Hello Again. Guild Master here.

My site is still being tested and does have the next three chapters available who want to read ahead. Give it a shot if you want to know what it is this alternate world has in store for our beloved heroes. The hero killer Stain arc is almost up on the other site.

Gamemastersden and then .com

Upon the three pedestals marked with first, second, and third were the top three scoring participants of this year's UA Sports Festival. On the third place pedestal stood Fumikage Tokoyami. His ability to manipulate shadows lent him to perform well within the eyes of the judges selected for the events. The lack of Iida's performance had some effect on opinions, but it was a well deserved position for him to occupy from his performance alone. Second came Todoroki, though his enthusiasm could be misinterpreted as disappointment for not being in first place.

Bakugou had been the most shocking of them all after everything that had transpired that day. Overreactions of volcanic proportions that would send the crowd running was the level of intensity that many would have expected from the number one contender. Not the vacant and tired looking shell of Bakugou standing solemnly with his hands hanging loosely to his sides and being emotionally void. The audience was thankfully extremely tonedeaf to what was going on upon the stage.

Midnight had been the hostess to lead the award ceremony until the guest hero arrived to present the metals. Her efforts to keep attention at an all time high were not in vain with how well she was leading the excitement of the entire crowd. The award ceremony finally arrived and it was the ever popular All Might was who was designated to present the awards. There had been a delay in the communication link for UA staff and All Might had been deployed far too early. All Might's introduction from bothe the hero himself and Midnight overlapped and became an auditory mess that only repeated attempts to listen would be able to decipher.

The mix-up was easily overlooked and All Might approached each of the finalists with medals reflecting their positioning in the top three of their classes. First was Tokoyami Fumikage and the shadow that he had control over.

"Toyokami! Your mastery of your shadow has been nothing but exemplary and demonstrates your competency in the field."

"Your words are too kind."

The hero then engaged the bronze medalist in some rather specific dialogue Tokoyami hadn't expected from All Might.

"Another criticism from someone anonymous had something to say as well. Your control of your shadow was something to be desired and was a point of concern for them. The precision and versatility of your shadow is something that they felt would be of great benefit if you were to work on it."

Before Tokoyami could ask who it was that would give such advice to him; All Might had already moved to give Todoroki his metal. All Might gave his ten cents on the matter and the boy respectfully returned the sentiment before All Might passed on the message meant for the ice and fire user.

"He wanted to let you know that you did great and that what he saw was nothing short of brilliant."

Shoto was shocked to hear from Haru being passed on through All Might during an awards ceremony. Those kind praises were nothing short of what kind of honesty Haru had when he talked to Todoroki. The final contestant was the only one that he had nothing to say for besides the well practiced jargon of a typical awards presentation.

All Might had a powerful speech reserved for the future heroes of the next generation. His words were intently listened to and served to inspire those on the path that would bring them closer to where their idol set their own goals. He botched his speech slightly and the day moved onto the next without incident.

Later That Day

Iida and his mother were rushing to get into the ESD medical ward where the current Ingenium had been sent to recover from his surgery. Distressed and concerned were the mother and son to check up on the eldest son of their family. The staff barely gave them any trouble before they entered the nearest accessible area to see the injured hero. The glass separating the family from the hero felt like a chasm as they were only able to see the hero recover in a liquid tank that was used to assist the man in his healing process.

"No… Brother!"

The staff had to catch the mother who collapsed from shock and restrain Iida from charging into the ward. He barely could hear the staff explain that his brother only suffered immediately lethal wounds and that he was due for a complete recovery after his physical therapy. To see his brother in such a sordid state reached far too deep into Iida's heart and twisted something that he never felt turn before in his life. He was too self involved to let matter's settle here.

Later On

The school permitted the students an additional two days on top of their weekend after the festival to recover and collect their faculties. The Todoroki family who were still at home were Shoto and Fuyumi. Shoto had given his sister fair warning to where it was he was going and left on his own accord. Her question of where the usual driver that took them there was mostly just left to hang while he made his own way on foot and through public transportation.

His arrival at the hospital was rather odd in how many of the hospital nurses were still there after so many years and how they called him out by nafe with memory alone. It was simultaneously comforting and unsettling to think about. His trip to his mother's room was then additionally surprising when he opened the door and saw a familiar face conversing with the woman Shoto could recognize as his mother.

"-they're all doing well. I think that Shoto has come a long ways from where-"

Both Todoroki Rei and Nakamura Haru looked at Shoto. Rei had been the one to draw the attention of her son while Haru elected to make his exit silently.

"Shoto…"

It had been some time since his last visit to the hospital that his mother was at for the past ten years. It had been a day of the week where he used to visit his mother when he asked Haru to take him. It was barely a problem from how little resistance Haru had given to the boy whenever he called. His sister had that same privilege when she called. Other days of the week met the same amount of resistance and there was never an opportunity for Haru to turn down to take these children to their mother. Has this man been making his own visit's weekly to her?

"Sorry, I'll get out of-"

A hand reached out and grasped Haru by the sleeve as he passed Shoto. The sleeve of his leather jacket was clasped in Shoto's grip. Haru looked at the boy as the child spoke to the man who had been attentive to his mother when he had been less attentive as her child.

"... You're not."

Shoto spoke those words as if he was proclaiming a new law. There was no reason to forbid the man who wanted to help him his whole life to see someone he wanted out of his free time. Little else was argued as both Shoto and Haru shared what had happened recently to the mother that wanted to be a part of her son's life once more.

Just Then

Ochaco had a heck of a day since yesterday. Haru needed help with the food truck, since the night brought all sorts of last minute customers going home while feeling peckish. There was no reason for her to turn down Haru when he had been giving her bumps on her previous paychecks constantly for the past few years. His cash payouts were something of a miracle to help her family back home. His insistence that the work he puts her through was well above the paygrade had been unconvincing until he put her in a different environment from his kitchen.

Ochaco wanted to put her foot down in letting Haru overpay her during her earlier junior high years. She had thought that such money he was giving her was beyond what a kid was due of her age. His counter was that she didn't even realize what she was capable of at that time. This went on and on until Haru decided to put his money where his mouth was. He promised that if she was to struggle and realize she was underqualified for a kitchen a friend of his managed; he would pay her as she dictated. If he was certain it was nothing short of an easy job; he would be the one to pay her.

The kitchen was rather busy when she had been introduced and it was a little scary for how much busier it was for how much shorter she had been in comparison to everybody else. Her hours were mostly her trying her best not to mess up the flow of the kitchen and staying out of the way of everybody else. Her stay ended with her being nervous and sitting at the rear entrance while Haru finally pulled up for her pickup.

Before she could hop into the van and take off; the owner of the restaurant who had been speaking to her most of the day popped out of the rear door and begged Haru to let him keep her for dear life. His consistent interaction with her throughout the day had been far from the admonishment she first thought he was throwing her way. His tasks assigned to her were constantly being accomplished faster than he was able to assign her throughout the day without any sort of rest.

Her consistently high grade work and youth was something the owner wanted to pay for no matter the cost. The ever free spirited Haru refused and politely drove away. Ochaco was far too confused to understand what had just happened. Since that event; whenever the girl needed hours to help out her family, Haru obliged and they worked with Haru giving her an amount he felt appropriate.

For the hours she worked yesterday, her pay came out to ninety nine thousand yen. She saved what she could while being conscious with the spending of her daily consumption of food and other necessary essentials. Her apartment was something of an odd phenomenon as well.

Her residence near the school was oddly free for her family and her when they approached the agency. The company had proclaimed it as they were their ten thousandth customer; but it was something of an oddity for the daughter. The parents didn't hesitate to jump on a good deal and just sought out what could save them.

The deal was signed and despite the rather fishy smell of the potential scam; her observations yielded anything but. The apartment had really been free. Haru even gave the girl an additional ten thousand yen to allow her to get anything she felt she desired. Her trip back to the apartment was mostly her thinking about having dinner with flavorless rice cakes for dinner. If Haru heard what she was saying right now; he would have torn out his own hair and somebody elses with how frustrating this one teenage girl was for him.

The fact that Ochaco's apartment had been unlocked was a bit of a shock for the girl. As cautiously she entered the apartment; what terrified her were her parents that charged at her in their rather odd overeager manner that even she had gotten used to. Their presence in her school apartment was something she desperately needed to help quell her conflicted spirit.

Midoriya Residence

Breakfast at the Midoriya residence was one of the most important meals of the day for Izuku. His previous routine of a strict diet made it difficult for the boy to miss the meal that had the utmost relevance to developing his body. Inko and Izuku were sharing the meal with one another while the mother was sharing her grievances over what she thought were reckless actions from her only child.

"That Todoroki boy had better not be giving you any trouble! The match I saw was something that I couldn't imagine you going through again! I stomach quite a lot from what he shares with me, but-"

In one ear and out the other was Izuku's approach to dealing with his mother's complaining for the most part. It was certainly a lot for the mother to endure to see her son go through what he did on his journey to become a hero; but he had his mind set on making the dream into a reality. Only time would tell if he would either become the hero he was meant to be.

"By the way, how are Mina and the others? It's been some time since you guys went out together, hasn't it? You should see how they are!"

His ears perked up when the mention of his circle of friends were mentioned. These two days off were an ideal time to finally spend some quality time with the others; especially since he's been too busy alongside Mina on an actual date. The idea was too good to pass up and gave Izuku something to look forward to during his day's off.

After Breakfast

Izuku was in his bedroom and dialing Mina's number from memory. He plopped onto his bed and waited for a while before the line connected with Mina on the other line.

"Izuku! What's up; everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to hear your voice for a while."

Mina could never hope to break away from how much it made her feel so wanted and cared for when Izuku kept saying such affectionate one liners like it was nothing. They spoke on the phone for an hour with one another over their families and personal performances in class. Halfway through the conversation they swapped to video chat so that Mina could show off her new puppy. It was truly a rather precious adolescent pitbull that was playfully trying to bite on Mina's finger while minding it's sharp teeth. Miso was the name she went with.

"Why Miso? Seems kinda like you picked it because it sounded cute."

"It is! There's nothing wrong with that; is there?"

This was just him teasing her for how simple minded she tended to be for such things like this. The name fit well for the rather sweet and playful little thing trying to have fun with her mommy. Not much else except some reminders the one person reminded the other were exchanged with the call being a nice way for them to just look at each other. There still was the subject of why it was Izuku called Mina and it was getting towards the end of the call when he remembered it.

"Before I forget; are you doing anything tomorrow, Mina?"

"Wanna go on a date?"

Reading each other was simple enough for them to catch on and just answer before certain questions were even said.

"Tomorrow at eleven?"

"Make it ten."

It was settled and planned for tomorrow. A simple lunch and movie followed by some free time for anything in the area. Not a very exciting way to spend a day off, but neither parties were in the mood for fancy or crazy after what had happened for the past month or so. They wanted to catch up and reconnect with time to spend just enjoying each other's company.

Now all Izuku needed to do was wait for the following day and these extra days off would have been worth the struggle. His spirits were high and hopeful when his mom called for him from outside his closed door.

"Izuku? Haru is here to see you!"

"Huh? O-okay, mom!"

There was no schedule for him and Haru to hang out that day. It was rare for Haru to show up unannounced without some sort of phone call or text to him or his mom. He left in a hurry and found Haru standing in the doorway with his shoes still on and hands in his pockets. It was implied, but it seemed like Haru wanted to take him and Izuku out real quick while they had some free time to talk.

"Hey, kiddo. Got time to chat?"

"Uh, sure? What's this about?"

Haru could pick up on the boy's slight anxiousness and wanted to help put him at ease.

"Don't worry; you're not in trouble. Thought we could go for some ice cream and chat."

It's been some time since he's been asked to go out for ice cream. Last time was during a rather depressing and low point in the boy's life. Still, it was warm and the request was innocent enough for Izuku to go along with it for a beautiful day and free dessert.

"Sure, I guess…"

Later

Overhead was the sun with all of it's merciless rays beating down on the concrete and asphalt. A nice crossbreeze was helpful in keeping those seeking shelter from the sun remain cool and comfortable. A park bench next to a nearby waterway was occupied by Haru and Izuku with a cup of ice cream in each of their hands. Haru had ordered vanilla while Izuku got strawberry at a very familiar dessert stall nearby. All of this was too familiar for Izuku to see this as a simple coincidence. Not only was the place where they got ice cream the same place from the night Haru took Izuku out to talk to him about being quirkless; the bench was the same one they sat on as well.

This wasn't anything to agitate Izuku or try to throw off the young Midoriya; but this was something Haru did on purpose to convey a very important message. The older one of the duo was still enjoying the weather and scooping away at his dessert while Izuku was just taking one tentative spoonful at a time. Being the one who brought Izuku here, Haru was the one to start the conversation.

"Do you remember the last time we were here, kiddo? It's been a while since the last time."

There was no way the boy could ever forget such an important moment in his life.

"Of course! It was where we went for ice cream when I was… Well, y'know."

It was still a bit of a sore subject and Haru obliged in letting the matter drop there.

"Just wanted to be somewhere familiar…"

They sat for another minute before Haru broke the silence for a second time.

"Izuku, I need to ask you something."

His cup was placed down next to him while Izuku's was only halfway done. The cream was starting to thaw rather quickly as the liquified parts helped in thawing the rest of it faster.

"... I heard what happened with your match with Todoroki. You did help him get out of something he was deep inside of; but you did something rather brash to do so…"

Izuku now knew what this was about. The familiar environment and sudden visit was all to get Izuku to face Haru honestly without any sort of misdirection or dishonesty between them. Haru's eyes were still looking out to the waterway as he spoke.

"How many more times are you gonna keep throwing yourself under the bus? You may feel like it's noble or heroic; but you leave people like me and your mother to feel helpless as we watch you keep hurting yourself…"

By no means was it an accusation in the way he said it. A very tired and concerned tone conveyed how powerless he felt as he asked Izuku for an honest answer to his question. Izuku didn't think much of it at the time and assumed that his own well being was secondary to the matter at hand.

"... I didn't-"

"You promised me too, kiddo. That meant something to me."

Eyes with genuine hurt in them looked right through Midoriya. This wasn't just another case of him being reprimanded or taught something; Haru really did feel like the promise made to him was something important and now was left with that promise broken and ignored.

"Am I really that little of a concern to you?"

MIdoriya felt truly cornered by what was being posed to him. His assumption was that being a hero was to remain selfless and try to save those who needed his help. There were still people who valued him and didn't want him to keep throwing himself at the problem recklessly. Helping Todoroki realize something important didn't change the fact that he did break a promise with his mentor that was of great concern for that mentor. This wasn't All Might asking him to put it all on the line; Haru knew him since he was a small child and had done his fair share in helping him get this far.

"I… I-I didn't… It wasn't-"

"I just wanted to ask… Though there is something for you to think about now."

Haru got up and threw away his cup while letting Izuku finish his on the bench as he left. Whatever Izuku could have said wasn't going to be anything from the heart and Haru knew that. He wanted the boy to know what it was that his own well being meant for Haru and Inko. Just letting the boy ramble on trying to find something he thought Haru wanted to hear would just make the man feel worse than he did now.

"I'll see you around, Izuku."

Haru couldn't fake his hurt anymore. Watching the match on playback only made Haru uncomfortable as Izuku kept throwing himself at the problem and allowed his emotional high to get the best of him. This wasn't easy for him and it was getting on his nerves that Izuku didn't realize how taxing this already was on him or his mother. He wasn't proud of how he left the boy alone on that bench; it really was a lot for Haru to just walk away with his disappointment and heartbreak.

The once sweet and delicious dessert felt bland and forgettable on Izuku's taste buds. Had he really been so short sighted in his pursuit of becoming a hero? Perhaps there was more to being a hero than just being someone the public could admire and look up to. The people who mattered to him the most were still left to pick up the pieces. Perhaps being so forward thinking wasn't the answer to what sort of hero he wanted to be after all.

Later That Day

Haru was at another home and knocking at the front door while waiting for a response from the homeowner. His abrupt and unexpected visit was met with a surprised voice who was familiar with his face through the intercom.

"Haru-san? What are you doing here?"

"Sorry Mitsuki, I was wondering if Katsuki was free for a bit. Is he still here?"

She excused herself for a moment while she went looking for her son. Even through the door; Haru could hear the mother and son yell at each other from wherever in the house Mitsuki found her son. A short amount of time passed before a quick set of footsteps raced to the front door and pushed the door open to reveal Bakugou Katsuki. Haru's visit wasn't an expected event for the blonde; though it was far from unwelcome.

"Haru-san?"

"Heya kiddo, got some time to hang out?"

Some more shouting from the doorway to the kitchen while Mitsuki was preparing dinner for herself and Bakugou got Katsuki the okay to go out with Haru for a bit before dinner was ready. Never has Haru broken a curfew to this date and it was something the man took pride in; despite Katsuki's numerous complaints over the many year's they've known one another.

Downtown

One would think that hanging out with an adult would be something of a drag since older generation people tend to be out of touch with most things that interest young people. While true for others in most cases; Haru had a surprisingly versatile grasp of most things that came his way. In comparison, Katsuki was someone who looked positively ancient in comparison to the versatile and quick to learn older man. Their day at the arcade had been a testament to this sentiment as Haru had garnered numerous victories over Bakugou. It was because of the boy's stubbornness and Haru's wallet that they were able to play as long as they did.

They caught a break just outside the arcade with a drink in each of their hands. A sports drink for the blonde and a beer for Haru. It still amazed Bakugou with how much of a boozehound Haru was while smoking like a chimney stack. Everything that went into his body seemed to just disappear with how healthy and well Haru looked in comparison. That much poison going into a single person at the rate Haru was going through packs of beer and cigarettes would have made them catch lung and liver cancer several times over.

"Haru-san, it's like three in the afternoon."

Being the quick witted adult he was; Haru looked at Katsuki and then the beer before shrugging and drinking without a care in the world. It truly never failed to surprise him. They took their time to just relax and talk about things like their impromptu trip that day and how well Bakugou did during the sports festival. Katsuki had no shortage of pride and confidence with how well he did and even felt cheated at the final fight with how easily he won. He didn't get the fight he thought he deserved. All of this served to segway into the next topic Haru wanted to talk to Katsuki about.

"So about what happened…"

Bakugou didn't move for a moment while he was taking another sip from the bottled drink. In a rather poor attempt to avoid conversation, acting like he didn't hear Haru was about the best he could do. Haru knew better and kept the momentum of the conversation going.

"We rarely talk about him, kiddo. If you can, will you just listen to what I have to say? I promise to make it quick…"

There wasn't much Bakugou could say against a soft sell like that. Numerous times there were opportunities for Haru to just force the conversation and others where Katsuki really should have been the one to engage in the dialogue. It left a bad taste in his mouth that made the drink come off a little sour the more the blonde boy thought about it. He acquiesced to Haru's request and sat in silence to allow Haru his ten cents on the matter.

"He and I knew that you would become a great hero, but he always wanted it to be on your terms. It just seems like you're running towards nothing with the goal to prove something."

An apt description of how Bakugou felt on the inside. His hands tightened around the bottle as his lifelong mentor finished off his thoughts to give the boy his space to think.

"Please, don't do this for the wrong reasons. Remember that none of it was your burden to bear. I'm here if you need me, but I just hope that you know that being motivated and being pushed are two different things."

Haru bid his farewell and let Katsuki mull over the words of wisdom. Throughout his lifetime of knowing the man; there were few times that Haru had been cryptic with the things he said to the children he interacted with. If there was a message he wanted them to know of, he was usually of the opinion that being coy was just making the other party run in circles for no reason. His concerns for Bakugou being so driven over his need to be proven as stronger was a well warranted concern.

Even Bakugou knew what Haru had been referring to. He knew that perhaps being so single minded in finding validation in winning tougher and tougher fights was only going to get him hurt if he didn't address the source of the problem. For now, all he had to focus on was the path to become a hero. Worrying about what would happen if he happened to stress himself out just a little paled in comparison to what he saw as laziness and hindrance if he were to try and focus on anything else.

This desire was what had been driving him for years now. Without it, Bakugou felt lost. A rather interesting concept as he refused to see how lost he already felt with each passing day he refuses to address the turmoil that had him deep in it's inky depths. While he thought he was moving towards the surface, he was sinking like a stone.

The Next Day

Outside the cinema stood Izuku in a crew cut blue clamshell shirt with a silver chain and brown joggers. Of course his signature red shoes were worn for the date he had with his long time partner in crime, Mina. Over the years; Izuku took a page out of his mentor's booklet on how to dress fashionably for things like dates and group functions. Haru had told the boy that gaudy dress and distracting designs only served to look tacky in any context. Slimming clothing with conservative color pallets were the way to go in impressing and allowing the people admiring the aesthetic to focus on you without being distracted by loud colors or flamboyant designs.

By no means was this a concept he forced down Izuku's throat, but sharing his thoughts had influenced the boy enough to mirror the fashion of his mentor. Checking the time revealed that it was still about six minutes until it was the meetup time for the date. There was no issue for being a little early and waiting for Midoriya, so he just remained where he stood while just looking around at the people wandering around minding their own business.

Another memory of one of his two mentors replayed itself in his head while he admired the buzzing life of the everyday streets. For Haru, being outside and in the rabble was a huge reason why he enjoyed working as a food truck vendor. Izuku had been very much an introvert with only Mina being the one to drag him out for functions between them.

Middle school the year before his last was a rather uneventful time of his life. Out of curiosity, he asked Haru why it was that someone like him was working out of a food truck with him being so multifaceted and rather talented in some rather odd things. His reply was that he wanted to be out amongst the public wherever he wanted whenever he wanted. This sort of energy was only obtainable by being out on the roads and streets with people all going about their business. To see the ebb and flow of people when they thought they were alone while being anything but was like seeing wildlife or nature for him. Midoriya couldn't understand his desire to be outside in this chaos, though he didn't really push the matter and accepted the reason as Haru's and Haru's alone.

Now being older and interacting with more people than before; he could sort of see the appeal in just feeling the vice of how a city like this breathed and functioned like a living thing. What soured his enjoyment of the memory was also recalling what had happened yesterday with the very same individual.

As much as he wanted to be frustrated or angry with Haru; he did promise the man that there wouldn't be a repeat of what happened before at the entrance exams. There was no reason for him to go so far in what was a school event with little reason to harm himself from what wasn't even a life threatening situation. He thought he was justified at the time with Todoroki acting the way he did with his father looming over him like a storm that refused to break.

It didn't change the fact that Haru had asked the boy not to hurt himself like he did and he broke the promise. Lacking a father did make things a little awkward for Izuku, but Haru had always been there to be his male role model. One value he instilled in Midoriya was to respect his own word as if it was from All Might himself. A man's word was law only if he followed through and respected the things he promised.

This was weighing a little heavy on him and it was just before a long awaited date. Both hands smacked his face twice on each cheek to get himself out of his slump before his girl arrived for a day of fun and relaxation. His drama was his and it could wait for just one more day.

"Oi! Izuku!"

Turning towards the voice calling his name in the crowd revealed Mina in a button up tied at the waist with a denim jacket and black shorts. Her footwear was a pair of skate shoes paired with knee high socks that hugged her calves just right. His eyes caught on to what was behind her; rather, who it was that followed her.

Momo and Kyoka were both dutifully trailing behind the pink girl on her date with Izuku. This was clearly Mina scheming something as she usually did when she got a weird idea bouncing around in her head. While not expecting anything too hanus, Izuku did see a reason to remain slightly cautious as to what this devilish pinkett had in store for him.

"Mina, I wasn't aware of Momo and Kyoka joining us on our date. I would have been more than happy to spend time with them alongside you."

A small but effective compliment to how much he enjoyed the other party members' presences. They shyly looked off to the side while Mina was stumbling to remember her excuse for his suspicion.

"Ah, yes… The, uh; the… Theyyyy weeeere already here! Yeah, that's it! They were walking by and they invited themselves."

Both girls shot Mina a dirty look for throwing them under the bus like that. She could feel their gazes burn a hole on each side of her head as she tried to apologize to them psychically. Izuku knew better and decided to move things along to spare everyone's feelings from Mina's short sightedness.

"No problem! Anyways, the movie is still on the previews; wanna get some popcorn and soda?"

The group all indulged in the joy of hanging out once again and got in line for the concessions. Momo was always the one who offered to pay for the day's entertainment, only to be shot down again in favor of sharing the bill with everyone else. Two large buckets of popcorn with two large sodas while having two straws out of each cup served the group's need for refreshments during the two hours they were planning to spend at the cinema.

As they all were making their way to their designated theater; Izuku took notice of Momo's as well as Kyoka's attore. Momo had opted for a shoulder exposing blouse with baggy sleeves and a black pencil skirt complete with strapped sandals to complete the look. Kyoka was a little more street chic with a baggy sweater that revealed her belly button and skinny ripped jeans. Sneakers topped the look and completed the urban look that Kyoka was absolutely owning up to.

Once inside the dark and air conditioned space, the selection of seats was quite bountiful for the group while still enabling them to remain seated next to each other. Being too busy with UA schoolwork hadn't loaned them much time to visit the movies or do anything that was exclusive to relaxation. This movie had been out for quite some time and now was about to leave theaters when they all came to enjoy one of its last few showings. An action movie with some romance to buffer the story was a safe enough bet with reviews just skirting above average into very entertaining.

Oddly, when Izuku began to aim for a seat next to Mina, he was outcast to the leftmost seat and sat next to Momo. Mina took the seat farthest from him and sat on the right most seat of their merry quartet. His assumption that she would immediately glue herself to his side like expected had been completely subverted and left him slightly disappointed. He wanted to tap her shoulder and say something, but a rather distracting hand on his own as the group took their seats ejected the idea out of his head. Momo didn't hesitate in laying her own much daintier hand on top of Midoriyas while brushing a loose lock of hair back. This wasn't truly known by the well pampered girl; though she could wager that based on how Izuku always looked at her when she did so, he quite enjoyed the little display of feminine grace.

Besides them to their right was Mina and Kyoka already cozying up to one another. The armrest was up and out of the way as Mina cuddled up to Kyoka and pressed the tomboy's arm up against her breasts. Outward affection wasn't anything new amongst them since Mina was regularly seeking out physical contact with everyone whenever they hung out. Kyoka relented and simply enjoyed the soft flesh up against her skinnier frame.

Izuku could take a hint and decided to interlock Momo's hand with his slightly larger ones. Though he was shorter by a bit of a margin; feeling the calluses of his strong and well worked hands didn't feel any less comforting or intimate for the girl who simply leaned against his shoulder and scooted so as to lay comfortably against him during the movie. Needless to say that it was a fun time, regardless if the movie was good or not.

After the Movie

The Movie was entertaining enough and it was with the added bonus that little to no people were there to ruin the experience. All four of them left the theater hand in hand with Kyoka having Mina hand off her left arm and Momo in Izuku's left hand and chatting with everyone about how average the movie felt.

"I'm still rather disappointed that the protagonist is completely out of character from the last installment."

"Well, it's a different director. I think if you think of it like a spinoff rather than a hard sequel; it'll seem less jarring."

Another astute observation from Izuku that did indeed help Momo come to terms with the changes in the subject material. The others chimed in with that sort of thinking being more of a cop out and how that consistency matters no matter the changes made for artistic vision. It felt like they were once again just a bunch of kids hanging out during the rare moments they were able to in the past.

They all took a moment to stop by for lunch at a family restaurant and took a booth seat next to the window. Momo and Midoriya were scooched towards the inner seats while Mina and Kyoka left for the restrooms. Both teens were left in silence and ordered drinks for the others while they were using the little girl room. Some moments passed before Izuku peeked up from his phone and saw Momo stare at him while looking a little dazed.

"What's up, Momo? You feeeee…"

He couldn't finish his sentence as he felt a foot rub up against his shin. His cheeks became a little rosy while Momo smiled with her own lightly dusted coral cheeks. Most others would find themselves in a bit of a compromise with their significant other distracted and away while another was vying for their affection. This was anything but a usual scenario that this group of childhood friends shared.

There wasn't much else Izuku could say for this part of their relationship. Even Mina could tell that their connection was a deep one and didn't dissuade him from seeing his mutual interest for the lovely Yaoyorozu. Their dynamic was odd to say the least and even seeking out Haru's advice lent a uniquely unorthodox perspective on things. His take was that if they could make it work while being mature and responsible about it; then he saw no need to feel so guarded against such things. As long as everyone's emotional needs were met and that there weren't overlaps in having any of their needs met.

Shyly and slowly Izuku reached out halfway across the table and silently asked to hold Momo's hands in his once more. Her previous bravado and forwardness waned a little as not they were being more open with one another for the first time. Between his rougher hands, Izuku studied and analyzed Momo's far daintier ones and could see and feel so much more like this. The skin was soft and felt like silk against his palms. Expensive creams and good genetics really did go a long way in improving one's vitality.

Her perfectly manicured nails felt like porcelain of the highest grade and looked like gens adorning the elegant structure of her delicate hands. His hands felt so lacking and poorer in comparison to this well groomed and elegant girl who took an interest in him. In Yaoyorozu's case; his hands were anything but lacking or unpleasant.

From the base of his palms; all the way up to his fingertips, his thicker skin gave her goosebumps with every little touch. So much of his strength came through in how rough and calloused his hands felt against her softer palms. The work put into developing his strength and figure were visible in the tough and rigid skin he abused day after day. Down his arms and past his shoulders were the visible lines of his cut and bulging frame. Not excessive by her standards, but no first year student should have such a built body at such a tongue age naturally.

They took turns in just admiring one another's hands until a familiar pink acid hero in training came back and announced herself after laying witness to their adorable little exchange for a little while. Both of them didn't break off contact immediately and rather than shocking Mina; it made her smile to see things develop positively for everyone in the group. Kyoka returned in a slight daze and drew the attention of the other two friends who were out of the loop. Kyoka was sporting a new color of lip gloss while Izuku could tell that Mina had a fresh coating of her own gloss coming back from the restrooms. The blushing girls rushing back to their table coming out of the restrooms was enough of a giveaway for him to see something had developed between the more confident Mina and conservative Kyoka.

Their lunch was another fun meeting and reunion for the group after months of busywork and school work separating them for so long. Days like this were exactly what all these kids needed to help them through the tougher moments of life.

Later that Day

Momo offered a ride in her limo for Kyoka since they were headed in the opposite direction of Izuku and Ashido. Sun was starting to turn amber and cast shadows while the two lovebirds simply held hands on the train. Out of the corner of Mina's eye; she could pick up on the furrowed brows and downturned corner of Izuku's mouth that meant he was lost in thought over something that was bothering him. His habit of being an overthinker was an old hat for the pink girl. After years of being with him, she could pick up on when he was just lost in thought or trying to figure something out that he was struggling with. Based on his subtle scowl; it must've been something serious.

"... Ikki?"

"..."

Nothing. Even in public; the use of their pet names was something that they rarely indulged in. Her failing to get his attention meant his gears were really working to diffuse whatever had him so hung up. Her phone was locked and returned to her purse before she turned to Izuku partially and placed her other hand that wasn't in his own and pulled lightly on the arm that did hold her hand.

"Izuku!"

"Huh?! Sorry! I didn't- uh, what were you saying?"

That level of distraction really did concern her. He was never inattentive and couldn't excuse himself when he thought he was being so. It was dead silent in the cart with only them and not one thing was said between them since they boarded the train. This needed her to help out the distressed boy she was in love with.

"I wasn't. Ikki, what's going on? You've been out of it all day and it's worrying me. You know you can talk to me."

His intention wasn't to worry her and he apparently had done so while trying to be considerate and discreet over what he believed to be his issue to solve. He tilted himself slightly to her and began sharing what had happened yesterday between their mutual acquaintance and mentor Haru. How Haru told him that getting himself hurt after asking him to not do so made the man feel rather neglected in Izuku's thoughts. There was still some baggage for Midoriya as he still wanted to resolve things with Haru and for the whole day his mind was coming up blank for an apology that would convey how sorry he was.

No matter how much time passed for them; Mina could see how frustratingly short sighted and considerate Izuku could be when it came to other people. Experience in these matters wasn't his strong suit since he was someone who thought with his head and acted with his heart. She had one thing she could share to help give her lover insight into why Haru felt so strongly against what had happened during the sports festival.

"... Ikki. Do you remember a few years ago during junior high; when that villain came after me and the others and Haru-san saved us?"

Izuku's eyes hardened slightly at the memory of her in such a delicate emotional state. Though it was also what led them to kiss for the first time. Conflicted was the best he could consider how he felt about the turn of events.

"How could I forget?"

"... After we were rescued; Haru-san wasn't anywhere. We all thought we left him behind to die and it…"

Her eyes moistened at the memory beginning to wash over her. It was a terrifying and horrible feeling for all of them with the lack of knowledge of where the man who saved them was. Midoriya could recognize when Mina needed his touch and pulled her into his collar with his head perched next to her horns. He patted her back and let her collect herself before allowing her to continue.

"... He, uh… Uh, he- he came back and told us he was sorry… That he didn't want to scare us like he did."

That wasn't what Izuku had expected for Haru to do after saving them. Why apologize after saving their lives? Wasn't something like that supposed to be a moment to instill courage or comfort them with confidence and kindness? An apology seemed to be an unwarranted thing to offer after protecting someone and keeping them from harm's way.

"Kirishima gave him an earful, heh… But Haru said something. It was something I'll never forget…"

Mina looked up into Izuku's eyes and spoke in a hushed tone while cradling his left cheek.

"He said that when he promised he would protect us; he didn't just do so to save our lives. He was making sure that we would be okay no matter what it was. If he had left us and didn't come back or got hurt; he knew that it would have left us feeling guilty or angry with ourselves for his sacrifice. Don't you see?"

Her teary eyes were wiped clean with her handkerchief before she looked into Izuku with a sad smile.

"Protecting someone or being their hero isn't just about rescuing them without thinking about yourself. You need to know that people like him or me are waiting for you to come back to us. Being so reckless and letting yourself take the worst of it leaves us and those who look up to you to pick up the pieces. You matter to all of us; you matter to me…"

This feeling of guilt he felt had the context he needed. He understood what that was like. Seeing All Might and understanding how he became so unhealthy and emaciated made Izuku feel like he lost something. Was this how Haru and Mina felt all those times they thought they were gonna lose him?

"So please, Ikki; know that you matter just as much as those you save. I wouldn't know what to do if you kept getting hurt, or worse…"

Being enlightened to the feelings of those who were nothing but bystanders in his journey to become a hero gave Izuku a feeling of resolve. These good people who loved and cared for him deserved better than his careless and short sighted decision making. Wrapping his right hand around Mina's left side on her head made the girl stare into Midoriya's maturing emeralds. He grew up a little and it was clear he was making a silent promise to make sure that those he cared about were taken care of.

Seeing his own personal hero being so horribly beaten and abused filled his heart with nothing but grief and concern. As long as he could help it; he would do whatever he could to spare his loved ones from such awful emotions of grief and helplessness. The hero he wanted to become protected everything and everyone he wanted to help. That sort of hero didn't ignore the wellbeing of his loved ones. That sort of selfish shortsightedness was a pitfall he would never purposefully fall into ever again.

"I'm so sorry, Mina. I swear; I'll come home to you and everyone else every time. You all deserve better from me… I was selfish. I see that now, so all I can do at this point is to ask for your for-"

While he was seeking her forgiveness out of humility; there was no such resentment or pain when she straddle him and sat similarly on him when they first kissed. In her black eyes, the golden irises sparkled with the honeyed amber from the sun coming in from behind Izuku through the windows. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck as she stared back down into his green eyes.

"You don't need to. I'm just happy you'll be better to yourself. Just promise me that you'll remember us."

His arms slid up her thighs and to her waist where he cradled her in his open palms.

"Never."

Their kiss was deep and meaningful to help quell their feelings. Thankful nobody else was taking this train route and left the two lovebirds alone to resolve their emotions with one another.

Later that Evening

Sun was almost gone with only a fading orange glow to light Izuku's way home. When it got just a little darker, the street lamps came to life to usher in the nighttime properly and illuminate the streets proper for those traveling late. In his head there was a lot that he was still sifting through as he still needed to speak to Haru for what had happened the day before. It was a school day tomorrow and there was still some time to call the man and see if he could meet up late if he was okay with the impromptu meeting.

There was no hesitation in pulling up the contact and dialing the number to call the ever familiar mentor. The dial tone was on the fourth dial tone before the call connected. Haru must have looked at the id and considered his options before he answered; not the most comforting thought to have before apologizing.

"Hey, kiddo…"

A nervous clearing of his throat before Izuku went into his invitation for a one on one discussion with Haru face to face.

"H-hi, Haru-san… Um, can… Can we, y'know, talk?"

"Sure, what about?"

He couldn't tell if Haru was upset with being so nonchalant or if he really didn't think much about it after a day of cooling off. Either thought hurts in their own way.

"Actually, I wanted this to be face to face. Can we meet up?"

"... Sure, where at?"

That was a bit of a relief. There was some hope that maybe he could mend things over with the man before the end of the day.

"Uh, yes! I'm almost home, so if you could meet me there?"

The apartment was getting closer and closer with only about a half a block till he got to the building itself.

"Hm, that's weird. I think you and I had the same idea…"

Izuku was so distracted with his apartment building that he was only a few meters from Haru leaning up next to a tree while speaking into his phone in front of him before he caught on to his presence.

"Cause I'm here too."

It was a bit of a heartwarming reunion after such a sore departure lingering between the two of them. Haru hung up and put the mobile in his pants pocket as he stood with both hands in his pockets to just smile warmly to the slightly surprised boy. Izuku couldn't help but return his own version of the smile as it seemed to be that Haru never truly resented the young Midoriya.

"Ice cream?"

"... Thought you'd never ask."

Later

Both Haru and Izuku were back at the bench from before with similar flavored ice cream in each of their hands. They were not enjoying the sweet frozen treat together while letting the silence sit comfortably all around them. Neither felt the tension that Izuku thought was going to be there during that very morning of the day. This time around, it was Izuku who broke the silence to speak his peace over the discussion they had yesterday.

"... Haru-san?"

"Hm?"

Taking a moment to steel himself, Izuku took a breath to steady his voice before he spoke his honest apology.

"I wanted to apologize. I didn't think things through enough when I used One for All like I did and you had every reason to be upset. I'm sorry I broke our promise… I understand how you feel, and it isn't fair how helpless I made you feel. I hope you can forgive me."

Now it was Haru's turn to act slightly sheepish now. It was more like Izuku had beaten him to the punch and now he was slightly embarrassed to be left in the awkward position of being the second to speak. He put his almost empty cup down and scratched the back of his neck while still facing the river below them.

"Actually, I have something to confess too. I wasn't exactly in the right either when I accused you of being so insensitive, either. I should have known better than to have been so rough with you. You did the best you could in that instance and it just scared me so much to see that happen to you…"

Haru actually pushed himself off his knees and knelt in front of Izuku, who was still nibbling at his strawberry dessert.

"I know you're gonna have to make these sorts of decisions again in the future. I know you're gonna get hurt again. None of this makes it easier for me to just stand aside and let you get hurt. But I can't make these decisions for you; all of this is your future and your dreams."

He placed a firm hand on Izuku's left shoulder.

"I'll respect your decisions more, starting from now. I am happy to see that you've matured so much to see that it isn't just you who has to worry about what happens to you. You've made me really proud."

This sort of affirmation Izuku needed wasn't coming from his father; though it felt no less effective as it was someone who had always made sure that growing up with a role model was something he had. Izuku presented the man with a fist that Haru returned. Nothing was burdening Izuku after seeing something that he was blind to for the longest time. His heart was light and spirit stronger; all because of the people who were already there for him no matter what.