Silent commands [HitoZuku]

A Place To Belong

Shinsou Hitoshi hadn't planned on befriending anyone when joining Class 1-A.

From a young age, Hitoshi knew his his quirk made him different. It wasn't flashy or heroic like the ones he saw on TV. Instead, his quirk-Brainwashing-brought fear and suspicion.

When he first discovered it in elementary school, it was an accident. He had asked a classmate to hand him a pencil, and when they obeyed without hesitation, confusion spread among his peers. By the end of the day, the whispers had begun.

''Don't answer him!''

''What if he controls you?!''

''He's probably making us like him.''

''That's a villain's quirk...''

Shinsou Hitoshi quickly learned to be careful about how and when he used his quirk, but the damage had already been done. Parents wanted their children to stay away from him, teachers gave him warry glances, and classmates avoided him in the halls.

By middle school, the isolation was suffocating. No one wanted to be his partner in group projects. He sat alone at lunch, pretending not to care as laughter and conversations filled the air around him. When he tried to reach out, his dry humor or quiet demeanor was often misunderstood, reinforcing the perception that he was strange-or worse, untrustworthy.

The few times he'd tried to defend himself only backfired.

''I don't brainwash people unless i have to!''

''Yeah, but how do we know that's true?''

His dream of being a hero only made things harder. Heroes were supposed to inspire trust and hope, but how could someone with a' villainous' quirk ever fit that mold? Teachers advised him to reconsider, to find a 'better path for his abilities', but he refused to listen to them or give up, even if their words chipped away at his confidence.

It wasn't until he met Shota Aizawa, better known as Pro hero Eraserhead, at the entrance exam that he felt the smallest spark of hope light up in himself. For the first time, someone found potential in him--not fear, or disgust, but strength. Aizawa's confidence in his abilities was a lifeline, reminding him that his quirk doesn't define him.

But everything changed when he transferred to Class-1A.

For the first time, he wasn't met with warry glances or disgusted looks. His classmates didn't flinch when he spoke or question the nature of his quirk--they welcomed him with open arms. People like Kaminari and Ashido made an effort to include him, and even Bakugo's gruff insults felt strangely normal, like he was already part of the group.

It was overwhelming at first. Shinsou wasn't used to people seeing him as just Hitoshi, not the kid with the ''villainous'' quirk. But as the days passed, he realized they weren't just tolerating him--they genuinely wanted to be his friends. 

And though the walls around his heart didn't crumble overnight, for the first time in years, Shinsou let himself believe that maybe he belonged.