Muted Voices (A BNHA/MHA x OC Fanfic)

Chapter 80: Reconnecting

Koto's POV

I'm finally able to stand long enough this afternoon to take a shower. I take my wet hair out of the towel as I sit on my bed. I brush the soaked light golden strands as I rummage through my bathroom box, taking items out and arranging them on shelves. When everything is organized, I put product in my hair and fluff it, ready for it to be curly again.

I spend the rest of the afternoon unpacking and setting up my dorm. By the time I hear another knock at the door at 4, I have all my clothes put away and I'm in the middle of organizing my movies on the bookshelves.

I go to answer it, debating if Bakugo is coming back early, which then leads me to question whether he's planning on coming back at all. Maybe I'll actually have to get my own dinner tonight.

When I open the door, I'm no less confused.

Tokoyami and Shoji stand in the hallway. My bird friend offers me a small smile.

"Yamada," he greets, dipping his head. "May we come in?"

"Uhh...um s-sure," I say, eyebrows furrowed.

The two share a confused glance before walking in. "We weren't aware you were talking," Shoji says, standing on my grey carpet. "Of course I made my assumptions from what happened at that party. I knew whoever Bakugo was talking to was talking back, but when I saw you yesterday it occurred to me that that really was you. I didn't know if you were using your quirk or not."

I tense when I realize I didn't actually say anything yesterday. So this is gonna be the first time my classmates hear me speak.

"Words are s-st-still hard," I say quietly. "B-but I needed t-to go back. I needed t-t-to heal."

"We understand," Tokoyami says. "And we wanted to talk with you about what happened yesterday."

I feel my face heating up as I touch my neck self-consciously, just to make sure my choker is still in place.

"The thing is," Shoji says, reaching out to gently lower my hand. "We both know what it's like to hide something too."

Tokoyami puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's nothing to be ashamed of if there are parts of you you don't want to show. Especially when people haven't earned the right to see them."

"Only you can decide who you want to present yourself to be," Shoji says softly. "And you can't worry about how others feel when you're just being yourself. We hide things too, but it doesn't make us any less of who we are."

"I still have fledgling feathers that haven't fallen out yet," Tokoyami says, putting a hand over his own choker. "And people always looking at the transition between my feathers and my skin is unnerving. I decided it was better to cover up."

"I made a little girl cry once," Shoji whispers. I can hear repressed pain in his voice. "Just by looking at my face. I can't help how I look, but she thought I was some sort of monster. I never want to make anyone feel that way again. And I definitely don't want another incident like that to happen. I know I'll be a better hero if this part of me is hidden. It makes people trust me more."

"If any of the others make you feel bad for wanting to hide something, just know that they'll never understand," Tokoyami continues. "I'm sure Todoroki has wanted to hide his scar, but it's more difficult in his case. With where it is, he physically can't hide it. I'm sure he's never had the option to. He can't know what kind of safety comes with hiding your secrets away."

"I have no intention of taking my mask off around others."

"Nor my choker."

"We just wanted to let you know it's okay to make that decision because we'll support you in it, even if the others don't," Shoji finishes the statement.