To Hold the Stars || BAKUGO KATSUKI

In Plain Sight

Nomi awoke the next morning with a dry mouth and an ache behind her demon eye that felt as if someone had hammered a nail through her skull and then left it there overnight. She shuffled through her morning routine, downing a couple of aspirin before descending the stairs in the small two-bedroom apartment she shared with her father in downtown Musutafu.

The apartment was empty, as it was on most mornings, with only a note in the kitchen indicating that another person lived there at all: Working late. Transferred money to your bank card so you can get food. Have a good day! – Dad

Nomi smiled at the neat handwriting; despite the odd hours and long days her father worked, he still always managed to take care of her needs. They both knew she was more than capable of handling herself, but the thought that someone cared for her was enough to keep her going. It was for his benefit as well that she would become a hero and provide for both of them. They would never have to want for anything again if she could just do that.

She crumpled the note and threw it away before leaving the apartment.

xx

The walk from the station to the school was unexciting, but when Nomi reached the gates of U.A. with Watase, Momote, and Sanda, they were stopped in their tracks by a mob of reporters crowding around the school's entrance.

"What on earth...?" Nomi muttered.

"They must've heard about All Might coming to teach," Momote said, tilting her head. "You're so lucky to have had a class with him, Nomi."

"I didn't, though," she pointed out. "The rest of the class got to do battle training with him while I got stuck with Aizawa."

Sanda strode forward before anyone could respond and began shoving reporters and cameramen out of her way. Complaints mixed with shouts of All Might's whereabouts, but when people saw the stony look on the second-year's face, they all but jumped out of her way, especially when Watase's huge form loomed behind her as he, Momote, and Nomi followed Sanda through the crowd.

"Excuse me!" A male reporter leaped into Nomi and Momote's path and thrust a microphone under their noses. "U.A. students! Can you give us a word on what it's like receiving lessons from All Might himself?"

Momote smirked and pointed at Nomi. "I can't. But she can."

Nomi nearly went cross-eyed as the mic pressed even closer. "Er, he's very...enthusiastic? And, um, big."

Momote laughed as she pulled Nomi away from the dumbfounded reporter.

"Enthusiastic and big?" she said, giggling, as they entered the school grounds. "We need to get you a better vocabulary."

Ahead of them, Sanda tossed her hair. "If I wasn't so worried about being late, I would've stopped for an interview."

"No reporter's gonna want to interview you if you rudely shove them out of the way first," Watase replied with a chuckle. "Your people skills need work, Chi."

"Don't call me that!"

"See you at lunch?" Momote asked Nomi once they entered the school.

"'Course." Nomi waved as she headed in the opposite direction. "See ya later!"

She was one of the last stragglers into the classroom. She flashed Midoriya a quick smile when she passed his desk, and he returned it kindly. She took her seat behind the girl she'd learned was Momo Yaoyorozu, glad that she leaned toward the taller side, otherwise it would've been impossible for her to see the blackboard through the other girl's extremely high ponytail.