Quickly, you run to the back of the class, wanting to avoid everyone at all costs. What if they don't like you? What if they make fun of you for being chubby? No. You refuse to relive junior high. You just can't. It's too awful.
Suddenly, you see a redhead enter the room. He's about average height with spiky hair. When he starts greeting everyone, you see spiky teeth in his mouth. A loud boy who looks a bit scary at first glance considering how broad he is.
Beneath his uniform, you can tell that he has a lot of muscle.
He could knock me out in one blow.
"Hey, there!" You look up again, finding the redhead that's been intimidating you. He gives an open-mouth smile, revealing those sharp teeth. Don't tell me.. is he gonna bully me, too?
Looking back down at your desk, you squeak out, "Hello."
"I'm Eijiro Kirishima! Looks like we're gonna be classmates from now on."
"Mhm."
"Aren't you gonna tell me your name?"
"Y/n L/n"
"Awww! That's such a cute name!" He sits backwards in the chair in front of your desk so that he can face you.
"Thank you"
"So whats your quirk?"
"I can inflict any level of pain on a person in any spot."
"Oh...that's...terrifying..hh...I have hardening! Heh... I'm like a rock. I can make my body as hard and sharp as a rock. Nothing flashy but... it got me into UA!!"
Could definitely knock me out in one blow.
"Cool."
"You... what makes you wanna be a hero? You look so cute that I wouldn't expect such a career."
"To save people."
"What makes you wanna save people?"
"Because being pushed around by stronger people sucks."
"Well, I wanna save people because it's manly! hate the idea of standing around while someone needs me, or letting someone else save me."
"Nice"
"You have really pretty eyes."
"Thank you,"
"I've always liked that eye color."
"Thank you,"
"Your hair color, too.
"Thank you."
"I wish I had a girlfriend who looks like you."
"Good luck."
"Can I sit next to you?"
"Sure."
He switches to the seat beside you. "So... what's your favorite color?"
"F/c."
"Oh! That's such a pretty color! It really suits you."
"Yeah."
Then, he falls silent. Still, you keep your eyes glued to the desk, worried. After all that attention, he must have something planned. Will it hurt? Will you go home in tears just like junior high? That seems like it, though you hope not.
Something odd about you is that you're a bit of a pushover. Pain has to do with your quirk, but you avoid inflicting it. It doesn't scare you or make you sick. Actually, you're a bit of a sadist at times. However, at a very young age, you learned that those urges take over much too quickly, and it gets ugly from there. It's not just learning to be a hero that brought you here. It's the desire to keep it under control.
Which brings it all back to the bullies. At first, it wasn't like that. Kids were scared of you. Then, some audacious transfer student who didn't know your quirk. He saw your chubby body, and started picking on you. You took it, too shy to say anything and too afraid of your quirk.
After that day, everyone picked on you. There's some scars from when it got physical, but they're not nearly as bad as the mental. Now, you won't look in the mirror. You won't dare think you're good at anything. You can't be proud of yourself or appreciate yourself. You haven't even smiled in three years.
When your teacher wants to do quirk assessment tests, you shyly approach him. You say, "My quirk won't help me in any of these, so may as well just cut me and not scare everyone else."
"Is this course a joke to you?"
"No. And that's why I don't even know how I got here."
"Your quirk is feint attack,' correct?"
"Yeah. Nothing good in physical analysis."
"We'l see how you do. Don't count yourself out just yet."
"Yes, Sir."
Just as you expected, you come in last. Eijiro Kirishima did remarkable, however. It only makes him scarier. He must have some motive. Especially because now he's running toward you. He grabs your wrist and drags you to the teacher, Shota Aizawa,
"Please!" he yells. "Don't cut her! I really, really want her to stay!" Is he really that desperate to bully you?
"That's not your business,' replies Aizawa. "It's between her and I."
"But-"
"Kirishima, stop."
"I just think she's really cool and has lots of potential."
Sighing, he says, "I wasn't planning on cutting her. She's staying. She didn't do half-bad without her quirk, and I'm sure that she'll excel once given the chance."
"Wait, what?" You're shocked. "M- Mr. Aizawa, y- y- you should know that- that it's dangerous. You- you may not want to work with me-"
"Well, what's dangerous about it?"
Now that even Kirishima is silent, you admit, "Wh- when I use it, I go crazy. I- I turn into a total sadist and can't stop. Most people avoid me when they find out. My mom had the hardest time enrolling me into schools and I've never had any friends. If you don't wanna work with me, it's okay. I understand."
"I'm not going to be biased because of your quirk. And it does seem you have a friend. Kirishima is quite fond of you."
Face now as red as his hair, Kirishima says, "Well- she- she just seems like the manliest!! I mean- cute and tiny and just- just so manly!" He begins running off, yelling as he goes, "THE MANLIEST!!!"
Confused, you mutter, "But I'm not a man."
"We're just going to ignore him. Anyway, welcome to UA."
"Thank you, Sir."
"Did you not want to be here? It seems as if you want to be cut."
"It's not that. l'm just... nervous."
"Then move past it. I believe in you."
Now, he's walking away. You feel so anxious. What if you fail? What if you never become a hero because you can't be tamed? Its terrifying.
"Woah!" exclaims Kirishima as you to walk out of the dressing rooms.
You're now in your hero costume. They didn't listen to anything you requested but the color. You wanted a baggy f/c dress with leggings and platform boots. What you got was a skin-tight, f/c bodysuit with sf/c (second-favorite color) rings on it. You have boots with a thick platform, but they also have low heels. The only thing you're grateful for is the high neckline and the fact that it has full sleeves and legs with no cut-outs.
"What?" you ask, confused by his exclamation. Are you that ugly and fat? He'l definitely start picking on you.
"You- you're- I-" He turns around. "You look very nice!!"
"Then... why are you looking away?"
"Because I don't wanna think unmanly things! Sorry!"
You don't know what that means, but now that you get a good look, you realize that he's just...hot. His costume isn't tight--it's practically non-existent. He had pants. And a mask. Sleeves. But his torso. It's completely bare. Where exactly is the logic? Thoughts swarm around your head, so you begin shaking it. Now I'm having unmanly thoughts.
Whatever that means.
Every day, Kirishima is talking to you sweetly, inviting you to lunch. He showers you with compliments and is the kindest person you've ever met. How did you think he was a bully? He's perfect. Even his visuals are unreal. You already have a crush on him. But he'll never like you back. You're not pretty enough. He'd reject you in the manliest way possible. Which would hurt all the more Now living together at the dorms, you see him all the time, and you fall all the more in love with him. You see him in a bandana or his hair down, and that's just your favorite him. Its like an evolved version of him. You're obsessed. Secretly, you have photos of him, and you love them all, keeping them in their own, special folder, which contains individual albums,
organized by his hair.
On some random day, there's a light tap on your door. When you answer, you see him. Kirishima. With an awkward smile, he asks, "May I please come in?"
"Of course."
He steps inside, leaving the door open like the gentleman he is. "Can we talk?"
"Say what you need to say."
He starts pacing. "l- listen, I know I'm not the manliest. Not at all. Im not even the best looking in the class. My grades aren't very high, either. You- You'd deserve better! Really! But, the thing is, I really like you. Like, so much. You're so pretty and smart and talented and, overall, the best ever. And- and it's okay if you reject me! Really! So don't feel pressured!
Granted, it'll hurt like crap, but as long as you're happy--even if that means staying friends--l'I be okay...
By now, you've stopped listen. He's rambling on and on about how he's not the manliest and that you deserve better, and you don't like it. None of it is true. But no matter what you say or how loud, he won't snap out of it. Then, you get an idea. You read somewhere that scratching between the eyes will totally immobilize a shark, and Kirishima reminds you of one. He even has sharky teeth. So, you do just that. He stops dead in his tracks, seeming to glitch.
Taking the opportunity, you say, "You're the manliest ever. Yo u're so handsome. Grades aren't what's important. You make me so happy. Kirishima, ...I've totally fallen for you." You stop scratching, so he tears up.
"You mean it?"
"Mhm."
He sniffs. "You really think I'm manly?"
Is that really what matters? You just poured your heart out, and he's concerned with being manly? Gritting your teeth, you smack his arm. "I JUST POURED MY HEART OUT TO YOU AND YOU'RE ONLY CONCERNED WITH BEING MANLY?!?!?! YOU IDIOT! 'M IN LOVE WITH YOU AND YOU ONlY THINK ABOUT BEING MANLY?!?!?!"
"S- sorry. I just- you- you said I'm the manliest and- and I just- it makes me so happy." He hugs you, making you tense up and putting a blush on your face. You're so manly and- and for you to say I'm manly. I've only ever dreamt of this."
"Er- th- thank you."
"Be my Pebble? Please? Pretty, pretty please? With a cherry on top?"
"You didn't have to beg... I- "l be your Pebble."
Excitedly, he picks you up, spins you around, places you back on the floor, then kisses you. His lips are soft and taste like strawberries. Its a bit addictive, but even more so, flustering. Completely done, you pass out in his arms.
----
Picture edited by Maddie. Doesn't own the original rights to image though.
