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Of Butterfly Wings

Chapter Four: Delinquent

Kagome laid her head down across her arms as she listened to their teacher drone on about a subject she'd already studied three times over. U.A. was supposed to be the top of, well, everything weren't they? So why were they covering topics that they'd mastered back in her first year of middle school?

Her brow twitched in irritation.

They were all aware of the fact that it was illegal to use their quirks without a pro hero license.

"The usage of quirks, more particularly in terms of self-defense, is strictly prohibited." Their teacher pressed onward. "Only those who've studied and passed a hero course licensing exam are permitted to use their powers in combat. The daily usage of quirks is permitted so long as it does not cause harm to themselves or others."

As if on cue, every eye in the room turned towards the seat behind her.

Her brows furrowed as she leveled their teacher with a sharp glare.

"You mean like deep-fried nugget over there?" A girl sneered. Her tone was just as searing as her words as she gave Touya a disgusted look.

She heard the sound of metal scraping against the linoleum floor of their classroom. She already knew that he was preparing to leave. She could feel the heat of his anger rolling off of him in waves. In the three weeks that they'd known each other, she'd gotten to know all of his little tells whenever he was angry or upset. Most days he'd just sulk and make a pointed comment if he was irritated by something. However it was when he was silent that she knew he was truly angry. The silence of his fury was always what made her heart hurt the most as she knew that he must've learned that expressing said anger and frustration had only caused him more harm in the end.

"Funny you mention the specifics of legalities," Kagome interjected into the 'discussion'. "Because according to the curriculum that was handed out to us on the first day of class, we're supposed to be covering Quadratic Functions and Modern Literature this week. So I'd like to know why it is you've deviated from the curriculum." Her eyes thinned at their teacher as she pressed forward, "Certainly you weren't planning on using one of your student's medical condition in order to prove a point at their expense, were you? I'm sure you're well aware of the fact that such behavior from a professional can result in the revocation of your teaching license at the minimum and, in especially egregious cases, it can result in legal fines being imposed upon you by both the courts and the family of the student whom you've harmed with this targeted attack."

Her smile immediately lightened, "Surely you aren't trying to do something so unprofessional, are you?"

She had to admit that she knew very little about the letter of Japanese Law. However she knew enough about the Restructuring Period when quirks first emerged to know what was and was not allowed by professional standards. A teacher deviating from their curriculum in order to isolate a single student and then use them as a warning to the rest would certainly result in a civil suit at the least. She didn't know much about Touya's home life as he refused to allow the teachers to call his surname in class. Even on the first day, his attendance was only called using his given name. More importantly, he once mentioned that he hates acknowledging that he even has a father at home due to some issues that'd occurred three years prior. She never pushed him to give her the details, but she knew that it was serious enough that he wanted almost nothing to do with his parents.

With a contentious family life at home and students already bullying him for his injuries, she could only imagine how suffocating it must have been to have teachers targeting him too. Even if it's only a little, she wanted to do something to help him feel as if there was at least one person on his side and fighting for him.

She felt his desk shift behind her as if he had settled back into his seat.

"That's not…" Their teacher attempted to stutter out an excuse.

Kagome cut them off, "I can forgive a single lapse had the discussion at hand veered onto the topic in the first place. It could give credence to those who've suffered life-changing injuries from their quirks and allow an open discussion to happen with the class. It'd be a learning moment for both the injured party and their peers. Yet the atmosphere that was fostered here today was not constructive. I request that you please ensure that topics like these are discussed in a manner that is conducive to a learning environment."

The silence that followed was heavy. She could practically feel the tension rising with every beat of her heart.

"Big words coming from the reject's girlfriend." The boy she turned down before leaned back in his seat. He had his arms slung over the rim of his chair as he glowered at her, "You trying to get on his good side so you can take him on as your little pet?" His lips curled up into a condescending smirk, "Or is it the opposite? Do you just like the twisted and broken types? Feel like they give you something more than normal people?"

A cold rush of fury flooded her veins.

"Ijiwaru!" Their teacher finally took on a scolding tone.

"So one rejection wasn't enough for you? Do you want to be humiliated too?" Kagome allowed a cold smile to spread across her lips, "I don't mind shutting you down in front of the class again. It only shows how pathetic you are for resorting to cheap blows in order to make yourself feel superior." Her lips widened as she saw his face flush with fury, "Tell me, is your pride so fragile that it was shattered the moment you were rejected?"

She was going too far. She knew she was, but damn it, she did not want to give them the satisfaction of knowing that they'd upset both her and Touya today. She wasn't about to break just because one idiot was being crude to her. She'd endured far worse before.

"Higurashi! Ijiwaru! Both of you stop this at once!" The teacher's voice rose to a worrying pitch. Had the woman not tried to paint Touya into a corner, she would've heeded her call. However her own pride was now at stake. She had a battle to finish and she wasn't about to let Ijiwaru feel as if he'd gotten the last laugh.

"How sad it must be to look yourself in the mirror every day and know that there's at least one person in this world who finds you to be as repulsive as you are terrible."

For just a second, she thought she heard the faint snort of Touya's laughter.

"All three of you, out!" Their teacher howled with fury.

Kagome took to her feet, "With pleasure."

She and Touya walked out side by side. His shoulders were squared and his chin held high. Ijiwaru skulked near his desk at first, waiting for them to pass by him first. His gaze narrowed at them both as he hissed a few curses beneath his breath.

His public image had been shattered in a moment's notice. She never cared for her own and so it was of no consequence to her what the rest of the class thought. Still, she was curious to know how Touya felt. He was the one that'd initially been targeted, so she was still concerned for him.

Once they made their way out into the hall, Touya broke down into a small yet controlled fit of laughter.

"Seriously, weren't you supposed to be an honor student? It looks like you're becoming a regular troublemaker!" He folded his arms over his stomach as he gave another hearty laugh. "You're lucky you weren't given detention for that stunt, but man was it worth it to see Ijiwaru's face like that."

Kagome flashed him a confident smirk, "I guess I am becoming a delinquent, but that's entirely your fault." She grinned as he fell into step beside her. "You're just rubbing off on me."

She didn't mind abandoning her pristine image. What was a reputation if it meant sacrificing a friend along the way?

If the school was going to continue to be a place where Touya would be ostracized and bullied, then the only other option for her to do would be to find places where he wouldn't be judged. Thankfully she knew exactly where to go for that.

"Hey," Kagome shot him a playful look, "Feel like going full delinquent and skipping out today?"

For the first time she saw his lips curl up into a wide grin.

"Now you're speaking my language."