Puppet Master

I Accept

Izuku was NOT having it.

He could see the worried glances Kiri was shooting at him all the way to school. Izuku kept walking. He couldn't help the way his body tensed up as soon as their school came into sight. Every single kid that was walking registered as THREAT. DANGER. FEAR. His fingers tapped on his yellow bag strings rapidly.

"IZUKU! KIRISHIMA!"

Izuku jumped and swiveled his head to where he could see Ashido running toward them arms stretched wide. Sheer instinct had him sliding his right leg back and dropping his stance, arms hovering by his sides.

Kiri swung around and made a motion with his hand across his neck. Telling her to stop?

Ashido took in Izuku's stance. They met eyes and she froze. Ashido dropped one arm and slowed her pace, waving and walking up to them casually. Izuku pulled himself into a normal stand, hands going back to rest on his backpack straps.

"Heya, guys!" Kiri waved. "H- hey, Ashido!" Izuku held his tongue. Ashido didn't falter. Furuya and Hino came soon after and they all waited a few more moments for Mori to arrive before going into the school together.

Can't do this. Can't do this. Can't do this.

Green eyes flitted to every single movement making Izuku dizzy. Every laugh in the halls felt like past chides.

-----

'Quirkless!'

'Useless!'

'Freak!'

-----

Can't do this. Can't do this. Can't do this!

His friends seemed to form a protective barrier around him.

Izuku's legs felt weak. His fingers hurt from how hard they were gripping his back. His eyes stung from refusal to blink. His blood roared in his ears and his ribcage screamed as his heart beat against it painfully.

The group stopped outside of his and Kiri's classroom.

"See you guys at lunch," Hino waved. "See ya!" "See you in Foods." "Bye."

Kiri waved. "See you later."

_______________________________

Mina looked over her shoulder as she bounded away from Kirishima and Izuku. The raven-haired boy was seemingly trying to coax the greenette into class.

"I wonder what happened," Mori commented.

Furuya nodded. "He was perfectly fine yesterday it seemed."

"But you saw the news, right?" Hino asked.

Mina furrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah, but it was Kirishima that ran forward, right?"

Mori shrugged. "We don't have all of the details, I think."

Mina turned to her friends. "Okay, serious question. Should we ask?"

Furuya shook her head. "I don't think so. I know a lot of orphans have bad past lives before being adopted and I am pretty sure Izuku has one too if his actions are anything to say."

"And his scars," Hino added in.

"I know but... Er!" Mina pressed her hands to her head and threw them out widely. "I'm just so worried!" "How about this," Mori popped in. "Let's ask Kirishima if we can ask and what he says goes, okay?"

"But how do we catch him alone?" Hino asked. Mina grinned. "Izuku has training after school today, right? It's Friday! So we can catch Kirishima after he leaves!"