Chapter 25: Aftermath

"Midoriya!" Felix's voice cried out through the robot as Izuku collapsed to his knees and eventually onto his face as exhaustion took him out.

"Mon dieu." Aoyama gasped, "He has over exhausted himself."

"No kidding." Felix agreed as he finally collapsed onto one of the chairs in the control room and then letting out a deep sigh before sitting up straight in the chair and placing his hands back on the keyboard. "Don't worry about carrying him Aoyama. I'll have the robots safely transfer Midoriya out of the USJ."

"No problem Mon Cherie." Felix heard Aoyama respond through the speakers in his console.

Felix then turned his attention to the other monitors displaying the rest of the USJ. He saw the rest of the UA faculty going down the main stairs towards the courtyard where the first-year teachers were, some of them gravely injured including Aizawa and Kan.

Felix then panned one of the cameras towards the middle of the courtyard. He saw a bunch of unconscious villains that had easily been dispatched by the pro heroes. He then looked over and saw… Toshinori Yagi? What was Izuku's mom's boyfriend doing here? And why was he wearing All Might's hero costume?

"Oh shit." Alex whispered loudly in English as he was also looking at the screen, "You've got to be kidding me."

"My English is rusty, but I agree with you." Koichi agreed as he looked up at the screen that showed his idol all weak and thin, "I don't believe it."

"What are you guys talking about?" Felix asked as he looked at his companions and then back at the screen. That is when it hit him like a truck.

"No freaking way!?" Felix cried out as shock flooded his already emotional system, "All Might is banging Izuku's mom?!"

Both Koichi and Alex turned to look at their support course counterpart with equal parts shock and disgust.

"Seriously?!" Alex shouted as he walked over and smacked his friend before violently shaking him, "That is the first thing you think about!?"

"Yeah." Koichi followed up, taking over shaking Felix from Alex, extremely disturbed the thought of his idol doing immoral acts. "What on Earth possessed you to put that image in our heads?"

"How could you imagine it?" Felix sassed back, "You don't even know what Izuku's mom looks like!"

"Let's just move past this uncomfortable conversation!" Alex interjected, separating the two teenage boys. "What are we going to do about what we just saw?"

"Yes, I'm afraid we need to have that particular conversation." Said a new cheerful sounding voice, causing the three boys to jump a meter in the air as they turned around towards the barricaded door, however nobody was there.

"I'm over here." Said the voice again.

The boys turned to the left and saw a bookcase that had been moved which was now apparent to them that it led to a secret passage, and in front of the new passage was…

"Am I a rat? Dog? Bear?" The creature said, "Who knows? But I'm the principal!"

"Principal Nezu!" all three boys cried out as they stood more formal and proper.

"Now, now" Nezu said calmingly, "There isn't any need for that."

"How did you get down here so fast?" Felix asked.

"I designed a secret passage from the entrance that led straight here." Nezu simply explained, "But I'm afraid that before we discuss anything else, we must discuss what you three just witnessed. I'd hope that if I got here quick enough, I could have prevented needing this conversation about All Might's true form."

"True form?" Koichi asked, still unsure of how he was feeling after discovering his idol's secret.

"Yes." Nezu sighed, "This is what All Might looks like most of the time, apart from a few hours of the day. I take it you all can understand why we need to keep this information secret?"

"Yes sir." All three boys said in unison.

"Umm principal Nezu sir…" Alex said slowly while stepping forward, "Who else knows apart from the teachers?"

"A handful of select trustworthy people," Nezu answered, "However, not even the rest of the top ten heroes know this secret along with many at the top of the HPSC are aware of All Might's weakened state. I hope that alone impresses the need to keep this information confidential?"

"We understand." The boys said roughly together at the same time. Felix then stepped forward as if about to ask something, rocking back and forward on the ball of his feet.

"I take it that both Izuku and Hiro know about this secret as well?"

"Indeed." Nezu grinned, "Fuji and Midoriya couldn't well live with him if they didn't know. It has also come to my attention that Young Yanagi has also become aware of All Might's condition. It appears that Young Midoriya accidentally revealed the secret while the two of them were alone in private. I only didn't punish Midoriya myself for this transgression at All Might's request for he insisted that Midoriya felt really bad for spilling the secret. I hope none of you fine gentlemen make Young Midoriya's same mistake."

"Of course not Principal Nezu." The boys hastily muttered. Alex imagination went to a horrible corner, picturing exactly what Nezu would od if he caught them spilling the beans. There was a reason that top heroes and infamous villains feared him greatly.

"So Young Springfield." Nezu said cheerfully while clapping his paws together, "How did you exactly manage to get the equivalent of admin access to the USJ's systems? I would greatly appreciate being enlightened given that I personally designed the security system, fire walls and all other protections."

"Oh shit!" Felix thought to himself, "The system was already unlocked by the time we got here sir. Most likely by the villain we knocked out."

The other boys nodded furiously in agreement. Nezu's temper was legendary among UA students and faculty. While his voice was cheerful, the three of them could clearly tell that he was not happy.

"And exactly where is this villain that took down my security system?" Nezu asked the trio.

"We stuffed him outside after I knocked him out Nezu sir." Koichi answered, "That's why we barricaded the door so he couldn't get back in to attack any of us."

Nezu then stepped forward to the main console and with a few clicks, pulled up the camera feed that showed exactly what was outside on the other side of the door.

"Oh, dear me." Nezu said calmly, but they could tell he was anything but as the hearts of the three boys sunk. "It appears that he is gone now. What a shame, I looked forward to speaking with him one on one. Anyways, if you fine young gentlemen could clear the furniture. It is after all against the fire code to block the only apparent exit."


"Ugh…. Fuck…" Izuku groaned as he regained consciousness. His head felt like someone had just dropped his mom's boyfriend onto in its hero state. "Anyone got plates on that bus?"

"Deary me." An elderly voice responded, "Looks like you are coming around. About time…"

Izuku slowly blinked as the sunlight blinded him. He'd groggily tried to sit up, only to his alarm and realize he was strapped down.

"Why am I tied down!?" Izuku protested as he started to struggle and wiggle against the straps holding him down.

"You are tied to a gurney to make moving you into the ambulance and out of the USJ Easier you fool! Besides, when moving you out of the USJ, did you want us to make you fall off and back to the ground?" Recovery Girl responded, her voice literally dripping with sarcasm and impatience. "Besides as I've just said, we are taking you to Shizouka General. So, you'll just have to remain strapped down for the journey over there."

"Wha-Whaaa!?" Izuku shouted in shock as he once again to no avail attempted to sit up violently. "Why am I going to the hospital?! I healed myself back there! I should be perfectly fine!"

WHACK!

"It's not just you who is going!" Recovery Girl growled as steam puffed out of her ears. "My nurse's office only has four beds, as you should very well know given how much time you spend there! Not enough room to treat all the students who just go injured! Besides, given what just happened to you and what you did back there, I want to run some tests on you and I simply don't have the equipment here."

"What do you mean just happened to me?" Izuku asked as he tried to feign ignorance, really not wanting to go to the hospital.

WHACK!

"Don't you try that with me dummy!" Recovery Girl shouted once more, "Felix Springfield witnessed your fight with that villain."

Izuku felt his body go cold and felt as though he was falling despite lying perfectly still on the gurney.

"He and Principle Nezu were kind and generous enough to send me footage of the entire fight.

More dread

"And I must I'm not impressed or amused."

"She's going to kill me…"

"Not only did you use your green aura, which I must remind you, you were forbidden from doing so outside the accompaniment of a licensed physician…"

"Shit!"

"You went full dumbass and did the thing I forbade you from doing until you got your green aura under control!" she shouted, repeatedly whacking him on the head with her cane before leaning and whispering with deadly venom, "Never go full dumbass again."

"Doesn't the phrase use a different word?" Izuku shakily responded, desperately trying to deflect and cool the conversation down by injecting some humor.

"Yes, but that word has fallen out of fashion and is frowned upon, especially in the medical community." Recovery Girl responded, turning to check her chart.

"Izuku!"

The boy in question turned his head and saw Hiro rushing towards him, still in his hero costume. Much to Izuku's relief, he was uninjured, just exhausted.

"Hiro! Please same me from this deranged old woman! She thinks I need to go to the hospital!"

WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!

"Deranged old woman?!" Recovery Girl hollered, "You better watch your tongue young man before I deliberately choose to lose my medical license for malpractice!"

"What's is it with old people and having short fuses and not being able to take a joke?" Izuku thought to himself as he rubbed his skull and thought Recovery Girl and Gran Torino would get along very well.

"Can I ride with Izuku to the hospital?" Hiro asked, looking hopeful.

"I'm afraid not dear." Recovery Girl sighed, looking far more kind, after all Hiro was the one who rarely got injured. Right then a new ambulance became available and Izuku was being loaded up.

"Unlike your foster brother, YOU behaved yourself and didn't get injured. I'm afraid you'll have to stay stuck inside the dorms unless you can convince a teacher to escort you."

"But—" Hiro tried to argue but Recovery Girl held up a hand, cutting him off as the doors to the ambulance doors were closing and the elderly heroine climbed in.

"The campus is still in lockdown sweetie. All those not injured will be driven in a bus by one of Ectoplasm's clones back to your assigned dorms. Another clone will be bringing your bags from the locker rooms to the dorms as well so you can change out of costume when you get back to your room. A teacher and a police detective will be coming over in a few hours to take your individual statements."

With that the rest of the doors on the ambulance closed and it took off leaving Hiro behind. Dejectedly, Hiro slowly trudged over to one of the many busses shuttling students back to the dorms.

He got on the one he was told to board and sat in the back, tuning himself out of any conversation that was happening. Not that there was much to begin with as everyone was still in shock after what had just happened to them.

Like a drone, he trudged up to his room and locked the door. He then slowly and methodically stripped off his hero costume as though he was on autopilot. Now in his undergarments, he laid the now disassembled costume off to the side in one corner of his dorm room.

He got dressed, not really paying attention to what he was putting on. It was only when he splashed his face with water that he got a good look at himself in the mirror.

His eyes looked different. They were the still the same shade of lilac in coloration with flecks of cyan like they always have been, but something seemed to be missing. He found himself staring at the mirror for who knows how long till he jumped about a mile, heart racing rapidly as he heard a loud knock at the door.

He took a few deep breaths before he walked the few steps from his private half-bath to the front door. Still on edge, he peered through the peephole to check o was knocking before opening the door.

"Fukidashi." Hiro said quietly and softly as he opened the door, "What are you doing here?"

"Checking in on my friend dummy"! Manga puffed, "You've been locked up in here for the past hour and a half. The rest of the boys have been worried about you, knowing Izuku was taken to the hospital. And call me Manga, you let me call you by your first name."

Down in the common room where the boys in the hero course Hiro casually spent time with when he wasn't with Izuku and their support and business course counterparts.

He looked over and saw Shoji who was sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone. Bondo was staring at the TV, which was showing some wacky and stupid gameshow, but it appeared that he really wasn't paying attention to what was on the screen, and Koda was petting his bunny.

"You made it sound like there was a lot more people down here Manga." Hiro deadpanned, and Manga looked rightfully embarrassed which Hiro had thought would have been impossible given his unique face, but he was surprised.

"Okay!" Manga relented, raising his hands in the air in defeat, "You got me. I'd just figured you of all people would need the company more than the rest of our classmates."

"What do you mean by that Manga?" Hiro gasped against his better wishes. He had yet to explain his foster brother relationship with Izuku properly to anyone. He hinted he would discuss it with his friends but put it off because he didn't have the courage. It usually didn't help that both Shoji and Bondo turned to look at him right at that moment.

"Well, you see…" Manga began all flustered, turning to the other three boys who in turn gave him looks that screamed: "You got yourself into this mess Manga, we aren't bailing you out."

"Well…" Manga squirmed, clearly regretting establishing this line of dialogue.

"If you have something to say Manga, just spit it out!" Hiro almost shouted, his face turning pink from embarrassment and his already bad anxiety starting to creep up once more.

"Well… given your unique past…" Manga answered in his most diplomatic voice.

"What do you know about my past?!" Hiro asked, fear getting the better of him as he was worried his legs would begin to start trembling.

"We… kinda pieced it together…" Manga stuttered, his speech bubble looking towards the ground, afraid to make 'eye-contact.'

"Pieced what together?" Hiro was not emotionally ready to have this conversation. Especially right after a real villain attack. He needed more time.

"Well given that Izuku calls you his foster-brother." Manga rambled off quickly, as though saying it faster would make it hurt less, "And recent events about that orphanage being a front for Zu'Kuvma and the rumors of what came to light about Bakugo's past and what school he went to and why he was kicked out of the hero course…"

Hiro felt dread and rejection flow through his body. Tears began to glisten at the edges of his eyes It was then that Bondo got up and started lecturing his friend about have no tact while Shoji and Koda simply were nodding in agreement to everything Bondo was saying.

"What we are trying to say is that none of us hold that fact that you grew up in that orphanage against you." Shoji finally said as Manga was forced to sit back down.

"Really?" Hiro croaked, "You guys don't think I was trained to be a villain?"

"Of course not." Bondo answered before Manga could speak up again and dig himself another hole thanks to his lack of social skills. "It also explained why you were instantly comfortable being around the three of us since—"

"Since a lot of kids with mutant quirks that drastically alter their appearance are abandoned." Hiro quietly finished Bondo's line of thought.

Feeling relieved, Hiro gave a weak smile as he wiped away the rest of his tears.

"Thanks guys."

"No problem." Shoji said calmly, "Ummm. Does anyone want to get what they saw today off of their chest?"

The four boys then quietly discussed what they went through in the previous hours, Manga and Hiro explained what happened in the flood zone, Koda quietly explained what happened in the downpour zone, Shoji explained what happened for those who didn't get transported and were stuck back on the stairs. It was then when Bondo told the story of what happened with him and Izuku. His story made Hiro want to curl up into a ball and plug his ears, but he couldn't help but pay attention. The way Bondo described the villain that Izuku fought had him and the other boys shaking with fear.

"You just left Izuku to fight that villain alone Bondo?! You left him to fight what was clearly an S-rank villain when he was already beginning to suffer from over usage of his quirk?!" Hiro all but growled, but Shoji quickly placed an extended hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down Hiro…" Shoji said in a soothing voice, "Bondo himself said that Izuku told him to take Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki and get them out of the USJ. Also, he was dried up and out of glue. What else do you expect him to have done?"

Hiro simply leaned forwards, head resting on his knees.

"Sorry Bondo. I'm just really worried about Izuku that's all."

"But didn't you see him being loaded into an ambulance?" Manga asked, "You said he was lucid and talking fine."

"Yeah." Hiro sighed, "I'm just worried."

It was then that the door opened, and they all turned to look to see Sakura-Sensei come into the dorm, still in his hero gear, but he wasn't alone.

"Inko…" Hiro breathed out before running over and hugging his foster mom. "I'd thought you'd be at the hospital with Izuku."

"That's where we are heading next." She said quietly, "Sakura-Sensei is here to unlock Izuku's dorm room so we can grab his laptop. Ectoplasm was already kind enough to send a clone to pick up Izuku's and your school uniform and backpacks form the locker room and take them to the car for us."

"Unfortunately, Sekijiro and Shouta were heavily injured during the events today." Sakura explained looking quite grave, "I'm also here to call a dorm meeting in order to explain what is going to happen next for the students."

Moments after Hiro came back down after collecting his and Izuku's things, he found the common room full of the boys who weren't injured enough to warrant an examination at the hospital. All in all, about four-fifths of the boys were present. Izuku being among the absent. He made sure to hand back the copy of Izuku's key to the teacher before he started his speech.

"As you all may wonder why a teacher from the business course is talking to you and not your hero course teachers." Sakura started off, placating the inevitable question. "Short answer is they are currently at the hospital and won't be released for some time."

There was muttering among the boys before Sakura put a hand up again, forestalling the wave of questions being hurled at him.

"I'll be able to answer your questions at a later time, but I have more announcements. UA will be closing its campus for the next week to run a top to bottom security overhaul. So those of you who have yet to contact your parents or guardians should do so to arrange for them to pick you up by tonight."

"Classes will resume Monday of next week." Sakura went on, having to raise both hands this time as more questions came at him, ranging from how their injured classmates were doing, to if the Sports Festival was still happening.

"When you all come back, each and every single one of you will be having a sit-down one-on-one session with me. This is not optional because Nezu, Hound-Dog, Dr. Maruki, and myself all agree that a full psychological evaluation is needed for your mental health. You all have just faced an ordeal we had not yet trained or prepared for."

It was then the question bombardment began once more and Hiro and Inko decided that they heard the important details and sneaked out.

The drive to the hospital was a quiet affair. Neither of the pair really exchanged more than a few words for the entire journey.

"Will you be okay Hiro?" Inko asked as they stepped into the elevator to go up to Toshi and Izuku's shared hospital room.

"As fucked up as it is." Hiro sighed as the elevator dinged and its doors opened, "I think I've been through worse."

"Language young man." Inko whispered but smiled. They only made it a couple steps into the hallway when their ears were under attack.

"OF ALL THE ASININE AND STUPID THINGS TO DO! I SWEAR IF I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, I'D SWEAR YOU TWO WERE CLONES OF EACH OTHER! YOU COULD'VE KILLED THEM IF THEY WERE NOT LIKE EVERY OTHER PERSON!"

"That's Recovery Girl…" Hiro and Inko deadpanned in unison with a sigh, hearing the constant berating and shouting the entire walk up the ward till they reached their intended room… not like they could've missed it.

They opened the door to see both Izuku and Skelmight cowering and shaking in fear in their hospital beds.

"But… but… but Chiyo." Toshi stuttered and spluttered.

"DOES IT SOUND LIKE I WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES!? AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT WAS THE GENERAL IDEA?!"

"Recovery Girl please!" Hiro called out, "I think you've yelled at them enough. Besides, with how loud you are yelling, you are going to wind up violating patient confidentiality."

"Fine." Recovery Girl growled, much to the relief of the bed ridden boys. "But I'm still furious. These two nearly killed themselves."

All of a sudden Inko's aura turned dark and the boys were shaking once again.

"Explain." She growled.

"Short story is this." Recovery Girl huffed, steam coming out of her ears once more, "Toshi here went beyond his limits and cut his hero time to one hour a day. Izuku here is in bigger trouble."

"You don't have to tell her!" Izuku shouted, face full of fear.

"Izuku Midoriya!" Inko said, raising her voice with every syllable, "I am your mother! What horrendous life choice did he make 'this' time?!"

"MOM!"

"Shush! The responsible ones are talking, please explain Chiyo."

"Not only did he use an aspect of his Life-Force that he was expressly forbidden from doing… that being stealing energy and stamina from another living being…"

Inko shot her son a withering stare that caused her son to take some mental damage as he winced.

"He took so much stamina that it is a miracle he didn't kill the other party, and his body couldn't cope with the excess energy to the point it was causing him actual harm. Mind you this was even after trying to burn it off by healing all of his extensive injuries. It was till too much energy for him to handle and we are lucky it didn't turn fatal."

"The reason it didn't turn fatal was, as much as I hate to admit it, he had no choice but to use his green aura on Young-Aoyama who was gravely injured, despite my express order forbidding its use outside of supervision. I'm only telling you this next piece of information because Aoyama gave me permission to do so. When you used your green aura on him, our medical scans showed that you healed what was once thought to be an incurable defect in his physiology."

"The fact that his quirk hurts him if he uses it for more than a second. "Izuku whispered, remembering what the boy shared on move in day and during the quirk evaluation.

"Yes indeed." Chiyo sighed, tapping her cane once on the ground, "Aoyama's body, like an unfortunate few, isn't suited or adapted to their quirk. That is why he has… had to wear that belt of his all the time. Just like how Izuku once used this ability to heal Hiro's self-inflected cuts, the green aura again has done something we thought medically not possible. Izuku has somehow adjusted the young boy's body to accept and be able to handle his quirk."

"So, you are saying there is a chance I could heal All Might?!" Izuku interrupted, and everyone looked shocked at the revelation.

"It's too dangerous!" Recovery Girl piped up causing her audience to deflate, "It must have required an unordinary amount of energy to accomplish the feat on Aoyama. It must have required more energy than the average human carries in their body multiplied! Meaning there is no way one person alone could 'donate' enough energy to Midoriya, and if he somehow once again required the energy needed, just having that much energy could prove fatal to Midoriya."

"But that doesn't make sense!" Izuku cried out, "I took all that energy from just that one villain!"

"Which leads me to the next thing I need to talk with you about." Recovery Girl groaned, looking serious, "The only explanation I have, and it is just a theory at this point. I think the villain you fought Midoriya is just like that thing called Nomu that Toshi fought."

"But that also doesn't make sense Chiyo." All Might interrupted, "That Nomu thing the rest of the teachers and I struggled against was nothing more than a mindless beast, completely dependent on Shigaraki's orders!"

"But both villains clearly had multiple quirks." Chiyo said with a lot of gravity in her words that hit All Might like a truck as he realized what his friend was hinting towards.

"But I defeated him!" All Might cried out, terror on his face.

"Defeated, not killed." Chiyo said with venom in her words, "Remember, we were never able to recover a corpse, and remember the villain Izuku fought wanted to bring him to someone."

"Toshi, what is Chiyo talking about?" Inko asked, uncertainty in her voice.

"Oh my God Toshinori!" Chiyo cried out exasperatedly, "Did you not tell them about HIM before you passed the quirk on like Nezu, Tsukauchi, and I advised you to?"

"Ummm." All Might hummed while sweating profusely, "I'd thought I'd wait for a more proper time." He looked at Inko who's eyes had turned a glowing crimson as she was emanating a fierce and powerful 'Really pissed off Momma Bear' Aura.

"Toshi dear…" Inko said in a cheerful sing-song, but deadly voice, "Did you withhold extremely vital information that would've impacted my dear sweet Izuku's decision making skills when deciding to accept your quirk?"

"Now please see reason Inko…" All Might began, hands raised, but he was interrupted by Hiro raising his hand.

"Excuse me, what is this about All Might giving Izuku his quirk?"

The room fell silent as everyone realized that Hiro didn't know about One For All, and they had all been talking about it for a brief moment while not realizing their error.

"Ummm… I can explain Hiro." Izuku nervously stuttered, "And perhaps while I'm explaining, Toshi can figure out a way to explain what he hasn't told us yet."

A couple hours later

Izuku, Hiro, and Inko were back at Might Tower. All Might had to stay the night before being released, where he was told he would be sleeping on the sofa for the next few nights when he came back home.

Inko had really not taken kindly to her and Izuku being kept in the dark about All For One. Hiro on the other hand was extremely upset about Izuku not telling him about One For All.

He had shut himself in his bedroom, ignoring Izuku following him before he closed the door, and him pounding on it after it was locked, insisting to speak with him and explain himself more.

Eventually Izuku gave up and went back downstairs to his office. There he went on his computer and saw UA being dragged through the mud by the media. That just made him angry once more. UA didn't ask to be attacked. The students in the support and business courses most certainly didn't ask to be attacked by hundreds of villains. Didn't the people behind these companies have brains? He just wanted to throw a Detroit Smash at his monitor, but stopped and decided he didn't want a lecture from his mother who like him was already on edge.

He wanted to just go out for a run, but his mother forbade him from leaving the penthouse now that they knew a 'centuries old terrorist wanted to kidnap him'. He just wanted to get away from everything and everyone and just… he didn't know, but staying in this confined space, while gigantic, frustrated him to no end and added to his anger and other negative emotions.

Unable to quell his anger, he went into the kitchen with the intention of cooking something. But when he got over there, he was too full of negative emotions that he couldn't concentrate on anything.

Izuku just reached the point that he was just frustrated about struggling on how to stop being frustrated, which of course only led him to feeling even more frustrated.

Growling at his indecision, he grabbed a box of leftovers from the fridge and stomped off to the rooftop pool and sat down at one of the many tables dotting it, looking over Tokyo and angrily ate his food.

He was angry at All Might for not telling him about All For One. How could he have left that key piece of information out?! Oh, take my quirk, but it'll make you the target of an uber-quirk terrorist who has successfully killed nearly everyone who has wielded this quirk, marking you for life!

Then there was Hiro being well… well he didn't know how he should feel when it came to Hiro, but he felt angry, but not sure if he actually felt like he had a right to be angry. He immediately knew from the moment he explained about One For All back in the hospital that Hiro felt hurt and betrayed that Izuku didn't trust him with the information. He didn't even look at him the entire car journey from the hospital back to Might Tower.

He just wanted to explain himself some more in private and Hiro had cut him off, and it hurt. He felt like he didn't do the best job explaining everything in the hospital and wanted to clear things up and repair the damage, but he couldn't do that if Hiro locked himself away from him.

Then he was angry at himself for how he handled his fight against Blackflame. He would've hadn't had to resort to such dangerous and drastic measure if he had balanced out his quirk when he was dealing with the horde of enemies coming at him to wear him down before Blackflame appeared. That was probably their strategy, get him quirk-exhausted before humiliating him and capturing him. This only aggravated him even more because his emotions couldn't decide or agree on what he should be feeling, just that it should be a whole mess of negative and toxic ones.

Plus, it was only then on the ride home that he realized he had a responsibility of sorts to explain to Kaito how he had failed to defeat and capture the same villain that had hurt his cousin. How could he explain to his friend that he was such a miserable failure and the reason why his cousin's perpetrator was still at large?

The anger at himself, at the day, at everything, it was bubbling like a violent storm inside of him. His entire body was shaking, and tears started leaking from his eyes. He just couldn't take it anymore.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!"

Izuku screamed at the top of his lungs till he felt his vocal cords begin to hurt, then he collapsed onto the ground, curling into a ball and began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Izuku…" a timid voice called.

Izuku turned around and saw Hiro who looked scared, "If you want to talk another—" but he didn't get to finish his sentence because Izuku waved him over and Hiro nervously walked over, never having seen Izuku so upset before.

"Izuku…" Hiro said softly, his voice unusually timid and shy, just like it once was when they first met on that early morning subway ride which seemed to be ages ago, "I'm sorry if I'm the reason I made you angry…"

"I forgive you…" Izuku croaked, still curled up in his ball on the ground, his head still in between his knees. "But so, there is just so much… so much shit that is making me upset. It wasn't just you and I had no reason to be angry at you. But you had every reason to be furious with me."

"Did you plan on telling me?" Hiro asked nervously, still scared of his foster brother's recent outburst towards the heavens.

"Yeah." Izuku breathed, "I'd planned on telling you a few days after… well, after the day the government would actually let us formally adopt you. That is, if they ever let us, but if Toshi is throwing his influence around they probably will, and hopefully it won't take the years it normally does."

"You were serious about adopting me officially into the family?" Hiro whispered open mouthed. That got him a firmer than necessary punch to the shoulder, "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being an idiot." Izuku groaned, "Did you honestly think we'd go through all this time, money, and effort not to make you an official part of the family? Do you honestly think Toshi would have spent so much money on clothes, watches, computers, heck even decorating your room if we were just going to foster you before it became too late and you were cut loose from the system? We might need to go back to the hospital to run a brain scan to see how many brain cells you have left in there."

"That's not nice Izuku." Hiro groaned, but smiled with tears trickling down his face, "Do you forgive me for thinking that?"

"Only if you forgive me for not telling you about One For All brother." Izuku said softly.

"Brother… not foster brother?" Hiro asked, unsure of what he heard and then he and Izuku finally made eye-contact.

"Hiro, you might as well accept the fact that we are going to adopt you one day. Government discrimination against those raised in quirk orphanages or not. The fact is I've considered you my brother from that first night you stayed at our old place after being rescued. That's why when you wouldn't talk to me right when we got home it hurt me so much. So yeah, I'm as good as your brother in my eyes, blood and paperwork be damned. So, do you forgive me for keeping secrets?"

Hiro had tears in his eyes as he nodded as he hugged Izuku. The two brothers stayed there on the ground together till after sunset. No words said between them, the only sounds being the water lapping against the edges of the pool and the wind. It was only when there mother came up and told them they should head to bed that they got up and headed back down