Shinsou Hitoshi stood outside the door marked 2-A. The class for the hero course. The best class for the hero course.
His class.
When Dad had told him that he would be transferring at the beginning of the new school year, Hitoshi hadn't believed it. It took a few hours for it to sink in... And when it did, Hitoshi absolutely did not spend the night staring at the stars and thanking them all for finally granting his wish. And he absolutely did not spend a while with his face buried in his cat's fur. And he definitely, definitely hadn't cried. And if Thor's fur was slightly damp once he'd let her go, that had nothing to do with him.
But now, here he was. At these doors. It was actually happening. He was going to be a hero. Finally.
That's why he wasn't here to make friends. Those were just distractions. Well... not like he would know, he hadn't actually had friends before. But still, people took up time. Time he could be using to become a better hero.
And it's not like these guys would want to be his friends anyway. He was taking someone's place. They would hate him for that. And also, his quirk wasn't very... heroic. To put it lightly. Another reason they'd hate him
He didn't mind. Really. It was fine. He didn't want them to like him. He didn't need friends anyw-
"Excuse me!"
Shinsou nearly jumped at the loud voice. He turned to see someone storming at him with arms chopping at his side. When the guy stopped by him, his face was so intense it almost made Hitoshi's eyes widen.
"The bell will ring shortly, please return to your class at once!"
Hitoshi blinked slowly, "I'm waiting for Mr. Aizawa." He drawled.
"Oh!" The boy snapped his arms to his sides, "I apologize for my misinformation."
Hitoshi blinked again. Why was he shouting?
"But still, loitering in the hallway is unfitting of a UA student. Please, wait for Mr. Aizawa inside!"
Before he could even answer, Hitoshi had a stiff hand on his back as Iida Tenya's other hand shoved the door open.
He was attacked by a great barrage of noise.
"Everyone please! Settle down immediately, Homeroom starts in only five minutes!"
"Iida calm down. Relaxation. Chill out. Stop screaming."
The class groaned.
"Todoroki," sighed Uraraka, "we appreciate your effort in learning how to meme, but it doesn't work if you talk like you're in a coma."
The boy in question blinked, "I sound like I'm in a coma?"
"No you don't, ignore her, she's just mean. You're doing great, Shouto." Midoriya sent a glare at Uraraka. A glare that honestly just looked like he was pouting.
Todoroki nodded, "I have seen and reviewed every meme, vine and tik tok. I am very socially conscious now."
The fact that he said that while sounding like he was in a coma, made Hitoshi think that maybe he was not.
"Hey it's the brainwashing guy!" Ashido Mina pointed at him, "Whatcha doin' here?"
Hitoshi internally sighed. He was waiting for that.
"Oh yeah!" Kaminari Denki perked up, "Yo, he's the guy who almost creamed Midoriya at the Festival last year." He laughed, "That was so hot."
"Creamed?" Midoriya frowned,
"Dude, don't talk like that, he's a baby!" Sero Hanta hissed at him.
"I'm not a baby, I'm sixteen!" Midoriya frowned.
"Well, you don't know what 'creamed' means." Scoffed Jirou.
"I'm gonna tell him, ribbit," smiled Asui.
"Do not!" Iida chopped his arm at her.
"Is it something bad?" Todoroki frowned, and then looked up at Shinsou, "Did you do something bad to Midoriya?"
The rest of the class sniggered and groaned in varying degrees, and Yaoyorozu patted Todoroki's arm, "It's okay, you're still learning."
"You know, I wouldn't really mind if he could creame, me." Shinsou's eyes snapped to Kaminari, who was looking at him with a wicked grin and no shame at all.
"Oh my god, Denki, no." Ojirou sighed in front of him, "We've talked about this."
Kaminari winced, "Was that too much?"
"A little bit, yeah," nodded Hagakure.
Kaminari turned back to Shinsou, "Sorry 'bout that bro. I accidentally flirt too hard sometimes when someone's really hot."
Shinsou just blinked.
"If I say something you don't like, just tell me to shut up 'kay? Bakugou told me to fuck off so I don't talk about how hot his ass looks in jeans anymore."
"Fuck off, Sparky!" Bakugou yelled. He was definitely not blushing.
"See?" Kaminari grinned with a wink, "Works like a charm. So if you want me to stop calling you hot, just let me know."
Shinsou still didn't really know what the hell was going on right now.
"Dude have you ever heard of subtlety?" sighed Sero.
"What, he's hot!" Kaminari shrugged, "Just because you're too cowardly to admit it doesn't mean I have to keep it to myself."
"Kaminari ew!" Mineta all but gagged.
"What? I'm being nice!"
"You're being gay!" he frowned.
"I'm being nice and gay, sue me."
Shinsou would probably be blushing if he had enough blood in his body, so he just stayed leaning against the wall in silence.
Mineta shuddered, "Ugh, stop! It's bad enough Bakugou and Kirishima are homo's not you too!"
"Oh shut your fucking mouth you damn piss shit, you're the only straight person in this class!" Bakugou yelled back at the grape.
The class spoke up in agreement, but Shinsou saw Iida lean back to Uraraka.
"I want to mention that he's actually not the only straight person in this class," he whispered, "but I feel like that would be taking away from his point."
"Yes it would, Iida. So shut up." Uraraka whispered back.
"Okay." Iida nodded stiffly.
"Actually, I'm straight too!" came a voice from the front.
All eyes turned to stare at Aoyama and his sparkly eyes. The class was silent for a few moments, before Aoyama burst out laughing. He threw his head back, "Your faces!" he giggled, "We all know that I'm a raging homosexual, cherie."
The tension lifted as everyone laughed with him.
Well, except Mineta.
"I'm not the only straight person!" he insisted, "How can any of you be gay? The girls in this class are so hot!"
"Yes, they are," Asui grinned, "You're all so hot, ribbit."
The girls grinned and simpered their thanks at her.
"You're the cutest person I've ever known, Tsu." Hagakure threw her hands up, and Tsuyu almost shrunk into her shirt.
"Guys come on!" Mineta spoke up again, "I mean, have you seen Yaoyorozu in her hero costume? She's so- AAH!"
He suddenly had an earphone jack in his eye, and Jirou glared at him, "When will you ever know when to stop?" She glared at him.
"And you know, just because Bakugou and Eijirou are the only official couple in here doesn't mean they're the only gay people," shrugged, Satou.
"Yeah, half and half is so obviously gay," Bakugou snickered.
"I feel like you're trying to insult me. But it won't work, because you are completely accurate."
"Todoroki no!" Mineta screamed.
"It's not fair! Why are the hottest ones gay!" Ashido almost sobbed.
"I... I don't think my fire has anything to do with it."
Uraraka slammed her head to the table, and even Midoriya shook his head as he flushed.
"That's not what she means, Shouto."
Todoroki frowned, "What does she mean?"
Midoriya was trying his best not to blush. And it wasn't working, "She means... like... your... uh... appearance. Like you are a... uh very good um... good looking... person." he ended with a squeak and turned to face his hands.
Todoroki's eyes widened in the most emotion Shinsou had ever seen from him, "You think I'm good looking?"
Midoriya looked like he wanted to cry, "Well," he squeaked, "Wall, I guess... in terms of... uh... you know objectively speaking... your face is... quite, um-"
"You're absolutely gorgeous, Todoroki," Kirishima spoke up, taking pity on Midoriya, "The only one who doesn't know that is you."
"What the fuck Shitty hair!" Bakugou yelled.
"You know I love you the most, babe!" Kirishima assured him, "I was just stating the obvious!"
"You know, you'd be pretty too if you didn't keep doing that thing with your face," shrugged Uraraka.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"
"You know, when you go all rage and look like you're trying to shit out a brick," blinked Kaminari.
Bakugou was up in seconds, pouncing at him while Midoriya tried his best to hold him back, "Kacchan stop, it's the first day!" he cried.
Shinsou was using his entire will to try not to smile. This was class 2A? This was the class that defeated villains that even Pro Heroes were stumped by? This was the class that the entire school was afraid of?
These people were absolutely ridiculous. How the hell was this real?
"How are you all okay with this?" Mineta stood on his chair, "I don't wanna be in a class full of fucking freaks!"
The silence that fell was almost haunting. Even Shinsou glared.
"Freaks?" Yaoyorozu was the first to speak up, and the smile on her face was a warning, "What do you mean by that, Mineta?"
"It's just not natural!" he all but stomped his foot, "Come on guys, what the hell?"
"Sit down before you say something you'll regret," Iida stood up with a frown, "Now, Mineta."
"Iida come on! You're straight too, right!?"
"Whether or not I'm straight has nothing to do with it!" Iida glared at him, "Not that that is any of your business, Mineta."
"Are you seriously telling me that you're one of them?" Mineta all but shrieked, "I should have known! That's why you keep stopping me from looking into the girl's bathroom!"
"Jesus Christ, that's not him being gay, that's him being a decent human being, you freaking perv," Sero shook his head in disgust.
"Does he actually try to do that?" Uraraka shuddered.
"Constantly!" Iida held his head in his hands, "It is most unsettling."
"Are you actually surprised, ribbit?"
"I guess I was just hoping he was better than that." she sighed sadly.
"Well I should talk to Mr. Aizawa," Mineta glared, "I don't think a homo should be Class President this year."
The collective groan of the class was almost scarily in sync.
"Tenya isn't even gay!" Shoji spoke up, "Not that it should even matter, Mineta, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"Well it's not like you can stop me anyway!" he huffed, "I fit through the vents you know, I can look whenever I want."
"Dude, what the fuck?"
Shinsou was more surprised than anyone when he heard himself speak. But honestly, was this guy for real?
Mineta's pouty glare turned to him, "Oh you stay out of it! You're not even in the hero course, you don't matter!"
"You think a perverted freak like you matters more than him just because you're, somehow, in the hero course?" Jirou scoffed.
"You see? This is why the League of Villains hate heroes!" Hagakure whined, "Because of people like you, Mineta!"
"We're above people like him, and you all know it!"
Shinsou rolled his eyes. The way his dad talked about this class made him think maybe they weren't the entitled heroes he assumed them to be, but hey. Guess he was wrong.
His groan must have been louder than he'd thought, because at the back of the class, Yaoyorozu, stood up, "Please don't listen to him. His opinions in no way reflect those of the rest of the class."
Shinsou hoped they couldn't tell how surprised he was when the rest of the class murmured their agreements.
Unfortunately, now that Yaoyorozu was standing, her chest was at Mineta's eye level, and almost no one noticed when his hand reached out towards it.
Todoroki is the one who shot his hand out, encasing Mineta's whole arm in ice. The class's eyes snapped back to attention, and Momo gasped, stumbling back when she noticed what he had been about to do.
"You're despicable," Todoroki said simply, his eyes dangerously narrowed.
"You little shit what the actual fuck is wrong with you!" Jirou was furious, the rest of the class shouting their protests too.
"They were right in front of me, what did you expect me to do?" he all but shrieked.
"We expect you to act like a decent human being!" Iida roared, "Is that really too much to ask?!"
"You're on thin fucking ice you fucking piss stain," Bakugou's growl was dangerously quiet.
"This isn't fair!" Mineta whined, "No one gets on Kaminari for flirting!'"
"What you're doing isn't flirting it's harassment, you freak!" yelled Mina.
"Plus at least we know he's joking!" Kirishima snapped.
"And he knows when to stop!" Ojirou glared, "You're told to stop three times a day and never freaking listen."
"And he never tried to grope anyone, for god's sake!"
Mineta sniffed as he tried to rub at the ice on his arm, "You guys treat me so unfairly!" he whimpered, "I'm just acting like any warm-blooded man and you're treating me like a villain."
"Well you know what, you might as well be," muttered Tokoyami.
"Tokoyami no! How could you call me a villain when he's here!" he pointed his non-iced arm at Shinsou, "He's a brainwasher! He was basically born to be a villain!"
Ah. And there it was.
"Mon Dieu, I keep thinking you can't get any worse," Aoyama shook his head at the boy at the back of the class.
"So you're a shitty person through and through, but he's a villain because he has a brainwashing quirk?" Kaminari shook his head, smile gone for once as he just looked at Mineta in disappointment, "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"It's true!" Mineta all but stomped his foot, "Even his own class says so! No one talks to him because they know he'll make them do things! He's a villain!"
"That's not true!" Midoriya slammed his hand on the desk, "Shut up, Mineta!"
"He did it to Ojirou last year!"
"It was a competition, you idiot," Ojirou rolled his eyes, "We were supposed to use our quirks, that was the whole point."
"Yeah Mineta. Can't you just shut up for once? You just keep digging your own hole deeper and deeper."
"Kaminari you're just defending him cause you wanna keep flirting with him," Mineta huffed.
"Again, that's not the gay talking! That's just being a decent fucking person!" Kaminari exclaimed. He then turned to Shinsou, "I hope you don't think I'm anything like him," he all but begged, "I will stop flirting with you, I swear."
"Nah, keep going it's great," Shinsou heard himself say. He almost wanted to take it back, but Kaminari's grin was radiant.
"You got it baby!" he winked as he shot him with finger guns.
Shinsou, possessed by god knows what, returned Kaminari's wink. He wondered what in the hell had gotten into him.
"Ugh! So now, this Shinsou guy is a villain and a faggot?!" Mineta gagged.
The class gasped. Mineta was terrible, yes, but they didn't expect even him to just drop the f-bomb like that.
Bakugou was starting to pounce, and this time Midoriya didn't make a move to hold him back.
"You little fucking-"
"That's enough."
The class froze at the deep, deadly voice, and all eyes turned slowly to the door. Mr. Aizawa stood in the entryway, eyes flaming red and hair floating above his head.
His very presence was like a sobering blanket, and everyone was suddenly sitting down and looking to the front. Shinsou didn't even know when they'd all gotten to their feet.
"Mr. Aizawa-" Iida started, but their teacher shook his head at the Class President as his hair fell down to his shoulder.
"No need to explain Iida, I heard enough." the boy bowed, and sat down heavily.
"Sir, they were all ganging up on me! "Mineta complained, "And look! Look what Todoroki did to me!" he held up his still iced arm.
Midoriya shot his hand up, "But Sensei, he did that because-"
"Like I said. I heard enough."
There were blinks all around, "How... how long have you been listening sir?" asked Momo, being the first to realize.
"I've been standing outside for quite a while, Yaoyorozu," he said wearily, a hint of anger in his voice that could only be detected by those who knew him well.
"But Sensei," Asui held a finger to her chin, "if you heard everything then why didn't you-"
"That's because I asked him not to intervene."
The voice came from Aizawa, but it definitely was not Aizawa. The class's eyes widened when his scarf started shuffling around, and then a mousy face popped out of their teacher's capture weapon.
"Principal Nedzu?!" the class exclaimed.
"Yes, hello children," he smiled as he jumped off Aizawa's shoulder. Aizawa looked down at his boss.
"Well?" he asked, "Was that enough for you?"
"Oh yes definitely," the principal nodded, "I already believed you, Aizawa, I just wanted to see the situation for myself. Your request is granted."
Aizawa let out one of his terrifying grins, shocking the class. He looked up with haunting eyes.
"Mineta Minoru. Please follow the Principal to his office. And take any belongings you have with you, if you please."
The class fell into a hushed silence, and Mineta gaped.
"Wh... wh... wh..."
"Now. Mineta."
Even Mineta wasn't stupid enough to disobey Mister Aizawa, so he hopped off his chair, taking his bag with him as he trailed out after Principal Nedzu.
At the door, he looked up, "But Mr. Aizawa-"
This time, he was stopped with just a look.
He squeaked, "But my arm-"
"It will melt." the teacher deadpanned, "Goodbye Mineta."
Finally, with another whimper, the little grape shuffled out the door.
The class stared at the door in silence. Mr. Aizawa just walked over to his desk and jerked his head at the boy who was still by the door.
"Shinsou, go take Mineta's old seat. Iida start roll call, homeroom started 5 minutes ago. Everyone take out your notebooks."
Shinsou's feet were heavy as he made his way to the desk behind Midoriya and in front of Yaoyorozu. He was very aware that everyone was staring at him.
By the time he sat down, no one had made a move.
Aizawa frowned, "Books. Out. Did no one hear me?"
"S... Sensei?" Momo was the only one brave enough to talk right now, "Sir, is... is Mineta-"
"Mineta is no longer a part of this class, I don't see any more reason to even mention that name."
The gasps were loud as heads snapped around the room, all the students staring at each other, and staring at Shinsou. Mostly at Shinsou. He had to fight not to sink into his seat.
"Is this real? He's gone?" Ashido was the first to speak up, "He's... he's gone?"
"Sir are you serious?" Hagakure squeaked, "If you're joking it's not funny."
"When have you ever known me to joke, Hagakure?"
Uraraka's shaking hands went over her mouth, "Oh my god."
"The piss baby's actually gone?" Jirou's eyes were wide.
Shinsou inwardly sighed. Sure, it didn't seem like Mineta was very well-liked in this class. And yeah, from the five minutes he'd known him, the dude seemed like a terrible person. But still, class A had been through a lot together. He guessed he understood that they were sad to see him go. They'd probably resent Shinsou for it, but he'd been prepared for that. He expected them to be disappointed to see anyone in their class get-
Shinsou was ripped away from his thoughts by the sudden cheer that rang out. His eyes widened as every single person in 2A jumped from their eats with unbridled joy.
Well then... guess he expected wrong.
High fives and hugs went all around, and Shinsou even felt a few shoulder slaps on himself. Kaminari's arms squeezed him from behind for just a moment before the electricity hero was swept up in someone else's hug. Yaoyorozu was nearly sobbing while Jirou hugged her and Todoroki frowned at her in concern, asking if she was sick.
The scene carried on for a full minute before Aizawa bothered telling them to settle down. But the tiny, almost undetectable smile on his face told them all that he really didn't blame them.
Iida finally managed to fetch the new register from the front. When he got to M, and there was no call of 'Mineta Minoru!' Shinsou heard Momo sob happily behind him. And when he called out, 'Shinsou, Hitoshi!', Shinsou had to fight his own small sniff. Midoriya turned around and beamed at him when he answered to his name. Kaminari turned to give him a thumbs-up, and the class in general seemed ecstatic at the name changes.
A far cry from the angry resentment Shinsou had been expecting.
Not... not that it mattered to him at all. This didn't change anything. Sure, Class 2A wasn't... terrible. At all, actually. But that didn't make them friends. That didn't mean they actually liked him. They were glad to get rid of the perverted homophone, cause who wouldn't be, really. But still. Shinsou was the new guy. The outsider. He knew that. He had been preparing for it, and he was ready for it.
He schooled his face back into its usual tired indifference. Ready to finally start his journey to be a great hero.
Alone.
Now if only these people would just let him.