From all outward appearances, the apartment complex was completely mundane. Made of a bluish gray concrete the color of wet wool, and divided into seven neat, terraced layers, the rectangular building was just about half as wide as it was tall. Boxed in by apartment buildings on either side and a small, narrow road in front, there was practically nothing to distinguish it from any other apartment building in the Tokyo Metro.
Well, actually, there was exactly one thing notable about that particular apartment complex. It was the residence of the most powerful hero in Japan.
The door unlocked with a gentle turn of his key, opening to reveal a simple, if comfortable, little apartment.
Toshinori gave a happy, exhausted sigh, and smiled. Home.
An armchair, with a tall back and smooth leather cushions. Nothing fancy, but certainly comfortable.
A coffee table with a spread of magazines, home improvement journals and the marketplace type that contained mostly ads for local businesses. Toshinori never read them, but the table seemed empty with just the T.V. remotes.
An immaculately clean kitchen, with granite countertops and a hanging bundle of pots and pans. Gas burners and a block of sharp but well used knives. A perfectly seasoned wok, its carbon steel surface tempered iridescent black. It was hard to cook for one, but Toshinori had found it enjoyable when he had time. Maybe it was a leftover passion from his time counting calories and measuring protein intake as a student.
A small table with two chairs, though one notably had a pile of paperwork on it, and a hallway that led to another pair of rooms. Sky blue wall paint, and warm mahogany wooden floors. Warm yellow light, a welcoming contrast from the dark sky and pale blue streetlights outside.
While certainly not bursting with personality, the apartment was far from spartan, with small details that lent it a unique homely air. The residual smells of home-cooked meals and carefully made coffee, a pile of classic monster movies next to the T.V., and many, many pictures. Toshinori didn't indulge in many things, and he certainly never had guests over, but there were certain pleasures in life he allowed himself outside of hero work.
Closing the door gently behind him, he spun his keyring around one spindly finger and clasped a brown leather suitcase in his other hand. A small smile, the tired but happy sort, clung to his face as he pulled off his work shoes and slid on his slippers. Setting the keys and suitcase down on the kitchen table, he made his way to the fridge, and sifted through the piles of fresh ingredients, meats and vegetables and sauces. He was thinking something hardy and simple, that would be easy to make while he did the leftover paperwork… A stew? A stew would be nice. Maybe something French. David Shield had always loved french stews, and it rubbed off on Toshinori while he was in America. The man easily picked out the half dozen ingredients he needed, and set about preparing the pot of food.
Today had been both easier and much more tiring than usual. On one hand, he had spent the whole day in the office, finalizing applicant selections and class distributions with the admissions committee. He laughed to himself. Maybe it was because he had simply spent his whole life doing active jobs, but he had never imagined that a day of paperwork and rubber stamps would leave him just as tired as his fight with All for One! But, on the other hand, he hadn't actually been called to do any hero work, and had spent the whole day in his 'normal' form.
… For some reason, that thought depressed Toshinori. Not the fact that he didn't have to do any work; no, he was honestly quite thankful for that. He had done his work well, so, unlike his youth, he wasn't actually needed every day. A break was always nice.
No, what depressed him was that one word. 'Normal.'
He paused from dicing an onion, staring at his thin, almost skeletal fingers. His narrow wrists, his twig-like arms. There was a subtle throb, a dull pain in his sore joints.
This is what he had become. This was his new 'normal.' Even after nearly two years to get used to it, that fact was a painful one, like a 2,000 kilogram weight hanging on his heart. In his prime, that weight would've meant nothing. But now, it made him stumble and struggle.
… He sighed, and continued dicing the onion.
You know what, don't think about that. At least not right now. He would always have time to be worried and wallow in self pity, but he was All Might! The Symbol of Peace! He might not have to force a smile onto his face at home, but he certainly couldn't allow himself to sink to cynicism and defeatism. And besides, it's not like Japan's peace would die with his retirement. There were more heroes, not to mention plenty more pupils studying hard to be even better than the current generation!
Compared to all the paperwork of today, teaching certainly couldn't be that bad. He was going to be teaching the foundations of heroics to the brightest pupils of the next generation! Despite his lack of teaching experience, formal or otherwise, he couldn't deny that the thought made him giddy! Sure, he'd have to grade papers and sit at a desk all day, but seeing the heroes of the future, and fostering them to become their best selves? That would certainly inspire him to do better!
Dumping all of the ingredients in the pot and putting it on low heat, Toshinori quickly set about cleaning the dishes, before finally grabbing his suitcase and extracting a folder of papers. The time spent in the admissions committee… Well, simply put, it was hellish. Toshinori would swear his butt cramped from sitting too long.
But!
Now, after a week and a half of negotiations and discussions after the exam, he had a finalized list of all of his students! All that needed to be done was to send the letters informing the students themselves! A smile came to his face as he flipped through the folder, looking at the names and pictures of all of his new students. Plopping down at the table with a grunt, he poured himself a glass of water and drank in the savory smells of the burbling stew, before truly delving into the stack of student profiles.
Eijirou Kirishima.
Fumikage Tokoyami.
Itsuka Kendo.
Dozens of others, each one unique and special.
Personal histories, quirks, application essays, all things that he had read a dozen times over for each student at the committee. But here, at his kitchen table, it felt different. He wasn't pouring over documents, selecting individuals based off of some cold calculus. No... Here, it was warmer, friendlier. How would he describe it?
His mind wandered to his friend Shou, when he adopted that little girl. His face, so often tired and marred with a scowl, had lit up in a subtle, paternal way. That's what it was.
Toshinori felt like a father looking at his adopted children. And he would make sure to take good care of each and every one of them! One of them would likely even become his heir!
He flipped the page to the next profile, and paused. His smile fell.
Bakugou Katsuki.
Slowly, he began to read through the young man's file. He didn't really know much about the young man, no more than any of the others, but he already had mixed feelings about him. The sour, angry expression in the blond's profile photo did little to ease those feelings.
After his discussion with Midoriya, he had held true to his word and told Principal Nezu about the allegations. After all, if they were true, the young man would not only be poor hero material, but even potentially a danger to the other students. Nezu recommended the committee contact the school about the matter, and so they did, but while the school was cagey about it, there wasn't enough evidence found on a cursory glance to bar young Bakugou from his admissions. On paper, everything was done according to procedure, but having actually been there… Well, it worried Toshinori.
The principal of the middle school was obviously not telling the entire story, but being the highest scoring applicant on the exam, no one in the committee wanted to look into the matter deeply. It was easily dismissed as a failed applicant trying to bring down a successful one through slander, something that the committee had seen time and time again. Thus, young Bakugou Katsuki was accepted into class 1A, and young Midoriya Izuku…
Toshinori scowled.
He was nowhere to be found in the stack, and he couldn't help but feel it was his fault.
Speaking to the young man in the nurse's office, it had…
Well, to be completely honest with himself, speaking with young Midoriya had shaken Toshinori.
Being the number one hero, All Might had met plenty of fans throughout the years with unusual views. Some worshipped him. Some wanted to make themselves his successor, regardless of his input. Some even wanted to hurt him for some reason or another. Being the Symbol of Peace meant that All Might had his fair share of obsessed fans, both genuine and hate-fans. Really, he had heard people say things far more threatening, dangerous, or unhinged than what young Midoriya had said in the room.
But that was the thing.
They were unhinged. Out of the ordinary. Unable to be reasoned with, and tossed out of normal society. They might've been dangerous to a normal person, but to any hero, and especially to All Might, they were easily dealt with as villains.
Toshinori shivered.
That wasn't young Midoriya.
Setting the papers down, Toshinori took a few brief steps into the kitchen and stirred the stew.
Midoriya Izuku, Toshinori hadn't seen anyone quite like him before. Maybe it was because of his unique circumstances, being raised quirkless and enveloped in hero culture. Maybe it was random chance. But whatever it was, the young man had a good heart. He obviously was more than some spiteful fan or angry teen. He had a drive in him, a motivation, a strong sense of justice that refused to be silenced by circumstance or social norms or even the risk of personal harm. In his heart, the soul of a hero burned brightly. That's what had made him an ideal heir for the Symbol of Peace, those core personality traits. They almost reminded Toshinori of himself, if not even more heroic.
But… Those very things were also what scared Toshinori. No, what scared All Might.
Young Midoriya had all the pieces to become a hero, but the way he spoke, the pulsing fire in his eyes, they didn't speak of continuing the legacy of the Symbol of Peace. It didn't even speak of reforming what All Might had created. No, he spoke of destroying it, ripping it apart piece by piece like a cruel scientist, dissecting and categorizing each chunk of flesh before disposing of and replacing it. Toshinori wasn't sure when or how it happened, but somehow, every trait that he sought out in that young man had been twisted and malformed to oppose him, and that scared him.
Because if it could happen to someone like young Midoriya, then it could happen to anyone. It could be normal.
Grabbing a spoon, he gave the stew a testing sip, before tossing in a handful of seasonings, salt and pepper and dried rosemary.
Maybe that was why he didn't push harder to have the committee accept him. Despite the young man turning down his offer, he still had the heart of a hero, and deserved to attend U.A., regardless of his disability. But the cards were simply stacked too firmly against him, and Toshinori had taken that as an excuse to stop pushing.
He sighed.
Should've, would've, could've. Now it didn't matter. The selection was set, and young Midoriya wasn't in it. Hopefully his regret would fade with time. Toshinori knew it wouldn't. It never had before.
He made his way back to the table, tossing the tasting spoon in the sink before sitting down, and continuing to flip through the profiles. It should be about an hour and a half before the stew was ready, but by then the delicious smells would have marinated in his stomach and would turn his peckishness into a gnawing hunger. The man had some time. So, he returned to reading through profiles, even taking time to mark down students that caught his interest, though they were few and far between. He tried to think back to how they were during the exam, but really, he knew he'd have to meet them and see how they acted to get an accurate gauge of their character and potential.
The room was silent except for the bubbling of stew and the flipping of paper.
Maybe a half hour had passed when he turned to a certain page.
Uraraka Ochako.
… That picture, a young woman with a happy smile and chestnut brown hair and eyes. She seemed very… round. In a friendly way. There wasn't a single sharp, straight line on her body. He would've sworn he recognized the young woman, and not just from the exam. Toshinori rubbed his chin and leaned closer, as if squinting would reveal the answer.
Ah, yes! The nurse's office!
… Did squinting really work?
Nevermind, that's stupid.
Anyways.
That's where he had seen her, in the room with young Midoriya! He had only heard part of their conversation, but she seemed to empathize with the young man. Actually, he had seen her after that too! Aizawa had come to check up on the boy as well shortly after Toshinori had gone in the room, and he'd caught the young woman with her ear to the door.
… Now that he thought about it, Toshinori really hoped she didn't hear anything… Sensitive. He clenched his teeth at the sudden realization. No, no, she couldn't have heard anything too important. Aizawa didn't bring her to him, after all, so it must've been something he could've cleaned up. Still, he clicked open his blue pen, and jotted down a quick note to pay attention to her.
Though looking over her personal history and scores, maybe he should pay attention to her anyways. She was aiming to be a rescue hero, and the fact that she got the second most hero points on the exam certainly backed that up. Plenty of volunteer hours, head of the tutoring club at her middle school, genuinely an all-around good person. He jotted down another note.
Potential heir?
… Well, it was too early to decide anyways. This wasn't a choice he could make hastily, like he almost did with young Midoriya. He may be running out of time, but this was also potentially the most important decision of his entire time as the Symbol of Peace. Nana certainly saw her decision to train him that way. He smiled at the memory of her. He had a few pictures of her around the apartment, still.
Setting down the papers and picking up a rag, Toshinori stood up and slowly made his way around the room, taking his time to dust each picture he had hung. One of him and his family, his parents and his sister, on a family vacation. He had to have been… seven or eight, there about. He laughed, a small, whimsical sound.
Another at his middle school graduation, his parents flanking him. His wide smile was filled with excitement, but it was nothing compared to the strong and proud smiles of his parents. Especially not his mom's. She had always been his biggest advocate, and honestly, he had no idea who he'd be now if it wasn't for her. Certainly not the Symbol of Peace.
Another picture, another story. Gran Torino giving him the first place medal at the U.A. Sports festival. His high school graduation, his dad on one side and Nana on the other, smiling her signature smile.
His mom was missing.
Him and Nana posing on his first day of work as a hero, his brand new uniform crisp and sharp in its silvers and blues. Him and his first intern. His sister's wedding, him standing as one of her new husband's best men.
His dad was missing.
Receiving his first award from the city of Tokyo, the mayor smiling as he handed him an unreasonably large, purely ceremonial key. He still had it somewhere, though he had no idea where. A picture of him and David Shield after his friend's wedding. Maybe someday he could go back to America, just to see his friend. The opening of his hero agency, in a small, shabby section of an office building in Yokohama. His entire team was in the photo, smiling ear to ear. Even Shou was there, notably the only one lacking a smile.
Nana was missing.
The pictures went on and on, so many people, so many awards. Toshinori's smile slowly died. Somewhere along the line, the pictures had stopped being of him and those he loved, and simply of him and those he worked with. Instead of family and friends, it was mayors, ministers, and fellow heroes.
Finally, he reached the last photo. A small one in a frame on a side table, its edges wrinkled and worn from plenty of holding. Him and Nana. There was no special event on that day. It was just… a day. When he was still in college, but before Nana had stepped down
and given him the mantle. There were no hero costumes, no ceremonies or celebrations, no theatrics. Just them at a restaurant. A small, hole-in-the-wall udon place next to campus. They had treated it as their regular meeting spot.
But the smiles on their faces, those were genuine. More genuine than All Might had smiled in years.
Toshinori collapsed into his trusted armchair with a grunt, his joints aching from a day of walking through hallways and shuffling paperwork. Running his fingers over the cold
glass pane, he gave himself the privilege to simply look at it. He missed those days. He missed her.
And his parents.
And his sister.
And his friends.
He missed all of them.
He clenched his boney fingers into a fist, squeezing so tight that his knuckles turned white and his whole arm shook. Tears burned in his sunken, blue eyes, and he choked on rough gasps, biting his lip.
… When did Toshinori become so alone? When had he lost so many? It had been so slow, one by one, but now… now they were all gone. His parents had passed. He hadn't heard from his sister in a decade. Shou was in the police, but they had stopped talking after…
… After Nana had been murdered by All for One.
Toshinori was All Might. The Symbol of Peace. The hero with no weaknesses. The lynchpin of stability in Japan.
But at that moment, he was just a man. A very small, tired, lonely man, clutching a thirty year old picture of his mentor to his chest.
Yagi Toshinori let himself cry.
)ooOoo(
A plum popsicle.
Sickly sweet.
A bite of sour.
Cold and sticky.
Himiko hummed happily, savoring the sweet treat as she rocked side to side in the stiff plastic convenience store chair.
Perhaps it was too early in the year, right as the cold part of spring melted away to reveal its warm, green other half, but Himiko had hardly been able to restrain herself this long! The leaves were green and the sakura were gone, so no matter the temperature, she was going to have a plum popsicle! She giggled to herself.
"Hm?" Izu-kun looked up from his book, another one of the heavy ones he was always reading. Something about the capital, but spelled with a 'k' instead of a 'c.' He was probably going to explain everything he read to her later, but unlike when she read about biology or psychology, she simply couldn't remember all those economic terms and political concepts. Sure, she understood the basics, but when he started mentioning terms like 'dialectical materialism,' 'commodity fetishism,' or 'modes of production,' it simply went in one ear and out the other.
Izu-kun, however, swallowed them up and categorized the newfound knowledge with an insatiable hunger, hardly even stopping to mope after the exam two weeks ago before burning through even more books. Setting down the pen he was making up the pages with, he raised his head and casually reached out across the table. Himiko returned the movement, interweaving her fingers with his. "What is it, Himiko?"
"I'm just happy." She gave him a wide, toothy smile, feeling her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink. Himiko wasn't lying, she couldn't lie to Izu-kun even if she wanted to. She was just… happy. Not for any particular reason. "I just hope every day can be like this!"
Today wasn't special. There was absolutely nothing to distinguish it from the day before, or likely the day after. But sitting in a 7/11 with Izu-kun, just being with him and seeing friends and living life, it gave her a special, pure sort of joy that couldn't be described in simple, clumsy words. Especially not if she was the one forming those simple, clumsy words.
The serious, focused expression her wolf always wore while studying melted away, revealing a soft, joyful smile of his own, and the small sort of blush that made Himiko's heart sputter. His hand, covered in calluses from training and knife throwing, wrapped around her own with such kind gentleness, and gave a small squeeze. "I would love to spend every day like this."
Himiko beamed at his words, a warm smile on her face and an even warmer sensation flooding her heart. Izu-kun went back to his reading, quietly muttering questions and ideas to himself, but their fingers remained intertwined, their thumbs bumping and pinning each other in some undeclared thumb war. Himiko giggled, and went back to staring out the window of the 7/11, watching people pass and writing their eulogies in her head.
A gaggle of students meandered by, some still in their winter uniforms, but a brave few having switched to their summer uniforms.
A young office lady, a couple of bags hanging from her arm due to some after-work grocery shopping.
An old married couple, sitting on a bench in the small park across the street. The man tossed out some ripped bread, watching the pigeons peck at the food, while the woman watched the trees sway in the wind.
All so… happy. Mundane. Normal.
Himiko was in reach of that. Next semester, she'd start in the science tract at Musutafu High School, and she had talked with Inko about maybe going to a prep school to prepare for a medical degree in college. Genetic engineering had always interested her, so maybe she could go into research. Izu-kun still had some soul-searching to do, but she wouldn't be surprised if he became an investigative journalist. The selfish part of her preferred that to hero work. But, with a few years of school, and then a good college education, and a nice stable job, the pair would be a happy, stable family.
Himiko had a straight shot into a normal life.
Her smile wavered, if only for a moment.
Flicking her eyes over to her evergreen companion, Himiko chomped down the last of her popsicle and threw herself face down onto the table, arms outstretched. "Izuuuu-kuuuuuuun!"
"What is it, Himiko?" Flipping the page, Izu-kun paused and looked up.
Putting on the most innocent smile she could, Himiko unwove her hand from Izuku's, instead deciding to play with his fingers. Boop, boop, boop. She giggled, and looked up at him. "What did All Might say to you?"
The night he had come back from the exam, he had been nervous to talk about it. Something had happened, that was obvious, and it meant he wouldn't be going to U.A.. But… he hadn't said that like he had failed the exam, and with significant prying, he had let it slip that it had to do with All Might. Like, in person. The All Might.
Himiko had been biding her time, but today, she wanted to find out.
"I told you, it's, uh… private. For All Might."
"Teeeeeelllllllll meeeeeeeeee." She squirmed in her seat, her cheeks turning red as she pouted. "Izu-kun, it's been two weeks! You came back so battered I wanted to bite you all over, but you seemed so sad!"
"Oh, uh-" Izu-kun opened his mouth, but seeing the girl pouting, he turned bright red, sputtering madly. He tried to force a smile, but it came out nervous and uncertain, as though he were stepping through a minefield. "It's nothing you need to worry about!"
Himiko snickered, giving him a mischievous smile, and he let out a breath he had obviously been holding out of panic.
"You know I always worry about you! You're my wolf!" Was she really upset? No. But she was endlessly curious, always, and pouting was always fun too! After all, she got to see Izu-kun's reaction. Whenever she seemed even the slightest bit sad or upset, the boy went into panic mode. If she sneezed, he rushed to find a tissue box; if she mentioned being hungry, he was already looking up restaurant reservations. It was…
For a brief moment, her devilish smile softened.
It was sweet. And it was just who he was.
She loved that about him.
And as soon as the tender emotion showed itself on her face, she made it disappear, replacing it with a smile so innocent it was obviously impish in intent. "I promise I can keep a secret! Pleeeeease!"
"... F-fine!" He sputtered, finally cracking under the pressure of Himiko's bemoaning. He sputtered, attempting to put together the right way to say it in his head, but Himiko just watched, proud of her victory. Finally, he seemed to put together the right words. "I, uh… I rejected All Might."
Himiko paused, taking a moment before she responded. He rejected All Might? That didn't seem right. Rejected what? She popped her head up, cocking it questioningly. "What?"
Izu-kun let out a nervous laugh, avoiding her yellow gaze for a moment as he gathered his words. "All Might, he, uh, he needs a successor. He offered to make me his apprentice, he would give me… power, and training, to be his replacement."
That just left her with more questions than answers! She loved Izu-kun, her wolf, there was no question there, but that didn't prevent her from realizing that he would not be a good fit to replace All Might on a very basic level. All Might could level city blocks with a punch. Izu-kun could run a mile in six and a half minutes. That power difference was one of magnitude. She scrunched up her eyebrows, about to ask a question, but Izu-kun was quick to continue.
"I didn't accept." Pressing his lips into a tight scowl, he spoke with an underlying anxiety. "I was already on the fence about being a hero in the first place, but to become another All Might..? It wouldn't've been right. I don't want to be another All Might."
There was a lot more to that situation than Izu-kun wasn't telling her. That much was obvious. But…
Well, he would tell her eventually. What mattered now was something very different.
Izu-kun hadn't failed to become a hero, he chose to not become one. He rejected it. He rejected an offer from All Might.
Her heart sped up slightly, thudding in her chest.
… Oh how her wolf had grown. Somehow, this revelation excited her even more than the night he nearly killed Warp. The weight on him, his desire to become a hero, his admiration for those toxic parasites, had been trimmed away, leaving lean, strong muscle behind. Now, he could become so much more.
Her smile dissolved, leaving a still, serious face. Her eyes, so thin, so yellow, bore into her companion.
"H-Himiko?" Izu-kun blinked, tensing in his seat. "Are you oka-aaay, ah!"
Smoothly, in a single motion, Himiko stood up, grabbed his collar, leaned across the table, and buried her teeth in his neck. Whatever words he had been saying melted away, turning into a mixture of a moan and a whimper, sweet music to her ears. She rolled her eyes back, shivering in pleasure as she licked up the small beads of blood that dripped from his neck.
And just as smoothly, she dislodged from his neck, taking a step back and licking her lips. She couldn't afford to lose a single drop of his sweet syrup, could she?
"W-What was that!? We're in public!" Izuku hissed at her, looking between the window and the counter, which was conveniently missing its clerk. Maybe she should've checked beforehand. Ah well.
Clasping his hand, she pulled him up, and caressed his cheek. The tip of her nose bumped his. "Did you like it?"
There was a moment where Izuku simply stared at her, absolute bewilderment in his eyes. "Wha-, well-, y-yes, but this isn't the place!"
Himiko grinned somewhere between sweet puppy love and hungry predator, and rubbed her forehead against his. "Do you trust me?"
"W-what? Of course, you know that, but why-"
"Come on!" She grabbed his hand, barely giving him enough time to grab his bookbag, and dragged him out of the 7/11 to the nearest bus stop. It was only a minute before the bus pulled up, and the two of them made their way to seats near the back.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see!"
The bus thrummed, making its way down road after road, and the two sat in a comfortable silence, Himiko curled up on Izu-kun's arm. She knew exactly where they were going. And she knew exactly what she was going to say when she got there.
Izu-kun gently stroked her blond hair, watching out the window. Stealthily, without moving to let him know she was doing it, Himiko slowly began to look him over.
A small scrape here.
A bruise there.
The fleck of a burn mark peeking out from under his shirt.
She knew what they meant.
"Why don't you stop him?" She spoke softly, nonchalantly, but Izu-kun nearly jumped at the sudden words.
"S-stop what?" He looked down at her, meeting her gaze.
"You know. Mr. Spikey." Himiko gently poked one of the burns, and Izu-kun hissed in pain. She watched his reactions with an icy, analytical gaze.. "You beat him before. Why are you letting him do this?"
Taking a deep breath, Izu-kun sighed. "Because it's more practical to let him get away with it."
"Practical?" Himiko frowned. That was a terrible reason.
"Just a month more." He said it slowly and dejectedly, more like a mantra he was losing faith in and less like a lie he had convinced himself of. "In just over a month, Bakugou will go to U.A., and I'll… go to a special needs school. And I'll never have to see him again. It's just not worth getting another mark on my record over things the school will just dismiss as accidents and roughhousing." He let out a weak laugh. "At least then I won't have to deal with Bakugou after this."
For some reason, the way Izu-kun said those words, the look in his eyes, so quiet and acquiesced, made Himiko's heart spark hot. This isn't her wolf! This isn't right! No, no, no! Her wolf was supposed to burn hot with righteous fury, and to do what was right no matter what!
"Bakugou is wrong, and waiting it out won't stop that." She sat up in her seat, clasping Izu-kun's hand tightly, and looked him firmly in the eyes. Something in her heart tightened. "If you don't stop him, he'll keep acting like this, and will treat others just like he's treated you."
Maybe Izu-kun wanted heroes to be good people, but Himiko would never trust them to be. She hardly trusted them to act like people sometimes.
"I know." Izu-kun's lips pressed into a thin line, his jaw clenched. Himiko could feel the muscles in his arms tense, the same lean muscles he had spent the past year training and strengthening. "I know he's wrong. I know he's a bad person, and will be an even worse hero. But I also know that he has every possible advantage. I know that the school favors him, the format of the test favors him, even his genetics favor him!"
Watching the outburst was like watching a pressure valve release. There was so obviously a fire in him! He had even shown it, time and time again, with Bakugou and Warp. But he kept it all bottled up, all stored away like some heavy drink he only let himself indulge in late at night, when no one could watch or judge. She saw the way he worked at all hours of the day, fueled by something more than diligence and determination.
So why didn't he let it out? Why didn't he use it to its fullest? No one seemed to be on his side anyways, so why did he twist and bend to conform to society's rules like they were? Himiko simply couldn't understand.
"It makes me angry. It all makes me so angry." Izu-kun nearly growled out the words, but just as suddenly, the raw anger in his voice drained. But… It didn't disappear. "But no matter how angry I am, it won't fix those issues. I have to pick my battles. Let him get his kicks in for now. I'll succeed in the end."
Now this caught Himiko's attention. When Izu-kun quenched his anger, it wasn't destroyed or contained, no, it was… focused. Honed. Like a knife.He spoke with a cold intensity, the inferno that raged during fights distilled and chilled into a potent elixir that coated his every word.
This was certainly something Himiko could foster. After all, wolves were pursuit hunters. She reached up, running her fingers through his evergreen curls, and pressed her forehead to his. Izu-kun leaned into her touch, closing his eyes, and she could feel the tension leave his muscles.
After a few moments of silence, Izu-kun released a small sigh, and opened his eyes, speaking quietly. "... Did I make the right choice?"
Himiko opened her own eyes, green meeting yellow. "Which one?"
"Turning down All Might." He frowned, but it was a nervous, uncertain gesture, rather than one of dislike or displeasure. "I-I mean, he handed me everything I wanted. Everything I ever wanted since I was a kid, on a silver platter. But I turned it down. And now, Bakugou is going to U.A. to train to be a hero, and I lost a chance at unmeasurable influence and power just… to end up back at square one. A special needs school looming over me, not sure what I want to be. Did I make a mistake?"
For a moment, Himiko was quiet. Did he? He wasn't wrong, it was an opportunity that few would ever get. And, looking past her… distrust for heroes, it would've given him lots of power and influence. He could've done so much.
… But at what cost? She looked up at Izu-kun, and gently caressed his cheek. If he had accepted that deal, what would the cost have been to him as a person? As her wolf? To his progress as an individual? Maybe it was simply her paranoia, but she could only imagine him regressing into adoration for the man he had spent the last year learning to distrust.
Himiko wanted the best for Izu-kun, she always would, but the selfish little part of her also wanted him to be hers. And if he became a real hero, an officer of the law, where would she fit into that? She barely fit into normal society, so if there was a microscope on everything the pair of them did?
… And after everything else she had done? She could still see the sweet terror in Aimi's eyes when she closed her eyes.
But none of that mattered, right? He had turned down being a hero. It had been over a year since the last person she had… spent a night with. She had a home, a school, and a future. They were going to have a happy, normal life. For some reason, that thought didn't comfort her like she hoped it would. "Did you choose with your heart?"
"Huh?" Izu-kun ran his thumb over hers, a sign of affection so casual that it didn't even consciously register for the pair.
She returned the gesture, speaking softly. "When you made that decision, did you make it out of practicality, or out of what you believe is right?"
"... I did what I thought was right." Izu-kun hesitated, but when he spoke, it was with the firm confidence of moral strength.
Himiko simply smiled. "Then you made the right choice."
Izu-kun returned her smile, small and nervous, but optimistic.
The rest of the ride passed in silence, though they were always physically touching each other in some way; holding hands, playing with each other's fingers, stroking each other's forearms. All mindless, easy movements that had no real purpose other than to touch, to feel, to enjoy each others' presence. Himiko took the time to bask in his touch, humming and nuzzling into his neck. At times like this, his touch didn't send electricity bolting down her spine and burning across her skin like wildfire. No, there were times like that, but right now, it was more… comforting than exciting.
His touch was like the warmth of a hot spring. Perhaps at first, when she had never felt it before, it had been scorchingly hot, but now, that heat had mellowed, and filled her soul. Relaxing, healing, rejuvenating warmth. To simply be with him made her heart beat a bit faster, and a smile would come to her face. A real, genuine smile.
Of course, Izu-kun was in his own mind at the moment, mouthing silent words and staring out the window with eyes firmly focused on absolutely nothing. He was thinking about something, though Himiko didn't know what. But that was just who he was. Always thinking, always running calculations in his head for an equation they had yet to see all of. Her cheeks tinted pink, and she nuzzled further into the crook of his neck.
It was only a few minutes more until they reached their stop. The bus eased to a stop, and its doors popped open with a hiss. The pair quickly stepped off the bus, and half a step in front of Izu-kun, she began leading him to their destination. Right onto a road, left through a tight alleyway, right onto another road. A single car hummed by, but plenty of people made their way down the sidewalks. Finally, they reached an office building. Perfectly bland. Perfectly unremarkable. Fourteen stories tall. Himiko came to a casual stop, glancing up at the building before looking towards her partner.
How would he react?
He looked at her, then at the building, confused. Then… understanding dawned on his face, and he gasped.
"I-is this..?" He stuttered, all his blood draining from his face.
Himiko nodded silently, solemnly. She didn't force a smile. Taking hold of his hand, she gripped it tightly, and looked up, up, towards the roof. "This is where we began."
Her heart squeezed, and her stomach tied into taut knots. Once she did this, there would be no turning back. Whatever happened happened.
She just hoped her wolf was ready for it.
Wordlessly, she led him into the alleyway next to the building. The bottom latch of the fire escape came off with ease, and the pair trekked up the fourteen flights of metal grate stairs.
When they finally reached the top, the sun had finally reached the horizon, bathing the city in warm, bloody light.
He was ready. He had to be ready.
She took a deep breath, and approached the guardrail. She rested her hand on it, and ignoring the way her stomach twisted, how her heart begged her to stop, her mind told her it was impractical, Himiko looked back at Izu-kun, and spoke.
Because she needed this.
"Do you remember that night?"
"Of course." Izu-kun stepped towards the edge, gripping the guardrail so tightly his knuckles turned white. But despite how tense he was, his words were quiet and soft. "How could I forget?"
Himiko watched the stretching shadows, dark and stark in the crimson light. So much had happened since that night. So much had changed. And not just for Izu-kun. She looked down, not meeting his gaze. It felt so... Strange. After so long of forcing smiles and laughing and covering herself with masks, being this brutally honest, this exposed with her emotions, it felt strange, and wrong. And this wasn't even the hard part yet.
"The first words I ever said to you were 'can I watch?'" She bit her lip, and she swore it was hard enough to break skin. "I came up here to sleep. I thought no one would catch me here. Instead… I found you. Mr. Mossy. But despite everything I said, everything I did, you didn't run. You didn't call for help. You just… accepted me. Why?"
There was a deep worry in Izu-kun's green eyes, turned muddy brown in the red light. He frowned, but it was a guilty expression, more than anything else, like a man admitting guilt before a jury. "... Honestly, because you terrified me. That and sensory overload, and well… I was lonely."
Himiko took a deep breath, and sighed. She loved how Izu-kun was when he was scared. It was delicious, and it made her want to just take a bite out of him. But… she hated that, in some ways. She didn't have a normal relationship. She couldn't. No, instead, her only friend and partner was a suicidal boy scared and lonely enough not to run.
They had progressed beyond that. She knew that. He had reciprocated her feelings, even! But…
It still hurt, knowing that if it wasn't for how afraid he was, that he might've easily become just another battered corpse and painful regret.
Tears burnt at the edges of her eyes. She didn't fight them.
Squeezing the guardrail, she looked down at the ground, fourteen stories below, where her wolf nearly became a grease stain, before looking right into the sunset. "Do you regret meeting me?"
"W-what?" Izu-kun shouted, shock and horror on his face. "Of course not!"
Himiko took a moment, simply looking at her partner. Those words were genuine. She shouldn't have been surprised, Izu-kun was just like that. Genuine in everything he did, kind and sweet and nervous.
But she had to ask, because not everyone was. She was… a bad luck charm. Everyone that was around her got hurt, and they always blamed it on her. If she asked Aimi if she regretted meeting her, the answer would be a resounding yes. It hurt to think about it, some small part of Himiko still loved her after all, but it was the truth. That girl had never liked Himiko, she had simply put up with her. And if she asked Aunt Iku…
Well, the woman hadn't hesitated to call her the 'family curse' before.
Tears poured out of her eyes, stinging her cheeks and ruining her already terrible makeup, but she smiled softly, gently, and placed her hand on Izu-kun's. "You're one of the few."
It was interesting watching Izu-kun's reactions. Even after all this time, Himiko was fascinated in how he wore his emotions so openly, letting each thought and worry grow and wither away in his expression and body language. There was confusion on his face, then panic, and finally stern resolve. What she was not prepared for, both analytically and emotionally, was for him to wrap his arms around her with gentle strength. His arms, so much stronger and more toned than months ago, squeezed her ever so slightly, and he placed his forehead against hers, filling her vision. There was no more city, no more sunset, no one and nothing else. Just Izu-kun and his soft, compassionate eyes. "Himiko, what are you not telling me?"
Himiko simply melted in his arms, grasping and clutching at his back as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. For him to hold her like this, to feel his warmth and strength, it was too much. She-
She couldn't restrain herself.
"... I was always the weird one. The one everyone avoided. I'm not cute, I'm not pretty, I'm not normal!" She screamed out the words, digging her sharp nails into Izu-kun's back, but if it hurt him, he didn't show it. He simply held her closer, stroking her hair."And because of that, I was alone, always. So alone."
"You're not alone now." He spoke softly and calmly, comfortingly. Izu-kun's breathing was slow and steady compared to the wild beating of her own heart.
But-
But that was the thing, she was still alone, somehow! Despite going to school, despite having a normal life, despite having Izu-kun, she still felt so alone! And, and maybe it was because she was weird, or maybe it was because she hadn't been entirely honest with him. She hadn't bared her soul to him yet, in all its ugliness.
She hated it.
She hated all of it.
Her past, her regrets, everything.
If she could just forget all of it, leave all of it behind-
A sob caught in her throat.
"I-I haven't told you about my family. They were-" She paused, her father's golden eyes stark in her memory. So like her own, yet somehow, so different. She could do this. She could talk about this. She had to talk about it. "They were a good, normal family. My dad, he was a nurse. And my mom, she was… She was Blood Match."
Izu-kun froze up briefly, his muscles tensing at the name. But just as quickly, he relaxed again. "... The Blood match?"
Himiko nodded. She would've said something, but her throat had closed up so tight she wasn't sure if she could even speak.
Yes, that Blood Match. The Vampire of Osaka.
One heartbeat.
Two.
Three.
Finally, Izuku spoke.
"... Did she abuse you?"
"No!" Himiko tore herself away from Izu-kun, pushing him as far away as she could without leaving the safety of his arms. "She wasn't abusive! She loved me! She didn't think I was a mistake, or a demon child, or a threat! She saw me as her daughter, as family! She was kind, and loving, and gentle, and-! "
"And was arrested." Izuku interrupted, but… from the look in his eyes, he wasn't trying to correct her. He was simply putting together the pieces, trying to sort and categorize and weigh the importance of this new information.
"... Y-yeah." She forced the words out, pulling out each word like teeth with pliers. She hated that the incident was all her mom would ever be known for. She was a strong, kind, and loving person. A good person. Maybe more distant than her father was, but a good mother. "She was arrested. And so they gave me to my Aunt."
Uncomfortable car rides. Stiff, disinfected environments. White walls and gray tiling. And… and pain. So much pain. Her heart hesitated to beat. A sob racked Himiko's body, and once again, Izu-kun held her close.
"To her, I was… a problem to solve. An illness to be cured." She spat out that last word, fire on her tongue. But that anger couldn't burn long or hot enough to purge what that woman had done. What she had paid others to do. "After her, I was given to adoptive services. To them, I was an anomaly, a threat to be measured and medicated out of existence. And then…"
Her words trailed off. Was she really ready to tell Izu-kun what happened next? Would he… would he reject her? Force her out of his life, and make her alone again?
That scared her more than anything she could possibly imagine.
For the slightest sliver of a moment, she understood perfectly why Izu-kun played by society's rules, even though he would always be on the butt-end of them. It was because he had a chance to be normal. To be a part of society, even if just a second class member. It was safe. Secure. He would always have a place in it.
God, how she had always wanted that.
"You ran." Izu-kun connected the dots, but Himiko decided not to tell him a few were missing.
She would tell him, someday.
Someday, he would know all of her.
Just... not today.
"I've never been normal. I was never given the chance to be normal. I was never allowed to be a person." A chilly wind blew past them, and Himiko huddled even closer to her Izu-kun. Her hot tears soaked into the shoulder of his shirt. "That's all I've ever wanted. I just-" Her breath caught, sharply sucking in air past the gasps and sobs. "I just wanted to be given a chance to be normal. To go to school and have friends and maybe get married and have kids. Become a doctor and help heal people. Be… average. Average and happy."
"You have that chance now. We-" The boy stammered, desperately trying to find optimistic ground to stand on. "We can go to school and do all of that!"
Lies. Sweet, comforting lies. The only sort Izu-kun would ever tell her.
But he was still a horrible liar.
"... Izu-kun, I love you. But no we can't" She reached up, caressing his cheek with sharp fingernails. Her tears still weren't dry, but they had slowed, as though eased by her acceptance. "I went to school with you, and you know what I found? That I was still weird. That I was still avoided. And that… I didn't enjoy being normal. It was wrong. Fake. I was a liar in my own skin, pretending to be someone I wasn't. I can't be normal, and now, I don't want to be."
Her entire life, Himiko had never been given the choice to be normal. She had always thought it was something or someone stopping her; psychologists or family, that she wasn't cute enough or popular enough. That if she simply changed something about her situation, or at least about herself, she could be normal. She could fit in.
She could be happy.
… But that wasn't true. Over the past several months, she had been given that chance, and it hurt her soul, but it simply wasn't true. Could she be normal? Maybe. It would be hard. She'd have to rip out everything about herself and replace it. But she could.
But that didn't make Himiko happy.
And that's what hurt her most.
Being weird, being an outcast, it hadn't made her happy.
Being normal hadn't either, though.
So… what was she supposed to do?
Izu-kun looked at her, fear in his eyes. Such sweet fear. The type that showed he was worried about her. "... If you can't be normal, what do you want to be?"
"With you." That was the only answer. She had spent so long thinking about it, but that was the only answer that made her happy. "Izu-kun, society will never accept me. I'll always be weird. But that doesn't matter to me. All that matters to me is you. Because you took me in."
Himiko paused, a weight on her heart. Did she want to ask this? What if he said no? What if he didn't mean it? What if-
There would always be more what if's. This would always be a gamble. But it was what Himiko wanted.
Swallowing her fear, Himiko looked deep into Izu-kun's eyes, into his soul. "My wolf, will you accept me, all of me? Even the weird parts? The ugly parts? And… And will you be by my side, now and forever, no matter what happens? Will you protect me? Will you be mine?"
The air was cold and heavy, even the slight breeze unable to break the suffocating weight of the question. The sun dipped just below the horizon, casting the city into a deep indigo shadow, speckled with white, hopeful stars. The sounds of the city were quiet and distant, leaving the soft rumble of a passing car and the final, lingering birdsongs before night.
But the most beautiful piece of the tapestry was her wolf. The darkness of the young night enveloped him, clothing him in gentle shadows even as the final light caught in his eyes. He looked… right.
Something about all of this seemed right for him.
Standing high above everyone else, at the crossroads of brilliant day and quiet night. Not quite like anyone else. And trapped in those wide, emerald eyes was a mind that was able to look past her simple words and really understand what she was asking.
Because what she wanted weren't words of comfort, or a legal, to-the-word promise. No, she wanted something deeper. So much deeper.
Himiko was a wild card. She was dangerous. Whatever peace she had now, it came from the lie that she could be normal. It was a brief oasis from struggle and suffering.
What she wanted was to know if, no matter what, Izu-kun would bear that suffering with her.
"Yes." Izu-kun plucked her hand from his cheek, and held it tightly. "Himiko, you saved my life, in more ways than one. I don't know where I'd be without you, and I don't even know if I'd want to be without you. You've accepted all of me, so I accept all of you."
There was love in those eyes. Something deep and strong and whole, a blazing fire in a cozy hearth. Himiko's heart skipped a beat, and pure joy flooded her heart. Nuzzling into his neck, she bit over and over, light and featherlike. Gasping for breath, she pulled away, her face bright red and her lungs burning for air.
"Mark me. Slice me open and claim me. Let me feel your love."
Izu-kun paused, but then a smile grew on his face, soft and loving, before he leaned down and oh so carefully bit her neck. She could feel him drink her blood, hot and sweet and sticky.
As the night grew darker, the only sight either of them saw was the flash of a silver blade. It wasn't the prettiest blade they had. But it was the one Izuku always kept on him: The blade she gave him, all those months ago. And that night, it painted many more scars on the pair, blood and ecstasy mixing into a lovesick duet.
And through all the pleasure, all the joy that filled her heart and all the lust that clouded her mind, one thing rang through pure and true.
Her wolf would always be there to protect her. And she would protect him too.
Even if he didn't want to be protected.
)ooOoo(
"Fuckin'-" Katsuki kicked the arcade machine, this close to tearing the joystick off the damn thing. "I won! But this stupid machine is broken or something!"
"Hey, man, chill." Botan leaned over, looking at the machine, then at Katsuki with the same, relaxed expression he always had. He gave a lazy smile, shrugging, and patted Katsuki on the back. "We all know ya won, no need to break the machine. The clerk is already givin' us funny looks."
Casting a narrow glare at Botan, and then the very obviously concerned arcade clerk across the crowded room, Katsuki snorted and shook his head. "Yeah, the thing ain't worth it. Ain't my fault the thing is trash."
Botan gave that same lazy, unhurried smile, and mumbled some sort of agreement, but Katsuki didn't bother paying attention. That damn machine. He wanted his fifty yen back. The two wandered over to another arcade game, where another classmate was playing. Katsuki sneered. That kid can't even get past the second level. Weakling.
The arcade in the Musutafu Mall wasn't impressive. A couple dozen cabinets, plus an overpriced concessions stand and a few toy vending machines, the type that sold cheap crap in little plastic balls for two hundred yen. But the game cabinets were cheap, so it was almost bearable, at least until you figured in everyone else that it came with. His classmates were fine enough, they dragged him here because they knew he was better than them, but everyone else? Somehow, even at eight in the evening, every single nobody in the whole damn town somehow managed to find their way to this place, elementary schoolers and loser college students, and everyone in between that sucked at arcade games and was loud about it. The whole dark, hot room was filled to bursting with whiny weaklings, packed shoulder to shoulder, groaning and mumbling about whatever while their machines rang like fucking church bells. It drove Katsuki nuts. Just to make it all worse, Katsuki was still in his stuffy, high collared school uniform, a black, button-up rag that somehow managed to keep in heat better than any winter coat. He couldn't wait to burn it when he graduated in a month.
"Hey, look who's here." Nudging Katsuki's shoulder, Botan pointed through the dense crowd towards another arcade cabinet. He snickered, watching closely for Katsuki's reaction.
What was it this time? He better not be trying to get him to get with some girl. Botan had tried that before, but Katsuki had explained in no uncertain terms that he wouldn't consider anyone that couldn't go toe-to-toe with him in combat. The last one that Botan had pointed out hadn't even been a challenge!
Grunting, Katsuki turned to look through the crowd, but paused. No, that wasn't a girl Botan had pointed out, that's for sure.
"Deku?"
He spoke quietly, like a snake ready to strike, and narrowed his eyes. Maybe his thought earlier had been wrong, not every nobody came to the arcade. Deku never did. He had known to steer clear of Katsuki's territory here since seventh grade.
So what on earth was he doing here now?
Oh, did he think he could just ignore Katsuki now? Since Katsuki was leaving town for bigger things, Deku didn't have to respect the rules and boundaries he had put down?
Bullshit.
He grit his teeth and began shoving his way through the tight crowd of degenerates. But the moment he took his first step, the green haired wimp's head popped up, his eyes darting around in search of danger. Did the twit hear him? There was no way. Maybe after being a Deku for so long, the boy had developed the ability to sense danger. Maybe it was his quirk. It was just useless enough to fit him. Katsuki grinned maliciously.
For a brief moment, Deku's green eyes pierced through the crowd, meeting the fierce red of Katsuki's. There was confusion, then fear, then panic.
Good. Katsuki wasn't in the mood for the uppity Deku that he'd seen before the exam. He pushed through the last stretch of the crowd, reaching Deku, and-
He was gone.
"What the fuck."
Botan followed close behind, catching up without any issue, and cast a glance around. With a dry laugh, his classmate waggled his eyebrows. "Wow, he disappeared fast. Scared him off, it seems."
Katsuki narrowed his eyes. "Find him."
"Huh?" Botan looked up at Katsuki, and scratched his jaw. "Dude, he's runnin' for the hills, don't worry about it."
"I don't care, find him." The words were narrow and threatening, hissed like he was spitting out a razor blade. Something was up. He could feel it in his bones, some intuition from knowing the boy for years. Even now, if he wasn't up to something, he would just spout out one of his fake apologies or something. Instead, he just disappeared? Something wasn't right. "You go that way, I'll go this way."
"Sure, sure, whatever you say 'boss.'" Botan rolled his eyes, but after a small snarl from Katsuki, the boy followed the command, slipping into the crowd.
Katsuki turned and went the other way, keeping his crimson eyes peeled. His steps were slow but firm, and his jaw was solidly clenched, his teeth grinding. With each stable step, he did a slow scan of the crowd, looking for the suddenly invisible Deku.
Slowly.
Methodically.
Katsuki would find him.
There! Near the exit!
There was a flash of evergreen hair, and Katsuki snapped to look. Eye contact. Deku stood completely still, a blank expression on his face. But it was the forced sort, the type the twerp wore when he was trying hard to not be intimidated.
There he was! Katsuki growled, and took a step-
"Hey, watch it man." Someone bumped into him, casually making their way through. Katsuki opened his mouth to swear at whoever it was, but-
The person moved out of the way, and Izuku was gone again.
Okay, now he was pissed! Was this some sort of game? Was he trying to escape? What the hell was Deku pulling!?
Shoving through the crowd, he finally made it out of the arcade, into the wide, high-ceilinged hallway of the mall. The air was instantly cooler, and there were far fewer people. There was the clacking of shoes on tile, and Katsuki caught the barest trace of Deku slipping into one of the small, narrow hallways. There he is! When he caught Deku, he was gonna make the wimp pay for all of this. These games, this chase. His knuckles were white. With fast, almost jogging steps, Katsuki stomped around the corner.
And it was empty. The walls were bare, the tiles were clean, and it looked like no one had been there except to clean. Ten paces away, there was an emergency exit, slowly swinging closed.
Oh no, he wasn't getting away that easily!
Kicking the heavy door open, he barged into the narrow concrete alleyway. His crimson eyes darted back and forth, searching for his target. Piles of garbage, a few broken glass bottles, and-
"Bakugou."
The door slammed shut, revealing Deku leaning against the wall. Perfectly at ease. Smiling like a feral cat.
"You!" Katsuki rushed forwards, grabbing the boy by his collar and roughly slamming him against the wall. He curled one fist, holding it up in threat. "What the fuck are you trying to pull, Deku?"
Deku gasped, struggling to recover the air Katsuki had forced out of his lungs, but as soon as he had recovered, he simply shook his head, that smile returning and a ragged, cruel laugh racking his thin frame.
"Why are you laughing!?" Katsuki slammed him against the concrete wall again, yelling at him. What the fuck was going on? What was this twerp doing?
"Fear, Bakugou." Deku smiled darkly, casually, but didn't resist Katsuki's violence. He raised a hand, laying it on Katsuki's cheek, but Katsuki slapped it away. For a moment, Deku looked distraught, but it quickly melted away, revealing a vicious, toothy grin. "Fear is your greatest sin."
Katsuki's knuckles met the boy's face, an audible smack echoing in the small alleyway. "What the hell are you talking about Deku? Did you finally snap?" Something was wrong here. Katsuki didn't know how he knew, but something was deeply wrong, and it scared him. He crushed that fear by punching Deku again. What was he gonna do? Katsuki was strong! He had gotten into U.A.! Since he had gotten accepted, he had shown Deku his place, and the boy hadn't even fought back!
"You're the best. You have to be. Because if you're not… then what are you?" Deku's eyes, so dark and green, pierced into Katsuki's soul. There was something cannibalistic in those eyes, inhuman and hungry. "But you can't ask that question, no. You can't ask yourself what you are without powers, because that's what you've groomed yourself into. A vessel for power. So you coat yourself in pride, to bury all your fear. You bully, and beat, and subjugate others, because if you feed your pride, you believe your fear will be too weak to destroy you."
"Shut up!" Katsuki punched Deku in the gut, and the boy choked, gasping for air. What was this wimp saying!? It was all gibberish! He wasn't afraid, and certainly not afraid of being weak! He was strong! His powers made him strong, and everyone knew it! And now he would be a pro hero, the strongest pro hero! With a furious shout, he threw the boy to the ground, and began kicking him.
Slam.
Slam.
Slam.
Again and again.
Deku never gave up, the wimp didn't know when to stay down! So he came around to spout creepy nonsense and get beaten to a pulp! Katsuki would always be stronger than him, no matter what he believed, no matter what happened in that one fight, no matter what gibberish he whispered about strength and fear! Katsuki screamed at the boy, a stream of curses and insults.
He didn't know how long he kicked Deku for, but when he stopped, he was panting and gasping for air. Deku was on the ground, unmoving, covered in deep purple bruises.
Katsuki growled. There. He took a deep breath, and stood up straight, shaking his wrists loose.
"Idiot." There was a broken, ragged cackle, and Katsuki watched in horror as Deku clawed himself back to his feet. "Your pride can't kill fear."
Balancing on unsteady feet, Deku grinned staring into Katsuki's eyes with that same twisted look. But now, there was anger. A soft, quiet rage that spoke of a carefully contained hurricane. Katsuki took an instinctive step back.
This wasn't Deku. This couldn't be Deku. There was something wrong with this person, something very twisted.
Not-Deku took a step towards Katsuki.
Katsuki took another step back.
"Scared, Kaa-chan? Scared of me, weak little deku? This is what you are! A scared child! Beneath all that power, all that pride!" The person with Deku's face laughed, loud and cruel. But suddenly, he paused, and looked deep into Katsuki's eyes. He smiled, quiet and rabid. "Beneath your walls of pride, you are nothing."
No.
No, he was strong.
He would be a hero.
He would be the strongest hero, and everyone would know it.
Katsuki's heart thudded with panic, telling him to run, but he ignored it. Whoever this was, he wouldn't listen! He wouldn't be scared of them!
A rage exploded inside of Katsuki, and he lept, his palms sparking.
A knife flicked open, and there was a flash of silver. Pain. Slicing, searing pain. And his eyes, those green eyes.
Now they were toxic yellow.
)ooOoo(
The Augur had been hoping his alarm would wake him up. Sadly, the sound that woke him up was distinctly that of his cell phone.
It was… three in the morning. Why..?
He slapped the angry device, and put it to his ear. Not even bothering to hide his blearly, barely awake tone, he answered. "Yes..?'
"Aug, I need you at the Musutafu General Hospital, now!" Tsuruko's snappy, much more lively voice shot through the phone speaker, and the Augur winced at the loud sound.
"What is it?" Despite his weariness, the man began to lift himself out of bed. As much as he hated it, the only reason Tsuruko would call at a time like this would be something important.
"We got one. A slasher victim." Tsuruko spoke quickly, as though panicked. "And he's alive. For now."
… Well shit.
The Augur was at the hospital in less than half an hour.
A/N
Coming in at a whopping 11,388 words, this chapter has just barely managed to eek out the title of my longest chapter so far, literally only a few dozen words longer than chapter 19! But there was a reason this chapter is so long. With the kickoff of three separate plotlines, this is officially the end of the first arc! Now, the shit hits the fan.
With only the worst of intentions,
Imp the Nefarious
BleedingEdge3000: I'm not sure when you're gonna get to this, considering that you just started reading, but I'm so glad you're enjoying this! In my opinion cheeriness and optimism aren't inherently bad things in fiction, even in darker stories like CATLT, though perhaps my reasons are a tad bit sadistic. After all, when everything is already sad and bleak, who cares when they get worse? No, the characters have to have hope for the future before you dropkick them into the worst possible situation.
Ghost of Starman: "If one is blinded by light, they cannot see past, into the darkness below" - A better quote to describe All Might, I have yet to see. Thank you for sharing it! Toshinori's character and past have lots of potential that I think Horikoshi hasn't taken to using; I can't blame him, he's already juggling so many other moving parts and is writing a good story! But, I'm hoping to narrow this story a bit more than in canon, focusing on fewer characters, and Toshinori is going to be a major part of it. After all, if Izuku isn't his heir, then who will be? And who will they become?
Cario Regan: Thank you for worrying about me, but don't worry, I'm okay! Mental health is a very important thing, and it's and extreme kind of you to reach out. I suppose what I should take this to mean is that I'm very depressing. In bad news, this is unlikely to change as CATLT progresses. Angst is my drug.