Deviant
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.
Warnings: Violence, Drama, Peril, Death
Pairings: Midoriya x Amajiki, Midoriya x Shinsou, Midoriya x Bakugou, Midoriya x Todoroki, Midoriya x Uraraka
Plot: Life after the apocalypse has drastically changed for those who survived. Contracting with demons is probably one of the least interesting developments in the new world. For Midoriya and Amajiki, it's become a standard way of life, the only existence they've ever known. They must rely on one another to avoid possession, and live whatever semblance of life remains now that the planet has been ripped apart.
Demon Classes:
Lesser - unable to appear in spectral form, only visible/communicative with contracted host
Mid - can appear in spectral form/partial manifestation
Greater - can manifest entirely in the physical realm
Deviant - dangerous to contract with, strong enough to possess host during manifestation
Chaos - can exist independently without contractor, consume weaker demons to sustain themselves and accumulate power
*New Additions to Plethoras:
(Amajiki: Takeyama, Kayama, Shindou)
^Ascended to Higher Ranking:
(Midoriya: Bakugou, Toga, Todoroki, Asui, Uraraka, Kirishima, Kaminari, Jirou, Hagakure, Sero, Yaoyorozu, Iida, Koda)
(Amajiki: Nejire, Hawks, Tsuburaba, Shimura, Fumikage, Komori)
Midoriya: (Original Pact: Bakugou, Uraraka, Todoroki)
Power - Bakugou ^ D/D (power/combustion), Toga ^ M/M (power/darkness)
Fire - Todoroki ^ D/D (fire/ice)
Water - Asui ^ G
Air - Uraraka ^ G/G (air/gravity)
Earth - Kirishima ^ G/G (earth/shield)
Light - Kaminari ^ G (lightning)
Darkness - Shinsou C
Enhancements: Jirou ^ M/M (sight/sound), Hagakure ^ G (stealth), Sero ^ G (binding), Ashido M (poison), Yaoyorozu ^ G (crafting), Iida ^ G (speed), Koda ^ M/M (voice/sound)
Amajiki: (Original Pact: Hawks, Fumikage, Nejire/Mirio)
Power - Usagiyama D, Mirio G/G (power/light)
Fire - n/a
Water - Nejire ^ G, *Takeyama G (oasis)
Air - Hawks ^ D, Tsuburaba ^ G/G (air/shield)
Earth - *Shindou G
Light - Shimura ^ D/D (light/gravity)
Darkness - Fumikage ^ G
Enhancements: Aizawa G (sight), Kuroiro G (stealth), Shiozaki M (binding), Komori ^ G (growth), Hatsume M (crafting), *Kayama G (illusion)
Terminology:
Aura - the lifeforce and energy emitted by all living things, quality and quantity vary
Dual - demons capable of offering their contracted host multiple quirks
Shade - L demons who possess and feed solely off of animals
Husk - the remnants of a human host after possession, if not devoured entirely
Remnant - a common name for a lingering piece of reality before the apocalypse
Revenant - another name for an embodied demon, a demon that has returned to life
Deviancy - when G or D demons become powerful enough to possess their host without consent, some demons may have deviant tendencies but decide never to act upon them
Possession - when a demon takes full control of their host without express consent, and may choose to relinquish control, remain in control, or devour their contracted host accordingly
Reality - the realm where humans exist naturally
Astral - the realm where demons exist naturally and draw power from, Astral mirrors Reality
Haven - a safe shared headspace between demon and host within the astral realm
The Abyss - the endless void where demons are derived
Hotspot - a place where the veil between The Abyss and Reality is thin, allowing excess energy to leak to the surface, a gate between the afterlife and the living realm
Cherished - the demonic equivalent of bonded soulmates, when contracting with a human cherished pairs typically bond simultaneously with their chosen host to remain together
Ch 11: Architect
Midoriya drew back his arm, his eyes burning with fire, heat and light curling from the center of his palm and consuming his fingers as he gathered Todoroki's quirk, thrusting his arm forward and releasing a searing pillar of flames.
Amajiki lifted both of his arms before him, quickly erecting a shield with Tsuburaba's quirk and unleashing Usagi to fight against Midoriya head-on, Bakugou appearing in her path to block her, the deviants quickly exchanging a flurry of blows.
Shinsou watched from nearby, Rodi sitting at his side, the human humming to himself while listening to music on his headphones, his grey eyes drifting between the demons currently engaged in the fight with interest as he bit into his apple. He continued chewing for a lingering moment before shifting, offering Pino a bite as well, his bonded smiling and leaning closer against his shoulder to take a bite for herself, Rodi watching her movements with an affectionate little smile.
Midoriya darted forward, summoning Kirishima's shield and calling forth Kaminari's lightning, sending bolts raining down from overhead while drawing Todoroki's other quirk tightly within his chest, ice blossoming at his fingertips as he shouted out a solitary command.
"Freeze!"
"Shit-" Amajiki cursed, but it was too late to dodge, and Hawks placed himself between his contractor and the oncoming blow, Todoroki's ice freezing him in place and creeping up the length of his wings, solidifying him in a jagged cluster of ice.
"C'mon!" Rodi called, cupping his hand beside his mouth to amplify his voice, "Don't quit now! Think of what you can do!"
Amajiki grit his teeth, whipping his arm to the side and drawing Shimura to the surface, the deviant rushing past Hawks and slamming into Midoriya, the human yelping as he was thrown backwards, Uraraka suddenly there to cushion his fall. She levitated beside him as he floated just above the ground, Midoriya exhaling a shaky breath in relief and offering her a sheepish smile, Uraraka grinning down at him and laughing merrily.
"Don't get cocky!" She chided gently, and Midoriya nodded his understanding, righting himself and observing the fray from a short distance away, thinking of what he wanted to do next.
"If he's using Shimura, then as opposition to light…" He clenched his fists, drawing Shinsou's strength, dark runes appearing across his tanned skin as he ran back into the fight, the chaos nearby watching with a little smile as Midoriya unleashed his quirk.
"Blackout!"
Shimura's breath hitched as she was encased in a capsule of darkness, Shinsou's strength as a chaos quickly subduing her and rendering her unusable, Amajiki clicking his tongue against his teeth irritably as he launched a counter of his own.
"Oasis!" He shouted while reaching out towards Midoriya, and Takeyama appeared as a shimmering mirage above him, her pale curls spiraling all around her as she fixed her sights on her opponent. She stretched out both of her arms, sending waves of glinting light across the plethoras of demons between them, blinding Midoriya and causing him to recoil defensively, giving Amajiki an opportunity to attack.
Unable to see, disoriented from the sudden use of Takeyama's quirk, Midoriya let out a shuddering exhale and called out quickly to the demons surrounding him, "Hanta! Eijirou! Take the helm!"
Sero pulled him backwards away from danger while Kirishima rose to possess him, and between the two demons they managed to fend off the next series of attacks, Todoroki and Bakugou manifested fully on either side of their contractor, ensuring Usagi couldn't draw closer until Midoriya had a chance to recover.
Shindou was at Amajiki's shoulder, giving him advice as the fight progressed, Amajiki nodding his understanding and letting out a trembling breath before offering himself up as well. "Mirio! Nejire!"
"That's a good call, offering a cherished pair the helm." Rodi murmured under his breath, taking another bite of his apple and reaching up to tug one of his headphones aside, asking Shinsou curiously, "Is there a reason why Midoriya didn't offer himself up to Kirishima and Kaminari? Cherished pairs working together are always stronger than those unpaired."
"He favors Sero." Shinsou replied quietly, sighing and reclining back on his hands a bit. "That's all there is to it, really. After saving him last year, they've become quite attached to one another. I would say that Sero's closeness with our contractor rivals that of his original powerhouses now."
Rodi hummed quietly, nodding his understanding, licking at a stray trail of juice dripping down his finger before taking another bite. "That's understandable. Though strictly speaking tactically, perhaps not the most effective way to wield their quirks."
Shinsou chuckled, patting Rodi's shoulder and nodding his agreement, letting out a deep sigh. "You're right of course, and I agree. It's been a long day. They've been sparring since early this morning." Shinsou glanced up towards the open sky stretching on and on above them, the sunlight reflected in his dark irises casting an eerie violet glow around them. "I think it's safe to say it might be time to force them to take a break. They needed to eat something, and recharge their reserves. We should decide on a new location to rest for tonight."
Pino shifted against Rodi's side as the human pushed himself up to his feet, the pair merging together flawlessly without exchanging any words, Rodi tossing his core aside before lifting his wings and kicking off from the ground, soaring to lofty heights. Shinsou watched him for a moment longer before refocusing on the contractors nearby, pushing himself up as well and starting to walk closer, the various demons exchanging blows gradually halting their movements as the chaos approached.
Shinsou greeted them warmly, giving both his cohabitors and Amajiki's plethora words of encouragement and praise, whispering soft advice now and then before continuing on towards the humans. As Midoriya turned to face him Kirishima was reflected in his eyes, and it took a few moments before his irises returned to their usual viridian green, Midoriya letting out a quiet sigh and reaching up to card his fingers through his tousled hair.
"I know, I know. Call for Kaminari too when I have Kirishima at the helm."
Shinsou hummed a quiet affirmative, nodding and redirecting his gaze to Amajiki, the other human panting quietly as he reached up to wipe the sweat from his brow, hints of his plethora still lingering in his eyes.
"You both did good work today. Your counters are becoming more intuitive and your fluidity is improving. Your trust in your plethoras is clearly evident with the way you engage and call upon their quirks." He turned away from them slightly, catching Hawks' eyes as the deviant drew closer, the fallen angel smiling and nodding as well.
He placed a gloved hand on Amajiki's shoulder, his broad smile causing his fangs to glint in the brilliant sunlight. "I'm proud of you for continuing on with the fight even without Shimura and myself there to guide you. Turning to Shindou for advice was an excellent backup strategy. You've improved so much in these past few months, both of you." His eyes drifted between Amajiki and Midoriya, offering the other human an affectionate smile as well. "Let's take a break? Surely you're both getting hungry by now."
"I could eat." Amajiki murmured with a heavy sigh, and Midoriya hummed his agreement, rolling his shoulders and reaching up to rub at the side of his neck, wincing lightly.
"I'm still not used to using Todoroki's ice." Midoriya complained softly, his lips turning down into a little frown. "I feel cold and achy all over."
Amajiki watched him quietly for a few moments before taking a step closer, reaching out to slip his fingers through Midoriya's while pressing a kiss to his temple. "Don't worry, babe." He murmured teasingly, his thumb tracing across Midoriya's knuckles. "After we eat, I promise I'll warm you up."
Midoriya laughed at that, nudging Amajiki lightly while the older boy grinned impishly, Midoriya tilting his face up for a kiss, Amajiki squeezing his fingers and dipping down to meet him.
In the three years that had passed since they had met Rodi, and started running from the chaos pursuing them, the love shared between Amajiki and Midoriya had continued to blossom and grow, providing their plethoras with an overflowing wellspring to feed from. Over time it had allowed their demons to ascend in their individual rankings, and now there was not a lesser amongst them, all of their demons mid and greater. Several had ascended their ranks to deviant, including Bakugou and Todoroki.
Once Todoroki had ascended to deviant tier, he finally revealed to Midoriya his other latent quirk. In the past six months, Todoroki had guided Midoriya through how to summon it and wield it properly, but it was fierce and deadly, still somewhat of a wildcard. Midoriya used it often during sparring matches with Amajiki for practice. Ice was a rare quirk amongst all rankings of demons, and it was effective even against chaos, much to Shinsou's delight.
If the chaos hunting them were to finally catch up with them, Shinsou hoped that Todoroki might be able to freeze the reaver long enough for them to make their escape. When Shinsou sparred against Todoroki one-on-one, there were times when even he was overwhelmed as a darkness chaos. It was uncertain how Todoroki's ice would fare against a chaos of fire as their elements naturally opposed one another, but in reality there was only one sure way to find out.
Amajiki donned Hawks' wings, and Midoriya drew upon Shinsou's strength as well, dark webbings sprouting from his fingers and arms as he swept himself off of the ground and took flight.
They caught up to Rodi easily enough, their companion weaving leisurely in and out of the thick, fluffy clouds casting shadows upon the grasslands far below. Midoriya flexed his wings to draw closer, leveling himself out to fly at Rodi's side while Amajiki soared ahead just slightly above them, gradually drifting closer to the sun.
"The air feels good today! Nice and warm!" Rodi called over the rush of the wind, Midoriya smiling and nodding, chasing after Rodi as he turned and swiveled through the clouds, fine droplets of condensation clinging to their hair and skin as they emerged once more into the sunlight.
Amajiki watched them play, smiling down at them with a quiet sigh, his crimson wings beating steadily against the air as he reached out his fingertips and spanned them against the humid air.
It felt as if it might rain soon, with any luck they might see a rainbow while the sun was still high.
It didn't take long to find a small farmhouse standing alone in the center of a series of crop fields, Rodi and Midoriya circling over it for several moments before beginning their descent. Amajiki took in their surroundings for a moment longer before dropping to follow after them, the ground rushing to meet him before he spread his wings wide, coasting the final distance until his feet met sun-kissed grass nearly as tall as his shins.
Midoriya was already walking towards the barn ahead of them, peeking inside and searching for anything salvageable while Rodi in turn explored the farmhouse, Amajiki taking his time walking between tall rows of wheatgrass and wild corn while beckoning Komori to the surface.
The greater greeted him with a smile, stretching out her tether to explore the area surrounding the farmhouse and gather whatever she could find, Amajiki watching her go with a little smile. He called for Hatsume next, and the crafting enhancement set out to explore as well, categorizing and evaluating whatever she came across, filing each new discovery away within her limitless quirk capacities to draw upon later at appropriate times.
It seemed Yaoyorozu was doing the same, Midoriya marveling at the large tractor sitting within the massive barn, climbing up one of the giant tires to inspect it from the operator's seat, smoothing his hands along the dusty wheel and grinning as he looked down at Amajiki.
"This thing is huge! I wonder if Kaminari and Rozu can get it working!"
Amajiki stepped closer, glancing around the large barn with interest, his eyes trailing across the hay bales piled along the tall walls and the loft sitting high above them. "Ready to take up country living as a farmhand? Somehow I imagine such a simple life would be boring."
"Someday you might yearn for a boring, simple life." Shinsou chuckled as he appeared around the corner of the barn door, his tail swaying behind him slowly as he offered Amajiki and Midoriya a wide grin. "Come on inside the farmhouse. You'll never believe what Rodi and Pino managed to find."
Amajiki tilted his head slightly, humming curiously and watching the chaos with a little smile before glancing up at Midoriya expectantly, quirking a brow. He waited as Midoriya climbed down from the tractor, and once the younger boy drew close enough they laced hands and began walking after Shinsou towards the weathered farmhouse, bumblebees buzzing loudly between colorful wildflowers surrounding the front porch.
The interior of the farmhouse was strangely clean, Midoriya looking around with wide eyes, marveling at the vintage floral wallpaper and white countertops in the kitchen, Amajiki frowning a little as he glanced towards the living-room where a handful of fresh flowers were sitting in a tall vase.
"Is someone living here?" He asked softly, drawing upon Aizawa's quirk, sensing for any traces of other humans throughout the farmhouse and surrounding property.
"In a manner of speaking." Shinsou mused, grinning and nodding down the hall. Midoriya started forward, tugging Amajiki along with him, searching for their companion while hesitantly exploring the adjacent rooms.
They found Rodi at the end of the hall, his muffled voice carrying up a small flight of dimly lit stairs, Midoriya descending slowly while calling out to him curiously, "Rodi? What did you find?"
"Hold on! I've almost got it!" He called back, and Midoriya came to stand at his shoulder, taking in the sight of the polished metal door before him, Amajiki coming to stand beside them as well. Rodi didn't look up from his tinkering, biting at his bottom lip while trying another set of numbers into the sensor mounted beside the locked door, cursing quietly under his breath as the panel flashed and reset once again. "It can only be so many things. Let's see if this gets it-"
Amajiki observed his efforts quietly, leaning a little closer to watch as Rodi worked. He glanced towards Midoriya, catching his eyes for a brief moment before returning his gaze to the flashing panel once more. Rodi continued muttering to himself quietly, letting out a soft sigh and taking a moment to think before trying another set of long, complex numbers.
"Can't we just break into it?" Midoriya asked softly, looking back at Shinsou, the demon watching with a little grin.
"We could, but doing so might damage the integrity of the entire system, and we wouldn't want to risk that." Shinsou crossed his arms over his chest leisurely, shifting his weight to the side and watching over the human trio with a smile. "Places like these are a rarity. Not many survived the fall."
"Okay...and...got it!" Rodi pulled back from the door with a bright cheer as the panel chimed and the locks began to open, the door clicking and shifting to the side, allowing access to the brightly lit chamber within.
[Welcome home Professor.]
Rodi started down the hall, his steps almost skipping as he started to run. "C'mon! Let's check it out! Who knows what we might find!"
"What is this place?" Amajiki asked under his breath, but Midoriya was already running ahead to follow after Rodi, turning around and beckoning Amajiki to come along with him.
"Hurry! Let's go!"
"You'll see." Shinsou chuckled, ushering Amajiki on playfully while following casually after, glancing around the pristine white interior of the chamber with a little nod. "Looks like this place has been well taken care of. Everything must still be running smoothly, given the state of the farmhouse."
Amajiki watched Shinsou with a little frown, only relenting once Midoriya called for him again. He turned without another word and ran to meet him, the two disappearing together down the length of the illuminated hall.
Rodi had already reached the next chamber, the interior opening up into a large underground laboratory, and beyond the tall glass walls rows upon rows of brightly lit crop fields stretched on and on further than the eye could see. Each field appeared to be growing various harvests from different climates and different seasons; fruits and vegetables, grains and grasses. There were small trees in checkered nurseries, standing square and uniform beneath giant grow lights and interwoven misting arches.
Rodi stood at the edge of the lab, looking out across the fields and smiling to himself in awe, his cheeks rosy with glee.
"Wow. This place, it's…" He turned to look at Midoriya and Amajiki as they approached, tears gleaming in his eyes. "It's thriving! The last Arable Shelter we found was broken down, hardly any of the drones were functioning. This is…" He shook his head, laughing and pressing his hands against the glass. "This is amazing! It's way more than I was expecting when I spotted the entry door!"
"How did this place survive the bombs?" Midoriya breathed out shakily, his eyes wide as he reached out to touch the glass as well. "I've never seen...we've never seen anything like this before."
"It's unreal." Amajiki agreed quietly, rubbing Midoriya's back gently, his fingers tracing over the curve of the younger boy's scapula reverently. "How is this place running? There's electricity here?"
[Project cultivation at 98% efficiency. Solar panels recharging. Current capacity at 212%.]
The humans looked around in opposite directions, twisting towards the sound of that voice chiming from overhead, and somehow also all around them. They couldn't quite pinpoint the origin of the sound, and so after a moment they called out to it again.
"Hello?" Rodi sing-songed cheerily, glancing around while walking towards one of the monitors nearby. "Computer? Assistant? Can you tell us your name?"
The voice didn't reply, and Rodi propped a hand on his hip with a little frown, glancing towards Amajiki, beckoning for him to give it a try.
Amajiki tilted his head slightly in confusion but eventually nodded, looking up at the bright lights above them while asking hesitantly, "Is someone there? Can you hear us?"
[Greetings, Professor. Do you require assistance?]
Midoriya's face lit up at that, and he covered his soft laughter with his hand before saying under his breath teasingly, "Go on then, Professor! It thinks you're the previous owner! Your voices must sound the same?"
Rodi nodded his agreement, giving Amajiki a thumbs up and a wink. "Ask for its name! It'll make communicating easier, trust me!"
Amajiki laughed a little before asking hesitantly, "Tell me your name?"
The overhead chimed and a series of notes played before the voice answered, [The name you have given to me is Shouji.]
Amajiki nodded thoughtfully to himself, pausing for a moment before asking curiously, "What's my name, Shouji?"
The overhead chimed again, then the voice replied, [You are Professor Horikoshi.]
Rodi inhaled audibly, his eyes wide as he turned and looked out across the fields of crops just beyond the glass, saying breathlessly, "Horikoshi Kohei designed and built the first functional Arable Shelter! His Greenhouse projects sprung up all over the world as the years went by, especially closer to the end when the environment turned to shit, right before the last war broke out." He tapped his fingers against the glass absently, his eyes tracing over the checkered fields as he spoke. "Lots of people thought that Horikoshi's shelters would be a way for the world to revive after the winter passed, but this is the only one I've ever come across that's actually thriving-"
"How do you know about this?" Midoriya asked, Amajiki arching his brow a little and nodding, watching Rodi curiously as well.
"You're our age, you would have just been a kid when the bombs dropped. How can you possibly know all this stuff?" He hesitated a moment, thinking back, "How did you know which numbers to try on the keypad? The combinations on panels like that are practically endless, same as bunkers. How did you manage to figure it out so quickly and let us in?"
Rodi was quiet for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh, the brunette reaching up to card his fingers through his hair before dropping his arm to the side once more.
"Alright, listen." He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, casting his gaze to the side. "I like you guys. Really I do. These past few years we've spent together, I feel like we've all become really close, and I trust you guys. I do. I'd protect you if I needed to. I'd do practically anything to keep the both of you safe. But this…" He shook his head, glancing up and finally meeting their eyes. "I can't talk about this. You don't need to know this, and I'm not ready to reveal that part of myself yet. So, can we just-"
His breath hitched, and he arched his brow a bit, offering them both an apologetic smile.
"Can we just pretend like I'm really good at numbers, and have exceptional luck, and as for the rest…" He shrugged and laughed quietly, "Maybe I just happened to read all about that stuff in a book? Can we all be content with that for now?"
Midoriya's brow was arched, his expression confused, and he glanced up at Amajiki before refocusing on Rodi, offering hesitantly, "Y-Yeah, Rodi. I mean...it's alright if you don't want to talk about your past yet. The life you had before meeting us, it doesn't really matter now anyway, does it?"
Midoriya looked to Amajiki when the other boy didn't opt to agree with him, and Rodi met Amajiki's eyes with a sheepish grin, leaning back against the glass behind him lightly while waiting to see how he would respond.
Amajiki's frown lingered for a few moments longer before he slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah I guess you're right. I guess so." He looked to his freckled companion, and Midoriya squeezed his hand gently and leaned closer to press his lips to Amajiki's jaw, some of the tension gradually relaxing in his knit shoulders.
Rodi watched them with a little smile before he shifted his gaze to Shinsou, the demon watching their interactions calmly, his tail swaying back and forth behind him.
"Well then?" He asked, gesturing towards the large glass doors. "Shall we take a closer look?"
Once Amajiki gave the A.I. in charge of the greenhouse the go-ahead, the glass doors opened wide to allow them down the stairs leading to the lush crop fields below, Komori immediately branching out to collect and categorize each and every new find.
Rodi walked ahead of them, as if he knew how to navigate the fields without need of a guide, stopping beside one checkered patch of thick, twisting vines and crouching down, searching under the large leaves for a moment before finding what he was looking for.
He snapped the watermelon from the vine, lifting it against his chest and grinning wide as he carried it with him, humming happily to himself and pausing at the closest intersection of crops. There was a small research station there, standing beside a command panel controlling temperature, humidity, water output, and the overhead growth lights, and Rodi wasted no time in sweeping aside several binders to claim the counter space for his own purposes.
He flicked his fingers against the curved surface of the melon, listening to the dull thudding sounds with interest before positioning it in the center of the table, grinning from ear to ear as he glanced towards the pairs of eyes watching from nearby. "Have either of you ever tasted watermelon before?"
Midoriya arched his brow a little, thinking for a moment before meeting Amajiki's eyes, the older boy frowning a bit and shaking his head slowly. "Not that I'm aware of. The name sounds vaguely familiar, as if I've read about it somewhere before."
Rodi chuckled heartily, pulling his satchel forward and digging through it for a moment before retrieving a knife from inside, unsheathing the blade from its worn leather scabbard and cutting into the melon with a sharp crunch. "You're in for a treat then! This is one of my favorites!"
Midoriya stepped a little closer, watching with surprise as the green rind revealed rich pink fruit inside, Rodi lifting a large slice and offering it to Midoriya with a flourish, returning to cutting for a moment before offering Amajiki a slice as well.
"Don't swallow the black seeds! You can spit them out as you go!" He cut himself a slice with another crunch before setting his knife aside, lifting the watermelon and taking a large wet bite, trails of pink juice quickly dripping down his fingers and chin to dapple the soil below.
Midoriya watched Rodi with wide eyes, glancing up at Amajiki for only a moment before taking a bite as well, slurping up an unexpected mouthful of juice as the fruit practically melted against his tongue, taking care not to swallow any seeds as he chewed and savored the sweet taste.
Amajiki was already on his second bite, watching Rodi and mimicking his movements as he turned and spat seeds to the side, licking his lips and wiping his face with the back of his hand before taking another bite.
They ate together in relative silence for a while before Rodi set his rind atop the counter and let out a contented sigh, glancing around their surroundings and humming to himself thoughtfully. "I wonder…"
Shinsou wandered between the flourishing rows of crops as the humans shared their fruit, sensing subtle vibrations in the earth all around them, his eyes tracing the tall arches of the towering misters overhead. His gaze traveled across the vaulted domed ceiling, following the positioning of the massive grow-lights and interwoven structural support system, dropping his eyes to focus on the checkered orchards nearby and the various research stations set up here and there across the expansive fields.
Something else was here further underground, something he couldn't quite recognize with the greenhouse system's interference. He continued further into the depths of the bunker, trying to locate the source of the vibrations, leaving his cohabitors behind to watch over their contractor in his absence.
Rodi was exploring as well, making his way towards a metal structure standing nearby resembling a small barn, glancing back towards Amajiki and Midoriya before beckoning them closer. He paused briefly before stepping inside the shadowed interior, the automatic lights switching on as he made his way towards the computers against the closest wall.
"Here we are." Rodi said with a happy sigh, cracking his knuckles and flexing his fingers for a moment before he began entering in strings of unrecognizable code. "They're in daytime hibernation. Let's see if we can wake one of them up. They're already fully charged."
Shouji's voice chimed from overhead, Rodi tilting his face up slightly while listening. [Request to break android prescheduled sleep cycle received, Professor. Verbal authorization to awaken Aoyama: Unit 0034679 required.]
Rodi fixed Amajiki in his sights, and Amajiki hesitated only for a moment before replying, "You have my permission, Shouji. Wake them up."
A series of melodic beeps chimed from overhead, and the back wall of the structure shifted and opened up to reveal a hidden storage room beyond. There were rows of pods lined up side by side, one illuminating and sliding forward along a metal track, coming to sit in the center of the room. There was a pause before the surface of the pod began lighting up with flashing lights, and after the A.I. had time to issue commands and awaken the android within the pod slowly began to open.
Midoriya and Amajiki backed away a few steps, but Rodi stepped forward to greet them as the android stepped out of the pod, grinning and reaching out to brush his fingertips against the android's shoulder and upper arm.
"Wow. They're in such excellent condition. It's like the fall never happened. I never imagined I'd see such craftsmanship ever again."
The android watched Rodi quietly for a few moments before lights flickered across their forehead and throat, and then they asked curiously, "Is there something you needed assistance with, Architect Sōru?"
Rodi's eyes widened and his breath hitched, and he laughed merrily and patted the android's arm, replying apologetically, "Ah, I'm sorry to break your rest cycle so suddenly. I was hoping actually you might give us a tour of the grounds to start?"
Aoyama watched Rodi curiously for a long moment before dipping their head slightly, replying with a soft chime, "Of course, Architect. Right this way."
As they stepped away from the computer panels the storage unit closed itself off once again, and Rodi hummed to himself quietly as he followed after Aoyama back out into the greenhouse, Midoriya and Amajiki lingering behind in silence.
"Who is he?" Amajiki breathed out quietly. "How does he know how to do all of this? It called him Architect? What does that even mean-"
"He's our friend." Midoriya replied back just as softly, squeezing Amajiki's hand and arching his brow, slowly searching his eyes. "I trust him, no matter who he was in the life he lived before meeting us. He's our ally, Tamaki. He's been with us now for years."
"Something's not right." Amajiki insisted worriedly, his brow pinching as he squeezed back Midoriya's fingers tightly. "Why won't he just tell us? Why doesn't he want us to know?"
"I don't know." Midoriya whispered back gently. "I'm curious about all of this too, but regardless of his secrecy, I still trust him. Don't you?"
Amajiki's mouth was pressed into a firm line, and as he shook his head Midoriya could feel him trembling. "Honestly? I don't know anymore. I want to trust him still, but I need to know everything." He exhaled a shaky breath, closing his eyes briefly before focusing on Midoriya again. "He has to tell us the truth about all this. I can't just let it go."
Midoriya nodded slowly, offering Amajiki a soft smile. "I know. I understand your concern. Let's try to give him a little more time. If he was a danger to us, our plethoras would have sensed something by now. Let's give him a chance to explain before we overthink things too much."
Amajiki hummed quietly, nodding his agreement, leaning closer to press a kiss to Midoriya's forehead, Midoriya letting out a soft, nervous sigh.
"No matter what happens with Rodi, we'll always have one another." Midoriya whispered gently, tilting his face up and searching Amajiki's eyes. "Always."
Amajiki held his eyes in turn, dipping down to press his lips against Midoriya's, tasting the sweet traces of watermelon lingering against his tongue. "Always."
A rumbling shook through the ground, Midoriya and Amajiki clinging to one another and turning to rush outside, looking around for any sign of the disturbance. Rodi was already in the air, his wings beating against the open space above them to take him to greater heights.
Aoyama was on the ground beneath him, the android's gaze fixated on a cloud of dust near the back of the greenhouse, several flashing lights illuminating across their left arm and chest. "Damage to structural integrity of cavern wall detected, location parallel to grain fields C3 and C4. Repair drones en route to location to assess damage and begin structural repairs."
"Let's go!" Rodi called down to them, Amajiki quickly calling forth Hawks' wings while Midoriya kicked off of the ground, beating his webbings against the mist-filled air and chasing after him.
It didn't take long to reach the cloud of dust filling the air, and once they landed nearby Midoriya realized Shinsou was the cause of the disturbance, the human stepping closer to inspect the large hole that had been punched through the side of the cavern, revealing an unlit cave system beyond.
Bakugou was at his side in an instant, Todoroki alongside him, the two deviants exchanging a look for a moment before turning to face their contractor.
"Shinsou located a hotspot nearby."
"This path should take us right to it."
"Seriously?" Midoriya breathed out in surprise, a smile curving up his cheeks as he ran ahead a little, Kaminari appearing before him to illuminate their path.
Amajiki and Rodi followed along right behind him, and through the twisting tunnels Midoriya could hear the sound of flowing water coming from up ahead, the chamber beyond opening up into a sizable bowl-shaped dome.
There was a spring there, bubbling up from somewhere further underground, the heated water causing thick steam to linger in the chilled air.
Uraraka and Toga manifested beside them, the blonde imp tugging on her companion's hand lightly, guiding her closer to the spring, Uraraka laughing brightly and glancing towards Midoriya as she was tugged along, a rosy blush highlighting her fair cheeks.
"Oh this place is wonderful!"
"The energy here is untouched."
"I wonder if anyone has ever been to this place before us."
"It doesn't feel like it!"
"The air is saturated with energy. The taste of it is simply divine."
Midoriya turned towards Amajiki, watching as Shimura and Usagi stepped closer to inspect the spring as well, Takeyama and Kayama chatting excitedly with Shindou, Mirio and Nejire holding hands and whispering softly to one another nearby.
Amajiki stepped away from his plethora and laced his hand with Midoriya's, pressing their foreheads together and squeezing his fingers gently, Midoriya pulling away just enough to glance back towards the spring when he felt Shinsou's presence return.
The chaos looked pleased with himself, his wings curved around his shoulders and his tail lashing the air as he made his way to his contractor's side, reaching out to smooth his hand along the curve of Midoriya's spine.
"It's sheltered here. It should be safe for us to relax a while at this hotspot. Maybe even a few days."
"Really?" Ashido said excitedly, Shinsou looking over at her as she smiled up at him from the edge of the spring, Yaoyorozu laughing and tugging her cherished into the steamy water beside her. "Can we really stay here that long?"
"It's been a while since we've taken a break from running." Shinsou mused with an impish little grin. "Enjoy this while you can. We may never come across a place like this during our travels ever again."
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Rodi cheered, sliding his satchel from his shoulder before stripping off his jacket and shirt, kicking off his boots as he made his way towards the water.
Pino was right beside him, twittering laughter escaping her as she waited for him to hurriedly undress, Rodi grinning impishly and scooping her up into his arms while splashing into the spring, Uraraka and Ashido laughing as he settled down beside them.
"You're sure it's safe?" Midoriya asked softly, drawing Shinsou's attention once more, the chaos holding his eyes for a long, quiet moment before smiling and nodding his head.
"I'm sure. You're safe here." He reached up and carded his fingers through Midoriya's dark hair, murmuring down to him gently, "You deserve to rest for a while. Try to relax and enjoy yourselves while you're here." He met Amajiki's eyes as well, the human holding his gaze for a moment before nodding his head, letting out a heavy sigh.
"I'll try." He replied with a little frown, and Midoriya reached up to cup his cheek, pushing himself up to kiss him once more. Amajiki breathed against his lips softly, wrapping his arms around Midoriya's waist and tugging him closer, Midoriya turning towards him fully to wrap his arms lightly around Amajiki's neck.
Rodi watched them quietly, Pino pressed against his side, her fingertips tracing lightly across the surface of the steaming water.
At the entrance of the cavern tunnel, Aoyama-0034679 stood beside the fragmented greenhouse wall, assessing the damage that Shinsou had created, swarms of tiny drones already working together to begin to remove scattered debris. Shouji watched their progress through Aoyama's eyes, assessing and calculating viable changes to support the new wing branching away from the established greenhouse.
He wasn't exactly certain what the Professor's interest was with the cave system within, but he was designed to learn and grow with each passing moment, and until instructed otherwise he would proceed with the assumption that the cave system was a new addition to their research project.
Outside of the farmhouse, far above the rolling hills of wheatgrass and wild corn, two pairs of eyes drifted over the vast countryside in search of the chaos they had been pursuing for the past three years. His signature had felt so close only moments before, but now it seemed lost. Muted. Hidden somewhere just out of sight.
Dabi narrowed his eyes, his tongue tracing over the points of his fangs before settling once more, his tails curling behind him.
"Keep searching." He growled quietly under his breath, and Kamiji flickered from his side in an instant, exploring their surroundings while Dabi hovered against a backdrop of blinding gold.
He clicked his tongue against his fangs thoughtfully, his eyes tracing over the farmhouse and the barn beside it, tasting the various energy signatures lingering against the air.
"Where are you?" He purred softly, a playful smile teasing up his lips. "Come out, come out, wherever you are~"
Kamiji continued to search, and Dabi waited patiently for her return, unable to sense the gate tucked away underground beneath them, nor the humans and demons that had gathered at the hot springs along the edge of the veil for respite.
Thanks for reading! More to come!
