A Grey Thin Line

3

      Izuku actually did end up going to the library like he told his mom. Yuuei's exams were nothing to scoff at, even if he was one of the top students in his class. The entire walk there was spent in a state of disbelief as he replayed what had happened after he'd took Nagaki's hand. The man had smiled, then told him to go to the library and pick up textbooks, like he'd told his mom he would.

      "If you're gonna get in to Yuuei, you're gonna have to know your stuff. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to read up on some of the laws, the best vigilantes know which laws to break and which to bend. I'll contact you later."

      "How did you know I told my mom I was going to the library?"

      "Logic, school kids usually resort to the old library excuse when they need to lie to their parents. Wanna not feel guilty? Just go to the library, Midoriya."

      So that's what he does, he grabs a few textbooks, mathematics, science, typical core subjects; and if the librarian rose her eyebrows at the law book he had? Not much of an issue. He was carrying his stack of books out of the library, planning to call his mom, when a blue blur had run into him, knocking him to the floor and sending the books flying.

      "I apologize, fellow student!" The blur, who turned out to be a student his age, had stopped and began to gather Izuku's fallen books. "The library is about to close for today, and I wanted to acquire some textbooks before that happened."

      Izuku looked at the stranger. Large black framed glasses sat in front of blue eyes, boy had an undercut, a few strands of hair clinging to his forehead, which was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. His sentences were often accompanied by exaggerated hand movements and gestures.

      "It's fine, really, I was just caught a bit off guard." Izuku said, getting on his knees to help the blue haired boy gather the books. Thankfully, none of them had been damaged.

      "My irresponsibility led to you being hurt and possibly damaging the books you had with you." The boy bowed deeply. "Allow me to help you home as an apology!"

      "D-didn't you need a few textbooks before the library closed?" Izuku stuttered, watching helplessly as the teenager took half of the books to carry himself.

      "This is more important, I inconvenienced you, this is my way of making it up to you." The boy puffs out his chest, "my brother always tells me to make sure I make it up to people if I did something wrong to them."

      "Knocking over my books isn't exactly 'wrong'." Izuku commented dryly.

      "Still, I feel bad about it." The boy held a hand out, effortlessly hefting the stack of books to one arm to do so. "Iida Tenya, third year junior high."

      Izuku took the offered hand, "Izuku Midoriya, also third year junior high."

      Iida perked up at that, his eyes practically shining behind his glasses. "Really? What high school do you plan to attend?" He asked animatedly, following Izuku as he began to walk home.

      "Uh," Izuku hesitated a little, "the General Department of Yuuei."

      "Aha! I, myself, plan to apply for Yuuei; though I'm applying for the Heroics Department." Iida gave him a curious look, "Is your quirk not suited for heroics?" He asked.

      "I don't have a quirk." Izuku immediately stated.

      The silence between them was tense, before Iida began apologizing profusely. "My apologies, Midoriya, I did not mean to come off as insensitive."

      Izuku hurried to reassure the boy before he began bowing again. "It's fine," he waved the apology off, "the ratio of people with quirks to the Quirkless are eight to one, it was a safe bet to assume I had one." He sighed, "let's just drop that subject."
Iida nodded and they continued their walk. Eventually, the awkwardness of the previous subject faded and they found themselves having an animated conversation on academic subjects. Izuku barely even noticed when he'd made it to his apartment. "Ah, we're already here."