The terminally ill wing of the hospital was reserved for people nearing the end of their lives. Unable to be saved or cured, their last hope was dying with some comfort.

Izuku stood in the doorway of a man in the last stages of cancer. His body was tinged yellow and sunken against his gangly bones, chest trembling with every wheezed breath. The nurse stepped away still looking confused as to why two high school students would want to spend their afternoon with dying people.

The air was filled with muted pain, probably dulled by the medication, still, it filtered out of the residents in endless waves.

Izuku's stomach twisted as he took a seat in the chair beside the bed.

The man didn't stir from his slumber, heart monitors beeping steadily above them.

"Are you ready?" Hatsume asked in an apprehensive whisper.

Izuku nodded, throat too tight to answer. He reached forward into the man's mind stepping into his room.

The man's hospital room was completely empty. No flowers, or cards, or any sign that family had visited him in his last days, but his mind was another story.

A traditional home with tatami mat floors and shoji doors leaving the room bright and warm. Hoshi was the man's name. This was his space.

Photographs were scattered across the room ranging through the decades. Distinct smell's that Izuku didn't quite recognize, but he pulled on them and the memories that followed. A child eating with his mother. The pure joy and love that followed a walk in the park with a young woman. Children's toys were scattered across the floor, old and worn, Hoshi's first child. A wide smile with missing teeth and crinkled eyes.

Izuku pushed deeper, past the room, searching for where that pain festered. It met him like a wall, cold and hostile. He reached forward sinking into that darkness.

He'd almost forgotten what it felt like, to experience such sudden pain that his chest shuttered, knocking the air from his lungs.

Focus. Just a little longer.

He wove through that pain, detangling its webs with the happy memories of his family. The times he felt joy and the moments he wasn't in pain. When he was young and married and carried his son on his shoulders.

Slowly the pain eased, releasing its grip on Izuku's body, but he held onto it shifting the man's memory nearly down to his core.

Hoshi didn't have long. Izuku could feel the connection in the man's mind growing weak,

sputtering, and almost fuzzy. If he could just give him a few days of peace, unable to recognize the pain that riddled his body and the knowing that his family wasn't there with him. If he could just make Hoshi forget. He was already so much lighter.

Izuku pulled out, bringing forward more happy memories as he did. Hatsume's hand was digging into his shoulder while she crouched beside him watching his face intently.

"Well?" she asked, giving him a squeeze.

Izuku opened his mouth to answer when Hoshi suddenly breathed deeply like a weight was lifted from his chest and his eyes opened the smallest bit.

"Hiraku," he whispered, barely audible, the ghost of a smile lifting his sunken face.

The heart monitor started beeping slower as Hoshi breathed once more. Izuku felt the memories he was holding at the forefront of Hoshi's mind begin to slip away like sand through his fingers. A startled gasp erupted from Izuku as he shot up from the chair, stumbling from the feeling of falling. Hatsume wrapped her arms around Izuku asking something that he could hear.

Izuku let go of the memories he held. He felt them fade into nothing as the heart monitor let out a warning signal.

A moment later, the room was filled with nurses and they were ushered back to the waiting room. Izuku sunk into one of the chairs struggling to process what he'd just experienced. The beeping down the hall had stopped and the nurses filtered out of the room with no sense of urgency. He was sure that Hoshi had died.

"That was different," he finally said, voice hushed. "Dealing with physical pain, I mean. It still hurt, but not as strongly."

Hatsume scribbled that down. "You must not be able to experience the physical aspect of pain as deeply. That would make sense," she muttered, writing.

"But there was something else," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I think when I took his pain. . .I also took whatever he was holding on to." The memories were still bright in his mind. The love, the joy, the regret when Hoshi looked at his daughter. Something had happened there that Izuku didn't investigate. He'd pulled hard on the happy memories involving the young girl and that had eased Hoshi's pain the most.

"But you're, ok?"

He looked back over at Hatsume. "Yeah," he answered, just as surprised as she was. "I'm fine. I want to keep doing this."

"It will be a good gateway to the emotional side," she murmured, hand flying across the paper.

Izuku let her theorize and explain as they walked back to the dorms. As UA came into view, he slowed to a stop. Hatsume made it a few feet further before realizing.

"Midoriya?"

"The exam is tomorrow," he said quietly, dropping his gaze to the sidewalk. "I'm going to pass. I know that. But. . ." he trailed off looking back up at the school's insignia. "But then it's official. That this is my new path and I'll have a lot to prove."

She smiled, grabbing his arm and pulling him. "Let's worry about that after, ok? Now, go meet your classmates!" She gave him a shove towards the 3-A dorms.

"But I wanted to hang out with you tonight!"

"No can do, Power Loader needs my help on a project." She grinned, waving as she walked away. "Sensors, Midoriya, sensors!"

Right. Sensors. Codeword for make friends.

A part of him was tempted to go for a run around campus. He'd miss dinner, but then maybe he wouldn't be subjected to more questions. Hatsume would be mad though—he still hadn't found the tracker—and he'd get an earful if she found out.

Accepting his fate, Izuku walked back to his dorm. When he pushed open the door he was met with the smell of dinner and an excited gasp of, "Zuzu!"

He bent down, scooping Eri up into his arms, noticing that her hair was half braided. "Eri, I didn't know you'd be here," he said, giving her a tight hug. The memory of Hoshi's little girl flashed through his mind filling his chest with warmth.

Eri wrapped her arms around his neck. "Daddy had a meeting and said I could come see you!" She leaned closer, whispering, "I missed you."

A chorus of giggles caught their attention. "Zuzu?" Uraraka asked. "That's adorable."

Izuku blushed, shifting Eri in his arms. "Eri is really good at nicknames, huh?" She beamed up at him, holding tighter.

"So, you've already met, Eri?" another girl asked. Izuku couldn't remember her name though.

"We're best friends," Eri said, showing them her pink and green bracelet sitting next to a purple and pink one. Izuku shifted his hand higher, showing off his matching bracelet.

Uraraka clutched at her chest. "That's so cute."

"Are you hungry? I think dinner's almost done," Izuku said as he carried her further into the common area.

Eri held tight, resting against his shoulder. "Uh-huh," she mumbled. "Where's Hoshi?"

"I'm sure he's here somewhere. I'll make sure you get to see him," Izuku promised as they entered the kitchen area.

"Get in here, extras! Your fucking food is done!" Bakugo yelled, slamming down a dish on the long table.

"Kacchan!" Izuku scolded, hand covering Eri's ear. She giggled. Bakugo spun towards him, hands fisted till he saw Eri and froze.

"Hey man, don't curse in front of Eri. Aizawa will kill you," Kirishima laughed, clapping Bakugo on the shoulder. He turned towards Izuku with a friendly smile. "Ignore him, he's just mad because Kaminari fried the toaster."

"How many times do I have to tell you extra's to say out of my kitchen!" Bakugo seethed as he set

the rest of the food on the table.

Izuku put Eri down but she clung to his side, hand wrapped around his fingers. "Your kitchen?"

Bakugo's head tilted back, teeth bared. "What the hell do you mean by that, Deku?"

"It's really for the best," Uraraka said sheepishly. "The rest of us are terrible in the kitchen."

"It is true," Iida said, hand resting across his chest solemnly. "I'm afraid the first time I attempted to make dinner we had to evacuate due to smoke."

Maybe it was for the best then.

Eri pulled Izuku around the table to a chair fitted with a booster seat. "You can sit next to me, Zuzu!"

"I see you've made friends with little Eri," Iida smiled.

"I knew Eri before—"

"We're best friends!" she interjected, showing off her wrist to Iida. "We have bracelets!" Iida adjusted his glasses. "I do see! Incredible craftsmanship."

"Eat before it gets cold!"

When Shinsou showed up he took the chair on the other side of Eri. As they ate, everyone at the table introduced themselves and their quirk. Izuku committed it to memory, matching them with the descriptions in his notebook.

Eri pulled on his sleeve and when he leaned down, she asked quietly, "What did you call Ba-ku-go earlier?"

He smiled hearing her sound out the symbols of his name. "Kacchan." "Why?"

"That's what I called him when we were kids."

She sat back, eyes wide. "You knew him when you were little?" Izuku nodded. "Yep, I met him when I was about your age."

She gasped like she couldn't believe he could've been as young as her at some point. "Is that why he calls you Deku? Were you friends?"

"Well—"

"Yeah, what's the story with you and Bakugo?" Ashido asked, leaning forward on the table. "He won't spill, so it must be good."

Bakugo was looking at him now, tense and stabbing at his food.

"Well," Izuku started, shifting his gaze from Bakugo's to the rest of the table. "We met in elementary. . ." he trailed off not sure what else to say. The truth was too personal and Izuku only sort of considered them friends at the time, but he was pretty sure Bakugo didn't feel the same. "I

just kinda followed him around," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's all." Across the table, Bakugo snorted.

"Well, there must be something else," Ashido pushed.

Izuku shoved rice into his mouth. He chewed slowly wondering if Bakugo was remembering the same thing. Their last conversation. He heard Bakugo stand and leave sending the table into an awkward silence.

"Ok, so something bad," Ashido huffed. "Anyway, what time are you supposed to be back from the exam?"

Izuku relaxed with the subject change. "Mr. Aizawa said around four."

As the buzzer sounded, Izuku stumbled forward. He had until the second buzzer to form a plan. In order to pass, he needed to hit ten people for a total of thirty targets.

That was a lot of people. . . He'd just have to move fast.

The cityscape would probably have the most people. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, ducking into a building just as the second buzzer went off. Izuku opened his quirk, scanning for any thoughts directed at him.

After a minute of nothing, he stepped out and started down the street. He pressed himself against a wall as he heard voices and peeked around the corner.

"We need a plan," one was saying. "I think we should—"

Izuku dug in, making them freeze. He hit their targets pinned to their clothes and took off ignoring their cries of disbelief and the guilt that bloomed in his stomach. He had to pass and the faster he passed the longer he would get to rest before the rescue portion of the exam.

Four down. Six to go.

He ran through the city looking for more people. Izuku jumped out of the way of an attack.

"You're from UA, right?" the guy asked smirking. He tossed one of the orange balls in his hand looking Izuku up and down. "You're too old to be a first year. Did you fail the first test? Second?"

"No," Izuku answered stiffly, digging into his head. The boy froze going slack-faced as Izuku hit the targets.

Five more.

He moved through the city searching for easy targets and avoiding large groups. Time was ticking.

There was a small group headed his way discussing a plan. More than he needed but a lot smaller than the other groups Izuku had encountered. They'd have to do.

As he reached towards their minds and dug in, he felt the dull throb begin. Seven was a lot to hold but it wouldn't take long. He hit their targets till his turned green and an automated voice told him to go to the waiting area.

He released the hold with a shuttered breath.

There were only ten other students who had passed when he entered the building. The waiting area was filled with food and drinks. He snagged a couple of protein bars and a water before finding some chairs to lay down on.

Aizawa was watching somewhere. Izuku wondered what he was thinking. He also wished he had his phone so he could text Hatsume and let her know he passed the first portion. But he didn't, so he settled with watching the screens around the room as the other examinees battled it out. He gulped watched fistfights and explosions.

He'd have to face that one day. Probably soon with class A's track record.

Slowly, more people filtered into the waiting area. Izuku stayed in his chair enjoying the hum of conversation from a distance.

The second portion of the test was a rescue effort. He was torn between searching for people and helping out at the first aid station. His quirk could be useful in both areas.

He watched as most of the 100 who had passed broke off in groups to search the rubble and destruction following the blasts.

"Hey you, do you know first aid?" a girl asked. She'd been giving orders to what he assumed was her class.

Izuku nodded. First aid was probably what he was most skilled at since he had hands-on training. "I do. I can help with my quirk too."

"Perfect," she smiled and pointed to a flat area of concrete where other students were setting up supplies. "Ask for Miura, he's giving directions." With that, she ran off to recruit more people.

Izuku was placed in the intake area. It started slow, groups of heroes bringing in a couple of civilians at a time. Izuku ran through a list of questions with each of them. Does anything hurt? How many fingers do you see? Are you bleeding? All the while, calming their thoughts, even forgetting a few times that they were actors and not really in pain at all. He shook his head each time and guided them to the area where broken bones and wounds were being dressed or to the area people with minor injuries could wait until more help arrived.

As more civilians came though, Izuku had to help stabilize bones and wrap heads in bandages.

Some of the actors were incredible at faking panic attacks and shock, but Izuku calmed them down all the same. "Breathe," he'd tell them, and they'd suck in a steady breath, relaxing on the exhale. "Don't move your arm, ok?" and they wouldn't or, "Stay right here, you're safe now," and they'd believe it. When the command wore off, they'd blink in confusion and mutter to the other actors trying to figure out why they'd listened.

They were beginning to get crowded when more blasts went off and soldiers in black stormed the arena. Right. The villain portion.

Izuku looked around at the civilians and the other examinees beginning to show panic as the villains stormed towards them. Izuku ran up to Miura. "We need to hold them off till more heroes show up."

"Right," Miura said after a moment. He swallowed thickly. "Right. What can you do?"

Izuku looked back at the fifty or so men in black coming towards them. "I can keep some of them back for a while, but I'll need help."

"Ok, here's what we'll do. I'll slow them down and you hold off any that get past." Miura gave Izuku a final nod before running towards the villains. He slammed his hands into the ground. Lush grass sprouted from the dirt, growing thick and wild, tangling around the feet of the soldiers.

Izuku moved away from the first-aid station, putting distance between the civilians and the villains. Up ahead, Miura was holding the villains off, creating grass and vine shields to block the goo from their guns, but the soldiers were gaining, following Gang Orcas orders. Behind him, the actors had worked up fresh tears and cries that they were going to die.

If only he had enough power to calm everyone and fight.

But he didn't, so he had to settle with keeping the civilians safe until more help arrived.

Miura looked back at him in panic as a few soldiers made it through, waving their guns in victory. Izuku dug into their minds ordering them to disarm the weapon and threw it out of reach, some of their colleges shouted at them, but the three villains under his control stood silent.

He repeated the action with every soldier that got through the grass till about fifteen stood in a group asking each other why they were fighting teenagers. The pay wasn't even that good.

Izuku winced as a sharp pain shot through his head. He didn't have much left in him. Even with the other examinees that had arrived to help, too many villains were getting close to the first aid area for him to stop.

He nearly crumpled with relief when a rock wall shot up from the earth. "Hey," the boy greeted, running towards him. "My team will take it from here, we brought a bunch of civilians." He clapped Izuku on the shoulder before forming steps to climb the wall.

Izuku went back to the concrete platform, glad that it was so loud and chaotic. He bent down next to a young woman; her tears making her mascara run in black rivers down her face. Commands were easy, even easier because they were acting. He reached towards her mind coaxing her hiccups and sobs into sniffles and leveled breathing. The girl wrapping her arm let out a stiff breath, giving Izuku a thankful look.

Izuku moved through the crowd of civilians, ignoring the throbbing in his head. He still had time before he reached his limit. If he just kept doing this, he'd be ok. But he had no idea how long the second portion of the exam would last. Until all the civilians were rescued or until the villains were captured? Maybe there was a time limit.

Behind the rock wall, the fighting was loud. Sometimes something would hit the wall and they'd all hold their breath, but it continued to stand strong. They'd just have to trust the other students on the other side.

Izuku unwrapped a roll of bandages, frowning at a bruised and twisted arm. This one was real. The actor was hurt when rubble fell during his rescue. He gently ran his fingers along the man's arm feeling for full breaks or bone fragments. "I think it's a fracture," Izuku told him, shifting through the guy's mind to keep him calm. Izuku picked up the brace and fitted it to the broken arm. "I'm going to stabilize it, but it's important you don't move your arm. We'll get you to a hospital soon."

The man nodded numbly, watching Izuku work with distant eyes. Arm wrapped and put in a sling, Izuku guided the man over to the other civilians who'd been treated. Before he left, Izuku dug into

the man's mind a little deeper so that he wouldn't feel the pain so deeply.

It felt like forever till the buzzer sounded.

His name was on the board. He'd passed.

But looking down at his new license with his name was what really made it set it.

Izuku took a picture, sending it to Hatsume. Aizawa was there too, wearing that rare but fond smile.

"You were right," Izuku hiccupped, the tears he'd been holding back now blurring his vision. He looked down at his license and they dripped off his nose. "I never thought this was possible."

"You did really well, Midoriya." He set a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Let's go home." Izuku wiped his eyes and followed. "Can we stop for food? I'm starving."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Izuku carried Eri on his shoulders on their walk to the school. They'd swung by the house to pick her up before going back to UA. She hummed happily, fingers twisting in his curls to hold on.

"You should be thinking of a hero name. You'll need to submit one soon."

Izuku looked over at Aizawa who walked next to him. He'd never had much luck coming up with a name. Designing a costume was easy. A name was a whole other ball game.

"I like Deku," Eri said above him. "I think it sounds cool."

He looked up at her as best he could. "You think so?"

She nodded with a grin. "Deku to the rescue!" she called, one arm raised in a heroic fist.

Izuku chuckled, adjusting his grip on her knees as they entered the gate. "I think you're right. Deku it is."

He looked up at the dorm building feeling proud. He got the license; now it was time to prove himself. Izuku set Eri down when they reached the steps. She ran ahead, oddly excited.

"So, what's next?" Izuku asked, pausing at the door.

"Well," Aizawa drawled. "We keep training your quirk. Same as we have been."

Izuku hummed in thought. "What's the next goal then?"

"You'll need to complete an internship before the next break, but we'll talk more about that later." Aizawa placed a hand on Izuku, guiding him into the dorm.

He'd get to learn from an actual pro-hero. His heart hummed with excitement and he completely missed the balloons and banner at first. When he did register them, he came to a sudden stop. A birthday? No one told him, and he didn't bring a gift. Oh no. But there was a convenience store just down the street. He could—

"Congratulations, Midoriya!" Uraraka said and the others jumped out from behind furniture. Izuku stumbled back. Eri was grinning, bouncing on her toes. Uraraka reached for his hand, pulling him into the common area where drinks and snacks were set up.

"Why?" Izuku asked, the word slipping from his mouth as his mind drew a blank. Uraraka blinked at him, slowing her speed. "You passed the exam, silly."

Izuku looked around at the streamers and balloons, he was pretty sure there was a cake on the table. "T-This is too much."

"Don't be ridiculous! We know how hard you've been working." She let his hand go and gestured to his classmates. "Besides, we wanted to give you a proper welcome."

They were all so happy. He could feel it brushing up against him. "I don't know what to say," he said, sinking into his shoulders. They'd done all of this for him, but he couldn't figure out why. It must've cost money. He wrung his fingers looking at all the snacks and drinks, something was cooking in the kitchen, too.

"Yeah man, you were great the other day!" Kaminari grinned, throwing an arm around Izuku's shoulders. "And now, you're officially a part of our team!" Izuku still didn't know what to say, so Kaminari leaned closer. "We made your favorite food, too. Katsudon, right?"

Off to the side, Uraraka whispered, "I really hope he wasn't lying."

Izuku looked back at Aizawa but he just shook his head. "Don't be too loud and don't forget you have training tomorrow." Eri grabbed his hand and waved goodbye.

The class muttered a "Yes, sir" and waited till the door shut before turning the music on.

Izuku kept trying to linger off to the side or fade into the background, but someone always pulled him back into the conversation or another round of video games or asked his opinion on chip flavors. He glared down at his bowl of katsudon shooting Shinsou suspicious glances.

"Wasn't me," he said, hands lifted in surrender.

Izuku let out a frustrated huff. "Then who told them?"

Shinsou gave him a thoughtful look. "Bakugo did."

"Wait—really?"

"Yep." Shinsou nodded. "He said something along the lines of 'That nerd had katsudon once and wouldn't shut up about it'."

Izuku flushed knowing exactly what Bakugo was referring to. It was back when they'd just met and Bakugo had given what was left of his bento saying it tasted terrible, but Izuku was pretty sure he'd just noticed he didn't bring a lunch. Of course, it had tasted good, the best thing he'd had in a long time.

He looked over at Bakugo still in the kitchen, frying up more pork loins for second servings, his usual scowl in place. Izuku ate quickly and stood to take his bowl to the sink. As he rinsed it, he glanced over his shoulder at where Bakugo stood, back still turned.

"Thank you," Izuku whispered so that the others wouldn't hear him but Bakugo could. He

stiffened, the popping oil mixing with the music playing in the other room.

"Yeah, well, you don't completely suck, so. . ." he trailed off with a shrug, flipping a pork loin.

Izuku smiled. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Kacchan."

Bakugo spun on him. "Get the hell out of my kitchen!"

"Ok, ok," Izuku said, taking a few steps back. "Thank you. Really. For cooking, too."

Bakugo crossed his arms stubbornly. "Whatever."

"That went well," Shinsou said as he sat back down, looking a bit surprised.

Izuku glanced up at Bakugo then back down at the table. "I've never fully understood him," he said quietly, resting his head on his hand. "Do you want to spar after classes tomorrow?"

"Sure."

Izuku looked the doors to Power Loader's shop up and down, shiny and hammered straight again. He'd wanted to stop by and say hi before his match with Shinsou since he hadn't been able to when classes started.

"Looks nice, doesn't it?" Power Loader said, walking towards him. "Yeah. Won't last long though. Who did it?"

Power Loader laughed. "Bakugo. Said he felt bad and wanted to fix them. I told him it wasn't a big deal and that Hatsume blows them off at least once a week, but he just started working on them anyway."

Izuku felt himself smile. "I've got some extra training, but it was good seeing you." "Hey, I heard you passed. I always knew you'd do great things."

Izuku smiled again, this time a little forced. "Thanks!" He jogged across campus to the sparring gyms, the same ones he used to spend his afternoons at over the last two years as a discreet way to practice his quirk.

Shinsou was waiting for him, capture weapon wrapped around his neck. "Ready?" he asked with his usual smirk.

Izuku nodded silently, having fallen for that trick before.

Sparring with Shinsou was fun. They had a good rhythm and sometimes would casually talk while dodging each other.

Izuku landed a kick to Shinsou's chest, sending him to the ground. The capture weapon wrapped around his wrist pulling Izuku off his feet. He yelped, struggling to get his footing. He pulled back as Shinsou tried to drag him down. They were at a standstill.

"Where did you go the other day?" Shinsou asked, releasing his hold on Izuku's arm. Izuku gave him a dubious look. "It's not a trap," he huffed.

"To the hospital with Hatsume," Izuku said after a moment of suspicion.

Shinsou adjusted the capture weapon around his neck till it lay smooth. "The school approve that?"

"Technically it's volunteer work," he explained, tossing a water bottle to Shinsou. "But it gives me the chance to practice my quirk on emotions and deep memories."

Shinsou pulled the water bottle away from his lips, a brow quirked. "Does Aizawa know?"

"No. Not yet. I just wanted to test it out first with Hatsume."

"You really trust her, don't you?"

Izuku nodded, throat tight. "I don't know where I'd be without her," he admitted but he had a pretty good idea.

Shinsou stepped past him, leaning against the wall. "You should tell him soon."

"I know," Izuku said, water bottle crunching in his hand. He tipped his head back looking up at the ceiling as he thought of Hoshi. "It's weird. Being in the mind of someone dying."

"How?" Shinsou asked, his eyes a little softer.

"I can feel them slipping away," he almost whispered. "It was fuzzy like the connections were losing their spark."

Shinsou tipped back the last of his water, tossing the empty bottle into a nearby trashcan. "Yeah, that's weird."

"We also think that I don't experience their physical pain as strongly," Izuku added. "I could use that in the field when people are injured if our theory is right."

Shinsou's brow furrowed. "But emotional pain is the one you have trouble with?"

Izuku leaned up against the wall beside him, crossing his arms as he thought. "It's been several years. . .but my mind couldn't distinguish between memories. Even now I'm feeling some of Hoshi's memories and the emotions they spark," he said, thinking back to yesterday with Eri. "With time they fade, and I remember that they aren't my memories. That's why I wanted Hatsume with me. . ." he trailed off, muttering, "just in case."

Shinsou cocked his head to the side curiously. "Something happened, didn't it?"

"Yeah," he said, voice cracking. He cleared his throat and tried again. "A long time ago. It's why I decided not to become a hero. Honestly, I'm still really scared. I keep thinking that this is the wrong choice. But at the same time,"—he tipped his head back, closing his eyes—"I want this."

"Then that's all that matters," Shinsou said, pushing off the wall and picking up his bag. "Oh, I'm also supposed to tell you we're having dinner Saturday."

Izuku watched him leave and then checked his watch. It was still early. He could go for another run or see if Hatsume wasn't busy. He gnawed on his lip as he typed out a message to her.

"Figures you'd be slacking off."

Izuku looked up, then glared at Bakugo standing a few feet away. "Shinsou just left, Kacchan," he defended, sliding his phone and the unfinished message into his backpack.

He just smirked. "You wanna spar or not, Deku?"

"Fine."

Izuku stepped into the marked area and raised his hands. He met Bakugo full force, dodging blasts and hits. Even as he was knocked to the ground and rolled out of range, he grinned. It was exhilarating. Completely different than when he sparred with Shinsou.

"I'm gonna kick your ass and then you won't be smiling," Bakugo taunted, hands heating up for another blast.

Izuku shrugged, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You haven't yet."

"Why you little sh—" the rest of his words cut off by explosions rocketing him forward.

Izuku sidestepped, stumbling back when Bakugo turned a moment later, forgetting how fast Bakugo was in the air with his blasts. Bakugo's hands twisted in his shirt as he was tackled to the ground.

Izuku raised his hands in surrender, struggling to breathe under Bakugo's weight. "Alright, you win." He closed his eyes, feeling the dull throb begin. He felt Bakugo sit up and sucked in a deep breath. "You're so fast, I can't keep up," he huffed, opening his eyes when Bakugo didn't answer.

Bakugo didn't move off of him, he just frowned downward, concern creasing his brows, breath a bit uneven.

"Kacchan?"

Bakugo stood. "Damn right I'm fast, nerd," he finally said, his voice gruff and forced.

Izuku sat up and felt his shirt slide back down. He froze. Panic stinging across his skin in a hot flash.

"If you want to spar again, let me know. You need it," Bakugo said a moment later, voice back to its usual smugness.

"Yeah, thanks." Izuku hurried to his feet as Bakugo walked away picking up his backpack and leaving the gym as fast as he could. He ran back to his room sinking down against the door when it closed.

Safe but too quiet.

He pulled out his phone, shoving in his earbuds and cranking up the music.

Bakugo's room was next to his. Sometimes Izuku could hear him moving around. In the mornings when their alarm clocks went off at the same time and his closet door slid open. Now when Bakugo opened his door and it closed behind him, Izuku pulled out his earbuds to listen. There was a soft knock against the wall, low near the floor. Izuku looked at the wall with a frown wondering what Bakugo was doing. God, he wanted to know, but he resisted the urge to use his quirk and find out. He wanted to know what Bakugo thought when he saw the scars. Why he was so quiet. Why he acted like he didn't see anything. He even offered to spar whenever Izuku wanted. Was that pity?

"MIDORIYA!" someone yelled, knocking on his door.

Izuku lurched forward with a yelp. He tentatively opened his door. It was Ashido grinning wide feigning innocence, a good portion of his class behind her. Izuku narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Yeah?"

She grinned a bit wider. "We came to see your room!"

"Huh?"

"Don't worry, we made Shinsou do it, too," she said with a dismissive wave.

Shinsou scowled at her with a humph, looking like he'd been dragged there against his will.

Izuku looked back at his room holding the door tight. It wasn't too dirty, and they didn't look like they were going to go away. He opened the door to let him in.

"You have a TV?" Uraraka gasped.

"And a beanbag chair!" Ashido flopped down, sinking in with a content sigh. "I love this poster!"

"It's so cozy."

Izuku pressed against the wall. So. . .so many people. So much noise. He wanted to cover his ears. He wanted them to leave, but they were being so nice. They were so close, looking through his things, his so very few things. What. . .What if they found out? What if they thought he was weird? What if they left? When would they leave? Soon. Always soon. It would be the same. They were just being nice and then they would leave. Just like everyone before.

Izuku's breath caught in his throat. Then again. And again till his lungs were burning. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't—

"Get the hell out!"

Their chatter stopped as they looked towards the door.

"You're too fucking loud!" Bakugo yelled.

Ashido got up with a groan. "Yeah, yeah, we're going. Thanks for showing us, Midoriya."

Izuku gulped. "Y-yeah, no problem." As their classmates filtered out, Bakugo stayed, making sure they left. "Sorry," Izuku said, placing a hand on the door.

"You can tell them, no, you know," Bakugo said quietly. "Idiots."

"Kacchan," Izuku said as Bakugo turned to leave. Bakugo looked back at him expectantly. "About earlier—"

"You don't need to tell me," he cut off.

"But. . ." I kinda want you to know "I just—" Izuku fell silent at Bakugo releasing a stiff sigh.

"Seriously, Deku, it's none of my business." He turned to leave again and Izuku's hands itched to reach out like when they were kids. Just to touch him. To be near him. But Izuku held himself back and instead gave a stiff nod.

He let his door close, resting his forehead against its cool surface. "Shit," Izuku hissed, feeling his body shake and sunk to the floor again. He fumbled with his phone and put his earbuds in again.

Not enough. He turned on the TV, sitting near the speakers. He stayed there, the music and show meddling into garbled noise and his heart calmed. A long and slow descent from a near panic attack.

He breathed deeply, feeling numb and tired. He stumbled from his room and down to the kitchen. Just as he had suspected, Bakugo was there preparing dinner. Izuku washed his hands and walked up to the cutting board where vegetables waited and pulled out a knife.

Bakugo didn't stop him, glancing from the corner of his eye as Izuku started chopping. "Better not fuck it up," he muttered, shaking more spices into the skillet.

Izuku smiled softly, tiredly, down at the cutting board falling into a rhythm like he'd done with Aizawa and Mic countless times. "I actually got pretty good at this," he said, picking up another carrot. "Not much good anywhere else though."

Beside him, Bakugo snorted. "Figures you'd only be half decent at one thing."

Izuku felt a laugh bubble out of him, too tired to stop it. "Well, you're not wrong." "Don't agree with me. And cube those."

"Got it, got it," Izuku huffed, scooping the finished carrots into one of the waiting bowls.