A Silent Kind of Strength

Chapter 10

The next time he wakes up it's easier. Like stepping through a door instead of trudging through mud. His eyes open to find Mei-chan sitting on the couch with him, his feet propped in her lap while she tapes away at a tablet.

"What time is it?" He mumbles, mostly coherently, causing his friend to jump a bit. He saw her lips move in response, but he didn't hear her voice. Freckled hands went to his ears searching for his hearing aids.

She noticed the movement and slapped her forehead lightly before signing for him to wait. She reached over the arm of the couch and grabbed something before holding her hand out to him. Ah. There they were.

He slid the comfortable molded gel into his ears and pressed the power button. Once she was sure he could hear him, Mei spoke up again. "Sorry Zu-kun! I forgot Recovery Girl had us take them out when you went to sleep. She said it could hurt to have them in for too long… Anyways, it's 7pm. Shinso-kun had to run home to do something really quick, but he said he would be back soon…"

He sat himself up slowly, wincing as tender burns and ribs pulled a bit. His friend gently braced his shoulder as he swayed a bit. "Easy now! Mom is out getting dinner and should be back any minute! Can I get you anything? Water?" He nodded. "Please?"

She shifted his feet to the ground so he was fully sitting up and hopped to her feet. "Be right back!" She dashed into the hallway he had noted before and he looked around again, more coherently this time.

He could definitely sense the Hatsumes in this space. Most of the books on the shelves were definitely mechanics manuals, with a few comic books mixed in. The TV, that was playing the news with the sound off, was obviously made by one of the two women. It had a pieced together look, but he was willing to bet it was ridiculously high tech and could probably kill a person if needed. The rug had a grease stain that looked like it had been scrubbed at then given up on. Everything was clean, if a bit dusty. Like they kept up with the space when they were here, but spent most of their time elsewhere.

He could attest that they spent most of their time at the shop. So did he.

Soon his friend was sliding back into the room on her socked feet, plopping a cup of water into his hand, then herself back onto the couch. "There ya go! Mom texted too! She's on her way back! And apparently there will be someone here to take a statement from you in the morning so the adults can decide what's going to happen to your school!" That made him frown. "You know th-rhere won't be too much they can do right?"

She tilted her head in question, a habit she had picked up from her smaller green friend. "A qu-quirkless was the one who got hurt, most likely it w-will be swept under the rug…" as the pure anger in her eyes he trailed off, feeling uncomfortable at the intensity.

"Zu-kun. We will do everything in our power to make sure whoever hurt you gets what they deserve." He knew she was serious. But he couldn't keep the small, sardonic smile off of his face. Still he nodded in acceptance of her words. "I know you w-will, Mei-chan."

You just don't have the power needed to push it that far. No one does.

___

was a knock on the door. Mia answered and led a man with long golden hair pulled back in a braid into the living room. "Izuku-kun this is Yamada-san."