MHA REINCARNATION!

The morning sun, a stark contrast to the chaotic night before, sliced through Mina's curtains, illuminating the remnants of their shared space. Sero lay tangled in the sheets beside her, his dark jaguar tail twitching in his sleep. Mina, tracing the leopard spots on her own arm, couldn't help but smile; it was a strange start to a new day, a strange new chapter. It had been almost 24 hours since their bizarre transformation and the events that followed, culminating in them waking up entwined this morning.

The doorbell rang, its chime a jarring intrusion into their still-quiet morning. Mina, pulling on a robe, padded to the door, her leopard ears swiveling with anticipation. There, on her doorstep, stood the rest of the Bakusquad: Bakugo, a fierce scowl barely concealing the embarrassment of the wolf ears and tail sprouting from his head; Kirishima, his bright red hair now clashing with the bushy fox tail behind him; Denki, his usual grin replaced with a bewildered look, a pair of antlers sprouting from his temples; and Jiro, a picture of stoic acceptance, though the twitching of her cat tail betrayed her inner turmoil.

They stood there, a motley collection of human-animal hybrids, staring at Mina and then at Sero, who had joined her at the doorway, his own jaguar appendages on full display. The silence, thick with unspoken questions, was broken by a soft gasp as they noticed the couple. Sero and Mina were holding hands, their fingers intertwined, their faces flushed.

"You two..." Kirishima started, his fox tail swaying gently, "How…?"

Mina, cheeks burning a shade of pink that rivaled her hair, ushered them inside. "It's… a bit complicated." She led them to the kitchen, where the remains of last night's breakfast littered the table. Sero, his hand still in hers, pulled out a chair for her.

She launched into the whole story, starting from the party 2 nights ago, the blurry laughter and shared drinks, and the strange berries Sero had brought, things that felt increasingly bizarre now that she was completely sober. Then she explained her and Sero's break ups a few days ago. Their exes cheating on them and their pain. Then, she detailed the panic-fueled realization of waking up with animal features and the subsequent heat of the moment that had led to them sleeping together. Then last night, waking up and not really being able to deny their feelings.

"We know it's fast," she confessed, glancing at Sero, "But, it just feels... right."

The others, after their initial shock, nodded slowly in understanding. There was a shared look of unease mixed with tentative happiness for their friends. The group started piecing the puzzle together, the pieces clicking into place. The berries. Sero, sheepishly, admitted he'd gotten them from some weird lady at a garden.

"We need to get those tested," Jiro declared, her cat ears perking. "Something clearly went wrong."

Jiro left, her cat tail swishing with determination, to go get the berries tested. The wait was agonizing, the silence broken only by the occasional rustling of tails and the faint clinking of dishes as Mina and Sero cleaned the kitchen. The other couples sat in silence, staring at the floor in deep thought.

When Jiro returned, the news sent a ripple of stunned disbelief through the room. "They were coated in some kind of animal quirk-inducing drug," she explained, her voice tight with a mix of outrage and concern. "Some scientists are testing a new theory about transferring animalistic traits."

"What!" They all shouted, their heads shaking in disbelief.

Bakugo, though, was clearly at a boiling point. His wolf ears twitched, and a low growl rumbled in his chest as he glared at Sero. Sero, despite his own distress, avoided his gaze.

Kirishima, however, stepped in, his fox tail swaying with a strange sense of authority. He stepped in front of Sero, calmly fixing Bakugo's fiery glare. "Bakugo, relax," he said, his voice oddly soothing, a hint of the fox's inherent dominance weaving into his words. Bakugo, though his face burned, found himself calming down, his gaze flickering to Kirishima, an unfamiliar heat rising within him.

Mina and Denki burst into laughter, the tension momentarily broken, and Bakugo's face turned a shade of red. Jiro shook her head with a small smile, "Well, it should wear off eventually," she said, "Probably sometime this week. We've got a two-week break, so we should be fine."

Kirishima, still feeling the effects of the fox dominance, grabbed Bakugo's hand, his own heart pounding, and pulled him towards the door. "Let's head home, Bakugo," he said, his voice softer now. "We can relax there."

Sero, eyes still wide with guilt, turned back to Mina. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, love," she said and pulled him into a hug.

Denki, his antlers bobbing, offered to drive Jiro home. As they sat on the steps of her entranceway, a comfortable silence settled between them.

Denki started, his voice low, "I'm really sorry about the party... what happened... me and you..."

Jiro sighed, understanding in her eyes. "Me too," she said, her cat tail curling around her ankle.

"I just wanted to escape," he confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "My parents... their expectations..." He paused, taking a deep breath. "And I like Shinso… I wasn't thinking straight. He came over yesterday and kissed me and then left."

Jiro's expression shifted from understanding to confusion. She knew Shinso since high school, he was never one to cower or run away. But she nodded slowly, "I understand," she said softly. "I was trying to escape too."

"Momo came to talk to me yesterday about this whole mess," she continued, "It feels like I'm always trying to hide something too, I like her, you know?"

They both looked down at the ground, the weight of their secrets hanging heavy in the air. The expectation of their families, the fear of not fitting into their ideal image, it was all too much. They were both hiding, both running.

"It's a lot," Denki whispered, his fingers nervously tracing the edge of his pants. "Especially now, in college."

"Yeah," Jiro agreed. "It is."

But as they sat there, sharing their burdens, a sliver of understanding and peace began to blossom between them. They weren't alone. They saw the same reflection in each other's eyes. It was a mess, but it was their mess, and they were navigating it together.

Denki stood up, a small smile gracing his lips. "Thanks, Jiro," he said. "For listening."

Jiro nodded, a genuine smile making it's way to her face. "Anytime, Denki."

He turned to leave, his antlers catching the porch light, a small flicker of hope igniting within him. For the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of peace, knowing he wasn't alone in his struggles, knowing he had a friend who understood.