Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia
Chapter 54:
Zach woke up late the day he got back from fighting the War Boys. He had gone to sleep in early afternoon, so it was dark when he got up. It was past the time that meals were served in the cafeteria even over breaks, but he luckily still had some snacks in his room that he knew cold hold him over until the morning. Last ramen cup I'll be eating for a while. All Might did say he'd get some stuff for me, but I'm not going to text him for stupid stuff like that. No one's my personal helper. I shouldn't ask anyone to get me things when they go out, like I'm this helpless guy who can't- Zach rubbed his head after getting dressed and picking up his snacks. Man, I haven't even needed to leave yet and it's already getting to me.
He walked out of his room and headed for the stairs, yawning and blinking his eyes a few times to get in a more awake mood. I'm totally gonna screw up my sleep schedule like this, though it's not like it matters right now. No school for another week-plus before the next year starts up. Not a freshman anymore, he thought positively, smiling as he reached the stairwell. He felt like yawning again but shook his head around instead to just get a grip. He reached his right hand over and scratched his left arm over the sleeve that was hiding the bandage around his gash, using the pair of chopsticks he was holding in his right hand in a plastic wrapper that came with the ramen. Zach winced as scratching that hurt more than he thought it would. Do I bother Recovery Girl? I wasn't going to waste her time if she came to the hospital while I was there, but I mean if she's back now there's no point in not…
Zach slowed on his way down the steps and gave Mezo Shoji a small smile as the tallest boy in the class was heading up the stairs. Zach nodded as he walked past Shoji on his way up to his room, and the boy with gray hair and pointed-down bangs nodded back which relieved Zach since he could not tell what Shoji was thinking with the majority of his face covered by his bangs and that mask he always wore. Zach kept heading down, sighing in relief internally that he was not asked a question on the stairs that he would have to stop and start lying about. They're my classmates, my roommates, my friends, he thought as he was nearing the first floor. But as much as I know things will get back to normal, and they're like the only people who will actually not treat me like a celebrity or criminal or something, I know they're all curious too. And it's because we're all classmates that they won't hold back with their questions, and they'll expect me to answer them all.
The five foot five boy wanted to scratch the top of his head as he wondered how the next few days were going to go for him. Can't even get out of school now to run to the public library and get some space. Though, I guess maybe this new sleep schedule for break will help me out with that. I thought I'd have to gradually fix it maybe, but this could be cool. Sleep during afternoons. Awake at night and my nighttime could be just after morning. No one's going to have a bunch of questions for me right after they wake up. Though, there are a few morning people around here.
Zach walked towards the couch area and he looked over the couch closest to him that had two people on it while the other ones were empty. He grinned that the two in front of him did not see him coming over, so he was able to just look over their heads and watch the news for a few seconds in peace. Hey, they're not talking about me, Zach thought, turning and shrugging. Does that bother me? Weird. Thought I'd see myself up there and get really annoyed. I guess, I didn't hate it when they talked about me after I brought back those two people. I liked seeing myself after that, and I felt even better- or as good at least with what I just did… No, even better. Zach shook off his feelings of doubt from earlier that day, thinking about the look on Thompson's face. He did not think of her expression during her worst moments, the face of someone truly terrified; he thought about her expression when he had offered his back to her because she no longer looked able to stand on her own.
In his head appeared all those hostages who he went over to with Thompson and Kaminari after leaving the villains' base. He saw all their smiles, and he smiled bigger himself as he walked towards the kitchen and silently turned on the stove. He glanced back towards the tv area, then he brought over a pot and put it very close to the faucet and started filling it with water. The volume on the screen was not very high as it was pretty late, so he put the edge of the inside of the pot near the faucet and only lifted the handle over the sink a little. He kept the water pressure light and filled up the pot while staring over at the couch facing the middle of the tv room, though the two sitting on it were also looking towards the tv so he was just out of their eyesight. Glad it's not Ojiro and Hagakure. Would have felt like I had to say something or risk seeing something… or not seeing something?
Zach laughed to himself silently, then he turned off the faucet and brought the pot over the heating stove surface. The flat black stove glowed red under the pot he put down, and Zach relaxed as he waited for it to start boiling. He kept thinking about those hostages, and he smiled as he looked towards the tv only to lower that smile a little as he saw something about a villain Endeavor stopped earlier. Still villains everywhere, Zach thought, his eyes narrowing in at the screen. He stared at Endeavor's face for a few more seconds, then lowered his gaze to the words beneath on the bottom of the screen. His eyebrows lifted, and a small smile spread over his face, then he shook his head around with another small chuckle that did not make any noise. Guess he wouldn't be the top hero if he let any civilians die. Nice, Endeavor, Zach thought, turning back to the stove and his pot where some tiny bubbles were coming up from the bottom. His thoughts shifted from Endeavor back to those people from that morning at sunrise, but this time instead of thinking about how they thanked him, he thought, How many people?
Zach's lips flattened a little, but the corners pulled back up again. How many people, did I help? 32? Plus 64 if they all have their parents. Did I stop kids from becoming orphans? That would have been terrible. Zach's heels lifted up and came down and did that again and again a bunch of times. Hundreds. Kaminari alone, has all these people who care for him. I'm sure Jirou would have been devastated. He saw the girl spitting and unable to hold back her laughter at Kaminari's stupid form, and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. I think, maybe, he added to himself. He tilted his head back and forth to either side and kept bouncing on the balls of his feet, and he started shrugging one shoulder at a time before doing a little spin there in the kitchen. He finished his spin facing the stove, and he stepped forward silently and turned it off. Zach lifted the pot of water by the handles and dumped it into his ramen cup to the top. He put the pot back down then put the lid of his ramen that he pulled off before back on over it. Three minutes, he thought, putting his chopsticks on top of the cup to keep the lid on and the steam from getting out to keep the cooking ramen from cooling.
As he did all of that, he kept bouncing on his feet, and for some reason he was trying hard not to make a single noise. Don't feel tired at all anymore, he realized and stopped bouncing for a second. He reached down to touch his toes and stretched himself out there in the kitchen, but he winced again and looked at his left arm just over his elbow. Zach reached his right hand to his sleeve and slid it back to check out the bandage he got wrapped around him at the hospital over twelve hours ago now. Should probably shower, clean this out and put on a new bandage. The first aid kit under my bed should have enough bandage in there for me to wrap it a couple of times, though I guess I should try to ask Recovery Girl tomorrow for help so I don't waste the rest of it. Especially if I won't be able to go buy more… He started frowning again, then he scratched his bandage softly and only around the edges of the gauze to keep from hitting his gash and causing himself more pain.
Zach checked on his ramen at three minutes and stirred it around which worked at getting the softened noodles mixed with the ingredient packets. His first taste brought a great flavor to his tastebuds and he grinned again before bouncing on the balls of his feet like before. He started eating there in the kitchen, then he saw Kirishima lean back in his seat a little from closer to Zach than where Midoriya was sitting. Kirishima turned his head farther to the left and said something to the other boy, and Midoriya turned away from the tv to respond. Izuku Midoriya's eyes shot open huge as he started replying to Kirishima, and Kirishima turned and looked towards the kitchen too. Zach had some ramen in his mouth, so he just lifted the chopsticks in his right hand as a 'hi' to the other two.
Kirishima did a double-take over to the stairs behind the couch and across the common room that way, then turned and looked towards the kitchen where Zach had apparently just made himself ramen. "When did you-" he began while jumping out of his seat.
Midoriya scrambled up quickly too, and Zach kept chewing while thinking, Dang, this is technically 'later.' I was so tired earlier I actually didn't think about how I'd have these talks when I woke up. Zach stopped bouncing right after the other two saw him, but he came out from around the kitchen counter before the other two were going to reach him. He walked forward and swallowed the last of the ramen in his mouth, then started, "You two just looked so engrossed with the Endeavor story." He smiled as the other two stopped, and Zach motioned behind them back for the couches which he would feel more comfortable sitting on while talking to them.
At a table it'd be like an interrogation. Even in the kitchen I can't just turn and pretend to be interested in the tv which is why I'm hesitating before responses. Geez, I'm way too manipulative, he thought, his smile lowering down a little right before he sat down on the left side of the center couch. Can't even have a normal conversation. Everything I say's going to be a lie. And I'm not confident enough that I'll be able to lie well with this current good feeling. Remember, even if I can trust these two, Jirou could be listening from upstairs. Others could be nearby. Even these two could let things I say slip to others, or maybe they'll have big problems with some of the stuff I did if I told them… I know, I would. In his mind appeared the terrified face of the Hunter, and he grimaced before looking down and taking another bite of ramen.
Kirishima hopped right over the middle couch, swinging his legs over and sitting in the middle of it on Zach's right. Midoriya sat back at the couch he had been on but in Kirishima's seat farther back so he was closer to Zach too. "So," Kirishima said, leaning forward and looking back at Zach with a small grin. "How'd you do it?"
He probably means how I found Kaminari. "What part?" Zach asked. "Leaving school, finding Kaminari, fighting those guys, or coming up with what I was going to say when the camera pointed at me?" He made a joke out of the end yet using something he knew was interesting and might get Kirishima to ask about it instead. He also added in other things that could distract from the main question he did not want to answer, because it was the only one he had to completely lie about.
"How'd you find Kaminari dude?" Kirishima said, in a way like he thought it was the craziest part.
Zach sighed and he lifted his left hand to rub his forehead with. He winced, then looked down at that arm and the sleeve over his wound. I always scratch or rub my head with my left hand first. It's been kind of reflexive since I was a kid, ever since Nightmare became the monster under my bed… Zach lifted his head back up and to Kirishima, then shifted his gaze towards Midoriya who was also waiting to hear this. He rose his right hand and while keeping it in the glove he rubbed his forehead now, and he muttered, "So, I still have connections…" He shook his head as he started it like that, then he grimaced as this was harder than he thought it would be. I don't even want to tell them the whole lie I told the review board. I don't want to tell anyone anything- I just don't want to spend time lying to my friends at all.
"With villains?" Midoriya asked in surprise, leaning forward with wide eyes. "And you, were able to find them?"
"It's not like that," Zach said, shaking his head around a couple of times. "Any villains I knew the locations of I gave up, but I really didn't know where I was ever. Like I said Kurogiri teleported me everywhere… but this one time," he trailed off and then leaned back in his seat. "At one of the bases I was at, there were-" he paused, glancing over his shoulder towards the girls' area of the common room where Ashido just came out of the bathroom. She looked surprised as she saw him, and she lowered the towel from her hair and left it on her shoulders as she jogged over, imagining they were talking about what happened yesterday. Zach frowned more as she hopped in mid-conversation, jumping over the couch on the other side of Kirishima and leaning forward asking what they were talking about.
"I was just waiting for Kurogiri to send me somewhere else, but I was in the same room they were packaging tons of drugs. Cocaine, heroin, Trigger, K-lax, vertigo, pot… Anyway, there were mostly big deals going on, smaller criminal groups showing up to pick up shipments to sell around the country. The more money they brought in the bigger they were able to get, and the biggest part of the League's income comes from drugs." Mina's eyes opened wide and she felt like she just hopped in the wrong conversation, but a glance at Kirishima and Midoriya told her that they were not expecting to hear this either. "So, one of the guys who showed up there, he wasn't really with the big drug-selling gangs. He wasn't with the League, or… he was just, a junky," Zach muttered, looking away and staring at a wall before he continued. "I felt bad for him, since they had him hooked on drugs, and they'd give it to him for free as well as more for him to give out for free. He was just, well he traded in rumors," Zach said, turning back and looking at Midoriya as he continued. "He wasn't really doing anything wrong, except for the drugs. I was there when he was talking all about the different things he had heard recently, while they packed him up a bag full of more drugs for him, that he would go do with other villains to get them in the state of mind to be willing to talk about anything with him, like what their operations are, where their bases are and how big and powerful their guys are. Stuff like that."
"And you knew where to find him?" Kirishima asked, his eyebrows raising while he stared at Zach in surprise at all this.
"Wait," Ashido started, realizing the conversation actually was about what she hoped when she ran over. "Is this about how you found Kaminari?"
Zach turned and nodded at her, then he looked in more at Kirishima and said, "Not really. I remembered the name of a bar he mentioned that day, and when I looked it up I was able to find it. I didn't have much to go on, but the bartender there knew him pretty well-"
"Where was he?" Midoriya asked.
Zach frowned deeper and he rose his right hand to rub his right temple with. He turned to Midoriya with a hesitant look, then he said, "I can't say."
"Huh?" Ashido asked.
"At my review board," Zach started. "I told them I wouldn't give him up. His name, or where he is- he helped me find Kaminari," Zach said, stopping sounding so hesitant like he was defending why he couldn't say a thing. "And yeah, I know he's doing drugs," Zach said while looking right at the two on his side. "But having a guy like this is better than sending another junky to prison. If the League don't realize that I know how to find him, then I can keep going to him as a C.I., confidential informant, and hopefully I can track down the League later on."
Izuku's eyes opened wide at what Zach was saying. He brought up a hand and covered his mouth while looking down, "That is true. As much as he gives the League of Villains information, he must also know things about them too. There's no telling that they're the only ones using him for information, and if Zach's doing it too, there could be others and he could already be getting info-" The other three had turned and started staring at Midoriya as he muttered to himself, but they were surprised as he cut himself off without anyone else having to this time. Midoriya just realized something though, and he lowered his hand and looked to Zach hesitantly. "How did, you get him to talk to you?"
"Threatened to turn him in to the cops," Zach replied. What? Does Midoriya think I offered him drugs or something? I'm keeping this imaginary junky hooked on drugs myself just to get information? Come on Midoriya, even if this guy isn't real I wish you wouldn't think I'd do that kind of stuff.
"And so he told you where Kaminari was?" Ashido asked in amazement.
"Well, he didn't really know," Zach said. He turned to her and continued, "But he had talked to some War Boys recently, and then I asked him where they were, and he said he wouldn't tell, and I told him how he wouldn't be able to get any crack in jail, and he told me some of the places the War Boys had talked about."
"Whoa," Kirishima said, pulling back a bit. "That's, well," Zach looked in closer at him to listen to his reaction. Kirishima saw Zach waiting to hear what he had to say about it, and he hummed before saying while lifting a finger, "It's like one of those good cop bad cop movies, and you're the bad cop." Zach's eyebrows lifted up high, then he smiled and laughed at the comparison.
Ashido laughed too for a second, then she said, "But wait. If you knew where they were, why didn't you call the cops-"
"I did," Zach said quickly. "But, not until I knew where they were. Rumors from a junky wouldn't really be considered evidence, and I didn't even consider it as much to go off of. I checked everywhere he mentioned, all these random places that wound up being dead ends," he shook his head and added, "I knew it was a shot in the dark from the start. I knew I didn't have much to go on, and even after he told me stuff, I still don't think I really believed I would find him… Then when I really did come across a lair full of villains, first thing I did was call up the cops and send them my location and pics of the villains so they'd know it was real."
"And then you went in?" Kirishima asked.
"Wait," Midoriya started shaking his head. "Did you- you said you had a review board?" He asked, realizing they just skimmed over that a minute ago.
"Yeah," Zach replied. "They wanted to know what I was doing there and why I went in without the heroes-"
"Because they were going to kill Kaminari, right?" Ashido exclaimed, leaning forward more with a questioning look at what they heard Kaminari say yesterday after Zach arrived.
"How'd you know?" Kirishima wondered.
Zach did not really want to respond with the truth here. "Well," he began, "someone else was there. He disappeared during the battle, but he could hear inside and helped fight the villains. I, don't know what he was… He told me they were going to kill a hostage, so I said we had to go in-" The other three's eyes opened huge, and Zach lowered his gaze after looking around at them. Yeah, after all I guess I really don't like the attention. Kind of glad Endeavor stopped a villain today, get the news to change focus quickly. Though I'm sure they'll still be talking about it, he glanced up towards the tv again but was glad to see the report still on the villain this afternoon while he was asleep.
"Really?" Midoriya whispered after staring at Zach to see if this was all true.
"Really," Zach replied. "I didn't want to get involved. There were way too many," he started shaking his head and then lifted his lips into a smile. "It's a good thing Edgeshot showed up when he did. He took care of most of the villains, but he must have thought I did something right. He gave me a card and said I could intern for him," Zach said, his voice more excited and thus mood-and-conversation-changing.
"Whoa! The number 4 hero did?" Ashido asked in amazement.
The conversation shifted as easily as Zach hoped it would, and he started talking about how he hoped he would be able to do it considering his punishments for leaving campus. That got Kirishima asking what they were, and Zach sounded annoyed and really was as he started talking about how he could not leave anymore, not even getting permissions. Midoriya stared at Zach as he talked about these things, and he kept frowning at his dark-haired friend through the conversation. Zach, you sound so serious. You don't sound like you're lying at all. And, I feel bad that I don't believe you, but I don't know. You just telling us the whole truth like this, seems so off. It seems exactly like, a great answer to the question of how you found him. It's not perfect, but one that's too perfect would raise too much suspicion, right? Or is it just not perfect because things don't work out that way?
The green-haired boy lifted his frown a little as Zach looked at him, but he could not get into the current conversation at all. All Might was so worried when he asked if I knew where you had gone. Why can't you just tell us… I mean, I get why- but, even if you saved… Midoriya frowned again since he could not finish that thought. No, that's wrong. You saved Kaminari, and those other people. When we've gone around the rules before to save you, how could I not see why you did it? There are going to be enough people, like the teachers, who criticize you for this. So even if I don't know if you're telling me the truth, I'll back you up. Because you're our friend, Zach. Even if you can't tell us everything.
It's late. Zach thought as he stared at the door in front of him. So late, that this is ridiculous. I should come back, not at two in the morning… But, I mean we were all tired and going to sleep at the same times. People are awake right now. People are walking around… Zach lifted a hand at the door but froze before knocking his fist forward. His nervous look started getting a little more sad as he stood there, and his hand lowered down a bit. Momo, he thought, lowering his gaze to the floor. I'm just going to lie about everything, but I want to talk to you so much about- well, I just want to talk to you.
Zach's lowering hand moved forward before he could go back on it again. He knocked once and his eyes opened wide, then he bit down and knocked a second time as he decided to go through with it. The second knock was quieter, and he pulled his arm back afterwards. Maybe she's asleep- he heard movement on the other side of the door and he leaned back more, his expression even more nervous as the footsteps approached. Oh shit! What did I-
The door opened up and Zach froze while staring at the girl in a pair of long-sleeved pajamas in front of him. He stared at her frozen for a few seconds, while Momo's eyes widened more as the person she had hoped just knocked on her door really was the one standing there. Zach opened his mouth, froze with it open and he just stood there with his mouth open for a couple more seconds. "Could-" he started, then immediately regretted starting it like that and wished he had used a different word. "Do you, want to talk?" He asked softly.
Yes! Momo nodded in a calmer way than how quick her reaction was in her head. "Come in," she said, moving to the side so Zach could enter.
Oh man. Oh man this is- it's two in the morning and she's in her pajamas! Zach's cheeks turned a little red but he walked forward, so he lowered his eyes to point at the floor and hide his expression as he entered.
It was a good thing Zach looked down as he entered though, as Momo realized while Zach was walking in similar things that he was thinking. She was so relieved he came to talk to her, so she did not have to go on with wondering how she was going to start a conversation with him about this, that she told him to come in without even checking what she was wearing. He was already inside though, and Momo made sure she steadied her gaze fast before closing the door slowly behind Zach. Down the hall, an interested Tsuyu Asui leaned her head farther out her door while looking down towards Momo's room. "Gero," she ribbited before sliding her head back into her own room.
Zach was hesitant after he entered, not knowing where he should sit. He looked towards her desk chair, then her huge bed that almost filled up half of the room. Then he turned back to Momo who stepped away from the door so she was closer to him in the cramped room too. Does she want me to just start explaining myself? What's that look for?!
Why isn't he sitting down? Maybe he wants to let me sit first? Momo turned from Zach and walked to the foot of her bed. While she was turned away from him she took in a quick deep breath of air that she made sure to keep silent. Then she turned and had a stern look on her face with her mouth closed and expression tense. Keep it together.
Oh she's so mad. "I'm-" he started, but he already apologized earlier before they all went to bed. He was not here to apologize, he was here to explain. I can't explain anything though. I can't lie to her though, not with her looking this mad. If she ever finds out, and people might find out one day, she'd never forgive me. Lying straight to her face, getting emotional over lies, I feel so guilty just deceiving the others downstairs. I got defensive over my imaginary C.I. junky. God I'm such an asshole. What can I talk about? What can I just sit here and not lie about?
"Are you going to sit?" Yaoyorozu asked, looking up at Zach with lifted eyebrows. Her black hair was down, which was different from the ponytail he almost always saw Momo in. She had on a soft blue long-sleeved shirt and purple pajama pants, and she wore a thin pair of white socks. Zach gulped after her question and nodded as she seemed to be telling him to do just that, and he started walking forward. Momo's breathing picked up and her eyes widened just a little bit as she managed to keep her outward expression calm. I meant at my desk! She thought, but did not say anything as Zach walked up and sat on the foot of her bed, though he did keep a couple of feet between them which was easy on such a large mattress.
What do you want to talk about? No that's a terrible question. Zach thought after sitting down and making it look like he was getting in a comfortable position. I came here. I should start. But if I just ask what she wants to know, or if I start at the beginning- Something real. I want to talk about something real. I don't know what she wants from me though. She's looking at me expectantly like she expects me to know what I'm doing! Why did I come here so late? Why couldn't I talk to her in a non-secluded location so it wasn't just her I was lying to, if I start lying now. Then if it ever came out I could say I was only lying because of other people there, and I trusted her the whole time. Momo- I'm sitting here too long! Say something! Anything! "Um- I know I said it earlier… but I'm sorry I didn't text you." He started off strong as he felt like it was the easiest thing he could say already having said it once, but by the end of it he was whispering. "I don't know why," he started, "I did it. I- I actually don't know why. It's not like… I don't know, I just, smashed my phone instead of…" Why did I break my phone? If Hackerman could track me normally, why is it just this last time I felt the need to do it? Was it in case the heroes tried tracking me too? I guess they could have done it.
"Don't you have another phone?" Momo asked.
Zach nodded, then he nodded quicker and reached down, pulling his newer phone out of his pocket. He wished he had taken the one he bought in Kyoto and smashed that one, but now he had to get everyone's contacts again. I should memorize phone numbers for next time I- except there won't be a next time. Actually I can't know that. Memorize them, and then if there is a next time, I can buy a new phone and fill it back up without anyone noticing. "Do you, want to put your number in?" Zach asked, holding out his smartphone for the girl next to him to put her contact info into.
Momo rubbed the side of her head then reached forward and grabbed the phone. What are we doing? I want you to tell me how you did it Zach. I want you to talk about it, she glanced out the corners of her eyes at him while she put her phone number into his phone. I can only see two reasons why you wouldn't just start telling me. Either it's painful to think about, or you don't know what you're going to say. Are you going to lie to me? Or, is that why you're pausing… do you not want to? Does that mean that what you've been saying so far has been- Except this is the first time we're talking about it. Maybe, you really will just tell me, she looked at him more hopefully, handing back his phone with a small smile on her face. "Zach," she began, and Zach lifted his eyes after taking his phone from her. "I'm glad you want to talk, but-" If I push will he leave?! "What is it you want to talk about?" Momo asked, finishing her sentence differently than she planned on when she started it.
Anything, Momo, Zach thought while looking into her eyes. Anything real though. I felt so alone, my entire time with the villains. Even when I acted more like them, pretended to enjoy it all to gain their trust, I was always alone. I could never be myself. Never say my real thoughts or feelings. Why, can't I just say all this aloud? Tell her. Tell her that! Zach opened his mouth, but he froze with it open. Tell her how alone I felt then? I'm only thinking about it, because I feel that way now with the way I'm hiding my feelings from everyone here, hiding my true thoughts and motives and actions from them all. "The- last night," Zach started. What am I doing? This is- I can talk about it! Just, don't lie. And don't incriminate yourself. I don't want to have to say "don't tell anyone" even once. If I do, I've made a mistake. "Attacking the villains' base. Don't you, want to know about-"
"Yes," Momo replied quickly as Zach sounded hesitant at Momo's lack of questioning. He leaned back in surprise that she really did want to know a lot, but she straightened back up quickly and awaited his continuation. She saw him looking confused, and even more hesitant as she just sat there looking at him expectantly. She leaned back at his look that showed he had no idea what she wanted to hear. "Zach," she began, looking at him softer. "I don't know what you're thinking about. I don't know what you're trying to tell me," Momo said it but only lowered her smile down into a flat lip for a few seconds. "But whatever you can tell me, please do. I was very worried yesterday, and all night. We all were," she added at the end after seeing his eyes open wide.
Zach pursed his lips for a few seconds, then he nodded his head back at her. "Attacking the base," Zach said, steadying his expression with a more serious and less nervous one. "It was early morning, just before dawn, and I was about to call the police and alert the heroes. But, I had to go in early. For Kaminari, and for Thompson," he said, and Yaoyorozu nodded back at him as he had told her a little about Thompson after she heard Kaminari and him mention her on the stairs that afternoon. Zach saw her nod and continued right away, "I didn't know Kaminari was the hostage about to be executed, or I might have gone for him first. But instead I went for the only hostage not with the group, and she was screaming, and Damian expected me. Or, he didn't expect me," Zach continued, he lifted his right hand and rubbed his chest for a second and winced, feeling the bruise from the heavy hit he received from that villain right in the chest. "He got a good hit in though," Zach said. "If I wasn't in Nightmare form, it might've broken some ribs."
Momo started looking worried and Zach caught it so he continued quickly, "I beat him though. Then, I turned to Thompson who was…" he had not gotten that into this before when telling Yaoyorozu who Thompson was, as it was not a brief on-your-way-to-your-room kind of conversation. "She was, she didn't have any clothes on other than her underwear. And I was wearing a," he paused, wondering if he should continue. Don't lie. Not to her face. As many details, anything to make Momo think you're actually telling her it all. "I was in Nightmare form, and my dark costume has bone in it too, making it so my entire body was black. And I had a helmet on, so the only thing showing besides the dark form of Nightmare, were my two glowing red eyes coming through the visor. So even after Damian was down- she was so, so afraid of me." Zach whispered it and then shook his head as he did not know how he could feel bad for himself right here while talking about Thompson. He continued after that head shake, "I turned off Nightmare mode, but she was still so afraid, so I took off my helmet. Up until that moment-"
Zach paused and cut himself off, wondering if he should keep going with this. "Up until that moment?" Yaoyorozu whispered, hoping he would continue.
The black-haired boy nodded after a second, and he continued while turning away from the girl whose eyes he had stared into for most of that. Zach whispered quieter, "I had planned on getting out of there, without anyone figuring out it was me. Just get out and go home, and pretend like I had nothing to do with it…"
"You know that wouldn't have worked?" Yaoyorozu asked, her eyebrows lifting.
It did last time, Zach thought, while just nodding at Yaoyorozu. "I don't know," he said, and he pressed his lips together again as he said it instead of just leaving her thinking that way. Then again, he knew she probably thought better of him that she might not believe it was really what he thought unless she knew there actually was a way. "I could have," he started. "Made up a story, about how villains attacked me too after I left. Say I wasn't paying attention because I was too worried about Kaminari, and they managed to…" Zach trailed off and shook his head, not knowing why he was trying to come up with this alibi now that he did not need it, and feeling stupid for saying it aloud and preventing future use of that excuse.
"Hmm," Yaoyorozu hummed. That could have… Could he have pulled it off? Maybe. I don't know, how good he is at making those kinds of excuses. I don't think you lie to me very much Zach. When you don't want to answer something, I'm fine with that, so you don't have to lie… So I'm glad you came here wanting to talk. This is all true. You wouldn't be telling me you had these excuses ready otherwise. It wouldn't make sense, which is how I can really trust you. She nodded her head at Zach to continue after pretending like she was thinking about his potential excuse for a few seconds. "What happened after you took off your helmet?"
"I, wrapped Thompson in a curtain," Zach whispered. "Then she told me, how Kaminari was about to be killed. So I ran with her, through the villains' base, taking down villain after villain on my way…" He continued on retelling it to Yaoyorozu, and as tough a night it was, as bloody and violent as it got, it was a victory. He was able to talk through it, leaving out almost nothing except for what Shatterer called him, and skimming right over the 'mystery' man who helped him. And he was happy as he told her these things. Getting to talk about himself and the things that happened without really holding back, it was nice. Thanks Momo, Zach thought, as he was about to start up how he felt when he left the building, only for the girl next to him to start talking about their reactions to seeing him.
I really should have told her something. Next time- if there is… no, not if. Next time. Next time, I won't leave you in the dark. I won't leave you feeling that way, that you have to feel so relieved when you see me okay. What she just said aloud about her feelings seeing him come out of the building cut in on his thoughts and he pursed his lips at what she was saying. "Momo," Zach whispered. "I won't do it again," he said, firmly and without hesitation in his voice. Momo's eyes widened, and Zach said while leaning closer towards her, "I won't leave like that. I promise." He did not want to apologize, not again, but he thought this was even better. An assurance that it would not happen again, because he knew that she would be afraid otherwise that he would just vanish again, unless he said something right now. "I mean it," he said.
"Are you certain?" Momo asked, leaning towards him too and pursing her lips for a second. "You really mean that?"
"I won't," Zach said right away as he could hear the doubt in her voice. "Never again." Her lips lifted up into a big smile, because she believed it. She believed him, and Zach made sure he memorized that look on her face right then. Making people all around Japan feel better with my smile, like I did with Thompson, that's important. But I can't make it a trade-off. I can't accept their feelings as important, if I deny that the feelings of my classmates are too. Of your feelings Momo. I won't let you go on feeling scared, every time I do something stupid and reckless. I swear. Because, I don't want to be the kind of guy who does something like that. I don't want to be the kind of person to make people worry. I want them to have faith in me. To believe what I say, like I can see you believe me right now. Zach smiled at Momo as she started smiling at him with a look that showed she believed in him. "I promise."
Zach jogged down a paved path across the back of U.A.'s campus. He had on a long-sleeved white shirt and sweatpants, but no hoodie since it was actually pretty hot out. This is nice, he thought, speeding up his pace as he ran past Training Ground Beta. He glanced towards the tall buildings of the urban area on his right, then he shook his head around fast as he started frowning and turned back forward again. Sure I'm out of snacks, but I can just go to the cafeteria. That's not bad. And I have all this space. So much. He was running around the entire campus, again, and he smiled as he looked around at the wide open space around him. No cameras. No chance of Shigaraki randomly coming for me here.
He kept running around, his third day since getting back and still not halfway through the break between terms. Why am I running? It felt stuffy in my dorm yeah, but why? I didn't even- I stayed in my room most of the time before anyway. It's the loss of the choice. Getting out of here is impossible now. Leave and I'll never get back in. And I want to stay in, but I also want to be able to leave. Zach shook his head and ran faster, curving around the outer edge of campus and running onto the street covered in student dorms. Still not tired. Still don't want to go back in my room- guess I'll get food from the cafeteria, after another lap around campus. I'm almost out of protein powder. I'll ask Kirishima to pick up a tub next time he's going and I'll reimburse him for it… Is that too much? I don't wanna be abusing- no, Kirishima's cool with stuff like that. He won't mind, and I shouldn't either.
Zach narrowed his eyes in as he kept running down the middle of the road in front of the line of dormitory buildings. What do I do now? Is- I'll have to get in contact with them somehow. I hope Webb's arm is alright. Though I guess it wouldn't be. I mean, Shatterer shattered it. And Mr. Ganji yelled in pain too. His truck he left behind is probably just being considered another of the villains' vehicles they found. They're probably pissed I- no, not pissed. I broke the cardinal rule. I didn't just lose my secret identity, on my first real mission too, I gave it up intentionally. Zach shook his head around and let out a soft sigh. I don't regret it. I can't. Still though, I doubt I'm going to be getting a call from them any time soon. It'll be up to me to contact them, and who knows what'll happen then? As for now though, for a while since… Zach saw movement out the corner of his eyes, and he did not turn his head but kept running forward at a steady pace pretending he did not notice the guy running up on him.
After a few seconds of half-focusing, Zach relaxed while turning his head fully to the right. "Hey," Zach said, and the black boy with long wavy white hair nodded back at him. Zach slowed a little, and Shihai Kuroiro jogged up to his side and then kept going just like Zach did. Zach turned forward himself again and kept jogging with a slightly more relaxed look on his face. And what's so bad about being stuck on campus anyway? The people I like are all here.
"Hey," Kuroiro said once he was at a common pace with Zach. "Nice job, the other day," he added.
"Thanks," Zach replied.
They kept running. Zach ran right past his own dorm and wondered if Kuroiro was just going to follow his path around campus for the run. Kuroiro doesn't say much. That's fine though. Makes it better, don't have to worry about him asking all sorts of questions. Zach just smiled a bit as they continued running, though he lifted his left hand and rubbed his forehead to get some sweat off. As he lowered his arm he glanced at it for a second right above the elbow, grimacing as he thought about his talk with Recovery Girl yesterday. "Why didn't you come here sooner? You have bruised ribs too- next time you stay in the hospital until I get there! They told me you said you just had a scratch…" He sweatdropped thinking about how mad she was when she ranted at him for pretending like he didn't need any help and staying hurt for a few days when she would have taken care of it for him in seconds.
Another scar though, Zach thought, but he lifted his gaze from his arm and kept running still with a small grin on his face. But that's one, it won't hurt to look at. Zach's fists clenched at his sides and his grin spread more, the left corner of his lip curling up as he thought about how he got that wound. Man, my body gets fucked up though. Good thing I'm working it out. He glanced to his right after a minute of silence now with Kuroiro, and he said, "You running for training? Or just need a run?"
"Training," Kuroiro said. He glanced out the corners of his thin eyes though and said, "You?" The way Zach worded it made it sound like the second option was more likely for him.
"Bit of both," Zach replied, as he was just thinking about working out but knew it was not the real reason he came out in the first place. "Liked your presentation," Zach mentioned, as he had not talked to Kuroiro since he saw the other boy's and actually felt he did a good job.
"Yeah, thanks," Kuroiro said, a bit hesitantly. "Yours was, different." Zach lifted his eyebrows at his friend from Class B, and Kuroiro just kept looking forward as he jogged, though he added, "In a good way."
"Ha, thanks," Zach replied, thinking that was about as good a compliment he'd get. He kept grinning, the idea of his report still leaving an impact on people mixing with the thought of his new scar and how he could be proud of where he got it.
The two of them kept jogging for a few seconds, then they saw a couple of girls walking the other way. The two girls looked to be upperclassmen to the two of them, which at this point meant they were only a year older than them since the third years had all moved out after graduation. Their old dorms were going to become the new first year's dorms now, since all the new dorms were the same and allowed the students to stay in one dorm for their whole time at U.A.
The two girls walking the other way turned towards the boys jogging their direction. They both opened their eyes a little wider at the sight of the boy farther towards the middle of the road and closer to them, and one of them said, "Hey Zach." She grinned at him and Zach gave her a slightly bigger smile, glad a random upperclassman was saying hi to him like that.
The other girl, with a more curvaceous body, gave Zach a bigger smile and blinked her eyes at him a few times as he was about to run by. "Heyyy Zaaachh," she lifted a hand and curled all her fingers in individually as a wave that had Zach and Kuroiro's heads both turning farther left as they jogged by. That, and the fact that the girl's breasts seemed to get larger as did her butt, while her midsection got thinner like her body was shifting around as she waved towards Zach.
Zach's eyes were wide at her wave, and he finally coughed while looking back over his shoulder at her now as he continued to run. "Um, hi," he said, spinning back forward with red cheeks and shaking his head around to get the curvaceous blonde out of his head. What just happened?
"Ladies' man," Kuroiro said, and Zach spun to his right with wide eyes at that sudden comment. Kuroiro's naturally lowered frown actually lifted up into a straight lip after he said it, and Zach lost his shocked look and started chuckling to himself after. "Kaminari'd sure be jealous if he'd seen that," Kuroiro added, and he chuckled darkly afterwards.
Zach's eyes widened in surprise again. Guess Kuroiro sees Kaminari as a friend too. Kind of surprised there… "I'll be sure to tell him as soon as I get back," Zach remarked, and Kuroiro's lips curled up the last bit so the corners were actually pulled up. "Kind of shocked me too though," he added, glancing over his shoulder again even as they kept running so those girls were barely in sight anymore. They ran around the back of the school building and were heading towards the training areas again, or at least again for Zach who had done this twice now in the past thirty minutes.
"Eh, me too," Kuroiro said, and Zach sweatdropped as he felt the darker boy was poking fun of him there. He smiled after a second though, glad the other teen wasn't treating him any differently after the weekend's events. "So," Kuroiro said as they jogged past Ground Alpha. Zach turned to him and Kuroiro kept staring forward while asking, "When'd you change up the costume?"
Zach wondered when the last time Kuroiro saw him in his school costume was, but that did not really matter much in the moment. "It was an alternate," Zach replied. "Got it from outside the school's system," Kuroiro looked in at him, and Zach finished, "legally." He said it with a roll of his eyes at Kuroiro's look, and the other boy just nodded and turned back forward as they kept running. Zach actually chuckled again that Kuroiro just needed him to say that before accepting it. "Can't leave campus anymore because of-"
"Thanks," Kuroiro said. Zach paused and glanced in at the other boy in confusion, and Kuroiro added after a few seconds of seeing Zach looking at him awaiting a continuation, "For bringing him back. Kaminari's an annoying- but I was afraid he wasn't going to make it."
He almost didn't, Zach thought, and as much as that made him frown it also made him feel pretty good. But he did. He came back. He's fine. Kaminari, that's someone else. I really just thought everyone in Class-A would've been devastated because of it, but it's more than that. Your family, your teachers, your friends outside of the class too. Zach started smiling a little more, and he said, "I'll be sure to let Kaminari know how much you care-"
"Don't," Kuroiro said in a deadpan, and embarrassed tone as he could not tell if Zach was serious or not there. He darted a glare out the left corners of his eyes, and Zach laughed a little before holding his hands up defensively. "Serious."
"Yeah yeah, I was kidding," Zach said, though he wondered to himself whether or not that was true. "Come on," Zach said, and he pushed his feet down and sped up. "Let's pick up the pace. Training right?" He started running faster and Kuroiro ran right up with him. Zach thought back to the first Sports Festival where the two of them had run neck and neck down the tunnel at the end of the first round, and how he had lost to the darker boy. A grin spread on his face, and Zach kept picking up the pace as he ran, and Kuroiro matched him every step of the way. "First to Ground Gamma wins," Zach said without warning, and he pushed his feet down even harder and picked up his sprint. There was no response from Kuroiro, but the boy next to him sped up without having to say a thing.
"No way that actually happened," Kaminari said, leaning back on his bed and shaking his head at Zach. The darker haired boy sitting at Kaminari's desk chair just grinned more without saying a word. This was even more convincing than if he tried saying anything else though, and Kaminari leaned back forward while dropping his left hand from behind his head. "No," Kaminari said. Zach nodded again and lifted his eyebrows. Kaminari's bottom lip lowered and he mouthed in shock, 'Two?'
"I'm going running with you next time," Kaminari said, nodding his head at the decision. "Man," he leaned back again and fell over his bed to stare up at the ceiling. "I can't believe this. I'm gonna be 'that guy' who got kidnapped by the villains now. Like Bakugo and the sludge villain-"
"I think it's just our class who's treating it like that," Zach said, leaning forward on the desk chair he was sitting at backwards so his arms were crossed over the back of it. He looked at Kaminari and the cast over his right arm slung over his stomach, and he continued, "I heard Edgeshot said on camera that 'we' took down Shatterer." Kaminari lifted his head a bit, and Zach nodded at him with a smile on his face. "Though of course people are going to pay more attention to me," he added at Kaminari's rising hopeful look.
"Yeah yeah," Kaminari said, dropping flat on his back again. "I'm sure you're loving the attention so much. So those girls, you go talk to them?" He lifted his eyebrows at Zach a couple of times while raising his head a bit, but Zach just rolled his eyes and looked away. "Oh it's so crazy I'd think that huh? Weird, I thought you were into girls-"
"What?! 'Course I am-" Zach began.
"But you've got a certain girl on your mind huh?" Kaminari asked, and he sat up quickly to catch Zach's surprised expression. Zach's surprised one lowered darker after a second, his gaze pointing down and his fists of his crossed arms clenching. "'Momo,' yeah?" Kaminari asked, and Zach's eyes opened wide as he thought Kaminari was bringing up Jenny again. Then he repeated what Kaminari just said in his head and his eyes widened even more, but his cheeks turned a little red this time too.
"I'm not..." Zach began. He stopped, and he looked at Kaminari less defensively and in a more serious way. He thought about what he had only told Kaminari and Midoriya with why he didn't want to get close to them, and what Kaminari told him in response to it. "You might be, okay with being in danger, to be my friend," Zach started. Kaminari's eyes opened wider, and Zach finished in a lower voice, "But you really think I could put that big a target on someone, I like?"
Zach's eyes lowered after saying it, then a surprised Kaminari leaned forward and said, "So you do like her?"
Zach sweatdropped and snapped his head up in annoyance, but Kaminari had already started laughing. "It's not funny," Zach muttered. "Stuff like that, I don't have time for it. Or the luxury."
"Geez you're so uptight," Kaminari laughed. "Relax. It's not like I got taken by villains 'cause of you. I can get myself in stupid amounts of danger without your help, thank you very much." Zach cracked a big smile at that and started laughing, though he tried cutting himself off quick considering how serious he was trying to be a few seconds ago. "And even if those League guys do get me, now I know you'll be there quick." Zach's eyes shot open wide as Kaminari said it, and he looked into the blond's eyes to see his friend nodding at him in a way to show he believed what he just said.
"I don't know if-" Zach began. I have Hunter though. If the League doesn't know- no one should know. Four people total know what I did, including myself and Hunter. "Yeah, you're right," Zach said, and Kaminari looked surprised like he thought Zach would deny his ability to do it next time. "Still, don't get caught again, alright?"
"I'll try," Kaminari promised in an unenthusiastic tone like he might just not be able to help it. He leaned back on his bed after saying it, then he stared at the ceiling for a few seconds with his smile lowering down a bit into a flat lip. "So Zach," he started. Zach looked towards him from over the chair, and Kaminari turned his head sideways on his back to look into Zach's eyes. "Who was that guy? The one who fought Shatterer while you were with Thompson," he specified.
Zach looked away and said, "I told you, I didn't know-"
"Dude," Kaminari said in a deadpan tone. "You legit just looked away before talking. It's like you're not even trying."
Zach turned back with wide eyes at what Kaminari was saying. Damn it. I didn't take it as seriously since it's Kaminari who's asking. I have to be more convincing. Have to, lie harder... "I just, met them outside," Zach said in a softer voice. "I had no idea who-"
"Alright then, guess I'll believe you..." Kaminari started sarcastically, interrupting Zach's explanation. Kaminari sat up more though and looked into Zach's eyes seriously, before finishing, "Reaper."
Zach's eyes bulged and his breath caught in his throat. No one said a thing about it! How many people heard Shatterer call me that? Did I fight the War Boys before, or did he just know what I looked like from rumors?
"Sooo," Kaminari held it out for a few seconds at the look on Zach's face. "That bad, huh?"
"What bad?" Zach replied, then muttered, "Shit," as he knew it was not a good response. In fact it made no sense at all, and Zach did not know how he was actually going to spin this. "He called me, what?" Zach asked.
"Yeaaah, I didn't say anything about Shatterer calling you it," Kaminari said. Zach's eyes widened more and he cursed again under his breath. "Dude calm down," Kaminari said as he saw Zach in panic mode. "Why are you bugging? I haven't said a thing to anyone about it."
"Jirou could be listening," Zach said, the quickest and easiest excuse he could come up with.
"Eh?" Kaminari lifted his eyebrows and stared at Zach skeptically.
"I mean, she could be..." Zach repeated it but slower and realizing how bad a reason it was. Jirou told me she never does it, and she wouldn't again. She sounded really sorry she pried, and I doubt she spends her time sitting around listening to everyone. I marked her off from being the spy when she told Momo, didn't I?! So then what? Is it because of Kaminari? Is he the- no, but, but Kaminari told Monoma. Zach started frowning at his friend, and he opened his mouth to say something about that. He froze though before saying it, realizing how much of a dick move it would be to bring that back up now.
"Dude, whatever you did, that got that guy calling you that," Kaminari started. "You know I wouldn't tell anyone right?"
"I, know that," Zach said. You wouldn't be tricked twice. But, you could always be tortured. I couldn't risk, you giving stuff away. Though I guess, telling you about Reaper wouldn't give the villains anything on me. Wouldn't give the spy anything if you do wind up blabbing to them too. But, what about you? How would you react, to hearing those things? "Kaminari, I trust you a lot man. You're, my best friend," Zach admitted.
"But you still won't tell me?" Kaminari asked, saying it before the 'but' he could hear coming already.
Zach opened his mouth to say 'no.' Even to Kaminari? He thought, closing his mouth and staring at the blond boy in front of him. Why? Why can't I be truthful, to even a single person in my life? Why do I need to carry all these things on my own? If I told Kaminari stuff, if I told him even the most secret things... then how would it hurt me as long as he keeps them secret? What if, next time I need to do something, I can ask Kaminari for help? If Mr. Ganji and Webb don't contact me anymore, but I still need to do stuff. Hunter, me, and Kaminari. I think the three of us could kick ass. What if I tell him though, and he's disgusted... He won't be. I know him. I know, or I can guess what his reactions will be. And, I'm pretty sure your reaction, is going to be to accept it. Accept all of it. "Kaminari," Zach started, his voice getting lower and more serious. "No matter what, you can't tell anyone this, okay?"
"Really?" Kaminari shot forward and leaned off his bed. The look in his eyes told Zach that he never expected his friend to actually say anything. Zach hesitated seeing that look, knowing he probably could have gotten away without saying a thing. Kaminari continued after Zach's hesitant look, "I mean, yeah of course man. Won't tell anyone. So what is it? Why'd he call you that?"
"Actually," Zach began then paused again. He shook his head and sighed, but his sigh was short since he could not relax very well at the moment. No one. Didn't even tell Webb, and I don't know how much Ganji knew when I said my villain name and he recognized it. Never told Midoriya the stuff I was directly involved with, just pretended like I saw it all from afar. Who besides the League's top members, know what I've done? "Reaper was," Zach continued. Fuck it. It's Kaminari. If I was ever going to tell someone, well I might've picked Momo first... but actually probably not since I'd be more nervous she'd think badly-
"Reaper is..." Kaminari started, lifting his eyebrows and leaning forward more as it seemed like Zach was messing with him at this point.
"It's the name I went by, when I was a villain," Zach said, his voice serious and his expression straight.
"Huh?" Kaminari got a confused look on his face. "They didn't call you Lifebringer? Or just Zach while you were healing people?"
"I wasn't just, saving people," Zach said. He stared straight into Kaminari's eyes and watched as the blond was slowly putting together what Zach was telling him. "I didn't kill anyone Kaminari. I didn't. But, just about anything else you can think of," Zach's voice got softer, his eyes darker, and his fists clenched so hard at his sides he was afraid he would rip through the new kind of glove on his right he had never torn through before.
"What do you mean-"
"I was a villain Kaminari," Zach whispered. He lowered his arms from crossed over the chair down to his sides, and he turned forward on the chair while spinning it around and rolling closer to his friend. Kaminari was still leaning forward, and now Zach leaned forward too and with a serious gaze as he continued, "When I stopped saving as many people as Lifebringer, when you stopped hearing about me, did you think I was just sitting around doing nothing?"
"I," Kaminari started. "I guess I, didn't really think too hard about it."
Good, Zach thought, hoping most people did the same. Then he took a deep breath and continued in an even softer voice just in case Jirou or anyone else was listening. "No Kaminari. I was, taking part in villain activities. Joining in with villain fights. Helping the League of Villains take on other criminal organizations. Overseeing drug deals and sales. Packaging, and transporting, and fighting… Haggling with black market costume dealers while shrouded in Nightmare form, and threatening non-compliant villains into-"
"Dude, what are you talking about?" Kaminari whispered at him fast. "Why would you say stuff like…" he stopped himself and shook his head, the look on Zach's face as he said all that showing he was in fact serious. "That's all true," Kaminari whispered after pausing for a second. He lifted his left hand and rubbed his forehead, then he frowned at Zach and said, "Why? Why'd you do that stuff?"
"They were stopping me from saving people," Zach whispered back. "The very first time, Shigaraki pushed me to do even a little more, I realized it. I knew I would just keep going 'one more step' farther. And I knew 'one more step' would eventually be killing someone. So I accepted all of the steps that would come before it, to build up trust with the League. I understood that the only way, they would ever trust me enough to let me come back to U.A., my plan which finally came to fruition at VTS, was if I showed them I was a villain. So I did whatever they asked, except kill people. The villains all make their own codes, and that was mine." Zach looked deep into Kaminari's eyes, hoping to see acceptance, or just something to show him his friend's reaction to all this. "I hated every second of it," Zach whispered at Kaminari's thoughtful look like he was trying to figure out his own opinion. "But, I understood I was never getting away from there without their trust. I did things though, that would classify me as a villain if the courts ever found out. If heroes, or our classmates, or the media, ever got wind of-"
"I won't tell anyone," Kaminari reassured him, lifting up his left palm in front of him to tell Zach not to worry about it. "But damn Zach," Kaminari added, and he lifted his left hand to his head and ran it up through his blond hair. "Doing those kind of things, aren't you-"
"They made me sick," Zach whispered. "They still, looking back on them," he continued, his eyes losing some focus. "They're, the worst things I've ever done. And I told myself I did them to stop myself from doing anything worse, but I did things only a villain could. All, so I could escape."
"But it didn't work," Kaminari whispered.
"No, it didn't," Zach whispered back. His eyes refocused, and he added in a lower voice, "I never should have tried it like that. I should have always gone for making a break for it. Just running as fast and as far as I could…" Zach bit down hard, looked into Kaminari's eyes to see his friend stuck up on all he just mentioned with him as a villain. "Until the Hunter found me…" Zach whispered. What am I doing?! Just, to get him to stop thinking about Reaper? "And Webb, saved me," Zach whispered, his eyes wide, his heart racing. I want to tell him. I want to tell my best friend, everything. All Might said, to confine in those I trust the most. That's you Kaminari.
"Hunter? Webb? Who are they?" Kaminari asked, shaking his head around and focusing on what Zach was saying now to get his mind off of that Reaper stuff.
"Webb, is the guy you saw facing Shatterer…" Zach started. He leaned back on the chair he was sitting on, and for the first time in years, maybe his entire life, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. I never told Jenny about my mom. I never told Momo about being a villain. Never told anyone about the torture, other than Softy and even then only a little. Still don't want to do that. But this, this is amazing. Kaminari, please let me trust you. If you tell anyone a single thing, I'll never forgive- well, I might, because you're… I need to make sure you won't. I'll make sure. And then I'll, then I'll tell you everything. Or almost everything. I know I can trust you. I want you, to help me fight villains. Would you come if I asked? I know Kirishima said he would, and you went to Camino Ward to get me so the rules must not hold you back that much. But still, I should be careful. Careful, I don't push you away telling you too much. Kaminari was leaning far forward with huge eyes and a growing smile as Zach admitted to knowing who the guy facing Shatterer was, a smug look on his face as if saying 'I knew it,' to Zach. Zach chuckled to himself and leaned farther forward, saying, "You're not going to believe it, Kaminari. But in this world are heroes and villains, and then, there are anti-heroes. And currently," Zach smirked even as he felt a little nervous as he started it. "I'd consider myself between a hero and anti-hero."
"Anti-heroes?" Kaminari wondered, his eyes huge and then lowering in a disbelieving kind-of confused way.
"Oh yeah," Zach replied. "Kaminari, you really ready for this? I'm gonna tell you all about the villains. Stuff I haven't told anyone because of what it would say about me. About what I've done, before and after escaping the villains. Please tell me you'll keep it all secret. Every last thing. You-"
"Can you stop saying that?" Kaminari asked, rolling his eyes but also getting an annoyed look on his face. "I keep telling you man," he said. "Whatever you tell me, it's between us. Besides, I need to hear these kind of things." Zach's eyebrows lifted up this time in confusion, and Kaminari leaned forward before saying, "There's gotta be something to explain how you keep getting more popular with the girls." Kaminari cracked a big grin, and Zach's look turned shocked for only a few seconds before he grinned back.
"Alright then," Zach whispered, and he scooted the chair even closer to Kaminari. "I realized in probably late September that Shigaraki wasn't sending me out to save people as much anymore. It wasn't right when he first had me do more, as I thought I could keep up the extra stuff he wanted me to do and healing people, but I realized it soon after that he was diverting my time, and that's when I first made my plan…"
A/N Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Finally missed my schedule of posting so sorry about that. Been pretty busy traveling around Japan, just left an onsen (Japanese hot springs) a couple days back and spent all of last 2 days exploring Kyoto so there's that. Anyway I'll try to get back on every day posting again! Thanks for reading this chapter. Second year of U.A. is about to begin with Zach opening up to a few of his classmates and lying to others. Leave a review below telling me what you think or questions about the story! Review response time:
17konbro chapter 53 . Aug 1
Momozaki and Kamijirou intensifies...
God I am glad Zach came back so smooth from that.
Got some more of one of those in this chapter at least... Glad you liked how slick Zach was with coming back, though he's a little less smooth when it comes to talking to his actual classmates and not the random judges. Thanks for the review!
Jonnno377 chapter 53 . Aug 3
Sick chapter as usual I tell you what though seeing Webb and Zach's first interaction will be sick just be nice for me and don't have Webb like get rid of Zach cause I feel as when Zach was living his like double life of anti hero and hero that was a strong point in the story I'm more of a dark heavy plot kinda guy so I'd like to see the relationship strengthened but hey man your a amazing writer and considering for the quality of your writing you get these out really quickly like lighting fast so can't wait to see where you take the story next keep up the quality work
Thanks! We'll see when/if Webb and Zach meet up again, and Zach did think about that himself this chapter a bit. Zach mentions towards the end to Kaminari that he still thinks of himself at least a bit as an anti-hero, so he's not giving up on that yet. Again thanks a lot for the compliments at the end, I'm really glad you've liked the story so far! You can be sure there's still some dark stuff coming... but no spoilers! Hope you enjoyed the newest chapter!
DDayman112 chapter 53 . 11h ago
Great story man. But plz make zack and momo start dating already the tension around them is killing me.
Thanks! Even more tension here with the two... though Zach admits it to Kaminari in the final scene too! We'll see where it leads from here, hope the suspense doesn't really kill you! XD Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for the review!
-Thanks everyone for the reviews, favoriting, following, or just reading the story!