-x- Izuku -x-

After awhile, dinner came, and when Shoto ate the normal food, he got stares. Even though he'd eaten lunch in front of all of them countless times. He refrained from going to drink blood, knowing that might be too much for them, especially those especially bothered about it. Mineta, Sato and Koda. And Uraraka, unsurprisingly.

Kacchan was annoyed with the looks, but Izuku understood, Shoto understood. It was hard to take in, especially since they'd all known him for months by the time he went missing. "Shoto-kun, you have drunken red water. Was that gatorade?" Iida asked.

Shoto said, "I don't know. Maybe…" The class kept forgetting they had no history in Shoto's eyes. He'd always been bad at making new friends, but this time, he was doing alright. Maybe because he'd already known these people before. He had reacted very well to two strangers claiming they were his deep loved ones.

"It was," Kacchan said bluntly. "Blood diluted in water." Izuku nodded. Some looked at Shoto eating, and his hands not making any shadows.

Uraraka spoke (Izuku wished she wouldn't). "What are you going to do when the public finds out?" Shoto shrugged and poked at his food. "You don't have a shadow and were seen attacking people, right?" The full vampire's face went red. He knew this and hated it.

"Shut up, bitch. Leave him alone about it, it's not like he wanted to," Bakugo snapped.

"Bakugo-kun!" Iida scolded.

"You agree with her pretty much shaming him for traumatizing events? Like it was his fault? The villains brainwashed him, isn't that clear with him not remembering shit?!" he raged. Izuku agreed with his words, but didn't speak. It got to be too much for Shoto.

"Are we allowed to bring food to our rooms?" he asked Izuku quietly. Izuku nodded, and Shoto took his plate and headed to his room. Izuku gave him some space, and glared at Uraraka. He wished she would go away for good, move schools or drop out. He was tired of her, far, far done with her bullshit.

He said, "Why do you behave this way? I don't understand you." He was glaring lightly. She flushed, pursing her lips together. "Explain. Why do you hate Shoto like this? He's been nothing but polite, yet you just do everything you can to make him uncomfortable." He was putting her on the spot, and the gravity girl floundered.

She settled with, "I just don't think he should be a hero, that's all." As if those words weren't bad already.

"Hey, can he hear us?" Ashido asked.

Nobody answered her, focused on Izuku and Uraraka's heated exchange. "Just because he's a vampire?"

"I… yeah." A lie.

"Then what was your reason before?" Her eyes flicked to Kirishima and Bakugo, who were holding hands, Kirishima's pressed over the back of Kacchan's, who was still angry, but was calling down after his outburst. It got the point across, after all. Izuku noticed her look, but so did everyone else.

"Homophobic rat," Bakugo spat.

"I'm not homophobic!" she shot back indignantly. "I'm not…"

"Yeah, sure," Bakugo said, scarfed his food down, and left to go talk with Shoto. Izuku stayed at the table, wanting to try and lay damage control.

"Even if Shoto was gay, is that anyone else's business?" Izuku was testing the water for himself, too. Though he didn't plan on coming out. Though, if he had the chance to be in a romantic relationship with Shoto, he'd come out in a blaze of glory. Being with Shoto was like a dream, and he'd be proud and ecstatic if it came true.

Yaoyorozu said, "I don't think it is. I know many would. But, what could be more polarizing than being a vampire?" She had a good point, being one of the smartest of the class. "Uraraka-san, it's already hard enough for him to have lost all his memories and everyone knowing he's a vampire, now. I don't think anyone should add more stress on his shoulders," she said, making direct eye contact with the shorter girl, who hunched her shoulders.

Izuku wasn't so hungry anymore, and stood up, pushing his chair back, and went to dump it down the disposal, rinsing off the plate and cutlery and adding it to the dishwasher before heading up stairs. When he got to the floor, he hurried to Shoto's door, and knocked before entering. He knew both were inside, though neither was talking.

Shoto was sitting on the floor with his back against the bed. "I didn't think. I didn't really know how people would react about it. I don't want to keep it a secret…"

"It's too late to keep it from them," Izuku sighed, and sat at the desk across from the bed. Everything was unpacked, the very little belongings he had any attachment to. Everything else was at his former foster home. But that wasn't home for him, not anymore. Nowhere was home. Shoto's phone started ringing, and they saw it was Aizawa.

-x- Shoto -x-

"Hello?" Shoto asked in the phone.

"How are things? Do you need anything more that we can accommodate?" Shoto replied with a no. He didn't need anything more. "Did you tell them, did they notice?"

"I told them. I don't know them… there was no pain in rejection." It was a lie, that had really hurt. Seeing people scared of him, or at least uneasy just reminded him of the scared faces of the people he'd attacked as a villain. He hadn't meant to do it, hadn't wanted to, but he had done it. Didn't matter the intentions, he'd done it.

"Did any react in a severely negative way?" The way he said it made it seem he was definitely going to be taking names.

"No…" Shoto said. The disbelief oozed out of the teacher's voice on the other end.

"Really?"

"Just… questions," he said, poking at the sheets.

"Any verbal or emotional abuse?"

"Izuku and Katsuki watched out for me. I'm okay, I don't know them, it's okay, really." Aizawa, thankfully, didn't press further.

"Alright. But we'll be having a class discussion tomorrow. With those who aren't in their work studies. And you need to prepare to take the provisional license exam to catch up with the others. You and Bakugo." Katsuki nodded curtly in agreement.

"Okay…" Shoto replied. The call was over, and he laid on his back on the bed. "It was probably easier for you both without me here-"

"Fuck that, are you serious?" Katsuki demanded angrily. Shoto looked at him with slightly furrowed brows in question. "We were fucking convinced you were killed, Shoto. You think defending you is worse than that?"

"Sorry…" Shoto said, not liking being yelled at much. Katsuki sighed.

"I know we're strangers now, but we were fucked thinking you were dead, just not knowing." Shoto felt so bad for losing his memories. Maybe once they caught All For One he could get his memories back. He didn't know, he wanted to remember but also knew there were a lot of things in his past that upset him. Damaged him. He didn't really want to risk those things coming back.

But what made him who he was now? He didn't remember the things that shaped him. Izuku said he hadn't changed as a person even if his whole life was just blank, gone. He wanted to think he was being honest. He wasn't going to ask, he didn't want to offend him and call him a liar when he'd been nothing but kind and understanding.

Izuku stood up and went to the bathroom, coming back with a bottle of blood. "You know, you used to drink from me, too, when I'm in a human body." Shoto's face flamed.

"I-I'm so sorry-"

"No! It's not that you forced me, I agreed to it." He started to turn red, too, poking his fingers together.

"I'm gonna go and get Kiri. I'm fucking exhausted," Katsuki said and excused himself from the room. Shoto didn't know what to think of the behavior being displayed right now. He hadn't spent that much time alone with Izuku, Katsuki was almost always there, too, as they both tried to get his memories back.

Shoto opened the blood bottle, and downed it. He was able to stick the bottle into his mouth enough that the outpour of blood didn't stain his teeth that bad. He slumped against the bed again, hugging a pillow to his chest. He'd gotten very attached to pillows while in solitary confinement. The whole room had been padded, but holding one to his chest was best.

Izuku sat next to him, but neither said a thing. The revelation that Shoto would feed off of a completely willing Izuku was shocking. But it also showed a deep, deep level of trust from the freckled teen. Trusted Shoto when he was probably very overwhelmed. "I know you already have been feeding off of other people, and it probably wouldn't be that good with me anymore-"

"You smell good…" Shoto said, not wanting his friend to be sad or insecure. "Like… good blood. I don't know how to explain it. But I don't think of you as- as food, like some other people I do." Izuku looked very happy with Shoto's words, who gave him a small smile back.

Then he turned a bit serious. "If I ever make you uncomfortable, will you tell me?" Izuku asked.

"...Probably not," Shoto answered honestly. Izuku shook his head with a smile.

"I guess asking was pointless, huh?" he said with a fond look. Shoto blushed a bit at the look he was given, different from Katsuki's fond looks.

"Did I help you? When we were in rehab, like you said. Did I help at all?" Shoto asked. He wanted to have helped his friends in the past, as it was clear he'd been a burden, at least some times. Izuku nodded with a smile. "Good."

"I was upset when I had to wait to see you again. The only person who understood how it was like, what it felt like. Though you had it much worse than I did. Even now, you have it worse than me," Izuku said. "When we were reunited, I was so happy I could see you again, and we just became best friends, and then with Kacchan, too," Izuku explained with a fond, content look on his face.

"You're not bitter or resentful at all? That I don't remember anything? Even just a little?"

"I don't know. I don't know if I want you memories to come back. You… suffered a lot, Shoto. You were very damaged from your past, both distant and very recent. I thought you'd be messed up for a long, long time. So, I'm torn. I want you happy, even if you remember nothing." His voice was firm and sincere.

Shoto looked up at him with wide eyes, brows furrowed in slight disbelief. "But… why?"

"You matter to us. A lot," Izuku said simply. "Kacchan said it better than I ever could. You're worth it."

"I feel like I'm not."

"I know," he replied, raking his hand through Shoto's hair carefully. He adjusted himself to lay on the bed on his stomach as Shoto was laying horizontally on the bed, legs hanging off the side. He let Izuku braid his hair without a word, the rhythmic sounds of his hand shifting around while Izuku's fingers did the work lulled him to sleep.

When he woke up, Izuku had stayed. It was early morning, still dark out, and Izuku was curled in a ball on the bed, hugging Shoto's other pillow to his face, seeming to be breathing in the scent in his sleep. Shoto wasn't good with emotions, but there was something more that happened between them, the way Izuku acted compared to Katsuki was different. They both cared, but Izuku did in another way.

He didn't really want to think too hard about it, and shifted, to feel his hair being pilled a bit. He reached his hand behind his head, and found Izuku had kept braiding his hair after he fell asleep. How could such a small little thing bring so much comfort? Where had that started? When did Izuku start to do that?

His heart fell when he knew he might not ever know, not unless he asked, but it wasn't the same. He fell back asleep, and when he woke it was to his alarm, and Izuku was gone. The room smelled like him as a human, so he transformed sometimes during the night. Sitting up, he popped his neck and combed his fingers through the loose and untied off braids to undo them so he could take an easy shower.

Once he was done, he looked at his face in the mirror, touching his left cheek lightly. His damaged face. Why had his own mother done such a thing to him? Apparently he hadn't talked too much about her to Izuku and Katsuki. Or if he did, they weren't going into detail of how he'd said it happened. Because the past Shoto could have been lying in his explanation of the past.

Who knows if he could trust his own words? It didn't hurt, he had no fond memories of the woman who permanently damaged him. He had no angry memories of her, either. She was just a woman who did a thing to him, and was now gone thanks to the things another man had done. It felt very black and white, in a way. And he felt apathetic about learning his past after Izuku insisted it had been shit and he was better off this way.

He lathered on layer after layer of sunscreen, allowing it to dry fully before putting on his clothes and the additional coverings on him, just to be safe. He had two bottles of blood, as he needed more than usual, quite a bit more than Izuku ever did, and then brushed his teeth before heading downstairs to face the awkwardness.

Now that he was down the stairs, he should have waited for Izuku, Katsuki or Kirishima to come down with him. He went back up through the elevator, ducking inside before the sparkly one saw him. He couldn't remember all their names yet, there were so many and he hadn't gotten to know any of them closely to be memorable.

Izuku was waiting outside the elevator and as surprised when Shoto appeared. "Shoto, I'm surprised you went down alone."

"Mmm, me too," Shoto nodded. "Why did you stay last night?"

"Why not? We've always had sleep overs and often share the bed."

"Oh, okay."

"Did it bother you?" Izuku asked in worry, brows furrowed and eyes searching. Shoto shook his head, and scratched his arm. "Okay, good. If anything makes you uncomfortable, I would appreciate you saying something." The ice user nodded. They headed down, and Shoto went to the kitchen, looking around for any good food. He found none, but saw a huge, fancy blender, so he made himself a smoothie.

Jiro was already there, at the table working on school work. Shoto did his best to not watch her to see if she was watching him, gave him any looks. But every time he glanced over, she was minding her own business. The blender was fantastic and shredded all the ingredients in an instant.

Students came down, and Shoto couldn't remember most of their names. The pink one, he forgot her name, and the buff guy. But he wasn't going to ask for a reminder and be annoying. He was living with these people for the time being and he didn't want to piss them off or make things even more awkward.

But the room was a bit awkward. He sat on the couch to drink his breakfast while most were in the kitchen or dining area. Kirishima brought his cinnamon toast over and sat next to him. "How are you doing?"

"Okay. The bed was comfortable." Izuku walked over and sat at the couch across from him and Kirishima. Shoto looked at him, wishing he knew why he was so kind and why both he and Katskui were fine with everything. Shoto would probably be upset if his friends forgot him. Well, Katsuki reminded him they thought he was dead. Was anything better than death?

There was still the chance of him regaining his memories and experiences. He was just glad it seemed Izuku wanted him happy, even if it was without their many memories over the years. He would try not to have a problem with it. Mineta came over, Shoto easily being able to remember his name because of what an asshole he seemed to be.

Not that it really seemed anyone was surprised by his bad reaction. And Uraraka. She disliked Shoto, too. He did understand why, he'd been lying to them and vampires weren't very fondly looked upon by most. But it didn't mean it wasn't annoying and frustrating. Mineta sat on the couch across from them, eyeing Shoto's smoothie like it was something disgusting.

It was clearly a fruit smoothie through the clear glass cup, but he acted as if it was blood. Weirdo. "So, what was it like being a villain?" he challenged. Shoto really didn't like him. He didn't want to talk about being a villain. He hadn't known he wasn't one, he was manipulated and brainwashed. Aizawa and his friends had told him many times that he wasn't at fault for what happened and that nobody blamed him. At least, nobody important in the world. He didn't go to jail, he wasn't in trouble.

"...Fine," Shoto settled with, shutting down. He guzzeld the rest of his smoothie, and headed upstairs to get his things while Izuku got mad at the other teen for being insensitive. He met Uraraka in the hallway, who looked at him with a troubled expression. Shoto had no idea what she was like or how they used to act. So he didn't know what that expression meant. It wasn't mean in a way, but it also wasn't nice.

Like she was offended about something, but not something necessarily bad. It was hard to describe what the expression conveyed. "I'm sorry about what happened to you. I was kind of a mean person before now. I'd like to not be this time."

It wasn't what Shoto had been expecting, really. But he wasn't about to be a dick when someone was apologizing and wanted to possibly start over. "Alright," he agreed. He went back up the elevator to his room and got dressed and put his things into his backpack. He'd missed a lot of school, but had made up for quite a bit of it when in isolation. It was just lucky he was taken back again.

After everything, he was still surprised they welcomed him again. Though some of it had to be out of pure guilt. Not wanting to walk to school with anyone, he decided to go on his own and out the balcony door.

He texted his two best friends that he was going ahead, and neither protested. He jumped out the window, from the highest floor, and landed lightly on his feet. He landed in a small crouch and then stood up straight and headed down the path that was set between all the dorm buildings.

He was self conscious about his shadow missing, but there was really nothing to do about it. It felt really weird, to be honest. To look down and see no proof he was there. Maybe he was floating. It just looked how a glitchy game would. He didn't feel he was part of the environment. Who knew not having a shadow would feel so damn weird?

-x- Izuku -x-

"What are playing at?" Izuku asked after he got changed out of his hero costume, standing in the hall with Uraraka. She looked confused. "Why are you being suddenly so nice to Shoto after how you've behaved until now? Is it some trick?"Izuku didn't believe for a second that Uraraka's opinion on Shoto had changed enough to warrant her trying to be close to him, a friend. And since Shoto couldn't remember how she acted before, he had no real reason to turn her down.

He could be a total pushover and probably wouldn't want to be rude. "I was wrong before," she said, her face visibly red. Kacchan came out next, wiping his face with a wet washcloth. His hands were shaking from how hard he'd worked during hero basics that day. He and Shoto were training for the make up exams. Since Shoto was no longer hiding his vampire self, he could now utilize those attributes he'd been hiding, and now Kacchan could go all out, knowing he'd heal.

Shoto and Izuku were both good to spar with since they could handle beatings, but Shoto was the only safe one now since Izuku was still seen as fully human. Shoto was just fine with Izuku staying a human in everyone's eyes. "What's going on?" he asked curiously, voice turning to suspicion when he read he room, saw his friend's anger.

"Uraraka is suddenly being real nice to Shoto." Bakugo rose a single brow.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I want to make up for how I acted before. Shouldn't you both be happy?"

"You just want to get close to Izuku." She looked angry and flustered now. "Yeah, you don't actually care about Shoto, you haven't from the start. You only care about Izuku. Clearly, he's not interested in returning the favor. Oi, I'm going with Shoto to get some ice cream from Lunch Rush, want anything?"

"No, I'll come, too. I'm done here." He left Uraraka looking humiliated. Neither of them took disrespect towards Shoto. Not now, after what happened both before and after he was brainwashed. Maybe he was being an asshole, but he didn't want Shoto to walk into some trap. They found him in the locker room, changed into his uniform and drinking bloody water from a canteen.

"You ready for the ice cream?" Shoto nodded. "Maybe now that it's no secret anymore Lunch Rush could make you blood treats," Bakugo mused, hands behind his head.

"Why were you in an argument with Uraraka?" Shoto asked bluntly. "I heard a lot of it. You were kind of loud," he added.

Izuku sighed. "We're suspicious of her new attitude towards you," he said honestly.

"Yeah, she'd been a total bitch to you before now. Didn't care much when you were kidnapped, either." Shoto frowned deeper, eyes drifting to the floor. "She probably just wanted to get close to Izuku. She's got a total crush on him even when he's pretty much told her to go fuck off," Bakugo explained.

Shoto's reaction was… interesting. "Do you like her back?" he asked slowly, sounding shy and uncertain. Izuku hid a smile at the tiny trace amount of jealousy. Of course Kacchan heard it too, and gave Izuku an amused smile. Shoto had no idea that Izuku loved him, and that he'd confessed before and they were planning on trying to make something work.

Izuku said, "No. Not in any way, not as a friend and definitely nothing more." He observed Shoto as some of the tension left his shoulders. It made him feel a rush of hope and happiness. The three got some ice cream, Shoto drizzling some blood powder on top. Izuku smiled, and then looked sad.

"What's wrong?" Shoto asked.

"I wish I could share the work studies stuff with you both. I can't, I'm trying to not think about it."

"Once the mission is over, you can tell us, right?" Shoto pointed out. "Well, no matter it is or what you're doing, you have our support, right?" Bakugo smiled and Izuku had watery eyes and a light blush on. "Are you okay?" Shoto asked, seeing his red face.

Izuku chuckled. "I'm fine. You're right. I'll get to tell you once it's over," he said. "I'm just glad I have Tsu and Kirishima, too."

"Uraraka, too," Shoto stated. "Maybe… you could be nice for the mission. Don't you have to work well with people you may not like in hero work? It's not about you… it's about who you're saving."

The half vampire slumped a bit. "You're right. I shouldn't be picking fights right now. I should apologize, shouldn't I?" Bakugo aid nothing, and Shoto didn't answer either.

"It's your choice," the vampire said. "Nobody can make it for you."

"I'll try and make amends while still showing her I have no interest," Izuku decided, voice firm. "I'll be back at the dorms later."

"Good luck with that bitch," Kacchan commented, and added, "Don't make it hard for Kiri, either." Izuku nodded and hurried away to find Uraraka with Tsu. She was upset, looking demoralized. Izuku was starting to feel bad with how he behaved. He was just very protective over Shoto who was so vulnerable right now.

He made himself known by knocking lightly on the wall. "Midoriya-chan," Tsuyu said.

"I want to apologize to how I spoke to you, Uraraka. We're both working together, I shouldn't have been so disrespectful and flippant. I'm sorry," Izuku said and gave a stiff bow.

"Okay…" Uraraka said. "I wish we could start over. But we can't, can we?"

"I think we will be classmates. Teammates. I don't see us ever being good friends." He didn't apologize as it wasn't completely his fault that things ended up in this way with her. "I don't want to be on bad terms, though."

"Well, I wouldn't let our situation deter us from saving Eri-chan, anyways," Uraraka said. Izuku nodded, and Tsu did, too. No, they wouldn't let Izuku's dislike for the gravity girl deter their rescue of Eri. Izuku looked forward to getting to tell Shoto and Kacchan about it. It felt lonely, not being able to talk about it to anyone.

He left and went to find Kirishima, who was in the library by himself. He was on his phone, but his face showed sadness. Izuku sat down across from him at the table. "Hey, Kirishima."

"Yo."

"How are you doing? About the mission?"

"I'm trying to forget about it. To not think about it too much. Hey… I was wondering if you would use the other stuff, for the mission? I mean, your senses," he whispered. "You'd be able to find your way more easily that way."

"Sir Nighteye, I think he wouldn't care about it. I wouldn't be surprised if he knows already. I'm not in charge of the mission, so if he wants me to do that, he'll ask… I don't know, should I offer?" he asked, growing uneasy with his choice. "I should talk to him about it. I should do everything I can to get to Eri-chan."

"Yeah. We should do all we can. Then we can finally tell Katsuki and Shoto," Kirishima said, also looking forward to telling their loved ones. "I want it over, but I'm also dreading it. I don't want to fail everyone. Be the weakest link."

"Me neither," Izuku sighed.

-x- Shoto -x-

Shoto stood outside the hospital room, leaning against the wall as he sadly listened to Sir Nighteye's last words. He heard the crying of Izuku and Togata-senpai. He had a bouquet of flowers at his side, ready to greet Izuku once he got out. Katsuki was with Kirishima. He was upset, too, and had gotten very beaten up. Izuku had had many wounds, but of course they healed quickly.

Shoto hoped Uraraka and Tsu didn't realize. He wished he was on good terms with Uraraka, as their meeting the first time have been favorable. They were on good terms, and then that changed. Shoto didn't remember if he'd done anything wrong, or how and why things ended up how they did. It was just sad to him.

He felt irate when hearing she probably only wanted to be nice to him to be in the good graces of Izuku. He felt used for it, and didn't want to be the key in someone else being with Izuku. It wasn't nice to feel that way, in a jealous way.

When the door opened, Izuku came out, crying. He already knew Shoto was there, and they hugged. Shoto used his heat enough to warm his body in the hug. He couldn't easily control his fire and didn't feel like using it for anything other than being warm. He held Izuku close, one hand behind his back and the other behind his head.

Izuku kept crying, and Shoto did as he found comforting and braided a small lock of Izuku's hair. "He said to s-smile, but I can't," the shorter vampire cried.

"He didn't say it was wrong to not smile," Shoto said. Izuku nodded. The vampire could hear Togata, Bubble Girl and All Might still mourning by the body of their loved one. Shoto was so glad Izuku was okay, hadn't been very badly injured. He didn't have the time to worry about Uraraka and Tsuyu thinking anything was up, that he healed without Recovery Girl's help.

After a bit, Izuku calmed down and Shoto gave him the flowers. "I didn't remember your favorites, so I asked Katsuki," Shoto stated. Izuku gave a small, sad smile at the jade bouquet. He smelled it deeply. "I'll listen, when you want to talk. I'm a good listener."

"I know. That was one of the qualities I loved most in the beginning." Shoto blushed a bit, but nodded. Hopefully Izuku didn't see. He took Shoto's hand and they walked to the lobby where Kirishima and Katsuki were. The other couple were hugging, and Shoto felt so sad for those in the mission. He hoped Uraraka and Tsuyu were doing alright, as well. Tsuyu was very kind to him about the vampire things, asked how she could make life easier for him.

He didn't tell her she smelled like a frog and so had no reason to ever worry about her own safety.

"I got something else," Shoto said, and pulled out the little knick knack he'd worked on while waiting for Izuku to be out of the hospital. While he and Katsuki were worried in the lobby before the other two could be seen. It was an ice made bird. "I didn't know what to make, and it was more me being bored and nervous waiting."

Izuku smiled at it, looking much less upset. "Thanks, Shoto. I'm glad you're here."

"How's Uraraka and Tsuyu?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen them yet." Izuku was still holding his hand, and when Shoto was about to take it out of his, the other griped it tighter. Shoto had no issue continuing to hold it, so he lightly squeezed it back. They walked to the couch where their friends were, and Izuku took one of the flowers from the small bunch and handed it to Kirishima.

"How… how's Sir?" Kirishima asked, looking sad at the flower.

"He's gone. He told us to keep smiling. A world with no smiling, laughing heroes is not a good one," Izuku answered.

"Right… I didn't think he'd survive that," he sighed. "Recovery Girl fixed me up. Katsuki, can we leave? I… I hate hospitals," Kirishima admitted.

"Yeah, I'm not liking it either," Katsuki said. "You guys good?" he asked his two best friends, who nodded. "Then let's go. Aizawa is outside with the car." They had been driven there, as they weren't allowed out of UA on their own due to the villain issue. It had been a few weeks since Shoto was recovered, and no trace of them. At least they no longer had Kurogiri. That made them all safer.

Shoto had asked if they could get flowers before they met up at the hospital with their loved ones, so they did. The four walked outside, both pairs still holding hands. Izuku was a human right now, so he wasn't hurt by the sun in any way. Shoto was all covered up, as usual, so the sun was no issue for him either.

They got in the bus that already had Uraraka,Tsuyu, Amajiki and Hado. They sat in the back row, Shoto not releasing Izuku's hand. He leaned against the taller of the two, letting out a sigh and looking at the ice figure, fiddling with the cold object in his hand. He looked so sad and distant. Shoto hadn't ever felt like this before, he didn't remember anyone ever having died in his life. He could only do what he thought would be best, not based on experience.

The bus ride was silent, everyone lost in thought. Katsuki was running his fingers through Kirishima's hair, which had lost all it's spikyness and was more flat and covered his eyes. They all looked so tired, and Shoto wished he had something to say to help. He couldn't offer Izuku his blood candies since he was a human and couldn't eat blood right now. There wasn't really anything he felt he could do.

"Just be here. You don't need to do anything else," Izuku said quietly, seeing the look of conflict over Shoto's face as he thought hard on what to do. But he nodded, and the look of conflict washed away from his face. It was a long ride back to the school, and all the heroes who had been at work fell asleep. Togata remained at the hospital for further treatment. Shoto was so glad Izuku was okay. And that Kirishima, Tsuyu and Uraraka were all fine, too.

When Izuku let go of Shoto's hand in his sleep, the vampire carefully wrapped his arm around his shoulders. When they got back to campus, Shoto gently woke his sleeping friend up, as did Katsuki with his boyfriend. "We're here, Izuku," Shoto said quietly. Izuku sat up and nodded. He didn't apologize for sleeping, which Shoto was glad for. They all clearly needed the rest.

Aizawa walked them all to the dorms. Izuku refused to let go of Shoto's hand, fingers intertwined. He was distracted, but also seemed adamant to not let go. It was nice, and Shoto had zero issue holding his hand. It felt nice. He didn't pay attention to Uraraka's reaction, didn't care.

When they got to the dorms, the others were waiting for their return, having seen on the news that shit went down during their mission. Shoto wished he could see Eri some day. Izuku hadn't said a thing about her, but he knew it was because he was in shock about it all, still.

The next day was Shoto and Katsuki's make up license exam, but there was nothing they could do in one night to pump them up more that would outweigh being there for their friend or boyfriend.

Everyone asked questions, worried for them, but the four just wanted peace and quiet. "I'm taking Izuku to his room," Shoto stated, hoping their classmates would get the hint.

"Same," Katsuki added. The two upperclassmen were at their own building right now. Shoto gave a look of concern to Tsuyu, who nodded. All five of them left the busy lobby, the four boys heading to their floor while the girls went to their own rooms. Shoto knew Izuku's passcode, and he knew his as well, so he easily got them into his room.

Shoto took his shoes off and the teen just slumped onto his side on the bed. He looked at Shoto with sad, tired eyes. "What happened?" Shoto asked, ready to be the good listener Izuku always liked him for. It was a relief he did not change as a person when he lost his memory. He changed species to the rest of the class, but to his friends, he didn't. He hadn't seen his foster family much for obvious reasons, like they weren't allowed off campus and non students or staff weren't allowed on.

So Izuku explained the mission, what had happened that day. How he'd helped Eri, and how he'd utilized his strength and speed to fight Overhaul, who had a very dangerous quirk. Some quirks just should not be a thing. Like Shigaraki's decay quirk. And Shoto had helped him in that by getting rid of one of his arms. The transplant did not carry his quirk, so he could touch other things more easily with his new arm. Ripping it off, in hindsight, had been a good idea, even if Shoto didn't remember his thought process for it at the time.

"I wish others could heal like we can," Izuku said. "Then Sir might not be dead. He could keep smiling, too. I feel bad for being so upset… I only knew him a few weeks. I feel bad crying in front of Togata-senpai. When he wasn't crying, why should I? I didn't know him the same… I feel like I shouldn't be so upset, but I am. If I was a better hero, I should have been able to save everyone."

Shoto sat on the floor next to the bed, Izuku's head by where Shoto now sat. "You're allowed to feel sad. I'm sad. Does that mean I can't be sad, too? If not then, you can be sad, too." He didn't really know how to do this, but he'd try his best. "You're amazing, and I could hear that Sir Nighteye smiled when he was talking to you and Togata-senpai. I don't think he'd be offended by you wanting him to be alive." He looked at the floor. "Everyone has the right to feel what they need. And they have the right to not be perfect. Nobody is perfect, and I hope you don't expect yourself to be."

Izuku was quiet. "I'm real sorry, Izuku. I don't know how to comfort cause I don't remember ever losing anyone like this. I'm here to listen, though, even if I'm not good at comforting. I just want to help you be happy, like you help me be happy." Izuku surprised him by leaning forward and kissing him.

Shoto froze, his face flaming a bright red. But Izuku didn't pull away like it was an accident. He reached out both hands and cupped Shoto's face, kissing him harder. But not in a rough or demanding way. Shoto let his eyes slide shut and try to kiss back.

-x- Izuku -x-

He didn't realize until Shoto was returning the kiss that he'd reached out in the first place. Shoto's skin was so soft and smooth under his fingertips, his lips warm and even softer. Shoto was kissing him back. He didn't pull away, he didn't freak out or run out the room. Izuku sat up, pulling him with him.

They got in the bed, on their sides, both faces pink. The kiss had stopped, but Shoto pulled Izuku to hug him, holding him close. "Do you… do you return my feelings?" Izuku asked, worried Shoto had felt obligated to kiss him back.

"Yeah."

Izuku sniffed and hugged him back tightly, smiling against his neck. Shoto's arms tightened around him more, holding him pressed to his chest. "We already agreed, to try and be boyfriends. I confessed a long time ago. But, since it was so new, I didn't say anything. I didn't want you to feel obligated to like me back that way. I'm so happy you like me, too. Even without the years of history."

And Izuku was overjoyed that Shoto did like him back. "Even after I forgot you? You still liked me that way?"

"Yeah, it never stopped," Izuku answered. "I would have waited as long as it took. I love you much more than a friend, Shoto."

"... Who's gonna break it to Uraraka?" Shoto wondered. Izuku snickered.

"She'd never want to be with a vampire anyways. It would never have worked." He didn't press Shoto on his feelings, knowing by now that it would just make him uncertain of them, question himself. Izuku knew he returned the feelings and did not need more verbal proof of it. "Tomorrow you'll be on your way to being a pro hero, too."

"I don't know, I have more known experience as a villain," Shoto said a bit sadly.

"Shoto, you were an awful villain." He looked confused. "You were on your phone in a public space that screens phones right before and after you committed a villain act. You were the reason the villain base was found in the first place. You'll be a much better hero." Izuku laughed. Shoto gave a small laugh, too.

"I guess," he said. "Um…" Izuku cocked his head, wordlessly cueing Shoto to ask his question. "Can we snuggle more?" Shoto asked, hiding his face which Izuku could literally feel the heat through. He was more than happy to snuggle with him. He put the blanket over them, and burrowed into Shoto's strong chest. Such a comfortable temperature. Izuku was still sad over Nighteye, and would be for awhile, but Shoto made him feel better. So he was happy right now.

Izuku only realized they'd fallen asleep when they woke from his phone buzzing. Shoto's red eyes blinked open a few times before he became aware. Seeing himself cuddled under the blankets with Izuku made his face turn a bright red, all the way up to his ears and down his neck. Izuku could definitely get used to seeing that.

He tucked the soft white hair behind Shoto's ear. Izuku planted a soft kiss on his cheek, and Shoto's red eyes seemed to almost darken before he was kissing Izuku intensely. It was pretty surprising but not in any way unpleasant. Though both of them were not skilled in kissing, and it was messy. When Shoto pulled away, his lips were a bit bruised. Izuku was sure his were too.

"That was nice," Izuku said, pleased with the kiss.

"I - sorry… I don't know what happened. I won't do it again."

"I kissed you back, I liked it. Though maybe not like that in front of other people," the shorter teen said with a smile. "Should get some dinner, you have a big day tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah," Shoto said, and sat up.

"You're so pretty, Shoto."

"Huh?" Izuku flushed, maybe he shouldn't be that open. "Uh… you're pretty, too. But I like you more for you than what you look like." Izuku smiled, and both left the room. Shoto reached out to hold his hand, and Izuku was proud of him for not acting hesitant, that he needed permission to hold his partner's hand.

So they walked downstairs holding hands, Izuku feeling so happy and over the moon that it was finally happening. Now he just hoped nothing else went wrong to make them need this a third time. Izuku would wait as long as necessary, he loved Shoto. Was in love with him, and had been for months. But he was a patient person, too, and it paid off.

Shoto looked sad and Izuku was about to ask why when he saw Shoto was staring at where shadow should be. There was nothing to fix that, nothing Izuku could do to bring it back for him. He didn't at all think it was odd to mourn the loss of a shadow. Maybe to some it would seem silly. Shoto was a vampire, Izuku was a vampire, Shoto's entire foster family were vampires. But all of them had shadows, while Shoto did not. Just like Izuku hated part of him being one of both kinds. He didn't feel he truly belonged in either side.

But it was still different for Shoto. When they went into the kitchen, Jiro and Momo were already nearly finished with dinner. Izuku was all geared up for Shoto to yank his hand away, blushing, apologizing for doing so or not doing so. But he didn't. Instead, he gripped harder, his thumb absentmindedly ghosting over his knuckle back and forth.

The small movement sent heat rushing into Izuku's face. Then Shoto stiffened at that, no doubt able to smell it, just how much blood suddenly rushed to his face. Izuku could not help but giggle at the very unique "issue" they had about that. Izuku watched Kaminari when he saw it, his face brightened, and the quirkless teen knew he was going to say something.

"About fucking time, guys, jesus!" he announced. Izuku prepared for Shoto to yank back again, but he didn't, even if he looked kind of awkward and uncomfortable, he did not retract his hand.

"Wait. You and - and Shoto?" Izuku watched the emotions play out on Uraraka's face. She looked heartbroken.

"Yes, me and Shoto," Izuku confirmed. She looked down and then ran down the hall and out of sight, leaving the room awkwardly quiet. While Izuku had long since lost desire to be close with Uraraka, he did feel bad for her in a way. If Shoto had been with someone else, he would have been hurt, too. But he would not have tried to break them up to win over Shoto's favor when it belonged to somebody else.

"Uh, food's ready," Jiro called, and everyone got their servings. Shoto avoided any blood at the table.

"So man, all three of you are gay," Mineta said. He sounded kind of grossed out.

"Very gay," Shoto mumbled to himself. Kacchan looked very happy, grinning as he looked at the two sitting together, like they usually did, only now they were a couple. Bakugo had always wanted them to end up in healthy relationships, and had been Izuku's wingman for months. Of course he was supportive of them.

Uraraka came back during the meal, and took her food to her room. "I should go to bed early, tonight," Shoto told him after he was finished. "We have to get up in the morning to go to the make ups exam."

"Uuuggghhhh," Bakugo groaned. "Damn it. Just cause I wasn't super nice they failed me, fuckng irrelevants!"

"Well, at least Shoto-san has someone to go with," Momo suggested, the vampire nodding in agreement.

"Whatever. We'll both pass, so fuck off to Mineta and Uraraka." He was very grumpy he had to get up early to make the long drive with some of the teachers to try a second time. Kacchan never lost, so having a do over wounded his pride. Kirishima gave him a peck on the cheek. This calmed him.

"If I don't see you before you leave, good luck. And be… civil. You don't need to be nice, but civil." Some laughed but Kacchan was impossible to get angry-mad at Kirishima. He left, and Izuku went upstairs with Shoto to say goodnight and good luck.

"Good luck, guys," Sero called, others seconding that. Shoto nodded and they were stopped by Uraraka in the hall. Well, Izuku was stopped.

"Is there a problem?" Shoto wondered, not really understanding this. He didn't know Uraraka much, so he might think this wasn't something out of the ordinary.

"What is it, Uraraka?" Izuku asked.

"Are you okay?" This infuriated Izuku.

"Yes, I'm okay. I am happy and am sleeping in Shoto's room tonight, goodnight," and he stormed to the elevator, pulling his boyfriend and best friend along, too. Uraraka looked bitter when the elevator closed.

Shoto didn't hesitate to say, "That was weird. Does she think I mind controlled you? I can't really do that."

"She's just jealous," Izuku sighed. "But I don't really care what she, or anyone else, thinks."

"You didn't sound very happy when you said you were happy." Izuku was fairly sure Shoto was messing with him now. He rolled his eyes, and went to his room to brush his teeth and take his vitamins and sleeping medicine. He brought a pillow and blanket to Shoto's room. He wasn't lying when he planned on sleeping over for the night.

When he walked in, Shoto was drinking a few blood bottles. He drank six at once. How annoying, really, to need that much. Shoto did a fantastic job or never actually coming across that he required so much. He was always calm and collected when around other humans. Izuku took the bottles and washed them out in the bathroom sink to not let them get crusty and flaky once dry and empty.

Shoto had a big bed so there was enough room for them both. When Izuku flopped down on it, Shoto made no indication that this was either unexpected or unwanted. He turned off the lights but for the baby doll head lamp that Kirishima made them all. A DIY night light that really was just a bulb through a baby doll head.

"You really shouldn't be using that. It'll give you nightmares."

"A big bad vampire can handle baby nightmares," Shoto said.

"You're neither big or bad, though."

"I'm a vampire, though."

"That is a fact." Shoto snickered. "Want to snuggle," Izuku offered. Shoto looked uncertain, but he was given time to make the decision and Izuku didn't rush him. He nodded, and they both got under the thick blanket. He expected Shoto to not fall asleep immediately, but he did. He was several inches taller and broader than Izuku was, and had one arm around Izuku's chest.

Izuku lad there for a few minutes, basking in the fact he was sleeping with Shoto. Not in their usual sleepover way where they often slept on the same bed. But a deep sadness gripped at him, then. He wasn't angry, and he didn't blame him, but Shoto didn't remember any of their childhood together.

It made him sad. Not sad enough to wish emotional harm if he remembered. He was only glad Kacchan was there to have those memories, too. Izuku didn't know what to want. Well, he was happy now. And he hoped things worked out.