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"You see that boy over there? The one with the purple hair?"
"Yeah? What about him?"
One of the girls frowned. "Have you heard what his quirk is!? Did you not see the Sports Festival!? His quirk is mind control. God‐- you should have seen it in action! It was so freaky! No wonder he didn't make the hero course! Thats a villain's quirk!"
Her tone sounded like she was utterly disgusted by Hitoshi. Like she wouldn't touch him with a ten feet pole.
"We should stay away from him."
"Who doesn't?" A guy nearby had joined in.
***
It was like they thought Hitoshi could somehow not see them or hear them as he walked past them in the halls. They had been whispering, but the whispers were harsh and loud. Hitoshi could hear them loud and clear.
He always did.
Every remark, every insult-- he heard it all.
And even though he tried to get used to it-- tried to simply ignore it-- he never could. He couldn't do it in middle school, and he couldn't do it at UA.
Over time, Hitoshi felt like he was starting to hate his own quirk too. It was basically what wad causing everything. If he had just gotten anything else-- maybe he would have gotten to live a good life.
Maybe he could have made the hero course.
Maybe he wouldn't be a failure.
Maybe he would love himself.
But he didn't. And it felt like he never would.
Hitoshi was slightly jealous of those with amazing quirks. The pangs of envy he always felt whenever All Might got praise on the news or he heard a story of a student in the hero course excelling made his skin crawl sometimes. And he hated it because he didn't want to be jealous. He just wanted to be someone. Someone people felt safe around. Someone people trusted.
He sighed as what was probably the five-thousandth gust of wind that night blew in his face, causing his hair to practically dance.
He saw a rock on a lower step of the class 1-C dorm entrence, and he threw it, hard against a nearby tree.
Why can't I be great?
He saw another, and he threw that too.
Why can't I be special?
He was so caught up in his thoughts, he never even noticed when someone approached him.
"Hey. You know it's past curfew."
"Jesus Christ--!" Hitoshi's hands balled into fists and he stood up from the stairs he had been sitting on, but he was relieved when he saw that who it was wasn't some random mugger or student.
Then again, a student would probably be better than a probably pissed Mister Aizawa most likely about to give him a detention tomorrow.
"What are you even doing out this late, Shinso? Its one in the morning."
Was it really that late?
".... I didn't even know it was so late.."
Mister Aizawa frowned at him. But it wasn't a condescending one like the one that girl had had was.
"... Why are you out here?"
And that was the question Hitoshi had been dreading.
Now Mister Aizawa would get to learn about how pathetic he was. Hell, maybe he would even stop training him, he would be that disappointed.
"... Stuff.."
"Shinso."
Hitoshi shrugged in aggravation.
"Look! If I tell you, you'll just be disappointed!"
His voice was much more violent than usual. He even reminded himself of Bakugo.
"Okay, now I'm even more concerned. Shinso, if there's a problem, it's best you let me know."
Hitoshi closed his eyes. "You won't even think it's that bad. You'll probably just get mad and-- and give me detention for being out past curfew or something."
There was something in Mister Aizawa's expression that felt odd. It wasn't something Hitoshi had ever really seen before.
But it was what Hitoshi thought people would call... concerned?
No one was ever really concerned about Hitoshi. Well-- they were. But they weren't concerned for him. They were more concerned of him.
In all honesty, not even Hitoshi's own parents were ever that concerned about him either.
So seeing it in Mister Aizawa's eyes then and there-- he didn't even know how to feel about it.
"Why do you automatically think I'm gonna punish you?"
Hitoshi blinked at the question. "Huh?"
"You immediately assumed I was just gonna send you away back to your dorm with a detention or something. You just assumed you would be punished."
Hitoshi was totally lost. Why wouldn't he be punished?
"Kid-- you haven't even told me why you're out here. It could be something really serious, for all I know."
"... So I'm not gonna get in trouble for this?"
"I mean, not unless it's something like sneaking out or doing drugs or drinking or something--!"
"MISTER AIZAWA."
God-- Hitoshi needed to sit back down.
"Anyway.. you looked.. a little upset when I saw you earlier.." Mister Aizawa's voice had went from stern to rather awkward and quiet. It was clear he wasn't used to being in situations like these.
"... Like I said-- its stupid. You shouldn't worry about it."
"I'm already incredibly worried. You're a bit late."
Hitoshi wanted to spit.
"... You won't-- you won't understand.."
"How do you know that?"
"I-- I just.. I just do, I mean-- no one else really does.."
Mister Aizawa let out a breath. But then he did something that was surprising for him.
He placed a hand on Hitoshi's shoulder.
And he pulled him a tiny bit closer.
And for a moment-- Hitoshi just sat in shock in his arms.
Bur then he realised how.. surprisingly pleasant being held was. How... protected he felt sitting there with his teacher.
"... People keep calling me a villain."
He didn't even know what compelled him to suddenly explain.
"..." Mister Aizawa seemed to be waiting for him to go on.
"Like, I can't even walk to a class without someone seeing me and immediately pointing me out to their friends, or without someone trying to annoy me in hopes I'll "react like a villain" or something."
He looked back at Mister Aizawa, whose face was blank.
"See? Knew you wouldn't get it."
His grip on Hitoshi's shoulder grew a little tighter.
"You know... back when I was a student at UA, people would say the same thing about me."
Hitoshi looked dumbfounded. He couldn't even believe that.
".... Really..!? I always kinda assumed everyone was mostly scared of you.. kinda like right now." Hitoshi joked at the end. Though the shock was still present.
A smirk appeared on Mister Aizawa's face. "Yep. People always said my quirk was a villain's quirk."
"... Same here.."
Mister Aizawa sighed again. "... I won't lie, it really bothered me a lot back then. It got to a point where Mic of all people was offering to go and "teach them a lesson," if you will."
Okay, Hitoshi had to admit, that sounded kind of funny.
"Some life advice-- don't ever be like Mic."
God-- he couldn't hold back the laugh this time.
So he didn't. And laughing.. it felt.. good..
"Point is, I do understand, Hitoshi. Even if I didn't, I would try to understand, because it's my job as a hero, and your teacher, to make sure you're okay."
Hitoshi hadn't realised he had wrapped his own arm around Mister Aizawa. Nor that he had just called him by his first name.
"Look kid-- I know I don't come off as the friendliest guy around, but you can trust me, got it?"
Hitoshi couldn't find any words to say, but he could nod.
"... I don't ever really trust teachers that much.. most of them kinda say they're there for you, but turn out crappy in the end."
He hesitated, but he ended up leaning his head into Mister Aizawa's shoulder.
"... But... I think I can trust you though.."
Mister Aizawa moved so that they could hug easier.
"I hope you eventually know, you can trust me."
"... Me too.."
Hitoshi hadn't realised how tired he was. Sleep was slowly starting to claim him as he laid against his teacher's shoulder. And he couldn't help but think that this was what something parents did with their kids. But that was probably just the weird thoughts you always got before falling asleep talking.
The sounds of the wind were only lulling him to sleep more. And he felt like he was already dreaming as Mister Aizawa picked him up into a bridal carry, and back into his dorm building.
Hitoshi had told him which room was his before during one of their training sessions. Mister Aizawa struggled with the door a little, but he eventually managed to get them both inside.
Hitoshi had to admit that he did feel a little kiddish getting carried to bed like this-- but he was also way too tired to give a crap anymore.
It barely registered when he was tucked under the covers, and his head laid against his pillows.
He was already missing the strong but gentle eeling of Mister Aizawa's arms.
"... Good night, Hitoshi.."
What Hitoshi said next, would probably embarass him for years to come.
"Yeah... night' dad.."