Chapter Text
“Oh, please! Will someone save me!” A small child dramatically called out, her hand resting on her forehead. She stood on a makeshift island of various blankets and pillows. Piles of toys were haphazardly scattered around her. Mrs.Iida believed they were supposed to be flames or maybe building rubble. Either way, she struggled to hide her amusement behind her teacup as her son zoomed into the room, cape flying behind him.
“Don’t worry, lovely lady! Ingemium has arrived!” Tenya bravely announced. His little fits balled on his hips, a wide smile painted on her face. y/n squealed with delight.
“My hero!”
Yn’s mom snorted in her tea. Mrs.Iida slapped her knee, but in truth, she too couldn’t hold back anymore. Both women burst out in laughter at their children’s adorable play. The pair turned to their moms, clearly unimpressed.
“Mom!” Y/n whined, “You promised you wouldn’t laugh this time! This is very important training for Tenya when he grows up to be a hero.”
Yn’s mom wheezed, trying really hard to stop, but tears spilled from laughing too hard. Yn stomped and marched over, weakly slapping her mom’s thigh. y/n’s mom eventually was able to calm down, wiping away a rogue tear. She bent over and picked up y/n, whose bottom lip puckered out.
“You are right, my love, I am so sorry,” She conceded, “You are a very good friend for helping Tenya achieve his dreams.” This seemed to have pleased the seven-year-old. y/n snuggled into her mom’s arm, arm crossed, and still pouting.
“I am a good friend,” she agreed begrudgingly, “And when I grow up, Tenya will be the number #1 hero, even beating All Might!”
Tenya, not bothered by his mother’s laughter, nodded determinedly. “And I will be a strong hero that will always protect y/n!” Mrs.Iida patted his midnight black hair.
“You are a kind boy, Tenya. I can’t wait to see you grow up to be a fine hero just like your father.” The pride shone through Tenya’s eyes, and she could almost see the little boy imagine himself constantly saving the day. Mrs.Iida caught the mischieously look on y/n’s mom eyes, and even though both women knew it was better not to tease the small gentleman, y/n’s mom just couldn’t help herself.
“Oh Tenya, I am so relieved to hear my daughter will marry such a strong and noble hero,” y/n’s mom squeezed the red cheeks of her child, “I can die happily knowing my daughter will be sooo well taken care of.”
Mrs.Iida rolled her eyes, even though she, too, secretly hoped the two children would grow up to marry each other. Tenya’s whole face bloomed red, the tips of his ears hot.
“That-that’s gross! I would never marry her! Girls are gross!” He declared, his fist balled to his side. The embarrassment spread to y/n, who pinched her mom’s arm back.
“Gross! Mom! Tenya has germs!” As both children realized what the other said, they started arguing with each other. One was offended that the other wouldn’t want to marry them, even though they also don’t want to marry. As they argued, Mrs.Iida and y/n’s mom exchanged a knowing look. They continued watching their children argue, as they sipped their tea, an unspoken bet formed between the two women.
One year later
“What do you mean you’re moving?” Tenya asked. y/n’s face was splotchy from crying a few hours ago. Some of the snot was still dried on her face.
“Mom said that she got a stupid job in the States and we have to move before the summer ends,” y/n replied, despite the sobs muffling her words. Her voice was hoarse from crying. Tenya stood in the entrance of his friend’s house, frozen. He had no idea how to respond. His best friend, his only friend, was leaving him?
“But…but why does that mean you have to leave? You could just live with my mom and me. You can have Tensei's room! He doesn’t need it. Mom’s been begging him to move out! I’m sure she would say yes.” y/n just shook her head.
“I already asked. My mom said no.”
Tenya could tell y/n was trying really hard not to cry again. He wasn’t even sure she had enough in her to keep crying. But for once, he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to comfort his friend.
“How am I supposed to save you if you’re not with me?” Tenya’s chest ached, unfamiliar with this tight feeling. Tenya’s mom squeezed his shoulder as a comfort, but he shrugged her off.
He glared at the adults. How dare they separate them! He grabbed his friend’s hand and dragged her up the stairs to her room.
“Tenya?” y/n was surprised but followed him anyway.
When they entered her room, he slammed the door shut. As he turned around to check on her, he noticed the boxes. The room was practically empty. Only her bed and a bare desk were left in the room. He inhaled hard, trying to stop the tears from welling up in his eyes.
It was not successful. He sees the stuffed penguin he got her for her last birthday on the top of one of the boxes, and he bawls.
y/n was startled. She wasn’t sure if she has ever seen him cry. Even when he got hurt at the playground, his knee was badly scraped, he grinned at her and told her he was fine. For the next hour, both children cried on each other, hugging each other until there were no more tears left to cry. Mrs.Iida and y/n’s mom opened the door, only to find them passed out on the floor, clinging to each other.
——————
At the airport, Tenya had a death grip on his mother’s hand. She told him he had to be brave for y/n. Moving to another country would be very scary for her, and it was important that Tenya was happy for his friend, so that y/n wouldn’t be sad.
Tenya didn’t want to make his friend sad. He also didn’t want to see his friend leave. But his mom told him that he had to be a hero today, to show her that everything would be alright. Because he was here.
At the gate, they would not let go of each other’s hands. They did everything to distract from the inevitable. Reading each other’s favorite manga. Sharing a bag of chips. Running around the terminal and playing rescue. But nothing stopped the flight attendant from announcing that passengers were now boarding.
Tenya stood by the door, squeezing y/n’s hand.
“Promise you’ll call?”
“I promise.”
“Promise to keep training without me?”
“I promise.”
“...Promise to wait for me?” Tenya held down the hitch in his throat, the tears burning his eyes. But he held it back and put on a big woobly smile.
“I promise." She smiled back, it was small and bittersweet, but she gave him one last big hug. Before she boarded, she handed him a keychain. It was a chrome engine that revved when he pressed the button. A reminder that he was her hero.
He waved goodbye as he watched her walk down to the plane. He insisted on staying until the plane left, his little hand leaving a mark on the clean window as he watched her fly thousands of miles away from him.
Tenya tried to keep his promise over the years. He never stopped training, and his conviction to become a hero was stronger than ever. He tried to call as much as he could, but the time difference made everything harder.
There were times when one of them would fall asleep on the phone, while the other had to get ready for school that day. The different time zones make them miss each other often. Sometimes they would send general update videos, and they would still call each other best friends. But they were different. And nobody can do anything about it.