"Shinsou... oi, Shinsou... are you falling asleep in class again?"

Shinsou blinked, fighting off a wave of fatigue as he managed to bring the desk in front of him back into focus. He narrowed his eyes, shooting a look at the girl next to him. "No," he lied, "and you're one to talk, shouldn't you be paying attention to the lesson?"

She grinned back. "Eh, maybe," she said, keeping her voice low enough so the teacher wouldn't pick up. "But this stuff is boring. I honestly don't blame you."

He sighed.

Haya Yomohiro was one of the few people who actively spoke to him, if only because she seemed to lack any kind of self-preservation. True, after the sports festival a few more classmates had tried to strike up a conversation about his performance, maybe even properly introduce themselves, but Shinsou wasn't delusional enough to expect it to last. He was used to people ignoring him. To looking at him with wariness, even fear. To whispering about his quirk when they though he was out of earshot.

UA's General Studies had been no different. As soon as people knew what he could do they avoided him, and if they didn't it was because they thought they could use him... that was often worse.

As much as their praise and sudden attention sparked a warm feeling in his chest Shinsou did not trust it, and nor could he trust them. Sooner or later they would go back to how they always were, and he couldn't allow himself to hope for anything else.

Haya, who sat next to him and didn't seem to understand what 'leave me alone' meant, was an exception, as was the boy on her other side, who simply seemed unfazed by anything. Shinsou had learned that the pair were relatively harmless. Since his varying attempts to shrug them off had failed he'd more or less come to terms with the fact that they would continue to pester him, and begrudgingly accepted their company.

What they saw in him he didn't know. Haya was distractible, the kind of person who couldn't sit still, and would happily go off on a tangent about any of the lame sci-fi shows she watched. It wasn't like they had anything in common. They didn't even look similar – her bright green eyes were always wide and alert, her grin enigmatic, her spiky grey hair even wilder than his own violet locks. Even her quirk, 'momentum shift', was nothing akin to brainwashing. It probably would have landed her in the hero course if she hadn't flunked by accidentally flinging herself into a lamppost and knocking herself out at the start of the entrance exam.

The other boy, Hibiki Kuba, was at least more mellow. His expression was normally blank, but he paid close attention, though his eyes made it difficult to know precisely where he was looking. They were dark, near solid black like his neatly styled hair, but flecked with white specs almost like stars. Probably some physical manifestation of his quirk, 'replay', but Shinsou had never bothered to ask.

"You're spacing out again, sleepyhead," a sing-song voice warned him. "No coffee this morning?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Ah, grumpy too. Guess that confirms it."

Shinsou suppressed a groan, rubbing his tired eyes. Coffee wasn't going to cut it today. Between his sudden planning last night and the writhing mess of feelings he'd been wrestling with he'd caught an hour's sleep at best, and he'd already been sleep-deprived before all that. And if he'd thought a new morning exercise routine and a fast paced bike ride to school as going to wake him up he'd been severely mistaken, because it had only left him even more drained.

"I'm always grumpy, according to you," he said dryly, staring at his notes, and then back at the board to try and work out what he'd been writing. Their teacher was still busy with his lecture, back facing them as the rhythmic tap-tapping of his chalk-stick mingling with the low monotone of his voice. It really was sleep-inducing...

It was only physics though, so Shinsou figured if he missed anything it wouldn't cause him much trouble, he'd already acquainted himself with most of the material. Maybe a quick nap wasn't such a bad idea?

"So, you know the hero course kids are getting to do internships?" Haya said.

"Your point?"

Haya swung back on her chair slightly, feet kicking. "Well it sucks, doesn't it? Here we are, with our shitty extra class work and exams, and they get to be out there having fun."

"Yeah, yeah it does suck," Shinsou muttered in agreement, a hint of despondency creeping into his tone. He didn't want to think about it though. Not at all.

"Exactly! So-"

"If you two don't stop that he's going to catch you," Kuba warned, without so much as glancing in their direction.

Haya paused, righting her chair and sending him a pout. "Spoil sport."

Shinsou felt a silent wave of gratitude, but he said nothing, just looked forward and tried to pretend he was engrossed in the lesson. It seemed to work, because Haya lost interest and ended up bickering with Kuba instead which suited him fine.

She was right about the hero course students though... they were supposed to be doing internships with local hero agencies, while he was stuck here... they were gaining more training, more experience, more skills, and the longer it took him the further the gap between him and them would get... he needed to catch up fast, because otherwise he wouldn't stand a chance...

Suddenly his hasty exercise plan seemed pitiful. How could that ever be enough? But what else could he do?

"Yomohiro!" a voice snapped him out of his brooding.

Haya suddenly shot to attention, sitting up perfectly straight. "Yes sir!"

"I take it you have been listening?."

"Of course, sir."

"Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind coming to the front of the class and explaining this equation to everyone for me?"

Her cheeks began to colour, eyes darting about and she shot Kuba a pleading look but he just shook his head at her. Miserably, she got to her feet. "Yes sir."

She strode forward with mock confidence but Shinsou knew there was no way she had been paying attention and this was going to be an absolute train-wreck. He allowed himself a small smirk. It was more interesting that the rest of the lesson at least.

As soon as the lunch break bell rang Shinsou took off with a swift stride, making sure he was one of the first in line at the cafeteria and thus first to escape. He left the cramped confines of the building and all the noise it contained, finding a safer and more secluded spot in the shade of one of the trees outside.

Sitting down, he pulled out his notebook and his phone and set to work, eating mechanically as he did so.

He might not be able to do an internship, but he could at least do some more research into hero agencies, and the ins and outs of working for them. A lot of it seemed to involve PR work, but honestly that was stuff Shinsou wanted to avoid, he'd always preferred the idea of being an underground hero, like his favorite pro Eraserhead.

Both of their quirks worked best when people didn't know how they functioned.

Did Eraserhead work for an agency? He'd probably cut down a lot on hero work since joining the faculty at UA, but Shinsou honestly didn't know a lot about the guys actual work, the media rarely reported upon him and when they did it was usually a short paragraph at best... probably how being an underground hero worked.

He supposed he could... ask him?

But no, absolutely not, it would be far too embarrassing to admit he had such an interest in the guy's hero work, and why would he give a toss about some Gen Ed kid anyway? He'd probably tell him to get lost...

"Found you!"

Shinsou tensed at the familiar voice, turning with a sense of resignation to the approaching girl. Haya had a bounce in her step as always and Kuba followed her like a shadow.

"You disappeared super quick, you should have waited for us. But anyway, here! It's not coffee, I never drink the stuff because it's disgusting, but it should wake you up," she said brightly, tossing him a colourful bottle.

Shinsou reacted too slow and had a moment of horror when he realized it was about to smack him right in the face, but then the bottle froze and a stone went skipping off in the opposite direction. He reached out, snatching it before gravity could take hold, and she laughed.

"You're lucky I have my quirk or you'd have a black eye."

"Which would be entirely your fault," he said pointedly, examining the bottle. It was some kind of energy drink, pumped full of sugar and chemicals, but he supposed if it had caffeine it was acceptable. "I didn't ask for this."

"It's called being nice, sleepyhead. You should try it once in a while," she said, flopping down as if she had every right to be there.

"Just drink it," Kuba told him, "it's useless arguing with her. You should know that by now."

Shinsou sighed. It was caffeine, he reminded himself.

"Anyway, about what I was saying before-" she began, before Shinsou cut her off.

"Actually, I'm kind of busy right now. If you could either keep it down or find something else to do that would be appreciated."

"What? Busy? But it's lunch!" she protested, flinging her arms in the air.

"Yes, but that's irrelevant."

"Why are you busy? What are you up to? Not having fun without us?" She leaned forward, scrutinizing him.

Shinsou frowned. "It's study stuff," he said, angling himself away from her.

"Boring! Forget about that for now, it's called lunch break for a reason."

Haya honestly didn't know how to take a hint. He hadn't been wrong when he said she had no sense of self-preservation. "If you can't keep it down then go away."

"Gees, you are grumpy today. What's got you in a huff? Are you moping about the festival or something?"

Shinsou's frown deepened.

"Haya," Kuba warned, but she waved him off. He thought he caught a flicker of annoyance on the boy's face, but it was gone in an instant and he returned to his normal indifferent self, arms folded and watching the scene with an air of detachment.

"Come on, Shinsou," Haya whined, "you're too serious. Relax for once. Put that silly notebook down."

He shook his head, shifting further away. "Just leave me alone."

"Not a chance," she said cheerfully, and just as he was about to snap back at her she leaned right over and yanked his notebook out of his grip.

Stunned, it took Shinsou a moment to register, but as his teeth bit together in irritation and he lunged after it she leaped to her feet, hopping nimbly out of the way. She dangled the notebook, waving it at him teasingly.

"This isn't a game, give it back," Shinsou told her coldly.

Haya stuck her hand on her hip. "You need to lighten up, I told you. If you want it so bad come and catch me!"

She grinned back at him teasingly but Shinsou was absolutely not in the mood.

"What's the point of this?"

"I told you-" She trailed off part way through, expression falling blank and her eyes glazing over. The most alarming thing was how still she stood. Haya was almost always in motion, yet now she waited frozen to the spot with none of her normal energy.

Shinsou scrubbed at his eyes tiredly.

"Give me my notebook back," he told her.

Somewhat clumsily, Haya did as she was bid. Shinsou set his notebook in his lap, and looked up at her, where she stood swaying slightly. He pursed his lips, taking a moment to decide.

"Take your food and go eat it in the cafeteria. When the bell rings, slap yourself in the face to wake yourself up."

He watched as she trudged off, though Kuba lingered.

The other boy was watching him with his strange, starry eyes, though his face gave nothing away.

"What?" Shinsou asked him.

Kuba was silent for a moment, almost as if he were reluctant to speak. "You used your quirk on her."

"Yes, she was being annoying."

"She's always annoying, that never made you do it before."

Shinsou looked down. He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure how to answer. "I've just got a lot to deal with at the moment. I'm busy. I don't need the distraction."

"I think she was just trying to help." There was nothing accusing in his tone, yet Shinsou couldn't help but feel a sense of shame trying to take root in his chest. He fought if off, narrowing his gaze.

"I don't care what she was trying to do," he said, "I just want to be left alone. Now are you going to let me get on with it, or am I going to have to use my quirk on you too?"

Kuba cocked his head to the side. "No," he said after a second, "no, you won't have to."

And he turned and walked away.

Shinsou sat under the tree, finally in peace and quiet, yet he could not seem to focus. Something was still troubling him, even now. And it was stupid, because Shinsou had told himself before, his feelings didn't matter, what mattered was setting himself to his goal. He needed to remember what he was working toward. He needed to use his time wisely, every moment of it, and the best way to do that was without people getting in his way.

He scowled at his notebook as if it were somehow responsible. He was used to being alone, anyway, it was better like this.

Finding his place in the article he'd been reading on his phone, Shinsou returned to jotting down notes on the hero agencies he'd decided were of the most importance.

He couldn't quite bring himself to drink the bottle Haya had left for him.