Violet | Shinso x OC/Reader

41 - Alone in the Forest

-Shinso POV-

You listen to the screams of the other 1A students ahead of you as you walk along the path. You didn't usually get scared by this kind of stuff, but you took a look at L/n on your left... She seemed terrified. As tough as she is, she doesn't seem to handle spooky things very well. At one point, you both heard a twig snap and she jumped. "You all right?" you ask her.

"Y-Yeah, I'll be okay." She had her arms pinned to her sides, and her hands were balled into fists, almost as though she were trying to avoid touching anything, including you.

At that moment, you heard the sound of shattering glass coming from the bushes nearby, and it was enough to make you both jump. She clung onto your arm in an instant, and you felt your face explode with red. You looked at her and watched as her eyes went from wide to narrowed. Then she let go of your arm and took a step toward the bushes. "TSUBURABA!! I KNOW THAT'S YOU!!" she shouts. You think you hear snickering... And then you hear a voice where the shattering sound came from.

"Ow! Shit!"

After a moment, both of you continue walking down the path and she mutters under her breath. "Asshole..."

As you thought about what just happened, you felt a smirk cross your face. "Did you just...?"

She nods her head. "I made him feel like he stubbed his toe." You cover your mouth a bit as you try not to laugh. You were glad to see that she was figuring out new ways to utilize the fighting capabilities of her quirk.

Then you thought about it some more. "How'd you know who that was?" You were curious.

"Oh... Tsuburaba was on my team for the cavalry battle in the Sports Festival. His quirk is called 'Solid Air'. He can basically make the air become solid and it shatters just like glass when you smash it."

"Ah..."

As you kept walking, your mind starts to wander. You look at L/n once more... Your uncle had let all of you get cleaned up and changed before dinner, so she was wearing more casual clothes. She had on some deep violet shorts and an army green, sleeveless, button-down shirt with a light gray tank top underneath. From where you were walking, you could faintly see the scar that Bakugo had created on her right arm. "It's amazing that one fight was enough for her to earn that guy's respect." Then you remembered what he'd told you before you entered the forest: 'Stick to the plan, dumbass.'

"What was the plan again? Oh, right..."

'First, you should apologize for being an ass...'

"Did that."

'Then, you should ask her out... Take her somewhere nice, but not too nice...'

'Then, bring her somewhere private and tell her how you feel.'

"So I need to ask her out BEFORE I tell her how I feel... But I'm still not even sure if I LIKE her like that... I mean, she's strong, kind, funny... beautiful..." You felt your cheeks flush a tiny bit at that last one. She really was beautiful. "There's honestly no reason for me to NOT like her... And Bakugo said the other night that she likes me back."

Your thoughts were interrupted when you entered a small clearing. Small rocks had been placed along the ground in a large circle, and when you reached the middle, they began to float around the two of you. You weren't scared... You knew exactly who was behind this. You look to L/n and see her staring at the rocks in confusion. You take a hold of her hand and pull her through the clearing. "C'mon." You duck your heads to avoid the floating rocks and once you pass them, they all fall to the ground.

"What was that?" she asked. You release her hand and explain.

"You remember the obstacle course race in the Sports Festival, right? Do you remember seeing me fly across that canyon?"

You saw her think for a moment before her eyes lit up. "Yes! I was wondering how the hell you did that!"

"It was one of the girls from class 1B... Her quirk allows her to control things telekinetically, and I brainwashed her into helping me get across." You watched as the gears in her mind began to turn and she made the connection.

"So those rocks back there were floating because of her?"

"I assume so." She nodded her head in understanding and you continued. "We just have to remember that every spooky thing we see and hear along this trail is caused by the 1B students. They may make you jump, but they're nothing to be afraid of."

She looked to you with a smile. "You're right... Thank you, Shinso. You're really brave, you know that?"

You put a hand on the back of your neck sheepishly. "I mean... I don't know about that..."

"But you are!" she insisted. "You're really good at keeping a level head, and you always seem to know what to do... I know that you're going to make a great hero someday!" She gave you that bright smile of hers and you felt your face burn once again.

"Thank you, L/n..." As you thank her, you think you smell something in the air. "Hey, you smell that?" You watch as she raises her nose and takes a whiff.

"Yeah, I smell it... I'm not familiar with the quirks of everyone in 1B. Do you think this is one of theirs?" she asks, looking to you.

"I don't think so..." Slowly, the air becomes thicker and thicker with what you presume to be some sort of gas, and you begin to feel lightheaded. Thinking quickly, you cover the bottom half of your face with the top of your shirt. "Cover your face... I think this stuff is poisonous!" She quickly does as you say, covering her nose and mouth with her hand.

"What do we do?" you hear her ask in a muffled voice. You think... "This HAS to be the quirk of a villain. I thought no one else was supposed to know about this training camp!" Your gut tells you that you need to get L/n to safety... If you go forward, the gas will only get thicker, but if you go back, there might be more villains waiting for you where the others are. She takes a deep breath through her hand and holds it before taking off her top shirt and wadding it up in front of her nose and mouth to filter the air. "Think, think! What should we do?" Then you ponder it for a moment... "What would a HERO do?"

"... We keep going and see if anyone needs our help," you finally decide. She nods her head, seeming to agree with your decision and you both hurriedly rush further down the path.