Ahhh, sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! It's a little short, but at least we're making progress 😅

My next semester starts soon, so I'm not sure how often I'll be updating this story yet, we'll just have to see how things go.

Also, I've been going back through the chapters to do edits. I haven't changed anything plot-wise, just changed some phrasing and such to make it flow better, so you don't need to re-read if you don't want too. I'll continue going though all the chapters, so if you want to wait until they're all edited to reread, you're welcome to do that too.

Some notes on last chapter: Aizawa could not feel Izuku during the Akabana encounters because (1) he was in work mode and his entire mind was focused on that, unconsciously blocking out feelings from the bond and (2) because Izuku's own mind was so unstable at the time and trying to protect itself and during those encounters Aizawa was a threat. Aizawa was only able to feel him that last time due to the intensity of Izuku's emotions and the fact it was way past the point it could shield itself from anything.

Hopefully that helps clear up any questions anyone may have.

Anyways, hope you all enjoy!

Saturday 4:00 am

Izuku came to slowly, his mind sluggish, confused. He took in his surroundings in his half-dazed state, noting that he was not on the hard cold food of his living room, but rather on something soft… His hands curled into his sheets-

His sheets! He was on his bed!

But how had he gotten there?

Last thing he remembered was a splitting pain and then-

Nothing.

He couldn't even recall dreaming anything…

It was the most peaceful sleep he could remember having in a very long time, actually.

But the question still remained, how did he get in his bed?

"Maybe it was aliens."

It wasn't aliens.

"How do you know?"

It wasn't aliens, Izuku.

"You're no fun."

Izuku wondered if perhaps Katsuki came over, worried about his behavior over the last week. It was the only plausible explanation he could come up with.

"I still think it could have been aliens."

The only way he'd know for sure though, was to actually get out of bed to check- so he did. Usually, when Katsuki crashed at his house, he spent the night on the couch, since Izuku didn't have a guest room.

Izuku threw the sheets off the top of him, sitting on the edge and stretching long and hard. His shoulders were really stiff for some reason, his whole body sore. He usually only felt like this after a reset-

Oh.

The headache, the splitting pain-

His memories must have finally gotten too much and he had to take matters into his own hands- literally. He'd probably remember what happened more clearly later, after the fog of the reset had faded.

Izuku didn't like to call them deaths, or suicides, those words had such a heavy connotation.

He simply had a glitch in his program, and sometimes all he needed was a reset, and he'd be good to go for a while longer.

Instead of pondering on it more, Izuku stood, padding lightly out into the living room. He did indeed see someone sleeping on the couch, but it wasn't Katsuki, as he had thought.

"What are you doing here?"

Aizawa startled out of his half-conscious state when he heard a voice, sitting up quickly to find the source. He relaxed though when he saw it was just Midoriya.

"I- something felt wrong," Aizawa hesitated, not sure how much he wanted to admit. How truly terrified he was for the other man just a few hours ago. "I was worried that something had happened." Midoriya moved further into the room, arms crossed, expression closed off.

He didn't look pleased to see Aizawa there.

"I meant what are you doing here? As in, napping on the couch in my apartment." Aizawa winced at the cold tone, wondering how he could get out of this without completely running the tentative relationship they had built over the last week.

"Nedzu," was all he said, but it was enough. Midoriya muttered something angrily under his breath, but his body language relaxed, clearly Aizawa was no longer the one he was upset with.

How curious.

Why would he be so upset that Aizawa now knew where he lived?

Perhaps he shouldn't mention he knew about the other property as well, it was likely to just make the man more upset...

Speaking of making the man upset, this was his chance.

"Midoriya, I-" Aizawa looked away, unable to meet the cool gaze of those brilliant green eyes as he admitted his wrong-doing.

"Yes?" Aizawa swallowed, steeling his nerves. He didn't understand why the words kept dying on his tongue, why he couldn't just spit it out. He had already failed too many times, he would not fail this time.

Determined, Aizawa looked back up, making sure Midoriya could see the sincerity in his eyes. He owed the man that much, at least.

"I'm sorry," As soon as the words finally touched the open air, no longer just a nagging thought in his mind, it was like a huge weight lifted, and he found it much easier to say it a second time, "I'm sorry for my knee-jerk reaction, that day. I'm not sure exactly what you heard through our bond," and a third, "but I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just-" Aizawa looked away again, searching for the right word, as if it might just pop up from the table in front of him.

"Overwhelmed?" He looked back when Midoriya spoke up, a sigh of relief on his lips.

"Yeah…" Midoriya ran a hand through his curls, glancing out the window at the slowly lightening sky, and Aizawa had to fight back a blush as he remembered the feeling of them on his own hand, how soft they were.

"What time is it anyway? Shouldn't you be on patrol?" Aizawa glanced at his phone, surprised that Midoriya had only been asleep a few hours.

"It's a little after four-" Aizawa's head whipped back up, confused- "Hold on, how do you know when my patrols are?" Midoriya smirked at him, mischief shining in his eyes.

"Nedzu," he said, parroting back Aizawa's earlier response.

Of course it was the principal…

If Aizawa wasn't so terrified of the man, he would have started to plot revenge. As it was though, he just filed it under 'Nedzu's evil plan to fuck with his staff' and let it go.

There was a brief awkward silence, neither sure what to say. Midoriya shifted from foot to foot restlessly, and Aizawa toyed with his phone. Finally, Midoriya broke the silence.

"You want some coffee?" Aizawa perked up at the mention of coffee, remembering how good the pot was that the man brewed at UA.

"That'd be great, thanks."

"Finally decided to join the party, huh?" Midoriya bent down, picking up the cat and plopping it down next to Aizawa on the couch. "Here, you can entertain Satan while I make us coffee." Aizawa spluttered, doing a double take.

"Satan?!" But Midoriya was already out of the room, presumably off to the kitchen to make the nectar of the gods. Aizawa put out a tentative hand, letting the cat sniff him. After a moment of consideration, he was deemed acceptable, and the cat began rubbing against his offered hand.

"Satan, huh? You don't seem like a mean cat." The quiet room was filled with the rhythmic sound of purring, and Aizawa found himself relaxing back into the couch despite himself, continuing to run a hand through soft fur as he thought about his relationship with Midoriya.

There was still a rift between them, despite Aizawa finally apologizing. They may be soulmates, but they barely knew anything about each other, and they weren't very close.

Not that either of them had made an effort to open up, but Aizawa felt that they should at least be friendly with each other. He wasn't sure he wanted the bond to go anywhere beyond friendship, but it felt wrong, as they were- barely even acquaintances.

There was a longing in him, a desire to be closer with Midoriya, and it wasn't just the pull of the bond.

He'd never met anyone quite like the man before, he was fascinating, and Aizawa's inherent curiosity urged him to learn more, to unravel the mystery that was Midoriya Izuku.

But he knew his was a selfish desire, a need to solve a particularly engaging puzzle, and that wasn't fair to Midoriya. If Aizawa wanted to learn more about the man, he was going to have to share things about himself as well- not an easy thing for someone as private as he was.

But honestly, he thought Midoriya might just be worth it.

Fate or the universe, or whatever you wanted to call it, had brought them together for a reason, perhaps Aizawa should give the man a chance…

Aizawa smiled, brought out of his thoughts when Satan curled up in his lap, falling asleep.

"She likes you better than she does me, the traitor." Aizawa looked up, smirking as Midoriya walked back into the room, two coffees in hand.

"What can I say? The ladies love me." Midoriya snorted, handing him his cup before taking a seat on the other end of the couch.

"I'm sure." They both took a moment, just savoring the warm beverage, enjoying the warmth and clarity it brought.

Midoriya was the one to break the silence, again.

"So just to be clear, it wasn't me that you were opposed to, but to having a soulmate?" Aizawa sipped at his coffee, continuing to pet the cat absent-mindedly as he thought about how to answer.

"I- I've spent my whole life without a soulmate, I didn't think I'd ever get one, that I was just another one of the markless… I'm sure you understand what that's like," Midoriya nodded in confirmation, and Aizawa muscled on, remembering his earlier line of thought-

He needed to open up if he wanted Midoriya to do the same.

"There was someone, a long, long time ago. We were… close." Aizawa paused, fingers running nervously over the rip of his cup. "But, well… let's just say that it didn't end well. I've avoided that sort of close relationship ever since. It's why I- it's why I kind of panicked, when I realized what we were." Midoriya winced in sympathy, setting his cup down on the table as he pulled his legs up onto the couch, resting his head on his knees, a physical buffer between Aizawa and himself.

"I- I understand," Midoriya took a deep breath before continuing, "I lost someone close to me as well… And you wanna know the saddest part?" Midoriya paused, his eyes shining in grief, breath hitching in suppressed emotion. "I can't even remember what he looks like." Midoriya bit his lip, looking away. "My memories of that time are hazy at best, and although it's a time I'd rather not remember- I feel like I should. To honor him." They sat in silence for a few moments, Aizawa was not knowing how to respond, surprised that Midoriya had opened up to him to the extent that he did, but not wanting to say the wrong thing. He would hate to take a step backwards, ruin the trust Midoriya had shown him thus far.

"It doesn't do well to dwell too much in the past… Perhaps it's time we both moved on- together. Live the life our friends would have wanted for us." Midoriya looked at him, sparkling green eyes wide in surprise, causing Aizawa to flush slightly. "I mean, if that's something you'd want…" Midoriya smiled, expression soft.

"I'd like to see where this goes… wherever that may be." Aizawa hid his own smile behind his coffee mug, taking a sip to calm his nerves.

"To the future, then." He held out his mug, waiting patiently as Midoriya picked his back up, clinking the two together.

"To the future."

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Stay safe out there lovelies!

。(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ❤