The sports festival finals! All Might gives a speech! Himiko and Tenya deal with the fallout of the Hero Killer attack! And Shoto wants a phone number.
Some people are trying to guess the Hero Killer identity, and while I don't want to spoil anything, I will give a couple hints. The first is that it is not a current MHA character. I made someone new! But I did base them off something from other media, albeit its only partly based upon that. Have fun guessing!
Himiko slouched against the seat she was in, looking out the window while worrying at her lower lip with her teeth. Her hands were twitching, like she couldn't keep still. Her mind kept running through scenario after scenario, every worry she'd ever felt rocketing to the front of her mind. The very first light in her life, the man who took her in when no one would, the one who taught her to handle her Quirk and its desires, the one who encouraged her to follow her dreams and become a true hero who would save people…and he gets attacked by the Hero Killer.
Idly, part of her thought that was par for the course…he was her hero, so of course a monster like that would try to take her hero from her. But no, she couldn't focus on that. She had to have faith. Her dad was tough, she knew that. He'd often come home with a few various injuries, and she'd always worried about it, but he would be quick to reassure her that he was fine, it was accidents at work. She knew he traveled a lot and his job was dangerous (albeit he never went into details), but she had to have faith he could handle himself.
The seat she was on was shaking slightly, her gaze leaving the window to look over at the other passenger in the seat with her. Ida sat, ramrod straight, his gaze fixed forward with a distant expression. If it weren't for his leg just barely shaking in place, she'd have thought he was a statue.
Himiko reached out, her hand falling down atop of Ida's as it sat, clenched on his leg. Ida started, his gaze flickering for a moment before he looked over at her like he'd forgotten she was here. He cleared his throat. "It is alright, Himiko, I am-"
"-Ida," she cut him off quietly, amber meeting gray-blue as she spoke. "Please…we're friends. Friends help each other, right?"
He stared at her for a moment, before slumping, just the tiniest bit of tension leaving his shoulder. He turned his hand up, his fingers entwining with hers and squeezing tightly. "You're right. We'll get through this together, and congratulate our classmates on their victory once this is all over."
"Yeah!" Himiko replied with as much false cheer as she could, although the sad smile he gave her told her he knew how fake she was being. She gulped. "Yeah…we'll go back and be happy and everything again!"
"Of course. We'll need to set up some study groups as well, classes will be picking back up soon!"
"...always so strict, Ida," she chuckled sadly.
"You may call me Tenya. I already call you by your first name, it would only be proper," he replied.
Himiko felt her eyes watering slightly, internally cursing herself that that was what made her break for a brief moment. Hesitating for a moment, she gave up on ignoring her instincts and scooted closer to the taller boy, leaning into his side as she squeezed his hand. "Thank you for bringing me with you, Tenya."
The taller boy froze at the touch for a moment, before releasing some tension and very gently leaning back into her. "It was only proper. I…I hope your father is okay."
"Me too. About your brother, too. We've…still got a while to go before we get there. Do…do you want to tell me about him?" she asked quietly.
Tenya paused for a moment, letting a small, proud smile cross his face. "My brother is an excellent hero! He has saved many people! I remember, one time…"
"Izuku…don't you dare think about going easy on me," Ochako began, her hands on her hips as she stared her boyfriend down.
"Wouldn't dream of it," he assured her, smiling.
"Okay. We have a show to put on after all. And I have a first place trophy to win!" she smirked.
Izuku leaned in with his own smirk, his face barely a few centimeters from hers. "You have to get past me for that, dear."
Ochako leaned closer to him, her lips so close to his that he could feel the warmth of her breath washing over him. "I intend to, babe."
He arched an eyebrow at her, the smirk fading to a more genuine, loving smile. He reached out with his hands, grabbing hers gently in his own and pulling her against him, pressing their lips together with a light pressure. Breaking the kiss a second later, he pressed his forehead to hers. "Give it your all, 'Chako. I'm rooting for you."
Her smirk had vanished as well, eyes shimmering as she looked at him warmly. "You too, Izu. Let's put on a good show for Himi when she gets back."
He nodded to her, reluctantly letting her go and splitting off to his preparation room, the brunette hesitating for a moment to watch him walk away before heading back to her own to get ready.
As Izuku sat in the prep room, he focused inward. He'd felt a pressure from within, like the vestiges wanted to speak to him. He had yet to pull this off successfully, but he had at least fifteen minutes before being pulled into the arena, so…why not, right?
Finding his inner world was second nature by this point. Looking into it, seeing the familiar lake, the tower, the stellar bodies in the sky, the signs of the two extra Quirk's he'd gotten access to…and now he could see something new. As the tower became closer in his mental vision, as if he were moving towards it, he noticed the sky now had…clouds? Fluffy, shimmering, beautiful wisps of clouds that were slowly traveling across the sky, sometimes crossing before one of the stellar bodies that were those he cared for, but never blocking out their light.
"Cool, isn't it?" he heard the voice of Nana speak, the greenette realizing with a start that while he'd been distracted, he'd somehow landed atop the tower and was standing before Nana.
"Y-yeah," he sputtered, a little off put. He shook his head to clear it. "But…what is it?"
"Well…it's my Quirk, Izuku. Seems like it's ready to be used," she smiled at him, reaching out and ruffling his hair with her gloved hand.
He stood there, staring at her blankly for a moment before ducking away from the hand, flushed. "Hey!" he protested, the lack of anger in his voice making it clear he wasn't really bothered by it.
Nana snickered. Behind her, the other vestiges (all of whom were pretending they weren't paying attention) were barely holding back chuckles of their own. She got her giggles under control and placed her hands on her hips as she looked at him with a serious expression. "Mine was called Float. Back when I used it, it was pretty limited to just levitation and holding me in the air, but with the whole One For All thing…yeah, you can fly. Pretty fast if our estimations are correct."
He blinked at her. "...that's…some timing, there. Just when I have to fight Ochako. Who can also fly now."
She held up her hands. "Hey now, we didn't time it that way! But it is pretty funny! Now you guys can totally duke it out midair too! And then take Himiko out on flights together!" Izuku's expression softened as his gaze turned distant, a smile crossing his face at the thought. The sound of the vestiges giggling at him again broke him out of his daydreams, pink tinging his cheeks as he pouted, turning away from them. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Anyways, Float isn't anywhere near as dangerous to you as Gear Shift. Don't be afraid to use it. But uh…don't crash into anything, okay?"
"Gear Shift is a great Quirk!" Second grumbled, the vestige slouching in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest, most assuredly not pouting.
"It really is!" Izuku remarked, thinking back to all the cool things he had yet to try with it.
"Yes yes boys, you're both pretty, we know," Nana replied, smirking at the now double pout she was faced with. "I am just letting Izuku know he can be a little bit less cautious with Float is all."
"Please don't encourage him, even with Float he needs to hold back else he'll somehow fly into space," Hikage deadpanned.
"I'm not that bad!" Izuku protested, but the judgmental stare he got from everyone else made him hunch his shoulders and look away.
"Sorry we can't keep you around kid, but your time's almost up. It's difficult to help pull you in here, but it's getting easier all the time. I'm sure we can actually sit down and talk more soon enough…but for now, go put on a show," Nana said, giving his shoulder a squeeze as she smiled at him. Izuku smiled back, raising a hand to wave to the vestiges as he felt his consciousness being pulled back out and into his body, a deep breath escaping him as he blinked open his eyes. He checked the time…yep. It was time to move on.
As he and Ochako fell into lockstep together, heading to the arena, he reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her in her tracks. She tilted her head at him in confusion. "So uh…I got Float?" he said with a nervous smile.
She arched an eyebrow. "...Bit of an underwhelming delivery, don't you think?"
He shrugged. "Figured I'd tell you now. Are you taking the arena up again?"
She smirked. "Fishing for tips?"
"Nah, just worried. I know you're not back to one hundred after the fight with Kacchan."
She poked him in the chest. "And you aren't either, so don't you start looking down on me buster."
He laughed. "I would never, ever, do something that stupid. Just checking where your head's at."
She sighed, rolling her eyes as she playfully squeezed his hand. "You be careful and I'll be careful, okay? Let's just do our best, plus ultra style!"
"Okay," he returned, giving her cheek one final kiss before splitting off from her as he headed to his gate. She winked at him, sauntering off with a sway in her hips he knew she did for his benefit. Or to distract him. Probably both, knowing how much of a little tease she had started to become the more time the three of them were in a relationship together. He shook his head to clear it, stepping out into the arena as Present Mic began his introductions.
"Helloooooo listeners! Welcome to the finals of the First Year Sports Festival! From high flying hijinks, awesome arena antics, and even some daringly dashing drama, we've come to our final match! From Class 1-A, the one, the only, the boy wonder, Izuku Midoriya! And against him, also from Class 1-A, give it up for the one who rules over gravity itself, Ochako Uraraka!"
The two halted across from one another, staring the other down with smiles on their faces. A pink sheen crossed Ochako's eyes as she locked her gaze with Izuku's softly glowing emeralds, Midnight approaching the center point between them. She looked between them. "Are you two prepared?" Both nodded in unison, making her lift her whip into the air. "Begin!"
For the first time in every match so far, neither rushed the other. Instead, green began to emanate from Izuku's outstretched hands, forming into two of his disks and slowly growing, expanding, increasing in radius. Ochako lifted one leg, the shimmer of her improved gravity surrounding it as she stomped the concrete beneath her, the part of the arena she stood upon shattering from the impact.
Ochako went down to one knee, sweeping her hand across the rubble with pink spilling from her fingers. Izuku casually tossed his two discs up, Gear Shift taking hold of them and floating them to each side of him. The rubble Ochako had used her Quirk on began to circle around her, spiraling, forming into a ring of rock and dust as she smirked.
The arena was silent, in awe, as both of them began to rise above the arena slowly, their feet leaving the ground as they floated up higher and higher and higher still, well over two dozen meters into the air, so high they nearly were at the top of the colosseum. Izuku's hands outstretched and relaxed, Ochako's fingers twitching slightly as they continued to stare the other down.
"Let's do this, Ochako," Izuku said into the silence.
"Come at me, Izuku!" Ochako replied, her smile growing wider.
One more brief second of time, one that felt like it lasted forever…before they moved. Izuku and Shoto's match was emotional and painful. Himiko and Katsuki's was a battle of friends who liked to needle each other at every opportunity. Katsuki and Ochako's match was brutal, a fight between two very driven and competitive friends. But between Izuku and Ochako, it was a dance.
They twirled and whirled about the other, hands outstretched for strikes that were swiftly blocked, spinning about to deliver powerful kicks that were dodged or deflected. Izuku ducked a swipe from Ochako and went for a kick from her right, the brunette using a piece of rubble to intercept the strike, the force of his kick obliterating it.
She retaliated with an attempt at grappling her boyfriend, her one leg wrapping about his arm as she tried to lock the other one in for a hold to force a submission. Izuku's one disc came flying in, ramming into her side with an impact that made her loosen her grip as she lost her breath, but he had no time to retaliate as she sent another half dozen pieces of rubble into his gut, knocking the air out of him as they broke apart.
Izuku swept above her, the air pressure from his kick pushing her down. She grit her teeth and rebounded, the force of gravity around her sending her careening up and to the left as he tried to drop down on top of her with his fist. She ducked another swing from him, coming in to spear him from the side, the impact sending them both tumbling through the air.
Izuku brought his elbow down into the middle of her back as she gripped at his waist, trying to shove him down, trying to drive him into the ground. She did not let go even as he felt the gravity increase, and he grit his teeth, forcing Full Cowling higher and higher as he rammed his elbow into her back again, this time the shout of pain she bit off making her release him. He winced as she arched her back, her own face in a rictus of pain. "Sorry," he tried to apologize, but she glared at him in response.
"Shut it! No apologies! Don't you dare stop trying to win, Izuku! Come at me with all you got!" she shouted, rocketing back towards him with a shimmer around her foot. She moved much faster than he had anticipated originally, and without Danger Sense triggering since she had no ill intent towards him, he couldn't dodge in time as she shouted "Graviton Crash!", the kick hitting him in his left shoulder and sending him flying back, his shoulder burning with pain.
"Good hit," he winced.
Ochako gasped, her expression pained as she rotated her foot slowly. "You too."
He rolled his shoulder for a moment as she finished her own internal inspection. He noticed how she had very few pieces of floating rubble slowly rotating around her, realizing most of it had been used or blown away by now. Of course, he only had one shield left, the other one too much of an energy drain when he was down as low as he was. He didn't have his meter, but he was far better at tracking his energy nowadays and knew he was at best at thirty percent at this point.
Of course, he wasn't stupid. Ochako had been banged up pretty bad throughout the day, and he knew she was on her last legs as much as he was, especially after multiple Recovery Girl sessions. But he wasn't about to give her anything but his best, and he knew she felt the same.
Further thoughts would have to wait, as Ochako got tired of waiting and came flying back towards him. He found himself back in a familiar dance, one that only the two of them could perform, a three dimensional dance throughout the air, in the sky above everything. It was like the entire earth had fallen away from them, the festival, the USJ, everything was gone once more like the finale of his fight with Todoroki. It was just him and one of his loves, flying above it all. A part of him hurt, knowing Himiko was not here with them to feel it as well, but he resolved that as soon as everything settled, they'd bring her up here with them.
He found himself locked up with Ochako, their hands pushing against the other, legs entangled as they struggled in midair. Energy flared across his body, green dripping from his limbs and falling down below to splash harmlessly onto the concrete. He could feel how she'd strengthened herself with her Quirk, allowing her to push back against him with force pushing him back, pink lights shimmering across his skin like tiny stars.
In a final flare of green light, he used his shield to dash the last of her rubble to bits, letting his shield dissipate as he did to conserve energy. His breath was short, his lungs hurt, his entire body ached, sweat was pouring off of him as he kept fighting, struggling, their growls and grunts the only noises they could hear as they fought.
One hand free to punch the other in the cheek, a retaliatory crack to the other's nose. She slammed her elbow on top of his head as he gave her a black eye. She headbutt him in return, the daze they both felt making them break apart, floating away from the other in the middle of the air.
Izuku took stock of where they were. By now, their fight had brought them much, much closer to the ground, the two of them having steadily been losing height as they ripped and clawed at each other. He glanced over at her, then back at the ground, hoping she got the memo. She nodded, the two of them canceling their flight and dropping the last meter or so to the arena floor.
"So…one more time?" she asked him haltingly, panting.
He nodded, wincing at how the motion made his vision blur for a moment. "One more."
She gave him a tired smile. "You sure made me work for it, Izu. But I'm gonna be the winner today."
He meant to say something snarky back, to keep up the banter they'd been doing, but he couldn't help the flood of affection he felt for her at that moment. Battered, bruised, yet unbroken, the stubborn, prideful, powerhouse of a girl he'd been in love with what felt like his entire life, the same one who came into his life with the absolutely beautiful and joyful Himiko, the one he missed so much right now. He just breathed out "God, I love you so much," to her in reply, staring at one of the women he wanted to marry someday.
"Dammit, don't look at me like that right now!" she cried out in response, tears welling up in her eyes as her cheeks flushed.
"I can't help it," he protested.
She shook her head fondly. "Shut up you dork! I love you too, oh my god, I love you so much, but I'm still gonna kick your ass!"
Finally he found the snark inside him, a wild, feral grin crossing his face as Full Cowling erupted into his body once more, green sparks flooding the air about him. "Come get me then!" he roared, cocking his fist back. She didn't bother replying, her own fist shimmering with pink as she brought it back, a wild grin with teeth bared visible.
As one, the two of them bolted towards the other, pink and green shining in the air, streaming behind them as they rushed the other. Rearing back, they punched forward, two fists, two hearts, pushing to see which of them would come out on top for this fight. "Detroit/Graviton!" they called as they came close, their voices echoing over the steadily louder and louder audience.
"SMASH/CRASH!"
For what felt like the hundredth time that day, the very colosseum shook, smoke and dust filling the air and blinding all, none able to see what happened from the sheer pressure that erupted from the two of them. Midnight waved her hand uselessly in front of her face to try and see clearer. As the smoke began to dissipate, she could see two forms, slumped on the ground, unmoving.
Concerned, she rushed into the arena, feeling a little bit of her worry vanish as she heard both of them breathing heavily. She stopped her rush as they became more visible, the two teens moving…Ochako, her fingers scrabbling against the concrete as her body shook…Izuku, his legs shifting as he tried to gain purchase to lift himself, arms barely twitching.
She watched, eyes narrowed, waiting to see which one made it to their feet first. Unfortunately for her heart, they both managed to pull themselves to their knees. Izuku leaned back and looked up into the air, his breath coming in short pants, while Ochako planted her hands on the arena floor, hair falling in her face as she gasped for air.
"...I have to call the match if one of you doesn't make it to your feet," Midnight warned them.
Ochako lifted one trembling hand, almost overbalancing and falling over. She reached out, her fingers barely forming a fist, and very gently tapped Izuku on the shoulder. "Take that," she said with exhaustion in her voice.
Izuku waved a hand vaguely in her direction, his fingertips barely grazing her with the tiniest of pushes. "You take that!" he retorted. The two grinned at each other…before Ochako's arms gave out, her body falling flat as Izuku fell backwards, eyes fluttering.
Midnight lifted her arm in the air. "Neither contestant is able to continue! The match is a draw!"
"In a stunning display of technique, stubbornness, and power, the two finalists have worn each other out to the point of sheer exhaustion! For the first time in UA history, the first year finals came to a draw! We have a tie for first place! What a match, what a run! Give it up for all of our brave students and their heroic efforts today!" Present Mic screamed out, the crowd, which had fallen silent at the final moments, roaring with approval and cheers. The cheers only grew louder as Izuku managed to lift one hand up into the air, his fist clenched as he stared up at the blue sky above…to his side, Ochako had one hand lifted as well, resting her head against the cool concrete as she smiled tiredly.
Katsuki was still laughing five minutes later as he sat in the infirmary with Izuku, Ochako, and Shoto, the four being asked to wait together for the medal presentation ceremony. "I can't fucking believe you two nerds managed to tie, haha!" He clutched at his stomach at the sheer amusement of it, tears dripping from his eyes from laughing so hard.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what is so funny about this?" Shoto asked, confused.
Katsuki slung one hand over the other boy's shoulder, still chuckling, Shoto now incredibly confused. "These two dorks are so in love they managed to even tie, haha! Oh my fucking god, this is great. Mom and Pop have gotta be dying back at home!"
"Shut up you overgrown firecracker," Ochako hissed, the threat pretty much neutralized by the fact she was swaying as she sat in the bed Recovery Girl had shoved her in.
"I still do not understand how that is relevant, unless you two planned for that?"
"Of course not!" Izuku protested, eyes wide. "We fought fair and square! We'd never cheat like that!"
"That's cheating?" Shoto pondered, looking up in thought. "But is cheating not against the rules?"
"...yes, that's the definition of cheating, Todoroki," Ochako said, blinking at him.
"So you cheated?"
"No, I'm saying we didn't cheat because we didn't plan for that!"
"But it happened, so it's cheating, right?"
"No! We didn't intend for it to happen, so it's not cheating."
"So intent is required for it to be cheating?"
"Well…I mean, technically, you could cheat by accident I suppose, but we didn't!"
"So how could we validate you did not cheat if it is possible for you to have cheated on accident?"
The trio shared a glance, before Izuku just chuckled. "We'll tell you when you're older."
"But we're the same age?"
Any further discussion was cut off by Recovery Girl re-entering the room and heading over to them. "Alright dearies, let me make sure you're alright to be paraded in front of the stadium. How's the supply feeling, Midoriya?"
He tapped himself on the chest with a tired smile. "All good, Recovery Girl. I'm tired but I'm okay. I'll take it easy the next few days I promise!"
"I'll hold you to that, young man. And you, Uraraka? Any pains or concerns?"
Ochako shook her head no. "Just tired is all. We're gonna go rest after this until Himi calls us."
Recovery Girl took a quick glance over them both, checking their heartbeats for any irregularities before nodding. "Very well. You should be good to go, but I'm expecting both of you to relax as soon as you're done! And the same for the two of you, my healing would have taken a lot of your stamina! So take it easy the next few days, alright dears?"
The group all nodded, knowing better than to argue with her, before slowly making their way to the arena for the medal presentations.
This…was not what Izuku had expected to happen today. Here he was, standing atop the 1st place podium with Ochako beside him, Katsuki and Shoto sharing the third place podium as the second place one stood vacant. Midnight had just been interrupted by the arrival of All Might, the crowd going wild and laughing at the two confused heroes due to his untimely arrival. Izuku just rolled his eyes goodnaturedly at his mentor, the blonde hero puffing his chest out as he presented the bronze medal to Shoto.
"Young Todoroki, I am proud to see how far you've come, and glad that you have embraced all of your strength. I hope we can continue to improve on your talents in class, because I know you will be a truly fine hero," All Might said, smiling widely at the split-haired boy as he gave him a quick hug.
Shoto fiddled with the medal for a moment, looking back at the hero. "I hope we can too."
All Might kept his smile wide as he presented the medal to Katsuki. "Young Bakugo, every day you impress me more with your strength, both physical and in your strength of will. I cannot wait to see what you do with it as you grow." He did not hug the blonde boy, knowing how averse he was to a lot of contact, but he squeezed his shoulder tightly so he knew how proud he was of him.
"...Thanks, All Might," Katsuki muttered, uncharacteristically flustered by the praise from his mentor.
All Might stepped to the second place podium and faked confusion for a moment, showboating to make the crowd giggle as he pulled himself together and stepped to the first place podium, grinning at the two standing there together.
Placing the gold medal upon Ochako's neck, his smile softened ever so slightly. "I always knew you'd prove yourself. I never doubted you for a moment, young Uraraka. You are strong, young lady, and I am the better for having known you the past year."
"Thanks Tosh-All Might!" She said, smiling despite the tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. He offered her a strong hug, the brunette chuckling despite herself as she accepted it.
Finally, he turned and placed the other golden medal upon Izuku's neck, his smile proud and beaming. "Young Izuku…you did everything I asked for and more. You took your first step towards showing the world that you are here! And I could not be happier, nor more proud, that I am now. But something you said earlier made me realize you were right…and so, now that you have announced yourself, I will announce something to the world as well."
The four teens looked at him in confusion, even Midnight (who overheard what he said) looking as confused as they did, even as All Might spun about to address the crowd. With a raised hand, the audience quieted as they awaited his words.
"Earlier today, Izuku Midoriya made a point during his speech that I want to address. The point about the day I must cease heroics. Before any of you panic, that day is not today!" he paused as the audience let out a nervous giggle, not sure where he was going with this. "But…it is true, that day will come sooner or later. When I started on my journey to be a hero, it was with the goal to become a symbol, a symbol that would bring peace to everyone's lives." He paused for a moment, sharing a glance with his successor as he smiled once more.
"And while that worked for a time, in some ways, I think I made a mistake. A mistake young Midoriya just put in front of me, in front of us all. The idea of a symbol was not the mistake, no…the idea of there only being one was. And that is why I am truly, deeply glad I have this opportunity this year to help pass along what I've learned to the students this year. Because this young man here, and his friends and classmates, are exactly what the future needs. When the day comes that I must retire, I can rest easy, knowing that they will be here to take up my mantle, and someday surpass me."
He lifted his fist into the air, clenching it and standing tall and proud, watching out of the corner of his eye as the four on the podium all straightened their backs, grins across some of their faces and a deep understanding in Izuku's eyes. "So I will simply say that he was right. And I am truly glad to have been witness to this young man, and all the young students today, who showed us all what it means to go beyond! So, all of you, students, staff, those in the audience, and those watching from afar, say it with me! Go beyond!"
"PLUS ULTRA!"
Himiko felt exceedingly out of place. This was the second time in as many weeks that she'd found herself in a hospital for a loved one, but this time she had no one with her. Ida was with his mother, the two speaking in quiet tones on the other side of the waiting room as she curled into herself on an armchair. She didn't begrudge Ida running off to speak to his mother, of course not…she just didn't like how alone she felt now, something she'd rarely felt since Ochako came into her life. All she knew of her father's condition was that it was 'stable', but they had to question him (she assumed about the attack). So she'd been stuck here, waiting for over an hour, still unsure what was going on and just getting more and more worried.
"Himiko?" came the voice of Ida, making her look up at the bluenette, his expression torn between impatience, worry, and guilt. He took a deep breath. "I-I'm going with my mother to see my brother. Will you be alright on your own?"
She nodded, unable to really speak. It wasn't like he could do anything for her right now, and she knew he needed to see his brother as soon as possible. Wrestling with herself for a moment, she managed to climb up to her feet and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tightly as the tall teen froze for a moment, relaxing into the hug a second later as he returned it. "Go. I'll be fine," she whispered to him, giving him one more squeeze for good measure. She didn't comment on the slight watering of his eyes as he gave her a brittle smile, the same pained expression reflected on her face as he followed his mother out of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Luckily for her, she did not have to suffer for long, as the door opened once more to reveal a doctor glancing about, eyes landing on her curled form. The tall, slender, waifish woman with skin that looked like back from a tree smiled at her as she stepped closer. "Are you here for Chizome Akaguro?"
Himiko nodded, leaping to her feet. "I-I'm his daughter, Himiko. I-Is my dad okay?"
The doctor glanced down at her clipboard, checking something on it before looking back at Himiko and nodding. "Well…he's stable, and will be fine, although…well, there is no easy way to say this, so I will simply tell you. He's lost his right arm."
Himiko's eyes went wide, expression stuck between shock and disbelief as the doctor waited patiently for her to absorb the information. But any further discussion was cut off by the door opening once more, a dark-haired man entering the waiting room, one Himiko had met a few times already.
"Detective?" she asked, her disbelief suspended by the surprise of seeing Detective Tsukauchi there. She'd met him a few times thanks to Toshinori, but they'd not spent any significant time together so she did not know much about him.
"Ah…Himiko. I should have expected you'd be here," he mused, sharing a glance with the doctor that Himiko picked up on.
"What's going on? You're not telling me something," she asked, her eyes flitting between the two older adults before her.
Tsukauchi sighed, turning to the doctor. "Allow me to handle this. Is Mr. Akaguro ready for visitors now?"
"I need to have him moved to a new room, but he will be shortly. Why don't you two speak, and I'll send someone to fetch Himiko here as soon as he's cleared for visitors, okay?" the doctor asked with a smile on her face.
"That would be fine. Himiko, why don't you take a seat, so I can fill you in on what happened while they move your father," Tsukauchi said, turning back to the blonde teen before him. She stared at him for a moment, seeking answers in his face, but eventually giving up and returning to her seat as the doctor left the room, presumably to do as she said.
"Talk!" Himiko demanded as soon as the door shut, her eyes narrowed as she pulled her legs up once more, finding comfort in being curled up as she was.
He sighed. "To explain what occurred this evening, I think you need to know something about your father that he informed me he never told you." Himiko just kept her gaze locked on the detective, refusing to look away as she waited for him to get to the point. He continued. "Your father is a vigilante, known as Stendhal. He was hunting for the Hero Killer when he and Ingenium met tonight. They fought the Hero Killer and thanks to your father, they escaped, but…Ingenium may never walk again, and your father lost his right arm."
Himiko's gaze never left Tsukauchi's, so he was given the front row to seat to a dozen different emotions flooding her expression, amber eyes welling up with tears, lips quivering, entire body shaking as she tried to deal with the numerous bombshells he'd just dropped on top of her. He waited, patiently, allowing her to try and process what he'd said.
She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry, as she felt the words choke in her throat. Gulping, she tried to speak again. "Wha…what happens now?"
"Legally speaking, your father is a criminal. However, Ingenium was insistent he did not see Stendhal this evening, he saw Chizome Akaguro, a man who helped him escape at a great cost to himself, and therefore, he will be free to go when the hospital releases him."
"...what has he done? As a…a vigilante, I mean?" she asked, unsure if she really wanted to know but feeling like she had to ask.
Tsukauchi shook his head slowly. "I think it's best if you ask him about that."
"...and his arm?"
"That, I can't speak to. You'd have to ask the doctors about that. Ingenium already said he'd offer to pay for a prosthetic once he found out, but I'm not sure if your father will accept it. And again, you'll have to ask him why."
Himiko nodded, curling into an even tighter ball on the armchair she was seated on. Her gaze had gone blank, distant, as if she wasn't quite there anymore. Tsukauchi was worried about her, very worried, but he didn't know her well enough to do anything to help. He simply chose to wait there, until the doctor returned and escorted the blonde away, Himiko going along pliantly (which was even more concerning in the end). With a sigh, Tsukauchi opened his phone and dialed Yagi's number…he needed to tell him what was going on with one of his proteges.
"Dad?" Himiko asked as she stepped into the room, seeing her father sitting upright in the hospital bed. She caught a glimpse of the bandaged stump jutting out of his shoulder, but instantly turned her eyes away to look into his instead.
"Hey kid," he replied, giving her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
She stepped closer, the doctor who'd brought her in leaving the two of them alone as Himiko approached the bed, hating herself for asking but needing to hear it from him. "Is…is it true, dad?"
Chizome sighed, knowing exactly what question she was really asking. "Yes, Himiko. I'm Stendhal."
"...why? You…you always told me that being a hero was right. You were the one who encouraged me to go to UA with Ochako! Why, why would you do this?! Isn't this illegal?!"
Chizome was quiet for a moment, not looking away from his daughter. "I went to a hero school long ago. Not UA, but I did. Once upon a time I wanted to be a hero more than anything. But all my classmates were just…so selfish. They wanted the fame, or the money, or some other insipid reason. So I dropped out. I realized a long time ago that the Pro Hero system would just breed more of that lazy attitude, and I did not want to be infected by it. So I chose this path, instead."
"But you told me to go! And…and 'Chako wants to make money too, is that wrong? I'd make money if I was-"
Chizome cut her off gently. "I didn't say there is anything wrong with making a living, Himiko. And little Ochako wanted to make money to help her parents. She still wanted to be a hero for the right reason, even if it was a smaller scale. I'm talking about those who solely cared about money or fame, not an ounce of care for protecting people."
Himiko still couldn't reconcile his words with what he was saying. It didn't make sense, he'd always been on her side about being a hero, but here he was saying the system was wrong to begin with yet he let her do it. "Then why have me try to become one?! It doesn't make sense, Dad! You're saying the system is wrong yet telling me to be part of it?"
He sighed again, reaching out with his left hand and gesturing to his bed. With a grunt of exertion, he leveraged his remaining arm against the bed and spun himself so he was sitting sideways, leaving room for Himiko to sit next to him. Quietly, she accepted, sitting down next to her father and looking at him, waiting for an answer.
"I think the smartest people are those who recognize their own flaws, and I know some of mine. One of them is I know I tend to see things in a much more black and white fashion than many others. I find the shades of gray that people will accept disgusting…or well, I did. Then you came along."
Himiko's eyes went wide as she stared at him, his gaze distant as he looked upwards, as if towards the sky. "When I found you, you were half-starved and maybe days away from a psychotic break. I doubt you remember very clearly, you were pretty much like a feral cat at that time. But it made me realize something I think I had refused to accept before…which was how much I was focusing on 'right' and 'wrong', without even understanding what those words really meant."
Himiko thought about what he was saying. She didn't like to think about the time before him, because he wasn't wrong…she really didn't remember it all that well. She'd been on her own for half a year by the time he found her, her parents having kicked her out after one too many times she'd drank blood (at least in their eyes). A young child, out on her own without any support…she remembered how many people called it a miracle she had survived. To her, it was just a blur of fear and pain and hurt, something she tried very hard not to think about. She'd much rather remember her father and Ochako, and nothing from before them.
Her contemplations were cut off by Chizome continuing. "I knew I had to change things up if I were to take you in. And it was Ochako who made me see it. There was a time I would have hated her for wanting to make money, but I saw how happy she made you. And how much you loved her dream, the dream of making people smile. So I knew you needed that dream, and maybe…maybe I was being too strict."
He paused for a moment, his fist clenching on the bedsheet as he spoke, his voice dropping to an angrier tone. "I don't trust the Commission, Himiko. I've seen some of the things they've done behind the scenes, the ways they justify their 'order'. That will never change. But I do trust UA, and its staff. I trust that not all heroes are tools of the Commission. But most of all, I trust you, and I know if you become a hero you'll be a shining example of what being a hero should truly be about."
He turned to look at her and gave her a half smile as he spoke, his tone lighter. "I guess it's true what they say about being a parent…you just want your child to have a better life than you did, and to not make the same mistakes. At the end of the day, that's what I want for you. For you to be better than me, and to be happy. That's all."
Himiko looked down for a moment, contemplating what he said. "...what will you do now?"
Chizome sighed. "Well…I don't entirely know. I don't think it'll be safe to continue what I'm doing, especially not now that the Detective is watching. Plus it'll be a while before I'm back in fighting shape, considering the whole arm thing," he shrugged his shoulder as he spoke, glancing over at it ruefully.
"So…what's the plan then?"
He shrugged. "My talents are pretty much exclusively in fighting. I'll have to see what I can do going forward."
Himiko tilted her head to the side. "Maybe…you could train people? You know, in how to fight and stuff."
He turned and smiled at her. "Maybe I should. But enough about me…tell me about school! I believe you have some new…friends, right?"
Himiko flushed slightly. She'd mentioned her relationship to her father, but hadn't gone into any detail…but she had a feeling he was going to push, so she decided she'd indulge in her favorite pastime…gushing about the ones she loved. "Well, you know Ochako, and there's also Izuku, and-"
Izuku and Ochako were cuddling in her room, the brunette laying her head on his chest with eyes closed as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling. Himiko had yet to get back to them, and both of them were getting more and more worried as time went on, but they were trying to avoid saying anything. The door opening had them both glancing up, relief flooding their system as Himiko came in, her body language exhausted.
Before either of them could get up, the blonde threw herself atop them, the pair barely catching her in time. Izuku muffled his grunt of pain as he elbow hit him in the side, not wanting her to feel bad and knowing she just needed their presence. Burying her head in Ochako's shoulder, laying half atop Izuku and tangled with Ochako, the blonde mumbled into her girlfriend's neck. "Dad's gonna live, but he lost his arm, and he's a vigilante and saved Ingenium but Ingenium might not walk again and I didn't get to see Ida again but I think he's not doing okay and I don't know what to do about Dad being a vigilante and can I just not think anymore please?" Himiko's voice got more and more frantic as she spoke, her last few words blurred together by the time she finally took a breath.
Ochako shared a look with Izuku over the blonde's limp form. She placed one hand down in the center of Himiko's back, rubbing it gently as Izuku softly kissed her on the top of her head. "Is there anything we can do, Himi?" Ochako asked quietly.
Himiko shook her head a little, but did not respond any further than that. Izuku ran his hand down the blonde's arm, gently entwining their fingers together when he reached her hand. He felt her squeeze his hand tightly, almost bruisingly, but he didn't flinch, letting her vent however she felt she needed to. He had to fight not to react to the quiet sobbing he could now hear, seeing the shoulders of Himiko begin to shake as she lay atop the two of them. Ochako's hand slid up the other girl's back to tangle with her blonde locks, gently sweeping through her hair.
The trio lay there, allowing Himiko to just vent how she felt silently, with no judgment, no words, nothing but their presence and affection and love for her pouring through every action, every gently nudge and soft touch to make sure she knew that no matter what, they were there for her, to let her just be.
After an indeterminate amount of time, where Himiko's sobs had finally quieted and her breaths had evened out to indicate she was falling asleep, Izuku chose to very very gently transfer Himiko over to Ochako, getting up out of the bed and waiting. With a soft smile, Ochako placed her hand down on Himiko's back fully, removing her gravity and then her own, the two of them floating up as Izuku pulled the blankets down. He puttered around the room, preparing the trio for bed, when there came a knock on the door. He paused, glancing back at his floating girlfriends. Ochako shrugged, letting the two of them float back down as he went to answer the door, opening it to see Ida standing there.
"Ah. I see Himiko made it back safely, that is good," he began, his spine stiff as he spoke, glancing behind Izuku to see the two girls curled up together. "Well, I merely wanted to verify her safety, and to inform you Miss Eri is with Bakugo right now, so you do not have to concern yourself. I shall head to-"
"Ida," Izuku gently interrupted the taller boy, the bluenette finally meeting his gaze as Izuku spoke. "Are you alright?"
"I am fine, Midoriya, there is no reason to worry, my brother is strong and we will get through this," he insisted.
Izuku narrowed his eyes at him. He paused, glancing back at Ochako, seeing his girlfriend give him a gentle shooing motion as she wrapped her arms around Himiko once more, the blonde curling into her side. Internally, Izuku sighed, but he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind himself, grabbing Ida by the arm.
"Midoriya?" Ida asked, blinking in confusion.
"Ida, today has been a rollercoaster. The past three weeks here have been emotionally draining for all of us I feel. And I don't have as much patience as I normally do. So allow me to put it this way…You're not okay, and that is okay. It's okay to not be okay. But you cannot bottle it up like this, it's unhealthy."
Ida stared at him, working his jaw as if he wanted to protest, but Izuku could see he was having trouble figuring out how to make Izuku let it go. But the greenette wasn't about to let the other boy push him away, not right now. "Follow me."
"Midoriya, this is really unnecessary-"
"Did you or did you not vote for me as Class Representative because you believed in my ability to lead? Then believe in my ability now, and follow me."
Ida struggled for a moment, before following the greenette down the stairs to the common room. Izuku pointed imperiously to a seat around the kitchen table, the area empty as most of the class had either gone to bed or left to visit their family for the weekend. Ida took the seat begrudgingly, Izuku turning away from him to rummage in the cabinets.
"Izuku," came a voice from behind, making him jump and smack his head off the cabinet door. Hissing in pain, he turned about to see Shoto standing behind him, expression blank.
"Don't do that!" Izuku ordered, still wincing in pain as he rubbed at his head.
"Do what?"
"Sneak up on me like that!"
Shoto tilted his head to the side. "I called your name to let you know I was here."
Izuku opened his mouth to argue, but closed it as he realized he was fighting a losing battle. Glancing over to see Ida staring at him, waiting for him to do whatever he was doing, he decided to resolve Shoto's issue as soon as possible. "Okay…did you need something?"
"...Toya's number?" Shoto asked, his voice going quiet as he spoke.
Izuku's eyes widened. "Shit! Of course, of course. One moment, I need to call Tenko-"
"It seems like you are busy, Midoriya. We can reconvene later-"Ida began, but Izuku glared at him.
"Oh no you don't. You are sitting there and you are going to relax! Shoto, sit down and make sure that one doesn't move," Izuku cut Ida off, pointing imperiously at him. The bluenette glared back, but Shoto did as asked, sitting down next to Ida and looking up at Izuku patiently. "I am making hot chocolate, and none of that powder crap, real chocolate. Would you like some Shoto?"
"I don't believe I've ever had it, but I am willing to try," he replied.
"You…haven't had hot chocolate, or haven't had it made from real chocolate?" Ida asked, blinking in confusion.
"I have not had it, no. I mostly drink water or tea."
"Oh. I see. Well, it is very sweet, but enjoyable nonetheless."
"I do not like many sweet things, but I am willing to try it."
Izuku listened to them as he moved around in the kitchen, glad they were talking for a multitude of reasons…one, Shoto appeared to be distracting Ida, which he needed. Two, Shoto needed more friends, and it seemed like he and Ida would get along, at least at this time. While it hadn't been his initial intention, he could kill two birds with one stone right now.
"Why is Izuku forcing you to stay here?" Shoto asked Ida, the greenette internally wincing but choosing not to reply as he finished his preparations and began heating up the stove.
"...I suppose you may not have heard. My brother was attacked by the Hero Killer. He is alive, but…it is unlikely he will walk again."
Shoto paused for a moment. "Your brother is Ingenium, yes?"
"...he was," Ida muttered.
"I have heard of him. He is a very good hero. My older brother is a hero as well."
"He is?"
Shoto nodded. "His hero name is Pyre. I'm hoping I can get to speak to him soon."
"What do you mean?" Ida asked, confused.
"I have not seen him since I was five. Izuku has his number-"
"I have the number for Chronos, who has Pyre's number," Izuku corrected, mixing the chocolate in as he spoke.
"-And told me he would give it to me after the tournament. That is why I am waiting. I didn't mean to interrupt your talk," Shoto continued as if Izuku hadn't said a word.
Ida didn't speak for a long moment, his hands clasped on the table as he stared down at them. His shoulders slumped, his entire posture going limp as he opened his mouth and said quietly "It's alright. I'm not entirely sure what I can even say right now."
"You can start by telling me what you think of my hot chocolate recipe," Izuku said, sliding a mug in front of him, another one being slid before Shoto. They stared at the mugs for a moment, before Izuku gestured towards them with emphasis, awaiting their answer.
Shoto picked his up and took a big sip, his inherent heat resistance making him ignore the burn. Ida was more cautious, gently blowing on it as he sipped as well. Shoto hummed.
"That is quite good. Is this how it always is?" he asked.
Ida shook his head, looking down at his mug contemplatively. "No, I think Midoriya did something special? It tastes a little different than I'm used to."
"Spices. Spices make everything better," Izuku replied with a grin. Slipping into a chair across from Ida, he lifted his own mug and sipped at it. "Now…I've texted Tenko to see when he's available for a quick chat, Shoto. He said he'll get back to me shortly, so we can ask him then."
Shoto nodded. "Very well. Should I leave you two alone then?"
Izuku looked at Ida, the bluenette looking down into his mug once more, before speaking. "You can stay, if you want."
Shoto just nodded, sipping at his drink once more as silence fell over the trio. Izuku set his mug down, folding his hands in front of him as he looked across the table at Ida. "So…wanna talk about it?"
"Not particularly. But you seem insistent on making me talk."
"Because I think you do, but you think that I'm going to judge you for what you say."
"And why would you think that?"
Izuku leaned back in his chair. "Because, I think you want to kick the shit out of the Hero Killer, if not kill him, for daring to hurt your brother. And you have all that anger and pain just roiling in you and no clue what to do with it, so you're just closing it off in its own little room and letting it build and build and build while pretending you're okay."
Ida's gaze lifted from the mug, his eyes meeting Izuku's with a strange fusion of rage, despair, and annoyance at Izuku's words. Izuku didn't break his gaze, simply taking a sip from his drink. He set it down once more, keeping his gaze locked to Ida's. "At least, that's how I'd feel. I did try to kill Nine after all. So you know, I get it. I know what it's like to be drowning in resentment…at someone who took from you, at a world that doesn't seem to care, at the idea of having so much power and yet none of it doing anything to help. But maybe I'm wrong. You tell me."
"...what do you want from me, Midoriya?" Ida asked quietly, breaking his staredown with Izuku.
"I want you to hear what I'm saying! Because I'm your friend, Ida, and I'm worried about you. So please…talk to me." Izuku reached out across the table, placing his hand over Ida's free one that lay upon the table.
Silence fell over the room once more. Izuku could see Ida struggling internally, fighting with his pride and belief in how he should comport himself…but when he took Izuku's hand and squeezed it, Izuku let a tiny smile filter across his face.
"...I don't even know how I feel right now. I just know I hate it," Ida whispered, looking down into his empty mug.
"And that's okay," Izuku reassured him.
"I know a hero shouldn't want to hurt someone, but that's all I can think of right now. Stopping the Hero Killer. I want to kill it. And I know that's wrong! But all I can think about is Tensei and, and…you didn't see him! He's in a bed, and all these wires on him, and he…he asked me to be Ingenium! I'm not ready for that, I can't be that, that name wasn't supposed to be mine! I just…I just want everything to go back. I…I…" tears slowly slid their way down the bluenette's face, one by one dripping down to splash against the countertop. His shoulders shook silently as he tried to compose himself, but he just couldn't seem to stop.
"It's a lot of pressure, isn't it? Being from a hero family, that is," Shoto mused quietly, making the other two boys look over at him. He wasn't looking at them, rather down into his own mug not unlike Ida had been a moment before.
"...yeah," Ida muttered.
"I still hate Nine, Ida. It's okay to feel that way. It makes us human," Izuku said softly.
"Yes well, being human sucks," he replied, wiping at his eyes with his free hand.
Izuku let out a sad chuckle. "You're not wrong."
"I think you are. Wrong, that is. If we weren't human, would we have met the others? Or one another? I think my life has improved by coming here. Don't you?" Shoto asked the other two boys.
Izuku tilted his head to the side in acknowledgement of his point. "Alright, that's true. I'm not unhappy I'm here."
"I'm…I'm happy I'm here too. I just don't know how to deal with this, all these feelings," Ida choked out.
"You don't have to, not right now. Just know we're here for you, that's all. I'm your friend, Ida, and the rest of the class is too. Let us help shoulder your burdens, as you would do for us. We're a team, right?"
Ida swiped at his eyes once more, a sad smile crossing his face. "...alright. I…I will try. Thank you, Midoriya, Todoroki."
"Call me Shoto. I don't like my last name much," Shoto said.
"You can call me Izuku too. I'm fine with mine, but I think friends should be less formal if I'm being honest."
"...you may call me Tenya. Thank you, again. I think I need to lay down though."
Izuku released Tenya's hand, giving one final squeeze. "Alright. If you need anything…you know where I am."
"Yes, with your girlfriends in Uraraka's room," Shoto said. Izuku flushed slightly, but did not disagree, with Tenya just shaking his head.
"Goodnight," the bluenette said quietly, getting up and leaving.
"Goodnight!" Izuku called out, watching Tenya head towards the stairs. As he disappeared from view, Izuku turned back to Shoto and pulled out his phone. "Let's see if Tenko's available." Shoto nodded at him, and Izuku checked his messages, seeing a reply from Tenko informing him he'd be free for the next couple hours. So Izuku hit the call button.
"Izuku! Grats on the win! Pretty damned badass ending there, and getting the tie with that gravity girl! You guys are impressive!" Tenko's voice came across the line.
Izuku smiled. "Yeah, Ochako is amazing. I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out."
"Ochako, huh? She's amazing?" Tenko remarked, the tone of his voice making Izuku flush slightly as he realized he'd never actually told Tenko about Himiko and Ochako.
"...yeah, uh…she's one of my girlfriends, so um, it was really cool to share it with her…but we didn't throw the match or anything, we both tried our hardest!"
"Relax, I wouldn't have expected anything less from you," Tenko said with a laugh. "Though uh…one of?"
"Himiko. We're uh…poly, you know?"
"Ah, I see. Well, not to rush anything, but any reason you called? You seemed to be pretty insistent."
"Uh…yeah. Um…can I have Toya's number?"
The line was silent for a moment, before Tenko's hesitant voice came over the line. "Can I ask why?"
Izuku glanced over the table at Shoto, the other boy watching him carefully. He took a deep breath. "Shoto wants to talk to him."
The line suddenly was filled with static and noise, a loud crashing sounding as Toya's voice unexpectedly came over the phone. "What?" the older hero asked, breathlessly.
"Ah. You're there. Um…Okay. Shoto's here, with me. He wants to talk to you? We uh, talked before our match, and he uh, told me…stuff."
The line was silent once more. He could hear Toya talking quietly in the background with Tenko and another voice he assumed was Keigo. After a moment, Toya came back on the line. "Um…can…can you ask Shoto something for me first?"
Izuku glanced over at Shoto, the other boy still keeping an eye on him, unmoving. "Depends on what it is."
"...can we speak face to face? You're at UA right?"
"We are. I'll ask," Izuku replied calmly. He muted the phone and set it down as he looked at Shoto. "He wants to know if you two can speak face to face."
Shoto blinked rapidly. "Right now?"
Izuku nodded. "I think so, yeah. I…think I know how he intends on getting here. It would be pretty fast."
"...okay," Shoto whispered, his gaze dropping back to the table.
"Are you sure? You can just speak on the phone if you prefer," Izuku offered.
Shoto slowly shook his head side to side. "...I'm sure."
"Alright." Izuku took a deep breath. He lifted the phone and unmuted it. "He says okay. We're in the 1-A dorms, you know where those are?"
"Yeah. We'll uh…we'll call Nezu? Ten, can you call Kurose? She knows his number, right?"
"Hold on, I'll text him," Izuku replied.
"...you have Nezu's number?" Tenko asked over the line, horror creeping into his voice.
"Yeah! I'm taking extra classes with him for my analysis!" Izuku said proudly. Unbeknownst to him, a shiver ran down the spine of the three heroes on the other side of the line.
"...okay, yeah. Sure, Izuku. Uh…let him know we're coming so we don't get shot out of the sky, eh?"
Izuku's phone pinged with a message, the greenette glancing down and seeing a message from Nezu with an image of the animal principle giving a thumbs up with a smile. Izuku shrugged. "Seems he knows and is expecting you."
"Alright. Keigo, ETA?"
"Eh, carrying both of you? Ten minutes, max," Keigo's voice came across the line.
"Alright. Be there soon," Tenko replied.
"Okay. See you soon." Izuku ended the call, glancing back to see Shoto still watching him carefully. "They said about ten minutes max."
"Alright," Shoto said. He got up, placing his mug in the sink and rinsing it out, Izuku mirroring him. After a moment, Shoto walked into the common room and sat down on the couch, folding his hands in his lap as he waited.
Izuku stood in the doorway, unsure how welcome he was. He cleared his throat. "Do you want me to be here, or to leave?"
"...will you wait with me? I'll…decide if I want to speak to Toya alone after he is here," Shoto said quietly. Izuku could see his shoulders shaking slightly, and nodded. He crossed the room, taking a seat next to the split-haired boy and letting silence take over the room.
It was five minutes later that a knock sounded from the dorm door, leading Izuku to get to his feet as he glanced back at Shoto. The other boy bit his lip, but nodded, standing up but otherwise not moving from where he was. Izuku crossed the room, taking a deep breath, before opening the door.