~{Author's Pre-Notes}~
Heyo to all my readers! It's ya boy, non-consistent writer here, back it again with another chapter after several months.
I'd like to tell you this chapter took so long because of a writing struggle and all that, but that would be me lying. In reality, I used these last few months to enjoy a damn good vacation with different family members with the rest of my time being used to move on campus and prepare for the school year. Yes, as you're reading, I'm returning back to school after the full year of a break I had, and my classes are actually going to start just a few days from now. You know what that means? More obstacles to keep me from writing, yay!
Fuck.
So yeah, it's at this point where I will announce that I'm officially reaching the 'fuck it' stage. And what I mean by that is that when it comes to my writing, I'll write whatever I want and whenever I wanna do it! No more just trying to prioritize re-typed chapters when just pushing myself to write them has had the opposite effect of progress sometimes. It's always a lot easier writing something I get a burst of inspiration for and don't feel stressed to write out, case in point, the new stuff I've written.
And what I mean by that will be said after the end of this chapter. I hope all of you enjoy more of this stupid drama I've come up with to count as character development! This honestly was a lot harder to write than I thought it'd be.
Answered Comments (Oldest to Newest):
The Dark Dragen: Ah yes, so you too know the struggles of being a writer. Actually updating. :/
AbyssDragonslayer777: I don't think I can actually update the Ao3 version with a new chapter until I finish the retypes, because if I make a new chapter with the ideas I had in mind, then there can be parts that wouldn't make sense because it'd involve stuff I'm going to fix in earlier chapters. Inconsistencies and all that.
Markungeo: Hey, it was wholesome, was it not? I'm glad you enjoyed it. Also, I hope you successfully got your data back.
RandomGuy000: Really? You considered that chapter short? I don't even wanna know what you consider long.
RickJayden2: Thank you for your words of encouragement!
0verl0rddeku: Huh, you know? I never thought about it like that. I guess each of the big three do have elements of Izuku.
Ravenkiller901: Thank you for the fun facts. Oh supposed fun facts, at least.
thanosinfinity29: Pretty much. I really should've altered the design but I just never did. And no, I didn't really use any parts of Junko as inspiration for Lynch.
chimchar14: Thank you for reading everything and leaving a comment, chimchar!
Billy The Kid730: Thank you so much for giving this fanfic another chance, and thank you for leaving such a meaningful comment for me. I'll continue to keep trying my best!
~{Midoriya Residence- 10:21AM}~
Izuku can feel his anxiety going through the roof.
Standing outside his apartment building with his mother, the two shook in anticipation as they waited on the sidewalk. One of them had never expected to have this day, while the other was internally squealing that it had finally happened.
The day Izuku had a girl come over.
Even ignoring that she was going to live with them, Izuku had never thought that he'd have a girl, or a friend in general, ever come to his home.
Not since Bakugo had stopped visiting so many years ago...
But here he was, waiting for a girl (one that liked him) to welcome her into his home. It was a wonder how he wasn't sweating yet from how nervous he was.
"I-I-Izuku...?"
He turned to his mom, the woman nervously fidgeting with her hands.
"A-A-About th-this... girl, U-Uraraka, right?" Izuku nodded in affirmation. "T-Tell me more about her."
A smile instantly made its way to his face.
"She's an amazing person... My first friend coming into U.A, actually. We met right outside the entrance exams. She tripped and I managed to catch her. But besides her thanking me and the two of us wishing each other good luck, we didn't talk much right there."
He looked down, happily reminiscing as he kept going.
"But during the entrance exam itself, I saw her trapped under some rubble with a big robot coming for her. She looked so scared, and it didn't seem like anyone was even thinking of helping. So I went and saved her myself. After that was when I guess we became friends, especially since we traded numbers."
Inko gasped.
"So that's who you were texting with such a big smile later that day!? I thought it was Enso congratulating you!" She smiled, clapping her hands together.
Izuku chuckled.
"Heh... yeah. Ever since we went into U.A together, just being around her has always made me feel relaxed. All of my classmates are amazing, and Ochako isn't different. She's strong, determined, and doesn't hesitate to speak whenever she believes something is wrong. She's always been there for me and was even an influence when I decided on my hero name..."
Inko saw the fondness in her son's eyes and smiled softly.
"You really do care about this girl, don't you?"
That caused Izuku to sputter as red seeped into his cheeks.
"I-I mean-! I-!"
He was saved from any more embarrassment by his mom's mischievous smile as they heard a car make a sharp turn around the street. The Midoriyas turned their heads and saw a pink mini-van heading towards them, slowing to a stop as they neared the apartment building.
Despite the save, Izuku's nerves didn't calm as he saw the doors open, and out came the girl that was going to live with him.
Ochako wore a white shirt and short jeans with her usual pink sneakers. And she looked just as nervous as he was, already starting to sweat a bit as she gripped the straps of her pink backpack.
Her father also came out, the man wearing a blue shirt and jeans with loafers.
"Oh my god! You really did bring such a cute girl home!" Inko was comedically waterfalling proud tears for her son, hugging him tightly while keeping her eyes on Ochako.
"M-Mom!?" Izuku squeaked out.
Ochako didn't seem to hear as she had still been walking over to them, trying not to look nervous and embarrass herself in front of Izuku's mother.
"H-Hello! I-I'm O-Ochako Uraraka! Th-Thank you for having me!" She stammered, then gave a polite bow.
Now, Ochako didn't know exactly what to expect from Izuku's mother, but she didn't expect to suddenly be dragged into a rather tight embrace by the woman as she happily sobbed.
"Oh you're so precious! Thank you for taking care of my son!" Inko wailed, making Ochako cry out in alarm while Izuku panicked.
"M-Mom! G-Give her some space!"
Inko did so, but the tears didn't cease as she stared up at the girl happily.
"Izuku told me a bit about you, I'm really glad he has someone so close to him!"
"M-MOM!" Izuku yelled, face turning red.
Ochako's reached a similar color, the idea that Izuku admitted to being close with her making her flustered.
"I-It's nothing! D-Deku has done so much for me that I'm glad to be his f-friend..." She muttered.
Inko blinked, a perplexed look on her face. "Deku?"
Both Izuku and Ochako panicked as they started flailing their arms around.
"I-I let her call me that!/ I don't mean anything bad by that nickname!" The two stuttered at the same time.
Before anything else could be said, a chuckle came from behind Ochako. The trio turned to see Ochako's father, Obuko, approaching with a box of things in his arms.
"Evening! You must be Mrs. Midoriya! I'm Obuko Uraraka, Ochako's father." The man beamed.
"Oh! It's good to meet you! I'm Inko! And... it's actually just Miss Midoriya." She admitted.
"Oh, I see. Sorry about that." Obuko sheepishly chuckled. "But in any case, I'm grateful you accepted Ochako into your home."
"O-Oh of course! I'm glad to help one of Izuku's closest friends!" Inko beamed.
Obuko then glanced down at Izuku, doing a double-take at his white shirt that actually read 't-shirt' on it. He had to resist snorting as he smiled at the boy.
"Hey, kiddo! Mind bringing the other boxes from the trunk and helping me unpack them inside?"
Izuku jolted. "O-Okay!" He rushed to the vehicle and pulled out another two cardboard boxes before returning. "I-I'll show you the place!"
"Thanks!" Obuko followed Izuku's lead up the stairs, glancing over at the girls. "We'll just bring everything up!"
That left Ochako alone with Inko, with the former growing nervous.
"U-Um..." She managed to keep her eyes on Inko as she spoke. "Th-Thank you... Thank you so much..."
Inko blinked. "For what dear?"
Ochako looked down, holding her hands together.
"For accepting me in your home... I-I know Izuku was the one to create the chance for me, b-but I know it must've been sudden for you to hear about me. You could've easily turned me away, but you still accepted me. And now I can keep going to U.A and So... thank you so much!"
She bowed once again, maintaining the position for a bit of time.
"Oh, sweetie..." Inko's hand reached over and gently rubbed the top of her head. "I should be the one thanking you."
Ochako looked back up to see Inko's sweet smile.
"Before my son went to U.A... No, even before he had met Enso, he didn't have any friends. And I... I wasn't the best mother to him either. The only dream he's ever had was to become a hero, and... I never said anything to oppose it, but I think he could see that I never really did wish that for him. And when he asked me if he could be a hero despite lacking a quirk... I only cried and apologized to him."
Ochako's eyes widened. To learn that Izuku's mother never really encouraged him when he needed it most... While Ochako could understand that she was probably just worried for her son because he was quirkless at the time, she knew it must've just added to Izuku's loneliness growing up.
Inko continued speaking, guilt on her face. "If it hadn't been for Enso or his other trainer helping my boy, then I honestly don't think I would've seen Izuku genuinely smile for a long time... Ever since attending U.A, he's been returning home happier than ever, telling me of new friends and what he's been doing. Just seeing him smile while thinking of you tells me how much you've done for him by being his friend. And the fact that he was so frantic in letting you continue following your dream that he'd offer you our place to stay... it shows just how much he cares about you. There was no way I could just turn you away like that, especially with the love you hold for Izuku."
"Eep!" Ochako jumped in place, her face redder than Enso's eyes. "Wh-Wha do you-!? I-I mean-!"
Inko chuckled, a hand on her chin.
"A mother's got a keen eye, my dear. Just seeing you two look at each other when you showed up told me everything I need to know." She giggled.
Ochako looked down and nervously fidgeted in place.
"I-I mean... H-He's amazing..."
"I know." Inko's smile turned sad. "No matter what the world throws at him, he just gets back up and keeps going forward. Whether being quirkless, being bullied, or going through villain attacks, he doesn't let any of that change his mind about becoming a hero..."
That put a question in Ochako's head, and she couldn't stop herself from asking it.
"Did you know that Deku was being bullied?" She asked, tone not accusatory but curious.
Inko's smile was gone now, another look of guilt taking it to her face.
"I..."
She looked down, tightly clenching her hand.
"I had a feeling... Izuku would always insist he was fine coming home, but sometimes I'd catch him limping, or there would just be a different air around him. B-But I never thought much about it, or... maybe I chose not to think much about it. Izuku had always told me if anything was wrong when he was so young. I guess I kept telling myself that if he really was getting hurt, th-then he'd tell me. But..."
Her eyes were watery now.
"I-I think he just lost his trust in me over time, starting when I didn't say he could still be a hero. Whenever he came back home in a mood, I always thought it must've had to do with being quirkless, like people avoiding him or saying a few things, since I never heard anything about him having friends. But... wh-when Enso said... all that on television, when I heard that Bakugo had hurt my boy so many times, I-I was horrified. My baby boy never told me anything about it, and I knew that it was my fault! He lost his trust in me, and I hadn't noticed!"
She wiped her eyes while Ochako stared in sadness, snuffing out the anger building up just by hearing about Bakugo.
"It's not your fault, Ms. Midoriya. It's sometimes hard for people to speak up about this kind of stuff to the people they're closest to!" Ochako tried to reassure her.
"You're too kind." Inko muttered, wiping her tears and giving her another smile. "But as his mother, I should know when something is wrong with my boy and act on it... I should've supported him with any dreams he's had. Ever since his father disappeared, he's only had me... and I wasn't there in the way he needed me the most. So... I'm glad that he has you. You and all of his other friends."
"Disappeared?"
"Please... continue to take care of him." Inko finished, giving Ochako a near blinding smile.
"I-I will! D-Deku has done so much for me! I won't ever be able to thank him enough!" Ochako stood up straight, full of vigor and determination.
"Oh, and dear? I'm curious... why do you call my baby Deku?" Inko asked. She didn't look angry, just confused, for she knew this sweet girl wouldn't be insulting him.
Ochako flinched before looking down and nervously touching her index fingers together.
"U-Um... I-I first called him that because I had heard Bakugo call him it. B-But I didn't think of it as an insult, I thought it sounded like Dekiru, a-as in, 'you can do it!'" She admitted.
Inko frowned.
"Bakugo... I... I don't think I'll ever forgive him for what he did to my son. I had thought that he and Izuku were still friends, that maybe he was still looking after him. But I had no idea that... he was the main problem."
"Did... Did you confront him at all since then?" Ochako asked.
"No, but I made it clear to Mitsuki, his mother, to keep him away from my son. Mitsuki herself is alright, but... I haven't been able to be near her since that day..."
Ochako frowned as well. "Well, you don't have to worry about Bakugo anymore. He's on a tight leash now."
"Yes, Izuku told me about that... That boy really is too kind for his own good, keeping him from getting expelled."
"Yeah... He is. But I honestly wouldn't have him any other way." Ochako said, an uplifting chuckle coming out.
That brought a chuckle from Inko as well, the woman smiling again.
"Good to hear. Now..." Inko stepped forward and took Ochako's hands in her own, eyes sparkling. "Have you confessed to my son yet!?"
A poof of steam comedically erupted from Ochako's head.
~{Musutafu General Hospital- 10:34AM}~
Enso knew that he'd have to do this sooner or later, but he didn't think it'd be only a day after his outing with Midnight.
He walked through the white hospital halls, earning a few looks from passing nurses while he followed one taking him somewhere. It had only been a day since his 'date' with Midnight. The event had become quite a disaster, and surprisingly, it wasn't his fault that it was ruined. To think that Mount Lady of all people would be at that restaurant... how did she even learn of it from Lunch Rush? Maybe because she was a glutton who stuffed her face when able, and the chef appreciated someone who could eat?
Whatever the reason, she had caught him with Midnight, and the two women lashed out at each other, revealing some... interesting facts.
Enso had assumed that the tension between the two was due to mere jealousy of their opposing popularity and careers. But yesterday had shown that their ties went much deeper than that.
'Don't you DAMN say that I'm the one who ruins or takes things from you! You've always been the one doing that ever since we were kids!'
It had been shocking to learn that Mount Lady and Midnight had known each other since childhood, where their problems started. Enso wondered if they had been friends or had always disliked each other.
So now, not only did he have that issue to go over, but he had another two problems to deal with.
One was the person he would see, and the other was the eldritch abomination with him.
"To think you and I are going to speak with the number two hero together! How exciting!" Nezu grinned as he sat comfortably on the male's shoulder.
"I already regret bringing you here..." Enso grumbled, annoyed by the rodent holding some of his hair to remain in place.
"Now, now, Enso-kun! You were the one who told me about your conundrum in the first place!" Nezu smiled innocently. "And if what I've heard is correct, Endeavor has been rather insistent on meeting you, hasn't he?"
"From what Todoroki told me, yes. And it makes me concerned that he may end up resorting to... legal actions to get answers out of me." Enso frowned.
"So that's why I'm here, of course!" Nezu beamed, raising his other paw. "After all, am I a mouse? A dog? A bear? I'm the principal!"
A mischievous glint flashed in his eye.
"The principal of the most prestigious school in Japan, not to mention quite the influential figure!" He grinned maliciously.
As much as Enso hated to admit it, having Nezu with him in his upcoming meeting with the nearly recovered number two hero would help him with any legal troubles or threats thrown at him. The principal wasn't considered one of the scariest beings in the world for nothing, after all.
Enso knew that Endeavor had requested to meet him because he figured out that he has a connection to Lynch. It wasn't surprising that the number two hero had connected the dots, given how many cases he's solved and how intellectually smart Izuku had described him to be. After all, having plenty more resolved cases than All Might yearly is quite an accomplishment.
Their first meeting in the Sports Festival must've tipped him off that there was more to Enso than meets the eye, that he's more than just a student in a hero school. But apparently, Endeavor didn't care much about whatever his situation was and was more focused on his honed abilities, even wishing to have his son learn from him.
But then Hosu happened, where Endeavor clearly saw Enso rush to confront Lynch, where he must've heard the villain speak to him with familiarity. And yet the man hadn't spoken to him about just how he knew that monster.
Enso knew that the flame hero hadn't bothered to interrogate him afterward either because the police had swept the incident under the rug or because of his own arrogance, believing that he didn't need to get involved.
But now Endeavor has experienced firsthand just how dangerous Lynch is.
The entire rescue raid Endeavor led had never made it on the news. At least, not in the way that told the full story. It had been reported as a search for recently missing individuals, leading to a human trafficking base being discovered. And due to the surprising number of villains in such a base, the heroes struggled to come out on top.
It was clear what 'struggle' meant when the list of perished heroes had been publicized...
And so, here Enso was, going to have to speak with the man known to be ironically cold and merciless.
And this would be together with the rodent tagging along on his shoulder.
"Can you get off me?" Enso sighed, feeling annoyed by the extra weight on him.
Nezu merely giggled. "Come now, Enso-kun! You know that someone of my stature will have trouble keeping the same pace with you humans. Besides, I only let my favorite humans carry me, you know?"
"Is that supposed to flatter me? I've only ever seen you let Eraserhead carry you in his capture weapon. You just enjoy giving either of us an aneurysm..."
"I thought my presence would comfort you! After all, weren't you the one to pat my head when we first met? I nearly gnawed your hand off for that, you know?" Nezu grinned, canines glistening.
"I admit, that was my fault for believing you actually looked sane." Enso deadpanned.
"Oh, is that a compliment? I knew you'd grow to appreciate me!" Nezu laughed maniacally.
"For fucks sake." Enso was glad to be nearing Endeavor's room, and the nurse they had been following felt the same, as she looked like she'd faint at any second. It was apparent that he and the principal looked rather intimidating together, even when said principal was seated on his shoulder like a small child.
"H-He's right in here." The nurse shivered, trying to keep professional eye contact with Enso's cold orbs.
"Thank you very much!" Nezu beamed with a raised paw, while Enso said nothing.
"R-Right... W-Well, I'll be off now!" The nurse quickly scurried away, leaving Enso and Nezu in front of the door.
"Well, Enso-kun, shall we?" The principal motioned forward.
Enso sighed. "I suppose we shall."
He grabbed the door's handle and slid it open, revealing a decently sized white room. Endeavor sat on a bed at the edge of the room, his head immediately turning to the sounds of the door opening. His eyes immediately met with Enso's.
He... didn't look as Enso had expected him to.
He looked unnervingly calm for someone known to be such a hot-blooded hero. Endeavor had on a large blue hospital gown with bandages on several different areas of his body, including around his forehead. No flames were visible around him, allowing Enso to get a clear look in his eyes.
They held something Enso didn't think he'd see from the man. Defeat? Uncertainty? It wasn't entirely clear, but it was different. And yet, Enso didn't know if this was a good or a bad sign.
"Endeavor." He said, closing the door behind him while not keeping his eyes off the man.
"Ureshi..." The man turned from him to the monstrosity on his shoulder, narrowing his eyes. "Principal Nezu?"
"Good morning, Endeavor!" Nezu greeted him cheerfully, hopping off Enso's shoulder. "I hope your recovery is going steady."
Endeavor didn't reply to the principal, opting to stare at Enso, his expression asking his question without words.
"What you wish to know is... delicate. And it requires Nezu to be present to." Enso told him.
"I see... So you already know why I had you come." Endeavor responded.
"I could think of no other reason." Enso replied, expression unchanging.
"But before we can tell you anything, Endeavor-" Nezu cut in, pulling a pen and several papers out of nowhere. "I would like for you to sign these!"
Endeavor frowned as the small principal approached him with the papers in hand. "What are they?"
"NDAs!" Nezu answered a little too cheerfully. "What we know is truly dangerous information, after all! Now, normally I'd be against sharing such information, but seeing as you are the Number two hero and have seen that... fiend not once, but twice, even fighting him personally, I think it may be best to involve you in our efforts against him!"
Endeavor took the papers and glanced over them, his frown still maintained. Enso was surprised that the man hadn't just burned them and arrogantly demanded they just tell him what they knew at this point.
"..."
He then started signing silently.
"Okay, this is odd. He's different, VERY different." Enso thought. Even Nezu looked rather curious.
Endeavor just didn't have that imposing aura he always carried. He didn't look angry nor hostile; he didn't even look intimidating, which was saying something because he always looked intimidating.
This was not the Endeavor people knew; frankly, it unnerved Enso, not that he let it show.
Endeavor finished signing the papers and gave them to Nezu, the animal looking rather intrigued.
"It appears that his devastating loss has given Endeavor quite the change. I wonder to what extent?"
"So you've known about that monstrosity all this time?" The man himself asked the principal.
"Indeed! Lynch is a villain I would consider to be a class S threat, and up until now we have covered up his existence among a few individuals." Nezu spoke, holding the papers behind him.
"Who else is aware of him?"
"In detail about who he is? All Might, detective Tsukauchi, Izuku, Iida, and Todoroki." Enso responded.
"Shoto is?" Endeavor repeated, not looking sure how to feel about that.
"Todoroki and Iida know?" Nezu asked, turning to Enso with a dangerous glint in his eye. "Why was I not informed that you informed them?"
"Oh." Enso blinked, realizing that he had never told Nezu. "Well, due to the unfortunate... events of Hosu, together with their heavy insistence on helping and already having been exposed to Lynch, I had decided to inform the two and have even included Iida in training sessions. I suppose it slipped to ever tell you."
"...We'll discuss this later." That was all Nezu stated, turning back to the number two hero. "Now, Endeavor, as I was saying, we've hidden Lynch's existence because the information pertaining to him and Enso-kun is rather delicate. But seeing as things have gotten more complicated, we will share what we know with you and will wish for your cooperation in our efforts to combat him."
"I... will give me efforts. However, I wish to understand just what he is." Endeavor started, hands tightening into fists as he kept his gaze on Enso. "In all my years of being a hero, I've never seen anyone as inhuman as him. The Nomus are one thing, but him? Some kind of intelligent, powerful monster? Just what is he? And just how are you connected to him?"
"..."
Enso sighed before his eyes turned blue and a matching aura formed around him.
"Do you wish to see it?"
Endeavor narrowed his eyes.
"See?"
Nezu turned to Enso with confused disapproval in his eyes.
"Enso-kun, what are you doing?"
"One of my abilities allows me to look through someone's past memories. Or... allow someone to look into mine." Enso explained, approaching Endeavor.
He then offered his hand forward.
"All it takes is one palm of physical contact."
Nezu stayed silent as he stared on in interest.
"Do you truly wish to know everything?" Enso asked, eyes showing patience. "To know just what kind of threat we're dealing with? Why every resource we can get is important? Just what will happen if we lose?"
Endeavor stared at Enso's palm, contemplating such a thing.
It only took a few seconds before he took his hand.
And then a flash of blue filled the room.
~{Ten Minutes Later}~
"I must say, that went rather well!" Nezu beamed as Enso walked out of the hospital with him on his shoulder.
"Giving Endeavor an existential crisis constitutes for going well?" Enso deadpanned.
"I'd say so! Even if he told us to leave as to comprehend everything he's seen, at least he didn't antagonize you!" Nezu cheered as they went down the sidewalk.
Enso did have to admit that their results were rather favorable. He knew Endeavor would be shocked to learn about other worlds along with his and Lynch's origins, but he didn't think it'd come to the point where the man would nearly have a breakdown. At least Enso didn't have to worry about the man sharing the information or coming after him. Not when it risked receiving Nezu's wrath. Even if he was the number two hero, going against such a monster wasn't worth it.
"Well, I suppose that settles one issue." He mumbled.
"Oh? And what others do you have?" Nezu asked.
Enso's mind was immediately returned to his thoughts before the hospital; Midnight and Mount Lady's relationship.
He stopped walking in the middle of the sidewalk, plagued with the image of tension and animosity he had seen between the two. How the two of them glared at each other in rage, their fighting becoming physical. Then there were the implications he heard from Mount Lady.
'She's the reason he's gone... It's all her fault!'
'You don't deserve to be a hero when all you've ever done is sleep your way up! Were you trying to forget him, is that it!? To forget what you made him do!?'
'I'll never forgive you!'
It shouldn't concern him. There's no point in putting his nose in personal affairs, yet... why did it bother him? Why did it feel like there was something more... significant about all of this?
Was it because of that time he had inhaled Midnight'ss quirk for the first time at the sports festival? Or when he had first met with Mount Lady while on his internship with Kamui? Both times were moments where something unexplainable to him happened. The silhouettes of people, the flashes of things he's never seen before, the spiking pain in his head as if sending some message.
He just didn't get it.
"Enso-kun?"
But maybe he can find out.
Enso turned his head to Nezu, the principal curiously staring at him due to the lack of movement.
"Nezu... can I ask you something?"
A glint of interest flashed in the hybrid's eyes, matched by his smile.
"Oho? And what would that be?"
"Where does Midnight live?"
That... hadn't been what Nezu had been expecting at all.
~{Midoriya Residence}~
After Ochako gave her father a heartfelt goodbye, it was decided by Inko that she'd be sleeping in her room (much to her disappointment that it wasn't Izuku's). She decided to unpack her stuff a bit later. While Inko started lunch, Ochako did something she had wanted to do the moment she arrived at their home.
Check out Izuku's room, much to his dismay.
"Wow, Deku." Ochako's eyes were comedically enlarged as she looked around at all the All Might merchandise in his room. "That's... That's a lot of merchandise."
Izuku was seated on his bed, hands covering his red face as steam emitted from him.
"I-I've just a-always admired him..." He stuttered, embarrassment overwhelming him.
Ochako giggled.
A yawn caught her attention, and she turned and glanced down by the side of Izuku's bed, where she caught sight of a familiar pup standing from his own small dog bed.
Ochako gasped, "You kept him after all!?"
Emerald finished yawning and shook his body to wake himself up, then turned his head and looked up at Ochako.
"Y-Yeah. Mom was okay with me keeping him." Izuku smiled, moving his hands off his face nervously. He didn't know how long it'd take him to be used to Ochako's presence in his home.
The pup sniffed in Ochako's direction before walking over to her, sniffing her legs.
"Is... Is he not scared of me like before?" She asked, hope in her voice.
"Maybe?" Izuku speculated. "Could be that your scent is familiar to him now?"
Ochako slowly got to one knee and offered her hand. Thankfully, Emerald didn't retreat. Instead, he pressed his head against the palm and let her pet him, bringing a soft squeal.
"He's so soft! Almost like your hair, Deku!"
Knowing how people felt about his hair, Izuku became flustered.
"Th-Thanks, I guess?" He uttered, scratching the back of his head.
Emerald nuzzled against Ochako a bit more before moving away and going to Izuku instead, hopping onto his lap on the bed.
Ochako stood back up and watched as Izuku peacefully stroked Emerald's head with a soft smile. And she found herself thinking back on... well, everything. Meeting at the entrance exams, being saved from the zero-pointer by Izuku, USJ, the sports festival, final exams, the mall... He had done so much. So much for her, for everyone, even when he never had to, even whenever he didn't have a reason. He just tried to help for the sake of helping.
The epitome of a hero.
"Deku?"
"Hm?" He stopped his caressing and raised his head at her.
Ochako gave him a blinding smile. "I just... I just wanted to thank you."
He curiously tilted his head, making him look cuter than he had any right to be.
"Um, didn't you already thank me for that outside your apartment?"
Ochako shook her head. "For helping me at that time, yes. But right now I just wanted to thank you for, well... everything."
She walked over and sat beside him in fondness.
"For pulling me up when I tripped in the entrance exam, for saving me from the zero-pointer, for right now... But not just that. For helping keep the class together, for helping any of us whenever we need it, just... Thank you, for being you."
Izuku blinked a few times before a pink flush went into his cheeks, being reminded of the previous time he had heard those last words.
"Y-You're welcome..." He muttered, turning his head away sheepishly.
"Kids! Time for dinner!"
Izuku jumped a bit, Emerald jolting off his lap as well.
"Ah, sorry Emerald!"
The pup just waddled out of the room, picking up the scent of food in the kitchen.
Ochako stood up, amused and picking up the faint smell of food.
"I wonder what your mom made?"
Izuku took a whiff of air before his expression brightened so much that he practically became a lamp in the room.
"Katsudon."
Ochako blinked before giggling. He had mentioned that it was his favorite food before.
Izuku rushed out into the kitchen, and Ochako had been going to follow had it not been for her phone vibrating in her pocket.
She pulled it out and checked the notification she got, finding it to be a text from Tsu.
Tsu-chan: Ochako-chan, Yaomomo found out that Midoriya-chan's birthday is in two days and made a group chat for everyone but him to plan a party for him. But I remembered you mentioning that your phone can't do group chats, so I thought to fill you in. Kero.
Ochako reread the message before her eyes bulged.
"DEKU'S BIRTHDAY!?"
She made a note to buy Tsu some ice cream later, even with how broke she was, then started freaking out.
"Deku's birthday is in TWO days!? That soon!? Why was it never mentioned before!? Why didn't he ever tell anyone!?"
She couldn't form answers for her hypothetical questions before Tsu sent another text.
Tsu-chan: The class decided to have the party for him in our classroom at U.A. Enso is giving us updates on what Midoriya-chan is doing and will make sure to bring him that day. Please tell us if you have any ideas for the party or know things he likes besides All Might. Kero.
Enso is telling them what Deku is doing? Wait, does that mean he told them that Deku helped her parents get work with Nezu and had her move in with him!?
Wait. That wouldn't make sense. Otherwise, the other girls would have absolutely torn her apart by now.
Okay, so she didn't have to worry about that. But back to the matter at hand, it's almost Deku's birthday! What in the world was she even going to get him!? And her class is planning a party!? Why didn't Deku tell anyone about his birthday!? Maybe he wasn't the kind of guy to celebrate it? She had known some people like that before.
But whatever the reason, she wanted to help make sure Deku's birthday ended up special for him! But what to tell her class...? She knows he likes Katsudon and All Might, but maybe she can find out more?
"Ochako dear, aren't you coming to eat?"
Oh, she can!
Ochako smiled as she walked outside Izuku's room, a small plan in mind.
Dinner with the Midoriyas was rather pleasant for her. Inko made a damn good Katsudon, and she enjoyed seeing how red Izuku got when his mother told her story after story about her adorable baby playing hero with her in his All Might onesies.
She had to see those pictures she mentioned.
After eating, Izuku practically begged to wash all the dishes just to get out of the embarrassing conversation, leaving the two females to keep talking at the table.
Ochako found this the perfect opportunity to talk to people about more important things.
"Um, Ms. Midoriya?"
She smiled. "Please, just Inko, dear. Or even mom, if you'd like."
Ochako flushed.
"E-Eh!? I-Isn't that… a little too soon?"
"Oh please, once Izuku actually understands the concept that a girl loves him, he'll never let you go." Inko beamed, raising her cup to drink. "It's practically set in stone."
She looked so smug as she took a sip of her tea.
"U-Um, moving on, I-Inko-san..." Ochako swerved the conversation, talking in a whisper now. "It's Deku's birthday in two days, right?"
Inko's expression turned into surprise.
"He told you!? He... actually wants to celebrate it?"
Why... did she seem so surprised by that?
"He didn't tell me, actually. Someone else found out and shared it with my class. Um..."
Ochako fiddled with her hands.
"He doesn't know that we know. But about you said... why does it seem like you don't expect him to want to celebrate it?"
Inko's expression dropped into a sad, reminiscing smile.
"Izuku... He's never really liked to celebrate his birthday. No... I think it's more reasonable to say that he gave up wanting to celebrate it the few times after his... 'diagnosis.'"
"After everyone learned he was quirkless..." Ochako muttered, already feeling her anger build up.
Inko sighed, looking down into her tea.
"At first, he was optimistic and still tried to invite people to his house, only for no one to ever show up. I always made excuses for the other children, even when I knew what the problem is... It was when he started junior high that he decided not to celebrate it anymore. I'd usually have a small cake and present for him on that day."
She anxiously rubbed her cup.
"Over the years though, it seems like his dislike to his birthday became... something else."
"Something else?" Ochako repeated.
"The more years that passed, the more Izuku seemed... tense, about his birthday whenever it came. He always seemed nervous going to school on that day, and I never knew why. But after hearing what I did at the sports festival..." Inko trailed off, letting Ochako connect the rest of the pieces.
And connect she did, with her heart turning to concrete at the image that came together.
Her class didn't tell Bakugo about the party, did they? God, she hoped not. She'd focus on him later. For now, she had more important matters at the moment.
"I want to give Deku a good birthday, my whole class does." Ochako spoke with a serious but genuine look on her face. "They're actually planning a party for him at U.A. And, um... I was wondering if you can help suggest some things for it, like what he likes and all that? A-And also what you think would be a good present for him?"
Inko gave her the sweetest and most loving smile a mother could give.
"Of course, Uraraka. Thank you, and your class, for being so kind to my son."
"Y-You can call me Ochako; Deku does it. And it's nothing to thank me over." The brunette giggled. "So..."
Ochako pulled a mysterious pen and notepad out of nowhere, surprising Inko.
"What does he like?" She asked, completely attentive.
Inko blinked before a goofy smile formed on her face.
"She's even picked up his habits!"
Enso stood in front of a certain door of a certain apartment, all belonging to a certain person.
He checked the address given to him and used his advanced watch to check if he got the coordinates right, then checked the room number before finally releasing a sigh.
He was surprised that Nezu had given him the location for Midnight's home so easily, especially since it was basically an invasion of her privacy.
Then again, since when were such human issues ever something Nezu cared about?
But focusing away from the principal... Guess he was really doing this.
Enso raised his hand and pressed the doorbell on the doorframe, its gentle yet echoing jingle not helping to reduce how uneasy he felt. He didn't know why this all felt so... complicated. Things had been so simple when all he had done was focus on Izuku's growth and progress; where did it all go wrong? Why was he actually getting involved in something he really shouldn't?
"Go away, I'm not in the mood!"
Enso blinked at the cranky voice that came from behind the door. That was most definitely Midnight. But it was clear she was... unwell just by the tone of her words.
Instead of ringing the doorbell again, he tried calling out to her.
"Nemuri, it's me."
He heard an immediate yelp followed by a crash.
"Shit! I-! Wha-!? J-Just a minute!"
Enso sweatdropped as he heard a lot of rustling behind the door. He patiently stood there and listened to the panicked movements of the woman inside, with curses and hysteric breathing he picked up from inside.
At one point, the noises stopped, and the door was unlocked and finally opened, revealing a panting Midnight.
She had on a baggy sweater that went all the way down to below her waist, partially hiding the tight elastic waist shorts she had on. She had on the same small glasses she had been wearing during their date, including the spiky ponytail from before. Her outfit was finished with pink house slippers that looked fluffy; it was clear that she hadn't been planning to go outside, nor had she been expecting any visitors.
She was staring with her head partly upward at Enso, cheeks flushed and eyes red, puffy, and visibly confused.
She had been crying...
"E-Enso!?" Midnight spoke first. "What are you doing here!? How did you even find out where I live!?"
"Would you believe me if I said god told me?"
Nezu was LIKE an incomprehensible otherworldly being that the human mind is too fragile to understand, right? So isn't there some truth to that?
Now that he's thinking about it, it's actually quite ironic. Considering he's the one thinking this.
But his answer just made Midnight narrow her eyes into a baffled look.
"I... I can't even tell if you're being serious or not."
"Partially. Nezu was the one who informed me."
"Oh, now I get what you mean." Midnight huffed and turned away, although visibly annoyed more than anything. "Damn rat."
She then turned back to Enso with a frown.
"But what are you doing here that constituted you to get my address like some kind of stalker?"
Enso opened his mouth to speak but then realized that... he didn't actually have any kind of plan coming here.
"I'm... not entirely sure, if I'm being honest."
Midnight blinked, then raised an irritated eyebrow.
"What, so you just decided to show up unannounced!?" She growled, then facepalming with a frustrated sigh. "Just... Just go, alright? I don't... I don't want to deal with this right now."
She moved to close the door, but Enso grabbed it and held it in place.
"Wait, please."
Midnight froze.
Please?
Seeing her pause, Enso kept talking.
"Although I didn't come here with a precise course of action, I came here to visit you. To see... how you were managing."
Midnight looked down and moped, leaning against her door.
"Great, so the moment you actually care is when I don't want to see you, of course..."
She looked back up at him and rolled her eyes.
"Well, I'm fine, alright? So you can just go or whatever."
Enso gave her a flat look. "You're obviously not. Your eyes show signs of crying, and I'm guessing you've been stress eating with ice cream. You still have some on your lips."
Midnight made a gargled sound and quickly wiped her mouth with flushed cheeks, giving Enso an offended look.
"Y-You don't just point that out!"
The sound of a door unlocking clicked in the hall, and Midnight instinctively reacted.
"Get in!" She grabbed Enso and yanked him inside, the door shutting behind them.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Enso said blatantly as he was let go.
"Wait- Fuck, why did I do that?" Midnight grumbled, clutching her head as she realized her mistake.
Enso glanced around at the apartment he was brought in. Not plain, yet nothing fancy either. It looked like a comfortable home, with dark wooden floors, white walls, purple carpet, white furniture, and a few doors leading to different rooms. He did eye the tub of ice cream on the kitchen counter, still open with a spoon inside.
Midnight saw where he was looking and dashed into her kitchen, snatching the ice cream and slamming it into her freezer before turning back with a red face.
Enso stared at her with a neutral expression, deciding not to point out that there really wasn't much of a purpose in trying to hide something he had already known she was eating. Instead, he approached Midnight in the kitchen and sat by the counter.
"Nemuri, can you... talk to me?"
Midnight gave him a look.
"What?"
Enso clasped his hands together. "I'm not entirely too sure how to go about this. But I do know that your relationship with Yu isn't healthy."
Midnight scoffed and crossed her arms, leaning against the fridge. "So you call her by her first name too?"
"This is what I mean." Enso pointed out with a raised hand. "The two of you have something that's far beyond a rivalry at this point. It's concerning how much hate you two seem to hold for each other."
"I don't 'hate' her, alright! I just..." Midnight groaned. "Look, why do you care now!? Before, you would've been glad to be as far away from me as possible! What changed!?"
Enso stared at her. Silent as he thought about this question. He had asked the same thing himself when he first showed up, but he still couldn't form something concrete.
"I don't know know how to answer that."
Midnight squinted at him but kept quiet as he went on.
"Maybe Izuku's good nature is rubbing off on me, or perhaps I grew some kind of consideration for you after our outing, I don't know. But it just felt... wrong to leave this alone."
Midnight stared at him incredulously.
"I... I just don't get you, Enso."
"A lot of people don't." He added. "And I know you may be reluctant to talk about what happened between the two of you, but..."
His mind flashed back to the look on Midnight's tear-filled face.
"Are you really fine with your relationship with Mount Lady the way it is now?"
"..."
Midnight looked down with a pained expression, grabbing her own arm.
"I don't think I can tell you Enso. Not because I don't want to, but..."
Her grip on her arm tightened.
"It's just... so hard to talk about."
"..."
Enso stood up from his seat and went around the counter, stepping in front of Midnight.
"Then don't talk."
Midnight looked up at him in surprise, eyes widening as she saw a blue aura forming around him, eyes changing to match the color.
"What are you-?"
"Show me."
"Wh-What?"
Enso extended his hand to her, his stoic expression containing the faintest sign of insistence.
"One aspect of my quirk is that I can look into the memories of others, but only what they wish for me to see. The same is true for letting them see my own. The exception to this is if the target is in an overwhelmed state and can't think straight."
"So if you take my hand and just remember, then I'll be able to see it. But keep in mind, you'll see the same things I do, almost like reliving through the past, which I'd argue would be worse for you than talking about it. But it also might give you some kind of closure for... whatever happened."
Midnight stared at Enso's glowing blue hand with wide eyes, not even blinking.
"So, I-I'd be able to see..." She trailed off, clearly thinking of something or someone.
Enso kept silent as he waited for Midnight to make her choice. He's already laid out all the facts to her, and now it was up to her whether she wanted to explain her past with Yu, show it to him, or just push him away and continue to wallow in self-loathing.
A full minute went by as Midnight's face scrunched up, gaze unmoving from Enso's hand.
Then she took it with her own, and just like that, everything flashed blue.
~{?}~
I was seven when I first met Yu.
My parents had been friends with hers, college buddies that had grown close over the years. But while mom and dad decided to have me, Yu's folks had been reluctant to have a kid of their own.
I was six when they finally decided to go for it.
I had apparently been their inspiration. The Takeyamas had loved to dote on me when they babysat me, and it helped them realize that they wanted a family of their own. So after nearly a year, Yu finally arrived in the world.
I remember looking down at her in her crib, staring at her small button nose and beautiful purple eyes. I had never felt so excited about becoming a big sister.
I had always spent time with Yu in any way I could, and with her and my parents living short walking distances away from each other, I was able to constantly fulfill my wish. Every day after school, I'd visit; play with her, laugh with her, growing up with her. I was there when she learned how to walk, I was there when she spoke her first word, and I was there when her quirk manifested.
We were lucky it had kicked in while we were in the backyard. It had been hilarious, watching mom, dad, and the Takeyamas scream bug-eyed as Yu grew several feet larger, all her clothes tearing at once.
And when she had shrunk back down, Yu had just laughed and laughed, even when she stood buck-naked in the yard.
She had been so happy. And it wasn't even due to having a quirk, but because she could be a hero like her big sis was going to be. To save people just like her big sis had saved her whenever they played.
I had hugged her so tight that day.
Even when Yu started primary school while I started junior high, we still spent precious time together. I just loved spoiling the girl and even taught her things I had been learning, which helped her skip a grade at one point. She had always been so smart.
She had ended up so similar to how I was in primary school. So pretty, so funny, so caring, and shy yet, loving when the attention was on her. And after school, we always met at either of our houses, talking about how our days were with me occasionally helping her out with her homework. We both had friends in school, but they couldn't compare with what Yu and I had. It was perfect, we were happy, and it felt like we'd be friends for the rest of our lives.
But then everything changed when the two of us became three.
I was still in my first year of junior high while Yu was in her 2nd year of elementary. The semester had just ended, and everyone was on summer break. Our families had always used this time of the year to take a trip to the Nagana prefecture to go camping. This year hadn't been different.
We always headed to a forest park my family owned, one with lodgings and a mountain range running next to it. But we never went to the common lodges people booked; we had our own place, our sanctuary.
A small cabin right by a lake no one but us knew about. It was where we always went, a home away from home despite visiting it only once a year. Yu and I had always been excited to go, and that time wasn't an exception as we laughed and swam in the lake. But it was one day when we wanted to go exploring, to go deeper into the forest and find something new. We hadn't meant to go too far, just enough to where we could still find our way back easily.
So, of course, we got lost.
I held Yu's hand as we traversed through the thick forest, the orange sky hinting that we must've been walking for over two hours. Yu and I were exhausted, with the former having long since stopped bawling her eyes out but still releasing the occasional sniffle as she tightly held my hand.
"Nem-chan... I wanna see mama and papa..." She whined, tired with red eyes full of unease and desperation.
I wasn't better off in terms of condition. My feet were killing me, and struggling to calm Yu down had taken a toll on my mind. I felt exhausted and jumpy, turning my head at each little noise I heard in my surroundings. But I had to keep calm. I had to be strong for Yu.
"It's okay Yu-chan, we'll be back soon." I whispered gently, even giving her a small pat on the head.
Yu sniffled and rubbed her eyes. "You said that hours ago..."
I absolutely hated when Yu got like this. So sad, so... defeated.
"It hasn't been that long, Yu. The cabin should be just a bit ahead." I tried to appease her, keep her full of hope just like any hero would.
"Promise?" Yu looked up at her with watery eyes.
I smiled the best I could.
"Promise. You wanna be a strong hero, don't you? Strong heroes don't cry." I added.
That seemed to do the trick, as Yu took a few deep breaths before wiping her eyes away.
"Okay, Nem-chan."
Seeing her calm, for now, I looked around for any hints to figure out just where we were. We can't be too far from the lake, right? If we could just find the river, we could follow it back. But it was starting to get dark, and we were both so tired. I didn't know how much longer it'd be until I crumpled down and told Yu the truth, that we were lost, that I didn't know what to do, where to go, or what to think.
"U-Um-!"
My head nearly snapped by how fast I jerked it to the tree that had just spoken to me, and Yu had yelped and hid behind me, shaking.
"A-Are you two... lost?"
It took me a moment to realize that it wasn't actually the tree talking to us but someone behind it. Peaking behind the tall tree was a child, taller than Yu but shorter than me. He had short black hair with bangs, nervous brown eyes, and rather smooth skin. He kept the rest of himself hiding behind the tree, his shy eyes staring at Yu and me.
If I hadn't felt so relieved, I probably would've squealed and hugged him because of how cute he looked. But at the time, I had only thought about getting back to our folks with Yu, and this person could help us.
"Yeah! We're lost! Can you help us find the way to the river?"
Yu looked up at me with a pout. "You said you knew where to go!"
I ignored Yu and kept my eyes on the boy, who curiously looked at me with his adorably round eyes.
"The river?" He repeated back to me.
"If you don't know where the river is, any other place would be fine."
"No, I know where it is. I... I can take you." The boy shyly stepped out from behind the tree. He had on a baggy dark blue jacket with a visible plain black shirt underneath. He also wore blue shorts and black sneakers, with slightly pink cheeks.
Adorable, I couldn't stop that thought. I just wanted to pinch those cheeks.
"Thank you so much!" I nearly wept in relief, approaching him with Yu, who was still hiding behind me as she eyed the boy. She never did too well with strangers.
The boy didn't seem so good with people either, as the closer I got, the redder and more nervous he became. I couldn't help but smile as he looked away from me, putting the hood of his jacket on as if trying to hide.
So cute~.
I got to one knee, so I was at eye level with him.
"Now, now don't be shy, I'm Nemuri Kayama, and this here is Yu Takeyama. Say hi Yu."
"Hello…" Yu muttered, not moving from behind me.
The boy managed to muster enough courage to look at me, although hands holding his hood as he did.
"Hiro… Hiro Sachiko." was all the child mustered.
"Well, Sachiko-kun, can you take us to the river, please?" I asked him, offering my hand forward to him. Hiro stared at it for a few seconds before slowly reaching his own and taking it.
"Okay."
So Hiro started leading us through the dense forest, with Yu and I following right behind him. We learned a few things about him along the way, such as that he lived just outside the forest, and he tended to come here by himself to play, which... kind of worried me, as the kid didn't even look like he was in junior high yet. But because of it, Hiro knew much of the forest layout by memory, so he easily led us back to the riverbank surrounded by tall bamboo trees.
We also learned that Hiro was quirkless.
Seeing him stop walking and shrink in on himself when Yu had asked him what his quirk was triggered my protective big sister instincts. It was just like the time I had asked Yu how school was and how she looked away, telling me it was fine, only for me to learn later that she had been picked on by a boy.
The way he avoided looking at either of us when he admitted what he lacked had been heart-wrenching for me. No one should look that sad, that scared.
And he had looked so confused when I told him it didn't matter, and when Yu said she didn't care either, as the good girl we had all taught her to be.
Hiro had bawled his eyes out, to which I gently held him as I whispered reassuring things. I was so keen on never letting him go.
We had ended up taking him with us back to the cabin by the lake, and he had been surprised to learn that my folks technically owned the area. My parents and Yu's folks had come running to us in worry, apparently having called authorities when we had been missing for an hour.
They thanked Hiro for minutes and even invited him to eat with us for helping us out, and despite his reluctance, Yu and I made sure he didn't get away~.
Yu had gotten used to Hiro's presence at that point, and she had stuck herself to his side, asking him question after question about the forest and what he's seen growing up around it. I had joined his other side not long after, giggling as he stared at his plate with such a red face. I think Yu and I had decided to be friends with him right then and there.
So imagine how overjoyed we felt when we learned that Hiro's family was going to move to the Shizuoka prefecture and around Musutafu, where Yu and I both lived.
He ended up moving a short driving distance away from my house, and from there, we just grew... closer. All of us.
I spoiled him as much as I did Yu, and Yu played with Hiro even more than me, probably because he was closer to her age. He was so cute and innocent, always smiling and listening to us. I always protected him whenever I learned someone was picking on him for being quirkless, and Yu wasn't any different, always willing to throw hands. Hiro always listened to and comforted us when it felt like no one else could. His presence was just a shining beacon that acted as a refuge when things got hard, especially when Yu and I had started fighting as we got older. Our fiery personalities caused us to bump heads more than a few times, and Hiro had always been the one to mend us back together.
It... It was no surprise that Yu and I ended up growing... fond of Hiro.
Too fond.
Hiro understood us, he never looked at me with lust in his eyes like other guys I've talked to have, and he was never afraid of Yu like a lot of people were due to her flaming tomboyish personality. Our relationship changed when we realized how we felt about him. It became more common for us to clash for his attention, fight and argue when he wasn't around, and be more clingy around him overall. Every time I flirted or pushed boundaries, Yu was there to keep me back, and every time Yu tried to get some alone time with Yu, I always threw a wrench in her plans.
We kept making Hiro so uncomfortable with our feelings… I'm sure he knew how we felt about him, but I think he couldn't choose either of us; he was just that type of person; he couldn't choose something when he knew it'd hurt another person.
Between the bullying Hiro faced and the paranoia Yu and I had toward each other about taking him, we ended up being... possessive.
...
Hiro wanted to be a hero, just like Yu and I did.
He had first told us this in the forest when we had been eating. It was... fitting, I had supposed. I had thought it was adorable, a guy with the literal word in his name wanting to become it. But him being quirkless... I hadn't thought too much of it. No, I guess I just hadn't taken him seriously. So I told him what kids wanted to hear, that they could be whatever they wanted.
But Yu had been all for it, saying that Hiro could be her sidekick in the future, which had turned into 'partner' as she got to like him more. But me? I... I had honestly thought it couldn't be done, that it shouldn't be done. Being a hero was hard enough with a quirk, and... they were dying enough as it was.
Our family has had three heroes in it, and all three died in the middle of action. The Takeyamas had two of their own in previous generations, both perishing as well.
I had seen one of them myself, in a casket at their own funeral, and picturing Hiro in that spot... it had chilled me down to my very core.
As we grew up, I had hoped that Hiro would choose to be something else. That at some point, through what everyone said and the struggles heroes go through with quirks, he'd end up changing his mind. If Hiro became a hero, I had no doubt his quirkless nature would have villains target him. There were entire groups whose entire purpose was just that, for god's sake.
But I never told him anything like that. I never suggested that he'd try to be something else. He didn't deserve that. I had to be there for him, as his big sister. It felt like I was betraying him, lying to him when he asked me if he could be a hero and when I told him he could be whatever he wanted but never actually confirming it. And while I had hoped that Hiro's passion would diminish, instead, it burned even brighter as he got to junior high. If anything, the bullying and dismissal he received from others seemed to further fuel his dream.
I was so scared. I didn't want to see Hiro lowered into the ground. I couldn't bear to even think about it. And going to U.A made my building paranoia even worse. From learning about the quirkless statistics to the increasing casualties of heroes over the years, it kept building up my fears.
The tipping point had been when Oboro died.
Oboro Shirakumo, hero name Loud Cloud. He had been friends with Eraserhead and Present Mic during their second year at U.A, and I had gotten acquainted with the group. I even took care of a cat Aizawa had found.
The guy was killed by a villain during his hero work studies.
And with Hiro nearly reaching the end of junior high, with him planning to apply to the same hero school I was in and to keep trying even if he failed, I... I had to talk to him.
I regret that talk more than anything in the world.
It had been on an evening, the sun granting a beautiful orange hue to the city. I had been seated on a bench in a public park, the area devoid of anyone else due to the time. I was still wearing my U.A uniform from earlier classes, letting my legs dangle as dread pooled my stomach. I had texted Hiro to meet me here once his own classes came out and to make sure he somehow got Yu off him so they could be alone.
I spent about half an hour on that bench before Hiro showed up, also wearing his black junior high uniform and wearing his purple backpack. Despite growing, he still resembled the same small boy Yu and I had met in that forest... still so cute.
So frail.
"Hey, Nem-chan." He stepped over to me with a smile, and I could barely return it.
"Hey, Hiro... Thanks for meeting me." I had to try hard not to let anything show on my face. I had to ease him into things.
"It sounded like this was important. You hardly send any texts without some kind of teasing." Hiro chuckled, taking a seat right beside me.
"..."
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"So... What did you want to talk to me about?" Hiro's voice became quiet, but his gaze focused on me with a serious look, sensing the aura around me.
I opened my mouth to talk, only to sigh and look down at my lap. I couldn't even look at him.
"Hiro, you're... You're thinking of going to U.A next year, aren't you?"
He blinked before smiling.
"Yeah! I've been training really hard to get into the hero course! I'm a little worried about the written exam, but I think I'll be fine thanks to all the studying you helped me with!"
God, he sounded so... optimistic. Like he was so sure he'd pass.
"And... what about the physical exam?"
Hiro was quiet for a few moments before chuckling.
"Nem-chan, are you worried about me failing? Don't worry, I'll make sure to get in."
I felt my heart twist. He had no idea what I was thinking...
"Not... Not exactly."
Hiro became quiet again, another serious look on his face. And when I took too long trying to figure out the right words, he spoke first.
"Nem-chan... what's wrong?"
So much. So much was wrong. I was already starting to sweat.
"Hiro... Have you...?"
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Be subtle.
"I don't know, like... have you ever wondered about being something... else?"
Silence.
I didn't dare look at Hiro right there. Had he already figured out what I meant? Fuck, so much for subtle.
"Sometimes."
I instinctively turned to him in surprise, only to see him looking forward with a reminiscing smile.
"I admit, there were times when I wondered if I should just give up. If I should... be something different, something that still lets me help people or even other heroes. Hell, I bet I could make a whole career for myself in the support course since I studied so much about it to make my own gear."
Then why won't he do it? Anything that isn't heroism.
Hiro looked down at his lap, hands rubbing together.
"But... somewhere out there, there's probably some other quirkless boy that wants to be a hero, a boy who's probably going through the same things I am. Where nearly everyone won't believe in him, that they'll ridule him for what he lacks."
I felt my heart twist. Despite my and Yu's influence, Hiro still suffered from the occasional bullying.
"And even ignoring the quirkless, there's probably some kid with just a color-changing quirk, a drink-sweetening quirk, or some other kind of quirk that the world would say makes it impossible for them to get into heroics."
He turned to me and gave me a smile. That damned smile.
"But... if someone like me, who doesn't have any kind of power, ends up getting into a hero school, ends up proving that I can do just as much as someone who can shoot laser eyes, or someone who can breathe underwater, then won't I be proving that anything is possible? That people can safely think, 'if a quirkless person did it, why can't I?'"
I could only stare at him, stunned. Hiro hadn't actually ever told me why he had wanted to be a hero, and listening now was... unexpected.
"But even though that was my reason for wanting to be a hero in the first place, I got another one now, you know?"
Hiro beamed, and it only twisted my gut.
"If I'm a hero, then I can protect you and Yu-chan when she becomes a hero too."
He... He wanted to protect me? Protect us?
I was at a loss for words. He had thought so much about this. It was so pure; he was so pure. And Yu and I both knew how hard he's worked. Hiro was determined to leave his mark on the world and become an inspiration for others.
And yet... every time I thought about him being a hero, all I saw was his body in that casket; all I saw was Oboro's lifeless form and the utter destruction it had brought Aizawa and Yamada.
It was wrong. It was wrong for me to doubt Hiro, wrong for me not to support him, but I was scared. From the stress of my classes teaching me just how dangerous the hero field was to the death of someone I had called a friend, it had all left me weak. All my paranoia, all my fears, they wouldn't stop. He should be something else. A support item producer, a business student, a doctor, anything, just... just...
Please don't be a hero.
"Wh-What?"
I hadn't realized just what I had said until I saw Hiro's gaze of hurt and confusion staring right at me.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"H-Hiro, I-!" I cursed under my breath before putting my face into my hands. "Shit, that wasn't how it was supposed to come out..."
"C-Come out? Wait, so you-? You're serious?" Hiro stared at me in pure shock, like he didn't even know me.
It hurt so much. But now that it was out in the open, I... I had to make sure he understood.
For his own protection.
"Hiro, I'm sorry, but I'm just so..."
Afraid. Anxious. Terrified.
"-worried about you. Do... Do you know how dangerous being a hero is?"
Hiro looked scandalized. "Of course, I know! How would I not!? I've seen the news! Is that why you don't want me to be a hero!?" He turned away and sighed, facepalming. "Nem-chan... You and Yu-chan have to stop babying me. Especially Yu-chan, I'm older than her, for god's sake."
"This isn't about babying you, Hiro! Th-This... This is about so much more..."
Hiro visibly struggled to understand what I meant.
"I-I don't get it! Didn't you always support me!? Whenever I asked you if you if I could be a hero, you've always said-!"
He abruptly stopped. And it felt like a knife had stabbed through my heart when I saw his expression morph into horror, distress, and betrayal.
The twisting in my gut worsened.
"You always said... I can be what I wanted." He said, the realization making his voice crack. "B-But never... yes."
Silence had grown between us once more.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"You never thought I could be a hero, did you?"
Hiro's voice had become quiet yet boomed in my ears; seeing his tears forming made me want to hide. Of course, I had expected that he'd be like this, but seeing it firsthand still made my blood feel like ice.
"No-! I-! It isn't about whether you can be one or not, it's-!"
"That you don't think I should?" He finished for me. Still staring at me with teary, angry eyes. "H-How could you say that? After all this time? I-Is it because I'm quirkless?"
The silence was deafening.
"I can't believe it. For all these years, y-you really thought that? That I can't be a hero without a quirk? Y-You really think the same thing as everyone else?"
I shot up from the bench. I didn't want him to think that even for a second.
"No! Hiro, you're smart, you can fight, and you've worked so hard that I'm sure you could even pass the heroics exam if it's the same thing I went through! Maybe any other kind!" I shouted.
Hiro also shot up from his seat, wiping his eyes with a growl of frustration.
"Then why!? Why don't you support me!? Why did you LIE to me for all these years, letting me believe you actually cared!?"
"I DO care, Hiro! I care so much! I never once thought badly of you for being quirkless! You're still the same boy Yu and I grew up with!"
"Then why did you say all of that!? Why don't you want me to be a hero like you!? Like Yu-chan!? Why do you want to keep me from the one thing I've wanted to be!?"
"DON'T YOU GET IT, HIRO!?"
My frustration peaked and evolved into an abrupt scream that visibly shook Hiro. The boy flinched backward with wide eyes, but I just carried on as all my fears, all my worries, came pouring out.
"You know what'll happen the moment anyone gets wind that a quirkless student is in the hero course!? They'll do everything they can to tear you apart! People are cruel enough as it is to those with certain quirks, but those without them? You might as well just live in hell!"
I didn't even know when I had started crying, but I didn't even care. I just wanted Hiro to understand.
"It's hard enough to be a hero with a quirk! But not only will you be trying to join the hero course without power, but the whole world will be against you for it! And that'll include villains that'll go for you just because of your status! "
Please understand. Please Listen.
"Do you know how many hate groups there are for quirkless people!? How many times a quirkless person has died just trying to change something!? Just for saying something!? You'll be hunted, especially while you're still a student, and y-you won't even be able to go outside without worrying about someone planning to kill you! I don't want that for you!" I pleaded.
Hiro looked frozen in place, shock evident all over his face as everything came out. He looked shaken up, but I doubt it was because of the info on the quirkless; he's already known all of this. But there was no doubt he was shaken because he could see just how distraughtI was about it all. He had always hated seeing Yu and I cry, after all.
"B-But... I-I can-"
He seemed conflicted, and as much as it was horrible of me, I hoped it would convince him to back down and be safe. And I kept pushing, trying to drive that nail right in.
"Oboro's dead, did you know that?"
Hiro paled, even his breathing seeming to halt as he stared at me with horrified eyes.
I looked down and sniffled, hands tightly balled into fists.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"You remember him, right? From those times I had introduced my friends from school? He... He was in his work studies when some sort of villain struck, a-and he ended up getting killed by the rubble..."
My hand went to my wrist, gripping it tightly.
"When I heard about it, I when I pictured it, I kept thinking about what if it happened to you? That while you're trying to be the best hero you can be, someone targets you just to get you off the streets? I-I got so scared."
I mustered the courage to raise my head to face Hiro's eyes, unmoving and still open.
"I-I don't think I can bear with that!"
I stepped forward and pulled him into the tightest hug I could muster, placing his head in the crook of my neck.
"I-I can't stand losing you, Hiro! I just can't... Please."
I didn't let go for a while, crying into Hiro's hair while the boy remained still in my arms. It felt like we were there for hours, but in reality, it was only a minute.
And once that minute was up, Hiro spoke in a muffled, defeated voice.
"So... You're just worried that everyone will... attack me because I don't have a quirk?"
I slowly pulled myself back from Hiro and looked at his face.
He looked... so tired. His eyes had lost all light in them, and it made my insides churn.
"So if I get one... then what? Would everything be okay?"
"Oh Hiro..." I simply pressed my forehead against his.
"If... If I had a quirk, then I could join you and Yu-chan? You'd stop worrying?" He started crying again.
"I'll always worry about you, Hiro. You know that." I breathed softly.
"But... at least you'll worry less." He muttered.
"..."
"I get it. Nem-chan, I do... I-I understand."
Relief.
I held him once more.
"I'm so sorry." I gently whispered.
We stayed like that for a few minutes, holding Hiro in my arms. And while it hurt how he hadn't hugged me back, that was understandable. This... This must've been a lot for him.
"I... I think I should get going. Mom must be waiting for me." Hiro muttered.
I kept quiet for a few seconds before letting him go and backing up. Hiro kept his head down, hiding his expression, and I could tell how much he just wanted to leave.
"Yeah. We'll... We'll talk more tomorrow." I said, rubbing my eyes and forcing a smile.
He said nothing else. He just turned around and walked away, and I just watched him leave.
Once his figure completely disappeared, I collapsed onto the bench we had been seated, rubbing my eyes with several deep breaths to calm me down.
I hoped Hiro would be able to forgive me one day. I couldn't even imagine how overwhelmed he must feel, telling him to suddenly give up his dream like that. I knew this was selfish of me; I knew that this was probably the worst thing I'd ever done, and yet, all I could think about was the relief that Hiro would be safe.
I had been so deep into my thoughts that I hadn't even noticed the girl that had stepped right in front of me.
"What did you tell him?"
I jumped a bit as my head looked up, my eyes widening at the girl in front of me.
I felt my breath hitch to see Yu there, standing right in front of me in her junior high uniform. Not only that, but she looked absolutely furious.
"Yu-?"
"What. Did. You. Tell. Him!?" Her voice was demanding, full of venom that matched her eyes.
I blinked a few times in confusion, only for an uncomfortable cold to grow into my stomach as I realized what she meant.
"You... You were watching us?"
She growled. "No, I came running when I heard Hiro went had left by himself rather than wait for me. What the hell did you tell him!?"
I sighed. "Nothing about either of us if that's what you're worried about-"
"What did you tell him Nem!?" I was startled as Yu stomped toward me and grabbed me by the shoulders, glaring into my eyes.
I glared back. I was way too tired for this.
"You don't need to know!" I snapped, standing up and pushing her off me.
But Yu didn't relent. If anything, she seemed to be getting desperate.
"I do when he looked like that! I ran into him on the way here, and he
looked like he had his whole world destroyed, Nem!" Yu shouted.
I shoved down the guilt that had tried to crawl up just now.
"That's between us, Yu-"
"NO! I've never seen him look like that Nem!" Yu cut me off, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. "He looked so sad! And when I tried to talk to him, he wouldn't tell me anything! He just kept telling me that he'd fix it himself! That he'd fix himself!"
What?
Every single nerve in my body became filled with dread.
Hiro said he'd what now? Oh no, dear god, no. What did he mean by that!? Fix himself!? How in the hell was he planning to do that!? I had no idea what Hiro was planning to do, but every single alarm in my head was blaring, begging me to do something.
"Where did he go, Yu?" I abruptly questioned Yu, the girl surprised by the sheer panic on my face.
She looked confused, a little scared even.
"W-We just passed each other about five minutes ago, he told me I can find you here. I think he was heading for the station?"
The station was in the opposite direction of Hiro's home.
My heart dropped.
I moved Yu aside and bolted, pulling out my phone and dialing Hiro's number as I tried to make it several blocks to the train station as if somehow hoping I'd catch up to Hiro before he got on. I didn't know what he was planning, but I hoped to god he'd pick up the phone so I could stop him. So I could apologize, beg for forgiveness, do anything to stop him from doing whatever he was going to do.
He never picked up.
I never found him.
And it was the next day when I learned he had never come home.
Enso opened his eyes and found himself back in Midnight's apartment, still standing in the kitchen but with a whole new revelation about Midnight. That... That hadn't been what he had been expecting at all. He had assumed that there had been a physical fight between her and Mount Lady, or they had always clashed in earlier years as friends, which had led to them cutting each other off. He didn't think everything would be because of a boy. And yet, he wasn't even surprised, not with how his experiences with both women had been so far.
And speaking of Midnight, the female hero stood before him, staring ahead at nothing with a rather distant gaze, tears she probably didn't even register trailing from her eyes.
"Nemuri..."
"We never saw him again." Midnight whispered almost robotically with blank eyes. "The police didn't even want to look for him, at first. The term quirkless made them not even try. But I had Shota and Yamada help me out, with Nezu even hopping on and taking down that quirkist station. But even with new officers and the increase of awareness, we never saw Hiro again."
Midnight started shaking, her tears falling to the ground.
"I-I had to tell Yu what we had talked about eventually. It... It went as well as you'd expect."
"She blamed you." Enso already understood.
"It's not blaming if it was really my fault..."
"You shouldn't blame yourself for whatever Hiro had decided. You had merely wanted him to be safe."
"But I was the one that made him feel trapped. I-I was supposed to support him, but instead, I told him to quit, like everyone else did. I completely betrayed the trust he had for me." Midnight sniffled, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"Yes. What you said, what you wanted him to do, it was selfish. Cruel, even." Enso declared bluntly. "You didn't have the right to make him change what he wanted to be. That should have been his own decision. But at least your reasoning for trying to dissuade him was of concern rather than malicious."
Midnight released an empty laugh. "And look how that ended up. He's gone... gone for over ten years, and there hasn't been even one clue about where he could've ended up. All because I couldn't just shut up!"
She covered her face with her hands.
"Yu hates me with every fiber of her being, the boy I love is gone, and just when I thought that maybe, maybe I could move on from it all, it happens all over again! Why!? I'd do anything to take everything I said back, to fix it all, I-I just..."
She fell to the floor and started sobbing.
"I just want them back!"
Midnight sobbed on the ground, years of built-up pain coming through her wails. Enso wasn't sure what to do, yet it felt like he did. He crouched down by the woman and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace. Midnight tensed for a moment, only to return the embrace twice as tight and start sobbing in the crook of his neck.
Enso wasn't sure where to go from here. Should he help Midnight and Yu set aside their previous hostility? How would he even do that? Should this even be something for him to fix? He didn't know.
And about Hiro's disappearance.
'So if I get one... then what? Would everything be okay?'
'If... If I had a quirk, then I could join you and Yu-chan? You'd stop worrying?'
Enso held Midnight tighter.
He didn't like the uneasy he felt about those words, but that was for another time.
~{Author Post-Notes}~
And that's a wrap! I hope all of you enjoyed this chapter, but now it's time for me to address my non-Ao3 readers.
So what I meant by having new stuff I have written is that you guys should check out my profile on Archiveofourown, another fanfiction site I post on that I consider to be the best among all others. With a giant selection of fics, easy managing, and easy searching for tags, I consider the site to be my main website for posting my work.
And the reason for telling you guys to go to Archiveofourown is because I posted a series of one-shot fic concepts there in a group titled 'Pikaboo's Temporary Graveyard' that holds SEVEN different fanfic concepts, including the omori one. If you go there and check out the series description and read the notes, they'll tell you what you need to know about it all. And yes, those fics will be exclusive to Archiveofourown, even if I decide to fully commit to making them full fics.
For some reason, I'm unable to post an actual link to my profile on Archiveofourown here, which is stupid, but what can you do? My name is still the same there as it is here, just with an underscore before the 73.
So anyway, apparently, a lot of people really liked some of those fic concepts I posted there, so I actually think I'll continue some of them! Hence the, 'fuck it' stage I'll be going through on writing. I had originally decided to do the Omori fic as my next work, but I've found so much more love for other series by then and wrote for them, so it's just whatever I feel like writing at this point.
I hope you read those chapters and comment on Ao3 about which ones you like! Have a wonderful day!
~{Pikaboo_73-September 20,2022}~
