The rain near UA built up compared to the prison. A light trickle over there that could've been played off. While this place made it look like a deep scene in a movie. People yelled and cried about their safety outside the main walls against others. It was no different than the prison.
Geus, in pain but still on his feet, maneuvered around the people. Gaz and the unconscious Bailey made their way around as well, except slower. A few key words poked through the mess of yells. Shigaraki, Midoriya, One For All, nothing too out of place, but not one that should cause this stir.
"This is why society needs a change." Gaz grunted. The trip reached the front of the crowd to see the scene. Heroes and students of UA crowded around fearful civilians.
"They cry about needing safety and condemning heroes as they hide inside their base." Geus rolled his eyes. "Hypocrites. All of them."
"Can't blame them." Gaz readjusted Bailey and pushed forward.
"And these guys!" One of the crowd shouted out.
"Murderers! I saw them on the news! They are the ones that lead to this!" Another yelled.
"Parent killers!" A third added.
They both stopped and faced the crowd. Their mouths couldn't open as they shouted out slurs and remarks. A small blur jumped above the crowd and above them all. A small girl in a bubbly pink hero costume.
"Izuku Midoriya... Has a special power!" Uraraka shouted into the megaphone.
"Exactly why he shouldn't be here!" A member of the crowd shouted. "They're after him!"
"He left UA because he didn't want to place us in danger! We're the reason he's back!" Uraraka's voice became louder. "Geus's family went out to give us the edge out there! They risked their lives to protect us! His power... Is the power to stop AFO! That's the reason he's targeted! That's why he had to leave! Do you see him? Have you seen the state he's in?"
Geus walked next to the shattered boy, his hair covered in dirt and ash. His suit resembled one of his as his villain looks, massacred and shredded. Geus nodded at the stunted Midoriya before he dragged him in for a hug.
"Glad to see you alive." Geus whispered.
He was late to the reaction but hugged back. "Same to you."
The crowd started to relax on their position, but their cries and fights were alive. The group's attention returned to the crowd, their faces softer with fear in their expressions.
"Do you wish for us to be covered in mud and grime!" They yelled out. "Or fight to die out there?"
"The only ones with shoulders to be burdened are us heroes!" Uraraka continued. "We'll pay you all back with our blood and sweat! Please just give us time!"
Midoriya's tears once again filled his face, nothing new to the classmates. Geus nudged his friend and lowered his head to hide his laughter. "Come on man. Gotta show your strength to the crowd."
"Let him please! Stay at the academy!"
Midoriya fell to his knees in loud cries. Geus turned away as Gaz rubbed his face with his free hand. "Come on kid! Look tough!" Gaz grumbled.
Two of the crowd rushed forward, a young kid in a red hat and a humanoid hybrid girl. Two of the many that Midoriya saved in his time. The boy was in as much tears as the hero. It was a turning point in the matter, the people finally able to understand.
Geus's vision played tricks against his brain. He didn't see the little boy in the hat. The bowl cut, the messy brown bowl cut. Geus's tears, evaporated as soon as they showed, flowed down his cheeks. His legs gave out as he fell to his emotions.
"Keena." Geus mouthed. "Keena."
"Geus!" Beka yelled out from the crowd. She pushed through the men and women with her face full of the same emotion. She dropped to Geus's level and embraced him. "Thank God you're safe!" She cried. Her voice trembled as much as her body did, unable to seem to get a full grip on him.
"I told you to wait for me on the news." Geus managed his tears and stood up, making sure to guide Beka back up as well. "I wasn't going to lose against a group like that."
Her face pouted and turned red. "You're an idiot!" Her fists smacked one by one on his chest. "It's not about that!"
Geus pulled his mask off and clipped it to his belt. "You need to trust me, I'm not the same weakling from before." He grabbed Beka's wrists, which made her eyes stare down his. "I'm stronger, I'm never going to fail again. Today just proved it."
"I just received word from the Class B team that the area has been secured." The school's president joined in the middle of them. "If everything is secure I recommend you students return to the dorm for a hot bath."
Beka freed herself and patted Geus's cheek. "I know you're tough. But I need to watch out for my little broth-patient!" Her face turned another shade of red and hugged Geus. "Just stay safe, for all of us."
Time passed for the returning heros to rest and wait. Geus was alone again, no classmates, no grandpa, no dark thoughts. He looked in the mirror for the first time since before the incident. His body was big, his muscles larger and heavily bruised. His lips and mouth resembled a normal person. Out of everything that has happened to him, he looked better than ever.
His hand no longer scarred over his mistakes of the past, a normal mouth and face, no longer the freak he once saw. He looked over at his gas mask on the desk, soon he thought, soon he no longer required it. But the device on his right side abdomen, that most likely would never go away.
"It's hot enough!" He heard Kirishima yell down the hall.
Geus opened the door to a hall of more boys with excited cheers. Geus shook his head but joined into the mix of it. He knew where they headed, each one couldn't let the idea slip away. Around one staircase and down another hallway.
"Geus." Jiro called out, but not loud enough to make it sound urgent.
Geus stopped in his tracks and faced the living space. She waited there, one hand grasped the other arm, and face to the floor. Geus was stunned, like he hasn't seen her in years. His body took his own and darted for her.
Her face was surprised and red. She screamed and covered her face as Geus wrapped around her thighs and spun them around. His uncontrollable laughter and cheers overpowered hers.
"Put me down! This is embarrassing!"
The redness on Geus's face grew as well. He placed Jiro down as his twirl ended, but the smile on his face didn't end. The moment of silence was a whole conversation between the two. The rush of emotions, relief, happiness, bliss, everything mashed into one.
"I'll see you in a few." Geus nodded before he took off again.
By the time Geus reached the tub, everyone else was deep inside. The steam that filled the air cleaned and cleared Geus's airways. He felt his quirk become weaker while his airways opened. A room that easily could be his greatest enemy was also his savior. He pulled off his remaining clothes and slid to one of the corners.
The overwhelming urge to dunk his head in grew larger. For now a fulfilled exhale of relaxation was good enough. His arms stretched out along the brim, every bruise and damaged muscle relaxed as well. The second of pain was worth it as the steam massaged his body.
The rest of the camp was equally excited, the days all this wreckage took a pause. Even if it was only a few hours, they all felt progress. Considering most of the country was in all anarchy, this was only a mild distraction.
"Midoriya." Geus called. Midoriya looked over with the same confused look he always had. Geus removed his mask and placed it to the side. "Glad to have you back."
"Thank you, I'm glad to be back... in the right headspace and all." He offered out his hand to Geus. "I'm sorry for putting you through that trouble. I was told about the mission you set out to."
Geus gripped the handshake. "To be honest I had no idea they were going to use that info to get you back."
More of the guy's eyes peered over to them. Their conversations went almost silent at that point. "Aizawa told us the assignment you went on was for the sake of Midoriya." Iida was more attentive than the rest of the class. His appearance suggested more to what he spoke of.
"I bet they were going to use it for that purpose. Along with hopefully getting an edge against the League." Geus's head flopped back into the smooth floor. "I'm not in the right headspace either, my grandfather knew I may have stayed back on the job. The school definitely wouldn't have sent any of you into unknown territory with a retired old man. When it comes to revenge, I still haven't let go."
"But you still did it for your class at the end of it right?" Kirishima stood straight from the water, his flattened hair and water covered most of his face.
Geus stared into the ceiling. "I want to say yes to that. More than anything I knew I did it to prove to everybody. Especially all of you."
"You got nothing to prove to friends." Fumikage patted Geus's shoulder, gripping tightly at the end. "We are going to be on your side through every success and failure."
"I know. But I need something to fight for." Geus straightened out. "So if that means risking my life for you, so be it."
"Just remember we are going to do the same thing to you!" Kirishima slammed his thumb into his chest as he grabbed Midoriya. "Can't let us hang around the sidelines forever!"
Geus huffed through his nose and grinned. "I'm holding it to ya."
"I haven't given up on being the number one hero." Bakugo growled right before he jumped into the water. "You are all still my rivals." He continued to brude as his head rose above the water. "And that includes you De-Izuku. And you Geus."
"Deku is fine, you don't have to force yourself, Kacchan." Midoriya laughed.
"I'm not forcing myself!" His eyes flared down at Geus. "And I'm not going to let you use my name on some inferior move. I'll show you how the concussion blast works."
"Come on, if anything I thought mine does way more damage!" Geus laughed.
"Then right here right now!" Bakugo jumped up in his stance, ready to attack.
"Not now!" Iida jumped on his back.
"Not in the tub! Wait till training!" Kirishima did the same as a few others laughed along Geus's side.
After the time to relax and as the girl's got their turn inside the sauna, Geus made his way to the infirmary. He received a text from his grandfather and rushed over. It was late but the staff didn't look like they were slowing down. Dozens of people injured in various degrees needed the help. And all that could help didn't slow down their efforts to do so.
Geus was guided to the room and gently opened the door. A single bed that slowly beeped almost every thirty seconds. A woman sat beside the bed, her face full of tears and buried in the sheets.
"Are you, Lt. Bailey's wife?" Geus mustered to say.
She wiped the tears from her face and regained her breath. She turned over, her eyes squinted to hold the tears back. Yet her face was happy, not in sorrow. Her long brown hair was a mess and hastily in a ponytail. She nodded and waved for Geus to come closer.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake up my son." She whispered.
Geus saw the boy snuggled up in Bailey's arms. Unconscious with a tube down his throat and IVs planted in each arm. The baby was placed snuggled into his arm, cradled against the bed and his body.
"I know he'd at least want to hold him one last time." She continued to whisper. "I'm guessing your, Geus, the golden goose as he would say."
"I'm no golden goose." Geus's eyes, no matter how hard he tried, couldn't look at the woman. She acted tough but both of them know what condition he is in.
"The doctors told me, if it wasn't for you, he wouldn't be here right now. That he wasn't going to escape without you. So to me and him, you are." Her hand softly maneuvered into his palm. She pulled on it and grasped it with both hands. "Thank you." Her face was genuinely happy, even with the tears in her eyes.
"He was forced to use an illegal drug that severely destroyed his body. His organs and his quirk couldn't keep up with it."
"I know." She sniffled. "Before he... before he became like this he told me what happened. He didn't even think he would be here right now." She wiped the growing tears from her face. She turned to the baby, gently grazing his cheek. "But without those measures he wouldn't hold on to him right now."
"I'm glad I got the opportunity to save him through this. No matter what us inmates thought of him, he didn't deserve this punishment."
He noticed that she saw his distant eyes from her. Not as if he was hiding it, but her gazes showed her the details. "You know what Bailey used to say to him before work everyday? 'One day I'll show you Geus, so no matter how we screw up, there's a light out there.' Cute isn't it? Even if his little boy may not understand it yet, even if you can't look at me. I hope you realize there's good out there, through all of this."
"Bailey's really good at giving mixed signals out there." Geus laughed. His body relaxed a bit, allowed himself to get closer. Able to look at the trio together. "I didn't believe the tough guy act back there anyways. Knew he was a softy all along."
The wife giggled. "He really is, if he can hear us right now he'd put the act up again." She grabbed his hand again. This time their eyes met without a pull away. "Go get some sleep. I know we all need it right now."
"I will."
"And don't lose that smile under that mask." She pointed before she shooed the boy to the door. "Every smile we lose is one that the villains will use against us." She stopped before the door. "Thank you again for saving my husband."
"Of course, it is what we heros do."
The door closed behind Geus, his body dropped all barriers. He was shaking, his knees and hands wobbled while his body released the stammered air. His hands fell to his knees and tried to regain a normal composure.
"This is what we are fighting out there for." Gaz stood up from the hallway chair next to Geus. His arm wrapped around his boy's shoulders. "Everything we put out there is to give them one more day of hope. It's not about personal vendettas anymore."
"I know, I knew that since I got here. Just because I think like an idiot doesn't mean I am one."
"Good." Gaz straightened his boy's back and walked with him. "Now go tell your friends that. And stop leaving them in the dust every time."
"I know."
"I know, I know, I know, I hear you say that every day but for once put some action behind your words." He pushed him into the elevator while he stood out. "And tell that girl you love her already." He grinned and nodded as the doors closed.
"Shut up!" Geus pressed for the doors but they closed before he could get through. "It's a lot harder than you think, old man." He grumbled to himself.
"In order to ease their worries," Jiro's voice came through the elevator doors as they opened. She was in full embrace with the others. "to put smiles on their faces again. We'll think of what we can do."
Geus walked up behind the ground, the ones who faced Geus didn't say a word. "Just like we did during the cultural festival. Let's give everything we have and do our best."
Geus dropped his arms around Jiro's shoulders, and dropped his head on hers. "I thought we were already doing that."
"That is what we've been doing." Todoroki added on.
"We won't just take it back." Kirishima pumped.
"We'll move forward, and go beyond." Jiro closed
A/N - Follow my YouTube channel, currently playing Baldur's Gate 3 - YouTube / breshyj
