Mina Ashido hated when people touched her horns.

Maybe it wasn't fair to say that? She didn't quite hate them, nor she did hate the attention, per-say. Her horns were, for lack of a better term, useless. They didn't serve any purpose to her actual Quirk, they didn't aid her in battle at all, and for the most part, they were simply inconvenient. They weren't strong or solid as many people assumed - in fact, they were quite flexible, and despite being made partially from Keratin, they actually held sensory aspects within them.

Not like those sensory additives were of any use, of course. Despite multiple attempts to 'train' her own sixth sense, she was unable to detect any shifting in the breeze, or thermal changes like she so dearly hoped.

Ultimately, her horns only had two functions she'd ever discovered: they could rip soft materials (including her shirts if she wasn't careful) and they were sensitive. Like, very sensitive. Almost to a degree that was asinine, if she had any say in the matter.

As a child, it hadn't been that bad. It was annoying, but it was manageable. Anything that grazed her - at the time - still-developing horns would elicit a very sharp sensation that ran throughout her entire body. It was like an electric jolt, like she'd drank something cold and her teeth hadn't responded well. It was uncomfortable, but bearable, and for the most part, it was avoidable. A few of her classmates that didn't understand personal space could be counted on to annoy her and immediately go for her horns out of sheer curiosity, but otherwise, it was fine.

Once she hit puberty, she learned that her once-set annoyance had changed into a full-blown dislike.

There had been several changes to her body; changes that she expected. She had been properly informed of all the wonders that awaited her body once she was given her monthly gift, and for all the ways that it sounded shitty, it was just another part of growing up. Her Quirk would also run a little haywire during puberty, but again, it was expected. It was comparable to a 'power-up', as her Pediatrician described to her and her family. Her Acid would run a little rampant (and she'd dissolve clothes like it was a hobby) but her Quirk would be stronger and have much more room to grow now that her body was firing on all cylinders.

That was something she'd been excited for. Her Acid was undeniably powerful - and her desire to become a hero was something that followed her wherever she went. For it to get stronger was a sign that she was destined for being a hero! For that, she couldn't wait!

She just hadn't expected her horns to also change.

From their initial length, they only grew slightly longer; hardly noticeable, and it was only because of her father's measuring of them that anyone noticed any growth. But the other thing she noticed... was an even sharper increase in sensitivity. It was strange; the sensation was dulled upon initially touching them - the shock having dulled to a mere tingle. But upon continued exposure... the sensation became akin to a lightning bolt, streaking through her body.

Her breathing would grow heavy, as sweat dotted her skin - the first few times, Acid activated as well, ruining her attire once more. Her heart beat would explode, and her mind grew hazy as the sensation simply drugged her. She banned her family from touching her horns - something they didn't quite understand, but respected out of her wishes.

And as she reluctantly tested these new responses to contact upon her horns, she realized, she was stimulated in other places. It couldn't be helped, of course. She was a growing teenage girl - her hormones were all running amok and there was nothing she could do the prevent that. It didn't mean she wasn't embarrassed, though.

Despite the hopeless romantic she'd become, and the yearn to experience those feelings of love and wonder, she had immediately decided that she would not let anyone touch her horns, no matter who they were. The last thing she needed was to be drunk off the sensation and throw her inhibitions to the skyline because someone brushed against her head.

Then Nejire came and did exactly what Ashido was looking to avoid. It was so sudden, too. One second, she's stretching and preparing to fight just Mirio, and the next, the blue-haired girl is hovering just over Ashido, gently running her fingers up and down the rivets of her horns, feeling out the divots and grooves.

It was far too much. She weakly mustered out a 'p-please stop...' and sighed in relief as Nejire bounded over to someone else, eager to learn about their Quirk. The damage had been done, though. Her heart-rate exploded, and there was no doubt that if her heart could power a generator, she'd be able to power six. She felt that familiar burn in her lower stomach, and the tingling-sensation dancing along her skin, like she was using her Acid for too long. But it didn't hurt. It just made everything far more hyper-sensitive.

Getting walloped by Mirio helped dim those sensations - although that punch felt like a truck running into her stomach - but as she feebly made her way back to the dorm, she felt a hunger ravage her belly. It wasn't a normal hunger, either. She knew that much. And it made her sick to her stomach. She was simply hormonal; acting dumb, in her opinion. She didn't really want anything. She was just under the influence of her stupid horns.

"J-jeez... I can't believe that Togata just crushed everyone..." Kaminari mumbled passively, echoing the sentiments of practically everyone who'd been on the receiving end of the day's 'lecture'. The yellow-haired boy crashed pathetically onto the couch, not bothering to pick his head up as he spoke again. "I love my life..."

"Shut it, Jammingwhey..." Jirou muttered as she collapsed on top of him. He exhaled sharply, the sudden weight driving the oxygen from his lungs, but he adjusted after a few moments of groaning, and continued to lay helplessly.

A few of the other students followed behind Kaminari, collapsing in various places or groaning as they made their way toward their room, so that they could lick their wounds, more than likely. For Ashido, she wasn't sure where she stood; she definitely felt achy... but there was still the lingering sensation that rested on her skin, practically beckoning some form of alleviation. She groaned; why did growing up have to suck so much?

While the idea of a shower sounded tantalizing, she knew that several of the girls were likely thinking the same thing; and because of that, she wasn't sure if it was the best idea. Her body yearned for relief, yet, her mind estranged the idea, citing it as unnecessary and even somewhat... gross. Naturally, she was comfortable with her body, but yet... she wasn't sure if she was comfortable to... she didn't have to do... that!

A flush of purple sprinkled her face; she almost wanted to squeal in embarrassment!

"Ah... Ashido?" A male voice interrupted her thoughts, and this time, she did squeal, though she was able to keep it low. He, too, yelped in surprise, jumping backward and throwing his hands up in case she swung.

"Sorry! I didn't, erm, mean to scare you!" Midoriya Izuku. The class 1-A cinnamon roll. The same boy who, up until today, had been on house-arrest for three days, following a fight with Bakugou. Something that Ashido had been very intrigued with.

His uniform hung loosely on him; something that wasn't commonly seen with the punctual student. He embodied everything that a hero stood for - which, most of the time, included the presentation and rule-affinity that Class President Iida preached daily. Whether or not Togata's brawl from earlier had something to do with his less-than-stellar state of dress remained to be seen, but either way, it was certainly something,

The tie was loosely hanging around his neck, and his undershirt was unbuttoned, casting the barest hint of rebellion upon his look. His shirt wasn't tucked, either, and his pants were on his hip lowly, held up only by the belt that was sloppily fastened, missing a belt-loop. His hair was tussled, but his eyes, despite having small bags under them, were as lively as ever, sparkling with the innocent that radiated from his very being.

"Whoa, Midoriya, you look... tired?"

'Smooth, Mina, really smooth.' She almost wanted to punch herself. Was that really the best she could come up with?

Despite her thoughtless comment, he smiled warily, though the warmth could still be felt through his expression. "Ah, yeah. I woke up really early so I could work-out... being on house-arrest and all, I wasn't really permitted to use the gym. I don't want to fall behind much more than I already am!"

Mina couldn't help but smile, the blush from earlier fading. Really, Midoriya was something else. Most people would've hated house-arrest simply because it was time that they had to spend cleaning as a discipline, rather than hanging out or doing something fun. For Midoriya, house-arrest remained a punishment, but only because it kept him from putting in the work that he was practically married to. His dedication was admirable, if not a little concerning at times. He pushed himself past limits that Ashido didn't even know existed. But at the same time, it was inspiring - and it undoubtedly pushed the rest of the class to follow behind him, or risk falling behind.

So, it was a little ironic that he feared he was already farther behind the rest of Class 1-A than ever before.

"Easy there, muscle-man," Ashido said, flexing her biceps jokingly. "You should probably make sure you rest enough, otherwise all that training'll be for nothing."

He flushed red, and sighed. "Yeah... y-you're probably right. I just can't fall behind again." He chuckled as she snorted, but his face grew serious as he looked back up at her, emerald eyes connecting with gold. "But, uh, I wanted to make sure you're okay?"

Ashido paused, her mouth making a slight 'O' shape. She was speechless.

It wasn't certain, but she was almost positive that he wasn't running around checking on everyone's condition. At least, she hadn't actively seen him rushing from classmate to classmate, checking up on their conditions. It was possible he was doing it discreetly, but there hadn't exactly an abundance of time between the dismissal of class to now, so it wasn't likely he'd seen everyone, or even half the class.

Maybe he was just being kind and saw her first?

"I'm okay! A little sore, but like, who isn't? Togata really can throw a punch, like BAM!" She swung her fist in exaggeration, mimicking the way he'd jabbed earlier, though with significantly less form. Even twisting, she could feel her abdomen ache, and silently hoped there wasn't a massive bruise forming.

Midoriya laughed quietly. "Y-yeah, he really can." His face grew passive as he muttered something quietly under his breath. He then looked at her once more, a small smile adorning his face again, as if he hadn't thought anything. "But, you're okay? I mean... y-you looked a little purple a bit ago..." He grew red, realizing his words. "Not that I was looking! I mean, I was, but still! Not like that!"

So he'd seen her blush; that was slightly unexpected. Thankfully, he seemed clueless to the cause, and in Ashido's mind, she'd prefer to keep it that way. It was just her stupid brain and her stupid body being stupid - there was no reason that she should be having any of those thoughts! She was a hero-in-training for goodness sake's! She wasn't just a hormonal girl looking for someone to kiss... although, quietly, she admitted that she wasn't necessarily opposed to the idea of finding a partner to bond with...

She shook her head; now wasn't the time!

"Relax Mumbles, it's fine," she said with a laugh. Midoriya looked confused (and slightly indignant) at the nickname, but halted in his tirade of back-and-forth explanations. Ignoring the tingle of her skin as she traced a line down her arm subconsciously, Ashido looked upward, feigning innocence. "I'm just a bit tired; kinda burnt out, I guess?"

"The... semester just started..." Midoriya said evenly, a nervous smile on his face.

Ashido simply groaned; she'd been pretty much asking for that one. The not-so-subtle reminder of the commencement of semester two was like another punch to the gut - on top of her raging hormones, she hadn't wanted to think about actual class and homework. With a huff, she crossed her arms. Leave it to her to try and lie to one of the smartest people in the class.

"I mean... y-you know what I mean!"

Midoriya looked away. "I... guess?"

"Look, it's nothing, okay?" She flinched at how passive that sounded. Honestly, it wasn't as if Midoriya being invasive or anything - he just wanted to ensure she was okay! A sigh worked its way from her lips; maybe she could be open, without being open? "It's... girl things."

Despite how vague she sounded - and how unhelpful it seemed - Midoriya seemed to pale, and clam up immediately, as the implications of her statement weighed upon him. He immediately bowed his head, sweat streaking down his face as he put his hands together like he was begging for forgiveness. Actually... Mina frowned.

That was exactly what he was doing.

"I-I see! I-I'm s-s-sorry!"

Ashido giggled. It didn't take a rocket scientist - or Yaomomo - to figure out what assumption he'd jumped to. But somehow, she feel the urge to want to correct him. "It's alright; just part of being a woman. You know, that and the catcalls. But how could any resist someone this cute?" She added a wink and a sly grin, which didn't go unnoticed by the stammering boy. His face switched to pink and steam practically poured from his ears as he bowed again.

"P-p-lease! F-forgive my nosiness!" Ashido's giggling ceased, and she frowned lightly.

She hadn't meant to break him. It was just a joke - well, mostly. She hadn't technically lied when she said it was a girl thing, nor had she lied when she said it was part of being a woman. She just... hadn't corrected his assumption of her 'monthly cycle'. Any other boy would've been embarrassed, true, but Midoriya was... well, another story.

The kid was practically short-circuiting, and it had nothing to do with what most guys would've been bothered by. Rather, he was worked up simply because she was a girl and it was a personal aspect of her life - she could've said anything personal and he would've probably blown a fuse like he just had. When it came to girls, he was truly something special. But yet...

She smiled lightly, despite herself.

He was sweet, if not a bit of a dork. Even though he'd probably figured it was something simple bothering her, he'd still taken the time to seek her out and make sure she was okay. There had been no guarantee that she wouldn't have snapped at him, yet, he'd been completely willing to accept her possible rage, if only to be sure she was feeling alright. It took guts - guts that he had in spades. For as timid and easily spastic as he could be... he had a courage to him that not a lot of other people had.

"It's alright, really." The smile she teased grew bigger, and more wholesome. "I appreciate you asking. It... means a lot."

She knew that she probably could've teased him a lot more, but something told her that he'd had enough punishment already. She wasn't trying to completely blow his mind - only get him nice and toasted.

"R-right... w-well, uh, if you need anything? I mean, I-I don't know if I can do anything, but still?" He looked somewhat embarrassed, but still, he managed to lift his gaze to meet her iris.

She nodded. The less he knew about the truth, the better. He had no idea what he'd essentially volunteered for... and if he did, well... she smirked. "I'll keep that in mind."

Once he bid her farewell - still blushing profusely - she watched him slip away, trying his damnedest to blend into the shadows, undoubtedly rattled from whatever was going on inside that brain of his. A lightness blossomed in her heart, which she quickly shooed away.

He was a nice guy - that was it. Sweet, even, but he wasn't anything more. He was her friend. Besides...

He was Uraraka's guy, right?

As it turned out, meeting Midoriya in that hallway had been a massive mistake on her part - not that he or she had known, of course.

Falling asleep had been a painstaking endeavor, marked by consistent groaning, growling and borderline psychosis, all because of the incessant tingling that danced along her skin, slight jolts of electricity shooting through her nerves as she sheets shifting against her bare skin. Her shorts felt far too tight, and even ditching her bra, her night shirt had done no good for her in avoiding extra sensation. If anything, it had arguably worsened everything.

Even as she remained painfully still, she found sleep tauntingly out of reach, and she'd smashed her pillow into her face more times than she'd wanted to. The entire process had been a gigantic pain in her ass. But finally, after copious different positions, she fell asleep, the sensation finally fading away as she took refuge deep within her dreams.

... Only to follow her into her dreams.

Under the cover of the night, she tossed and turned, the visions of Midoriya dancing in her head. It had started so simple, too.

They'd been simply working on a project together, nothing out of the ordinary. They met in the library, and Midoriya, with his nerdy side showing through and through, had decided to grab a thick stack of books so that they could probably study the material they'd been assigned. She hadn't cared; whatever it took to pass, she would do. And so, they grabbed a few books, tossed them onto the stack, and didn't look back.

When it came time to move them to their study area, Midoriya realized the stack was substantially larger than they'd anticipated, so he simply actively Full Cowling - or whatever it was he called it - and lifted the books... inadvertently flashing his muscles to her. It hadn't been much - his sleeves rolled up ever-so-slightly, exposing the curve of his bicep - but it had been enough.

His forearms looked thicker than they had before, and the tightness of his bicep seemed to call out to her, begging her to cope a feel. He'd long-since shed his uniform jacket, so his shirt clung tightly to his body, highlighting his well-formed pectorals. Even his obliques and abdominal wall seemed to press against his shirt, and suddenly, Mina had found it hard to breathe in her dreamscape.

Had he always looked like that...?

'Ashido?' He'd asked, curious and concerned as always. The look in his deep, thoughtful emerald eyes made her knees feel weak and her heart flutter as she blinked speechlessly, unable to come up with any sort of answer.

Dream-Midoriya, as it seemed, had no concept of personal space (not like she'd minded) as he carefully and tenderly pressed a hand to her forehead, feeling for her temperature. He withdrew with a frown, and had spoken again. 'You're not feverish... but you are warm. Are you alright?'

'Y-yes!' She'd squeaked.

The rest of the conversation was a blur - even if she wanted to remember, she couldn't. It had all led up to a moment where he'd reached to grab a book, conveniently just above her head, and grazed her horn. Despite his profuse apologies, the damage had been done, and the moan she'd let out had been throaty. Passion that had been suppressed came rolling out, and she hadn't been able to help herself.

She pounced him immediately, on the spot, and hadn't looked back.

Then she'd woken up, and almost screamed - out of embarrassment versus frustration, she didn't know. All she knew was that she needed to change clothes and she needed a cold shower.

But more than that, she needed a freaking answer for these feelings, because where she stood, she wouldn't be able to face anyone, let alone herself. Especially considering that she'd... she'd... jumped a classmate. It was only a dream, but that didn't dull the implications. The dreamscape was simple a passage into the desires of the heart, right? So... if she'd dreamed about Midoriya, then...

Her face erupted again, steam shooting from her ears.

What in the actual FUCK was going on?!

'Get a hold of yourself, girl!' Mina screamed at herself. Her pillow was no longer behind her head, but instead, she'd taken and buried her face within its fluffy surface, in case she decided to scream out her feelings. Which, with the way things were going, was a likely possibility. 'You're acting like an animal in heat! Chill out!'

She took five calming breaths, holding each one a few seconds, before releasing in a loud, drawn out exhale. It was exaggerated, and probably unnecessary, but the repetitiveness helped to slightly calm down the raging sensation that had tickled her skin. Her thoughts, while still disorganized and chaotic (even moreso than normal) began to align just enough so that she could begin to make them out.

"M-maybe I should just take a sick day..." Ashido mumbled into her pillow.

It wouldn't have been hard to feign; she was, after all, barely thinking. All she needed to do was add a slight slur to her words, or deepen her voice to sound like she was coming down with an infection. While it would put her behind a day in her studies, facing her classmates - she purposely avoided imaging Midoriya - would be borderline impossible at the current moment. And if, by some chance, she ended up doing a partner project for the day, she could almost bet that she would end up with a certain green-haired student as her partner.

The world worked in mysterious ways; it was almost like there was someone conveniently writing her life for her.

A glance at her phone told her that she had a few hours until she was supposed to be awake for class. While the deliberation to shower was there, she also felt... tired. Physically. Like her muscles had been completely sapped of energy and her body was filled with lead. Lazily, she turned her head to face her drawer - if she didn't shower (which, she'd feel gross in the morning) then at the very least, she needed to change. So, with a mighty heave, she forced herself up, quickly changed clothes, and laid back down, feeling even more out of gas than before.

She sighed; was this was it felt like to grow old? Or was this just the effects of hormones?

Whatever it was... sucked. She closed her eyes, hoping that when she woke up, she'd actually feel better. She also prayed for dreams without a certain Izuku Midoriya, ignoring the smallest, tiniest part of her that was kind of hoping he'd appear again.

She groaned.

She said it once and would say it again.

Growing up sucked.

I know what you're thinking - oh damn, this is a bit steamy! Are you writing a lemon or something?!

No.

Well, that isn't the plan, anyways. I've never really tested my abilities in writing things that are a bit... adult in nature. Sure, I've made innuendo jokes, but ultimately, I've never actually written something serious. It's good practice, and something I was thinking about when I saw the anime-adapation of Nejire going for the horns.

Back when the Manga introduced the chapter, it was clear that by depiction, Ashido's horns were flexible - bending and swaying back and forth as Nejire flexed them in place. Ashido also had a bead of sweat streaking down her temple, and when I saw this, I became curious. Was this because of pain, or perhaps... pleasure? Finally, the anime made it to this scene, and sure enough, Ashido's voice (in the sub) hints toward pleasure more than pain. At least, in my opinion. Thus, this chapter was born.

Is this me mis-interpreting things? Sure. Maybe. I don't really care - it's a fun little topic. And it's still a fun ship that I greatly enjoy, so we'll go for it.

As for the rating... well technically, I never really CROSSED any 'M' rating suggestive themes. It's been a heavy 'T' up until this point, BUT... I'm probably going to drop it into the M category, if only for specific references thus far. I'm pretty bad when it comes to the whole rating thing, so bear with me. If you WANT a lemon... well, I mean, they're kinda teenagers, and I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not. Not to mention, Midoriya doesn't strike me as someone to go that far, that quickly.

Still, for now, just plan on this being a 3-4 chapter little thing that highlights the pains of becoming an adult, as told through the eyes of... these people!

Cheers, friends! Also, if you pay attention, I AM in the process of writing for the mother arc in 'Attraction of Small Things'. It's been slow, sorry. I'm slow. Yeah. Thanks!