As the kids Shouta scolded ran off after apologising to Izuku and the purple-haired boy - whose name is Hitoshi Shinsou - and after Shouta and Shinsou exchanged phone numbers to stay in touch, Shouta and Hizashi pulled Izuku in for a hug.
"Damn it, Problem Child." Shouta said gruffly. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
"How worried we were?!" Hizashi added, tears forming in his face as his frantic expression gradually calmed into one full of relief.
"Shou... Zashi..." Izuku mumbled, leaning into their embraces. For a brief second he allowed himself to relax, and enjoy the care given to him, even if he didn't really deserve it.
"Shinsou..." Izuku said, breaking from the hug and turning to the teen. "I... I'm really sorry about what I said before... about your quirk. I genuinely didn't mean those things and-!"
"It's okay, Midoriya!" Shinsou replied. "People label me as a villain all the time, those words don't hurt me anymore."
"But I never meant them in the first place, didn't you hear me before?" Izuku shouted, moving closer to Shinsou. Seeing Shinsou's confused expression, Izuku stepped closer. "I only said those things so they'd let me go and I could go get D - get Shouta and Hizashi!"
Watching the scene from afar, Shouta and Hizashi glanced at each other.
"Did - did he just...!" Hizashi said, stars in his eyes.
"... I think he did, Zashi." Hizashi was about to scream with delight when Shouta ruined it. "I think he said your full first name! He's starting to trust you more. That's amazing!"
"You..." Hizashi trailed off, realising Shouta didn't recognise what Izuku almost did. "You're an idiot."
---TimeSkip--
... hi. This is Izuku Midoriya, right?
Yes!
I am Izuku Midoriya!
You're Hitoshi Shinsou??
You're very...
... excited?
Ah sorry! I just haven't really made friends before
Am I being weird?
If you don't wanna talk anymore, I understand
I can leave you alone!
No!
That's not what I meant
Please stay
Okay, sorry
No
Don't
uuurrrghh...
I can see why that man with the dark hair called you a 'Problem Child'...
He meant it in a nice way!
I think...
That's reassuring.
...
Anyway, I really want us to be friends!
Is that why you gave me your phone number earlier?
Yes!
You want to be friends with me?
Yes!
I thought you'd hate me...?
Yes!
I mean NO!
I odnt' hate you!
don't*
Shinsou I don't hate you
Please believe me
I don't
Shinso?
...
You're so strange
Why don't you hate me?
Do you not know what my quirk is?
That mean guy said... brainwashing?
Yeah...
That's so cool!
What...?
You could use it as I said before!
For hostage situations
To calm down a civilian
It could be super helpful in a hospital!
Wait...
Oh, could it work through a recording?
Could you impersonate others, and have it work to the same effects?
Hold on!
Could you use it on multiple people at once?
Oh sorry Shinsou
Was I going to fast? I tend to ramble a lot - sorry...
No it's... fine
You
You like me?
Yeah!
If you don't mind, I'd like to become really
really
really
really good friends with you Shinsou!!
...
Alright.
I have to go to bed now.
Night Midoriya
Goodnight Shinso!!
Izuku pulled his phone away from his face with a smile.
His first friend...
Hi guys! I wrote a new chapter today! Yay! I didn't think I would haha, but I did so that's a neat! I hope you guys enjoy reading this when I upload it haha (written 4th January).
School starts again tomorrow, so writing may slow down a tad - and it'll probably stop about a week from now, as I have serious exams then... if they're not pushed back farther.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading! Your support has meant a lot to me!
But for now...
Peachy out! 😊