Pantomath

Chapter 21:

   "Uuwaaahhh, it's so pretty!! Can I touch it?"

    "Alas non, petite dame, I am quite sure your brother would be displeased if you were injured, oui? But it is quite marvelous... like moi!"

   Aries pouted, staring at the last glittering remnants of Aoyama Yüga's laser beam before her grin returned full force as she demanded, "Do it again! Please?"

   "Bien sûr."

    Deku sighed watching the two interact with some degree of sadness, All Might rested by his side as he had once more encouraged Deku to memorize using his quirk the information on cards as they were flashed to him almost too quickly to be seen let alone read (that would make it so awkward when he found out that wasn't actually his quirk and he was spying for Principal Nezu you know, since the principal hadn't seen fit to tell the other. No, of course he wasn't mad about that, just... frustrated.).

    "If you don't mind me asking, young Kobayashi, how did you get those scars on your arms?"

    Izuku mentally froze unsure how to answer that, did he lie? Was this All Might's way of saying he knew? Did he say the truth? (No you idiot, Deku scolded himself internally, imagine that, 'oh yeah, you thought I was a villain so you tried to kill me! Yaaayyy! Don't worry though, it's not the first time- I mean did you see what Mister-Number-Two did when he got the chance?- and it won't be the last hecking time either, so it's all cool, rainbows and unicorns and murder and sunshine, and all that good stuff, you know!')

    "Young Kobayashi? You don't have to ans-"

    "Huh?" Hideki jerked his head sharply so he was facing All Might, "ahhh, I'm so sorry I didn't hear what you just said... I get a bit spacey when I overuse my quirk to the point of headaches you know? What were you saying?"

    All Might blinked and evidently decided his curiosity was not worth repeating the awkward question, "ahh, it's nothing, don't worry about it."

    "If you're sure..."

    "Eyyyy, whatcha guys talkin' about?" Mina Ashido dropped down besides him, looking exhausted, he grinned sheepishly at her.

   "I actually have no idea, I was spacing out watching 'Re and Aoyama and apparently missed a whole conversation... quirk drawbacks, you know?"

   She laughed, both the number one hero and Hideki joining in the chuckles before silence fell once more.

   "So, Hideki? You seem to be taking really long breaks, what's up with that? I mean not even Aoyama has rested for as long as you."

    Hideki groaned leaning his head back, "Well it would look like that for you."

   "Huh?" Ashido glanced over his comment gaining All Might's attention as well.

    "Well, I'm not just memorizing the cards, I've been trying to see how long I can hold it too, for you this class has been going on for like an hour, but for me it seems like it's been for way over twenty. And I've been counting each and every second of it. That's why I'm so tired and headache-y, even if I haven't been moving around for it, I've been awake for over a day.  I'm basically running on caffeine."

    The last part was most definitely true, he continued at their thoughtful silence, "I'm not used to using my quirk so much either outside of last minute cramming for my classes so it's definitely taking some adjusting."

    Ashido spoke over All Might's sputtering on unhealthy habits (hypocritical much? Who was the one running around with a hole in them again? Izuku mentally cringed scolding himself on his internal rudeness, the other was only looking out for him) "Wait a second; you use your quirk for studying?!"