Izuku was healed within the week thanks to a number of healing quirks via contacts Endeavor had on the blackmarket. Dr. Mori had also had a hand in Izuku's recovery using his quirk, which Shouto had witnessed for the first time that evening, which when used on another person, allowed them to produce more blood more quickly. It was a perfect quirk to save people from bleeding out, or to allow him an easier time to steal from Izuku. Luckily UA students all had off for two weeks in order for the school to reevaluate their security.

Shouto hadn't seen Izuke since the...incident, which is what he'd taken to calling the last training session with Endeavor. The teen couldn't bring himself to face one of his only friends, and look into his eyes and know he'd hurt him. Shouto would never forgive himself for hurting Izuku, so he had been avoiding his friend as much as possible. But the days without Izuku dragged on, especially because Shouto was left home alone with his thoughts. Well, mostly alone, Fuyumi was sometimes around, but she kept her distance. Shouto was sure she too knew what a failure he was.

"Shouto," A quiet voice interrupted his thoughts. Shouto looked up from where he'd been sitting on the couch, glaring at the wall, to the subject of his last thought: Fuyumi. "I don't know what happened last week, but I want you to know, I'm sorry." The teen felt floored at his sister's apology. What could she possibly have to be sorry for? It was Shouto who was sorry. Fuyumi hadn't nearly killed her best friend. Fuyumi hadn't let Endeavor hurt Izuku. Fuyumi hadn't lost control of her quirk.

"Shouto!" Fuyumi's cry of alarm stopped his string of thoughts. Shouto re-trained his eyes on the white haired girl to see her looking in worry at Shouto's arm. It was only then that the boy realized he'd been digging his nails deeply into the flesh of his wrist. Shouto released his grip, and manovered both his hands into a tight clasp, ignoring the few droplets of blood. He deserved the pain.

"Why...what are you sorry for?" Shouto questioned in a light rasp, voice hoarse from the crying he'd been doing on and off all week.

"I haven't been a good sister. I've let father go on for too long, and I am…"Fuyumi's voice hitched, "I was too frightened to help you. And now something happened and it's my fault!" Shouto didn't know what to say. Fuyumi felt guilty for letting him get hurt?

"At least you didn't hurt your best friend," Shouto murmured.

"What?" His sister gasped.

"Fuyumi I… I hurt Izuku and it's my fault and…" As Shouto trailed off, Fuyumi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and moved to sit next to him. Looking deep into Shouto's eyes she confidently whispered:

"Tell me what happened."

And so he did.

Izuku was in his room, alone. He had cried every night since he'd woken up. He wasn't sure how long it had been since… that day, but it had felt like eternity.

Shouto hadn't visited Izuku, and Izuku wasn't expecting him to. Izuku was sure Shouto was upset with him, and he had every right to be. Not only had Izuku amplified his friend's quirk to the point that he was screaming in pain, but he was also the reason they were being punished in the first place. If Izuku had just listed to Shouto and not let his stupid hero complex get the best of him at the USJ, then Endevor wouldn't have had a reason to hurt Shouto.

So while Izuku didn't expect Shouto to come visit, it didn't hurt any less. And It certainly didn't make him hate himself any less.

But then the door opened, and Shouto appeared before Izuku, glowing in the pale light of his room. He looked… beautiful.

"Izuku," The beautiful person called.

"Shouto? Wh-what are you doing here?" I didn't think you'd ever want to see me again, Izuku's brain finished.

"I... I came to see you, but I can leave if you're angry." Shouto murmured, his face portraying his sadness and desperation at his own words.

"Angry!?" Izuku questions, accidentally raising his voice in surprise, "What right do I have to be angry? This entire mess is my fault-"

"Is that what you think!?" Shouto's voice cut him off, voice raising to match Izuku's own volume,"If this is anybody's fault, it's my own!"

"You're fault!? This is my fault! If I hadn't rushed in like an Idiot at the USJ, Endeavor wouldn't have had any reason to hurt you!?"

"Hurt me!? You're the one who got hurt, Izuku! And you NEARLY DIED!" Shouto screamed, then abruptly cut himself off, realising how loud the two of them had gotten.

Shouto continued in a heartbroken voice; "You...you nearly died, and it was my fault."

"But-"

"NO! Don't blame this on yourself Izuku. It was my fault. I lost control, and because of that I nearly lost you. Don't you understand!? You're my everything! If you die, I will die! Because… because '' But Shouto was at a loss for words. How was he supposed to finish that sentence? 'Because you're my friend' felt wrong in a way that Shouto couldn't bring himself to voice aloud. What was Izuku, if not his friend?

"Endeavor." Came his not quite friend's voice.

"What?" Shouto questioned.

"I-if it isn't your fault, and it… it's not mine, then who? Endeavor. It's that man's fault. He's the one who made me make you hurt. He's the reason you lost control. He's the reason I can't leave the house except for UA. He's the goddamn reason for everything!" Izuku was shouting again, but this time he yelled in relief as a reason finally surfaced, " Don't you see!? I don't blame you! It's not your fault, because it's' his."

Izuku stood up suddenly and rushed at Shouto throwing his arms around the teen. Shouto responded instantly, returning the embrace. Both teens were definitely crying, but neither cared. Both were too relieved that neither blamed the other.

"Who the hell are you!?" Came a voice Shouto hadn't heard in a long time.