Chapter Text
Authors Note:
At this point, it's established that Síat PLANS to unveil the Donnybrook Affair at the Sports Festival.
(You know what they say about the best laid plans... Remember when I said he'd be getting humbled when Villains show up?)
「So. You've stolen my daughter's heart, on this, the day of the start of her hero's journey.」 Mrs. Ashido was shorter than Mina, and somehow the most terrifying person in the room. 「Do you know what sulphuric acid is, boy?」
「I do. Odorless acid used in batteries, steel refinery and pickling, and it removes moisture from organic material.」
Mrs. Ashido let her finger drip onto the coffee table. It hissed and steamed.
Mina's eyes widen. 「Moooom!?」
「Of course, her father's quirk lets him make what basically amounts to Lemon Pledge, but that blended nicely into our daughter and gave her that nice, naturally citric scent.」
Síat muttered under his breath, "Explains why her lips taste like Mellow Yellow... Ahem" He shook his head at Mina's shocked pivot. 「Understood, ma'am. I mean your Fhéileacán Bándearg no harm, you've my word.」
Mrs. Ashido squinted. "I'm not deaf in English, boy. Now what did that other language mean?"
Síat was sweating bullets. "It means Pink Butterfly. I muttered it in shock when I first laid eyes on her, and when I told her what it means, she liked it so much she insisted I only address her that way."
Mina blushed magenta again. "That's not all he said..."
"Right, 'Os mo chomhair tá féileacán bándearg thar a bheith álainn.' 'Before me is an incredibly beautiful pink butterfly.' I was... Frankly stunned. I forgot Japanese AND English in that moment."
Kiki Ashido's eyes softened. 「That's... actually very sweet.」
Mr. Ashido's eyes... They watered. He cleared his throat and began cleaning the coffee table.
Mrs. Ashido cleared her throat too. "So... What movies did you watch?"
Síat's tension surged back into him. How the absolute fuck do I explain that I watched a pair of Rated R movies alone in a motel room with her without getting melted? "The Boondock Saints, and the Boondock Saints II, All Saints Day."
"Saints? What's it about?" Mrs. Ashido tilted her head.
Mr. Ashido smirked.
Síat tried not to look at him. "It's about two Irish guys who feel called by the Abrahamic god to fight crime in South Boston. Old movies, pre quirk."
"Oh! Hero movies, that sounds fun. Did you learn anything, sweetheart?" Mrs. Ashido's eyes tracked to Mina as her husband coughed into his fist.
Mina made a cool it, Daddy expression at her father. "Well, nothing new about hero work, but I learned this big fella isn't out of touch with his emotions. I also learned where 'Rule of Thumb' came from, and... Let's just say I'm never saying it again."
Mr. Ashido wheezed.
"So you're telling me you HAD a chaperone, but they were invisible." Mrs. Ashido looked skeptical.
"Yes. I can't explain yet, but I will. I promise you, you can meet them after the sports festival, I just... It's hard to explain without giving away something I was planning on unveiling later. Spoilers, and all that."
Kiki squinted. "Okay. I'll let you have your big reveal. I mean, you offered to meet the parents after the first date, I suppose I can give you the benefit of the doubt."
"Insisted, ma'am. Today was a test. It was only fair to Mo Fhéileacán Bándearg that I be tested too." Síat cleared his throat.
She actually smiled. "True. Won't you stay for dinner?"
"It would be a serious honor."
By the end of the night, almost everyone was laughing. Except Kiki. She wasn't exceptionally absent from conversation, but she kept staring at Síat. A less perceptive person might have missed that she was fighting hard to keep her composure and maintain her aura of intimidation.
Kiki folded her arms as Síat got ready to leave. "You've missed the train."
"Aye, but Pat and Ben always have m'back."
"Curfew is in a few minutes."
Síat blinked. "Curfew? I haven't heard from curfew since I was 8..."
"Japan has a curfew."
"Oh. Shi-... taki mushrooms."
"Wait... 8?"
Mina popped up between them. "I'll go get the blankets, mom, maybe you wanna find something that can fit him so we can wash his uniform?"
Kiki's eyes narrowed at Mina. "Ahuh. Mosuman, be a dear, and get to the bottom of that."
Mr. Ashido slid in next to Síat.