as if he was in a classroom. "We have the same color scheme!"

Jirou let out a snort. "Yeah, but Tails made a portal or whatever to find Sonic, I don't think you have the brain power to do that."

Iida frowned at the comment, feeling like that was a clear insult if he ever heard one, but Kaminari didn't even flinch. He just grabbed at his chest and pretended to act offended. "You wounded me! I thought we were friends yet, you have the gall to say I'm not Tails?"

Jirou rolled her eyes fondly and shoved his shoulder for being so dramatic. "Yes, and I'll do it again."

"I think Ojiro is Tails!" Hakagure giggled at her boyfriend. "He already has a tail after all!"

"Oh yeah, bro! You're definitely Tails!" Kirishima agreed. "Sonic Squad!" He cheered as he held his fist up for the other two to bump. Iida and Ojiro complained with the others' wishes but he couldn't help but feel they were wrong. Kaminari WAS the perfect Tails. Tails is all about friendship, teamwork, and finding a place where he belongs. Kaminari excels in all of those things! Granted, he doesn't need to find a place where he belongs because he already has one, but he is helping Iida find his place, right? That is almost even more impressive, so why doesn't the rest of the class see that?

Iida shook his head, unsure why that small comment seemed to bother him so much, yet unable to get it out of his head as he started to clean up after the class. He watched the still smiling boy as he left with his friends, still discussing the movie and feeling for the first time like he wasn't fast enough to act, but what was he supposed to act upon in the first place? That banter was normal between Jirou and Kaminari, and it seemed to not bug the other so why does it bother him? His mind supplied him with moments of their late-night chat and how Kaminari seemed to always put himself down, but brushed it off at the time due to his own crisis.

"Was it his own doing, or was it learned behavior from others?"

He pondered for a moment before shutting the train of thought down, not wanting to speculate about the blond without proof or without him there to defend himself. Still, his mind wouldn't seem to let it go. Following him to his dorm room and keeping him up as he tossed and turned, tugging on something in the back of his brain but not able to pull it forward enough to get a reasoning behind all of this. It was frustrating and unhelpful.

As if the classmate knew he was haunting Iida's thoughts, he saw his phone on the nightstand give a soft buzz, and lighting up on a screen was a text from Kaminari. Iida opened it immediately, never having gotten a text from the other before and wanting to ensure the other was alright. He gave everyone in his class his number at the beginning of the year in case they needed help with homework or needed to tell the class representative something in private.

Unlike the emergency he was expecting though, he was instead bombarded with rows of confetti popper emojis and thumbs-ups, the last text being the only one that contains words. "Congrats man! I knew you could flip the switch if you tried! Proud of you for letting loose and having fun!"

He blinked at the message in confusion for a bit, not sure as to what he meant because he's pretty sure that he didn't succeed at all. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized how little he thought about his decision and just did what felt right to him. Iida smiled at his phone, feeling the warmth he has been feeling all afternoon return in his chest. He didn't even realize that he had actually succeeded in flipping the switch because he was so caught up in the moment, but is more than grateful that he was able to pull it off. He sent a small thank you text back to be polite but he felt like it wasn't enough. Kaminari had helped him a lot and without him who knows what type of disaster movie night would have been, or if he would have been able to choose a film at all without his silent encouragement.

"We did well today."

He thought to himself as he put his phone down and laid back down in his bed.

"We can worry about the other stuff tomorrow, tonight let's just celebrate what we were able to accomplish."

Thankfully, his brain seemed to agree with him and finally settled down, letting him sleep peacefully with dreams full of stars and warmth.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Iida was still feeling confident about what he accomplished over the weekend; like he understood what it meant to be a kid and was more than ready to take the next step in proving to Kaminari that his lessons didn't go to waste. He now understands how fast and subtle flipping the switch can feel and how easily it can snap back into place when needed. Iida didn't even realize when it happened at movie night, but the more he analyzed the situation, the more he could identify when the switch was flipped and when he turned it back off. He was slightly embarrassed to admit that there was a direct correlation between Kaminari speaking and defending him for the switch being flipped, but he decided to chalk it up to him being the one who taught him how to do it in the first place.

The switch turning off was harder for him to figure out because he was a little preoccupied with other thoughts at the time, but he eventually settled on it being directly after the second movie and he started his clean-up duties. He reacted on instinct when he picked up all the popcorn bowls, started the dishwasher, and reminded everyone it was curfew and that they needed to go to bed in order to be prepared for the following day. All of those things are normal things he does as Representative of the class. Things he can assume count as adult things. Just like when he flipped the switch, he did this without thinking, therefore, making him think that he can do both simultaneously without ruining his school career or the chance at being a hero.

He knows that sounds like a dramatic leap, but he was told his whole life that he has to be a model citizen no matter what the situation was. Letting loose wasn't a concept to him growing up, so the idea that he can simultaneously meet his parent's expectations and connect better with his peers sounded amazing.

"Now we just need to test our theory."

Iida thought to himself as he entered the cafeteria. He quickly scanned the room out of habit, but his feet were already moving him toward his group's usual table. Easily able to spot Todoroki's striking hair from the entrance. He quickly noted that Midoryia was already sitting next to him chatting happily while Tsu and Uraraka were on their way to sit down as well.

"Looks like the whole gang will be there today."

He thought nervously, the extra people making him wonder if he could pull this off.

It's not that he doesn't like Uraraka or Tsu, quite the contrary, they are important members of their friend groups and some of the first people he befriended when he got to UA. It's just that Midoriya and Todoroki seem like easier people to practice his new skill on than the other two.

"Uraraka and Tsu both spoke out about your movie choices."

His brain reminded them unhelpfully. He internally grimaced feeling like this was going to be a lot harder than he imagined it would be. "

I guess I don't have to practice today."

He was still mulling it over in his head by the time he finally reached the table with his food. Midoryia greeted him with a wave as he went to sit down, but the others seemed to be invested in whatever story Uraraka was telling them. The girl was using hand gestures and letting out a huff of frustration between each sentence.

"I just don't understand why it has to be so hard, you know? I've been busting my butt trying to master hand-to-hand combat but when I tell my Mom this she is all like 'That sounds violent. Do you have a boyfriend yet?' ALL IN THE SAME SENTENCE!"

The girl glared at the mochi that was on her tray, Iida feared that they would start to melt with how intensely she was looking at it.

Tsu nodded in sympathy, not even looking up from her own food as she spoke to her friend. "Yell it louder so my Mom can hear."

"Why are all moms like this!?" The gravity-defying girl yelled back, looking like she was actually considering using her quirk to fly off to find her Mom and ask. "Why does she think she knows what's best for me when she doesn't even remotely understand what is going on? All she cares about is if I'm in a relationship or not and if I'm following in her footsteps and will marry my high school sweetheart. Augh, talk about embarrassing."

Again, Tsu just nodded along, while everyone else stayed quiet. Iida started to feel antsy as he watched his friend spiral in distress, her face red from how much she had been yelling. He also noted how she couldn't keep eye contact with Midoriya at all, shifting her gaze the moment they landed on him. She did it a few more times before letting out another sigh, all of her energy seeming to go with it as she deflated into her food.

"Why do parents feel the need to do this kind of stuff? I have enough to worry about."

The group stayed silent after that, some consoling the girl while the rest just continued to eat. Iida felt like he should do something as well, his friend was in clear distress but what was he supposed to say? He is no stranger to his parents nagging him to do something or to act a certain way, but he always just complied with what they asked of him. They seemed to know best after all with their years of experience in the hero field and just overall knowledge, plus by complying he never argued with his parents like Tensei did. It was just the logical choice.

"But is that the right thing to say? No one else is talking, does that mean I'm not supposed to say anything? But she is in distress and it wouldn't feel right not showing my support for her."

Suddenly a loud laugh came from behind their table, Iida immediately turned at the familiarity of the voice. He looked just in time to see Kaminari walk by the table, laughing so hard with his friends that he wasn't able to stand correctly and had to lean heavily on Sero for support. The taller teen didn't seem to mind, laughing along with him as the rest of the group slowly trailed after them. Iida went to turn away from the scene, not needing to know the context to understand that they were all having a good time, but couldn't help but silently wish his group was laughing and having as much fun as theirs.

As if he heard his silent plea, Kaminair turned just in time to lock eyes with him, giving him a carefree smile and a small wave before he was whisked out of view by his friends. Iida watched them go, lifting his hand even though Kaminari couldn't see it. He stared for a while longer, reminding himself that he had the power to make his friends laugh like that as well. He just needed to stop being so scared and put himself out there for once. He took a deep breath, imagining flipping the switch in his mind and just speaking what was on his mind.

"It can't be that bad." He said easily, or maybe a little too quickly for it to count as relaxed but no one seemed to notice beyond looking over at him. Uruaka lifted her head towards him curiously, her eyebrow raised in question.

"What?"

"I said it can't be that bad." He repeated with a little less confidence than before. "I mean…at least your Mother is PLANNING the wedding already, you know? Or is making you date…uh Mineta or something."

The group seemed to freeze at the thought, even Todoroki stopped slurping up his soba at the mention of their less-than-liked classmates. Iida also froze feeling like he must have messed up to cause such a reaction and was just now waiting for his verdict and being impeached from his position of class representative.

Thankfully though, Uraraka soon let out a snort, shaking her head in disbelief as she did. "All Might! Now that would be a disaster."

Tsu nodded with her. "It's the little mercies that we need to remember."

"I would need more than mercy if I was going to have to marry the Grape!"

"True, you would also need mace."

The group laughed at Tsu's blunt joke, everyone cracking a smile at the ridiculous thought of someone in their class actually marrying Mineta.

Iida smiled with them, feeling once again proud of his accomplishment and more comfortable with the thought of speaking freely within this group. The other two were just teasing him at Movie night and nothing more. They value him and his opinion so he shouldn't have felt worried about speaking to them in the first place.

"Aw man, I needed that," Uraraka said after calming down from her laughter. "But seriously, if my Mom brings it up one more time I am going to scream."

"That doesn't really sound like an effective form of communication," Iida remarked. "Have you actually given thought to what she is telling you?"

"W-What?"

"Parents usually want what's best for their kids so I think it's only fair to hear their side of the story before you toss their opinions to the side."

Uraraka's face was bright red now, her hands clenching like she wanted to turn them into fits but stopping herself before she could and accidentally floated away.

"H-How can you say that!"

Iida blinked at her in shock, not expecting such an emotional response from his classmate. "Say what?"

"That I should get into a relationship right now! I'm focusing on my career!"

"I- yes. I know. But can't one do both? I know of several people in our class that are dating."

"That's not the point!" I'm focusing ON MY CAREER!"

"You already said that. I was just trying to suggest that you give your parent's advice some thought."

Uraraka shifted her gaze over to the other side of the table before shaking her head and looking back at Iida with a glare. Iida felt himself scoot back in his chair out of fear, not understanding how he got himself in this situation in the first place. "So what? You want me to just find someone to date just because my parents WANT me to date someone? That isn't love! I can't just PRETEND for someone!"

"I wasn't suggesting that-"

Uraraka cut him off without a care, pointing an accusing finger at him. "How would you feel if your parents just decided one day that you need to find a girlfriend because if you don't get one now then you will end up alone and never make them grandparents! Huh? How would you react to that?"

Iida looked around the table, hoping that someone would step in and help him understand what was happening but no one seemed to be in a rush to come to his aid. Midoriya had his head down and was writing away in his notebook, his face red in secondhand embarrassment, while Tsu and Todoroki were giving him their own unique version of the silent stare-down, basically telling him with their eyes that there is no escaping this.

Seeing he had no other options, Iida decided to just answer his classmate's question honestly. "I suppose I would be shocked at first because their plan doesn't involve me getting married until I have made a name for myself as a Pro."

"See! I told you- wait what?" Uraraka started to say but cut herself off.

Iida cleared his throat, at the sudden mood shift. "I believe their plan, or at least their advice, was to wait until I am a Pro and need a PR push to announce my marriage. I mean, I don't know who I'm going to marry yet, but I assume they have ideas of who they think would be a good match for me. They've definitely talked about it with other hero agency's before."

The group was once again silent, Uraraka now looking at him with a little concern mixed with her anger. "And you're just okay with that?"

Iida took a moment to think, never having thought that far ahead in his career because he has been so focused on becoming a Pro Hero first. He also never really had a reason to go against it because he never really experienced romantic feelings for someone before so if he never did by the time his parents started pestering him about it, he didn't see a harm in letting them use his marriage to help out his family and agency. He felt a tug on his heart, something about that sentence not feeling right but unable to figure out why.

"If it helps more people than harm, then I don't see a reason as to why I should complain."

That didn't seem to be the right thing to say. Uraraka's face turned into one of pure shock before letting out a huff of annoyance. "Of course, you would say that! I can't believe I thought I could reason with you."

Iida watched as she abruptly got up from the table, Tsu quickly following after her. "W-What? Wait, I don't understand. I'm sorry if I upset you, I was just-."

"Doing what you do best," Uraraka grumbled. "Playing devil's advocate and giving people advice they clearly didn't want."

"Clearly- Uraraka! I'm sorry I don't- Did you?! I was just trying to help!"

"Man, it's like I'm talking to my parents all over again! I-I just can't deal with this right now."

"Wait, Uraraka! I'm sorry, please let me explain!"

"Just let it go, Iida. I'm not in the mood to listen to a lecture right now."

With that, the two girls left. Leaving Iida halfway out of his seat and in too much shock to know what he should do. He would have probably stayed like that forever, but a sudden noise coming from beside him slowly drew him from his confused thoughts.

Turning to look, he saw Todoroki still eating his soba, slurping it obnoxiously as he looked Iida over. Midoryia was still by him, looking like he was seconds away from fleeing the space as well.

"Probably to fix whatever I messed up."

He thought bitterly as he looked at his two friends.

"Wow, that was almost as entertaining as my family dinners." Todoroki finally mumbled around his mouth full of food.

"Todoroki!" Midoryia yelled with a gasp, before quickly turning back to Iida. "P-please don't take what s-she said personally. Uraraka w-was stressed a-and she didn't m-mean what sh-she--"

"No. Don't worry about apologizing to me, Midoryia. I was clearly in the wrong." Iida cut him off this time, standing up from his seat and forcing himself to not use his engines to sprint out the door. "I clearly overstepped so the blame falls solely on me. I will apologize later when she has time to cool down a bit."

With that, he left his other classmates and made a beeline for the gym. Running a few laps seemed like the perfect thing to do to get his mind off everything and mentally prepare himself for classes. They had hero training after lunch anyway so getting there early wouldn't hurt.

---

Iida paced his balcony for what felt like the hundredth time; it was more around the 135th time but who was counting? He just couldn't shake what had happened today and needed more time alone to figure it out. Of course, he planned on apologizing to Uraraka as soon as possible but he didn't understand what he was apologizing for so thought it was better to wait. It wasn't a proper apology if he didn't understand what he was apologizing for anyway.

"Man, it's like I'm talking to my parents all over again!"

Iida still hasn't been able to get those words out of his head. It was like each time those words filtered through his head, his heart was once again struck by a malicious blade. It hurt deeply and he couldn't understand why someone he considered close would say something like that to him. He knows that he isn't the best at social situations, but he thought he was doing better. He was doing great in the beginning so what had shifted? How could he screw up so badly that he once again end up as the bad guy that no one liked?

Iida stopped his pacing long enough to physically wince at the memory. He was trying so hard to be a kid and yet, his friends still saw him acting like an adult. An adult they would rather not discuss things with. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, still not seeing where he went wrong. He was speaking from the heart, without real thought but with good intentions. That is what you needed to do to be a kid, right?

Not even an extra long run after dinner helped him wrap his head around the situation. He hasn't been able to think of anything else since. Not homework, not chores, not the monthly call he is supposed to have with his brother, nothing. He can feel it in his still restless body that he won't be able to do anything else until he figures this out, but seeing how thinking it through himself isn't working, he's hoping that he can get some help.

He looked down at his phone and noted the time, before looking back up at the clear night sky.

"Okay, everyone was supposed to be in their room for curfew an hour ago, but most don't usually go to bed until an hour or two later. We should be hitting that mark any minute now, so with luck, that means-"

As if on cue, the sound of a door sliding open could be heard coming from the balcony next to him. Though he had planned for this, Iida suddenly felt a spike of fear run through him from being caught out here, or maybe it was because he was actively waiting for his neighbor to show up. He quickly pushed those thoughts down and shoved his phone into his hoodie pocket. He came prepared this time and wore his winter night pants and a comfy AU hoodie he had in the back of his closet to help keep the cold out.

He watched as Kaminari slowly stepped out of his room and onto the balcony, making sure he didn't drop the mountain of blankets in his hand as he silently crept by. He looked over to Koda's room first, checking to see if the light was still on before swiftly turning to check the right and promptly letting out a scream in surprise at seeing Iida standing right there and staring at him.

Iida winced at the volume, quickly putting one hand up to his lips while the other one started chopping nervously. "SSSSHHH! Are you trying to wake up the entire dorm building?"

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?" Kaminari countered back, trying and failing to grab all of the bedding he had just tossed to the ground in fright.

The two stayed relevantly silent after that, both of them listening to see if anyone would wake up and yell at them. After a beat of nothing, Kaminari let out a sigh of relief and began to construct his small blanket fort like the one he had the first time Iida found him out here.

Iida waited patiently for the other to get comfortable, knowing that it would be rude to just start explaining himself without letting the other get a moment to catch their breath. He was interrupting their relaxation time after all. He felt guilt start to gnaw at him at how easily he caved and seeked someone else for help, even if the other offered, that didn't mean Kaminari expected to have to deal with Iida again so soon. He was an Iida for crying out loud! He should be able to figure out his own problems!

"Doing what you do best…Playing devil's advocate and giving people advice they clearly didn't want."

Iida's chest felt tight with emotion as the particular bitter words surfaced once again to the forefront of his mind. He didn't understand how those words applied to him exactly but he knew they were aimed to hurt. The last part was also very true; he clearly isn't wanted.

Kaminari suddenly cleared his throat, looking rather content with the cocoon of blankets around him and his switch clutched loosely in his hands, but he wasn't looking at it right now, instead, he was looking up at him with his signature smile. "Okay then, what brings the great Iida Tenya out here today?"

Iida didn't need the wink at the end of the sentence to know the other was joking. He was able to pick up on Kaminari's relaxed body language and speech pattern to see that. Though, he might be getting better at reading the other than he initially thought, feeling like he heard a hint of concern laced through his joking tone.

"Why can't you read Uraraka like that?"

His brain asked bitterly and immediately pulled him out of his analysis and to the problem at hand. He let out a sigh and rubbed at his tired eyes, wanting to do nothing more and tell the blond that everything was okay, and he just wanted to talk about how fun movie night was, but he also knew that it was useless to lie. It would just waste both their time and Iida already knew from their previous talk that Kamianri would know he was lying immediately. But saying he messed up to the person that was putting so much effort into helping him also didn't sound too appealing either.

"I…Well, you see… I-huh…" Kaminari sat perfectly still as he waited for Iida to get his words in order and it only made Iida curse in his head more for disappointing the blond by not speaking clearly and with purpose like he was taught. "I…I just need a…balcony buddy talk?"

Not what he was going for, or even encompassing what he was trying to say, but Kaminari still seemed to understand what he was asking for. The blond immediately sat up straighter and leaned on his hands so that he was closer to the other as he began to whisper in urgency. "What happened? Are you okay? Would you like to sit over here? I can get more blankets, just hold on!"

"That won't be necessary." Iida quickly stopped him, feeling like he wouldn't be able to concentrate if he was that close to his classmate, let alone feeling like he earned a spot in the blanket fort right now. He would have laughed at the thought of a different situation for thinking being in a blanket fort was some kind of reward, but that was what it felt like to him last time and he knew for a fact that he didn't deserve a reward right now.

"I…I messed up, but I don't understand how. I flipped the switch -or I thought I did- but it didn't work." He thought he heard Kaminari give a noise of sympathy but quickly talked over it not wanting to hear it. "I got into an argument with Uraraka at lunch, well, I didn't mean to get into one. It just happened, but I know it was my fault, but I just don't see how."

"You don't understand how it turned into a fight, or how the fight was your fault?" Kaminari asked slowly.

"Isn't it the same thing? I tried to open up and talk to them and I made them laugh at first! But then I went to talk again and then the mood was ruined and everyone just watched us 'fight' until Uraraka stormed away!"

Iida let out a shaky breath, feeling the emotions he has been pushing down all day starting to surface again. He quickly rubbed at his eyes, trying to make sure there was no extra moisture he needed to be aware of before straightening back up again.

Kaminari was still in the same position, nodding his head to show he was listening. When he saw that Iida wasn't going to say anything else he quickly filled the silence. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it was hard, and I also know fighting with friends isn't really pleasant."

Iida just nodded his head, not knowing what else to say, and silently afraid of what he will say if he does.

"I would appreciate some more context if you are willing to give it to me," Kaminari said softly. "If your goal is to figure out where you went wrong in the interaction, it is best if I had all the pieces."

Iida swallowed hard, the last thing he wanted to do is tell Kaminari about his failure in detail, but at the same time, the other had a point. The only way to make progress and not repeat mistakes is by analyzing the past. He let out another sigh, deciding to lean against the railing between their balconies and look down at the small gap between them as he told Kaminari what happened, deciding looking at the ground far below was way easier than blond's disappointed face.

"Uraraka was talking about her parents telling her she should find a boyfriend or something and that she kept telling them that she was focusing on her career and not romance." Iida scrunched his face as he tried to recall her exact words. "She said she wanted to focus on her career but her parents didn't understand that because they were high school sweethearts. Tsu agreed with her and things fell silent. I…I didn't like the silence so I tried to cheer her up by saying at least her mother isn't forcing her to marry Mineta."

Kaminari let out a snort at that but quickly tried to cover it with a cough. Iida almost smiled at the sound but it quickly vanished as he remembered what happened next. "I was proud of making them laugh. I thought I figured out the flip switch thing so I kept going and told her I thought that her parents want what's best for her and maybe she should think about what they say before she immediately writes them off."

He took a deep breath in before letting it out, feeling Kaimainari's eyes burning into his head only adding to his nerves. "She then went off, I don't know why, but she suddenly snapped at me. Talking…Talking about how she wasn't going to date someone just because her parents asked her to because that wasn't love -which I get- and I tried to tell her that but then she asked me what if MY parents forced me to get a girlfriend and I said I would do it because that's the truth and I probably would go along with what they wanted if they had solid reasoning. Uraraka…Uraraka didn't like that answer and she said I was like…like talking to her parents and I was playing devil's advocate. I-I don't understand how things got so out of control. I didn't mean to offend her, I was just answering her question and speaking without real thought but with good intentions.  I-I was doing what I thought was right, b-but somehow I became the hated adult of the situation and know Uraraka hates me and I--"

"Hey, hey hey! Iida! Calm down, please. I need you to breathe your talking really fast right now."

Iida immediately listened to the soft voice, shutting his mouth only to then take a huge lung full of air he didn't know he needed. The two just sat there for a second, letting Iida catch his breath as Kaminari looked deep in thought. His eyebrows were scrunched in worry and his lip looked irritated from how hard he was biting at it. Iida winced at noticing it, feeling once again like a burden for forcing his problems onto the other.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Kaminari said, looking up at him a little startled. "What are you sorry for?"

"For pushing my issues onto you again. It is unfair of me and I shouldn't expect you to fix all my problems. You have already done so much and all I've been able to do with this knowledge is fail."

Kaminari rolled his eyes. "We already went over this, Iida. I'm more than happy to be a listening ear when you need it and I'm actually glad you feel comfortable enough to come back to talk to me! Plus, you should know better than anyone else that progress isn't linear. You are going to fail more than succeed in the beginning." The blond let out a humorless laugh before addressing him again. "I honestly should be saying sorry to you."

"You? Saying sorry to me?"

"Well yeah. No one should have to hear a good friend say such mean to your face. That's just cruel."

"But your friends say cruel things to you all the time." Iida countered, remembering how movie night ended and how it rubbed him the wrong way.

Kaminari's smile faltered a bit at his words, looking a little taken back but he quickly replaced it with his usual smile. "Yeah, but I'm used to it. That's how sarcastic people show their love!"

"It doesn't seem like a fair trade when you give them nothing but positive feedback in return."

"Everyone needs different things to succeed and people show they care in different ways." Kaminari quickly said, waving off Iida's concern. He wanted to push the subject some more, not fully believing the blond, but didn't get a chance as the other started talking again.

"Like how you show you care clashed with what Uraraka needed at that moment."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, What you told me is kind of a lot to unpack -especially you letting your parents choose your partner- but let's start by thinking about what Uraraka was saying." Kaminari started to say, lifting his hands so he can use them to help emphasize his point. "She was ranting about how her parents were trying to push her to do something she didn't want to do. She was RANTING about how she hates how they don't listen to her and that she is her own person."

"She didn't say that though." Iida interrupted him, wondering how the others picked up on that when he wasn't even there.

"It's in the context clues, dude." He answered back quickly before going back to his train of thought. "The main takeaway is that she was ranting which means she just needs to get her frustration off her chest and she felt safe enough in your group of friends to share her grievance without any repercussions coming from it."

"I see…" Iida said, but still didn't fully understand what went wrong.

"This is where your way of caring comes in." Kaminari continued, waving his hand up and down in a chopping motion. "You like solving other people's problems so they don't have to deal with the stress of it anymore. Like how you took on the role of choosing the movie so people wouldn't argue at movie night!"

Kaminari looked really pleased with himself for remembering that, but Iida still felt confused. "It is my job as Class Representative to ensure everyone in the class is happy and is able to succeed."

"And you do that by giving solutions or helping others with their problems." Kamianri agreed with him. "But Uraraka wasn't looking for answers, she was looking for sympathy."

"Sympathy?"

"Yes! She was venting her frustrations with a group of people she thought would understand and give her space to do so. Her parents were the ones trying to give her answers she didn't want, as her friend she was hoping you would listen to her without your own input coming into play."

Finally, Iida felt the pieces start coming together. "She said I was like her parents because I was giving her answers she didn't ask for."

"Exactly!" Kaminari said excitedly.

"You went, 'I'm ready to solve this issue mode."  while Uraraka was still in the, 'I want to complain and go through the five stages of avoidance' before dealing with it mode."

"I see." Iida mumbled to himself as he thought everything over. He was programmed from a young age to identify the problem and then take the best course of action to correct it. His conversations seem to end up the same way. He tells his friends that he is there for them to lean on and that he is there to listen to their problems or help them work through a situation they found themselves in, but it never really deviated from there. He's probably exaggerating and has had conversations with his friends that don't fit this model, but he was having a hard time thinking of one. He was always there for his friends and listened to what they were saying no matter how small the matter was and gave advice when appropriate. Most of his conversations deal with school work or hero theories, or other topics that require this type of thinking. He never indulged in giving his opinion on something when no facts were involved. Personal problems always seemed just like that, personal. He was taught to keep his thoughts and opinions to himself unless asked and so he does. So while his friends might rave about a new movie that came out, he silently listens to them but never adds to the conversation because he didn't feel the need to do so.

He never really told anyone what he was thinking, maybe Midorya after getting so close to him after the Stain incident but he still has a tendency to keep most of his thoughts to himself if they don't pertain to his class rep duties or helping a fellow classmate out. He almost scoffs out loud at the thought, understanding why his class thinks of him as a wet blanket if he doesn't even participate in their silly conversations.

And yet, the one time he tries, he messes it all up. Maybe it was because he is still wired to think like an adult, or his methods of dealing with his own issues don't usually involve the 'venting' stage but he never wants a situation like this to come up again.

He felt himself start to panic a little at the thought.

"Does that mean I should just keep my opinions to myself? Why can others share freely but I can't? I'm still missing something."

Iida quickly looked up, seeing Kaminari had zoned out and was now staring at the switch still in his lap. His fingers idly pushed the buttons even though the screen remained blank. He hesitated to ask his question, liking how peaceful the other looked and not wanting to disturb him more than he already has. He understands why the argument happened, so maybe that was enough.

He moved to stand up from the railing, shuffling a step back to go back into his dorm, but Kaminari heard him, his head immediately perking up and blinking up at him with his big yellow eyes. Iida paused in his retreat, somehow forgetting how bright the others' eyes can be.

"How do I make sure I don't make the same mistake in the future? Or voice the right opinion when I do get to speak?" he blurted out under the intense gaze.

Kaminari's eyes seemed to light up even more at his question, drawing him back towards the railing as the other began to speak. "Oh! The first part of your question is easy. IF you have issues knowing if someone is looking for advice or not you can just ask them!"

"Ask them?"

"Yeah! Just say something along the lines of, 'are you looking for comfort or advice?' Bam! You have your answer." The blond smiled up at him before blinking a couple of times in thought. "And I guess if they don't answer your question then that means they want neither and you should probably back off before they deck you."

Iida couldn't help but snort at that. "Speaking from experience?"

Kaminari just shrugged good naturedly. "What can I say, even I had trouble reading Bakugou in the beginning."

Iida chuckled at that, shaking his head at the blond's antics and wondering how he survived the others' wrath long enough to become his friend. "Okay, I understand now that it is okay to ask for clarification and can easily do that from now on." Iida nodded to himself, feeling like it should have been something he has been doing already, but deciding not to dwell on it for too long. The closest he has been to someone ranting was businessmen complaining about the stock market and that was easily fixed with some statistics and this seemed far more complicated.

Speaking on that, "What about the second part of my question? How do I voice my opinion?"

"You…just do?" Kaminari answered a little unsure of himself, his head tilted in confusion.

"But my opinion upset Uraraka."

"That's what opinions do when they clash. Plus, you also have to remember that she didn't want your opinion at that time."

"True." He conceded, itching to start pacing again but not wanting to seem rude in front of his classmate. "But we already established that I think like an adult most of the time, or at least in these situations I tend to act more logically."

"Yeah?"

"Well, those thoughts aren't kid-like, right?" Iida tried to explain. "Uraraka said I sounded like her parents and I don't want people to only come to me when they want a parent's opinion. I want to give my own…"

Iida scrunched up his eyebrows in frustration seeing the oxymoron in his statement. He knows he is an adult in all ways but age, so his adult opinions are still his but it just doesn't feel the same. He is tired of having debates instead of conversations, tired of being the logical "devil's advocate" when all he wants to be is Iida. He knows that goes against everything his parents taught him about keeping his thoughts to himself, but he's starting to feel sick of it.

He sees how Kaminari can laugh easily with his friends and talk about nothing and everything all at once. It never seemed productive to him, but now after learning about being a kid and seeing what his own conversation pattern leads to, he understands that the point has always been about having fun. He wants to have fun when he talks to his friends, not stressful conversations about homework or hero tactics. He wants to engage in delightful little talks about the mundane that lead to nowhere but to a better understanding of the other. He wants to make others laugh with playful little jabs, and know what a conversation that doesn't have a clear winner at the end of it sounds like.

"I don't want every conversation to be a debate, I want to have fun when I talk to my friends."

Kaminari's head was still tilted in curiosity as he listened to him, but he quickly righted it with a gasp. "Yeah! Of course, you should have fun when you talk to your friends, that's the entire point!"

"But how do I do that? How do I have those conversations?"

Kaminari's confused expression came back as he snuggled into his blankets more. "You just…talk to your friends?"

Iida let out a frustrated sigh. "Kamin--"

"Shoot! I'm not being helpful right now, am I? H-hold on and let me think a little more about this!"

Iida immediately felt guilty, not liking how fast the other went on the defense, but Kaminari seemed adamant in getting the next word in, not wanting to disappoint for a second time. "I guess the thing I'm struggling with is how you aren't already having these kinds of conversations. I mean, I see you, Midoryia, and Todoroki talking all the time!"

"I don't think hero analysis and conspiracy theories count in this case."

"It does if you are having fun while talking about it!"

Iida paused in thought, truly thinking about his conversations with his friends and he has to admit that he enjoys them, but they aren't the same.

"I do enjoy their company, but it is usually them that comes to me with these things and just asks if I have any additional information or ideas to add. I just give them the facts, nothing deeper or with…actual meaning."

Iida turned away from the others at the confession, feeling almost sick at how shallow his friendships sounded on the surface. He knows that deep down that Midoryia and Todoroki would put their life on the line for him -have already proven it once- but it's the principle of it that bothers him. He can't believe that he went so long being okay with how their friendship functioned and the farther out of his main circle of friends he thought about, the more superficial he felt about his relationships. Does he know anything about them that isn't just common knowledge?

"How can I lead these future heroes when I don't even know who they are?"

"Conversations don't have to have meaning to them." Kaminari piped up, trying to be helpful but only causing Iida to feel more frustrated.

"I never had a conversation that didn't have a point or a goal in mind. It's like I'm just a database and everyone just plugs in their question so that I can spit facts back at their face. And I do enjoy those conversations -I love helping anyone in need- but it doesn't help me connect with any of our classmates."

"Sure it does."

"No!" Iida yelled in frustration. "I don't know what anyone's favorite color is, what their favorite food is -I know everyone's allergy for safety reasons- but that doesn't FEEL the same. I know nothing and…and I don't think anyone knows anything about me."

Iida scrunched up his face, thinking really hard if anyone ever asked about his opinion on anything if he ever told anyone what his favorite color is, or even anything of note that wasn't hero related. Everyone knew why he drinks orange juice, he told them all so they would always leave him some for after training. They knew he had a brother, but that was circumstantial and also a fact he was proud to share.

"Does anyone here truly know me? Do I even know who I am past these superficial facts?"

Iida was officially spiraling. He didn't know how an argument with a friend led him down this path and to the conclusion that he didn't think anyone had taken the time to get to know him. It pained him to realize it, understanding on an even deeper level just how out of touch he was with the class and understanding their disdain for him. He was no one to them. Just a guy that told them what to do with no real connection to him or desire to learn more about him. He feels like he was slapped in the face, his eyes watering up again at the sting of his thoughts.

"Hey, Iida? I need you to listen to me right now, okay? You think you can do that for me?"

Iida heard Kaminari trying to talk to him but ignored him for now. Too busy focusing on this feeling of failure and trying to keep the tears at bay. He didn't know why he was still trying to hold them back, maybe his family trained him a little too well at holding back his emotions. He would laugh at the thought but he was afraid it would be the tipping point and come out as more of a sob.

"They think you are a wet blanket because that is all they know you as. You are their parent when they are away from home, not their friend."

Iida took a shaky breath at the thought, feeling his lungs begin to constrict with how much he was trying to keep bottled up. He felt seconds away from exploding, unsure as to what the results would be if he allowed it to happen, but knowing nothing good would be sure to follow. At the same time, he was already struggling and knew that it was inevitable, he just couldn't snap out of these thoughts, or center himself when he was so focused on keeping everything together. He seemed to be stuck in this cycle with no way out; his only option was to suffer through it.

Suddenly he felt a small tug on the sleeve of his hoodie making him look up with watery eyes and instantly connecting with blurry pools of starlight. He blinked, unsure as to when the stars finally decided to show themselves, but after blinking a few more times, he understood that he was actually looking at a now very close Kaminari. Iida tried to take a step back out of shock, but couldn't move far with the hand still clutching his sleeve. His mind slowly caught up to the situation, seeing how Kamianri had gotten up from his spot on the ground and was now reaching over the gap between their balconies to grab his sleeve. The blond was on his tip-toes in order to reach him, one leg extended out behind him for balance as he dangerously pushed himself over the edge.

"K-Kaminari! Stop that this instant! You could fall hanging o-over like that."

"You promise to listen to me if I do?" The teen challenged, gripping his sleeve tighter as if to make a point.

"I…" Iida started to say but quickly trailed off. His eyes landing on the hand that was gripping him so tight and felt something squirm in his chest at seeing someone essentially holding onto him. He wasn't one for physical contact so even this seemed like a lot, but he supposes with how out of it he was, Kaminari needed to do something drastic to get his attention. "I apologize… and promise to listen to you just p-please stop leaning over the railing."

Kaminari's eyes burned a trail across his face, making Iida blush at such an intense stare. Fortunately, it didn't last long, the blond finding what he was looking for before slowly letting go of the other and pushing himself back from the railing, silently going to sit back in his blanket fort. Iida waited for him to sit back down, unsure as to what had happened and if he should say anything else but grateful for the other's intervention nonetheless. He decided to use this time to focus on his breathing, trying to get it back in order while he forced his mind to stay in the moment and watch Kaminari's every move. It was better than letting his mind wander.

"You don't need to say sorry. I think we said it enough tonight already. You're going through a hard time right now so I don't fault you for feeling like this." Kaminari explained slowly. "But I can't have you jumping off the deep end with no lifeguard there to sweep you off your feet Baywatch style."

"I'm--What?" Iida asked, confused by the reference.

"Not the point," Kaminari answered back quickly. "I'm just saying that spiraling right now isn't helpful and if this is too much for you right now then maybe we should take a break in order to let you have time to collect yourself."

"I- No! I don't need that. I want to fix this."

Kaminari raised an eyebrow at him critically. Iida had no idea the other could look so serious, feeling like every twitch of his leg was being calculated. "Are you sure? I don't want to push you too much and I don't think you're up for what I have to say."

"You know how to fix this?" Iida asked in a rush, forgetting what he just told Kamianri and leaning over the railing to get closer to him. "How do I do that? What do I need to do?"

"I don't know if I can magically FIX this," Kaminari said with a sigh. "And again, you have nothing to fix about the core parts of yourself, I don't want you to change who you are or your opinions to seem likable or cool."

"Agreed." Iida nodded his head eagerly. "But you still know how to help me?"

Kaminari gave him another look, probably judging his mental state to see if he was really up for more. Iida shifted his weight from side to side as he grew worried that the blond wouldn't continue. "Kaminari." He said with a little more desperation than he would have liked. "I really would like to solve this issue. I don't want what happened today to become normal. I want deeper connections with everyone, I just need some guidance on how to do it…so please, tell me what I need to do."

Kaminari's face immediately softened, looking at Iida with an understanding that he had never seen before. "I-You sure."

He took a couple of deep breaths making sure he felt centered, even going so far as going into homework mode to insure that his emotions wouldn't overcome him when he learned these less-than-pleasant facts. "More than sure."

The blond bit his lip as he thought it over, but not lasting long, seeming to have already made his mind up and letting out a sigh when he realized it. "Communication and relationships are a two-way street. If the class doesn't think that you're interested in knowing about them they won't ask about you."

"Oh," Iida said out loud as he thought it over. "That actually seems simple enough."

"It sounds like it on the surface." Kaminari agreed. "But then it kind of gets annoying when YOU always have to be the one to initiate the conversation, you know. Hopefully, with time and dedication, the class will soon realize that you WANT to know more and then they will ask about you in return." The blond shrugged. "People seem to like fair trades so if you ask someone their favorite color, the chances of them asking you is pretty high."

"I see. That makes logical sense." Iida said with a nod. "Why were you afraid to just tell me that?"

"Because it would require you to do a lot of the groundwork because most people have already assumed you don't care about those kinds of things. YOU are going to have to start these conversations or else no one else will."

"Ah. You were afraid that knowing I was the one that caused this problem and no one else even realized or cared about how isolated I've become would negatively affect me even more." He gave the other a sad smile, understanding overcoming him as he figured out just how dire of a situation he was in, but he tried not to let it get to him this time, not wanting the other to worry.

"I didn't say that." Kaminari squawked, checking Iida over to insure that he wasn't going to spiral again. "Plus, it's not your fault no one reached out. That's just means."

"But by your logic, I didn't make myself inviting enough to let people feel like they could ask me these kinds of questions, right?"

"I guess…"

"Then we have the source of the problem identified." Iida continued. "Now I just need to know how to start having these conversations so I can fix it."

Kaminari nodded, seeming to finally start to relax back into his easy-going attitude now that Iida proved to have composed himself some. "And that is the easy part. You just got to go up and start talking!"

"Though your enthusiasm isn't unwelcomed," Iida said with a huff. "I think we both know that it isn't that simple." He cringed as today's fight filtered through his head again and how that started because he finally decided to talk.

"I guess. You could always start with a question. Those are great conversation starters! Or you can go my route and just shout things into the crowd." The blond let out a chuckle. "I've had some great conversations by oversharing my opinions on random things."

Iida frowned, feeling like both options weren't right for him. "People are already tuning me out when I lecture them, so I don't think that option works for me. Plus, what type of questions would I even ask? I already said I don't want to debate with our classmates."

"Then don't ask them philosophical questions. Ask them about their week, or what their favorite song is."

"But would they tell me that information?" Iida countered. "I can think of multiple times I've asked classmates if they studied over the weekend or if they desire to listen to certain songs while the class warms up and they always seemed…hesitant to answer."

Kaminari tilted his head at him, his eyes squinting in what he wanted to believe is disbelief. "I see. I guess in certain settings a sudden question from you might sound like a pop quiz."

Iida dropped his head in defeat, hating how close they were to solving this to only find out that his personality once again shoved him into a corner with no escape. How was he supposed to make connections when everyone thought they were being tested? How can he ask questions and get honest answers if they didn't trust him? Maybe Kaminari was right and he should just call it a night.

"I know!" Kamianri suddenly spoke up, looking a little too excited for Iida's now soured mood. "You still have hobbies and interests, right? And if you have fun doing those things then opening up and talking to someone else about it will definitely help make the other person relax."

It wasn't a bad thought, branching out of his usual conversation tree by talking about his interest to someone sounded like a plausible answer. Iida thought about it for a moment, trying to think about what he does with his free time, and sadly couldn't think much past his scheduled study sessions with the class, working out to help his quirk, and studying. "Sorry, my hobbies are usually motivated by my goal to be a good hero." He sadly admitted, silently wondering how he could be so boring. "I just go to the gym, study, do my class rep duties, read, and go to bed. That's it." Iida stated bitterly, mad that his habits once again ruined his chance at making him closer to the class.

"It's like Mina and the others said, I'm the wet blanket of the group." looking over at the blond that was silently listening to him, his face scrunched up in concern.

"But you go to class movie nights, and mall trips!" He argued. "Those are fun! I mean they are MADE specifically for us to bond and have a good time together! You had fun at the last movie night, right?"

Iida bobbed his head from side to side. "I will admit that I do have fun on those trips, and I did enjoy the last movie night, but it is always such a stressful experience I don't know if it should count."

"What do you mean?" Kaminari asked curiously, sliding out of his cocoon a bit to get a better look at him, his eyes searching for answers. "I always have fun because they are made to be fun. It's the perfect environment to have those nonsense-filled conversations you're looking for."

"They're the 'perfect environment' because I help plan to make it feel like that," Iida explained to the other with a sigh. "I'm the class representative, I have to schedule all those events, text the group to make sure everyone knows the plan, meditate fights when they break out, and then yell at everyone for running off without using the buddy system. It doesn't leave a lot of room to socialize, or relax in general."

Kaminari frowned at that, looking down at the ground as he gnawed at his lip. Iida could tell even without him saying anything that he agreed that those experiences don't really count. They stayed silent for a while, both of them getting lost in thought as they let Iida's words sink in. It was frustrating to him that there seems to be no answer to his problem. He was supposed to be good at solving everyone else's problems so why can't he solve his own?

"Because you aren't meant to participate."

A small voice whispered from the back of his mind, making him shiver at the sound.

"You're not like them, so why try and fit in?"

He knew he was asking for the impossible when he first talked to Kaminari, but the blond gave him hope and he saw what it felt like to feel like he belonged, even if it was only for a few hours. But maybe that was just a fluke. Maybe this was never supposed to work out and he was just supposed to be like the sky above him. Just a big blank space that watched over the stars that decided to party without him.

"Sorry."

"What?" Iida asked, not sure if he heard the other correctly.

"I s-said sorry." Kamianri quickly stuttered out again a little louder.

Iida waved off his concern, still looking up at the dark sky as he leaned more into the railing, the cold metal biting into his skin. "It's not your fault that I'm boring I knew this would-"

"No!" Kaminari shouted, before quickly lowering his voice, looking behind him towards Koda's room before continuing to talk. "I was apologizing for making you feel like you can't relax during our outings. Those are supposed to be fun for everyone…including you."

Iida frowned, looking up to see how miserable Kaminari looked at the thought that he was the one keeping Iida from having fun. "I'm the class representative. It's my job to take care of everyone and make sure things go smoothly."

"But if me and the others were a little bit less rowdy then you wouldn't have to work so hard." He countered, looking far sadder than he had all evening.

Iida quickly wanted to wipe the look off his face, not liking how out of place the frown looked on the other. "Someone has to do the job and…I enjoy it. I feel useful when I'm able to help everyone else have a good time."

"But it doesn't help you unwind and have a good time, does it?" Kaminari asked, sounding like he already knew the answer and it was hurting him to admit it.

He let out a hum, not knowing what to say after feeling the mood take a turn for the worse. It was odd, seeing how he agreed with everything Kaminari was saying and had already mentally resigned himself to never being able to converse with his class like he wanted to, but seeing how defeated his classmate was after coming to the same conclusion felt worse. He knew he was the one to bring it down in the first place, but he felt stupid for once again not thinking about how his words could affect others. To be fair, he never thought he could say something that would make Kamianri react like this.

"I apologies." He mumbled, not knowing what else to do but wanting to somehow fix this and not have the other look so sad anymore.

That only made Kaminari more distressed, making a wounded noise as he rubbed his eyes.  He looked to be on the verge of tears as he tried to talk. "I'm so sorry, Iida! I wasn't thinking at all about how my actions affect you!"

"Whoa! Hey, no need to apologize. I--what are you talking about?" He asked frantically, confused why the other would say that when he is the one that made him sad.

"I took your leadership for granted and just assumed you would take care of things if I messed something up." the other huffed, looking so frustrated at himself as he glared at his switch like it personally offended him. "If I was just smart enough to take on some responsibilities once and a while then you wouldn't be so overworked and you could have been having fun with the rest of the class!"

Iida was too shocked to speak for a bit, never having someone apologize to him for their behavior or going against the rules. They always just laughed, maybe said thanks for the warning, and then moved on. He hates to admit that it felt good to hear someone say that and recognize how much work he puts into keeping the class safe, but he doesn't like how this recognition came to be, and he certainly doesn't like how upset Kaminari is because of it.

"You did nothing wrong." Iida tried to soothe him and got a scoff in return.

"You don't really mean that. We both know I'm a troublemaker number one. Always messing something up for someone else to come clean! Heck, if I wasn't here then your workload would instantly be cut in half!"

"Don't say that!" Iida yelled back sternly, making the other flinch at the volume and look up at him with watery eyes. It squeezed at his heart uncomfortably with guilt never wanting to make Kaminari feel bad for his actions, or place soul blame on him like he was doing now. He has always just acted himself and Iida has never blamed him for that. Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself down, Iida straightened his back and addressed the blond with as much confidence as he could muster in his voice. "You belong at UA just as much if not more than everyone else in this school. I don't like you even toying with the idea that you don't."

"But you can't deny that I make your job way harder." The other countered with a sniff. "I don't have the best timing with things and always end up causing some kind of chaos that you have to come clean up or lecture me about."

"You aren't the only one." Iida tried to argue back. "I yell at everyone equally."

Kaminari gave him a look, clearly not believing him and making Iida sigh in frustration. He was never the best at comforting people, that was Midoryia's area of expertise. "Okay, I admit you do get in trouble quite a bit, BUT!" Iida quickly added on, before Kaminari could open his mouth and say anything else degrading. "I never really minded the chaos you bring to the class."

"What?" Kaminari asked in surprise.

Iida was also a little surprised by his admission but tried to not let it show, finally having the space to address something that has been bugging him since they had their first talk. "You may have gone a little far a few times at the beginning of the year, but you learned and set boundaries. Now…now all I see you do is help make people laugh and forget about the serious stuff happening in the world. You're…just being a good friend trying to make people smile and I can't fault you for being a hero."

"I'm not a hero." The blond replied with a little too much conviction for Iida's liking.

"You are. A hero is supposed to make others feel safe and cared for and you somehow manage to make everyone feel better with your jokes and infectious attitude, so you're a hero in my book."

Kaminari looked at him in shock, like he never heard someone say those words to him before and it broke Iida's heart a bit to see. Kaminari got into the hero course and put in just as much effort as everyone else, so he obviously deserves the title like everyone else in their class. The fact that he doesn't view himself as such doesn't sit right with him. He filed this information away under the growing mystery of who Kaminari Denki really is, but didn't say anything else, letting his classmate ponder over his words and let them soak in.

Eventually, Iida saw Kamianri's cheeks turn a nice shade of pink, just able to spot it before the other buried his face into his blanket. "I…You really think so?"

"I know so." He said back, adding a hand chop for good measure.

Kaminair gave a small smile at the movement but it didn't last long, a frown coming back to his face. "Thank you… for saying that, but it doesn't change the fact that you're overworked. I promise to try and do better next time so you can also have fun."

Iida smiled at the offer, solidifying in his head just how nice of a person Kaminari is. "I appreciate the offer, but I also want you to have fun so don't go changing yourself for me."

"I'm not changing myself." The blond countered. "I'm just…doing my part."

"And I'm doing mine as class representative. I don't want people to stop having fun because of me, I already do that enough. The last thing I want to do is burden them with my issues."

"But we're your friends. It's okay for you to lean on us when you need support."

Iida grimaced."Yes, well I'm not good at that, or really like doing that."

"You seem to be doing just fine with me." Kaminari said back, the first real smile coming back onto his face as he teased him. Iida can't help but think how well it suited his face.

He blushed at the thought, stuttering out a response to try and get that thought out of his head. "I-I think we can both agree this is not normal circumstance."

"True," Kaminari said with a hum, looking up before turning back to him with excitement in his eyes. "Maybe you just need to do this with other people in our class! Like, go on smaller outings with one or two people so that there are fewer people to manage and it is easier for you to relax."

"That…sounds reasonable." Iida nodded, understanding that the fewer people he needed to keep track of the less he had to worry. "But what would I do during these outings? And with who?"

"With whoever you want to hang with and whatever you want to do for fun."

"But we already established that I don't do anything for fun."

Kaminari laughed, shaking his head at him. "Doing your hobbies with someone always makes it more fun."

"Can it truly be fun though if I do it to become a better hero, not just to have fun?" Iida asked, curious about how this all worked. He will agree that training with someone was always a treat, but sometimes he wanted to work on his quirk alone so that can't count as relaxing, right?

"I think it depends." Kaminari said with a hum. "I mean, sure training will always have the underlying goal of being a better hero, but your other hobbies can count."

"Sorry to disappoint you but I've already said all my hobbies are boring." He tried a joke, envisioning how Kaminari would say it, but it sounded odd coming out of his mouth.

Kaminari just looked appalled at him. "Reading isn't a boring hobby."

"In kid terms it is though, right?" Iida added with a huff.

Kaminari shook his head. "No, I like to read so--"

Iida felt his eyes widen in shock, not sure if he heard the other right. "You like to read?"

Kaminari flinched at his accusing tone, suddenly looking uncomfortable as he looked at his powered-down switch and refusing to meet Iida's eyes. Immediately warning bells began to blare in his mind, quickly realized his mistake. "Wait!" He blurted out. "I didn't mean for my question to come out like that, I was just surprised because I've never heard or seen you reading before."

The blond let out a breathy chuckle, lifting his eyes enough to follow Iida's frantic hand movements before finally giving him a small smile. "Don't worry about it. I get it. I don't really look like the type but I really do like reading. I just don't do it in the common room because there are too many distractions in there. I usually read at night or in the library."

"I see." Iida said slowly, not really sure how else he was supposed to process this information.

Kaminari didn't seem to mind. "The point I was trying to make is that you can talk to someone about the book you're reading or whatever and that's a great activity to do that encompasses your hobby and an easy way to open up to someone."

"I- Really?" Iida asked in shock. "I don't mean to dispute you but that sounds like homework and I don't think anyone would want to participate in that type of discussion outside of classes."

"I guess it can sound like that if you're not in the right mind set." The blond conceded. "But if you really like what you're reading and are passionate about it then I think it counts."

"Then how come I never see you talking about books?" Iida asked curiously. Kaminari was his benchmark as to what the ideal social butterfly was and if he doesn't discuss the books he reads about then how would Iida discussing his help him converse better with the class?

The blond looked a little embarrassed as he gave him a shrug. "I don't really have anyone to share it with. The Bakusquad…" Kaminari paused for a second, bobbing his head from side to side as he tried to find the right words. "Aren't interested in that kind of stuff, and though I talk a little to Tokoyami and Momo about it, they don't really have the same taste as me…Plus I can only talk about Edgar Allen Poe so many times."

Iida laughed at that, knowing Tokoyami's obsession with the dead poet very well.

"If that's the case, then what type of books do you like."

Kamianri's smile became more genuine. "I like all kinds, it just has to pique my interest, you know? But if I had to choose, I would say classic English literature."

"Really?" Iida said intrigued, his mind already supplying him with several novels he had read to practice his English and wanted to ask the blond about. "I had no idea that it was of special interest to you."

Kaminari just shrugged, seeming a little shy at the sudden attention. "I've liked them since I was little. Nothing else really to it."

"That certainly isn't nothing." Iida pressed, leaning more into the railing in hopes of showing how interested he was. "Those books aren't easy to read so if you have been reading them since you were young that is a great accomplishment."

"I didn't really understand what I was reading back then." Kaminari admitted with a small chuckle. "I could just tell by the language that what they were talking about was important, you know. Just the structure of it all made a walk in the park sound like a grand adventure. I'm rereading a lot of them now so that I can hopefully understand the context better."

Iida nodded his head, listening intently as the other continued to mumble about his secret passion. It sparked something in his chest the more he listened, having to ponder it for a few minutes before finally being able to label the feeling as excitement.

"Does it always feel like this when you get to really know someone?"

He thought to himself absentmindedly, deciding he really liked this feeling and wanted to experience it more.

"I understand what you mean. I always had trouble with the language of some of the older writings, but it all flowed so well together once you got used to it."

"Exactly! It is like reading a song or something and the metaphor--" Kaminari cut himself off mid-sentence, shaking his head as if he was physically clearing his head. "Sorry, didn't mean to go off like that. The point I was trying to make is that your hobbies ARE interesting and you just need to find the right person to talk to them about. Or, just open up and tell someone about your hobbies or what you like so the other person feels like they can share that kind of information with you. Your hobbies might not always line up, but it's the act of sharing and listening to others is what is important here."

Iida let out a hum, a little disappointed that the other stopped himself from continuing the conversation, feeling it was wrong to not hear everything he had to say about the matter when he sounded so excited about it.

"I think I understand what you are trying to say. I need to be open about myself and initiate things more if I want other people to do the same. Speaking about my own interest is a good way to spark a deeper conversation and making sure to ask the same back also helps the other person. Smaller groups are easier to start with and I should look for opportunities for more one-on-one chats." Iida paused for a second making sure he marked everything off his mental list of things he needed to work on. "Oh, and I should always ask for clarification if I am unsure if someone is asking for advice or just wants comfort."

Kaminari gave a hum in approval. "Yup I think you nailed it in one! Man, I wished I picked up things that fast. My grades would look a whole lot better, that's for sure." Kaminari laughed at his joke but Iida couldn't bring himself to do the same.

"I understand it in theory, but practicing it might end up being my downfall."

"It's like I said," Kaminari quickly jumped in, ready to show Iida as much support as he needed. "You will fail more than succeed in the beginning, but that's all about the process of learning. You'll be a conversationalist pro in no time! Heck, I bet you'll even gain a couple of admires from this!"

The blond rapidly moved his eyebrow in a suggestive manner and causing Iida to stutter in disbelief. "I-I can assure you that isn't my i-intention at all! I don't have any desire to use these skills beyond being a better friend and class representative!"

"Sure Iida, I believe you." Kaminari was laughing at him now, his head thrown back and his eyes closed by the force of it.

Iida felt his face burn with embarrassment at the accusation, but didn't seem to mind being the butt of this kind of joke, especially when it caused such a reaction from his classmate. He felt the start of a smile tugging at his lips and his heart thundering in his chest that had him itching to leap over the railing again and join the blond, but he refrained from doing so. Not only has he not been invited over, but he also doesn't understand where the urge had come from. He joked that getting to be in the blanket fort was somewhat of an award, but he doesn't feel like that was it. His problem has been solved for the most part at this point, so maybe the relief of it all was what he was feeling right now.

He was broken out of his thoughts when Kaminari's laugh slowly wound down to soft chuckles until it eventually turned into a big yawn. Iida stood up straighter at the sight, only now realizing how much time has gone by.

"You're tired."

"No, I'm not." Kaminari tried to argue but another yawn only proved his point more.

"I think it's about time we both turned in for the night." Iida said curtly, chopping the air once to show he meant business.

Kaminari just looked at it with amusement. "Aww, can't we stay up a little longer?"

"Not tonight. You're tired and I don't want to be the reason you don't have enough energy for classes tomorrow."

"I don't mind being tired if it means I get to hang out with you a little longer."

Iida felt heat rising to his face again, unable to look away at how honest Kaminari sounded at that moment. He clearly wasn't thinking about what he had just said, but he meant every bit of those words and that did strange things to his heart as he looked into his softly glowing eyes.

"Then how about we continue this conversation on Saturday and you can tell me all about the book you've been reading…for practice." Iida would be lying if he wasn't just as shocked as Kamianri was by what had come out of his mouth. It was almost a little too raw for his liking, an impulse he didn't even know he had, and making him want to add on the last part to hopefully make his proposition a little less formal.

Kaminari for his part only blinked at him for a moment before his face split into a huge grin, his eyes sparkling even more with excitement. "I would love to! We can go to a cafe and have a proper little book outing with the aesthetics and everything!"

"That sounds nice." Iida tried to reply evenly, but his own smile ruined any chance of keeping how excited he was hidden. "I look forward to it."

"Same, dude! I can't wait!"

"Then I suppose we should go to sleep then…so Saturday can get here faster."

"Man, you are so smart! I'm going to go to bed right now. Well, maybe I'll read a bit so that I'm prepared but THEN I'll go to bed."

Iida let out a small chuckle as he watched his classmate quickly gather his stuff as he rambled on about what he wanted to accomplish before Saturday, wondering silently to himself if Aizawa knew how easy it was to get his constantly distracted student on task.

"Good night, Kaminari. Don't stay up too late."

Kaminari looked up for a second to send him one last brilliant smile before hurrying off into his room. "Night Iida! I make no promises!"

Iida gave one last chuckle as he made his way to his bed. Shutting the glass door behind him and taking off his glasses before crawling under the covers. His heart was still beating rapidly in his chest, feeling like he had just run a mile instead of having a talk with Kaminari. He made a mental note of it, deciding he should probably investigate this feeling if it was going to keep popping up so frequently, but he decided it could ultimately wait for now. He also had to study for Saturday after all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After classes were out the next day and everyone had begun to unwind in the dorm, Iida had gone straight to Uraraka and apologized profusely for his behavior at lunch. He even bowed in the hopes of getting his remorse across. He quickly explained his side of the story and how he didn't understand that she was "ranting" and wasn't looking for actual advice or outsider opinions. He told her that he will make it a point to ask her if she was looking for comfort or advice next time he was confused.

Uraraka seemed more amused by his actions than annoyed and told him that she accepts his apology and even said sorry in return for her harsh words. She also agreed that his new system and his explanation were appreciated and will be sure to be more clear in the future about what she wants as well. They talked a bit more about Uraraka's parents and why she was so upset, Iida gave her his full attention and only went to comfort her when she was done. Saying he also got annoyed when his studies were interrupted by other people. Uraraka laughed at the comparison and then they parted ways on good terms.

Iida felt quite proud of this accomplishment, feeling like he understood the landscape of proper communication with his friends now. He felt a smile tug on his face, excited to tell Kaminari about how he made up with Uraraka but paused mid-step at the thought.

"Why is my heart doing that thing again?"

He thought to himself, looking down at his chest as if he could see the problem. This feeling had to mean something, especially if it kept happening so frequently but he wasn't able to put any words or concepts behind it.

"I hope I'm not getting sick or something."

He thought to himself as he made his way to his dorm, having already scheduled the rest of the day to finish his homework before dinner and then refreshing his memory on some of his favorite English books so he was prepared for tomorrow.

He also had to double-check that his plan worked for Kaminari so that they were on the same page. He spent his lunch hour looking up coffee shops and cafes he thought had a good selection of food but also seemed quiet and cozy enough to have a comfortable conversation in. If he also looked up what a "book outing aesthetic" was to help make his decision then that was for him to know and no one else. It took a while but he thought he found the perfect place that was only a 30-minute walk from campus. He presented the location to Aizawa after the final bell to ask for permission for him and Kaminari to go on Saturday, making sure his teacher knew the times they would be gone and the coffee shop's number in case he needed to reach them and they weren't picking up.

Aizawa raised an eyebrow at him in curiosity, either from how prepared he was or the fact that he was asking to leave campus with Kamianri was anyone's guess. He thought he heard something about a betting pool and Mic but was shooed away with the permission slip being waved in his face before he could ask for clarification.

With all the pieces falling into place, all that was left was telling Kaminari the plan. Iida looked over at his clock, noticing it was just about time to go down for dinner. Perfect timing seeing how he just finished his math homework. Getting up and going downstairs with a pep in his step, Iida made it down in record time, scanning over the students that were already waiting in the dining room. It looked like it was Tsu and Todoroki's turn to make food, Iida let out a sigh knowing that they were having cold soba without even needing to ask.

Turning towards the table, he noted Bakugou was yelling from where he sat, scolding Todoroki and his horrible knife skills. Kirishima was trying to get him to sit properly, but his boyfriend didn't seem to be having any of it. Iida felt the need to roll his eyes, the display was a very common occurrence at this point. The rest of the Bakusquad was chatting next to the two, seeming to be absorbed in some kind of conversation. Iida's heart did the little flutter thing when his eyes landed on Kaminari, the other seeming to know someone was looking at him and turning towards him with a small smile and wave. Iida quickly closed the distance between them, greeting the rest of the table to not seem rude.

"Hello, everyone. Excited for Soba?"

"No." Coursed the group besides one small yes coming from Sero. The group looked over at him like they expected it and were judging him but Sero held firm, not looking any of his friends in the eye.

"I see," Iida said, deciding that reaction wasn't any of his business, and turned to face Kaminari fully.

"I want you to know I got the permission we require for our outing and also found a suitable place. I know you like to sleep in on the weekend so I was thinking about…"

Iida slowly trailed off, suddenly feeling like he did something wrong when Kaminari's eyes went wide, subtly trying to shake his head no. His brow furrowed in confusion, not understanding why Kaminari was essentially trying to cut him off, but luckily he didn't have to wander long, Bakugou whipping around with a grunt.

"Oi! You doubling down on tutors, Dunce Face?" Iida's furrowed brows turned more into a scowl, never liking the nickname Bakugou calls the electric user.

"No!" Kaminari quickly said before stuttering a bit to explain himself. "I wouldn't go against you and your amazing lessons Bakubro!"

Bakugou looked annoyed at the nickname, Iida only now realizing how odd it was for someone who gave everyone a nickname to hate them. "Don't call me that."

"Aww! You should have told me you were having a study session with the prez!" Mina butted in, ignoring Bakugou completely. "You know practical exam buddies have to stick together!"

"Will I- Uh!"

"Probably didn't need the distraction." Jirou cut Kaminari off, walking into the room and sitting down next to the group. "Especially with the math test coming up."

"Ugh! Don't remind me!" Sero suddenly groaned, turning to Iida with his hands closed together. "Dude I'm begging you, let me study with you."

"Uhhh. But this isn't--"

"Hey, man! Begging isn't manly!" Kirishima butted in. "Kaminari really needs help with math so don't go trying to potch his tutor."

Kaminari grimaces at the comment, but smoothes over his features before the group could notice it. "Oof! You wound me!"

Kirishima had the decency to look guilty, quickly trying to backtrack his words. "Sorry bro! That came out wrong. I was just trying to get them--"

"A spot in the study group so we also don't fail." Mina cut in, looking at Iida with the same pleading eyes.

Iida could only blink at her in confusion, unable to keep up with their rapid pace of conversation. "But we aren't going to be studying." He mumbled out and got a few confused noises in return.

"What are you doing if not studying?" Jirou asked curiously while Sero giggled.

"The world must be ending if Iida isn't studying."

"Hey, knock it off!" Kaminari huffed at Sero, swatting him in the arm just to drive his point home.

The feeling was back in Iida's heart as he watched Kamianri once again defend him, it felt good knowing there was someone on his side and he suddenly wished to do the same.

"Actually," Iida said, straightening up to his full height to finally correct the group and let them know he and Kamianri were going to discuss English literature tomorrow over some coffee. It felt like he was about to brag like one of those older gentlemen at his family parties that talked about buying their fifth car, but he didn't care. If he was being honest he was bragging. "Kaminari and I are going to be--"

"Grabbing some supplies for sensei!" Kaminari cut him off this time looking almost panicked as he blurted the words out. He gave Iida a pleading look before quickly laughing it off to his friends. "Nothing crazy, haha."

"Ah boo!" Mina complained. "Why didn't you just say that?"

"You didn't leave much room to do so." Iida said slowly, trying to meet Kaminari's gaze again but the other refused to look at him.

"Oh! Burn!" Sero mumbled and got a jab in the elbow Mina. "Ow!"

"That's what you get!"

"You can probably join me and Momo for our study session if you really want." Jirou suddenly offered the group. "I know she was planning on having another one soon anyway."

"Really? Awesome!"

"You're the best Jirou!"

"That's really manly of you!"

"What the fuck!? You're studying with me Shitty Hair!"

The group continued to argue about the test coming up, seeming to already forget the conversation they were just having. Kaminari only spared him another small glance before ducking down and turning towards his friends. Iida watched for a while longer, left with more questions than he would like to admit and a tightening feeling in his chest.

"Why did Kaminari lie? Was he embarrassed to admit he was willing to hang out with him? Did he actually not want to?"

Iida numbly went to sit down at the other end of the table, Midoryia and Uraraka already sitting there and talking to Tokoyami. They greeted him but he didn't have the capacity to do the same, his mind swirling with insecurities and confusion. It hurt to see the person that he has been confiding in suddenly brushing him off like he was nothing.

"Was that why he only ever smiled and waved to him from afar? Kamianri didn't want to let anyone know how close they were. Can I even consider us close?"

His mind was going into overdrive as it overanalyzed all of their interactions from the previous weeks to hopefully find that his new hypothesis was false. Though it hurt, his treacherous brain couldn't help but also show him all the times Kaminari's friends teased him about his intelligence relentlessly. He has been making mental notes of it now that he has seen it happen, the look Kaminari had on his face before brushing them off just now also not sitting right with him. He cursed to himself, wondering why he was worrying so much about the other's feelings when Kaminair didn't seem to care about his own.

"Hey, are you okay?" A hand on his shoulder suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts, looking up to find Midoryia's worried one looking back at him.

"I-Yes!" He quickly yelled out, a little too loud for what was appropriate for the dinner table but still not as loud as some of the others that have sat around him. "I was merrily lost in thought about my weekend schedule. No need for worry!"

Midoryia gave him an odd look but didn't push, instead standing up to go get a portion of Soba. "Okay then. Come on, let's go before Todoroki claims the rest as his own."

"Right." He said, standing up to follow but a buzz coming from his pocket stopped him. It was rude to be on your phone while at the table, but rarely anyone ever called or texted him unless it was an emergency so he found no harm in looking to see what it was. His eyebrow raised when he saw Kaminari's name light up the screen not even thinking as he opened up the text.

"Hey, I am sooooooo sorry about that! I promise to explain after dinner when I don't have people looking over my shoulder. But I swear I'm looking forward to tomorrow! :)"

Iida read the text again before looking up at where he knew Kamianri was still sitting. The other seemed to be watching him, giving him an apologetic smile before mouthing out, "I'm sorry."

Iida didn't bother to reply to the text, just giving the other a nod before leaving to get in line for dinner. Though he was still confused, his chest didn't feel as tight anymore and he was able to participate in some of the conversation that was happening around him. Though he wasn't as engaged as he would like, his brain was still trying to figure out why Kaminari had done what he did and why he lied to his friends. 
 
---
 
Iida had marched to his room after dinner, grabbing a book he wanted to study and then plopping down on his balcony with his phone sitting beside him. He didn't know when or how Kamianri was going to explain but he wanted to be prepared for wherever he popped up.

He hated to admit how impatient he was but this mystery was killing him. It was probably because he was directly involved with him and he wanted to make sure he did nothing wrong, but he also wanted to make sure that Kaminari was okay. He doesn't know why, probably the hero in him, but he felt like Kaminari had a good reason to lie. He was terrible at it in the first place, anyone that looked at him could tell he was lying through his teeth but no one at the table questioned him. It was odd, the more he thought about it the more he felt like something bigger was hiding under the surface. Granted, he might just be overthinking it again, but who can blame him? If Kaminari already said sorry to him, basically saying he wasn't at fault then this had to do with Kaminari more so than him, right? Iida cursed, thinking his Mother's love for mystery shows had made him a little too inquisitive.

A buzz coming from his phone made him drop his book in his urgency to see what the new notification was. He let out a sigh of relief to see it was Kaminari again, instantly opening up the text thread they had.

"Hey…sorry about before again that wasn't cool of me lol."

Iida read the text again with a raised eyebrow, unsure of the tone behind the text. As if Kamianri could read his thoughts, another text suddenly came through.

"Shit! I mean not lol! This is serious and I'm trying to seriously apologize…that was just a force of habit."

Iida snorted, easily able to forgive him. He was in the middle of typing that out but Kamianri beat him to the punch again.

"Anyway. I want to make sure I didn't hurt your feelings or you think badly of me or want to postpone the outing. I still REALLY want to go! I picked out my outfit and everything!"

"Which isn't the point!"

"Sorry. I would have said this to your face but I knew I wouldn't be able to get through it without…redirecting and you deserve an actual answer lol"

"I mean not Lol!"

Iida let out a huff, unsure if he was amused at how Kamianri texted exactly how he talked or how nervous he seemed over messing up as much as Iida was. He decided enough was enough and ease his blond classmate's worry.

"It's okay. I forgive you."

Kaminari's icon said he was typing but it stopped after a while, only to reappear a few seconds later. Iida watched, wanting to give him the time he needed to collect his thoughts.

"Really?" Kaminari finally typed back and it made Iida sigh how anticlimactic the reply was after waiting so long.

"I assure you, I'm not mad." Iida paused after sending the text deciding he should explain himself better to ensure the conversation went smoothly. "I will say that I am confused and would like an explanation for your behavior. It wasn't something I did, right?"

"No!" Kaminari quickly replied. "Absolutely not! This mess is 100 percent on me!"

"I see."

Again the bubbles popped up and then disappeared again. Iida waited as patiently as he could as he watched the other type away. Eventually, he got a wall of text as a reply.

"Okay, so sorry for how long this is going to end up being but if I don't say it in one go then I don't know if I can say it all, you know? Anyway, I just…you saw how they reacted to you talking to me and assuming it was for studying. I'm fine with the teasing. Used to it but IDK it just felt wrong when they started assuming things about you and that the only thing you can do is study. You are more than just a tutor and I wanted to correct them and show them how cool you are, Really! But then you were going to tell them what we were actually doing and I panicked. If they were that bad teasing me over studying I couldn't imagine what they would say to me about going to talk willingly about books. I just didn't want to deal with it. Which was uncool of me and probably made you uncomfortable for lying. Sorry about that again…and for them trying to butt into our little outing. I know they didn't know and they meant well, but I just didn't want to share it with them you know? Okay! I think I'm rambling now so I'm going to stop and hit send without proofreading or else I will probably delete everything so sorry for all the weird mistakes lol."

"Shit I need to stop saying that."

Iida read over the text, then again, and then one more time for good measure. The frown on his face pulled tighter as he thought about what Kaminari was saying. He wasn't embarrassed to tell his friends that they were hanging out, he just didn't want to deal with the teasing that would come with it.

"Teasing that his so-called friends would give him."

He thought bitterly, feeling mad all over again about how Kamianri was treated.

"I would have stopped them if they tried to say anything. You have a right to like and express your interest just as much as they do."

Iida worried he might have said something out of line when Kaminari didn't text him immediately back, reading over what he sent and wondering if he came on too strong. He blushed in embarrassment, realizing he sounded like a knight trying to defend the princess with how chivalrous he sounded.

"That's really sweet." Kaminari finally sent him, making his heart flutter and his cheeks burn more. "I appreciate you saying that but I already told you the Bakusquad wasn't really into reading those kinds of books and they would have had opinions no matter what. Which is fine, they have a right to that, but I didn't want you to feel bad about your hobby after you just had the courage to talk to me about it."

"It's your hobby as well." Iida typed back quickly, thinking that this hobby was more Kaminari's than his but decided not to point that out. "Though your interests are different, your friends should respect and learn from it if you open up about it. That's what you told me."

"Well…you got me there lol XD" Iida had to agree, Kaminari used lol a little too much in conversation. "I guess the difference is that my "thing" makes my hobby a little hard to understand while for you it just seems to fit."

"Your thing? What thing?" Iida asked, interested in what Kaminari was trying to say.

"The thing, you know how everyone has a thing? A stick or joke that seems to follow them around?"

"I don't follow." Iida answered honestly, not prepared for another social lesson so soon after the other one.

"Like how we all joke about Midoryia breaking his bones, or how Hagakure can't escape the John Cena references."

"I…I'm sorry. Those are jokes? How is you liking English books a joke?"

"Jokes at the other expense," Kaminari explained. "Like, due to similarities, consistency, or things out of our control, people often joke about it to make light of it, you know? Like how the entire UA campus calls our class villain magnetics as a joke even though it's true and if you think about it too hard, terrible."

"Oh, so like how people make jokes about me being a dad or the adult of the group?"

"Exactly!" Kaminari typed back with several thumbs-up emojis to go with it. "It is supposed to be out of fun and between friends, but in your case, they can go too far sometimes and hurt the other's feelings due to insecurities and stuff. It's why I stopped teasing Jirou about her being shy about her singing voice. She was insecure about it so instead of joking I just hyped her up!"

"So, what's your thing then?" Iida asked curiously, understanding the concept but not understanding how this came back to Kaminari liking books.

"Well, that's because my thing is my consistently bad grades lol."

Iida squinted at the screen, starting to hate that acronym. He also hates to say that it made sense. Why the Bakusquad always made dumb jokes about him, how the class even got in on it and laughed while he was in whey mode. Those attributes, like the explanations he used before, could easily lead to teasing, and deep down he knew the reason behind it but it felt wrong to distill it down to what it actually was. It was bullying. Taking someone's weakness and constantly rubbing it in someone's face. It was different with Midoryia and Hagakura because Midoriya didn't break his bones anymore and he even admitted that the number of times he ended up in the recovery girl's office was comical. Hagakura's joke was actually about her strength, her quirk, and she always laughed when the John Cena song came on when she entered the room because it showed people still noticed her even when invisible.

Making fun of someone because they struggled academically didn't seem funny to Iida at all. It was cruel and set fire to his engines as he felt the need to run his frustration out.

"He didn't want to tell the truth because he was afraid the others would tease him for trying to do what they considered smart people things. Does that mean he didn't want to admit to hanging out with me because he feels like I'm too smart for him?"

He stood up to start pacing, unable to sit still any longer as his mind led him down a dangerous path of questions. He was considering holding a class meeting and lecturing everyone about stereotypes and how to be kind and not make fun of people but he held back. Kaminari would surely not appreciate it as much as he thinks he should. But he had to do something, he can't stand here and be mad at the world without a way to express his displeasure. So, he began typing furiously, his brain reminding him he still has to reply.

"That is terrible. I would think that as your dearest friends, they would respect you and your abilities. You are very bright, Kaminari, and as the class representative, I know how much potential everyone has and I see you having unlimited options out in the hero world with your vast knowledge and versatile quirk. Sure, you aren't the most academically intune student, but you made it here and are putting in the effort. If they can't see that then they are no better than the villains we clean up off the streets!"

Iida turned around after hitting send, having expanded his walking space to the length of his room, quickly walking back out to the balcony to clean up his stuff and hopefully catch a glimpse of the blond he just texted. He didn't see him, but the light in his room was on, so Iida knew that he was probably in there.

"Dude. I think that was the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Well, that's the truth!" Iida replied, not regretting what he said but feeling something flutter in his chest at being the one to tell Kaminari this. "Your "thing" shouldn't keep you from talking about or doing what you love. Or keep you from hanging out freely with whoever you please. It should be a thing at all in my opinion!"

"I know!" Kaminari typed back after another pause. Seeming to need a moment to let everything he said sink in. "But that's why I'm excited to hang out with you tomorrow! It's like our secret special thing!"

Iida's heart clenched at the smiley face with the hearts floating around it Kaminari sent after his message, thinking it was cute.

"Why do I think that? Uraraka uses it all the time?"

He shook his head, not wanting to drop the subject or get distracted from the issue at hand. "I am also excited, I've been reading up in the hopes of refreshing my memory of some of my favorite books."

He went to type another question, asking why Kaminari felt like he had to live up to his "thing" but Kaminari beat him to the punch by sending a text that consisted of only interested eyes emoji. Iida felt a chuckle itching to escape his mouth, easing a bit now that the other seemed to be in higher spirits, but there was still a bitter aftertaste on his tongue that kept him from really relaxing. Kaminari was diverting the conversation again. He let out a sigh, not wanting to drop the subject but also not wanting to push Kaminari when he already admitted to so much.

"I already have permission to leave campus tomorrow and chose a place that I believe will be suitable. I assumed you would want to leave around 11 am, seeing how you like to sleep in on the weekends." Iida typed out, finally saying what he was trying to say during dinner.

"Actually, can we leave more around 7:30?" Came the fast reply. "I appreciate you thinking about my schedule but I would rather leave before anyone is awake enough to ask questions."

"It will also ensure we get the freshest baked goods at the cafe!"

Iida felt like yelling in frustration. Kaminari was so good at redirecting things with a well-timed joke or change in topic that even if Iida tried to get a word in, Kaminari would have already moved past it. There was no room for him to say anything, at least over text when Kaminari can just send a wall of emojis to hide behind. At the same time, he felt like he let this behavior slide for too long. If Kaminari was willing to help him learn and become more comfortable in the class by teaching him to be a kid again then he can help Kaminari overcome this "thing" that others seemed to have shoved onto him.

"That works for me. I will knock on your door at 7:30 and then we will be off. I do hope walking is okay with you, it is about 30 minutes from here."

"That sounds perfect!"

"Alright,  I will see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow!!!! Night!!"

"Good night Kaminari."

With that, Iida closed the sliding door to his balcony, adjusted his alarm for the morning so he got up in time to get ready and still go on his morning jog, and then got into bed. His mind went crazy as he thought about tomorrow and all his plans to make sure Kaminari had an amazing time. Thinking about how even if he can't figure out how to successfully broach the subject about how Kaminari is treated he can at least make up for it by having an amazing time with him that he will surely not regret. Who knows, maybe this will become a regular thing! Iida placed a hand over his heart, willing it to slow down so that he could hurry up and go to bed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Iida woke up before his alarm, the excitement seeming to get the better of him so he had extra time for his morning jog and ate a small snack before getting ready for the day. He triple-checked that he had everything he needed for the day. He had his school bag filled with a couple of books just in case he needed to reference them, had his wallet, hero license, and even an extra pair of glasses just in case he broke the one he was wearing. He even checked his reflection over, just to make sure that no hair was out of place and his shirt didn't have any wrinkles in it.

He felt like he was getting ready to meet with investors with how much effort he was putting into his appearance, but he couldn't help it. He was for some reason nervous and the access energy was making him fidget like he's never done before. He kind of understands because he wanted today to go perfectly and the best way to start the day right is by being overly prepared and looking like you're ready to take on the world. He wasn't about to face the world though, he was just going to hang out with Kaminari at a cafe for a few hours.

"That is almost scarier."

He thought to himself with a huff as he smoothed out his shirt one more time. He was the one to plan the outing after all so if things go badly then it was on him. Not to mention what Kaminari confessed over text the night before. Everything had to go perfectly or else Kaminari might never want to hang out with him or talk about books ever again and that would be a real shame. His blond classmate seemed to light up when they first talked about it, becoming so animated and smiling so big, it would be a shame if he never did it again.

"I hope I get to see that smile again today."

Iida snapped his attention to his reflection in the mirror, giving himself a puzzled look as the small thought filtered through his head. His heart is doing the same fluttering thing that has been bugging him for a while and making him wince. "

Of course I want him to smile, that means he is having a good time."

He rationalized with himself, deciding that was a logical explanation for the sudden thought, though it didn't feel like it encompassed everything he was feeling. Something tickled in the back of his head that something more was going on but he just couldn't place it.

A sudden beep coming from his phone pulled his attention away from that line of thinking, noting it was the sound of his alarm he had set specifically to go off at 7:29 am to make sure he was at Kaminari's door right on time. He quickly shut off the alarm and looked over his appearance one more time before grabbing his stuff and heading out the door. He usually would give himself more buffer time to get to where he was going but seeing how he only had to go one door down and Kaminari was notoriously late, he figured he would give the blond every extra minute he could.

He knocked on the door, getting a muffled, "One second!"  in return. He heard shuffling and a loud thump that sounded like Kaminari fell followed by a string of curse words but before he could ask if he was okay, the door swung open, revealing a smiling Kaminari staring right at him.

"Morning neighbor!" Kaminari quipped, adjusting his boot before standing up fully.

"I uh yeah. Morning." Iida stuttered out, stepping back not only to allow Kaminari room to close his door but to also get a full look at his outfit.

He vaguely remembered Kaminari saying that he chose an outfit already, but didn't know that meant he put together a completely brand new outfit. The blond had on a powdered blue button-up with the collar buttoned all the way up, and a fluffy white sweater was put over it so that only the collar and the rolled-up sleeves were visible. His pants were a pair of light gray jeans that ended at his ankles, making his matching blue and gray boots visible. The boots had a little heel to them, Iida noted, seeing how Kaminari was now almost eye level with him.

He must have been staring too long, Kaminari suddenly chuckling and doing a little spin. "Like what you see."

"Yes." Iida impulsively spoke before his brain could catch up with him. His face burned in embarrassment as he quickly tried to correct his mistake. "Sorry! I mean it is a nice outfit. I was just surprised because I've never seen you wear anything like it before. Not that it is a bad thing or anything! You are free to dress and express yourself as you wish as long as it is within UA's guidelines, but it's just…different."

Iida felt like an idiot as he rambled out his explanation, unsure as to why he suddenly lost the ability to speak eloquently. Kaminari gave a small hum, his own face seeming a little pink as he looked down at his outfit. "I guess so, but I never really have an excuse to dress up while at the dorms." He admitted, smiling at Iida as he did. "Plus, I did tell you I was going all out with the book aesthetic! And I think I nailed it!"

"You certainly did." Iida mumbled, noting that Kamianri seemed to be wearing eyeliner now that the other was looking right at him.

"It looks good on him."

He quickly zipped his lips shut, afraid his wayward mouth would voice his opinion again without his permission. Instead, he looked down at his own outfit choice, suddenly feeling very underdressed as he noted his regular light blue polo shirt and khaki pants. Iida felt a little upset at himself, having looked up "book outing aesthetic" for helping him choose a place but not thinking that it would also apply to his clothing choice. He should have studied harder, or been more prepared.

"You good, Iida?" Kaminari suddenly asked, tilting his head to the side in concern.

Iida quickly waved him off, feeling embarrassed to be caught in his thoughts again. "I'm fine! I was just thinking how underdressed I feel standing next to you. I'm sorry I didn't understand the assignment."

Kaminari blinked at him before bursting out laughing, grabbing his forearm as he did to steady himself. "Iida you ARE the assignment!" He said through the giggles. "You basically embody this aesthetic. I was just trying to match you!"

"Oh. I didn't realize." Iida said hesitantly, not sure if he should comment on how Kaminari didn't need to change himself to be more like Iida or worry that his appearance apparently screamed books.

"No shame! The look works for you and besides," Kaminari quickly assured him, giving him a mischievous smile as he squeezed his biceps. "I think everyone can agree only you and these arms can pull off polo like you can."

Iida knows Kaminari is teasing him, his face clearly showing that he was just trying to lighten the mood and comfort Iida at the same time. Kaminari flirted to help make people feel good and confident, nothing more, nothing less. He KNEW this yet his heart was going crazy in his chest and his face felt like it was on fire at the mere idea that Kaminari might like his appearance. He felt warm and somewhat sick, not used to compliments or for them to be said so boldly. He didn't know how to react to such a statement and it was doing things to his stomach he can't seem to control. He swallowed hard, looking down at his phone in the hopes of being able to move past this and his body's weird reaction.

"Oh…I uh. Thank you?"

"You're welcome!" Kaminari chirped back, not at all phased by what he said or how it seemed to affect Iida.

He prayed that that meant his reaction was more internal than external. "Well…I uh. Are you ready to go?"

"Born ready!" Kaminari said with a spin, marching down the hall and towards the stairs. Iida followed him a respectable distance behind him, still trying to gain some sense of control over his body, wondering why it happened in the first place.

"It's going to be a long walk."

He thought to himself, suddenly very aware of how much alone time he will have with Kaminari and what that could mean for his poor heart and brain. The electric user was for lack of a better word, energized at the best of times so he needed to match that energy the entire time to keep him engaged and interested, right?

"I don't know if I have enough topics to talk about!"

He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, feeling frustrated that he was just now thinking about all this and how underprepared he felt. No wonder he never thought that he could go on outings with his classmates, it was far too much stress and only seemed to lead to awkward silence as he led Kaminari to the school gates. Kaminari was the social master in their class. Why would he think that starting with him would be such a good idea as his first small group exercise?

"You wanted to spend time with him."

The logical voice in his head reminded him and he let out a huff in frustration. It is true he really wanted to hang out with Kaminari today, but that was all in theory. Now that he was here, dressed to apparently impress and falling in step with him as they left school grounds in silence, he felt like a fool. He felt the anxiety start to build in his stomach, everything suddenly feeling too real and anything he did would be analyzed and judged. He knows that Kamianri agreed to come with him and he wants to talk about books with him, but they have to get to the cafe to HAVE that conversation, he doesn't know what to do with this unplanned time. He didn't think about it enough, he didn't plan everything out as much as he should and now Kaminari is going to think he's boring like everyone else. He knew he should have stayed in his lane and accepted he wasn't cut out to be a kid. His brain is already programmed to be an adult with no way to reboot it. He doesn't know what to talk about, anytime he opens his mouth he quickly second-guesses it and closes it before any noise can come out. He knows he probably looks stupid, quietly leading Kaminari down the street but not even acknowledging his existence. Dang, he's a terrible friend.

"So what's your favorite flower?"

"What?" Iida asked, turning towards Kaminari with a raised eyebrow, unsure he heard him correctly with how far he was in his head.

"Flowers. Do you have a favorite?" Kaminari asked again, a small smile on his face.

"That's--why? Where did that question even come from?"

Kaminari just shrugged, his cheeks tinted pink and he rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I know it's kind of silly but you seemed to be thinking really hard about something unpleasant, so might as well use that brainpower for something fun!"

"And flowers are fun?" Iida asked, feeling the corner of his mouth uptick in amusement.

"Well… probably not," Kaminari said with a small chuckle. "But it will definitely help me get to know you better."

Iida gave a hum, letting out a breath of air as he thought of Kaminari's question over again. He would be lying if he didn't say that the question worked, his brain focusing more on the set task than all the things that could go wrong today, his tense shoulders relaxing as he continued to think it over. His heart also seemed to be beating a little faster, probably excited by the idea that someone wants to get to know him better.

"Sorry," Kaminari suddenly blurted out after not getting a reply, waving his hands dismissively in the air. "It was a stupid question that just slipped out you don't actually have to answer.

"No need to apologize," Iida said before he could even think about it, that phrase becoming a reflex the more time he spends with Kaminari. "I was just taking my time thinking it over."

"Oh," Kaminari said, turning away in embarrassment for jumping to conclusions. "Then what is it?"

"Though I never really thought about it before…" Iida said, thinking over his options one more time before answering. "I think sunflowers are my favorite."

Kaminari smiled up at him looking a little shocked by his answer. "Really!?"

Iida just nodded his head. "Well, I enjoy the myth
of Clytie and Apollo that features sunflowers, but I also like how they represent almost every positive emotion."

"They follow the sun!" Kaminari gushed, suddenly excited to share his facts. "They're like you!"

"Like me?" Iida asked curiously and got rapid nods in return.

"Yeah! You always have your eyes on the prize, or goal, or whatever, so that makes you the same! …You're as tall as one." Kaminari mumbled the last part to himself but Iida heard it, chuckling at the comparison.

"Good to know that I'm a sunflower," Iida said, checking their surroundings before heading down a different street. The two of them stayed quiet for a bit, Iida wondered for a moment why the conversation stopped but didn't think about it too hard. A question of his own suddenly itching the back of his head. "So, what is your favorite flower, Kaminari?"

Kaminari beamed at him, seeming excited to share, and was just waiting for him to ask. "Dandelions!"

"Dandelions? Isn't that considered a weed?"

"Only by gardeners that don't understand how cool they are!" Kaminari said with a huff, sounding like he has already had this argument before.

"Ah. My mistake." Iida quickly replied not wanting to have an argument to start. "May I ask why they are your favorite?"

"Okay, so not only are they the only plants that you can interact with," Kaminari started his list looking excited to explain his reasoning. "I was told as a kid that if you blow all the fluffy seeds off the flower in one go you get your wish granted! How cool is that?  I mean no other plant grants wishes! But they also represent growth and strength because they always come back even after a harsh winter!"

"Interesting. I didn't know that." Iida said, fully invested in what the blond was saying, enjoying how passionate he seemed to be about defending his flower of choice.

"Trust me," Kaminari said with a laugh, taping his forehead as he did. "I have a lot more useless facts hiding somewhere in here."

Iida didn't like how he used the word useless while pointing to himself but he didn't want to ruin their conversation by bringing it up so he decided to hold his tongue for now. "By all means, I would love to hear another one."

"Okay, but you asked for it!" Kaminari said in a sing-song voice, giving Iida a mischievous smile.

"Bring it on." He said back a smile of his own splitting across his face as he chopped the air with his hand to show just how serious he was.

---

"That makes no sense!"

"That's not the point Iida! It's about what I would do!"

"Well, what you're doing doesn't make sense when logic is RIGHT there!"

"Look," Kaminari said with a laugh. "I'm just saying if a zombie apocalypse happened the chances that a bite from a human has just as much chance of turning them back human as they do as turning me into a zombie."

"And I'm telling you it doesn't work like that," Iida said, stepping in front of him to stop him in front of a shop. "There is a difference between venomous and poisonous and a zombie would be poisonous."

Kaminari didn't look convinced. "You don't know that. I could have the antidote in my spit for all you know."

"True," Iida conceded. "But the chances of the zombie also biting you and turning you is too high of risk so it's better to just kill them from a distance than BITE them."

"Mmmmmh. My way sounds more fun."

Iida rolled his eyes, wanting to argue that the taste of rotting flesh would probably stop him from wanting to bite a zombie but instead kept his mouth shut as he opened the door for the other.

"Oh!" Kaminari said in surprise. "We're here already?" Iida nodded his head, gesturing for Kamianri to hurry up inside. "I guess time really flies when you're having fun!"

Iida felt himself smile as Kaminari walked past him, having to agree with him.

"We are having fun, aren't we."

Quickly following after the blond, the two of them took in the space as they walked up to the counter. Iida noted that one side of the cafe resembled a regular coffee shop with stools and tables with outlets for people to use while the other was a little more cozy with armchairs, shelves full of books, and plants seeming to be placed on any surface available. It looked just like it did in the pictures and with it being so early, only two other people were in the store. One of them reading in the corner and the other typing on their laptop. Everyone else seemed to get their order to leave, making the atmosphere seem cozy but also not overwhelming with too many people.

He looked over at Kaminari, wanting to gauge his reaction to the place, and was pleased to see he was beaming. His eyes were going everywhere, looking at the menu above before getting distracted and looking at some of the plants. Iida gave himself a pat on the back for a job well done, happy that his choice seemed to be a good one.

"Welcome in! What can I get for you?" The barista at the front greeted them once they got to the front of the line. Iida scanned the board and then the display case of treats before ordering. Can I get an americano with a slice of banana bread?"

Kaminari snorted beside him, Iida giving him a raised eyebrow in question. "Banana bread? Really? I thought you just acted like an adult, not a grandpa."

"There is nothing wrong with banana bread! Especially if it is cooked fresh with real ingredients." Iida tried to protest and only made Kaminari laugh harder, before suddenly stopping to look over at him carefully. "Sorry, I was only teasing. Nothing wrong with your choice."

"I uh know," Iida said, unsure what to do with the sudden mood shift. He cleared his throat to try and gain some extra time before trying to make a joke of his own to save the fun mood they were just having. "Well, as the residential cool kid, what do you get then?"

Kaminari bit his lip in hesitation, looking over and seeing the barista was waiting for his order. "A chocolate chip muffin with a hot coco please."

"Do you want whip cream and sprinkles on the hot coco?" The barista asked, Kaminari's face growing redder at the question.

"...yes please."

"Coming right up. That will be $22.50."

Kaminari went to get out his wallet but Iida beat him to it, already having his card out and ready. "Here allow me to pay, maybe I'll get the senior discount." he tried to joke again but Kamianri didn't seem to find it funny.

"Iida," Kaminari groaned. "I was teasing. I swear I didn't mean anything by it, here let me pay."

"Nope, it's too late! Already paid for." Iida said, taking the receipt from the barista before moving over to the pick-up area, Kaminari diligently following after him.

"No! I was mean to you, let me make it up!" He continued to argue even though the transaction was over.

"No need to apologize. I wasn't offended, Kaminari." Iida answered honestly, giving Kaminari a small smile to reassure him. The blond looked over his face, seeming to analyze his very soul before answering.

"Are you sure? I really meant it as a joke but I spoke without thinking about how it sounded..."

"Like the rest of the class." Went unspoke, but Iida heard it in his hesitance. He felt his insides do some weird somersault at the remorse on Kaminari's face, not liking when he was upset but somewhat happy that he was upset because he thought he overstepped one of his boundaries and wanted to make it right.

"I will let you know if you take a joke too far, Kaminari. But I assure you that your brand of humor…is refreshing more than anything else."

"So you weren't offended that I called you a grandpa?" Kaminari asked bluntly, seeming to need to hear him say it.

"I wasn't offended you called me a grandpa…" He stated back, bobbing his head from side to side in consideration. "Did I offend you by calling you a kid?"

"No!" Kaminari said quickly with a shake of his head. "I am a kid so I can't really complain."

"You can though," Iida stated simply. "If you're going out of your way to ensure I'm comfortable then I want to extend the offer to you. If I overstep and use language that you don't like or say something hurtful to you, please let me know."

"That's kind of you." Kaminari said simply, not actively answering him or his open invitation to talk.

Iida just shrugged, moving to grab his americano once their order was called. "How else am I going to get better at communicating with my peers without extending the offer out myself?"

Iida said easily, he meant it as a joke or a nod to all the help Kaminari has done for him, but it came out a little too sincere to pull it off. He cleared his throat before turning to head over to a corner with the two armchairs and small side table Kaminari was eyeing earlier, claiming one for himself before Kaminari sat down next to him.

The two sipped their drinks for a moment, letting the calm of the cafe lull them into a state of relaxation as they got comfortable. The seriousness underlying the conversation before seeming to still hang over them like a weighted blanket and ruining the carefree conversations they were having before entering the establishment. Iida fidgeted with his mug, watching from the corner of his eye as Kaminari picked at his muffin. He felt like he ruined the mood, talking about things too seriously when this is supposed to be a fun outing full of nonsense and kid-like fun.

He wished Kaminari would say something, and get the conversation going again like he did on their walk, but it didn't seem like that was going to happen this time around. The other was too lost in his own head to be aware of his surroundings or pick up on any of Iida's awkward cues.

"You shouldn't always rely on him to fix your social blunders."

He scolded himself.

"A hero is supposed to be able to navigate any situation without help and that includes conversations."

Iida took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he tried to think of an opening line that would get Kamianri's attention and start a meaningful conversation.

"You still have hobbies and interests, right? And if you have fun doing those things then opening up and talking to someone else about it will definitely help make the other person relax."

He nodded his head, remembering Kamianri's words and how he has to start the conversation and talk about his interest so that others feel like they can open up to him.

"I…uh reread Gone with the Wind last night." Iida started, watching as Kaminari lifted his head to look at him.

"Yeah?" The other questioned, turning into his seat to get more comfortable, his eyes suddenly sparkling in interest. "I loved that one. Scarlett is one of my favorite characters."

"They are an interesting cast of characters." Iida admitted trying to gauge Kaminari's interest in his conversation starter."

Kaminari gave him a wide smile, his hands clasped tightening around his hot coco as he scooted closer. "I have to admit that I'm surprised you chose a romance novel…didn't think that was your speed."

Iida sputtered, unsure as to how he should take that comment. "I think we both know the book is about a lot more than a romance."

Kaminari gave a hum in agreement, nodding his head as he thought. "You got me there, but you have to admit that the entire time you were reading it you just wished that things worked out for Scarlett. You wanted Rhett to change, or for her to be with Ashly…" Kaminari shrugged as he looked over at Iida. "You just wanted her to find her person and be happy."

"Of course I did." Iida agreed easily. "I'm a hero I don't want to see anyone suffer."

"And as a hopeless romantic you wished that she found love." The blond tacked on, smiling at Iida like he just discovered a secret.

He felt himself blush never really labeling himself as a hopeless romantic before. Maybe the hopeless part due to his lack of social awareness, but he never considered himself a fan of romance. He suddenly is reminded of his conversation with Uraraka about finding a partner while in high school and how he said his parents would probably decide all that for him. That was the least romantic thing he could think of, yet it didn't bother him.

"Are you sure?"

A voice in the back of his head spoke up, making him second-guess himself. He never indulged in real romance before, not wanting to be distracted or even find someone attractive enough to pursue. But he did enjoy reading romance books. The old English dialect makes the declaration of love all that more special and fills him with joy when the character finally figures out their feelings.

"Maybe that's why I like them."

He thought absently,

"The characters are just as confused about feelings as I am and I get to watch them figure it out."

"I suppose I can't argue with that…I like it when characters find their place in the world walking through life hand in hand with the love of their life so they can take on every issue together… Those stories just…make me feel like there's hope that I can do the same."

Kaminari smiled warmly at him, his eyes seemed to glow in an emotion that Iida couldn't decipher but he knew it had to be good with how sincere the blond's smile was. "I like those stories too."
 
---

Iida and Kaminari were laughing at what could be considered a little too loud for the cafe but Iida couldn't find it within himself to care, enjoying the conversation way too much to feel like scolding the other. They talked about almost every book he had ever read, some with deep insight and feelings towards the overarching theme of the book, while others were just spent complaining about how obtuse certain characters were.

The conversation flowed easily from topic to topic, Kamianri never needing a moment to think about something before he launched into his next explanation even if it doesn't pertain to the previous conversation. At the same time, he would pause long enough for Iida to add his own thoughts or control the conversation as he asked to circle back because they skipped over a part he wanted to talk about. Kaminari had no problem slowing down and even apologized for going so fast through a topic, but Iida couldn't find it within himself to be mad, mostly excited to see the other so enthusiastic about something he also enjoys. Kaminari also gave him some recommendations for more modern English books that he hasn't read before that he felt he would enjoy. He wrote all the suggestions down in his phone promising to let him know when he chose a book and his thoughts on it. The idea made him giddy, believing that this meant that they would be doing this again sometime in the future.

Iida took off his glasses to wipe away the tears that gathered in his eyes, their laughter slowly petering out. "Where did you even find such a terrible translation of 1984?"

Kaminari just shrugged, looking pleased with himself as he watched Iida try to recover. "On a sketchy free website obviously. I think it had to be a student project or something now that I think back to it."

"They must have failed then if they somehow translated Big Brother to Giant Mister." Iida chuckled again to himself as he cleaned his glasses while they were off. "No wonder you didn't like it the first time around, the entire mood of the book was probably off."

"It was kind of hard to get into," Kaminari admitted. "But I understood enough to--" Iida looked up from his glasses to see what made his classmate stop, only to find him staring right back at him. He had to squint to make sure, his vision blurry with his glasses off.

"Kaminari, are you all right?"

"Uh?" The blond said before quickly snapping out of it with a chuckle. "Oh! Sorry! Didn't mean to space out like that, it's just that…well I never knew that your eyes were red."

"What?" Iida asked, putting his glasses back on so he could see Kaminari better and immediately had to fight the need to inch away at just how close the blond had leaned in to look at him.

"Your eye color." The blond explained again. "It's red, not blue."

"It is." He said slowly, feeling trapped under the others' gaze.

"How have I never noticed that before?" Kamianri mumbled to himself, still looking a bit lost in thought as he continued to stare him down.

Iida felt his cheeks heat up at being under such an intense gaze, not knowing if he should answer Kaminari's question but feeling like he needed to do something before he started to squirm. "Well, my glasses probably obscure my eyes a bit, and it probably doesn't help that they are tinted a bit to help keep blue light from irritating my eyes.

"Huh," Kaminari said, sweeping his eyes over him one more time before sitting back in his chair. "You should consider not wearing your glasses as often. You look good without them."

"I…thank you…I think but… I kind of need my glasses to see, Kaminari."

Kaminari tilted his head at him in confusion before it suddenly clicked in his head, his brain finally catching up to his mouth. "Oh my, All Might!" The other said with a groan, his face heating up in embarrassment. "Duh! That was such a stupid thing for me to say I don't know why I even thought that!"

Iida frowned as Kaminari laughed at himself, once again hearing the word stupid used to describe the blond. "You know I hate when you say that about yourself."

"What?" Kaminari asked, looking back up at Iida. "When I say what about myself?"

"When you say that you're dumb or stupid. It actually irritates me to no end."

"Oh, uh I'm sorry?" Kaminari said hesitantly, suddenly looking uncomfortable in his chair.

Iida quickly sat up straighter, only now realizing what he said without thinking and how blunt his words must have sounded. "Sorry, that came out rude, I don't mean to upset you."

"It's all good," Kamianri said, trying to deflect. "No harm done, unlike what Big Brother did to--"

"Actually, Kaminari, though I would love to discuss the book more with you I would prefer sticking to the topic at hand because I've noticed some things that bother me and I would like to address them."

Kaminari gave a noise of distress but quickly covered it up with a smile. "Oh no! Did I finally find your Kaminari limit?"

Iida frowned at the joke, suddenly regretting bringing this up in the first place but the need for answers weighed his need to comfort as of right now. "I assure you that is not the case. I enjoyed our conversation and the time I spent here with you today."

"Y-yeah?" Kamianri asked, making Iida's heart clench at how hopefully he looked.

"Of course! You have such amazing analysis of the books and retention for memorizing all the little details that happen. I was honestly amazed by your vast knowledge of the subject.

"Oh, well you're a really easy person to talk to!" The electric user said with a wink, seeming to try to push the spotlight back onto him but Iida wasn't having it.

"I was pleased to hear that but that is only because you had so many fascinating things to say! And it is because of how well-read you are and then can articulate your interpretations of the text back that I find it rather frustrating that you go and call yourself stupid."

"I--what?" Kaminari asked, looking confused. Iida didn't know if it was because he went full corporate mad while he was explaining or if Kaminari really didn't notice how he constantly put himself down, either way, he didn't like the implication of both.

"All I'm trying to say is that you are extremely intelligent and it hurts to see you, and others for that matter, brush it off like it doesn't exist."

"Iida…" The blond said slowly, looking down at his empty mug in favor of him. "I know that I'm not really dumb, it's just some jokes."

"But it's not." Iida countered. "I've spent enough time with you to know that you have a bad habit of putting yourself down in order to lift everyone else around you up. You let things slide because you believe them to be jokes but I see them as the cruel jabs that they are. I'm sorry that I didn't notice this sooner, as class president it is my job to make sure all stu--"

"Hey now!" Kaminari cut him off, looking more uncomfortable by the second. "No need to get all authoritative on me. Especially when it isn't warranted."

"But it is." Iida protested. "I might be willing to let your lack of confidence slide if I thought that it would come to you with more time and mastery of your quirk, but I can't because I believe that it stems from others constantly putting you down."

"No one is putting me down, Iida."

"They are. I've been watching and though you act like it doesn't affect you I can see that our classmate's words hurt."

"They don't hurt! We just tease each other, that's how we show affection."

"But as your friends, they should know your boundaries and when not to push, and yet they seem to walk all over you without a care about your feelings!"

"They do care!"

"Not to me. Especially the so-called Bakusquad, I mean you hid that we were going out to discuss books because you thought they would tease you! That doesn't sound like a healthy friendship."

"And what do you know about friendships?" Kaminari snapped at him, a scowl on his face that even Bakugou would be proud of.

Iida reeled back, feeling like he was suddenly slapped in the face. The argument that was on his tongue suddenly dissipated as Kaminari's jab settled uncomfortably in his chest and made it hard for him to breathe. He supposes the other was right, he doesn't know a lot about friends or how to keep them but he was trying to get better, right?

"So much for learning how to connect with your peers. The only person that was willing to give you a chance and you ruined it."

Iida blinked rapidly as he pushed his glasses further up his nose, suddenly feeling the urge to cry but not wanting to give in to the sensation. "I…suppose you're right about that." He got up from his seat feeling the need to get out of the quiet cafe, feeling eyes on him even though no one was around except them. "Sorry for overstepping, it wasn't my intention."

"Wait, Iida…" Kaminari mumbled, looking up at him but Iida turned before he could catch his gaze.

"We are supposed to stay together as per Aizawa's rules, but if that makes you uncomfortable I suppose I could walk ahead and you can follow some distance behind."

"Iida--"

"Sorry, I know that doesn't feel like a good solution but I promise that once we get to the dorms I will leave you alon--"

A hand grabbing his own and interwinding with his fingers made him pause, having stopped breathing as well as he looked down to see Kamianri holding his hand on his own. "Iida…" The other said with a huff, pulling gently on his hand back towards the chair. "I'm sorry…that was really uncool of me to say…just…can you sit back down so we can talk this out?"

Iida nodded numbly, his brain focusing more on the hand touching his own and the warm tingling feeling that seemed to spread from all the places Kaminari was touching him. It snaked up his arm sending a calming wave of warmth through his body and settling in his chest. Kaminari didn't pull away until Iida had fully sat down, holding on until he knew the other wouldn't run. A small voice in Iida's head wished that he never let go.

The two stayed in silence for a bit, Iida still focusing on his hand while Kaminari bounced his leg anxiously. This silence was by far worse than all the other ones they had experienced previously and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He wanted to say something, anything to make it better but he doesn't necessarily regret his words, just maybe how they sounded.

"Sorry."

"Sorry."

They both say at the same time, looking up at each other for a second before looking away again. "I'm the one who should be saying sorry," Kamianri said with a huff, "I said something cruel and an obvious sore spot. I shouldn't have done that, no matter how I felt about the conversation."

"I'm sorry for putting you into this uncomfortable situation in the first place," Iida added on. "It's something that I noticed and has been bugging me but that doesn't mean I should have sprung it on you without warning. I just…wanted to help like you have been helping me."

Kaminari gave him a sad smile. "You don't have to pay me back, dude. I'm happy to help."

"And I'm more than happy to return the favor." Iida countered pausing to see if Kaminari was going to cut him off again but when the blond stayed quiet he continued. "I…you have done so much for me and you just seem to have everything figured out."

Kaminari snorted but Iida gave him a look before he could open his mouth. "Social wise anyway. I thought that you were the best in the class at navigating social interactions -and you are- but I guess I thought that meant you also didn't have your own problems. But the more I talked to you, the more I noticed and the less I liked what I found."

Iida paused again, looking to gauge Kamianri's reaction, and saw him looking back down at his mug again. He wanted to reach out to him like his classmate had done countless times at this point but he didn't know if he could muster up the courage right now. "I wanted to be there for you like you are for me. So if you want to talk about it…confide o-or rant. Then I want you to know that I'm here for you. And not as the class representative but…as a friend."

Kaminari looked up at that, scanning him like he was trying to find something buried deep in his soul and making him feel anxious, wondering if he had the secret treasure the other was hunting for. Thankfully, it seemed that he did, Kaminari letting out a long sigh before addressing him.

"Thank you for saying that, and I'm sorry again for how I reacted. I just…I don't really like talking about me or my problems."

"So I've noticed." Iida quipped, feeling bad for interrupting but Kamianri just gave him a lopsided smile, using his leg to kick him gently.

"I guess that I got so used to just grinning and bearing it, I forgot that actually talking about it with someone is an option."

"Probably doesn't help that the entire class is in on the joke. You probably didn't feel safe enough to confide with any of them for fear they wouldn't take you seriously."

Kaminari looked down again, letting out a sigh. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Iida stayed silent, wanting to give Kaminari the time to collect his thoughts like the others had done for him countless times on the balcony. He wondered if he should go ask for a refill for the other hot coco, hoping that it would relax him further.

"The jokes never really bothered me." Kaminari suddenly spoke up, pulling Iida out of his thoughts so he could give the other his full attention. "They were just that, jokes in the beginning."

"But?" Iida encouraged.

"But the more time went on it became the only thing they made fun of me for," Kaminari admitted. "It was like they were just waiting for the right opportunity to get a dumb Kaminari joke in. They would ask about my grade on a test, just so that they could pull out a one-line they thought of… They would start joking about me not studying enough but then joked about how surprising it was when I did show up to study groups. It was like suddenly all my opinions or ideas suddenly became invalid because anything that I said or did was a synonym for stupid."

Kaminari seemed to be on a roll now that he was talking about it, Iida listening with shock at just how bad this was actually affecting him. "I think you're right," Kaminari admitted sadly. "I started to second guess my choices and ideas more now because everyone else seemed to think they needed to. I try to act confident so no one notices, try to stay positive because I know everyone needs that, but it's kind of becoming harder to fake it, you know?"

"It's harder to show that you're not affected by it." Iida stated in the hopes of clarification.

Kaminari just nodded, looking far more exhausted than he did a few seconds again. "Yeah. I guess I'm just tired of always being the punching bag, but it's the role I have to fill so--"

"Who said that you had to be the punching bag?" Iida asked, suddenly feeling angry that someone told Kamianri this.

"No one specifically." The blond quickly backtracked, holding up his hand to try and calm him down. "I just know how this works, you know? I know my place in the world."

"Is this about having a 'thing' again?" Iida asked, still feeling annoyed that Kamianri thinks so little of himself. "Seeing how we are trying to change mine, I don't see why you can't change yours."

"It's not just that." Kaminari sighed with a huff. "I just know that compared to everyone else my abilities and skill set are suited best to support them. Like I'm not the star of the show like Bakugou or Midoriya…I'm in the back either helping hype them up or patch them up when things don't work out." Kaminari shrugged. "I'm the supporting cast in all of this."

"You're a good friend. That's what you are." Iida clarified for him, suddenly remembering the first time they talked out on the balcony and Kaminari saying something similar. "But that isn't all that you are. You're also a hero…and a person with feelings. You deserve just as much respect as everyone else."

"I just don't know how to change it at this point," Kamianri said with a shrug. "I've been playing this part for so long I don't know how to be anything else."

"No one is asking you to change. A smart person once told me that I shouldn't WANT to be anyone else but myself and that goes for you as well. "

Iida felt it was kind of ironic, hearing himself repeating what Kaminari had just taught him not even a month ago and acting like he knew the answers. Kaminari must have also found humor in the situation, giving him a small smile before speaking again. "Really now?"

"It's true."

"Well, as much as I'm glad those lessons helped you, I don't think learning to be a kid is going to help me with this," Kaminari confessed, pointing to himself. "I already got that part down a little too well."

Iida let out a hum in agreement, feeling bad that he can't seem to find a solution to Kaminari's problem. Granted, though their problems do sound similar the solution isn't the same. He was taught how to let loose, communicate, and be a kid. Kaminari already knew all those things with flying colors, so his issue didn't stem from that. He gave another hum in thought before turning back to the blond.

"What would you say bugs you the most?"

"What do you mean?" Kaminari asked.

"Like when you talked me through my problem and we slowly figured out that my issue was I didn't know how to be a kid and then we discussed how to fix that. So I want to do the same, but we need to identify what makes these comments bother you so much."

Kaminari gave a hum, leaning back into his chair more as he thought it through. "I guess…I get mad when they shut down my ideas so fast, or dismiss what I say with a joke of their own. It really does feel like I'm a walking punchline that can't do anything else but place a well-timed zinger for people to scoff at. I don't know…I guess it annoys me that it feels like no one is actually listening. Like they decide when is a good time for me to speak up and during important decisions or missions…that isn't the time."

"You feel like no one takes you seriously?" Iida tried.

Kaminari gasped as he pointed a finger at Iida in his excitement. "Yes! That's exactly it! I'm happy to joke and laugh with everyone but the moment things get serious and I try to participate they just push me to the side!"

Iida winced, not liking how happy Kaminari sounded voicing the issue when the problem was actually disheartening. He was a hero in training after all everyone should take him and his abilities seriously. At the same time, he can remember clearly asking Kaminari to focus on the task at hand, or telling him to stop distracting others from their work. Was he a part of the problem? Did he accidentally shut his classmate down when he was just trying to voice his opinion on the situation? He shook his head to clear those thoughts.

"That was in the past when you weren't as socially aware. What matters now is helping your friend and making sure you don't do it in the future."

"It seems that you are in luck."

Kaminari gave a hum of confusion tilting his head as if asking why Iida thought that.

"I was just recently told that I'm TOO serious all the time."

Kaminari gasped again, reaching out to grab Iida's arm in his excitement. "Bro, you are so right!" Iida laughed, the fluttering in his chest making it hard to keep it in with how excited Kaminari suddenly became. "I literally scored! You can teach me how to be taken seriously!"

"Well, I don't know about that." Iida drawled never having to teach someone how to be serious that didn't involve just asking them. Though Kamianri didn't have a 'how to be a kid' manual either. "But I can certainly try."

"Okay, cool," Kaminari said, putting down his empty cup before picking it back up again. The need to do something to do with his hands as the thought this through made him fidget. "Do I need a notebook? I feel like I should be taking notes."

"I don't think that will be necessary." Iida teased.

"Okay, yeah then uh, I'm ready. Lay it on me!"

Well…" Iida started to say before going quiet, trying to find something to say that will help the blond but not being able to come up with anything. Maybe he should ask for a few days to prepare. He could make a lesson plan that way and Kaminari would have clear instructions. Though Kaminari didn't really do well in the lecture-type setting so he didn't know how effective his words would be. The blond also seemed to want help with the problem now so he really just needed to figure it out now. He let out a sigh, deciding to just wing it and hope for the best. Kamianri could pull it off so why couldn't he?

"The key to being taken seriously…is to…be serious."

Iida winced at how bad that was, Kaminari gaping at him in astonishment. "Wow. Were my lessons this bad? I can't believe you figured anything out with how bad that was."

Iida let out a groan, rubbing his face as he tried to explain himself better. "I just mean that if you want people to take you seriously you have to show them that you care. Raise your voice, be active, and participate. The more you get involved with something the more they are willing to listen."

Kaminari nodded. "I guess that makes sense, but most people tell me to be quiet or stay out of it. I don't want to make people mad."

"I guess that is where confidence comes in?" Iida said, unsure of his answer. "I mean, again you show you care AND can back it up with confidence in your abilities or answer then people are way more likely to listen."

The electric user frowned. "Yeah well, there goes that idea."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't HAVE confidence," Kaminari explained. "I have fake bravado that crumbles when put to the test and everyone already knows my quirk's weaknesses so they don't have confidence in my abilities either."

"It's not about them though." Iida tried. "It's about you and what you believe."

"I…what?"

"I just mean that you are so good at reading people, knowing what they're thinking before they even say it that I think you forget about what YOU are thinking or feeling…does that make sense?"

"Uh, no. not really." Kaminari said with a sheepish grin, looking ready to apologize for not getting it but Iida spoke before he could get a word in.

"That's okay. Let me try and say it a different way." Iida paused looking at his hands before suddenly moving his arm up and down in a chopping motion. "It's like when I'm in a school setting or don't have my switch flipped. I would do what I thought was best and fulfill my role as class representative even if that meant being the bad guy. I didn't care about others' opinions because I knew I had to stand my ground and show that I meant what I said and everyone usually agrees after a bit of arguing."

"Oh," Kamianri said, thinking about it more. "Standing your ground and showing that you mean business counts as confidence?"

"I think it does, or at least people listen to me when I'm like that." Iida conceded before adding on. "I also listen to everyone else though and don't try to shut THEM down either. Just voicing your thoughts and forcing others to agree isn't how this works."

"Yeah, we don't need two Bakugous in class."

Iida laughs at that. "Very true. You just need to talk to people with conviction and maybe speak up if they say something hurtful."

Kaminari grimace. "Yeah, no I'm not a huge fan of confrontation, but if I become more confident then their teasing should lessen anyway, right?"

"I suppose so." Iida once again agreed. "It's the longer route though."

"You took the same route idiot."

"I like road trips. They're more scenic."

Kaminari laughed at that, Iida once again basking in the sound and the warmth that he felt at such an accomplishment. Iida waited for Kaminari to calm down, letting him collect himself, the blond frowning once he did.

"I guess that works for normal conversation and maybe hero training, but the area I struggle the most and causes the most teasing is in school."

"School and grades don't mean everything, some are just more attuned to it than others."

"But it makes it hard when I know that every mistake I make I'll just be ridiculed for."

Iida did not like the sound of that, giving the hand that was still touching his arm a squeeze. "That isn't okay, and I'm more than happy to say something to the class if they are being so mean about it."

"Thanks." The blond said without any real feeling. "But I don't want to be called out more than I already am."

Iida suddenly had a thought looking at the blond curiously. "Why do you think you struggle with school?"

Kaminari just shrugged. "It's boring and it's hard to stay motivated when I don't like the material."

"I understand that. Some lectures are more riveting than others, but you still participate and go to study groups."

"Those are also boring," Kamianri said with a groan. "I really try but I have no motivation after the first five minutes and then people just yell at me because I'm being distracting and then I focus so hard on not being distracting that I don't absorb any of the information."

"I see." Iida thought for a moment, thinking back to how excited Kaminari was to talk about his favorite books, telling him how late he stayed up rereading several of them. He was plenty smart and when given the drive he could do incredible things. An idea suddenly popped into his head, making him sit up straighter and turn towards the blond, his arm moving up and down in excitement.

"I have an idea."

"Really?" Kaminari asked, Iida's excitement already affecting him. "Shoot! What is it?"

"You could study with me!"

Kaminari instantly deflated. "Not that I don't appreciate the offer, but I just told you that--"

"The other study sessions don't work. I'm aware." Iida cut him off. "But that is because they're are too many people and distractions as you called. You need something to keep you engaged and something to look forward to so you stay motivated."

"I--sure?" Kaminari hesitantly agreed.

Iida barely heard him, already formulating a plan in his head, making a mental note to talk to Momo. "I can create a system that will help improve your study methods. This is quite exciting seeing how the entire class could benefit from this."

"R-really?"

"Yes! And with it being a one-on-one tutoring session we can ensure that you are grasping the materials and can ask any clarifying questions needed judgment free! It is a great plan to help not only improve your grade but also help you gain some confidence along the way!"

"If you say so." Kamianri said with a lopsided grin. "I'm going to have to trust you on that."

"So you agree to study with me?" Iida asked, needing to make sure he can set his plan into motion.

Kaminari just laughed. "With how excited you are by the idea I don't think I CAN say no."

"I take education very seriously."

"I'm well aware, dude."

"I also want to take you seriously," Iida admitted, blushing under the curious look the other gave him. "I was probably part of the reason you feel like no one takes you seriously or can complete simple tasks, I mean I know I've yelled at you in the past for it."

"It's fine Iida," Kaminari said, brushing it off. "Everyone does it, just be thankful you are one of the few people I actually listened to."

"Yes, well I just want you to know that going forward that I will always take you seriously," Iida stated firmly but then paused tilting his head in thought. "Well, 90 percent of the time. I still think biting a zombie is a horrible idea."

Kaminari laughed at that, curling in on himself to try and muffle his voice. Iida smiled at him, happy that he was able to make the other laugh again.

"I guess we're more alike than I thought." The blond finally said after he calmed down, looking at him with a soft smile.

"I suppose we are."

The two smiled at each other for a little longer, Iida feeling content with staying like that forever but a shrill beep coming from his phone quickly ruined the moment. He cursed to himself, pulling it out to see that it was time for them to head back to the dorms. He gave Kaminari an apologetic look as he went to grab their mugs and garbage.

"I hate to cut this short but it seems our time is up."

"That's okay!" Kaminari replied, hopping up as well. "I had a lot of fun!"

Iida smiled at him, going to dispose of their trash and then making his way toward the door. He made sure to hold it open for Kaminari to go through before heading back toward UA.

"I'm glad you had fun. If you still want to talk about your problems then we can stil--"

Iida cut himself off when he found Kaminari suddenly not by his side. He turned around to see if the blond started walking in the other direction by mistake but he wasn't there either.

"Kaminair?" Iida asked, repeating it a little louder when the other still didn't appear.

Suddenly the store next to the cafe opened, relieving a grinning Kaminari with a giant sunflower in his hands.

"Kamianri why did you? Where did you go? What?" Iida stuttered, unable to do more when Kaminari continued to beam up at him, placing the flower in his hands.

"For you! To pay you back for my drink and for thanks for listening to me."

"I-- This was unnecessary. I wanted to do those things."

"Yeah, well I wanted to buy you this!" Kaminari countered, already walking down the street.

Iida looked at him for a bit before looking back down at the sunflower still in his hands. It seemed to beam up at him just like the blond that gave it to him. He placed a hand over his heart, able to feel it beat rapidly under his touch. He still didn't know what this was, but he knew he needed to figure it out soon because he feared Kamianri was making him come down with some kind of sickness. Noticing this feeling is always present when the other is around. He gripped the sunflower tighter, adding a call with his brother to his mental list of things to do before jogging to catch up to the blond that seemed to make his heart do crazy things.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The walk back to the dorms was a comfortable one. Kaminari skipped ahead while Iida watched him in amusement. He held the sunflower tightly in his hand, careful to ensure the petals didn't brush against anything or fall off. They didn't say much but that was fine, the silence between them was warm and full of understanding. Besides, Iida didn't know if he could focus on a conversation right now with how many plans he had swimming in his head.

"I'll talk to Momo first to see if she likes the idea, then we will present it to Aizawa for permission. I then have to collect study materials and research ways to help keep Kaminari engaged. I should look into getting some snacks as well if the study sessions go long…"

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost walked right past the school gates, Kaminari letting out a chuckle as he steered him in the right direction. Both of them reached their dorm building in no time, but Iida paused before he opened the door, turning to Kaminari with a shy smile.

"I had fun today."

Kaminari just blinked at him for a second before smiling right back at him. "Same! I would love to do this again sometime!"

"I assure you I took your book suggestions seriously and I'll let you know all about my opinions on them."

"You better! I have some STRONG opinions about the Hunger Games and I NEED you to know what side you're on!"

"I'll start with those then." Iida said with a nod before finally entering the dorms and officially ending their outing in what he deemed a success.

Kaminari followed after him as they entered the common room. Iida headed for the kitchen, wanting to get a vase and water for his flower while Kaminari went towards the stairs but was stopped by someone shouting from the couches.

Turning to look, Iida saw some of their classmates sitting around the T.V. as they played some video game, Mina hung over the edge to shout at them.

"Kami! Come join us so the teams are even!"

"I'll come down as soon as I change!" Kaminari yelled back, pointing towards the stairs as he did.

Mina furrowed her brow, looking over his outfit several times before letting out a low whistle. "Wow, don't you look fancy! I thought you were just going on an errand run?"

"Well you see--"

Kaminari started to say but was interrupted by Kirishima yelling from where he sat on the ground. "Oh yeah! What did you get anyway? Any good snacks you want to share with your bro?"

"Um well I--"

"Did you even go?" Bakugou yelled next, looking at Kaminari's empty hands to then Iida, raising his eyebrow in question. "Did you really disappear for the entire morning just to get some stupid flower?"

"It's not stupid!" Kaminari huffed back. "And Sunflowers happen to be Iida's favorite!"

Now the entire group was looking at them, Iida's face burning at Kaminari's declaration. Even Ojirou was giving them a quizzical look.

"I didn't know you had a favorite flower." The tail hero muttered.

"You never asked." Iida replied bluntly, feeling a little bad for snapping but all the attention on him was making him uncomfortable.

"Forget the flower," Bakugou yelled back before turning back to the duo. "Where were you if you weren't doing errands?"

Sero suddenly gasped. "Don't tell me…Class Rep lied!"

"I didn't li--"

Iida tried to protest, waving his arm up and down to try and gain the class's attention but failed when Mina easily interrupted him. "I can't believe it!"

"Mina if you would just--"

She pointed an accusing finger at them, a smug grin spreading across her face like she just discovered Bakugou's secret romance novel collection. "Keeping secrets, sneaking off early in the morning, AND bringing back a flower! It could only mean one thing."

Iida felt sweat start to gather at the back of his neck, his face heating up and his chest feeling tight with anticipation. He didn't realize until now how salacious his outing sounded when broken down like that. For some reason, the idea made his heart race and his brain stall as he thought about it more. He didn't understand why he wasn't immediately opposed to the conclusion, shouting at the girl that she was wrong and nothing of the sort was happening between him and Kaminari. Maybe because the real reason was supposed to be a secret and Kamianri wasn't comfortable sharing? He wasn't sure, but no matter what he thought his mouth remained shut, the ideas swirling around in his head with a mixture of feelings he couldn't even begin to decipher, keeping him too preoccupied to respond.

"But would Kaminari even be comfortable with the idea of going out with me?"

Iida felt dizzy at the thought, that weird feeling growing in his chest and making his stomach roll nauseatingly. The urge to correct became stronger, suddenly almost like he was scared that even speaking the thought out loud would cast a disastrous spell that couldn't be Undone.

"Mina I don--"

"You guys were studying without us!"

Iida sputtered, all tension and dispute leaving his body at Mina's words.

"Bro," Kirishima said, looking between Iida and Kaminari in clear betrayal. "You went and studied without us?"

"I--I uh."
"Wait! There was a study group and I missed it!" Hakukura suddenly spoke up as she exited the kitchen, waving her hand angrily at Iida as she did. "I'm struggling with math and you didn't think to invite me." "Same here!"
"I could use a study buddy!

"Iida, share your knowledge with us!"

"I-It wasn't like that." Iida sputtered for a different reason, suddenly overwhelmed by the number of people angry he studied without them.

"Oh?" Sero asked. "Then what were you doing if not studying?"

W-well I-- We. Uh, the thing is…"

"We were discussing old English books." Kaminari suddenly spoke up, raising his hand as if he was in the classroom and waiting for the floor to be his.

The room went silent for a moment, everyone looking at Kaminari with various degrees of confusion. Iida was also looking at the blond, but more out of concern. He didn't want the other to feel pressured to tell the truth, especially when he just discussed why he was so uncomfortable bringing up his hobby to begin with but Kaminari just gave him a crooked smile in return, trying to reassure him that he was okay.

The silence was suddenly broken by a loud snort coming from the end of the couch, everyone turning to look at Jirou who hasn't said anything until now. She was scrolling on her phone, looking like she was only half paying attention to the conversation happening around her. "You would do something boring like that, Jammyingwhey."

Kaminari tensed at her words, looking a little pained but holding his smile in place. "It's actually really fun if you like the book your diss--"

"Augh! Don't start!" Mina suddenly whined. "I'm trying to cram MATH into my head, not English right now!"

Kamianri quickly shut his mouth with a soft click, looking even more downturned than before. His smile fell a little further but he still stubbornly kept it in his face. "Right, sorry."

"Did you talk about American comic books?" Sero suddenly asked, looking a little interested. "I read some of them."

"It was English literature," Iida explained again. "Like Jane Austin, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, and some other more modern authors."

"Oh," Sero said, turning towards Kaminari with his signature wide grin. "I didn't know you read things that didn't have pictures in it."

Though Sero didn't sound malice when he said it, the roar of a laugh Bakguou let out and the other chuckles around the room didn't make it sound any better. Kaminari tried to laugh with them but it sounded so fake to Iida that he wondered how no one else seemed to notice.

Iida felt his shoulders hike up and his face morphing into a disapproving scowl. How dare they make fun of Kaminari and his hobby while he was standing RIGHT there. It was beyond rude, it was bullying, and it was downright villainous in his eyes. He looked over at Kaminari trying to get the other to say something, to stand up for himself, but the other just seemed to have shrunk into himself and was just waiting for a moment to run. It made him even more angry, seeing how much his friends' words affected him and ruined his mood. The blond was so happy not even a few seconds ago and all of that has been ruined because their classmates didn't know how to be nice, or how to judge others based on their looks.

"Good one!" Bakguou yelled, slapping Sero on the shoulder once he calmed down from his laughing fit. "Like Dunce Face has the attention to even get through a picture book." The others chuckled again, Sero squawking as he was almost pushed off the couch.

He felt the nauseating feeling turn in his stomach, stirring until it was nothing except for a fiery rage he had only felt only a few times before. He lifted his hand, his hand clenched in a fist before he consciously had to straighten it out as he pointed it at Bakugou.

"How dare you say such a thing about not only your fellow classmate but your friend!"

"Huh?" Bakugou asked bored, his eyes following Iida's chopping movement before looking at him in the face. "I didn't do anything Glasses."

"Yes, you did!" Iida argued, stepping forward to address everyone in the room. "All of you did when you started laughing and making fun of Kaminari's interest!"

"Iida…" Kaminari tried to say, but Iida wasn't going to let the blond stop him when he knew this needed to be said.

"Kaminari just told you that he likes discussing literature and what did you as his FRIENDS do? You told him it was boring," He pointed to Jirou then pointed his finger at Mina. "To shut up about it," He then went over to Sero and Bakugou. "And then implied that he was so stupid that he couldn't even read a picture book!"

"Whoa, Iida. That's not what I--" Sero tried to interject but Iida cut him off with a hard chop a little too close to his face.

"Do you know how insensitive that is? How RUDE that is. If Kaminari is your friend then why are you all making fun of him and ridiculing him for his lack of intelligence? Which, by the way, his understanding and breakdown of English literature is so amazing and he's even better at deciphering the text than ME! He is far more intelligent than any of you seem to give him credit for and I'm sick of seeing him get put down for something that isn't true."

Iida breathed heavily after his little speech, looking around the room at all the stunned faces around him, even Kaminari was looking at him with wide eyes, his mouth slightly left agar as he continued to stare at him. He couldn't tell if the look was a good or bad one, but the undivided attention from everyone was starting to make him feel uncomfortable. He looked down to fidget with his glasses, clearing his throat in the hopes of something else coming out of his mouth to maybe justify his outburst but no more words seemed to want to leave his mouth.

He was considering just sprinting out of the room when suddenly a loud sniff from the couch caught his attention. Turning, he was surprised to see Kirishima tearing up on the couch, his fist closed tightly to the blanket in his lap.

"You're right."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said you're right!" Kirishima said louder, looking up at him for a moment before lowering his head again in shame. "We were being unmanly…we have been being unmanly." Kirishima quickly got up from his spot on the couch so he could fully face Kaminari. "I never meant to make fun of you or your interest bro! I thought we were just joking around. I never meant to hurt your feelings!"

"Oi!" Bakugou said, grabbing his boyfriend's arm to pull him back down. "Quit it with the waterworks. You did nothing wrong."

"How can you say that when I laughed!" Kirishima tried to protest, probably rethinking all the jokes he had said at Kaminari's expense and regretting them.

"Because it was just a joke. You didn't mean anything bad from it." Bakugou tried to explain, looking at Iida with a slight glare, probably mad that he made Kirishima cry.

"Jokes can still hurt." Iida replied calmly and seemed to make Kirishima more upset in the process.

"But I wasn't trying to be mean!" Sero suddenly said, looking around the room. "I read English comic books! Kaminari knows this and he also reads them! I'm just surprised because he's never talked about reading anything else before."

"Oh," Iida said, still a little embarrassed for calling everyone out. Sero's explanation made perfect sense after he explained himself better and he had a right to ask that question -the question actually being a good one because he showed actual interest in Kaminari's hobby- but something still seems off about it. "Then why did you phrase it like an insult?"

Sero sputtered. "I-I didn't mean to. I didn't know how it sounded until it left my mouth." He muttered to himself for a while before looking almost frustrated with himself. "I was genuinely curious about what he was saying, but it just…got lost in translation."

"Mmmh." Iida hummed, looking over at the other members of the Bakusquad. "It seems to happen a lot."

Mina and Sero cringed, looking even more guilty the longer they thought about their behavior.  "Sorry, Kami," Mina mumbled. "I didn't say to shut up to be rude. I was just making a joke about ME but I guess I can see how…mean it was towards you."

"I-Its okay!" Kaminari quickly tried to soothe the girl, not having said a lot during this conversation yet, his voice giving away how flustered he was from the turn of events. "I know what you meant, so don't worry about it."

Iida raised an eyebrow at him wondering why he was still trying to brush things off after he already yelled at everyone that it wasn't okay. Jirou must have thought the same thing because she also spoke to him with a curious look. "Iida seems to think we need to worry about it, so don't go trying to back out of this now. If you want us to stop with the jokes then you need to tell us that they are bugging you."

Kaminari cringed, not liking the attention on him anymore. The blond looked anywhere but his friends as he wrung his hands together. He quickly eventually landed on Iida and he gave back a subtle thumbs up and small smile in support, hoping that his silent encouragement would be enough for the blond to open up about his feelings. He had the stage and he wanted Kamianri to use it to help him feel more comfortable with not only his place in his friend group but also more confident in voicing his opinions in general. The corner of Kamianri's mouth ticked up at the sight before turning away to take a calming breath.

"It didn't bother me at first…Most of the time it still doesn't…but suddenly the ONLY jokes you guys make is about how dumb I am and it just…hurts?" Kaminari sounded unsure of himself, knowing he was contradicting himself but not seeming to have the words to explain it better. "I just felt like I couldn't bring up my interest in literature because you guys would make fun of me, you know? Like you would just laugh at me instead of taking me seriously…I feel like I'm never taken seriously, which I get because I like to joke around but it also sucks? I just…I don't know…I mean, you guys are so cool and smart that if you all keep saying that I'm dumb then it must mean…That I'm acutall--"

"You're not dumb, Dunce." Bakguou cut him off, looking as pissed as ever.

"W-what?" Kaminari asked, probably confused by the complete contradiction that one sentence held.

"You're not dumb," Bakugou repeated. "You think I would waste my free time with someone who I actually thought was an idiot? That I would train with someone I didn't think had value or skills that would benefit me? You might actually be a dunce if you really thought I would just waste my time on someone who wasn't worth it."

"Bakugou…" Kaminari whispered, clearly unsure of what else to say.

"Same goes for me," Jirou said. "Don't get me wrong, I love teasing you, but I would never do so to intentionally hurt you. I knew you liked literature and I have no issue with you talking to me about it."

"You…knew?" Kaminari asked with a tilt of his head, wondering when he had told Jirou about his interest before.

The girl just rolled her eyes at him as she messed with her earphone jack. "You didn't TELL me but it's why I call you Jammyingwhey. You instantly went off about Hemingway and some book he wrote. I knew you were a book nerd ever since."

"Oh…" Kaminari said with a blush dusting his cheeks, forgetting about that interaction.

"So yeah, I never meant what I said out of malice, but if it came off that way then I'm sorry and I'll try to be better about it in the future."

"Same here!"

"And me! I promise to be more manly in the future!" Mina and Kirishima spoke up next, raising their hands in the air like they were taking a pledge.

"Guys…" Kaminari said, a real smile starting to break across his face. "You really mean it?!"

"Of course!" Sero said with a thumbs up toward his best friend."

"Just tell us next time something is bothering you instead of sending your knight in shining glasses after us." Bakugou said with a head jerk towards Iida.

He was ready to complain, but Kamainri let out a few giggles, the sound instantly calming Iida down again as the blond looked at him with a grateful smile. "I will. I promise."

"You better!" Kirishima sniffed.

"I hope you're ready for a long talk about this so we can figure out proper boundaries! It's the manly thing to do so I don't upset you in the future!"

Iida smiled back, nodding at him as he raised the sunflower still in his hand up to his chest so he could clutch it in both hands. His chest felt lighter now as he watched Kaminari go to hug the still teary-eyed Kirishima in the hopes of calming him down. The blond was shining in joy, giving off enough warmth that he wouldn't be surprised if the sunflower turned to soak up the rays that were coming off of him in waves.

"Speaking about borning old books," Jirou spoke up, giving Kaminari a half smirk as she looked at him. "Momo has been going on about some book called Pride and Prejudice but I have no clue what is going on and refuse to read some cheesy romance book. Do You think you can give me the spark notes version?"

Kaminari gave her a scandalous gasp, walking over to her instantly. "But the book is way more about romance! It has to do with society standards, dysfunctional families, and outsmarting others in the politest way possible! It is a masterpiece!"

"Then tell us about it!" Mina yelled, throwing the gaming controller down so she could listen as well. "You know I love a good gossip session, even if the people are fictional."

"Oh, let me tell you, this story is full of piping hot tea! Metaphorically and literally!"

As the Bakusquad gathered around the still standing blond as he started to explain the plot, Iida couldn't help but smile, watching how animated and happy he looked as his friends silently listened, only interrupting to ask clarifying questions that the blond happily answered.

He slowly walked away from the scene, feeling proud of the blond for his accomplishment and talking to his friends about his feelings. He hopes this leads to him becoming more confident and being taken more seriously by the rest of the class as well. Kaminari deserves that. He deserves a lot actually and Iida was more than happy to help him achieve that. Speaking of that, Iida went to seek out Momo, having to discuss with her his ideas to help the class with this upcoming math test. 
 
---

Momo was instantly on board with his plan and they both quickly made a proposal to present to Aizawa that day; able to show it to his teacher just before his office hours ended for the day and after several back and forths about safety, supervision, and other important details, got the approval to tell the class that night at dinner.

Iida was practically buzzing with excitement, his legs twitching to break out in a run just to get the extra energy out. Momo looked just as excited as he was, agreeing that they needed something to look forward to, and was shifting from foot to foot in anticipation of telling everyone the news.

They waited until everyone had got their food and sat at the table before standing up at the head of the table together, Momo hitting a fork against her cup to get everyone's attention like she was about to make a toast. Everyone quickly quieted down, looking at them curiously as they waited for them to speak. Iida cleared his throat, looking around the room at his fellow classmates before beginning.

"As you all know that math test is coming up and will happen at the end of next week."

Several groans were heard in the room, some students even letting their heads hit the table in frustration.

"Now, now," Momo spoke, both her hands up in what was hopefully a comforting gesture. "We both know how hard this unit was for everyone, not to mention the review section that is bound to be on the test from the previous two sections, so Iida and I have made a schedule for study groups for those who would like extra help."

"The schedule will be on the fridge, please join whatever one you can fit into your schedule." Iida concluded with a nod.

Several students cheered in relief, while others groaned louder at the thought of studying. It didn't escape Iida that Kaminari was part of the later group, making him smile in excitement at the next part of their announcement. He looked over at Momo, seeing her smiling as well, and gave him a nod to continue.

"Also, because we are so aware how…tedious studying can be and to also recognize how hard we all have been working as of late. Momo and I talked to Aizawa earlier today and were able to convince him that we all deserve a reward if we all passed the test."

"Reward?" Midoryia said, already mumbling to himself as he tried to figure out if it was a logical ruse or an actual treat for them.

Iida chopped his hand in the air, trying to quiet the room as others started to murmur about the supposed reward. "That is correct, as a reward we were able to secure an outing for the class during the weekend following the test."

"We're going to the arcade!" Momo yelled in excitement, unable to keep it in any longer. "The big one in town that has the laser tag, a room dedicated to claw machines, a food court, and enough other things that I'm sure everyone can find something fun to do!"

The room immediately let out an assortment of noises in excitement and instantly turned to the person next to them to talk about the news excitedly.

"This is so cool!" Hagakura yelled.

"I bet you're good at button-mashing games, Shouji!"

"I'm going to wipe the floor with you, Deku!"

"Bring it on, Kachann! I know my friends could beat your group in laser tag any day!"

"Why you!"

"Please remember! We all have to pass the test first before we can go to the arcade." Momo reiterated and earned another group groan.

"Don't worry," Iida added on, looking out at his classmates until his eyes landed on Kaminari. "I have faith in all of you. I know you are all going to do great…I'll make sure of it."

Kaminari's eyes widen a fraction at his declaration, the other students thanking him for the study group session, but Kamianri just counited to look at him, a small smile playing on his lips before he quickly turned away to look down at his food, his cheeks looking a little redder than they did a few seconds before.

Iida couldn't stop himself from smiling at the sight, his heart fluttering again in the weird way that has now become a common occurrence at this point. Not able to look away from the blond as he thought about the one-on-one study session he had planned for them later this week.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Iida has never been more prepared for anything in his life. He isn't even sure he was this prepared for the entrance exam as he looks around his dorm room he just set up for optimal study time. His first study session with Kaminari will be starting soon and he had to make it perfect. As class president he wanted to give all his fellow classmates the perfect environment that they can succeed in, so he spent a lot of his free time learning different study techniques to ensure he had everything perfect for the notoriously distracted student. On his desk, he has notebooks, flashcards, highlighters, glitter pens, sticky notes, and a presentation just in case he needs more visual aids, or pull up some videos to break up his lectures.

On the coffee table, he placed several healthy snacks along with drinks to keep them energized throughout however long this session will last. He found the perfect position for everything so that everything would be within reach of him and Kaminari if they sat across from each other, but also far enough away to not be constantly in their line of sight. It took longer than he likes to admit to organize the water bottles in a way that he thought would promote learning if that was even a thing.

His eyes then slid over to the corner of his room where he knew unhealthy snacks, candy, some pillows, and blankets were stacked for comfort and motivation. He lets out a sigh, knowing deep down that he honestly didn't need all this stuff to have a successful study session but he just needed everything to be perfect for some reason. It was almost like he wanted to impress Kaminari, like he was some kind of corporate shareholder and he needed to make a good impression on him so that he could get the job. It was like the book outing all over again, but somehow even more tense. It was illogical of him to think of it like this, already aware he didn't need to impress Kaminari. After all, they're already friends.

Something in his chest cramped up at the thought, but he ignored it along with all the other feelings that seemed to crash into him at random times of the day, or whenever he thought about his blond neighbor. He really should ask someone about it at some point but he's just been too busy to give it much thought.

"Too busy thinking about Kaminari you mean."

His brain whispered to him and he only gave a hum in conformation, not even denying it when he made this entire arcade trip and study session with the electric student in mind.

"It's only natural after all the time we spent together for me to think about him more. Friends look after one another."

The same uncomfortable feeling struck him but he couldn't ponder on it for much longer because a knock at the door ripped his attention away from it. His heart also forgot the feeling and changed to beating hard in his chest. He quickly looked around the room to make sure everything was perfect, before shuffling to the door. Iida had to stop himself before ripping the door open, feeling like he needed to compose himself before greeting his classmate. Standing taller and straightening his shoulders, he let out a steady breath to ensure he was ready before slowly opening the door.

Any composer he had just obtained completely dissipated as he took in Kaminari and his overstuffed backpack. The blond wasn't wearing anything special; just a big comfy hoodie and a pair of joggers, but that dazzling smile of excitement that was stretched across the blond's face and making the glasses perch on his nose scrunch up got his attention. He could only stare at him as Kamianri continued to vibrate in place, looking like he was enjoying Iida's reaction.

Finally, the blond couldn't seem to wait anymore and raised to his tiptoes so that he was at eye level with Iida. "Sooo, notice anything?"

"I…yes." Iida stuttered out at the sudden close proximity, having to clutch the doorknob harder to keep him from moving back in surprise. "You have--"

"--I'm wearing glasses!" Kaminari cut him off, jumping up a little as he shouted the answer.

"I see," Iida said, still unsure how he should navigate this conversation. "Do you…need glasses?"

Kaminari froze a little at the question, his face getting a little red as he clutched his backpack a little tighter. "Oh uh…no not really. These don't have glass in them, they're just frames."

"Huh." Iida said in lude to an actual answer. He blinked at the blond a couple of times, hoping that with each one the answer would suddenly become clear, or his heart would stop doing whatever it was currently doing in his chest, but both didn't seem evident.

Kaminari cleared his throat, suddenly looking a little self-conscious as he stood outside the dorm room, fiddling with the fake glasses he was wearing.

Iida mentally cursed, wondering what happened to all the manners that his parents drilled into him, and quickly opened the door wider and ushered Kaminari inside. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry! My manners seemed to escape me, please come in."

Kaminari let out a small chuckle as he shuffled past him into the room. "Nah, don't worry about it. I guess showing up with glasses was a little odd now that I'm thinking about it."

"Then why did you?" Iida asked as he closed the door behind him, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Kaminari just blushed harder, pulling the glasses off his face to look at them. "It sounded like a good idea at the time, you know? Thought I could trick myself into studying with them."

"Trick yourself?" Iida inquired as he grabbed some of his studying materials and ushered the blond to sit down at the coffee table with him. The blond followed, dropping his bag down at the end of the table before shuffling to sit next to Iida. Iida tensed at the proximity once again, the urge to tell Kaminari his spot was on the other side of the table threatening to escape. His perfect study session is already unraveling at the blond's choice, not expecting him to want to sit on the same side of the table. He held it in though, not wanting to be rude or cut the blond off as he continued to explain himself.

"Yeah, like how they say that chewing gum can help you remember and focus, I thought that I would try it with these."

Iida nodded knowing that he had a pack of gum in his desk drawer for that very reason. "But why glasses, why not use the gum trick."

"I tried it before and it just distracts me after a while, plus…" Kaminari trailed off, looking over the wall of glasses Iida had displayed in his room before turning away.

"Plus?" Iida pushed, wanting to hear the reason behind this.

Kaminari let out a huff, the blush on his face becoming stronger as he looked anywhere but Iida. "Well… I guess after we joked about you needing to be more like me and how I need to be more like you…I just thought that…maybe studying would be easier if I really WAS more like you, you know?"

Iida blinked at his classmate for a bit, processing what he said before leaning in to try and make eye contact with him. "Wait, are you saying you're wearing glasses because I wear glasses?"

Kaminari just shrugged. "Technically I'm wearing glasses because I'm trying to be smart and you're kind of my example of what someone smart looks like."

Iida was speechless, so many things running through his head as he tried to process what the blond was saying. He can't help feeling a little proud that Kaminari thinks so highly of him even though he doesn't hold the title of top student in the class, and he also has to admit that Kamianri's logic isn't that faulty. People get dressed for work in certain clothes for a reason after all. It creates an atmosphere that helps people subconsciously prepare for certain types of work. If Kamianri does this enough then he could create a habit of when glasses are on, it means he has to focus and it could become easier in time to make that switch the more he does it.

At the same time, it bugs him that he feels like he isn't smart to begin with. He's fought with him on this topic enough that he hoped that it wouldn't be an issue anymore but he of all people should know that old habits are hard to break. "Well…I'm glad you were thinking so hard about making this a productive event, but…I don't think this is really necessary."

Kaminari's shoulders hunched up a bit as he fiddled with the glasses in his hand, looking a little disappointed before quickly wiping the look off his face and replacing it with a small smile. "Yeah, I guess it was kind of a stupid idea."

"No!" Iida quickly corrected himself, grabbing Kaminari's shoulder out of desperation to stop that train of thought. "I assure you the idea isn't stupid, I was just trying to say that you don't need to pretend to be smart because you already are."

"Oh," Kaminari said, his shoulders relaxing and his smile becoming more real. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Iida said with a hand chop. "But if you do want to use the glasses as a focusing aid then I have no issues with that."

"I think I will." The electric user said, immediately putting the glasses back on his face. "I think it will make this more fun! Like we're sassy scientists or something trying to solve the mysteries of life!"

Iida let out a chuckle, as Kamianri started to act out a scene, grabbing his textbook and opening it to a random page, posing with the glasses slid down his nose to look over at him before pushing them back up to their proper position and turning toward the book like he means business.

"Not sure sassy scientist is a real job title, but you do fit the part."

"You think I look like a scientist?"

"I think you look cute."

Iida froze as soon as he realized what had just come out of his mouth, wondering where those words had been hiding because he's pretty sure he'd never thought that before in his life. Not to say he doesn't agree with it, but to say it out loud and to Kaminari's face? He feels like that is against some kind of law. He quickly opened his textbook, burying his burning face into it as he refused to look at Kaminari and whatever reaction he might have.

"I mean you look good! I-In glasses. They…suit you." His voice wavering didn't help with his terrible attempt at trying to smooth out his accidental compliment, his mind running a million miles in all directions as he tried to understand what his next move should be.

"Why did I say that?"

"Why do I know I meant what I said?"

"What does this mean?"

"Is Kamianri mad at him? Weirded out?"

"Why is my heart beating so loud?"

The last thought made him grab at his chest, the fluttering feeling he usually feels turning into a full-on drum solo. It was like Bakugou was beating at it with how hard it was thumping in his chest, each beat holding a weight he didn't quite understand but knew it was significant.

He cleared his throat, forcing his eyes to focus on the page in front of him instead of the confusing mess of thoughts within his head. "How about we start with reviewing the earlier units and then finishing with the most recent one?"

Iida still refused to look at Kaminari, not sure if he messed up this whole study session or not, but the silence was killing him. Kaminari didn't stay silent unless he was thinking, and that thought alone was almost as terrifying as Kaminari just blurting out whatever he was thinking. He was trying to gather the courage to finally look, starting to wonder if Kaminari had left and he just didn't hear the door, but a chuckle suddenly sounded from the other, Kaminari leaning into his side more as he got comfortable. He instantly stiffened, turning to see Kaminari giving him a shy smile, some color dusting his cheeks.

"I got to say, Iida. You're passing your impulsive lesson with flying colors."

"O-oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," Kaminari said, with a hum, before looking down to look at Iida's textbook. "So what page are we starting on?"

Though the question was simple, Iida was finding it hard to focus on it. His mind trying to memorize what it felt like to have Kaminari's weight against him, to feel his warmth from where their shoulders touched and down his arm and ending in a tingling sensation that should alert him of a medical emergency, but he didn't dare move, not wanting Kaminari to move away from him now that he knows how good it feels to have him by his side.

"R-right." Iida muttered, suddenly preferring the harsh thumping his heart was doing to the swirling mix of feelings spinning in his stomach at the contact. It just felt right to him. It felt like this was supposed to happen, like his study plans were supposed to go wayside and Kamainri was supposed to sit next to him all along. He had never known peace until this very moment, yet everything about the situation sent warning bells that by all accounts, shouldn't bring him any kind of tranquil thoughts.

"What is this feeling?"

Iida was thoroughly confused, feeling like a walking paradox with no clear solution to what this all could mean or what he should do about it.

"I really need to talk to someone about this."

Iida thought before shaking his head to clear his mind. He already had plans for that later, so he could ignore these feelings a little longer. Just long enough to help tutor the person who has been at the center of these feelings about math. Easy, right?

"O-okay. So I thought that we could go over different formulas first and what each is supposed to help you find and then give you some practice problems to try and help make sure they stick. Does that sound good to you?"

"Sounds boring if I'm being honest." Kaminari had a cheesy smile on his face as he said it. "But I'm sure you'll make it more fun somehow!"

Iida swallowed hard, not able to look at the other while he was smiling at him like that in those glasses.

"I'm moving that phone call to the next thing on my mental list."

He thought to himself before launching into the explanation he prepared for the study session, praying that he could make it through today without any more impulse thoughts spilling from his mouth. 
 
---

Iida felt proud of himself, having successfully helped Kaminari understand the basics of what would be on the test, planned their next study session, and even made it to dinner on time. They accomplished a lot without any more slip-ups on Iida's part. Though Kaminari was his usual energetic self and they had busted out the pillows and junk food way earlier than Iida had planned, he couldn't find himself to be mad at his planning falling apart more and more. He just wanted Kaminari to be happy and though he had to redirect the conversation several times, he was never upset at the tangents.

Furthermore, he was able to confirm to himself once again that the electric user was smart. He listened intently, tried his hardest to do the work by himself, and was always grateful for the helping hand when Iida guided him through the problem. Kaminari might not understand all of it the first time around, or even the second and third time, but the amount of effort he was putting into trying to understand speaks volumes to Iida. He has always been a huge advocate for putting in effort and he is only upset with himself that he didn't notice how much Kaminari really put in to tell now.

He felt guilty at the thought. Knowing he yelled at Kaminari about paying attention on more than one occasion, he could have definitely handled that situation better, or at least with more tact. Most of the time Kaminair isn't actively trying to be distracting or lose focus, he just tends to let his mind wander when he isn't engaged with the material. It pains him to say that he saw the small amount of truth that was buried under all his friends' harmful jokes. His upbeat and laid-back demeanor added to the idea that he didn't care about the lesson or what was trying to be taught. At the same time, he now knows that with some trials and a couple of errors, he found the best ways to keep the blond's mind from wandering, taking very detailed notes on what works and what doesn't so that he can provide the best tutoring to his friend.

And the effort was completely worth it. Seeing Kaminari's eyes light up in recognition once something clicks in his head, the smile that is directed only at Iida when he tells him he got a problem right, and the multiple shoulder taps that happened when Kaminari became too fidgety and bumps into Iida's side whenever he shifted.

Each bump left him feeling tingly and warm, almost begging the other to do it again and stay a little longer so that he could try and gauge if the feeling was due to the other's quirk or something else.

"You can always try and figure it out at the next study session."

Iida instantly felt his chest flutter at the thought, reminding him of his current problem and the phone call he had been putting off for far too long. He let out a sigh as sat down on his bed, fishing his phone out of his pocket to look at the time. It was late enough that his brother should be off work, but not too late that he would be in bed and trying to sleep. The perfect time to call him for his monthly chat. He still hesitated though, for the first time having so much to say to his brother but not knowing what to articulate it. Usually, he would just give Tensi a rundown of his grades and his training, and then let his brother talk about whatever he wanted. He would ask about his physical therapy sometimes, but Tensi was more interested in telling him about his social life, the new wheelchair-accessible hiking trail he found, or how he was working with his family's agency to have better support equipment for injured/retired Pro Heros. It was always fascinating and Iida loved these talks, but he never had much to contribute, even when his brother pushed and asked about his friends he never had much to say except about their abilities and how he thought their skills could be translated to their hero careers.

His leg twitched with the need to move, anxiety filling him for some reason as he stared down his phone.

"Calm down."

He scolded himself, willing his leg to still.

"This is your brother, you never had issues talking to him about anything before, so why are you acting like this?"

He tried to repeat it in his mind, comforting him that there was nothing to worry about but he still couldn't bring himself to push the call button. It felt like he was about to confess to a crime, or like he was going to be speaking to the hero commission. One wrong word and his entire life and career would be over.

At the same time, he knows he won't be able to figure out these weird feelings without his help. Tensi is the only person he ever spoke he worries with, not only because he trusts his brother's opinion, or because he succeeded in the same career path, but because he was also very emotionally intelligent. He was like Kaminari in that regard. Always able to read people and soothe others' worries. Tensi was good at thinking outside of the box while Iida tended to be the box. If anyone was going to be able to help him out with this issue in a way that Iida could understand and process it was him.

With his resolve solidified, Iida hit the call button and put the phone up to his ear. His heart rate picked up as each ring sounded out but he decided to remain strong. He needed to get this off his chest and nothing was going to stop him now.

Click!

"Why if it isn't my dear brother!" Tensi's voice rang out on the other end of the line, easily able to pick up on the relaxed smile that he was constantly wearing from his tone.

"Good afternoon, Tensi. I hope I caught you at a good time." Iida replied evenly, trying to keep everything he wanted to say from immediately spilling out. He was raised with better manners than that.

"I always have time for you!" Tensi replied easily. "Though I must admit I was surprised when I didn't get your call last week. You usually choose the same day and time each month for your call. Did something exciting happen?"

Iida knew Tensi was teasing him, knowing he is a man of schedules and if anything were to destroy it then that meant either something terrible had happened, or Iida was about to rant about someone's incompetence.

"I'm sorry for the sudden change in routine," Iida said slowly, trying to figure out how to tell him why his schedule was messed up, but unable to find the words.

"No complaints on my end." Tensi said; Iida was able to visualize him, waving off his concern like he always does when Iida got worked up over appearances, or rules. "I'm more curious as to what happened. Was it a surprise training camp? Villain attack? Oh! You had a rager and were too hungover to call me."

Iida let out a squawk in protest at the last one, Tensi laughing at the sound. "How dare you even think that! I'm a class representative at UA and I up hol--"

"Yeah, yeah I know. I'm just teasing." Tensi cut him off with another chuckle. "Man, that never gets old."

Iida stayed silent, letting his brother collect himself and also giving him a moment to think. His brother was teasing, he knew that, but he couldn't help but note that the other two examples he gave were very real reasons as to why he was late calling him. The only two reasons he has ever been late calling him. The feeling that has been slowly fading over the past few weeks suddenly came back, reminding him that he is an adult in a sea of teens and unable to connect with his peers.

"But for real, what happened?" Tensi asked once he collected himself but Iida didn't immediately answer, his mind suddenly lost in the emotion and memories of the weeks prior. The way he felt alone, unappreciated, and the butt of every joke.

"Iida?"

How he thought that he was forever meant to be alone until he suddenly wasn't. His dorm neighbor lent a listening ear and advice that changed Iida's perspective of the world. His affectionate, reassuring smile as he tried to help Iida feel like a kid and act his age. How he was able to connect with his class, navigate disagreements with friends, and how he started to feel included.

"Iida? Are you there?"

Then he thought about all the effort he put into making sure Kaminari knew he was smart, taken seriously, and was able to feel motivated to succeed in the upcoming test. He wanted to help the blond however he could, he was invested in the class seeing the real Kaminari just as much as he was invested in seeing himself be accepted. It was a whirlwind of feelings. A concoction of emotions that if he saw in a glass he would assume it was poisonous. Yet, he for some reason still sipped at it whenever the mood struck him. He didn't know how to explain it any other way. This all-encompassing wave that has been washing over him ever since the electric user entered his life.

"Iida! You're starting to worry me. Are you even still on--"

"--W-we had movie night a while ago." Iida suddenly blurted out, deciding it was best to start at the beginning.

"O-oh?" Tensi answered back, not at all prepared for the sudden answer. "What does that--"

"We watched the Sonic movies…Both of them."

"Really?" Tensie asked intrigued, his usual joyful tone back at the mention of their favorite childhood movies.

"Yes. I suggested it and the class really enjoyed it."

"Of course they did! Their top tier!"

Iida smiled at that, his brother's positivity being infectious. "I…I was worried that I would choose a movie they wouldn't like. A lot of them complained that I would probably choose an educational film."

Tensi hummed. "Well, that doesn't sound nice."

"It didn't feel nice," Iida admitted timidly, biting his lip for a moment before powering forward. He didn't want his brother to focus on pitying him, he needed answers for what came after. "But a student vouched for me. He told everyone that I should get to freely choose like all of them get to choose."

"I'm glad!" Tensi said with a sigh of relief. "Was it Midoryia? He seems like the kind of friend that would stand up for you."

"No…" Iida started hesitantly, his face starting to heat up for some reason. "It was Kaminari…Kaminari Denki."

"Kaminari?" Tensi said in confusion, probably not familiar with the name due to Iida's previous lack of mentioning him.

"Yes. He is the electric user of the class."

"Oh! I think I remember him for the festival now! His quirk is quite flashy! Probably has some good practical use as wel--"

"I chose the sonic movies because I thought he would enjoy them." Iida cut his brother off, knowing that if they got on the topic of Kaminari's quirk he would spend the rest of the night talking about how amazing it could be if the quirk user just had some more training and confidence. "He stood up for me, so I wanted to choose something I knew he would specifically like."

Tensi stayed silent for a moment, probably not expecting to be interrupted once again by him but then quickly recovered. "That was nice. Did he like it?"

"Yes! He thoroughly enjoyed it and then complimented me afterward." Iida didn't say he complimented him for being a kid and letting loose but he thought that detail wasn't needed.

"How kind."

"Yes. I recently learned that he is actually a very nice individual…smart as well. He is an avid reader of early English literature."

"Really? What an interesting hobby."

"Indeed. He talks about books with a passion I have never seen before… I… we had an outing last week to a coffee shop and talked for several hours about English books that we enjoyed."

"Really?" Tensi said again, his voice giving away just how much he was interested in this conversation. Something akin to wonder hinted in his voice.

"It's true. We had a lovely time and on the way back he bought me a sunflower as thanks for spending time with him."

"Why a sunflower?"

"Because they're my favorite." Iida answered instantly, feeling his face heat up more at what he was letting stumble out of his mouth.

"...Duly noted." His brother stated, not questioning him at all and allowing him to continue speaking his mind. He was grateful for that, not sure yet what he was trying to say with all these random antidotes of what he last month had been like but knowing they were important.

"We also have a unit test coming up in math."

"Ah, those are brutal. You feel prepared?"

"Of course. I'm always prepared." Iida answered instantly before hesitating as he thought about the class, and then Kaminari once again.

"The class though…not so much. Momo and I are running study sessions throughout the week to hopefully ensure we all pass."

"That is kind of you."

"We also got Mr. Aizawa agreed that if we all pass the test we can have a day out to the arcade nearby to celebrate."

"That's a great idea! Nothing helps motivate people more than a fun reward! You all deserve it after everything that happened."

"I did it in the hopes of motivating Kaminari."

"...just Kaminari?"

"Well for everyone's benefit." Iida stumbled over himself, trying to explain himself better after that blunt statement. "I agree we all deserve a break and Momo was more than happy to help me set this up but the idea for it came because of Kaminari."

"He suggested it or something?"

"No. He's just…He's very smart, smarter than anyone gives him credit for but he has a hard time focusing so I thought after seeing how excited he was to talk about his books that giving him something to look forward to would help him focus and study harder."

"That is a logical conclusion to make."

"I'm also giving him private study sessions for the test…we just had one today."

"And…how did that go?"

"...Well. He…he sat next to me instead of across that table." Iida took off his glasses to rub at his red face, remembering what happened not even an hour ago and not understanding the fluttering in his chest, or why it felt like he was telling his brother an embarrassing secret.

"We have another one scheduled the day before the test."

Tensi gives another hum probably nodding along to what he said but having nothing more to add. Iida assumed that he was waiting for him to continue but he had nothing else to say. Honestly, he probably did have more to say, but nothing he wanted to voice to his brother at the moment. He just hoped that what he said was enough for him to understand what was happening, what was going on, and then tell him so he could finally put this feeling and confusion behind him.

After another few seconds of silence, Tensi finally spoke back up. "Wow, you sure had a fun few weeks! Glad to see you finally enjoying yourself."

Iida froze at that, having to sit with himself and analyze everything he told his brother to see if what he said was true. "I--yes. I am enjoying myself." He then debated with himself for a few moments before amending his statement. "I did have a fight with Uraraka but Kaminari helped me settle the matter and we are now better friends for it I think."

"Uraraka? You fought? What happened?"

"I misunderstood that she was ranting about her Mother's expectations and tried to give her advice she wasn't seeking. She didn't like that, but Kaminari explained the difference to me and we are now communicating much better because of it."

"I'm glad you got that settled…You're right though. This Kaminari guy does seem smart."

"He's one of the smartest in this class if you consider emotional intelligence. I know for a fact that once he goes pro, citizens will adore him."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?" Iida asked, genuinely confused by his brother's question. Tensi also seemed hesitant to elaborate, like he was afraid what he was about to say would cause Iida to go off on one of his lectures.

"I'm just wondering…I mean it sounds like it from how you talk about him…but do you adore him?"

Iida felt his heart squeeze at the question, making him clutch at his chest like a lifeline. His mouth felt dry, but his hands felt sweaty as he adjusted the phone in his grip. He tried to answer his brother's question, opening his mouth several times before ultimately closing it again due to the nauseating somersaults his stomach was doing. His instincts were telling him to say one thing but then his brain stopped him every time, making him feel like he was confessing to a sin if he spoke it out loud.

"I…I don't know." He finally settled on, suddenly feeling more anxious as he waited for his brother to respond.

"You don't know? Why not? " His brother teased lightly, Iida silently appreciating how calm he was because he felt anything but in this moment.

"I mean he confuses me."

"Iida, you are never confused. You know everything." His brother tried to joke again, but Iida wasn't having it as his true frustration started to leak out.

"Not when it comes to feelings. I've never felt like this before and it is driving me mad! I thought that I was sick for the longest time but this sickness is only around when Kaminari is and it's starting to become an issue. I just became friends with him and I don't want to start avoiding him because my chest suddenly feels tight. Not to mention, when I think about him being away from me, I feel worse. I just don't understand this illness --especially because I know it's probably not an actual illness-- but I don't like it and I want it to stop before it seriously causes any issues."

Tensi stayed silent once again, seeming to also need to collect his thoughts after Iida was done. He heard him clear his throat a couple of times before finally talking with the edge of seriousness he usually reserved for hero work. "This…illness. What are your symptoms exactly?"

"I get a tight squeeze in my chest, or a weird flutter that kind of hurts my heart…um…my hands get sweaty…my face feels like I'm running a fever…and I…I don't know. I just feel nauseous?"

"That's it?" Tensi asked, still sounding serious.

Iida thought it over, trying hard to think what else he had been experiencing. He couldn't get the answers he wanted if Tensi didn't know all the facts after all. "It…It makes me more impulsive."

"Impulsive? Like your behavior has changed since experiencing…these symptoms?"

"Exactly." Iida nodded enthusiastically. "I've been blurting out thoughts and ideas more than I care to admit and it has gotten me into some uncomfortable situations with Kaminari."

"Uncomfortable, as in…embarrassing or problematic?"

"Like suddenly all the symptoms hit me at once and I begin to panic and feel…subconscious. I'm not one to lose control often or at all and doing so this often has been jarring and unappreciative."

"I see," Tensi said, giving another hum as he thought, the noise turning into a giggle towards the end but it sounded like he was trying to muffle it.

"You do?" Iida asked, ignoring the odd reaction for now in favor of finally having an answer to his weird condition.

"Oh, I understand loud and clear little bro!"

"Then can you explain it to me?"

Tensi seemed to go quiet at his request, either needing time to collect his thoughts or maybe he was just staring at his phone in disbelief because he suddenly let out a startled laugh.

"Are you pulling my leg right now? Because let me tell you THAT isn't going to be as effective as it used to be."

"I assure you I'm not," Iida stated calmly, not liking this turn of events. "I wouldn't have told you any of this if I already knew the answer. I'm asking for advice as to how to cure myself from this…thing."

Tensi let out what sounded like a coo, seeming to be back to his playful teasing self. "Aww, sorry but there isn't a cure for this."

"Really? That's terrible!"

"Not at all! It's actually the exact opposite!"

"What do you mean? It FEELS like a problem."

"Yeah, 'cause you are not ACTING on these feelings."

"What?" Iida acted completely confused now. "How am I supposed to act on them? They mean nothing, just annoying symptoms."

Tensi just laughed at him, giggling as he continued to try and talk. "I don't know why I'm surprised. I should have known this is how you would react."

"React to what?" Iida growled in frustration, now completely certain his brother was making fun of him. "Tensi, I do not appreciate the tone you are giving me. If you know what I have or whatever it is then just tell me already instead of wasting both our time!"

"Little brother," Tensi said, letting out another giggle before at least trying to compose himself but Iida could still hear the smirk in his voice. "You officially have your very first crush!"

Iida felt a ringing in his ears, like his brother had said the magic word and now alarm bells were going off. His hands felt shaky and his mind was reeling as it tried to understand what such a simple sentence meant. "C-crush?"

"Yeah! You like, like this Kaminari guy!"

"I…do?" Iida asked slowly, still not believing his brother or what to even do with that analysis. He's never liked anyone before or felt the desire to pursue anyone romantically. He was just starting to understand how to get along and communicate more effectively with his class, he didn't have the time or capacity for more.

"Sure sounds like it to me." Tensi continued, seeming to not notice Iida's distress. Iida heard some shuffling through the phone before Tensi let out an appreciative hum. "I can see why as well."

"Huh?" Was Iida's eloquent response. Too far gone into his own head to answer properly, but also listening just to make sure he doesn't miss any insight Tensi might have.

"Yeah, I just looked Kaminari up and I got to admit he's pretty cute."

The teasing tone was back and was making Iida's face heat up. "Tensi! That is inappropriate!"

"I meant he's cute for you!" His brother said with a laugh. "Though if I were you I would snatch him up now. A cute guy like that will surely be taken if not sooner than for sure when he debuted as a hero."

"S-snatch him? I'm not going to kidnap a classmate! That is against--"

"--I meant to ask him out!" Tensi cut him off, steamrolling over all of Iida's stuttering and confused words. "Go on a date with him and tell him how you feel, you know? Claim him as your boyfriend before anyone else gets the chance."

"I…I can't. Tha-- I don't…I don't understand."

Tensi let out a sigh, seeming to finally hear the panic that had crept into Iida's voice. "Hey, Iida? Can you breathe for me? In for five and out for seven."

Iida nodded even though his brother couldn't see him and started the breathing exercise without complaint. He didn't realize how erratic his breathing had gotten to be lost in his thoughts and analyzed his past actions to notice how he was reacting to his brother's words.

He listened as his brother joined him, breathing in time together as he slowly started to calm down. His mind still seemed to be racing with theories and ideas. Reminding him of every nice thing Kaminari had done for him and how it made him feel. Did he feel appreciative? Warm? A sense of belonging? Or was it really love?

He took another shuddering breath in at the thought, trying to shake that word out of his head and focus on getting his breathing under control. It took several more breaths, his brother coaching him the entire time, but he finally felt his heart rate settle and his muscles begging to relax. Nothing happened right away, Iida taking the time to remember what it feels like to not be so stiff, and his brother was thankfully giving him that time.

"...do you feel better now?" His brother finally asked hesitantly.

"I…yes. Thank you, Tensi."

" No need to thank me…especially when I should be the one apologizing."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm the one that pushed you too far. I just got so excited to finally tease you about crushes and angsty teen romance that I forgot what it's like to experience those feelings firsthand."

"Don't be. You're my brother. It's your job to tease me." Iida instantly replied, never wanting his brother to feel guilty over something like this. Tensi let out a small chuckle as well, the last of the tension between them seeming to dissipate with it.

You've…felt this way before." Iida asked after a beat, wanting to understand more about this feeling and why his brother thinks he has them.

"Of course. Many times." Tensi confirmed.

"Then how did you…how do you deal with it?"

Tensi gave a hum. "I guess that depends on a few things."

"Like what?"

"Like if you want to pursue these feelings or not."

"I…I don't know."

"That's fine. These feelings can also disappear over time. Infatuation is common when you start to hang out with someone new."

"How do you know the difference?"

"You don't. Not in the start anyway. It's kind of up to you to decipher your feelings and what category it goes into."

"But how can I do that when I've never felt anything like this before?" Iida was starting to feel desperate, memories of his late-night chats with Kamianri coming to his mind as the similarities suddenly became apparent. He tried to push them away, thoughts of the blond now only making him more confused. "I…This was never a part of the plan to become a Pro. I never prepared for this or know what to do o-or even what to--"

"And that's okay." Tensi interrupted him, his voice staying soft and light in the hopes of keeping him calm. "Life never goes as planned. It's honestly a miracle your plan has lasted this long, to begin with."

The joke fell flat, Iida was not in the mood for his brother teasing him about his perfectionism along with his apartment feelings. "It's the plan Mom and Dad planned out for me."

"But it's your life. Not there's." Tensi instantly argued back, sounding annoyed by his answer. "You are allowed to do as you please, follow your own path, and fall in love as you please."

"But I don't know if I'm…I don't know if I can. I wasn't ready for that. It wasn't supposed to happen while I was still in school."

"That's the beauty of life, little brother. It gives you things in the most unexpected times but that's what makes every experience special."

Iida had to agree that what he had with Kamianri felt special. The mutual understanding that is between them, the time they spent together, and the way they look out for each other now. All of it is special and Iida is grateful he decided to stick around on the balcony for as long as he did all those weeks ago. But that doesn't equate to love. Does it?

"I still don't know how I feel. I can't…how do I know what I'm feeling is…"

"Again, that's up for you to decide." His brother answered, deciding not to let him struggle over saying the 'L' Word. "You could feel something romantic towards him but it can be less than the word Love. You could feel affectionate around him or just really happy and that can grow into love over time."

"But how do I figure that out NOW." Iida pressed again, never one that can leave a problem without a solution.

"I'm sorry to say but…the only way TO tell is with time," Tensi said with a sigh. "Think about it more. Try to analyze how Kaminari makes you feel and what you want to do about those feelings."

"But I can't-- I don't want-- This feels wrong."

"I know this is new to you and if you want, I'm always here to talk you through it, but at the end of the day the decision is yours and I don't want to accidentally influence your decision." Iida gave a hum, understanding what his brother was saying but still not liking that answer.

"You can also talk to a friend about it!" Tensi tried again, sounding hopeful. "They would know you and Kaminari best and could have a great outsider opinion on the situation."

Though his brother was trying to be helpful, Iida could only wince at the idea. He didn't think any of his close friends would be very helpful in the romance department. Midoryia turns red at even a mention of a girl, Todoroki is too passive to care about something like that, and he literally had an argument with Ururaka about a very similar topic recently. He does not doubt that they would try to help him in his situation, but none of them would have any real experience or advice that he could probably use. The rest of the class would be no better. A shiver went down his spine at the thought of a gossip like Mina finding out his maybe feelings. No, talking to his class was out of the question.

He briefly considered talking to Kaminari but quickly shut that down. This issue is about him, he can't rant to him about something like this. It was far too dangerous and seemed even illogical to think that it was an option. He shook his head for what felt like the hundredth time that night, needing to rid the blond from his mind for a few hours.

"I'll try."

"That's all I ask," Tensi answered, a breathy laugh following after. "You know, I get that this is super scary and new to you, and I'm sorry again for teasing you, but at the same time I'm just so relieved."

"Relieved?"

"Yeah, I'm just so happy that you seem to finally be having fun and experiencing the joys of being a kid!"

"I…I am." Iida stated dumbly, truly meaning the words but shocked that his efforts of trying to be more kid-like were already noticeable. "...Kaminari has been…helping me with that."

"Well, tell him he has my thanks! I've been trying to do the same thing for years after all."

Iida let out a small laugh of his own, well aware of the insane pranks and hijinks his brother would try to rope him into while they were younger. "I'll let him know."

"Better yet, I think I want to meet him. A friend of my brother is a friend of mine!"

"I'm sure that can be arranged."

"Great! I want to make a good impression on my maybe brother-in-law as soon as possible!"

"TENSI!"

His brother just laughed at him, quickly transitioning to talk about what he had been up to earlier this month and what he had been doing with his own friends before Iida could argue with him. Iida listened intently, a smile of his own coming to his face as he allowed the distraction to push all the confusing thoughts about Kaminari out of his head. He's glad his brother is on his side and doesn't seem to mind his maybe feelings for one of his classmates. He feels lighter; like he can finally take a deep breath after not being able to for so long. The weight he had unknowingly been carrying came off and left him feeling good.

His thoughts were still a mess and he had no idea how he was supposed to figure out if he had actual feelings for Kamianri or not, but that was tomorrow's problem. He has done enough thinking for tonight and is more than happy to shut off his brain and just listen to his brother talk. He has time to figure it out after all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The rest of the week went by as per Iida's schedule. Starting with his morning jog, going to classes, having study sessions with the class, and then pretending to read in his room while in reality, he was trying to understand his feelings for Kaminari. Unfortunately, he hasn't gotten very far on that front, and he is starting to lose precious sleep over it. It doesn't help that while he still isn't sure about his feelings, he has been interacting and seeing Kaminari every day. He'll think that he has a handle on how he views his fellow classmate and then Kaminari will come running up to him and begin talking in earnest about the new book he's reading and instantly put him back at square one as soon as his heart starts fluttering.

He's been talking in circles with himself, his brother giving him a good launching point but no real tools as to how to understand his emotions. Granted, he did say this would take time, but Iida doesn't have time. He is a man with a schedule, one that shouldn't include staring into the abyss for several hours trying to understand what a "crush" is. Plus, Tensie is right, Kaminari is an attractive individual and it will only take one smart person to also see how kind he is and ask him out before he even gets a chance to understand what he wants from his dorm neighbor.

His stomach gives a familiar somersault at the thought, hating the idea of  Kaminari finding a significant other, but still unsure if that was due to losing time with his new friend, or because he wants to be the significant other in this scenario. Iida groaned at the thought, taking off his glasses to rub his eyes as he did. Once he put his glasses back on he winced up at his ceiling realising how he had started telegraphing his thoughts more with physical reactions. He's pretty good at keeping a neutral front about his thoughts, and not voicing them as long as it isn't about someone breaking a rule or anything, but this inner turmoil has been hard to hide.

Tsu has given him an odd look when she spotted him walking to school with Kaminari instead of with her and Midoryia. He tried to cover it by lecturing his neighbor about setting his alarm properly, but Kaminari ruined his lecture with his easygoing smile. "Why do I need to set an alarm when I know you'll ensure I make it to school on time anyway?"

He tried to yell at him about how he wasn't his personal alarm clock, but the smile that was threatening to take over his face made it obvious he didn't mean it. It isn't his fault that it felt good to hear his fellow classmate relying on him, but he doesn't know how he felt about Tsu also seeing his uncharacteristic reaction.

He could only pray to All Might that Kaminari hasn't picked up on any of these things. The study session they had earlier tonight was brutal in the fact that the electric user was acting so endearing and he wasn't even aware of how it was affecting Iida. Again, Kaminari chose to sit next to Iida, both of them sharing the textbook as the other unashamedly leaned into him. Then Kaminari would smile up at him when he got something right or flop onto him even more if he didn't understand something. It was doing things to Iida's insides and he only hoped that it STAYED inside instead of giving away to how he felt about Kaminari.

"Not that I fully understood how I feel about my neighbor."

Iida grumbled to himself as he sat up from his bed. His room was pitch black at this point, unable to do much else after Kaminari left for the night but sit and think about him and his rapidly beating heart. He felt like the answer was right in front of him, but every time he wanted to make a conclusion, a new piece of evidence or a memory would resurface and then he would start the process all over again. He's frustrated because he knows the scientific method requires a lot of trials, and tests in order to truly confirm if a hypothesis is correct or not, but he can't do that with this particular scenario. Like all social interactions, there is only one conversation or one particular instance and if you guess wrong in that instance, then you ruin the conversation and or relationship. There is no metaphorical conversation. What is said is said and no one can take it back and have a clean slate to see if the next results would lead to a better outcome. It's one of the reasons why he has a hard time navigating social interactions, he doesn't know what path gets the best outcome and the idea of choosing the wrong one terrifies him. Granted, he was able to fix his blunder with Uraraka, but he feels like this situation with Kaminari was different, or held far more weight than the other conversation. He doesn't want to get it wrong. Not if the wrong outcome could hurt Kaminari or their friendship. He had to be absolutely certain about this before making a move.

"What is even considered a move?"

He thought in frustration.

"Do I even need to make a move unless I want to specifically go on a date with him? Does going on another book outing count as a date if the first one was between friends?"

Iida shook his head at these questions, knowing they didn't come until after he decided how he felt but it's hard not to let his mind wander and think of all the possibilities and where they would lead.

"How would they tell the class? Would Kaminari want to tell the class? Is he even attracted to men? Am I? What will my parents think?"

That question always makes Iida feel sick to his stomach, not because he doesn't think his parents won't like Kaminari if he ever introduced them. He's a student at UA to become a hero like him after all, but because of their plan for him. They have his entire career and life mapped out to help make sure he has a successful career and help make sure the family business stays successful as well. They wanted him to become an established hero before he got married. That way they could easily use his marriage as a merger with another company or drive up buzz when he chooses to marry another well-known hero.

"They never said anything about dating though."

Iida mused, considering that he would want to be a good husband to the person he married so practice in the husband department would be beneficial.

"I don't want to just practice with Kaminari though if I do decide to pursue him. So by choosing to pursue him then means that I intend to marry him."

Iida blushed at the conclusion he came to, his face feeling hot as he thought of marrying his classmate. He quickly stood up and began pacing the room to try and calm down his beating heart. It is a logical conclusion but if he was having trouble with the idea of dating at this age, marriage just sounded insane. Still, he couldn't help but have a small part of his brain like the idea.

"Why wouldn't you want someone kind and attentive to your needs to be your partner? Kaminari has all the great qualities you lack so becoming a team would be very beneficial for both of your careers and lives."

Iida felt like he was overheating as his brain continued down this dangerous path, reminding him of all the compliments Kaminari had given him over the last few weeks, and how he would say that he wished he was more like Iida. Iida had felt the same way about him, and seeing how their friendship has brought nothing but great improvement from each other in their social and academic lives, taking it a step further and being a permanent team should also help them continue having success.

Logically it makes sense."

Iida concluded.

"But how do you feel about him? Would this just be a transactional endeavor or would I really love him?"

Again, feelings just had to ruin everything. He let out a sigh as he took another lap around his room. It would be unfair of him to be in a relationship if it was only for their mutual gain. Though, he supposes that is the kind of marriage his parents are planning for him, right? He never thought about it, assuming they would have a private date set up and have a relationship before they announced their engagement publicly, but was that going to be the case? Iida thinks he would be fine with it being a little transactional -arranged marriages tend to be that way- but now that he's becoming more aware of his feelings and emotions; marrying out of love sounds…nice.

His face heats up again when Denki pops back up in his head, a groan escaping him as he runs his hands through his hair in the hopes of removing the image with it.

"It's too hot in here."

Iida thinks, after suffocating in his thoughts for far too long.

"I need fresh air."

He quickly makes his way to his balcony, pushing the door open and instantly getting hit with relief the light wind brings him. He takes several deep breaths, just enjoying the peaceful environment and the calm that has finally settled over his brain. Maybe he can finally get some sleep. Iida almost scoffed at the idea, knowing that his room needed time to air out all his suffocating thoughts before he could even think about going back inside and trying to sleep. He really should be sleeping at this time though, the big test is tomorrow after all.

Iida was just wondering if he could distract himself with some practice equations so that he was at least using his time wisely when a soft, upbeat tune slowly drifted over to him. Iida felt himself freeze, deja vu washing over him as he looked over towards his neighbor's balcony.

Just as he thought, Kaminari had made himself a little blanket fort again, snuggling into the side of the railing with his switch held tightly in his hands. The only real difference from the last time he caught Kamianri out here, was that the blond was staring directly at him instead of his game.

Iida almost flinched in shock at suddenly making eye contact with the person who had been occupying his thoughts for so long but was able to restrain himself at the last minute. "Kaminari." He said evenly.

"Iida." Kaminari countered in the same tone, a sheepish smile on his face.

"What are you doing up? You know we have a very important test tomorrow."

"I could be asking you the same thing." Kaminari said back cheekily, before dropping the act and becoming a little more shy. "I know I should be in bed, but when I tried to go to sleep all I could think about was the test and then I just got the jitters so I thought instead of trying to force sleep I'll just…distract myself until it finally comes."

Iida gave a tentative nod. "I do. Just don't stay up too late because you got distracted."

"I won't. I promise." Kaminari said instantly, holding his hand up like he was taking an oath. He then looked at Iida expectantly. He didn't say anything, letting the silence stretch between them, but he looked to be actively listening. Iida cursed to himself, realizing Kaminari confessed not only to save himself from a lecture but because he wanted to open up the floor to allow Iida to talk about why he was up if he wanted to.

He was being too obvious, just as he thought. Kaminari can see right through him. though to be fair, he doesn't really come out to his balcony unless he needs to think about something so he supposes Kamianri isn't wrong in assuming he has something on his mind. He let out a sigh, leaning on the railing that was facing Kaminari. "We have got to stop meeting like this." He mumbled and got a sharp snort out of Kaminari.

"What will our families think?" Kaminari questioned back, pretending to use his hand as a fan and changing his tone to sound more regal. "The foreigner-eligible bachelor scaling the balcony of an already promised woman. The town is sure to talk."

Iida cracked a smile, but had to quickly look away as he realized his joke also implied that Iida was here to see him.

"Does he know? No. It's impossible. I don't even know! But Kaminari has always been better at spotting these things than I am so maybe he has already figured out what I can't."

Iida felt his face heat up in embarrassment, unsure of what conclusion his classmate had come to but suddenly terrified to find out.

"Iida?" Kaminari asked suddenly, making him look back up at the other in fear. Wondering how much the electric user already knows. Maybe he should just go back inside. His heart was beating way too fast for it to be considered normal and the knowledge that one false move could expose his inner turmoil was only making it worse.

"Do you…want to come over here?" Denki asked, holding up the blanket he was wrapped in. "You look cold."

Iida quickly shook his head, his arm working double time to hopefully cover up how flustered he was feeling. "No. That is unnecessary, I should honestly be going to bed as well, but I just wanted to get some fresh air first."

"Oh," Kaminari mumbled, lowering the blanket in what seemed like disappointment. He had a slight frown on his face as he looked Iida over, seeming to search for something. "Okay, if you say so."

Iida nodded stiffly in allude to saying goodnight. He quickly swiveled on his heels after that, marching towards his door to hopefully do as he said and get some much-needed sleep. "Iida, wait!?" Kaminari suddenly yelled out towards him, stopping him just before he was about to disappear through the door frame. He looked back at his neighbor, knowing it would be rude to keep walking when he so clearly heard him speaking to him.

"Yes?"

Kaminari bit his lip, chewing on it as he figured out what he wanted to say. "I don't want to force you to talk or whatever, but you know I'm always here to listen." He finally settled on, sounding far too earnest for the hasty retreat Iida had just given him. He had to look away for a bit as he let out a sigh of his own, wanting nothing more than to have another perspective on the jumbled mess that is his thoughts, but not sure if he could have this conversation with the person that was actively occupying his thoughts to begin with. It was ludicrous to think about. Talking about his confused feelings to Kaminari without giving away that this was all about him seemed impossible. At the same time, Kaminari offered his help and he has been able to solve all of his other problems before, why would this one be any different?

"I want to but I'm afraid the situation is more complicated than a quarrel between friends." Iida finally settled on, knowing he needed to give Kaminari an answer but also hoping that the other would drop it.

"I'm always up for a challenge!" Kaminari said enthusiastically before quickly putting his hands up to wave his previous statement away. "Or to just listen! I can always just listen as you try to get your thoughts in order! You know, give you space to rant." He threw in a cheeky wink at the end of his statement probably hoping to lighten the mood and make him more comfortable.

He will admit, in his weird way, that it really did help calm him down. Subtly reminding him of how he was able to overcome his argument with Uraraka by communicating and discussing what happened. Though he supposes the wink directed at him also helped make him feel lighter for some reason.

Iida gave another sigh as he rubbed his eyes, all these conflicting emotions and feelings making him dizzy. He just wanted them to stop, wanted to finally just understand, and if Kaminari was the only person he could figure this out with then so be it. He took in a calming breath, stepping back out on the balcony and hearing a small cheer coming from the blond as he shuffled around to be more comfortable as he prepared to listen.

It was nice to see him still so eager to help him after everything else the other did for him, making him feel a little more calm, feeling like he was in a safe space. Just them, the night sky, and the space between their balconies. It was familiar and suddenly made Iida feel like this was more manageable.

"Still have to think of how to say this without giving away your feelings."

His brain reminded him and he let out a grunt of frustration as he thought about what he was going to say

.

Kaminari waited patiently as he could while Iida tried to get his thoughts in order, turning off his switch and putting it to the side as he wrapped himself more securely into his bundle of blankets. Iida felt a little jealous at the sight, wondering why he never thought to bring a blanket out here after all the times he'd stood out here cold.

"Wonder if Kaminari would still let me into his blanket fort?"

He quickly dismissed the idea. He was already struggling with having this conversation, he didn't have to make it harder by sitting next to Kaminari as well. He took one more deep breath, making sure he felt as prepared as possible before finally speaking. "My brother and I spoke on the phone today."

"Oh?" Kaminari prompted, tilting his head in interest.

"The talk was good and Tensei is doing very well." Iida quickly followed up, not wanting Kaminari to get the wrong idea and think this conversation was about his brother and his condition.

"Oh, that's good! Glad you got to chat."

"Yeah, it was." Iida agreed easily. Kaminari leaned forward in his seat, looking at him expectantly.

"Buuuuuuut?"

"But," Iida continued, starting to feel nervous again. "He said something to me -it was just a joke- but it got me… thinking."

"What was a joke?" Kaminari pressed, trying to be patient but Iida could tell he was struggling to keep his calm demeanor.

"Well, I was telling him about my week and I started to talk about a…couple of our classmates and I got…passionate at one point."

Kaminari nodded his head in understanding, very aware of how Iida can go off about quirks and potential when given the opportunity. He was almost as bad as Midoriya at some points.

"He uh, he teased me and said it sounded like I had a c-crush." Iida felt his face heat up at the confession, even though he didn't say a person's name or even admitted to having one, the word alone was enough to embarrass him.

Kaminari's eyes widened in shock, letting out a gasp in surprise, throwing his body so far forward he was now leaning on his hands as he gaped at Iida. "YOU HAVE A CR--"

"Not so loud!" Iida hissed out, quickly looking to their neighboring balconies to see if anyone heard them.

Though Kaminari lowered his voice, he didn't let up as he gaped at Iida. "I can't believe you have a crush! Who is it? I knew you would get some potential looks once you became more kid-like, but for YOU to get a crush that's ju--"

"--This isn't about that!" Kaminari raised an eyebrow at his outburst.

"It's not? It's okay if you like someone, dude. No need to deny and I promise not to tell."

Iida huffed, feeling how tense his shoulders were but unable to make them relax. How did he explain that maybe liking someone felt not okay? "This isn't about that." He finally settled on repeating.

Kaminari tilted his head in confusion. "What? But you just said--"

"It was a joke. I don't actually have a crush."

Kaminari looked him over for a bit, hesitating to say anything for a moment before narrowing his eyes and finally asking, "So are you saying you don't have a crush, or you don't KNOW if you have a crush?

Iida gripped the railing a little tighter wondering how Kaminari could be so perceptive and how he could word his answer so it didn't give his true troubles away. "Both?" Iida tried first and got an even more confused look from his classmate. He groaned in frustration before trying again. "I guess it had me thinking -because I've never thought about these kinds of things before- how would I -hypothetically- even tell if I liked someone…o-or if someone liked me. Not that I do like someone right now, this is just hypothetical. I mean, we can't also forget the fact that we are heroes in training so having time for such matters is also an issue. In fact, it almost seems like a waste of time to think about! Yes, I think it would be good if I just went to bed. Good night Kamina--"

"Wait, Iida!" Kaminari yelled at him, fully standing up so that he could face him properly. "Don't leave yet!" Iida paused but didn't look at him, feeling extremely embarrassed by what he just said. He's thankful he added the 'hypothetical part' making it seem like he was just thinking about the future, but Kaminari could probably easily read between the lines, and for once he doesn't want him to. Not to mention how embarrassed he felt basically confessing to his maybe crush. It was a nasty cocktail that he didn't think he could stomach right now.

"I know that you're probably embarrassed but there is no reason to be! Your actions are completely normal, dude!"

That made Iida look up at him in disbelief. "Surely not everyone isn't driven mad at the thought of having a crush."

Kaminari just laughed at him, easing the tension as he leaned against the railing with his blanket loosely wrapped around his shoulders. "For our age it is. Expected even! Heck, I've felt that way several times, but my Mom always said that I fall for people a little too easily."

"You have a crush?" Iida couldn't help but ask, also stepping towards the railing in interest.

"What if Kaminari had a crush on him?"

His brain whispered to him in excitement, never even considering Kaminari might already like him.

Kaminari shook his head, his cheeks tinted pink at the accusation. "I said I HAVE, not that I do now. The feelings come and go, you know."

Iida nodded his head, remembering his brother telling him about the difference between love and infatuation. "How did you know the difference?"

"Difference?"

"Yeah, how did you know not to pursue the other person because you knew the feelings would pass."

Kaminari snorted. "I didn't."

Iida felt his face scrunch up in confusion. "Then how did they go away?"

Kaminari shrugged. "Some with time, others from getting turned down by the other person…others do to circumstances like they started dating someone else or they moved away."

"But in the beginning," Iida pressed on. "How did you even understand how you felt? What stuck out to you as the thing that made you realize you liked them?"

"I uh…huh?" Kaminari mumbled out, looking down as he seemed to really think about the question. "I…just do?" He finally said, shrugging once again.

Iida gave him a look, one he knew the other would interpret his lack of enthusiasm for that answer. Kaminari let out a whine at the sight of it. "I'm sorry! I don't know it's different every time, you know?"

"Different?"

"Well, yeah. Each person and situation is different." Kaminari tried to explain. "Some people I knew as friends and the feelings grew to more, or I wanted to try more 'cause I already liked them a lot. Other times I just see someone pretty and I just want to instantly get to know them in a romantic sense. Does that…make sense?"

"I…no?" Iida said, feeling frustrated by how unhelpful these scenarios were for his particular case. He supposes his first example is close to what is happening between him and Kaminari, but he didn't understand the line of 'wanting to try more'. "I've never looked at someone and instantly wanted to date them. And though I have friends, I don't know what the line you speak of is. I like all my friends and I've wanted to be closer to them, but not like THAT. How do you find the line?"

"Find the-?" Kaminari started before quickly shaking his head. "Hold up. Did you say you never looked at someone and wanted to date them?"

"No, that's weird. I don't know them so why would I want to date them." Iida stated logically.

"You haven't even looked at someone and thought they looked REALLY pretty or something and that made you want to talk to them?"

Iida instantly thought of all the times he thought Kaminari looked attractive but quickly dashed those away. "Not necessarily. I can…appreciate someone's features or skills but not to the point I want to do more than maybe give them a greeting if it was appropriate."

Kaminari opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something but quickly shut it. "Just checking, are you thinking about this…hypothetical because you WANT to date and be prepared when you get your first crush, or be prepared to like…turn people down when they get a little too friendly."

"The…first one I suppose," Iida said a little confused at the change in topic. "I plan on getting married and having kids one day, so I plan on dating."

"Okay, cool cool cool. Just checking."

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I know some people are asexual or aromatic, and I'm not here to judge if you are one of those, but I think those change the dynamic of this conversation a little."

"I see." Iida thought about it for a bit, knowing the definitions due to a couple of his classmates coming out and telling them their preferences and then doing a deep dive to ensure all his classmates felt safe and cared for. "I would not categorize myself as either of those things or at least to that extent."

"No worries, things are a spectrum, and in all honesty, I probably think about this stuff way more than the average person does so to each their own!"

"I've never thought about this before." Iida admitted hesitantly, already saying it before but given the current topic, it felt relevant again.

"Is this why I can't tell what I'm feeling?"

Kaminari didn't seem like he was judging him, but his curiosity was clear to see. "Never?"

"I didn't see the point." He admitted, leaning on the railing as well. "My parents already have the majority of my life planned out so I knew I would be married off to some Pro Hero to help my career or boost our own agency with a merger."

"I'm sorry, what?!" Kaminari asked, once again leaning towards him in shock. "They planned your marriage already?"

"Yes," Iida said slowly, seeing Kaminari have the same reaction to the news as Uraraka did. "It isn't planned yet though. They want to wait and see what the business looks like and who is most popular on the charts before trying to decide."

"And you okay with that?"

Iida looked up at the sky, noting the clouds covering most of the blank canvas and any moonlight that tried to peek through. "I thought I was. I mean I'm supposed to only be focusing on my hero studies and becoming prepared for my future career…It was never something I thought about."

"But something changed?" Kaminari asked slowly, sounding almost hopeful.

"I suppose…becoming more like a kid, and connecting more with my peers has made me…curious about all the other kid things I've been ignoring."

"Well, if it's any consolation I think choosing and going through the awkward stages of crushes is WAY better than an arranged marriage. You deserve to find love and happiness with a partner just as much as everyone else."

"Even though I can't tell what love is?" Iida countered bitterly before grimacing. "I've always followed his parents' plan to the T up to this point. I don't know if all this confusion is worth just going against all that panning. I can just…stop."

"Sure you can!" Kaminari said enthusiastically. "Because as a kid it is your sole duty to ignore your parent's advice and once you're an adult you have full control of your life and choices! Boom! No arranged marriage for you!"

Iida laughed at that, unable to help it when Kaminari got so enthusiastic. "Not sure it works like that."

"It does if you let it." He teased back easily. "Plus you have the right to be a kid and cringy as you figure out the whole romance, relationship thing."

Iida grimaces at the thought, picturing how some of the couples in the class can be. "I wouldn't mind skipping that part."

It was Kaminari's turn to laugh, holding onto the railing as he giggled to himself. "Yeah, no offense, Iida but I can't picture you baby talking to your partner or saying cheesy romantic stuff." He let out a giggle again. "Oh, man. That would be hilarious."

Iida wanted to feel offended, thinking that he would do it if his partner wanted him to, but quickly had to agree with his classmate. "Says the guy I know would be all about talking cutesy and saying the most outrageous of pickup lines."

Kaminari gasped in fake pain, putting his hand over his heart as he stared Iida down. "How dare you! My nicknames and puns are tasteful and a delight!"

"Sure. You're the real modern Mr. Darcy with your declarations."

Kaminari laughed again, making Iida smile at the sight. His shoulders started to relax as he watched the blond try and catch his breath, enjoying how easy it was to joke around with him without even trying.

"Man," Kaminari huffed after getting his breathing under control. "I just know that whoever you end up with is going to be lucky they were able to bag you."

"W-what?" Iida asked, all the tension suddenly coming back at the one statement. "I'm not something to be bagged!"

Kaminari snorted. "Dude, it was a compliment. I just meant that you're going to be a great partner, you know. Whoever you're with will be lucky to be with such a good, dependable guy." Kaminari bobbed his head to the side, as he gave Iida a quick once over. "Plus, you being all tall, dark, and studious also helps."

Iida was bright red, stuttering and chopping his hand furiously as he tried to deny those claims but nothing coherent seemed to come out. "S-sto-p. I-- Why wo-ould? Can we just get back on topic…please."

Kaminari gave a hum in amusement before nodding his head. "Sure. What do you want help with again? Figuring out if you have a crush, right?" Iida gave him a look to protest but Kaminari beat him to it. "Hypothetically of course." He gave another cheeky wink and he couldn't help how his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Yes, hypothetically, how do I figure out what I feel for someone?"

"Well, that's simple enough I've done this all the time with Mina! Well, it's more like gossiping when we do it but still! I'm great at looking at the context clues!"

"I'm sure you are." Iida slowly agreed, not liking the route this was going but willing to see it through if it actually helped him.

Kaminari scrunched up his face in thought, thinking things over before looking back at Iida. "Okay, well I guess for this, uh hypothetical, I'm assuming you already know the person because you said you don't really pursue strangers, right?"

"That is correct. In the future, I will assume this will be the same so WHEN I experience a 'crush' it will be with someone I know."

Kaminari nodded his head, taking in Iida's roundabout answer and clear deflection about having feelings already. "Sweet. So, like…I guess you can tell if you like someone more than a friend or whatever by how they make you feel, and then if you want to expand on those feelings by asking them out or whatever."

"But what are these feelings that I should be looking out for?" Iida questioned and got a shrug for his efforts.

"I think it varies from person to person. I would assume that everyone would at least pursue someone that makes them happy, can laugh with, and like, makes you feel all fluttery and light."

"That…sounds very vague." Iida sighed, feeling like he had felt this with multiple people he considered friends and not just Kaminari. To be fair, no one has made him laugh like Kaminari has but is that alone enough to say he liked him?

Kaminari rolled his eyes, seeming also frustrated with his less-than-stellar list. "How about you tell me about how this person makes you feel and we can go from that."

Iida stood up straighter at that. "W-what do you mean? I told you this was all--"

"--Hypothetical, I know. But clearly, this sudden interest didn't come out of nowhere, and obviously, the conversation you had with your brother has put thoughts in your head about a particular person. Even if you don't end up liking them, it would be still better to use an actual person for this than just abstractly."

Iida cringed at being figured out so easily, wondering if it was still acceptable to run from this conversation. "That may be, but I don't want to- I don't know- the last thing I want to do is jeopardize my friendship with them or anything."

"No harm ever came from thinking," Kaminari said gently. "And hey, I promise whatever is said here won't leave this space. If you decide you don't actually like them then no one will even know this conversation happened!"

"But what if I…I don't WANT to have a crush on them. What if I think this is all confusing a-and not worth the risk?" Iida confessed, feeling anxious as they got closer to actually having to look at and analyze how he felt about Kaminari.

Kaminari gave him a thoughtful look. "Love is always a risk, but it's one of the greatest risks you can take. I know you've read enough love stories to know that, you big sap." Iida stayed quiet, thinking about what he said. He supposes as Heroes in training they are being taught about how to take calculated risks, and wagering it all in their ability to succeed. Is love the same way? Is potentially having a crush on Kaminari a calculated risk?

"If you actually participate in the conversation and learn from it then it can be."

His mind rationalized.

Kaminari must have taken his silence to mean he didn't agree, quickly continuing his explanation. "And unfortunately we don't really get to choose who we have a crush on. Well, we do but our brain chemicals do most of the heavy lifting and we're just along for the ride. So you can't really do anything after your brain decides it likes someone except ignore it, but I wouldn't recommend that because--"

"Kaminari?" Iida interrupted, finally feeling confident enough to have this conversation and not wanting to lose it while Kaminari was going off on one of his tangents. "You promise not to tell anyone about this?"

"I promise!" Kaminari instantly answered. "Balconie buddies have to stick together.

"And you promise not to push for who I'm thinking about…even though you really want to."

Kaminari deflated a little at that. "You're not going to tell me?"

Iida shook his head. "I'm sorry, but some…personal things I do want to keep to myself. Plus, I still don't know how I feel so I don't want your opinions on how we would look as a couple to affect your ability to help me." Iida trailed off towards the end, not sure how he wanted to finish his thought but hoping Kaminari understood.

The electric user gave him a firm nod, holding his hand out towards Iida for him to shake. "Okay, I understand. No pushing for a name. I can do that."

Iida smiled at him, always surprised at how seriously Kaminari could take things but never underappreciating it. He took his hand into his own, feeling tingles in his palm where they connected but brushing it off as the others quirk. He gave it one firm shake before letting go.

"Okay."

"Okay," Kaminari repeated back to him.

Iida fiddled with his glasses, not sure what else to do. "So uh, what now?"

"Mmh?" Kaminari asked, seeming to be in his own words before blinking himself back into the present. "Oh! Right! Sorry, heh. I guess we start where we left off. Tell me how this person makes you feel?"

"Oh um well, I feel a lot of things when I'm with this person."

"Like?" Kaminari pressed.

Iida took a deep breath, knowing he already told his brother how hefelt, but that didn't change the fact that all of his words were unplanned, or that this wasn't his brother but the person he was thinking about. "They make me feel…happy?" Iida tried first, trying to keep it simple and vague.

Kaminari nodded his head, urging him to continue. "They make me feel…seen? Like I'm valued and my efforts are appreciated."

"Good, good," Kaminari commented. "Any negative emotions?"

Iida frowned at that, thinking really hard if Kaminari ever intentionally made him feel bad. "I…feel bad when they're sad." He finally settled on, looking up at Kaminari to see if that counted. "I like seeing them happy, so if they aren't I feel a little down and want to fix whatever is bothering them."

"That's very sweet." Kaminari said softly.

"And something I believe I would do for all my friends." Iida countered, not wanting to bring the mood down but having to make sure all facts were on the table so that he could accurately tell what he was feeling.

"That's fair." Kaminari conceded, bobbing his head from side to side as he thought of another question." Can you describe this person?"

Iida glared at him, ready to remind him that he promised not to pry but Kamianri quickly held up his hands in defense before he could say anything. "Sorry! I mean like, are there aspects of them that you really like? Personality wise or physically, whatever you're comfortable with sharing."

"Oh, well let me think about it." He tried not to look directly at Kaminari as he thought, trying to make sure what he said was neutral but he had no idea what he should say that wouldn't immediately give it away. He chanced a glance at Kaminari and was instantly taken by his bright eyes once more, instantly remembering the first time he noticed them.

"I like their eyes. They…remind me of the stars in the sky…like they all somehow got trapped in them and now they just…shine." Kaminari stayed silent, actively listening with a small smile curving at the corners of his mouth. Iida gave a huff, unsure how he was still conscious with how much blood was rushing to his face, but he pushed forward. "That's what I notice most about them…physically. I know they are attractive by societal standards but…I think I notice who they are as a person more so."

"What are they like?" Kaminari encouraged.

"Kind." Iida immediately answered. "They care so much about the people around them…Always willing to help a friend, or acquaintance…They try so hard to be good…to be enough and I…I admire the effort they are willing to put in."

Kaminari gave a hum. "You do like it when people try, you know, putting in all their effort to become better heroes."

"But they've been making it look so effortless that I didn't even notice how hard they really work. Outside of the classroom as well. They seem to be everyone's friend and are able to make everyone feel better with just a well-timed joke or genuine compliment. It-Its almost insulting, I never noticed it before."

"But you notice it now? Why's that?"

Iida didn't even hesitate, on a roll and feeling like he was coming close to his answer. "I…I finally gave them a closer look and gave them the time to show me who they really are."

"And…you liked all that you found?"

Iida wanted to immediately say yes, but paused in consideration. "Almost. I don't like how little they think about themselves. They are amazing and I believe they shouldn't think of themselves as anything less."

Kaminari leaned his head in his hand, looking at Iida with a raised eyebrow. "You sure you're not blinded by those rose-tinted glasses? It's rare for you not to have some pointers on how they can improve, in heroics and out."

"They certainly have room to improve." Iida quickly agreed. "But with just some more confidence and mastery of their quirk, they will be in the top ten without any issue. Honestly, with more confidence in their life in general would do them some good, but after that…"

"After that?" Kaminari pushed.

"After that…they would truly shine."

"Wow, think they can do it?"

"My hope is that they let me help them along in their journey…I think it would be nice to be by their side so I can watch them succeed."

The two of them stay silent for a few moments, Iida looking anywhere but Kaminari while the other seems to be staring directly at him. After a few minutes, Kaminari let out a small chuckle. "Wow, and I get told I'm bad."

"Huh?" Iida questioned, snapping to look at him once again. "What does that mean?"

"It means that -in my personal opinion- you care about this person…a lot."

"I…do." Iida conceded.

"That doesn't really mean you like them. I know. But you said some poetic things that would instantly be cataloged in the romance section if this was a novel."

"I…did?"

"Uh yeah!" Kaminari almost yelled at him. "The whole bit about their eyes? The most romantic thing I have ever heard not written in a book, and how you want to stand by their side so you can WATCH them succeed!? Literally what someone proposing would say when they're down on one knee."

Iida stuttered at the idea of proposing, shaking his head to shut down the idea before he, or Kaminari got any ideas. "That's not- That doesn't- I don't-"

"Hey, man. Take it easy, it was only a comparison. It doesn't mean anything."

"Surely it does!" Iida argued. "This entire conversation is supposed to help me see if I have feelings and this…this has to mean something."

"It can if you want it to," Kaminari said calmly. "But you can just sweep it under the rug as admiration or excitement of learning more about someone just as easily."

"What? But that- how does that help me? What was the point of all this if I could just brush all the evidence to the side?"

"The point was to get you to think about the person and how they make you feel," Kaminari explained again, reaching his hand out to steady Iida and his spiraling thoughts. "Though I can listen to how you describe this person, I'm not the one in your head. Only you can decide what all this means."

"But I don't know what any of this means! I've never felt anything like this before let alone how to deal with it! It's infuriating a-and terrifying and--"

"--Iida." Kaminari spoke up, squeezing his arm to cut him off. Iida instantly snapped his mouth shut, not even sure where he was going with his sentence. "I'm sorry to break it to you but that's kind of what love feels like. At least in the beginning."

"Why? Why does it have to feel like this? Isn't it supposed to make me a better person or something?"

Kaminari gave him a crooked smile. "It can…but you have to get to that point, you have to trust the process, you know? Love, like all relationships and social interactions, comes with a bit of uncertainty, some risk when taking the plunge."

Kaminari let out a sigh, dropping his hand from Iida's to instead use it to prop him up on the railing. "I think the reason you are having so much trouble with this is because you hate things that don't have a clear answer. You don't like doing things without knowing the outcome and unfortunately, no one really knows how these types of things will end up."

"Then how do I decide?" Iida asked, basically begging Kaminari to help this all make sense as he gripped the railing for dear life.

"Decide if you like them or you should you pursue them?" Kaminari asked, not waiting for him to answer before continuing. "I guess it all depends on if you think this person is worth the risk."

Iida opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. It seemed almost simple at this point. All his feelings and ideas boiled down to the idea of if he wanted to try and pursue them. If he wanted to change how things are now and gamble for more. However, he feels like the deck was already rigged before he stepped up to the table.

"But I have no idea if the person likes me back, or men for that matter."

"Only one way to find out." Kaminari supplied easily, his cheeky grin going unappreciated as Iida just stared at him. "It's part of the risk." Kaminari finally concluded with a roll of his eyes. "But if you want to ask for my professional opinion--"

"--That's why I'm here--"

"--Than I think you have little to worry about." Kaminari continued as if Iida hadn't interrupted him. "From the way you talk about them, you guys seem close, so I doubt politely asking to go out on a date with them would ruin your friendship. Maybe make it awkward for a few weeks, and maybe require a long chat afterward, but definitely not ruined. Plus, if they opened up enough to show you the real them, then I think they must think highly of you as well."

Iida grumbled, seeing the logic in Kaminari's observation but not completely believing in it. There were still too many variables. One is the fact that the person he likes is friends and nice to everyone, but he doesn't want to bring up more details that can get him caught. At the same time, he also divulged his hobby of reading to him, something personal that not many others seemed to know. So he definitely trusted him to some extent and that could be translated to also being comfortable and liking him. It was a messy situation that he wasn't sure if he was able to solve within this conversation.

"So," Kaminari chimed in, pulling him out of his thoughts once more. "Are they worth the risk?"

Iida truly looked at Kaminari this time, instantly registering how close they had been throughout this entire conversation. His face heated up as he noted how Kaminari leaned over the railing, getting as close as possible to him without actually scaling the balcony. He had subconsciously moved closer as well, pressed to the edge of his own balcony railing. He just had to bend down to Kaminari's level and they would close enough for their lips to touch.

He felt his cheeks heat up at the absurd thought that invaded his mind, his eyes still betraying him by looking down at Kaminari's cute smile before going back up to his eyes. That was almost a mistake in itself, instantly remembering why he said they were his favorite trait. It was true, they seemed to shine abnormally with warmth and mischief. Feeling so open and calming, yet electric at the same time. They still held the stars, even with the sky covered in clouds, and the moon hiding from view. They still held the stars, the sky, and the world within them and Iida wanted nothing more in that moment than to be a part of that world.

"I think they are."

He didn't even know he had spoken until Kaminari's smile grew, his eyes twinkling in excitement as he stood to his full height. "Really?"

"I…Yeah." Iida admitted again, suddenly feeling colder now that Kamianri wasn't as close.

The other didn't seem to notice his less than enthusiastic answer, instead clapping his hand and letting out a squeal of excitement. "I'm so happy to hear that!"

"You…are?"

"Well yeah!" Kaminari said, going back over to his corner of blankets, picking up his switch as he continued to talk. "I mean, love is always super exciting! And you of all people deserve to find someone that makes you happy."

"You think so?"

"I know so. No more sad arranged marriages for you! Only good crushes and teenage love!"

Iida chuckled at that, watching as Kaminari began to clean up his pile of stuff. "Are you calling it a night?"

"Yeah, it's late and we still have a test tomorrow, you know?" Kaminari paused in his shuffling to look up at Iida, slight panic in his eyes. "That is if you don't have anything else you want to discuss! I can stay up! Maybe talk about how you want to confess to them? We can practice what you'll say!"

Iida quickly shook his head. "No. I think I've had enough for one night. I probably should take some time to digest all this anyway."

Kaminari gave a hum. "I get that. You made some great progress Iida! I know it might not feel like it, but with a subject as complicated as this, I'm super proud of how you handled it!"

Iida smiled at his classmate, unable to stop the warm feeling from filling his chest at his words. "Thank you, Kaminari I--"

"Denki."

"Pardon?"

Kaminari looked up at him, a bright smile on his face. "I said, call me Denki. I think we're close enough friends for you to call me by my name."

"R-Right." Iida stuttered out, not expecting to be given this privilege. "Well then, goodnight…Denki."

"Good night, Tenya! And let me know if you want to discuss confessing to your crush in the future!"

"W-Will do…Good night." With that, Iida fled the balcony, feeling flustered at hearing Kamianri use his name so suddenly. He didn't even give the other permission, but he can't really say he minds. It sounded nice when he said it.

He let out a sigh as he trudged over to his bed, feeling exhaustion starting to creep into his body, but still feeling a little too wound up to sleep. He had his answer at least, but still so much was in the air, and he still felt unsure. In the moment, or anytime he is with Kaminair he feels like it is worth the risk, but is it?

"Yes, yes it is."

His brain supplied, his stubborn streak coming out and reminding him he made a decision and shouldn't go back on it so easily.

"This is different though."

He tried to counter back, but he knew deep down that he didn't mean it. He never half-assed things so if he was going to take the risk then he was going to do it right.

"That means eventually confessing."

He blushed at the thought, knowing that part would be a struggle for him, especially because he would have to figure this part out himself. He knows Kami- Denki volunteered to help him, but he can't do that, not when Denki was who he wanted to confess to. It's like already knowing what the present is before you get to unwrap it. He would surely figure it out before Iida actually felt confident enough to tell him and he didn't want that. Denki deserved for him to do this right, to have the real teenage love experience he was talking about.

"I can figure this out myself. I have time."

Iida nodded to himself, getting comfortable in his bed.

"First though, we have to pass the test, and then I can focus on confessing."

With that thought in mind, Iida slowly drifted to sleep, his mind filled with maths equations and pretty eyes that sparkled just for him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The first part of the day was a blur. Not only because everyone was far too busy talking and preparing for the test to do anything else but cram on their way to class, but also because Iida had a lot to think about. Though he tried to push his thoughts about Kaminari and confessing out of his head, it never truly left his mind. Making him feel less present and far less prepared for the test than he should have been.

He felt like he was going through the motions more than processing what was actually on the paper. He only hoped that his subconscious and overall understanding of the unit would ensure a good grade. Iida still finished with plenty of time to spare so he tried to at least focus while he reviewed his answers, feeling more confident as he noted all of his written work being sound. Still, his mind wandered off his paper as he looked around the room. This was a big test not only for him but for the rest of the class with the arcade outing dangling over their heads as a reward.

Iida let his eyes wander to the students who voiced concern about the test, seeing Mina hold her head in frustration before rapidly erasing. Kirishima looked like he had a death grip on his pencil as he physically tried to muscle his way through the answers. Even Ojiro seemed a little frazzled with how his tail twitched every few seconds. Eventually, Iida's eyes found the back of Kaminari's head. He wasn't able to see much but the other was hunched over his paper in concentration, his hand buried deep into his hair as he used it to ground him to the present. He couldn't see his face but he hoped it wasn't one of panic. They had gone over the material enough that he knew Kaminari could ace this test, but he had to stay calm enough to think it out, while also being conscious of the clock.

"Eyes on your own paper." Ectoplasm suddenly mumbled from the front of the room. Iida instantly snapped his head down and raised his arm in what was going to be allowed apology but quickly silenced it, remembering a test was going on. He gave a glance up at the front of the room to see if anyone had noticed and found Ectoplasm was looking directly at him. He gave one robotic hand movement in apology and then turned away in embarrassment before he could see what the response was.

All too soon Ectoplasma spoke again, standing up from his desk with a sigh. "Times up. Please pass your papers up to the front for me to collect. The bell is about to ring so be ready to head to the locker room for hero training."

Instantly the class let out a chorus of noises as a few groaned in frustration while others sighed in relief. Ectoplasm didn't pay them any mine as he started to collect the piles of tests. "I will grade these during lunch and have the results ready for Aizawa to return by the end of the day. I understand you have a reward riding on all of your success so I'll try to be fast."

That got another round of groans from the students who would rather not know how they did so soon. As they got up to leave, instantly groups began to form so they could talk over answers and assess how they thought they did.

"The last one was brutal! Why put such a hard one so close to the finish line?" Sero mumbled out in frustration, bumping shoulders with Todoroki as they left. "How do you think you did?"

Todoroki only shrugged. "I found it a good challenge but overall very straightforward."

"Hah! I bet I'll get a better score than you half and half bastard!" Bakugou boasted and got a small, "Manly" from Kirishima.

Iida listened intently to his class, speaking up when someone voiced concern over an answer to a question but otherwise staying quiet. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice someone coming to walk next to him until he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking down he found Kaminari shyly smiling up at him and sending his poor heart into overdrive. "Hey," Kaminari said casually. "How do you think you did."

"I- uh. I'll definitely passed." Iida stumbled out and got a small chuckle for his efforts. The sound of the other's laugh instantly put him at ease. "I won't lie, my mind was a little distracted so I don't think I gave it the care that I should but I know I did well enough."

"I get that," Kaminari said with a sigh. "It's so hard to just look at the problem but then also read it, you know? Like how am I supposed to focus on concentrating AND solving?"

"Ah, yes. I can see how that can be hard."

"The hardest! But I've always struggled with that so it wasn't like it was new to me."

"Does that mean you think you did well?" Iida finally asked, wanting to ensure that he set his fellow classmate up for success.

He got a sheepish smile and a shrug as his answer. "I think so. Hard to tell if I'm being honest. I thought I knew what I was doing but then I would look at my answer and it would FEEL wrong."

"Hmm, that's probably your fear making you second guess yourself and blinding you of the truth. I'm sure you did great."

"I hope so." Kaminari sighed. "I would hate to be the one that made us lose our arcade trip. Everyone is looking forward to it after all."

Iida put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze before speaking again. "Don't think like that. I know you tried your best and you put in so much effort that it has to pay off in the end."

Kaminari nodded, giving him a small smile that seemed to light up the entire room. "Thank you, Tenya. I really appreciate it…the words and the tutoring. I promise not to let you down."

"I don't think you can disappoint me even if you tried." Iida said before he realized what he was admitting to. He internally cursed; the use of his first name messing with his brain and making him say things a little too close to how he truly felt.

"If he keeps this up I'm going to accidentally confess before I'm ready."

He thought to himself in panic but wasn't able to think about it for much longer due to a familiar laugh bringing him out of his thoughts.

Kaminari bumped shoulders with him, grinning from ear to ear. "I would be careful making bold claims like that. I might take it as a challenge."

Bakugou was suddenly yelling for Sparky at the front of the class, making the other yell back in enthusiasm before turning back to Iida. "I got to go but I'll see you on the battlefield, okay?"

"I-uh. Of course. I will see you then."

Kaminari gave him one more smile before jogging to catch up to his friends. "Later, Tenya."

"B-Bye De--" Iida cut himself before he could finish saying his name, letting it drift off into silence as he watched the other get further and further away. It still felt too personal to say out loud, especially when the rest of the class was around to hear it. Yet, the electric user was able to use his name without issue, letting it roll off his tongue as easily as one of his jokes. It sounded nice when he said it though. Like it was said with care and understanding, but maybe he was only imagining it.

He shook his head, suddenly feeling lost once again as his thought drifted to his fellow classmate.

"This is getting ridiculous."

He thought bitterly.

"I've only just realized I want to pursue more but nothing else has changed so why are all my thoughts consumed by him?"

"They have always been like this."

A voice whispered in the back of his head.

"The only difference is that now you understand what it all means."

"It means I'm in trouble, that's what."

He thought with a sigh, still new to all these feelings and how he was supposed to handle all of them.

He has always been a man of action, whether that action was planning everything out or instantly reacting so it makes sense that he would feel restless due to his lack of plan. He wants to take the risk and ask Kaminari out, but when? How? He's read plenty of romance novels to understand what a confession looked like but he isn't nearly as good with words and explaining his feelings to pull off the more eloquent ones, and also far too much of a gentleman to let his body do the talking for him.

He has to do something unique to him and Kaminari but what could that be? Something that was comforting instead of fear-inducing, though just thinking about admitting his feelings filled him with fear. He supposes that they had their book outing as something that is theirs alone. They've already done it once before so maybe he can get Kaminari to agree to go again easily with the promise that he has started the book series the other suggested to him. Then at the end of their outing while they are on the way back he could confess to him; maybe even use some analogy from the books they are reading to help convey what he was trying to say.

"That sounds like a plausible plan of execution."

Iida thought to himself. Instantly thinking about what books he could start reading or reference, maybe make the whole outing about romance novels to help set the mood. He could also get Kaminari a bouquet from the shop where he got the sunflower before. However, his favorite flower was technically a weed and probably not sold in stores. Maybe he could hide one in the book they are reading. He could probably ask Shiozaki if she knew if there are any on UA property he could take.

Iida continued to mumble to himself as he walked behind the class, a plan slowly coming together and making him excited for the future instead of nervous. 
 
---

By the time they were heading back to the dorms, Iida had a full plan ready to set in motion. He had spent his lunch in the library picking the perfect book to quickly start reading and hopefully finish in time for the weekend. He needed the book to be perfect to not only get the electric user excited enough to want to do another outing but also set the right tone for him to slowly start suggesting more romance novels or similarities between them.

Once that task was complete he spent the rest of his day planning the timeline of events to ensure everything was accounted for. Granted, nothing goes to plan when Kaminari is involved but he tried to come up with a contingency plan to at least ensure he had a private moment alone with Kaminari to give him the confession he deserved. Whatever happened he knows he will have fun on the outing but he hopes with a little more planning and some luck, they will come back from it as a date instead.

He was so excited to put his plan down on paper and buffer out the little kinks that he didn't even notice the crowd that had gathered in the common room until he physically bumped into Midoryia. He quickly shouted an apology but was instantly shushed by the rest of the class. He felt angry at how rude the class was being but stopped once he noticed Aizawa standing in the middle of the room with the stack of papers in his hands.

"Finally, you're all here." Aizawa huffed. Instantly quieting down the small murmurs going around the class. "Ectoplasm gave me your test back so I'm here to pass them back out. Please form a line so I can give them out individually and with some privacy.

The class did so immediately, slowly handing the papers back one by one with all of them turned upside down. Aoyama was the first to get his test and instantly turned his head away from it. "I-I can't look! The pressure is ruining my shine!"

"How about we all get our test and then look together so we don't have to instantly out ourselves if we don't pass." Tsu suggested and everyone immediately agreed, allowing Aizawa to pass them out faster.

Soon everyone was holding a test to their chest all of them looking like they were in a 20-person showdown as they stood in a circle. Iida had his own test secure against his chest but didn't feel anxious about what was on his, more curious about the rest of the class's reaction.

"O-On that count of three?" Midoryia suggested and got several serious nods in return. It was like they were in the bomb defusing class all over again.

"One." Midoryia started.

"Two." Iida continued for him.

"Fucking three! Let's get this over with already!" Bakugou shouted next flipping his paper before he even finished talking.

A tense silence filled the space as they all slowly turned their paper over and looked at their score. Iida did so quickly noting the low A he got and frowned at the simple mistakes he made but overall happy with his score. He can't be too shocked that he didn't get a perfect score with how distracted he was this morning. Plus, this shouldn't affect his overall grade so there was no need to be too concerned.

"I did it!" Hagakura yelled, jumping in the air with excitement. "I passed! I did it!"

The loud cheer seemed to break the tension as the rest of the class started to cheer in excitement at their scores or curse their silly mistakes. Looking at everyone though, it was obvious that the room was made up of positive reactions, and that filled him with pride for his class. However, something still weighed on his conscious as he looked for a familiar mop of blond hair.

"Tenya!" Kaminari suddenly screamed, running across the room at full speed towards him with a huge smile on his face. Iida and several others turned in surprise as the other launched himself at their class representative, almost tackling him at the force of the hug. Iida could only sputter at the sudden contact, looking down at his classmate with his hands suspended outwards like he didn't know if he was allowed to hug back or not. "I passed! I did more than pass look!"

Kaminari didn't even seem to mind the scene he was making, thrusting his test into Iida's face for him to read. He took the test gently, still flustered beyond functioning but was still able to process the low B that stood out proudly at the top of the test. Ectoplasm even writing a small good job next to it with a star.

"Wow. This is fantastic! I'm so happy for you!" Iida exclaimed, unable to keep from smiling down at Kaminari in pride.

"And it is all thanks to your amazing tutoring! I can't thank you enough, Tenya!"

"I uh well…" Iida stuttered as Kaminari just hugged him tighter, shoving his face into his chest as he did and leaving Iida the only one able to see the look of surprise or fondness on his classmates' faces. His face felt hotter than Todoroki's fire as realized everyone had just heard Kaminari call him by his first name, but he couldn't ruin the moment or Kaminari's excitement due to his own embarrassment. Instead, he just let out a sigh that sounded a little too fond than annoyed before lowering his arms to pat Kaminari on the head. "Anytime…Denki."

Kaminari seemed to enjoy being called by his first name, hugging him somehow even tighter at the sound of it.

Aizawa cleared his throat, reminding Kaminari that he wasn't the only one in the room, and quickly let go of Iida. "S-sorry, Sensei." He mumbled, a faint blush on his face as the rest of the class chuckled.

Aizawa let out a long sigh, mumbling something about losing sleep and money before addressing the class. "You all should feel proud of yourself. Not only did you all pass, but you had a higher grade average on it than class B."

"Hell yeah!" Kirishima yelled, hugging Bakugou in excitement.

"Does that mean?" Momo asked hesitantly, not wanting to assume and get people's hopes up.

Aizawa nodded his head. "Yes, it means you'll get to go to the arcade this weekend…under me and Mic's supervision of course."

The class cheered in delight! All of them instantly shouted in excitement. Soon breaking off to talk about what they wanted to do, and what games or prizes they wanted. Aizawa tried to speak again about safety but saw that it was a lost cause for now with how excited the class was and instead decided to save it for tomorrow. "Please be ready by eleven." He finally settled on before making a swift exit.

Most of the class didn't hear him, still talking excitedly together. Iida made a mental note to remind everyone of their departure time at dinner and also some safety measures they should all take to make sure they all stay safe and avoid unwanted attention. He probably had enough time to make a PowerPoint to help drive his points home if he started on it right now. He took a step towards the stairs to start on the itinerary and safety protocols but found a smiling face looking up at him with a spark of excitement in his eyes.

"Isn't this great, Tenya! I'm so excited!"

Iida felt his stomach drop, suddenly aware that the plans he was maliciously orchestrating for the weekend weren't possible.

"How did I forget about the arcade trip? Will my plan still work for the arcade?"

No. Denki would surely want to hang out with his friends and there are far too many witnesses for him to feel comfortable confessing. Which means, his plan would have to wait. He had to wait an entire week, if not more to put his plan into action. He has to go an entire week if not more trying to hold this new revelation about liking Kaminari to himself.

"I don't know if I can do it."

He thought desperately. His mind going a million miles a minute as he tried to figure out the next course of action, but also how he was supposed to survive being around Kaminari for that long without blurting out how he felt.

"Tenya?" Kaminari asked, his look of concern snapping Iida back to the present.

"Yes!" He yelled a little too loudly, his hand chopping like his life depended on it. "This will be a great outing experience! You certainly deserve it!"

Kaminari giggled at him. "We ALL deserve it!" He nudged him with his elbow as if to say he also deserved it, but Iida couldn't focus on that as he realized what he had let slip out once again.

His face felt like it was on fire as he stood up straighter and powerwalked to the stairs. "Yes! You are absolutely right! And to make sure everyone stays safe and has fun I should prepare my safety presentation for after dinner."

"Wha-? Wait, Tenya!"

Iida didn't listen, already using his quirk to be halfway up the stairs by the time Kaminari was yelling out to him. Was it rude to leave him in the middle of a conversation? Absolutely.  But was he afraid his heart would burst and his head would explode if he did stay? Also yes. He needed time to rethink his plan of action. All his work from today means nothing if he can't keep his impulses in check and his thoughts to himself. He usually could just hole himself in his room until he calmed down and had a new plan of action, but that wouldn't work this time because he was the Class Representative and he HAD to make sure all his classmates followed the rules at the outing. He HAD to be alert while at the arcade, interacting with all of them to ensure they were all accounted for, that Denki was accounted for.

"I don't know if I can hold myself together around him long enough to not do anything idiotic."

Iida thought to himself, already aware of the two slips he had today and the strange atmosphere of the arcade won't probably do his composure any good. He cursed to himself as he finally made it back to his room, closing and locking the door before he allowed himself to breathe.

He didn't think understanding his feelings would make them this much harder to deal with. Denki just made him impulsive, made him lower the guards he so carefully crafted without even trying and making his feelings too transparent. This is why he wanted to confess so soon even though it scared him. It was clouding his judgment and making him a little to unpredictable than what he found suitable. He was taught to act and be like a kid on his own time, but here he was, thinking about his crush all day at school. It was ruining the delicate balance that he was able to achieve in his life and he wanted desperately to have it back, but to also have Denki with him.

He let out a groan of irritation as his once again began to spiral. He plopped down into his desk chair unceremoniously, looking at his darkened laptop screen in the hopes of an answer and only receiving his desperate-looking reflection staring back at him. He took off his glasses to rub his face, hating how that expression made him look.

"The plan isn't ruined."

His brain tried to reason with him.

"It has just been prolonged. You just need to make it one week. That's nothing to a hero in training."

"One week," Iida mumbled to himself with a nod, stealing his resolve once again as he tried to look at the situation from a different perspective. "I just need to make it to another week."

Feeling a little better, Iida booted up his laptop so he could start on the arcade trip itinerary so it was ready for the class by dinner time. Throwing himself into busy work helps him forget about his love troubles and on to the present matter. "I just need to make it one more week and this trip and everything will work out. My plan will still work." He told himself one more time before letting the matter fall away for now. He had Class Rep duties to keep him busy.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Iida was triple-checking his backpack as his classmates excitedly chatted around him. Most of them were laughing and running around as they waited for their teacher to come and pick them up.

"Okay,  I have the emergency first aid kit, my phone, wallet, emergency contact list  for all my classmates, water bottle, some snacks, and my pocket calendar to make sure we stay on time."

Iida looked at his watch seeing they only had about ten minutes left before it was time for them to depart. He did a quick head count and noted some of his classmates were still unaccounted for. He let out a sigh, not surprised his warning to his class last night to be downstairs fifteen minutes before they departed went unadvised, but still annoyed that they didn't have the courtesy to be on time for everyone else who did. Iida searched the crowd to try and determine whose door he needed to knock on when loud cheers suddenly came from the stairs.

"ARCADE! ARCADE! ARCADE!" Kirishima, Mina, Sero, and Kaminari chanted, getting some of the other students to cheer with them. Bakugou was being dragged by the arm by Kirishima letting out an annoyed groan at how loud everyone was but not annoyed enough to try and pry his hand out of his boyfriend's hold.

Iida let out a little chuckle at the display, thankful that everyone was now gathered in one spot and he didn't have to go on a goose chase like he usually did. He still gave another headcount to be sure, also making a mental note that he should go over what supplies he was bringing with Momo to see if she thought they would need something else to keep the class safe. Iida quickly found the tall girl talking adamantly with Jirou about some guitar game that is apparently in every arcade. She seemed excited as the musician continued to talk about how you play, Momo nodding along while clutching her small purse to her side as she continued to speak about arcade prices and if she needed to grab more money. Iida frowned at seeing the small bag, realizing his vice representative had gotten swept up in the fun once again and hadn't thought about her duties. He wanted to go over there and tell her she needed to help him by doing her job, but he couldn't do that. She looked like she was having fun and she also put so much effort into the tutoring sessions and making sure the class passed. She deserved a break.

With that thought in mind, Iida turned away from her, deciding to let her be and if he really needed her he knew she would step up to help. He can handle the trip by himself just fine after all. As he turned around, he suddenly bumped into someone, making him jump back in surprise and raise his arm at the ready. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

A chuckle made him snap to attention, turning fully to see Denki with a playful smile looking up at him. He raised his own hand in a chopping motion, mimicking Iida's own. "No worries here. I didn't announce my presence so I'm also to blame."

"I…uh, I see." Iida stuttered out, not sure what else to say, luckily Denki never really needed to be prompted to talk.

"I actually also wanted to apologize for not being down on time. I REALLY tried to get everyone down here but Mina just couldn't decide on what top to wear and then she got me thinking about MY outfit and I just had to change, you know."

"Oh, well…I don't know..." Iida said truthfully, looking down at his cargo shorts and dark blue button-up. he rolled up his sleeves to his elbow in preparation for physical activity, but for the most part, this was what he usually wore. Taking a peek at Denki, he noted the black T-shirt he wore with a yellow lightning bolt wrapping around the collar and then striking the middle of his chest. He had a dark jean jacket over it with several pins decorating the front. Most of them are electrical-themed in some way. Further down he noted the pair of black jeans he wore with holes cut into the knees; and then lastly, his shoes that were a simple pair of sneakers, but the laces had been replaced with yellow ones so that it matched his outfit. "You look nice though."

Denki's cheeks tinted a light shade of pink at his complement, pulling on his jacket nervously. "Thanks."

Iida felt his face heat up as well, not meaning to say the words out loud but it was the truth. Denki looked good in anything and his versatility in fashion will surely be helpful when he is asked to model or do advertising in the future. Heck, he will probably be asked to have his own fashion line if he plays his cards right. He quickly shook his head, trying to rid himself of thinking about heroics and back towards the conversation at hand.

"You have everything you need?"

"Yup!" Kaminari said cheerfully. "I packed everything last night like you suggested and have it all organized in my backpack."

Iida raised an eyebrow at him. "Your backpack?"

"Yeah, like you do!"

"I…Denki?" Iida said hesitantly, giving his classmate another once over as he said it.

"Yeah?"

"Where is your backpack?"

Denki laughed like Iida just told a great joke. "It's right here, silly!" The electric user went to pat his back, fully expecting to grab his pack but was unexpectedly met with nothing. His eyes widened in shock, trying to feel for it again before turning to try and see his back. "Shit! I left in my room." Denki's face was quickly turning red, looking up at Iida in embarrassment as he realized his mistake.

Iida tried to hold in his laugh, but he couldn't stop himself from at least smiling at his classmate's antics. It was just such a Denki thing to do and it made his heart squeeze at how cute he looked. Suddenly, a beeping started to come from his phone, checking it quickly he saw that his five-minute reminder popping up. "You should probably hurry and grab it. Aizawa and Mic should be here shortly.

Denki gave a curt nod, already running towards the stairs. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it!"

Iida watched him leave before shaking to clear his head. He doesn't have time to daydream he has a safety speech to deliver. Walking to the front of the room, Iida cleared his throat. "Everyone, can I have your attention please."

Several people continued to talk and joke around but the other classmates quickly shushed them so that Iida could get on with his speech. "Thank you, I just wanted to say that we are about five minutes out until we leave so if you need to grab anything or use the restroom, please do so now before Aizawa and Mic arrive."

Everyone nodded, some looking through their bags to make sure they had everything but no one moved from their spot. "Good, now like I said last night, we will be enforcing the buddy system. This doesn't mean you can't hang out in groups or with other people, but you and your buddy are in charge of looking out for each other if something happens and you should be with your buddy at all times. I will write down who is partnering up so we all know and can keep each other accountable. So who would like to go first?"

Kirishima raised his hand. "Me and Baku-bro are together."

"We know." Sero snickered before quickly having to dodge an explosive aimed at his face.

"Jirou and I will be partners." Momo spoke up next.

"Me and Deku will be partners!"

"But I thought I was going to be Midoryia's partner." Todoroki countered calmly at Uruaka's shout.

Midoryia grimaced, probably not wanting to get in between his friends arguing.

"Todoroki you can be my partner if you want. I want to show you mortal combat anyway." Sero chimed in quickly followed by Mina.

"And Tsu and I will be partners!"

"Works with me, kero." Tsu answered with a shrug.

Soon everyone was paired up with someone. Iida felt like the partners were slightly different than what the class usually chooses but he couldn't figure out what had changed. It wasn't until he realized he didn't have a partner that he figured out what was off. There were usually two groups of three in the class. Himself, with Todoroki and Midoryia, and then Sero, Kaminari, and Mina. Unless Mina wanted to be a part of the girl's group like she did today, there was always at least one group of three between the two friend groups but that wasn't the case this time around.

Iida let out a sigh after doing some quick mental math, figuring he would be left alone and without permission to join a group of two, he would be stuck with Mic and Aizawa as his partners. It wouldn't be the first time, but he was hoping that things would be different somehow this time around. Maybe it was the kid in him finally being active enough to want to enjoy the arcade with his friends, but it seems the adult in him still keeps most of his classmates away.

"All right. I believe that is everyone. This list is finalized, so no one is allowed to change after we leave, all right."

Everyone nodded, agreeing to the terms that were set. "Good. I'll give this to Aizawa once he arrives. In the meantime, did everyone put on sunscreen?"

Suddenly thundering steps came from the stairs, everyone turning in time to see Kaminari skidding around the corner holding up a small yellow backpack up in the air in pride. "I found it!" He huffed out, gulping down air like he just ran a marathon. "I left it in Mina's room on the bathroom counter."

Bakugou snorted at his friend turning away with a roll of his eyes once the commotion had ended. "I told you to just put it on and stop fussing with it."

The rest of his friends laughed at his dramatics and poked fun at him for having to change his outfit at the last minute, but no one was being mean. Kaminari was smiling through the entire thing, shoving his friends to try and get them to stop. Iida smiled at the display, always happy to see Denki genuinely smiling and having a good time.

"Dude you took way too long! We already partnered up." Sero teased.

"What?" Denki yelled in panic, looking around at his friends and only getting shit-eating grins in return. "Who's with who? Did I miss my chance already?"

Iida felt bad for his classmate, seeing how no one had claimed him as a partner yet, but that doesn't mean he still can't join his friends. "Don't worry, Denki." Iida interrupted the group, lifting the list in the air to show him. "There is still time, I can add you to a group if you would like. Maybe Kirishima and Bakug--"

"Hell no!" Bakugou yelled out in protest. "I have to deal with this idiot being a third wheel for too long. Put him in a different group!"

"Oh, well…I suppose you can--" Ida tried again ready to suggest another one of Denki's close friends but was interrupted again by Sero."

"I'm already with Todoroki and I already planned out what games I'm going to teach him."

"And I'm having a girl's day!" Mina added on. "No boys allowed." The wink she added at the end of her sentence didn't really fit what she was saying but Denki seemed to get the silent message, his face turning pink as he looked around.

"O-oh okay, so then…who am I with."

"Iida doesn't have a partner yet." Momo spoke up diplomatically.

"Oh?" Denki asked in interest instantly turning to look at Iida. He felt his face heat up at the attention but powered on like he wasn't affected by his classmate's gaze.

"Well, yes I currently don't have a partner, but seeing how you didn't get to choose one I'm more than willing to allow you to join a group to make--"

"I'll be your partner!" Denki blurted out, looking a little embarrassed at how loud he said it, but quickly recovered as he quickly made his way in front of Iida.

"Are you sure?" Iida asked quietly once the blond was closer, hesitating to believe Denki wanted to actually spend his time at the arcade with him and not his friends. "I can add you to a group you will have more fun with…I don't mind."

Denki just shook his head. "Are you kidding? We're going have SO much fun they'll all be jealous of us!"

Iida couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm. "You sure about that? It is me after all. Adult me to be exact."

"Yeah, well that's why this is perfect! I'll help make sure you have fun!" Denki then brought his small yellow backpack forward showing it to Iida with pride. "I came prepared for this!"

Iida raised his eyebrow in interest. "Prepared? For what?"

Kaminri looked pleased with himself at being asked but before he could explain what he meant, a loud yell from the doorway stopped him in his tracks.

"Who’s ready to Par-Tay!" Everyone turned at the iconic voice, seeing Yamada and Aizawa making their way down the hall, one of them with way more enthusiasm than the other.

"Not me."

"Hey, now. Don't be a party pooper in front of the kids. Especially when they worked so hard for this reward!" Yamada scolded his fellow teacher before turning back to the class. "Now as I was saying, who’s ready to Par-Tay!"

The class cheered in excitement, his loud teachers energy always infectious. Iida cheered with them, also excited to get started so they stayed on schedule. He quickly held up the list as he made his way over to Aizawa. "Sir, we already selected our partners for the buddy system. I've written all groups down here for you to reference if needed."

Aizawa took the list from Iida with a grunt, scanning the list over for a few seconds before pausing. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity before leaning to show the list to Yamada. Mic didn't even hesitate to look over the list before letting out a hum of his own. "Well, what do you know? Looks like we'll be losing some money to Tensie after all."

"What?" Iida asked, certain his sensei said his brother's name.

"Nothing!" Mic sang out as he moved away from Aizawa to address the rest of the class. "Now, let's stop wasting daylight and hit the road!"

The class cheered again, slowly following the adults out in their designated pairs. Iida blinked at where Mic used to be standing still unable to process what was said.

"Tenya come on, we don't want to be left behind!" Denki said, tugging on his sleeve to get him to start moving.

"R-Right! Sorry about that, Denki."

"No harm done, but let's go have some fun! I can't wait to play against you in some of these games! Do you think that we'll get enough tickets to buy a cool prize?"

"Who knows? I'm not really up to date with arcade currency or the going rates of prizes."

Denki threw his head back with a laugh, leaning into Iida's side as he lost his footing for a moment. "We're going to have the best time! I can just feel it!"

Iida basked in the other's laugh, enjoying how it felt to have him so close that he felt his skin stand on end from the electric charge between them. It might have been Denki's quirk but Iida liked to think that it was because of something else.

"This will be nice. I get to spend the entire day with Denki."

He thought excitedly before he suddenly realized what that meant.

"I have to spend the entire day with Denki."

No. He was already having a hard enough time waiting to tell the other how he felt and now he has to be around him for an entire day? No way he won't slip up and tell Denki how he feels! Would it be disastrous if he told Denki how he felt today? They are partnered together so this could technically be counted as a date, like how Bakugou and Kirishima are using it as a couple outing.

" No!"

His brain tried to reason with him.

"This is his reward for passing the math test! You don't want to make this day about you!"

But how was he supposed to get through today without making it brutally obvious that he likes his classmate? He's already doing a poor job if he said so himself. He can't help it though, Denki is just able to bring out a side of himself he didn't know existed until he stepped out onto his balcony that one night not so long ago. He's changed his entire worldview. How can he not act differently when he now thinks Denki is the view? Iida felt himself grimace at how cheesy that sounded, far too distasteful to even be found in a romantic novel, but it was how he felt.

"You know how to separate your emotions from your duties."

He thought to himself.

"As class president, it is your job to make sure the class stays safe while we are on this outing. You have no time for feelings to begin with."

Iida let out a sigh, trying to shake the depressing reality that is his situation off. Even if he wanted to throw caution to the wind and spend every moment fawning over Denki he realistically couldn't do that. He had too much responsibility today to even think about something so selfish as confessing. He's class president after all and he takes that title seriously.

"Tenya?" Denki suddenly asked, looking up at him in worry. "Are you okay?"

Iida blinked down at him before feeling his face heat up at being caught. He was in the middle of talking with Denki and just spaced out to have his little emotional breakdown. He quickly brought up his hand to start chopping that air, hoping it would distract the other from his visible embarrassment.

"My apologies! I seemed to have gotten caught up in my thoughts. Please forgive me for my rudeness."

Denki just gave him a half smile in clear amusement. "Forgiven. Well as long as you tell me what's distracting you." Denki teased with a wink making Iida more flustered as he suppressed the urge to blurt out the word, you.

"Well, uh…you see. I was just thinking about…the arcade."

"The arcade?" Denki pressed hoping that he would elaborate more.

"Yeah, I uh. I guess I did my research but I'm just not really sure what to suspect…or how to keep our classmates safe while there." Iida's eyes suddenly widen remembering something. "I forgot to go over where the emergency exits are! I should probably tell Aizawa where they are and then request a meeting before we go in! I should also tell them to spend their money wisely and remind them where we are to meet later today when it is time to leave. Oh, do you think I shou--"

"Whoa! Calm down Tenya. " Denki cut him off, raising his hands as a sign to stop. "No need to spiral. You went over all this last night in the PowerPoint, remember? And I'm sure Aizawa won't let us go without at least a few words of encouragement to make sure we behave." Denki chuckled at the thought, very accustomed to hearing those words himself. "So relax, everything is under control."

"I…sorry" Iida sighed out, suddenly feeling exhausted. "I didn't mean to ramble to you. These trips always just put me on edge because I want to make sure our classmates are safe…I just want to make sure they have a good time."

Denki's face softened at that, grabbing his raised hand to give it a quick squeeze. "I know. Trust me when I say that everyone appreciates the work you put in to make sure they are all taken care of but don't forget this outing is for you too. You also deserve to have fun."

Iida watched as Denki lowered his hand, wishing that he would leave it over his own for a little longer. "It's hard to break old habits." He sighed, dropping how own hand to rest at his side as well.

"I know, but like I said, that's where I come in!" Denki said with determination, stepping in front of Iida to do a little spin, ending it with his finger guns pointing at him. He added a signature wink to drive his point home and got a snort out of Iida for his efforts.

"Yeah? You said that before but you haven't explained what that means yet."

"Just you wait! I have plans!" Denki bragged. "I took your suggestion of a schedule to heart last night so I not only have plans but I have contingency plans!"

"Plans for what?"

"For fun, obviously."

Iida laughed. "Not really what I was talking about but I appreciate your enthusiasm."

"You better mister because I'm about to blow your mind with fun! You think my switch is cool just wait until we get to the claw machines!"

"Aren't those rigged?" Iida asked curiously, not knowing much about arcades but knowing the basics like how all those crane games are made to make people lose money.

"Yes, most of the time." Denki agreed, his smile not faltering. "But as I said, I have contingency plans! See the thing you got to know about crane games is tha--"

"I swear I will kick you into oncoming traffic, you stupid Half and Half bastard!"

"Do it. Put me out of my misery."

Iida looked up at the commotion, seeing Todoroki and Bakugou in one of their violent arguments. Bakugou's hands were sparking while Todoroki just looked at him unfazed by the explosions so close to his face. He quickly squared his shoulders, ready to march up there and tell them that they needed to behave in public but a yellow blur running ahead stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey, buddy! Hey friends!" Denki yelled cheerfully as he ran up and wrapped an arm around a still-sparking Bakugou without a single ounce of fear.

"I'm not your friend, Spark Plug!" Bakugou growled, obviously lying with the use of a more fondly used nickname.

"Of course you are and as my friend, you understand why you threatening Todo-bro and causing a scene today wouldn't be wise."

Bakugou growled at him, looking like he was ready to argue but Kirishima stepped in with a tug on his boyfriend's hand. "Come on man. Be nice, please?"

Iida watched in fascination as some more hushed words were said amongst the group, Sero joining in and leaning on Todoroki to say something to him as well before they all seemed to come to an agreement. "Fine! I'll stop! Just keep that bastard away from me and I'll be fine."

"But I wanted to defeat you at laser tag." Todoroki stated plainly.

"Oh don't worry. I still plan on crushing you." Bakugou yelled turning away from the other without another word.

Kaminari gave a nod in thanks to his friends before skipping back to Iida. He gave his classmate a curious look and got two thumbs up for his efforts. He was about to ask him what that was about but a shout from the front of the group once again stopped him.

"No! My phone didn't charge!" Hagakura whined. "How will I take cute pictures without my phone? Aizawa we HAVE to go back!"

"No need!" Denki yelled, rushing to his friend in need like a true hero.

"Wait, Denki," Iida spoke up, jogging after his partner so that they not only stayed together but to hopefully stop the blond from becoming the designated charge. "You don't have to--"

"Here you go!" The blond said, holding out a charging brick to the invisible girl with a bright smile. I charged it last night so you should be good for the whole day!"

"You’re a lifesaver!" Hagakura sighed in relief taking the charger from him and demanding a selfie together as payment before allowing the blond to leave.

Iida watched in disbelief as Denki solved another issue in a span of a few minutes without any yelling or arguments. He watched as the blond settled back beside him, situating his bag back onto his back before turning to look at him. "What?"

Iida just continued to stare at him. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"What was…all of that?" Iida tried again, waving his hand in front of him as he tried to explain.

"Oh!" Denki replied once he got it before shrugging. "I saw a problem and I knew I could fix it so I did."

"But that's not-- You don't-- As class representative it is my duty--"

"--To have fun today." Denki interrupted him sternly. "As you appointed partner it is my job to make sure you have fun and stay safe."

"That may be true, but you didn't have to do all that. I could handle it." Iida tried to counter.

"You ALWAYS handle it," Denki said with an eye roll before suddenly becoming shy. "And I'm usually the reason you can't catch a break. I told you I would do better in the future to help out so I am...trying at least."

Iida felt his heart squeeze at how thoughtful Kaminari was being. He almost forgot about the conversation they had about how he never had fun on class outings because he was always worried about everyone else.

"Is this what he meant when he said he came prepared? He was prepared to help me with my duties?"

Iida had to look away, afraid of what his face looked like at the moment and not wanting Kamianri to see it. "I…thank you for thinking of me." He mumbled out, his hand itching to reach to grab the other's hand like he did to him. "I truly appreciate the thought, but I don't want you to go out of your way for my sake. I want you to have fun as well…you earned it after all."

"Don't worry," Denki said easily. "I know I'll have a great time as long as I'm with you."

Iida couldn't take it anymore, the words pushing him over the edge as he reached out to squeeze Kaminari's hand in a show of thanks. He meant to let go once he was done, but Denki held on, squeezing his hand in return and not letting go. Iida found that he didn't mind.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Everyone was vibrating with excitement by the time they made it to the arcade. Iida himself was filled with anticipation as he wondered what else the day had in store for him. Denki was bouncing next to him when he finally saw the arcade's lit sign shining like a beacon from several blocks away. He was still holding onto Iida's hand, pulling him with every bounce in his step. He couldn't find himself to care, only tightening his grip when the electric user got a little too excited and pulled too hard. Denki always squeezed back as a form of apology reeling in his excitement instead of letting go of his hand.

He hoped they could stay like this for longer, but as Aizawa turned to address the class he knew it was about to come to an end. "All right class." He drawled, instantly getting all the excited teens’ attention. "You know the drill. No quirks while off campus, no hero work while off campus unless it is an emergency and you have your license on you. Before you engage, please come get me or Mic. We will be in the cafeteria area--

"--Or at skee ball!" Mic interrupted and got a noticeable glare from Aizawa when he did, but only sighed instead of correcting him.

"Or at skee ball. Do not leave the premises for any reason, they have food here so make sure you save enough to pay for your lunch. We will meet back at the entrance at closing time and then walk back to campus -No pit stops- understand?"

Everyone nodded their heads. "Good, any questions?" Again no one said anything. "Okay, then have fun."

The class cheered as they raced for the entrance of the arcade, pulling their designated buddy and chatting up a storm. "Remember the buddy system! Don't run! You are upholding UA as a school so act like it! No fighting and please, no shoving!" He yelled at his class, wondering why his teacher didn't add these basic notes to his speech. He had to let go of Denki's hand to use them to try and regain his class's attention but wasn't succeeding in the slightest.

"Come on, Tenya!" Denki yelled over him, tugging him by the arm to follow his classmates. "Let's go have fun!"

"But--" Iida tried to protest but Denki cut him off before he could get too far.

"We are heroes in training! We know the drill! Have some faith in us and stop worrying!"

"It is my job to--"

"--To be a kid and have fun!" Denki groaned, still pulling on Iida and making slow progress in getting his feet moving. "Come on! All the good prizes will be gone if we don't hurry!"

"I don't think that's how it works." Iida tried to argue, his feet moving more freely as he got distracted by the conversation.

"Don't they have to play the games and get the tickets first?"

"Not if Momo or Todoroki just use their money to flat-out buy the prizes."

"Momo wouldn't do that."

"But Todoroki would just to spite Bakugou."

Iida let out a snort, now fully inside the arcade and in line to buy their entrance tickets. Classmates already wandering around and pointing out what games they wanted to play or what prize they wanted to win. He should yell at them for running around and being so loud, but they are in an arcade and this place is kind of designed for that, right? Fighting the urge to correct his class's behavior he instead turned to the board above that showcased the different kinds of attractions the arcade had and how much each one cost. He already knew the prices after doing research online but it never hurt to double-check.

"So what does your master plan of fun entail ticket-wise?" Iida asked as he went to grab his wallet.

"Huh?" Denki asked absent-mindedly as his attention was glued to the arcade in front of him.

"The tickets to gain entry," Iida explained, pointing to the board above as they slowly got closer to the front. "We need to buy the right tickets to gain access to certain areas of the arcade, so I need to know which one to buy so I can follow through with your plan for today."

Denki gave a hum in understanding as he looked to where his friends had started to walk off to before finally registering the words. "Oh! Yeah, uh. Let me see." They took a step forward in the line as Denki scanned the board, blinking at the prices like he couldn't comprehend what he was reading before turning back to Iida.

"I promised the Baku-squad to at least play one round of lazar tag with them against Deku and well your friend group."

Iida nodded his head in understanding. "Understood so we should both get the tickets with the Lasar tag included."

"We don't have to if you don't want to though." Denki quickly tried to backtrack. "It's the most expensive one so I understand if it seems like too much when we also want to spend extra money at the arcade."

"That is true." Iida agreed, well aware of how much money his class is most likely going to spend and why he and Aizawa harped on them to remember to save enough money for food. At the same time, Iida has done nothing but save his monthly allowance for the entire duration of being at UA besides buying glasses replacements and other necessities so he knows he has the money to spend. "But we're here to have fun so might as well go plus ultra."

Kaminari laughed as they finally made up to the front of the line, the attendant still looking friendly somehow after dealing with an entire herd of excited heroes-to-be. "Welcome! What can I get for you?"

"Yes, hello. I would like two deluxe tickets."

"Perfect." The attendant drawled as they punched in the purchase. "This will give you access to the arcade, two hours of Lasar tag, and a discount on the pizza at the concession stand. You will also get two cards for the arcade with five dollars already loaded onto it. If you want more you can come back up here, the prize counter, or one of the machines around the arcade floor. Any questions?"

"No, I think we've got it," Iida said, looking at Denki for confirmation and getting an excited nod from the electric user.

"Great! That will be 70 dollars or 35 dollars each."

Denki went for his bag to get his wallet, but Iida already had his out and ready, handing the attendant his card to pay for both.

"Thank you! One moment as I get your arcade cards. You'll also need to swipe them to get into the Lasar tag arena."

Once the attendant stepped away Denki let out a noise of protest looking at Iida in disbelief. "Why did you do that? I could have paid for my ticket."

Iida could only shrug, not really having an answer to why he wanted to pay for Denki's. "I just felt like it." Denki didn't buy that answer giving him a disbelieving look. "Just think of it as a gift." Iida tried to explain again. "For working so hard at our study sessions."

"Yeah, an expensive gift."

"Don't worry. This didn't even put a dent into my budget for today so I still have plenty for snacks and the arcade portion of our time here."

Denki raised an eyebrow at him before letting out a huff mumbling something about the rich before shaking his head. "I'm pretty sure we've had this argument before so I'm not going to bring it up again but just so you know you're on thin ice buddy."

The electric user emphasized his point by poking him in his chest a few times, letting him know he meant business. Iida struggled to keep a straight face but tried for Denki's sake. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"And here are your cards!" The attendant interrupted, holding out two plastic cards with the arcade logo on them. "Have fun!"

Denki quickly snatched up his card and waved it in Iida's face, looking determined as he did. "It means I'm going to win the shit out of a prize for you!" With that, he walked off towards the side of the arcade with games littered in every corner. Iida watched him for a few seconds unsure how he should process that information but quickly decided that he liked the idea of Denki trying his hardest to win him something. Kind of like the flower he bought him after their book outing. He blushed at the memory, suddenly having the urge to win Denki something as well. "Wait for me! We have to stay together remember?"

"Then keep up!" Denki yelled back. "I got a lot of tickets to collect and not a lot of time!"

"We have all day," Iida argued back as soon as he caught up to him. "No need to rush."

Denki finally looked over at him, a half smile slowly forming on his face as he looked him over. "Tenya, are you telling me as the fastest person in our class not to rush?"

Iida felt a smile settle on his face as he brought his hand up to give a firm chop in the air. "Unless it is a racing game, yeah."

Denki laughed with his head tilted back in pure joy, finding his joke far more amusing than Iida thought it should be but his happiness was infectious, feeling him with a warm feeling he had grown accustomed to and didn't want to let go of any time soon.

"I want him to be my boyfriend!"

The thought blared in his head like a siren, begging him to just utter the words but he refrained. This didn't feel like the right time. He had a plan to stick to after all.

"Come on!" Denki yelled over the noise of the arcade as he grabbed for Iida's hand again. "Let's go have fun!"

"Lead the way." Iida shouted back, more than happy to follow this little ray of sunshine to the ends of the earth if he had to. 
 
---
 
Denki had to do a whole lap of the arcade before deciding on what he wanted to play first. Talking the entire time about what games gave away easy tickets, what games were the funniest, and anything else arcade-related. He almost felt like he was on some kind of nature tour with Denki giving him facts about all the wildlife that lived in the chaotic jungle around them. They ended up at the prize counter so that they could see what they could win and how much they needed to get certain items. Denki seemed a little disappointed by the selection but Iida instantly zeroed in on a digital watch that was tucked in the corner of the third-highest shelf. It was bright yellow with two ears sticking out of it and two red circles on either side of where the time was displayed. He wasn't a Pokemon expert but he had seen enough of Denki's room and the class's memes in the group chat to know it was one Denki liked.

He memorized the number of tickets he needed to heart while trying to absorb all the tips Denki was giving him to ensure he got enough for the watch. He almost wanted to ask the worker behind the counter how much it would be to just buy the watch, but he knew that Denki wouldn't agree with cheating the system like that. He still kept it in the back of his mind as a last resort if he didn't get enough.

"Ready to get started?" Iida asked once he had his plan in place, turning to see Denki still looking at the wall of prizes in disappointment.

"Why don't they have anything good?" Denki huffed in frustration, giving the wall another huff before turning away in defeat.

"I think they had a decent selection. As far as I can tell anyway."

"But nothing that screams, 'Tenya' or 'worth the equivalent of one deluxe ticket'."

Iida snorted at Denki's mocking tone. "I don't think they have prizes that scream 'Tenya' because no kid would be excited over a TI 84 calculator."

Denki laughed at that, leaning into Iida's side as he tried to push him away for the terrible joke. "Stop that's not funny."

"Maybe they have a fun glasses case in the back we can ask for?"

Denki actually shoved him this time, not hard enough to actually move him but enough to let him know how much he seemed to like his joke. The smile he wore told a different story, along with how fast he continued to settle back at his side, close enough so their arms brushed. "I swear you're going to be the death of me. You like other things, Tenya."

"Yeah…do you think they have the game risk?"

Denki let out a groan, grabbing his hand to pull him towards one of the games. "Stop talking about nerd stuff and let's play already."

Iida laughed, easily allowing himself to be dragged again by the smaller teen toward whatever game he deemed good enough to play first. They didn't make it far, Bakugou intercepting them with his usual scowl. "Oi! Glasses, Spark Plug! Stop playing around and get your asses to the Laser tag arena!"

"What? But Baku-bro! I have prizes to win!"

"No complaining! You bought the Lasar tag games, right?"

"Well, yeah but--"

"Than no buts! We're taking Deku and Half and Half down!"

Iida frowned at the interaction, seeing how Denki's shoulders slumped at being pulled away from the arcade games before he even got a chance to play. "Does this have to happen right now? We're about to play some games?"

Bakugou was about to speak but Kirishima beat him to it, wrapping his arm around his boyfriend to soothe his anger. "Sorry, I know you probably had a plan or schedule to stick to but keeping Mina away from DDR is harder than you think. If we don't do this now I don't think we will be able to later on. Plus, we only have enough time for like, four rounds, and the time is already ticking. Don't want to waste it, right?"

Denki let out a sigh before nodding in understanding. "You're right." He turned back to Iida with a smug smirk on his face. "You mind if we pause the ticket hunt so that I can wipe the floor against you?"

Iida tried to keep a straight face, but it was hard against Denki, trying to distract him from his bad poker face by chopping his arm up and down. "I think you miss spoke. I think you meant to say when I wipe the floor."

"In your dreams glasses! Quirks aren't allowed in the arena and with your glasses, your aim won't be shit!"

Iida rolled his eyes at Bakugou's colorful language. "Even without my quirk, I assure you I am still faster than you."

"Ha? What did you say you blue gumball son of a--"

"I think that better question would be if you and your team can keep up with me."

"Ooooh," Denki said in a sing-song voice. "Tenya out here making threats."

"Not threats, just stating facts."

"Let's see about that!" Bakugou yelled, even more fired up than he had been. "I'm going to destroy all of you!"

"With the power of teamwork, right?" Kirishima teased his boyfriend and only got a glare in return. "Right?"

"Sure, whatever makes you play at your best." He mumbled back and got a quick side hug from Kirishima for his efforts.

Denki laughed at the display as he followed after the couple seeing the arena get closer and the rest of their respected friends group already there and suiting up. Tenya noted that Mina, Sero, Bakugou, Kirishima, and Denki were on the orange team, while Midoryia, Todoroki, Uraraka, Himself, and Tsu were on the green team. He nodded to himself, mentally double-checking that all partners from the buddy system were accounted for.

"Hurry up Iida!" Uraraka yelled as she waved him over. "We win free lunch if we beat these suckers and I'm not losing free food!"

"What idiot made that bet?" Bakugou ordered, looking at his team and only getting shrugs in reply.

"If I'm being honest, Todoroki just kind of volunteered to pay for all our lunches but then it kind of got reworked from there."

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "Idiot. We already get a discount on the food for buying these tickets."

"Exactly," Todoroki stated plainly. "My father gave me a limit on how much I could spend today and I intend to go over that limit out of spite."

Midoryia sighed at the explanation, shaking his head and mumbling to himself as he fiddled with his gun. Sero also patted Todoroki on the shoulder, probably hoping that he could silently communicate with the other but only getting a couple of blinks in return.

Thankfully the bored Lasar tag attendant decided to make an appearance, asking those who hadn't swiped their card yet to do so already so that they could suit up and start the game. Denki basically skipped up to the card reader in excitement, giving him his card and making grabby hands as his vest and the attached were given to him. Iida chuckled at the other's enthusiasm, quickly following after to do the same.

"No hard feelings when we win?" Denki asked as they got suited up together while the attendant droned on about the rules.

Iida wanted to listen, but couldn't pull his attention away from the other to do so. "Again, when we win."

"Confident aren't we?"

"Always."

"Good, I like that in a man." Iida whipped his head around to face Denki properly, seeing the tail end of one of his famous winks before sauntering away towards his team. Iida stayed frozen in place, his mouth still trying to sputter out a reply even though no one was there to hear it. His face was on fire while his hands opened and closed as they struggled to find anything to do.

"Did Denki really say that? Did he mean it? He had to just be teasing, right?"

A part of Iida desperately hoped not, wanting nothing more than to march up to Denki and demand an explanation for such flirtatious words directed at him.

"Could this mean that he might actually have a chance? Does Denki like--"

"Iida hurry up, kero. Midoryia has come up with a strategy to beat them!"

"Right!" Iida squeaked, trying to remember where he was and what was needed of him. He didn't have time to think about what just happened when he was about to go to war. He jogged to catch up with the rest of his team as they were led to their starting place, Midoryia already in full rant mode as he told them his plan. It was a basic plan, but effective. Iida as the fastest along with Todoroki would rush the other team, staying middle to be the first line of defense against the invading team. Able to push up or fall back if needed while Uraraka would stay behind to protect their base. Tsu and Midoryia would try and stealth their way to the other side, Tsu more so than Midoryia who admitted he would most likely be a distraction luring Kacchan away from the fight the entire time.

They barely had time to agree with the plan before a buzzer went off and the door to the arena opened up. They instantly rushed in, guns up and ready. They could hear the other team yelling in excitement from the other side. The place was dark, black lights illuminating the space enough to see the outline of barriers and the overall layout, so no one tripped, but dark enough that someone could sneak by if they kept their glowing vest out of sight. Iida noted the target at the back of their base, knowing the other teams would look the same but in orange. He looked over at Todoroki, snorting at how half his head was glowing blue before gesturing for them to move up. He got a nod in return and soon they were off, quickly moving around obstacles and peaking around corners to make sure the coast was clear.

It didn't take long for them to meet the other team in the middle, Bakugou and Mina being the first they encountered. Both parties diving for cover before trying to get a shot off at them. Mina was hard to hit, her quick steps making it impossible for him to aim. Bakugou was an unwavering force, inching closer to Todoroki with his gun constantly firing like he was born to do this. Eventually, they ran out of bullets. Iida also getting close to being out and having to return to base to reload, He looked at Todoroki hoping to communicate who needed to run back first while the other held their ground but Bakugou's yell interrupted him.

"I'm out! B team tag in!"

Suddenly Mina and Bakguou were gone, Iida and Todoroki taking the opportunity to advance but were soon stopped by Sero launching himself over a barrier and spraying them with bullets. Todoroki wasn't able to move in time, getting hit in the shoulder by the way his vest lit up and screamed at him. "Does this mean I'm dead?" Todoroki asked and got a laugh from Sero.

"No man. It just means you have to go back to base before you can fire your gun again. Like a reset."

"Yeah, like what you're going to have to do, kero." Tsu suddenly spoke from the shadows, no one able to see her until Sero's vest was also blinking furiously at being shot in the chest.

"What? Aw, man!"

"Don't worry, we can be dead together."

"Todo we aren't Oh never mind," Sero said with a huff running back to his base. "I'm hit! Backup required. Electric boogaloo still in effect!"

Iida raised an eyebrow at the strange call, looking over at Todoroki to see if he understood but his teammate was already heading back to base as well. Tsu was also gone, or at least he thought so. He didn't see where she was the first time so she still could be hiding. Either way, Iida didn't have any enemy team around him and decided that even though he was low, he should push forward to try and take more ground.  He hasn't heard any calls for backup yet from the other team anyway.

Iida took another peak around his barrier before moving up to the next one, peaking around to make sure he was safe before rolling to the side to get behind a barrier that was taller than the rest so that he could fully stand up while being covered. He was just checking out toward the center of the arena when he saw something in the corner of his eye. He whipped around, pointing his gun into the corner, and finding Denki laying horizontally on top of one of the barriers.

"Well, fancy meeting you here," Denki said with a grin, twirling his gun around like a school girl would a pencil when they were trying to attract their crush. Iida probably would have laughed if he wasn't so surprised but instead, he just raised his gun to aim. "Hey now, no need for that."

"I think there is plenty of need." Iida countered, trying to get a shot but with Denki lying on his stomach, most of his targets were covered.

"Why? Because we're supposed to be enemies?"

"Yes…" Iida replied again, being cautious as to whatever trick was hiding up the blond's sleeve.

"Why do we have to be enemies?"

"Because that is how the game wo--"

"--Why can't we be lovers?"

"I'm sorry what?" Iida sputtered out, not expecting that to come out of the blond's mouth at all.

Denki just grinned at him, seeming to take pleasure in his reaction. "You know, like Romeo and Juliet! Star cross lovers from families that hate each other!"

"I--I'm familiar with the story but what does that have to do with-- why would you-- Explain or I won't hesitate to shoot."

Denki laughed at him, his teasing smile still on his face. "If you wanted to shoot me you would of already."

"Well, I…"

"What I want is an alliance."

"...an Alliance?"

"Yup!" Denki said popping the 'p' to emphasize his point. "You let me pass and I let you pass. Easy as that."

Iida still has his gun pointed at him, hesitating to answer or understand the turn of events that were happening. "You want me to let you go?"

"In exchange I let you go without shooting you back." Denki shrugged like he didn't care that he was making deals with the enemy or still held at gunpoint. "Seems like a win-win to me."

Iida looked to his left and right again, feeling like this wasn't a good idea and he should just walk away and shoot Denki already. "I don't know. I don't want to hurt my team's trust."

"Tenya please!" Denki begged, letting go of his gun entirely to intertwine his hands together. "They don't have to know! And It will help them in the long run because you have a higher chance of scoring!"

Iida frowned, his argument and reasoning actually being hard to ignore. He let out a sigh, feeling like he was going to regret this but unable to say no. "Okay, you got yourself a deal."

Denki cheered softly, getting up and jogging towards Iida with his hand out for him to take. You have yourself a deal!"

Iida let out a sigh as he shook his hand, feeling like he just sold his soul to the devil but had no proof. Denki winked at him as he left, waving at him as he walked right on by him with the confidence of a man who knew he won. "See you around Tenya."

Iida only hummed at him, deciding to think about the consequences of his actions later and use the opportunity that was given to him to the fullest. Getting his head back into the game, Iida looked around for any more players before making a beeline to the other team's base. He was so close he could almost taste victory for his team. He leaned up against the last barrier, taking a steady breath as he looked to see how many bullets he had left. He cursed as the number eight flashed in front of him. Not nearly enough to win the game, but more than enough to get a could lead if he could just hit all of them. He took one more steady breath, knowing he would have to be fast in order to get past whoever was left to guard the base.

With the element of surprise though, he is sure that he can pull this off. He counted to three in his head, hyping himself to launch over the barrier when he suddenly saw a bright orange gun aimed directly at him from the side. Iida cursed, trying to roll out of the way but the other person already had time to line up their shot, hitting him on the back and making his vest light up. He got up in a hurry, wanting to see who had shot him and finding a sheepish Kirishima looking at him. "Sorry bro but it had to be done." He then turned to the side, yelling across the arena. "Electric boogaloo was a success!"

He got a few hoots and one "Fuck yeah!" From his team across the arena, he just stood there in silence as the puzzle pieces slowly came together. "You planned this." He said out loud more like a statement than a question.

"Yeah," Kirishima answered anyway.

"I was set up."

"You were."

"Denki set me up!"

"Hey, to be fair Denki didn't want to at first," Kirishima confessed, putting both his hands up in defense. "But Bakugou convinced him pretty easily when he said he didn't care how he did it but just that he needed to distract you and get the treaty made."

Iida just looked at him still stunned at how he fell for something so obvious, but then he realized the true error of his ways. "Denki is headed to our base!"

"Yup! Looks like round one will be going to team Bakusquad!"

"Not if I can help it, kero!" Tsu suddenly yelled, hitting Kirishima's vest on the first try as she dashed towards the target.

"Hey! Shit! Tsu in base! Repeat! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!"

"Ah!" Uraraka suddenly yelled. "Denki is in the base! DENKI IS IN BASE!"

"Shitty Deku! Get back here!"

"Kacchan!"

Iida listened to the chaos around him before letting out a slow sigh, deciding it was time for him to get back out into the fray and help his team. He jogged back to his base, ready to fight with his friends to the death protecting their base. 
 
---
 
Iida whipped the sweat off his brow, the three rounds of Lasar tag working up as much of a sweat as he did when he was in hero training. To be fair this was hero training when he was up against all his classmates. He turned to look at his group of friends chatting excitedly about the matches as they returned their vests. They ended up with a tie. Bakugou's team won the first, then his team took the second one, and then both teams got kicked out during the last match for being too rowdy and the attendants were afraid they would actually hurt someone with how they were throwing each other around. It was probably for the best, seeing how Midoryira and Bakguou were two seconds away from throwing hands at each other but it did have the horrible effect of leaving them at a tie. Bakugou was furious at this realization while everyone else seemed pretty content. Todoroki seemed the most pleased, able to buy everyone food like he planned but that only seemed to piss Bakugou off more.

Denki was laughing with his friends, teasing Kirishima about how many times Tsu got him out while Sero was laughing at him for tripping over his shoelaces three times before finally fixing them. Iida smiled at the electric user, having the moment in the second round where Denki tried the same tactic to persuade him into another alliance but shut that down completely by shooting him in the chest and then in the middle of his forehead for good measure. Denki looked so dumbfounded at being shot that he just looked up at Iida for a few moments completely gobsmacked as he processed that his plan didn't work. That seemed to open the floodgates, Denki targeting him specifically after that and unloading his entire gun into him, "To make sure he was really down."

Iida gave the same energy back, even picking Kaminari up at one point and using him as a shield to get away from Mina and Sero as he went for their base. He had a great time playing with everyone, all of them laughing and enjoying the friendly competition. Even though Bakugou was acting like a sore loser, he also seemed to be having fun, having been the one to get them kicked when he shot Midoryia, and then Sparta kicked him off of the barrier and onto the ground below.

Midoryia was fine thankfully, and seemed more impressed by the move than anything else. Uraraka still fused over him, making sure he wasn't actually hurt or needed to get some ice for his head. Overall, it seemed that the Lasar tag portion of the day was a raving success, and only made him more excited to see what was to come.

"Hey," Denki suddenly said, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt to get his attention. "Todoroki is going to buy everyone food, do you want to go with or do something else?"

Iida thought for a moment, excited to be having so much fun with his friends but he unfortunately had other duties to attend to. He looked at his watch to make sure and silently cursed at how much time had gone by. "Though it would be fun to continue to hang with everyone still, I'm past due on my check-up on everyone in the class and reporting it to Aizawa. Denki frowned at his answer and Iida quickly tried to backtrack to make it sound better. "I'll be fast! I just need to do a lap of the place and then tell Aizawa that we got kicked out of Lazar tag."

Denki whined. "Do you have to tell him?"

"I think it is important that we do in case something else happens in the future."

"If we aren't getting kicked out or in trouble then I don't think he needs to know." Denki countered.

"Perhaps but I still think--"

"We can still do a lap to make sure everyone else is still okay and having fun." Denki quickly amended. "I see that being important, but we shouldn't bother Aizawa unless it's an emergency, right?"

"I suppose," Iida said slowly, getting a nod from Denki.

"Okay then. How about we stop to get us something to drink and then we walk around and check on everyone, how does that sound?"

Iida sighed, nodding his head but starting to feel guilty about pulling Denki away from his friends. "Of course. Thank you for compromising. I'll pay for your drink to show my thanks."

"Oh no you don't!" Denki yelled wagging his finger at him like he was a child in trouble. "I've got this one. Got to pay you back somehow!"

"But I'm taking you away from your friends." Iida tried to counter. "I feel bad for imposing my responsibilities onto you just because you're my partner."

"Don't be," Denki said back with a wave of his hand. "I want to help you and make sure you still have fun. Two pairs of eyes will make your job go faster so that we can get back to having fun faster!"

"I…see your reasoning but I still can't shake the idea that I'm holding you back from having fun."

"Nah," Denki said with a shrug. "If I'm being honest I was hoping you would choose doing our own thing than joining the group for some food."

"Really?" Iida asked curiously, wondering why such a social butterfly didn't want to be with his friends.

A light dusting covered Denki's cheeks as he just shrugged, heading towards the food court as he did. "Don't get me wrong. I love hanging out with my friends, but I also wanted to hang out with you, you know? Just…us."

Iida hummed, willing the fluttering of his chest to settle as he watched Denki make his way over to where the drinks were. "You did say you owed me a prize from the arcade." He mumbled, instantly getting a blinding smile from Denki in return.

"Exactly! The rest of this time is dedicated to the arcade and collecting as many tickets as possible! We'll do another scope of the arcade while we look for everyone as well so we make sure we pick the perfect first game!"

"That sounds reasonable to me." Iida confirmed, still high off the idea that Denki wants to spend the rest of the day with just him.

"Cool! Grab your drink and let's go! Oh, I thought I saw orange juice in the vending machine let me go check."

It wasn't a secret that Iida drank a lot of orange juice due to his quirk but for Denki to continually show just how attentive and caring he is towards others -towards him- is only making his heart beat faster.

"Keep it together, Tenya. This is no place to let your feelings slip."

Steeling himself, Iida joined Denki to grab the drinks and soon they were off making their way around the arcade. They found another group of students taking over the Lasar tag arena. He gave them a thorough warning about being kicked out as they passed to ensure they didn't have a repeat incident. They also found Jirou and Momo at an arcade machine that had guitars attached to it. Iida stopped to ask Momo how she was doing and if she had any incidents or information to report. She seemed flustered at being asked, clearly hadn't left this game since they arrived. She tried to apologize for forgetting her responsibilities but Iida waved her off. He didn't want to ruin her time or make her feel bad and he told her as much. She apologized again and promised to do the next round an hour before they were supposed to leave so Iida didn't have to, which he agreed to, and then they soon continued on their way. The rest of the students were scattered around the arcade, jumping from game to game with their partners or in groups. They even found Aizawa looking bored as he watched Yamada continue to miss at skee ball. They waved at their teachers but left them be, not wanting to ruin Yamada's concentration.

In no time they had spotted and marked off all their classmates from the list, meaning they were all accounted for and still in the arcade. Iida gave a nod of approval, Denki looking ecstatic to finally be able to get the arcade portion of their trip started. "Come on! I know just what game we should play first!"

Iida almost had to jog to keep up with the electric user as he navigated them into the middle of the arcade, passing flashing lights and loud sound effects without batting an eye. Soon he stopped at a rather simple-looking game. It seemed old compared to some of the other nearby games but still functioning and in working order. It had a ring of lights that slowly lit up one after the other with what looked like a wheel with various numbers marked by each light. Denki was bouncing next to it as he began to explain the game. "This one is super simple but can also be super hard. You have to push the button for the lights to stop on the jackpot amount for you to get the tickets."

"I see." Iida said as he observed the numbers closer and saw the 500 ticket jackpot. It was a sliver compared to the other numbers but it still had a light in front of it to show that it could be hit. "It looks rigged."

Denki just laughed. "Most games are, but we can actually win this one, well, I think you can anyway."

"Me?" Iida asked curiously. "Why do you think I could?"

"Because this game is all about speed and patience! Just watch!" Denki winked at him as he swiped his card, music instantly starting to play from the machine as it started up. The lights suddenly doubled in speed, zipping around the ring much faster than what Iida was first led to believe. Denki concentrated as he watched the light go by the 500 jackpot, his tongue poking out a little as he waited for the perfect time to push the bottom. Iida couldn't help but think how cute he looked with how serious he was taking this. Suddenly Denki pounced, slamming his hand down on the button and making the music and lights stop in their tracks. Iida looked back down at the game, seeing a light blinking back at them to show where Denki had landed. He was close, only one off from the 500, but only getting one ticket for his efforts. He let out a groan in frustration, mumbling about how his reflexes should be better than that. Again, Iida thought it was unfair how cute Denki's pout was, but decided he liked his smile more.

"Mind if I try?"

Denki easily stepped out of the way. "Be my guest. With your speed, I know you can hit it!"

Iida gave him a weak smile, suddenly feeling the pressure to perform and make Denki proud. He took a deep breath as he swiped his card, watching the lights start speeding by again. His eyes never drifted from the 500 spot. His hand twitched in anticipation, ready to push the button but he held off, needing to make sure he got the timing down perfectly. Denki watched just as intensely from the sidelines, his eyes following the lights like they were a firefly drifting around. Suddenly, his hand moved, something screaming in him that it was time and he followed his instincts to hit the button as hard as he could. He quickly stood up straight as the music screeched to a halt, looking at the blinking light and finding it glowing proudly on the 500-ticket jackpot. The machine quickly started to sing a song of victory as told him 500 virtual tickets were added to his card.

"Yes!" Denki cheered next to him running to give him a quick hug in celebration. He didn't have enough time to hug back, the excited blond already moving away to look at the game again in amazement. "You did it!" He instantly missed the warmth that enveloped him like a warm blanket on a cold night, wishing that Denki would hold on for just a little longer. "Do you think you can get it again?"

"If it means you'll hug me again."

Iida thought but fought to keep the words from leaving his mouth, instead nodding his head and getting ready to play again.

"Only one way to find out." Denki cheered, crowding his space again so he could also watch what Iida was doing, he felt a smile come to his face at the action, feeling even more reason to prove himself.

"I have a watch to win after all."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They reloaded their arcade cards at least three times each at this point, jumping from game to game like it was some kind of race. Some were more enjoyable than others, Denki almost dying of laughter when he couldn't figure out the one electric jump rope game, while Denki almost screamed in rage when a clearly rigged game glitched and made him lose. Iida had to drag him away in fear that he would electrocute it out of spit and send the entire establishment down. Besides that, all the other games have been quite enjoyable. Even the ones they didn't necessarily win tickets for playing. Iida thinks he likes the hero fighting game the most. Having to push all the right buttons to get the right combo while defeating bad guys as well-known heroes. He was surprisingly good at it while Denki was a chaotic mess just pushing buttons at random. He was good at finding the secret levels or extra health hidden within each level, but he tended to panic when the boss fights started and forgot all the moves he just learned. Denki would scream in fear each time the bad guys would show up and bump into Iida each time, sending them both into a dizzy as Iida tried to block the oncoming attacks.  Interestingly enough, Denki has chosen to play Recovery Girl back in her prime when she did active hero work on the field. He would giggle every time he pulled off her special move and kissed Iida's character back to full health. It would be funny if he wasn't playing his Grandfather who was also a hero within the Iida family.

He ended up shouting multiple times, "Stop kissing my Grandpa!" And only getting cackles in return and Denki wasted a move just to do it again. It flustered him every time, thinking about how the engine-based character was basically him and Denki was actively making kissing noises and took joy in landing one on his character. He knew it was a function of the game but he couldn't think his heart could take much more teasing, his mind wandering if he could steal a real kiss from him while he was distracted. He shook his head, knowing no matter what he wouldn't do that. It was inappropriate and he didn't know if that was something Denki would want. The last thing he wanted to do was make him uncomfortable or cross a line by being so bold.

"Remember, you have a plan. You just have to sit tight for a while longer and then you can execute your plan to ask Denki out."

"No!" Denki suddenly whined, Iida, snapping out of his thoughts to look back at the screen. It was flashing a bright GAME OVER across it, his and Denki's character lying on the ground while the boss was throwing his hands in victory. "We totally had them!" The electric user whined again, glaring at the screen like he thought it was lying to him.

"Apologies." Iida quickly tried to say. "I got distracted and lost concentration."

Denki waved him off. "Don't worry about it. You were carrying us anyway."

Iida nodded, wanting to argue and say that Denki was a valuable asset to the team and had found several secret levels by taking to the citizens they saved but Denki spoke again before he could. "What got you distracted anyway?"

"You."

He wanted to say but rubbed his face to subtly keep his mouth from opening. He needs to come up with a different reason and fast or else he doesn't know if he can keep it from slipping out. Thankfully, by bringing up his hand he noticed his watch and the time.

"It looks like we only have about an hour and a half left before it’s time for us to head back.

"Already?" Denki asked in shock, pulling out his phone to check the time. "That's way too soon! We still have so much more to play!"

Iida looked around the arcade feeling like they played almost every game in the place already. "Are you sure? We've been playing for a long time."

"But I need more tickets!" Denki sighed in frustration. "I definitely don't have enough for the top shelf.

"I don't know," Iida argued. "I feel like I have enough to get what I want." That was somewhat of a lie. Iida already knows that he does, keeping track of how many tickets he's won and remembering how much the watch costs. He's pretty sure he made enough a while ago but didn't want to say anything because he was having so much fun. "We can go and check if you want."

"But it's still so early!" Denki huffed. "We need to spend our last hour getting as many tickets as we can!"

"But the others might steal the good prizes if they're doing the same thing." He countered, knowing a lot of his other classmates were working together to combine their tickets in order to get a bigger prize. "Might be good to check before the crowd gathers."

Denki weighed his options before letting out a sigh. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Iida nodded turning to lead the way back to the prize counter, feeling giddy at being able to obtain his prize and get Denki the watch that fit him so well. Denki trailed after him, his eyes still scanning the games as they passed, seeming distracted by the flashing lights every time. Iida grabbed his hand on impulse not wanting to lose his partner in the crowd this close to the end of the day. Denki felt tense in his hold for a moment, before relaxing again, squeezing his hand in reassurance as he followed along. The small action stirred something in Iida's chest, finally feeling comforted by the new feeling rather than disturbed. It made him feel excited for the future instead of anxious over the unknown.

When they finally reached the counter Iida didn't hesitate to hand over his card and allowed the attendant to read him off the total. He didn't even really pay attention to what he said, knowing he had enough for what he wanted. "May I please get that watch in the corner?"

The attendant walked over to where Iida pointed, having to take a moment to spot what he was talking about before grabbing the box and scanning it. "Good eye, I didn't even know we had this."

Iida just nodded at him, before turning away. He didn't care about his remaining balance, just handing over the watch over to a confused Denki. "Here. For you."

"What?" Denki said, taking the box from Iida in confusion before recognition quickly came over him. "Is this a Pickachu watch?" He asked almost in disbelief, holding it up so that Iida could see it again in all its bright yellow glory. "You won me a Pikachu watch?!"

Iida just nodded, feeling a swell of emotion at seeing the electric user's reaction, smiling wide at him as he continued to stare at him and then the watch. Denki needed a few more seconds to truly process what was happening before letting out a whine as he hugged his new prize to his chest. "No fair! I was supposed to win YOU the perfect prize."

"No need, your reaction to the gift was plenty rewarding as is."

Denki blushed at his words, letting out another huff as he scoured the prize counter. "Dosen't count! Now I have to get you an even better prize."

"I don't think that is--"

"--Ah, ah, ah!" Denki interrupted him as he walked up and down the counter to try and find something he deemed worthy enough. "I don't make the rules I just enforce them."

"I think you got that backward." Iida teased, crossing his arms across his chest, feeling smug with the successful trip he had had today with Denki.

Denki only acknowledged his joke with a small snort before continuing with his quest. Even crab walking at one point to get a full look at the stuff within the glass counter to double check he saw everything. Finally, he stood up, looking more frustrated than when he didn't understand a certain math problem. "Ugh! How can there not be a decent prize in this place?!"

"I think there are plenty of fine prizes." Iida tried, not liking how worked up Denki was getting over something so small as picking a prize for him.

"Like what?" Denki countered, looking at him suspiciously.

Iida just shrugged. "The star magnets look nice. Would probably be useful to have some on out fridge in the dorm."

Denki let out a groan. "No! This is supposed to be for YOU, not the class."  He let out a sigh and put his hands on his hips like a disappointed father as he continued to look at the prize wall. "Seriously, they don't even have any decent plushies. How's a guy supposed to woo someone withou--"

Suddenly Denki went ridged, his eyes widening as he suddenly had an idea. "That's it." He hissed out.

"Hmm?" Iida questioned, stepping closer to him. "What's it? What happened? And what did you mean by--"

"--This way!" Denki suddenly yelled, taking off from the counter in a sprint back into the arcade.

"OI! Denki we have to stay together! Also no running in the Arcade!" Iida turned to the worker with a strained smile, taking his arcade card back as he did, The attendant let out a broad shrug, not seeming to care that Denki so clearly broke the rules. Taking that as a sign of permission, Iida quickly took off after the blond, having to remind himself not to use his engines to find him faster. Taking a sharp turn around some pinball machines, Iida spotted a head of blond hair looking left then right before disappearing again. Iida cursed under his breath, not stopping in the hopes that Denki would slow down soon and he could finally catch up. "Denki!"

Turning around the corner didn't give him the desired results, not finding the blond anywhere. "Denki?" He shouted again, starting to panic a little as his mind started to think of the worst-case scenarios of what could happen to his friend in the time he didn't have eyes on him. He knows that it is highly unlikely anything has happened, or Denki would leave the arcade, he's much too smart to do anything like that, but he couldn't help thinking about it. Speeding up a little bit more, Iida kept his head on a swivel as he looked for his buddy. He saw several of his classmates, and even Aizawa at one point, but he quickly looked the other way in fear that he would be called out if he was spotted without his buddy.

He had almost made it to the other side of the arcade at this point and he still hadn't seen the electric user. He was almost ready to call for a head count or maybe an emergency text thread when he suddenly spotted something yellow in the corner of his eye. Putting on the breaks, Iida backtracked a little to see that there was a small nook in the arcade dedicated to what looked like different types of crane games. Denki was circling all of them, pushing his face up to the glass before moving on to a different side so that he could see everything that was in the machines. He let out a sigh of relief, walking up to the blond just as he seemed to find a machine he was happy with, ready to swipe his card and try his luck.

"Denki," Iida said sternly, arms crossed over his chest as stepped up next to him. "You can not leave your buddy behind like that!"

"Huh?" Denki said, seeming to snap out of his concentration to blink up at him. Iida just gave him a pointed look, trying to fight the soft feeling in his chest when Denki tilted his head to the side when he still didn't get it.

"You left me behind at the counter," Iida said with a sigh, not wanting to keep up his class president persona any longer.

"Oh!" Denki yelled in understanding before quickly becoming guilty. "Sorry, Teny! I didn't mean to but I just got so excited about the idea I had and I kind of forgot that I let go of your hand when you handed me the watch so I kinda assumed you were still with me?" Denki tried to explain himself but his sentence slowly became more of a question as he also seemed confused by what had just happened.

Iida felt his cheeks heat up at Denki mentioning them holding hands and how he assumed that he was still holding onto him. It sounded nice, sounded like something he would do. "I see." He said slowly, clearing his throat before continuing to speak. "Well, your hands were full but if it is okay with you, I could always hold onto your sleeve, or shirt so that we don't get separated again." It was a silly thing to suggest all things considering. Their trip was close to coming to an end and then they would have no reason to hold hands or touch either for the sake of keeping tabs on the other. It hurt his heart to think about but he quickly soothed it with the promise that it would all be fixed next week when he asked Denki out properly.

Still, Denki beamed at him, nodding his head in agreement. "That's perfect! I tend to talk with my hands anyway so you holding onto my shirt would be perfect!" Iida could only nod at the other's enthusiasm, his already screwed-up heart unable to take his earnest expression when he just told himself that he had to wait.

Luckily, Denki seemed to be too determined to mind his lack of answer, already turning back to the crane game with a look of victory in his eyes that even Bakugou would be proud of. "Now step aside! I'm about to win you the best prize of all time!"

Iida finally took the time to look at the machine Denki had chosen, not seeing anything special about it. The crane was titled, "Retro Rewards" and boasted about having prizes that would be a fun blast from the past. Inside the machine was jammed pack with plushies shoved into the bottom to the point he couldn't tell what anything was and little nick-nacks sat at the top looking deceivingly easy for someone to win. Iida thought it looked more like a throwaway machine that they put all the prizes that didn't sell into but he didn't dare say that out loud. Yet, he still didn't want Denki to waste any money on a clearly old and rigged game.

"Are you sure you want to play this game?"

Denki just gave an affirmative hum, swiping his arcade card and making the machine come to life with music and flashing lights. He expertly maneuvered the crane to the back of the box, looking like he was lining up with something blue before giving up on aiming and hitting the drop button. Iida watched as the crane slowly descended, the claws barely opening as it swung down and then landed limply on the pile of stuffed animals. It barely hit the blue thing, giving it a little tickle as it made its way back up empty-handed.

"See, I knew these games were rigged."

"It might be rigged, but that doesn't mean we still can't win." Denki countered easily, his confident smile not leaving his face.

"Why do you say that?" Iida looked over at him and noticed his odd hand placement. One was still on the joystick that controlled the crane while the other one was on the side of the machine, his palm flat against the metal part that held the small electronics that the machine ran on. Denki just smiled at him, standing up straight as he did. "I told you I had a trick to winning these, didn't I?"

Thinking back, Iida vaguely remembered Denki saying something like that when they were walking over before being interrupted. "I do, but I still don't see how you can beat this."

"Aw, come on Tenya! Have a little faith in me!"

"Trust me when I say I do, but I just don't see a way."

Denki laughed, his eyes shining with mischief as he raised his pointer finger, letting a little electric current come through so a spark would light up at the end. "All I need is a little spark."

Iida's eyes widen at the sight of his quirk, quickly looking around to see if anyone else saw him using his quirk outside of class and hero work. "Denki!" He hissed once he confirmed no one was around to see him. "It is prohibited for us to use our quirks outside of class!"

"Only if I get caught!" Denki supplied simply, his grin growing wider at Iida's reaction.

Iida only gave him a look, hoping to convey how much he was questioning Denki's choice of words. "You do realize who you’re talking to, right?"

"Yup!" Denki said excitedly. "My good friend Tenya!"

Iida fought to keep his face neutral as he heard how causally Denki said not only his name but that he was his friend, but fought through it to try and get his point across. "Also the class representative."

"Nope! You’re just Tenya right now."

"Denki…" Iida said with a sigh, shaking his head for good measure as he tried to think of a way to explain to the electric user why that wasn't how this worked.

"And the Tenya I know is actually REALLY curious as to how I use my quirk to win this rigged game!" Denki sang, ignoring Iida's plea internally.

He let out another sigh, ready to tell him to cut it out but stopped himself before he could.

"How does Denki's quirk help in this scenario?"

Denki let out a laugh at his sudden loss of thought, lightly leaning into him as he teased him further. "I'll give you a hint! It's why I wasted a turn and had my hand on the side of the machine."

Iida just looked more perplexed and that just sent Denki into another fit of giggles. "Come on! Don't you want to see me win you a prize?"

Thinking about it for a few more seconds, Iida to another look around the room to make sure no one was near them or watching. "This is cheating right?"

"Most definitely," Denki answered back quickly. "But is it really cheating if the game is already rigged against us?"

Seeing that no one was in this section of the arcade, Iida let out one more sigh in resigment. Denki and his curiosity won him over. "If this gets out of hand I WILL report this to Aizawa."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Letting out a small chuckle of his own, Iida then gestured for Denki to continue, encouraging him to explain his secret. Denki just smiled up at him, bringing his hands together like an evil scientist before launching into his explanation. "Okay, so when I was little I used to get scammed by these games all the time! It got so bad that I literally shocked one out of commission!"

Iida opened his mouth to ask how he did that, but Denki held up his hand before he could. "That in itself is a story for another time. The point is I realized that these things RUN on electricity! So I started taking note of how much electricity they were using with every turn and I found a pattern!"

"Really?" Iida asked intrigued and getting an excited head shake in return.

"Yeah! The crane uses less electricity when they use the wimpy arm that can't grab anything. It will spike with more electricity when it's supposed to be a 'winning' claw round and the claw is always stiffer or actually usable!"

"Fascinating."

"Yeah, I don't really know the reason behind it. I thought that it could be because more motors are being used or like making it run on a lower circuit that isn't as effective…" Denki shook his head clear of that train of thought, getting back to his main point. "Anyway, After doing it so many times I learned that once I have the base level I can usually gauge how much is needed to activate the winning claw mode!"

Iida nodded, looking at Denki and then back crane game in interest. "So you were holding the machine to figure out its starting point?"

"Exactly!" Denki answered back.

"That's really smart." Iida said earnestly, unable to stop himself from looking at Denki with a sense of pride. "I'm actually super impressed that you were able to figure that out and then implement your finding successfully."

Denki blushed, suddenly becoming shy as he looked away from Iida to hide his face. "It's not that big of a deal, or like helpful or something."

"That's where you're wrong." Iida quickly countered, not liking how Denki shied away from his praise. "This could be super useful in the field, like locating secret bases or finding where on the electrical grid is damaged from a storm. The possibilities are endless as to what you can use this skill for in hero work."

Denki peaked up at him, still looking a little unsure of himself. You really think so?"

"I know so! You're going to be a great hero!" Iida said with confidence, trying to will his feelings onto the blond.

Said blond let out a noise of embarrassment, turning back to the crane game with new determination. "Now I really have to win you the best prize."

"I look forward to seeing you succeed," Iida replied, giving his friend room to work as he swiped his card and started the game back up.

In all honestly, Iida didn't need a prize, or care if Denki did succeed or not. He was having a great time and just knowing his friend cared enough to try was enough of a reward in itself. He felt his heart beat a little faster as he realized how close they were standing, and how intimate this entire scene could seem to an outsider's perspective.

"Is this an intimate moment? Could it also be a romantic one?"

He shook his head at the thought, not wanting to think about that right now when he was so close to getting through this outing without any slip-ups so far.

"We're just being friendly. Nothing more and nothing less."

"But you could make it more."

A small voice in the back of his head whispered, making him turn to look at the source of his affection in wonder.

"Could he really do it? Shouldn't he wait? Now isn't the time."

"Take the risk. He's worth it."

This voice said again a little louder this time, not taking no for an answer.

"I have to do this right."

Was his only rebuttal, not even saying that the voice was wrong, but also knowing he had a set plan for next week he didn't want to mess up.

"Almost have it!" Denki suddenly mumbled out, helping snap Iida back to the present. He quickly noted Denki's hunched-over position as he maneuvered the crane millimeter by millimeter over the blue blob.

Then without warning, he slammed his hand onto the button, the crane dropping faster than it did last time and seeming to be gunning for the prize. Denki's left hand was still firmly on the arcade game, Iida was able to see a couple of small sparks along his arm as he powered up the game. They both watched with bated breath as the claw hit the floor of plush and started to dig in. "Come on!" Denki whispered as one of the claws suddenly sank in, the others following suit as it tried to grab on for dear life.

Slowly the crane started to lift, the claws staying firm as it lifted the blue thing out of the bunch. Iida still wasn't able to make out much but soon one of the claws dragged up a familiar-looking red shoe and things started to fall into place. "No way." He said out loud getting a laugh from Denki in return, but Iida didn't dare turn away and look at him, his eyes glued to the familiar figure that was slowly emerging. The claws had a death grip on that red shoe, using it as leverage to pull the rest of the plush up. Revealing with every inch it moved up a blue body, white-gloved hands, and finally a smirking face with blue spiky triangles of hair at the back of his head.

"How did you even find a Sonic plushie in all this mess?"

Denki laughed again, watching as the crane finally started to make the trek to the winning area so that he could claim his prize. "You can see it pretty well if you smoosh your face against the wall to see it."

"You got me a sonic stuffed animal?" Iida asked again, not really hearing his questions or Denki's answers as he just stared at the crane game in wonder.

"Seemed fitting," Denki said before putting his hand in the bottom of the machine, waiting for the plush to fall into his hand. It didn't take long, the plush falling and being pulled out of the machine in seconds, Denki beaming at him as he handed him over to Iida.

"Taa-Daa! I don't know if it beats the watch you gave me but I think this is a close second."

"It is more than enough," Iida whispered as he looked over his prize in pure fondness. He felt like he was in a dream, remembering when the class had watched the movies together and how it was the first time he let go and was a kid. How Denki encouraged him the entire time, and even congratulated him afterward. It was all for Denki in the end, why he chose the movie in the first place. It was always Denki.

"I think I saw a Tails in there as well," Denki mentioned, not seeming to mind Iida's lack of answers as he continued to stare at the plush adoringly. "I can probably get you that one too."

"Could you?" Iida asked almost instantly, having an urge to complete the set. To have the tails to his sonic duo, this version of his Denki.

Denki could only give him a soft smile working fast to start up the game again and grab at the yellow blob that used to reside right next to the blue one. Sure enough, after the claws grabbed onto the head, Tails soon emerged and once again headed to the winner's area.

Iida held his breath in anticipation, remembering how the class didn't think Denki was Tails but he knew for a fact that Denki was Tails. He was better than tails actually. He was so kind, so thoughtful, and everything that Iida wasn't. He completed him like no one else ever had. He stuck around long enough to get to know the real him and help him when he was feeling down. He was the hero of the story, no other way around it. He was Iida's hero.

"Here you go!" Denki chirped, holding out Tails to him. Iida took it gently, placing him next to the Sonic already in his hold. He didn't even give it a real glance though, his thoughts and eyes being consumed by how happy Denki looked.

"I love him." He didn't know he said that out loud but Denki was soon full-on laughing, his head tilted upwards as he let his giggle mingle with the sounds of the arcade. His eyes shined as he looked back at Iida in what he could only describe as fondness.

His eyes. It reminded him of when they first spoke to each other and how he hadn't found a single star in the sky until he looked into Denki's eyes. He can see them now. The flashing lights of the crane game reflected in those yellow eyes to make them shine, making them special, and making them hard to look away. If anything, it felt like it was pulling him closer.

"I think it's getting close to time. Do you think we should start heading ba--MMMH!"

He was kissing him. He had no control of his body, not even waiting for Denki to finish his question when suddenly his body moved. It felt right in the moment with all these emotions swirling around him and how beautiful Denki looked. It felt like the right thing to do. It was what he wanted to do, and he wasn't mad by the outcome at all. The electric user's lips were soft, a little out of place with how he was talking right when Iida had leaned in, but still everything he thought it would be.

He felt hands suddenly run up his sides and land on his chest, grounding him with how firmly they were held against him.

"Almost like they were trying to push him away."

Instantly Iida snapped out of his daze, taking several small steps back and out of the other's grip as the small words in the back of his head finally registered.

"I just kissed Denki! Without permission!"

His face felt hot as he started to pace where he stood, not sure if he should leave or stay. His hands were going so fast as he scrambled to scold something. "You have my deepest apologies, Denki. That was completely uncalled for and unwarranted!"

"Whoa, Tenya. Calm down for a secon--" Denki tried to talk but Iida cut him off, knowing that the electric user would somehow blame himself instead of Iida.

"--No! I did something uncouth and completely unwarranted! I had no right to act on my impulse and put you in that kind of situation where you can't say no!"

"Tenya, I--"

"--I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship! I truly value you and the time we spend together. I have grown very fond of you and would hate it if we suddenly stopped speaking to each other."

"Don't worry I don't wa--"

"--I must say my fondness does go further than friendship and I was planning a proper way to express my feelings next week." Iida rambled on, not really knowing what he was saying, but knowing he should give Denki some kind of explanation.

"R-really?"

"Yes, I find that you have everything I am lacking and more. You are the star in my sky and the light that shines brightest when it is dark. You have done nothing but help me improve and grow as a person and I want nothing more than to do that same for you and watch you flourish as a hero while standing by your side."

"T-Tenya…I don't really know what to--"

"And it is because of these feelings I have done something irreversible and completely horrible to you that I can not take back. I took away your choice with my actions and because of that I want to say that I'm so--"

Denki suddenly grabbed his face, forcing him to stop pacing and look at him. His face was a blushing mess, his eyes a little wet with some unshed tears, but his face was one of determination. "Never apologize for your impulses." He said sternly, never looking away from him. "Especially when it's an impulse to kiss me like that."

To help prove his point, Denki got up on his tip-toes and left a small peck on his lips, only letting his lips linger for a second before moving away. Iida was too stunned to move, not expecting to get another taste of the other's lips.

"Wait, what?" He finally got out, looking at the blond curiously as his mind tried to process what was happening.

Denki just shrugged, becoming shy again. "I like you too."

"Y-you do!?" Iida asked in shock, closing the space between them so they were almost chest to chest in his excitement. "You sure?"

Denki let out a snort, rolling his eyes as he turned towards him. "Yes, I'm sure! Heck, the whole class is sure! I like you."

"The whole…class?"

"Well not the whole class but my friends at least." Denki now started to ramble. "How else do you think I was able to get you to be my buddy for the day?"

"You…did that on purpose? You wanted to spend your time with me today?"

"Well duh!" Denki said before stammering again in embarrassment. "W-well, actually Bakugou and everyone kind of planned it without me knowing…But it worked out great in the end!"

"You…I…I don't--"

Denki let out a sigh, taking Iida's still-chopping hand into his in the hopes of fully calming him down. Iida hated to admit how well it worked. "Look, I also really enjoyed the time we spent together and learning more about you. I feel bad for how I used to write you off as a goodie-two-shoes because you are so much more than that! You are also so kind and encouraging towards me. You listened to me ramble on about the randomest things, and you actively helped me with the test without judging me and laughing at my struggles. You only offered support and confidence in my abilities instead." Denki squeezed the hand, giving Iida his favorite shy smile as he looked up at him like he held the sky, moon, and stars for him. "I said that you would get some admiration the more you showed the class who you really are and I guess…I really meant it."

Iida laughed. He didn't know what else to do but chuckle all of his nerves, anxiety, and pent-up fears out with a burst of air. He held onto Denki's hand tighter, not willing to let him go so soon after all of this. "You really like me?"

Denki let out a scoff in annoyance, using his free hands to push at his shoulder in retaliation. "Of course I do dummy!"

"Good. That's good."

"You're telling me!" They both laughed, the nerves getting to them but neither seemed to know what else to do.

Finally, Iida cleared his throat, finding that he still felt bad about one thing. "Still, I should have waited to tell you. I wanted to do this properly after all…you deserve it."

Denki just gaped at him, looking like Iida had just grown a second head. "What do you mean proper?! That was the most proper jaw-dropping poetry I have ever heard! I honestly wished it was recorded so I could write it down!"

Iida blushed at that. "I, uh, I'm unsure of what I said in my state of panic…sorry."

"Don't be," Denki said easily, his flirty personality coming back now that the awkward part was out of the way. "How about you save the 'proper way' as our first date."

"Date?" Iida asked, excitedly. "Does that mean we are official?"

"Yeah, sure whatever you want to call it, your mine now!" Denki teased again, now swinging their hands together to prove his point.

Iida laughed, using their joined hands to pull the short boy into a hug, rocking them from side to side in his excitement. "Good. I don't want it any other way!"

"OI! Love birds! It's time to go! Get a move on!" Both of them snapped their heads up to see an annoyed Bakguou and a sheepish Kirishima yelling at them from across the arcade. They gave each other a look before quickly heading over to their classmates, never letting go of the other's hand as they did.

"Sorry for our tardiness!" Iida yelled back at them and only got an eye roll in return.

"Don't worry, we're still gathering everyone so you're right on time!" Kirishima said back with a wink before hurrying up to catch up to his boyfriend.

Denki let out a whine, leaning his weight onto Tenya as they continued to walk. "I don't want this day to end! I just got myself a boyfriend!"

Iida blushed at being called a boyfriend for the first time, smiling wide as he took in how cute Denki was being. "We could always hang out when we get back to the dorm. Curfew isn't for a while still."

Denki's eyes lit up in interest, smiling up at him in glee. "Your balcony or mine?" Iida laughed, pulling the blond closer to him so he could plant a kiss on the top of his head. He could indulge in that impulse now after all.