THANKS: Thank you for your interest in this story. I actually plan to be an author that focusses (when writing MHA) on Mostly Deku AU's. So, for those of you who started following me specifically, expect exactly that. Ghost!Deku AUs, Villain!Deku AUs, Traitor!UA AUs, etc.

A/N: I'm not a ship writer, and there is no specific ship in this story. I also…don't feel comfortable shipping 15-16 year olds lol. Also, I will be switching from speaking in third person using last names. I realize it makes more sense for them to think of themselves from their first names.

REVIEW RESPONSE: One of you wondered whether or not this would be a violent Deku fic. In the last chapter I kind of revealed that he would retain much of his morality even as a villain, but how he does that will be revealed throughout the story. His villainy will be seen more through his actions than his personality in this story. This story is more following the actual anime. If you want a bloody story however, I'm currently working on another Villain!Deku story where blood is spilled. A lot. He's a bit unhinged. So if you'd like, go and look for "I Am Your Legacy" by ApNxEch0

Okay. Anyways-

Chapter 2: Parallel

But I let my heart go,

It's somewhere down at the bottom,

But I'll get a new one,

And come back for the hope that you've stolen.

I'll stop the whole world,

I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster.

-"Monster" Paramore

Kanashii, Deku.

That was his new identity. It was who he chose to be going forward. In a way, it was relieving. It gave him a sense of peace. Midoriya Izuku held so much weight, and so much shame. That kid, he had been weak. He had allowed himself to be pushed around and abused. He would cry, endlessly. He would cower and run, and pretend as if everything was okay when he arrived home. He would use a smile to hide the fact that he was actually suffering inside.

Kanashii, however, was a threat. Someone who would stand tall and never flinch under the pressure of his enemies. He didn't have a hopeful smile, nor did he cry. He would do whatever he needed to do stoically and efficiently. He would make sure All for One did not regret bringing him aboard this team.

He had only been with the villain for about four hours now. A little while back, All for One had stripped off his head gear, revealing to the boy a gruesome head of scars and brutalized flesh. It was frightening for only a second before Deku had become lost in all sorts of thoughts about how he could've gotten them. An interesting story, no doubt.

Currently, they were walking between alleyways on the way to what Deku assumed would be their hideout. As soon as they left the hospital, the man had generously asked if there was anything the boy had wanted to do before committing to his new life. Deku had considered the offer, but reasoned that it would probably be best to just cut his ties to everything in his past. That meant there were no visits home. There was nothing there for him. He had thought about saying goodbye to his mother, and not leaving her to wonder where her son had gone. It would have spared her half the damage his choice would do to her, but going back would also make it hard for him to leave her. She would also have intel to give to police and heroes should they look for him; and they would look for him. Especially if they knew he was helping villains. He figured not returning would be best. She'd be left clueless, yes; but they'd both be spared a dramatic departure.

The only other things Deku could think of were far more simple. He had decided to take the time to fully commit to his choice, and fix up his appearance. The boy brought his hand up, slowly running his fingers through his now shorter green waves. He had gotten an undercut, keeping his locks longer at the top than they were at the sides. He didn't think he looked half bad. Pretty clean, actually.

They had also picked up extra clothes, considering he wouldn't be going back home. He was able to get out of his hospital gown and put on something far more appropriate for his new role. It was strange for him, to say the least. He was used to his typical normal shorts and t-shirts. This time, however, he was clad in a dark forest green muscle-tee, and black slim fit jeans with basic black sneakers. One might say he was still quite casual, but for him it's the fanciest he ever felt. He had been sure to grab more clothing, of course. Though, he must admit, he did keep his bright red sneakers. They were his favorite, and even villainy wouldn't make him abandon them. The muscle-tee, however, was the opposite of his favorite, at the moment. Perhaps it was because he didn't necessarily have any muscle to support its purpose. He'd have to change that.

All for One came to a slow stop right in front of a blood red door in their current alleyway. He smiled at young Deku -a creepy one considering he only had a mouth- before turning to knock on the barrier three times. For a man so big, his knocking was so gentle it was unsettling. It took a couple of seconds before someone came to the door. Deku couldn't see them, nor the inside of the building, from his angle. All for One gave a wide smile to the doorman, before turning to face Deku. The older man raised his arm in a gesture to welcome the boy in. Deku swallowed, taking a few step forwards to stand in the entranceway.

There was nothing special about the building. It looked old and abandoned. The papered walls were peeled and stained brown, matching the slightly darker wooden floor. The lights were dim and flickering. The couch was torn and alone, the only furniture that seemed to be in this main room besides a dining table. Oh wait, and there was a tv, with a gaming console attached. There was also a kitchen, though small. It was the only clean area in the building. Deku took a small step inside.

In the room were six people surrounding the dining table. One man was a complete body of dark mist. It was interesting, Deku thought, that he could still wear clothing. Another man was equally as dark, but had a fleshly body -well, mostly. Half of his body was clearly charred and scarred. Blueish ruined flesh was stitched to his normal pale skin. It was intimidating. To the side of that man, was a girl in a school uniform. She had blonde wavy hair tied in two buns on the side of her head, and bangs that fell just above her eyes. She had the look of a psychopath, Deku noted. Beside her were three other men. One was in a full body suit, gray and black, like some comic book character. The other was far bigger than his comrades, and far more muscular too. He had long brown hair and pretty big lips. The last guy was the creepiest by far. His skin was dry and flaky. His hair was white and hung above his shoulders. He had hands clamped around his arms and traps, and one on his face. One single red eye poked out from behind gray fingers.

Deku could feel a gentle push from behind him, making him stumble a bit further into the room. He certainly was the smallest of the bunch, with the exception of the girl. He heard the door close behind him, and All for One stepped around to his side. "Okay, children! Do gather around, we have a new member to our precious little team."

Deku wanted to shrink in on himself when all eyes had landed on him. He felt All for One's hand rest on his shoulder and looked up at that hideously scarred face. The older man had a large smile beaming down at the boy, as if he were some proud father showing off his son. That one moment of looking at All for One reminded him of why he was there in the first place. Midoriya Izuku feels intimidated and shy, which means Kanashii Deku would have to be brave and confident. Deku took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He put on the best empty, careless look he could and took a step forward into a short bow. "Hello, my name is Deku. Kanashii, Deku."

"Deku, huh? Your parents hate you or somethin'?" The burnt man spoke.

"It is his new name, Dabi, similar in purpose to yours and Shigaraki's." All for One corrected, "The boy wanted some irony, is all. A play on a childhood insult."

In a flash, between spoken words, the blonde girl appeared right before Deku, leaning forward to look him in the eyes. It was weird, considering she was shorter than him by a good three inches. She should've stood naturally. She was practically making it harder on herself. "Your eyes…" She trailed.

"W-what about them?" A quiver in his voice. Damn. He'd have to fix that. This whole 'new him' thing was gonna take some work.

"They're so dull!" She squealed, jumping on her heels and straightening herself out. "I like them!"

"Fuck, give the guy some space, Toga." The burnt man, Dabi, spoke again. "Let 'im get comfortable before you start harassing 'im"

Toga pouted, stepping back from Deku before spinning around and marching back to where she stood before. The man in the full body suit spoke next, stepping forward into his own short bow, "Hey! My name's twice, but my friends call me by my first name sometimes, Jin! It's nice to meet you!"

This man was already a blessing, for he had decided to take it upon himself to introduce the rest of the group, gesturing dramatically with each person. "This big hunk of muscle is Magne-chan! She's really smart! We call her Oneesan a lot too, because she's like a big sister to us! Oh, and I know she looks all manly and stuff, but she wants to go by 'she' around here!"

Magne let off a small, and rather sweet, smile. Deku was glad Jin made sure to tell him that. He didn't want to mess up so soon into meeting everyone. Jin continued down the line, pointing to the last two people in the room, "This misty guy over here is Kurogiri-kun, he helps us get around! He's also a really good cook, you'll love his rice balls!"

He moved over to the silver haired guy, "-And this guy here with the hands is Shigaraki-kun! He's our leader, well outside of All for One. He sounds really grumpy, and gets a mean temper, but he looks out for us, and he'll look out for you too! Welcome to the family, Kanashii!"

Uh, okay. Wow. For a bunch of villains, these people were very friendly and excitable. Which is somehow shocking? Deku couldn't even articulate what made it so surprising. Villains were people too, it's not like they were incapable of building bonds and having positive emotions. Jeez. Had he spent so long seeing villains as 'evil' that he couldn't imagine them being human? This hero world really has corrupted people's minds.

"So what's your story, why're you here?" Shigaraki groaned. This guy sounded like he needed water, and a lot of it.

"It's a long story." Deku responded, shoving his hands in his pants' pockets.

"Well, then shorten it." Dabi shrugged.

Deku took a moment to consider exactly how he should explain it. It wasn't exactly a singular-event situation. Nor did he want to end up prolonging the story with his poor habit of ranting and mumbling.

When he felt comfortable with his plan of action, he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm quirkless. I've been discriminated against for a long time because of it. At school, I was bullied relentlessly, but I really wanted to be a hero, regardless. That desire made the harassment even worse. One day, I met All Might himself, and thought he could encourage me considering he was the one who inspired me to be a hero to begin with. Ironically, he told me it was an unrealistic dream and that I'd never be a hero. I later faced a pro hero who was just as much of a bully as my classmates. I lost hope in myself, and in heroes for lying to me, and tried to take my own life. Then I met All for One, and he revealed the true nature behind them. The heroes, that is. He gave me a second chance."

They looked at him patiently, some even looking at one another. Dabi spoke again, "So, what's your motive?"

His motive. He's said it before -to himself- although in the presence of All for One. It was an honest revelation for sure, but to now be asked about it… to now announce it faultlessly. This would be the first time Deku would confidently admit it out loud to an audience. He straightened himself, his chest puffed with determination. "To get rid of pseudo heroes. To bring forth a world where those phonies can't safely or comfortably exist."

He didn't know what he expected as a reaction.

-but it certainly wasn't laughter.

Deku couldn't hold back his embarrassment. He glanced at All for One, who simply stood and smiled. Magne was the first to break the silence, "Oh, sweetheart, you must be the best of us!"

Dabi, who settled for a taunting smile rather than a laugh, corrected her, "No, that would be twice, remember? He's only here because he wants friends."

Twice's rebuttal about having other motives was drowned out by Toga's squealing, "Kanashii-san, you're so cute!"

As the laughter began to die down, Shigaraki took a step forward. He was the only one who hadn't laughed. "Great, so now we have a Stain wannabe? What's the point, Sensei? We need ruthlessness and power. Not children with broken hearts."

Deku felt a flare of anger bubble up inside of him, offended by the statement. He wasn't anyone else, not even stain. He was his own person, and he refused to make the mistake of idolizing someone else again. He also wasn't some broken child. That was Izuku, and he was no longer Izuku.

He wanted to respond, but All for One stepped in before he could. "You are all children with broken hearts. I don't recall you all sharing the same motives. You are allied for convenience, are you not? Different goals, but similar enemies? Kanashii is no different from the rest of you. Ah, and as for power…"

The large man turned to face Deku completely. At his sides, his hands began to let off a soft red glow, opposite of the golden one he had witnessed at the hospital. Deku was careful not to show any fear, but it was hard to do considering he had no idea what business All for One was referencing. He glanced up to where All for One's eyes should have been, "What is this?"

"Do you not remember? You need to acquire your quirks." He smiled. Without another word, he placed his hands on Deku, one on his head and the other on his shoulder. Deku closed his eyes in anticipation. He expected pain, shock, or something. None of that came. Instead, there was a small warmth where All for One had placed his hands. It wasn't long before that warmth spread slowly throughout his entire body. It was accompanied by a small weight, one that traveled from his head and shoulder before meeting at his chest and dropping into his abdomen. He felt heavier. As if he had gained a pound or two. The weight feeling happened again, and once more before it went away completely. All for One retracted his hands, that signature smile still glued to his ruined face.

Deku did not feel any different. "Exactly what did you give me? What did you do?"

All for One chuckled, "I gave you your first three quirks. Well, technically your first two."

The aspiring villain knew he was getting multiple quirks, the man had said so before. Yet, somehow he was still awe-struck from the reality of it all. He was no longer quirkless. He had quirks. Plural. Quirks.

"What are they?" He breathed.

"Here's how this will work," All for One turned away, deciding he felt like sitting. He leaned on the back of the singular couch in the room, to the right of Dabi. "I have given you what is known as a 'Holding' quirk. This is a quirk that allows the user to hold up to a certain amount of quirks without physical backlash. Yours is called 'Receptacle'."

"Receptacle…" Deku repeated, looking down at his hands as if it would reveal his abilities before his very eyes.

"Receptacle allows you to hold up to four quirks. The only flaw is that it doesn't allow you to use multiple active quirks at one time. I did ultimately give you two active quirks, but they should not require simultaneous use. Both of your current quirks are active. The third one will come in time. The fourth, you'll have to get yourself, if you wish. Consider it an opportunity of choice, should you ever find a quirk you desire."

"How do I attain one myself?"

All for One shrugged, "You won't like it, but you'll have to take the life of a quirk user."

Deku immediately sought to combat that statement, but All for One held up a hand to stop him. "I didn't finish. You yourself said you have no interest in killing, and I understand. Twice himself has never yet taken a life." The suited man nodded his head in confirmation.

All for One continued, "I have no other holder's quirks in my stash, and very few have any other ways of attaining quirks. If you did hypothetically take a life, 'Receptacle' would instantly take the quirk of the victim. There is no consent there. It's simply how the quirk works, but don't worry. This is why I am giving you certain quirks that will ensure you are strong enough to take on heroes, and suit who you are. For example, your first stored quirk is 'Analysis'.

"This quirk will replace that cute little hero journal you had. It allows you to know certain things about the person of your choosing. I'd tell you more, but I want to exercise that amazing brain of yours. You can figure out more as you train to use it."

Deku frowned. That was a bit upsetting. He had started to grow excited about what he was hearing. He didn't feel patient enough to wait. Then again, it did keep his mind trained and working, which he wasn't shocked All for One desired. Intelligence was a bigger threat than strength in most cases.

"Lastly, I have given you 'Disk', a quirk that allows you to use energy in the form of a disk like shield. You can defend, and attack with this quirk. I'll also leave you to discover more about it in your own time. Your final quirk will come only when you have built enough physical strength to handle it. As of now, you're scrawny and weak. Build muscle and stamina, and I will reward you with your final quirk. I will leave you with three of four, in case anything ever changes." All for One smiled in a way that Deku imagines would've been accompanied with a wink if he had eyes.

No, Deku doubts that would change. The idea of taking a life made him feel ill. He could certainly be a villain without being a murderer. 'But not all killing is murder…' He grit his teeth. Three. Three quirks is all he needed. He didn't need a fourth. Deku looked All for One in his face, determination glowing in his green eyes. "When can I start training?"

All for One chuckled deeply, "Whenever you please."

Deku turned to face the group of villains he would now call family. "I know I've just met you, and I shouldn't ask much of you. But, would any of you be willing to help me?"

Toga immediately jumped up, shaking her head ecstatically. "Me me me! I will! I will, Deku-san! Oh! Can I call you Deku-san? It's soooo much cuter than Kanashii. Or maybe Deku-kun! I really like you already!"

Deku nodded awkwardly, "It's my villain name too, anyway."

Toga giggled and latched onto Deku's arm, saying the name over and over. He fought to keep a blush from flushing his face red, trying to ignore the fact that a girl was clinging to him physically.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Dabi take a step forward, his hands in his pockets.

"I'm arguably the strongest one here, so it would only make sense if I taught you how to fight." Dabi did a short glance over Deku's body, "It'll keep me from being too bored. Magne will help you get into shape too. No point wearing a muscle tee without muscles."

Deku grunted, both in appreciation and disappreciation of the insult. 'I know that, jerk.'

All for One clapped his hands together in pride, "Splendid! I will return in a matter of months. Depending on how strong you've become, you will receive your final quirk then." -He looked at Dabi- "Make sure he develops efficient agility. He'll need it for what comes next."

Dabi hummed in response, not once taking his eyes off the younger villain.

All for One stood from the couch and bowed his head, "Good luck Kanashii Deku. I look forward to seeing how you contribute to this team."

With that, the giant man ducked through the door and out of the hideout. He didn't make a sound as he left, as if he were a feather in the wind. The swift silence of a man so big sent chills down Deku's spine. He wondered, how strong could that man be? He doesn't flaunt any strength, and instead moves like a gentle giant. Yet he carries himself with such confidence, as if the possibility of someone intentionally challenging him was zero.

"Sensei hasn't single handedly brought someone into the group since me," It was Shigaraki's raspy voice. Deku turned to face him, Toga still clinging to the boy's arm. Shigaraki continued, "What makes you so special?"

"Nothing really," Deku cautiously responded. "Nothing that I know of."

"Nothing, huh? Is that what Sensei said when he found you? You mean to tell me he spoke with you for hours and you heard no praise worthy to mention? You're starting to piss me off." He began scratching at his neck aggressively. Deku felt his head itch at the sight of it. This man was really gross.

Twice took a stance next to Deku, pointing an accusatory finger at the younger boy's assailant. "Don't be so mean! It's his first day, lighten up!"

"I don't care, he's not like us." He scratched harder, "I don't like the way he looks either."

"You're one to talk about looks" Why the hell did he just say that?

Magne's hands shot to her mouth in astonishment, "Ooooh, Shiggy are you gonna take that?"

In fact, Shigaraki said nothing. His blood eyes glared at the boy from beneath the hand clasped onto his face. They stood like that for a moment. Then, without a word, Shigaraki turned away and headed down a hallway beside the kitchen. Deku looked around, making eye contact with everyone in a concerned manner. He was unsure how to handle what just transpired. The mist man, Kurogiri, reassured him, "As twice said, Shigaraki is a complicated character."

That really doesn't help. Deku sighed. At least he could be on good terms with everyone else.

"Who cares, it's your first day here." Dabi groaned. Deku assumed he spoke his concern out loud.

The stitched man continued, "Now, you were so eager to train, right? Is it too late for you or would you rather get your beauty sleep and start tomorrow?"

Right, training. A bit of excitement blossomed in his chest. "Let's do it now."

Dabi smiled, in a way that actually made Deku feel very uncomfortable. "Perfect." He said before walking towards the door, "Follow me."

Toga let go of Deku's arm and bounded out of the door following Dabi. After a second, she poked her head back through the door, looking in. "Come on Magne, come on Jin-kun!"

Twice wasted no time, running out of the door after her, Magne following suit. She threw a smile at the younger boy as she went. Deku looked back at Kurogiri, who nodded in his direction before turning down the hallway that Shigaraki went through.

This was really happening. He is officially a villain. Just how far was he willing to go to accomplish what he decided he would do? These next few weeks, maybe even months, would tell him. Eager to get started, he turned and headed for the door in pursuit of his new teammates.

~~000~~

2 weeks later…

Katsuki groaned as he lay back on the soft sands of the beach. His body was nearing its limit, and it hadn't even been a week. A part of him knew that he needed to take a break from all this training; that the exam was still 9 ½ months away, and there was no need to force himself into such a harsh schedule. His physique and strength already exceeded the expectations for someone his age, so it wasn't as if he desperately needed to train so hard.

Yet, there was something inside of him that pushed him to keep going. It commanded him to spend as many days and nights on that beach, moving around heavy items and running long laps. This part of him knew that if he stopped for only a second, his mind would wonder. He would find himself lost in thoughts. Not about his future at UA -that was a guaranteed success- but about the damn nerd, Deku.

It hadn't been that long. Only 2 weeks had passed since Deku went missing. He hadn't slept very well since that night. As soon as he had gotten home, he had placed that half of Deku's journal onto his nightstand and sat up all night thinking about where he'd gone. It made him angry.

This kid who had been so annoyingly selfless had finally chosen to be selfish, and in a terrible way. Katsuki could only hope Deku was being an idiot and running away instead of actually being dead, but the torn book and unnoticed disappearance made him feel uneasy about it. Plus, no one saw him leave, and there was only one -unalarmed- way in and out to the hospital at night. Not to mention, Deku likely wouldn't destroy the one thing he always protected: his journals. Shit, is that bastard actually dead? No, there's no way. The scene was clean, and no body was found near the building. He had to have left; and, if he did run away, then Deku was actually even dumber than either of them thought. The idiot would truly leave his own mother behind without saying goodbye?

What did he gain from leaving like that?

Katsuki shook his head, clearing his brain. He was doing exactly what he didn't want to do: Concern himself with damn Deku. The nerd did whatever the hell he did and there was no changing that. If he was truly dead, then that was his own damn fault. If he was alive, then he chose to leave his own mother in the dust, which makes him even more of a dumbass. Even more of a Dekunobou. Katsuki wouldn't fret over someone like that. Hell he wouldn't fret over Deku in general. He was only thinking on behalf of his Aunt Inko, that's all. He himself never really cared for the bastard.

He stood up from the sand, shaking it out of his spiky blond hair. The teen pulled his arms back over his head, stretching his muscles until he could audibly hear a small 'pop'.

The beach was now covered in a soft orange glow, courtesy of the setting sun. That would mark his seventh hour of being there. His old lady was sure to fuss over this. It would be better to get home now than to make matters worse, and boy did he not want to deal with that woman's wrath at its peak.

Katsuki grabbed his discarded water bottle and bag, slinging it over his shoulder and proceeding back to the house. By the time he arrived home, the sun had almost completely set. He opened the door and walked in, kicking off his shoes and making his way straight to his room. To the worst of his luck, his mother was currently in the kitchen, so he would never arrive at his true destination.

"Where the hell have you been? Your dinner's cold by now, brat." Mitsuki Bakugo growled, arms crossed over her chest with heavy expectation.

"I was at the bars, getting shit faced." Bakugo snapped back, "I'm covered in sweat and dirt, what the hell do you think I was doing, you old hag?"

"Don't fucking take that tone with me!" She was loud, but didn't yell. Mitsuki walked around the Kitchen's island table, coming face to face with her son. "And quiet the hell down! Inko is here and she's sleeping."

That's right, Aunt Inko had been staying with them ever since Izuku went missing. Although, his old lady was convinced the boy had attempted a second jump. So in her case, ever since Izuku died.

Katsuki huffed, marching around his mother to grab his now cold onigiri. As he placed his fingers beneath the plate he could hear the creaking of a door in the hallway. Speaking of the devil; the woman was a light sleeper. Mitsuki groaned, turning angrily to her son. "Now look at what you did, you idiot!"

"You should've fucking told me sooner!" He spat, mouth full with rice.

From the darkness of the hall, Inko Midoriya emerged. "It's okay, I wasn't asleep."

Mitsuki and Katsuki said nothing, for a moment. Their eyes met awkwardly, begging one another to make the first move. If only Masaru were here. He was the emotionally strong one, albeit a cowardly person as well. Even if he sucked socially, the man could calm anyone out of a panic attack if he had to. Hell he could probably talk someone out of murder. How else could he marry Mitsuki? Unfortunately he would be working an overnight shift, and wouldn't be home until the morning. One of them would have to break the silence. Or neither-

"I'm sorry to scare you like this," Inko broke the tension in the room, "I heard you worrying and thought I should say something."

Katsuki cleared his throat nervously, "How are you, Obasan?"

"I'm doing okay, thank you Katsuki." She smiled gently with tired eyes. They were puffy and pink. She had been crying. She was not okay. "I see you've been working hard, training for UA?"

"At least someone had enough sense to figure it out." He ignored his mothers offended cursing as he continued "Yeah, that's right. The entrance exam is gonna be a combat based one, I heard."

Inko nodded attentively, "That's good. You'll do great I'm sure."

More silence. Katsuki wanted to disappear into his room to escape the torture. Everything was so awkward, and he didn't do 'awkward'. Especially not when it's clearly driven by emotional shit. That implied a handful of sentimental awareness, which he did not have. He settled for looking down at his plate as he finished his cold food, his mother busying herself with fluffing the pillows on a nearby couch.

Inko stood between them, tense and nervous. There were a handful of things that could be the reason for her timidness, and Katsuki did not care to figure out what. It didn't matter. Knowing the context behind her present feelings would not change her present feelings.

But goodness, if she kept standing there he'd -respectfully- have to throw her ass back in her room.

"Is there somthin' you wanna say, Obasan?" He set his now empty plate onto the counter, turning to face her completely. It was time to handle this shit and get on with their nights.

"I- uh," she shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to engage in the conversation; and yet clearly wanting to engage in the conversation, considering how she stood there looking as if she were ready to pass the fuck out from choking on unsaid words. "I just wanted to ask something, is all. B-but it's a bit- uh…"

Damn, Deku was just like his mother. Katsuki could remember all the times the younger boy struggled to articulate any and almost every sentence he ever said. Always nervous, twitchy, and unsure; Always shifting and stuttering. Truly, they were one and the same.

"Go ahead and ask it, hurry so you can stop stressing over it." He urged her.

Inko looked away and bit her lip timidly. She seemed to consider her choices for a moment, before taking a deep breath and looking at the younger boy. "That night, in the hospital- Izuku was upset and kicked you from the room. I had never seen him angry like that before, and when I think about it, there was nothing you said that could've triggered him. Do- do you know any reason he could've been upset with you?"

First off, yes he knew why, and no he would not tell. Deku was angry not because of Katsuki's wish for his good health, but because he blamed Katsuki for his bad health. He saw hypocrisy in the blond's words, and the blond didn't blame him. Katsuki said what needed to be said in the moment. Deku was objectively alive at the time, and the doctors said he'd be fine. He saw no reason to whine and coddle the nerd, and he saw no reason for Deku to think he'd seriously cry over the issue. It's that bastards own damn fault for being in the hospital. Yes, Katsuki said some questionable things, and yes: among those things, he told Deku to kill himself- but that didn't mean to actually do it. The younger kid made his own choice, and the older couldn't be blamed, right?

Second, he had been asked this before, by his mother. That conversation didn't go very well. He had revealed -after some physical coercion from the older woman- that he hadn't been very generous to Deku. They weren't really friends anymore, and he probably got so angry because of it. Katsuki didn't expect the kid to submit to him forever. At some point, Deku would have gotten tired of it. Heck, the day he told the younger boy to jump off a building, his green eyes reflected pure anger and his grit teeth were practically foaming. So yeah, he expected some aggression at some point, and he didn't mind the thought. Deku would've never beat him anyways.

Third, Katsuki almost felt offended. To suddenly want to bring down blame and shame, it was very uncalled for. Everything was said and done, why try to investigate things now? Yet, he knew better. It wasn't that she was seeking some reason to get into a dispute with Katsuki, she was just looking for some explanation of what led to Deku's disappearance. There were too many unanswered questions. In her mind, Deku wasn't dead. He couldn't be dead. Which means he left; and in her mind, maybe Deku left because he was angry at them, because he was angry with Katsuki.

It had been two weeks since that night, and although the blond hated to say it…

"You have to let this go, Obasan."

Inko's eyes went wide, and Mitsuki stopped messing with the pillows. The green haired woman had a look of hurt in her eyes, betrayal almost. He'd best explain himself.

"I know you believe he's somewhere out there and I know you want to figure out why, but it's eating you up. You need to let it rest. Deku made up his mind, and you weren't in it." Like ripping off a Band-Aid.

Inko stared at him, wide eyed, for a moment. She then seemed to kind of pull in on herself, as if she was being approached by a creepy man in an alleyway. Katsuki wondered if that was the wrong thing for him to say. Perhaps it was too early? Wasn't it the truth? The bastard left, and he wasn't coming back. He could be dead for all they know. Hell, the kid was so weak that if he was living homeless in the streets, he'd be dead soon anyway. He was doing her a favor by exposing her to reality, right?

Did he fuck up?

Katsuki watched as Inko turned away, walking to her room without ever responding to what was said. A door shut softly, and soon the only thing in the living area was him, Mistsuki, and the awkward silence.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Mitsuki pinched the bridge of her nose in aggravation, "You surely have your father's terrible social skills."

"I don't think there was any good social skills to inherit to begin with," The boy retorted, "I was just saying what was true-"

"What was true for YOU maybe, but not for a grieving mother." Mitsuki turned to face him, anger and disgust visible in her red eyes. Katsuki had never seen her so appalled by him, "You know damn well you treated that boy like shit, and you couldn't even be honest to his mother."

More blaming. "You act like I'm the one who killed him-" -she corrected his usage of the word 'killed', reminding him of the boy's possibility of life- "-but that dickhead made his own decision."

"How can you be so clueless? You don't think you had an impact on that decision? Why did you harass him so much?"

"It was his fault, he kept getting in my way! Always tryna piss me off" Katsuki was careful to keep his voice low, not wanting to bring Inko's attention to their conversation. Thank God, his mother had the same rationale. "You're one to fucking talk, the way you're always on my ass!"

"That's different, you're my son and a spoiled brat! Izuku was someone else's family, and a kind boy," She leaned against the back of the couch behind her, eyes tightly shut, nose pinched in agitation, and head looking up toward the ceiling. "I can't blame you for your anger, that's the poisonous effect of the Nitroglycerin in our bodies. That, plus the fact that you were raised under such an influence, i admit it; but to refuse to acknowledge your actions or even apologize for the things you did do- I never would've thought my son to be so cruel."

No one said a word for an instant. Katsuki kept his eyes on the island in front of him. He wouldn't allow himself to feel guilty because some kid couldn't handle reality. Deku did what he did because he was quirkless, and therefore had no attainable future outside of being a normal civilian. That's all. Katsuki only ever drilled that into his head, only ever told the truth. Sure he was overaggressive, but Deku still had a choice. Deku still had an opportunity to be strong, and he fucking failed it.

Mitsuki groaned, standing up and defeatedly making her way to her own bedroom down the hallway. Just before she hit the archway, she turned to face her son again, "Izuku may have made his own choice, Katsuki. But so did you, so have some damn accountability."

He didn't respond, although he certainly wanted to. He just had no words to say. So he settled for scoffing, and looking away. He didn't watch her go. He just kept his eyes to the island before him, not allowing his thoughts to ponder any more on the subject of Deku.

~~000~~

It had been over two weeks since he had joined the League of Villains. He didn't know how he could've ever possibly thought villains were some heartless, scumbag people.

Deku bent at the knees, lowering himself to the dirt and allowing a fierce wave of heat to pass over him. From there, he pushed off his heels and dashed forward. He waved his hand in front of him and sent a green, hardened energy disk the size of his own body, shooting out in front of him and colliding with a second wave of blue flames before shattering into a glittery green dust.. He was close now, and while the fire user was strong- close combat would put him at a disadvantage.

Deku twisted his body, allowing a third wave of flames to pass by his back, before finishing his spin with a harsh backfist on the older man's jaw. Dabi grunted at the impact, stumbling backwards with a grimace on his face. Before he could fully recover, Deku grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him close and dipping at the waist. Dabi threw his arms out to stop himself from colliding with the floor as his trainee pulled off a rather nice judo shoulder toss.

Successfully, Dabi's hands collided with the ground first, breaking his fall as he managed to roll back into a standing position, and Deku wasted no time before tossing another energy disk in his direction to make up for the gap between them. Dabi just barely dodged it, leaning back and letting it fly over his head. That was his mistake. Deku took advantage of the mistake Dabi made of blinding himself to frontward attacks, and leaped forward with his fist pulled back and ready to strike. The minute the older man came back up to stand straight, Deku collided. The forward motion of his body, and the forward motion of Dabi's body doubled the effect of the impact. Dabi's head recoiled and he fell back onto his butt, clutching desperately at his nose.

Deku ceased his movements, taking the fall as a sign to end the session. Dabi never went down, nor stayed down, unless he was done fighting. At least in training. Deku imagined that in an actual fight, the man would be far less likely to surrender.

"Damn, kid." Dabi winced as he not so subtly yanked at his nose, causing a sickening 'crack' to penetrate Deku's ears. "You learn really fuckin' fast. Had I known you'd be this good after only two weeks, I'd have taken you a bit more seriously."

"Yay! Go Deku-kun!" A girlish squeal resonated from behind them. Toga had been watching the fight alongside Twice.

"Hell yeah! You rock!" The man in question's voice followed.

"No, I'm glad you didn't!" Deku replied to Dabi, helping him stand on his feet, "it helps me measure my current strength when I win at certain outputs of your own strength. When you take it too hard, It's not as easy to gauge. I could lose 100% of your power, or 80% and not know the difference. But I can certainly tell how strong I am when I win with 40% of your efforts."

"Even so, you did good. Your stamina is also improving. Just how much training have you done when I'm not around?" Dabi dusted off his clothing. His face didn't match the questions he was asking. He seemed disinterested, although he sounded genuine.

"I- uh, haven't had much sleep in several days. I really want to get stronger."

"Clearly." Dabi turned away, following an invisible route back to the house and out of the woods. "Keep this up and the big man might give you your next quirk way earlier than he promised."

Dabi never spent more time with him than necessary. He did what he had to do, then he left. Deku respected it. He was a man who didn't waste precious time. He wondered what Dabi did to relax.

Deku turned and traveled over to join Toga and Twice who were sitting on a log nearby. The both of them continued to cheer him as he made his way over to them. He smiled sheepishly, rubbing his hand on the back of his shaved head. "Thanks guys, I couldn't have done any of this if it wasn't for your help in training me!"

The team had broken up into different task responsibilities. Dabi taught him combat, and was damn good at it. He taught him how to use his other quirk -'Analysis'- to figure out an efficient fight style depending on what it revealed to him. The quirk, when activated, would flood his head with all sorts of information on the person he was looking at. It only took a second before he just knew a bunch of stuff.

Using analysis, one of the things Deku could learn was about the strength of certain muscles in his opponent's body. This allowed him not only to know whether or not they were injured, or had a weakness somewhere, but also about which muscles they used the most. Knowing that, he could tell how someone preferred to fight. Dabi informed him on what certain styles used certain muscles, and how to respond. Each style of fighting can be countered somehow. He just had to learn as many styles as necessary so that he was always prepared.

Personally, Deku's favorite styles were anything to do with legs. Kickboxing, Muay-Thai, etc. It had so many advantages. It kept distance, while also being a great transition into grappling, which he also learned he was pretty good at. Dabi, for sure, was the greatest help he had.

Toga was helping him improve his agility. She'd often set out running and just have him try to keep up with her. His endurance improved immensely because of it. He was, at point in time, able to make accurately calculated leaps across a gap. His reflexes went from being absolutely terrible to quick and deadly.

Twice and Magne helped him with his strength. Magne mostly. She had Deku doing all sorts of lifting drills, and even using Twice as a makeshift barbell. Deku wouldn't say he was necessarily muscular yet, but he certainly was starting to shape up.

Shigaraki… did nothing. He kind of just ignored Deku, as if he wasn't worth his time. The others kept telling him that Shigaraki was naturally this cold with new people, and that it was nothing the young villain should worry himself about. Deku could understand that, in a way. When someone you don't know just waltzes into your group, you can't be expected to just smile and welcome them with open arms. Although, he himself was kind of just like that.

Yet somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was more… personal? He couldn't help but feel as though Shigaraki's actions toward him were going to last for way longer than everyone was telling him. The last thing he wanted was to have an issue with someone in the league, especially when he was still the newbie there.

Deku picked at the hem of his black tank top, lost in thought and completely oblivious to the blonde schoolgirl calling his name. It was only when a rough hand grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently, did he come back to reality. "I- huh? What?"

"Helloooo, earth to Deku-kun?" Twice waved his free hand in front of the boy's face, trying to reel in his attention. "Geez, you do this a lot, kid! What's going on in that green head of yours?"

"I'm sorry," Deku smiled sheepishly as he slowly removed Twice's hand from his shoulder, "What were you guys saying?"

"We were sayinggg," Toga leaped off of the log, coming to stand beside Twice and close to Deku, "that Dabi was right, and that you'd get your next quirk soon because of how strong you are! I was telling Jin-kun that I bet your quirk will be deadly! Something violent and bloody!" Her eyes lit up at the mention of blood in the most sadistic way. It made Deku feel uneasy.

"And I was saying that it would be something supportive! You might be able to heal us, or give us some sort of boost in battle! It would only make sense, considering you already have a passive quirk and an attack quirk!" Twice folded his arms across his chest in a 'matter of fact' way. He was so confident in his thought process.

"Analysis is not passive. I have to activate it, remember? I don't think my head could handle never ending flows of information." Deku pushed past them to sit on the infamous log himself, haunching over and resting his arms on his knees. "Not to mention, All for One said I have two active quirks. Which means the passive quirk is all I have left to receive."

"But that's so lame! Why give you something passive as a final quirk? Shouldn't the last one be the strongest one?" Toga sighed exasperatedly.

"Well, he said I needed a stronger body to hold it. But even then, it's not guaranteed to be some overpowered quirk. It doesn't matter anyway. Whatever it is, I'll make it my own. It'll get stronger with me." He clenched his fist in determination.

"Damn, you're so cool Deku-kun!" Twice cried "I've never met anyone like you before!"

"Heh, I highly doubt that. Dabi's pretty cool." Deku smiled.

"Dabi's pretty mean." Toga mumbled.

"Dabi's pretty emo." Twice laughed, adding on.

"Dabi's right fucking here."

The trio turned their attention to the man in question who just so happened to be walking up to them. Twice, unfortunately, had spun around so fast he ended up falling back. Deku kicked his leg out, preventing the man from colliding with him, as he was right behind him. The young villain's foot was planted on his back. He peaked from around the older man's body, his attention now back on Dabi. "You're back?"

"Shigaraki's throwing a fit in there, and I don't want to hear it. Plus, the boss had a message for you." Dabi shrugged. "I let him know about your progress. Said the faster you improve, the sooner he'd come. In just two weeks, you've diminished your wait time by about three."

"Hell yeah, let's go! We were right!" Twice cheered from his leaning position.

Deku kicked forward, sending the man back onto his feet before leaning forward again, head resting in his propped hands. "As expected, I guess. May I ask why our student leader is troubled?"

Dabi smirked, the first sign of emotion Deku had seen in the man. "Student leader, huh? Don't make me like you, kid. The boss also called to scold Shigaraki for not having a plan for a move yet. We ain't villains without a goal."

"Hey, yeah when are we gonna do something? I'm thirsty." Toga frowned. Deku decided not to think about what that last statement meant, even though he already knew.

"What exactly are we supposed to be doing exactly? All I know is that everyone here has a reason to be here, things they want to do. All for One mentioned that everyone's desires would come together for a common goal that would achieve them all." He felt so 'involved' in this Q and A. Yeah, he had been here for a while, but so far all he's done is train and bond with the team.

Having this professional conversation on their quotas, mission statements, and objectives gave him this feeling of true participation and belonging. A student at one of the greatest hero academies couldn't be blessed with a conversation like this if they'd pay for it. Not until their senior years, at least.

"We can't stay small forever" Twice chimed in, "We gotta get our names out there, make ourselves villains worthy of a hero's attention!"

"Half brain is right." Dabi paid no mind to Twice's whining at the insult, "Shigaraki has no idea what he wants our team to be about yet. At the moment, we are just petty villains. All he knows is that he hates this society, and how carefree everyone is, regardless of the shit happening in the dark."

"Isn't that the truth?" Deku groaned. "Also, wouldn't 'two brains' make more sense? He splits, doesn't he?" -Deku pointed at Twice.

"Nah, makes him sound smarter than he really is." Dabi shrugged.

"Fair point." Deku stood up from his log as Twice continued to complain about the unfair treatment he was receiving. "All this talk of villainy and society is making me antsy. Care for round two?"

"Ooh, ooh, can I join? We can do two against one!" Toga squealed, latching onto Deku's arm in excitement. It used to make him jump, being touched by a girl in such a manner. He simply pulled his arm in closer to his body to support her weight.

Dabi looked to the sky and groaned, taking a moment to consider the offer. "Fuck it, let's do it. I've got shit else to do. I'll go easy since it's two of us-"

"Three! I wanna help!" Twice joined, standing tall as he proclaimed his request.

"Fuck me." Dabi walked over to the spot in which they fought earlier. No one needed an invitation to follow him.

Deku smiled to himself, rolling his free shoulder in anticipation. He didn't care if he had to break his body in the process. He would get strong, so freaking strong. Right now, Kacc- no, Katsuki was out there preparing for UA, no doubt. He was training, and getting stronger. One day, they would meet again, and Deku would be far above him. He already had an advantage, training to be a real threat while the other was training to be a school prodigy.

No matter what goals or objectives Shigaraki ended up discovering, Deku's would be the same. He'd get back at the bastards that destroyed who he was, and he'd be number one. Maybe not as a hero, but it would still happen. Every day he spent with the league, he felt the old him die more and more, and the new him grow with every death. He let his heart begin to desensitize and his strength expand. Whenever they made a move, he'd be ready.

He let a surge of energy rush through him, and green flashes of light cackled across his body. As toga went to stand by her teammates, he let two small and solid disks form in his hand, ready to do some damage.

That's when the flames were unleashed.

Translation:

Obasan: Aunt

Oneesan: Big Sister

A/N: Chapters will be shorter here on out. Due to the fact that someone told me it was better to keep it between 5k and 10k words (and I typically do over 10k). So yeah, for your benefit I will shorten the chapters.

Ok, nothing else. Good bye.