snowprints

five

(Y/n) POV

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I looked at the plate as Izuku placed it down in front of me. "Food? I hope it's good. It's simple but one of the only things I remember cooking with Kacchan." He smiled at me and started eating his own plate. I looked at it again and picked up my fork. It looked decent, not like he poisoned me or anything. And if he was gulfing it down too, then it must be good enough.

I decided to eat, since my stomach grumbled again and not eating it would be considered rude. It was good, like he had hoped. I still ate it slowly. He spoke up again though.

"I- know it's probably weird to stay in a stranger's home."

"You're right, we don't usually.." I trailed off and finished my plate, getting ready to get up but Izuku took the plate before I could do anything with it and cleaned it off, washing it and set it to dry.

"But I promise you're safe. We just have to wait it out for a few days or however long this is. I am a hero, so you will be okay, even if you don't know who I am." He smiled softly and it made my heart flutter a little. I mentally slapped myself. It's been.. a day? I gotta stop.

+++

Hours upon hours passed, the power still flickered and the blankets still huddled around me as I tried my best to keep warm. Doors for other rooms were closed, to keep the heat in this part of the house as much as possible. The power was on this very moment so the both of us were charging our phones. No notifications came from me, family members telling me to be safe, but that was a given.

Izuku paced, watching the news and a half-half hair colored boy showed up in the background. His ice slipping up the villains. He perked up, noticing the TV and turned up the volume. The news reporter talking about how a visiting hero from another country was helping our American heroes. "That's Todor- Shouto." He spoke up, standing and watching. Of course the hero was successful, in capturing the villains and having our heroes Frost and Snowbear help him cuff them with the police and taking them away. The new reporter flagged down the three heroes.

"Gentlemen, saved the city once again. No snowstorm will stop you?" She spoke with a smile and the half-half one spoke up, Shouto spoke up first.

"I've been getting used to the ropes out here, my ice coming in handy for Frost and Snowbear. We-" He was cut off. Frost moved his arms over his and Snowbear's shoulders with a smile.

"Shouto, me, and Snowbear here were finding those still stuck in the snowstorm and helping them get inside warm. We're determined to make sure everyone is safe." He smiles his signature smile. "Shouto is here with some of his hero friends from Japan, helping us out with some stuff behind the scenes."

"Frost and Snowbear is pretty cool." I spoke, catching the attention of Izuku. He turned to look at me and I shrugged. "They were in the top 10 for a while, but they don't do much hero work outside of the winter time and colder months anymore. When they were our ages, they were a lot more active." I nodded towards the TV. "They have kids now so other's are priority. There's plenty of heroes willing to take over for all months, and younger that have more kick and spunk in them. Plus, our remaining number one, Star and Stripes."

"That's really cool." He spoke softly. "Our current number one in Japan.. would have to be me." He said it as if it was a little embarrassing. "And Shouto is our number three. Kacchan is number two but he's.. uh- he's been number one as well for a short bit. So we're always competing in that way. I mean, ever since we grew up, it's been like that. But.. it's different now." He looked off into the TV, watching the news lady begin to update everyone on the current weather conditions.

He looked a little distant, maybe bringing up old childhood stuff, but he shook his head and smiled at me, which made my heart flutter. "W-well, that's still cool. That you guys are in top three and they're all your friends. I'm guessing you all attended the same hero school?"

He nodded. "Yeah, U.A. high."

"I've heard that's like, one of the top 10 schools to attend in the world, if not the number one school. That's really cool the three of you got in to that school. I heard it's rough though. I remember a kid in my high school got transferred out of that school." I looked away from him and at the TV. It was weird to talk about hero stuff, since I was not a hero myself. "I didn't have many options for high schools, just whatever was in my district and it happened to be a hero school. I took.. general studies. It was boring and just like normal school. You had the excitement of watching a sports festival, but also we partook in our own sports festival as well."

"How was that like?" Izuku, then, sat down next to me, the TV volume turned down.

"So.. to explain better, in the morning were much like quirk battles and support course battles, and in the afternoon, business course and general studies did basketball and volleyball and multiple other sports. I've seen some anime, so I can say school festivals don't happen in America, but we do other smaller things. Art shows, drama shows and plays, musicals, band concerts, talent shows. Such alike. Those things keep the non-hero kids satisfied and busy. Fundraisers for classes like art and band are usually what the art shows and band concerts are for." I explained, hoping he'd understand. While all of the anime I've seen in passing been slice of life, I tried to explain what the similarities were.

"Oh.. I see. That's interesting. Did you ever want to experience such things in Japanese culture?" He asked and I tilted my head curiously. Japan culture differences were so much different than what I grew up around.

"I'm not sure I guess? I never thought about it, to be honest. I haven't watched that much anime, but I'm aware of some things. Like winter festivals and summer festivals. We have 4th of July to celebrate patriots and New Year's Eve to celebrate the new year, that when our fireworks are. There's plenty of events that have similar food stalls and games, like fairs and carnivals." I felt like we were getting off topic a bit from his question. "We don't celebrate luck and wishing on paper. So.. it would be weird for me I think. To get thrown into celebrating something different than what I grew up with. Or do something different. I wouldn't know how to act or pay respects."

"I understand. It's still weird for me with America. Everything here is so expensive and healthcare and insurance is all weird." He chuckles to himself. The news lady talking about how the snow will stop in a few days, but how it doesn't look like it'll melt until at least a week from now. The two of us looked at each other. "Sorry." He apologized right away.

"I mean.. transportation won't be back until then. No one would want to plow until it stops snowing and even then.. it'll be really hard and slow if the snow has built up a lot." I explained, shaking my head. "We were stuck with each other the moment I passed out in front of your place. I should be the one apologizing. I should've just gone home."

"You would've never known, (Y/n)." He shook his head and frowned. "I'll take good care of you though. Maybe.. we'll become friends or something and even if we don't or if you don't want to.. it was really cool to meet you." He smiled softly and my heart fluttered again, but I internally stopped myself further from thinking of such things.

"Thanks, Izuku." I softly spoke.