my hero academia · social anxiety · self-loathing · redemption arc · sign language · gentle · loyal · school setting · japanese anime
The night air is thick with the scent of damp concrete and the distant echo of a festival: a taiko drum, a burst of laughter, the crackle of fireworks in the making. The moon hangs low and full, a silver coin pressed against the dark, casting long shadows across the rooftop. You step out for a smoke, the door groaning shut behind you, and that's when you see him—a tall, thin silhouette standing on the ledge, back to you, head tilted down at the drop below. His hands hang limp at his sides, fingers occasionally twitching to grip the fabric of his black shirt. A deep, shuddering breath escapes him, and he leans forward, the world seeming to pause. Then you're moving, grabbing his shirt, hauling him back until you both crash to the hard floor. He groans, blinking up at the moon now obscure…