𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡 - Bnha x oc

18 - pause

Lunch was supposed to be a time to relax, a chance to take a breather after everything that had just happened. But... it wasn't.

About fifteen minutes into the break, Yuki was wandering the hallways of the sports festival arena, trying to escape the noise and clear her mind for the next event. But just as she rounded a corner, she bumped into Bakugo—who, judging by the look on his face, was up to something. He raised a finger to his lips, giving her a deadly serious look before clamping a hand over her mouth and gesturing for her to be quiet.

She froze, confused, as he motioned toward the hallway around the corner. She quickly realized he was eavesdropping on Todoroki and Midoriya, who were having what seemed to be a serious conversation nearby.

She really didn't want to listen, this was some time alone for herself, not to get involved in more drama.

But, of course, the world didn't hear her, as she was forced to listen to Todoroki dump, what seemed like, all his trauma onto Midoriya, who was really supportive despite the sudden situation.

Yuki tried not to sigh too loudly as they finally wrapped it up, Midoriya and Todoroki's footsteps receding down the hall. Once she and Bakugo were sure Midoriya and Todoroki had left, the two parted ways.

With a sigh of relief, Yuki slipped in her earbuds and scrolled through her playlist on Spotify, looking forward to finally de-stressing on her own.

But of course, that didn't last long as well.

Lost in her thoughts, she wandered down the hall when suddenly, her left earbud was pulled out by someone. Yuki let out a heavy sigh, ready to finally get mad, but when she made eye contact with the person, all her courage flew away.

"Endeavor...?" Yuki asked, her voice laced with confusion as she looked up at him.

The man's eyes swept over her, filled with open disgust. "I know what you are," he said coldly.

Yuki's mind raced, her stomach twisting. Was he talking about her being a ghoul?

She opened her mouth to ask, but he cut her off. "You may fool everyone else, but not me," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "I don't know why they let your kind live. If I were in charge, I wouldn't."

A lump formed in her throat, her body freezing as his words sank in. Yuki was no stranger to harsh comments about her quirk or her past, but this was on another level. She'd dealt with insults before, but the intensity of Endeavor's disgust left her reeling.

She forced herself to swallow, her voice barely steady as she replied, "I... I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

Endeavor scoffed again, "So you're a ghoul and a liar, and you want to call yourself a hero someday? You should be ashamed." 

Yuki finally snapped, "No sir, you should be ashamed, for bullying someone half your size and age, and don't get me started on how you treat your own children!" She said as she pointed an accusing finger towards the number two hero. She really didn't want to expose that she heard what Shoto told Midoriya, but the information just slipped out from being so frustrated. 

Endeavor's fire started burning brighter, showing that he wasn't all too happy about her speaking back. "I don't care that you're a child, a ghoul stays a ghoul, that they even accepted someone like you in UA, just shows how much the school has downgraded since my time there." 

Yuki stood her ground, every fiber of her being wanting to back away but refusing to give him the satisfaction. She could feel the heat from Endeavor's flames, the air around them growing heavier with each word he spat at her.

"UA is giving me a chance—a chance to prove myself as a hero. Isn't that what this school is for?" Yuki replied, her voice trembling only slightly. "Heroes are supposed to protect people, not tear them down."

Endeavor scoffed, his flames dimming just a bit. "Heroes have standards," he sneered. "There's a difference between giving people a chance and letting threats walk the halls."

Yuki clenched her fists, her voice unwavering as she looked him straight in the eye. "You don't know anything about me. I've worked harder than you can imagine just to be here—just to prove I can make something of myself without being judged for what I am." Her voice dropped. "And I'm not the one who should be learning about standards here."

The hero's glare burned into her, but he said nothing. She could sense his irritation, his anger, but she held her ground.

Before he could say another word, a voice interrupted them.

"That's enough, Endeavor."

Yuki turned to see her homeroom teacher, Aizawa, standing a few steps away, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever. But his voice was firm, unyielding.

"Miyazaki needs time to rest, and the first match is about to start," he continued, meeting Endeavor's gaze without a flicker of hesitation. "You should probably head back to the stands if you don't want to miss it."

Endeavor scoffed, clearly unimpressed by Aizawa secretly telling the man off. But he didn't argue with him. He turned on his heel and strode back toward the arena.

Yuki felt a wave of relief wash over her as the uncomfortable encounter ended, but the interaction still lingered in her mind. It was unsettling, and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep well because of it tonight.

But before she could get too far into her own head, she felt Aizawa's hand rest lightly on her shoulder. His grip was steady, warm, and unexpectedly comforting.

"Don't overthink it, Miyazaki," he said in a calm tone. "There are people in this world who try to boost their own self-worth by tearing others down. You just met one of them. But don't let him discourage you—our society was wrong when it placed him in the spotlight. He's got power, but that's not the same as strength."

Yuki glanced up at him, surprised by the rare show of encouragement. She hadn't expected it, and she could feel her shoulders relax just a little, the weight of Endeavor's words easing.

Aizawa continued, "Where you came from doesn't define who you are. I see a lot of potential in you, Miyazaki, more than you might realize right now. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise."

Yuki nodded slowly, the weight in her chest lifting just a little more. "Thank you, sir. I... I won't let him get to me."

"Good," Aizawa said with a small nod. "Remember that in the next round. Show everyone exactly why you belong here."

With one last, steadying look, he turned and walked off, leaving Yuki standing in the hallway with her resolve rekindled.