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There was a certain type of method, of certainty that Mina took when she did this sort of thing. When she smiled, a flash of teeth. It was there even when she made friends, when she spoke. She would have been unassuming if it was not for her looks, but she made that work for her as well. So she became unassuming. No one would look twice at the dumb girl in class, they wouldn’t really care. When she grinned and hung off of Sero or Denki or Kirishima, it wasn’t anything much.
It was all very strange to watch, that was certain. It wasn’t like anyone particularly disliked her, she’s pretty sure no one actually hated her or anything but… it was safer to act. To pretend and smile and not show how she actually feels. How utterly worthless she truly is, how uninspiring and boring and plain and--
The scars never quite healed, she supposes. When she’s alone she pokes and prods at them, and even after all this time it is still like it had just happened. The wounds ooze and she is fascinated. She supposes she oozes too. She oozes with her deceit, with how perfect she tries to be but fails. She is but a doll, a doll that plays, that smiles, but does not fight. Her hair all done up, her makeup perfect. When she stands alone in the bathroom, the water pooling underneath her after her shower, she whispers and tries to convince herself of another lie.
“I am perfect.”
Maybe she is perfect though. She is easily a distraction, it is so easy to fall in love with her. Her act is perfect, that’s for sure. She doesn’t think anyone can--
Is it an act? It feels as empty as she is so maybe it isn’t. Maybe this is what she is, empty. Empty and in love and unwilling to run after. She is scared and she is empty and she knows, she knows one thing for sure.
She does not want a heroes death. She does not want to be the heroes of old or new, the ones who end up dead with their families mourning. With all that is left is their memories, their bodies unable to be recovered. She doesn’t let herself dwell, she throws herself into socializing, into parties, into anything that numbs or makes her forget.
She doesn’t remember why she cared anyways.