Chapter Text
The announcement of no school for the rest of the day came promptly after arriving back at the school building.
“Should we wait for Izuku again?” Leaning up against her locker Lupe rubbed her back against the cool metal.
Roman shut his own locker and swung his bag over his shoulder. “Nah.” Looking side to side, seeing no other classmates remained he pulled Lupe close, “Probably with All might.”
Nodding in understatement Lupe didn’t question anything else as they walked down the stairwell to the exit of UA. Stopping at the cubbies to swap out shoes.
“I don’t like this sudden calmness.” Letting her shoes clunk onto the floor she pushed her feet into them not bothering to tie the laces.
Roman did the same though he stopped to tie his laces and nudged Lupe’s feet encouraging her to do the same. “You’ll trip and bust an ankle.”
“Oh please we survived the attack today. I don't think my shoes will take me out.” Raising her arms to her side to flex Lupe tried to pull a smile from Roman. Yet he just turned away. Sighing she let her arms fall as she dropped to one knee to tie her shoes. “How was it for you?”
Standing as Lupe kneeled he leaned over her back, “Kinda terrifying. I was happy I was with others though I don’t know what I would have done on my own.” The idea of simply progressing the story and not actually contributing much in that fight filled his stomach with unease. “What am I gonna do when that happens again?” Lupe finished tying her shoes and stood up quickly tossing Roman off her back into a stumble. “Hey careful you could’ve killed me!”
Walking over to him and throwing an arm over his shoulder, pulling him into her side, “But I didn’t, now if there is going to be another villain attack. We’ll be ready.” Her words were picked carefully looking around for wandering ears.
Roman picked up on the act and leaned into the side hug, “Yeah, I guess…”
Getting home they took turns in the shower. Roman was the first to in seeing as Lupe takes much longer and Roman just wanted to feel clean.
Pacing around the small living room doing circles around the couch, Lupe’s mind itched like it was trying to remember something. “If I just keep moving I’ll remember what the hell I was thinking about…” Raising her arms and legs stiffly she continued her toy soldier march.
“What are you doing?” Roman walked out ruffling his hair with a towel. The sight before him was strange to say the least but not startling.
“Trying to think. I feel like I’m forgetting something.” Jumping onto the couch and lifting her heels she bounced up and down. “Every Time something big happens I get this feeling that something is missing in my head.” Falling dramatically onto the couch making it creek, Lupe sighed. “Does that happen to you at all?”
Roman slid the towel off his neck and slapped it onto Lupe’s face. “No you looney toon. Now go get in the shower, maybe it will come back to you when you aren’t gross.”
Grabbing the towel she threw it back. “Okay okay! Damn you got out of the shower sassy..” Walking down the hall she rounded the corner and entered the bedroom and into the connecting bathroom. The mirror was covered in a foggy stream. Staring at her own fuzzy reflection she paused. “What are you hiding…?”
The cool air passed by the open door, clearing off the blur from the mirror starting at the corners and working its way towards the center, grabbing onto Lupe’s chin. Huffing she turned away and turned on the water refilling the room with steam as she shut the door.
When Roman heard the to the bathroom close he rose from his seat on the couch and went into the bed room and sat on the floor right outside the bathroom. “Can you hear me?” He called out.
“Yeah the water pressure shit! What’s up, did I leave something out there?”
Roman sighed, “No just didn’t wanna sit out there.” Lupe hummed in response. “Something’s on your mind isn’t it?”
“It’s just that watching them go through so much and knowing that its just the start, it's so much different then just cheering on your favorite character through a screen. Can we even call them that? ‘Characters?’ We are here now with them, but I don’t know if I can call them friends yet because it's all so surreal.”
Bringing his knees up to his chest he inhaled, “It hurts to see them like that, but it feels so good to try and help. Is that wrong?”
There was a pause before Lupe’s answer. “No, it's not wrong. We can call them friends because they are. we care for them and that’s what makes a friendship. Who knows why we ended up here, but we’re here and kinda stuck, so no I don’t think it’s wrong we wanna help our friends.”
Roman leaned his head back and let it hit the door before raising a fist and knocking onto the wood. “Yeah, then we’ve got more friends now, Lupe.”
The water stopped running as the sound of the curtain rings running across the plastic bar suspending it was heard in its place. “Yep! Hot one’s too.”
“Of fucking course that’s what you say after a heartfelt conversation!” A smack to his forehead Roman remembered how much of a horn dog his best friend could be.
“Are you saying I’m wrong?”
“No! But that’s besides the point, don't you wanna say something else!”
Twisting the door knob and peeking out to look at Roman Lupe opened her mouth to say something but opted to close the door instead. “It can wait.”
The morning proceeded with the routine they had built over their time there. Arise to Roman’s thousands alarms. Lupe would force breakfast onto the two of them. Meet up with Izuku and have him navigate the train system to get to U.A. Swap shoes and march up to Class.
“This doesn’t feel right.” Lupe kept looking over her shoulder warily.
“What doesn’t feel right?” Izuku looked over his own shoulder wondering what she was looking out for.
“There was just a villain attack on us, and yeah we got a day off, but now everything is going way too smoothly.” A chill ran up her neck making her hair puff up in a comical fashion. “Something is coming. . .” Stopping in her tracks, causing Roman to almost ran into her back. Izuku started to tremble wondering what was about to round the corner.
“Dude, stop freaking out Izuku, it's probably nothing.” Reaching out to pat her shoulder, he hoped she would snap out of it and just move to class. He knew of her paranoia; there was no genuine reason to be worried.
Lupe didn’t budge, she stood waiting as footsteps came into earshot. “Ah! Something is coming!” Izuku ducked behind Lupe. The footsteps continued down the hall but instead of getting louder, they seemed to get… smaller?
“Oh! Hello, students!” When Principle Nezu rounded the corner Roman actually jumped. “Is there a problem?”
Lupe finally relaxed, letting herself breathe. “No, sir apologies, just a bit on edge I guess.” She bowed deeply in apology before rising again. “Is there something else sir?”
The Principle nodded, “Yes there is actually! If you and Torres would accompany me to my office. Midoriya, please inform Aizawa that they are both with me.”
“Please have a seat! This will be quick. I want to return you both to class as soon as possible!” Nezu climbed into his own chair behind his desk, while Lupe and Roman did the same. “When I first had you two in here I mentioned that eventually I would have someone checking in on you at home. You remember that correctly?”
They both nodded. “Well good news is I’ve found someone here on the staff!” He raised his paws in the air in celebration, but that feeling wasn’t reciprocated as quickly.
“Someone from the staff? Like a pro hero? Would that cost us extra, if so, would we have to deny this offer.” Lupe spoke about her concerns.
Nezu promptly chuckled, “Nonsense! There is no charge. In fact, the people, who are going to be in charge of your care, volunteered! There was no extra pay requested for this job. Even if there was, it would never come from the pockets of our students.”
Leaning back in her chair Lupe relaxed but this time Roman spoke up. “You said people?” Lupe perked back up at this. “Who exactly is going to be doing this? We can know right?”
Grabbing a paper from a stack on his desk Nezu glanced over it before passing it to Roman. “This has all the information about the arrangement. If you could fill out some simple information and get that back to him when you go, that would be great!”
Roman’s jaw dropped seeing the names listed at the top of the paper, Lupe saw his reaction and snatched the paper out of his hands. “Oh shi–”
Walking into class late was slightly awkward. Aizawa was in the middle of an announcement so when the door opened with Roman and Lupe in the doorway, all the eyes shifted for a second before going back to talking about whatever news was just told to them.
“You still got the paper?” Lupe asked, “Yes I still have the paper, where would I have lost it?” Looking back down at the document then looking up at his teacher Roman walked up to the podium and placed the paper on his desk.“Thank you for doing this sir, May you please pass the message onto Miss Midnight and Present Mic?”
Aizawa simply nodded his bandages restructubngg much other motion. “The sports games were just announced. Iida! Explain the details to these two. “
“Yes Mr. Aizawa! As class president, I will keep my classmates informed!” Lupe and Roman walked up towards Iida, meeting him in the middle.
“What’s up Iida, what news you got for us?” Lupe spoke casually trying to be inviting.
Iida pushed up his glasses, “Please refrain from using such informal language miss..” Roman perked up realizing what was happening, “You don’t know our names do you?”
“I do too know your names! What class president would I be if I didn’t know all the names of my fellow students!”
“Say it then.”
“Okay perhaps I am unfamiliar with the pronoun action and I do not wish to offen either of you!” Roman nodded, his reasons were not what he was expecting.
“It’s alright IIda, my name is Lupe Alacran, i'd prefer if you just called me Lupe but if your more comfortable you can use Alacran.” Making sure to slow down her speaking Lupe made sure he could repeat her name back to her.
“Yeah and call me Ro, last name Torres.” He mimicked the way Lupe talked to IIda and he eventually got it.
“Lupe and Ro! Please know our next days will be preparing for the UA sports festival! I’m sure you’ve both heard of it its broadcasted broadly. “ They nodded letting him continue. “We will all be representing class 1-A to pros and civilians alike please work your best and remember the school motto, go beyond plus ultra!”
Bowing he walked away. “Well better get better.”
“What kinda inspiration is that Ro?”
”The kind I said Lupe! Get on the trends. Now we need to make more allies