Any who hope yall enjoy
ALSO WE BROKE 100K WOOOOOOOOOOW (insert muscle man swing his shirt around)
Chapter 30: A Normal Welcome and a Future Yet to Come
The next few days passed in a quiet blur.
Cid submitted his formal acceptance of Sir Nighteye's internship offer the very next morning. Nezu handled the paperwork personally to ensure it went through without any "complications." Yui stayed close the whole time, quietly supportive, and the two of them spent most of their free time together, studying, training lightly, or simply enjoying each other's company in the dorm.
Three days later, the first-year students gathered outside the station platform, luggage in hand and nervous energy in the air. Trains waited to carry them to agencies all across the country for their internships. The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and anxiety; this was the first real step into the professional hero world.
Cid and Yui stood a little apart from the main group, hands linked. Yui's grip was tighter than usual.
She looked up at him, eyes soft but determined. Without a word she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. Cid returned it immediately, one arm around her shoulders, the other resting at the small of her back.
"Promise me you'll text every day," she murmured against his chest. "Even if it's just a quick 'I'm alive.' I want to know you're okay."
Cid's hand rubbed slow circles on her back. "I promise," he said, voice low and sincere. "Every day. No matter what."
He pulled back just enough to cup her cheek, then leaned down and kissed her. Yui melted into it, fingers curling into the front of his jacket as she kissed him back.
When they finally parted, Cid rested his forehead against hers for a second.
"I'll see you soon," he said quietly.
Yui nodded, smiling even as her eyes glistened. "Good luck. Come back stronger."
Cid gave her hand one last squeeze, then turned and walked toward his train. He glanced back once, catching her eye and offering a small smile before boarding.
The train doors closed and Cid watched as the train pulled away from the station.
-Later-
The train ride to Osaka had been uneventful and not particularly long. Cid stepped off at the station, bag slung over his shoulder, and followed the directions on his phone. The streets were busy and the afternoon sun was warm.
After a short walk he arrived at the entrance of the Nighteye Agency.
The building was sleek and modern, glass and steel with a professional air about it. Cid stopped in front of the entrance, looking up at it with a calm but curious expression.
This was it.
His first real internship.
He took a slow breath, adjusted the strap of his bag, and stepped forward, pushing open the glass doors and stepping inside.
The lobby of the Nighteye Agency was sleek and professional. Everything was in order polished floors, glass walls, and a clean reception desk manned by a polite woman in a crisp suit. Cid walked straight up to the counter, bag still slung over his shoulder.
"Hi. I'm Cid Kageno. I'm here for the internship."
The receptionist checked her screen, then picked up the phone. "One moment, please." After a brief, quiet conversation she hung up and gave him a professional smile. "Sir Nighteye is expecting you. Take the elevator to the top floor. His office is at the end of the hall."
Cid nodded. "Thanks."
After the short elevator ride the doors opened and he stepped into a quiet hallway. He looked to his left and made his way to the large door at the far end, knocking once.
"Come in."
Cid pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Sir Nighteye sat behind a wide desk, glasses perched on his nose, the room lined with neatly organized shelves of hero memorabilia and files. The hero looked up, sharp eyes studying Cid for a moment before he stood and offered a small, formal nod.
"Mr. Kageno. Welcome. Please, have a seat."
Cid dropped into the chair across from the desk. Nighteye sat back down, folding his hands on the surface.
"We'll keep this straightforward. As an intern, you'll shadow me and my sidekicks. You'll assist with case work, patrols, analysis, and even fighting should I give you clearance. I expect professionalism, discipline, and quick thinking. In return, I will push you to refine that extraordinary Quirk of yours to its limit and force you to think in ways you aren't used to."
Cid nodded. "Understood."
Nighteye's gaze sharpened slightly. "Before we finalize anything, I have to ask, are you aware of what happened with your internship offers?"
Cid leaned back in the chair, expression calm.
"Yeah. I know exactly what happened. The HSPC blocked most of them. They're still pissed I told them I was done working for them. They can't control me anymore, so they're making my life as hard as possible to try and pressure me."
Nighteye's eyebrows rose a fraction. A faint, approving look crossed his face before he settled back to his normal neutrality.
"Impressive. Most students your age would be completely unaware of the strings being pulled behind the scenes. You're not blind to it. That's good. It means you understand the world you're stepping into."
He stood and extended his hand across the desk.
"Then let's make this official."
Cid rose and reached out, gripping Nighteye's hand firmly.
The handshake lasted a little longer than expected. Cid didn't pull away, he'd been warned that Sir Nighteye could be… eccentric, but he did note the extended contact. Nighteye's grip was steady, professional. Then, almost imperceptibly, the hero's mouth tightened at the corners.
Cid also noticed something shift in the man's eyes behind the glasses, a flicker of intensity that hadn't been there a moment before. It was gone as quickly as it appeared.
Nighteye released his hand and adjusted his glasses with a smooth motion, expression perfectly composed once more.
"Bubble Girl will show you to your room and go over the basic schedule," he said evenly. He reached under the desk and pressed a small button.
Not even thirty seconds later the door opened. Bubble Girl stepped in, bright and energetic as always, clearly expecting one of Sir Nighteye's usual bizarre greetings.
Instead Nighteye simply said, "Please escort Mr. Kageno to his assigned room and familiarize him with the agency layout."
Bubble Girl blinked once, caught off guard, then recovered with a quick salute. "Right away, Sir!"
Cid gave Nighteye a short nod and followed her out.
The moment the door clicked shut behind them, Nighteye remained perfectly still for several seconds, outwardly calm and professional.
Only then did he move.
He rose from his chair, walked to a locked drawer in the side cabinet, and opened it. Inside sat a sealed bottle of whiskey, a rare American brand that All Might had given him years ago as a personal gift from during his time as a hero overseas. Nighteye had never intended to open it. It was a precious memento of their time together before they had their fight, something too precious to him to waste on normal days. But now, now it felt right.
Today was not a normal day.
He loosened his tie with a slow tug, poured a measured glass, and stared at the amber liquid for a long moment.
"That future… will not come to pass. I will make certain of it," he murmured quietly, almost to himself, before downing the glass in one smooth motion.
The burn settled in his chest as he set the empty glass down with a soft clink.
Nighteye exhaled slowly, his eyes sharpening behind his glasses.
He would train this boy harder than he had ever trained anyone in his life.
Cid may hate him for it, but he would thank him afterwards. He would not let another tragedy happen to someone close to him, especially not his new protégé.
---------------------
Hey so I know some of you may question why night eye does certain things or acts like he does in the end but canonically nighteye is extremely protective of his interns in his own way. And with how he read Cid's future and he saw something so he is going to be making moves and be very proactive