Silent commands [HitoZuku]

A Fragile Wall

Shinsou Hitoshi hadn't planned on befriending Izuku Midoriya.

Midoriya, though, intrigued him.

Shinsou had heard plenty about Midoriya before joining Class-1A. The boy was practically a legend---Allmight's protege,  the kid who'd unlocked some mysterious quirk potential no one could fully understand. But the version of Midoriya Izuku he had imagined--the cheerful, overly enthusiastic type who'd probably try to rope him into some motivational pep talk-- was nowhere to be seen.

 This Midoriya was quiet, reserved. His sharp green eyes rarely lingered on anyone for more than a second, and he seemed to have mastered the art of being present without truly engaging.

During their first training session as classmates, it became clear that Midoriya's reputation wasn't exaggerated.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

''Alright, class,'' Aizawa called out, his voice cutting through the chatter. ''Today's exercise is one-on-one sparring. Pair up, and don't hold back.''

As the students began partnering off, Shinsou hesitated. He wasn't close enough with anyone to have a go-to partner, and most of the class seemed to have already paired up with each other.

''Shinsou, you're with Midoriya.'' Aizawa announced, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Shinsou blinked. ''Right. Great.''

Shinsou faced Midoriya across the mat, his palms already damp with sweat. It wasn't that he was afraid--he just didn't know what to expect.

Midoriya stood in a loose fighting stance, his expression unreadable. His green curls framed his face, casting shadows over his eyes, which seemed to flicker with quiet intensity. 

''You ready?'' Midoriya asked, his tone flat.

Shinsou nodded. ''Sure. Let's see what you've got.''

The spar began with Midoriya moving faster than Shinsou could track. One second he was standing still, and the next he was right in front of him, aiming a precise kick at Shinsou's side. He barely managed to dodge, stumbling as he tried to regain his footing.

''Fast..'' Shinsou muttered, a mixture of awe and frustration in his chest.

Midoriya didn't respond. He pressed forward, his movements fluid and calculated, leaving Shinsou no room to counter. Shinsou gritted his teeth, trying to focus, but Midoriya was relentless--a whirlwind of punches, kicks, and expertly timed blows.

Shinsou finally saw an opening and lunged, aiming to grab Midoriya's wrist, but Midoriya twisted out of his grasp effortlessly, sweeping Shinsou's legs out from under him in the same motion.

Shinsou hit the mat with a grunt, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to catch his breath.

''Is that all?'' Midoriya asked, his voice devoid of malice but sharp enough to sting.

Shinsou sat up, glaring at him. ''You could at least pretend to break a sweat.''

Midoriya's gaze softened slightly, but he didn't respond. Instead, he offered Shinsou his hand. Shinsou hesitated before taking it, letting Midoriya pull him up to his feet.

''Good match.'' Midoriya said simply before turning away, leaving Shinsou standing there with more questions than answers.

---------------------------------------------------------

''Man, Midoriya's something else, huh?'' Kaminari exclaimed later as they watched the next pair sparring. ''I don't think I've ever seen him go all out in training, but he still mops the floor with everyone.''

Shinsou nodded absently, his eyes drifiting toward Midoriya, who was sitting off to the side, scribbling in his notebook.

''Yeah, but don't you think he's been kinda...off lately?'' Mina chimed in, her brow furrowing. ''Like, he doesn't really hang out with us anymore.''

''He's just focused.'' Iida said firmly, adjusting his glasses. ''Midoriya takes his training and studies very seriously.''

''Focused? He barely talks to anyone anymore man,'' Kirishima pointed out, crossing his arms. ''It's like he's built a wall around himself or something.''

''Maybe he's just tired..'' Uraraka said softly, her tone laced with concern. ''But...I don't know. He wasn't like this before. Not really.''

''Leave the damn nerd alone you shitheads, if he wants to be alone, then so be it. Stop being nosy fuckers.'' exclaimed Bakugo, his tone harsh but full of concern.

The group fell silent, their gazes drifting toward Midoriya. He didn't seem to notice--or maybe he just didn't care.

Shinsou frowned, lost in his thoughts. He hadn't been in Class 1-A long enough to know what Midoriya been like before, but it was clear that whatever he was now wasn't the green haired boy Shinsou had expected to meet. Gone was the hopeful, wide-eyed kid whose frantic muttering filled the room in videos he'd stumbled upon during training reviews. Sure, Shinsou didn't know Midoriya all that well, but in front of him stood someone muted and unapproachable, as if he'd wrapped himself in a layer of frost so thick no one dared to try to melt it.

-------------------------------------------

Midoriya didn't engage in meaningless banter. He avoided group outings, opting to train or study on his own. Even during their spars, he never spoke more than necessary, his words short and efficient, devoid of warmth.

The rest of Class 1-A had grown used to this version of Midoriya. Shinsou,however, couldn't let it go. There was something in the way Midoriya carried himself--an air of exhaustion masked as indifference--that tugged at Shinsou's curiosity. 

And so, he started to watch.