and men said that the
blood of the stars flowed in her veins

DINNER ENDED AFTER HALF AN HOUR OR SO, the kids forced to listen to their parents talk and talk and talk. When everyone had their fill of food, the parents dismissed them upstairs, though Ivette stayed to help clean up.

"Oh, you don't have to, sweetie," said Mitsuki, taking the stacked plates from Ivette's hands.

Ivette shrugged. "It's fine."

She helped clean up the table, handing the dirty dishes and utensils to her mother at the sink. When the conversation shared between the adults dulled, Ivette excused herself and made her way up to Bakugo's room. She easily recalled where it was, ascending the stairs and knocking on the first door on the right.

"It's open!"

Ivette pushed the door handle down, poking her head in. "I hope you don't mind if I join you guys," she said, surprising the boys. "The conversation downstairs got boring really quickly."

Kirishima grinned, shaking his head. "Not at all. Come on in!"

Ivette thanked them, stepping in and closing the door behind her, making her way between the boys, who were all sitting on the floor in front of Bakugo's television. Ivette plopped onto the bed, taking in the room. "It hasn't changed much," she mused, taking in every detail she could, noticing only one large poster of All Might in his bedroom remained. "Though, I see you've grown out of your All Might obsession."

Bakugo flushed when his two soulmates looked at him in surprise.

"You had an All Might obsession?"

Ivette snorted. "Who do you think started Izuku's?"

Kirishima broke out into an enormous fit of laughter while Todoroki chuckled softly. He couldn't blame him as he, too, had an obsession with All Might.

"I never thought you would have one, too!"

"Urusai!" he yelled, averting his gaze and covering the blush searing into his cheeks. Kirishima howled, poking his red cheeks. "I'll kill you!"

"As if, fanboy!"

"Fuck off!"

"KATSUKI! LANGUAGE!"

"URUSAI, OLD HAG!"

"DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THERE!"

That shut Bakugo up, the blond crossing his arms over his chest and huffing. Kirishima and Todoroki laughed, the latter much quieter and softer. A warm feeling propagated through her body, nestling its way into her heart, and Ivette found herself adoring the shy blush on Bakugo's face.

She leant back on her arms, staring at the poster in his room. "I always wondered what was so great about the guy when we were little. He had saved many, yes, but that was what all heroes did. I'd remember asking myself: what was so special about the huge guy with the weird smile?"

The three mates stared at her, realising how different she was from them. Whereas they admired heroes and sought to be like them, Ivette had no intention of becoming one, even with her crazy powerful quirk. Silence lingered over them. She, they realised, was cold and flame. The crimson of amaryllis, the silver of moon-touched magnolias.

Bakugo was quick to change the subject, halting the awkward suffocation from settling in. "Do you guys want to play a game?" He held up a gaming controller. Kirishima nodded, grabbing it from his hand whilst Todoroki opted to sit beside them and watch, eventually being taught how to play — he never had one of those at home. His father was a piece of shit.

Ivette watched them play, a faint smile curling on her face.

"Katsuki," she called. The boy hummed, eyes trained onto the screen, hands gripped tightly around the controller. "I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up when my mom comes."

"Sure."

Ivette kicked off the maroon slippers Mitsuki gave her before entering the house. She unbuckled her belt, tugging it out and placing it on the floor beside his bed, sighing at the release of pressure.

"Midoriya, why do you hate heroes?" Todoroki finally asked the question that had been on all three of their minds.

Said female sighed, shrugging off her jacket. "It's not that I hate them. I think it's admirable that they risk their lives to save people who can't save themselves. I just don't think it's right that they exploit their powers." Bakugo and Kirishima paused their game, turning to their soulmate. "People become heroes these days for the money or the fame or the influence they'll get. Being a hero is like becoming a celebrity, and people get so caught up in the fame that they forget why they even became a hero in the first place."

Ivette ditched her jacket on the floor, falling back onto the bed and staring at the ceiling. She continued, "heroes are supposed to be kind, caring and compassionate. They're supposed to ease people's worries and make sure they don't suffer as much as they should. Yet there are so many heroes out there that are so cruel, that just because they're a hero, they think they can get away with so many things."

Her eyes darted towards Todoroki, revealing icy jewels framed with thick long lashes. It pierced right through him, her gaze intense. Unlike the rest of her, they weren't at all expressive: they were cold, like ice. Most green eyes were captivating; one would swear diving in would nip the peak of awe at their facial features. Hers, however, were unique. They were a lustrous emerald, and when one peered into her frozen irises, an electrical chill ran down the seer's spine, numbing one's features, like ice. Various tendrils of various incandescent shades of green struck through the windows of her soul, overlapping each other like waves drifting up and down the sea, swaying like the leaves on branches, singing like the airy wind.

Todoroki hid the wince he felt, knowing that she was commenting on his father. It was evident as she glanced at him, eyes on the mark over his left eye.

He turned away from her gaze.

Ivette drew her attention back to the ceiling. "It's why I never understood why everyone wanted to a be hero. Heroes exist because villains exist. But if we didn't have heroes, then we wouldn't have villains. But then again, what are villains? If you think about it, they're just broken people who've been outcasted by society, rejected and despised, yet, despite all that, they still find a way to impose their will on the world. At one point, I believe they expected better from human nature but became so completely disillusioned that they turned dark." A sigh escaped her lips, lifting the blanket and crawling under. "Heroes...they're supposed to be the light in the darkness. They're supposed to be our faith and our hope, the reason why we aspire to become the greatest. But people are so cruel. They're only becoming heroes for the money and fame.

"Some are better off as villains."

The boys listened intently as she talked. She thought too peculiar, too dark— spoke with cadence of her own mythology, sanity, with words from her beliefs trailing her lips like shadows. Her emerald eyes had more darkness than any other coloured eyes Bakugo, Todoroki, and Kirishima had ever seen, and within that darkness was her intelligence, luminous and remarkably deep for people to understand.

"Don't get me wrong," she started, "there are some heroes out there that are admirable. They do their jobs and save people, risking their lives for others. It makes me wonder why. What about their families or their friends? Why save people you don't even know when you might get hurt?"

"Is that why you won't accept the bond between us?"

They all froze at Todoroki's words.

Ivette looked up, eyes connecting with the male. "Because you don't like the idea that we would become heroes? You don't want to lose us, so you refuse to get close to us."

She didn't respond. The door in her mind that she kept locked at all times had been cracked open by the question, and now she tried frantically to close it. Seeing their faces, feeling the bonds that connected them all together...the door shut, and she turned the key. Ivette pulled the blanket up and covered her face. "Wake me up when mom comes," was all she said. The realisation of Todoroki's words sunk into her. Heroes were always in danger. If her soulmates became pros and they got injured, or worse, killed, Ivette wouldn't know what she would do. She knew for sure she wouldn't be able to control herself or her powers.

Surrounded by the comforting presences of her soulmates and inhaling the sweet caramel scent Bakugo emitted, Ivette's eyes fluttered shut, lulled into sleep's sweet embrace.

The boys continued their game, noticing they weren't going to get any answers from her. As her breathing evened out, they quietened down, Bakugo reducing his volume to quiet curses and irritated glares. Hearing shuffles on the bed, he looked over, seeing Ivette facing them with her face scrunched together, a hand reaching out.

His lips twitched upwards. He laced their fingers together, watching as she relaxed immediately. Bakugo's heart swelled with a plethora of emotions. Eventually, he returned his gaze to his other soulmates, watching Kirishima teach Todoroki how to play Mario Kart.

A soft knock on the door echoed throughout the bedroom. The boys turned to see Mitsuki and Inko peer inside, the latter's eyes widening when they landed on her daughter.

"She's asleep?"

They nodded.

A tender, solemn smile spread across her lips.

"Why so surprised, Inko-chan?" asked Mitsuki gently.

"Ivette hasn't been sleeping well these past few months," Inko answered. Noticing their clasped hands, she asked, "have you fixed everything?"

Kirishima shook his head sadly. "She doesn't like heroes. And she won't get close to us because she's afraid to lose us."

The two mothers smiled sympathetically.

"She'll come around," Inko reassured. "Ivette's always adored the concept of soulmates. She promised to love and protect whoever she got. I doubt her feelings have truly changed."

"Should we let her stay here, then?" Inko nodded. She wanted her daughter to spend more time with her soulmates. Hopefully, she'd open up.

The mothers left the boys alone, gently closing the door behind them. Eventually, they set up futons on the floor, knowing that Ivette wouldn't react well if they slept in the same bed as her without her consent. They respected that. The boys didn't want to sabotage the trust that was slowly building.

After all, who could sleep so peacefully in the presence of others if they didn't feel safe?

Twilight washed over the city, sweet serenity seeping into the world, easing the people's hearts, bidding them heartfelt goodnights. The steady breathing that Ivette had had in motion gave way to deeper puffs, chest rising and falling at an increasing pace.

"IVETTE!"

A monstrous voice pierced her head, and she awoke with a gasp, breathing raggedy, a hand clutching her shirt while the other gripped the sheets of the bed. Cold sweat slid down her back, heart palpitating expeditiously. Her head throbbed, a similar pain to someone taking an axe to her skill. Nauestaed, Ivette wrapped her arms around her knees. She breathed –in and out, in and out– and bowed her head, her kneecaps pushing against her sharp cheekbones.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed the pain to go away. The rest of the world became detached; all she could concentrate on was the pain rooted deep in her head — and her heart.

I want it to go away, she thought helplessly, her bottom lip quivering as she held back countless of bottled up tears. Make it stop

"Midoriya."

The green-haired girl snapped her head upwards, eyes wide and oxygen stilling in her throat. Her shoulders tensed, emerald eyes darting over to the bi-haired boy.

Todoroki, who was up going over the work he had gotten during school, looked up from the circular table pressed against the side of Bakugo's room — they had moved it to make space for the futons on the floor. Todoroki quickly dropped everything when he saw his soulmate go into a panic attack. He slid onto the bed, grasping the hands clutched into her hair.

"It's okay," he said softly, easing the grip her fingers had, the frantic gaze on her face causing his heart to clench painfully in his chest. "Wrap your arms around my neck and press yourself against me."

"W-What?"

"Trust me."

Tentatively, Ivette complied, arms shaking as she moved them. Todoroki, sat on the edge of the bed, guided her head into the crook of his neck, allowing her to breathe in his scent. Instantly, Ivette calmed down, latching onto her soulmate, feeling the bond wrapped around her soul sending soothing sensations to her brain.

Once her breathing steadied, Ivette pulled away. Todoroki rose her hand, brushing the hair stuck to her face away.

"Are you alright?"

Ivette nodded, gripping the blanket. "Just a nightmare."

Todoroki watched her, and when he thought she was beginning to get uncomfortable, occasionally quivering beside him, he stood.

A hand latched onto his shirt, holding him still.

"Can you stay with me?" Ivette mumbled quietly, and he almost missed it. Thankfully, he did, and a small gentle smile eased its way onto his lips. Ivette moved over, waiting for him to crawl under the blankets before cinching onto him again. She nuzzled her face into his neck and inhaled deeply, relaxing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. Ivette shook her head, and he nodded in understanding. Todoroki pulled her into his embrace, holding her gently while rubbing circles into her back. She felt her heart swell — as if his motions pumped warmth and tenderness into her thawing heart. Ivette laid her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat gently but continuously in his chest. Todoroki began to hum faintly, threading his fingers through her hair softly. Ivette listened, enjoying the soft, deep cadence of his voice.

Eyes fluttering shut, she succumbed to sleep's embrace.

Todoroki watched her, absolutely enthralled with her. Adoration flourished progressively in him the longer he spent gazing at her. Just watching. Admiring. Ivette was a riveting creature in spite of not doing anything barring sleeping at the moment, only speaking when spoken to, attentively analysing every person, and living her life as she chose.

Oh, and when she smiled—

The latter captivated him. Although it was once in a while, she'd sometimes share it with them, just like when she watched Bakugo and Kirishima play. Her smiles were something he liked, something he desired to see.

He never wanted it to disappear, and Shoto would do everything in his power to make sure it didn't.

Feeling her grip tighten, Todoroki looked down. He saw her curl up to him, legs entangling with his, her face scrunched up. He knew that she was seeking him subconsciously due to the bond shared between them. Just as Kirishima did when he had nightmares, Todoroki pulled her closer, repeating the same sentiments.

"Shh, it's okay," he said softly. "I'm here."

Holding her in his embrace, feeling wholly completely, Todoroki fell asleep, too.

༺═──────────────═༻

The next morning, Kirishima awoke to Bakugo's arms around him. A smile tugged at his lips when he felt the blond press a kiss to his forehead, cuddling closer to him. However, just as he was about to shut his eyes, the absence of another pair of arms had his brows furrowing.

Kirishima sat up, much to Bakugo's annoyance, looking around the room. He brightened immensely when his gaze landed on the bed, spotting their two soulmates cuddled together.

"Oi, shitty hair," Bakugo grumbled, reaching out to him. "Come back."

"Bakugo," he called, motioning beside them. "Look."

Bakugo sat up, rubbing the bleariness of his eyes. A warmth swelled in his heart as he looked over. Ivette was cuddled on top of Todoroki, her head over his chest and his arms wrapped around her waist. The male, already awake, turned to the other two when he heard them talking. His lips pulled up into a faint smile when Ivette nuzzled her face into his neck, inhaling his sweet smokey scent.

"What happened last night?" asked Kirishima softly.

"She woke up from a nightmare." Todoroki began to rub her back, the circular motions releasing the tension from her shoulders. "She was crying."

"Did she tell you what it was about?"

Todoroki shook his head.

Their eyes moved onto the greenette, hearing a low groan protrude out her throat. She shifted in his hold, brain sending signals to wake up her resting body.

As her eyelids fluttered open, Ivette was surprised to see Todoroki's face above her. She sat up, legs straddling either side of the male. "Where am I?" she asked, pushing back the fallen strands of hair from her face.

"You're in my room," Bakugo answered, smirking at the two. Ivette nodded and blushed profusely when she realised the position she was in. She got off Todoroki quickly, mumbling an apology. Todoroki sat up, a pink tint dashed under his eyes.

"Do you want to take a shower, Midoriya?" questioned Kirishima.

A teasing glint shone in her eyes. "Are you telling me I stink?"

Kirishima's face seared with embarrassment, and he shook his head.

"No—"

"Yes."

Ivette glared at Bakugo, who just grinned and got up from the futon.

"Fuck you." He flipped her curse off with his middle finger, informing them that he would get breakfast started. Kirishima followed after him, opting to help him.

"Go shower," Todoroki said, glancing beside him. "You were sweating after you woke up. And don't worry, you don't smell bad." Amusement glinted in his eyes.

A muted blush tinted her cheeks.

"Alright."

Ivette slipped off the bed, going to the connected bathroom in Bakugo's bedroom. She stripped out of her clothes, turning on the tap and peering at all the bottles on the shelf. To her surprise, there were multiple types. They each have a section, she mused. Adorable.

"Hey!" she yelled to whoever was outside. "Whose stuff am I supposed to use?!"

"Just read all the bottles and decide, dipshit!"

Ivette rolled her eyes but proceeded to scrutinise each bottle, reading the back and checking if the ingredients would be suitable for her hair and body. Ivette decided to use Todoroki's shampoo since it was for silkiness (Kirishima's was for dyed hair, and Bakugo's was something else entirely). She then opted to use Kirishima's body wash, liking how he smelt.

Under the hot water, Ivette sighed, letting the drops roll off her body and, with them, her anxiety. Tranquillity washed over her, clearing her mind of her countless frivolous thoughts. Should I try? she asked herself, rinsing the shampoo out of her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of the scarred teenager. What Todoroki said was true. I am scared to lose them. But what if my fear results in me missing out on something so incredible? She scrubbed her body with the shower gel. I've seen how they act together, and I don't know, but something in me longs to be apart of that.

"You done?"

"Yeah." Ivette turned the shower handle, cutting off the water. She stepped out, squeezing the water out of her hair.

"Here, take these." The door to the bathroom opened slightly, a hand sticking in with two towels in its grasp. She walked over, taking them.

"Thanks," she said, wrapping one towel around her body whilst the other tucked her hair inside, sitting neatly on her head. "What am I supposed to wear?"

"Just wear my clothes," Bakugo said, walking back to his closet. "I'll wash yours for you."

"Thanks." Ivette took the time to dry off her body, using the towel to wipe off every drop of water she could find.

Bakugo returned with clothes in his hands, this time stepping into the bathroom. "Here." He handed her the clothes and then picked up the ones on the floor.

"You don't happen to have a spare bra, do you?" she asked teasingly. Bakugo threw her a glare, half tempted to throw her clothes at her. "Kidding, kidding." She laughed, and the blond only grunted, leaving the bathroom with a 'hurry the fuck up'.

Now, I bet you're wondering why the two are so nonchalant about Ivette being in the shower? Well, you see, Bakugo and Ivette shared many showers and baths together when they were younger. Even if a couple of years had passed since their last one together, the two already know how the other looked naked. Sure, they may have filled out in places, but it wasn't that big of a deal to the two.

Ivette pulled up the spare boxers he gave her, pulling the large hoodie over her head and stepping into a pair of grey sweatpants, tightening the strings around her waist so they wouldn't fall off. When she was ready, Ivette exited the bathroom, using her fingers to comb through her hair.

"Looking good, princess."

Ivette rolled her eyes. "Again with the nickname?"

Bakugo only smirked, hands moving to her hips and tugging her close, their chests pressed against each other. Ivette inhaled sharply, cheeks flaring. "I told you, didn't I? You're mine."

"Shut up." She pushed his face away, ducking away to hide her red face. "You're so cringy, Katsuki. Let's just go eat."

Bakugo laughed, releasing her from his embrace and following behind her, walking down the stairs. He bit his lip; seeing her in his clothes had a feeling of content and possessiveness seeping into him. Hell, seeing any of his soulmates in his clothes had him feeling the same way. And he absolutely adored wearing Todoroki's clothes (it was the only one out of all of them that fit him.)

"Hey, Midoriya," greeted Kirishima radiantly, helping Todoroki set up the table in the kitchen.

"Just Ivette is fine," she replied, brushing her hair out of her face. "We're soulmates, anyway." She plopped into one of the seats, sitting opposite of the dual-haired male.

The entity in her head remained silent.

He would have to make a new strategy now, and rearrange the pieces on his board.

Kirishima blushed lightly. "O-Oh."

"Now you're acknowledging it?" Bakugo snorted, placing her breakfast in front of her.

"Urusai, you pomeranian."

"HUH? WHAT'D YA CALL ME?!"

Ivette rolled her eyes, picking up the fork placed on the side and diving into the food, ignoring the glare from the blond as he sat beside her with his own food in front of him.

Todoroki and Kirishima, who stood by the kitchen island, glanced at each other, the former had a small gentle smile, and the latter had a large grin.

Placing a plate of cupcakes on the breakfast table, Kirishima sat beside Todoroki. "Ne, Ivette–" he blushed faintly at using her first name, he still had yet to call the other two by their first names–"why are the cupcake cases different colours?"

"Oh, the green ones are plain chocolate, and the red ones are spicy chocolate."

"Spicy chocolate?"

"Katsuki likes spicy shit," Ivette explained nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders and eating her food, delighting in the cut-up avocado on the side of her plate — she was the only one that had them because Bakugo knew she was the only one who liked avocados.

Pink dusted over his cheeks, genuinely touched that she remembered. It would appear that it went both ways — Ivette was touched that he remembered she liked avocados.

The four shared a light conversation, though it was mostly Kirishima doing all the talking. The other two would chime every so often, but they left all the talking to the redhead, who was more than happy to indulge in one of his memories from his childhood, felicitously filling in the silence.

"I got a scholarship to UA."

The three froze, turning to her with enlarged eyes.

"That's amazing!" Kirishima complimented, Todoroki agreeing. They knew it was due to her courageous actions during the USJ. I mean, who wouldn't want to recruit the girl that defeated the weapon meant to end All Might?

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at the girl. He knew something was up. "Don't tell me you rejected it."

"Maybe."

He rolled his eyes. "You're such an idiot."

"Hey! I don't even want to become a hero. What's the point in joining a hero school?"

"There are other courses," Kirishima informed, wolfing down his breakfast, careful not to spill anything over his clothes lest he needed to burrow another outfit from Katsuki, which, upon applying more thoughts, didn't seem so bad.

"They teach the same thing at the other schools."

"I think you should join," said Todoroki, gently cutting into his omelette and eating it piece by piece. "It'll be a good way to develop your quirk."

"And you'll be with us!" added Kirishima gleefully.

"Just try it out for a month," Katsuki said. "If you still think it's a waste of time, drop out. The food's good, too."

Ivette hummed, biting into the cooked eggs.

"I'll think about it."

༺═──────────────═༻

"I think I'll go," said Ivette as she lounged on the couch, reading a book.

"Go where, dear?"

"To UA."

Inko, who was making dinner, and Izuku, who was helping her out, turned to the oldest child in shock.

"W-What changed your mind?" asked Izuku, gently moving the spoon through the pot occupied with food.

Ivette shrugged. "I'll try it out for a month."

"That's wonderful, dear! Oh, my babies are going to become the greatest heroes together!"

"̵̥͙̯̰̹̯͍̈́͛̊̔͐͂̉̈́W̵͎̲̪͊͆̾r̴̢̙̜̗̝̬̭̘͗̍̕o̵̮̼͓͂̈̉͆̂̕͝ń̶̙̥͚͎̥͚͙͐̃̈̕͜g̸̛̳̙͚̉̇ ̸̘͎̪̹̝̭̍w̸̢̩̺̠̦̿ȍ̵̙̠̠͓̗̀̈́r̴͈̱͈͉̺̙̘̈́̈́̐̽̕d̴͍̼̰̽̇̚ͅs̶̰͓̀̌͐̃̿͆͜,̵̳̼̺̪̆̉̎́͠ ̸̬̬̻̠̆̈́̀̃̔̈̊̚M̴͕͈͓̝̟͖̥͐̄ͅǎ̶͍̆̈̏͠m̶̞͖̟͖̟̝͗́́͊̈́̽̾̕a̶̧̤̼̤̘̹̋̐͒ ̴̲̙̲̯̰̤̟̅M̵̢̭̏̃̈i̵̗͙̲̱̘̿̅̔̓̄̉d̶̛̛̅̽̎̆̒͝ͅǫ̷̯̻͂̈́̈͐r̸̼̩̒͠ḯ̵̘͚̲̼͙̜̀͜ͅŷ̸͚̼̠͔̬͑̃̌̿̈́a̷̘͚̩̟͂͂̈́̾̑̀͜.̶̝̟̟̠̾̋̑"̸̯̞̮͕̔̇̀

Ivette shot up, eyes narrowing on her family members, freezing them in their spots. "I'm not doing this to be a hero."

They gulped under her piercing gaze. A blizzard, they comprehended. A thick, mysterious, frozen blizzard. That's what her eyes were like. A blizzard eternally raging on with a black void in the centre — her pupils. They didn't capture light; rather, they defied it. They were green, so green that they illuminated under the artificial lights of the apartment.

"I'm going to correct a broken system."