I've got no Strings

Part 21~Mandeley

Izuku grumbled, nuzzling further into his pillow. “No…”

“Come on, it’s time to get up.” Shinso brushed Izuku’s hair to the side as the boy reluctantly opened his eyes, glaring at Shinso.

“You’re just lucky you’re hot or I would burn you to a crisp, right here and now.” Izuku groaned, pushing himself up and standing up.

Shinso… Shinso was malfunctioning. “W-What?”

“You heard me.” Izuku walked away, unbothered in the slightest.

Jumping up, Shinso had to grab the bus seat to steady himself, his leg completely numb. He cursed slightly, unable to go after Izuku and question him further.

Stumbling out of the bus, Shinso shook his leg, doing his best to ignore the pins and needles that were currently hurting more than the shoulder wound. Uraraka was a little in front of him, talking to the heroes that stood on the cliffside.

Stepping closer to Izuku, Shinso leaned close to Izuku’s side. “What’s going on?”

“They’re the heroes that own this place.”

“Isn’t it weird that they’re here as this is an impromptu stop?”

“It’s Aizawa.”

“What?”

Before Izuku could react, the ground whipped around, chucking them off the cliff.

“As I said, it’s Aizawa.” Grabbing Shinso, Izuku held out his hand, the golden, fire covered strings embedded into the cliff wall, stopping them in their tracks. “Glad you know me now?” Izuku grinned cheekily, glancing over his shoulder to look at Shinso.

“Always,” Shinso breathed out, staring intently. The fire behind Izuku lit up his face, highlighting the sharp bone structure and beautiful eyes that Shinso found himself staring in.

Shinso was snapped out of his thoughts when Kaminari, ever-so-gracefully shouted at the top of his lungs, “Gay!”

Blushing madly, Shinso lowered his head as Izuku chuckled. “Like what you see,” he joked, keeping a firm hold on Shinso’s hand.

Crack.

Izuku blinked as he and Shinso began falling, the rock he had been holding onto snapping off the cliff. In pure instinct, Izuku rolled Shinso to the side, encasing him in a hug as they plummeted to the ground.

Slap!

Uraraka let out a sigh of relief as he cancelled her quirk, dropping Izuku and Shinso the remaining two feet she had saved them from. “Are you okay?”

Izuku groaned, rubbing the back of his head as he sat up. “Y-Yeah. Thanks, Uraraka!”

Squeaking, Uraraka turned away as Izuku tilted his head. He followed her shifting eyes, suddenly becoming aware that Shinso was laying on top of him.

“Toshi, are you okay?” Izuku lifted Shinso’s head, worriedly using his other hand to push back Shinso’s hair and check for injuries.

Shinso nodded, carefully clambering off Izuku and trying to pretend that he was totally fine with what just happened.

Izuku laughed, standing up and wrapping his arms around Shinso’s neck. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Toshi!”

The class had a simultaneous thought, watching the two. ‘Let the poor boy breathe, Izuku.’

From atop the cliff, Manadeley announced the challenge. Get through the forest by lunch. Seems simple. Izuku groaned, glaring at the forest. “Ah, my arch-nemesis. Forests.”