Shuzenji Chiyo, also known as Recovery Girl, isn't a stranger to the horrors of Pro Hero work. She's been in the industry for decades now, her healing Quirk putting her right at the front lines to see all the brutal injuries that come from fighting Villains.
She's seen people get career-ending injuries, ones she's only just able to heal so they can continue living. She's seen the aftermath of torture, seen Quirks go haywire, and seen people break when faced with the severity of their injuries.
Chiyo has seen many things, has long since become desensitised to it all, and yet there is one thing that never fails to leave a bad taste in her mouth, something that makes an effect on her far more than it should at this point.
That thing, naturally, would be seeing children get hurt.
That was why she decided to join UA all those years ago; she vividly remembers watching the sports festival that year and being disgusted with what she saw. One girl in particular almost broke her femur during the second round, which at that point had Chiyo phoning UA and demanding to be part of the staff.
Since then, she's done her best to keep the students safe, healing their injuries when needed and scolding the ones who keep hurting themselves. The teachers don't escape her wraith either, no matter how much they attempt to reason things away.
Yes, the children need to learn to control their Quirks and how to fight, but there are some injuries they should not be subject to in training fights.
Chiyo knew the final exams would be a point of contention between her and the rest of the staff but, in the interest of the students, she promised not to scold the teachers too hard.
Of course, that all went out the window when All Might nearly broke Midoriya's spine, but Chiyo thinks her anger was reasonable in that situation.
Admittedly, she hadn't expected Dazai and Nakahara to get anywhere near injured enough to require her Quirk. Those boys are strong and, most importantly, smart. Unlike the other students, who may think that getting injured is just the price to pay, those two boys understand the importance of dodging rather than taking an attack head-on.
She had also figured that, since they both seemed rather apprehensive to be around her, that would be a good enough incentive to stay healthy. Chiyo would much prefer no one to be uncomfortable around her, but those who dislike doctors tend to be more wary of injury.
Now, in Nedzu's office with Aizawa and Yamada on either side of her, Chiyo finds herself disappointed. Somewhat in herself, that's always the case when she can't prevent a student from getting hurt, but mostly in whichever doctor those two boys met in Yokohama.
Chiyo is old, yes, but she is not stupid. She knows what it looks like to doubt someone, to keep a level face while making sure the doctor is actually healing, and not making things worse.
Across from her, Nedzu sits with his paws clasped. It seems that he won't be the one to start this conversation.
Neither Aizawa nor Yamada will start it, so the responsibility falls to Chiyo.
Clearing her throat, Chiyo speaks, "Nakahara will recover. I've been able to use my Quirk on him intermittently. With a few more hours of rest, he can return to the dorms."
If he wants to, of course.
"Thank you," Nedzu starts, the silence finally broken, "I suppose the question now is what exactly happened during that exam."
Chiyo would like to know that too, if only to prevent it from happening again. If it was something to do with Nakahara's Ability, then she would need to speak with the boy, no matter how uncomfortable it made him. If it was due to a situation that Nedzu manufactured, then, well…
Nedzu may be the Principal, but Chiyo has worked here longer and will not bow her head to anyone when it comes to students and their health.
Aizawa sighs, "I was watching the cameras at the time Shinsou used his Quirk on Nakahara. At first, Nakahara reacted the same as everyone else does, then…"
Then everything went wrong.
Nedzu nods after a moment of thinking. "I'm sure I do not need to remind you all to keep anything discussed here confidential?"
To that, Aizawa perks up. "You have an idea of what happened."
Nedzu's question goes unanswered, although Chiyo is certain the answer is so obvious it never had to be asked in the first place.
"Not quite, it's more accurate to say I have a few theories," Nedzu replies, a phrase that Chiyo has heard many times.
Yamada grimaces. "I have a feeling none of them are gonna be good."
Nedzu, choosing not to acknowledge him, begins to explain, "The first theory I wish to bring up is easier to digest. Abilities are stronger than Quirks; it's not so surprising to think they require more control. It could be possible that, if an Ability user is brainwashed, their Ability goes haywire, for lack of a better term."
Chiyo herself had thought of such a theory, but, with basically no knowledge on Abilities, there is no way to know what should be a cause for concern or not.
"It would explain why both Dazai and Nakahara were cautious of Shinsou's Quirk," Aizawa adds.
Nedzu nods. "Similarly, it could be that only Nakahara suffers from such a reaction. It could be that his Ability is naturally that chaotic and requires intense control and focus to use it, thus leading to the reaction we all saw."
A good idea, that boy's Ability does seem the type to require intense control.
"That would make sense," Yamada mutters, mostly under his breath.
Nedzu turns to Aizawa, "Do you remember the match class 1B had against Nakahara and Dazai?"
Aizawa seems to think for a moment, likely combing through his memories of the event for anything that stood out. A look of understanding soon dawns. "That Monoma kid copied Nakahara's Ability."
"And, almost immediately, he struggled to control it," Nedzu quickly replies.
"And the theory we won't like?" Yamada asks, his voice unsure.
Nedzu watches for a moment before speaking, "While only for a short period of time, Nakahara's Ability showed overwhelming power in that exam. Clearly, he didn't intend to activate it, and yet he didn't stop it. No, Dazai had to use his own Ability to get Nakahara out."
Chiyo finds herself nodding, curious to hear what Nedzu's getting at here.
Fortunately, Nedzu needs no prompting to continue. "On his first day, Aizawa reported that Nakahara had a tattoo on the back of his neck. A code of sorts. An extension of his Ability—unnaturally powerful and uncontrollable—and a code."
Perhaps, had it been someone else saying this, Chiyo would have needed a moment to connect the dots. With Nedzu, however, it's different.
Chiyo settles her anger, "If you're correct, then those boys must never return to Yokohama."
If what Nedzu is suggesting is the truth, if even just a tiny bit, then Chiyo will do everything in her power to keep them both at UA. Aizawa and Yamada sit up straighter, seemingly needing a minute to understand what Nedzu was implying.
Nedzu pays them no mind, instead turning his attention to Chiyo. "Have you noticed anything worrisome while caring for Nakahara?"
Immediately, Chiyo digs through her memory of the brief moments she'd had near the boy. On the first day she healed him, he was clearly apprehensive at first, but thankful and rather kind afterwards. After Dazai's suicide attempt, he was more guarded, but still appreciative of Chiyo for her efforts. With this new incident, she hadn't been able to speak much with the boy, but she did examine him to check for the internal bleeding Dazai mentioned.
"Some scars, but nothing to suggest human experimentation," Chiyo answers, not one to mince words with such serious topics. Usually, she would be more hesitant to share patient information, but if Nedzu's theory is right, then they all need to be on the same page. Mostly, anyway.
Yamada, Nakahara's therapist, as Chiyo remembers, seems to agree. "A few days ago, Nakahara reacted negatively to being called 'not human'. Do you think…?"
That certainly isn't a good sign, no matter how you look at it. A young boy uncomfortable with doctors, an uncontrollable power that hurts him to use, a code on his neck, and an insecurity of being 'inhuman'.
"They aren't going back to Yokohama."
Chiyo isn't surprised by the hard tone of Aizawa's voice; in some ways, he's much like Chiyo herself.
"While they're here, we'll need to keep an eye on them," Nedzu replies, quickly continuing upon noticing Aizawa's expression, "Aizawa, I agree that we must help these two boys, but we have the rest of the study body to worry about too. We were fortunate no one got seriously injured during the exam."
Aizawa doesn't look very pleased by it, nor does Yamada, but Nedzu has a fair point. As Pro Heroes, they should all be used to the many outweighing the few, even if they don't like it.
If those two boys aren't comfortable talking about certain things, then so be it. That being said, who knows how this uncontrollable power of Nakahara's is activated? What happens if it's activated during class? If Dazai is too far away to nullify it in time…?
Chiyo rather suspects that Nedzu has a plan to handle all of that, so she won't worry too much about it right now. Instead, she'll listen to Nedzu's plan and scold him into something more appropriate if necessary.
-
Aizawa has never been one to allow confusion to get in the way. Standing around waiting for answers to come only leads to more problems, more injuries and people needing saving. When the USJ was attacked, Aizawa did not stand around to see what the Villains would do. He didn't know why they appeared, but he knew his students needed protecting.
That's why, from the moment Shinsou activated his Quirk and Nakahara lost control of himself, Aizawa allowed himself to act without wondering why.
He was confused, of course he was. Mostly, though, he was worried. Worried about Nakahara and his injuries, about Dazai, who seemed too apathetic for the situation, for Shinsou and his self-esteem.
Worried about what Nedzu would say. What he would do in the aftermath.
His plan was to keep going, keep moving, until after the meeting with Nedzu. After that, he could sit for a bit, allow himself to be confused and attempt to puzzle out what just happened. Really, he should have expected that Nedzu would have some theory or another that would only make things worse.
Aizawa really, really wants to believe that Nedzu is wrong. That he read the signs incorrectly, that everything is just a coincidence, with a much nicer explanation.
He knows better than to be stupidly optimistic.
As much as Aizawa wishes it wasn't the case, the human experimentation itself isn't that shocking. Since the dawn of Quirks, adults and children alike have gone missing only to be found in some lab or another. The world wants to understand Quirks better, wants to be able to maximise efficiency and duplicate powerful Quirks.
The same being true for Abilities makes sense, especially if they aren't as common as Quirks. Taking an already strong Ability and increasing it tenfold, adding new facets perfect for destruction…
Well, like Aizawa said, it's not surprising.
Nakahara being a victim of all this is upsetting, even more so due to the personal connection Aizawa has with him.
Putting aside his age, Nakahara has a lot going for him. He's confident, friendly, genuinely cares about others, and intelligent. He's the type of kid that would succeed in any profession he chose, of that Aizawa is certain.
But that choice was taken away; instead, some adult decided that he would be more useful as a weapon.
There is also the question of where Dazai fits into all of this, if the story of how the two of them met actually holds any weight.
It's been obvious since the very start that those two are a team back in Yokohama, likely pushed together by some higher-up with no regard to any protests. Now, the reason why the two of them were put together is a lot easier to see.
Nakahara can't control that part of his Ability, so Dazai is there to stop him. If Aizawa had to guess, they would get deployed on missions against difficult opponents and go wild. Nakahara uses that part of his Ability, and Dazai is there to rush in and stop him once the job is done.
Aizawa understands that, sometimes, it's impossible to keep teenagers away from violence. Take the USJ for example, Aizawa did his best to protect his students, but after they were warped away, there was no way to keep them from the fighting. They hadto fight, had to protect themselves and their classmates.
Preparing students for emergencies, teaching them to control their Quirks and defend themselves, seems reasonable to Aizawa.
Giving a kid uncontrollable power and then shoving them off to the front line could never be seen as reasonable.
Aizawa just wishes he had more information, that he knew who was to blame for all this. Information about Yokohama is scarce, and Aizawa doubts the government over there would be so inclined to send them half-empty files again. Still, if he just had a starting point, someone to look into or a company to check on. A face, a name…
A name, huh?
Part of Aizawa protests at the mere idea, the thought of using information he didn't earn, leaving him put off. Dazai and Nakahara didn't trust him with this; hell, they likely don't even know he happened to overhear it.
Still, he can't ignore the fact that he does have a name. Mori.
Nedzu doesn't know about it. Back when he first heard the name, Aizawa figured it was safer to keep it a secret. While Nedzu might have good intentions, he sometimes disregards morals far too easily…
But, then, isn't Aizawa considering doing the same? If he takes this name and looks into it, would that be breaking the promise he made to Nakahara and Dazai?
Would it be worth it regardless? This Mori—whoever they are—could be the one behind Nakahara being moulded into a weapon. Of course, they might not be, but they could lead Aizawa in the right direction.
Finding out who is behind it, preventing them from hurting anyone else, at the expense of whatever trust Aizawa has been able to build with Nakahara and Dazai... Would that be worth it?
-
Aizawa ended up paying a quick visit to Nakahara and Dazai. He would have preferred staying longer, but he does have a class to teach at the end of the day. Fortunately, the two of them seemed to be doing a lot better than when Aizawa saw them last. Which is to say, Nakahara was awake, and Dazai didn't look one misstep away from attacking.
Compared to how Dazai looked at the end of the exam, it's almost like a different person altogether. Sure, theres still an air of… Aizawa wouldn't call it caution, but moreso… Warning, a certain look in his eye that reminds Aizawa not to be brash.
That look only appears for a moment though, just a quick reminder before being replaced with subtle amusement when the chance to tease Nakahara appeared.
While he's there, after he's pushed away the Mori-related conflict, he makes sure to inform the two of them about Nedzu's plan, or at least the part they need to know.
Even if these two are victims in the way Nedzu believes, UA still needs to keep an eye on both for now, and Aizawa can agree on that much. While Aizawa doesn't want to push the boys for information, the school does need to know of any dangers to the rest of the student body.
Nedzu had decided the best course of action was to just go speak with the two of them, no tricks or manipulation involved. Which, when asked, Nedzu had admitted was due to Dazai being too observant for such things to work. By being honest, Nedzu hopes the two of them will reveal the information they need to know without struggle.
Nakahara had taken the news well, even going so far as to ask if Aizawa could bring Shinsou to speak with them too. Which, while surprising, was nice to hear.
He had been expecting Nakahara and Dazai to steer clear of Shinsou for a while, something he wouldn't be able to fault them for. While in the back of his head, he was hoping the three of them could get along again one day, he certainly wasn't expecting it to be so soon.
Well, Aizawa is getting ahead of himself. Just because Nakahara wants to speak with Shinsou doesn't mean it's all water under the bridge.
Still, it's a good sign nonetheless.
What is a bad sign, however, is the cacophony of noise coming from his classroom. Seriously, how many times does he need to scold his class for them to behave?
With no hesitation, Aizawa slams the door open and finds great satisfaction in the way his students scramble to get seated. "Once the bell rings, you should all be in your seats."
He spares them a glance before walking in, the students notorious for messing around avoiding his gaze with practised ease, which is… New. Usually, Aizawa expels his students before they get used to his glares.
Whatever, Aizawa will let it slide; he has something more important to talk about.
"Morning," He starts, "Unfortunately, there are a few of you who did not pass your final exams. So when it comes to the training camp in the woods…"
Aizawa pauses, just long enough to watch as the students who failed look down in disappointment. Some (Hizashi) would say Aizawa is being unnecessarily cruel here, but with how much Aizawa has to put up with due to this class, it feels only fair.
"Everyone is going!"
The group of students who failed their practical exams jerked up with surprise, grins growing when Aizawa's words set in.
"We really get to go to camp?" Kaminari asks, looking around as if he expects someone to jump out and declare it all a prank.
Mina, in a similar boat, calls out, "Seriously?!"
"Yeah," Aizawa nods, "The good news is that no one failed the written exam, but there were a few who failed the practical, badly."
Said students look away, clearly content to forget about their performance in the exams. While they might forget, Aizawa will not.
Kirishima and Sato went charging in against Cementoss, hardly sparing a second to think about their opponent or environment. They were short-sighted and relied on their Quirks too much, something Aizawa will make sure they fix.
Mina and Kaminari were up against Nedzu, so Aizawa isn't surprised they failed, but still, they could have done more. When your opponent is smarter, you need to work harder to avoid any attacks while keeping an eye out for traps.
Sero, despite his team passing, hardly did enough to contribute to that win. Saving his teammate was a good move, but letting Nemuri get close enough to open his helmet was a rookie move.
A few students look confused, so Aizawa takes it upon himself to explain, "For the practical battles, the teachers made sure to leave a way for the students to win; had we not, then you never would have won. We were more interested in observing how you work with others against a stronger opponent."
Ojirou raises his hand and, unlike his other classmates, actually waits until Aizawa acknowledges him before speaking, "The teachers were holding back? I thought their only restriction was the weights."
Aizawa can't help but grin. If that were the case, then none of his students would have passed. Pro Heroes are Pro Heroes, no matter how much weight you shackle on them. "That was just to get you on edge. Besides, the training camp will focus on building your strength; those who failed need those lessons the most. We were never going to separate you; that was just a logical deception we used."
The group of five who failed their practical exams seem stuck still by this, which does amuse Aizawa. Somehow, they're used to his scolding looks but not his logical deceptions.
"He tricked us all… I should have expected this," Iida says, perhaps not realising that he's speaking aloud. Then, a second later, he shoots up from his chair, "Aizawa-sensei, this is the second time you've lied to us! Aren't you afraid we'll lose faith in you?"
A few of his classmates cringe at the bluntness, but Aizawa finds himself appreciating it. Things are always easier to deal with when people are honest and get to the point.
Loath as he is to admit it, Iida does have a point there. While it is amusing to see his students freak out once they find out the truth, if they stop believing in him altogether, that could become a problem.
Aizawa nods. "That's a good point, I'll consider it. I wasn't lying to you about everything, though. We've prepared extra lessons for those who failed. Frankly, they'll be far tougher than what you'd face at summer school."
And just like that, the students who failed the practical exams sink into despair.
-
After classes have ended for the day, Midoriya finds himself huddled around an information booklet held by Iida.
Despite passing his own test, Midoriya did feel bad that certain classmates would have to stay behind. Kaminari and Mina had been so excited for camp, so to hear that they wouldn't get to come was heartbreaking.
Now, though, Midoriya has no reason not to be excited! He knows better than to expect camp to be easy, but… Well, he's just excited by the prospect, even if it will be hard.
Across the room, Ojirou hums, "This is gonna be great, I'm so glad we're all going together."
Iida nods, pulling the information booklet a bit closer, "Looks like we'll be at the training camp for a full week."
Looking at the information booklet, Midoriya can't help but feel a little nervous. Has he even got half of the stuff on the required equipment list? The last time he went on a trip like this was a three-day sleepover at Kacchan's house, which had been almost ten years ago now.
"I'm gonna need to find a bigger suitcase," Midoriya comments, suddenly remembering the tiny All Might suitcase he had used last time.
Kaminari, moving closer to look at the information booklet, nods, "Yeah, I don't even have a swimming costume. Guess I need to buy some stuff."
Hagakure gasps, her sleeves moving up and down to get everyone's attention, "Guys, I just had a great idea! Why don't we all go shopping together?!"
"Hell yeah! We've never hung out as a class before!" Kaminari responds, quick as ever.
Midoriya smiles, already feeling excited by the idea. While his previous school did do trips occasionally, it was never something that required a shopping trip before. The fact that Midoriya has to prepare for this training camp just makes him even more eager.
Getting to hang out with everyone outside of class sounds really nice, too. Maybe they could even get lunch together after buying everything. It won't compare to Lunch Rush's cooking, but Midoriya is sure they'd be able to find something everyone likes.
Around him, his classmates break into chatter about the idea. Like Midoriya had been thinking, they discuss plans to get lunch and which shops they'll need to visit.
From the corner of his eye, Midoriya notices as Kacchan grabs his bag and begins leaving. For a second, he thinks about saying something, maybe asking if he wants to come shopping too, but decides it would be best to stay quiet. Their final exam had been rough enough; Midoriya still has the bruises to prove it.
Of course, just because Midoriya chooses to stay quiet doesn't mean everyone else does. Having noticed Kacchan leaving, Kirishima wastes no time in calling out, "Bakugou! See you there, right?"
Kacchan scoffs, "I can't think of anything more annoying." Which, all things considered, is a polite response for him.
Kirishima grins at the rest of the class before trailing after Kacchan, not at all bothered by Kacchan's attitude.
Midoriya, deciding not to think about that too much, turns to Todoroki, "Will you come, Todoroki?" In truth, he doesn't expect Todoroki to be free, but it's still nice to ask just in case.
As expected, Todoroki shakes his head, "I visit my mother on days off."
"Oh!" Mina gasps, easily bringing attention to her, "We should totally ask if Dazai and Chuuya wanna come!"
Midoriya's first thought is absolute agreement. It would be great to see those two in a different setting, somewhere they aren't boxed in by Pro Heroes. Midoriya doubts it, but they might be more open in a situation like that.
Even if not, getting to learn more about them is always nice!
Then Midoriya thinks about it for a second longer, and he is forced to realise that no, that wouldn't be possible. The death of Mt. Lady is still widely talked about; if Dazai and Nakahara were to walk around in public, they would absolutely get recognised.
And, while they haven't hurt anyone at UA, there really isn't any way to guarantee they won't hurt a civilian unless Aizawa-sensei comes too. Which, Midoriya thinks, would be a near-impossible task.
"Would they even be allowed to?" Midoriya asks, hoping he's not the only one thinking practically.
Thankfully, Yaoyorozu can always be trusted for things like this. "I agree with Midoriya, Aizawa-sensei won't allow it."
Then, a moment later, after watching Mina's face fall, Yaoyorozu adds on, "But maybe we could think of ways to convince him?"
"Hell yeah!"
With how happy Mina sounds, Midoriya really would hate to ruin things. Hopefully, no one asks him for his ideas on the matter; if they do, he might not be able to stop himself from saying how difficult it would be in the ensuing muttering.
-
"If you need anything, I'll be down the hall," Aizawa says before just straight up leaving.
Logically, Chuuya understands why Aizawa is leaving and, on some level, appreciates it. These types of conversations are hard enough to have—throw in an authority figure, and it's just worse.
Still, now that Aizawa has left, there's no reason for Chuuya to hold off on speaking to Shinsou, which is just… Great.
It's not that he hates Shinsou now; he knows the kid didn't mean to trigger Corruption, but still. It's hard to talk to him without the pressing knowledge that Shinsou could, if he wanted, remove Chuuya's carefully crafted control.
If he's being honest, Chuuya probably should have waited a few days before speaking with Shinsou. He's always been of the mind to get things over with as soon as possible, though, so after finalising the plan with Dazai, he had jumped right in.
Shinsou stands awkwardly by the door, his eyes never leaving the floor.
Well, as much as Chuuya would rather not do this, he might as well get it over with. Plus, Dazai is just a few steps away. If Shinsou were to do something, which is doubtful, that bastard would be able to step in immediately.
Before Chuuya can say anything, however, Shinsou takes a deep breath in, finally looks up, before saying, "I'm sorry."
Well, Chuuya didn't expect him to start the conversation. Yeah, he figured Shinsou would feel bad about what happened, but he doesn't seem like the guy to start tough conversations.
Unaware of Chuuya's internal thoughts, Shinsou continues, "I let my emotions cloud my judgment; I should have thought about what could happen properly."
"It's fine," Chuuya shrugs, deciding to just go along with it. Honestly, it doesn't really matter how this conversation goes exactly, so long as Shinsou leaves it knowing not to do it again.
Which, Chuuya thinks as Shinsou frowns, may be harder than previously thought. "It's not- I might not know exactly what… That was, but I know it wasn't pleasant for you. It was my Quirk that made that happen, so yeah, I fucked up."
There is part of Chuuya, a part that wishes to disregard Dazai's plan and act solely on spite, that wants to agree. That part of him wants to say 'Yeah, it was more than fucking unpleasant.' He wants to make Shinsou understand, wants to saddle Shinsou with a power he never asked for before ripping away the ability to control his own body.
"And I'm the one saying it's fine," Chuuya insists, carefully pushing aside his desires born from spite. Yes, it would feel great to make Shinsou truly understand, but that's impractical. Dazai has put together a plan, something that should hopefully smooth over any doubts Nedzu has, and so Chuuya needs to stick to it. It gets harder to push those thoughts aside when Shinsou just shakes his head. "If you're trying to piss me off, then it's working."
Shinsou stops shaking his head, thankfully, but doesn't quite back down. "I'm not, but I don't need you to lie to me."
Before Chuuya can respond, Dazai loudly sighs, "So pushy, can't you just accept what Chuuya is saying?"
Chuuya glances over to Dazai. Just what is he up to? Before Shinsou had arrived, Dazai had explicitly said that he would leave all the talking to Chuuya, and yet here he is, interrupting.
Shinsou, once again, shakes his head, "I want to, but I know it's not that simple. I can't just go along with it like that."
"Right, because that worked so well last time," Dazai is quick to respond, his tone light despite the implications of his words.
Even without Dazai looking at him, Chuuya is struck with understanding. Sure, Dazai said that Chuuya should forgive Shinsou, but that doesn't mean he has to.
Which… It is equal parts annoying as it is comforting. Of course, Chuuya has to be the bigger man, has to go along and pretend he likes someone he really doesn't, while Dazai gets to continue being the rude bastard he is. One of these days, once they're done with this damn mission, Chuuya is going to flip the script. He'll arrange for a mission where Dazai has to be polite and considerate to everyone.
But, the reason why Chuuya will let this one go, it is nice to have someone solely on Chuuya's side. Aizawa and Yamada are nice and all, but they're too much like Chuuya. They see both sides of the coin, they understand how little things lead to bad decisions and that, in those cases, you need to look past your own grievances to see the bigger picture.
Dazai can see all that, can create plans and play along perfectly, but he doesn't let go like Chuuya does. He'll remember what Shinsou did and will think of ways to get back at him, even if it's just snide remarks and the occasional dirty look.
Shinsou is silent, perhaps trying to think of something to say that wouldn't start an argument. Whatever the reason, his silence gives Chuuya the chance to speak, "Look, you fucked up, sure, but you aren't the centre of the world, things lead up to you decided to use your Quirk and I get that."
And he does. It's like Dazai said, Shinsou isn't some evil mastermind who sought to use Corruption for his own gain. He's a teenager training to be a hero; he wanted to do well on the exam and did what he thought would be ultimately harmless.
If he had known about Corruption, then yeah, it would be a different story. Chuuya would hate him for it, and that would be that.
When Chuuya says 'It's fine', he isn't trying to pull off some grand lie like Shinsou seems to believe. Yeah, he's annoyed and would rather Shinsou keep his distance, but Chuuya is a professional, dammit. He knows how to be rational, how to consider contributing factors and intents, and how to look past his own feelings to see the bigger picture.
Shinsou doesn't look all that convinced, though, but at least he isn't being vocal about it.
Sighing, Chuuya decides it's time to get to the meat of the conversation. "Look, I asked you here to explain a little. My Ability is strong; any lapse in control can lead to disaster. I already knew this, that's why I avoided speaking with you."
By mixing the truth in with a lie, it'll be easier to convince Nedzu later.
"Something like this has happened before, but I wasn't certain your Quirk would have the same effect," Chuuya adds on, hoping Shinsou will catch the implication there.
When Shinsou glances away, still looking guilty as hell, Chuuya believes he got the message there. Knowing how 'unpleasant' Corruption is, along with the idea that this isn't the first time it's been forced on Chuuya, should be a good deterrent against Shinsou triggering it in the future.
Of course, this all hinges on Shinsou's morals as a hero in training. Using someone else's trauma to get an advantage isn't taboo back home; in fact, you'd be an idiot not to jump on a potential weakness. Here in hero land, however….
With a shrug, Chuuya finishes speaking, "For now, yeah, I am wary around you, but you didn't mean for that to happen—didn't even know about it—so I'll get over it."
Shinsou nods, thankfully getting the message finally. "I know it probably doesn't mean much to you, but I won't do it again. Promise."
Shinsou is right, the words of someone he doesn't trust are meaningless to Chuuya. But it's what Chuuya was aiming to hear, so he'll take it.
"I appreciate it," Chuuya replies.
Initially, Chuuya believes that to be the end of the conversation. They both said what needed saying, plus Shinsou has never seemed the social type, so why bother dragging things out?
But Shinsou doesn't leave; instead, he shuffles from foot to foot as if debating something. Whatever he wants to say mustn't be related to the conversation they just had; if he was Shinsou would just spit it out already.
As much as Chuuya does want Shinsou to leave, he's curious now.
It takes a few moments, but Shinsou eventually sighs before speaking, "If… If that's why you were cautious around my Quirk, then…" He glances over to Dazai, his question unspoken yet understood.
Dazai, as one would expect, is quick to scowl, "That's very inconsiderate—"
"He was just fucking with you," Chuuya cuts in.
Predictably, it doesn't take long for Dazai to huff, "Chuuya!"
Chuuya rolls his eyes. It's because of Dazai that he's even here at UA, that bastard deserves to be called out every so often. Besides, it's not like it would take a genius to figure it out.
The cover story they've decided on is that Chuuya is the special case, not that Abilities as a whole react like this. While it does reveal a… Well, could Corruption ever be counted as a weakness? The point is, by making it Chuuya-exclusive, they don't have to worry about Nedzu pulling an Ability user out from the woodwork to question.
"I should have guessed," Shinsou mutters with a sigh, then, louder, "I'm glad we got to speak."
Chuuya nods in his direction. He's still not a fan of Shinsou, and won't be for a while, but getting this over with right away means he doesn't have to worry about it later.
Shinsou turns and heads towards the door, only stopping once his hand hits the handle. "I'll be heading back to the dorms now, if you guys want to come." He sounds unsure, as if he expects something to blow up in his face the second he asks.
Chuuya shakes his head, "We won't be leaving yet, but thanks."
It's a nice offer and all, but even if Chuuya wasn't wary around the kid, he would have to say no. After all, Nedzu should be showing up any minute now…