Welp, I've got plenty of time to work on this story as I got Covid… Don't worry, it's not too bad. I don't need to go to a hospital or anything.
Hitoshi gave a weak sigh as he watched Izuku walk off with Todoroki. It was time for lunch and, even though he expected it, Hitoshi was left in the dust. Izuku didn't even look back at Hitoshi. No, Todoroki was all Izuku could see.
Hitoshi grabbed his bento and bit back his sadness. 'You made this bed, now you get to lay in it.' He thought as he walked out of the classroom. He watched as everyone made their way to the lunchroom. He just stood there and then turned and made his way towards the rooftop… alone.
Up the stairs Hitoshi went with his bento cradled against his chest. "I can't help but hate you right now!..." That was the first time Izuku has ever said those dreaded words to Hitoshi. 'I hate you.' He never though he'd ever hear those words leave his brother's mouth. Ever. Rejection crept slowly up his body and made his feel like crap. 'I need some space.'
Opening the door to the rooftop, Hitoshi propped it open with a PVC pipe to keep it from locking on him. He then went to the edge of the building and sat promptly.
It was quiet, almost serene for Hitoshi to witness. He opened his bento and grabbed his chopsticks. For a very real moment he felt the silence crushing him, squeezing his chest and making him feel like he was being suffocated. Hitoshi swallowed hard as his anxiety spiked, he felt like he was being suffocated. His thoughts creeping in, swirling around, and scratching at him.
"Hey, there you are!" Kaminari's voice cut through the air and made Hitoshi blink a bit in surprise. Hitoshi looked over his shoulder at Kaminari. The blonde's voice cut through the opressing silence and silenced Hitoshi's growing thoughts. Kaminari gave Hitoshi a big grin. "I was wondering where you went off to! Whatcha doing on the rooftop?" Kaminari sat down beside Hitoshi without any prompting.
Hitoshi blinked at Kaminari. "What are you…?" He asked slowly, almost unsure as he could only continue to look at the blonde. Kaminari was Izuku's friend. He wasn't Hitoshi's…
Right?
Yeah, Kaminari had a crush on Hitoshi, this much was common knowledge. Still, Kaminari hung out with and talked to Izuku way more than he has with Hitsohi. Yet, here Kaminari was. Kaminari opened his own bento and started to eat. "I could ask you the same thing." he smirked as he ate his porkbelly. There was a little smirk on his face as he said this. "Didn't think I would see you sneaking off, ey, Hitoshi?" He then ate his piece of food.
Hitoshi felt his brain only lightly short-circut as he looked at Kaminari. "I- Uh…why aren't you eating with Zuchan?"
"Again, I could ask you the same thing? Did something happen?" Kaminari ate some of his rice as he asked this.
"Mmm…" Hitoshi hummed and he picked at his food a bit. "You could say that." He mumbled and looked forlorn at his food. "We…its been decided that we should have some space from each other…" Hitoshi told Kaminari. He, Hitoshi, poked his rice with his chopsticks. He felt a sadness, and rejection, seep up once more.
"Oh…" Kaminari whispered softly. "That sucks." Kaminari patted Hitoshi's shoulder. "I don't have siblings, so I can't really relate to what you're going through, but that being said you shouldn't be alone just because you and 'Zuku had a fight."
"..." Hitoshi only gave Kaminari a bit of a glance before he relaxed a little.
"Oh…thanks…" Hitoshi gave a soft whisper and took a small bite of food.
They started to eat in relative silence. Kaminari's presence was welcomed. It was like just being around Kaminari was helping Hitoshi's thoughts from consuming him and making him into a sobbing pile.
As Hitoshi ate he suddenly felt Kaminari brush against his shoulder and he froze. Kaminari had shifted so he was now leaning against Hitoshi's shoulder. "Uh-" Hitoshi felt his face heat up a little at how close Kaminari had become.
"You want some?" Kaminari didn't hesitate to offer up a bite of his pork belly to Hitoshi. "My dad made it."
"Uh…"
The outside of the pork belly was a crispy golden brown and the meat on the inside was glistening and looked juicy. It was tempting, he wouldn't lie. Kaminari was grinning, no hint of maliciousness in his voice or face as he waited with his chopsticks near Hitoshi's mouth. "It's really good~" Kaminari lightly moved the pork belly in front of Hitoshi.
"Uh…sure-" Kaminari didn't hesitate. The moment he had Hitoshi's consent, he shoved the pork belly into Hitoshi's mouth. Hitoshi felt himself blush at this when Kaminari removed the chopsticks from his mouth.
Kaminari's eyes lit up as he waited for Hitoshi to chew. So, Hitoshi chewed. He chewed slowly, savoring the taste of the crispy, salty, pork belly. "It's really good." Hitoshi said softly once he swallowed it down.
Kaminari's eyes stayed alight with happiness. "I'm glad you like it…"
Hitoshi felt himself blush at Kaminari's face.
Kaminari rubbed the back of his neck and relaxed against Hitoshi's face. "Well, 'Zuku is missing out, you know… we have the best view in the whole school." Kaminari whispered and he continued to eat his lunch.
"Mmmm…" Hitoshi hummed as he ate his own food. Kaminari couldn't see it, but Hitoshi was trying his hardest to calm his furiously beating heart. 'What's happening. It's Denki. De-n-ki! I cannot be acting like this!' Still, Hitoshi felt inclined to agree with Kaminari. The two of them did have the better view from up high.
Mid-terms were coming up and so there was a lot of studying to be had. Studying and training. As the days passed Hitoshi found himself gravitating towards Kaminari more and more as Todoroki always had Izuku's attention. Hitoshi wasn't jealous. Nope. No siree.
They were in study hall. Kaminari had asked Hitoshi for help studying for math. So, they were working together. The two of them quietly talking while Hitoshi explained how fractions worked.
"Izuku, I need some help with this question." Todoroki had asked out of the blue.
'Bullshit, next to Zuchan you're the third smartest person in class.' Hitoshi could have rolled his eyes.
"Of course, Todoroki, let me just finish with Ochako." Izuku grinned back at Todoroki before going to back to help Ochako with English.
Hitoshi went back to fractions. "So, you multiply these two numbers and that's how you get your answer. Understood?" He inquired. Kaminari mumbled and scratched at the head with his pencil.
"I think."
Hitoshi sighed. "What's confusing you?"
"...All of it. I hate fractions."
With a tap of his pencil, Hitoshi thought of a different way to go about this. 'Damn ADHD.' He thought in irritation. "Okay. Let's try it this way." So, Hitoshi started to dumb it down for Kaminari. He made sure to speak clearly and slowly while drawing to each number.
"Okay, I get it now, thanks. 'Zuku." Ochako's voice cut through Hitoshi's ears.
"No problem. Okay, Todoroki, what do you need help with?" Izuku walked across the classroom to help Todoroki.
'Nothing. He just wants your attention.' Hitoshi thought with an eye roll.
A few moments later Mr. Aizawa stood up. "I need to step out." He told his class. "Behave. Izuku, as class Representative, you're in charge."
"Understood, sir." Izuku gave his dad a nod before focusing back on Todoroki.
"Sir?" Tsu teased the moment Mr. Aizawa stepped out of the classroom. "Not 'dad'?"
Hitoshi answered that one before Izuku could. "We may be his children, and he may be our father, but here, in the school, he's our teacher and we're his students. There's a difference. It discredits his work as a teacher to call him 'dad'." Hitoshi didn't even look up from Kaminari's work.
"Makes sense." Tsu agreed and let it drop immediately after. But the drama was only just starting, it turns out.
"Deku-" Bakugo, who's been quiet since their training with All Might earlier that day. Approached Izuku and Todoroki alike.
"Yes?" Izuku inquired with a head tilt.
"Let me make one thing clear. Earlier today, that race, you may have won, but you did so by copying my moves and I don't appreciate it!" Bakugo snarled as he took a threatening step toward Izuku.
Izuku's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me…" There was a bite in Izuku's tone. One that made Hitoshi tense.
"You heard me!"
"I haven't been copying anybody you self-absorbed ass." Izuku bit back just as quickly.
'Wrangle Cujo in, Zuchan.' Hitoshi thought as he kept a particular hold on Izuku's eyes. They weren't flashing, but Hitoshi knew that Cujo was just at the surface wanting any reason to be free. After all, Cujo is a gremlin that lives for chaos. 'I need to step in…'
"Back off, Bakugo. Zuchan has worked hard on his quirk. He hasn't been copying anybody." Hitoshi stated firmly. His tone wasn't bitter or even accusatory towards the blonde. It's just firm. Well, Bakugo didn't like that.
"Well, I guess if anybody would know it would be you. Wouldn't it?" Bakugo snarled and he turned away from Izuku and focused on Hitoshi.
Hitoshi put his pencil down. "I get the feeling you're going to do or say something dumb. Don't." Hitoshi warned his tone no longer just 'firm' but borderline threatening.
"Bakugo." Izuku's tone turned threatening all the same.
'...They apologized to him. Didn't they?' Hitoshi realized almost instantly. That his dad and Izuku both apologized to Bakugo. So now, Bakugo knows. He may not know everything, but he knows that Hitoshi was the sole reason for Izuku's memory loss. Hitoshi narrowed his eyes once Bakugo was practically on top of him. Bakugo's red eyes glowed with fury as he looked down at Hitoshi.
"Try something," Hitoshi dared him with a bite in his tone. "You'll eat carpet…" Hitoshi stood slowly until the two of them were eye-to-eye. The air in the room turned icy and tense as the others just watched, waiting for one of them to make the first move.
"No." Izuku immediately grabbed Bakugo and pulled him back. Then he stood in front of Hitoshi, between the two of them. "Hichan, sit down, Bakugo I'm not 'stealing your moves. Quit acting like a Karen and sit back in your seat."
Bakugo stared down at Izuku. "You disgust me, you know that?!" Bakugo spat at Izuku.
'Ding! Ding! Ding! Round one!' Hitoshi stood up again and rolled his sleeve up-
"I said sit!" Izuku snapped at Hitoshi. It was that tone again. The tone told Hitoshi that he wasn't asking anymore. The tone told Hitoshi if he pushed, then Cujo had a likely chance of coming out unprompted.
Hitoshi sat. He dropped into his seat.
"Go back to your seat, Bakugo. We're done here." Izuku stated cooly before he turned his heel and returned back to Todoroki.
Bakugo's eyes followed Izuku's retreating form. He sure didn't look 'done.' But he seem to accept it. For now. With a grunt Bakugo returned to his seat in a huff. The blonde rested his head in his arms, his brow furrowed in anger while he pushed a pencil up and down in his stewing anger.
"...Where were we?" Hitoshi asked as he looked back at Kaminari.
Kaminari wasn't looking at him. No, he was looking at Izuku. Who was talking to Todoroki like nothing happened. "Dude…what was that? When did he get…scary?" Kaminari asked and turned back to Hitoshi. "I have never, ever heard him use that tone with you. I didn't even know he could yell…"
Hitoshi only gave his head a shake. "Don't worry about it." He settled on saying with a sigh. "Now, in order to get this right, you need to multiply both tops and then multiply both bottoms…"
Kaminari didn't understand personal spaces.
Kaminari was like a lost puppy.
Kaminari was just so damn loud.
Yet…Hitoshi was finding himself gravitating towards the blonde as the days went on. He was enjoying Kaminari's presence and his lively energy. With Izuku wrapped around Todoroki's little finger and leaving Hitoshi in the dust, Hitoshi was forced to actually hang out with Kaminari and…
It wasn't bad.
Kaminari, though had clear signs of ADHD, was pretty smart in his own way. He was really knowledgeable about music, something that Hitoshi wasn't expecting. When, during lunch, Hitoshi brought his favorite bands and showed Kaminari just who he liked to listen to.
"Yeah, I get that they're a good band. However, may I suggest this American band I listen to?" Without waiting for a response Kaminari took Hitoshi's phone out of his hands.
"Ah- I mean…I'm not really good when it comes to branching out…" Hitoshi whispered a little awkwardly as he scratched at his face. Kaminari brought up youtube, and after waiting for the ads he played the music he wanted Hitoshi to listen to. The two of them sat next to one another while the song played.
Hitoshi hummed a little as he listened to the lyrics to the best of his abilities. He knew English but he wasn't completely fluent. it was something their father wanted him and Izuku to know since they were children. So, he could hold a conversation, but he doesn't know every word and every meaning. Still, from what he could gather the band wasn't bad. The music was nice and the singer, a female, had a nice screamo voice.
"Yeah, she's not half-bad." Hitoshi gave a weak smile at Kaminari as he listened to the music. "You know…I didn't take you as some who likes screamo. Rock? Yeah, but screamo? Never."
Kaminari grinned back at him. "Yeah, I like a lot of music, it's not just limited to one kind of genre. I get it from my dad. My old man has country songs he enjoys. If you can believe it."
"Country?" Hitoshi inquired.
"The less you know, the better…" Kaminari said ominously. "...Hey, you know…if you're not doing anything tonight…seeing how it's friday and all I'd like to have you over! I'm sure my dad would like to meet you."
"Ah…" Hitoshi frowned a little at Kaminari's words. "Honestly? I would like to-"
Kaminari smiled broadly.
"-But I'm grounded until said so otherwise," Hitoshi informed Kaminari in a soft voice. "I'm sorry."
"... You're grounded… hm… well… why don't you just ask your dad if you can come to my house to help me study? He already knows you're helping me with math! He'll never know you're there to hang out!"
"Kami. Did you forget who my dad is? He knows we're friends. He's going to know that I'm probably not just there to help you study."
Kaminari huffed at that as he thought about Hitoshi's words. He put his hands on his hips before he suddenly grinned. "Then…why don't I just sneak you out of the house?"
"Have you lost your mind?!" Hitoshi gasped in shock. "My dad would kill me if I was caught sneaking out of the house regularly! Let alone when I'm grounded!"
"He doesn't have to know." Kaminari grinned. "C'mon, Mr. Aizawa can't be watching you all the time. I say we sneak you out around…I dunno, midnight-"
"Midnight-" Hitoshi squeaked in shock and Kaminari ignored him.
"-We'll get you back home around three am or so and you'll dad will never know."
"...I don't know…Kaminari. My dad is very vigilant, he is a hero after all."
"Yeah… but don't you want to live a little? I know if Mr. Aizawa is a hardass to us, he must be even stricker with you and Izuku. I mean he made you guys say your last name was Tora. Don't you just want to be bad for once?"
'I am bad…' Hitoshi thought a little sadly. Then he perked as if a thought struck. '...I am bad. I'm already a bad person for what I've been doing. I knew this for as long as I've been abusing my quirk to erase Zuchan's memory…'
"Remember that old saying? I think that fits you here. 'It's better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission!'. Surely you don't want to spend the weekend held up in your room. Do you?"
That was all Hitoshi needed. He nodded towards Kaminari. "Okay… okay. Let's… Let's be bad together!" He grinned and looked at Kaminari.
"Yeah!" Kaminari raised his hand up and Hitoshi slapped it, giving Kaminari a high-five.
"Let me give you my address!" Hitoshi grabbed his bag and hastily wrote down the address on a scrap piece of paper. "Don't come to the front door, obviously. My room is on the right side of the house. My window is the last one on the right."
"Last window on the right side of the house. Gotcha!" Kaminari kept his grin as he folded the paper up and put it in his pocket. It was none too soon because soon the warning bell rang. Both boys got up and started back toward the classroom.
Hitoshi stopped walking. He felt an…inkling… that something was wrong.
'He's here.' He realized when he looked towards the bathrooms just in time to see Cujo's form vanish. It was just the air around Cujo that told Hitoshi this. Hitoshi frowned and looked at Kaminari. "Hey… I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."
"Oh, okay, no problem, bro. See you." Kaminari turned and left without another question.
Hitoshi turned towards the restrooms and jogged that way. He didn't even need to see Cujo to know that the menace was out and throwing a tantrum. He could hear the yelling of Cujo clearly fighting with Izuku.
"He can't just- It's not fair!" Cujo yelled indignantly like a child who didn't get their way. "You should be more upset about this!" Cujo yelled to Izuku, no doubt.
Hitoshi quietly walked into the bathroom, he stood by the door. He almost wanted to bolt when he saw Cujo, no matter what, that quirk will never be his brother. Ever. Hitoshi hated Cujo with a seething passion he didn't even know he had. Hitoshi did not bolt though, he just watched.
Cujo was breathing heavily, angrily, he was staring at himself in the mirror. 'A way to have a conversation with Zuchan, perhaps?' Hitoshi wondered.
Cujo's upper lip was raised in a snarl. "I should have attacked him for what he said! But like always you have to stop me!- He called us a mistake! I am not a mistake!" Tears of rage flooded into Cujo's red eyes as he pointed at himself. "We are not a mistake!" Cujo gnashed his teeth together in rage before he slammed one of his fists down on the counter. The whole sink counter shook violently with this movement. "That fool should be scared of me!"
Hitoshi only stared, trying to make sense as to what happened. 'Someone called Zuchan a mistake… who?'
"Well, I don't care what you say! We're not giving the quirk back to him. You're lucky I stepped in to stop you." Cujo growled and pointed at himself in the mirror. Cujo's face twisted into one of unbridled anger. "I'm glad a scared him! He gave us the quirk. This quirk, One for All, it's ours and we're not giving it back to him. You worked hard on this quirk and you can't just hand it over because you 'made a mistake giving it to you.' Toshinori is only saying that because he knows about me! This quirk is ours and because I am you we're keeping it."
"Toshinori called you a mistake?" Hitoshi couldn't help himself as he stepped into the bathroom.
Cujo looked over at Hitoshi before wiping his eyes bitterly. "What do you care? You agree with him."
"I-" Hitoshi cut himself off.
Izuku is not a mistake.
Cujo is the mistake.
Cujo rolled his eyes before walking up to Hitoshi. "Let me make one thing clear, Toshichan. Like it or not, I'm here to stay and I'm not a mistake. Neither is the other me, and If the other me wasn't currently doing all he can to hold me back, you wouldn't have that quirk of yours anymore. I can stop him from doing things and he can stop me from doing things." Cujo got up into Hitoshi's face. Hitoshi stood his ground-
"Boo!" Cujo jerked forward like he was going to attack and Hitoshi took a startled step back. "Heh. Always so jumpy… regardless, I guess I'm done now. You can take over-"
The transition was getting easier between Izuku and Cujo, Hitoshi noticed. Cujo's eyes rolled into the back of his head before his stark white hair started to curl back up and the green took over once more.
Izuku groaned as he dropped to one knee. "You have no clue how hard I was holding him back…" Izuku whispered when Hitoshi grabbed him to stop him from falling.
"Still, you have some control, which is better than before, right?" Hitoshi inquired once Izuku stood up fully.
"I guess it is. He…you didn't see it…" Izuku shut his eyes as a look of pain flashed over his face. "The panic and fear in All Might's eyes when Cujo came out. I couldn't stop him from taking over. It just happened. One minute I was about to hand the quirk back over then next thing I know All Might just looked… petrified…" Izuku whispered as he grabbed onto Hitoshi's blazer for dear life. "He reacted like I was going to attack him… and if I didn't hold Cujo back I almost would have," Izuku whispered as he shook against Hitoshi. "I'm just glad I managed to get us out of there before Cujo could overpower me."
"All Might wants One for All back?"
"Yes, because…well…because he learned about Cujo. He basically said it's because… of who my biological father is and my quirk. He couldn't ignore it and it would help everyone if I just gave One for All back to him. He said that he and dad talked about it. I was inclined to agree, so I grabbed a hair from my head and-...before I could pluck it Cujo came out. True to his name he was like a rabid dog…"
'Jesus Christ…' Hitoshi thought.
"All Might was scared of me…nobody has ever been scared of me but he was. I think…that's what made me take control before Cujo could attack… just seeing the fear in his eyes…" Izuku shook his head before he let go of Hitoshi. "I don't want to think about it anymore." He decided firmly. "I-... let's get to class." Izuku started to walk away, his arms crossed tightly over his chest and his shoulders hunched.
'Say something…'
"Zuchan?" Hitoshi called his brother. Izuku looked over at Hitoshi. "You're not a mistake. He has no right to call you that."
"But is Cujo?" Izuku shot back with no hesitation.
Hitoshi couldn't answer.
Izuku's eyes narrowed. That's what I thought…" Izuku grumbled before turning back around and stalking off to the office to get a late pass.
This left Hitoshi alone in the bathroom. Alone with his thoughts-
He rushed out of the bathroom and towards the office, keeping a good distance between himself and Izuku. It seems some space was still needed between the duo.
