Puppet Master

A Hero's Quirk

Eijiro yawned, stretching his arms over his head as he and Izuku went to meet up with Ito and Yamamoto.

He glanced over at the green-haired boy. Yesterday he fell asleep after school too. It was like he needed a recharge after so much social interaction. He wondered if Izuku would fall asleep today too.

Izuku didn't eat his lunch again today, either.

Eijiro looked forward again at the commotion that was fading in from the school gates. There was a large group of students gathering.

"I wonder what's going on," he mused. Izuku shrugged. They met up with Ito and Yamamoto.

"What's going on?" Eijiro asked.

Ito pointed over his shoulder. "Some fancy car is sitting in front of our school." Yamamoto shrugged. "The car's cool but the man driving it looks like a hobo."

Eijiro looked over at Izuku. "Wanna go check it out?" Izuku shrugged again. Eijiro skirted the crowd to get a good view. When they found one, they were greeted with a sleek black car without a roof. The wheels had purple rims. Izuku full-on deadpanned when Eijiro and he met eye to eye with Mr. Aizawa and that purple-haired boy.

Mr. Aizawa waved them over. "Sorry about this. Midnight insisted that we bring her car." That was the greeting. Eijiro furrowed his eyebrows. "T- the hero?" He ignored how Ito came and rested his arm on Eijiro's shoulder. Izuku nodded.

It clicked.

Eijiro snapped his fingers. "Ah! It's Wednesday! You have training today, right Izuku?" The greenette nodded.

Yamamoto tilted his head. "Training?"

Eijiro nodded and looked at him. "Izuku is training to be a hero." Yamamoto stared at Izuku for a long second.

...

"Great."

Eijiro felt like something had happened between the two of them be he didn't press it.

Mr. Aizawa pointed over his shoulder. "Get in, kid." Izuku nodded. The purple-haired boy slid over in the car. "Hey, 'Zuku." Izuku slid in beside him and nodded. 'Zuku? Is that a nickname for Izuku? Are they that close?

"See you at home, Izuku," Eijiro waved. Izuku waved back. Then he turned specifically to Yamamoto and waved. Eijiro did not comment on the way the white-haired boy tensed.

Mr. Aizawa drove off.

"Wow," Ito commented. "You're new 'brother' is definitely going to get a reputation for this." Eijiro chuckled wearily. "R- really?" They all began to walk home. Ito and Yamamoto began talking about whatever subject came first. Eijiro, walking behind them once again, came to realize that he missed Izuku walking home with them already because then he didn't have to walk practically alone. Eijiro stopped by his house.

"S- see you guys!"

Ito and Yamamoto stopped. The stared at him for a moment before Ito stalked up to him and bent down to meet him eye-to-eye, getting way too far into Eijiro's personal space.

"Say, why don't you sit with us at lunch anymore?"

Eijiro gulped. "I- I mean, Ashido invited us to j- join her..."

"OH? That's nice of her," Yamamoto placed a heavy hand on Eijiro's shoulder. "Don't go getting ahead of yourself now, though." Eijiro looked up at his friend. "W- what do you mean?" Yamamoto grinned. "I think that you know exactly what I mean. Stop acting like a big shot, Kiri. We all know how weak you are."

Ito stood up straight. He combed his hand through his grey locks and spoke with a wistful tone.

"Such a shame that someone as weak as you has that quirk. It is such a waste. It'd be much better for someone with the 'manly spirit' to use it." Eijiro hung his head. The way he worded that. They were mocking him. He knew they were.