Scumbag Hero Academia Chapter 19

Three students of class 1-A are eating lunch together. Or rather, they were, but really they’re still in the cafeteria at their out of the way table for the sake of a little girl talk.

“The rooftops?” Momo asks, bewildered.

“Yeah. It was kind of nerve-wracking. His argument for why it was okay to use our quirks in public was kind of shaky now that I think about it but... Anyway, after that, he forced me to chase him from roof to roof. Before I knew it we were looking over downtown from over ten stories up.”

“Such a strange place to take you, though.”

Izuku looks down, cheeks tinged with pink as she wears an embarrassed but content smile. “It was kind of beautiful to be honest. And then he held me and, well,” her blush burns brighter, “He told me some things that I really needed to hear.”

Momo’s hand settles over hers. The gentle-hearted girl offering her a reassuring smile.

Kyoka watches to two of them, still trying to wrap her head around the entire situation. One girl telling another about her date with a boy the second girl is also dating. And both of them seem happy as can be, even supportive of each other. Sure, she can admit that Saiki is the kind of guy to get a lot of attention, and the type of guy to enjoy it a little too much. But she doesn’t understand how this situation could come to be. While Saiki is attractive, and capable, and driven, and confident...

She feels like she’s undermining her own argument by outlining his positive qualities. But the fact is girls happily sharing a guy doesn’t seem like something that could happen in real life. And the fact that she has gotten herself mixed up in it doesn’t make it easier to understand. Somehow, someway, Saiki seems to get her. ‘Get’ in the meanings of both understand and acquire. She would deny on pain of death if anyone found out but in the privacy of her own mind she remembers the nights since it happened. Since that encounter in the storage closet. She would get ready for bed and there in her dresser would be that pair of panties with the kitten print, and she would think of him. And how he saw her. And how he touched her. And she would relive that moment again as she touched herself.

But yes. He understands her. In a way that is difficult to fathom. It’s like he spent just a little time with her and seemed to get a read on the kind of person she is just from that. Maybe that could be it. A quality, a skill no one had noticed him possessing. The ability to figure people out so quickly. Even now, Izuku is talking about their date, about how he told her ‘things she needed to hear’, whatever that means. But whatever those things were, they were clearly enough to send the girl head over heels for him all over again.

And all the while Momo listens, smiling as she hears about the boy she liked acting so romantic with another girl. And all the while Kyoka listens, not knowing how she is supposed to feel about intruding on this relationship as yet another girl Saiki is pursuing. She feels like she should say something. Tell them what happened. But she can’t bring herself to. In truth, she fears they might push her away. Both as a friend and... from being with Saiki. Selfish. Arrogant. Duplicitous. He is all of those things. But it’s all of those negative qualities that she finds attractive. He lives the way she wishes she could live, no fear or regrets.

“And then we ate some while listening to music and, umm,” the green-haired girl’s shoulders hunch as she twiddles her fingers, “We, umm, we kissed a bunch. While, while he held me.”

“Oh, I’m so happy for you!” Momo quietly cries, hugging the other girls shoulders. “I admit he and I only kissed a couple of times. Is he a very good kisser?”

“Umm, yes...”

“Is he better than me?”

“Well...”

“Hm! I see!” The words aren’t of affront as Momo drops a fist on her own palm, “Then I shall have to improve my skills! I wouldn’t want my kisses to be unsatisfying!”

What even is this conversation? “How are you two okay with this?” The question tumbles out of Kyoka’s mouth before she can think to stop it. But now that she has asked it, she very much wants an answer. For her own peace of mind as much as anything else.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Momo’s answer is less than helpful. Or... Maybe very helpful. Kyoka isn’t sure. So Momo would be okay with this sort of thing no matter what?

Izuku takes more time to think about it, as she tends to for pretty much everything. “I guess... I know it’s a little weird. It isn’t how things should work. But... I haven’t gotten a reason to not be okay with it? It’s not like I don’t like Momo.” Izuku looks away with a blush. Kyoka notices Momo’s hand is still resting on hers. Oh. Kyoka’s cheeks pinken as she realises something about this strange relationship she hadn’t before. In hindsight, Momo asking if Saiki was a better kisser than her should have been her first clue. “I like Saiki. He hasn’t pushed me to do anything I don’t want to do. And... He makes me feel special.”

“Even though...” Kyoka trails off, moving a pointed finger from Izuku to Momo. How could Izuku feel special when it looks like she isn’t enough?

“Well...” Izuku swallows, “I, umm, Momo’s kind of perfect?” Momo glows at the praise. “She’s strong, smart, polite, beautiful, caring to a fault, assertive when she needs to be... And if Saiki is as interested in me as he is in her... How could I not feel special?”

“Oh, Izuku, you are special,” Momo assures her, fingers interlocking with the smaller girl’s. The two look into each others’ eyes. “Umm, Jiro, we have some class representative things to deal with before classes start again. We’ll see you later?”

“Right, later.” The punk girl tries to hide her inner feelings behind her normal drowsy and disinterested expression. She isn’t successful but it doesn’t matter. The two girls have eyes for only each other as they leave the cafeteria, still hand in hand.

There’s a stirring in her insides. A feeling she doesn’t appreciate having. Jealousy? Of that? To have that kind of trust and companionship? Why would she want that? They’re both being used. So sure they have what they want, all the while they’re both in the dark about what Saiki is really doing. He’s using them. He’s just very good at it. They’re just like her.

Or... Are they? Is he just using them? Or... Does he really care about them? And if that’s the case, is he just using her? The thought sends her insides roiling. She needs some air.

Thankfully, inner turmoil is just right for her natural resting expression so no one questions her as she vacates the cafeteria in a hurry. She emerges through the door just in time to catch a glimpse of Momo and Izuku rounding a corner. She doesn’t know what pushes her to follow them. Her feet just seem to move in their direction, never fast enough to catch up, nor slow enough to fall behind. It isn’t her intention to tail them. She just... Does. Her steps quiet.

They travel all the way down to the entrance to the main school building, then around the corner to hide in its shadow. It’s as they stop, Momo pinning Izuku against the wall does Kyoka make the decision. Even if she hadn’t meant to, she had come this far. Her earjack snakes around the wall, close enough she can just about make out their words clearly.

“–Sure this is okay, Momo?” Izuku sounds uncertain, as she tends to.

“We have about ten minutes until first bell,” Momo answers, smiling gently at the shorter girl. “I said I didn’t want my kisses to be unsatisfying,” she answers in a tone of voice that says at least she believes she’s speaking sense. “I have to practice, don’t I?”

Izuku doesn’t even try to argue. In truth, it’s clear she doesn’t want to. Perhaps she just prefers to be talked into it. The dark-haired beauty leans down to press her soft lips against those of Izuku and something thrums in Kyoka. A feeling. A realisation. Well. That answers at least a little of her inner turmoil. An understanding of who she is that rested just below the surface until now. She watches as Momo’s lips leave Izuku’s only to kiss at her freckles instead. The more submissive girl giggles at the silly yet affectionate gesture, putting a stop to it by pulling Momo in, bringing her lips back where she wants them.

Their hands don’t remain idle. Momo’s sliding under Izuku’s skirt to grab handful of her plush yet toned backside. Izuku’s unbuttoning a button of Momo’s blouse, one hand sliding inside to skim over her soft skin, moving up and down, occasionally cupping one of her bra-clad breasts.

Kyoka’s breathes hard, her hand mimicking the actions of Izuku. Even if she didn’t have the same kind of assets that Momo has, she wants to imagine the feeling. Imagine she’s there with them. Her second earjack snakes under her skirt, under her panties to stroke gently around her moistening lower lips. Flushed, panting, wanton, daydreaming about getting to kiss Momo like that. To touch her. Izuku is less her type, yet another thing she’s learning about herself, that she likes girls but even has a preferred type. Though Kyoka isn’t sure who would say Momo isn’t their type except maybe straight girls.

So distracted by the embrace between not quite lovers, Kyoka doesn’t notice the arrival of someone else until it’s too late. Would she have warned her friends? No. No she wouldn’t. If they knew she was here she has no idea what she would do, beyond die of embarrassment. Perving on her friends like this.

“Well now,” Izuku stiffens, her head creakily turning toward the source of the voice. Momo backs up and faces them, only to realise her blouse is still unbuttoned. “Looks like I found two students getting a little too intimate on school grounds, isn’t that so?” Midnight asks as she licks her lips.

“M-M-Miss Midnight! We were, uhh, we–!” Izuku stammers, red as a tomato.

“You should fix your skirt, Miss Midoriya,” Midnight suggests with a wave of her hand that sends the set of handcuffs on her wrist rattling. “Wouldn’t want to be indecent, would we?”

“N-No ma’am!” The girl quickly brushed her skirt down to cover her thighs properly.

“Oh, I do so love it when girls start figuring things out,” Midnight coos, “Such tender innocence, I almost wish I didn’t have to punish you.”

“No, Miss MIdnight, we were in the wrong,” Momo admits, bowing. “Please punish us appropriately.”

“So earnest and eager!” the teacher half-squeals, “You’ll have detention with me next week. Don’t think I’ll go easy on you for accepting your punishment. Off you go.”

“Yes ma’am,” Momo acknowledges flushed from embarrassment but returning to inside without pause. Izuku offers a slight bow of her own before quickly following.

Midnight doesn’t leave immediately. Just watches the two girls go before turning back to look at the wall and– Kyoka’s breath catches in her throat as the teacher’s eyes zero in on her jack still in the wall. “My my, this doesn’t look like it’s part of the building’s infrastructure. I wonder what I might find if I were to follow this strangely flesh-coloured cable to its source.”

With the sound of metal scratching against concrete, Kyoka disconnects her jack from the wall and retracts it before coming out. She’s caught. She knows it. She scowls slightly as she steps out into the open. Momo might accept punishments with dignity but–

‘After all, bad girls need to be punished don’t they? And you’re such a bad girl–’

Her teeth grit as she remembers Saiki’s words from that time in the closet. Just another point in her theory that he can figure people out. Even pegged her as bi before she even realised it, before she was willing or able to admit it.

Midnight tuts on seeing Kyoka’s expression. “Now there’s a girl who needs proper punishment. Spying on your classmates Miss Jiro?” The teacher sniffs slightly. “And enjoying the show.” Kyoka flushes, looking away knowing the criticism is valid. “Well at least you’re a shamed. Maybe if a naughty girl can admit it she won’t need a spanking.”

“I’m sorry,” Kyoka sighs, bowing. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I... I guess I wasn’t thinking.”

“Ah, to be so young and foolish again,” Midnight sighs wistfully, cupping her cheek with one hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you tell them and apologise in your own time. Maybe while you’re sitting detention with them next week.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good girl. You should go clean yourself up before classes start.”

-(-)-

“Shit, shit, shit!” Saiki curses over and over again as he runs from the train station, dodging and ducking out of the way of pedestrians. Damn villain attack delayed his train and now he’s late for work!

He runs into the Smile Burger, barely giving the automatic doors time to open before slipping through, rushing to the back room where his manager is waiting for him. He grimaces.

“You’re late, Saisei,” his manager frowns up at him. He is a short, skinny man. Not just skinny. His quirk is heteromorphic; a hyper-dense skeletal structure. All of his bones are millimetres thick but just as strong as normal bones. It gives him a strange appearance, and a chip on his shoulder because of it.

Saiki bows quickly in apology, his duffel with his uniform still in hand. “Yes sir. I apologise.” Japanese work culture. It doesn’t matter if the problem is something beyond your control. You apologise anyway.

“Hmph. Get changed. You can make up for it by cleaning the restrooms. We had a children’s birthday party and a couple of the children missed the urinal.”

Saiki grimaces. “Yes sir. Right away.”

“Smile, Saiki,” his boss reminds him.

Saiki took a deep breath in to suppress his more honest reaction to the command. Tell him to mop up piss and smile about it. But even so, he pastes a fake smile on his face, service with a Smile. The company motto. “Yes sir, Mister Honemitsu!”

The smile lasted long enough to follow his boss out the door before dropping the instant it closed. He sighs. He expects it will be a long weekend.

It doesn’t get any better as he finishes with the men’s room. In the moment it takes to dispose of the surface cleaners and fetch the mop and bucket, “Holy shit.” He knows that husky, growly voice. He wishes he didn’t .But he does. “Saiki?”

He tries to put a smile on his face. “Katsumi,” he can’t keep the sigh out of his voice. “Welcome to Smile Burger. Kind of busy, if you head up to the counter I’m sure one of my coworkers would be happy to serve you with a Smile–”

“Holy shit you work here!” she grins viciously. “This might not be the best day since I got to UA but it’s definitely in the top five.” She gives him a once over. “Love the clown colours. You do birthday parties?”

He needs this job he needs this job he needs this job he- “We do offer catering for children’s birthday parties. You would need to arrange that with the manager and get out of my face!” he answers with an increasingly fragile smile, the last few words slipping out against his will.

“Saisei!” Naturally, those were the words his manager heard. “Are you hassling our customers?!”

He sees the glint in her eye, the dangerous hint of her about to do something disastrous without even realising it. “Yeah, he has a real shitty attitude and–”

“No, Mister Honemitsu!” Saiki cuts her off sharply. “She’s a classmate from school who thinks it’ll be funny to get me fired from the job that lets me pay for school.”

Katsumi’s expression is confused, but Saiki can see as she slowly puts the pieces together, having been in his apartment, seen the bargain bin furniture, his bad attitude especially when it came to things like pity. All the while the manager of the restaurant glares at the side of Saiki’s head. “Saisei, finish up with the restrooms and then get your ass in my office.”

Katsumi is even more surprised to see the usually brash, arrogant Saiki lower his head in a bow and meekly assent with a “Yes sir,” carrying the mop bucket into the men’s room.

“You have my sincerest apologies, Miss. That employee’s poor conduct is not what Smile Burger is about. By way of apology, please allow me to offer you a meal at no charge.”

“Hey, hang on, he was right, I was just fucking with him-”

“We at Smile Burger pride ourselves on immaculate customer service with a Smile.” Even as he speaks over her, he wears an ugly, forced grin. Then he turns away from her.

Oh screw Saiki, she was pissed for her own sake now! “Hey asshole, you listening to me?! I said–” The manager continues to ignore her, going behind the counter, speaking a few words to the girl working the register and pointing her way, and then leaving for the back. Katsumi is astonished. She can’t remember the last time someone ignored her that blatantly, all while acting like he was doing her a favour!

And she just got Saiki in the shit for real. “Fuck!”

She stays. To eat, for one. She came into this place for a reason after all. But also out of guilt. She kind of just fucked over she would never admit to caring about so she at least needed to say something.

About fifteen minutes later Saiki comes out wiping his forehead with his arm. He glances her way, glares, closes his eyes and turns for the back where the manager went a little while before. He doesn’t come back out again for a half hour.

“Hey, Saiki,” she says quietly as she catches him.

“I’m working.” It’s fairly obvious he can’t do the Smile bullshit right now, not that she wants him to.

“Fine, when do you get off?”

“Hour after close,” he answers curtly.

“Seriously?”

He glares.

“F-Fine, when do you go on break?” she tries again.

He continues to glare, but pushes it back down, rolling his eyes as he walks over to the counter and exchanges a few words with the register girl before coming back. “I’m on break now. Let’s go outside so I don’t get bitched out again.”

She follows him out, hands in her pockets. He leans against the wall outside so she joins him. He doesn’t say anything. She knows it has to be her to start. Reaching into her wallet she pulls out a thousand yen bill without looking at him. “Here. That asshole comped my meal so...”

He glances at her, down at the bill in her hand. “Normally I’d say fuck your pity but since that comped meal was taken out of my wages,” he plucks the bill from her hand and stuffs it in his pocket.

“... I’m sorry, alright?” she gives a strangely aggressive apology. “I didn’t know you were in such a shitty spot.”

Saiki sighs through his nose. “I guess I accept your apology. My situation isn’t quite as bad as I made it out to be. Still not good enough to make it okay to fuck me over at work, but still. Besides, Honemitsu wouldn’t fire me. He’d have to hire three part timers to make up my lost work hours.”

“You’re seriously working until after closing tonight?” she asks.

“Yup,” he answers. “Closing up, cleaning everything, go home at 2, get a couple hours sleep, then back to work tomorrow at 6.”

“How the hell do you–?”

“I don’t need to sleep much,” he readily admits. “One of the first things my quirk did for me. Kind of lucky in hindsight.” His shoulders bounce in a loose shrug. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. It’s not like I do this every day, just weekends. Besides, at least this way I know the closing shift didn’t ‘forget’ to clean the kitchen.”

“Fuck,” Katsumi curses, shaking her head. “You need to do this to pay for school?”

“I need to do this to pay for school and to put some money away in case something crazy happens. I’ve got enough to cover everything for... Maybe a semester? I’m trying to save up for after UA when I start up my own agency but... You never know.”

Katsumi snickers. “Heh. Figures you wouldn’t even think of doing sidekick work out of school. Arrogant jackass.”

“You say that like you wouldn’t do the same thing.”

She smirks. He’s a hundred percent right, of course. “Finals are coming up,” she brings up out of the blue. “Now that I know you have to deal with all this bullshit I’m feeling pretty confident I’m gonna hand you your ass.”

“Heh. That so?” he asks. “Same wager as always?”

She grins.