Izuku hissed lowly as he crouched under some rubble with Tamaki. It'd been stupid to go into the City Ruins—they knew that. But they also desperately needed medical supplies and the only hospital that hadn't been cleared out was in the middle of Tokyo Ruins.
Really, Tamaki and Izuku decided that it was worth the risk. They needed the antibiotics for Hizashi's fever. Dabi said he really wouldn't last much longer without them. This was ultimately why the two had been rebellious idiots and left without saying anything. Izuku left a letter just in case they didn't come back.
They'd both been understandably nervous as they approached the massive towering stone walls that'd initially been built to keep the Nomu out. Instead, they'd trapped them in when a bunch of idiots hadn't admitted that they were sick. Those who survived the massacres never really dared to return to the walled cities. Sure, by this point there were gaping holes in the walls, but it still kept most of those Nomu inside. The place would be crawling with them, and it was suicide to even get as close as they were now.
But Hizashi had been sick for days. He really wouldn't survive without the medicine, and Izuku wasn't sure he could bear to watch Shou break like that. With a silent shared between them, the two silently snuck their way in.
The city was nothing like they remembered. Towering buildings were reduced to rubble and old apartment complexes crumbled at the corners. Cars were left haphazardly—either abandoned in the middle of the road or quietly parked on the streets—where they rusted and the tires had practically melted to the pavement.
Trees were growing wildly and ivy was snaking its way up nearly every building. Many of the half toppled over structures were painted green with moss and grass where nature had readily begun to reclaim her land.
It was surreal—almost peaceful in a sense. Birds chirped and animals grazed and honestly if he couldn't hear the far too close sounds of Nomu, he would've thought it a good place to sit and draw. As it was, the sorrowful beauty of the abandoned city was enough to take both their breaths away.
Without the bustle of city life or the hum of electricity, everything was… softer somehow. The air was sweeter, and Izuku wondered if perhaps the destruction of society would've been a better thing for the planet.
"Come on." Tamaki quietly nudged his arm. "I'm pretty sure the hospital was this way. With luck, we can snag some supplies."
Izuku nodded, making sure his old vigilante outfit was fitting properly. It was made with stealth in mind, so he was a lot quieter when wearing it. He tended to wear it out on runs, but… ugh. It needed a wash—badly. He'd never missed detergent so much in all his life.
An instinct had him grabbing Tamaki's arm and pulling him into an alleyway just as a White Nomu stalked around the corner, sniffing the air.
Perhaps the lack of detergent was a good thing after all, because the Nomu didn't seem to think his BO was out of place and continued on. The two let out shaky breaths.
"Still picking up deodorant for you." Tamaki muttered as he itched his nose. "You reek."
"Not my fault I haven't had the chance to wash this outfit." Izuku argued back quietly. "Find me some soap and it shouldn't stink so much."
They cautiously rounded a few more corners before laying eyes on the half-destroyed hospital. They carefully slipped in through the broken window with grins on their faces.
"They're gonna kill us if we make it out of this alive." Izuku noted.
"Correction, they're going to kill us if they find out we've gone."
"I… erm… may have left a note." Izuku scratched the back of his head as they made their way through the winding hallways.
"What? Why?! I told you to let things be!" Tamaki whispered. "Damnit, I'll never hear the end of Fatgum's lecture."
"I figured it's better than worrying about us if we don't make it back." Izuku shrugged. "I mean, I'd want to know if Shouta was being an idiot."
"Fair." Tamaki sighed. "Dabi's going to fry us."
"And Shouta's going to give us that glare." Izuku agreed.
"I think you should be more worried about Higari. Didn't you promise him you'd stay out of trouble?"
"I mean, the worst he can do is—hey! Tamaki, look!" Izuku's smile was a full blown grin as he showed him the goldmine in front of them. Bottles. Hundreds of bottles of medicine. Everything from antipsychotics to antibiotics and pain medicine.
"Grab your bag, we're loading up." Tamaki decided as he grabbed his own bag.
They scooped armfuls of anything that looked useful—antibiotics, painkillers, sleeping pills, they all went into their bags. The whole place seemed untouched, like nobody had bothered to raid it since the walls went down.
Their loss was Izuku's gain, because he found another goldmine of sterile bandages and antiseptics. His bag would get too heavy before long, and he winced whenever the pill bottles made a rattling sound. He tried padding it with as much gauze and bandages as he could, but it didn't help much. If he'd had the time, he would've opened the bottles and stuffed them with cotton, but there were too many and too little time. There was no telling when a Nomu would get curious about the noise the two were inadvertently making.
"Come on!" Tamaki laughed quietly, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Let's see what else we can find! We may never get another chance like this again."
They were running through the halls, opening doors and giving each room a cursory glance for anything useful. It was in an office that something caught Izuku's eye. It looked distinctly official, and was the only thing that wasn't thrown everywhere. Blood stained the walls as claw marks marred the wall above an old skeleton. Izuku left Tamaki to check out the other room across the hall as he curiously picked up the file.
He almost dropped it when he saw what it read. "The CDC files from the outbreak…" He whispered. It seemed to be from the first and the second strain. He pocketed it—it may not have been of any use to him, but his gut said to take it anyways, and he always listened to his gut.
"Tamaki." Izuku placed a hand on his shoulder as they passed a window. "It's getting late. Sunset will be within an hour, you know the Nomu are more active after sundown." He shared a look with his brother, who sighed. "I know you're disappointed, but we've got what we came for. We've hit literal gold—there's nothing to be disappointed about. This will last us years."
"You're right." He gave Izuku a bit of a smile. "Come on, then. Before we really find ourselves in trouble. I actually kinda want that lecture, you know."
"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when we come back with two duffle bags full of medical supplies." Izuku snickered as they snuck back out through the window.
They had to be very careful, now. With the pills rattling around in both their packs, there was no way to ensure complete stealth. And many of the Nomu were starting to develop territorial instincts. Honestly, if the creatures weren't so horrifying and deadly, Izuku might actually take to studying them with the same gusto that he used to study heroes with.
As quietly as they could, they made their way towards the giant hole in the Wall. Izuku was concentrating so much on staying quiet that he neglected to watch his footing. He slipped on something slimy and sludgy—likely something decomposing—and tumbled right into a rubbish bin. He froze in absolute horror as the can spilled its age-old contents into the street, creating a very loud sound as it did so.
Tamaki was rooted to the spot as well, sharing a horrified look with Izuku. A high-pitched chittering sound came from above them, and Izuku's eyes widened when he saw an old water tower that had a giant hole punched into the side. Something flew out from it, and Izuku's stomach dropped.
A distinctly reptilian screech alerted him to his mistake almost instantly, a Doberman-sized Nomu stood atop the streetlight.
Its body was covered in fine yellow hairs that looked like fur, and it had a long spaded tail that swung below it. Its feet were viciously clawed talons and instead of arms it had thick short wings that allowed it to maneuver easily in tighter environments like a city. They were fast, but they had crappy stamina. The Yellow Nomu also nested in flocks.
Dozens of pairs of beady eyes shone out from the shadows of the alleyway and the watertower, and Izuku swallowed thickly. The sharp beak of the Yellow Nomu—or Zoomers as they were often nicknamed—was made for tearing into human flesh. And those claws could easily latch onto someone. Despite their smaller size, one could lift up a small child alone. Most of them usually worked together to lift people up and drop them to their deaths—if they didn't just rip into the person mid-air.
Tamaki slowly placed a hand on Izuku's trembling shoulder—or was that Tamaki's hand that was trembling?—and backed them up. Any sudden movement could set them off.
For a breathless moment, nothing happened, and Izuku dared to hope. Then, Tamaki's foot hit an old soda can from the rubbish bin Izuku had knocked over, and all hell broke loose.
Dozens of Zoomers swarmed the skies above them, nearly blacking out the sun as they cried out in agitation and territorial fury. Their calls and circling would undoubtedly attract the attention of other Nomu—like buzzards did with predators. Izuku's mind filed away the piece of information that a few of the younger Nomu seemed to have longer wingspans—more suited for longer travel and airtime. (Were they evolving?)
Then they attacked. Izuku slashed out with his sword even as he felt talons and beaks start tearing into his flesh. If he hadn't been wearing his Vigilante outfit made with specially spun fibers made to protect him, then he was fairly sure he'd be dead. He bit back a cry when one with particularly good aim bit into his bicep, tearing part of it away. He cursed himself for procrastinating on patching up the tear in the outfit that'd allowed the Nomu to get at him.
His struggles increased when he felt talons latching onto him and his feet left the pavement. "Izuku!" Tamaki cried out, fighting off his own swarm. Izuku caught the brief image of his face—horror stricken and full of grief. It was an expression he had become increasingly familiar with over the last few years. He'd seen it on many faces—his own included. But he had never seen someone make that face towards him. It was strange to have someone care about his death.
And then, he was falling. The ground was coming up far too fast, and he knew he was about to meet his end. But instead of cold hard concrete, a warm pair of arms caught him, cradling him against their chest, and he found himself looking up into Taishiro's concerned amber yellow eyes.
"You good, Izuku?" He gave him a small smile. "Good thing I found your note."
He let out a breathy laugh as reality started to catch up to him. "Y-yeah. Thank you." Taishiro had really come all this way just to save them? Because he was worried?! He'd come on a suicide mission to rescue the original suicide squad. The idea was laughable, but he found himself running off adrenaline at this point and unable to fully process anything.
He carefully set Izuku down on his feet. The once-vigilante stumbled into the survivor that had once been known as Fatgum. He was hardly recognizable these days. Taishiro struggled to keep any weight on him, making his Quirk damn near useless. But he was a good fighter, even without his Quirk. He'd been part of their survivor group from the beginning, bringing Tamaki along with him just as Shou and Zashi had brought Izuku and Nemuri along with them.
"Fatgum!" Tamaki grinned in relief.
"What I have I told you about using that name?" Taishiro shook his head with a fond smile. "Heroes are a thing of the past. I'm just Taishiro now."
"Whatever, lecture me on it later." Tamaki grinned. "Let's just get out of here. Izu, you've still got your bag?"
"Of course." His hand migrated to his bag just to be sure it was still laden with all the priceless supplies they'd lifted from the hospital.
"Bag?" Taishiro questioned as he grabbed one Yellow Nomu and chucked it at the others, who were keeping a wary distance.
Izuku's gut clenched. This wasn't right. They didn't keep distance like this… they only did so when…
"Yeah, we raided the hospital. It was practically untouched." Tamaki explained.
"Guys…?" Izuku spoke softly as his eyes darted around them. He didn't see it, but he just knew something was there.
"Help me…" It was soft, quiet. A menacing whisper from the shadows behind him that made his every survival instinct go haywire. "Hero… help me…"
Slowly, Izuku turned away from the Yellow Nomu, gaze locking onto the soulless black orbs. It looked like a crouched child with hair so long that it brushed the ground. It looked like a corpse—long gangly arms and dead ashen skin, and he could count the vertebrae in the spine. But it tilted its head with the same fluidity of a wooden puppet—slow, choppy, like it wasn't sure how to properly move.
It made an odd humming sound—tuneless and terrifying as it kept its inky black gaze locked onto them.
"A Cursed One." Tamaki swore under his breath.
They were once children who had fallen to the disease that created the Nomu. They couldn't breed, but they were no less terrifying. If any of the Nomu haunted his nightmares as much as the White ones, it would be the Cursed Nomu.
No Quirks. No special ability. They had active human-like vocal cords and mimicked words—pretending to be children and trapping the hapless people who came to help.
They may not have been the most outright physically dangerous of the bunch, but they were certainly the creepiest. It stood almost mechanically, jerking at odd intervals as it rose to its feet.
Perhaps the scariest thing about these Cursed Nomu was that they were prime transmitters for the virus. No longer transferrable via air or surface contamination—thank goodness—but just like old tales of zombies, it could be transferred by scratches and bites (thankfully only from the Cursed Nomu). To run into one was practically a death sentence.
It was how Izuku had lost…
The three backed away slowly. The Zoomers were far less dangerous than a Cursed One. At least an injury caused by them wasn't literally the end of his life.
A warning growl from his left had Izuku cursing in a way he'd learned from Bakugo. A Royal Nomu stood, tail twitching.
"Oh, cool. A Royal one, a Cursed One, and the little Zoomers." Tamaki muttered.
"Let's just make invite the White Nomu and make it a party." Izuku muttered back, earning a quick glare from his brother.
"Don't even joke." He admonished. "I don't know if we can make it outta this one."
"We will." Taishiro promised.
Before anything more could be done, the Nomu attacked. It was a confusing cacophony of screeching and claws and Izuku couldn't fully comprehend what was going on. He was running entirely off instinct, blocking hits as quickly as they came. Honestly, he was beyond grateful for his vigilante outfit. It had saved his nide more times than he could count.
He stumbled to the side as the Cursed Nomu came out of nowhere, moving uncharacteristically quickly as it snarled at him with the voice of a young child.
Izuku blocked its claws and had to hastily leap back to avoid another swipe from the not-child. This threw him almost directly into the path of the Royal Nomu's tail, which tore through his vigilante outfit like it was costume fabric.
A few nearby roars told him that the other Royal Nomu were nearly there, and he bit his lip hard enough to bleed in an attempt to keep himself calm.
He saw it a moment before it happened—the Cursed One, with its terrifying jerky gait, ran at him, long nails outstretched and jaw opened wide. And then, suddenly, someone was in front of him.
"You okay?" Taishiro grinned as he shoved a knife into the Cursed One's skull. But Izuku wasn't watching that… he was staring at the place where the Cursed One's teeth had penetrated Taishiro's arm.
"T-Tai…" Maybe if they hurried, an amputation could save him!
"It's okay." He uttered softly, pulling down the sleeve of his jacket to hide it before Tamaki saw. There was a look in his eyes that told Izuku all he needed to know. "I knew I probably wouldn't last long. I've always known it was a matter of time."
"B-but…"
A sudden smoke bomb obscured everything, and Izuku nearly panicked. "This way!" Tamaki suddenly grabbed both their wrists and pulled them away from the fight. On foot, Izuku knew they had little chance to outrun the Nomu, but Tamaki already knew that. So where were they going?
He led them into an old bar with busted out windows. "Hurry!" The Nomu were already on their trail, and it wouldn't be long before they caught up to them. Izuku could already hear their claws scraping the pavement around the corner. Tamaki pulled up a hidden trapdoor behind the bar and ushered them inside. After shutting the lid and hearing the telltale click of a lock, he flicked the lights on.
It was a small bunker with a door at the far end. An escape tunnel? "Dabi told me that some places in a bunch of towns had bars with hidden escape routes. They were frequented by villains back in the day. With the right price or connections, the bartender could let someone make a getaway when the heroes and cops came sniffing. He showed me the symbol that was etched into the signs. I didn't expect to see it here." He laughed a bit. "We'll be safe here. The tunnel should lead to the outskirts of town—maybe even past the walls."
Izuku shared a small heartbroken look with Taishiro. "Tamaki, about that—"
"Great job finding this." Taishiro cut him off, and Izuku shot him a look. Surely, he didn't intend to keep that from Tamaki?! "Go on and scout the tunnel ahead, Izuku and I will rest here for a bit. And Tamaki… I'm so proud of you."
Tamaki frowned but nodded when he took a good look at how bloodied and injured Izuku was. "I'll be back, then."
There was a good period of silence until Izuku spoke.
"You really aren't going to tell him?" Izuku shot him a look. "You know we can't bring you back like this… It only takes three days."
"I know." Taishiro sighed. "It's selfish, but I didn't want his last memory of me to be tainted by this knowledge. Besides, what could he do about it? That kid has always had problems with depression and anxiety… I… can't bear to see it fester from the consequences of my own actions."
"So what now?" Izuku took a seat beside him. Taishiro was already starting to look a little flushed as a small cough found its way up his throat. He must've had a weaker immune system than they thought, what with the lack of food they'd had.
"There's nothing to be done." Taishiro sighed, and for the first time Izuku saw how scared the hero was. "I'll turn within three days no matter what we do." He smiled a little bitterly. "I don't regret it. Don't you dare blame yourself for this."
"I…" Izuku swallowed thickly.
"I have a selfish favor to ask of you." Taishiro's hand shook. "You picked up a gun a while back… May I have it?"
Izuku jolted, hand going towards his filched pistol. There were only about four bullets left, but it was still four chances to get away—though the sound would inevitably attract all the nearby Nomu. Guns were nearly as bad as Howlers. "Y-you can't mean…"
"I don't want to become one of them." Taishiro turned to gaze at Izuku, and his eyes held so many emotions. Fear, apology, guilt, sorrow, disappointment… but beneath it all… relief. "I'm so tired… we all are. I've tried to hold on, I really have… but I just can't live in this world anymore. Please… let me at least die saving someone."
Tears brimmed Izuku's eyes as he slowly handed the pistol over. "What about Tamaki?"
"He would never let me do this." Taishiro shook his head with a low laugh. "Go catch up with him… Watch over him for me, okay? And whatever you do, don't come back."
Izuku hugged him. "You've been an amazing friend, Tai… Tell the others we said hello."
"You're the strongest person I know, Izuku. Don't you ever stop smiling."
Izuku sent him one more smile before running off down the corridor, tears falling down his cheeks. He nearly bowled over Tamaki, and was no longer able to hold back his sobs.
"I-Izuku, what? What's going on? Where's Fatgum?" Tamaki didn't understand until he heard the gunshot. Izuku would never forget that scream.
Izuku's eyes snapped open with a strangled sob. It took him a moment to realize he was in his apartment in the Teacher's Dorms. The clock read half past three in the morning, and he knew that he had little chance of going back to sleep as he was now. He rubbed the ache in his bicep, fingers tracing the crater in his skin where the Zoomer had gotten him.
With a deep shuddering breath, he pulled himself from his bed and went to go wake himself up. He splashed the cold water on his face, blinking as it helped connect him a little more to his body. The cold water dripped from his chin and rain fell from the skies in sheets as Shouta's agonized scream—
"Stop it." He whispered harshly to himself as he scrubbed his face dry a little more furiously than necessary. He left the bathroom and headed out into his living room, refusing to look at his own reflection. He knew what he'd see—eyes that were jaded and hard that had seen all kinds of horrors. A face that was too young and too old all at once.
It was quiet… too quiet. The silence rang in his ears and felt like a physical force weighing down upon him. He swore he could hear the Nomu crying in the distance. He couldn't stand it, so he turned on the television, which was showing mindless commercials. "Garvelda's Bar! The best place to sit and watch your favorite sports!" The screen panned to show a rather nice bar.
The bar was dusty and old, and Izuku didn't get much time to really look at everything as Tamaki practically shoved him and Taishiro down the trap door. The room below was—
"That's enough." He shut off the TV. Obviously, he wasn't going to find a distraction here. He needed to go somewhere or do something.
He wandered out of his little apartment and down into the common area. He wasn't expecting anyone to be awake since Shouta (the only fellow insomniac he knew of) had his own house with Hizashi. So he was rather surprised to see Thirteen and Ectoplasm talking in hushed voices.
They looked up when he entered, and he could sense their frowns. "Midoriya?" Thirteen questioned softly. "What's wrong?"
Why would they assume…? He reached up a hand to find tears running down his face. "Oh…" He hastily wiped them away. "Sorry, I just… old memory visited me in the night, that's all." He poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Care to talk about it?" Ectoplasm offered.
"Ah, it's nothing important." He shook his head. "Just… the loss of a good friend."
"Sounds like something important to me." Thirteen spoke up.
"I mean…" Izuku downed half the cup of scorching hot coffee, relishing in the burn that grounded him to reality. "It's never easy to lose someone. I've just gotten a little too used to it, I suppose."
"Need a distraction?" Thirteen offered, and Izuku sent the rescue hero a smile.
"Please."
"How good are you at chess?" They questioned. Izuku could feel them smirking at him.
"I don't know. Never really played. Teach me the rules and let's find out."
"Well, considering Thirteen always gets their butt kicked by Midnight…" Ectoplasm snickered, earning a well-cushioned elbow from their fellow hero. Izuku snickered a bit too, wondering if it felt like being elbowed by a marshmallow.
An hour later showed that Izuku was terrifying at chess, easily sweeping both Thirteen and Ectoplasm off the board.
"Ahh! I thought I had you this time!" Thirteen despaired as Ectoplasm patted them on the back. "I thought you said you've never played?"
"I haven't." Izuku scratched the back of his head. "But Nezu says that I excel in strategy and analysis."
"I suppose that makes sense." Ectoplasm hummed. "You said you had a PhD in computer science, yes?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Off-topic question, but why are you guys up this… late? Early?"
"I had a late patrol tonight." Ectoplasm explained.
"And there was a bad accident on the road that required my Quirk, so I was called out to help." Thirteen tacked on. "We just got to talking since we got back around the same time."
Izuku went to say something when his stomach rumbled. His face reddened a bit. "Sounds like we should go on a snack run." Ectoplasm chuckled. "Fatgum came by for a visit yesterday, and cleaned out our fridge." Izuku flinched a bit at the mention of Taishiro. It was jarring to hear his name in the present tense when he'd just relived the man's final moments.
"Oh! You've never seen us in our civvies before!" Thirteen bounced excitedly, and Izuku blinked.
He'd never seen either hero in anything but their hero uniforms in either timeline. Actually, he'd never seen any of the masked heroes in casual clothing. "No, I actually haven't. Even in the First Run."
"Well, guess I should slip into something more comfortable." Ectoplasm chuckled. "Give us a bit and we'll meet you back down here. Perhaps you should slip into something other than your pajamas as well."
Izuku felt his cheeks redden a bit when he realized he was still in his soft pants and shirt that depicted various mathematical equations. "R-right." He went back upstairs and slipped on a T-shirt that read 'My brain has too many tabs open' and a pair of well-worn jeans. He threw on his jacket over top, concealing his sai. He almost forgot to grab his bag—a simple messenger bag that held his money and vigilan—hero outfit.
He headed downstairs and stopped to stare at the two strangers that sat there. Ectoplasm was recognizable by his iconic smile that stretched unnaturally across a moderately pale face. His hair was a soft dark brown and his eyes were a shimmering greenish gold color framed by a pair of glasses. He gave Izuku a smirk—it looked so odd with his Quirk. "Good to meet you face to face. You can call me Sugaku."
He nodded as he turned his attention towards the person who could only be Thirteen. Izuku had never seen such an androgynous person before. They had short black hair that fell in light waves just past their shoulders and kind round eyes that looked like they contained an entire galaxy. Purples and blues and reds swirled together with speckles of white pinpricks that reminded him of stars. A pair of glasses sat upon their nose as they gave Izuku a smile. If Thirteen was comforting and kind in their suit, it came across even more so in their civilian dress.
"You can call me Yuka." They introduced.
"Feel free to call me Izuku, then." He smiled. "So, we heading out?"
"Yep. There's a convenience store just a block or so away." Yuka explained as they tied back their hair. "We can restock the fridge for the week. I don't think we'll have much chance to do so once word of your teaching here gets out."
"Huh? What does my teaching have to do with anything?"
"You really are clueless about it aren't you?" Sugaku chuckled as he locked the door behind them. "Once word gets out that Viridian is teaching at UA, we'll have an All Might crowd out front all over again." He shook his head.
"Especially since this'll be the press' best chance to catch you. You are notorious for slipping away and staying hidden." Yuka laughed.
Izuku went to protest before remembering the hoard of reporters and civilians that'd accosted him outside the police department before the Sports Festival. "R-right."
"Oh, no. They've closed." Sugaku groaned as Izuku read the sign on the door.
"Looks like a staffing issue. They must not've had enough people to cover the overnight shift." Izuku sighed. "Happened a lot during the pandemic."
"Pandemic?" Sugaku blinked.
"I think there's another store just another block or so away." Yuka tilted their head in thought. "I've passed it once or twice on patrol."
"Well, we've already come this far." Izuku shrugged as they continued walking. "Yeah, so in the future there's a pretty nasty global pandemic that'll hit. Took 'em only a year to get the vaccine out, and heroes were prioritized on that. Still killed a good chunk of people."
"Well, I'll be sure to stock up on masks then." Sugaku grimaced.
"And toilet paper." Izuku chuckled. "That was the first thing to sell out."
"Toilet paper?" Yuka stared at him incredulously. "Seriously?"
"Yep. Sanitizer and paper products were nowhere to be found. On the other hand, traffic was amazing." He grinned a bit as he remembered how clear the roads were.
"Geez, I don't remember it being this far." Yuka huffed, tucking a lock of hair behind their ear.
"Getting our steps in." Sugaku laughed. "Well, you two are, at least." He knocked his knuckles against one of his prosthetic legs. Izuku couldn't help but think it'd be nearly impossible to recognize him if he wore a mask over his mouth and nose.
"So how do you like teaching so far?" Yuka grinned as they hooked their hands behind their back in a childish gesture. It oddly suited them well.
"It's all right. A little strange… these kids need to learn more than just 'hit it till it dies', though. I think I'll concentrate on evasion and stealth."
"Specialties of yours." Sugaku agreed. "If 1–A ever has another villain encounter, learning how to avoid conflict and get away safely would be the best thing."
Izuku shot him an odd look. "If? In my original timeline 1–A was continually attacked by the League of Villains. I think less than ten members of the original class survived long enough to graduate."
The two heroes shot him horrified looks. "You're serious? So they're going to keep being attacked?!" Yuka paled a bit.
"Yeah, if I haven't changed things too much. I tried to get Shigaraki to set his gaze on me during USJ, so hopefully he'll concentrate his fire on Midoriya Izuku rather than the actual children."
"Technically you are an actual child." Yuka gave him an unimpressed look.
"I mean, I've got the experience of a forty-something-year-old, so…"
"I've been wondering… Did you just toss your memories back or is there another Izuku running around for us to worry about?" Sugaku asked.
"According to all the calculations, it should've punted the entirety of me back in time and merged me with my younger self. Essentially, I've overtaken the Izuku of this time."
"Should have?" Yuka raised an eyebrow.
Izuku winced a bit as he recalled the Train Wreck Incident. His eyes drifted to the lemniscate on his wrist. "Really, it was all guess work. No way for us to run any real tests, you know? We spent years gathering enough power to support the portal for a jump. Everything was wind and solar, you know. We had a couple generators but finding fuel was nearly hopeless—far too dangerous to go into the city. That's how we lost Taishiro, after all."
"Taishiro… you mean Fatgum?" Sugaku startled.
"Yeah." Izuku rubbed the missing chunk on his bicep. "He saved me and died because of it." He shook the memories from his mind.
"Oh, there's the store!" Yuka smiled as they pointed, and Izuku felt his stomach sink a bit when he saw it.
"Uh… Maybe I should wait out here?" He suggested, earning a frown from his companions.
"Don't tell me. This place has a thing against Quirkless people." Sugaku sighed when Izuku nodded.
"Oh, then by all means…" Yuka gave a feral grin, hair rising for a moment as the light of a galaxy flashed within the inky dark locks. "Come on in with us. Neither of us are easily recognizable in our civilian dress. If they choose to discriminate, they'll certainly pay the price."
Sugaku chuckled as he pulled out a facemask and put it on. "I keep it for situations where I don't wish to be recognized." He explained.
"Honestly, after the pandemic, it's stranger not to see masks." Izuku chuckled. He felt oddly touched that these two were willing to step up and defend him if need be. He… dare he say it? He was starting to get used to people caring about him.
Keigo, Shouta, Yamada, Nezu, the UA staff as a whole… they were… reliable. He was starting to feel comfortable in the realization that they weren't about to abandon him or turn on him. He liked it. He had… friends.
The store attendant did a double-take when he saw Izuku. He recognized him as the assistant store manager, and someone who'd practically attacked him once before. He ducked his head, hiding a smirk. If this guy dared try anything now, not only did he have two well-known licensed pros with him, but since Naomasa had linked his civilian persona with his hero one, he could press serious charges for attacking a pro.
If it got to that point, of course. For now, the guy was doing nothing more than shooting Izuku some nasty looks. Sugaku's eyes flickered to the attendant for a moment before the three of them went about their shopping.
Izuku was looking at some cans of coffee when another attendant started sanitizing things. Everything he touched, the attendant sanitized. To Izuku, it was normal—even preferred during the pandemic—but he also realized it was an incredibly rude gesture.
Yuka shot that attendant a glare as they grabbed Izuku's wrist and started looking at coffee with him, despite the fact that they didn't drink it. He nearly laughed at the look the attendant shot them as she left—a mixture of frustration and disgust which made her look hilariously constipated.
"Thanks." He muttered to the rescue hero.
"You deal with that every time you go shopping?" They frowned.
"Why do you think I've taken to shopping in my vigilante uniform? People don't dare do more than a glare or mutter or two because they know I've got a license, now." He chuckled.
"Unfortunately, it's not quite illegal." Sugaku scowled.
"Oh, just wait." Izuku grinned. "That cashier is the assistant store manager. He has a serious problem with me—he's actually why I stopped shopping here."
"Well, then, let's finish this trip up then." Yuka decided. They stuck close to Izuku as they shopped. Sugaku didn't stray far, either, though he did grab anything from the higher shelves they couldn't reach. Izuku very much appreciated someone with height on their side. For once, he didn't have to jump to reach the canister of oatmeal he liked from the top shelf (he dare not climb the shelves after his last attempt nearly knocked down the isle, and he knew even a Quirked individual couldn't get away with that, let alone a Quirkless person like him).
Izuku set down their stuff on the counter at checkout, and the manager gave him a flat look. "Wasn't I clear last time?" He scowled. "I refuse to serve something like you. You've contaminated this entire establishment."
"I have as much right to shop as anyone else." Izuku stated firmly, looking the man in the eye.
"Right?" He scoffed. "Quirkless things have no rights." He scowled, anger evident in his voice. "Leave."
"I will once you let me buy my things."
The man was a little faster than Izuku gave him credit for, but with his experience he appeared to move in slow motion. He aimed a punch for Izuku, who dodged it, allowing the fist to sail into the display behind him, denting the iron structure and sending snacks flying.
Sugaku's hand wrapped around the manager's wrist like an iron vice, halting all movement. Izuku clearly saw the two-inch long spikes that protruded from the man's knuckles. If that had hit Izuku, it likely would've killed him.
"Well, now, I'd say that's a villainous act. Attacking someone with your Quirk is very illegal, especially with the intent to kill." Yuka had a gentle smile on their innocent face, but their voice was dripping in honeyed venom.
"I'd say." Sugaku agreed with a scowl.
"H-hey, hands off! That thing is Quirkless, it's not illegal! It's only illegal if I attack another person!" The manager defended, digging his grave deeper.
"You'd think he'd at least be smarter about it." Yuka scoffed. "Don't worry, cops are on their way."
"You have no righ—" The manager's words were cut off by Sugaku removing his mask, revealing his iconic grin.
"E-Ectoplasm?!" The man's eyes grew wide.
"Yep." Yuka was bouncing on their feet like an excited child.
"Why am I not surprised?" The familiar exhausted voice had Izuku beaming at his favorite detective.
"Masa!" He grinned.
"Quirk discrimination?" Naomasa rubbed his eyes as Tirogune and Aikure secured the manager.
"Yep. Hey Tiro! Aiku! Long time no see!" The two shared confused looks as Naomasa whispered something into their ears. Tirogune choked as Aikure's eyes widened.
"Seriously?!" The fur on Tirogune's tail was standing on end. "But you're so—!"
"Young? Short?" Izuku sent him a smirk.
"Nope, that's him." Aikure shook her head with a sigh. "Nobody can give a smirk like that but him."
"Come on." Tirogune urged the manager towards the car, leaving Naomasa with the three heroes.
"Okay. You know the drill, what happened?"
"Grocery run." Izuku shrugged. "Guy didn't wanna sell anything to me, and attacked me with his Quirk. Seemed to be able to extend the bones in his knuckles by about two inches. Spiked, so he may even be able to control the shape—I'd watch out for lock picking skills."
Naomasa nodded before turning to the two heroes in confusion. "I know Ectoplasm, but… I'm afraid I need a name for the statement." He looked towards Yuka.
"Oh! It's me! Thirteen!" They cackled a bit at Naomasa's shock.
"R-right. My apologies. So, statements? I know Midoriya will just e-mail me his later."
Izuku snickered. "You know you love the nights I take off."
"Yes, because they're usually quiet." He stressed. "Unless you go out in civilian dress and cause trouble."
"What can I say? Trouble loves me."
Izuku chatted with a few of the cops—much to their confusion—while he waited for his coworkers to finish giving their statements. "All right, we're good to go." Yuka stretched their arms above their head. "Geez, you need to tell us when someone's going to attack you next time."
"There shouldn't be a next time." Sugaku groaned as they walked back towards the dorms.
"With Izuku's luck?" Yuka shot him a look.
"Fair point." The cloning hero sighed.
"Honestly, I didn't expect him to use his Quirk." Izuku shrugged. "Last time he just chased me out with a broom."
"So, was this little walk distracting enough for you?" Yuka grinned, tilting their head at Izuku. "From your nightmare, I mean."
"Yeah." Izuku grinned back. "Thank you. Normally I'd go out on a patrol to get my mind off things, but then I'd be out all night. Plus, Shouta would kill me for going on patrol alone."
"Why? I mean, I know you get into trouble a lot, but surely once in a while is okay?" Sugaku raised an eyebrow.
"Because the last time I went out on patrol alone—that he knows of—I nearly got killed by Stain." He laughed, missing the horrified looks traded behind his back. "That's actually how I met Keigo—er, Hawks."
"Y-yeah, maybe we should come with you on any late night escapades moving forward." Yuka laughed, scratching their scalp.
They each scanned their staff passes as they passed back through the gates and headed up the road to the Staff Dorms.
"Tomorrow's the deadline for internships." Sugaku mused. "Have you chosen yours?"
"Well, Shouta says I can't intern with myself." Izuku huffed. "But the whole Stain fiasco happens during the internships, so I'll need to make sure my civilian self interns with someone who knows everything. Right now I'm thinking of going with either Shouta or Keigo…" Izuku paused to think. "Well, from an outsider's perspective, Shouta would make more sense… He fights Quirkless after all. Kei's like a brother to me, but an internship wouldn't really make a lot of sense."
"I mean, you could intern with any staff member since we're all in the know." Yuka offered, a smirk playing on their lips. "I'd happily take you on if you were interested."
"As much as I appreciate the offer, the internship is more for show." Izuku shook his head as they entered the building, locking the door behind them. "I'll be going after Stain as Viridian."
"W-wait a minute." Sugaku adjusted his glasses as he spoke. "You mean to say you're going to go after the Hero Killer? Alone? The same guy that you just said almost killed you?!"
"In my original timeline, Iida Tenya was killed in Hosu during his internship. He was looking for Stain, likely seeking retribution for his brother's paralysis. I initially intended for Keigo to apprehend Stain while protecting Iida Tensei, but the guy managed to slip away."
"I think I understand why Aizawa was always complaining about your reckless streak." Yuka sighed, running a hand through their hair, creating an odd shimmering effect like shooting stars.
"Also, I never said I was going alone. Shouta would never let me, and Keigo would lay eggs." Izuku corrected, earning a snort of amusement from the other two.
"You've got that right." Sugaku's grin widened a bit. "I think I heard Aizawa debating on taking Shinsou Hitoshi as an intern, though."
"Hitoshi, huh?" Izuku felt a small smile grace his lips. "Yeah, Shou's fighting style would fit Quip really well."
"Quip?" Yuka tilted their head.
"Ah, Hitoshi became a vigilante in my time. I gave him his Vigilante Name—Quip. He always seemed to have a comeback for everything, and the nickname just kind of stuck." Izuku mused. "Maybe I can stick it on him again in this timeline?"
"Your initial problem still stands. Since Aizawa is now unavailable, who will you intern with?" Sugaku gave him a raised eyebrow as they all started to put away the groceries.
Izuku rubbed his chin, idly missing his stubble. "I could default to Nezu, since I'm already his personal student, but that does defeat the purpose of an internship."
"Maybe the question isn't what would make the most sense as Izuku, but what kind of backup you'll need as Viridian." Yuka spoke up. "In the wake of what's about to happen, will anyone even question your decision?"
"You have a point." Izuku nodded. "But who would be the best matchup against Stain?"
"How does he fight?" Sugaku asked as he closed the fridge and stowed the bags for later use. The three settled around the table with coffee—or tea in Yuka's case. "I'd be willing to help."
"I'm not sure how your Quirk would match up to Stain's… do your clones bleed?"
"No, they're just made of ectoplasm. Only the real me will bleed."
"Then maybe. Stain is fast—scarily so. I'm not sure if he'd let you have the chance to make clones, honestly. And his Quirk allows him to paralyze anyone that he ingests the blood of—even a single drop can be deadly."
"Is that how he's killed so many?" Yuka sighed as they took a long sip.
"Yeah, I experienced it firsthand."
"What about a long-ranged fighter like Snipe?" Sugaku suggested. "Not only would he make sense for your student persona, but if he has the element of surprise, he could take out Stain very quickly."
Izuku's eyes brightened. "And if he sticks to the rooftops, then with me distracting Stain he should stay safe! Sugaku, that's brilliant!"
"Someone talking about me?"
Izuku startled when he saw him. His dark blue dreadlocks were tied back and out of the way, allowing Izuku to see his face for the first time. He definitely had some European in him—that much was clear. His eyes were a stunning blue, framed by a scar near his left eye. The left half of his face looked terribly burned, and Izuku idly wondered if that was why he always wore his mask. He gave Izuku an easy smile. "Mornin'."
"Snipe?" He blinked, causing Yuka to chuckle.
"Looks like Izuku's getting all the face reveals today."
"Yep, it's me." Snipe laughed. "Hero name's fine, I don't usually go out in my civilian clothing. Too many stares."
"Never pegged you as the self conscious type." Izuku mused as he passed the hero a mug of coffee.
"So, you were talking about internships? Sorry, couldn't help but overhear a bit."
"How much?" Yuka shot him a look.
"Enough." Snipe grinned before turning his attention back towards Izuku. "So. The Hero Killer, huh? Sounds like a good time."
Izuku snorted. "So that's a yes, I take it?"
"Sure. I'll go ahead and file the paperwork. It'll be interesting to have an intern for a change. Ever fired a gun?"
Izuku grimaced for a moment, mind going back to his nightmare. "Yeah. Only a handful of times, though. Nomu typically are attracted to loud noises, so gunshots were a giveaway. Never had the chance to practice aim."
"Understandable. We can try a few long-ranged weapons. Doesn't have to be a gun. You can try archery, too." His grin widened.
"You realize you may not have time to actually do any interning?" Sugaku leaned against his fist, amused.
"Oh, let him have his fun!" Yuka scolded lightly. "Speaking of, isn't Hasegawa up yet?"
"Hasegawa?" Izuku questioned as Lunch Rush—recognizable by his mask—came down the stairs.
"They mean me. Hasegawa Takumi, pleasure to formally meet you." He seemed to be grinning beneath his mask. Izuku realized abruptly that it was an oxygen supply, and thusly not strictly part of his hero uniform. Of course, if it was actual medical equipment, as Izuku suspected, then it'd be incredibly rude to comment on it.
"Need a hand?" Izuku offered as Hasegawa went about the kitchen.
"No, I've got it. Thanks, though." He used his Quirk—a form of telekinesis—to start prepping ingredients and get things cooking. Hasegawa frowned lightly as he gave Izuku another glance. "How many meals do you eat? You're too thin."
"Ah… Er… Keigo would bring me food whenever he could. Usually I get in one or two meals. I'm still probably recovering from the malnutrition I jumped back with."
"You should talk to Chiyo—er, Recovery Girl about that." The cooking hero advised. "She can give me a dietary plan to help you get all the nutrients you're missing."
Izuku's cheeks reddened. "You don't have to go through all that trouble—"
"Izuku." Yuka cut him off with a fond smile. "You forget, we're heroes. We like helping people. And you're our coworker and friend. Let us give you a hand, okay?"
He ducked his head to hide the blush that was quickly making him look like a walking Christmas ad. "Thanks."
Laughter flooded the room, and he couldn't help but smile. This… this felt nice.
Noiscardily: I'm afraid
Barbieisawhore: You? Uh oh. Should we all run?
DragoninaDress: If you're afraid we should all b scared
DragoninaDress: What's up?
Noiscardily: You'll see as soon as they come on.
Barbieisawhore: Who?
[MoldiBroccli is Online]
Barbieisawhore: oh
MoldiBroccli: AOIDFNQAIOWEGLIUHARGLKJHAFKJAWELFSJDNKLJALSDHFLUIWAFDS GUYS DID YOU HEAR?!
MoldiBroccli: GayAFanimeBoi
TheCakeisaLie: What? What's goin on? I'm in class rn
MoldiBroccli: That new teacher at UA! IT'S VIRIDIAN!
Noiscardily: That's what the rumors say at least
[GayAFanimeBoi is Online]
GayAFanimeBoi: No, it's legit! He taught my bro's class and everything! :D I'm STOKED! Maybe I can actually MEET him!
Demonic-gay-microwave: O.O rlly?! he's a real bigshot noe
Demonic-gay-microwave: *now
MoldiBroccli: take me with uuuuuuuu
Noiscardily: It does sound pretty cool. Just don't storm UA
MoldiBroccli: Aww, but MOM
Noiscardily: Since when am I your mom?
Demonic-gay-microwave: u r the admin of this chat. U r mom
GayAFanimeBoi: mom can I go see Viridian?
MoldiBroccli: mom can I go see God?
Noiscardily: I am so done with you people. *Sigh*
[Noiscardily is Offline]
Izuku hummed lightly as he and Mei finished up in the shop. "Oh, no! How's it gotten so late?!" Mei rushed to gather her things. "I'm going to miss my train if I stay any later. Sorry, Izu, we'll have to pick this up tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow's the start of internships." He shook his head. "We'll just work on it when I come back—and compare notes of the work we've done independently, of course."
"Right!" She beamed. "Don't worry 'bout Toshi, I'll probably invite him over during the break."
"Go on, or you'll miss your train, Mei." He chuckled as she bolted from the room.
"I understand that ingenuity requires a lot of trial and error…" Powerloader spoke slowly as he cautiously poked his head up from where he'd been hiding behind his reinforced desk. "But can you please try to blow yourselves up less? I'm going to go through all my alcohol."
Izuku snickered. "Aww, but you were the one who taught me how to blow stuff up!"
"I have never wanted to kick myself so hard before."
"Don't be that way!" Izuku grinned. "At any rate, you wanted to talk to me?"
"Yes, about your hero gear… I understand that you've got a fight coming up… Stain, wasn't it?" He grimaced as he grabbed a few things from under his desk.
"That's right." Izuku nodded as he pulled out his Viridian outfit.
"Is this really what you've been working with so far?" Powerloader frowned. "It's so… where did you say you got this again?"
"Discount Halloween." Izuku shrugged. "I made the utility belt myself. It's the only thing from my original First Run outfit that fit." He then pulled out his old Viridian costume.
"Yes, I can see how this wouldn't fit." Powerloader hummed as he ran his hands over the material. "Kevlar?"
"Part of it." Izuku laughed. "I also used some silk from some genetically altered spiders and spun it with some polyvinvylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene, and then twisted it into yarn before twisting it into coils and—"
"I think you've lost me a bit." Powerloader blinked.
"I can just write up the notes I've got on it, if you'd prefer?"
"Yes, that may be better." He decided. "How strong is it?"
"Well, it can absorb nearly a hundred joules of energy, and it can stretch about seven tones longer than Kevlar." Izuku enjoyed the way Powerloader jolted at that, looking at the original Viridian suit with a much sharper gaze.
"Beyond that, what sort of weapons do you currently have?" He set the clothing aside as Izuku pulled out his sword.
"This is my main weapon—came back with me from the First Run. I've had it for… wow, about twelve years, now." He carefully set his trusty blade on the desk. The sheath was so worn that any design on it was long gone, and the grip had grooves in it from his fingers gripping the same spots for over a decade. The guard was broken in several places, and was only moderately tarnished.
"May I?" He waited for Izuku to nod before unsheathing the blade. "What happened here?" He traced the branching designs on the blade itself that shimmered in the lighting.
"My sword got stuck in the skull of a Royal Nomu and it acted as a lightning rod to electrocute it. Saved my life, actually." Izuku ran a hand over the blade for a moment. "That was the day Zashi died."
"I see…" Powerloader's voice was soft. "From what I can tell this blade is in fairly good condition, all things considered. I've got some supplies here that you can use to help get it back into a smoother form." He pulled out a few things that Izuku hadn't seen since before the pandemic.
"Thank you." He took the micro-crystalline wax and reel cloth with a grin.
"I've got some things you can use to sharpen it in Storage Room 8. Here's the key, don't bother giving it back." The hero chuckled as he handed over the shiny golden key. "Feel free to use that room for whatever you'd like."
"Really? Whatever I'd like?" Izuku challenged, earning a glare.
"Within reason." Powerloader amended.
"Define reason…"
"Nothing illegal or potentially dangerous to the general student body… or staff."
"Fair enough." He mentally crossed a few things off his list.
"So I hear you're interning with Snipe?" Powerloader smirked as he leaned back.
"Yep! Sugaku, Yuka and I were talking about it last night."
"Wow, already on a face-to-name basis with those two?" Powerloader chuckled. "In that case, just call me Higari. If that doesn't bother you, of course."
"Nah, it's fine. Izuku works for me, too."
"I should have a stronger outfit ready for you by tomorrow morning." Higari mused as he looked at the two vigilante costumes. "Any last minute modifications?"
"Nothing I can think of… Actually, if you could add a sound-muffler to the voice-changer? That'd help a lot when I'm in stealth mode. And some extra padding to the shoes… extra grip to the fingers would be helpful, too… especially when I'm climbing the edge of a building. Uh… a way to secure the belt would be good. It keeps slipping. And the fourth pouch keeps falling open."
"All right. I've got it all written down." Higari laughed a bit. "I'll make it personally. It'll be mostly Kevlar, though. I don't currently have access to… whatever this is." He gestured towards the First Run outfit.
"I figured." Izuku shrugged. "Even that's better than…"
"Indeed." Higari held up the patched costume. "I'm honestly shocked it's lasted this long."
"Well… I may have had to replace it once or thrice."
Viridian spun in his chair in the Teacher's Lounge with a sigh. Shouta couldn't help but feel a little sorry for his class. Today's lesson had been a lot of physical conditioning led by the green-clad hero. Shouta was tired just watching them.
He wasn't sure he wanted to know what Viridian had planned for the next lesson. "The final internship list is in." He announced, drawing Viridian's attention.
"And?"
Shouta scrolled through. Uraraka was interning with Gunhead—that was a surprise—and Bakugo was interning with Mirko. Those two would probably get along swimmingly, especially with Bakugo's newfound drive.
His eyes lingered on the name, Iida Tenya. Viridian rested his arm on Shouta's shoulder as he read over him. Manual, City: Hosu.
"Damnit." Viridian's fist hit Shouta's desk with surprising strength (had he cracked it?). "Idiot. He's going after Stain."
"How can you be so sure?" Midnight asked as she came over. "He could just want to intern with his brother?"
"No, trust me. He's furious about Stain attacking his brother like that. He's seeking vengeance."
"Any idea what day of the internship?" Shouta asked with a sigh. Why was his class so damn troublesome this year?
"Uh…" Viridian scratched his head a bit. "About that…"
"You'd think you'd remember something so important." Thirteen spoke up from the other desk. "Wasn't it on the news?"
"It's been like thirty years, give me a break! There've been a ton of stuff on the news in the last three decades—well, maybe not the last decade because communications went down, but still. You can't seriously tell me you remember every major event that occurred ten years ago, can you?"
"When you put it like that…" Midnight sighed. "So what? We just stalk Iida until he leads us to Stain?"
"I remember something major happening in Hosu the night he was attacked. Fire and explosions and stuff… I think Endeavor was part of it, too…" Viridian hummed. "The day Endeavor goes to Hosu will be the day of the attack."
"It's a lot easier to keep track of one blazing hothead than stalk the city for a week." Midnight agreed. "I've got no interns this year, so I can keep an eye on 'im for you."
"I don't have any interns either." Thirteen piped up.
"Hold on, lemme make a new chat." Viridian pulled out his phone and started typing away.
ViridianChaos has created a new chatroom
ViridianChaos has invited Dadzawa, Fury, Tsuragamae, Scream, and 11+ others
ViridianChaos: Welcome to the Chaos everyone! This is the chat for everyone 'in the know' so we can stay in the loop.
MotherHen: What trouble are you up to?
Dadzawa: hunting down Stain
Scream: Just be careful!
LunchRush has changed their name to DinnerisSERVED
Midnight: Really?
DinnerisSERVED: might as well have some fun. I haven't been in a chat for a long time.
AllMight has changed their name to IAMHERE
Nezu: Keep us posted. I'll keep track of those of you embarking on this mission via GPS. Come to me before you leave town for communicators.
Nezu has changed their name to EvilGenius
ViridianChaos: Thanks, Nez!
"You can seriously get away with calling him that?" Shouta stared at him in shock.
"Yep!" Viridian cackled. "It was our trade for some information."
"Wonders never cease." Midnight shook her head. "I'll explain the tentative plan to the chat, you two go… do whatever, I guess."
"So…" Viridian sent him a smirk. "Hitoshi, huh?"
"It's logical. He's going to need to learn a Quirkless fighting style. Underground heroics is his most rational choice." Shouta crossed his arms.
"Plus he's like a mini-you. Eye bags and all." Viridian snickered.
"Heaven forbid we ever find a mini you." Shouta shot back.
"I'm already fun-sized." Viridian stuck out his tongue at him before continuing in a much more serious voice. "So what're you going to do? You've got an intern this year; you can't just drag him to Hosu. It's too dangerous."
"I'll give him a single day off." Shouta shrugged. "Most of our work will be at night, so I'm sure he'll appreciate some time to himself."
"Oh, Higari said he'll have a new costume ready for me by morning." Viridian grinned. "It'll be nice to get something that's more durable than discount Halloween stuff."
"I'm honestly impressed you've lasted so long with your luck. You need those defenses." Shouta sighed.
"My luck isn't that bad!" Viridian protested.
"Let's see, gunshot wound."
"Saving your ass."
"Twice."
"Masa's guys shot at me!"
"Stab wounds."
"Which is normal in our profession!"
"Your crazy stalker."
"Not my fault!"
"USJ."
"Which I totally expected, so that was supposed to happen."
"Train wreck."
"Like I said, how was I supposed to know?!"
"Fell off six buildings."
"Twelve, actually. But you didn't know about those."
"STAIN." Shouta stressed.
"Fine! I've got a knack for finding trouble. But I have good luck because I survived." Viridian pouted, causing a few of the staff to chuckle.
"Sheesh, when he lists them all off like that it really does sound like a lot." Thirteen winced. "Maybe we should keep someone with you after all."
"Yuuuukaaaaa!" Viridian's pout deepened.
"Well, we've got a full day before internships start." Midnight mused. "Why not take a staff vacation? Sounds to me like Viridian needs one, and with so many of us around, what could possibly go wro—"
"Say those words, Nemuri, and I will personally have Nezu ban you from every club and bar in the district." Shouta promised. Viridian's luck was shitty enough without tempting the powers that be.
"Since when do you believe in jinxes?" Midnight raised an eyebrow.
"Since I met a time traveling vigilante that has the ability to turn everything I thought was true on its head and drive me mad in the process." Shouta sighed. "But a vacation does sound like a good idea. Where to?"
Viridian blinked at them all owlishly. "What's with that look?" Thirteen questioned.
"I… I've never gone out and done anything with people before." He answered a little distantly.
"What, you've never just gone out and hung with friends?" Midnight raised an eyebrow.
"You kind of need friends for that." Viridian's answer was incredibly casual, and it made Shouta wince. Right. Quirkless discrimination.
"I've booked us all a trip to the hot springs in Tokyo." Nezu grinned as he appeared from nowhere. The only person who didn't jump was Viridian. "We can meet up there at eight AM tomorrow. Everyone should be relaxed and refreshed for their internships this next week!"
"Wonderful!" Thirteen beamed. "I can't wait! I haven't been to a hot springs in ages!"
Shouta let himself smile a little. Perhaps this would be all right after all. A night off would do them all some good, honestly.
Izuku gaped when he saw the inside of the hot springs. It was so… extravagant. It looked like something for the wealthy. Lavish decorations were tastefully sprinkled throughout the entrance hall as a stream ran through the room, creating an air of relaxation and zen that was only added to by the incense that they had burning. A bamboo fountain quietly thumped outside, and Izuku felt his shoulders relax a bit.
"Don't tell me you've never been to a hot springs, either?" Yuka gave him a small smirk. Everyone was in their civvies, but the staff of the hot springs had obviously been informed of who was coming, because they didn't glance twice at Cementoss or Hound Dog.
"Nope. First time." He stated as he presented his ID (staff ID, as Nezu had told him to) to the front desk clerk. She blinked a bit before shrugging and handing him his pass. It was by far the easiest time he'd ever had at a front desk, and he felt an odd giddiness well up within him. Maybe this time, things would be okay.
Midnight threw an arm around Hizashi and Shouta's shoulders as she tossed Izuku an easy grin. "Come on! Let's check out the bar!"
"All right!" Izuku grinned before Yuka and Sugaku grabbed either shoulder and stopped him.
"No." Sugaku sent him a glare as Yuka gave Nemuri one.
"Problem Child isn't old enough." Shouta gave the 18+ Hero a glare. "Hawks says he has enough trouble keeping the sake from him."
"I'll have you know—"
"That doesn't count and you know it." Shouta cut him off, making him pout.
"Come on." Yuka laughed. "They've got some non-alcoholic drinks that are just as good."
Most everyone sat around a large table as they ate, some with drinks others with tea. Izuku settled for a virgin drink that was surprisingly good. He grinned as Nemuri and Hizashi teamed up on teasing Shouta.
There was an easy air of camaraderie and friendship that hung around the group. He realized with a little bit of shock that he trusted them. This odd group of heroes were people he was coming to believe in and trust to watch his back. Izuku took a moment to sit back and absorb everything as he tentatively let some of his guard down for the first time in over a decade. He allowed himself to relax a bit as he sat back and just enjoyed the moment.
"See, Zu?" Tamaki jostled his shoulder a bit with a quiet laugh. "Dabi passed out. Told you he couldn't hold his liquor."
"We should draw on his face." Mirio grinned.
"I don't know, Mirio… He won't be very happy…" Izuku swirled his whiskey as he thought.
"What's the harm?! It's just some marker!" Takeyama, better known as Mt. Lady, threw an arm over Izuku's shoulder. "Besides, he could do with a little makeover, don't ya think? It's really his fault for passing out after only a couple of shots."
Izuku smirked a bit as he uncapped the pen, noting the way Hizashi and Shouta pretended not to watch. Their group had only been together for a handful of months, but it was already obvious that the world was going to shit. This was one of the few bars left open that didn't have a constant swarm of patrons. Since the world was going to hell, they all decided that it'd be fine to just have a couple of drinks.
The walls people had built around the city to keep the Nomu out were working well enough, but something told Izuku that it wouldn't last long. This faux safety was just an illusion. Something told him to enjoy these moments, because they would soon be gone.
People started to group up almost as soon as the walls went up two years ago. They formed gangs and cliques, and Izuku was more than shocked to have found himself in one. Shouta was the one who'd invited him, and he was beyond grateful that the hero who'd been after his vigilante hide for the last few years had reached out a hand to help him.
Because now, at the age of nearly 35, he had people he could call maybe-friends for the first time since he was four. He would've invited Quip—one of his only actual friends—but he had already dropped off the map. It was entirely possible he was already part of a survivor group… Izuku didn't want to think of the alternative.
His only other friend (rival?) was Hatsume Mei, and she was busy working with what little governmental powers were left to try to combat this… disease… Could it even be called that anymore when it had created such horrific monsters? Even All Might had been killed. Truly, was there any hope for anyone at this point?
He turned to smile at Takeyama, Mirio and Nemuri as the three gleefully wrote all sorts of things on Dabi's face. Tamaki was grinning as Higari laughed quietly.
If only things could stay this way… If only…
"Izuku?" He startled, shaking himself out of his flashback as his eyes focused on Yuka's concerned expression. "You back with us?"
He scrubbed at his face a bit as he looked around. It seemed the other staff members had enough decency to pretend that they weren't paying attention. Shouta, Sugaku and Yuka were the ones who didn't bother to pretend.
"Yeah." He let out a bit of a breath. "Sorry if I startled you."
"Don't apologize. You've been through hell." Shouta shook his head. "I'd be surprised if this didn't happen."
"It wasn't bad this time." He mused as he took a sip of his drink. There was still ice, so he must not've been out of it for too long. "Just remembering the days before the walls went down."
"Walls?" Yuka blinked. "Ah, you don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"When the Nomu started showing up, people built walls around cities to keep them out… it ended up backfiring when people refused to acknowledge that they were sick, and outbreaks turned the protective measures into death traps."
"A pandemic?" Chiyo frowned.
"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Izuku blinked. "There was a massive global pandemic that struck, and Shigaraki used that to his advantage. It's how he spread the Nomu Virus—through purposefully contaminated batches of the initial virus' vaccine. Since I'm Quirkless, I was never able to get a vaccine, so I was never at risk of being exposed to the second strain."
"For once, I think that discrimination was a good thing." Shouta sighed.
"Shouuuu! Can you braid my hair tonight?" Hizashi draped himself over his husband, cheeks flushed with the pleasant buzz of alcohol.
Shouta sighed as he patted his husband's head. "Drink your water and I'll braid your hair, stupid cockatoo."
Izuku smiled softly at the scene as Nemuri and Snipe shared a cackle.
"It's always nice to see people outside of work." Cementoss commented to Izuku with a smile. "You get to see a side of people that they normally keep hidden. It gives you a better glimpse into who they really are."
"A great way to foster trust!" Sugaku laughed a bit.
"Careful, Sugaku. If you drink much more we'll have to carry you to your rooms!" Vlad laughed heartily.
"Hey, Yuka? I've been meaning to ask you, but uh… Can I braid your hair sometime?" He turned a little red as his friend—were they friends?—gave a low chuckle. "I mean I did it for a couple of coworkers of mine back when I worked at the café, and I kinda miss it sometimes, and—"
"I think it sounds like a great idea!" Yuka grinned. "You can braid my hair if I can style yours."
Izuku laughed a bit. "Deal."
"Oooh! A hairstyle party!" Hizashi threw an arm around Izuku and Yuka with a grin. "We should all get together! You wouldn't believe how good Shouta is with hair!"
"Hey! That's not information for you to brag about!" Shouta flushed a bit in mild mortification, making Izuku laugh.
Shouta startled a bit, and Izuku realized he hadn't laughed quite so… freely or lightly since… wow, he couldn't remember when. It must've been as a child. It felt good.
He looked up when a familiar calloused hand ruffled his hair. "Keep that smile, Problem Child."
Izuku relaxed into the touch. "I'll do my best."
OMAKE:
[Setting: First Run]
Tamaki and Izuku trudged towards the hideout. The bags laden with life-saving medical supplies were heavy with the weight of the loss they represented. "Why didn't he tell me?" Tamaki wiped away another tear as his bottom lip trembled.
"He said he didn't want to see the pain it'd cause you." Izuku sighed. It'd been nearly impossible to pull his distraught brother away from Taishiro's final tomb.
Izuku gently coaxed Tamaki into a hug as he tapped a specific pattern on the door, waiting for someone to open it.
"There you are." Shouta glared as he let them inside. "You ran off in the night without a damn word. Problem Child."
"Dabi." Izuku called out quietly, voice softened by grief. "Here… for Zashi." He handed over the bag, and the once-villain opened it curiously.
"H-hold on…" His eyes went wide as he looked at the supplies. "What is this?"
"Medicine." Tamaki spoke up. "Everything we could swipe from the hospital."
"Hospital?" Nemuri frowned. "Don't tell me you two went to the city?"
"Hold on." Higari held up a hand. "Taishiro went out after you… Where is he?"
Izuku clenched his fists as he glared hard at the ground, trying to ignore the stifled sob from Tamaki. "Gone." He whispered. "He's gone."
