MHA: Villains Need A Hero Too

Yuno doesn't know what he was expecting when Hisami asked to eat lunch with him. All he knew was that it was strange, she seemed nice, and he liked how she made him feel, human? He guesses? It's odd, Hisami is odd too, but he supposes that a lot of people are. What he can't get over is how she felt safe, could he even call it that? What is safety in the first place? A location? A person? Maybe it's neither of those, and despite that, it's the only thing he can describe.

What is going on?

He's just met this girl, completely clueless on what kind of person she is; obviously, she was the shy and clumsy type, more of a listener than a yapper, he can tell from the way she stutters when she speaks. Nervousness, maybe? Anyway, he knows next to nothing about Hisami, and he highly doubts she knows much about him. Is this how people make friends? Someone just comes up to you and asks to eat lunch with you and then…you're friends? That's so simple. How do the two parties learn about each other in the span of an hour?

Yuno lets his food slip through his chopsticks, noodles falling back into the bowl in front of him. He got the same thing again, those soba noodles that usually always sat right with him and his stomach. Today though, he feels like if he eats it, it'll just come back up. He tried taking a bite earlier and, well, he gagged. Nothing is sitting in his stomach well today, not the protein bar Maijima basically forced him to eat, and not this or the side bowl of salad he had. The serving size carton of milk he had grabbed was most definitely not agreeing with him either, just too creamy and sweet and milky for him; it tastes like a treat he's not meant to have.

When he's just about to decide to give up and run away, maybe go decide which first year class he'll take on, he hears his name being called. He turns his head to see Hisami, of course, but who is the other person next to her? She herself was holding a tray, along with the friend next to her.

"I apolagize for taking so long." She said, soft and quiet, shy as well. "May I- we, still sit here with you? I brought a…friend, if that's okay with you."

Yuno's eyes fell to Hisami's friend, and he looked so familiar. With the blue hair and yellow eyes, and those god forsaken and annoying looking earrings, Yuno recognized him as the boy Hisami was talking to earlier. He was watching Yuno with a neutral expression, calm like a still sea, but underneath seemed to be a pool of uneven waves.

Yuno nodded, keeping his eyes on the other boy. "Of course, I did say you could eat lunch with me earlier."

Hisami smiled, bright and kind of cute with all that excitement, then it shrunk as she lowered her head and quickly made her way to sit across the table from Yuno. Her friend followed her, lips pressed together in a thin line. It looked like suspicion, but the expression being shot at Yuno, it seemed to be more tame.

Yuno decided to ignore it, just so he wouldn't be caught wearing a glare. He did his best only to make eye contact with Hisami, her eyes were much more gentle, he liked it better. He's never seen such captivating eyes before, no one has such unique eyes like that, and Yuno doesn't think he'll ever come across someone else with eyes such at Hisami's.

Hisami exclaimed, a small sound that got both her friend's and Yuno's attention. "I'm sorry, I should probably…" she raised a hand to gesture to her friend. "I- I think you're both aware that you take the same class. Um, this is my friend, Nagi Shimuzu."

Ah, Shimuzu, Yuno recognized the name now that he's put it to a face. Shimuzu is an average student, but he's, he supposes the word would be, infamous, for solving mysteries and problems around the school. He's sort of a mediator when there are two parties fighting and arguing, and he's a person who comes up with solutions and conclusions. He's a good person, cautious but friendly, and he makes sure everything goes as smooth as a calm ocean.

Yuno himself though, he hasn't associated himself with someone as outgoing as Shizumu. The amount of energy he seems to have before, during, and after class, it all seems so draining to just be around. And perhaps, Hisami needs something like that if she's hanging around someone like Shizumu, or maybe she's just used to it after knowing him for a while.

Hisami then gestured to Yuno, keeping her head low. "And this is Yuno Tsumuyuki-kun. I'm sure you know each other? If not! Then, um, now you do."

Shizumu yellow eyes narrowed in on Yuno, squinting like he was trying to decide this or that. His gaze felt intense with pressure and Yuno, quite literally, felt himself shrinking under it. He felt small when Shizumu stared at him like that, not through him though, so he was partially thankful.

Then his expression softened and he turned to face Hisami. He lifted an elbow to rest behind him on his chair and he crossed his legs while raising a brow. His voice, as Yuno had assumed, was smooth with an optimistic lilt. "How come you don't call me that?"

Hisami's eyes widened a bit, her full attention on Shizumu as she perked dup like a puppy. "Call you what?"

"Oh! I'm hurt!" Shizumu leaned back in his chair, the legs of the chair coming off the ground briefly as he laid an arm over his forehead. "What must I do to receive such a title? 'Shizumu-kun!' Doesn't that sound so nice to say? Or Nagi-kun too! That also sounds quite nice."

Yuno couldn't help the thought how ridiculous this display looked. He could already feel eyes at his table, judging and glaring his way, because who wouldn't? He has two people at his usually empty table, and he looks as if he's trying to be buddy-buddy with them. What is it with people? What is their problem?

A drop of water splashing his nose brought Yuno back to the present. He wiped the water away with his sleeve, feeling discomfort by the sudden wetness on his skin. He pulled his sleeve away to see the stains on his clothes, but it was just water, it'd dry and it would be like nothing happened.

When Yuno looked up, he was met with Shizumu looking at him again. The bluenette had his elbow on the table and his hand holding his head up by the chin. His other hand was in a position that implied flicking, and his face looked as if he were trying to hold back a smirk. His hands looked wet too, but there was no drink in sight aside from Yuno's milk, which definitely wasn't what splashed Yuno.

"Ya got something there." Shizumu said with a taunt, pointing to his own nose so Yuno could see where he meant on the brunette's face.

Yuno narrowed his eyes as he wiped his nose and cheeks with his hand; it made his gloves cling to his skin irritably. Shizumu just laughed, failing to keep it in.

"Shizumu," Hisami said as she took her napkin and dried Shizumu's hand. She then faced Yuno when she put the napkin down. "I'm sorry, he's like this sometimes. He often teases people with his Quirk and splashes them, but he means no harm or offense." Hisami had half a mind to smack Shizumu, but she's too kind and shy for that.

Yuno's head tilted to the side ever so slightly, his eye twitching as he tried to smile. "No, it's fine. I'm used to it, really."

Hearing that, Hisami's head snapped to Shizumu and her hand slipped over to his wrist. She squeezed it with a vicious and harsh grip, Yuno could see the sweat rolling down Shizumu's temple as he did his best to look away and he smiled awkwardly. Hisami squeezed just a bit harder and he was crumbling in seconds.

"Okay, okay! I get it, I'll stop." Shizumu receded and lifted his other hand up in defense. "Sorry about that, if I got in your space. I can get a little too social."

"Completely fine." Yuno waved it off. Was it actually fine though? Yuno felt hurt by the action of being splashed with water; he remembered when some kid back in middle school gave him one of those toilet swirlies, those were gross and uncomfortable.

"So, what's got you so hooked with this guy?" Shizumu pointed a thumb at Yuno as he looked over at Hisami. Then he whispered to her, "he looks kinda frail, don't you think?"

Hisami pushed Shizumu away, covering his mouth and squinting at him. She looked up at him with her eyes and her head lowered, like she was glaring at him. He immediately gave a thumbs up and spoke through her hand.

"Okay, shutting up." It was muffled with his mouth being covered.

Yuno felt like laughing, because of course, other people notice how he looks. When you look like skin and bone and you're pale all the time, who the hell wouldn't think that? "It's fine, I had an inkling that would be said at some point. I've always been like that." He really wanted to drop this subject now. "But enough about that. I'm curious, I've been splashed with water but there's none anywhere in sight. You said that's your Quirk?"

Shizumu's brow twitched, his smile faltering for a moment when Yuno suddenly changed topics. "Right, yeah. My Quirk is kinda weird. I can push water out from my body, and the water has a disinfectant ability too so it helps with both open and healing wounds. That, and it sure helps when I'm under water. I can push and keep water out my lungs so it gives me a…water breathing…technique thing? I'm not too sure how it works either."

That's definitely interesting, Yuno could already feel the hears in his head turning. A Quirk like that would probably land Shizumu a good position as a doctor or a healer hero. He could probably save hundreds of lives with a power like that, and maybe more.

Shizumu slapped a hand against Hisami's shoulder, earning himself a squeaky "eep" from the startled girl. She pressed her pointer fingers together, looking at Yuno and then somewhere else before coming back to meet him once again. He wondered if she had some sort of social problem with strangers, maybe that's why she stuttered and paused when she spoke. Or maybe she was simply just that, shy.

"I, well, my Quirk isn't all that great. It's kind of weak and useless and-"

"Bah! Nonesense!" Shizumu groaned. "Just say it as it is. No one will judge you," and he sent a certain look at Yuno. "Not if I can help it."

"Ah, okay then. I can just…grow flowers from any part of my body. When you inhale the scent, it can put someone's mind at ease, I suppose? It can heal minor injuries too, l- like cuts and bruises or a- aches and pains. Eh, sometimes, it'll respond to my emotions and since flowers need water a- and such, sometimes I'll accidentally start, um…dripping." She looked rather embarrassed about the natural things that happen because of her Quirk.

So they were both more healing types. That may explain why Yuno felt so much more calm around Hisami. That also explained why there was water on Yuno's desk from when they were in class earlier. He supposed their Quirks were compatible, being water and earth Quirks, the two seemed to also work well together.

"What about you?" Shizumu locked eyes with Yuno like he knew…something, a sort of glint shining over his eyes. Yuno could tell it wasn't a positive shine. "Does it have something to do with those tacky gloves?"

Yuno clenched his fist, nails digging into the fabric of said gloves. Hisami covered her mouth and lightly smacked Shizumu's thigh, implying how rude the question was. Tacky? Pardon Yuno's malicious thoughts, but what right does this watery oaf have to say that his gloves, gifted by Kisuma, are tacky?

"Shizumu, that's not nice." Hisami muttered, somewhat grumbling.

Shizumu just shrugged. "What? I mean, who wears gloves like that to school? I'm just saying, people who wear gloves are kinda weird, no offense to them. It makes him look like a, I guess, some emo kid?"

What the hell does that mean? Isn't emo some sort of genre music?

"Partially due to my Quirk, yes." Yuno confirmed as he brought his hands down to his lap and clenched them there. He could feel his nails digging through both the fabric of his gloves and his pants. "It's just a personal thing. My Quirk isn't exactly, to put it simply, the cleanest kind of power."

Hisami gave an apologetic look to Yuno, her brows creased when they pinched together. She then pulled Shizumu's lunch tray towards her to get his attention, and said other snapped his head to Hisami so fast, he may have snapped something in his neck.

Yuno couldn't really hear what she said with how much background noise there was, but she must've scolded Shizumu for being so rude and blunt. It was such a new feeling when he watched Hisami…stand up for him? Or perhaps she was just being kind, and she was just like that with everyone she met. He thinks he likes that feeling, even if he can only feel it for a few moments.

"That still doesn't tell us what kind of Quirk you have?" Shizumu stated, pulling his tray back so he could eat. He pointed his chopsticks at Yuno, squinting at him again. "You gonna say what or…what?"

Yuno hummed, keeping eye contact while lowering his head. He interlocked his fingers and squeezed them together, feeling the sweat wet his gloves. "I don't usually talk about myself to people, though, I suppose I could indulge you. I have a blood manipulation Quirk, rather simple."

Shizumu, who had taken Yuno's untouched milk and began sneaking sips out of it, spat it all out with just that one sentence. Hisami yelped as milk and spit sprayed forward, at Yuno, who sat directly across from Shizumu. Yuno stood up abruptly with a shout, attracting attention, but it didn't matter because there was now milk all over his blazer. He cursed at himself as his hands were held in the air, unknowing of what to do.

Thankfully, Hisami knew what to do. She stood up as well and began grabbing all the napkins they had, her cheeks flushing with a tomato red as she pressed the napkins against Yuno's chest to get rid of the milk. She couldn't let it dry, or Yuno would have dark stains on his clothes and he'd smell like gross dairy later on.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't think that would happen!" She said as she kept rubbing up and down frantically. "Shizumu, come help. Go get more napkins!"

Shizumu blinked before standing up, realizing his mistake, and he ran out to another table with many condiments and a stack of napkins. He stumbled, panicking when Hisami yelled at him, she never yelled much, and when she did, it was either out of desperation or…yeah, just desperation.

"I apologize, I'm so, so sorry that happened. I don't know why he did that, I think he was just surprised because blood manipulation isn't just simple and not many people have Quirks related to blood. I'm so sorry!"

Yuno pushed her hands away from his body, the napkins now used and wet, some were torn from how rapidly Hisami had been wiping his blazer. The brunette took his blazer off and set it on an empty spot on the table, examining the damage. So gross, it looked like someone had just vomited on him, then all the chunks were haphazardly wiped away. Some of the milk had already seeped into the fabric of the jacket, a large and dark spot on the front. Thankfully though, it hadn't gotten to his tie or shirt, so he didn't have to worry about being sticky.

He heard the wince Hisami let slip through her lips, glancing down at the blazer. She set the used napkins on the table and twiddled with her hair, spinning a lock between her fingers. "That's probably not going to come out with just napkins."

Oh, you think? Yuno supposes it's his fault in the first place. He is the one who made Shimuzu shocked, and then he spat all over him. But it doesn't make it any less irritable how he's going to have to go through the rest of the day without a blazer. He admits that it keeps him at least a bit warm.

"It's…fine." Yuno said through gritted teeth. "I'll just wash it when I get home. It won't hurt anybody."

"It didn't get anywhere else did it? I- I'd feel so guilty if more than just that got dirty."

"No, really, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

How awkward it felt to stand there, staring at the dirty jacket and occasionally looking up at each other before darting their eyes somewhere else. Yuno could feel other people's eyes on him as the two stood, waiting for Shizumu, what is taking him so long?

Yuno pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache beginning to form at his temples. He wondered how this day could possibly get any worse, and somehow, the next thought that came was how he just jinxed another event to happen. He clenched his jaw, and maybe he'd accidentally crack a tooth, at least then he'd have an excuse to sit in Recovery Girl's office alone.

"Hey, you two!" Shizumu yelled like a lost five year old, even if he was literally right behind Hisami and Yuno, and holding a least a dozen napkins in both his hands. "What are you just standing there for? Weirdos, I thought you wanted to clean the god forsaken thing!"

"Ah, r- right!" Hisami took one stack of the napkins and began laying some on Yuno's blazer while Shizumu and Yuno began drying the table.

With Shizumu's eyes on him, staring at him as they both wiped the table, Yuno felt his lip twitch. When cleaning something, you should pay attention to it and not him. So why the fuck was Shizumu watching him like he would pull some sort of trick?

Suddenly, Shizumu grabbed his tie and pulled him under the table. He was pulled to the side and then under, hitting his leg on the chair in the process and that elicited a pained yelp from the brunette. Hisami had lifted her head, looked around, then furrowed her brows.

Noticing, Shizumu peeked out from under the table and smiled. "Sorry! Something got on the floor!" He then directed a stern glance at Yuno, still holding his tie firmly in his grasp.

Yuno narrowed his eyes, pointing a nasty look at Shizumu. "You're wrinkling my clothes. And you hurt my leg."

Shizumu yanked Yuno closer, a wince sounding from the brunette as they were now nose to nose. "I didn't do anything. Yet. What are you playing at, Tsumuyuki?"

"Oh? So you were just playing all along? I thought you were just as clueless as Hisami."

Shizumu glared, grabbing Yuno's jaw with his other hand. The grip was strong, and Yuno wouldn't be escaping anytime soon. "Because Hisami is clueless, that why we're down here in the first place. She'll trust anyone and she'll help anything. It doesn't matter if it's a villain or a hero, a rapid animal or a tamed pet. So long as she sees a single and simple reason to help, she'll help it."

"I see nothing wrong with that." Yuno's voice sounded different, muffled, with the way his cheeks were pressed under strong fingers. And although he felt a small spark of fear burn in his stomach, there was something that made him feel less inclined to tremble. Shizumu wasn't actually harmful, he just looked intimidating.

"There's a lot of things wrong with trusting everyone and helping them." Shizumu's nails dug into Yuno's cheeks painfully; not enough to leave marks for more than a few minutes, but enough to get his point across. "She may not have heard much about you, but I have. Who's to say you won't just hurt her? Like all those other students who cross you."

Yuno spat back. "Where did you get such information?"

"I'm good at gathering info on things like school drama. There are plenty of students who can support my theory of you beating the shit out of them."

Yuno's breath hitched, pardon? Those are- What the hell has Shizumu been told? If anything, Yuno is the one getting the shit beat out of him. It's always him being chased and Shizumu says that he he is the bad guy? Sorry, but what the fuck?

Daring to fight back, Yuno lifted a hand grabbed Shizumu's wrist, the one holding his jaw. "Who the hell are you to tell me what happens during times like that?"

Shizumu snorted, amused by the denial. "Yeah? You don't have proof that it wasn't you who hurt those students."

Oh, but Yuno can at least say he's not the one at fault here. "And you don't have proof that it was me. There the ones who are hurting me, you're just too much of an airhead to see that. You only believe what you're told, just like everyone else."

Shizumu scrunched his nose, disbelief in his eyes as he began shifting his grip. Both his hand grabbed Yuno's collar and pressed him against the leg of table, cornering him and keeping him from escaping. He didn't slam the brunette, not enough for Hisami to notice, but hard enough to get Yuno to shut up.

"Then enlighten me," he whispered as Yuno tilted his head back to get away from the other. "Why is there so much shit on you making other students practically explode?"

Yuno's heart dropped to his stomach. The word "explode" rang in his head, echoing off the walls of his skull and he completely forgot how to breath for a moment. He can tell, Shizumu isn't stupid, quite the contrary. But no one has asked Yuno about that, out of fear for receiving the same treatment. Some students have seen what happens when things go too far, when things get too overwhelming. Some have seen what happened to the students that target Yuno, and some have nightmares of the same events.

Yuno has more nightmares about it than the entire school combined.

Yuno hates how his voice shook when he finally spoke again. "That's not- Don't you fucking dare make me some malicious villain. It's their fault, their fault for targeting me in the first place. I'm not a person who will hurt people out of nowhere. That's a lie."

"Really?" Shizumu's hands fished into his pocket. He shuffled around for a second before pulling out a picture. He held it between his pointer and middle finger and flipped it around for Yuno to see. "Because I don't that's the face of someone who's a victim."

Yuno's eyes widened at the piece of evidence. The picture contained Yuno, of course, and another random student. The student was laying on the ground, in a pool of blood, and his arms were mangled and limp. Yuno himself sat next to the student, his expression was mostly hidden by his locks, but he was smiling and holding his hands up against his face. There was blood on his hands, face, and hair; he had pushed the body away when it fell on top of him.

This was back in his first year, when he first attended UA. When he was afraid of everything and couldn't control his emotions as well. When he just couldn't get anyone or the voices in his head to shut up.

"Where did you get that?" Yuno demanded, seething and gritting his teeth.

Shizumu's lips twitched, urging to curl up in a grin. "That's a different face, never seen it before. Looks kinda weird on you. You always wear this emotionless and impassive face, it makes you look dead." Shizumu turned the picture back towards him so he could look at it. "I was there when you got into a fight. I got caught up in the crowd when I was just trying to get to my science class. And then I heard people gasp in such horror, I had to see what happened. And then, lo and behold, I saw something straight out of a nightmare."

Shizumu locked eyes with Yuno, the smile disappearing from his face. Now, he looked more angry, disgusted with the brunette in front of him.

"What do you think I was feeling in that moment?" Yuno spat, almost growling as he did so. "You think I felt good when that happened? You sick bastard, what would you have done if you didn't have control of your Quirk and you were panicking?"

"I sure as hell wouldn't have killed somebody! And why were you smiling? You're smiling in the picture, and you think people are going to think it's that student's fault that happened?"

"They shouldn't have put a target on me in the first place. What the hell did I do? Nothing! I simply existed, went through life after fucking tragedies, and somehow, I was spotted and targeted!"

"Yeah, tragedies. Did those tragedies happen to be so terrible that you find joy in killing someone? So terrible that you think it's funny to hurt someone back? Where does that land you anyway?"

Yuno felt something snap in him, hearing that being asked of him. Who the fuck does he think he is? Yuno's hands clenched into fists and felt his breathing grow rapid. It's not fair, not fair that there's yet another person targeting him again.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Yuno seethed. "You don't know a single word that you're spouting. Don't get up in my business."

"You made it everyone's business in the first place when you decided to go and hurt other students with that Quirk of yours." Shizumu squished Yuno between himself and the leg of the table. "You don't understand how dangerous you are, now I'm letting you know since no one else will."

"What's it got to do with you?"

"Before, it didn't have anything to do with me. But now that Hisami has approached you, it has everything to do with you. Touch a single hair on her head, and I'll make sure the same thing happens to you, only ten times worse."

The brunette pulled at Shizumu's hands. "You're bluffing."

"Am I? Why don't you find out? After all, you're good at getting into trouble, aren't you that shouldn't be so much of a problem to you."

"Get off me."

"Only if you let me watch you like a hawk. So long as you're around Hisami, I'll be watching you, tailing you and making sure you don't pull any crap."

"Fuck you."

"Suit yourself." Shizumu's grip finally lessened, allowing Yuno to slump back and adjust out of the uncomfortable pinning position. "I've seen the way you look at people. You're an emotionless and merciless bastard who can't control anything. You're a lunatic who can't restrain himself and needs someone else to do it."

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, you asshole-"

A crack sounded in the air, muffled and silenced by the crowds of students in the cafeteria. Yuno heard it before he felt it, the hand that collided with his cheek. The pain that bloomed on the side of his face now blossoming and throbbing in time with his heartbeat. His head turned to the side, he let out a stuttered breath as his eyes widened.

Shizumu glared at him, his lips forming an even deeper frown than before, then he pointed at Yuno with a finger and poked his chest. "Don't call me am asshole, when it's you who has done so many terrible things. Nothing I've ever done could compare to the amount of innocent people you've hurt just at UA. I don't care if you're protected by the teachers, or if you say you can't control your Quirk. You can't control it? Then you're just as useless to the heroes as you are to everyone around you."

With a final huff, Shizumu crawled out from under the table and grabbed the napkins that had fallen during the scuffle. Yuno heard Hisami ask if they cleaned up alright, assuming that some milk had gotten on the floor and they decided to clean it up. Shizumu had just nodded and laughed while Hisami asked why they would clean the floor if the janitor cleans the entire cafeteria anyway.

Yuno's lips pressed together in a frown, hearing Hisami ask where Yuno was. He heard Shizumu say the brunette had just slipped away, needing to do something that he had forgotten about. His stomach twisted as Hisami let out a small and disappointed "oh," and he hid farther under the table when he saw their feet as they walked away. Hisami frowned, feeling like she was missing something. But if Shizumu said Yuno left, then she guessed he left and she just didn't notice it.

Curling his legs up to his chest, Yuno pressed his back against a different table leg, hiding himself under the table. The floor must be so dirty, but he couldn't find it in himself to finally get off the ground. He was sure his blazer and tray of food was still there, sitting on the table and collecting dust, and yet, he felt no will rise up to go and grab them. He doubted he could even take a single bite of his food without throwing up now.

Because Shizumu is right. He's so right and Yuno hates it. The bluenette wasn't afraid to call Yuno out, especially when it came to times when he was a first year. Yuno hated remembering the times in his first year at UA. He…he couldn't control anything. Not his Quirk, not his emotions or outbursts, not his triggers, nothing. He's dangerous to be around, he is a force not to reckoned with, because it will instill fear and terror into those around him and he'll be a monster all over again. He had just gotten a handle on his Quirk, a better way to keep it from stabbing him or making someone explode, and now he's…

He's just back at square one again. He's hopeless.

Shizumu is right, he hates it, hates it and he wishes he could just die right now. At least then, he wouldn't have to deal with all his problems. Because he's a fucking coward and can't do anything right. And now he's wallowing in self pity which makes him even more unbearable. He wonders if that's how…No, he knows.

Kisuma, Maijima, Yume, they all knew, he knows they all have an inkling, even a small one, that Yuno is useless. A self pitying, uncontrolled and unrestrained, clingy, cowardly brat. That's all he is, that's all he's been.

Weak, just like his father says.

Disgusting, just like his mother calls him.

Unbearable, just like Maijima has always told him.

I hate you.

Those words still hurt, when they shouldn't. Because Yuno knows he hurts people, hurts and hurts and drags people through gasoline puddles of his own pain, which sets fire to new pains that will cause people, his close ones, to leave him.

I hate you.

Kisuma had every right to say that, and he fully understands that she is never coming back. He knows that someday, everyone will realize he's a lost cause and they'll all leave. He won't need protection, because someone will have killed him by the time they leave him.

I hate you.

Because that's all he is. Someone meant to be hated.

"What are you doing?"

Yuno flinched, his spiraling thoughts coming to a complete halt and he realized that now is not the time to be wallowing himself in this endless fucking hole of stupid pity. The familiar words made his heart clench, because he had a feeling he knew this person, commanding an answer out of him with that fiery voice.

Yuno turned his head, white hair and blue eyes peering in him. He sighed, a breath of relief that it wasn't someone else, when Kisuma fell into full view, squatting down to be at his level under the table, which he still hadn't grown any sort of will to get out from under of.

Yuno pulled his legs tighter against his chest, thinking to himself when locking eyes with Kisuma, she must be so disappointed in him. Just because he's such an idiot and a bastard. Actually, he's worse than a bastard, but he can't find the words that are worst than that.

"Are you going to answer or what?" Kisuma raised her voice, commanding for an answer. She didn't really feel like talking to him in first place, but when she saw Yuno under the table from a distance, curled up and rocking back and forth on his behind, she found it in herself to grow a backbone and go see what was wrong.

Yuno swallowed the lump in his throat, constricting him and making it painful to speak. "Don't you not want to talk to me?" He turned away in shame.

"Yeah, well, I'm not that big of an asshole." Kisuma's eyes, half-lidded and filled to the brim with irritation. "Unless you want me leave you here."

No, he wants to say, don't leave again. But he can't bring himself to say it, because Kisuma has a free will and he can't force her to stay behind with him; he needs to stop using her as a shield.

"It's a simple yes or no." Kisuma spoke again with the silence becoming overbearing. "Just answer and depending on that, I'll stay or leave." And she added with a hint of frustration, "don't expect me to stick around though. And why the hell are you on the floor, under a table?"

Yuno felt such a sickening feeling of shame that he wanted to choke himself. "That's…It's nothing, I just wanted to hide."

Kisuma rolled her eyes. "Well, you did a poor job at that. You should've hid in the bathroom or a closet."

Despite the harsh comment, Yuno didn't spit back. He was just happy that she was talking, to him. He was overjoyed, actually, that she was finally paying attention to him. He doesn't mean that in a self centered way, he just feels so incredibly glad that she's willing to speak to him again.

"What happened to your face?" Kisuma raised a brow, gesturing to the red bruise on Yuno's cheek. Shizumu must've slapped him pretty hard if there was a mark left. "You get into a fight or what?"

Yuno furrowed his brows. "Something like that."

Kisuma's eyes drifted down to Yuno's hands, noticing the black gloves he was still wearing. Her brows pinched together in confusion, but also understanding. She was confused why he was still wearing them, especially after she said she…she doesn't want to think back on that statement. And she understood because he can't bear to look at his hands, she already knows why.

She also noticed how they were clenching over and over again, out of anxiousness or something of the sort. He looks like he's been trying not to pinch his skin and twist his fingers, so he clenches his hand into weak fists in order to cope with whatever he's feeling.

"So, who's bad side did you get on? Some third year?" Kisuma asked, finding it in herself to indulge Yuno a while longer.

"A classmate." Yuno answered simply. "Guess he didn't like me much."

"No one likes you," Kisuma muttered under her breath while turning her head away. She noticed the flinch that rattled Yuno's body at that comment. He lowered his head, hiding his face in his knees. She immediately went to apologize. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that." Out loud, at least.

"It's fine," Yuno said, his voice giving off the vibe that he was just giving up. "It's not like it's undeserved anyway."

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing more than the usual."

"I mean, did you get into a fight again? Not people looking at you or staring at you. I mean, did someone try to pick a fight with you?"

Yuno lifted his head. "No. I just…got what had been coming, I guess."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Someone slapped me. That's it. And frankly, it doesn't matter because I deserved it."

"Why don't you get out of there?"

For the first time since that day, at the mall, Kisuma extended her hand toward Yuno and reached out for him. He followed her hand with his eyes as his breath hitched. Could he really take it? Was he allowed to…hold her hand again?

He really shouldn't, but he can't bear this cold feeling anymore. He wants to take that soft hand and stand by her side again, if only for a minute. He misses her, and he wants to voice that, so why won't it come out?

"Or you can stay down here, if you want, I guess." Kisuma sounds so very unsure of what to do. If it were a normal situation, she'd probably just drag him out from under there. But their relationship is sitting on the edge of family and acquaintances, so she doesn't know if she should even reach out to him.

"Can you sit with me?" The question from Yuno's lips surprised Kisuma. "Just…you don't have to do anything. Just sit with me. Please?"

It sounds like such a dumb and childish idea; imagine being asked by your 17 year old friend to sit underneath a table on a dirty floor in the cafeteria. It is childish, and even though it is, Kisuma doesn't have the heart or spirit to say no.

So, she just…crawls under the table and sits, she guesses. Right next to Yuno, just an arms length away from a hug. It feels awkward, criss-crossing her legs while slumping over so her head doesn't hit the table. She forgot how much smaller Yuno is compared to her, weight, size and height, so hiding under a table is no problem for him.

Yuno is silent, even as Kisuma spares him a glance. He's curled up so tight, he could be mistaken for a ball. He's hiding in his legs close to his chest, only his eyes and forehead peek out with the rest of his face behind his knees. So tiny, Kisuma remembers, and it's odd because they've only stopped talking for…what? A week? If even that. She didn't really keep track of how long they since they talked, how long she's been avoiding Yuno.

She finds it in herself to ask how he's doing. "Are you okay?" It sounds so stupid when it leaves her mouth, because clearly, he's less than okay.

Yuno can't bear to make eye contact with her, afraid; he isn't worthy of looking her in the eye. "'M fine." They both know it's a lie.

"Does your cheek still hurt?"

"No. I'm fine, just lingering, I suppose."

"Why won't you look at me?"

Yuno flinches again, his eyes widening a fraction like he's been caught. His fingers grip the fabric of his pants, his lips curling into a frown. He knows Kisuma is looking at him, wanting to receive something from him. Just a glance, she just wants him to spare a single second. She feels, if he doesn't meet her eyes, then their relationship has truly gone down the drain.

Yuno doesn't want that, doesn't want his closest friend to leave him. So, he raises his head, turns it to the side and locks eyes with Kisuma. He immediately sees something change and shift in Kisuma's eyes; so much…feeling in those blue pools of her eyes.

Kisuma doesn't see anything but negativity when Yuno looks up at her, finally, but her relief changes into something else. An indescribable feeling, deep in her gut. His half lidded eyes, yes, they are looking at her, and yes, they are open. But they look like a puppet's eyes, a puppet who's strings have been cut; he looks like he's just giving up, accepting defeat. It doesn't help that the red bruise on his cheek is still there, a mark of his giving up.

"Stop it." Kisuma voices more loudly than she wished to. "Stop looking at me like that."

The brunette lets a breath escape through his nose, disappointed in himself. Yet again, he's offended Kisuma. "I'm sorry." Nothing about his expression changed despite the apology.

"No, you're not." Kisuma feels something build up in her chest, not quite anger, but something similiar. "You're not sorry. If you were sorry, you would stop looking at me like that. If you were sorry; you'd be asking me for comfort, like a hug."

"You lied."

This time, Kisuma jerked away, recoiling from the statement. She furrowed her brows and asked, "what are you talking about?"

Yuno looked Kisuma dead in the eyes and nowhere else. "You lied; you said I'd always have you. Did you just say that because you wanted me to shut up?"

Kisuma couldn't stop the scowl being painted on her face, amazed at the amount of spite said in those words. "I didn't lie. Don't put words in my mouth."

"'You'll always have me,'" Yuno turned away again. "Even if I thought I didn't deserve it. That's what you said. Don't think I forget things like you so easily. You're the most important person to me." He buried his face in his arms. "And then you lied and left."

"Is that really what you think?" She scoffed. "You don't even know why I got so angry. Do you?"

The brunette's lips sealed shut, nothing but the white noise of the conversations in the cafeteria. He had an idea, why Kisuma was so upset and mad. He had assumed it was because he spoke freely with Kaminari instead of her, that's what seemed to trigger this relationship crisis.

"I'm mad because you made it seem like I wasn't trustworthy enough." Kisuma fought the urge to grab Yuno's shoulder, for him to look at her. "You kept giving me the impression that I was dangerous, that I would do something to you. You already know I would never do anything to hurt you. And yet you still went off and spouted something to a dunce who'd forget about it within 48 hours. I still don't know what it was that you told him, by the way!"

"That's exactly why I indulged him. Because he'd forget. People who remember things they're told will find reasons to judge others."

"And you think I'd have judged you for being told something close in your heart? What kind of freak do you think I am? Sure, I'm an asshole, but I'm not that much of an asshole. And stop making that damn face!"

"I don't know what face you're talking about."

Feeling all her patience leave her, Kisuma grabbed Yuno's shirt and forced him to look at her. They looked each other in the eyes, Kisuma's staring deep into Yuno's while his only scratched the surface. Her grip was much stronger than Shizumu's, Kisuma is always stronger than the other people who attack Yuno. She's so strong, she holds so much power, and she could beat Yuno to a pulp right now.

But no, she doesn't. She holds him there, clenching her jaw while he just stares with the same expression. He's completely changed, demeanor, personality, will. He just looks like a shell right now, he's changed much too fast.

"Stop looking at me with that face." Kisuma demanded again. "Scoff or something. Scowl and call me out like you used to. Tell me to shut up because I'm annoying. Do something."

Yuno just shook his head. "I don't have a reason too. There's nothing to call out on when everything you say is correct."

"What's correct, Yuno?" His silence made her further agitated when he blinked at her. She jostled him around a few times, shaking him. "Answer me!"

The brunette brought his hand up, latching onto Kisuma's bicep and gripping hard, as hard as he could. He can't let her go again, he doesn't want to. And even though he's acting like this, he wants her to stay. But he wants to give her a choice, a choice to stay or leave.

"Say something, you muted bastard! Hit me or do something! Just stop looking at me like that, why don't you smile or glare at me?"

Yuno could see the bits and pieces falling apart in front of him. Like glass shattering, Kisuma's tough facade broke as her breath stuttered. She shook her head, closing her eyes and lowering her head, her grip loosened as she slumped forward.

"Why do I help you when you just look at me like that?" She whispered. "You won't even say anything that's in character, that's just you."

Yuno sighed. "I suppose you'll have to beat it out of me then."

"You're right." Kisuma shoved Yuno away, no longer wanting to help him. She gave him one last glance before crawling away, to leave him behind again and leave him under the table. She stands to grab what he assumes to be his blazer, and then she throws it at him. "I'll beat the shit out of you at the Sports Festival, and then you'll have no choice but to answer me."

And she leaves. Again. Yuno doesn't want her to go, he wants to grab the fabric of her sleeve and pull her back, hug her. They didn't get anywhere, and their relationship probably just went farther down the drain they're trapped in.

She disappears into the crowd of students. Lunch is almost over, and he doesn't really care because, well, he's too busy thinking about why and how things have fallen apart. The answer comes to him not a moment later: because he's the offspring of his parents, he's meant to bring misfortune and trouble and havoc.

He's not meant to be anything but terrible.