The next morning at U.A. was uneventful, at least for Izuku. He moved through the day like a shadow, his nonchalant demeanor distancing him from his classmates. People noticed, though—especially after the incident at the skate park. Whispers followed him through the hallways, but he didn't care.
He slid into his seat just before homeroom, ignoring the stares from his classmates. Bakugo hadn't said a word to him since the park, but his anger was palpable. Kirishima kept glancing over, concern etched across his face, while Mina seemed conflicted, unsure of what to make of the new Izuku.
Class went on as usual, but something was different. Aizawa-sensei kept eyeing Izuku with a curious expression, like he knew something was off but wasn't sure what. The tension in the room was thick, but Izuku didn't react, staring out the window with his usual indifferent expression.
After class, as everyone was getting ready to leave, Aizawa finally spoke up.
"Midoriya, stay behind."
The room went quiet for a second, with everyone casting glances between Izuku and their teacher. Bakugo gave a sharp smirk, clearly thinking Izuku was about to get chewed out. But Izuku just sighed, standing up without a word as the rest of the class filed out. Kirishima gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder as he left, but Izuku barely acknowledged it.
Once the classroom was empty, Aizawa leaned back in his chair, studying Izuku carefully.
"You've changed," Aizawa said, his voice calm but direct. "And I don't just mean your attitude."
Izuku leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "What's your point?"
Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "The point is, I'm not blind. You've distanced yourself from the class, you're avoiding training, and I heard about your little skateboarding escapade last night. You think I wouldn't notice?"
Izuku shrugged, his face unreadable. "What I do in my free time is my business."
Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "True. But when it starts affecting your performance as a student, it becomes mine."
There was a long pause as they stared each other down. Finally, Aizawa sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I'm not here to give you a lecture, Midoriya," he said, his tone softening. "But you need to figure out what you want. If you don't care about being a hero anymore, then stop wasting your time here."
Izuku's eyes flickered, but his expression remained neutral. "I didn't say I was done being a hero."
"Then what are you saying?"
Izuku was silent for a moment, his mind racing. He hadn't really thought about it—not deeply, anyway. He wasn't the same person who had obsessed over being a hero. The drive wasn't there like it used to be. But...did that mean he was ready to give it all up?
Aizawa watched him carefully. "Midoriya, I'm not going to pretend to know what's going on in your head. But you can't stay in limbo forever. You have to make a choice—either commit to being a hero, or don't. But don't half-ass it."
Izuku nodded slowly. "I'll think about it."
Aizawa leaned back in his chair, sighing again. "That's all I ask."
With that, Izuku turned and left the classroom, his thoughts swirling in a whirlwind of uncertainty. He walked through the halls, barely paying attention to the students bustling around him. The weight of Aizawa's words hung heavy in his mind, but no clear answer came to him.
He made his way outside, needing some fresh air to clear his head. The sun was warm on his face as he stepped into the courtyard, but the slight breeze did little to ease the tension in his chest.
As he headed towards the school gate, he heard footsteps behind him. He didn't bother looking back—he already knew who it was.
"Izuku!"
Ochako's voice rang out, her tone gentle but worried. He stopped walking but didn't turn around, waiting for her to catch up.
"Hey," she said, slightly out of breath as she stood next to him. "I've been worried about you. You've been...different lately."
Izuku shrugged, still not looking at her. "I'm fine."
She frowned, clearly not buying it. "You're not, though. You've been distant, avoiding everyone. What's going on?"
Izuku didn't answer right away, his gaze focused on the distant skyline. He didn't feel like explaining himself—not to her, not to anyone. But something in Ochako's voice made him hesitate. She genuinely cared, even when he didn't care at all.
"I'm just...figuring things out," he said finally, his voice low. "That's all."
Ochako looked at him with concern, but she didn't push any further. She stood there in silence for a moment before speaking again.
"Whatever it is, you don't have to do it alone, you know? We're your friends. We're here for you."
Izuku's lips twitched into a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Thanks, Ochako."
She smiled back, but the worry in her eyes didn't fade. "Just...don't shut us out, okay?"
He gave a slight nod, though he wasn't sure if he could make that promise. Without another word, he turned and walked away, heading toward the city. He needed to clear his head, and skating was the only thing that helped.
---
That evening, as Izuku rolled into the skate park, the familiar sounds of boards clattering against concrete greeted him. Kaito and the others were already there, but today, he wasn't in the mood to socialize.
He dropped his board and started skating, letting the rhythm of it drown out the noise in his mind. The weight of his conversation with Aizawa and Ochako hung heavy on him, but for now, he pushed it aside, focusing only on the feel of the board beneath his feet.
He wasn't ready to deal with his future yet. Not today.
For now, he'd just skate
