After their little talk on the rooftop, Mina and Ryuu made their way to their own individual homes.
The next morning brought an unexpected complication that Ryuu hadn't anticipated.
Word about his and Mina's performance during the previous day's exercise had spread throughout Class 3-A, and apparently beyond.
Ryuu arrived at his usual spot by the window to find Ochaco Uraraka waiting by his desk, her brown eyes bright with curiosity.
"Morning Kazama" she chirped with her characteristic cheerful smile. "I heard you and Mina-chan had an amazing partnership yesterday"
"It went well" Ryuu replied carefully, settling into his seat. He noticed how Ochaco's gaze lingered on him, studying his face with more interest than she usually showed to him.
"Tsu and I were talking about it last night" Ochaco continued, perching on the edge of Sero's empty desk. "Your quirk sounds really useful for team exercises. I was wondering if maybe we could partner up sometime"
Before Ryuu could respond, Tsuyu Asui appeared beside them with her characteristic directness.
"Your amplification ability would work well with my frog quirk, ribbit" Tsu said matter-of-factly. "Enhanced jumping power and tongue strength could be very effective in rescue scenarios"
Author note: *hehe*
Ryuu felt his chest tighten. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. Success with one female classmate had drawn attention from others, and he wasn't sure he could handle multiple partnerships without losing control of his powers.
"I'll keep that in mind for future exercises" he said diplomatically.
"What about me" came a sultry voice from behind them.
Ryuu turned to see Momo Yaoyorozu approaching, her long black hair swaying as she walked.
Her school uniform seemed to fit her perfectly, accentuating her mature figure in ways that made Ryuu's mouth go dry.
"My Creation quirk requires significant mental focus" Momo explained, her black iris meeting meeting his violet pair directly. "If your Resonance could enhance my concentration and processing speed, I could create more complex items much faster"
The logical way she presented her argument made it hard to refuse without seeming rude. Ryuu was saved from responding by the arrival of Mina, who bounced into the classroom with her usual energy.
"Morning everyone" Mina called out, but her golden eyes immediately found Ryuu's. The smile she gave him was warm and private, carrying undertones of their conversation from the previous evening.
"Mina-chan" Ochaco said brightly. "We were just talking to Kazama about his quirk. It must have been amazing working with him yesterday"
Mina's mouth twitched a bit, for only a moment.
Too quick for most people to catch. But Ryuu saw it, it felt like a flash of something protective and possessive that made his pulse quicken.
"It was definitely an experience" Mina remarked, her tone light but her eyes never leaving Ryuu's face. "His quirk is very... intense when you're on the receiving end"
The way she said the word intense made heat curl in Ryuu's stomach. The other girls seemed to pick up on the underlying meaning as well, their interest clearly piqued.
"How intense" Momo asked, leaning forward slightly.
"It's hard to describe" Mina replied, finally looking away from Ryuu. "You'd have to experience it yourself to understand"
Ryuu caught the subtle challenge in her words.
In his perspective it felt like she was marking territory in the most diplomatic way possible, letting the other girls know that she had experienced something special with him.
"Well I'd definitely like to try" Ochaco said with determination. "Maybe during the next team exercise"
"Me too, ribbit" Tsu added.
The conversation was interrupted by Aizawa's entrance, his capture weapon dragging behind him as he made his way to the podium.
"Before we begin today's lessons, I need to see Kazama in my office" Aizawa announced without preamble. "The rest of you, read chapter twelve in your Hero Law textbooks"
Ryuu's stomach dropped. The individual consultation Aizawa had mentioned yesterday was happening sooner than expected.
As he gathered his things, he felt Mina's concerned gaze on him. When he glanced at her, she mouthed the words "it'll be okay" and gave him an encouraging smile.
The walk to Aizawa's office felt like a death march. Ryuu's mind raced through possible explanations for what had happened during the exercise, trying to find ways to downplay the intensity of his quirk's effects.
Aizawa's office was spartanly decorated, containing only the essentials needed for his work as a teacher and pro hero. He gestured for Ryuu to sit across from his desk before settling into his own chair with a heavy sigh.
"Your quirk is more complex than your file indicates" Aizawa began without preamble. "The emotional fluctuations I observed yesterday went beyond normal amplification effects"
Ryuu remained silent, waiting to see how much his teacher had figured out.
"I've done some research since yesterday" Aizawa continued, pulling out a tablet. "Support-type quirks like these are rare, but not unheard of. What is unusual is the intensity of the feedback loop you seem to create with your partners"
He swiped through several screens before settling on one that made Ryuu's blood run cold. It was his original quirk registration form from when he was five years old, complete with incident reports.
"Hospitalization of your mother due to quirk manifestation" Aizawa read aloud. "Emotional overload resulting in temporary cardiac distress. Subsequent psychological evaluation recommended specialized training"
Ryuu's hands clenched in his lap. "That was a long time ago"
"Which explains why you transferred to the hero course so late" Aizawa said, his tired eyes boring into Ryuu's. "You spent years learning to control your quirk before you felt safe enough to use it around others"
There was no point in denying it. "Yes"
"And yet yesterday, you used your quirk at near-maximum capacity on a classmate without informing her of the potential risks"
The accusation hit Ryuu like a physical blow. "She was in danger...and I tried to explain the risk too, The exercise required-"
"The exercise required teamwork" Aizawa interrupted. "Not reckless endangerment of your partner's emotional and physical well-being"
Ryuu felt anger flare in his chest. "I didn't hurt her"
"This time" Aizawa said pointedly. "But what happens next time when you're facing real villains instead of training bots. What happens when the emotional feedback becomes too intense for either of you to handle rationally"
The questions hung in the air between them, highlighting fears that Ryuu had been trying to suppress.
"I can control it" he mumbled.
"Can you" Aizawa asked. "Because from where I was standing yesterday, it looked like your quirk was going to spiral out of control at any given moment."
Before Ryuu could respond, there was a knock on the office door.
"Come in" Aizawa called.
The door opened to reveal Mina, her expression determined despite the obvious nervousness in her golden eyes.
"Sensei, I'd like to speak on Kazama's behalf" she said formally.
Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "This is a private consultation, Ashido"
"With respect, sensei, I was his partner during the exercise. I think I have a right to give my perspective on what happened"
Ryuu watched as Mina entered the office and took a seat beside him, her presence immediately calming his frayed nerves.
"Very well" Aizawa said after a moment. "Tell me your perspective on yesterday's events"
Mina straightened in her chair, meeting their teacher's gaze directly. "Kazama's quirk didn't endanger me. If anything, it saved both of us during the final confrontation"
"What about the side effects you experienced?"
"It was manageable" Mina said firmly. "Yes, his quirk affects more than just abilities. But he warned me about that beforehand, and he never pushed the connection further than what I was comfortable with"
Ryuu stared at her in surprise. She was kinda lying though, protecting him from the consequences of his loss of control.
"Furthermore" Mina continued, "I've done my own research since yesterday. Emotional resonance quirks require mutual consent to reach their full potential. The fact that we achieved such effective synchronization suggests that I was a willing and active participant, not a victim of manipulation"
Aizawa studied both of them for a long moment, his analytical mind clearly working through the implications of Mina's statement.
"You're suggesting that yesterday's intensity was the result of genuine compatibility rather than reckless quirk usage"
"I'm saying that Kazama showed remarkable control under pressure" Mina replied. "He could have pushed the connection much further than he did, but he maintained enough restraint to keep us both functional and focused on the mission"
The praise made Ryuu's chest tight with emotion. She was defending him even though she didn't fully understand the risks involved.
"And you would be comfortable partnering with him again" Aizawa asked.
"Without hesitation" Mina said immediately.
Aizawa leaned back in his chair, processing this information. After what felt like an eternity, he spoke again.
"Very well. But I want regular check-ins after any exercise involving your quirk, Kazama. And if I observe any signs that you're losing control of the emotional resonance, I'll be pulling you from team exercises entirely"
"Understood" Ryuu said, relief flooding through him.
"Both of you can return to class now"
As they left the office, Mina walked close beside him, her shoulder bumped against his arm.
"Thank you" Ryuu said quietly once they were out of earshot.
"You don't need to thank me" Mina replied quietly. "Everything I said in there was true"
"Even the part about being comfortable partnering with me again?"
Mina stopped walking and turned to face him, her expression serious.
"Especially that part" she said softly. "What we had yesterday, that connection and trust, it was special. I'm not going to let fear or other people's concerns take that away from us"
The conviction in her voice made something warm unfurl in Ryuu's chest. Maybe Aizawa was right about one thing - the intensity between them was the result of genuine compatibility rather than just his quirk running wild.
"Besides" Mina added with a mischievous grin, "I meant what I said about the other girls needing to experience your quirk for themselves to understand it. But that doesn't mean I'm eager to share"
The possessive note in her voice sent heat racing through Ryuu's veins.
As they returned to class in a comfortable silence, Ryuu found himself looking forward to their next opportunity to work together.
The conversation with Aizawa had been uncomfortable, but it had also clarified something important.
His quirk didn't have to be a burden he carried alone. With the right partner, someone who understood and accepted both its benefits and its risks, it could become something powerful and beautiful.
The only question now was whether that partnership would stay professional, or if it was destined to become something much more personal.
Looking at the way Mina's hand lingered near his as they walked, Ryuu suspected he already knew the answer.