Compulsion

Chapter 2: Mundane

Samuel Abraham was a man with quite the history. He once stood beside the great David Shield on the mountain of scientific and engineering opportunity that was I-Island. So, to say that he was revered wouldn't be an overstatement. Though, one could tell he still wasn't quite used to teaching high school students, especially those straight out of middle school. Rumors were abound as to why he wound up teaching at Shiketsu.

It was only the end of the first week before most of that died. It was replaced with a restrained excitement. The first week was always dedicated to safety procedures and general knowledge as to a Support Workshop, and even Samuel recognized the drawl of a course it was. So, almost all of the students grinning as they explored the workshop before them.

The workshop was a lofty room in which its size was comparable to a warehouse. At the far west-end of the room, there were rows and columns of computers for programming and coding. The opposite end was a walled-off testing range. It was a highly technological area with the ability to shift its walls, ceiling, and floor for recreating many possible scenarios. Between both were machinery and tools of varying make and function as well as a commutative hub for all students of varying years.

The hub was mostly broken down into personal stations and workstations. Personal stations are for the students shared via alternate years. Workstations were specifically dedicated to certain steps of the engineering process, ranging from cutting metal or printing plastic to soldering or welding. All of which were locked behind shutter doors.

The students wandered about the hub like it was a zoo. Some peeked through the shutters, eyeing the tools that ranged from high-tech to analog. Others were already calling dibs on their personal stations, despite them already being assigned.

Samuel laughed, "Now, now." He shook his head, "As excited as I'm sure you are. We're working on Project Outlines. Then you can work." He was met with an array of cries and whines. "Let's go over to the computers and start." His students' shoulders sagged as they shuffled over to the computers as told. "And, if some of your outlines are good enough, you might get to start tomorrow," Samuel teased. Suddenly, the group flipped their attitude, and rushed for the computers.

Samuel put his hands on his hips, letting out a laugh whilst shaking his head. "These kids are an energetic bunch..." His eyes landed on a certain student, an outlier of sorts. "But..." For all the grins and glee, there was a single student that floated through it all from the lessons till now: one, Midoriya Izuku. "At first, I thought it could've been about the lessons or common-sense quizzes, but..." No one enjoyed those lessons but accepted them as a means to an end. Hence the energy that came from the new freedom of the workshop, but Midoriya didn't budge.

He could write it off. It had been a depleting week of boring work after all. Also, if memory served, Midoriya was living in one of Shiketsu's apartment complexes, so maybe the stresses of living alone were biting him. Or maybe just getting up this morning could've brought about this mood. Though, something felt familiar about it: a lack of... something... Soul, perhaps. It was something he knew all too well. To see a fifteen-year-old with such listlessness was worrying. An adult it was almost expected to occur once or twice maybe more, but someone on the cusp of youth? It felt like a real shame.

-XXX-

Midoriya Izuku wasn't an idiot, or at the very least, not an un-observative one. He could very well feel the eyes of his teacher linger on him occasionally. Subtle glances, hidden by the adjusting of hair or scratch of the nose, gave him the chance to read Mr. Abraham's gaze. Now, Izuku wasn't some expert in facial readings, nor in Mr. Abraham's tells and habits but he could infer.

There was no furrowed brow nor deep frown. "So, he probably isn't angry with me about something..." The brow was raised, and the lips were downturned but only lightly pressed. "Sad...? While looking at me...? That doesn't make sense... Disappointed...? I mean I don't think I've even done anything yet... My grades are solid... Last time I checked, at least... Disapproval...? Over what...?" Izuku's gaze washed over his classmates as they focused on the keyboards, tablets, and monitors before them. It was almost scary how the screen was reflected in each of their eyes. Then, there was him. He was leaning back in his seat, rubbing his chin, and wandering mentally.