The journey of a broken Hero (copied from AO3)

by unknown4949

Midoriya Izuku listens when Bakugou Katsuki tells him jump off a roof. And yet, Katsuki still sees his ghost everywhere he goes, haunting him, [this was the work of PIGASUS 099 from AO3]

20. A Trip Down Memory Lane

Chapter 20

Nana was worried beyond belief.

Originally she was only mildly worried, having a photograph of someone could be dangerous but there was no evidence proving that he was doomed. At the same time, the senses she relied on so much as a hero were screaming at her that Izuku's friend was in danger. Admittedly, she didn't know much about Kacchan from what Izuku had told her, but after witnessing his appearance in the Sports Festival (or what she assumed was him, he looked like the photo but had a different name) she could see him as a potentially powerful ally for Tenko.

That didn't mean she wouldn't trust Izuku's judgement, the boy was like sunshine and she knew he wouldn't stick around someone who would become a villain so easily, but leaving him in the dark would be especially bad in the chances her worst fear would come to fruition.

The only issue she had is that there was no way for her to find Izuku. They met up once every two weeks at a specific destination, but Nana couldn't be sure that her grandson wouldn't pull out some sort of trick before then… It was a lot of time to wait after all. And maybe she was being too paranoid, but her paranoia had always served her well when tackling the villains of old.

But instead of panicking, she waited and thought.

Would it work out for her to chase after Izuku with no real destination in mind, wait for him, or go looking through maps of the city and trying to find any location which had the last name Midoriya or Bakugou, which Nana had learned was the name Kacchan's family used (since she wasn't sure which one he visited more often, he talked about Kacchan more than his family after all, she decided to look for bost).

The latter seemed like the best option if she would've been able to interact and touch things. Sadly, that wasn't an option for her, which was a shame because she was quite the master researcher (with papers, not electronics), so she'd have to go scouting and find some way to get her information off of billboards or signs. As ridiculous and unlikely to happen as it sounded.

Maybe she'd get lucky. Izuku hadn't talked a lot about the occupations of his family, but Nana could vaguely remember him mentioning that his mother was a nurse. She didn't know which hospital she worked out of or if it was a private practice, but it could be a good start.

A day later she wished she would have taken that back.

After visiting over eleven hospitals and waiting for hours to see if she could catch a glance of a sweet woman with green hair during the shift changes, she knew there was a better way to do this. There were too many hospitals and too many staff to go through them all, not to mention she could only find a staff list pinned on walls at three hospitals. Those were quickly crossed off her mental list when there were no Midoriyas. Nana couldn't even be sure Izuku's mother went by Midoriya, but she couldn't erase any of the progress she made and so she kept that assumption.

But back to the issue at hand, Nana decided to track magazine covers (in the hopes that maybe one of the Bakugous were famous or mentioned on the news other than Kacchan) and any social media she could find. In between he searches, she'd check in on any nearby hospitals and then leave and go back to her search. Fulfilling multiple objectives at once was a much better way to spend her time.

And after the second day, there still weren't any leads for her to follow that were conclusive, well to be fair, there weren't any solid leads at all. The hospital checks were still a bust and her magazine and billboard checking bore minimal fruit.

With the limitations she had, she was lucky to have even found small scraps of information that might be useful. And truly, the best thing she found was a vague mention of a fashion designer who went by Bakugou. Alas, she had no way of finding this Bakugou, knowing if it was the right Bakugou, or being sure that wherever this Bakugou was, Izuku would be there too.

But right now, it was her best bet. She didn't have time to go through the hospitals and check each shift (because believe it or not, they weren't all close to each other) She had a few days until their usual meeting place and it probably wouldn't take as long to find this Bakugou and follow him back to his house or wherever he went after work. However, there was one slight problem with the information she had, and that was she didn't know where to find

She didn't know where she could find this Bakugou in the first place.

It wasn't as though it would be impossible though. Nana had a name and she had a profession, there was sure to be more information out there on whatever media she could get her hands on, and she quickly learned that listening in on people's conversations was a good way to obtain such information since they were unaware of her presence completely.

It was through this odd mystery of following conversations, newspapers (none of which were helpful, Nana remembers when you could find anything out through a newspaper and now they were barely used), and the occasional magazine which contained more gossip than actual location references.

However, once Nana stationed herself at a busy corner street and searched for even just a murmur of the word "Bakugou" as she weaved through the bustling crowds of nighttime rush hour (because she had spent all day chasing loose ends, daylight had quickly faded) and she desperately hoped that tonight she would finally get some answers.

For now though, she was stuck with boring conversation after boring conversation.

"I'll be home in 10 minutes."

Nope, not at all what she was looking for.

"Start heating the soup up and cut me some vegetables."

Again, Nana shook her head at the conversations, all of them about mundane life, nothing relating to what she wanted to hear about at this particular moment.

"I'll go pick her up."

That might work, but it was too vague and not worth it to chase down for the large chance that she'd turn up empty handed.

"Why didn't you start it already?"
"I'll pick it up in 5 minutes, let me just get to the store."

No, none of it was what she was searching for.

"I'm just leaving the office."

"There shouldn't be any delays."

"Yes, Mr. Bakugou, I'll be back in just a moment."

Now wait a moment… That name sounded familiar.

That was the closest she was going to get to finding this Bakugou and Nana's eyes widened at the chance. Darting her gaze around to try to find the source of the voice, Nana was almost frantic. The speaker was a woman and she couldn't have gone that far.

The issue that arose now was Nana's tactics working against her, the bustling crowd would help her find people with ease, as demonstrated, but identifying them seemed to be much harder than anticipated. And it wasn't until she heard a faint and familiar voice say "See you then," that she spotted a woman walking against the crowd, stowing away an electronic device that had just been pressed to her ear.

That had to be her.

Nana was overjoyed that finally something went right and that now she was five steps closer to her goal. She just needed to hurry, all this time spent away from Tenko would be dangerous in case he hatched another plan or figured out more details. The sooner she warned Izuku, the sooner he could be prepared for whatever might happen, and the sooner Nana could go back and confirm new details without putting anyone at risk for the potential that Tenko would strike early.

Maybe it wasn't the smartest idea because she could be missing out on valuable info, and the likelihood of him attacking anyone, especially Kacchan, within the next few days was pretty low. However, being prepared was what could end up saving them all.

And so, without any hesitation, Nana quickly began to follow the woman who she was sure had contact with the Bakugou she seeked out.

It wasn't difficult, by any means, the woman followed typical traffic routes and crossed streets as any other pedestrian. Nana just made sure to note where she was going in the case that she would ever have to return, if there was a situation which would demand that.

It didn't take long for the woman to turn onto a street, one much quieter than the previous ones bustling in the city, and briskly walk to a sizable building with glowing lights. The building in question didn't stand out the most but it was certainly the most designed one on the block, as to be expected from the designers who resided there.

But that didn't matter much to Nana, what caught her eye instead was the average looking man standing right outside the door, holding papers in his hand. His brown hair was spiky and he had square glass perched on his nose.

After noticing the woman coming up to him, he bowed with a gentle smile.

"There you are, can't forget these," Mr. Bakugou, Nana presumed, said to the woman as he handed her the stack of files, "Have a good night!"
"You too, thank you Mr. Bakugou." The woman bowed before walking off in the same direction that she came from, their interaction short and professional.

At least now Nana knew for certain that this was the Bakugou she had been looking for and her gut feeling also told her that he was the right one to help her find Izuku. Although, he really didn't resemble Kacchan that much from what she saw on the television… Maybe he just looked more like his mother? Was it even right to assume how they were related? What if this was his uncle or a further relative like a distant cousin? And the chances of them living together would be slim in that case… What uncle or cousin who was a prominent figure in the fashion industry lives with a small family of three? Unless housing them, it wouldn't make any logical sense.

Nana immediately grimaces. She had made a huge assumption and now she was realizing how it could've doomed her plans completely.

No, wait.

The more she thought about it, the more she was able to come to new conclusions and possibilities. So long as any one of them were true, this could still work. The chances had to be more likely than not anyway, right?

Family members had ways to contact each other. If this was an uncle or cousin, she could still find some kind of location posted on a holiday card or on the kitchen as a reminder, maybe even a calendar date marked for when they would be meeting up.

There were enough reasons for Nana to follow this Bakugou than go back to the drawing board, and so Nana followed the Bakugou, who could possibly lead her to Kacchan and then Izuku.

The Bakugou got into a car parked nearby after closing up shop and began to drive away. And for the most part, it was an unproblematic journey. Although, nervousness gnawed at her with every street they turned. What if he spent hours getting drunk at a bar or sleeping with some random person to fill a void in his life? Nana would have to wait… And she would rather not have to think about that at all.

That never did happen but it didn't stop Nana from being watchful. She noted down each street passed in her memory, but was mostly concerned about the address for Kacchan's house or Izuku's house, whichever one Izuku could be found at. Even though she had retired, and died, long ago, she still liked to think she knew her city pretty well.

Some heroes nowadays were pitiful in the lack of knowledge they had for their sectors and it always made Nana bitter to see such a thing, clearly better trained and motivated heroes were necessary.

But now she was just getting distracted and she had to stay on task, the fate of lives depending on it, literally.

Finally, the car had pulled up to a decent sized home, which was to be expected with the paycheck this Bakugou was bound to have. Nana made sure to memorize the address before scouting around the house for anything suspicious before entering (it was an old habit that Nana wasn't keen to be rid of quite yet).

Deeming it safe, she was about to walk into the house when a familiar sight caught the corner of her eyes. In a high window affixed on the wall to the house she had been surveying, a peek of green hair stuck out and reflected through the glass pane. Nana zeroed in on it, going right up to the glass to confirm her suspicions about who was in the window.

There was no doubt about it, that had to be Izuku. And she had come to the right place.

A breath she hadn't realized she was holding escaped, yes she breathed even as an undead spirit of sorts, as her body relaxed and felt at ease. It would all be okay for the simple reason that they had time on their side for now.

Nana couldn't help but chuckle at her earlier predispositions regarding Kacchan's father, who she knew was his father now, not cousin or uncle.

And she had the entire time, while not being cautious and careful, to think about what exactly she was going to say and how to broach this topic with the other boy. She'd be fine, it would all turn out decent at least.

Going up to the window to get the other boy's attention, Nana waved at him vicariously. She didn't want to barge in, especially when he was talking to Kacchan (which she quickly came to realize, even from outside where their voices were carried away and couldn't be heard), and definitely didn't expect for her to show up.

It would be so useful if she could knock on the glass separating them, but sadly she couldn't. It took a few minutes of waving for Izuku's eyes to catch on her and widen in shock at the sight of her standing right there outside of his friend's home. She'd probably be a bit creeped out too if it happened to her.

Luckily, Izuku was understanding and silently raised his hand to symbolize an Arabic number for one. One minute, was that what he meant? Nana assumed so, along with the fact that he had to find an excuse to give as to why he would be walking through a window.

It was fair enough, she lucked out that she could sneak around with no obligations but it seemed for Izuku it wasn't quite as easy.

It took a bit over a minute for him to finally come out, ready to talk to Nana. His eyes were still wide and shocked, almost like he had seen a ghost… Which he had, but that simile was typically used for people who were not ghosts themselves. It was a whole new world they were living in, one completely unexplored previously.

That was another conversation for another time though, Nana decided to start talking and get to the point immediately. Izuku loved stories but he appreciated bluntness and honesty just as much.

"I apologize deeply for barging in on you like this." Nana bowed at the other boy who was still staring at her in shock.

"I… Uh, it's alright Nana, but but how did you find me?" Izuku sounded as confused as he looked. If anyone were able to see the two of them, perched outside precariously, Nana was sure they'd be bewildered as well.

"It's a long story, do you have time?" She asked politely.

"Oh! I guess, yeah." Izuku smiled sheepishly, "Kacchan won't be needing me for... a bit, but wait, let me just tell him I'm stepping out."

Nana nodded and watched as Izuku went back in to tell Kacchan his night's plans. Nana was just relieved that she got lucky enough to be able to find Izuku. She'd call it a miracle but being alive after death was a miracle, not the practical methods she used to extract a location in order to find someone who wasn't trying to hide.

She nearly chuckled at the sarcasm she presented to herself, before noticing that Izuku had come back out with a double thumbs up.

"All set, you can… yeah… you can follow me!" He sounded nervous as he usually was, but it was probably heighted now that Nana had made an unprecedented house call.

They made their way upwards to where Nana presumed the roof was. It wouldn't be a bad place to rest and was close enough to the house for Izuku to still feel secure, and so Nana nodded at his choice.

At the top, Izuku took a seat, pulling his knees up to his chest and patted a space next to him where Nana sat down.

"So, about that story?" He looked at her with a gentle smile.

"Right." Nana nodded, getting right to it. She appreciated that about Izuku, he was straight to the point, "You know how I warned you about the attack against the Hero Class?"

Izuku nodded.

"Well I'm afraid there might be another one, and soon." Izuku's eyes widened as Nana explained, "But it goes further than that. My grandson expressed interest in recruitment from UA… Because of that and his curiosity with Kacchan, I fear the worst."

Realization seemed to dawn in Izuku's eyes, "You… you think they'll be going after K-Kacchan?"

"It's possible, his television broadcast didn't paint him in the best light," Nana confirmed, witnessing the moment tha Izuku seemed to crumble, "That's why it was so urgent for me to see you."

"Thanks." He choked out, it didn't seem like he could say much else. He was still internalizing everything that had just been said and what it meant for him. Nana understood his feelings, there was too much going on but at the same time she understood that there was not enough time to consider the feelings of loved ones, actions had to be taken. Preventive and catiounary actions.

"I'm s-sorry… But why? I-I just find it... Find it so hard to understand." Izuku was now frowning as he shook his head in contemplation. "It had-had just been peaceful too."

Nana sighed, reaching out a hand to rub the boy's back, "It tends to work out like that, doesn't it?"

Izuku sniffled, nodding silently.

The two of them sat like that for a while in a silence both comforting and painful. Nana could understand that Izuku had just thought he was past all of this - the attacks, the fear, and the pain of watching everything go wrong.

However, Nana couldn't be sure there would ever be an end if someone didn't do something to challenge the current villain league. And sadly she couldn't rely on her successor who had yet to pick the person who would receive the next generation of One for All, there wasn't enough time.

"H-how much time do you… Do you think we have?" Izuku broke the silence.

"It's hard to tell, part of the reason why I rushed here in such a hurry." Nana speculated, "However they're still missing a good number of supporters, with that estimate I'd have to say maybe about five days at the shortest and two weeks at the longest? Knowing All for One, there is already some plan in place."

"Who?" Izuku asked, interested piqued because of all the information Nana was privy to.

"The mastermind behind all of this. The chess player who controls all of his little pieces." Nana spat it out bitterly. She would smear the name of the man who killed her all she wanted

"Your grandson?" Izuku asked, referring to the aforementioned chess pieces.

"Just another piece to him." Nana frowned, "An important one though, one worth the entire game."

"A queen or king." Izuku nodded slowly, partly understanding where Nana was going. She wouldn't say he was a genius, but she couldn't deny that there was untapped wisdom hiding beneath his eyes. Secrets upon secrets controlled by him and controlling him.

Still, Nana didn't mind it so much. She needed the company, and especially after all the time she had spent trying to track him down, there was no time to have doubts about his capabilities. He hadn't let her down thus far.

"Exactly."

"So… W-what do you suppose I ca… Can do?" Izuku was fidgeting beside her, clearly uncomfortable with the type of pressure she had just placed on him. If she could've avoided it, she would've.

"Tell Kacchan about it, get him on guard." Nana began, "Since you're untraceable you can place yourself into crevices and try to scope out suspicious behavior."

"Always stay on guard?" Izuku asked meekly, "I'll… We'll do our best."

"It'll be the safest option for now." Nana smiled at him reassuringly, "Can we make our meetings daily? That way I don't have to come track you down whenever I have new info."

Izuku chuckled lightly at her small joke, trying to ease up the tense air.

"Same... place?"

Nana confirmed it with a nod.

The two of them settled into a silence, thinking and thinking about the bombshells that had been rained upon them by the villains and Nana's grandson. It was a lot to take in, Nana was even still processing everything so she knew it would take Izuku some time too.

He'd probably like to be alone, anyway.

"I'll be heading off." Nana got up from where she was sitting, brushing herself off even if there was no need to, it was a habit from life, "I'll keep you updated."

"I appreciate that."

"And Izuku?"

His head perked up in attention.

"Take care of yourself and of Kacchan."

He smiled, a real bright and appreciative smile, "You too, Nana."

---

Izuku's entire night, and the day before as well, had gone the opposite of whatever he could've expected it to go.

Not that being a weird ghost made him devoid of expectations, he just hadn't expected his emotions to turn from sorrowful and regretful to overjoyed and confused and then right back to sadness once more.

He supposed it had all started when he went with Nozomi to meet her parents for the first time. A debacle that had been built up for ages and now was finally coming to fruition.

Izuku was more than a little nervous, but what he saw occur at that house had astounded him.

It didn't take any more than two hours to track down Nozomi's parents to where they were at home. That was due to very vague directions Nozomi had remembered, mostly just in reference to random landmarks Izuku had never heard of and thus had to hunt down.

It wasn't too hard to find though, there were enough maps plastered around the area and Nozomi's memory was better than he gave her credit for. Once they were in the general area, she had no trouble spotting the right streets to walk on and houses to pass. It just took some time to get to the right neighborhood.

Nozomi's house was quaint but well kept. Purely from the outside, Izuku could tell it was well loved. Plants were growing in a smallish garden on a balcony, and potted flowers lined the steps. It was an old house, rare to see nowadays because most people resided in apartments. Almost immediately after seeing it, Nozomi started to smile widely and relax a little bit.

The second the two of them had entered the home after walking up the steps and not ringing the doorbell because they didn't need to, Izuku could see how much these women cared about Nozomi. Pictures of bright and smiling faces dominated the walls, as did the occasional badly drawn picture of a grinning family no doubt done by Nozomi.

Izuku would be honest, he almost teared up at the sight of how beautiful it was to be there and experience the love they had for one another.

Although, that was nothing compared to what happened next.

Nozomi was wandering around the house at a fast pace, no doubt trying to find the people who lived here. Izuku was quick to follow to make sure she would be okay and soon they found themselves standing right in front of two distraught mothers, Nozomi's distraught mothers, the girl had rushed forward to greet them.

Izuku was ready to explain to her how they could no longer communicate with one another, how Nozomi would be forced to watch from afar as they lived out their grief and pain with each other. He had been dreading bringing it up, but he knew it had to be done at some point so that she wouldn't have high expectations which could only let her down and make it harder to let go. Not that she should be letting go of amazing parents who deeply cared for her and always supported her, but clinging onto regret would only be more painful.

However, that conversation wasn't needed whatsoever.

Because, as Nozomi surged forward to greet them, Izuku saw something amazing. He saw recognition flash in both parent's eyes as they too rushed towards her. They called out her name and tears started to flow from one of their eyes.

Of course, they weren't able to actually embrace one another because Nozomi wasn't alive and didn't have a physical body, but both of her mothers didn't seem to care at all about it. They were laughing, crying, and just happy she was there with them.

Watching them, Izuku had been frozen, paralyzed with shock as he watched the women cling to each other and praying this wasn't some dream they both shared.

That their daughter standing in front of them wasn't a hallucination.

At least that's what Izuku was able to pick up through their hushed tones and leaking eyes as he watched the scene with great surprise. He was still frozen where he stood, not believing everything that had just happened.

They were able to see Nozomi too?

It seemed like an incredible revelation, Izuku knew that his and Kacchan's situation was no longer unique. There was an explanation behind it, he knew there had to be one.

Truthfully, watching the family reunite in front of him, he didn't know if that was something good or bad. It wasn't as though he wanted what he had with Kacchan to be special, or anything, he just thought-

No, it wasn't worth it to dwell on it.

He should be incredibly grateful that Nozomi was able to fully reunite with her family. They could still have a life together and it could be something meaningful. Nozomi's parents had been locked in a dark room and while the key was thrown out, Nozomi was able to come back and provide some light for them, a chance for them to be happy.

If Izuku sounded jealous, that's because a small part of him was.

He could've never imagined that this was possible.

That normal life could be possible. Of course it wouldn't work that way for him though, his mother wouldn't see him no matter how many times he begged and wished or waved in her face. At first it had caused him great distress but now he had accepted the fact that they were living two different lives which wouldn't crossover ever again. However, that distress was surfacing again now that he realized Nozomi could have her parents but for some reason he wasn't allowed his.

Only Kacchan could see him. And Kacchan was amazing, growing, and breathtaking. But no matter how hard he could try, (if he ever did, even thinking about it made Izuku cringe), he wouldn't replace Izuku's mother who he has known and who cared for him all his life. Sure, she made a few mistakes along the way and crushed his dreams at a young age but that would've most likely been inevitable.

Just thinking about his mother while watching the ones in front of him brought tears to his eyes. He didn't want to cry in front of Nozomi though and worked to cover his eyes with his arms.

His mind brought him back on track, reining in the memories that threatened to escape and swim around Izuku's head once more. He had to focus on why his mother couldn't see him but Nozomi's mothers could.

He analyzed the current ghosts he knew of to see if there was any pattern in place.

Nozomi's mothers could see her. Kacchan could see Izuku. No one could see Nana.

It wasn't blood related then because Nozomi was adopted and Kacchan was unrelated to him… Maybe it could be a strong bond to another person?

No, because Nana had detailed her work during their weekly discussions and the deep way she was able to connect with people and offer a gentle hand to them, so to speak, was great enough that strong bonds had to be formed.

Was it one-sided platonic love?

Again, Nana's case couldn't explain the lack of someone being able to see her… Or had they just not found the right person yet? Nozomi had taken this long, maybe Nana would too and they just had to bide their time.

Izuku was becoming overwhelmed. He didn't know what to do with what had been placed right in front of him so his mind was working on overdrive to rationalize it. All he could do was cling to his thoughts and keep on distracting himself from reality.

There could be no explanation for what was occurring. It had something to do with dead people coming back to life, as much as Kacchan wanted to protest that he was dead in the first place, but a better question to ask was why? Why did Izuku of all people return? Nana made sense, she was an incredible hero and role model and maybe Nozomi could make sense because she was needed by her parents that desperately. But what about Izuku? Who really needed him?

It could be said his mother might have, but he's not able to do anything to help her so it's futile. Is his purpose simply as a messenger between Nana, who has access to so much information, and Kacchan, a hero student who can do something about it.

In that case though it would just be easier if Kacchan and Nana were allowed to see one another, cut out the middleman completely and life would be easier.

Still, at that time he didn't quite realize just how far the information Nana had extended. He was only thinking in terms of the USJ attack and her knowledge about her grandson. And so because of that, Izuku remained more naive than he would be in a few hours, as a result almost immediately he had wanted to tell Kacchan about all the new possibilities, a way to get out all of his nerves and let the other boy calm him down. However, by the time he was able to sort himself out after thinking about his purpose, Nozomi's purpose, and Nana's purpose, Kacchan had left the house and was going back to school.

Izuku had been gone for about 12 hours and he'd promised he'd be with Kacchan at school for the next day. So, he hurried as fast as he could and managed to catch up to Kacchan.

And everything was going right again. As soon as school finished he could tell Kacchan about Nozomi's family and about Nozomi, also maybe about his hypothesis about life after death… Although that would mean exposing Nana's existence and she had wanted to remain anonymous. It would also mean forcing Kacchan to concede Izuku was dead and that would be near impossible, so probably not the best idea for now. Even mentioning Nozomi was bound to be risky in the case that Kacchan thought he was truly crazy or dreamt up the entire meeting. He knew the other boy trusted him to some level, even if he couldn't see Nozomi, so he would have to trust him on this too, but he didn't know how believable he would really sound, so he just had to hope Kacchan would cut him some slack. (Or else he could get Nozomi's family to meet Kacchan maybe?)

Quickly though, his entire thought process was derailed. The awful rumors spread about his best friend had awakened a rage inside of him that he didn't even know was possible. Rumors like that had been spread about him months earlier, they were detrimental and dangerous, Izuku couldn't even imagine what would happen if Kacchan was forced down the same hole he had been.

Some would say it was karma, but Izuku believed in second chances and growth, so he was infuriated that some of those pathetic students would even suggest that his best friend was cheating, unworthy of being a hero, and unworthy of having a life.

No.

He wouldn't stand for it.

Not all students were in the Hero Course, but U.A was still one of the most notorious hero schools. So, to see something so disgraceful and unheroic, it wasn't only disappointing but it was maddening too.

Of course, when he tried to approach Kachan about it, he just brushed it off as though it was a normal day unlike any other. He probably thought he deserved it or maybe just didn't care because he still won the Sports Festival at the end of the day. Either way, Izuku wasn't going to let Kacchan avoid the conversation… Unfortunately the ringing bell signalling the beginning of class disagreed with Izuku.

Lunchtime disagreed with Izuku where hordes and hordes of people kept worming their way in to talk to Kacchan. Izuku would admit, a lot of what he heard had melted away his anger, these people were truly trying to see Kacchan for who he was and he could genuinely appreciate that. When he was gone, truly gone, like he knew he had to be, he needed to count on these people to stick by Kacchan. Not Kaminari though, as Izuku heard him referred to as, he needed to learn better before even attempting to talk to Kacchan again.

Calling someone a villain with no basis was wicked.

Maybe the Kacchan from a year or more ago could be considered a villain, but certainly not now.

Never could he again be referred to as something so demeaning and horrible when all he did was try his best to remove himself from even just the mere concept of that word.

If Izuku had a body which would interact with others he knew he'd be slapping Kaminari right in the face. Well, not actually, he doubted he had the guts to do something like that, but he would've liked to.

And on the positive side, Kacchan was gaining much more friends and people who were on his side and wanted to learn more about him, that's what was most important out of anything. So, Izuku couldn't be that angry if he wasn't able to talk about how to address such rumors.

The conversations and professing of backstories was finished soon enough, Izuku wasn't sure why people were so inclined to share such details specifically with Kacchan but it wasn't an issue. And then Kacchan had classes again.

Izuku spent the day contemplatively thinking about how he should tell Kacchan about Nozomi, because he had yet to do that and how to bring up the rumors again. Although, his issue became that he began to think himself into a hole.

He couldn't tell Kacchan immediately because he didn't know what he was going to say or how well he'd take it and it would distract Kacchan from making his decision about joining the Hero Course or not and he couldn't do that to him. On top of that, he'd probably grow curious about just what Izuku was, he had controlled him somehow so he'd probably want Nozomi to do the same with both him and the people who could see him, and while Izuku was curious that idea made him nervous. He didn't want to bother their nice family anymore than he already did.

He would tell him eventually, just when everything had calmed down. This really didn't need to be on the other boy's mind, it would cloud his thoughts way too much.

That's why when reaching Kacchan's house he again had low expectations for the rest of the day, assuming that the night was going to entail him settling back and relaxing after a non-stop day and getting a few hours to quietly think to himself after listening to Kacchan's thoughts. What he didn't expect was for Nana to show up, even less expected were the words that came out of her mouth.

Even now, Izuku still sat on the roof recovering from the information she had shared with him. Don't get him wrong, he was happy she told him, but he was worried beyond belief. While there had been no evidence that Kacchan was for sure the target, his stomach was tied in knots. He was terrified of what might happen, when villains would attack, and if they took Kacchan what they would do to him.

Was it all just useless worrying though? Who knows what was going to happen, they had to be hopeful. However, that reminded him that he was going to wait on telling Kacchan about Nozomi but would he also have to wait to tell him about this new issue? His reasoning popped back into his mind, he couldn't distract him from his dreams and goals. The second he felt like he was in danger, he'd tell him… Yeah that was a good idea. But another part of Izuku wondered, when was he not in danger? He didn't know if Kacchan was a target or not, even if Nana seemed pretty convinced that he could be.

And what if he was?

Izuku would be powerless to stop them in this ghastly form of him and with the only contact he had consisting of a retired hero who was in the same situation as him and a small little girl, he didn't know how much luck he would be having, and was assuming he could find them in the once hypothetical now realistic situation. No… That didn't have to mean he'd have to tell him did it? He really didn't know.

Although, that brought another matter to the forefront of Izuku's mind, one more serious than he initially thought, and one that could distract him from making hard decisions.

How did Nana know where he was?

He trusted her very much because he remembers seeing old clips of her in photos and internet news articles where she had fought powerful villains, it was way before the age of All Might but had still intrigued baby Izuku. He was almost certain her quirk didn't involve the ability to track people down… And it wasn't possible for her to put a physical tracker on him, was it? Had she followed him one day as he was returning from their meetings?

It's possible but why would Nana be compelled to do something like that, it didn't quite add up and maybe-

Izuku shook his head suddenly and slapped his cheeks with his hands to break him out of his thoughts.

That should be the least of his worries right now.

Who cares how she found them?

It wasn't as though she would by spying on them or anything creepy and it was better to not make assumptions, even if he had a nagging feeling there was more to the story than she was letting on. Maybe he could ask her tomorrow when they would be checking in with each other.

He needed to focus on Kacchan and follow the plan outlined for him. First, he'd tell the other boy about the attack. Second, they'd come up with a plan about how to handle it. And third, he'd keep an eye and ear out for more information from Nana and other sources if he stumbled upon any.

And while Izuku repeated the same plan again and again in his mind, it didn't change the fact that he didn't know what to do with himself. Waiting around for more information to come in wouldn't calm down his nerves one bit, it seemed the peace he had known for a brief time had been more fleeting than expected.

He couldn't help but wonder, had it ever really been peaceful? Was this all a never ending dream and all the villains were attempting to do was force them to wake up?

Izuku almost chuckled. It sounded cooler in his head to phrase it like that, but there wasn't a way to justify all that the villains had done. If they were coming after Kacchan, there would be hell to pay. And not just because of Izuku but because Kacchan would not put up with anything that would compromise his dreams or the path to getting them.

He was a hero through and through.

That thought did much to comfort Izuku.

---

It had been a rough day for Shigaraki.

Well, a rough few days.

The first frustration came in the form of Stain. That insolent killer acted as though he was better than him and as though he owned the bar. He had even managed to pin Shigaraki down, and Shigaraki knew he could take him in a fight and kill him ruthlessly.

What a bastard.

Master had chosen HIM, not anyone else. He was the one that was going to bring about this change not some stupid vigilante who knew nothing. He was better than him in thousands of ways and he needed to make that clear.

The League of Villains could not be disgraced in the way that it had. His master had great plans and Shigaraki would see them succeed.

And he was easily able to prove this. The Nomus had struck across the city, rendering it into ruins. Or they would have been it not for the pathetic heroes intervening and stopping his fun. That didn't matter nearly as much as him being able to show off his playthings and get Stain captured.

Shigaraki cracked a dry smile when he had first heard the news, it was music to his ears to learn that Stain, after insulting and unallying with them, had suffered such consequences. If only the city saw it that way.

No, they thought Stain was part of the League of Villains.

They thought that disgusting blood sucking… Parasite was worthy of the title of the League of Villains. It almost drove Shigaraki into a rage, countering his previous excitement at his capture.

But it was all fine. He would just show them, he had the highest intelligence stats out of anyone else and he would put them all to shame with his ingenious plans. Teamed up with Kurogiri's charisma and they had villains by the swaths coming for a place in the League of Villains.

That may have been an overstatement and those that did come were due to Stain being labelled as a League member, but it didn't matter.

Shigaraki was fine with that aspect. More disposable toys he would be able to use to further his Master's, and thus his, goal. If only one of them wasn't trying to undermine his entire operation, then he wouldn't be losing an NPC.

Of course, Kurogiri came to his rescue and avoided any murder, or in this case multiple murders, but Shigaraki was more than happy to charge at him again, had he the choice. Of course, instead he had walked out the room instead, to collect himself and secret plot ways that he could dispose of them all. He would never not volunteer for putting any of the meaningless side characters into place. He was the main character after all, a PC, and he needed to make sure they all were all aware of his status, and that they wouldn't dare to threaten him or Master of course.

Dabi, the homicidal flame maniac with strong dexterity stats, aside he had some useful tools which he would be making good use of. Magne, the team mom with high wisdom stats, Twice, the team psycho with praisable physical and mental agility stats, Toga, the team psycho but blood edition with impressive constitution stats, and Spinner, the team morals and ideology freak with equally acceptable constitution stats.

What a group.

Shigaraki had been with Master for all of the years that he could remember and a little past that he had always been with Kurogiri. It had been the three of them, but now that more and more participants were joining he felt half as though he had an army to command, which filled him with a glee, and half as though these villains were trying to invade his glory and destruction.

But they were too half-witted for that. Only a PC such as himself had the necessary resources to get far. Just asked the last guy who tried to turn against him, he was now a pile of dust forever forgotten.

But, that wasn't the point. From the other room he had wandered into, he was told the team psycho with the blood obsession had some important info to share about U.A (something Shigaraki was desperate for), but she would only do it under certain circumstances. Unsurprisingly, those conditions just happened to be vague promises about getting her blood and letting her have whatever person she sets her eyes on. Shigaraki couldn't care less about whatever soul the psycho teen wanted to latch onto, that was their problem and not his so long as the information was worthwhile.

If not, he would be more than happy to off the brat. Ultimately, it never came down to that and instead she was willing to share whatever info she possessed.

"Okay, my new best friends!" Toga, the brat, addressed them all after Master had agreed to her demands (they had talked in a private setting of course), "The information I hold involves two veryyyyy special students!"

She recited it in a singsong voice that annoyed Shigaraki. Of course the brat wanted to be dramatic about whatever she was to tell them.

"Get to the point." He rasped out, increasingly growing impatient.

"Awww, but that's no fun!" The Toga brat fake pouted, cheeks still permanently flushed as she rested her face in her hands, feigning being upset.

Shigaraki raised one cracked hand towards her and she immediately began to speak again, clearly scared enough not to cross him that far. Smart.

"Where was I… Two students, oh yeah!" She exclaimed, "One's blonde and the other's got crazy purple hair. General Studies students, they got far in the Sports Festival."

Shigaraki was more familiar with the blonde boy to which she was referring to than the purple haired boy, but now his interest had been further piqued as the interest of the others in the room with him, hearing mentions of U.A.

He licked his lips, nodding slightly to signal for her to keep talking.

"Well I heard from a little birdie," She giggled at herself, it was probably some obscure joke they hadn't picked up on, "That they'll be transferring to the Hero Course. And will be training with them."

She had said it so joyfully, Shigaraki almost didn't pick up in the threatening way she uttered that last sentence. Her tone darkened ever so slightly and an insane smile had grown on her face.

Regardless, this was quite the news of Shigaraki. It was a mix of both good and bad news, relatively speaking. Disappointing to see students go down the path of a hero when it was clearly corrupt and defiled but fortunate in the ways that he could kill two birds with one stone.

"And how did you get this information?" Spinner, the morals and ideology freak, questioned. Shouldn't he know to never question someone's sources? "Was it in a Stain way?"

Even hearing his name made Shigaraki's blood curdle, what had he done anyway? And why was this lizard praising him? Even the term 'in a Stain way' made him heavily displeased.

"Probably don't want to ask." Twice, team crazy psycho interjected before his tone changed and he contradicted himself while speaking in another manner, "Don't spare any bloody details!"

Oh god.

"Very Stain-y!" Toga singsonged in response, a dangerous gleam in her eye. They all knew what they might entail, none of them questioning it further, although they should have.

However, Shigaraki's current disdain towards the abilities of those in the group had no bearing on the quality of information that had been brought forth. Toga, at least, had earned a small bit of respect. Although, hearing about the transferring students definitely put a damper on his Master's plans, even then, they could be easily adapted to make the best out of the situation and return the League of Villains to a victory.

There was of course still the matter of telling Master and delegating roles to each new member, of which they would use to prove their usefulness. He had other members to screen due to Master's inexplicable trust in him to see whether someone is suited for a job or not. That went without saying.

Regardless, Shigaraki would get what he wanted, he always got what he wanted. And this new toy was going to prove useful to his Master, he would ensure it.

After all, they had a camp to crash and a forest to burn.

---

Katsuki lay on his back in bed, restless.

He desperately wanted to sleep but his mind was too busy plagued with the same exact thoughts that haunted him during the day. The most daunting of which was whether or not he would join the Hero Course.

Deku wanted him to, Plant Girl wanted him to, and even Eyebags wanted him to join. They all saw something in Katsuki, some specific trait that made them think he would be suited for it.

What bullshit.

His mind had been waging a war on itself trying to make a decision. If he didn't join the Hero Course he knew he'd end up regretting it vastly, but he didn't think he was worthy of being accepted into a course built upon the premise of heroism with all that he had done. He'd feel regret everyday of his life if he were to simply ignore that and follow his old dreams, worse than the regret he already felt. The past couldn't be erased, no matter how many niceties are said. It would be like someone attempting to put bandages over bullet wounds, the blood would still seep through and the bullet would still be trapped, poisoning the flesh.

Somehow though, Deku was able to ignore all of that.

He pushed through all of Katsuki's worries with an eased smile and calming words. He would dare say that the other boy knew him better than he knew himself. Yet, Katsuki didn't know if it was enough.

Maybe because he didn't think what Deku said was what he was actually thinking… Or maybe it was because he couldn't believe Deku would give in so easily to Katsuki's dreams after the harm he had inflicted.

Katsuki rolled over onto his side, banging his forehead with his palm.

That was a stupid thing to think.

Deku wasn't selfish like him, he wouldn't do anything like that… It was a wild accusation to assume that being offered a transfer into the Hero Course and what he'd done to harm Deku was something Deku would use to exploit him.

To be fair, Katsuki wouldn't mind if he did, because he'd deserve it, but automatically thinking that Deku might see that as a viable option was pathetic, he never would.

Either way, Katsuki didn't know if Deku really said what he was thinking. He just seemed too supportive over everything Katsuki did and that didn't add up to how he'd been treated. Maybe Katsuki was looking for something that wasn't there, but he didn't think so.

Ugh, he hated this.

The feeling of being completely torn between two options, one he wanted and one he needed. The feeling that he had to make the right decision or else he'd end up with an existence even more miserable than the one he currently had, but he didn't know what the right decision even was.

He was too tied down to his past mistakes that he couldn't look for the future. He couldn't get over what had already happened, instead placing burdens on himself so that he couldn't forget the past ever. Those burdens were the same things restricting his rights to the future, to live in the moment and improve himself.

He couldn't do this anymore.

He had been repeating himself again and again, sifting through the reasons why he should and shouldn't agree. And yet, he couldn't make up his mind. The cycle kept on repeating, he'd say the reasons and come up with rationale for both sides leading to him growing frustrated and ignoring the issue for a few hours. And then he'd pick it up again and repeat his past actions.

He was stopping this cycle now, he was going to make up his mind once and for all. The only issue he ran into was the matter of how… How could he prove that one way was monumentally better than the other?

Of course it had to be comparative but not in a way that drew him into circles and circles. Now that he finally was truly alone and had hours of time, if sleeping didn't count whatsoever, he could figure this out. And through the best way he knew how to: violence.

Starting with the positive reasons and then going into the negative, he'd get all of his feelings out and assign multiple senses to a thought so as to further cement it into his brain. It might have sounded cool, but all it would be is Katsuki punching his pillows (using violence).

He'd seen the idea before, people punching pillows in anger. He just modified it to fit his needs and because he wouldn't mind being able to punch something that he wouldn't have to hold back on. Although, it would deflate much too rapidly for his liking and no one would actually be getting hurt, it was a better idea than anything else.

Sitting up in his bed, Katsuki turned and started to fluff up his pillows before his plan was to take action. For each punch, he went over a reason he'd join the Hero Course. And hopefully, as emphasized, it would weld that idea into his brain so that he could truly weigh it without emotional reasoning getting so involved. Or at least that's what he told himself would be a good method of evaluation. And so he had to dismiss his thoughts that were doubting the system in any way and began what he hoped would prove as a worthy way of determining what was really the best option. Maybe using violence on a pillow through punching wasn't the best idea but his other option was crying into a pillow and that seemed much more pitiful than punching it.

Punch

He'd make Deku happy.

Punch

Deku could see his dreams come to life.

Punch

He'd be fulfilling his childhood dreams too.

Punch

He wouldn't be alone anymore.

Punch

He could help other people and prove that redemption was possible

Punch

He laid in one more good punch, before stopping himself. Those were the main reasons he had, some of which were particularly compelling. However, now there was a large indent in his once soft pillow from the beatings it had taken. Not that Katsuki particularly cared, but had to re-fluff it before moving on to the reasons for him not the transfer.

Grimacing as he lined up the pillow, Katsuki almost feared what the result would be of him following his brain and not his heart. The two organs were usually in line with one another, but in this case they advocated for very opposite things.

Not that he should have a preference for either, Katsuki cleared his mind and focused on his task at hand.

Punch

He'd be able to fulfil his promise with Deku about his quirk.

Punch

He'd live a non-dangerous life.

Punch

He could amend for all that he had done wrong and instead focus on changing himself.

Punch

He wouldn't betray his feelings of guilt and the conclusive evidence that he could be no hero, not now, and not ever.

Punch

Automatically, as Katsuki drew his hand back, he began to think that he could do some of the things he mentioned even if he transferred. In fact, changing himself and being a better person might be easier among compassionate heroes and a non-dangerous life wouldn't have been possible the second he said those dreadful and life changing words to Deku.

But no matter how many points that supported transferring, it was the last argument which held him caught up. The feelings of guilt and powerlessness he held as someone who didn't want to die but didn't think he deserved to live.

It wasn't unfamiliar to him and it wasn't completely unwelcome either.

However, he felt as though he might be missing something important.

Why, just why, couldn't he possibly give up?

He had all these reasons to join and not to join but at the end of the day he always tells himself he won't be joining. He justifies his arguments and settles on it. But then the very next day he ends up re-evaluating all of them. He clings onto the idea of being a Hero, he had done it since childhood, that it was hard to seperate from it.

He was mentally incapable of realizing he couldn't be a Hero and that his dream would have to fail so that he could feel better about himself, because he deserved to live with that regret every single day of his life.

But did he? Did he truly deserve that endless pain and suffering when there was a path forward to escape from it all? To learn from it all?

To be fair, Katsuki didn't have the authority to think about whether he deserved redemption or not. He would always deny that he did, out of not wanting to seem as though he was selfish or one-dimensional in the care he displayed for Deku. He didn't want to forget the pain, however was walking through an endless fire the only way to truly get burned? It certainly wasn't. And just because he got a second degree burn doesn't mean he has to get a third degree burn, it just means he'll never forget the pain that accompanied the first burn.

Did that make sense? Could that be applied in heroics and whether or not he deserved to be a hero? That was something Katsuki really didn't know, but he wanted to have hope.

He had to have hope.

This was his dream, it was Deku's dream. Both of them had long waited for this chance to become a hero and they were going to get it, there was no other path for Katsuki. If he wasn't going to become a hero to save all those he couldn't and to change his past horrendous ways then what was the point of his existence?

He didn't understand how he could live if he wasn't going to be living for other people. He had no motivation to live for himself anymore and he had to accept that to move on. Well, he wouldn't ever fully move on but move on enough so that he would have a chance.

This is what he needed to do.

He settled. The choice was made, the one that had been on his mind for straight days, never relenting and making him question everything to make up his mind.

Alas, it was over.

He would join the Hero Course.

He would try his best and work hard so that he could secure a future for himself, for Deku to be by his side, and for all of those who relied on him (the small amount as they be).

For now, they were just hollow promises in his head that amounted to absolutely nothing, but through actions and hard work he would make them come true.

It was funny how much a positive reimbursement could fuel optimism in the brain. After confirming what he would tell his parents, Deku, and the teachers, all he could think about were the upsides to joining the course. It was almost as though a huge weight had settled from off his shoulders and now he could finally breathe again.

It made him feel almost giddy.

He was going to be a Hero!

He was going to look towards the future and try his best not to get so caught up in the past. What happened has already happened.

Was it his fault?

Yes.

Should he feel guilt?

Yes.

Should he let it control him completely and utterly?

Katsuki wanted to say yes badly, but to grow and improve he had to turn the answer into a no. He had to work to improve because he wanted to, not because someone else forced him to, and because the future was yet to be written.

As it had been said time and time again, this wasn't the end.

It was merely a beginning.

Still, Katsuki couldn't credit that constant mantra he played to himself about moving towards the future for changing his mind about accepting the transfer. All it had done was turn that first push he had received into a full shove.

But in reality, it was only really because of Deku that he was even willing to make it this far. That was why he wanted to tell the other boy immediately once he made up his mind, both about the mindset he had chosen to utilize (if he would adopt it for everyday life, he couldn't be too sure yet) and his school decision, all while forgetting it was late into the night. And Deku was one of his nightly strolls turned into meetups, so he wasn't even in Katsuki's room.

Still, Katsuki couldn't help but let a giggle erupt from him, no one else present to hear or see the complete and utter look of glee on his face.

Katsuki closed his finally dropping eyes after giving in to his tired brain. After thinking and thinking nonstop, he was finally given a chance to breathe and relax, something his mind desperately needed and thus led to his immediate slumber. Still, right before he drifted off to sleep, Katsuki reflected that in the morning, he would be ecstatic to find out that all of this hadn't been some crazy dream.

And then he was out like a light.

It was some of the best sleep he got in months.

The next day he woke up in an anxious tilt. He had made his decision, he had accepted his decision too, but he had yet to inform anyone else of it. He figured the sooner he told his parents the sooner he could get over whatever pain might occur. The harsh words he could already predict his old hag was going to be throwing at him.

Fuck it, he wouldn't get her control him and his decisions for schooling. He was going to do what he wanted and that meant going to the Course he was invited to. He didn't think he deserved it yet but he had to do it to gain confidence, to make Deku proud and fulfil what he has always wanted. An old hag wouldn't stand in his way.

Of course, he said that now but quickly the tables were turned when twenty minutes later after collecting himself, doing his morning routine, and coming downstairs, he broke the news to both of his parents who were in the kitchen.

"YOU WHAT?" Her immediate reaction was about what he had expected. The loud yell seemed as though it shook the entire house's foundation.

"I am going to the Hero Course at U.A" He repeated himself, tone in a dead calm which would probably not last for a very long time.

"We're proud of you, Katsuki." His father smiled warmly, placing his hand on his wife's shoulder to ease her.

"We? We are not fucking proud." She spat, but didn't make an effort to move his hand away, "So what? You think you're hero material now?"

Katsuki frowned, "My reasons are none of your business."

"OH BUT THEY ARE." His old hag laughed dryly, stepping up towards him and wagging her finger as she did it, "You've already killed Izuku, planning on finding more victims?"

"MITSUKI!" Katsuki's father stepped in with a warning. "I'm sure Katsuki just wants to better himself, would I be right?"

Katsuki nodded solemnly, thankful that his father was able to intervene before things got messier. Never before had he wanted to punch his mother, but he held himself back easily. He wouldn't be like her and resort to physical or emotional belittling.

"Bullshit." She sounded out the words, shaking her head in a protest.

Katsuki felt a surge of anger wash over him. Did his mother think change couldn't happen? Did she really think Katsuki didn't learn anything after his best friend got injured because of him? And he wasn't even fucking dead, clearly she was delusional in whatever thoughts she had possessed.

She didn't understand anything that he had gone through. How hard he worked everyday to overcome his fears and his worries, how difficult it was to be able to feel even a small bit proud of himself over his newfound control that he mastered for Deku. She didn't understand how much time he spent hating himself and feeling regret soaked into every bone and muscle on his body. She didn't understand how he lived for Deku and that was it. He was his life in its entirety. What he was saying wasn't bullshit, her assumptions were the real bullshit in this entire equation.

"You know absolutely nothing." he said it out loud in the hopes of shutting down her pointless argument that had lacked logic and reasoning, "You didn't go through shit. "

It was the full truth, she hadn't. She didn't understand a fraction of how much he tried to be a better person.

"Yeah? And how would you feel waking up everyday wondering what other friend is going to come grieving to you because their child is gone. Because their child was bullied by your child. You've never had that fear, instead you're just a stupid fucking entitled brat and a villain to boot." She began to rant, waving her arms around to emphasize her argument. "The Hero Course isn't for you, stop before you kill anyone else."

Katsuki winced. Her words cut deeper than she might've thought, or maybe she wanted that. He wasn't too sure… But it didn't matter. Damage was damage and Katsuki was bleeding out.

"You heard that from friends…" Katsuki's voice was much fainter, he didn't feel right and his mother's words were getting to him, "You didn't have to see it everyday."

"HAH?" She kept going, never stopping her assault on his feelings. "See what everyday? You being a bully?"

It was a low blow and she knew it.

At that point, Katsuki had stopped listening. His mind had fogged up with the word bully bouncing around inside of it. He didn't know if the hag was still talking or not but he couldn;t hear it. He couldn't see it.

It was all blank.

What did he do to deserve this?

Quite a lot actually. But what did he do to deserve the unrelenting force in which his mother insulted, blamed, and pressured him without lifting up or giving him a chance. He didn't know if he deserved one but a part of him felt like it was bad treatment he was receiving and nothing else. Regardless, it might as well just be impossible to tell, his mother had never been big on anything except her husband and her life, caring for a child was just another task she had to do. And so a part of Katsuki expected this, he expected the berating and disfaith she held in him, but another part of him so desperately reached out for her warmth and validation. He had wanted to make her proud in some way but nothing was enough and it never would be anymore after what he did.

Oh goodness, he really did doom himself, didn't he? There was no going back with his mother, no fixing things or creating something anew, only pain and heartbreak on a path strewn with broken glass.

A hand suddenly softly held his shoulder and grounded him back. His father was shaking him with a soft and worried smile, asking if he was okay.

He just barely managed to respond with a nod. So many senses had come rushing in, senses that he had blocked to avoid his mother. It was overwhelming and he just wanted to get out and leave this conversation completely.

But, his father didn't move his hand, taking over for his mother who was staring at him with an odd expression on her face. Katsuki couldn't tell what it was. "Katsuki has made mistakes in the past, and while we need to address them, right now we're focusing on him getting into the Hero Courses. That will benefit his future so it's no use sticking onto the past."

Just hearing those simple and validating words made Katsuki feel like melting. And not in a bad way. Even though his father had not complimented him or told him it was going to be okay, it almost felt as though he had wrapped a big blanket around Katsuki. He was comforted and felt like he had a chance… But quickly he threw that blanket off of him. It was pathetic for him to rely on his parent's thoughts and feelings about his future and success as much as he did.

His mother's insults wormed under his skin and his father's reassurance lit him up with happiness far too easy. He couldn't let them get to him, yanking his arm away to ward off his father's control, he worked to grab the control and keep it into his own hands.

He especially could not let it get to his mother, the witch.

"Old hag," He addressed his mother coldly, "No one has thought more about this shit than me. I'm ready to give it even a fucking try, are you ready for me to become a better person?"

If she said yes, she had to agree to him attending the Hero Course. If she said no, it would embarrass and expose her as wanting to keep Katsuki miserable forever. There was no way she wouldn't be able to agree to his very simple demands now.

"I don't think you can."

Katsuki took whatever he had thought back. Those five words had hurt more than he expected, the shields he had told himself to build had been easily breached by a shapeshifting witch who entered the fray in the form of a snake and tricked her way to get to him, mercilessly maiming him with spells and found swords.

She didn't think he could be a better person, she wasn't even going to let him try because she despised him so fervently.

"Mitsuki!" It was the angriest Katsuki had ever heard his father get against his mother. He sounded disappointed and let down completely, like he had faith that she would make the right decision but ultimately she didn't.

Her scowl deepend but she didn't make a move to say anything, too stubborn.

Katsuki was almost speechless. Almost.

"You know, I was raised by you. I have your genes in me." His voice was small, "If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for being THE WORST FUCKING MOM EVER."

With that, he stormed away. He didn't wait to see what her reaction was or what his father was going to do, he just had to get away from them. From his mother's poisonous words and his father's failing attempts at mending a bridge between them. It wouldn't work, it would never work.

Katsuki kept on running, tears falling down his face as he found his way to his bed, flopping down and crying his eyes out, ignoring the little voice in his head that screamed about how he had school to get to, he'd be there on time but he just needed a moment. It was the most he had cried in a very long time.

No matter who you were, it hurt to have your mother devalue your life and potential.

It hurts to have your family give up on you.

Deserved or not, whether he is trying or not.

It just hurt.

---

Masaru wouldn't say his family was easy.

Far from that, actually.

But he loved them all the same. He tried and tried to get them to make peace, but it never seemed to work out. Especially because he knew he was a timid person, it was a challenge even opening his mouth within a household of the loudest and outspoken people.

There was a constant war between Mitsuki and Katsuki, neither one of them willing to give up on their opinions or hear the other's. Mararu was forced to be the middleman, the one that was on both of their sides and could comfort them, make them feel understood.

But by now, it was too much for him.

His original thoughts had always been with Mitsuki.

Katsuki had been raised a spoiled brat and a lot of what he's done had been a reflection of it, (although deep down that made him feel like a horrible parent and made him want to lock himself in his room for the rest of his life) but Mitsuki went too far. She was prohibiting him to grow in fear of what he might do, she was scared about the mother she had become and how her son would be able to interact in a world where he had already done so much harm.

Did she forget Katsuki was Masaru's son too?

The recent argument made him think that. Mitsuki acted as though Katsuki was her son and he was the stepdad who walked in on the middle of them going through a rough patch. That's not who he was. He married Mitsuki and loved her to death, of course he could handle his own son better than she could because of how similar they were.

Masaru shook his head, now wasn't the time to analyze his family, it was time to fix it.

He fully believed Katsuki should attend the Hero Course. There wasn't a better program out there for children to learn about their quirks and controlling them so that they'd save lives. That kind of growth and learning was exactly what Katsuki needed to accept the trauma he had caused and become a better person out of it.

It wasn't a reward for bad behavior, it was a way to prevent it from happening again and Masaru needed to show Mitsuki that. She knew best of all how much he despised his childhood behavior, the behavior that made him out to be the best of the best when he was really just a small child. Everything had started there, all the gaps and communication differences in their family and since Masaru wasn't Katsuki or Mitsuki he could bridge the gap better than anyone else. So he was stuck agreeing with Mitsuki and agreeing with Katsuki so that they could feel like someone was on their side. Truthfully, he agreed with Mitsuki more than Katsuki but no matter what arrogant attitude he held, pain he had caused that made Masaru cry himself to sleep some night because where had they gone wrong? No matter those instances and beliefs, he was still their son and he would make sure he is punished properly but given the opportunity to grow and be a better person.

Mitsuki just didn't see that.. She didn't see how their monster of a song could become a Hero. Masaru didn't either, but he wanted to try, even if just for their family, he wanted to try.

He loved Mitsuki deeply and he hadn't been married to her for years for nothing. He could tell she was terrified of what might happen and he was too. But parenting wasn't about keeping your child locked away in fear, it was about letting them go and grow.

He looked back on the time where it was just Mitsuki and him fondly and even greater did he look at the time when they're able to witness the life of their son. A perfect mix of both Mitsuki and Masaru. Their family had started through unconventional ways just as they were unconventional people, but the love they shared for each other couldn't be wavered.

He knew it wasn't always, but sometimes he felt as though Mitsuki had to be right. It was her side or no side, and often Masaru was caught between what she wanted and what he thought to be right. Although, to be fair, often she was right and he ended up agreeing with her anyway.

This time he had to put his foot down and help Mitsuki see that they could help their son become a better person, become something to be proud of as opposed to what he was now. So, after Katsuki had talked with them, he went to see Mitsuki and hopefully change her mind.

All it took was one glance at his wife's face for him to know this conversation was going to be an unpleasant one. Nevertheless, he charged on.

She was angrily typing on her computer in their shared bedroom, the furthest room from Katsuki's.

"Mitsuki." He called out gently to get her attention.

She looked up with a glare, face almost immediately softening when her eyes caught sight of Masaru, who was standing at the doorway. Had it been Katsuki, the glare would've raged on.

"Yes?" She asked somewhat calmly. However calm someone could be after the confrontation that had just taken place not even an hour earlier.

"We need to talk." Masaru sighed, moving so that he was sitting at the corner of their bed. Mitsuki immediately closed her computer and focused her attention on him, "Especially about Katsuki."

"That little brat." Mitsuki huffed and shook her head.

"Our little brat." Masaru affectionately corrected her, causing her to snort.

"Alright, so?"

Masaru wasn't completely ready for her to be open to such a conversation immediately, usually she protested a little bit more. She was probably just tired of talking about it all and always focusing on Katsuki, so the sooner they finished it would benefit her. That was what he had assumed and the unexpected change honestly made him feel a bit anxious, his plans already knocked slightly off course.

"Well.. I-I really think he should be allowed into the Hero Course." Masaru delivered the words in a hushed tone and very fast out of nervousness.

Luckily, or unluckily, Mitsuki understood what he said, "No, he's selfish and arrogant, he doesn't deserve it." He could've almost predicted she was going to say that.

"No one knows better than me how he can be." Masaru leaned towards her and took her hand in his, softly smiling at her, "But it'd be good for him to grow there."

"Definitely not." Mitsuki shook her head, clutching his hands, "Rewarding bad behavior doesn't work, you know this."

"You're getting confused, it's not a reward. We'll be putting him in a harder school program that can improve him as a human being, it's all we've ever wanted." Masaru stressed, trying to make her see how beneficial it could be for all of them. He couldn't ignore his son's behavior but he knew it wasn't the end all, there were ways to lessen it. They could be a happy family with Katsuki, they could stop fighting so much.

"SO IT'S MY FAULT NOW?" Mitsuki scoffed, only able to hear that small part of what Masaru had been speaking about, "Because of me, our son's a fucking monster and now he wants to play hero? That sounds just like something he said earlier."

"No, it's not your fault." Masaru stayed calm, it was the best way to approach these situations. Let them take their anger out on him and eventually they'd be able to see his logic, that's what relied on with Mitsuki and Katsuki. Although, the last comment Katsuki had made against her was clearly affecting her… When they started to attack each other, that's when chasms would grow, "And monsters that get redemption in stories give everyone a happy ending, don't they."

"Izuku doesn't have a fucking happy ending, does he?" Mitsuki's words drove red hot pokers through him, it hurt him too to acknowledge that the boy in question never got his. "Does Inko?"

"So we can't have them?" Masaru sighed, "Inko and Izuku deserve their happy endings too, I agree it's unfair in every sense of the word, but do we want to make it worse or make it better?"

"How is rewarding him after he killed Inko's kid going to make it better?" Mitsuki was clearly exasperated, not understanding anything past her point of view. She wouldn't even stop for a second to evaluate the opportunity their son could get.

"Please just think about it, think about what it really means to give and get an opportunity and what Izuku would want." Masaru begged her, hoping for at least some concession.

"Fine."

That was all he got and then Mitsuki collected her belongings and packed up her computer required for the day and left the house for work. Masaru couldn't do anything else but follow suit.

He really didn't know what to do anymore.

This situation had escalated beyond him. Usually he would agree with Mitsuki and force peace between both of them, but he couldn't do that now because he disagreed with her ways. He wanted them to support their son because of that reason, he was theirs. They had taught him to walk, eat, speak, scream, and much to their chagrin, curse. They had also taught him how to dream, how to grow, and how to learn.

To Masaru, this was simply another step in his personal development, a way to fix all their shortcomings and learn from the best that he wasn't at the top of the world, to let him see how far he had fallen and how to climb back up with integrity and dignity.

However, Katsuki did get his stubbornness from Mitsuki after all and she would never agree to him attending the Hero Course if her only mindset about it was that he was going to ruin the futures of everyone there and disgrace the name of her best friend's son.

It was times like these when he felt useless in every sense of the word. Mitsuki was always vocal about her feelings and that made it hard for him to ever challenge her, and rarely did he have to, only when it was about Katsuki.

She was the perfect wife but a flawed mother.

Not that he would ever tell her that, he was her number one fan always and forever, but he couldn't help but feel as though they failed as parents and as long as they kept Katsuki from opportunities that would let him grow, they'd keep on failing. She was the perfect one for him but she clashed too much with Katsuki and because of that neither of them were willing to open up and see each other for who they truly were, Masaru knew if they could just do that then they'd have an unbreakable bond.

They eat dinner in silence.

Mitsuki is clearly angry, Katsuki acting avoidant, and Masaru glancing between the two of them to see if there is anything to be done.

The dishes are done in further silence.

Mitsuki clears the table, Masaru washes, and Katsuki dries. Their configuration changes every once in a while, but they've naturally settled into a habit where conversation becomes unnecessary.

Masaru doesn't know if that's a good or a bad sign, but at this moment he wishes anyone would say anything. Nerves prevent him from doing so, everytime he imagines what to say he realizes nothing in the family could be changed by it.

Mitsuki and Katsuki have been better off ignoring one another, Katsuki's arrogance and Mitsuki's stubbornness prevent them from forming a bond that will let them trust each other. Masaru is the crumbling bridge that has kept them together so far, but he wasn't sure how long it could hold up.

The bed was cold that night too.

Mitsuki is on her side of it and Masaru is on his.

He found he couldn't sleep, staring up at the ceiling. The day had been plaguing him.

He can't help but wonder if he's getting the silent treatment from Mitsuki. She's probably frustrated that he hasn't taken her side, despite the countless times he'd done it before. If only he could show her that there wasn't a side to be taken, both his son and his wife deserved the best and he fully believed that would be at U.A.

There was no way to convince her… Was there?

Masaru sighed and removed his glasses, placing them on his nightstand before turning onto his side. Taking a deep breath, he just hoped that all of his worries and concerns would be able to fade or solve themselves so that he'd be able to sleep…

So that his family had a chance of… He didn't know.

Surviving wasn't the right word, maybe sustaining themselves or actually living joyfully without tension or underlying fear of another member.

Masaru wasn't too sure what he wanted when it came to his family, but he did know that he was quite tired of solving any issues which arose, he always told himself that the next time something happened he wouldn't get involved so Mitsuki and Katsuki could figure things out on their own. Of course the amount of times he was able to stay away were near zero.

He groaned, pulling the blanket up further.

This time was different. How could he trust the two of them to peace if Mitsuki refused to listen to him? Who would Mitsuki even listen to in this case? She was refusing to hear the words of those trying to help her out, of her husband who loved her more than life itself.

Masaru's thoughts were silent as he dwelled on the last question he had asked.

It had been rhetorical, a plea for Mitsuki to open her ears and mind to the development of their son, but it got him thinking.

Who would Mitsuki actually listen to? About this matter at least.

Suddenly an idea came to him.

He propped himself up, perching his glasses on his nose and whipping the blankets off of him. Silently he padded across their shared room, onto the other side of the bed, kissing Mitsuki's forehead as she slept gently. And then he left the room.

He turned the lights on in the kitchen, making a beeline for his phone. He dialed a familiar number which was ingrained into his memory, ignoring that it was probably too early in the morning for anyone to be awake, anyone but him at least.

Still, it was worth a try. Because if Mitsuki would listen to anyone, it would be her , and he knew she would at least be willing to listen to his reasoning.

If she picked up, of course.

The phone kept ringing out, during which Masaru wracked his brain for a way to explain why he was calling so early and how important it was. He felt a bit guilty about bothering someone else when it was his family's problems which were occurring, but he wouldn't have involved her unless he thought it really was necessary. He didn't have enough time to dwell on his regrets approaching this situation though, because finally the phone stopped ringing and clicked to signal it had been picked up.

"Hello?" A warm but very tired voice spoke out from the other end of the speaker.

Masaru let out a visible sigh of relief, pushing his glasses up before speaking to the woman on the other end, "Hey Inko, it's me. Sorry to call so late."

---

There had been a few solid good days of peace at school. It was even better because the Hero Course students were away at their internships, at least that's what they were told.

It didn't matter much, Katsuki was just excited that Shitty Hair and his idiots wouldn't be bothering him anymore, but that also came at the cost of Plant Girl and left him to deal with Eyebags all on his own. Not that he was complaining but it left their lunches (which had migrated back to the roof) quiet.

However, when Katsuki said it was peaceful at school, he couldn't say the same thing for his home.

Animosity, which he had caused, had sprung between his parents which left their home to be awfully silent and reclusive. It was probably due to the fact that he had received their signatures allowing him to attend the Hero Course (something Katsuki had been shocked to learn, but his father's influence was neverending.) He could only assume that had something to do with their sour moods.

And don't get him started on Deku.

Deku looked like he wanted to say something badly. Everytime they interacted, Katsuki knew there was something else on his mind that he was holding back for some reason. He hadn't mentioned the rumors in a while, did that have something to do with it?

He had spent an entire day wallowing over it and searching for the perfect moment to talk to him about it, even though he kept getting interrupted, but now there was plenty of time.

Katsuki didn't understand.

Did he feel insecure about his angry burst? Was he contemplating a way in which he would tell Katsuki about it? Or a way to reach out?

Katsuki could tell something was up but he couldn't tell what it was exactly. And usually he'd just brush it off, let Deku handle his problems if he was so against sharing them with Katsuki, but it wouldn't work this time. Whatever had been on Deku's mind had been bothering him so much that he was clearly always distracted. At school, he made fewer comments and his interactions with Katsuki were always shorter than usual.

He was almost tempted to walk up to Deku and demand him to spill whatever it was which had been bothering him, rumors or something unrelated. The only reason he didn't was because he was holding out some hope that maybe Deku would come to him with the issue, trust him enough to talk to him about it freely.

It might've been wistful to think that such a wish could come true, but Katsuki agreed with himself that if Deku's behavior continued for a day more he would throw out his pride and demand the nerd to tell him what was wrong. Even then, he could feel his anger stirring at the idea that ther nerd would be so willing to hide something from him, so fervent about not wanting Katsuki to be in on it. Could he even wait a day? He was counting on it, but wasn't actually sure of it.

Either way he'd get his answer, he supposed.

Katsuki grunted as he tied his shoelaces, bidding his parents a good day as he headed out for school. Predictably, only his father came to briefly bid him farewell and a warm smile. His smile didn't reach where it usually did, but it didn't surprise Katsuki in the slightest.

He didn't comment on it, and walked away from his house as the door closed behind him with Deku trailing behind, eyes focused on the floor.

That fucker didn't even spare Katsuki a second glance? What the fuck was happeneing? What had he done? Katsuki was fuming, fists clenched and turning white, jaw glued shut to avoid him from doing anything too drastic. Not that it would be effective at all.

They travelled in silence for a few minutes before Katsuki opened his mouth, he had to say something. Screw being patient and letting him come to his senses and trust Katsuki, if something was wrong he needed to know what it was as soon as possible.

And maybe it was because he was just angry about being ignored that he decided to go against everything he had thought through. In fact, it would be correct to assume he wasn't currently thinking whatsoever.

"Oi, nerd."

A few beats of silence passed. The only sounds around the pair were those of birds, bustling people, and cars all commuting to work. Katsuki could feel his patience begin to wear thin, he was losing it by the minute.

"NERD." Katsuki raised his voice, hoping no one would spare a glance at him and realize he was shouting at someone who they couldn't even see. Although, being spotted was probably the very last thing pressing on Katsuki's mind at this very moment.

Deku startled, turning his head around rapidly, checking if the angry tone was directed at him, not that there was anyone else it could've been directed to, "Y-yes, Kacchan?"

Katsuki's blood was boiling. How dare the other boy sound so nonchalant about whatever it was he was doing? He frowned heavily, the rational part of his brain screaming for him to stop whatever it was he was doing and evaluate his actions. He didn't want to do this, he had intended to wait before addressing whatever was going on, that's what he had told himself.

Safe to say, he ignored it.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" His tone was dangerous, he hoped it got his point across. Although, he may have been scaring Deku more than anything.

"W-what do you… Do you mean?" He spoke more nervously than usual, which wasn't surprising.

"You've been fucking ignoring me," Katsuki grumbled, "And clearly there's some shit on your mind."

"What?" Deku's eyes widened, "No, nooo."

Katsuki was seconds away from rolling his eyes. It was obvious as shit and now the fucking nerd was going to ignore him completely? Who did he think Katsuki was, some random extra on the street?

"Start talking now." Katsuki stopped walking and turned to stare in the eyes of the other boy. His tone was full of no bullshit and he was serious.

"Look… I-I can't. I promise, I really promise I'll be able to-to later…" Deku seemed unsure about what he was saying, emphasized by the way his words trailed off.

Katsuki was angry. He just wanted to punch something he was so frustrated by Deku's empty promise, but he was in the middle of a sidewalk so there was nothing near him to punch. Thus, he settled for stomping his foot on the pavement. It hurt like a bitch and made him seem like an insolent toddler, but he didn't care much for his image at the moment.

"Deku." He took a deep breath, "I understand if you need to process shit, but don't keep me in the fucking dark."

"Kacchan-" Deku began, but Katsuki wasn't finished.

"No." He interrupted, "Being obvious that you're hiding something is the worst fucking thing to do out of everything."

"I can't help it!" Deku exclaimed suddenly, he sounded a little desperate and frustrated by the situation he had forced himself in. It was his fault, after all.

"SHUT UP." Katsuki growled out in response. He hated the excuses upon excuses.

The: I can't do this, I can't do that, It's not my fault, or I wasn't aware.

It was all complete bullshit. "If you're going to be that fucking obvious you could've just told me minimal details. Tell me there's something you need to think through, tell me if I fucked up, ANYTHING."

Deku was looking at the ground with a remorseful glint in his eyes. In a small voice he said just two words, "I'm sorry."

Katsuki, after hearing that, couldn't help but regret the way in which he spoke to the other boy. He was harsher than needed, but it was also pent up rage from Deku seemingly prioritizing whatever was going on in his head over anything Katsuki was doing or going through himself. That wasn't to say it isn't a priority but how would Katsuki know any better? Had he done something? Had someone else?

"I promise." Deku spoke up once more, staring Katsuki in the eyes with a sad determination, "I promise it isn't-isn't related to anything you've done, not at all! A-and I'll tell you… Soon."

Katsuki nodded, turning around and beginning to walk to school once more, he called out behind him. "Now stop fucking moping, and let's go to school."

Deku smiled softly and began to follow behind him.

The rest of their walk was in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest. Except for maybe the uncomfortable glances that were often directed at Katsuki for acting like a psychopath. It was their fault they weren't able to see Deku like he was, fucking losers, although that was no reason to be judgemental either.

Wasn't this a world where millions of different quirks existed? Wouldn't this be a regular Monday for the shitheads that bothered to glare or spare him an extra long glance?

Katsuki just scoffed as he continued walking, hands shoved deep into his pockets, thoughts continuing to spiral about how people had judged him wrongly.

He was finding more and more it was becoming easy for his mind to suddenly focus on one single thing and disregard everything else around him.

Whether it was not using his quirk, making Deku proud, Deku avoiding him, or the stares of people around him, he frequently got distracted and pinpointed his distraction on one thing. He didn't know what caused it or why he was like that, all he knew was that it was beginning to become quite bothersome.

And with those, he was standing in front of U.A, grumbling and groaning to himself about how much he was frustrated with himself for having intrusive thoughts. Thoughts that never ended and were getting to be too much and distracting him, but that had distracted him from realizing he had reached his destination.

Fuck he hated this.

"Uh… you okay?" Deku whispered to him before they stepped up the steps and walked through the doors of the main hallway.

"Peachy." Katsuki deadpanned, walking in the doors already in a somewhat sour mood.

Soon the sourness he held onto dissolved as he walked down the halls and found everything to be awfully... Normal. Sure he got a few strange glances here and there but the whispers which had previously been following him had miraculously ceased. Even Deku stared around suspiciously, wondering just what had happened since he had his temper tantrum about the situation.

Katsuki couldn't help but wonder why the development had occurred. Of course he wouldn't be a topic of discussion at some point, but it had happened so rapidly it seemed so very odd and fabricated. However, soon Katsuki was able to learn why.

The whispers hadn't stopped.

They just stopped talking about him.

Now there was a new issue which was catching everyone's attention, something that had pushed Katsuki's Sports Festival win to the back of their minds completely.

"Kamino Ward."

"Stain's captured."

"Class 1-A students."

"Hero internships."

"Badly injured."

Those vague snippets were all Katsuki was able to grasp from the ongoing conversations around him. Pieced together, some Class 1-A students had been involved in an accident in Kamino Ward during the internships and one got badly injured. Also, Stain was captured which might've been related to the incident as the cause of such injury.

Not that he would know anything about it the way he had stayed away from the news (because it meant interacting with his parents and he didn't want to do that), but he did see some news articles online detailing who the vigilante-type villain Stain was.

He had been popular with the assholes who thought they could make a difference in their shitty society without working hard for it, essentially most dropouts and kids his age who thought they were so much more interesting than they were.

Condoning a murderer was disgusting, but to a certain extent so was a hero who allowed murderers to run free and damage to be done. Was it justified? Had the old saying of 'What goes around comes back around' been proven true?

Fuck, Katsuki didn't know.

He wasn't an expert in this shit, just like all those morons who thought it would be a good idea to post their shitty online commentary.

He didn't need that and no one else in the world needed it either, to be perfectly honest. Words were meaningless unless they had action to back them up, that was Katsuki's stance about it, and why he ignored the gossip (even if curiosity was eating away at him), instead favoring thinking about what he needed to do for that day.

He would have his first classes, starting with Cementoss, and then he would have lunch which was when he planned to walk to the teacher's lounge and dispense his application, finally he'd have his last classes and go home to parents who were hopefully done attacking and shunning each other.

When he said parents, he really meant his mother, his father would probably never do anything like that to her. Additionally, he was hoping Deku would open up to him about what had been bothering him thus far, but that was another problem for another time.

He walked into the classroom with plenty of time to spare and waited for Cementoss to walk in and begin the class. He didn't want to distract himself with needless thoughts though, and instead just pictured each class he had to go to within that day.

Starting off with Japanese, he would then have Japanese History, Health, World History, Lunch, Home Economics, English, and Math.

Cementoss walked in soon after Katsuki groaned realizing Japanese and Japanese History would be back to back. Eh, it was a usually packed day, but classes weren't so long that it was horrible. They were at U.A after all, a great academic and hero school, even at the General Studies level, they couldn't let their guards down.

That was something Cementoss liked to drill in their heads, not to give up simply because their quirks weren't deemed as heroic or because they were too frightened to serve as good heroes. Katsuki could speak for the entire class when he said that Cementoss was not that great at pep talks or at inspiring people.

That wouldn't matter much anymore because Cementoss wasn't going to be his homeroom teacher for much longer. He wouldn't have to wait too much longer, although there was always the chance his new teacher would be worse. He didn't like the fake heroics he saw during the USJ attack, so he'd have to be wary.

It didn't end up mattering much at the moment though, Katsuki still had four classes to get through before he could think about all of that. And, a few hours and history classes later, he didn't have to wait any longer.

It was now Lunch.

Katsuki immediately noticed that Deku seemed to have calmed down somewhat. Being in U.A must've done that to him and made him feel even a little bit protected or not as anxious as before.

That made Katsuki feel a bit of relief as well. Having Deku prance around all nervous wasn't good for either of them.

Regardless, Katsuki had a task to fulfil. He could worry about Deku as much as he wanted after he had completed it. On his way to the teachers lounge, before he had eaten any lunch because he wanted to get it out of the way as soon as possible, he spotted Eyebags. He was walking in the same direction, as to be expected because they had both accepted the offer.

Eyebags was walking ahead of him, but suddenly he stopped in his tracks. Katsuki didn't stop walking though, not understanding Eyebags' motives. However, once Katsuki walked right by Eyebags, he started to walk again.

Oh so that's what that was. He wanted them to walk together.

"Loser" Katsuki grumbled under his breath, but he was secretly a little grateful for Eyebags' actions. He even saw Deku smile at the scene from the corner of his eyes (although he couldn't flip the other boy off, he hoped Deku would be able to tell he really wanted to)

Eyebags only scoffed in response, offering him a shit eating grin.

What a complete dumbass.

Katsuki shook his head at him, not willing to indulge in his childish behavior.

They continued to walk down the hall in silence, Deku still trailing behind Katsuki with whatever had been on his mind, sparing a few moments in between to interact with his friend and serve as a nuisance.

It didn't matter much, after all they had arrived at the teacher's lounge and now Deku was the further things from Katsuki's mind, he was just concerned with whether or not his application would be accepted.

Out of nerves, he gestured to Eyebags to open the door, letting him go ahead. He doubted the doorknob was trapped but some small bit of him rejected the idea of just walking right into the office that he had not so long ago stormed into in a panic.

Still, with Eyebags going in first, he would be fine. Deku was here to back him up anyway and that itself was reassuring. Everything would go well, he had to tell it to himself.

And of course, the second they both shuffled into the office they found it completely empty except for one person.

The one person Katsuki didn't ever really want to see. The person who had inadvertently threatened him. The person who had kickstarted his frustrations against the Hero Course after not trusting the information given.

It was Double Eyebags.

He didn't even look surprised when the two walked into the room, lazily turning towards them. In all honesty, it wouldn't be that big of a stretch to say that he had been expecting them to walk in. Although Katsuki would rather deal with some nameless extra he wouldn't ever see again- or better yet, have the room completely empty to allow them to quietly submit their applications for approval.

The two of them fidgeted under his gaze, silent for a while until Katsuki noticed something.

Huh.

Double Eyebags and Eyebags in the same room. Did that make it Triple Eyebags or just a complete lack of sleep?

Katsuki chuckled at his little joke, covering his mouth with his hand to not draw attention to himself in the midst of the gender atmosphere.

From the pointed look sent his way, Katsuki had probably failed.

Deku had also joined in, shaking his head endearingly because Katsuki had made a joke at the worst possible time for him to.

"If you're done, put your applications here." Double Eyebags spoke in a monotone voice, clearly targeting Katsuki to get him to just shut up. Although, he did point to a little basket where a stack of papers sat, reading: FOR NEZU.

Eyebags bowed, placing his application into the basket and Katsuki followed suit.

He didn't quite understand what the need for these bullshit applications were, couldn't they just transfer them to the other class after seeing their abilities or administer a test to them so that they could transfer? It seemed much easier and foregoing of a parent signature, preferable to Katsuki. He didn't need to involve his mother or father, they didn't own his life or live his life, he should be responsible for what he wants to do. He also didn't fully trust them, his father was too complacent and his mother too vengeful.

"Wait. A few more notions." Double Eyebags droned, wrapping himself in a yellow sleeping bag. In all honesty, he looked like a worm, "Whether approved or not, you won't be transferred until next year. Until then, improve yourselves."

"The fuck?" Katsuki eyed the man in front of him up and down, "So there's a chance we won't make it? That's bullshit."

"Is it?" Double Eyebags challenged him, "Having a quirk and being able to use it to be a hero aren't the same. Get over yourself."

Eyebags sent him an amusing look, clearly trying to make fun of him for his brash actions.

Katsuki would just have to flip him off later, what a shitty 'friend' he was.

"Thank you." Eyebags bowed once more and Katsuki followed suit, grumbling to himself about how it was all complete bullshit.

They had both started to walk away, accepting the teacher's words, even begrudgingly. "Impress me and I'll help you."

Katsuki whipped his head back towards Double Eyebags, his sleeping bag still wrapped cozily around him. Affixed to the man's face was a mischievous half-grin, the most expressive he had seen him be. Not that it made a difference, Katsuki would never back down from a fight and he knew Eyebags wouldn't either.

He nodded, showing the yellow worm that he understood him, and he was up to the fight, he would win whatever fight was planned for him. And then he turned back around and continued to walk to the exit of the Teacher's Lounge, there was no point in staying, he had a plan to devise.

"One last thing." Double Eyebags called out behind them, and Katsuki had to suppress his urge to eye roll, would he keep calling them again and again? "After exams, both Hero Courses are having a training camp in the forest. You'll be coming along."

It was straight to the point, the way he said it, but Katsuki felt his gut fill up with… Not dread but some kind of pressure which he couldn't contextualize into words.

He doubted this was some sick joke but it sounded too good to be true. An opportunity to train when the other students would be and to master the same skills as them? Katsuki noticed the way Eyebags widened his eyes that he was thinking the exact same thing.

This could mean a lot.

"Wow… Go Kacchan!" Deku still spoke a bit hesitantly but his excitement seemed to be genuine. "That's, I guess you could say, big." That was an understatement.

Both Katsuki and Eyebags made quick bows once more (out of the corner of his eye Katsuki saw Deku bowing to, even in a weird stage of life, respect was absolute) before ducking out of the room, Double Eyebags finally allowing them to go.

They both walked in silence for a minute or two, digesting what Double Eyebags said to them and what his actions had indicated. Deku too seemed to be lost in his thoughts, either related or unrelated to what had just happened, Katsuki couldn't tell.

Eyebags finally broke the silence, "You think we're in competition?"

The fuck did that mean? Competition with other students, of course, not everyone could be the absolute best. Or competition between the two of them for a spot in the Hero Course.

"HAH?" Even though his mind was racing, Katsuki kept his response very simple. Eyebags had only sighed in return, explaining what he meant, "For a spot as a hero, will we be pitted against each other?"

Katsuki snorted, "Who fucking knows? I'll beat your ass regardless."

Eyebags sent him a stare that looked as though he was saying Oh really? But didn't open his mouth to speak in return, allowing the silence to continue for a while longer.

"I wonder…" He had mumbled finally but Katsuki wasn't able to catch the final part of what he had spoken. That very small detail infuriated Katsuki, talking meant you expected to be listened to and that meant being understandable.

"Ugh fine, you fucker." Katsuki shook his head, "Work with me dumbass, not against me. We're training to be heroes, not a pair of shitty coworkers."

That alone elicited a brief laugh from Eyebags, "Wise words from such an asshole."

Deku made a weird noise behind him, sounding almost as if he had choked. That shouldn't be possible was it? Katsuki didn't know if it was worth taking the gamble to potentially expose both of them for a false alarm, so he just assumed it had something to do with what Eyebags said, not Deku needing medical attention for whatever reason.

"Takes one to know one." It's a retort Katsuki always has sitting on the back of his tongue, ready for usage. He uses it as a distraction method and it works, receiving a snort from Eyebags as they continue on.

Glancing back at Deku, he sees the boy chuckling quietly. So he had found what Eyebags said to be humorous, huh? What a shitty little nerd.

But Katsuki couldn't help but smile to himself. It was nice to have such normal interactions like that, it lifted his spirits and filled him with a little bit of hope… At least enough to counteract the rage and annoyance that he had been feeling earlier.

Deku was giving him a chance, he was giving himself a chance, and he would take this opportunity to be a hero even if every cell in his body refused it and thought he was undeserving of it.

He had a feeling. A feeling that things were going to be better now, that he could let things be better without guilt. It would be okay, even if he had to tell that to himself a dozen times, he would make sure to believe it. He didn't have any other choice.

And for the rest of the day, the final classes after lunch, he went along with that belief. He stood by Deku's confidence in himself that had never wavered and his support which had never faltered for a second.

Although, despite all this conviction he was building up for himself, all the hope after hearing the opportunity to train more with the Hero Students and to be a better person, he had expected it to last longer than it did.

It all came crashing down after his classes had ended and he was walking away from U.A. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Deku was acting much more frantic than usual, it seemed everything from this morning had multiplied into a frenzy of carefulness. As they walked, Deku was looking over his shoulder, looking side to side, fidgeting like crazy. It was unusual behavior that made Katsuki think back to their morning conversation… He itched to reach out and ask what was wrong, but he promised he wouldn't. For Deku's sake, he had to trust the other boy even if it grated on his nerves and made his teeth clench with frustration. He had sworn to himself never to let Deku be in pain but he swore to Deku he would let him deal with his own issues… It was a difficult balance but ultimately he valued Deku's promise more than his own.

Naturally, the trip home was difficult. Deku was not subtle, however Katsuki found solace in repeating what he had said to himself earlier that day. He could do this, he could prove his worth and make Deku proud, he just needed to keep his confidence in himself and that he could properly control his quirk.

That's what training was for, and he wouldn't let it slip away from him. He wouldn't live with regret if he didn't have to. Well, to be fair, he was already living with plenty of regret, enough to last him an entire lifetime. Why worsen it when he can atone for even a small bit of what he has done to harm others?

He just had to keep placing one foot in front of the other. Much like travelling from his school to his house and ignoring Deku acting like a paranoid fool, except in the psychological terms it meant keep moving forward despite any oncoming distractions.

Same thing really.

Katsuki would have chuckled at his very unfunny joke had he the energy, but after a long day he didn't feel the need to laugh. After that, the walk to his house was relatively quiet, he focused on trees and landmarks he might not have seen before while Deku was in mutter land. It was kind of nice.

Not to mention, they had gotten to Katsuki's house with no harm done very shortly. It had been a frustrating but nonetheless somewhat regular trip, although Katsuki would be honest, he wasn't sure he'd be able to last the night if Deku kept this up. He could abely stop himself from screaming at him throughout the entire trip from U.A.

He was planning on telling the other boy such when they reached his room, after all he didn't want more people staring at him like he was insane when he was clearly fine. However, it seemed Deku's agenda was very different from his.

When Katsuki began walking towards the door, he hovered outside, unmoving from his position. It made Katsuki stop in his tracks and stare at the other boy, prompting him to follow or to say something if he had to.

A few seconds that were prolonged enough to feel like years later, Deku spoke. "Hey…" He cleared his throat which sounded a little scratchy.

"Is it, I mean, would it be okay for us to… If we were to… Have a talk?" Deku wouldn't look at him. Was he admitting defeat from earlier or was he ready to finally talk about whatever had been bothering him?

It was no use speculating when he was right about to find out, Katsuki mused. Although, the timing of it was still questionable and they weren't in the best spot, out in the open

"Now?" He asked skeptically, "And here?"

"Yeah…" Deku nodded meekly.

"Alright, then talk." Katsuki crossed his arms, right in front of the door to his house, in daylight, about to listen to something important Deku had to say that had been weighing on him for a long enough time.

He was prepared for whatever he would say.

Minutes later, he would realize he was absolutely not prepared for what Deku was going to say.

---

TIMELINE:

Midoriya tells Bakugou about Nozomi.

Midoriya then takes Nozomi to her parents and spends a night thinking things over.

Bakugou, while Midoriya is away, does nothing and when he wakes up he goes to school, where he meets up with Midoriya.

That's where the rumors and talks take place with Midoriya wanting to talk to Bakugou about Nozomi, but he doesn't.

That night, Nana comes along after searching for Midoriya for a few days and has a chat with him.

While he is away talking with her and thinking, Bakugou stays up all night to decide if he wants to join the course or not.

The next morning, he tells his parents about it before notifying Midoriya and they react badly.

Midoriya is caught up in his own worries about Bakugou and isn't able to witness this or Bakugou's reaction.

He goes to school as usual and Midoriya acts weirdly.

During that time, Masaru and Mitsuki have their talk but it ends with them going to work.

Later that night, Masaru uses Inko to convince Mitsuki to allow Bakugou to attend the Hero Course.

The next day, Bakugou is given permission to join the Hero Course and he notices that Midoriya is acting even weirder and Bakugou points that out on the way to school, they have their talk about it, and Bakugou submits his application with Shinsou.

During all of this and before it, the Internships for the Hero Courses are happening, they end when the rumors shift from Bakugou to about Stain.

The League of Villains interacting happens between when the rumors about Bakugou were at their peak and when Nana told Midoriya about all that had happened.