My Dudes... I did finally decide to take the promotion that I was offered! That means I'll be working mostly mornings and then I'll also be a part-time manager at my other job so... Lots of work for way too little money. XD
Really I just want to watch Season 4 of MHA and get some more juicy ideas for my ongoing stories :)
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Call Me… Deku
Chapter 53
Bakugo, Shinso, and Hatsume sat quietly in Kirishima's room, the four of them taking a study break to watch the latest news alert. Everyone's eyes were more focused on Bakugo than the computer screen however, making the blonde sweatdrop.
"…This time it's at least fucking understandable…" he insisted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I'd beat the shit out of someone to get my mom out of house arrest too…"
Shinso somewhat nodded in agreement, though he unconsciously moved to sooth the second abdominal scar he'd received from Deku. "And it appears Kamui Woods will be alright…"
They all were silent for a time, none particularly wanting to call out Deku on the off chance that he might be listening to their conversation. Kirishima, however, couldn't help but stare at the side of Bakugo's head.
He'd heard all about the situation that had occurred following his quirk recovery and painfully remembered when he'd asked Bakugo if he still wanted to be a hero as he helped him move into the support course dorm.
The blonde had said that he wasn't sure, but that he'd told Deku that he wouldn't be a villain. Bakugo was a lot of things, but neutral certainly wasn't one of them. He'd likely end up being a hero or a villain without much of a gray area—if any at all.
"It sounds like you guys are going to join him…" Kirishima whispered. He tugged at the hem of his arm bandage, almost shuddering at the memory of how cold Todoroki had been; he didn't want to imagine what kind of personality changes could happen to Bakugo and Shinso. "I mean, he's asked you both to… and you have good reasons for agreeing…"
Shinso looked at the floor almost defeatedly before switching his gaze to Bakugo, almost as if he was pleading for a decision to be made for him. The blonde was equally as conflicted, however, and they both ended up shrugging.
"….. He said—" Kirishima started, pulling his knees up to his chest so that he could hide his face for a moment to collect himself. After several deep breaths and a prolonged silence, he lifted his tearful eyes back up and looked between the three people he was closest to. "Deku said that I'd owe him… f-for returning my q-quirk…"
"Do you have to join him?" Mei rasped nervously. Her voice was still hoarse from being strained so thoroughly during the attack and it didn't help that a new lump had formed in her throat from the newest information.
Kirishima shook his head and blew out a wet, tense breath. "I don't know what I have to do yet… He didn't tell me. I just… I wanted my quirk back so badly that I…"
"No one here is going to blame you for that shit, Eijiro," Bakugo stated firmly. "It was totally fucked that you had it taken in the first place and—Well, I don't actually know how much I can persuade Deku but if you really don't want to do whatever the hell it is he asks you to then I'll do my best to get you out of it."
"Heh…" Kirishima laughed half-heartedly, "I know you would bro, but that's kind of irrelevant. Even with my quirk back and Hatsume's tech… I'd be useless in a fight against Deku and if you guys join him too—"
"So, what? We should all just quit?" Hatsume nearly shrieked, looking between everyone incredulously. "We should all just give up because—"
"Mei, the only person in the world capable of taking on All For One was All Might himself and you saw how that ended." Shinso interrupted. "Now, Deku has that immense power and is building on it and if that wasn't enough, he has Shoto on his side."
"I know but—"
"He's right; Icy-Hot could have beaten me in the Sports Festival if he'd used the other half of his quirk," Bakugo added, cutting off Mei once more. "Pride be damned, he and I would be neck and neck if we both received adequate training—but that was before he had that quirk enhancement shit forced into him. We're outgunned in every fucking sense of the word."
"So, what? We join Deku because going against him is futile and suicidal?" Shinso questioned with a distinct bitterness to his voice.
"Or, we join because taking a direct stance against them won't fucking work but tempering their behavior from the inside might. As I said, I can't always persuade Deku to not be a total psychopath, but sometimes I can and maybe you could do the same for Shoto."
"And what about us, Katsuki?" Mei sniffled, looking back at Kirishima sadly. "We wouldn't be switching sides for the greater good… we'd be doing it because we wanted to save our own asses…"
The blonde tensed his jaw and returned his attention to the news screen, watching the police scramble to explain how Deku had bested them once again. He didn't have an answer for them.
Todoroki slowly approached the common area, begrudgingly doing the breathing exercises Kurogiri had suggested. The collar he wore was still heavy around his neck and he had multiple needle marks from the repeated shots it gave him, reminding him that it was necessary even if he hated it.
"I'll kill you!"
The dual user blinked before rolling his eyes, peaking in to find Toga brandishing her blade at Kurogiri. "And I'm told I'm the dangerous one…"
The warp gate rubbed his temples before turning around to grab an empty glass, quickly filling it with something strong and taking a deep sip before returning his attention back to Toga. "You won't even get close, now, please refrain from any more threats and eat."
Toga's face was redder than the hair on Todoroki's left side, her golden eyes gleaming as she looked between Kurogiri and the plate of food he'd placed in front of her. "I told you that I wanted potato chips with ketchup and pickles not—not this leafy green shit!"
Kurogiri simply reached out and pushed the plate towards Toga with an annoyed yet calm expression, unyielding to her continued glare. After a moment he cleared his throat and leaned forward, shoving a fork into the perfectly crisp salad. "Don't make me go get Deku, Himiko… He would not be pleased if he had to leave his mother to deal with your insolence."
The girl's expression faltered, but still clung as she fingered her blade and contemplated arguing further. "…. I. Don't. Want. It."
"Fine," Kurogiri huffed, his voice lowering despite taking on a much more desperate edge. "Then think of the baby… What you're craving does not have the sufficient nutrients to allow the fetus to flourish. I will provide you with your desired meal once you have finished the required one."
Todoroki felt his heart stop for a moment, taking in the statement slowly. He watched in almost numb confusion while tears filtered into the girls usually hardened or at least manic eyes, her free hand slipping under her large jacket to feel her growing belly. "F-fine… but—"
Todoroki somewhat stumbled back, too despondent to continue listening to whatever it was that was said next. The only thing he could think about was Toya's face just before he died—the look of love that his unborn child would never get to see. "It's… It's all my fault…"
"Shoto."
The dual user jerkily looked back at the person calling his name, finding Deku there with a stern, warning expression on his face. He gripped and ungripped his hands, doing his best to take another few calming breaths before he totally lost control of his already destabilizing quirk.
"T-Toya… he…" Todoroki attempted, pointing back at the cracked door, "S-she…"
"I know, Shoto… I've known for a while. Now come on, you need to come with me before you put your niece or nephew in danger."
The dual user allowed himself to be led away, still feeling like his head was spinning with realization. He had a niece or nephew who would never know its father because of him—because Toya had died protecting him.
"Don't, don't do that to yourself…" Midoriya urged as he pressed his hand to Shoto's back in preparation to forcefully stop the teens quirk if necessary. "I know exactly what you're thinking and it's not true."
Todoroki lowered his head to hide the tears that were quickly bubbling and frosting on the rims of his eyes, unable to bring himself to nod. "How—How far along?"
"Kurogiri informed me that he thought there might be a chance soon after we returned from getting you… Toga wasn't even aware at that point so it's likely just been a couple of months. She's been careful since then and been benched from our more physically demanding assignments."
"Why didn't—"
"I think you know why," Midoriya interrupted. "Now, I have to get back to my mom, but we can talk more about this later. Just… try to keep calm until then, okay?
Midoriya huffed out an exhausted breath while he ran his fingers through his curls; Todoroki finding out about Toga's pregnancy had certainly not been something he'd wanted to happen for some time. There really wasn't any telling how he'd behave once the reality of the situation truly settled in.
What's more, Inko had passed out soon after being warped to their hideout—likely from the shock of hearing Kamui Woods screeching in pain even if it was a side effect of being healed. Part of him wondered if he'd made the right decision bringing his mother 'into the fold' so to speak. She was every bit the kind-hearted, sensitive person that he'd been and his personality had only shifted after a brutal regimen of psychological and physical torture.
"Mom?" he called, pulling Inko's attention back towards him. "Sorry; Shoto left his room and found out some news he probably wasn't ready to hear…"
"Oh, it's alright 'Zuku! That poor child… I watched the news broadcast of what happened to him and it's just heartbreaking. I'm so happy you've been taking care of him all this time."
Midoriya flushed at the pet name, feeling somewhat embarrassed for perhaps the first time in years. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that she most definitely shouldn't be calling the world's number 1 criminal something so childish, though.
"I figured you'd be upset with me about that…" he stated instead. Midoriya sat across from her after laying out the tea tray he'd been going to get before running into Shoto, watching carefully for her reaction.
Inko simply smiled sadly into her cup, the conversation she'd had with All Might following Endeavors murder reverberating in her mind. "You mean because you killed someone?"
"Well—" Midoriya started, his throat seizing slightly. "I… I guess I technically finished Endeavor off, but he wouldn't have survived anyway. That man in the video that protected Shoto was the oldest Todoroki child and he died protecting Shoto… Seeing his brother take his last breath while his quirk was so unstable…"
"I see…" Inko nodded. She honestly couldn't say she was all too surprised even though she'd prepared herself for the 'worst' possibility of Izuku killing someone in cold blood. "So, Shoto was the one who truly killed Endeavor?"
"Accidentally, yes." Midoriya confirmed.
"When will I meet him? And the others? I didn't see them when I first woke up and this place is so gloomy—I know I'm just some soccer mom to you young folk but I'd like to be a part of your dream my little 'Zuku!"
Midoriya let out a breathy laugh, pleasantly reminded of the awkwardness that they both shared; he'd missed his mother's constant doting and affection. "Well, Shoto might need some space right now, but everyone else is safe to be around! Actually, Kurogiri will probably be grateful for your being here… He's the one that's been taking care of all the essentials to keep a building up and running and between you and me he's looking a little worn out."
"Oh?" Inko questioned, perking up some at the prospect of doing more than just sitting quietly while her son took over the world. "I'd be happy to help! This place could use some homely touches!"
Midoriya mirrored his mother's wide grin, imagining the look on their warp gates face when Inko insisted on some totally unnecessary 'homely touch' for their villain hideout.
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*Coughs Again* Thanks for your support my friends... I'll be writing more soon :)