fear. || { bnha }

thirty two.

a/n: a new chapter? actually soon after the last one? it's a miracle you guys
also about 10 chapters ago i asked for name suggestions for hitoshi's parents, so credit for that goes to Hani-senpai_ uwu

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Valui's eyes grew a few sizes bigger — every thought in her racing mind came to a screeching halt; for a moment, she stopped breathing. Her head turned to stare at Shouto, who only turned back to her when he felt her gaze lingering on him. Something like confusion flickered through his eyes.

"...What?"

"A-are you serious...?"

Shouto's head tilted, the confusion returning to his eyes and becoming more noticeable. "Yes? That was something the paramedics pointed out, t— H-hey, are you okay? You're crying."

Valui blinked, reaching a hand up to hesitantly touch her cheek, just below her eye. Sure enough, it was damp. When she checked underneath her other eye, it came back with the same result. Wet. Tears.

Crying.

When did I start crying?

"Oh—! Valui!"

The girl blinked, her tears drying up upon hearing a second and more familiar voice. She turned toward the sound, looking up as Izuku made his way over to her and Shouto. There was a small smile on his face — that Valui found weird; how could he be smiling right now? — and a plastic bag in one of his hands.

"Izuku?"

"You're okay!" His smile grew wider; he held the bag out to her. "I think this is yours?" Izuku tilted his head as Valui nodded wordlessly, taking the bag and holding it close to her. The necklace Hitoshi had bought her, which had since fallen under her shirt to rest against her skin, sudden felt like a ten pound weight. "You...are okay, right?"

The concern in his voice made a small pang of guilt flood her body. She hadn't wanted him — or anyone, for that matter — to worry about her, even if she had been in a situation where she was completely out of her element.

"Y..yeah, I'm fine."

Valui shifted against the concrete, glancing away from Izuku to look down the street. It was still crowded, even hours after all Hell had broken loose. People were panicking, though to a lesser extent than before. Traffic was all but stopped. Heroes — most of which Valui recognized — were helping those who had been hurt. Her mind drifted first to Hitoshi's mom, who was supposed to be coming to get her; and then to Hitoshi, who had fainted right in front of her eyes.

He's...okay. He's going to be okay.

Her mind repeated it — chanted it — until her heart believed it. He was with paramedics; in an ambulance, or maybe even a hospital by now. He was getting help. He was fine.

"Are you sure?" Izuku's voice pulled her out of her almost obsessive thoughts.

Blue eyes blinked again, looking up to meet green ones. Valui opened her mouth, but the voice she heard wasn't her own.

"She's fine, Midoriya. Stop asking."

Valui glanced from Shouto, who was looking up at Izuku with an expression that told the latter to listen, and then back up to Izuku. Confusion filled her while the green haired male looked as if he were about to say something else only to stop short and comply with what Shouto had said.

"A-alright. I'm glad you're okay."

He beamed at her. Something about it — about how bright and genuinely happy it was — made Valui start smiling back.