Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 9. A Walk Home.

Shinso and Izuku walked down the streets which lead to the green haired boy's home, the sun was already starting to set but they were almost there so there was no need to worry.

The walk had been mostly silent so far, and Izuku was grateful for Shinso's presence. Even though they didn't talk much at school, the feeling he got from just having someone beside him made the journey home feel less lonely, especially after the tense day they'd had.

Shinso, however, found his thoughts wandering as they journeyed. More specifically, his brain kept circling back to Monoma. The fight, the anger, the way Monoma had completely lost control in the cafeteria. It had been impressive in a way, but also concerning. There was something going on with the blonde, something more than just schoolyard grudges.

This was eating him up from the inside out. He was still unaware of why he had suddenly taken a liking to the two boys but he had and unfortunately for him, he had no idea of how to stop it. So before Shinso could stop himself, he let his lips move and broke the silence between he and Izuku. "So, what's the deal with your friend Monoma, anyway? He got anger issues or something?"

Izuku blinked, surprised by the question. "Monoma?" He thought for a moment, not entirely sure what to say. Monoma was his friend, that much was obvious but when he really thought about it, he realized he didn't know much about him.

"Yeah," Shinso pressed, his voice casual but curious. "I mean, we both saw what happened today but... he's not mostly like that for what I've observed over the month since I don't think he's that type guy but something was definitely off with him. You know what I mean?"

Izuku looked down at his shoes, his brow furrowing. Now that Shinso had asked, it hit him just how little he knew about Monoma's life outside of school. They spent a lot of time together, sure, but when it came to Monoma's personal life, Izuku realized he didn't know much at all. But still Shinso had a point. Monoma acted so out of character earlier.

"Well, he doesn't really talk about himself much," Izuku admitted, his voice soft. "I just know he lives alone. He transferred to Aldera last year after something happened at his old school."

Shinso raised an eyebrow at that, his curiosity piqued. "Transferred schools? Why?"

Izuku shrugged, feeling a bit uneasy. "I'm not sure. He never told me the full story, and I didn't want to pry. But from what I heard, there was some kind of incident at his old school, and after that, he transferred here. Seems like not many people liked him there either."

Shinso's gaze sharpened, his mind turning over the new information. "An incident?" he echoed, his tone thoughtful. "That sounds... familiar."

Izuku glanced at him, confused. "Familiar? How so?"

Shinso gave a small, humorless chuckle, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "I transferred here too, you know for the same reason. Some 'incident' at my old school. People don't take well to quirks like mine, especially when they're scared of what I can do."

Izuku's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't known that about Shinso. He had always assumed that Shinso, like most kids, just ended up at Aldera through normal circumstances and by that he meant the school was the last resort for anyone who wished to complete middle school via way of something extra. But now, hearing that Shinso had gone through something similar to Monoma-it made him wonder just what had happened to his friend to come to his grade D middle school.

"You think Monoma's transfer has something to do with his quirk?" Izuku asked cautiously.

Shinso shrugged. "Could be. I haven't seen him use it but I heard that he can copy quirks, right? That's the kind of power that could cause problems, especially if people don't trust him." He glanced at Izuku. "Not everyone sees unique quirks as a good thing, especially when they can be used directly against you."

Izuku nodded, thinking back to all the times Monoma had been targeted by bullies, not just at Aldera but in the past as well. Monoma rarely talked about his old school, but Izuku had always sensed that something bad had happened there-something that made Monoma keep his guard up all the time.

"It makes sense," Izuku said quietly. "Monoma... he doesn't saymuch about his life, but sometimes I get the feeling that he's carrying a lot more than he lets on."

Shinso hummed in agreement, his mind still focused on the enigma that was Monoma. There was something about the blonde that struck a chord with him, something that made Shinso feel like they had more in common than he'd realized.

"People like us," Shinso said after a moment, his voice soft but thoughtful, "we don't always fit in. When you've got a quirk that people don't understand, or worse, one they're scared of, it can make life... complicated."

Shinso's words were cryptic but it made Izuku wonder what the boy's quirk was but he did not wish to pry as he could tell that it was a sensitive matter. Izuku knew all too well what it was like to be treated as an outcast. Though his situation was different, the feeling of being on the outside looking in was something he, Monoma and Shinso see to share.

As they reached the front door of Izuku's apartment building, Shinso glanced up at the sky, the fading light casting a warm glow across the city. For a moment, neither of them said anything, the quiet between them comfortable.

"Thanks for walking me home," Izuku said finally, offering a small smile. "I really appreciate it."

Shinso shrugged, his usual nonchalant expression back in place. "Don't mention it. I wasn't gonna let you walk home alone with Bakugo on the loose."

Izuku chuckled nervously, but his smile was genuine. "Yeah, that would've been bad."

As Shinso turned to leave, he hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Izuku. "Hey... keep an eye on Monoma, alright? He's got a lot going on. More than he lets on. Also take care of yourself."

Izuku's smile faltered slightly, but he nodded. "I will."

With that, Shinso gave a small wave and started down the street, his thoughts still lingering on Monoma. He hadn't expected to care so much about the real blonde and greenette, but something about them had sparked Shinso's curiosity-and maybe even a bit of concern.

As he walked away, the conversation replayed in his mind. Transferring schools because of an incident. It was too similar to his own experience to ignore.

The two boys might not be as different from him as he thought.

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Word Count [1146]