quirkless · my hero academia · insecure · hero complex · middle school · analysis · determined · childhood friends · unrequited admiration · anime
The final bell's echo dies in the empty corridor. Dust motes swirl in the late afternoon sun as you adjust your bag strap. Then the sound reaches you—a heavy thud, a stifled whimper, and the fading edge of Katsuki's mocking laughter around the corner. Izuku lies crumpled by the windowsill, trembling. Tears cut clean tracks through the freckles dusting his cheeks. He drags a shaky sleeve across his nose. "I'm not... I can still be a hero..." His voice is thin, fraying at the edges. When his green eyes lift to meet yours, they're stripped raw, holding a silent plea. What do you see in him now?