All Might had retired, officially. It was all over the news. He wasn't able to be a hero anymore.
He'd still be teaching at UA, apparently, but no more hero work. His power had just...vanished. HE'd given it up. Given it up to save...
The world's greatest hero wasn't around anymore. Dammit...
On top of that, the old hag was starting to drive me crazy. Cause she kept on bringing it up. "You caused us so much worry! Don't go wandering off by yourself, Katsuki, dammit! The cops said to stay put." "Where do you think you're going?" "Out for a walk." "No, no, mister, you stay put right behind that desk, you're not wandering off on my watch!"
Dammit, how long do I have to put up with this shit?
Between the stupid villain invasion, All Might retiring, and the old hag and the cops on my back, I was honestly damn trapped. There was nowhere I could go that felt good. Nowhere to get away from all that shit and forget it, pretend like it hadn't happened.
I felt like I was gonna explode if I had to spend another damn minute at home with my folks. Not that they aren't great, not - I mean, they're my folks, they're annoying. But the Old man was trying too hard to treat me like I'm five, while the Old Hag found a new thing to criticize every time she saw me. Nothing about me was right, apparently.
I mean, that's the way she normally talks to me. But this time it was starting to feel like she was right.
We got the letter in the mail and the old hag flipped out.
"Dorms! UA all dorm system? Look at this, Katsuki! They're moving you brats into a student dormitory on-campus!"
"Wow, reallly?" said the old man. "man, this looks very safe!"
"Sure it will be! Be good for you, Katsuki, get outta our house and on your own like an actual adult!"
"Dear, he's not an adult yet..."
Normally I'd interrupt them to yell in her face about calling me a kid. But I was having trouble with it these days.
Anyway I read the letter. UA was moving us into dorms. I was gonna be living with my classmates.
I mean, a month or two ago if you'd told me I'd have to put up with those idiots for the rest of my school career, trapped in the same damn building with Deku and IcyHot 24/7, I'd have blown that person who'd told me up and screamed I'd never do it.
But now it felt like, "Here you go. A way out of your problems. you're welcome."
All Might and Mr. Aizawa were gonna show up and visit us to ask for permission. Which meant I was gonna have to see him again. All Might. In that form, that - that wrong form. I was gonna have to face him, face what I'd d -
Don't think about it.
We live in a house of our own, couple stories. Kinda fancy. I actually first figured that out as a kid when I went over to Deku's for the first time.
"Damn, Deku, your old lady has all those stories?" I asked, looking at the apartment.
"Um...actually..." And he led me up to their sad little apartment, just a couple rooms out of the entire apartment building.
"You kidding me? That's all?" I asked him. "You should tell your old lady to get something better."
"I - Uh - " That was his eloquent response. That's when I realized that my folks had a nice, fancy house, expensive and way bigger then most kids had. And for a long time I didn't understand why Deku didn't just get a better place. Cause it took me a while to figure out that parents pay for the house and not the kids. So I just figured it was another example of Deku being a loser.
Now I know.
Anyway, our place was tidied up good by the old lady the morning before All Might and Aizawa sensei showed up. Laid out tea, yelled at me for sitting on something, bought snacks, yelled at me for stepping on the carpet, had us all clean up, yelled at me for having too much hair, and for good measure yelled at me for making my teachers have to visit us on their time off. Pretty typical guest day.
I yelled back, of course. I don't take that shit, not even from her. Still, I was in a pretty shitty mood by the time they showed up.
Mr. Aizawa was still dressed like he'd been at that press conference. His hair all combed and shit, shaven and in a suit. Didn't feel like himm.
All Might up close...in that form...his hair was all lank, not standing up like it usually did. His face was so damn gaunt, you could almost see the bones. Eyes all sunken in and shit, and that with hte black schlera he already had...and so damn skinny. Plus his arms were all tied up in bandages, like, even teh hands were bundled up. It was really, really freaky to see that. And to know who to bl-
Dammit shut up.
"We're here to discuss our decision to move our students into dormitories," said All Might. Even his voice was different - lesser, somehow.
"We undertstand that, given the recent events, you - you in particular - might have trouble with trusting UA with your son, Mrs. Bakugou - " Mr. Aizawa started. Dammit, tho, every word in that sentence stabbed me.
"You kidding me, hell yeah, get this kid in a dorm room!" the old lady grinned, and slapped me on the head.
"Quit hittin me you ugly old hag! I'll fucking beat the shit outta ya!" I shouted back.
"Shut it, you little punk! Since you're such a weakling and got kidnapped, you caused everyone all sorts of trouble!" she shouted back, for teh thousandth time.
"You two, give it a rest already, would ya!" the old man protested. "Acting this way in front of the teachers, they must be taken aback!"
"Shut the hell up, you shit for brains dad!" I shouted back. "STay outta this!"
"How about you shut up already, Katsuki? If you have something to say, say it clearly and properly!"
"Dammit!" I growled back at her.
"Um," said Mr. Aizawa, trying to act like this was all normal, "About my proposition, are you willing to comply?"
"Hm? Ah, the whole dorm room thing?" said the old lady. "By all means, It'll be good for him. Our Katsuki, he's fearless, and good at everything he tries, especially since he's got that stupid awesome quirk. People were always fawning over him, whether he deserved it or not. And as a result of that, he was always spoiled and pampered by everyone around him, and this is how he turned out. He only ever got shallow praise for what was on the outside. I suppose that's why your words at that interview made me so happy, Mr. Aizawa," she added, looking down. " I thought 'Ah, this school sees Katsuki for who he really is.' That's what I thought. For a little while there, I'll admit I was worried. I wondered what would become of my little boy." She ruffled my hair. "But lo and behold, he came back home without even a scratch. I'm sure you'll all be dealing with quite a bit of outside preassure for the time being, but I, at least, am confident that you all know what's best for Katsuki. So I'll trust you and hand him over." And she shoved my head down into some kinda bow.
And she and the old man bowed too. "He may be nothing but a hopeless brat, but please, train him hard and make him a good hero." She finished, and we were all in that stupid bowing position.
After a few minutes, Mr. Aizawa stood. "Understood. You have my word, Mrs. Bakugou."
They got up to leave. I thought about it, for a second, then decided. If I was gonna ask him, right now was the time. I waited till they'd gone out, then followed them.
"All Might!" I called out to him. He turned around.
Now it's your turn.
Deku in tears. Deku taking that differently than everyone else.
"I got my quirk from someone else"
That's what he'd said. Back then, after I'd lost to him the first time at Ground Beta. And I had to know.
"What exactly is Deku to you?"
He stared at me for a moment. HE hadn't expected that question. Or maybe he had. Anyway, he said, "My student. Just like you. A flegling hero with potential."
You're lying. i can tell.
"Hey, Katsuki! Get back in here!" the old hag yelled.
I turned away to head back in. "Is that so. If you don't wanna tell me, that's fine." You saved my life. I owe you something. "Oh, and...thank you."
And I left him standing here.
