Out of Place & Out of Sorts

Ch.35 - Pushing for tomorrow

"So, how's Eri going? Anything new?"

"Hmm... I think she wants a cat?"

"Oh. Well, having a pet wouldn't be bad."

"I suppose so. I've never owned a pet myself. I'm just not sure if Eri's ready for the responsibility. I don't want to be one of those parents who end up taking care of their negligent child's pet..."

The office of Ryukyu had moved on to new topics, desperate to fill the Tempest-shaped void with something. There were things to discuss, but the thing with Izuku's and Ryuko's oddball relationship was that they already talked a lot, especially in the vault.

She had opened up to him quite a bit during their meetings. The boy had learned much about Ryuko and how she thought and felt about many things. Not everything, of course, but a lot.

It was something Izuku knew he wasn't really reciprocating. He had picked up on how Ryuko would try to learn more about his past. As bad as he felt, however, he just didn't feel comfortable talking about himself still, even after that old talk with All-Might and trying to be more open with others.

It was all too easy to lapse and just keep to himself.

The boy knew he could trust the woman with many things. Ryuko was technically the first person he talked to about his deeper concerns, albeit in the heat of the moment. But Izuku just wasn't sure how Ryuko would respond to his life before UA and how much she would poke and prod once he started talking about it.

She already knew he grew up Quirkless, which says plenty as is.

Going into more detail just felt... intimidating.

This, combined with how they already talk a lot, unfortunately, led to them not having many notable topics to discuss... Ones they were both comfortable with anyway.

Izuku gestured. "I'm sure we can teach her how to take care of a pet properly."

The woman nodded a bit as she leaned back in her chair. "I'd like to think so too... I just hope I'm not allergic."

The green hero chuckled. "Ryukyu having cat allergies?"

The dragoon hero shrugged with a half-grin. "It could happen with my luck lately... but yes, that would be absurd."

Everything lately always returns to either Eri or work, with only spatterings of the mark.

Retreading similar issues.

Conversations that felt like going through the motions.

It was pleasant for both of them, and arguably how their relationship should be given the circumstances, but at the same time, it felt as though they were dancing around a more pressing issue. Several, in fact.