Chasing Someone Else's Dreams - MHA OC fic

And So, The Word Spreads

Really, you tell yourself, you should have known that being a new girl in such a prestigious school (in which new students were already practically unheard of, but especially not in the Hero Course — just your luck) would attract masses of attention. You convinced yourself earlier that you would love the attention; besides, it's what you craved anyway, right?

Nope, you gaslit yourself. Congrats, dumbass, you really thought people fawning over you would bring you pride. It brought discomfort, surprise surprise.

Not that you didn't enjoy making loads of new friends, but it was just that they were all at once, you know? A little much to handle.
Well anyway, you did recognise quite a few from the Sports Festival — after all, it aired on television, and not only did you want to see the kids that Shōta taught, but you wanted to check on him through the TV. He was still severely injured, after all. You supposed it could be one of the reasons why remembering all of your new friends' names was so easy; you'd seen them before.

...And it also might explain why you didn't like Bakugou from the start...

You're too stubborn to admit that, anyway.

But one particular boy had caught your eye during that little programme. Yeah, sure, others would say he was nothing remarkable. He looked tired to the point he could be mistaken for being ill, and he wasn't particularly bubbly or ambitious to the naked eye. But you saw him trying, so hard during the fight against Izuku to prove himself. Sure, he lost, but you gotta respect the grind.

Plus, he kind of reminded you of your own "sleepy boy".
And... Shōta saw his potential just as clearly as you did. Boy, does Shōta love potential. He discreetly admitted to you that he was working on taking Shinsou Hitoshi under his wing to train him up to join either Class 1-A or B.

There he was, in all of his exhausted glory. The boy who, though he didn't realise it, would be spending a lot more time with you than he bargained for thanks to Shōta.

"Yeah, he's probably gonna find me wildly irritating."
The voice in your head drawls. Well... you kind of were a mild fangirl of his at this point. So you popped on your best, friendliest grin and trotted up to him.

[Long dialogue section incoming]

To your surprise, he already guesses;
"Oh, so you're the new girl everyone's talking about?" Evidently he realises that he doesn't recognise you.
You decide to mock shock;
"Wait, people are talking about me? What are they saying?!" Oh god don't try to be funny. Stupid idea.

You kick yourself mentally at having, like, no normal social skills due to your lack of being around other kids your age, and decide to blame that on Shōta.

"Nothing bad, just that you're apparently really nice and you... hug... everyone?" Damn. Word spreads quick round here, huh?
"I do. I'm Celestie Xiomara by the way." You say as you offer your hand, which he shakes briefly.
"Shinsou Hitoshi. Nice to meet you." He seems standoffish around you. Makes sense; you're new and very excitable. Not that you care — you get more excitable as you recall the events of the Sports Festival:

"You too! I just wanted to say you were absolutely awesome in the Sports Festival, and your Quirk is way cool." Did you really just say that? "You could do some seriously incredible Hero work with that."
He seems taken aback. Guess he isn't used to compliments...?
"Oh... uh, thanks." He pauses, shuffling his feet uncomfortably.
"People usually think it's kind of an evil Quirk." He continues. You're baffled.
"What— how?! Do you realise what shitty situations Class 1-A has been through that your Quirk could have deescalated within minutes?" You blurt out, referencing the USJ incident.
"I've— I've heard."

And before you can stop yourself, you begin to rant about unfairness. You die slightly inside as your mouth moves on its own. He already seems uncomfortable. Ah, shi—
"Honestly the Entrance Exam is totally biased against your types. You're definitely built for Hero work, and you're in General Studies! It's so stupid." You hope to God he doesn't wonder how you knew he was in Class 1-C. Shōta told you, of course. You and your dumbass mouth.
"Thanks—?"
"I could ask Aizawa Sensei to consider transferring you!" Shit. Well at least you didn't tell him that Shōta was already planning that.
"Oh, you really don't have t—"
You cut him off, trying desperately to patch up your slip-up. Cringing as you do. Ohhh, you're talking too much. Again.
"It can't be fair that I've just been allowed to join when the year's almost done — and you can't even transfer, even though you've already been here."
"Uh, yeah, I guess so?"
"Great! So I'll talk to him! I can't wait to train with you and get to know you more!" You try to disguise your dying-inside feeling in your face. Yeah, definitely let your energetic side out with (probably) the wrong person. He was getting more uncomfortable by the second, you assumed.

To your absolute astonishment, he chuckles.
"You sure are energetic, aren't you?"
"Hm? Oh, one hundred percent. We're friends now, okay? We're gonna hang out more." And your mouth again fucks up. Congrats.
He says deadpan. "What."
"...What? You don't want to be friends?" Your heart sinks with embarrassment.
"Oh— uh— n-no— That's not—" OH HE'S HESITATING, TIME TO LATCH ONTO THAT AS YOUR DUMBASS COPING MECHANISM FOR THE EMBARRASSMENT.

"Great! So let's hang out more. How about this weekend?" You're an idiot. You're an idiot.
"Oh— you meant outside of school??"
"Yeah. Oh, but we can hang out at lunchtimes too." Play it off, play it off. You're just an energetic, overly friendly new girl. Play it off—
"I— Y—..."
He sighs. Shit.

"You know what? I'm up for it."

...WHAT?

"You seem like an introvert." You start to smile again, thanking your lucky stars.
"I'd say I am."

Insert another coping mechanism; resort to memes.
"Don't you realise that this is how introverts make friends? They get adopted by extroverts."
"I see. So you like memes too." He smiles.
Bingo!

"Thank god you're cultured." You smile, and he chuckles again. You were about to say "See you around!" as you walked off before probably smacking your face repeatedly into a wall out of sheer embarrassment, when—
"I thought you gave everyone hugs?" The balls on this one. Huh.
"You're pretty slick, aren'tcha?" You grin, turning back to his smirking face. Mission accomplished.