A Silent Kind of Strength

Chapter 12

He stood in casual dress, overalls and a ragged green t-shirt over one of his long sleeved undershirts, outside of the school gates. It was odd, coming to school without his gakuran, but it was well and truly beyond repair and currently residing in a dumpster. And hopefully after today he wouldn't need to buy a new one.

Hatsume-san clapped him on the shoulder and nudged him forwards. She was his escort for the day, having picked him up from the apartment to drive him and everything. He really was grateful to the woman. She had been a solid bastion of support though the waves of his anxiety for the whole last week. And now she was even offering that support for the actual test, even though it meant she would be late opening her shop, again.

They walked to the office. The redheaded woman throwing a feral grin at the receptionist when he flinched at their entrance. "Hi. There should be someone here from the board of education to oversee an emergency graduation test for Midoriya Izuku. What room should we head to?"

They're led to a little used classroom where a single desk is set up for him. He hands off his backpack and smiles at the last hair ruffle he is given before he steps into the room alone. The freckled teen isn't sure how Hatsume managed to wrangle a graduation test at this point in the year. But he will forever be in her debt.

The test goes quickly. The questions are very similar to the ones on the practice tests. And even triple checking his answers the whole thing only takes him 4 hours. He had waved his break, eager to get everything over with.

He ignored the incredulous look the proctor gave him as he handed in the final pamphlet of questions, it was basic algebra. He had saved all of the math and science courses for last so he had something to look forward to when he was slogging through Japanese literature and music theory. Was poetry important to society? Yes. Was he good at reading into the twisted hidden meanings? Not really.

Hatsume-san wasn't in the hall as he exited the classroom. But the book on quantum physics she was reading was placed in a chair that had appeared from somewhere, his bright yellow bag, decorated with scorch marks, was shoved underneath. With a quiet hum he pulled his phone out of his bag and turned it back on. Hoping the woman would have left him a text to tell him where she went. As it powered on he heard the chime of the school bell. It almost didn't register, but then he saw the time display on his screen. Lunch time. Shit.

He snatched up his bag, and Mia's book, and started walking briskly towards the exit. Typing at his phone to let his escort know he was finished and to meet him outside of the gate.

He almost made it too.

He was just one turn away from the last corridor. So close. But an aggressive blonde had to ruin his escape. Stepping out in front of Izuku was a familiar snarl marring his face. "Deku." Oh. That was his angry growl. Fuck. "Where the hell have you been shithead?! You think you can just take a week off of school for a couple of bruises? Useless fuck. I knew you were weak. But that's just pathetic!"

Aaaand there was a crowd growing. He really did have the worst luck.

"K-kachan…" He stuttered out, holding up his hands placatingly. "I- uhm- I h-had s-s-some th-thing-gs t-to ta-take ca-r-re of i-is al-ll…"