Chapter 2: Echoes of a Shared Past
The final bell of the day did not ring so much as it screamed, a piercing digital tone that sliced through the drowsy afternoon air. It was a starting pistol for a daily race. A collective sigh of relief swept through the classroom, immediately followed by a cacophony of motion and sound. Chairs scraped harshly against the floor, the metallic buzz of backpack zippers cut through the air, and the rustle of textbooks being shoved into bags created a unified, chaotic symphony of departure. The day was done.
From his seat, Izuku Midoriya moved with the practiced stealth of a field mouse. While his classmates erupted into loud conversations about after-school plans, he slid his books into his bag with quiet, efficient movements. He zipped it up, hugging the bright yellow pack to his chest like a shield. His eyes, wide and perpetually observant, flicked towards the front of the room where Katsuki Bakugo was still seated, his chin resting in his palm as he stared out the window. This was his chance.
Keeping his head low, Midoriya slipped out of his seat and began a weaving, silent journey towards the classroom door. He moved through the aisles like a ghost, his footsteps feather-light, his entire being focused on a single goal: escaping the blast radius of Bakugo's temper. He reached the door, slid it open just enough to slip through, and closed it behind him with a near-inaudible click.
Once in the hallway, he let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, his shoulders slumping in relief. He had successfully navigated past the raging beast, leaving him caged in the classroom for now.
"A perfect sneak-out."
Midoriya jumped, startled, before his eyes landed on the figures leaning against the wall beside the door. Ben and Gwen Tennyson were waiting for him. A small, amused smile played on Gwen's lips as she pushed herself off the wall. Ben offered a simple nod, his own expression one of familiar understanding.
A shy, genuine smile bloomed on Midoriya's face. The tension melted from his posture. "Shall we go?" Gwen asked, her green eyes sparkling with a friendly light. He nodded, and the three of them joined the great river of students flowing towards the school's exit, their conversation a small, quiet bubble in the midst of the boisterous crowd.
Back inside the classroom, Bakugo hadn't moved. His crimson eyes, however, were no longer looking out the window. They were fixed on the door Midoriya had just slipped through, narrowed into slits of quiet, simmering fury. He had seen the entire escape.
One of his cronies slung a bag over his shoulder. "Are you just gonna let them go, Bakugo? That Gwen girl insulted you again, just like she always does."
Bakugo remained silent, his gaze unfocused. The image of the three of them walking away together—Midoriya, the Quirkless Deku; Ben, the other Quirkless loser; and Gwen, the infuriating girl who protected them—superimposed itself over a memory. The noisy classroom faded, replaced by the sounds of a sunnier, simpler time.
The neighborhood park was bathed in the golden light of a late afternoon. The air was filled with the laughter of children and the gentle creak of the swing set. A much younger Katsuki Bakugo stood panting, his small chest heaving. On the soft dirt before him, Ben and Midoriya were sprawled out, groaning. Tiny, harmless sparks popped and fizzled from Bakugo's palms. He wiped a smudge of dirt from his chin with the back of his hand, a triumphant grin on his face.
"Is that all you've got?" he boasted, his voice high-pitched but already laced with its characteristic arrogance. "Why do you two always interfere to help the other kids from me when you can't even protect yourselves?"
Ben pushed himself up on one elbow, glaring. "Because you're being a bully, Bakugo!"
Midoriya, tears welling in his eyes, nodded in agreement, though he was too winded to speak.
Before Bakugo could retort, he felt a strange pressure around his arms and torso. He looked down to see shimmering, pink bands of light wrapping around him, constricting his movements. He was shocked at first, then annoyed. Twisting his head, he saw Gwen standing a few feet away, her hands held out, a soft, rose-colored aura shimmering around them. This was her Quirk, a strange energy she could shape and control.
"It's you, Gwen!" he growled, struggling against the energy construct. "When will you stop interfering to protect these two pathetic losers?"
Gwen walked closer, her expression one of deep frustration. "When will you grow up, Katsuki? Every time I leave to go play with the other girls, I come back and find you've already beaten them up. Are you all that incompatible?"
"Stay out of what doesn't concern you, woman!" he shot back, the word sounding ridiculous coming from a boy his age.
She let out a long, weary sigh, the pink energy fading as she lowered her hands. "Why do I feel like a babysitter even though I'm the same age as all of you…"
The memory dissipated like smoke, and the sounds of the nearly empty classroom rushed back in. Bakugo blinked, his red eyes refocusing on the present. He pushed himself to his feet, the legs of his chair screeching against the floor in protest.
"Leave them alone," he said, his voice a low grumble as he grabbed his bag. He slung it over his shoulder and started for the door. "They're just a bunch of losers."
His cronies exchanged a confused glance but knew better than to question him. They simply followed him out, leaving the classroom empty and silent in their wake.
Outside the school gates, the flow of students had thinned to a trickle. Ben, Gwen, and Midoriya walked together along the familiar sidewalk that led towards their neighborhood.
"I was reviewing my notes on Kamui Woods' debut last night," Midoriya said, his earlier anxiety replaced by his usual enthusiastic energy for heroes. "His pre-emptive binding Lacquered Chain Prison is such an amazing move for capturing villains without too much property damage, though it has a weakness against opponents with…"
He trailed off, realizing he was rambling. Ben just smirked. It was typical Midoriya.
As they reached the intersection that split the path to their respective homes, Midoriya stopped. "Ah, well, this is me," he said, adjusting his backpack. "I actually have something I need to do before I head back, so I'm going this way today."
"Alright, Midoriya. See you tomorrow," Gwen said with a wave.
"Don't get into any trouble," Ben added.
Midoriya gave them a final, cheerful wave and hurried off in a different direction.
Ben and Gwen continued walking for another block in comfortable silence before Ben stopped, a frown creasing his brow as he patted the pockets of his trousers.
"Something wrong?" Gwen asked.
"Yeah, I think I dropped my earbuds," he said, sighing in annoyance. "Remember when we went camping with Grandpa Max yesterday, in the woods just outside of town? I probably dropped them somewhere around the campsite when I was gathering firewood."
"Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure," he replied, already turning to walk towards the bus stop. "I'm gonna head over there now and look for them before it gets too dark. It's a direct bus route from here."
Gwen nodded, a hint of concern on her face. "Okay. Be careful, Ben."
"Always am," he said with a lazy grin. "I guess you'll be walking home alone, then."
"I think I can manage," she replied, rolling her eyes playfully. "See you at home."
She watched him go, a lone figure heading for a bus that would take him away from the city and towards the quiet of the forest. Then, turning on her heel, she began her own solitary walk home, the late afternoon sun casting her long shadow on the pavement before her.