Until The Crickets Die (Shota x Hizashi One-Shot)

Final

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any of its characters. All copyright belongs to their rightful owners.

Those of you who know me know that I've wanted to write a story with these two for a very long time. And while I do have a longer story planned for them at some point, I'm here now to bring a little smaller little tidbit for giggles.

I've also been really stressed with college and family issues. I know I said I wouldn't be writing anything for a while, but it's the best stress relief I can do that's best for my mental state right now. So, it's a free story for y'all.

For the record, I understand that sign language is spoken in much simpler words and terms than speaking English with all our extra words and modifiers. However, for the sake of fluidity, I will be writing this is as if it were regular spoken English instead of glossing. Double quotes are spoken while single quotes are signed. I hope that makes sense, but comment any questions and I will try to answer the best I can.

Hope y'all enjoy and comment/vote to let me know! Cheers ^^

The first time it happened in middle school, I didn't think anything of it. We were all rounding about the court playing a quirk-free game of basketball. It was nothing special or out of the ordinary. Nemuri was badgering all of us from the sidelines. Shota was surprisingly nailing every single free throw despite being utterly disinterested during class. I was so wrapped up with everyone else that I didn't even notice the ball ricochet off the backboard and coming straight towards me. As if a firecracker had blown up in my face, the ball crashed straight into my forehead knocking me to the ground. The next thing I knew, I was staring at everyone crowding around me. Their mouths were moving and they were trying to pull me up and make sure I was okay. A teacher came over and moved me to the nurse's office. One thing was clear.

I couldn't hear.

I only suffered a mild concussion that lasted a short period of time. I woke up the next morning and was able to hear again although I was still a little fatigued at the time. The birds and crickets that lingered from the night were a blessing in disguise.

The second time it happened was at my first assignment after leaving UA. We were all on our way to the real world. Working as a student was nothing compared to working as an official employee of an agency. Maybe it was my own incompetence or my cockiness, but I ignored the orders of my superior to save a person. To me, it was worth the sacrifice. I kept a villain from taking the life of a civilian shielding them from an energy blast attack. Only, when I had used my quirk, I caused a piece of rubble to become loose. I didn't see it until the very last moment. I shoved the civilian out of the way, but it left me with stitches in my head. I laid in silence for over two weeks as I recovered.

And now, I could feel it haunting me at every step. It's been years since that incident, but it's starting to become more prevalent. Every time I use my quirk, my ears tingle just a little longer each time. The music is starting to become dull and muffled. That damn ringing is becoming louder and more unbearable with each passing day. The seesaw playing its little game has grown much too overwhelming. It teeters to one side so nice and easy. But with every rise, it gains another weight to slam into the ground. Over and over it hits me before receding. When I least expect it, it comes again in full force. The choking hands that melt my thought into incoherent blabbers makes me want to give up.

I'm a hero, though. Sacrifice is the purpose we serve in the end. We give up everything for others.

It's quiet in the apartment. A dim moonbeam drapes the room in an eerie blue aura illuminating the lingering dust floating in the air. I can see drips of the sink and the little hand on the old grandfather clock ticking along with the pendulum swinging side to side.