Chapter Text
Can I be honest? Like full transparency, I do not prejudge anyone. I don't need to do that because my quirk does it for me. It's not like I try to look at a person and see them for what they show me. I see their intentions before they even open their mouth and tell them off without even giving them the option to speak to me.
I have a slight problem keeping my quirk under wraps, and it's one of my dead giveaways. The passive of my quirk is something of a testament to others because the colors are vivid, almost blinding at times. My father- before he began to drink- said that I was too pure for this world.
The cruelty that spews forth from the mouth of society could crush you in an instant if you’re not careful, Anna.
I never understood what he meant until I met The League. Sometimes I witness the cruelty from others firsthand, other times though, I really think that this world isn’t meant for me. But, we’ll get to that later. Lemme talk about my friends, well who I intend to be friends with. Starting with my very first, best friend.
I have zero intention of making bad friends, and my quirk helps me with that. The colors that surround a person is what gives me the "go-ahead" on whether they'll be a worthy person. Whatever shows is whatever is taken into consideration. So technically, I'm taking everyone at face value.
Let’s evaluate Denki Kaminari for example. He’s 183 centimeters give or take (or if you’re from America, like I am, he’s 6ft tall) So he’s basically a massive 18 year old, with the mind of a horny 16 year old that has a chip on his shoulder because of the chicks he’s had to overcome in the past that didn’t want him “for him” as he calls it, and don't even get me started on his weird antics. Regardless of all that, his aura.
His aura tells me he has all the makings of an amazing hero, but doubly amazing as a friend.
His aura tells me that there’s the potential of a bright future for him. And I wanna be around to see it. I didn’t know any of this until we officially met.
It started on New Year's Eve. Most American traditions is to pop fireworks, but in my parent's case, they take it as a personal goal to drink until the next afternoon. What can I say? They’re from Hawaii, and no one likes to have a good time like my parents. They’ve already made friends with a couple of neighbors and have been invited over to their houses. That’s where they’ll be spending New Years.
Lucky people. Stupid quirk, can’t get past it apparently.
In Japan, the tradition is to watch fireworks on tv, eat a special soup & watch the first sunrise of the year with your family & friends. When you do, you can make a wish. A kind of, affirmation, or a goal that you want to happen that following year. I think that I’ll try that instead. But alas, no family to spend it with. Plus, something about becoming so inebriated that I can’t even remember my own name, doesn’t sound that appealing. And yes, my parents would let me drink.
Anyways, it was during one of their “drunken revelations”, that my parents thought it would be a good idea for me to make a new friend before the year ended. They wanted to introduce me to one of their friend’s son.
We had talked briefly in passing, but nothing more than, ‘Hey how’s the weather? What’s your quirk?’ Yaddah, yaddah. I hate small talk, gag me with a riding crop.
We didn't officially meet in person until New Years, but my mother & father kept saying lots of good stuff about him regarding his family status and quirk.
Mainly his quirk, should we get married. I roll my eyes at the conversation we had. They’re spitting a bunch of quirk propaganda, saying that the quirks that could come from a joining such as ours could be monumental- and I just shake my head.
Oh ye'kno the usual bullshit that parents say when they wanna marry you off, but that’s not what intrigued me. What intrigued me about Denki Kaminari were the edits a couple of kids posted on MusuTok of him & a couple girls he gets “shipped” with?
Apparently, that’s a term for who they want to see him with. I have no idea what people of our generation like, I’m homeschooled, so I digress.
Anyways, it wasn’t even the ship videos I liked, more so the comments. Namely, the comments Kaminari left on the videos.
"I didn't give you the ok to post pics of me, take them down now or you'll be drinking ur food thru a straw."
That wasn’t the best one. One of the others was in reply to a group of boys bullying him online.
"Bet. U don’t have the guts, tbh ~ but I showed ur mom something better. Y don’t u just ask her? "
My personal favorite was this one, "Ya'll call me an otaku, but /lit made bdy pllws with my face & body on 'em so u could sleep wit me. But u wanna die on that hill. Lmao.”
Who is this kid?
I wonder what his aura looks like?
I peep at the time, its still pretty early so I'm gonna take the dogs out, hop into a quick shower and clean my room before he gets here. Bounding out of my room, I peek over my banister. I whistle, calling my pups upstairs.
“Loki! Erebus! Eros!” And I giggle hard, doubling over as the three dogs stumble over themselves to get to me upstairs.
Loki, Erebus, and Eros are half Doberman, half Great Dane. So they’re massive, Anubis-looking animals.
”Hi my good boys, ready to go for a walk?” Their ears perk up as they sit, their collars and leashes tucked securely in Erebus’ mouth.
“Come.” I motion to Erebus. And he crawls his way over to me.
I fasten their leashes on and stand up, leaning over the banister.
"Parental Units! Kaminari gets here in a few hours, leave already please?" I call down to my mother & father.
I hear mumbled “kayy’s” and “Love you Anna! Happy new year!” coming from the kitchen before I hear the back door close behind them.
”Hm, what does it say about my parents that no matter where they are- even in their own houses- they leave through the back door?” I giggle down to my puppies.
I shrug, telling the three to stay, and turn to my room changing out of my sleeping clothes. Without a minute to waste, my sneakered feet are pounding the asphalt, my pups trotting happily behind me.
I like going running. It gives me a second to think about nothing for a little bit. It’s around 8 pm and the main streets are a little busy. I diverge from my normal route and head straight for the dog park which is about an hour walk that I eat up within 20 minutes. My three pups all sit down as soon as we get to the entrance, their tails wiggling happily behind them as they wait eagerly to be let loose.
“Okay boys, we only have 10 minutes to hang out here. I’ll call you when it’s up.” I mumble.
1…2…3! And release the demons spirits!
off they run, playing with each other running and growling around the front of the dog park. I make my way over to one of the tables, plopping myself down as I pick my phone out of my pants pocket.
Opening MusuTok, I search up Yuuei’s account. The bio of my future school only has one tag in it. #PlusUltra. And I grin as I search up the tag.
Instantly, edits of the heroes and upcoming heroes pop up on the page, I scroll down to an edit of All Might and Endeavor. I don’t know much about All Might. Never really had a taste for blonde, American looking men- but Endeavor? Now he, is a fine looking man. My quirk doesn’t allow me to see auras when recorded, but live television allows me to them first hand. And I remember the first time I’d seen Endeavor’s aura live. Most would think that with a fire quirk he’d have a fiery aura.
Nope. Turquoise, the edges of it frayed with white and dark blue. And it always stays that color too, even when he’s angry, it only wavers slightly. The turquoise fraying to multitudes of blue hues at the edges.
Truth be told, I always knew the number two hero had a thing for the color blue. My eyes shine as I watch the edit come to an end, Endeavor’s frowny face the last thing seen on screen.
I sigh checking the time. I make a kissy noise, loud and sharp, and instantly my three pups look up. I snap my fingers and they run to me. Leashing them all to my back I begin the trek home.
It’s slower going this time. I watch as family members all go into their relatives homes, watch as the busy street becomes silent for a second before a crescendo begins. And all the while, I try to keep my composure. Angry with my parents for allowing me to spend another New Years alone. Envious of the people who get to spend time with their families. I can only guess what my aura looks like, jetting out of me in ugly, jagged black and purple spikes.
”Fucking stupid parents.” I mumble to no one.
————————————
Getting home I unleash my boys. Letting them roam to various parts of the house. I bound up the stairs, into the bathroom. I leave the door open, since it’s only me home. I shed out of my clothes and step into the shower, turning on the water before stepping under the spray.
Finishing up, I call for Erebus. He brings in my towel from the floor of my bed and lies directly in front of the door, his body blocking the entry way.
“Good boy, Reb.” I bend down and kiss the top of his head on my way to the room. He follows behind me, grumbling a puppy complaint. I drop into my bed and look at him questioningly.
“Hungry?” I smile, as he perks up.
I clean my room in a flash. Allowing my quirk to take up the entire space as I finish up, pushing whatever bad vibes that exist out, and filling the space with pretty greens and blues.
I do the same from the balcony, to the rest of the house, letting loose my quirk and bathing the farthest corners with my glow. I let it dissipate into the house, not bothering to bring it back into me.
My thoughts return back to my guest- who should be coming within the next thirty minutes. The only thing I can think is that I’ll have to wait and see. The nerves are killing me honestly. Almost every set up my parents have arranged has ended badly. As I’m making food, I send a prayer heavenward.
Please, in the name of all that’s holy, let me like him at the very least.
A knock at the door and I feel my nerves lessen. “Let’s see what the fuss is about, yeah?” I say down to my dogs.
I reach the door and open it, cocking a leg behind me as my gaze reaches amber eyes.
”What’s up, I’m Denki Kaminari. My parents said we should kick it, wanna?” He says nonchalantly.
I grin, the smile reaching my eyes. I know for a fact that my quirk is pushing yellow wisps around me as my gaze settles on the boy in front of me.
What a pretty aura. Reminds me of lightning. His aura blows out of his frame in strokes of light, seen one moment and gone the next. I catch glimpses of yellow and white come and go around him and just smile wider.
I take a step back, nodding. And realize I should probably say something. Giggling I nod, “Hi Denki Kaminari, my name is Anna Nero. Come in.”
I lead the way, talking over my shoulder. “I was just finished making food if you wanna eat?” I ask.
I hear Kaminari come in, pausing to take his shoes off in the genkan.
”Uh, sure. I could eat.” He mumbles. I smile, hearing his sock clad feet padding softly behind me.
I sit down. And stay silent. Watching as his aura shifts in front of me. He fiddles with his napkin. I don’t know what he’s waiting for, but it seems kind of important to him, so I stay silent.
In a second, his aura changes. It morphs into an uncertain green, the edges flicking in and out of vision as he fiddles with his fingers. Pulling his phone out, he pauses looking at me- and then he starts to open his mouth, but closes it shortly after.
One thing that’s apparent about my quirk, I can read what a person is feeling up until they begin to hold it back. No two people have the same colors for their aura either; so as I observe the blonde in front of me, I note the different hues that color his aura. The small accents that compliment and offer small truths about the guy in front of me.
Honestly, he’s trying his hardest to find something to say but every time he thinks of saying something he hesitates? And that’s adorable, what the hell.
Maybe I should start the convo? I don’t know, because what do I talk to him about? Bruh, making friends is kinda hard. His eyes are so pretty too. He’s so nervous, I think that’s so funny. I’m just as nervous. Yeah I’m gonna say some- wait he’s gonna talk.
I quit my inner dialogue and look at him expectantly.
But as soon as he opens his mouth, he closes it again. So I decide to start it.
”Eat if you want, we can talk when you’ve finished.” I smile encouragingly. “Don’t worry about trying to start a conversation. Get comfortable, okay?” I coax that last part into him with my quirk turned on, green pooling out of my hand as I flick the aura towards him. I watch as my aura melds with his, the yellow sparks sucking in the glob of green I flung his way.
Minutely, I see his shoulders relax. So I relax too.
He nods enthusiastically, grateful to have something else to do besides fumbling for words. He begins to fill his plate with food and I sit back. Playing with the tendrils of my hair that drop on either side of my lap.
I take a minute to actually take him in, smiling appreciatively as I look at him.
And what's with the cute thunderbolt in the bangs of his hair? He’s handsome, what the hell. Let him smile at me once, I wanna see if his smile is cute too.
AND SINCE WHEN DID I FIND HIM CUTE?!
My thoughts come to a grinding halt as he looks up, swallowing what was in his mouth as he figures something talk about.
“So, Nero-san. Would you be willing to go out on a date with me?”
My eyes widen, and I scrunch my nose up. It takes me a second to react to that, and the next thing I know I’m laughing, hard and loud.
“You-“ I cut off, gasping for breath. “You take all this time to figure out what to say to me, and the first thing that leaves your mouth-“ I’m practically coming apart at the seams, “is to ask me out on a date. You’re something else, Kaminari-san.” I manage.
Kaminari is chuckling too, a little nervously. As if he doesn’t know why I’m laughing.
I take that as my cue to chill, I shake my head. “You’re too cute for your own good, Kaminari.” My quirk is jetting out of me in yellows and greens.
His eyes widen, a slight flush dancing across his cheeks. Clearing his throat he begins. “Y-What the heck, you’re really cute too.” He mumbles, rubbing at the back of his neck.
Why are his nice words, and bright smile... almost comforting?
Almost like... home?
I shake my head clearing it, and realize that I’m into him. Not like him- into him, but he’s an actually funny person. And this guy hasn’t said anything but a few sentences.
The day goes on like this. We start out in the kitchen. I’m washing the dishes as he walks to the other side of me, taking a wash towel to dry them.
We stay like this for a while, not really saying anything. The water and clinking of dishes against each other is the only sound taking up the room. And I can’t help but feel like it’s comfortable. Like we don’t have to talk, just enjoy each other’s company.
When we finish, I lead him to the stairs. And I hear his steps falter.
I turn to him, a question on my face. But he picks up instantly.
“Um, we’re going to your room?” He asks, all of a sudden very nervous.
“Is it weird if we chill in my room?” I ask. “I mean, shit. I don’t know how this works. When my cousin’s come over, we always go up to my room and play on my PS5. Is that okay?” I know it doesn’t make sense, but I know I can trust him. His aura tells me he’s worthy. I know he’s worthy. So why does it feel like he- and that’s when everything clicks into place.
He’s hiding something.