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Chapter 37: The Reunion

Shinso opened the door.

He frowned.

"Who's there, Shinso?!" Uraraka called from across the room.

Shinso tore his gaze away from the empty space before him, "...No one – I don't see anyone here," he replied, his brow furrowed.

"I definitely heard a knock..." Jiro muttered to no one in particular.

"As did I," Shoji nodded to her.

Shinso shook his head – maybe all these board games were getting to their heads. Or perhaps someone had decided to do a prank – knock on the underneath of a table to grab their attentions or something – maybe it really was a member of class 1-B, knocking and then fleeing in fits of giggles.

Shinso sighed and went to close the door again. It had been a long night. He was looking forward to it being over now.

But then something stopped the door from closing.

Shinso hesitated.

He stepped outside a little – was someone hiding behind the door?

Cautiously, he let go of the door, and let this hidden someone pull it, slowly but surely, further open.

And when Shinso saw the nervous, shivering person behind – well, he didn't know what to feel.

______________________

Finally, it was over.

Midoriya watched Shinso's face morph across every emotion in the Human spectrum.

The chain slipped out from under his sleeve as he lifted his arm to wave hello. He vaguely acknowledged Eri's hand slipping from his own, in favour of hiding behind his leg and hugging it tightly. But right now, all he could really focus on was the moment he'd been dreaming of for the past half a month –

The reunion.

Midoriya's hand hovered there for a moment as Shinso just stared. His hands were over his mouth. He shook his head and took a few steps back in disbelief.

Midoriya had been rather scared, at second thought. Was he in the right place? What would they say, even if he was? What would they do? He'd backed away as the door creaked open. His heart was beating far too fast too be healthy as he ducked out of sight, pulling Eri along with him. But when he heard Shinso's voice – well, he couldn't just stay hidden any longer.

He felt the tears welling at his eyes as he lifted his other hand to finally communicate properly with someone, [It's good to see you] was what he signed to his friend.

"Err, Shinso?" someone called from inside the new dorm building. "Is everything ok?"

But Shinso didn't bother answering them.

Midoriya hesitated, unsure of what to do, [Sorry for interrupting but I –]

He didn't finish, because Shinso didn't let him. And now it was even harder to stop himself from crying, because Shinso most certainly was – over his shoulder as he hugged him tightly.

"Shinso?!" someone else yelled after him.

Shinso suddenly let go of Midoriya, walking backwards into the dorms with his hands pulling at his hair, still staring at Midoriya.

"What's going on?" the class, hidden just out of Midoriya's sight, persisted to question.

Again, Shinso didn't reply, but instead, broke into a brilliant smile and swore at the top of his voice, "No, no, no – this isn't happening. No freaking WAY!"