By the time they reached the treehouse clearing, the sky had shifted into that soft orange-blue mix that meant evening was creeping in. Aiko hopped off the last fallen log and dusted her hands.
"Home sweet tree," she sighed.
But before Mirko could answer, a loud argument echoed from above.
"Oh great," Anna muttered. "They didn't even last one hour."
They climbed the rope ladder, and as Mirko poked his head into the treehouse, the scene hit him like a slap:
Tenya and Izuku were sitting cross-legged on the floor—surrounded by tools, broken branches, and what looked like… a half-built trap?
Tenya jabbed a finger at a wooden frame.
"Izuku, that's not how you reinforce a snare. The rope goes through the loop, not under it—"
Izuku didn't even look up. "Tenya. I literally survived three years outside our zone. I know how to tie a rope."
"Clearly you don't," Tenya shot back.
"Guys…" Anna said, dragging out the word.
They both froze and turned.
Tenya perked up immediately. "Oh—you're back!"
Izuku lifted a hand lazily. "Hey."
Mirko climbed in fully and stared at the mess.
"What… exactly were you two doing?"
Tenya straightened his back like he was presenting a science project.
"We got bored. So we decided to make… a security system."
Izuku muttered, "He decided. I just didn't want him to choke himself with a vine."
Aiko burst into laughter. "God, you two are like an old married couple. Already."
Izuku didn't react, but Tenya whispered, "I am not the wife."
Mirko shook his head slowly.
"You know I have an actual security system, right? It's called 'don't make noise and nothing eats you.' Works great."
Tenya blinked at him.
"Well… ours… uh…"
He looked at the crooked wooden trap.
"…exists?"
Aiko crouched down to inspect it.
"What even is this supposed to catch?"
Izuku deadpanned, "Tenya thinks a bear will politely step into it."
"I did not say politely—"
Anna sat on the floor, laughing into her shirt.
Mirko plopped down beside them and stretched out his legs.
"Alright, alright. No murdering each other. If we're living together, we gotta survive more than an hour without a crisis."
Tenya huffed, crossing his arms.
"Fine. But next time, Izuku listens to me—"
"Nope," Izuku cut him off.
Aiko leaned against Mirko's shoulder like she'd been doing it for years.
"Welcome to the new family dynamic, forest boy."
Mirko snorted.
"Great. I survived the apocalypse just to babysit four idiots."
Anna raised her hand. "Five. Don't forget yourself."
He squinted at her.
"…Fair point."....
As the sun finally dipped behind the treeline, the treehouse settled into a warm, quiet glow. Everyone had already claimed corners, blankets, and whatever scraps of cushioning Mirko had scavenged over the years.
Then came the most dangerous part of survival:
Figuring out sleeping arrangements.
Mirko clapped his hands together. "Alright, listen up. There are two beds, one hammock, and… well, a floor. Let's not fight to the death."
Tenya pointed at the beds like he was dividing territory in a war map.
"Okay, simple. The girls can take one bed. Izuku and I will take the other—"
"No," Izuku said immediately.
Not loud. Not angry.
Just pure, unshakeable refusal.
Everyone turned.
Even the wind stopped moving.
Tenya blinked. "What? Why not?"
Izuku stared at him like it was obvious.
"You snore like you're trying to summon demons."
"I do not snore!"
Aiko raised an eyebrow.
"Yes you do. You kept me up since we were ten."
Anna added helpfully, "You also drool."
Tenya's mouth fell open.
"I— I don't drool! That was one time! And I was sick!"
Mirko rubbed his temples.
"Okay okay, before World War III starts… new plan."
Tenya nodded, relieved.
"Right. So maybe Izuku and Aiko should—"
"Man, you can sleep with Aiko," Tenya said, waving at Izuku. "Y'know. You're siblings, right?"
The statement hung in the air like a grenade with the pin halfway pulled.
Everyone slowly turned their heads toward Tenya.
Aiko's voice sharpened.
"…What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Tenya froze.
His soul left his body.
His cheeks went pink.
"I—I didn't mean… like that! I just meant— siblings! Bed sharing! Innocent! Non-weird!"
He sank into himself.
"You know what? Never mind. Forget I spoke."
Izuku stared at him with a look that said, I regret every life choice that led me here.
Mirko sighed dramatically.
"Alright. New new plan:
Girls share one bed.
I'll share with Izuku.
Tenya gets the hammock alone, because he's dangerous."
Aiko snorted. Anna nodded.
Izuku gave a tiny, grateful thumbs up.
Tenya dropped his face into his hands.
"…I am not dangerous."
"Bro," Aiko said softly, "you almost accused us of incest."
Tenya groaned into his palms.
Mirko clapped him on the back.
"Feel lucky you got the hammock. It's the comfy spot."
As everyone settled into their spaces, Izuku muttered under his breath while climbing into Mirko's bed.
"Great. Now I'm sleeping with this idiot."
Mirko shot him a glare.
"Hey. I don't snore."
Izuku didn't hesitate.
"You breathe like a dying radiator.
(Morning.),
The morning sun pushed through the gaps in the wooden planks, landing directly on Mirko's face like a personal attack.
He blinked, scrunched his nose, then stretched his legs with a groan that came from somewhere deep in his spine.
"Morning, everyone!" he called out, his voice too bright for the hour.
A chorus of complaints rose instantly.
Aiko, face buried under a blanket, groaned.
"Do you have to shout…? My soul isn't even awake yet."
From the hammock, Tenya mumbled, "Please… five more minutes…"
Izuku didn't speak. He just sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes like a grumpy cat, hair sticking out in every direction. He blinked around, confused at the world's existence.
Anna was the only one who tried to be polite. She pushed herself upright, stretching her arms overhead with a tired smile.
"Good… morning," she said, though her voice cracked halfway through.
Mirko looked around at the half-asleep chaos and laughed softly.
"Chill, guys. I woke up great."
The treehouse creaked as everyone shifted—feet thudding softly against the floorboards, blankets rustling, someone yawning so loudly it set off another chain of yawns.
Aiko eventually peeked one eye out from under her blanket.
"How are you this awake? We just survived a forest yesterday."
Mirko shrugged, pulling his messy hair back.
"I dunno. Sun felt nice. And… I guess it's been a while since I wasn't waking up alone."
That made the room quiet—not awkward, but warm.
Anna's voice softened.
"It's nice… waking up with people again."
Izuku gave a little nod, silent but agreeing.
Tenya pushed himself up slowly, hammock swaying, hair completely destroyed.
"…I guess it is," he said, rubbing his neck.
The group sat there in the soft morning light, still half-tangled in blankets, still blinking away sleep—but together. Not strangers anymore. Not quite a team yet. But something in between.
Mirko stood, stretching again.
"Alright. Breakfast?"
Aiko mumbled into her pillow, "…yeah, okay."