The rest of the school day passed without issue. All Might had decided not to come back after that. Good it meant that he would keep to their agreement. All Might would follow his rules or he would not be welcome in his class. They were training to be soldiers first and foremost. Hero Training was second.
The kids had picked up on the basics of the entery dynamics. Adjustments had been made during the practical portion. Even that only needed minor adjustments such as foot placement and how fast they were going.
Physical training was what needed the most work. They didn't have the stamina or the physique keep up with him. As such every day they would run in the late afternoons. Cool down period would be just before they went home for the day.
To his amusement they complained about how sore they were. It would be worse tomorrow but when it came to a life or death situation they would be grateful for it. As he was putting away files for the day he was approached by Alex.
The older man said, "Mo wants to see you in his office before you go home. Something about a surprise for you."
Izuku glared at his handler as he said, "I hate surprises and you both know it. So why are you going this to me?"
Alex grinned slightly as he said, "Just trust me on this, kid. Go to the doctor's place and get your surprise. You won't regret it. Have I ever steered you wrong?"
Izuku pointed at him and said, "Why yes you have. Need I remind you of the time you tried to talk me out of going to save my brother?"
"That was a suicide mission and you know it," glowered the man.
That was true. It had been the very definition of a suicide mission. They had been very lucky that they had been able to succeed. It had not been without a cost. Izuku had shot and killed one of his men for a betrayal.
Flashback
Madness. The explosions were all around him now, blinding, deafening, punctuated by ear-splitting screeches from the jungle that erupted with each detonation. The jungle! Tam Quan! The wet, hot stench was everywhere, but they had reached it! The base camp was theirs!
An explosion to his left; he could see it! High above the ground, suspended between two trees, the spikes of a bamboo cage. The figure inside was moving. He was alive! Get to him, reach him! A cry came from his right. Breathing, coughing in the smoke, a man was limping toward the dense underbrush, a rifle in his hand.
It was him, the blond hair caught in the light, a foot broken from a parachute jump. The bastard! A piece of filth who had trained with them, studied the maps with them, flown north with them … all the time springing a trap on them!
A traitor with a radio who told the enemy exactly where to look in that impenetrable jungle that was Tam Quan. It was Bourne! Jason Bourne. Traitor, garbage!
Get him! Don't let him reach others! Kill him! Kill Jason Bourne! He is your enemy! Fire!
What was happening? Madness. Tam Quan …
End of flashback
"Izuku come on kid breathe with me," ordered Alex firmly, "That's it. In, hold, out again. That's it you're doing good. In, hold, out."
Alex was smart he wasn't within touching distance of Izuku. There had been a good few who had tried that. It did not end up well for those who tried.
Still he was close enough that he could grab Izuku if he needed to. Izuku said drawing calming breaths in, "I'm okay now. I'm back."
Alex relaxed minutely as he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Izuku mutely shook his head. No he most certainly did not want to talk about it. That was one of the worst memories he had. Reliving it was far from fun.
"Alright," sighed Alex, "Just go see the doctor. Alright?"
Sighing he nodded. There was no arguing with Alex when he was like this. It wasnt like Izuku could "borrow" a plane like he had done when Gordon was kidnapped.
So he scuttled with Luka right on his heel out of the room where Katsuki was waiting for him. His blond friend looked like he wanted to say something. Everything about Izuku's body language however recommended against it.
It wasn't until they were on the train back that he said, "We have to stop by the doctor's office. Alex said that Panov wanted me to come by."
Katsuki asked after a moment of surprise, "Do you know why?"
Izuku shrugged, "There is no telling at this point. He could want a session given today was our first day. The first time I've gone to an actual school since the war. It would make sense."
"Why wouldn't he just tell you that," countered Katsuki.
His friend had a point. Unfortunately if it was just a routine check in, Panov would have told him. Especially since Izuku hated surprises and the doctor knew it. There was also little doubt in his mind that Alex would have called Panov to tell him that the boy had a flashback.
Katsuki asked frowning, "Do you think it really is a surprise," at Izuku's surprised look he said, "You were mumbling. So?"
Izuku leaned back in his seat considering it, "I doubt Conklin would lead me into a trap. Short of tranquilizing me there is no way Panov could take me in a fight. Panov knows better than to try that. It would lose any trust he built up."
Katsuki hummed but dropped the subject. Panov wouldn't drug him. Would he? He had no answers to that question. Part of him wanted to trust the doctor but the cynical part of him reminded him that those he trusted ended up betraying him. To always keep new people at arms distance and Panov was new.
Panov was not one of his men that served with him in the war. Hell he wasn't even one of the doctors that treated them. No matter how reluctantly they were treated. Nor was he someone like Abbott or Conklin who taught them how to be more than just what the world perceived them as.
Or someone like Gordon who decided to add them to his family. The Webbs had been nothing but kind to all of them. Including Izuku who got to meet the elders of the family. They were in their late sixties and had lived through the rise of heroes. The stories he got to hear were one of a kind. Unlike so many other they treated him like he was one of their own.
The youngest Webb was named Jacob. Only a few years older than Izuku he had a noncombative position within the CIA. He was the only one in the family to have a "strong" quirk. It was a technology manipulation quirk. From his understanding it worked through touch but Jacob didn't like to talk about it. Even with as few social skills as Izuku had he knew better than to push.
Simply put though. Panov was an outsider who's only in was the good graces given through Alex. Otherwise Izuku would have clammed up long ago. It was still a slow process in getting Izuku to be completely open with him. Most of what they talked about concerned the slower parts of the war. Rarely of battle. Or what had caused him to turn into Delta.
A shudder ran down his spine. If he had his way he would never speak of that. Only himself, Abbott, Gordon, and Jacob knew what had caused it. His heart hurt at the thought of Anna and her children. It was his fault what happened to them. No matter what the others said.
Katsuki in a rare show of social awareness or maybe it was compassion kept quiet. The rest of their trip he allowed Izuku to stay in his thoughts. Even on the walk over to Panov's office it was silent.
As they entered the building the doctor used Izuku had his hand on his knife. Things could go very wrong if they did he would defend himself and Katsuki with his life. Maybe he should have asked the other to stay outside.
No... Katsuki would have only argued with him about it. That would have alerted Panov that Izuku was suspicious of his intentions. Better to not cause a scene. Yet.
Upon reaching Panov's office door they paused and he listened. Trying to find any indication that there was a trap. He could hear familiar voices that were familiar. One was definitely Panov but he couldn't make out who the other was. It was too muffled by the door.
Izuku took a deep breath before he knocked. It only took a few seconds for a voice to call through the door, "Enter."
Taking a deep breath he did as he was told. Only to pause in the doorway his jaw dropping and his eyes widening with surprise. He had been expecting an ambush. Possibly the doctor deciding that it was worth keeping him in society. He had not expected this.
...
Morris had been working on a special surprise for Midoriya for the last few weeks. He would have been a poor psychiatrist if he had not noticed that the child's loneliness. Without his teammates from the war he didn't really have anyone he could count on. Sure there was Bakugo Katsuki who tried to reform their friendship. But the young man had not been there in the war. He could never understand what Midoriya went through.
Thanks to Alex he knew a little more about Midoriya's friendships. That he had a close bond with Gordon Webb. Only this man and his family understood what the boy was going through. Gordon Webb was a young Captain in the American Army after all.
Gordon Webb was currently standing in his office looking decidedly uncomfortable. Like Alex, the young Captain had tried to convince Mo not to surprise Midoriya. How the young man was likely to react badly. Or be preparing for the absolute worst-case scenario.
That was exactly why he was doing this. He wanted to show Midoriya not all surprises were a bad thing. Hopefully that he could put a little more faith in Mo. There was still a large wall between them and it didn't seem any closer to coming down than when they began.
A knock sounded on his door and Gordon looked up. His dark blue eyes sparkling with excitement. A small smile crossed Mo's face at the sight of it. It seemed that Midoriya wasn't the only one who was feeling lonely.
Morris called out, "Enter."
Midoriya Izuku walked in with Bakugo and Luka right on his heel. Morris saw the exact moment the boy registered Gordon's presence. Green grey eyes widened and his jaw went slack. On the other hand Bakugo just seemed confused by his friend's reaction.
Gordon gave a small grin as he greeted, "Hey there little brother. What no hug?"
Midoriya's mouth turned into a grin as he said, "Well big brother I didn't expect you to be my surprise. What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Washington for the next three weeks."
Gordon's stance went stiff giving a glance at Bakugo before he said, "Now is not the time for that conversation. But I can say that Alex pulled some strings to get me approved to be here until Friday."
"Seems like I owe him and the doctor one," a frown overtook the grin making the boy look older and more worn than he was, "We will be talking about what is going on however. Now let me introduce you to Bakugo Katsuki. Katsuki this is my other brother in all but blood Gordon Webb, Captain in the American Army."
Morris watched as the two soldiers immediately closed off. No emotions were shown now. It terrified him to watch how easy it was for them to do this.
Still he would watch over his young charge. The boy needed a stable friendship and with these two he may just find it. Gordon Webb and Bakugo Katsuki two very different people yet both cared for the same hurting soldier.
