"He did it!" Toshinori suddenly exclaimed, ripping my attention away from the book I'd been studying and making me jump at the unexpected shout. My knee slammed into the coffee table when I jumped, and I yelped.
"God damn, at least warn me next time!" I complained loudly as the man beside me alternated between coughing blood, laughing, and apologizing profusely. "It's fine, I'm fine," I growled, rubbing my knee where I was sure I'd have a purple and green bruise tomorrow, and I raised a brow at the blonde hero. We'd been having a quiet evening, and I'd been curled up against his side with a third-year textbook in my lap (if I was going to be a teacher, my studies couldn't end where they were now obviously). Toshi had been working on marking some student papers, and the silence we'd been sitting in was companionable and comfortable. When his text alarm went off, I barely registered the sound, but apparently whatever the message held excited him enough that he seemed to forget that I was sitting literally right there. But I couldn't blame him for being distracted, I guess. Today had been a bit rough for him.
The day had been a strange one for sure; to be honest it felt like an emotional roller coaster of sorts. This morning when I woke up to find the bed empty beside me, I was puzzled, and my confusion only doubled when I rolled over to see the closet light on and the door ajar. Pulling on a discarded t-shirt off the floor (it was Toshi's from yesterday), I padded across the hardwood floor and poked my head into the walk-in closet.
"What are you up to so early?" I inquired sleepily.
Toshinori glanced at me as he was pulling the item he sought off its hanger. "Sorry, did I wake you?" he asked apologetically. The garment in question was his silver age hero costume, which served to make my mystification compound even more.
I shook my head, watching him curiously. "No. You didn't answer my question though." There was a dark look in his eye that I didn't like, and he didn't immediately answer as he stepped past me into the bedroom again. As he began to don the suit, I started to get a bad feeling. "Toshinori, what are you doing?" I asked again, trying not to let the hesitance and concern sound so prominent in my voice.
He sighed, pulling the loose-fitting costume over his shoulders and fastening the clasps that held his cape in place. "Something I should have done weeks ago but couldn't find the courage to face." I waited not-so-patiently for him to further explain as he returned to the closet to retrieve his boots as well. "I'm going to Tartarus - I'm going to go pay All for One a visit."
The cold fist of fear clamped down on my throat at his unexpected words. Why?! I thought frantically. Why does he need to go see him?
"Don't look at me like that, Mei," Toshinori said, glancing at me with a frown. He sat down on the edge of the bed to pull the boots on, and I wondered what my face must look like right now for him to look both annoyed and ashamed like that; It hurt to see that expression.
"I'm not judging you, I just don't understand," I admitted hesitantly before sitting next to him on the unmade bed. "And I'm worried."
The hero grimaced. "You definitely don't need to worry about me. I'll be perfectly safe - the prison will have him heavily guarded."
"It's more than just your physical safety I'm worried about," I said softly, and the admission only made his scowl deepen.
"Everything's going to be fine. I'll be fine," he insisted.
"At least tell me why?" I asked, hating how small my voice was sounding now.
Toshinori must have heard it too, and he flinched. Some of the tension left his expression and his eyes softened. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm taking my nervousness out on you, and that's not fair. This is something I have to do though. All for One isn't giving up any useful information when interrogated, but he's much too proud and spiteful to miss the opportunity to try and rile me. We need to know where Shigaraki went, and if All for One knows, maybe I can get him to talk."
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," I said skeptically. "He won't just give up any information freely, and right now he has nothing else to lose so there's no real threat if he doesn't cooperate."
"There's the threat of immediate execution if he even so much as thinks about trying to use his quirk," Toshinori said darkly. "Tartarus is very unforgiving, and the security system leaves nothing to chance."
"But again, that's not what I meant," I said, watching his face.
The fact that he was putting his hero suit on for this is what worried me the most, because it showed what kind of mindset he was in right now. I'd seen the dark, sorrowful place his mind could go to, and I was concerned about what effect seeing his defeated enemy again would have on him now; it was too soon.
Yet at the same time, I did understand. Retired or not, he was still All Might. He felt a need - an obligation - to still help and be the Pillar he'd worked so many years to become. But even still, his next words left me feeling a strange mixture of both disquiet and admiration.
"I know," he sighed, but as he continued to speak his voice grew stronger and his eyes burned with the passionate fire of his heroism. I hadn't seen him look like this in a while. "But regardless, I still have to try to get him to talk. That's one thing I can still do at least. I might be a feeble weakling on the outside now, but I'm still just as relentless here," and at that he clutched a fist over his heart. "If he's still got any plans up his sleeve, I will thwart them."
I swallowed and bit my lip, searching his gaze carefully. "Do you want me to come with you?" I asked hesitantly. As much as I loathed the idea of going anywhere near him or that place filled with evil, if Toshi needed me I would.
Some of the fire had diminished - not lost but merely reigned in. Toshinori didn't meet my eyes this time, and he clenched his hand in his lap. "No. Honestly I'd prefer to keep you as far away from that man as I possibly can. And maybe that's stupid or selfish, but it's still how I feel. But this situation with him... it feels like unfinished business. There's some things that need to be said, and it doesn't matter whether they'll make a difference to him... they'll make a difference to me."
I laid my hand over his and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Well then, do what you have to do," I said, doing my best to sound supportive. And as much as it did worry me, I still meant what I said. It was unrealistic and short sighted to believe that Toshinori's drive to be a hero ended with his retirement. This was who he was, and that wasn't something that would change any time soon.
After he left, I found it incredibly hard to focus on anything. Not only were thoughts of what could be going on with the number one hero flitting around my brain, but so too were curious musings about how my former classmates were faring at their provisional licensing exam today. I felt left out, somehow, and in a way left behind as I reread the same paragraph in my book over and over. Everyone was out being productive, and here I was studying... how lame.
Whenever I finally admitted to myself I was getting nowhere with my studying, I went out for a jog instead. Now that I wasn't being submitted to the same training the students were, I had to make sure I still kept up some sort of exercise routine. Leaving campus I ran through the city streets, taking the time to admire the buildings from street level for once instead of from the rooftops. I spent the afternoon taking it in and letting my thoughts fill this time spent alone. So much had happened recently - so much had changed - and yet there was still so much left to address and process.
Things with Toshinori were beyond what I could have hoped for even in my wildest dreams, and while we'd only been 'official' for a couple of days, thoughts of him still occupied my mind near constantly. That wasn't abnormal with a new relationship (in my opinion at least) but I had to admit to myself that I couldn't stay distracted like this forever. My undercover mission may be over, but my job was far from done. I was still tasked with protecting and guiding the students of Yūei High, and that was an assignment I took very seriously. The League of Villains was definitely not finished, and Shigaraki's strange obsession with All Might and his students would have likely only grown after everything that went down at Kamino Ward.
A lot of my thoughts were filled with worry anymore as well. I was worried about Toshinori - about how he was handling retirement and the drastic changes in his lifestyle in the past few weeks. I was worried about Midoriya and how he was coping with the retirement of the man he looked up to most as well. There was also still the awkwardness I felt since my return, and I'd yet to find a chance to talk to the boy. I was worried about what the future would hold - about how and when the League of Villains would make their return.
I also worried for myself. There was the fear of whether I would be a good teacher and mentor for the students, and I worried that I would let everyone down. I was worried about the process of obtaining my hero license and the hoops I would have to jump through in order to earn the public's trust. The thought of people's reactions if they learned my full story terrified me, and I wasn't sure how the world could see me as anything other than an ex-villain.
The stress was eating me slowly, but being with Toshi made it easier to forget it. Ignorance wasn't the healthiest coping mechanism, but it was what I had at the moment. Toshinori was right - I needed to work on my communication, but ironically it was easier said than done. I loathed the idea of putting my burdens on the man who already had so much on his plate, but I worried what it could do to our relationship in the future if I didn't learn how to move past that.
Several hours later found me back in my new home and curled up against Toshinori's side. He'd been very quiet since returning from Tartarus, which is why his unexpected outburst had startled me as much as it did.
"Who did what now?" I asked, still rubbing my knee.
"Ah, young Midoriya. He passed the provisional licensing exam!" he explained as his mortification for startling me gave way to pride in his student. He held out his phone to show me the picture the kid had sent him, and I chuckled at how wide his green eyes were in the license photo.
"Well I'll be damned. I knew he could do it," I said, feeling my own pride in the boy's accomplishment. Toshinori's grin made his eyes lighter than they'd been all day.
"He'll be able to act on the same authority as a hero now in any emergency situations," he said, nodding.
"Oh boy. Even more opportunities for him to get himself in trouble," I chuckled, making the hero beside me grimace.
"Well, we'll just have to do our best to steer him right," he huffed.
"Speaking of," I sighed, sitting up straighter and pulling my legs under me so I sat cross-legged on the couch. I'd made up my mind earlier to make myself talk about what was on my mind, and I was silently praying that I wasn't making a mistake. "I think I should probably have a talk with him... I get the feeling he's not very happy with me at the moment," I hypothesized grimly.
"What makes you say that?" he asked, brows pulling together and he turned on the sofa as well, body language conveying to me his full attention.
"I don't know. I've been getting this cold vibe from him since I came back from my... self-imposed exile," I said hesitantly, and Toshinori made a face at my careful phrasing. Guilt started to well up in my chest - I didn't want to talk about things that would make him hurt too - but I had to make myself push through this. "And I could understand why he'd be upset with me. I broke his trust."
"Midoriya's a smart kid, and he's very perceptive. But he is also... sensitive, in a way. Not that that's a bad thing," he added, holding up a finger. "But he feels emotion very strongly. He's gotten better at controlling it since I first met him, though." The blonde man's expression softened, and he looked pensive. "You two were sort of friends when you were pretending to be a student. And he was with you after the events of Kamino Ward when you refused to go to the police, wasn't he?" I nodded, and Toshinori continued, "I imagine he's feeling a little hurt by that. He knew you were a vigilante, and your mission wasn't a secret to him, but Midoriya has a strong sense of justice - when you refused to speak with the police and then disappeared after everything that happened, it probably made him question a lot."
"Is that how you felt?" I asked softly. There had been several times when the hero had compared Izuku to himself, and I couldn't help but wonder if some of this analysis was really him projecting a bit.
Toshi's face was hard to read, and I thought I saw the hint of those walls again behind his eyes. It had taken me months to bring those defenses down, and with one bad decision I'd caused some of the barriers to be rebuilt. It felt like a knife in the chest every time I saw them now, and I was going to do everything I could to help him lower them once more. "I felt a lot more than that," he answered quietly, and his honestly was both exactly what I needed to hear while at the same time something I didn't really want to know.
"And that's another reason, probably," I said somberly and a hint sourly. "I hurt the person he looks up to most. What I did to you... I don't know that I could forgive someone for doing that to my hero, were I in his shoes."
"Mei, don't," he said, voice stronger as he cut me off. "At the time, there were no promises between us - no obligations or labels. Yeah, it still sucked. It hurt. But I forgave you for reacting how you did given how you perceived the situation. And you had every right to leave if you wanted to."
"It still wasn't fair to you though. I should have talked to you like an adult instead of running away like a child," I sniffed, not quite crying but also not exactly feeling on top of the world right now.
Toshinori shifted and put an arm around me to pull me into him. "We can't change the past; what's done is done. But we can keep moving forward and find our way from here, learning from our previous decisions. I wasn't entirely faultless in what happened either. I should have told you how I felt from the beginning."
His words were meant to be comforting, but I shook my head as guilt gnawed at my insides. "Don't you dare," I groaned, closing my eyes and leaning my forehead against his chest. "I'm the one who kept putting off talking - that was on me. Don't you dare try to put my actions on yourself."
He sighed and pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head as his hand rubbed against my arm comfortingly. "Regardless, it's done now. You're here with me, and we're going to move past it together."
I breathed in deeply, letting the scent of him and the steady drum of his heartbeat calm the ache in my chest. He really was much too good for me. Too understanding. Too kind. I didn't deserve him.
"Our standing with each other still doesn't change whatever Midoriya's feeling right now," I said, pulling the conversation back around to where it started.
The thin man shrugged. "It's not really his business, either. He's my successor and an important part of my life, but my personal relationships don't affect him."
"What was it you said on the plane to I-island? 'The bonds of One for All are thicker than blood' or something like that?" I reminded him. "Admit it, Toshi. He's like family to you. As a child, it may not be his business still, but I can understand why it matters to him."
He was quiet for a moment, and I kept my face pressed against his chest, not having the courage to look him in the eye still. I was pushing, I knew. Even after everything, I still couldn't stop myself from testing his boundaries. Finally, I felt his long bangs tickle the side of my face as he nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." I didn't ask for clarification on which part I was right about.
I did sit back then, and I bit my lip as I looked to the side awkwardly. "I think I'll try to catch up with him tonight and have a chat before the new term starts tomorrow," I decided. "I think I owe him that at least."
Toshinori nodded, and when I did meet his eye again, he smiled softly. "You have a good heart, Mei."
I rolled my eyes, trying to maneuver away once more from these delicate and awkward topics. "It gets the job done, I suppose," I shrugged easily.
After we ate dinner a little while later, I left the teacher dorm building alone, shoving my hands in my pockets as I headed down the sidewalk towards the 1A dormitory. As I approached, two figures emerged from the darkness and on instinct I shrunk into the shadows, waiting to see who was out here so late. If they were students, they were breaking curfew, and while I wasn't thrilled about the idea of starting my stint as a Yūei staff member off with disciplinary action, I knew I couldn't just let the kids wander about at night. When the two got close enough for me to recognize them, I had to stifle a groan.
"Kacchan, where exactly are we going? We shouldn't be out here."
"Shut up you damn nerd and keep up!"
Of course it's these two, I thought grimly. Neither noticed as they passed where I stayed obscured in the darkness, and I considered my options carefully. Whatever they were up to, it was probably no good, but I wasn't sure I was the best person to deal with this. After making sure they wouldn't be able to see me, I pulled my phone out and sent a quick text to Toshinori.
'So... I found a couple of kids breaking curfew.'
'Alert their homeroom teacher and they'll take care of discipline,' he replied after only a few seconds.
'So Aizawa then?'
'... God dammit. Which ones is it?'
'Well one is blonde and angry, and the other is a nervous little broccoli.'
'Of course it is. Why am I even surprised?' he replied, and immediately a second text followed, 'And did you just call my successor a little broccoli?'
I shoved my fist in my mouth to mute the snicker at Toshi's reply. 'Maybe. Just get out here please, I don't know that I'm the best person to handle this. It looks like they're headed for Ground Beta.'
'Already on my way,' was his last reply, and I shoved the phone back in my pocket as I followed behind the two students who could still be heard bickering up ahead.
Sure enough, the blonde boy leading the way stopped once they were well into Ground Beta, and I listened uneasily as Bakugo berated his classmate. The things he was saying were nothing I hadn't heard him vehemently spit before - the toxic relationship between the two had crossed the line into bullying long ago in my opinion, even if Izuku didn't seem to see it that way somehow. As a teacher I should step in and stop this, but part of me knew also that something would have to give sooner or later. The tension between the two rivals was unhealthy and it was only going to get worse before it got better, and yet I thought maybe I should wait and see how this one played out. If I broke this up now, it might actually just make things worse. Even as I made up my mind to hang back though, I still wasn't sure it was the right decision.
Bakugo's next words as he angrily kicked at the ground knocked the breath from my lungs, however, and I began to worry things might be even worse than I thought. "I've been giving it a lot of thought. You got your quirk from All Might, didn't you? He gave you his power."
Oh, this is so not good, I thought nervously. The darkness hid the boys' expressions from view, but even from my spying spot a little ways down the road I could see the tension in Midoriya's body.
"I heard about the boss villain," Bakugo continued, "Apparently he has the ability to steal a person's quirk and give it to somebody else, which sounds kinda crazy. But then one of those old cat ladies had her power taken from her and can't work anymore. And then you met All Might, and you started changing. Then he lost his power and had to retire just like her." With growing dread, I listened to Bakugo's deductions, and it was almost scary how perceptive the teenager was. "You're not trying to deny anything, which means I must be right," the blonde growled. "So, say it."
"Okay. What if it's true?" Midoriya asked quietly, clenching his fists at his sides.
"You and I both wanted to be just like All Might when we were growing up, but I was the one who had the potential. Then somehow a little nobody like you was singled out by the person I admired most, and I didn't even realize it - that's why we're here. You and I are settling this, right here, right now," Bakugo seethed, and the calm rage in his voice was so much more concerning than his normal arrogant yelling.
Midoriya took a step back and immediately began trying to talk the boy down. Even I knew it was of no use though, and still my brain screamed at me that I should do something about this... so why weren't my feet moving?
"I wanna know what made All Might give his power to a loser like you. Let me see for myself," he challenged, and I felt dread hit me like a punch to the gut. This was a bad idea, and yet I still wasn't moving. Knowing this had to happen and liking the situation were two completely opposing notions. "Is it because you looked up to him more than I did? And if that's the case... does it mean that everything I've done to be like him was wrong?" The boy's voice wavered on the last few words, and I felt a pang in my heart for him.
"Y-you really want to do this?" Midoriya asked, stepping back again.
"If you don't want to get hurt, hit back."
"Come on, stop! This isn't smart!" the smaller teen yelled, but it was no use as the blonde shot forward propelled by his quirk's explosion. He chased his classmate, firing blast after blast which the green haired boy only just managed to avoid, and throwing kicks and punches that his target didn't return. All the while he kept yelling, demanding answers.
"We both admired him - so why?" Bakugo growled, throwing another punch. "Why?!"
Behind me I heard footsteps and I turned, relief flooding through me when I saw Toshinori. Sweat beaded his brow and he was breathing a little heavily which meant he had probably run to get here so fast. As he approached, I held a hand to stop him and gestured around the corner I'd been observing the students from. He furrowed his brow and as another explosion rang out, he scowled. "We need to stop this."
"Toshi, wait," I requested, hoping he would trust me and listen. It sounded like Bakugo was on the edge of finally breaking into what was eating at him. He needed this.
"WHY?!" Bakugo yelled again. "TELL ME!" The boy stumbled and fell back, and I knew this was it. We'd made it to the heart of his anger.
"Let them work this out," I told Toshinori, who seemed none too happy about the idea.
"What are they fighting over?" he whispered, eyes hard. From where we stood in the shadow of the building we could see the two clearly, and when Bakugo stumbled Midoriya didn't hesitate to offer him a hand.
"Hey, are you alright?" he asked as if the boy hadn't been trying to beat him to a pulp moments ago.
"He knows," I said quietly, as Bakugo smacked the other boy's hand away. "Bakugo figured out about One for All." Toshinori froze.
"Don't you dare worry about me!" Bakugo seethed. "Attack me! Why won't you fight back?" The teen's voice cracked as he pulled himself back to his feet and staggered a step forward. There was a breath of silence for just a moment, and the agony that saturated Bakugo's voice when he spoke again was so different from his normal anger that I felt his sorrow in my soul. "Why did I end up having to chase after someone who was always so far behind me?!"
He feels left behind, I realized. The anger is to hide the heartbreak.
"Why did a damn small fry like you get strong and become the number one hero's sidekick? His favorite?" The tears began to fall, and Midoriya stood frozen in front of his childhood rival. Beside me, Toshinori flinched at the teen's next words. "You got so much better, and I destroyed All Might... I admired him so much, but it's because of me that he ended up losing his power!"
"Oh, Bakugo," I breathed sadly. I understood what he was feeling because I'd felt it too. In the corner of my vision the hero was like a statue, and when I looked at him fully his eyes were dark and somber.
"If I had been stronger... if I hadn't been kidnapped by those villains... then it never would have happened. Hara was there to keep students from getting kidnapped and I still couldn't stay out of the way! She only got herself taken so she could protect me!" he cried, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "All Might knows it's my fault, but hasn't said anything. Everyone has to know though - I can't get it out of my head! It's like it's playing on loop! So, what the hell am I supposed to do?!"
Understanding was followed quickly by empathy and then determination as several emotions flitted across Midoriya's face. Green lightning surged, coursing across his body and he stepped into a ready stance inviting Bakugo forward again. He'd decided to fight back.
"As teachers we should be stopping this," Toshinori said hoarsely, but didn't move.
"Yeah, well I've never been great at following the rules," I replied, eyes locked on the two teenagers as they squared up. "Bakugo needs to vent his emotions, and this gives Midoriya a chance to spar in earnest. I don't know how much you're aware of, but the relationship between these two goes beyond toxic. It's unhealthy, but as backwards as it sounds, this might be what they both need in order to finally move past this wall that's grown between them."
"It's irresponsible," the hero gritted out, "but I'm afraid you might be right. Shit," he mumbled, scrubbing a hand over his face. "This is all because of my own negligence."
"Stop," I told him firmly. "We've already learned the blame game accomplishes nothing. Don't even go there."
Meanwhile as Toshinori and I whispered back and forth, Midoriya prepared to strike. "If I'm gonna do this, I'm going all out," Midoriya warned his classmate. "I refuse to be your punching bag, Kacchan. Let's go!"
They began fighting fervently, and as they exchanged blow after blow both screamed their grievances and shouted their true feelings at the other. It was like the worst kind of therapy, albeit seemingly effective. Egged on by Bakugo's temper, Midoriya seemed to snap into a higher gear all of the sudden, and Toshinori gasped as his student seemed to push past the level he'd been holding himself at so far.
"He's gotten stronger," he muttered.
The violence seemed to reach a crescendo as both boys launched into the air, and suddenly Midoriya switched from using his legs only to throwing a solid punch that landed on his opponent's jaw. For a split second, I thought it just might be over.
"I won't lose to you!" Bakugo yelled, and with a finally blast from his palms he sent them both crashing back to the pavement, sending a plumb of smoke and debris skyward. When the dust cloud cleared, it was apparent the fight was over. Bakugo held Midoriya down, arms pinned and face shoved against the ground as the blonde teen planted a knee on his back. "That's it - we're done here. I won this fight," he gasped, panting for breath as Izuku coughed. "You have All Might's power, but even after using his strength - even after making it your own - somehow you still managed to lose to me," he growled. "Why? How could you lose?!"
"Enough's enough," Toshinori declared, patience ending, and he stepped out of the shadows. "Stop this, right now. Both of you," he ordered as he approached his students. Bakugo sat back slightly, scowling as he took in the retired hero walking towards them, and Midoriya's eyes went wide with panic. I stepped out behind Toshinori so that my presence was known as well, but I hung back to let the pro deal with this. "I'm sorry, but I heard what you've said," the blonde admitted, and thin form or no he was very much All Might in this moment; at the same time there wasn't a smile in sight.
Shit, is he pissed? I wondered, hoping he wasn't cross with me for allowing this fight to happen.
"All Might," Bakugo acknowledged, standing up.
"When did you get here?" Midoriya groaned.
"I didn't notice before. I should have," the hero said. It was almost an apology.
"It's too late now," Bakugo replied in a voice was rough and quiet, and he turned his head away so neither of us could see his expression. All Might stopped a few feet away, and I stayed a couple steps behind. "Why did you choose Deku?" he asked in a voice that cracked, "It started when the sludge villain came, didn't it?... So why him?"
"He was powerless, but still more heroic than anyone else," Toshinori answered, tone softer but no less intent. "I knew you were strong - that much was obvious - but you were someone who could already fight. So, I decided that he should have a chance to stand in the ring."
Bakugo sniffed, face still turned away, and it was clear he was trying everything in his power not to cry again. "But now you know I'm weak too. I always wanted to be like you, which meant being as strong as possible... But look what I did to you..." he said hoarsely and it seemed like he was losing the battle against controlling his emotions as a teardrop hit the pavement at his feet. "Because I'm not good enough."
All Might stepped forward again until he stood an arm's reach away from the blonde teen, and the droop in his shoulders spoke volumes to me of how Toshinori felt in this moment. Even now, you still carry the weight of everyone else's guilt, I thought sadly.
"This is not your fault, young Bakugo, nor anyone else's; I was always going to lose my power. You couldn't do anything to change that," he said, voice low. "You are strong. But I focused too much on your physical strength, and overlooked what was important." As he spoke he reached out and rested a hand on top of the boy's head before pulling the kid to him in a hug. Bakugo didn't resist and leaned his forehead against his hero's chest as he continued to try and hold back the sobs that shook his shoulders. "This isn't your burden," Toshinori whispered. "I apologize; sometimes I forget that you're children."
Suddenly Bakugo jerked away, and Toshinori let his hands fall back to his sides. "After being a hero for so many years, you learn a few things," he continued after a moment, watching the boy with saddened eyes. "Striving to be the best, like you young Bakugo, and caring deeply about people - about rescuing those in trouble - like you, young Midoriya... both of those feelings are necessary in a hero. Otherwise, they'll never truly be able to represent justice. That's why you admire his strength so much, young Midoriya. And I know that's why you've always feared his heart and spirit, young Bakugo. Now that you've laid your feelings out on the table, maybe you can understand each other. If you have mutual respect and focus on making one another stronger, I have no doubt to you'll become the ultimate heroes, winning and saving people at the same time."
The two teens looked at each other then before Bakugo's shoulders sagged and he fell back on the ground to sit next to his rival. He lowered his head into his hands and growled in frustration, but it still lacked his normal bite. "Dammit. That's not what I wanted to hear," he sighed.
For a moment there was only silence.
"You," Bakugo said, speaking to the green haired teen without raising his head. "You had the strongest guy in the world lay the groundwork for you. Don't you dare lose again."
Midoriya nodded. "I'll work harder, so that I can beat you," he promised.
Another sigh escaped the blonde boy, and he raised his head looking first at me, then back at All Might. "Okay, so talk. Who else knows about you two? I see Hara's here, but I guess that's no surprise."
I stepped up beside the tall, thin man, watching him questioningly. This was his secret to tell, not mine. Toshinori nodded, and laid a hand on my shoulder. I would never tell him I noticed, but I could feel his hand tremble slightly. "Yes, Hara knows everything," he admitted, and it was strange to hear him use my family name again. "And so does Principal Nezu and Recovery Girl. But as far as students go... only you."
"And you don't want this to get out, because that would be bad," he guessed, running a hand through his spiky hair as he looked at the ground. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until his next words made me exhale in relief. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I won't tell anyone what's going on. Unlike Deku, I can keep my mouth shut. This will stay between us." Beside me I felt some of the tension leave Toshinori too.
"Thanks, Kacchan," Midoriya said quietly.
"I don't deserve this," the hero said quietly, voice so low I wondered if the boys could even hear him. "I should be down on my hands and knees begging for you to keep this secret for me. Yet here you are being considerate and helping me out... thank you."
Bakugo shook his head, jutting his chin out in the defiant manner I was more accustomed to from him. "I'm not doing this for you," he said with a scowl that didn't quite reach his eyes - he was rebuilding his walls. "It would just be a real pain if this got out and messed stuff up. And you," he said, eyes turning to me. "What stake do you have in all this, huh?"
I shrugged, feeling Toshi's hand tighten on my shoulder a fraction before his fingers slipped away, and I found it difficult to meet the boy's accusatory stare. If he blamed himself, then I knew he must blame me too. "I'm just here to help," I murmured, wishing I could find the strength to put more confidence in my words. Bakugo made a small noise of disgust, clearly not finding my answer acceptable and Toshinori sighed.
"Now that it's come to this, I can explain what's happened in these past few months. It's only fair," the hero said. He sat down on the edge of the street curb with his arms resting on his knees, and after a moment I sat beside him. "And I suppose I owe you an explanation about Hara, young Midoriya."
He started talking, slowly but surely, and his tale began with the day I found out the tall man who bought me coffee once was the number one hero, All Might. Until that night, I had no idea that was the same day he met Midoriya Izuku too. Toshinori spoke of his previous power, and how it had been passed on to him from his master, and how it had passed through several hands before it came to her as well. He told Bakugo how this power had been born from an ancient evil - an evil we had all recently encountered - but it had grown into the purpose it held to today. It had grown as it was passed on in order for it to bring about the downfall of the very man who accidentally created it. Bakugo listened, unmoving and unflinching as his hero explained his first fight with All for One six years ago, and how it had gravely injured him. With a sigh he lifted the hem of his shirt, showing off his starburst scar, and detailing how his power began to decline after receiving it.
The retired hero spoke of the fire he'd seen in Midoriya the day the sludge villain attacked, and how later that same week he'd intercepted a certain vigilante woman who had information about a group calling themselves the League of Villains. During that summer, he trained his future successor while simultaneously beginning to make plans with me for the upcoming school year. Looking between the two boys, he told his story. When he talked about Midoriya he looked at Bakugo, when he talked about me, he looked at Izuku. I kept my eyes on my hands as the man spoke, but when he paused for a moment, I looked up to see his eyes studying me, questioning me. It was clear what he was asking.
And so then I started talking, and I told them of my previous life. I choked on the words, and when Toshinori's hand laid on my back comfortingly, I took a deep breath before proceeding. I looked Izuku in the eye as I apologized for running away from my obligations - my responsibility- and my voice cracked when I said, "And I'm sorry I ran away from All Might when he needed me too." Looking at Bakugo I found myself facing unimpressed and unforgiving red irises. "And I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe, Bakugo. I failed you, but please know that nothing that occurred was in anyway your fault."
"Tch. I didn't need you to save me," he grumbled, rolling his eyes to the sky and I chuckled.
"I know," I told him with a smile.
It was well past midnight when our stories finally ran out, and guiltily I looked at the two who would probably be bone tired for their first day of term tomorrow. Toshinori and I escorted them back to the dorms, and while the teens asked a few questions here and there, for the most part they seemed satisfied. As we walked the boys began bickering, but I couldn't help the smile from tickling my lips as I recognized the change in tone. It wasn't quite so toxic - it still wasn't amiable by any means, but there had certainly been a shift between the two.
"They're proper rivals now, I think," Toshi murmured to me quietly as the boys bantered behind us.
"About damn time," I agreed, bumping my shoulder against his arm.
The boyish squabbles a few steps behind didn't falter for a second, so either they didn't notice our casual conversation or they simply didn't care. Maybe all was forgiven. Regardless, I felt that this night had gone just about as well as I could have hoped for, given the circumstances.
Until Aizawa got ahold of them, that is.