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Shinso had been in your life for almost as long as you could remember. When the kids in elementary and middle school would pick on him for his "villainous" Quirk, you were always nearby to remind them why it was a mistake to mess with your friend. They learned - slower than they should have - that if there was someone to fear, it should be you.
You're his best friend, inseparable and steadfast.
Until you got into the hero course and he didn't. He hid it well at first, it took a while for you to pick up on the shift. To you, nothing had really changed. Your heart still fluttered every time those violet eyes met your own, he was still the only person that could make you laugh so hard your stomach hurt, and he was still the person you sought out at the end of a difficult or stressful day.
Of course, you understood his disappointment at not getting into the Hero Course. It was all the two of you talked about when you were kids. How you'd grow up to start your own agency together - he'd be the brains; you'd be the brawn. It was clear, obvious, that the two of you made the perfect team. So, in preparation for the entrance exam, you'd both trained extensively. Pushing yourselves in every possible way until you'd collapse on the couch at your house or his, with the tv echoing in the background. One of your parents would always show up with snacks and water, reminding you to keep your feet off the coffee table while Hitoshi laughed at the pout you'd throw his way.
The withdrawal was subtle at first, you'd find him in the cafeteria only to find his other classmates already having claimed the seats around him. Then you'd ask to study together, hoping to have a chance to spend time with your friend and catch up, just to be told he'd already made plans to study with some of the other students in General Studies.
But you were starting to worry about the look of sheer exhaustion on his face.
He'd always had a somewhat sleepy look that you found endearing. Recently though, the dark circles under his eyes had become more prominent - clear evidence to how hard he was pushing himself. You knew Shinso better than you knew yourself; which meant you knew that in addition to the extra lessons from Aizawa, he was doing more training on his own too.
It was later than usual when you finally made your way to the cafeteria after staying late to ask Ectoplasm for some combat pointers. The room hummed loudly with the echoes of conversation you only caught bits and pieces of. You ignored most of it until a particularly vicious voice seemed to float above the others, despite the hushed tone.
"Ha, no one's gonna trust a Quirk like that."
Your neck protested with the speed at which you turned to find the culprit.
Sure enough, you looked over just in time to see a few 2nd Years leaning over Shinso's table, menacing grins on their faces. Even his own classmates looked away, like they didn't notice what was happening, despite being seated right next to him. You took one step in their direction before the next taunt reached your ears and made your blood boil.
"Besides, who'd want to be rescued by a hero who looks like he's gonna pass out any second."
One of the others laughed, chiming in, "You're right where you belong, General Studies. Leave the heroing to those of us who actually have the Quirks and energy to get the job done."
Your Quirk flared before you could stop it, drawing the terrified stares of the 2nd Years and most of the others in the cafeteria. One look at that expression on your face and surge of your power had the 2nd Years paling before they nearly scrambled over each other in their attempt to flee.
A little flash of pride swelled in your chest before being immediately squashed at the look on Shinso's face. He'd never cared when you stepped in before, never complained when you went to bat for him. Until now.
His brow was furrowed in a scowl; lines creased his face from the force of his frown. Hurt, anger, frustration, and what you thought might be embarrassment, shone in his eyes when your gaze met his.
Rising from his seat, fists balled at his side, he glared at you just long enough to speak, the words filled with an emotion you'd never heard directed at you before.
"I don't need you to save me! It's your fault no one takes me seriously!" Though his voice was low, the impact it had on your heart was immediate.
"Tosh-"
"Don't!" The sharpness of his interruption stalled the words in your throat.
Before you could say anything else, he stormed off.
That night, you were pacing the length of your room, your head buzzing with all the thoughts coursing through it. You'd known Hitoshi too long to let this friendship go without a fight. He was your best friend, even if you didn't understand why he'd been avoiding you recently. Before you could talk yourself out of it, you left - feet following the familiar path to Shinso's building.
None of his classmates stopped you when you stormed in, though you didn't miss the shocked and curious looks on their faces as you passed by. Making your way to his dorm, you gave the door a forceful knock, crossing your arms while you waited for him to answer.
"Toshi, open the door."
"I told you, I don't need you to-"
Before he finished the sentence you shoved the door open, thankful he hadn't locked it when he got back.
Swinging open on silent hinges, you walked into the room only to freeze mid-step when you caught sight of your friend.
The door slowly closed behind you, the quiet click of the latch the only sound as you and Shinso stared at each other. If this had been even a few months ago, you might have teased him a little. But it wasn't and instead of finding it humorous, it broke your heart.
Hitoshi was standing in front of the floor length mirror in his room, cheeks flaring red beneath the off-colored concealer he'd been trying to apply beneath his eyes.
Rather than yell or argue, he broke eye contact, though not before you caught the embarrassment and shame that flashed across his violet irises. Silence stretched from one heartbeat to the next, almost suffocating in the weight of it.
You were the first to speak, keeping your tone as gentle and non-judgmental as possible, "Toshi... what are you doing?"
A fresh flood of red colored his cheeks, reaching to the tips of his ears and disappearing beneath the collar of his shirt.
He let out a long, defeated sigh before he finally spoke, "Thought maybe if I didn't look so tired, the comments would stop."
That made your head spin. You'd only heard the one at lunch today, but the way he phrased it made it seem like this had become a regular occurrence.
Biting back the questions you wanted to ask, you crossed the room, gently prying the tube of concealer from his fingers.
He still refused to look you in the eye, instead choosing to stare at his feet while you put the cap back on and set the tube on the desk next to a handful of others he must have picked up this afternoon.
"...Do you want some help?" It took every ounce of your will-power not to reassure him at that moment. You knew if you tried, he'd just keep pushing you away, and you refused to let that happen again.
His head snapped in your direction, eyes wide at your offer, "Really?"
"If this is what you want, then who am I to stop you?" You shrugged, pausing briefly before continuing, "You're still my best friend Toshi, I'll support whatever decision you make."
The tension in his shoulders eased at your words, like he'd been bracing for ridicule only to suddenly remember that you’re a friend.
You looked back at the selection of concealers he'd scattered across his desk, "You'll need to find a better match."
He shifted, quiet footsteps reaching you as you picked up the color closest to his skin tone.
"You have cool undertones; all of these have warm undertones. That's why they have a slightly orange look to them when you put them on."
Taking time over the next few minutes, you sat him on the bed, talking him through the proper application process and cautioning him against certain products. He listened intently as you did, his eyes fluttering closed as you gently removed the product he’d applied before you arrived. With soft touches, you applied the concealer you'd picked up earlier - there was still a slight orange cast to it, though far less noticeable than the one you walked in on.
Tapping his shoulder softly, he opened his eyes to look up at you from where he sat, shame and affection at war in his gaze. You didn't expect him to apologize, not yet anyway; but you knew he would. The hurt was still too fresh right now. But that look in his eyes, the one full of regret and fondness, was apology enough for now.
Tipping your head toward the mirror, he rose to look at your work.
"You're good at this," the words were low, like he didn't realize he'd said them out loud.
"Next time you decide to buy make-up, take someone who knows what they're doing," you kept your tone light, making sure he knew you were teasing.
Rather than waiting for him to dismiss you or for things to get awkward, you turned toward the door, wrapping your hand around the handle before looking back to your friend.
"For the record, civilians aren't going to care what you look like when you're saving them. And any others that do, don't know the Shinso I do."
He met your gaze then, a sad smile tugging at your lips before you left, shutting the door softly behind you.
You didn't hear from Hitoshi after you left, not that you expected to - though that hadn't stopped the small seed of hope that flared in your chest every time your phone went off.
It was even harder to concentrate in class, even Bakugo noticed your distraction, nudging your leg with his foot with a curious scowl. That, at least, brought an amused smile to your face. Seeing the blond try to hide his curiosity by covering it with a different emotion made his expression shift into a weird amalgamation of the two.
In response, you just shook your head, trying and failing to put Shinso from your mind.
By the time the bell rang for lunch, you were ready for a break. The din of the crowded cafeteria was almost soothing to your overactive mind, lulling you into a tentative peace. Until a familiar voice calling your name cut through the noise.
Following the sound, you found Shinso sitting at a different table than usual - his classmates nearby at another table. You made your way to him, plopping down with a heavy sigh in the seat beside him. An apologetic smile tugged at his lips when you sat down without a second thought.
It was only now that you were up close that you realized his face was bare, dark circles on full display. A flutter of pride filled your chest.
He seemed to notice your stare, a light flush coloring his cheeks, "Figured if you didn't care, then I don't need to either."
You knocked your shoulder against his in a playful nudge, "Good, cuz I don't know how I'd explain orange under-eyes to our future sidekicks!"