[A/N: Kinda wanted to just have them bang but we'll do that during the next arc since why not ]
A few days passed in a blur of recovery days and agency letters. By the time Class 1-A was back in the classroom, the buzz of the Sports Festival had begun to settle, but the energy around Izuku hadn't. Students still whispered about him whenever he walked by, and even some teachers shot him curious glances.
Izuku leaned back in his chair, the glow from his HUD flickering faintly before his eyes as he summoned his system screen.
『32%』
Abilities
■ Flight
■ Super Strength
■ Super Speed
■ Invulnerability
■ Heat Breath
■ Freeze Breath
■ Lasers
〔+ $100,000〕
'Things are going well,' he thought, scanning the display. 'I even got some money out of it. I'll probably just throw it into a charity… genuinely have no use for it. Or…' he paused, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips, 'I could fund Hatsume. She's a pretty great investment.'
As if summoned by the thought itself, a familiar voice chirped right beside him.
"I didn't think I could ever shock you," Mei said with a teasing smile, leaning on his desk. "Guess you were in your head too much."
Izuku blinked, actually startled. He rarely got surprised by anyone these days, and yet here she was. "Well… that happens, I guess," he replied, a small chuckle escaping him.
Mei giggled and dropped her bag onto the seat next to his. "Hi, by the way. Wow… who would've thought I'd end up friends with you? Life sure does have its surprises."
Izuku tilted his head toward her. "It does. You should show me your stuff sometime. I'm really interested in seeing what you do."
Mei blinked at him, her pink goggles slipping down slightly as a blush crept across her cheeks. "Really? Take me on a date first though," she said with a smirk. "I don't think it's right for you to see my babies before that."
He laughed at the playful jab. "True, true. We should organize that then. Give me your number."
Without missing a beat, she reached into her jacket and pulled out a glossy business card, the edges lined with tiny gears and circuit patterns.
Izuku chuckled at the sight of it. "Of course you'd have a business card."
"You and I are gonna be pretty great friends," he said, tucking the card into his pocket.
"I can tell," she replied with a grin that promised more surprises.
Across the room, a few classmates exchanged glances at the scene. It was rare to see Midoriya so relaxed—talking to Mei almost looked normal for someone who'd just turned the entire Sports Festival upside down.
It was breaktime at U.A., and most of the class had scattered to the cafeteria or found their own spots to relax. Izuku, however, was sitting quietly by the window in his class since he wanted to avoid the attention, when suddenly Mei Hatsume popped her head into the room.
"There you are," she said with her usual grin. "C'mon, you're coming with me."
Before he could answer, she grabbed his wrist and tugged him down the hallway. Izuku barely managed to keep up, his classmates exchanging curious looks as the two disappeared around the corner.
She led him straight to the Development Studio. The moment the doors opened, Izuku was hit with the sharp smell of oil, the faint buzz of machinery, and the sight of gadgets scattered across every surface.
"Welcome to my world!" Mei said proudly, sweeping her arms toward the chaos of half-finished inventions.
Izuku blinked, taking it all in. "This is… your idea of a date?" he asked, half amused.
Mei adjusted her goggles and smirked. "What? I told you I wouldn't let you see my babies until after a date. Consider this your VIP tour."
Izuku chuckled as he stepped further inside, eyes drawn to the organized madness of the lab. Despite the clutter, he could tell every piece had a purpose. "Wow…" he muttered.
Mei grinned wider, obviously pleased by his reaction. "Not bad, huh?"
Without warning, she rushed over to a workbench and pulled out a palm-sized device. "Okay, first demo! You've got insane raw power, but what about precision? Imagine channeling it into something like this—" she mimed attaching the gadget to his arm "—a focus lens that could cut through steel without blowing up half a city block."
Izuku looked at her, surprised. "You… actually designed something with me in mind?"
"Of course!" Mei answered instantly. "You're like a living stress test. If I can make gear that even you can use, I'm set for life. My name in lights, my babies in every hero catalog. That's the dream."
Izuku scratched the back of his neck, laughing softly. "You're the first person who's treated me like a project instead of a headline."
That made Mei pause for just a second, before quickly shoving a pair of reinforced gloves into his hands. "Don't get mushy on me, put these on."
He slid them over his fists, surprised by how light they felt. "What do they do?"
"Punch that dummy." She pointed toward a steel mannequin in the corner.
Izuku frowned but obeyed, throwing a sharp jab. The gloves lit up on impact, dispersing the shockwave so the dummy only rattled instead of crumpling into scrap.
His eyes widened. "They… stabilized the impact."
Mei's smile widened into something proud. "Exactly. They regulate your force output. Think of them as training wheels for gods. Now you won't accidentally vaporize your sparring partner."
Izuku looked from the gloves to her, impressed. "You might actually save me from breaking some bones one day."
Mei's cheeks flushed faintly beneath her goggles, though her smirk didn't fade. "Then I guess you owe me another date."
Izuku laughed softly, setting the gloves aside. "Deal."
After the tour of her chaotic lab, Mei pulled out a small, neatly packed lunch. "Don't tell anyone, but this is my guilty pleasure," she said, spreading out the containers. "Crime documentaries and bento boxes. Perfect combo."
Izuku chuckled as he sat down next to her on a cleared bench amid scattered gadgets and half-finished inventions. They ate quietly at first, each bite a rhythm, until Mei's eyes lit up as the opening sequence of her favorite documentary started playing on a small, mounted tablet.
"See, this part is the best—look at the technique they used to track the criminal's movements," she whispered, pointing at the screen.
Her enthusiasm was infectious, and even Izuku found himself leaning closer, intrigued by her commentary.
They shared the lunch, trading bites and comments, Mei occasionally nudging him when something particularly shocking happened on the screen.
Izuku laughed softly, shaking his head at her excitement, but he couldn't hide the grin spreading across his face. There was a comfortable ease in just sitting here with her, no hero duties, no festival chaos—just watching, eating, and talking.
Time slipped by unnoticed, the world outside her lab temporarily fading away. But then, the sharp ring of the school bell echoed through the room, breaking the moment.
"Well," Izuku said, standing and brushing off his uniform. "That's the end of our little break, unfortunately. But if you want, after school we can go out and just hang. No lab, no gadgets—just chill."
Mei looked up at him, her smile radiant and warm. "I would love to. I'll see you then, champ."
"Cool," Izuku added with a grin. "Also… cut down on the spices next time. I don't get heartburn, but I feel like I should be right now," he teased lightly as he turned to leave.
Mei laughed, the sound echoing softly off the lab walls. "You're as cool as I thought you'd be," she murmured to herself, watching him go.
Crash!
Her laughter froze mid-air as a box toppled off a nearby shelf, spilling its contents onto the floor.
"Ahh!" she yelped, leaping back in shock. Then she remembered—her shelves had been overloaded, and the wood wasn't sturdy.
"Fuck!" she cursed under her breath, already kneeling to pick up the scattered parts.
Yet, even amid the chaos, her cheeks flushed slightly, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips. Somehow, she didn't mind the mess—it was just another part of her world, and she couldn't wait to share more of it with him later.
TO BE CONTINUED