Glass Heart

Glass Heart - Chapter Forty-Eight

The day up until lunch was completely quiet. It was vastly different than what Izuku and Hitoshi were used to, and they were enjoying every moment. Shoto guided them to the cafeteria and used his brooding presence to make sure no one sat at their table with them.

There were whispers - after all, Shoto at school was always alone, so sitting with the new kids was bound to create some gossip - but Izuku and Hitoshi were already desensitised to it, and were just happy that staring and light gossip was all that was happening.

"So," Izuku started, popping some rice and curry - the hot school meal for that day - into his mouth. "While I really miss Nezu's classes, I have to admit, this is really nice."

Hitoshi nodded, swallowing his own mouthful of food. "Yeah. I mean, I miss Lunch Rush's food, but you're seeing Nezu on the weekends again now, right? So you could bring us Lunch Rush's food for dinner, or a light snack or something?" Hitoshi glanced at Izuku with pleading eyes.

"No, don't look at me with those-" But it was too late, and Izuku accidentally met eye contact with Hitoshi. "D - Damnit." Izuku muttered with a small sigh. "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

As Hitoshi cheered, Shoto put down his cutlery and glanced at his two friends. "You both told me earlier if I had any ideas on how to conceal your quirk problems?"

"Y - Yeah." Izuku replied, Hitoshi nodding. "I wouldn't change being quirkless - it being a big staple of my hero persona and all - but I'd rather keep it on the down low at school - kids can be really violent when they believe they can be."

"Yeah..." Hitoshi agreed, remembering back when he met Izuku for the first time - a large reminder of both how cruel, and how kind, humans can be. You just have to meet the right ones. "I can get out of mine fairly easy, I just need to alter it slightly... maybe I could pretend to have a healing based quirk? A mental healing one, not a physical one... a quirk that'd help cheer people up! All they'd have to do is answer my question, and I'd be able to make them feel happier, right?"

Izuku nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, Hito! When we get to UA we wouldn't be able to hide our quirks - or my lack of quirk - however UA is... different than most schools - and we'd probably end up in Dad's class anyway!" Izuku said, determined to make that possibility come true.

"What about you, Zuku?" Shoto asked.

"Ahh! Umm, I'm not sure yet..." Izuku muttered, face flushing, due to the sudden nickname, Hitoshi bursting into laughter at Izuku's reaction. He took a moment to punch a laughing Hitoshi in the face, and then turned back to Shoto. "M - Maybe an analysis based quirk? It'd be hard to disprove, I just have to be super smart, right?"

"Yes." Shoto agreed. "And Nezu already believes your smarter than most teachers, so it shouldn't be too hard to convince the other students." He paused, glancing at Hitoshi, who was still laughing. "... Was I wrong to call you Zuku?"

"N - NO!" Izuku shouted slightly too loud, making the rest of the students in the cafeteria glance at their table, most likely either concerned or curious. "No." Izuku repeated, much quieter this time. "I - It's... nice..."

His cheeks flushed red, and he turned his head away slightly, scratching at his cheek. "Could I... call you Sho?"

"Y - Yes." Shoto replied, stuttering for once, taking Izuku off guard. "That would be... nice..."

"ALRIGHT, I'll get us some drinks." Hitoshi smirked as he stood, deliberately trying to leave Izuku and Shoto alone. "I'll be back soon!"

Izuku grabbed hold of Hitoshi's arm, nervous to be alone with Shoto again, after they had just traded nicknames. "W - Wait, HITOSHI-"

But Hitoshi slipped out of Izuku's grasp, and darted away, small peals of laughter reaching Izuku's ears as Hitoshi left to get some drinks.

Izuku sighed, face flushing realising he was alone - not alone exactly, given they were in a cafeteria, but close enough - with Shoto.

"Are you alright, Zuku?" Shoto asked, making Izuku's face flush redder.

"Y - Yes!" Izuku replied, burying his face into his food to hide his burning cheeks. "Are you okay... S - Sho?"

Shoto coughed slightly. "Yes... I - I'm good."

"That's... good."

It was an awkward meal... but a nice awkward.

While Izuku sat with Shoto, he could just feel all his concerns and worries melt away. When he was with Shoto, he never had anything to fear.

Shoto was his home.

WOW, double update!!!! I genuinely wrote these two chapters practically back to back haha, I'm fairly impressed with myself XD

Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed reading. The angst should almost certainly be next chapter, but I'm going to bed now - I'll write that chapter when I wake up, haha. I tend to wake up super early, so I get tired early (It's about 8:10pm for me rn and I normally go to bed between 8 and 8:30pm and wake up between 5 and 5:30 - sometimes 6am when I'm sleeping in)

I'm getting slightly tired, so I'll keep these notes short. I hope you all have a good day/night/sleep wherever you are in the world lol, and I'll see you all again soon.

But for now...

Peachy out! 😊