hey gang! Sorry this update took a while, I was in the process of moving house. I'm living away from the family now, paying my own bills and everything, solid adulting stuff, haha. I hope this chapter was worth the wait though, please enjoy!
chapter eight: weight.
...
June 20, 1864.
...
Deku found himself unable to bring the letter up to anyone. Everytime he was alone he kept mulling over it, but his mind would always reach a fork in the path of what to do. There were moments he was assisting Shouto with the paperwork and he'd almost blurt it out, but something held him back. It was pathetic, Deku knew that, but he felt that having the contents of the letter being known to others would endanger them. After his rash actions on the night of the Ikeda-ya Incident, Deku was hesitant to do anything out of the ordinary.
He brought in a tray of tea to serve Shouto, who was accompanied by his vice-captains Tenya and Tsuyu. They were all working on paperwork together, as well as the allocating of rooms for the newcomers.
Tsuyu had gone on a journey some months back to recruit Sekijiro Kan and his faction to join the Yoikusa. Considering everything that had happened recently, more allies was a welcome change for some. "The timing has come about really well for you, hasn't it, Iida-chan?" Tsuyu quipped, "You'll be on leave for the rest of the month to take care of your family, kero."
Deku blinked at first, but then he remembered Tsuyu's words back in May. "Your wife is giving birth to your second child very soon, isn't she? That's exciting!"
Tenya was beaming with pride. "Yes! I leave tomorrow morning to join Mei and our daughter Tenri!" he responded with a huge grin. "I am very much looking forward to meeting my next child as well as spending time with my girls. Tenri is looking forward to being a big sister and my wife has always adored babies! Deku-kun, I hope you get to meet my family someday!"
Before Tenya could go into the full speech about his family, Shouto cut in, "Kendou-san gives birth very soon too. Maybe even the same day as Iida-dono..?"
"Ah! That would certainly be something to bond with Tetsutetsu-san over!" Tenya was always happy if he could find some form of common ground with others to the point of hyper-fixation. However, Deku recalled Eijirou's description of Tetsutetsu, so perhaps the dynamic of the two fathers might work out after all.
It was nice to have positive news after everything that happened. Deku knew everyone was reeling with all that happened. Katsuki was still bedridden, but he was able to speak of a Tomura Shigaraki, a demon with many severed hands of his kind, and that the man's motives aligned with Dabi well. The Kaibyaku Kodo Tai was the group mentioned, and their intent wasn't just to overthrow the shogunate, but to overthrow humankind as a whole.
Knowing that such a powerful group existed was frightening. Dabi's hatred for the Ochimizu stood out, and it made Deku wary of his father.
He wasn't sure of the kind of man Hisashi was anymore, but Deku feared for him. At least if the Yoikusa got ahold of him, they could attempt to work things out. If Hisashi ended up in the hands of the Kaibyaku Kodo Tai, he would be undoubtedly tortured for information before the slaughter.
That being said, Katsuki was doubtful of the group's stance against the Ochimizu. While Dabi showed an obvious dislike for the concoction, Tomura didn't appear to mention any particular opinion on it. Perhaps there were some differing opinions within the group? Shouto said he didn't care too greatly about the personal opinions of his enemies, just the fact they seek to destroy the Japanese government. That enough made them a huge problem.
What's more, it's been a lot of time since a "Nomu" was brought back for interrogation and nothing was gotten out of the being. They said it had been distributing the Ochimizu, but according to Aizawa it was a lost cause. Even though Fumikage and Mezou carried out a lot of tests, they came back with only two pieces of information – it was a spliced being with multiple demons' DNA combined into one; and that every piece of demon DNA had Inheritor aspects to them. It was only after Ikeda-ya that Fumikage reported their findings.
This was because the night of the Ikeda-ya Incident was also the night in which the Nomu went missing. This was alarming, considering it was being kept in a specially made underground cell that was difficult to access. It was only the morning after when they realised the Nomu was gone, the very same morning Deku received his letter.
Someone breached security and left not a single trace of evidence to chase down the culprit. So much hung over everyone's heads and Deku could see how much stress Shouto was going through. He didn't reveal it to Tenya or Tsuyu either, only Deku.
These past few days, Shouto only vented his true thoughts when alone with him. While Deku was glad that he was starting to open up to him, it was difficult to console him at times. It made Deku push down his own concerns even further, and he felt hypocritical in Shouto's presence. After all those moments of telling Shouto to share everything with him, Deku struggled to do the same in return. He felt awful.
"… Todoroki-fukuchou, may I borrow Deku-chan for a while?" Tsuyu broke into Deku's thoughts and brought him back to the present. He was a bit startled, but he looked for Shouto's word on the query.
Shouto nodded. "That's fine. I want to discuss some things with Iida anyway."
Deku followed Tsuyu out of the room in silence. Truthfully, being around the girl made him nervous in so many ways. It wasn't just the fact she was brilliant in combat or her smarts or how she was cute but unique, none of those things. Tsuyu's sharpness combined with her blunt nature was terrifying. What if she already knew something was up?
She led Deku to her headquarters and ushered him inside. Tsuyu was being cautious, making sure no one could be listening in before she closed the door behind her. Deku was anxious as he took a seat by the table in her room. He'd never been in a girl's room before, and it was nerve-wracking. Tsuyu's room was neat and tidy, containing lots of green ornaments and fresh ikebana arrangements.
Finally she sat opposite him, a serious expression adorning her face. "Has Tokoyami-chan been bothering you lately? You aren't acting like yourself."
"Tokoyami-san?!" Deku was startled, but Tsuyu put a finger to her lips and shushed him. He lowered his voice, but couldn't hide the confusion. "I-It's sad what he is going through, but it's not… well, it does bother me, but he's not bothering me specifically… Am I making any sense?!"
Tsuyu looked concerned. "My first assumption towards your behaviour was because of Ikeda-ya, kero. But I've seen you sneak glances at a letter you've been hiding in your pockets."
Deku's eyes went wide. "You noticed..?" She nodded in response. "I thought I was being discreet…"
"Hmm, you were acting odd, so Todoroki-chan asked me to keep a closer eye on you."
His heart sank. Not only did Tsuyu notice his behaviour and the letter, but even Shouto was aware something was up. He was deeply ashamed in himself, but Deku supposed that it was only a matter of time before someone called him out. Maybe it was time.
"… Asui – uh, Tsu-chan… Why did you bring up Tokoyami-san?" asked Deku, unsure of where he fit into the puzzle.
Tsuyu tilted her head slightly. "I was up early the morning following Ikeda-ya, kero. Mm, I saw him slide something under your door. It was very odd, but Tokoyami-chan didn't see me, so I knew it would be strange to mention it. I do not like to doubt my friends, but I know what I saw."
Deku's hand leaned against his chin as he took in that information. Why would Fumikage deliver such a letter to him? Not only that, but if he had the chance to read it, wouldn't he have gone and told Yagi-kyokuchou or Shouto straight away? No, this letter came to him and only him. That was intentional.
"I believe you," assured Deku, biting his lip. "Thank you for telling me this… I don't want to accuse Tokoyami-san of anything, but it's strange. Tsu-chan, please read this." He didn't expect to find himself bringing out the letter, but she brought him here in confidence to explain what she saw. If she could be honest with him, he needed to do the same for her. So he reached into his pocket and held it out to him. "If you found this letter out of the blue, what would you do?"
She accepted the letter and read it over a few times, her brow furrowing. "I would report it to Yagi-kyokuchou immediately, kero."
"That's what I thought you or any other member of the Yoikusa would do! But nobody else seems to know of this…" and it vexed him to think that Fumikage delivered this letter without reporting it to his superiors. From what Deku knew of him thus far, Fumikage wasn't the kind of person who would do that. Yet he did. "… Tsu-chan, I don't want to jump to conclusions… are you certain it was Tokoyami-san that you saw?"
Tsuyu nodded. "Yes, I saw his face. The injuries on the man matched Tokoyami-chan as well… he even struggled a bit with leaning down enough to slide you that letter, kero. It was definitely him."
Deku frowned. "I see… thank you for telling me all this."
"More importantly, you must report this to Yagi-kyokuchou. The letter contents referred to him too," Tsuyu reminded him, gesturing to the paragraph about their Chief. "I can come with you if you like. Even though I have been asked to keep an eye on you multiple times, I do care about you a lot. I get this feeling like I'd be here even if I wasn't asked, kero."
Her words caused Deku's cheeks to flush bright red. He nodded quickly, almost hitting his face right onto the table in his flustered state. "Th-thank you, Asui-san! I appreciate everything you're doing for me..!" he blurted out, reaching a hand to hide his face a bit. Avoiding her eyes, he spoke again. "I care a lot about you too."
She handed the letter back to Deku before pressing a finger to her lips. "I see. Well, going forward, do not forget I'm on your side, Deku-chan. And call me 'Tsu'."
...
Yagi-kyokuchou kept a straight face as Deku and Tsuyu explained everything in as much detail as they could. Deku wasn't sure of the emotions running through the Chief's mind, but he had to be honest and truthful. It was one of the most nerve-wracking conversations he'd ever had, but something about having Tsuyu at his side put him at just enough ease to push through. Her words rang true though – Deku needed to remember that he wasn't alone. There are people on his side. The Yoikusa is on his side.
Having reached the end of his explanation, Deku adjusted his sitting position so that he was on his knees, bowing deeply. "Forgive me, Yagi-kyokuchou! I know I should have come to you about this letter sooner. I'm truly sorry!"
With a sigh, Yagi-kyokuchou pinched the bridge of his nose. "Young Deku, please sit up. I know you didn't hesitate with bad intentions," he responded, exhaustion seeped into his voice. Deku sat up as told. "However I must be very clear about something – you both are suspecting young Tokoyami of a very serious offense. I understand you have a basis for this based on the letter, but perhaps as demons you have overlooked something."
Deku frowned a little, trying to think what could have been glossed over. "Oh! Of course… with Tokoyami-san's injuries, it would have been imposible for him to remove the Nomu on his own and not be spotted."
"Unless we want to doubt Shouji-chan as well – with his power he could do it," Tsuyu pointed out. It couldn't be denied that if Fumikage wanted to do something that Mezou would certainly back him up.
"But they lack a motive!" Deku reminded her. "They're both loyal Yoikusa members, which is why I didn't want to doubt them… and Tokoyami-san may not be in the best state, but he's honest with his convictions."
Tsuyu sighed. "You're right… I do think that when it came to the Nomu, Tokoyami-chan is innocent, same with Shouji-chan. I feel awful doubting them… but I know what I saw. Tokoyami-chan gave you that letter and didn't report it to anyone else."
Yagi-kyokuchou cleared his throat, causing the other two to fall silent and turn to him. "I will need to do an investigation in regards to the letter, but we began an investigation of the Nomu capture… We haven't released the details yet as the current evidence does not sit well. Please take a look," he explained, pulling out a report on the Nomu disappearance and pushing it towards the pair.
Deku picked it up, holding it out in a way that allowed Tsuyu to read over his shoulder. From what Deku could gather, there were no signs of struggle from the Nomu when it was taken, indicating the captor was most likely a welcome sight. There was no sign of a break in either. Eijirou was with Fumikage while Katsuki was receiving treatment from Shuzenji-sensei, Hanta and Mezou. Hitoshi was with Yamazaki of the Shinsengumi during the time, while Denki and Kyouka went to the Yaoyorozu Estate. Shouto and Ochaco were in a meeting with other captains of the Shinsengumi, as was Yagi-kyokuchou. Tenya, Tsuyu and Deku arrived back at headquarters around the same time. The latter two went straight to bed, but Tenya when interviewed about the incident claimed that Fumikage was up late again in the courtyard.
However, Tenya's account contradicted what Eijirou claimed, which was that Fumikage went to bed accompanied by Mezou sometime before Yagi-kyokuchou returned with Shouto and Ochaco. Neither Shouto nor Ochaco recalled seeing Fumikage staying up late, they appeared to agree with Eijirou's statement. Ochaco remained by Katsuki's side the rest of the night, while Shouto went to his quarters. However, after Hanta finished helping out with Katsuki's treatment, he too saw Fumikage up and about. He came to agree with Tenya's statement. Due to the timing, it would indicate that Hanta was the last to witness Fumikage that night.
"This report makes it sound like Tokoyami-san was in two places at once…" Deku breathed out, puzzled by how the captains all managed to contradict one another.
Tsuyu frowned. "And both Tokoyami-chan and Shouji-chan back up what Kirishima-chan had been saying…"
"Keep reading," Yagi-kyokuchou instructed, so the pair continued. It could be noted that while certain figures were purposely kept out of the investigation as they simply didn't show involvement in the key times, Ochaco insisted on giving more of a testimony.
She seemed very shocked that Tenya and Eijirou would give completely contradicting accounts. Both men are true and honest and she vouched for both of their stories, even though she couldn't back up Tenya with actual evidence. She spoke of her own banishment from her demon village, claiming she was kicked out for murdering the village chief. Ochaco firmly believed that she was innocent of the crime and that she was set up. The concept of someone being in two places at once was something that came up in her own trial.
Ochaco believed that this could be applied to the situation here also. She insisted that Fumikage was being framed for freeing the Nomu by someone with a transformation power. There was someone like that in Ochaco's home village. She couldn't recall the name, it was a terrible memory for her, nor how the transformation power worked.
Hitoshi interviewed all the soldiers of the Yoikusa, but most brought nothing of interest. All except those working under Fumikage. They reported feeling particularly groggy, like they ate or drank a drug of some kind. The times they gave worked more with Tenya's testimony than Eijirou's, even going as far as to suggest Fumikage was never out there with Eijirou at all.
While Ochaco's theory would explain the contradicting stories as well as the apparent ease in which the Nomu was taken from its holdings, there simply wasn't enough evidence at this stage.
The combination of information acquired was intriguing to Deku, but he could see why they were left at a standstill. Yagi-kyokuchou's decision not to release any of this to the other captains made a lot of sense as well. It would cause conflict as to who ought to be believed out of Tenya and Eijirou, as well as put Fumikage into a difficult position of suspicion.
"Ochaco-chan's theory… I can back it up," Tsuyu spoke up suddenly, raising her hand. Deku's eyes went wide and the Chief's head raised with interest. "… Ochaco-chan and I came from the same part of Japan, though we weren't from the same village. There was a case of a 'serial framer' – someone believed to have framed nearly a hundred people for crimes they insisted not to have committed. My family almost faced exile from our village, kero. They had a transformation power which allowed them to pass themselves off as whoever they wished, so long as they had DNA to work with. Most of Japan wrote it off as a legend though, especially because regular humans were affected more than demons were."
Deku gasped audibly, struck with a realisation. "Tokoyami's missing ear! He had blood taken from him as well. Tsu-chan, what if the Kaibyaku Kodo Tai had someone like working with them? Maybe their appearance around Ikeda-ya… what if that was to allow for time to retrieve the Nomu?"
Yagi-kyokuchou nodded along, glad that both Deku and Tsuyu were incredibly clever individuals. "I think that is the best theory we can run with… good, young Deku, young Asu—Tsuyu!" he sighed, stopping his own excitement. "Well, this isn't all good. Knowing that someone can infiltrate the Yoikusa by passing as one of our own isn't good at all… but now that we are aware of it, we can take measures against it. Thank you both for your time. Tsuyu, you are dismissed with these instructions – keep a close eye on young Tokoyami, if anything seems out of character, report it either to myself or Todoroki. Deku, stay. We should talk about that letter."
"R-Right..!"
Tsuyu nodded and stood up. "Understood. I'll see you later, Deku-chan." Once she exited the room, leaving the pair alone, the Chief spoke again.
"Now, about that letter… it's confirmed some thoughts I've been having for a while now, if I am honest," admitted Yagi-kyokuchou, "… Hisashi Midoriya is still alive, and he's got someone watching you… that someone has been watching you for a long time, I imagine. Perhaps since your banishment from Aldera."
Deku's eyes went wide. "All those years… I've been tailed..?" A shiver went straight down his spine. "… W-What if… what if that's the reason I… I did often wonder about how I'd survived this long without capture of the Phoenix Heart. If I've been tailed for so long, that would explain why."
Yagi-kyokuchou's expression was grim. "Your survival was definitely planned, young Deku. But there is something I can agree with in regards to the letter." Deku looked up, prompting the Chief to continue with his words. "I have no doubt that the Shogunate wishes to exploit my power… and if they were to catch wind of your Phoenix Heart, they would extend that reach to you. The Yoikusa does fight for the shogunate, but ultimately I want to fight for the peace of this nation. That matters more to me than any other personal vendetta."
"Kacchan wouldn't bow down to any Shogunate official if he inherited One for All," Deku mentioned, a wry smile on his lips.
"He won't be able to inherit One for All the way he is, young Deku," Yagi-kyokuchou confided, his following words like a knife plunged through the heart. "Shuzenji-sensei has had a word with me and she knows that young Bakugou has an illness that will take away his power of inheritance. She has yet to confirm the exact diagnosis, but I cannot use Katsuki Bakugou as the Inheritor of One for All."
"Kacchan's sick..?" asked Deku, disbelievingly. "I mean… he barely ever gets a little sick, but… this is serious, isn't it?" When the Chief nodded in confirmation, Deku felt as though air had been sucked out of him. He kept shaking his head. "That's not right – Kacchan always took care of his body. His fitness, his diet, his sleep, everything! Sure, I've heard him go out for drinks with the others, but they all did that! Kacchan can't—" Yagi-kyokuchou shifted closer to the boy and placed a hand to his shoulder, before pulling him into a tight hug. Deku choked out a sob. "Yagi-kyokuchou, it's all messed up right now..! Kacchan… Todoroki… everything about my father, about the Ochimizu, the Kaibyaku Kodo Tai… I want to be able to do something. I want to save everyone..!"
As Deku cried into his arms, Yagi-kyokuchou took in his words. They were thickly laced with one tragedy after another, trying to stitch up the misery that threatened to seep into the future. He knew this feeling as each year arrived and departed, a neverending chain of events. Yagi was also aware of another truth.
Deku is the only Inheritor left in the Yoikusa. With Katsuki's worsening condition, he was going to have to remain powerless. Inheriting One for All would kill him. None of the other demons had the power of inheritance. Deku and Katsuki were the only ones left.
...
July 1, 1864.
...
"Everyone, please welcome Sekijirou Kan as our new Military Advisor of the Yoikusa!" Yagi-kyokuchou announced in the official ceremony of Kan-sanbou's arrival with his faction. In the largest courtyard available gathered every single member of the Yoikusa, with captains at the front of the audience, while the newcomers were on the impromptu 'stage' of sorts with the Chief himself. "You will refer to him as Kan-sanbou! Due to the increase in members, we will be adding an extra 'captain' to each of our divisions."
Deku listened intently as Yagi-kyokuchou introduced the new captains. While Shouto was currently acting in Aizawa-souchou's position, he did need the extra help with all these new members. For some reason, Shouto appeared uncomfortable when a man named Yosetsu Awase was announced as the dual captain of the First Division. However, for any discomfort and awkward fidgeting Shouto felt in his position was quickly overshadowed by Katsuki's noisy outcry at the announcement of the Dual Captain of the Second Division.
"Not that fucking bastard! You've got to be kidding me, no way!" Katsuki yelled out abruptly, cutting off Yagi-kyokuchou's introductions. "At least give me someone who isn't some shitfaced asshole."
While Ochaco was debating grabbing onto Katsuki to prevent him lashing out further, it was the Second Division's new captain that made the decision for her. "Ah-ah! I thought good captains were supposed to work well with their fellows… Are the Yoikusa really this ill-mannered?" quizzed the young man known as Neito Monoma. Deku heard that Neito was a piece of work according to the others, but he didn't realise how much of a stirrer the blond really was.
"I'll show you ill-mannered-!" he began to curse really loudly as Ochaco floated him towards the very back of the group. "Round Face, what the fuck?!"
Kan-sanbou raised a brow. "Your Second Division Captain is very crude," he remarked disapprovingly.
"He has a way with words, young Bakugou! But he gets the job done, I can promise you that!" Yagi-kyokuchou hurried, finding a save to keep things running smoothly. Somehow his words caused Katsuki to pipe down at the back. "Anyway, young Kirishima is looking forward to working with young Tetsutetsu!"
"He should be, considering they have trained together in the past," Kan-sanbou replied bluntly. "That is, when he finishes celebrating his newborn..." No one was quite sure whether the new Military Advisor was irked by Tetsutetsu's absence or not, but some things were better left unknown.
After the introductions were complete, there was one more announcement in regards to tomorrow's activities. There was going to be a compulsory medical examination for all members of the Yoikusa, including the new recruits. While Deku knew he was doing well, making sure not to overdo it with the Phoenix Heart, his worries rested upon Katsuki's health. Deku couldn't quite see him from where he was standing, but the expression upon Ochaco's face told a story of tragedy without explanation.
However, once everyone was dismissed, Ochaco left all too quickly and Deku couldn't even make the attempt to comfort her. Katsuki had disappeared as well, leaving Denki to do all the talking with Neito. Luckily Denki was good at acting friendly, even though Deku knew he really didn't like Neito all that much. Instead of looking for Katsuki, Deku resumed his position at Shouto's side, joining in the conversation he was having with Yosetsu.
Shouto gave a nod to Deku, acknowledging his presence. "Awase, this is my page, Deku. You'll probably see him a lot while we're working together."
Yosetsu sized Deku up, his appraising eyes making him nervous. Deku knew he was instructed to keep quiet about his real name and his power when it came to the newcomers, but he was uncertain about how obvious he was as a demon.
"Good to meet ya, Deku!" Tosetsu gave a friendly smile, reaching over to shake Deku's hand. He had a strong, firm shake that Deku couldn't quite return soon enough before the young man drew his hand back. "I'm Yosetsu Awase… Todoroki and I go way back, well… we met through the Yaoyorozu family." Upon mention of that family, Yosetsu's eyes lit up as he turned his head towards Shouto. Deku couldn't quite place the expression on Yosetsu's face, but the words to come weren't met with joy. "Speaking of which, I wrote to your wife a while back and got a response back… congratulations, Todoroki," he reached to squeeze Shouto's shoulder, his voice lowering enough that Deku could only just hear through all the chatter around him. "…I'd always known Yaomomo wanted to be a mother. That wish is coming true for her. I'm happy for her."
With a narrow of his eyes, Shouto nodded. "It was our wish to be parents," he corrected firmly, but with a voice that wasn't too heavy with tension. "Your happiness for us means a lot."
"I see... well, I'll certainly be among those celebrating when the baby's born, that's for sure!" Yosetsu chirped back a response, though Deku couldn't help but sense an underlying meaning to everything he'd been saying. But then he turned to Deku with a grin. "So what's it like working under this guy, huh? Am I in for a hard time?" he laughed, though there was at least no sign of malice in the question.
Deku's eyes widened, looking between Yosetsu and Shouto. He hated being put on the spot like this, but he didn't want to make a mess of things here. "U-Um..! Well, I… uh…" Shouto averted his eyes, which turned into a pang of sadness within for Deku. In this moment, Deku sensed some kind of air between the two young men, like he was standing between something far greater than the eye could see. He couldn't let Shouto down. "P-Personally, I think Todoroki-kun is a fantastic captain! He's very hardworking, especially since he'd been taking on Aizawa-souchou's work as well as his own. Todoroki-kun is incredible. He's studious and serious, but I feel like he cares a lot about those around him and about the cause he fights for. I've learned a lot under him and I want to keep learning more from him. Before the Yoikusa, I didn't really have much purpose but… I know my place is here, and Todoroki-kun is one of the main reasons I feel that way. Sometimes I worry he takes on too much but… I think I'm like that too. I'm hoping Todoroki-kun can depend on me more, though maybe I'm being a bit presumptuous…"
Whatever he managed to pull out as an answer, it certainly left an impression on the listeners. Shouto was gazing at him with a face Deku had never seen from him before – a look of awe. Yosetsu simply nodded, seeming as though he'd deduced something from all this.
"You're a good kid, Deku," he responded, quirking a brow. "Sounds like you two are pretty close then?"
Shouto glanced to Yosetsu, shrugging it off. "Deku and I are like-minded, so our working relationship is a strong one. What of it?"
"Hmm… I guess I just wouldn't be able to pull out words like that about any of the guys I've worked with in the past," he explained, and Deku realised what Yosetsu was getting at. Shouto didn't seem as though he caught on, which was probably a good thing.
Deku shook his head, knowing he had to respond to this carefully. "You asked a question, and I wanted to give an honest answer. Awase-san, from what I understand, you know of Todoroki-kun through the Yaoyorozu, rather than on a personal level. Perhaps once you've spent some time with the Yoikusa, you may feel similarly as I do."
Yosetsu chuckled, seemingly countered by Deku's response. "You may have a point there. Well then, let's all get along, shall we?"
"Yes," Shouto agreed, though he was all too aware of how careful Deku was in responding to Yosetsu just now. Deku was always smart and could find meanings hidden within the words spoken. It wouldn't surprise him if Deku already knew what was going on between himself and Yosetsu. He knew there would always be a rift with Yosetsu of some kind, from the moment the Yaoyorozu cut off his engagement to Momo and chose Shouto as her suitor instead. Everytime he laid eyes on Yosetsu, he saw a man who loves his wife and would always resent him for being the one to marry her, not him.
There was no genuine warmth towards Shouto over the news of the baby. Shouto knew that if Yosetsu could steal his place in a heartbeat, he would without hesitation. Was it possible that Yosetsu held a greater love for Momo than Shouto did? This debate had been going on in his mind since the announcement of their engagement and it haunted him. Why did Yosetsu have to be assigned to the First Division?
But Deku's eyes and words were so earnest when answering the challenging question Yosetsu had posed him. When Deku described Shouto as incredible, he wanted to verbalise his disagreement. How could he see a man like himself as incredible? Deku is the incredible one. He always was.
His words washed over Shouto's worries and cleansed his soul of doubt. Anything that came after that, Shouto couldn't bring himself to care. Yosetsu could be as bitter as he wanted, try to infer whatever he wanted and so on, but Shouto knew there was a greater feeling above all that.
Deku was someone he could depend on. He couldn't put this feeling into words, not even in the quiet depths of his mind. But Shouto was at ease with himself, because Deku said those words so open and honestly, and they came from the heart.
In this moment, Shouto let such thoughts bubble with a happiness he did not consider comparing to anyone or anything.
...
Later that evening.
...
Denki burst into the dining hall where all the captains and vice-captains were enjoying a great feast to celebrate the arrival of Kan-sanbou and his subordinates. That being said, Kan-sanbou opted to eat alone with Yagi-kyokuchou, so they sat in a different room to the rest of the group. Denki was waving a scroll in his hand as he shoved his way past disgruntled diners to sit down next to Eijirou and Hanta. "Guess what, guess what!" he managed to summon the attention of everyone now, though some were already focusing on him after he almost caused them to spill their food. "I got a letter from Jirou!" Said letter was being waved around the place from excitement.
"Jirou? As in Yaomomo's Jirou?" Yosetsu asked, prior to downing a cup of sake.
"Yeah! Wait, you know her?" Denki narrowed his eyes, the other nodding with a grin. This momentary discussion allowed for Hanta to snatch the scroll from him and make off with it. "Oi, Sero! That's mine!" He chased after his friend, trying to get it back. Some of the group laughed along, watching Hanta keep the letter out of reach from the intended recipient. At least until Katsuki snapped at them to 'sit the fuck down'.
Hanta still held onto the letter though. "I'm sitting down! But you gotta let me read it out! I mean, you were showing it off, so you muuuust want us to know the contents, right?" he asked, the amusement in his voice.
"I haven't even read it yet!" Denki protested, but it fell upon deaf ears.
So Hanta cleared his throat and unravelled the scroll to reveal the letter contents. "Dear Kaminari, when you said you were going to write to me every day, I didn't realise you meant that quite so literally." After the opening sentence, there were already howls of laughter teasing Denki, who hung his head in embarrassment. "Don't worry, I haven't thrown any of the letters out. Some of the anecdotes were pretty funny, I'll admit. Writing personal letters isn't really my thing, so bear with me. I am doing well, though it is certainly much quieter without you here making an idiot of yourself. More importantly, Momo is in a much better state now. Her pregnancy is becoming a lot more obvious now… she's nearly halfway through, which is exciting!"
With the talk of Momo's pregnancy, all the eyes were on Shouto, who certainly looked pleased with himself as well as for his wife. But he remained quiet, allowing for Hanta to continue reading the letter.
"Sorry to be talking so much about pregnancy and babies, but I can't forget to mention this. June 26th 1864 during the hour of the rabbit, Itsuka gave birth to a baby girl. I laughed so hard, Tetsutetsu really loved Kirishima's name suggestion of Katsura. So the baby is called Katsura Tetsutetsu. I can't believe it… after Itsuka said she didn't want to name the baby after Bakugou..."
"And what the fuck is wrong with naming a kid after me?" Katsuki cut in with a scowl, causing the others to crack up even more. Now it was Eijirou hanging his head with a deep blush dusting his cheeks. Denki was glad the focus of the letter wasn't on him anymore.
Ochaco tilted her head to the side. "Katsura is a nice name, it's unique..?"
"Exactly, Round Face! So fuck any of you who thinks it's a shitty name!" Katsuki declared, refusing to take criticism from anyone. Not that anyone was criticising.
Tsuyu brought a finger to her lips. "Well, it's more original than Iida-chan naming his newborn son 'Tenji'." Deku couldn't help but smile – Tenji was born on the 24th and he knew Tenya must have been glad to have made it back in time for the birth. The letter of the news arrived extremely fast too, containing at least five scrolls' worth of writing from the excited father.
Denki laughed. "I guess he just wants a family of 'ten's?"
"Guess so!" Hanta chirped, before clearing his throat and continuing with the letter. "It was a safe birth though, no complications or anything. Momo was on edge the entire time, so it's good nothing dramatic happened. I'm hoping it'll be the same for her as well. To be honest it's been fairly uneventful here aside from Tetsutetsu being a proud father. I'll admit, Katsura is a cute little girl. She has her mom's eyes. Haha, I bet if you ever have a kid they'll end up with your dopey face."
"My face isn't dopey!" protested Denki, but everyone else hushed him to let Hanta continue.
"I bet you're making that face right now reading this – haha, he sure is!" Hanta grinned widely, but his eyes went wide at the letter. "Oooh… ahem. That face can be cute sometimes, I guess. I miss seeing it. I didn't get to say it before but thank you. When you stayed with me that night I made my choice to stay with Momo, you were really comforting. I feel like I made the right choice. That being said, I am looking forward to rejoining the Yoikusa knowing that Momo and her baby are safe and sound. Take care, Kyouka. PS - You better not have shown this letter to the others."
The dining hall was filled with a long silence as everyone's eyes bore into Denki. His cheeks were bright red, but he had this big goofy grin on his face as he gingerly reached to take the letter back from Hanta.
As soon as the letter wound up in Denki's hands again, various voices around the room piped up, overwhelming him.
"Since when did you stay the night with Jirou?!" Hanta cried out, clutching at his heart. "You didn't tell me this!"
"Hey uh, she's not having the next baby in the group, right..?" Eijirou asked, thinking of Itsuka and Momo.
"Highly unlikely, Kirishima-chan," quipped Tsuyu, Denki struggled to keep up with all the questions and input.
"You were mistaken to bring that letter to show us," Shouto remarked. "That being said, Jirou is doing a noble job helping to protect my child. If you do anything to upset her, I will be having words."
Shinsou chuckled. "Even the vice-commander's got concerns…"
"I'm sure nothing really out of sorts occurred," Mezou added, having just finished another mouthful of edamame.
"Indeed," Fumikage agreed with his partner.
"It's probably a good thing Iida-kun isn't here to voice his opinion," Ochaco giggled nervously, already imagining the lectures he'd give Denki on all of this.
Neito slammed down his sake cup, causing all the attentions to shift towards him. "You're all overlooking the most important part in her letter!" he objected, reaching to pour himself another. "I cannot believe that Tetsutetsu ignored all of my name suggestions in favour of 'Katsura'! My ideas were brilliant, I'm telling you! And I have a far greater connection to Tetsutetsu than any of you here!"
Eijirou blinked. "Uh, what about—"
"Than any of you here!" repeated Neito, refusing to let Eijirou get his word in. This only caused other members of the group to resume their laughter.
The night went on like that, with lots of laughter and cheer. For the first time in a while, Deku began to feel more optimistic about all that was going on. He saw how well everyone was bonding over their food and drink, with even the new recruits settling in fine. Deku felt like he was part of this big family, one that could get through any hardship to come.
...
It was the early hours of the morning, with the moon still out and the sun far from its arrival. The silence was deafening. Everyone had settled into easy slumbers after a joyful night as a group. All but one.
This one man felt so neglected and isolated from the others that he couldn't bring himself to join in. Not that his absence from the party was noticed by anybody from the looks of it. Not even Mezou mentioned it when he came to bed after washing up. He didn't know what to make of that, as he knew his partner to be blunt with these things. Maybe even Mezou was forgetting about him at this rate.
Fumikage Tokoyami couldn't celebrate newcomers, so he stayed well away. The more people arrived that were of value, the more he felt as if his own importance was diminishing. He'd been having a lot of dreams lately. Dreams that felt like premonitions.
The Yoikusa were going to leave him behind if he let events happen the way they're supposed to. As the faction rose within the ranks, they'll be brought to the forefront of the conflicts spreading across Japan. Soon enough, he won't be needed anymore.
He'd often supposed that his life would be a lonely path in the darkness, but being within the Yoikusa seemed to give him purpose. Mezou gave him more than just purpose – he gave Fumikage a love that pushed away his clouded thoughts and put him at ease. Fumikage was a proud warrior with great skill with the katana.
But one by one, he started to feel like he was losing everything. The katana, the Yoikusa, Mezou…
That lonely path seemed so tempting, like an easy way out. He could close off his heart and accept all those losses.
"And if you decide that seppuku is your only option, then I will act as your Kaishakunin. I hope it does not come to that. If you hurt Shouji-chan by leaving him all too soon, I will not be a merciful Kaishakunin."
Fumikage remembered those words as he stood alone in his office, swishing the liquid inside the vial he carried. The easy solution wouldn't be his solution. He wasn't going to leave Mezou, or the Yoikusa, or his katana behind. Tsuyu won't have to act as his Kaishakunin.
With a heavy weight in his heart, Fumikage made his choice.
next chapter: A medical examination leads to bad news for Katsuki, who is left with an ultimatum. The suspicion surrounding Fumikage is brought to the forefront. A friend is unmasked as the enemy.