Training Shinso

Chapter 2: Jokes On You

Friday~

Aizawa absently paced around the training room as he explained to Shinso and Midoriya, "This will be a sort of second part to the last session as we are continuing with focusing on the response. Before, we looked at gestures and touched on expression. Now we will focus on facial expressions that will trigger the brainwashing."

Eraserhead stopped and turned to them, "The expressions we will be testing first are scowling, smiling, confusion and surprise. I think you both know the drill by now," he tilted his head down to say 'proceed'.

The students nodded and faced each other.

"All Might sucks, don't you think?" Hitoshi asked, fully aware that Toshinori was Izuku's idol.

Izuku didn't even have to act as a scowl formed on his face. He knew Shinso wasn't being serious, but it still made his heart clench in anger.

Hitoshi tried to activate his Quirk but nothing happened. He gritted his teeth and tried again. Still, nothing.

"It's not working," he said with an annoyed tone.

"Move onto the next expression then," Aizawa informed.

Shinso sighed then said to Izuku, "Try smiling."

Midoriya smiled for a second before it dropped and his eyes glazed over.

"Why did smiling work but scowling didn't?" Shinso asked.

"Hm. My best guess is that smiling requires the use of more muscles in the face, so it was a more distinct response. Scowling, however, is a bit more subtle, which may not count as a response. It's not a major weakness but keep it in mind."

Shinso released Midoriya and then they tried again with surprise and confusion. Nothing happened with either expression.

"Just as I had assumed," Aizawa noted. "I don't think we can get any more out of this task so we'll move onto the next one. As smiling worked, I am sure laughing will too. Your next task is to make Midoriya laugh."

Hitoshi rolled his eyes, "That's stupid. You know I'm no good at making people laugh."

"Do you want to improve your Quirk or not? We wouldn't bother if it were too easy. The whole purpose of this is to push your limit; to get out of your comfort zone."

Shinso mumbled under his breath, "I think someone's been spending too much time with Ms. Joke..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Hitoshi looked at Izuku and asked, "What makes you laugh?"

Midoriya scratched the back of his head nervously, "Oh eh- I'm not really sure. Anything, really. Jokes, I guess?"

"I'm no good at jokes."

Aizawa suggested, "Another way you can make someone laugh is by laughing yourself. Laughter is said to be contagious."

"But not much makes me laugh," Hitoshi said.

Aizawa smirked a little, "No. But I know your weakness."

Hitoshi tilted his head questioningly.

"Remember that cat video you showed me the other week? I've never seen you laugh so hard before. Ask a question, visualise the video, make sure you're laughing genuinely otherwise it will not work, and try to get Midoriya to laugh along with you."

Eraserhead turned to Izuku, "Your job is to refrain from laughing." The boy nodded.

Shinso recalled the cat video and it made him smile. He asked Izuku, "Do you think I can make you laugh?"

Hitoshi then focused on the mental image of the video in his memory and let out a small, genuine chuckle. He imagined the cat sat in front of the camera, oblivious as a paw stealthily pushed its way out of a cupboard, edging towards the cat. The paw suddenly whacked the cat, which jumped in fright and hissed in anger at the cat hidden in the cupboard. Shinso burst out laughing, clutching his stomach and tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.

Izuku blinked in shock as he barely ever saw a trace of an emotion on Hitoshi's face; now the boy was wheezing with laughter.

Midoriya felt the corners of his lips twitch as he strained to hold back from giggling.

Between his fits of laughter, Hitoshi accidentally snorted and that was Izuku done for. He let go of a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and started laughing.

Shinso wheezed even harder when Izuku joined in, almost forgetting about the task at hand.

He wiped away his tears and triggered his Quirk; Izuku's laughter cut off as his eyes turned white. Shinso released his control after a moment and both boys went back to laughing.

It took them a whole minute to calm down. When they finally did, they looked to Eraserhead just as he stifled the smile on his face.

"You did it. Good job," Aizawa praised plainly. "I don't want you ever to try that technique against a villain. Most are cruel and sadistic and will most likely not be able to be provoked to laugh. I suggest sticking to gestures and facial expressions."

Shinso almost choked, "What was the point in that exercise then?"

"I just wanted you to look like fools. It was rather amusing," he admitted, a smirk playing on his lips. "But most importantly, having a little fun once in a while is good motivation. These training exercises are tiring, physically and mentally, for the both of you and I must take that into consideration."

Shota added, "and that will be all for today. I'm cutting our training short as I have some teacher business I must attend to. I will see you in class." Aizawa left.

Midoriya gave his teacher a small wave goodbye; his face was still quite pink from laughing earlier. He turned to look at the clock. "We're really early," he remarked. "Do you want to go back to the dorms or wait in the classroom?"

Shinso shrugged casually, "I guess we might as well go to the dorms, seeing as we have just over an hour until first period."

Izuku bobbed his head in agreement, "Sounds good. Wanna hang out while we wait?"

Hitoshi concealed his surprise behind his usual bland expression and regarded the boy. No one ever asked to 'hang out' with Shinso. Even the few 'friends' he'd made in his old General Studies class. They ate lunch together, sure, but they went their separate ways afterwards. Midoriya was his first ever true friend- well he hoped he considered him his friend.

"Sure," he replied.

Izuku's face lifted into a winning smile, "Great!"