Freeze Frame

Chapter 20

Third person pov

"Hey, Lillian." A familiar voice called, drawing the girl from her thoughts. The school day had ended, and she was getting ready to walk home. She had rushed out before anyone else in a desperate attempt to get a head start on Bakugo so she wouldn't have to silently suffer through his misplaced anger and odd need to carry her bag for her. The whole thing was just tense and awkward, and she found herself not liking it all that much.

"S-Shinso!" She exclaimed, blinking. She hadn't ever run into him leaving before, but she supposed that just meant she usually left later than he did most days. He also looked surprised to see her, and he glanced at the route she'd been about to take before his eyes shifted over to her again.

"You live that way?" He asked, sounding a little confused. Blinking, Lillian nodded. She hadn't ever seen Shinso on her way home, but then again, she really hadn't been looking. Bakugo always took most of her attention. And her bag. A part of her was afraid he'd accidentally blow it up one of these days. That was the last thing she needed.

"I do too. Want to walk with me?" He asked, and Lillian could have fallen over from the immense amount of relief she felt. If she walked home with Shinso, then maybe it would discourage Bakugo from approaching her. Plus, she liked Shinso! He was great company. That, and he was so calm. She'd never seen him lose his temper. Not that she'd hung out with him all that many times, that is, but he just seemed so... calm and level.

"O-Of course!" She lit up, and he offered a small grin, nodding. Lillian was careful not to walk too close to him, but she was also very careful not to walk too far either. They fell into a pleasant silence as they started down the sidewalk, Lillian keeping her eyes glued to the cement, and Shinso keeping his gaze forward; though, he did steal the occasional glance at her.

"Do you live near the school?" He asked eventually. She blinked, looking up at him curiously.

"Y-Yeah, just on Rikidai street." She smiled a nervous smile. "H-Housing up here is surprisingly cheap."

Shinso looked taken aback. For a moment, Lillian thought maybe she'd offended him, but then he spoke up again. "I live just around the corner." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck in a nearly nervous fashion. Lillian jolted slightly at the admission, her mouth forming an O. 

"R-Really? I've never seen you before." She gazed up at him with big eyes.

"I don't get out that much." He chuckled. "I don't sleep much either, so I always end up leaving earlier than normal."

"I-I don't get out much either." Lillian realized with a small smile. "It's... i-it's weird how we haven't ever run into each other, isn't it? I-I mean, I think so, that is." She rushed the last part out. Casual conversation was something she still wasn't all that accustomed to. Shinso didn't look offended by her words, though, which made her relax slightly.

"I guess that just goes to show that we should get out more. Maybe we could have been friends sooner." He joked a little, but seemed mildly serious. 

"I wish." Lillian muttered, to which he raised an eyebrow. She immediately became flustered. "Ah, I mean- I just uh... I-I never really had friends b-before UA."

"Me either. A lot of people are... scared of my quirk, even now. I'm actually pretty sure you're the only person I can call a friend, at this point." He snorted slightly, and Lillian frowned. Shinso's quirk really wasn't all that scary? Her quirk could just as easily be a villain's quirk. Was it because his dealt with the mind? Because it was so controlling? She didn't really get it.

"I think that's dumb." She muttered, scuffing the ground with her shoe. "I-I mean, your quirk is really cool, a-and super powerful. A-And you said you wanted to be a h-hero... a-and you go to a hero school, so why..." She trailed off with a small huff, and Shinso couldn't help but feel a little touched at her words. Lillian was a meek and shy person, but she got it, and he was glad.