The Graveyard Boy

In Which Hitoshi Laments His Failure

Hitoshi woke up. He brushed teeth, changed into his uniform, and ate a quick breakfast. He slung his backpack around his shoulders and hopped in the car with his fathers. They drove a few blocks to get to Yuuei and passed through the gate. He walked up to the building and bid farewell to his fathers, who were headed in the direction of the hero course section. He should've been able to go there too. But he didn't get in, and that was fine. He didn't care. He'd be fine.

He'd be fine.

Math was the first subject of the day. The teacher droned on about polynomial equations and how to factor them, and Hitoshi let his mind wander off.

***

He was almost four years old, and he couldn't wait to develop a quirk. All of the coolest heroes had such amazing ones-- Best Jeanist was so good at capture, and the Water Hose heroes were so cool and brave. All Might was so strong and brave and powerful. Hitoshi hoped he'd be able to develop a quirk like that. He hoped he could be a hero someday too.

He was sitting on top of the monkey bars at recess, being the only one able to climb up on them. He hung down, hair falling with gravity, as he listened to his now-forgotten friends talk.

"Did you hear about All Might's latest battle?" one child asked, face beaming with excitement. "The villain didn't stand a chance! All Might was all like BOOM and KABLAMMO!" The child mimicked the noises of the battle, making explosion symbols with his hands.

"Yeah I heard he saved lots of people! Did you see how he carried out almost ten people at a time? They were piled up on his shoulders like... like grocery bags!" another girl said.

The boy sitting on the slide grinned. "All Might is so cool."

Hitoshi had hoped he could be like that. Save people, inspire them. Maybe he'd get a cool quirk and go into the hero business. Maybe he'd get into Yuuei.

***

Hitoshi felt his eyes close, face slumping against his hand. Another student, a tall male with a sharp chin and heavily gelled hair named Tsutsutaka Agoyamato, shoved his shoulder roughly. "Shinsou! Keep your eyes open and pay attention to the lesson."

His eyes drifted back open blearily. "Sorry, Agotamato."

***

He was sitting in the doctor's office, legs swinging from the stool he was sitting on, too short to touch the floor. His mother sat beside him. "I brought my son in today because he's been exhibiting signs of a quirk. He asked me for a snack and when I said no, I felt myself lose control of my limbs. By the time I regained that control, I'd handed him a bag of goldfish."

"It sounds like a mind control quirk. We'll run a few tests." The doctor escorted Hitoshi to another room, where he got a scan and the doctor asked him a few questions and tested his abilities. Soon enough, he was returned to his mother and sat down in a chair.

"His results are back in," the doctor said. "While your son does have a quirk - and a powerful one at that - it's one that I'd have to recommend you staying cautious about."

His mother's brow creased. "What is it?"

"It's a mind control quirk like we thought. If you reply to something he says, he has the option to take control of your mind and actions, although he can't make you do anything that requires cognitive thought. It may be hard for him to control at first, so you'll have to become used to his effects and possibly learn how to disable them. Um, I'm not supposed to say this as a doctor, but... I can direct you to a store that sells muzzles if need be."

"That's uncalled for. I am not muzzling my son." His mother's brow wrinkled in carefully contained fury.

"Of course, I'm sorry, ma'am. I only meant to say it would help you have an easier go of it."

"We'll be taking our leave. Thank you, doctor. And fuck you, doctor."

She turned before she could see the shock on his face, storming out the door with Hitoshi's hand tightly grasped in hers. "For a licensed doctor to recommend child abuse." She shook her head, still trembling, and pulled Hitoshi towards her.

On the ride back home, she told him he may have a rough time with the other children because of his quirk. She told him to only use his power for good, and to only use it when necessary. She told him a lot of things, but the main one he remembered was, "Despite what people may say, you can become a hero."

***

You can become a hero. The words echoed in Hitoshi's mind. Had he let down his mother by failing? Would she be angry with him, or just disappointed? Would she accept him after this?

He knew she would. He knew it, yet he couldn't help but worry that maybe, just maybe, he'd let her down.

Perhaps there was still hope. His dads reminded him vehemently that transferring in was still an option. If he could prove himself a worthy candidate, he could take another student's place. He felt sure that he could. Well, he felt sure that he should feel that way, and in his mind it was basically the same thing.

The bell rang, and he grabbed his bag and slung it around his shoulder. As he trudged down the stairs, he spotted Izuku walking with two other people. One was a shorter girl with brown hair and an energetic skip-walk, and the other was a large boy with blue-black hair and a rigid frame. Hitoshi was glad that his friend had found others to spend time with, but he couldn't help a burning jealousy that ate its way into his brain.

As he sat at the bus stop, another memory flashed across his mind.

***

"Your quirk is so cool, Shinsou! You would make such a good villain. You could order someone to rob a bank and give you the cash, and they'd never know it was you."

"Yeah, you could get so rich with that! You could just make people hand you their money," another person chimed in.

"As long as you don't make us your mind slaves," a girl chuckled nervously.

He hardened his face and didn't respond. They didn't understand what they were saying. How could they, when their quirks didn't predestin them for a life of evil, or whatever the shit was that people were saying.

He could be a hero. He could save people. He could show them all that they were wrong. And that's exactly what he'd do.

***

He arrived at home, his fathers both chiming out enthusiastic greetings, though Shouta disguised his with a heavy bout of coughing. Fractal brushed against his leg, leaving white fur scattered all on his trousers, though he didn't mind. Scooping her up, he headed to his room and began to think.

The school festival was coming up, wasn't it? That would be his chance. He could beat them and prove he was worthy of being a hero. And that's exactly what he'd do. 

A/N: sorry this chapter is short and kinda shitty. my mental health is doing flips, and I didn't really have any motivation for this chapter. idk