Midoriya wore a blue and white striped yukata from Todoroki's wardrobe. It was a little narrow across the shoulders, but overall much better than being naked. Todoroki had dealt with the police outside, and unlike the events at the memorial garden, neither of them was carted away for questioning.

"I wasn't sure what we should do," said Todoroki. "So I called in some friends."

When Todoroki had said friends, Midoriya had expected maybe some sidekicks from the permafrost agency. What Todoroki had meant to say, Midoriya concluded as he watched the first guest arrive, was people in the top ten in the hero rankings.

For the number two ranked hero, Uravity looked more normal than Midoriya expected. She wore comfortable-looking jeans and a fuzzy pink sweater, the word cute emblazoned across the chest in English. It was hard to reconcile this ordinary looking woman with the hero who just last month had lifted a falling skyscraper with her gravity control, but her round face was the same, framed by soft brown hair.

"What the hell, Shouto?" she huffed as she removed her fleece-topped boots in the entranceway. "I just got a call from Rewind Girl saying you toasted a snake guy."

"Yeah." Todoroki folded his arms as he waited for her. "That wasn't me. That was Midoriya here." He nodded at Midoriya. "You didn't see the video online yet?"

Uravity shook her head, fishing in her pocket for her phone. "I came as soon as I got your message."

"You took the blame for me?" Midoriya's eyes widened.

Todoroki nodded. "No-one cares if I hurt a villain. You'd be looking at jail time. And I do have a flame quirk, technically. They can't prove it was you."

"Until snake guy wakes up and points the finger at him," said Uravity. "Then the full force of the law comes down on both of you. What were you thinking?"

"The anti-vigilante laws should be for people like Iida's- for people like Ingenium," Todoroki corrected himself. "And for the Stain copycats. Not for people acting in self-defence."

Midoriya stared at the pro-hero. While what Todoroki said was true, covering up for something that could be classified as vigilante activity was still a big risk- something a pro could lose their license over. "Thank you," Midoriya said, meaning it.

Todoroki's jaw twitched with irritation. "Don't thank me. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't have been in that position in the first place."

Uravity was watching the earlier events on her phone, her screen momentarily lit up with an image of Midoriya's fire. She smiled lecherously. "You've got a good body."

Midoriya felt himself turning pink. "It's not as if I wanted to get naked."

"That's what Mirio says too." Uravity's grin was sly.

"Give it up, Uraraka." Todoroki rolled his eyes. "He's married."

"Aww." Uravity gave Midoriya a final, sidelong glance before returning her attention to her phone. "The fansites are going wild about this footage. They're calling him the phoenix hero."

"But-" Midoriya pulled a face. "I didn't do anything heroic."

"Didn't you?" Uravity, or Uraraka as Todoroki had called her, pressed a finger to her chin. "Because from here it looks like you're guarding a crowd of civilians from a villain with drills for hands." She turned the volume up on the video, and Midoriya heard himself shouting for the crowd to get back.

Todoroki frowned. "Did they get his name?"

"Doesn't look like it," said Uraraka, and Midoriya felt a wave of relief. Uraraka flipped through a chat feed as they headed to the meeting room. "Permafrost ruining the audio as usual. But I see why you called a meeting. Who else is coming?"

"The usual crowd," said Todoroki. "And Sasaki, since he's already involved."

"You're inviting Bakugou to your house?" said Uraraka, eyeing up Todoroki's expensive looking wall hangings- traditional paintings on silk panels. "We have agency buildings for that kind of thing, you know."

"There was a Liberation Army attack on the street outside," said Todoroki. "If there's another one, I want to be here."

Sir Nighteye arrived next, giving curt nods to Uraraka and Todoroki before taking a seat across from Midoriya. "You're having an interesting day," he said, and Midoriya wondered how much of his future Nighteye had seen.

"I, uh, burnt the clothes you bought me," said Midoriya, finding himself too tired to be embarrassed about it.

Nighteye looked away, his expression unreadable. "You should be more careful. The clothes are inconsequential, but dying three times in a day is sheer carelessness."

Midoriya found himself bowing, his customer service reflexes kicking in once more. "I'll be more careful in future."

Nighteye gave a toothy smile, one which vanished as soon as it appeared, and he busied himself with his briefcase. "See that you do."

"Sorry we're late." A tall blond man dressed in chinos and a polo shirt stepped through the door, and it took Midoriya's brain a second to register that he was the top-ranked hero, Lemillion. Holding his hand was a woman with long blonde hair and western features- the world's foremost hero support item specialist, Professor Melissa Togata. She wore a brick red corduroy suit with a matching cravat. "We had to take a detour to pick up some of Melissa's equipment."

"It's okay. We're still waiting on the explosion riot hero agency," said Todoroki. "Did any of you want tea?"

"Oh!" Uraraka perked up. "Do you have any of that nice black tea?"

Nighteye looked up from his screen, the document he was viewing reflected in his glasses. "If you're making some."

Todoroki nodded, sliding open the door to the kitchen. "I'll make a pot."

"Sir." Lemillion- it was impossible for Midoriya to think of him as anything but Lemillion- let go of his wife's hand as he stared at Nighteye. "It's been a while."

"Twenty hours," said Nighteye.

"That doesn't count. We didn't talk."

Nighteye's expression was rigid, immaculately controlled. "What would I say to you?" he asked.

There was an awkward silence in the room, and Melissa squeezed Lemillion's arm. "Did Nejire-chan say if she could come?" she asked, looking to Uraraka.

Uraraka shook her head. "She's still on patrol. Kirishima and Bakugou are coming, though."

"In the new Riotmobile?" Melissa's expression brightened. "I've been wanting to take a look at that- Hatsume sent me the spec the other week."

"Darling," said Lemillion, his tone faintly disapproving as he tore his gaze from Nighteye.

"Yes, darling?" Melissa looked at him over the top of her oval glasses. "I'm the world's most intelligent woman. I can pay attention to more than one thing at once."

The tension in the room broke as Lemillion gave a soft laugh, his eyes full of love, and Midoriya felt a pang of jealousy watching the two of them.

Todoroki returned with the tea, and there was the low growl of an engine outside. Midoriya found himself gripping the fabric of his yukata over his knees as he heard Kacchan's voice, raised in complaint, through the walls.

The last time he had seen Kacchan in person was at his failed attempt to get onto UA's hero course. He'd seen him on television, of course, and on the videos on fansites, Kacchan's face on action figures and sportswear and cereal boxes. But Kacchan hadn't seen him in all this time. Would he even remember him?

"Kacchan!" Midoriya got to his feet as his old friend stepped into the room, his body as ever acting before his brain could get a word in edgeways. Kacchan looked the same as ever, his cable knit sweater hanging from his broad shoulders and his face fixed in a near permanent sneer.

Kacchan froze, and Red Riot nearly bumped into the back of him. "You!" Kacchan spat, staring at Midoriya.

Red Riot frowned, stepping around his partner and into the room. He was dressed casually, a black and red flannel shirt over a black undershirt, but his red hair was distinctive. "You know this guy, man?"

Kacchan grunted an affirmative. "Our moms made us play together when we were kids." His gaze flicked over the other people in the room- Todoroki, Uraraka, Lemillion and his wife Melissa, Sir Nighteye- his expression shifting to a glower. "This better not be another fucking intervention."

"I saw you made third place in the hero rankings this week," said Midoriya, hoping this would appease his old friend. "Congratulations!"

Kacchan unleashed a stream of profanity at him, only Red Riot's arm around his neck stopping him physically attacking Midoriya.

"See, stuff like this is why you're only number three," said Uraraka, watching the scuffle from her place at the table.

Kacchan's attention shifted to the number two hero, murderous. "Shove it, moonface. My stats are better than yours."

"They are." Uraraka was serene. "And every time you get close to the top ranks you lose your temper again."

"You explode one dog and suddenly you're a bad guy," growled Kacchan, but he stopped struggling against Red Riot's hold, swiping his partner's arm away. Midoriya remembered the incident from a couple years ago- Kacchan had done it to save a bus full of elementary age schoolchildren. Unfortunately this detail had been omitted by the press, and by Kacchan himself, and had cost him double digits in the popularity ratings.

"If you'd done that apology tour like I suggested-" Uraraka sipped her tea, pinky finger extended away from the cup.

Kacchan gave a derisive snort. "I apologise to no-one."

"We noticed," said Todoroki.

"So if this isn't an intervention, what's this quirkless piece of shit doing here?" Kacchan asked, tilting his head to Midoriya as he stalked to the table and sat. There were more empty seats around the table than occupied, but Kacchan and Red Riot seemed to be the final people the group were expecting.

Lemillion frowned, seeming like he wanted to say something, but Todoroki gave him a look.

"Maybe it's easier if you see for yourself," said Nighteye, taking the laptop from his briefcase and placing it on the table, screen towards Kacchan. "I've assembled a montage."

Midoriya watched Kacchan's face as the screen flickered orange, his old friend's mouth twisting with muttered profanity before his red eyes finally met Midoriya's, flashing with anger.

"You fuck. You were holding out on us." Kacchan's nostrils flared. "This whole time you had a fucking broken quirk? You fucking regenerate?"

"I believe that Mr Midoriya comes back from the dead," said Nighteye, as if this was a perfectly rational thing to say. "And it is imperative that he gain a provisional hero license as soon as possible."

Kacchan stared at the retired pro, his mouth open slightly. "What? Why?"

Uraraka put down her tea. "Because Shouto screwed up. Midoriya torched one of the villains who attacked him, and then Shouto took responsibility for the injuries. Without at least a provisional license they're both going to fall foul of the anti-vigilante laws. We'll lose our number four."

"But the license won't be retroactive," said Midoriya, and immediately wished he'd kept his mouth shut as the entire group turned to look at him. "That won't work. Will it?"

"Technically, he's right," said Melissa, who had been scribbling something in a notebook as the others talked. "Getting a license after the fact doesn't stop it being a vigilante activity. But the courts don't tend to prosecute people who are already heroes. Statistically speaking." She smiled.

"Alright!" Red Riot gave a grin, pumping his fist in the air. "Let's commence Operation: Haul Todoroki's Ass Out of the Fire!"

"Can we not call it that?" asked Todoroki.

"Isn't this too convenient?" Lemillion frowned. "This man appears, and he just happens to be Bakugou's childhood friend, with a quirk that just happens to have manifested late in life? We know that the Liberation Army has been trying to get an informant inside the Hero Association. What if he's a fake?"

"No." Kacchan shook his head. "He's no fake. You can't fake being that much of a shitty loser."

"Thanks, Kacchan." Midoriya pulled a sour face.

Nighteye nodded. "I think it's safe to say that everyone in this room is trustworthy, at least."

It felt like a dream, a roomful of pro-heroes discussing the best way for him to get his license, but Midoriya felt tired and overwhelmed, his nerves still jangling from the fight. Kacchan was trying to advocate for Todoroki to take the fall, but the others, particularly Nighteye, were shutting him down. When Melissa made an excuse to go outside, he seized on the opportunity and asked to join her.

The night was calmer than when he'd first left the compound, though the flashing blue of police lights were still visible, reflected on the spikes on the top of Todoroki's walls, and the air was still. Midoriya huffed a sigh of relief as he stepped outside. He was a little cold in his thin robe, but it beat a lot of the sensations he'd had that day.

"It was pretty tense in there, huh," he said.

Melissa nodded. "Mirio misses Sasaki. They used to be really close."

"What happened?"

"I don't know." Melissa looked up at the sky. "I never knew him that well, before, but after Uncle Might died, he changed. Passed his agency to his sidekicks, started shutting himself off from the world. Mirio says he stopped laughing at his jokes."

"Oh," said Midoriya. He supposed he hadn't felt much like laughing after All Might had died either. "That's understandable, I guess."

"What does it feel like? Death, I mean."

"I don't know how to describe it. I guess I'm the only person who can describe it, aren't I?" Midoriya frowned. "Sorry, that's probably not very helpful is it. Um." He swallowed, his memories of the day threatening to overwhelm him. "It hurts. A lot. Even if it's instant. It's like all of your senses are switched off, and you're in a dark room, and you can't touch anything. It's horrible."

He looked up to see Melissa writing frantically in her notebook, more than the words he had said. From where he was sitting, he could see the crown of her head, a couple of stray grey hairs sticking up and catching the light.

"Sorry," she said, adjusting her glasses a little sheepishly. "It's a new quirk- your Rekindle. It's important to learn as much about these things as we can."

"Rekindle," repeated Midoriya. "Is that what everyone's calling it?"

"It's what I'm calling it," said Melissa.

"It's a good name," said Midoriya, and was privately delighted when Melissa circled something in her notebook in response.

"Can you show me where it happened?" she asked, and Midoriya gave a nod, leading her out of the compound and back onto the street.

They walked past the Riotmobile, parked at a skew beside a police car, a monstrosity of red spikes and spoilers. Melissa stooped to peer under the wheel arches, but otherwise remained focused on the task at hand.

To Midoriya's relief, the press had been banished from the street, as had the rabid Permafrost fans. There was police tape everywhere, but enough time had passed that the forensics teams had gone home, leaving a few tired looking officers guarding the site. Melissa talked to the officer in charge, flashing a badge, and the cordon was lifted for them.

"I guess you don't need me to tell you where it happened," said Midoriya, as he viewed the area for the first time under the bright halogen lights the police had put up. There were two smoking craters in the tarmac. "If it helps, they seemed smaller when I was in them."

"They might have been." Melissa pulled a square black device from her pocket, about the size of her phone. "Asphalt is a poor conductor of heat, so it would take a while for an area this wide to melt." She pressed a button, and squinted at the screen of her device. "Hey, it's still hot."

"You have a machine to tell you that?"

"Not just that." She turned the screen towards Midoriya, and he saw colours superimposed on a photo of the scene. "It gives a surface temperature map, and a 3D model of the area."

"That's incredible," said Midoriya.

"It's not," said Melissa, putting the device back into the pocket of her blazer. "Not compared to some things," she said, inclining her head to the crater.

"No-one back in that room seemed that impressed with… that," said Midoriya.

"Oh, they are." Melissa sucked in air through her teeth. "What you have to understand is there's not a person in that room who didn't wish someone they knew had that quirk, instead of you. Everyone's lost somebody. That group more than most."

Midoriya bowed his head, remembering the empty seats around the table.

"It's been thirteen years since my uncle died," Melissa continued, quietly. "And the world's still grieving. Mirio tries his best, but he'll never be the symbol of peace. People still see him as All Might's sidekick. They see him-"

"And they remember Kamino." Midoriya finished for her, squeezing his eyes shut. He saw it in his mind, as if projected on the inside of his eyelids- All Might brought to his knees in the rubble, his broad back hunching.

"But you-" said Melissa. "Up until yesterday, you were no-one. You had no quirk. And today-" she smiled, her eyes creasing at the corners behind her glasses, but her voice was iron. "Today you give hope to all of us quirkless pieces of shit out there."

Midoriya flinched. "Kacchan didn't really mean it like that."

Melissa gave him a sidelong look. "I think he did. You're just defending him because he's your friend. Right?"

"He's Kacchan," sighed Midoriya, as they headed back inside.

A/N- Hey everyone, and thanks for all of the comments and encouragement! It really makes my day to see people enjoying the story.