A/N: This is just a reupload to fix the formatting.

Chapter 1

Silence.

Deafening silence pierced the evening twilight.

Or so he thought. It was more like he had learned to tune out all the sounds outside of the walls of UA High. The high concrete barrier loomed high above him: his audience for his introspection. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of laughter drifting from the common room of their dorm. He couldn't stand to be around them at the moment. They were a reminder of everything that had come to pass. A reminder of his own shortcomings as a hero and a human being. A reminder of everything he aspired to be; and how far he had really strayed from that path. A reminder of his own weakness and self-hatred boiling over, fueled by the guilt that weighed on his conscience.

The cold air nipped at his nose, bringing him back to reality a bit. How long had he been out here? He could have sworn that the sun was high just moments ago. Now he had begun to realize just how low the sun had become: it was nearly fully set! The air only seemed to become colder with each passing second, exacerbated by the icy February breeze that blew through. Leaves were pulled from the trees surrounding him. They cascaded to the ground in a mesmerizing and chaotic dance, only resting when the brushed the ground gently.

He shivered, violently. His whole body shuddering in a vain attempt to keep himself warm. He thought momentarily of bringing his arms up to wrap himself in his own warmth, but the thought was quickly replaced with a feeling of uncomfortable tightness in his chest. The tightness quickly devolved into a sense of panic, swelling up in his chest and suffocating him. Tears stung his eyes as he realized just how grave his situation really was at this point.

Izuku Midoriya stood in the crushing silence of the ever-encroaching night, his arms hanging lifelessly at his side.

Izuku barely registered the pain of the impact to his skull. He felt empty, devoid of all thought and emotion. So what was a little tap to the head in comparison to the pain welling up inside of him?

"Do you have any idea how severe this damage is?!" Recovery Girl's stern voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up at her and caught her intense gaze.

Just another one of the people in his life he had disappointed.

She seemed to pick up on his glum demeanor and continued: "You remember what I said would happen if this happened again, don't you? Young Izuku, when I said permanent, I meant it." He didn't respond, opting to simply continue looking at her, a blank expression plastered on his face.

She continued: "My quirk can only do so much; just as much as your body can to be exact. And this is simply beyond your body's limit of recovery."

Midoriya flinched at this, visibly shaken by what he was hearing. He had known it was coming but was still woefully unprepared for it to be said aloud. He knew the truth; the grim truth: he had pushed himself well beyond his limit, with little to no regard for the consequences of his actions.

"While your arms have healed physically-flesh, muscle, and bone—the nerve damage is too severe. I'm afraid that your arms are completely dysfunctional young man."

She looked at him, catching his face's sullen expression. Tears welled up in his eyes and threatened to fall at an alarming rate. He simply couldn't handle the thought of it. What kind of hero could he become, what kind of life could he live now without his arms? How could achieve his lifelong dream of becoming the greatest hero ever when he was now at such a disadvantage.

He was overwhelmed: unable to comprehend the full gravity of the situation. Suddenly, Recovery Girl spoke once more.

"I've done all I can for you, now it's up to you to go home and get some rest. I'll let Aizawa know to give you some time to adjust to this new way of life and begin discussing accomadations for you with Nedzu. Please. Please, Young Midoriya. Do not be so hard on yourself. I know this is a difficult time for you, but just remember: My door is always open if you need someone to speak to."

Midoriya took a moment to absorb the given information. After taking a couple moments to process, he spoke for the first time since entering her office.

"Thank you." Two simple words.

It was all he said. Not that he didn't want to say more. There was obviously so much more he wanted to say. 'Sorry to burden you this way.' 'I'm sorry that I'm back in your office… again.' 'Sorry that I disappointed you again.' He could feel the words on the tip of his tongue, but nothing came out when he tried to speak. Pausing one last time, not entirely sure what to do, he gave a curt nod to telegraph his departure before vanishing.

Several days had already passed since that encounter. Midoriya still hadn't returned to class. His classmates had gone back three days ago; he envied them, and their strength. Despite the intensity and difficulty of the events of the last two weeks, they still endeavored to attend class while he sulked in his room all day.

He had been approached on several occasions now. Several times by Uraraka and a few times by Ida. Both had been very concerned about his well-being, mentally that is (everyone still seemed to avoid the topic of his now useless arms). Even the normally extremely blunt and straight-forward Asui had yet to mention his arm in any conversation since the incident.

It made Izuku feel distanced, and lonely. Despite wanting to forget all about the last week and the shockwave of its aftermath, he didn't want everyone to isolate him because he was suddenly a sore subject. It was another reason why he was very thankful Todoroki hadn't let his injury affect his behavior around Izuku. It was a shred of normalcy in an otherwise fractured image of his former life.

But that wasn't the case right now. Todoroki was inside, sitting on one of the sofas of the common room, discussing something with Bakugo. While the scene was not something Izuku expected to see anytime soon, he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment; once again instead becoming enthralled with his own inner turmoil. Looking at Bakugo, he momentarily forgot about his injuries, shifting more to thoughts of his childhood-friend's own sacrifice to protect Izuku. In the heat of the moment, Midoriya thought nothing of it, but when the conflict finally died down, he thought immediately of Katsuki and the potential loss of his quirk. In some twisted sense of luck, Shigaraki must have meant merely to stab Izuku in that instance, as it seemed Katsuki's quirk had indeed not abandoned him.

Still, Midoriya didn't feel any better about the situation simply because his friend had scraped by with his quirk intact. No, he felt awful that it had ever boiled down to Katsuki needing to intercept the attack in the first place. If he had been faster; if he had been stronger, then maybe he could've put Shigaraki down that much quicker. And maybe then Bakugo would not have had to suffer through the pain that he endured. The guilty feelings only weighed harder on his shoulders.

Loud chatter.

Music.

A sudden eruption of laughter.

These were the sounds emanating from the common room as she made her way into the kitchen off to the side.

At first, Mina had only come down for a snack, taking a small break from some intense dance practice she was working on upstairs. But then she saw the lively atmosphere of the common area and couldn't help but stick around.

She'd be lying if she said that the events of last week didn't have some lasting effect on her; she just couldn't bring herself to care at the moment. Everyone, talking and interacting with one another so positively just did wonders for her previously glum mood. After finishing her snack and beverage, she quickly strode over to her friend Toru, and joined the rather lively bunch of Sero, Kirishima, and Kaminari. They were all laughing hysterically, their sides clutched in mock agony and they struggled to breathe. A quick question to Toru told Mina that Kaminari had once again made a fool of himself and became the butt of a terrible joke.

She grinned, genuinely, but didn't laugh. Not that she didn't think it wasn't funny, of course it was, she just wasn't as with it today as she normally was. Still, she gave her input and pushed the conversation along before she scanned the room. Sato seemed to be engrossed in some show that Ojiro and Shoji had been watching. Bakugo and Todoroki were surprisingly keeping a well-paced conversation with one another. Ochaco, Ida, Tsu, and Yaomomo were all grouped at a study table, discussing something quietly. Kyouka and Tokoyami sat on opposite ends of another sofa, both engrossed in whatever music they were listening to. The rest of the class didn't seem to be present at the moment, including Midoriya.

Ashido honestly shouldn't have been too surprised. No one had really seen or heard from Midoriya much the last few days. He instead opted to spend most every but of his time holed up in his room or outside "training". That seemed to be the reason he always quoted when Ochaco or Ida questioned him, but Mina seriously had her doubts that he was out there training… especially for the last nine hours…

She didn't know how he was holding up, but it couldn't be too well, considering his crippling injury… Mina wasn't sure when it had begun, but her worry for her peer's mental health had started to grow steadily. She found herself stealing glances in his direction every now and then, whenever she did manage to catch a glimpse of him. And whenever somebody asked him how he was doing, she always made sure to listen in so she could stay up to date on his wellbeing.

Growing curious, she went up to Ochaco and Ida and butted into their conversaition.

"I'm telling you Ida, he really needs help. I'm not sure if I've even seen him eat in the last couple days. He's really going to…"

"Hey Ochaco, Ida. Can I ask you something?" She'd have to apologize for the interruption another time. For now she wasn't too concerned. Her current objective was to find where Midoriya had gotten off to. When they finally turned to look at her, Ochaco and Ida looked a bit disgruntled. A small iota of guilt forced its way into her throat but she quickly swallowed it down.

"Have you seen Midoriya at all today? I was hoping I could speak with him, but I can't seem to find him anywhere." Ida seemed to hesitate as if he was thinking deeply. A second later he shook his head in disagreement.

Finally, Ochaco spoke up. "I haven't seen him at all since yesterday. But he's probably outside training like he was yesterday, and the day before that… and the day before that." Mina simply nodded in response, not sure if it was enough of an affirmation or not, she followed it up with a quick "thank you". She departed the table and began moving towards the nearest courtyard-facing window. Peering out into the darkness, she finally spotted his green hair, just barely visible in the darkness.

Suddenly, she heard shifting behind her. Mina turned around to see Ochaco standing there, looking just past her and out into the courtyard.

"He won't talk to us. Any of us. Not me. Not Ida. Not Tsu. Not Todoroki. Not even Bakugo can get a word out of him. I'm really worried for him Mina. Please. I need you to try to get through to him… WE need you. Maybe if it's you, he'll listen. So please, I'm begging you."

Mina was taken aback. That had not been what she was expecting. What did Ochaco expect her to do? She barely knew Izuku. She could probably count on one hand the number of times she and Izuku had interacted with one another, yet Ochaco was begging her to try and help. Her lips stretched into a thin line. She had originally been planning to speak with Midoriya anyways, but now it felt like there was so much weight to the situation that she was worried she might mess it up. Still, she was Mina Ashido and she was determined to ensure that no one suffered in silence. And that's what she would do.

The tears that had constantly been threatening to fall finally let themselves go. Openly streaming down his face in a river-like motion, quickly cooling and leaving behind an icy impression on his face. Unable to bring his arms up to wipe the fresh tears, Midoriya opted to instead bring his face down to his shoulder and wipe it there. Wet impressions now fresh on his shirt, he sniffled and snapped back to his brooding.

Once he had moved on from the thoughts of Katsuki's injuries, he began to reflect on his conversation with his mentor from the previous day. All Might had not appeared disappointed, rather he appeared to be distraught about Izuku's current state of well-being (a popular trend for many lately.)

"All Might! I had no choice! He needed to be stopped and I was the only one who could!" These marked Midoriya's futile attempts to defend his actions and decisions from the climactic battle with Shigaraki. Toshinori's icy blue stare pierced his soul; Izuku shifted uncomfortably at his mentor's silence. Several more minutes passed before his mentor was ready to speak.

"Young Midoriya," he paused. "I have seen your growth from day one. Going from the frail and timid boy you once were, to becoming the powerful and upstanding hero you are today. But what you did was extremely reckless and self-destructive. I am of course glad you were able to save everyone and stop Shigaraki once and for all, but it cannot always be at the cost of your own safety. I worry for you my boy." Seemingly having said all he was going to, Midoriya took it as his turn to speak.

"All Might sir, isn't it a hero's duty to push themselves beyond and make sacrifices for the good and safety of others? Isn't it my responsibility to protect all those that I care about?" His mentor took his time once more, reflecting on the words of his successor. Of course he was right. The fundamental basics of heroism were protecting others no matter the cost and making sacrifices to bring hope and peace to the world. But Toshinori still worried for Izuku. He had become such an important part the withered mans life. He'd dare to say that Young Midoriya had become THE MOST important part of his life. And so he felt it was fair enough that despite it being a selfish thought, that he was worried for Izuku's wellbeing. Finally, he felt like he was ready to speak.

"Young Midori- er, Young Izuku. It is true that heroes must be ready at any given moment to sacrifice their lives and risk it all. And everything worked out this time, that is true, but consider for a moment what would have happened if it hadn't. It could have been more than your arms that you lost." Midoriya seemed to take his words to heart this time. Toshinori could tell this time he really was reflecting. Still, he continued. "Think of what your mother would have felt, knowing that her one and only sun had fallen. Or your classmates. How do you think they would handle the death of a peer? And…" He hesitated. He wasn't sure if he could really let his selfish desires show to his successor. After another short moment, he decided he had nothing to lose or gain either way, and proceeded. "What would I do if you were gone Young Izuku? You've become such an integral part of my life. It worries me to think I could lose you. Not just as a student and successor, but as a close friend. So please, I'm not telling you that you need to change you approach to heroics, because that would be changing who you are as a person. But I'm begging of you, please next time think about your actions and consequences before blindly throwing yourself into the conflict. For your sake and for the sake of others."

By the time Toshinori looked back at him, Izuku has tears streaming down his face. And to his surprise the boy lunged forward and ensnared hi in a vice-grip of a hug. Ignoring the dull pain emanating from his injury, he brought his arms around the young man to reciprocate. Izuku continued to mumble apologize into the skeletal man's chest but Toshinori simply ran his hand across the top of his head, nodding along. The embrace lasted all of thirty seconds before Midoriya pulled back. He asked to be excused before leaving quickly. It didn't go unnoticed that he looked much calmer and happier, even if it was fleeting. All Might smiled to himself.

The tears slowed their onslaught and he smiled to himself. It was comforting to know that All Might regarded Izuku so highly, but the conversation had brought on a wave of all new confusing feelings and internal conflicts for Midoriya to tackle.

Inconsiderate.

That was the first thought he had about himself. He had run directly for Shigaraki and didn't even consider that he might not come back. He didn't consider that his mother might have to give her only son an early burial. He never considered that he could be leaving behind an empty desk in class 2A. And he had never stopped to think about All Might and One for All's legacy. Midoriya simply had the belief that he could stop Shigaraki and save everyone with minimal consequence.

He supposed it was a blessing that it was only his arms that were left lifeless. And for a brief moment, memories flashed through his mind: moments where he could very well have lost his life. A feeling of dread began to set in and bile rose in his throat as he realized that the images All Might had painted for him came too close to becoming real on so many occasions.

Reckless.

That was the next thought he had about himself. He had been so willing to blow his arms up time and time again that in the moment he had Shigaraki in the area, he was almost eager to let 100% of his power fly through his body. He blew his arms up, over and over again, pulverizing Shigaraki's body until it was tattered and beyond regeneration. And yet, he kept going.

Brutal.

This was what he feared most. Heroes were expected to show some level of restraint. They were not supposed to let themselves lose control and lash out at villains. The were expected to be self-disciplined enough to not let their hatred and fears get the best of them. And yet, Midoriya had done just that. He knew he had Shigaraki beat, and yet he continued to let off a volley of full-powered punches, wherever he could land them. By the time he had realized just what he was doing, it was clear that his foe's arms and legs were broken beyond repair and his face… It was chilling: the gore he had inflicted on Shigaraki made bile rise in his throat even now. He saw his face in his nightmares, battered, bloody, and disfigured, but he knew it was his face.

And now, despite all his follies, he knew he should be trying to go back to normal, but he couldn't help but drown in the guilt he was feeling. Midoriya knew it was doing him and no one else any good to beat himself up like he was doing, but it was too much for him to bear.

He looked up. The stars were so bright tonight, despite the light from the city drowning some of them out. Another breeze blew through and he suddenly remembered he was standing out in the courtyard, in the dark of the night.

Suddenly, he heard the door to the front of the dorms opening and a single pair of footsteps could be heard walking down the steps. He listened intently before realizing that the steps sounded like they were coming towards him! He panicked and hid himself behind a nearby tree, hoping that whoever was out was simply out for an evening walk. He couldn't face his classmates, not yet at least. He had to figure out what to say to them first; he had to come up with an apology. Something to say that would somehow make it up to them. A way to finally absolve some of the guilt that was weighing on his shoulders. The steps got closer and closer until they finally stopped. It sounded like they were only a few feet away from his hiding spot; he held his breath.

"Midoriya." Their voice cut into his silence. Who was that? He had been avoiding his classmates so much lately that he could barely recognize them by voice. He wasn't ready for this.

"Midoriya." This time much more stern. "I know you're out here. So come on out. Quit hiding."

He wasn't sure what he should do. Come out and expose himself to his classmate or stay hidden. Not that he had any confidence in him staying hidden for long. Whoever had come out to look for him sounded like they were growing impatient with him. Finally, he made up his mind. Slowly, he began to sit up from behind the tree and peek out. His green eyes met the stranger's own amber eyes.

Ashido.

Mina Ashido.

The last person Midoriya expected to see out here. She stood there silently, never breaking eye contact, looking at him almost expectantly. He wasn't sure why, but he was suddenly compelled to move closer to her, perhaps due to his growing loneliness. He began to inch closer to her, trying to find words in his throat to justify being out here, to offer some fort of excuse that seemed believable enough that she might just leave him alone. He took notice of how she had also begun to approach him, at a much more noticeable pace than he was her. And in a couple moments she was upon him.

He felt warmth and comfort, as she pulled him into her embrace. And once again Midoriya could feel tears falling freely down his face once more…