The Origin of something new (mha ff)

Chapter 90

The next morning, you couldn't see groups of people sitting on the lawns or in the common rooms as before. The individual students looked for a quiet place to think about talents or to practise. "Can I join in too?" Eri had stayed in the room with Kaede while the others explored the grounds. "You can demonstrate something, of course! It's just that you can't participate in the voting at the end because the prize is nothing to you." Excitedly, the girl jumped up. "It doesn't matter, I don't have to win at all!" Kaede watched Eri pull out many sheets of paper and pens. "I'll draw lots and lots of pictures!" The students were engrossed in tasks and excited. No one really wanted to say beforehand what they had planned for the talent show. Kaede helped organise the stage and set an order. The students gathered in the dining hall. The tables were pushed together on one side to form a raised stage. Momo had made curtains that were hung. The room was decorated with fairy lights and all kinds of ornaments. When everyone was seated, the president of the activities stood up. "I would like to thank all the helpers who helped with the decorations, but also all of you who put so much effort into preparing your talent. I now ask the first to take the stage. The one who has the right to introduce this evening." It turned out to be a long evening. 81 students who wanted to perform, it lasted late into the night. When it was Katsuki's turn, he stood on stage, took the microphone and explained briefly, "My talent is to be better than you extras." With his hands in his pockets and an arrogant look on his face, he left the stage to the booing of the others. Kaede slapped her hand to her forehead. "That miserable idiot." Katsuki took a seat as the next one came on stage. "You definitely won't win like that." "It's not my fault if those extras don't recognise true talent." Kaede rolled her eyes and turned back to the stage. Everyone was doing their best. Mei Hatsume introduced one of her babies, which briefly caused chaos as pink smoke that smelled like candyfloss filled the room. But the real amazement came when she announced that she had built her baby in one day. Kaede and Izuku had been worried that Eri would be too nervous on stage, but she did a masterful job. She happily held up her pictures and elicited enthusiastic clapping from the audience.

Then it was Kaede's turn. She entered the stage with her violin. Some of the class looked at her expectantly because they had never heard her play before. She had never played in front of anyone other than Aizawa, Mic and the others, never in front of so many people. Her hand trembled as she placed the bow on its sides. Nervously, she looked into the crowd, but quickly lowered her gaze again. She played the first note without breathing. The tone sounded crooked and shaky. Again she glanced at the audience. They were bored and exhausted from the long evening. But it was good. This was the worst that could happen and Kaede now had a drive to make it better. She wanted to lift the spirits of the people in the room again, to make them happy. She wanted to prove that her Quirk was more than just a destructive fighting specialty. She wanted to prove that her Quirk moved hearts. At the next sound, she exhaled. She let all the tension flow out of her, the nervousness and everything that prevented her from giving herself completely to the music at that moment. First she played the melody slowly. She crept up to the students' hearts without them noticing and slowly warmed them. Her golden aura enveloped the room and enclosed the students in a gentle embrace. Then she played faster. They were carried away by the speed and some were left breathless. There were always those who felt the music. Some cried when Kaede abruptly played slowly again. It was as if she had drawn all the strength out of them and left only emptiness. Then she set about filling the emptiness anew. She closed her eyes and imagined. In her mind, they were all happily spending time together here. How they laughed and had fun together. Golden lines danced around the room as if they were show effects. Then the last note faded away. Kaede opened her eyes. Complete silence hung in the room, no one dared to break it. But that was enough for Kaede. She saw the sparkle in the students' eyes and smiled as she walked off the stage. Many eyes followed her and the student after her hesitated to take his place on stage. All those who came after her had trouble keeping up.

"I would like to thank everyone again. I for one found the evening wonderful and every talent..." She glanced briefly at Bakugo, "...is a wonderful one in itself. However, we voted, we chose." She paused. A long pause. "We have unanimously decided that Kaede Miharu's performance was the best." This time Kaede got the applause she deserved. The crowd cheered. And Kaede took the cheers to her heart.

The students were all tired, but Kaede was more exhausted than she had been for a long time. She had enchanted the entire room and now the headache was setting in. But she pulled herself together. Everyone was already in bed, Eri was fast asleep, when Kaede crept back out into the corridor. She grinned when she saw Katsuki leaning against a wall at the back. Together they went out of the building into the countryside. Katsuki pulled her to an open spot on the grass where they sat down. She leaned against him while her gaze lingered on the stars. "You were wonderful today." She stared at him. "That sounds so unfamiliar coming from you." "Just accept the fucking compliment!" She laughed and leaned back against him. "You know, I could be enjoying my time here and just be happy. After all, it's beautiful here, but... I'm worried. There's a war going on out there and the only thing I get is messages from Aizawa about how I am. I want to know how he is, how everyone is doing out there. But the internet here sucks and I don't think anyone would enlighten me anyway." She sighed, then katsuki pulled her head up. They were so close that the tips of their noses were almost touching. She stared into his eyes and he into hers. "Don't worry, they're heroes." As if that said it all, he placed a soft kiss on her lips. Then he lay on his back and pulled her with him. He squeezed her hand, "Look at the stars. There are so fucking many." She laughed softly. "Yeah, you're right." Satisfied, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm right. There are different constellations of stars here above us than above Aizawa. But still they are the same. Look at the constellations that open up to you here instead of constantly averting your eyes to be with those at Aizawa." She didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but it sounded sweet, philosophical. But it didn't quite sound like something Katsuki would say. She stared at the sky for a few moments until she wanted to probe further. "Katsuki?" Not even the silence responded. She sat up and stared at the boy beside her, still holding her hand. He had fallen asleep. She just shook her head. "It sounds like something a sleepy Katsuki would say." She lay back on her back and stared at the stars. Would it be unfair if she left him out here and went to her warm and cosy bed herself? The ground was cold and uncomfortable, while the thought of her warm cosy bed enticed her promisingly. She realised that once she was asleep, she would not wake up so quickly. She was exhausted and she felt it in every one of her bones. She looked at Katsuki. When he slept, he really did seem so defenceless. Kaede wanted to stay with him. She dragged him to a tree where some moss softened the ground. There they would not be discovered so quickly. She lay down next to him, her head on his chest. If he could just fall asleep, he could serve as a pillow for her. And the fact that she would probably just sleep on during his attempts to wake her up would also be his problem. Kaede fell asleep without feeling guilty about it.

...

Katsuki woke up as the first rays of sunlight poured over the meadow. The canopy of leaves and an unknown weight on him made him startle in alarm, but he calmed down when he saw Kaede lying on top of him. His heart did not calm, it beat faster. The girl had her arm on his shoulder to hold onto him. Was he a mattress or what? Apparently the floor had been uncomfortable for her. But now he also felt his stiff back. He sat up slowly and leaned against the tree, causing Kaede to slide into his lap. He looked around. He couldn't remember coming to this tree, so Kaede must have brought him here. He looked down again. It looked quite uncomfortable. "Kaede, wake up, then you can go to your bed." Her eyes remained closed even as he shook her. Annoyed, he looked around. "Lets hope your not dead." He took her in his arms and walked back to the big building. He couldn't just take her to her room, but then he couldn't leave her lying somewhere alone either. He moved her to a sofa in the common room and covered her up. Then he got a manga from his bag and when he returned, he sat down on a chair at a distance so that he could keep an eye on her but not look too suspicious.