Erase Herゾごホ

光 - light

How does it feel to be truly naked? To be vulnerable in front of a kaleidoscope of eyes you've never met before.

To feel as if your chest had been broken open, your heart exposed, so onlookers may poke and prod to see what makes you ache and what causes flowers to bloom inside you?

To be stripped of your skin in front of people that had never seen you in it in the first place?

That is how I felt, being displayed in a wheelchair to students who had never laid eyes on me before. To be introduced as, 'The girl in the wheelchair'. It felt as if I was sealing my fate away, having my future decided for me, accepting my prison sentence.

You will not walk again.

I sat in a corner, at a desk Shota had set up for me earlier, marking some papers he requested I grade.

1. What is the most abundant protein in the human body?

My nose scrunched up at the question. Was school really this easy two years ago? I sighed heavily, Shota's lecture to his class fading more and more as I tried to concentrate on my own work, rather than 'What to do when arriving on the scene of a disaster'. I glanced around the room, the tests I was grading seeming less and less interesting. My eyes grazed over the various heads turned towards their teacher. These are the kids that withstood two villain attacks right? I'm pretty sure they know what to do by now. I frowned, looking back down at the red pen in between my fingers. At least they probably know what to do better than I do.

Spoiler alert: running into a crumbling building with no experience and no plan is probably on the list of do not's.

2. What is the most common isotope of hydrogen?

If you had asked me that question two years ago I probably would've thought you were mocking me with such an easy inquiry. And yet this..., I glanced up at the name on the top of the paper, Kaminari kid seems to be struggling. I felt the ends of my lips tug upwards into a smile as I docked another point off their test. Times change I presume or maybe it's just because this is the hero course. They don't have to worry so much about chemistry and quadratic equations like I do.

"Hello?"

I jumped at the voice that seemed to be addressing me. I looked up from the test, into the mismatching colored eyes I had met before. Shoto.

"I just wanted to say I'm really happy you came back to school." He said softly, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck as his gaze drifted elsewhere.

He noticed I was gone? We never met at school though? Has he been looking for me? I swallowed hard, placing my pen down and folding my hands atop the desk I was given.

"I appreciate the concern." I said politely. Shoto gave me a small smile, one that I felt like I should cherish, before speaking again.

"I actually wanted to ask you something." He began, "You're the most brilliant support course student UA has, so I was wondering if you could assist me with my hero costume?"

I blinked at the question. Huh? My brother wants me to help him with his hero costume?

"For some reason, no one else can get the fabricating right. I always end making my body too cold and if I try to use my flames, I burn the clothing off..." He explained, his pale hands moving with his words.

He wants me to...? Mei shouldn't struggle with something as simple as regulating body temperature, then again she doesn't specialize in human anatomy like I do. The way it sounds, he could use some kind of temperature detection mechanism, maybe around his wrists? I'd have to see him in action a bit more to get a grasp for it. Wait. I'm getting too ahead of myself, what am I even thinking? I said one period. Making a whole costume would take wayyyyyyy longer.

"...not to mention I don't have any kind of first aid, what if someone gets hurt and I can't help them and-." I stopped his rambling by raising a hand.

"I don't know if I'm the right person for this job." I laughed nervously, "I mean our father could probably get someone better to make you something way more impressive." Shoto shook his head at my words, our conversation seemingly grabbing the attention of a couple other kids in the quiet classroom. A blonde boy with crimson colored eyes and a permanent scowl on his face lurked behind my brother, seemingly eavesdropping on our exchange.

"You are the only person I trust to make me something impressive, (y/n)." Shoto said, his stoic expression returning. "Besides, what better way to get to know my sister but by having her make my hero costume." His bluntness surprised me and I opened my mouth to protest but the blonde behind him finally decided to speak.

"Oi! You're the girl who made the quirk stopping chip, right?" He asked, shoving Shoto to the side and slamming his hands on my desk. I jumped at the sound, trying to find the time to respond but being interrupted once again, "I'm going to be the next number one hero, so make me something too! That way I can give your tech a proper stage and be even stronger!"

"Eh? Well I'd need-."

"Oh! Todoroki-san! Can you help me too?" A girl with earphone looking wires hanging just above her shoulders joined in, leaning over the angry looking blonde. "I really want to be able to project my sound waves further!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you wannabe airpods! I asked first!" The blonde shouted at the girl, pushing her further away.

"Technically I asked her first and she is my sister." Shoto mumbled, his eyes narrowing over his classmate.

"I don't care who's sister she is you damn half 'n half! She's the best in business and that's why she should work for me! Because I'm obviously the best compared to you extras!"

"Wannabe airpods?" The girl repeated the insult, staring off into the distance with a tight frown.

"You're overwhelming her." Shota boomed, causing the students to glance back at their teacher. "(Y/n) has just returned to school after an arduous recovery." His hair lifting off his shoulders gracefully, his eyes gleaming red. "Should we all stay after class to review how it is we should treat trauma patients?"

"I'll do it." I interrupted. Shota's hair fell back down as he stared at me with a surprised face. "All three! A-and anyone else who needs help with their support equipment." I said firmly, watching the students expressions change before me. Shoto tilted his head to the side with a gentle smirk as the other two continued bickering over the insult that was thrown around earlier.

Why? Why am I doing this? Maybe I'm being selfish. Using their need for better and fresher equipment to make me feel needed. To make feel like something more than just the girl in the wheelchair who is desperately trying to save her own life. Or maybe it's selfish because for once, I feel like myself around people. I don't feel like I'm holding up a mask anymore like I do with Mirio, Nejire, and Tamaki. I feel naked. I bit my lip, listening contently to the students bombarding me with ideas.

The blonde cursing about wanting projectiles or something similar to a grenade launcher? The girl trailing off about how she couldn't hear as effectively as she would like with just her earphone jacks, and Shoto staring off into space as he whispered about how he wishes for first aid for hands because of his curse as the 'hand crusher'. I nodded, pulling out a piece of paper and jotting down some notes of their more probable requests. Out of the corner of my eye, in between the shouts and curses from the blonde boy, I saw Shota smiling as he watched us from across the room with his arms crossed.

I bet he's thinking, 'I told you so.'

I grinned at him, our eyes meeting for a second.

Or maybe, 'This is the first time in weeks where she's genuinely smiled.'

I suppose Class 1-A wasn't as bad as I thought.

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Hey! Thanks for 11k reads and all of your heart warming comments. I appreciate all of you and I hope you're enjoying my writing. xxx