Chapter 1: INTRO
Chapter Text
His fists were balled up, the amount of strength sending surges of pain up his arm. He had to do something to keep down the violent urges.
Tenya felt that frustration he felt long ago when he fought the Hero Killer, that anger that had once blinded him.
He wasn't hostile or mean, but with these new feelings forming it was difficult to control. Thinking back to his school and friends, Tenya couldn't think of a single reason as to why he was feeling this way.
Was it something someone said? Did he still hold a personal grudge, after swearing to better himself not only as a person, but as a hero?
Confused and angry, he cursed himself silently. The papers in front of him were blurred - Tenya had taken off his glasses to aid the angry headache he had. It hasn't helped, his head threatening to explode.
Was this all in his head? Tenya wasn't sure - starting his internship as a third-year student, he wondered if it was the pressure causing him to feel this way.
Usually he was good about taking care of this kind of thing, but recently all of his efforts seemed to be for nothing.
Tenya was ripped from his thoughts when his phone buzzed softly. Slipping on his glasses, he quietly thanked for the interruption. It was difficult to pull himself from his mind sometimes.
Picking up the phone, however, Tenya didn't know if this distraction was particularly good.
He had received a text from Aoyama, a friend from his class - a friend that Tenya had taken an unusually close liking to.
Reading the text softly, the words barely escaping his lips, Tenya furrowed his eyebrows. His heart was racing, his hands starting to sweat with every thought.
He loved talking to Aoyama. Tenya enjoyed his company, his attention. Yet this change in attitude recently left him scared and pitiful.
Tenya sat down the phone, leaving the message on read.
He couldn't do this to Aoyama.
Chapter 2: ||1||
Chapter Text
It had been an eventful two years - sometimes Tenya would find himself thinking about when he first got accepted into UA. The events seemed like a dream, like a story.
He had known that if he tried, everything would have gone his way. Tenya had trained and studied hard, his dream of becoming a hero forever a part of him.
Finally, he was starting his third year of school - the final year. He had been waiting anxiously all summer for it to begin. Tenya made sure to keep up-to-date with all of the summer reading, and even studied outside of the given work. He had to stay in top shape.
There was still much he had to learn, but as Tenya took a sip of warm tea to calm his nerves, he couldn't help but feel prideful. This was all because of his hard work, dedication, and friendship along the way.
Setting down the cup, he stretched out his left hand, his fingers moving with some difficulty. Despite him having bettered himself, Tenya still thought he needed to wait before fixing his hand. He had grown accustomed to that numb feeling in his hand, but he was waiting until he proved his worth by becoming a true hero.
Tenya was so deep in thought that he hadn't heard his mother come into the kitchen.
"Tenya," she said quietly as she sat down at the table. He looked up at his mother, a bit alarmed to see such exhaustion on her face.
"Mom-" Tenya was cut off as she grabbed his damaged hand, holding it softly.
"Tenya," she repeated, "I want you to know how proud I am of you."
Those words were like a blessing. Tenya smiled, the warmth of happiness spreading through his chest.
"Both me and your father are extremely proud."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"You brother is just as proud."
Even though it had been a while since the incident - over a year, in fact - it still kind of hurt when it was brought up. Still, he managed to work through it, and that pride of his own was in control.
"He's so happy to see you get this far, doing something you've always wanted to do as a kid." A smile spread on her face, the wrinkles of age present on her skin.
Tenya could feel the tears form in his eyes - no, he couldn't cry, not now.
Putting on an honest smile, Tenya put his good hand over his mother's, as if comforting her.
"I'm proud to have him as a brother," he said, his voice almost cracking. This sudden rush of emotion was overwhelming, and it made Tenya realize how tired he really was. Thinking about everything really did take a lot out of him.
Tenya's mother sighed, as if relieved.
"Well, I'll let you get some sleep now. You'll need your sleep." With one last smile, she stood up to leave the kitchen.
Tenya didn't say anything. He was full of mixed, nogalistic emotions that kept him quiet. Taking a sip from his cup, Tenya couldn't help but think of his warm, soft bed.