"Do you have your things packed?"
"Yes, sir."
"You understand the rules?"
"Don't wander off, answer your messages, and… ah… get everything on the list?"
Sensei gives me a rather dour look. I flush and rub my head nervously. I'd felt oddly scatterbrained all morning. A strange sense of dread at the idea of being around so many people, but also a quiet sort of excitement that I'd been invited. No one invited me to things, it was weird, comforting. It made me feel itchy under my skin and bright at the same time. What if I do something strange? What if I mess up again?
"I'll be with Shinsou training at the school," Sensei says, and he stuffs his hands into the pockets of his hero costume. "If you need me, I expect you to call."
"Yes, sir," I answer with a little smile.
He shakes his head and pulls out a thin, black wallet. He pulls a card from it and I flush.
"S-Sensei?"
"It's easier to keep up with than cash," he says flatly, and I hurriedly drag the bag from my back to pull out the wallet he gave me. I put the card away. "And you'll be less likely to get robbed. You can buy yourself lunch but besides that stick to the list. Don't do anything ridiculous and keep up with it."
"Are… are you sure?"
"Yes," he says. He stuffs the wallet back in his pocket and frowns. "Be careful."
"It's just the mall," I mumble.
His frown doesn't disappear, but he says nothing more.
.
.
.
The mall is crowded.
Sensei walks me to the entrance and leaves, face twisting in distaste at the large number of people. Part of me wishes he'd stay. Part of me wants to grab his hand and follow him away—back to the familiar school and Shinsou. Part of me wants to just run. To run and run and run until the weird, under-the-skin itch disappears. I nearly call to him as his dark uniform walks away. But I don't. Part of me doesn't want to fail. Part of me wants to prove I'm worth keeping.
So I gather my courage and walk in.
There are so many people.
I shrink and pull at my jacket, playing silently with the zipper as I walk. I'd worn a tank top under it just in case my quirk manifested—it'd been Sensei's idea. He'd been sure to also add a lecture about staying fully clothed in public.
I blush, combing my hair forward.
I'd also left it down, the long strands swaying against my back.
I regret it now though I'm not really sure why.
What if I say the wrong thing? What if I mess up again? What if this was all just a mistake?
It doesn't take long to find the class, they're bunched up like grapes, all clustered and caught up in their conversations. I make my way over nervously, not really sure where to go. Recognizing Iida's tall frame and Midoriya's green curls, I head towards their backs.
"H-Hi," I mumble, tapping Midoriya's arm.
He squawks and jumps at the touch, twisting in mid-air. I flinch at the sudden noise and cringe when he stares at me wide-eyed, arms thrown across himself in defense.
"H-H-Hoki-chan?" he says loudly.
"Ooh, Hoki-chan, you left your hair down! It's so cute out of the braid!" Bubbly says grinning widely. She reaches over and runs her hand through it. "Look how long it is! How come you never wear it down?"
I blush and gently put some space between us.
"I… I don't know," I say. I glance over and Iida grins widely back. Midoriya turns red, already mumbling. And from the space beside them all, I can see Mineta staring.
My stomach twists at the sight of him. Why would he ask me that? I thought he meant as friends! I try to swallow the uncomfortable feeling and give him a shy smile. He grins back and waves before turning back to his conversation with Frog-chan.
Bubbly giggles at me and quickly falls into a conversation with the other two. I don't join in, not really sure what to say or what to do. Normally I would have wandered off by now, but Sensei's rules flit carefully inside my head.
You will need to stay within sight of your classmates at all times.
I don't want to disappoint him.
"Hey Mid- Hoki, is that you?"
I glance over and blink as Red's face suddenly fills my vision. He grins widely, his teeth sharp and pointed and looking like a shark. I can't help but smile nervously back, blushing. Why are there so many people?
"Hi," I mumble, pulling at my fingers. Everyone looks so different outside of their uniform, and he's no different. Baggy gray shorts, a tight-fit undershirt, and an open red button-down nearly the same color as his hair with sleeves rolled back.
"Man, you're nearly unrecognizable with your hair down," he says laughing. He slings an arm over my shoulder and pulls me with him towards Pink and the others. He's so forward, I splutter a little. "Hey guys, look who I found!"
"Who?" Kaminari drawls, and then he pauses, mouth falling open. "Oh, shit Hoki!"
I cringe a little and Red releases me only for Pink—Mina, I remind myself—to take up his spot. She laughs loudly and runs a hand through it.
Why is everyone touching it?
"Girl, your hair is cute! How unfair, is it naturally this straight? I'm jealous! Oi, we ready to shop yet?"
The group sort of seems to break up at that, fracturing into small pieces and joining the mall's chaos. It happens so quickly, I don't really have time to consider where to go or who to walk with.
Mina's arm doesn't move, and I end up getting pulled along with Red and his friends.
She reminds me of Yamada-sensei. Bright, happy, and full of energy. Even attached so close, it's not uncomfortable.
And once we start walking, I somehow manage to forget my nervousness. Mina and Tape—Sero, I try to remember—are funny, incredibly funny. Within seconds they start cracking jokes. Kaminari and Kirishima are adorable to watch as well, getting excited and pumping the other up. They nearly climb over each other looking at a pair of display shoes and start an impromptu wrestling match when debating the latest movie posters.
By the time we exit the third store, even though I've bought nothing on my list, my face hurts and I can't stop grinning.
"Hey Hoki-chan, you've been quiet, you need anything?"
I unfold my list and glance down it.
"Ah, yeah…"
Sero leans over my shoulder and I smile, offering him the list. He takes it and palms his head.
"Hoki-chan, this thing's huge! You should have said something earlier, we could have started with yours. But, really, you don't have any of this? Rain boots? A sleeping bag?"
"Ah, no, I've never been camping," I admit rubbing my neck. He raises an eyebrow and grins.
"Oh man, for real? It's so much fun!" Kirishima says. "I've been a few times; my favorite is the food. Dude, camp food is amazing!"
"How unsurprising," Mina teases, wrinkling her nose. "Of course you'd like the food. You're such a glutton! I like telling ghost stories! Especially on dark nights, it's so great! It really gets your heart thumping!"
I open my mouth to respond when a loud voice cuts me off.
"Rin?"
The voice is familiar. I pause and straighten, looking around. Bright, lime-green hair catches my eye, skin-tight jeans, and a denim jacket. My face breaks into a wide grin. Kagura! As she moves, I catch sight of the bright yellow bra under her translucent white shirt. My skin brightens to a glow.
"Nee-chan!"
Kagura stands only a few feet away and I lunge at her, arms wrapping around her neck in excitement. She makes a choked noise and I can hear the others snickering behind me. She smells nostalgic, like cigarettes and mints. She bows under my weight, but I don't care, feet coming off the floor in my excitement.
My jacket tightens painfully against my shoulders. I squeak when I'm forced to let go and the fabric digs painfully into my skin.
"Oi, Hellspawn, what the fuck? Your back!"
"My quirk," I laugh.
I quickly shed my outer jacket. Bright, white butterfly wings unfold themselves under the mall's bright lights. The crowd around us pauses. I can hear the other's indrawn breaths. Kagura looks at the white appendages like I've grown a pair of devil horns.
"The hell? Since when do you glow? And wings? These fuckers better not bite," she laughs.
Before I can react, she turns me around and starts pulling.
I can't feel them, but it's still weird. I laugh a little and make them flutter in her face. She swats and them with an almost playful noise. The others shuffle over, their faces strange variations of surprise, humor, and concern. Kaminari's face is more concerned as his eyes fall on my exposed chest and arms.
On my scars.
I stiffen.
Kagura notices. Her hand settles against my shoulder, squeezing.
"Hey! Whatcha looking at blondie? We gonna have problems?" she snaps. Kaminari's eyes widen. My glow dims. "Rin, who are these fuckers?"
"My-" But how do you know who to make a friend and who not to? "classmates, they're… ah… friends."
"Hoki-chan, aren't you going to introduce us?" Sero asks, eyes wide and twitching between Kagura's chest and head. Probably looking at her yellow bra. Sensei would not approve.
"Wait, dude, Hoki, y-you have a sister?" Kirishima asks looking between us.
Kagura gives them the same idiot look she gave me when I was twelve, telling her I didn't want to be a villain. In an almost protective move, she steps in front of me and glances back, eyebrow raised.
"Why are they calling you Hoki? I thought you said they were friends. You've never liked being called that." She crosses her arms. I blush.
"Wait, you don't?" Mina asks, eyes wide. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Kagura almost seems to blink in disbelief.
"Yeah, I didn't think so." She huffs and crosses her arms. "Friends my ass. You're all just classmates. Though I hope you're better than that last set. Idiots. Rin doesn't say shit unless you make her."
Kirishima bristles and the others look a little taken aback.
"Hey, sister or not, don't talk about her like that!"
"Yeah," Kaminari chimes in, crossing his arms. Mina still seems concerned and Sero's ever-present smile is gone. I can see this devolving already and I hurriedly push myself in front of Kagura to stop it.
"Nee-chan, stop. They- they're nice."
Kagura frowns. Then, seeing something in my face, he sighs.
"Whatever, Hellspawn." My shoulders loosen and I smile at her thankfully. She blushes and rolls her eyes before turning back to the others. "Look, brats, I probably overreacted-"
"Probably?" I mutter. Kagura shoots me a dark look. However, the tension de-escalates a little, and Kaminari smirks.
"It's been a hard month," she says glowering.
And really that's enough.
With those few words, any of the happiness I'd felt is thoroughly and viciously snuffed out. She's talking about the funeral, about Asp, and the deaths. Shame rises in my stomach and I look down, flinching. How long have I not thought about them? What kind of terrible person am I?
"Sorry if I'm a little protective after everything."
They have no idea what she's talking about.
My stomach knots itself.
I don't want them to know.
I swallow.
"I… I'm sorry, Nee-chan. I- I didn't mean it that way. But… But we need to go and-"
She looks hurt. I cringe. Her lips thin.
"It's fine, Rin-chan," she interrupts a little more acidly than usual. "I've got to get some things too. I was just saying hi. And don't forget to come visit, you promised."
Promise me Hellspawn, promise me you'll get strong.
"I know," I tell her wincing.
She shrugs and walks off and I awkwardly turn back to the group. Mina immediately moves beside me, taking up the space Kagura vacates. Her pink arm wraps around my shoulder and she spares a dark look to Kagura's retreating back before smiling brightly. Sero takes the other side, arms folded, and eyebrows furrowed.
It's comfortable… Mina's pink hair brushes against my face as she leans sideways giving me a cheeky grin.
"So, sisters! Crazy huh, Rin-chan?"
I smile weakly at her.
"Ah, yeah…"
.
.
.
After Kagura's appearance, even though everything returns to normal, it doesn't. My mind feels like sand, constantly shifting from thought to thought and back to that familiar guilt—why aren't you sad? Why aren't you upset?
It's been a hard month.
It had been, but not because of that.
You replaced them so easily, didn't you?
As Mina pulls the others into a clothing store, Kirishima stops me with a hand on my shoulder.
"Hey, ya'll comin'?" Kaminari asks glancing our way. Sero smacks him on the head.
"Idiot!"
"Yeah, just give us a minute!" Red answers with a laugh. He offers his favorite, sharp-toothed grin, and Mina laughs calling the other two to some display. When he turns back to me, his face becomes more serious. "Hey, Hoki-uh, I mean… Look, was she serious about you not liking that name?"
I blush.
"Oh… uh yeah," I admit pulling at my fingers. "I… I prefer Rin."
"Why didn't you say anything?" he asks, frowning.
I frown back and look away.
I don't learn names. There's no point when I don't stay.
Why would I expect you to learn mine?
"I don't know how to explain it," I tell him honestly. I shrug and walk towards the railing and lean over. The mall, two stories tall, is huge and familiar. I silently wonder if it's the same one Yamada-sensei had brought me to before, for the dress in my picture. I hadn't paid attention then, too lost in my own thoughts.
I'm quiet for a moment, watching the people wandering around below us, looking like dolls. I'd had dolls for a short time when I was little, back before Mama sold everything.
You just replaced her too, didn't you? Mama, Ryu, Daddy? Have you ever missed anyone?
Kirishima moves to lean beside me and I can feel his eyes on my face.
"I was adopted," I tell him quietly.
"Yeah, I know, I kinda heard you talking to Mineta and Midoriya about it."
I give him a painful smile and he frowns. His hand rises to rub his neck like he's not really sure what to do.
"Kagura-nee-chan isn't my… biological sister. She lived with me for a while at the group home before I was adopted." He makes a sound, and I can almost hear him trying to puzzle out everything. My smile shifts to something a little more real. "She's always tried to protect me. My classmates before… before you guys, they weren't very nice."
Red moves closer and his shoulder bumps against my own.
"Like they bullied you?" he asks. He sounds more annoyed than I expected.
Or are you going to pretend you don't flinch along with never being abused?
I'm not abused!
So, what, do you not think… that?
I want to tell him no. I want to tell him what Sensei thinks, this crazy idea that I've been abused of all things. I want to tell him everything, about the pranks and the homes and the nasty notes that filled my locker. But I hesitate. I don't want him to know those things. I don't want him to think less. I don't want to be less, to lose this… this whatever I have. Friends? I sigh instead. Uncertainty and guilt rising. I glare at my fingers.
I just want to be happy.
Why can't I be happy?
"I guess, I don't know," I say after a moment. I wrinkle my nose. "Nee-chan would probably say so. It doesn't matter though. She shouldn't have been so rude. I'm sorry."
"Hey," Kirishima says turning. His arm reaches out and catches my shoulder. He looks at me seriously, catching my eye. "Listen, Rin-chan! I don't know what you had to deal with at your old school, but they're idiots! We're your classmates now and we'll never bully you! And don't let your sister get you down either. She shouldn't have said those things about you. And, anyway, she's wrong. You're our friend. We might not know you all that well, but Ashido, Kaminari, Sero, we all enjoy having you around. Man, even Bakugou kinda likes you. We don't mind that you're sometimes quiet and we're not gonna make you talk if you don't want. But when you do you're fun, and that's what matters."
I stare at him and feel my eyes water.
He grins.
I feel an overwhelming urge to hug him.
Don't hug random boys.
I contain it and smile instead.
"Thank you," I say, feeling my skin warm and glow.
He lets go of my shoulder, face flushing, and laughs.
"Hah, you're glowing again! What is that?"
"My… ah… quirk," I admit with a blush.
"Well duh, I mean since when do you glow? Usually, you only do the shadow tentacles or the flames. Dude, your quirk is so versatile, I'm freakin' jealous."
"It's recent," I say, and the dim light brightens a little more.
"Heh, yeah, well hey, let's get in here-"
But I lose track of what he's saying when my eyes catch on something familiar behind him. I still and my breath catches in my throat.
It can't be.
The glow disappears from my skin and my smile drops, the blood rushing from my face. I straighten, muscles tensing as my fingers clench around the rails.
"No," I whisper.
"H-Rin-chan?"
In the crowd below, across the fountain and hidden in the dark recesses of the shadows is a familiar black mask.
Asp.
I can't breathe.
"Rin-chan, hey you look like you've seen a ghost."
Why is he here? How is he here? It can't be. It can't be!
"Rin-"
"Call the police," I snarl. Even from the distance, I know he's looking this way. I know he's looking at me.
Don't struggle Intern-san. I have a special surprise for you.
"Hoki, what's wrong?"
"I'm going to make you pay, hero," he whispers. His hand moves, slipping beneath my head to cradle my skull, twisting my head to look at him. "I'm going to make you watch as I destroy everything you've ever loved."
"He's here," I say, voice low and strangled and dangerous even to my own ears. I grind my teeth and push away from the rails. My body trembles. "He's here. He's here. No, I've gotta-, he's going to-, I can't-"
Red grabs my shoulders before I can run.
"Hey, what's wrong? What are you-"
"Let go!" I snap and shove him off.
I don't think, I take off at a run, pushing past the crowd of people. They squawk and shout as I shove them aside. I can hear Red behind me shouting for me to wait and following, his longer legs eating up space. I don't listen though, uncaring except for the fact that he's here.
Why is he here?
I won't let him hurt anyone else!
Niko's face comes back to me, bloodied and mutilated. Her body bent protectively over the others.
I'll kill him.
I twist around the corner, and instead of trying to push through the stairs, I jump on top of it.
I don't think, just move, feet catching the slippery metal beneath my shoes and my weight shifting to balance. Kirishima shouts behind me, again. He reaches out, fingers swiping against my shirt, barely brushing the back of my jacket and hair.
He's too late, I'm already sliding down.
I'll stop him.
Shin, bound and gagged. Yui-san tied, throat bloodied.
People shout and curse as I fly through the air, arms trying to move out of the way. My hair whips behind me at dizzying speeds, twisting and curling, twice I avoid long arms reaching for me. It's like flying through the air, but different. I plummet, stomach in my chest.
I won't let him hurt them.
I jump off the railing when I'm close enough to the bottom. The momentum is too much though, it pushes me forward. I summersault, moving in nauseating flips, and I barely avoid kicking two teenagers in the face.
There's shouting all around me. Chaos as people move and stare.
When I right myself, I've lost sight of him.
I flinch and turn, people passing and gawking.
"What is she-"
"Don't look-"
"Dude, did you see that?"
"What the fuck man, that was amazing!"
I ignore them, finding the fountain. I press into the crowd, ducking forward, looking everywhere for the mask, eyes roving the shadows I can't quite see.
And then I freeze.
But it isn't Asp.
It's Midoriya.
Pale and sweating and wrong. Sitting next to a figure with a hand around his neck, silver hair under a dark hoodie.
My throat constricts, I can nearly taste the terror on the boy's face.
Familiar eyes stare back crinkled, misshapen lips smiling.
You're Hoki? Rather pathetic, eh? I thought you'd be… bigger… Scarier. I suppose we can't all be prodigies…
The villain covered in hands.
I snarl.
"Let him go," I growl taking a step forward.
The people around us part but continue walking. They look at me nervously. There're so many of them. A child giggles, a couple laughs. I drag my nails to my exposed arms, still cracked and scared from our last encounter.
"Don't," laughs the silver-haired man as if I've told him some great joke. He leans closer to Green and I stiffen when I see the boy gulp. "You make a scene and I'll dissolve his throat."
I grit my teeth but control myself. And then, as everyone continues to stare, I stuff my hands in my pockets, my phone's not there. Why isn't my phone there? My eyes leave him to check the shadows again, as if waiting for someone. But Asp is gone. He's nowhere to be seen, not in the shadows or amongst the crowd.
I keep the villain in my peripheral, muscles tight to move at a second's notice.
Kagura, she's here.
What if he's- My classmates-
Where did he go?
I roll my shoulders, nausea rising in my chest.
"If you hurt him," I say clearly, tone as casual as I can make it, as my eyes slide back to him. "I'll rip you to pieces."
"Oh?" says the Villain and he looks amused. "That doesn't sound very heroic, Hoki-chan or do you prefer Rin. I can see why he's so obsessed with you though. Shadows and wicked thoughts, you're more like us aren't you? I heard my friend left you a little present. How did your DJ enjoy the bomb-"
"I've called the police," I interrupt, lying. "You have minutes before the place is surrounded."
The man scowls.
"Did you? Damn. I wasn't done with my conversation," he sneers. He narrows his eyes. "Fine. Game over, for now. But I'll be back. And next time, I think I'll kill you myself."
The man rises and pulls Midoriya with him.
He studies me for a moment, expression unreadable. I don't move. I watch him, teeth grinding, nails digging into my palms. He whispers something in Green's ear and I nearly snarl at him.
"Don't follow, or I'll destroy all of these cute little civilians. You wouldn't want that, now would you?"
"Hoki-chan? Midoriya-kun? Hey, what's going on?"
I remain in place and he pushes Midoriya forward before disappearing into the crowd. I don't catch the boy. I don't move, instead watching him until he disappears. Green stumbles in my peripheral and Bubbly rushes to his side. Red joins us seconds later and I try to control my rage.
Smoke rises from my skin.
I want to chase him down. I want to melt the flesh from his bones.
I want to make him scream.
Where is he? Where is Asp?
"Dude, what the hell just happened? H-Rin-chan, I didn't even know you could move like that! Dude, you just slid down a fucking stairwell! What the hell is going on? And- Midoriya, why are you so pale?"
Next time…
Where is Asp?
I ignore them all. Their probing questions, their worried faces, Green looks sick, Bubbly's pulled out a phone, and Red is gaping as Midoriya starts rambling out what happened. My heart shudders in my chest. I spin, eyes darting towards every shadow. He could be anywhere.
I try to scream, but a hand clamps over my mouth, something sharp and painful pressing in my neck. A needle. Cold, liquid drips beneath my skin, running through my veins.
A hand lands on my shoulder and I react instantly.
I grab it, pull, and snap my fist forward-
"Shit-"
I stop.
My fist trembles a breath from Red's throat, my clothes snapping in the wind in the same way Yamada-sensei's did.
Promise me.
"You idiot!" I snap at him and I pull away shaking, nauseous. He throws his hands up. I could have crushed his throat. I would have- "I could have hurt you! What are you doing? What is wrong with you!?"
He gapes and I don't have time for his foolishness.
"Hoki-chan, you need to calm down," Midoriya says hands up defensively. "You're smoking."
I grind my teeth.
"You don't understand! He's here," I snap. "He's here and he's going to- he's gonna- I-"
My anger cracks and my throat constricts. Bubbly looks stricken, Red overwhelmed. Green reaches forward, shaking hands reaching out to grab my arm. This time I don't accidentally strike.
"Hey," he says. "Hey, he's gone. The police are on their way. He's gone-"
"You don't- it's not- Midoriya, there's two of them," I choke out.
Green's eyes widen. They're as green as his hair. It makes him look younger, stretches his freckled cheeks. I shake as I grab his shirt. The fabric rumples in my fingers. I latch on, his heartbeat steady beneath my fist. I thought he was going to die. Tears burn at my eyes, spilling over.
Hollow, open eyes.
I sob and lean forward. My forehead hits his shoulder and I shake.
He's warm. He's warm and breathing and for a moment—for a moment I didn't think he would be. He stutters, pauses, and hesitates before his arms wrap around me. They're strong and muscular. His own hands twist behind me, flat against my back.
"H-H-Hoki-chan?" he asks.
"I thought I was going to watch you die," I snarl. His hug tightens. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Hey- Hey, it's okay now. I… You came," he says. He sounds faint, like he barely believes it himself. "You- you showed up out of nowhere. But it's okay now, Hoki-chan, it's okay. They're gone."
He keeps mumbling and I shake in his arms.
I suck in a raspy breath and try to take ten of them. I pull away and rub my face, rocking back and dropping to my heels. I struggle to control my emotions, to control the mass of flames and shadows that feel ready to burst from the seams.
The police arrive then, teams of them.
Something on my back chirps. I ignore it, pulled away to the side as the police draw us in for questioning. They pull Midoriya first. Bubbly comes to stand beside me then, her fingers tightening around my arm. She shivers as we watch the chaos. Something chirps again and Red, looking lost and overwhelmed, frowns.
"Hey, Rin-chan, is that your phone?" he asks.
I stare at him in confusion.
Understanding dawns like a stone against the pit of my stomach.
I all but throw my bag off my back and nearly dump out the contents in my mad scramble for the phone. It's at the very bottom. When I finally get it, it's stopped vibrating. I snap it open and grimace at the two missed message from Guardian. Bubbly looks over and smiles slightly.
"I like their profile pic," she says as I pull up the contact.
Red leans over and smiles too.
"Heh, you got a cat?"
"Yeah," I mutter, stomach twisting. I hit the call button. It doesn't ring but once.
"Hoki, where are you?"
I cringe at the tone and Kirishima frowns. Bubbly's face screws up oddly too, but I don't try to examine the look. I step forward, away from them both and pull at my jacket.
"The mall."
"Is it just me, or does her guardian kinda sound like Aizawa-sensei?" Kirishima mutters.
"It's not just you," Bubbly replies.
I don't look back at them, fingers worrying at the hem of my jacket.
"Are you hurt?"
"No, sir," I hesitate and my voice cracks. "b-but, there… there was an attack…"
"I'm aware," he says, and I can hear the growl in his voice. "I'm on my way. Who else is with you?"
"M-Midoriya, Kirishima, and… ah…" I rack my brain for her name. "Uraraka."
"Of course the problem child is involved," he says flatly. "Have the police arrived?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Do not, under any circumstances, leave. I'll be there in less than ten minutes."
.
.
.
The police close down the mall, making an announcement that a villain was sighted. The rest of the class tries to come over, their faces worried and eyes curious, but the police force them on. They're required to evacuate with the civilians. Our phones buzz continually with messages.
I ignore them all.
Midoriya, the first to give his statement, takes the longest. In the time it takes him to answer all their questions, the rest of the police have swept the building, controlled the exits, and checked the surrounding area. Neither villain found.
Kirishima and Uraraka gives their reports next, and it takes little time to get through them.
When it's my turn, I try to be as succinct as possible. I can feel my classmates' eyes on me as I answer the questions. What made you react? What happened next? And then?
"Have you encountered either of these villains before?"
"Yes." I don't look up, eyes locked on my shaking hands. I try to focus on the roaring emotions inside my chest. I stuff my hands in the pockets of my jacket and swallow. "I fought them both at school during the USJ incident. Asp… Asp also kidnapped me during the internships."
"What?" whispers Kirishima.
"Oh my god," says Bubbly. I can imagine her face.
I don't want them to know. I don't want to say this.
I choke on the horrid lump in my throat as the officer with the clipboard writes.
"I don't have any knowledge of that incident, can you give any more information?" asks the uniformed man, frowning. I nod and it takes too long to answer, to finally wrestle control. It's so hard. It used to never be so hard.
I want Sensei. Where is he?
Why isn't he here?
I take a deep breath, and when I finally manage to speak, my voice is low and strained.
"I… I was assaulted by the villain, A-Asp. I… I don't remember the date. He- He tied-" I stop as my voice cracks. I swallow it down. It feels like claws trying to drag themselves out of my chest. The officer frowns and I take a steadying breath. In through your nose, out through your mouth. "He… He dragged- he injected me with something. I… I couldn't access my quirk. And then- then-"
My throat closes and I stop.
I break off as another officer interrupts.
"Sir, Eraserhead's here."
I don't wait to hear more.
I stand, twist, and search the area. Mostly empty besides officers, he's easy to spot. My guardian strides forward at a steady pace, hands in his pockets, hair down, capture weapon slung loosely around his neck. I can tell the moment I see him he's pissed. Posture rigid, eyes narrowed, lips set in a sharp turn.
Behind him Shinsou follows, eyes narrowed and lips thin.
I don't care if we're done or not. I don't care if my classmates watch.
I just want Sensei.
I leave, stumbling across the floor. Sensei catches me with a hand on my shoulder.
"Hoki."
I don't care.
I throw my arms around his waist and bury my face in his chest. His hand presses against my head, fingers in my hair. Someone moves behind me, I clutch tighter.
"Ah, Eraserhead," mumbles a voice behind me. "We weren't quite finished. We had a few more questions."
I stiffen against him.
"What else did you need answered?" Sensei asks, his voice smooth as his hand presses against my head.
"She mentioned a villain named Asp-" I can hear Shinsou's sharp breath, Sensei's hand tightens. "-and I don't have anything on file. If we could just get some background-"
"Do you have anything further related to today's incident?" Sensei interrupts.
"No, sir."
I breathe deeply of the familiar scent of detergent.
"Very well, I'll answer your questions." He pulls away and I reluctantly release him, hands shaking to cling to him again. I don't want him to go. Why do they always go? Please don't leave. Please don't- "Shinsou, watch her."
Sensei studies my face for a second before turning to my classmates. I don't look their way, but he immediately moves towards them instead of the officers.
"Are any of you hurt?" he asks.
"No, sir."
"Who was attacked?"
"Hey," Shinsou says, catching my attention. My lip quivers as he looks down through half-lidded eyes, looking somehow both bored and concerned with his wild purple hair everywhere. "Causing trouble again?"
"No," I manage, sniffing. My eyes fill with tears. "J-J-just stupid villains again. Did- Did I interrupt?"
"Obviously," he says and then he smirks. "You just going to stand over there and cry?"
I hesitate.
"Yeah," I mumble, smiling wetly. "I don't wanna get snot on you."
"Well that's a first," he huffs crossing the space between us. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me forward. I curl into him gratefully, eyes closing as the tears fall. "You okay?"
I'm fine.
The words almost slip out. But it isn't true. I thought he was going to die.
"No," I whisper.
"He can't hurt you," Shinsou says roughly. "You're safe."
"I-I know. I'm… I'm glad you're here." I sniffle. "Th-thank you."
"Yeah, well, you owe me." He huffs. I can't help but smile at his teasing tone. I don't look up, but I know he can tell when my skin takes on a soft glow. "Sensei was finally gonna let me use the capture weapon. You're so lucky I like you. Really, couldn't you pick literally any other day to fight villains? You didn't even wait for me."
I pull away and wipe my face and scoff.
"I'm not waiting for you," I tell him. He scowls half-heartedly. "You just need to catch up."
He makes a face and I glance towards Sensei and the others.
"Kirishima, Uraraka, you two can leave. Problem child, you're staying. Have you contacted your mother?"
"N-No sir."
"Do so now," Sensei says flatly. "I know you weren't planning on walking home alone after being purposefully targeted by a villain?"
"I- ah- I mean-"
Sensei scowls and I can't help the small laugh that bubbles up. Sensei glances our way, before turning back.
He scoffs as he shakes his head.
"Sir?" interrupts the officer.
"I'm coming."
Sensei sighs and walks with the officer out of earshot. I'm glad. Kirishima and Uraraka both grab their things and wave goodbye as they leave, promising to text us later. Midoriya pulls out his phone and calls his Mom. I watch silently for a moment before pulling Shinsou over towards him. He talks in quiet tones on one of the abandoned benches. I take a spot beside him, Shinsou beside me. I sit close enough to touch. He turns red when I do, but I don't care.
I can feel the warmth of his body, the movement of his arm.
He's alive.
He's alive. He's alive. He's alive.
Shinsou frowns and raises an eyebrow, purposefully putting extra space between us.
"Hoki, there is such a thing as personal space," the purple-haired boy says when I ignore it. "You're making him uncomfortable."
I scowl.
"I just want to make sure he's okay."
"By nearly sitting in his lap?" Shinsou says flatly. "You're being weird again."
"It-It-It's okay-" Midoriya stutters out.
"It's really not," Shinsou interrupts glaring at the other boy. "It'll start with you and then she'll be doing it to everyone. Move."
I move over and Midoriya puts away his phone, still red-faced.
An awkward silence fills the space between us.
"What's your Mom like?" I ask abruptly, wanting to fill it.
"Uh… Kind and funny, I guess," Green says blinking at the sudden question. Shinsou sighs in exasperation, palming his face.
"Hoki, really? Do you have no people skills? Can you not even transition into these things?"
My eye twitches. I scowl.
"What are you talking about?"
"Social Skills," he says staring back. I flush and purse my lips. "Watch and learn. Hey, Midoriya, right?"
When the other boy nods, still kind of dazed, Shinsou smirks.
"Thought so. So is your Mom coming? She sounded pretty chill on the phone. If I called mine, she'd probably be freaking out."
"Oh, yeah. Heh, she's… uh, pretty relaxed. But she works in the hospital, so she doesn't really blow up like that. She's on her way now. She's not really happy, but that's not surprising…"
I wrinkle my nose at the green-haired boy. He stops, blinking. I turn and glare at Shinsou.
"How did you do that?"
"It's not hard," Shinsou says with an annoyingly victorious expression. Midoriya stares wide-eyed between us.
"But I asked the same question!"
"No you didn't. You blurted out 'What's your mom like?" I scowl when he pitches his voice higher. "That's not a conversation starter, that's like trivia. It's like asking what's your cat's favorite toy? Or, hey, Hoki, you like English? It's so cool, right? Weird, Hoki, weird."
I flush, face burning.
"Shut up," I grunt. "I don't like you anymore."
"What an excellent comeback," he says snickering.
"You two must spend a lot of time together," Midoriya mumbles. I blink and turn back to him. I smile guiltily. Shinsou just grunts, and even without looking, I know he's rolling his eyes. Green gives me a boyish grin, looking more like normal and less the shaky pale person I'd found by the villain. "Shinsou-kun, are you studying under Eraserhead?"
I giggle when Shinsou's ears pink.
"Oh, uh… yeah," he says.
"That's cool," the green-haired boy says, and there's a naked sort of honesty in his face. "I bet you've learned a lot. No wonder you see each other so much. It's because Aizawa-sensei's your guardian, right Hoki-chan?"
My mouth drops.
"H-How did you-"
"Yeah," Shinsou answers for me. He tilts his head and studies Green with a sharper gaze. "You're pretty observant."
"T-Thanks," Green says blushing.
Whatever else he was going to say, however, is cut off as Aizawa-sensei returns. He looks annoyed, but not as upset as when he'd arrived. His eyes travel to all of our faces before settling on Midoriya's.
"Did you get in contact with your mother?" he asks.
"Yes, sir."
"Good, how long until she arrives?"
"She should be here soon," he admits with a nervous laugh. Sensei nods and turns to me. "Hoki," and just by the way he says my name I know I'm in trouble. I shrink and Shinsou snickers beside me. "The next time you see a villain in a crowded, public facility, I would appreciate it if you didn't race after them. Sliding down the stairwells? I'm not sure you could have made a bigger scene if you tried. What were you thinking?"
"You slid down the stairs?" Shinsou laughs, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Don't encourage this," Aizawa-sensei says darkly. His gaze turns back to Midoriya. "And you. You are entirely too lucky for your own good. Had Shigaraki wanted it, you would be dead. You need to be far more aware of your surroundings. You should never have allowed him to get that close. I will be in contact with All Might regarding this."
"I- uh-"
"Yes, sir," I whisper helpfully.
Sensei's eye ticks.
"Yes, sir!" Midoriya squeaks.
"Get your things, all of you. Midoriya, we'll wait for your mother in the parking lot."
.
.
.
That evening, after dinner, Sensei sits on the couch and gives me an expectant look. I sigh, go get a blanket, and join him by his side. He doesn't protest the proximity and I lean into the warmth of it.
"Start from when I left you at the mall and tell me about your day."
I blink.
"Sir?"
He stares lazily back, raising an eyebrow. He doesn't repeat himself and waits. I frown and swallow before looking down.
"I… I met up with everyone. They all split up, so I went with R- Kirishima and his friends."
"Who are?"
I furrow my eyebrows.
"You already know who his friends are," I say. Sensei snorts and shakes his head.
"Kirishima is likable enough it could have been any combination of students."
"Oh. Kirishima, Mina, Kaminari, and Sero."
"No, nicknames? That's an improvement." I scowl at him and his lip twitches. With his hair pulled back, it makes his amusement even more visible. "Continue."
"We… we went to a couple of stores. Then Kagura-nee-chan showed up." I go to continue, but sensei interrupts.
"Who is Kagura?"
"Oh, she lived with me at the Last One. She came to the… to the funeral, but she didn't stay long. She always has bright hair and- and really tight pants. She… She was always kind. When- when Niko started the pranks, she offered to make them stop."
"Pranks," Sensei says, and I glance up at the dark drawl of his voice. His eyes slip to my neck and I swallow nervously. "If I had known that that was what that woman meant by pranks, you'd have never stepped foot back in that house."
"I… I wouldn't?" I ask, eyes widening.
His stare is piercing, eyes darker and more full of emotion than I've ever seen.
"No," he says, and I can't define the expression on his face. "Hoki, I would have prevented you from going back to that house that same afternoon if you had even suggested that you were being hurt. If she weren't dead, she'd be in jail. What she allowed to happen to you under her guardianship was unethical, criminal, and wrong."
I close my eyes and look down, leaning my head against his shoulder.
We sit quietly in the silence for several minutes while I try to work through the strange emotion in my chest.
"So you saw this Kagura?"
I tell him the rest of the story. I tell him how Kagura got defensive, how she left angrily. How Kirishima and Kaminari defended me, how Kirishima pulled me aside to tell me we were friends. When we get to the part about Asp, I cry. He says nothing as I do, his arm rising to wrap around my shoulder in his quiet embrace.
He isn't like Yamada-sensei, he doesn't whisper soft comforts or even tell me it's alright. He rubs his thumb in a gentle circle, like he does to Miska, and just waits. And when I finish, he doesn't move it away.
By the time I finish the story it's nearly nine, my eyes ache, my throat is hoarse, and despite everything, I'm not sad. Curled up at my homeroom teacher's side, I feel safe.
I feel… wanted.
I close my eyes and his hand runs through my hair, sweeping it back in a way that makes me drowsy. I don't remember falling asleep, just the enveloping warmth of his familiar smell. And when I wake, somehow in my own bed under the soft rays of dawn, it's the first time I can ever remember sleeping without my flashlight.
A/N: Oh my gosh, guys! You are all so amazing! I love reading your reviews and you're all so sweet. You don't even want to know how many times I get frustrated by my own lack of words, go back, and read through all of your kind words. I'll be honest, it's really sort of mindblowing to know just how many of you enjoy this story as much as you do, especially since the content is so emotionally heavy. And then I read about how so many of you just chug through this story in one sitting and I'm over here wondering, how?
Anyways, enough of that, this is the end of the Final Exam arc! Finally! Honestly, I'm not all that happy with this chapter. I ended up deleting and rewriting 10 pages twice and I'm still annoyed with it, but I just got tired of looking at it. I'm ready to move on, this arc is so blah. And have I mentioned how GLAD I am that this arc is OVER!? Ugh! I'm so excited about this next one! The next chapter will begin the sixth arc which will be more focused on Rin's relationship with her classmates. Right now, if we're honest, she only really interacts with Aizawa and Shinsou openly. I can't wait to explore her relationships with the others (especially Mineta, man I love that little grape boy!). He's so deliciously flawed, I've got scenes for that boy.
So yeah! Thank you all again for your kind words, I hope the story continues to live up to your expectations.
:)