Izuku sat in class, staring blankly at the whiteboard while Aizawa droned on about hero strategy. His classmates scribbled notes furiously, trying to keep up, but Izuku couldn't bring himself to care. He already knew the material—he always did. But these days, the fire that once pushed him to study every detail had flickered out.
He tapped his pen lazily against the desk, eyes half-open, mind wandering. The only thing keeping him at U.A. was a lingering sense of duty. He wasn't ready to give up being a hero entirely, but the passion that once consumed him was gone. Now, everything felt like routine—just another day, another exercise, another villain simulation.
Aizawa's voice cut through his thoughts. "Midoriya, pay attention."
Izuku glanced up, meeting Aizawa's gaze. He nodded lazily, though his expression didn't change. There was no panic in his face like there used to be when he was called out—just a calm, nonchalant acceptance.
Class ended without much fanfare, and Izuku packed his things, ready to leave. As the other students filtered out, he caught snippets of their conversations—talk of upcoming exams, training plans, and internships. It all felt so distant to him, like a life he was watching from the outside.
---
Later that afternoon, Izuku headed straight for the skate park. The moment he stepped onto his board, everything else faded away. The weight of U.A., the expectations, the constant pressure—it all disappeared when he skated.
Kaito and the crew were already there, working on tricks and laughing at each other's fails. They greeted Izuku with nods and fist bumps, but no one asked him about school. They didn't care that he went to U.A., and that was exactly why Izuku liked hanging with them. Here, he could just be himself.
After a while, Kaito pulled out his phone, smirking. "Yo, let's shoot a vid for the 'gram."
Izuku didn't respond right away, but after a few moments of silence, he gave a slight nod. He wasn't in it for the attention, but skating was his escape, and he didn't mind showing off some tricks.
Kaito set up his phone, and the crew took turns landing tricks in front of the camera. When it was Izuku's turn, he stepped up, his movements fluid and effortless. He hit a perfect kickflip into a grind, then finished with a smooth ollie off a nearby rail. The camera caught it all.
Kaito was hyped. "Damn, Midoriya! You're killin' it."
Izuku just shrugged, grabbing his board and skating off to the side without a word. The others didn't take offense—they were used to his quiet demeanor by now. Kaito uploaded the video, tagging Izuku and the rest of the crew.
---
The next morning at U.A., things took a turn. Izuku strolled into the classroom like he always did—nonchalant, indifferent, his mind already wandering. But the atmosphere felt...different. People were staring at him more than usual, whispering behind their hands.
He ignored it, sliding into his seat and leaning back. His earbuds went in, shutting out the noise, but it didn't take long before someone tapped him on the shoulder.
It was Kaminari, phone in hand, eyes wide with disbelief. "Dude, is this you?"
Izuku frowned, pulling out an earbud and glancing at Kaminari's screen. The Instagram video from the skate park was playing—his kickflip, his grind, the whole crew hyping him up in the background.
Izuku blinked, but his expression didn't change. "Yeah, so?"
Kaminari gawked at him. "You skate? Why didn't you tell anyone?"
Izuku shrugged again, clearly unbothered. "Didn't think it mattered."
Suddenly, Kirishima, Mina, and Sero crowded around, all of them staring at the video in shock.
"That's so manly, Midoriya!" Kirishima said, his eyes practically sparkling. "You're really good!"
Mina looked equally impressed. "Why didn't you tell us you were a skater? That's awesome!"
Izuku just leaned back in his chair, slipping his earbud back in. "It's just something I do. No big deal."
Bakugo, who had been listening from his seat, sneered. "Of course, Deku's a damn skater. Figures you'd waste your time with that crap."
Izuku didn't even flinch at the insult. He was beyond caring about Bakugo's opinions. Instead, he stayed in his own world, unfazed by the reactions of his classmates.
As the day went on, more students came up to him, asking about the video. Even Todoroki and Iida had seen it, though neither of them pressed him about it like the others. Iida gave him a lecture about balancing extracurricular activities with school, but Izuku just nodded absentmindedly, tuning most of it out.
---
By the end of the day, the video had blown up on Instagram. The comments were full of praise for Izuku's skills, with people from all over the city following him. But to him, it didn't mean anything. He skated for himself, not for validation.
As he left U.A., he saw Ochako waiting for him at the gate. She was fidgeting, clearly wanting to say something, but when she saw Izuku's nonchalant expression, she hesitated.
"Midoriya... I didn't know you skated."
Izuku glanced at her, his face calm. "Yeah."
There was an awkward pause before Ochako smiled softly. "It's cool. You're really good."
He nodded, but there wasn't much enthusiasm behind it. "Thanks."
They walked in silence for a while, heading toward the city. Ochako kept stealing glances at him, like she was trying to figure him out. Eventually, she broke the silence.
"Do you... even care about U.A. anymore?"
Izuku stopped walking, hands in his pockets, staring ahead. "I do," he said slowly, "but not the way I used to."
Ochako frowned, clearly confused. "What do you mean?"
Izuku sighed, his gaze distant. "I'll still be a hero. But it's not everything to me anymore."
Ochako was quiet for a moment, taking that in. "Well... as long as you're happy."
Izuku didn't respond, his thoughts already drifting away as they walked into the city. He didn't know what happiness felt like anymore—not in the way others did. But for now, skating was enough.
And that was all he needed.
