From Distant Lands - A BNHA Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The next couple of days are mostly a blur of congratulations, excited discussion and musings about which agencies everyone will want to go to after graduation. A lot of students got their nominations reaffirmed or put in, even I got quite a few despite my ultimate failure in the end, but one hero didn't reach out after the festival and it's been bothering me ever since. After all, as a third year student, these nominations are less like work study opportunities and more like job offers and there's only one agency I want to work for.

"You're not focused, Kaida! Pick it up!" Endeavor commands, watching my drills. Irritation flares through me and I snap, blasting one of the punching dummies so hard that it flies across the room, crashing into the far wall with an enormous crack. I glare at it, turning away on my heel and unwrapping my knuckles. Endeavor walks over, towering over me with a discerning glare.

"How do you expect to be the top hero if you can't keep your concentration and control?" he demands. I glare at him, harshly enough that even he seems taken aback.

"What do you care?" I snap, using my spare towel to wipe the sweat off my neck.

"I've been training you. I won't have a student of mine making me look inept" he replies in a dark voice. I whirl on him, furious and agitated beyond belief.

"Is that what happened at the festival then? Did I disappoint you, Endeavor? Is that why you haven't put in a bid for me?!" I shout, unable to reign it in. He falls quiet for a moment, eyeing me with hesitation. It's not something I'm used to seeing on his face, but it only makes me angrier.

"Jesus, you're impossible. If I'm shit, just tell me! Don't sit there and go on and on about training me and being my mentor, just to throw me away at the end of it all!" I yell, clenching my fists against the ache I feel. Damn it. I scoff, looking away from him again. Stupid. I shouldn't have said anything at all.

"I didn't put in a bid for you... because I already expected you to return here once you graduated" he says finally, stopping me in my tracks. My eyes widen, but I don't turn around, doubt still hanging around me.

"Of all of the heroes I've trained, my son included, I've never trained one that was so stubbornly set on learning from me. Those that work for the agency are loyal, as they're expected to be, but I never felt the need to place a bid on you because I never dreamed you'd want to go anywhere else" he finishes and while part of me feels the budding beginning of what might be hope, the other part of me is even more irritated than before.

"You crazy old man, I'm a teenager! Of course I need affirmation you giant fire roasted wing nut!" I shout, turning back around and glaring at him. How dense can you be? He stares at me, an uncomfortable expression on his face and it makes me pause. Being the person that he is, I can tell he's probably not accustomed to those kinds of things... let alone feelings of genuine affection. When I think about it, I do hold a fondness for Endeavor, the man who's trained me and pushed me to be the best hero I can. He's never been easy on me, hell, the man hardly ever smiles, but he's watched me grow and guided me like the paternal figure I've lacked for so long. It'd be strange to tell him that I view him in a similar role as a father, but I can tell that it's something he might need to hear. If not just for his gain, then maybe for his son's. I sigh.

"I don't want to go anywhere else. But, if you want someone around? You need to tell them that. People don't just stick around on good faith. They need to know you want them to" I tell him, trying not to make it sound awkward. He frowns at me, his signature scowl returning.

"You're a real brat, you know that?" he growls. I grin at him, rolling up my hand wraps.

"You totally want me around though. You'd miss me" I reply with a smirk. He rolls his eyes and snatches the borrowed hand wraps from me.