The aftermath of the Battle of Hosu. Izuku has a call to make. The students must deal with the repercussions of the evening. Katsuki and Izuku have a vow to take. And the end of internships.
Well. It begins. We're firmly entering the next arc of this story, now that Hosu has ended! I hope you all enjoy!
Izuku wasn't sure how long he just…floated there. When the explosion faded, his barrier went with it, slowly flaking away outside of his control it felt. Not that he felt in control. He didn't feel much at all. A green disc appeared beneath his feet, expanding outward, Float fading away from him as he fell backwards into a seated position. He just…sat there, in the air, staring at the spot where Tsubasa's Nomu-ified body had been. Nothing remained of it, not a single fragment he could see.
The rain was falling softer now. Less force behind it, less winds, the lightning had faded into the distance, thunder rumbling far away. His hair was plastered to his face, his hero costume soaked and sticking to his body. Water was in his boots, in his gloves, covering all of his body, slowly rolling off the disc beneath him. Even with the sound of the rain, he heard the sound of wings beating behind him.
"Hey, fledgling…what's happening?" Izuku heard the voice of Keigo behind him. He didn't reply…he couldn't. He just kept staring at the spot where the boy he knew once was, one knee pulled to his chest, elbow resting upon his knee. He heard Keigo take a deep breath. "Mind if I sit?" Izuku didn't respond, but Keigo watched the disc grow larger, enough room for him to take his own seat.
Keigo turned to look at Izuku, pulling the visor of his hero costume off. He blinked a couple times to clear the water from his eyes. With a thought, his wing extended up and above the two of them, blocking some of the rain from hitting them. "Your friends down below, they told me that it was the winged Nomu who just made the explosion, right?"
"...Tsubasa. It was Tsubasa," Izuku whispered.
"Someone you know?"
"Knew…"
Keigo wasn't one of the best heroes in the country for nothing, and it wasn't hard to piece together what Izuku was saying combined with what the brunette down below had told him in hushed tones. "The young lady down there said he was a friend of yours?"
"Kacchan's only real friend, growing up, besides me," Izuku murmured.
"And he was the Nomu?" Izuku just nodded in response. "How can you be sure?"
"...he was in there. Still. He signed to me. We learned sign language together because we thought Kacchan would lose his hearing thanks to his Quirk. And I saw the Quirk. I knew that Quirk. But he was in there. In pain." Izuku fell silent after saying that, the two of them sitting in peace under the gently falling raindrops for a few moments.
"Why did you stay up here, once you had him up here? It was dangerous to be around the bomb," Keigo asked.
Izuku was silent for a long moment. "...because he would have been alone," he whispered.
Keigo hummed. Speaking softly, he asked "Did he tell you anything about what happened to him?"
This question gave Izuku pause. He hadn't really processed much of what Tsubasa had signed to him, not really. Dissociation was his goto solution for trauma, generally. But he thought back over the conversation (what little it had been), when it hit him…and his body blazed with green energy.
Keigo's eyes went wide, the winged hero nearly leaping off the disc as the green lightning sparked off his skin, rivulets of power flowing from his hands and pooling beneath the green-haired boy. His fists clenched, jaw tight, his entire body shaking as it hit him what Tsubasa had said.
"Kid? Izuku, what is it? Talk to me," Keigo cajoled, trying to calm the greenette down as he saw the boy starting to spiral into anger.
"...His grandfather. He said…said it was…his grandfather. His GRANDFATHER!" Izuku screamed, his voice echoing into the storm, arcs of energy leaping off him. Keigo barely managed to dodge them, finding the disc vanishing beneath the two of them and having to spread his wings to keep himself in the air. Izuku was back to floating, his hands clenching and unclenching as if he wanted to wring the person's neck himself.
"Kid-" Keigo began, but as soon as it happened the energy vanished once more, Izuku's entire body just…limp. His arms were lifted up to his face, palms pressed into his eyes as if he could simply press the images out of his memories, as if not looking would make it less real. Keigo took a risk, flying closer to the boy, one of his feathers flying out and gently stroking against his hands. "Kid, relax your hands please, you're going to hurt yourself," he asked gently.
Izuku sobbed once, his arms dropping and falling limply to his sides. His body wavered in the air as his concentration began to falter, dropping a good meter before he caught himself even as Keigo jolted forward. Looking down, seeing how high they were, Keigo decided to try to get the boy down. "Lets go talk about this on the ground, okay? Your friends are worried, and so is your teacher."
"Sensei?" Izuku managed to ask, his voice choked.
Keigo nodded, even though the boy had yet to look over at him. "He just got there, along with Miruko. Toya and Ten are almost there too. And I hear Sir Nighteye is asking about you. Why don't we go down and talk?"
"...I have to tell Kacchan," Izuku whispered.
"We can handle-"
"No!" He cut the hero off. "I…I have to, Keigo. I have to. It's…I owe him. He's my brother, I have to be the one to tell him."
Keigo bit his lip. He knew Aizawa planned on reading them the riot act the moment he landed, and he knew they had to get a handle on everything that happened…much less dealing with the fact a literal bomb went off over the city and getting that explained before the boy got in further trouble. But he didn't think the boy would budge on this. And maybe if he explained it quickly enough, they'd allow it. But…goddamn, whoever this Kacchan was, he doubted he'd take it much better than Izuku was. He needed to warn his mentor first.
"Alright. Let's get down, let me talk to Eraser and to…Kacchan's mentor?"
"Best Jeanist," Izuku muttered.
Keigo nodded. "Jeanist, I'll let him know, and then you can tell him, okay?"
"...Okay," Izuku whispered. He began to drop down lower, still limp and unmoving, but Keigo stopped him.
"Let me take you down, okay? You can relax. I got you," he offered softly. The greenette seemed to not be in much of a state to disagree, so he just…let go once Keigo had a grip on him, the hero letting the two of them drop from the sky swiftly, wanting them both down below as quickly as possible. He saw Tokoyami down below as well, the young bird-headed student watching with wide eyes from where he'd left him.
As soon as they touched down and he saw Aizawa open his mouth, he stepped forward and beckoned him over. Aizawa stared at him for a moment, before nodding, walking closer. Keigo released Izuku in time for his girlfriends to nearly knock him over, only to pull back in worry at how little Izuku was responding. Keigo smiled at them and the other now very worried teens. "He's just a little bit shaken up, okay? Give him some space."
"Hawks?" Aizawa asked with a growl, Miruko not far behind as she looked at him with her arms crossed over her chest. He could see Toya and Tenko coming up as well, the others looking to hear what he had to say.
"...the kid knew the Nomu, before he got turned into that…thing," he muttered quietly, but loud enough the heroes all heard, and winced collectively.
"The fuck?" Miruko spat.
Keigo nodded. "Childhood friend of his and his brother? Kacchan?"
"Katsuki Bakugo, his adopted brother," Aizawa replied.
"Yeah. Apparently the Nomu was signing to him or something, he communicated with it. It was someone named Tsubasa. And…" Keigo took a deep breath, not happy to be giving his news any more than Izuku had been to speak it. "Apparently…it was his grandfather who did it to him."
"The fuck?!" Miruko's exclamation was so loud the gathered teens all turned to look (save Izuku), but she waved them off as she stepped closer to him, reaching out to grab onto his arm tightly. "You sure?"
"The kid seemed sure, but he needs help before he's gonna be in any position to say shit. He's not…okay."
"...Fucking hell," Toya swore.
"And the explosion?" Aizawa asked.
Keigo shrugged his shoulders. "Brunette over there said the Nomu had a bomb in its chest, it told Izuku and so he took it up to keep it from hitting anyone."
"...goddammit Problem Child," Aizawa swore, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We'll need Tsukauchi to verify everything. Shit."
"One thing…um…I had to promise him something to get him to come down."
Aizawa narrowed his eyes at the younger hero. "And that was?"
"...he said he had to tell his brother? Like…now?"
"That's a horrible idea. An absolutely irrational, stupid, illogical idea. Bakugo will absolutely lose it if we tell him," Aizawa growled back at the winged hero.
Keigo held up his hands placatingly. "I know, I know! But he wasn't coming down if I didn't agree. I got him to at least agree to let me give Jeanist the heads up first, that's something right?"
"Ugh…fine. Go…do that. I'll contact Tsukauchi. We need to get them checked out at the hospital, and deal with all…this. Too much public Quirk use, I have no idea how we're protecting them," Aizawa sighed.
"Self-defense for the Hero Killer, and the Nomu they didn't fight, just took it away so it wouldn't hurt anyone. If we all agree on that, that should handle it," Miruko said. As the four men turned to look at her, she arched an eyebrow. "What? Why have the fucking hero ranks we do if we don't use them when it's right? The commission's rules are bullshit and we all know it."
"Teaching them to ignore the law is a terrible lesson-" Aizawa started, but she cut him off with a raised hand.
"It's not. Self-defense is legal, and since the Nomu are all classed as weapons anyways, it's not Quirk use against a person. And the Hero Killer apparently wasn't human either. Get Tsukauchi's confirmation, but if it matches what the kids told us already, then they'll be fine, especially with the backing of me and birdbrain over there."
"I mean…she's not wrong, people listen to us," Keigo shrugged.
"Eraser…I think this is for the best. If they are telling the truth, none of them went looking for the Hero Killer, Ida was just trying to help a hero he saw in danger. If anything, that's my fault for telling him to do rescue," Tenko added softly.
"Midoriya knew Ida was in grave danger when he went to him," Aizawa muttered, but sighed. "But he wouldn't have known what kind of danger…goddammit. Alright. If Tsukauchi backs them, then we have a plausible defense."
"If that's settled…let me call Jeanist, before the kid ignores me and just calls Bakugo," Keigo muttered, all eyes turning back to see that Izuku had yet to move from his slumped position, even with everyone around him trying to get him to interact. He wasn't even really replying to his girlfriends, and that was about the biggest red flag Aizawa had seen with the boy yet. He nodded to the winged hero, Keigo stepped aside for a moment and pulled up his phone, using his wing to keep the rain away.
"Hmm?" Tsunagu reached into his pocket as his phone buzzed. He turned to look at Bakugo, the student staring at the television before him, watching the news about Hosu with an unnerving intensity. "Hawks? To what do I owe this call?"
"...Jeanist…we have a situation here, with your intern," Keigo began quietly.
He glanced over at the blonde once more, turning his attention back to his phone. "This have something to do with what's going on in Hosu?"
"Yeah. It's…it's bad. Is he there?"
"Yes."
"Step away for a minute, don't want to chance him overhearing."
"Alright," he said. He looked over at his intern. "I'll be right back, have to take this call." He didn't get a verbal reply, just a nod as the blonde kept watching the news scrolling across the screen, one hand clenching his own phone and looking down at it periodically as if he expected a call or text. Tsunagu stepped into the next room, closing the door most of the way but leaving a crack open so he could keep an eye on Bakugo. "Alright, I'm alone. Explain."
He almost wished Hawks hadn't. He felt sick to his stomach at the thought of a child being turned into one of those monsters, by his own grandfather no less, and then the idea of another teenager having to not only fly him into the sky to explode, but also knowing who he was when it happened. This was the sort of thing the League was doing, the lengths they were willing to go to for their goals? He was utterly disgusted…but he set that aside. He'd seen many things in his years as a pro, and he could handle this. Now to somehow handle the incoming breakdown he already could imagine was going to occur.
"Jeanist? Tsunagu? You still there?" Keigo asked.
He sighed. "Yes. I am. I'm just trying to determine how to deal with this."
"...I hope you come up with a plan soon, cause Izuku isn't gonna wait apparently," Keigo muttered, a small commotion coming across the line.
Tsunagu sighed. "I'll handle it. You get those kids some help…they will need it."
"Eraser's on it."
"Good. Then I know it'll get done. Thanks for the warning Hawks."
"Yup. Good luck." The call cut off with that final line, and Tsunagu took a deep breath before stepping out into the other room, just in time for Bakugo's phone to ring and the blonde grab at it quickly.
Tsunagu watched him, not interfering with the conversation that occurred, only waiting to see what Bakugo's reaction would be. It was like watching the five stages of grief play out in front of him. The first, the denial from the moment the other boy's choked words made it across the call. Then the anger, the one Jeanist expected him to stop on, but apparently not…because it instantly went into bargaining, pleading desperately with the other boy for anything to say it was wrong, any proof it wasn't true…and then right into depression.
Even as the call cut out, that was where Tsunagu had to witness the boy stop. Bakugo's phone fell out of nerveless hands, the boy shaking so much he feared he'd hurt himself in a moment before he just…collapsed. Tsunagu jolted forward to try to catch him, but Bakugo fell back into a chair and just…sat. Unmoving, unseeing, just…not there. It was the most blank he'd seen the boy yet, and from what little he knew of the young man, this was not normal for him to disassociate so hard.
He cautiously took a few steps around to arrive in front of the blonde, making sure he was in his line of sight before he knelt before him. He reached one hand out and slowly moved it towards the blonde, but stopped when he saw the minute flinch. He retracted his hand.
"Bakugo? Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.
The blonde teen was silent, still, for what felt like forever, but Tsunagu knew better than to interrupt his thought process or whatever he was doing. He simply waited patiently, kneeling there, seeing if the boy would be able to communicate yet, and his patience was rewarded after a minute or two, as the young man before him just shook his head slowly.
"Alright. What would you like me to do right now?"
"...I…I don't…I don't know," he whispered back, his head falling forward onto his chest. "It…it's fucked up."
"I know. Hawks told me. I'm so sorry to hear that that happened," he tried to reassure the boy before him.
"He left…just…he left us. How long…how long has he been like that? How long, how much was he just…fucked up? What, how…" Bakugo's sentences were broken, scattered, like the thoughts were simply ephemeral shadows vanishing into the light.
"I'm afraid none of us have the answer to those questions, but if I know anything, I know that everyone will do their best to find the one responsible."
At that Bakugo's head snapped up to stare directly into Tsunagu's eyes, the red orbs practically manic. "That fucking doctor!" Bakugo roared, leaping to his feet and kicking the chair he was on, sending it careening into the wall where it shattered into pieces. "I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL HIM!" he screamed, his hands alighting with his Quirk, smoke and steam hissing off him as the sparks popped in his hands.
Tsunagu didn't move. He knew better than to interrupt the boy as he began to pace, hands clenched, shoulders tensed, periodically letting off sparks from his palms as he strode around the room. His tirade became nothing more than muttered growls, as if he could no longer speak coherently, instead just a series of sounds that were mimicking human speech.
The pacing continued for a good five minutes, Tsunagu refusing to move or interfere even as the blonde boy broke another chair when he accidently stumbled into it and in his rage just threw his Quirk at it, the explosion rocking the agency and sending three of his sidekicks rushing inside, but stopping when Tsunagu held up his hand and shooed them out of the room. After that, he just watched, as the young man slowly began to come down, the sheer rage and despair suffusing his form draining away, leaving him exhausted and swaying on his feet.
He moved when he saw the tears begin to fall, saw Bakugo press the heels of his hands into his eyes as he started to curl in on himself, shoulders hunched as he began to sob silently. He took a few steps to reach the boy, seating himself next to him and simply waiting, offering whatever he could to the blonde. He'd noticed before the blonde seemed averse to touch, so he didn't reach out again…he just sat there, to be present, to let him know he wasn't alone.
The only sound in the room was the almost silent noise of the blonde teenagers sobs, slowly vanishing into nothingness as it seemed like all that energy vanished from him once more. Tsunagu wasn't sure how long they sat there, silent and unmoving, but eventually he heard the blonde boy speak.
"...sorry," Bakugo muttered.
"Don't worry about it," Tsunagu replied.
"...what am I supposed to do?" Bakugo asked, so quietly Tsunagu wasn't sure if he even intended on him hearing it, but he chose to respond to it anyway.
"There is no guide for such a situation, Bakugo. You can only handle it the best way you can."
"The way I want to handle it is to find that fucking…monster, and make him eat every explosion I can fucking produce."
"I can understand that."
Bakugo whipped his head around to stare at the pro hero, eyes wide. "Y-you can?"
He nodded. "Of course. Do you think we pro's are immune to wanting revenge, or to want to make someone suffer for the atrocities they have committed? It's something we all feel at some point in our career."
Bakugo turned to look at his hands, holding them up and staring into the tiny sparks that appeared. "How do you…not? How do you deal?!"
Tsunagu thought for a moment, taking in a deep breath before speaking. "It is a struggle every time, Bakugo. I have always believed there is almost no one beyond saving, almost no one beyond help. But…you probably noticed I said 'almost'. There are some people who have chosen to go so far down a path I simply cannot accept and they refuse to ever leave it. The world would be better off without such people, of that I firmly believe."
"...but?"
"But, I also don't believe I can or should make that decision. I am no judge, nor a jury, nor an executioner. I am a hero, and our first and most important duty is to save lives. So I have to set aside my anger, my rage, my hate, and channel it towards my duty to protect. We are not heroes because we don't feel those things, Bakugo…we are heroes because we do, and choose not to allow them to control us."
"...I don't…I don't know if I can," the teenager choked out.
"That's okay. That's why you're in training, to learn how. Bakugo…it's okay to be unsure, to be upset, to be hurt right now. It's alright," he said calmly. "Be patient with yourself right now. Alright?"
Bakugo nodded. "...yeah. Okay."
"Would you like something to drink?" Tsunagu asked.
"...yeah. I just…just…I don't want…" Tsunagu waited patiently, wanting to see what it was that was holding the blonde boy back. Eventually, Bakugo just whispered "Please don't leave."
"I won't," he reassured the blonde. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to one of his sidekicks, asking him to pick up a few bottles of water and something easy to snack on for the two of them, and then to stay clear for a while. He'd sit with Bakugo, as long as was needed, until the boy could process what he was going through.
Everything had become a blur after Izuku got off the phone call. The teens had been bundled into an ambulance and taken to the hospital to be checked over. They'd been separately questioned by the detective, but Izuku barely remembered any of it. He couldn't remember much of anything right now, couldn't think of anything but the last moments of Tsubasa's life…or what was left of it. He was in a daze that he couldn't seem to escape from. Even the Vestiges were muted in his mind…he heard them, but couldn't tell what they were saying.
At some point, he found himself in a very full hospital room, sitting on a bed with a single IV in his arm. Himiko and Ochako were there with him…Himiko curled into his side, Ochako sprawled over his legs. Tenya was on the bed to the right, one arm and shoulder covered in bandages. Shoto was on a small couch in the corner, his shoulders hunched as he sat next to his older brother, Keigo on the other side of him. Tenko was on the other side of the winged hero, his phone out and the tapping on it implying he was playing a game of some sort.
Miruko was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest as she kept an eye on the teens before her. Tokoyami was in the corner, his hero costume cloak wrapped about him as Dark Shadow peered over his shoulder with piercing, yellow eyes. Momo was in a chair placed between Izuku and Tenya, looking at them both with worried eyes. Aizawa was in the hallway, speaking to the detective and a doctor quietly, visible through the half-open door. A commotion in the hallway had them look up, to see Mirio escorting Nighteye to the room. He spoke to Aizawa for a few minutes, before the two pro heroes stepped inside, the detective continuing to speak to the doctor.
"So, what's the verdict?" Miruko asked, lifting herself off the wall to look at the two entering.
"Tsukauchi has confirmed their stories, and evidence supports it. So they will not be arrested or jailed," Aizawa replied, a wave of relief washing through the room…although he didn't fail to notice that Izuku didn't seem to react at all, the green-haired boy just staring down at his hands, limply laying open in his lap.
Nighteye pushed his glasses up with one finger. "However, there is one issue…the media found out. And the story is everywhere, about how a group of students stopped the Hero Killer, and how a student saved the city from a bomb. It's a frenzy, now."
"It's a good thing they did though," Keigo pointed out.
"Morally, yes. And legally they are cleared…but now everyone's clambering for interviews with the 'heroes' who saved the city. They'll be pestering the kids for ages about this. Especially once it comes out that they are all competitors from the Sports Festival…we were already fielding a dozen requests for interviews with them, it's just going to get worse going forward," Aizawa replied.
"Guess you'll have to do those media classes early, eh?" Mirio said with a bright smile at the pro hero, getting a snicker from Tenko.
"...do any of you think Midoriya is in any shape to speak to the media?" Nighteye said bluntly, cutting all humor out of the room as everyone's eyes snapped to the still silent green-haired boy.
"Sir-" Mirio began.
"Hey-" Keigo tried to protest.
"Izuku-" Himiko tried to speak.
"I'm not saying he did anything wrong!" Nighteye cut all three of them off. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That is not my point. All of you are avoiding the elephant in the room. And you all know it."
"Actually, I got no fucking clue," Miruko replied.
"...other than you. The rest of you are very much aware of the fact he's a traumatized young man who still has trouble accepting his role in the accident from his childhood, and now look at him. He isn't even noticing anything I'm saying. He's completely disassociated."
"...I heard you, Sir," Izuku's voice rang out quietly into the room, the first words he'd spoken since he'd answered the detective's questions.
"Midoriya," he began, his voice taking on a soft tone.
"Tsubasa's grandfather killed him and turned him into a monster. Then sent him to become a bomb. Sent him to die once more. He died twice, Sir. He died in front of me. You said what I did as a kid wasn't my fault. But how was this not? I couldn't…I couldn't save him, Sir. I couldn't do ANYTHING!" his voice raised to a scream, sparks flying off of him as his fists clenched.
Nighteye stepped up next to Izuku's bed, looking down at him. He cocked his head to the side. "Very well Midoriya. Let's go through it. What else could you have done?"
"I could have found a way-"
"No, use logic, not emotion. How long did you have before the bomb went off?" Nighteye demanded. He'd used this tone many times when training Izuku in the past, and he knew that by now the boy was somewhat used to responding to it correctly.
"...three minutes, at a guess?"
Nighteye nodded. "And the blast radius, what did you think it was?"
"...really big. But I couldn't be sure."
"So an unknown blast radius and an explosion you had three minutes to mitigate, or both your friends and nearby civilians would be in danger. What were your options to stop the bomb?"
"I…I could have found Sensei and he could have erased-"
"Really? Where was he?"
"He was coming to us-"
"But you didn't know that," Nighteye pointed out.
"I could have called him!" Izuku replied hotly.
"Thirty seconds. Let's say it takes you thirty seconds to make the call, assuming he picks up and isn't busy, and explain the situation and get a location. You have two and a half minutes left. Aizawa was not nearby. Do you think you could have cleared the distance in two and a half minutes?"
"I…I guess it depends on how far away he was…"
"It took me and Miruko twelve minutes to reach you," Aizawa added. "Even if you came to us at the same speed we were going, which, I already know how fast you can go, that'd be past the three minute mark. You're also assuming I could stop the bomb. If it was a mutation Quirk, I can do nothing."
"It likely was not, but that is a possibility. How long did it take you to get him into the sky?" Nighteye asked.
"...about a minute?"
"So if you had rushed to them and for some reason, Aizawa could not stop the Quirk, would you have had time to get him into the sky?"
Izuku looked down at his lap. "...probably not," he muttered.
"So on the off chance you might have been able to reach Eraser, and he might be able to erase the Quirk, you think it would be appropriate to risk the lives of the citizens of the city?"
"But-"
"Also, something you seem to be forgetting…Tsubasa was dead. He said it himself. The Nomu are formed from corpses. He was a tormented boy trapped in a body he had little to no control over and was used as a weapon. He was in pain, according to you. Even if we could undo the Nomu state…he'd still be dead. None of us have a way to restore a body from death, Midoriya. This was a mercy. He is now at peace because of what you did."
"...But…" It was clear he did not want to accept it, accept that nothing he did could have saved the boy, that he did not have the power to save him…but Nighteye would not allow that attitude to fester.
"Midoriya…do you trust me?" Nighteye asked, softening his tone.
"Of course I do!" he snapped, looking up at the pro with wide eyes, almost looking offended at the question.
"Do you think I would lie to you about this?"
"Well…no, but…you're kind of cynical and pessimistic," he murmured, looking away again.
"I am, yes. But I still try to save as many lives as possible, even at the risk of my own. If I thought for a moment you had a chance to save that young man, I would tell you. I've never shied away from telling you when you made a mistake, have I? And I doubt Eraser has either."
"...no. You guys are pretty clear about my fuckups."
"Then why won't you listen to us now?" Aizawa asked, arching an eyebrow.
The room was silent as everyone waited for his answer. Izuku stared down at his hands again, his fingers slowly curling into fists as his shoulders shook. They opened once more, the green-haired boy staring at the numbers carved into his skin, at the subtle green tendrils coursing through his veins. "Because…because I have so much blood on my hands already. I didn't want any more. I just wanted to make up for what I did, but how can I when the first chance I get to truly save someone, I fail? I…I have to make up for my crimes, don't you get it? I have to fix it! I have to stop it from happening to anyone else! I-"
He was cut off by Himiko's arms wrapping around his shoulders and pulling him into her arms, into a tight hug that nearly ripped the IV out of him. He felt her shaking, felt her breath against his neck as she buried her face into his shoulder. He saw Ochako reach out and grab his hands, closing his fingers so he could not see the scars, clasping them within her own and refusing to let go.
"...you told me you wanted to be a hero to save people. Was that a lie?" Shoto asked from where he was on the couch, sitting up straight and staring at the green-haired boy across the room.
"N-no, of course not, I-"
"Because it sounds like you want to be a hero out of guilt, not because you want to help others," the split-haired boy replied once more, cutting him off.
Izuku froze as Shoto's words hit him. That…hurt. That hurt to hear. But…but was he wrong? Was he just masking his guilt with nobility? Hiding it behind a thin veneer of righteousness? Was…was that really what he'd been doing this entire time? Was he really that selfish that he'd made it all about himself?
"No. No Izuku, you're not selfish, stop it. Now you're just being self-pitying," Ochako said quietly, making him realize he'd been muttering out loud again.
"I-"
"No, Izuku," she cut him off gently. Holding his hands tight, she smiled at him with teary eyes. "I think…no, Himi and I knew you weren't being entirely honest with us, or with yourself, about your reasons for being a hero. I know Katsuki knew too. Some of it is your guilt, and we knew that already. But that's not all there is to you, and I think somewhere inside, you know that too."
"You've been one of my heroes since we met, Izu," Himiko said, her voice muffled from where it was buried in his shoulder. "I just wish you'd be less hard on yourself. If I could ask you to do one thing for me, that'd be it."
"...but how? How can I do this? Tsubasa…he was there, in my grasp. He was right there! How can I face Kacchan?"
"By talking to your brother, you moron," Ochako said, shaking her head at him. "Do you think for one moment he's going to blame you? There's only one person he's going to blame…and it's the same one you should be blaming too."
"...the doctor," Izuku whispered, his closed fists clenching. Green energy leaked out from them, but Ochako didn't release her hold…knowing he'd never hurt her, no matter what. Even as the temperature increased around his hands, she kept hold, believing it would never reach the point that it actually burned.
"Yes. It's his fault, Izu. Only his. You didn't do anything wrong," she whispered to him.
"Midoriya…trust us. Trust your teachers, your friends, your girlfriends. Trust us. You did the best you could," Aizawa said quietly.
Izuku's shoulders slumped, his hands going limp in Ochako's as the energy faded away. He let out a deep, drained sigh. "I…I'll try. That's all I can do."
"That's all we ask of you," Nighteye said, placing one hand on his shoulder. After a moment, he squeezed the green-haired boy's shoulder and stood up straight, releasing him. "Now…unfortunately, we all must deal with paperwork from the attack and from the fact you all ran off on us. Except for Tokoyami and Momo, they did as they were told." The rest of the students winced, but Nighteye's lip quirked with a tiny smile indicating he was teasing.
"Ugh. Fucking paperwork. You're gonna pay for this, Uraraka, don't forget!" Miruko said as she stood up straight, following the other hero out of the room. The rest followed, Toya giving Shoto a quick squeeze on the shoulder as he went, leaving just the students alone in the room.
Mirio took one look around, before smiling awkwardly. "Whelp, I'm…gonna go as well, do something super important as a third year, yep! Have fun!" and swiftly escaped the room.
"...you took on the Hero Killer, by yourselves?" Tokoyami asked, staring at his fellow classmates.
"Not intentionally! I stumbled across the pro hero Native being attacked, and attempted to escape with him but the Hero Killer prevented me from leaving!" Tenya said.
"I knew he was in danger, but not what it was, so I went to try and get him out. But once we got there, it stopped us both from leaving unless we left the pro. So I sent the SOS in the group chat, and that's how Himi, 'Chako, and Shoto got there," Izuku added.
"They said it was a Quirk, like me. Was it? Was it?" Dark Shadow asked, zooming across the room and flopping in Izuku's lap, looking up at him.
"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami scolded.
Izuku chuckled sadly. "It's fine, Tokoyami. And it was a Quirk…or a bunch of them, but I don't think it was nearly as smart as you. It seemed more instinct driven. Not sure how well it could think, not like you."
"Good, I want to be the only shadow monster Quirk out there!" Dark Shadow proclaimed, planting its shadowy hands where its hips would be (if it had any) and posing. Ochako giggled at it as Tokoyami rolled his eyes, calling the creature back to his side.
"And it's been defeated?" Momo asked quietly, the first thing she'd said since they got into the room.
"I think so. I couldn't see its Quirk signature any longer," Izuku said.
"I see. Very well. Excellent. I have some things I would like to say to all of you, except you Tokoyami. You can stay, but do know none of this is directed at you," Momo said softly, causing the other five students to look at her in confusion.
Tokoyami nodded. "I think I shall take a walk, regardless. It is too bright within this building, I would like to get some fresh air." Momo just smiled at him, the cloaked teen leaving the room and closing the door behind himself with a click.
"Momo?" Izuku asked, as the girl in question stood up and leaned over his bed, her dark gaze flitting between each one of them.
"...let me make one thing clear to each and every one of you. If you ever frighten me like that again, I will personally hunt you down and make certain you know exactly how upsetting that was for me." The five students in question all flinched away from her, for even with how vague her threats were, they had a feeling they would not enjoy what she was implying.
"I was terrified! You are my friends and all I knew was you were in terrible danger! The group chat was panicking over all of you, and even now, as I know none of you checked, everyone wants to know if you're safe because Sensei wouldn't let me inform them you were okay! You can't just rush off like that with no warning and leave us hanging!"
She turned to point at Tenya, glaring at him. "The detective confirmed that you were not looking for the Hero Killer, but that does not change you should have escaped quicker!"
She spun back around to point at Shoto. "And you gave absolutely no indication you were going there, it was Himiko who told us in the chat you were there!"
She pointed at Himiko next. "Oh and, 'I'm on the way and so is Shoto' isn't much of a warning, much less an explanation!"
Ochako was next in her line of fire, the brunette trying to smile nervously. "'I got it!' is not an acceptable response either!"
Finally, she turned to glare at Izuku, bending over his bed to lean close into his face. "And you! You don't get to do that! You don't get to kiss me and then just run off into life-threatening danger during a city wide assault without so much as a by your leave!"
It was like a record scratch in the room, as Momo's words filtered through the minds of the assembled teens. Tenya's eyes went wide, but he wisely chose to look away. Shoto blinked in confusion, Himiko and Ochako shared a wide-eyed look, as Izuku stared up at her slack-jawed…and then it hit Momo what she had admitted. Her cheeks went bright red as she realized where she was, her face maybe five centimeters away from Izuku's face. She stumbled backwards, her foot catching on the edge of the bed and sending her tripping backwards, falling to the floor in the least graceful moment any of the teens had seen from their Vice Rep.
"Momo!" The gathered students all cried, Ochako leaping off the bed to try and help her up. Momo refused to look up, taking the hand and realizing belatedly that Ochako had lifted her with no issue, even considering how much heavier than someone else her size would be considering her density…which just made her blush harder when her gaze followed the well defined muscles in Ochako's bare arms.
"So…you kissed her, huh?" Himiko asked Izuku, a half-smile on her face.
"O-on the cheek! I was going to tell you, we just got sidetracked!" He replied, stuttering over his words.
"Izuku! You are cheating on your paramours?" Tenya asked, aghast.
"Chill, Tenya. It's a thing. We're open to more, and we already agreed to a date with Momo later. Looks like Izu babe just jumped the gun a little," Himiko explained.
"We're also going to take Tsu out after internships, or well…that was the plan. I'm not sure if we will now," Ochako said quietly.
Himiko looked at Ochako in concern, but when the brunette's gaze flickered back to Izuku, she understood.
Izuku sighed. "No. I still would like to. I just…have to deal with this. And Kacchan. God, I really don't know how I can face him." He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed deeply once more.
"Izu…he won't be mad at you, trust me," Ochako said softly.
"...I know. I know you're right. But gods…fuck. I fucking hate this. I can't even enjoy the fact I kissed Momo because of this shit."
The little 'eep' Momo let out, her cheeks turning an even brighter red as she turned away from them and covered her mouth in embarrassment at how bluntly Izuku had put that had Himiko and Ochako both snickering.
"I am confused. You intend on having more partners?" Shoto asked, tilting his head to the side.
"We're considering it," Izuku corrected.
Shoto placed a hand on his chin as if in deep thought. "I…do not understand."
Izuku glanced over at Shoto, a little confused himself. "What don't you understand?"
"You hold a different type of affection for them than you do for me, correct?"
"Well…yes. You're my friend, that's platonic. But Himiko and Ochako I love romantically."
"Romantic…That. I don't understand that. You are very important to me. My mother is very important to me. My brothers and sister are. But I do not see any others."
Izuku turned to face the split-haired boy. "Well, um…you could have just not met anyone you are interested in that way. Or maybe it's just not your thing. Some people just aren't into others in a romantic or sexual sense, and that's okay. Or maybe you will be when you meet the right person! Lots of possibilities."
Shoto considered that, before nodding decisively. "I should research this, then. I wish to understand better."
"You have other friends too, if you want, Shoto," Izuku added softly, with a smile at the other boy.
"Oh, oh, pick me, teacher pick me!" Himiko said, waving one hand wildly in the air with a big smile on her face.
Ochako giggled. "I'll happily be your friend, Shoto. We kind of did just fight for our lives together, I think that's a great start don't you?"
"I contest the idea that that is a good start to a friendship, but I still would like to be friends too," Tenya said, giving a half-hearted glare to Ochako, who simply giggled back at him.
"We all would like to be your friend, if you'll have us," Momo said softly, her earlier embarrassment fading slightly.
Shoto looked at them all blankly, before nodding. "Yes. That…I'd like that too. Is…is this an appropriate moment for a hug?"
Izuku snorted. He glanced at the door, looking to see if he could spot any of the teachers, and when he didn't, he smirked. Blackwhip shot out and wrapped about everyone, pulling them towards him with a few startled shouts and one 'whee!' from Himiko.
Shoto found himself surrounded, half buried, as the group all ended up in one giant pile on the bed. Even with the elbow in his back, the grumbled complaints from Tenya, and the sudden admonishment from Momo…he was content. His lips quirked up a little, a small smile crossing his face as he realized that, yes…he did have friends.
The internships ended with little fanfare shortly thereafter. It was near time to return, and with the chaos of Hosu, everyone was sent back as quickly as possible. Izuku was one of the last, because Tsukauchi had to run him through a dozen different interviews about the Nomu, about what he knew about Tsubasa and his grandfather, about what he had done to the Hero Killer. He was exhausted. He was still upset. He wasn't really in any shape to deal with any of this…but he shoved it all down, put it in its box and shoved it outside because he knew what his duty was.
But this was it. The day he was to return to the dorms. He had to return alone…Mirio was still with Sir, and Momo had gone back two days before. Himiko and Ochako had been forced to leave as well, even with them protesting, but he wanted them to finish their internships as best they could anyways. He knew they still had much to learn.
He was nervous. He had not spoken to Katsuki since the call. He wanted to give him time to think, to feel, to process…no, he wasn't being honest with himself. He was scared. He was scared to face him. He wanted to believe Ochako and Himiko, he wanted to trust his friends and his girlfriends but…Katsuki wasn't known for having a great control over his emotions, any more than he was, and right now he was a wreck.
But he couldn't put it off any more. He was back. His duffel bag over his shoulder, he was standing there, staring at the door to the dorms, just…needing to take those extra few steps, and he couldn't make himself do it.
"Izuku? Are you okay?" the voice called from his left, making him jump. He glanced over, seeing nothing at first, until he noticed the floating tank top and shorts.
"Oh…Toru. Hey," he managed to get out, giving her a smile that he knew even she could tell was fake.
"You've been staring at the door for five minutes. Are you going in?" she asked.
"Nope. Gonna stay out here until I turn into a tree, then I can avoid all my problems. I already photosynthesize, so may as well accept my true calling," he snarked, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
Toru giggled. "Uh-huh. Well, sorry, have to forbid that. For one, that's a terrible place for a tree. For two, don't think a tree can help me see me."
"Not with that attitude it couldn't!"
Her giggles faded slightly and she approached him. He felt one of her hands reach out and touch his arm, gently squeezing it. "Seriously, Izuku…are you okay? We…we heard about what happened."
Izuku sighed. "...I don't know, Toru. I don't know if I will ever be okay. Not…not until that bastard is gone."
"You know we're all here for you and Bakugo. I told him as much earlier."
Izuku looked at her, where he knew her eyes were. "...is…is Kacchan okay?"
Even without his Quirk vision on, he could tell from the tone of her voice she was giving him a sad smile. "No more or less than you are."
"...right, right."
Her hand on his arm squeezed tighter. "You can do this, Izuku. Go in. I think the two of you need to talk."
"...yeah. I know. Thanks, Toru."
Her hand released his arm, but reached up and gently patted him on the cheek. "You're welcome. Let's go, okay?" He nodded, following her as she walked forward, opening the door to the dorms. He entered behind her, slipping off his shoes as she closed the door behind him. He glanced up…and dropped his duffel bag as he saw him, standing only a few meters away, his arms crossed over his chest and ruby eyes boring into emerald.
He gulped, tears coming unbidden to his eyes. "Kacchan, I…I'm so sor-" he cut himself off as he saw the blonde boy approaching, closing them and looking away in fear…only to feel a pair of arms wrap around him and squeeze tightly, almost bruisingly.
"Shut up you fucking idiot," Katsuki muttered. His grip became tighter, almost painful, as his head was buried in the green-haired boy's shoulder. "You…you fucking idiot! Don't…don't say that shit. You didn't leave him alone. You didn't."
Izuku came undone, his own arms coming up to grasp as his brother, returning the hug with as much force as he was given. He sobbed once, twice, his head dropping onto Katsuki's shoulder. "Gods…Kacchan…fucking hell. I…I just…"
"I know. Fuck…I know," Katsuki cut him off, his voice muffled. They stood there in silence, holding each other for a good half minute, before the blonde boy released Izuku, taking a deep breath and wiping at his eyes. Izuku could finally see beyond him, seeing the rest of the room trying not to look at the two of them (and failing).
Katsuki took in a few deep, bracing breaths. He looked at Izuku with a firm, steadfast gaze, before nodding once. He quickly turned around and spoke, softly. "Momo? Can I ask for a favor?"
The entire room blinked in confusion, Katsuki actually calling someone by their name? Momo gaped, but quickly shook it off. "Y-yes? What do you need?"
"A knife. A very sharp one, as sharp as you can make it. Doesn't need to be big."
Momo looked at him in worry…and even more when she saw the understanding dawn in Izuku's eyes, a dark, dangerous gaze that was reflected in the ruby eyes of Katsuki. The look that crossed the green-haired teens face had her second guessing doing as she was asked, but she had a feeling even if she didn't they'd just go find a knife somewhere else. She did as she was asked, a simple blade forming from her arm. She held it out, handle first, careful not to cut herself on the blade.
He nodded at her in thanks, turning back to Izuku. Holding it in his right, he swiftly slashed open his left palm, the room gasping and Ochako making an aborted attempt to step forward, but finding herself halted by Himiko's outstretched arm…as she watched him hand it over to Izuku, the other boy repeating the gesture.
Green energy flooded over Izuku's left palm, as sparks flared within Katsuki's. The two clasped their bloody left hands together, staring at the other in the eye. Katsuki's voice was low, quiet, but full of promise and menace in every syllable.
"Whichever one of us finds him first…we make him pay."
"We make him pay," Izuku repeated, the same tone echoing from him. Light flared in their palms, flickering green, popping orange…and with it came the slight scent of burnt flesh and caramel.
They held the grasp for ten seconds, before at some unseen signal, the two boys released the other. Katsuki clenched his fist for a moment, working his jaw, before turning around and heading to the sink to clean the knife. Izuku let out a deep breath, picking up his duffel bag and moving towards the stairs…but both boys were halted by a hand on their chest.
Ochako glared up at the two taller teens, but simply sighed deeply. "I'm not going to get on your case about that, even if it was completely unnecessary. But let us treat the burns first, okay? Eri will be here in a half hour, we don't need her to see you two with bloody hands."
"...yeah, alright," Katsuki muttered, allowing the brunette to push him down into a chair at the kitchen table. Izuku didn't bother replying, knowing better than to argue, taking a seat next to the blonde. Momo came over, hissing a breath out as she reached into the cupboard to grab the first aid kit. Himiko grabbed the knife from Katsuki's limp grasp, taking it over to the sink and beginning to clean it, whistling to herself.
The rest of the room came back to life slightly, the tension in the air having faded just enough for them to continue speaking in low tones. As Izuku let Momo start to clean the wound and apply the burn cream, he ignored the pain, both within and without. He knew he couldn't just let this go, and he wouldn't…but he also wouldn't be stupid, and he knew Katsuki wouldn't either. They would bring the bastard down, the right way, and make sure he paid for everything he did.
His eyes met Katsuki's over the table, a silent vow passing between them. The doctor would pay…and they would rain down hell onto both him and everyone who stood at his side.