Chapter 18: The Manly and the Pink

‘Well, that was something.’ Izuku thought as he finally returned to the 1-A dorms. The moment he stepped out of Kyoka’s room, he noticed her hallmate, Aoyama, trying to drag a literal suit of armor into his dorm room. Seeing the dazzling star of 1-B struggle once again meant Izuku had to stop and assist. Though it was heavy enough that he did have to make use of One for All to make it work, they managed to get it tucked away into the corner of the room, completing Aoyama’s shimmering palace, as he called it. His thanks were more than enough for Izuku, but the Frenchman forcibly gifted Izuku with a sizable chunk of brie. Why the gift of French cheese? Perhaps it was best not to ask.

So, with one last bite of the creamy cheese, Izuku rode up the elevator to the third floor, hoping that Kirishima was still waiting for him. On the way over, he had messaged his girlfriends to see what they were up to, but alas, he was left on read. He surmised they were busy or having some girl outing and left it at that.

When Izuku entered his dorm room, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Kirishima standing near his door, already dressed in workout gear. The redhead's excitement was palpable, his grin wide as he punched his fists together. “Yo, Midoriya! You ready to hit the gym? I’m pumped, man!”

Izuku smiled back, feeling Kirishima’s energy rub off on him. “Yeah, just give me a second to change,” he said, heading to his room to swap into some athletic clothes and collect a bag for the gym.

As he got ready, he thought about how this would be a great chance to bond with his new roommate. Though he had no shortage of friends these days, there was a distinct lack of male companionship. Not that he minded spending time with his girlfriends and such, but having a “Bro” around seemed pretty nice. Technically, he had All Might, but he was more of a mentor rather than a friend. Perhaps being a “father figure” could also describe him, even if the hero seemingly tried to deny it. Regardless, Izuku didn’t really have any male friends, and Kirishima’s enthusiasm for training and heroism reminded Izuku of his own drive to improve. That was more than enough for him to be eager to get to know the redhead better.

Throwing on his usual athletic wear, Izuku rejoined Kirishima in the living space, large and impressive water bottles in hand, along with personal bags carrying spare clothes and towels. After all, hydration is a must, and you never know when you'll need some spare clothes. However, just as the two were about to leave, a sudden knock came at the door.

“I’ll get it!” Kirishima said, striding over without a second thought. The moment he opened the door, a pink blur tackled him, nearly knocking him off his feet. It would seem his training to take sudden impacts with his hardening quirk helped when being tackled by cute girls.

“Kiri!” the cheerful voice of a girl rang out as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Izuku watched in surprise as the pink-skinned girl practically bounced with excitement, her curvacious body molding like putty against Kirishima’s hardened frame. “It’s been forever! I missed you so much!”

“A-Ashido, I was wondering where you were! But uhm,” Kirishima said, his face turning bright red as he glanced awkwardly toward Izuku. “We’re not alone.”

The girl finally let go and turned to face Izuku, her golden eyes lighting up from within her black sclera as she hopped up and waved enthusiastically. “Hiya! I’m Mina Ashido! I grew up and went to school with Kiri. You must be his new roommate!”

“That I am.” Izuku smiled, offering a polite wave in return to the fashionable embodiment of pink. “I’m Izuku Midoriya. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Oooh, aren’t you polite! Come here!” Izuku’s mind stuttered to process her words as the very forward girl rushed over to him and wrapped him in a hug. Izuku wasn’t surprised to find the pink girl to be as soft as she looked. It was almost like hugging a human made of strawberry mochi.

“Yay! New friend! Ehehehe!” Ashido giggled as she unwrapped herself from the green-haired man. “I’m just so excited! We’re here! At UA! Isn’t that just the coolest!”

Ashido’s enthusiasm was infectious, as was her bubbly excitement. It nearly perfectly matched how jazzed Izuku was to a tee. He matched her smile with one of his own. “Absolutely, Ashido. I can’t wait.”

“Me too!” Kirishima chimed in, joining in on the positive vibe. “Ashido and I go way back. We grew up and went to school together. Heck, we even applied to UA together.” Izuku took note of how his friend looked at her fondly. “She has always been like this.”

“Damn right!” Ashido nodded enthusiastically. “On the other hand… I can’t believe how much this guy has changed since high school!” She grinned mischievously, leaning closer to Kirishima. “He even changed his-”

“Okay, okay!” Kirishima interrupted, his face burning with embarrassment, much to Ashido’s enjoyment. “We’re about to hit the gym, Ashido. You wanna come with us?”

Ashido blinked, momentarily distracted from her teasing. “The gym? Heck yeah, I’ve been dying to debut one of my new workout outfits!” Without waiting for a response, she dashed down the hall toward her room. “Give me two minutes!”

As she disappeared, Kirishima took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “She’s always been a bit of a whirlwind,” he admitted with a sheepish grin.

Izuku chuckled, nodding. “Yeah, I can see that. I love her energy.”

“She’s the best, though,” Kirishima said, his grin softening. “Ashido’s always been there for me, even when I was figuring myself out. She’s one of the ones who pushed me to come to UA in the first place.”

Hearing the genuine warmth in Kirishima’s voice made his previous looks toward the pink girl make sense. Ashido was to Kirishima as Katsumi was to him. Just the thought of his own girl pushing him to be the best made his evaluation of Ashido skyrocket if that was the case. It made him smile. “That’s awesome. She seems like a great friend.”

“She is,” Kirishima said, then smirked. “Just, uh, warning. I don’t think she knows what personal space is. Hope you don’t mind.”

Izuku laughed nervously, trying hard not to think about how much he enjoyed her pliable body wrapped around his own. “...I think I’ll manage.”

A few minutes later, Ashido returned, dressed in her workout gear. Despite working out with his friends and girlfriends plenty, he wasn’t prepared for the pink girl's new outfit. She wore what seemed to be a loose crop top, generously displaying her taut and sculpted midriff, as well as booty shorts that could only be described as painted on her with how tight they looked. He gulped as he tried his damnedest not to ogle at her… everything. How Kirishima seemed to be oblivious to how… enticingly she was dressed was beyond him.

Unaware of Izuku’s plight, the bubbly girl wrapped her arms around the two boys' necks and pointed toward the distance. "Alright, boys, let's hit the gym!"

The gym that Kirishima had scoped out previously was fortunately only a short walk away from the dormitories. It made sense that a facility designed for the students outside of class would be relatively nearby. So, a brisk walk across the UA campus later, the trio were awestruck by the sheer size of the facility they assumed would be just a gym. The sleek and modern building stood as a testament to UA’s commitment to its students’ physical development. The glass walls offered a glimpse inside, where bustling activity promised a vibrant and dynamic environment despite being the first day on campus.

“Whoa,” Kirishima muttered, his eyes wide. “This place is massive.”

“No kidding,” Ashido added, practically bouncing on her heels. “This is going to be so awesome!”

The moment they stepped through the doors, a woman behind the check-in desk perked up at the sight of new faces. Her tan skin and lean frame, capped with a head of silky white hair, made Izuku pause momentarily. She bore an uncanny resemblance to someone he thought he recognized but couldn’t place who. Before he could continue his train of thought, he heard her call out to their group.

“Yo! Welcome to the UA Recreation Center!” she called, her voice carrying a curious vibe. “Haven’t seen you guys before. You new?”

Izuku stepped forward, smiling politely. “Hey there. Yeah, that's right. We’re new students in the hero program, and we’re here to check out the gym, or rather the Rec Center.”

At his words, the woman’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Ah, so you’re my kohai, huh? Nice! I love meeting first-years. Let me guess, you’re all here to pump some iron, run some laps, and get those quirks firing on all cylinders?”

Kirishima nodded enthusiastically. “That’s the plan! We’re ready to get to work.”

“Hell yeah, man!” She said, putting out a fist to bump, which Kirishima eagerly returned. “The names Kaede Usagiyama, but called me Kaede. How about a quick tour before you get started? This place is huge, and it’s easy to miss some of the good stuff if you don’t know where to look.”

The trio eagerly agreed, and Kaede led them to the series of scanners barring entry to the rest of the facility. “First things first,” she said, pointing to a sleek scanner. “You’ll need your student ID to get in. Keeps things secure and makes sure only students and staff use the facilities.”

Thankfully, all three of them had their IDs on them, or else it would have been a very short tour. From there, she brought them to the locker rooms, separated by gender. Pointing to the rooms, Kaede-Senpai explained, “Showers, lockers, changing rooms; You’ve got everything you need to prep for a workout here.”

The trio took a moment to lock their stuff up in a few available lockers before rejoining their energetic tour guide. Next, they walked past several classroom-like spaces, and Kaede gestured to their doors as she spoke. “These rooms are for specialty classes. Martial arts, aerobics, yoga, you name it. They’re taught by upperclassmen or pros, depending on the schedule.”

Izuku’s eyes lit up, intrigued to see the differences between his own training back at Coach Takeo’s gym, where he trained with Masako. “Martial arts? That would be interesting to check out with Masako later.”

Ashido, meanwhile, was grinning ear to ear. “Aerobics sounds fun! I love dancing! Might as well work out while I’m at it.”

Kaede smirked. “With a bod like that, I’d say you fit right in, Pinky. Not my thing, but I hear they’re intense, but in the best way.”

Though he didn’t comment, Izuku had to agree. Ashido’s body was practically built for something like aerobics. And he surely didn’t think that just because he wanted to see her in action or anything. Surely not.

They continued down the hall, passing the cardio room on the left and a recreational court on the right. Students of all shapes and sizes were hard at work. Some were running on treadmills and ellipticals, while others were playing indoor football with mild quirk use. Kaede gestured to the variety. “Everything here’s designed to accommodate everyone, especially heteromorphs. UA’s big on inclusivity.”

Izuku nodded, deeply impressed. “I expect nothing less from UA. It’s amazing to see a place designed for all kinds of students.”

Farther down, they reached the weight room. The vast space was packed with machines, free weights, and specialized equipment for strength training. “This is the bread and butter for anyone serious about gains,” Kaede said, flexing her arm for emphasis. “And if you’re serious about testing those gains out on someone else, you’ll have to ask a staff member to rent out one of the combat rings out back.”

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Kirishima cheered, pumped and excited to break a sweat.

Finally, they arrived at the pool area, featuring two Olympic-sized pools and a smaller recreational one. Ashido gasped. “This is perfect! I can already see myself tanning by the pool.”

Izuku tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. ‘Wonder how that would work? I mean… with pink skin? Does she get pinker?’

With the tour concluded, Kaede leaned against the wall and grinned. “Well, that’s the grand tour. Knock yourselves out, my cute little kohai! You’re gonna need it.”

“Thanks, Kaede-senpai!” Izuku said with a polite bow, echoed by Kirishima and Ashido.

Kaede gave them a casual salute. “Catch you three around!” With that, she headed off, leaving the trio behind to return to her station at the welcome desk.

As they stood near the weight room, deciding where to start, Kirishima glanced at his friends. “Man, she was cool. This place is seriously next level.”

Izuku turned to his friends, a smile on his face. “Alright, now that we’ve seen the place, what do you guys want to do first?”

Ashido tapped her chin thoughtfully, then grinned. “Let’s start simple. How about some stretches? Gotta loosen up before we dive into anything intense.”

“Sounds good to me,” Izuku replied, while Kirishima groaned, crossing his arms.

“Cardio and stretching? Man, I was hoping we’d go straight to the weights,” he complained, though there was no real heat in his tone.

Izuku patted Kirishima on the shoulder, his voice playful but encouraging. “You always need a warm-up. Even for the weights, right?”

That small little prod was enough to lift Kirishima’s spirits. “Fine, fine! Let’s do this!”

With the compromise settled, the trio headed into the cardio room, finding an open area to stretch. Ashido took the lead, effortlessly demonstrating her incredible flexibility. She performed splits, backbends, and other dynamic stretches with the ease of someone who clearly enjoyed movement.

Izuku, trying to follow along, found himself mesmerized despite his best efforts. Ashido’s confidence and grace were captivating, and though he mentally berated himself for ogling, he couldn’t entirely look away.

“You good, Midoriya?” Ashido asked with a playful smirk, catching him mid-stare.

“Oh! Uh, yeah! Fine!” Izuku stammered, his face heating up as he quickly focused on his own stretches. Kirishima chuckled at his flustered reaction but didn’t say anything.

Once their warm-up was complete, the three hopped onto treadmills, setting them to a light jog. The rhythmic hum of the machines filled the air as they each settled into their own pace. Izuku curiously glanced at one of the TVs mounted on the walls, which displayed a news report about a recent hero incident.

The screen showed footage of the Rabbit Hero, Mirko, taking down a villain with her usual ferocity and skill. The reporter praised her quick response time and strength, cutting to clips of her being interviewed. Izuku’s eyes widened as a realization struck him.

“Wait a second…” he muttered, his jog slowing slightly as he connected the dots. “Kaede Usagiyama… Mirko’s civilian name is Rumi Usagiyama… Are they related?”

Ashido and Kirishima turned to him, equally surprised. “No way!” Ashido said, her voice rising with excitement. “You think Kaede-senpai is Mirko’s younger sister or something?”

“Probably,” Izuku said, still piecing it together based on his notes of the energetic rabbit hero. No wonder he felt that uncanny resemblance earlier. “The last names match, and they look kind of similar. Plus, Kaede’s athletic and confident like her…”

“That’s so manly!” Kirishima exclaimed, his grin widening. “Can you imagine growing up with a pro hero in the family? That’d be so cool.”

Ashido nodded, clearly impressed. “No wonder Kaede-Senpai’s such a badass. If she’s related to Mirko, she’s got big rabbit-sized shoes to fill.”

As the timer on the treadmills hit fifteen minutes, Kirishima immediately hopped off, practically vibrating with excitement. He turned to his friends with an eager grin. “Alright, cardio’s done! Can we hit the weight room now? Please?”

Ashido laughed, hopping off her treadmill as well. “God, Kiri, you’re such a kid sometimes. But yeah, let’s do it.”

Izuku, smiling at his friend’s enthusiasm, followed suit. “Sure, lead the way.”

With a celebratory cheer, Kirishima led the way, already talking about workout plans. “How about a full-body routine? That’s what I usually do on Saturdays. Gotta keep everything balanced before the rest day.”

“Sounds good to me,” Ashido said, rolling her shoulders. “As long as we hit some squats, I’m in.”

At the mention of squats, Izuku stole a glance toward the pink girl's frame. Suddenly, her dancer’s build made a lot more sense if squats were a usual part of the equation. Having hips and an ass like that didn’t come from sitting around on the couch all day. That girl knew how to move it.

Kirishima clapped his hands together, breaking Izuku from his straying thoughts. “Full-body it is! Let’s start with some upper-body work. The cable machines are a perfect start.”

As they approached the weight section, Izuku’s eyes caught a familiar figure. Rikido Sato was using one of the machines, his muscular frame working steadily as he completed a set of bicep curls. Izuku’s face lit up with recognition, and he walked over.

“Sato!” he called out.

Sato looked up, his eyes widening in surprise before a smile broke across his face. “Midoriya! Hey, man!” The two exchanged a fist bump, clearly happy to see one another again.

“I’m glad to see you here,” Izuku said warmly. “How have you been?”

Sato chuckled, reaching toward his stuff and grabbing a towel to pat himself with. “Good, good. Honestly, I owe a lot of it to you. Your encouragement and advice during the entrance exam really helped me keep going. I don’t think I would’ve made it without that push, so… thanks, man. Really.”

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed but touched. “Hey now, you did all the hard work, Sato.”

Before he could say more, Ashido and Kirishima walked up to join him. Ashido smiled and waved to the brunette. “Hey there, Mr. Muscles! Are you a friend of Midori’s?”

Sato blinked, brain-stuttering as the gorgeous pink woman addressed him. Seeing his struggle, Izuku offered him an out. “Yeah, he and I were in the same area for the practical exam. He’s a great guy.”

“Oooh, how cool!” Ashido grinned, bouncing in place. “I’m Mina Ashido!”

“And I’m Eijiro Kirishima, Midoriya’s roommate!” Kirishima added, throwing out a fist to bump the sugar man. “Good to meet you, man.”

The gears in Sato’s brain finally continued to turn, and he returned the fist bump. “Ah yeah, man. Nice to meet you guys.”

“So, what class are you in, Sato?” Izuku asked, curious about where his friend ended up.

“I’m in 1-A,” Sato replied, smiling. “How about you guys?”

Izuku’s face lit up further. “Really? That’s awesome! Us too! It’s great to have you on the team.”

Ashido chimed in with a thumbs-up. “Yeah, the more, the merrier. And with a build like that, you’ve gotta have some serious strength.”

Sato blushed at the thought of the girl possibly checking out his body. “I-I do what I can. My quirk lets me convert sugar into strength, so it’s kind of my thing.”

Kirishima’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “That’s so cool! How much can you bench using it?”

A competitive glint shimmered in Sato’s eye. “Normally, I’m pushing 180kg, but with my sugar boost, my personal best is 897kg.”

Kirishima’s jaw just about hit the floor at the number. “Seriously, dude!? That's sick!”

While Sato preened at the praise, Ashido leaned over to Izuku and whispered. “Psst, Midori, is that a lot?”

Izuku nodded, clarifying, “Yeah, that’s nearly a ton in pounds.”

“Like a literal ton!?” Ashido gasped, beaming at her new classmate. “Holy moly, Sato, you’re a beast!”

Sato returned to his flustered self as the pink girl gushed praises at him. “T-Thanks…”

“Yeah, man! You should work out with us!” Kirishima threw in as a suggestion, clearly excited at the prospect of seeing the strong man in action.

Izuku nodded and agreed, happy to see more evidence of his roommate's ability to get along with new people. “For sure. We’d love to have you.”

Unable to turn down such ardent praise and hopeful looks, Sato agreed, causing the trio to now grow to a quartet. With that, the group split off to start their own routines. Sato continued his curls, and Ashido went to a nearby power rack, apparently ready to get down to do some serious squats.

When he saw how much weight she was adding on, Izuku had to ask, "Do you need a spotter for all that, Ashido?”

“I’ll be fine, Midori,” she said with a grin, adjusting the bar on her shoulders. “This thing’s got safety bars. I won’t drop it.”

Izuku nodded, intending to keep a cautious eye on Ashido as she began her reps. However, his focus quickly shifted to something else entirely. Despite working on his own cable machine, his gaze kept drifting toward the unintentional display Ashido was giving. Each dip of her hips seemed almost mesmerizing, her pink-skinned frame moving in a way that could easily be imagined in a more provocative context. Even her painted-on shorts looked like they were working overtime, and her soft grunts of effort only added to the inadvertently erotic scene. Izuku wasn’t the only one who noticed. Several heads turned, and Sato, in particular, appeared increasingly flustered as he struggled to concentrate on his own workout.

“Uh, I’m gonna… grab some water,” Sato mumbled, quickly excusing himself.

Izuku chuckled as Sato walked off, clearly understanding the poor guy’s predicament. ‘Does Ashido even notice the effect she has on people? Holy smokes, she might be the most unintentionally erotic person I know.’

Seeing Kirishima be oblivious to the event behind him either made him as dense as his hardened quirk or simply had the manliest of wills. ‘Probably both,’ Izuku reckoned.

Shaking off the thought, Izuku refocused on his current exercise at the lat pulldown cable machine. As he worked through his reps, one of the weights suddenly jammed mid-pull, halting the movement.

“Ah, it’s stuck,” Izuku said, frowning at the machine. Eyeing the well-used weights inside the machine, he quickly saw the cause. “Looks like one of the weights is out of alignment. Happen to have a screwdriver or something?”

Kirishima glanced over from his own machine beside Izuku. "Nope, but I can fix it."

"Are you sure?" Izuku replied with a grimace. "I don't want you to get hurt trying to fix it by yourself."

Kirishima stepped over, cracking his knuckles. "Nah, I got this man. Happens all the time back at my old gym.”

Hardening his fingers into a rocky form, Kirishima began working to wedge them into the narrow gaps between the weights.

“Man,” Kirishima grumbled, jamming his fingers to try to get better positioning. “Sometimes these guys are a real pain. Especially these ones where I can barely fit my fingers through.” Izuku watched as the redhead got up and adjusted his position to slide his fingers in from a different angle. “My hardening doesn’t really change my shape much. It just kinda adds a rocky layer over my normal body, so small spaces like this aren’t my strong suit. But it always works out.”

After some effort, Kirishima finally managed to pop the weight loose, letting the machine reset. “There we go!” he said with a triumphant grin, though he shook his hardened hand with mild annoyance. “But yeah, not the most versatile quirk when it comes to delicate stuff.”

Izuku watched his friend thoughtfully, an idea brewing in the back of his mind. ‘What if I used my Retcon to tweak his hardening?’ Throughout the day, Izuku had felt his bond with his roommate grow leaps and bounds in such a short amount of time. He was sure that he could force Retcon to activate if he wanted, but there was something that Izuku still wanted to ask. His goal was to get to know his roommate better, after all.

“Kirishima,” Izuku began, “why do you want to be a hero? What brought you to UA?”

“Ah, it’s... Kinda a whole thing. But I uh… I used to be a coward,” Kirishima admitted, his voice tinged with regret. “Back in middle school, I was all bark and no bite. I’d freeze up if it meant putting myself on the line. And I hated it about myself.”

Kirishima paused, looking down at his hands and clenching them into fists. “Then, one day, I happened across an old Crimson Riot interview. He said something that called to me: ‘Being afraid doesn’t make you less of a man. What matters is facing that fear and overcoming it.’ Those words shook something loose in me.”

Kirishima’s gaze lifted, determination shining in his eyes. “I decided right then that I didn’t want to be that cowardly kid anymore. I wanted to be someone who could protect people, no matter what. That’s why I’m here. To be an impenetrable shield for anyone who needs it. A real man.”

Izuku felt a swell of admiration for his friend’s resolve. “That’s… really inspiring, Kirishima. You’re already on your way to being that kind of hero.”

Kirishima grinned, his usual energy returning. “Thanks, man. It’s not always easy, but I’m gonna keep pushing forward. That’s what being manly is all about!”

Suddenly, as if pieces had fallen into place, Izuku felt Retcon ready to activate in full force. There was no need to force his quirk to activate. His connection with his new friend was already solidified enough to be a genuine bond. But now, he had to think. He wanted this to happen, but did he truly know what he wanted to Retcon?

As Izuku dwelled on Kirishima's earlier words about his quirk, his mind raced with ideas. ‘If his quirk isn’t versatile for delicate tasks, maybe I could adjust it…’ he thought. ‘What if his quirk allowed him to manipulate his body mass? Like flattening his arms into shield shapes or extending parts of his body into weapons? Combined with his hardening, it could make him an indestructible, adaptable shield…’ The image of Kirishima standing tall with shield arms harder than any steel burned itself into Izuku’s mind, solidifying his decision.

Izuku began focusing his mind on the Retcon. He visualized the changes he wanted to make, building the image in his head. That picture of Kirishima standing tall, chest held high as his body became what he needed to protect those he stood in front of. The concept came together in his mind, ready to finalize. But just as he prepared to act, a sudden noise broke his concentration. A loud rip echoed from nearby.

Izuku’s head snapped toward the source, his eyes widening in shock. Ashido, mid-squat, stood frozen as her very tight workout shorts gave out, splitting open and leaving her ass exposed for all to see. Her bright pink skin enveloping the tiny material of her panties only amplified the scene as several heads turned, but Ashido, uncharacteristically flustered, scrambled to process what had just happened.

‘Good lord.’ The unexpected, and secretly welcoming, sight completely derailed Izuku’s train of thought. His face turned crimson as his mind, still processing Kirishima’s changes, became clouded by his very healthy appreciation for the female form. Unfortunately, this distraction mixed into the final image he had been crafting for Kirishima’s quirk.

Before Izuku could react further, a commanding female voice called out next to him. “Mina! Holy crap, are you okay? Hang on, let me cover you up!” A muscular, redheaded woman rushed to Ashido’s side, draping a towel around her waist with surprising care and urgency.

Izuku stared at the scene, his thoughts jumbled. The redhead’s voice seemed familiar, but her appearance threw him for a loop. Her features bore an uncanny resemblance to his roommate Kirishima, but… she was clearly female. A muscular frame, short red hair, and a confident demeanor all screamed Kirishima, but in a form he wasn’t expecting. Especially when said form had an impressive set of breasts contained within a tight sports bra.

A distressed cry broke Izuku from his daze. Ashido’s pink face was growing significantly rosier as the initial shock wore off. Clearly mortified, Izuku could barely hear her mutter. “Shit… did my ass get bigger or something…”

The redhead turned to him, her amber eyes narrowing slightly. “Midoriya! Don’t just sit there! We need to run to the locker room and grab Mina a replacement pair of shorts or something!”

Izuku nodded quickly, instinctually scrambling to follow the order. But as he moved, the pieces fell into place. ‘Wait… That’s… Kirishima?!’ He nearly tripped over his own feet in realization.

‘What just happened? Why is Eijiro Kirishima—no, Eiko Kirishima—a girl? Did Retcon… Oh no.’ The weight of his realization hit him like a truck. His Retcon had been completed, but with unintended side effects thanks to a certain distraction. A large, round, soft, pink distraction.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to lament as Kirishima reminded him of their need to get Ashido to the locker rooms fast. As Izuku jogged in front of Kirishima and Ashido to clear a path toward the locker rooms, fragments of the past day replayed in his mind. He remembered the initial shock upon meeting Kirishima and discovering that his new roommate wasn’t a guy as he had assumed. She had explained, with a sheepish grin, that she might have put the word “manly” on her registration forms one too many times, leading to a mix-up in her gender assignment.

The looks from his girlfriends when he introduced her to them at lunchtime were still fresh. “Only you, nerd,” Katsumi had said with a smirk. “Only you could luck out and get a girl as your roommate. It should have been me… Not her…”

Izuku had protested, of course, but the teasing had been relentless, especially after Kirishima had explained how she had taken the mix-up in stride. The redhead had been proudly declaring, “Who cares about labels? As long as I can be manly, that’s all that matters!”

Each and every moment that his former male roommate had been in had completely been overwritten, just as it had when he accidentally changed Katsumi and Masako all those many months ago. Finally, this series of events led to him joining Eiko Kirishima at the gym along with her childhood best friend, Mina. It was remarkable seeing the difference between their friendship now that they were both girls. Instead of simply growing up together, they were literally best friends who did most things together, meaning he inadvertently changed Ashido’s past as well. No matter how many times he experienced it, having two sets of memories and the context he could gain from seeing both was surreal.

The trio finally arrived at the locker room, where he waited with Kirishima while Ashido went in to change. Leaning against the wall, the redhead noticed his quiet demeanor and nudged him with her elbow. “What’s up with you, Midoriya? You’ve been weirdly quiet, man.”

Izuku froze for a moment, scrambling for an explanation that didn’t involve Retcon or the earlier… incident. “Oh, uh, it’s nothing. I’m just upset on Ashido’s behalf, you know? Must have been pretty embarrassing.”

Eiko snorted, folding her arms. “Nah. This is nothing for Mina. She’s had worse wardrobe malfunctions. Trust me, dude. Besides her whole acid thing, she just has a habit of wearing ridiculously tight stuff because she ‘likes the look.’ Honestly, this one’s on her.”

It was already seared into his mind. The image of Ashido mid-squat, her shorts ripping open, flashed unbidden into Izuku’s mind. His face immediately turned crimson as he tried to shove the thought aside. ‘Focus, Izuku! Focus!’

Before he could say anything else, Sato reappeared, a water bottle in hand. He stopped in his tracks, noticing the two standing outside the locker room. “Uh… what’s going on?” he asked, glancing between them.

As if on cue, Ashido emerged from the locker room, now wearing a fresh pair of shorts. “Nothing!” she chirped, trying to brush past the conversation.

But Kirishima wasn’t about to let her off that easily. “Oh, nothing, huh? So your pants ripping wide open in the middle of your set is 'nothing' now?”

Sato nearly spat out his drink of water while Ashido’s eyes widened in horror. The pink girl immediately lunged for her bestie, trying to cover her mouth. “Eiko, stop!”

Kirishima grinned mischievously, dodging the pink woman’s attempts. “It’s not every day you give the whole gym a free show!”

The two wrestled playfully, their laughter echoing down the hallway as Ashido desperately tried to silence her best friend. Sato, meanwhile, turned to Izuku, his face red as he watched the scene unfold.

Leaning closer, he whispered, “Dude, how do you even handle being around girls like this all the time? They’re… you know… really hot.”

Izuku sighed, his expression a mix of exhaustion and acceptance. “I have no idea...”

**********

AN: Howdy Howdy! Fess up, who didn't see this coming? Kirishima may not be our bro anymore, but she can still be our "Bro!" Our redheaded, big-boobed, tomboy Bro. The best kind, tbh. We also got Mina! A fan favorite who will surely spice up the relationship scene with her bubbly nature. Love her! Anywho, next time, we get to deal with more of the aftermath of us accidentally turning our roommate into a woman, as well as spending a nice evening with no shenanigans... Right?

As always, thank you all for reading, and be sure to check us out on my Discord for behind-the-scenes looks at all my writing. Lastly, a special thanks to Zephyr0F8 for beta-ing this chapter!