A knife? Are you flirting with me?

Prompt: "A knife? Are you flirting with me?"

Idea from: My dearest friend and resident fish game expert

Written: 7/12/24

<><><><><>

"All right students," Aizawa said. He was balled up in his sleeping bag on the grass in front of U.A's dormitory. Uraraka was surprised he would let his treasured sleeping bag get dirty. It must've been a hard day. "Drills. You know them, I love them, because it means I don't have to babysit you chaotic kids for a few hours."

Groans were heard from the group of students on the dorm's stairs. The entire class had been gathered outside at this unholy hour of 3:00 AM.

"I didn't ask for this, so don't blame me. Nezu wants busy work, here it is. One by one, you'll go on patrol routes through the city. It's the same course every time. You'll each be given an impromptu weapon outside of your comfort zone to patrol with. This will help with your.. openness to new things? Maybe dexterity? Or weapons training? I didn't have time to plan this."

Iida stuck his hand up sharply. "Aizawa-sensei?"

"Yes?"

"Are we going one at a time without our weapons of choice to simulate an ambush?"

"..Yes, that's what I meant to say," Aizawa said.

"Excellect!" Iida chopped through the air with his hand. "I volunteer to go first after my final question."

"Okay."

"Is that an okay to my request to go first or my question?"

"Question."

Iida nodded. "Are there going to be heroes waiting along the course to simulate a fight?"

"Yes, they've agreed to spend their entire day, the next twenty hours, tormenting you. I'm one of them. I've printed out the order in which you're to go. Next one leaves when the last one arrives." Aizawa yanked his hand free from the sleeping bag, a stack of papers clutched in it. "Pass them around."

"Okay!" Midoriya ran forward and accepted the papers. He began passing them out to the sleepy students. Aizawa wouldn't be surprised if none of them remembered this conversation in a few hour's time. Bakugo was yet to cuss or start a single argument as he stood there, eyes closed. Was he asleep?

"Problem Child Number 1.5!"

"Yeah?" Midoriya asked. At the same time, Bakugo was opening his eyes and glaring at the teacher.

"Me or Deku?" He shouted. "You can't give us the same damn name!"

"Glad you're awake. You're listed from most problematic to least. You two are tied for first," Aizawa said. He fought back a yawn. Perhaps there was some coffee at his waiting point. "Everyone see their papers? It starts at four. Problem Child Number 3, you're up first."

Todoroki nodded. "I've seen the paper. I understand."

"And Problem Child 16, you're last!"

"Oh, okay!" Uraraka said. She felt surprisingly chipper this very early morning. Guess Bakugo was right about going to bed early. It really did help. Well, maybe not help him, but Uraraka wasn't exactly surprised by that. Or perhaps she just hadn't seen a sleep-deprived Bakugo yet.

Aizawa ditched his sleeping bag with a sigh. "Oh, and the route is on the bulletin board inside. Not completing your route will be seen as a failing grade. Maybe I'll expel you, maybe I won't. Haven't decided yet. Use your time wisely."