Bad Habits - (Shouto x OC)

Bad Habits 50k Special: First Day of The Rest of Our Lives

A/N: thank for 50k! You guys voted on a bonus chap instead of art so here you go. Enjoy! Straight from Patreon

Shouto POV:

Midoriya always said college years were supposed to be our best years. And, well, Midoriya always knows best.

So, in the days leading up to our first day of college, I....well, I actually had trouble sleeping, because I couldn't stop thinking about what he said. I assumed that if I was about to start 'the best' years of my life, something big was going to happen on my very first day. My life would change, and I honestly didn't know if I was ready for that. After finally finding balance, I was afraid to encounter anything that might mess it up. I was afraid that one wrong decision would lead me back to that time. The time I was a prisoner in my own house, gasping for breath and retching from the overexertion of my muscles.

But, as I walk through the halls of UA University with my books in hand and Midoriya at my side, I realize...

There's no threat of change here. Everything....is exactly how it always was.

Denki Kaminari was still getting in trouble with Mr. Aizawa, and Eijirou Kirishima was still trying to beat Bakugo in an arm wrestle. And, Momo was still trying to confirm plans for tomorrow night, and I'm still trying to find a way to get out of them.

Sure, we didn't have uniforms anymore, and I suppose that was....different. But, there wasn't any big event that changed my life. There wasn't any giant moment where things felt different, and normally, I would be relieved. But, it was weird because that's not what I felt at all. As I sit in my seat for my first days of pre-requisite classes, with Midoriya talking about grass, and Momo chatting with Jirou about where she's taking me to dinner tomorrow, I let the world exist around me, staring at a random spot on the floor. Because...because...even if I was relieved....

Part of me felt empty that nothing had changed today.

I don't know, it wasn't that I wanted to change. No, I was very comfortable with my own life. Surely, I would have been uncomfortable if my entire life as I'd come to know it became uprooted from under me on this very day. But, it's just that...

If these are supposed to be the best days of my life....does that mean...this is as good as it's going to get?

That shouldn't be a problem, and I shouldn't be upset about it. Right? And I'm not upset about it. I'm just....I don't know....neutral about it? I don't know what I was expecting. Anything is better than being stuck at home training with dad until I puke. Anything is better than feeling scalding hot water sear into my face and looking into the eyes of my mother and seeing a stranger.

I should be remember that and be happy. I'm....well, I know I'm asking for too much by wanting more—I don't even know what 'more' is, because I've never experienced it. It's like this unreachable room that I can't unlock. But, then again, I never seem to be able to reach that emotion very often. A lot of the times, I actually think I'm broken, because I can't get happy as easily as other people can.

This, right here in this room....this is normal. This is good, and because it's something that everyone else is happy about, I should be happy about, too. I should accept it.

"Shouto, did you hear that?" Momo asked as the bell for class rang, causing me to come out of my head and turn to her in a daze.

"Oh. No. I wasn't listening to you." I said honestly, watching her smile fall as if I said something wrong.

What did I say? I was just being honest. I didn't mean it in a bad way.

"I...well, I was just talking about the restaurant my parents are taking us to tomorrow." She uttered a little quieter, waving me off as the professor walked in. "But, we can talk about it after class."