27: 𝙼𝚛 𝚃𝚘𝚜𝚑𝚒
Nova bit the inside of her cheek.
She knew it was quicker, but taking a ride from a stranger was a little more awkward than she was used to. She still barely knew anything about him, other than his name.
Mr Toshi.
She recognized it a little, but couldn't tell where it was from. Even though she didn't know much about him, she felt... Comfortable in his presence. He almost seemed... Fatherly. In a way she couldn't explain.
She yawned, her breath fogging up the glass. Toshi glanced at her before turning his eyes back to the road.
"I won't press if you don't want me to but... If you need to talk about today you can." He said, keeping his eyes forward. Trying to make sure she realized he wasn't trying to pressure her into saying anything.
She didn't. For awhile. She didn't even answer him, lost in her own thoughts. Two minutes passed, and he assumed she hadn't heard him.
"...do you think someone can be born destined to be a villain?"
She mumbled, still staring out the window. Something about her stare almost seemed empty, lifeless. He could see the reflection of her cold grey eyes in the glass. Practically glowing.
"...What do you mean exactly?" All Might asked, clearing his throat. Her question was heavy, obviously carrying a vast amount of emotional weight.
"Sometimes... I feel like no matter what I do... Or how hard I try... I act like a villain." She whispered. Her breath caught in her throat. "Like... Like It's my fate..."
"...You aren't a villain Nova, don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise." Toshi's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "No one is Born a hero or a villain. Those are just titles we're given along the way."
"...I cut off a man's hand today." Nova whispered. A tear rolling down her cheek. "There were so many other options... Other things I could have done instead to help Mr Aizawa. But... I committed the most violent one. Without hesitation..."
"You were scared... You all were. That man was evil. You aren't. You wouldn't hurt someone for no reason would you Nova? You wouldn't attack innocent people or Cause harm for no reason. That's evil. What you did wasn't evil. It was self defense." Toshi said, looking at her fully when they stopped at a light. Basking the car in a red glow.
"...I guess so... But still. There could have been another way, Everytime I think about what happened I just... I feel... Sick." Nova mumbled. "Everyone thinks I'm a villain..."
"That's not true."
"Yes it is... Bakugou said it. Infront of everyone. He said what happened today was my fault... They all think I'm a traitor." She hid her head in her arm, leaning against the window still.
"All of them?" All Might asked. He knew that her and that one boy... Shoji seemed to have a bond. But he didn't want to bring him up directly because... Well that would definitely make him seem creepy. "I'm sure you must at least have one friend."
"...yeah... Shoji is my friend..." Nova admitted, pulling her head up and resting her chin on her arm. "Am I a bad friend for wanting more people to like me?"
"Of course not Nova." All Might shook his head.
This poor girl. She seemed to have in ingrained in her mind that somehow she was always in the wrong. While to All Might she just looked like a kid struggling to survive in a world that hated her. She saw herself as a selfish villain.
He wondered what awful things she was told all her life. How many people told her she was evil, simply for existing.
"You're a good person Nova. The real villains were the people you fought today." All Might wanted her to understand that. To drill into her mind that she wasn't a villain. That the very word villain stood for people who committed abominable acts of violence.
Not kids who slipped up every now and then.
The acts that she was speaking of when calling herself a villain were so insignificant.
"If the worst thing you've ever done was acting in the defense of yourself and your teacher by harming a murderous villain... Then you're a far cry from being evil." All Might told her.
The car slowed to a stop, he glanced out the window at a small house. Pressed up against several others with no yard or room to breath so deep into the city. "Is this it?" He asked as his GPS told him they reached their destination.
"Yes sir... Thank you. You didn't have to drive me... Let alone listen to me talk about my stupid problems..." Nova wiped her nose and popped open the car door.
"Your problems aren't stupid... And I'm happy to listen to you. Everyone needs someone to talk too sometimes." All Might said with a small smile.
"Right... Thanks." Nova said unsurely, before she closed the door and walked back to her front door. Eyes still following the car she had just been in.
She'd never talked to anyone about the she felt before... Never admitted the feeling of dread that hung over her. Never told someone she felt like she was actually destined to be evil.
She'd always been afraid, that someone would take it the wrong way. Take it as a confession of crimes she didn't commit it of proof she was a villain like everyone assumed.
But tonight... She hadn't been afraid of any of that. She hadn't been afraid of Mr Toshi. He had felt more like... A friend.
She liked it.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
"Nova!!" Zoey yelled.
Nova had just opened up the door to their room. Wondering if the younger girl was asleep yet... Her question was quickly answered when she ran up and practically tackled Nova in a hug.
"You're okay!!!" She said, with a wide smile. Although Nova could see her eyes were red. Like she had been crying fairly recently.
"I'm so sorry Zoey." Nova whispered, sitting on her knees to properly hug her. "You must've been so afraid." The older girl hugged her little sister tightly.
"No! You must have been! Are you okay? You said there were real life villains! A-and I saw them talking about it on the news." Zoey said, pulling away and grabbing Nova's face in her hands. "Did they hurt you?"
"No.. no I'm fine." Nova smiled. "I'm okay."
"That's good... Did you do cool fighting?" Zoey asked in excitement. Nova sighed and pulled away, walking to sit down on her bed in their shared room.
"I guess you could say that." She whispered. "How'd you get home? ...did you walk by yourself?"
Zoey jumped onto the bed next to Nova. Obviously hyper despite the hour and the long day Nova obviously had. "Nope! My friends's mom came to pick them up. When she saw them playing with me and me being all alone she offered to take me home!"
Nova let out a breath of relief. Zoey hadn't walked all the way home by herself. That definitely made Nova feel just a little better about what happened. "Good... I'm sorry I wasn't there. It won't happen again, I promise."
"Really?... They won't attack your school again?" Zoey asked in slight worry. "Are you sure?"
Nova bit her lip. "No... I'm not. But... I won't let anything that happens stop me from being there for you."
"Nova?" Zoey asked. Laying down next to her in Nova's bed. Zoey's own mattress was completely ignored as the two girls laid close to one another.
"Yeah?" Nova asked, her eyes half closed.
"When you get older... And have to leave Karon's house... Will you... Adopt me?" Zoey asked nervously.
Nova's eyes opened all the way. "What about your mom? When she gets out and gets better... You'll live with her again."
Zoey frowned and grabbed Nova's hand. "Yeah but... I don't really want too anymore... Most of the time it feels like... You're my real mom."
Nova's eyes widened at Zoey's confession. Before she leaned over and wrapped her arms around her little sister.
"I can't promise that I'll be able to adopt you... But I can promise that no matter what. I'll always be there for you... You'll always be my little sister." Nova whispered. Tears running down her cheeks.
"I love you Nova." Zoey whispered, hugging her back.
"...I love you too Zoey."
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