Tomura stared at his phone for a whole hour but there had been no answer back yet. It was bothering him a great deal but he wouldn't dare say that to anyone or out loud.
I shouldn't be fucking surprised.
He tossed the phone to the end of the couch and got up. Trusting people was hard for him. He shouldn't demand the teen message him back immediately but patience wasn't Tomura's strong suit. He snatched a frozen lasagna dinner and threw it in the oven.
Fuck preheating.
He dug around to find frozen garlic bread.
Thank god.
Just gotta add cheese.
He threw it back in the freezer for now and added a timer on the oven. Nezu was very sophisticated for an animal but he was thrilled whenever Tomura made something to eat just because he was eating. Nezu was a strict teacher and hero but a doting dad.
It could be annoying. Very annoying.
The teen opened the fridge and grabbed a fruit juice before heading back for his phone.
He saw the screen light up and he dropped the bottle of juice on the floor, diving for his cellphone. His heart was racing and when he clicked on the screen, his crush's name popped up. His heart started fluttering….
He felt so giddy!
Izuku: Yea! She literally gave me a full textbook! LMAO
Tomura grinned.
Tomura: yea, sorry about that.
Izuku: no problem! I will read these but I would like to see your quirk in action. I would like to take my own notes and talk to you.
Tomura: oh…. the notes aren't enough?
Izuku: I want to see it first hand. I mean…. If that's ok?
Tomura: i don't know about that
Izuku: if you want, we can ask Aizawa sensei to help us!
Tomura: god no
Izuku: lol he really isn't that bad
Tomura: yea, you can keep lying to yourself
Izuku: he's really insightful. Who have you talked to?
Tomura: nezu mei thirteen. theyre the only ones who helped study it. not really allowed to be around other students too much. I live with nezu off campus
For a few minutes, Izuku didn't answer him back. He went and pissed then checked on the food. He had twenty more minutes until he put the garlic bread in. He grabbed his phone seeing Izuku still hadn't answered him back.
Hmmmm.
He made a face before screenshotting the messages and sent it to Mei to read. Maybe he said something wrong?
Mei: that's good! It's about fucking time!
Tomura: he hasnt answered me. did i say something wrong
Mei: no not at all! If anything, he might be trying to get answers
Tomura: answers?
Mei: that boy has my number on speed dial. It's only a matter of time before he calls me
Tomura: why would he have you on speed dial
Mei: you don't know shit about the boy you like do you? You aren't the only one who has issues with his quirk. The only difference is, he can hurt himself, you can't hurt yourself
Tomura: what
Mei: he would have to explain it to you. I can't say much about it
Tomura: that's weird
Mei: he can still help you. I promise you that
Tomura: i guess
The timer went off and he threw the garlic bread in after he placed handfuls of cheese on top of them. He finally retrieved his juice and drank it waiting for the food to finish. He snapped a picture and sent it to Mei. She loved food pictures.
He scooped out a half pound of lasagna and three pieces of garlic bread. He grabbed a bottle of water and ate alone. His phone didn't go off again.
He was busy flipping through the channels when Nezu walked in.
"Hello young Tomura! It smells good in here! Did you make food?"
"Yea, I put the rest in the fridge for you. There's two portions in there."
"Well, thank you! How kind of you!"
"How was work?" the teen asked, turning his head to look at the principal.
"Busy as ever! I apologize for being late…. I got an enraged phone call."
"Not surprising."
The mammal laughed as he headed into the kitchen.
"You know how humans are."
"They're terrible."
Nezu cackled as he heated up his food.
"You better get to bed!"
"Yea."
Tomura stood, his body cracking in places and headed for his room. He threw the covers over himself and slept…..
He tossed and turned all night.
Even though he had no school tomorrow, he always went to UA with Nezu and practiced on his own time alone. Sometimes it was nice not to have anyone around and being alone with his own issues. Everyone seemed to be so keen on trying to make him feel better about himself instead of addressing the issue.
Mei could at least objectify him.
He didn't want to be babied. He wanted someone who understood and could at least help him even just a little bit.
X
X
The next day, Tomura drove them to UA. They stopped at a Starbucks and got iced coffee and a hot tea.
"I hope you train hard today! Don't exhaust yourself too much and if you need anything, just call."
The teen gave Rat Dad a nod and headed for the special area built for UA students with difficulties called Enigma. Cementoss always went in the night before and built the place up for him so he could have practice. Tomura tossed his bag to the side and kicked off his shoes. He pulled off his pants next then his shirt. Nezu swore that it was ok, but the mammal spent more money on clothes than he should for him so practicing in his underwear was a normal thing.
Sometimes he did it around Mei. She never stared too long and she even looked him over closely to see if there was any change in his body from using his quirk. The only issue was dry skin and he smelled like a Bath and Body Works store most of the time.
At this point he knew he didn't have skin cancer and he didn't like being in the sun. Mei even had a map of his body pointing at areas that seemed drier than the rest. He continued to tell himself she was just very thorough.
She did make him sign everything…. Just in case he became famous and she needed money, she could sell some of the things he signed.
He sighed.
At least she was honest.
Tomura stretched and headed for the biggest rock in the place. Cementoss usually made different sizes and thickness for him. Because of his excessive use of his quirk, it started…. Evolving. He didn't even have to touch anything for it to start decaying.
His biggest issues were slowing decay and stopping it before it started. The second issue was the one he wanted the most to happen. He was tired of gloves. He wanted to touch things. He wanted to feel stuff.
His ultimate goal was to pet a damn dog or cat without gloves. It sounded stupid but when you could murder someone with one touch and killed you own dog that way, it's a big deal.
Tomura cracked his fingers and let out a slow, shaky breath.
Here we go.
He reached out with his fingers three inches away and it started crumbling already. He dropped his hand and sighed.
Why would I expect anything different?
Tomura tried again, again and again. The sound of rock crumbling echoed throughout Enigma. Tomura rubbed his face before he went over to the pile of sticks and tree branches. He made sure to leave one glove on to grab things.
The first branch dusted immediately. He growled in frustration as time went on. Around eleven he finished off his watered down coffee. He almost wished it was water and could've dumped it on himself. He was tired already and he was busy running laps to clear his head but it usually pissed him off more.
Tomura continued on with rocks and even leaves.
"Hello Tomura! How's it going?"
The teen looked up to see Nezu standing there.
"I hate it."
The mammal gave him a sympathetic look.
"Have you tried talking to Midoriya about your issues yet?"
Tomura dusted his plastic cup in his hands.
"No one can help me."
"I wouldn't be so sure. I actually have a pizza for you on its way but I have something else."
The teen arched an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
Nezu pulled a packet from behind his back. It looked like notebook paper.
"What's that?"
"Mr. Midoriya came by around five AM apparently and napped by my door until I got there. Midnight was heading for the break room when she saw him sleeping by my office door. It's his notes from the things Thirteen had given him."
The packet was at least thirty pages long- front and back.
"Holy fuck! He just got this last night-
"Maybe it is worth seeing him after all."
He didn't like the way the principal was smiling.
X
X
Tomura leaned against the wall and ate his triple meat pizza in silence. He was on page ten of Izuku Midoriya's notes. The guy was really insightful even if some of it was jotted down questions. It wasn't until page twelve when he realized Izuku went to Mei.
He has my binder.
He finished all his food and pulled on his clothes. He dusted his trash and ran for the support room. Power Loader had given him a key since his binder was safer in there than anywhere else. He closed the door and locked it behind him. He unlocked Mei's storage unit and his binder wasn't there.
that boy has my number on speed dial. It's only a matter of time before he calls me
Oh my god. He called her. She just handed over that binder without even asking me…. That psycho bitch-
He chewed him bottom lip. If someone got a hold of that binder and saw he hadn't made much progress, they would strip his quirk from him already. It made him nervous. He didn't allow anyone to see those notes. It was a binder of failures.
His failures.
Tomura sat down running a half gloved hand through his messy hair.
Shit. What will he think of me when in the last three years I haven't gotten anywhere. I barely progressed, slowing the decay by five seconds and that was just the beginning of this year.
He pulled out his phone
Tomura: you bitch
Mei: oh boy what did i do now lol
Tomura: you gave him my fuckin binder
Mei: well, yea. He came armed with Thirteen's notes and then he had five pages written out.
Tomura: jesus christ
Mei: yea he was livid too. I've never seen that adorable little green bean so pissed.
Tomura: what? what about?
Mei: not sure…. He was ranting and mumbling about a shit ton of things.
"Ugh."
Tomura dragged himself to Nezu's office and sat in the corner. Rat Dad handed him a cup of tea when Eraserhead walked in looking a little more well rested. He had a forty eight ounce thermos probably filled with coffee. He sat down in front of Nezu's desk. His dark eyes landed on the teen in the corner.
"Shouldn't you be in Enigma training?"
"I just came from there. I'm reading important shit. I'll mind my business and you can mind your own."
"What's so important you can't be training?"
"Calm down Shouta! He's reading Midoriya's notes. He was already training."
"Yea. I managed to keep my underwear intact this time."
The mammal chuckled, "I'm glad to hear! Though, it would be best if you had more clothes on just in case."
"It covers everything. I picked them out after I nearly decayed mine and Mei's clothes off."
Aizawa arched an eyebrow.
"Did he have anything good to say?"
Tomura stared at him.
"So far, it's mostly rambling. I'm sure I'll have another packet or text book soon."
Aizawa snorted.
"Apparently the boy is holed up in his room with one of his friends bringing him food so he doesn't forget to eat. He gets like that."
The teen nodded and went back to reading.
"Anything new happen?" Nezu asked, sliding over a plate with some cookies.
"Well, some of them started a fanfiction group. Midoriya just joined it."
Tomura's head snapped upward to stare at the teacher.
"Well, at least he's creative!" the principal said with a laugh, "But other than that…. How is he?"
"It's weird how you want to know but he's doing good. He hasn't broken anything lately. He seems rather proud of that but he's been working on it."
"I'm glad to hear. What about Bakugou?"
"He's calmed down a lot. I don't think there's much to worry about after that battle they had. I'll keep a close eye on them though."
"I'm glad to hear! Good news all around!"
"For now."
Nezu grinned.
X
X
"You want us to go back to the school?" Tomura asked, with a piece of toast hanging from his mouth, "It's Sunday."
"I know. I have some extra things to take care of."
Tomura frowned.
"What kind of things?"
"I was sent footage to look at from the Hero Commission."
Tomura grimaced.
The same assholes who want to take away my quirk.
"It's not about you…. Don't worry. I erase all the tapes with you in them involving your quirk."
The teen sighed before shoveling cereal into his mouth.
I have no idea why in the hell he cares so much.
"We'll leave in about thirty minutes. You can use Enigma a little bit today. I called Cementoss when I got the call from HC."
"Early day then?"
Nezu grinned, "Of course! How does one sound and you can go to school at ten tomorrow. How does that sound?"
Tomura narrowed his eyes at the mammal.
"Sure."
Tomura wasn't a moron. Nezu was a devious and sly motherfucker so he was up to something. The teen kept his eyes on the road, stopped at Starbucks once more, making Rat Dad laugh as he handed over his bank card. They parked at UA, separating as they got closer to the school.
Tomura sipped his triple shot mocha iced coffee until he got to Enigma. He threw the door open and tossed his stuff to the side. He placed his drink on the ledge, kicked off his shoes when he stopped. His head snapped to the side to see Izuku Midoriya in his UA gym uniform.
THAT RAT BASTARD