Akito's POV
The chalk screeched against the blackboard as Yamada-sensei wrote out the assignment details, and I felt my stomach clench tighter with each word. Family Tree Project. Interview relatives. Occupation details. Three weeks to complete.
"This will help you understand your heritage and the diverse career paths available to quirk users," our homeroom teacher announced cheerfully, completely oblivious to the cold dread spreading through my chest. "I want detailed information about your parents' work, your grandparents' stories, and how quirks have shaped your family's history."
I stared down at the assignment sheet, the words blurring slightly. How quirks have shaped your family's history. If only it were that simple.
My parents never talked about their work. Not really. They'd come home late, sometimes with scrapes on their hands or tired lines around their eyes, and when I'd ask about their day, I'd get the same vague responses. "Case work," they'd say. "Paperwork." "Following leads."
But whatever kind of cases they worked on seemed to leave them drained and worried. They'd take hushed phone calls at two in the morning or suddenly disappear for days with nothing but a note saying they'd be back soon. Sometimes they'd come home with small injuries - a bandaged hand, a bruised shoulder - that they'd brush off as "occupational hazards."
"Now, since this is such an extensive project, you'll be working in pairs," Yamada-sensei continued, and my heart sank further. "I've already assigned partners based on complementary skills and to encourage new friendships."
Great. Not only did I have to figure out how to write about my mysterious family, but I'd have to do it with a classmate who would probably think I was making things up or being dramatic.
"..."
"Amano Akito and Asui Tsuyu."
I glanced over at Tsuyu, who was sitting three seats away. We'd been in the same class for months, but we'd never really talked beyond the occasional "good morning" or group project small talk. She was known for being direct and honest - sometimes brutally so - and the thought of having to explain my family's weirdness to someone who always said exactly what she thought made my palms sweat.
The small mouths in my hands tingled with nervous energy.
"Partners, please sit together and discuss your initial approach," Yamada-sensei instructed.
Tsuyu gathered her things and moved to the empty desk beside mine. Up close, I could see the small details I'd never noticed before - the way her large eyes seemed to take in everything, the confident way she carried herself despite being one of the shorter students in class.
"Hi, Amano-chan," she said simply, settling into the chair. "I guess we're partners, kero."
"Hi," I managed, my voice coming out smaller than intended. "I, um, I hope you don't mind being stuck with me."
She tilted her head, studying my face with that direct way she had. "Why would I mind? You seem nice enough."
The casual acceptance in her voice surprised me. Most of our classmates either avoided me because they thought my quirk was creepy, or they were overly curious about it in a way that made me uncomfortable. Tsuyu just... acknowledged me like I was normal.
"So," she continued, pulling out a notebook, "what's your family like? Any interesting quirks or careers we can build a project around, kero?"
And there it was - the question I'd been dreading. I twisted my hands in my lap, feeling the familiar tingle of my quirk responding to my anxiety.
"My family is... complicated," I said quietly.
"Complicated how?"
I glanced around the classroom. Other pairs were chatting excitedly, some already sketching out family trees. Everyone else seemed to have normal families with straightforward jobs and clear histories.
"My parents don't really talk about their work," I admitted. "They say they work in investigations, but they're always taking mysterious calls and coming home at weird hours. Sometimes they have injuries they won't explain."
Tsuyu's expression didn't change, but I saw something flicker in her eyes. Interest, maybe, rather than judgment.
"What kind of investigations, kero?"
"I don't know. That's the problem." The words tumbled out faster now, like a dam had burst. "They get calls at two in the morning and have to leave suddenly. They come home tired and worried, talking in hushed voices about 'cases' and 'leads' and 'keeping people safe.' Last week, my dad came home with a black eye and when I asked about it, he said he ran into a door while chasing someone."
"Chasing someone?"
"That's what he said, but then he looked like he'd said too much and changed the subject." I slumped in my chair. "I don't know what they really do, and I'm starting to wonder if I want to know. What if they're involved in something dangerous?"
Tsuyu was quiet for a long moment, her finger tracing the edge of her notebook. "That does sound mysterious. But mysterious doesn't necessarily mean bad."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there are lots of legitimate investigation jobs that might require secrecy. Private detectives, insurance investigators, corporate security." She paused. "What are their quirks like?"
I thought about this. "My mom's quirk is called 'Energy Drain.' She can absorb energy from living things through touch - not enough to hurt them seriously, but enough to make them tired and weak. My dad's is 'Pocket Space' - he can create small dimensional storage areas that only he can access."
"Those sound like they'd be really useful for investigation work, kero," Tsuyu said thoughtfully. "Your mom could subdue suspects without seriously harming them, and your dad could store evidence safely where no one else could tamper with it."
I blinked at her. It had never occurred to me to think about their quirks in relation to their work, but now that she mentioned it...
"You think they might actually be detectives?"
"It's possible. And if they are, that would explain the secrecy. Some cases might be sensitive or dangerous." She looked at me directly. "The question is, how do we approach this project without compromising their work or putting anyone in danger?"
The fact that she'd said 'we' made something tight in my chest loosen slightly. "You really want to work on this with me? Even though my family situation is weird?"
"Weird can be interesting, you know?" she said simply. "Besides, my family isn't exactly normal either."
"Really?"
Tsuyu's mouth quirked up slightly. "I have two younger siblings with quirks that are... challenging to manage. My parents work a lot, so I end up taking care of them most of the time. It's not the same as your situation, but it's definitely not what most people would call normal, kero."
The relief I felt was almost overwhelming. She understood, at least partially, what it was like to have a complicated family situation.
"What are your siblings' quirks like?"
"Samidare can secrete a mild poison from his skin when he's upset, and Satsuki's quirk is still developing but it seems to be some kind of camouflage ability." Tsuyu's expression grew wry. "Last month, Sam got angry about chores and accidentally made the entire house uninhabitable for three days. The week before that, Satsuki got scared during a thunderstorm and camouflaged so well we couldn't find her for six hours."
Despite my worries, I found myself smiling. "That sounds chaotic."
"It is. And exhausting. But they're my family, you know?" She looked at me. "I bet you feel the same way about your parents, even with all the mystery."
She was right. Despite my concerns and confusion, I loved my parents. They were kind and caring, even if they were secretive about their work.
"So how do we do this project without getting into stuff they can't talk about?"
"We focus on the parts of their lives they can share, kero," Tsuyu said, opening her notebook to a fresh page. "Their quirks, their personalities, how they met, what they were like before you were born. The human side of them, not necessarily the work side."
"That... actually sounds doable."
"Of course it does. And if we run into information we can't verify or that seems too sensitive, we just note that and move on. This is a school project, not an investigation."
The bell rang, signaling the end of class. As other students began packing up, Tsuyu turned to me.
"Want to meet at the library after school? We can start working on this properly."
"You really want to spend your afternoon on this?"
"I really want to get to know my partner better," she said simply. "Besides, this project is going to be a lot more interesting than I thought."
As we gathered our things, I felt something I hadn't experienced much before - the anticipation of working with someone who might actually understand. Tsuyu wasn't just accepting the strangeness of my family situation; she seemed genuinely interested in helping me navigate it.
Maybe this project wouldn't be the disaster I'd imagined after all.
Three hours later, I sat across from Tsuyu at a small table tucked between the biography and history sections of the school library. She'd brought colored pens and had already started creating what looked like an elaborate family tree template, complete with small decorative elements around the borders.
"So," she said, looking up from her work, "let's start with what you do know about your parents. Not their current work, but them as people, kero."
I pulled out my own notebook, still mostly blank. "Where do I even start?"
"How about how they met?"
"Oh, that I actually know." I felt more confident talking about this. "They were in college together, both studying criminal justice. My dad always jokes that my mom was the smartest person in their class, and she says he was the most determined."
"Criminal justice," Tsuyu noted, writing this down. "That definitely supports the detective theory."
"You think?"
"Makes sense. They studied it in college, they have quirks that would be useful for investigation work, and they're clearly involved in some kind of case-based employment." She looked up at me. "What else do you know about their college years?"
"My mom was on the debate team, and my dad played chess competitively. They used to study together in the library - kind of like we're doing now, actually." The parallel hadn't occurred to me before, and it made me smile.
"That's sweet, kero. What about after college?"
"They got married pretty quickly after graduating, and then..." I trailed off, realizing I didn't actually know much about their early career years. "I'm not sure, actually. They don't talk much about their first jobs."
"That's okay. What about their families? Your grandparents?"
This was easier territory. "My dad's parents were both teachers. His mom taught elementary school and his dad taught high school history. They retired a few years ago and moved to the countryside."
"What about their quirks?"
"Grandma's quirk was called 'Sustenance' - she could draw nutrition from any organic matter by touching it, even things that weren't normally edible. Grandpa's was 'Archive' - he could create small pocket dimensions to store his teaching materials and important documents." I paused. "Actually, now that I think about it, that's probably where my dad got his storage quirk from."
"Hereditary quirk traits, kero," Tsuyu noted approvingly. "That's good information for the project. What about your mom's side?"
"My maternal grandmother had a quirk called 'Siphon' - she could absorb small amounts of energy from multiple sources to boost her own stamina. My grandfather's quirk was 'Battery' - he could store kinetic energy in his body and release it later as enhanced strength."
"So your mom's energy absorption quirk probably came from a combination of those," Tsuyu observed. "This is actually a really interesting quirk heritage. Both sides of your family seem to have quirks related to absorption and storage."
"Absorption and storage?"
"Think about it then. Your dad's family has quirks related to sustaining themselves from unusual sources and storing important things safely. Your mom's family has quirks about absorbing and redistributing energy. And now your parents both work in investigations with quirks perfect for that field." She looked up at me. "It's like your family has been evolving toward this kind of work for generations."
AN: Workaholics... plus easy evidence storage.
I'd never thought about it that way before. "That's... actually kind of cool."
"It is cool. And it suggests your parents are probably really good at what they do, whatever it is, kero."
The knot of anxiety in my chest loosened a bit more. Maybe my parents' secretiveness wasn't about them being involved in something bad. Maybe it was just about them being professional and protecting sensitive information.
"What about you?" I asked, wanting to shift the focus. "What's your family heritage like?"
"Much more straightforward," Tsuyu said, flipping to a new section of her notebook. "My parents are both first-generation quirk users. My grandparents on both sides didn't have quirks."
"What was that like for your parents?"
"Challenging, from what they've told me. My dad's parents were scared when his quirk manifested. They didn't understand it, and there weren't many resources back then for helping kids with new quirks." She traced a finger along the edge of her notebook. "My mom's parents were more accepting, but they still worried about how society would treat her."
"That must have been hard."
"It was, kero. But it also made them really determined to understand quirks and help other families going through the same thing." She looked up at me. "My dad became a marine biologist because his quirk made him naturally suited for underwater research. My mom works with quirk regulation and family services, helping parents understand their children's developing abilities."
"So they turned their challenges into careers that help people."
"Exactly. Though it also means they're really, really busy. My dad travels for research, and my mom often has emergency cases that keep her at the office late." Tsuyu's expression grew more serious. "That's why I end up taking care of my siblings so much."
"That's a lot of responsibility for someone our age."
"It is. And sometimes..." She paused, seeming to consider whether to continue. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm good enough at it. What if I mess up and one of them gets hurt because I wasn't watching carefully enough? What if I'm not teaching them the right things about their quirks?"
The vulnerability in her voice surprised me. Tsuyu always seemed so confident and capable in class. I'd never imagined she might have doubts and fears like everyone else.
"You care about them," I said. "That's probably the most important thing."
"Maybe. But caring isn't the same as being qualified to basically raise two kids with potentially dangerous quirks."
"What do you mean, dangerous?"
"Well, Sam's poison secretion could seriously hurt someone if he loses control. And we still don't know the full extent of Satsuki's camouflage ability, kero. What if she camouflages so well she can't turn it off? What if someone accidentally hurts her because they can't see her?" Tsuyu's hands had tightened around her pen. "I lie awake sometimes worrying about all the ways things could go wrong."
I felt a wave of recognition. "That's exactly how I feel about my parents' work. All these worst-case scenarios running through my head."
"Really?"
"All the time. What if they're investigating something too dangerous? What if someone targets them because of a case they worked on? What if they're not actually the good guys I think they are?" I looked at her. "I guess we're both worriers."
"Seems like it." Tsuyu gave me a small smile. "Though maybe that's not entirely bad. It means we think about consequences and try to prepare for problems."
"Or it means we drive ourselves crazy with anxiety."
"That too," she admitted. "But at least we're not alone in it now."
The simple statement hit me harder than I expected. She was right. For the first time, I was talking to someone who understood what it felt like to carry worries about family that you couldn't easily share with others.
"Can I ask you something?" I said.
"Sure."
"Why are you being so nice to me? I mean, we barely knew each other before today, and I've basically spent the last hour dumping all my family anxieties on you."
Tsuyu considered this for a moment. "I guess because you seem genuine. A lot of our classmates are either trying too hard to be impressive or they're dismissive of anyone who doesn't fit their idea of normal." She looked at me directly. "You're just... honest. About being worried, about not having all the answers. I respect that, kero."
"Even though my quirk is kind of creepy?"
"Your quirk isn't creepy. It's just different. And honestly?" She leaned forward slightly. "I think it's actually pretty amazing. You can store things safely, protect people or objects from harm, even preserve evidence if needed. If your parents really are detectives, your quirk could be incredibly useful for that kind of work."
I blinked at her. No one had ever described my quirk as useful before, let alone amazing.
"You really think so?"
"I know so. The mouth-like appearance might be unsettling to some people, but the actual function is incredible. You're basically a living safety deposit box." She grinned. "That's way cooler than most of our classmates' quirks."
For the first time all day, I felt genuinely proud of my ability instead of self-conscious about it.
"Thank you," I said quietly. "I've never thought about it that way before."
"Well, now you can. And speaking of your quirk, have you considered that it might be another clue about your family's work?"
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it, kero. Your mom can drain energy to subdue people safely, your dad has secure storage for evidence, and you can safely store evidence or protect witnesses. Your family's quirks are like a complete investigation toolkit."
The pieces clicked together in my mind. "You think my quirk developed to complement theirs?"
"It's possible. Quirks sometimes evolve within families to fill related roles." Tsuyu made a note in her notebook. "This could actually be a really interesting angle for our project - how quirk inheritance creates natural career paths and family specializations."
"That... actually sounds like a project I'd want to work on."
"Good, because we're going to make this the most interesting family tree project Yamada-sensei has ever seen."
Tsuyu's POV
Watching Akito transform from nervous and withdrawn to engaged and curious was fascinating. When Yamada-sensei had first announced our partnership, I hadn't been sure what to expect. I knew Akito by sight and reputation - the quiet kid with the unsettling hands with mouths quirk who mostly kept to himself - but I'd never really talked to him before.
Now, after spending an afternoon working together, I was beginning to understand why he kept to himself. It wasn't because he was antisocial or unfriendly. It was because he was carrying concerns that most of our classmates wouldn't understand or take seriously.
"So if we're going with the theory that our families have career-oriented quirk development," Akito was saying, his pencil moving across the paper as he sketched connections between family members, "what does that say about your family?"
"What do you mean, kero?"
"Well, your parents both work in fields related to helping people understand and manage quirks. Your dad studies how quirks affect ecosystems, your mom helps families navigate quirk development. And your quirk gives you abilities that would be useful for rescue work and environmental situations."
I paused, considering this. "I never thought about it that way."
"Maybe you're naturally suited for hero work because your family has been preparing for it for generations, even without realizing it."
The idea was intriguing. I'd always felt drawn to heroics, but I'd assumed it was just personal interest. What if it was something deeper?
"And your siblings' quirks?"
"Sam's poison secretion could be used for non-lethal crowd control or self-defense. Satsuki's camouflage would be perfect for reconnaissance or stealth rescue operations, kero." I found myself getting excited about the concept. "We could be a whole family of heroes with complementary specializations."
"See? Your family tree project just got a lot more interesting too."
It really had. What had started as a simple assignment about family history was turning into an exploration of how quirks shaped career paths and family dynamics across generations.
But more than that, it was turning into the foundation of what felt like a real friendship.
"Can I tell you something?" I said.
"Of course."
"I was kind of dreading this project when it was first assigned. Not because I don't like my family, but because I was worried about how to explain the complicated parts without making it sound like I was complaining."
"What complicated parts?"
"The responsibility stuff, kero. How much I have to take care of my siblings, how often my parents aren't around, how sometimes I feel more like a parent than a kid." I traced patterns on the table with my finger. "I was afraid my partner would either think I was exaggerating or feel sorry for me."
"And now?"
"Now I'm working with someone who understands that families can be complicated and still be loving. Someone who doesn't judge me for having mine." I looked at him with a smile. "It makes the whole project feel less scary."
"I feel the same way," Akito said quietly. "I was terrified about having to explain my parents' mysterious work to someone who might think I was making it up or being dramatic."
"And instead you got paired with someone who finds mysteries interesting."
"Instead I got paired with someone who helped me see that mysteries aren't necessarily bad things."
We both laughed at our antics at how we we're just complimenting each other.
Afterwards we worked in comfortable silence for a while, both of us filling in details on our family trees and making notes about quirk inheritance patterns. Around us, the library was quiet except for the soft sounds of turning pages and the occasional whispered conversation from other students.
"Akito," I said eventually.
"Yeah?" He looked my way surprised at just being called his name
"I'm glad we got paired together for this, kero."
He looked up from his notebook, and I was surprised to see how much more relaxed he seemed than when we'd started. The tension in his shoulders had eased, and the nervous energy that usually surrounded him had settled into focused concentration.
"Me too," he said giving me a small smile. "I think this is going to be the first group project I've actually enjoyed working on."
"Just wait until we start the actual research phase. We're going to dig up so much interesting information about quirk inheritance and career development."
"As long as we don't dig up anything too sensitive about my parents' work."
"We'll be careful," I assured him. "And if we do stumble across something sensitive, we'll handle it appropriately."
"What does that mean?"
"It means we're smart enough to know the difference between information that's okay to include in a school project and information that should be kept private, kero." I closed my notebook and started packing up my pens. "We'll focus on the parts of your family's story that celebrate their strengths and contributions, not the parts that might compromise their work."
"You make it sound simple."
"Maybe it is simple. Maybe we've been overthinking it." I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Sometimes the best approach is just to focus on what we're proud of about our families and let that guide the project."
"What are you proud of about your family?"
The question caught me off guard. I'd spent so much time thinking about the challenges and responsibilities that I hadn't really considered what made me proud.
"I'm proud that my parents turned their own challenges into careers that help other people," I said slowly. "I'm proud that my siblings are learning to manage their quirks responsibly. And I'm proud that we all look out for each other, even when it's difficult."
"That's a lot to be proud of."
"What about you, kero? What are you proud of about your family?"
Akito thought for a moment. "I'm proud that my parents care enough about their work to take it seriously, even when it's dangerous or stressful. I'm proud that they've built careers using quirks that might have been seen as unusual or unsettling. And I'm proud that they've created a home where I feel safe and loved, even when I don't understand everything they do."
"That's beautiful."
"You think so?"
"I think it's exactly the kind of thing that should be in a family tree project. The things that matter, not just the basic facts."
We walked out of the library together, and I found myself looking forward to continuing our work tomorrow. Not just because the project was becoming more interesting than I'd expected, but because working with Akito was teaching me things about friendship I hadn't known before.
"Same time tomorrow?" I asked as we reached the school gates.
"Same time tomorrow," he confirmed. "And Tsuyu?"
"Actually," I interrupted, "I prefer to be called Tsu, kero."
"Oh, sorry! Tsu, then."
"Thank you. What were you going to say?"
"Thank you. For making this less scary than I thought it would be."
"No, Akito-chan, Thank you for making it more interesting than I thought it would be, kero."
As we parted ways, I realized that this assignment had already taught me something important: sometimes the best partnerships happen when two people bring their different strengths and concerns together. Akito's caution balanced my directness, and my optimism seemed to balance his worry.
Maybe that's what good friendship looked like - not identical personalities, but complementary ones that helped each other grow.
I was looking forward to finding out.
_________________________________________
Author's Note: Hello! Sorry guys for deleting the chapters suddenly again, so I kinda gave up on conflicting with the HSPC as... well I just find it annoying writing with it and creating conflicts with them, had to trash away everything I had done for this novel so I remade it again.
It's going to be simpler this time, a serial killer and tsuyu... yeah you heard that right. Not quite what some would expect though, as I'm no psycho nor have any likes towards those kind of characters, so stick around to find out.
Also for those wondering (Spoiler): Akito's Quirk is basically a version I saw in another ff of one piece, where they ate Waldo's DF (Chomp - Chomp?) and basically utilized it as a gluttony fruit. Imagine it kind of like Rimuru's Gluttony, just no where near as broken since he doesn't have wisdom sage and since its just energy gathering he won't be grabbing quirks here and there but... yeah he's gonna be op later, just a different kind of op.