Long time no see! It's been a while! As I said, no excuses and no apologies; life gets in the way, and we need to make do, right? So here is my comeback… Maybe! Writing this as of July 18, let's see how long it takes to write a new chapter from scratch! Onto the comments and questions!
Nobody commented on the music, so I'll keep putting it in and eagerly await your feedback!
LordSoundwave- Basically, but at least somewhat balanced… For now.
JeepJoop711- I'm glad you could tell who it was, or at least I hope you were correct! I won't be making a crossover, but I will definitely be grabbing a few people from other media to supplement characters. Creating a whole class of new characters is a lot of work!
mjwuthering- Glad to be of service! Glad you are enjoying it!
Those are all the comments, so go on to the story! And if you have any thoughts on the characters, feel free to share them!
Izuku and Tadashi sat at the bar counter as Izuku learned more about the café owner. The man identified himself as Sojiro Sakura but preferred to be called Boss. Despite his initial air of aloofness, Izuku observed how delicately and purposefully he handled the three drinks. Tadashi and Sojiro were discussing the upcoming event, with Sojiro printing flyers that he would put around the area. The anticipation for the event was palpable, and Izuku couldn't help but feel excited, a feeling that was shared by everyone present.
When Nejire emerged from the bathroom, she quickly approached Tadashi and Izuku, embracing them both with one arm in an awkward, angled hug. Before Izuku could even say hello, Nejire began speaking.
"Hey Izuku! How are you? How was practice? Did you do a good job? What was your favorite song to play? How was Bakugo and Jiro? Do you know if I can see the video? Have you been able to meet Boss yet? He's great, even if he gets annoyed by all my questions!"
Nejire winked and stuck her tongue out at Sojiro, who only rolled his eyes as he cleaned a glass with a rag. "It's only because they never stop."
"Why would I stop asking you questions, Boss!? There is so much to ask, like- "
"I'm good Nejire! Practice was also really good; I only messed up a few times! I enjoyed playing Veil the most since it has a fast pace. They were, as they always are, argumentative and fun! I'll send it to you on the way home. Somewhat, he seems like a nice man." Izuku gave a small smile to Sojiro as he said the last part, who returned the small smile.
Nejire took her arms back from the two and moved over to Tadashi's left, where her drink was placed. As Nejire sat down, she grabbed onto her drink, which held a mountain of whipped cream and sprinkles, steam slightly wafting from the hot drink.
"I'm glad, maybe you can be another regular like Tadashi and me! Like me, Tadashi is practically a resident, given the time he has spent here! Do you like coffee Izuku? I love it! My favorite flavor is white chocolate! What about you?"
Nejire took a sip from her drink at the end of her questions, a huge smile gracing her face at the taste of her drink, with small amounts of whipped cream on her nose and cheeks. Izuku chuckled at her happy and whipped cream face, and just as he was about to answer her questions, his cheerful expression froze, and a sudden thought graced his mind. 'Nejire drinking coffee!?' Panic immediately took over as he looked towards Nejire's smiling face and the drink. 'Oh my God! I need to get that drink away from her immediately!' In the span of a few seconds, countless tactics and ideas for getting the drink away from the already hyperactive girl took place. Before he could act on any, Tadashi laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a small grin as he alleviated every thought with just one word.
"Decaf"
Izuku's muscles, which were primed from the panic, immediately relaxed as he slumped into his chair, and a long exhalation of air came from his mouth at the sudden change of emotions. Sojiro and Tadashi both chuckled at his expense. Sojiro handed Izuku his drink, feeling slightly bad for the young boy at the sudden change of emotions. Izuku smiled at the man as he grabbed the drink with both hands, enjoying the warmth the drink provided to his hands. Nejire was none the wiser as she continued to enjoy her drink, her legs swinging back and forth under the counter.
Izuku drank his hot chocolate, enjoying the rich taste of chocolate and milk before he answered Nejire. "I knew Tadashi liked this place, but I didn't think he came that often. I don't really like coffee, but this hot chocolate is one of the best ones I've had, so maybe I'll have to come more often with Tadashi. I don't know; I've never really had anything in my drinks before… Maybe cherry; I like cherry drinks."
"Next time you come, I'll add a little cherry to your next drink, and we can see," Sojiro answered as he wrote something in a notebook that he had grabbed from somewhere. "As you will be playing here next month, I'll make you something special to enjoy!" As he finished talking, he flourished his pen and closed the notebook with the smile of a man on a mission.
"As well as the younger brother to your favorite customer," Tadashi grinned, referring to his close relationship with Sojiro. He took a long drink from his coffee, a familiar gesture that Sojiro often teased him about.
"More like my most annoying customer," Sojiro grumbled.
"You love me, and you know it, old man, and while I do love us getting along, let's get back on topic and plan out next month so it goes smoothly for everyone!"
Sojiro nodded, Nejire beamed at Tadashi, whipped cream still present, and Izuku smiled as they got back into planning the performance!"
-Sometime Later-
"You know, I think you have a problem, Tadashi. Didn't you have a cup of coffee like thirty minutes ago, and now you have another?!"
Izuku asked this as he, Tadashi, and Nejire walked to the train station after finishing with Sojiro at LaBlanc, walking the alleys and streets they had come from previously.
"And? Everybody has some problems, and if mine is coffee, then that's pretty tame in comparison to others.
As he said this, Tadashi took a small sip from a steaming to-go cup he had ordered as they left, letting out a small sigh of contempt at the taste of his drink.
Izuku, walking closely to Tadashi's left, could smell the drink and get whiffs of a strong coffee scent and something nutty. Hazelnut possibly? The smell wasn't bad, but to the inexperienced coffee drinker, Izuku didn't fully like the scent as he scrunched up his face at the smell.
"But what about all the caffeine? Isn't that a lot?!"
Tadashi shrugged at the question as he said, "It doesn't really affect me if I'm being honest. I've never felt hyper after drinking coffee; even ask Nejire."
Nejire was walking to the right of Tadashi, completely ignoring the two's conversations as she had earbuds in, swaying and bobbing to the music as if she were in her own little world. Tadashi could make out that she was listening to pop music based on how close the two were walking and the volume of the music.
Wanting to get her attention and wanting to do it in the most entertaining way, Tadashi poked her in the side to get her attention, smiling at her reaction as she practically jumped a foot in the air from surprise at the gesture. She looked at Tadashi with wide, panicked eyes from the jolt. She saw Tadashi's amused face and Izuku trying to cover up his grin with his hands and blushed in embarrassment from her reaction to his touch. While blushing, she glared at Tadashi with as much intensity as she could muster. Judging by Tadashi's rolled eyes, it wasn't that intimidating.
Tadashi mimed taking out his imaginary earbuds to Nejire, who, while still irked at Tadashi, understood the gesture and took out her earbuds with some unintelligible grumbling, pausing the now very audible and very poppy music she had been listening to.
"I was at the best part! Couldn't you have waited fourteen seconds more?" Nejire whined.
"Tell Izuku the story about my specialty drink; he asked about my coffee indulgence, and I thought you could tell it better than I could."
"Addiction!" Izuku chimed in.
"Appreciation is a better word, but I guess it's somewhat similar if you stretch it," Tadashi responded, ignoring the still-glaring Nejire.
Knowing the quickest way to solve the 'issue,' Tadashi looked to Nejire's face and said, "I'll take you out to Onigiri and Jasmine Tea to make up for interrupting, I promise."
"Deal!" Nejire yelled out, immediately perking up, her smile radiating toward Tadashi as if she hadn't been glaring daggers at him mere seconds ago.
Tadashi rolled his eyes at her response as he started to walk again toward the station, as the small interaction had caused them to stop walking. He took the lead as the Nejire and Izuku followed a few steps behind, and Nejire started telling Izuku the story.
"Oh man, Izuku! You should have seen it! One time, we were at LaBlanc, and Boss challenged Tadashi on how much espresso he could drink and- "
Tadashi listened to the story's beginning, smiling at the memory before his thoughts took over, and Nejire and Izuku's voices slowly unfocused and became barely audible background noise to his thoughts that he had been thinking about for the last couple of weeks.
'What does my future hold for me?
This thought had persisted in Tadashi's mind for a while now but only became more pressing as he got older, with it finally coming to a crescendo with the U.A. High School applications being due in a month and the entrance exam happening a month after that. Tadashi had completed the paper and already got his mother's and teachers' permission and signatures, but he had yet to submit it. Even now, the paper was sitting in his keyboard case, reminding him every time he opened the case.
It should be a no-brainer to submit the paper, as his plan to be a hero was set in stone back when he and Izuku were kids. Heck, Izuku and he had joined a martial arts dojo for that very reason! Even now, Nejire and he would always talk about going to U.A. together and what kind of heroes they would be… So why is it a problem now? Why was it that every time he looked at the paper, his thoughts would go all over the place, and he couldn't find a reason to submit it? Why would his hands shake every time he held the paper? Why was he doubting himself now of all times?! What has changed from the past to now!?
Tadashi had always asked himself these questions for a while, but he already knew the answer; he didn't know if he could handle it. He was too afraid to answer it for himself.
'Is it really your dream to be a hero?'
Is it his dream, or is it everyone else's? Did he want to be a hero because of his own dreams or the dreams of others? What do I really want to do? These thoughts plagued him, and while he would never show it, he had to show a confident exterior for his family and friends. He had to be strong for them, for the people who looked up to him and needed him. It was easy to pretend, as he wasn't very expressive to begin with. Still, he knew it was only a matter of time before it started to show like it had the other day, the day that these thoughts finally bombarded him and made him realize that he didn't have a clue about what he wanted to do.
-Two Weeks Prior-
Tadashi was sitting at a park table in a small public park in Musutafu, which he frequented a lot during his free time, like today. He had out some notebooks, pens, and his keyboard as he absently played his piano as he looked at his notes. He liked coming here as it was relatively quiet, and the nature around him helped him think when it came to his music. It also helped that, on occasions, he would practice some of his songs and get a few passersby to listen to him play. Sometimes, they would give suggestions, compliments, and even tips if they really enjoyed it. He even had a few recurring people come by and listen to his music, and they were always his favorites, even if he wouldn't admit it to them.
Today was different, though, as he had already been here for thirty minutes and had yet to get anything done. Whenever he tried to focus on playing or working on the music, he would start, immediately lose concentration, and return to his wandering thoughts.
'It looks like it's going to be one of those days again, huh.'
Tadashi thought as he continued to play the piano absently, and all the journals and writing utensils began to float and move into his open backpack. After everything but the piano was cleared away, Tadashi was just about to put his instrument away, but a sudden jostle of the table broke him away from his thoughts as he heard a drawn-out sigh and saw a man slouching on the other side of the table. Tadashi couldn't see the man's face as his back was facing him, but he was dressed as a mailman from what Tadashi could make out, and after looking around the man, Tadashi noticed his bike and mailbag on the side of the table.
'Man, I must have really been really unobservant to let this guy get so close without even noticing.'
Before Tadashi could try and pack his piano again, the man spoke, surprising Tadashi with the deepness of his voice.
"Sorry to bother you, kid. I just needed a breather from the job, and I barely noticed you until I got closer. It looked like you were leaving anyway, which is a bummer. I hoped to listen to your music for a bit before returning to the grind. I've heard you a couple of times in passing, but only from a distance and for a few seconds before getting to the next house. Do you mind? It would make my day?"
Tadashi was surprised at the request's forwardness, but seeing as he had nothing better to do and having something to focus on rather than his thoughts, he shrugged and started playing. He began to play some of the slower songs their band had made, getting into the groove as he played more and more. He picked up the pace around the third song as he watched the mailman's back.
The man hadn't moved from his slouched position the entire time, but a content sigh was heard as the man continued to listen. Eventually, the man grasped something from his pocket, and a few seconds later, a small smoke trail formed as the man started smoking. With puffs of smoke and loud exhales coming from the man every few seconds, Tadashi wasn't a fan of the smoke, but for some reason, he didn't mind as he continued to play and watch the man. The man finally spoke up again as he got to the fifth song that Jiro and he had called ' . '
"What's your name, kid? I've seen you around, but I'd like to put a name to the face."
"Aren't you supposed to introduce yourself first before asking? Also, try to word that a little better next time; it gives off creepy vibes," Tadashi said, eyeing the man skeptically.
The man chuckled as he exhaled a large breath of smoke.
"The next time I ask you, I'll re-word it so it doesn't sound creepy, I promise. You're right, the names Samu Kyo or Mr. Mailman, whichever is easier for you."
Tadashi rolled his eyes at the man as he said, "Tadashi Midoriya."
"Hmm, nice name, the virtuous and loyal one. Nice to meet you, Midoriya-san."
"You as well, Mr. Cooperation."
Samu chuckled at Tadashi's response but remained silent as Tadashi continued the song. When he finished, Samu let out his last exhale of smoke before he stood up, dropped the remaining cigarette butt onto the ground, and smothered it with his foot.
"I guess it's time to get back to the never-ending grind. Thanks, Midoriya-san; I needed that more than you probably know."
Tadashi was perplexed by the man's thanks but brushed it aside as he didn't want to come off as rude, asking why the man seemed so thankful to listen to him.
"You're welcome, Mr. Kyo, it was nice meeting you."
"You as well, kid. Maybe we will run into each other again. See you later."
Tadashi was once again bewildered as the man did a formal bow to the teenager before he grabbed his mailbag, sat on his bike, and let out a longwinded sigh before he rode out of the park and into the closest neighborhood.
Tadashi remained silent as he watched the man disappear, not fully understanding any of that interaction. Tadashi once again started putting his piano away, and for the remaining day, he didn't think about the future, only the interaction with Samu Kyo.
Over the next two weeks, Tadashi continued to visit the park and play his piano. Each time he did, Mr. Kyo would join him, smoke some of his never-ending cigarettes, and listen to his music for around fifteen minutes. Tadashi had no clue why he was so intrigued by the man, but he was, and with each meeting, Tadashi learned a little more about the man, and it only made him more intrigued each day.
Samu Kyo was only twenty years old but looked to be in his mid-thirties, with all the stress lines on his face mixed in with his baldness. The scruffiness of his unkempt facial hair also didn't help him in that aspect. If Tadashi were to see the man out of his uniform, he might have considered him homeless, which wasn't the farthest from the truth. Mr. Kyo lived in a barely livable apartment complex that cost most of his income, and from what Tadashi had seen of the complex's outside appearance after one of their conversations, he agreed with Kyo-san's statement. Kyo-san was also extremely malnourished, based on what Tadashi saw. During one of their interactions, Kyo had taken off his jacket for a short time from the heat, and his arms were thinner than Tadashi's. Tadashi, who worked out and had a good physique, was still a child, so seeing a grown man thinner than a teenager was concerning. Lastly, while Samu never said it, Tadashi could tell that he was extremely overworked. The bags under his eyes, constant sighing and groaning whenever he sat or slouched, and the way the man would wince every time he stood were all indicators of overwork and, in Tadashi's opinion, depression. Tadashi wasn't a psychologist, far from it, but from everything Kyo-san mentioned and all the things Tadashi had picked up from the man, he could make the statement that he was severely depressed.
Tadashi felt bad for the man but didn't understand why he was the way he was. What was causing the man's suffering? Why was his world fighting him so hard when Tadashi's was blossoming? Why were all these different factors occurring? Why?
On the last day of their interactions, Tadashi finally found out why. Samu Kyo was quirkless...
-A Few Days Before the Visit to LaBlanc-
"You're Quirkless?"
Kyo was sitting beside Tadashi, cigarette-free today, on a bench a little away from their usual table. Kyo slouched as he stared at the sky, while Tadashi looked at him with slight surprise.
"Yup," Kyo said, popping the "p" at the end, his voice and face remaining completely neutral.
An awkward silence hung between them for a few moments as Tadashi processed this new information. Kyo continued to gaze at the sky, making it difficult for Tadashi to gauge his reaction.
Finally, Tadashi broke the silence. "Huh, I didn't expect that."
It wasn't the most tactful thing to say, but for once, Tadashi found himself at a loss for words. He felt that Kyo's admission was significant, more so than his own thoughts.
"Most don't," Kyo replied. "But once it's out, it's hard to see me as anything else. I'm surprised you didn't sound more aghast at my 'deformity.'" He emphasized "deformity" with a hint of venom and air quotes, but his posture remained relaxed as he looked at the sky.
Tadashi shrugged. "Eh, my brother is quirkless too, so I don't see it as something wrong or unnatural."
At the mention of Izuku being quirkless, Kyo turned to Tadashi with wide eyes, surprise evident on his face. "Your brother is… quirkless too?!"
Kyo's sudden enthusiasm caught Tadashi off guard, but after a small breath, he steadied himself. "Yeah, is that surprising?"
"Are you kidding me?! Of course, it's surprising! Not only are you handling my quirklessness differently than expected, but from our previous conversations, it seems you have a good relationship with your brother!" Kyo's expressions grew wilder as he spoke, gesturing more than he ever had. Gone were the tired eyes Tadashi was accustomed to; now, they were filled with disbelief and astonishment.
Tadashi shifted slightly away from Kyo, feeling a bit overwhelmed by his increasing enthusiasm, but curiosity kept him engaged. "Yeah… I still don't understand the significance of all that!"
"Tadashi, I took you for a smart kid! Don't you understand the implications of being quirkless?!" Kyo had to pause for a breath as he became more animated. "Have you ever thought about what the quirkless go through? What your brother has faced and will continue to face?!"
Feeling the intensity of Kyo's reaction, Tadashi had to rise from his seat and step back slightly as Kyo moved closer with each emphatic statement. Just as Tadashi grabbed his bag, about to excuse himself, Kyo spoke again.
"Have you met or even heard of another quirkless person besides your brother and now me?" Kyo asked, his tone more composed as he noticed Tadashi looking a bit frightened. He chided himself internally for startling the younger boy, yet the same wildness remained in his eyes, now contained to avoid scaring Tadashi away.
Tadashi wanted to respond quickly and leave, but before he instinctively said the obvious "yes," his mind froze as he actually had to consider the answer. Did he know any other quirkless people? He thought hard for what felt like an eternity as he tried to recall the people around him. To his surprise, he came up with no one except Izuku. He also considered any news stories or media coverage, but nothing came to mind. After five minutes of deep thought, Tadashi finally answered, "No."
During Tadashi's contemplation, Kyo took the opportunity to calm himself down, focusing on steady breaths and self-control while the teenager wrestled with his thoughts. He expected the answer to be no but allowed Tadashi to think it through. When Tadashi finally responded, Kyo returned to his previous spot on the bench and adopted a more relaxed posture as he posed another question.
"Have you ever thought about how the quirkless are treated?"
Tadashi stood motionless in front of Kyo, now unable to leave as he was compelled to reflect on his brother and the implications of being quirkless.
"I mean, I dealt with the bullies at my brother's school, but he hasn't been bullied in years. There was also some backlash at our dojo about it, but that passed after a few months. I haven't really thought about it… It doesn't matter that he is quirkless; he is my brother!"
Tadashi answered this hesitantly, beginning to second-guess himself as he spoke. However, he became slightly heated towards the end, raising his voice at Kyo as he exclaimed, "Why does it matter if he is quirkless?!"
"Kid, I'm more surprised that you haven't thought about this rather than the answer to your question. For those of us who are quirkless, like me, this is the most important aspect of our lives, and we think about it every day. I guess it shows that nothing is ever guaranteed. Your brother is lucky to have such a loving family."
"Tadashi, the reason you don't know many quirkless people is that we are often swept under the rug. We are the part of society that is forgotten or looked down upon because we aren't considered special. We can't do the same things that those with quirks can do, even if some quirks are practically useless. Nobody wants us—neither work, nor school, nor friends, not even our own families…"
At this comment, Kyo looked forlorn, and he couldn't meet Tadashi's eyes. Tadashi might have noticed Kyo's pain, but his own feelings were also affected. The admission that families often don't want the quirkless brought back memories of his own parents' reaction to Izuku being quirkless. He remembered his mother's pity and grief, and his father's disgust and disregard. How had he forgotten those memories? For goodness' sake, his own overprotectiveness was a byproduct of Izuku being quirkless!
Tadashi gripped his head with both hands as his thoughts raced through his mind. He reflected on being quirkless alongside Izuku and everything that had happened because of it. The overwhelming torrent of thoughts forced him to sit down; he struggled to remain upright amid the chaos in his mind. During this moment of introspection, Kyo paused his conversation, observing Tadashi engage in an inner battle. 'It seems like it wasn't all positive, judging by his reaction,' Kyo thought.
As Kyo watched, Tadashi became oblivious to everything around him, desperately trying to gather his thoughts. However, it felt nearly impossible, as more questions arose before he could find answers. 'Why did I forget about all the persecution Izuku faced initially? Is my overprotectiveness due to him being quirkless or because I'm his older brother? What does being quirkless truly mean for Izuku? How much will being quirkless affect him? Does he have a chance to be a hero despite being quirkless? What if he can't be a hero? What will happen to Izuku? Will he find fulfillment in life? Will he end up miserable like Kyo? Should we be supporting Izuku in other ways? Have I been wrong in encouraging his dreams of becoming a hero?'
Thoughts swirled in his mind, and none were truly answered before another question emerged. Just as he attempted to compartmentalize them, the largest question finally surfaced, bringing a moment of stillness to his chaotic thoughts—but not in the way he had hoped. 'Is it really my dream to be a hero, or is it just a byproduct of Izuku's dream? Did I want to be a hero for myself or to support Izuku in his aspirations?'
This thought lingered in his mind, and he wished it hadn't, as he couldn't find an answer, no matter how much he pondered. He wanted to say "no," but that felt like a lie. And if he thought to answer "yes," that, too, felt disingenuous.
For the first time that Tadashi could remember, he felt completely lost and unsure of what to do. This uncertainty was causing his dilemma to intensify. Just as he felt the onset of a panic attack, he suddenly sensed a gentle pressure on his shoulder. It pulled him out of his thoughts and back to reality. Kyo was standing beside him, his hand resting on Tadashi's shoulder, looking at him with a mix of pity and concern.
"Kid, I think you should go home; you're concerning me. You were practically unresponsive for five minutes, muttering the entire time. I couldn't make out a single word because it all came out so fast. I didn't mean to completely upend your life, Tadashi. I just wanted you to reflect more on your brother, but it seems you have more on your plate than just that. Go home and maybe talk to your friends or your mother about it; I don't think a fifteen-year-old should be having an existential crisis this early." Kyo tried to add some lightness to his words, but Tadashi could barely focus as he simply nodded.
Tadashi stood up from the bench, grabbed his things robotically, and started walking home, completely ignoring Kyo as he left. Kyo didn't seem to mind; he grabbed his bags to return to work, the only thought on his mind being that he might have severely affected Tadashi and that he was now running late. "Damn it, I messed up," he muttered to himself.
When Tadashi returned home from the park, he completely ignored Kyo's advice and didn't tell anyone about his feelings. He walked straight into his room, locked the door, and cried. Fortunately, nobody else was home; his mom and brother were at the Bakugos' house, so no one witnessed his moment of weakness. However, when he heard the front door open and his family enter the house, he quickly composed himself, wiping away his tears, fixing his hair, and doing anything he could to "fix" his appearance. After a few minutes, he managed to appear normal as he walked down to greet his brother and mother.
Izuku didn't notice anything unusual, but their mother questioned Tadashi about the redness around his eyes. He easily explained that something had gotten into them while he was outside and that he had rinsed them in the bathroom. She advised him to be more careful, and that was the end of that incident for the day and, he thought, for the rest of the week.
Tadashi continued to look, sound, and act like he normally did, but whenever he was alone, he would break down in tears again as troubling thoughts overwhelmed him. He learned to control his emotions enough to avoid sobbing, so he wouldn't get caught, but he had several close calls with his mother and Nejire, who seemed to ask more questions whenever he returned from those moments or if he didn't seem himself. It was tough to hide his feelings, but he believed he was managing well enough to function around others.
Finally, feeling a light tap on his shoulder, Tadashi snapped back to reality and noticed a concerned Izuku and Nejire looking at him. Nejire had been the one who tapped him, standing just inches away.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought. Where are we?" he asked, glancing around and realizing they were at his house.
'Holy Shit, I must have really spaced out for over 20 minutes! I don't even remember taking the train!'
While he panicked internally, he didn't show it and instead put on his usual small smile for his best friend and Izuku.
"Sorry, I was thinking about the show and what we would be doing. Don't worry!" he said, but their concerned expressions didn't fade. Nejire took a few steps back, positioning herself next to Izuku, and they exchanged worried looks.
Tadashi didn't quite understand their concern, but he made a mental note to avoid spacing out like that again.
"I really appreciate you walking us home, Nejire, especially since I was zoning out," he remarked with a feigned chuckle, hoping to lighten the mood, but it didn't seem to work; both of them remained silent. "Do you want me to walk you to the station? I'd feel bad if I couldn't do the same for you."
"Actually, while you were spaced out, Izuku called your mom, and she invited me to dinner with you guys. I called my parents to let them know, and they were okay with it, so I'll be staying for a bit if that's alright."
Nejire's lack of questions and enthusiasm immediately raised red flags for Tadashi, but he didn't want to show it. He forced a larger smile and said, "I'd love that! Let me see if Mom needs any help, and we can have a nice dinner. It's been a while since you ate here last!"
As he moved towards the door, alarm bells rang in his head, but he couldn't pinpoint why. What had happened during their walk?
He opened the door, with Izuku and Nejire trailing behind him as if they were corralling him. He failed to notice the absence of the usual sounds of his mother in the kitchen, further heightening his anxiety. He quickly removed his shoes in the hallway and walked into the front room, the two presences still close behind him. When he finally saw the living room, his panic soared as he took in the sight: his mother, all three Bakugos, Jiro and her parents, Nejire's parents, and Ms. Kondo—all wore varying expressions of concern.
Pure panic washed over him at the sight of so many loved ones and close friends looking at him like that. Before he could step back to run, two different-sized hands gripped his shoulders. Now he understood why Nejire and Izuku had been so close—they were keeping him from moving away.
His mom looked at him, grief and concern etched on her face more than anyone else's as she said, "Tadashi, sit down. We need to talk."
Fuck, I don't know if I'm proud of this or not! Not only did it take… a while, but I'm also not the most confident in it. I wrote it in three big bursts, and I don't know if that helped. I wanted to try and show that Tadashi is just as vulnerable as anybody else is, even with his level of maturity. I also want to try and make him more of himself, rather than riding the coattails of Izuku… How do you think I did? Fuck, give me all the comments so I can see how I did.
See you guys in My Hand at the Dungeon.