Note: If you allow me to be corny, a song that inspired this chapter was Anywhere by Evanescence.


Gray Territory

Chapter 9: We're going to be fine

—Hello?

—Hello Kota.

—Deku! Is it you? Are you alright?

—Yes Kota, I'm fine.

—Do you know what happened with the league?

—Yes, I was told.

—It was amazing! Your plan worked!

—And you helped me to make it work.

—It was nothing.

—Have they been treating you well?

—Yeah, Ground Zero told them to treat me well.

—Ground Zero? Since when you get along so well?

—Well, he took care of everything. And it was he who saved you, right?

—Yes, he saved me.

—Cool. But what will happen with you?

—Well, now that I'm officially dead, I'm going abroad to start another life.

—You're going away?

—Yes, is better for everyone. I would've wished to tell you in person, but don't worry, I won't leave you alone.

—Forget that, I can take care on my own. But will you be fine?

—Of course, Kacchan will take care of me.

—Cool.

—But I wasn't calling for that.

—Oh, yeah. Ground Zero spoke with me.

—What did he told you?

—That if I got a tutor, I wouldn't have that much trouble with the police. But I have no one to…

—There's someone.

—What?

—There's someone who wants to be your tutor.

—Who?

—Do you want to talk to her? She's with me.

—Hello Kota, is nice to talk with you.

—Who are you? Wait… Are you… Are you Deku's mom?

—That's right. Izuku told me a lot about you.

—Is it true that you want to be my tutor?

—Yes.

—But I'm not a good boy, I have done things… people don't like me, and I don't like people.

—People didn't like my Izuku either, but it doesn't matter. I love him just like he is.

—But I'm not Deku.

—But you're important to him, and you will be important to me too.

—Can I speak with Ground Zero?

—Of course.

—What do you want, brat?

—You did this?

—Yeah. You need a house and aunt Inko agreed.

—But…

—But what?

—But what if…

—Listen, brat. Aunt Inko is the kindest woman I know and she is willing to accept you in her home, after all you're like a little brother. Besides, my parents also want to help, so aunt Inko won't be alone.

—I don't want to be a bother.

—Then put some effort and be a good boy.

—How long will I be with her?

—Until you're officially an adult. Then you can chose.

—I have a condition.

—Hey, who you think you…?

—You'll take care of Deku, right? I'm only accepting if you do.

—Yeah, I'll take care of Deku. And not because you tell me, brat.

—Do you promise?

—I promise.

—Then alright. And thanks. For saving him.

—You're welcome.


Young Midoriya:

I know that maybe you don't want to know anything about me and I don't blame you, but after everything that's happened, it's important that you know some things. I'm sorry I can't tell you in person, but circumstances prevent it.

I want to apologize to you. I am guilty of destroying the dream of your whole life. I don't regret having dissuaded you, because if not a crude fate awaited you, one that I didn't wished for you. I do regret the pain I caused you. If I had been able to speak to you responsibly, to encourage you instead of condemning you, perhaps things would have been very different. But I failed you. I was the useless one, the failed one, not you. I wasn't to you the hero I had to be, and there isn't a day that it doesn't weigh on me.

But what's done is done. We are now planning the attack on the League with the information you gave us. I must thank you, you did a very good job. Well done. I hope this serves to bring you back and give you a second chance, as young Bakugo wants. I hope you find that opportunity. I hope that someday you will be able to forgive me, not for me, but for yourself, so that you can leave me behind and continue with your life. I wish you happines.

Farewell. Yagi Toshinori.


—Are you alright? —you ask.

—Yes, I'm fine —I answer, putting away All Might's letter in my pocket, along with yours. I dry my eyes.

—Are you ready?

And my eyes turn wet again. I say no with my head. I still have to say goodbye to mom.

Mom has been busy all afternoon preparing a bag for the trip with the "essentials". But actually, I know that she is sad. I would like to stay longer with her, but I must leave as soon as possible. It's already dark. We already ate our last meal together. There is no reason to delay it any longer.

Mom is a sea of tears. Well, me too. We embrace each other, I ask her to take care of herself, I thank her for taking care of Kota. We promise each other that we will keep in touch, that she will always be my mother and that I will always be her son.

When we leave, you pass me a helmet, I get on the bike behind you, and I cling to you with all my strength. You give me a squeeze on my hands.

—Hey, we're going to be fine —you say.

And I believe you. Because you promised. You promised me we would make it work. There are a lot of things we have to solve, right Kacchan? We have to learn to love each other again, we have to find our place in the world again. But I have you and you have me, so we won't be alone.

—Yes, Kacchan. We're going to be fine.

We leave in the middle of the night, heading to the airport.

END.


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