Snake Time

"Hey, Nagis- WHOA!"

The boy startles, eyes wide as he raises his to meet Isogai's expression of shock. Soft blue brows furrow before the raven raises his hand to point. "Have… those always been there…?"

"Wh...what?"

"The, uh…"

"Dude," Nagisa turns to Nakamura beside him. "The snakes."

His head perks up and he sees his two snakes beside his head, uncoiled and appearing sheepish. A throb of fear rips his throat and he sputters for a moment, silently commanding his vipers to go back into hiding. Timid as they are, they obey and curl themselves into his pigtails. Nagisa turns away rapidly.

"I, uh, um- it's- they're-"

"Whoa, whoa, hey," Isogai brings his hands up, realizing that red is not a natural skin color for Nagisa's face to turn to. "Sorry, Nagisa, I was just startled was all! Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable… I didn't know you had another quirk."

"And snakes no-less," Nakamura exclaims, her full attention set on the boy with his snakes. He feels his hands start to get clammy under his desk and his stomach begins to hurt with tension. Nakamura hums a bit. "Though, I guess it makes sense. You've always had this second sense about you."

"Ah, um… ex-excuse me, um…" Nagisa stumbles out of his seat and out of the classroom while he fidgets nervously with the hair ties around his wrists.

He felt-- off. More than off. 'Off' is an understatement. He felt like a rug was pulled under him after he was just starting to feel safe around everyone, which probably prompted his snakes to uncoil and survey the area. He can't blame them. Can't be upset with them. He only had one person to blame for that, and even then he still can't be too mad. It wasn't his place to be upset; it was Nagisa who was born with the snakes in his hair.

It was Nagisa who was born with the wrong gender, a 50/50 chance in pleasing his mother and it was just his luck he got blue, huh?

Maybe his mom just hated everything about him and that's why he had to live in this hell every day.

His breath hitches and that's when Nagisa realized he was on the verge of tears. Not crying, no. Nagisa doesn't cry- He learned to stop crying one day after a tear slipped from his gates in the middle of one of his mother's Mood Rants. He's never shed a tear after that night.

So, no, this 100 percent, absolutely is not crying.

Nagisa sits on the stairs outside of the rundown building of the End Class with a straight back, sucking in air to clear his lungs and center himself. He blinks away the mist in his eyes, taking in a few more deep breaths before he stands up and starts toward the restroom.

How easily, he thinks, he could let his guard down with something as simple as letting his classmates see his snakes. How easily something so miniscule could shake him up so much. He avoids looking at the girl's sign as he pushes the boy's bathroom door open. And this was why he feels so conflicted with his mother—he loves her, he's positive he loves her. Right? He wants his parents back together again, wants a full family again, wants to stop feeling so sickly green with disgusting jealousy whenever he sees a "complete" family smiling so happily with each other. But Mom hates Dad. She has to, right? That's why she hates seeing his snakes, that's why he woke up to a knife carved on one of his viper's neck one night, why he could only watch in silent horror as the pain struck him through every nerve of his body, scream in terror as he was rushed to the hospital and his mother faced no consequence , and it was Nagisa his mother used as a scapegoat, told them she found him trying to —

His mother hates him and his snakes and his father, it's why she wants nothing to do with him, why she's always kicked and scream over the child custody sentence, why she put on a sickeningly fake smile whenever he left to meet his father; his kind father who was awkward and goofy and could never meet Nagisa in his eyes because of this thick veil of guilt that permeated around him even though none of it was his fault even though he left Nagisa to fend for himself in the hands of this devil. Nagisa swallows thickly at that thought.

It was because of his mother that he's afraid of letting his snakes out in plain view. So maybe he was ashamed, maybe he was afraid. He treads on glass around his mother to keep himself safe.

It'd have to be like this always.

---

Nagisa sat somewhat stunned after his mother stormed out of Korosensei's office, though his expression looks a bit more resigned than shocked. When she leaves the room, the atmosphere feels a lot less stuffy and he can feel the actual ground instead of fragments of glass scattered about. A small sigh falls from his mouth as he turns to his poorly disguised teacher.

"Korosensei…"

"Hmm. I was a bit more forceful than I'd planned.," he admits, taking his disguise off. Another sigh from Nagisa, though he agrees that could have been dealt with a lot more tactfully and gently—maybe he should have gave Korosensei some pointers before coming, but whatever. Korosensei stands up. "Still… what's most important is that you make your intentions perfectly clear."

Nagisa stares wide-eyed at his teacher before glancing away, the weight of his hair wrapped so stiffly around his shoulders almost smothering him. "But right now, I can't do anything on my own. I'm just her round two. Maybe that's all I'll ever be."

He feels the weight lift from him and tied up into two pigtails. Korosensei's tentacles set the brush and hairdryer down on his desk before gently nudging the heads of his snakes out from their hiding. "It's not like you can't do anything. If you have the urge to kill, you can do anything. Your life's round one started here in this classroom."

Nagisa takes a deep breath in at that, locking eyes with the yellow octopus. My… round one.

"And what's more, Nagisa-kun," Korosensei continues on, his smile widening almost sweetly at the curious and innocent stare his left snake is giving him as it lets his kind tentacle coax it into uncoiling. "From my recollection, you've said before than your father had a snake hair quirk as well. I suspect your mother tends to connect your quirk with his, thus why these two are always hidden away, yes?"

Nagisa stands there, gawking dumbly as ice travels up his legs and settles heavily in his stomach, turning black with anxiety at the topic. He nods.

"I see. Then I have one thing to say about this, yes." His tentacles fall from his snakes and rests on Nagisa's small shoulders, tightening the connection between each other and the blue haired student can feel the importance of his teacher's next words weigh in the air. "It's your quirk, Nagisa-kun. No one else's. It may be similar to your father's and your other quirk may be similar to your mother's, but no matter what, it's still your quirk and no one has the right to scare your quirk into hiding."

That's when Nagisa can feel the bloodlust his teacher has—no, maybe not bloodlust (though he doesn't doubt it's existence in the octopus). More like… anger? Rage? And then it hits him: He shouldn't be… hiding his quirk from his mother because she hates it. She has no right to be. It's… It's his quirk, not hers. Just like it's his life.

Through this revelation, some of the anxiety-filled smoke clears from his thoughts and he knows what to do now. It's a false courage he feels bubbling through him as he stares awestruck and focused.

Now, if only he could keep that clarity when he speaks to his mother.

---

He keeps his snakes uncoiled the rest of the school day, smiling to himself in a way to say 'I'm doing something good and I'm proud.' He knows everyone is curious, and though he can't exactly dispel the anxious feeling in his chest at the thought of someone asking about them, he feels certain enough that he doesn't mind too much if they do.

It's Karma who doesn't miss a beat at the sight of his two snakes.

"Hey, what's up with the sentient noodles? Did I miss crazy hair day?"

And that one comment is enough to thrash the suspenseful atmosphere with a hoard of suppressed groans in the background.

A chuckle leaves Nagisa's mouth and he shakes his head. "No, sorry," he answers simply. "These two are… my quirk. I've been hiding them for a while."

He doesn't know how to read Karma's face—of curiosity? Of surprise? Perplexion? Even perhaps betrayal?

It's Maehara who turns around and asks, "I thought your quirk was paralysis?"

Another shake of his head. "It is—it's just, I have two quirks. One from my mom and the other from my dad. My dad… his is a mutation quirk, like me. See?" He pauses as he takes in the intrigued stares of his classmates. Why did he feel so… open? Once again, he notices his gates are open, his guard down, and he feels safe . He's not raw or vulnerable. He's… open.

Midoriya is by him in an instant, eyes dazzling in pure wonder. He raises one of the notebooks that Nagisa's seen him carry before: Hero Analysis for The Future. He's seen the notes Midoriya has, how perfect and organized they are. He's amazed Midoriya is even in this class with how well his grades are (that's why, he thinks, Midoriya and Karma get along well), but he's quickly reminded by himself that people outside these non judgemental walls are cocky and rude and bullies. That people who are different are treated differently and are shamed for being born different, and that's why most of these students were placed in this class.

"C-can I ask, um, y-you some- ss-some questions?" Midoriya mutters with a smile, holding his notebook up as a sort of guard. Nagisa's not too surprised at him asking, but he notices the usually quiet and timid boy is a bit more bold this time around.

Smiling softly, he nods to him. "Sure."

 ---

"Do they have names?" Kayano asks later that day, watching his left snake, the pit viper, who tilts its head curiously at her. "This one's cute. She looks like she'd like a bow or something."

Nagisa snorts. "A bow?"

"Yeah! A little hair bow or something."

"Kayano-chan, it doesn't have hair."

"Well, duh. But- hey, you know what? I'm gonna come with ribbons tomorrow. We'll decorate those cutie snakes of yours."

Nagisa smiled and barely managed to roll his eyes at that.

"But anyway, do they have names?" Kayano repeats.

Nagisa hums and shakes his head. "I… well, they, um, I guess used to, but…" He glances away when he recalls a third name bubble into his mind. He shakes his head again. "I don't call them anything."

"They should have names."

Nagisa hums again, but he doesn't push the conversation. Karma enters, using the back of Nagisa's chair as a device to lean on. "What about Spike and Blue."

"Karma-kun, they aren't dogs…"

Nakamura approaches (to which Nagisa has to force himself not to groan when more and more people bring their thoughts to the table). "That's unoriginal. How about Aoi and Sora?"

"That's just as unoriginal, Nakamura-san," Kayano deadpans.

"Okay, fine," Sugino joins in. "Left Snake and Right Snake."

Kayano squints. "What the hell, Sugino-kun, that meme's old as dirt."

"So what, that memes funny as hell."

"It's really not…"

"Guys, are we still on topic, here?" Nagisa raises a brow.

"Oh, oh, I've got one! What about Fumie and Eimi?" Yada chimes. "They're super cute names!"

Nagisa hears Kirara from across the room chuckle, "I'd name them Pain and Panic."

"Of course you would," mumbles Muramatsu in response.

His snakes' heads were turning back and forth between the speakers offering their two cents in name suggestions. Poor little noodles wore exhausted expressions mixed with confusion, probably finding it difficult to keep up. Chuckling, Nagisa simply sighs as he listens to the suggestions thrown around without him. He still felt safe.

And yet he leaves for home tense and with no names for his two reptiles, now curled into his hair and shivering with fear at what waits for them at home.

 ---

There's a burning flame of rage at the audacity his mother has. To think he can do something so putrid, to burn down this building that's unified his class into a rightful family, that's been the only place to help Nagisa clear the mist and gunk from his thoughts that his mother sent him spiraling into every day.

He's almost grateful she's being intimidated by this assassin who's obviously way in over his head.

Like he could do anything to Korosensei.

That's why the ball of rage in his stomach burning his throat is put out, and a deafening calm washes over him like a wave.

His mother is afraid. He almost thinks "good."

The assassin has his guard down. Nagisa almost smiles.

These skills he possesses, his mother may not like. This quirk he was born with, she may despise. But Nagisa doesn't care anymore.

She may not like it, and that doesn't matter. It's his quirk that allows him to be of use to everyone here, everyone working hard and with one single focus. Even if he's got one use, and he uses it here, it doesn't matter because he's going to prove that he can be more.

He makes his first move, stepping calming toward the man with the whip, his stare hard and boiling with venom. He thinks back to Korosensei's words.

"Your round one started here in this classroom… It's your quirk."

He finds strength there and the false courage he typically carries bubbles into something that's genuine and strong. "Mom," he starts. "I'm giving it everything I have in this class, and before I graduate, I'll get results. If I succeed, I'll cut my hair and pay back all you've given to raise me…" He stops in front of the unsuspecting assassin, eyeing him with confusion. "If you still can't forgive me…"

His eyes pierce the soul of the assassin, his snakes uncoiling from his hair and the calm he carries begins to steam in his chest, clawing at his throat, ready to escape.

"Then I'll graduate from you too."

Slit pupils burn a hot red as turquoise eyes widen, sending a paralyzing horror slamming into the unknown assassin. His uncoiled snakes hiss loudly and he can feel the pure fear that strikes his target thoroughly, piercing the air, and even when his opponent is more than incapacitated, a loud clap rings around the area. The paralyzed assassin is broken from his solid state only to be consumed by the ground-shaking terror that rocks his body, his mind, choking him and cracking his knees into the ground before the rest of him falls after them.

There's hope in him after he sees his mother's face of fear and, dare he say, concern. There's hope in him that he might not have to deal with her obsessive and abusive behavior anymore. That she might give up on using him as her New Game Plus, stop using the same guilt tripping excuses to make him do what she wanted him to do, stop trying to control him like a puppet, living through him and instead look to him as a separate person. Stop looking at him and wishing him to be someone he wasn't, somewhat he could have been, something that didn't feel right at all, and instead see him— actually see him as Nagisa and not her doll.

And just be happy that her child was alive and well in this life. That would mean everything to him.

The drive home isn't tense at all with Korosensei beside him and his mother resting in the back.

"So then, Nagisa-kun," Korosensei began. "If you did manage to kill me, would you go on to use your quirk to become an assassin?"

Nagisa doesn't have to stop to think about his answer. "No. I don't think so." He turns to look at the road ahead. "A quirk… isn't for this or that. Even if my quirk is good for assassination, I want to use it to protect people. People like Mom, even if…" He pauses and gives a laugh, putting his hands between his knees and looking out the window. He thinks of his classmates and their dreams, like Midoriya—he thinks of Korosensei, of the heroes in his life like Karasuma-sensei and All Might, how they're so admirable and are working their hardest and helping every way they can (even if Karasuma-sensei's a bit more dense than most).

Nagisa smiles.

"And that's not by being an assassin. People get hurt that way. I'll be someone my folks can be proud of. Someone people can look up to and feel protected, like nothing can hurt them…"

Korosensei seems pleased by this and he nods with a thread of amusement in his voice. "Take your time," he says.

---

It's nerve wracking waking up in the morning. He doesn't feel quite ready to face his mother yet, but he puts on a brave face anyway as he gets himself ready for the day. Bright and early and earlier than his mother. Nagisa stops before leaving his room, taking a deep breath and lifting his pigtails so his two snakes could peek their heads out.

"It's alright," Nagisa whispers, his finger gently brushing the chins of the two reptiles. "I'm sorry. You're free to come out now."

Hesitantly, they raise their heads and slither out, letting their heads rest on Nagisa's shoulders timidly. Nagisa pats their heads softly and he starts for the kitchen, determined to show his mother he's worth his penny all while planning out a strategy to confront his mother on this dire topic.

Food is on the table and waiting patiently by the time Mom comes into the living room, startled and perplexed. Nagisa's sure she's more than confused at waking up at home safe and sound, just like nothing happened. He feels a pang of guilt at manipulating her like this, but there was no other way around it.

"I'll make breakfast from now on," Nagisa humbly replies to his mother's inquiry. He puts on his most courageous smile, fearless against his mother yet still full of respect and his snakes rise, staring at her from a distance. She doesn't seem to notice them, too focused on meeting his eyes sternly. Nagisa continues without missing a beat. "So you can take it easy before going to work. I'll take out the garbage and stuff, too, a-and I'll get into a high school just as good as Kunugigaoka High! I'm- I'm aiming for UA. I want…" He almost chokes, but he's glad he only muttered the last two words under his breath, voice just barely failing him, but he swallows and continues on.

Body fully facing her as she takes a sip from the coffee he poured her, he puts both hands on the counter and leans in, fierce determination lighting his eyes. "So please, let me stay in this class!" He hopes his voice isn't too desperate.

There's a beat of silence between them, their eyes locking and Nagisa hopes to every hero out there she doesn't use his quirk on him and makes him leave the class because she's had ample opportunity to—the burning connection between them is broken, however, when his mother relents and closes her eyes, looking away. She looks upset, but strangely… Nagisa knows this isn't one of her 'moods.' She's… backing down, like a territorial wolf who's met his match, and Nagisa suddenly feels taller when her resigned answer is, "Do what you want. I don't care."

Yes, it hurt. Yes, it felt like something was ripped away from him. Yes, he wish she worded that so much differently —but it's a step. It's a step somewhere , hopefully somewhere good, but it's… it's his first taste of freedom, and despite the disappointment in his chest at her wording, Nagisa can't help but be able to breath finer air and feel a lighter presence in his body. Not weighty and heavy, but a hand supporting him and showing him the first steps to breaking free into his own life. So he smiles.

And she never comments about his unnamed snakes.

Nagisa is an assassin, holding his head high until graduation. His eyes are set to the sky, reaching out to a dream that's become real to him, to become who he wants to be.

To become a hero.