The Broken Hero, Jashi

Part 1~Ekrixiphobia

Sometimes, I couldn't help but feel jealous of the birds. They could fly high up and leave the ground behind them. They could escape, I couldn't. My back hurt, the harsh school fabric stung against my burnt back. I needed to put on the new bandages before I got home.

Shota can't know I was still being hurt. It would hurt him. He kept trying to train me, well me and his son Hitoshi, and he was overprotective of both of us. If he knew, it would be the end of Bakugo.

I gently gaze my fingers over the damaged skin travelling up my burnt arms, bruised chest and finally scared face.

It never really did heal.

Shota had been the one who found me that day, the day I decided I had enough. The day I tried to remove my eye. He used his scarf to grab onto my arms but he hadn't been fast enough.

He stopped me from stabbing my eye but he couldn't stop the motion, instead I had a cut going down my cheek, ending just above my lip.

Shota felt bad that he failed to stop me completely but my parents were just glad he had found me.

Father had stayed too close to me that day, he couldn't risk anyone knowing what he made me do. So no one did.

Now, it was like I was living two lives. That I was two people. There was the happy, energetic learner that I was in front of Mum and Shota, then there was the emotionless husk I was for everyone else.

I didn't know which 'me' was true. Maybe neither of them are me. There isn't a 'me'. Just the weapon or the child, no in between.

Bakugo was shouting about something or another. I learnt not to listen. It never was good.

"Oh, Modoriya, you're aiming for U.A, too." The teacher always was bad at reading the room.

Laughs and taunts echoed around the room. No one believed in me.

Bakugo was never one for being reasonable, that was evident as he destroyed my desk.

Explosions blasted from his hands as I cowered away. I've had Ekrixiphobia since he started to bully me but that didn't mean it was any easier to deal with.

"Do you think you're better than me, Deku?! Don't you dare go to U.A. That's for me! Not some weak, Quirkless piece of shit like you!"

I didn't say anything, I couldn't even focus on what he was saying, the explosions were too loud. Ghost pain twisted my skin. Smoke made it hard to breath. I couldn't breath!

The teacher didn't bother to help me, he left me on the floor and continued the lesson like nothing happened. This happened too often for him to be bothered.

It didn't help that everyone thought I was Quirkless. I never showed my Quirk or told anyone about it, if I was Quirkless, there wouldn't be a difference. It would be better if I was Quirkless.

By the time I had finished, I had calmed down enough to return to my chair but not focus on anything. My anxiety was too high.

I didn't care when the students left, I usually waited until they were all gone anyway.

"Deku!"

I ignored him.

"Listen hear you worthless fuck. You're not on the same level as me, got it? But if you want to be, how about you take a swan dive off the roof top and hope for a Quirk in your next life."

His hand burnt my shoulder, but it wasn't as bad as the explosions.

I had to put on bandages anyway.