Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Mirio thoughtfully thumbed the green flier in his hand as he looked around himself trying to gain somewhat of a handle on his surroundings. The one thing he knew was that he was currently at Tsukuru High School…. And that was the current extent of his knowledge. Currently, he was in decent sized courtyard that had a strip of grass planted down the center with benches dashed along on either side. Around the courtyard was a string of tan doors situated under white awnings, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out where their room markers were. This school wasn’t nearly as big as U.A. so he had figured it would be no problem finding the room mentioned on the flier! Alas… he was gravely mistaken.

Mirio quickly brought the flier back up to his face reading it over for a third time now-

He had discovered the flier while patrolling with Bubble Girl and knew immediately he needed to help out a fellow student in need! Especially after they asked so kindly, and he would get free dinner out of it which was an especially nice bonus!

It all worked out perfectly, Sir Nighteye had him doing patrols from 11am till 1pm, then a check in from 1pm till 2pm, which would give him more than enough time to get across town to Tsukuru High within the time stated on the flier! Unless he got horribly lost… which he did- because for some reason this school decided not to mark their classrooms!

Mirio released a deep sigh just as he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He froze, glancing over his shoulder to see a pair of big grey eyes looking up at him from underneath deep cyan hued bangs.

“Excuse me? Are you lost?” The girl’s voice was gentle and soft, so soft it took Mirio a second to hear what she had said, “ Um, pardon? Are you lost?” She repeated a second time a bit louder when she realized he couldn’t hear her.

“Oh!” He brightened into a smile, finally pulling the flier away from his face, “I am lost, how’d ya know!?”

The girl, who appeared to be around his age, pointed to his uniform. Mirio’s gaze followed her finger to where it was pointing inches away from his chest.

“We have different uniforms.” She stated politely, but very matter of fact.

He looked back and forth between the two of them, quickly noticing the differences. While his uniform was the standard U.A. green and white, this girls’ was white with a red and blue plaid on her short skirt and tie.

Mirio released a quick laugh, “ Yeah I guess that is an easy tell, isn’t it?” He looked back over to her and held out the flier for her to see, “ I’m here because of this flier. I am looking for room B32a, do you know where that is?”

The girl blinked as the flier was thrusted in her direction. She looked over it briefly before her eyes widened and a huge smile spread across her face.

“That’s me!” She suddenly pressed her hands together in a cheer. Her voice still soft but now filled with excitement, “That’s my flier!”

“Wait, this is your flier!?” Mirio couldn’t help but smile along with the girl’s new infections excitement. It was a complete switch from the quiet demeanor she had displayed just moments ago. Now she was bouncing in place, her short hair bobbing on her shoulders, while she practically glowed from ear to ear.

… It was pretty cute.

“Yes! I’m Ueno Yua!” She quickly grabbed his hand, pulling him into an overly excited handshake.

Mirio laughed, “I’m Toogata Mirio, nice to meet you, Ueno!”

“Oh, thank you so much for coming!” She quickly turned, shifting her grip to pull him towards a nearby room, “B32a is right over here!”

Mirio stumbled behind her as she practically dragged him under the awning pathway that lined all the classroom entrances. It wasn’t until he was underneath that he finally spotted the classroom numbers above the door.

They were there the whole time!?

Jeesh.

“You can’t see the numbers if you aren’t under the pathway.” Yua pointed above the door. She looked back at Mirio to see defeated realization etched across his face.

Her smile instantly sunk with concern, “Ah…I should have wrote it in the flier! Maybe that’s why others haven’t shown up…”

“You mean, you haven’t gotten any other models?” Mirio straightened his posture as she released his hand to pull an ID card out of her skirt pocket.

“You’re the first.” Yua pressed the card to a black reader pad next to the classroom door. With a light click, the door was pulled open and instantly the smells of solvents and paints waft out of the room.

Mirio was instantly consumed with curiosity as he entered. It was nothing like any classroom he had seen before! There was a whimsical chaotic-ness to the room. Wood easels were spewed about with no real organization in mind. Some held canvas’, some did not, but all of them were spattered in an array of paint stains which gave each easel its own unique character.

Behind the forest of easels, on the far back wall, was a large metal trough sink. The counter space surrounding it was piled with different sized cups and containers. Mirio grinned as he continued to take in the room. While the classroom was colored in grey and white tones it was the aftermath paint splatters and spills across the floor and even the walls that gave the classroom its warmth and color.

While Mirio explored the room further, Yua walked over to her easel that was set up near the center of the room and began to prep her station.

“Thank you again by the way,” She spoke out to Mirio. He paused in his current exploration of a large shelved wall that house nearly every color of paint one could imagine. “- for coming to model. You saved me, I would have failed my project.”

He grinned back rubbing a finger under his nose.“Well, that is what heroes do!”

Yua curiously tilted her head as she fiddled with some of the paints on the small table next to her easel, “Oh! You’re a hero?”

“Well, working on it.” Mirio made his way back towards her, “I go to U.A.”

“Really!? Wow, you must be something then!” Yua excitedly squeezed the brushes in her hands tighter, “I get to capture a future Pro- hero in my painting!? It really is my lucky day!”

Her actions caused him to chuckle, she was definitely an easily excited person.

Now Yua’s attention wasn’t even on him anymore. She was looking up towards the ceiling completely encapsulated by her thoughts, whatever they might be.

Mirio had a hunch though.

He could see it, the passion she had about her work. It made him even more pleased that he decided to answer the flier. It wasn’t what one would consider “normal” hero work but he was helping someone in need so it definitely counted in his book! As a bonus, she seemed to be really nice as well.

“Okay.” Yua finally breathed out seeming to gather her thoughts just as Mirio reached the painting station she had created around her easel, “I know exactly what I want now.”

She sat down her brushes before walking towards the center of the room. Yua turned motioning for Mirio to follow her as stepped up onto a raised platform that was draped with a thick red sheet.

“So you will be posed here,” She gestured beside herself, “ - and If you could go ahead and get undress I will adjust the lighting.” Again her eyes drifting to the ceiling in thought while she chewed lightly on her bottom lip, “I was thinking about a kneeling pose.”

Mirio watched as Yua knelt down on the platform resting on her right knee while her left leg stayed up in a bent position.

“Like this!” Yua guided, “Oh I will need to get you a cushion for your knee…” She noted feeling the pressure of her own on the hard surface, “- but then I’ll have you lean over your leg and look to the ground.”

Mirio nodded, studying her examples carefully, “I can definitely do that!”

“Wonderful!” She popped back up to her feet with a smile. Once again she pressed the palms of her hands together happily, “I have a cushion over here we can put under your knee once you cha-”

Yua’s voice froze she turned to see Mirio instantly phase out of his entire school uniform,

“What happened to your clothes!?” She quickly rubbed her eyes with her fists making sure she had just correctly seen a man permeate through clothing.

“Oh that’s just my quirk. Pretty nifty huh??” Mirio stepped away from his clothes with a smile, “So you just want me over here?” He stepped up onto the platform.

Yua stared at him with unwavering eyes as he stepped up next to her. She had figured he was in shape being at U.A. and all but she never imagined him being in that good of shape. His physique completely through her off guard, but in a great way, this was better than anything she could have hoped for!

Mirio could feel her gaze carefully trailing over his form, examining him with what he could only describe as… inquisitive intrigue. Still, when her bottom lip was captured between her teeth as she slipped into another bout of deep thought, he couldn’t help the tint that rose to his cheeks.

She was really too cute to be making a face like that while he stood next to her naked!

“...You really work out huh?” Yua finally released her lip.

Mirio couldn’t help the snort of a laugh that escaped him, “Oh you know, on occasion.” He teased.

His voice seemed to snap Yua out of her daze as she quickly covered her mouth with her hands. A mortified wave of emotion washed over her features upon the realization she had just been staring at him in the most unprofessional way possible.

“Sorry!” She quickly bowed, hoping that she had not made him too uncomfortable…. That was until she realized she was now face to face with his crotch.

Yua’s eyes widened in absolute horror, “Sorry again!!” She squeaked, immediately covering her hands over her eyes and tripping over her feet as she tried to turn away from him.

“It’s okay!! It’s okay!!” Mirio kept repeating. He slaped a hand over his mouth in an attempt to conceal his laughter and not embarrass the poor girl even more, but the series of antics that had just unfolded was too much.

While Yua squatted down into a ball rambling of apologies, Mirio suddenly felt himself begin to sweat as an intense wave of heat hit the room.

“It’s alright Ueno! No worries!!” He tried to reassure her as his laughter finally calmed.

The shroud of heat that suddenly encompassed the classroom was now thickening the air like a sauna.

“Ueno, I’m sorry, but do you feel like it got really hot in here all of the sudden??” Large beads of sweat were now accumulating his skin. This wasn’t in his head, the temperature definitely changed in the room.

As soon as the words left his mouth Yua’s string of apologies halted. She removed her hands from over her eyes, lifting up her palms to take in the new sensation around them.

“… It’s me.” Yua’s voice softened as she returned her hands to cover her face, the red tint on her cheeks deepening.

“Pardon?” Mirio leaned down trying to hear her better. She was talking softly again and he could barely hear her. His hands fanned his face furiously as he waited for her response, it was getting hotter by the second!

“My quirk!” Yua forced her voice to speak up, “It’s … it’s because I’m embarrassed.” She slapped her face a few times with the palms of her hands in an attempt to knock out the embarrassment.

At her words, a light suddenly clicked on in Mirio’s head, everything made complete sense now!

“You don’t need to be embarrassed Ueno!” He quickly jumped into a crouch in front of her, “I’m the one that's naked, I should be embarrassed!”

“No, no.” She shook her head and began to pinch her own cheeks, “ You’re the model, I’m supposed to make you feel comfortable, but I just bowed my head into your crotch!”

There was a warm haze to everything in the room now. The temperature was getting close to unbearable. It quickly became obvious to Mirio that Yua did not have very good control of her quirk…. If any at all.

“You’re not the first person to get up close and personal with my willy, I’m used to it!” He tried to brush off her concern, until he saw her eyes widen through her fingers, “ Wait… that didn’t come out right.”

A sudden spike in heat forced Mirio to cringe. He could barely breathe at this point, it felt as though he was about to burn alive, but he couldn’t just run out and leave her alone. He had to think of a way to help her. He was a hero, he could do this!

“So get this,” Mirio forced up a smile, steam was now beginning to swirl around them. He had to work quickly, “I tell dad jokes, but I don't have any kids…. Guess that makes me a faux pa.”

Yua peaked up at him through her fingers to see the huge grin he was holding even though his face was turning beet red from the heat.

“So when does a joke become a dad joke?” Mirio paused for a beat, “….When it becomes apparent!”

Yua couldn’t contain the smile that broke through the cover of her hands as he continued.

It was working! Mirio could feel the heaviness of heat in the room begin to dissipate along with the swirls of steam. Now he just had to land the big finisher!

“Did you know… your Japanese when you go into the bathroom, and you’re Japanese when you come out of the bathroom, but do you know what you are while you’re in there?” He raised a brow in Yua’s direction with a pause making sure he had her full attention, “European!”

At his last word, Yua’s laughter broke into the room instantly causing the wave of intense heat to dissipate.

Mirio couldn’t contain the deep sigh he released at the sudden temperature change. He felt like he could breathe again! His chest rose and fell with each breath as he began to cool down. Sweat was dripping down his face but he couldn’t help but genuinely smile as he watched Yua laugh.

It was a deep laugh, a hearty laugh… a nice laugh.

“Those... were horrible.” Yua’s laughter slowed into a chuckle before she flashed Mirio a grateful smile.

“Hey now!” He tried to wipe the sweat that was still dripping into his eyes away with his forearm, “You laughed. You thought they were funny!”

“They were funny and horrible.” She locked her eyes with his, “Thank you, Toogata.”

“Any time!” Mirio straightened his posture, “Though I’m sorry, I’m so sweaty now.” He looked down at himself, he was literally drenched in a sheen of sweat.

“No, no,” Yua looked over his form with him, “This is actually perfect, don’t wipe any off! It’s defining your physique, and with the right lighting you’ll be even better to paint now!” An excited glow was back on her features.

Mirio smiled as he watched her quickly rush about - grabbing a pillow, adjusting the standing lights around the platform, and situating the red sheet across the pedestal to her liking. She was back to being passionate and focused as though they both weren’t just nearly baked alive.

He could tell though, this probably wasn’t the first time an incident like this occurred. Though her overall disposition was bright there was a lingering sullenness in her eyes he just couldn’t shake concern for.

Once Mirio was in the position Yua wanted, she quickly skipped over to her easel and got right into laying paint down onto the canvas.

“So if you don’t mind me asking, what is your quirk? Cus honestly that was pretty crazy!” He tried to speak as upbeat as possible, he was so curious but hated to trigger another occurrence.

“Oh….” Yua responded, slowing in her painting a bit as she thought through how to answer his question.

“- And I mean crazy in a good way!” Mirio quickly added, turning his head towards her so she could see his smile.

“It’s weather.” Yua spoke up after finishing a few strokes on the canvas, “It’s triggered by my emotions, so… I have a hard time controlling it….”

“That’s pretty sweet though!” Mirio chimed in making sure she wouldn’t have a chance to feel negative. He could tell from the way her voice was softening it wasn’t something she was necessarily comfortable talking about, “ So you could make it rain, or snow, or anything like that?”

Yua couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her lips from the enthusiasm of Mirio’s questions. She found the positivity over her quirk pretty refreshing.

“I can.” She answered, splitting her attention between him and the canvas in front of her.

“So which emotion would make it snow?” Mirio thoughtfully inquired, “That would be awesome for on a hot summer day!”

Yua paused from her painting to study Mirio for a moment, she had never thought about her quirk in such a way before,

“… I don’t know,” She went back to her work, shading in the contours of his back, “It’s often rather random, …many times I don’t even realize it's me right away… Honestly, I try to avoid triggering it.”

“All quirks take practice, gosh I still lose my clothes on a regular basis!” Mirio poked fun at himself, trying to lift her own spirits.

He didn’t know Yua at all, but the thought of her feeling such turmoil with her quirk made he himself feel downhearted. There were still red marks on her cheeks from where she had been pinching herself earlier, trying to get her quirk to stop. She was really struggling, perhaps even more than he initially realized in the moment.

“I can only imagine.” She giggled, “Doesn’t it get frustrating though?”

“Well yeah, of course!” Mirio glanced over his leg to watch her paint for a moment, “But it also makes people laugh, so I think that’s a pretty great trade-off.”

He watched Yua captured her bottom lip in her teeth, she was thinking again, contemplating something important.

“You really like to make others laugh, don’t you Toogata?” She finally released her lip, turning to dip her brush into a jar of gamsol before dipping it into a new color of paint.

“Absolutely! I mean you never know whose around that might need a pick-me-up. Laughter can really change a lot for people, also… it’s just fun don’t yah think?” He flashed her a bright grin.

“Yeah… ” Yua made eye contact with him for a moment before turning back to her work, “It is…. so where would you like to eat after we are done?” She completed a few more strokes before picking up some more paint on the tip of her brush, “I definitely owe you a good dinner after this session.”

“Oh yeah!” Mirio nearly forgot, “My payment!”

“Have you been to Kaiyo Joō?” Yua smiled focusing on her work but keeping her attention on Mirio.

“Oh that’s good! I won’t get sushi there though.” Mirio responded.

“Really why?” Yua tilted her head in question.

“It’s a little fishy.”

Yua nearly knocked over her canvas at his comment as she snorted out a laugh.

Mirio couldn’t help but laugh along with her, and he was sure for a second he felt a crisp breeze swirl throughout the room.

... She really did have a nice laugh.