"Ow! Kacchan, do you have to pull so hard?" Midoriya asked as Bakugo yanked him out of the elevator.
They, or rather, Bakugo was heading towards Midoriya's room, still dragging him behind.
He didn't say a word the entire way there. His eyes never made contact with him, but all Midoriya could do was stare.
What's going through your mind right now, Kacchan?
Bakugo finally let go of his wrist once they got there. Rummaging through his pockets, Midoriya quickly found his room key before he could yell at him for being too slow. Somehow, Bakugo's temper didn't get the better of him, and Midoriya opened the door.
A bunch of neon colors stood out from the dark, Bakugo knowing full well what it was. Midoriya turned on the lights and in every corner of the room, there was AllMight merchandise. Posters, action figures, plushies, collectibles and school supplies everywhere. There was even a pattern of AllMight's Golden Age hero costume on his bedspread.
Bakugo couldn't help but stare, and it made Deku feel like a fragile, quirkless kid again.
"You're such a damn nerd," he muttered under his breath, even though Deku could hear him.
He blushed from embarrassment and tried to brush it off by pulling out his chair. Before he sat down, a knock at the door caught his attention.
"Come in!" Kacchan called out, making Deku flinch.
They both already knew who it was; one asked for him to show up and the other needed his support... AllMight.
He looked defeated and determined that the same time as he entered. His blue eyes lit up once he saw his successor's room filled with the symbol of peace... or, what use to be.
"AllMight. Here, have a seat," Deku said, giving up his desk chair to him.
"Thank you, Young Midoriya," AllMight said as he accepted it with a subtle smile.
With no where else to sit, Deku sat on his bed next to Kacchan. It was a bit awkward, considering everything they've been through recently. The fact that Kacchan knew the truth, Deku didn't know what to say or ask.
Then he finally remembered what he was about to say in front of everyone before Kacchan rudely interrupted it.
"You knew I was about to tell everyone, didn't you?" Deku asked him, surprised that he was the first one to say something.
"Of course I knew," he responded with his arms crossed, "It was written all over your face."
"But why did you stop me?"
"Cuz you're a moron if ya think tellin' them about you and AllMight is a good idea!"
"Young Midoriya," AllMight intervened, "Is this true? Were you really planning on telling them about One for All?"
Deku felt bad for almost revealing everything without talking to AllMight about it first, but...
"I... I have to," Deku told him, bracing himself for a lecture, "All for One's out there, planning something. I can't let you take on all of this burden by yourself."
Deku's emotions kept building and he tried to hold them back, but the heat rising in his face made it very difficult.
"By burdening everyone else with this secret?" Kacchan said with a harsh glare.
"No! That's not it! I just didn't want AllMight to shoulder all of this on his own," Deku tried to explain to Kacchan, then faced AllMight head on, "You gave me everything, and you've always been there for me, AllMight. Please, let me help you. I'm your successor and it's my turn to-"
"Stop!" AllMight cried, raising his hand at him.
Deku felt his heart skip a beat, and the tears he'd been holding back, streamed down his face.
AllMight's never yelled at me before...
AllMight instantly regretted his tone and pulled his arm back. Biting his lip and squeezing his eyes shut, he thought long and hard about what to say next. Taking a deep breath in and out, he turned his attention over to Bakugo.
"Young Bakugo, you knew Young Midoriya was going to tell them about One for All. I want you to make sure he doesn't go off on his own."
AllMight wasn't even focusing on him anymore. He stared at the floor like a little kid, letting the tears drip down his face. Deku hadn't felt this small and worthless since the day he found out he was quirkless.
AllMight...Why?... I thought you... believed in me...
"Fine," Bakugo responded with a slight growl, "I don't normally do this, but I'm the only one who can look after the damn idiot."
Deku wanted to curl up in a ball and disappear forever.
AllMight silently acknowledged Bakugo for a moment, but felt horrible. His empty, regretful eyes looked over at Deku and wanted to reach out to him, to hug him.
"Young Midoriya, I... I'm sorry," AllMight said quietly as he placed his hand on his shoulder for support, then shifted over to Bakugo, "Young Bakugo, can you walk with me to the elevator?"
With a quiet groan, he got up from Deku's bed and headed towards the door.
"Don't go anywhere Deku. You know I won't be far behind," Bakugo reminded him in a low but subtle, threatening tone.
AllMight and Bakugo headed out and closed the door between them and Deku. Once they were a few steps away from his room, Bakugo had to ask something. Something that was bothering him when he interrupted Deku a moment ago. He knew it wasn't anything good.
"Is there something you're not telling Deku?"
AllMight froze in place, Bakugo now standing in front of him. He didn't want to push him into a corner, but this was important. All for One was planning something, and now he was free.
Clenching his fists as tightly as he could, AllMight braced himself to hear his own words.
"All for One... He knows Young Midoriya has One for All."
This is probably my favorite chapter so far! I really like where the story is heading, and I can't wait to write more!
Also, I made the decision to go from Midoriya and Bakugo to Deku and Kacchan because I thought it helped convey their history as childhood friends and how they see each other when they're alone (after Season 4).