-Chapter Twenty-one -

"C'mon, pickup already..." Izuku muttered, cringing at each successive tone as they indicated that his call had yet to be answered. "Toga I swear, if you're not awake yet..."

After disposing of the replica in the landfill as instructed, a task which had been both unpleasant and arduous, Izuku had come to the soul crushing realization that while he might've left his classmates on good terms, they'd had yet to return his singular form of communication with the League of Villains, something that was indispensable to his return to their base.

While it would've been easy for him to simply walk back in the middle of the night, morning was quickly rising across the city, meaning that the number of people capable of reconsigning him had risen exponentially. When he'd left the base previously during daylight, he'd always had a disguise, or at the very least something to cover his hair. Now, however, he was in full costume, an outfit which was unfortunately very easily recognized due to his recent rise in fame.

As a result he'd had to resort to using what little change he had to operate a secluded roadside payphone, though the activity hardly offered any coverage considering the booth's transparent walls, and Izuku couldn't help but feel increasingly paranoid as the sun became visible on the horizon.

Though Toga would likely need some time to locate Kurogiri, her's was unfortunately the only number Izuku knew, as she had told it to him in case of emergency. Unfortunately, she didn't seem extremely motivated to answer.

Just as the phone was finishing it's last few tones, Izuku heard a distinct click, as if someone had lifted it from the other end.

Izuku sighed in relief, opening his mouth to speak, but was cut off before he could begin.

"Izuku?" Toga's voice was so sudden and intense that Izuku almost dropped the phone in surprise. Her voice, which usually sounded either lightly caustic or joking, was now filled with an overpowering concern and anxiety. "Please, please tell me that's you. You didn't come back for so long, and then your tracker just spazzed out, and-"

"It's me." Izuku couldn't stop himself from grinning a bit despite his mounting annoyance with the events of the night, lack of sleep, and growing mental instability as a result of his command. Somehow he'd expected Toga to be asleep, unconcerned with his success or lack thereof, but to find her so worried was a surprisingly heartwarming development. "I'm fine but I need you to-"

"It's Izuku guys, he's okay!" Toga's voice sounded a bit more distant that time, as if she were addressing a room of people, though he could hear the relief in her words regardless.

Izuku's theory was confirmed as he heard a muffled second and third voice across the speaker. They were too obfuscated to be identified, but sounded as if they were similarly relieved to have gotten the call.

"Oh- uh yeah I don't know where he is. Wait a sec, I'll ask." Izuku could tell Toga was moving the receiver closer to her mouth once again as the muffled voices faded out. "Where are you exactly? And- oh, do you need us to get Kurogiri to pick you up?"

"Uh, yeah actually I'm-"

"Oh yeah, of course you do or you wouldn't be calling." Toga responded quickly, excitement still ringing in her voice. "Oh wait, you never told me where you were."

Izuku read off a nearby street sign, making sure to enunciate his words as clearly as possible. A few minutes later, he hung up and exited the booth, careful to check for passersby before heading into an alleyway where his transportation was waiting.

As soon as Izuku exited the portal, he was met with a strong force which, after a few shocked seconds had passed, he identified as Toga's arms enveloping him in a tight embrace.

"Uh- hey." He greeted awkwardly, attempting to steady himself. "It's good to see you too."

Toga released Izuku from the embrace, sporting an elated grin as she stepped back to stand beside the room's other occupants. He was surprised to see Dabi and Spinner in the welcome party, but less so by the addition of Kurogiri.

"Dude, what the hell happened? I thought you said that was supposed to be a quick there and back trip but it took you almost the whole night." Spinner asked. "And then the thing with your signal? Man, after that none of us could sleep. We just kept arguing over whether we should send someone out to get you or not."

"Things didn't really go to plan." Izuku replied with a shrug. "I was ambushed when I tried to confront my target and... Well, it kinda threw me for a loop. They took my earpiece which is why I'm assuming it went wild, but I still finished the job, so all's well that ends well I guess."

Toga, who was still smiling from ear to ear, nodded her head. "The really important thing is that you're okay! We were so worried you'd been captured... By the time you called we'd all pretty much stopped caring about whether you'd actually completed your task or not."

"Speak for yourself." Dabi cut in, a passive look on his face. "I thought I made it clear that I couldn't care less about this whole thing. I was just sticking around out of curiosity."

"Sure thing. You guys aren't friends at all." Toga stifled what could've conceivably been a giggle. "It's not like you were the first person to suggest we go out and check to make sure he was okay or anything, right?"

"Shut up." Dabi shot back, the tone in his voice slightly defensive despite his obvious efforts to the contrary. "I was just bored, that's all."

"Okay, fine." Toga smirked, putting her hands up in an exaggerated gesture of concession. "But I'm sure some of us who are entirely ambiguous and not to be collectively named were worried. Either way I'm sure everyone wants the whole story. We don't get a lot of entertainment around here if you can't tell."

"Um- Well- Maybe tomorrow? Or now I guess it's be later today? I'm pretty tired right now." Izuku suggested. He still hadn't thought of an entirely convincing cover story to replace the night's events, and he wanted at least a bit of time to collect himself before he was forced to speak. That wasn't even considering the fact that he'd had yet to kill since he'd left the night before, which was now technically considered yesterday. He'd rather sleep until he got his next opportunity to, especially since his unnatural irritation was likely to become noticeable as soon as the shock of his return wore off. "Not to mention that everything was kind of stressful. I'm just sort of out of it."

"You can't just leave us on a cliffhanger like that!" Toga finally frowned, braking her previously omnipresent smile. "Not after we waited so long to hear about it!"

"Midoriya has every right to retire to his room for the day if he so wishes." Kurogiri admonished, shooting Toga a stern look. "As he said the events of the night were likely just as stressful for him as they were for the rest of us if not more so. It is only logical that he would like to rest."

"Oh, right." Toga apologized, meeting Izuku's eyes as she spoke, her mouth morphing back into what he perceived as a slightly less genuine smile. He had been with the League long enough to be able to read them quickly, and he knew the grin signified more than he would've assumed in the past. "I guess I got a little carried away there, sorry."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Izuku couldn't help but feel a creeping unease a Toga's expression, less because of the fact that it seemed forced and more because it suggested suspicion. "I might be better after I get some rest. I'll tell you about it then."

Toga nodded, the motion just a bit too curt to be considered usual. "I'm looking forward to it. See ya then."

Izuku gave a small wave as Toga pivoted towards the door, her eyes casting back over her shoulder to linger on his for a few seconds before the door shut behind her. Toga certainly seemed as though she was suspicious of something, but Izuku was far too emotionally exhausted to deal with it before at least a three hour nap.

"Well, I guess I'll be going too then." Izuku addressed the remainder of the room. "Don't wake me up unless there's an emergency. Actually on second thought, just don't wake me up at all."

As soon as Izuku got back to his small living space, he showered and changed, donning a loose t-shirt and pair of pajama pants. While the League hadn't allowed Izuku to go out and shop himself, apparently not trusting him to responsibly spend any significant amount of the group's funds, they had bought him a few outfits in his size since he'd arrived. Since the task had fallen to Toga, none of the outfits were exactly his style, but they were much preferred to the hand-me-downs he'd been given previously.

When Izuku finally reached his loft, he was surprised to see something small and rectangular resting on his bed. As he got closer, he realized that the object was a present, or at least something resembling one. Though plain, the wrapping was impeccable, interrupted only by a sticky note which had been placed on the package's surface.

Izuku instantly recognized the majority of the handwriting as Toga's, though it appeared as though Dabi had signed it along with her in the bottom right hand corner. Izuku sat down and lifted the paper, squinting to read the immense wall of text that the girl had managed to cram onto one small note.

Hey Izuku, if you're reading this, then you finished Shigaraki's stupid task! Good job! This means that you're officially a real bonafide member of the League now, which is pretty good for you even if you don't know it yet, cause that means that now, you can actually do what you want! Well kinda. I mean there are still going to be some restrictions and stuff, but you can't really blame us too much. Main point is though, that since you're an official member, you can have a phone now! Dabi and I put some of our spare allowance together and bought you one, but we had to run it past Kurogiri first, so it's got safety mode on. You can't really call anyone other than League members, but that isn't really too much of an issue, right? I put Dabi and I in as contacts already, so don't be afraid to text or call us whenever. Also one more thing, your on the League's internet plan, so we can monitor your search history and stuff. I know it's a bummer, sorry, but again, you can't really blame us. I already sent you some memes, so check em out when you can! ;)

Toga & Dabi

Izuku set the box on the ground by the side of his bed, fighting down a sweeping wave of guilt as he looked down at the note clutched in his hand. He was certainly used to feeling guilty by now, but for something he'd done to the League? That was new. It wasn't like Toga and Dabi trusted him obviously, but here they were going out of their way to buy him something for no other reason than that they believed it would make him happy.

Yet here he was, still constantly denying any friendship with them and going behind their backs to plot against them. He knew he shouldn't feel guilty. Not after everything they'd done. But he did. And somehow, he realized with a strong pang of fear, he felt worse about this than he had about how he'd treated his classmates that night.

Infuriated with his clashing emotions, Izuku forcefully crumpled up the note until it was a minuscule sphere and threw it out into the warehouse before collapsing backwards onto his bed with a disgruntled exhale. He knew his annoyance stemmed partially from a lack of command fulfillment, but he wasn't about to go and admit he needed to do something about it when he'd supposedly taken care of the issue less than an hour ago.

The only thing that could really help him right now was sleep, but even that was difficult when he had so much on his mind.

It was only after he'd stepped back from the situation with his classmates that he realized just how dangerous their plan really was. No matter how things panned out, they was promised a losing situation. If the plan went as they had projected, they would be caught lying to several important figures as well as the legal system, and Izuku would be put on trial in a case he was almost certain he couldn't win. If the plan failed, then Izuku would be caught betraying the League, and everyone he loved would die.

Even worse, the first plan ran off the assumption that Izuku could actually be cured, something he didn't believe was entirely possible in any scenario.

Izuku found himself strongly and painfully regretting his choice, especially after he thought of what his lack of involvement would've entailed. Surely Bakugou would've died, but after how the two had interacted last night, Izuku would certainly prefer that to putting Uraraka at risk.

Uraraka, who had somehow still believed in him after everything. Uraraka, who had hugged him even knowing what he'd done. Uraraka, who had, infuriatingly enough, reignited his failing will to live, even if only for a second.

He hadn't deserved even any of what she'd done, but she'd still done it, and despite being incredibly heartwarming under different circumstances, her efforts were, in this situation, incredibly aggravating.

They'd given Izuku hope, and now he was going to pay for it in blood. Whether it was his own or his friend's remained to be seen.

He could just pretend last night had never happened. He could go back and kill Bakugou, pretending that the whole Uraraka situation had just been a misunderstanding. Or, at this point, he could probably even admit his guilt as long as he went back to finish what he'd started. But then, the remainder of last night's escapade could always just tell the media his secret. He'd given away important leverage in a moment of emotional weakness, and now it seemed there was no going back.

Besides, there was always the moral dilemma of every situation to consider. If he went back on his word with his friends, they would never trust him again. They'd actually know for certain that he was the psycho he outwardly portrayed himself as, and despite being correct the realization would hurt both parties regardless.

Of course Izuku couldn't stop at weighing the measurable effects of his actions, he just had to think about their abstract ones too. He had always been empathetic, but only in this new life was he realizing what a glaring weakness it was.

Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming urge to just give up, to stop caring and finally throw in the towel. Sure his empathy was what made him human, but if this was what it did to him, was being human even worth it in the first place?

He frowned, suddenly recalling Uraraka's pleading eyes from the night before. Their depth, their emotion. Their seeming inability to see him for what he was. It reminded him far too much of someone he'd been trying to forget. Or remember. It was hard to tell, as split as he was.

Almost methodically, he pulled the small knife out from between his bed frame an mattress, squinted as it reflected the dull sunlight streaming in through his window.

Being human was still worth it. And it would be for as long as he could remember.

Maybe it wasn't the empathy that made him human after all. It was the guilt.