Unto the Breach

by SensiblyTainted

Izuku Midoriya's mother is afraid he will be taken away due to the rarity of psychic quirks and teaches him to keep it secret. But Izuku needs help saving the people in his visions and asks Katsuki Bakugou to help him. He finds out Kaachan has a secret, too - he's being abused. An unshakable friendship is born. By high school, their feelings grow. Can their love survive UA?

36. Chapter 36

A/N: I loved all the tattoo ideas, guys! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Really! I hope you guys know how much it means to me that you take the time to give me feedback and ideas. I couldn't write this story without you! XD

…

The Internships: Katsuki

Katsuki sat up from the slump he'd fallen into as he sat crunched in the hospital chair. He could hear Izuku on his crutches coming toward the door. Aizawa entered first on much quieter feet. Katsuki shot an annoyed glare at Todoroki. How had the bastard heard their teacher coming earlier? Aizawa was quieter than a fucking cat! Then his attention was taken by Izuku swinging in.

"He's getting the operation," Izuku announced with a bright smile. "The doctors said the surgery could take up to four hours." He sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed and fumbled the crutches before leaning them against the bed frame.

Aizawa's long hair was tangled and he looked more exhausted than ever, but his dark eyes were warm with sincerity as he reached out and put his hand on Izuku's head. "Thank you again, Midoriya," he said softly.

Izuku blushed, smiling happily. "I'm glad I could help."

Aizawa nodded and took his hand back. "How are you two holding up?" he asked, looking carefully first at Todoroki and then Katsuki.

"We're fine," Katsuki answered for both of them. Todoroki gave a single nod.

Aizawa leveled a suddenly serious look at all of them. "I want you to know I'm sorry I couldn't be more help to you tonight. I'm really proud of your your teamwork. It was phenomenal. Even Iida did his part in the end, and you caught the Hero Killer. That is no small task. Heroes will now be more prepared when they face him. You've done an incredible thing."

Katsuki felt something warm wash through him at all the praise. Still, it wasn't fully deserved. With a determined look he shared with the other two, he said, "We did okay, but we'll get even better. We're nowhere near done."

Aizawa actually smiled, his whole expression softening. "I look forward to seeing that." Then growing more serious, he said, "I have a few phone calls I have to make. Stay here. I'll be right back." And he left them as quietly as he'd come.

Katsuki really wanted to learn how to move like that.

"I need some paper," Izuku suddenly said and reached for his crutches like an idiot.

Katsuki grabbed hold of them with a frown. "Sit the fuck down. Your ankle must hurt like a bitch. Don't think I don't know you denied the lidocaine because you wanted to punish yourself. That excuse about not wanting to be out of it was bullshit. It was just a local."

Instead of deflecting or some shit like that, Izuku actually met his eyes. Katsuki went still, caught by the resolution he saw in them.

"I'm sorry." Izuku put a hand over Katsuki's where it rested on the crutches. "You're right. I was being stupid. It didn't feel stupid at the time, but after what you said and talking to Iida, I really getit. He was denying that operation, thinking it was justice or punishment after what he'd done. That his damaged hand would remind him of the cost of revenge and anger. And I finally saw it, how that way of thinking looks from the outside. I finally understood what you were trying to tell me."

Izuku leaned forward intently, looking deeply into Katsuki's eyes. In that moment, it was just the two of them. "I'm sorry, Kacchan. I'm sorry it took me so long to understand. I promise I do get it now. It might or might not have have been better if this quirk had gone to someone else. I'll never know. What I do know is that there are people who will die if I give up." Taking a deep breath, green eyes shining, Izuku lifted his chin in defiance. "I made my choice. I'm not going to keep looking back. I'm going to give it everything I've got, and I'm going to be a hero. With you."

Heart pounding in his throat, Katsuki reached up, grabbing the back of Izuku's neck to pull him forward so their foreheads rested together. "Damn straight, Deku," he rasped, grinning like a fool. "And don't you fucking forget it."

Izuku's answering smile was bright and tears sparkled in his eyes. "Thank you, Kacchan. So much. For believing in me. For helping me. I just… I love you so much."

Katsuki huffed a laugh and released him. "Idiot. It works both ways." Looking intently into Izuku's shimmering green eyes, he asked seriously, "You know that, right?"

Izuku smiled and brushed away the few tears that had escaped down his cheeks. "Yeah."

Katsuki knew it wasn't true. Izuku had no fucking idea how much he'd helped Katsuki. How it had been Izuku's voice alone that had saved him from believing his mother's hateful words. Izuku didn't understand that he had savedhim.

To this day, Katsuki could hear his mother's voice tell him he was trash, that he would only ever be trash. There were times when he could still feel the bite of the belt against his too cold skin. And whenever that happened, Izuku's voice was right there shouting it down, telling him he was alreadya hero. That his quirk could save and protect as much as it could destroy.

Beyond that, Izuku would never be able to understand how much he inspired Katsuki. How watching Izuku get back up again and again after reality fucking shattered him pushed Katsuki to do the same and surpass his own limits.

Izuku would never understand how heroic he was. Because despite how much his visions hurt him, he would never choose to end them. He would never abandon those people to their horrible deaths, and he would do whatever it took to save them. Even if that meant pushing his body to the breaking point again and again so that he could contain All Might's power. So as much as Izuku tortured himself over accepting One for All, he was incapable of making any other choice. That was the kind of hero Izuku was.

"You're a goddamn idiot sometimes," Katsuki said lightly, shaking his head. "But I fucking love you anyway."

Izuku blushed, looking stupidly happy at hearing those words.

Katsuki was going to tease him some more when he caught sight of movement from the corner of his eye. Todoroki was politely trying to ignore them, but Katsuki caught the edges of the teen's smile. He flashed a glare at the candy cane wannabe before looking back to Izuku.

"What the hell do you need paper for, anyway?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Iida's still struggling with his anger," Izuku explained, expression growing hard with determination. "He wanted to remember what giving into his rage could cost others. I suggested that instead of keeping the injury, which might make it difficult for him to save someone someday, we should get tattoos to remind us."

Katsuki felt his eyebrows shoot up.

Izuku spoke quickly, trying to convince him. "I know my fear will come back and fill me with doubt no matter how strong I feel right now, and I think it could really help us both remember our conviction and to remind us not to give in to our darkness. I think it will also help remind us both that hurting ourselves isn't the answer."

"A tattoo…" Todoroki said in awe. "Would your mother let you get one?"

Tattoos weren't socially acceptable throughout most of Japan. For many years only criminals wore them. Of course, times were changing and people were growing more interested in them as tattoos grew more popular in the West.

Izuku nodded. "I think so. Once I explain everything to her." His tone became insistent as he tried to make them understand. "I know it's unorthodox, but I really don't think anything else will be as effective. It starts so slowly. The doubts." His hand subconsciously tightened around Katsuki's and he tilted his chin down so that his wavy bangs hid his eyes from view. "It's like a whisper at first. It seems so reasonable, and before I know it, I'm questioning everything, and its so hard to keep going on."

His voice resonated with pain, his words tumbling from his trembling lips. "My mom - what she said to me - I mean, I knew she didn't want me to be a hero, that it worried her that I'd get hurt, but she never said it was because she thought I wasn't good enough. When she said that, all the old doubts and fears came back. I felt small and weak and lost like I did for most of my life. It felt like there was no point in trying. I was always going to fail someone and get people hurt. Get you hurt."

Izuku's head came up, his eyes shining with a bravery that took Katsuki's breath away. "But I can see that fear for what it is now. A possibility and not a reality! With help, I can banish that future for good. I've made my choice, and I'm not going to let that fear hold me back anymore! Because listening to that fear, giving in to it, is what will make it come true!"

Determined, he took Katsuki's hands in his. "A bracelet or a necklace or a ring - It wouldn't be the same. Those can be lost or broken. They can be taken off and thrown away in a fit of despair. But a tattoo would become a part of me. Something I can never lose or have taken from me. It would help me remember the fear doesn't matter. What really matters is the people who need help. The people I can save."

Izuku met Katsuki's eyes, a profound trust shining in their emerald depths. "And more importantly, it will remind me that I'm not alone to do it. So when I feel the darkness whispering again, I'll remember that all I have to do is reach out." He included Todoroki in this, giving the teen a watery smile. "I have Kacchan and you, Todoroki, and everyone in class 1-A. What I can't do… Wecan do together."

Todoroki came off his chair and put his hand over Izuku's and Katsuki's. "We're stronger together than alone," he agreed.

"I'm still the fucking best," Katsuki muttered and grinned when Izuku rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright! We're stronger together." He pulled away from them and got to his feet. "I'll go get Izuku his fucking paper. It's getting too sappy in here." But he reached out and squeezed Izuku's wrist before he turned.

Izuku smiled, his eyes warm with understanding.

…

Over the next four hours, Katsuki dozed to the sound of Izuku's pencil scratching softly at the paper Katsuki had found at a nursing station. Glasses returned from surgery, wheeled in barely conscious on a gurney. With him came the police who had finally arrived to take their statements.

Aizawa hovered in the corner, refusing to leave them unsupervised with anyone, even the police. It wasn't like with Katsuki's mom. There was no suspicious stares and no tricks to trick him into saying something incriminating. There was ample evidence that Endeavor had been actively hunting the Hero Killer and was the first to engage. The rest was just self-defense.

It was another story for Glasses. The idiot had more answers to give and may even face some kind of punishment for going AWOL and going after the Hero Killer alone, but that wasn't Katsuki's business. All he cared about was that Izuku, Todoroki, and him were off the hook.

They had just gotten done with the police when Endeavor's top sidekick showed up to take them back to the agency. Aizawa had given both Katsuki and Todoroki a serious look, telling them, "You can end the internships if you don't feel up to this. No one would think poorly of you, but…" Katsuki felt his spine straighten as he felt the gravity in his teacher's eyes. "Being a hero isn't just about fighting criminals. This would be a good opportunity for you to see how an agency functions in a time of crisis."

"We'll go," Todoroki had answered for the both of them.

Katsuki had nodded his agreement.

So they had gone with Endeavor's number one sidekick, Moe Kamiji, aka Burnin. She was relatively young, only twenty-five, but she had worked at Endeavor's agency longer than anyone else.

Endeavor was famous for having a high turnover rate of his sidekicks. He currently had thirty, but many of them only stayed a year or two before branching out to start their own agencies or moving on to work with other heroes. Burnin was the single exception to that rule. She had entered Endeavor's agency straight out of UA at age eighteen and she never left. She was well respected by everyone in the agency and served as Endeavor's right-hand man.

In person, Burnin was certainly impressive. Her hair flickered and flared around her head like pale yellow flames. She wore a grey jacket that fell to mid-thigh. She had on black stockings with huge circles cut out revealing her outer and inner thighs. The look emphasized her curvy figure, but Katsuki wasn't fooled. She had a lot of muscle under those curves.

Her collar, belt, and wrist guards were black with a small red line through the middle of them. Her belt also had a temperature gauge on the front and a fire extinguisher on the back, and she had on short black combat boots. Her face mask was black, similar to that of Katsuki's, covering only the top half of her face. It was held in place by its connection to a red headband she wore in her hair.

She had big, orange eyes and pointy teeth, which she flashed as she picked them up. She was only five foot six inches tall, which was two inches shorter than Katsuki and about Izuku's height, but she owned the room as soon as she entered.

"Things aren't pretty right now," Burnin said darkly, hands on her round hips. She spoke with almost military-like precision. "The filth on the streets will sense our weakness and crime will spike. We have to stay sharp! Communication is key in times like these. I have sidekicks working on arranging Endeavor's transport back to the agency." She zeroed in on Todoroki. "Your sister has already been informed. She's taken over preparations for the funeral. She's asked us to bring you home to help." Her eyes flicked to Katsuki. "In the meantime, it's our job to make our presence known on the streets and do patrols. Show those bastards that Endeavor's Agency hasn't fallen apart and is still a power to be feared! So gear up. There will be no hand-holding and coddling from here on out. You don't like it, then there's the door." She pointed sharply to the open doorway.

Katsuki met her eyes and didn't move.

"Alright, you newbies." She flashed a vicious, sharp-toothed grin. "We've got work to do. Let's go."

They left by helicopter with no time to say goodbye. Burnin spread out maps on the floor of the copter and had them crouch over them. She marked the boundary of Endeavor's territory, pointed out the nearby police stations and smaller hero agencies, and then drew out the patrol routes. There were ten.

The sidekicks would rotate between patrols and desk duty, which involved screening requests from citizens as well as the police and completing paperwork. Patrols were always to be done in pairs or threes. Some moved in clockwise patterns while others had a counterclockwise pattern. It was complex and intricate. If any part failed, the whole system would crumble.

"We already have people from the media ringing the phone off the hook," Burnin yelled over the roar of the helicopter motor. "They want to know if Endeavor Agency will be dissolved or if help will be called in. Endeavor was the number two hero. The size of his territory reflects that. The civilians in that territory are frightened, worried they aren't safe. Everyone's demanding answers. If you were only a little closer to graduation, Shoto, we could've held it for you, but none of us, not even me, could keep up Endeavor's pace for the two and a half years it will take for you to graduate."

A brief moment of pain flashed in her eyes before her reckless grin was back. "That man never slept, I swear! He'd patrol ten hours a day by himself and never failed to push out any other hero agency who tried to move in. All the while he still solved crimes and traveled to disaster areas when he was requested."

Her expression turned serious. Her orange eyes seemed to glow at Todoroki in the gloom of oncoming night. "The best we can do is keep the core of your father's territory, but we will need other agencies to take the rest. Endeavor built this agency from the ground up. He made himself number two without any help from anyone. You're his masterpiece, Shoto. It will be up to you to reclaim your father's glory and show the world that his strength lives on."

As Todoroki stared back at her, eyes cold and unemotional, Katsuki was so disgusted he could spit! Burnin was blinded by her worship of Endeavor. She'd lost sight of the fact that Endeavor was a human being with weaknesses and flaws. Big ass ones! And that inability to see reality for the fantasy disgusted Katsuki. She was a grown-ass woman, and she was holding on to her hero-worship like an elementary school kid. Pathetic!

Burnin noticed his glare, of course. She gave him a sneer, her eyes challenging him, but Katsuki wasn't stupid. This wasn't the time or place to punch her dumbass face in. So with a sneer of his own, he looked away and braced himself for the helicopter's landing.

They touched down on the roof of Endeavor's skyscraper and Burnin leapt out, striding to the door without looking back. Katsuki followed with Todoroki. Riding the elevator down to the ground floor, they stepped out into chaos, but it was a controlled chaos. Sidekicks ran around with purpose. The phone was ringing nonstop. The lobby was full of anxious people.

"What d'we have?" Burnin asked as she rounded the reception desk.

A sidekick in all black except for the image of flames rising from his ankles and up his legs answered immediately. "Averaging two arrests per patrol, ma'am. Three off duty police are supporting us and helping answer calls. Media is still waiting for a statement."

Burning nodded. "Alright. Who's up for patrol next?"

"Ember and Blaze."

Burnin turned her orange eyes on Katsuki. "Have Ember take the intern as support. I'll take Shoto home so he can check in with his family."

The sidekick saluted. "Yes, ma'am!" He gave Katsuki a smile. "Come on. Ember's in the locker room getting geared up."

Katsuki followed.

The locker room was next to the little cafeteria. The sidekick who'd been manning the reception desk when they'd first arrived sat on the bench pulling on an orange costume. The friendly smile from earlier was gone, replaced by a dark scowl.

"Ember, Burnin said you're to take the kid with you."

Ember looked up, blue eyes flat with anger. "Yeah?" A dark smile spread across his face. "Fine by me."

Katsuki crossed his arms and leaned against the locker, waiting. Ember finished buckling his boot and stood up. He was a good three inches taller than Katsuki and leanly muscled. A female sidekick in a black and yellow costume came around the corner. Her eyes were red-rimmed.

"The baby's tagging along," Ember told her.

She nodded. "We're behind schedule. Let's get a move on."

Katsuki followed them as they made their way to an exit door that let them out into the alley behind Endeavor's building. They turned left and marched at a steady pace.

"Keep up or you'll be sitting desk duty for the rest of the week," Ember threatened with a glare.

Katsuki glared back. "I'll keep up," he promised.

Before they had gone a block, five people had stopped them to ask about the agency or to demand details on how Endeavor had died. Ember told them that they were currently on patrol and they should stay alert for a media announcement this evening. Katsuki was impressed. Every time they were stopped by gossipy idiots, Katsuki wanted to growl, but Ember kept his cool and calmly repeated the memorized sound-bite.

Two hours later, they were on the last leg of their patrol when Ember got a call. "On it," the sidekick said sharply and hung up the phone. He began to run, Blaze and Katsuki following close behind him. No one tried to stop the sprinting heroes as they charged down the street. It wasn't long before Katsuki could hear the siren. They turned a corner and saw a jewelry store with the glass windows shattered inward.

"Primus, go around the back," Ember ordered. "We'll send the civilians your way. Get them to a safe location and protect them. Don't let them leave. The police will want their statements."

Katsuki snarled, hands itching to blow up a villain, but he didn't argue. He sprinted down an alley and careened around the back. He found a door to the jewelry store. He tore it open. Only a few seconds later, he saw a terrified man in a suit come running down the hallway.

"This way," he barked and held the door open. "Stay close to me." Two women, an old man, and another man in a suit came running out. "Is this all of you?" he demanded.

"Yes," one of the woman said through her tears. "This is all of us."

Katsuki slammed the door shut and placed a blast strategically over the hinges. The door warped in the frame, denting inward with a loud CRUNCH. The women screamed and one of the men bolted down the alley. Katsuki cursed under his breath, but he'd achieved his goal. The door wasn't coming open without extreme force.

"Hey! Get back here!" he yelled after the man. Glaring at the terrified people from the jewelry store, he told them to go to the end of the alley and wait for him, then sending blasts from his hands, he flew after the idiot who'd run away. He caught him in a second and tackled him to the ground. "I said stop running, asshole!"

The man stared up at him wildly, breathing hard.

"The police have a few questions for you," Katsuki growled and lowered his face to the idiot's. "You're going to answer them. Aren't you?"

The man nodded frantically.

Glaring, Katsuki climbed off the coward and took him back to the others. They were all waiting where he'd said. He stood guard by them. It took ten minutes before Ember and Blaze subdued the villain and another five for a police officer to spot them and come over. Katsuki gave his statement and went to find Ember.

The sidekick was at the front of the store talking to a cop. He had a busted up eye and a split lip. Blood dribbled down his chin, staining his costume. Tied up at his feet was a villain with burns and singed clothes. He was struggling like mad but couldn't get loose.

"Where's Blaze?" Katsuki asked, ignoring the screaming villain at his feet.

Ember jerked his head to the side and Katsuki saw the girl sitting on the curb. An EMT was with her, shining a light in her eyes. Half of her face was covered in blood and her arm was clearly broken.

"She got hit by a falling beam. The villain punched a wall trying to get away, and half the ceiling came down on our heads. Must have been a load bearing wall." Ember sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "She'll be taking the ambulance to the hospital. Head wounds can be nasty."

While Ember finished up with the police, Katsuki waited with his arms crossed, glowering at the gawkers who had stopped to see the action. None of them dared approach him to ask about Endeavor or the agency. Finally, the hero came back to collect him.

"Come on. We still have to finish the patrol."

Katsuki followed, glad to be away from the crowd. Fortunately, the rest of their patrol passed peacefully. They returned to the agency and hit the showers in the locker room. Katsuki pulled on jeans and a t-shirt, his costume too filthy by this point to put back on. One of the cleaners employed by Endeavor's Agency assured him it would be cleaned within the hour. Katsuki was placed at a desk and Ember turned on the computer.

"What's this?" he asked, irritated.

"You've got three hours of desk duty to put in and then we'll do one more patrol," Ember said with a smile. "Even a baby like you can handle it. Just answer emails and the phone using this script." A bound stack of papers was dropped in front of him. "If a question comes up that isn't in the script, come find me before answering. Enjoy!" And he walked away.

Katsuki scowled at the computer screen, opened the script, and got to work.

There were emails reporting extortion and asking for more patrols in their area, several requests asking Endeavor to speak at special functions, dozens of sob stories about sick kids wanting to meet Endeavor in person, and at least one hundred arson cases where someone wanted Endeavor to figure out what started the fire. There were even a few missing person reports. Katsuki's eyes widened when he even read two anonymous requests for Endeavor to burn down a building or two. For "righteous" reasons, of course.

He was falling asleep at the desk when three hours later Ember came by to collect him for another patrol. Katsuki drank down the bitter coffee the sidekick gave him and changed back into his now cleaned hero costume. It was nearing midnight, so the streets were blessedly quiet. They didn't run into any trouble.

Katsuki walked into the room he'd been assigned and didn't even make it to the bedroom. He collapsed on the couch and passed out.

…

An alarm jerked him out of sleep. Katsuki was on his feet, hands up and sparking, before he was fully conscious. "The fuck?!" he snarled and stormed to his door. A guy was rushing past and Katsuki grabbed his arm. "The fuck is happening?" he demanded.

"I heard Endeavor's kid is losing it on the top floor," the guy told him and yanked away. "He's burning everything!"

"Shit." Katsuki ran to the elevator. He slammed his fist against the call button. It took forever, but the doors finally opened.

"What floor?" the female robot requested.

"Top floor," he ground out.

"You don't have access," the robot told him politely.

Katsuki glared at the corner he knew had to have a camera. "Get me to the top floor so I can calm the bastard down."

Thirty seconds. Then forty. Just before Katsuki was about to lose his shit, the robot voice said, "Access granted."

"About damn time," he snarled and crossed his arms as the elevator rapidly accelerated all the way to the top floor of the high rise.

The doors opened and a wave of heat and light hit him in the face. The huge office didn't have much to burn, but everything that could was on fire. The curtains that hung beside the huge windows, the desk and chair, the potted plants strategically placed around the room - They were all burning furiously. Smoke hung dense and heavy over his head, but the ceiling was so high it wasn't a danger yet. Todoroki stood screaming in the middle of the destruction, his left side awash in flame, streams of fire pouring from his outstretched hand.

Burnin was sitting on her ass, her face etched with utter shock as she watched Todoroki fall apart. Katsuki grabbed the tablet from the woman's limp hand. A video was on the screen and Katsuki pushed replay. Stain appeared. The image quality wasn't great, but it was unmistakably the Hero Killer. He was standing over a lump that had to be Endeavor. His voice came tinny but just as obsessed over the small speaker as he denounced heroes and accused them of all being fake. A woman appeared on the screen. She was in some kind of home studio and had a red cloth wrapped around her forehead.

"Details of Stain's victims have been purposefully kept from the public. They don't want us to know the truth! That Stain's mission is actually Just! I've been digging around and found out Native has a huge gambling problem, and his agency has been helping to pay off his debts for years! Is that what our money is going to? Pick-Ax was a secret drug addict! Two people died on one of his missions because he was so high he made mistakes! And as for Endeavor, this wife hasn't been seen in almost ten years! We all know the hero was famous for his temper, what if…"

Katsuki dropped the tablet in Burnin's lap. He'd seen enough. "Hey!" he yelled and strode forward.

"I hate him!" Todoroki roared. He spun to face Katsuki, his two-colored eyes wild with fury. "I HATE HIM!"

"So the fuck do I!" Katsuki said, unimpressed, and crossed his arms. "You don't see me blowing shit up!"

"HE TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" Todoroki screamed in anguish. Fire flared from his left side, the heat was overwhelming. Katsuki was drenched in sweat already. "Mother! My brother! My childhood! And he died before I could show him! Show him how horrible he was! HE DIED BEFORE HE PAID US BACK!"

Katsuki grimaced and let his arms fall. "Shit, Shoto," he said tiredly. "You think that asshole was ever going to say sorry? You think he could ever make it right?"

"I know that!" Todoroki snapped. The flames erupting from his body sputtered and went out. Tears instantly flooded the teen's eyes and coursed down his cheeks. "I know he wouldn't," he said again and sank to his knees. "I thought…" Arms wrapped around his chest, he looked up at Katsuki in agony. Flames still burned around the room, crackling and consuming the furniture hungrily. "I thought mother would come home. Once he was gone. I thought we'd be safe and happy, but she had a panic attack when I told her she could leave the hospital."

Katsuki went forward and sat heavily on the floor next to his friend. He ruffled his blond hair in frustration, not knowing what to say.

Todoroki grabbed his hand tightly, painful words tumbling from his trembling lips. "Natsuo came home. I thought…" Todoroki's words hitched on a sob. "I thought we could finally be a family. I told him he could come back, but he said he'd rather die than live in that house. I asked where Toya was… Fuyumi, she said… She said father killed him ten years ago. Burned him so badly during training that he died. My brother died and no one told me!"

Rage burned in Katsuki's veins. He remembered what it felt like to be at his mother's feet. His chest caving in, unable to breathe, and only seeing hatred in her eyes.

"Father told the police that Toya's quirk went unstable. That it was an accident," Todoroki sneered hatefully. "But it was Father! It was Father! He killed him and lied and everyone believed him because he was the number two hero! He put mother in the hospital and sent Fuyumi and Natsuo away! He killed Toya! He made me train until I puked, until I thought I was going to die! And no one stopped him! NO ONE SAVED US! He hurt us so much and NO ONE CARED!" He flung his hand out at the tablet in Burnin's lap. "And now, because of Stain, they want answers. They want to know what Endeavor really was. AND I CAN'T TELL THEM THE TRUTH!"

"Why the fuck not?" Katsuki demanded.

"You don't understand," Burnin said dully. She had tears streaking her own cheeks. Her hands shook so badly they jumped and spasmed in her lap. "People will be terrified if they find out. They'll turn on all heroes. They won't know who to trust."

Katsuki gave her a cold look.

"I'm not trying to protect Endeavor," she snapped, her glare returning as her hair flared around her head. "The League of Villains is no joke. They infiltrated UA and attacked the USJ! Look what happened at Hosu!"

"What's that got to do with this?" Katsuki demanded hotly.

"Something really bad is coming. People are on edge right now, and with Stain's video gaining popularity people are already losing faith in the heroes and the police." Burnin's expression turned pleading. "There's a bigger picture. Going public about Endeavor right now would do a lot of damage."

"Maybe it's not a bad thing that people look closer at their heroes," Katsuki argued, furious at this bullshit. "Maybe the League has so much traction because people have gotten lazy and complacent."

"I hear you." Burnin climbed clumsily to her feet. "But tearing everything down the moment before a national crisis isn't the answer! People are going to get hurt, Bakugo!" She looked down at the tablet. "Endeavor wasn't the hero I thought he was," she said tearfully and looked up. "But Shoto can be."

Todoroki stood there panting, his head hanging, sweat dripping down his face. Flames flickered into life around the left side of his face over the horrible burn scar. He was trembling - with pain, with rage. Katsuki made a disgusted sound.

"That's the kind of thinking that got us into this sorry fucking state to begin with." Rage, hot and powerful, pumped in his veins. "You think hiding the truth is the fucking answer? We're fucking heroes! We don't need people to cheer for us or worship at our fucking feet! So what if it makes us unpopular for a minute? It won't stop us from doing our job!"

Burnin leapt to her feet, stormed over, and grabbed Katsuki by the shirt, yanking him to his feet. She pulled his face close to hers. "You ignorant little shit! That fancy costume you're wearing? And the school you attend for free? And the paycheck you're looking to get when you graduate? All that comes from the people, you moron! Heroes can't function without the government and the people's support! The criminals will only get stronger and more well funded as their reign of terror goes unchecked. The heroes will only grow less well equipped. It won't be long before heroes are killed by the dozens. That includes you and your friends! It's not impossible for criminals to be in charge, Bakugo. This safe little world you grew up in isn't a guarantee! Japan could descend into anarchy and chaos! Into some kind of feudal lord era once more! Just think what would happen if quirk laws disappeared! You really want that to happen?"

Katsuki hit her arm, knocking it away. Voice low and dangerous, he said coldly, "So you want Todoroki to go out there and tell the world that the asshole who abused him was a great father? Just to keep the people complacent? Because you're scared that a little conflict will completely demolish society as we know it? Is society really that weak!? What the hell kind of world are you protecting?"

"Stop." Todoroki's voice was quiet, but it was hard as steel. Katsuki and Burnin both turned to look at him. Lifting his head, he met their eyes. "Stain is a serial killer, and it is our duty as heroes to stop him. He may have been right in his judgement of my father, but he wasn't right about others." Todoroki's fists clenched and he said with a conviction that Katsuki only ever heard from Izuku. "I will not reinforce his conviction that he is right to act as judge and executioner, but as soon as Stain is captured, I will tell the truth about Endeavor. I will not allow myself to become a part of the manipulation and corruption that is infecting our society."

Burnin gave a nod, tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Shoto."

"Well, shit." Katsuki's shoulders dropped. "Looks like you made up your mind."

Todoroki gave an exhausted smile. He looked at the office burning around him and ice spread from his foot. It swiftly coated everything, smothering the fires and putting them out. He swayed, near collapse.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Katsuki grabbed his friend by the wrist. "You can crash in my room."

Todoroki followed without argument.

Burnin didn't say anything as they walked past her. She stood facing the destroyed room, the tablet hanging from her hand, her shoulders slumped with defeat.

Todoroki slumped against the elevator wall as they rode it back down to the third level. Katsuki watched him, a frown on his face. He wasn't sure he agreed with his friend's decision, but it wasn't his to make.

They passed two people in the hall. They both looked at Todoroki like he would explode any minute. Katsuki shot them threatening glares and they quickly scampered away. "You want something to eat? Drink? The room came stocked with the basics," he said, shutting the door behind him.

"I just want to sleep," Todoroki answered, voice flat.

Katsuki led the way to the bedroom. "I got a t-shirt and some sweatpants you can sleep in." He was already in sweats and a tank top, having been pulled out of bed by the sound of the alarm.

As Todoroki used the bathroom to change, he grabbed the extra blanket from the small bedroom closet and swiped a pillow from the bed. He dumped them on the couch. Todoroki came out of the bathroom. His eyes were red-rimmed and he looked exhausted, but his eyes were clear.

"Hey, Bakugo," he said softly. "Think Midoriya can draw up another tattoo?"

Katsuki tilted his head. "You know he can."

Todoroki nodded. "I just… I don't want to forget. I'm not stupid. I know how easy it is to start telling lies, to start telling yourself it's for the best. I know how hard it is to stop once you start." His arms came up to wrap around his chest. He looked smaller and younger out of his school uniform and hero costume. "I don't want to become like them. All the adults who get so lost thinking they're doing good while they lie and hurt others for their own convenience. I don't want to forget how much the truth matters."

"I won't let you forget," Katsuki promised with a challenging grin. "I'd kick your ass 'til you came to your senses."

Todoroki's expression softened with a laugh. "Thanks."

Expression turning serious, Katsuki said, "But yeah. Text Izuku what you'd like and he'll sketch a few things for you."

A sudden yawn overtook Todoroki and he stumbled toward the couch.

Katsuki held up his hand. "No. You're taking the bed. I gotta get up in an hour for patrol anyways."

Todoroki bowed his head contritely. "I"m sorry. You must be exhausted."

Katsuki glared at him. "Are you calling me weak? I'm fucking fine. Now get your ass into bed before you fall over."

"Of course you are." Todoroki shook his head and obediently took the bedroom.

Katsuki fell face first onto the couch and buried his face into his pillow, but thirty minutes later there was a knock on his door. Katsuki looked at his watch, saw he still could have slept another twenty minutes, and muttered something foul under his breath.

He swung the door open with a furious scowl only to freeze. A young woman stood on the other side. She had white hair with hints of red that fell past her shoulders and big grey eyes. She looked almost exactly like Todoroki's mother.

"Good morning," she said in a soft voice. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'm looking for my brother Shoto."

"Come in," Katsuki said grudgingly and held the door open wider. "He's asleep in the bedroom. I'll get him."

She stepped inside, her hands folded demurely before her. "I'm sorry if he gave you trouble last night. I heard he started a fire."

"The office was hideous anyway," Katsuki said with a shrug. He slipped past her and headed to the bedroom. "And you don't have to be fucking sorry for everything." He opened his bedroom door and leaned inside. Todoroki was burrowed under the covers, only the top of his head showing. "Your sister's here."

The teen mumbled something and shifted under the blankets.

Katsuki scowled. "Hey, shithead, you up?"

"M'up," came a muffled answer.

Katsuki went back to the living room. Fuyumi was standing by the couch, clearly unsure if she should sit on it with the blankets flung across it. Katsuki snorted and went over to her. He pulled the blankets off and dropped them in the corner before heading to the kitchen.

"You want tea or something?"

"That would be lovely," she answered with a smile. "One for Shoto, too, if you have enough."

Katsuki scratched the back of his calf with the opposite foot as he turned the electric water heater on. "Milk? Sugar?"

"None for either of us, thank you."

By the time the water boiled and he poured it into the waiting cups, Todoroki came out with his hair sticking up in all directions. He still looked half asleep. He sat next to his sister and accepted the hot cup of tea. Katsuki sat in an arm chair and watched them.

"I hate to get you up so early," Fuyumi said softly, "but we have that custody meeting today at seven thirty and I figured you'd want to shower and dress properly."

"Oh, yeah." Todoroki ran his hand through his hair. "Do you think there'll be any problems?"

"You're old enough to choose your own guardian and I have a clean record, so there should be no trouble."

"You're going to be Todoroki's guardian?" Katsuki asked curiously.

"I know I'm only seven years older than him, but we're family. Family should look out for each other." Fuyumi gave Katsuki another sweet smile. "Thank you for always looking after my little brother. You're always welcome at our home."

Katsuki shrugged and sipped his tea. "It's no problem."

"Did Natsuo leave?" Todoroki asked, frowning down at his cup.

"No," she reassured him, putting a hand on her brother's knee. "Not yet. Don't forget he's only nineteen. I'm taking custody of him as well, so he'll have to stay at least as long as it takes to get that finalized."

Todoroki looked happy to hear that. "I was hoping we could spend more time together."

Fuyumi reached over to smooth a lock of Todoroki's hair that was sticking up. "He wants that, too. You'll see. He'll be back more than you think."

Todoroki looked uncomfortable with the affectionate gesture. He cleared his throat and stood. "Thank you for the tea and letting me sleep here." He gave Katsuki a deep bow to show his gratitude.

Katsuki scowled. "Don't be stupid. It's your building, so this is all yours anyway."

Todoroki straightened, smiling at Katsuki's annoyance. "I am still grateful."

"We're fucking friends, aren't we? Cut that out," Katsuki snapped and stomped over to the door, opening it for them.

Fuyumi turned and gave him a bow before stepping into the hall. Katsuki inclined his head back, annoyed. He shut the door a little harder than he had to. There wasn't enough time to go back to sleep, so with a scowl he went to get dressed for the day.

…

Katsuki had been paired with Ember again, but the second sidekick he didn't know. He introduced himself as Blackfire. As his name suggested, he wore all black. Literally. He looked like an old fashion ninja. Even his face and head were covered with a black cowl and mask. He also apparently didn't like to talk. After saying his name, he didn't speak again for the rest of the patrol, which suited Katsuki just fine. He wasn't exactly the type to enjoy small talk.

The three of them walked an hour and a half north-east and were about to turn back toward the agency when they caught sight of suspicious movement in an alley. "Stay here," Ember snapped and made his way inside. Backfire followed at his heels.

Taking an aggressive stance, Ember called out, "This is the Endeavor Agency! State your business!"

"Just on my way home," a man's voice answered. He took a step out of the dim shadows. Katsuki could see he was in a suit, but it was wrinkled and stained, the tie hanging sloppily around his neck. His black hair hung greasily over his forehead and around his eyes. "Long night, long night," he said with a chummy smile.

"Who's that with you?" Ember demanded.

Katsuki couldn't see far enough in the alley to make out the second person.

"No one there," the man assured Ember. "Just the shadows. Been a long night, hasn't it?"

Katsuki straightened alertly as Ember yawned. The hero's posture slumped slightly. Blackfire back-stepped until he was beside Katsuki.

"Step in to the street so I can see you," Ember ordered, but the last words slurred almost drunkenly.

"Of course. Nothing going on here," the man said genially. He began to walk toward Ember. "I'm just heading home after working all night."

Ember sank to his knees.

Growling, Katsuki lifted his hand and activated his quirk. The BANG was sharp and loud, more sound than heat or force. It was enough to make Ember jump and the man to startle backward, his friendly expression melting into a threatening snarl.

"Freeze!" Ember yelled. "You're under arrest for illegal quirk use!"

The man took off running deeper down the alley.

"Call the police," Ember barked and took off after him. Backfire leapt upward and disappeared onto the roof.

"Shit," Katsuki spat.

He fucking hated this internship bullshit. He wasn't allowed to help with anything. Without a hero license, his job was to observe and support only. He dialed the police, gave a concise explanation of what he'd seen and gave their location. A can of coffee hit him in the back. He spun to see a college-aged man with three buddies standing across the street.

"Stop pretending to be a hero!" the asshole spat.

"Endeavor's trash!" one of the other ones called.

Katsuki noticed they all wore red scarves. Burnin wasn't exaggerating when she said the people were now crazy about the Hero Killer. What fucking idiots. Empty of any original thought, they were spewing whatever rhetoric that caught their fancy. They had no real conviction. No idea about the realities of the world yet they thought they had the right to make judgements, to fucking condemn him just because Katsuki worked at Endeavor's Agency.

Katsuki's glare went nova with rage and they quickly made their way down the street, pounding each other's backs as if they had fucking accomplished something. Katsuki swallowed his anger and waited for the police. It didn't take them long. By the time Katsuki finished giving them his report, Ember was back.

"I lost him," he said with a frustrated growl. "Blackfire's going to keep looking, but we have to finish the patrol and head back."

Katsuki eyed Ember from the corner of his eye. The hero's expression was calm, but his hands stayed fisted at his sides for the rest of their patrol.

…

Katsuki cracked his neck and stood up from the computer. He'd been on email duty for three hours. It was all the same shit as yesterday, although there were fewer requests and more demands to know about Endeavor and the future of the agency. It was going on one in the afternoon and he had a one hour break for lunch before his last patrol.

Katsuki grabbed some rice and fried chicken from the cafeteria and found a corner table. Taking out his phone, he sent a text to Izuku, On break. How's it going? He'd eaten half his food by the time Izuku answered.

Izu

Hi, Kacchan!

Gran Torino is teaching me a lot about the way I think about my quirk

He's helped me with meditation, too. Toshinori isn't very good at that.

I can't wait to show you what I've learned

I think you'll be surprised

Katsuki smiled a bit.The weight sitting heavy in his chest suddenly felt a little lighter.

Izu

How's Todoroki?

He texted me earlier about a tattoo

.

Katsuki

It's pretty messy over here

People're treating Stain as some kind of hero

Ran into a group wearing red scarves today

Fucking idiots

Because of them Candy Cane can't tell

the fucking truth about you know who

.

Rage surged in his chest, burning so hot that Katsuki shoved the rest of his food away. Jesus, the world really pissed him off.

There was a long pause before Izuku answered him, and he knew Izuku had a sense of how furious he really was.

Izu

I've seen a few people wearing them

We have to remember they don't represent everybody

Most people are just trying to live their lives peacefully

and are counting on heroes to help them do that

There're still people out there who're grateful for what heroes do

.

Katsuki knew Izuku was right, but he just didn't care about those faceless people the way Izu did. The masses were so fucking ungrateful and prone to petty evil, but when they needed help they were suddenly so fucking helpless and desperate. It pissed him off!

Katsuki's hand clenched around his phone as he felt the snap of the belt against his back as if someone standing behind him had swung full strength and hit him with it. He flinched hard enough that the table rattled as phantom pain bit sharply into his skin. It felt so fucking real!

You're no hero. You're a fucking villain, Katsuki. His mother's voice, cold and terrifying and so full of certainty. It's who you are.

He hadn't known it then, but the older he got the more Katsuki realized that his mother was right. He did have the propensity to become a villain. Truth was Katsuki didn't have Izu's bleeding heart or Todoroki's sense of duty, and he thought people in general were pathetic and weak and they pissed him off, which was very unheroic thinking, but his mom was also wrong because villains pissed Katsuki off even more, and Katsuki refusedto become one.

Katsuki

I'm going to want a tattoo too

.

Izu

Really?

.

Katsuki

I can't be the only one without one

No way I'll let you, Candy Cane, and Glasses be more badass than me

.

Izu

You'll always be more badass than us

Why really?

.

Because he didn't care that his mother was actually right! Didn't care about fucking fate! Villains thought they were strong just because they could hurt people. All they could do was break and destroy even with all the power they were always so fucking proud of. He wasn't going to become like that no matter the rage he had inside him. He was going to become a fucking hero!

So what if most of the people he saved were assholes and idiots who wouldn't even be grateful for long? Like he'd told Aizawa at the start of school he knew what true strength was. True strength was being able to protect something, and Katsuki had Izuku. Izuku — who tried so fucking hard and cared so fucking much — who experienced the darkest evils in the world and yet still believed in kindness — who knew about the violence and rage in Katsuki's heart and still looked at him with so much goddamn love and pride in his fucking eyes — Katsuki wouldprotect him.

And as much as Katsuki hated people in general, there werethose out there who deserved to be saved. Who were targeted simply because they were weak. To protect those people, to protect Izuku, Katsuki was going to fucking smashevery villain he fucking came across and show them how fucking pathetic they really were. And he had Todoroki now, too. Todoroki would need help reshaping society so that true justice existed for all. Even for heroes and their families. And in order to do that, in order to protect Izuku and stand by his friend, Katsuki was going to defy his fate and his rage and become the number one fucking hero in the whole goddamn world!

That's why he wanted the tattoo. Like Izu said, a tattoo couldn't be taken or removed. It was a permanent reminder, and Katsuki never wanted to forget what he wanted to protect. Because if he did, he knew what his mother had seen would come true. His rage at the idiots and pathetic assholes of the world would win, and he'd become a villain.

No way could he put all that in a text, so after a long minute where Katsuki sat hunched over his phone, trying to slow his racing heart, he wrote a quick, Tell you later.

A pause.

.

Izu

Okay

Love you

.

A rush of warmth at Izuku's easy acceptance burned through him. God Katsuki loved him.

Chapter end.

Coming in the next chapter — The Internships: Izuku

A/N: I hope it's not getting boring. I promise next chapter will be the last about the internships.

.