Nejire

After everybody else finished the training, finally, after waiting for what felt like forever, Akaeru and the rest of his classmates behind him stood in front of the exit looking at All Might in front of them.

"Good job! With this being your first training, you all did great!" All Might said, his gaze washing over all of them, lingering on Akaeru longer than the others as he gave a thumbs up to them all.

"Having such a decent lesson after Mr. Aizawa's… is kind of anticlimactic," said a girl who Akaeru could only describe looked like a frog.

"Conducting a decent lesson is our freedom of choice!" All Might yelled out like always, spreading his arms theatrically.

"Well then… change your clothes and return to your classroom!" All Might yelled, dashing off so fast that in everybody besides Akaeru's eyes, he teleported.

That caused everyone to praise All Might's speed.

Looking behind him to his right, Akaeru could see both Todoroki and Bakugo with hopeless looks on their faces. Even he knew they would most likely be good heroes in the future, so he could only hope the school gave them counseling after such a pathetic defeat.

***

After the battle training, the rest of the day was a drag, though the lessons weren't all that hard, so Akaeru finished them pretty quickly.

He was planning on going home and hanging out with Himiko who always wanted to do stuff with him when he suddenly got a text.

[Sis: Are you doing anything? If not, can you meet me outside of school?]

Seeing Nejire text him was a little surprising since she was always extremely busy with school, which he couldn't get annoyed at since she was in her third year. He then texted her back.

[You: Yeah, I'll be there.]

Putting his phone back into his right pocket after responding, since school just ended, he started walking towards the exit.

As Akaeru exited the school building, a familiar figure leaned against the wall, arms crossed by the wrist. Nejire, her usual infectious smile replaced by a mischievous glint in her eyes, looked up at him. Her school hero costume, a shimmering white outfit with flowing ribbons that mimicked her long, periwinkle hair, was gone, replaced by a cute sundress that accentuated her figure.

"Yo," Akaeru greeted, raising his hand up. "Something wrong? Or you just want to see me that bad?" He teased.

She uncrossed her arms and blushed slightly. "Nope, nothing wrong. Just finished a particularly brutal heroics seminar with Eraserhead. Brains are fried, but my stomach's growling like a tiger in a cage." Her voice took on a playful tone. "So, I was hoping maybe my super-strong, soon-to-be-amazing hero brother could take his super-hungry big sis out for some post-torture ramen?"

Akaeru blinked, a bit of confusion seeping into his mind. He wasn't used to Nejire talking like this. Sure, they teased each other and joked around, but this felt... different. The way she looked at him, the playful emphasis on "brother," it sent a tingle down his spine he couldn't quite place.

Because of the way she was talking, for a moment, Akaeru's eyes roamed her body. The sundress hugged her curves in a way he hadn't noticed before, the light, breezy fabric whispering against her thighs with every subtle movement revealed glimpses of her smooth, sun-kissed skin. The neckline dipped low enough to hint at the swell of her breasts, and tiny straps, the color of her hair, threatened to give way with the slightest breeze, adding a slight edge to the entire ensemble.

Her hair, usually pulled back in a practical ponytail, cascaded down her shoulders in a waterfall of periwinkle waves. A playful glint danced in her eyes, a stark contrast to their usual bright innocence.

Akaeru blinked, momentarily forgetting to look away from her body. "So, ramen?" he asked.

Nejire's smile widened, the mischievous glint in her eyes returning. "The best in town, supposedly. Your treat, of course, my hero."

"Stop talking like that," Akaeru said, shaking his head, but he only got a little giggle from Nejire, who clearly wasn't listening.

"Anyways, let's go then."

***

The walk to the ramen shop was a blur of conversation and laughter. Nejire, usually focused and determined, seemed determined to loosen Akaeru up. She peppered him with questions about the quirk training, exaggerating her fear of Mr. Aizawa's stare and mimicking Bakugo's explosions with hilarious sound effects. Akaeru, initially hesitant due to the flirty nature of his sister's voice, found himself playing along.

The ramen shop they arrived at was a tiny hole-in-the-wall joint, tucked away on a side street. Inside, the air was thick with the aroma of simmering broth and sizzling noodles.

They squeezed into a cramped booth, the worn wooden table barely wide enough for two bowls of steaming ramen.

As they slurped down their noodles, a comfortable silence settled between them. The playful banter had faded, replaced by a more genuine warmth. Akaeru stole a glance at Nejire. Her usual vibrant energy seemed subdued, her eyes holding a soft focus as she contemplated something.

"So," Akaeru finally spoke, breaking the silence, "what did you really want to talk about?"

Nejire looked up, surprised. A blush crept up her cheeks, coloring them a light pink.

"Actually," she started, then hesitated, fiddling with the loose strap of her sundress.

Gathering her courage, she continued, "Seeing you today… it made me realize something."

Akaeru leaned on his palm, his curiosity piqued. "What?"

Nejire took a deep breath. "I always thought of you as just my little brother, you know? The annoying one who used to steal my snacks and follow me around like a lost puppy."

Akaeru chuckled, a fond memory bubbling to the surface. "You were always the one who followed me around."

Nejire laughed, a genuine, warm sound. "Maybe. But… lately, I see you differently."

"I… asked Mr. Aizawa for the videos of the entrance exam and even your training today."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You're strong, Akaeru. Determined. And seeing you train today, seeing the way you moved, the way you faced your opponents… it was… inspiring. They never stood a chance."

Her words landed on Akaeru like a bombshell. He wasn't sure what to say. Nejire had never spoken to him like this before. He felt a little awkward being praised by his sister like she was a fan of his or something.

"And maybe," she continued, her voice barely above a murmur, "maybe it's not just your hero potential that makes me see you differently."

The air crackled with unspoken tension. Their gazes locked, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away. Akaeru felt a strange mix of emotions churning inside him—confusion, awkwardness, and surprisingly, a tinge of excitement.

Akaeru opened his mouth to speak, a jumble of responses tangled in his mind. Was Nejire confessing her feelings for him? The very idea was insane, bordering on impossible. Yet, the way she looked at him, the way her voice dropped to a whisper, it all screamed something more than simple admiration.

Though family relations, incest, wasn't as bad as it was before quirks became a thing since there's a lot of inbreeding to make powerful heroes nowadays, it's still extremely rare.

"I, uh," he stammered, his voice cracking like a teenager's. "I don't know what to say to be honest, Nejire."

Nejire's blush deepened, the color mirroring the soft glow of the hanging lanterns above their booth. "I know," she mumbled, fiddling further with the strap of her sundress. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. Forget it."

The sadness in her voice stung Akaeru. He didn't want her to forget it. He just… didn't know what "it" was exactly. "No, wait," he blurted out, surprising himself. "It's just… you're my sister."

Nejire looked up, a flicker of sadness flitting across her eyes. "Yeah, I know. But…" she trailed off, her voice barely audible.

He cleared his throat, the sound rough in the sudden silence. "Nejire," he started, his voice low, "Look, I know things are… different with quirks these days. Seeing you differently isn't exactly… unheard of." He admitted sheepishly, societal norms weighing deeply on him.

Nejire's head snapped up, a flicker of hope igniting in her eyes. "You… you don't think it's wrong?"

Akaeru shook his head, a wry smile pulling at his lips. "Honestly? A little. You're my sister, the one who used to cry and cling to me when we watched horror movies or went on roller coasters."

"Nejire," he said, his voice filled with care, "I don't plan on acting like nothing happened. But…" He trailed off, the societal weight pressing down on him. "This is difficult."

"I'm sorry. I know it's wrong, but I can't help the way that I look at you… even before I saw how strong you've gotten," she whispered, her voice pitiful.

Nejire wouldn't meet his gaze, her fingers nervously fiddling with the ever-present strap of her sundress. He knew he had to say something, anything, to break the suffocating tension.

So he lied…

"Nejire," he started, his voice rough. "To be completely honest, I've had certain feelings for you for a while as well." He reached across the table, his hand hovering over hers for a hesitant moment before gently taking it in his. Her fingers twitched, then curled around his, sending a jolt through him.

It felt unnatural to be so intimate with her, but even though he didn't have romantic or sexual feelings for her, he knew that it was either: ruin their relationship by turning her down, or lie, and hopefully start thinking of her in a romantic sense the more they did things together.

Nejire's head snapped up, her eyes wide and luminous. A blush bloomed across her cheeks, mirroring the fiery glow of the ramen shop lanterns. "You… you feel the same way?"

He couldn't tear his gaze from hers. "Yeah, Nejire. I do."

Leaning closer, Akaeru brushed a stray strand of hair from Nejire's cheek. His thumb grazed her soft skin, sending shivers down his spine. "This is crazy, I know," he whispered, his lips hovering a hair's breadth from hers. "But still,"

Nejire closed the gap, her lips meeting his in a soft, romantic kiss. Her first one. It was a taste of exploration, of unspoken emotions finally finding an outlet. When they pulled away, breathless and a little dazed, a silent understanding had bloomed between them.