Trouble always happens when we stop questioning what we’re told.
Last year, a boy jumped off the school roof. Nobody talks about it now, not the teachers, not the students who watched from below. Everyone says it was an accident. That he slipped, that he was “troubled.” But those who knew him knew that he used to ask too many questions, about grades, about rules, about why things had to be the way that they were. They told him to stop overthinking. He did. Then he jumped.
They said it was better not to ask questions. That asking questions only made things harder, for everyone. But he couldn’t help himself. Questioning isn’t rebellion to them; it’s breathing.
And maybe that’s why he fell. Or maybe that’s why he was pushed, not by hands, but by the weight of everyone telling him not to think. Because trouble doesn’t come from asking why. Trouble comes when we forget to.
Either way, everyone thought he was gone for good. But this year, he’s in my class. Quiet now, different somehow. The kind of quiet that comes from knowing too much.
Sometimes I catch him staring out the window, like he’s standing on that roof, still trying to decide if the world is worth believing in. And every time the teacher says “Don’t question it,” I see his pencil stop mid-sentence, like he remembers what happened the last time he did.
The bell hasn’t rung yet, but the teacher’s already gathering her papers, her voice soft and final.
“All right, that’s enough for today,” she says, snapping her binder shut. “Remember, test on Friday. Don’t overthink it.”
Chairs scrape against the floor, the sound sharp and restless. Everyone’s halfway out of their seats before she finishes talking. I pack my notebook slowly, pretending to look busy while I glance toward him. He’s still sitting there, hands folded on his desk, staring straight ahead.
The sunlight hits his face just right, and for a second, I can almost see the roof reflected in his eyes again, that same edge between staying and falling.
The teacher looks at him, then at the clock. “You okay, Midoriya?” she asks gently.
He blinks, like waking up. “Yeah,” he says, voice steady but distant. “Just thinking.”
She smiles, the polite kind, and walks out before the bell even rings.
Then the door bangs open. Kirishima comes in first, grinning like he owns the place, and Kaminari’s right behind him, backpack swinging. I already know this is going to be a disaster.
“Yo! Who’s here?” Kirishima calls out, plopping onto the edge of a desk near Deku. “Didn’t think anyone would actually be back after last year.”
Kaminari tosses his bag onto the floor, sparks faintly flickering off his fingers. “Yeah, man. Thought the place would be empty. You just… sitting here like some furniture or something.”
I snort. Of course they’re teasing him — they don’t even realize it. Casual, careless, like it’s nothing. But I see him. And I don’t like it.
Deku flinches slightly at their words, hands tightening on his desk, but he doesn’t move. Doesn’t look away. Typical. Soft. But… he’s still there.
I step forward, glaring. “Oi! Don’t just stand around whispering and laughing. This isn’t a damn party.”
Kirishima freezes, grinning sheepishly. Kaminari leans back against the wall, smirking like he’s invisible to my glare. Figures.
Then I lock eyes on Deku. Quiet. Green hair, green eyes, sitting like he belongs nowhere. Like some invisible freak. But he meets my glare anyway. Doesn’t flinch.
“You. Sitting there. Don’t think I don’t see you. Try to survive in my class, got it?”
He swallows. “I… I’ll try.”
Hmph. Soft. Fragile. But… not gone. Not invisible. Something about that makes me tighten my jaw. I don’t like soft idiots, but I see him now. And that changes things.
Kirishima leans back on the edge of the desk, cracking his knuckles. “So… uh, you’re really just gonna sit there the whole time? Not say a word?” His grin is wide, almost friendly, but there’s an edge to it — teasing, but he doesn’t even realize it.
Kaminari snorts, bouncing slightly on his heels. “Yeah, man. You make it too easy. You could literally disappear and we’d probably not notice for a week.”
I tighten my jaw, arms still crossed. Of course they’re making fun of him. Of course. But Deku… he doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t even blink. Just sits there, green eyes calm, watching them, watching me.
“Oi,” I mutter under my breath, “he’s not invisible. Don’t push it.”
Kirishima chuckles, oblivious to my glare. “Relax, Bakugo. We’re not hurting him… much.”
“Yeah,” Kaminari adds, smirking. “Besides, it’s kinda funny. You just… sit there, all quiet. Makes the rest of us look like idiots.”
I huff, looking away for a second, just so I don’t punch something. But I can’t stop glancing at him. Quiet, calm, green eyes steady. Soft. Fragile. And yet… there’s a fire there. A trying. Something stubborn that refuses to vanish.
Deku finally shifts in his seat, just a little. “I… don’t really mind,” he says quietly. His voice is soft, steady. He doesn’t ask them to stop. Doesn’t plead. Doesn’t even glare. Just… sits there.
Kirishima pauses, raising an eyebrow. “Huh… he actually talks. Weird.”
Kaminari shrugs, still grinning. “Guess he’s not completely invisible after all.”
Kirishima and Kaminari are still whispering by the door, laughing quietly to themselves. I’m leaning against the wall, arms crossed, already annoyed. Typical.
Then Kirishima fumbles with something in his pocket — a little bag, shiny, small — and before he can stop it, it slips from his hand and lands right on the floor in front of Deku’s desk.
Deku freezes. Green eyes flick down, calm but alert. His hands tighten in his lap. He doesn’t move the bag. He just… looks at it, and then back up at Kirishima, who’s frozen, wide-eyed, realizing what just happened.
“Uh… shit,” Kirishima mutters, crouching down to grab it. “Sorry, man! Totally didn’t mean—”
Kaminari’s eyes widen too, and he mutters, “Whoa… yeah. That’s… uh…” His voice trails off, unsure what to say.
I can feel my jaw tightening. Really? I mutter under my breath, “Idiots.”
Deku finally speaks, quiet but steady. “What… is this?”
Kirishima stammers, “Uh… nothing! Just… uh… not yours. Definitely not yours.”
Kaminari shrugs nervously, leaning back. “Yeah… we were just… messing around.”
I step forward, glaring at both of them. “You’re idiots. Both of you. Get that out of here. Now.”
Kirishima throws a nervous glance at Deku. “Sorry, man! Didn’t mean to… uh… drag you into this.”
Deku doesn’t move the bag. He just stares at it, then at us. Calm. Quiet. But there’s something in his eyes , curiosity, judgment, awareness. He doesn’t panic. He doesn’t freak out. He just… notices.
Kirishima freezes, hand hovering over the bag, panic flickering across his face.
“Uh… we—uh…” he stammers.
Kaminari glances at him, then back at Deku, shrugging awkwardly. “Yeah… I guess we should—”
But before either of them can move, the bell rings. Both of them jump.
“Crap! We’re late!” Kirishima exclaims, grabbing his bag and tossing it over his shoulder — but in the chaos, he forgets the little shiny bag.
“Yeah! Let’s go!” Kaminari yells, shoving past Kirishima and out the door, leaving the dropped bag sitting square in front of Deku.
I step forward, arms crossed, watching both of them go. My jaw tightens. Unbelievable. Typical. Stupid. Careless.
Deku doesn’t move. Doesn’t flinch. Just looks down at the bag, calm, quiet. His green eyes flick back up at me, and for a moment, I can tell he’s weighing something.
I mutter under my breath, “You better not touch that.”
And he doesn’t. He just sits there, quiet, soft, but fully aware of everything that just happened.
I take a step forward, jaw tight, and snatch the bag off the floor before Deku can even react. My fingers clamp around it like I’m squeezing the stupidity out of it.
I mutter under my breath, “You two are completely useless.”
Then I toss the bag into my desk drawer with a sharp slam, just to make sure it’s out of reach. My eyes flick back to Deku.
“You stay out of trouble,” I growl. “And don’t think about doing anything stupid, either.”
Lunch is loud, chaotic, the usual mix of chatter and clanging trays. I’m sitting at my table, eyes scanning the room, when I spot Kirishima and Kaminari laughing over something dumb. That bag… the one they dropped in front of Deku earlier? Yeah, still floating in my brain.
I grab it from my backpack without hesitation and storm over to their table. Kirishima looks up, grinning like he owns the world, and Kaminari’s mid-laugh.
Before either of them can react, I throw the bag straight at Kirishima’s chest. “Here. Don’t leave your crap lying around in other people’s way,” I snap.
Kirishima flinches, arms flailing as the bag hits him, and Kaminari bursts out laughing, but it’s the nervous, “oh no” kind of laugh.
“Oi! Bakugo, chill! It’s just—” Kirishima starts, but I cut him off with a glare sharp enough to freeze anyone mid-sentence.
“Just nothing. Keep your garbage to yourself. Or next time, it’s not coming back,” I growl, turning on my heel.
Deku, sitting at his usual spot, notices it all. I can feel his green eyes on me as I walk back, calm but observing, soft but aware. He doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t smile. Just… watches. And I know he’s noticing everything, including how I handle idiots like Kirishima and Kaminari.
I plop back down at my table, muttering under my breath, “Party idiots. They never learn.”
Pink hair darts across the lunchroom before anyone can react. Mina skids to a stop right next to Deku, her grin wide.
“Deku! There you are! Why so quiet today?”
Deku looks up, calm, hands folded. “I’m fine,” he says softly.
I sit back, watching. The chaos he attracts even when he doesn’t move. Typical.
Kirishima and Kaminari freeze mid-laugh, caught between nervousness and amusement.
Mina leans closer to Deku, bouncing slightly in her seat. “C’mon, tell me something! Anything!”
Deku doesn’t answer, just blinks at her. And for once, the room feels like it’s waiting, not for noise, but for him to make the first move.
Mina leans closer, bouncing, still grinning. “C’mon, tell me something! Anything! You’ve been so quiet, I—”
“That’s enough!” Deku’s voice snaps, sharp and sudden. The words cut through the lunchroom chatter. His green eyes are blazing now, the calm replaced with fire. “I said I’m fine! Stop bothering me!”
Mina freezes mid-smile, eyes wide. “Whoa… Deku?”
Kirishima and Kaminari exchange nervous glances, fumbling with their trays. Even I lean forward slightly, brow furrowed, surprised at the raw edge in his voice.
Deku’s chest rises and falls quickly. “I’m tired of everyone acting like I’m invisible or… or some freak you can poke fun at! Just leave me alone, okay?”
Mina blinks, stunned, while Kirishima scratches the back of his head. “Uh… sorry, man…”
Kaminari gulps. “Yeah… we didn’t mean—”
I lean back, crossing my arms. Huh. Finally. About time someone snapped at these idiots. Not that I’d ever say it out loud.
Mina’s smile falters, but she doesn’t back off. “Deku, I was just—”
Before she can finish, Deku slams his tray down on the table with a sharp clatter, standing up so fast that the bench screeches across the floor. His hands shake, but there’s a raw force behind him.
“Stop! Stop touching me!” His voice cracks with anger. He grabs her arm to push her back, hard enough to make her stumble.
Mina yelps, falling onto the floor slightly, startled, her pink hair splaying out. “Deku—!”
Kirishima jumps to his feet, eyes wide. “Whoa! Dude! Calm down!”
Kaminari freezes mid-bite, staring, wide-eyed. “Uh… maybe that was… too much?”
I don’t move. I just watch, arms crossed, jaw tight. This is the green-haired kid I’ve been seeing all day, quiet, calm… and now, terrifying when pushed. He’s not soft. He’s not fragile. And if anyone touches him again, I’d bet they wouldn’t like the result.
Deku takes a sharp breath, chest heaving, and his green eyes flash at everyone around him. “I said leave me the hell alone!”
Even Mina, usually all energy, is frozen, hands brushing the floor as she scrambles to sit up. The room feels heavier, charged, and for the first time, everyone realizes this kid is not to be messed with.
Hope u guys enjoyed the first chap. :)