(A/N) Only one person guessed correctly! It's Toru Hagakure! Trigger Warning! After the ~~~ is a panic attack, your health is important.

He looked over, finding only a floating pair of clothes. Must be an invisibility quirk. "Hello." Old voices of assorted foster parents yelling at him to never speak stopped him from saying more.

"My name's Hagakure! What's yours?"

"Shinso," Hitoshi said, glancing over at Eraserhead somewhat nervously. He wasn't looking at Hitoshi right then, instead focusing on those taking the test.

"Do you think Aizawa-sensei will actually expel the person with the lowest score?"

Hitoshi blinked. What? When had that been said? He needed to pay more attention. But when didn't he. "Maybe." Eraserhead was a tough hero, he honestly wouldn't put it past the man.

They were quickly corralled into the tests. Hitoshi wasn't in the best of shape, admittedly, he was pretty malnourished, so even if he tried regular exercise, it would likely just make his life worse. Burning more calories than he was able to eat.

He didn't want to use other people, he didn't need anyone mad at him for controlling them against their will. But it was the final test. He was at the bottom, and he couldn't afford to be expelled. He steeled himself, turned to the person next to him, a brown-haired girl with a gravity quirk, opened his mouth, and nothing came out.

She looked mildly concerned. "Are you alright? Did you need something?"

Hitoshi tried again, trying to ask his question, but nothing came out. He could almost feel the muzzle locking around his face, biting into the skin of his face.

More concern, and Hitoshi just gave up, trying to walk away. His turn was soon, and he might as well give up here. Clearly he wasn't going to be able to ask any questions. Not that he'd really been able to before.

The girl grabbed his shoulder, conspicuously leaving one finger up. "Is something the matter?"

The words, combined with the hand on his shoulder had him freezing, before panicking and slapping her hand off his shoulder. He took one look at her shocked face, and quickly ran to the back of the group. He could feel the stares directed at him, and shrunk in on himself. And here was the catalyst. He was always the strange kid.

"Shinso Hitoshi," Aizawa-sensei said, staring right at Hitoshi. "Are you not feeling well?"

Hitoshi tried again, and nothing came out, so he just shrugged. Nothing was coming out and it was frustrating him. He had to speak, he had to use his quirk so he wouldn't be expelled. Yet somehow, he couldn't.

Maybe someone in the class knew sign? Probably a foolish hope, but he might as well try. He dragged his hands up, trying to keep them from shaking. He was probably failing. 'I fine.'

A blond teen with a tail approached slowly and carefully. "Somehow I doubt that, do you need some space?"

Hitoshi swallowed desperately, trying to convince his brain that he wasn't wearing the muzzle, his face was clear, there was nothing on it, there was no reason to be feeling claustrophobic, no reason to be almost hyperventilating.

"Shinso," the insistent voice came from in front of him, and Hitoshi snapped to attention, finding Aizawa-sensei far too close for comfort. His muscles locked up and he stiffened, freezing in place. Logically, he had nothing to fear, this was Eraserhead, an underground pro hero he'd idolized for ages. Apparently his mind disagreed, only seeing dark eyes and large frame, too big hands and a dark muzzle stained with his blood.

"I-I don't think you're helping, Sensei," was that the invisible girl? Oh, he'd forgotten to ask her name. He'd apologize after his throat and body weren't locked up. When he wasn't almost hyperventilating. Maybe she wouldn't hate him for his lack of manners if he apologized appropriately.

"Alright, Hagakure, stay here, the rest of you, back off. Change and go to your next class."

With Aizawa further away, no muzzle in sight, and the only person nearby the invisible girl, Hitoshi's muscles started unlocking, although the muzzle he could almost feel across his face didn't disappear.

"A-are you feeling better?" Hagakure? Was that her name?

Hitoshi nodded, hating himself that much more for lying to her. But he had to be okay, he couldn't show weakness. Couldn't be vulnerable or they would pounce like starving lions. She may seem nice now, but once she discovered his quirk… He didn't want to think about it.

"Aizawa-sensei gave me a pass," Hagakure said, displaying the slip of paper. "So we don't have to worry about getting to class until you aren't going to have another panic attack." Hitoshi was almost glad for the chatter. It drew attention away from his apparent inability to speak. It grounded him as well, keeping him here instead of curled up in his room with blood on his face and fingers.

Hitoshi realized he probably had to start walking if they were ever going to get to class. He attempted to take a shaky step, but almost fell over. Apparently he wasn't quite ready to walk yet.

Hagakure carefully supported him, a careful hand on his upper arm. He couldn't see it, but he could feel where it was by the warmth radiating from it.

"Jeez, you're freezing," Hagakure continued talking, maybe realizing it was better when she talked. "And skinny, do you eat enough? It doesn't really feel like it based on your arm. I don't mean to pry, of course, I'm just a bit worried."

Hitoshi shrugged noncommittally. He knew he didn't eat enough, but he couldn't really do anything about it. That was one thing not under his control.

"If I so much as mentioned you to my mom I bet she'd freak and start trying to pack you full of snacks, she's like that." Hagakure laughed cheerfully. "She loves cooking, and it took all my persuasion skills to not end up bringing muffins or something today!"

Hitoshi tried to speak, and luckily, this time, something came out. "I don't think the class will mind." He certainly wouldn't, but he doubted she would want him anywhere near her or any food she brought. That was always how it worked previously.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Hagakure agreed, smiling. "But I wouldn't want to bring something in just to find out someone's allergic to it! That'd be pretty rude! I'll ask about allergies at the end of the day. Hey, do you have any?"

"Uh, no," Hitoshi said quietly. If he did, there weren't any big ones, so he hadn't noticed them. The changing rooms were approaching fast, and Hitoshi narrowed his eyes at the door. At least no one was in there, he reasoned with himself.

"I'll be right outside!" Hagakure reassured him quickly. "I'll change real quick, then wait for you!"

Hitoshi swallowed, but nodded, opening the door to the boy's changing room. The locker he'd selected was on the far wall, tucked into a corner.

He changed as quickly as he could, he didn't want to be too late, he couldn't make a bad impression on his first day. Unfortunately, his legs were shaky at best, and his hands were still shaking a bit.

True to her word, Hagakure was waiting outside for him.

"You didn't have to wait," Hitoshi muttered.

"I have the pass," Hagakure reminded him, waving the slip of paper. "And besides! We don't want you falling over halfway to class, do we?"

Hitoshi wanted to disagree that he would not fall over, then he almost fell over, which did not help his case, so he remained silent.

Hagakure smiled cheerfully at him, taking his upper arm carefully again. "Come on! I know where the next class is."

Hitoshi quietly allowed himself to be towed along while he collected his thoughts. He could make it through the rest of the day, right? Sure he'd managed to have a panic attack in front of the entire class in the first period of the day, but he could survive the rest.

Thankfully for him, the class mostly stuck to furtive glances at him when they thought he wasn't looking.

Oddly enough, Hagakure seemed to stick herself to him, escorting him places and generally keeping everyone else away somehow. He didn't understand it, but he was grateful for it.

At lunch, Hagakure and the tail boy insisted on sitting with him, which again, he didn't understand. But he had a feeling that he may not understand quite a bit. He knew he was broken and didn't know everything, he didn't need anyone to tell him that.

"My name's Ojiro," tail boy said, smiling politely and offering his hand. "I guess the two years of sign language I took paid off in the end."

"It seems like a useful skill for a hero!" Hagakure chirped. "I almost decided to take a year or two of it too, but, well, it was pointed out that it wouldn't be too much use for me." She waved her arms in explanation.

"You could wear gloves," Hitoshi suggested quietly. She'd been receptive to his suggestions before, maybe she'd listen again.

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" Hagakure chirped.

"There are a lot of lacy kinds of gloves meant for warmer months," Ojiro agreed. "You could always find a pair of those."

"That's also a wonderful idea!" Hagakure hugged Ojiro cheerfully, then went back to her food. "So, Shinso, what do you think of UA so far?"

"Big," Hitoshi replied quietly. Which was true. UA was very big. Almost too big. But he thought he preferred it to the cramped hallways of his old schools. Those had often closed in around him making him claustrophobic.

"It is really big, isn't it," Ojiro agreed, the end of his tail flicking against the seat.

(A/N) UA is very big. I am attempting to rewrite this somewhat, so don't be surprised if these two chapters change at some point. I'll have a note if it happens, but still.