Post Vitam

Chapter 07

"If I'm honest I'm not sure if I should forgive you..." the smile faded and was replaced with an unreadable expression. Though maybe it was readable and Izuku was simply used to not knowing if someone is mad at him for just existing.

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, he knew apologies weren't an automatic forgiveness. He couldn't help being a bit disappointed and slightly jilted, it's not like he actually hurt the guy. He just pulled his arm away a bit roughly.

The sound of giggles stopped the inner debate Izuku had with himself. This confused him even more though, was he about to be attacked by this boy who had tried to help him? Was he joking with him? Izuku really wished people would could be more straightforward with their feelings and intentions. 

Sometimes he wondered if he was neurodivergent or just socially awkward from a lack of normal human interactions. Without a proper diagnosis he leaned more to thinking he was just awkward. How could he not be? The need to assess if you're going to need to fight or run to survive being a constant worry. 

Izuku had no idea how to proceed but was saved by the boy introducing himself. "Let's start over yeah? I'm Miki Inei. Nice to meet you...?"

"Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku nice to meet you too, also I really am sorry for ripping my arm away. Was having a bit of a anxiety attack."

Inei giggled. "Do you always introduce yourself like you're 007?"

Izuku gained a dusting of red on his cheeks. He now noticed the features on the other boy. He looked to be a year or two older than Izuku though he seemed to be rather short for his age. He had a fashionable hair fade to his cotton candy pink hair. Braces adding to his cuteness.

Wait? Again? Cute?! What was happening to him? He barely noticed when a girl was around him beyond being generally nice to them. He's never thought of a girl as cute before... His brain almost desperate to not think about any of this for now sparked a memory. Izuku remembered the pink streak in Lucas's hair. Did they know each other? Were they brothers perhaps?

"Sorry, just nervous I guess. Also sorry if this is weird but are you Lucas's brother or something?"

Inei's eyes went wide clearly surprised Izuku brought up that name. He giggled again, this time for a bit longer though. When he managed to calm himself a bit he wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Brother... OOF, RIP dude. Was nice meeting you. He's gonna murder you for that. He's my boyfriend." Inei chuckled. 

"B-boyfriend?! b-but aren't you like too young?!" Izuku was so confused now. He knew gay people or people with other sexualities existed but it never occurred to him he'd ever meet someone like that, let alone someone close to his age. Mostly he was confused how Inei or Lucas already knew what they identify as. He wasn't sure himself yet or even if he wanted to be identified. Izuku was only certain about one thing up until now. He couldn't afford to focus on anything other than his lack of a quirk. 

It seemed like Izuku struck a nerve there with that question "For what exactly? To love? We aren't running away to get married tomorrow or having kids of our own or something. Only things we do is play video games or something. We're basically the same as any other two guy friends. We just know we don't want the other to be with anyone else but us." Inei said all that a bit louder than talking level. Clearly annoyed.

Izuku bowed slightly "Sorry Miki-san I didn't mean anything by it, just that you guys already know." He said the next part softer so nobody but Inei could hear "I haven't been able to figure stuff like that out myself so I was just a bit surprised someone around my age already knows"

Inei relaxed now that he knew Izuku wasn't judging him, just curious and in his own way trying to understand himself. He started "Oh, well I don't know about Lucas but I only figured it out myself like two months ago when he told me he doesn't want anyone to date me but him. I've always known I'm different from to other people." He said with a slight blush.

"The boys around me all talk about girls and lately about boobs with the first girl in our class getting them. Never interested me I guess. Also you can just call me Miki no need for the honorific. Lucas has failed his Asian blood and i've gotten used to hearing it without" 

Wanting to make sure Izuku knew he wasn't mad anymore he pat him on the shoulder laughing slightly. "If you want you can talk to me about what you aren't sure of. . . Not that I have any answers mind you" He chuckled.

Izuku considered it for a bit but decided that one bit of news about himself today was enough for him. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to figure it out. While most of the world's hatred shifted towards the quirkless in today's society. There sadly were still the ordinary bigots too.

People who judged based on skin color. Even more ridiculous today than it was pre quirks with literal pink and purple and even green skinned people being common. The amount of people using religion for a reason to hate also seemed to disappear over the years. Hold outs were still there though. Insisting the quirkless were the pure race now.  

Izuku had sat in on a service once, hoping to find people who wouldn't treat him badly for not having a quirk. He had ran out of that church as fast as legs can go when the talks about sacrificing the quirked started.

He wasn't going to trade in being part of the group that gets the majority of hate in today's age to openly admitting he's part of another that also garners it's share of unjust hatred. "Sorry Miki, I don't think I want go down that road just yet."

Inei understood what Izuku meant even if he didn't say it outright. "no worries Midoriya, can I give you my details so we can text and stuff? I'm here if you ever DO want to talk about it or anything else really . . ." 

"Sure thing Miki. Looking forward to it."

Inei scribbled the details on a piece of paper and handed it to Izuku. "I put Lucas's there too, just don't tell him I gave it to you" Inei giggled.

Izuku thanked him and put the paper in his jacket pocket. "well I guess I better head home and show off my quirk to my mom." Giving a smile that Inei couldn't place but he knew it there was something off with that smile.

"ah ok, talk to you soon I hope. see you around dude" Inei said as he went in for a hug but just then a door opened and there stood Lucas clearly annoyed and about to explode.

"OI YOU! KNOCK OFF YODA! HANDS OFF MY MAN!"