Boku No Hero Academia One Shots [Book 2]

Izuku Midoriya {2}

Requested by: DWTDfangirl

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Upon Midoriya's return, an anxious silence befell the room. Not a single person wanted to foist their newly-garnered information on to him. He would, quite justifiably, be horrified. Bakugou was a sort of idol to him, and despite there being no illusion to shatter, his outburst had been both vile and unnecessary.

Your classmates weren't telepaths, but in that moment, looks were shared, and an agreement drawn up.

Midoriya never had to find out - your sordid past, the waterworks...it could all be brushed under the rug; they would prioritise its concealment, for the sake of your future, and peace of mind. And, you didn't have to hurt anymore. Or at least...they wouldn't let you suffer in solitude! They were gorgeous souls, genuine people. Well, except maybe Bakugou and M*neta...

Though, the blonde finally sealed his lips, amid Midoriya's confusion.

"Uh, guys...where's (L/n)?" His voice quivered ever-so-slightly, but someone heard it as clear as day.

"She went to the bathroom." It was an assumption, albeit an accurate one.

Everyone worried, but they were confident in your ability to recover from this, and their ability to guide you through. So when you walked back into the room, barely sniffling, with eyes glued to the chalkboard, they all collectively sighed in relief. You wobbled a little, and refused to so much as glance at Bakugou. You still felt the humiliation, the fear, burning your heart. It was difficult to quell. It still ached when you breathed. You wished to hide away forever, maybe underneath your bed, where the only demons were the ones you created. But that was impossible - at least for now.

So you stomached everything, and picked up your pen...

...only to be dismissed by the bell, after a few seconds.

How long had you spent in that bathroom, crying, hurling your feelings into the toilet bowl? Had you perhaps flushed too much of yourself away? There was a poignant emptiness in your eyes. Midoriya noticed it - of course he did, but before he could confront you, Uraraka and Todoroki escorted him out of the room. Instead, Iida was the first to voice his concerns, and offer an ear to your plights. It was an easy, yet slightly awkward transition from classmate to friend; your elder sister happened to be dating the now-retired hero Ingenium, Iida's brother. Besides, the bluenette harboured no ill-will toward you. The worst thing you had ever revealed about him was...rather tame, actually. Iida suffered from Ophidiophobia, which was severe enough to make him vomit at the mere sight of a snake.

"I do hope that you won't take Bakugou's words too seriously. I'm sure you know, as well as I, how audacious he can be sometimes. Just...know that you can put your trust in me, alright? I'm terribly sorry that I didn't stop him before he said all those things. I will strive to help you more, in the future. I swear it, on the Iida family name!"

"It's...it's fine, thanks..." You were unsure, initially.

Was the relationship between your siblings supposed to magically push you closer to one another? The way you found out was maybe a little unconventional - Tensei and (S/n) dragged the two of you along on one of their dates. But you had nothing in common, except school, and a deep respect for Midoriya. Yours ran a margin deeper, however, due in part to your romantic attraction.

Iida smiled, but all you saw was pity. The effort was in vain, for you neglected to return the gesture. Without words, you stalked past the boy. You needed seclusion, perhaps a book and some music. You wanted an end to this awful day, and to the sorrow looming overhead. The rain-cloud could spill at any moment, watering you with the emotions that you were trying to beat down. You couldn't cry in public. You couldn't appear so weak, so vulnerable. Not in the presence of all these people - aspiring heroes, with exemplary strength and mental fortitude.

Midoriya...Midoriya was strong. What would he do, in this situation?...Was that even a sensible question?

As you mumbled to yourself, something hard collided with your face. 

"Oh, I-I'm sorry..."

"Huh? Oh, man - sorry (L/n)! Guess I wasn't paying too much attention!" Kirishima laughed, rubbing his neck. "Eh...are you okay? What happened in class-"

"I'm fine, thanks..." This was definitely unusual.

First Iida, now Kirishima. Your classmates were actually...talking to you, asking about your welfare? You briefly panicked - was it a trap? But, no...these people...they weren't evil. Still, the combination of bullying and self-disgust gave you sufficient reason to doubt. What lay behind that sweet façade? Hopefully nothing sinister, and you were just paranoid.

"I have to...go..." Your throat seemed to constrict, leaving you breathless and afraid.

You ran, but Kirishima was in no position to follow.

You hid, but Midoriya found you.

It must have been a coincidence. Had he searched for you? No...that was unlikely. Why on earth would he bother?

"Kacchan told me everything." Ah, that explained it then. "I think he feels bad about it. And, um...sorry I wasn't there. I don't think I could have stopped him, but I might have been able to do something..."

"Midoriya..."

There was no malicious intent from Bakugou, contrary to all expectations. "Everyone feels bad, actually, for not knowing that you'd been through so much. So, um...you can talk to us, about anything! We're here to help! O-Okay...? Especially me! Well, I mean...uh, how do I put this? Um...I care about you! A lot! So, uh...if anything happened, I'd...I'd..."

"You...care?" Surely that comment was made in jest?

"Yeah, o-of course I do! You're, um...you're really nice, and pretty - smart, too! I've actually...I've l-liked you for a while now...!" Unloading such a truth on to you must have been draining - he sputtered over words and avoided your eyes completely.

That was...painful. "I'm not...I'm not any of those things..."

"You may not see it, but everyone else does!" He had a sudden bout of confidence, but it quickly dissipated. "A-And...I'm sorry, for...um...c-confessing like that."

"...Was it a mistake?" You asked, desperately clinging to your last shred of hope.

Midoriya's head shot up. "No! I mean...n-no, I...I meant it. Every word..."

"...Promise?"

"Yeah...promise!"

This was something...magical. Acceptance, love, and comfort for your broken soul. With Midoriya now firmly stationed by your side, and the overwhelming support of your class - that which you had never thought you deserved - everything seemed to fall into place. New friends, a barrage of warm hugs, tears streaming down all your faces...this was happiness. You finally understood it. You were finally free.

In the evening, the class assembled to watch a film (Kirishima dragging Bakugou from the safety of his room). You picked it: Frozen 2. Midoriya continued to cry, as your hands were tightly locked. You passed him a tissue, watching the water roll down his cheeks.

Yeah...this was happiness.

[Word Count: 1155]