Something Further than the Universe

Chapter XI ~ The Aftermath

A/N: First of all, I'd like to apologize for how late this is. I'm starting high school next year and stress started to pile up on me, and long story short, I ended up having a really rough few weeks and put the writing down for a while. But I've picked it back up again, so that's good! I'm definitely still set on finishing this story, but it's going to be a bit longer than I expected—this is only about the halfway point, and things are gonna start getting good from here (think the next few chapters). But anyway, just enjoy this for what it is, and I'm sorry to say that next chapter might be late as well (and when I say might, I mean probably), but I'll try my best!

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Nobody said a word.

Seven students, all of them crammed into one worn and rickety boat, quite possibly about to erase themselves from existence and sink to the bottom of the ocean. Frozen under the looming silhouette of their homeroom teacher, Mr. Aizawa, they did not move a muscle, nor did they even blink.

Instead they simply stood there, in shock and in regret, because they knew—everyone in that room knew, even Aizawa himself—how absolutely and undeniably fucked they were.

The silence was unbearable. It was grueling and hard to endure, and it didn't disappear until Mr. Aizawa's voice once again rose from the shadows. "Tomorrow morning. Here. I will pull you aside and give you your punishment. And it will be big."

Everyone nodded, eyes bolted wide. Izuku swore he heard Mr. Aizawa mumble something under his breath as he walked away, something along the lines of, "And if it weren't for them I'd be asleep right now."

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Mina woke up the next morning in a fog. She decided to stay bed when she realized how hungover she was, and she knew it was going to be a long day when she tried to sit up and couldn't because her head was pounding so hard. She sighed as she laid back down, sunlight pouring in from the curtains, very conscious of the fact that noon was approaching and she hadn't even gotten up to get dressed. But her whole body ached, and she was too busy trying to remember the shitshow that was last night to care.

She could remember most of what happened if she thought hard enough, but there were bits and pieces she felt she was missing. Judging by what her gut was telling her, she was forgetting some things.

Yet, no matter what, she could remember the moments with Izuku so vividly—keeping her out of harm's way, carrying her all the way home—just two of the many things she'd never forget. She wanted to swoon, but she was scared of what that'd do to her already aching stomach.

She could also remember blindly stumbling in on Kirishima and Bakugo's kiss, and she wondered how things turned out between them. She would've asked if she got the chance, but it wasn't a good enough reason to get out of bed.

Eventually the time hit her like a slap across the face. People would be wondering where she was! She tossed the blankets aside and stumbled out of bed and stumbled to get dressed and get down the stairs, hair sticking up in all different directions as she'd forgotten to brush it. A few heads turned to acknowledge her as she entered the common area, but most didn't bat an eye.

Needing someone to talk to, she snaked her way over to Jirou. "Has Mr. Aizawa said anything?" she asked, voice toned down to a whisper.

"Not yet. I think he's waiting for Kaminari. How's your hangover?"

"It's tolerable, I guess, but—ugh—my head is killing me! This is the last time I'm drinking. Ever."

Jirou furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't know if I believe that, but okay. It isn't my business anyway."