Silence

Season 2: Chapter 24

"It's time to welcome new competitors! We have only seen a glimpse of her quirk but she's a running up in class 1-A. It's the class princess Aoki Amaya from the hero course! Versus the boy with the electric personality! Another hero in the making, Denki Kaminari!"

I don't smile, I don't wave, and most importantly I don't break eye contact.
"Don't hold back Denki, that would be your biggest mistake." I smiled sickenly while activating my quirk.
"I wouldn't dream of it. I'm so dead" he gets into a fighter's stance, "Indiscriminate Shock. One point three million volts!" he shouts just as I shoot an arrow into the sky and call Aquarius. In one fluid motion, I pull the water from the grass with my water staff, and just as the electricity was about to reach me a wall of water blocks it. The water zips and zaps with the eletricticity. Releasing the water carefully to not splash anyone I walk over to a short-circuited Denki and push my finger to his forehead making him fall out of bounds.

"He's out of bounds! That's all, folks! It was over in an instant! The winner is Aoki! She advances on!" turning around I release my quirk. Still no smiles, no waves, and never breaking eye contact with the tunnel.
"Aoki Amaya, Her Quirk, Celestial Body! She can take the power of the stars and use them to her will. Makes for a powerful quirk with her killer reaction time and instincts."

Those were the last words I heard from him and the word "killer" bounced around my head along with flashes of the night before. Iida passed by on his way out for his match making the flashes pound in my head even harder. He didn't notice. Hero killer stain. Almost killed Iida's brother. Because I couldn't kill him. Killer, killer, killer. I break into a cold sweat clutching my chest as I slam myself against the tunnel wall. Control. Stay in control. Killer, killer, killer. I stumbled down the tunnel clutching my chest still barely keeping it together. Control. Breathe. In out. In out. I don't even know how many matches have passed and I could really care less. In and out. Control. I'm shaking. My arms start flashing between my skin and space.
"Someone stop me please" I sobbed. I couldn't help but cry. It hurts, it hurts so much. I couldn't save him and I've never not been able to save someone. It's eating me alive because I've failed.

"Starfire?" his gruff voice struck another fear into me. I need to get this under control or I'm going to hurt him and everyone else in this arena.
"Get- getaway! I'm not in control!" I yelled with a sob. But his steps kept creeping forward. My skin still flashing. In and out. Killer.
"What the hell happened to you."
"Go away.. I don't want to hurt anyone" I finally whispered as I tried to collect myself. The panic attack still going strong and squeezing all the air from my lungs.
"Get your ass in shape Starfire. Whatever the fuck is going on with you a hero never loses so fucking fight or leave the hero course," he yelled which snapped the breath from my lungs.

Suddenly whatever was holding my lungs hostage released and I could breathe again.
"If you're out of control get it together. Heroes save not hurt. You want to be a hero right?!" he yelled again. The flashing on my skin came to a slow stop as I regained my breathing. The tears dried to my face. I don't want to become a hero but I do want to win. I want to fight. I want to save people. Closing my eyes I lay my head back against the cool cement and took another deep breath calming my heart and my quirk. He didn't leave. I could still feel the tingles on my skin from the heat his body radiates. I could still smell the scent of burnt sugar. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He knew that. I knew that. He said what I needed and I couldn't be more grateful for it because he just saved everyone here.