For a while, Izuku was at peace with the world. He sat down on the floor of the hall with Stain opposite to him, both of them bandaged up and surprisingly relaxed. A part of his mind knew that it was mostly the aftermath of the adrenaline high they'd experienced from their wounds and their fight, but another part liked to believe that it was also because they were finally back in their element.
The night ahead of them, the half-constructed walls of an empty house as their only sanctuary, and each other's company. One could almost pretend that the last few days had been just a wild nightmare, if not for the fact that they were both asking questions about the other's experience whilst they were apart.
"So how did they figure out who you were?" Izuku asked, his head tilted to the side as he fought against sleep.
"DNA or prints. Beats me, to be honest. They tried to approach me like that target we took down once, but you know where that gets those impostors." Stain smirked slightly and Izuku chuckled.
"But it took them a while to even find my name." Stain shrugged.
"Yeah, I imagined. They didn't get to the house until much later." Izuku said, a hint of sadness in his voice. He'd grown used to the house, had even begun to think of it as a sort of temporary home that he'd be able to visit every once in a while, but now there was no chance of that.
"Anything under my name was probably ceased by the government, kid."
"Yeah, uh… It wasn't so much ceased as it was…" Izuku looked away, an awkward look in his eyes. "Um… burnt down."
"All of it?" Stain asked, sounding much less invested than Izuku anticipated.
"I mean the stairs were on fire when I left. Maybe they managed to put it out?"
There was a moment of silence where Izuku feared for Stain's reaction. That house had been the last thing he'd had from before he became the Hero Killer, the one place with any remnants of his parents and also his refuge whenever he needed one. But Stain only looked at the wall in front of him and shrugged.
"Well, we still won't be able to go back even if it's still standing. Not much to do there."
"You're not mad?" Izuku asked carefully.
"Not particularly, no." The man raised a curious brow. "Are you?"
Izuku frowned and before he could explain what he was feeling, Stain scoffed lightly.
"It was just a house, kid. Nothing special about it."
"I… no, it…" Izuku stammered, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "My knife, the one you gave me, I couldn't take if before I left."
"Oh." Was the soft reply. Izuku felt Stain's shoe tap him on the leg and he looked up to be met with a small smile.
"That's just a knife, we can always get you another one. Good thing is that you managed to get out of there in one piece."
Izuku chuckled, relief flooding his body. He'd missed this. He'd missed this so much.
"Me too." Stain said quietly and only then Izuku noticed that he'd spoken his thoughts. But the embarrassment wasn't enough to suppress his smile. Stain stretched his arms, the wrapping on his hand a rusty brown from the blood that had seeped through.
Izuku felt a small pang in his chest at the sight, though it wasn't exactly a pang of guilt. The feeling was too complicated for him to dissect at the moment, and he was glad when he found a distraction in the form of Stain half glaring at the stairs.
Izuku followed his gaze and, briefly, he saw a pair of yellow eyes spying on them. Toga's head disappeared seconds later and hushed voices could be heard downstairs arguing. Izuku sighed.
He gave his mentor a side glance and the harsh expression on his teacher's eyes make him shiver involuntarily. The slash on his neck stung but instead of it making him hesitate, it made him feel grounded. He couldn't avoid this forever.
"Stain," The teen started, his voice oddly calm. "What have you thought about them?"
"Your little gang?" Stain asked, still staring at the spot were Toga's head had popped up. "I haven't exactly changed my mind about them."
"And what would?"
Stain looked Izuku right in the eye, red and green both searching for something that they couldn't quite put into words.
"You're not gonna let this go my way, are you?" Stain murmured, sighing deeply when Izuku shook his head with determination.
"If you taught me one thing, it's to stand for what I believe in, no matter what," Izuku said evenly. They kept their eyes on each other for a long heartbeat and surprisingly it was Stain who looked away first. The man closed his eyes briefly, taking in a deep breath. Then, in one smooth motion, he got to his feet and started making his way towards the stairs.
Izuku scrambled to his feet, the smallest hint of doubt digging its way into his heart. He didn't like it when he couldn't tell what Stain was about to do.
"Wait, Stain, what are yo-" Izuku shut his mouth when he reached the top of the stairs. He stood next to his mentor and watched in silence as two shadows rapidly got away from the steps at the bottom, where they had no doubt been listening to their conversation.
Stain motioned for Izuku to walk down first, rolling his eyes when the teen hesitated.
"Get moving before I change my mind." The man deadpanned and Izuku nodded quickly.
He hesitated only a second longer, taking in air and holding it as if he were going swimming, before stepping downstairs stiffly. He wasn't even halfway down when he started getting bombarded with questions, people gathering around him like hungry animals. Toga barreled into him without hesitation, practically slamming them both against the wall.
"Are you okay?!"
"What was all the screaming?"
"What happened to your neck?"
"Did Stain tell you anything about us?"
"Did you two fight?!"
"You almost hit me with that sword you threw."
Izuku felt overwhelmed. After traveling only with Stain for over a year and having virtually no friends in school, the teen was still getting used to being around more talkative, extroverted people. He held his hands up defensively, wishing he could silence his companions and then feeling surprised when the voices actually quieted down.
But it didn't take long to realize that it was Stain's appearance rather than Izuku's awkwardness that had caused the new silence. Spinner tensed and fixed his posture, Dabi moved closer to Shoto, who was still sitting on the floor, and Toga held onto Izuku protectively. The way her narrowed eyes examined Stain made Izuku feel nervous, but his mentor didn't seem to mind it all that much.
Or maybe he was just good at hiding his distaste.
Izuku pushed Toga away softly, giving everyone the most reassuring look he could muster.
"Let's talk, okay?" He said, softly motioning for everyone to gather around the center of the room where Shoto was. Dabi and Spinner got to their places, the latter much faster than the former, but Toga only moved when Izuku allowed her to pull him along. Stain stared at them from the stairs, red eyes glancing at each of their souls with a hard expression.
Everyone settled in place and, for a few moments, no one moved. Stain didn't join them and Izuku started feeling a cold sweat forming in the back of his neck.
He gave his mentor a pointed look and Stain sighed. The Hero Killer took only a few steps forward and stood with his arms folded, and Izuku decided to just accept this. It was a miracle in itself that they were all sitting in the same space without anyone dying.
"So…" Izuku started after a moment, Spinner giving him a reassuring nod. Maybe this would go better than he expected.
"I want to make one thing clear," Stain interrupted, and Izuku's meek leadership skills crashed and burned on the ground. "I have no reason to trust any of you. And I don't. For all I know, you're all the same as Shigaraki or any other target."
Spinner shifted uncomfortably and Dabi shrugged slightly. Toga's eyes were hidden behind her hair, but Izuku felt her tense against him. Shoto was silent, but the seriousness in his eyes made him look older than ever. You could practically cut the tension with a butter knife. Then, after locking eyes with every single person in the room, Stain closed his eyes and sighed yet again.
"That being said, Midoriya vouches for you. So I'm willing to do for you what I did for him."
Izuku let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, his shoulders relaxing slightly. A general air of relief seemed to fill the room, but Stain's expression only hardened.
"I'll listen to you, and the reason why you wish to join our cause." Stain's voice was icy, and Izuku was reminded of the man he'd originally met: cold, calculating, and merciless. "We'll see if you're truly worthy of my student's trust and mine, after all."
"And if we're not?" Shoto asked after a pause, his deep voice sounding as serious as the expression on his face. "What if you don't think we're worthy?"
"I think we all know what happens then." Stain stated calmly. He pointed to the door nonchalantly before turning away and heading for the stairs once more. "If you don't believe your intentions are right, now's your chance to leave alive."
Then he leaned against the wall next to the stairs, his own katana in his hands and the one Izuku had used earlier pointing out of the ground right next to him.
Silence fell upon the room, and it took all of Izuku's will power to stay in his place and actually think before he acted. He observed his mentor carefully, looking for anything that would give him a clue as to how Stain truly wanted things to go down. His shoulders were squared and his breathing was even; he was ready to kill them all at once if necessary.
Izuku let out an even breath, the pain on his neck giving him something to focus in.
There was no more time for doubt or fear or whatever else the voice in his head wished to make him feel. He'd lead these four people into this situation and now it was up to him to make sure that they found their way out, one way or another. He knew in his heart of hearts that, if it came to it, he'd prefer to give his life to resolve this rather than stand on the sidelines.
He examined the young people around him, making sure to lock eyes with each of them before moving on to the next. He couldn't see it in the dark, but he could perfectly picture the pink, blue, and grey of the eyes that looked at him across the room. Hesitant looks turned into steady ones and, one by one, everyone seemed to connect and understand. Toga was a bit harder to get, but he managed to lift her chin so that she too could steady her emotions.
They all understood what would happen if Stain didn't believe they were trying to join him for the right reasons, Izuku could see it in their eyes. And for the way they all nodded at him, it seemed like they'd known for a good while.
Stain watched all of it with the eyes of a hawk, noticed each movement and emotion that flashed through the youngsters' faces as they silently communicated with one another and made sure to take note of everything.
No one gave any sign to be heading for the door, so Stain leaned back slightly and motioned with his hand for someone to take the floor.
Spinner glanced at the rest and, without missing a beat, cleared his throat.
"I'll start." The mutant said, and Izuku smiled at him warmly. Leave it to him to take the big step in front of the Hero Killer.
"My name's Iguchi Shuichi, I'm-"
"Ah, I'm gonna stop you right there." Stain interrupted, holding his hand up to stop the young man. Izuku saw how Spinner's shoulders tensed involuntarily and the teen swallowed. Then Stain pointed at Izuku with his katana, eyes narrowed. "You, upstairs."
"What?" Izuku asked, feeling how Toga's hold on him tightened.
"You think I'm blind?" Stain scoffed, a brow raised. "I want you away from them, where they can't see or attack you if they get too desperate."
"But-"
"No arguing. I won't do this otherwise."
Stain's voice left no room for argument and Izuku felt a good chunk of his previous confidence threatening to crumble. If he stepped away then he wouldn't be able to stand in between his mentor and his friends if it came down to the worst-case scenario. And if that happened, things would go from cero to a thousand in an instant. Every person in the room was powerful and capable and Izuku didn't want to risk losing anyone.
He glanced at his companions, trying to keep the confidence in his eyes as to not scare anyone, but the sight that met him struck him like a slap.
Instead of fear or hesitation, he was met with determination and reassurance from all four people. Even Toga, who was still holding onto his arm as if her life depended on it, managed to give him a shaky smile.
Izuku came to the sudden realization that he owed these people a lot more faith and trust than he was currently giving them, and he chuckled. He patted Toga's arm before trying to move away, giving the girl a reassuring smile and a short hug when she didn't let go.
"I'll be right here, okay?" He told her, holding her amber gaze warmly. "I'm not leaving you. Just tell him what you told me."
"Okay," She whispered, hugging herself once Izuku was out of reach.
"We'll be alright, Midoriya." Spinner reassured him, and Izuku nodded at him.
Stain gave his student a serious look, one that Izuku had no problems in returning as he headed up the stairs. He sat on the top step and looked at Stain as he addressed the rest of the room. He could see no one else from his position and he could only make out the words that his teacher said, so he had nothing else to do but wait and listen.
When spoken to again, Spinner did not hesitate in getting back to what he had been saying. His voice sounded even and calm, and Stain's nodding was the only signal that everything was going fine.
Every time Izuku's mind began to wander or overthink even a little bit, Izuku would touch the bandage around his throat until he could focus solely on the things in front of him once more. He refused to panic now, if only in respect of all of the people downstairs.
Stain was leaning against the wall just the way he had when Izuku had met him for the second time, and the abandoned space gave the scene an even more nostalgic feeling. It was hard to believe that not that long ago, he'd been in the exact same place as his friends.
Stain seemed relaxed, yet undeniably dangerous with his shoulders squared, his expression cold, the katana that was still stuck on the floor in perfect reach, and the other sword still held in his hand. But Izuku knew he was anything but relaxed. He'd seen these four fight previously and he knew what they were all capable of. The fact that he'd placed himself between Izuku and the others didn't escape the teen, either.
If you say you trust them, then trust they can do this, Izuku told himself over and over as he studied Stain's posture and facial expressions. But his mentor betrayed no emotion as he listened to whatever Spinner responded to his questions.
Everything that Stain said gave Izuku a sense of deja vu. Words like morale, targets, and heroism sent a warm flood of memories through his mind. He remembered stars and trees and blood and so many things that he had to shake his head to stay focused.
The Hero Killer made sure to leave no stone unturned, no secret hidden, and he didn't seem to care how uncomfortable his questions could get. But Spinner's voice was constant and tranquil and Izuku held onto the sound.
It was almost an hour later that Stain finally gave a small nod and allowed his eyes to shift to another person, and Izuku heaved a long but silent sigh of relief. He was glad that Spinner had been the one to get things started since he had the most faith in him to get past Stain's interrogation.
He only knew he'd moved on to Shoto when he heard him say: "You're Endeavor's kid, aren't you? You looking for revenge?"
Shoto's voice was barely a murmur to Izuku, but the teen said something that made a legitimate look of surprise flash across Stain's face. Izuku had to fight back the smile on his face as he imagined how Shoto and Dabi would explain not only their relationship but also their past with their father.
Toga's audible "What?" was all the confirmation Izuku needed to know that the secret was out in the open by now.
Both Todorokis' motivations were far more personal than Spinner's, and thus this particular talk lasted over two hours. Izuku cracked his back, tired of sitting in the same position for so long.
Unlike Spinner's tale, Stain had an actual hard time hiding his emotions as he listened, and Izuku saw him fight back a grin at one point when Dabi started talking. He tried to address each sibling on their own still, keeping one from speaking for the other even when their stories probably complemented one another.
It was almost four in the morning, not that anyone in there would know that, when Stain got to the person that Izuku worried for the most. When the voice answering Stain got higher in pitch, Izuku's shoulders stiffened.
He'd told Toga to speak the truth, knowing full well that hiding something from Stain would only end in a bigger disaster later on. If there was one thing that Stain valued, after all, it was honesty.
But Toga's background was perhaps the shadiest out of all of them, and Izuku feared that not only Stain but also the rest of the team would be taken aback by her words.
Maybe that's why he barely heard her speak at first, her voice small and neutral. Maybe that's why Stain started glancing at Izuku every once in a while with an odd expression. And maybe that's why Izuku got to his feet to get Stain's attention, a nervous look in his eyes.
Stain hadn't moved an inch, hadn't yet reached for the sword on the ground, or raised his voice. But Izuku could recognize the disapproval in Stain's eyes. When his mentor finally moved away from the wall, Izuku had to fight the instinct that told him to run downstairs before anything could happen.
But Stain didn't go for his companions. He simply turned towards Izuku and told the others to not move before heading upstairs.
A moment later, Izuku found himself back in the little bathroom, once again too nervous to take a seat on the edge of the tub as his mentor did.
"Well, you always manage to surprise me somehow, don't you?" Stain asked him, a hint of the distaste he felt clear in his voice.
Izuku swallowed.
"You made friends with a kid that I personally tried to kill months ago and brought Endeavor's eldest back from the death." Stain stated blankly, counting poeple with his fingers as he spoke. "Not to speak about the unstable time bomb of a girl and a kid with an outfit that I'm sure is just a coincidence and has nothing to do with me." That last part was heavy with sarcasm, but Izuku was unable to laugh at the joke.
He had too many questions.
"What do you think of them?"
Stain stared at Izuku carefully, cracking his neck loudly as he sighed. There was a long silence and Stain twirled the katana in his hand, deep in thought.
"You're not stupid, kid," Stain finally spoke sternly. "You know the girl is too much of a danger, not to mention a target already."
Fuck.
"She can control herself, Stain." Izuku attempted to defend, but Stain shook his head.
"Yeah, with other people's blood, she says. I doubt she can hold herself back enough to not kill a person if her story's anything to go by." Izuku knew by the tone of voice that Stain was referring to Toga's story about her childhood best friend and he swallowed uncomfortably. At the very least he was glad that she'd been honest.
"I've… I've already given her blood and it really does work."
"You… You do know what she did, right?"
"Yes."
The disbelief in Stain's face was palpable, but Izuku refused to stand back. His mentor ran a hand down his face as he murmured something that Izuku couldn't hear. He gave his student the most unbelieving but yet unsurprised face in the history of humanity and Izuku had to fight to keep eye contact.
He felt like a child being caught after drawing with crayons on the walls.
"No." Stain finally said, and Izuku stepped forward.
"Stain,"
"Absolutely not."
"I promised her-"
"I don't give a damn, kid, I'm not-"
"She's not a threat!"
"She's insane!"
"So are we to do what we do!" Izuku finally spat, at last. It was ridiculous how they looked right now, both of them trying to speak over the other just to get their point across.
Stain let out a slow breath through his remaining nose, clearly trying to control his own temper. Neither of them wanted to fight again, but they were both unwilling to stand back.
"Don't compare her to us, kid. We don't hurt civilians." Stain attempted to reason, his voice indicating that he wanted to keep this talk civilized. Izuku relaxed his shoulders in return.
"She doesn't do what she does because she's just a selfish monster, Stain. No one ever taught her how to deal with her own quirk or the urges that come with it. It's not her fault."
"She's still a danger to others, Izuku."
"Not if we help her."
Stain started rolling his eyes but stopped himself just in time. They both felt like they were talking to a wall at this point.
"That's not our job, kid."
"She was abandoned by the very system we're trying to break, Stain. You said we're fighting for a just society and she's exactly the type of person that will benefit the most from that. I'm not just just letting you hurt her!"
Stain narrowed his eyes, tilting his head to the side slightly. There was a storm of thought going on behind his red eyes and Izuku tried to prepare more arguments.
"Did something happen between you two?" Stain finally asked, the question throwing Izuku for a loop. Both men seemed uncomfortable with the turn the conversation was taking, but at least Stain managed to keep his face relatively neutral. Izuku on the other hand was trying to hide his blush by turning to the side and coughing.
"Do you... like her?"
"N-no!" Izuku stammered. He immediately got defensive and words started spilling from his mouth without any sort of priority or control.
"I mean, I care about her, but t-that's not the point! She's just as alone as I was when I met you and who knows what I would have become without you. She's exactly the type of person we're fighting for, Stain! She just needs some help to stay on her feet and if anyone can help her with that, it's us! I think she just needs someone to care for her the way she is! She trusts me and I trust her! I mean, I trust them all, but-"
Stain flicked Izuku in the middle of the forehead sharply, an exhausted look already in his eyes.
"Jesus, kid, breathe." Stain sighed.
They both fell into an uncomfortable silence, each trying to figure out how to play their next card. Red eyes examined green ones carefully, looking for the answer to a question that was eating them both alive.
Now what?
Both of them were far too stubborn to give in just like that to the other's whim, even if they knew that this night wouldn't end with both of them completely satisfied. They didn't know it, but they were both calculating just how much they were willing to sacrifice if only to come to an agreement and stop the arguing once and for all.
Izuku knew that Stain would always try to prioritize the work he'd been carrying out for the last sixteen years of his life, and Izuku also knew that he'd be willing to die for that same cause. But deep inside they both knew that things weren't that simple any more. They cared about far more than just their ideology now, whether they would ever openly admit it once more or not.
"You're aware that those four could destroy everything we've worked for, right?" Stain finally said, his voice calm and honest.
"Yes," Izuku agreed, unable to deny the very real possibility. "But they can also help make it so much bigger. They can help us finally accomplish what we want."
Stain held Izuku's gaze for a long heartbeat and finally sighed.
"I'm not just gonna trust them by sunrise, kid. They're all still probable targets to me, especially that girl. You might want to lie to yourself, but she might not deserve the chance you're giving her." Izuku listened to every word intently, his eyes shining even in the dark. His mentor then stood and looked Izuku dead in the eye.
"I have one condition." Stain said gravely.
"What is it?"
"I'm the one that gets to judge them in the long run. If they do something that I don't like, they become targets immediately." Stain explained. "And since you brought them here, they're yours to deal with."
"What do you mean?" Izuku felt his chest constrict painfully. He knew what Stain meant, but he needed to hear it to be sure.
"If any of them becomes a target, you are the one that has to get rid of that person." Stain's eyes were cold as he spoke and Izuku swallowed. "If you don't, I kill them all. That's my condition."
Stain offered Izuku his hand. Izuku had to bite his tongue to keep himself from speaking impulsively. Was this the right thing? Was it wise to just accept this or should he really try to push his luck any further than this? Should he question what actions would put his teammates at risk, even though he knew exactly what made a target in the end? Would his companions manage to keep themselves behind the many lines that Stain considered uncrossable?
Stain's hand twitched slightly and, without wanting to risk his mentor backtracking, Izuku shook his hand firmly.
He didn't have time to hesitate or doubt. Not now, at least.
"You're gonna be the death of me, kid." Stain said half-jokingly and Izuku flashed him the first easy-going smile he'd been able to produce in days. At last, the tension they'd both felt seemed to roll off their shoulders, if only a little.
When Izuku made his way downstairs, he was met by four very nervous sets of eyes. Everyone was huddled in the same corner of the house, their hearts on their sleeves as they looked at Izuku in the search of answers. But Stain beat him to it.
"I want to be as far from the city as possible by dawn. We can rest then." His mentor said, and the relief on everyone's faces warmed Izuku's heart. Spinner tried and failed to hide his excited expression, while Dabi helped Shoto to his feet with a cheery tone in his voice. The teen had rested enough to carry his own weight, though Dabi kept his brother's arm across his shoulders. Toga all but hopped towards Izuku, her smile brighter than the sun and she hugged his arm.
Stain sighed at the line of kids standing before him, not sure how he felt about all of this, but said nothing more as he opened the door of the house and walked outside. Izuku was the one to shut the door behind them, the only evidence that they had even ever been there at all being the sword by the stairs.