Chapter Text
Izuku's POV
There’s a gleam in my eye, narrowing my vision as I attempt to avoid the glare of the sun. Somehow icy despite her heat, I wonder if perhaps I’ve upset her too.
When I raised my voice, did that enrage her? Did it disrespect her, the centre of my solar system, the way it did my mother?
It’s my own fault, really, for having green eyes. They’re sensitive to light, more so than any other eye colour, if I had brown eyes, I wouldn’t be in as much pain right now. I wouldn’t strain as I look up, and at her.
Sensitive, like my skin that burns a raging red when under her too long, when I’m too close. It’s not her fault, she can’t control where her rays are directed, at the earth, at me, at the walls.
It’s just unfortunate that the glass got stuck in my hand, I shouldn’t have put my hand down right after the smash, right after the shards scattered to the ground in the pull of gravity.
As I sit in the car, eyes trained down to avoid the sun, I wonder what it would look like under a microscope. The glass cut through and split my skin, separating my cells from each other. How does the blood meander around?
My finger is gentle as it presses the skin around the shard, curiously, just feeling it. My mother’s voice cuts through my own thoughts, “Don’t pull it out, it’s keeping the blood in, just wait until we get to the E.R,”
I don’t point out that we didn’t need to go to the E.R, not when she could’ve just helped me herself with the first aid kit in the bathroom, I just hum in response, she probably doesn’t want to touch me. I resist the sudden impulse to push it in further, removing my hand and placing it on my lap as I cradle the injured one. It doesn’t hurt now, it didn’t in the moment, but I did feel the spark and sting of it entering my hand. Breaking the barrier of skin, uncaring and cruel, though it was only an accident, and I can’t blame anyone. Not the glass, not my mother, not the sun.
She feels guilty, I can tell because she won’t look at me. I want to cry, to feign the pain just so she pities me and apologises for something I don’t really blame her for, but I don’t and so she doesn’t. We sit in silence for the rest of the car ride and the wait in the E.R.
—---------
Sitting in class the next week, I absently stare at the soft scar and stitchwork on my palm, if I concentrate, it glows with the pulsing of my quirk.
Perhaps I should’ve been concentrating on Sensei’s lesson, however, as Yamada-Sensei calls my name in his usual cheery cadence and I find myself babbling a response, “Midoriya-kun! You got the answer?”
“Uh- Oh gosh, s-sorry sensei, I didn’t um- sorry- what- what was the question?”
Ignoring the scoff from one of the seats behind me, which I can tell from breath alone is Kacchan, I blush up to my ears as I apologetically look at my English teacher, who offers nothing short of a friendly laugh as he repeats his question.
“Heheh- no worries Midoriya-kun, can you see the grammatical error in the second sentence?”
I pretty much just melt in my seat for the remainder of the lesson, feeling so immensely guilty for not paying attention to Yamada-Sensei that I silently vow to do extra English sheets in addition to my homework to make up for it.
Four pages should ease the shame, that’s usually when my hand begins to cramp.
---
There’s lunch after this, which I find myself walking to, dazed slightly because I don’t remember the bell ringing, or getting up. Not even what Ururaka-chan is saying, her pink cheeks puffy as she smiles and walks. Her arms floating by her sides, she talks animatedly to Iida and I, giggling at something Iida responds with.
I follow them to our lunch table in the centre of the canteen, plopping down and rubbing my eyes as all three of us unpack our food. Luckily, my fool proof plan of keeping my mouth full, means I don’t have to add anything to the conversation and can just watch the other two talk. Observing them with fondness, but unable to fight off the exhaustion clawing at my brain. My eyes threaten to shut before I flinch, violently, at a sudden touch to my shoulder.
“M-Midoriya? Sorry, I called your name..” A blur of purple stands stiffly by the side of the table, frowning as he searches my face for some sort of reaction or recognition. I sputter, choking on some rice in the back of my throat, blushing at my own idiocy, I raise a hand in silent apology. My two best friends softly laughing at my dorky reaction, I shoot them a playful glare that hides my real embarrassment.
“Sorry Shinsou-kun, I zoned out, are you alright?”
Shinsou stares at my face, still frowning in a way that makes his tired expression even more exasperated and I think to myself how nice it would be if the ground opened up and ate me before he’s saying - “Yeah.. are you? I uh- well.. You left your textbook in English, Yamada-Sensei told me to give it to you.”
Now it’s my turn to frown, glancing down at my bag, tucked between my legs, still open. It is indeed missing the usual stuffing of my thick English textbook, thicker with all my added annotations and sticky notes where I scramble to write my ideas before they leave my mind.
I shoot Shinsou a look that is both grateful and apologetic as I reach to take it from his outstretched hand, not noticing as he hesitates to hand it over. His gaze focused more on the jagged line on my palm.
“I’m so sorry Shinsou-kun, I didn’t realise. Thanks a lot for picking it up for me, I really appreciate it, you didn't have to do that. That was so kind of you- I uh-..um- w-would you like a candy?!” I quickly scramble to pull out a handful of wrapped candies in my uniform pants, kept for emergency sugar supply after training. Eager to repay his kind action, I may act a little too forwardly. The quieter boy fixes me with a look that doesn’t seem too keen, so, awkwardly, I shove them back inside. He clears his throat, shifting on his feet, seemingly ready to walk away, “Uh..thanks, I’m..good. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
He leaves then, and I’m mortified, Ururaka reaching over with a soft, amused expression, patting my head sweetly. “Deku, quit offering people your pocket candy.” She teases, and I smile, embarrassed.
“..More for me then,” I joke back, which makes her laugh, and earns a scolding from Iida who reminds me not to be eating more than the recommended intake of sugar daily. Ururaka and I share an amused glance, laughing to ourselves as we finish eating our food.
“You both may laugh, but you won’t be when you have no teeth!-”
“ -Oh shush Iida-chan!”
–--
It’s now that I’m severely confused. When did I change into my training kit?
My sudden confused expression must make Tokoyami hesitate, the smaller boy retracting his arms as he fixes me with a stare I can’t quite decipher.
“Midoriya?”
Not wanting to startle anyone else today, I quickly shake my head and smile, giving a thumbs up. “All good! Sorry Tokoyami-San, I just got a little dizzy” My smile must ease him a little, since he relaxes and nods. Still staring though, as he backs into his fighting stance, “Do you want to take a break?”
“No!- Uh, no I’m alright, let’s do this!”
I can’t even figure out what time it is, as a whirl of black begins to surround me. Knowing I’m responding, but unable to feel what’s happening as my body moves on autopilot. Fighting Tokoyami with no quirks, this must be hand-to-hand practice. The other boy has clearly improved, blocking most of my attacks and retaliating with offensives I almost completely miss.
Mid-spar, my urge to analyse overtakes my desire to figure out where the hell I am, I wonder if the bird-quirked boy has any developed or enhanced senses due to his quirk. Like a unique sight, perhaps quicker reflexes that makes hand-to-hand more accessible for him. It could very well be the case, it’s just likely that he hasn’t trained in this aspect due to Dark Shadow being able to fight in longer ranges.
A crack sounds out across the grass, the ringing is disorienting as my body hits the ground with a sudden thud. I don’t hear Tokoyami’s gasp or the silence of the rest of the field as everyone looks over. The shorter boy immediately dropping to his knees and checking my face, “Midoriya!- are you alright?! I’m so sorry!-”
Fortunately, despite being completely out of it, my body knows how to act alright. I nod, shifting to sit up and smiling in an attempt to placate the worried boy, “I’m good- all good. Great hit Tokoyami-kun!” I can’t read many bird’s expressions, but somehow I can tell Tokoyami isn’t convinced. Wherever his brows would be seems to furrow as he stares at me, before he glances over at Aizawa-Sensei making his way over.
“..A-are you sure?..Midoriya-kun.. I’m really sorry I thought you’d block it..”
Already I’m dismissing his concern with a gentle wave of my hand, “Don’t apologise, training is so we know how to better ourselves. I know next time I need to dodge better,” I joke, lightly, he doesn’t laugh and I cringe internally, Aizawa-Sensei crouching down to inspect my face.