I own nothing. Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.
The first thing 1A had to deal with in the morning was a call from Aizawa concerning the lanterns from last night. Though Bakugou was ready to take the blame, their exhausted teacher already mentioned that he lied about giving them permission to the brass. So with a hundred thanks and a promise to the Pro to never do it again without going through the proper channels first, 1A could breathe easy about their night of illicit activity.
The next thing was the delivery of their custom-tailored suits and dresses from Tatsumi Textiles. And Bakugou did have to admit, when there were claims that these tailors didn't need their customers to come in for a fitting, he had a feeling these guys were going to royally screw up. But now that he tried it on, the thing fit like a glove and made the explosive Hero look sharp as Hell. Any more and his appearance would sheer the mirror in two…
The Explosive Hero frowned, when did he get all narcissistic like Mr. Sparkles? Never mind, not the point. There was no need for him to stay in the suit, so Bakugou took it off and put it away for tomorrow. With nothing left for him in his room, he made his way downstairs to see if there was anything or anyone who could stimulate his senses. And looking around, the first floor was still a mess. What with the twenty desks and chairs that have yet to be cleared out and…
Wait.
"Hey Frog, What are you doing?"
Tsuyu looked up from her sweeping and stared at her volatile classmate, eyes as blank as ever. But even if her face didn't show any signs of weakness, Bakugou could still see signs that the stoic amphibious Hero wasn't as stable as her façade. Especially those big hands of hers, clutching the broom as though it was attached to her. Trembling…
"I'm just cleaning up, Bakugou-chan. Is… There a problem with that?"
Did he have a problem with it? Did anyone else think this was a problem? Was there even a problem to begin with? The explosive Hero just sighed and shook his head, silently blowing past her and went into the kitchen. He had a stomach that needed some good grub and a warm drink to start his day.
…
As the day went by, morning became afternoon as people came in and out of the common room. Iida began moving out the desks he brought in the other night, with Todoroki, Kirishima, and a few others aiding the Class President. Mina and Kaminari were brainstorming plans on how to improve their abilities, Yaoyorozu helping the dull duo in the art of sharpening up. And beyond that, there was just plenty of light hearted conversation going around between the inhabitants of the dorm. Even the weather took a hint, the sky overhead being the clearest in two weeks.
It all made it seem… Normal…
Except for two points. The first was round face and the shrimp's lack of presence throughout the dorm, again. For the week he's been awake, Bakugou has rarely seen Uraraka and Eri interact with anyone in 1A outside of being pulled into a conversation. Even then, they weren't too keen on speaking and only said the bare minimum of words to get others off their backs.
The second was the current issue he was staring at right now… For hours, Bakugou sat in the common room observing Tsuyu's movements and not once did the frog girl stop sweeping. The girl would just sweep and sweep the floor repeatedly, even spots she has gone over before. And every time he saw her face, the amphibious Hero looked dead. Inside and out. The explosive Hero gave a long sigh and stood up, something needed to be done and it needed to be done now.
He just hopes that this wasn't going to end badly. For any of them.
Bakugou got up and made his way towards his classmate, feet moving briskly like an Autumn breeze. He only stopped when he stood in front of Tsuyu, clearing his throat to prepare for what he knows is going to be a shit show. "Hey Frog, we need to talk."
She looked up at him, stared square into his red eyes with those big blank orbs of hers. "I'm sweeping right now Bakugou-chan. The floor's filthy."
Before she could move away to continue what she's been doing for the past few hours, Bakugou grabbed the broom that was still in her hands. "It's clean enough. Just give me the broom and sit down."
The explosive Hero made a move to confiscate the cleaning implement, but neither did the object or the wielder budged. His eyes narrowed at his classmate, still looking at him, and made another attempt to extract the broom from her grip. Once more, he met an unyielding resistance. "Frog, let go."
"No."
He put a little more effort in his pull, but still no movement. Bakugou's brow furrowed as the Hero's fuse has been lit, unbeknownst to him. "Let go."
"No."
"Let go!" The explosive Hero grabbed the broom with his other hand and began pulling at the object with greater force. But Tsuyu was still able to keep it in her hands, though her arms now began shaking in resistance. Her own face entering a state of focus to challenge her aggravated classmate. Now the others began watching with worry, some even starting to approach in ready to restrain their human grenade.
But he wasn't focused on that, it was on this Frog who just wouldn't listen.
"Just let go of the fucking broom God damn it!"
"No!"
It was sudden and unexpected… But as Bakugou was ready to violently push towards Tsuyu to throw her off, the amphibious Hero released one of her hands and formed a fist. There wasn't even a moment to blink, her fist slammed right into his face and knocked him onto his back. For a girl whose strength was in her legs and tongue, she has quite the punch. In fact, the explosive Hero's nose was bleeding… And he was about to explode.
"Was that necessary!?" He got up and took one menacing step before Bakugou found himself being restrained by several people, the first of which was Kirishima. "What the!? Get off of me!"
"Why don't you blow off piss bomb! You got what's coming to you!" Kyouka and the girls were in front of Tsuyu, protecting their now dazed friend who was staring at her own fist. But before he could get examine further, the explosive Hero could feel himself getting dragged off.
"Come on man, let's get that hot head of yours cooled off." Kaminari said. But the moving party immediately came to a halt, unable to budge their classmate as he began resisting with every bit of muscle in his body.
"Hold it! I'm not done yet! Are you so bad at coping that you can't do anything but clean!? Is that it Asui!? Is that all you can do!? Cause it's worth shit! And you know it!" The frog girl didn't answer, but their resident specter was more than happy to take him on. And behind Tooru were several others coming to defend Tsuyu against his argument and harsh words.
"Tsuyu-chan is doing just fine! She wouldn't be able to help us if she wasn't!"
What? Bakugou just stared at his faceless classmate, she was? Before he could speak up again, another spoke, someone from the squad trying to restrain him. Satou.
"Yeah, some of us went to her to talk out our problems. She always let us in and listened to each of us, gave us advice."
"Speaking with her has lifted this weight Midoriya's death has placed on us. Just as those who spoke out before." Tokoyami nodded. Bakugou just scoffed, though he just felt the grips of everyone tighten a little. But he needed to say it.
"She's putting up a front. Asui's hurting like the rest of us and I'm just trying to help."
"Were you really Bakugou-san? Because it looked like you were just antagon–!" Tsuyu put a hand on the Yaoyorozu's shoulder and slowly shook her head. As she stepped forward towards her volatile classmate, the others began parting to let her pass. Even those behind Bakugou released him, finding that his body was finally relaxing and not in the position to jump the girl. Face to face once more, his red eyes met her blank ones…
"Bakugou-chan's right… I'm not as okay as I look…"
Somehow slipping into his personal space, the explosive Hero suddenly found himself being HUGGED by his amphibious classmate. But the thing was… He wasn't focused on that, not when he could feel the girl holding onto him trembling as though she was left out in snow. The others didn't know what to make of this scene… But they didn't have to for Tsuyu began speaking again, voice uneasy.
"When Midoriya-chan charged right in… I wasn't ready for him to be a martyr… For him to sacrifice himself for the rest of us… When I first heard that he wasn't going to come back… I've never felt so lost… But then I remembered what Midoriya-chan told me as he charged forward… In a voice that I'm not sure was there…"
Bakugou could only nod, remembering that weird phenomenon moments before Deku threw that first punch against Shigaraki. So everyone did hear something from him. Mineta brought up the possibility but now Tsuyu was confirming it. But that's another subject for another time,
"He… He thanked me for keeping him focused… For being the friend that kept him grounded… For being the rock in his crazy life… And remembering that, I aimed to keep doing that but for everyone this time… To be your footing… In honor Midoriya-chan's memory… So facing each day after I woke up, I put on a strong face as everyone cried so that, maybe, I could help you stand up again… But…"
The quivering got stronger as her fingers began gripping the fabric of Bakugou's clothes. But the explosive Hero still couldn't find the will to break away, especially since he could hear the tears rolling down her face. 1A's eyes were now on the floor, not wanting to see such a sight that would surely open up their healing wounds.
"But I'm not as strong as I thought I was… There's not a minute that goes by that I don't think about him… About how much I miss him… But I couldn't let myself slip… I couldn't bring everyone else down with me… I couldn't do that… So I had to look strong, be strong, so that you could get back on your feet… Pushing away the hurt until…"
"Until what?"
Bakugou's question was blunt yes, but it was necessary. Until what? Tsuyu buried her face into Bakugou's shirt, staining it with her tears. She began speaking again, audible enough for the others around her to hear.
"I… I don't know… Until I get over it… Until I crack and breakdown… Until I think I had enough and throw myself off a roof… What do I do when everyone has the strength to stand up again? I could never get to an answer… And I'm too afraid to find out… But I can't stop listening to their problems… Helping them… Even if I'll end up alone… Grieving alone…"
"Then you're an idiot for thinking that."
She slowly looked up at him, eyes puffy and red from the falling tears, expecting something. And luckily for her and the rest of the class, he gladly elaborated. The explosive Hero first gently moved her back, there was zero intention to use force in his body and looked around at the classmates he'd grown to know.
"I'm not saying helping them was a waste… But thinking that you're alone in all of this, that's where you're wrong. Look around you, what do you see?"
Her now reddish eyes wandered to the faces of their classmates, all looking at her with worried eyes. But beyond that shade of concern, the amphibious hero could still see the sorrow within them. Despite all that has happened, despite all the revelations that liberated their hearts from such emotions, the sadness was still there. Tsuyu casted her eyes to the ground, knowing just where Bakugou was going with this. So to save him some trouble…
"We're still grieving… Even after… Even after those things we said… Those ideas we had… We just can't forget… Forget Midoriya-chan…"
"Tsuyu, no matter what we say or do, none of us could forget Midoriya. Everything he was to us, all the good and bad we've went through, it just sticks to you. Becomes a part of you that you can't let go." Mineta said. A hum of agreement went around the room, 1A nodding to their impish classmate's sentiments. Such a rare occurrence was then followed by a statement from a wistful Iida, who laid a heavy hand on his classmate's shoulder.
"Since waking up and coming back, I've always knock on Midoriya-kun's door every morning. Even though I knew he wasn't with us anymore… I still try because I still want him to be here with us. And despite what I said yesterday, about the kind of Hero I want to be… I couldn't stop myself from going to Midoriya's room this morning."
Tsuyu looked at her class president and took his hand from her shoulder, feeling the chill of his digits and the subtle shaking from beneath his hands. The amphibious Hero could sense it, how the sensation emanating from his body lined up with her own. She let go and began to wander around the room to each of her classmates, taking their hands into her own. Strange as it was, 1A let Tsuyu do so, seeing that this entire week was filled with unusual actions.
"I'm sorry everyone…"
"Sorry for what Tsuyu-chan?" Mina looked at her fellow Hero in training with concern, what was there to apologize for?
"I've been conceited… Acting as though my problems were greater than yours… When in reality, you're suffering like I am… Still carrying that weight while I've only been thinking about myself…"
"But we've been doing the same haven't we Madame Asui?" Eyes feel upon a contemplative Aoyama, even though he still wore his regular expression through the tense atmosphere. "Haven't we all been just as unfair? Not just to you, but to all of us. We've been pushing our own problems onto each other these past few days, acting like the spotlight is on us. So aren't we just as guilty?"
Silence followed the sparkling Hero's question, a period of brief but deep thought took over. Eyes of different colors were casted onto the floor, reflecting on what has transpired for the past week. And it was only when Tooru spoke that their attention returned. "He's right. All this time, we've been dragging each other into whatever issues we're having. None of us ever stopped to make sure the rest of us is okay. Not like Midoriya..."
"For a person so full of burdens and weaknesses, he always found a way to keep us floating above our own…" Todoroki nodded. Tsuyu's shoulders slumped in response to the dual colored Hero's words, a long sigh escaping her throat.
"And that's all I wanted to be… Someone dependable… Someone who could help… But I just couldn't… I can't be like Midoriya-chan…"
The amphibious Hero collapsed onto the floor, tears falling again as soft sobs surrounded her. The girls of the class stood up and went over to their sorrow filled friend, crouching down to give Tsuyu a comforting hug. Yaoyorozu gently whispering into her ear, much like a mother would to an upset child. "It's okay Asui-san, we'll figure this out, together."
"I… I'm sorry… For not being stronger…"
"It's okay… We'll get there… We'll get there…" Jirou said, rubbing the frog girl's back. And from there, for the longest time, no one moved as Tsuyu continued to silently cry.
A few other members of 1A began to shed some tears as well, releasing some of that sorrow that was still rooted in their hearts. Bakugou looked away from the sight and stared out of a window, noting how warm the twilight sky seemed despite the season. And with the remainder of the light, he noted how a few clouds were left. Once he turned back to the rest of 1A, it seemed that the amphibious Hero had calmed down.
"Thank you everyone… I think I needed that… It felt…"
"Liberating?" Several eyes caused Ojiro to shrink away, possibly due to how matter-of-fact he sounded. Though what came next was truly liberating, Tsuyu giving an earnest smile towards the tailed Hero. "Yes Ojiro-chan, it was liberating."
The girl broke away from her classmates, closed her eyes, and took a deep breathe. "Even though I always speak my mind about others… I almost never talk about myself… Not even when I'm hurting… I think some of you know that…" Tsuyu's eyes then went to Todoroki, Iida, Yaoyorozu, and Kirishima, all of whom nodded back.
"This past few days were no different… Holding it in, trying to be strong… Only to break down… Maybe it's time I should stop doing that, let everyone know what's wrong from the start… Maybe that's what we need right now, a sense of camaraderie… After all, we wouldn't have made it this far without each other. So maybe… Next time, I'll share my sadness. Would that be alright?"
"After all the nonsense we dealt with, I'd be offended if you didn't." Kaminari flashed a bright grin to his classmate as he responded, gold eyes glimmering. And looking around, Tsuyu sees the same light in her classmate's eyes. The amphibious Hero stood back up, this time without her characteristic slouch, and smiled.
"Don't worry Kaminari-chan, I will. It'll be selfish of me to take your time… But we're all selfish people, aren't we?"
"You got that right!" Though Satou chuckled at his comment, Todoroki, with his face completely deadpan, immediately addressed him. "I take offense to that."
A round of laughter filled the air, even Bakugou found himself smirking at the two-toned Hero's comic seriousness. But as the conversations began picking up again, he could feel something wash over him. Slanted red eyes scanned the common area slowly… Reading each of the faces of his fellow Heroes-in-Training…
And whilst the round of joy going around as their closest friend's memorial was just a night away would unsettle anyone… This feeling Bakugou was experiencing was different… It almost felt like…
Something was missing… And it's not just from the lack of Midoriya's presence…
"Where's round face and the shrimp?" And just like that, the thought hit him, where was Uraraka and Eri in this blessed mess? Like a scythe through wheat, the explosive Hero's question cut through the festive sounds and silenced 1A. Then, as seconds of numbing silence ticked by, everyone's face shared the same look of worry and things immediately went to chaos.
All over, Bakugou could see his classmates running, several towards the stairs to check both Uraraka's room and Midoriya's while others were making calls to the gravity defying girl. He couldn't tell who was saying what anymore, the noise of panic washing over each of them. Someone, who it was didn't matter, bumped into him and snapped the explosive Hero out of his trance as his mind began to formulate an answer. Raising his hands, positioning them in a specific way, and activated his quirk.
An ear rattling BOOM rang through the building, causing all those around Bakugou to stop. The explosive Hero swatted at the smoke he generated, which was surprisingly little given the kind of sound he made, and waited for the other's from upstairs to come running down. Which wasn't long as the rest of the 1A came back with Iida up front.
"Bakugou-kun! Was that necessary!?"
"Yes, now listen, this is what we're going to do… We head out to look for them, search their favorite places for any signs. And in case they come back, one of you stays here. Keep your phone ready in case someone finds something."
"Team compositions?" He heard Tokoyami ask. The Hero-in-Training went straight to the point, no hesitation.
"We're a little pressed for time here, so we'll be covering the most ground if we each go by ourselves. And before you say something like 'it's dangerous to go alone' or similar shit, we survived the ass that happened two weeks ago. You can handle it without needing a partner. Besides, crime has been on the low lately, almost no activity because the public finally grew a spine and began doing their own patrols."
"Another miracle brought around because of our Midoriya." Sero commented.
"Exactly. Now hurry up, we're wasting time."
There was only a nod as the class rushed up to change into more appropriate clothes and hustled out the dorm. Satou decided to stay behind, seeing that he was the least useful this situation, and wished the others luck. The seventeen quickly swept through the campus grounds that was still available at the time before moving on into the city. Somewhere along the line, Bakugou didn't know when, Yaoyorozu contacted Aizawa and notified him what was going on. Luckily, he permitted them to leave UA property for the night and will join them shortly with a few Heroes that were available.
It still didn't stop Bakugou from running ever faster, looking for the best friend and adopted daughter of his old friend. Though that last thought made him miss a step.
"Old friend… Was I ever…?"
…
For an hour did he search, but came up with nothing. The Hero-in-Training asked a few evening wanderers and members of the newly formed public watch if they spotted a brown-haired teen with a white-haired girl, only to be met with disappointment and no answers. The others were having no such luck either, despite a few of them using their Quirks to aid in their quest to find the missing mother/daughter duo. Looking at his phone once again, Bakugou read the new texts from the rest of 1A.
Ashido: ANY LUCK GUYS!?
Kaminari: Negatory, zero visuals on target.
Jirou: Damn it Chargedolt! Stop playing around, this is serious!
Kaminari: Well excuse me for trying to lighten the mood.
Iida: Stay on topic everyone! So far on my end, no one has seen hide nor hair of Uraraka-kun and Eri-chan!
Hagakure: I've checked around the cat café, nothing.
Mineta: Aquarium's got no one.
Todoroki: Flower Park just closed, those two aren't here.
Sero: Where are they? You would think that Uraraka and little Eri would go to some of their favorite places if they needed to cool off.
Yaoyorozu: Do you think they've went to somewhere we know nothing about? Like a secret location only known to her and Eri-chan?
Ashido: THEN HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FIND IT IF WE HAVE NO CLUE WHERE TO START!?
Kirishima: For now, let's just keep running till I find something or someone.
Ignoring the new messages coming in, Bakugou considered his Vice President's words and racking his brain for an answer. A secret place… And it's only known to them… Over the months of taking care of Eri, Uraraka and Midoriya would take her to nice places all over the city. But these places are known to 1A since a few of them would tag along with the makeshift family and have a whale of a time. So without any hints, figuring another possible location that the duo would go to for privacy is close to impossible. It'll be noon by the time they're done and that's accounting the help the class is getting from their teacher and pros!
Calm down… Calm down… Bakugou took a deep breath and began running everything he knows so far. He caught himself starting to mutter creepily, though he just left that on the back burner since there is bigger fish to fry.
"Okay… Think… Round Face and the Shrimp have been missing all day… No one has sighted them… They aren't at their favorite places… And they could be at a place known only to themselves… The only common thing the other places have is that Deku brought them over there… Since the two have been stewing all week in places that remind them of the Nerd, like his room… We think of places he has been to?"
But that wasn't much better than painstakingly combing through the city for them, but it was a start. So does Midoriya have any personal places that he would personally share with people he held close? Bakugou frowned, seeing that he had no clue where the Nerd would go on his own time seeing that they've never went anywhere together since… Forever ago… Looking at his phone once more and ignoring all the new messages in the group chat, the explosive Hero sent out his own text to the rest of his classmates.
Bakugou: Deku sometimes go out on his own, does anyone know where?
Kirishima: Why? Do you think you've got an idea where they are?
Bakugou: I didn't say that, just had a thought.
Shouji: Can't say, we never think it's important enough to ask. Otherwise he would've told us.
Asui: It's true, Midoriya-chan would always tell us if there's a problem going on… Sometimes.
Kaminari: Not helping Tsu-chan.
Jirou: So we're still blind?
Tokoyami: Just about… Lost in a labyrinth of questions and ignorance.
Kaminari: NOT HELPING!
Ashido: NOT HELPING!
Mineta: You know, the more I think about it, I remember seeing some sand the day after Midoriya goes out.
Kouda: Yeah, I remember that too.
Ojiro: And Midoriya would clean it out of obligation.
Satou: There's still some here in the dorm, so there's some truth to that.
Bakugou: Okay, so he goes to a place with a shit ton of sand… Like the beach park?
Tsuyu: Dagobah Municipal? It seems likely… Who's closest?
Bakugou: I am, I'll check it out. Tell the rest of you if I find anything.
Ashido: Mineta, I swear, if what you said was the key to this code, I'm sending you some nudes.
Iida: STOP THIS SCANDALOUS BARTER AT ONCE!
Hagakure: Me too! Screw my dignity, Ochako-chan and Eri-chan are more important!
Iida: HAGAKURE-KUN! CEASE AND DECIST!
Mineta: Relax Class Pres, I don't need something like that anymore. I've come clean and won't go back so easily… At least not until I've proven to be at least half the Hero Midoriya was. Thanks for the offer though Ashido.
Ashido: Oh. Well. That's a relief. Wasn't looking forward to actually doing it.
Sero: I didn't think you would offer yourself like that. Seriously, it's like sacrificing a virgin to appease the dark Gods.
Tokoyami: That's merely a cliché built by Hollywood. Historically, these kinds of rituals weren't so picky as to who was the one being sacrificed. Renowned warriors, servants, even children were used sometimes. It depends on the culture.
Bakugou: Can you assholes quit yammering and get back to searching? I know I am.
The explosive Hero slid his phone back into his pocket, ignoring the next few messages addressed to him, and began running again. Not a single thought ran through his head, instinct driving the soles of his feet to his new destination. He wasn't sure why he was so dead set on finding these two, but he was going to make sure they're coming home. Bakugou stopped to catch his breath and looked around him to catch his bearings. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, he stands before the soft sands and calm waves of the scenic Dagobah Municipal Beach Park.
Ever since the mountains of trash was cleaned up last year, this beach has become quite the spot for couples. Rumors has it that a young man alone restored the park not only as an act of goodwill, but to strengthen his own self for future endeavors. And now that Bakugou thought about it, this young man had to be Midoriya since the nerd was so much stronger by the time of UA's entrance exam. But the past is of little concern now, especially if it involves the One True Hero, the explosive Hero needed to scan the area for the missing members of 1A.
It didn't take long for him to catch to figures standing at the end of the pier, one child and another a teenager. Bakugou waited and crept closer before calling it in, no need to get worked up if it turns out to be the wrong person. But as he got closer, the Hero-in-Training began seeing some distinguishing features upon those people. On the child, snow white hair and the tip of their horn from the right side of their head. On the teenager, short brown hair and little pads on the fingertips of her exposed right hand. Both the teenager and child were holding each other's hands tightly, staring out towards the boundless horizon where sea meets sky. Soaking in the melodic rhythm of the tides washing up on the shore…
Bakugou: They're here, going to talk to them.
The Hero-in-Training put away his phone and ignored the next few messages coming in, focusing on his approach towards Uraraka and Eri. But the moment he took another step forward, the gravity controlling heroine disturbed the tranquility with a question.
"Do you think Heaven exists?"
The two turned around to face Bakugou and his eyes widened at the sight of the two girls. Though there wasn't a single scratch on their bodies, both Uraraka and Eri had one foot in the grave. The lack of light in their eyes almost caused the explosive Hero to step away as though their crestfallen state was contagious. But he held his ground and looked at them both with those unyielding crimson orbs of his.
"Who knows." Was his answer. In all honesty, he himself didn't believe in any sort of afterlife. Why waste time over wondering where the dead goes? All of Humanity had the same destination, so that time should be dedicated to making the journey worthwhile. That being said… It's not a good idea to give two girls on the edge of despair a slightly cynical outlook on the world. Thus the open ended nature of his answer.
The look in the girls' eyes didn't get any better though. "I see… Growing up, my Mom and Dad would tell me that the dead goes to a place like Hawaii. Where they could live without worry on warm sands and clear waters. But only the good people could go there. Do… Do you think me and Eri-chan are good enough for that place?" Uraraka asked as she faced the dark Horizon again. The one horned girl by her side did the same, squeezing her surrogate mother's hand much more tightly. But Bakugou was more concerned with that next question that escaped her lips.
"Are you really considering that!? Throwing it all away because Deku is not here anymore!?" His furious spirit was erupting out of his body, causing his presence to become overbearing and threatening. But both girls simply ignored the sudden outburst and continued to stare out towards the sea. The waves drifting ever so calmly…
Uraraka opened her mouth again, voice filled with pauses and hesitation. "I don't know… Since Deku-kun gave up his life against Shigaraki… Each day gets harder and harder to get through… And every time I push myself to live, I start to get lost in the days before it all went wrong… Where we all laughed together… Fought together… Cried together… It was a mess, but I loved being part of it… Reminded me that even though we're training to be Heroes, we're all still just kids being kids… Even taking care of Eri-chan changed none of that… And no matter how hectic it got with the Villain Alliance, we always came back hurt but still whole…"
She turned to face him again, tears streamed from her brown eyes. Bakugou looked away as she continued to pour her strained heart out to him. "But with Deku-kun gone, how do we go back? Back to those days where we talked about classes at lunch? Where we had to fight through another one of Aizawa-sensei's tests? Where we would just hang around on this beach and watch the sunset? Just… Where do we go?"
He wanted to respond back, but his brain held back the first answer that came to mind. He was still on thin ice and one wrong move could send the two girls before him further down into the frozen depths. This was why Bakugou preferred to stay out of other people's problems, too many complications and wrong answers. But he just can't leave anyone of his classmates alone, not after what the nerd told him. He looked back up to see Uraraka still waiting for an answer, doing her hardest to not breakdown any further. Even if trembling shoulders belie that effort.
Still, he had to nudge them forward, there's nowhere to go but up. "Hey, I know this whole thing is just… But you can't give up now and act lost. We've got to get it together and move on from this, live the life Deku gave us."
"Easy for you to say… You never cared about Deku-kun the way we did…" Uraraka's eyes fell to her feet. Bakugou sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, she did have a point about that. Since forever, the explosive Hero hated Midoriya's guts and had always put him down because of it. Nothing will change how he treated him in the past, but recent events have opened his eyes. Specifically, how much influence Midoriya had over everyone as opposed to Bakugou. And as much as he hates to admit it, Deku was now the One True Hero and the inspiration to many.
"Yeah, I hated Deku and could care less about him… But I still owe him for saving us. So help me understand what's wrong, talk it out like everyone else did."
For the longest time, the only gentle waves could be heard around them. But Bakugou could only watch as Uraraka began to slowly shake her head, surely frustrated by whatever burden she carries. "No… Just, no… I can't just expect you to get what's going on with me or–"
"Uncle, what was Papa to you?"
All eyes turned to the girl who was quiet up until now, still staring out towards the ocean shrouded in dark night. The young girl turned to face Bakugou, staring into his red eyes with her own that's so full of turmoil. Uraraka looked at Eri then back at her classmate before sighing and stepping back, letting them take the stage. As for the explosive Hero, he gave her the truth of the matter.
"Deku is someone stupidly complicated, it's not easy to explain. Half the time I think he's just dirt that gets stuck to your shoes, nasty trash that you have to wash out or else it trips you up." The young girl's brows furrowed in displeasure and her glare added to just how much she disagreed with him. Still won't change how he felt about Midoriya though.
"He still somehow confuses me the other half of the time… Somehow, he one ups me each time I'm not looking, and it leaves me wonder just what I'm worth. It… Riles me up just thinking about it… No matter what I say or do, the world just loves helping the Deku the underdog. I hated him, but he was also my greatest rival. Not Todoroki or anyone else, just him."
Eri's expression softened during that last part of Bakugou's answer. Though by soften, it meant returning to that state of longing she was at previously. She opened her mouth and another question barely crawled out. "Do you miss him?"
"It's hard to say Shirmp. Like I said, it's complicated between me and him." Bakugou answered.
"Well… Mama and I do…" The young girl's body was trebling, arms brought close to her body as though she was trying to hug the air. Uraraka walked to her adopted daughter and embraced her, helping shoulder the burden that weighed down on her despite carrying her own troubles.
"Papa… Was my everything… W-Without him… I wouldn't be here… I would be trapped somewhere… Alone… Afraid… Waiting to be opened up over… And over again…" She took a deep breathe but it did little to settle the emotions flaring in her body.
"He gave me the hope to live… The chance to be more than what HE says I am… The chance to have some place in this world… The chance… To be part of a real family… Without Papa… I might as well be dead…" Eri, with tears falling from her red eyes, buried her face into her surrogate mother's body, clinging to her tightly. Uraraka began petting her head ever so tenderly, losing focus on Bakugou and the solemn state he was in. Though that didn't stop him from addressing her.
"Do you feel the same Round Face? Was Deku your lifeline?"
The gravity controlling Heroine only continued to pat Eri's head softly, eyes focusing only on the child. Bakugou walked over to the rails and leaned against it, staring out towards the water himself. There's something about the sea at night that both attracts and frightens the person gazing upon it. It's the lull of the waves and mysteriousness of the darkness that merges the sky and the water. This kind of tranquility leaves one with nothing but their own thoughts, good and bad. And for too long, these two girls have been thinking of nothing but the negatives.
"You're not the only one you know, Frog Girl, Two Face, they all miss him. Everything that's happened in last few days, it happened because we're trying to cope with what we can't get back. It's like you said, those weird days with Deku are over… But the others aren't letting that get to them, they're looking to the future and are working to make things better. Well, as better as 'losing a friend' could get." Bakugou said.
"How… How do they do it? How could everyone carry on knowing Deku-kun isn't here anymore? He was a big part of our class… He helped so many of us… It just feels wrong to move one without him…" Uraraka closed her eyes, letting memories of her classmate fill her mind. From the first day she met him to that fateful night where he left, Midoriya drew her in with both his adorable sheepish personality and his indomitable heroic spirit. Rarely did you find him crumbling to despair, despite shouldering so many burdens since youth… Including the death of his mentor, the Symbol of Peace, All Might…
Actually…
"Bakugou… The day All Might died… When Deku-kun closed himself off… What did you say to him to get him back up? I… We think we could us that right now…" She asked, her hand now carefully resting on Eri's head. The explosive Hero leaned further into the railing and continued to stare off into the sea as he opened his mouth to answer.
"'Death is not the worst that can happen to men'. Plato said that when contemplating on the types of lives Humans led. When I told Deku that, he thought I was being insensitive again… But I was dead serious with that quote. Doubt, regret, cowardice, and a bunch of other stuff like that… It's things like those that kills a person before they actually die, takes away the things that makes us feel complete. All Might wasn't perfect, but he fought and struggled and did his best to become a Hero everyone could be proud of. And when he died, I could tell that he had no remorse… He lived his life the way he wanted and to its fullest… Don't you think Deku was the same?"
She didn't answer…
"For all of his life, he talked about becoming a Hero. Even when he was Quirkless and getting pushed around by people like me, he never gave up his dream. He saved people, beat up Villains, and became something more than any of us could possibly achieve, the image of a true Hero. I know you heard him that night… Did it sound like he was regretting his choice?"
"No…" She whispered, stifling the tears in her eyes.
"Exactly, he lived and died the way he wanted, as a Hero. And it's our job to make sure we live to the fullest, to honor everything he did for us. Because Deku wouldn't want us standing still, he would say run."
"Run… Where?" Eri asked, her head turning slightly towards Bakugou. Turning back around to meet her gaze once more, Bakugou simply just gestured all around him. Towards the sea, the sky, the city, and every grain of sand in between.
"Anywhere."
The young girl slowly broke away from her surrogate mother and stared at the explosive Hero. She began fidgeting with the folds of her coat, feet slowly trying to find a stance that gave her strength. Her lips quivered as it opened, and a meek voice escaped her throat. "D-Do you think… I… Could be a Hero?"
"Sure. But with your Quirk, it's going to be hard."
"I-I don't care about that… I'll keep fighting until I become one… I'll use my fists, a sword, a gun, anything… And become a Hero who could give someone hope… Share the kind touch that Papa shared with me… That's where I want to go…"
Bakugou said nothing and simply walked towards the young girl, raising his hand slowly. Though Eri had time to be accustomed to other people, she still flinched at the gesture and took a small step back. But no harm befell her as he gently patted the top of her head, the first time Bakugou has ever done so. The young girl stared at him with anticipation…
"You're Deku's little girl, so you'll definitely make it there."
The despair that once clouded Eri's eyes had dissipated and was replaced with the same light that dwelled within 1A. A tinge of sorrow surrounded by a fiery determination. A smile tugged at his lips briefly, but the explosive Hero stopped himself. Only half the battle was won and now he needed Round Face to at least step away from the ledge she's on.
"What about you Round Face, is there somewhere you want to go?"
"I… I want to help my parents… Earn enough money so that they could live easy… It's not the greatest reason to become a Hero… Especially compared to Deku-kun… But it's what I've got… It's all I've got…"
"Stop right there. Don't you think you're missing a few things? 'It's all I've got'? Don't sell yourself short, didn't you go the whole nine yards with Deku and the rest of us? All of that experience should have shaped you too."
Uraraka looked towards the concrete and blanked as Eri stared in worry. The gravity defying Heroine's feet shifted often, her right hand carefully going to clutch her other arm. Bakugou could see it, the effort to find the answer… The answer to why she's still here and where a new starting line should go. She looked up at him, then at Eri before turning her sight to the night sky where the stars shined.
"As far as I know… People have always been afraid of the dark… You could spend forever trying to find your way out… Being chased by monsters… From the outside… And from the inside… Since I woke up, I've felt nothing but that… And I'm just so tired of it... Tired of feeling hopeless…"
She turned back to Bakugou, piercing him with her brown eyes that was now forming an answer. The explosive Hero twitched when feeling the intensity of her stare, but refused to break eye contact now that she was willing to offer it. "But after everything that's happened, after I've looked at this sky… I think… I think I know where I want to go." Uraraka said, her voice sounding less defeated.
"Do tell Round Face, which direction you're running in?"
"I'm going to the top… I'll take on Deku-kun's dream and try to be number one."
Now that caught Bakugou off guard, his eyes widening as his mouth had a slight gape to it. Eri's eyes however were shining with the same wonder as the time she became Midoriya's daughter. Shaking off the initial shock, the Hero-in-Training gave his classmate a challenging glare. She knew what that was meant to do, but the momentum of her mind cannot stop here.
"I don't care if I'm not as strong as you or Todoroki-kun, I'll fight to carry the ideals that Deku-kun carried. He was the lights in the sky, brightening the night so that no one would be afraid anymore. Ever since he came into our lives, he has helped us be something more than what we were when we've first met him. He changed people and I want to do the same. Losing him hurts… But I've realized that I'm hurting him back by not respecting his sacrifice. So, from here on out with you, Eri-chan, and the stars as my witnesses, I'll live for Deku-kun and all the memories he left behind."
Uraraka's eyes, even though that same tinge of sadness was there, burned as brightly as the others in 1A. Bakugou felt a smirk pull at the corner of his lips at the sight, Round Face finally found her starting line again. The gravity defying Heroine approached Eri and gave her a hug, gently stroking the back of the young girl's head. The young girl returned the warm embrace as Uraraka started apologizing to her.
"I'm sorry I wasn't any help for the past few days… I let you down…"
"It's okay Mama, I should've said something…"
"HHHHHHEEEEEEYYYYYY!"
Turning to the sound of the shout, Bakugou had to instantly step away as a pink blur nearly knocked into him. And looking back at what the pink blur was, he could see that it was simply a teary Mina hugging both Uraraka and Eri. "Where were you two!? We've been so worried!"
"Sorry Mina-chan, Eri and I… We?"
"Don't give me that, every one of us is here! Look!" Mina cried, her finger pointing towards the beach's boardwalk. The Mother and Child's eyes went wide as they saw the others from 1A running towards them. Even the most stoic of them like Todoroki and Shouji had this incredible look of relief flashing across their faces. Mina lead Uraraka and Eri out and away from the pier as they became surrounded by tight embraces and panicked questions.
"Are you okay Ochako-chan?" Tsuyu asked. A small but honest smile spread across the gravity defying Heroine's face, easing the spirits of the classmates she had worried.
"Yeah, never better."
"What about you Eri-chan? Feeling okay?" Tooru asked, crouching in front of the horned girl. She simply nodded vigorously to the invisible Heroine as the lights in her eyes shined like the stars overhead.
"I feel great!"
Bakugou watched as the concern transform into delight as the young Eri made her declaration in becoming a Hero. There was so much mirth on this night that one wouldn't think that they've lost someone close. As the cheers and laughter grew louder and louder, the explosive Hero's frown deepened as he turned to the ocean's rhythmic tides. As bright as the stars were tonight, the waters were still cold and unforgiving to those stranded upon its waves.
And looking back at 1A, all of whom pulled themselves from the sea and started their own fires again, he couldn't help but feel a chill creep through his limbs. Cold sweat rolling down his neck in a similar manner to how the tide rolls upon the beach. It was washing away the trail left behind and he soon found himself standing still without a horizon.
"I'm the last one… Aren't I?"
1 day until the Memorial Service…
And that has been Chapter 6! Holy S***! This chapter has been an absolute nightmare to write!
"Do tell Author man."
I've spend forever trying to consolidate enough feels to write this in a believable manner. My brother and I feel like this chapter is acceptable, but I can't help but feel as though this could be better.
"Ah, the curse of all aspiring artists... Self Doubt..."
But as I always say, I'll leave the judgement to you, the readers. What did I do right? What did I do wrong? I need these things to improve as a writer so that we together can enjoy this textual journey. I'm going to figure out how to approach the next chapter, so please be patient.
"And I'll make sure he won't take forever."
You're so helpful Eris. Anyway, tune in next week for the GRAND FINALE of "What He Left Behind"! It'll be full of all the emotional goodness that plagued this story.
"Aw yeah! Time to get my best silverware out for this buffet!"
So with that said... Until Next Time. T1.