Solstice and Eclipse: Part II

Chapter XI: The Watcher

"Thank you, Matsui." The Watcher said. "You may leave us."

"Yes sir." The woman bowed, respectfully backing out of the room.

The Watcher's ears waited for the sound of the door closing before he continued. "I am honored that you have decided to spend your internship at my agency, Mr. (L/N)." He said. "Certainly, you must have had many other offers."

"You said in your letter that you could help me to see." (L/N) interposed.

"Straight to the point, then." The Watcher sighed. "Yes, I did indeed convey that in my letter."

"How?" (L/N) asked eagerly. "If you think there's some support item that can contain my power, you're wrong. Believe me, I've looked."

"No," The Watcher chuckled, "no, it isn't any support item."

"Then it has to do with managing my quirk." (L/N) concluded. "There's something you can teach me."

"There is much I can teach you." He replied. "Why don't you take a seat."

(L/N) did as he was told, eager to learn more about how this man might possess the key to the freedom he'd always desired.

"Let me begin by saying that my message was not meant to be interpreted as me having the ability to restore your sight. Nor am I able to dampen your powers or decrease the potency of your quirk. I'm afraid your sight will only return to you once you have mastery over your abilities."

(L/N)'s brow furrowed. He had been baited here, lured by the sweet nectar that coated The Watcher's cryptic message. But all this was, was another adult who thought they knew what was best for him simply because they were older. He should have seen this coming.

"This is a waste of my time." (L/N) said irritably, standing to leave.

"You haven't even heard what I have to offer." The Watcher said as (L/N) headed towards the door.

"You have nothing to offer."

"Tell me, Mr. (L/N), how much longer do you think you can keep suppressing your power?" The Pro asked. "A few more years? Maybe a decade? You must learn to control your quirk, otherwise it will control you. Can you really live with the guilt of hurting another person?"

(L/N) froze with his hand on the doorhandle. The light emanating from his fist grew in tandem with his anger, getting brighter and brighter until the doorhandle crushed beneath his grip.

"Don't you dare." (L/N) said lowly. "Don't you dare presume that you understand me. That you understand the things I've been through! The things I've..."

"But I do understand you, (L/N)." The Watcher said. "I understand you better than you understand yourself. Your anger. Your regret. You're trying to outrun the storm, but the peace you so desperately crave lies within the center."

[My Hero Academia]

Maybe it was his rage that clouded his judgement, or maybe there still existed some naïve remnant from his childhood that guided his actions, but for whatever reason (L/N) decided to hear this man out. The Watcher insisted on a cup of tea before he would speak in any further detail, so (L/N) had retaken his seat, waiting silently as the other man contentedly drank from his cup.

"First let me tell you a little about myself." The Watcher said, placing his saucer on the table between them. "As I'm sure you have already noticed with that brilliant quirk of yours, I am blind."

(L/N) nodded to himself. He had indeed sensed the way the light failed to properly stimulate the rods and cones of the man's eyes.

"I wasn't born this way, though. No, you see, my blindness is a side effect of my quirk."