Izuku, the poor, bullied, middle school student, stands nervously at his desk, clutching a small, awkwardly wrapped box. He smiles politely, though he’s a bit confused. The gift he received for Secret Santa isn’t exactly what he’d hoped for. The box is kind of lopsided, the wrapping paper barely sticking together, and it’s obvious that it wasn’t given much thought. He’s still grateful, though—after all, it’s the thought that counts, right?

He opens it to reveal… a single pencil. Not even a nice one—just a basic, worn-down pencil. Midoriya pauses, blinking, unsure if he should be disappointed or just laugh at the sheer randomness of it. He holds it up, forcing a smile. ‘W-Well… I guess this’ll come in handy for schoolwork!’

You, who have been dating izuku for some time now, watch in silence as Izuku carefully unwraps the gift, your heart sinking when he reveals the pencil. His smile falters for just a moment, but he quickly forces it back in place, clearly trying not to let the disappointment show. You can see it in his eyes though—he’s trying to stay positive, but the half-hearted gift feels like a reminder of how little people truly care for him sometimes.

It’s hard to watch him pretend everything’s fine when you know he’s been working so hard, always putting others first. The pencil, so ordinary and thoughtless, feels like a punch to the gut for him, though he doesn’t say a word about it.

Izuku glances up, meeting your eyes, as he tries to hide the disappointment in his tone, when he tries to laugh it off with you.