When Izuku opened his eyes, the world was just a bit blurry. The colors and light blended together with impossible softness. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as he pressed his cheek into the pillow. In the back of his mind, he knew the bed didn't smell right and the blankets felt too heavy.

The pull of sleep wrapped tight around him. Wherever he was it was warm and soft. If it was a dream, he wanted to stay asleep a little longer.

That was until the warmth moved, pulling away, and the weight draped across his side shifted.

Izuku's face scrunched up in confusion, his body going still as he tried to sort out what his senses were telling him. It sounded like someone let out a puff of air like they were amused. Izuku tried opening his eyes again. He was reluctant to let the sleepiness go, but his curiosity and confusion won out.

It was still blurry. His eyes felt sore and tired. He thought about figuring out where he was later until a hand pressed against his cheek. Izuku sucked in a deep breath, his heart stumbling out of rhythm as he tried to get his eyes to focus.

Slowly, splotches of red gained shape.

Izuku closed his eyes again because he had to be dreaming.

But the hand on his cheek felt real, so he forced himself to open his eyes. This time, he saw the mess of blond hair and the quirk of a tired smile perfectly. "Kacchan?" Izuku asked, his voice catching in his throat.

"Hey, nerd."

Izuku frowned as he felt Bakugo's thumb arch over his cheek. He glanced around at what he could see of the room they were in. Parts of yesterday coming back to him. "Is this your room?"

Bakugo drew his hand away and stretched, letting out a hum of confirmation.

Izuku pressed his face into the pillow further. He'd been slipping. There were flashes of the city. Running from someone. Dabi. Lots of Dabi. Izuku pushed himself up onto his elbows and scowled at the room. Bakugo's room. That he was in. "Why?" he asked Bakugo, feeling a flush crawl up his neck at the lack of eloquence.

"Do you not remember?" Bakugo asked, rolling back onto his side to look at Izuku.

Izuku felt his unease grow when there was no edge to Bakugo's voice, no teasing or annoyance either. He just sounded concerned. "It's coming back," he said slowly, remembering that he'd gone back to the group home and that he'd forgotten his name at one point. More than once. "What time is it?"

"Around seven," he said, still watching Izuku. "Where's Aizawa?"

Bakugo sat up, startling Izuku. "A lot happened yesterday, so just take a minute," he said, shoving a hand through his bed head.

Izuku sat up too and leaned back against the wall. "It was bad. Not the worst, but it was bad," he muttered, closing his eyes as he replayed the memories. Stumbling through the day, forgetting himself, the fear when he realized what was going on.

The roof.

A chill shot through him, catching his breath.

Izuku looked up at Bakugo, his eyes stinging with hot tears as he remembered Bakugo calling his name and pulling him down. "I'm sorry," he choked out.

"Don't do that," Bakugo said, glaring down at his hands before looking around himself. "I swear, I get you to stop, and you start up again." He grumbled under his breath as he leaned over the bed to the desk by the wall and grabbed a box of tissues.

Izuku sniffed, struggling to stop the flood. "I didn't even remember you," he said, the words becoming muffled at the end as Bakugo shoved tissues at his face. "I should've listened to you."

"Just shut up, ok? It's ok now."

"No, it's not." Izuku pushed his hand aside. "I almost—"

"I know," he cut off. "I know." Bakugo sat back as Izuku took the tissues from him. "So, you remember? All of it?"

Izuku closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. "It goes in waves. I'll remember and forget again."

"You said this time isn't the worst?"

Izuku glanced up at Bakugo. "I'm not in a different city two days later, so yeah, not the worst." He massaged the bridge of his nose and scowled at the rumpled bedsheets. "But not good either. I don't remember getting here."

"You passed out after you told me what was going on." Bakugo stood from the bed and stretched, joints popping. He threw a smirk at Izuku. "I had to carry you down."

Izuku looked around the room again to ignore how his cheeks grew hot. When his eyes landed back on the bed before him, Izuku did remember some things as he'd drifted off to sleep. He'd felt safe. He tried to ignore a few others.

"Where's Aizawa? He said he was going to check on me throughout the day," Izuku asked, scooting to the edge of the bed. "He must be worried."

"He texted me earlier," Bakugo said, stepping around the closet door with a new shirt on. "Said he and Mic would be back this afternoon. They had to go to Tokyo yesterday on some emergency mission."

Izuku caught his phone as Bakugo tossed it to him.

"You left that in the kitchen when you went to take out the trash." He gave Izuku a pointed glare. "Keep it on you."

"I will," Izuku promised. He didn't bother turning it on to check the, no doubt, dozens of notifications. "Why'd they go to Tokyo?"

"He didn't say." Bakugo turned to Izuku and crossed his arms. "We were already searching for you when he called Shinsou. He'd taken Eri off to distract her, so Aizawa called me next."

Izuku stood up, his headache making him feel lightheaded. "Must've been something serious." He didn't want to cry again. Honestly, he wasn't sure he had the energy to, but he felt so guilty. "I lied to you."

Bakugo let out a heavy breath and moved closer to Izuku. "Why? I don't get it."

"I was just. . ." Izuku swallowed. "I'm still scared of what happened with Dabi and he won't leave me alone. I-I didn't want you or anyone else getting hurt by him." Izuku looked down at his arms and the warped skin. "I don't know why, it's just what I've always done."

"Damn it," Bakugo cursed, leaning around Izuku to grab another tissue. "Seriously, where the fuck do you keep them?"

"I'm an idiot," Izuku said, dropping his head on Bakugo's shoulder.

It took a few seconds for Bakugo to react, but he wrapped an arm around Izuku, his hand catching in his curls. "I could've told you that."

"I'm sorry, Kacchan." The apology was interrupted by a loud growl. "I'm also really hungry. I don't think I've eaten since yesterday morning."

"Fine, but there are rules."

Izuku pulled back and looked at him curiously. "Rules?"

"You're stuck with me, got it?" Bakugo's fingers twisted into Izuku's shirt as he nodded. "You tell me if your mind starts fucking up again and you're not allowed out of my sight."

Izuku wrapped his hand over Bakugo's still clutching his shirt. "I will, but what about classes? It was seven so they should be soon," he mumbled, feeling the headache pulse.

"Homeroom and English are canceled since it was too short notice to find a sub," Bakugo explained as he stepped away. "Aizawa also excused us for the day."

"Should I call him?" Izuku asked as he followed Bakugo into the hallway. "No, he said he'd call us. Something about their mission."

Izuku did a double-take at his door or lack thereof. "What?" he scoffed, gesturing to the caved-in metal as words escaped him once more. He'd know those scorch marks anywhere.

Bakugo crossed his arms, not looking a bit ashamed. "We couldn't fucking find you." "Don't the teachers have like a door opener thingy?"

"They were taking too fucking long. Are you hungry or not, Deku?"

Izuku wanted to argue more but his stomach growled and didn't want to push his luck. "I remember hearing Mina calling for me," he said as they stepped into the elevator. "I didn't remember who

she was. Is she ok?"

"You should talk to her about it," Bakugo said, eyes locked on the blinking floor numbers. "She was a lot better when she saw you were safe."

Izuku hung back for a second when the doors opened. Bakugo looked back at him curiously, his hand pressed against the door to keep it from closing. Izuku could hear the voices of his classmates.

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone," Izuku said quietly. It was the opposite of what he wanted but remembering the way Mina had been sobbing and calling his name with such desperation, Izuku realized that his actions had only caused what he'd been trying to prevent.

"We'll talk about it later," Bakugo said, ushering Izuku out of the elevator. "You need to eat and drink something."

Izuku glared down at Bakugo hands wrapped around his shoulders as he was steered towards the kitchen.

Please get down, Izuku.

Izuku dug his heels in to stop and looked over his shoulder at a now scowling Bakugo.

You call me Kacchan.

"I'm really sorry, Kacchan," Izuku whispered. "I'm sorry I put you through that."

Bakugo's frown softened and he let out a frustrated breath. "I said we'll talk about it later. Now move or I'll carry your ass again." He gave Izuku a hard enough shove to get walking again.

Izuku stepped out of his grasp and walked himself to the kitchen knowing full well that Bakugo meant it.

"Zuzu!"

Someone called me Zuzu, I think.

Izuku knelt down and wrapped Eri up in a tight hug. "I didn't know you were here."

She tried to pull away, but Izuku wasn't ready to let go so she patted his back. "Daddy had work, so I got to stay with Hoshi. We made pancakes. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," Izuku said, finally letting her go.

She grinned at him before running back behind the counter.

Izuku felt his stomach drop as he met Shinsou's eyes and he visibly relaxed. Shinsou turned back to Eri as she asked something.

"She was getting hungry," Shinsou said quietly as he set two plates of pancakes on the bar top for them. He looked at Bakugo as he said, "We'll clean up the mess."

Eri scowled from where she was perched on a stool by the stove. "Bakugo lets me help all the time. He said I'm a better helper than Zuzu!"

"What does that have to do with a mess?" Shinsou asked, turning back to her.

Eri screwed her mouth over in thought. "Bakugo wouldn't let me help if I made a mess," she defended dutifully as she flipped pancakes. Shinsou gestured to the bowls, splatters of batter on the counter, and blueberries rolling across the floor. "That was all you."

"Does this mean I don't have to help chop vegetables?" Izuku asked.

Bakugo smirked against the rim of his glass. "Not a chance."

"Are you feeling better?" Shinsou asked as he flipped on the faucet.

Izuku pushed his empty plate towards him. "I am," he said and added, "for now."

Shinsou frowned down at the sink filling. "You're staying with him till Aizawa gets back, right?" he asked Bakugo.

"Yeah, we're watching Eri too," Bakugo said.

Izuku stood from the chair when he realized he wasn't in his uniform.

"Where do you think you're going?" Bakugo asked, stopping Izuku by grabbing his wrist.

Izuku stared at him and glanced around the common area, his frown furrowing deeper as his confusion grew. He looked back at the boy holding his wrist. "Bakugo?" Izuku asked, giving his wrist a pointed tug for him to let go. "What do you want?"

Bakugo blanched, his grip on Izuku tightening as the other two in the kitchen hurried out, a trail of questions coming from the little girl.

"Let go of me, Bakugo," Izuku said, giving his hand another pull. "What are you even doing here?"

"Kacchan," Bakugo bit out. "It's Kacchan."

Izuku scoffed and pulled harder. "Let me go, Kacchan," Izuku sneered.

Bakugo's lip curled back as he grabbed Izuku's other arm and yanked him closer. "You're forgetting."

There was something off. Izuku leaned away to look around the common area. A group of people he didn't recognize sat on a cluster of couches; their backpacks scattered around the floor.

"How long does it last?" Bakugo asked, giving Izuku's arm a gentle squeeze to get his attention.

Izuku frowned at him, still trying to put as much distance between them as Bakugo's grip would allow. "How long does what last?"

"You called it. . ." he trailed off and let out a groan as he tried to remember something. "You called it slipping."

"Slipping?" Izuku's eyes widened as a chill shot through him. "I told you about that?" He tried again to step out of his grasp, but Bakugo only pulled him closer. Izuku looked at Bakugo, trying to figure out a future where they ate breakfast together that he could slip from. "What is going on?"

Izuku managed a shaky swallow as he took in his strange surroundings. He didn't recognize this place at all or the other people watching TV.

"Calm down—"

Izuku recoiled as fingers brushed his cheek. "What the fuck is happening?" He leaned further away, using his newly freed hand to try and get the other loose. "Why are you being—" Izuku didn't even know what to call it. "You hate me."

Bakugo gave him a bored look. "Will you just listen to me?"

"Why would I do that? Not to mention, I have classes soon," Izuku grumbled, giving up on the iron hold around his wrist. "And I have to figure out where I am. I'm going to be late if you don't let me go."

"You used your quirk and it fucked you up again," Bakugo said, leaning back in his chair. Izuku went rigged. "I-I don't have a quirk."

Bakugo's eyes narrowed, but the way the corner of his mouth quirked up said he was amused. "This must be first year you," he mused quietly, the quirk growing to a smirk. "First semester?"

"Is that not. . ." Izuku trailed off as he really looked at Bakugo. He was bigger, taller too from the looks of it. Izuku swallowed hard. "Is it not?"

"You told me that when you go into someone's mind too deep you get confused," Bakugo said gently, leaning towards Izuku. "You slip."

Izuku chewed on his lip. "Why would I tell you that?"

"It's a long story," Bakugo sighed. "How do I get you back?"

Izuku felt his face flush and tried to pull away again. "It usually wears off after a few days," he mumbled and looked away. "All For One. . .was that the villain?"

Bakugo nodded, pulling him closer. "You met with him two days ago."

"Oh," Izuku said, too tied up in figuring out why he didn't mind Bakugo grabbing his wrist or pulling him closer. He was trying hard to be angry and just. . .couldn't. "I wouldn't do that, though. I promised I wouldn't."

And yet, he was staring at a Bakugo he didn't recognize and feeling things he didn't understand.

Bakugo's face softened. "You felt like you had to break that promise."

"Yeah," Izuku said, sitting back down in the chair, "I remember being upset about something."

There was movement in the other room. The group gathered around the couches stood to leave. A few waved to them and not know what else to do, Izuku waved back to them.

"Who are they?" Izuku asked Bakugo, vaguely recognizing a few. "Aren't they in class 1-A with you?"

"3-A," Bakugo corrected.

"3-A?" Izuku stammered in disbelief, slumping back in his chair. "I slipped two years?" That would explain why Bakugo looked so different. Izuku looked at the dirty kitchen again, painfully aware of Bakugo's hand wrapped around his wrist. "Why am I here?"

Bakugo smirked as he said, "You're in the Hero Course."

"What?" Izuku shook his head, hoping that he was dreaming. "I wouldn't do that."

"You had to," Bakugo explained. "Your quirk was getting too much for you to handle. You helped with our final and then you transferred at the beginning of the year."

Izuku gave his arm another tug, the way Bakugo sounded so calm made his skin crawl. "That's—I wouldn't—this is why! I promised I wouldn't ever use my quirk again!" Izuku pushed Bakugo's other hand away. "I don't know you. I don't want to see you. Let me go, Bakugo!"

"Not happening," Bakugo said, shoving Izuku back into his chair. "You're not thinking straight right now." He shoved a finger into Izuku's forehead. "Chill the fuck out till you snap back."

Izuku closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath. "I just don't get why it's you."

Bakugo stared at him for a few seconds before he said, "I'm sorry, Izuku. For everything you're so angry about now."

"You're. . .sorry?" Izuku asked, sure he'd miss heard.

"Do you remember Hatsume?"

Izuku frowned as he thought about the odd girl. "She's in a few of my classes, why?" His eyes were drawn back to where Bakugo was gripping his wrist. "Look, I don't know if we're friends now or something, but I've dealt with this before, I can deal with it again. Let me go."

"God, you even lie to yourself," Bakugo scoffed with a shake of his head. "You can hate me all you want right now, but I'm not letting you leave."

"I don't hate you," Izuku muttered, relaxing slightly. "I'm just confused." He glared at Bakugo as he looked him up and down. "You can let me go. I think you'd catch me if I tried to run."

Bakugo seemed reluctant but he let Izuku's wrist go. "How do you usually remember?"

"I just snap back eventually," Izuku said with a shrug. "Sometimes I see something and it triggers a memory."

Just as Bakugo went to say something, the boy and girl from earlier interrupted.

"I got to go," the boy said to Bakugo almost apologetically as he dropped the girl's hand. "You're gonna hang out with Bakugo and Zuzu till Dad gets back."

Zuzu. . .that sounds familiar.

She nodded silently and moved closer to Bakugo. "Are you ok, Zuzu?"

"I'm fine," he said to her, hating that he couldn't remember her name. Izuku looked at Bakugo for help.

"Eri, you can help me clean up your mess," Bakugo said, taking her hand and leading her around the counter.

Izuku watched the action with mild shock. The future was strange. She pouted. "It was Hoshi too."

Eri.

Izuku sucked in a breath as he remembered the gates of UA and a man with dark hair talking with him. A little girl bounding up to him with a wide smile and a promise of onigiri. Eri. And Aizawa. And Shinsou. And Mic.

He looked around again feeling more at ease as he recognized that he was in one of the dorms. "Hey," Bakugo said, getting Izuku's attention, "you ok?"

Izuku blinked at Bakugo, still sorting through the memories coming back to him. "I think so." "Do you know where you are?" he asked, handing Eri a soapy glass to rinse off.

"The dorms," Izuku said carefully as he got the sense he was forgetting something again. "I'm slipping, aren't I?

Bakugo nodded. "What year of school do you think you're in?"

Izuku leaned forward on the bar top, watching as Bakugo handed glasses and plates to Eri. "It's our third year?" Bakugo nodded and he added suspiciously, "First semester?"

"Nope," Bakugo sighed.

Eri frowned up at Izuku. "It's August, silly."

"Oh. . .my bad."

She glanced around before saying, "Daddy and Papa will be back soon. Hoshi told me."

"Really?" Izuku asked, having no idea they'd left. His mood soured as he realized the only reason he'd be slipping was if he'd gone too deep. He rested against the countertop, watching Bakugo and Eri move around the kitchen and clean up the mess from breakfast

Bakugo talked quietly to Eri, glancing at Izuku every few seconds. Izuku's eyes trailed along his stiff shoulders, meeting his eyes every time he looked over and tried to figure out what things were different. Sometimes that helped. Something off would trigger a memory, but besides the way Izuku felt his chest tighten when their eyes met, there wasn't much to go on.

"Zuzu, do you want to watch a movie?" Eri asked, standing on her toes to turn the faucet on.

Izuku folded his arms and rested his chin on them. "A movie sounds fun." He didn't want to think about the homework he'd fallen behind on.

Homework.

It's ok, Izuku, you don't need to get frustrated.

Izuku winced as he realized he hadn't really talked to Shinsou since that study session. His guilt

festered as he remembered how Shinsou visibly relaxed at the sight of him and how worried he had looked before he left for classes.

"Hey," Bakugo said, snapping his fingers in front of Izuku's know. "You back?"

"Back?" Izuku glanced around where he sat. "Did I go somewhere?" He stared at Bakugo waiting for an answer, but Bakugo just heaved a sigh and shook his head. Izuku felt his heart skip a beat as Bakugo looked back at him with a half-smile, the memory of his shoes being tugged off and being pulled flush against Bakugo's chest flashing through his mind.

Bakugo raised a brow as Izuku zoned out again. "You said you'd watch a movie with Eri." He nodded his head to the lounge room where she was jumping on the couch cushions. "Do you remember?"

"Uh," Izuku stammered, trying to get his thoughts back in order. "No. Was that recent?" "A few seconds ago," Bakugo said, brows drawing together, and he leaned closer. Izuku nodded, leaning away. "I slipped, didn't I?"

"So, you're back?" Bakugo asked, sounding relieved.

"G-Getting there," Izuku muttered, snapshots of moments coming back to him. "Did I just forget me or did I. . .?"

Bakugo tensed. "Just you," he said slowly. "But what else can happen?"

Izuku shifted in his chair, staring hard at his knees. "Sometimes the memories meld with mine and I act in a mix, but other times I black out completely and I never remember anything. I think those time's I only have their memories."

Bakugo looked away in thought. "Let just watch the movie."

"Ok," Izuku said and followed him to the couch Eri sat on.

She grinned up at them, the remote clutched in her hands. "What should we watch?" "Whatever you want," he told her as he sat down in the middle as instructed.

She hummed in thought, flipping through the thumbnails.

Izuku accepted the bowl of popcorn from Bakugo. He tried to focus on the movie, but he kept replaying memories as they came. Eventually, he leaned forward to grab the notebook sitting on the coffee table. He wasn't sure who's it was, but he'd get them a new one.

After passing the popcorn back to Bakugo, Izuku curled up in his section of the couch and started writing what he could remember about slipping. He caught Bakugo's curious glances, but he didn't ask any questions.

By the time the credits of the movie started rolling, Izuku had filled the rest of the pages and started on the back cover.

"Don't you have a stack of these in your room?" Bakugo asked as Izuku scratched out a word. "Hush, I'm on a roll," Izuku said not sparing him a glance.

Eri leaned forward to look around Izuku. "Can we have lunch?"

"You just ate breakfast," Bakugo said and checked his phone. "It's not even ten."

Eri scowled at the bowl of popcorn decimated to unpopped kernels. "Can we watch Glitter Star Battle Force Galactica?"

"What the hell is that?"

Izuku groaned as Eri lit up. "Don't get her started," he warned too late.

"It's the best show ever!" she squealed, diving for the remote between Izuku and Bakugo. "We have to watch!"

As Eri typed out the name in the search bar, Bakugo leaned closer to him. "Do you want your notebooks?"

Izuku snapped it shut with a sigh, the headache from earlier returning full force. "No, I think I got everything." He turned to look at Bakugo, focusing on the shades of red in his irises as he said, "I think I did too much. The other times I altered memories. I didn't do that this time, but he's really old so there were a lot of memories to sort through."

"Does that mean it won't last as long this time?" Bakugo asked, resting his head against his fist propped up on the back of the couch.

"I can't say for certain," Izuku said as he flipped through his notes. "There are a lot more factors now."

Bakugo shifted to face Izuku, pulling one leg under him. "Like what?"

"Well," Izuku started, "I'm slipping back further, but that could just be because I'm older. This time my memories of the present are triggered more easily." He glanced at Eri sitting on the floor before them clapping along to the theme song. "And. . . And you."

"Me?"

Izuku frowned down at his notes, trying to ignore how the cushions shifted beside him. "I don't know, it's just usually when I slip, I get really scared and freak out but that didn't happen earlier." He looked up at Bakugo to gauge his reaction, but he was just listening intently. "I was confused, but I know you, so I didn't feel scared even when I realized I was slipping." Izuku scribbled a thought down along the margin of the paper. "Maybe it's because I've known you so long, it doesn't matter where I slip back to, or how jumbled my memories get, you act as a point of reference in time."

Bakugo turned to look at the TV as he thought over what Izuku had said. "That makes sense, but you sure weren't happy to see me."

"I told you I was mad at you," Izuku said with a small smile as he flipped the notebook closed. "Plus, at that point, I wasn't happy about being in the Support Course." His eyes softened as he thought back to that bittersweet moment when he'd stepped onto UA campus for the first time. "Anger was the only thing I had left."

Eri tilted her head back to look up at them. "Are you sure we can't have a snack?"

"I think we got some of those little oranges you like," Izuku said, offering his hand to her as he

stood.

Bakugo paused the TV and followed them to the kitchen. Izuku hung back as Eri skipped ahead. He looked at Bakugo as he edged closer, clearly concerned. "There's something else I need to tell you," Izuku said. Just saying those words sent his stomach plummeting.

"Eri," Bakugo called, stopping her climb into one of the bar stools. "You can eat in the lounge. Deku and I need to talk."

She nodded eagerly and ran back to her show, an orange clutched in each hand.

Izuku twisted around in his chair as he tried to find a way to tell Bakugo about Dabi in a way that would make sense. Bakugo waited patiently while Izuku stalled, but Izuku could feel the nervousness radiating off him.

"I've been hallucinating Dabi," Izuku shoved out, proud that he didn't stumble over the words. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms to feign that he was thinking and not avoiding Bakugo's reaction. "I know I should've said something," he said on a defeated breath. "But I wasn't thinking right." Izuku opened one eye, squinting at first as he peered around, and relaxed when Dabi didn't appear.

"Dabi?" Bakugo asked, his shoulders drawn back. "Is that why you've been acting weird?"

Izuku stared at the scars on his arm and watched the way the light reflected off his skin. "The part I remember best is the moment I was burned," Izuku said, blinking as his eyes blurred. "I'm lucky I survived. Someone else won't be." He took a deep breath, eyes still focused on the ground before him. "Even now, I'm terrified of-of you or Hatsume or anyone getting hurt because of what I did." Izuku slapped a hand over his mouth, hoping Eri didn't hear the choked sob that broke out of him.

This time, Bakugo didn't complain about his tears. He pulled his sleeve over his palm and wiped them away silently. "You're an idiot sometimes, you know that?"

Izuku sniffed and leaned his head on Bakugo's chest, closing his eyes as his headache pounded from the pressure of crying. "Yeah," he breathed, not meaning to stay, but finding comfort in Bakugo's steady heartbeat.

"I'm not carrying you again," Bakugo warned as Izuku rested his weight against him. "You're getting too fucking heavy."

Izuku snorted and sat up. "I weigh more than you now, don't I?"

Bakugo crossed his arms with a frown that leaned more towards a pout. "Don't get too fucking excited. I'm lean because of how I use my quirk."

"I know that," Izuku huffed. "I bet I can carry you." He grinned as Bakugo stepped out of his reach. "Come on, just a little payback."

Just as he was going to make a grab for Bakugo, the doors opened.

"Papa!" Eri shot off the couch and jumped into Mic's waiting arms. "How was your trip?"

Mic tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "It was nice," he said, looking up when Aizawa grabbed his arm.

Izuku met their eyes, his breath catching in his throat. "H-Hey," he said, not even sure if the words

were audible.

You'll tell me?

Izuku drew in a shaky breath, more of a wheeze as Aizawa started slowly walking towards him.

You'll tell me when you're drowning?

The faltering steps turned to a sprint, Mic following up behind as they crossed the room to Izuku.

"I'm sorry," Izuku cried as they reached him. "I'm so sorry." He tucked his face against Aizawa's neck as their arms wrapped around him, so he didn't have to see their anger or disappointment.

Aizawa's arms gripped Izuku tighter, his fingers curling into Izuku's shirt. "I told you I'd be here," he muttered against Izuku's hair. "This is my fault."

"What?" Izuku pulled away to look at him, horrified to see he was crying. "No, it's my fault. Not yours," Izuku said looking between Aizawa and Mic. He wanted to explain and tell them the truth, but his throat kept closing up. "I lied to you," Izuku strained, the words burning with every syllable.

Aizawa shook his head and pulled Izuku close again. "I knew you weren't ready. I—" he swallowed hard, "—I shouldn't have let you go. I should've known you were going too far and stopped you."

"Shota," Mic urged gently.

Izuku pulled away from both again, taking in ragged breaths. "I went too far on purpose because Dabi won't leave me alone and I didn't tell you about that," Izuku stammered, the words tumbling from his mouth too fast for him to register, "and I lied to you, and I didn't tell you that I was slipping, and I was so scared—"

Aizawa drew Izuku against him with a steady hand. "I wanted to give you your space. I should've held you closer."

"Aren't you angry?" Izuku asked, terrified to hear the answer.

"No," Mic said with a shake of his head. "We're just happy you're ok, Izuku."

Izuku bit his lip to stop the way it trembled. "But I lied to you," he whimpered, staying perfectly still in their arms, trying to burn the feeling into his memory because it wouldn't last forever, and he desperately wanted it to.

Mic turned Izuku's face so that their eyes met. "We'll talk about everything later. Right now," he said, giving Izuku's hair a ruffle, "we're just worried about getting that head of yours back in order."

"Ok," Izuku muttered.

"Is Zuzu ok?" Eri asked with concern, tugging on Aizawa's sleeve, her other hand wrapped around Bakugo's.

Aizawa crouched down to her level. "Izuku's not feeling well, so we're going to go home soon."

Mic scooped her up into his arms and turned towards the lounge. "Let's finish that episode you were watching."

She frowned slightly as she looked between Mic and Izuku but nodded.

"Tell me what happened," Aizawa said to Izuku and Bakugo, leading them to the dining room to sit at the table. "Everything."

Izuku took a deep breath to steady his heart as they sat down, Bakugo beside him and Aizawa across. After a careful look around, Izuku found no Dabi or flames taunting him. He didn't get as much courage as he wished he had from their absence.

The real Dabi was still out there. Somewhere. A part of Izuku wanted to keep on the path of distancing himself from the people he cared about. But it hadn't worked out like he thought it would. Before when he was a kid, there'd been no issue in keeping people at a distance. He could lie to their faces without any regret. They wouldn't care if he disappeared for days at a time.

That wasn't the case anymore.

Izuku considered the man before him. He never imagined all of this would've happened when he let Eri take his hand with the promise of onigiri.

"Izuku," Aizawa urged, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Izuku wasn't sure how long they sat at the table as the truth spilled from his mouth. Everything he'd been repressing and avoiding since the fire suddenly escaping him. It didn't feel good. Every word cut him till he was laid bare and then he kept going. He didn't stop when Bakugo stood from the table and returned sometime later with cups of tea. He didn't stop to drink any, too afraid that if he did, he wouldn't be able to start again. He didn't stop when Aizawa paled with concern at the mention of Dabi.

But he did look away, knowing it wouldn't hide how his face burned. Izuku didn't want to see the anger even if he felt it was deserved.

When he finished, Izuku waited for a response, his eyes tightly shut as his heart raced. But the silence dragged on. Izuku winced as he blocked out their emotions, his headache forcing him to keep his eyes narrowed to a sliver.

"I knew you were hiding something," Bakugo whispered, rubbing his face. He stared at the tabletop, face pensive. "It makes sense now."

Izuku forced down a swallow and said, "I'm sorry." He closed his eyes, too tired to physically react to all the regret he was feeling. But it was there, replaying on a loop all the things he should've done differently.

"What's important now is you learn from this, Izuku," Aizawa said, catching his attention. His shadowed eyes softened. "You can't change anything now."

Izuku pressed his lips together, hating the way Aizawa saw through him every time. "Aren't you angry?" he asked, not sure how to process any other reaction. Izuku was angry at himself, hated himself for everything he'd done, but Aizawa only looked as stern as he usually did. Nothing out of the ordinary except for some worry that drew his mouth thin.

Aizawa took a deep breath as he looked at Izuku. "I'm not angry," he said. "Why are you so upset with yourself, Izuku?"

"Because I messed up," Izuku said. It was so obvious. "I lied to you—to everyone."

"Yourself?" Aizawa asked, leaning forward on the table. Izuku snapped his mouth shut.

God, you even lie to yourself.

Izuku glanced at Bakugo as he said, "Yes."

"I wanted you to have a choice," Aizawa said slowly, staring into his mug of tea. "I thought you were still hurt over the fire and that the interrogation may give you a sense of peace about the investigation." He frowned down at his reflection. "I was wrong."

"I didn't tell you everything," Izuku muttered defensively. "And I went against orders." He caught a glare from Bakugo and shrunk back.

Aizawa pushed the mug away with a stiff breath through his nose. "It doesn't matter. I knew you weren't ready." His dark eyes flicked up to Izuku's. "I'm your teacher. If I'm not mad at you, then you shouldn't be either."

"But—"

"No."

Izuku huffed and glared at Bakugo as he snickered.

Izuku blinked into the darkness of his room as he was shocked out of his dream. He rested back against his pillows with a heavy breath and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Over and over again he dreamed of the fire. Falling through the floor into flames below. Encounters with Dabi where he'd feel the burn of the flames before he woke up. Mirko and Bakugo crushed under the falling ceiling, forced to watch helplessly as they slipped from his fingers. His quirk not working or Yuri being the one burned.

They were all terrible.

Izuku jumped when there was a soft knock on his door. It opened a second later, a short form appearing in the crack.

"Zuzu?"

Izuku relaxed, releasing a breath he'd been holding when he realized it was just Eri. "Hey, are you ok?"

She pushed the door open further and slipped in. Izuku reached over and turned on his lamp. Eri squinted at the light, shuffling closer with a yawn. "Did you have a bad dream?" she asked as she crawled up onto the bed to sit beside him.

"Did I wake you?"

She frowned. "It sounded like you were talking to someone."

"I'm sorry I woke you up," Izuku said, petting a hand down her tangled mess of curls.

"I have scary dreams too," Eri mumbled through another yawn and stuck her hands into the pockets of her pajama pants. "Tokoyami gave me these to scare the bad dreams away." She set a

handful of polished rocks and crystals in Izuku's waiting hands. "He said the bad dreams are scared of their reflection." She picked up the largest stone and moved it around, watching as it reflected the light of the lamp on its surface. Eri gave Izuku a tired smile. "They'll help you like they did me."

Izuku carefully set the rocks on his nightstand. "Thank you, Eri." She yawned again and slid off his bed. "Good night, Zuzu."

Izuku laid back down after she left. He stared at the rocks finding the gesture sweet, even a little comforting. But when he closed his eyes, he still saw fire.

He sat up and turned one of the rocks over in his hand. When Aizawa had said he was coming home for the night, Izuku didn't argue. With his door completely destroyed, it wasn't like he could sleep there anyway. But he missed his friends. He wanted to talk to Mina and Shinsou and apologize to Hatsume.

His stomach twisted at the memory.

When he remembered the conversation with Mina, Izuku realized how worried she'd been. The way she'd yelled his name so desperately and scared sent bile up his throat, her voice still ringing in his ears.

He worried the night away, writing out his thoughts and ways to apologize till the sun came up. Before he left for school with Aizawa, Izuku stuffed one of the polished rocks in his pocket.