Hello
Enjoy~
(y/n)'s POV
My heart hurt.
Aizawa's birthday had come and gone and I was sat in a hospital room. I wasn't in severe pain or anything, nor was my condition at all serious. They just needed a place to look after me while the VIP counsel decided where I should end up. I wasn't allowed visitors at all and if I knew that lunch with Bakugo and Kirishima would be the last for a while, I would've savored it more.
I just sat sipping on apple juice and eating the various jello flavors they had in the cafeteria.
The one visitor I was allowed to go and see myself, was my mother. I thought it was kind of ridiculous, given the circumstances, but that was their ruling. Who was I to argue?
I wondered what was going on at school. I hadn't had the chance to speak with anyone other than Kirishima and Bakugo. I wondered how Mina was doing, knowing she had been the nicest to me from the get go. I had a phone, but I had no one's number so it wasn't like I could just text anyone. I didn't know what to say.
Aizawa was due soon, he came each day after class to inform me if the counsel was ruling or not. Each time, he asked me if I wanted to go see my mother and each time I refused, not sure what I even wanted to say to her. It would be weird, just sitting and watching her in cuffs. How was I supposed to really talk to her. Like clockwork, Aizawa came in the room.
"No verdict yet," he said, setting down a book and stuffed animal. He always came in with something new, for entertainment. 2 days prior, I had asked for him to bring nail polish to cover up my chipped ones and he had brought it yesterday. I picked up the stuffed bunny, tucking it in my arms as I crossed them. Kutsu had not been making any appearances lately. My quirk was hard at work repairing my side but if Kutsu was more active he would easily become attached to the stuffed bunny. "Going to see your mother?"
"No."
"Alright then," he said. "I actually brought another surprise, but you can't tell anyone."
I perked up slightly, looking towards the door as it opened. Mina came tip toeing in, a smile on her face. I smiled as well, looking at Aizawa. He just shut himself out of the room, going to sit outside and keep watch.
"(y/n), how are you feeling?"
"Fine, just...hate being in here 24/7," I replied. She smiled, coming to sit up on the hospital bed with me. She tucked her feet up criss cross applesauce, clasping her hands together.
"Hey, I just wanted to let you know I'm sorry. I feel so terrible for watching the video," she stated and I shrugged.
"It's really alright, I shouldn't hide that stuff anymore and now I know what's going on," I replied. "I forgive you, you don't have to worry about it."
"Oh good," she said, dramatically sighing. "Kirishima was saying you were going to leave school forever??"
"Well, at first I felt like I wanted to, like that would be the best option, but after talking with Kirishima and...well Bakugo, I've mellowed on the subject. Stewing in here makes me think that I really want to stay at UA. I worry, of course, about All for One hurting you all, but honestly having All Might in the building seems like the safest place."
"Great! So you're staying?"
"I would, but I don't know what my program leaders will say about it," I stated.
"Shit, you're right," Mina said, mulling the dilemma over in her brain. "I hope you can stay. Those program people can catch my hands."
I smiled and laid my head back against the pillow.
"Thanks for coming, I thought I might die of boredom. School has made me more used to having people around all the time, not like it used to be," I sighed. "How is Kirishima?"
"He's alright, more whiny than usual. He's pretty worried you're going to disappear off the face of the earth."
"Fingers crossed," I joked and she deadpanned. I eyed her. "How is Bakugo?"
"Oh, his usual self," she replied. "We're planning out the trip coming up, the training camp."
"Fun."
"I hope you can come."
"...I do too," I stated. "Though it would probably be unsafe for me to."
"I guess."
"How are you?"
"I'm great! Now that I get to see you," she said, nudging my arm. She moved her way to sit beside me, stretching her legs out next to mine. Mina moved to share the pillow with me. "Everyone is hoping you come back."
"That's so strange for me."
"Good strange?"
"Good strange."
It was quiet for a moment and I felt the softness of Mina's hair on the top of my head.
"I've got a question."
"Yeah?"
"You have a crush on Kirishima?" Mina asked. I felt my face go red as I shrunk down into the sheets of my bed.
"Uh, I don't know," I shrugged. "I haven't been around people my age this much, I really don't know."
"Okay...so you feel different about him?" Mina asked.
"I guess? I feel different about everyone," I stated.
"Similar for Kirishima AND Bakugo?" she questioned.
"No...why do you ask that?"
"Well you did ask how they were first," Mina replied, sitting up. She had a know-it-all expression on her face and I just shook my head.
"I really don't know. I'd have to get back to you," I said. I wasn't really too sure how to put my feelings into coherent words. I had never really had a crush on anyone before, I had lots of other things to worry about. I didn't know what it felt like and the definitions of crush and love were just so ambivalent. I admired a lot of people now, cared for a lot of people now, trusted a lot of people now. That couldn't mean that I had a crush on all of those people, even though admiration, care, and trust were a part of it.
I just didn't know.
Mina talked a little while more about what was going on at school. After that, Aizawa had to interrupt and take her back.
It was nice to talk to someone, especially someone as warm as Mina. It was a nice break from everything and I realized now that I had been particularly paranoid all by myself. I thought that the counsel would deem me to be unfit for the school and I was actually in fear that they would. It had been stressing me out more than I realized. As Mina left, I was left alone with my anxious thoughts.
The next day, Aizawa returned at his clockwork time.
"There's a verdict."
Well that was new.
I sat up, realizing that his hands were empty. He hadn't brought more entertainment because I was expected to finally leave. I stared at Aizawa, seeing that he was not announcing the verdict willingly. He wasn't saying anything.
"Oh."
"I'm sorry (y/n), they think you'd be safer away from UA," he stated. I just dropped my head, frowning. I sat in disbelief at first, not really accepting of the fact my fear had come true. Aizawa just helped me collect my things as I collected my thoughts. It was the less selfish option, to protect everyone else, but it was evident that my classmates were all for me staying where I wanted to be, no matter the consequences.
Outside the room stood a VIP officer who would escort me back to UA for my things and then to the protected living space. Jail, as Bakugo would call it. Walking with him instead of Aizawa felt so awkward. He was joined by the counsel members who came along, like this was some kind of parade.
I walked into the common room, seeing Midoriya glanced up towards me and the adults behind me.
"(y/n), you're back? Is your side alright? What's going on?" he asked. The officer waved me on to go up to my dorm before he began talking with Midoriya instead. I was stopped at the elevator when it opened up to let Kirishima and Bakugo out. More students were appearing already, despite there being no way news of my arrival could've spread that fast.
"(y/n)!" Kirishima greeted, stepping out towards me. He glanced behind at a quizzical Midoriya, stood beside the counsel members. "What's going on?"
"Alright, let's just clear up some confusion," the officer said. "Currently, we have to transfer a VIP asset to a safer space."
"(y/n) will no longer be your classmate, under considerate amount of deliberation," a counsel member spoke. Kirishima looked over at me, confused and upset. Bakugo wandered further into the common room in front of me. I looked back at Kirishima with an apologetic expression. His eyes wavered for a moment before looking back at the VIP members.
"No."
It was quiet after Kirishima spoke. After his silence when the tapes had been shown, I knew that Kirishima was looking for a way to make things right with me, or rather himself. Kirishima was a strong guy, and that meant he had strong values too. He had to make things better in his book, even if I forgave him.
"(y/n) is safer here than anywhere else. We need and want her here, so there's no need to transfer her," Kirishima said, standing in front of me protectively. "You weren't here to see anything happen."
"That's--"
"The program states that transfer is only necessary in the event (y/n) brings harm to anyone in the school, or any incident that she causes," Deku piped up. I forgot that I had directed him towards VIP's policies when he interviewed me. He made his way to stand in front of me as well. "No one is hurt and this isn't her doing. We get attacked all the time, (y/n) here or not."
"There's dozens of heroes around here, actual pro heroes that can help. That's better protection than any facility could provide," Kirishima said.
I felt my eyes begin to water. Just days prior, I had felt so alone after thinking that my classmates just saw me as something to marvel at and pity. After digging around in my story. Now, they were defending me, trying to keep me here. It was only a lapse in judgement. The students that were here stood indignantly to the counsel members.
I looked to Bakugo, seeing that he was glaring at the floor. He looked up at the counsel, crossing his arms and settling into a protective glare. I felt my mouth curl up into a smile, stood behind many of the members of class 1-A. They were really standing behind me anyways.
A counsel member let out a breath before clearing his throat.
"Clearly, there was a lot of time put into discussing the issue at hand. There are a lot of factors to consider and there was some struggle in deciding this. This kind of support is good proof that the VIP method is working and we'd like to continue the program's success. If things had been met with your disapproval, we wouldn't be changing the verdict."
"You're changing it?" Kirishima interrupted.
"...Yes. The program can continue with it's first asset," the counsel member stated, gesturing to me. "Shall we--"
The members convened and began to leave and I stood, slightly dumbfounded. How the hell had that happened? It was obvious that they wanted their program to continue but had thought this incident was just too damning. Of course they would do anything to ensure their business was thriving.
"HAH! Yes!" Kirishima called, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and squeezing. I just stood, jostled by Kirishima and Midoriya looked at me with a smile. I glanced past his head of green hair at Bakugo who just glared at me, though it was softer than normal. Kaminari began to admit that he had wanted to help, but knew that he might say something stupid and chatter broke out amongst everyone.
I just slipped away, leaning against the wall. I was tired, of course, because my side was still healing, but also because of all that had happened. It was strange how fast things could escalate. Kirishima found me and leaned against the wall with me.
"Thank you," I said, before he could even speak. He just smiled and laid his head back.
"Any time."
"You must have missed me a whole lot, huh?" I asked. Kirishima just looked at me, surprised I was being so forward and playful. I could be naturally, when I wasn't so down or forcing it for tips at the pub. I picked up stuff like that from the movies I would watch when I could and from the people that would come into the pub.
"Well, yeah," he admitted. I smiled and glanced at my feet. I looked at the common room where people were talking. I saw Bakugo sitting by himself. I looked back at Kirishima, thinking again what a good match those 2 were, in any case. It reminded me of what Bakugo had talked about, his newfound friendship with Kirishima.
"I should talk to Aizawa again," I said, "Bakugo is sitting all alone, you should probably go hang out by him. I'll see you later."
"Oh--yeah later," he agreed and I stepped past, heading to inform Aizawa of what was happening.
What I didn't know was that both Kirishima and Bakugo watched me walk away, thinking heavily, before meeting eyes with each other.
~Caly