Blank Canvas: Convictions

by jokeraddict0

Part 2 of Blank Canvas! Izuku and Hitoshi have done it. A Quirkless and a Villain have faced every challenge and set back and have successfully fought their way into the Hero Course. Now all that was left was to become Heroes and make a better world. If the world lets them that is. Will their convictions hold out? Only time will tell!. (Tuesday updates, Tododeku, mxm)

17. So Far So Good

(A/N: Formatting reminder: -Dialogue using sign language.- "Dialogue spoken in English."

Also, if you don't use the tumblr, I don't know how actual sign language grammar works so it's going to be in the same style as verbal speech. Also, Izuku may be more fluent than is actually realistic, but he is canonly a sponge when it comes to learning and also I want him to be sign friends with Kouda. Also this is my fic so I'll do what I want. :P Anyway, enjoy!)

...

Despite being in the Hero Course now, Izuku found the majority of the morning classes pretty mundane. But then again, they were the same lessons for the same subjects taught by the same teachers so he shouldn't be too surprised. UA was still a high school and they were there to learn as high school students. The only difference was being taught by Pro Heroes but that novelty had dulled a bit since the start of the year. Not that Izuku stopped having little fanboy moments from time to time. But that was to be expected from the 'Hero nerd' as Hitoshi liked to call him from time to time.

During Mathematics class, Ectoplasm sent the two newest additions to 1-A an encouraging nod before starting the class. For Modern Literature, Cementoss gave them a supportive smile and nod as well. Both giving their silent support while not drawing too much attention to the pair. Then came Modern Hero Art History.

Midnight entered the room boisterous as she ever did. Excited to share her knowledge and teach her students a thing or two. She sent a knowing smirk and wink towards the greenette as soon as they made eye contact while shooting a teasing glance and eyebrow wiggle between him and his 'crush'. The one who just so happened to be seated right next to him. It made him regret ever confirming his maybe sort of crush to the 'vibrant youth' obsessed Hero. Now knowing she didn't know how to leave something like this alone.

Ugh, why me?

Izuku chose to ignore her except for what she was actually teaching. Because her subject was intriguing as it showed through art the evolution of Heroes to what they are today. Though intriguing didn't mean inspiring at least not for Izuku. Not now that he was starting to see the world in shades of grey and that the flash and flare of the Daylight Heroes was more harmful than helpful to society. But still interesting to see the transition from what Heroes were before and eventually what they had turned into in the modern age.

For the most part though, aside from Midnight's teasing, morning classes were normal. It wasn't until English that things deviated from the routine. Or rather everyone else's routine, because receiving a signed greeting from their English teacher was the norm for Izuku. A tradition that had started ever since Yamada had offered to teach him JSL between his assignments from Nezu.

As had happened many times before, Yamada signed to Izuku a greeting along with his task for the day. Which thankfully was to work on his plans for his Support Items. The greenette responded with sign and a nod before taking out his Quirk Replication notebook to continue his work. Most of the students didn't notice still busy with their own preparations. But the interaction didn't go unnoticed by a certain shy boy.

...

Kouji was so happy that the boy who had rescued him and talked to him in sign language before was now in 1-A. It would be nice to have someone to talk to in sign. Not that the animal whisperer couldn't talk. He was just…shy. It was a lot more comfortable for him to communicate in sign and gestures than in verbal words. Something that his teachers thankfully understood and didn't pressure him to talk aloud. They even knew sign themselves so he had always been able to communicate with them easily.

But now he would have a classmate to sign with. A friend or so he'd like to think and hoped that the other boy's smiles and kind gestures were because he thought so too. If anything, they could at the very least sign to each other which was more than Kouji could do with his other classmates. He was still friendly with many of them but the communication between them was limited to what he could gesture and their ability to understand charades. So, it would be nice to have someone who better understood what he had to say in a way that the shy boy was more comfortable with.

When they had first met, Kouji had fearfully believed he was about to get crushed under a piece of falling ice. Had expected to be injured and fall behind in the race. So, he had closed his eyes and crouched in fear but the hit never came. Instead, when he opened his eyes, he saw a green haired boy covered in Support Items protecting them both from the debris with a shield.

Kouji remembered being surprised and unable to move as the boy had collapsed his shield and raised his goggles to reveal green eyes. They were full of concern and kindness. Qualities Kouji could identify with a sort of feeling that he attributed to his connection with animals. Like a natural instinct that came with his Quirk. The fact that the other had protected him had surprised him but he was even more shocked when the boy started to sign to him.

How did he know to do that?

Kouji had assured the mysterious boy he was fine and was internally just grateful for the help. The shy boy hated violence even though he wanted to be a Hero. But not all Heroes had to be violent. There were many out there that focused on search and rescue rather than going up against Villains. Which is what Kouji wanted to be. His Anivoice Quirk would be perfect for either of those options even though he hadn't had much of a chance to show what his Quirk could do yet.

It was because of this lack of awareness even among his own classmates that led to the third surprise of their first meeting. The helpful boy not only protected him and signed to him, but had also apologized that Kouji couldn't use his Quirk because it was too loud for any animals to be around for him. Had then wished him to 'do his best' before skating away as if on air.

I hadn't even been able to thank him properly.

It was this that had pushed Kouji to approach the boy who had placed seventeenth even though Kouji figured he could have placed higher than that. But instead had spent his time helping others skating especially their vice president, Yaoyorozu.

Kouji, and Ashido who had been right in front of him, had witnessed the mystery boy race across the field and zap the small purple teen off of Yaoyorozu's back. Before him, Kouji had heard Ashido give an impressed whistle and 'damn' before grinning as she rushed to the finish line with him not too far behind. Placing eighteenth and nineteenth respectively.

The pinkette had headed towards the rest of 1-A but Kouji detoured over to the boy who had protected him. The mystery boy was already surrounded by people which was kind of intimidating, but the shy boy pushed passed his nerves so he could thank the boy properly. Besides, those around him had all been in 1-A so the group hadn't consisted of strangers.

When Kouji had tapped on the boy's shoulder, he was met with those same kind green eyes but now he could see the rest of his face. Not only did the boy's eyes emanate kindness but his entire face did. The innocence of his youthful round cheeks that were smattered with freckles and the bright smile that shined like the sun. Coming off as someone kind and caring but had a hidden strength to do what needed to be done to help others. Whether that be protecting them from debris or from others who sought to sabotage them.

The first words out of the mystery boy's mouth had been in congratulations paired with condolences. Communicating with him verbally with no hesitation indicating that the boy knew Kouji could understand sign and verbal speech somehow. Or possibly guessed that now that the other's mask was down perhaps he could potentially read lips. Which he could but how did the other know?

Kouji's first attempt to ask was interrupted by a new boy who wasn't in 1-A but was called 'Hitoshi-kun' by the green haired boy. They must be friends. The mystery boy had been kind enough to apologize for the interruption before addressing his friend which was considerate of him. The friends had talked about the qualifying number of students which the greenette seemed to know quite a lot about. Something that the others had found curious as well earning an explanation that he had researched the past years and had found a pattern.

He must be very smart.

Then the boy had returned his attention back to Kouji to allow him to asked his previously interrupted question. Again, very kind of him. Except he had added yet another surprise. He had called Kouji by his name before he had introduced himself. Making him wonder how in the world that this boy he had only just met that day knew he signed, what his Quirk was, and his name.

How was it possible?

That question had been answered by yet another of the mystery boy's friends joining the group with a loudly proclaimed 'Hiro-kun'. Earning a shocked response from Yaororozu as well as himself leading to the early reveal that the boy, one Midoriya Izuku, had been the Hiro who had observed their training. Hidden in plain sight but as to why the animal whisperer didn't know.

Either way, Kouji had finally been able to properly introduce himself and thank Midoriya for his help. Had even offered to come up with a sign name for him as the shy boy hoped to be friends. He was still deciding but would let the green haired boy know as soon as he did. Which would be a lot easier to do since they were now in the same class and even seated right next to each other.

They had signed brief greetings as Midoriya had moved to his new seat behind Kouji. Then the next class had been all about Hero names which had given the shy teen anxiety when Midnight had announced they had to present them. But once again, she hadn't pushed him to speak aloud and instead let his board do the talking. He would always be grateful for the consideration of his teachers.

It had been fun to see all the different names his classmates had come up with. Such a wide variety that showcased either their goals or their Quirks. Even his own was a hint at his Anivoice Quirk. Anima was a Hero name Kouji hoped he could do justice to giving his future Hero duties his best effort. To bring comfort and safety with the help of his animal friends. Well, when they were around for him to talk to. Loud situations were a weakness for him.

Maybe I should work in more rural areas once I graduate? Places with less people and more nature where animals thrive?

Food for future thought. For now, Kouji needed to focus on learning to become a Hero first. Which happened to include the same subjects as any other high school. Though the animal whisperer found himself still reeling about finding out that Midoriya had cleaned an entire beach by himself. All in order to train for UA as well as give back to the community without the want of recognition.

Midoriya already is acting like a Hero.

The greenette was just full of so many surprises. Protecting him, communicating in sign with him, knowing his Quirk and his name, and ultimately being the Hiro who had observed them. Winning the Sports Festival while Quirkless and instead using his Quirk Replicating Support Items as his 'edge' as he called it. Had even been able to talk his and Shinsou's way into the Hero Course a whole year earlier. Against Principal Nezu no less! Kouji didn't know much about the chimera personally but he did know his reputation for being smarter than most humans. But apparently there were still more surprises to come.

Most of their morning classes had proceeded as normal but it wasn't until English that something different happened. Kouji had been taking out his studying supplies for the next class when he was distracted by Yamada walking in and signing. Something he had never done before in class as his subject was English not JSL. Encouraging all the students to try to communicate in English as much as possible in his class. Even Kouji though Yamada was very accepting of his whispered answers rather than demanding him to speak louder. The UA teachers were very understanding of his shyness.

The signed message was sent in the animal whisperer's direction but wasn't directed at him. Rather to the boy behind him who he saw signing back with a glance behind him. Something about Midoriya working on his plans for his Support Items. Which was curious because the next class was English and while Yamada was a pretty easy-going teacher, he still ran the class firmly and kept them on subject.

So, why would Midoriya be different?

Kouji quickly got out the rest of his supplied before turning around and tapping the greenette's desk to gain his attention. Green eyes looked up from a notebook filled with sketches and notes on what must be his Quirk Replicating Support Items. The freckled boy tilted his head in question wondering what the animal whisperer wanted.

-What did Yamada-sensei mean about your 'assignment for the day'?- Kouji signed.

-Yamada-sensei?- Izuku repeated the gesture back with a confused expression.

-Oh, sorry!- the shy boy signed back. -That's my sign name for Y-A-M-A-D-A.-

He then repeated the sign name which Midoriya copied. Then the greenette let out a giggle.

-Wait, so your sign name for him is 'loud' with the sign for 'ya'?- Midoriya snickered quietly. -That is so perfect for him.-

Kouji couldn't help the blush that crossed his cheeks. It was a sign name he had given the Hero in his mind. This was the first time he had used it with anyone before. Perhaps a bit on the nose but it did fit the man quite well which was why he had picked it. A shy smile spread across his face now that he had someone to share that sort of thing with.

-Yes, it is,- the animal whisperer signed back. -So, what did he mean? Do you not study English with Yamada-sensei?-

-Oh, no, I don't,- Midoriya replied after putting down his pencil. -I'm actually fluent in English.-

-You are?!- the shy boy silently exclaimed with wide eyes. -How?-

-My dad works in the US and I talk to him once a week,- the greenetted explained with a smile. -He thought that it was an important language to learn for business and such, so he taught me English starting when I was young.-

-Wow, that's really impressive,- Kouji replied with his own smile. -My English is okay, but it isn't my best subject.-

-I could help you if you'd like,- Midoriya offered. -I help some of my other friends with English too. Like H-I-T-O-S-H-I.-

The greenette finger spelled the name before pointing over at Shinsou who was setting up his own English supplies.

-Thank you. That's very kind of you,- Kouji replied but then realized what the boy behind him had signed. -Wait, 'other friends'? Does that mean…we're friends?-

Midoriya blushed and seemed to hesitate before signing, -I mean, I'd like to be if you do.-

-I'd like that too!- Kouji signed back in excitement. -I'm still coming up with a sign name for you but I'll let you know as soon as I do.-

And perhaps they could come up with other sign names for their friends, classmates, and teachers too. A few of which Kouji had already come up with on his own but never had the chance to use before. But with a new sign friend came sign names. Plus, it would be fun to figure out the best ones.

-Thank you, Kouda-kun,- Midoriya responded, getting a happy smile from the shy teen for remembering his sign name. -Please take all the time you need. No rush. I'm just honored that you want to give me one.-

-Of course,- the shy teen signed before asking. -Well, if you're already fluent in English, what do you do during class instead?-

-You know how I told you I was learning sign?- Izuku asked, earning a nod. -Yamada-sensei is the one teaching me.-

-Really? Wow,- Kouji replied with a shocked expression. -Yamada-sensei sure is good at teaching.-

-And multitasking,- Midoriya added. -The man is a Pro Hero, teacher, and radio host. On top of that, he's taken it upon himself to teach me JSL while he teaches English to everyone else. It's a wonder he hasn't collapsed from exhaustion.-

-He does have a lot of energy,- the animal whisperer signed with a giggle. -I had considered using 'hyper' in his sign name but decided to go with 'loud' instead. Seemed less mean.-

The greenette let out a bark of laughter at that gaining the attention of those around him. But he simply waved them off before going back to their otherwise silent conversation.

-That would have been perfect too,- Midoriya signed, still snickering slightly.

Kouji giggled as well before asking, -What are you going to learn today for sign? I could help you like you offered to help me with English.-

-That would be awesome!- Midoriya replied clearly excited for having a study buddy. -Though I'm not working on JSL today.-

-You're not?- Kouji signed earning a shake of the other's head. -Then what are you going to do for class?-

The greenette hesitated before taking a deep breath. He turned his open notebook around for Kouji to see before signing, -At the end of the Sports Festival, I had…'issues' with some of my Support Items. I need to either rebuild or upgrade them before the internships.-

The shy teen looked over the notes for the shoe attachments the other had used during the Sports Festival. There were scribblings were everywhere and some were either erased and rewritten or crossed out altogether. Being a perfect example of chaotic organization that somehow worked but still seemed confusing at the same time.

-So, you only learn JSL part of the time in English class?- Kouji asked as he looked up from the notebook to see the nod from the greenette. -What do you do the rest of the time?-

-I get assignments to work on my analysis skills,- Midoriya replied.

-Analysis?- Kouji questioned. -What do you analyze?-

-Quirks mostly,- the greenette replied. -I grew up Quirkless but I always wanted to be a Hero. So I started to analyze Hero fights and Quirks to see if I could figure out how they worked. Looking for strengths and weaknesses. Ways to get around a Quirk even though I don't have one. Because no matter how strong a Quirk appears, there's always some weakness to them. Like a time limit or point of exhaustion from using it too much.-

Kouji hummed with a hand on his chin in thought before signing, -That is true. Like with my Anivoice, it's hard to find animals to talk to in loud places.-

-Like during the Sports Festival,- Midoriya commented. -But you still did pretty well even though you couldn't use your Quirk.-

-Says the person who won first place,- Kouji joked earning a slightly blush from the other.

-Well, I had something to prove,- the greenette replied with a shrug. -That the Quirk doesn't dictate if you are a winner or a loser. That you don't need one to win. Because Quirks are simply tools used to accomplish a task. I just built my own tools instead.-

-And use them very well,- the animal whisperer complimented gaining another shy blush from the other. -So, your analysis is how you got your ideas from your Support Items?-

-Yes, it is,- Midoriya signed, briefly flipping through his notebook to the pages on his Tape gun to show him. Giving him a moment to look over his notes before continuing. -Like I said before, some Quirks can be replicated to a certain degree through technology. For example…-

He flipped over to a different set of pages in the notebook.

-…my fire mask is based off my dad's Fire Breath Quirk,- he continued and then proceeded to point out some of the sketched features with accompanying notes.

Kouji scanned over the pages with interest even though most of it he didn't understand. Not having much experience when it came to how Support Items worked internally. But the notes describing what he had used for inspiration and how he replicated the effects were still fascinating to read.

-These are really good,- the animal whisperer signed. -Did you come up with these as part of your analysis assignments?-

-No, I came up with these either before UA or during studio time,- Midoriya explained. -Typically, when I'm not learning JSL, I'm working on assignments given to me by N-E-Z-U.-

-Why would he give you assignments?- Kouji asked.

-Because I'm his personal student,- the greenette replied as if it was nothing special.

-You're his…,- the shy teen started to sign in shock only to be interrupted by Yamada calling the class to order as the bell rang for the start of the period.

Kouji quickly turned around to put his full attention on the lesson. Well, mostly. In the back of his mind, he was still reeling on yet another surprise from the mysterious boy behind him.

A personal student of Principal Nezu's, huh? Wow.

...

Hizashi smiled to himself as he prepared for his next lesson. Partially because of his usually cheerful personality but also because his favorite student was conversing in sign with the shy Kouda. Making friends while also trading offers of help for their various languages being learned. Which Hizashi so totally supported. Peer mentoring was a great way to both teach others and reinforce your own learning.

Today's lesson wasn't too complicated. Just a continuation of the grammar point they had started last week. No biggie. Plus, the Green Bean would be busy all week working on his Support Items so no JSL on top of teaching English for a while. At least not until after the coming internships. Which he was actually really excited for since Shouta had chosen to take on his two 'problem children' as interns. Citing that it was because they needed to 'catch up' as he claimed but Hizashi knew it was because his husband didn't want to give his students up after just getting them in his class.

The Dadzawa is strong this year.

Shouta hated that term even though it was so freaking accurate. Thank Nemuri for coming up with it when they all started working at UA together. Because no matter how much he denied it, Shouta so acted like a dad towards the students who managed to remain in his class. Proving their potential while also worming their way into the caterpillar man's heart no matter how much he denies it. And this year he had only expelled two from his class while the year before he had chucked the lot of 1-A into the expulsion bin.

Shouta must really see a lot of potential in his class this year.

Which was good. While Shouta was a hardass when it came to his teaching method, more than Hizashi could ever be, the blonde couldn't deny that the tired man's method did work. He had a sort of sixth sense when it came to potential and had weeded out those who didn't pass his standards so that those who did could flourish and bloom. Ever pushing forward to go Plus Ultra and become the best Heroes they could be.

It worked for Shouta and his students for him to teach that way. Pushing the students to work past their own limits to become better and stronger. As for Hizashi, he preferred a gentler and more fun approach when it came to his teaching. Not wanting to subject his students to the kind of rote memorization boringness that he had gone through during his own schooling. Much preferring to make his lessons fun and interactive as much as possible to get the students excited and using English in a more natural way. Because academic and conversational English can be very different and not always interchangeable.

Today was one of the calmer days though. Further practice that was more in line with more traditional teaching methods like worksheets. Focusing more on reading and writing rather than speaking and listening. Well, other than him speaking to explain and the students listening to him talk. But that was neither here nor there. Just a regular class to continue their education of the English language.

Hizashi called the class to order as the bell rang and began with his usual class warm ups. The lesson was going smoothly as always of reviewing vocabulary and grammar and then transitioning into the topic of the day. Writing notes, explanations, and examples on the blackboard for the students to copy in their notebooks. Then walking along the front row of desks to hand out the worksheets and giving each student the correct number of papers to pass back before returning to the front.

"Uh, Yamada-sensei?" Kirishima called out.

"Yes, little listener?" Hizashi responded.

"I think you miscounted," the redhead said, holding up a single paper in his hand that was meant for Kouda behind him. "We need one more for Midoriya."

Said greenette was shaken out of the 'zone' he was in at the mention of his name. Green eyes looked up to greenish yellow ones in silent question of what to do. Hizashi signed that he would take care of it earning a nod of green fluff before the teen turned his attention back to his notebook.

"Actually, Midoriya doesn't need one," Hizashi replied, receiving confused looks from many of the students. Obviously not the Green Bean's friends who probably already knew of his proficiency in the language. "He's already fluent in English and so has other assignments during this class time."

"Man, you're already fluent, Midoriya?" Kaminari interjected, gaining the greenette's attention who was sporting a shy flushed expression on his face as he nodded to confirm. "Damn, dude. That's really impressive."

"C'est vrai," Aoyama chimed in. "Being fluent in a second language is no easy feat."

In the back, the Green Bean's freckled cheeks were growing pink from the compliments.

"If I may ask," Yaoyorozu said as she raised her hand. "When did you learn English?"

Before answering, Midoriya looked to Hizashi to see if the tangent was alright to continue. The blonde nodded in reassurance that it was. The subject may not be what he had planned but it was still about English so he was fine with it.

"I've been learning English since I was little," Midoriya explained with a shy smile since the attention of the class one solely on him. "My dad works in the US and he thought it was an important skill to have for the future."

"Could you say something in English right now?" Hagakure asked curiously.

"Like what?" the greenette replied.

"I don't know," the invisible girl replied. "Anything!"

Izuku was about to cheekily reply 'anything' in English but was interrupted.

"Do a meme, Izuku," Shinsou suggested with a smirk.

Sure, but which one? the greenette thought, suddenly lost in the vast memeverse.

"Maybe a song?" Jirou offered as she was a fan of music.

Well, I'm not really much one to sing.

"Oh! How about a joke?" Ashido chimed in.

Now that's more my wheel house.

But his classmates weren't giving him a word in edgewise with more and more suggestions to say this or that. There were so many that he wasn't sure which one to go with now. Sensing he was feeling overwhelmed, his teacher decided to step in.

"Why don't you just introduce yourself?" Hizashi offered in English to save his favorite student from the onslaught of suggestions.

Green eyes connected with his own full of gratitude for the life line before giving a nod. The teen cleared his throat and in perfect English said, "Hello, my name is Izuku Midoriya. I'm fifteen years old and I live in Musutafu, Japan. My favorite food is katsudon and I enjoy analyzing Quirks. I hope to help you all to become the best Heroes you can be. Let's work hard together. Nice to meet you!"

He finished his little speech with a bow of his head as the other students applauded.

"Dang, you sound like a native speaker," Sero commented.

"I know, right?" Kaminari chimed in. "I didn't understand parts of what he said but it sounded perfect."

"Even the accent was parfait," Aoyama added with a chef's kiss gesture.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't ya?" Ashido commented with a grin.

"Indeed, he is quite the enigma," Tokoyami interjected. "Who knows what other mysteries lie in wait."

"I do," Shouto said attracting everyone's attention. "He's a personal student of Principal Nezu."

His revealing statement was offered bluntly before Midoriya could do anything to stop him. It's not that he cared if people knew having told Kouda earlier but having it announced like would draw a lot of attention to him.

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" many of the students exclaimed.

Like that.

Hizashi watched the chaos sprung from that reveal entertained by 1-A's antics. They were a very expressive group of students that was for sure. Every class was different with their own personality. Some were boisterous like this class while others like his homeroom were more subdued. Which put a dampener on the many times the blonde had tried to rile his homeroom up with a health dose of yelling 'yeah' first thing in the morning.

Our homerooms are like the polar opposites of us. Shouta's is energetic like me while mine is more lowkey like him. Go figure, right?

"Alright, alright," Hizashi called out taking control of the situation. "Yes, Midoriya is Nezu's personal student. He can tell you all about it if he's up to it after class. Now let's get back to the lesson, yeah?"

"Yes, Yamada-sensei," the class replied in unison.

As the majority of the students turned their attention back to their worksheets, Midoriya signed a quick 'thank you' before turning back to his notebook. Hizashi smiled at his favorite student before getting back to the lesson. The Green Bean was doing just fine in his new class and the Purple Panda seemed more comfortable in 1-A than he ever had in his short time in 1-C.

The loud man was still sad that he no longer had Shinsou in his class. Having grown attached during their training sessions together that had allowed him to get to know the quiet teen. Who very much reminded him of his husband at a younger age. Shinsou was essentially a mini Shouta with the same deadpan humor and perpetual look of exhaustion. Which made him wonder if the kid got enough sleep or if it was just a part of his Quirk.

Hopefully if he needs help, Shinsou knows he can come to us.

Hizashi had a lingering concern for the purple haired boy. It had started on the first day when the teen had purposefully chosen a seat in the back and hadn't made any attempts to make friends with his classmates. Some had approached but really only traded introductions before moving on. Shinsou had kept mostly to himself much like Shouta when he had first transferred into the Hero Course.

That sort of isolation wasn't necessarily a red flag since some people preferred to be alone. Not Hizashi of course because he was the living definition of a people person. So much so that he would so totally be the example pictured in an encyclopedia on the subject. It was why he had three jobs. Pro Hero to save people. Teacher to help mold future generations. And radio host to reach out to any of his beloved listeners through music and him yammering about this or that. Doing his best to fill the airwaves with support and encouragement both on and off the air.

What had sparked the Hero's concern was the barely noticeable releasing of tension when it came to class introductions. Typically, teachers liked the students to say their name, age, and Quirk along with some fun fact or other. But Hizashi knew from personal experience that revealing one's Quirk can be a touchy subject for some people.

Because of this, Hizashi had an especially soft spot for those who were in the same boat. The ones who were judged for their Quirk and labeled strong or weak. Hero or Villain. It was all subjective and total hogwash. Because the Quirk did not dictate what anyone would become in the future. Only the person themselves did that.

Unfortunately, even in this modern more evolved day and age, prejudice was still alive and well. So, it came to no surprise to Hizashi when Shinsou had voiced snippets of his own experiences with Quirk discrimination. Nothing too specific but vagaries of being labeled a Villain for his Brainwashing Quirk. Always comforted by Midoriya that he wasn't because he wanted to use his 'Villain' Quirk for good.

Midoriya had his own dealings with prejudice due to his lack of Quirk. Being immediately written off just because he wasn't born with a superpower. But being Quirkless didn't mean he was useless as that suspended Bakugou had labeled him with the crude nickname 'Deku'. A term that could refer to a wooden figure or puppet but also to a person who couldn't do or achieve anything. But Midoriya was far from 'useless'.

The Quirkless boy had faced constant scorn and ridicule for his 'lofty' dreams of becoming a Hero. The extent of which was made painfully clear from the events and after math of the Sports Festival.

Quirkist idiots.

But Midoriya has never let it hold him back from his dream. Had continued to push forward with his goals no matter what anyone said or did. Worked harder than the rest to achieve his aspirations and even encouraging others to do the same. Like Shinsou.

Now the Green Bean and Purple Panda had achieved that goal and were part of 1-A under the care of Dadzawa. And 1-A had seemed to accept them with ease which was so refreshing to see. Because the two of them deserved to be happy same as everyone else. Not judged by their Quirk status but by who they are as people. Because as Shouta and Midoriya said, 'Quirks are just tools' and only make up one part of a person. They don't nor will ever define a person and are merely one piece of the puzzle.

There was still an itch of concern in the back of Hizashi's head for the two students. Not so much Midoriya because they had his case well handled. Plus, having met Inko, the blonde was confident that Midoriya had lots of love and support coming from his family. Even his father who wasn't physically in the picture but still supported him from afar.

Shinsou on the other hand…he was still worried about him. The purple haired teen had certainly broken out of his shell of isolation now that he was surrounded by friends. Had been more open about his feelings to an extent after getting to know each other. But there were times when Hizashi felt that Shinsou was holding back.

Hizashi didn't know what Shinsou didn't want to talk about. But he hoped that the teen knew he could come to them if he needed help. They were Heroes after all but also damn decent human beings who know how to properly treat people. None of that Quirk discrimination crap that others dish out. No, the Nemuri-dubbed EraserMic couple were great people who have always wanted to help others in any way that they can. Shouta from the shadows as well as the classroom. Hizashi on the streets, on worksheets, and on the airwaves to anyone who would listen.

He wouldn't pressure Shinsou to reveal what he was hiding. No, he wanted the teen to be comfortable and come to them when he was ready. But perhaps the coming internship would allow the blonde an opportunity to get to know the kid more outside of school. The two students would after all be sharing an apartment for a week with him, his husband, and of course the cats.

They are going to so love the furbabies!

It would definitely be a busy week with the planned training as well as his other jobs. But Hizashi was a master at multitasking. He had to be with the three jobs he juggled with practiced ease. Always ensuring some downtime in his constantly busy schedule. Because even an extrovert like him needed time to relax. So, yes, he hoped to get to know and gain further trust from the purple haired teen. Wanting to help him in any way that he could. All Hizashi needed to know was what it was Shinsou needed help with. Whatever it is, he would be there for the kid because he deserves to be happy like everyone else.

...

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Notes extension: post/655990114380595200/part-2-chapter-17-so-far-so-good