-Shinobu's POV-
"UP AND AT EM, NOBU-CHAN!" I awoke to the sound of my loud cousin yelling without his quirk to wake me up. Groaning quietly, I rolled onto my stomach and hugged my pillow. Even without using his quirk, Zashi has always been ridiculously loud.
Suddenly, there was a weight on my bed as the blonde voice hero jumped on my bed. Sighing, I rolled over and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Last night had been full of nightmares about the men that attacked me. I didn't want to tell anyone though because I felt like a failure of hero for letting it get as far as it did. I'm a Pro Hero damnit! I should've been able to handle a handful or so of thugs with no problem.
"COME ON, NOBU-CHAN! SHOUTA IS ALREADY OUTSIDE WAITING ON US! WE'RE LATE!" Zashi-nii yelled excitedly, causing my head, which was already pounding from overusing my quirk the day before, to feel like it was going to burst from the pain. The pain was so great that I let out an involuntary whimper and reached out blindly to my nightstand trying to grab my migraine pills.
"Hey, moron. You're too damn loud," a bored tone stated, and I felt my face heat up at the voice as the pill bottle ended up in my hand, "I'm guessing you were looking for those." Nodding in thanks, I opened the bottle without opening my eyes and took two large pills dry and leaned back to try and relax a bit until the medicine kicked in.
"Oh man! I'm so sorry, Nobu! I didn't even think about the fact that you overused your quirk yesterday… Are the migraines still as severe as when we were kids?" Hizashi asked, his voice significantly quieter, but very concerned.
"Worse," I said quietly without moving any other part of my body. The pain in my head was so bad it was making me nauseous. I took some deep breaths, in through my nose out through my mouth, to try and focus on literally anything else. Less than 2 minutes until the meds kicked in. My hands were clenching my blanket into fists trying to fight off the pain. It was always the worst after I slept following the overuse of my quirk. It was bad if I didn't sleep, but when I did finally sleep, it got almost unbearable.
A warm hand covered mine and rubbed comforting circles on the back of my hand, and I let out a small sigh of relief as that and the medicines began to kick in. Not wanting to rush things and make my migraine come back, I allowed my vibrant green eyes to flutter open slowly, seeing a concerned Hizashi next to me and a slightly less bored looking Aizawa leaning on my door frame. Hizashi picked up the hand he had been rubbing and held it in both of his hands, concern etched across his face.
"They've gotten worse?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically quiet, a deep frown etched onto his normally carefree features. I nodded, but gave him a small smile.
"It's okay though, Zashi-nii. I can also go a lot further with my quirk before the drawbacks happen. Yesterday was just… rough…" I tried to encourage, too tired to sign at the moment, my voice fading a bit at the last sentence, before I forced the smile back to my face, "I handled it though. I even used my voice quirk." I knew the last bit would cheer him up, and he gave me an excited, but wry smile.
"That's great! If you ever want to train it, let me know! I always have time for my number one listener!" he exclaimed, giving me the dorky finger guns he likes to do, his cheesy smile back on his face.
"Shinobu, are you feeling okay to get up now?" Aizawa's bored voice rang out, bringing our attention to him as I nodded.
"Yes. Sorry for making you wait, Sh-Shouta," I said quietly, stuttering over using his first name for the first time, feeling my face heat up a bit, "If you both can give me 10 minutes, I can be ready to go." They both nodded before going out of my room, Hizashi-nii sparing one more concerned glance before shutting my door behind him.
-Aizawa's POV-
As I sat on Hizashi's couch, I noticed him side eyeing me suspiciously.
"Since when did you two call each other by your first names?" he questioned sternly, an expression that looked out of place on the usually happy and carefree blonde. I narrowed my eyes at him as I shrugged.
"She asked me to call her Shinobu yesterday, and I told her she could call me by my first name if she wanted since that's what you call me anyways," I responded, my bored tone ever present.
"Then why the hell was Nobu-chan blushing when she talked to you?!" he further inquired, clearly not buying my statement. She was blushing? I thought maybe her face was just red from the pain she had been in.
"No idea. Not my problem," I stated, not wanting to read too much into it. Regardless of what the coloration in her cheeks meant, we had more important things to focus on, and if we didn't get going soon, we were going to be late.
-Shinobu's POV-
After getting dressed in a simple black long sleeved button up shirt and some lavender colored skinny jeans with my black combat boots, we were on our way to the school. Aizawa, I mean Shouta, had said that the principal of UA wanted to speak with me today. That didn't explain why he and Nii-san needed to come, but I guess I didn't mind. After all, as of right now, these two were the two people I was most comfortable with in this area.
In less than ten minutes of me walking between Shouta and Nii-san, we had reached the gates of UA. Both of them scanned their security passes, and I scanned my hero license. As we walked down the familiar halls of the number one hero school in Japan, I found myself smiling sadly to myself. This place had been my second chance that I didn't deserve after what I had done to my parents. While I had enjoyed learning a lot, my time in UA was filled with bullies telling me that my quirk was a villain's quirk, and that my parents went insane because they had a villain for a child.
The panic at the dark turn in my memories caused me to cancel my hearing as well as my sight, which led to me tripping only for my wrist to be grabbed and righted before my face could meet the floor. My sight returned, and I turned to see Shouta holding my wrist with his eyes glowing red and his hair once again defying gravity. I nodded in thanks as he let go of my wrist, and I kept on the path towards the principal's office, ignoring the concerned and confused looks of the two men behind me.
In minutes, we reached the large doors that led to the principal's office. Shouta knocked, and a high pitched voice called out, "Come in!" Zashi-nii and Shouta opened the doors to reveal a small little sable/mouse looking creature in a suit vest and tie along with dress pants. Huh… and just when I thought UA couldn't get any stranger…
"Ahhh! Eraserhead, PresentMic, Muffle, you're all right in time for tea!" the animal replied motioning to some seats with teacups and a teapot. Following the lead of the other two heroes I was with, I sat in one of the plush chairs around the coffee table.
"I don't suppose we have been properly introduced! My name is Nezu. I am the current Principal at UA. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Muffle!" he greeted kindly. I smiled slightly despite my nerves. He was kind of adorable and very polite. I stood up and bowed respectfully in greeting.
"Yamada Shinobu," I introduced still in my bow before lifting my head with a polite smile on my face as I signed while speaking, "The pleasure is mine." With that, I took my seat as Nezu let out a joyful laugh.
"My my! You really are quite different from Hizashi-kun, aren't you, Shinobu-chan?" Nezu then turned to Nii-san with a joking tone, "Maybe you should have Shinobu-chan teach you how to use an inside voice and some manners." Hizashi-nii sweatdropped, and I let out a giggle. Shouta clearing his voice interrupted our silly teasing as we all noticed the serious expression on his face.
"Principal Nezu, I believe we have a proposition to discuss," he stated bluntly, his tone respectful. Nezu sighed but nodded.
"Straight to business as usual, Aizawa. You know it wouldn't hurt you to take time to enjoy the moment every now and again," Nezu chastised with a small smile as he poured four cups of tea, one for each of us, "However, since you're so adamant, why don't you begin with your part of the proposition, Aizawa?" I tilted my head slightly in confusion at this turning to Shouta as I put a sugar cube in my tea before lifting it to my lips and taking a sip. I smiled at the taste. Chamomile. Not usual for this early in the day, but it's definitely helping with my anxiety.
"Yamada-san," Shouta started, gaining my attention once again, "Hizashi has brought it to my attention that you are now here in Musutafu because your previous mentor, Nightshade, has retired. You have not found a hero agency to work for as of yet, and based on your records in the system, you tend to prefer the spotlight at all costs, preferring to work as an underground hero. There are very few agencies that would suit you in this area. As such, after watching your ability to handle different situations such as the patrol we both did and the attack you managed to handle without any hero gear, I am willing to offer you a position as a sidekick at my agency. However, there are a couple of conditions you must meet. Now, before I waste my breath, are you interested in this position?"
Taking a sip of my tea, I narrowed my eyes in thought as I considered my options. He has a point about there not being many other agencies that would take me in. Plus, I know Shouta, so meeting a new boss wouldn't be as difficult… After a couple of moments, I met his gaze with my own and nodded for him to continue.
"The conditions for this position with me are as follows: 1. You must be able to work nights. 2. You will have mandatory hand-to-hand combat training with me until I deem you are at a level that I approve of. 3. While on patrol, you must go with at least one other hero until I clear you for individual patrols," he stated, my eyes narrowing ever so slightly at the third condition, but decided it wasn't a big deal until he continued, "And finally, you must undergo training to control and utilize your Voice quirk."
At that, I froze before glaring at him and then Hizashi-nii, who in turn avoided my gaze in guilt as I replied, my voice quiet but seething, "I do not use my Voice quirk." Aizawa met my glare with a stern expression of his own, his bored expression a thing of the past.
"If you want to work for me, you will use your Voice quirk. You cannot live in fear of it. It's already saved your life once," he pointed out, his words cutting deep as I thought about the attack from yesterday.
"Shouta! That was uncalled for-!" Hizashi-nii started before I met Shouta's gaze with a determined one of my own.
"Fine," I said through gritted teeth as I signed before taking a deep breath and continuing in a slightly more professional tone, "I accept your conditions. But that doesn't explain why we came to UA for this conversation."
"Well that is where I come in, Shinobu-chan!" Nezu said, his voice friendly as ever but with a serious edge to it, "I too have a part in this proposition. Since you will be working as a sidekick at an agency that is not always open full time, I would like to also offer you a position as a TA starting this Monday at UA." I looked at him, skepticism clear in my expression.
"And I'm going to assume there are some conditions to this position as well," I said calmly while signing. I mean it couldn't be worse than having to learn how to use my Voice quirk, right?
"You're a smart woman, Shinobu-chan! 1. You must learn to speak to the students. 2. You must be able to help with all classes, including tutoring in the subjects students may need help with or substituting when a teacher needs it. 3. You must work as TA for Aizawa for at least the first year or until you can stop accidentally cancelling your own sense and control your Voice quirk," Nezu praised with a smile and listed some conditions before his face took on the most serious expression I had seen yet from him, "And my final condition is that you must have weekly appointments with Recovery Girl about the effects of your quirk suppressants had on you and to ensure that you are no longer taking them."
So I was wrong. This was definitely worse than learning to use my Voice quirk. The panic I began to feel in my chest turned to guilt as Hizashi-nii jumped to my defense.
"Principal Nezu, drug testing her weekly is a bit of overkill. Nobu-chan hasn't touched the quirk suppressants since the incident when we were kids!" Zashi-nii explained jumping to his feet and waving his hands before turning to me, "Right, Nobu-chan?" My heart sank as all 3 faculty members turned to look at me, waiting for my answer. Willing myself not to panic, I let out a long deep breath before I looked to Nezu, unable to meet Hizashi's eyes right now.
"I only use them, so that if I panic in public, there won't somehow be a repeat of that incident with my parents. I don't think I could live with myself if I did that to anyone else," I admitted, my eyes glossing with tears but I fought them back as I signed along with what I was saying. Shouta looked at me in slight confusion, while Nii-san looked like he had been punched in the gut.
"Nobu… Why would you-?" Zashi-nii started but was interrupted by Nezu.
"I understand your reasoning, Shinobu-chan; however, that does not change the fact that those are illegal drugs and make your quirks even harder to control. This is a hard line in the sand for me. I am willing to look past your history of using these, but I cannot hire you if you are unwilling to take this important step forward in your life. The choice is yours to make," Nezu stated, his voice and expression serious and unwavering.
After what feels like hours of turmoil inside my head, but in reality was only a matter of minutes, I took a deep breath before reaching into my pocket and gripping the pill bottle I had grabbed in case of emergencies this morning. Then, before I could change my mind, I stood up from my chair and walked over to Principal Nezu, pulling the pill bottle out of my pocket and placing it on the table in front of him.
"That is all I have on me currently. I can go home and bring the rest to you later today," I said while signing before bowing deeply in respect to first him and then to Shouta as well, "So if you will both have me, I would humbly like to accept both offers." With that, I lifted my head as I saw Shouta with a serious expression as he nodded in acceptance and then Nezu who smiled kindly at me before saying the words I did not expect to hear in this lifetime at least.
"Of course, Muffle! Welcome back to UA!"
Song: Sober by Demi Lovato
A/N:
Sorry for the delay in updating. My daughter has been sick with a bad ear infection and has not allowed me to get anything done for the last few days. I'm hoping to update again sometime this week, but we will see based on how she feels. Thanks for the support on this story!