Heroes in the Fabric of Rebellion

Chapter 11

Mako led the way to the living room, still bouncing on her heels with excitement. "You two are gonna love it here! This house is like, the best place for a rest! So cozy, and we've got everything you need!"

Deku followed, still holding Ryuko, though she was able to stand now, albeit leaning on him for support. The house was modest but homey, with a lot of personality. The walls were decorated with mismatched paintings, and various knick-knacks cluttered every surface.

Sukuyo was bustling around the kitchen, humming to herself as she prepared what seemed to be an ungodly amount of croquettes. "So, tell me about yourselves! How did you end up with my little Mako here? You two don't look like you're from around here..." She smiled warmly at both of them, not seeming to mind the peculiarities in their appearance.

Deku glanced at Ryuko, unsure of what to say, but Ryuko was quick to speak up. "We're... new here. Just trying to figure things out."

Sukuyo nodded, unfazed by the vagueness. "Mako always brings interesting people home, so you'll fit right in!" She continued chopping vegetables, talking as if she had known them for years. "You're both so young! Where are your parents? I hope they don't mind you hanging out with Mako all day. She can be a little... much sometimes!"

Mako immediately jumped into the conversation, pointing at herself with a wink. "Hey, hey! I'm just full of energy and good vibes! I don't mean to be a handful!" She bounced around the room, grabbing random things and showing them to Ryuko and Deku. "Oh, I bet you've never seen anything like this before! This is a limited edition souvenir from the Honnoji School Festival last year! Isn't it cute?"

Ryuko, trying to make sense of the situation, gave a small smile. "Yeah, it's... interesting."

Mako twirled around, as though she couldn't stop herself. "Oh, I love when new people come over! It's like, the best thing ever! So what's your deal? What are you two into? You like any sports? Or maybe you're into reading or cooking or—"

Before she could continue, Ryuko raised a hand, interrupting her. "Hold on, I've got a question. Where are we sleeping? I'm not exactly in the best shape to go out and fight more people right now."

Mako froze, her mouth making an exaggerated "o" shape as she thought. "Oh! Right! I almost forgot about that! You guys can sleep on the couch! It's big and comfy, and we've got lots of blankets. You'll be like, totally cozy!"

Deku's face went a bit pink at the thought, and Ryuko glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "The couch, huh?"

The two of them shared a brief, awkward glance, their faces flushing as they imagined sharing the couch for the night.

Ryuko quickly cleared her throat. "Is there another place to sleep? I mean, I'm fine with the couch, but if there's like, a spare room, that'd be better."

Sukuyo glanced over her shoulder from the kitchen. "Oh, we don't have any extra rooms, sweetie. But I promise, the couch is totally fine! It's super comfy—Mako and Mataro fight over it all the time."

Mako smiled, hands on her hips. "Yup! And I always win! Mataro can't even handle the fluffy cushions. Anyway, you two are gonna be just fine! I'll make sure to grab extra blankets and pillows for you both. It's the least I can do after you helped Ryuko!"

Deku nodded, trying to hide his awkwardness as he smiled back. "Thanks, Mako. Really."

Sukuyo, still chopping away in the kitchen, turned with a gleam in her eye. "You know, you two are kind of cute together. I'm sure you'll sleep just fine on that couch."

Ryuko instantly went red, her hands clenching into fists. "It's not like that!" she snapped, but her flustered tone only made it worse.

Mako burst into laughter, clearly delighted. "Awww! You two are totally a thing! Just admit it already! It's obvious!"