The Ship of Dreams

Chapter 2: "Swan Dive"

(A/N: I recommend listening to "Reflections" by Toshifumi Hinata while reading this chapter)

Day 2

Katsuki and Kaminari, accompanied by their new friend Kirishima, went to the 3rd class dining hall. For the third-class passengers, dinner was not served. Rather, they were given a form of high tea. Consisting of cold meats, cheese, pickles, fresh bread and butter, steamed figs and rice, and finally, tea. Accompanied by a form of stew, though it looked like it was just going to be Irish for the rest of the trip.

Kaminari and Kirishima drank afterward, while Katsuki opted to relax near the first level deck. He liked getting peace and quiet. Not to mention, he was happy Kaminari made another friend. It took Katsuki a long time to accept the fact that he liked that dunce's company enough to call him a friend, but hey, it all came together in the end.

He drew and hastily gazed at the stars surrounding the nights' air for some time, before lighting a cigarette and laying down on a nearby bench.

While Katsuki was busy gazing at the stars, Izuku was gazing upon an endless room. He and his family, accompanied by the Uraraka's, had been about to begin dinner service. He was bored, frankly. A room full of the rich and wonderful. Nothing imperfect or obscene about them. Effortlessly spotless.

He zoned out the talking, looking over to the violinist in the centre of the room. That was until he heard a word that he was all-too-familiar with escaping the lips of the man at the table he disliked the most. Neito Monama.

"-ound out he was a homosexual,"

Izuku thought back to the words he zoned out. Who was Neito talking about again? And yes, he called him Neito in his mind. No way did he think that Monama of all people deserved respect with an honorific or sticking to his surname. Izuku tried to remember. Wasn't it a staff member? No, a crew member!

"What did you do then?"

Ochako's voice brought him back into the conversation.

"Well, after we had found out, we instantly made a move to fire him, of course. Then call the authorities."

Inko sighed dramatically at that comment. Izuku continued his silence, waiting out the conversation.

"However, before we could let him go, he managed to find out and quickly ran away."

'Lucky bastard.'

Izuku tried to hide his smile. 'At least he got to get out of here.' His momentary happiness for the poor crewmate was washed away as he heard the murmurs around the table

"It's a shame, really...He should've been subjected to the law..."

"Vile..."

"Dear...It just shows you it can be anyone these days..."

It's not like Izuku didn't know this is how his family and the people around him truly felt. But to hear it all out loud at a table was a little overwhelming. He knew he wasn't "normal" since he was a child. He never looked at girls the way his friends would. Instead, he was busying looking at his friends.

'Will this ever end..?'

Izuku mentally cried. 'Endless parties and cotillions...Yachts and idiotic polo matches...For God's sake!- Dinners where I'll never order my own food! Always the same narrow-minded people...Their repetitive mindless chatter. This is it, huh? The rest of my life, in this caged charade...I-I'll never-" He struggled the urge to hold back tears. 'No one cares about what I want. Why should I care what they want? Why should I live simply for them? No one even notices...Acknowledges. I...I can't do this. Not anymore. I need-...' He stopped. 'I need to get out of here...Air. I need Air.'