Total Command

Chapter 46: Carve a friend out of stone

Inko hummed a soft tune as she cooked another dish.

The fifth day in and this whole 'witness protection' thing was getting... cozy.

It was fulfilling, living with Toshiko. After Izuku left, the house had felt far too empty.

But now, with Toshiko around, her loneliness was... manageable. Even as the woman had to politely turn down most of the meals Inko prepared for her.

Honestly, being in such close contact with the woman, she started to worry about her safety; she looked way too malnourished for her own good, and her coughs...

Inko rubbed her own cheek. Worrying like that would give her wrinkles, Izuku alone was generating enough worry, any more added and her stress could've collapsed in on itself- she shook her head dispelling that.

He was a grown man and she trusted him to look after himself. And the women around him.

She sighed, he had grown up so fast...

And if her maternal instincts were right for the past few days- he had really grown up.

"Midoriya-san, are you alright?"

Toshiko's voice made her jump, the ladle in her hand almost dropping into the pot she was cooking in. Her quirk activated in the last second catching it in mid-air.

"Ya-Yagi, you scared me- don't sneak up on me like that you are gonna give me a heart attack!" She giggled slightly unable to keep it back "honestly I can't handle something like that in my age-"

Toshiko looked away with a soft blush spreading on her cheeks "y-you aren't that old Midoriya-san..."

Inko's cheeks started to burn too.

Am I...

"Home sweet home!" Mina cheered as she entered the dorms of 1-A, dropping her luggage on her sides and breathing in the smell of Izuku's cooking.

After so long away, the scent alone was making her stomach rumble.

"Ah, Mina, welcome back!" Izuku greeted, poking his head out from the kitchen before turning back around to continue sauteeing the onions. "Food's gonna be ready in a se-"

He paused as the woman hugged him from behind, laughing all the while. "Missed you, you hunk!"

He laughed back. "It hasn't been as lively without you here, any of you."

Mina was the first of class 1-A to return to the dorms and she was planning to use her alone time with him well.

Which, of course, meant teasing him senseless until he looked like a tomato.

But... hugging him like this is fine too...

Just a little longer...

She rubbed her face against his back affectionately, enjoying his warmth and the texture of his muscles against her cheek.

God, she had missed him.

"Uh, Mina?" he huffed, more confused than shy this time around.

Something about that frustrated her, but also excited her.

...wonder what would happen if I just...

Her hands started drifting down slowly, from his upper chest to his stomach, down further...

Her face was burning.

Why isn't he reacting ye-

"You having fun down there?" Izuku mumbled back with a tone she didn't know he could produce. So visceral and deep.