Made to Destroy | BNHA x OP!Reader

[32] Bitter Rivalry

"Um. Are you sure it's okay to eat that much?" Shinsou asks, casting a nervous glance down towards your cafeteria tray.

"It's hamburger steak," you reply simply. "Burgers are my favorite food. This is the closest to burgers I can ever get while I'm at school. I have to capitalize on this opportunity while I still can."

"Right. I get that. It's just, uh... I'm worried you might get sick, y'know?"

"Life is all about taking risks. Even if I throw up later, it'll be worth it. Don't worry too hard about the future, Shinsou. Just live in the moment."

Shinsou chuckles weakly as you both grab a spot at one of the tables. Setting aside the... concerning amount of food you're about to consume, he supposes it's nice to eat lunch with someone for a change. It's not that people actively exclude him or anything, but that being said, he can still sense their discomfort when he's around them, because of how his Quirk works. It's usually just easier for him to eat alone. It's easier for everyone that way.

For the time being, he'd like to keep his powers hidden. So that he'll be free of your judgment-even if only for a little while.

"By the way, Shinsou, what kind of Quirk do you have?"

...goddammit.

Shinsou grimaces. It figures that'd be one of the first things you ask him. Well, it's an incredibly common question, after all. People can't help but be curious about others' abilities. In a superhuman society such as this one, asking someone what kind of Quirk they have is probably the number one conversation starter.

It doesn't mean he's obligated to answer, though.

"Not telling," Shinsou refuses, turning his head away from you and averting his gaze.

"Aw, why not?" you whine. "That's not fair! You already know what mine is. I want to know what yours is, too."

"You do realize the Sports Festival is coming up, right? That means we're going to be competing against each other. It's obviously to my advantage if people don't know what my Quirk is. It means they won't know what to expect."

Well, he does have a point, but still.

You cross your arms and audibly huff. "Fine, then. If you want to keep secrets, I can do that too. And I was even going to let you in on some pretty cool stuff. But it's your loss, I guess."

"That's fine," Shinsou just shrugs. "I get the feeling that you have a hard time keeping things to yourself. I bet you'll blab about it sooner or later."

"Hey!"

You grumble and shake your fist in his face, menacingly, and despite Shinsou's best efforts, he can't quite seem to hide his smile.

"So, uh, regarding those connections you mentioned before," he says, gesturing to you (and looking somewhat horrified) as you polish off your third hamburger steak, "why is it that Lunch Rush gave you extra portions, exactly?"

"Hm. Well, I was going to tell you, but then you decided you felt like keeping secrets, so you're not getting a peep out of me," you reply smugly.

Shinsou stares at you for a few moments, but regretfully, his expression hardly changes.

Then he shrugs and turns back towards his plate.

"Fair enough."

You blink. Oh. You were expecting... a bit more persistence on his part. Doesn't he want to know? Isn't the mystery practically eating away at him?

"Even if you ask, I really won't tell you," you insist.

"I know," Shinsou shrugs again. "That's okay. It's your call to make."