As they left the arcade, the sun was just beginning to set, painting the streets in warm gold and orange. Izuku carried the small plushie he'd won from a claw machine earlier — Mina had insisted it was her prize, but he was still holding onto it for now.

"You still salty I didn't let you cheat with your acid back there?" Izuku teased, glancing at her.

Mina pouted dramatically, hands on her hips. "Hey, that claw machine was rigged! And for the record, even if I did use my quirk, I'd probably just melt the toy… or the whole machine."

"Sounds like a skill issue," he smirked.

She laughed, but then her tone softened just a bit. "You know… it's actually harder than it looks. My acid's strong, but I can't always control how corrosive it is. Too much and I ruin stuff — too little and it's useless. I've been training to adjust it better, but…" She trailed off, kicking at a loose pebble on the sidewalk.

Izuku tilted his head, genuinely interested. "So it's like having a dial, but it's stuck on random settings?"

"Exactly!" Mina grinned. "Sometimes it's perfect, and sometimes it's, uh… let's just say I've melted more than a few pairs of shoes during practice."

Izuku chuckled. "Guess that's why you don't wear the same shoes twice in training, huh?"

"Yup. And maybe one day I'll get it perfect." She looked at him with a playful glint. "So if you ever see me fighting a villain barefoot, you know why."

He smirked. "Noted. I'll make sure to bring spare shoes if we're ever on patrol together."

They kept walking, their conversation bouncing easily between teasing and genuine curiosity. Mina nudged his arm playfully as they turned onto her street.

When they stopped at her doorstep, Mina looked up at him, still grinning. Izuku reached out, holding the plushie out to her.

"Here. The prize is yours," he said.

The streetlight above casting a warm glow over them. She hugged it close, smiling warmly. "You're way too sweet for your own good. Also Thanks for walking me home, Izu," she said, her tone a little softer than usual.

He smirked. "No problem. Besides, I couldn't just let my partner-in-crime wander home alone after I wiped the floor with her in Dance Revolution."

She rolled her eyes, laughing. "Pfft, lucky round. Next time, I'm totally winning."

Izuku chuckled, leaning against the fence casually. "We'll see. But you know…" his eyes locked with hers, "I think I can handle your Acid."

Mina blinked, the pink in her cheeks deepening almost instantly. "Y-You mean my Quirk?" she stammered, tilting her head but unable to hide her smile.

He nodded, the corner of his mouth curling upward. "Yeah. Acid, quirks, everything. I'm not exactly easy to burn, Mina."

Her blush grew hotter, and she playfully punched his shoulder. "Careful, Izu… you say stuff like that and I might actually believe you."

Izuku shrugged with an easy grin. "I'm just telling you the truth. "

For a moment, she looked at him, almost as if searching for the right words. Then, without warning, she stepped closer, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and whispered, "Goodnight, Izu."

Before he could even reply, she turned and dashed toward her door, slipping inside with a wave.

Izuku stood there for a second, his hand brushing the spot where she'd kissed him, a small smirk creeping across his face.

'Guess I'm making progress.'

He turned and began walking home.

On his way home, Izuku remembered something.

"Oh right… I was supposed to meet Mt. Lady yesterday," he muttered under his breath. He gave a small shrug, hands in his pockets. "Eh. If she's really interested, she'll chase."

The evening breeze followed him all the way back until he stepped inside his house.

The first thing he saw was Inko — down in their home gym, squatting in front of the mirror. Sweat glistened faintly on her skin, her leggings clinging tightly to her curves. His eyes inevitably dropped lower, lingering on the way her plump ass flexed with each controlled squat.

'Yeah… I need to get laid pronto,' he thought, exhaling through his nose like he was trying to release the thought — but failing completely.

Inko, still focused on her reflection, suddenly caught sight of his dark silhouette behind her. The unexpected image of him standing there like some silent stalker made her jolt.

"Woah! You scared me!" she gasped, standing upright and placing a hand over her chest. "What are you practicing now—how to shock someone to death?" She panted lightly from her workout.

" Nah," he said casually, walking a few steps closer, "but if I was… I would've nailed it on the first try."

Her lips puckered into a playful pout at the jab. Without missing a beat, she flicked her wrist—making a half-full water bottle glide through the air toward him with her Quirk.

Izuku caught it easily, looking it over. "Oh, I guess your Quirk's gotten stronger," he noted as he stepped closer to her.

"Yeah, it has," she said with a smirk, then her tone shifted slyly. "Were you with a girl?"

Izuku smirked right back. "Yeah… how'd you know?"

Inko stepped forward, closing the distance until she was just inches from him. Her eyes softened as she leaned in, inhaling faintly.

"Mother's intuition," she murmured. "So… is she cute? You know you can tell me these things, right?"

"I know I can tell you," Izuku said, scratching the back of his neck, "it's just… weird. And embarrassing."

Her lips curved into a teasing smile as she gently took his hand. "Yes, but I'm your mother. You don't need to hide anything from me." She brought his hand upward, stopping when his palm landed against the side of her chest.

The contact was brief, but unmistakable.

'What the fuck—' he thought, snatching his hand back almost immediately.

"Y-Yeah, I'll try," he said, his voice slightly awkward now. "Uh… do you have something to drink, Mom?"

Inko's cheeks were lightly flushed. She gave a soft laugh, brushing her hair back. "Oh, maybe I had a little too much wine. But I'm fine. You're the one making this weird."

"…Okay, um, I need to go get changed. I'll see you at dinner." Without another glance, he turned and headed for the stairs at a brisk pace.

Inko stood there for a long moment, watching him go. The smirk she'd worn earlier faded into a more pensive look. That was too far.

'Damn it, I need to lay off the alcohol before I end up pouncing on my own son.'

She shifted slightly, her breath catching as she became aware of the faint dampness between her thighs.

'God… I really am losing it. Being single at forty is brutal. My body's practically screaming at me to hurry up and get pregnant.'

Her steps were slow as she made her way upstairs. She passed by his room and heard the faint hiss of running water from his shower. Her hand hovered over the doorknob.

For a heartbeat, she imagined opening it — just to "accidentally" catch a glimpse, just to see his reaction.

But she pulled her hand back, jaw tightening.

'He's your son, Inko.'

Without another glance at the door, she turned away and went to her own room, locking it behind her.

TO BE CONTINUED