Affinity

Emiko's Rage

a/n: a/n: happy Thursday night, my friends. this chapter is coming to you a little early, because I don't think I'll be around Saturday to post as scheduled... and also, because as of my posting we're less than 20 reads away from 10k on FF.net. Even typing that doesn't feel real. I don't want to go too soft here, because I'm sure you'd all rather read about Emiko than my gratitude, but from the bottom of my heart - thank you. To all 10k of you, thank you. This story, Emiko, MHA in general have changed my life forever and I am so grateful to share this space with you. Enjoy this chapter, and keep an eye on my instagram for some updates soon. (@nrdgrl_)

xoxo, D <3

Shoto was ignoring her, that much was clear. She'd waited for hours for him to come to her, hands trembling the entire time. She'd even texted Bakugo to make sure he'd told her, much to the blondes dismay. Shoto had been told she wanted to talk to him, and he hadn't shown up. The ache in her chest only grew with each hour that passed, until it was breaking well into the early morning hours and the sun was peeking its golden head over the clouds.

She could text him, sure. She could stop by his room and talk to him there, but it was clear he had no interest in speaking with her and she didn't understand why. She was the one who had apologies to make, the one who'd been cruel and cold, the one who'd ignored him when he came to her aid - to check on her, make sure she was alright and not a danger to herself.

So, he was avoiding her.

It shouldn't bother her as much as it did, really. She'd avoided him for weeks, had avoided them all in much the same way she was being avoided by him now. She'd try to nab his gaze in class, and he'd swing his eyes to the floor shyly. She'd smile at him in the halls and he would focus even harder on the floor in front of him, as if by looking her in the eyes he was forgiving her for her transgressions, for her terribly cruel behavior over the past few weeks. She knew he didn't have to forgive her, knew she likely didn't deserve any of their forgiveness but still, she wanted thing to go back to normal between them again. She missed him, missed the casual way they spoke to one another. She missed training alongside him, missed learning from him. She had Momo and Jirou, and they were great and she loved them more than words could explain, but it was different with him. They all knew it was different with him.

None of her worries were to be appeased any time soon, either. The rest of her class was loading onto a bus as she watched, chattering excitedly amongst themselves. They were all preparing to take their provisional exam, to get a license. A license that would allow them to take part in hero work outside of their program. This exam was typically reserved for second, sometimes even third year students but because of everything she and her friends had been through thus far, they'd been allowed to take it early.

Her friends, that is.

When they'd announced the exam, Eraserhead had pulled her aside gently after class. His eyes were sad and dull, and she didn't miss the disappointment that lingered there.

"They don't think it's fair to you, Emiko." He sighed, running his fingers through his overgrown hair. "To let you take part when you don't have your quirk."

"What?" She all but cried, tears welling in her eyes almost instantly. "What do you mean?"

"You don't have control right now," he explained, "and they worry that it'll all come back at once when you get overwhelmed and put everyone at risk."

There hadn't been a point in arguing with him on that, because she knew that the threat was far too great to allow it to ever take place. She knew her quirk could cause serious damage if it had the opportunity to run rampant, and even though she hadn't felt so much as a flicker from it in weeks she knew that there was a possibility for it to rear its head again in a moment of panic or weakness.