Rise Above - [BNHA x Reader]

- 7 -

The notebook sat heavy in the palm of one hand and a mechanical pencil rests on the other. Hunched over, trying to make himself smaller, he wrote. Staring back at him were slightly faded pages which wore his rather messy script. The notebook itself although fairly new, seemed like it had seen better years. Some pages were dog eared intentionally just to make sure that he could continue the thought that he had not finished writing down yet.

He supposes that he has his classmates to thank for that. Some of them has grown restless today. They thought that it would be a good way to kill time by messing with him, every now and then they'd poke fun at him and usually their sense of fun includes tormenting him which is why he simply decided to make himself scarce from the classroom as soon as the lunch bell rings. Which brings him to his current hiding spot, a secluded corner close to a dumpster.

Beggars can't be choosers so he'll take whatever form of peace he could get even if it means having to spend his break time hiding by the garbage disposal. It could be worse though, he could have been caught in between another one of his classmate's so called games. He highly doubt that they would be able to find him here. If he's lucky they would grow tired in their search and finally leave him alone.

He has far more pressing matters to concern himself with than to listen to everyone else's taunts.

He continued scribbling on his notes. Izuku had accumulated a collection of notebooks over the years, most of which he had kept since the beginning of grade school. And each was crammed with his thoughts, his hypothesis, his theories all pertaining to one subject...power. Or to be more specific, quirks.

It wasn't so much an unhealthy obsession as it was simply a subject that had fascinated him for as long as he could remember. And who in their right mind wouldn't be? Years ago people could only ever dream of obtaining such powers. There were even times when his mother found him to be rambling on and on about the topic. Ever since he was a little kid, he had fantasized about what would it feel like to finally awaken his quirk.

Well...now it would only just ever be a fantasy. A whimsical dream conjured by a naive child who had deluded himself to visions of grandeur.

He let out a sigh as he stopped writing for a moment.

The greenette couldn't help but be surprised with himself. It was as if he had the ability to make himself feel even worse without even actually trying. He allowed a small, wry smile cross his features. Perhaps that was his quirk. An innate sense of self-awareness of everything he's not.

On the bright side though, there were only a few months left until he graduates junior high and then he'd be out of everyone's hair for good. He'd just have to suck it up until then. He's been doing this for years ever since everyone else found out that he's quirkless. What's a few months more of enduring their hurtful words and disgusted looks that they didn't even bother to mask?

He can do this no problem. He can-

"You know, this place isn't exactly that hygienic."

The lead of his pencil snapped as he nearly jumped out of his skin. His heart was threatening to jump out of his chest, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end.

Much to his relief, it was only you. It has been a few days since his last encounter with you, the last being you having dinner with them after your bloody ordeal. He hasn't seen hide nor hair of you since then. He, at one point before today, thought that you were just a figment of his imagination, a product of delirium. But there you were, in the flesh, wearing the school's uniform. It took a moment for him to compose himself before he could speak. You simply stood there with a brow raised, waiting for him to answer. To his further astonishment, you weren't wearing bandages around your eyes like the first time the two of you met.