Sonzuku and Dadzawa Oneshots

56AK (Painting)

Credit to the artist! (Google says by Pan- on Youtube maybe)

Sonzuku POV

Colors have filled my world since I was a child. I was not especially attached to them at the time, but after years of isolation, I learned to love them.

I had dreams of being a hero. That did not last. Well, not exactly anyway. I decided to focus more on my art of heroes. Learning digital art proved to be very difficult. I ended up giving up on it and trying normal drawing. That was fine, as was coloring, but I wanted something different and special. Inspiration struck while I was looking through art on different heroes. I began painting.

At that point, I had been drawing for many years, which allowed me to gain experience with drawing. The issue was that I was terrible with the actual painting part. I'd sketch out an idea and try to paint it, but get a result that was most definitely undesirable. It took months for a painting to turn out in a way I only sort of liked, and I had spent hours searching for techniques at that point.

Through time, I learned to appreciate each piece I made, whether I liked it or not. My determination to figure out painting had led me this far after all. About two years ago, I grew confident enough to post pictures of my paintings. Shockingly, I only have a few heroes painted. Inspiration for them rarely strikes.

With some encouragement from the community I was sharing them with online, I began selling them. My mom died a year ago. She was brilliant and kind, but she was weary of the world. The money from the paintings is likely the only reason I am still alive if I am being completely honest.

When I am at school, I cannot paint, so I usually sketch out what I might want to draw later or get inspiration for at the moment. Reference pictures hang all around my apartment. I try to not take requests, but I do now and then, especially if I need the money or if they are offering enough. I feel bad for those that I refuse, but I know I am lucky enough to have food. I probably should next test those limits.

I do not eat at school anymore. Weird, I know, but I believe food is special and should not be given to people who attack you. I am in high school now, so I guess it is okay.

One of my favorite paintings that I made is one of an unnamed hero. I had the video saved on my computer from when I was younger. The image starts as dark and grainy. From years of practicing art, comparing faces, and my old notebooks, I was able to figure out the figure was Eraserhead. I was lucky to find a matching description of him at UA based on what I thought he looked like all those years ago. I painted his exhaustion setting in after the fight, the criminal or villain knocked unconscious. It looked so pretty, so symbolic. An anonymous hero tired after the end of the fight in a dark alley while looking like the shadows.

"Hey, are you the one that painted this?" Eraserhead himself comes up and asks me, showing me a picture of the described painting. The caption read Exhaustion From the Unknown Saviors. I forgot to mention that I go to UA, I guess.

"Yeah," I sigh, too tired to deal with anything, including emotions, after school. I may be in the business course, but life is not easy.

The man's eyes widen like he was not expecting such an answer. "Where did you get the video from?" His eyes are narrow again, like a cat threatening someone.

"I had a video saved on my computer from when I was younger and hero-obsessed. My theory is that I knew it would get taken down, so I saved it. At that point in time, my thoughts were 'wow, this is cool'." Aizawa nods, accepting the answer.

"One more question, then. My husband is a big fan of yours, as am I, and we would like to request a painting from you. I know you do not usually take these offers, but I would like a painting of my husband and I and our kids and cats together." I pause, thinking about the offer for a moment. I should ask how much they are offering, but I suppose I can do this for my favorite hero.

"Sure."