Need You (ShinDeku)

Ch. 90 - Skillful

A/N: I wrestled with this one, and I'm not sure I won. Despite this, you all have waited way too long for the next chapter so here you are.
Have fun reading!

Midoriya POV

I left with our friends, hoping that Hitoshi was in good hands. Maybe he would feel more comfortable talking to Shota about whatever was bothering him. If it had something to do with me then he'd probably appreciate being away from me for a little while at least.

I thought back over the past few days and I couldn't think of anything I may have done wrong. He seemed to have been enjoying his time with me for the most part, but... there had been a sort of growing tension between us. I may have been a little more awkward than normal, coming to terms with the way I felt for him, but he seemed to also distance himself a little. Like... he was reminding himself not to get too close. Maybe I'm reading too far into it.

I tried to push the thought from my mind as we reached the locker rooms but it kept coming back. As I grabbed my clothes to change into and headed towards a bathroom stall as usual, an alarming thought popped into my head. What if he's realized I have feelings for him and got weird and distant about it? I shove that idea away as hard and fast as I can. On top of how embarrassing it is, I can't help but feel like that's not quite right. I can't assume that everything is about my feelings for him just because that's all I think about all day.

I wince and suck air through my teeth as I pull my shirt over my head. Since my arms weren't nearly as damaged as my legs, Recovery Girl has been working them hard recently, finding ways for me to train the muscles without needing much grip strength due to my hand. They're sore, and it does feel kind of nice, but it's certainly a feeling I have to get used to again.

With my shirt properly situated, my mind falls back to my previous thoughts. Today Hitoshi's bad mood definitely had something to do with that dream from last night. The headache and irritability could have been a side effect of the quirk but honestly it seemed unlikely.

     I'm not a scientist or mechanic of any kind, but years of studying quirks tell me it's unlikely that someone who is not the user of the quirk would probably not have adverse reactions like that the day after. Also, I don't see how the quirk gun could have given him a late onset headache, unless there was a problem with radiation or something. I felt my face pale a little and I took in a sharp breath. No. Let's not think negatively like this. They... they wouldn't let such dangerous and faulty items be created and used by students at the school. Plus I don't know nearly enough about the technology to know if that is even possible. That's right! Hitoshi is not gonna get cancer and die. I forced a smile on my face as I stared at the door to the stall, grateful it was there so my classmates couldn't see the sudden change in expression on my face.

I think it was whatever the dream was about that threw him off, rather than the quirk itself or the machinery that shot it at him. Especially after the way he woke up. The tearful trembles are burned into my memory, and probably will be for a long time. I try not to feel guilty about how Hitoshi must feel seeing me like that all the time.

Iida was outside the stall I was changing in when I left, temporarily replacing Hitoshi who usually stood there like a guard while I changed. I gave him a smile—one more genuine this time—and one to Todoroki too when he walked over to us.

"You're both finished?" The words were accompanied by chopping gestures that I skillfully shifted away from, fingers tightening around my walking stick. They secretly longed to wrap around another larger, more familiar hand or a filled out bicep for comfort, or perhaps even to splay across a strong back. It was nice to have a human shield to hide behind, especially when the shield had pretty purple hair and eyes, and such a sweet personality. He was perfect for when my brain logically knew there was no real danger but my heart still beat fast like it was readying for flight or flight.