Late at night, in the dark, Izuku sat a lonely vigil next to Inku's bed, in and out of consciousness. He heard a soft tapping from the door behind him. He turned.
Kuri stood in the doorway, holding a bouquet of flowers. Izuku looked at her, then looked away, back at his Mom.
Kuri came in, and set the flowers down. She bent over, put her arms around Izuku's neck, and gave him a hug. He closed his eyes, almost couldn't bear it. They spoke in hushed whispers.
"Will she be okay?" Kuri asked.
"Maybe," Izuku said hesitantly. "Maybe not."
Words flowed out of him, almost against his will. They spoke in hushed whispers.
"No matter what I do," Izuku said. "no matter how hard I try, the people I love are always... the ones who pay."
"I've been there," Kuri said. "I know it feels like your fault. My mother was murdered. I was so…so angry. At the villain who killed her. At the police, who were incompetent and didn't believe my visions. And at my Grams, who didn't care. And you know what?" Kuri grasped his hands and looked into his eyes. "I went out there…and did something about it."
Izuku stared into her eyes. What was she saying? That he should go out there and beat Endeavor? How much did she know? Confusion warring with panic, He got up and headed for the door, fast.
"Hey, wait, I..." Kuri attempted.
He turned back, sharply, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her close to him, anger and confusion boiling over. He looked at her, just inches from him. She was the most beautiful thing on this earth, and he had never been more powerful. Not as Izuku Midoriya, anyway.
"I-If you know about me being—," he stopped, tried again. "Kuri, if you know…whatever you think you know…just forget it…if I could just tell you..."
He stopped himself, barely. She looked at him.
"Izuku?"
God, his name had never sounded more beautiful than it did when it came out of her mouth.
Kuri came closer. "Izuku?"
She was really studying him, staring into his eyes. Was there a shadow of something else there? Could it be…?
"Izuku…it's…I know who you—"
Suddenly, Izuku's face turned to steel, like a cell door closing. He shoved her away, with too much force. He expected her to crash into the wall with the power of One For All crushing her small body, but she straightened as if it was his old weak self pushing her.
"Keep away from me!" Izuku cried. "I love- people get hurt. That's how it works."
He turned and hurried off down the hospital corridor, leaving Kuri behind. Unbeknownst to him, Kuri pulled a mask out of her purse and followed him.