(How To)Forgive and Forget

Back In School(Back In Your Place)

It's his first day back at school, and the suffocating feeling is back. Still, he plows through, plastering a smile on his face. It's raining outside, and his hand is in more pain than usual, but he keeps smiling. Kacchan is yelling at him, but he keeps smiling.

Thankfully, Aizawa tells everyone to shut up. Good, he needs something to focus on besides the pins and needles in his hand. The morning progresses normally, with Izuku's note taking slowed down by half. No one notices, and he retreats to Todoroki's side come lunch.

The stoic boy doesn't seem to mind much, and doesn't comment on his lack of chatter either. Izuku is grateful for that. After eating, he takes the spare bandages out of his backpack and wraps up his hand tightly. From what he read online, it helps with arthritis pain and swelling. Iida and Uraraka are too busy talking about budgeting to notice, but Todoroki shoots him a concerned look. He responds by smiling. Silently, he hopes the rain will stop soon.

Training exercises are suspended until later notice, and All Might and Aizawa co-teach a lesson on heroic laws and property damage. It's nothing he doesn't know, so he gets distracted, doodling a outstretched hand in his notebook. Right as he's adding fingernails, he feels somebody's eyes on him. He looks up and meets Aizawa's dark eyes. It takes everything he has not to flinch and apologize mid lesson. Quickly, he starts taking notes, guiltily avoiding the hero's gaze.

Focus. Avoid attracting attention.

Nothing good happens when teachers pay attention to him.

___________

It's another week before he makes it back to the bar, and he's swamped in work, so he ends up bringing it along with him. It hasn't stopped raining yet either, so he hasn't really had the chance to exercise or focus on anything besides work and managing the pain in his hand.

The sound of Shigaraki and Spinner cursing each other out is familiar and easily ignored, and Toga just sort of hovers over his shoulder until he pulls out his math homework. Then she hisses and retreats...somewhere.

Mr. Compress, Twice, and Magne are nowhere to be seen, and Dabi is sprawled on the beanbag, watching the screen with amusement. Kurogiri is cleaning a glass, and occasionally looks over to him. Unfortunately, the bandages on his hands only do so much, and he has to take frequent breaks to massage the stiffness out of his limbs.

Sighing, he goes back to his completed sheet and starts erasing the right answers and writing in the wrong answers, making sure to make minor mistakes. Once he's done, he opens up his secondary notebook and phone. Distantly, he hears a click.

"Ah, you're back. I was wondering why Shigaraki was calmer than usual."

"It's nice to be back, sir." He responds automatically, hand moving quickly to write down observations one of Ingenium's old fights. He doesn't notice the sudden silence, or the amusement that radiates from the TV.

"You seem busy."

"I'm fixing my fighting style." He responds, absentmindedly rubbing his aching hand.

"That's warranted, considering the condition of your hands. Any more damage and they would probably lose basic functions."

Izuku blinks, looking over at the TV.

"How do you know?"

The room is silent for a long moment, and Kurogiri flickers more than usual. Shigaraki looks awed by the person behind the TV, and Spinner and Dabi look equal parts uneasy and curious.

"It's one of my Quirks."

A pause. Then—

"You have more than one Quirk? That's so cool! How many do you have? Does your original Quirk act like a Copy Quirk? Is there a way for you to categorize Quirks once you have them? If you have a mutant Quirk, does it force biological changes onto your body? That sounds painful. Oh! Do you have a longevity Quirk? Have you ever done a brain scan? Is your Quirk a mutation? Would you gain natural resistance to fire if you had a fire Quirk? Does your brain categorize Quirks by type? How long can you keep a Quirk? Is there a time limit? Does it have an activation requirement? What about—" He screeches to a halt verbally, slapping a hand over his mouth.

Damn it, you stupid Deku, didn't you learn your lesson the last time you asked about someones Quirk?

He internally curses himself, completely missing the bewildered expressions of the other people in the room.

"Sorry, I must've made you uncomfortable." Izuku takes his hand off of his mouth, turning back to his notes and phone to hide his embarrassment at his slip up. But he couldn't help it, someone having more than one Quirk is unprecedented!

So are transferrable Quirks, and look where you are.

"Not at all. I hope you understand my reluctance to disclose any details about my Quirk, seeing as we are on opposing sides, though."

The green haired boy blinks, tilting his head to watch the static TV with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Of course. I was just curious. I've always liked Quirks." He responds carefully, trying to gauge the person's reaction. Izuku doesn't want to jeopardize his place here with unwanted questions, but he's itching to talk Quirks now he's found someone who has a lot of experience with them.

"Oh really?"

An hour later, Izuku and the person behind the TV—he never got a name, and he has the feeling he doesn't want one—are discussing whether or not the category of 'mutation' in Quirk types should exist. The bar's occupants look like their brains are melting, and Twice had come in, listened to approximately thirty seconds of the conversation, and walked back out.

Overall, it makes for an interesting evening, and he goes home with some new ideas.