The Formula for Villainy

Clatter Clatter on the Hallway Floor

His hands tremble with such intensity the phone falls from his ear. Clatter, clatter on the hallway floor. The name on the screen blurs against the luminous background and suddenly his entire vision is consumed by the neon screen light calling him to its glow. Why? He wonders that himself before realising his bones ache and his knees feel tender. He's fallen then, why is everything so hard to discern? He's more disciplined than this, he wonders briefly if being drunk feels similar. Words replay in his head over and over like religious chanting - a worried stammer of grief ending in a choked sob.

"I- It's your brother... I'm at the hospital... you need to come down..."

He can't. He can't even move, he can't even speak let alone make his way to the hospital to look upon his dying brother. Who'd want to do that? He can't blink and his eyes sting though he's unable to close them. He lies here paralysed with shock.

~~~

It's the break between events for the U.A. sports festival. Aizawa groans and pulls off his headset, leaning his head against the back off the chair. This is exhausting, all he wants is to go home and nap. The crowds below continue to cheer and chant at the entertainment spoon-fed to them during these short breaks. Aizawa's eyelids feel heavy watching it. "Is it just me or is this day taking longer than usual to be over?" He asks the man sitting beside him who laughs shrilly at his misery. Sometimes Yamada can be so inconsiderate. "Knock it off, I'm sleepy,"

He can only open his eyes when said inconsiderate teacher places a hand on top of his.

"Aww, do you want me to get you some coffee babe?"

"Fiiiine." Aizawa can never say no to coffee. Or to Yamada when he's being cute.

Yamada whistles to himself, bored awaiting the vending machine to release its sweet nectar. He bounces on the balls of his feet. Kneeling down, he sees the coffee only just beginning to trickle into the cup before a small spurt than he'd like begins the agonisingly slow delivery. His husband was right - today really is a drag. Seconds tick by like hours even if this is a particularly exciting tournament. The break itself seems to stretch on into an eternity.

It's only the subtlest shift in natural light that catches his attention. He turns to bask in the light of the entirely glass wall before noticing a dark shadow distorted on the floor on the floor. It warps around, whatever it is, is blurred into a mass in the blinding light from outside. Frowning, he walks towards it with mild curiosity. Huh, what is that? Did someone lose a backpack or something? He ponders internally, under features of the mass can finally be distinguished.

Limbs. Clothes. Hair. A school uniform - it's a student!

He rushes to their side, finding Tenya Iida of the First Year 1A Hero Course on the floor, gasping for breath. His glasses are cracked, he's sobbing with such intensity it shake his entire body. Yamada rolls him into the recovery position. Honing his unique voice quirk, the teacher screams down the corridor.

"Heeelp~! Heeeelp~! Get an ambulance!"

~~~

Izuku Midoriya sits in the cloakroom, psyching himself up for the next event. His PE uniform has a light layer of dirt on it, which he tries to dust off unsucessfully. He stares at himself in the mirror, looking at the tiny wounds on his face from random spurts of dust or scuffles on the fields. The UA Sports Festival is brutal, honestly, The audience watching has no idea the stamina involved in performing in events like these. His joints and muscles are already beginning to ache, just barely holding on. Opening his phone, he stares at his lockscreen and smiles.