"K... Kacchan...?"

8 Years Ago

"Remember. We need to save Kacchan... he won't come to me... Kirishima it's gotta be you. He respects you out of everyone in our class," Midoriya looked at the red-haired boy with determination. They were so close to getting to save Bakugo. He was right there in front of them, fighting off the League of Villains. They'd pose as a distraction for All Might as well as a rescue attempt for the blonde.

They couldn't fail now.

Moments later, Iida and Midoriya launched into the air, Kirishima on their shoulders. As they soared just above the league, Kirishima extended his hand, calling out to Bakugo to take it. Said blonde looked up, smirked, and began to jet off toward them with his Quirk. What happened next was the worst thing that could've happened.

Shiguraki extended his arms and wrapped his hand, all five fingers, around Katsuki's wrist. The explosive boy's wrist and hand crumbled away like they were nothing. Having lost one of his propulsion systems, Bakugo fell back down. Shiguraki made quick work of the boy's other wrist and arm. He peered up at the three soaring above as All Might charged toward him.

"If we can't have Bakugo as a Villain or his Quirk at all... then he does not deserve life."

With that, Shiguraki wrapped his fingers around Katsuki's neck and the placed all five fingers on his abdomen. Bakugo fought back, but in a matter of seconds, all that was left of the boy was dust. The wind picked it up and carried it off as All Might stopped in his tracks, mortified. Midoriya... he lost it. He shoved Kirishima and Iida forward to their landing spot and went after Shiguraki.

Midoriya didn't remember much of what happened after he witnessed Bakugo's death. According to All Might, he had gone ballistic. He'd almost killed Shiguraki before the other members of the league were able to get him off the man. Even in a rage, Midoriya was still calculative and analytical, able to dodge attacks to come back around and wail on Shiguraki some more. Midoriya's hands were covered in scratches from where he'd knocked out several of the villain's teeth. After that, All Might knocked him out and fought All For One, which ended devastatingly. All For One was placed in a maximum-security prison and the remainder of All Might's power vanished.

Izuku simply stared at his hands as Aizawa scolded him, Kirishima, Todoroki, Iida, and Yaoyorozu for going against his orders.

"With that being said... you all witnessed the death of a classmate. You'll be going to therapy sessions for a while as a precautionary measure. As heroes, we see death. It's unavoidable, but we are still human. I'm sure everyone's mental state is a little shaken..."

All eyes landed on Midoriya, who didn't respond. He just looked at his hands. "If only... I had used my Quirk before... I could've gotten to him and he'd still be..." The green-haired boy curled his hands into a fist and shut his eyes tightly. "...Kacchan..."

Aizawa dismissed the other somber members of the rescue group and sat down in front of Izuku. The man was in no way happy with the rescue and he wasn't going to repeal their detention, but he understood very well... Midoriya was grieving. "Midoriya, it's not your fault. None of this is. I will be honest, he might have survived if you guys hadn't mounted a rescue. However, he could've still met the same fate, the only difference is you guys wouldn't have witnessed it. I know you two have known each other for a while..."

"Ever since we were little. We grew up on the same street and our moms were best friends... what am I gonna tell Bakugo-obasan...?" Izuku tried hard not to cry, but he couldn't help the tears that spilled. "I couldn't even save my best friend! Am I really worthy of being a hero?"

Aizawa remained silent as the younger boy cried. Just outside the room, Toshinori Yagi was listening in. His heart broke at the boy's cries of grief. He couldn't bear the thought of young Midoriya crying so much of a broken heart. Had he been quicker, stronger... he might have been able to save Bakugo-boy from an untimely death.

After a long moment, and Izuku's piercing cries turning into miniscule sobs, Aizawa sighed. "Even heroes fail to save those they care about. Not all the time, but it does happen. You are not to blame, Midoriya. Instead of detention, I think you should stay home for the next week. You've dealt with a lot in a short amount of time... You have potential and I'd rather not watch you drop out because of this. Though understandable, please be strong."

Present Moment

"What...? Where... am I? How come... you're here, Kacchan?"

Red eyes widened when they met with confused green ones. "Deku? What...? No. What are you doing here!? You shouldn't be here! You have to go back!"

"K-Kacchan! What even is here?" As Deku looked around more people started appearing. "D-Dad? Nighteye? All Might?" His heart stopped. "...mom..." His mother had recently passed away.

"Izuku, what are you...?"

"You shouldn't be here, Midoriya-boy. It's not your time."

"I don't even know what this place is..."

Everyone remained silent before Bakugo took a step forward, an unhappy and hurt expression on his face. He stood right in front of the freckled boy, frowning as always. "Deku... this is where people go when they die... this is the afterlife."

2 Weeks After Bakugo's Death

"Mom... I've made up my mind. I know you don't want me going back to that school, but I am. If not for me, then for Kacchan. He wanted to be the number one hero as much as I did and to..." Izuku inhaled, hesitating with his thought for a moment. To support her best friend, Inko had allowed Mitsuki and her husband, Masaru, to live with them.

"To what...?" Mitsuki looked to her son's best friend. Eyes puffy from having recently cried.

Izuku cleared his throat. "To not try my hardest to become the number one hero would be an insult to Kacchan's memory. We always fought over who'd be number one, so... if I don't continue fighting, I can't say Kacchan was my best friend!"

"Izuku!"

Midoriya shook and then shook his head. "F-Fine. If you don't want me to go back to UA, I won't. I'll go to Shiketsu or Ketsubutsu! Either way, I am going to become a hero! Nothing's going to stop me!"

3 Years Later

Midoriya sighed out as he walked up to his former classmates, a heavy smile on his face and diploma in hand. "We... did it. So, did everyone get contracted to a Hero Firm?"

Everyone nodded as they looked at one another. Uraraka was the first one to step forward. "I know... you struggled the most. You... you've been surrounded by death throughout your entire high school life."

Izuku swallowed some bile that threatened to rise. "Yeah... I lost two people in my first year, Sir Nighteye, and Kacchan... on top of that, Togata-kun lost his Quirk and even now Eri still hasn't been able to restore it..." He was somber and remained silent for a bit. "Then All Might, my mentor... he passed away in my second year. I'm thankful Gran Torino's still around. Without him, I'd have lost it..."

"This past year was probably the most taxing on you, huh Deku?"

Midoriya looked at the ground, grip tightening on his diploma before he gave a solemn nod. "Yeah... my dad passed away this year. He died doing a mission abroad... it's been hard on mom too. She's been out of work for so long because dad made good money on his missions, plus she really loved him... so she's been having it rough. But I've been doing my best to support her. I mean, dad left me a lot of inheritance money..."

"I think it was wise of you to use it to start up your own firm," Iida nodded.

Izuku sighed once more as he stared at his diploma with vacant eyes. "It's hard to tell if I'm even doing the right thing anymore. The more I try to be the number one pro hero... the more those I love, die... If- ... If I'm not meant to be a Hero, then I should stop. I don't... I don't want to hurt any more people!" The tears couldn't contain themselves as they spilled from the graduate's eyes. "Am I just a curse!?"

All of those gathered around stood and stared at each other, each one of them feeling a pang in their heart for their former classmate. Uraraka stepped forward and hugged Deku to him. "Deku. It's not your fault. Nobody could've known all of this would've happened to you. Please stay strong! You're gonna be the number one hero, and then you'll be able to save everyone! I believe in you!"

Present Moment

"...I'm dead?" The words hovered in the air as Deku sat on what could be called the ground in astonishment. "I don't remember dying..."

"Like hell you're dead. You march your ass back to your body and live, dammit!"

Green eyes looked up at red ones before looking away, defeated. A sigh escaped frowning lips as Midoriya slumped in his place. "...what's the point? Everyone I love and care for is dead. I couldn't protect you as a Hero in Training... and-" He looked to his mom, a hurt expression covering his face before he closed his eyes tightly and looked down. "-I couldn't save mom as a Pro Hero. I'm number one in the business. I have my own firm... I did everything right..." The green-haired hero shook as his emotions riled within him. "I did everything right, so... WHY IS EVERYTHING GOING WRONG!?"

The words echoed as everyone around took a jarring step back at the sudden outburst. The Midoriyas looked at each other in concern for their son, Nighteye and All Might gave each other knowing nods, and Bakugo stood there. His face showed a sorrow that the boy had never had.

"Maybe... maybe I should stay. Then nobody else will die because I'm such a screw-up... I couldn't save any of you..."

"Midoriya-boy... I died because of my declining health from a fight you had no part in."

"Son, I died on a mission outside of the country because I was reckless-"

"-and I died because of heartache. I missed your father so much, even after all these years the pain never went away."

Izuku sniffed as he looked up. "But mom, I could've been there for you more. But I was so busy being a Pro Hero, that I left you all alone."

"Izuku..." Inko walked up to her son and kneeled in front of him. She held his head in her hands and gave him a loving smile that only a mother could. "I am SO proud of you. You fought and kept fighting and rose through the ranks to achieve your dream. You pushed through heartache and depression and grief. You believe in yourself and you believe we were all cheering you on, and we were. We still are. I couldn't have asked for a better son." She kissed his forehead.

Midoriya clung to her in grief. "Mom..." He shook his head and pushed away to wipe at his eyes, but the tears still fell. "What about Kacchan or Nighteye? I was directly involved where their survival counted."

"Shut up."

Everyone looked toward the blond who was now shaking. Bakugo marched over to Deku and picked him up by the scruff of his collar. "You aren't Deku. Deku never gave up! He was stubborn to a fault and always persevered! So, shut up! Talking like that... you aren't Deku!"

Izuku's eyes widened at his friend's words, mind flooding with memories from the past year alone.

1 Year Ago

"Hey Deku! Do you think I could borrow one of your interns? Mine is out sick," Uraraka clapped her hands together and bowed in a begging manner.

"Ochako-chan. You don't have to bow. We're on a first name basis so that's too formal," Izuku laughed nervously as he nodded. "But yeah, that's fine. Just ask my secretary for their files and pick whichever one suits you best."

"Thanks, Deku!"

Izuku smiled as he waved her off. Once out of sight, he sighed and slumped in his chair. Ever since he'd become the new Symbol of Peace, fully embracing All Might, crime rates and villainy had dropped tremendously. Like they did when All Might was at the peak of his power.

"Is it about your mom?"

Midoriya yelped and stood up straight as he looked over to see one Todoroki Shoto. "Sh-Shoto! Don't scare me like that!" He put a hand over his heart and exhaled. "What brings you to my office?"

"Well you weren't answering your phone and I knew you were outperforming Heroic acts because you weren't on the News... so I figured in your office."

"I... I see. Sorry, my phone's dead and I forgot my charger at home," Midoriya smiled apologetically as he scratched his cheek nervously. "So, what did you need to talk to me about?"

"That can wait. You have something on your mind. Is it about your mom?"

The green-eyed boy remained silent for a while before he sighed, running a hand through his short and now-tamed hair. He nodded as he met with Todoroki's piercing gaze. "Yeah... her health's been declining lately. She's been getting sick more frequently and was recently diagnosed with brittle bone disease. She's also gone blind in one of her eyes and requires hearing aids now. Her health is deteriorating more rapidly than before... She can't work anymore under these conditions, and because of that, she was evicted from her home. She lives with me now and..." Izuku blushed as he thought about it. "...the butlers, maids, and home-nurse tend to her..." He didn't like mentioning how lavishly he lived. He'd never been one for material gain, but since he had the wealth, he'd use it to make his mother more comfortable.

"I see... Have you tried asking Recovery Girl for help?"

Midoriya nodded and looked out the window down unto the city below. "Shuzenji-san can't do much. Her quirk can't alter nature's course... that's what she told me."

"Ah... so, you think-"

"I don't want to... My mom... she'll make it... Just like she believes in me, I'll believe in her!"

8 Months Later

"Mom!" Midoriya dropped all the shopping bags he was carrying and rushed over to the women collapsed on the ground. "Where are all of the house staff? I hired you specifically to prevent this!" Suddenly a rush of personnel came flooding in from all doors.

"Sorry, sir. We were all cleaning the rest of the house and backyards. The nurse went on a lunch break and told elder Midoriya-san not to move... I wonder why she tried to get up..." The head butler scrunched his face together as he tried to think of a reason.

Without another word, Midoriya lifted his mother up and cradled her into his chest. "Her hair's gotten really gray..." He took a step forward when he heard his mother whisper heartbreaking words in her unconscious state.

"Izuku... my baby... don't go... don't leave mommy all alone... my baby..." Izuku shook, clenching his teeth as he fought back the tears. Now was no time to be Crybaby Deku. He had to get his mother to a hospital.

"Izuku-san... There's no easy way to tell you this, but she's in really bad shape. She has pneumonia first and foremost, and most of her bones broke or shattered when she collapsed. She's now completely blind and deaf and her immune system is heavily compromised. It'll take a miracle for her to win this fight..." The doctor gave the sobering news to the pro hero.

Izuku nodded and laid his head back against the wall, mind going blank. He couldn't think of anything. For the second time in Izuku's life, he was numb. He hadn't felt this way since Bakugo's death, and he'd hoped he'd never have had to feel it again. But here he was, numb. "Hey doc... be honest with me... how long do you think she'll live..."

"It's hard to say. With her rapidly declining health, I'd give her a month tops before her system completely shuts down. We'll try to help her win, but in the likely outcome, we'll make sure she dies peacefully and comfortably..."

Midoriya nodded, face emotionless as he tried his hardest not to feel anything. He'd been surrounded by death his whole life, and now here he was, facing it yet again.

3 Months Later

"Momma Deku has passed away."

"The mother of the number one hero has died."

"Mother Midoriya has gone with the wind."

"Number one Pro Hero, Deku, grieves as his mother passes away."

Midoriya flipped through channel after channel. Most of them with breaking announcements or news about his mother's passing. Over the past three months, though it was hard, he continued his hero duties. He smiled more times than he could count, but his smile was a mask. Inside he was numb - like he was rotted out.

Sighing, Izuku turned off the TV and stood up. He'd requested a vacation off to stay at home and just deal with it, but all he was doing was holing himself up. He didn't want to deal with the reality of it all. His mother, his last family member, was dead. I couldn't save her...

On top of it, when his mother passed, he'd snapped and fired every personnel in his home. The house-nurse, the maids, the butlers. Right now, he was in the process of selling his big, empty home. He wanted a smaller one. One that could feel livelier with just one person living in it. For four years he'd lived on his own. For three of those years, it'd been in this big house - having risen to fame and wealth rather quickly. It was only within the past year that he'd lived with his mom and personnel. He'd hired the personnel exclusively for his mother. But now it was lonelier than it'd ever been before.

A doorbell sounded and Deku made his way down the steps and opened the door, uncaring of who was beyond it.

"Deku... you look terrible..." One Uraraka Ochako frowned as she, Todoroki, and Iida entered his abode. "You should get dressed. The wake's happening today. Then we've got the funeral service, and final we have to spread her ashes."

Midoriya nodded, going through the motions. Throughout the entire day, he didn't cry once. Not at the wake, not at the service, and not when he spread his mother's ashes out at the see from the dock where she met his father. None of it caused an emotional response from the green-eyed boy. He was emotionally shut down.

"Deku... I haven't seen you like this, since..." She paused, not wanting to say it.

"Since Bakugo died." Eyes were drawn to Todoroki who didn't hesitate to drop the blonde's name.

Midoriya's eyes widened and he shook as all the deaths in his life replayed like a sad montage in his head. "Why can't I save anyone!? I'm a Pro Hero, dammit! I worked hard, I did everything right, yet everyone keeps dying!" His hands covered his eyes as tears that hadn't been there for a while reawakened and fell like a waterfall. "Am I just some sort of bunk Hero? I can save others, but not the ones I love most!?"

"You are quite unfortunate. But you can't give in to despair. People are still counting on you-"

"Shut up, Shoto! I don't want to hear it!" Deku had snapped again. "Just... everyone get out. I wanna be left alone."

"I don't think-" Iida was cut off by a focused air pressure blast at a small percentage sent him and the other two flying out of Deku Mansion.

Midoriya cradled himself in his arms as he thought about Bakugo. "Dammit... Kacchan... if you were here you'd beat me up for sure. But... you'd beat some sense into me. Tell me to stop crying and be a hero because Heroes don't cry... Out of everyone, you're the one I miss most Kacchan. Am I a terrible person for crying over you more than my own parents...? I must be... cause none of this makes sense..."

One Month Later

Deku huffed out heavily as he looked to the other Pro Heroes surround him. Gran Torino was knocked out, Todoroki and Endeavor were exhausted and wearing out on fire (and ice) power, Uravity had used her quirk too much and was throwing up, and Ingenium Mach II was overheated - if he used his Quirk anymore he'd only exacerbate his problem. Everyone was beaten down. Looking up, Deku gritted his teeth. One of them still lived.

"Why...? Why is there a Nomu here!? I thought we got rid of all of them eight years ago!" Deku dodged out of the way of a Nomu punch and circled behind him. "FULL COWL SHOOT STYLE, 100%!" Kicking the Nomu sent the beast flying into the air. With Full Cowl still activated, Midoriya launched himself in the air and focusing pressure blasts with his legs kept himself moving through the air. Once up in the air with the Nomu, he used a 100% SMASH attack to bring the Nomu plummeting back to earth. Huffing midair, it was time to unleash a newer technique the Izuku had been working on. He stuck his legs behind him and soared, headfirst, down toward the Nomu. "HARAJUKU DRILL!" With that he punched forward, careening a massive air pressure blast in a cone-shape - like a drill - toward the enemy.

Deku landed on the ground, wobbled, and fell to one knee. Though his body was more adept at handling One For All, it still tolled his muscles. He was near as big as All Might, but he was pretty big now, thanks to intense training.

Panting out heavily, Midoriya looked up and to the crater he'd created with the Nomu. Eyes widened as the dust cleared to reveal the Nomu walking up and out of the crater, headed towards him. "Im-Impossible... It shouldn't be moving after all of that... is it just... not possible for me fight one-on-one with this thing...?"

Before he could get an answer the Nomu was on him, sending blow after blow to every part of his body. Deku couldn't hold on as he lost consciousness. The last thing that flitted through his mind, oddly enough, was Bakugo's face.

Present Moment

"Kacchan... I have to be honest here... I don't wanna go back... It's not because I've given up. I've never given up. It's just that..." Midoriya shook in his place as he put a hand on Bakugo's smaller ones. Bakugo was frozen in time, at age 16. Meanwhile, Midoriya had grown to be 24 years old. He was much bigger than the blond now.

"What is it Deku? Spit it out! The longer you stay here, the more permanent it is!"

Izuku gulped and looked up at Katsuki with watery eyes. "I wouldn't mind, because... you're here Kacchan. And I feel so terrible for that, because... out of everyone here... you're the one I want to be with most. If you were still alive, I'd be fighting to wake up because I wanna be... I wanna be where Kacchan is. I always have... it's no different now than it was eight years ago, or twenty years ago... I've always-"

Words were silenced as foreheads gently collided with one another. "Deku, stop talking. Where I am, is not where you need to be. You're the Symbol of Peace now. People need you in the real world. Your friends need you. That Nomu is kicking the shit out of them right now. They'll end up here, too, unless you do something. You can save them, but you have to make the choice. You have to leave this place..." Bakugo paused and looked away for a second before looking back at Midoriya. "...you have to leave me behind. I can't go back, but you still can. I promise, Deku, there will be another moment like this when you're good and ready. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, not until I see you here old and wrinkly. I will wait for you, Deku..."

"Kacchan...?"

The blond leaned forward and closed the gap, claiming startled lips for himself. After a small moment of a sweet, chaste kiss, Bakugo withdrew himself. "You think you're the only one who had feelings this whole time? It wasn't one-sided, idiot... Honestly, why'd you use Kirishima at that time? I would've come much faster if you'd been the one extending your hand..."

Midoriya blinked and, for the first time in a long while, smiled genuinely. "Kacchan... thank you for saving me... and thank you for giving me a moment like this."

A moment later, Midoriya was gone and Bakugo was left holding air. His heart ached but he smirked to himself as a single tear rolled down his face. "Shitty nerd. It had to be you of all people."

Midoriya's eyes snapped open as he sat forward, panting heavily. His eyes locked on to the Nomu and he sprang into action. Bakugo was right. There was still more Izuku had left to do. He couldn't die yet, not when so many people needed him. Not when there were still lives that needed to be saved.

"Hey Kacchan. What kind of Hero do you wanna be when you grow up?"

"... the kind that always saves Deku, of course!"

Thank you so much for reading this.
It took me a couple weeks to type this up so I hope it's good.
I was trying to wait until an afternoon to post this but I'm working a lot of late shifts, so 2:30 AM will have to do!

Your author,
Nova