Izuku stumbled out of bed early the next morning. The house was dark and quiet as he slipped on his running shoes and pulled up his hood. It was cool outside. Fog hung in the air and the breath passing Izuku's lips clouded.

It felt good to run. For his legs to ache. For his skin to prickle against the chilled air.

Running was steady and consistent. The streets looked the same as the last time he'd seen them. The park they took Eri to was vacant, the swings tugged by the breeze. The corner shop was just opening up for the day. Cars passed, their lights illuminating the thin fog.

Everything was normal.

Izuku slowed to a stop and looked around. Besides the cars passing, he was the only person on the block. He heaved out a breath and let his body relax. He blinked up at the sky, staring into its grey- blue clouds. They drifted by lazily.

He picked up the pace again till he found himself back outside of his home.

Home.

It'd been so hard to call it that. Now he couldn't imagine anything different. The first day arriving was clear in his head, pulled along be Eri and apprehensive.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside. It was still dim but more of the sun had risen, filling the house with grey light.

Izuku was a little surprised to see Shinsou sitting at the table eating a bowl of Eri's cereal. "How have you not been caught yet?" he asked as he hung up his coat.

Shinsou startled and looked up at him, his eyes wide before he relaxed. He frowned down at the half-eaten bowl. "Purely luck at this point," he muttered tiredly, eyes returning to their normal squint. "Have you heard from Bakugo?"

"No," Izuku said as he took the seat across from Shinsou. "I'm hoping he's sleeping. Recovery Girl is supposed to heal him again." He watched Shinsou's mouth turn up in a faint smile. He looked tired but ok. "How's Kami?"

"I talked to him last night. I'll probably go see him today," he said and rubbed the back of his neck. "Everyone's a little freaked out still."

Izuku nodded in agreement. "How's your quirk?"

"Honestly, I didn't even notice it was gone," he said with a small self-deprecating laugh.

Izuku frown at it. "I'm just glad you're ok. What were you thinking, Shinsou?" He stiffened as he waited for a reply.

Shinsou set his spoon down gently and stared at the table between them. "That he was aiming the

gun at you. And that we couldn't risk losing your quirk."

"You could've died," Izuku hissed, his resolve crumbling when Shinsou shot him a glare.

"And what about you?" he asked, a bitterness to his voice. "He was aiming the gun at you, Izuku. He wanted to kill you." He closed his eyes and drew a stiff breath through his nose. "It was a calculated risk."

Izuku pressed his lips into a thin line and wonder if this was how Bakugo felt with him.

"If I had my support gear, I could've stopped him from a safe distance," Shinsou continued, brow pinched in a thoughtful frown. "You're the only one who could hold off Dabi's quirk so he wouldn't incinerate us. Besides—" he looked up with a smirk, "—couldn't let you have all the glory."

Izuku blew out a puff of frustrated air and glared back at his smile. He wasn't quite ready to make jokes about it, not when the image of Shinsou going cold and pale as he bled out was still fresh in his mind.

"Do you think we'll be able to finish this school year without another life-altering event?" Izuku asked, dragging a hand down his face.

"Probably not," Shinsou sighed. "Comes with being in the Hero Course." His face screwed up in thought. "Or at least our class."

Izuku watched him go to the sink to wash the bowl. He sat up when he heard the slap of bare feet running down the hall.

"Zuzu!" Eri screeched. She climbed into the chair beside him and leaned up on his shoulders. "Is Bakugo you're boyfriend?"

He shot a quick glare at Shinsou before asking, "Where did you hear that?"

Her eyes narrowed with scrutiny and she crossed her arms. "Papa said you were at his house last night," she simpered. "And I already know you like each other."

Izuku forced a smile, teeth grating. "Do you now?"

She nodded hard enough to make her curls bounce. "It's very obvious, Zuzu." Eri plopped down in the chair and laid her hands flat on the table looking rather proud of herself. "You were holding hands a camp and you always sit beside him—"

"Because you make me," Izuku cut off with a gentle jab to her side.

She flashed a devilishly innocent smile. "You never complained, Zuzu."

Shinsou snorted from where he stood by the sink and covered his mouth. "She's got a point, you know," he teased.

Eri nodded in firm agreement before turning her eyes back on Izuku. "So, are you dating now or not?"

Izuku smiled a little as he said, "Yes, we are."

She gasped, hands clutching under her chin. "When do we get to see him again?"

"Maybe soon," he said after a moment of thought.

She slapped her hands on the table excitedly. "This means I have even more brothers," she squealed. "I have Mirio and Tami and you and Hoshi and now I have Kami and Bakugo!" Her excited eyes met Izuku's with the widest smile he'd ever seen on her face. "Our family is getting so big. Can you believe it?"

Izuku gapped for a few seconds until the thrilled joy rolling off of her brush up against him and he smiled. "It is getting big, huh?"

"Daddy," Eri gasped as Aizawa came out of the hallway. He scooped her up into his arms. "Did you know that Zuzu is dating Bakugo now?"

He smiled up at her. "I heard the other day."

She grinned wide and leaned back to look at him. "It's so exciting."

Aizawa hummed in agreement and set her down. "How about some breakfast?"

"This is for you," Aizawa said, handing Izuku a new phone. "You'll have to start from scratch since we don't have the old one. I've already added mine and Mic's numbers along with a few others."

Izuku took the phone into his hands and turned it on. "Thank you," he said and put it in his pocket to deal with later. "We're meeting Mirko at the police station, right?"

Aizawa nodded as they turned down the sidewalk. "She's been there all morning already."

"Any luck with finding Toga and Spinner?"

"No," Aizawa said, giving Izuku a sidelong glance. "I imagine they got out of town right after the fight. From what Mina and Kaminari said, they weren't keen to stick around after the explosion."

Izuku scowled at the buildings in the distance. "I'm glad we got him. I feel like I can actually breathe."

Aizawa's brow settled heavily over his eyes. "So am I," he said, looking away from Izuku. "Maybe now you can actually focus on your studies and get your grades up."

Izuku went ridged with a wince. "Please don't tell Kacchan," he whispered.

"Maybe I should," Aizawa mused with a small smirk.

Izuku slapped his hands together. "Give me until midterms! I'll get my grades up."

Aizawa raised a brow. "And if you don't, I get to tell Bakugo?"

"Yes," Izuku forced out, hating how amused Aizawa looked, "he can never know."

"Then I expect to see some semblance of improvement," Aizawa said, a bit more serious. "If you want to graduate with your peers, you need to keep up."

Izuku swallowed hard. "Alright, I will."

Izuku followed Aizawa onto the train and then up the steps to the prison. Once checked in, they

waited for Mirko and the detective on the case to greet them.

"You go by Deku, right?" the detective asked, a thick file clutched in her hands. "That's right," Izuku said. "My name is Izuku Midoriya."

She smiled and led them back to the questioning room. "First, we'll need your statement. Verbal and written." She set down a few sheets of paper and a pen in front of Izuku. "We've already spoken to two of your friends who were present for the attack. We'll be speaking to the others over the next few days as we form a timeline."

Izuku set to work writing down the details from the night before and answering the detective's question. There were a lot. Izuku felt like every inch of his memory had been scrubbed by the time they were finished.

Mirko was outside the room when they exited. "Hey, kid," she greeted with her usual smirk as she pushed off the wall.

"It's good to see you, Mirko," Izuku said, relaxing at the sight of her. He yelped as she wrapped her arms around his waist and picked him up in a bear hug with little effort.

"You're such a little badass," she cooed and set him down. "Taking down two League villains before you're even a Pro." She sniffed and whipped a nonexistent tear.

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "Shinsou caught Twice with his quirk. Not me."

Her eyes sparkled with a gasped as she wheeled on Aizawa. "If you adopt another kid, let me know, Eraser!"

"No," Aizawa replied deadpan and stern.

Mirko pouted and pulled Izuku into another hug, petting his curls affectionately. "Why not? I think I've done good with him."

Aizawa glowered but didn't reply.

"We're ready," the detective said as she approached them.

Mirko stepped away from Izuku, seriousness returning to her demeanor. The detective led them to a set of doors and motioned for them to enter the left one. Izuku noticed it was a similar setup to Tartarus with a panel of one-way glass looking into the adjoining room. Dabi was in the other room, restrained and cuffed to a table that was split in half by thick glass.

"There aren't any safety measures?" Izuku asked, noting the lack of weapons like he'd seen in All For One's cell.

"The gun was recovered at the crime scene," Mirko explained, eyes never leaving Dabi as she spoke. "He's been given an injection of the same quirk blocking serum used in the bullets."

The detective took a seat across from him and attempted a greeting. She rattled off questions to silence, her annoyance becoming more apparent as he glared back.

"We've had no luck getting him to talk," Mirko said grimly, arms crossed over her chest as she stared at Dabi. "I'm not convinced we'll get anything out of him.

Izuku listened to the detective's voice as it came through the speaker. She was asking him about

how long they'd been planning the attack, but Dabi provided no answer. He didn't move either besides breathing or blinking in between long glares.

"Let me talk to him," Izuku said, eyes locked on Dabi. "This was all about me, let me talk to him." "Izuku," Mirko said stiffly, "that isn't—"

"No quirk," Izuku promised, tearing his eyes away to look at Mirko and Aizawa. "I just want to talk to him."

Mirko and Aizawa shared a hesitant look.

Aizawa stepped up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Izuku," he started, "you've done enough."

"I want to speak to him," Izuku said. He watched as the detective collected the file and stood from the chair. A moment later she joined them, pushing open the door with a frustrated breath.

"I think it's going to take some time for him to speak," she said with a sigh and straightened herself. Her brow furrowed as she picked up on the tension in the room. "What is it?"

Mirko stepped forward, shoulders tense as she said, "Izuku would like to speak with Dabi."

The detective's eyes moved to Izuku, her frown pinched and worried. "Are you sure that is wise?" she asked Mirko

Mirko sighed and looked to Aizawa who nodded after a moment of thought. She turned to Izuku. "No quirk," she said, a hand on her hip.

"No quirk," Izuku agreed and followed the detective to the adjoined room. He sucked in a breath of courage before he stepped through the threshold.

Though he didn't move, Dabi's eyes flicked up to Izuku and held there as he approached the table. Izuku glanced over his shoulder when the detective closed the door, leaving him alone with Dabi. He took a seat and rested his hands in his lap, unsure of what else to do with them. A tremor raced through his heart at being so near to Dabi in a confined space.

I want to burn you.

Izuku gulped and steeled himself. He pushed out with his quirk just enough to get a read on Dabi as

he stared blankly back.

He was curious, watching steadily as Izuku sat down across from him.

"Hello, Dabi," Izuku greeted, wiping his sweaty palms on the tops of his thighs. He didn't expect an answer, but the silence still unnerved him, and the simmering rage beneath it. Izuku's eyes drifted up to the bandage on the side of his head. It wasn't visible from inside the observation room. "I'm sorry things ended like this."

Dabi's eyes narrowed slightly in response, but he didn't speak.

"I still want to help you," Izuku said slowly, feeling out his emotions and watching for minute changes to his expression. "Let me help you," he paused for a moment before adding, "Touya." Izuku leaned back as Dabi sat up, the cuffs connecting him to the table rattling from the movement.

His eyes were cold as he said, "If I ever feel you in my head again, I will kill you." His lip curled

back in a sneer, pulling at the scars on his face. "Even if I have to kill myself to do it."

A shiver raced across Izuku's skin as the anger rolling off Dabi surrounded him. He refused to look away from Dabi. "What did I do?"

He jumped when Dabi abruptly stood, yanked back down by the short chain connecting him to the table.

"You don't even remember," he spat, venom in his voice. Izuku had no doubt that if he had the capability, the room would be in flames.

"No," Izuku agreed, struggling to keep the bitterness out of his voice, "and I hate myself for it. It's not. . .fair." He tipped his chin up in an attempt to draw back the tears brimming his eyes. "I had my reasons for doing it, but that doesn't mean I was or am happy about this." He gestured carelessly to the space between them.

Izuku leaned back and crossed his arms, meeting Dabi's eyes again. The curiosity was back. "Tell me what I did and what happened in that room," Izuku said.

Dabi tipped his head back in a glower. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because it's the closest you're going to get to revenge," Izuku said after a few tense moments. He felt Dabi's emotions shift and knew he was considering it. "Make me remember."

Izuku was beginning to think that they'd be at a stalemate forever, but then Dabi began to speak.

"It was that girl," he said, leaning forward on his side of the table. "I was trying to figure out what to do with her. Didn't know he had a kid. Thought maybe her quirk could be useful."

His lips tipped up at that and Izuku's stomach twisted.

"Then you came through the door." Dabi sat back and looked Izuku over. "Like some fucking Hero," he drawled with disgust.

"Yuri," Izuku said taking in his confused expression. "The little girl. Her name is Yuri."

The tension made the glass between them feel nonexistent. Izuku shifted uncomfortably as silence drew on and fought against the urge to glance at the one-way window.

"Right," Dabi said sounding bored. "You told me to let her go."

"I made you let her go." He'd come up with as much from his limited memories.

Dabi hummed. "That's when it clicked that you'd been lying about your quirk. That's smart." The way he smiled made Izuku's skin scrawl. "I imagine most people don't like the idea of someone have access to their thoughts; the power to change them."

Izuku swallowed down the knot building in this throat. "No. They don't." "And yet you're still a Hero."

The words rang hollow. "I am." Izuku leveled his gaze at him. "It's not as easy as it's made to look."

"We were suspicious of you when you started interning with Mirko," Dabi said, giving Izuku a heady look. "Is she here?" He cast a quick glance to the window.

"Why does that matter?"

Dabi let out a puff of laughter. "I was really looking forward to the look on her face when she realized I'd killed you."

I want to burn you.

"But that didn't happen," Izuku pushed. "At least, not all the way."

"That's true, isn't it?" Dabi mused, a smile curling onto his face. "You're a glaring mark on my record. The boy who survived." He sat back, the smile dropped from his face, and returned to his usual scowl. "Tell me, how did it feel?"

Izuku curled his fingers into his jeans.

"When I burned you. Do you remember it? The way you screamed? The smell?" His grin split manic wide. "If my mind hadn't been so twisted up, I would've been able to finish the job. I guess that counts you lucky, huh? Lucky to be alive."

"No," Izuku bit you, struggling to keep his composure as the memory of that moment plagued him. "No, I'm not lucky. I'll admit, I felt lucky for a long time after that." He met Dabi's eyes, sharp and cold. "But I beat you. I won that fight."

Dabi's lip curled back revealing gritted teeth. "Was it worth it? Was it worth taking everything I had?"

Izuku forced himself to stand his ground as Dabi's voice rose with every word till he was yelling, screaming at the glass.

"Was that fucking girl worth ripping my mind to shreds?" he snarled, fists slamming on the table. "Was it worth being burned alive? Was it worth almost dying?"

"I would do it again!" Izuku snapped, the chair skidding across the floor with a sharp grate as he shot to his feet. "I have relived that moment for months! I have had your memory haunt me for months! I lost myself trying to figure out what I did to you!" Izuku took a deep breath, the cold from the steel table soaking into his hot hands. "I would do it again. Over and over again if it meant Yuri survived."

He didn't care that tears were slipping off his cheeks, didn't bother to wipe them either as he sat down.

"I hate that I had to choose between saving Yuri and myself and destroying the memories in your mind." Izuku closed his eyes for a second to gather himself. "So, I'll ask you one last time. Let me mend what I did."

Dabi eased back into the chair, the scarp of metal and against metal sharp in the quiet. "No." Izuku let out a frustrated breath. "Then tell me what it is that I took."

"Something important to me," Dabi mused dangerously low. "Something I needed. Something that made me who I am now. It's gone. I can't remember who I am! My reason for living. It's gone. Fragments of my childhood are all that's left. Moments of fear still linger strong. So much fucking fear I screamed till my throat was raw." His mouth pressed into a thin line as he glared at Izuku. "That's how you got me to leave. The feeling of terror was overwhelming. The realization that it was all the work of your quirk only hit once I was outside."

Izuku sat back with a nod. "You added to the flames from outside."

"It was all I could manage after what you did to me." He pulled on his chains tight. "Just tell me one thing Hero Deku."

Izuku hesitantly nodded.

"Why do you care so much?" "Because villains are people, too."

Izuku walked with Aizawa back to the waiting area, tension building in his neck. "I don't know if that was helpful," Izuku started quietly, "but thank you for letting me talk to him."

Aizawa's dark eyes slid to him. "Not even Heroes can save everyone, Izuku." He pushed open the door for the waiting room and held it for Izuku. "You did good in there."

"I can't blame him for not wanting my help," Izuku muttered, standing with Aizawa at the edge of the room. "To be honest, I don't even know if it's something I could do."

Aizawa's brow pinched slightly. "Perhaps that is something we can explore in the future. For now, you should focus on recovery."

"I will," Izuku said with a firm nod.

"You better," Bakugo bit out gruffly looking worse for wear.

Izuku spun on him with a surprised gasp. "Kacchan! I didn't know you'd be here." He gently hugged Bakugo, noting that he wasn't on crutches anymore. "I take it Recovery Girl stopped by this morning."

Bakugo rubbed his face, pronounced bags under his eyes. "Yeah, and then these assholes wanted my statement today."

"That's what I came here to do," Izuku said, eyes trailing down to his side. "So, it's all healed?"

Bakugo grunted softly and placed a hand just above his hip. "Still a lot of bruising, but everything else is healed."

Izuku let out a breath and met Bakugo's eyes again. "Good." He wanted to tell Bakugo about his talk with Dabi, but the waiting room didn't seem like the place. "I'm glad you're ok, Kacchan." Izuku withered as Bakugo's eyes narrowed and scrutinized him.

"What are you so stressed about?" he asked, voice heavy with suspicion as Izuku looked away guiltily.

Izuku glanced around the waiting room again. "I'll tell you later," he settled on, looking at Bakugo in earnest. "It's important, but not here."

Bakugo nodded after another moment and backed down. "Alright." "Izuku," Aizawa said, setting a hand on his shoulder.

Izuku looked at him expectantly. He followed Aizawa's gaze to the woman checking in with one of the officers. Then he noticed the little girl holding tight to her hand and his throat closed up.

"With Dabi in custody, they've brought Yuri in to pick Dabi out of a lineup," Aizawa explained, leaning close to Izuku so the other people around them didn't hear. "I'm sure she'd like to talk to you."

Izuku drew in a sharp breath, eyes focused on Yuri and her mother as they went to find a place to sit. Her mother met Izuku's eyes for a moment and did a double-take.

"Deku?" she breathed, a hand pressing to her mouth. "Are you Deku?"

Izuku stepped forward as she walked towards him, Yuri followed with a concerned look. "Yes," he said breathlessly. He looked down at Yuri, meeting her eyes, and remembered them staring back at him red and irritated from the smoke. "I'm Deku."

Her eyes widened. "Deku!" Yuri flung forward and wrapped herself around his leg.

Izuku immediately knelt down and pulled her into a proper hug. "Hey, Yuri. It's good to see you again."

She stepped back and slipped her hand back into her mother's. "Why are you crying?" "I'm just happy to see you safe," he said, quickly wiping them away.

Yuri's hand tightened around her mother's fingers as she took in a determined breath. "I want to be a Hero, just like you one day."

Izuku smiled wide at her. "I can't wait. You'll be an amazing Hero, Yuri."

"It's good to see you again," her mother said, giving Yuri's hand a pull as an officer called for them. "Thank you, Deku."

Izuku stood as they walked away and disappeared into the hallway. "Remember when you asked me how I got up?" he asked, turning to Bakugo.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Her," Izuku said, eyes locked on the door Yuri and her mother went through. "I promised her that we'd both be safe." He looked down when he felt a hand intertwine with his. "Have you given your statement yet?"

Bakugo's hand tightened. "Not yet."

"I can wait for you." Izuku relaxed a bit when Bakugo nodded.

"That should be fine," Aizawa said, checking his phone. "Just be home before dark and call if you need anything."

Izuku watched as he left and then turned back to Bakugo. "Are your parents here?" He sat down with Bakugo, wincing when he let out a stiff breath of pain.

"No, my mom dropped me off. She had a meeting to be at."

"It doesn't take too long," Izuku said, drawing his thumb across Bakugo's skin slowly. "Just repetitive."

Bakugo closed his eyes with a hum. "Is it a bad thing? What you're stressed about?"

"I don't know," Izuku admitted, shifting his eyes to look at the ground. "I don't think so, but it's not great either." He met Bakugo's eyes who stared back with that pensive pinch to his brow he got when trying to figure something out. "Kind of like how you said winning doesn't always feel good."

"Bakugo," a guard called. "We're ready to take your statement."

Izuku took a deep breath when they stepped outside a couple hours later. He let go of some of the built-up stress on the exhale. Bakugo stayed at the top of the stairs and glared at the steps as Izuku began to descend. Izuku paused three steps down and looked back at him curiously.

Bakugo huffed and took the first step, biting down on his lip with a choked groan.

"Is it the bruising?" Izuku asked, coming back up the steps to stand beside him.

"Yeah," Bakugo hissed, knuckles white around the rail. "Fucking hurts."

Izuku gave a quick look around and nodded towards the handicap ramp. "Just use that. It'll be easier."

"Fuck that," Bakugo bit out, taking another suborn step down. "It's just a few fucking stairs."

Izuku smirked and hooked an arm around his waist. "Or I could carry you." He smiled as Bakugo blinked at him and the pink blush reappeared. "Your choice, Kacchan," Izuku whispered as he leaned closer.

"You wouldn't dare," Bakugo said slowly, searching Izuku's face with apprehension. "You want to find out?" Izuku asked, pulling Bakugo closer.

Bakugo shoved him off and shuffled to the ramp, grumbling the whole way. Izuku waited patiently at the bottom, his lips pressed together to hide his amused smile.

"I see that fucking grin, Deku," Bakugo said with a glower.

"Are you hungry, Kacchan?" He pulled out his new phone to check the time, dutifully ignoring Bakugo. "It's pretty late in the afternoon. I think I saw a nice place near here."

Bakugo simmered a few feet away, hands shoved in his coat pockets. Izuku shook his head and closed the distance between them.

"You should've brought the crutches if you're still in pain."

"I don't want to use those damn things," he said, lip curling back in annoyance. "I don't need them either."

Izuku cast a dubious look towards the stairs. "Are you hungry or not, Kacchan?"

"Fucking starving. Let's go, Deku."

Izuku followed after him, their arms and shoulder brushing on occasion. "Have you talked to Kiri?"

"This morning," Bakugo said, a puff of air clouding in front of his face. "He and the others are fine."

Izuku nodded, happy to hear it. "I need to call Hatsume." He glared down at the new phone. "But I don't remember her number. I'll have to do it tonight."

"New phone?" Bakugo took it from his hands and turned it on.

Izuku watched him as he typed in his number. "Yeah, Twice knocked mine from my hand. Couldn't find it afterward." He took back the phone, smiling when he saw the new number already labeled 'Kacchan'.

They found a bench to sit on after getting some food to go. Izuku tore into his, eager for the hot meal on the chilly day.

"So, what happened?" Bakugo asked, bring noodles to his mouth. "Did you talk to Dabi or something?"

Izuku nodded and swallowed down the mouth full of food. "I did. I got him to talk." He licked up his lips and amended, "A little bit anyway."

"You don't seem upset," Bakugo said after a moment.

"No, I'm not." He turned to Bakugo, pulling up one leg onto the bench. "I asked him again if he'd let me help and about what happened in that room."

Bakugo tensed, eyes locked with Izuku's. "What happened?"

Izuku let out a heavy breath as his guilt festered. "He said that he can't remember a core chunk of his memories. They're fragmented and nothing but feelings in places." Izuku laced his fingers together, imagining knitting the memories back together. "I don't know if I could've fixed it, but he won't let me try."

"Did he say anything else?" Bakugo asked, poking around at his food.

"He kinda told me about the fight. It's about as much as I assumed." He leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's been a long day."

Beside him, Bakugo snorted. "Understatement." He set aside his empty to-go container and looked at Izuku. "You still look upset, Deku. What is it?"

Izuku looked up to the sky, watching as clouds drifted by. "Do you remember when I was going to the hospital for volunteer work?"

"You were quirk training, weren't you?"

Izuku nodded, eyes locked on a particularly fluffy cloud. "The first guy I helped died," he said softly. "I felt his mind slip away after I blurred the memory and emotions attached to his daughter." He heard Bakugo shift closer, felt the heat of another body pressing into his side, but he didn't look at him. "I'm not exactly sure what happened between them, but they had a falling out. He felt guilty. And alone."

He shifted his eyes to Bakugo's as he remembered that empty hospital room. "I think," Izuku said, "that some people need their pain to survive. It gives them a purpose. Something to fight for." He looked away again, staring into nothingness. "I took that from him. Dabi. I understand his anger."

"You did what you had to do, Deku," Bakugo said carefully.

"I know that." Izuku nodded to himself. "Maybe—Maybe one day I can help him. Right now, I think the wound is too fresh."

Izuku jumped when fingers brushed his cheek. Bakugo's touch trailed over the long, thin scar. "Toga," Izuku explained, watching Bakugo's expression.

His frown turned sharp as he reached the end of the scar near his ear. "That bitch fucked up your freckles."

"My—" Izuku touched his cheek, feeling the raised bump of the scar. "It's pretty big, huh?" He turned away; hand still pressed to his cheek to hide the scar.

Bakugo grabbed his wrist and pulled the hand off. He gave Izuku a wolfish grin as he leaned in close. "It's kinda hot." His eyes softened as Izuku blushed. "Sometimes I still can't believe this is real," he said quietly, his breath brushing against Izuku's skin.

"Why?" Izuku glanced at his lips feeling anticipation growing. His heart fell as he picked up on Bakugo's frustration as his mouth parted with no words. "Show me," Izuku said, placing a hand on Bakugo's cheek. He leaned closer, drawing Bakugo near. "You don't need talk, just. . .let me know you."

He closed his eyes as their lips met. His heart fluttered as one of Bakugo's hands settled on his thigh and the other tangled in his hair. There were familiar sparks coming from Bakugo, but Izuku waited for something else to reach out to him.

Izuku smiled into the kiss as it turned sweet and slow. He got the feeling Bakugo was getting nervous.

"I'll love whatever you show me," Izuku promised in a quiet murmur, savoring the taste of Bakugo's lips.

"That's the problem," Bakugo breathed, tugging Izuku's bottom lip between his teeth.

Izuku hummed deep in his throat and twisted a hand into Bakugo's shirt, pulling him closer. "Must be good then." A low moan eased out of him as Bakugo's heated emotions pressed up against him. "You're toying with me," Izuku complained.

"It's funny to see your reactions," Bakugo said, pulling away.

Izuku frowned and sat back, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "How long have you been doing that?"

He glanced away with a high smirk. "A while," he said, eyes shifting back to Izuku. "You always close your eyes and scrunch up your face."

Izuku batted his hand away as Bakugo tried to pinch his cheek. "You're deflecting," he sighed, holding Bakugo's hand in his. "If you don't want me to know, that's fine, but I need to know what you want."

Bakugo shot forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I want you to know," he said after breaking away. He glanced down as Izuku's hand reached towards his face. "How do I do it? Just think? Like last time?"

"Yeah," Izuku breathed, reaching out with his quirk as he rested his forehead against Bakugo's. "Yeah, that will work, Kacchan."

The memory came forward slowly. Izuku waited patiently, feeling Bakugo's pulse race below his fingertips. He urged the memory into clarity with a soft pull and sunk in, bringing it to the forefront of Bakugo's mind.

Izuku heard a small gasp as the picture of a spring day playing soccer filled his mind. The feeling of Bakugo under his hands faded as the ghost of wind brushed his face and other children shouted for a pass. The ball barreled towards him. A swift kick from Bakugo and it was angling into the net.

Izuku barely felt the press of lips against his when the whistle blew and Bakugo trailed to a stop, breathing hard.

"How old?" Izuku murmured in question, not even sure the words made it past his lips as a warm breeze ran over his skin.

Bakugo hummed in thought. "Sixth grade."

Izuku wove his fingers through the hair on the back of Bakugo's head as he let the memory fill his senses, savoring every last moment. The heat of the sun, the wind, the sweat on his skin as he walked off the field after the game ended.

His breath caught as Bakugo's eyes shift to a nearby tree. Izuku saw himself sitting and using the trunk as a backrest. He smiled a little as he watched himself scribble in a beat-up notebook. Just as he was just about to ask what was so special about the memory, Bakugo walked towards him.

Bakugo stilled against him as Izuku pulled on the memory harder.

Show me, Izuku urged silently, nothing more than a desperate feeling.

His heart hit hard in his chest; eyes locked on Izuku's face as he approached. Words lodged in his throat as Izuku smiled down at his paper, pen caught between his teeth. Bakugo slowed, frowning as his heart began to race, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sunlight illuminating Izuku's skin. His heart skipped completely when Izuku tipped his head back in thought, unruly hair falling away from his face.

Bakugo's fingers twitched with the sudden urge to know what those curls felt like in his hands, a hot wave of embarrassment flashing through him. Still, his eyes trailed down the extension of Izuku's neck to the bit of collar bone peeking out of the gym uniform.

Heart racing, Bakugo took a step back and then another till he was turned around and rushing inside.

Izuku felt Bakugo pulling away and let the memory go. It took him a few seconds to break the connection and sort through what he'd just witnessed. "You mean to tell me," he breathed, heart pounding in his chest as he looked at Bakugo, "this whole fucking time?"

Bakugo gaped, blinking in shock. "Did you just fucking curse?"

With a frustrated grunt, Izuku balled his hands into Bakugo's shirt and gave him a shake. "Is that why so much changed when we got to middle school?" he fumed, growing agitated when Bakugo looked away guiltily. "All because you had a crush on me?" Izuku shook him again. "This whole time?"

"Yes," Bakugo said, pushing Izuku off. "I was a fucking shit-stain, I know that."

Izuku frowned and leaned closer to him. "Couldn't like the quirkless kid?"

"Course not," he replied bitterly, the words seething through his teeth. "I could never like you, some scrawny, quirkless kid with freckles and wild hair and big ass green eyes—"

Izuku dragged a finger along his jaw. "That would be ridiculous," Izuku agreed with a taunting smile. Hands dug into his thighs, breath hot on his lips.

"No," Bakugo said with a slight shake of his head. "What would be ridiculous is throwing a fight on accident because that kid got cocky and it ruined my life."

"I knew it!" Izuku gasped, trying to stand but held down by Bakugo. "I knew you threw that fight, you asshole!"

Bakugo grinned and pulled him off balance so that Izuku fell against his chest. "You have no idea how badly I wanted to kiss you then."

A hot blush stung across Izuku's face as he sat back. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

His smile fell to something bitter and sad. "I couldn't do that to you. After everything." He shook his head, hair falling in his eyes. "The last thing I wanted to do was put thoughts in your head."

Izuku laid a hand on top of his as it settled on the side of his face. He waited for Bakugo to continue, knowing there was more.

"Then I realized I knew so little about you." His eyes softened as he looked at Izuku. "I wanted to get to know you. Earn you."

Izuku smiled tightly with a deep, shaky breath, eyes burning. "W-What about camp?"

"Your face when you saw those stars. . ." He pressed a lingering kiss to Izuku's lips. "I'd give anything to see you that happy again."

This time Izuku wasn't able to stop it when tears brimmed his eyes. He wiped at them with his sleeve as they slid down his cheeks. "You're such an idiot sometimes," he laughed.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Izuku leaned towards him till their noses brushed. "You," he said, his smile ringing clear in his voice. "You make me that happy. I wanted to remember being with you. I wanted to remember you showing me the stars. You touching my chin and making me look up." He placed his hands on either side of Bakugo's face and pressed their foreheads together. "Always you, Kacchan."