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Hitoshi knew better than to expect the bullying to stop simply because he had made a friend, and in all honesty he didn’t know if he even trusted that friendship to last. He had been burned too many times in the past by people who said they weren’t bothered by his quirk only to back out when they realized just how other people saw him. When they realized what associating with someone people only saw as a future villain really meant. Midoriya knew about his quirk, true, but he hadn’t seen Hitoshi use it yet. Hadn’t had it used on himself.
At least, that’s what Hitoshi had thought at first, once he had gotten over the fact that Midoriya had approached him in the first place. Their friendship would have an expiration date on it, just like all the others. Midoriya had to have been bullied before. He never came said it outright, but the bruises on his arms said enough. Going to the same school as Hitoshi was probably the only reason Midoriya’s quirkless status hadn’t been thrown right back in his face because, like their classmate had said, he may not have had a quirk, but at least he wasn’t going to be a villain. Why would he risk being treated like that again just to be Hitoshi’s friend.
Hitoshi wouldn’t even have blamed him. It was just the smart thing to do.
It became immediately apparent though that Midoriya Izuku wasn’t like anyone Hitoshi had even known before, because while he might not be able to stand up for himself he had no problem jumping between Hitoshi and the first person who started to harass him as they were heading back to their classroom.
“What did you do, Shinsou?” A wheezing voice said behind them. “Did you mind control the new kid into being your friend before someone could warn him?” So it was already starting.
Hitoshi hadn’t planned on stopping or paying his classmate’s comment any attention whatsoever, but he saw Midoriya stop from the corner of his eye and slowed, turning to see the look in his eye’s harden.
“Apologize to Shinsou-kun.” Midoriya said. The other students moving towards the doors hung back at the sound of his voice.
Tanaka laughed. “Why should I? It’s the truth. How do you know that he isn’t using his quirk on you right now?”
Hitoshi could only watch as Midoriya’s expression hardened. “It’s fine, Midoriya, we’ll be late for class.”
“It’s not fine,” Midoriya said, and when he turned towards Hitoshi his eyes burned. “Why would he use his quirk on me?”
“Why wouldn’t he? It’s the only way he’ll ever make friends. Or I guess you’ll really be more of a minion. A sidekick? Whatever. Everyone knows villains don’t have friends.”
Midoriya’s hands tighten at his sides. “I am Shinsou-kun’s friend. And he’s going to be a hero. A great one.”
“Him? A hero? That’s even crazier than him actually having a friend he didn’t trick into it.”
Each word struck at Hitoshi, no matter how many times he had heard it before, because that really was the only way people saw him. The poor boy with the quirk destined to make him a villain, forever friendless and alone. Midoriya might be argueing with Tanaka now, but it was only a matter of time before he saw him that way too, before he said the exact same things as-
“Shinsou-kun. Use your quirk on me.” Midoriya said, his voice firm, pulling Hitoshi from his thoughts.
“What?” He couldn’t have heard that right. There was no way.
“This idiot thinks that you used your quirk on me. I know that you don’t have anything to prove to them, but do you mind doing it anyway? For me?” The earnest tone to Midoriya’s voice almost had him agreeing before he had fully processed what he was being asked to do.
“You want me to use my quirk on you. To prove that I’m not using my quirk on you?”
Midoriya rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly. “When you put it like that it does sound a little crazy, but I trust you. I want the whole class to know that I trust you too. I don’t want them to doubt that we’re friends.” He paused, lowering his voice. “I don’t want you to doubt me too.”
Hitoshi still couldn’t believe what Midoriya was asking. “What do you want me to do?”
“Ask me a question. Tell me to tell the truth.” He turned to Tanaka. “That will satisfy you, right?”
“You’re really willing to let him use his quirk on you?” Tanaka asked, baffled. From the whispers that had picked up from the rest of the class, that sentiment was shared. “He could make you do anything!”
Midoriya smiled. “But he won’t. Go ahead, Shinsou-kun.”
“Are you sure?” Hitoshi hesitated, giving Midoriya one last chance to change his mind. Because as much as he thought this was a terrible idea, if Midoriya was going to back out of being his friend this was the time. Better to get it over with one way or the other.
Midoriya’s answer came immediately, the smile on his face growing as he said, “Go for it!”
The moment the words were out of his mouth Hitoshi activated his quirk, watching as the tell tale stiffness settled in Midoriya’s shoulders, the emotion that had been burning so strongly in his eyes wiped out. Tanaka, who had been under the effects of Hitoshi’s quirk once before, recognized the signs.
“Oh he’s definitely going to hate you now,” he sneered with a grin.
“He asked me to do this,” Hitoshi argued, ignoring the tiny voice in the back of his head that agreed with what Tanaka had said.
“Doesn’t matter. Ask him his question, not that it will make a difference.”
Hitoshi hesitated again. What was he supposed to ask?
“Midoriya,” he started, speaking out loud so that the other students would hear. He didn’t want to have to do it again if Midoriya wasn’t satisfied with the results. “Tell the truth.” Hitoshi took a deep breath, not wanting to continue, but knowing exactly what the boy had wanted him to ask. “Did you really want to be my friend?”
And there, in front of all of their classmates, Midoriya answered. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t have said otherwise.”
The pain in Hitoshi’s chest vanished as he dropped the control.
Midoriya blinked as the quirks effects left him before smirking at Tanaka. “Does that clear everything up for you?”
Tanaka huffed. “If you want to be friends with the villain kid, go ahead. It’s not like you have a future anyway, since you’re quirkless.”
Hitoshi expected him to respond to that, but Midoriya’s grin didn’t slip as he addressed the rest of the class. “Anyone who calls Shinsou-kun a villain from this point on is getting reported to the teacher for bullying. I may be quirkless, but I’m not useless. Go ahead and try it. See what happens.”
When Midoriya’s attention shifted back to Hitoshi, he found him staring at him open mouthed. “Why would you do that?” He asked.
Midoriya’s smile was blinding as he responded. “Because you’re my friend, of course. Now let’s go, or we really will be late for class.”
Hitoshi couldn’t do anything but follow as Midoriya grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the students who were still looking after them in shock.