The 9 Millimeter Kiss

Chapter 52

"Yuki-chan, what's wrong?" Tenji asked, peeking into Yuki's room. The curtains were drawn and the lights were turned off.

"Tired." the boy simply replied, his face buried into the pillow.

"What are you tired about?" Tenji tried, walking in and going to lay next to Yuki on the floor.

"Kids."

Tenji laughed softly, patting the boy's back. "Why are you tired of kids? You're one too."

Yuki huffed, turning to face Tenji. "I know. But all they talk about is heroes."

Now this intrigued Tenji. With a sympathetic smile he asked, "What's wrong about heroes?"

"It's annoying."

"Heroes are annoying?"

"No. Talking about them all the time."

"Then what do you want to talk about?"

"Stuff."

"You gotta give me more than that, Yuki.."

Yuki frowned. He knew Tenji was trying but he just didn't know how to express it in a way that sounded....right.

"I read heroes used to be quirkless." Yuki began.

"They would run into burning buildings, work together to get people to safety, and heal people who were sick, all without quirks."

Tenji stayed quiet, listening to the boy's thoughts.

"And now, heroes just punch bad guys and smile on tv." Yuki sighed. "It gets boring when there are so many everywhere, I just don't care about it."

Tenji softly sighed, a hand still on Yuki's back.

"Is it bad heroes are catching villains?" Tenji whispered.

"No. It's just..." Yuki buried his face into the pillow again.

"What is it?" the man asked, getting closer to the boy.

A muffled reply came from the boy.

"What was that?" Tenji asked.

"I can't be a hero because I'm quirkless..." Yuki whimpered.

"Yes you ca--"

"No I can't!" Yuki shouted. Hot tears flooding his grey-eyes.

"I can't be a hero like everyone else can. They can do things I can't. They can be what they want to be and no one will tell them they can't!" Yuki cried.

"Yuki--"

"I see how Papa gets looked at when they ask for I.D.! It's because he's quirkless! Even the smallest of the most useless quirks I've read about get treated better! It's stupid! It's annoying! And DUMB!"

Tenji watched in sorrow as the boy broke into sobs. His cries muffled by the pillow.

"Why couldn't I at least have one?" Yuki sobbed. "I could have helped Papa... Then he wouldn't have to worry about paying more than he needed to at stores! Or even go to a lot of doctors because they wouldn't see me! A quirkless boy!"

* * *

Muffled shouts seemed to echo and yet at the same time warp...