I met up with All Might earlier than planned, calling him in if he was free, which he was, for us to do some more training. For the last few sessions he had gotten permission for us to use Ground Omega which was a mostly forested areas with some rocky outcroppings where I could let loose without burning up the place. Deku had picked up from my mind already that I had the intent to train and when he spotted All Might waiting for us at the gates, Deku lit up like a Christmas tree with tears in his eyes. I rolled my eyes at him and again I must have done it outside too because I hadn't even opened my mouth at All Might yet and he looked off put.

"Are you feeling alright, Young Bakugo?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine. Let's just do this" I grumbled and walked ahead of him.

Kacchan!, Deku gasped in my ear.

"What?" I barked back and All Might who had followed me in looked taken aback.

"I didn't say anything" he replied, and I wanted to bark back that I hadn't been talking to him, but then I would have to explain my latest predicament and I didn't know how that would go down.

Aren't you going to tell him?, Deku asked with wide concerned eyes.

Why would I?, I asked back, this time remembering to not open my actual mouth.

Shouldn't he know at least, pushed Deku and I grumbled both at him and aloud in my throat. This time All Might didn't comment.

Later, I huffed back at him, Let's get this thing under control first before we go blabbing to everyone about it, I rolled my eyes again, but All Might didn't see.

I had no intention of telling the world outside of All Might, if even then, and I was fairly sure I didn't have to explain my reasons to Deku of all people. To tell others that he was alive inside me in a sense would raise too many questions and potentially even leak the existence of One For All, or everyone would just think I was nuts.

With all the space I could possibly ever need to practice with my now maximized quirk I got to training with a few pointers from All Might here and there. My explosions were stronger and my usual strength ones took less effort from me. I felt like had been given a gift of immense stamina more than anything else. My AP shots could go further than before which made me feel good. I hadn't tried anything bigger yet, not wanting to deal with the amount of damage dealt by something like my Howitzer Impact, but by just training like this I already had a better feel and understanding of One For All's power and how it had affected my quirk.

You're so amazing Kacchan!, Deku practically squealed inside my head when I stopped to take a breather. He had watched on with awe as I had trained but had thankfully stayed quiet so I could focus on grasping the feel of the quirk. I rolled my eyes on the inside, but a smirk stretched my lips on the outside, something that All Might took notice of and quickly changed the direction of the training.

"I think that will do for today," he smiled to me as I straightened up, "You look to be getting a good handle on it," he gave me a wide smile and thumbs up. Deku's focus was entirely on the retired hero too now so I felt like I was staring holes into the man.
"Next session let's focus on your body's strength"

"Huh?" I cocked an eyebrow at him, "I thought you said the One For All would only enhance my quirk" I pointed out. I did plenty of body strengthening training in the gym already, so I didn't understand the need.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it won't affect your body at all" replied All Might with a pointed finger, "you will still be physically stronger than you were before so it's important to train your body to withstand that and to know your limits"

"Or what, I'll break my bones like Deku?" I scoffed with a smirk.

Hey!, spat back Deku with an indignant glare at my jab at him. I only smirked back.

"Well, yes" All Might answered sounding a little unsettled. Shit, I had done it again and responded to Deku physically outside.

I agreed to All Might's lesson plans and we headed back through the path through the forest almost in silence until he spoke up again, his voice dripping with concern and sincerity.

"How have you been?" asked the teacher and I halted, staring down at the ground. He came to stop beside me as he waited for my reply.

I felt many things. Too many things inside. I was sad that Deku had died. I felt like a piece of me had died with him and even though he was with me now, that part was still gone, but whatever it was I couldn't pin a word to it and that frustrated me. I had Deku with me now. He was with me right this moment and yet I still felt sad over his death. I missed him. He was in my head, but it wasn't enough. He hadn't deserved to die like that. No one did and I felt my shoulders being weighed down with so much misery and regrets once he was gone. I wanted to make it up to Deku. I wanted to repair our broken friendship and I felt I was on my way to doing that but having him cheer for me while I used his quirk felt….wrong. I felt bad for using it, for practicing with it, for enjoying it.

I took a deep breath and raised my head.

"Fine" I replied and stepped forward to start walking again.

"Bakugo" called All Might from behind me. I had paused too long for my answer to be believable. I closed my eyes for second and I could see Deku looking to me with concern etched into his green eyes as he watched me from the hill.

"What?" I spat back, turning on my heel to face the man. I didn't want to talk about these things, feelings and shit, in front of Deku. It still felt too personal.

"Do you still blame yourself?" asked All Might gently and he came forward the few steps it took to reach me. I turned my head away.

"No," I replied but it came out as a snarl, "I've already been told there was nothing I could do"

"That's not what I meant young man," replied All Might calmly, "I mean about what you said before" he pushed gently. I knew exactly what he was talking about, and the answer was yes. I still blamed myself for all of this. If not for me, Deku never would have met All Might. I dared a glance at Deku while I mulled over what to say and he turned his green eyes away. He wore a small smile, but his eyes glistened with sadness, and it clicked. He already knew. I had thought it, so he had heard it. I let out a sigh.

"Yes" I replied back simply. All Might touched a hand to my shoulder, but what ever words he spoke next I didn't hear because inside my head Deku was showing me something and it took up all of my attention. He wasn't using his words as he closed his eyes and he sat on the sunny slope of our childhood and focused his thoughts and feelings towards me and they soaked into my mind like water to a sponge.

I saw glimpses, like a series of still images playing through my mind.

Me telling him to jump off the roof.

Him walking home after school looking defeated.

The sludge villain attacking him. Trying to suffocate him just like it had me. I could almost feel myself suffocating.

All Might saving him.

Him talking to All Might on the roof after seeing his true form.

All Might telling him he can't be a hero without a quirk. And more so than that I could feel the sting of the words as Deku had heard them, but there was something still burning inside him.

Deku seeing me being held by the same sludge villain. I could feel his rush of panic and adrenaline as he ran for me. I could feel his desperation to save me, his determination despite being quirkless. I could feel that he had been ready to die for me in that moment.

And then, just as quickly as they had come to me, they faded away and Deku opened his eyes to look at me. The sadness was still there in his eyes, but his smile was a little stronger and I felt reassured

"Bakugo, are you alright?" All Might's voice came back to me, and I blinked for what felt like the first time in a while.

"Huh?" I looked to him with confusion. I hadn't heard a word he had said while Deku had shared his memories with me, because that was what they were. His memories and feelings being poured into me through our unique connection. It felt both close and intimate as well as a little disturbing.

Did you know you could do that?, I asked him, and his smile grew.

No, but I thought it was worth a try. Seemed easier than using words, he replied, I can pick things up from you so I figured it could work both ways. His face broke into a bright smile, the sadness gone as he was thrilled to learn a new trick.

Doesn't make me feel any better though, I scoffed back at him, and his smile softened.

I know but even after hearing those words from All Might, I still wasn't going to give up.

I couldn't speak against him. I had felt that fire still burning inside him when All Might told him he couldn't follow his dreams. All Might's words had done nothing more than flick water on that flame. Deku was many things and determined was on the top of that list. I had felt his determination to make it as a hero one way or the other. I wouldn't have been surprised if he had turned vigilante if he hadn't gotten into U.A

Probably, he chuckled at my thought.

Get out of my head, I glared back at him, stop reading my mind. He laughed.

You invited me, he reminded me with a warm smile that spread to his eyes, and I huffed back at him.

"Bakugo?" asked All Might again, his voice thick with concern. I wondered how long I had been standing there silently staring at him. I wondered if I had been pulling faces. After this I planned to stand in front of the mirror till I had this shit under control.

"You never told me that you saved Deku from the sludge villain before me" I replied back with a straight face, and All Might looked surprised at my sudden response.

"Did Midoriya tell you about that?" he asked, and I nodded.

"When?" he asked

"In a dream" I replied and Deku shot a disappointed look my way, but I wasn't ready to tell All Might about him living in my head yet. He already knew about my connection with him through One For All, but this was next level, and I didn't want to share it.

"You've been spending a lot of time with him" observed All Might as we resumed walking through the trees.

"Yeah, so" I shot back but it was lacking its usual fire.

"Is that such a good thing?" he asked gently, and I stopped and glared up at him.

"What?" I practically spat through gritted teeth.

Kacchan, Deku tried to calm me.

"I understand that Midoriya's death was hard on you and that you have a special connection with him through One For All, but perhaps it isn't healthy to hold onto him so tightly" offered the teacher gently but I could only feel anger build up inside me and it was drowning out Deku's voice as he pleaded with me to stay calm, telling me that All Might only meant well.

"Fuck you!" I spat back at the retired hero and took off at a full sprint. He called after me, but I didn't stop.

What the fuck did he know anyway? He hadn't been there. Never.

I had pushed Deku away. I had made his life hell. I had bullied him. I had tormented him. I had watched him die. I had tasted his blood. I had cared for him. I had figured there was all the time in the world to apologize to him, to make things better between us, but I hadn't taken action when I had the chance and now it was gone. He was gone and I couldn't get the images of him dying, writhing in pain and chocking on his own blood out of my mind. It played on loop, the horror of it, of him dying by me. And it hurt, the memories hurt so much that tears were streaming down my face as I ran, and it wasn't until I was out of breath and had to stop that I took notice of Deku again and my heart was in my throat.

The hill side had grown dark and Deku was hunched over like he was in pain, his teeth bared and tears dripping from his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked aloud in my desperation. He lifted his pained, teary green eyes to me and tried to smile but couldn't. He fell to his knees on the grass, and I rushed to his side, hovering over him, not knowing how to help him.

"What's wrong, talk to me" I pushed with urgency and my own eyes were wide.

"Why would you think of those things Kacchan?" he groaned, and I paused.

"I hurt you?" I asked in a whisper.

"It hurt you didn't it?" he replied, and he lifted his eyes to mine, this time he could smile if only a little.

"What did I do?" I asked, but he didn't reply. I understood and I sat down beside him, and he leaned his head against my shoulder as he took deep breaths, the pain passing. It wasn't thinking about his death that had hurt him, but the pain that it caused me that had hurt him, the same way I had felt some of his emotions when he shared his memories with me early but they had been faint in comparison to the flood I had forced on Deku. I looked his way, unable to see his face through his green mess of hair, but I could feel that he was more at ease now and the sky around us lightened like a storm had passed.

I opened my eyes to find myself leaning against a tree in the shade. Part of me could still feel Deku's head against my shoulder, but when I looked over I was alone. I felt calmer to say the least after my outburst, but fuck did I feel exhausted. I felt like I could sleep from now till tomorrow. I felt like Deku and I had learned a lot today, but I hoped things wouldn't always be this draining otherwise I wouldn't be getting anywhere anytime soon.