Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

So, my first Fanfic ever hope someone finds it good. This Idea is stuck in my head, and I need to get it out somehow. And please, if you do enjoy it, let me know through a comment at some point. Enjoy!

…

It all happened so fast, Izuku didn't have a single moment to spare. His best friend, Bakugo, was next to them one second, and then, he was being pulled inside a swirling black portal right in front of him. He didn't think; instead, he did what he always does: act… He felt his leg break under the force of One for all, just like the day of the UA admission test; his body couldn't keep up with his heroic deed. In a flash of cyan and green lightning, he tackles his friend out of the way, far from the portal, taking his place instead.

"MIDORIYAAA!!!" It was the last thing he heard before vanishing into the swirling abyss, as his friend cried out his name in panic…

… Somewhere else, far away from the camp…

Izuku crash-landed on the magician, who was holding Bakugo, crushing him against the opposite wall, knocking him out cold. 100% of One for all tackle was enough to take out one villain. His eyes darted around, seeing multiple members slowly getting into the room from their portal.

 A lizard man in a Stain cosplay, a large person in a plain open shirt, a man with dark hair and horrible burns on his face, and a schoolgirl with a manic smile on her lips. He swears he saw her smile widen as soon as they crossed eyes. Finally, He caught sight of the two last people who were already in the room with him.

He recognizes the black, shadowy man as the one with the portal quirk and his leader, the man behind this criminal organization, Shigaraki. He tried standing up to face his foe, but his clearly broken leg couldn't support his weight and buckled under the pressure…

…

To say that Shigaraki was pissed is an understatement; he lost about half of his pawns in a single night and had nothing to show for it. Only an annoying little green-haired pain in the ass… He felt the scabs break underneath his fingernail as he scratched his neck in a stressful manner. He couldn't even get the spiky brat as a consolation; tonight was a fiasco.

"Stop gawking, you damn idiots, get him!" As soon as his word got out, Magne was on top of the green boy, restraining him. He tried to resist, but his body couldn't do anything; two broken arms and a broken leg aren't much in a fight. In minutes, he was tied up in a chair, unable to move. Izuku tried to resist, but adrenaline was finally dying down in his system. He could only wince and stare at his captors.

“This whole day is an absolute waste…" said Tomura, clearly pissed at his situation. " I'm done with this player two in screwing my saves, kill the kid."

Magne was about to strike him with her large metal pole, but stopped once she felt the tip of a blade at her throat. Behind her was Spinner, blade in hand, staring her down.

"I won't let you kill Stain's chosen without a fight, he is a true hero and WILL live…" his resolve was resolute.

Magne quickly dropped her weapon; this wasn't worth it.

"What do you think you're doing, Spinner?" said his leader. "You're MY subordinate, last time I checked; do I need to remind you of it…" his hand quickly disintegrated the stool next to him.

“If you need to kill me, do it, but I won't allow him to die here,” said the lizard.

Shigaraki hesitated; this wasn't worth the trouble. Spinner quirk wasn't an event that good to begin with, just another NPC in the grand scheme of things, but he lost most of his team tonight, Compress was out cold for at least a day, and he couldn't risk any more loss tonight.

His composure finally relaxes. "Fine, throw him in the back for all I care about…" he sighed. "See kid, you live another day… Am I not a gracious host?" a wicked smile was on his lips.

Izuku couldn't do anything. In about a minute, he avoids death by sheer luck. His whole body was rigid, unable to say or do anything; he could just wait and pray his luck doesn't end anytime soon.

“OH, can I keep an eye on him? I'll be his personal guard! " said the upbeat blonde girl, ecstatic at the prospect.

" No, you'll kill him, Toga! I know you have your own obsession with him! " Oppose her scaly friend.

"Aww, come on, I promise to behave," she pouted.

"HRRG, fine, but if he died, you're done for!" he concedes, knowing she'll just find a way to get to him if they keep arguing, better let her near him with at least the promise of no (much) harm. " Remember, I have my eyes on you, brat!"

"YAAYYY, we're going to be so close, you and I, Izu-kun~ …" she jumped into his lap. Midoriya felt the weight of her body shifting on his broken legs, causing him unbearable pain, earning a pained groan from him. She was delighted.

“I'll bring him to our room; don't worry, I won't kill him… Yet" she started dragging him from the chair toward one of the rooms near the bar, disappearing into the dark room, leaving the rest of them in the bar, not sure if they should take her seriously or not.

"So, who's taking Compress in his room?" said Dabi, unimpressed by the situation, turning his head toward his companions. Compress was, as they say, folded like a pretzel against the wall out of commission.

Dabi turns his head back toward the rest of them, and all of them have a finger against their nose, saying in unison, "Not it."

"Damn it…"

…

Toga was GLEEFUL not only as she made new friends in the summer camp, but she also now has the boy of her dreams with her all alone together. This day just could not be any better. She set him up in the center of the room on a chair before skipping toward the door, locking it behind her. As she did, a large blush manifested on her pale cheeks. She brought her hand to her face, pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, the small pain confirming her joy.

Izuku was, on the other hand, stuck in a room with a crazed murderer, unable to move or defend himself; in short, he was fucked...

"Oh, we're going to have so much fun together, Izuku." She cooed.

"Hm-m w-what did you have in m-mind U-umh"

"You can call me Himiko!"

R-right Himi-miko, what do-o y-ou have in m-mind?" he was stressed out of his mind, not sure what to say in this situation.

" WELL, I was thinking we could talk a bit, learn about each other, play some game, stab you a bit or any other ideas you might have in mind " that last part was said I bit more subjectively, earning a deep crimson blush from the boy in front of her.

"W-wait s-stab...?" his word was cut short by the blade of her exacto knife lodging itself into his arm. The searing pain caused him to scream, but a hand quickly muffles him. His panicked eyes set on her crazed one for a second, trying to make sense of what had happened. He found sadistic glee behind them as he tried to shuffle away, unable to even move.

She removed the blade from his arm and looked at her handiwork. Blood was pooling slowly from his wound. She made sure not to hit anything important, captivated by the look of terror and pain he gave her, truly a romantic moment for both.

"Aww, I knew you get me, Izu-kun~, you directly skipped to the stabbing part!" she continually cooed.

"I-I di-d'nt say..." grunted the boy, choosing his next word carefully. "H-How about w-we slow t-things d-down a bit r-right Himik-ko l-lets t-talk a bit...", he was hoping she would at least stop her stabbing if they discussed.

“YES!! What do you want to talk about Izu-kun~" she genuinely seemed happy just for them to talk. The only problem is that she's expecting him to ask questions, and he is really bad at social interaction. What should he talk about, her hobby, His? Maybe where are they, but she might stab him if he tried to get information from her, she might also stab him just for the hell of it, what should he do!?

"Your muttering is really cute, you know that."

"Huh?" he looked up. Her face was centimeters from his, looking deep into his eye, her expression calm and measured, a far cry from the maniacal smile she gave him earlier. Her chapped lips curled in a friendly smile, her eyes a soft look into them. She seemed almost like a different person at this moment; he couldn't help but turn his face away, afraid she might think he was staring at her like Mineta would stare at his female classmate.

Toga saw him turn his face away from her, not in a scared way, but an embarrassed way. It was as if he felt he was the one being bad for staring at her; he looked like he wanted to apologize. Cute! Even in his situation, he was a gentleman to a fault, the perfect man. She took his face in her hand, turning it toward her, feeling a warm feeling creep up her body. She remembers seeing him break his body trying to get another boy with a weird hairdo to go all out during the UA festival. He was so cute, broken, and in pain, but also so fierce and filled with determination.

How can he be so… perfect, both fierce and timid? Both strong and weak. She felt her heart flutter as she continued to maintain his face in her hand, the flat of the blade stuck in between her palm and his face. His eyes still refused to look at her directly.

“SO, U-uhm, what is your q-quirk?” Izuku mentally groans, even in his situation, he's still trying to learn about people and their quirk. She’ll quickly see his question to get more information and…

“I can transform into other people!”

“Uh”, he could not believe his luck, she answered him instead of hurting him. A shape-shifting quirk, how peculiar, how does it work? Can she imitate only people or also animals? What about wearable items? What's the drawback? Does she gain their voice?

“It only people, I tried with animals, but it doesn’t work” She answered him. CRAP, was he muttering again?

“So-rry I’m a bit ner-rvous,” he chuckles briefly, forgetting his situation. As soon as he turns his eyes toward her, he blushes and darts his eye away from hers.

“Do you want to see it?” Izuku wasn’t sure. On one hand, she could be saying that in a way to coax him into a situation where she can punish him for trying to extract information from her; on the other hand, he was morbidly curious about her quirk.

“Mayb-be, if y-you want to… but no pressure!” he didn’t know what to expect, clearly not what happened after he said that. He felt her hands gently grab his bleeding arm and bring it closer to her mouth, then he sensed it. Her lips took in his wound, gently sucking out the blood from it. He was confused, taken by surprise by her action, her lips on his bruised shoulder almost felt like a kiss...

He immediately turns red as a ripe tomato. “WHaT-t Ar-re You DoiN-G” his voice cracked under his embarrassment; it was quickly replaced by fascination as her flesh turned into a gooey cream-like substance enveloping her skin and hair. He saw the goo melt off her skin, leaving behind… Him? His curly green hair, his freckled face, even his injured leg and arm, it was a perfect copy of him dressed in a cardigan and skirt.

“Tadah!!”  his voice, that was his voice, she also copies people's voice to a perfect degree.” Just a bit of blood, and I’m a new person!”

It was a sight to behold, cheerful Izuku twirling in front of him, dressed in a girl's uniform with an unnaturally confident smile on his lips. His head was filled with so many questions that he didn’t even have time to stop himself from asking them.

“Is the transformation timed by the blood type or the quantity of blood ingested?” Izuku asks.

“By the quantity!”, Izuku answered

“Can you merge two people if you consume more than one person's blood?”

“No one or the other!”

“Is the copy perfect in all ways?”

Yep, want to take a look? ~” She said, lifting her skirt in front of him

At this very moment, Izuku realized what was implied and quickly shouted at her that no, he believed her, no proof was needed.

Toga felt weird inside; their conversation felt so natural right now, so normal. It was as if she weren’t his captor and he weren’t her captive, just two people talking in the open about their quirks. He even stops stuttering for a moment, no fear, no discomfort; she wanted this moment to last forever. Alas, she was a villain, and he was a hero. They couldn’t keep talking like this; she would have to get him out of her life one way or another and go back to her criminal existence. The realization makes her stop smiling, and she starts shedding her false skin off her body.

“What's wrong?” It was her turn to lift her head to meet his eyes. He looked… concerned. She felt suddenly all her confidence melt away like her skin. What's wrong? How could he ask something like that in a situation like his? She just stabbed him a moment ago, and now he is worried about her. Why?

“In a world of fakes, he is a true hero!” The words of Stain hit her like a knuckleduster right in the guts. A true hero? What does that even mean? He is just a boy. How can a boy like him ever even consider helping her? Her face became panicked, unsure what to say or do, she…

Ran out. She just ran out. Izuku observed, confused and concerned, but still alive.

…

Spinner was bringing gauzes and bandages for the mess Toga would certainly make of their captive. He knew as much, but at least he would probably still be alive. After all, she kind of promised not to kill him.

As he was turning the corner, he bumped into Toga. “HEY, watch i-...”, he was stunned, in front of him, Himiko Toga, the psychopathic teenage girl, was crying, she was crying? What happened? What the hell could’ve happened there! No time for questions as she quickly kept running toward her room, locking herself in.

Spinner had a bad feeling about this; he ran toward the room where she took Stain Chosen, opening the door expecting the worst, only to find a very confused Izuku still tied up to a chair, a single stab wound on his shoulder, looking at him as if awaiting an answer.

“What did you do?”

“I… don’t know?”

Spinner sighed; he was as confused as he was. “Let's patch you up, hero.”

Chapter Text

” FUCK THAT DAMN IDIOT, FUCK HIM” Katsuki was livid; he was filled with rage, but he wasn’t angry at his friend who vanished into the portal; he was angry at himself. When he felt Deku tackle him away from the portal, he saw him; his face was so determined. The same damn face he made every time he helped him, just like with the sludge villain, just like their exam with All Might.

Just like when they were dumb kids…

“FUUUCCKKK”, another explosion resonates through the forest. Bakugo stood in a crater of his own making, unable to help anyone, always the one needing saving. He felt weak. He felt more than weak, he was a failure, a brainless, useless…

“Deku…”, Ochako felt her words stuck in her throat, unable to say anything as she saw the boy she loves vanish in a portal far from her and his friend. Probably alone, stuck with psychopaths that wanted him dead or worse. Her knee buckled under her emotions as she started crying on the ground, thinking she’d probably never see the green-haired boy ever again.

“I’ll go get Aizawa! Can you please stay with Uraraka Asui?” Iida screamed to the rest of them, running as fast as possible toward their teacher, hoping he would have an idea of how to salvage their situation.

The frog girl kneeled next to her friend, taking her in a hug, trying to make her feel better, failing miserably.

The rest of the students were frozen in place, unable to talk, ashamed of their inaction. The only thing they could hear was the loud explosions of the blond boy next to them digging himself deeper and deeper in both the earth and his insecurity.

“It should’ve been you…” everybody turns toward Uraraka as she spews her venom toward Bakugo, her face red and puffy with sadness, yet an unmistakable rage behind her words. Everybody then turned toward the blond, expecting him to go in a rage toward his classmate, some even putting themselves in between the two, trying to stop more tragedy tonight.

“Yeah, it should’ve been…” He didn’t even try to argue.

Aizawa knew how much they had screwed up: children injured, one of the Pussycats missing, and finally, the cherry on his shit sundae, one of his students also captured. How did it happen? The league should never have this information.

“Everyone gathers at the lodge for a head count. Do not stray from the paths, stay in groups with a teacher or one of the Pussycat” he ordered, worried. He was just good at hiding it from his students.

“Mr. Aizawa, will Midoriya be ok?” Todoroki asked him, his face was neutral at best, but just like Aizawa, the undertone of concern could be heard.

“Don’t worry about it, if I know one thing, it is that Problem Child never gives up, we’ll find him even if it costs us. Now go rest with the rest and let the pro deal with it...”

…In the villain's hideout…

Izuku winced as the mutant in front of him finished bandaging his shoulder. He didn’t know what he should do right now. This whole situation was crazy; one of his captors just left him there in a panic while another provided him with medical assistance. Just how will he get out of here?

“Ok, now open up…”

“Uhh?” the green boy stared in astonishment as Spinner brought up some food in front of his mouth, his visage stern and fixed on him.

“Its-s O-okay no need to sp-pon feed me” this situation was way too embarrassing for him. He wanted to sink into his chair and vanish away the same way he got here.

“Look! You have two broken, tied-up arms. How the hell are you supposed to feed yourself?! Now shut it and eat!” Spinner shoves the spoon into his mouth, almost choking the poor boy. The man was not feeling better about his own situation. No way in hell anybody else is going to feed him except maybe Toga, but she was out of commission right now, thinking of which.

“Just what the hell did you say to her?” he said in between feeding him. “She never expresses emotions other than glee and insanity, then you talk with her for five minutes, and she bawls her eyes out!” he sounded almost mad at him for making her cry.

“I dounch noh whach ei shay” Izuku tried to talk, but Spinner was feeding him faster than he could eat.

“SWALLOW THEN TALK!” Spinner yelled at him, forcing another spoonful into his mouth, contradicting himself, trying to be done as fast as he could with his meal.

Midoriya forced himself to swallow the rather large bite of rice, almost choking on it. He took some time composing himself before allowing himself to talk.

“I already told you I don’t know what I said!” Izuku didn’t lie; he had no idea what sent her into such a mess. “She just started looking sad, and I asked her if she was okay, then the next second she ran out!”

Spinner looked him in the eyes, trying to find if he was lying or not, but he couldn’t find anything in his eyes other than genuine worry. This boy was the one elevated by Stain, the one who shall be known as a true hero among the fakes. Looking at him, he wasn’t impressive a small frame, a plain face, no confidence in conversations, but beneath the surface lies a brute of heroism capable of fighting foes in every situation. A man, who, when he loses his arms, starts kicking, and when he loses his leg, starts biting.

But he didn’t do it out of malice or greed. He jumps in, taking the place of his comrade, someone they deem so unworthy that Shigaraki tried to recruit him. Stain was right about him, even now, talking about their blood drinking psycho, he shows worry, a true hero helping not only the innocent but also the wicked.

“Tell me, what do you think about Villain?” Spinner asks him to try to infer as much as he could from the boy in front of him.

“Well v-villain are b-bad” a simple answer one tainted by the very hero system he is working under, one so simple you almost can’t question it.

“Why?” Spinner didn’t stop staring at the boy, hoping he could save him from the System.

“T-they hurt people. They do i-it mostly f-for their own gain” another short and simple answer.

“Mhh, you said mostly? What about those who don’t do it for themselves?” slowly, he will lead him toward his cause.

“What do y-you mean?” Bingo!

“What about those living in society left behind by a system that doesn’t care about them? What about those stealing to feed their family and friends? What about the Heroes selling their violence to the highest bidder for a bigger profit and reputation? Are they villains?” what will he say to the ugly truth behind it all.

Izuku was stunned. Yes, not all heroes were heroic, and not all villains were villainous, but still…

“Not all of them…” Izuku dropped his eyes to the ground. “I know not all villains do it for bad reasons. But-t this whole league of villains is taking it too far! You p-pretend wanting to help those who need it but s-sacrifice anyone in the name of chaos! Just for a chance at a better world doesn’t mean you have to let everything else burn!” His head shot back up, defiant.

Spinner didn’t say anything; he just up and left, letting the boy alone in the room. His answer was PERFECT! He truly was the hero stain said he was. Such a heart! He couldn’t let him die here.

…

Toga was on her bed. She didn’t know how much time had passed; she didn’t even know why she was so emotional right now. This boy manages to break her with two words.

“What’s Wrong?”

She stifles a scream into her pillow, not knowing how else to let her stress out. This wasn’t her. Himiko Toga was a cheerful girl with a smile plastered on her face all the time when she walked, when she ate, and even when she killed. Right now, Himiko Toga was a crying mess, all her emotions bottled so well resurfaced in a single moment, all the rejection, all the hardship, and she couldn’t push them down again. What should she do? She can’t be seen like this; she can’t be weak! In this world, it’s eat or be eaten.

She decides to go get some food. It was late, so the only person present should be Kurogiri, and he didn’t ask many questions. She opened up her door, making her way toward the bar/kitchen/living room/storage, hopefully they would still have some TV dinner.

Just like she predicted, Kurogiri was there. His shadowy figure was cleaning a glass as she walked in, but he wasn’t alone in front of him. Dabi was drinking... Something, she didn’t care what. She took one of the TV dinners and popped it in the microwave on the counter. She sat in front of it, her head lying on the counter, watching it spin around in the little metal box

“You look like shit” was the very comforting words Dabi laid into her before taking a swing from his drink.

“Thanks, you too” said Himiko, not leaving her super out of her view.

“Need a drink?” asked Dabi, unbothered

“Sure, if you pay” her tone was monotone, a far cry from her usual cherry self, but she didn’t have the energy to hide it. She was busy making sure her dinner rotates well in its box.

“None of you pay for this, it’s stolen, and you know it”, Kurogiri remarked, pouring a drink for the lady, not forgetting the little parasol she always demanded.

“So,” said Dabi. “What’s eating at you?”

“Nothing you care about”

“True” Dabi finished his drink. “But I’m bored, so tell me anyway.”

What was she supposed to say to him? He wasn’t a friend; he was more akin to a colleague. The only friend she had here was twice, surprisingly absent from this whole situation.

“Where is twice anyway?”

“Probably hiding in one of the rooms playing hide and seek with no one like usual.”

“Mhh”

“You didn’t answer me.”

She still didn’t know what to say. She can’t just say a boy makes her cry because he cares about her. Inside, her feelings were conflicting. She wanted to speak with him again to talk like a normal teenager, just saying stuff for the hell of it. She also wanted to go in there and stab him, making her feel like this for breaking her façade for daring to put hope where she made sure to murder it.

“If you were not a villain, what would you be?” Toga decides to dodge the question entirely and open an entire new can of worms instead.

“Still no answer.”

“Mhh…”

Dabi sighed, seeing that this conversation was going nowhere, he decided to answer her question instead.

“Probably dead” he had no plan for his future and certainly had none for his hypothetical self.

“I wanted to be a doctor…” Toga took a sip from her glass. The microwave was beeping, telling her dinner was ready. She took it with her drink and went back to her room. Dabi makes no move to stop her; instead, he just stares at her, trying to see what is going on behind those deadpanned eyes.

…

Izuku was struggling to break free from its bond. He had been alone for the rest of the day and was trying to take his chance to make a break for it, but two broken arms are not much to work with. He tried to guess where he was, but his room had no window, no clock, and certainly no address. He was figuratively and literally in the dark; he could just hope some hero was already aware of this place and tell the authorities about it. In short, he was helpless, no way out for him, even if he broke his rope, he wouldn’t go far with a broken leg.

It was stupid charging in with no plan into the lair of the beast, and now he could only pray for someone to save him.

*Knock Knock*

Someone, maybe it was a hero, what kind of villain knocked at the door of his hostage hope was back for Izuku, as small as it was.

“Y-Yes, enter”

Entering the room was, instead of his savior, Himiko Toga. She had been crying; her makeup was undone, her eyes red and puffy, and she had a frown on her face. She also had a blade in hand…

“Can we talk, Izuku?”

Chapter Text

“Can we talk Izuku”, was the words said by Toga Himiko the girl in front of him he wasn’t sure if he should entertain her question. A million things went through his mind at the same time; was she okay, is she going to hurt him, what happened, how can he help, can he turn that into his favor, is he going to die here tonight? She was looking at him with empty eyes no emotion, nothing he could see in them to try to gage is situation.

“S-sure Himiko…”, he didn’t know what to do, but at least he could try to hear her out.

Toga went ahead and got closer, blade still in hand. Izuku was still distraught about it, but she didn’t lift it or point it toward him; instead, she simply sat next to him on the dusty floor, taking a moment to dust off her spot. He was looking at her from his chair, head twisted at an uncomfortable angle, not wanting to let her out of his sight.

He still wasn’t sure what to expect from her right now; she looked so… lost, sitting right next to him. She was about a meter from him, but her mind seemed miles away.

“Hey Izuku…” she started talking, looking away from him, not daring to cross his eyes, fearing another meltdown. “What would you be if you were not a hero?” her tone was flat and emotionless.

“I-I…”, was it a trap question? What to say to that, as long as he was alive, he always dreamed of being a hero; the thought of him being anything else was foreign to him. He could maybe have been a police officer or a paramedic, maybe even a firefighter? But he knew those jobs were just excuses to get as close as he could to heroes. Being a Hero was who he was, and he couldn’t see himself being anything else.

“I don’t think I could be anything else if I’m honest…”, he answers truthfully;  he couldn’t lie anyway, he was too bad at it.

Himiko frowns a bit at his answer. In a sense, he was like Dabi, with no plan for the future, only the present. But his answer was different in a way that mattered. It was honest, he thought about it, and this was the only outcome he saw for himself. He was the protagonist of his own story, blazing a trail for himself. Dabi was the victim in his own reacting to the world.

Where was she in all that, a protagonist or victim of her own story? She didn’t know. Himiko buried herself deeper in her knee, twirling the knife in the palm of her hand.

“UHmm, H-Himiko can I ask you s-something?” Izuku didn’t know what to say, but he could try to understand her.

“Okay…”

“W-why are you a villain?”, his question seems genuine; he truly was trying to understand her.

What should she answer? Because I’m a freak? She thought to herself. Because her parent left their daughter rot because she was a hemophiliac maniac? Why was she like this? Was she born this way? Could she have been anything else if she wanted?

“Because… I can’t be anything else”, she said, not sure if that was a good answer.

“Why?”

What did he mean? Why? Can’t he see the freak in front of him? She stabbed him in the shoulder not even a day ago, and now he asks why? As if she could be anything else than a bad person. She looks up at him, not sure what to expect. Pity? Probably, after all, she was looking miserable on the floor.

Instead, she found not pity but compassion, his big green eyes focused on her, trying to make sense of her. She couldn’t keep looking at him, she didn’t deserve it. She felt her eyes water the moment they crossed eyes.

“I-I think y-you don’t w-want to be a v-villain Himiko.” Izuku took a gamble trying to infer what she didn’t want to say.

Himiko was taken aback; she didn’t expect him to nail her thoughts so well. Hell, she didn’t even know what she wanted to say herself. This boy, in a single day, manages to throw off the entire persona she took years to build for herself. He made her feel things she never thought she would feel ever again, things like hope…

“What if… you’re right? What if I don’t want to be a villain? What can I do, Izuku? its not like I can get out of here and live a normal life. I’m wanted wherever I go, I’ll be hunted like an animal, at least here I’m not alone like I was years before. I want to, but I can’t”, she said it. If Shigaraki were here, he would’ve disintegrated her for saying something like this. But he wasn’t. Here she was alone with Izuku, and it felt… better.

“W-well, I’m s-sure we could find a w-way to make it work. We could t-talk it out, maybe get you a reduced sentence. I could help you v-vouch for you?” he watches as Himiko stands up and makes her way toward him, stopping right in front of him. She crouched at his eye level, staring him down.

Then, she lifted her knife to his stomach; cold sweat poured out of him at the sight of it.

“I won’t be caged ever again!” Her tone changed; she was angry at him, of course, throwing her out in prison was his brilliant idea. She was just a piece of trash waiting to be picked up and thrown back into the garbage. This boy didn’t care about her; he was just a dumb hero trying to make it out alive. She was so dumb for thinking anything else about it.

“W-WAIT I-I’m s-sure w-we can find a-another solution!”, he messed up, of course, she didn’t want to go to prison, no one wants that. God, he was dumb. He felt the tip of her knife start digging into his flesh. “What-t if you just l-leave the l-league go u-under the r-radar?”

She pushed the blade a little deeper. “So, I can be alone again!” she yelled.

“Y-you don’t h-have to be!” he yelled back, her blade stops moving. He was glad about that. “What if I c-can be your f-friend”

“Y-you want to be my friend?” It was a lie, it was impossible, he was just trying to stay alive, and yet…

“Y-yea, i-if I get o-out, I mean. W-we could hang out o-outside do t-thing y-you want, n-normal things like y-you always w-wanted. Just y-you and me!” what the hell was he saying? Hang out with a psycho?! Why would he say that? Then he felt the blade in his stomach. Oh yeah, that’s why…

Toga stayed her blade; she didn’t want to believe him. He was going to get out and throw her away as soon as he could. She also desperately wanted to believe him. After all, he didn’t lie; she would have known he was a terrible liar. “You promise…”

“I promise! y-you and m-me just normal a d-day…”

“…”

It was a bad idea. NO. It was a terrible Idea, the worst idea in the long history of ideas. She couldn’t accept.

“Ok…”

“Uh…” she accepted? He felt the knife being pulled out, leaving only a tiny gash on his body. He felt the weight of the world suddenly off his shoulders. He was alive; it was the best outcome he could’ve hoped for. He looks at Himiko, who was pensive, thinking. Her scowl was gone, leaving her with a much more subtle expression on her face.

“Ok think Izuku” he had a busted leg, so running out was not a solution. Fighting was equally as bad, they couldn’t take out the entire league just the two of them, well, more like the one of them. Toga was the only one who could fight right now. A diversion? They had nothing to divert to, they could…

“I got it!” Toga cheered. The boy's mutterings were as cute as they were useful; a diversion is perfect, and she had the perfect diversion in mind. She feels her smile coming back, and for once, it was a truly happy one.

“W-what's the plan, Himiko?” he didn’t know if he could trust her plan, but he had no other choice.

“It’s a surprise! Stay here” she said as if he had a choice other than being tied up. Toga ran out of the room, leaving him behind, hoping she won’t be back with Shigaraki for planning a mutiny.

…

Twice was hiding, from what he forgot. One thing was sure, he was well hidden, nobody could ever find him in this crate, he made sure of it, nailing it shut from the inside. AH, good luck getting him out of here now! Then he realised…

“HELP I'M STUCK!” he panicked, his hiding spot was too good, no one would find him here. He was the victim of his own genius; just like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun. Truly, his death would be an Ironic one.

Then out of the darkness came an angel with blond hair and golden eyes. “Found you!”

“How did you open my crate! I nailed it shut!”

“You just nailed the box, none of them were holding anything in place…” finding Twice was easier than she thought it would be. When she saw a box with hundreds of nails poking out of it, she was sure she had found him. “Hey, I need a favor!”

“Hmmff, I guess you freed me from certain death so I could help you a bit. What do you need?”

“I need a clone! Of myself”

“Why? /OK!”, it was unusual, normally she didn’t like to be cloned. After all, one Toga was more than enough.

“Because!”, she cheerfully replied as if it explained everything.

“Alright then, don’t move I need to measure you!” Twice accepted her explanation; it was more than enough for him to get his tape out. He started taking her measurements for the cloning process. Ten minutes and he finally finished, in front of him stood two Toga, both smiling at him.

“Thank you Twice! /Thank you Twice!” both cheered.

“No problem, Toga, come back anytime! GET OUT OF HERE!” His job done, Twice decided to go back into his box. The feeling of being out of it was overwhelming. He needed some form of security from the world, and this box was perfect for it…

“HELP IM STUCK!”

Toga didn’t stick around to free him this time; she had a plan, and she needed to act fast.

…

Shigaraki was playing in the common room, the cathodic TV casting a blue light on its viewer next to him. Magne was also playing with the second controller. Dabi was sitting on his stool, not paying attention to the game they were playing. Spinner was looking, trying to get out of his boredom anyway he could.

“You’re cheating!” Magne cried out.

“It’s not cheating its skills” replied the leader.

“There is no skill in Mario Party! You’re just cheating, and you know it!” Magne was getting more frustrated by the minutes. “AND STOP STEALING ALL MY FREAKING STARS I'M NOT EVEN IN SECOND PLACE!!”

“Get good…”

Magne was about to violently throw her controller at the screen, but was stopped by the sight of a green-haired boy running out of the door as fast as he could. She did a double take just to be sure. Yep, that's the busted kid they kidnapped slamming himself into the door and making a break for it.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?”

Behind them came out Toga, a large wound on her forehead, blood pouring out into her eyes, ragged breath as she tried to get a sense back. “He headbutted me, get him!” with no time to lose, Dabi sent out a searing wave of flame toward the exiting boy, missing him by a hair. Shigaraki took off running after him with Magne. She tried to use her quirk, but he was already too far away to be effective. Spinner unsheathed his blade and went out running after the boy with Dabi. Kurogiri was concentrating on the complex, trying to cut him off with his portals. As they exited the room, Spinner checked behind him one last time, and Toga was still in the doorframe opposite to them.

 And then went out with the rest of them.

…

The brat was fast, way too damn fast! Wasn’t he supposed to have busted his leg taking out Compress? The little shit must have been faking it, biding his time. Shigaraki was done with him, no matter what Spinner wants, he dies tonight.

The boy turned suddenly to his left dodging the blue flame coming his way. Unable to use his arm to brace himself, he crashed into the wall, bouncing on it, continuing his mad dash. Little did he know that was a dead end. The corridor he took was condemned a long time ago. It was just a question of minutes before he reached the end of it, and Shigaraki would be able to wrap his hand around the boy’s throat. For now, he was still ahead too far for Magne to reel him in.

Izuku was running fast, as fast as he could, but not being able to use his arm was a pain. He was doing his best, dodging flames and obstacles, jumping over boxes with the grace of a cat, ducking under a ray of fire; it was just a question of time before they reached him. He made a turn toward his right and then. A dead end! No room, just a pile of debris stacked up to the sealing. No way out, he looks around, trying the door, but without his hand, it was impossible to open it.

“Well, well, well, I must say kid, I’m kind of impressed you made it farther than I thought, but this is game over for you…” Shigaraki finally cornered him, nowhere to go except through him and his lackey.

Izuku grunted at them, an expression of defiance on his face.

“Magne, reel him in” she lifted her big magnetic pole toward Izuku, a big grin on her face, and then… Nothing.

“What the hell, it's not working?!” She didn’t have time to ask questions; she was cut off by the sound of clapping coming from in front of her.

Izuku, the boy with two broken arms, was clapping his hands together with a sweet smile on his lips. Everyone was confused; how can he do that? How did he neutralise Magne's quirk? It should be impossible for him to do any of that except if…

“Yay, congratulations, you got me!” Izuku smiled, still clapping at them like he wasn’t in any mortal danger.

“Toga…” Shigaraki was livid that double crossing bitch just played them.

“It's Toga 2.0! I asked twice for this little service, don’t worry, he didn’t know what I was about to do!” Izuku started to melt before them, leaving behind Toga 2 dressed in the boy clothes, swaying her body to a rhythm no one else could hear.

Shigaraki got closer, Toga didn’t move, still swaying her body, humming herself a happy tune. He stops in front of her, glaring at her while she only smiles back a toothy grin. In a flash, his hands wrapped around her neck, disintegrating the girl in seconds.

“Kurogiri, bring us back…”, no answer.

“Damn it…”

…

As soon as they ran out, Toga stumbled toward the bar, trying to get her balance. Kurogiri saw this and went to grab her, stopping her from collapsing. She fell right into his arms and accepted his help to get back up.

“Thank you, Kurogiri” she smiled at him innocently. “Also, sorry about that…”

“You don’t have to excuse your-…” he was about to tell her not to beat herself over her failure, but he was stopped by the feeling of a syringe pricking him in his arm. He tried to push her away, but he was too late. Their weight shifted; now Toga, with renewed strength, was the one holding him, stopping him from falling. His vision darkened right in front of him, and the last thing he saw was Toga gently sitting him against the wall, repeating to him, “I’m truly sorry you’re a good guy…”

As she put down the shadowy man, she took out one of his handkerchiefs, wiping the blood from her brow and holding it against her head injury. She jogs toward the room where Izuku was kept, opening it. Izuku was sitting in his chair in his boxer waiting for Toga to come back.

He must say, when she came earlier with a twin of herself, he wasn’t sure what she had planned for him. He was even less thrilled when one of them pulled out her knife, making her way toward him, asking him if she could strip him. But the plan worked; the clone drank blood from Izuku, creating a perfect copy of himself. Then Izuku 2 dressed as him, completing the Illusion.

When she asked him to headbutt her, he protested he didn’t want to hurt her, not after all the help she gave him; he was feeling so bad about it. He finally accepted when she made it clear that it was necessary for both of them if they wanted to get out.

And what a headbutt that was, even now she feels the ringing in her ears, she was happy he held back a little, or she would have been out cold, him stuck in his chair and her on the floor.

She wrapped her arm around him, and they started walking out the door together. Izuku, still in his underwear, couldn’t suppress his embarrassment of having a girl so close to him, almost skin to skin. At least she wasn’t in her underwear, or he would have probably fainted from sheer shock.

 As they made their way out of the bar, Izuku looked around, trying to make sense of the layout. Near the bar, he saw the man responsible for the portal passed out, and next to the counter, the TV was still on. It seems they were in the middle of a minigame when Toga walked in. On the screen, he saw the player who picked Luigi had won by doing nothing…

As they exited the door, they turned right, then left, then left, then down the center… If he had tried to get out alone, he would’ve been lost in these corridors. This whole complex was a giant maze; no way he would’ve made it out of here alone.

Together, the pair slowly reached one of the exits; finally, his nightmare was over; he made it out with some help. He would be able to see his friend, his mom, his teachers, All Might... It’s good to be free.

Suddenly, a figure appears in the doorframe blocking their way. Toga reaches out for her knife, ready to defend themselves. Izuku cursed himself for calling it so soon. He couldn’t see who it was because of the sunlight coming from behind him, obscuring his silhouette.

“So, Toga, you’re betraying us.” He recognizes the voice, it was Spinner now stepping in, letting them have a good look at him, he had his sword out and pointing at them.

“Have a problem with that Gecko-boy?” retorted Toga. She was tense in a straight fight, she could probably take him out, but she couldn’t do that and protect Izuku at the same time. He might like the boy, but he still works for Shigaraki. There’s no way to guess what he will do.

“It depends…” the lizard man didn’t leave Toga out of its sight. “What will you do with him…”

She wasn’t sure, he might still betray him after all, but she needed to believe Izuku, he made her a promise, and she wanted him to keep it.” I’ll get him out here, get him somewhere safe, then he’ll do what he wants”

Spinner stared her down, then, with a sigh, put his blade back into his sheath. “Go before the other see us together” he walked past them, his eyes fixed in front of him, letting the duo pass him without a fight.

“Make sure he survives.” That was the last word he said before leaving them

Himiko wasn’t sure what to make of this conversation, but didn’t have time to think about it. With a final push, they made it out in one of the back alleys.

…

Izuku could see in front of him the bustling street filled with people. It was finally over; he made it out alive and (mostly) well. Himiko sat him down in the back alley near one of the walls, just close enough for him to get some help. She was conflicted it might be the last time they ever see each other.

“Hey Izuku… did you mean it… when you said we could be friends?” her eyes ran away from his, afraid she might see the ugly truth, and his words earlier weren’t as honest as she had hoped.

“Y-yeah I t-think” his voice was weak; he had a hard time convincing himself he could be friends with a criminal, but she saved him! She showed regret that she was more than just a villain; she needed someone right now, and he was that someone.

“H-Himiko, I think you can be a g-good person, and if you need someone, I will be honored if you let me help you” she looked at him, her face almost afraid of the veracity of his word, but then she saw it again, his eyes. This big window into his soul, a pure white soul with no foul lie.

Her face immediately flushed red when she saw his commitment, “Promise me…”

“Huh?”

“In two days, meet me at the train station near UA, promise me!” her eyes were tearing up.

Izuku looked at her. She was so fragile, she needed his help. “I promise!”

On these words, Himiko ran away, leaving him in the back alley alone, not sure if she made the right choice today, but happy, nonetheless. Izuku took a minute to regain his bearings before starting to crawl toward the street.

“Excuse me, I need help…”

Chapter Text

The first thing Izuku saw when he finally opened his eyes was the bare white ceiling of his hospital room. He had been sleeping ever since he was brought in by a passerby. Looking down, he could see both his arm and leg were stuck inside a cast, preventing him from moving them in any way, shape, or form. His pain from his injury was dampened by the cocktail of painkillers he was fed upon his admission.

Looking outside, he saw the sun still way high in the air the window was open a little to let some fresh air in. “Probably noon...” he muttered to himself.

From the corner of the room, he saw someone shift and move, getting closer to him. He didn’t react, still high on painkillers. The figure finally got to the edge of its bed, and it looked hazy through his eye. He couldn’t focus his vision correctly on the intruder. He had long dark hair and was looking even more tired than him.

“Midoriya, are you awake?” his voice sounded muffled in his ear, but he caught the usual grumble of his homerun teacher.  “You are in the Musutafu general hospital, you’re safe here. Recovery Girl is on her way as we speak. We tried to get you to her sooner, but the doctor insisted they keep you here for observation”

He couldn’t help but smile at that. He had everyone worried. He didn’t expect his teacher to guard him during the night. As his vision finally focused on his teacher's face, he saw the large bag under his eyes it seemed he hadn’t slept a wink since he was captured. “You should go to sleep, Sensei, you look terrible…”

“The same could be said about you, Problem Child. I’ll be fine, I just have to wait for the old hag to get here, then someone else is going to take my place as your security” Aizawa didn’t let it appear, but he was so, so tired he felt he could collapse at any moment. Combine that with the gut punch of emotion of seeing his student safe, battered, and bruised…

Aizawa had failed his student.

They tried to retaliate against the league, but they had no lead about their location. No idea of where they could’ve hidden, they were searching for a needle in a haystack for two days straight. And as they started losing hope, suddenly the boy made an appearance Near Kamino ward. It was truly a miracle he made it out alive.

He had been tortured; he saw the knife marks on his body, a sight that made his stomach drop in his heel. They were not numerous, but just knowing what his student lived through, because of his incompetence, was gut-wrenching. Aizawa did his best to keep his usual cool demeanor; he didn’t need his student to worry about him in his situation.

“Prepare yourself, Midoriya, the word is out about your escape, so expect everyone you ever knew to visit you today”, his teacher joked at him. Izuku thought to himself that if Aizawa was joking, he was truly distraught about this whole situation.

…

Nothing he could have done would have prepared him for that. At least Aizawa decided to wait outside.

His mother was the first person he met, to say she was worried was the understatement of the millennium, as soon as she got in, he would have been killed by her hug if his doctors didn’t stop her. She would’ve probably broken the cast and the rest of his bones with her affection. At least he would not be hungry for the rest of the month, as she brought from home the entire fridge…

 He didn’t mean it like all that was in the fridge. He meant she floated the whole fridge and all that was in it from their apartment right into his hospital room. Apparently, the strength of her quirk was connected to her stress; the more stress she has, the more weight she can carry. He was just happy she didn’t bring the whole apartment.

“My poor baby boy!” she was crying on his shoulder, soaking the whole bed with her tears. “What have they done to you!”

“D-don’t w-worry mum I-I’m fine” he tried to reassure her, an impossible task. “R-recovery g-girl is on the w-way as we speak, I’ll be right as rain by t-tomorrow, I’m s-sure of it”

“You are not thinking of going back to this school, are you! After all that happened, I just can’t trust them with you, Izuku!” his mother still cried, burying herself in the crook of his neck.

“M-Mom!” he was taken aback, sure it was hard news for her, but he couldn’t just leave school, his friends, his dream behind. “I-I’ll be fine! I swear it on All Might”

“No, Izuku I just can’t stand seeing you like this. It is killing me inside! I know about your dream, but what about me? If you didn’t find a way to escape from there, I would have lost you, Izuku. I would have lost my dear boy, my whole life!” She started sobbing again harder he felt her tears falling on his non-injured shoulder.

He felt guilty for putting so much on her shoulders. His recklessness almost cost his life; he was lucky to make it out alive that night, and his poor mother was alone during it, worried sick about him no way to know if she’d ever see her son ever again, but a feeling persisted inside of him…

“You know, Mom, you are right. I do a lot of things without thinking about you…” he looks at his mom, who took a pause from crying to look at him in return. “Do you know how I broke my arms…”

She gestures no with her head.

“I saved someone, a little boy named Kota, he was attacked by a villain, the same one who took his parent' lives, and I stood against him with all my might and won” he looked down at his arm, a warm smile on his lips. “And do you know how I broke my leg?”

She gestures no with her head again.

“I saved Kachan from being captured at the camp. I took his place with no regret in my heart” His eyes wander on his broken leg. “I know I’m reckless, but when I do this, when I’m a hero, I can’t afford to think about myself or you. I need to save everyone, Mom, not just myself…”

“Izuku…” she tried to say something, anything to make him reconsider, but she could not face his resolve head-on with her selflessness. This boy, her boy, could never talk about anything else but being a hero ever since he was a little kid. Even when he learned he was quirkless, he didn’t stop trying to be one. Even when she ruined his hope, excusing herself to him instead of supporting him. “You truly are going to be the death of me”

“I’m sorry” he chuckled.

Finally, she stood back up on her chair. “I really can’t change your mind, can I?

“I’m sorry again Mom…”

“Fine then, if I can’t do anything to stop you, I'll just support you as much as I can” she put a hand on his head, ruffling his green curls. “I love you Izuku”

“I love you too mom”

A knock at the door stops their sweet son/mom moment. He could hear outside the commotion that was amassing at his door. He could pick up some of the voice from the other side of the door, and it looked like the whole class 1-A was standing on the other side.

“I’ll leave you to them; they must have come with Recovery Girl, and I don’t want to stop them from seeing you. I’ll be back later. If you’re hungry, there’s Katsudon in the fridge” on this, his mom stood up and went out the door.

He saw his mom leave the room and the old UA Nurse get inside. She walks up to him and then…

“YOU STUPID BRAT, WHAT DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND IN THE PHRASE STOP BREAKING YOUR BONES!!!” he felt her cane hit him repeatedly on his head. He tried to resist, but he couldn’t do anything to prevent her assault. ” Does it hurt?”

“Y-yes...” he timidly answers.

“Good!” she then hit him one last time for good measure. “Now stop squirming, I’ll check if they fixed you properly.” It was like a switch went on in the Heroine's head from ruthless grandma to professional doctor. She carefully opens his cast, making sure all his bones were aligned correctly, and she changed his bandage to see if the wounds are disinfected properly.

“Not the best job I saw, but it should be sufficient,” Izuku felt the moist lips of the nurse on his arm, and suddenly he felt all his bones set, his wounds close, and his pain vanish. Izuku tentatively put his once broken leg on the floor, testing if he could put his weight on it.

He felt no pain. Under the careful eye of the UA doctor, he stretches and moves his limb, trying to remove the dull feeling lingering in it.

“Thank you, Recovery Girl, your quirk is a true miracle!” Izuku smiled gratefully at her.

“That's not a reason to come visit me every moment possible!” She hit him in the shin, making him sit down. “Now I know Everybody on the other side wants to talk to you, but you have about one hour before you crumble under the fatigue. My quirk fixes you up, but it was a lot for your body, so don’t waste your time”

“O-ok”

“Everybody! You can come in now!” shouted the nurse.

As soon as she said that, it was a if a wave hit his door, all his classmate crumbled on one another as they tried (all at the same time) to get in. he felt the weight of all their eyeball at the same time.

“MIDORIYA!!! /DEKU!!!” resonates all their voices at the same time.

“H-heyah” was all he could muster at their enthusiasm.

“Are you all right?”

“What happened?”

“Are you still hurt?”

“Where did they take you?”

“Holy shit! The hospital gave you a personal fridge!”

Their question hit him all at the same time he couldn’t even see who asked each one of them. (Except the last one, as Kaminari was looking inside the fridge with Mineta)

“Uhm-m o-one at the time p-please” He already started feeling his body wanting to give up and go back to sleep. He looked around and saw everyone from his class, everyone but… “Where is Kacchan?”

The blond was weirdly absent from the group, which was weird because everyone else was there.

“He uhh… decided to skip coming here, he said he was training today…” answer Kirishima clearly uncomfortable.” I tried to bring him here, but he is on edge since the incident…”

“I g-get it. I d-don’t want to burden h-him with my health” Izuku didn’t know how he should feel about that; he saved him, and he still refused to talk to him, but he knew his pride was probably still sore from what happened. “A-anyway I’m g-glad to see the rest of you!”

“The feeling is mutual, friend” responded Tokoyami.

“Yeah, it’s good to see you in one piece, some of us were worried sick!” said Mina, giving a gentle elbow nudge to Ochako as she mentions the sick part.

“Don’t worry about the academics, Midoriya, me, and Yaoyorozu made sure you didn’t miss any material from class!” Cheered Iida.

“Don’t drop homework on him already, man…” Respond Sero

“B-but I can’t let him fall behind just because he was forced away!” insisted Iida.

“Anyway, some of us brought you gifts, Midoriya!” said Sato a large plate of muffins in his hand. “But I feel you don’t need these since you are already stacked on food” he turned toward the fridge. Mineta and Kaminari were already picking themselves a bowl from the stacked fridge.

“W-well, I can still at least take one.” Izuku picked one and started munching on it.

As he took the muffin, his classmate took it as a sign to gift him what they had brought. Most of the girls brought him flowers with a card saying ‘Get well soon.’ The others had a mix of chocolate and a light snack. There were some exceptions, like Jiro, who gave him one of her Deep Dope CDs, or Mineta, who gave him a wrap box telling him to open it when he was alone. Yeah, that one was going straight into the trash when he is *alone*. There was also Momo, who gave him an envelope. Inside, he found…

“100 000 YENS!!!” Izuku felt his throat constrict under the weight of that money. Somewhere in the room, Uraraka fell to her knee, whispering to herself about how unfair life could be and why she wasn’t born rich.

“I know it's not much, but I feel bad and I’m sure you deserve it!” Momo said, feeling bad about how little she gave him…

“Is she for real…” was the thought everyone shared at the same time about their rich classmate.

A Koff echoed into the room, and his friend took it as a good time to ask the question everyone had in mind.

“I’m sorry to be blunt about this, but. How did you manage to escape the league?” Todoroki was curious about how Midoriya managed to slip away from a group of dangerous villains.

“How did you do that? Last we saw, you broke your leg saving Bakugo” added Asui.

“Oh well, you see I-…” wait, he can’t tell them about Toga; it would seem extremely suspicious if he said that he accepted the help of a villain and made a deal with her in exchange for his freedom. Sure, he didn’t promise anything of importance, but still, he couldn’t just break the trust of Himiko after all she’s done for him, all she sacrifices.

Izuku lay back in his bed “S-sorry I still feel the effect of the painkiller” he ended his answer with an unsure smile, hoping he wouldn’t push for more detail.

“… Sorry about that, Midoriya, maybe later?” replied the half and half boy.

“N-no offence t-taken”

“We should leave you to rest. In that case, have a nice day, Deku!” Ochako replied

As the class left the room, he saw Uraraka stay behind, making sure she was the last one to leave. That was weird because Iida and the rest of their friend group were at the front already. When everybody had finally left behind the brunette, she looked around to make sure no one else was watching. After confirming their solitude, she dashed at him and gave him a firm yet warm embrace.

Izuku immediately turned red at the contact, unable to put two words together as his best friend kept him in her arms. “I’m so glad you’re ok, Deku…” and with that she ran out the door, fearing he could see her equally red face.

…

Todoroki and Iida were waiting for her at the door. The tall boy asked her if she was feeling well, concerned by the redness of her face, but she insisted she was fine.

“Midoriya is hiding something” was the acute observation of Todoroki, shared it his two other friends.

“Well, he indeed avoided your question, but maybe he doesn’t want to talk about what happened there, after all, it must have been terrifying for him” responded Ochako, agreeing that something was odd.

“We should trust him to tell us when he is ready” confirmed Iida

“I guess…”

As they left, they saw a tall, lanky man with blond hair get into the room with their friend.

…

“Midoriya, young man!” greeted the man.

“All Might!” Izuku was happy to see his Idol and mentor again.

“Keep it down! I don’t need everyone in this hospital to know my secret!” All Might shushes him, making sure no one could’ve heard them.

“S-sorry”

True, his identity wasn’t revealed yet, but the secret still needed to be kept. After all, its not like he was force into the villain hideout where by stroke of unluck he would need to face the most dangerous man in Japan for a second time in a gigantic confrontation shacking the very foundation of their hero system leaving poor Izuku as the last bastion against the remnant of his empire as All Might is forced to retire his secret now revealed to the world.

No, that would be ridiculous…

“Tell me, have they learned about One for All, young man?” Toshinori was apprehensive, if they knew it would change the name of the game, they would need to plan in accordance.

“No, they never question me about it.”

“That good news” All Might was relieved, with the secret of One for All still safe, they still had time to make sure young Midoriya was ready to face the league of villains.

“One of them tells me about the Hero system” this catches All Might's attention. “He was a follower of Stain, and I think he was trying to recruit me”

“Did you listen to him?”

“N-no, but he kept going on about how villains are not just symbols of Evil and how some heroes were just as bad as the villain they fight... I didn’t entertain his notion, but…” his mind flashes to Toga, how she seems to be more of a victim of circumstance than a straight-up evildoer.

“Well, young man, what he said certainly seemed interesting” Izuku felt himself shrink in his skin. “But as I am sure you said to him hypocrite cannot preach to the choir. The league pretends to have the noble goal of toppling an unjust system, but in the end, they just want to create a power vacuum, one their leader could easily fill”

“…Yes, you are right.”

“Now Rest up young man you have a great future ahead of you and you need to recuperate your strength if you want to be able all the challenge I’ve prepare for your class!” as he put his large hand on his shoulder Izuku felt the weight of his fatigue finally catching up to him feeling exhausted he agreed with all might and wave him goodbye before crashing in his bed falling asleep instantly.

As he snored, he failed to notice one last visitor entering his room, a certain bombastic blond with a permanent scowl on his face.

“Deku…”

Chapter Text

Vlad King was good enough to let him in even if the visitation window of the hospital was officially over.

Bakugo was standing over his friend at the hospital, who had officially passed out from Recovery Girl quirk backlash. It was better this way. He didn’t think he would have been able to see him face-to-face after what happened. Seeing him there sleeping peacefully should make him feel a little better about his friend, but a cold resentment still lingers in the boy’s mind.

“Why the fuck did you do that, Idiot…” his tone was soft. He took a chair and sat down next to him.

“…” no answer came to him.

“Why do you always do that?” his mind wanders to all the things they did together; the exam against All Might, the UA sport festival, his encounter with the slime villain, their childhood…

They truly didn’t interact at all, now that he thinks about it, if you count out the insult he throws at his friend. Why would he do that then? Why the fuck would Deku just jump in anytime he needed help? If he did what he did to Deku to anyone else, they would probably resent him for the rest of their life, hell, they would probably be the ones pushing him into the portal.

But not him, not Deku…

“WHY!” Katsuki shouted at his ‘friend’, expecting an answer, something. “Why do you still cling to me?”

“…”

“You think you’re better than me!”

“…”

“You think I’m weak!”

“…”

“… Yeah, you’re right I’m weak… and you are better than me…” Katsuki sank into himself, thinking about all that had happened. Izuku stood against everything while He was handed everything on a silver platter. Izuku fought just to be here at UA. Bakugo was pretty much given a spot by their old school.

Thinking about their old school brought in so many memories of all the abuse he dealt him just because his ego couldn’t handle sharing the spotlight with anyone else, not even his quirkless best friend at the time. He remembered the last thing he said to him while there, at least the last important thing.

“Jump off a roof, then maybe you’ll get a quirk!”

Bakugo stood up, unable to take it from himself anymore. This chat was pointless; he wasn’t even awake. Why even bother… With his hand in his pocket, he left the room, still unsure why he came here.

…

The nurse wasn’t kidding when she said he would be tired after healing. Izuku woke up in his hospital bed, barely able to move as he slowly got back in from his little coma. At first, he thought he had only slept a couple of hours, but when he looked out the window, the sun was still in the same spot he had last seen it. So, it was a shock when the doctor told him he had been sleeping for over 24 hours, and it was currently 1h in the afternoon.

As he made his way out, he was greeted by Snipe, one of his teachers. It was clear UA made his security a priority if they were willing to post so many of their staff outside his room. The gunslinger quickly informed him about the situation; UA had closed down for a month. They were looking into the leak of information about the summer camp and allowing students to take a break from it all. He also told him they went to the villain's hideout at Kamino, but when the pro arrived, they couldn’t find anything or anyone else, so they assumed the league would be going into hiding for a while.

He also gives him a stack of homework left behind by Iida, as the school still expected the student to care about their grades even during the break.

Izuku went to the hospital desk to get his final check-up before they officially gave him the go-ahead. The paperwork took almost two hours to complete but, in the end, he was finally free from the hospital, and except for a lingering fatigue, he was feeling great.

He took the time to text everyone that he was finally out of the hospital, and he would be going home soon. As he walked his way home, he still had a creeping feeling of unease, the same you get when you go out of the house and wonder if you forgot to close the oven. He was forgetting something…

…

The walk home took him about 30 minutes; he removed his shoe at the door and went to reach the doorknob when suddenly…

“In two days, meet me at the train station near UA, promise me!”

“CRAP!” he totally forgot his promise to Himiko! He had been stuck in the hospital for two days already, and he had lost his sense of time. What if he was already late? She didn’t specify an hour, maybe he still had time!

“It's not like I have to go…” Izuku stop. Himiko was still a dangerous criminal who was trying to kill him and his friend, not even three days ago. Maybe he should just tell one of his teachers and arrest her, it would be the best thing for him and her…

“I won’t be caged ever again!”

Her voice echoed in his mind; she sounded so pained. Was it truly the right thing for both of them? She was a villain; it's not like she should be allowed to roam free…

“What about those living in society left behind by a system that doesn’t care about them? What about those stealing to feed their family and friends? What about the Heroes selling their violence to the highest bidder for a bigger profit and reputation? Are they villains?”

Now it was Spinner's word ringing into his ear, and he didn’t know what to do, what was the right answer? Ignore? Go? Arrest Her?

“Hey Izuku… did you mean it… when you said we could be friends?”

Izuku removed his hand from the door and put on his red shoe. There is no reason to wait; he had already made his choice and just remembered it.

…Near the UA train station…

Izuku didn’t know what to expect. It took him about 40 minutes to make it to the train station. Looking at the clock, it was almost 5 pm. He sat on a bench and looked around. The place was filled with people of all sizes, genders, and ages coming or going to work. Looking for Toga here would be a hard task even if he knew what she looked like. It's not like she would be out in the open, she was still hiding from heroes after all.

So, he decided to wait.

5:15 pm

And wait.

5:30 pm

And wait.

5:45 pm

The clock was nearing six o'clock, and he still couldn’t see her. He was thinking maybe he missed her, maybe she already left. Looking left and right, he didn’t catch a single glimpse of Toga in almost an Hour, so maybe he truly blew it.

“Deku, is that you?”

He turns his head toward the one who speaks to him and sees Uraraka. She was wearing a plain blue skirt and a black sleeveless blouse. She seemed surprised to see him here.

“Oh-h Uhm-m I just w-was w-waiting for my t-train,” he lied badly.

“But what are you doing here? The school is closed.” She replied sweetly, still confused about what he was doing here.

“Uh, I-I-…” he couldn’t lie to save his life, so he had better be at least partially truthful. “I-I’m waiting f-for someone.”

This didn’t seem to clear out the confusion Ochako was experiencing. She was shifting in place, not sure what to do.

“Who are you waiting for?” she sat down next to him, her face investigating the boy's now red face.

“Uh-h a-a f-friend…” replied an embarrassed Izuku. Ochako was getting really close to him, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

Ochako suddenly went red, probably realising how close she’s gotten to her friend. She seemed to be contemplating something in her head, not sure if she should say it or not.

“I was going to the mall! Do you want to hang out with me instead? It seemed you’ve been standing here for quite a while, and I could use the company while shopping” She seemed to be cheered at the prospect of having him hang out with him.

Izuku wasn’t sure he wanted to leave Himiko behind, but at the same time, he was not even sure if she would come. Plus, passing some time alone with Ochako seemed like a really fun thing to do, a bit like a date.

A date…

Izuku was about to pass out at the Idea of going on a date with such a cute girl. His mind went into overdrive trying to rationalize his situation. It wasn’t a date! It’s just a boy and a girl taking some quality time together…

It totally sounds like a date. He felt steam rising in his body, unable to think of anything to change the subject.

“If you don’t want to, I understand…” she sounded so dejected. Disappointed with him not coming with her.

“I-I-I a-accept!!” It took most of his courage just to speak; right now, his mouth acted without his brain.

Uraraka got up from the bench and went toward the mall next to the station. She tilts her head toward inviting him to follow her with her hand outstretched. Izuku was captivated by her in that moment; she was shining the rays of the golden sun, casting a strong glow on her pale skin. Her beaming smile, her permanently rosy cheek. He didn’t even hesitate; he got up and followed her.

…

The mall was a large multilevel edifice filled with about every store someone could think of, from clothing to fast food, even miniature wargaming. There was a shop for every hobbyist. They walked side by side, window shopping for a bit, talking about school and Heroes.

Izuku stopped them at a comic shop where he saw in one of the vitrines a limited edition All Might comic. It was a rare find from the silver age; the comic adventure of All Might and Superman, the last comic from the old studio before they closed for good, it was one of the only crossover comics between heroes of old and new.

He was suddenly very glad that Momo gave him all that money, as he spent about half of it on this single article for his collection.

“You truly love All Might, Deku!” Ochako chucksles at him.

“Y-yeah, but who doesn’t?” replied the awkward boy, rubbing the back of his head, still unsure if he should have spent so much on a single comic.

“But you are like his biggest fan.”

“I-I guess”

Suddenly, he saw her look behind him, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. He turned and saw a designer clothes shop, the very one owned by the Top hero Best Jeanist. That was surprising, he didn’t think she was into fashion at all, she was always complaining about money and how much everything cost.

“A-are you ok? I didn’t know you were into fashion Uraraka” he was still a bit perplexed by her reaction.

“Yeah, I love it doesn’t mean I buy it. It’s just good sometimes to fantasize about things you want even if they are out of reach” was her honest response. “I just hope one day I’ll be able to buy a little something for myself”

He wanted to help her; his friend was always here for him, and he felt bad for flaunting his money on a single-issue comic while all she could afford was to look at what she wanted instead of buying it.

“How a-about I-I buy you s-something from there a-as a treat for bringing m-me here?” he choked a bit on his words, seeing how forward it would seem for him to buy her an expensive piece of clothing. It’s not like he didn’t want to help her; he was more afraid she would see it as him expecting something in return.

“REALLY DEKU!” her eye seems to shine with renewed enthusiasm. Just the Idea of owning something so frivolous, so unattainable, made her heart skip a bit. She wanted nothing than to hug him with all her might at this moment, but she didn’t want him to start second-guessing himself. So, in a jog, she grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the store.

Her hand was soft…

 Inside, they could see all the designer clothes in a mix of varying colors and design. They were selling everything someone would need for any event; A pair of leather-bound shoes fit for a marriage, A red dress that would make a Momo in costume blush, a suit fit for a CEO or a lawyer. There was also street wear more affordable for clients with a lesser budget, but keeping a sense of style only a designer could make. Izuku was looking at their graphic shirt, thinking if he should expand his sense of style further than a white T-shirt with ‘t-shirt’ written on it and All Might merch.

He was quickly snapped out of it by a certain brunette grabbing him and sitting him down near the changing booth. “Stay here, I need your opinion on this!” He couldn’t respond before she vanished in one of the stalls to go change.

Then he realizes Uraraka was changing not even 10 feet away from him into something for him and only him to gawk at.

“Breathe, Izuku! Breathe!” again for what must have been the fifth time today, he felt all his blood rushing toward his cheeks. He took some long breaths, trying to calm himself. “It’s not a date; you are just two friends hanging out. It’s not a date; you are…”

“What do you think…”

Izuku lifted his head up, and what he saw made him forget about everything. She was wearing a black sleeveless dress that reached the middle of her thigh with two openings on each side of her hip, revealing a bit of skin. The top was held together by a collar wrapping around her neck. At her waist, a simple belt hung from her hips. She was beautiful.

“It’s from their bargain section, so it should not be too expensive” she rubbed her head a bit embarrassed by the look he was giving her. “Do you like it?”

Izuku wanted to say she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life, that he just couldn’t describe her beauty with words. He was feeling hot all sudden; his classmate was right in front of him. She decides to give him a twirl, and then he sees it as the final nail in the coffin. The open back…

Izuku fainted…

…

He was woken up by the feeling of water splashing on his face. When he opened his eyes, he saw the face of a well-dressed middle-aged man sporting some impressive eyebrows. Ochako was right next to him, changed into her normal attire.

“Are you alright, Sir?” ask the manager.

“Y-yeah, I’m f-feeling better” was the only thing Izuku responded.

“Good if you are ready to pay, you can follow me, if not, I would like you to leave our establishment “the man then turn is heel and walked back toward the till.

“H-how long was I out?”

“About 10 minutes” answered Uraraka “Don’t worry, I packed what I wanted, so we are ready to go when you are ready”

He decides that yes, right now was a good time to pay. He went to the cashier and paid another 50,000 yen, officially spending all the Money Momo gave him in a single day. He didn’t regret it when he saw the smile she had on her face. The rest of the day went by with no incident, and they finally realized it was time for them to separate.

“I had a fun day, Deku” said the gravity girl, walking him back to his station. “We should do this again sometime”

“Y-yeah, it was fun” he saw her make a turn and followed her, thinking she was probably taking a shortcut through one of the alleys. Suddenly, Ochako, who was walking in front of him, stopped. She didn’t seem well; her shoulder slumped a bit downward, and her attitude changed like she was nervous.

“Uhm, Izuku…” That was weird; she never calls him that normally.

She faced him with an unreadable expression on her face. “When you said you were waiting for a friend, did you mean it… I-I feel bad for taking you out when you already had plans”

“Oh…” Izuku had forgotten about it. That’s right, Toga, he never met her today, he probably missed her, and if not, he left her there alone. He felt a pit forming in his stomach that feeling of shame was back in his gut. “I think it's fine… I must have missed them by a couple of hours already. You know, with the hospital and everything else. I had already waited an hour before I saw you, so don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“Yea, I wasn’t sure what you were doing” She started nervously twirling her hair. “If I didn’t show up, what would you have done?”

“I-I don’t know… Probably wait another hour” he chuckles.

“Really?”

“Yeah I-…” he looked at her, tears started forming in her eyes it quickly turned into a full-blown cry as she let herself fall on the ground. He didn’t know what he said, nor what he should do. So, he crouched near her and took her in his arms, gently patting her back, whispering, It's okay.

“I-I’m s-sorry Izuku” she cried on his shoulder.

“I-It's okay, I’m here for you Och-…” then he felt it.

Her skin turns from a healthy tone to a sickly, goo slouching of her body like molten flesh. Her hair turning into the same substance as her skin. In seconds, he saw the truth; in front of him stood Himiko Toga, still crying on his shoulder as the rest of her transformation finished. “I’m sorry I thought you would not go with me. I’m sorry for doubting you!”

Izuku panicked, but didn’t let her go if she was Toga. Where was Ochako? She needed blood; what had she done to his friend? The worst crossed his mind. Was she dead, kidnapped? What about his other friend? Were they also in danger? Should he have told his teachers? What is she going to do now?

He was brought back to reality when he felt his shirt being gripped. Toga was still crying, tears soaking his shirt. She repeated sorry again and again. Part of him wanted to interrogate her, and another just wanted to let her cry and comfort her. He decides to compromise.

“H-Himiko, what have you done with U-Uraraka?” his hand was stiff on her back, caressing it, fearing her response.

“N-nothing I-I use the b-blood I g-got from the c-camp…” he let out a contented sigh, at least nothing grave happened. But still, this whole situation was just embarrassing.

“Why d-did you take her f-form?”

“I was afraid… then I saw you waiting for me, I-I got cold feet. I kept telling myself it wasn’t real, that once you saw me, you would regret your decision, that you would run away from me” she was still crying hot tears into his shoulder.

“Well, I said I was late…”

“Y-yeah” she sniffles, regaining a bit of confidence. “I was afraid you forgot all about me…”

“I kind of did haha…” she looked at him, her face still red from the crying, but she was pouting at him this time. “B-but I-I still c-came! D-don’t judge me, I was at the h-hospital on painkillers!”

She let out a giggle, making Izuku instantly feel a little better about himself. His eyes met hers, golden ones. She was still shaken, but she was getting better. He took this moment to get up and offer his hand, and she gladly accepted it. Now on their feet, Izuku thought about something. “W-wait, what about the dress? You and Ochako don’t have the same figure, so it won’t fit you.” An Image of Himiko in the same dress flashed him right in his brain. He did his best to stop thinking about it, but ultimately failed miserably.

“Don’t worry, I picked a smaller size when you were passed out” she saw his face turn into a nice shade of red, and a grin spread to hers. “Wanna see?”

“I-I’M FINE T-THANK YOU VERY M-MUCH” he went and turned around, combating the filthy thought in his head.

She laughs, glad he didn’t just ditch her here when she revealed herself to him; she was still feeling bad about it.  “So, you kept your promise, you gave me a normal day, and we are friends, I guess that means we go back our separate ways…”

“What do y-you mean?” he was confused at her, not sure what to follow.

“Well, it's just like I said. You’ve done what you said you would do, so we don’t have to hang out together anymore” she was feeling bad saying it but she felt it was for the better after all he’ll soon realize what happen and just go on ignoring this day as just another moment in is long life and go back being a hero.

“Well…” It was true if he wanted, he could cut contact with her right now and never see her again in his life. It would be for his best… But something about that felt wrong. “I mean, friends hang out more than just once…”

“…” she looked at him, taken by surprise

“I guess we could do something else than shopping next time…” what was he saying? Stop it, Izuku! “And without a disguise this time”

“I-… I would like that” a large blush crept onto her face, a warm feeling spreading around her stomach.

They both stand next to one another, unsure of what else they should say to one another. The atmosphere shifted into something almost crushing for both, neither certain of what to do or say.

“I-I could give you my phone number in case we need to plan something,” she finally breaks the silence still blushing.

Y-yeah…” he was equally blushing.

She quickly pulled out some paper and pen to write her number using the wall next to them as a hard surface to write on, then promptly gave it to him. As soon as it was done, she excuses herself and starts running away, leaving behind a poor, confused, and blushing Izuku

He had just gotten a girl's phone number…

He started walking toward his train, blushing all the way.

It wasn’t his first girl number, but still. His mom didn’t count; the group chat also didn’t count, and the only reason he has Uraraka's phone number was because of a school project. This time, a girl gave him her number with the express purpose of hanging out with him…

He still wasn’t sure about that whole situation, but today felt like a great day.

…Izuku appartement…

As he was about to enter, he felt the doorknob turn in his hand and the door open on its own. On the other side of the doorframe stood his mother, furious.

“Izuku Midoriya! Where were you, young man?! I received your text, you were coming home from the hospital just for you to disappear and come back four hours late!” he didn’t know what to say to his mom, her fury was rare, but it was not to be played with.

“I-…”

“Not only that you leave your bag in front of the door! You have some explaining to do about your purchase…” he was confused about his purchase. He only bought the dress and the All Might comic today. What else was she referring to? He looked past his mother, trying to make sense of what she was saying, when he spotted it.

On the table was a gift box open. That same Mineta gave to him at the hospital…

“Damnit…”

Chapter Text

Izuku was in his bed, eyes fixed on his ceiling. He had a lot on his mind. It took a lot to convince his mother that he wasn’t the one who bought the ‘gift’ she found in his bag. In the end, she educated her boy better than this and just tossed it in the trash. A fact that made Izuku relieved because he didn’t want to know what the pervert bought specially for him.

It wasn’t Mineta's gift that was keeping him awake right now; it was a certain golden-eyed blonde with sharp teeth. Himiko suddenly barged into his life, shifting a lot of things he was sure wouldn’t change. First, he was officially the friend of a villain, a fact that he still couldn’t wrap his head around. If anybody learn this, this could ruin his heroic career; he could even end up in prison as an accomplice or for not declaring her to the authorities.

Second, he asked her to meet again, and it made him nervous. He wasn’t sure why he did that. He could have said nothing and gone on his way, but no!~ He had told her they should meet again! And now she was in his contact right next to Todoroki in his phone. What should they do? He wasn’t exactly the most sociable person; he barely did any outings during the whole of his school year. He had no idea what friends do.

Third and finally, he couldn’t stop thinking about that damn dress! Every time he closes his eyes, he just starts seeing images of Toga and Uraraka making subjective poses at him… So, he was stuck here fixing the ceiling until he was too tired to stay awake; he didn’t want to turn into a pervert like his classmate, and his mind would stay pure!

The poor green boy was doing his best to occupy his mind in this very long night he had already read the comics he bought. Not directly, as he didn’t want to damage the collector item, but online, where he manages to find a crappy scan of the issue. The irony of reading a sub-optimal version when he owns the genuine article, but such is the life of a collector.

As we were reading online about the hero’s news of today, he realized Himiko still didn’t have his phone number, and a terrible realization dawned upon him.

He would need to text a girl…

He felt his eyes roll back in the back of his head in frustration as he hid his face in the palm of his hand. What was he supposed to say, a simple Hi? Should he mention today? Ask her if she was wearing the dress-…

“Stop it, brain!” He groaned into his hands. Why was he so awkward all the time? The only moment he acted normally was when he was risking his life in dangerous situations, which was not normal…

He opened his text box, hovering over the digital keyboard, trying his best to find the perfect phrase to open a discussion.

It took him about 30 minutes to find the perfect phrase for the opening of this conversation.

“Hey, Himiko, this is Izuku.” Perfect…

Now the metaphorical ball was out of his court, he could final-…

“Hey Izu, I was wandering when you would text me :3”, and just like that, the metaphorical ball was back with him. No, no, no! She wasn’t supposed to respond so fast; she was supposed to be asleep so he could have the time to think about a response! Now he couldn’t pretend he was sleeping; he had to improvise.

I: “Sorry about that, it slips my mind.”

H: “My, this is the second time you forget about me, I’m going to start taking offence in that…”

I: “No, I didn’t mean like that. I didn’t forget about you. I just forgot to send the message!”

H: “Oh, so you were thinking about me then, and so late as well…”

I: “NOT LIKE THATH8D%”

Yeah, Izuku wasn’t the slickest person when it came to this kind of thing, dropping his phone right on his face at the last message.

H: “I’m glad about today, thank you again for this Izu xXx”

Now she was sending him kisses, his cheeks took on a rosy complexion.

H: “So, any idea about our next outing?”

I: “Honestly, absolutely no idea. I have no idea what friend do on their off day.”

H: “Don’t you have friends?”

I: “Yes”

H: “What do you do when you’re with them?

I: “Study”

H: “You need better friends…”

I: “Iida and Ochako are good friends.”

H: “Do you have other friends?”

I: “Yes”

H: “Who?”

I: “Todoroki and Kacchan”

H: “Is that the one with the split hairdo and the raging, bombastic blond?”

I: “Yes”

H: “You need better friends…”

She was probably right, but it was a question for him to answer later. Right now, he needed to find something to do. Think about what could inspire him in his room.

Has he looked around? He checked his shelves and desk for any idea; All Might figurine, no. All Might hoodie, no. All Might comic, no, All Might rug, no. All Might poster…

He got it!

I: “How about a movie?”

H: “Yeah, sounds good. Have you anything in mind?”

I: “The cinema near me is posting a rerun of ‘All Might vs the Giant Ant Army 3’ next week.”

H: “… Is everything you do related to that guy…”

She had no idea how right she was.

I: “It’s a good movie!”

H: “Ok, but I choose the next one!”

I: “Deal, I’ll text you the details later.”

H: “Good night, Izuku.”

I: “Night Himiko”

With his last message, he finally felt the call of sweet night, so he plugged in his phone, turned, and finally closed his eyes, falling asleep in his duvet with a satisfied smile on his lips.

…

As she read the last of her message, Himiko did her best to find a spot where she could sleep. She decided to settle in an abandoned house away from foot traffic. The place was run down and didn’t have a bed, but at least she had a roof over her head, a luxury she’s going to make sure to enjoy tonight. It was the first time she had slept inside ever since she fled the League of Villains.

Home sweet home, she remarked to herself.

She tried using one of the faucets, but nothing came out. Same thing for her phone, no electricity, both had been cut probably long ago. She opened the door of what must have been the master bedroom. She found no trash, a good sign since that meant nobody was living here at the time.

She found a spot for her things: A bottle, some clothes, perfumes, her phone, a few vials, and finally, the piece of resistance, the dress Izuku bought her. She didn’t lie to him when she said fashion was a passion of hers; she truly loved wearing things like this. It helped her feel prettier than she was and forget about her hard reality.

Using a rag left behind, she did her best to wipe a corner of the room off the layer of dust that covered everything. She then used her clothes to form a makeshift pillow and lay down for the night, hugging her new dress very close to her chest.

…One week later…

His week went fast after all; he still had a ton of homework from school, and he wanted to clear it as fast as possible. He was also still recuperating from his injury, so if he doesn’t count his first night home, sleeping early and waking up late wasn’t a problem for him. Add into the mix some training and a sprinkle of text message from Himiko, and his week was a blur.

They talked about mostly the usual: what was he/she doing, what should they do next, the weather, favorite animal (Himiko was a cat person and Izuku a dog person), favorite colors (red/green), and other banality, learning about each other.

But tonight was movie night, he told Toga the address and was waiting for her next to the cinema. He also told his mom he was going out with friends so she wouldn’t panic if he came home late. He was wearing one of his usual white t-shirts with some shorts, looking around for Himiko.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and stumbled right into Himiko, startled by her touch. Has he turned his head, he was met by her face barely inches away from him. She was wearing a medical mask, the same one some people wear on the train to not get sick; he couldn’t see her mouth, but he could tell she was smiling by how she looked at him.

Izuku quickly backed away, stuttering the best apology he could muster, but was cut off by the sound of her laughing. Seeing her like this helped him relax, and he chuckled a bit with her. It was weird how natural it seemed to hang out with her.

Has he backed off, he noticed she was also wearing her usual cardigan and schoolgirl uniform.

“So, Izuku, ready for the movie?” she seemed excited. Not about the movie, mind you more because she could hang out with someone for once. Twice was the only one she could hang around at the League of Villains, but it's not like she could bring him out in the open; he would be spotted a mile away.

“Y-yeah, I already bought the tickets.” after all, he is the one who brought the idea of the movie. He would be rude to make her pay for it.

“And I got snacks!” she lifted her shirt revealing an assortment of sweets and a bit of skin…

The green boy quickly turned red in the face at the accidental flash. “B-b-but the theatre d-don’t allow o-outside f-food!” He turned away from her, trying to hide his reaction.

“Loosen up a little, Izuku, it’s not the worst thing I did” She rolled her eyes at his reaction; he was really a goodie two-shoes to a fault. “Anyhow, let’s go in. I don’t want us to miss our movie!”

She ignored his protestation and grabbed his hand, pulling him inside the theatre. Izuku quickly realised he couldn’t argue with her about the rule, so he decided to let it go. Inside, He went to the snack bar. She had brought enough for both, but he was more of a popcorn kind of guy. He paid and followed Himiko to their screening ‘All Might vs the Giant Ant Army 3’…

“How did they manage to make three of those?” she was still shocked about the existence of this movie. On one side of the poster was All Might in a yellow spandex with a smile on his face, on the other, some kind of ant people with what seemed like their queen over them, pointing indignantly at the hero.

“Well, he had signed to star in three movies, and the script was already out for a trilogy when he started filming the first one!” He beamed, mistaking her question for interest.

“How do you know all there is about him. That should be impossible…”

“I-I don’t know Everything… just the basic” he felt a twinge of judgment in her voice.

“Uh-uh, the basic… His blood type?”

“A!”

“Height?”

“220 cm!”

“Weight?”

“274kg in his prime now he is closer to 255kg!”

“I need to find you a new hobby…” she sighed and walked into the room, defeated by the boy's antics.

“W-what do you m-mean?” he followed her in.

As they went to their seat next to one another, Izuku looked around. The theatre was almost empty except for maybe two teens at the front laughing with each other and a dad and his son somewhere in the middle. Their seat was at the back, trying not to get attention on Toga.

They watched a couple of ads about some sports drinks and… Insurance? Then the movie started. Himiko was right, this movie was God awful. You’d think All Might would learn to act from interacting with so many reporters, but the man couldn’t to save his life. Each of his line were spoken as if he were reading them on the spot, sometimes if you paid enough attention, you could see his eyes go from left to right, literally reading!

But she would be lying if she said she didn’t like it. The movie had a vibe to it, seeing people take something so seriously yet being so bad at it made this movie go from a bad one to a good one.

“NOOOOOOOO, uhm, Martha, I failed you-uu!” said All Might, holding his mother. Love interest? This movie's plot was so bad.

“PFFFF-HAHAHAHA” she couldn’t hold it in; it was too much for her, the movie being so bad it went around to being good again.

“Shhhh, T-Toga, it’s a poignant scene, don’t laugh!” whispered Izuku was deep in the movie, drinking as much as he could. For someone so observant, he sure didn’t pick up the fact that this movie was bad. Hell, if you’d seen him, he would tell you how much of a cinematic masterpiece it was.

“Haha…” her laughter faded. “You can’t be serious, this is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen” she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye from laughing so much.

She went in to take some popcorn from Izuku's bucket, right as he went in for some too. Their hand brushed together. Izuku immediately jolted his hand out in reflex, apologizing as if he just cupped a feel from her, His face visibly red even in the darkness of the room. Toga didn’t mind as much; she quite enjoys it, to be honest. This little contact made her think, sure she asks him to be her friend, but she knew deep down she wanted more, she was infatuated by him, she loved him.

She wanted to be him…

Instinctively, her other hand reached into her pocket, feeling the comforting cold from her blade, almost pulling it out. She wanted nothing else than to sink the cold steel right in his heart and drink so much that she’d become him for the rest of time. As her mind wanders, she stops herself.

What was wrong with her? It was the first time since they escaped that she felt the pull of her compulsion. Ever since she'd been with the boy, she was sure she was cured, but now it was apparent she was not. She couldn’t escape from herself.

She removed her hand from the blade and went back to the movie. The rest of it was still as funny as the rest, especially the final confrontation against the ant queen; the visual effects were no better than the script…

…

“…How can you say that…” mumble the girl. “I thought you liked it because it was bad!”

“S-sure the movie is rough around the edge, but still…” responded the boy.

As they continued their talk, the group of two teen exited the movie laughing their asses off. As they were leaving, one of them turned toward them. “Holy s-… Midoriya!”

“Uhh?” he turned toward the teens, and who he saw made his skin crawl. Those two were the same boys hanging around Bakugo back in his old school. Those who hold him down, those who tormented him.

“Been ages, man!” said the larger man. “Hey, we saw your fight at the festival. Crazy!” he went right up to him, putting his arm around his shoulder as if they were buddy-buddy.

“Yeah, we didn’t know you had a quirk! What the hell, man, it's crazy powerful!” said the lanky one, getting closer.

Izuku wanted nothing else than to shrivel up and vanish right now. Even if they were friendly with him, he couldn’t forget the hell he suffered back then. Sure, people change, and they might not be bullies anymore, but call it selfishness; he didn’t want to ever see them again. It was a part of his life he left behind and didn’t want to look back on. “Y-yeah, a-aha…”

“Got into UA with Katsuki! Damn, I bet he’s still pissed about that, right?”

“Izuku, who are those?” Himiko said, seeing how nervous he was around them, and she didn’t like it one bit.

“Yo, Midoriya, is that your girlfriend?” said the tall one, pointing with his elongated finger.

“WH-… No s-she is just a-a friend!” Izuku was now fully embarrassed. Too much was happening at the same time. “They a-are old f-friends” he answered her clearly uncomfortable.

“Yeah, from way back!” grinned the fat boy, tightening his hold on the green boy. Izuku looked like he didn’t like that, as he flinched.

“Leave…” was all she could say to them; the rest of her words were too venomous to spit out.

“Whoa, we’re just talk-… “Himiko has had enough. She pushed past the one with the finger quirk and went right to the large one's face. With a flick of the wrist, her blade was against his throat.

He was shocked, letting go of Izuku as soon as he felt the blade under his chin color drained from his face, fear paralyzing him. “Leave, now” she growled the last word. Her face was contorted by the pure hatred she felt for both.

“Y-y-yes ma'am!” they quickly scrambled out of the theatre. Before anyone could see, she put her blade back into her pocket, her face switching from anger to joy as she turned toward her beau. “Sorry about that. Where were we?”

She was met by the face of fear and concern from Izuku. He looked at her like she had grown a second head. “Himiko, why…” his expression was gut-wrenching for her. She didn’t know what to say.

“They… made you uncomfortable…” she looked down. He thought what she did was wrong, and she was feeling ashamed.

“Toga, you can’t threaten people just because they make someone feel bad” He didn’t want to think about it, but this interaction made him remember, she truly was a villain. Someone who has no qualm about threatening, injuring, or even…

Killing.

How many, he wondered, how many did she kill? One? Two? More? None? He couldn’t tell. His heart sank in his chest. He wants to help her, but does that mean letting a murderer free? Could she change?

“Let’s get out of here…” she walked toward the exit, her demeanor changed, losing her usual pep.

“Yea…” he simply said.

…Somewhere dark…

Shigaraki was standing near his master in one of the numerous warehouses he possesses. The only light was the soft purple glow coming from the numerous vats around them, each of them containing some sort of monster, Nomu’s.

His plan didn’t work; he lost most of his team for nothing, all because of that damn Midoriya kid. He lost another member to treason, and if his mentor didn’t pull him out of their hideout, they would’ve lost all their materials. All he could do was scratch the eternal itch he couldn’t get.

“Don’t worry, I’m here for you. You can try again whenever you want, it’s just a question of time before you are ready again, Shigaraki” All for One speaks calmly. His tone had no hatred for the boy. He speaks and acts like a father supporting his son.

“It’s that damn boy's fault! He keeps screwing me over!” the young boy was throwing a tantrum, disintegrating various things in the room. “Fucking side-boss won’t let me get to the good part!”

“And what will you do?” asked his mentor.

“I DON’T KNOW!!” He fell to his knees, defeated; this whole operation has been nothing but failure after failure. How was he supposed to kill All Might if he can’t even get past one scrawny kid? A hand fell on his shoulder, comforting him.

“Failure is natural, we must learn from it” All for one said as a matter of fact. “This Midoriya is getting to you, I can see it. What will you do about it?

Shigaraki got up from his knee, tired of feeling so weak. He could do it with his team; they were still getting set up. Going after him himself was possible but too risky; a third party was needed. He raised his obstructed eye to his master.

“Do you have contact with assassins, Master?”

All for One smiled.

Chapter Text

…Three days later…

They had not spoken with each other since the cinema. Izuku was in his room doing some math homework, trying his best to ignore his phone; he wanted nothing else than to speak with her again. Somehow, being away from her felt wrong. He already sent her a message, but she didn’t answer any of them.

“But she should not threaten people because of me…” Maybe this was his fault; if he had stood up for himself, she wouldn’t have had to intervene. If only he were a bit stronger, he could help her…

He shook his head no, that's not it, Toga was always like this ever since the first day they met in that villain's hideout. She even stabs him for crying out loud! He can’t just trust her like this; he never should have offered to meet again in the first place. She was dangerous; she was a danger.

And she was afraid…

The green-haired boy threw his head backward, slapping his hands as hard as he could into his face, trying to reason with himself in frustration. He was still caught between the two sides of himself. His rational senses are telling him this is all a bad idea, and he should just tell the authority and be done with it. And his hero side tells him everyone deserves to be saved.

What could he do? He might now own one of the most powerful quirks in the world, but how does that help him with his new psychopathic friend? After all, he was just a boy, an awkward teenager, and this was not a problem he could simply punch away.

He looked at his phone and found no new text from her. He started nibbling on the tip of his pencil. Did something maybe happen? She was still a criminal after all, maybe a hero got her.

Thinking of her behind bars did nothing to unstress him. Why was he like this? This was not normal, Himiko was taking all the place in his head. Her messy hair, her sharp smile, her golden hair…

As he was busy stressing himself over the girl, he received a message. He darted to his phone, hoping she was finally texting him back, but it wasn’t her.

“Hey, Deku! Mina invited everyone to the beach today. Are you still sore from the hospital?” it was a text from Ochako.

Maybe he should go and take a breather from all this. Truth be told, it's started taking a toll on his mind, and a day at the beach with his friend seemed like a good way to unwind.

“Yeah, sound fun, count me in.”

…

Izuku finally arrived at the municipal beach. He could already see some of his classmates playing in the sand. He didn’t bring anything more than what was necessary, sunscreen, some food, a towel, and his swimming trunk. Kirishima, Seto, and Kaminari were busy building the biggest sandcastle they could. Mina, Ochako, and Momo were sunbathing under the harsh rays of the sun. And finally, Tsuyu Aoyama and Jirou were already in the ocean playing in the water with a large volleyball.

As he was going down the stairs, he was greeted by Mina waving him over, giving him a wide smile. She was happy to have more people at the party. “Midoriya, get your ass over here and make it a party already!”

There was also a speaker in the middle of the group blasting music as strong as the little device could afford.

“H-hey, sorry if I’m late” he took a better look at the girls, seeing them all dressed in their swimsuits brought some color to his cheeks. He quickly turned away, not wanting to act like a creep. “Anyone else coming?”

Mina caught the boy, embarrassed, but decided not to push him today. “Nah, just us. We asked everyone in the class, except Mineta, and the rest of them were busy today. So, it’s just us!”

“I’m glad you had a s-speedy recovery D-Deku” Ochako was doing her best Izuku impression and tried very hard not to stare at him. He was wearing his swimsuit and an open shirt revealing his chest and abs.

“What have you been doing these last few days, Midoriya?” Momo asked.

Izuku didn’t think about it; he was terrible at lying. What should he say? If he lied, they would know immediately. “Oh y-you know homework a-and workout…” good half truth, he was not lying, just omitting the truth, totally different things.

“That’s all? Man, you’re boring. Come on, you must have done something else during this week.” Grinned Mina, sensing he was hiding something.

Izuku went pale. This wasn’t going well; he needed to think fast! “I-I uhh-… Oh! The boys are waving me over, let’s talk later, ok bye!” he quickly ran toward the group of boys; their castle was doing well, almost as tall as him.

As he ran away, the three girls started gossiping with each other. “I’m not the only one who thinks he acts weird, right?” Mina wondered out loud.

“Todoroki said something similar at the hospital” answered the gravity girl, eyes still glued to the boy. “I hope it’s not something terrible; he seemed shocked when he asked him about what happened back then.”

“You don’t think the league did something to him!?” Momo said, concerned.

“Whatever it is, he doesn’t seem the want to share…” Mina let out a sigh, resigned about him. If they wanted to know, it would have to wait until he is ready. “Anyway, enough about him. Ochako!”

“Wh-!” The brunette was startled, letting go of the boy to set her eyes on her friend instead, blushing.

“When are you going to confess to him, girl? It's obvious!” Mina grinned, knowing she hit the nail on the head when her friend's face passed through three variants of red.

“I-I Uh!? Mhh…” She retreated into her hands, hiding from the world, embarrassed how quickly Mina caught on. “I-I can’t. What if he says no!” True, her feelings for the boy were apparent, but she still wasn’t sure about him, how he felt about her. Sure, he was blushing and stuttering near her, but he did that with every girl; it wasn’t as clear-cut as she needed it to be.

“Come on, I’m pretty sure he had a crush on you ever since you stopped his face from meeting the pavement at the entrance exam!” cheered Mina. Normally, she wouldn’t push her friend, but with what had happened, she realised life was short, so go get it! “You should tell him when class starts back”

Ochako could only blush harder as a response. Involuntarily activating her quirk, she started floating away. Lucky for her, Momo roped her in with a lasso she created, making sure she could not float any further. As she was floating, she thought about it; she liked him, and Aoyama's words during their fight against Thirteen were still fresh on her mind. And the sinking feeling she felt when he disappeared in the portal only just reaffirmed it. “You’re right…”

“I know I am” Mina smirked at her as she was pulled down from the air by their friend. “Now what are we going to do about it!”

“We?” Uraraka didn’t understand what she meant.

“Duh! I’m not letting you do that alone, you need a plan, and I happen to be the greatest love-matcher in this whole school” she triumphantly boasts. Mina knew if she put in the work, it was a question of weeks before the two of them finally confessed to one another. “Once we’re back at school, he’ll be fawning over you when I’m done with you!”

Ochako couldn’t help but let out a little shy smile as she imagines herself and Deku together. He was brave, gentle, shy, and heroic. It’s a miracle he wasn’t nabbed by someone else by the time they met. She let out a long sigh, not so sure how she could muster the courage to ask him, but willing to try. “Ok, Mina”

I’m so happy! You won't regret it” beamed the pink girl.

…

Izuku was busy helping the trio put the final touch on their sandcastle, trying his best not to topple the whole thing. Seto had used some of his tape to create some internal support for the structure, allowing them to make the towering monstrosity. Standing in front of them was less a sandcastle and more of a sand monument standing a good two feet above the boys.

He was standing on Kirishima's shoulder, trying to center the little flag Kaminari brought with him to complete the structure. As he was hunched over, he suddenly heard a “Watch out!” and was hit in his temple by a flying beach ball coming from the sea, sending both him and the red-haired man into the sand structure.

Cry of indignation and protestation came, followed quickly by laughter and giggles. Vengeance was swift as Jirou had her leg pulled from under by Sero tapes, making her trip right into the sea. Tsuyu, not missing a beat, pulled the tape boy right into the water with her tongue, and the whole thing quickly turned into a play-fight. Even the tanning trio was brought in when Momo shot Kaminari with a conjured water gun.

The rest of the day passed like a blur. Izuku almost forgot his worries until he went back for his towel. Next to it was its phone, and he had received a text.

“Izuku, can we meet at my place? I want to talk.” Himiko had texted him, and he was too busy having fun with the rest of his friends to even answer her. The message was sent hours ago, adding to his guilt.

He felt his stomach twist in a knot. Meeting her in a secluded area was not a good idea, not after the incident at the theatre. Yet he couldn’t ignore her; he had to make a choice, and he was going to see what she wanted despite the risk. From behind Ochako came jogging. “Hey, Deku, we were going to eat at this sushi place Momo kept talking about. Are you coming she said, the bills on her!” clearly cheerful at the prospect of a free meal.

“I’m sorry, I've got to go…” his tone was somber. He didn’t know what would happen there, but he knew he couldn’t run away from it.

She saw his attitude change from the text. “Did something happen?” she was concerned about him. Lately, he wasn’t himself. It was like his head was always focused on something else, something important that he wasn’t willing to share.

“Nothing important. You go ahead with the other, don’t worry about me” he feigned a smile. He felt so bad lying to his best friend, but this wasn’t something he could share with anyone else; he had to do this alone.

“Ok…” she resigned, clearly whatever he had was important. This feeling of dread in her chest persisted, like he was going somewhere dangerous. She wanted him to tell her what was happening, what he wouldn’t share with anyone else. “Hey, Deku, if you need anything, we are here for you.”

“Sure” this time his smile was genuine in all his life, he couldn’t ask for better friends.

…At the abandoned house…

He was standing outside the address, unsure if that was the right place. This building was abandoned and falling apart. The notice on the door made sure of that. Still, as he looked back at his phone, he was sure this was the place she gave him to meet. There was no light from inside, and it was starting to get dark. Izuku had gone directly from the beach to her address, afraid that if he took more time, she might vanish and never come back.

He got closer and knocked on the door.

No answer.

He waited for some reaction, a sound coming from the inside, anything but none came. He started texting her again to make sure she had given him the right address when the door finally opened seemingly by itself. Nervously, he stepped in and closed the door behind him.

It was dark, the barred window barely let any light in from the narrow alley he came from, and none of the light switches he flicked did anything. As he was scouring the darkness for a sign of Himiko, he saw her.

She was sitting on the stairs in front of the door, head hung low, smile absent, and knife in hand. The knife brought him bad memories from their first encounter back at the League of Villains. He didn’t know what to expect. Instinctively, his body got ready for either fight or flight.

Toga didn’t move, only studying her reflection in the glistening blade, not daring to meet the eyes of her guest. Ever since the theatre, she had shut herself in self-reflection. “Thanks for coming…” she flatly said.

“T-Toga, what’s this about? you said you wanted to talk?” he could hide the fear in his voice, seeing her so lost with a weapon was dangerous to say the least. “C-can you drop the knife so we ca-…”

“I’m a freak, I know that…” he was cut off by her self-derogatory comment. “Ever since I found out about my quirk, my life has been going nowhere but downhill.” She still refused to meet his eyes; she knew he was terrified of her. She didn’t want to confirm it; the reaction he gave her at the movie had been more than enough.

Still standing near the doorway, Izuku slightly relaxed but kept his guard up. “What do you mean?” Concern was growing in his mind.

“The day I found out my quirk was also the day I found an injured bird. He had broken his neck, and blood was pouring out of the poor thing…” She frowned, not liking the vivid memory coming back from the depths of her mind. “Normal kids would have cried or tried to help, but you know what I did?” He shook his head; she didn’t lift her eyes.

“I drank his blood… Something in me compelled me to do it. And you know what the worst thing was?” He shook his head; she didn’t lift her eyes. “It felt good… so, so good. I even showed it to my parent. You can imagine their reaction.” She finally decided to raise her eyes to meet his. He was filled with shock, and hers were filled with sadness.

“It was the same you gave me at the movie theatre when I pushed those bullies away!” her voice cracked a little under the rising sadness clumping in her chest. Tears started pooling at the corners of her eyes. “Fear, terror, like I was a freak! I AM A FREAK!” she couldn’t hold it in; she started crying, not able to hold it in anymore.

“I can’t change Izuku, I just hurt everyone I care about! I’ll just hurt you someday in the future like I always do!” still crying, she started shaking. “It was a mistake! I never should have tried to be normal! I’m not Normal, and I can’t be your friend! So, go! Run away before I kill you, I’m sorry!”

Izuku stood in the doorway, looking at the broken girl in front of him. She was sobbing so hard she didn’t realise the tip of her knife was poking her in the thigh, letting a small trickle of blood run along her leg. This was it, from the start he knew this was a bad idea, and now he was allowed to go away consequence-free. He could go and never see her again in his life. He could live without the constant fear of being outed as a criminal for aiding a villain and murderer. He could just go back home. He could just study hard, graduate as a hero, and go on. He just had to run away from this very problem right in front of him, this poor crying mess of a girl…

He couldn’t.

Slowly, Izuku made his way toward Toga. His step was firm, with no hesitation. When he reached her, he crouched down to her level. She had rolled herself into a ball of pure sadness. Finally, he did the single most important action he could in this moment as a hero.

He hugged her.

With all his might, he hugged her, crying a little at the sight of her pouring out her heart to him. Damn his doubt! Damn his future! If he died trying to do the right thing, so be it; he was tired of second-guessing himself all the time. Now he would support her in whatever she needed.

Izuku Midoriya was born to be a great hero, and heroes save everyone...

Himiko couldn’t believe it. Izuku stood there hugging her even after seeing the knife, even after giving him the chance to walk away. Not only was he crying for her, but not even her parent cried for her. She couldn’t take it anymore, she doubled down and hugged him back as hard as she could. Her hands were clinging to him, afraid that if she let him go, he would disappear. The knife she was holding tumbled gently on the wooden floor.

They stood like this for a minute until both were able to calm themselves. As they finally parted ways, she looked at him, a weak but honest smile plastered on his face, eyes unsure but welcoming.

And he looked at her mouth slightly agape, incredulous and reddened eyes sad but hopeful.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t say much.” Izuku chuckled, realising he may have said maybe one phrase since he got here.

“You’re pardoned” She chuckled back, wiping away a tear from her eye.

Both chose to stay silent; he decided to sit down next to her. They didn’t want this peaceful moment to end just yet, comfortable standing against one another. But Izuku knew they didn’t finish their conversation; they were one thing he needed to know, even if he didn’t want to, to help her.

 “I’m sorry to ask this now of all times, but I need an answer, Himiko, an Honest answer…” he was apprehensive about her response, not sure if this was the time.

“I know what you want to ask. I’ll answer, I swear…” she wasn’t thrilled about it either. This could be the moment he turned back on her, even after he displayed trust.

“…How… How many have you killed…” he finally asked the dreaded question, hoping for the best, knowing the worst was to come.

“Four…” She answered the pit in her stomach growing. This was the final test of their friendship.

“Do you regret killing them…” Strangely, her answer didn’t affect him as much as he expected. He thought he would be horrified, angry at her, but all he could think about was her feelings. He didn’t know if that was normal, and he didn’t ponder it.

“Not all of them… three of them were crooks. Lowlife preying on other lowlifes. I did what I had to do to survive, and I have no regret. It was them or me.” She answered bluntly, not even remembering their name or their face.”

“And the last one?” Izuku inquired.

“Saito… He...” the words choked in her throat, unable to say it without tearing up. “He was my first crush…” Her heart was beating a thousand rhythms per minute. It was as if he tried to rip it away from her. “I never spoke to him directly. I wanted his blood, I wanted it so desperately that when I saw him bloodied and beaten on the ground one day, I couldn’t resist it. It happened so fast that I was unable to stop myself. I cut him and drank and drank until someone finally spotted me. So, I ran and started living on the street alone.”

She cried some more; the feeling of shame still lingers in her chest. She never wanted to kill the boy; she just wanted him to share with her. Share his love, his life, his blood…

Just like Izuku did.

She couldn’t help it, she turned herself toward the concerned boy and kissed him.

Not on the lips, mind you, just a peck on his cheek. She was so glad to be able to share this with someone. Finally, a friend who won’t turn her down, someone deeply concerned about her. As he was too shocked to resist, she also took the liberty of wrapping her arms around him, smiling gently. “Thank you for everything.”

Izuku suddenly remembered that he was an awkward mess and promptly started blushing and stuttering. A shame he was doing so well…

“W-well I-I H-happy to h-help!” he took the news of her murders better than he thought he could. She was remorseful, not for every kill, but it was a start. Plus, Izuku wasn’t a total fool. When she said some people don’t deserve to live, he believed her. Some story of the hero news he read late at night could incite in him a rage he didn’t know he could muster. He didn’t want to kill, but he understood why one would.

Another thing was gnawing at the back of his mind as he looked around the decrepit house. Himiko had been houseless ever since high school. He couldn’t believe it. No one deserves to live like this, and he wanted to help her. “I was t-thinking…”

“Hrmm?”

“H-have you been living h-here ever since we escaped?” he asked.

“Well took me four days to find it, but it’s a good start. Hell, it’s the best place I’ve been since the league!” she happily answered, not realising how sad it sounded to her friend.

“I don’t think you should stay here. I read on the door that this place was about to be demolished soon” he was nervous, knowing how his next phrase could be taken out of context, face already flushed red. “You c-could s-stay at my p-p-place…” his voice fizzled out.

Taken aback by his proposition, Toga could only stare at him. Then a malicious smile crept on her face. She looked like a cat who had found a mouse. “Oh? Are you asking me to come sleep in your bed with you Izu-kun~…” she leaned in as she pronounced the last word, her voice taking a sultry tone, hands wrapping around him. “Us alone. In. Your. Bed.” she took delight in every word.

“NO-O!?! I-I’LL S-SLEEP ON THE C-COUCH!!?” he quickly backed away on the verge of just dying from sheer embarrassment, becoming her fifth victim.

“Don’t you live with your mom? How are you going to explain that to her?” Miss Midoriya wouldn’t be thrilled to house a murderer in her house.

“I'll s-say my room is too h-hot, so I choose to s-sleep in the living room with the air c-conditioning.”

“Aren’t you the worst liar in the world?”

“…” It was true he couldn’t lie. “I’ll sleep on the ground…”

This boy. This wonderful boy would give her the shirt off his back if she asked for it. She couldn’t help but feel the heat rise to her face. Izuku was truly the greatest person she had ever met in her life. Truly, the love of her life.

She tried to reach for the knife in her pocket, but forgot she had let it fall earlier on the ground.

“Thank you, Izuku I accept” She needs to be better for both of them…

…League of Villains' new hideout…

Dabi was making sure the drink was all accounted for, and Shigaraki was welcoming their new guest. In his hand, pinky up, a manila folder holding various information about the man in front of him. The two of them were sitting across from one another.

The man was a mess. Unkept five o’clock shadow across his mug, tired eyes, and a suit that hasn’t been washed in ages. He was large but not bulky; his hand looked surprisingly soft for someone of his profession. The most garish thing about him was his smile; every one of his teeth was replaced by a diamond replica. Clearly, he loved flaunting his wealth.

“So, what makes you think you’re fit to take this job?” Shigaraki asked him to gauge his answer.

“Are you kidding me?” he said indignantly, feigning his shock. “I think if you see my portfolio, you can see that by yourself, two kids should not be a problem for me…” he took a shot from his glass, downing it with a satisfied sigh.

“One of those kids took down Muscular…” Shigaraki was still probing for a reaction.

“AH! Don’t put me in the same class as this musclebound idiot. The only thing he was good at was smashing weakling” clearly, he was insulted to be grouped in the same category as the former lackey. “I bet he wasn’t even paid for his job!”

“You’re right, he only asked to kill as much as he desired”

“You see! An idiot, that’s the difference between him and me. I know my worth” he flashed a smile at his maybe employer, giving him a good view of his diamond teeth. “So, what do you say, boss man. Do I get the job?”

The crusty man wasn’t sure his folder showed he had a good record of success. Succeeding at least 24 assassinations of various heroes and able fighters. He wasn’t a bottom-feeder, killing only the weak, and he wasn’t afraid to go after the strong. “How about a demonstration?”

“Sure”

“Compress…”

Without warning, Compress unleashes six bullets in the back of the man's skull from his revolver. Each shot echoed within the room with a sickening *BAM!* As the last bullet hit the man's head, all you could hear was the empty click of the empty gun. The man was standing in his chair, unharmed each bullet at his feet. “So?”

“Welcome aboard…” he paused. “What should I call you?”

The man grinned one last time.

“Diamond… call me Diamond…”

Chapter Text

This was nerve-wrecking; never in his life had he done something so risky. Something so dangerous. If caught, the punishment would probably be worse than death.

Sneaking a girl into his bedroom…

If his mom caught them, he was in for the count; no amount of apologizing could stop her fury. But for now, he had a plan. His apartment had a fire exit ladder near his window, so he just had to go up there and open it from the inside to let her in. Easy and simple, nothing could go wrong. They were standing outside of his apartment, looking up at the third floor where he lived. The ladder was up and unreachable from where they were standing.

Himiko looked up at him, confused about how they should proceed. “Now what?”

“I could go up there using my quirk and let the ladder down” responded the boy, analysing his options.

True jumping that high for him was no problem, but if he let the ladder down, the sound would be horrible. It hadn’t been oiled in ages. He could already hear the loud squeal coming from the hinges. He could throw her. No, too risky, he could miss, it would make more noise, or even worse, it could injure her. He could look around for something for her to climb on, but it was unlikely he would find something so late. Maybe if he uses-…

Toga looked at him, muttering to himself and got herself an idea, one way more fun than climbing a rusty old ladder. She backed off a bit, still locking eyes with the muttering boy, and threw herself at him.

Snapped out of his thought, Izuku acted fast, holding out his hand to catch the flying Toga incoming his way. “W-what are you doing!?!” in his panic, he caught her in a bridal pose, adding to his now rising embarrassment.

“This way you can jump up with me Izu-kun~” She smiled, knowing the effect she was having on him, delighting in it. She wasn’t wrong, like this he could better gauge his power for his jump and easily jump on the steel balcony above without too much noise.

So, trying to shorten this situation, he did just that, jumping high, damsel in hands, onto the ledge above and landing with minimal sound. Quickly, he dropped his passenger, but not before she could wrap her arms around him, professing her appreciation for “My hero!” He made an excuse, apologizing for holding her like that. As if he were the one who told her to jump into his arms and let himself fall, telling her he would be back soon.

Making his way to the front door of the apartment, he used his key to open the first door. Climbing a flight of stairs, he finally reached his apartment door. If he was lucky, he could make it to his room without bumping into his mother.

But destiny is a fickle mistress, and as he opened the door, he was met by the sight of his mother sitting on the couch, cup of tea in hand, waiting for him. “And where were you, young man?” She didn’t seem to be too thrilled to see her son come back at such a late hour.

Izuku felt the weight of his world crash down on him at this very moment. “I-I was at the b-beach with some f-friends” he stuttered the best way he could.

“The beach? This late?” she didn’t buy it. His son was hiding something from her. What kind of secret could a boy his age hides from his mother?

“Yesssss?” this was the least sure yes in the history of yes.

His mother squinted at him. She didn’t like this; it seemed that ever since the incident, her son had been refusing to talk to her and had started being secretive. “Izuku, you can tell me. I’m your mother…” her tone changed to a softer one, clearly whatever those villains did to him has affected him deeply. She only wanted the best for him, even if that meant opening old wounds for him. “Ever since you were kidnapped, you started talking less and less with me, keeping secrets from me. I’m concerned about you” she looked at him, her eyes showing deep concern.

It was true that everyone seemed concerned about him, and he had been brushing them away from him. Sure, this wasn’t something he could openly talk about, but still. He must have everyone worried sick from his refusal to talk about what happened back then. They deserved at least a minimum of explanation. “It’s… I…” he let out a sigh, calming his nerves and making his way next to his mother, sitting down, not daring to look her directly in the eyes. “I’m fine, I swear it. It’s just a lot happened back there, and it’s been on my mind ever since”

“Tell me, Izuku, I’m here for you” His mother gently put a hand on his shoulder, concerned about her boy as he opened. She could tell it took a lot for him to talk about it, and didn’t want to rush him.

He weighed in his opinion; he couldn’t tell her about Toga, at least directly, but maybe he could talk about it without the whole story. “When I was captured by the league, I was interrogated”

His mother's eyes immediately watered up, assuming the worst. What kind of torture had they done to him? “Oh, my poor baby boy, what have they done to you!” She started crying while hugging him tightly, in her head, the worst situation playing out like a horror movie.

“N-not like t-that!” he quickly reassured his mother, knowing what must have been going on inside her head. “They did rough me up a bit, but this is not what I’ve been thinking about…”

She calmed down; at least he wasn’t horrifically tortured, she could put this thought to rest. “What is on your mind then"

“Well…” he didn’t know how to phrase it properly. “Do… Do you think all villains are beyond saving?”

This came as a shock for Inko; never would she guess being kidnapped her son would develop empathy for his captors. A lot of things went through her mind. Was he affected by a mind-changing quirk? What has he heard back there? Honestly, she didn’t have a good answer to give him. “I think…” she started, unable to put her thoughts into a coherent phrase. “I don’t know Izuku…”

He didn’t expect her to have an answer. This was something for him to determine; after all, he was the one training to be a hero. Gently, he turned toward her, taking her in an embrace, holding her tightly. “Thank you, Mom, for being concerned. I-I’ll try to be more open in the future about my feeling”

“That’s all I ask” returning her son's hug, she closed her eyes, taking time to enjoy her mother-son bonding time. He didn’t spill much, but that was progress, and she could live with it. She was happy for him to open up about his feelings little by little with her; it made her feel special. “If you are hungry, there is leftover in the fridge”

That was not a surprise; they still hadn’t finished all the food Inko had stress-cooked while he was kidnapped, even if some of it was nabbed by the hospital staff, leaving behind notes about how thankful and sorry they were for picking from it. Seemed like the cafeteria wasn’t too good there if employees resolved themselves to plunder a left-behind fridge.

It took them three days to send it back…

The boy sincerely smiled at his mother, glad to have such a caring parent in his life. “Thanks, mom’” He then remembered he had a waiting guest at his window, and it would be better not to make her wait too long. “I-I’m good for tonight, I’m just g-going to my room” he said a bit nervously.

Quickly, he made his way toward his door, sneaking in and closing the door behind him. Normally, he never locks his door in case his mother needs to take his laundry, but tonight was an exception. The last thing he wished was for his mother to see him sneak a girl inside; he could never explain it to her, not after the “gift” she found in his bag.

Izuku made his way to the window, unlatching it and sliding it open. As he peered over the ledge, he saw Himiko waiting right next to it, a cunning smile on her lips. “You can come in, my mom should not barge in the rest of the night”

She hopped the frame with grace, barely making a noise as she landed, but nothing could have prepared her for the interior. “Oh. My. All Might…” she punctuated every one of her words to make sure what she was seeing was real.

Izuku was not just a hero otaku. He was a godamn cultist when it came to All Might memorabilia. His floor, All Might. His wall, All Might. His bed, All Might. Not a single inch of this room wasn’t placated with the face of the number one hero. “Izuku, I need to find you a new hobby…Now.” She was still trying to find one thing without the grinning hero on it and was failing.

“I-It’s n-not that b-bad” the boy tried defending himself and his collection. After all, most of those were precious collector items it's not like all of it was junk.

“Izuku, I was there when I saw you spent 50,000 yen on a single-issue comic” she deadpanned, unsure of how he could explain to her his obsession.

He didn’t know how to retort to that, so deflection it is! “I-I spent the same on your d-dress too!” Godamnit, why did he mention the dress! He had finally forgotten about it, but now sleeping is going to be nigh impossible for him tonight. He just hoped she wouldn’t tease him about it.

Poor, poor, naïve Izuku. Teasing him was one of the best things she did, and she caught on how red he was turning; her smile grew even wider. “If you want to…” her tone turned suave, leaning in. “I brought it here. I could wear it, if you ask nicely…” she was standing next to him, breathing hot air down his neck, teasing him was too easy.

“I’M FINE, THANK YOU!” he didn’t mean to yell, but he couldn’t regulate his voice in time. From outside, he could hear the footsteps of his mother coming closer. “Izuku, are you ok in there?”

Y-yeah, I just t-taught you were a-asking me a q-question I must have h-heard something e-else…” he had to learn to lie if he hoped to survive any social life going forward. “…Ok, sweety, remember I’m here for you…” she relented, knowing she had pushed him far enough for tonight.

“T-Thanks” as the steps of his mother got farther and farther, he allowed himself to breathe again, taking in a large gasp of air, trying to calm himself from having a heart attack. “Your mom seems nice” was the simple retort of Himiko, still unfazed by what just happened.

“S-she truly is…” he couldn’t hide the smile as he mentioned his mother. Now, calmed a little, he turned toward his guest. “Y-you can have the bed, I have an air mattress in my closet that I can take with some extra duvet” he had a difficult time maintaining eye contact with her, after all, she was a girl. A girl…

Izuku has a girl in his room, alone and without parental supervision…

He turned around, trying to hide his face from her, afraid of where his thoughts would go if he tried to look at her directly.

Himiko, on her part, passed the awkward deco, couldn’t believe it. A bed, a real, fluffy bed. Not one of those spring traps back at the league, but an actual normal bed, a luxury she had almost forgotten about. Ever since she was on the run, her sleeping spots consisted of a benches, underway bridges,  abandoned houses, and a warehouse. For her, this bed almost looked unreal.

She made her way toward it, sitting gently on the ledge as if afraid it was nothing more than her imagination. When she felt the soft support underneath her, she let herself sink into it, body and mind at peace. She stretched herself lying in it, making sure every limb touched every part of it as much as she could. She didn’t even mind the All Might pillow she was hugging tightly in her chest.

Just lying there, she felt years of stress melt away from her body and could already feel sleep overtaking her in its sweet arms. Being gone so long from a home, one she felt safe inside, she’d forgotten how good it felt.

As he regained a semblance of courage, Izuku turned around to find Himiko already sleeping, her body over all the blankets. She looked dead tired, he made his way near her and as gently as he could tucked her in, making sure she was comfortable. He sat near her, looking at her peaceful expression on her face, lips slightly parted. He could see her chest rising from under the blanket, steady and calm, he couldn’t help but smile, feeling he had done the right thing.

There was still one last thing on his mind, something he still didn’t know what to do with.

The kiss.

The little kiss she gave him on his cheek back at the abandoned house, something felt… Right. He couldn’t help but feel a thousand butterflies inside of him when he touched his cheek, remembering her sweet lips gently touching him. Was it… no couldn’t be…

He looked down at her, sleeping, feeling a lump in his chest. Unsure, he looked right and left to make sure they were truly alone in his room. He then listened to see if his mother was still up outside, but he couldn’t hear anything, and the lights were off; he couldn’t see light from underneath his door. He looked one last time around, making sure he was truly alone. He leaned in near her face.

And gently kissed her good night on the head.

His heart was now going a thousand beats per minute in his chest. He didn’t know what he should make of this, but somehow it felt… Good… and when he saw her lying in his bed with a satisfied smile on her lips, he smiled back happily.

He went to his closet and, without a sound, pulled the air mattress out of it. It took him a good thirty minutes to pump it without the risk of waking anyone, but now he could finally lie down and go to sleep, thousands of little butterflies still swimming in his chest.

That was the moment he saw it. Sprawled on the floor right in front of him, taunting him spilled from her bag.

The dress…

“Godamnit…” This was going to be another long night for poor Izuku.

Chapter Text

Toga slowly opened her eyes; she was feeling well. This night was the most comfortable she’d ever been since running away. The first thing she saw was the All Might clock showing 7:35 am. She couldn’t help but smile at her situation; she was inside Izuku's room. The wonderful boy who saved her, she could not be anything else than happy right now.

Taking her time to stretch herself awake, she took a second look at his bedroom, now bathed in sunshine coming from the window. All Might merchandise was his only sense of decoration, but she didn’t mind. What if he were a little weird? She wasn’t better anyway.

As her grogginess slowly faded, she leaned off the ledge of the bed and saw below her Izuku. He was sleeping, not a care in the world, sprawling himself as much as he could on the single air mattress. His freckled face was peacefully snoring, and his mossy hair was a mess. She couldn’t help but fawn a bit over him; he had been nothing but lovable ever since their fated meeting.

She precariously made her way out of the bed, letting herself slide down onto the floor below. She made sure not to wake him up as she slowly lifted his bedding, sneaking into it, creeping herself ever closer to him. In his sleep, he turned on his side, opposite to Himiko, letting just enough space for her to squeeze herself near him.

Now, inches away from her lover, she tentatively slips one of her arms underneath the crook of his neck while the other one gently lies on his side, spooning him in a loving embrace. When she saw no protestation on his part, she closed the gap between their body, feeling his hard back on her chest. He was wearing a t-shirt still, she could feel the heat radiating from him, a pleasant heat, the kind someone seeks during a cold night alone.

She could feel herself growing bolder and bolder as a weak moan escaped his lips, unconsciously in his sleep. Her own heat was spreading across his whole body, her emotion rising from being so close to him. With her hands, she pulled him closer to her, hugging him tightly from the back, earning her another sleepy moan from him. She snuck her face into the crook of his neck, taking in his smell. He still had the salty smell of the sea from yesterday, but also pomegranate from his shampoo, her favorite.

Still not waking up, she continued her exploration of the boy, her hand slipping into his shirt, gliding on the smooth skin of his stomach, feeling every bump of his well-toned body. The other was ruffling his hair, kneading his scalp, trying to get more and more sweet noise from him.

Her lips, centimeters from his neck, wanted nothing more than to reach him, leaving a trail of kisses all over him, but was interrupted by someone jolting the doorknobs of the room. “Izuku, are you up? Why is your door locked?” She jumped, stopped from going further, luckily, he didn’t wake up.

She had to act fast; his mom was just outside and was waiting for an answer. She could wake him, but he couldn’t lie to save his life. Maybe if she got out the window now? No, he still had an explanation to give his mother. Then an idea struck her.

…

“Izuku?” Inko was worried; never in her life had her son locked his door, not when he came back from that awful league of villains’ hideout. Something was wrong, and she knew it. She had the key in her drawer to his room and was seriously considering using it to check on her boy when suddenly.

“EEEPPP!” a sharp cry came from the other side of the door. Now, Inko had officially entered panic mode and was making her way toward her drawer so she could open his door, but was stopped when the door opened on its own.

“Y-yes?” Izuku poked his head out of the door, sheepishly greeting his mother on the other side. Inko was reassured but still on edge to see her son. “Izuku, what happened? I heard a yelp. Are you in pain?”

“Ah, this s-sorry,” he poked a little bit more out of the door, shirtless. “You wake me up and I kind of fell out of bed, sorry…” he rubbed the back of his head, shamed by his early morning wake-up call. He quickly regained his composure. “What did you need from my room?”

“Oh, I just wanted to wash your clothes before leaving for some errands.” She still felt something was weird, but one thing was sure: her son wasn’t lying. He was like an open book when it came to lies, unable to hide them from anyone.

Izuku smiled at his mother, a carefree smile. “Don’t worry, you can go. I can put them in the wash by myself!” She was happy to see him so relaxed; at least their conversation from yesterday didn’t push him away. “Alright, love you, honey”

“Love you too… mom” a weird reaction when he said that, but she just taught his abrupt wake-up shook him a bit more than normal. She took her bags and got out without a fuss.

…

Izuku's wake-up was all but smooth. He was having a wonderful dream that he couldn’t remember, just the feeling of soft caress all over him. And then, suddenly, a sharp pain in his neck, he opened his eyes in time to see Himiko sink her sharp fangs into his neck, drawing out blood. He couldn’t even react before she made her way toward the door, throwing her cardigan and top on the floor, her skin melting into his.

He stood there, shocked, as he listened to the conversation between her and his mother. This feeling of hearing himself talks without talking was surreal; he felt like an observer in his own life. When he heard the front door closing, he looked as she came back toward him, letting out a sigh of relief. “Pheeeww, I thought your mom was going to get us for sure” the shirtless him sat beside him.

“Toga, what was t-that…” Izuku was still holding his neck; he wasn’t bleeding profusely, but there was still a trickle of it coming out. The other Izuku seemed captivated by the display of flowing blood, but snapped out of it quickly enough. “Someone had to answer your door, and you’re a terrible liar” she grinned through his skin.

“I-I uh m-mean…” he couldn’t argue, if he had answered her mom would’ve known and barged in. He closed his eyes, resigned. “Yeah, you're right”

“Now let’s get up, I want to take a shower before your mom comes back!” she stood up, offering his hand to get up. “Also, we should bandage your wound. Sorry about that”

Izuku couldn’t help but smirk as he looked at himself, offering him his hand. He graciously accepts it. As he was standing up, he could see the skin of his body-double falling off, revealing bit by bit, Toga's more feminine body.

A topless feminine body…

Izuku managed to (accidentally) get a good look at her and promptly fainted, right on the air mattress. If the dress was haunting him, this was going to kill him by sleep deprivation. Himiko couldn’t help but laugh at his whole situation and made her way toward their medicine cabinet, grabbing enough gauze for his shoulder and nostrils.

…

He woke up a few minutes later, still on the air mattress. Good, this was all a dream for a second, he thought he ogled Himiko's breast for real. His hand reached his tense shoulder, feeling the freshly applied gauze on his neck wound.

This was all real. Crimson rose to his face as a vivid memory of a topless Toga came back instantly; at least he didn’t faint this time. He couldn’t believe this had happened for real. What will she think of him? Was he turning into a pervert like Mineta? “I need some food. Anything else to distract myself?”

He walked into the common room, reaching for the fridge when his ear perked up at an unusual sound coming from the bathroom, the sound of flowing water. This wasn’t weird in itself, but if his mom was not here, that could only mean one thing. Himiko was naked, taking a shower not fifteen feet away from him.

This was worse than the time she was changing into the robe back at the store…

And now he had both a naked Himiko and a well-dressed Uraraka flashing in his head.

Izuku didn’t panic; he simply opened the door to the fridge, took out the butter and the bread from it, and… closed the door twelve times onto his head…

Pain would make him forget, pain would make him pure…

After giving himself a concussion, he was starting to feel a little better. He had managed to replace the sexy girls in his head with stars and black spots. Way better? Swaying left and right, he managed to put two pieces of bread into the toaster, the ringing in his ear stopping him from hearing when the water stops. When the door opened, he heard it and made the terrible decision to look still dazed by his previous therapy.

 Stepping out of it, Himiko Toga, wet inside a large white towel, was finishing drying her hair. “Hey, can you fetch me my clothes? I left them in your room.

The toast wasn’t the only thing that rose this morning, and for the second time in less than one hour, Izuku fainted…

…

When he woke up for the third time today, he was greeted by his friend eating his buttered toast, dressed, as he was standing on the couch in the living room. “Hey, you’re finally awake”

 At least he wasn’t in a wagon.

“Wha-…” he stopped himself, knowing whatever happened, he probably should do his best to forget about it. “Never mind, did you make me some?” he questioned her about his toast.

Himiko shrugged. “Nah, I didn’t know when you’d wake up, and your toasts were growing cold” she said, taking a bite. “So, what’s on the agenda today?”

Izuku pondered that they didn’t have any plan for today; he was stunned about what to do. “Don’t know, today is a rest day for me anyway.”

Himiko finishing her toasts raised her eyebrows in realisation, her whole mood brightened. “I know! There’s a café that opened at the mall not long ago, and we could go get some breakfast there!”

Izuku looked at her. “You already ate mine…”

“Hey, I’m always hungry! Especially when you are the one offering” a smug look of superiority spread to her face.

He cocked his head at her answer, confused by what she meant. “Why do you assume I’m the one paying?”

“Well, it’s only fair, after all…” she shrank on herself, mocking to cover her breast, taking feigned offence at him. “You’re the one that been ogling me all morning…” she blushed, not mentioning her exploration of her own.

Confusion was quickly replaced by panic and embarrassment on the boy's face. “OKILLPAYISWEARIMNOTAPERVERT!!!” was the mumbled phrase he managed to get out.

“Good!”

… later at the mall…

Izuku and Himiko were walking side by side, hidden in the sea of people going from one place to another. No one seemed to give them any attention outside of a swerve to the right or the left. They were free to enjoy their day as much as they could; the boy had left a message for his mother telling her he was going out. As they got closer to the spot Himiko mentioned, she took the front of him, guiding him through the various corners of the mall, landing them right at their destination.

WildWildPussycat’ café!

Izuku didn’t know what to expect, but not that. “I didn’t know the pussycat opened a store here!” he also couldn’t hide his amazement about anything vaguely hero-related. “I thought they only had the one in Tokyo!” he couldn’t believe this little tidbit got passed him! But on the other hand, it feels a little weird to go in with one of the villains responsible for the loss of her quirk of one of their members. Ragdoll had been found soon after him unharmed, but her quirk was missing with no explanation.

Himiko, on her part, was happy her idea was so well received. “I heard every cat in the café is rescued from the street.” she couldn’t hide her enthusiasm after all those cats, and her, share a lot of similarities, both rescued and willing to bite if something annoys them. Cats were the superior animal!!

As they walked in, they were greeted by a blond girl in an outfit similar to the rest of the Pussycat troupe. “Welcome to the WildWildPussycat’ café! Follow me, I’ll bring you over to your table!” the girl had high energy and even posed similarly to the real Wild Pussycats. Izuku couldn’t hide his fanboyism. Himiko was too busy scratching the chin of the orange cat near the register to care.

They were seated in a corner booth near the front glass. As they sat down, their waitress gave them a menu, plus a card with various toys or treats they could buy for the cats. The place was decently packed since they were making their debut here in Musutafu, and one lazy cat was lounging on their table.

Izuku wasn’t really a cat person; he found it hard to create a link with them. Most of the cats he met in his life hissed or scratched at him. It was weird when one of them, a blond shorthair, came rubbing on him.

“H-hey b-buddy…” with a shaky hand, he tried to pet the cat but got slapped away by its paw. Taken aback, he yelped and brought back his hand in fear of scratches. “W-why!?”

Himiko couldn’t hold her giggle at this misplay of affection, one second rubbing on him, the other scratching him. Cats were the best. “It’s because you don’t have enough confidence” she said, looking at the cat lounging on their table, stretching itself.

“W-what do you mean?” Izuku was confused about her statement. It wasn’t as if they could sniff his confidence, can they?

“Cats are fickle creatures, and they don’t like uncertainty” she brought a shaking hand near the cat on the table, earning herself a hiss from the old cat. “Once you show them kindness and hold it true, they quickly learn to trust you” she steadied her hand reaching a second time for the cat, this time he sniffed and started rubbing himself on her, purring loudly.

Izuku tried imitating her with the cat next to him. He reached out his hand steadier than the first time, holding it in front of the cat. The cat got closer, sniffing at his appendage, and with no warning bit him lightly. “Ouch!”

Toga laughed as he brought his hand back for a second time. She was still scratching the old cat while doing so. “Some of them are just little imp!”

“Good to know…” he watched the cat next to him make his way toward another table, one with treats.

“You should learn to stand more for yourself” Himiko said, now looking at him with a loving expression in her eyes.

Izuku was taken aback, trying to hold her gaze but unable to. Something in the way she looked at him made him feel… weird. “I uhm s-sorry” he didn’t know what to say to her, he didn’t even know where that came from.

“Izuku, why didn’t you push those guys away back at the movie?” she leaned in as she asked her question, her face taking a more serious expression. He was strong, brave, and the whole nine yards when it came to saving people, yet he couldn’t stand up for himself against high school bullies. “You could have easily dealt with them.”

Izuku sank in, his lips turning inward as he now understood what she meant. A visible discomfort is now present on his face. “I-I didn’t w-want to hurt them” his eyes stayed glued on the floor.

“You didn’t have to hurt them, you could have told them to stop” she pursued him, making sure he wouldn’t dodge her question. He had done so much for her; it was time for her to help him. “I’ve seen you break your arm during the festival just to motivate someone, yet you can’t say no to bullies?”

“I-…” Izuku stammered. He tried to give a reason, but words just didn’t want to come out. He was cut off by Himiko.

“Izuku…” she reached across the table past the cat sleeping on it, taking his hand into her own. He blushed but lifted his eye to meet hers. “You are the most wonderful person I’ve ever met and probably ever will meet. You are worth so much more than what you think you are.”

For a second, his heart skipped a beat, and time was suspended for both of them. His green eyes lost deep into her golden ones. His face lost all the negative emotions that were troubling him, replaced by a grand admiration of her words. “I-I’ll try…”

She smiled, a beautiful smile; Sharp, sweet, loving. He was truly lost in her for a second.

“What will it be!” their waitress was back.

“I-I uhh-…”

“I’ll take the pomegranate pancake!” cheered Himiko as if they didn’t go through some deep connection just a second ago.

“I’ll hum-…” He closed his eyes, slapping himself with both hands, trying to regain a semblance of control over himself. “I’ll take the bacon and e-eggs!”

“Good… Any treat for our furry friends?” as she asked, she stroked a pose. The pay must be good if she is willing to go above and beyond with her presentation.

“Nah, we’re good, I’m a natural with cats” she said as she was rubbing the belly of the old cat on the table, the most dangerous place on earth for any hands.

The girl quickly took their menu and made her way toward the kitchen. The rest of their breakfast went about with no problem to speak of. Izuku devoured his plate as he still didn’t have breakfast, and Himiko gently sliced through her pancake, enjoying the exuberant amount of them. She even shared one with the boy as compensation for his morning toast. Izuku also managed to, kind of, pet a cat. A kitten that was looking for a play partner decided the green boy would be it. So, the boy played with him, roughing him up with his hand, earning himself a minimum amount of play bites.

Once he had paid for both, they decided to pass the day the same way as their first one together, without the fake skin this time (and no dress). Talking, laughing, and sharing a great time together.

They were having so much fun, they didn’t see the man trailing them. He was large, his chin covered by a subtle stubble, and was wearing a dirty suit, yet his diamond teeth were unmistakable. “Found you…” he grinned.

Chapter Text

Izuku and Toga's escapade continued throughout the day, taking their time to enjoy everything they didn’t the first time. Together, they tasted ice creams and other free samples they could get their hands on. Until they reached somewhere neither of them ever tried. The arcade.

Izuku looked nervous standing in front of the large, colorful store. Inside, they could see games going from shooter to VR experience. “You sure you want to go? I’m not that good at those games…” he never had the chance to go inside when he was little because of his lack of friends; it would have been weird for him to hang out with no one. Instead, he took up hero analysis as a hobby, something he could easily do alone, far from his classmates.

Most people would say taking notes as a hobby is weird in itself, but for Izuku, it was more than just a hobby; this was the thing that motivated him to wake up in the morning. If he didn’t do it, he could not have managed to stay alone during all his time in his old school.

“Me neither, but sometimes the fun is in just trying” Toga stood near him, looking at the various activities. She also never went inside one of those, not because of the lack of friends in middle school; she had a couple despite her condition. It was because it was one of the rare things she didn’t want to try; a place filled with sweaty teenage boys and kids with their disinterested parents wasn’t her definition of fun. But today was different; she was with Izuku. She wanted to do a new thing with him, create memories together, and learn all there is about the boy.

Izuku, wonderful Izuku, she wanted him closer to her. She caught his reaction inside the café when she grabbed his hands. She could literally feel the love he poured directly into her from his gaze. Something was shifting inside of him, she needed to push him a bit further. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay my fair share this time. It will be fun!”

He still hesitated, but when he saw her puppy dog eyes, he sighed. No way in hell could he say no to her right now. “Ok, let’s go, I just hope I don’t embarrass myself too much…” with a defeated look, he was pulled by the hand inside.

…

And embarrass himself, Izuku did. For a hero in training, his eye/hands coordination was atrocious. He couldn’t win a single game even if he tried, and God did he try. The skee-ball machine, he managed to sink one out of the twenty balls he was given, inside another machine. The whack-a-villain, atrocious, actually hurt himself trying to hit one of the targets. Shooters, he found a way to get tangled in the wire linked to his gun. Fighting game, Toga six, Izuku zero. He was so bad he could cry right now.

The only things positive were the reaction he was getting from his friend; any mess-up, she would giggle. Any loss, she would cheer him up with a hug. She was right, the fun was in trying, and overall, he was having a nice day with Himiko, trying things he could never do by himself. Just being with her, he felt more confident and assured in himself. He even stops stuttering when she teases him. He couldn’t help but see all the positive influence she was having on him.

But that wasn’t all, he didn’t just feel confident around her, he feels… good. He enjoyed seeing her happy, seeing her smile. Her messy hair, her golden eyes, everything about her was grabbing his attention. Sometimes he had to stop himself from gazing at her.

He wished he could pass every day in her company…

…

Somewhere in the arcade, a little boy was playing at one of the many video games the establishment offered. He was so distracted that he failed to see his mother get outside for a phone call. He was currently playing one of the fighting games against the AI, and it wasn’t going so good for him. He knew this was his last life, and his mom told him no more money for the game after this one, so he had to win!

He unleashed a terrible combo onto his adversary, the final boss of the machine, All Might! He was playing his favorite hero, Power Loader, and his life was terribly low. Mashing buttons and jolting his joystick, he got closer and closer to victory. One last hit, and he’d win! “It’s time for… PLUS ULTRA!” Noooo, All Might's special move!

With a smash, he was defeated and now had to go home with his mom. He was frustrated; he was one hit away! So, defeated, he didn’t see the old guy sit right next to him. “What’s the matter, kid, you lost?”

“Y-yeah… I was so close to” his mom told him not to talk to strangers; he should probably go get her.

“How about I pay you another game, kid?” he looks up at the man, stars in his eyes. One more chance! “You mean it!” the kid couldn’t hold his excitement. He finally got close to beating All Might, and now he could win; he knew it! He just needed another chance.

“Sure, but let me tell you a secret” the older man leaned in, making sure no one else was listening.

“This machine is whacked, the controller is always loose” he shakes the joystick violently to prove his point, the kid looked as the joystick loosely rattled in its socket. Weird. It seemed fine when he was using it earlier.

“If you want to win, you have to use the one in the back. He pointed behind him. In a corner stood another All Might AllStars, the game he was playing.

“All the best, High scores are on this one!” he put a hand on his shoulder, motivating him to go try his luck at the other machine. Putting in his front pocket some loose change. He then stood up and walked away toward one of the Pachinko machines.

His mom told him he shouldn’t listen to a stranger, but it’s not like he was following him. What's the harm in one more game…

…

“I can’t believe you managed to soak yourself at the balloon game” Himiko laughed, next to him, Izuku was soaked from his shoulder up, trying his best to dry himself with one of the towels the employee gave him. “How was I supposed to know it was facing the wrong way!” protested Izuku, stifling his laugh at his ridiculous situation.

“Come on, you can’t be bad at everything, let's keep looking, Izuku!” she ran ahead of him, looking for a game none of them had tried already. The only thing left was the claw machine, she was afraid he would find a way to stick himself inside of it with his luck. The other game was… Perfect.

“I’ve found something here!” she loudly called him, waiting for him to pass through the wall of people that was walking around. When he finally saw what she was pointing at, he quickly turned away. “Nopenopenope” he thought to himself. He was promptly stopped by his partner when she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the feared game.

‘Dance Dance Mania 3’

Ain’t no way this wasn’t ending terribly for him if he tried to play a rhythm game. He just knew if he tried to stand on it, he would find a way to break both his ankles at the same time. This wasn’t a game, this was a death trap!

“Come on, Izuku!” insisted the blonde, anticipating a great time for her. Clearly, he was feeling bad about losing so much today, but she couldn’t help it. This was some of the best fun she had in a long time.

 “It’s the last time I make you play a game, I swear. If you do it, I’ll pay for lunch!”

The sudden reward for his participation made him turn his head toward her. He wasn’t poor for say but he had been paying for a lot of things since he met her. His wallet, even with the earlier gracious donation from Yaoyorozu, was starting to feel lighter and lighter. “F-fine” he allowed himself to be pulled toward the dance pad.

Himiko took place beside him on another dance pad. “Since I dragged you here, you can choose the song.”

Izuku looked at the repertoire, recognizing none of them, except one or two from Deep dope. He had been listening to the CD Jirou had given him back at the hospital during his workout. Otherwise, the whole song's catalogue was a mix of pop and dubstep, not his favorite. Then he saw a song he had never heard before, and listening to the preview, told himself this was the one. ‘You say run!’

He missed the detail on the side that was flashing in red: EXPERT! The start was slow, and surprisingly, his feet didn’t fail him yet. Then the song started for real.

Himiko tried to keep up with the arrows but ultimately succumbed to the exuberant number of them. “Damn, this song is impossible!” she shrugged and turned toward Izuku, probably already on his butt after the first 30 seconds. But what she saw made her jaw drop.

He wasn’t on his ass; he was moving faster than she was with grace, his eyes on the screen, hitting one note after another. His face had the same determination he showed when he was fighting, his mouth twisted in a confident grin. It was as if he was in a trance when the beat drops, he shifted his weight on the bar behind him, hitting the arrow faster and faster. Izuku Midoriya was a natural.

Passerby started to gather around the boy, impressed by his movement some even cheered. Izuku was so in the zone, he didn’t even hear them going faster and faster. In his head, Izuku finally had a realisation he should’ve had a long time ago.

“I have legs!”

How could he forget that it was so obvious? His arms were getting shredded fight after fight. Why did he never try to throw a kick in the mix? He could develop a new technique more powerful than before with his legs. The song finally sends him the final arrow, and he stops moving. Taking a second to catch his breath. He was finally snapped out of his trance when he heard the loud cheer coming from around him.

He sheepishly started bowing at everyone gathered around him, but was stopped by Himiko when she took him in her arms. She was hugging him tightly at this moment. She was so proud of him for showing his determination in public and being rewarded for it; this is what he deserved.

She was so proud of him, she wanted to kiss him so bad, and vice versa… She could just stab him again and again and again, that’s how happy she was!

Toga suddenly pushed herself away from him. There it was, her compulsion. No matter how much she repressed it, she couldn’t keep it totally under control. She knew as long as she was near him, she was a danger, but a selfish desire still lingered in her heart. A certitude that if she stayed with him long enough, he could find a way to cure her malice. “T-that was amazing Izuku”

Izuku was still shocked by the public display of affection he just received, blushed. “Y-yeah, I didn’t know I could do that”

“Let’s go get some food. My treat!” together, they made their way out of the arcade.

…

“It’s digging time!” YESSS!! He did it! He managed to beat All Might with his final move and was typing his winning tag for the high score. Now he just had to find his mom and thank the old guy who gave him the extra life.

The young boy made his way toward where his mom was standing outside earlier, only to find nothing… His mom was gone, and he was alone at the arcade, with not even enough money to play. His breathing started becoming more erratic, looking around for his mother, but she was nowhere to be seen. Tears started welling in the boy's eyes, he didn’t know what to do.

“What’s the matter, kid, you’re lost?” came from behind him. He recognized the old guy from earlier, the same that gave him some coins. “Sniff Y-yes…”

“Hey, don’t be sad, I’ll help you find your mom, little guy” the man crouched at his level; he couldn’t see his eye behind his shaded glasses. He put his large hand on his head, ruffling his hair, trying to cheer up the little boy. “She must have gone to the front desk”

The boy started calming down, seeing the logic in the man's words. It was true, his mom saw he had vanished from his spot and went to get some help. “Y-yeah, you are right, mister.” He wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his shirt.

“I was heading out anyway want some help to get there?” the old guy stood up, offering his hand.

Normally, he would have said no, but this man had been nothing but gentle to him since he met him. “O-ok” his voice was still shaky from his earlier outburst. The man put his hand near the back of his head, pushing him forward. “Alright, let’s go then.” The boy followed him with no protestation.

Together, they walked for a good minute until they found the front desk, and his attitude changed when he saw his mom arguing with the manager. He was so happy he leapt forward to go meet with his mother. He was stopped by the man's hand pulling him by the shirt toward him. “Hey, kid, you forgot something”

As he turned around, he realised he didn’t thank the man for his help. It was incredibly impolite of him. “O-oh sorry… I m-mean thank you, mister!”

The man smiled at him with pursed lips. “No problem, kid…”

The boy turned around, ready to tell his mother about the kind stranger he just met, when he was stopped again, this time, the man's large hand gently wrapped around his throat. “Sorry, I forgot to ask you one last thing, kid…”

For a second time, he turned around, but this time he was feeling nervous. “W-what is it?

“Could you come with me for a second? I need your help with something quick, I promise.” this time, he smiled with his whole mouth showing off his diamond teeth. The boy was about to say something, but was cut off when he felt the hand of the man harden around his throat, making it hard for him to breathe. “Thanks, buddy…”

…

Izuku and Toga were eating hamburgers at a fast-food joint right next to the arcade. Cheap and loaded with salt, just how she liked them! Today has been great. Her only regret is that they won’t be able to do this more often when Izuku goes back to school. “When does UA reopen anyway?” she said in between large bites of her meal.

The green-haired boy swallowed his food before answering her. “Well, they said a month, so at least another two weeks”

Himiko stopped chewing, looking at him with a worried expression on her face. “Do you think we will…”

Izuku cut her off. “Whatever happen, I’m sure we will figure it out!” he answered with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. It was hard to think this was the same boy who was stuttering when speaking with a girl not even a week ago. She was pleased to see him take her advice and be more forward. “I’m glad to be your friend, Himiko” he smiled at her.

“I’m also glad…” she slid her hand again toward him, gently tugging at his arm. Her eyes locked with his for a second time. This time, the table was way smaller. They didn’t stand apart, just barely a meter in front of them. Toga giggles as she lifts her hand toward the corner of his mouth, leaning in and wiping some sauce away.

Izuku was caught in her spell for a second time today, also leaning in his eyes, letting go of hers to wander lower toward her lips. He could hear his heart beating inside his ear. Together they got closer and closer…

“Hey, I know you! You’re the crazy kid from the festival!” they were cut off by a stranger, a bit too excited at his realisation. The two of them jolting away from each other. Toga was cursing internally at the guy for ruining the moment, and Izuku was busy trying to make sense of what just happened to him. The two of them turned to face what seemed to be a father and his son; the father was looking incredibly nervous. “My son is a big fan of yours! Tell him how awesome you think he is!” The father said, pulling the boy toward the pair.

“S-sure” Izuku said, looking at the boy. He was so nervous he couldn’t even look him in the eyes, but something felt weird. He didn’t look nervous; he looked afraid. The father was still holding him by the scruff of his neck, and with each movement, the boy twitched.

“H-help m-me…” whispered the boy. Izuku immediately recognized this man was holding the boy hostage, but before he could get up from his chair, the man activated his quirk around the boy's neck, hardening his hand in crystalline material. Izuku sat down.

“And you…” now the man turned toward Himiko, she immediately reached for the knife in her pocket, but stayed her hand when she saw Izuku sit down. “You’re the little traitorous bitch the league wants dead,” he grinned, not letting go of the boy.

Izuku looked around. They were in a mall. There was bound to be a hero he could call for help; maybe if he was fast enough, he could separate them and make a run for it. “What do you want?” his eyes set back to the man, or more accurately, the boy he was holding.

“Follow me and don’t try anything stupid or the boy gets it” his quirk was still active, and he started walking away toward one of the exits, not waiting for them to get up. The two exchanged a look. Toga didn’t want to risk it, but Izuku couldn’t let the boy be harmed, so he got up silently and followed him. Toga didn’t wait long. She sighed and got up after Izuku.

…

The man led them toward a back alley near the mall, and no foot traffic was visible from where they were standing. Surrounding them were many old shops abandoned behind when the mall opened, pushing away local businesses. Izuku was the first to break the silence as they walked. “Who are you? Are you with the League?” he needed as much information as he could gather. The man had a hardening quirk; maybe it was like Kirishima? He seemed different in a way he couldn’t pinpoint.

“You can call me Diamond!” he said with enthusiasm as if he were announcing himself for a match. “As for the League, let’s say I’m just a subcontractor” so he was paid by the league…

“You didn’t answer my question earlier. What do you want?” Izuku and Toga stood ready to fight, but with the kid still in his grasp, none of them dared make the first move.

“Isn’t it obvious already?” he looked disappointed sighting as if he had to explain to him 2+2=4. “To kill you both, obviously. I ain’t going to lie, I don’t know why, and I don’t care, but the price on both of your heads is a pretty good” he scratches his neck as he explained to them he was here to kill them, in the same tone someone tells you about the weather.

They both tensed, stopping in their movement. Izuku raised his fist, and Toga pulled out her knife. “Just us, nobody else?”

The man stopped with them, deciding this spot was good enough, a large empty alleyway for from the public. The perfect place for a murder or two.

“Yep, just the two of you” he let go of the boy, pushing him toward one of the trashcans, and made no effort to stop him from running away. The boy just stood there hiding behind the trash, huddling on himself.

“Before you try anything stupid, see this?” the man in the dirty suit showed him some sort of small device.

“If the boy gets away farther than thirty meters from me, the bomb at his wrist goes off” he put the device back in his pocket. “And don’t even think about breaking it” he silently imitates a bomb going off.

Now, Izuku realised what his plan was. He couldn’t run away if he did; the boy is dead. He didn’t know what to expect; the man was as large as Magne, so he was strong, but another thing perturbed him. When he ended his explanation, he struck a pose very similar to a martial artist, and he didn’t know which one it was. He turned toward Toga.

“Do you know him?” Toga knew vaguely about Diamond, but nothing useful to them right now. An assassin, deadly efficient, his price was way above the pay grade of most crooks. “He is dangerous, watch out; all I know is he has a hardening quirk…” she frowned as the man in front of them just smiled, waiting for them.

“Let’s make it quick.” Without warning, Toga pulled out two more knives, throwing them at Diamond. In turn, the man did nothing as the knife simply bounced off his skin, tearing apart his suit in the process.

Izuku could see him hardening, not his whole body but only the part that was about to be hit. Not wasting time, he slipped into his full cowl 10%, rushing him as the knife hit him. He pulled back his arm and screamed. “CALIFORNIA SMASH!” he hit the man with all the force he could, trying to take him down quickly.

But all he could feel was pain in his hand. He looked down to see it purple and bruised, broken. Looking up, he could see why Diamon had crystallized his body from his arm to his leg, bracing him against the impact. Izuku had hit an unmovable wall with full force; no wonder he broke something. The dirty man grinned. “My turn”

Before Izuku could back off, Diamond was on him, taking him by his shirt and maneuvering him over and under him, tossing him to the ground. Judo, his martial art, was Judo! The green-haired boy tried to move him and get away, but his aggressor took him into a leg lock, hardening his leg, creating an unbreakable hold on him.

“Checkmate…” he raised his fist, ready to crush his skull, but was stopped when Himiko came rushing at him, knife aimed at his head. Diamond simply raised his head and hardened his skull. Her knife broke on it, but that gave her just enough time for her to pull Izuku from the leg lock; luckily, he hadn’t made it very tight.

 “You’re right, Toga, he is dangerous. One bad move and we are screwed” The boy quickly got up, facing his opponent, and he took his time to get up.

“We should Izuku run his is our worst matchup, nothing we do affects him” she was right, the man tanked 10% of one for all and didn’t even flinch. His hardening was way harder than Kirishima's or Tetsutetsu's. He looked at the boy near the trash, still huddling on himself, but for one second, he could see his eyes filled with fear. He had the same look as Koda back at the camp.

“I can’t…” Toga turned toward him. She loved him, but he was going to kill himself right now for some random kid. “Sure, you can! Come on, Izuku, run with me, we can’t take him!” desperation was apparent in her voice. In less than a minute of fighting, he had already broken his hand.

“No, because hero never lets anyone behind!” he charged up to 20%, electricity crackling around him, Diamond whistle at the display of power. He had to try.

“I’m sorry, Himiko…” with this, he charges back in, Toga shielding her eye from the wind displaced by his movement.

Just like that, he was back into the fray. Diamond stood ready for him, taking his usual stance. Instead of his fist, Izuku hit him with the palm of his hand; each hit barely pushed Diamond, who kept blocking by simply hardening at the right time. At least he didn’t break his hand this time.

 After each hit, Izuku dodged some form of grapple; if he grab him, it was over. Hit, dodge, hit, hit, weave, he slowly got into a rhythm. Even at 20% he couldn’t damage him, each hit barely leaving an impact on the man. Suddenly, from behind him, he saw Toga trying to take advantage of his blind spot, sliding out more of the broken exacto knife, only to be met by crystal.

Diamond spun around, taking Himiko by her wrist, hardening his hand around it, and swinging her toward Izuku. He was forced to back away so as not to get hit. Ending his swing, he slammed her against the pavement at his feet, raising his left foot and pointing it toward her head, hardening it. In a swift motion, he tried to spear her head with his foot but missed when Izuku kicked his foot aside, lodging it in the road next to Himiko's head. He tried to lift his foot, but it was stuck. Toga swiped at his other foot only to meet the same crystal barrier.

The assassin let go of Toga, who rolled away next to Izuku. Then he used both his hands to pull his leg from the ground, taking a second to dust himself off.

“I must say, you guys are something. First time someone stays this long without dying, congrats!” this guy wasn’t even sweating. The duo was starting to pant from their exhaustion. 20% was taking a toll on his body, and a brush with death made Himiko a bit nervous. Izuku was thinking; his hardening was different from the other he had seen. Whenever he hardened some part of his body, he couldn’t move it. If he wanted to stay mobile...

“Himiko aims for his joint” Toga didn’t get it, but she trusted Izuku.

“Oh? You figured it out?” he said, stretching his back, barely phased his secret was out. “Yeah, whatever I harden, I can’t move it” to prove it, he hardened a crooked finger and tapped it, locked in. He then took back his fighting pose.

Except this time, he didn’t wait; he took the initiative. Hardening his forearm and hand, he swung at the teen, slicing through the wall they were standing against. Grapple wasn’t the only thing dangerous about him; his whole body was basically a weapon. As she dodges, Himiko aimed at his elbow with her knife.

He managed to harder it in time, locking his arm. Izuku took the initiative and grabbed the crystal limb, before he could counterstrike, Izuku threw him against the ground in a manner similar he was thrown earlier. Before Diamond hit the ground, he crystallized his whole back, tanking the large swing. The kids left no time for him to think, as Himiko was back at it this time, trying to slice his throat open. She managed to nick him, letting out a droplet of blood.

Seeing this, Diamond reached out to grab both of them, but they backed away before he could grab them. He rose from the ground quickly this time, touching his neck, seeing the tiny drop of blood.

“Ohoho…” he started laughing darkly.

“You are so dead bitch…” his eyes locked onto the girl. She simply smiled back.

“Next time it's going to be your jugular, pebble boy.”

Himiko was starting to get into the rhythm, but something was off about her. Her smile grew and grew as she stared at the bloodied blade, manic energy replaced confidence. Moreover, she needed more blood. She charged at him, ignoring the protestation of Izuku, laughing maniacally, slicing and dicing, trying to open the geode in front of her. Izuku tried to get in, but her slash was wide and could hurt him. Slowly, she pushes Diamond back, not leaving him an opening to strike.

“HAHAHAHAHAH!!!” She had gone fully berserk.

Izuku knew this was bad, but he didn’t know what to do in this state she could harm him. He had to try something. As Toga was slicing at her opponent wildly, Izuku came from behind her and tried to pull her off in the hope of calming her.

Instead, as he pulled on her shirt, she swung back, leaving a gash on his face just under his right eye. Her mania was quickly replaced by worry. In her mental breakdown, she hurt Izuku.

“I’m sorr-…” Diamond didn’t miss his opportunity, and, holding his hand flat and hardened, he stabbed her in the guts, skewering her. Izuku was able to pull her back, but the damage was done. She lay in his arm, spitting a glob of blood on him. Izuku panicked.

“TOGA!!” she couldn’t answer, blood already in her throat; she felt so weak right now. All she could see was Izuku crying over her removing his shirt, trying to stop her blood flow.

So many things are happening in his head right now: worry, anger, and sadness. Emotion mingling together all at once as he looked at the girl bleeding out in his arm, he tried to tell her all would be fine, but his throat clenched shut. He could only cry as she was dying; he was a useless hero, not able to save Himiko when she needed him the most.

One emotion stood above the rest when he looked at Toga right now.

Love.

Diamond took the time to wipe the blood off his arm with his shirt. A pathetic sight in front of him as he watches the boy cry over the maniacal bitch. “Honestly I think I’ve done you a favor, kid. She wasn’t right in the head this one.” He looked as the boy stopped trembling

Izuku remembered, he remembers who did this to Himiko, and suddenly all the love he was feeling was replaced by another feeling.

Rage

His rudimentary bandage applied to Toga, he got up, unshaken. “You ok, kid? You like yo-…”

“Shut up” whispered Izuku. Diamond grinned; a pissed opponent is a stupid opponent.

“Sorry, I meant to sa-…” he didn’t finish his phrase as he was speed blitzed by the teen eating a punch in the guts. He didn’t have time to harden and was sent right through a wall.

“Shit” he stumbled out of the hole, hardening most of his body in case the boy came back for more. He had taken a bad hit he could feel the blood in his mouth.

This felt good for Izuku. He wanted more; he wanted to hurt this man, watch him suffer, but he needed to be intelligent about it. His quirk hardened his body to the point of being as hard as a diamond. He probably won’t get another shot like this. How could he hurt something unbreakable? Could he harden all his body, his organ? Maybe, but if he does that… That's it!

Izuku had a plan, a reckless, stupid plan, but still a plan. He waited as his opponent got out of the building, he had been sent in. “I've got to admit, you pack a punch, kid. Too bad it’s the last one you’ll land on me” he took back his fighting pose.

…

Behind him, the kid had seen everything. He couldn’t believe it, the green guy was strong, he could win! He looked as both took fighting stance, sizing each other and suddenly they were back at it. This was like watching an action movie; he couldn’t believe his eyes.

He was snapped out of his trance when he heard the bleeding girl cough beside him. He didn’t know what to do, but he had to try something. He ran toward her and looked at her wound, and panicked. There was so much blood. What was he supposed to do? “Izu-..ku-..” she said in between coughing. The kid saw the boy use his shirt; maybe he could do the same. He took off his shirt and pushed it on her belly, trying to make the blood disappear. “I-I’ll s-save y-you m-miss!”

For Himiko, this was a weird experience all around her. She felt a buzzing sensation mixed with cold. She looked toward the little boy in front of her, crying. He had plain, brown hair, a round face, nothing special. Still a total stranger helping her, if she could, she’d laugh. She taught only Izuku could ever care about her, well, now look at her now making friends…

…

Izuku was still caught in his fight, hitting the man with all he had. He had one chance to enact his plan, and if he misses, he will be dead. He was pushing him back bit by bit. Come on! “Nice try, kid but this does not affect m-..” Diamond stop has he felt the curb behind him sending him tumbling backward. “NOW!”

He ignored the pain in his hands and started sending him a left hook, followed by a right hook, hitting him right in the face. Diamond was confused. “That was his plan, hitting me in the face?” he blocked both hits with his hardening, crystallising down to his neck to brace for the impact, each of them sending him left and right. “And now he’ll aim for the guts” Keeping one eye intact, he watches as he charges another left hook. He hardened his body, waiting for the next blow, but it never came to the gut.

Izuku sent his left back to his head! Then a right, then a left, then a right, then a left again and again and again. “What is he doing!?” Each hit sent his unstable body left and right. Shaking him all over. “This is a joke? Does he think he can break me?”

Then he felt it, his whole world shaking. What was happening? Never in his career did he feel that. Poison? Drugs? No, no, no. This was not a trick; somehow, this boy was hurting him, HOW? He felt a left followed by another right aimed at his head.

“I GET IT!”

This boy wasn’t aiming at his head; he was aiming inside! His brain is the only thing he can’t harden. This boy was trying to give him a concussion from his grey matter bouncing inside his cranium, but… each hit, he tore his hands apart. This is an endurance game to see who breaks first.

Izuku could feel his hand crying in pain. He had suffered so much already, but he couldn’t stop! Not until he released his quirk! Left, right, left, right. “DEMPSEY SMASH ROLL!”

A barrage of hits, one rolling into the other, came his way. Diamond endured each hit, never giving his brain a second to relax. He was about to break when all of a sudden…

CRACK!

Izuku Midoriya just broke his left arm, snapping it under the stress of all the successive hits.

CRACK!

Followed by his right forearm, Izuku had now broken both his hands and arms. He couldn’t punch anymore. This was over for him. Diamond couldn’t help but laugh internally, “YES I WIN-…”

*THUMP!*

“Another hit? How!? He broke both his arms. What the FUCK is he hitting wit-…” he was suddenly hit again by the boy in his confusion, he looked and saw…

“I HAVE LEGS!!!” Izuku screamed, continuing his barrage of kicks left and right again and again. He could see his hardening sputtering out of control. As Izuku kicked him with his left foot, he saw his opening. A lapse of control from Diamond, his body was wide open!

“NEW YORK SHOOT STYLE!!!” and with his battered right foot, he landed a devastating blow, sending his opponent flying up into the air. Diamond had no idea what was happening. He couldn’t tell his left from his right nor his up from his down. He realized too late that he was crashing down and landed face-first into the dumpster next to the kid, who screamed at the sudden landing.

With his opponent down, Izuku let out a primal cry of victory!

Suddenly, he could feel all the pain hit him at once and fell face first into the pavement, unable to stop himself. He could only lift his head to see Himiko still on the ground with the kid pushing down on her open wound, and then he passed out.

…

“What a mess…” a woman finally opened the door of her establishment to find most of the street in front of her shredded apart, with holes, and trash everywhere. She was somewhat tall, probably in her forties, and her brown hair was long, reaching her waist. Her face was tired with permanent bags under her eyes; a single mole was underneath her left eye. She was also wearing a lab coat over her everyday clothes. The tired woman could hear from the other side the fight going on, and seeing the damage, she was glad she hadn’t opened earlier.

Now, all there is a brat, an unconscious brat, a bleeding brat, and a hobo in the trash. “Great…” she looked at the poor soul lying in front of her and let out a long sigh.

“Hey, you” she shouted to the little boy, trying to stop the bleeding. “M-me?”

“I don’t see anyone else conscious. What happened?” she let out, bored, her tone barely affected by what she saw.

“I-its.. I w-wa-… he…” the kid tried to speak, but clearly, he was shocked by what happened he could barely string two words together. “Never mind. Help me move them inside.”

“He-… W-wh-…” He stuttered some more, unsure of what was happening.

The woman was annoyed by the boy. “Never mind that. sigh JOHN! WE GOT CLIENTS!” she shouted behind her. The boy looked at the door and then saw the biggest man he had ever seen. He must have been seven feet tall, and he was built like a tank. Without speaking, he walked toward the boy towering over him. The kid couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread as the man slowly reached toward him. He closed his eyes, awaiting his imminent doom, only for the large man to pick up the unconscious girl next to him and walk back toward the woman. “W-what a-are y-you d-doing?!” he shouted, afraid for the fate of his saviors.

“My job. I’m a doctor now. Get in before the police come in,” said the bored woman.

Chapter Text

The green teen didn’t know where he was standing; his whole world had gone dark, unable to see beyond the vast emptiness in front of him. His whole body felt as if he were floating in a dark ocean. He looked down, up, left, and right, but nothing discernible stood; he was alone. His first thought was that if he were dead, it certainly felt like it. His second thought was about Toga last time he saw her, she was bleeding profusely on the ground life leaving her eyes.

Just thinking about it was making him sick; he felt a lot of emotion about her, and none of it made sense to him right now. “Izuku…” a soothing voice came from behind him.

He turned to find Himiko floating in the vast darkness with him, smiling. He smiled back and tried to get to her, but the more he tried getting closer, the farther she was getting away from him. He tried harder but was met by the same futile result.

Suddenly, blood erupted from her mouth, her cardigan tainted by the same crimson liquid, and she didn’t stop smiling at him. Her face was at peace despite the vast quantity of blood she was losing.

Izuku couldn’t do anything but watch as the blond in front of him slowly died. He tried running, floating, punching his way toward her, but each time he tried, she only got farther and farther.

With tears in his eyes and his heart in his throat, he cried out one last time. “Himiko, I lo-…”

…

Pain.

Pain was the first thing Izuku felt when he woke up, a sharp stinging pain inside his leg. He shot up at 90 degrees, yelping as the pain quickly spread into the rest of his body. He looked down to find a large syringe stuck in his inner thigh, held firmly in place by a large, broad man with an expression someone could only describe as bored. He had a plain face with no discernible features, emotionless eyes looking directly at him. Izuku tried to speak but was stopped when the pain finally reached his arm. He couldn’t describe the immense agony coursing through him; it was like he was suddenly set on fire.

As quickly as he stood up, he lay down, gritting his teeth. He could feel his fractured arms, hand, and fingers snapping and creaking back together, each of them bringing him new, unimaginable pain. He tried to scream, but the man next to him simply put a large hand over his mouth, stopping him from voicing his discomfort. As he sensed his hand snapping back together, he couldn’t hold it in and bit the man's hand, trying to resist the urge to scream.

The large man didn’t move, keeping his hand and the same unfazed face throughout the boy's ordeal. It was as if he didn’t even know he was biting him.

After what felt like hours, the pain finally subsided, leaving him panting and sweating on what he could now recognise as some sort of operating table. When he calmed down, the man next to him calmly removed his hand from the boy's mouth; he was bleeding from the palm. “W-where am I?” asked the teen through his ragged breathing.

The hulking man didn’t reply, simply reaching next to him to pull out… an apple? He was offering it to him with no emotions. “N-no thanks…” said a confused Izuku.

The man simply shrugged and took a bite from the fruit, still locking eyes with him. Izuku watched in amazement as the bite on the man's hand closed rapidly as soon as he started eating. “A healing quirk?” he thought.

Now, no longer in horrible pain, the green teen took a look at his surroundings. He was in what seemed to be a clinic. Various medical equipment of all genres was spread around the room; he couldn’t name most of it. The place had a stench of bleach and lemon, creating an air of sterility. The light cast over the whole room lifeless white light and he couldn’t see any window leaving out of the room only two doors on the opposite side of the room.

Near one of the machines he couldn’t name, he could see Diamond, unconscious and bound in heavy chains. He was also surprised to see the boy he saved right next to him, opposite to the large man; he was surprised he didn’t see him earlier. “Where are we?”

The man still refuses to talk to him, so the boy responded to him instead. “We are at the d-doctor. He is the one who brings you in.” He quickly pointed at the man.

“His name is John” the boy clarified.

Izuku slowly remembered what happened; his day with Toga, the man interrupting them, the frightened boy, their fight, Toga being injur-…

“Where is Himiko!” he cried in concern. He remembered how he left her on the ground bleeding; the worst was going through his mind, unsure of what had happened to his friend.

Before anyone could answer him, the door opened. Walk-in was a tall woman with the same look of boredom as the man now known as ‘John’. She was wearing what looked like a medical gown with a sterile mask on her face, and her hands were… oh my God, her hands were drenched in blood! “WH-…”

“Stop yelling, kid, I already heard you when I walked in, jeez” she responded, her voice visibly annoyed by the boy's overly concerned attitude.

“Your little girlfriend is fine, I just finished operating on her” the doctor walked towards the faucet, cleaning her hands before removing her surgical attire.

“Operating? What happened!” he couldn’t help but shout his words at the doctor, she was visibly rolling her eyes in the back of her head, done with the teen antics. She sighted. “Her lower bowels were pierced, and I had to clean the area and stitch back her inside. It took me 3 liters of blood to keep her stable, but she will make a recovery in the coming days.”

“Oh… That’s good to hear…” he suddenly realised what she called her. “S-she i-is not m-my g-girlfriend!” he couldn’t help but turn red at the insinuation from the woman in front of him, shrinking back in his seat.

“Don’t care. So, tell me how much you have in your pocket?” she turned toward him, blatantly stating her question.

“I-… Uh…” He patted himself down, looking for his wallet, unsure of why she wanted to know. “I-I have 700 yen?” he stated, still unsure what this was about.

“Damn! Why does every damn person I saved end up dirt poor?” She reached into her pocket, taking out a cigarette before lighting it. “At least your buddy was more generous than you kids” she gestured at the restrained assassin near the wall.

“Wait! He paid you?” Izuku stated, even more confused.

“Nah, I picked his pocket while he was out cold…” her expression showed no remorse as she took a drag from her cancerous stick. “The guy had a sizeable sum on him”

Izuku couldn’t help but feel a cold sweat drip from the back of his head. What kind of clinic would pickpocket its customer? Something was fishy about this place, to say the least. As he questioned the ethics of the medical professionals of this establishment, Diamond started grunting visibly, getting awake. “Wh-… Where am I?”

“Heya, thanks for your generous donation to the Dr Akemi clinic” bluntly said the woman standing over Diamond. “Since those two had nothing…”

“Wait… WHAT!” Diamond visibly started panicking, unable to reach into his pocket because of the chains around him, but also not able to sense the wads of cash in his pockets. “You fucking bitch! Gimme back my money before I choke you out!” The assassin was enraged to be robbed.

“John, the patient is irrational. Sedate him” she simply turned toward the large man next to the boys, clearly unimpressed by the display of aggression.

John stood up from his seat, making his way to the bound man. He cocked his fist backward and delivered a strong blow to the man's head. Unfortunately for him, Diamond saw this coming and used his quirk to harden his skull. The fist of the large man shattered onto the invincible defence, leaving most of his bones broken inside his hand. Diamond simply smirked at the self-inflicted wound.

“Good luck, dumbass, you can’t hurt me, and when I’m free, I'll make sure to break the other too.”

The man didn’t even flinch as he looked at his mangled limb. He simply walked toward Izuku and took another apple from the bowl next to him. As he bit into it his hand quickly healed as if he had never been injured in the first place.

The woman now identified as Dr Akemi simply let out a long puff of smoke from her lungs, shaking her head in disappointment. “Why must I do everything around here…” With no enthusiasm, she wrapped the head of Diamond to the leather straps of the machine next to him. He tried to stop her but was unsuccessful in his effort.

“What the fuck you think you’re doing, lady?” asked a now amused Diamond. Whatever she was doing was futile; nothing she did could hurt him.

“Apologized to my husband!” she stated, her hand on the knob of the machine, ready to turn it.

“Suck my-…” before he could finish, she turned the knob of the machine, vibrating the belt at an alarming rate, sending powerful vibration directly into the skull of the man. Izuku now recognises the machine, it was the same he saw in some old movie at the gym. This machine supposedly toned the body by shaking it, which was proven false a long time ago.

He tried to harden, but he couldn’t stop the vibration. After about two minutes of this, he slumped against the wall, foaming at the mouth. He looked worse than after taking a beating from Izuku. “Don’t worry about the money this guy had enough in his pocket to cover for all of your treatment.”

“Who… Who are you?” Izuku couldn’t help but ask what kind of doctor she was. He wasn’t sure if her intention was pure or if he was out of the loop just yet.

“Dr Akemi Stuart, and this is my husband and assistant, John Stuart” her husband simply raised his hand in a friendly manner to introduce himself, finishing his apple.

“Why did you help us?”

“Why not?” she shrugged. “You four were in front of my business, mangled and bruised. Should I have left you there?”

“N-no I…” he cleared his throat. “I meant, thank you for everything” Izuku bowed from his seat.

“Don’t mention it” she put out her cigarette. “Now tell me why you were fighting in my alley”

“It’s a long story…” Izuku wasn’t sure he could trust the doctor in front of him, even if she saved Himiko. How would she react if she knew she was a criminal? Could he say to her that the assassin was sent after them because of the league of villains, that he was aiding her?

“They saved me!” the younger boy said with conviction. “This man he… He kidnapped me at the arcade, he said he needed help with something… and he-he brought all of us here to try to kill us.”

The boy suddenly remembers a crucial part of the story. “THE BOMB! It’s still wrapped on my wrist!?!” he started panicking, gripping the beeping bracelet lock onto his arm. Izuku also started panicking both looking around for something to disarm it.

“Good thing I also took his keys” the doctor pulled from her coat a small individual key. She walked to the boy with no rush and with her newly acquired key, twisted it into the lock. The bracelet fell to his feet with a silent thud, stopping its incessant beeping. “Easy peasy”

The boy stared at his wrist with an expression of pure joy. Then tears started pouring out. Not even two hours ago, he was sure he would never-ever see his mom again or his family, and now he could regain hope. The boy threw himself into the woman's arms of crying tears of relief, soaking her lab coat. Amused, she dragged her hand through his scalp, slowly calming the boy, and for the first time since he saw her, she smiled.

Izuku knew at this moment he could trust her, she had the same smile as him when saving people, the kind of smile only a hero could give. “Dr Stuart?”

“Mmmh?” she lifts her eyes toward the boy, regaining her usual bored look. The boy was still crying in her coat.

“The reason we fought in the alley was…” he hesitated for a brief second. “This man was sent by the league of villains to hunt us.”

Akemi looked at the boy, her expression unreadable. The league of villains? Sure, she heard of them, a dangerous terrorist group hellbent on destroying the symbol of peace, All Might. Why would they engage someone to kill two high schoolers? Something didn’t add up.

“Let’s not talk in front of the boy, young man. Follow me to my office, and you can tell me more about it there.” She let go of the little boy in her arms and pushed him toward her husband. The large man was quick to offer one of his fruits to the boy, who accepted promptly the gift. Izuku tried to get up but stumbled a bit out of his bed. He wasn’t done healing entirely, but still, he followed her toward her office.

The inside was what a usual office looks like, the kind anyone thinks of when you mention the word. A desk, computer, two chairs, various diplomas hanging from the wall, and various cabinets. The only things of notice were a picture of her and her husband smiling together in what was their marriage ceremony, and another picture on the wall of her and various medical colleagues posing in front of a hospital, in the corner, with various signatures.

She sat down at the desk, gesturing for him to sit in front of her, pulling out of her desk a thermos and two cups. “Want some?”

“N-no I don’t like coffee”

“It's hot chocolate, I think coffee is too bitter” she said, pouring herself a cup of the still hot liquid.

“I’m fine, thank you”

“So, tell me…” she paused, awaiting an answer.

“Midoriya, Izuku Midoriya.”

“So, tell me, Midoriya, why are you being chased by a murderer, and who is the girl?” she drank from her cup, setting aside the other one.

“Like I said, it’s a long story…” the boy scratched at the back of his head.

“I’m not going anywhere” without looking at him, she opened her computer. Typing away at the screen.

Izuku paused again, taking a second to regain his composure. “Well, I kind of escaped from them a week ago, so I don’t think they took it too well”

The woman typed more at her keyboard and paused, turning her attention toward him. “I knew I saw you somewhere. You’re that UA student everybody talks about” she turned her screen toward him, showing an article about the curious kidnapping of Izuku Midoriya and his stranger reappearance. “Still, I understand why they are after you, but what about the girl?” she put her elbows on her desk, giving him an inquisitive look.

“She… she is… I don’t know” he didn’t want to betray her. After all, even if the woman saved both, there is no telling what she will do with Himiko if she finds out about her villainous past.

Dr Akemi kept her eyes on the boys; he was doing all in his power to avoid hers. He was lying. She went back to her computer, pulling out files from some document until she got to a video. A video surveillance of just outside her shop two hours ago, and I clicked on play. Together, they looked at the footage of the teens fighting against Diamond, them arguing, Toga's bloodlust-induced rampage, and his reaction to being taunted by the murderous assassin. As the video played, Izuku kept sinking deeper and deeper into his chair. The gig was up, he couldn’t play the innocence card about his relationship with Himiko.

“So, tell me again who she is? I’m no expert, but I don’t know many teenage girls who can wield a blade like this…”

“She’s…” he let out a deep breath; he couldn’t hide it. “She’s the one who freed me from the league”

“And?” He clearly knew more about her.

“She was one of the league members responsible for my kidnapping…” he just let down his eyes as he said that, defeated.

Akemi heard lots of things during her career, but never something like this. “So why are you hanging out with a known criminal, Midoriya?” she still needed more information about them.

“When I was kidnapped, she was the one assigned to guard me. She wasn’t the most stable individual; she even stabbed me” he let out a chuckle as he told his frankly unfunny story. “But I saw something in her she… she looked lost.” He raised his eyes to the doctor, almost pleading for her to understand.

“I made her a promise… that we would be friends once we escaped. That we would hang out.”

“This doesn’t seem like the best idea...” Dr Akemi retorted, still studying the boy's face.

“It wasn’t…” He agreed. “But I still kept my promise,” Izuku smiled, thinking about the good and less good times they passed together.

“And?”

“She wasn’t a crazed psychopath, she was just… a girl, someone lost, someone who was wronged in life and took the path of least resistance” Izuku broke their stare to look away, lost deep in thought.

 “I don’t want her to go to prison for what she’s done to me. I want to help her. I want to be there for her, so please, Dr. Akemi, don’t tell the police about us!” he bowed as low as he could, begging for her to understand him, even if he was biased.

The woman stood from her elbow, straightening into her chair, a passive look of what seems indifference placated on her face. He wasn’t sure if he dug his grave. “Well, I must say from all my clients, your story is definitely the most unusual.”

Izuku still wasn’t sure if he was out of it.

“Tell me, young man” she turned her gaze toward the screen, clicking on the video, winding it back a couple of minutes. In front of him, he saw Toga laughing maniacally, slicing at her opponent, then him pulling on her, and finally, his face was slashed open. She paused the video, sparing him the next moment as her belly was slashed wide open, the thought of it already grasping at his heart. His hand subconsciously slides to his left side of his face, almost expecting a scar, but finds nothing. “Is this the face of someone sound of mind?”

“… No…” was all he could muster, his attitude shifting down.

“At least you are not a fool,” the doctor sighed, throwing her head back into her chair. Today was supposed to be her weekend instead she is now the couple counsellor for a teenage boy and his psycho girlfriend. But she would be lying if she said he didn’t understand him. During her career, she has seen many people come and fly by her for help concerning mental and physical distress, and by the look of it, the curious case of Himiko Toga didn’t seem to her to be a lost cause. Sure, her crazy, violent spur was erratic, but during their fight, she’d shown signs of cooperation and rationality. “I won’t tell the police…”

Izuku perked up at this, lifting his head toward her. “You won’t? Thank you-…”

“…But…” there was always a but.

“Yes?”

“She is staying with me for a psychological evaluation. I will be the one who deemed her fit or not fit, mentally.” The doctor stated. This was not a question for him to answer, just a simple fact.

“I-I guess that’s fair…” Izuku just stood there. “Will I be able to come visit her?”

“I guess, since you now know where my clinic is, I cannot stop you” she pinched the bridge of her nose. The thought of having to deal with a worried teenage boy wasn’t the most comforting feeling. “The visiting hours are between 1 pm and 4 pm”

“Thank you!” Izuku stood up and bowed once more, grateful to the woman for giving them at least a chance to prove themselves. A question was still plaguing him. “I-I meant to ask, but what exactly is this place?”

“A clinic…” she deadpanned.

The boy cleared his throat and clarified his question. “I k-know that… But what kind of clinic tries to stay hidden?”

“The underground kind…” again she didn’t expand on his question. She looked at him, his face showing a visible discomfort at her answer. “Look, kid, this is technically not the most legitimate business around. if I’m being honest, your girlfriend isn’t the first criminal I treated”

“S-she i-is not m-my g-girlfriend?!’

“Sure, it’s not like I could call the cops even if I wanted to, so don’t worry about her. She is safe here,” she ignored his flustered clarification.

Ignoring his reddened cheeks, Izuku simply accepted her explanation, knowing he wasn’t exactly standing on the high ground when it came to judging someone's morals right now. “And what was that thing you injected in me, the liquid in the syringe?” Thinking about it he never felt anything similar in his life, the healing was quick but also excruciatingly painful.

“This is the sweat of some provider in China with a healing quirk. The stuff isn’t cheap, but you’re lucky the guy you beat up had enough to cover for both of you.” Her face showed no sign of any reaction.

“WAIT! The sweat!?!” the thought of some person running on a treadmill, sweating profusely, jumped into his mind. He shudders thinking of the implications of what she was telling him was true.

“Don’t sweat about it…” the vague outline of a smile formed on the woman's face.

“Was that a pun…”

“Get out of my office” and just like that, it was gone.

Izuku stood up, this time without wobbling, and made his way toward the door. On the other side, he could see John and the boy on one of the tables, coloring book in hand; it seemed he was doing rather well despite his situation. “One more thing…” came from behind him.

Izuku turned toward the doctor. “Yes?”

She gestured toward the unconscious Diamond. “Can you take out the trash…”

“What about the boy?”

“Don’t worry, John will take care of him”

“…” Izuku stood there like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Not like that!” she grumbled.

…

Now outside, the heavily chained assassin hung over his shoulder (The doctor gave him a good shake just to be sure). Izuku made his way toward the nearest police station. He was jumping from roof to roof with his quirk, making sure he didn’t draw any more attention for the day. As he landed near the building, something crossed his mind. Should he take the credit for taking him down?

If he did, surely the police would ask him questions, and there is no way he could lie to the police. It was already a miracle they didn’t take his deposition after he was freed from the league of villains, stating his heavily medicated self and traumatizing experience at the time. But now there is no way he could avoid questioning.

On the other hand, the league sends an assassin after both of them; there is no telling what they will do in the future. Would they send another one? Would they go after him more indirectly? What if they target his friends, his family, his mother? Surely the police could protect them if he told them about what happened today, but what if they learn about Himiko?

This question was tormenting him, on one hand, his loved ones, on the other, Toga. He didn’t want to sacrifice any of them for the other. The man on his back started grumbling, slowly coming back from his torpor. Izuku couldn’t wait anymore; he had to make a choice.

He jumped into an alley next to the police station, making sure no camera could see him, and gently laid the man against the precinct. Jumping from wall to wall, he made his way toward one of the roofs near him and made a call to the authorities, leaving an anonymous tip about the strange man bound in the alley. He watched as some officers ran in and took the man into custody. Feeling he did what he had to do, he found his way down without being spotted and merged into the crowd toward the train station. He was tired and needed to go home before his mother started worrying about him. He had a lot of thinking to do tonight.

He could always go back and tell the police he was the one who caught Diamond if the need arose.

…

“Mom, I’m home, sorry for being late!” Izuku threw his shoe toward the little compartment near the door designed for them. He made sure to calm his nerves before entering the apartment, so he didn’t worry his mother more than he should. His Mom didn’t answer. Maybe she was still shopping? He raised his eyes and met those of his mother, her strict gaze piercing him. “Crap, did I forget something?!”

“Izuku…” she stood at the kitchen counter, her face usually gentle, contorted into a frown. “What is this…”

He looked down at him, expecting maybe he didn’t clean up. Was it blood? No, he was clean, and he showed no scars, what could she be ref-…

Then he saw it, again, this thing will be the death of him. Sprawled on the table near his mother was a bag that was not his, and out of the bag, in his mother's hands, was…

“That damned dress…”

“We need to talk…”

Chapter Text

As Izuku stood in the entrance of his apartment, inside his head, he was beating himself repeatedly. “How could we forget the bag!” in front of him stood his mother, hands still clutching the article of clothing that wasn’t his. He was screwed, he could never lie, even less to his mother. “Izuku Midoriya…”

There it was, the last words he’ll hear before his death, maybe he should have just lost to Diamond in that back alley, it would have been probably less painful than what was happening right now. His body was stiffening; his mother could visibly see the sweat pouring out from every pore of his body. His face was twisted in a wobbly grin, doing its best to seem innocuous. “Y-y-yes m-mom?”

“Are you…” the final nail in his metaphorical coffin; he could only gulp as Inko asked him the final question of his life.

 “Are you crossdressing?”

“…”

“WHAT NO!!” the boy quickly broke down into a twisting mass of limbs each of them shaking, telling his mother no. Where did that come from?! Just thinking about it was sending him a mental image of himself in the dress. “Oh my God, I’m killing it… WAIT STOP BRAIN!” this was a subject for him to unwind later; for now, he needed to clear this mess.

“No, I-I’m not!”

“Then what is it doing in your room?” retorted his mother, still not satisfied (convinced?) of his answer. She rummages through the bag, pulling out more feminine clothing attire from it. “Explain it to me right now!”

Izuku thought long and hard about it. His other option was lying or openly telling his mother he sneaked in a girl last night, neither of them particularly more satisfying than the last. In the end, he took a long breath in, calming himself enough to answer his mother’s question. He looked at her deep in her eyes and told her with a straight face.

“I’m crossdressing…” this is better than the alternative…

“Now I know you’re lying!” shot back his now-angrier mother. She may have thought this earlier, but now that he told her, she could tell he was lying. Not only does he not answer, but he dares lie directly in front of him, this boy! “Tell me right now!”

“…” he stayed silent, looking down at his feet.

“Izuku…”

“…” his face started to crack, his discomfort more than visible.

“Did you bring a girl in last night?” she hit it right on the head. He knew it when she saw her son pull up his shirt, trying to hide his beet-red face in it. “Izuku!? How!? I raised you better than this!”

“H-how did you k-know?” he still couldn’t watch his mother in her eyes, still to ashamed of himself.

She couldn’t believe it, her boy, her sweet innocent baby boy, was sneaking in girls in the dark of night right under her nose. For how long did he do that? “First of all, you, young man, are barred from leaving this house until school comes back!”

“But…”

“No may or but!” she shouted. “Second, this morning you opened your door without a shirt, and I know ever since you were a little boy you never slept without one.”

Wait, he didn’t answer his door this morning, that was… Toga. Damnit, he didn’t even think about that; this was the kind of detail only a mother could spot. “And third, I never bought you this bag, and it isn’t All Might themed, so I’m pretty sure it’s not yours.”

This was it; never again could he enjoy freedom in his life. It would take him a camera sending a live feed directly to his mother for him to ever go out again. “Izuku?”

He finally lifted his eye to look at his mother, her scowl had somewhat diminished, replaced by concern. “Did you use protection?”

“…”

“WHAT!!” if he was beet red now, he was glowing. Of course, the first thing she would think was him having sex; what other reason would a boy his age sneak in a member of the opposite sex? Just thinking about it… “STOP BRAIN!”

“Who was it?” inquired his mother.

“…” Izuku was way too embarrassed to try to answer this right now.

“Was it that girl you go to school with? The brunette with the blushed cheek?” Was she mentioning Ochako? It was making sense, after all, she was his closest friend. Surely his mother would assume her first. “I’m calling her parent!”

“WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!” he practically jumped on the phone, but he was too late, his mom had already pulled it in using her quirk. He wasn’t fast enough to stop himself from crashing into the wall next to the phone. As her mom started dialling the number, Izuku stood there powerless to stop her from embarrassing him further. “Just wait until they hear a piece of my mind!”

The phone was already ringing in the hand of his mother; nothing could save him. Nothing except the truth. “Uraraka Construction. How may I help yo-…?”

“WAIT, I’LL TELL YOU, ITS NOT HER!!”

“Who is that? Wait, that voice is that the bo-…” the gruff man on the phone stopped talking as he was cut out by Inko gently tapping on the off button of the device she was holding. “Go on…”

He stood back up, rubbing his sore forehead from hitting the wall. Yet again, He took deep breaths in and deep breaths out. Calming himself the best he could. “There's go nothing…”

“I sneaked in a girl last night because…” he looked down at his mother, not knowing how she would take this news. “She’s the one who saves me from the league…”

When he said that out loud, his mother wanted to shut him up for lying again, but looking deep in his eyes, she knew. “You’... You’re telling the truth?” How could this be? This far-fetched story was the truth. She didn’t want to believe him, yet she couldn’t deny it. She gestured him toward the couch, sitting him down and taking the spot right next to him. Her expression changed toward a more caring than judgmental one.

Izuku fidgeted with his hand; he had to be careful. One bad slip up and that was it for him and Toga, never would his mother permit him to openly see her if she thinks she may be dangerous for him. “When I was captured, she was the one who pulled me out of there. I-… I owed her my life”

“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“She is homeless mom. I didn’t know at the time. Yesterday I brought her in because I wanted to help her.” He continued fidgeting with his fingers. “And… I was scared. I was scared for her. She didn’t have a good life before meeting me there”

He stopped when he felt his mother's hand gently touching his, comforting him. “I thought you wouldn’t get it. That you would throw her back into the street because of it” his eyes started filling up with tears as he pleaded with his mother.

Inko couldn’t believe it. Her sweet boy was willing to disobey her to help a poor homeless girl, the same one who save him. Just like her son, she couldn’t hold it in; she leaned into her son, taking him in her arms, and together they cried, letting out all their emotions. “Izuku…”

“I’m sorry, mom I didn’t want to lie to you I-I was just scared” the boy cried some more into his mother's arms. All this time, hiding it from her was getting to him little by little. It felt so good for him to be able to talk about it openly with his mother; he hated lying to his mother. For now, he could at least share a part of the truth with her, not the whole thing, but parts of it.

“What’s her name?” the matriarch swept a tear from her eye.

“… Himiko” he hesitated to say her full name, but he could at least tell her first name.

“I don’t know if what you did is right, but I guess I should at least hear out the person who saved my baby boy” Inko smiled weakly at her son; this whole thing was a lot for her. Her son could be a handful sometimes, always poking his nose in the business of others, but that was one of the many reasons why she loves him so much. Her daring son, hero through and through. “You are still punished until school begins again”

“Mom!” Izuku let go of his mom, shocked.

“But you can bring your friend over. Let me speak with her, I’ll see if we can manage something for her.” She quickly reassures him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“…thanks” he smiled. He should have seen it coming all his childhood; his mother was nothing but loving and caring toward him.

She let go of his shoulder, clearing her throat. She had a small blush across her face. “And you are sure you two did nothing…”

A beet-red Izuku could only say No over and over again to his mother, still embarrassed she would think so low of him.

“I’m so excited to meet her. I wonder what she is like…”

…

Himiko Toga suddenly woke up. She didn’t lose a second, darting her eyes across the room, trying to figure out where she was. Clearly, she wasn’t dead yet; she looked down at herself to find not her clothes but a hospital gown. She was sitting on an operating table in what seemed to be a clinic.

She opened her gown on the front to see the damage, only to reveal a large scar on her abdomen. She tried to stand up but found herself falling on the floor, barely able to brace herself, bringing with her some of the medical equipment near her in a cacophony.

Now down on the floor, she grits her teeth trying to stand up, sweating profusely at the effort. She was, however, successful in her attempt, supporting herself on the IV stand, still connected to her. Her bare feet echoed throughout the room as she felt her vision spin from what must have been the anesthetic still affecting her. “I have to find Izuku and get out of here…”

As she made her way toward the metal door on the other side, wobbling and trembling, she was finally able to put her hand on the handle, only for it to turn by itself.

From the other side, a titan emerges, or at least a man the size of All Might from her point of view. He was looking down, looking down at her… she scurried herself back into the opposite corner of the room, almost bringing the IV stand down with her. She looked around her to find a Scalpel!

She took the would-be blade in her hand, pointing it menacingly at the man, her eyes filled with fury. There was no time for fear; this was survival. Himiko looked like a caged animal from the man perspective. He slowly made his way into the room and sat down on the chair near the door, pulling out a basket filled with… banana? “Who are you?” whispered the teen.

The man didn’t answer, simply pulling out one of the fruits from the basket and peeling it, but not eating it. His gaze was focused on the girl with the knife.

“Where am I?” WHERE IS IZUKU!?” she screamed the last part. Raising the blade higher toward the man, who simply took a bite from his snack. “You know, being silent is not cute at all…” a smile crept its way toward her mouth, a manic, frenzied smile.

Normally, Toga would try to keep her maniacal tendency under control, but now wasn’t the time. Izuku was missing, and she had no idea where Pebble Boy was hiding. She’ll feel bad when they are out of here. She stood up trembling, the medication was still strong in her veins and walked toward the door, her eyes riveted to the man.

“I’m going out now…” in response, the large man stood, fruit in hand, next to the door, arms crossed. This was her cue.

With all the strength she could gather, she leapt at him, more so stumbled. Knife above her head, she let it down on the man, who simply raised a hand to catch it, impaling him right in the palm. Blood started pouring out, sweet, delicious blood. Again, she stabbed him, aiming between his ribs. He simply shifted his weight to the left, letting the blade stick itself in his arm.

Shoving the fruit he was holding into his mouth, he used one of his hands to grab her wrist holding the blade. With his other arm, he pulled her inside a chokehold by the neck. Not putting enough pressure to choke her, but enough to restrain her. “Let me go, you damn gorilla!”

” I see the patient his awake and well,” entered a woman holding a clipboard and a pencil with the same bored expression as the man holding her. As she entered the man, still holding Toga, sat in his chair. He pinched her hand, making her drop the scalpel. “Good of you to sit down with us”

“Who are you?” now Himiko started panicking.

“I’m the doctor of this fine establishment, and I have some questions for you” she clicked her pen, bringing it to her papers. She sat down on a chair in the opposite corner and crossed her legs. “What is your name?”

“Screw you! Where am I?” she was not about to cooperate with a bunch of lab coats. The woman simply scribbles something and goes back to her questioning. “Do you take medication?”

“I already said screw you!” now she was getting pissed. Just because they pinned her down, they think they can do whatever they want with her, not a chance. Plus, she didn’t answer her most important question. “WHERE IS IZUKU!?”

The doctor looked at her and sigh. She turned a bunch of pages in her clipboard until she found the one she was looking for. Double-clicking her pen, she brought it back to the paper, scribbling another thing. She looked up from her pages and, with no intonations in her voice calmly said the most horrific thing in the world.

“He didn’t survive. Now, does your family have a history of smoking?”

“…what…” her voice trembled her eyes widen. This, this wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true, Izuku was strong he… he saved her, he can’t just die. Can he? “…how…”

The doctor was writing more as she inspected her patient. “Bloodloss” simple as that, no; he died protecting her, or he sacrificed himself for you, just lost of blood. Like so much of her victims.

“…he…hahaha Y-you’re lying, it’s just a big joke right…” Toga laugh, this wasn’t real. She looked at the woman, checking her face for any signs any twitch of her face that could indicate a lie, practically begging her to tell her.

“No,” it never showed itself; she was as straight as a tree.

She slumped into the arm of the man behind her, not having the strength to stand anymore. Izuku was dead. Again, she was alone, back to the same old routine of lying, stealing and killing to survive. Oh, and don’t forget to smile! Nobody loves a gloomy girl. The doctor in front of her just wrote, wrote and wrote some more. Why? What's the point of anything without him? “Have you ever experienced hallucinations?”

She couldn’t take it; with renewed strength, she bit the man's arm holding her in place and drank from it. She could feel her quirk activating as she doubled in size, taking the form of the large man. As she grew, his hold broke and she was free. The door was still open, but she didn’t care. This woman dared to say Izuku is dead; she will pay for this! “I HATE YOU!” She ran at the doctor as fast as she could lounging at her screaming in a voice that wasn’t her own.

But she wasn’t fast enough; the man was faster, and as quickly as she got out of his hold, she was pinned down to the ground at the feet of the hated doctor, hands behind her back. “YOU KILL HIM! YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!” she didn’t care if she didn’t kill him, she just needed to vent to let out all the bad from her system.

The doctor simply scribbled in her notes, barely acknowledging her ‘husband’ once she was done. She looked down at her. “Ok, I think that was enough for today” she stood and started walking out of the door.

“Oh, by the way. I lied; he is alive. He should come visit you tomorrow.”

“What…” Toga skin started melting from her body, leaving behind the petite teenager, still pinned to the ground.

“I’ll be back. I’m writing you a prescription,” and just like that, she left.

What was she saying? Izuku was alive, she lied? But why, why did she say that he died then? She felt the weight in her back slowly getting up, giving her the freedom to stand up by herself. She looked back at the man walking toward the basket of bananas, pulling out two of them. He started munching on one, his wound closing by itself and offered her one.

She sits on the floor, taking the strange offering from the man, still shaken by what just happened to her. Just like the woman, the man exited the room with his fruits in tow, leaving the door for her to get out. Standing up was easier this time.

She made her way toward the door, looking around for any signs of trickery but found none on the other side. There was nothing special, just normal medical equipment and two other doors leading, god knows where. The man made his way toward one of the doors and sat down in the chair near it.

Himiko simply took the chair closest to her and sat down, an expression of loss written all over her face. She didn’t have to wait very long as the woman walked out of the door opposite from her with a paper and a bottle of what looked like pills. “What’s this?” she was still unsure of what was happening right now.

“I’m prescribing you an antipsychotic. I won't lie, this stuff is strong, but it should help you regulate your mood. Now concerning allergy and possibl-…”

“Why are you doing this for me?” Toga looked up. She tried to kill this woman not even five minutes ago, and suddenly she is offering medication. What’s the catch?

The doctor sigh. “If it were only for me, I would have recommended dropping you at the nearest mental hospital.” She pulled out a cigarette from her coat. “You are violent, erratic, unstable and unable to regulate your emotions during duress…”

“Is that why-…”

“Why I tell you the boy was dead? Yes, this was a test to see how you would react without your little emotion regulator, and you failed it.” She lit up her poisonous stick and took a drag from it. “Like I said, if I wasn’t stupid, I would send you away for treatment but…”

“But?”

“The way the boy talks about you makes me hopeful you can get better, so against my better judgment, I’ll try something different” she threw the pills and the paper. Toga catches them looking at them. She saw some blue and red pills and instructions on how much per day she should take.

“Now I’ll keep you under supervision for the first day to see if this medication is adequate for you. Tomorrow we’ll do another test to see if those have an impact on your behaviour. Now, eat you can’t take those on an empty stomach… Scratch that you didn’t answer about your allergy.”

“I have none…”

“Good, now eat and take one of them”

She looked down at what she was holding: a banana, a bottle of pills and a prescription. How could things change so fast in her life? She reluctantly took a bite from her fruit under the careful supervision of the woman and opened the bottle. Could she trust her? Looking up, she could only see the apathic eyes of the doctor staring at her like a parent looking at their child finishing their vegetables. She went back to her pill. “I need to be better… for Izuku…”

And took it.

…Police precinct…

Naomasa Tsukauchi couldn’t believe his luck earlier, an anonymous tipper just told them about a dangerous criminal tied up near one of their police stations. After taking him in, they realized they had just captured Konda Tadasu, also known as ‘Diamond’, one of the deadliest assassins in the whole of Japan, responsible for the murder of at least twenty men and women and rumoured to be responsible for even more.

This should be a good day for anyone in his profession, but his capture brought in a lot of questions. Who caught him? Why deliver him to the authority? Was this a ruse? For now, the criminal was stuck inside one of their jail cells awaiting further instruction concerning his transport and judgment. The detective poured himself a full cup of coffee and made his way toward a colleague. “Any leads on who is responsible for the capture?”

“No, the best we could find is an altercation near one of the shopping centers” responded the intern, typing away at his keyboard.

“What’s the correlation?” he took a sip from his mug.

“Well, some passerby called concerning a noise complaint about what seemed to be a fight in the back alley” the intern pulled out a picture of the empty alleyway. “Our officer found nothing on the scene except…”

Gulping down his coffee, Tsukauchi looked at the man under him. “Except?”

“They manage to find blood from at least two different persons on the scene, but no body. According to the officer, one of them lost a considerable amount of it, the other one fared a lot better than the first”

“Did we manage to identify who it belongs to?” This case was starting to sound fishy.

“No, whoever bled there has no criminal record. So, nothing in our databanks” the intern slouched in his chair, having pulled out all the relevant information he could.

The detective simply let out a long sigh. “Let's have a little chat with our good friend Konda, maybe he can clear things out for us…”

Chapter Text

“What do you mean you’re grounded?”

“Sorry, I can’t come today. My mom won’t let me out of the house…”

This guy, he barges into her office with his busted-up psycho girlfriend, and now he is barred from visiting because of his mother. “Just sneak out. Like every teenager your age…”

Dr Akemi was baffled. Never in her life would she have thought this would be one of her problems. She called the boy using the girl's phone, asking him to be there early for a special test, but now he was stuck at home. “And why are you grounded?”

“It’s a long story…” Izuku truly wanted to be there, but he knew he was already pushing the patience of his poor mother. He couldn’t betray her trust again. “Can’t we do it later?”

“When?”

“In two weeks”

“…” the doctor couldn’t stop the palm of her hand meeting her forehead at mach speed. “I’m not a hotel boy, and you’re the one who asked for visitation!” she was visibly irritated.

“I know, I’m sorry… C-can’t you just send her out?” send her out? Without testing if the medication worked properly, this was begging for an accident. Then again, this isn’t the first criminal she patched up and sent on its merry way. She grunted audibly into the phone, Why are teenagers so hard to deal with?

“Alright, kid, I’ll do what I can…”

“Thank you so much! -…”

“But!”

“But?”

“You need to do what I ask you, no matter how crazy it sound” she didn’t like it, but without him, she couldn’t do all the tests she needed to see if the medication truly dampened her psychotic tendencies.

“…O-ok”

“Good, I’ll text you the details later” with that, she ended the phone call, throwing the phone back to Himiko. The girl wasn’t sure of what was happening, at least she was glad to exchange her hospital gown for her regular clothes, now washed and patched up (crudely).

She watched as the doctor made her way toward the man, now known as John, and let herself fall in his lap face-first. John gently passed his hand through her hair as she let out a guttural sigh.

“I’m so glad we never had children” her voice was muffled by the thick thigh of the man, still comforting the poor doctor.

For her part, Himiko was feeling… good? She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sad nor happy just… there. Is it what being normal feels like? She couldn’t possibly know; her life never had a semblance of normalcy. This feeling wasn’t bad; at least she felt like herself. It was like her whole head was stuck in a cloud.

“So Izuku isn’t coming?” she was disappointed. Was it a good sign? She wasn’t an emotionless robot at the very least.

Akemi turned her head toward her. “No, your boyfriend is stuck at home. Don’t worry, he said he’ll text you later” she decides this was a good time to pick herself up and stood up, against the protestation of her husband, who was enjoying their little moment together. “Well, with nothing better to do, let’s start the test”

She went inside her office and came back with a clipboard, the same one from yesterday. “Now I want you to answer as truthfully as you can. Can you do that?

“Yes” Toga was simply swinging her legs off the counter she was sitting on.

“Good, you didn’t say you were going to kill me, already a good start”

“…”

“No reaction to banters” she noted.

The doctor pointed her toward one of the chairs. The chair was cornered by two other seats facing it. Himiko let herself down and went toward her seat without a fuss. The doctor noted. As she was seated, the couple took place in their own chairs facing her. John leaned toward her fingers laced, and Akemi crossed her legs, clicking her pen. “Any side effect?”

“I feel like my head is stuck in a cloud…”

“To be expected, you just started the medication. Tell me if it persists beyond a week”

“Mhh, mhh” she nodded. Noted.

“Anything else?”

“No, nothing is that normal?”

“Define ‘nothing’” asked the doctor.

“It’s hard to define… It’s just nothing. Usually, I feel more emotion flowing through me if that makes sense” Himiko looked in front of her, gesturing, trying to explain her complicated symptom.

“This anti-psychotic works by blocking your receptors in your brain, reducing the amount of serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin your brain can perceive. Does that reflect your feelings?”

“I guess that makes sense” at least she knew what her doctor was talking about. The doctor noted it.

“Now about that family history of smoking?” the doctor went on with her list.

…

Overall, the written test went well over two hours. A lot of her questions were designed to irritate the patient, making them lose time by repeating various useless queries. Never did Toga show any sign of irritation or anger, a very good sign. “Perfect, we just ended the first and longest part of our test”

“Can I go now?” Himiko was impatient to go see Izuku. During the test, she received a text from him telling her to call once she was done.

“Like I said, we finished the first part of the test, don’t worry, the rest should be quick” she gestured at her husband. He got up and went toward one of the cabinets, foraging through it.

“So how did I do?” she would be lying if she wasn’t curious about the result. The last thing she wanted was to be deemed unfit to go out toward her Izuku.

“We’ll see…” the doctor didn’t lift her eyes from the clipboard, still taking notes.

“So… how did you two met?” after hours of meaningless questions, she was happy to engage in some coffee talk.

“Well, I met your boyfriend when he decided to thrash my front door…” she paused her writing, dropping her papers on a little table near her. Taking the thermos and two cups, pouring herself some hot liquid and gesturing toward Himiko if she wanted some.

“I don’t like coffee… and I was asking about you and your husband”

“It's hot chocolate, and we met twenty years ago at my old job”

“Oh, I’ll take some then!” Akemi poured a cup for the eager girl and give her the hot beverage. Her husband was taking a long time to find whatever he was searching for. “You were colleagues?”

“No, he was my patient”

“Isn’t it illegal to date a patient?”

“Look who’s talking” she took a swing out of her cup.

“Fair…” she followed.

As they both settled down with their beverage, Akemi continued. “He was assigned to me because no other doctor knew what is problem was. They thought he was faking a medical condition to score some free pills”

“Was he?”

“No, he wasn’t; he came to the hospital reporting a loss of sensation in all his limbs and body. Every doctor told him this was a normal part of his ‘food regeneration’ quirk since a lot of regeneration quirk are linked with reduced sensation of pain” she chuckled at the last part, seeing the absurdity of their way.

“So, what was it then” Himiko was becoming curious, seeing the passion the doctor exudes.

“As I found out, my husband is the lucky winner at the gene lottery and suffers from CIP, congenital insensitivity to pain, a rare medical condition that stops someone from feeling pain”

“Is it-...” she was cut off by Akemi

“It is neither deadly nor contagious, but can be passed on through children. One of the many reasons we decided to never have some” she looked back at her husband, still rifling through the cabinets. “Those fools at the hospital wouldn’t even consider the possibility. Ever since quirks became a thing, all unusual conditions are blamed on the quirks themselves, as if every disease vanished with them” she practically spat the last phrase.

The women heard the cabinet closing; John had probably finally found what he was searching for. “Patient can hold a conversation…” the doctor had picked up her notes again.

“Is everything we are doing going to be noted?”

“…” she noted.

As John was coming back, she could see what he was holding: a knife. A large Bowie knife, the kind you see in a movie. Himiko tensed as he got closer and closer, but sat still, waiting. In his other hand, a bowl of peeled and cut kiwis, he liked his fruits. “Now let’s see your reaction to a stimulus” said Dr Akemi.

John lifted his arm and, in a swift motion, sliced his wrist, letting out a steady flow of blood. Toga could feel her face heat up as she looked at the crimson liquid pouring out of his wound. She wanted to reach for it. Gently, she lifted her hand, tentatively getting closer to the blood that was flooding out. She was pulled out of it when she heard the click of the pen the doctor was holding. She remembered the test, what they were doing and backed off into her chair. “Did you feel a pull?”

She hesitated. “N-… yes…” she wanted to lie, she knew if she didn’t pass her test, she wouldn’t let her out of here, and would not be able to see Izuku…

John took a piece a fruit next to him and started chowing down on it, healing himself. Using a towel, he quickly wiped the blood off his arm and the floor. His wife was still scrawling down in her notes. “Well, I’ve reached a verdict”

“And?”

“You are not the craziest criminal I’ve let go in the street, good luck” just like that the both of them got up and went back to their usual activities.

“I-I can go?” she almost couldn’t believe it; she was finally free to go. She could call Izuku, go back to him!

“This drug is not designed to eradicate all your psychotic tendencies, just restrain them. As far as I see, a simple outside stimulus was sufficient to break your trance” Akemi gave her a thumbs up. “I still expect a follow-up in a week; the door is next to you”

Just like that? Himiko almost didn’t believe it. Maybe this was another test? She got up, eyes fixed on the couple busy cleaning various medical equipment, not even looking at her. And made her way, one step at a time, toward the door. When she touched the handle, they didn’t react, so she just got out.

She was out, standing in the same back alley where she and Izuku fought Diamond together. She looked at the bottle of pills she was holding, not sure if all of this wasn’t just an elaborate dream. She pinched herself, and it hurt.

She reached for her phone dialling as fast as she could her friend, her phone rang. “Himiko!”

“I’m out, Izuku! I’m out, I can see you again! The pills worked, I can be normal with you!”

“Really! That's such a good news!”  there was a pause. “About seeing each other…”

She could hear the shift in his voice. “What's wrong…” did he change his mind? Does he not want to see her again?

“My mom wants to talk with you…”

“What…”

…

“I told you, officer, I’m the victim here!” Tsukauchi was listening to the rambling of Konda Tadasu, aka Diamond. And he was about to call quits for the last thirty minutes. This man has been rambling about anything but what was relevant. “That bitch stole my cash!” DING!

“Who are you talking about?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy?” Konda grinned, flashing his diamond teeth to the detective in front of him. “By the way, your ramens are shit”

“Maybe if you tell me what happened in the alleyway, I'll consider buying you some fresh ones from the store next door” this was going nowhere, the detective sighed.

“Nah, bet those are shittier. Don’t you have a sushi shop nearby?” this man was taking this whole situation as a joke, and a joke this was. Even with his lie detection quirk, he couldn’t get any information from him. Instead of answering, he just deflected again and again.

“So, tell me if I’m wrong, you started an altercation in one of the back alleys near the mall. You severely injured one of your aggressors and were ultimately captured by the second”

“I already told you my alibi, see I was busy plowing your mom-…” BUZZ! the detective quirk activated, telling him this was a lie; he didn’t need a quirk for that.

“Let’s cut this interview for today” no way he was losing one more second with this buffoon. He would have a better chance asking a medium for information than talking to this prick. “We’ll talk more tomorrow”

“You sure? I still haven’t told you about my lucky third ball!” BUZZ! yup another lie.

As he was leaving the room, the detective was stopped by his captive's changes of tone. “Or about the contract the League of Villains put out…” DING! A truth? The League of Villains was involved in this case. “Go on…”

“How about some sushi first…”

…

Himiko was stressed. Sure, she had done way worse in the past, but this… This was another genre of stress. She knew one day she would have to meet with Izuku's mother, but she thought it would at least be as his girlfriend! Not his hobo-friend, this was super un-cute!

She was standing outside the apartment building, trying to find her nerves. She took a large breath in and out and pushed on the buzzer under their apartment number. Not a second later, the door hummed, signalling it was unlocked.

She made her way up the flight of stairs until she reached the door of the Midoriya household and, with a twinge of hesitation, knocked. She heard shuffling behind the door, and finally it opened, revealing a mop of familiar green hair.

He looked as if he was about to pass out, a wobbly smile trying to hide his nervousness plastered on his face. No time to talk. “Is this your friend, Izuku? Let her in” this was not the first time she heard his mother, but this time her tone was different or maybe her brain was interpreting things differently because of the stress and pills.

Izuku backed away from the door toward the voice, letting the door ajar for her to enter by herself. She gently pushed it open, revealing the inside of the apartment, just as she remembered. The boy and his mother were sitting side by side on the couch; the former couldn’t even look at her in the eyes, but the latter had hers fixed on her, judging her.

It wasn’t a harsh glare she received, but it might have been a heat ray quirk, seeing how much sweat she could feel at the back of her neck. “Himiko, I presume”

“Y-yes ma’am…”

“Please, you can call me Inko” the woman face relaxed, smiling softly, inviting her to sit down on the armchair next to her. She walked toward and sat down as she was told, straight as she could. “I’ve heard about your situation from my son, but I want you to tell me about it yourself”

“W-well, what do you want to know?”

“I know this is hard for you, dear.” She paused, posing a reassuring hand on her thigh.” Are you really homeless? Where are your parent?”

“Yes…” She looked down, thinking about her parent. This has been years since she thought about them; in honesty, she couldn’t remember their faces anymore. Just the look of fear and disgust they gave her. “As for my parent, I don’t want to see them again, they… weren’t good with me”

“And you don’t have an extended family member that could help you? Maybe an uncle or an aunt?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever met them if they exist” She looked up this time toward her son, Izuku, who had finally decided to look at her now that her mother wasn’t paying him attention. “Your son was the only person who truly cared about me in these last months, I’m so grateful for meeting him”

“He told me you were the one who saved him from these villains. I’m grateful, don’t mistake me, but…” her voice betrayed her curiosity. “What were you doing there? This was hardly a safe place for a person such as yourself”

Now it was showtime, no way in hell could she tell her the truth. At least she knew how to lie, and if she did the talking, they should be alright. “You see, I was looking for food near one of the shops in the back alley near Kamino, I hadn’t eaten for days…” Time to cast the line.

“You poor thing. Wait here, I have some Katsudon in the fridge for you” hooked! Now to reel it in. She waited as her caring host went to the fridge to grab her a bowl and heated it for her. Now, hot bowl in hand, she could continue her story.

“Thank you…” she took a bite from it. Holy shit that was good! She couldn’t stop her face from displaying how content she was about her food right now, something the matriarch caught on, making her smile. “So, as I was saying…”

“I was walking in the back alley when suddenly I heard a sound coming from one of the basement windows, lo and behold, Izuku was tied up in a chair…”

“Oh my!” she couldn’t hide her shock just thinking about her poor baby already made her tear up. For his part, Izuku was glad his mother was focused on Toga, or she would have seen the uncomfortable look he gave to the girl. She must teach him how to lie…

She continued. “He wasn’t alone, so I waited for his captor to leave his post and when he did. I sneaked in to free your son as fast as I could” she let out a small tear as she told her devious lie.

“So courageous of you, to help him despite the danger” this woman was eating from the palm of her hand, now for the coup de grâce.

“Yes, we managed to escape, but they caught on…” she lifted her shirt, revealing to the horrified mother and the embarrassed son the scar on her midriff. Technically, Diamond was paid by the league, so it wasn’t a total lie. “I managed to distract them long enough for him to escape, and your son helped me with my recovery after he was out of the hospital”

Inko couldn’t keep it in; she was bawling her eyes out. This girl risked her life for her son, and she dared question her honesty. Izuku did his best to wipe the puddle at their feet to no avail. “I’m so sorry, dear!” she practically lounges at Toga so fast she could defend herself from the bear hug she gave her.

Himiko could feel her ribs crack under the pressure. “Holy… Does she have a strength quirk!” luckily for her, Izuku managed to pull his mother from her before she could send her into an early grave.

“Of course you can stay!” Inko had seen enough; there was no reason to keep questioning the poor girl.

This was it, they had done it, no longer would Himiko stay on the streets, now she had a place to stay. Himiko couldn’t help but cry with Inko. She has everything she ever wanted: a family, a home, Izuku…

“Let’s set you up darling” together they all stood up, Himiko putting away her now-empty bowl. As soon as she could, she beeline directly toward Izuku's room, pulling him by the hand. She was stopped by a polite cough. When she turned, she could see Inko blushing.

“You can take the couch for now…”

Chapter Text

…One week later…

Overall, living with Toga had been a pleasing affair for the Midoriyas. His mother quickly took a liking to the girl, making sure she felt at home and safe among them. Inko was surprised by how tame Himiko has been this last week, she helped her with the cooking, laundry and other domestic chores without a fuss. For the mother, it was as if she adopted a new daughter in her home.

For Toga, she got used to the banality of living in a stable home. For her, helping her new host was something new and exciting, even if a bit boring. After the life she lived before, she welcomed a bit of boredom in her long days. She was still peeved about not being able to go out without her favourite green cinnamon roll, but she knew he would soon be able to go out when UA opened again.

She was also annoyed that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get some alone time with Izuku; his mother made sure of that. Once during the night, she almost caught the blond teen trying to sneak into his room, but she managed to calm the curious mother by claiming she got up for a glass of water.

Something was bugging her in the back of her mind, something concerning Izuku. She wanted to pass her time with him to continue furthering their relationship. She got so close at the mall of getting a kiss from him, she knew if she could just get him alone with her, she could finally seal the deal, but right now, under the watchful eye of his mother, this was impossible.

She continued taking her medication, generously given by Doctor Akemi and could feel the clouding sensation slowly being lifted off her mind. Her mood swings were absent, her emotions stable. Weirdly, being impaled in that dark alleyway had been a boon in disguise for her. Never in her life had someone cared enough about her to help her instead of shunning her away, except Izuku.

Now with a home, her medication and Izuku, she felt more in control of her life than she’s ever been.

Himiko was in the kitchen with Inko, dicing vegetables for the stew. Together, they finally managed to finish all the leftovers in the fridge and were in dire need of new recipes and dishes to eat. The boy was in his room doing some homework before his school day began. “I must say you are really gifted with your knife skills Himiko” remarked Inko, watching Toga making quick work of the vegetables.

“Thanks, I’ve had some practiced” she didn’t know on what...

The mother investigated the fridge, searching for the last of her ingredients, but realized she may have been short on a few things. “Oh my, it seemed we don’t have beef for our stew. I must have forgotten the last time I went for some grocery”

“If you want, you could go get it while I finish preparing the rest of the ingredients!” beamed an excited Toga at the prospect of being left alone with Izuku.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking…” paused Inko. “Do you want to come to the store with me? There’s something I would love to discuss with you Himiko” this threw a wrench in her plan of seducing a certain boy, but how could she refuse her after all she’d done for her? “Ok, no problem, Miss Midoriya!”

They grabbed a few bags with the intention of also buying a few other things at the grocery store while they were going out. “Izuku we’re going out! We will be back soon, could you finish dicing the vegetables while we are out?” shouted Inko at her son.

“Sure!”

“Don’t worry, prison boy, I’ll send you pictures of the outside!” it’s become a joke between them since he couldn’t go out. Himiko would, when she was out of the house, send him pictures of all the interesting things she would see, taking great joy in teasing his situation. The last picture she sent him was of his outside window, her pointing at it with the caption “Prison boy!” and one of a cat she found lazing around in the sun.

Izuku couldn’t hide his chuckle as Toga was pulled out of the house by his mother. In the last days, he decided together with Toga that keeping a lid on the whole Diamond incident was the best thing to do for all of them.

 This week has been troubling for him, and not because an ex-villain was now living under their roof, but because of all these feelings he had.

At night, he dreamed of Himiko smiling at him, leaning in closer and closer. His stuttering stopped around her for the most part, but was replaced by this weird heat in his chest. Whenever they were alone for the brief moment his mother allowed them, he could feel his heart picking up the pace. He was happy whenever they were together, happier than he had ever been with any of his friends.

This was bugging him ever since their fight against Diamond; this feeling had been lingering ever since he saw her bleed on the pavement…

Love…

“No, this isn’t right, I can’t…” no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t suppress it. She may not be a villain anymore, but this shouldn’t be how he feels, right? Himiko was unstable; she stabbed him! He can’t just fall for someone like her. This was wrong…

“But why does it feel so good…” he threw his head back, his hands firmly grasping his face. He decided to just dice the vegetables; maybe some menial chore would help him take his mind off this topic. He walked into the kitchen and finished what his mother asked of him, which took him a good twenty minutes. As he was cleaning the utensils, he received a knock at the door. That was quick. Maybe his mom forgot something?

He went to answer the door only to find…

“I am here! With your homeroom teacher!” the booming voice of All Might reverberated in the entire apartment. Both his teachers were professionally dressed. All might in his gaudy yellow striped suit, and Aizawa in a normal-looking black suit. The weird thing about his appearance was his slicked-back hair and the missing stubble on his chin. Seeing him so professional was strange

“All might!? W-what are you doing here with Aizawa sensei?”

“Can we come in? We’re here to talk to your mother concerning changes to UA structures” despise his look he couldn’t change his bored tone of voice. They both walked into the apartment, All Might having to duck under the door frame.

“Changes?”

“You see! Ever since that tragic incident at the camp, we decided to change some things for the safety of our promising young students!”

“Like what?” his curiosity piqued.

“UA is becoming a boarding school. We need parental approval for this, but the principal is already building the dorms. So, tell me, problem child, where is your mother?” his homerun teacher folded his arms together, clearly not thrilled to be here.

“S-she’s out at the moment, but she should be back soon. L-let me just text her about you being here” nervously, he made his way toward his room, where he left his phone and quickly closed the door.

This was bad, really bad. Both his teacher was here in his home, and Toga and his mother could be back any second now, and he had no way to know if any of them could recognize Himiko. He opened his text messages, not risking his teacher overhearing him talk, and saw that the last message she sent was a selfie of her with his mother. He sent a text her way telling her to stay away from the house until he said so, and it went unread. Great, now he could only pray she would see the message before she got back from the store.

“Come on, Himiko, pick up your phone…”

…

Himiko received a notification, but she was busy talking to Inko. She decided whatever it was wasn’t as important as what they were discussing. “And you say he never took it off?”

“I have so many pictures of him running around in his All Might onesie. I should show them to you!” yep this was clearly more important than anything anyone had to say. Himiko was busy bonding with the green-haired woman about their shared affection for a certain mop-headed boy. “Tell me about it, the first movie we saw together was that god awful ‘All Might versus bug’ or something”

“He sure does like those kinds of movies” Inko pulled some spices from the top shelves using her quirk while Toga was next to her, comparing two different brands of panko breading, the two of them lightly laughing at Izuku's antics. “Himiko, I've got to ask you, did you finish your schooling?”

This took the blond aback a little. “No, never had the chance”

“With you at home with us, I was thinking we should enroll you back in a school” she took the spices floating midair and put them into her bag. “After all, Izuku is also finishing his own education at UA. I don’t want you to depend on us too much”

She never thought about it, her back to school. Could she go back after all, she might not have been caught for her past crimes, but her name should still be marked as a missing person at least. She couldn’t do so without someone catching on. “Maybe I could ask Giran for a fake identity. He still deals with the league, but he is not the kind of guy to sell his clients” she thought.

“It's going to take time, I’ve lost all my paperwork when I ran from home” she retorts, considering the possibility.

“I’m sure we can manage something for you”

As Toga put back one of the breadcrumbs boxes, she brushed hands with the person next to her, also reaching for the same box she was putting back.

“Just give me that, you airhead!” This boy had a nasty attitude.

She took a step back to take a good look at the rude interloper. Blond spiky hair, red angry eyes and a permanent scowl on his face, yep, this was the boy she tried to kidnap back at the camp with her ex-teammate, Katsuki Bakugo.

“The hell you’re staring at Cateye…”

Crap! Did he recognize her? he shouldn’t she had never met him before, never even seen his face outside of the picture the league showed her. This boy was supposed to be their newest recruit if she believed what Shigaraki was saying. She turned toward Inko, trying her best not to be suspicious, but couldn’t hide the tension in her body. She was saved by another older woman who hit him over the head.

“Don’t go around insulting anyone, you fucking brat!”

“The fuck did I do to you old hag!” he yelled back at what Himiko supposed to be his mother, after all she was almost a carbon copy of the boy. “Now apologize, you ingrate!” she yelled back.

“I’m not apologizing to fucking Cateye! I didn’t even do anything!” the two of them were now stuck in a screaming match with each other in the middle of the aisle. The mother hits him a couple of times, trying to make him stop yelling and cursing, the irony…

“Mitsuki?”

The woman stopped her tirade, her son's head locked in tight within her elbow. “Holy shit! Koko, fancy seeing you here!” the two of them got closer, clearly happy to see each other, and the blond even let go of her son to give her friend a nice hug. “You don’t usually shop here! What are you doing girl?”

“I’m just grabbing some ingredients for my stew at home.  Good to see you, Mitsuki!”

“Likewise, Koko! So, tell me who’s the girl with you?” she pointed at Toga, standing a foot apart from her friend, a smirk growing on her face. “Did you finally take my advice and remarried?”

“Goodness, no!” she brings her hand to her face in indignation, shocked that she would think of that. “This is just Izuku's friend, she’s staying with us at the moment”

The smirk only grew bigger on the woman's face. “Oh, a friend? I knew your son would bag a chick faster than mine, after all, he only opens his mouth to spew insults and threats”

“The fuck you said, old hag!” Katsuki tried to argue with his mother, but only earned a quick slap on the back of the head.

“Again, like I said, she’s only a friend!” Inko leaned in closer to the blond, whispering. “She’s homeless. Izuku brought her home. Her whole family history is complicated…”

The other woman seemed to calm her teasing when she understood what her friend was saying. “Damn, that suck. Your kid really has a saviour complex, you know it, right?”

“Tell me about it” Inko sighed.

“So, tell me, have you got a UA visit yet?”

“No, what is it about?”

“They’re turning the whole school into a boarding school with dorms. Me and some gals are celebrating later this week, finally we are going to have the house free from this brat!” Katsuki tried to say something, but only got another slap.” you should totally come!”

The two mothers continued their conversation, and at the same time, the two teens facing each other started theirs, to the great displeasure of Himiko. “So, you’re staying at the nerd house?” he seemed to glare harder than before.

“Yeah, what about it” she couldn’t help but glare back at him. Something about the way he talked about Izuku irked her.

 “I never heard of you before…”

“So, what about it…” she crossed her arms.

The tension between those two could be cut with a knife. A knife she was considering pulling out on him, but she knew better. At least she was calmer than she usually was.

“Where the fuck did you meet Deku?”

“None of your biz, Mcsploody face…” the way he was saying Deku wasn’t pleasing at all, unlike the gravity girl, whose way of saying it made it cute!

Clearly, he wasn’t used to people talking back to him, if the growing vein on his forehead indicated anything. Surprisingly, he stayed relatively calm, probably because of his mother not even 10 feet next to him. “Where the hell even is the nerd?”

“Again, none of your biz…” Now, she was just pushing it, he knew it.

 The more she talked to him, the more she was irritated, and the last thing she needed was for him to know more about her. She thanked her medication; if she didn’t have those pills, she would probably have spilled his blood all over the aisle.

His hands balled into fists. Who the fuck did she think she was, not answering him? “Listen here, you fuck-…”

“See you later this week, Koko!” saved by the bell. The two women walked apart from each other, Mitsuki dragging her boy behind her, screaming and pouting before he could try anything stupid. Himiko couldn’t help but send a smug look his way, waving him goodbye.

“I think we should head back, now that we have everything” Inko looked in her bag, making sure all items were accounted for.

“What was this about you two meeting later this week”

“Oh, she invited me to a party with some of her friends. I couldn’t say no”

Wait for a party? She would be out of the house, leaving her and Izuku.

Alone…

“Can we make a stop on the way back. There is something I would like to buy!” The plan was already in motion inside her head. She would not miss this opportunity.

…

Izuku was sweating bullets waiting for both Toga and his mother to come back. Right now, he was sitting in the living room with All Might and Aizawa, drinking tea. “This is some nice tea, young man. Where did you pick it?” All Might was trying his best to cut this uncomfortable silence.

“I uhm… The store?” the silence was preferable to this…

“I see…”

“You’re nervous, Midoriya, what gives?” Aizawa couldn’t help but sense something was wrong with his student; he was hiding something…

“Oh, I-I’m just excited about the dorms. Y-you know, being close to school and all…” and now he was lying to him, making it all too obvious.

“Are you now…” his teacher stopped himself. Normally, he would push his questioning further until he cracked like an egg, but he felt bad for him. He was hiding it well, but this whole league of villain thing was getting to him; he didn’t even manage to save his students when they needed him the most. From the outside, it looked like he couldn’t care less about anything, but on the inside, he only wished the best for all his students. “This tea is alright…”

Luckily for the three men, the door opened to reveal Inko Midoriya entering alone inside her home, bag of groceries in hand. She was clearly surprised to see the number one hero and Eraserhead inside her apartment.

“Oh my, I didn’t know we would be having visitors, I would’ve brought more from the store”

All Might got up from his seat, taking the bag from the woman's hand. “Let me get that for you, Miss Midoriya”

“What a gentleman” she gently smiled at the towering man standing in front of her. “By the way, Izuku you’re your friend told me she was taking a detour, she would be back a bit later”

“T-thanks” at least she didn’t tell her name.

“Now what is this all about…”

…

The explanation for the new UA project went as good as it could, some protestation in the way, but in the end, she knew she couldn’t stop her son from attending even if she wanted to. So, it was decided that Izuku Midoriya, student of class 1A, would now be living in one of the dormitories once school started again, a hard decision for a mother so attached to her son. At least she got a warning in advance from her good friend Mitsuki. “So that would be all. If you don’t have any questions for us” Aizawa was glad this was done, and he could go home and change from this ridiculous attire.

“No question from me, you can be on your way now, thank you” the mother went toward the door, opening it for the two teachers as they got up to leave.

As they were leaving, Aizawa spared a last glance at his student; he was still nervous about something. “Good day…”

“Have a fantastic day, Miss!”

Now standing outside the Midoriya household, the door closed. They started walking back toward their vehicle outside, and the usually grouchy man elbowed his colleague in the ribs. “Hey, what give-…”

“Someone else is living there…”

“…What” the giant man was clearly alarmed by the statement of Aizawa. “Probably the boy father he i-…”

“He never said anything about his father being back” this was weird even for a problem child; usually, a parent coming back would be the first subject of conversation. Instead, he made sure to stay as silent as he could. “The table was set up for three, and the mother mentioned a friend taking a detour before coming back”

“Probably one of his classmates!”

“I doubt that” the dark-haired man crossed his arms, a pensive look on his face.

“Why?”

“The mother. She didn’t seem to know about us coming”

“We never planned this visit, maybe that’s wh-…”

“Didn’t Midoriya say he texted her about us when we arrived…” it was as if he warned whoever was coming home to take her time, making sure they didn’t cross paths.

“I think you may be too paranoid. I think it’s the suit getting to your head!” with his frankly less than stellar joke, All Might let out a bellowing laugh, trying to calm his friend's nerves.

“Yeah… Maybe…”

…At the police station…

Tsukauchi have had enough for today, his interrogation finally hit something interesting, only for the suspect to suddenly start spewing he wanted a plea deal and the like. He was sitting in front of his desk, sushi in his hands, typing his report about the man, Konda Tadasu; his coffee mug was now empty, and nobody in the office brewed more than they took. “So, boss, any new leads on this league of villain assassins?”

The detective sighed, giving the intern in front of him all the answers he wanted. “That bad, ehh?”

“If I have to hear him tell me again how much he plowed my dear mother, I’m going to jump from the nearest window…” Diamond was as puerile as he was dangerous. “Would you go make me a coffee, please? I need it”

“No can do! The new policy states clearly that every employee is responsible for their own brew” the intern smugly looked at his boss.

“Since when?”

“Last month”

“Urggh…” not having the energy for continued living, he just let his head hit the keyboard.

“Did he really say nothing?” the intern took pity on his boss, giving him a can of coffee from the vending machine near them, setting it next to his head. He hated canned coffee, but he hated being undercaffeinated more. He graciously took the can offered to him, cracking it open. “He is still asking for a plea deal in exchange for what he know”

“And what does he know?”

“Won’t tell, the infuriating part is that my superiors are considering it. This whole League of villains as them riled up and they are desperate to see any progress on the case, even if that means giving a deal to a mass murderer.” He drank from his can, his expression vacillating between disgust and relief. “They are arranging a meeting outside the city to talk about his plea deal”

“Why outside? Can’t they do it here?”

“Don’t know. My guess is that they fear the league is going to get to him unless we move him fast”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense” the intern yawned rubbing his eyes, clearly, it was getting too late. “See you later, Tsukauchi, I’m going home” and with that, he exited toward the nearest door he could find. Looking around, he made sure no one was there and took out his phone, dialing an unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Hey Giran… Do you still pay for info on the assassin…”

…

The teens were sitting in Izuku's room, something normally not allowed by his mother, but she made an exception as long as they kept the door fully open.

“All Might was there?” this was a surprise for Toga. When she finally looked at his text, she was already halfway to the other store. Honestly, it was more luck than anything that she didn’t follow Inko directly home without looking at her text.

“Yeah, at least they didn’t see you. I’m still afraid they somehow know your face”

“Can’t blame them after all, I’m so cute it’s hard to forget about me!” she couldn’t help but gloat in his face, taking great joy in the subtle blush on his face.

“A-all went good at the store?”

She thought back on how one of his classmates knew about her living arrangement with him. Just imagining that brash asshole made her mood sour. “Yep, all good!” no need to trouble him with that right now, especially when she has good news to tell him. “Hey?”

“Yeah?” he turned toward her, waiting for the next part of her question.

“Remember how we said I was the one who picked the next movie?” a mischievous look was visible in her yellow eyes.

“Yes?”

“Your mom is going out this week with a friend for a night sooo…” she pulled out a movie case from behind her back, proudly showcasing it, “Tadah! I’m sure you're going to love it, it’s my favourite pre-quirk comedy!”

Izuku took a second to look at the synopsis behind the box and couldn’t help but be confused. “This says disaster and horror?”

“Trust me, it’s a comedy…”

Chapter Text

Today was evaluation day for Toga, time for her weekly check-up with Doctor Akemi to see if the medication was proven effective. She was currently standing in her office. Izuku was still stuck at home after all. Another long survey, and she would be out in no time. Inko was just told she had some errand to do, after all, she wasn’t grounded like Izuku and could go out as she pleased.

“And that concludes our questions. How do you feel?” Akemi finished scribbling on her papers and turned her attention toward her patient.

“Fine!” Himiko was happy to finally be able to go after her long questioning. Now she could go get ready for her date night with the boy of her dreams. Her enthusiasm was easily perceived by the doctor standing in front of her. “Somebody is happy to finally get out of my office. Got any plan?”

“Yes! But I don’t want to jinx it by telling you” She cooed, thinking about what she had planned for the both, a romantic evening alone in his house. This could only end one way, the good way. She saw the desire flicker in his eyes, and she intended to set it ablaze. She let out an excited squeal in front of the unimpressed woman standing behind her desk.

“Just try not to kill the poor guy…” she might not have told, but the expression of pure glee she was exhibiting was telling enough.

“Me, never…” she feigned indignation. “After all, I’m feeling so much better lately! No risk” and went right back into her giddy mood.

Akemi showed no sign at the display in front of her, just bluntly stating as she was used to. “Remember this isn’t a cure, you’re still susceptible to falling back into your tendencies” she sighed. “Just don’t do anything rash…”

Oh but doing something brazen was already planned for tonight. She would get her boy one way or another. “Ok, can I go!”

“… Yes, you have a nice day, Miss Toga”

“Thanks, I will!”

Going out of her office toward the main door, she sent a courteous wave toward the husband currently eating a tangerine on a chair in one of the corners, reading the journal. The headline read “Dangerous criminal apprehended! Vigilante doesn’t take credit” she was glad they didn’t say a thing about Diamond; this would have been a pain to hide her implication in the fight that took place.

As she was exiting, she was pushed back by someone barging into the doctor's office. Instinctually, she reached for her knife, pulling it out on the would-be assailant.

“Where is the doctor!” the man was slim, his slick back auburn hair reaching his shoulder. His outfit was nothing peculiar, if a bit dirty. The detail most people would catch on to was his hand vigorously holding his genitals. “It fucking hurt!”

Doctor, Akemi got out of her office, taking a gander at the new arrival, her expression unchanged from the sudden invasion of her office. John didn’t even lift his head from his journal. “Banto, I see you’re back…”

Toga pocketed her knife when she heard the familiarity between them, judging this newcomer as probably one of the regulars. “You know him?”

“Regrettably, yes…” she took out one of her cigarettes from a coat, something Toga now realized she does when she is bothered about something. “I told you to use protection, didn’t I”

“Well, I… I did *cough*” he clearly didn’t. “Do you still have the ointment you prescribed last time?”

“The one you still haven’t paid me for…” she crossed her arms, clearly annoyed by the man in front of her.

“Uhm yeah… That one” the man could only look down in shame as the doctor quite literally called him poor. “I’ll pay you next week I promise!” he looked back at her with a pleading expression reading across his face.

Akemi only sighed, something she seemed to do at least fifty times a day and went toward one of the cabinets, pulling out a tube of ointment. She tossed it at the man, who let go of his aching groin to catch it. He quickly regretted it when the pain came back with the relieved pressure. “Remember three times a day, and if I catch a whiff of someone catching what you got, I’ll castrate you on the spot. Got it…”

“Got it… You’re the best Doc!” and just as quickly as he got inside the clinic, he got out, treatment already poured in his hand, whatever he got, he needed relief asap.

“What was that” Himiko, for her part, was stunned. “You made us pay for our treatment, but this guy can get his for free?” the doctor had some explaining to do.

“You didn’t pay. It was your generous contributor that did” she took a drag out of her cigarette, making sure to savour it first. “I didn’t rifle through your pocket last time I checked”

Toga crossed her own arm, pouting at the smoking woman. Diamond may have been the only one getting pickpocketed that day, but still, she remembered it wasn’t a small sum. “Hmph! And why are you treating this guy? He doesn’t seem like the kind to turn a new leaf and change anytime soon”

“Could have said the same thing about you one week ago. Look at you now…” Touché.

“Fair, but still, why do you help that guy if he doesn’t even pay you?” her pouting was replaced by sincere questioning.

The doctor took a long drag from her cigarette, putting it out in the ashtray next to her. “He is not that bad. At least, compared to a real criminal like the guy you brought in last time. Sure, he is a sleezeball sleeping left and right, but he is also a father, and I know he cares about his little girl” she smiled, thinking back on something.

“You should have seen his face the first time he got here, not even five minutes into the consultation, and he was bragging about his little angel, showing me at least ten different pictures from his wallet”

She shakes her head, keeping herself from chuckling. “If anything I blame is a lack of common sense, this guy tries to find a girl but only falls for floozies looking for a bit of cash. Last time I checked, that was pretty low on the scale of crimes” Toga looked at the doctor with a renewed sense of appreciation. She was trying to help. In a sense, she was a bit like Izuku.

“So, we’re done now, you can get out, bye” her gentle expression was now replaced by her usual boredom. Himiko took the hint and went out the door; after all, she had big plans for tonight.

…

“If anything happen, call me immediately. There’s food in the fridge if you get hungry” Inko was at the door about to get out. Well, she tried to get out, but she’s been standing in the doorway for about fifteen minutes, repeating to her two teens all that they needed in case of an emergency. It might not be the first time she left them alone in the house, but still.

She was feeling bad about leaving them to go hang out with friends. “And the fire extinguisher is under the cabinet in the bathroom”

“We know, Mom, you told us five times already. Don’t worry, we’re just going to watch a movie together, not burn down the house” he tried his best to calm his mother's nerves, but this woman had a sixth sense when it came to her boy, and it was tingling constantly in the back of her mind.

“You should go now, you’re going to be late for your evening”

“Yeah, don’t worry about us! Enjoy your evening, Miss Midoriya. You look stunning” the mother was wearing a simple dark blue dress with a blazer over it, a small cream-colored purse hanging from her arm. Her hair was pulled together in a simple ponytail, and a pearl necklace completed the outfit.

She blushed at the comment, like mother like son, not used to being complimented. “Thank you, Himiko… Oh, alright, I’m going. Just remember-…”

“We call you if anything happens, don’t worry” Izuku smiled at his mother, making sure she understood they were okay. He had lived through way worse than a movie night; he was a hero in training, for crying out loud.

She took both of the teens into her arms, hugging them tightly before finally exiting the apartment, waving them goodbye. Izuku closed the door for her and was now alone with Himiko in his home for the rest of his evening.

With everything going through his mind lately, maybe this wasn’t the best idea…

Toga was already putting the movie in the TV drive while popcorn was heating up in the microwave. She was fast.

“So, this movie, I read the back of it, but I’m not sure I understand the premise…” this movie made absolutely no sense, she kept saying to him, he would love it, and it was just like those All Might movie he liked so much. But there was no hero, no villain and no quirk in the synopsis. He truly wondered why she said that.

“Plus, it said disaster and horror, how can you say this is a comedy?”

He hoped she wasn’t lying. Horror was his least liked kind of movie; he wished this wasn’t a case of her finding dismemberment funny.

Himiko finished setting up the movie and strutted forward, pulling him into the couch before he could protest. “I told you; it’s a comedy. Just like that movie we went to see at the cinema last time” She went toward the microwave, taking out the now steaming popcorn from it, adding a generous amount of melted butter and salt over it.

“Wait, All Might versus the giant ant army 3 wasn’t a comedy! It was an action movie!” the boy protested, feeling a bit attacked by her remark. It wasn’t this bad, right… Himiko, now giant bowl of salty popcorn in hand, flicked the light off and jumped over the couch and landed on the opposite side of the couch. She wanted to just jump into his lap, but she knew she had to take things slow if she wanted a chance with him tonight. For now, the bowl she was holding a little closer to her than him was her way to pull him toward her little by little.

“I told you, it was so bad it was good; this movie is the same!”

Now, frankly insulted by her opinion on the movie, he slouches in his corner, muttering about how his wasn’t that bad. He sighed and stopped his pouting, turning his tilted head toward her. “So, you took a bad movie for tonight?”

“Yup, the worst!” she took the remote and pressed play, starting the movie with the myriads of logos coming before the main event. The only light in the room was the TV casting its glow in the room, creating a somewhat intimate ambience for both. The opening credits rolled, and they reached the title screen…

“What the hell is a Sharknado?”

…

Inko stood outside the Bakugo residence, making sure her makeup was on point before ringing the doorbell. She could already hear the loud laughter rousing from within; the party was already on a roll. Her blonde friend opened the door for her two glasses of wine in each hand; how she managed to open the door was a mystery.

“KOKO! Get in and start drinking with us! Everybody is already here” she put her second glass in her hands.

“A-alright, Mitsuki, but not too much. I don’t want to have to roll to my apartment tonight” she sheepishly laughed, graciously taking the glass. Looking around, she recognized some other mothers from back at his son's school. All of them were gathered in the living drinking, laughing and discussing.

“All right, girls! Inko finally here, we can get this party started!” she raised her glass, getting cheers from everyone.

“I don’t think you needed me for that…” again, nervously chuckling, she wasn’t used to going out.

“Nonsense I remember you from back in the day, you were a true party animal!” she put her arm around the petite greenette, smirking as her memory was starting to go back in time.

“Oh well, I’ve changed quite a bit from back then…” she looked around for a second, noticing the absence of a certain bombastic teenage boy. “Where is Katsuki? Not here, I hope” after all, hanging around a bunch of drunk women wasn’t the best place for a boy his age.

“Nah, give him some cash and throw his ass out of the door for the night” she thought back on how she literally threw him out of the house with a couple of thousand yen, telling him to go somewhere else until 9 pm.

“And where is Masaru?”

“R-right here I-Inko” the timid voice of her husband came out from the kitchen; he seemed busy cooking hors d’oeuvres for all the guests they were hosting. He was currently wearing a slightly stained pink apron, wiping his hands with a towel timid smile on his face.

 “There’s my nice piece of ass!” his wife didn’t hesitate and gave him a loud slap right on his buttocks, earning her a yelp from the poor man standing there. He was promptly shut up by a sweet kiss from his wife, smiling coyly at him.

“Now let’s get this party started!”

…

“Are the sharks in this movie like tele-guided or something?” Izuku couldn’t believe what he was seeing in front of him. For sure, Himiko was right, this movie was atrocious, the acting, terrible. The visual effect, somehow even worse. The script, probably lost at the start of the movie, and they improvise the rest. This movie was bad, there was no other word for it, yet somehow.

“PFFFFHAHAHA!” Izuku couldn’t stop laughing at the poor man drowning in what must have been three whole feet of water, eaten by a plastic shark.

“Get out of the water!”

“Pfff, did that girl just push that guy off the rail for no reason?” he was cramped from laughing so much, and the movie had barely started. Himiko was right; this was somehow the best thing he had ever seen. Maybe it was the lack of heroes, but he understood what she meant when she said “It’s so bad, it’s good”

“You haven’t even seen the worst yet. It’s like the sharks are paid actors in this movie” Himiko was equally amused by the senseless gore shown on the screen, but her eye was riveted to something else entirely. Izuku scooted a little closer to her, trying to get some of the popcorn she was holding. He was about halfway on the couch by now, slow but steady progress.

Izuku still had his eye glued to the screen, unable to look away. It was like a slow but very funny train crash. He wasn’t one to laugh at the plight of others, but it was so obviously fake that he relaxed, allowing his mind to enjoy the spectacle instead of empathizing with it. He reached across the couch to get another fistful of popcorn from Himiko, but accidentally brushed his hand against hers.

This wasn’t an accident but an orchestrated action by the blond who moved her hand to touch his. Surprisingly, he jolted back by barely an inch and still took his handful of snacks, not turning into a mess of embarrassment and excuses. His eye was still on the screen, but Himiko noticed his small blush spreading across his face.

“Raaahhh”

“… That guy killed a shark with a paddleboard?” both exploded in laughter.

…

“No, really…” one of the women said incredulously.

“Yep!” all the women in the room were standing around a somewhat tipsy Inko, who finished telling a story she was quite proud of. She was twirling her almost empty glass of wine in her hand. “Masaru! Another glass!”

“You and your husband… in the Might Tower!” another adds, still shocked by what she heard.

“Eh, I’m pretty sure that's where we conceive Izuku. That would explain his fascination with All Might.” Inko simply chuckled at her own joke a couple of the ladies around joined in her fun. Mitsuki was practically folded in two, laughing so hard and slapping her knee.

“Ha, I told you she was a party animal!” she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, recovering from her intense laughing fit. “This girl got stories for days!”

Her husband appeared with a bottle of wine freshly opened, tipping the glasses of the various women surrounding him, starting with Inko, who practically downed half of it in one go.

“And you, Mitsuki, you must have conceived yours in a bomb factory by his attitude!” she jabs her friend in the ribs with her elbow.

“Ha, you wish, his attitude is a 100% natural Mitsuki Bakugo! No, if I remembered it was-…”

“Honey!” her now flustered husband was blushing like crazy, trying his best to stop his wife from talking. The evening continues strongly with bottle after bottle being emptied one by one.

…

“What the hell! That shark just ambushed them from a manhole cover!” he looked confused and excited as a shark quite literally jumped out of the sewer, attacking the family living on the topside of a hill, somehow getting flooded. “Told you, paid actor…”

Now, Izuku was a little bit past the middle of the couch, tilting vaguely in her direction, pointing to various nonsensical things happening on the screen one after the other. Himiko was sitting slanted in her seat, also leaning a bit toward Izuku. She could feel it, the gap slowly closing between them.

“Well, sewer is a good hiding spot, I mean, a villain got me the same way” Izuku chuckled, remembering the incident with the sludge villain. The very same thing that sent him toward the path to be a hero. In a weird, indirect way, he should thank him for not attacking him that day; if he hadn’t, he might have never met All Might, never gotten into UA, never made such wonderful friends, never met Himiko…

The same Himiko who was standing not even five feet away from him, he could already feel the blood rush toward his face. This was a simple movie night between friends, nothing more than that. There was no need to think about it; he didn’t even like her that way…

“I can’t even lie to myself…” Izuku knew what he was doing. He was ignoring the elephant in the room, the lovely blonde elephant with an amazing smile. He did his best to bury his feelings way down in his mind; he didn’t want to act on them; he knew Himiko for what? Not even a month? He couldn’t throw himself into a relationship with someone he barely knew. She stabbed him, she was unstable, she…

She changed…

She changed for the better. They fought together, and she did her best to transform part of herself she couldn’t normally control. She was overjoyed by just the idea of being normal with him. He asked her to change for him, but never tried to change for her. He was a hero and was always going to be a hero, and wouldn’t change it for anything.

like a hypocrite.

She was the one taking the meds, the one throwing away her life, abandoning everyone she knew (even if those people were a bunch of psychopaths who vouched on killing him and All Might).

He was quite literally pulled out of his gloomy thought when he felt Himiko bracing herself on him, laughing as the house on the top of the hill slowly filled itself with water and a shark, while the streets were bone dry. “Ha, this is one of my favourite parts” she wheezed between her laughs.

Izuku couldn’t help but also chuckle, not at the movie but with her. Her attitude was contagious; he could feel it spreading inside of him, making him relax and calm. He didn’t even notice when she stayed leaning on him.

“Just how many sharks were in this tornado?”

…

“CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!” now Mitsuki and Inko were standing on opposite sides of the dining table, each of them with a bottle of wine at their thirsty lips, all the women cheering on. The blonde was looking like she was about to pass out, her whole body swaying as she drank, spilling some wine over her white top. Inko was downing the bottle like a professional. Her lips making an impenetrable seal around the neck of the bottle, she was already past the halfway point, a look of pure determination on her face, eyes wide open, looking at the objective.

With a last effort, she slammed the bottle on the floor, shattering it in a cry of victory over her friend. “YEAAAHH!!” she threw her arm up peace sign at the end of each of them, gloating in her victory.

Mitsuki tried to finish her bottle but only got halfway before finally swaying a bit too much to the left, crashing down on the floor of her home, away from the broken shards of glass. In the middle of them, Masaru didn’t know if he should help his wife or clean up the mess on the floor first. Luckily for him, some of the less drunk mothers were already sweeping away the debris on the floor, letting him the chance to lift his wife on her shaky foot.

“I- I almost… Gotchu…” babbled the blond.

“AH, N-now pay up!” equally blabbered her now shitfaced friend, opening the palm of her hand, awaiting her price. “Ok, ok, ok… Ma-Masaru pay Inko for me…”

“Why me!?”

“Because if you do, I’ll suc-…” her face tried to take a sultry expression, but it was lost in the middle of all the alcohol she ingested.

“Okay! Okay!” he walked toward Inko, blushing like crazy at his wife's remark, wallet in hand, deposing a thousand yen in the palm of her hand. Inko satisfyingly shoved the money inside her bra, a smug look on her face.

“What the fuck is going on!” the adult was interrupted by the loud shouts of Katsuki, who finally returned home to find it thrashed and filled with drunks. “Hey! Old hag, what the hell is all this!”

His mother was way too drunk to shout at her son, but Inko was just enough drunk to shout back at him. “You! You- you party pooper… Go to your room at this instant!”

Clearly shocked by the woman's tone he had never heard before in his life, he took a double take, making sure he heard her right. “Aunty Inko?”

“Yes… ME! Now to your room! The adults are drinking!”

“What the fuck-…” He suddenly felt his whole body being lifted half hazardly, pulled by the small green green-haired woman toward his room. He couldn’t even react as he was thrown in his bed, tucked in and kissed goodnight on the forehead by a woman who wasn’t even his mother, a massive blush spreading to his face.

“W-what are you doing!”

“It's late, go to sleep, Izuku!”

“I’M NOT THAT NERD!” he tried to get out, but the cover of his bed was too tight for him to escape. Suddenly, he heard a bottle being broken and felt the sharp jagged edge of said bottle at his throat.

“What have you done with Izuku…” her voice was cold and calculated.

A now shit-scarred Katsuki pleaded with the drunken woman. “I’M KATSUKI, YOUR SON'S FRIEND! PLEASE DON’T DO THIS INKO!” never in his life had he felt so much killing intent from someone; this woman could give Stain a run for his money.

“I-It’s not even that late, it's currently 9:30 pm!”

“9:30! I need to go. Izuku is waiting at home for me!” she ran out of his room but quickly came back with a broom to clean up her mess.

“Sorry about that” and she ran back out of his room as if nothing had happened.

Katsuki tried to get up, but he realized there was no way he could get out of his bed sheet, seeing how tight they were.

 “LET ME OUT!” his cry went unheard…

…

The movie was rapidly approaching its end, and the protagonists were currently throwing bombs inside tornadoes to… stop them? “That's not how this works…”

He and Himiko were sitting next to each other, bowl now emptied of its delicious content. It took him all the movie for him to get this close, but she was ready for it. She wasn’t looking at the movie anymore, her eyes fixed on the boy next to him. With the grace of a prowling cat, she wrapped her arm around his, her head leaning against his shoulder. He tensed but didn’t move, still looking at the movie in front of him, but she could see it in his face. He wasn’t paying any attention to it anymore.

In the heavy silence between them, the movie ended, and the credits rolled; neither of them moved from their position. Inside his head at thousands of thoughts per second were rolling. He didn’t dare to open his mouth or look at her, fearing what he would do. Himiko switched the TV back to some program on the air, not that it mattered; they weren’t listening.

As he felt his mind finally calm down, he sensed her shift, her arm reaching down to his hand, lacing her fingers with his. Her face digging in the crook of is neck and the weight of her body pressing against his. Izuku had made a great effort tonight to dismiss her action as an accident, simple, awkward gesture not meaning anything, but now…

“S-sorry I-‘m a b-bit close, let me just-…” he tried pitifully to move away, but was stopped by Himiko gripping him tighter and his own mind refusing to resist her.

“Izuku…” her voice was so soft, almost a whisper brushing down his neck. He felt his skin tingle as her breath caressed his skin. He was losing his mind, his face crimson from the close contact with her. Yet he still refuses to look at her, instead trying to watch the nature documentary in front of him. From the other side, he felt her other arm wrapping around his body, pressing the palm of her hand on his opposite cheek. Gently, she turned his head toward her, and he let her do it.

At last, his eyes met hers, hypnotic yellow window into her soul, inviting him. Halfway closed in an expression he could only describe as romantic. Her face was bathed in the soft glow of the TV in front of them, giving her an otherworldly appearance at this moment. Continuing his investigation, he landed on her cheek a soft pink glow. Going even further down, he met her lips, just like back at the mall, enticingly parted just for him.

For her part, Himiko was doing the same, inspecting Izuku's features as well. His moss-green curly hair, she raises her hand from his cheek to play with them. His similarly green eyes were darting her own face, hypnotized. His flushed face looked as if he was about to burst into flame, and finally, his own lips unknowingly parted, preparing themselves for what was about to come.

She didn’t let luck push them together; instead, she pulled him close with the hand ruffling his hair, their lips locked together. She saw him widen his eyes in surprise while hers kept their unwavering determination. After a second, something shifts in him, surprise is replaced by something new: lust. He closed his eyes and deepened the kiss, tightening the grip between their intertwined finger and bringing his other hand to her face, making sure she wasn’t going away.

It was wrong, he shouldn’t be doing that, he had to stop, but he couldn’t stop. This was too good, his head was spinning, as lips melted together, gently brushing against each other again and again and again. Toga let go of his hand to wrap herself around him, and he did the same. In his enthusiasm, he pushed her down the couch, furthering their make-out session.

As his hand were drifting away from her shoulder toward her back, they were stopped by the rattle of the main door and key shuffling behind. His mom was back.

He tried to move away from Himiko, but the two of them were quite intertwined. His mother entered to see the teens on the couch shuffling away from each other. Izuku almost tripped as he sat on the opposite side of the couch while Himiko lay down on her side, trying to hide her own blush.

“Izuku, what is this?”

“I-I.. It’s n-n-not w-wh-hat…” the boy stuttered, his eyes looking the furthest away he could from his mother. He had been caught in the act, no way she didn’t see them.

“You’re still up! Go to bed!” against his will, he was pulled by her, thrown in his bed, tucked in and kissed goodnight on the forehead.

“Now you can sleep, my baby boy… You’re Izuku, right?”

“Y-y-yes…”

“Phew, I was afraid for a second, I’m going to bed, have nice dreams!” and just like that, the drunk woman went out of his room, leaving in her wake a very confused Izuku. He tried to move only to realize…

“I can’t move…”

…

“Sorry about my son, Himiko-chan, he won’t bother you for the rest of the night” Inko was in the living room next to Toga, making sure she had everything for a good night's sleep. That included a good tucked-in and kiss goodnight; she was very protective and loving when she was drunk. Himiko could still smell the wine on her breath.

“D-don’t worry about that Miss Midoriya…”

“I’m going to bed, good night, Himiko!” and just like Izuku, she exited the room toward her bed. As soon as the door closed, she swore she heard a *thud*. She was sure that the poor mother didn’t reach her bed before passing out.

But another thing was on her mind right now, another very important thing.

She kissed Izuku… And he kissed back! She was happy, ecstatic, absolutely over the moon! Yet…

“I’m not…”

What happened? She kissed him, and he kissed back, yet only a vague feeling of comfort lingered in her chest. She had more reaction when she kissed him on the cheek back at the abandoned house. What was wrong with her? Why did this feel so tame? Why was she so unbothered? Then the realization of what was happening to her hit her.

“The pills…”

Chapter Text

…The day back to UA…

This last week has been way more tense than the first. Inko swears to never touch a bottle of wine ever in her life after the hangover the next day. Luckily for the teens she had no recollection of what she saw when she came back into the house.

But they sure didn’t forget what happened that faithful night. Izuku had been distant from the girls of the house taking most of his day inside his room the door closed, only coming out to eat. Even then, he mostly just took the food into his room to eat alone and come out to do his dishes when the house was empty. He claimed he was busy packing his thing for the dorms and that he needed some time to make sure his collection was well packed for the moving truck coming soon.

Strangely, even Toga was distant, she didn’t try to get close to him her usual cheery expression replaced by an indecisive one. She still went out for errand and such, sent a picture of a cat she found sporadically but that was it. She wasn’t talking to him, not pestering him for his attention nothing of such.

His mother was aware something had changed ever since that night, the tension between the teenager had been easily spotted by the matriarch. At first, she was afraid it was because of her, that she had said something while drunk. His son was quick to tell her that she wasn’t responsible but refused to tell her more about what exactly happened between the two. Even Himiko refused to talk to her about it and was quick to change subject when she asked about it.

Izuku stood in is now barren room, dressed in his UA uniform. At least his room would still be used after his departure, his mother insisting Himiko could have it while he was gone. The moving company had been quick to take his already packed things and load it toward the school new building. Himiko was absent from the house, not wanting to be there while the employees were moving boxes. She decided to go to the doctor instead; she was due for another visit anyway she said.

He could feel the pang in his chest where is heart beat. “I was so stupid. Why did I do that…” he blamed himself for their falling out. He might not have been the one to initiate the kiss but if she acted like this clearly, he should have stopped it. Did he go to far? His hands were already moving on their own when he started kissing her back.

Sitting on his bed he couldn’t stop his mind replaying the night over and over. He tried to chase it away, shacking his head with both hands but nothing could be done. What was done is done, he couldn’t go back on his action.

A gentle knocked pulled him out from his thoughts. “Izuku are you ready for school?” his mother was on the other side of the door.

“Yeah, coming out” his voice was more dry than usual.

Outside of his room he was met by his mother, worries all over her face. “Are you sure everything is alright dear? I could always call school and tell them-…” she was cut off by her son hugging her.

“I’m fine mom. I should be going” he pulled back to smile at her, a plastic smile made to keep appearance. He grabbed his bag near the door and put on his bright red shoes and went out the door. He was stopped by his mother last comment. “I love you sweety…”

 “…I love you too mom…” and he closed the door.

He walked toward the train station never lifting his eyes off the ground, he was too busy thinking to care about that. His bag lazily draped over his shoulder his disposition down-right gloomy.

He was stopped when he caught a glimpse of a familiar pair of shoes standing in front of him. “Izuku”

Toga was there, hands behind her back her expression wasn’t any more joyous than his. “Hey, Himiko” they just stood there on the sidewalk facing each other not saying a word. Izuku was busy scratching the back of his neck thinking about what to say to her after what they had done, and she was equally fidgeting with the tip of her fingers. Izuku spoke first, a little more loudly than intended. “I’m sorry!”

“You don’t have to excuse yourself I’m the one who kissed you dummy…” he turned red when she mentioned the kiss. “And it’s not like I didn’t like it…”

“Wait she liked it?” This took him by surprise a deep part of him was relieve when she said that. Another part of him just got even more tense. He shook his head. What was he thinking this wasn’t healthy he had to stop it now. “Yeah… I don’t think we should do that again…”

Himiko heart felt as if it was twist off her chest, she had messed up their relationship. She had pushed him further than she ever could, too fast and now her hope to be with him were thrashed at her feet. But maybe not…

He was still a terrible liar…

She wanted to cry, the only thing stopping her was those blasted pills. Maybe being normal wasn’t that great after all, maybe if she had been more passionate, he would not have said that. “How was your visit with Doctor Akemi?” he tried to change the subject.

“Good, she said the result were stable, no need of you for the test since it’s going so well, she said”

“It’s good to hear…”

“Yeah…” the uncomfortable silence was back in between them. Izuku broke it again.

“I’ll be able to come visit you and mom during the weekend there’s that at least” for security reason UA didn’t allow the student to go out during the week but gave special permission to visit family and friend during the weekends.

She smiled; the same plastic smile he gave his mother earlier. “Yeah, and I should be busy. Your mom insist I go back to school. She even found a high school near us. I just need to find myself some papers”

“Good…”

“Yeah, good…”

After what seemed to be an eternity Izuku started walking past Toga. “I should go; I’m going to be late” he manages to walk five feet past her before he was stop by a sudden embrace from behind. Her arms were wrapped around his torso her cheek resting on his back. “Are we…  Are we alright Izuku? I mean about that…” he could feel his heartbeat into his ear. Against his better judgement he turned toward her and hugged her back, pressing her tightly into his chest.

“Yeah, you’re my… friend Himiko”

She accepted his hug and sank into his chest. “Thank you…”

Letting her go and quickly turning his heel, he waved at her from behind. “Need to go I’m going to be late!”

She smiled this time honestly waving at him back. “You go, mister big Hero!”

With him gone she had time to focus on her mission, find Giran.

…Inside the new league hideout…

“And you’re not lying?”

“Swear it on my bank account!”

In the new undisclosed lair of the league Giran and Shigaraki were standing at a table, one that was swiftly turned to dust when the pale boy brought his palm down in a fit of rage. “That bastard…” his assassin had failed, not only had he failed he was trying to bring them down with him. They had paid the bastard a fifth of the reward in advance and that how he pays them back?

Giran was busy saving the briefcase he had from falling on the floor after the swift departure from the table. He opened it and pulled a cigar from it placing it in between his lips. “My source is trustworthy tomorrow they’re going to move him to Osaka for his ‘plea deal’” the last wordsaid with quotation.

Shigaraki was beyond angry each time he sends someone to do the job they had failed. Everyday the name of the league of villains was becoming a bigger and bigger joke for the public. Sure, they managed to traumatise a couple of UA kids, but they had no success to speak of. The itch in his neck was become harder and harder to scratch. “Do you know where they are going precisely?”

“No but I should be able to get you the itinerary if you got the money for it” he lighted his cigar, filling his lung with the expensive tobacco fumes.

“Can I pay after it is done?” he looked up from behind the hands on his face. Rage flickering behind them.

“What do you think I am stupid?” he let out a puff in the direction of the raging boy in front of him. “Pay now if you want information, I’m not a bank”

“How about a bonus after we’re done…”

Giran let out a smile showing the large gap in the front of his teeth. “Now you’re speaking my language… What do you have I mind?”

“Time for me to enter the raid…” he crossed his arms. “I just need one last service from you”

“I doubt it’s going to be the last… Do tell”

“Bring me new players the next time we see each other…”

…

Izuku was standing in front of the UA gates, looking past them he could see the new building on the school grounds. Large white and blue concrete buildings standing near the official main school. Certainly, Cementos had a part in it, seeing how fast they were built. Standing just beyond the gates were his usual group of friends; Todoroki, Lida and Uraraka. The two boys were conversing with each other, but it was Ochako who scouted him first, greeting him with a warm smile. “Deku! Over here”

He made is way toward her and once the group completed, they walked together in the direction of their first class. “Hey, how it’s going”

Lida seemed more exited than usual. “Very fine Midoriya. I’m glad school is back, I think they didn’t give us enough work at home. I was missing material after the first week”

Ochako couldn’t help but nervously scratch the back of her head. “I barely finished Ectoplasm math assignment…”

“I had some problem with President Mic English homework…” Todoroki simply stated. “Who ask a three-page essay on the impact of rock and roll…”

“Ha ha, yeah…” Izuku tried to join in the conversation but was unable a certain blond still very present in his mind. His lack of response was noticed by his friends, he looked aloof, head in the cloud. He was snapped out of it literally by Todoroki snapping his finger in front of him. “Earth to Midoriya… Are you alright, you seemed distant”

Clearly taken by surprise the green hairs jumped. Nervously he smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine I swear…”

“So how went your homework?”

“Homework?” wait they were talking about homework? He didn’t hear a thing they said! “Huh, It’s good… I guess. I’ve done them I mean…”

The three turn their head toward each other clearly concerned by the attitude of their friend. “Midoriya…” Lida asked. “Are you feeling good?”

They were catching on too fast for his liking. Izuku put on a smile. “Of course!” he than started running ahead of them before they could catch up. “We should hurry we’re going to be late!”

Letting his friend in the dust behind him he vanished inside before anyone could ask him a question. The trio, now alone together, looked over where he entered concerned. “I know I’ve said that already, but Midoriya is hiding something…”

“Yeah, he didn’t feel so well back at the beach too. Mina said the same thing” she taught back on the day they met during their month-long vacation. It wasn’t the only thing coming back to her mind a promise to confess to a certain boy also came back. Her cheek flushed red. “I-I mean he have the same smile Lida had when his brother was injured”

Lida looked at her a bit surprised. “I looked like that? No wonder you were concern about me, his smiled felt more like façade than anything” he brought is hand to his chin in a pensive way. “We should try to talk to him about it”

“What if he doesn’t want to talk?” the half cold half hot boy added. “You weren’t the most open person back then, maybe he feels the same way about what is bothering him”

“Then we will help him anyway!” Lida regaining his smile, giving his friends a thumbs up. “Just like Midoriya did for me! We can’t just left him alone; we’ll help him as friends should!”

The two others couldn’t hide their smile and give him a thumbs up back in return. After all, Midoriya didn’t hesitate to help them whenever they needed him, even if they tried pushing him away, he would always come through. Now it was their turn to help their friend. Together they entered the edifice with renewed resolve.

…

“Glad to see you’re all back in one piece…” Aizawa said not a once of sarcasm in his voice, whatever he expected to see this morning he was glad it wasn’t a reality. On his desk a pile of various homework was standing reaching to about his chest. He looked at it like someone would look at a dead fish and sighed. “Now for your first class we’re doing something special” he took out a pile of papers and gave a portion of it to each student at the front of the class, who in turn pass the paper back to the person standing behind them until everyone had a copy.

The students looked at their handed paper with curiosity and excitement, Mina was the first to speak. “What is this Mr. Aizawa?”

“This is a list of all the new class exercises planned for the near future, since the attack at the camp the school decided that self defence would be teach too all our first-year student unlike how we teach it only in second year in the past.” Their teacher stated with the same enthusiasm as someone who learned their cancer diagnostic.

“Wait we already had self defence with All Might? How is this different?” Kaminari looked confused.

“Those were ‘Heroic exercise’. Only because you guys beat each other senseless during them doesn’t make them self defence…” he continued “Those new class have objective to teach you various way to defend yourself against most form of weapons and more common quirk. Without the use of your respective quirk”

Kirishima looked offended at his statement. “Wait, without our quirk? It not manly to work against our quirk”

“Yeah, why the hell do I need to know how to disarm someone, if I can just blast them with an explosion!” Katsuki yelled at his teacher; this seemed like a waste of time.

“Thrust me, those skill will help you during your carer. After all, you cannot just break the bone of every villain you see different crime asked for different actions in response” he sighed. “If you break all the bones of every shoplifter who steal a packet of gum, you won’t stay a hero for long”

Bakugo only turns his head away from his teacher with a *TSKK* clearly annoyed by the sound logic from his teacher. Aizawa continued pointing at the gravity quirk brunette. “Your fellow student can tell you how some good self defence can be used on the field. Her skills allowed her to match a villain during the training camp and would have probably suffered greater injury without them”

Everyone in the class turned their head toward not Ochako who were clearly the one the teacher was talking about but Toward Izuku who let out a loud yelp when Aizawa mentioned her. He looked flustered hiding his face behind his paper.

“Are you good man?” asked Sero sitting next to him, more confused than anything.

“Y-yes… I uhh-…” quick, deflect! “What is this co-class with t-the support s-student?”

Aizawa blinked at him, problem child was still acting weird but he answer him anyway. “This class is about helping you create support gear fit for you and any super move you might designed in the future”

“Super move!” Hagakure practically shouted with about half of the class now whispering with each other. The prospect of designing new super move was thrilling for most of them. Aizawa glared at them flaring his red eye to shut their outburst. “Yes, super move… Those vary from individual to individual but are a good way for those who want to spread their name. They mostly serve to get your mind flowing with ideas about the potential use of your quirk. Now let’s review the rest of the paper…”

Together they went subject by subject until the planning was set for the coming weeks. In order they had.

-Self defence with Aizawa: how to use and disarm weapons of varied type

-Support co-class with Power Loader: designing new gear fit for you.

-Super move with All Might!: A new application of your quirk!

-Costume design with Midnight: Creative exercise of new costume idea.

-First aid with Thirteen: the basic of helping.

“The rest remained unchanged; these are the new matter at hand”

“Why do we have a class about new costume with Midnight?” Ojiro asked, if the principal reason for these changes was their safety in combat scenario this one seemed out of place.

“Don’t ask me I didn’t design the new plan. If I had to take a guess it may be to integrate your potential new support gear better into your costume” he walked behind his desk and pullout out another pile of paper. “Now I hope you studied because we’re having a special quiz on hero law this morning…” this earned him a groan from at least 80% of the class.

“A hero is ready for anything…” he internally smirked.

…

“Aizawa is cruel… We didn’t even unpack our things, and he give us a test already” Ochako crashed unto the table barely avoiding her lunch. She was currently seated with her usual group of friends. “At least we have a class with Thirteen, your favorite hero” tried to comfort Izuku patting the poor girl on her back.

“I’m more exited about designing new potential support gear for us” Lida said in between bites. “I might not need anything fancy but it’s fascinating what some of the support students are able to design”

“I thought you of all people would be traumatize from support gear. Since what happened at the sport festival” Todoroki was remembering the event of Lida being used as a walking advertisement by his opponent.

“Don’t-… Remind me of her…” an expression of dread could be read across his face.

“I think I’m more exited about self defence, I mean working on my basic could be very good for me seeing my quirk” Izuku stated happy to finally talk about Hero stuff. “I don’t see how I could design new support gear around me”

“Maybe you could add a cool sword!” Ochako added mimicking a giant sword waving in her hand piercing the cold and hot heart of her friend standing in front of her. Todoroki just slumped in his chair feigning his dead before regaining his usual cool, ever since he joined them the boy add been more expressive in his attitude. “Not really my style” chuckled Izuku.

Suddenly a pink blur grabbed the girl by the arm pulling her out of her chair “I’m borrowing her, Kay bye!” and just like that she was swept away from the table.

“Uh, wonder what this is about…”

…

Ochako was seated in one of the closed booth in the cafeteria together with her lady friend Yaoyorozu, Hagakure, Mina, Tsuyu and Jiro. All the girls were seated at the table leaving a place for her and Mina to sit down. The pink teen pushed her first and sat beside her encapsulating her between the acid user and the frog girl. “Okay everybody is here…”

“What is this about?” Ochako asked a twinge of fear in her voice.

“It’s about you…” Mina smirked. “And how WE are going to hook you up with Midoriya”

“Uh-… Wha-…” Ochako turned as red as her tie. She took a gander at all her friend, most of them giving her positive energy, thumbs up and the like. “You told everyone!”

“Just the girls from class don’t worry about it. We need all the brain power we can get!” Mina was quick to pull out one of her books opening it to a page annotated. On it, various scribble words and drawing of the two of them. In the center a chibi drawing of Ochako and Izuku holding hand smiling heart all around them. Uraraka smacked her head against the table, hiding herself the best she could.

“I’ve been thinking, and I’ve got a few plans!” Mina cheered.

“If you put that much effort in your homework you would be top of the class, Kero”

“Should we really do it now, I mean Midoriya has been acting weird recently” Jirou was the least convince of the lot about their plans.

“We need to strike while the iron of love is hot!” a fire was lit behind Ashido eyes, burning with the intensity of 10 000 shojo manga. “We could have them play a rigged spin the bottle. Play fifteen minutes in heaven. Oh! Oh! My favorite we find a cherry tree blossoming with a band and we…”

“PAUSE” Ochako raised up from her seat crossing her arm together stopping the pinkette in her obsession. Every girl looked at her astonished by her sudden reinvigoration. She sat down her blush still visible on her face. “I appreciate your help, but can we at least take a second before throwing me at him…” she fidgeted with her fingers her short-lived confidence replaced by nervousness. “We still don’t know if he like me that way…” a chorus of protestation rise from around her.

“You’re kidding me that guy has eyes for you since you’ve met him”

“I doubt that he doesn’t”

“Even me spotted it”

“Pretty sure he have a crush on you, Kero?”

“Don’t worry I’m sure he does!”

Ochako raised her hands stopping them from going on. “Alright, alright… Can we at least wait after we’re settled in our room?”

Everybody sighed but ultimately agreed. Uraraka truly wished the worse was behind her. This was going to be a long semester…

…later in the dorm…

Everybody was busy unpacking their things in their respective room. The bedrooms were no bigger than his at home leaving enough place for his whole all might collection. He was happy to see none of his collector items where damaged, especially his limited-edition comic protected in his very own glass case.

At least he was lucky to be done so fast. Momo was still trying to fit all her furniture in the small room she was given, and Lida was busy building his various shelves and he swear he could hear power tool coming from Todoroki room. He was one of the first who was done unpacking and decided to go back in the living room where he found Ochako at the table lounging and Kirishima and Sero setting up their videos games consoles in the living room.

He decided to grab himself a bottle of water from the fridge before making his way back toward the couch. “Deku…” he was halted by his friend, visibly nervous.

“Yes Uraraka?” he was not used to see her act like that; something was bothering her just like him it seemed.

“Did… Are you-…” she took a large breath in and exhale. “I hope your room is to your liking!”

“Yea-… Yeah it is, thanks” he rubbed the back of his neck his own nervousness apparent. “I hope yours is also to your liking”

“Yeah, it is..”

Both stood there unsure of what to say. Uraraka tried to say something but was cut off by Izuku cellphone ringing. He reached into his pocket pulling out the device and his face paled at the number he saw. “Toga” he held the phone closed to him not answering it. “I-it’s my m-mom I-I must take i-it” before she could say him anything he ran off the room, his phone against his ear. He took the stairs bumping into Tsuyu and Jirou coming down, barely apologizing before running off.

The two-girl walked toward Ochako confused expression on their face. “What did you do to him?”

“Nothing, I swear!” she looked where he vanished behind the wall, an uneasy feeling in her chest. What was wrong with her friend Izuku Midoriya…

Chapter Text

Izuku was walking down the hallway on the phone with Himiko, trying not to bump into more people. He allowed himself a sigh of relief when he entered his room, far from any prying ears. “H-Himiko, why are you calling me?”

“Oh, I can’t call you anymore, because you’re not staying with us?” her voice almost sounded hurt from his statement.

“N-no, of course you can still call!” he frantically apologized to her, freaked out at the idea of her being potentially mad at him. “Just text me first next time, I don’t want someone peeking at my phone by accident”

Her giggle echoed through the phone; he couldn’t help but smile as she laughed. “Alright, I’ve teased you enough, I’ll be careful next time, I swear.” She paused for a second. “Guess what?”

“What?”

“I got my papers! I can go back to school now. Say Hi to Tamaki Hiro, quirkless nobody!” her excitement echoed throughout the room. Izuku was invigorated by it.

“That’s great! How did you get it so fast?”

“I asked a friend…”

“What kind of friend…”

“Don’t worry about it, nothing too bad I swear”

Something dawns on him. “What if my mom sees your name change? Isn’t it risky? She’s going to ask questions, and what about your look?” After all, quirk or no quirk, her appearance was easily recognizable to anyone who ever saw her. Her golden eyes, her silky-smooth hair, her sharp, lovely smile, her lips…

“What about my look…” he could hear her teasing smile on the other side of the line, teasing him. He blabbered some form of apology, but was cut off by her lovely laughter.” Haha, I can see your red face from here. Like I said, don’t worry about it. I told your mom I changed my name when I ran from home, and she believed me. As for my look, I doubt anyone remembers me from five years ago. Plus, this is a new school, an all-girls school. You should see the uniform, it’s so cute!”

“I bet it is…” He thanked his mouth for not betraying his thoughts in front of her. “When do you start school?”

“Tomorrow, your mom already started the process; they only needed the paperwork for my admission”

“It’s nice to hear”

“Oh, I also catch up with an old friend, well, not that old and not much of a friend, but still…”

“… Who are you talking about?”

“Well…”

…Earlier…

Giran was finishing his cigar inside the league hideout, as the last plume of smoke exited his mouth, his phone rang. He looked down at it, seeing the well-known number of one of his agents. Lazily, he lifted the phone to his ear, answering the device. “Hello Tomy, why did you call me…”

“Hi…” the cherry sound of the girl on the other side made it clear. This wasn’t Tomy. “I have a favor to ask!”

Giran smiled at the girl's antics. “Toga! What a surprise, where is Tomy?”

As soon as the word Toga escaped his lips, every member of the Leagues of Villains in the vicinity tensed. Particularly, a certain man with dry skin, who disintegrated the glass he was holding. Only Twice did not seem affected by the news, waving frantically toward the phone. “Hi Toga/ GO TO HELL!!”

Dabi even accidentally set aflame the alcohol inside his glass. With a blow, he extinguished it and threw it back.

“Don’t worry about Tomy-boy, is fiii-neee. Isn’t that right!” from the other side of the phone, the anguished cry of pain coming from someone who must have been Tomy echoed, followed by a giggle. “I won’t kill him if that’s what you’re asking, I’ve turned a new leaf!”

“Good for you… So, do you mind calling later? I’m a bit occupied at the moment”

“You’re at the League?”

“How did you guess?” he sounded amused by her deduction, barely phased by the red-hot hatred coming from behind him. He didn’t react in time when the phone was forcefully grabbed from his hand.

Shigaraki's pinky lifted, was growling into the phone. “Toga…”

“Heya, boss-man! How’s it going? Not too lonely without me, I hope” Shigaraki heard a shuffle from the other side, as if she was making herself comfortable. Tomy cried out in pain once more.” By the way, sorry, Kurogiri! I didn’t mean it, I swear”

“If you tell me where you are, I’ll make sure you die quickly…”

“Nope! Can’t tell!”

He scratched at his skin, trying to get the itch out. His quirk begs him to be used. “I swear if I ever see you, I’ll murder you as slowly as I can. I’ll rip your limbs off one by one in front of your god-damned boy-toy of yours. Then I’ll let you live just long enough to see me do the same thing to him…”

“Ouhhh, kinky…” she cooed. “Do you mind? I got a question for our common friend…”

Tomura tossed the phone back at Giran, who promptly caught it. “So, what was that about a favour?”

“I’ll tell you as soon as you get out…”

…Present…

“YOU TALKED WITH SHI-…!” Izuku yelled into his room. He caught his mistake and shut himself with his palm before he could inadvertently tell everyone in the dorms about whom he was referring.

“Geez, no need to burst my ear about it…”

“What if this Giran tell them! He could sell us out and then…” his head was spinning. This could be bad if the League knows where to find Himiko, they could-…

Himiko cut him off. “Giran is a businessman, as long as we don’t poke our nose in his stuff, he won’t bother us. If he favoured one client over another, he wouldn’t be breathing the same air as we do right now” she sounded sure, not a hint of hesitation could be traced in her voice.

“Didn’t you mess things up by leaving the League?”

“I mess with the league, not Giran” as if there was a difference between them…

“I hope you are right…”

Sensing the distress in his voice, she decided to change the subject. “Of course I am, so tell me, tell me! How are the dorms? Did you do anything interesting today?”

“The dorms are honestly not much different from back at home. It’s just more interesting now that all my friends are next door” he picked up one of his All Might figurines to fiddle with it. “How’s my old room treating you?”

“Fantastic!” he heard a *Poof* as she probably threw herself in something soft. “Finally got the bed for myself, never slept better” 

She let out a low growl, her voice taking a seductive tone. “There’s a place for one more in it when you come back…”

“IMFINEVERYMUCHTHANKYOU!!” again he slapped his palm against his mouth to stop himself from causing a ruckus. Why was he like this?

“Kidding…” she was not.

“… W-we also have self self-defence course. Oh! And a new support activity with a first aid class”

“Seems fun, I wish you would come home, a bit lonely here without you” her voice was filled with dejection. This made his heart sink; he wanted to be with her… Just not now, not so soon after what they’ve done, he needed to clear his head first.

“I-I still plan on coming this weekend”

“I’ll be there. Well, I need to go. Your mom needs me in the kitchen, see you later, Izuku”

“Bye Himiko…”

…

Izuku made his way down the stairs. Everyone was gathered in the common room, talking, laughing and socializing. The boys gathered around the TV, taking turns on one of Kirishima's fighting games. The clear winner was Bakugo, destroying his opponent one after the other while shouting *DIE* or a variant of it. Most of the girls were gathered in a corner near a whiteboard while Momo drew some sort of chart on it.

This made him curious enough to go check what they were doing. “What is this?”

All the girls of A-1 turned toward him, making him a bit nervous. He took a second look at the board as he got closer. This was some sort of activity board separated into different days of the month. In the corner, various magnets shape like each of his classmates stood, probably created by Momo. “I thought this should help us organize our mutual activity”

“How does it work?”

Mina took the lead. “If you want to do something after class, you just have to write on the day you plan on doing it!” she took a marker and wrote Movie night! In the Friday case of this week. She then picked up one of the little Mina magnets and stuck it right in the middle of the case.

“So now if you want to have an awesome movie night with me, you can just put your own magnet near mine and I’ll know you’ll be there!

Some picked up their own magnet to put near hers. Toru, Ochako, Momo and Jirou were part of it. “So, what do you say, Midoriya, want to watch the greatest movie of all time with us!”

He hesitated; he wanted to pass some time with his classmate, but he knew he had plans for his weekend together with Himiko. With so little time to spend together, he could not think of arriving late on Friday. “Sorry, I already have plans for this weekend”

“Darn it” Mina looked… disappointed? “Maybe next time!”

“Sure, what’s the movie you choose?”

Mina grinned as she pulled out of nowhere the DVD she was somehow holding on her person this whole time. “Only the greatest work of horror sci-fi fiction ever created… Alien!” Her smile seemed to double as she presented her movie.

Without saying anything, both Jirou and Toru removed their little magnet from the Movie Night!. “Hey, what the hell!”

“I’m sorry, I’m really bad with horror movies. I can’t watch them” a frightened invisible said, barely hiding the terror in her voice.

“I’ve already seen it…” blurted out Jiro. Shrugging at the pinkette accusation.

“Not with me!” Mina turned her back on her so-called friend, pouting.

“What are you doing this weekend Deku?” Ochako was curious about her friend's activity. Particularly since he’s been acting so strangely lately. Maybe she could come along.

“I uhm… Just hanging out with my mom and a friend” he didn’t like the attention on him, it was just a question of time before everyone started asking who-…

“A friend? Who?” crap, there it was. Quick, he needed an out as soon as possible! Sweat started pouring out of the poor boy's body as he tried harder and harder to find a good answer, something tethering on the truth but never reaching it. If he just lied, they would know instantly. Luckily, forces above send him a sharp-toothed angel to save him.

“Movie night Friday? Count me in! What’s the movie? One by one, the rest of the boys not playing start gathering near the activity board.

“I’ve always wanted to try some new activity with my peers” said Tokoyami, nodding his head in silent contemplation.

“I can finally create a study group for all of us in an easy way!” exclaimed a rather excited Lida.

“Maybe I’ll join…” a blank Todoroki stated.

Everyone had their attention directed toward the now bustling board, with some adding their own activity they wanted to try. Izuku took his leave and made a break toward the fridge to make himself a simple bowl of something. The only one who caught on was the pink-cheeked brunette, following him, still wondering about this unknown friend of his.

“Deku?”

Surprised by the sudden mention of his name, he jumped, hitting his head against the upper part of the fridge. He was quick to face her, his face red with embarrassment. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you”

She couldn’t stop this uncertain feeling in her chest like something was wrong, deeply wrong with him. “Are you alright?” she wanted him to tell her to be honest with her, like she was with him. He had changed, not by a lot but just enough for everyone to worry about him, and he still refused to talk to them.

“Y-yes…” a lie, like so many others since he as been captured by the League. What had they done to him so he couldn’t talk to them? To her...

Her heart aches thinking about whatever depravity he had been subjected to the mercy of those villains. “Can you tell me about what is going on?” his expression betrays him once again. Mouth agape, the sweat on his forehead, his eyes avoiding hers. “I-I don’t know what you’re t-talking about Uraraka…”

“Deku…” she closed the gap between them, barely standing an arm apart. She stopped herself from asking him more; maybe this was too soon for him. Maybe he needed a friend supporting him and not questioning him. She took his arm, his heavily scarred arm, in her hands. They both blushed at her action, neither of them saying a word. “Talk to me when you are ready… please”

His expression softens, accepting the warm touch from his friend. He raised his eyes to meet hers. “I will, I swear” she smiled, happy to be with him.

Suddenly, a very smug Mina barged in between them, grinning ear to ear. “What’s going on here…”

“NOTHING!/NOTHING!” they jumped apart like kids caught with their hands inside the cookie jar.

This was going to be a long night…

…The next day…

Today was a new day for everyone in class A-1. Aizawa was teaching the new self-defence class for a bunch of eager teenagers with too much energy to burn. He wasn’t even out of his sleeping bag, and they were laughing, and screaming, and yelling...

“Everyone, silence!” the single octave higher than usual was enough to bring them all back into relative silence. He emerged from his cocoon like the very tired butterfly he was. straightening his back as he began.

“Today, we will be having an exercise with knives. Can anybody tell me the danger associated with such weapons” he said with the same usual enthusiasm.

“They hurt…”

“Thanks for your input, Kaminari. Now, who has a less stupid answer…”

“Hey!”

“They can cause bleeding and muscle damage?” Ochako responded, unsure of where this was going.

“Yes, but above all else, they are a great equalizer” he took out one of the knives from the box next to him. “Even a quirkless criminal armed with a blade can be dangerous. One misstep and the damage can be fatal”

Shogi raised one of his many arms from the back of the group. “Isn’t dangerous to train with a bladed weapon sir?”

Aizawa raised the knife he held, presenting it to the rest of the class. “This is a practice knife, the edge is made of foam, so don’t worry about injury” he slid the fake blade against his wrist to demonstrate, leaving a red trail behind his passage. “They are also loaded with non-permanent ink to mark if you hit your opponent”

The class started chatting with each other, some talking about strategies, others about how fun this is going to be. A simple glare was sufficient to stop their unwanted enthusiasm. He looked at each and every one of them before settling on two in particular.

“Uraraka, Midoriya step closer”

They both did as instructed and stepped forward into one of the practice rings. Aizawa tossed the blade at Izuku, who grabbed it mid-air. “I want you to try to leave a mark on Uraraka, and I want you to restrain him without being touched. No quirk allowed, am I clear?”

“Yes/Yes”

“Perfect, I want everybody to watch very closely. Begin…”

With no whistle or bell, Izuku quickly took a wide stance, grabbing a firm hold of his weapon. He looked at Ochako with the same determination in his eyes as she did. The two of them circle one another, gauging each of their movement, twitch and hesitation. Izuku acted first in a swift motion, he lounges at her, arm extended as much as he could, trying to surprise her.

This was a mistake, she sidesteps him, taking hold of his overextended arm and twisting his wrist, making him drop his weapon. She then trips him using his momentum and her foot, sending him plummeting to the ground. As soon as he landed, she pinned his arm behind his back and sat on him, securing her win.

With her full weight on his back, he couldn’t continue and tapped out. Realizing how close they were together, she got up as fast as she could, offering her hand to help him get up. He smiled and took it, dusting his gym uniform from the dust he bit. “That was good Uraraka!”

“Thanks” both blushed, looking away.

“Get a room!” Sero shouted, earning himself a few laughs from the others. Mina and the girls simply gave her a thumbs up. The two teens walked back toward the rest of their classmates, more embarrassed than they were a second ago.

“As you can see, a blade means nothing if you know how to counter it. I want everyone to pair up with another student and practice with and without the knife” all the students nodded. “Good…”

As everyone started grouping up, Ochako stood near Izuku, and the boy did nothing to try and get away from her. “Do you want to train with me…” she said, not looking at him, hiding the lingering blush on her face.

“S-sure…” they went toward one of the rings not claimed by another group. Next to them, Kaminari and Mineta were arguing about who got to hold the knife first. They reached the center, and he offered her the practice weapon.

“You can have it since I already tried…” this whole training together was getting awkward, with neither of them wanting to look at each other. She took the knife from his hand, bowing in thanks and walked a few steps back.

Now it was his turn to defend against her; all the tension vanished as they got ready to face each other. Izuku tried imitating the pose Ochako took against him, while she went low. This time none of them loose any time and rushed one another in the middle. Izuku managed to dodge her wild slashes aimed at his center mass, weaving in and out, never able to find an opening. She swung the weapon in an arc, missing him by an inch. He went in her defence, grabbing her wrist, pushing them down. Him standing over her.

With a flick of her wrist, she managed to leave a mark on his hand, earning her another victory despite being pinned to the ground. The exercise finished, she looked at him, panting, both his legs on each side of her thigh, hands pinned above her head. From the outside, it looked like…

“I-I w-win…” she was hyperventilating. He was way too close for her own comfort! Seeing her reaction, he looked down and realized why she was being so nervous. At unseen speed, he rolled off her and bowed down, apologizing again and again.

They both were interrupted in their awkward interaction by Mineta yelling at Kaminari. “Unfair, you can’t do that!”

“Aizawa just said to leave a mark, and I did! You’re just being a sore loser”

They turned to see Mineta ten feet apart from the electric blond, pointing at the mark on his forehead, blade at his feet. “This is a cheap shot” he grinned at his vanquished foe.

“This doesn’t count!”

“Yah-huh!”

“Nah-huh!”

Their childish feud was broken up when Aizawa sneaked behind the smug blond with his own knife. In a swift motion, he kicked him behind the knee, bringing him low. With his free hand, he grabbed hold of his mouth, stopping him from screaming and slid the knife at his throat, leaving a crimson line where both his arteries should be. “Stop goofing off…”

Kaminari, realizing what just happened, fell to his hands and knee, desperately clutching at his windpipe, sure the grim reaper had taken his life. “Remember this is serious, I want to see practice…”

“Do you think he did that in the past. It looked so smooth as if he had practiced it his whole life” The brunette whispered in the ear of her sparring partner.

“Sure looks like it…” a shiver went down his back, thinking about it. “We should keep going, I don’t want Aizawa breathing down my neck…”

Before they could continue, the teacher’s whistle blew and signalled everyone to change partners. Uraraka wave him off and walked toward Tsuyu. Izuku turned around to see Koda walking toward him, shy as ever, holding the fake blade close to his chest as if afraid to hurt someone with it.

Then Izuku realized something about his quasi-mute classmate. He was big, very big…

Sure, his quirk wasn’t the flashiest, but in terms of raw physical strength, he must have been the strongest in the class, right after Shoji. Just thinking about how he must have crushed enough robots with his bare hand to be admitted into UA sent another shiver down his spine.  “Oh boy…”

…In a garage…

“Where is he…” nearly all the members of the league of villains were gathered in the abandoned mechanic shop near their new hideout, waiting for the last one to arrive. Dabi and Compress were busy playing cards, the magician using a bit of sleight of hand to keep his winning streak. Magne was lounging on a pile of tires, snoozing away, and Spinner was sharpening his many blades in anticipation.

The only one missing was Twice; he was charged with bringing a vehicle to the league since only he knew how to hotwire a car. Well, he and Himiko, but mentioning the blood-crazed maniac was a sure way to die early. Shigaraki was twitching in place, no game to occupy his twisted mind, he was getting annoyed really fast.

Luckily, the garage doors opened, letting the last missing member enter with the stolen vehicle. “I got it/ STEALING IS WRONG!”

The leader paused, taking a long look at the chosen vehicle. He barely remembered to lift his pinky, his hand facepalmed into his face, desperation in his voice. “Twice what is this…”

“It’s our ride/IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT GET ONE YOURSELF!” the madman responds.

Magne opened her eyes and barely managed to hold her laughter; even Dabi smirked at the sight of their new acquisition. Compress manages to keep a certain professionalism. “Well… It is inconspicuous…”

Tomura groaned into the fold of his hand, dragging it across his face. “Nobody is ever going to take us seriously…”

Author’s note

So, I’ve been trying to improve my grammar since I received quite a bit of comments and reviews about the quality of my English (I’m French Canadian, and it’s the first time in 10 years I’ve written something more than 100 words). If someone knows a good free autocorrect to recommend, I would appreciate. Expect the earlier chapter to be updated as I try to use Reverso to check my previous and future work. Sorry again for the poor English.

I do mean I appreciate all reviews, even those criticizing my poor English. It’s good to see people who care enough to leave something…

I pushed back Shigaraki's fight for the next chapter, sorry.

Chapter Text

”I can’t believe I’m stuck here…” Mount Lady was in a black van rolling on the highway in the direction of Tokyo, sitting on the front passenger seat in front. The sun was at its peak, and no other cars were present on the road; in brief, boring…

In the back of the truck, the criminal Diamond was restrained and flanked by three officers in full riot gear. The only thing separating her from him was a metal grate between the front and the back of the van.

“If you want, I could make this experience more enjoyable for both of us…” Konda creepily said to her, making sure to wet his lips audibly.

She could only shudder in disgust, thinking about it. “Eww, I don’t even want to think about your smelly ass”

“Your loss…” he sat back in his seat, unbothered by both the rejection and the quirk-suppressing handcuff wrapped around his wrists and ankles. All the officers in the back of the van wore a special patch on their uniform, giving them the authority to use their quirk in case of any trouble.

They also all used number-based aliases. One was tall, his face hidden behind his helmet. On his uniform, the number one was stitched on the front and back. Two was a mutant-type quirk user with large fangs coming from his mouth, his head resembling a bear. He towered over everyone in the car. Three was a normal-looking fellow with brown eyes and a beard; he was bored out of his mind. Finally, Four was a woman with long red hair tied into a ponytail coming out of a custom-made helmet, allowing her hair out, she was driving the vehicle. She closed the opening in between them, not wanting to hear any more derogatory remarks.

“Hey Four, you’re leaving us alone with the creep, not cool…” unfortunately for the ladies, the back compartment wasn’t soundproof. They could at least evade his leering gaze for the rest of the trip.

“Come on, Three, you’re a big boy now, you can stay alone for an hour” his colleague mocked him.

“I’m hungry…” said One

“I’m thirsty…” echoed Two

“I need to piss!” cried Three

“Well, looks like you can both help each other back there” she snickered. “Just piss in Two’s mouth so he won’t be thirsty, and you won’t be crying about your need to piss!”

“But I’ll still be hungry!” One feigned his protestation, fighting back a few laughs.

“Just eat the one who gets killed by the other!” laughter echoed throughout the van, and even the criminal joined in.

“Are they always this annoying?” Mount Lady sighed, the wardens weren’t any better than their captive. At least she wasn't the only woman in the van. She could find solace with the girl next to her.

“Nah, they just love being a pain in my ass”

Two let out a bellowing laugh. “I mean, I sure want to be in it. Have you seen it!”

“One punch Two!” the woman yelled at her colleague. The sound of a punch resonates through the van. Followed by a bit of a scuffle and then silence. “Got Him!”

“Thanks”

Yu looked at the growing smile on the woman next to her; they all knew each other from way back when. Their banters had a certain charm to them, like watching children beat each other at recess and then play tag the next second. Clearly, they were a tightly knit group. “You never use a name on the job?”

“Nah, miss” the voice of Three came from behind her. “Company policy and whatnot”

“Last time someone said his name out loud, they docked his pay for a week's worth of job” the red-haired next to her explained. Yu grimaced at that. She already was in the red from all the property damage she caused; this was the only reason she accepted this job. Just thinking about losing such an amount of money… “Ouch…”

“If that hurts, imagine losing 50,000 in a day's worth of work” Diamond grumbled in between his teeth. “That fucking bitch…”

“If you want to lose that much in a day, just give it to Three. He’ll gamble it in five hours top!”

“Fuck you, it was one time…” more bickering started. “And it was only 50,000 yen, not US!”

The boys in the back argued, bickered and laughed some more, giving the two women the time to calmly talk to each other. “Sooo, I-…”

The red-head seemed nervous, fiddling with her steering wheel, biting her lips. “Fuck it, I’m just going to say it! I’m a big fan of yours, could you sign an autograph for me?” she pulled out a tiny wad of papers from her breast pocket and gave it to Yu, her eyes riveted to the road, visibly flustered.

Mount Lady looked surprised for just a moment before recollecting herself. With a smile, she took the piece of paper and a pen she had in her pocket. “Always a pleasure to meet a fan” with the flick of a wrist, she signs her name. “Should I dedicate it to you? I would need your name for that…”

Four was conflicted on one part, she knew if she got caught, she was sure to lose a decent percentage of her pay, on the other hand, she would have a personalized autograph from one of her favourite heroines. She bit on her lips harder, debating if it was worth it. With a sigh, she turned toward her Hero and whispered. “Okay, so my name is-…”

Out of nowhere, someone on the highway cut her off, forcing her to turn abruptly to the right to avoid the incoming vehicle. “Son of a bitch! Watch where you’re going asshole!”

“Alright here you go, dedicated to ‘Son of a bitch’ my biggest fan” with a coy smile, Yu give her back her paper.

“WHAT!”

“I’m just kidding” she chuckled at her own joke, clearly amused by the reaction she got from Four.

From the back, they heard banging. “What’s going on in there? I was almost thrown off my seat!” It was Three

“I knew we shouldn’t let a woman drive…” joked the bear-man

“ONE PUNCH TWO!!” She yelled back at her colleague once more, followed by the similar sound of a fist colliding with someone.

She glared at the new arrival in front of her. It was a beat-up American white van with a giant upside-down ant-queen on top. Rust covered the base of the entire thing. On the back of the truck, the name of the company could be read…

“What the hell is Dale’s Dead-Bug…”

There was no time to think about that; the back doors of the white van were thrown open with force, revealing its occupant. Three men stood there, one had terrible burn scars across his whole body, dressed in a black leather trench coat, the other was dressed like a stage magician with a blank mask on his face, hiding his Identity. The last one had his upper body wrapped in mummified hands, one grasping his face.

“Time for an extermination!” yelled the burned victims before unleashing a torrent of blue fire at their vehicle.

Four views was obstructed by the sea of melting-hot fire sent her way; she hit the brakes at full force to make some distance between them. “WE GOT COMPANY BOYS!!” Yu undid her seatbelt, ready to leap out of the vehicle the second they stopped. In the back, all traces of light-hearted fun was over, every officer gritting their teeth in preparation.

Only Diamond kept smiling like an idiot. “Looks like my ride is here…”

None of them answered him, busy getting ready for the fight in front of them. As soon as the car was halted, Four undid her seatbelt to go out with the rest of the team, the fire screen in front of them replaced by heavy smoke, obscuring what was going on in front. She never had the time to fully unfasten her seat belt, a large *THUD* was heard from the front hood of the vehicle and two hands connected with the windshield. She only had time to watch in horror the glass being dusted in mere seconds, letting the man in, lounging at her face at unforeseen speed.

His fingers connected with her face, spreading the painful effect of his quirk, her face cracking like porcelain, revealing the muscle underneath and then nothing but dust wrapped in uniform. “FOUR!” Mount Lady didn’t have time to mourn the loss; she kicked her door open and immediately grew to the size of a small building. From up there, she could see two more occupants coming out from the extermination van in front of her and the officers coming out of the back of their own van.

With force, she brought her foot down on the front of their car, crushing it into a metal sheet no taller than a foot. Unfortunately, the hand-man was quick to exit by the driver's door, avoiding a terrible death.

“What’s the situation!” yelled One, removing his helmet, revealing a large hole where one of his eyes should be and short black hair.

“It’s the league of villains! Five of them, they got Four!”

“THOSE BASTARDS!” raged the bear-man, seemingly bursting out of his uniform from sheer muscle pressure; his face was twisted in a vicious snarl. His fangs and claws doubled in size.

“Calm down, big guy! We need a plan!” the bearded man got his service weapon out to lay suppressing fire on the attacker up front. Forcing them to take cover behind their vehicle.

At the same time, Diamond got out of the van, running as fast as he could toward the edge of the road. “Oh no, you don’t!” One concentrated on the running man with his missing eye.

Diamond was pushed to the ground as gravity got multiplied tenfold on his body, cracking both the concrete under him and some of his bones. “Fuck!”

“Three get him!” with his palm facing the criminal, Three lifted him with telekinetic force, dragging him back into the back of the now ruined van. Once inside, he locked the door. “Package secured”

Mount Lady was about to bring down her fist down on the criminals hiding behind the car, but was forced to back away when large debris appeared out of nowhere. She looked down at the magician tossing marbles at her and the burned man next to him, preparing another wave of fire. She leapt back, crouching near the other guys. “Can’t get close to them because of those two…”

One speaks. “Alright, here's the plan! I’ll deal with the disintegrator while Three occupy their long-range duo, Two, you are in charge of whoever those two assholes in front are, as for you, Mount lady, incapacitate anyone you can get your hands on. Lethal force is authorised” Everybody nodded at once.

The bear man let out a deep roar, charging at the two people in front of the white van, using his claw to grip the concrete under him, propelling himself faster than his body should be able to move. Compress and Dabi threw some projectiles his way, but were forced to hide under the suppressing fire of the bearded man. Shigaraki made a mad dash toward the charging hulk of a man, but was stopped when gravity was multiplied tenfold on him. Looking up, he could see One staring directly at him.

Magne and Twice were now busy fighting a monster twice their combined size with claws so sharp that it ripped apart both metal and concrete. The magnet user tried to repel him as far as she could, but the man used his claw to anchor himself in the ground. Twice using his combat tape while he was incapacitated was barely able to leave scratches on his body. “It’s doing nothing/WE’RE WINNING!!”

Compress threw marbles at the bearded man, hoping to give them some breathing room from the onslaught of gunfire, but his effort were thrown back at him when he saw his projectile changed course toward them just as he was undoing his quirk. Sending back the now large boulders.

“Oh sh-…” They both ducked on opposite sides, barely avoiding the crushing rocks.

Shigaraki looked up with hatred as the large foot of Mount Lady was about to crush him under her heel, powerless to move a single digit due to One's quirk. He was saved at the last second when the giantess began to glow a faint pink, pulled toward the ground as Magne used her quirk on her. Sending her tumbling on the ground.

The bear man took his chance and leaped at Magne, claw outstretched; she barely had time to block the blow. His claw ripped right through the magnet she was holding, slicing her arm clean off. Through gritted teeth, she backed off, wrapping her arm with her shirt, trying to stop the bleeding.

Two did not let her rest; he rushed at her, intending to end the fight quickly. Unfortunately for him, Dabi unleashed a torrent of fire just as he was about to connect with Magne, severely burning the beast-man. His fur singed in an instant, leaving him charred. The smell of burned flesh was overwhelming.

Just as he was done with the mutant, Dabi turned toward Mount Lady, still on the ground. The last thing he remembered was a giant outstretched hand slapping him with full force, sending him flying right into one of the guardrails next to the road.

One was still concentrating on the leader pinning him in place. He was snapped out of it when the sound of screeching tires came from behind him, barely dodging out of the way of the beat-up red car barrelling toward him. In the conductor seat, he saw a man with the head of a gecko, panicking as he turned violently his steering wheel.

The vehicle spins on itself, nabbing One in the leg before crashing with full force into the destroyed black van. Spinner got out of the car, wobbling and dazed from the accident. “Hrckk, I told you all to wait for me, I’m not used to driving!”

“Well, you’re here now, make yourself useful!” Shigaraki shouted back, starting to get back up from his makeshift crater. Never has he gotten this injured before; he could feel most of the bones in his body either crack or cry out in pain. This guy's quirk was no joke. “Finish him before he gets up!”

Still unsteady from his crash-landing, Spinner wobbled toward the downed man crawling on the floor, leg busted. He raised his oversized sword overhead, ready to spill the man’s guts all over the street, but failed to do so when his weapon was nabbed out of his hand by unseen forces, landing next to Three, fresh out of bullets.

“Now One!”

The crawling man turned on himself, concentrating on the lizard man in front of him and brought down the force of gravity upon him. Sending him crashing down into the pavement. He looked away toward the rest of the team. Mount Lady was getting up just like Shigaraki. Two was burned but breathing, Three was the only one still standing, and Four, well, Four was gone.

The villains weren’t any better. Shigaraki was still reeling from the multiplied gravity he felt, Magne was trying not to die from blood loss, Dabi was indented into the guardrail, Compress was out of projectiles, Spinner was unable to get up from his injuries, and Twice was freaking out.

This battle was still far from over, his own leader now free of danger. Three turned toward the stage magician, lifting him up toward Yu, yelling at her. “Get him!” She didn’t wait, and just like Dabi, she sent him crashing down with a well-placed slap. Blood spurted out of his mask as he fell unconscious.

Yu checked around her to ensure that everyone was where they were supposed to be and found someone missing. “Where’s Shigara-…” the debilitating pain she felt near her ankle was the answer she was seeking. He was currently touching her with both of his hands, spreading his quirk as fast as he could throughout her body. Flashes of what happened to Four entered her mind, and in a panic, leapt into the air.

By removing her giantism, she achieves heights far beyond her usual range, reaching up to 100 feet in a single leap. “This is going to suck…” she clenched her teeth and pulled her legs and arms closer to her body. Reactivating her quirk, she grew back to her enormous height just as she reached the peak of her ascent and came crashing down seconds later.

“BOMBSHELL CANYON!!”

Shigaraki looked up to see what was happening. A meteor made of flesh was crashing toward him at peak velocity. At the last second, plumes of violet smoke whip him away from the danger. The impact sends everything flying away from the newly formed crater. Debris, cars and people were pushed back by it.

Yu felt her tailbone break on impact, sending waves of pain throughout her body. She was squirming on the floor in pain. “Yep, I need a better way to land next time…” she slowly and painfully got up, ahead of her, Shigaraki and a man made of smoke stood. Behind her, Three was busy bringing One and Three closer to him to treat their wounds. She had to make a decision.

Pulling on the last of her strength, she ran toward Three and the rest of the group, scooping them into her massive hands. “What are you doing? What about the cargo!” Three yelled.

“The only objective right now is to stay alive!” she protested, bringing all of them as far as she could from the danger. They had failed and needed to cut their losses. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping her up, and Three couldn’t possibly defeat the three remaining standing villains by himself, so she ran.

…

Kurogiri brought together all the members of the League of Villains; none of them had died today, but this was at best a Pyrrhic victory. Magne's arm was cut off, Spinner Dabi and Compress all had broken bones and Shigaraki and Twice were covered in bruises. The only one still intact was Kurogiri.

“Good job today, Tomura. I’m sure your mentor is going to be thrilled to hear about your success today”

Shigaraki turned toward the shadow man, clearly annoyed by what he said. “Are you mocking me? We almost got wiped by a bunch of NPCS” This was supposed to be a easy raid, instead, all of them almost got wiped out.

“I’m sure you will learn from this experience…”

“What even was the plan?’ Magne questioned, pale and frail from blood loss but still conscious.

“Go in, kill them, get the loot…” he said as bluntly as he could.

“Oh yeah! Good plan, Boss! /WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!!” Twice shouted back for once, both his personalities seemed to agree.

“Bitch and moan all you want, we got what we came here for…” Shigaraki walked toward the remains of the black van, ignoring the rest of his subordinates. He could hear the loud banging coming from inside.

He reached the locked door and simply touched it with all five of his fingers. The door crumbled to dust, revealing Diamond, twitching nervously as he saw who had come to get him. “H-hey, Shigaraki, long time no see…”

“Diamond…”

Diamond had no way out without his quirk, and he knew how much his little stunt must have ticked off the man standing in front of him. “I-I knew you would come for me, that’s why I said what I did. Anyway, you know, I know nothing about your little o-organization so-…” he was cut off by the young man stepping inside of his cage. There was no way for him to escape.

From the darkness, he looked like a demon, his red eyes almost glowing. “Tell me, Diamond…” the man stayed silent. “Do you think I’m weak…” he stepped closer.

“Do you think I’m stupid…” again he stepped closer.

“Childish…” closer.

“Tell me, Diamond…” he was towering over him. His presence, downright demonic. He reached down and, with a touch of his fingers, disintegrated the Quirk-restraining handcuffs. Konda looked surprised by his actions; his expression was unreadable. He stood up from the back of the van, facing his would-be executioner. “Y-you’re letting me go?”

“Only if you tell me…”

“W-well, no, I don’t think you-…” suddenly a slap echoed in the van. Tomura had slapped him with his palm on the face, making sure he didn’t activate his quirk as he did so. “Tell me…”

“I-I told you I don-…” another on the other cheek this time. Now he was getting annoyed, this brat was slapping him as if he were nothing to him. “I told you I-…” another…

That was it. Diamond reared his fist and connected his hardened limb right onto his face. Dislodging the mummified hand still clinging on. Tomura stood tall after the hit, spitting some blood on the metal floor of the vehicle, raising his eyes the meet his. “Tell me…”

Diamond prepared another hit, intending this time to just kill the kid and run from all of this, but Shigaraki caught the fist. He wrapped all five of his fingers around the hardened fist, disintegrating it. The now amputated man fell back on the floor, gasping in pain at the missing limb.

Looking up, he could now see all the burning hatred radiating from the young man over him. “Why are you lying…” Diamond tried to speak, but he was paralyzed from fear; an angel of death stood over him.

“You tried to sell the League out…” his hand wrapped around his other arm, taking it in less than a second. “You would never have done that if you respected me…” Konda tried to kick him, but he caught his foot, turning it into dust. “You would have been honest if you feared me…” Another kick met the same fate as the last.

“So, tell me… Where is our money Diamond…”

“I-I d-don’t h-have i-it -th-the bi-bitch stole -i-it…” his whole body was now trembling before the man. Money? This was about money? All this for 50,000 US? “I-I’ll g-get y-you mo-money I-I swear!”

Reaching into his back pocket, Shigaraki pulled out a pair of pliers, his visage twisting into a sadistic grin. “This isn’t about the money… this is a message to the world about what happened when you don’t take us seriously” Diamond hardens himself trying to stop whatever the madman had planned for him, but not fast enough. Tomura had already pushed the pliers into his mouth, keeping it open and with the fineness of a butcher started pulling out his teeth, his diamond teeth, one by one…

…

Izuku was walking toward the common room, drinking some water after a hard day of training. While he was quenching his thirst, a conversation caught his attention.

“… Is she okay?” What was this about? He walked around the corner to see most of the class gathered around the TV; the news channel was on. “What’s going on?”

“A villain attack on the highway, Mount Lady was injured” said Kirishima, not daring to look away from the screen. The greenette came closer, pushing away some of his friends to get a good look at what happened. His eyes widened when he saw the picture of Diamond plastered in the top corner as the newscaster divulged more information. An aerial view of what must have been the fight scene revealed destroyed concrete and vehicles with debris thrown everywhere.

“… Today, a convoy escorting the dangerous criminal Konda Tadasu, also known as Diamond, was attacked by the league of villains, killing one officer and injuring two others. The known heroine, Mount Lady was also injured during the attack but managed to save three of the officers; all of their conditions are stable. The criminal Konda Tadasu was found alive in critical condition; the authority believes this must have been a retaliatory attack for trying to cooperate with the police. The attackers were able to escape despite their critical condition… Up next-…”

“According to the papers, the criminal was tortured and was found with all his limbs missing… They even pull off his teeth” Todoroki read out loud from the news article on his phone.

Momo closed the TV, visibly shaken by the violence of the attack. “This is horrible…”

Lida was also reading from the same article on his own phone. “At least all surviving officers and heroes will be able to make a full recovery from the attack according to the news”

“I’m still sad about the poor woman who died…”  Ochako said softly. “Deku, what do-…” she turned around to see what her friend had to say about the situation, but only caught a glimpse of his briskly walking toward his room.

“Geez, he looked like he saw a ghost” Mina said.

Uraraka, Lida and Todoroki all turned toward each other, all thinking the same thing. “Is this connected?”

Author’s notes

There you have it, Shigaraki's vengeance upon Diamond. Writing fight is so fun to be honest! I hope my 6vs4(5?) was easy to visualize. Writing a big brawl is hard. Now the league is back to licking its wounds for some time, giving us plenty of time for some romance shenanigans!

Next time, Himiko!

Chapter Text

Himiko looked at herself in the mirror in front of her. The new uniform she received from her school had just arrived, and she was dying to try it on. The black skirt, the crimson blouse, the white shirt underneath, it was so cute! Posing in front of the bathroom mirror, she made sure she was at her best. She even sent a pic to Izuku, knowing he would probably be embarrassed by the sudden outfit change. The message she received confirmed it.

“Lodfsk” followed by a quick. “Look good!”

She applied the final layer of eyeliner and got out, ready for her big day. Inko was cooking in the kitchen; even in the morning, she never seemed to stop preparing meals. “Himiko, are you ready? Tell me all about how it went, I want every detail!”

“Sure, am! I was about to go out” the two of them were close; Izuku feared that if he went away, their relationship might decline, but it was the opposite. Himiko was a breath of fresh air for the woman, and Inko was a parental figure she always craved in her life; both were closer than ever. Especially since they could openly talk about the green-haired boy without fear of him overhearing them. Himiko grabbed her bag near the door, a standard yellow backpack adorned with every little pin and ornament she had accumulated throughout her life.

“Wait!” she was in the doorway when the mother stopped her, jogging lightly toward her box in hand.

“You can’t go out without a lunch!” she presented the bento to the blond girl, an action so common nobody would have second thoughts about it. But for Himiko, this was all she ever wanted: normality. No one judging her, no parents screaming at her that she was different, just a normal life being herself. Unknowingly, a tear was shed.

“Oh dear, are you alright?” Inko stepped closer, concerned. Another thing she didn’t know she needed. Other people's concern, Inko and Izuku welcomed her into their lives with no ifs or buts; she felt blessed.

She was quick to wipe away the tear, putting on her most radiant smile. “I’m fine, just a bit tired. I should go, don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about my day when I come back!”

“Take care Honey” on those sweet words, Himiko started her day as Tamaki Hiro, a normal teenage girl. Inko believed her when she said she only changed her name so her parent wouldn’t find her and bring her back. She managed to convince her to still call her Himiko behind closed doors.

…

Arriving at her new school, she took in the sight of the large building in front of her. It was not the biggest school in the city, but compared to the one she went to in middle school, the difference was sizeable. The red brick of the construction fitted with the red of her uniform, and the metal gate upfront had the name of the establishment written on it. “Ryukyu High” was named after the heroine after a large donation that saved the establishment from bankruptcy. It was now one of the most reputable public schools, producing some of the best women in many fields.

She was snapped out of her admiration when someone collided with her, another girl dressed in a similar uniform with large green pigtails. She simply excused herself and continued walking. No insult, no remark on how weird she was, just a simple. “Excuse me” and go.

Himiko took a large breath in and stepped forward, welcoming her new life. This was going to be fun.

…

“So, this is your new classmate, I expect all of you to welcome her as one of your own” her homeroom teacher plainly said, introducing her to the rest of the class. Himiko stepped forward with a large smile on her face.

“Hi, my name is Tamaki Hiro! It’s a pleasure to meet you all” she bowed to the rest of the class as murmurs about the new student were already being heard. Most of them simply greeted her with no particular enthusiasm. After all, a new arrival was just a normal occurrence in most people's lives. With joy in her steps, she skipped toward her seat and got ready for the lessons. She took out her textbook and looked forward.

 She was interrupted when she heard a *psst* coming from behind. She turned. Behind her sat the same girl who bumped into her this morning, green twin tail, thick, square glasses and even some freckles on her face. She couldn’t help but draw a comparison between her and a certain Hero to be. “Yes?”

“I just wanted to say sorry again for this morning. Oh, and your Vlad King pin is really cute!” she pointed at the chibi rendition of the famous UA teacher on her backpack. Himiko smiled back, all teeth. “Thanks, I like your freckle. They’re so cute on you!”

The student blushed at the compliment, clearly not used to receiving them from others, another obvious comparison between her and Izuku. “Ladies, the lesson is on the board!” the teacher quickly scolded them before going back to his subject.

“Sorry/ Sorry!” they both turned to face the teacher; she didn’t want detention on her first day after all.

The green-haired girl whispered from behind. “If you want, you can sit with me at lunch…”

“Sure…” she whispered back, happy.

…

Himiko was looking around, trying to find the girl in her class who had invited her to sit with her for lunch. She was holding in her hand the bento box Miss Midoriya had so gently prepared for her. After a minute of searching, a hand waved at her from a sea of bodies munching on their lunch. “Over here!”

Again, Himiko skipped toward the girl and sat on the seat she had reserved for her. At their table, two other girls were eating and discussing next to her new friend. “Glad you found us Hiro”

“And I’m glad you invited me…” she paused, the freckled girl never introduced herself.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I’m Goto Gen” she turned toward the two other girls at the table. “And these are my friends…” she waited for them to introduce themselves.

One of them had vibrant, long red hair with equally ruby colored eyes; she radiated positive energy. “I’m Rai Rino! Pleasure to meet you!”

The other had short blue hair and a passive expression on her face. “Umemura Uki…” she quickly went back to eating her sandwich.

“Glad to meet you all! I’m Tamaki Hiro, but you can call me Himi!”

“Why Himi?” questioned the red hair.

“Long story, I don’t want to bore you with it” it was easier and more pleasant for Himiko if people referred to her as something at least resembling her name. She opened her bento, not knowing what to expect.

Inside, she found sausage cut to resemble tiny octopus, a sauce probably homemade and a generous portion of pickled vegetables and rice. With her chopstick, she started to dig in, thanking Inko for the quite adorable meal she prepared for her. “Aww, you’re so lucky my mom only gave me a sandwich and some cheese…” cried out Gen, sad to compare herself to her new friend.

“I love cheese! If you give me a piece of it, I’ll give you one of my sausages”

“DEAL!” she didn’t even think, meat for cheese was a deal the greenette would not pass on. They both exchanged the goods and ate in silence for a good minute before Rino broke the silence. “So, tell me what’s your quirk! Mine is ‘Hothead’, my face can reach a temperature of 1000 degrees” as a demonstration, she took a piece of raw meat packed inside her lunch a popped it into her mouth for a second; her whole face started glowing. Sticking out her tongue, she revealed the cooked meat before swallowing it.

Uki was next to present her ability. “Mine is ‘Colour Hue’, I can change the colour of the things I touch” as a demonstration, she touched her sandwich, alternating its colour like a shifting rainbow, before putting the piece of blue bread inside her mouth.

“Mine is ‘plant grow’. I can’t really show it to you right now, but it’s pretty self explanatory” Gen scratches her head, laughing awkwardly. “So, what is yours?”

“I don’t have one. I’m quirkless!” as soon as the words escaped her mouth, an uneasy silence floated over their table. She could even hear the whispers of some of the girls surrounding them. Himiko looked around, unsure of what she had said that sounded so bad. “What?”

“Oh uhm… Nothing Himi…” the attitude of the greenette shifted from friendly to some form of unease. The girls didn’t know what to say, avoiding her eyes the best they could.

“I-I need to go, my class is on the other side of the building… see ya!” Rino left in a hurry. Uki just straight-up got up and followed her friend. Something was going on, Himiko turned her head toward her new friend, the only one that didn’t yet leave her mind filled with questions. “What got into them?”

With great distress, Gen looked around, seeing all the eyes slowly turning toward them, murmuring. She leaned toward the blond and murmured. “S-sorry quirkless kids aren’t the most welcome around here. They’re usually left alone by everyone…”

Now, Himiko was frowning. She had just started her new life, and this girl was telling her she was already a pariah. “Why?”

Gen tensed some more. “Some popular girls are really against the idea of quirkless in this day and age… and they make sure no one associates with them…”

Now she was just mad, what the hell! Just because a bunch of stuck-up up are against her, she can’t make friends. “Why are they so against qu-… people like me?”

“They say you’re a dying race bringing down the general gene pool… I’m not saying that I think you’re cool! It’s just… They make the life of those around people like you a living hell… That’s why Uki and Rino left” Gen was darting her eyes left and right, seeing the many looks they were getting from around the other table.

She took her lunch in her hands and looked down, ashamed. “I’m sorry… I’ll just…” she put down the rest of her cheese in front of Himiko, bowing quickly. “You can have the rest… sorry” and with great unease, she walked away, leaving her alone at her table as the whispers grew louder and louder around her.

“…Quirkless?”

“… I heard…”

“…. She is…”

“…. Bad Omen…”

“… Loser…”

With her head low, Himiko finished the rest of her bento, alone.

…

The rest of the classes went alright; the only exception was that nobody wanted to be near her. Whenever she approaches a group of students, they scatter or are friendly at first until someone comes in whispering in their ears, making everyone excuse themselves and leave.

What was that! She was normal, no? Why was everybody treating her like this? She just wanted to speak, play and discuss. Instead, everyone avoided her like the plague. Just like back then… Was she cursed to walk this Earth with no one to understand her for the rest of her day? She should’ve said she had a useless quirk to avoid this. Why was her life so unfair…

Her mind wanders until she visualizes the green mop top of a certain boy. He was the reason why she was trying to get better; he was the target of her unbridled affection… and he rejected her…

Standing in the bathroom of her school, alone, Himiko held the bottle of pills in her hand. What was even the point…

Izuku was not here; no one liked her. Why should she subject herself to this? For acceptance? To be normal? Clearly, this wasn’t enough for them. Maybe Izuku could love her as she is? Maybe she didn’t need those pills after all? Holding the medication in her hand, she hesitated. According to the prescription of Dr. Akemi, this was the time for her to swallow her medicine. She put the pills back into her bag. “Not today…”

“What’s this? Quirkless and a junky. I didn’t expect someone like you to sink so low… then again…” the haughty voice resonates through the bathroom. Himiko turned toward the voice to see a beautiful purple-haired girl flanked by two of her cronies, enter. She wasn’t in the mood for this; she tried to leave, but the girls stopped her, pushing her away from the door. “Leaving so soon? What, you need to meet your dealer or something?” her friends laugh.

Toga was cornered, unable to go out without a fight, a fight she might be willing to get into. “Can’t you just leave me alone…” the girls snickered at what she said, as if she was joking.

“Sure… you just have to get on your knee and beg for it…” the leader lifted her nose, looking down at her as if she was trash. This rubbed Himiko the wrong way; she still had her knife in her pocket, and it was practically begging to be used right now. “And if I refuse…”

The girl held in her laugh, just to burst into full-blown laughter a second later. “Haha, you can…” her tone switches toward malice. “ If you want your life to be a living hell” she promised bad things to come. Toga knew she could dispose of these girls in seconds; she could kill them if she wanted.

But something held her back, Izuku? The pills? Her conscience? She wasn’t sure, with no smile, she dropped to her knee, her forehead on the floor. “Is that what you want…” a foot slammed on her head, rubbing its dirty heel on her.

 “Good to know you know your place… Destro was right about your kind, you should have died a long time ago…” she removed her heel from her and with laughs and giggles, the three girls left her alone on the floor. Himiko wanted to fight back, but all her life had been an uphill battle. She would live through this…

…

Himiko entered her home, and Inko was still cooking something in the oven. The woman perked up when she heard the door open, greeting Himiko with a smile and a warm meal. “There you are Honey. How was your first day!” her face was happy, welcoming even.

Inside, she only wanted to go into her arms and tell her what horrible thing happened to her today, yet she didn’t want to ruin her mood. “This was awesome, Inko, I made so many friends!”

A fake smile on her lips, she told lies upon lies to the cherry woman in front of her. Just like how she used to. Just as she did to herself when living on the street. Together they shared a meal, laughed about falsehoods, talked about non-existent friends until Himiko finally excuses herself to her room.

Once inside and alone, she sat down in her bed, her knee pulled up close to her chest. Today was supposed to be a new beginning for her, an occasion to leave her old life behind. Yet she only felt like she traded her old existence in exchange for a similar one, with the only difference being Izuku and his mother. She pulled out her phone, her thumb hovering over the boy’s name, ready to call him, to tell him about the horrible day she had today.

 She clicked it. The phone rang for some time until the frantic voice of Izuku could be heard. “H-Himiko I told you to text first. I almost got caught by Iida…”

“Hey Izuku…”

A pause could be heard from the other side. “What’s wrong?”

She almost chuckled, was it so obvious? “Nothing, I just wanted to tell you about my day”

And just like with Inko, she told him about events that didn’t happen and fake memories of joyful discovery. She added details to make sure he didn’t worry about her with fake enthusiasm she had taken years to cultivate. He already had so much going on; why bother him with her problems?

“…And then she cooked it into her mouth!”

“That’s amazing. I wonder if the heat could be spread to the rest of her body or if she could reach a higher temperature if-…” just like that, he started muttering about quirk, just hearing his dumb nerd talk was making her smile. She wanted him close so bad. She wanted to hug him, to kiss him again, for him to tell her all would be alright.

“Slow down, Izuku, I can’t hear you anymore, you’re going too fast”

“Sorry… Hey, Himiko?”

“Yes?”

“You would tell me if something was wrong?” she paused; lying to him felt bad. She didn’t feel bad lying to Inko, but Izuku was different. He already knew her dark past; he already knew the worst she was capable of. Lying about being bullied was childish for her. Yet, she didn’t want to bother him with something so insignificant.

“…Yeah…”

“I’m here… for you, Himiko…” he hesitated just for a moment. “Oh, the others are planning an activity in the common room. I should go with them before they start asking questions. Good night Himiko”

“Good night Izuku…” he ended the call, leaving her alone. Himiko, still in her uniform, lay on the bed, unsure of what she should do. She decided to just stay there for a bit until fatigue took over and finally fell asleep in her bed.

Author’s note

Shorter chapter this time, bringing Izuku would’ve felt a bit weird.

There you have it, pills are coming off. How will Toga react to the withdrawal?

This chapter may be hard for some. I hope I’m not being too wicked… Just know good things are coming soon for our favourite blood-crazed blond!

Next time, Izuku and Toga's weekend hangout!

If the chapter was bad, I blame the beer; I was tipsy. If the chapter was good, I blame the beer; I was tipsy…

Chapter Text

Warning TW for suicide, panic attack and bullying, I prefer to be safe than sorry. Let’s get on with chapter 20!

…Friday Morning…

Izuku went downstairs where he found some of his classmates sitting and eating at the table, discussing what they have planned for the day. Mina was looking at the board eyeing how many were coming for the movie night tonight. Sato was busy over the stovetop making crepes for anyone who asked for and Iida was already nose-deep into his books. The later was the first to greet him. “Midoriya! Good to see you this early, are you ready for our classes?”

“Sure ‘I’m Iida” Izuku turned to Mina, not use to see her this early in the morning. “Not to sound rude, but why are you up this early Mina?”

She turned toward him revealing a plate filled to the brim with sweet crepes, heavily drizzled in chocolate. “My body betrayed me, once I smelled this” she nodded at her plate. “I just got up without realizing it”

Right next to her, coming down from the stairs most of his other classmate walked in. Some still had their eyes close, but the flare of their nostril indicates the reason of their sleepwalking. “Food…” a barely conscious Uraraka muttered, followed by the groans of the others.

Sato smile got brighter. “Coming right up!” taking the bowl next to him preparing another batch for his fellow students.

Today was going to be a good day!

…

Himiko was walking toward her now dreaded school, her only solace being that this was the last day before the weekend where she would finally be able to see Izuku again. Her happy thought was quickly shoved aside when someone bumped into her making her stumble. She recognised the girl who did it, Chio Chitose. The same haughty girl who rubbed her dirty heel on her on the first day. From what she heard she was one of the ‘popular girls’ in school, her aunt was some high executive of a publishing company.

Many girls did as she asked, hoping that by sucking it up to her they may guarantee themselves a spot in the prestigious company. In short, she was one of the reasons why her life wasn’t as good as it should be…

Her appearance might be cute, long light purple hair, green bright eyes, slender build and a face without any flaws. But her personality was rotten at best. Toga despised her every day since the first, she thought about slicing her up and showing everyone her rotten core, just thinking about it was thrilling enough to send shivers down her spine. She was right there, in front of her, not a care in the world. Just walking up to her and nicking her in the neck would be so easy, so good.

So. Bloody. Good…

“No” not now, too many witnesses, too much of a hassle. Tonight, she would see Izuku, no need to trouble him with bad news, just suck it up and smile. How hard can that be…

…

Izuku sat down at his desk for his first lesson in first aid with Thirteen. The class was set up in pods of two with a large table in front of them, on said table a mannequin laid there lifeless. He tried to buddy up with Kirishima since he barely hangs out with him outside of class and wanted to ask him some questions concerning his quirk. Unfortunately, he was snatched by a very enthusiastic Mina insisting being his partner in the lab. His second choice was Todoroki, but he met a similar result when Hagakure practically jumped in between them asking the half-cold, half-hot boy to help her.

Luckily, Ochako was free at her desk and waved him over, at least his friend was there for him. He went next to her, looking down at their mannequin theorizing what they were going to do today. He totally missed the various thumbs up coming from the girls toward a now flustered Uraraka. “So-so our first class with Thirteen since the USJ. I’m so exited!”

“I’m happy she’s finally back at school; her quirk is very dangerous but also incredibly useful” cheered on Izuku. “So, what do you think we will do today?” he looked around to gage everyone reactions. Kaminari was busy putting his finger in the dummy fake nose laughing at his own comedic genius, Jiro wasn’t a connoisseur of his refine type of humour and simply jabbed him the arm with one of her jacks.

Thirteen entered the room, with the resident school nurse in-tow, both taking place at the front of the classroom. Recovery girl had a stool to help her reach the height of the table, where another dummy stood just like the other tables. “Hi everyone!” greeted their space themed teacher getting a round of similar greeting in return. “So today we are going to go over some basic first-aid application in the field. Has anyone ever had any experience with first aid?” No one except Todoroki and Momo raised their hands. “You know first aid?!” the invisible girl turned toward him incredulous.

“I had some training with my old man a long time ago. That’s why I always carry a poultice with me on my hero costume…” he blatantly said missing the raised eyebrow coming from all over, even the teachers. “Endeavor knows first aid?”

“T-that’s very good of you Todoroki, more of you should integrate the basic of a first aid kit into your costume” cheered Thirteen, still shocked by the revelation of the number two hero knowledge of emergency treatment.

“Why the hell would we do that? I want to be a combat hero not a rescue bullshit one,” said Bakugo.

“Language!” yelled the old nurse, before clearing out her throat. “I swear you kids are getting more reckless years by years. You are Hero first and foremost and what does Hero do?”

“Make people smile!”

“Combat villain…”

“WIN!”

“Community services?”

A slew of answers was thrown at her, none satisfying her. “NO! You knuckleheads. Hero saves lives!” she frantically waved her syringe-cane at them silencing them. “The first priority of any Hero is to save as many people as they can! Sure, you can do that by beating up a villain or two, or by uplifting person’s mood or just by being a good influence in the neighborhood but you all need to learn the importance of triage and such”

Mineta hand shot up. “What is triage?”

“It’s the sorting for priority assistance. Imagine as an example: You arrive at the coffee shop and a villain is fleeing the scene, some of your colleagues are pursuing him, and a woman is having an allergic reaction, what do you do?”

“I get to him before any of the extra, they can take care of the rest while I pummel him into the ground!” a sadistic grin spread across Katsuki face scaring the poor Koda next to him, how did he manage to get paired up with Bakugo is a mystery. Recovery sighed, stepped down her stool, walked toward him and mercilessly beat the explosive blond with her cane! “Stop that, you damn punk!”

Thirteen chuckled at her friend way of teaching. “No Bakugo, since the villain is already being pursued and as the only Hero present in the establishment you should first give assistance to the woman and then go help your fellow heroes. Does anyone know how to use an EpiPens?” Ochako hand was raised within a second. “Yes Uraraka?”

She began to sing-sang a childish song she knew by heart from a long time ago in her childhood. “~The blue toward the sky ~ The needle in the thigh ~ It’s easy as a pie ~ Even you… Can do it! ~” Everyone turned toward her confused, except Izuku and Thirteen, the first had stars in his eyes, the latter looked horrified.

“… What the hell was that…” said a still stunned Kirishima.

Izuku turned toward him, eyes still twinkling. “It’s one the famous info-song sang by Thirteen! It used to play after every Mighty All Might episodes!”

“You know!” Ochako turned toward him, her eyes now twinkling as well. They both started gushing about old TV shows and their favorites episodes/Info-songs. Now, everyone turned toward their teacher up front trying to hide herself deeper in her suit visibly embarrassed. “I-I was s-starting my c-career and I needed money… LET’S CONTINUE WITH THE LESSON!!”

…

The lesson was boring, not that Himiko had been attentive to it, something about math and triangle or whatever. Her mind was preoccupied by something else at the moment, on her desk she could see the insulting etching carved into it “Useless”Quirkless”Leave”Loser”Die…”, it was almost impressive how much time those damned fools dedicated to make sure the quirkless girl wasn’t welcomed here.

Those carvings were inspiring; a smile weaseled to her twisted face. She could memorise each one of them as she carved the flesh from those who wrote them. A flick of the wrist and the blood would flow sweet, delicious blood. When was the last time she tasted it? It was a week ago, More? Who could tell, she only knew she needed some now, her body aching, groaning at her to take care of herself. Live a little, have fun, treat yourself! Then again, their blood probably tasted sour just like their personality, spoiled by years of uncaring behaviour, nothing like Izuku blood.

Aww, sweet, sweet nectar flowing inside of him. She remembered tasting it for the first time in the basement of the league, so good, so personal, so intimate… Just the two of them, as it should be, should always be. Just thinking about it made her salivate, she could drink from him until he was dried up.

Then his smile, his eyes, his face came into mind. He was so caring, everything she ever wanted. A pit formed in her stomach, she was objectifying him, turning him into what she wanted, not what she cared. He and his mother were the best thing she ever gotten, and there she was thinking about emptying the son out of his blood for her own satisfaction. She looked at the carvings “Monster” maybe they were right about her, she was a monster. Just like those old pre-quirk movies, a creature of darkness seeping into the night in search of victims to drain.

No, Izuku believed in her! She could be better; she WILL be better! She didn’t need anyone else or the pills. The bells tolled signaling everyone lunch break was starting. In silence, she packed her things and walked out of the classroom, determined. She walked toward her locker, ignoring the snickering surrounding her as she went.

At least she tried to, everything was so loud ever since she stopped taking those pills. Murmurs became thundering accusations; laughter turned into booming cackles. Not only sound, but everything felt much more intense. Colors are brighter, especially the red, popping out contrasting each other, colors fighting for her attention. Perfumes were overwhelmingly strong, assaulting her nostril. She could smell the copper from the pipe in the wall when she drank from the water fountain, the smell was somewhat pleasant, familiar. Someone brushed against her in the hallway sending a shiver throughout her body, pulling her attention to the cold in her pocket, the blade. The only thing underwhelming was her sense of taste, nothing tasted good anymore. It was bland no matter how much salt or spice she poured over it, her body demanded her bloody due…

Picking up her lunch, she climbed the stairs toward her destination, the roof. She found solitude more pleasant than the rousing from her fellow students, at least the clouds don’t whisper in her back. She lifted her head looking at the fluffy pillows in the sky, eating her bento. This one looked like a cat, this one like an octopus and this one…

“Uhm… Himi?” looked like a bear. She didn’t lower her gaze from the cloud, she knew who the girl interrupting her was. The greenette who tried putting hope in her on the first day that thing would be better than before, the liar. “Are you eating alone? I can sit with you if you want…”

Himiko stared at the clouds with no expression on her face, why speak with her anyway. She was just trying to appease her own conscience; she didn’t really care about her. As a large puffy snake pass through the sky as the other girl sat down next to her, pushing up her square glasses up her nose bridge. “So how was math? I saw you dozing off during class. Can’t really blame you the teacher is kind of plain when explaining the subject…” she chuckled dryly, stopping when she failed to get any reaction from Himiko.

She ruffled in her lunch box and pulled out something she gently laid next to her, Himiko glanced down. It was cheese, wrapped in an individual wrapper. “I know you love cheese” again she chuckled, again she stopped when Himiko didn’t join. Goto Gen, as she was named, decided to start eating in dreadful silence next to her. The blond continued eating in the same manner, taking the cheese stick, she wasn’t about to spit on free food no matter how bland it was. Goto smiled when she notices her taking the offering, smiled like someone looking at an animal eating whatever they threw for them. She hated the fakeness of it.

It's a question of time before she realised how bad of an idea all of this sharing and caring was. Soon, someone would get up here, spot her eating with the reject and make an excuse and leave her.

“I’m sorry about how I treated you… I-it’s just that… I-I was scared…” more fake words, more easy excuses.

Oh, this cloud looked like Izuku! If you squinted a lot… At least, this cloud knew how to brighten her day. The girl next to her was still looking at her awaiting an answer, an insult, anything. Himiko never did any of that, she never even looked at her.

“What’s this our little quirkless freak made a friend!” There it was, now she would finally get up and leave her alone. “C-Chitose what are you doing here!? Y-you usually eat in the cafeteria”

Goto jumped a little at the sudden intrusion. Himiko didn’t even bat an eye, busy looking at cloud Izuku, so cute! “I would, but I notice you were missing from your usual table, Rino and Umemura were worried about you” she faked being upset. “What kind of students President, would I be if I didn’t try to appease their concerns!”

“Oh, uhm… Haha, I-I’m fine just eating away from the noise, you k-know”

Chio face twisted into a grin. “Bothered by noise but not by thrash I see…” she pointed at Himiko, still looking up at the sky. Goto looked where she was pointing and quickly get what she meant by thrash, her fingers clenched around her skirt, her face bowed low hiding her unease. “Just get up and leave already…” thought Toga.

She got up, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Good, she didn’t need fake friend anyway, Izuku was there, and he was all that mattered. Suddenly, a hand entered her field of vision. Curious, she decided to look at what was going on. Goto was standing next to her, arms spread wide facing Chitose. Was she standing up for her? “L-leave h-her a-alone!” none of her words were particularly confident nor loud, it was like looking at a kitten mewling at a tiger.

“Oh, what’s this? Our timid little Goto finally grew a spine, and you use it to defend…” again she gestured at Himiko. “…That”

“S-she is a person like you and me!” her tone was a bit louder this time, which seemed like a big mistake when Chio eyes narrowed on her, her smug smile turning into a vile frown. “I am nothing like her…” her voice was filled with hatred, making Goto backed down a little from her bravado. “I have a quirk! A great one elevating me above most of you and certainly way above her dying race of inferior!” she raised her arms to both, the greenette flinched knowing what those hands were capable of. “Now get back here Goto before you regret it!” she yelled.

Well at least her ‘friend’ put out a show for her before leaving her alone, Himiko thought. “N-no…” to her surprise she didn’t move, she shook, flinched and even cried a little, but she didn’t move. Chitose was at her wits end with them, without warning, she lounged at Goto fully ready to show her what happens to those who don’t listen to their betters.

Goto closed her eyes, freezing in place waiting for the pain coming her way, but it never came. Opening her eyes, she could see Himi standing in between them a knife in hand. Chitose stopped moving when she felt the cold steel of the blade to her throat, stopping right before nicking it open. Her eyes were wide open looking directly into those of Himiko.

At first, she was frowning, filled with anger against the blond but this hatred was quickly replaced by fear. Himiko eyes were cold, calculated, almost glowing with malice. The worse was her smile, her damned maniacal smile spreading from one ear to the other like a monster who found a toy to break over and over. It only grew when the blade was pushed closer forcing Chio to back away to avoid exsanguination, she swears this girl was looking at her with glee. “You are lucky that you probably taste as bad as you sound Chitose-Chan~” she whispered in her ear almost singing the last part.

Chio finally retreated away from them, brought her hand to her neck to see if she was injured. Luckily, no blood was found. “You-you damn p-psycho. I’ll tell e-everyone about this!” she ran toward the stair, not looking back, afraid that she might follow. Himiko took a second to change her expression toward a more passive on and turned toward Goto smiling. “Sorry about that”

The girl fell to her knee from the sheer intensity of what just happened in front of her. “A-are y-you a-alright?” Goto didn’t see her maniacal face, neither heard her crazed whisper.

“I’m fine. You look like you’re about to faint… Let’s get you up” she offered her hand helping the poor girl on her feet. Maybe she could have a friend after all, maybe they could get closer and share a bit of themselves with each other. Their like, dislike, attraction…

Their blood… Maybe she could have a friend…

…

“Man, you’re bleeding!” yelled out his friend pointing at him. Izuku touched his nostril to see a small amount of blood on his finger. “You do go all out Kirishima” the red hair boy simply grinned lifting his fist while holding his bicep with the other hand, holding some sort of pose.

“Plus Ultra! Right?” this made Izuku smile. “Right!”

“Midoriya are you alright?” the bored voice of Aizawa came from behind him. He looked unbothered as always.

“Yes, just a bloody nose”

“Go take some tissue from the back and then go back to practice” he turned away looking at all his student practicing with the fake knives. His eyes fixed on something, and he seemed to glare. “What did I tell you about tossing knives you two!” he quickly made his way toward Kaminari and Mineta who tried to run from the annoyed teacher only to be pulled back by his scarf, Crying in fear.

This was their last class of the day, after this he could finally go back to his room, packed his thing and go home to see Himiko and his mom just thinking about it made him happy. He pulled out a few tissues wiping away the blood and threw them in the trash. As he came back the whistle blew signaling time to change partners. He entered his ring and waited for the person to arrive. “Oi, Deku!”

Katsuki entered the ring holding the fake weapon. His face was stuck in an expression of annoyance and determination not far from his usual scowl. Izuku only gulped fearing the encounter already. “H-hi Kacchan let’s do our best”

Bakugo crouched low, his face turning into a grin. “I always do…” and just like that he ran at him. Startled for a second, he barely managed to dodge out of the way of the weapon but quickly focused on his opponent. A large right-handed swing to begin with, like usual. Now it was his turn to move sending a jab toward Bakugo arm trying to disarm him. The punch landed but not with enough force to disarm.

Katsuki brought back the knife with a reverse swing barely grazing Izuku on his side, not leaving a mark. He followed by successive fast stabs aimed at various body part not leaving him enough room to counterattack. “Hit, hit ,hit after this one just dodge and…” Izuku brain was working hard, reading the blond strike. Another strike reaching farther than it should came his way, he let himself fall to dodge it. “Okay, now I can…” no, he couldn’t to fast or him Katsuki brought the knife down leaving a red mark on his stomach.

“Couldn’t even get a good hit in…” the green boy chuckled. Katsuki stood over him, pensive. “Stop overthinking, you damned nerd…” his friend offered him his hand for him to get up.

Wait? Katsuki Bakugo was offering HIS hand, for HIM to get up. What was happening? Did he hit his head or something? Izuku was down on the ground, agasp at the sight before him. His normally prideful friend offering help to his opponent and not just any opponent HIM! Katsuki looked more and more irritated. “WILL YOU STOP OVERTHINKING AND JUST TAKE IT YOU NERD!”

He did just that fearing what Bakugo would do if he made him wait any longer. Once on his feet, the pensive expression on his face didn’t leave him. “What are you doing after class…”

“I-I uhh…” conversation? What was going on with him today? “I-I’m going home to see my mom” and Himiko but no need for him to kno-…

“What about Cateye-hobo?” stiffening was the first instinct that hits Izuku, something that the blond quickly caught on. “Y-you m-met h-her?”

Katsuki looked him up and down gaging him. “Yeah, I met her with my mom at the store a while back, Cateye didn’t even answer a single of my questions… So what’s the deal Deku?

Did he figure it out?! Was he waiting for a confession!? What the hell should he say?! His hands were shaking his breathing got harder, oh god, oh god! “I-I-I…”

*WHISTLE*

“I got to go!” that was it, the whistle signaling the end of the day, he turned heel and headed back to his locker at max speed, not even letting the time for Bakugo to stop him. He was the first literally came bursting into the locker room. Once the door closed, he began hyperventilating. If Kacchan knew, this was it, the end of the road for him. No one would let him scot-free from hosting a murderer in his home. Breathes in, breathes out, again and again, before anyone sees him. “Midoriya are you alright!” Iida followed soon after him.

“I-I-I a-am f-fine…” he was hunched over himself grasping at his chest, clearly sweating out of every pore out of his body, stuttering every word coming out of his mouth. In brief, a panic attack. His tall friend quickly caught on and gave him his water bottle bringing him into a corner far from the door. A gentle hand on his shoulder. “Just breathes, follow my lead” with him Iida helped him calmed down. With every breath in, his arm would chop up and with each breath out his arm would chop down, something so very uniquely Iida.

Many of his male classmates entered the room to see him but were pushed away by their class president assuring them he had everything under control. After a minute of calming down, he was finally breathing normally. “Are you feeling better?”

“Y-yes”

“What did Bakugo tell you, did he insult you! I’ll go tell Aiza-…”

“NO!!” Izuku shouted at the top of his lung, startling everybody changing in the room. “I-I mean no it’s alright i-it wasn’t that bad. I’m just overthinking things like always…”

“Clearly not! Look at you” The tall boy was truly a good friend. This made him smile a little.

“Just don’t tell anyone… I swear it’s alright. Just promise me…”

Iida was torn, his friend was right in front of him, clearly distressed and panicked but on the other hand he was begging him to keep things private. “I trust you Midoriya, but if another event like this happen, I will tell one of the teachers, Alright?”

“Thank you, Iida...”

“This is what friends are for, right?” he smiled. “Let’s get changed”

They both returned toward the rest of the lockers Katsuki was also there, confused. Iida made sure to stop anyone from asking questions reminding them the importance of discretion for heroes and the importance of being swift to avoid the scorn of Aizawa.

They all changed into their uniform and prepare to go back toward the dorm, most of them excited about the movie night with Mina. Girls mingled with boys asking what happened only to be rebuffed by a very straight and by the rule Iida gesturing them to drop the subject. They all left the gym one by one Katsuki being the last. He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, Aizawa. “Not you. I have questions to ask…”

With a *Tskk* he followed his teacher toward his office. They both walked in silence until Aizawa opened the door of the teacher’s lounge, inside Midnight and Ectoplasm were busy correcting a few homework assignments from the first years.

“Oh my, what’s this? The famous Eraserhead, sneaking in a student in his office for some alone time…” Kayama purred from behind her desk. “Drop it Midnight, unless you want another sexual harassment complaint…”

She quickly sank in her seat hiding behind her papers, sweating profusely. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about” Aizawa opened his private office and gestured for Katsuki to enter. As soon as they were in, he spoke. “First off, I didn’t say anything wrong to Deku…”

The pro hero didn’t answer, simply taking a seat at his desk and crossing his hands. “I know…”

“Then why are you bothering m-…”

“You mentioned a third party at the Midoriya household” he straightened in his seat. “Tell me more about it…”

The teen sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk, crossing his arms. “Not much to say I saw her one time at the grocery, damn Cateye hobo…” his teacher raised an eyebrow.

“She? What did you talk about?”

“Nothing! She blew off every one of my questions, I just know what I know because I overheard my mom, and his mom talk about her. Apparently Cateye used to live in the street and Deku brought her in or something like that…”

“What does she look like?”

“Blond messy hair, crazy eyes and she can’t do her make-up for shit…” This vaguely sounded familiar…

“Are you sure you know nothing else?”

“Sure, can I go…”

“Alright you can go just curious that’s all” with a dismissive hand he allowed his student to leave his office. Why was this sounding so familiar? He felt like he had all the pieces of a puzzle but couldn’t put it together, maybe a coffee would help him soothe is nerves.

…

Izuku had packed his things for the weekend. He had ditched his uniform for some loose-fitting pants and shirt, something way more comfortable than his uniform. As he closed his bag, he only hoped no one ask him any more questions regarding the incident. “It’s okay Kacchan doesn’t talk about those things… I’m safe…” trying to reassure himself. Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he went down the stairs right into the common room.

Mina, Ochako, Momo, Kirishima, Aoyama, Sero, Ojiro and Todoroki were gathered around the TV waiting for the ungodly amount of popcorn Sato was cooking for everyone. Izuku walked by the activity board spying something that grabbed his attention. In the middle of the week Tokoyami was organizing an event, something called “Quirk and Query.” Probably a game regarding answering questions about various quirks, something he absolutely loved! He picked up his magnet and place it near the event together with Shoji and Koda.

As he was walking out, Mina was setting up the movie asking around if they wanted the SUB or DUB version of it. SUB win by a landslide. “Going out Midoriya?” it was Todoroki.

“Yeah, going to see my mom” his answer got him a wave of gushing and *Aww* from the girl.

“Are you sure you’re feeling well?” he pursued.

“I’m b-better than I was don’t worry about it” he continued walking out. “I need to go now. Don’t want to miss my train” he got out of the door in a hurry. Everyone showed some for of concern for him toward one another. “Why is he like this…” said Mina.

Ochako voiced her thought. “I asked Iida about it, but he said Izuku didn’t want to talk about it”

“Same thing for Bakugo whatever he said to him he insisted wasn’t that bad…” Kirishima added.

“Not that bad? He was sent into a full-blown panic attack!” Sero said.

“Just what are you hiding Midoriya…” Todoroki muttered.

Sato came in with the popcorn silencing everyone. Mina and Kirishima didn’t loose anytime and started munching on the giant bowl. “Popcorn ready! Let’s get this movie started, I want to see what the hype is about!”

Mina grabbed the remote and pressed play.

…

Izuku was finally home after about 40 minutes of travel from UA, he could already smell the supper outside. With a knock, he entered. “Mom, I’m ho-…” he was halted when a blond missile collided with him. Himiko was there and eager to see him. He barely managed to stay up from the impact. “H-Himiko glad to see you too” he returned the embrace, a little more strongly than he would’ve liked.

“I’m happy to see you just in time for supper, let’s eat!” Inko proclaimed, happy to see them together once more. They both shared about their week and everything they did (both didn’t mention certain events) and eat the curry, the mother made for them. The supper was lighthearted and fun, yet a certain unease ooze from the two teens. Something Inko gladfully didn’t catch on but each other fully grasped. When they finished eating Toga insisted to show Izuku what she did with his room, the mother allowed it reminding them about leaving the door open, just in case…

Once pulled inside by the eccentric blond Izuku could barely recognise the place. Red was overwhelmingly present in the gothic décor. The bedding was replaced by blood-red sheets with some black lace on the edge. On his former desk stood a bunch of plushies with the same beady black eyes. A rug was in the middle of the room, black, red and extremely fuzzy. Various other curiosities filled the walls completing the cohesion of his former room. “It’s… very you” he commented.

“Thanks, I did my best with what I was given, but I also like it!” she cheered jumping on her bed inviting Izuku to sit next to her. He hesitated but sat next to her regardless, friends sat in each others bed all the time, right? “So, how was your first week at school?”

“Super great, I made tons of friends!” her voice told him, yet her eyes were telling an entirely different story. She looked defeated, like if she had been fighting non-stop for the past week. “And you? How was your week?” deflection a classic strategy…

“Good but…” he paused unsure if he should tell her, he might as well since lying wasn’t his forte. “You didn’t tell me you’ve met Kacchan? She looked confused for a second not recognising the nickname he was speaking of, then it hit her. “Oh, you mean Mcsploody face. Yeah, I’ve met him”

“Why didn’t you tell me! I almost got a heart attack when he mentioned you…” he clutches his chest showing her how much this affected him. Instead, she coyly leaned against him, using a teasing voice. “No need to worry about that, your heart is bigger than most. I’m sure you can handle one little heart attack”

He blushed at the disguised compliment she made. “T-that’s not the point…” he averted his gaze way from her but didn’t move away from her touch. He sighed. “I still have knife practice Monday…”

Knife? Did he say knife! Now this was getting interesting for Himiko. “What is that about knives? Did they finally realise that sending sixteen years old student unarmed was a bad idea”

“No, we’re learning self defense techniques on how to deal with armed attackers. You know like…” he hesitated, settling on muttering the last part as low as he could. “…You at the camp…”

She giggled, part of her found it funny thinking about how she met two of his classmates that night, it was fun! He looked at her kind of funny, oh yeah that’s right she tried to kill them… “They’re right, it’s good to know some basics…” clearing her throat and the room from this unease. “Want to go take a walk! My legs are killing me from all this sitting around”

A walk seemed nice, the two of them walking side by side at night, glancing at each other, lacing their fingers together, kiss-… “Why can’t I stop…” he violently turned red his hormonal teenage brain not letting him forget that faithful night they kissed. It was soft, pleasant, and he wanted more. More kisses, more touching, more of her…

He shakes his head, returning to reality. “S-sure, a walk seems nice. Let’s go” He got up hurrying toward the door, not waiting for her. She looked at him, maybe there was a chance after all. She followed him telling his mom they’re going out for a walk.

…

 His gaze avoided hers every time he could, a lingering pink hue on his cheek made him simply adorable! Toga on her part was deliberately staring at him, doing her best to get his attention. “So Izuku are you alright? You look a bit red” she touched his forehead pretending she was troubled by his apparent flare-up. As soon as her fingers touch him, he yelped and got even brighter. “I-I’m f-fine”

“You don’t look fine” she grabbed his arm, sending his heart into overdrive.

“H-how was your week? You didn’t s-seem thrilled about i-it” now it was her beating harder and harder. Should she tell him? “It was fine…”

“What’s wrong?” the same two words that changed her life not so long ago. All trace of stuttering or embarrassment were gone from him in an instant, replaced by genuine worry. Talking to him seemed so easy, so natural.

“It’s… It’s not what I expected…” they reached the beach near his apartment; the moon was glowing over the water casting its light over them. Izuku grabbed her hand squeezing it, reassuring her all was ok. She looked down all teasing gone from her body. “Do you think… Do you think I’m normal…”

He looked at her, squeezing her hand even harder. “I don’t think anybody is truly normal”

“But… am I normal?” she almost pleaded with him. “I just want to live a life among others without standing out. I just want to be seen as who I am yet…” she scowled, angry at what she must do just to be there. All the emotions, all the repressed needs she holds inside of her.

Izuku looked at the beach next to him, at the Takoba municipal beach he cleaned together with All Might. He took the stairs leading down to the beach dragging along Himiko. He stopped about midway through the sand looking at the waves on the shore, the sound of it was calming, relaxing. He turned toward her, taking her hands in his own looking down at them. “You know this place used to be a dump not so long ago” she looked at their hands, tangled together and then at him. “I cleaned it up with the help of my mentor as part of my training” His thumb was brushing over her hand.

“What are you getting at?” she hung on his word awaiting the next part of his story unsure of where this was going.

“This is a normal place, for normal family, for a normal day. Yet not so long ago this place was filled with thrash pushing people away from what is now a beautiful beach” he looked at her, with his big soulful eyes. “I think you aren’t done cleaning up inside of you, that you still see the thrash pilled up and not the sand underneath you. I think you still need a mentor just like I did to guide you through it” his hand left her, cupping her cheek in his scarred hand. “I want to be there for it, to see the beautiful sand that is underneath it all”

She teared up, breaking their eye contact, Doubting herself. “What if there is nothing but more thrash underneath. What if what I am now, Is what I truly am”

She continued tearing up, she could feel the knife in her pocket. Why was she like this, why was life so hard for her? Why, why, WHY! A chuckled pulled her out of her mind. Izuku was laughing. “Then I guess we’ll work harder, together…” once again they locked eyes, on the beach illuminated by moonlight a magical moment. One perfect for a kiss.

But Himiko needed more than a kiss she needed Izuku, all of him. His voice, his lips, his body, his blood she wanted it all. She wanted to be him to be free from herself. “TAKE IT!” yelled the knife. Her hand rested on his chest he was occupied with her, oblivious to what she was doing. They got closer and closer, her hand sliding out the instrument from her pocket. She lifted it ready to strike him, a gentle flick. Painless, instantaneous she could be him.

Izuku was lost in her glinting eyes he was powerless to stop her. Right now, he just wanted to locks lips with her to satisfy this desire in him burning inside of him for most of the week, but he was stopped. “Izuku…” she sounded ashamed. They parted away from each other her hands sliding behind her back hiding the sharp object she was holding.

Reasons finally hit him like a ton of bricks. What was he doing? He told her they should stop and here he was about to kiss her. He fidgeted with his clothes fixing what didn’t need fixing. “So uhm, yeah, I think you are great Himiko…”

“You mentioned knife practice if you want, I could teach you one thing or two” she slid the knife she was holding in her back pocket

A welcome changed of subject. “I guess, but we don’t have any practice blade… I don’t want us to hurt each other…”

Himiko looked around, her sight hovering on a bunch of driftwood. She walked toward it rummaging the pile of old dried-up wood. “What are you doing?” she tossed him a stick, vaguely resembling a rudimentary knife and pulled out her own misshapen piece of wood, so they could pretend just like children playing. “Ready for your first lesson broccoli-boy” her tone was back to her usual snark.

He grinned. “Aye, aye, teacher” she giggled at his remark.

“Okay, give me your best combat pose” he crouched a bit, legs wide, arms forward. She observed him, a tad bit disappointed. “Is it not right?” he asked.

“It’s good. It’s just… How do I say it” she rubbed her chin, thinking, then hit her fist against her palm in a eureka moment. “It’s tense! You’re just too tense!” he didn’t understand what she meant. “Okay, look at me”

He watched as she slumped forward, her leg barely getting wider and her whole body loosen up. This didn’t look like a combat pose. When she fell forward, he relaxed for a moment moving forward to catch her only for her foot to propel her forward with unseen speed. He raised his stick to block her, but she weaved through him landing a fatal blow to his chest. “See? Tense”

He looked as her whole body moved like liquid, in comparison he was stiff as a tree. “How do you do that?” he said amazed.

“I just do as you usually do” she stepped back getting ready for another round. This time he tried copying her loosen up his shoulder, tightening his legs and overall adopting the same pose at her. She laughs, seeing what he was trying to do and charge at him again. As soon as she got close, he tried to land a hit missing her by a hair as she again slid inside his guard, this time sliding her improvise weapon across his neck. “Got you Izu-kun…” she whispered in his ear.

He turned red pushing her gently away. “Not fair, I’m still learning”

“And I’m still teaching. Don’t think this is an excuse” she walked toward her starting point giggling. “Let’s make it a game. If I win, you must tell me a truth and vice versa”

“O-okay” He sighs taking his combat pose again, the first one.

First round, Izuku tried to charge her first only to get a stick where his liver was. She skipped across the sand back to her spot. “Was I your first kiss?” She was full-on smiling; she was having way too much fun…

“Y-y-yes” he looked away, why did he agree to this!

Second round, He waited for her, trying to kick her as a distraction but only allowed her to strike his knee. “Do you like Ochako?”

“Uhh?” where was that coming from!? He fell to his knee hiding his face in the sand. “M-maybe…” Sure Uraraka was cute, thoughtful and his best friend but how could he tell if she also liked him. She was present in a lot of his less than PG 13 dream after all… so was Himiko…

He groaned loudly the sound of it was muffled by the sand. Himiko was still laughing pleased with herself. He got up determined to win this time.

Round three was his best shot yet, he just swings at her without thinking, almost grazing her lower thighs but alas, her wooden blade finds his heart first. “Do you like me?”

“YES!” his mind yelled, another groaned followed by his face sank as deep as it could inside his shirt. “M-may-maybe” he couldn’t see her grin spreading even wider across her face a faint blush all over her face. “Aww, I like you too Izu-Kun!” now he was straight up boiling from the inside, poor boy.

Round four, he was so embarrassed he didn’t even look at her but as she got close, his arm acted on its own striking the wooden stick out of her hand. He blinked unsure of how he managed to do that. She looked at him rubbing the sore spot on her wrist still grinning. “Now you’re getting it!” what was he getting? He just accidentally managed to score a win it was just a fluke.

“STOP OVERTHINKING!” Kacchan word echoed in his mind. Of course, he was so busy strategizing he forgets to act on it. This was so simple, yet so obvious! He always acted his best in the heat of battle never at the start of it, his brain was hindering his reflexes, he just needed to let his body move on its own. “So, what do you want to ask me?”

That’s right he won! he could embarrass her as vengeance, but only one question was on his mind right now. “What is happening at your school Himiko?” he lowered his wooden knife awaiting her answer. She did the same thing looking more and more uncomfortable, she sighed and sat in the sand. “They hate me…”

He walked closer taking the spot next to her, worry all over his face. “Who?”

“Everyone…” she sunk in her knee.

“Why, did they learn about your quirk?”

She let out a dry chuckle. “Quite the opposite” she lifted her gaze toward the vast ocean in front of her. “Everyone just seems to hate the quirkless kid…”

Izuku froze, the quirkless kid. This was him not so long ago he knew exactly what she was talking about. His hands turned into fists, just thinking about what he had to live, what Himiko now must endure. This made him angry. ‘So… it’s not just my old school then…”

This pique her curiosity, what could he know about that. He was a boy with one of the most awesome quirks around. His life must have been easy just for that, but his fists, his eyes, his whole-body shacking indicate her this was a personal subject for him. Did he have a quirkless friend back then? “What happened?”

He hesitated also sinking into his knee. His anger slowly replaced by this feeling of powerlessness. Just like that it was as if he never had a quirk, he was back to being Deku the useless quirkless wannabe hero. “There was a kid back then… When everyone’s quirks manifested, his never came. His friend all talked about being heroes and using their quirk to do awesome things, while he was left behind being called useless by all his friends”

“Did you try to help him?” her question was honest fearing he might have been one of the bullied from a long time ago.

“Not really…” he sank lower in his knee. “I just continued living, trying my best going forward despite everything” she was about to say something, but he powered through. “I continued doing my best, yet no one could see it. I made some notebook hoping those would be enough to make me a great hero, everyone laughs at me…” Tears started dropping, Himiko slowly caressed his back confused. It sounded like he was the quirkless kid…

“Even my best friend laughed at me, even my mother was sorry for me. Yet I hold on to my dream. I will be a hero I kept saying to myself, because I couldn’t tell anyone else” He was full on crying hot tears pouring out of him as his whole body jerked in sobs, he continued.

“Then one year before UA, my best friend finally said what everybody was thinking right after burning one of my journals. Go jump off a building a hope for a quirk in your next life but this wasn’t enough I convinced myself to trudge forward.” He was a mess, not that she could see him as he was curled up on himself, useless Deku. He snivelled raising his head trying to put on a brave face and failing miserably. Himiko looked at him, the boy who saved her, he was the light in her life guiding her. Yet right now he was even more lost than her in a span of minutes years of repressed memories resurfaced at once and she didn’t know what to do, so she listened.

“After that I met All Might” he smiled, not a happy smile but a very sad and miserable one. “He saved me from a villain, and I grabbed him so I could ask him a question. I must have flown over 200 meters that day” He chuckled Himiko continued listening caressing his back with slow stroke.

“I ask the number One Hero, my idol if I could be a hero… he said no…” his eyes didn’t cry anymore, they were empty, void, lifeless… “and he left me on that roof, alone”

“Izuku…” she decided to ask him. “Were you quirkless?”

He didn’t answer and continued. “I looked down from that building thinking to myself if it was high enough…”

She gasped, how could he consider anything like that! Her Izuku the light of her dark life considered the unthinkable. How? He was so joyous all the time so perfect in her eyes she couldn’t imagine him thinking anything like that. Tears welled near the corner of her eyes as she latches to him, taking him in the biggest hug she could give him.

“Then I took the stairs, I was too much of a coward to do it.” Her embrace felt good, warm. He decides to skip to the important part. “So, I enrolled in UA, my quirk manifested during the entrance exam and I was eventually captured by the league where I met you… the end”

He laid limp as Himiko tightened her arms around him letting her own tears fall, crying for him since he couldn’t. “That’s horrible…”

He chuckled; he was the one who should be helping her, yet there he was pouring out his entire life story. “Sorry, I guess I forgot I was supposed to tell you it gets better…”

They stood in the sand in silence contemplating the rolling wave in front of them as they both just laid one against the other in comfort. Holding one another close. “Izuku… I want to ask you something” Himiko wasn’t afraid she will ask him the question she feared the most, more than if he loved her. She took out the blade in her back pocket and gave it to him. A simple cutting knife perfectly normal. He wasn’t afraid he took it and look at her, waiting for her question.

“Can I have your blood Izuku”

She wasn’t begging nor pleading. She was asking him if he wanted to share the thing she wanted most in life, the crimson liquid flowing in his vein the thing most personal to him. She wanted it not for sadistic pleasure but for comfort. Because blood was the most important thing in her life, ever since she was young, she desired it, she yearned for it. Always taking it never asking for it. Today this will change, she will change if he refuses, she’ll take the pills and do her best. If he accepted-…

“How much?” she raised her eyes to meet his, both their faces were a mess of tears and red puffy eyes. Life was finally back into his awaiting her answer.

“Whatever you’re willing to share”

He brought the knife to his wrist making a shallow cut allowing his blood to flow and offered it to her, smiling.

Izuku was her angel, she would burn this world just to see him smile. She took his wrist and suckled on his wound in silence…

Author’s notes

Holly shit, this chapter was a doozy! Very intense scenes all over the chapter. To be honest this was supposed to go differently, but I couldn’t stop writing. This is a subject hitting very close to me. (Bullying not suicide) And I hope someone enjoys the drama as much as I enjoy writing it.

8600 words my new record! And barely any fight scene to fill the pages!

Chapter Text

That night on the beach, Izuku and Toga got closer than ever. He had a hard time explaining the wound on his wrist to his mother, but she quickly dropped the subject when Toga made a quick excuse about an accident during their walk. Izuku was on the couch for the duration of the weekend since his room wasn’t his anymore, something the blond loved teasing him about. “You can always come in~” his eyes wander toward the door leading into her room, he shook his head, his mom would kill him if she found out.

They didn’t confess anything to one another… Yet. Himiko was in love with him, he knew it. She made it more than obvious with her incessant flirting, her coy smiles and unbridled display of affection. The problem was still him, he didn’t know why.

He looked at the ceiling trying to find the answer to his question in vain. He likes Himiko, he could even say he loves her. Her smile was bright and honest when she was with him, her eyes playful and attentive, her attitude cute and upbeat, and understanding. Everything he learned to love about the golden blond. Yet…

His mind kept pushing her back, telling him she wasn’t the one. He could find someone better; he should find someone who at least didn’t have a body counts. She was medicated, sick in the head, she kept knives on her all the time. “She demanded your blood for crying out loud; stop enabling her!” his brain yelled at him.

But the way they shared their most privates’ thoughts tonight wasn’t just two teens having simultaneous mental breakdown. It was two broken individuals connecting on a level only they could never share with others. He had forgotten all about that day on the roof, and he felt he should never have. This was his lowest point in his life, this was him, and he just buried it under bravado and determination. How long would it have taken before his dam broke? A year, ten, never? Himiko knew about it now, and she hugged him, she comforted him in her arms, and he felt right… Like a weight was lifted from him. As if he was held back his entire life.

And the way she asked for his blood felt honest, no ulterior motive, no psychotic fetishes. She just needed it; like a starving man asked for food. Like how an animal whimpers for water while dying of thirst. She didn’t want blood, she needed blood, something she could never tell another soul except him. He remembered watching her drink from his wrist, no smile, no euphoric feeling of satisfaction, just silence and tears.

He understood her at that moment like no one else ever could, like no one else ever would… His mind slowly drifted to sleep, Himiko still present in his mind.

…

The weekend passed like a blur for him; he returned to UA on Monday morning, better than he ever felt before. He helped Toga with her homework, especially math, and in exchange she helped him train with the knife. In two days, his fighting style with the knife drastically changed; gone were the stiff limbs and indecisive actions. Instead, they were replaced by swiftness and instincts. He still used his brain, but he didn’t depend on it as much as before. Toga said he was like a sponge taking in every bit of information he could.

Just before he left home in his uniform, Himiko asked him for some more of his blood, twiddling her fingers as if she was a cliché girl in a romance novel. Again, he let her drink from his wrist knowing how much she must have been starved ever since she left the league. After that they quickly bandaged the wound and hugged tightly, promising they would see each other next week.

Izuku insisted that if she felt bad about anything, just call him, no need for a warning text. (he changed her name in his contact for her fake name) She promised she would. They both looked better now, smiling, laughing, and teasing each other. Izuku didn’t stutter one time on his weekend and Himiko never felt an impulse since that night.

Izuku passed the gate of UA seeing his trio of friends waiting for him. With a skip in his step he joined them. “Hey guys! How was your weekend?”

They all looked surprised to see him, he was so… normal. Like nothing ever happened before he left. “Midoriya, glad to see you are doing well. How was your mother?” Iida greeted him, looking if he was faking his smile again or if he was genuinely happy.

“Yes, she made me some bowls I need to drop off at the dorm before class. You can go ahead; I’ll meet you inside the classroom” he smiled and waved, practically beaming with positive energy.

Ochako tentatively asked what everybody was thinking. “Are you alright? You know… because of Friday”

He smiles even wider, in earnest this time. “I already told Iida it was nothing, I meant it” he began jogging toward the dorms. “See ya later!”

“Just what the hell happened this weekend…” was the shared thought from the three friends.

…

They were inside the gym for their final lesson of the week about knife self-defence. Everyone was gathered in small groups talking and socialising. One group was composed of every member of the Mina movie club, as she called it, plus Jiro for comfort…

“I’m never letting Mina choose a movie ever again…” Momo had bags under her eyes and was holding her arm in a nervous manner, stroking it trying to appease her nerves, there was a slight tremble in her posture. Jiro was next to her running her hand behind her back. “There, there”

“I wasn’t that bad…”

“Say the guy who closed his eyes the whole movie” chuckled Ojiro pointing at Kirishima.

“H-hey I was watching… through my fingers…” he sighed, why was being manly so hard.

“At least you didn’t scream when the monster burst out of his chest” now Ochako was pointing at Aoyama, getting a giggle from the group. Todoroki stood there unmoved by what was happening, when suddenly his shirt was pushed outward, he let out the most (in)expressive groan of pain he could as his chest seemingly burst open. The whole group all let out a scream of panic, looking horrified. They heard the wheezing laughter of Mina and the invisible girl beside her split in two from laughing so much, Hagakure still had her hand in Todoroki shirt.

“God Almighty don’t do that Hagakure!” said Ochako on her knee grasping her chest.

“Haha Sorry we couldn’t resist” said the girl in between laughs.

“You can remove your hand now…” bluntly said Todoroki, she removed it with gusto. Good thing she was invisible, or everyone would have seen her madly blushing.

“Silence…” Aizawa entered the building, or was he just hiding in the corner of the gym near the equipment in his sleeping bag? No one could tell. He had a pad in his hand and was busy looking at it. “I have the match-up for your first evaluation of the semester”

“Already?”

“Stop worrying, we are just looking if you actually practice. It’s not a full-blown exam” he flicked the pages to the first one. “Here how this will go, one of you will wield the knife, the other won’t. Then you fight until your opponent is either disarmed, pinned or marked after that you exchange roles. For the match-up we have:”

Katsuki Bakugo vs Koji Koda

Minoru Mineta vs Yuga Aoyama

Mina Ashido vs Tsuyu Asui

Tenya Iida vs Eijiro Kirishima

Kyoka Jiro vs Momo Yaoyorozu

Hanta Sero vs Shoto Todoroki

Mezo Shoji vs Rikido Sato

Denki Kaminari vs Mashiaro Ojiro

Toru Hagakure vs Fumikage Tokoyami

Izuku Midoriya vs Uraraka Ochako

He lowered his pad. “I hope you listen because I am not repeating myself…” a resounding “Yes teacher!” Was heard across the gym. Aizawa eyed every one of them, they were all focused. “Good”

Katsuki Bakugo vs Koji Koda

Katsuki was holding the knife and as soon as he could he lounged at the large teen in front of him who tried to hit him across the arm to disarm him, unfortunately Katsuki was faster than his hulking classmate and simply stepped back slicing his arm, yelling “DIE”

The second round Koda had the advantage of holding both the weapon and the size advantage over his opponent. Yet the blond was surprisingly agile dodging and countering with a punch after every strike, but without his quirk he couldn’t do much against Koda, who after a minute managed to hit him. “Damnit, I can’t believe I lost to rock-head!’

“At least you both you showed promise…”

Minoru Mineta vs Yuga Aoyama

“Prepare to face my dazzling swordsmanship!” Aoyama was holding the knife like someone would hold a rapier. He was surprisingly efficient with the weapon managing to mark Mineta below the one-minute mark.

“Where did you learn that?” asked Mineta.

“Humph, my Papa paid for my fencing lesson when I was young!” he said posing.

On the second round Mineta used his size to maneuver around the eccentric blond managing to slide between his legs and leaving a mark where no man would wish for. All the boys groaned in shared pain.

“At least you both used what you had to your advantage next…”

Mina Ashido vs Tsuyu Asui

“Finaly two opponent of equal size and physique, this should be more fair” remarked Tokoyami. Mina started with the knife and with a grin tried mark her friend, only to overextend and be hit on the side by a powerful kick disarming the pinkette.

“Our first disarm! Go Tsu!” cheered Ochako. Tsuyu simply gave her a thumb-up.

Second round Mina weirdly had the advantage, since the knife felt weird in Asui’s rather large hands. She managed to grab her wrist and twist it, disarming her friend.

“Very good both of you. Mina, try to keep a cool head next time…”

Tenya Iida vs Eijiro Kirishima

Watching Iida fighting with a knife was like watching a broken machine stuck doing the same thing over and over. He simply waved the knife up and down at incredible speed, just like how he chops his hand when he explains something. Despise the obvious pattern of attack Kirishima couldn’t get in. “It’s like fighting an edge trimmer!” he was able to disarm Iida but was marked at least three times in the process.

“We should let him cut the vegetables for suppers…” whispered Sato in Katsuki’s ear, both being the residents cooks for class 1-A. Bakugo, a hand on his chin, considered it…

In the second round Kirishima made quick work of Iida, the tall teen may be more at ease fighting without a weapon, but he usually did it with the help of his quirk.

“Both of you need to stop relying so much on your quirk. I expect progress next time…”

Kyoka Jiro vs Momo Yaoyorozu

Jiro was holding the weapon, swiping at Momo and backing off using a less aggressive form of fighting than the others. Momo was way more experienced than she was with weapons, but she was having a hard time disarming Jiro with only her fist. In the end Jiro managed to swipe a line across her chest. “Why are they so big…” she gave her the knife, looking down at her own body. The winner somehow looked defeated…

The second round was a sweep from Momo being competent in armed combat, managed to get Jiro on the arm.

“Very good, keep in mind how you move with your body during a fight…”

Hanta Sero vs Shoto Todoroki

“I’m getting my revenge from the sports festival!” grinned Sero dashing at Todoroki with the knife. Todoroki almost managed to disarm him but was ultimately defeated by a flick of the wrist. “Vengeance!” screamed the tape-boy proud of himself.

Second round was also down to the wire. Sero managed to disarm Todoroki but was marked at the same time resulting in a loss for him. “Let’s see each other at the next sport festival…” Todoroki offered his hand and Sero gladly took it shaking it. He sure made progress in his mannerisms since that day. “Sure, man!”

“Good both of you. I’m sure it was instructive for all your classmate…”

Mezo Shoji vs Rikido Sato

“This looks like a Kaiju fight!” Mineta remarked. Both boys were swinging wildly at each other, Shoji connecting more often with his fist than his blade. From the outside, you could mistake the match for a brawl. In the end Sato landed a blow on Shoji’s hand disarming it. “YOSH!” he yelled in victory.

“Remember this is a knife exercise, boys…”

Second match Rikido was calmer, using the blade instead of his fist. Ironically, he was defeated the same way, a strike to the hand. They both vigorously shook (bruised) hands in shared companionship.

Denki Kaminari vs Mashiaro Ojiro

Ojiro with the knife made quick work of Denki’s pitiful defence. Winning the match in a matter of seconds. “Sad to see Kaminari defeated so easily” remarked Hagakure. Her short classmate snorted next to him. “Don’t worry, while you were studying, he practiced the blade…” everyone was suddenly intrigued by what Mineta was implying.

They all looked, as Denki picked up the blade holding it in front of him in a peculiar position. What was he planning? Ojiro hesitated, seeing the confident smile on his opponent’s face. He nonetheless charged at him with martial prowess, but he was too late…Denki threw the blade at him marking him on the sleeve… “I WIN! My technique is Un-…” he was silenced by the scarf of his teacher wrapping around his mouth.

“Kaminari you will have detention after class. I told you not to throw your weapon at least three times already…” He was pulled out of the circle by Aizawa.

Toru Hagakure vs Fumikage Tokoyami

Toru had the knife in hand; she had rolled her sleeves to give her an advantage, making it harder for Tokoyami to pinpoint her arms location. She charged him, floating knife waving in front of him. He tried to grab her wrist but misjudged the position earning him a mark on the beak.

Now armed with the knife Fumikage did his best to hit Toru but aiming for a target he mostly couldn’t see wasn’t the easiest task. In the end he took a gamble and waited for her to strike, once he was hit, he knew where her hands were and retaliated, leaving in its wake a floating red line.

“Rework your fundamentals you two…”

Izuku Midoriya vs Uraraka Ochako

Most of the classmates were awaiting this match, after all Ochako was the undefeated champion of disarmament. She has never been hit with the knife during the various practices not even by Koda or Shoji. Gunhead martial art was specially designed for armed opponents, and the girl was a prodigy at it; maybe Aizawa should invite him for a special class. Midoriya made his way toward the center circle, a hand dropped on his shoulder. “Don’t take the loss too hard…” Sero looked at him like a dead man going to the gallows, a single glance around revealed pretty much everyone having the same apathic look.

Izuku could feel a bead of sweat on the back of its head. “…Thanks for the encouraging word…” knife in hand he made his way toward his starting position, Uraraka was already in position, slapping her cheeks and getting her game face on. “Remember to loosen up!” the encouraging word of Toga echoed in his head.

“What the hell is Midoriya doing?” Izuku slumped forward, rolling his shoulder and let his arm hang to his side barely clutching the blade in his loose finger. Ochako took her usual stance, a bit perturbed by her opponent’s stance, something was oddly familiar about it.

Aizawa whistle blew, signaling the start of the match. He lightly jogs toward her, nothing in his demeanor seemed threatening, yet Ochako could feel the intensity pouring from him, even while he smiled at her. “Midoriya this is a fight. You’re aware?” yelled one of his classmates.

Aizawa had his eyes riveted on the boy; at first, he dismissed his stance as him goofing off, but this was unlikely, he was a hard worker, something was off and then…

His whole body seemed to move at once from his toe to the point of the knife, flicking the knife toward her like a whip. She barely dodged the tip aimed at her neck; she got ready for a counterattack, but he was already back to his weirdly relaxed stance, a coy smile on his lips and a few steps away.

And then again, a faster than usual whip of the blade aimed at her stomach, another aimed at her heart, another… She was on the backfoot. “Holy shit, Midoriya is winning?!” she went for his arm as the back of the blade grazed her cheek, but she was too slow, he stepped into her pushing her away, flicking the knife again. She clapped her hands, catching the blade in between her fingers and…

“Point to Midoriya…” uh? Why, she caught the blade, didn’t she? She looked at her hands a large red line was on her palm, Izuku had turned the blade at the last second. Making her catch the edge instead of the flat. “How… Where did you learn to move like that, Deku?”

He blushed but surprising even himself didn’t stutter. “I had a great teacher this weekend” he threw the blade in the air catching it by the edge offering the handle for her to grab. She cautiously took it, looking at him. He was still smiling, he was standing tall, filled with confidence and apart from his blush, he didn’t seem flustered at all. He was totally different from three days ago and it was kind of hot…

Suddenly she turned away from him doing her best to hide her beet-red face from him. She could feel her heartbeats resonating inside her skull. The knife she was holding with both hands was shaking. “Get yourself together Ochako…”

When the whistle blows, she snaps out of it just in time to see Izuku leap at her grabbing both her wrists and wrangling the knife out of her grip, still smiling. Once she was pinned by him on the ground, she got a good look at him and the way he handled her, firm grip yet soft hand, his body pressed against hers, his muscles… “Aizawa-sensei! I don’t think Uraraka is fine, she is out cold” Izuku was the winner of the second bout.

Most of the girls went to see her, splayed on the floor Izuku still over her, a bit of drool was on her lips and a content smile on her face. Mina gave him a dirty look. “That’s just not fair Izuku, exploiting a girl’s weakness like that…”

“Wha-what did I do?!”

Aizawa cut everybody off. “Alright go changed you still have the rest of the day ahead of you. I’ll take care of Ochako, now go” they all scattered toward the locker room. He glances one last time toward Midoriya. Sure, progress was expected but this boy just showed a high level of expertise after training away from school for three days. Not only that each of his strikes were aiming for a vital part of the body if it had been a real fight with real knife each one of those were aimed to kill. His puzzle somehow got new pieces…

…Boy’s locker room…

“Who the hell teach you those move Midoriya they were super Manly! I need to meet your teacher” most of the boys were gathered around him as he was changing into his usual UA uniform.

“Forget him, I want Iida to teach me the famous Ingenium Bushwacker technique” chuckled Sero a few meters away from them, Iida turned toward him, already waving his arm at him.

“There is no such thing as the Ingenium Bushwacker technique! If there was, my brother would have taught me a long time ago. Do not spread rumors!”

“But seriously Midoriya who taught you those moves…” Todoroki asked.

“Can’t tell. Secret” Izuku removed his sweat-filled shirt pulling out his clean one, not even batting an eye at the question. Where was this confidence coming from, those moves, just all… This. The half-and-half boy still didn’t know what was happening to his friend and that concerned him. Nonetheless, the locker room is not the most suitable location for this kind of discussion maybe later…

As everybody scattered, Izuku spotted his bandage on his wrist coming loose. He removed it for a brief instant and tightly wrapped it again. *!!* He looked behind him to see a startled Koda putting on his shirt. “Sorry Koda. I didn’t saw you there, I’ll be careful” he gently smiled at the timid giant and finished dressing up before going out.

Koda stood there looking at Izuku running to catch up with Iida and Todoroki; something was bothering him. He saw something he probably shouldn’t have seen…

Those knives wounds on his wrists were fresh…

…Girl’s locker room…

All the girls were gathered in the locker room, even Ochako. A couple of light taps from her teacher were sufficient to wake her up. Just thinking about Izuku, his newfound confidence, The way he grabbed her, his hot breaths on her-… “What are you thinking about” Mina was right next to her, her face inches away from hers, a smug look plastered all over it.

“No-no-nothing!!” she thew herself into her locker face first to hide the rising blood coming to her cheeks.

“Mina stops teasing her” Momo stepped in pulling away the pinkette.

“Aww, come on! You all saw what I saw today, this weirdly confident Izuku totally flirting with her!” she cupped her own cheek in her hands, swooning. Finally, some damned romance in this school!

Asui turned toward her, the same unreadable expression on her face as always. “He looked just as lost as Kaminari after an attack at the end, Kero. I don’t think he was flirting” The comparison made Jiro laugh, just thinking about the doofus giving the thumbs up made her cracked up. She gave her best imitation to Hagakure next to her, earning herself a laugh.

“But now is the time! We can finally launch the operation Dekuravity!” Mina raised her fist trying to rally the other girls.

“Dekuravity?” asked Ochako from her locker, her voice echoing from inside.

“Yeah! It’s a mash-up of your hero’s names, Deku and Uravity!” she squealed. “It’s so cute already!”

“b-b-but-…” She tried to protest but was cut-off by the acid user. “No but! You said to wait after we’re settled in the dorms and here, we are!”

Mina winked at her, giving her a thumbs up. “Just let me work and you will be together by the end of the week!”

Being with Deku… she smiled a little at the thought of it. She let out a deep breath, and with her face still red, turned toward Mina, determined. “A-alright! I’m in your hand…” all the girl approached her, enveloping her in a group hug, nothing and no one will stand in their way!

…

“Achoo!”

“Are you alright Himi?” asked the greenette next to her, busy eating the sausage she gave her. Himiko waved her off, saying all was alright. Taking out a tissue from her pocket to blow her nose. She looked down at the tissue. “I’ve never given Kurogiri his handkerchief back…”

Author’s note

Another chapter down! I add titles to each chapter, making it easier to find one when I need to. I kind of glazed over the other fights but to be honest our focus is on Izuku in this story I don’t want to add unnecessary fluff just for the hell of it.

I just love the image of Iida just swinging a knife up and down while slowly approaching his opponent.

Izuku just needed to dump his trauma somewhere to become something other than a wet noodle in conversation. Also, Mina is right by the end of the week someone is going to be in a relationship… And what the hell is Koda thinking about?

Next time, Super suit, super moves and super exam! Plus Ultra! Maybe some Himiko as a treat…

Chapter Text

”There you go, kid! Extra onion like you asked. NEXT” Lunch Rush handed Izuku his lunch tray and prepared another serving for the next student. Today was burger and fries, an American classic. He turned to go sit at his usual place but found nobody else except a very nervous Ochako. “Where are Iida and Todoroki?”

“Th-they got held up by the girls they needed them for uhm... Something…” in truth Iida was led away by Yaoyorozu who asked him to help her with some class assignment and Todoroki was swept by the arms before he could say anything by Mina and Hagakure, leaving both alone for the entire lunchtime. “So… nice moves back there, you really improved!” Uraraka was so nervous, she didn’t even touch her food. Just trying to talk right now was a big effort.

“Yeah, I’m surprised I did so well, but I’m sure this was a fluke you didn’t seem at your best today…” he said, dipping his fries into some ketchup and eating. “Are you good?”

“I’m fine! I-I just…” oh God, why was talking to him suddenly so difficult. She did it all the time without stuttering on every other word, so why now she couldn’t. “You are going to invite him to a date! I got the perfect place in mind!” oh yeah, because Mina was pushing her and she accepted…

“What are you doing this week?”

“Not much, mostly training and studying” he wiped his face from the sauce on his lips. “Oh, and I got this ‘Quirk & Query’ thing with Tokoyami this Wednesday!”

She perked up at that. “You play ‘Quirk & Query’?”

“No but it seemed fun” so it is a game after all, he mused.

Ochako looked down at her still full plate, her leg was jumping around like crazy, and her face was slowly turning a nice shade of pink. “Well, if you have nothing to do this weekend. We could go to that place near the school. Mina gave me some free tickets for an escape room for two, and you seem like the kind of guy who would enjoy that…”

He paused his bite, some alone time outside of school with Uraraka seemed fun, but he was supposed to see Himiko during the weekend. Well, he could always make time for both. Just thinking about seeing the two of them together, Himiko still had the dress…” STOP IT RIGHT THE FUCK NOW BRAIN!” he couldn’t stop his face from turning crimson red as impure thoughts possessed his mind.

“Y-yeah, sounds fun, when is it?”

“Saturday!” she said with a bit more enthusiasm than she would have liked, she quickly cleared her throat and her mind. “Saturday, in the afternoon… I’ll text you the details later…”

“Sure” and together they finished their lunch, now that she could focus on it. Izuku waited for her to empty her plate, and they got up toward their next class. “So, what do we have next?”

“According to the schedule we are having a special class with Midnight to design possible improvements to our suit and then we met with Power Loader and his class”

“For the possible support enhancement?” asked Izuku?

“Yeah, so did you find something you wanted to add to your costume?”

“I think so, but it’s nothing really fancy” Uraraka face perked up at his statement.

“What is it! Tell me, Tell me!”

“Its-…” he opened the door but was cut off by the sight before him. Inside Midnight was sitting on her desk in a suggestive pose while everyone was pretty much already seated in their chairs blushing, even Katsuki. Mineta was taking notes at incredible speed… “And that’s why a hero should never drink on the job! Oh, there are our little lost lovebirds, I was wondering when you would finally get out of that little nest of yours…”

They both blushed furiously, talking over each other, clearing the accusations coming their way. “I’m kidding… or not~” she winked at them. “Go seat to your desk, class is starting” not wanting any more innuendos sent their way they rushed toward their seats.

“Now a hero costume is one of the most important parts of the hero identity. This is the best way for you to be recognised by your fellow citizens in the streets and in the sheets~” could she really say those kinds of things to a bunch of sixteen years old? How she kept her job for so long is a true mystery…

Her sultry, teasing tone was quickly replaced by her more professional one as she stood down from the desk. “Today we will engage in an artistic exercise, I want everyone of you to draw alternate versions of your costume. The word of the day is creativity! We are here to try something new and see if it’s sticks. I know you have a class with the support student next so keep in mind potential augment you might add”

She distributed papers for everyone with a bunch of colored pencils. “There is no bad Idea! And you are free to browse your phones for reference from pros with similar quirk. For example, Uraraka and the former gravity pro-hero: Event Horizon. Who could increase the gravity of anyone he looked at.”

“But my costume is already the best!” cried Mina, outraged by the idea of changing anything about her attire.

“You don’t have to change your costume you may just change a part of it. Now let’s begin!”

…

“Tamaki Hiro is asked to the principal’s office, Tamaki Hiro…” the voice in the speakers snap Himiko out of her impromptu nap, not her fault math was so boring. She could hear the whisper around her, but she simply did not care about those. “Good luck Himi…” Goto whispered a little louder than the rest from behind her. She got up and walked out, sending a wave to her friend before going out.

She walked the empty corridor until she reached the principal’s office. Once inside she could see why she was called in; Chio Chitose was sitting in one of the chairs facing the principal; the other was empty, waiting for her. A man stood near the desk; she recognised him as the school security officer. “Please, Miss Hiro, sit down”

She sat down with no protest; better end this quick than drag it out for too long. Chio was starring daggers at her, daggers she just wanted to throw back at her neck… “I suppose you know why you were called to my office today…”

Of course, she knew, this bitch went and talked about her little knife trick she pulled on her. If she confessed, she would be certainly expelled. “No idea principal…” the woman in front of her sighed, she was in her forty and was wearing quite the expensive tailored suit. Her auburn hairs were pulled in a messy ponytail behind her head.

“Bullshit, she pulled a knife on me!” Chio stood up, indignant. She pointed an accusatory finger at Himiko, who didn’t even so much as flinch at her little outburst. “She even threatens to drink my blood, that freak!”

“Is it true, Miss Hiro?”

“I have no idea what she’s talking about…” she turned her head away resting it in her palm.

Again, the older woman sighed; she leaned in on her desk, supporting herself on her elbow, gazing at the teens. “Listen here, the way I see it no one can back you up and Miss Chitose have quite the reputation in the school already as the president of the student association and since you are a transfer student here for barely a week. I have no reason to prioritize your word over hers…”

Himiko raised an eyebrow at that. What the hell does she mean she had no one to back her up. Gen was there on the roof and almost got beat up by the haughty bitch, if she hadn’t intervened… “What about Goto, she can tell you Chio tried to attack us…”

Chitose sat down crossing her legs huffing and puffing. “She could also tell us how you pulled that knife out of nowhere”

She was right if they asked Goto she’s going to talk about the knife. Her options were limited; she could tell the truth but even then, there’s no way she won’t be reprimanded for threatening a student with a knife, even if in self-defence, and that will lead to a criminal record for her. Or she could keep lying about the whole thing; probably her best bet. “What knife?”

“You-…!”

“Girls calmed down. Miss Hiro if you may, the school officer is going to perform a pat down on your person” The man steps up.

“If I refuse?”

“You may not” her voice was crystal clear; she had no say in the matter.

“Fine” she said, rolling her eyes facing the rather large man, spreading her arm apart.

He proceeds with the pat down, looking in her pocket, arms, sleeves, skirt, and the rest of her person; at least he wasn’t a creep. After a moment he turned toward the two other women in the office. “Nothing”

Of course she brought nothing today, the chance of this happening was almost guaranteed. She sure felt naked without at least one blade on her, but such was the price to pay for her little heroic intervention. Chio was visibly pouting in her chair, clearly upset she couldn’t punish her on the spot. “So can I go?”

“Not yet Miss Hiro, I just want to make one last thing clear” she stood up from her desk and walked around it until she stood in front of her”

“What” something was wrong…

“If I hear from Miss Chitose one more time about your actions. I will expel you from this school. You are on thin ice, am I clear?” her gaze and her tone change for a more sinister one. This wasn’t a warning, this was a threat. “Do as you’re told” it practically screamed.

For a second Himiko furrowed her brows, looking at the older woman dead in the eyes, her fist tightening. Then she let go, adverting her gaze from hers relaxing her body. “Crystal…”

“Good you may both leave…” as they exited Himiko turned her head, barely a second, but she got a glimpse of the two, exchanging a weird hand sign.

Thumb on their forehead and the index pointing up…

No idea what this was about, she left. Now both in the hallway, Himiko and Chio walked side by side toward their classes. The blonde wanted nothing more than to ignore the other girl, but she clearly wasn’t done with her. “I think we got off the wrong foot Tamaki, lets bygones be bygones. Right?” she offered her hand as they walked, a sign of politeness, as fake as it could be.

“Mhh, sure” without thinking she offered her hand as well, simply happy she could finally walk away from all this with no punishment. She realised her mistake a second too late, as soon as their finger connected Chio smirked.

Himiko felt her whole body tense, unable to move an inch. She was paralysed, this was her quirk, she could paralyze those whom she touched. The girl kept her hand locked in with hers and pulled her other from her back. A resounding slap echoed the halls. She struck her cheek with her palm, Himiko didn’t move nor make a sound. “This is for your little stunt on the roof…” another echoed, this time she hit her opposite cheek. “And this one is just for being alive… Know. Your. Place.” She pronounced every of one those words separately. “I hope next time you’ll have learned to obey your better when asked” and just for good measure she spat on her. The spit slowly trailed on her stinging cheek.

Chio let go, and put on her usual façade of carefree student, smiles and all. “Now let’s go back to class, Tamaki-Chan!” It took five seconds for her body to move again and all the pain came at her once again. She recoiled as she felt both slaps hitting her once again, almost falling to her knee. She raised her eyes, the smug look on her was getting more than annoying. She wiped her face and smiled back; the same smile she gave her on the roof. “Of course, Chio-Chan…”

…

“What the hell Midoriya this is actually super good!” the comment from Kirishima suddenly brought everyone’s attention to the greenette who was still concentrating on his drawing. He looked up to see most of his classmates getting up to see what all this was about. “Well, I did draw heroes for most of my childhood…”

“You should draw mine; I can’t draw to save my life…” Kaminari waved his own papers, defeated. Jiro managed to snatch them out of his hand and immediately burst out laughing. Somehow, a four-year-old could have done better than him. She was quick to share his artistic genius with the others around her, who similarly burst out laughing.

Ochako looked at his drawing and pointed at a black pouch near his leg. “What’s this?”

“Aww well you asked me what I wanted to add to my costume, and I got thinking. A knife!” his answer got a lot of mixed responses.

“A-are you going to start stabbing us during practice M-Midoriya…” Asked a somewhat scared and anxious Sero, slowly backing from the future serial killer. Izuku blinked twice before he finally caught on.

“No, no! This is for rescue, Thirteen said we should implement more items for rescue operations, so this is what I got” this did nothing to ease the growing pool of people gathering.

“Are you going to put victims out of their misery…” asked Todoroki now overly concerned about him.

Again, he blinked twice before getting the meaning of what he was saying. Now very flustered he yelled. “NO! It’s a tool… You know, for cutting seatbelt in case of car accident or removing clothing for easy access to a wound. I even choose a model with a built-in cutter for wire fence”

“This… actually make a lot of sense” now that everyone concerned about being murdered in their sleep was put to rest. They started sharing their design about each improvement they wanted to make.

Jiro showed some speakers like her boots but on her wrist instead. Ochako displayed a slingshot for her forearm. “I need to test it but if what I make float keep their weight, but I could have super dense projectile!”

Sato showed a tube going from his mouth to his belt. “Instant sugary beverage!”

Hagakure joined in. “New boots!” well, it’s not like if she had any big decision for her hero costume…

“And I-…”

“~…Mighty-Might my heart as no fright!... ~” Izuku’s phone suddenly rang through the class. He looked down at the ID and saw…

“Who is Tamaki?” Kirishima was peering over his shoulder, never in his life was he so glad to have changed a phone contact. “I need to take this. Midnight, can I go outside of class for a minute?”

“Sure, but I want every juicy detail of that phone call…” he shudders. Fortunately, she simply smiled and waved him off, her way to say go ahead. Izuku got up, phone already on his ear as he exited the class. “Hey, what’s going on?...”

Everyone in class was already gathered in a small circle around Izuku’s desk, making it the perfect storm for some gossiping about this new person no one ever heard of. “Ok but who the hell is Tamaki… Iida? Todoroki? Uraraka? You’re like his closest friends, any idea?

“Never heard of him…” nothing from Todoroki.

“This name doesn’t ring any bell” Iida wasn’t any better.

“Tamaki?…” three out of three and no idea…

“Doesn’t Tamaki sound like a girl’s name?” remarked Denki.

Everyone turned toward him, incredulous eyes going around everyone. They all huddled in a circle as if they were conspiring. “You think it’s a girl?”

“I doubt it, it’s Midoriya we’re talking about…”

“He’s been acting weird all week…”

“You don’t think…”

“Impossible…”

“WILL YOU ALL SHUT THE FUCK UP!” The booming voice of Bakugo cut them off. He was already pissed losing some of his precious time drawing useless crap in class. he didn’t need everyone gushing about the nerd as well. “It’s probably just the hobo girl calling him to pester him about some bullshit…” now suddenly all the attention was on him. The circle moved and enveloped him as well, and a rather intense Mina and… A worried Ochako grabbed him. “Tell me everything…”

…

“Hey, everything alright?” Izuku was just outside of class looking out the window, trying to occupy his eyes as he talked. He said to call him if she felt bad, and it was the middle of the day; both were still in school. Clearly something happened to her.

“Nothing absolutely horrible…”

“So, just horrible…” he furrowed his brow, he didn’t like where this was going.

A chuckle echoed through his phone. “You can say that I pretty much got threatened by the principal and the school student president”

“Why?!”

“I pulled a knife on the student president…”

“WHAT!?”

“I had a good reason! She was about to use her quirk on me and this other girl defending me. I had to do something!” she sounded almost mad at him. After all he get to play hero and she couldn’t, hypocrisy at its finest.

“It’s-…” he sighed deeply. “You didn’t hurt her, right?”

“Of course not! I just scared her a little…” at least this was good news. “You… You’re not mad at me, right?” now she sounded scared, his chest tightened a little the last thing he wanted was to make her feel bad.

“No just… a bit disappointed… Can we talk about this after class. I’m sure Aizawa is about to sneak up on me any second. I’ll call you”

“…Ok…”

“It’s… I know it sucks, I know you want to fight back…” he thought back at all he endured during middle school and the rare time he fought back, never ending well for him and never ending badly for his abuser. “…Sometimes we can’t, we just need to roll with the punches…”

“This is not really helping Izuku…”

“I know… Well, you have a friend if I heard right?” she confirmed. “Hang on her tight, it’s more than I had back then, and friends are always there for you when you need them… Just like how you were there for me”

“…and you were there for me…” he could almost hear her smile; he sure did on his side.

“I’ll call you later”

“Ok, bye Izuku”

He closed his phone and waited for his nerve to calm down. Once calm again he re-entered the classroom finding most of his friends and classmates; somehow even Midnight was there (surely the scent of fresh gossip brought her there), harassing a very upset Kacchan. They were trying to probe him for information, it seemed. “Pester the nerd if you want to know more!” They turned toward him like a pack of hungry hyenas looking at fresh meat.

“Wh-…” he was cut off by, everyone…

“Who is this Tamaki/girl/sidepiece (Midnight)/homeless girl?”

“…” he closed the door. He wasn’t ready for that… Oh God, he was so much not ready for any of that… “Deep breaths Izuku” he repeated to himself. Doing just that he calmed himself for a second time, he was very glad to have found his inner peace, for he would have been a blubbering mess right now. Instead, he smacked his face, regained his composure and re-opened the door with confidence. He silenced the wave of questions coming his way and answered them all. “It is none of your business!”

Was Izuku talking back? To the entire class! This didn’t stop the other volley of questions coming his way.

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“When have you meet her”

“Where is she?”

“What does she look like? Bakugo refuses to tell us anything…”

“Is she cute?”

“How big are her boobs?”

The boy raised his hand, silencing them once more, a visible blush on his face from all the attention suddenly on him. He cleared his throat and looked directly at them. “She is just a girl living with my mom at the moment while she does her studies, nothing more. I met her about a month ago and I offered her a place to stay. She peculiar about her appearance so I won’t tell. With that last part, he threw a particularly vicious look at Mineta, who suddenly regretted asking that to the guy adding a knife to his hero belt.

“Come on, there’s got to be more than that Midoriya…” Kaminari was practically begging for more information. “Why did you never tell us about her then?”

“Her situation is not the best, I didn’t want to share what wasn’t mine to share. I’m just trying to help her…” his answer was more somber than anyone would have imagined. This cleared a lot of the residual curiosity floating around.

“Is that why you were acting weirdly these last weeks?” asked Todoroki stepping up to meet him.

“Yeah, in part. This and the whole league of villain incident…” again he slumped a little. He wasn’t lying, those things were connected after all…

Now it was Iida’s turn to step up to him, he put a firm hand on his shoulder trying to cheer his friend. “I’m glad for you to share this information with us Midoriya. Helping those in need, is the essence of a Hero!” this made him smile Iida was always a good speaker, always knew what to say to cheer him up. Even if he was a little obtuse sometimes. “Thanks” Izuku sighed, another weight was lifted from him. He could finally stop hiding (some of) his relations with Himiko. The subject quickly changed toward hero costume once again, to the great satisfaction of Izuku.

But in a corner, a brunette felt her heart constrict in her chest, who truly was Tamaki to Izuku…

…

They finally reached the next class of the day, the support co-class. Everyone was so busy chatting about potential upgrades or gear that they failed to notice the thick plume of black smoke coming from the door in front of them. As Izuku opened it a wave of smoke hit the whole class covering them in sooth. They cough and spit trying to remove the substance from their lungs, wiping away the dark powder in their eyes.

Inside they saw devastation, students on the floor, Power Loader retching in the corner and a very enthusiastic Hatsume standing in the middle of it. Her goggles and mask protected her from the incident; Power Loader was the first to speak. “Damnit Mei! I told you not to test your invention IN the labs!”

“I wasn’t testing it; it simply blew up!” she said as a matter of fact. Unbothered by everyone near-death experience. “Ah, you must be class 1-A! Hatsume Mei inventor and future industry giant!” she strode toward them at a brisk pace.

*Cough* “We know, we met you back at the sport festival…” Iida said in between clearing his lungs.

“Doesn’t ring any bell! Get in!” and just like that she power-walked away toward her table, tinkering at her next invention. The teacher, still waving his hand in front of his face to clear out the last of the smoke, went to meet them. “Don’t worry about her I’ll deal with it after class… So, you’re class 1-A” a series of nods and affirmation waved throughout the crown in front of him. “Good, the support class is less large than the heroic, so it’s going to be two of you for each one of my students”

“Who was assigned to Hatsume?” asked a very worried Jiro.

“Midoriya and Hagakure…” the whole class turned toward them, giving various condolences and words of good luck. Why was the universe always against him… “Now come in, I’ll guide you to your place” having their partner already assigned to them, both the invisible girl and green boy made their way toward Mei. She was currently soldering various parts together. “Hatsume?” no answer.

“Hatsume, we are here…” still no answer. Izuku sighed. He knew what he had to do but didn’t know if he had tth fortitude to do it. “Hatsume, we want…to make babies…” The invisible girl turned toward him, she wasn’t expecting him to say THAT. It at least managed to get her attention; she stopped her tinkering and turned toward them. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier! Let’s do this. What did you have in mind, you two?”

“A knife pouch…”

“New boots…”

“Boring! How about a rocket-powered jetpack instead!” she didn’t even stutter as she pretty much disregarded their ideas. They both looked at each other; this was going to be tiring. “Look, we appreciate your enthusiasm, but we’re expecting something more fitting for… Us…”

She rummaged in her bag looking for something. “You can’t blame a girl for trying to sell her old merchandise! Don’t worry, I got something good for you both!” she pulled out two blueprints. One was a lasso and a body suit, the other was some sort of exo-skeleton. “What are we looking at?”

“Your upgrades! I’ve been tinkering for two weeks on them, well more him than you to be honest”

“I can’t wear clothes, I’m invisible remember. And why a lasso?”

“I’m sure intrigued by this” he pointed at the exo-skeleton.

Hatsume started with Toru. “Well, you’re aware some heroes use their hairs for their costume, right?”

“No? that’s a thing!” wait does that mean she could have run with clothes instead of butt naked! Why was she learning about this in the middle of the year! “B-but I don’t have enough hair for a suit! Much less a lasso!”

“That’s where we intervene!” she grabbed her sleeve and pulled her toward a machine roughly the size of a truck. “This baby is the support class new acquisition! The Molecular DNA Extractor Replicator! Or MiDNAER for short” They both looked at the various tubes and glass filled with some sort of greenish liquid and more buttons than they knew what to do with.

“This baby was directly imported from I-Island for the low-low price of 150 million…”

“In yen? It’s not so bad I guess…”

“US!” they both felled backyards, seriously what the hell was this school budget!? Where was the money coming from? Was Nezu developing drugs underneath his facility or something? Knowing him, it was probably tea…

“With MiDNAER we can replicate some of your body part like hairs or skin. We tried with bones for a more solid material, but we aren’t there yet!” She stood next to the machine, patting it like it was a good dog.

“So, you can make me a skin suit for myself?” The thought of it was both horrifying and fascinating, she could finally wear clothes! Not only that, with this, they could make her some support equipment like a pouch and whip and… Just thinking about it made her eyes water a bit. She jumped in Hatsume’s arm, hugging her tightly. “THANK YOU!”

“Don’t thank me! Thank this school unending inflow of money!” (Seriously where is it coming from… taxes? Crime? WHERE?)

Izuku stepped in still curious about his own upgrade, breaking the tender moment for his classmate. “But what about me? I don’t really need any augment for my strength. Maybe brace for my limbs at best…” She turned violently toward him, dropping the poor invisible girl on the floor like she was never there to begin with. “For you it’s more a theory I want to try. Follow me!” She grabbed him by the sleeve toward one of the testing facilities near the labs. There was a large glass tube, large enough for him to stand inside and various cables linking to it.

“Just step in!” she pushed him toward the machine, but he learned he should ask first before agreeing to anything Mei asked. “What’s this?”

“This baby is our shock tester, for testing electrical based support item and quirk. Now step in! “This time she pushed him inside and closed the glass door. “This isn’t dangerous… Right?”

“Not for me!” she put on her spectacles and went behind a console together with Hagakure. “Now power up!”

“How much?”

“Let’s start low!” he did as he was told. Powering One for All at 5%. Mei pressed some buttons, nodding to herself. “Interesting. Can you go higher!”

He decided to go to 18% his body started to feel a bit of a kickback. “That’s about the max I can go without hurting myself right now”

Mei’s face twisted into a grin as she looked at the various gage slowly ticking up. “I knew it! You generate electricity when you use your quirk! The more power you use, the more electricity you generate!”

“What does that mean” asked Toru next to her, not sure if she followed.

“That means my baby is not just a theory anymore, but a reality!” Izuku stepped out of the chamber and followed the inventor as she ran toward her table where the blueprints still lay. She scribbled out some part of them and redrew something over. “With this baby we can stock the energy you generate passively with the use of your quirk and discharge it as you desire!”

“Wait so like a built-in taser? That’s so cool and if it is electricbasedIcoulduseit-…” He was gone to the land of muttering. He was so good at analysing quirks it’s a wounder her never tough of analysing his own like he did with the others.

He was snapped out of it when Hatsume threw her hand in the air. “What do you think of my babies!”

Each student exchanges a look. Hatsume may be a chaotic tinkering gremlin destroying half the thing she builds, but she was also an unprecedented genius. “This is amazing!” they said at the same time.

…

“…And I would like to remind everyone of the exam coming this Friday for your Heroic class…” Aizawa had just ended the lesson, and everyone was getting up and ready to leave.

“What kind of exam?” asked Mina still thinking about her fight with Nezu, she didn’t want to fight against the principal ever again in her life.

“Something similar to your first heroic class, we’re trying to measure improvements… The test is a surprise, after all heroes rarely know what they’re getting into…” he was already getting inside his yellow sleeping bag, how did he move in that thing? If it was any like their first exercise, it was probably some sort of two vs two.

Everyone walked out of the class talking about a bit of everything; surprisingly, Sato and Bakugo approached Iida, something about cooking. Leaving Izuku alone with Ochako and Todoroki, walking by his side. “So, what improvement are you making for your costume?”

Ochako beamed, holding out her arm in front of her and aiming. “I can have a slingshot! They said they can even fold it into my costume!”

“More padding in mine…”

“Your quirk is already amazing as it is…” Izuku tried to cheer on his friend, fitting support gear for someone producing both flame is ice wasn’t easy after all. “And you?”

“They approved the knife and Mai said she can weaponize the electricity I produce!”

“That’s awesome!” Ochako seemed lost in thought for a moment, apprehensive even. “So, what did your friend need to talk about?”

Even Todoroki seemed more focused on him now; that was to be expected. They were his closest friends, and he hid this from them for more than a month, of course they wanted to know more about her. Maybe he could share… just a bit at least. “Sh-…She’s having trouble at her school…”

“What kind of trouble?”

He paused; he was glad he talked about it with Himiko on the beach. This made talking about it now easier for him. “Did you have quirkless kids at your school?”

“Can’t say I’ve seen one?”

“I was taught at home, so no”

“Well, she is and let’s just say people these days don’t like them a whole lot…” he looked down as he walked the hall.

“Why? They’re just like us but without quirk, no?” Ochako didn’t seem to understand. “Hmm” Todoroki nodded in accord with her.

This made Izuku smile; he was glad to have such understanding friends. “Many see them as inferior, or a bad omen, and they are vastly more targeted by their peers. That’s why she called me, apparently both the principal and the student president are on her back…”

“That’s horrible…”

Izuku smiled timidly, if only more people like them had been there for him when he needed it. “I know, at least she made a friend. I just hope she manages to not lose her…”

Uraraka bit her lip; this girl had probably lived a terrible life to end up in the street and she was still enduring the ire of others. No one should live like this. The more Izuku talked about her the more she wanted to also jump in and help her as well. But a dark part of her mind just wanted her to be gone, far away from Izuku…

“I-if you want, we could invite her Saturday! You know… let her have some fun with us, we could take one of the larger rooms” she couldn’t listen to her dark desire; she was a hero in training!

“I-I’ll think about it…” not good he can’t have Himiko and Ochako meet. He just hopes, for once, things go his way…

…

Aizawa was busy crawling toward his office. “Finally, the day is over…”  a nice coffee, some corrections and then he could head back home to his cat, but something large stood in his way…

“Koda?” against his will, he slips out of his fluffy cocoon to address his student. The boy could barely speak; he was not about to push him back for trying to speak his mind to him. He was looking nervous, more than usual. “Did you want to discuss something with me?”

“!...” he fidgeted with his fingers not looking at him in the eyes, instead glancing left and right. “Alright not here then. Follow me to my office…”

Two students in two different days, people are going to start thinking he is softening up… He opened the door of the teachers lounge, pleased to see Midnight missing, Koda was already shy enough no need to add embarrassment over it.” Eraserhead! Glad to see you take good care of young Koda right here!” of course the big doofus was still here. “How are those Super moves classes going? All Might…”

“Fantastic, it should be ready this Thursday!”

“We’re starting tomorrow…”

“Crap!” the big blond muttered under his breath. “I-I’ll get to it then…” seeing All Might using a computer was quite comical, his large fingers hitting at least three keys at once.

Ignoring his colleague, he opened his office inviting the timid Koda in. Aizawa sat in his chair and turned the picture of his cat toward the teen, knowing his love of animals would probably help ease him a bit. “Speak your mind, I’m listening…”

“…” Koda was silent still unsure of what he was about to say. “It’s about Midoriya…” again? Him, Problem Child was getting a bit too much to handle, but he would be lying if he said his curiosity wasn’t piqued. “Continue…”

“I-I think he hurt himself…” what the hell was he on about? “Explain?”

“I saw cut on his forearm… knife cuts…and-…” Aizawa would need a coffee right after this.

Another piece of this puzzle just dropped into his laps, and he could finally see the outline of what was going on. A new member in his household, his dodgy attitude and now his apparent self-harm. Something was wrong and he knew this girl was at the center of it. “I need to speak with Nezu…”

Author’s note

Super moves have been pushed back due to All might incompetence sorry guys…

I’m working these next few days, so next chapter will be out around Thursday!

I keep changing my story as I write it; the idea stays the same, but the execution varies greatly.

There you have it, a lot of things happened at once in this chapter setting up future events. Will Izuku be able to keep everything secret? Will Aizawa see through his student? Will Ochako declare her love? Will Himiko murder Chio?

Someone explains to me where the hell the money comes from for this school!

Next Q&Q. The league of villains? And teachers meet up!

Also correcting my early chapters is on the backburner; it is both long and boring…

Chapter Text

…Wednesday…

"So, tell me how you've been feeling this week?" Himiko was back in the doctor's office, Akemi was doing her survey as usual. So much had happened she almost forgotten about her, after all now she had Izuku, his trust, his support, his blood… She was cured no need for the pills, right? "Super! Everything's good!" Well not everything her social life was atrocious outside of him; she thought about burying a knife deep in Chio's neck every day; Izuku's friends were asking questions, and she had a bad headache ever since she got inside the office.

Dr Akemi insisted on illuminating her office with this gaudy ring light aimed at her, and she could hear her typing on the keyboard; it was so loud, since when it made so much noise!

*TIP*TAP*TIP*TIP*TAP* every stroke of the keys made her want to wince, to recoil, to stuff her ear with anything, why was it so loud. She was feeling fine yesterday and now suddenly all her sense is back in overdrive just like the day she stopped taking the pills. "I'm fine, Izuku cured m-…" *TIP*TIP*TAP*

"Have you felt different these past days?" she still had this bored expression on her face.

"Hshh…" she breathes through her teeth, rubbing her forehead. "No, like I said, those pills are really working!" *TIP*TIP*TAP* Can she stop that? It's like she is doing it on purpose. Last time the light wasn't that bright, and she had a different keyboard, she was pretty sure of it.

"Still no history of smoking in the family?" Again, her stupid smoking question: was she afraid of lung cancer that much? If so, she should look in a mirror. "Like I said before. No!" this came out a bit more harshly than she desired. *TIP*TAP*TIP*TIP*TAP* "STOP!!"

"And we're done with the survey…" finally the doctor stopped typing, pushing her toward the door. She could go out of there and back to class; Chio was probably waiting for her, and she couldn't bring a knife anymore. The security guard made sure to pat her down every morning. Maybe she could push her off the roof; an accident happened so fast after all…

On the other side of the door, John was busy eating a pomegranate, dipping in with his spoon. She wanted some but she had to leave before the doctor gets wiser about her. She reached the outside door and…

"Why is it locked?" she turned; the doctor was lighting her cigarette. The smell of it was putrid; it made her nose twitch.

"I have a better question for you, kid…" she puffs out a smoke toward her again she recoiled. "Why have you stopped taking the medication?"

"I haven't!" Shit!

John stood up; this was bad. She said she could send her to a mental hospital if she wanted. Her hand instinctually reached for the handle a second time, making sure if wasn't locked; maybe she misjudged. The rattle of the doorknob made it clear she was locked in. With no knife.

Then why are you twitching at every sound, smell, and light in my office? Why were you upset during my survey?" she was unmoved by Himiko's attempt at lying her way out of here. "You look like you're in withdrawal…"

"Not my fault… You changed your keyboard an-and you added light… You tried to make me fail the test on purpose. It was longer!" why, why, WHY! Everything was going so well; why suddenly she wasn't? She has only been stopping her pills for what a week max.

"I did none of those" another drag of her cigarette. "Let me guess: everything was going well, and you thought to yourself, Huh? I'm cured and stopped taking it about a week ago. The first day was different, the second day as well, and suddenly your body is acting up"

SHUT UP! "It's not that!"

"Then you start having taught again. About blood, about killing but your little emotional rock is not there for you right now so you think you can just tough-it-up until the weekend"

Her voice was getting grating. "No, you don't understand, Izuku he-he helped me…"

"Is that why you never brought him over? I did ask you last time" it's true, even on the pills, Himiko never brought him over. She was afraid whatever the doctor had planned would change what they had.

She began hyperventilating; she didn't understands, she was lying! "You don't get it! NO, this wasn't going well! I took the damned pill and what did I get… NOTHING!" She yelled, Himiko was stuck in the corner like an animal, while they both hanged over her like vultures "I tried and for what! I was still pushed away; I was still alone. I couldn't even fully love him! He kissed me back and I felt nothing!" she closed on herself making her as small as she could. "I-I can't without him… I need him, he understands me, and I understand him…"

"John handle her…" Himiko closed her eyes as the giant got closer and closer. This was it, she's never going to see Izuku ever again. She failed him…

She felt something soft enveloping her; when she opened her eyes, she could see him draping her in a blanket that was on the table next to the door. He offered her his fruit. Confused she took it.

"What is the name of your school again?" Akemi was back, phone in hand. "…Ryukyu High…"

She typed and got her phone to ring; what was she doing? "Hi, who is this?... This is Dr Akemi Stuart, calling from the clinic. I call to inform you of your student…" she looked at Himiko awaiting an answer.

"Tamaki Hiro…"

"Tamaki Hiro won't be present for the next few days. She is terribly sick, and I've just signed her a prescription. I'll send my associate with the required papers somewhere in the afternoon… Yup… Ok… Take care" still wrapped up in her blanket she looked at the woman gobsmacked. What, why? Akemi got closer and knelt near her, dragging a hand in her hair, a faint smile in the corner of her lip. "No more lie, ok?"

Himiko simply took a bite of the fruit she was given. What just happened. Can this day get any weirder…

…

Classes were over for Izuku and the rest of his classmates, and he was ready for tonight. He had his pencils, notebooks, and snacks. He had no idea what Quirk and Query was, but he was sure excited to answer some trivia questions. He walked the hallway toward Tokoyami's room and knocked. The event was taking place inside his room; he still remembered the gothic aesthetic and sword he saw there. It was so cool!

Shoji was the one that answered him, for once he wasn't wearing his mask, letting him have a good view of his larger than usual mouth. "Midoriya, you're finally here"

"Well, if I were a no-show it would have been impolite. Especially after putting my magnet" he wasn't fazed by his appearance; he even wanted to ask him some questions about it for his notebook but now was not the time. They walked back toward the table set in the middle of the room where Koda was sitting with his pet rabbit. He seemed to jump a bit when he saw him, but he was probably just shy.

He wasn't alone. Ochako was also there, a faint blush on her face. Next to her, a rather stiff Iida was reading a book, and finally. "Where the hell were you, Deku!" Bakugo was also at the table.

"W-what are you doing here Kacchan!?" since when was he participating in class-held activities?

"Like I was going to let you win this. I'm about to wipe your sorry ass at this quiz thing!" this made more sense now, he was probably baited by the others who found it funny.

"But this ain't a-…"

"Shut it round face!"

Izuku went and sat next to the last place available, right next to Koda and Ochako. Koda waved at him, smiling kindly; he hesitated for a moment and took his pet rabbit and plopped it right in his laps. He was looking supportive, encouraging him to pet the animal; the brunette next to him was totally smitten by the cute bunny, petting the thing after asking for permission.

Tokoyami was sitting on the opposite side of the table; maybe he's the one asking the questions? He dimmed the light and turned on a few electric candles, creating a truly mystical ambience. "Welcome friends to this night of Quirk and Query"

"So, what are the questions and rules?" Izuku asked innocently.

Iida lifted his eyes from his book; he realised this was the rule book. It was rather thick, was that a wizard on the cover? "You'll see Midoriya; this is not what I expected, but this rule book is fascinating, you see-…"

"JUST ASK THE QUESTIONS ALREADY!" Bakugo was getting jumpy in his seat next to Iida and Shoji.

Tokoyami was busy pulling something from under the table. "I think you were misled, my fiery friend…" he got up from under the table with… A large wizard hat and fake beard hanging from his beak. "For this is the greatest role-playing game ever invented!"

"… I'm going to kill Mineta and Denki…" a look of murder was in his eyes. He got up ready to follow up on his words but was stopped by Ochako. "Afraid you won't be able to understand the rule, Blondy…" he almost forgotten the rivalry between those two, ever since the sports festival.

He slowly turned toward her. "You're on, round cheeks…"

"So, we must first create a character choosing from…" Iida explained the rules.

…

Dabi was drinking his beer from a straw at the bar while Kurogiri continued wiping away the many glasses. Compress and Magne were playing cards and spinner was at the console playing some action RPG.

"Got any four?"

"Go fish"

Most of them were in a mix of bandages and casts. Dabi had his arm locked into a sling and bandaged all over his face; compress was looking similar with his stiff leg encased. Magne had her missing arm replaced by some homemade contraption made from two wooden spoons. Spinner was in the best condition, only having a few bandages all over his body.

Shigaraki entered the room, box in hands with Twice at his side, everyone glanced at him to see what was going on. "Good news…"

“My new arm is finally here!” Magne got up leaving the game and her fellow player behind happy to replace her spoons by an actual arm.

“I told you we’re still waiting for Giran on that…” this instantly sour Magne mood, who began to sulk in a corner. “No, I have something better…”

"Money?"

"Beer?"

"A new video game?"

"Money and beer?"

Shigaraki shook his head in disapproval. "Even better, I got us a team exercise since you bunch of crippled can't do anything right now," he showed the box to his teammates. Dabi blinked before returning to his drink, wholly unimpressed. Spinner had stars in his eyes and the others were just confused.

"You want us to play a board game together?" Compress seemed vaguely amused at the idea.

"Not any game, the greatest TTRPG of all time, Quirk and Query!" Spinner jumped in his face with unbounded enthusiasm; he looked like a kid at Christmas.

Shigaraki scratches his neck. "Hey, I almost killed a kid for this box so the least you lot can do is try…"

Magne got out from her corner and sighed. "So how does it work?"

Shigaraki threw the box at Kurogiri who caught it with no effort. "Explain the rule while I set up the table…"

…

…Six heroes chosen by the prophecy of Xar's Saroth will defeat the five evil commanders of the apocalypse and their king! SO, say the prophecy!!" Tokoyami was in full nerd mode, waving his arms around and making his best impression of an old, grizzled man. "Will you accept, Oh young ones!"

"I-I accept… I mean I-it'll be an honor oh, venerable ancient!"

"SHUT UP NERD! Yeah, sure whatever, when do we kill something…"

"…Y-yes!..."

"Wait, can I see the prophecy? I think I can use my historian competence to see if there is a detail we…"

Shoji nodded.

"Yay, our first quest; it's been so long since I've played!"

"Then I shall open you the way forward to his castle in the shadow realm! Step forth!" The bird teen suddenly loses his over-the-top voice and starts ruffling through his papers. "Ok so, who have a wisdom lower than 10?"

Katsuki raised his hand; he was the only one. He looked around, annoyed. "What? What was I supposed to do with Wisdom? Bore my enemy to death?"

"But Kacchan, Wisdom gives you a bonus to your perception, and according to Iida, most enemies have Wisdom-based magic attacks!" All the teens were enthralled in their activity. Discussing, rolling dice and strategizing. Bakugo took one of the d20 at Tokoyami request and scored an 18. "Alright, your mind is NOT torn to shreds by the portal of instant transmission"

"Wait what…"

"So inside you see…"

---

"…A bunch of heroes enter your castle, my king" Kurogiri from behind is screen narrated. Looking expectingly at his leader.

"Why are you the king? I wanted to be the king!" a strangely lively Dabi yelled at Tomura. "And we were supposed to be the ones raiding the castle according to the module"

"Shut up, I'm the king because Duh, and being little hero shits is annoying…"

"Wait, what does my character do?" Magne was not getting any of it.

"If you look at your sheets, you can use all those abilities and those control how much damage you do" Spinner was more than happy to explain the joy of TTRPG to his friend. From behind the screen, the shadowy man rolled some dice; never a good sign…

"So, the fiery Hero rushed at you all and…

---

"… you missed…"

"What do you mean I miss!"

"I'm sorry Bakugo a 7 plus 4 doesn't hit…" Tokoyami picked up some dice and rolled. "Now it's their turn; the dark magician uses his beam of darkness on you. Make me a wisdom save"

Bakugo picked the dice and threw it on the table, frustrated. "I got..."

---

"…9 he is hit Compress" Compress cheered at his success. He wounded the Heroes first.

"Stop leaching all the XP! I should get him first, I'm the king!"

"Any man who says I'm the king is no true king…" Compress said, trying to look wise.

"You've been watching that damned pre-quirk shows for too long…" Magne sweated.

Spinner takes his dice, rolling them in his hands for a second, creating suspense. "Ok, my turn I use my multi-slash on the monk and the druid!"

He let down the dice…

---

"… 8 and 9 not good, for me, Shoji and Koda you barely evade the large swing coming your way from the demon king lizard-demon, what do you do?" Tokoyami looks up expectantly.

"I summoned animal c-companions…"

"I use my stunning strike"

"Alright, you can roll" the two picked up their dice and rolled…

---

"…17 for the druid and 12 plus 4 for the monk. You see two bears manifesting in front of the silent druid and the monk attack managed to hit and stun you Spinner"

Spinner let his head hit the table. "I didn't even touch them. Fuck!" in the background, the other member of the league snickered at him.

"Ok my turn. I'll show you what your king can do…" he took his dice aiming at the fighter of the group; somehow, he found him particularly annoying and…

---

"…4, Midoriya, you avoid the disintegrating ray from the king; it's your turn" he looked at his character sheet to see if he could do anything. He still had all his ability after all. "I'll charge the lizard-demon and attack him while he is stunned for advantage!"

He rolled and…

---

"…WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALL 3 OF HIS ATTACKS LANDED!!" Spinner was slamming his hand down the table; he just got wiped by the fighter in a single turn.

"I'm sorry but I rolled quite high; if it is any consolation for you, he used every one of his action surges to do so…"

"BULLSHIT!!" Spinner left the table, fuming. He sat down on the couch and opened the console trying to calm himself. "…Stupid game, stupid dice, stupid fighter…"

"My turn, I use my cone of flame on all of them" Dabi had positioned himself in a way he could hit the whole party; he rolled…

---

"… Koda, Ochako, and one of the bears you take full damage from the wave of fire coming your way, wiping one of the summons. The rest of you take half," Koda looked sad as Tokoyami removed one of his animal companions from the table. Katsuki was seething right now.

"HEAL ME ROUND CHEEK. I'M DYING HERE!!"

"Oh, are you?" she hid her smug smile behind her hand. "I will… if you beg me for it!"

"Ochako, this is not how a cleric should act! You are going directly against your alignment; you shouldn't do that," Iida frantically waved at her, upset by her sudden lack of cooperation with her teammate.

Katsuki grinded his teeth together. "Never…"

"Ok I can heal three persons I chose myself, Koda and Izuku!"

"WHY THE DAMN NERD!" she only stuck her tongue at him.

"Seeing you heal your ally, the Demon King ordered his lieutenant to…"

---

“GANK THAT BITCH!! Focus the healer!” Shigaraki was standing on his chair pointing at the figurine on the table.

Twice took his dice and threw them right on the character, making it flew off the table. “It’s a 1…/ I GOT HER!” everyone looked at the madman, Dabi taking a closer look at his sheet. “Wait, you’re a wild mage…”

“I’ll roll the wild magic table” said Kurogiri, the sound of dice hitting the table was heard. “So, you…

---

"… see the wild masked sage reduce before your eyes to the size of a child," Tokoyami scratched his fake beard. "I can't seem to roll well tonight…"

Katsuki roared in laughter. "Nice job, Birdbrain!"

"Aren't you at death door?"

"Shut it Four-eyes!"

Izuku turned toward Iida, whose turn it was. "You can sneak behind them for extra damage, with your rogue ability"

Iida started stammering, chocked by the recommendation. "B-but we are heroes. I-I could never do something so villainous!" why was Iida the rogue…

"Just imagine you're a hero like Aizawa, creeping in the dark and delivering swift justice!" Ochako cheered, trying to motivate her friend.

"Alright…" he cleared his throat, entering his persona. "Muhaha! I am the Hero, Sneakgenium! And I will defeat you, Demon King!"

"Wait, don't yell you're sneaking up on him!" Shoji tried to shush him.

"Too late roll with disadvantage!"

He took two dice and rolled…

---

"… A 2 and a 19. No advantage for the rogue," Kurogiri stated. "… and he also missed his attack, your turn Magne" she was reading all over her sheet still unsure of what to do.

"Guess I'll swing which one is the closest?"

"That would be…"

---

“… Bakugo does a 19 hit?” the teen was fuming in his chair he got wiped without having done anything. “THIS GAME IS BULLSHIT!!” he got up, still seething, hands in his pockets.

“SCREW YOU ALL!! See you next week…” he opened the door and got out, probably toward Mineta and Kaminari.

“I think he liked the game!” commented a very satisfied Ochako.

“So, who is next?”

---

"That would be me!" Compress picked up his figurine, bringing it toward the back. "I'll use my most dastardly attack on this poor fool," he pointed at the cleric. He rolled the dice and got… 4.

"Welp, that's underwhelming…" Dabi said in between sips of his beverage.

"Welcome to the club…" Spinner said offhandedly from the couch.

Kurogiri continued forth, rolling from behind his screen. "The druid and the bear both attack you, Dabi"

"What did I do!"

"Burn their asses off?" Shigaraki remarked.

"Oh, yeah right… So, how fucked am I?"

"On a scale of 1 to 20, you're about a…"

---

"… 17 and 14! Good job Koda," Izuku praised his friend while petting the rabbit still snug in his lap. "One more hit and the flame mage is down! And we still have Shoji turn before they act"

"Well, let's end him then," the large teen rolled his dice.

"16 you cave the villain skull with your mighty fist he fell, vanquished" the raven teen commented. "The king is displeased at his subordinate's inefficiency…"

---

"…That's it I'm calling back up!" Shigaraki rolled his smaller die angry at their less than stellar performance. "I get 3 shadow minions" he placed three miscellaneous objects on the table, something that Magne quickly identified.

"…I-is that Diamond's teeth?"

---

"…Where did you even get those?" Ochako was pointing at the three cute tiny raven plushies on the table. Tokoyami looked embarrassed. "T-they're not mine. I j-just borrowed t-them for the g-game…"

"They're definitely his!"

"SHUT UP DARK SHADOW!" he turned toward his green haired friend yelling at him. "MIDORIYA! WHAT DO YOU DO!"

Startled a little he jumped back at the sudden attention. "I-I'll attack the wild mage, since his turn is next…"

---

“… A natural 20. You get two wounds Twice”

“This fighter is starting to piss me off…” Shigaraki was scratching at his neck. “Change of plans, he dies first…”

“The cleric will use her mace to try to end you Twice” roll of dice. “11 she failed”

“Ah! None can kill me/I’M SCARED!” he looked though his list of spells settling on a classic, fireball…. “I’ll use this/TAKE THAT!”

---

"Koda and Shoji, I'm sorry but you succumbed to the fiery inferno from the child-sized mage," he gave them both a solemn look. "The bear vanished with his owner"

Now the tide had changed; it was three remaining Heroes, two of them wounded versus four remaining opponents. Izuku looked at his friends, Iida and Ochako. "Iida, we need you to get rid of the brute demon she is up next; if you do that, we may have a chance to win!"

He looked at his friends seeing how much they depended on him; only his character could get rid of someone in a turn if he sneaked well enough. he gave them a reassuring thumbs up. "You can count on me!" He rolled and…

---

"… 16 and 17, Magne the rogue managed to evade your sight and deliver a devastating blow to your unguarded back," Magne simply shrugged.

"Guess I'll die…" she got up and joined Dabi and Spinner on the couch for some backseat gaming; Dabi was teasing the gecko with his constant 'Just dodge' and 'get good.'

"Up next, we have…"

---

"… the dark magician obeying his King's new order, attacks you, Midoriya managing to hit you with a dark ray of magic"

"We should try to get rid of the King; he still controls three minions," remarked the brunette.

"But he is also tougher than the others, and the wild mage is almost down," continued Izuku pensive. "I'll get the mage since I'm out of special ability and their focus is on me. You two defeat him while I divert his attention" They both nodded.

"Your sacrifice shall be remembered Midoriya," Iida put a supporting hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Alright let's do this…"

---

"…16, Twice is bisected by the fighter" Kurogiri turned toward his leader. "What will you do, my King?"

Shigaraki's face twisted into a vicious grin. "Kill them of course, go forth my minions, kill the bastard!" he pushed the three diamond teeth toward the fighter and put his figurine next to him. The combined four attacks…

---

"… Two hits, two misses. Midoriya fell in battle;" he gave another solemn look at his defeated player.

"Well, that was fun at least," he chuckled; after all, this was just a game. He joined up in the corner with his fellow dead and snacked on the various things everybody brought. Giving a bit of lettuce to his furry friend.

"Tenya and Ochako, it's your turn…"

"If we both hit, he is down!" Ochako cheered, trying to rally her last remaining team member. They both rolled at the same time…

---

"… The cleric managed to wound you quite spectacularly, my King; the rogue failed to do so" the misty man added two wounds to his character, but this didn't lessen his smile. They had advantage in both numbers and wounds; they practically won already.

"Ah! Take that you bunch of noobs, our turn Compress" they all rolled their attack at the same time knowing their win was guaranteed…

---

"… All the minions missed, but the king managed to finish you off Uraraka, and the dark magician added another wound to you, Iida. You are the last one standing.  "Tokoyami turned toward him.

"Well, a true hero is always fighting against the odds you can do this, Iida!" Izuku was standing beside him together with Shoji and Koda; Ochako was still seated in front of him.

"Here goes nothing…"

---

… The die tumble in front of the remaining players of the league before finally settling on… a natural 20.

"KOROGIRI, YOU FUCKING CHEATER!" Shigaraki lounges at the man behind the GM screen who barely avoided the five-finger connection. The lone rogue had done it; he had defeated the Demon King. Leaving behind the last bastion of villainy, the Dark Magician.

While Tomura was busy trying to absolutely murder their one and only ticket of fast travel, the rest of the members gathered around, intrigued by the sudden outburst and riled up to see the conclusion. With Shigaraki gone this was a one vs one between the wounded rogue and the dark magician. Anything could happen.

"I'll take his place as GM, continue!" Said the lizard man.

The rest of them chanted. "Roll!, Roll!, Roll…"

---

“Roll!, Roll!, Roll…” every teen chanted at Iida. This fight was close; the dark magician had no special attack left, making it a slugfest. He tried to connect; 10 he missed they both needed at least a 12 to wound. Next Iida, 9 the fight continues. Compress on the other side of the country rolled, NATURAL 1! He was at a disadvantage! The class representative took his chance; 4 and 11 still no hit! Compress, 13 a hit! One more and the rogue was down.

Iida let his die fall; 18. He needed two more hits! The magician tried as hard as he could to finish him, 10 he failed.

Again, under the chanting of his friend Iida rolled, a 1! Izuku fell to his knee, Ochako let out a few swears; this was a pandemonium. Was it the end for the hero…

…

In the dimly lit hideout, the dice fell for one last time revealing their result; he had advantaged, the first one was a 5 nowhere near enough to hit the second…

"NATURAL FUCKING 20! I'M THE NEW DEMON KING!"

All the members of the league jumped at his neck congratulating their teammate; apart from Kurogiri and Shigaraki, one was trying to murder the other. They opened a couple of beer and clinked their cans together. "To the new Demon King, Compress!" cheered Dabi before sipping on his beer with his straw, Magne and Spinner downed it as fast as they could, smiles and laughter were exchanged. Only to be interrupted by the clearing of the throat of someone they all knew.

"Giran! Don't just stand there and grab a beer!" Compress was quick to invite him to the celebration, but he wasn't alone. A handsome man in a suit stood next to him, his dark hair was combed backward, and he was wearing expensive looking purple tinted shades. "Who is your friend?"

Everybody suddenly stopped at the mention of the stranger; even Shigaraki stopped running after Kurogiri, who simply took his place behind the bar as usual. Was he friend or was he foe? "When did you arrive?"

"About a minute ago, I didn't want to interrupt your fun…" he turned toward the man ready to make his presentation, but the stranger stepped forward first. "Hello Shigaraki, I present myself. I am Trumpet and I have a business opportunity for you and your organisation…"

Tomura eyed Trumpet up and down, still unsure what to think of the man. “Spill it”

He smiled, a coy smile. “Have you heard about the Meta Liberation Army…”

…

Aizawa was sitting in a semi-circle composed of all his colleagues. They had their weekly teachers meet-up to discuss various subjects concerning the school and its students. Tonight was no exception; all the first year's teachers were gathered and Nezu stood at the center. "So, tell me, All Might" started the mouse? Dog? Bear? "How are the new Super Moves classes going?" he had the permanent air of joyful attitude in his voice.

"Very good Nezu! Each of my students is making leaps and bounds toward their new Super Move! Some are waiting for their new support gear for better progress!" the symbol of peace exclaimed, letting out a bellowing laugh as he did so.

"You should push them to develop move outside of support gear; a hero should rely on its equipment only if truly necessary…" Aizawa said, not the least impressed by the big oaf; he saw his class. He pretty much stood there telling them they could do it with no critical input. He could see his little 'Teaching for dummy' book poking out of his pocket.

“O-of course Shota. I-I knew about that…” he didn’t.

Nezu raised his paw to get everyone's attention. "On our next order of business, replacing the coffee machine in the teachers' lounges. All in favor?" Every single teacher in the room raised their hand in unison. "I do like when things are going efficiently. Now Aizawa, you had something to say concerning one of your students?" all attention was redirected toward him in an instant.

"Yes, this concerns Izuku Midoriya…" he could hear All might choke on his water; his face filled with concern in less than a second. “What about young Midoriya?”

“I've been brought to attention by one of my students that he might be engaging in self-harm activity outside of school…" he didn't try to soften the news, Aizawa wasn't that kind of man. Still for a second time, All Might choked on his drink; his concern was replaced by fear. “WHAT!” his voice boomed in the room forcing many to cover their ears. “He never told me anything of such. M-maybe he sa-…”

"I saw the bandages and I believed each one of my students," he silences him before he can insinuate one of them lied.

"Mmh, this isn't good" the principal said in his cheery tone. "Hound-Dog, do you have time to meet Midoriya this week?" he turned toward the man responsible for his student's mental health.

"My schedule is full of class 1-B for this week, but I sure could make some time for him next week," the dog man responded.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something special, Nezu" Aizawa raised his hand getting his superior attention. He turned toward him with his small beady eyes and permanent smile. "Yes?"

"I believe this may be connected with the new person residing at his household" from the other side of the room, Midnight ear perked up.

"You mean Tamaki? The homeless girl he rescued?" Tamaki, he now has a name for the person. She continued taking a more lecherous tone. "Aww, budding young love is such a beautiful thing to behold. I can already imagine; her soaked the rain, her clothes clinging to her curve, the young hero offering his strong helping hand, her desire to thank him beyond words leading to her offering her body. Mashing lips and…" she was sprayed with a water bottle by Snipe, sitting next to her; he didn't have time for her fantasies. She cleared her throat before continuing. *Ahem* "According to him, she stays there for study reasons, and he met her about a month ago"

A month ago, so right after the hospital… "I want to visit her and his mother concerning his situation. To see if she is somehow responsible for his switch in attitude"

“Switch in attitude?” for someone mentoring him he sure didn’t know a lot.

"Confidence, nervousness he keeps oscillating between the two since he came back…" Nezu, clapped to get everyone's attention. "I see Aizawa, your concerns are quite troublesome, but if you think it necessary, I'm ready to allow you to meet with this young woman accompanied by Hound-Dog, of course" Shota nodded at him, acknowledging his answer.

"I guess we could do this Monday. My schedule is cleared up that day," said the half-dog.

“Could I tag in for this…" All might raise his own hand, this didn't sit right with him. He dismissed Aizawa when he told him someone was living there and now, he was proven right. He should help; he felt as if he failed his protégé by his lack of attention.

"No, two is already more than enough for a visit, and I know you have classes that day so don't bother" his tone was sharp as ever, cutting the larger man's hope of rectifying his own wrong.

"So, it is decided, Monday we will arrange a meeting for both of you at the Midoriya household. Anymore question" Silence. "Dismiss!"

…

Izuku was in his room; he was bummed Iida couldn't pull a win, but he was still happy for the evening with his friend. Ochako was super friendly toward him and Koda was weirdly concerned about him. Insisting he pet his rabbit the whole game night. He plopped onto his bed tired taking out his phone to browse some hero news he might have missed but his attention was brought elsewhere. "Miss call?" he opened his voice mail.

It was Himiko. "Hey Izuku… It's me" she sounded scared. "You don't have to call back, but I just wanted to tell you sorry for everything…" Now he was scared what was she talking about? What happened? "I-I want to talk with you this weekend… a-about something… in person. It's important" he could hear the indecisiveness in her voice. The first thing he did was try to call her back; she didn't answer. Then he texted her at least thirty times trying to get an answer.

Again, no answer. What happened? He was walking in circles in his room, then he heard a *Ping* he checked his messages.

"I'm fine. I was just a bit emotional; no need to call me. I just want you to be there this weekend please, I need to tell you something and I don't want to tell you by phone…"

This did nothing to ease his worry, but he listened and only texted her back a meek "Ok"

With a heavy conscience he went to bed, and barely slept…

Author’s Note

A bit earlier than expected had a national holiday (Bonne St-Jean!)

All the rolls during the game were real and no fudge, congrats on Compress for his new title. I had this idea for WEEKS and I'm so happy with the result. (Iida was clutch for the Demon King I almost yelled when I got a 20!) Silly league is the best league.

This chapter is a mixed bag of goofy and serious; I hope this doesn't give you any whiplash.

Next chapter we finally reach 100 000 words, and it's a big one! We return to a more serious topic.

Up next, Confessions with an S…

Chapter Text

…Friday, last class…

"Are you alright?" Kirishima was looking at his friend, Izuku had sunken eyes; it was as if he didn't sleep at all the last days. They were gathered to training Field Beta, the same one they used for their first hero exercise. All the class 1-A was in costume ready to take their first exam since the training camp. "Yeah, just a bit stressed lately…"

Himiko didn't say anything else since her last message, and it was eating him up from the inside; he could feel the anxiety swell up. What has she done? Has she done anything? Did she hurt someone? Did she want to confess…

All this thinking was slowly turning him insane; he blamed his analytical brain, unable to shut down his own thinking. He looked around trying to diverge his attention elsewhere.

Everyone had finally received their own support augment they asked for earlier this week. Ochako was showing off her wrist-mounted slingshot; Mina had a new spray bottle on her belt to treat acid burn. Kaminari was busy gushing about his new long range taser-conductor. But by far the one who was talking the most was…

“Look Ojiro, POCKETS!! I GOT POCKETS!!” Hagakure was over the moon with her new invisible suit, even if no one could see it. Ojiro was looking at the floating phone near where her hips would be, while the girl in front of him waved frantically her gloves and boots. She was jumping in place, there was also her new lasso, but they would have to wait for the exam to begin for a demonstration.

All his classmates were chatting, waiting for their teacher to arrive. The ground quaked as he finally impacted the street next to all of them revealing All Might in his Silver age costume. "HAHAHA, I am here! For your exam!" Everyone cheered, after all, he was still the number one Hero, seeing him, even if it was as their teacher, was a sight to behold.

“This exam will be much like your first Battle trial earlier this year. With one key difference!" he watched as all his students started murmuring among each other, some asking if it was robots or teachers they were adding to the mix. He laughs getting much of their attention once more. "None of those, dear young boys and girls! This time, instead of disarming a bomb, you will have to rescue hostages!" they share smiles among each other; a hostage's rescue exercise is the perfect thing for heroes in training.

“Who are the hostages?" Jiro raised her hand seeing no one with him; will it be one of the CPR mannequins they practice on with Thirteen?

"Look around you, young Jiro! I see plenty of body ready for such a job"

"Wait, we will be hostages?"

"I DON'T NEED SAVING FROM ANYBODY!!"

As all of them started speculating he raised a mighty fist silencing them. "You will all be separated into groups of two, the same group as your first exercise. Again, this will be a two vs two, Villain vs Hero but! Another team will be added as the hostages; the Hero team's job is to rescue them or capture all the villains. The Villain team job is to keep their hostages or capture the hero!” As he finished his explanation, a slew of questions was already coming out from the eager teens in front of him.

“Can the hostage team fight back?”

“Can the hostage team flee?”

“What if the hostage team gets hurt?”

“It's good to see young ones so eager! To answer your questions: No, hostages cannot fight. Yes, the hostage can flee if they're able to; it is the job of the villain team to secure their hostages. If the hostage team gets hurt, whoever team is responsible will be disqualified" he pulled from behind him a pair of handcuffs and a keycard. "These are special quirk restraining handcuffs! They will be deactivated at the end of the exercise and the Hero team will hold one key to deactivate them early! So, let's begin with the team matchups!"

He pulled from a box the first team. "Ochako Uraraka and Izuku Midoriya are the hostages. Mina Ashido and Kyoka Jiro as the Villains. Eijiro Kirishima and Hanta Sero as the Heroes!" They all gathered around him; All Might giving the handcuffs to Mina and the keycard to Kirishima. "Villains, you have ten minutes to hide the hostages in the building; you may leave them separated or together if you wish, but both of them must be saved by the heroes if they want to succeed!" as the six started walking away, All Might stop them.

“One last thing! Young Midoriya follow me for a moment, this shall not impact the allowed time for preparation!” Ochako waved at him, pulled by Mina who was already teasing her saying stuff like. ’Keep moving if you want to live, hostage!’ They both got further for a private chat, once hidden from prying eyes the Number One deflated into his much less muscular form, letting out a cough of blood.

“Are you alright!”

He simply waved him off. "You should know by now this is normal for me; don't worry about it" his eyes wander to his arms; he was wearing his new gauntlet made by Hatsume. It looked impressive. A sort of exo-skeleton connected to a battery pack in his back, but this wasn't what he was looking at.

The bandages. Just as Shota told him, seeing them made his heart sunk in his atrophied chest. How could he have been so blind, he was his mentor, and he didn't even notice it. "I-I see you have new equipment; tell me about it" He wanted nothing else than to ask him about it, to tell him he was there for him, to know why? But Hound-Dog words resonate in his head. "Don't go around overwhelming him with this issue. I know how you are, always jumping in first and thinking later; this is not a bank robbery. What he probably needs is support and time…"

Oh, it's Hatsume design! They use the runoff of One for all to discharge…" he looked tired, that was all he could see right now despite the smile on his face as he rambled about his gear. For how long had he hidden this from everyone, the camp? Sooner? From the very beginning? "… And if I power up, they charge even faster-…" Izuku was stopped in his rambling.

Yagi Toshinori had pulled him closer to him in a hug, holding him tight in his arms, letting his head rest on his shoulder. "A-All M-Might? What is hap-…" The tall man pulled away, a smile on his sunken lips.

"Sorry, this old man just wanted to tell you how proud he was of you…" He buffed up into his muscle form, clearing his throat. "Now Midoriya, it is time for you to go!"

…

“Himiko, tell me about Izuku" Toga was laying on a couch in the doctor's office; ever since the doctor called at her school, she went there every day instead of her classes. Every day she pretended to go to school in front of Inko, the kind woman who prepared her lunch every morning as a caring mother would.

"He… I love him, I want to be him. He is the best thing that ever happened to me" Akemi was seated near her in an armchair. No papers or clipboard taking instead, a recorder she was holding in her hands.

"Want to be him? Tell me more…" the doctor knew she couldn't just medicate her and be done with it; her condition ran deeper than simple psychosis. After all, giving pills to a patient with no way of ensuring she was taking them was irresponsible at best. They needed something else.

“At first, it was just that. My quirk allows me to transform into others, to be them. I wanted to be him the same way… It feels better than to be in my own skin" so, the doctor settled on therapy. A good way to view what was going on inside her head, to see how deep the problem was, and a good way to keep her away from this awful school.

"You wanted his blood?"

"Yes" no hesitation.

"Even if it killed him?"

"…Yes… at first…" she hesitated lowering her head in shame. Himiko Toga was a curious case; she was filled with self-deprecation, mental illness, dissociation, and much more. Yet, she was also happy, upbeat, and confident, a maelstrom of conflicting ideas fighting in her head.

“Why did you want to be him? Why not yourself?”

“Beca-… Because nobody likes me. I mean ME” she put more emphasis on the last word.

“What about Izuku, the way you talk about him he seemed to care about YOU” she put emphasis on the last word.

“He… He does, at least I think," she fidgeted in her seat.

"How does he care about you?" this boy was truly special, in the weirdest way possible. In a sense he reminded her of Himiko, like two sides of the same coin, Villain and Hero.

"I told him about my past, about those I killed, and he hugged me… told me he would be there for me," she looked down as she said it as if regret was taking over her whole form.

"Do you want to expand on that?" Himiko was not the first murderer Akemi saw in her professional life; the girl was different from someone like Diamond. The doctor learned long ago that this world was not white and black but various shades of grey and she needed to treat each case with differently.

"No"

"Did he do other things to make you feel cared about?"

“He talks to me, like a person. Not a monster or a villain. He says things about me I never thought about" her mind wandered to the night on the beach where he said all those wonderful things about cleaning her mind, to see the beautiful sand underneath as he put it.

The doctor looked at the clock; her classes were technically over right now. Inko would be waiting for her. "We will end this session here today; remember what I said. Be honest with yourself and that boy," Himiko slowly got up from the couch stretching herself.

"You're sure he won't be mad if I tell him I stop taking the medication… or that I…" her head hung low, Izuku was the only good thing in her life; she didn't want to lose him.

“From what you told me, you could tell him you're the devil himself and he'll hug you… Now go before you grow root in my couch" her little joke made her smile. She got up ready to leave the office, then stopped at the door. Nervously, she turned toward the doctor. "I have one last question?"

The bored doctor lifted an eyebrow but listened.

"Why are quirkless people so… discriminated against?" This question was on the back of her mind ever since Izuku confided his own past. She knew why her quirk had a bad rep but quirkless? They did nothing; they were at best a nonissue, so why?

“Mmh, well there's two parts to that question," she pulled up one of her cigarettes.

"The first?"

"Quirkless are intrinsically worse than the quirked individual" Himiko frowned at her phrase but let the bored woman continue. "I don't mean it like those bastards of the MLA, who argue that restricting quirk usage is discrimination, and society should be ruled by the powerful" she light her cigarette.

"So how?" she was curious.

"Never wonder how you can get smashed into concrete with barely a broken bone, or how some seem ridiculously fast despite quirks having no correlation with their physiologies?" she blew a plume of smoke. "The answer, Quirk. They enhance passively the user, giving them a better body than the previous generation. It's like comparing a computer from twenty years ago to now, sure it works but it's noticeably weaker than the newer model"

Before Himiko could open her mouth, she continues. “The second is their rarity, be it race, gender or quirk if you’re a minority the majority usually pilled up on you eventually. This is a human fact”

“How do you know all this?"

"I'm a doctor, remember?" with one long drag of her stick she tossed the butt away in the ashtray. "A quirkless doctor if I may add"

Himiko frowned suddenly, loosened; this woman lived the same thing as Izuku? "Don't get all mushy on me now. Just get your ass back home without stabbing anyone and I'll be alright," she pushed her out of her office, toward the door. "See you tomorrow, bring the boyfriend" and just like that she was out the door she didn't even have the time to say bye to John.

She walked toward home with one thing in mind: Izuku, how would he react to her news…

…

Mina was in the building together with Ochako and Jiro; they were waiting for Izuku to come back.

"Rahh! You invited the other girl this weekend! WHY!" Mina was holding her head in her hands, frustrated by the self-sabotaging brunette in front of her. She had the perfect plan; the two of them alone in a room for a full day, romance was sure to ensue. But no, Ochako had to put a wrench in her own romantic life! "She seemed alone; I thought…"

“Stop!”

“But-…”

“Zip!”

“I-…"

"Graahh! We don't know her! At first, I was sure you were the only girl in his eyes, but I have no information on that girl" Mina was stomping on the ground. The two-step plan she had planned was ruined; they needed to change it swiftly.

"You think…" Ochako said weakly, just imagining him with another girl was making her body ache.

"I don't know, that's the problem. If I saw her once, I would at least have an idea, but I have nothing to work with. She's a wild card," Mina was rubbing her temple, pulling out all the information she could from every romance TV show she had ever seen.

"Well, it's not like we can force them to do anything…" Jiro said more anxious about their actual exam than the romance drama going on. Mina had a sudden revelation; her head snapped back up, looking at Jiro. "That's it!" she turned toward Uraraka, taking her by the shoulder with a manic look in her dark sclera eyes. Ochako could only let out a small *Eeep!*

“You must do something bold! Before Saturday, before she got a chance!"

'B-but it's tomorrow! When can I find the time…"

"Right now!"

"What? /What?" they both said at the same time. Was she forgetting the exam? Again?

"I'm back, what…" at the same time Izuku entered the building joining up with a crazy Mina, a violently blushing Ochako, and a very confused Jiro. He was cut off when Mina grabbed him by the wrist, now holding them both and dragging them through the building. Izuku looked at his teammate who could only blush even harder at his gaze. Mina opened a door. "No" another. "Nope" Again another. "Nuh-uh,"

“What are you-…" Jiro followed her as she searched for something, Mina opened the final door on their level. "PERFECT!" she pulled the duo inside followed by Jiro. She looked ahead to see a closet…

"The perfect place to hide some hostages, wouldn't you agree? Earphone Jack!"

"Wait!" Ochako tried to protest but Mina already put on her handcuff. "Shut it Hero! We don't want to make your escape too easy, so…" she took Izuku's arms, putting one over hers and the others under. Sliding the handcuff in between them and snapping them on. Effectively locking both together like two chain links. Seeing what was happening, Izuku also started blushing; the two of them were forced to face each other very closely. "I-it's a good strategy" he said as his eyes tried to evade Uraraka form fitting spandex right in front of him.

She opened the door and shove them in. “Remember, be bold!” before any of them had the chance to say anything she closed the door shoving as many things as she could in front of it.

She turned toward Jiro, who was intimidated by her intensity; fire was burning behind her eyes. “Defend this door with your life!”

“Aren’t you a bit too much-…”

“WITH! YOUR! LIFE!” repeated the pinkette.

…In the closet…

Mina forcefully shoving them into the closet caused Izuku to tumble forward and Ochako to tumble backward, right on each other. With his bound hands he had a hard time standing up from her; he squirmed and shifted, pressing himself against her, even if it was by pure accident. He kept mumbling sorry over and over, not noticing the girl burning up under him; she could feel every one of his muscles grinding against her abdomen in a pleasant way.

"This is how I die… Nice…" she was ready to pass out just from sheer contact with him. Izuku was fairing just a bit better than his partner, but he sure felt a lot of curves as he tried to stand up. He was heating up as well.

"S-sorry… I just t-tried standing!"

“I-It’s okay, I-I know this isn’t your fault…”

Outside they heard the buzzer signaling that the test was starting. They had fifteen minutes to get out of there. Once they both stood on their feet inside the dark cramped closet, he tried to open the door, quickly noticing it wouldn’t budge. “I can feel something on the other side I think if we both push, we can get out”

He turned toward Uraraka; she was still blushing, avoiding his eyes. A million thoughts were behind them. "Uraraka?" he leaned in front of her trying to get her attention; their eyes met; hers were filled with panic. Again, she looked away, embarrassed. "Be bold!"

"Are you ok?" he was right there, in front of her. She could feel her heart beating in her ears. Outside the room they heard a crash and scuffle. "Since when are you this strong, Mina!?" then the fizzle of acid melting rock. "FOR LOVE!" the fighting continued but she didn't pay it any mind.

"Uraraka, we have to-…"

“Deku!" her voice was as forceful as it was scared; she pulled her arm closer to her, accidentally bringing him closer as well. He stumbled forward right into her, barely avoiding falling for a second time by bracing himself against the wall; he was pinning her. "Sorr-…"

"Stay…" this took him by surprise. "Stay close… to me…" he looked at her, his blush matching hers. What was going on? She wanted him to close He didn't move simply staying put as she ordered; chest mashed together, he could feel her curve underneath her suit. "Urar-…"

“Izuku! I-…" she practically yelled in the confined space; in a moment of confidence, she opened her eyes, looking deep into his. Both were immobile; the only sound they could hear was their hearts beating wildly in sync. She pushes forward and kisses him.

It was a chaste kiss barely lasting a second on his lips. It felt… good, right. His brain was on fire happy. He leaned in and kissed her back; he closed his eyes as hers widened in shock, but not for long. She closed them, enjoying the feeling of their mouths meeting again and again; this was it, everything she ever wanted.

Izuku kissed her, his brain settling in the warmth she offered, his whole-body tingling. He didn't have to open his eyes to see the beautiful person in front of him. Her slender body, her soft lovely hair, her soft skin, her golden eyes…

He kissed harder, fully making out with her, trying his best to feel her body with his hand. She shifted under is more intense affection; his mind kept imagining. Her blonde hair, her smile stretching across her face like the most beautiful thing in the world, her sharp teeth brushing against his lips, her unbound enthusiasm, her wondrous face he kissed harder.

“Aww, Deku…”

He snapped out of it; when he opened his eyes, there was Ochako. Her brown hair, her pink cheek, her round face…

Ochako Uraraka.

Not Himiko Toga.

She was standing there, her lips still parted, taking in oxygen she was denied by the boy in front of her. In between breath she smiled timidly. Her eyes riveted to him.

"I love you…"

His brain wanted her, wanted Ochako. His body was also screaming at him to kiss her again; she was the good choice… Everything someone like him deserved. A girl loving him with all her heart, mind, body, and soul.

But his heart already made its choice.

She looked as his lust was slowly replaced by confusion, then fear, then panic. He started breathing harder and harder. Looking at her with teary eyes.

"I'm sorry"

She stood there not recognizing what he had just said, her body reacted first, a single tear streamed down her cheek. The loud buzzer was heard. "The villain team win!" they didn't break eye contact. Their handcuff buzzed and fell on the ground; outside they heard Mina moving away the furniture she put in front of the door. "There you are. So, Ochako, how did it go? Give me deet!"

She was pushed out of the way by Izuku, who ran out of the closet, tears streaming out of his confused face. Leaving behind Uraraka, who sank to her knee, finally letting the dam break, tears flowed out of her as she sobbed.

Mina looks at him then at her and quickly knelt beside her friend together with Jiro. "What happened?!"

…Viewing Room…

What the hell happened in there?" asked a very confused Kaminari. One second, they were watching Kirishima and Sero getting their asses handed down to them single-handedly by a berserk Mina while Jiro was watching, then Midoriya and Ochako both crying, the first rushing out of the building as fast as he could. He even forcefully shoved Kirishima out of his way.

"No idea"

Momo turned toward Tsuyu and Hagakure. "You don't think?" they all exchanged worried expressions before bolting toward the training field, toward Ochako.

"Why is nobody telling us anything!" complain a frustrated Mineta as everyone was reacting to what was happening.

"Where is Midoriya running off?" Sato pointed at the camera still following the green teen as he ran toward the edge of the field, toward the dorms.

"Everybody stays calm; no need to panic. I'll…" In the corner, he spotted Koda whispering something to both Iida and Todoroki. Both boys were shaken for a second, eyes bulging wide at whatever he said to them. Together they ran off toward the dorms. "Shit…" All might was torn. He had three groups of students all doing different things, and he couldn't leave any of them without supervision. The responsible thing to do was to stay put where he could supervise at least two of them. "Everybody back to the viewing room" he said in the microphone, he had a call to make…

…

Izuku ran toward his room, he had to go NOW! He tore away his new arm bracer, letting it fall on the ground behind him; he did the same with his glove, his pouch, and his neck protector. He didn't care; he had to go home; he had to see Himiko.

He barged into the dorm, rushing up the stairs, opened his door, and threw his costume wherever. He had no time for any of that; his mind was still working in overdrive. He kissed Ochako while thinking of Himiko. He practically forced himself on her; if she hadn't said his name, he would have gone further. He put on a shirt and some shorts and picked up the bag he had made in advance. Was he going to be punished for skipping his last class? Who cared. "I-I want to talk with you this weekend… a-about something… in person. It's important"

Those words were the only ones filling his head as he put on his iconic red shoe. He pulled the door open and was about to run toward the stairs, but his path was blocked; Iida and Todoroki both stood there in their hero costume. "Midoriya!"

"I-I have to go, sorry!" he tried to push through them, but they stopped him; he bounced back on Iida's chest plate.

"Midoriya, what is going on? Tell us." The taller teen grabbed him by the shoulder, shouting his worried thoughts at him.

“Nothing!" he yelled back trying again to push past them; this time Todoroki pushed him back. He looked up at him, his eyes were filled with silent anger.

"Don't tell us it's nothing; we're your friends. Have you forgotten that?" he continued his speech, also screaming. "Ever since you've been captured, you don't tell us anything; we have to pry the information out of you!"

Izuku grinded his teeth each second; he was taking here was a second loss. "Out of the way, both of you!"

"NO! /NO!" they shouted in unison, they never seen Midoriya acting like this. He was more akin to a wild animal, scared. "What happened at the league!" Iida asked.

“I…”

“Why were you acting up when you saw the attack on the highway!” the other yelled.

“I-I…”

Todoroki walked forward, tugging at his bandages, revealing the perfectly perpendicular knife cuts on his wrist still fresh. He clenched his jaw in frustration, seeing Izuku's eyes widen in horror. Why was his friend so secretive? Why was he taking this burden alone? He was there for him when he needed it; he wanted to be there for Midoriya in the same way.

"TELL US!" again he shouted.

"I CAN'T!!" he was crying, huddling on himself as panic set in. If his secret got out, this was it; he couldn't even if he wanted to, and he still needed to go home, go to Himiko. Both teens suddenly calmed down and got closer to him, putting reassuring hands on him. He recoiled, backing off a step or two; he wiped away his tear with his forearm and looked at them. His eyes were different, almost cold. "I have to go…"

“We won't let you go… not like thi-…" Todoroki was cut off. Izuku ran at them, cyan lightning crackling around him. Todoroki lifted his arm to block but was too late; the teen sent him crashing into the wall next to him, denting it. He felt all the air in his lungs being forcefully pushed out of his body. Iida didn't even have time to react; Izuku was already past them running down the stairs.

Being the one standing, he went toward Todoroki, making sure he was alright. Izuku was already long gone…

…

What has he done? What the actual fuck has he done!? He punched Todoroki; he punched him with his quirk. He didn't mean to. His body acted on its own. He was just stressed; this wasn't his fault; they were in the way. If none of them had asked questions, all would have been good. If Ochako hadn't kissed him, all would have been good.

This couldn't be his fault, right? SO, who was it then…

Himiko's face entered his mind, her sweet, sweet face. Why was he doing all this? He could have had a normal life being a hero far away from her. Now he had to live a double life and for what!

Her happiness, her smile, her joy, her love, her…

He was awful, blaming everyone except for himself. There he was thinking about how none of that was his fault when she tried to tell him again and again that she was trouble. At the mall on their first encounter outside of the league. At the abandoned house where she admits to being a bad person yelling at him to go. On the beach when she told him to stop digging for the good in her heart…

Izuku was truly the worst.

He was on the train toward home; everybody was avoiding him seeing the emotional mess that he was. He wiped his face with the hem of his shirt as the train stopped at its last stop. Just ten minutes' walk toward home, and he would see her again.

What should he say? Leave? Stay? His mind was a jumbled mess of ideas fighting over one another.

And Uraraka.

He could never forgive him; she confessed her love to him, and what did he do? Kiss her, pretending she was someone else. He did love her; she was a wonderful person who deserved someone who could love her with all their being, something he couldn't.

Because his heart belonged to someone else…

He bumped into his door; he was so stuck inside his own head he didn't even realise he had been walking for ten minutes straight. His hand hovered over the doorknobs. He knew what stood behind it, he could feel his body pulse with each heartbeat. He opened it.

Inside, he was alone; his mom was gone, and Himiko wasn't in the living room. He dropped his bag at the entrance and his shoes.

"Izuku?"

He lifted his head. Himiko was there with a confused look on her face; she was wearing her usual cardigan over some ordinary clothes. She was beautiful…

"What are you doing here? Your class isn't even over yet," he stood, his eyes riveted on her, half open as if in a daze. Himiko looked behind her as if he could be looking at anything else right now. "What is going on?" he walked toward her, steady step by step.

He was so forward, so intense the way he was looking at her was electrifying, as if nothing else stood in the room. "Y-your mom will be back soon; she went to get something at the store" she backed a step as he continued toward her, his unreadable expression still on his face.

“I-is it about the message?" she steps back another time, what was going on with Izuku? Was he mad at her? "I'm sorry about it, I-I jus-…" another step she hit the wall. Izuku stopped in front of her. He was taller than her by a mere three inches, yet right now he seemed to be towering over her. She adverted her gaze but was stopped when his hand cupped her cheek, turning her toward him. Their eyes met, and he kissed her.

A soft kiss, one filled with a thousand words. Silence in an instant by the next three, he said.

"I love you…"

She stood there aghast for not even a second before lounging at him, tears in the corner of her eyes, happy tears. He kissed her back, mouth against mouth, stuck in a passionate fight for dominance. Ochako was sweet, passive, kind. Himiko was wild, passionate and heated. She felt her mind soar in a festival of joy and happiness; this was the kiss she desired, this was the boy she loved, this is all she ever wanted.

Still kissing, she pulled him by his collar toward her room, closing the door behind them. They never stopped as they moved their hands over each other's bodies. Himiko was exploring under his shirt while he was busy feeling the curve of her bare back under her cardigan. They never asked each other as one by one clothes start pooling at their feet: his shirt, hers, her skirt, his shorts.

Izuku pulled her into the bed, letting her fall over him as he continued deepening the kiss again and again. Soon their tongues asked for each other's permission to enter. They gladly accepted. Stripped of their underwear, his hand became daring, exploring her front, cupping one of her breasts. She moans in the middle of their kiss, letting him the freedom to free his lips from hers and explore her jawline. Each kiss he gave was moving him lower and lower until he reached her collar bone.

They turned switching who was on top of whom; she was also free to kiss his neck, sucking on his skin at every contact, leaving a trail of hickeys that reached his shoulder. "Izuku, can I?" her tone was pleading, mixed with the lust she was overwhelmed with.

“Yes," he said in between kisses. She opened her mouth and bit him on the shoulder, piercing it with her fang. He winced, letting out a groan and continued his kisses. Himiko drank, the blood, the love, and the boy all together, it was extasy. She felt her eyes roll back for a second as she took it in with all her senses.

Izuku stopped when he felt her shift, like batter, her skin mold and reshape into his form. Izuku stood on his knee, as he looked at himself slowly forming. The 'boy' under him undo the no longer necessary bra from his chest and leaned in to kiss him. He could only widen his eyes as a response. "H-Himiko!"

“What" teased the other him, he could only evade his eyes from him, embarrassed to be literally kissing himself. "C-could you t-turn back…" she was having fun this was the Izuku she knew timid and cute. "Why?" she smiled knowing the effect she had on him right now.

"B-because I like you better when you're yourself…" he stuttered the whole phrase, but hearing this made her tear up again. He loved her, he loved HER… She undid the transformation to his joy. He was over her, his knee on each side of her thigh, and she was under him, her hand loosely hiding her breast. He looked at her, more so gaze lecherously at her form. She smiled a wide smile as her hand reached for his face, making sure he got a good look at her.

“Am I cute…”

Despise the blood rushing to his face and elsewhere he answered.

“The cutest in the world…”

They both leaned toward each other for another kiss…

“Izuku, are you home I saw your things at the door?” his mom.

His mom was home. He was home. Himiko was home. He was with Himiko. In the bed. In his underwear. She was also in her underwear.

Moment of lucidity!

His mom was home while he was making out in his underwear with Himiko… He barely had the time to put on his short as his mother entered the room to see… Her son pulling up his trouser and Himiko hiding her clearly undressed self in the bed.

She fainted…

Author’s note

FINALLY, IZUKU AND TOGA ARE TOGETHER!! *Confetti and air horn*

Sorry for the Ocha/Izu fan, I did her dirty…

And just in time for the 100 000 words milestone! Thank to everyone who commented, like, and just read this Fic. I started this project not even sure if I would pass the 20 000 words count before loosing interest.

Don’t worry I’m still far from done, I got a whole Aizawa investigation to cover and the whole LOV thing going on. Expect at least 50 000 words before I’m satisfied with it.

Not my longest chapter but one of my most important!

Next, couple time, Ochako is heartbroken and more…

Chapter Text

…Saturday…

Izuku and Toga were both seated on the opposite side of the couch, dressed. He was standing straight shivering in his seat, staring straight ahead. Himiko, on the contrary, was lounging on her side, a blush still visible and a million dollar smile on her face as she looked away dreamily. Inko had surprised them, who knew how far they would have gone without the petite woman's interference.

The mother was busy walking back and forth from one end to the living room to the other, again and again, spewing indignation and harsh correction to what was basically, both her children. "… Izuku, I raised you better than this! I can't believe you… School wasn't even over for you! And you Himiko, I welcome you into my home and you seduce him, not only that, the bite…" She took a deep breath, stopping in the middle of the two, her hands together in a praying manner.

“Did you both use protection…" her question sent her boy into a blubbering blushing mess and only accentuated the dreamy look on the girl's face.

"W-we d-didn't g-go t-that far! I swear!" Inko squinted her eyes analysing her son's feature with flaming intensity, then sighed. "The day you learn to lie, is the day I'll have a heart attack…"

She pinched the brink of her nose in exasperation. "…Since when?" before her boy could answer, Himiko opened her mouth, the contentment still in her voice. "Just now…" she looked back at her son for confirmation; his blushing face was telling her that was true. What was she going to do with them? Now she knew for a fact she couldn't leave them alone without the risk of becoming a grandmother.

Having Himiko as her daughter-in-law wasn't the worst possible outcome; she knew her way around the kitchen. She was an upbeat girl with a positive attitude, and she even saved her baby boy from those villains. She could imagine worst candidates.

"I'm not mad, just disappointed…" she paused. "Like I said, I expected something better from you, Izuku! Barely home and already… dragging her into your bed!"

"Technically she dragged me…" his voice was meek, barely a protest. Himiko closed her eyes thinking back on it, squirming a bit in place from delight.

" I… I'll deal with her later," she went toward her room, beckoning him with her finger; he stood, stiff as a board, and followed her mechanically into her room. Once inside she closed the door behind them. "Do you love her?"

"Y-yes!" he stuttered not from hesitation but from surprise from the question.

"Do you really love her?" she insisted.

"Yes!" this time he shouted, putting his hand on his mouth. When he realised, he just shouted to his mother. She jumped a bit, but she could see the look on his face. It was the same determination that when he talked about being a hero. There was no telling him no when he was like that.

“Then there's nothing I can do…" she hugged her son; he might have been reckless and a bit foolish, but he was just that. Her son. "Just love her as much as you can," she cups his cheek in a loving manner; he puts his hand over her own, smiling.

"But I can't have you making me a grandchild already, so…" she sat at the computer desk in her room and pulled out a video. Before a blushing Izuku could answer, she stood and sat him down in front of said video. He couldn't see the title because of the full screen, but it was one of the informational instruction videos All Might had done in the past, one he had never seen...

“Hello boys and girls! If you see this, that means that you are growing into strong men and women, and you might be experiencing new feelings for those around you!" wait what was this video about? "Starting with you young men, it all began with this little fella! The Pituitary gland, He may be little, but he has BIG PLAANS…" oh God… he was learning about sex from All Might!

Himiko had her fantasies interrupted when a blood curling scream was heard from the room next door…

…

“Ochako, it's me… I brought ice cream…" Mina was knocking at her poor friend's door; she owed the girl all the apologies in the world. Her plan turned against her in the worst way possible for the brunette. She had been flat out rejected by her crush all because of Mina's insistence that all would work out somehow.

"You should also say you were stupid. It might cheer her up, Kero" Tsuyu was next to her; all the girls pushed her to pursue him initially. Even if Mina had been the principal culprit, none of them were innocent.

They heard the door open; Ochako was a mess; her eyes were red, her hair disheveled, and they could see the dried-up tears on her face. She looked miserable; without a word, she grabbed the tub of ice cream from Mina's hands and pulled Tsuyu inside, letting the pinkette alone in the corridor. She hesitated in front of the door, unsure if she should say anything else, her hand hovering ready to knock, but she stopped herself making her way toward the common room instead.

Everyone was gathered minus a few, like Bakugo. They were all sitting or standing near the couch; the TV was off. "What do you mean Midoriya rejected Uraraka! I had money they were going to end up together!" Kaminari felt the jacks of Jiro jab him into the side of his neck, sending violent vibration through his body.

“It's true… we tried to push them together, but it backfires," Momo was twiddling with her fingers; guilt was ever present on her face.

"And you said he punched you Todoroki? How? He is like the most mellow guy there is" Sato looked at his half-cold, half-hot classmate; he was wearing bandages around his chest, Recovery Girl wasn't available until Monday due to an emergency outside of UA; he had two cracked ribs.

" He wasn't acting like himself. He was like a wild animal trapped in a cage…" he remarked, thinking at his eyes just before the punch, cold.

"And the cuts on his wrist. I didn't want to believe Koda when he told me, but…" Iida was sitting with his hands in his lap. Everybody turned toward Koda to confirm what they had just heard from Iida. The teen jumped at the attention simply nodding that what he said was right.

"Midoriya is cutting himself?!" Hagakure shouted into the room echoing everyone's sentiment.

Fumikage let his head hang low as he closed his eyes. "I didn't think so much darkness was residing inside of him…"

"Just what the hell is happening with him, ever since the League of Villains he is being weird…" Kirishima said, to see Izuku acting up so much something must be wrong.

"Even at the hospital I had the feeling he was hiding something"

"Wait, that far? So, this isn't recent at all"

"…And there's that girl, Tamaki. You don't think he rejected Ochako because he…" started Jiro

"… is banging another chick. Midoriya, you lucky bas-…" Mineta was shut up by Sero who wrapped him up tightly into his tape. "Come on man, read the room…"

In all that, Momo could only think about her good friend still heartbroken in her room…

…

“…I love you… I said it, and his face just… twisted". Ochako was in her bed eating the stolen ice cream from Mina; Tsuyu was running a hand behind her back as the poor brunette cried some more. "He kissed me! And then he just… threw me away" Just thinking about it was making her blush despite the sadness in her.

He was so forward, so passionate when he kissed her. He felt like a different man at that moment; she was almost overwhelmed by him. She could still feel his bound hands trying to touch her. Why did he stop? Did she do something wrong? Was the kiss bad or…

Tamaki… she was the reason. The girl she never heard a word of until two days ago had already stolen him from her; in a moment of weakness, her face twisted in a horrible frown. Taking by surprise her friend beside her. This was all her fault!

“Tamaki…" she was radiating hatred toward this person she had never met in her life; she only knew how much she hated her. If she didn't exist, she would have her happy ending; Izuku would have kissed her and told her "I love you" just like how it was supposed to be. She picked up one of her pillows and threw it across the room.

Tsuyu watched as the fluffy object bounce from one wall to the other, floating in the middle of the room. "Calm down, I'm here-…"

"I AM CALM!" Ochako shouted at the top of her lung something she was sure was heard by everyone downstairs, who probably thought she was crazy, just thinking about it.

She broke down into a sob again. Tsuyu still next to her trying to comfort her but failing to find the words. "You should talk to him when he comes back," she decided to be blunt; subtlety was never her thing after all. Ochako brought her knee closer to her. "I-I can't, not after…"

"Of course you can you're still his friend, even if that's not what you wanted. I'm sure he still cares about you, Kero"

Izuku always was a caring person, always there for his friends but… He changed, he punched Todoroki, he pushed aside Iida, was she next on the list of broken friendship after what she had done. "I'll think about it…"

"That's all I ask…"

…

“…And that, boys and girls, how babies are made!” Izuku could never see All Might in the same way ever again, not after that. He exited the room toward the living room, where he found his mother cooking and Himiko watching the TV. Once he was out, she turned, a radiating smile illuminating her face. "Izuku!" she jumped over the couch and ran at him, taking him in a tackle-hug. He backed a step from the impact but welcomed the embrace the same way.

Inko couldn't stay mad; watching her boy in love was filling her heart with a joy she didn't know she needed. She turned toward her potato stewing away in the pot. "This should be ready in a couple of hours, you two go out the sun is shining," she smiled at the couple, a smile turning into a teasing grin. "… And I can trust you to not try anything in public at least…"

“MOM!”

“I make no such promises~" Himiko looked at the mom with her own teasing grin as she rubbed her cheek against the boy, pulling him toward the door with a skip in her step. Together they put on their shoes and went for a walk outside in the afternoon.

It took a while before any of them said anything; it was surprisingly Izuku who broke the silence. "So… Are we…" she looked at him with a mischievous look in her eyes. He felt her hand wrapped around his.

"Only if you want…" he looked at her, hands tangled together. Her body pressed against his.

“Yeah… I want to" she stopped him, taking place in front of him, pushing herself on her toes; she kissed him, a chaste peck on the lips. Even after their intense make-out, this kiss felt more personal, even if less passionate. For a second they looked at each other, enthralled by the loving look of one another. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead, another small peck meaning so much.

She pulled away, her mood suddenly soured by what she had to say…

"Are you ok?"

“I-it's about what I told you on the phone…" he had completely forgotten about that, so lost in the moment. "Oh… what is it?

"I… I stopped taking the medication…" he blinked once, then twice. She needed it to calm her tendency; she told him herself, has she done anything? "Why?"

She grabbed her arm, stressed. His voice was filled with incredulity, as if he was disappointed in her. "I-it worked too well a-and I was feeling bad a-at school…" she looked down not trusting what she could see in him right now. "Akemi pulled me out of the school for some time, and she have therapy session with me to help…"

"Could you find another medication, less strong, maybe a different dosage?" he didn't know what to think; he had seen her act normal without it. He also saw her go berserk during her fight with Diamond, almost killing him…

“I d-don't want to… They stop my condition but also everything else. My appetite, my senses, even my love for you…" She clutched her hand to her chest. "That night we kissed on the couch. I barely felt anything; it was pleasant, but there was no firework like yesterday" She jumped in his arm, taking him in a hug as she buried her face in his chest.

"I want to love you… I, not the other me. Me, myself and I want you!" without thinking, he rubbed his hand through her hair taking in the scent of her pomegranate shampoo. "And I love you Himiko, I told you I'll be there for you no matter what…" with his other hand he pulled her closer in a hug.

she pulled away to look at him, her smile was back. "Let's go do something fun! You know as our first official date

“What did you have in mind?"

"Nothing! Let's just go wherever…" she pulled on his hand, running ahead of him. Going faster and faster until he had to put some effort into it. With a grin he sprinted taking her in his arms as she yelps from the sudden shift. He laughs, holding her over his shoulder as she beats on his back, also laughing, asking him to let her down.

They were happy…

…

They had stopped at an ice cream shop farther up the road near a park they both never visited before. He had a plain vanilla cone while Himiko chose one of the fancier frozen treats. As they both sit down to enjoy their frozen dessert in peace, a question was raised by the blonde in front of him.

"Hey, not that I didn't enjoy, but what was that yesterday? You were so… intense?" Izuku almost choked on the ice cream he was eating. It's true, thinking about it, he surprised even himself by how bold he was in his approach. He pretty much just walked up to her and kissed her on the spot. There was a lot going on inside his head at that moment. "W-well… I had a realisation during my class…"

Just thinking about it made him nervous. "What kind of revelation?" she smiled at him, pressing him for an answer, curious of what changed.

"Promise not to be mad?"

She reached out across the table and pinched his cheek. "Like I could be mad at this face! Come on tell me!"

He put down what he was holding on the wooden picnic table in front of him. "I-I kind of k-kissed U-Uraraka…" he waited for a response, anything honestly, be it anger or confusion.

“Oh! Does she kiss well!" he was not expecting this at all, all this enthusiasm… "You-You're not mad?" her hand reached out across the table taking his into hers, her smile never diminished.

"Why would I be mad? You are here with me now, right?" the way she looked at him was filled with unbridled love. "I'm just surprised you're not with her right now instead of me. What happened?"

"Well, I-I won't deny I did like i-it…" he sighed letting out all his worry. "It just wasn't right, I kissed her, my eyes closed, and all I could think of was you" Izuku was looking at their hands playing with one another, a faint smile dancing across his face. "I loved her… I just didn't love her as much as you" now he raised his eyes looking at Himiko giving her the same look. He could see her surprised expression, followed by a blush. He had chosen her… Her…

“Still during class, what did you do, run off school or something?" he looked down his hand, jumping a little. "…You didn't…"

"I was overwhelmed! I was thinking about your message and the exam and the kiss and…" he started muttering trying to explain his reckless actions. After a minute of faster than she could hear rambling. He paused. "I also punched Todoroki…"

"The guy with the weird hairdo?" he nodded. "What did he do to make you mad?" he looked aside in shame; he truly regretted treating his friend like this.

" He-he was asking questions… about what happened at the league, about Diamond," he looked at his wrist. "About the cuts… He said he wouldn't let me go like this and I just snapped; I acted faster than I could think… After that I just bolted, too afraid to confront him after what I did…"

"I think I should go tomorrow… apologise to everyone before the weekend end…" He did all that for her. She was feeling both pride and shame; this boy was ready to fight everyone in his path just for her, but in doing so, he may have ruined his own friendship. Sensing his mood faltering before her eyes, she acted. She took his ice cream and poked the tip of his nose with it. He blinked unsure of what she was doing as she leaned in to lick it away, earning her a crimson blush from the boy. "What are you doing?"

“Helping you…" she stood up taking her own ice cream and invited him to join her on a stroll. "Let's walk a bit, clear up that big head of yours…" he smiled, taking his own ice cream and followed her.

"Also, Akemi wants to speak with you…" now what was this about.

…

A quick trip by train and a small walk later they both arrived at the inconspicuous clinic in the back alley. Himiko didn't knock simply opening the door; chimes sounded their arrival as they entered the pristine establishment. On the other side of the room, the doctor was sitting in one of the chairs, reading a journal while smoking a cigarette. "About time, you show up, I was starting to think you've forgotten all about little old me"

"I would never…" she strutted in like she owned the place, with a devilish grin on her lips. "And I've brought the boyfriend!" Akemi looked at the blushing boy and understood immediately what she meant. "Congrats…" without breaking a sweat she continued. "…I hope someone explained to you the birds and the bees"

He paused, a thousand-yard stare looking at nothing peculiar in front of him. "I'm good…" he shook his head, to give proper attention to the woman in front of him. "Himiko told me you wanted to see me?" she put down both her journal and her cigarette butt. And got up from her chair. "Follow me, just you," she pointed at Izuku. Himiko stayed in the chair the doctor was sitting in, waving him goodbye.

She opened the door to her office, gesturing for him to enter; one chair was set up in front of her desk for the teen to take place. Izuku took it, Akemi took place at her desk. "I won't chew my words; what you're doing is nothing less than reckless and dangerous"

This gave him pause. "What do you mean?" Izuku looked scared, not of Toga but of what she was about to say.

"This girl is obsessed with you. Not in a good way, in an obsessive love disorder way. You are the pillar of her fragile mental health, and she needs to learn to let go of you if she ever wants a chance for a normal life…"

This shook him to his core; he only wanted to help her. "But I can't I-I-…"

"I know kid you love her, but she doesn't love you the same way, that's what you need to understand," she leaned on her desk to let the gravity of what she was about to say sink in. "If for a reason or another, something was to happen to you. She might snap, in the worst kind of way…" Izuku looked at his knee, so what was he supposed to let go of Toga just because she said so, just because this was hard? He knew that already, he made sacrifice; she made sacrifice; they both were working on it.

“A-aren't you helping her with her condition? She told me you were doing therapy maybe…"

"Don't get me wrong, therapy is a wonderful thing, and you should also get into it…" she gave him one of the business cards on her desk for a therapist for youth, her hands were full already with Himiko, no need to add troubled teen. "…But there is just so much I can help her unpack in a few weeks"

He pleaded with her to give him a straight answer. "What should I do?"

"Honestly not much…" she sighed. "The best bet was her school so she could form bonds outside of you and learn little by little to be independent but with how things are going there…" Izuku understood, he heard so much of the awful thing she lived in their conversation over the phone with her. "So what you’re saying is… it's hopeless?"

“I never said that…" he hoped whatever she was about to say would be something he could help her with. "W-what is it?"

"You have to convince her to take the medication again" Akemi's look was serious; she couldn't stress the importance of it. "You both stand on top of a house of cards; I've heard from her; your friends are already asking questions. It's a matter of time before any of you both slip up and see it crumble to the ground, and she will need something else than you if for any reason you need to separate from one another…" he looked at her flabbergasted, she said the thing he didn't want to hear. They've seen the cut; his mood changed. Kacchan even saw her, Ochako and Tsuyu knew what she looked like. She was right…

But he couldn't; he was already too far in to stop, with a dejected expression, he said. "I-I'll see what I can do…"

The doctor noticed his gloomy attitude and ended their conversation with some positive words "Well, no need to do it right now; you still have some time in front of you. Enjoy being young and in love while you can…”

…

Nezu was typing on his keyboard; his computer was one of a kind. Designed by himself with top-notch hardware and software he personally designs. He didn't hold the title of the most intelligent dog, rat, bear, for nothing after all. This little chat this Wednesday about the curious case of Izuku Midoriya piqued his interest.

So, like any good principal, he dug into the mystery. The boy had no past of self-harm tendency and according to various witnesses he was quite disturbed by anything relating to the league of villains. A little more digging revealed the absence of a peculiar villain during the attack on the highway, a certain knife-wielding blonde, one who was present in the report of the summer camp incident.

A little check-up on the name Tamaki showed only three results of recent student admission in the neighboring school. This was confidential data he could not access… if he did respect human rule and regulation but law was something so easy to step on or around. Out of the three pictures in front of him, only one matched the description of the villain, Tamaki Hiro.

And certainly, the police database was as easily breached for the super genius. With a bit of reverse image search, he uncovered a murder at a certain school with the principal suspect being Himiko Toga.

Comparing the two pictures side by side, he found a match! Tamaki Hiro was Himiko Toga, villainess affiliated with the League of Villains. He toiled his tea in a gentle manner looking at his computer. "Well, no need to disturb Aizawa with this news yet. I should let him have some fun. After all, he is getting so close" the animal mused. He brought the cup to his mouth but couldn't drink it as he started laughing maniacally in his office, shaking all over and spilling its content everywhere. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

A bored Aizawa knocked and entered his office. "What is it again, you rat? Found more students to torture?"

"Yes, but that's beside the point. What is it you wanted to talk about?" Nezu closed the tabs on his computer, never showing any emotions other than the perpetual smile he had.

Aizawa sighed; he knew questioning him was a fool's errand. "This is about Problem Child; he assaulted a fellow student and skipped his last class to…"

Nezu raised his paw, halting his employee. "Do not worry about him, I already have the perfect punishment in mind for him. Something fitting the gravity of his actions"

Aizawa didn't question him, if the rat had a punishment personally designed for him it was assuredly worse than anything he himself had in mind. "I see it's been handled, I'm going home"

"One last thing, Aizawa," the disheveled man turned toward the animal; he already had his sleeping bag in hand. "Yes?"

"I think our first year deserved a little reward for what they had to endure and with all the league of villain activity I would like you to be the one to supervise them, from a distance of course" Nezu was pouring himself another cup of tea, the last one being all over the floor. "Can I refuse…" he asked knowing the answer.

“Absolutely not!" the man sighed, arguing was pointless. "What did you have in mind?"

"Just a little mall shopping trip for them to enjoy… of course I'll allow Midoriya to join despite his punishment. That is all. Enjoy your weekend!" This week was about to be very interesting…

Author's note

Not my best chapter; it was hard to write to be honest. I introduced a lot of things I need to wrap up, but I'm still satisfied with my intrigue.

I find crazy Toga super interesting. I think the stories not exploring or ignoring her flaws, kind of bland, so don't worry; drama is coming…

Of course, Nezu can uncover this thing in three days; the guy can beat his student with a crane ffs. Good thing he is a drama queen…

Why Izuku isn't grounded, honestly plot reason… I need him to be elsewhere than stuck in his room all day if he was grounded all the time, this story would never progress…

Up next Izuku apologises and Aizawa meet up at the Midoriya…

Chapter Text

…Sunday…

Himiko and Izuku took all the time they could yesterday after their visit to the clinic to enjoy each other in the comfort of the household. Izuku decided to push back Akemi's recommendation for next week; for now, he just wanted to enjoy himself instead. They had supper with his mom, some private studying in her room (with the door opened that didn't stop them from sneaking a kiss from time to time) and they ended up the evening by watching movies on the couch, Izuku kept her on top of him the whole time while he played with her hair and she snuggled into his chest.

At night, they both slept separately, his mom still convinced they might try something not proper. "I was also young, I know what is going on in that head of yours…" she said before going to sleep. None of them tried something that night not wanting to push their luck, but they sure fell asleep with the other in mind, a content smile on their lips.

In the morning, they both gathered in her room on the pretense of more studying, but they had something else in mind, something more serious. "Are you sure? They might see through me… I'm bad at this, you know it," he turned toward Toga seeking reassurance.

“Don't worry, we'll make sure this holds up. Just memorise what we talk about, and this should explain to them most of their fear…"

"If you say so…" he wasn't the most convinced; he looked at what they had drafted together in one of his notebooks. This could work but this could also backfire horribly if any of them slip up. He took a deep breath already dressed in his UA uniform ready to go. "You sure you don't want to stay with me a bit longer? I could use the company," she purred in his ear, her temptress voice filled with good promises.

He turned in his chair, facing her and planted a kiss on her lips. "Tempting… But I owe them an explanation. I'm still upset about punching Todoroki; the sooner this is done, the sooner I can go back to enjoy every waking moment with you…"

She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, giving him some sultry eyes. "You smooth talker, I'll be waiting for you…" She was about to kiss him again but was stopped when Inko cleared her throat. Against her will, she let go of the boy and plopped onto her bed instead. Izuku stood up and waved her goodbye with the promise of calling her each day and walked out of her room; he had a big day ahead of him.

Once both of them out, Inko closed the door, allowing her the chance to sneak her hand under the mattress to retrieve one of the blood vials she now possessed. "Knife is not a good way for you to feed her; I recognise her psychological need for the stuff, but if you do that, you do it the right way. Here is a syringe and some vials with instructions on how to sterilise the equipment" The doctor was truly a godsend for her and Izuku, someone that could understand her needs and their situation. She was almost blessed to nearly die in that alley; how hard a thing would have been without the woman's help, she didn't want to think about it.

She opened one of them, tipping it over her mouth and letting the liquid flow into her. She preferred getting it directly from him; this was both more intimate and romantic, but she was ready to make this sacrifice for his benefit. As soon as she felt his coppery taste her eyes dilated in a dazed happiness. "Izuku…" everything was going to be okay for them…

…

Izuku arrived at the UA gate; no one was there for him. He almost expected his teacher to be ready for him as soon as he came into view of the school, but it's not like they knew he was coming today. He walked through the gate in direction of the dorms, each step constricting the grasp he could feel in his chest. From the side, he heard a rustle coming from the shrub next to him, an animal? Improbable not so much as a fly could land in UA without notifying the security alarm since the USJ incident.

From the bush came out a curious creature dressed in quite an elegant fashion. "I'm I a mouse? A bear? A dog? No, I am the principal!"

“Principal Nezu!? What are you doing in the bushes?" he barely interacted with the peculiar individual since his admission into the school; seeing him now was a bizarre experience. The rodent brush is outfit off the leaves covering it. "Waiting for you, of course! Your little stunt Friday didn't go unnoticed; I'm here to tell you about your proper punishment!"

Crap already! He didn't even have time to speak with any of his classmates that he was already being punished. Well, it's not like he didn't expect it; he did run out of his exam and punched another student with his quirk. Something highly illegal even for a hero student. "Y-yes! I'm ready for whatever you find necessary, I regret my actions, and I hope you can pardon me!" Izuku bowed low to him, his head almost reaching the same height as the principal.

“Loosened up my boy, your friend didn’t pose a complaint about you, so you avoided the most severe punishment…” his speech was interrupted by the sound of construction near them, Izuku looked, a new structure was being built near the main building on the opposite side of the dorms. “What’s this?”

“A surprise!” principal Nezu surprises were never the good kind of surprise…

“Right… So, what will be my punishment?”

“A surprise!" again nothing that put him at ease. "Do not worry, you'll have plenty of time to prepare. I'm still waiting on a few things. Expect it the first thing next week!" he pulled out a kettle and a cup from the bush he was in and poured himself a cup. "Care for a cup?"

"N-no, if you don't mind, I would like to go see my friends… I-I got a lot of things to say…" being near him was starting to make him uncomfortable for one reason or another. "Alright run along then"

Izuku ran toward the dorms once again and once vanished from his sight, Nezu started shaking. "Hehehe"

…

Izuku was starting to think the existential dread of his coming punishment was part of the punishment in itself. He finally arrived in front of the student's residence; he could hear the chatter coming from inside; he hesitated. His hand clasped around the handle of the door. Could he do it? Will they hate him? He couldn't avoid them forever; the sooner, the better…

He opened the door inside Kirishima; Mina and Kaminari were on the couch watching some action shows while Sato and Bakugo were in the kitchen cleaning up after breakfast. Everybody turned toward him; some were confused, others were aghast. Only one didn't change. "Oi, Deku… you're back"

“Hey-…”

“YOU BETTER FIGURE OUT YOUR SHIT OUT! BECAUSE OF YOU, MY EXAM WAS PUSHED BACK TO NEXT FRIDAY, SO GO ON AND CLEAR OUT YOUR SHIT, YOU DAMNED NERD!!" it was almost reassuring seeing him act as usual; his yelling somehow managed to calm him. He chuckled at the boy antic before straightening himself.

"Yeah, I did… Where is Ochako? I-I need to talk to her…" he looked down, the news of their falling out must have reached most of them already. Bakugo simply returned to the pan he was scrubbing, but Mina stood up an expression of unease on her face. "She's… In her room. She didn't get out since yesterday…"

Of course, she took it badly, what did he expect. "I'll go see her… She deserves it," he walked toward the girl side almost tripping over Jiro and Momo, walking into the room. He excused himself to the two shaken girls; they looked at him as if he was a ghost and walked up the stairs toward her room.

"What is he doing here? I was sure we wouldn't see him till Monday," Jiro asked, walking toward her friend in the common room.

"Me too, he asked where Uraraka was," Mina answered; they both looked at her as if she said something stupid.

"You let him go! She can't see him like this!" Momo said incredulous at her friend's answer. Poor Ochako was not ready for this.

“Hey, I agree with Tsuyu; the sooner they talked it out, the better!"

"But she is still reeling…"

"Well, I agree with Mina, a man should face his problems head on," added the red hair.

"Uhm, guys…" Kaminari opened his mouth; his face was pale like he had seen something he wasn't supposed to. He turned toward them like a badly oiled machine; his movement was jerky. "What?" They all asked in unisons.

"…Were those hickeys on his neck…"

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

All the girls in the room rushed in unison toward the stairs. “WE CAN’T LET OCHAKO SEE THAT!!” but they were too late…

…

Izuku stood in front of his best friend's door, the girl he kissed back, the girl he rebuked. With a sigh he knocked at her door awaiting her answer. "Go away Mina… I'm not in the mood…" her voice was strained, weak again he felt his chest constrict on itself, while he was busy with Himiko having fun in their budding relationship he let her alone sink in her sadness. "It's not Mina… It's me" at first there was no sound, maybe she didn't want to see him. He would understand after what he did. Then he heard footsteps getting closer and the door opened.

She was looking worse than yesterday; she didn't shower or brush her hair during all the time she was alone. Though the crack of the opened door, she looked up at him; her eyes both filled with sadness and hope. "H-hi Deku…"

“Can I come in?” she hesitated to look behind her. In the end she resigned. “O-okay”

At the same time, he entered four girls crash out of the staircase just in time to see him get inside. “DAMNIT”

…

The inside of her room was a mess just like her, pillows in the four corners of the room. Clothes loosely strewn around, the drapes were closed letting in as little light as they could in the dark room. Ochako went toward her bed and sat in it making sure to bring her knees close to her hiding her face behind them. “W-what is it…” again her voice was meek, surely from days of crying. She wasn’t looking at him.

Izuku took place in her chair pivoting it to face her. “I came to apologize what I did wasn’t right…”

“Ok… Apology accepted you can go” she hugged her knee closer to herself; this wasn’t what she wanted to hear from him. What he did was right she wanted more of it, she loved him.

“Uraraka I-…”

“I SAID YOU CAN GO!" she closed her eyes as she yelled at him, the tears she thought she had all let out flowed once more. This was a mistake, all of it. She was dumb to think anything could come from this; she was dumb to still have hope he would say he loved her. But she didn't want to let go of it; she wanted him.

Izuku recoiled at the sudden aggression but didn't back down; he was stupid, reckless, and selfish. He needed to be better. "Ochako! I'm sorry I-I…" he paused. Was this the right thing to say? But it was the truth. "… I did love you…"

Her crying eyes looked at him filled with newfound confusion. He did? Then why…

She knew why, as he was looking down at his feet, his neck was clearly visible even in the darkness of the room. Dark spots covering the right side of his neck, a little love mark, from someone else. "…I wanted you, when you kissed me…it's just my head was somewhere else…"

"You mean with someone else…" her tone was low barely able to disguise the anger behind it, Izuku only looked down pitifully at her jab. "…Yes"

She let go of her knee rising to her feet. "Then go! Go see her, leave me alone. Just like then!" she pointed at the door; she was tearing herself apart. She was angry; while she was crying about him, he was busy loving a girl he never even spoke of! Another part wanted him to stay to hug her to tell her this was all a lie, that he was there for her and only her.

She was selfish; she wanted him. She knew that, but why wasn't she allowed to be in her moment of weakness. "Ochako!" he also stood up facing her; he was so stubborn, something she liked so much about him.

She tried to push him away toward the door, but he resisted; she started bashing her fist against his chest like a child throwing a tantrum would. "Go, you made your choice, and it wasn't me!" he grabbed both her wrists, stopping her futile resistance and looked her deep into her eyes. "Please Ochako listen to me!"

With trembling lips and glistening eyes, she stopped, her eyes fixated on his. "I was stupid! I should have confessed to you back at the camp while I had the time, even before that!" what was he saying.

*BADUMP* her heart beat into her ear.

“…But I didn't, and I met someone else. I didn't want to love her as I do, but she clawed her way into my heart and I-I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" his eyes began to tear up, he was honest. All her anger suddenly leaves when his tear began to flow. "I'm sorry Ochako, to have treated you like this Friday, it was wrong. I should have told you about what was going on, but I only realised it when you kissed me…"

He took her into his arms, in a warm hug burying her face into his chest as they wept. "If you want me to leave, I'll do it…" she stood their eyes wide open, then she lifted her arms and wrapped them around him. "I'm also sorry…" he let her speak, not breaking their embrace.

"I'm sorry to have pushed your boundary… I should have asked. It was selfish of me to expect to be the only one… To think I could force you to love me…" her hand rubbed against his back, taking in his warmth.

They both stood there against one another for a good minute or two until each one of them was calm. They pulled away from each other, each wiping away their tears with their forearms, chuckling at the mirrored action.

"Sorry! /Sorry!" both excused themselves for their little outburst of laughter, they looked at each other incredulously. Ochako was the first to crack her cheek, bulging trying to keep her laughter in; in turn, Izuku simply chuckled at her funny expression until both explode into a laughing fit.

All tension was suddenly lifted as they leaned against one another to stop themselves from falling over. As the laughter subdued, they wiped their tears, happy tears from their faces.

“Ha, that was dumb…" she said still folded on herself as the last of it exited her system. "Yeah, we're both to blame, I guess," he smiled at her. This was good; he didn't want to lose her. She was his friend, his best friend. They both sat in bed feeling way better than a minute ago. "So, who is she? Can we finally know what is going on?"

He looked at the bandages on his wrist; she may not have gone out much, but when she heard about the cuts, her face turned worried as she put a caring hand on his arm. Izuku balled his fist in determination and looked at her. "Yeah, I think I'm ready…"

He stood up offering his hand to help her on her feet; she gladly took it. "But I think everyone deserves to know… I'll go in the common room, I-I'll explain everything as best as I can…"

"I'll be there," together they both walked toward the door; on the other side, they could hear shuffling and body moving away. Uraraka opened the door to see all the girls and a couple of boys all gathered around her door twiddling their thumbs, whistling inconspicuously. "Were you spying on us?"

"…" was the resounding answer everybody gave. Jiro finally cleared her throat. "H-hey look it's almost time for… come on guys help me out!" she gave a panicked look at everyone. Nobody answered, in frustration she just crossed her arms. "Let's just go down already…"

…

Everyone was gathered around Izuku, who was sitting in the only lounging chair in the room facing everyone gathered around the couch. Only Bakugo stayed at the table away from the drama but close enough to listen. "So, what do you want to know?" there was no point delaying the inevitable.

“Who is she?”

“What about the cut”

“What’s up with the highway attack”

“Who teaches you those knives move”

“Just how big are her boobs!”

“Why did you punch Todoroki?”

All the questions came at once in a cacophony making it impossible to understand any of them, he swears the wind from all their moving mouths managed to push him back just a little. Iida was the first to bring some calm to the storm of question, cutting everybody with both his word and his chops. "One at a time, everyone raised their hand if you have a question to ask" Everybody raised their hand…

Izuku looked at the sea of eager teens in front of him and chose Todoroki; he owed him as much. "What happened at the league? How did you escape?" Some of his classmates lowered their hands.

“When I landed there, I couldn't move. I had two broken arms and one busted leg; I landed in front of Shigaraki who was quite angry at having missed Kacchan. He ordered me dead," a series of gasps was heard. "But I was saved by the stain fanatic; I think his name was Spinner? He said he wouldn't let me die apparently; I was Stain chosen. So, he let me stay in one of the rooms…"

Iida clenches his fist at this revelation. "To hear I owe your life to the despicable man who crippled my brother…" his face twisted, he was glad Izuku was alive but despised the man at the same time.

" But how did you escape?"

"Someone saves me; she creates a diversion for me so we could escape together" Those who had dropped their hand raised it again. He sighs beating them to the punch. "Yes, that was Tamaki; she is the one that saved me…"

"But why?" Ochako asked.

Alright now was the tricky part, mixing truth and half-lie. "She saw me and said it was love at first sight…" he blushed. This was the best answer he could say without lying.

" What?" all of them said at the same time.

"Don't ask me the details of it, that's what she said…" wholly embarrassed he raised his hand and pointed at someone at random landing on Tsuyu.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner, Kero?" another wave of hand was dropped.

He sighed. This was one of the hard ones "She's… not very fond of hero… or police or law enforcement, she ran from home and has been living in the street and she did a couple of crimes to stay afloat, she's doing better now but still I didn't want her to get thrown in jail for saving me…" now if only they could avoid ask-…

“What kind of crimes?" Hagakure asked.

He sighed; of course, he couldn't avoid it, just don't drop the "M" bomb. "Robbery, assault, stolen identity, pickpocket… she's doing better since she's at home with my mom"

Everybody seemed perturbed by what he said; after all, many of those crimes could land someone in jail at least for some years.

"Please don't tell anyone. It's the reason I stayed silent for so long. I just want her to live normally; we even found a doctor for her therapy…" he pleaded with them, his voice dripping with hope, if any of them tell this was it…

Momo decided even if she wasn't chosen to ask the question. "What about the highway incident? You seemed perturbed that day. What kind of connection did you have with it?" there was an apprehension in her voice almost expecting the worst. At least he could say the truth this time.

"I'm the one who got him arrested…"

"WHAT!" this is the response he expected.

"Isn't he liking a mass murderer with a huge body count? How the hell did you manage that!" Kaminari asked intrigued.

"Well, he took down muscular at the camp…" said Shoji.

“Yeah, but why? Are you a vigilante or something?" now it was Mina's turn to speculate.

"No, when I escaped the league, I bet Shigaraki was pissed off; he told me he was paid to kill me and Tamaki. I defeated him and dropped him off at the police station; I didn't need another Stain incident…" at least he didn't have to lie about this.

"Dude" Sero stood there like a fish out of water.

"This is quite intense, my friend," Tokoyami commented

One question was still on everyone's lips. Koda surprisingly was the one to ask. "W-what a-about the c-cut"

This was also a question he feared; everyone must have been thinking he was suicidal or trying to alleviate some stress in one way or another. "It's… I did it for her… She wanted someone to share her pain with her. I know this was stupid but at the time this was the only way I could think of to help her. I won't do it again, don't worry about me" another half truth, this truly pained him to keep things from his friend but he did it for Himiko and him.

“What about your knife instruct-…" Kirishima was cut off by Izuku.

"Yes, it was her like I said she had a bad past and she needed to defend herself"

"I got one last question" this time it was Mineta. He could already imagine the kind of depraved question he had in mind…

"What is it"

"Are those hickeys on your neck…"

"…"

Izuku ran to the bathroom to look at himself in a mirror; they heard his groan from the common room. He never thought about it; how could he have been so stupid. He came back into the room, his hand covering his face in shame as he let his butt fall in the chair.

"So are you two…" one of the girls asked; he didn't even look to busy hiding behind his hand.

“…Yes” Kill him.

“Since when?" a guy this time, oh God why…

"…Yesterday" struck him down where he stands.

"Have you two done it?" …

"NO! Just kissing and stuff…" please someone, anyone, kill him now. Now absolutely and utterly embarrassed, he sighed for what must have been fifteen seconds without pausing. Sure, he said it to Ochako, but he thought he could have some time before everyone was aware of it…

"Ca-can I have your word nothing I said will reach the teacher; I don't want to cause her trouble she already lived enough of them" he already asked but he needed to make sure none of that would reach Aizawa or even worse Nezu…

Iida was the first one to step up. "I don't agree with everything, but you helped me with my brother in the past; you can count on me"

"Yeah, me too, what you're doing for her. Giving her a second chance is manly as hell," Kirishima gave him a thumbs up. The rest gave him a mix of yes and gestures of goodwill in his endeavour. He was glad to have such understanding friends in his life; maybe everything could work out.

"Oh, I just thought of something!" Mina yelled getting his attention. "Nezu is giving us a day off for shopping this Wednesday; you could invite her, so we finally see her in person!"

"I'll ask her, but she's not really fond of crowds…" he smiled, an awkward smile. He couldn't bring her with Ochako and Tsuyu; they would recognise her immediately, and even if she found a disguise, Kacchan knew her true identity. It was a loose, loose situation…

Everyone seemed to have their questions answered and started dispersing. Todoroki was the last one to leave, making sure he got to speak with him before leaving. Izuku could see the bandages on his chest. "S-sorry for punching you, I was overwhelmed…"

His friend faintly smiled at him. "You owed me a punch"

"If you want, you can use me as target practice for your Super Move" he jests back; he was glad he didn't break his friendship over this. Todoroki patted him on the shoulder before leaving for his room for some rest.

He had made up with Uraraka and Todoroki; everyone accepted to keep a lid on his story. All in all, everything went as perfectly as they could. He received a call from Himiko and went to his room for some private time to discuss with his new girlfriend. Once inside he answered. "Himiko?"

“Hey hotstuff, so how did it go?”

“Perfectly no one asked any compromising detail. How is it going with my mom…”

…

“Oh, you know the usual, she's trying to make me the perfect housewife I think"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, she keeps telling me…"

Nezu was in his office listening to the conversation; his little thingamajig he installed in the boy's room was working perfectly, giving him full access to his phone. He was busy downloading everything he could while pouring himself a nice cup of tea. "This week is going to be very interesting…"

The tea again failed to reach his lips as he began to laugh maniacally… "HAHAHAHAHA"

Author's note

I decided to push back Aizawa meeting for the next chapter; having both Sunday and Monday together felt weird.

I am going back to work for four days straight, expect a slow down in chapters (I hate 12-hour shifts, but they gave me a four-day weekend, which is nice)

I’ll take a little break from writing I don’t want to burnout (I spent four days straight writing and thinking about this fic!) I’ll post something around Thursday.

Next time I swear Aizawa meets Himiko.

Chapter Text

…Monday…

Himiko was strolling around in the street not paying any mind what was going on around her. She was done for the day and just received some wonderful news from Izuku, news that put a skip in her step. Wednesday he and all his classmates were going out for some unsupervised mall shopping as a relief from all they went through. So that means she will be able to see him earlier than the weekend.

The only problem was Sploody Mcface, Ochako and Tsuyu. The three of them knew her face; if she goes in without a disguise, the girls will immediately recognise her and try to stop her from getting close. If she wears a disguise, Bakugo will see that she changed and call her out on it. She couldn't even pin it on her quirk, they all thought she was quirkless. In brief, she couldn't mingle with the group even if she wanted to, but that doesn't mean she couldn't see Izuku.

She already imagined surprising him while he shopped, maybe stealing a little kiss from him as a treat or even sneaking away from everyone with him for some alone time… Just thinking about it was making her swoon over the moon; she was with him… as his girlfriend!

This was all she ever wanted: a stable family, the boy she loved, and his blood. Izuku saved her and she would be grateful to him now and forever; she was his, as he was hers.

Her little therapy session of today was cut short when a patient barged into the clinic with a bullet wound in his gut. Akemi told her she could go home early for today and they would continue their session tomorrow. So, for now she decided to take a walk around the city, basking in the sun and the beautiful day she was having.

She didn't even realise when she turned the corner to see her school right there, in front of her. This damned place she didn't even want to go back even if she could; maybe she should ask Inko to study at home instead?

It was the middle of the day, so everyone was in class; the risk of someone bumping into her was minimal. Passing through with the intent of putting the building far behind her, as fast as she could, a curious sign caught her eyes. "Blood donation from 1 PM to 5 PM"; they were currently using the gymnasium for the event; a wry smile crosses her lips. She didn't need it, but a good disguise is always useful…

…

“Why is biology even a subject… We're in high school; why should I have to learn about that!" the fiery red head was holding her head in her hands, defeated from her last class. The calm blue-haired girl next to her was patting her back trying to comfort her friend. Rai Rino and Umemura Uki were walking down the halls of their school toward the cafeteria. "I'm not passing science this year…"

They halted their walk when a certain green-haired girl turned the corner in the same direction they were going. Goto Gen, the famous friend of the quirkless freak at their school, or so says Chio. In truth, none of the two girls particularly cared about Himi, mostly avoiding her for their own sake. Something that didn't feel right for any of them…

Goto had been stigmatised by the entire school for befriending the girl; now she mostly just walked from class to class without uttering a sound. Ever since Tamaki has been stuck at home for being sick, she eats, studies, and plays alone, her only friend absent from her usual spot on the roof.

Both Rai and Umemura found it hard to look at their former friend looking like this, for daring to stand for Tamaki. Rai bit her lips, deciding to walk ahead of her friend before she could stop her. "Hey, Goto, how's it going!"

Goto jumped, usually someone only talked to her concerning a certain blonde, seeing her prior friend suddenly so forward was weird. "H-hey Rai…" she let down her eyes, fearing this may be yet another prank from someone trying to get a rile out of her.

Rai felt the tension between them; she couldn't blame her. She pretty much ditched her when Chio said so, like the coward she was, but she could maybe mend their friendship. "S-so what were you doing?"

"Oh, uhm… just going to the roof for lunch. The usual…"

"You could join us at the cafeteria if you want to," the red haired offered, trying to make her at ease, her voice carrying no ill intent. Goto only twirled one of her pigtails in an anxious manner.

"I'll think about it…"

"Come on! I swear this isn't a bad joke; we could hang out like we used to"

"…" Goto did miss her old friend; they were funny and fun to hang around. Before the whole Tamaki incident, the three of them were best friends. Thinking about it made her smile a little.

“Plus, I'm sure no one will notice, you know since Tamaki is not with you…" and just like that her smile vanished, of course they only wanted to hang out since Tamaki wasn't there. No one could be bothered to treat the quirkless girl right; they only cared when she was gone.

"I'm fine…" Goto turned the corner taking the stairs toward the roof; if her friends were honest, they would not have dumped her for standing up for someone who never asked to be treated like trash. She reached the final flight of stairs and opened the door. She walked toward her usual spot and sat down.

"Hey, you got any cheese?" The other girl on the roof looking down at the gymnasium asked.

"Yeah, you can take it…"

"Thanks"

“…” wait, another girl? No one ever comes here except…

"HIMI!?" standing right in front of her stood Himiko, munching on the freshly opened cheese in her hand. She seemed to be scouting down below. "Wha-what are you doing here!? A-aren't you supposed to be sick?!"

"I got better…"

"Why aren't you in class then?" her panic was slowly replaced by genuine curiosity.

"I still have some sick days I can cash-in" and she didn't want to go back to class with Chio and her cronies.

"Then why are you here?"

"I got an idea when I saw the sign upfront"

"What sign? You mean the blood donation? How could that give you an idea?" so many questions were going on in her head

"Ever seen that old movie with the bucket over the prom queen…"

"You don't mean…"

"I'm just switching the script a bit…" she flashed her sharp teeth at her.

…

Chio Chitoze was in line for the blood donation; this was an event far beneath her, but she couldn't ignore it. Her reputation as student president would take a hit. So, here she was mingling with the other students exchanging common platitudes with her 'peers' if she could be bothered to call them that. She knew she stood above the rest; she was the cream of the crop. Her aunt made sure she knew her self-worth as a woman and a quirk user, praising her niece's ability, wits and charm. Once outside of this school, a place was guaranteed for her at her agency as a worthwhile journalist or even down the line an executive.

But for now, she stood with the common folk, biding her time until she could rise to greater height, sharing space with that damned quirkless freak, Tamaki. At least she had the decency of not being here for the last days, apparently falling ill. Quirkless were so fragile, so obsolete; they were one of the reasons why their government put so much restriction on them, normal quirked citizens, on the basis of avoiding discrimination.

Ironic, by trying to please a worthless minority they were stepping on the throat of decent folk who only wanted the basic right to show the world their amazing ability. She was glad her aunt gave her this book on her fourteen birthdays, reading about Destro and his freedom fighter put things into perspective. Her parents kept telling her that quirk was dangerous that she should avoid using it, but this book made her realize that her quirk was as much hers than an arm or a leg. Restricting it was the same as asking her to hop on one leg or getting dressed without the use of her arms.

She steps forward advancing in the line of students. There was also Goto, the girl who befriended the anomaly; she was harsh on her, but it was for her own good. The girl had an amazing quirk allowing her to grow plants around her in a minute; such power would change the agriculture industry in Japan, but she is stifling her potential. All for 'fairness,' for those who weren't born like them, for people like Tamaki…

Another step as she progresses forward. Tamaki, something was deeply wrong with her; she saw it the day she met her in the bathroom. Smuggling pills like the addict she probably was. Or the day on the roof where she pulled a knife on her, HER! She could see the lustful hate in her sick eyes; if she hadn't stepped back that day, she would have opened her neck with no hesitation. Quirkless people were truly freaks by nature.

She was next, ready to be called by the nurse, but she was interrupted by the fire alarm drumming all over school; voices were raised in curiosity and worry. Likelihood of it being an actual fire was low so no one particularly panicked. As a member of the student faculty, Chio took her place as authority guiding her fellow students toward the nearest fire exit. Most of them walked while discussing what was happening; someone joked it was probably someone who smoked in the toilet again.

Once everyone was gathered outside, the teachers began a headcount making sure everybody was gathered in the courtyard. "Goto Gen?' the math teacher asked.

"P-present!" the meek greenette responded.

Chio smiled seeing her here, finally separated from that leech she was obstinate to call a person. "Goto! Good to see you," her voice was filled with enthusiasm; it almost felt sincere.

“O-oh hey Chio…"

"Any idea what happened? Everybody I talked to is in the dark about this incident"

"Uhm, n-no sorry," she seemed nervous like she was hiding something.

"Tell me if you…" one of her cronies walked toward her waving franticly. "Chio! We got a problem!"

She wasn't in the mood to deal with anything right now. "Urgh, what is it!"

"We caught the culprit! It's Tamaki, she's in the bathroom!" Of course, that pest was responsible; even when she wasn’t supposed to be at school, she finds a way to be a problem. Well, at least now she could teach her a lesson about civility. "Lead the way" both of them jog lightly far from the supervision of their teacher re-entering the school premises. She failed to see Goto eyeing around the field of students for a certain somebody…

She followed her friend toward the bathroom where the rat was holed up; she couldn't wait to exercise her quirk again. The girl was good target practice. They sneaked through the corridor, arriving at their destination, the main girl's bathroom. "She's in there; I saw her!" Chio could only smile, readying her hands to unleash fitting justice to the quirkless freak; she had no doubt she was the culprit, probably lashing out at everyone from her own insecurity.

With grandeur, she pushed away the slightly ajar door and waltz in ready to deliver some punishment. "Well, well, well… Look who-…" She couldn't finish her sentence. First of all, the room was empty, not a soul in sight, and second…

A bucket… A bucket was placed over the door like in a movie of old, dousing her in liquid, seeping in every nook and cranny of her uniform. The childish prank didn't injure her, or so she thought, her hand wiped away the liquid over her eyes, revealing…

Blood.

A large amount of it, as she opened her eyes, she could see her bloody hands covered in the stuff. Some of it dripped from her hair directly into her mouth, letting her feel the coppery taste of it.

"W-WHAT THE H-HELL!?" Chio was freaking out; it was disgusting! It was humiliating! Who in their right mind would do such a thing? Then she heard from behind, her friend laughing from behind the door…

A little traitor in her gang, she'll show her the consequence of her action. "COME BACK HERE!!" she got out, crimson staining the floor with every step she took, she barely managed to see the girl turn the corner and vanished behind a wall. Despite the slippery blood coating her, she ran at full speed toward her intent on making her pay.

She turned the same corner where she vanished to see her coming back; her worried expression was replaced with horror when she saw Chio covered from head to toe in blood. "Chio, what the hell-…" she was cut off by a vicious slap on her face.

"YOU DID THIS?!" she couldn't think straight; vengeance was the only thing on her mind. As she began putting down her friend for her little stunt, she failed to notice the yellow eyes peeking out of the corner, filled with righteous glee.

…

” Wait, it worked?" Goto was walking side by side with Himiko, who was smugly smiling, a proud expression on her face. School had ended early for them, since it was the last class of the day and apparently some students were caught mingling inside the school during the fire alarm. The principal did her best to just swipe the whole thing under the rug, deeming it not important enough for punishment (probably because Chio was the victim). "Yup! Even got a picture" she showed her the picture of Chio drenched in blood, murder in her eyes, hands just about to slap her friend in fury.

If this wasn't incriminating evidence against her, Himiko would have made it her screensaver. The greenette walking next to her had a hard time picking up her jaw from the floor; she wanted to feel bad for Chio, but a part of her was happy to see her reap what she sowed. "How?!"

“That's a secret, can't tell!"

"Remind me to never piss you off…"

"I wouldn't worry about that, we're friends, right?" Himiko looked at her almost expectantly; Goto has been a breath of fresh air in her life, the only good thing she experienced at her school.

Goto finally managed to close her incredulous mouth and shook her head, plastering a smile on her face. "Yeah Himi, best of friends!" Himi was a curious girl, but she was honest with her feelings. When something displeases her, she ignores it; if something makes her happy, she talks about it. Goto wished she could borrow a third of her confidence sometime. Stuck in her own thoughts she raised her head to see her friend looking at her with a grin, exposing her rather large canines. "Hey, were you ever in love?"

She blushed taken by surprise by the forward question. "N-no, I don't think so I-I only ever attend all girls' school, so I could never r-really pass time with a b-boy"

"What about girls, none ever catch your eyes?"

"G-g-girls?! I-I-…" just thinking about holding hands with someone of the same gender as her, she never thought about it. Was she? No, yes? "W-w-what about you H-Himi?"

Himiko put a finger on her chin as her eyes looked up at the sky feigning, thinking about it for a time. "Well, I fell in love a bunch of times actually"

"B-bunch of time?! How?"

Himiko looked at the floor, her eyes wandering the corner of her lovestruck brain. "There was this guy in middle school," she immediately imagines Saito, a bittersweet memory. "This girl I met in summer camp, but I'm still not sure about it," Ochako filled her mind; they shared common interests, and she was cute. "And this wonderful boy…" Izuku was now the one overwhelming her, memory of their kiss still fresh as morning dew in her mind.

"Actually, can you keep a secret?" she turned toward her Goto, who was still shocked by Himiko's abundance of love interest. "Y-yes," she was captivated by her conversation; she wanted to know more since she knew nothing about love in general.

“I have a boyfriend!" Himiko squealed her excitement, being able to talk about it with someone her age was thrilling. She liked Akemi but she wasn't the best when it came to gossip. With the greenette she could actually share her joy.

"No way, who!" now completely enthralled by the new she eagerly skewed toward her, pressing for details. Himiko pulled out a picture from her phone; it was Izuku with two ice cream cones smiling at her; she took it on their first official date. "Isn't he cute!"

Goto adjusts her glasses for a better look at the boy her eyes widening in realisation. "WAIT! That's the boy from UA, the one who broke his finger during the sport festival. How did you…"

"You recognise him!" she let out another squeal, smaller than the first.

“Of course, my dad keeps joking that he is my long-lost big brother, since we're so similar in appearance, but you didn't answer. How?"

"To be honest, I still wonder how I did it… He is cute, passionate, strong and overall, just the best!" as Himiko was busy gushing about Izuku, the girl next to her couldn't help but smile. This girl was given the worst hand anyone could ask for, but she managed to find someone who could love her. She almost felt jealous, how she was able to accomplish so much despite the odds against her.

"There's my train, see you next week Goto!" her friend nodded happy to hang out with her. She continued walking home, living not far from the train station.

…

Himiko was standing in front of the Midoriya apartment; she had a blood pouch on her she managed to steal during the commotion. She made sure to pick someone she knew would fit with Izuku, so if she ever goes out under disguise, they would be the cutest couple possible!

From outside, she heard Inko talking, probably on the phone with Mitsuki; they both started talking a lot more since their party together. She was happy for her; having friends is a wonderful feeling. Goto reminded her of it. Someone she felt comfortable talking to and laughing with.

She opened the door, dismissing her bag in the entrance and untying her shoe. "Inko, I'm home!" she didn't bother looking up, something she would regret…

“Miss Tamaki, I presume…" she froze; this wasn't Inko's voice, it was a man, old, grizzled and absolutely bored. She was still hunched over undoing her shoe from her foot; they couldn't see her face right now; they couldn't see the expression of pure panic on her face. Someone who knew her fake name was in the house; this was bad news. She composed herself and looked up to see a man straight out from a homeless shelter and a dogman sitting in the living room together with Inko; the woman looked absolutely overwhelmed as she looked at her.

She had her knife on her; she could maybe fight her way out. No, she couldn't overpower the both; she recognises at least one of them. Eraserhead, he was on the list of potential threats during the summer camp assault; alone, this guy could probably deal with her.

She just had to do what she always did for most of her life, smile and wave. "Yes, who are you?" all panic had already vanished from her face, leaving behind something someone would consider normal. The dogman's nose twitched as he opened his mouth. "My name is Inui Ryō, and this is my colleague Shota Aizawa. We're here for a visit concerning one of our students, Izuku Midoriya; do you know him?" they both looked at her expecting an answer. Inko was also looking at her expression, revealing they may have been talking for a while about something not pleasant.

"He’s, my boyfriend!" smile and wave, play the role and all will be well. At worst, she can run from them; maybe use one of the neighbors in the hallway as a hostage…

“Miss Tamaki, you may sit down" Aizawa raised an eyebrow but still gestured toward the couch near Inko. they both sat in the chairs near the entrance. Blocking her potential escape if she sat down. "My butt is killing me, sorry, can I stand?" better be weird and stay near the exit than be trapped.

" Him-Tamaki, is it true? What do they say about Izuku? About his wrist?" Inko looked like she was about to cry just from asking. Of course, this is about the wrist; they probably think he's messed up in the head, just like her… But they already have a plan to explain. She just needed to play her card right. "Oh… you learned…" she feigned shame the best she could; they seemed to buy it.

"You told me it was an accident!" she raised her tone against her. She needed Inko on her side if she wanted to escape this situation without raising any bells and whistles. "I-I'm sorry… It's just… I" tears welled up in her eyes a trick she learned long ago.

 "Tell me the truth…" Inko voiced softened; she was back in her corner.

“He did it for me!" she screamed in fake panic trying to garner pity, letting her tear fall in her hands.

"Can you explain to us, Tamaki?" asked the dogman in a sweet tone, one that didn't fit his rough appearance. "We're professional; everything you say here will stay confidential" good, one off her back, but the hobo wasn't biting. He kept looking at her…

As if he were looking at a villain.

"I-I… Cut myself… Izuku h-he saw me during our walk a-and he kept telling m-me he wanted to h-help" she sobbed every other word gathering sympathies from both Inko and Inui, but still nothing from Aizawa. "I s-said to him he couldn't u-understand. That he wouldn't c-comprehend what I lived through, and he c-cut himself, trying to be supportive," she lifted her skirt; above her knee was a line, a fresh mark of her knife now scarred.

She did it during the weekend when they were planning their story to fit with one another. He tried to stop her, and she was glad he didn't because right now this seemed to calm everyone in the room, even the hobo-man.

"How often do you hurt yourself, miss?"

"I used to do it more often, when I was in the street. I had a relapse at school…" she was still standing at the entrance; her head hung low in makeshift shame. Inko was bordering tears; she stood from her seat and grabbed Himiko in her arms. The woman was a saint, just like her son. "My poor thing, why? What is happening at school? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to be a burden… Like I was to my parents," she said it with more truth than she would like to; after all, she could have told Inko about the bullying anytime. She just didn't want to bother her with her trouble, to become the problem one easily tosses aside when too hard to handle.

“As for the reasons, they just hate me… for being quirkless…"

Aizawa was about to say something but was cut off by Hound-Dog. The man used his calmer voice to talk to her. "You're very brave to tell us, Miss Tamaki. I am aware of the problems surrounding persons in your situation. I just want to tell you we are not here to punish you, we are just making sure everyone is safe," he pulled a card from his vest, handling it to the duo. "If you ever need to consult, I'm available. If not, it would be my pleasure to recommend a specialist," Inko profusely thanked the man, bowing low as she ran her hand down the back of Himiko.

Aizawa begrudgingly stood from his seat ready to call it a day, not having said much. He knew Hound-Dog would be doing the talking anyway as the school counsellor he was more tactful than him in those situations. "We already discussed with you, Miss Midoriya, concerning your son, so we won't bother you any longer" he turned toward Himiko; the same bored expression was on his face. "I'm sorry if we overstepped your boundary, Tamaki; the health of all my students is a priority for me. Have a good day…Together they stood a bowed low and exited the room without fanfare, Aizawa spared a last look at Himiko eyeing her up and down. She simply avoided his irritating gaze, and he left.

Now alone both women could speak freely. "Himiko, I-I don't want you to do that anymore; I'll pull you from that school if it's what is needed"

"I…" she thought of Goto, her one and only friend outside of Izuku. She wasn't ready to abandon her, but she didn't have a choice. She needed to follow the story; with pitiful eyes she agreed. "…Ok"

Now Inko looked nervous, not about her but about something else. She darted her eyes left and right as if looking for anything else she could say. With a sigh she looked her deep in her eyes. "Don't…" saying it pained her, she knew how it sounded. "…Don't drag Izuku into… that," she gestured at her cut leg. " Please Himiko"

She understood his mother; none would wish this on anyone. But if Inko had to choose between the two, Izuku would take priority in an instant, even if that meant getting rid of her. Himiko's chest tightened; she was hanging by a thread, their next mistake could be devastating.

At least this meeting went as well as it could…

…

“Something was wrong," Aizawa plainly said to his colleague as Hound-Dog was busy navigating traffic in his car; someone cut him off, and he started foaming at the mouth, entering one of his tirades. It took him most of a minute to calm himself but once he did his face frowned, in a deeply serious manner. "This girl was lying…"

"Aizawa looked surprised; he didn't detect any lie, but he could feel something was off this whole time. If she was able to fool him, it meant she was a pro at this. Something no average teen should be able to do. "What do you mean?"

Inui looked ahead, his gaze unbroken as he spoke. "Almost none of what she said was true, except the part about her parents and being hated for being quirkless… I could smell it. You're right, something deeply wrong is going on and this girl is at the center of it" his nose twitches as to demonstrate his point. "That's not all"

Aizawa straightened his back. What was supposed to be a wellness check was becoming a full-fledged investigation. "Do tell"

"She smells of bloods, not singular. Plurals" this sent a shiver down both their spines; how does a high schooler gather the scent of blood from multiple persons? "I can ask for her student file at her school; it should be on your desk by Wednesday"

Aizawa looked back, her introduction, the single second of panic he managed to register from her when she heard his voice, the twitch in her hand. He intended to figure it out sooner than later.

“Get out of the LANE YOUMOTHERFUC-…” Hound-Dog wasn’t a calm man…

Author's note

Himiko focused chapter, felt like giving her a little payback against Chio; she deserved it.

We are entering the endgame of this 'Arc'; within the next three chapters, we will see the house of cards tumbling down…

Anyone have a good Himiko/Izuku centered fic to recommend, can't seem to find one lately.

Next time the mall and emergency teacher meeting…

Chapter Text

…Wednesday…

Everyone of class 1A was gathered in the common room, dressed in their casual clothes getting ready for their free day of mall shopping they each had in their hands. "10 000 yens! Thank you Nezu!" Ochako was kissing the envelope like it was her most treasured possession. The faculty allowed an allowance for every first-year student as a way to help them treat themselves after the summer camp attack.

"I wish we were attacked more often" the brunette had stars in her eyes; money was slowly getting to her head. Only Momo wasn't thrilled about the sum, wondering why everyone was excited for this little amount.

"What did you guys have in mind?" Mina asked the group, curious to know how everyone planned to spend their money.

“New weight!"

"New clothes"

"All the sweets I can eat!"

"The arcade!"

"I'm keeping the money!"

"All Might figurine!"

"New XXX edition p-…" the last one was quickly shut up by Sero who had against his will, turned into Mineta's handler. Everybody was excited to go out, except Bakugo who could never seem to enjoy free time in any manner since the camp. He was looking at the envelope in his hand with disdain, scoffing at the reward for basically failing in every way that day.

Mina approached Izuku ready to ask the question on everybody's lips. "Is Tamaki coming?" he quickly became nervous, sure he would have loved to spend his day with Toga but there was no way for them to avoid someone figuring out something.

"I asked her, but she didn't respond. I don't think she's coming, I’ll ask her later" Mina seemed disappointed in his answer. Honestly, she just wanted to know who the hell she was, like everybody around. A girl coming out of nowhere with a criminal past, stealing the heart of the resident Cinamon roll of class 1A. She was bound to be interesting. "Aww, man…"

"You sure you didn't invent a story just to punch me, Midoriya," Todoroki lightly jabbed him in the ribs.

Izuku chuckled at his joke. "Certain"

“Maybe his hickey was from his vacuum cleaner," Denki added to the piles.

"I honestly think she's made up; I refuse to believe Midoriya managed to bag a chick in less than a month of chatting with her" Sero speaks his mind, holding Mineta over his shoulder like he was some sort of gym bag.

"1000 yens she does exist!" Kirishima butt into the conversation. Sero shook on it. "Deal!"

With spirits high, everybody started heading out under the careful supervision of Iida who was guiding everyone in a single file toward the mall not far from school, barely a twenty minutes walk to get to it.

As they exited the dorm and headed toward the UA gate, a rustle was heard from the bush; this time Izuku was prepared. "Principal Nezu?" just as he said the mammal got out of his leafy hideout a cup of scalding hot tea in hand. "My, my. I've become more and more previsible. Acute observation, my boy!"

Talking to Nezu even with his friend around was still nerve-racking; something about his beady little eyes and constant smile evoked in him a sense of dread, like he knew… For the other, he was simply adorable, like a plushie. Hagakure couldn't resist and went to pick up the little guy from the ground. "He is so cute!"

“I am still the principal Miss Hagakure. If you could let me down, it would be appreciated…" his voice didn't change but something about it promised her punishment if she didn't comply. Slowly the invisible girl let down the head of the school and joined Denki and Mina in the group of people who knew to fear the intelligent animal.

"Is it about my punishment for what happened Friday?" Izuku had the feeling his week was going a bit too well; he was waiting for the metaphorical shoe to drop.

“The world doesn’t revolve around you, my boy! I’m here for Bakugo” the bombastic teen turned toward the white fur mammal who addressed him his scowl deepening. “The hell, you want?”

Taking a sip from his tea he told him of his predicament. “It seemed Itsuka Kendo from class 1B has become terribly sick, leaving no one to team up against Monoma team for their battle exercise today. I was wondering if you would be interested in taking her place for the day.

Momo looked worried she didn’t interact much with the girl, but she was an upstanding class representative from what she heard. “She is sick. How did it happen?”

…Earlier…

Itsuka was walking toward her class, since their free day was planned for tomorrow instead of today like class 1A. She knew she would have to beat Monoma over the head about it at least ten times today. Suddenly from the corner of her eyes she spotted a peculiar sight.

"Am I a dog? A bear? A mouse? No, I am the principal!" Nezu dropped down from the celling with a freshly brewed cup of tea in hand, landing in front of her with panache. She lightly applauded his performance. Before hurrying to her class. "Wait miss Kendo"

"Yes, principal Nezu?" she halted her jog.

"Would you mind tasting this tea for me? It's a new brew I just invented," he handed her the cup. With a shrug she took a sip from it, praising the floral aroma and gentle sweetness emanating from it. She handed back the cup and ran toward her class, missing the slight chuckle emanating from him.

One hour later her stomach cramped, and she had to leave class due to unforeseen consequences…

…

“No idea!" Nezu cheerfully exclaimed awaiting an answer from Bakugo, but seeing him, he already knew what his answer was. His face twisted in a maniacal grin, exhuming radiant anger and joy. "You're telling me I get to train AND beat the shit out of Copycat? You guys go ahead; I just found my own fun for today" he followed Nezu in the direction of class 1B.

Somewhere at school, Monoma couldn't help but feel something was wrong…

Kirishima seemed sad that Bakugo went away. "Darn it, he was supposed to help me choose a new training set…" Sato stepped up to him giving him a thumbs up affirming he would gladly help him.

With Bakugo's departure, this opened the door for something Midoriya couldn't do before. He opened his phone and texted Himiko.

…

This was stupid, he had so much to do today. Aizawa was following the group of students from a distance, following Nezu's insistence of chaperoning them from the back. He had received Tamaki student information this morning from Hound-Dog and, like they theorised, something wasn't adding up. This girl had no past beyond her recent situation at the Midoriya, no middle school, nothing. And she had at least one incident of aggressing a fellow student with a knife.

This screamed trouble, the past, the smell of blood on her according to Hound-Dog, the lies, and her apparent quirklessness. Who was she? Where did she come from? He was busy eyeing Midoriya from a distance; he was talking to Iida about something, smiling and laughing about things he couldn't hear from a distance. Every once in a while, he would take a glance at his phone.

She told them she was his girlfriend, and when he asked the dogman about it, he told she wasn't lying; he could even smell a faint smell of arousal coming from her as she said it. Something both of them didn't want to dwell on.

So many questions are bouncing in his head right now, all fighting for his attention, latter. He had a job to do right now; a pro should never be distracted…

…

The group was gathered at the fountain in the center of the mall, Iida insisting if anyone is lost, they should wait here for assistance. A wave of "Yes mom…" and similar sentiment echoed throughout the group at the displeasure of the straightforward teen, who insisted the correct grammar in this context was Dad not Mom.

Ochako was busy chatting with the girl, talking about the cheapest place she could go to to avoid spending too much money on this little field trip. But her attention was elsewhere; ever since they left school, Deku was on his phone texting every minute or so. His face had this grin on it; whoever he was talking to was making him happy.

Happy?

She couldn't stop it; they both agreed he had the choice when she declared her love to him. She told him she was over it and wanted to be his friend despite what happened between them, but deep down she was still hurting. Seeing him smile, happy, cheerful with this girl, without her…

Her hand clasp over her chest, her mood was soured. She still loves him but he didn't love her as she did.

A selfish part of her still hoped she had a chance. That this girl would do something terrible, he would break up with her. She would be there to pick up the pieces and to build him up anew. Another *DING* from his phone followed by another smile on his lips. She looked away unable to bear it anymore.

Izuku was texting Himiko; he told her the news of Bakugo's absence. Without him or the teachers around, she had a chance to meet up with his friend. All she needed was a disguise, something she assured him she had and didn't hurt anybody for it.

When he heard Monday evening about two of his teachers meeting up at his home concerning his apparent self-harm, he almost fainted from hyperventilating in his room. Now both Aizawa and Hound-Dog knew her face, two more people they needed to keep an eye on. At the very least, she assured him they seemed to buy her excuses about the cuts, and they didn't press for answers.

*DING* another message from Himiko. "Where are you?"

"At the fountain, why?"

"I'm here; don't worry, I got a disguise~"

"What do you look like?"

"It's a surprise~"

Great now he had to figure out who she was. Himiko could never bother to take things seriously, something he quite enjoyed about her. She was the silly to his serious, balancing their dynamics avoiding him from falling prey to overthinking. He looked around; quite a few girls could fit the criteria; he knew she was about the same age as him at least. He didn't want to explain to his friend why his girlfriend would be ten years older than him…

Everyone was discussing where to go first; the girls wanted to go shopping, and the boys insisted on hitting the arcade. They were so enthralled in their conversation they failed to notice this girl weaving in between them. Well, some of them, she was quite conspicuous with this weird thing on her face.

On her face was one of those fake glasses with a big nose and moustache, and she was wearing a crimson red uniform from another school they didn't recognise. She walked toward Izuku, who was busy on his phone typing a long message. Suddenly she broke into a sprint heading directly for their oblivious classmate. "Izuku!" he barely managed to turn his head in time to see the human-shaped projectile heading his way.

The girl lounged at him, tackling him not quite to the ground, her lips sealing themselves around his. He took a step back surprised. "T-Tamaki?" she was smaller than him, sporting a round face with green hair and matching eyes. Her hair was style in two twin tails, the tip of it reaching her shoulder. She was a bit more corpulent than Himiko but not by much. "So, what do you think of my disguise?" she smiled at him, giving him a twirl. This question would raise up a few questions from his friends, but the comedy accessory took the blame of the question.

She looked like a girl version of him. "Q-quite good"

She removed the accessory replacing it with a pair of thick fake prescription glasses, the same model as her friend Goto Gen, whose skin she was wearing for today. "Just good? You big meany you're supposed to say cute!" Izuku was quickly warming up to her appearance; she was still herself even under the skin of another.

"Tamaki?" this was Sero who asked the question, a hint of defeat in his tone, next to him Kirishima was already opening his hand awaiting his money. Begrudgingly he handed him his 1000 yens.

“Yup, you guys must be Izuku's classmates. I've heard so much about you!" she was hanging around his neck, her head tilted toward everyone else, flashing the biggest grin she could muster. She could see everyone's reaction or in the case of Todoroki, the lack of it. The girls were murmuring in one another's ears, some of the guys were giving Izuku big thumbs up, Kirishima being at the front of them. Iida was chastising her about the PDA rules and Ochako…

She had the expression of someone you just saw a car crash, her lips almost trembling, she hid it well and fast. “T-Tamaki it’s a pleasure to meet you we also… heard about you” the majority seemed a bit nervous their only information about her was the life of crime she led before she met him. A lot of neck scratches and hollow cough. She let go of Izuku and went toward Ochako grabbing her hands in an indescribable expression. “Ochako! I’ve heard so much about you. I’m so glad we can finally meet face to face”

The brunette quickly pulled away, almost scared. Her smile was present but timid. “L-likewise…”

Himiko felt the tension rising in the group, was that a mistake for her to be there. Maybe she should have stayed hidden after all. A strong hand rested on her shoulder, calming her. “We should get going everyone!” Izuku was blushing but his smile was genuine, she looked up at him resting her own hand on his exchanging a quick peck before turning toward the group. “Have you ever seen him dance on those arcade machines! I guarantee you won’t regret it”

This seemed to do the trick, everyone curious about what she mentioned easing their mood. They decided that, yes they would love to see him move. Most of them ready to probably point and laugh at the guy with two left feet most of the time. How wrong they’re about to be proven…

…

Who the hell was that?

Aizawa looked at the girl latching on Midoriya claiming to be Tamaki. He saw her two days ago and she was vastly different, a quirk? Another girl? Probably the former, the way he talked and acted with her. Hound-Dog said she wasn’t lying about being bullied for her lack of quirk, was she pretending at school?

He was sitting on a bench in casual clothes and freshly shaven face. His hair was combed and pulled into a ponytail making him almost unrecognisable to most of those who knew him. He was hiding his face behind the papers of a journal, taking a peek from time to time.

Was his student in danger? The way he acted with the girl proved Midoriya wasn't scared of her; quite the opposite actually. He radiated confidence, showing full support in his partner who could change her face. A blonde with a hidden quirk with a tendency for knife aggression at school and the smell of blood...

Something clicked inside his head. "Midoriya, just what have you gotten into…" he continued to follow them; he knew Nezu asked him to supervise them from a distance for a reason: he would have his chat with the rat latter. For now, he followed them inside the arcade keeping a steady distance and an unblinking eye on the girl…

…

“What the hell, you beat me?!" Mina was on the dance pad next to Midoriya. He was also moving faster than anyone could comprehend. Why was he good at this! Even the resident break dancer of the class couldn't beat him, he was a prodigy at this earning him mocked praised from some of the boy prostrating themselves at his feet. "All hail Midoriya!"

His victory was quickly rewarded by the girl next to him kissing him lovingly on his lips; he smiled shy but happy. Himiko found a lot of pleasure in their little public display of affection; after hiding herself for so many years, it felt good to let loose and just be open with her feelings in front of others. At the great displeasure of Iida, who seemed more and more embarrassed by it, stating again rules about PDA while hiding his eyes.

“Chill, we're not at school. Midoriya can do what he wants" Kirishima simply stated happy for his friend's apparent happiness.

His little sentence awoke the teasing beast in Himiko, latching once more at him her face centimeter from his ear. "Oh, and what do you want I~zu~ku~" she pronounces each syllable deliberately loud enough for everyone to hear, delighting herself in his crimson expression and stuttering. From the back of the pack, both Mineta and Kaminari were sulking, stating things about him being a "Lucky bastard…"

Mina was the one to interrupt the couple. "Oh, no, you don't, I'm having my vengeance! Come on, Midoriya we’re playing another game until I beat you!" she grabbed him by the collar to both his satisfaction and deception toward one of the many games in the arcade. One thing was sure: she was about to have her due in spade. He already knew this was the only game he was good at, and now she was about to humiliate him on every other.

Kirishima and many others followed to see the massacre about to be laid into him, leaving behind Himiko and Ochako at the back. One was smiling, humming, and swaying her hips in content. The other had a hard time to put one foot in front of the other, closing up on herself. "Y-you look happy… Together…" she tried to sound thrilled for them but instead her words felt hard to pronounce.

“Ochako…" Tamaki turned her head toward the brunette who wasn't able to look her in the eyes.

"I-I'm happy… for you b-both," she turned her head away hiding prickling tears in the corner of her eyes; she thought she was over it. She should be able to face her, but this dark part of herself still resented her for taking what she considers hers. "You don't have to be," Himiko's words took her by surprise; what did she mean?

They were alone in a corner of the arcade, the whole group just ahead of them looking at Midoriya managing to shoot himself with the water gun. "You don't have to be happy for us; I know how you feel. You think I've stolen him from you"

She was right, this was how she felt about her. She was a thief, stealing what didn't belong to hers, a stranger mingling in a story they had no right to partake in. "N-no I-I…" She stuttered; she knew this wasn't the case. Deku was a person, with emotion and feeling not an object to fight over his ownership.

“To be honest, I was sure he would choose you," Himiko took her hands for a second time looking at their intertwine fingers; this time Uraraka didn't let go. "I'm a horrible person… I did bad things, and he just ignored it; he bulldozes through. I knew I loved him and fully expected it to be one way" they both looked at him soaking wet, laughing with his friend while an employee tossed him a towel.

“I-it's just… he never gives up, he's his attentive and I-I still love him… I can't stop myself" Uraraka looked at him desperately; she knew just how ridiculous she sounded right now, confessing to his girlfriend her feelings about him. She was probably getting ready to slap some sense into her or berate her and tell her to stay away. Instead, she let go of her hands and pulled her into a hug, to her great surprise. "I knew from the first time we saw each other we could understand one another Ochako…" her hand slowly rubbed her back in a soothing manner, her chin rested on her shoulder. Before the blushing brunette could do or say anything, she pulled back, holding her by the elbow; her head still next to hers, whispering.

"I'm a greedy girl when it comes to love, but for you I could share…" Was she implying…

“Wh-…uh…I-I…" Ochako wasn't sure what to say, her face turned crimson, and heat was rising in her face; all the questions she wanted to ask died down in her throat. Tamaki pulled back and ran toward Izuku before anyone could catch a glimpse of what transpired. "You guys' hungry? There is a burger joint not far, super cheap!" everyone cheered at the idea. Izuku pulled her close by the waist, keeping her next to him as he dried out. She protested as he made sure to get her damp from his drenched shirt, making both of them laugh.

He really looked happy…

…

Aizawa was pretending to play at one of the machines near the duo as they spoke; it was a sort of whack-a-villain. He could hear the conversation between both girls as he stood ready to intervene at the first sign of aggression. Instead, she seemed weirdly interested in Uraraka, talking about shared interests.

This girl was acting exactly like how Tsuyu and Uraraka described their assailant back at the summer camp; this would fit all the weird discrepancies he has noticed these past weeks. Midoriya uses of knives, his mood changes, the smell of blood on her, her obsession with both Uraraka and Midoriya… this was too much to be a coincidence, but he couldn't arrest her on pure speculation alone.

He tried to use his quirk on her; if it was a disguise, it may have broken it, but it didn't work. It was either a different girl and he imagined things, or her quirk wasn't actively being used, something more akin to a passive ability.

He smashed the little villain coming out of its hole with a bit more force than he intended…

…

“Midoriya, you sure she did any of those things you mentioned. She seems to be quite mellow; from the way you described her, I was expecting sharp teeth and claw" Sero was digging into his hamburger with the rest of the boys; they separated the tables between boys and girls, leaving Tamaki with the girls and Izuku with the boys.

"Don't say that, she had it rough I assure you" he nipped his comment in the bud before he got the idea of teasing her again. He didn't take the teasing about Himiko well; he knew how she was treated in her past for her smile and her slightly unhinged mannerisms. He must have said it a bit harsher than usual because the boy backed into his seat, avoiding his stare, whispering a soft "Sorry"

“It's true, if you had never told us I would have never guessed" Todoroki was busy eating his bowl of sobas he took from a stand a bit farther than the burger joint. EN

"I'm just glad she's getting better. From what you said, her past must have been hard on her," Iida smiled at him, giving him is support. Izuku looked down at his food smiling; he never imagined he could talk to his friends about Himiko in any way shape or form, but there he was. Things were looking up for her; she was socialising without him right next to her, getting better, healthier, happier.

He took a peek at the girls' table; she was in the center of all the attention directed at her as she talked and smiled, even managing to make Jiro laugh. He just hoped she wasn't embarrassing him. The look Jiro gave him as she snickered confirmed she was embarrassing him…

…

“No way he did that," Jiro was still chuckling about what Himiko said.

"Yup, his idea of a good movie was All Might VS the Giant Ant Army 3. You gals need to help me find him new hobbies; this is getting ridiculous." Toga laughed heartily about the night he tried to convince her that Atrocity was a good movie.

"Maybe photography; he is kind of an artist in a sense. Kero," the frog girl brought a finger to her chin in a thinking manner. "This would help him instead of drawing each hero in his notebooks"

This managed to perk up the girl at the center of attention. "Oh, his notebook! Have you seen his latest? he got notes on each one of you!"

“What kind of note…" Mina questioned her; at first, she was ready to give her the cold shoulder for intruding between Ochako and Izuku love story, but when she began to talk with her, she couldn't help herself. This girl was just like her, obsessed with love stories and gossips. Against her will, she warmed up to the grennete faster than she expected. It helped that Ochako seemed less tense now than when they began.

"Nothing too embarrassing mostly things about your quirk, like Asui theoretical tongue length or Jiro possible use of faster heartbeat for better soundwave," she took a bite from her burger chewing on the large bite. "That is how I learned about each one of you; I read them while I was at his home"

They continued their conversation talking about boys, girls, classes, and the lot. She remembered the first time she talked with Izuku about her quirk in the basement of the League of Villains, how normal it felt. She was feeling the same thing right now, just a normal girl talking with her friends. She wished she could live like this every day of her life…

…

Aizawa watched his students take the rest of the day using their allowed money to buy diverse and varying things, just being normal rowdy teenagers inside a mall. His eyes never leave Midoriya and his guest; even from a distance, he distinguished something in her pocket, too small to be a wallet to large to be a pen. If he had to take a guess, he would say a pocketknife, and if he was correct about the identity of the girl, he couldn't allow himself to relax.

The day came to an end; everyone of them had a bag filled with all the junk they could buy, except Ochako, who insisted on keeping the money for emergency, smart girl. He watched the couple hug and kissed each other goodbye; he hoped he was wrong. Trouble child was a lot of things, foolish, reckless, inconsiderate about his body, but he wasn't a villain, he couldn't be…

He heard about him saving Kota at the camp from Muscular, him running through the forest to assist his classmate despite his broken arms, the way he jumped into the portal taking the place of Bakugo.

Was it a ruse? A plan to lower UA guard as he infiltrates them, for now he had to report back to the school and confirm his doubt…

…

“We should do something like this again this weekend with Tamaki; your girlfriend is awesome, dude!" Kirishima wrapped his arm around Izuku's shoulder; he had a great time today and was looking for more in the future. "Maybe even bring Bakugo!"

"I'm not sure he would want that; he is really focused on his training lately"

"He should learn to rest his spirit as well as his body…" Tokoyami ominously added.

They entered the school gate and could see near the entrance Kendo, who looked a lot better than before, bringing a juice box to a mummified Monoma. His whole body was in a cast with barely enough space to let the straw inside for him to drink. A good thing because if he saw them, he would probably try to start an argument despite his condition. They waved at the girl in silence, and she gently waved back at them as they passed.

When they arrived, Aizawa was leaning against their dorm with the same bored expression he usually had. When he caught a glimpse of his student, he straightened himself and walked directly toward them. He didn't leave them the time to say anything. "Ochako, Tsuyu, a moment please," he gestures for the two girls to follow him. They exchanged a look wondering what that was about.

He pulled them inside of the main building inside an empty corridor. "What is it, mister Aizawa?"

"I just have a question for you both," he searched his front pocket fiddling with a paper, her uncurled showing them a picture. Both of them freeze, recognising instantly who this was. Golden catlike eyes, messy blonde hair styled in two equally messy buns and a smile larger and sharper than a normal one. "Recognised her?"

"It's the girl that attacked us back at the camp, Himiko Toga, Kero"

“Y-yeah that's her" seeing her face made Ochako tense up. "Why are you showing us this?"

Aizawa simply put the picture back into his pocket and showed no sign of emotions. "We may have located her; I just needed your confirmation about her appearance. That is all, do not worry the Pros are on it" the two girls were about to go back toward the dorm but were stopped before they could open the door. "One last thing"

"What?"

"Not a word to your classmates…" and just like that he turned his heels, walking away from them.

Now alone and side by side both of them couldn't shake this feeling of unease between them, why Himiko Toga? Why now? Something was happening and it seemed, and their teacher fully intended to keep it a secret.

"I knew from the first time we saw each other we could understand one another Ochako…" why was Tamaki's word resonating so hard in her head…

…

“So, concerning the new coffee machine that exploded earlier this week…" all the teachers were gathered inside the small auditorium listening to Nezu budget cut, new programs and formation. "The machine will be temporarily replaced by an automatic tea dispenser for the remaining weeks!"

A wave of displeased groan and protestation was heard by everyone until they were cut off by the main door slammed open with force, Aizawa was standing in it, his face contorted in a rare expression of anger. "What is going on Sho-…" Hizashi couldn't even finish his quip as the normally dishevelled man made a beeline toward Nezu, anger present in each of his steps.

“Finally, Aizawa, I was waiting for you for…" Nezu was picked off the floor forcefully, bringing him eye to eye with the glowing red eyes of his employee. Many stood, trying to stop whatever was going on between those two. His frustration with the principal was known by all but he had never been this physical before. Midnight and Ectoplasm tried to go stop him but were halted when he shouted. "Since when, you fucking rat! Since when you knew!" he shook the little mammal by the collar who didn't seem to be bothered the least by what was happening to him.

"About Saturday, I would say!" his beady little eyes and frustrating smile didn't waver a bit.

“Aizawa calm down! What is going on for the love of-…" All Might tried to calm the man, also up from his chair, ready to intervene. The red hot glare from him made him waver a bit in his posture. Aizawa looked around at his colleague all ready to jump on him and took a deep breath, dropping the rat on the table as he turned toward All Might.

"Your little pupil is affiliated with a member of the League of Villains…" his eyes didn't waver and his tone was dead serious.

When the name of the League was dropped, everyone burst into whisper with each other. All Might was frozen in place, the weight of what he said slowly dawning on him. At first incredulity, then fear and lastly anger. "What are you saying! This is ridiculous; never would he conspire with those villains!" a fist came down to his desk, splintering the poor thing in the four corners of the room. Aizawa didn't budge.

Nezu pulled out a small device from his pocket, pushing on one of the many buttons, dimming the light in the room, and before anyone could ask a question, he pressed another. "We may now begin this emergency meeting"

On the board, a large picture of Izuku Midoriya was projected, the same picture he used for his admission: timid smile, unsure eyes, and messy green curl, the very visage of innocence. "I'm afraid All Might, Aizawa is right. Izuku Midoriya is currently in a relationship with the same villains who attacked our student the night of the summer camp…" he pressed another button this time everyone could see on the screen the picture of Himiko Toga side by side next to Izuku, Hound-Dog growled as he recognised the face.

"Himiko Toga, 17 years old, suspected of at least 15 different cases of robbery with and without a weapon, 3 cases of stolen identity, 7 cases of assault with a deadly weapon, and at least 5 murders by bladed weapons," Nezu said with his usual enthusiasm contradicting the seriousness of the enumerated crimes.

“What do you mean a relationship?" Midnight would normally jump at the chance to make innuendo about what she heard, but the context of it made it clear this was a serious subject.

"They are boyfriend and girlfriend…" Aizawa bluntly said.

“WHAT!?" the wind displaced by this single scream was enough to be heard by the whole faculty. All Might fell in his chair cracking it with his full weight; this wasn't real. This was a bad joke… Izuku could never do something as bad as befriending the enemy; he couldn't believe it. He wouldn't believe it. "Do you have proof of what you say at the very least…" and this is his horror Nezu pressed the button…

In front of their eyes, a slideshow of pictures all taken by the girl. There were many cats, something that managed to somewhat calm Aizawa. Selfies, a picture of her with a strange expression pointing at an apartment with the captions "Prison Boy!!", Picture of her in uniform, picture of Izuku doing various things smiling at the camera. None of them were incriminating; they could have been taken by anyone, until finally…

The both of them sitting at a picnic table kissing while holding melting ice-cream cones in between their fingers…

"Those pictures are straight from the boy's phone conversation with this Himiko" this wasn't real… someone modified these pictures with a quirk or a computer program; young Midoriya would never…

“… he kept going on about how villains are not just symbol of Evil and how some heroes were just as bad as the villain they fight... I didn’t entertain his notion but…” the conversation they had at the hospital hit him like a freight train. Was he already working with them back then? His successor… If he still had a stomach he would probably puke right now.

"We also have a lot of their conversations in text messages between the two of them" now slowly going down, all the messages they exchange scrolling by, for each and every one of them to see, the subject of a certain dress kept coming back over and over.

Maybe someone tailored this conversation to make him look guilty; sure, this would be hard; they would need access to the boy's phone, but it wasn't impossible. He might still be innocent… "Please Izuku be innocent!" Another button was pressed; this time it was an audio of their conversation.

“Hey hotstuff, so how did it go?”

 “Maybe this was an insult and not a compliment?” he thought.

“Perfectly no one asked any compromising detail. How is it going with my mom…”

“What details is he talking about?”

“Oh, you know the usual, she's trying to make me the perfect housewife I think"

“It’s not real, its not real…”

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, she keeps telling me I should learn how to make katsudon"

“You should it’s delicious!”

“Only if you learn to make cake” *laugh*

“Why is she laughing?”

“Of course! Are we still meeting this weekend?”

“Yeah, I was thinking we could go back to the park, you know the one where we had our first date”

“Again! It’s not real, its not real!”

“Sure! Hey Himiko?”

“Come on say something else anything else boy…”

“What?”

“Please…”

“I love you…”

“I love you too Izuku…”

All Might let his body slump in his chair, his sunken eyes fixed on nothing; lost in the revelation he just learned about. The man looked deflated even in his muscle form, an expression of pure horror on his face. Izuku Midoriya was with a villain…

"We should do something this instant! Arrest the boy and question him as soon as we can. Why did you wait so long to tell us, Nezu?" Snipe cried out in indignation but was silenced when the animal raised its paw.

"We are planning an arrest this weekend on the both of them at the same time; this is why I waited. I needed to find the perfect moment to ambush them!"

"Why not today while they were together? I'm sure you already knew about her planning to come today…" Nezu simply shook his head at Aizawa.

“While other students were present. This would have been a problem, Shota"

"Another thing, she has a transformation quirk" this piques the mammal curiosity. Nowhere in her paperwork does it mention the nature of her quirk. He motions him to continue. "Today she was able to infiltrate my class during their trip to the mall by assuming the identity of another girl, one with green hair, glasses, and the same uniform as the school she is currently going to. We can assume she can take the identity of anybody, and my own quirk is not able to neutralize the transformation"

“You didn't arrest her?" asked Cementos.

"I was still missing information concerning her identity at the moment," he turned to ward Nezu, glaring. "Because of a certain someone being more preoccupied in playing games…"

He continues. "At the very least she only socialises with them and never tried any hostile action against any of the students," he sighs now knowing this could have been a lot worse if the rat had somehow misread the situation, something he never did.

“Can…" All might rub his face using his massive hand; he looked like he had aged ten years in the last five minutes. He pushed forward and meekly asked his question. "Can I make a call to a former colleague of mine… he may be able to help us understand what is going on…" calling him was the last thing he ever wished to do right now. He could already imagine the headaches incoming.

"I pretty sure I know who you are insinuating; I accept!”

All might excuse himself and walked out of the room his whole body slumping forward; he took the little device from his pocket and searched into his contacts, finding the one he was looking for. His fingers were shaking but he pressed none the less. It rang once, twice and just before the third time he picked up. "All Might, what a surprise. Why are you calling so late? I was about to leave the agency…" his voice hasn't changed in all these years, still the same salary man he knew, something he usually would joke about, but he had no energy for it today.

"Hello Mirai… I need a favor…"

Author’s note

There you have it the cat is out of the bag! Heroes are gathering to arrest our lovely couple, and All Might is devastated and Monoma got wrecked. Fun!

At least they had a fun day at the mall together with their friends. I love teasing the Ocha/Toga.

How will Mirai help or screw them up?

Next time Foresight and exam…

Chapter Text

…Friday…

“YO, YO, YO! Who can help me conjugate this sentence! Midoriya!" Present Mic teaching class 1A their daily English class, the man was filled with an intensity few could match. Shouting, smiling and boasting were his bread and butter. He pointed at the teen who raised from his seat to answer the question on the board. "Well, the sentence 'All your base are belong to us' should be…"

He looked at him from behind his sunglasses; he theorised for a while there was a traitor at UA, too much information was leaking to be a coincidence, but never would he have thought Midoriya would be the culprit. All the evidence pointed toward him; the faculty decided to hide the fact they knew what was going on until the sting operation tonight. From the messages they gather, they would meet this evening at the park after class. The team in charge of their arrest was already getting ready.

“Right! Good Job! Now anyone know the past tense of this verb…" behind his panache and his eccentric personality Hisashi Yamada was a deeply serious man dedicated to his profession as both a hero and a teacher. If anyone would dare to even try to hurt his students…

The chalk he was holding suddenly broke under his fingers…

…

Izuku and his little gathering of friends were sitting at their usual cafeteria table; today was spaghetti day. Each of them was eating from their tray making light conversations. "We have our exam together today, right?" asked Izuku in between bite to his partner.

"Yeah, against Iida and Bakugo, but we will win I'm sure of it!" she cheerfully declared ignoring the tall teen in front of her whom she was about to confront, giving instead a big thumbs up to Izuku.

Iida readjusted the glasses on the ridge of his nose. "Don't dismiss us too fast Uraraka, Bakugo may be a bit rough in terms of personality but I'm sure even he made progress with his teamwork" Ochako simply continued giving positive affirmation to her partner, disregarding again the taller teen.

“Who are the hostages?" Todoroki asked while twirling the long strands of noodles on his plate. Ochako turned toward him with a sadistic smile. "Mina and Jiro, they owe me…" she was radiating an aura of pure malice; she didn't forget Mina's little stunt of shoving her in a closet with her crush. She hoped she would be on the villain team for a little payback...

"I heard they are splitting the class so those who don't have an exam can work on their super moves. They even brought a substitute from outside to help All Might with his class" Tired of being ignored, Iida changed the subject in the hope of being listened to.

“A new teacher? Who told you that?" Izuku was intrigued. UA had enough staff on hand to handle these types of things without outsider help. What changed?

"I've heard from some of the students in class 1B; their heroic class is a bit earlier than us, and they were talking about the new teacher present" he began jerking his arm in his usual manner. "Apparently he is very straightforward and professional but kind of a stick in the mud"

Slurping on his pasta Todoroki couldn't suppress a light chuckled. "Sound like you, Iida"

"Thank you for praising my professionalism and straightforwardness!" the small joke passed ten feet over his head…

"I wonder who that could be?"

…

Izuku entered the training ground they used to train their super moves with his classmates; they were all excited to begin practicing. At first, All Might was strangely absent from his own class. Looking further ahead, he could see two persons discussing near the corner of the room; one of them was All Might. He looked nervous, unsure; his face twisted in a weird expression of unease. The man in front of him stood straight, dressed in the outfit of a typical salaryman. His short green hair had streaks of yellow in it; unlike All Might, his expression was focused and serious. The two of them were discussing as he got close, too far to hear what was going on. "All Might!" Izuku ran toward his teacher waving at him; he expected him to return his enthusiasm like usual, but he only froze as he got closer. He saw something on his face, dread…

He didn't say anything, simply turning away from him as he got near them. The man next to him stepped up front, putting himself in between them, confronting him. "Izuku Midoriya" this wasn't a question, more so a statement. "Yes?"

The tall man towered over him; his face was harsh yet neutral. "Follow me, I'll be the one to administer your exam. Bring along the concerned classmate; that is all" his voice was the same as his expression, harsh and neutral. Something about him seemed familiar, like he knew him from somewhere. He turned around and waved at Ochako and Bakugo, who in turn brought along Iida, Jiro and Mina. The nervous girls were dragged firmly by a strangely happy Ochako.

He turned toward his teachers; All Might had stilled his back turned as if he was avoiding him. "Go with him, my boy…" his voice was somber, lacking his usual joy. Something was wrong with him; was his time limit nearing its end? That would explain the hired help from the stranger. He did as he was told and walked away with the man.

All Might only turn when he was sure he wasn't looking; he just ended his talk with Sir Nighteye, and the man, as usual, didn't chew his word, something he learned long ago. He talked to him about Mirio, the boy he had chosen before he himself chose Izuku Midoriya. He was a courageous young man with a great future ahead of him, strong and confident. The perfect successor for him. His former sidekick's last words are still fresh in his mind. "If you aren't correct and the boy is destined for villainy, we'll need to get One for All back from him, and you'll need a new successor. For once All Might, listen to me…" he swallowed the hard lump in his throat…

…

Izuku was ahead of the rest, next to the man walking in front of him. "You are a hero, sir?" he tried to make some small talk, trying to gage the man he still didn't know anything about. He didn't answer, simply walking forward as if nothing was said. "I saw you talking with All Might. Do you know him pers-…" he was cut off suddenly; the word coming from the man could have been ice from how cold they were.

"Do not speak his name; I still think he made a mistake entrusting One for All to you. I'm just here as a favor to judge your ability and morals". he froze, did this man know about One for All? Just what kind of person was he to be entrusted with such an important secret. "You-…"

“Stop talking, you disappointed him enough already," his calm was slightly compromised, letting Izuku hear a glimpse of the anger underneath his words. He nonetheless did as he was told; whoever he was, he missed his chance for a favorable first impression. Together they walked toward training ground Beta, in front of the usual fake office building in front of them.

"The match-up will be Ochako Uraraka and Izuku Midoriya as the villains vs Katsuki Bakugo and Iida Tensei as the heroes. Mina Ashido and Kyoka Jiro will serve the roles of the hostages; any questions?" he turned toward the students entrusted to him with no joy or pep in his voice, stating the obvious as if trying to get on with it as fast as he could.

“Yeah, I have one who the hell are you four-eyes?" Katsuki questioned in his usual brashness; he barely managed to dodge the stamp coming his way, indenting itself in the wall behind him, leaving a small crater. They all turned their heads toward the man shock visible on all their faces from the seemingly huge strength this man possessed. "You will refer to me as Sir Nighteye and refrained yourself from using such language in the future, am I clear?"

The permanent scowl on Katsuki's face eases for a moment; whoever this guy was, he was strong and wouldn't tolerate his attitude. He reminded him of Best Jeanist in a way, with his similar cool attitude and no non-sense politic. "Y-yes"

"Yes, who?"

This guy was going to be very annoying very fast. "Yes, Sir Nighteye…"

Something clicked in Izuku's head. "Sir Nighteye? The former sidekick of All Might himself!" he was a bit more expressive than usual, but it wasn't every day he had the chance to meet someone who worked so closely with his idol despite the cold attitude directed at him.

This managed to get everyone's attention; this guy was All Might sidekick with his drab attitude and even a duller outfit, him? "Are you sure Midoriya? He doesn't strike like the kind of guy who would work with All Might" Mina wasn't convinced of the boy's statement. Izuku was THE All Might fan for sure, but maybe he was wrong about this guy…

“I'll have you know I own most of his paraphernalia in at least two different warehouses I loan, in case something happened to the first…" What he said and how he said it didn't fit at all. He might give Midoriya a run for his money in terms of number one fanboy.

"But this is beside the point," he pulled out the handcuffs and the keycard, giving it to the respective team. "I'm sure you know what this exam is about, so I won't waste any more time with idle chatter. The exam begins in ten minutes; villains prepare yourselves," he turned around, probably heading toward the viewing room.

Izuku turned toward his partner. "Let's do this Ochako!" she nodded back. She turned her attention toward her victims; both felt their body slightly waver at her malicious gaze. "I have a plan to hide the hostages, hehehe…" Mina didn't like the sound of that…

…

“The test begins now; you have 20 minutes" with the buzz from the speaker, Katsuki and Iida charged into the building with no hesitation. Iida took the main entrance and Bakugo propelled himself in the air entering through the second floor; they had a plan.

Iida will look at every odd numbered floor while Katsuki checks all the pairs, allowing them to cover more spaces in less time. The building was large, scorch marks, dent, and scratches covered the walls of the hallway he was running through a testament of everything they practiced just to get here. Everyone was giving their all and he was going to give it more than that. He felt like a failure back at the training camp, back at his first heroic exercise. Never again would he be beaten; he vowed to get stronger for himself and everyone around him.

He turned a corner, nothing. How could he call himself a hero if he needed saving all the time. He was strong he knew it, but not strong enough to catch up to Izuku it felt. Every step he took forward he would take two, no matter how hard he worked.

“Kyaaa!!” that was raccoon eye voice it was coming from the floor above. “Oi, four-eyes get to the fifth floor I found them I think!”

“My name is Iida you brute!” from the coms they were handed he responded, offended by the nickname he wouldn’t drop.

“JUST GET THERE!!” he yelled back into the earpiece. He raised his gauntlet, if they were above, he could punch a hole in the ceiling and ambush them. No, he had no idea where they put the hostages if he hurt them, they would lose this exam. He gritted his teeth and headed toward the stairs instead, rejoining with his teammate. His teachers would probably praise his restrain even if he only stopped himself because he didn’t want to lose.

Together they got up the stairs; the second he put a foot down on the last step, he felt it. Something fast and hard hit his leg just above his knee; he looked in the direction of the attack to see round cheek and Deku. She had her slingshot out aimed at him while the nerd stood in between them, acting as a sort of shield for their eventual charge. They just made one small mistake…

They didn't have the hostages with them. Bakugo stopped Iida from going in and raised his arm, his finger already on the pin in his gauntlet. He hadn't sweated enough for a catastrophic explosion like the last time he was there, but this would still pack a punch. The two opponents saw and rolled on the side into the open door next to them as a fiery explosion engulfed the corridor in front of him. Of course, Deku had thought about that, that fucking nerd…

His leg was hurt but far from being useless. “Go get Deku I’ll deal with Round Cheek” they needed to act fast before they had the chance to regroup, he wanted nothing else than beat up Deku but knew if he wanted to win, he couldn’t let her get distance on them and as the better fighter he would deal with her quicker than the engine knight.

With bursts of explosions, he was sent forward toward the door, she was probably ready for him, looking at the door. Too bad he didn’t need to take the door; an explosion took down the wall of the room she was standing in, sending shrapnel of rocks in her direction forcing her to cower to avoid damage, one of the debris hit her deployed slingshot, destroying it. Luckily Racoon eye and Ear weren’t there, where were they hidden?

“Let me down Ochako, I promise I won't ever do something like that again!" he looked in the direction of the voice. There, just outside the window, Mina and Jiro were floating tied together, held in place by a cable that was probably laying around. Both of them looked terrified hovering from the fifth floor with nothing more than a rusty metal cable anchoring them to the building. "I never thought I'd say this in my life but… SAVE US BAKUGO!" Jiro screamed as she was looking down at the vast expense of nothing under her.

He had planned on taking Uraraka out in a fight, but this gave him another idea. Round face was still on the floor getting up. If he took her down, she may halt the zero-gravity sending them down to their doom, Deku’s team would lose for injuring the hostage by putting them in danger, but he wanted a pure victory.

He rushed at the two tied up girls and with a boom he broke the cable holding them to the building with part of the wall. "What are you doing, you lunatic!" Mina and Jiro were starting to float away toward the sky but were stopped when Katsuki jumped off the building, grabbing the lifeline, plummeting together toward the ground. "AAAAAHHHHH!!!"

“SHUT IT!" with an explosion, he slowed his descent, avoiding meeting the pavement at terminal speed, holding a balloon made of his classmate in hands. Round Cheek had just made his job easier. Looking up, he saw her yell something in her visor, and the wall next to her burst revealing Deku, crackling with energy, heading down toward him. His face had the same determination he had when pushed to go beyond.

The two girls suddenly stopped floating, making it harder than he would have liked to bring both of them to the edge of the field. Iida was the one with the keycard, and even with his speed, he would take him precious seconds to get here, having no way of jumping down. "Get outside now, Four-eyes! I'll hold them off!" Ochako was going down using her quirk to slow her descent, like the angry balloon she was. A quick controlled explosion pushed her back where she came from, giving him the chance to fight Deku one on one.

The first thing he saw was a foot almost colliding with his temple; he countered with an explosion, sending him back a few feet. He didn't lose momentum using the building next to him as a landing pad to lounge himself at him once more this time with a left hook; he was fast grazing him on the arm. But this was enough, electricity jolted throughout his whole body making him tense for a second but a second too late. Deku's new support item had done his job giving him the opening he needed to deliver a powerful kick in his chest, sending him flying away from the hostage right inside a wall. He crashed with a deafening thud; he got a good hit on him.

Deku had his back turned away from the building; he failed to notice Iida jumping out from the first-floor window toward the hostages. Keycard in hand, he wouldn't be able to rescue them in time without help. Wincing and groaning, he held his hand high in the air, getting ready for his next move; Deku couldn't avoid it in time.

"STUN GRENADE!" a white flash and a loud explosion deafened and blinded the green-haired boy, but not his teammate, who avoided the brunt of the damage thanks to his helmet. Iida took the opportunity to undo the girl's shackle and grabbed Jiro before running off as fast as he could. Mina ran away in the opposite direction.

Izuku opened his eyes just in time to see all their hostages running away from him as Ochako landed next to him. They ran after Mina but now having her quirk back she easily managed to run off the boundary. A loud buzzer sounded. "The heroes win…" Iida must have already escaped.

“We lost…" Ochako looked down defeated next to her teammate who looked incredulous at what happened. Deku stood there unsure how to feel about this but quickly shacked his feelings away; he ran toward Bakugo, who was shakily trying to get out from his crater. "Good job, Kacchan; that was amazing!"

He offered his hand; an image flashed in his mind. Young Izuku is doing the same thing as he rested in a small creek; his eyes filled with worry. "Are you ok?" he looks up at him, his outstretched hand in front of him, a radiant smile on his face, no malice or mockery on it. Deku was just a good guy helping those he could, never anything else. He was so stupid back then…

"You know it, Deku," Katsuki grabbed his hand…

…

“Congratulations to all of you, in particular to you Bakugo" Nighteye praised him, to his confusion. He lost the fight against Deku, what was there to congratulate. "I've heard from your teacher your lack of willingness to cooperate with teammates. Today you proved you could work with others with great efficiency, even sacrificing yourself for the sake of others. You showed today the hallmark of a great hero" the man stayed impartial the whole speech, barely raising his voice in his praise.

"S-shut up, I still lost my fight…" a vague tinge of pink was on his face, what was it? Pride? Embarrassment?

“As for the rest of you, I will have a report on your performance ready for your next class. I expect all of you to improve the same way Bakugo did. By pushing yourself even if it goes against your nature. That's all, dismissed," the group of costumed teens started walking away toward the door, but Midoriya was stopped by a hand grabbing his shoulder. "Yes?" he turned his eyes connecting with those of Sir Nighteye; he hasn't noticed, but there was a tear on his shoulder allowing the adult direct contact with his skin, completing all the requirements for his quirk. He could see glimpses of the boy's future in front of him for a brief second, not using longer fearing he might catch on to the fact he was peering into his future.

The hand around his shoulder tightened in a painful manner as the man in front of him kept his neutral expression, hiding the rage he now fully harbored the boy. "Sir, you're hurting me…" he let go of Midoriya, turning away from him. "Go…" confused, he ran toward the door, rejoining with his friends.

Minutes later, All Might entered the room to see Mirai leaning into a chair, his hand to his chin in a thinking manner. He was wearing his usual yellow suit in his skeletal form; his face filled with both hope and dread. "Mirai, what did you see?" The salaried man got up from the chair walking by his own idol, a heavy hand landing on his shoulder as he looked past him, hiding his disappointment and anger.

"You chose poorly…" he walked out of the room leaving a devastated Yagi Toshinori behind him; this was his last chance to prove young Izuku's innocence, and it just slipped out of his hand. There was nothing he could do for him now…

…

Mirai would never tell anyone of his vision but what he saw made him shake his head in anger. This boy who inherits his mentor's power would throw it away for a villain. He thought about what he saw, what would happen in the future.

He saw him in a bar with villains laughing and cheering as he drank.

He saw him and the girl in a stolen vehicle, endangering everyone around them as police pursued them.

He saw him fight against heroes, extracting their blood with a syringe as he offered it to his partner in crime.

He saw him shakily hold a knife under Eraserhead's throat as he cowers in a corner, fear in his eyes.

He saw them on a roof at night kissing as they looked down at the city light.

He saw enough…

…

Back at the dorm Izuku was getting ready for his date, putting on a dress shirt with some black fitted pants, nothing fancy but he owed her something better than a shirt with the kanji "Shirt" on it. He looked at his phone to see Himiko texting him; she was also getting ready, and she would be waiting at the park for him. He took his bag and went down the stairs.

In the common room, some of the boys were getting ready to go out; having experienced the arcade made them want to go back together as a group. Kirishima was the first to see him. "Looking sharp man! You have a date?"

"Y-yeah, I'm going to see Tamaki, wish me luck" at his comment, Mineta jumped at him, foaming at the mouth.

“Wish you luck? Why is something about to happen! Give us the details, man!" the resident pervert was quickly taped and gagged before he had the chance to embarrass him further. "Yea sure, good luck!" Sero gave him his largest and brightest smile as Izuku ran off the door, almost colliding with Present Mic who was coming in; he excused himself and continued on his path. "HEY, HEY, HEY! How are my favorite students doing? Give me a YEAHH!!!" nobody gave him a YEAHH!!!

"Tough crowd I see! It's cool, very cool!" Present Mic sends out some finger guns toward the gathered students.

"Not to sound rude, but what are you doing here, mister?" Ojiro asked confused why their English teacher was doing this, inside their dorm.

"Can't I just want to see how my students are doing, YIIOO!!" This time he gave them the double devil horns.

" Sorry we were about to leave, mister Yamada. Catch you later!" Kirishima was about to go out the front door but was stopped when the exuberant man stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back inside. He looked at him confused.

His face had changed; gone was the usual annoying grin and bothersome behavior, replaced by a look that sent a shiver down his spine. This wasn't Hizashi Yamada the teacher; this was Present Mic the hero… "Is everyone inside?" even his voice sent chill through them; something wrong was going on.

“Uhm, y-yeah Midoriya is the only one outside right now I think?" the manly teen looked around getting confirmation from pretty much everyone in the room that was true. Straightening himself, he pulled out a device from his pocket, pressing it. Out of nowhere, metal blinds covered all the windows and doors of the dorms, shutting all possible exits. Even the balcony was wrapped by the metal drape covering the whole building. Those who weren't present got down from their room a questioning look on their face. "What is going on?" Todoroki got down the stairs to see what all the commotion was about.

Silently Hizashi made a head count making sure everyone was gathered and let out a contented sigh when everyone was deemed present. "What the hell! Present Mic tells us what is going on?" Mina jumped a bit at the mood switch.

“You will all stay here for the day; it's unsafe for you to go out right now" he took a chair and sat down guarding the door. "Stay put…"

"What about Midoriya? he is outside right now! We should go-…" Iida was stopped by the cold glare given by the pro at the door; they weren't going anywhere.

"Midoriya is getting taken care of, let the pros do their job…" it was easy to forget this man was best friend with their homeroom teacher and he clearly caught on to his serious attitude when he needed to. This didn't stop more people from talking about Izuku. "Yeah, he is supposed to see his girlfriend today. What if he is in danger?"

“I'm sure he and Cat-eye can handle themselves just fine" the last thing Bakugo wanted right now is to be forced to talk about Deku and his weird girlfriend. His comment raised a few eyebrows. "What do you mean Cat-eyes, usually your nicknames are more accurate than that, Kero?"

"The hell are you guys talking about, she has those weird slitted eyes like a cat, don't tell me none of you notice that?!" everybody looked at him like he was crazy.

"Uhm dude, she's a greenette with green normal eyes. She looks like a gender-bent copy of Midoriya…"

"What the hell? Did you hit your head she's clearly a blonde with weird yellow eyes and creepy teeth…"

“You sure you didn't hit your head during your exam? Come on back me up Ochako…" Jiro turned toward the brunette awaiting some backup for her fact. But the girl was frozen in place; her pupil reduced in size as panic overwhelmed her. "Earth to Ochako? I think we lost her-…"

"Did she have two messy buns on her head and sharp canines!" she shouted at him; her breath was getting faster. Why did Aizawa show her and Tsuyu that picture Wednesday?

" Yeah, why?"

Ochako fell to her knee. Tsuyu took a second to realise what she meant and equally froze; if everyone was concerned, they were now deeply troubled. Momo ran toward Ochako asking her what was wrong; she only lifted her eyes toward her, a pure expression of fear in her eyes as she unblinkingly looked at her.

"T-that's the girl… T-the one that attacked us at the camp with the League of Villains…" They all turned toward Bakugo, who in response turned toward the teacher in the room with them. He had a slightly annoyed look in his eyes. "Like I said. Let the pros handle it…"

…

In an old warehouse, a group of villains were gathered waiting for the man who accosted them last week; he talked about his organisation, the MLA. Bunch of scrubs with illusions of grandeur who only think this way because they found enough weirdos who thought the same thing they did. Shigaraki looked at the hand usually placed on his face, the one of his father. The man tried to kill him the day his quirk manifested; he could still feel his hands around his throat.

Wasn't that what they were? A bunch of rejects working together because nobody wanted them, he looked around, Magne was showing off her new arm to Spinner who tried to convince her to add a hidden blade like in those games he played when he was a kid. Compress was entertaining Twice with his sleight of hand pulling coins after coins from behind the madman's ear, who told him to keep going until he was rich, not realising it was the same coin over and over. Dabi was sulking in the corner as usual and Kurogiri was absent.

What were they doing, killing All Might, that's for sure but what will they do after? Split up, hide, die… Was it all they wanted, to find a crumb of meaning in their life and leave a mark before a hero got them. He rose from the crate he was lying on, sitting instead, the hand of his father strangely silent for the moment.

He remembered the game they played together last week and even if he almost dusted Kurogiri, this was the most fun thing he remembered doing in a long time. He put the hand into his pocket turning toward the ragtag team of misfit he was the leader of. "What do you want?"

Everyone turned toward him as if he grew a second head. "The hell you mean Dusty?" asked Dabi who was sitting in his own corner away from the rest.

"Just like I said, what do you want?" this did nothing to enlighten the burned man. Did he burst a blood vessel or something? First Himiko who asked her what he wanted to be if he wasn't a villain, then his boss getting all philosophical on his ass. He sighed why nobody could ask normal questions in this godforsaken group…

Magne was the first to speak. "Honestly, I just want to keep doing what we do while it's fun. After, Ehhh, I'll cross that bridge when I reach it," she didn't seem bothered the least, even if she lost an arm doing what she deemed worth it.

"I want to get rid of the fake heroes who plague this world…" Spinner said, crossing his arms and closing his eyes, trying his best to sound cool. "And maybe get my hand on the new copy of Blaster Master 3 before it sold out in store…" and immediately ruined it.

"I want to steal from those righteous heroes and give back to the poor you suffered under their thumb!" Compress said with as much panache as he could muster. "Not my fault if we're the ones suffering right now, I'm still giving back to the poor, US!"

Dabi sighed again, this was turning into a group exercise all over again. "I want to kill Endeavor or whatever…" he wasn't about to get into his whole sad backstory in front of those weirdos. "Seemed like everyone spoke their mind, can we go back to ignoring one another…"

"There's one left…" Compress pointed at Twice who was uncharacteristically silent during the whole ordeal. Sitting on a box, tugging at his mask making sure it was secured.

"What about him? You think he has some deep-seated dreams in that mad head of his?"

Shigaraki ignored Dabi's rude comment and slowly strolled toward Twice standing over him awaiting his answer. "What do you want?"

Lots of things were going on inside his head right now, a jumbled mess of contradiction and opposition. One memory stood above all else: he and Toga sitting at the bar talking, well him spewing nonsense and her listening while smiling, until one sentence raised above the rest. "You're funny! You can be my friend if you want…"

"I think I want friends…" everybody was surprised, no weird antic just a simple demand with nothing weird added to it. "And a Sandwich! /With no pickles!" ah, there he was, Dabi was scared for a moment.

Their little therapy session was interrupted when Trumpet entered the room; his smug look made him look very punchable… "Glad to see you here, Shigaraki. My employer will be thrilled to hear the news"

"Let's just get this over with…" he followed the man with the rest of his gang inside a large limousine, completed with customary drinks. Dabi, Magne and Compress were fast in emptying the minibar as fast as they could while I was playing with the window between the front and the back.

"Have you decided to accept our invitation, Mister Shigaraki?" the well-dressed man asked while pouring himself some champagne, offering some to his guest who refused. Tomura tapped his finger against the leather of the seat. "I get what we get from this, but what is the catch? What do you want from us?"

Trumpet took a sip from his glass before putting it aside, it was promptly grabbed by Magne who downed it in an instant. "We're looking for a partnership between the two of us; I don't see why you acted so stressed. Can't a large organisation like us try to recruit promising recruits like you? You almost defeated the symbol of peace at the USJ from what I've heard, quite an impressive feat"

This was bullshit, there was no way they would go out of their way to recruit them even if they did almost kill All Might, they wanted something more, something only they had access to. The Nomu? No, couldn't be. They probably freak out about the idea of stealing people's quirk to create those abominations, leaving them only one thing of worth…

“You want Sensei…" the mention of All for One managed to get a reaction from the smug man in front of him who almost looked surprised he figured it out. He quickly hides his surprise behind a gentle smile. "Very impressive, you are just as smart as they told…

Author’s note

Who should be on duty for the arrest?

Ouuuhh! We're entering the turning point. I'm so excited about the next chapters!

What do you think will Izuku become a villain? Will they both be arrested? Will they flee? Only I know!

A little redemption for Bakugo, I don't like his character, but I also don't hate him. Turning him into a bully is a mistake I see too much in other stories; the guy is complicated.

And what about those visions, surprised?

We got little peek from our favorite group of misfits.

Next time, arrested…

Chapter Text

Izuku was feeling great; he had a date planned with Himiko tonight, everybody seemed to like her back at the mall, and even if he lost his exam, Kacchan was getting better as a hero. This inspired him to go further and beyond and do his best. To be the greatest hero he could ever be…

He was on the train in the direction of the park; they wanted some time alone before meeting at his house for supper with his mom. He hoped for Katsudon; it's been so long since he had something fresh.

He opened his phone and scrolled through his pictures; right at the top, he could see it: the two of them kissing while eating their ice-cream. Just a chaste kiss, nothing too bad, but it meant so much to him. Himiko Toga was a dangerous criminal with a troubled past, but she changed, for him, for her, for them. She still wasn't 100% there yet, but he knew together they could make it as a couple despite the danger standing in their way.

Everyone could see her as they wanted; he knew the truth. Himiko was a loving girl who only ever wanted someone to understand her and help her. He was that person for her, and he wished that together they may find other people who would do the same. Like Akemi or his mother.

But she wasn't the only one who changed; he needed her just as she needed him, and he wasn't even aware of it until he started giving in to his emotions. He found the confidence he had been lacking his whole life, a person he could share his burdens with, burdens he wasn't aware of. She took a knife to his chest and exposed the fragile heart he had. She could have tear it apart, but she chose to love him and take care of it.

A delicate smile crept on his lips as his hand hovered over his chest where his heart was; he could feel it flutter as he thought of Himiko. He was in love, and it felt great to be honest with himself. The door of the train opened up; his destination was only a few minutes away.

…

Aizawa and Vlad King were following the boy as he exited the train, a permanent smile locked on his lips as he walked at a brisk pace toward his destination. They weren't in costume but Eraserhead kept in his duffle bag their equipment so they could act on a moment's notice. Things were calm, just like before a storm.

"You're sure he is in with the League?" whispered his white-haired colleague as they tailed him from a distance. "None of the messages we saw were compromising; they honestly feel like an ordinary couple, as weird as it sounds"

“Don't get cold feet on me, should I remember you the girl is suspected of at least five murders, including a child from middle school" He was focused on the mission; it didn't matter what they saw wasn't incriminating in itself; he may be leaking information without his knowledge, playing the part of the useful idiots. He was kidnapped by them; no way he wasn't aware of her criminal past, one way or another.

"Don't worry about me, I'm more worried about you. You're terrible at this emotion bullcrap; if you need to talk, I'm here…" Aizawa only scoff at his friend's concerns; he had no pity for villains…

But he did for his students, what pushed him to be with her, circumstance? He didn't want to dwell on it; he had a job to do, and he wasn't about to start doubting himself right now.

…

Izuku entered the park from one of the open metal gates; it was a large private strip of land turned into a public park by the generous owner who had no plan for this lot. Business flourished around the social hub as family and children played in the last moment of sunlight they had for the day. Himiko texted him saying she was under a tree waiting for him, which wasn't very helpful seeing the number of trees present.

He walked in circles for a bit looking left and right in search of the fabled tree she mentioned, his one and only clue. He asked for more, but she simply texted him back a winking emoji; she did love teasing him, and he sure didn't mind it. He reached the end of the park, a place with a large pond and next to it a weeping willow, the only one present in the park. Knowing her flair for dramatic, he headed there expecting to find her behind the large trunk where she could easily hide herself if she wanted to. He sneaked toward his destination expecting to surprise her; he put himself flushed against it and peeked around the corner to see…

Nothing, she wasn't there. Maybe he didn't know her as much as he thought. Suddenly, a rustle in the leaves, if it was Nezu again, he was going to blow a fuse… He looked up, seeing nothing among the dense foliage above, his eyes searching for the source of the noise. From the shadow he finally saw it, two yellow eyes peeking at him with loving intensity. "Found you!"

"Not fair, I trained you too well," she chuckled as she let herself down, her slender frame easily weaving through the branches in her way, revealing more and more of her person to Izuku, now growing dread. The tasteful black of her outfit, the way it fitted her perfectly, the window to her hips, the open back…

“Y-you're w-wearing the d-dress!?" she landed in front of him, her hands behind her back, giving him a good view of the front. "You don't like it?" she leaned in putting a sultry hand on his chest. "I could take it off… If you ask nicely~"

This was cheating and she knew it! He was barely able to look at her right now, not trusting his eye to stay respectful toward her. She wasn't making it easy for him; when he looked right, she followed, strutting with a quiet step into his field of view, and when he looked left again, she followed. They must have looked ridiculous from a distance; a smiling girl running circle around a boy doing his best to avoid her.

This little game of cat and mouse was broken when she decided to go to the source; using both her hands, she forced him to look at her face directly. His eyes allowed themselves one or two trips down her cleavage but stayed put on their target for the most part, those two glowing golden eyes of her. All form of stress slowly vanished as his own hand mimics her and allowed himself to dip, getting a kiss from her lips, a kiss she eagerly returned. Inside the canopy of the hanging leaves surrounding them, they felt alone far from everything that could hurt them.

Izuku broke the kiss and went to sit himself near the tree, resting his back against the trunk. He taps the soil in front of him, inviting her to sit with him. She skips toward him eagerly like a little girl and lets herself fall in his lap, his hands supporting her back and legs. She leaned back against him resting her head in the crook of his neck. They stood there for what feels like hours…

…

“They stopped moving; everybody get ready" Aizawa and Kan gathered with the fellow heroes they collaborated for this mission; they were standing near a bush in their newly don hero costumes. The teens didn't know, but they were already surrounded by six pros, two in each of the three corners around them.

Eraserhead and Vlad King were the vanguard and main assault force for the capture; they both possessed ability countering very well each of them. One could negate One for All for easy capture, and the other could turn attack from a blade into a disadvantage.

“Can't believe we're fighting the kid…" The second team was made up of Kamui Woods and Death Arms; their job was to stop them from escaping. Kamui excels in capturing criminals and Death Arms possesses enough strength to hold back Izuku momentarily if the worst happens.

"Stop talking, kid or not we consider him a villain, nonetheless. He'll explain himself once in a cell" Finaly in the last corner was Gran Torino and Hound Dog the pursue team; if they somehow managed to run away, they had the means to track them down and reach them with enough speed.

A few stragglers were walking near the park but once they saw the gathering of hidden pro heroes quickly turned around. They had to act fast before their cover is blown. "It's showtime…

…

Himiko was running circles against his chest, a dreamy expression all over her face while he was busy twirling one of her messy strands of hair. There was something bothering him in his little piece of paradise, Akemi's words.

“You have to convince her to take the medication again. You both stand on top of a house of cards; I've heard from her; your friends are already asking questions. It's a matter of time before any of you both slip up and see it crumble to the ground, and she will need something else than you if for any reason you need to separate from one another…"

He didn't want to think about it; he just wanted to enjoy their moment forever in peace. But Izuku was responsible; he couldn't ignore his problem forever. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?"

She immediately picked on the shift in his attitude; her smile replaced by concern. "What is it?"

"I know you won't like it…"

“If I don't like it, I'll just bite you"

"How is that fair?"

"It's not, you just have to accept it!" she laughs, a beautiful sound, like music to his ear. Just like that, all tension suddenly vanished as he followed her in her laughing fit. He held her chin getting ready for another kiss.

The two of them leaned toward another lip's centimeter from one another…

"Izuku Midoriya!" he froze, he knew who this was his eyes perked up and widened when he saw his teacher Aizawa in his full hero gear, googles and all. Next to him, Vlad King, the teacher of the class 1B, is also in costume. What were they doing here? Was it a coincidence, or…

Did they know?

He needed an alibi! "A-Aizawa sens-…" immediately he was cut off.

"You're under arrest for conspiring with the member of the League of Villains, Himiko Toga, come quietly. Do not make this harder for both of us. Problem Child…" wait, conspiring, League of Villains. No, no, no. This was all wrong, they weren't conspiring. They were just on a date, nothing more than a date. He looked at Himiko; she was tense, her finger digging in his flesh. He could feel her heart beating faster and faster, her eyes darting around in panic. Hers meet his, they screamed at him. "We need to go…"

This all happened so fast, in a fraction of a second almost. He pushed Himiko off him to her feet and tried to get up himself, Himiko pulled a knife from her back, flicking the blade open. Aizawa threw his capture weapon catching on of his arm and activated his quirk singling out Midoriya and Vlad King charged at Himiko, chaos was about to erupt.

Himiko and Vlad King entered a fight, she managed to slash his radial artery a blow mostly fatal for most heroes, but he wasn’t most heroes. Blood erupted from his arm and tried to grapple her into its crimson hold but failed to do so as she crouched low getting ready for another strike, animalistic fury almost controlling her.

Izuku was pulled from his position by the scarf latched onto his arm, managing to stay put by holding onto a branch that was hanging low. He couldn't pull on the power of One for All because of his teacher; he had to find a way to break from his sight. Looking up, he saw the pollen in the tree and had an idea; with all his strength, he pulled on the branch he was holding, sending a cascading amount of foliage and pollen down on him, hiding him.

He felt his quirk return to him and pulled on the scarf with 20% of his power, forcing Aizawa to either be dragged toward him or let go; he chose the latter. He got behind the tree away from his sight and without thinking charged a 25% punch aimed at said tree. The large weeping willow was torn to shreds, sending large and small splinters toward the man who was forced to dodge the incoming tree covering his face with his arms.

Himiko was away from the blast, but this guy was her worst possible match-up. Every sliced she put on him gave him more and more ammunition; he wasn't even dodging her knife knowing it had basically no effect on him. "IZUKU!" the boy looked at her struggling and understood immediately, leaving Aizawa alone while he recoiled; he leaped at the class 1B teacher at incredible speed. His fist connected with the man's thick jaw but not with the expected force; Eraserhead was back into the fray, canceling his quirk at the last second.

They traded opponents; Himiko now had someone who didn't want to be stabbed in front of her, and Izuku someone he could use his full power against. From the sideline Gran Torino watches seeing the shift of power tilting away from them little by little. "Come on you mutt, they need back up!" he and Hound Dog charged at them from the sideline.

Himiko was trading blow to blow with the man in front of her, moving with the grace of a dancer in her dress. There was no blood on her blade; a frustrating aspect of the blood hero Izuku was now fighting, she had to keep pushing to stop Hobo-man from deactivating Izuku's quirk. "Leave us alone, we did nothing wrong!" she snarled.

He sent his scarf at her, and she dodged. "Then come with us quietly, I'm sure we can be lenient if that's the case" was he joking, heroes lenient? Even ordinary citizens wanted nothing else than to send her away in a hole far from them. With a cry of rage, she jumped at him again but was bodied by the old yellow and white man coming out of nowhere, sending her flying into the pond. "What are you doing, you're supposed to be the pursues team!”

“Well, you needed backup, you punk!" Hound Dog Lounged at Izuku with animalistic rage from the back, delivering a powerful kick into his shoulder, sending him forward into Vlad blood that quickly crystallised around him; he was stuck. Izuku looked at the new arrival seeing Gran Torino; for a single second he was glad, then it dawned on him. He wasn't here for him; he was here against him. Both his hands and neck were immobilised as the dogman prepared a devastating swipe aimed at his head, intending to knock him out.

Aizawa's eyes were not on him; using his leg, he kicked the ground, sending him backward, pulling with him Vlad. Hound Dog wasn't able to stop his blow in time and slammed his fist into his colleague's nose, making him drop Izuku, who took his chance to run toward Himiko.

They didn't have to win; they could just flee together, think of a plan, something to say that could clear their names. He just needed time. Desperation was all over his face as Himiko got up from the mud and muck. "We need to g-.." Gran Torino charged at him, colliding with his arm as he raised them in time to block.

“What happened, kid! Teenage hormones got the best of you?" the old man quip, he had trained this boy, saw his progress, and now there he was standing in defence of a murderer.

"Gran Torino this is not what it looks like!" There was no way he had a chance to get away, without somehow breaking his limbs he had to try to talk it out.

"Keep it for the police," the situation was dire in Izuku back. Himiko was in the shallow pond, in the front four pros all ready to take him and her down. He had a choice to make.

"R-run…" Himiko looked at him like he was crazy as he raised his hands ready to fight. "what?"

“RUN HIMIKO!!" he twisted his head to look at her one last time before the heroes in front of him attack him at once, he had no quirk due to Aizawa he could maybe hold them five seconds tops they couldn't run together but maybe she could do it alone, he could accept to go to prison for a time he never did a crime before they could be lenient with him.

But her…

The murders, the crimes, she'll never see the light of day ever again. She told him she'll never be caged ever again and he intended to keep her free, so she could improve, be a good person, and become the gentle, loving girl he knew was there. She'll prove them wrong.

"Izuku…" tears gathered in her eyes as she looked at him, ready to throw away his life for her. He wanted her to be free but what is freedom without him, without his love. This was just another cage for her to rot in. She picked up her knife and ran toward him; they'll get away together.

She ran through the water her every step sending a wave of water everywhere; they'll do it together! They'll find a way to love each other! They leave this awful place and find themselves their own little corner of the world where they would grow old and eat and laugh and smile!

When she reached the shore, a tangle of wood hit her on the side, pinning her to the ground, twisting her body and limb in an uncomfortable position. Another hero? She was immobile, her face forced to watch Izuku being beaten by those who were supposed to be heroes. What kind of hero beat up the only person to ever show her love…

With a crashing left Izuku came down, his body tangled inside Aizawa's scarf letting him barely have the freedom to move a single arm. This was it, the end of the line for him. Maybe Himiko ran? He looked up to see her on the shore; her face twisted in both sadness and pain, while his could only cry.

"It's over"

Death Arms ran toward the rest of the group as Kamui Woods kept restraining the girl. They managed to restrain the two teens with a few scratches, bruised and lot of cuts for Vlad, who was the most injured of the lot. Hound Dog was with him apologising for his recklessness.

Aizawa and Gran Torino both walked toward the boy still on the floor; he was wiggling inside the restrain trying to break them, while hot tears flowed down his face. "Let it go boy…"

He looked at them, miserable. "W-what about Himiko… She needs help, let me help her!"

“She'll get all the help she needs in prison, as for you we have a little chat to have back at UA" Gran Torino answered him, even right now he couldn't be bothered to think about himself. He looked at him, what went wrong…

"Izuku!" she screamed from her restrained position getting his attention; this was their last time seeing each other, their last ever moment. She didn't want it to be this way; he looked at her and his heart skipped a beat. Her face against the ground, her body twisted in roots, she smiled. Her wide beautiful sharp smile he loved so much, tears flowed down her half-lidded eyes onto her cheek, pain and love fully present on her face.

"I love you…"

…Inside…

Izuku felt like he was floating inside a vast abyss, swallowing him whole as his body broke down into a shadowy plume of smoke. There was nothing around him, not a single thing worth his attention. He floated there for a minute, an hour, a day. Who knew, who even cared right now…

Then a light in front of him, a small broken light illuminating his darkness, the only thing of worth here with him; he reached for it and beckoned it. Slowly it got closer showing him the extent of the damage it suffered, what was supposed to be a magnificent sun was reduce to a wisp as shadow took it apart piece by piece. "Stop…"

It got closer but never enough for him to touch it; he could only watch the floating orb being shredded in front of him. "STOP"

One last piece left and it would be gone forever; it was still too far for him to reach it. "I SAID STOP!!"

Black tendrils shoot from his hand reaching the light…

…

“Shut it villain…" Aizawa coldly responded as he stood over Midoriya's body, leaving him out of his sight for a second.

A second too much…

From under him he sensed a rumbling, power being unleashed. Black tendrils with forest green outline shoot out of his student, breaking the restrains and getting hold of him and every other hero around him, violently tossing them back away from the pond.

"BLACK WHIP!" he shouted instantly as if he had owned this power from his birth. He raised to his feet shakily; he put himself between Himiko and the pro; she could make it… "Run Himiko! I'll hold them off!"

She looked at the display of power in front of her; it was like something out of a movie. Tendrils covered him all over holding bits, of debris and splintered wood. "N-no I can't leave you here… I-I…" he looked at her, a smile on his face; he sent a whip her way and gently grabbed her.

"I'm sorry… I love you too"

And tossed her over the pond, far enough that she could land in the water without hurting herself a few hundred feet away from him. She rolled over the water landing roughly on the other side still in one piece. She didn't take the time to see if she was hurt, immediately standing on her legs. From far away, she could see him fight, holding in place the many heroes. It seemed Aizawa wasn't able to turn this quirk off. Two of them manage to slip out of his grasp, running toward her: the elder and the dog.

She couldn't let him sacrifice his freedom in vain. "I'll save you! I promise," with a heavy heart, she ran toward the street where people were gathered looking at the fight from the sideline. She dashed into the crowd, holding her knife. They were packed tight, barely letting her the space to move in between; she grits her teeth against one another. "OUT OF THE WAY!" a flick of her blade and someone screamed, another, followed by yet another scream. The crowd started panicking, people using their quirk to get away, others simply running in opposite directions. No one knew what was going on.

Gran Torino and Hound-Dog arrived in time to see at least four persons on the ground bleeding; they couldn't find her in this fleeing crowd and the smell of blood stopped the dogman from sniffing her out "Damnit!" together they assisted the victims making sure none of them bled out.

Himiko Toga had escaped…

…

Izuku was fighting; at least that was what it looked like. In truth, after tossing Himiko, he lost control of his new ability; the black whips attacked almost automatically, pulling on his body as they lash out at the heroes. He tried to reel them in, but he couldn't. Each of them sends dirt as they slam various debris against the ground.

Aizawa couldn't force the deactivation, a passive quirk? He didn't look in control; something was wrong with him. Each time he sends his capture weapon, it is deflected by the black tendrils. Midoriya looked as if he was struggling with his own limbs being pulled against his will.

The mass of wriggling tentacles rolled against the ground pulling along the teen toward the other edge of the park breaking everything in its way. Kamui and Death Arms tried to restrain him, but nothing they did could stop him. Further Izuku could see a crowd gathered just behind the metal gate he was getting closer to, he looked as one of the whips crushed a branch, snapping it in half. If he reached the crowd… “Wait…”

He could already see it, squirming tendrils snapping and breaking limbs as if they were twigs. "No, no, no!" he had to stop himself. They were running away from him but not fast enough; at the forefront, he could see a child frozen in fear, looking at him.

"STOP!" he powers-up One for All into his body as much as he could managing to fight against the power momentarily, the whips almost reaching the boy as he halted himself in midair suspended by the tendrils surrounding him. He turned toward his teachers in a moment of panic. "Please…"

The pros didn't lose time rushing at him while he couldn't move. Vlad and Kamui tossed Death Arms, the strongest of their group, hoping he could knock him out before he starts moving again. The hero soared through the air, his fist reared back. "Sorry kid" and punched him in full force in his unguarded head. Even with One for All active, he wasn't able to remain conscious and crashed into the ground, his new ability getting reeled back into his body.

Panting, sweating and hurting, the four pros stood victorious.

Izuku Midoriya has been captured.

…

The MLA leaders and the League of Villains were standing face to face at the top of Detnerat corporation tower on one side of the table, Shigaraki, Dabi, Magne, Twice, Compress and Spinner.

On the other side Re-Destro, Curious, Trumpet, Skeptic and Geten. As they introduced themselves, this meeting wasn't going so well. Immediately as they sat down, Dabi rested his studded boot against the mahogany of the wooden table. Deliberately sliding his stud against it, leaving a very expensive mark on it. Seeing this, Geten held his iced water in his hand a little tighter than he would have liked, cracking the glass but not breaking the frosted glassware.

“Can you tell your lackey to show a bit more professionalism, mister Shigaraki…" the man known as Re-Destro asked him with a smile.

"He can do what he wants…" Tomura wasn't about to scold him like a child; they had better things to discuss.

"As you wish then," Dabi grinned, locking eyes with the man inside his parka. "Hear that Frosty, you can relax. I can do what I want" Geten didn't respond; if that was the will of the Grand Commander, he would respect it.

"Now you invited us here, get on with it. All Might isn't going to kill himself…" He glared at them from behind the hand on his face, they wanted Sensei but why? The idea of someone stealing quirks should disgust them; something was afoot.

“I believe that we should begin this meeting also; you look like a man of few words, so I'll try to be brief," their leader began. His smile turned a condescending frown as he stood tall in his chair. "I have no use for your League; the only thing I desire is access to the man you call 'Sensei.' If you do that for me, we will provide you with personnel and material as you desire for your little vengeance against the symbol of peace…"

"Why would I do that? You should know that with Sensei I already have what I need to kill him"

"Maybe, but he is just a man, a very powerful man, but a man nonetheless"

"Then why do you need him if he is just a man?" This wasn't making any sense they recognised his one weakness yet are ready to give him anything for him. Re-Destro stood up from his chair as he paced from one side of the table to the other. "Tell me Shigaraki, why do you want to kill All Might?"

He did the opposite and leaned down into his chair, almost lounging in it. "He is fucking annoying, with his stupid smile and dumber message. I want to see it all crumble to the ground" Re-Destro halted and pointed at him as if he said something important.

"In other words, because he is a symbol of something you hate!"

"Yeah, sure…"

"You see, a symbol is something powerful. If he had simply been a hero without endorsing the mantle of a symbol of peace, he would never affect the mind as he did! And this… Is what we're looking for, the symbol of the Meta Liberation Army!" he continued as if inspired by his own words. "Were a strong organisation with support of at least 20% to 30% of the population in the latest political poll, what we need is a strong figure to lead the metaphorical ship, someone with charisma and in our case a powerful meta-ability. With him on our side, we will make ourselves heard"

“So, you want this guy as your new leader?" asked Magne barely following the full conversation.

"Not leader you brute, symbol!" corrected the two-toned woman on the other side of her. Magne mocks her imitating what she sounds like with a derogatory “eignegne”

Shigaraki turned his attention toward the man. "And what am I supposed to do, tell him a bunch of NPCS want him as their fucking guild leader, he's not very talkative"

"But always listening…"

His voice came from the TV next to them, static sputtering as it was forcefully turned on. Everyone in the room turned toward the screen surprised; how did he do it?

A visage crept into the rapidly blinking device, a man in a nice suit the upper part of his face hidden as he smiled. All for One. “I'm sorry for my intrusion, Tomura. I do trust you; I just think we could avoid this unnecessary back and forth…”

The grand Commander straightened his suit; there it was the greatest opportunity to grow his organisation by force, and he could avoid going through the brat! "All for One, it is an honor!" he bowed low.

“The pleasure is all mine, I assure…” something in his voice was rubbing the other member of the MLA the wrong way; they needed him, but this man gave the impression of being the devil himself. Even Dabi removed his feet off the table. “I won’t lie; a partnership does sound interesting but what do you think Tomura?”

“They’re annoying bugs with illusions of grandeur…” Skeptic muttered something under his breath not loud enough for him to hear, something like. “Look who’s talking”

“Yet they do own quite a lot of manpower, something that you could use in your quest”

“I can grind for myself…” he crossed his arms, annoyed.

“It seems my protégé has given his answer…” he was about to vanish and with him the opportunity for the MLA to make their coup in the future. “WAIT!!”

He smiled wider on the screen, knowingly. “Yes?”

“Is there anything else we could offer you? Anything!" the man was desperate arguing with sensei he should learn to buzz off and back off when he is told. No way Sensei was going to entertain this idea after he said no…

“Anything?” wait, why wasn’t he disconnecting. Never has he gone against his wishes in the past, why suddenly entertained this clown. Was he…

Was he disappointed in him? If he was, he said nothing, was he going too slow, did he fail too much, his team picked up on his nervousness, luckily the other group was too busy looking at the man on the screen hanging on his every word. “I’m willing for a one-off cooperation…”

“Thank you One for All! You won’t regret…”

“In exchange for three quirks of my choosing within your organisations… or should I say meta-ability?” they couldn't see his face, but his greed was visible all over his body. The leader's shudder, their meta-ability, their very essence, and he gets to choose; if they accepted, he might take theirs. Could they accept such an offer?

 His voice trembled for the first time, but Re-Destro answered. "V-very w-well…" his subordinate turned toward him ready to protest but he silenced them as he continued. "Those you choose will become the martyrs of our great cause; we knew from the start sacrifice would be made for Destro cause…"

“Then this meeting is over, I'll stay in contact… Make sure Tomura gets back safely out of your offices” now he treated him like a child, Sensei's opinion of him changed somehow. This made him confused internally as he peeled flakes of skin off his neck. The MLA all let out a sighed as the TV finally closed by itself. "let's get you all-…"

Shigaraki stood suddenly. "We're fine… Kurogiri gets us the hell out of here" a swirling black portal appeared from out of the blue and he stepped in, right after disintegrating his chair on the way out…

Things are changing and he didn't like it…

… Author’s note…

Writing fights are both hard and fun; I do appreciate what I've done.

Himiko is now alone, no pills and no Izuku; how will she take it? Spoiler badly…

Black whip unlocked! I don't know if I'll get into the whole past vestige thing super deeply, never been a fan of it honestly.

One for All is back in action; what does it mean for our resident gamer? It's the one part of the story I hesitate about where I want it to go; I got a couple of ideas in mind, so tell me if you have your own theories.

Next time Himiko Toga…

Chapter Text

Himiko was born to suffer…

This must be it, why else would the world give her what she wanted just to rip it out from her. Izuku was gone, captured by heroes who lie and betray and take and take and TAKE! Take everything that makes her happy, that helps her, that makes her feel alive!

They wanted her dead…

She was under a bridge far from where they ambush them, still in her dress, the same one that made him blush that wonderful shade of red. Red like the blood on her knife, some random passerby who happened to be in her way. She could see her reflection in the clean part of the blade. She brought it to her mouth, taking the whole length of it in her mouth and closing her lips against the flat, pulling it. It came out clean, leaving behind in her mouth the bland blood of some middle-aged woman she didn't care about.

Her parents abandoned her because she wasn't normal, wasn't sane. The league took her in because she wasn't normal, wasn't sane. What was so bad about it, why was being normal so great. She tried it, took her pills like asked and was punished for it transforming bit by bit her brain into malleable putty they could shape until she was different, until she wasn't her.

But Izuku finally understands she wasn't destined to be normal; she was destined to be Himiko Toga, the cutest girl in the world, and no one else. He loved her, HER not some other Himiko. She did everything to push him away. She told him about her numerous crimes; he held her in his arms. She asked for his blood; he gave it. She told him "I love you, and he responded "I love you too…"

She wasn't crying; she had no one to cry to. Something she loved in him was his presence; how she could be anything: angry, flustered, sad, happy, and he would act accordingly. He would be concerned when she was sad, smiling when she was happy, and apprehensive when she was angry. He treated her as someone.

Others were either scared or angry, so she stopped showing her emotions to them. Instead, she smiled and joked and teased; if they wouldn't change, why would she? And if they always reacted in the same manner, why be anything else than happy? Happy was awesome! Why be sad when you can be happy! Why be ugly when you can be cute!

Why be normal when you can be yourself!

She hummed under the bridge, happy! Why would she be sad no one was there to see her cry, to comfort her, to love her… She stood with a skip in her step, Izuku wasn't there, and she wanted him with her, so she was going to get him back, with a smile! A true smile, one so radiant it will blind him! So beautiful he would swoon over her!

One so fake right now she didn't even believe it herself…

She bit her finger; the pain was good; it kept the bad thoughts away. It must be good if everyone insisted on making her life as painful as possible. Why else would they do that?

Because she's a freak…

She bit harder drawing blood; she needed to move if she wanted to save him. She needed a plan and she needed some blood to think clearly.

…

“What do you mean this was the same girl?" every student of class 1A was gathered in the living room near the couch under the watchful eyes of Present Mic, who seemed displease by their current conversation but stayed silent, nonetheless. Ochako and Tsuyu were at the center of the attention while everyone surrounded them, panic, fear, confusion or a mix of the three on everyone's face.

Except Bakugo, who stayed away from the group, his face displaying a vast nothing as he listened.

"I told you, the way he described her. She looks exactly like this" Uraraka was still busy trying to wrap her head around the realisation of what she was saying.

Jiro spoke more violently than she would have liked. "Are you telling me Midoriya is… with a villain? Do you have any idea how crazy you sound right now?" she was twirling her jacks, thinking about her interaction with Tamaki at the mall. "It's not like she was weird or anything; maybe you guessed wrong, and this is just a big misunderstanding"

Kirishima stepped up, resolves in his voice. "Yeah, he is like the manliest guy I know! No way he would do anything like that," many other guys nodded in affirmation with him. No one wanted to believe what they were hearing.

"He helped me at my lowest; I don't think he would ever do anything of the sort" many others agreed with Todoroki. Izuku was a great guy, awkward for sure but a villain, impossible.

“Maybe you're all right; it's just…" Ochako thought about everything: the weird obsession with her from Tamaki, Aizawa showing her the picture of Toga two days before, Izuku rejecting her because he fell in love with someone else…

Maybe they were right, maybe it was all in her head, maybe…

"Maybe not…"

Everybody turned toward the one who talked, strangely somber and lacking his usual shine, Aoyama. "Think about it… We… we were attacked at the summer camp when no one was supposed to know where we were"

“What are you saying…" Iida questioned him, fearing he knew where this was going.

"Don't you think it's weird he was found by himself at Kamino not even a week after his capture, barely injured beyond what he did to himself…" he looked tense fearing the word he was saying out loud, ashamed…

"Wait, you're not saying…" Momo covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes shrunk in terror at the implication.

He swallowed a lump in his throat; each word was harder and harder to speak. "Or that, he keeps notes on each and every one of us…"

Jiro stared blankly at him. "She told us, she read his note, that how she knew us…" realisation of what he was saying slowly dawned on everyone, one by one they sunk in desperation thinking about it.

"You think Midoriya is…" Ojiro asked what everybody was thinking and the blond answered him.

"A mole for the League of Villains…" tears flowed out of his eyes, tears filled with shame.

Ochako was going through a roller coaster of emotion inside her mind, thinking about everything they ever talked about. Could it be real? His cuts, his secrets, his knife skill… She remembered sparing against him for their last evaluation, how his movement seemed familiar; the image of Izuku with the knife appeared in her mind. She superposed Himiko over him; they moved the same way.

Todoroki was thinking the day he confronted him after his freak out at the exam how he yelled at them he couldn't tell what was going on, how in a single instant his eyes turned cold and he attacked him with his full power before running away.

Iida thought about the day after he spared with Bakugo, how he freaked out in the changing room to such an extent that he had to calm him down, how he refused to tell him anything about what set him off.

Izuku was a mole?

"Oi, Cheese face…" someone broke the uneasy silence, weighing on everyone; it was Katsuki. He was pissed off. "Shut your trap before I shut it for you…" he glared at his fellow blonde, his eyes filled with promises of pain.

Mineta spoke concern in his voice. "But what if what he says is true? What if Midoriya is really a-…" Bakugo stood from his chair, making it fall on the ground with a shattering bang.

"If you finish your phrase, I'm going to shove your balls so far up your ass you'll taste them!" he pointed at his diminutive classmate, yelling his more than real threat. "Deku is not like that you fucking extras! He is better than any of you in every way, if anyone is a mole it's anybody except him!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I known him my entire life, since we were dumb fucking kids dreaming about being number one. I saw him go down and get back up every day since then, even when someone beat him or insulted him. Deku would try to be their friends; to help them, to…" Bakugo faced away from his classmate, something stirring inside of him. "He'll never be a villain even if you did everything to make him…"

One last time he turned toward his classmate, everybody was shocked to see him of all people defending Izuku with such fervor; he yelled with all his breath. "SO SHUT UP ABOUT IT!!" he walked out of the room going to his. All the class stayed silent, not daring to say something that would make him come back.

Ochako looked down at her feet, ashamed she of all people though so low of Deku. One last thing couldn't leave her mind. "Was Bakugo crying?"

…

Izuku slowly regained consciousness as he was being carried outside of the van he was put in. Hound-Dog was the one holding him, being the larger among the four heroes accompanying him. He grunted in pain, his face was swollen on the left side, and he could feel the soreness of it. "Welcome back among the living Problem Child"

"What happened?" he asked, his memory a mess inside his scrambled brain. He tried to rub his forehead but found himself unable to lift his hand higher than his chest; he was in chains. Two pairs of cuffs on both his hands and legs held together by a chain linking his arms to his legs. Memory slowly came back to him; he had a date with Himiko, then they sat under a tree and cuddled for a while, and then…

“We arrived…" he looks up to see UA, they bring him back here, why? He could see at the front gate Nezu with a man he didn't know, who looked like some sort of detective and…

All Might he felt his throat close on itself at the sight of him, he was wearing his hero costume, and he wasn't smiling. Izuku looked down at the ground; it was too hard for him to look at him, to see his disappointment.

"I see you are missing someone," cheerfully declared the principal, looking around and falling to see the second guest they were supposed to have. The four-hero grunted in unions.

"We had a complication…" Aizawa gestured at him with his thumb over his shoulder. "Problem Child decided today was a good day to bust out a new move, one we weren't briefed about…"

“A new quirk?" the unknown man questioned, incredulous. He turned toward the elder as if awaiting an explanation.

"It sure seemed like it; I've never seen Toshinori do anything like that in the past" the elderly hero turned toward his old student; his face filled with nervousness. "You think its…"

All Might could only widen his eyes at the teens in an expression of pure horror as Izuku still refused to look at him; the question implied was terrifying: Did he get it from All for One? All Might-… No, Yagi could cry right now thinking his pupil could sink so low… “Take him away…W-we’ll question him, tomorrow…”

“The facility is on the left!" Nezu waved at Hound-Dog with misplaced enthusiasm.

As he was carried away, the lump in his throat kept growing until he had to swallow it. "I…" he opened his mouth still refusing to see the shame in his teacher's faces, his carrier stopped letting him talk, every eye around locked on him awaiting his answer. What could he say right now? Nothing seemed adequate; tears he couldn't wipe filled his visions.

"I'm still a hero…"

He was brought inside the prison specially constructed for him, the same he spotted the construction a week ago. “So, they knew for that long…”

It was a large rectangle with a single entrance at the front, made of reinforced steel and other durable materials; he had no chance to get out even with One for All once inside. There were no windows or other distinctive features on the outside. The inside wasn't any better, a large metal corridor leading to a single room at the end, all white with a bed and a corner with a toilet and a glass shower. The opened design let him no privacy as the wall leading into the room was a twelve-inch-thick panel of reinforced glass with a door cut into it.

Hound-Dog opened the door and gently let down Izuku on his bed; he didn't protest already stuck in the prison that was his mind, simply laying on the white sheet defeated. At least he saved Himiko from living through this for the rest of her life; he just hopes she is doing fine without him…

…

Inko was cooking at home over the stove; she knew her son would probably want Katsudon, but with chicken so cheap at the store, she couldn't pass up on it, so tonight was going to be some chicken pot pie. She was busy simmering the mix of meat, vegetables and broth while pre-heating the oven for the pie crust.

*Clank! *

"What was that?" it sounded like someone dropped something inside the house, from Himiko's room. She reduced the heat and made her way toward the room, making sure one of the poles for the drape didn't rip from the wall again. She pushed the door open and saw nothing.

The room was dark; the heavy drape made sure to let no outside sunlight in. She flipped the switch, but the lights didn't turn on leaving her in the dark, the only illumination coming from behind her. She glanced around trying to find the source of the noise; her desk was clean, nothing on the floor, but there was a figure on the bed sitting, tilting what looked like a flask over its mouth. "H-Himiko, is that you, dear? H-how did you get in?"

The figure turned toward its yellow eyes glistening in the dark; there was something else, liquid on its teeth refracting light in a red hue. "Inko…" she sounded, weirdly gleeful she stood from the bed making her way toward her in a slow and decisive manner, there was another thing that caught her eyes.

A knife.

“…Do you love Izuku, Inko?" Himiko stepped closer; she could now see her distinct features: her messy hair partially undone on the left side, her dilated pupil, her dress covered in mud and dark spots, and…

Her bloody smile.

Her mouth was coated in red liquid staining some of her lips and teeth as she smiled the widest smile she could. "Do you love him?" she repeated her question. Inko was freaking out; was she having another suicidal breakdown? Where did that blood come from? Why did she have a knife? She stepped back in fear.

Typical.

“W-what are you doing, where is I-Izuku?" as she stepped backward, Himiko stepped forward; her smile was not lessening; her movements were almost predatory. "He's right here," her skin bubbled and sputtered in a slimy liquid enveloping her, hair turning green, her breast replaced by strong pecs, her face twisting into the unmistakable face of her son. "I'm right here, mom!" seeing her son in a dress would normally be a funny sight, but right now it was terrifying. The way he smiled at her, he had never smiled like that before.

She tried to run to turn around but the imposter in front of her was faster. In two steps he was right on her both his arms wrapped around her taking her in a hug, she could feel the cold knife poking her lower back, stopping her from backing away from the embrace. "I missed you so much mom!" he tightened her hold, the tip of the knife digging in her supple flesh forcing her to return the embrace, where was her son?

“I-I m-miss y-you t-too…" Inko was on the edge of a panic attack; the only thing keeping her from breaking down was the threat of the knife. She tentatively wrapped her arms around her "son" who rested his head on her shoulder, rubbing his cheek against her. He finally pulled away, holding her by the shoulder excited to tell her about his day. "I had so much fun today, we went to the park Himiko and I!" this sounded exactly like her son, the only detail she couldn't ignore was the knife in her field of view, the tip of it covered in a single droplet of blood, her blood.

His smile suddenly vanished. "But then something bad happened…"

"W-what h-happened?" she looked, as her son's face melted right in front of her revealing half the face of Toga, yellow and green eyes fixed on her with ashy blonde hair peeking through. "Heroes…" the rest of him slopped off her body falling on the ground in audible meaty splosh, until only her was left. She raised her knife to the woman's throat, sliding the back of the blade against it as she watched with a satisfied smile. "Do you love your son, Miss Midoriya?"

Inko had a hard time breathing; this was her son's girlfriend who menaced her with a knife inside her own home. Tears were spilling out the corner of her eyes. "Y-yes," she hiccups, terrified.

The knife flipped now, the edge resting against her skin. Toga was still looking at it with fascination; taking her blood would be so easy this way. "I also love him, and he needs my help…" the knife was now against her artery, one flick and this would be over. "Do you want to help me, help him?"

Tears flowed out of Inko's eyes as she closed them; was she going to die? Was her son dead? "Y-yes…"

Himiko's face curled up in a bigger smile. "You're a good mom, Miss Midoriya…" Inko was ready for her end, but it never came; instead, she felt a sting in her arm. She winced and looked down to see a needle implanted in her, injecting her with the clear liquid. The world suddenly felt very heavy, her eyes closing by themselves as she lost her balance. Himiko guided her to the couch next to her as she lost conscience, taking her hand in her own. Whispering softly that all will be okay, Izuku is coming back.

Then the world turned black.

Author’s note

Shorter chapter this time but no less important. I prefer a well-packed chapter than a slog of plot points going nowhere.

Aoyama, you sneaky bitch! Did you get what he tried to do? What about Bakugo surprised?

Don't forget Himiko; this was like writing horror. I liked it!

This Arc is nearing its boiling point.

Next time interrogation, finally clearing out some misunderstandings…

Chapter Text

“State your name for the recorder please"

"…Izuku Midoriya" *DING* his voice resonated on his side of the prison cell, Naomasa Tsukauchi was the one designated for this interview with the presumed mole of the League of Villains. The nature of his quirk allowed him to quickly sort truth from false, a valuable tool in his profession.

He was sitting on a chair in front of him; the teen was also sitting on the other side of the glass. Clean clothes have been provided to him as well as a meal, but he hasn't touched either of them. Since his arrival yesterday, the boy has been sleeping and doing nothing else. Next to them, Present Mic was leaning against the wall, having given his chair to the detective for the interview.

Just like back at the hospital, he wasn't being left alone; this time it wasn't for his safety but theirs. Sure, he was trapped in a cell that rivalled those in Tartarus but with his raw strength he had the power to break the walls at will. Even if it'll cost him a limb to do so, something he showed no reserve in the past of doing so.

"My name is detective Naomasa Tsukauchi and I'll be conducting this interview at 1 PM 37, Saturday. Let's begin," the boy in front of him was disheveled, with his unbrushed hair, swollen face, and torn clothes. Bits of dirt were also still stuck on his face from his fight against the pro heroes yesterday.

"Are you affiliated in any way with the League of Villains?"

“No…" *DING* a surprise in view of the circumstance but a welcome one.

"Have you leaked information directly to the League of Villains?"

"No…" *DING* another good surprise, his tone never changed as he answered always the same low growl as he looked at the ground, mentally beaten. His mind was somewhere else.

"What is your relationship with the individual known as Himiko Toga?"

A flicker of life behind those dead eyes for just a moment. "Sh-She's my girlfriend…" *DING*

"How have you been introduced to Himiko Toga initially?"

Another flicker. "She was one of my kidnappers at the League hideout back at Kamino" suddenly, he lifted his eyes toward him, something akin to hope in them; his voice surging in a plea. "She saved me! She's the one who helped me escape from the League. I would probably be dead without her help" *DING* it seemed they may have misjudged the boy after all, he had no connection with the league even managing to make one of their members abandon ships. But without interrogating her as well, they couldn't be sure.

His quirk allowed him to know if an individual lied, but if they believed the lie they've been told, it will register as truth as the individual has no way of knowing what they say is a lie. In short, Midoriya may have been manipulated against his better judgement in helping the League, maybe by relying on information to Toga that seemed innocuous and her relaying it back to her team, making him a useful idiot in this situation, someone unaware of his own contribution to the larger plan.

"Did Himiko Toga ever contact the League of Villains after your departure?"

"No!" *BUZZ* a lie? He sure doesn't look like he is aware of it.

“Are you sure?"

"Yes… well, there was one time. B-but it was an accident she called a man named Giran for papers and accidentally got into a conversation with Shigaraki" *DING*

"Were you present at the moment of the conversation?"

"No, but she told me…" *DING* so the girl has the means to contact the League if she desired to do so. Not good…

This next question was the one he dreaded the most; he truly hoped in his heart he would answer him no. "Have you entered contact with someone known as All for One?"

…

Yagi Toshinori was inside his office twirling his thumb in silence waiting for his detective friend to come back from his interview with young Midoriya. The stress was eating him from the inside out; he taps his foot against the floor and lightly clacks his teeth together. Anything to stop him from thinking. "Will you stop that!" to the great annoyance of his former teacher and the inflexible silence of his past sidekick, Gran Torino and Sir Nighteye.

The three of them were gathered in his humble office concerning the boy's situation, a conversation he dreaded almost as much as the report from Tsukauchi with his protégé. "Sorry, I'm nervous…"

“Hmph! The understatement of the century, I think you looked better with half your guts sticking out after your fight with All for One," the old, grizzled man said with not a once of tenderness; he was a devout follower of the tough love method. His comment didn't seem to calm him in any way. He sighed, they had business to do and pushing it wasn't helping anyone. "You think he did it…"

Mirai talked first, his disdain may not be apparent but was surely present in his voice. "It wouldn't be above him from what I've seen…" his comment only made All Might sink further in his chair, just thinking of him approaching this… Demon made him shudder in disgust.

"I-I don't think so… He is a good young man deep inside… H-he wouldn't," his voice was unsteady, trying to convince more himself than his colleagues.

“How do you explain those tendrils then?"

"I-I can't…" this new power that seemed to pop out of nowhere, what was it. Never in his long career as the symbol of peace has he ever done something similar. Was the boy not quirkless after all? An awakening of One for All? Thinking about it sends him in a downward spiral of existential questions each more far fetched than the other.

"The true question is, how do we take back One for All from him?" asked Mirai adjusting his glasses; this was the real question plaguing those men right now. The quirk could be passed down through DNA but the user had to willingly give it; if it wasn't the case, a simple kiss could have passed the power in the past. The fact it didn't was proof enough; they needed to convince Izuku Midoriya to give up his power. "We can't…"

“Spare me your excuses. All Might the boy is in a relationship with a girl who has a history of not only crime but also murder. Do not justify him…" Nighteye poured his vitriol at his idol; this would have never happened if he had just listened to him from the start.

"No, no, I mean we can't force him. He needs to do it voluntarily," Yagi shakes his hand in front of him in a defensive manner as if his hands could stop the man's anger from reaching him. In truth, he meant something else, a selfish desire of believing in the boy he saw grow into his successor. A desire to prove himself he chooses rightly. "Then you have to convince him…" Gran Torino said as he closed his eyes, weighing the importance of his words.

“Heh?" All Might knew this was the logical decision to be made, him as his idol and mentor holding the most sway over the boy. If someone were able to convince him that was him. He sank even further in his chair; the top of his head was the only thing visible from over his desk. The door handle rattled…

He immediately buffs up into his muscle form, fearing it may be one of his students trying to talk with him. In doing so he sent his desk flying over the room, just over Mirai you didn't even flinch an eyebrow at the large object heading his way that finally collided with the opposite wall with a thundering *THUD*

"Oh it's you…" All Might undid his muscle form. Entered Tsukauchi, with some notes and his recorder in tow. Looking at the commotion and the desk now stuck in the wall he decided it was best not to ask further questions. "Gentlemen's…"

“So, tell us. What's the good news and what's the bad news?" Gran Torino want straight to the point, something the police man appreciated in the old hero. "What do you want first?"

"Bad, no point in pushing back the uncomfortable," Mirai declared to his colleague; the detective nodded.

"The bad news is we have no way of knowing if he did or did not leak information to the League"

All Might lifted an eyebrow. "That's it?" he let out the biggest sigh he was holding in since Wednesday; maybe Izuku's situation wasn't as bad as they thought.

"He also told me Himiko Toga is unstable, and she stopped taking her medications a while back, not exactly in those words but you get the gist of it," added nonchalantly Tsukauchi with a dismissive hand.

The old man chuckled. "So you're telling me we have his girlfriend on the prowl and thirsting for blood" this could be worse. At least none of the people she injured yesterday had any complications and were on their way to a speedy recovery.

"What's the good news!" Toshinori almost leapt out of his chair with the amount of hope that was lifting his spirit.

"If he is the UA mole, he has no idea of it. He may still be helping them unbeknownst to him, but I have no way to know that without also interrogating the girl" he was cut off by Yagi again asking him about All for One.

“Calm down, I'm getting to it. He, to his knowledge, never interacted with the man. This new power he manifested, he has no idea where it's coming from, he just said, and I quote 'Panicked and reach out for Himiko'"

Another sigh escaped All Might, letting out an amount of air he didn't know he could hold in his singular lung. They had it, Izuku wasn't guilty of the crime he was accused of. He probably was duped by the girl, not something he should be proud of, but the alternative was worse in every considerable way. "So, he is innocent? He didn't know what was going on?"

The detective face twisted in apprehension of what he was about to say. "Not exactly…"

"What do you mean?"

“He was aware of his partner's past crime, quite a lot in fact, even the murders, yet he refused to let anybody know what was happening, going to great lengths to protect her from the authority. There is also the mysterious Doctor Akemi he let slip out when I questioned him about Diamond; he refuses to tell me any details about her. I suspect it may be an illegal clinic helping out various criminals in Musutafu"

Nighteye glared at his idol, seeing the light of hope still flickering behind his sunken eyes. "All Might, do not trouble yourself with the boy any more than you should; taking back One for All should and IS our priority…"

Yagi flinch under his former sidekick intense look; he knew he wasn't just saying that because of his bias for Mirio, who he selected to be his next successor. Mirai had seen the future of Izuku and made his choice fully knowing of it. He brought his hand to his head trying to ease the growing headache he had. Only one thing was left for him to do, talk with Izuku Midoriya…

…

Katsuki was eating outside; a single slice of sandwich he made for himself. The only lunch he had today. He was looking at the building where his friend was supposedly locked up. A big metal cube not too far from the entrance stairs he was sitting on. His teacher forbade them to go in and there was at least one pro on constant watching duty inside while camera covered every corner of the building, sending an alarm if anyone non authorised tried to enter, something he learned the hard way.

"Eating alone?" great now Round face was there, bothering his silence. "Go away…"

Of course, the first thing she does is sit down with him, looking at the same thing as him. "You really think he is innocent?" this wasn't phrased as a question, she wanted him to just say something to soothe her nerves. Using him as her goddamn therapist. "You think what you want Round face and I'll do the same…"

"I know it's just…" she looked down at the ground in between them, fiddling with her fingers. "You seemed very convinced when you said those things about him being cast down and getting up no matter what and it seemed very personal and the wayyouweretalking…" this was getting on his nerves.

“DID YOU INHERIT HIS MUTTERING AS WELL!!" he shouted annoyed at her for not getting to the point. She looked at him first, surprised, then angry, and finally…

"PFFT-Hahaha… I can see why Deku is your friend," she chuckled, a loud laugh escaping her mouth she couldn't keep it in; sometimes Katsuki just helps them stop overthinking about every single little detail and just stop, take a pause, and discard away the bad thoughts in their head.

But he couldn't discard his own. His friend… he was his friend despite being the very person he was talking about in his tirade. The one pushing him down, the one belittling him, the one telling him to go jump off a roof…

He sulked in something the brunette caught on; Katsuki was a man of two emotions: anger and pride. Seeing him so down about something was akin to seeing an alien landing in front of her, not impossible but the chance of it was nearly zero. "What was Deku like before school? You never told us about it"

He scowled harder, she was ready for him to tell her to buzz off again but his expression suddenly softened. "He-he was annoying… Always talking about heroes and quirks and how he couldn't wait to have his own and be a hero…" she smiles.

“Seems he didn't change," she looked in front of her thinking about all the great things he already accomplished, not even his first year over. He saved her from a giant robot, put himself front and center during the USJ, managed to help Todoroki get past his childhood trauma, saved Iida from the hero killer, and saved Kota at the summer camp from Muscular. He was an amazing hero. "Sorry for doubting him"

"You should be, he'll never tell you if something is bothering him," he scoffed, almost chuckled thinking about it. "I was an ass to him back then…"

"You're still an ass to him right now…"

“SHUT IT, ROUND FACE!!" he chowed down the rest of his sandwich in frustration, almost choking on it seeing how fast he downed it. With a cough he regained his cool. "I meant I was really bad with him, I said things to him I still regret right now…"

Ochako knew this was hard for him to talk about Deku; she could hear the strain in his voice, but curiosity was getting the better of her. What was he talking about? "Like what?"

He recoils a bit at her question fearing his answer, his mouth hesitating if he should talk about it or just shut it. Luckily for him someone else made the choice for him. "Hey Bakugo, there you are! We've been looking everywhere for you, man!" Kirishima entered the conversation from behind them exiting the building by the main entrance. He wasn't alone behind him; most of class 1A was present, with the singular exception of Aoyama, who was still feeling bad about what he said yesterday and decided to stay in bed for the day.

Kaminari pointed behind them with his thumb and grin on his face. "Want me to go get Monoma so you can beat him up, that might cheer you up?" that manages to get a chuckle from him, beating someone into a pulp would actually help him feel better right now. "I might take that offer…"

He got up, tired of sulking in his corner with Round face, ready to go antagonize the resident loudmouth of class 1B. But something caught his attention. Green hair, chubby body and small stature, Inko Midoriya was arguing not even fifty meters in front of him with Cementoss at the gate.

"Let me in! I demand to see my son!" she was angry about something he saw only once in his life; she was drunk, and he was sure he was about to die. She was holding a package, something smelling good. "I'm sorry ma'am, I can't let you in; this is a very important investigation"

“You can't stop me from seeing him; he needs me! Let me in," she tried to push past their teacher but was categorically pushed back by the squared teacher. Who was starting to struggle against the single middle-aged woman.

"What's going on?" the students approached the situation wondering if something was wrong. Inko looked at them; her face turned into a pained smile. "You're Izuku's friends? Please help me go in, I brought him some food; he must be starving right now" the teacher was getting overwhelmed having to split his attention toward both the front and his back. "Stay out of this children, this is out of your concerns"

“But…" started Ochako. "If it is about Deku, it is our concern!" she raised a fist to her heart showing her determination. This felt wrong keeping him isolated from everyone; he needed his friends and family now more than ever.

"Ochako…" the mother smiled sweetly at her, her words comforting her broken heart. From the back, Momo cleared her throat.

"According to the law, Izuku is still a minor, so you cannot keep him away from his legal guardian even if he is suspected of a crime" Cementoss sweat drop at this; the girl was right... still pushing the mother, he sigh and sidestep letting her inside the premises of the school. "You have to first register at our front desk; let me accompany you"

Inko briskly ran toward Ochako taking her in her arms, also Momo who was standing next to her. "Thank you…" she let go of them and started walking with the cement user. Katsuki tentatively walked toward the person he considered his aunt. "I'm sure Izuku is going to be fine, aunty…" she turned toward him, sparring him a glance and continued walking with the teacher.

Katsuki froze, taking a step back. Someone asked him if he was alright; he looked like he had seen a ghost. It was just a simple glance, nothing out of the ordinary; something someone would do to anyone…

Why was there so much hatred in it…

…

All might enter the Cube; he had visited many prisons like this in the past, but he never felt this nervous before. From the entryway he could already see him on his bed sitting looking down; whenever he was left alone with his guard, he would not talk, not eat, and not shower. Aizawa gave him a customary nod as he entered; he was the guard for the next four hours.

Each of his steps in his muscle form reverberated loudly through the long empty hall leading to the glass wall. The boy didn't react, simply shifting uncomfortably in his bed. He reached the panel standing ten feet apart from his pupil. “Can you leave us alone for a moment?” he asked Aizawa who looked him up and down, with All Might present there was no way he could escape even if he wanted to, he got up from his chair and handed it to him before walking out through the single exit the room had. All Might turned his attention to the camera aimed at him; the blinking light showing it was working. He did a sign, asking them to cut the feed and after maybe ten seconds, they all tilted down, the light no longer blinking.

As soon as he could he undid his muscular form and sat down in front of the room, his student hadn't moved yet still looking down, but his expression showed he knew who was in the room with him a mix of fear and shame. "Young Midoriya…"

He said nothing at first, his face scrounging trying to keep his tears inside, with an unsteady sigh he responded. "All Might…"

What were they supposed to talk about now? in four words he had the feeling of having talked to him for two days without interruption. The air was heavy between them; neither of them wanted to look at each other directly. It was All Might who broke it. "When you said you were still a hero… What did you mean?"

Izuku glanced at his teacher, seeing his neutral yet saddened expression made him tense up a bit. He nonetheless speak. "That… I'm still doing the right thing… I'm still helping…" hesitation was present in his voice as if he expected his teacher to cut him off at any moment, but it never came so he spoke. "I'm helping her… to be a better person, to not be a villain…"

“Midoriya…" was this what it was about he was trying to reform this villain? Was it the reason he got so close to her? The boy's expression softens as he spoke of her; his voice filled with tenderness, he had never seen him display before. "We started this whole thing about a week back. We had our first date at an ice-cream shop not far from where we got arrested"

He finally looked at him, his face filled with determination. "Himiko can be a good person; she can become someone! Please All Might help me, I need you to make them understand. She is not a villain; she's just lost, alone. Please…" the boy begged him to do something, anything to help the girl they desperately chased for her current and past crime. He wanted to help; to believe they were wrong to give them the chance he so desperately begs for. But…

“I'm sorry" it was All Might turn to look away from him. "A hero's job is not only to help those in need, my boy… Sometimes our job is to bring those who wrong others to justice" she was a murderer; no way around that. Even if he wanted to help her, she needed to pay for her crimes.

"But she wasn't herself back then! She is doing better; we found her a doctor, she started therapy. I'll convince her to take her medication, please! Just help us…" Izuku was up from his bed, his fist hitting against the glass as he pleaded with all his might to his mentor. Toshinori was torn apart from the inside; he was supposed to help those in need, yet he couldn't; his duty came first. He was about to say to him that he couldn't, but he was cut off.

“I beg you! I'll do anything, I'll work twice as hard, I'll guard her 24/7…" none of his words were convincing enough; he had to stop; he was hurting himself…

" I'll give up One for All…"

Yagi turned his head to Izuku still looking at him; he had tears in his eyes. Was this girl so important to him that he was willingly offering him his power back? As to prove his point, he reached for his hair, plucking a few stands, offering them through the small opening. His hands were shaking, his breath irregular but his eyes were filled with resolute power. "Help us… Please…"

All Might took the stands in his hands, holding them as if he was holding the most treasured thing he ever got in his life. Izuku Midoriya would sacrifice everything for a single villain for a chance of redemption. He was aghast, words failed to come out of his mouth as he stammered. "Young man I-I…"

"You're the greatest hero in the world," he smiled at him, a smile wobbly and insecure; he just put his entire future in the man's hand with no promise of any return. "If someone can help her, it's you…"

Izuku Midoriya was a hero.

“I-I'll see what I can do…" Yagi was shocked he couldn't speak anymore he got out of the room holding firmly in his hands the strands of hairs, he almost forgot to activate his muscle form as he exited the room. Once outside, Aizawa returned inside and the camera reactivated. He walked the halls of the school to his office where Gran Torino and Nighteye were expecting him. "How did it go; did you manage to get One for All back from him?" he pocketed the hairs and lifted his head.

“No…”

…

Izuku looked as All Might left him alone with nothing but hope he did the right thing; he just offered his life on a platter for Himiko and now he just had to wait. Aizawa entered the room without a sound or glare; his teacher was absolutely neutral about him. Izuku sat down on the chair he had, letting out a heavy sigh of relief. Maybe from now on things could improve, maybe he'll help her find community work instead of a life sentence behind bars and maybe…

They could finally get back together…

He loved Himiko and wanted nothing more than to see her again, to know that she is alright. "You have another visitor," the gruff voice of Aizawa broke his thoughts as he looks up to see his mother. "Mom?" he hasn't even thought about her these past days; what a terrible son he was. She jogged toward him almost throwing herself at the glass still holding her bag filled with chicken pot pie. "Izuku!"

She cried against the glass, glad to see him; he cried as well, seeing her so distraught made him realize how little he considered his mother feeling in all of this. "I'm here, I'm here… she repeated over and over again trying to compose herself in front of her son. "It's okay, it's okay…" he repeated.

Seeing them act like this, Aizawa couldn't help but feel a bit awkward. Mother and son crying with each other as he could only stand guard, he looked away giving them the bare minimum of privacy…

"I'm sorry mom, I didn't want you to find out this way… Himiko s-she's a good person you must believe me!" he was on his knee, his hands against the glass, as his mother put a hand where they would have met if the glass wasn't in the way she met his gaze with her loving expression. "I know…I'll get you out of here, I promise…" she stood up wiping away her tears.

Aizawa wasn't looking; that was his first mistake. He caught a glimpse of the woman turning toward him. Maybe for a question? The first thing he felt was her arms tightly wrapped against his neck, applying steady and heavy pressure until he couldn't breathe. "Mom?!"

Izuku looked in horror as his mother jumped on the man back, his blind spot an expression of rage on her face, she was moving too fast too nimbly. Aizawa tried to throw her off, but he couldn't; she was locked on his neck. He elbowed her in the ribs but only met wet spongy goo, the same goo slouching off the arms strangling him. He started seeing stars and black spots around his vision; he was losing consciousness. In desperation, he slammed his back against the metal wall, but she held still. Blood started missing in his brain. With a final groan, as his hand tried to remove hers, he passed out on the floor.

Himiko stood in clothes too big for hers, looking at Izuku through the glass panic and love mixed in her yellow eyes. "I'm here, I'll save you!" Izuku didn't share the same love in his eyes. "W-what have you done to my mom?' she looked around searching for anything to open the door, there was a keypad with a screen she pressed it, nothing. "She's fine, I used the syringe" maybe it was something like in the movie?

She took Aizawa's unmoving hand and put it against the screen, nothing. Okay then maybe it's the eye, she took his face squishing it against the screen, nothing. No, no, no this was supposed to work, there's always a guard with a key near the cell why isn't it there. She was losing precious seconds. "Himiko I'm fine let me here! Run, they're going to catch you!" Setting aside the rising fear for his mother's safety, he yelled at Himiko, who was still trying to unlock his door, pushing every button over and over frantically.

" I don't want to go alone! I want you with me, I NEED you with me! Without you I'm nothing…" she cried as she pressed the buttons again, earning her yet another frustrating buzz. She opened her bag getting the meal out of its container and reached in, pulling out a knife that she promptly stabbed into the keypad; she was panicking that nothing was working. It was so easy in the movie; why doesn't it work?

The messy blade easily punctures the pad but yet again nothing, her breathing was hard her eyes darting around desperately looking for a solution she was crouched on herself her hands in her hair as if thinking. "Hey Cateyes!" She looked where the shout came from.

Katsuki Bakugo and the rest of the class 1A had entered first the confinement cell, blocking her one and only escape. He suspected something was going on and decided to follow her in secret with the rest of the class close behind. They looked to see Izuku banging against the glass at the girl armed with a knife dressed in Inko's clothes, desperation in his voice, telling her to leave. Aizawa was at her feet, not moving. "What have you done to Aizawa-sensei!" Momo yelled at Himiko.

Realisation hit Toga, before anyone could move or do anything she crouched to the hero and put her blade against his neck. "Nobody move, or I'll slice his throat!" she was on the floor holding his unconscious body upward, using it as a shield; her blade was held firmly in place under his chin. "HIMIKO DON'T!" Izuku yelled pure terror in his voice; he banged against the glass with the power of his quirk at 30%, but it didn't budge if he wanted to get out, he would need 100% of it nothing less.

All of class 1A were immobilised, unable to take a step further; some gritted their teeth in frustration, and others were frozen by fear. The only sound they could hear was Izuku's muffled protestations and banging noise against the glass. "Let him go!" yelled Todoroki flame licking his left side, she dug the blade deeper in his neck a small trickle of blood slithered down the minuscule wound. Todoroki stepped back undoing his flame.

“I want Izuku, I want him free! I won't go without him! I LOVE HIM!!" the maniac in front of them yelled loudly, her voice bouncing around the room; they could see tears in her eyes. Ochako's eyes widened and kept glancing between her and Izuku, the way he looked at her, fear. But not fear for Aizawa, fear of losing her, fear of seeing her do something she would regret.

Fear of losing someone he loved.

“You must be crazier than I thought if you think Midoriya can love someone like you," yelled back Tsuyu, her eyes riveted on Toga, who was glaring at her from behind their teacher, her eyes glinting a malicious yellow. She started giggling a crazed maniacal way sending cold sweat down their back. "He does! He chooses me, he's given me his blood, he… he-he helped me"

Ochako's heart shrivelled in her chest, Chooses?

“…But I didn't, and I met someone else. I didn't want to love her as I do, but she clawed her way into my heart and I-I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" was this true? Ochako took a step forward taking the lead of the group. Toga didn't move her blade; she smiled at her eyes, pleading with someone who would understand. "Ochako… you know I'm being honest; you know my feelings are pure. Help me get him out…" she pleaded, her face twisted in a weirdly sweet expression.

"Ge-… Get away from him!" Ochako cried out, from whom she wanted him away; she couldn't say. Himiko's face dropped, betrayed, as she had been all her life. She straightened herself; her eyes now burning in newfound anger. She looked up seeing the multiple cameras all over and smiled. "You have five seconds to open his doors," she digs the tip of her blade deeper. "Or else…"

"WAIT!!" everyone yelled in unison.

“FIVE!!”

“HIMIKO DON’T DO THIS PLEASE” Izuku banged from behind the glass.

“FOUR!!”

Many students start readying their quirk prepared to jump at her.

“THREE!!”

Izuku charged his arm ready to blast away the reinforced glass in front of him.

“TWO!!”

Himiko was fully prepared to slice the man neck open, her finger tightened on the handle of the blade.

“ONE!!!”

A loud *BEEP* was heard and the door unlocked from a distance. Izuku immediately stopped charging his power and leapt out of his prison directly at Toga, tackling her in an embrace. He desperately grasps at her ruffling her hair with one hand while the other clings to her clothes, shaking. "It's okay… I'm here. I won't go," her knife was still under Aizawa's chin, but her grip loosened. She let go of the man who slumped against her, unconscious as she grabbed Izuku, returning his hug. "I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to. I-I was so scared…" she cried in his arms forgetting her situation.

His classmates were all frozen by the display in front of them; Izuku was hugging a villain right in front of them, whispering comforting words in her ear as she cried like a little girl. "Deku…" Ochako whimpered. She looked at them hugging and crying together as if the world around them didn't exist.

As if she didn't exist…

"DEKU!" this was Katsuki time to make everyone realise what was happening. "What are you doing?" he seemed lost looking at his friend, his eyes looking way beyond than in front of him. Pros finally started entering the room. Snipe and Present Mic were first on the scene. "SHOTA!" this immediately made Himiko realise they weren't out of it yet and grabbed Aizawa by his hair taking back her hostage while Izuku looked back and forth between his friend and Himiko.

“H-Himiko let him go, we-…" Izuku tried to plead with her; she didn't leave the heroes out of her view as she cut him off.

"They won't let us be together, Izuku; they'll do everything in their power to take us apart. If you let him go, it's over for both of us" her tone was venomous, filled with her past grievance against the so-called hero who only torn her life apart.

"Deku! You want to be a hero? Come back to us, we'll make this work, I swear," Katsuki also pleaded with him, offering his hand in a desperate measure to try to make him come back to get his old friend back from whatever he got into.

“His name is IZUKU!!" screamed Toga shaking in pure unadulterated rage toward the blonde in front of them, her face was twisted in a snarl. She never liked him from the first time she met him at the supermarket; she didn't know it yet, but something was rotten in him. Her disdain only turned into rage a few days after her and Izuku's night on the beach where he spilled his heart to her, connecting the dots; his best friend, what a joke. "He doesn't need people like you…"

"What does that mean, Cateye…" it was his turn to snarl at her, a villain telling him he didn't need someone like him. What kind of bad joke was this.

“Oh, want me to spell it out for you!" she said with fake joy, mocking him, before returning to her usual snarl. "What kind of friend tells his best friend to kill himself!" This took him by surprise, how the hell did she know that. He spared a glance at Deku, who was looking more and more uncomfortable as they spoke of his past, rubbing nervously his heavily scarred arm, not daring to look at anyone.

"Bakugo would never do that!" Kirishima yelled offended by what he thought was a lie. Himiko let out a condescending laugh throwing her head back. "You never told them? No wonder you're in hero school then; if everybody knew what kind of piece of shit you are, you would have never gotten in!"

“Shut up! Tell her Bakugo," Kirishima didn't let it go, glancing at his friend, expecting him to be enraged by the lie. Instead, he saw him frozen in place, eyes wide and silent, as he looked down. "Come on Bakugo, tell her…" he failed to do so, faltering on his own insecurity and failure instead.

Ochako saw his reaction thinking back to their earlier discussions. "I meant I was really bad with him; I said things to him I still regret right now…" this is what he meant, he told Izuku to kill himself? Her fist tightened in anger; she could punch him right now.

Izuku was lost in the middle of all this, on one side his friends on the other Himiko and they now started airing his dirty laundry without his say. He could see the blade occasionally nick Aizawa's neck as Himiko jittered and waived; he was afraid she would slip and hurt his teacher at any moment. In the middle of their debate, he cut in. "Himiko… Give me the blade"

She turned her head looking at him and his outstretched hand, palm facing up. She hesitated fear of what he would do. He could betray her, give her up to the authority, but if she didn't, he may also not trust her ever again. "Okay…"

Everyone looked as Izuku took the blade from the villain's hand, contemplating it for a second that seemed to stretch for hours. He could toss it; trust All Might will somehow clean all this mess, and eventually he and her could return to a normal life, or he could do as Himiko wanted and try to make sure they both escape. He looked at his friends who were all staring at him awaiting his reaction, at his teachers also ready to arrest him at any moment of weakness. Then he looked at Himiko; she was holding Aizawa against her, smiling at him, trusting him to make the right choice. If they got arrested, even All Might might not be able to pull her out of this mess, maybe losing her forever…

He could feel his hands shaking as he looked at the blade, a small trickle of blood on it. The gentle hand of Toga superposed on him, making his shaking stop, and with the most beautiful voice in the world told him.

“I trust you"

Izuku Midoriya had made his choice a long time ago.

He took the blade and brought it to his teacher's throat and with shaky hands and panicked eyes spoke. "Everybody out"

"Midoriya…" all of his classmates were horrified; he would take the life of his teacher over the one of a villain? This must be a bad joke…

"I-I SAID O-OUT!" Snipe and Present Mic lifted their hands in submission, not wanting to risk the life of their colleague now held in the hands of their unstable student. "Listen to him, out" they spread from the door leaving enough place for everyone to go out. As everyone exited Ochako, spare one last glance, Izuku freaking out and Himiko latched on his arm as he held the knife; it looked like a scene from a painting depicting some epic drama. She'll save him…

Now completely alone in the metal box that was his prison, Izuku let the blade in his hand clattered to the ground. What was he doing? This isn't what he wanted; this is what Himiko wanted. She took him in her arms, whispering into his head that he did well and that they would escape together, that all was fine…

Like a snake spewing its venom into its prey. Doubt suddenly entered him; he was holding his teacher hostage for good-sake! They had a hostage, but what now? They can't just leave by the front door like nothing happened; they would track them down and eventually throw them in prison.

And All Might he just handed him his power on a silver platter what if he already found someone? What if they didn't manage to get out of here? He might have just lost his only chance at freedom. Breathing became hard; he was choking on the very air he was breathing, dry heaving. "Izuku…" Himiko grabbed him by his cheek, directing his face at hers. She put her forehead against his, breathing loudly, slow and steady; he soon followed her breathing becoming more regular with each passing breath. "Ok I'm better now…"

She looked up at the two cameras pointed at them and took the knife; in an instant, she disabled them, making sure no one could spy on their conversation. "We need a plan"

…

All the faculty teachers and a slew of police officers were now standing in front of the UA prison; many officers had their weapons drawn, and many heroes were gathered around the building waiting for the teen to come out. All Might together with Grand Torino and Sir Nighteye were gathered around the makeshift table, listening to Tsukauchi who was briefing them about the new hostage situation that just arose. "They're holding Eraserhead inside the door closed; the only exit is through the only door.

“Unless I broke the wall” All Might propose earning him a negative nod from his colleagues.

"We lost visual on the inside; you might hurt the hostage by doing so…" the large man clicked his tongue; he hated hostages situation. It was one of the only moments where his overwhelming strength was utterly useless.

Especially when the people involved are all so close to him, what happened? One second, he offers him One for All for merely a chance at saving his partner, and the next he turned to the most horrible form of villainy. What was going on with him? The hair in his pocket felt as if they weighed tons on his mind, but he couldn't stop thinking about how much the boy was ready to sacrifice.

Was he a hero or a villain and could All Might wait to find out?

"The door is opening!" one of the officers yelled, getting the attention of everybody around. Everyone waited for any sign of movement coming from the inside with bated breath, some raising their fists other like Midnight got ready to unleash their quirk. For a good minute nothing happened as they all held their breath in and then suddenly…

…

“You're sure this is going to work?" Himiko asked him, holding tightly to his back ready for what was to come. Izuku was straining pulling as hard as he could. "Absolutely not, but what do we have to lose?" Himiko simply glared at him.

"Everything?"

"Don't remind me…" he took another step back, straining even harder against the force at play. This was a gamble; he has no idea if his new ability would allow him to pull off their escape, but he sure was going to try seeing this may be their only chance at freedom in any way shape or form.

Using Black whip as he called it, he grounded himself on each side of the door; he noticed the elastic property of the quirk while he was watching fighting for his stead against the pro yesterday and theorize that he could use it as a slingshot if the need arises and right now, he needed it. He was lucky Nezu built the building this way: large, wide front door, long corridor leading to his cell.

The perfect launching pad.

And if they failed well, they tried, he took another step, straining heavily against the black tendrils he held in each of his arms. He reached the end of the hallway, stepping into his room where they had put Aizawa into the bed. Two more steps and he would reach his maximum possible length. He took another.

Aizawa slowly regained consciousness he remembered Miss Midoriya talking to her son one second and jumping on his back the next groggily he wakes up noticing how soft the floor was. There was a small pain on his neck but not much else, using most of his will he stood in his bed just in time to notice the weirdest thing he might ever see in his long career as a hero.

Problem child with a murderer dressed in his mother's clothes on his back straining against black tendrils as he backed into the bed Aizawa was lying in…

He didn't have time to react as the girl turned around, seeing him wide awake and smiled at him, waving goodbye to him.

The next second they were gone…

…

“What the hell!” flying at the speed of a flying bullet, came out the teens came out missing by an inch one of the walls of the faculty. In less than a second, they became a speck in the distance into the sky vanishing with one last glint, everyone, students included looked at the display mouth agapes unsure of who could do anything to get them now.

All Might was not the symbol of peace for nothing, with a mighty leap he jumped after them. Right now he was the only one that could reach them but if he wanted to avoid destruction he had to slow down or else break everything in his path trying to reach them “Damnit!”

…

Izuku could feel the wind against his face as he soared through the sky at a speed he thought was impossible. He was supporting Himiko the best he could as she held tight arms and legs wrapped around him, but he could feel her slowly losing her grip not only that he may have forgotten one enny, miny, tiny little detail.

How the fuck was he supposed to land!

He could see the city under him past his visions at unbelievable speed. In a matter of second, he covered hundreds of meters; he could barely see in front of him as every fiber of his body was straining against the force of the wind. In front of him, a mountain covered by trees. That was approaching and fast.

He charged the maximum amount of One for All he was able to hold, about 30%, and ready himself for the impact. He also sent out whips around them the most he was able to conjure in hope they may slow their descent. The first thing he impacted was the tip of a tree; miraculously, he didn't die thanks to the added durability of his quirk, but it sure did hurt like hell.

Branches after trunk he took the brunt of them all making sure Himiko on his back wouldn’t die from their landing, the black whip did their job grasping at everything they entered contact with slowing their descent. He stood strong has wood left marks and scraped on his body. They finally impacted the ground bouncing on it; Izuku took Toga in his arms, shielding her from the impact or at least the most of it. With a final slide he reached the end of his journey hitting his head on the trunk of a large pine tree.

His whole body felt as if he had just passed his exam against All Might, scratched that it felt ten times worse as he couldn't lift his arms. Himiko was way better standing as soon as they landed. She immediately stood over him, shaking him, trying to tell him they had to move, but he couldn't.

His vision darkened and the last thing he could see was the worried face of his lover Himiko Toga...

Author’s note

IT'S DONE ANOTHER BIG CHAPTER! 8000 words!

The whole escape went a bit differently than what I've planned but ended exactly where I wanted.

All Might now hold Izuku's future in his literal pocket; what will he do?

Bakugo is outed as a scumbag, ohoho I'm excited. His speech with Ochako on the steps is inspired by Queenofalldreadboiis, because they wanted more Chako, and I'm proud of it :)

One of Nighteye's visions finally realised.

Next time aftermath… I'll probably wrap up my other plot point, maybe taking a little pause from Izu/Toga

Bonus Fanart!! Thanks to the amazing ligmaballz69 (lol) for the unprompted artwork depicting Izuku's moral dilemma. This is amazing!!

Chapter Text

…Three days later…

Izuku woke up inside an abandoned building; his whole body was on fire. He tried to lift his arm, but he couldn't. At the very least nothing seemed broken, just hurting like hell. Where was he, what happened? Image of previous event flashed in his mind, him giving All Might One for All, Himiko taking Aizawa hostage, his friends' horrified face as he put a blade under his teacher's chin, them flying out of UA…

Oh, that's right.

He was now a villain…

…

Shigaraki wasn't feeling well, ever since the damn meeting with those quirk supremacists he had an itch, a terrible one that wouldn't go. Just beneath the skins of his neck, the last time he remembered itching so much was after murdering his entire family. He would writhe on the ground in agony in front of Sensei as he imparted words of wisdom to him. After weeks, he had managed to calm down thanks to the man's soothing words, but now…

He was alone in his hideout, and nothing could distract him from the itch like ants digging under his skin. Games felt tedious, drinking bland and hurt his head afterward; even the news about that little green shit rebelling against UA couldn't put a hint of a smile on his face.

It was surprising to hear the boy who managed to make one of his underlings defect has in turn defected from his hero school; maybe Toga had a better influence on him than he imagined. He just hopes all of this is getting under All Might skin.

All Might… He had no new plan for killing him and it's been months since their last attempt. He was stalling, unable to make meaningful progress in his quest; he felt stuck in the tutorial. Was it the reason why Sensei refused to listen to his wish during the meeting and went out of his way to act on his own? The itching grew along his worries.

He walked the halls of the building they were holed up in, doing nothing. He asked his group what they wanted but none of them had a specific goal, except maybe Dabi who wanted Endeavor dead a goal he would gladly help him with, the number two hero was his number two target as well.

And Twice, he wanted friends, he says. Was it what they were, friends? What does a friend even do together: play, drink, laugh? It's been so long since he had friends; he couldn't remember the feeling of it…

Images of them around a table playing Quirk and Query entered his mind, the itching somewhat subsiding. He said that it was a team building experience, but was it more? They played, drank and laughed plenty that day.

Like friends…

Was it what he was looking for, companionship instead of validation? The itching was almost gone the moment he entered the faux bar Kurogiri had built for them, inside Spinner and Magne were busy jamming as many gadgets as they could inside her new arm, the gecko burning himself quite a lot with the soldering iron he was holding. Twice and Compress were busy decorating, yelling at each other's insults (and compliments from Twice) about their chosen respective styles.

The magician tried to give the bar the look of some sort of vintage boudoir, with drapes and candles (stolen) while the masked man was looking for a place to put his giant vintage Deadpool poster (also stolen) that he insisted must be positioned crooked, tilting the magician into rage as they fought over it.

The only one doing nothing new was Dabi sitting at the bar drinking his usual glass of hard liquor; Shigaraki sat next to him. Kurogiri immediately poured him something while he fetched under the counter bandages and gauze for his now bloody neck and started dressing his wounds. "You know this stuff is bad for you; you might die from cirrhosis before killing the number two"

The moody young adult simply scoffed. "I've lived through worse…"

"Like what?"

What was the deal with him lately asking questions and meddling in others' business his business. "Not telling"

"And why is that?" Kurogiri retook position behind the bar as soon as he finished bandaging his young master. Dabi was tapping his finger on the counter in exasperation; he just wanted to be left alone. Was it too much to ask? "What's going on with you lately, realised your true calling as a psychiatrist or something?"

He snorted, clearly amused by Dabi's irritation. "Nah, annoying you is just the best thing to do right now"

"Great…you had your fun; now you can go," Dabi went back to ignoring his boss, drinking alone at the bar. Something Shigaraki found profoundly confusing. There he was, a villain in his group with no drive and barely an ambition. What made him tick, he was more akin to a tool as he is right now.

The rest of the group often goes out to cause some mayhem, have some fun, stole something they wanted but him… He never left the bar unless he was told so, standing brooding in his corner sulking all day until he was pointed in the direction of something to burn. "Hey Dabi?"

“What again want to know my favorite color now?" for what must have been the third time, his glass failed to reach his mouth as he was interrupted mid-sip. Kurogiri sensed something was going on and stood ready. The leader motioned for him to follow him. "Kurogiri makes us a portal to Hosu"

"Anywhere in particular, young master?"

"Drop us near the Endeavor agency, get ready for another portal" Dabi scowled, what kind of game was he playing, sending them in the middle of the night near the top-rated agency in Japan. Has he finally gone insane? Both of them stepped through the portal in front of them. Exiting the bar and entering Hosu, the same city the Hero killer used to prowled before being taken down by Endeavor, at least that's what the journals said.

He could see looming in the distance not too far from them the large skyscraper. Lights are still on even during the night. After all, evil never sleeps, heroes needed to be on their toes even when citizens were not.

"So are you going to tell me your genius plan, oh master of the League…" he prostrate himself mockingly in front of Shigaraki who was strangely silent since they stepped out of the portal. His face displayed nothing as he looked at the agency not far from him. He turned toward him, a finger lazily pointing at the building. "Have fun…"

Dabi simply glared at him, have fun? Doing what, did he want him to go in and ask for an ice-cream or something. "What?" Shigaraki sighed as if he was explaining something simple to a child.

“Like I said, go have some fun, burn something, steal a car for all I cared, just stop sulking in the corner like some moody teenager going through puberty" his finger was still pointing at the building as he looked at him. Was he crazy? Heroes were still swarming the place; hell, Endeavor himself was probably doing some overtime like he always did. Attacking it directly was suicide. "I think you blown a blood vessel, because what the actual hell are you thinking right now…"

Shigaraki fully turned toward him, his coat bellowing in the wind. "So, you don't want to kill Endeavor?" Dabi produced a blue flame in his left hand; nobody questioned his hatred of the man. "You have something to say…"

His boss continued. "I sure do, I took you in because I thought you'd be useful, something I could use to burn the hero society to the ground, and you've been nothing but efficient and blindly loyal to my orders…"

“Thank I guess?"

"Like those damn heroes, you don't think for yourself, you don't fight for yourself, you don't even live for yourself…" he walked circling around the flaming man while he monologues. "Like a dog. You fetch when asked and wagged your tail on demand. I thought this was what I wanted. Mindless pawn to throw at heroes until both of them destroyed each other, but I realised…" did he just call him a pawn to be sacrificed?

"I need people with goals and ideals something that drive them, someone like Compress who keep bringing us TV shows or Magne who stole an ATM machine just because it was convenient. Even twice who brought us donuts he stole from the cops at the mall"

"This sounds like the worst fucking team of idiots I've ever heard of in my life…"

“Exactly! Because if we started taking things too seriously, it becomes a job, something you get up in the morning, wipe your ass, kiss your kid goodbye, and go from 9am to 5pm until you come back just to unwind from it, just like the heroes we fight," he motioned to the street under them with people walking from one end to the other like a bunch of ants, mindlessly supporting society for no reasons other than it was the norm. "Just like them…"

"So, what do you want me to just cause random mayhem for the heck of it because it's not what others do… you have any idea how crazy it sounded?"

"This is how I live, I destroy what I hate, and it may not be how you want to live…" he looked at him, his red eyes burning a hole in his charred soul. "But right now I'm just looking at a dead man walking and I have no use for the dead…"

Dabi was speechless, a dead man? He was alive and had a goal; he wanted revenge against his father for treating him like a failed project, an object who could never reach the height he placed on his shoulder. But what had he done to get back at him? Nothing, he never did something to piss him off; he might not even know he existed yet. He sighed heavily; this was the dumbest, most puerile idea he had ever been a part of, but he needed a place to sleep and the food was free. He dragged his hands across his face, pulling on the dead skin and piercing.

"Urgghhh fine, if it can shut you up, one night and we're done" This was going to be tiring; he needed a drink…

…

“WHERE THE HELL DID THOSE GUYS COME FROM!!" Burnin was flying through the sky with the help of her flaming green hair, throwing balls of fire at the duo under her feet; other sidekicks were on their way to intercept them, further on the street.

It was supposed to be a tranquil night, when out of nowhere a car crashed through the glass doors right into their lobby almost killing their receptionist; heroes were on it the second the vehicle was immobilised. Out the passenger door came out a man with what must have been at least twelve cans of beer clattering to the ground; he was unsteady and clearly drunk. "Ea-eatt sh-shiitt da-daa… Ah, fffuck it!!" and with a hollering laugh let out a torrent of blue fire half hazardly all over the foyer. Burning at least two sidekicks before being immobilized to the ground by Burnin pinning him against the ground, the idiot only laughs some more before a portal swept him away from her. Taking him a few feet away on the roof of the now backing car…

Someone grabbed the conductor through the window but was forced to back away when he felt his arm being slowly disintegrated by the driver. He managed to get back into the street and drive off under the heavy fire power of every gathered hero.

So, here she was pursuing the duo they identified as the League of Villain leader and one of his lackeys, Dabi. She threw another fireball that was deflected by the man sitting on the roof of the car. Endeavor was already on its way to deal with those bozos.

Dabi was having the time of his life sending burning flames everywhere, fighting heroes while drunk out of his mind and overall doing whatever the fuck he wanted. One of the green fireballs hit him in his shoulder, nothing he wasn't used to; his driver brakes a little too fast, sending him rolling on the hood of the car. Now sitting his back against the front window, he had a good view of what was in front of him, a barrage of police officers baring their way. Shigaraki didn't stop, going forward. Officer opened fire, but it was in vain; a large portal appeared in front of them, swallowing the vehicle and making it vanish out of thin air.

Endeavor arrived just a moment later on the scene, his sidekick landing near him, bowing in apologies at the disaster that just happened. "I'm sorry sir! They attacked the agency out of nowhere; we were surprised and couldn't retaliate fast enough…"

He didn't respond, only scowling at the damage in front of him. What was the League planning with this attack? Was there a deeper meaning…

…

“Here! Not so shabby if I do say so myself" Compress was busy admiring his work, the bar was looking way better with some drape and a touch of color. He even managed to find a place for his fellow villain to put his crooked poster. The men were shaking hands congratulating each other on a job well done.

And then a car rammed through the wall ending its destructive path into the corner of the bar…

The left blinker was still flashing, as Shigaraki kicked the door open, rubbing the sore spot in his neck. He wasn't going full throttled, so he avoided the worst of the impact. Dabi, on the other hand…

"HAHAHAHAHA!!" was perfectly fine strangely, his body stuck in one of the shelves on the wall, he must have been so drunk his body went limp on impact stopping him from breaking every bone in his body. Shigaraki looked at the smiling idiot being pulled out of the wall by Magne still laughing.

This was a villain…

…The next day…

“Hey Todoroki, I've heard about what happened at your dad's agency. Is everyone okay?" Ochako ran toward her classmate. Yesterday two members of the League of Villains attacked front and center the biggest agency in Japan, injuring at least three heroes and five passersby. The incident was on every piece of media someone could land their hands on.

Journalist called the attack an open provocation against the number two himself. Endeavor answered in an interview that he would instal tougher front gates to avoid future incident and would personally bring the party responsible to justice. "It's fine, no one got seriously injured from what I've heard"

" Still, it's scary how they can just appear and disappear like that, making you think how we could deal with such a quirk"

"He would probably know what to do…" his name wasn't said, but the mood was soured instantly, All Might didn't manage to find them after they went flying off the campus. He only managed to find the place where they approximately landed, but by the time he arrived they had vanished; just thinking about it made her want to cry. Deku was gone, left alone with a villain.

She was sure Himiko had done something to him; it must be it. He would never do something so horrible on his own. Maybe she used a quirk on him to make him easier to manipulate, or she blackmailed him into the whole thing.

She thought about Saturday, how he rushed toward her when his door opened, he didn't even flinch as he took her in his arms, hugging her frantically as she cried into his arms, soothing her as if she was the victim. How he looked at her with worry and attention, making sure she was alright, with such care…

With such love…

Her heart couldn't take it she had been pushed aside in favor of a villain, one that tried to kill her in the past. Luckily, her heartache soon vanished when she saw him. Bakugo was sitting at his desk, his face deeply concentrated on his book and nothing else; he didn't even yell at Sero when he accidentally backed into him. In front of him is the empty desk of Izuku Midoriya.

"What kind of friend tells his best friend to kill himself!"

Many dismissed it as her trying to get under his skin, lying to get a rise out of him, but she knew the moment she heard her yell it, she told the truth. The way he froze when she said it, Deku's uncomfortable behavior. She had tried to bond with the blonde over Deku that day, but now she just wanted him gone…

And there was the way Himiko acted around her, the betrayal she saw in her face when she told her to get away from Izu-… Aizawa. She thought back to the mall, when she was disguised. The way she told her that they understood each other, that she understood her feelings.

Was Himiko really a villain or just some lost girl…

"Stop your daydreaming and go to your seat…" Aizawa said as he got up from his usual sleeping bag. He wasn't hurt; the only proof of his misadventure was the band aid still on his neck where Himiko had pushed the tip of her knife in. A fairly minor injury, knowing what could've been.

Now sat at her desk at the back of the class Aizawa began his class. "I'm sure you are all aware of the event of this weekend, seeing as none of you listened to the administration warning and barged into the building" he wasn't impressed by their meddling. "You will all serve detention tonight, with the sole exception being Aoyama. Use this time to think about your actions and improve upon it"

A wave of protestation raised from the class. "Come on! We tried to save you Aizawa-sensei, can't you be at least a little bit thankful?" an offended Mina cried out. She was quickly silenced by the red glare of her teacher.

"Do not worry, we will analyse this incident as what not to do during a hostage situation. I reviewed the tapes; if you lot would not have intervened, the chance of her taking me hostage so soon would've been lower, giving enough time for pros to act accordingly. You are still students, not heroes yet; you'll do well to remember that…"

Everyone who was ready to yell got silenced quickly as they hung their head low in shame. They didn't know what to say; he was right. If Snipe had entered first, he would have been able to neutralise the invader in an instant. He was forced to do nothing because she had already taken Aizawa hostage, using him as a human shield.

“This brings me to my second announcement…" he got the attention of his students who were surprised to hear another news from him. "In one month, you'll be having the Provisional Hero License Exam; this will give you a license allowing you to operate as a pro out of school in situations where you are needed"

He looked intensely at Iida and Todoroki, sparing a brief glance at the empty desk. "This does not give you permission to act out on your own and go look for trouble" the Stain incident didn't need a repeat…

The rest of the class was fairly normal, if you didn't count the unease caused by their missing classmate. A test later, and they were gathered in the cafeteria for lunch; her group of friends was missing a key member.

“The Provisional Hero License Exam, are you sure we're ready for it so soon?" Iida asked, his voice filled with unusual doubt. Both his friends smiled at him the best they could, ready to offer him words of encouragement; they weren't fast enough for the teen gloom train of thought. "After what happened… I doubt we're ready to be heroes so soon…"

This stopped them dead on their track, Todoroki was one of the best students in class, and he wasn't even able to save his friend from Toga's clutches. His flared-up emotions almost caused his teacher's demise. It was easy for them to see where this was coming from. Ochako offered words of encouragement alleviating the mood. "If we want to save Deku, it's the first step we'll need to take…"

This managed to put a smile on their lips. Whatever the future had planned for them, they will save their friend…

Author’s note

Back to normal length chapters, easier for me to write and correct, so I'm happy.

After the last chapter, this one was needed. A bit of insight into Shigaraki's development as a leader and Dabi being able to go on a petty rampage was very funny to write.

Also, class 1A is reeling from the consequence of their actions and the exam on its way, who knows, maybe they can go after Izuku with a license…

Next time trouble in paradise, All for One and One for All….

Chapter Text

…Three days later…

Yagi Toshinori was sitting in his office defeating the greatest evil this world had ever seen, paperwork… It's been a week since the incident and he still had not finished his part of the report that the police asked of him; he was a man of action, not some pen-pusher.

He told them of their conversation inside the papers, the part about him begging him to save Himiko that he would do anything in exchange for some sort of plea deal for the girl, everything that they discussed during their short conversation.

Everything except the few strands of hair still in his pocket right now as he mules over the paperwork. This may be the hardest decision he may ever make in his life, the future of Izuku Midoriya. The way he talked was honest, resolute with barely any doubt. He wanted to help Himiko whatever the cost.

But not even an hour later, he was out of his cage, putting a blade of his own volition at his teacher's throat. All Might was looking at the video recording of the incident; he asked her for the blade, and she offered it on her own. With the exception of the word of discouragement from her, this decision was entirely his own. The boy looked lost, his hand shaking as he asked his classmates to back off.

He rewinds the tape a bit, getting to a key part of the altercation.

"What kind of friend tells his best friend to kill himself!"

The look of shock on Izuku's face, the boy used to be quirkless and he knew from experience how this world treated his kind. In his youth the problem was starting to poke its ugly head but now… it was in full swing. He could only imagine what kind of treatment the boy went through. He should have a talk with young Bakugo about what happened at his old school.

“Can you be a hero… Not without a quirk…”

He wasn't blameless in this story. What would have been if he hadn't given him One for All that day; he had doused the boy hope from the very beginning. He wanted him to drop this dream before he got hurt as he knew how violent this job could be, how much danger some heroes lived through. He was harsh because he cared, but it didn't mean it was the right thing to do. He could have inspired him that day, given him the hope to try and prove him wrong. Even quirkless, if he had failed, he would have gotten into the general course of UA no problem and knowing him to try again at the sport festival.

Instead, he told a little boy to stop dreaming.

Was it a reason why he acted this way, why he turned to villainy, because the only person who showed him care on a deeper level was a villain? Did he connect with her through shared grief? He rubbed the little plastic bag in his pocket containing the green hair of his pupil, the reason he would sacrifice everything to save someone who may have lived something as horrible as him in the past…

*Knock Knock*

“Please enter!” the door opened revealing the peculiar face of one of his last year students, Togata Mirio.

“You wanted to see me All Might?”

“Yes, come seat my boy I just have a few questions for you if you don’t mind!”

“Not at all!" Mirio was a cheerful boy, broad, confident with an ever-present smile on his face. No wonder Mirai insisted that he be his successor; he was almost a carbon copy of him. Add on top of all a powerful quirk and a pristine student record, something even All Might didn't possess. He was the perfect hero candidate.

He sat down in the offered chair, back straight, legs stuck together and hands on his hips. Even his posture was good. "What did you want to ask me?"

“Nothing bad my boy! I’ve heard quite a bit about you from my former sidekick Mirai, and it got me intrigued. I guess I just wanted to know a bit more about you!” All Might was projecting an aura of confidence and boisterous joy, but under the skin he was still thinking about what this was about; he promised Mirai he would give the boy a chance to prove himself to him. He was afraid, afraid he might prove how wrong he had chosen, that he was destined from the start to be his successor and that he was only delaying the inevitable.

“Oh well, there's not much to say about me; I was born in a normal family with a loving mother and father…" tale of his youth filled the office as All Might listened intently, the story of him falling down a river and being saved by a hero being the reasons for him to be one. The meaning behind his hero's name 'Lemillion' is that he wanted to save in his career at least a million persons because he knew he couldn't save everyone, but he could at least save that many.

 He was perfect; no way around that. With One for All in his possession, he would probably change his name to 'Letrillion' even if there weren’t enough humans on the planet to save. His spirit, moral and heart were all right, but he still needed to gage his physical prowess.

“I have a class Monday, with my first years would you be interested in helping me train them, young Mirio?”

“Not at all! It would be peachy!" he pushed out his butt, wiggling it in front of his teacher; in an attempt of humour, the old man didn't quite understand. There may be one problem with him…

…

One week had passed and he could now move his body without a problem; the only problem was he didn't want to.

Izuku was a villain; a fact that he still had a hard time wrapping his head around. His face was displayed in journals in front of him as a wanted individual. The list of crimes underneath his school picture: hostage taking, threatening harm with deadly forces, conspiracy with villains, obstruction of justice, cover-up, harboring criminals, and more. He was a wanted man just like Himiko, her picture next to him was the one she had in middle school with her hair let down.

This was it, the end of the road. He would never be a hero again; he would never see his classmate. He would hide, lie, and cheat just to not die in the street. He brought his knee to his chest as he hugged them tightly on the dilapidated mattress he was sitting on, an abandoned relic of the previous homeless person living here. The room was an abandoned factory near the woods they landed in; they would probably need to leave soon. Staying at one place was a sure way of getting caught.

But why should they run? He had nothing. His dream was crushed by his own hands; he should've surrendered; why didn't he? He sulked in deeper into himself. "I'm back~" Himiko entered the building with a plastic grocery bag; she was cheerful, skipping toward him with a smile.

The reason he was here, and he hated himself for thinking it…

“I got you some food!" stolen assuredly. "Also, some clothes since yours are pretty much ruined. Try it you're going to look super cute in green!" she plopped next to him; he didn't flinch or move looking in front of him as she unbagged the content in front of him. A few sandwiches and a new green t-shirt, with the kanji 'Yellow' written in blue, something he would normally adore as it fit his other shirt perfectly.

But right now, he couldn't be bothered.

She took her own food out and started eating next to him, swinging her legs off the edge of the bed in a carefree way. Himiko was happy she had Izuku; they were now free to do anything they wanted, to go on dates to live freely out of the grasp of pesky heroes. She took him into her arms, wrapping him tightly in a loving embrace.

“D-don’t touch me please…”

Her eyes widen; this was not Izuku. He was happy, supportive, combative, stubborn, not… this. She backed a few feet from him. The boy in front of her was lost and broken, huddled on himself like a cocoon trying to keep everything at bay from him, including her… She had never seen this side of him before, never since he broke down on the beach in sadness, but this was different. She looked at his eyes normally filled with life; they were now dull and empty. Window to his equally broken spirit. Did she mess up?

She only tried to save him from those who wanted him harmed, from his supposed friend. In doing so, she also took away his dream, the only certainty in his life.

To be a hero.

“Izuku…” she whispered trying to get his attention; he didn't move, staring ahead of him, lost. She bit her lips; he was supposed to be the one fixing her, helping her, but right now she needs to be there for him. "Let's get out for a bit! Get those legs of yours stretched on a walk, there is a trail right next-…"

"You can go; I'll stay…"

She felt her gut twist at his answer; he was done. She tried to shake him a bit to get a reaction from him, anything. He didn't budge from his position on the makeshift bed. In desperation, she put herself in front of him putting her hands on his shoulders making sure he was looking at her.

"I love you…"

“…”

Her heart sank into an abyss she didn't know existed inside of her; she had done everything for him to get him back, but she failed to. This wasn't the Izuku she knew; it was a ghost, an echo of what he was. She shifted nervously in front of him, not sure what she could do to help him. There was one thing in the back of her head pestering her in the worst of times, an addiction she couldn't get rid of. Her taste for blood.

She wanted some from him but now would feel wrong, it had been a week since she had any and could feel the withdrawal in her body, the knife was speaking sweet cold words in her ear, it demanded to be used on the only person available, the broken blood bag in front of her.

NO! Izuku was a person; he didn't deserve to be treated this way; she would help him.

But how could she help him if she couldn't even help herself. Tentatively her mouth opened and closed, hesitating to ask him the dreaded question on her mind. In the end it was better asking than taking it from him directly. "C-can I have s-some o-of your b-blood… P-please" she looked like a shy little schoolgirl in front of him, all trace of confidence wiped away from her as she stuttered her plea.

He extended his arm to the side, not looking at her and with words devoid of emotions, answered her.

“Take it…”

Take it, she may have at this point. This wasn't a permission, this was a statement, a fact. She'll take it like she took everything he offered, leaving him with nothing but the broken husk that was his body. She hesitated, but in the end her impulses were stronger than her feelings.

Izuku was her angel, and he just lost his wings; she had burned his world in front of him. She took his wrist and bit it in uneasy silence…

…

Chio couldn't believe it; she had made it. When her aunt called her concerning a new announcement regarding the MLA, she was overjoyed. She finally had the chance to meet Re-Destro in person the grandson of the famous Destro himself, who fought for Meta-ability rights in the past.

She even was personally invited by her aunt to the rally happening inside the Detnerat main building. Her dad drove her there himself with the guarantee that Kizuki would personally keep an eye on his daughter and make sure nothing bad happens to her. Something the woman assured them wouldn't be a problem. She was dropped in front of the giant office building where the blue and lilac woman was waiting for them. She practically jumped out of the car. "Aunt Kizuki!"

She took the woman in a warm embrace, happy to see her favorite family member, someone that encouraged her to go further in her life. She warmly returned the hug, smiling at her niece's enthusiasm. "Glad to see you too, Chio. Was everything alright to get here?"

"Just a bit of traffic on the road, nothing too bad," her father answered. He had no idea this was an MLA meeting. He was assured by the older woman that this was a conference where his kid would be able to make some connections for his future career, something he was glad his sister-in-law was nurturing. "You're bringing her back after, right?"

“Of course! Even if I want nothing more than to keep my favorite niece all for myself!" she pinched the cheek of an embarrassed blushing Chio. "Stooop!" She looked around seeing a diverse amount of people gathered in front and outside laughing and talking to each other. Some of them were openly displaying their ability to compare it with similar others and making conversation around it. The father looked nervous for a moment but was quickly reassured by Kizuki. "It's a conference about the usage of quirks in everyday life; they all have permission to use it on our property"

"If you say so… See you tonight Chio, tell us all about it, okay?"

Chio cheerfully waved her dad a brisk goodbye before being whisked away toward the crowd by her aunt. There were so many people all around them, all devoted to the cause. This made her happy, seeing those who had to restrain their meta-ability now in a place of no judgement with like-minded individuals. She recognizes a few heroes talking with members but one piques her interest more than the others. "Is that Hawks!" the number three hero in Japan was here, not even twenty meters away from her!

Kizuki lowered herself to whisper in her ear. "Want me to introduce you to him?" she didn't say anything, only eagerly nodding her head as stars shine brightly in her eyes. They approached the pro who was busy discussing with someone with a snake quirk that allowed him to turn his fingers into individual snakes; the man seemed to be at ease laughing, asking questions, and overall having a good time. "Hawks, good to see you're back with us. Can I introduce you to my niece Chio Chitose? She may be young, but she has a bright future in our organisation"

The young man turned his attention toward Chio; she could pass out right now; he was even more handsome in person. His untamed hair, his cool attitude, his golden eyes, even more intense from behind his visor! He smiled at her. “Ohmygod, he smiled at ME!”

“Hey, glad to know who I have to suck up to in the future," he said. An air of ease surrounded the man despite his very serious ranking. He offered his hand for her to shake; she could feel the moistness in her own. She wasn't that nervous usually, but it's not every day you meet one of the top ten. She wiped her hand swiftly against her skirt before taking it with both hands, bowing and shaking in an exaggerated manner.

He stopped moving frozen; did she do something wrong? Was she making him uncomfortable? "Mister Hawks?" Worry started overwhelming her as she inspected the man who wouldn't budge. Kizuki let out a hearty laugh to the growing confusion of Chio. "Let him go, or do you want to keep him like this a bit longer?" embarrassment overwhelmed her as she realised that in her excitement, she accidentally activated her quirk, freezing the hero in place.

“I'm so sorry!" she started bowing before he unfroze. Now out of his stupors the man blinked twice as if to make sure all his vitals were fine, he looked at the flustered teen in front of him and grinned. "With a meta-ability like that, you could take my job one day," did he? Did he just praise her? No one apart from her aunt has done so before; generally, people were scared of her. Apprehensive at what she could do with her hands but now the number three hero just said she could make it in the top ten if she tried. Her stomach filled with thousands of butterflies fluttering, her mood ever so high.

A call was made on the intercom telling everyone the meeting was about to start. Aunt and niece said their goodbyes to the pro before heading towards the main conference room. It was a vast room that easily accommodated the vast numbers of members present.

In front, a stage. She could see all the leaders of the organisation, Koku Hanabata a politician dressed to the nine, known for his speech and successful campaign in his district. Tomoyasu Chikazoku a man she never saw the eyes, always hidden behind his bangs and long black hair, he was a member of Feel Good, Inc's board of directors and finally Rikiya Yotsubashi, Re-Destro himself. With his sharp facial feature and the birthmark on his head proving he was related to the legend himself.

There was also her aunt, but she already knew her plenty from long ago; together, they entered the VIP area at the front of the conference before Kizuki had to go on as one of the leaders. They exchanged smiles and words of encouragement before parting from each other. Looking around in the dimly lit area, she could see many politicians of various standings as well as some celebrities. Seeing herself surrounded by such amazing persons made her confident in their cause; she was where she needed to be…

As the light in the room finally dimmed into nothingness, everyone took their places, sitting ready for the conference. Re-Destro himself took center stage, the only area of the room illuminated by the projector. He hasn't even said a word that everybody erupted in a wave of applause; some fire quirk lit up the room in celebration. She was swiped by the enthusiasm and started cheering as well to the joy of her aunt who was keeping an eye on her.

He raised a hand, all the while smiling, slowly silencing the crowd who sat ready for his speech. His first action was to raise his hand to his face, a thumb to the forehead and an index to the sky, she was quick to do the same just like everybody else, this was awesome!

“Liberation over suppression… These were the words of my grandfather who fought hard to have our ability freed from the convention of our government and the law of men” he talked with such charisma it was hard for Chio not to be enthralled by the man’s words. “As he grew up, he was treated with disdain by his peer, belittled for what he was, for what he could do. His loving mother couldn't take it to see her darling son and pleaded "This is my son's quirk" to the society, and did they listen?"

A resounding "NO" erupted across the whole room, the Grand Commander was proud of his members, like a father would. "They did not; she was made a victim of those who oppose her vision of a fair and just society where everyone could live as they are, but they only lit the flame in Destro's heart for a better world! The one his mother wished for him and his future children!"

"So, he fought arduous battles, such no one sings the merit to this day. Because of him, meta-ability are no longer the subject of ridicule; one can stand proudly in the street and say, this is me!" he opened his arm as to rouse the crowd who hollered and cheered. "Now we fight as he did! The enemy has not changed since my grandfather's time, just changed name. The Hero Public Safety Commission…"

A series of boos echoed throughout the room with one "They suck!" elevated above the rest, Chio booed as well. "The HPSC may tell the citizens of Japan that they fight against discrimination, against misuse of power, but we know what it is… The tyranny of the weak!" his fist hit the podium and again, cheers echoed around the conference room. Everyone, Chio included, knew how right their leader was. Just thinking about Tamaki… Chio cheered louder.

“It is why I am glad to introduce you to a man who will help us reach new heights, help us topple the very system keeping us down, a man who just like my grandfather had his history erased from our books due to his ability alone. I present to you Mr. Shigaraki!"

At first the enthusiasm was at an all time high even if no one knew who the man was, but being introduced as being the equal of Destro himself made everybody curious about who could that be. From the side of the stage, a large man in a black suit emerges; each of his steps echoed louder than the voice of thousands of members. Soon, cheers became softer than whispers, and finally silence. The man on stage exuded an air of power Chio had never seen before; it was almost suffocating. The large mask he was wearing did nothing to ease her growing concern.

Re-Destro didn't flinch welcoming the man as a guest of honor, but her aunt further back was sweating bullets, barely able to glance at the man as if scared. He reached the podium pushing aside their Grand Commander as he took the stage.

"Welcome…"

One word, one word was enough to send her skin crawling back, every fiber of her being wanted to run and hide from the intimidating man, his voice was soft, yet firm filled with thousands of promises and millions of threats. No one spoke a singular word among the attendees.

“I am honored to be here tonight with Destro's kins and followers…" again she didn't want to be there, but her legs failed her, so she listened, his words were like honey luring insect into its trap. "I was too discriminated against for who I am. I fought for the right to do as I please but unfortunately, I had a brother who couldn't see things the way I did…"

Just who was this man? He said he was erased from the history book, what did he do? "The very mask you see in front of you is a result of the symbol of peace himself, who uses the force given by those who didn't earn it to push back my ambitions. I stand with you tonight as an ally, someone who can help you destroy the very foundation of the system oppressing us" he raised both hands as if he was holding in his arm the key to their liberation. Some started nodding and whispering among each other; if that man fought All Might and lived to be free, he must have been strong.

All for One looked amused from left and right seeing the commotion his presence alone was having on the weak. "As for a demonstration for those who are not convinced, I'll allow any member present, one hit to try and move me; after all, you deserve to know who is working with you" no one dared to get up, except one individual; his face was cocky and his large chin accentuated the grin on his face. He wanted to show off his ability against the one who claimed to be Destro equals. "Ah, a volunteer…"

The man ran toward the stage; he had a hole in his hands and was rolling his shoulder, getting ready to hit the man with all his strength. Once on stage, All for One turned toward him, putting his hands behind his back; this was amusing to see insects trying to be lions.

“I have one free shot you said?"

"I am a man of my word…"

Grinning ear to ear, the man on stage aimed his arms at the Demon himself and took a breath in, then a second, then a third. Chio could see something growing inside of him; he was storing power, ready to unleash it. It took him a minute to charge his attack; his whole body was swollen to the size of a small elephant, and then he unleashed it.

A wave of air so strong it came out with a thundering *BANG* all concentrated on one point making the moving air visible to naked eyes. No one could survive such an attack, and yet he didn't move. The air hit him with full force and to everybody's astonishment he didn't budge; yellow floating shields appeared out of thin air in front of him. Was that his quirk? "My turn…"

He raised his hand. "Air pressure quirk time one, strength enhancing quirk time two, rivet propulsion quirk time one…" His arm double in size and send an attack stronger than the one that hit him toward the man, the attack missed him by a hair obliterating the wall behind him. "I'm sorry I didn't intend making it this strong. I thought it would be weaker…" the man who challenged him fell to his knee realising he just avoided death by a few centimeters.

He claimed to be stronger than he showed… And what was that quirk time one? Times two? Di-did that man have multiple quirks, it should be impossible…

He turned toward the crowd, no toward her and beckoned her to come forward. Wait, why her? What was happening? Her legs couldn't move right now; she can't go up there with that… monster. Then he pointed two others next to her and beckoned them to do the same. The older gentleman and lady obeyed promptly but Chio was frozen in her seat. She glances at her aunt who looked back, horrified…

"It seems our guest is shy…" against her will she was pulled from her seat floating in the air toward the stage, toward him she was sweating heavily, and her breath was ragged, she was hysteric. Once landed in front of the man shaking like a wet dog in winter, he leaned in on her and commanded in a hushed whisper. "Calm…" her whole body suddenly felt light; was it another quirk? Just how much power did that man possess?

“My power was deemed too dangerous for society, and I've been fighting for the right to use it freely…" he began another monologue as he walked away from her toward the older gentlemen. She couldn't move and she couldn't talk as she watched. "Tell me, mister, what is your quirk?"

"I-I can manifest bugs that I control at will from my skin" the man was nervous and not particularly well dressed; what was he doing in the VIP section?

"And you, my dear…" he asked the woman.

"I can detonate part of my body, but they d-don't regenerate…" she said equally nervous; again, this woman didn't look like a guest of honour.

Now behold…" he took them both by the nape of the neck, they convulsed in place for a second before stopping, falling to their knees. All for One raised his hands and from his palm a veritable swarm of insects burst flying over everyone's head who watched with amazement and horror. He grips his fist making every one of them explode in a cacophony of firework illuminating the room with each minuscule explosion. "Interesting…" he muttered to himself.

“This is my quirk!" he said as if mocking the mother of quirk herself. "…All for One, with it I will liberate this world of oppression and give back to those who fight to earn it. With both their quirk combined and your collaboration, we shall destroy the HPSC… I'll give you both your quirk once we are done" he turned toward Chio, who in spite of the mental effect she was under started shaking again as the palm of the man slowly reached for her forehead, under the cheers of thousands.

"And with yours…" An evil smile peeks out from behind the glass of his helmet. "I might just destroy the symbol of peace himself…" the last thing she remembered was how cold his hand was…

Author’s note

All for One great introduction to the world. This will not be as relevant for now, but I had to introduce my big bad conflict somewhere. Hawks mentioned!

Chio! I had this planned for her for a while; I wanted to show how someone can get indoctrinated in an organisation such as the MLA, and now, she's quirkless… Do you feel bad for her?

Izuku is going through an identity crisis now that his dream is dead. What will he do?

And All Might have met Mirio, and he is a good candidate. What to do, what to do…

So many questions, so little time. Next time, I'm not sure, so it's a surprise… :)

Will take more time for next chapters I'm going back to work; my summer break is over and Rimworld just got it’s latest expansion…

Chapter Text

Ochako was lying on her back against the cold tiles of the girl's locker room; next to her, Mina was doing the same thing. The rest of the girls were not doing any better than her groaning and moaning in pain after the absolute smackdown they just got. When All Might told them they would fight against one of their seniors, they thought it might be manageable: the whole class against one. How hard could it be?

Absolutely impossible it turned out.

Mirio was called one of the big three for a reason. The boy was strong, stupidly so, they couldn't even manage to land a single good hit on him each time they got close their attack would pass through him as if he didn't exist, just like his clothes… This was an image she would need to scrub out of her mind with a wire brush later.

One image she would not get rid of was the haymaker Bakugo got in his guts; she would cherish that image for the rest of her day, if only she wasn't also hit right after him in the same manner.

"That's just unfair… How can one guy be so strong!" Mina found the energy to writhe on the floor in frustration.

“He is top of UA for a reason…" Momo, ever the perceptive one, remarked something that didn't appease the squirming pink menace next to her. They had progressed a lot since their admission to the top hero school of Japan, yet being face to face with the best of the best showed them just how much they still needed to improve, for them and others.

Others like Deku, there was still no new news about him anywhere, no sighting, nothing. She hopes he is fine wherever he is…

…

“Fuck!" his fist slammed into his locker with force, letting out a resonating bang across the room. Bakugo was humiliated by Mirio; he couldn't even wipe his stupid grin off his face. Fangs and yellow eyes filled with gleeful malice snap into his mind. Deku was still at large with no one even caring enough to find him. He just wanted to go out there and find them himself, wipe that girl's smug attitude off her face.

Get rid of those deep, cutting words lingering in his mind…

"You ok there, man?" Kirishima posed a gentle hand on his shoulder; one he was quick to bat away from him. "Yeah…" and without fan or fanfare he exited the room leaving behind the extras.

…

Tonight was curry and to everyone's satisfaction Bakugo wasn't the one in charge of the spices, having vanished soon after class ended, somewhere only he knew about. Ochako was sitting at the table with the girls. Todoroki and Iida had also joined up with their bowl for some light chatter about various class subjects they were struggling (or in Momo case exceeding) with. Todoroki was the one to bring the less fun matter. "Bakugo isn't doing so well; I know he tends to overtrain, but this is getting ridiculous…

It was true the bombastic blonde wasn't one for prolonged conversation, but he would usually stick around long for someone to make a quip about him or say something that tilt him off until they get to hear an earful of banters from him. But now… they were lucky if he stuck around more than thirty seconds after class. He would pack up his already prepared gym bag and vanish who knows where onto school premises.

"Good, I don't want to see him…" Ochako said, before she had the chance to phrase it in a more polite manner. Many did a double take, unsure how to react at the open hostility against their classmates. "D-don't you think you're too harsh on the guy?" Jiro said.

“…” she wanted to tell her that no she wasn't, not after what she heard about him, not after what he supposedly put Deku through. But she didn't want to stew the pot if it wasn't necessary; wolfing down the rest of her plate, she made the excuse of being tired before going to bed. A wave of concerned look hit her back as she practically ran off the room.

She closed the door behind her; now in the safety of her room, she let herself hit her mattress with a loud *POUF* sinking deep into her pillow and thought. This wasn't healthy; she knew it. This resentment grew inside of her like cancer she couldn't get rid of. Every time she saw him, she could feel the blood drain from her white knuckle as she balled unconsciously one of her hands into a fist.

She wanted to punch him, to hurt him. To ask him why? Why would he do such a thing to his best friend at the time? Why was Deku so important to him? He couldn't be bothered to just ignore him and had to go the extra mile of belittling him to this degree. She let out the rage in her throat bubble up into a scream she unleashed into her pillow.

Then a noise barely perceptible came in, like a soft reverberation coming from the outside. She stood from her bed and went toward her balcony, pulled by the innocuous sound she had a feeling might be of importance. Opening the door, she was met with the cool air outside and a view of most of UA faculty; in the distance, she could see the various training grounds they would do their exercise in. A light flashed in the distance in the fake city, followed by the sound of a muffled explosion a second later…

…

* BOOM!!* another target down, he still needs to hit the other five before the timer goes off. Maneuvering with his palm, he sends himself flying toward the next, hitting it with a kick, shattering it.

Bakugo has been training for hours at this point; he could feel the diminutive return of his effort as he exhausted himself. He knew the best thing right now would be to stop, to go back to the dorm, rest and eat, but the extras were still there, and he didn't want to see anyone else right now.

Another explosion from his palm sends him soaring toward the roof of a building where one target was resting; he barely manages to get to the height as his palm sputtered and croaked under the exhaustion, threatening to give out. He latched himself to the edge and pulled himself painfully onto the roof. In the distance he hears the alarm he set up blare its loud buzz signaling him he had failed. With each beep he's reminded just how much he failed; as a hero, as a student, as a friend…

*Beep!*Beep!*Bee-…

It's stopped and with it, his self-degrading thoughts. He looked down as it wasn't supposed to stop on its own. He peeked at where his phone should be, then saw her, Round face… She's glaring dagger at him, probably because he didn't cook tonight or she's concerned about him or some other meaningless bullshit. "What the hell are you doing here?" he doesn't hide his contempt; he wants her gone and the sooner the better, but she says nothing, holding his gaze with her own anger behind her eyes.

He rolled off his side unto the street below, stopping his fall with a well placed explosion at the end of his fall; one too many, he was sure to regret the next morning. He walked toward her, his step unsteady as his legs wanted nothing more than to give up under him. "What's your problem? You're mute like Rockface or something; I asked you, What are you doing here?"

She uncurled her arms as he got closer, her burning gaze holding strong against his own. “What did you do to Deku in middle school? I want the whole story” so this is what it was about, seems like he wasn’t the only one obsessing over this whole thing…

“None of your concern…” he accentuates the ‘your’ by jabbing a finger in her chest, shoving her a bit away from him, but not as much as he would like. She jabbed him back.

“Yes, it is! Just how much of an asshole you are is my concern, everyone discard what she said as crazy talk from a villain, but I saw how you” she poked him again. “Reacted, how HE” again she poked him with force making him take a step back. “Reacted… So, tell me”

“I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ANYTHING!!" he yelled in her face, but she didn't back down, he scoffed. "You're just hurt because he cares more about her than y-…" pain, pain hit him on the side of the face, but it wasn't a dainty little slap. It was the full force of her fist colliding with his right cheekbone, sending him tumbling to the ground. He spit a glob of blood on the ground and looked up astonished at her. Tears are pouring out as she narrowed her eyes at him; she is hurt…

He is also hurt… His surprise is quickly replaced by rage; he stood up with a controlled explosion and came barreling at her, damned be his body tomorrow. He needed to let out some steam. His right hook, a bad habit of his, is sent toward her at full force but she isn't exhausted like him. She sidesteps him and counter punches him in the gut, sending him down once more. "Is that what you did to him! Punch him down until he gets back up, ready for another beatdown!" she yelled at him from above, looking down at him…

He wiped the bruise on his face and stood back up. "Yeah…" the sudden honesty takes her by surprise; he takes his chance and tackles her against the ground, now the one standing over her. He balled his fist. "That's what I did! Put him in his place, where he belonged! What are you going to do about it!" his fist collided with her arms as she blocked every punch aimed at her head. She raised a knee, sending him on the side, and she took back the fight; now over him, she raised her fist.

“I'm going to beat the shit outa you!" she let out all her rage and frustration on him with each punch she sees Deku… Smiling, laughing, kissing her, kissing Himiko, saying to the blonde "I love you…". She gets sloppy and Bakugo catches her fist, retaliating with a gut punch that sends her back. Now both up on their feet and minds firmly elsewhere they charged at each other, two hurt souls who failed to talk so the fought instead.

They forgo their quirk, their fighting style, their training. This was a courtyard children's fight with no grace, like two kids fighting over the dumbest of things. Hair was pulled, eyes jabbed, and arms bitten.

Both were bruised, Bakugo way more than Uraraka, but none would stop until the other was down. "Come on! You said you were going to beat me! DO IT-…" for a third time he was sent down and this time he couldn't get up. He rolled on his back to see Ochako getting ready to pounce on him and lay another beatdown on his ass, but she stopped; he was crying. "Do it, I'm a piece of shit and you're the only one that sees it… Everybody else just forgot him, tossed him aside like I did…" for a second time this day he was pathetic.

He lifted his forearm to his eyes trying to hide the hot shame pouring out of his eyes. "She was right, I told him to do it, to go jump down the roof like the quirkless loser he was… All because I was too prideful to let him help me, to be there, to be my friend…" Ochako looked down at him, not with anger, not with pity but with compassion. He was beating himself over what he did, but she wasn't about to let him. "Then get up! As much as I hate it, he looks up to you, he sees something in you that I can't… So, get up

Her words sober him up with a final sniffle; he wipes the last of his tears and pushes himself painfully into a sitting position. Ochako sit on top of the rubble in front of him; her face filled with unbeknownst emotion she couldn't figure out. The guy in front of her was an asshole one that didn't deserve Deku, but this was never hers to decide, to choose for him. He was a kind guy that saw the best in everyone, even the worst of them.

That was probably the reason he chose Himiko and not her… He saw her on a deeper level one she didn't know, one she desperately tried to cast aside and refuse to see, for if she was not the villain she had made her to be, she was no better than an unsecure girl trying to stop him from finding love with someone else. She sighed; Bakugo was worse, but she wasn't any better than him.

They stood amongst each other in uneasy silence, Bakugo having said what he was holding in and Uraraka trying her best to not let spill what was eating at her. Echoing steps approaching them was the only thing pulling them out of their torpor.

“What a sad sight to see… You should both learn to talk in the future instead of… whatever this is” All Might had walked in on their little scuffle, Bakugo earlier explosions were not unnoticed by the faculty and their incessant yelling was not subtle for anyone close enough to hear. Ochako stood up facing her teacher, realising the mess she was probably in right now. Bakugo was unable to,  looking the opposite side.

"I-I'm sorry All Might, we didn't mean to-…" she was cut off by the meaty hand of the man raising, telling her to calm herself. He approached closer until he was next to them.

“Do not worry, I understand you both; I overheard a part of your conversation. I should have stepped in sooner but curiosity got the better of me; I apologise” gone was the boisterous attitude and jovial tone of voice; he looked tired.

"Don't apologise, it's us. We shouldn't have fought over-…" again she was cut off, his hand this time pulling her close to him, into his massive frame hugging the girl.

“You are both concerned about your friend. There is nothing to be sorry about…” all the emotions she was holding in suddenly flowed out. In one swift movement she took him in her arms, pulling herself deeper into the man's chest. Deku was gone and she was scared, scared for him, and Himiko …

Still holding the girl, he looked at the young man on the floor, adverting his gaze from his. “As for you young Bakugo, do not berate yourself too harshly for your past mistakes. Even the greatest of heroes has a few mishaps. It is what you'll do in your future that is important” the teen scoffed, muttering something under his breath; he made sure he couldn't understand. Unfortunately, for him, he did hear it. “Even I… in more ways than I would care to admit …” this managed to impact the young man who still refused to look at him, but he could see him whimper, hiding his sobs.

All Might got close to him still holding Uraraka and knelt taking them both in his arms. “I also care about young Midoriya, more than I admit. Ever since I’ve learned of what was going on I can’t help but think this may be my fault in some sense” both teens were now confused; the number one hero felt it was his responsibility? They looked at their teacher's face, lacking his usual smile. In its stead was regret weighting him heavily. He pulled away from the embrace, towering over them with his serious expression.

“You both are some of his closest friends, people I asked him to keep secret from for my and his own safety. If I hadn’t, maybe he would have opened up enough for all of us to help him through what was going on…” secrets? What was he talking about? Both he and All Might were close in the past, closer than what a teacher/student relationship should have been. What was he talking about?

Yagi wasn't sure what he was doing was the right thing to do; he was about to say something he maybe shouldn't, but the weight of supporting Midoriya alone in his corner was too great to bear alone. All his colleagues and friends are urging him to bring him to justice, to take from him One for All. He was tired of doing it alone, to fight against the tide. He needed people who understood him and Midoriya; he trusted their judgement…

“You see young Midoriya is…”

“Your son!!" both of them yell at the same time, startling the poor man in front of them who in a lapse of attention puffed into a cloud of smoke. Leaving behind the skeleton of a dying man coughing blood in excessive quantity.

Who the hell was that!

"WHAT! No, why is everyone saying that it's not-…" he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing it strongly trying to get rid of the embarrassment. Bakugo, amidst his growing confusion, finally rose to his feet ready to fight. "Who the hell are you! Where is All Might!"

Yagi looked at the teen ready to throw hands with him at any given time and stood proudly in front of him showing him his true form. "It is I, All Might…"

"Bullshit!"

In a second, he puffed back into his muscle form before undoing it yet again proving the veracity of what he was telling. Bakugo regretted standing back up because as soon as he realised, he fell back on his ass, this was All Might. Ochako was still silent trying her best to take in the information she just received.

“This is the secret he’s been holding inside of him the whole time, my true identity… as well as the severity of my injuries”

“Injuries?” Ochako now able to speak, asked. In response he lifted his white shirt revealing to their horror the gnarled scar all across his torso.

“This is not all, young Midoriya is more than a simple bearer of secrets. He is also the boy I chose to inherit my power…" with each of his words they got more and more confused. Deku was chosen by All Might? To hold his power? This was ludicrous; quirks are not handled from one to another like objects; it was impossible…

"Let me tell you the story of how it came to be," he sat down with them among the rubble of the deserted training ground. Taking his time, he explained from the beginning how they met for the first time, the training, the handling of his power, and the mysterious origin of it. They looked down, trying to process everything that was just said to them. Deku has been holding this the whole time. Alone…

“Deku…" Ochako thought about how he saved her in the admission exam; this was the first time he ever used his quirk. She remembered how broken he was afterward and how he didn't hesitate for a second before jumping in to save her with a power he knew nothing about.

"…" Bakugo thought about how he inherits his power the same day he told him to go jump off a roof; what would it have been if he never met All Might, never gotten a quirk of his own. Guilt was gnawing at him from the inside as he pursed his lips in unease, something the hero in front of him caught on quickly.

"Do not dwell on what if, young Bakugo. It's a mistake we are both guilty of…" after all his own talk with the boy wasn't any better.

“Why… Why tell us now?" Ochako finally asked, confused as to why he would reveal to them a secret of such importance to a bunch of kids in training. Why them? Rubbing the palm of his hands together, Yagi felt his throat constrict as the hardest part of the conversation was yet to be discussed.

"Before young Midoriya escaped us…" he began. "He pleaded with me to save the young girl he is enamoured with…" Thinking about Toga earned varied reactions, Katsuki scowled and Ochako pouted sadly. "He asked me to do anything to let her have a chance to be free, to live a normal life"

He ruffled his pocket, pulling out a plastic bag from it. At first, their expression quickly turned to astonishment. "Is that…"

Yagi looked at them, his voice betraying his own fear of what he was holding and the implications of it. “He gave me back One for All…”

Deku, he was ready to become quirkless again for the sake of Himiko. Ochako thought about how Toga looked so lost when she was separated from him and how she broke down the moment he held her against him.

Her love for him and vice versa was genuine, something that splintered even more in Ochako's heart.

"The boy you fought today is the one they urged me to make my new successor"

"Wait? Tintin looking ass is your new successor; what about Deku!" he was still at large and now they want to take his quirk? What kind of bullshit was that! Katsuki raised to his feet in unrestrained fury; how could he give something so amazing to his friend? Let him have a taste of his dream before ripping it out of him. What kind of sick torture was that he grabbed the man by his collar forgetting he was currently threatening All Might himself. "What the fuck! Why would you do that to him!"

Yagi let him vent his frustration freely. "I haven't yet; those who urge me have no idea I currently hold the means to give it. I also hesitate to give One for All; this is the reason I'm talking to you both. Why I tell you my secret, I am lost…" Bakugo let go of his idol, looking deep into his piercing blue eyes filled with doubt.

"Deku is still a hero…" he didn't hesitate for a second, saying it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Yagi looked up at him, hope shining brightly in him remembering Izuku's own words.

“And I think Himiko might not be as villainous as we think she is… Whenever we talked, she was so honest. She truly cares about him, and I think she is just lost…" this pained her, but it was the truth; if Deku was a hero, then Himiko certainly wasn't a villain.

"You both…" Yagi wiped away the single tear rolling down his cheek. He puffed back into his muscle form, taking both of them in a spine-crushing hug. “I’m so glad to have talked to you!” as they were crushed, they couldn’t help but smile a little, this was the All Might they knew.

He let them both down. “Now, you both need to keep what we discuss a secret. This goes beyond saying.” He turned away from them looking at the starlit sky above with renewed hope. “We will save him…”

…

The both of them were walking in the city at night, no one was in the street making it perfect for them to move in silence far away from prying eyes.

Like villains…

She was holding his hand like the lost little child he was, pulling toward a new spot they could rest for the night. She knew an underpass not far from where they could rest for a bit. Not the most comfortable spot in the world, but it would do, as long as they were together things would be better… right?

She looked behind her; Izuku was wearing the shirt she had brought him and was diligently following her anywhere she pleased, but his eyes… they were filled with nothing but defeat, perpetually looking down at their feet. She tried to kiss him, to hug him, to make him laugh; anything but nothing would work. He would just dismiss it the next second or entertain her for a moment, not paying attention to anything in particular.

This made her so frustrated; they had each other, wasn't that sufficient? Why did he need more? He was everything she needed; why couldn't she be the same for him? She turned a corner entering an alleyway he followed. She stopped in the middle of it and he stopped his eyes still cast downward, as he said nothing.

Himiko turned around, worry clearly visible on her face. "Izuku talk to me, please…"

“…” again, he said nothing, he didn't move, and he didn't react, like a ghost. Frustration was growing inside Himiko against her better judgement. She couldn't take it anymore; his silence was becoming deafening to her ears. "Izuku! Say something anything!" she shook him trying to get a rise out of him, again nothing.

Her face turned to a snarl; Izuku would never be like this. Who was this? Whoever was currently at the wheel she didn't like him one bit, wasn't cute at all… "I'm sorry, is that what it's about! I didn't mean to, you left me alone and I panicked," she was huffing and puffing, but he didn't move. He simply huddles on himself a bit.

“I forgive you…" simple words he put no effort in saying like a robot trying to find the string of words that would calm her. She frowned some more; her Izuku was hiding beneath this imposter; she just needed to get him out anyway she could. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a blade; her face was twisted in vicious anger as she grabbed his hair, pulling his head back and tilting his neck upward, exposing the tender flesh under his chin to her.

She pushed her knife against it, and he didn't move. "Do something! Say something! Anything, you're not Izuku, who are you!" anger was apparent on her snarling visage as she stared at the boy, his eyes looking up as she forced him to do. He did nothing, his arms dangled limply on his side as he simply stared at the stars above.

"You can take it…"

Take what? His blood, his life? Right now, there is nothing to take from him, nothing to share with him.

She just wanted him back… The blade trembled against his skin as her anger subsided, for it was never truly present; she didn't want to hurt him. She didn't want to be angry at him; she just wanted him back, wanted him to be happy; to smile, to laugh, to kiss her and tell her "I love you" back… she let go of the blade and took him in her arms as she cried under the sound of the echoing tumbling blade.

"I want to help you…" she sobbed in his arms hugging him harder. He lazily wrapped his arms around her, returning weakly to her hug. "I know…"

They stood like this for a minute, desperately trying to mend what was broken…

"KYAAAA!!" The sound of a woman screaming suddenly broke the spell between them; it came from further in the alleyway. Himiko had no idea what was going on and honestly didn't care much about whoever was there; she had her own problem already.

Said problem was currently running away from her toward the sound. He was so fast and… filled with energy? She ran after him; something changed in him…

Izuku didn't know who this was or what was going on, but he was certain of two things.

Somebody needed his help…

And his body moved on its own…

One for All burst into action, making him faster than ordinary. The scream came from behind the corner in front of him; with a slide, he entered the scene. A woman was held at gunpoint by a shady looking guy in a green bomber jacket. She was tall, with a mutation quirk giving her the appearance of some sort of green furred undisclosed animal with a snout. She had her back against the wall as the robber was scavenging inside her bag on the floor with one hand, holding the gun pointed at her with the other.

His entrance didn't go unnoticed; when the crook heard the sound of grinding gravel in front of him, he lifted his eyes, meeting those of Izuku. "Who the hell are you, kid?!"

The man raised the gun in his direction, ready to fire at the intruder but Izuku was faster. His legs propelled him forward as the man pulled on the trigger. The echoing gunshot rang in his ear but failed to hit him as he dodged under the barrel; he cocked his fist backward and delivered a swift jab on the man's chin, rocking his brain. His eyes rolled backyard as he was sent tumbling into the opposite wall.

Izuku was breathing hard, adrenaline in his system as he looked to make sure the man wouldn't get up. He could feel his blood pumping; the cold air entered his lungs and the winds blowing in his hair.

He felt alive.

“Uhm, t-thank you…" he turned toward the woman he just saved from a mugging; her face filled with a mix of gratitude and confusion. Suddenly very self aware, Izuku started blabbering. "Oh- I… Uh… I mean you're welcome…"

Himiko entered the alley to see Izuku rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he talked to the woman, ignoring the man who was currently bent ass up against the wall. He looked… good, better than he was just a minute ago. She stared at his face; he was smiling, talking, and his eyes…

They were filled with purpose.

She made her way toward him, a devilish smile in tow as she grabbed him from behind, pulling him close to her and away from the woman. "What is this? Should I start to get jealous, Izuku?" he stammered and excused himself growing redder at the implication of what was happening.

Her Izuku was back.

"Izuku? As in Izuku Midoriya?" the woman was astonished by who her rescuer might be, the kid who had fled UA to become a villain. Sirens were going off in the distance, the gunshot had probably alerted the authority who were closing in on the area. "Crap! We have to go!" Izuku turned around to find Himiko hunched over the unconscious guy and didn't lose any time. He grabbed her while she was distracted carrying her in a bridal style as he leapt up above on the building.

He jumped from building to building into the night, until he deemed he was finally far enough from the crime scene. He looked down into his arms to see Himiko smiling at him; he didn't have time to ask why she was smiling as her arms coiled around his neck and pulled him close for a kiss. His eyes widened but not for long. Closing them as to enjoy this little moment alone. Their lips parted and she murmured. "You're back, my hero…

His heart pumped hard echoing the word in his ear. 'Hero' he was a hero; he had saved someone from a mugging. All trace of his depression had vanished with those simple words; this is all he ever wanted and he just now realised his dream may not yet be dead. "Every good hero needs his costume!" she climbed down from his arm, pulling up the bomber jacket the guy below was wearing, having nabbed it while he was distracted. She drapes it over his shoulder, like a cape.

“And their sidekick…" she pressed her lips against his red cheek as she took his hands in hers, looking expectantly. "What do you say?" he looked at her, then the city below. Thousand of lights illuminating the night sky. He clenched his fist as if testing the strength of his grip, his resolve. This is what he needed.

"Let's do this…" he smiles so brightly he might have blinded her.

Author’s note

I'm back! We got past all the angst I had planned for Izuku; things are looking up for him and Himiko.

Yes, this is vigilante Izuku and Toga. Congrats to those who managed to guess it! This is not the twist of the century, but it is the most logical endpoint for their characters.

Ochako and Bakugo fight until friendship! My take on the whole Izuku and Bakugo fight after Kamino in cannon. Those two work well together.

All Might is teaming up with his students because he is tired of being told he chooses badly, understandable.

Next time, how to find a job as a vigilante…

Chapter Text

He was walking behind Himiko in the direction of somewhere he wasn't aware of. Izuku discovered something in the short time he roamed the street; being a vigilante was hard… And being a criminal as well as being a vigilante was way harder than he initially thought. Usually, one would stick to one side or the other, having the support of your fellow villains or the safety of a civilian identity you can hide under. He had neither; fighting villains at night and hiding under a bridge during the day wasn't a great combo…

That's when he could find criminals; they were quite hard to catch in the act after all. Since that night he saved the woman from the mugger, he didn't find anyone else in need of help, except maybe a stray cat or two making a bit too much noise; he didn't find anything worthwhile. Sure, he cleaned up the street; littering was still a crime, and picking up trash with black whip was doing wonder, improving his control of this new quirk, but he couldn't help but feel he was missing out, always short of the action, of those who needed his help.

So, he followed Himiko, who funnily enough convinced him she knew where they could find some criminals and even maybe make some money out of it. He wasn't surprised about that, living in the street for as long as she did was a good way to learn the ins and outs of criminal life, he just wished she would tell him where they were going. "Is it still far?"

“Nah, we're almost there!" she led the way with a sway in her hips, happy for her boyfriend's new hobby. Sure, being a vigilante would be dangerous, but at least he would maybe find something else to buy for himself other than All Might merch now that he needed equipment for his endeavor.

She looked back at him while he was distracted, adjusting the collar on his new jacket. She aided building his new persona, after all being saved by some boy in a T-shirt and jeans wasn't cute at all. With her help, he concocted an outfit that would help him be recognised for who he was, a hero.

All personally selected by her and approved by him, it was hard to find all the pieces without stealing them; the donation box was very useful for them, but such was the sacrifice she had to make for her righteous cinnamon roll. He was wearing the bomber jacket from the guy he knocked out, forest green messy thing looking like the one Hawks was wearing, they managed to remove most of the stains from it. It had a few patches from the underground band she didn't know, under it a black compression shirt with some holes in the back, hidden by the jacket. Baggy tan pants held together with a belt that had a big "MIGHT!" As the buckle, something he absolutely adored. Finished by his iconic red shoes.

As for her, she was wearing her usual schoolgirl uniform, why change what was already perfect after all?

He asked if he should add a hoodie or something to hide his face since what he was doing wasn't very legal but Himiko cut him off. "Why hide your face when you're already on the most wanted list, not like you have a life outside of this to protect…" harsh words but true. He didn't need to hide if both his identity were considered illegal by the authority.

They finally stopped in front of a door in an alleyway, one strangely similar to the one Dr Akemi had for her clinic. She didn't lose any time and knocked three times on the metal door.

Nothing happened, Izuku was just about to ask her if she had the right address when the little eye-slide opened, scowling brown eyes on the other side. "What do you want…" the man didn't look very pleased to see a bunch of kids in front of what was his business. "Hi! ~ It's me, remember?" she waved at the frankly unimpressed man who looked ready to close his little door and go back to whatever he was doing, he turned his eyes toward the boy. "Who's this?"

Izuku tensed immediately, unsure what was the polite thing to do. Were criminals polite with each other? He bowed down hand on his side as he presented himself. "Izuku Midoriya! Pleased to meet you," the guy on the other side blinked twice, just what was happening there. He sighed heavily and they heard the many locks and latches being undone from the other side.

The metal door swung open revealing a man thrice their size, a mutant quirk user with a large shell on his back and a beak similar to turtles. His shell was covered in scars. "Get in you both, you better not stir trouble like last time Toga, the boss had to scrub the blood from the stall herself because of you…"

"Hey, he is alive, no? Not my fault if Tomy-boy pulled his weapon first; it was self-defense!" she pouted back at the heteromorph who rolled his eyes in response, waving them to move already. As he walked by, Izuku couldn't help but stare at the man carapace; it seemed similar to a tortoise, but was it the same hardness? These scars were caused by bladed weapons so metal could dent it; again, none of them seemed to be very deep, so maybe…

“What are you looking at, punk?" Izuku looked up to see the glaring eyes of the man in front of him; was he muttering again? "Sorry, sorry! It's just your quirk is fascinating. Can you tuck your head inside the shell, like a real turtle, or maybe you have other properties similar to them, maybe even a combination of various species. That would explain the color on your back, then again…" without warning a muttering storm hit the man with full force as he could only watch Izuku mumble to himself, being pulled away by the girl who had a bright smile on her lips. "Sorry I'll get him"

The astonished turtle-man watched them walk away from him, the boy still mumbling about his quirk as they disappeared behind the door. "No one ever told me my quirk was fascinating…"

…

The inside of the bar was cleaner than the alley leading up to it. It was filled with various patrons drinking, playing billiards and smoking. A cloud of acrid smoke hung in the air making Izuku cough, his lungs not used to the smell of it. Purple LED wrapped around the ceiling gave the place a mystic ambience as the bottles behind the bar were illuminated from below with a sickly green glow.

Many occupants turned toward the pair as they entered, mostly glaring at the teen who looked way out of place among the various hardened criminals in the place. He tensed up when he felt all their eyes turned toward him, bawling a fist ready for a fight if any one of them tried anything. He leaned in toward Himiko, whispering in her ear just loud enough she could hear him over the jukebox. "Are those guys the ones you talked about, the ones we should arrest?" she giggled.

“No silly, those are usual; we don't touch the usual." she waved at them; they simultaneously turned their heads away. Toga wasn't worth the risk…

He followed her toward the bar and together they sat on the stools waiting for the barman, or in this case the barwoman. She was tat-up from head to toes, her black short hairs were shaved to the skin on her left side exposing the brain tattooed on her scalp. Various piercings adorned her face; her ear, her nose, and her lips all had bits of metal in them. She was busy pouring a pint for one of the customers before she could finally address the awkward teens duo. "Yo, welcome to the Last Drop, what would it be?" Izuku looked behind him, it couldn't be she asked him if he wanted a drink; he was minor after all. "I'll take a virgin Bloody Mary," Himiko answered. Oh right, this was a villain bar, no law…

"I-I'll take some water please," the lady smirked at him.

“Usually kids your age only come in here to get shit faces, what's your story?" he opened his mouth but she put a finger on his lips shutting him up. "Nah, let me guess, you met a girl and she was a villain and through weird circumstances you ran away with her leaving behind friends and family" his eyes bulge; that was more and less what happened. How did she know? "Is it your quirk? You can read my past?"

The woman holds his gaze for a few seconds with intensity, before bursting in laughter. "Nah, I'm pulling your leg kid…" she took a paper from behind the bar, posting it in front of him. It was a journal, with his and Himiko's face on it. "I just know how to read, in this bar it's almost a quirk…"

A few drunks shouted from their table. "Fuck you Vero!" she gave them the bird, smiling all the while. She turned around starting Himiko drink. "So, what are you doing here, if you're not drinking?" the teen sheepishly scratches his chin with his finger looking aside, he had no idea he was just following Himiko lead. "I brought him here! I need to meet someone, you know who…" the barkeep chuckled.

"Yeah, Mr. Youknow'who is here, I'm guessing you have business with him," she put the drink in front of Himiko, who took a tentative sip from it, delighting in the fresh taste of it. "Yup!"

“Himiko, you shouldn't drink! What if something happened" this was not the time for his guide to get wasted. He waved his hand in protest to the confusion of both women next to him. "Izu… This is a virgin…"

"I… uh… Don't know what that mean…" both girls blinked in unison before laughing loudly at his expense leaning against one another. Now embarrassed, he sunk into his jacket trying to hide his red cheek. Himiko sensed he was feeling bad and let go of her drink and the woman to take him in her arms gently tapping the side of his head in a comforting manner, "There, there. Don't worry, I'll teach you"

Vero, as she was called, finished wheezing and wiped a tear from her wet eyes. "Oh my god, he is so precious. Where did you find him, a puppy factory?"

“I found him in a forest. Poor baby was all banged up so I took care of him" she forgot to mention the whole kidnapping part of the story…

Izuku pulled away from her, trying his best to regain some composure; he cleared his throat. "So, who is this guy you want us to meet?" he looked around; any of those around him could be the man she was talking about. Vero pointed at a man smoking in a booth near the back of the room. Shady looking wearing a purple suit that must have been expensive at some point. His short gray hair was unkempt and he was wearing sunglasses despite being both night and indoors.

Himiko took his hand and her glass in the other, leaving behind her payment, and walked toward the man who was lighting himself yet another smoke. Himiko sat in front of him without being invited, and Izuku followed her lead doing the same. The man paused, the flame from his lighter centimeter away from the cancer stick. "Himiko! What owes me this pleasant surprise?" he smiles, closing his lighter, letting Izuku see his slightly yellowed teeth and the large gap in between his front teeth.

"We're looking for a job; do you have something for us?"

“We?" he turned toward Izuku, his face a mix of confusion and amusement. He offered his hand to the girl; he was all smile suddenly. "Congratulations! When is the wedding? I got an air fryer ready as a wedding gift, I need to get rid of it" Himiko took his hand, shaking it like they were old friends catching up. "Aww, thanks!" why was every villain obsessed with embarrassing him tonight…

"H-Himiko told me you're the man we need to talk to, so let's talk," he cut the talk of wedding as soon as he could; now was not the time to think about that, maybe later… He immediately turned crimson.

“So serious… Directly to business" he pulled a case from under his table and ruffled through its papers. "What are you looking for? I got someone who needs robbers and another who needs someone to break some knees…" this guy, what did he expect from a place like this? Of course, they wouldn't give him something good to do; they were villains. He shook his head and stood up. "I don't think this guy has a job worthwhile for us Himiko. I don't know what you expected, but I'm not about to hurt innocents for money"

Himiko took another sip from her drink before pulling him down to his seat; she wrapped an arm around him, rubbing his bicep softly. "Wait, I'm sure if we ask nicely, he'll have something for us, trust him. He is the guy that found my papers after all" this got his attention. He snapped his head toward the man in front of him.

"You mean Giran? As the guy who works for the League!"

"Hey, I'm an associate at best; I don't work for anybody," he looked insulted.

If he said anything to the League, Shigaraki would hunt them down; this was way too risky just for a single job. He shifted nervously in his seat, he wanted to bolt out of here, but the soothing hand of Himiko helped him calm his nerves. He sighed and readied himself. "Ok I'm listening but I want nothing to do against honest people…"

Giran chuckled, letting go of almost all his paper, keeping maybe two in his hand. "Eh, you'll learn one day no one is truly innocent…" Izuku glared at him and he simply smiled. "But don't worry, I catch your drift and I think I got the perfect thing for you both," he slides the paper in front of the two teens, flipping it so they could read.

"Murders, human trafficking, drug distribution? What is this?" this wasn't what he was expecting but Giran was quick to help him understand. "These are a few of the crimes committed by a gang that used to work with me in the past, and I need someone to get rid of them…" each of those crimes was horrible on its own. Getting rid of them would be a great thing for everyone; what was the catch? "What do you gain from that?"

“Perceptive, I knew I would like you the moment I saw you!" he crossed his hand over the table as he leaned in. "They did some bad shit with us in the past and worst of all…" Izuku also leaned in, his stomach twisting in anticipation of the heinous crime he was about to name.

"They didn't pay!" all tension was suddenly dropped. Human trafficking and the worst thing he could name was they missed payment…

"So, you want us to racket them, why would we? I'm sure many criminals would be more than happy to take their place once they're gone. You're just using us for your dirty work in the end"

He threw his hand up in the air as if he was caught. "You got me, this is all about my interest but…" he relaxed in his chair. "You or another is getting rid of them, what's the difference. leaving them operate freely is doing more harm than good for those poor innocents," he said the last word in air quote. "So, what do you say, you both get rid of them and I'll throw a bone your way, hell you can keep whatever you find on them. I just need them off our street…"

He didn't like this; it felt wrong. Indirectly working for villains even if it was against other worse villains. They needed the money and this was their best chance of earning a bit of cash while doing the right thing. He sighed and offered his hand; beggars cannot be choosers…

Giran took it and both shook on it, with various degrees of enthusiasm from both of them. "Keep the paper; the details are on it" and just like that, he got up with his suitcase and exited the bar; business was done. Izuku looked down at his hand, the one that shook the man's hand and wiped it on his jacket.

"So what do you think?" Himiko had finished her drink, cocking her head in his direction, her ever present smile on her lips; he had the paper in his hand reading it nervously. "I don't know… It feels kind of scummy working with him…"

" Hey!" she looked offended pouting at him. "I've worked with him!"

"You ended up under Shigaraki…"

"Touché," she poked him on the cheek as to emphasize her words, then again. Her face became mischievous as she poked him again and again on his cheek; at first, he was confused, then he chuckled, and finally…

"Ouch! You bit me!" he caught the offending finger with his mouth, giving her a little taste of her own medicine. He laughs some more, a bad thing as he was distracted; he failed to see her pounce on him. "Blood for blood!" she aimed for his finger that he tried to defend from the giggling girl.

And just like that, all trace of doubt vanished from him; Himiko had the ability to completely change his mood from sour to happy in a moment. Something he would always cherish about her, even if he could do without the finger biting.

Giggle rose from the shady bar, a sound so alien for the individual frequenting it. Some turned their heads toward them, others rolled their eyes and some laughed with them. Things got lively in the short time they got there, something a certain barkeeper couldn't help but notice, making her smile.

"Let's go! We need to get ready, Mr. Hero". she exited the booth with Izuku not far behind, both of them chatting about plans and ideas. Himiko waived at Vero as she exited the room with Izuku in tow. The woman waved her back with each of her fingers until they were both out of sight.

Once they were gone she fished from her pocket her phone, looking through her contacts until she found a familiar number and pressed it. It rang for a time and then someone answered. "Hello?"

"You'll never guess who just wandered into my bar…"

…

The pair entered the corridor leading outside; the man with the turtle quirk was still there munching on something Izuku couldn't see from afar. As they got closer, he saw that it was sugar cane, in its raw form, the man's powerful jaw biting through it as if it was soft candy.

The man knew the effect him eating the hard treat had on those who saw him eat, a clear message he could bite your head off in a single bite, he gazed down at the boy hoping he'll get the message and know not to mess around, but when he looked down, he saw…

Stars? Shining brightly into the boy's eyes as he looked at him tearing the hard cane like paper between his beak, he looked left and right confused as to why someone would find something so basic as this amazing. "You also have the biting power of a snapping turtle! That's so cool, is it the same or is it proportional to your size? Oh! Do you have some other mutation allowing you to digest fiber more easily, maybe-…"

Himiko got behind him and started pushing him outside. "Come on mutter boy we have a job to do…" and just like that the man was left behind to enjoy his snack, a blush creeping to his face.

"…I'm cool?"

…

Outside of the establishment Izuku realised just how much he missed the fresh air of the outside. Smoke wasn't the best odor he could think of, too bad it would probably cling to him for the next week. "So, who are our targets?" Himiko asked hands behind her back leaning over his shoulder trying to read the paper he had just taken out.

He read it again, taking his time. Their target was a gang known as "The Fangs" low-tier crook running operations for bigger organizations; lately, they had become more and more violent in their approach and even more reckless. Taking product, they were supposed to sell, endangering civilian during operation, inner fighting amongst the group. Their leader was known as Snake, a man they knew nothing about. He had recently become the leader after the demise of his last boss, things changed when he took control. In total, about twenty individuals were part of the group.

They also had the location of their main hideout; the place would crawl with them. They had to be careful in their approach. He wonders if he wasn't going too fast, barely a vigilante that he started taking down an organised crime gang, maybe he should think about it before jumping in the deep end.

Then he read more of their crimes, each one of them more heinous than the last; his grip crumpled the paper. What kind of hero would back down when things get tough… Taking crooks off the street could only lead to better things, especially ones so violent.

For now, they needed to scout, know who they're facing, their quirks and routine. They had a job to do…

Author’s note

First official job for Izuku, can he make it? Is it too much for him? Is Giran using him? Will he learn what a virgin drink means? Will the turtle guy learn to love himself?

And a mysterious call, who could it be?

Are you tired of my cliffhangers? Too bad that's how I write! Muhahah (Tell me if it annoys you; I value any input)

Next time, a job to do….

Chapter Text

…Two days later…

“You see anything?"

"Just a bunch of uglies, seriously does no one in this gang know what skincare is?" Himiko was looking down at the abandoned warehouse they were stalking with the pair of child binoculars she managed to scavenge from a dumpster the day before. The pink was faded a bit but it was still quite a charming.

"I mean about their patrol and quirk Himi…" Izuku deadpanned, getting Himiko invested in anything other than her self satisfaction was hard sometimes, she preferred goofing off and taking a break from the whole job part of things. This was his challenge, making Himiko put some effort into their work, hers was to make him slack off from time to time. In brief, the perfect pair of overachiever and underachiever manages to balance each other on a knife edge.

“Oh, sorry. One of them keeps slicing his cigarette and by judging his hairstyle he must cut his own hair as well, so probably a blade quirk. The other I have no idea but he goes off course every hour from his patrols" they were observing from the outside the guards posted in front of the building. If their organisation was compromised by at least twenty members, the majority must have been inside. Probably not all of them, maybe 70% of their total manpower making it fourteen people in total, with the two outside that left twelve on the inside and by judging the size of the building…

A pair of binoculars hit him square on the top of the head. "Izu, you know I like your muttering, but you need to stop thinking so much, I can see the steam from here…" he rubbed the top of his now sore head trying to make the pain vanish. "S-sorry…"

She had a point staying there and analysing was good but they needed to act. Like them, they needed to move their operation regularly to avoid detection from the heroes and authorities. They couldn't watch from afar forever.

"You remember the plan?"

"Nope, but I'm like, very good at improvising!"

"…"

"Loosen up already! That was a joke!"

…

“I need to go…" the man was already holding his junk in his hands.

"Again?! That's the third time this night! Can't you hold it in?" seriously, what was up with his friend? He had to go piss every hour or so…

"Hey, you try having a quirk that uses water, and then you can judge me! Not my fault if I have to drink thrice as all of you!" the water-quirk user pokes the blade-quirk user in his chest; tension was at an all-time high. His friend scoffed and waved at him as if to say he could go.

He ran toward one of the alleys where he knew no one would interrupt him; he lowered his pants and let the waterfall flow. He grunted in satisfaction; his quirk was good but he hated the drawback. At least he had the freedom to use it as he pleased. For what seemed a minute he relieved himself until he had to shake the last of it. He pulled up his pants and…

"Pissing all by yourself, handsome?" a blade on his neck interrupted the moment, he wanted to turn around, but he knew one wrong move and he was done. From the voice and the angle of the blade he could tell the girl might have been young, maybe her teen… Then a second voice rose from behind, a boy. "How many of you are there tonight?" the lump in his throat scraped against the edge of the blade but he answered nonetheless. "T-Thirteen!"

“Hey, hear that, you were like super close!" the girl talked but not to him. Her teammate only sighed in response. He spoke again. "Is Snake present?" the thug was glad they let him relieve himself in peace before interrogating him; he would have probably pissed himself otherwise. "Y-yes"

He heard ruffling from behind as if they were pulling something out of a bag, followed soon by sharp pain in his neck; he fought against it but ultimately failed to stay conscious. The last thing he could remember was the look of concern from a green-haired boy and the apathetic eyes of a blonde girl towering over him as he loses consciousness on the ground…

…

“Alright now you can take his place" Izuku took out a syringe from his pocket, making sure to wipe it with an alcohol wipe to sterilize it, something Himiko had brought from his home. Himiko next to him shuddered. "Can we find someone else? He is kind of ugly…" she poked the unconscious thug with her foot as if to make sure he wouldn't wake up sooner than later. His black greasy hair, his overweight tummy and the beard he couldn't grow wasn't the most appealing of appearance she could ask for. "Can't I just be you Izuku, your blood tastes so much better and you're way cuter than…" she pointed down. "That…”

He chuckled from the indirect compliment but stood his ground nonetheless. "You know my plan depends on you if things go sideways. Can you do this for me?" Himiko looked at him; he was cheating! Using his damned puppy dog eyes to make her do what he wanted… "Fine… but you owe me for it," she took the blood-filled syringe and brought it to her mouth. In second, gone was Himiko Toga and here stood random thug number 14. "Alright, you know what to do?"

The man in front of him rolled his eyes. "Yes mom…" his imposter face twisted in a grin. "How about a kiss for good luck?" Izuku looked as the middle-aged man in front of him leaned in with puckered lips for a kiss; he could feel every cell of his body dying from the inside…

He turned away and jumped onto the roof away from his strange lover who giggled all the way he took to get away.

…

Snake was a powerful man, one who took his position by force. He stood above the rest of the gang in terms of power, his quirk superior to anyone who would dare oppose him. He was standing inside the abandoned warehouse in the office who hung above the whole floor, giving him a good view from above of his operation. Under his supervision, the Fangs had grown; gone were the lower goons serving higher power.

Now he was the one in control, the one in power. In his office, a man dressed with a bird mask similar to the plague doctor of old stood, his hands were intertwined together as they were discussing the crux of their crossed operations. "The eight Precepts of Death are happy to work with you, Snake, as long as you know your place in the hierarchy…" those damn Yakuza, they think they can use their bygone influence to control them. Times were changing, old man…

He didn't answer, looking down from the glass window at his ten men standing guard outside the office. He then turned around to address the three men gathered inside his office, all wearing similar masks. "Of course, as long as you pay us…" this was more of a threat than an affirmation; he couldn't afford to look weak in front of a potential client.

"We will pay what you are worth, nothing more nothing less. If you are not able to distribute accordingly, we will stop our payment…" Snake hiss with his snake-like tongue, the bigger of the three stood, ready to fight him if the need arises. He stared down the three men, none of them having real influence inside their organisation, barely a footnote for their ruthless boss.

Is that what they were worth? Three members holding no value from an obsolete Yakuza group. He could feel his sharpened fangs grinding against one another. He looked down again, his eight guards ready for anything if he said the word. Even alone he could wipe the floor with those nobodies. "You will increase our payment; without us you wouldn't have half the influence you dream of inside Musutafu"

The masked man scoffed. "It is only because we accept to work with you; if we wouldn't be so generous, our organisation would have cut our ties with yours long ago…" Snake didn't like being judged, even more being judged by a bunch of barely relevant criminals. He took a last look down at his men. "Listen up, we have six men ready to jump at you right now. If you refuse to cooperate with us, I recommend you reconsider our offer"

The man in front of him looked confused despite the threat. "Six? Wasn't there supposed to be more?" what was he talking about? Snake just counted all of his men down there; he turned around to see six of his men standing ready for anything. Six not eleven…

As he looked, black tendrils captured one of his men, dragging him to the side into the darkness. Panicked sets in, were those heroes? He didn't have time to lose. He turned toward his guest and yelled. "We aren't alone! Get moving or get dying!" he turned around just in time to see another of his men disappeared toward the darkness of the room. With his guests they were now ten in total, more than enough to deal with whoever just entered the building. He took the microphone and yelled in it. "We got company!" all of his remaining people got ready for action. Even those two bozos he stationed outside entered the room.

As they entered, the individual responsible for the disappearance of his subordinates jumped out of the shadow, tackling one of his lackeys into another, knocking them both out in an instant. He gritted his teeth and turned toward the three Yakuza who invited themselves inside his hideout.

The three of them looked annoyed, like they were forced to do something against their will. "This will be deducted from your next payment; are you aware?" their leader made clear this aid wasn't free but seeing just how fast his men were taken down he didn't have any choice. "Alright… Now move"

Another two were captured, vanishing without a scream. Leaving him, the two guards from outside and the three Yakuza. Snake jumped down the glass panel landing in a ruckus of broken glass below. He lifted his hands unleashing a torrent of snakes and vipers from each of his fingers, making sure each one of them had the venom to kill a man in one bite.

They scattered covering every inch of the building; he wasn't going to let whoever did this leave this place alive. He could feel his pet coiling around something; he got him… and then nothing; they were all blown away by the boy's forceful finger snap. He got a good look at the intruder; a plain-looking guy, a costume that didn't look familiar, and finally those piercing green eyes that focused on each of them.

Snake unleashed even more of his creation; he was going to make sure this guy would never mess with the Fangs ever again. But whenever the snakes were about to hit their target, the boy moved at ludicrous speed, leaving the snakes in the dust, toward his last remaining men.

The one with the blade quirk raised his hands in defense, trying to block the powerful kick incoming his way. The conjured blades bend and crack under the sheer power behind the impact, sending him flying toward a metal crate, impacting it with enough force to dent it. He was done.

His other man was taken out with a backhand, falling to the ground and not getting up. Leaving just him and the three guests to deal with the kid. He could feel the hairs on his neck standing up, just how strong was that damn green piece of shit to take out all of his men so fast…

The larger of the three bird-mask wearers lifted his elbow pointing it at the boy, from it a jagged protrusion of bone erupted and tried to skewer him; he simply jumped to avoid it and started running toward them, avoiding the many snakes covering the floor of the warehouse by jumping from elevated crate to another. The man snapped the bone from his elbow and aimed again; it seemed he could do this as much as he desired.

The tall and skinny Yakuza put himself in between them and the boy before he could touch any of them. In front of him a translucent mirror appeared. Izuku couldn't avoid it in time and he passed through the surface. As he entered, he exited quickly on the opposite side. This man had a quirk that could reflect objects; getting in close would be nigh impossible.

Finally the leader, a shorter man, started coughing violently. Acrid green smoke got out from his mask at an alarming rate filling the building with it from top to bottom; in minutes the building would be filled.

Izuku was at an impasse; from above, smoke was coming down. From below, snakes covered every inch of the floor, and in front of him, spears made of bone heading his way. For now, he could only jump left and right to dodge, but with the mirror man, he couldn't get close to them. He had to flee…

That would be the case if he didn't already plan ahead. Smoke suddenly stopped pouring in the building; the Yakuza turned to see why he would stop now, only to see one of the Snake men lodging a knife in one of his shoulders while choking their leader.

 “You fucking traitor!!" the larger Yakuza aimed at Snake intending to end the traitorous man's life, letting out a bone spur that hit the man square in the arm and leg. In the confusion, Snake didn't understand what was happening, but something was certain: nobody who hurt him would get away with it. From his finger he whips a viper toward the man's neck, the fangs of it piercing his skin injecting the deadly venom inside his vein. Instantly he started convulsing and fell to the floor.

The man who could make mirrors got distracted by the infighting and failed to block the black whip coming his way, lassoing him and pulling him toward the boy reared back fist. They collided, sending him downward into one of the crates Izuku was standing on, away from the snakes.

Hurt and Injured Snake was the last man standing amongst every criminal that was gathered inside his warehouse. In his back one of his traitorous men, in the front the mysterious green boy. Both of them charged him at the same time; he extended his hands toward them, trying to stop them with more snakes, but he was running out of steam. The boy aimed for his head while his man swept his leg from the other side. On impact, he was sent spinning in place until he landed painfully on his face, unconscious.

Izuku looked relieved when every snake suddenly vanished from existence; they must be linked to the man in such a way that he must be conscious to control them. Everyone inside had been dealt with, but now they had a problem. "Why is the big guy twitching?" Himiko pointed at the Yakuza violently shaking on the ground; the venom was still present in him!

Izuku knelt near the man trying to see if he could do anything to save him; some snake venom can kill a man in seconds. He was on the larger side, giving him more time than others, but he had to act quickly. Himiko looked over them with a bored expression on her face; one dead was a number she could live with, especially when she's not the one responsible.

 "I have to take him to the hospital!" Izuku yelled at Himiko. "Stay near, the police will be arriving soon. Make sure no one gets away" he had already called the police, giving them the address and a vague description of what had happened. He draped the convulsing man over his shoulder, easily lifting him with the power of One for All.

Himiko protested. "Izuku, you are wanted; if they see you, they're going to try and arrest you! Just leave him behind, it's not your fault if he dies…" she wanted to stop him, risking it for a criminal he barely knew was stupid.

"I won't let anyone die if I can prevent it, no matter who…" he gave her the look, the same one he had when he was on a mission, the burning intensity she liked so much about him. Of course, he would risk it all for a villain; he had already done so…

"Promise me you'll be safe…" he nodded with a smile and jumped away toward the exit door.

She smiles as he left. "Damn idiot…"

…

Jumping from building to building, he made his way toward the general hospital in the far distance. When the distance between buildings was too far for him to jump, black whip came in handy, both helping him maneuver and holding the man on his back.

Using it he was able to swing himself from building to building sometime passing close to the street to the astonishment of the few still up in the street at this hour. He looked like heroes of old swinging building from building, just like in those old comic book. He would smile if the situation weren't as critical as it is.

He was close in front of him the hospital; he just had to get in, tell someone he had unknown venom from a snake in his system, and get out. How hard could it be? With a final swing he landed near the emergency service near one of the startled nurses. "This man was bitten by a snake! I don't know what kind; please help him" he came in so fast he didn't have time to get a good look inside.

As he looked up, he cursed his rotten luck…

Death Arms, Mount Lady and Kamui Wood were all gathered inside, dropping off an unnamed villain. Everyone blinks in unison before all hell breaks loose.

"Wait! You're that kid…"

"Don't move…"

What are you doing here…"

“Crap…" was the very eloquent answer he could voice right now. He didn't wait and bolted out of there as fast as he could. The three heroes ran after him; he didn't let them have the chance to act, he conjured black whip, hooking it on a building outside and pulled himself upward toward the roofs, somewhere he knew at least two of them wouldn't be able to follow him. As planned, Death Arms and Mount Lady could only look as he soared way above them, but Kamui Wood had a quirk that allowed him to easily pursue him in the same manner.

Izuku dodge and weave as tendril of root were trying to grab him. "Stay put kid! I just want to talk…" maybe he did, but he sure wasn't going to take a guess. Himiko was waiting for him and he promised her he would be back sooner than later. He landed on a roof and with 25% of One for All he propelled himself forward as fast as he could, avoiding the cage of wood that was about to hit him.

He went low, in the alleyway, making sure to take as many turns as he could to throw the man off his back. He turned and hid inside an empty dumpster. Waiting for his pursuer to pass through. He heard the sound of his step right next to him as he shuffled in place, probably looking left and right searching for where he'd go. "Where did he… Damn it…" he heard him walking away.

Waiting for a minute, Izuku finally left his smelly hideout ready to go.

"As if I would fall for such measly trick…" Izuku was hit on the side by ropes of wood wrapping tightly around him. Kamui had hid himself nearby waiting for him to get out and ambush him. As seconds passed, the woods were getting thicker and thicker around him. He powered up cracking his prison faster than he could build it.

“WAIT! Your mom is worried about you…" this made him pause, his mom? Why would he say that? This gave time to Kamui to repair the damage done to his wooden prison. "She went to us, all the heroes she could find, she asked us to bring you back Midoriya, please listen to us…" he hasn't seen his mom in weeks, the last time he saw her was in prison and it wasn't even his mom. He looked down, the mental image of his distraught mother filling his mind as the wood kept wrapping around him. He was a lousy son…

With a burst of power that sent shrapnel of woods everywhere, Izuku jumped away, leaving Kamui Wood behind. The hero closed his eyes and raised his arms to protect himself from the debris. When he looked back, the boy had vanished. He searched around but he couldn't find a trace of the boy.

He sighed thinking about all the added paperwork waiting for him back at the agency. “This rapport is going to suck…”

…

Himiko was looking down at the flashing blue and red light of the police wagon taking in all the criminals Izuku beat up, all bruised and bloodied by her boyfriend, a sight that made her smile. Just thinking how he almost did all of this alone, he was strong. Sometimes she forgot just how ridiculously strong he was as a teenager; just imagine what he would be able to accomplish later in his life; maybe he'll become the next All Might? Sure, an underground vigilante, but still All Might.

 Behind her she heard his landing; she tilts her head back to take a good look at him. "What happened?" he was covered in wood chips he desperately was trying to wipe away from his clothes. "I had a run in with Kamui Wood"

She scrounges her nose in response. "That's one of the guys that arrested us back at the park?"

"Yeah…" he was looking sad; something was bothering him, and she had just the thing to cheer him up. She beckoned him closer with her arms, and he did so, leaning in to place a kiss on her tilted head from above. Their visage upside down, their lips locked together in a tender embrace, one Himiko broke. "You reek!"

"Sorry I jumped inside a dumpster to avoid him, it didn't work…" he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

“I'll ask Vero if we can borrow the shower above the bar. We both need it, you more than me" he sat down next to her, watching the police take away all the criminals. A wave of pride surged inside him. He had done the right thing tonight. Himiko took from her pocket a bundle of yen wrapped with an elastic. "Here is your payment for a job well done, 180 000 yens…" he blinked once, then twice.

"A-a 180 000 yens!?"

"Many criminals keep their money on them; for one reason or another, they don't trust the banks. " she waved the bundle in front of his eyes. "And don't forget the bonus from Giran"

They had enough money to buy themselves an apartment, not a big one but still! They had a mean to leave the street. He wrapped his arm around Himiko as she leaned her head on his shoulder. He thought about his dear mother souring his mood once more. He should go see her one last time; at the very least, he owed her such…

Author’s note

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! 29 and all my teeth! *Confetti and kazoo*

An action-filled chapter, what did you think? Was it clear enough? A little peek from Overhaul gang. I have plans in the future for them, but nothing solid right now, it is still in the air. And yep, Snake was the guy speaking to Hawks in chapter 34.

A reunion with his mother, how bad could it be? It's not like Himiko almost kill-… Oh, wait…

Next time back to the bar to celebrate their first job!

Chapter Text

All in all, everything went as fine as they hoped. None of them had been injured or captured; Snake and his associates were now in custody, and they even managed to catch three other members from a rival Yakuza gang. Izuku just hoped every job could be like this, him being helpful and fighting villains who truly deserve it.

They were back in front of the bar and Izuku knocked three consecutive times, getting the attention from the man behind the door. The same brown eyes appeared from the slide eyeing them both from head to toes. The familiar sound of locks being undone was heard and the door opened revealing the imposing turtle man. "Get in…" Toga didn't wait and skipped inside ready to order her usual drink, Izuku followed close but was stopped when the bouncer cleared his throat.

He turned toward the man who wasn't looking at him; he had a faint blush on his face and a weird expression as if he was unsure. His eyes turned toward him but not his head. Without warning, his whole head recoiled inside of his shell, just like a real turtle, a demonstration of his quirk in action. He was embarrassed, but it soon vanished when he saw the look of amazement on the boy's face.

He didn't have time to gush about his quirk; Toga was already pulling him inside. The man looked as the Izuku vanished inside his eyes filled with wonder; he couldn't suppress a smile creeping on his beak…

…

Inside the familiar smell of smoke filled his lung, he did cough but way less than usual. The eyes of those inside lingered on the duo but not for long, they had become usual by now. Together they walked to the bar, greeted by the sly smile of the woman in charge, Vero. "Yo, what will it be"

Toga ordered her usual and Izuku asked for water again, the woman clicked her tongue but complied nonetheless, preparing the lady drink first. "So how did it go? She was rubbing a lemon on the edge of the glass before dunking it in the salt and spices.

“It went as well as it could; you won't hear from the Fangs anymore," Izuku said with a hint of pride in his voice. She suddenly spun around looking intensely into his eyes, not blinking once.

"Are you telling me, a woman running a villain bar, that you, a boy playing hero, just took down some of my clientele?" Izuku backed off under her intense stare; she looked like she was about to rip him to shreds. He started sweating profusely.

“I-I-I no… I m-mean yes b-but…" he couldn't suppress his stuttering, he messed up; he should have known playing vigilante around villains would end badly. He looked ready to run from his seat when the woman exploded in laughter. "Still pulling that leg kid, fuck those quirckist piece of shit. I'm sure they were working for the MLA in secret," Izuku let out a long sigh; they had to stop messing with him; his heart couldn't take it anymore.

"Hell, your first official drink is on me," he tilted his head in confusion.

"But I don't drink?"

“We all begin somewhere. What kind of bartender would I be if I didn't try to make you an alcoholic!" Izuku raised his hand in protest; he couldn't. She chuckled and lifted her finger to his mouth, silencing him, attentively letting her finger slip over his lips under the knowing eyes of Himiko, smiling at what Vero was doing. Izuku froze as the older woman seductively touched his lips, sliding one of her fingers inside his mouth. He turned red instantly, unsure of what was happening, then he tasted it.

The unmistakable bitterness of liquor flowing in his mouth, threatening to spill from his lips, it was so sudden he nervously swallowed before backing off, coughing as some of it got into his airway. He looked up confused toward the woman who took the finger that was in his mouth a second ago and slid it into her own; he could see the amber liquid pouring from under her fingernail.

"How that? I know you're a quirk nerd, so I thought you might be interested…" Izuku looked amazed, still tasting the liquor in his mouth but it was overshadowed by his new obsession, forgetting all about the indirect kiss they've just shared.

“What kind of liquor is it?"

"Usually, beer, but if I keep it long enough, it becomes more akin to whiskey; what you taste was about a month held in"

"Can you control the alcohol percentage?"

"It gets higher the more I hold it"

"What about the taste? Can you influence it?"

"Yep, it's subtle but if I eat too much fruit, it carries over. A bit like a guy cu-…"

"I get it!" now burning red once more, he stopped his question. He knew this would turn into another embarrassing session against him.

“Hey let me taste!" Himiko was jumping in place in her seat looking at Vero's tender finger, licking her lips in anticipation. "Hell no! You tried to bite my finger off last time, you little psycho" she showed the scar on her index to prove her words. Himiko simply giggled.

She finally finished Himiko's drink and poured a shot for Izuku from her finger. "See it more as an analysis of my quirk…" she winked at him, encouraging him to take his first official shot. One drink couldn't hurt, right?

…

Three knocks came from the outside; the bouncer opened his slid, too many people were getting in tonight. He didn't even look as he started his usual greeting. "Who's there?"

"Me…" He froze when he recognizes the person in front of him, his shaking hands unlocking the door as fast as he could, his head entering his shell in fear as they walked in. Each step echoing the halls, the individual didn't turn but spoke to him. "Kamekage…" he stood ready for whatever they would say. "We still have a meeting next week… Don't forget it"

He gulped down his anxiety and nodded. They entered…

Inside their gaze lingered on all the bar searching for the duo Vero had mentioned. Eyes met many of the clients who when they realised who the person was looked down, like prey animals in front of a predator. Finally, they found who they were looking for, the boy was about to take a shot from the glass in front of him under the encouragement of the two women next to him.

They walked toward them…

…

“Come on, you already tasted it. You can fight a villain but can't take one measly shot?" Vero was egging him.

"Just try it once on your own…" Himiko was just supportive.

He lifted the glass under the watchful eyes of the two girls and slowly brought it to his lips, he tilted his head back and…

"I can't believe this is how I find you out… Didn't I tell you anything about being responsible" his hand failed to deliver the drink to his mouth; he recognised that voice. He and Himiko turned toward the stranger in unison, surprised to see them of all people here.

“Akemi? /Akemi!" both semi-yelled at the same time. Right in front of them, the good doctor was standing, a hand in her lab coat she refused to take off, and the other to her mouth, pulling out her cigarette to let a plume of smoke escape her lips. "You damn brats, not even a word to me after your escape. Now I'm hurt…"

"W-what are you doing here?!" Izuku looked at her like she was alien to this place. She took the seat next to him, setting off the butt of her cigarette in his glass, running it. "Stopping you from doing something stupid, it seemed"

"No, I mean why are you here from all places?"

“I could say the same thing, but I'll answer nonetheless; I came for you both, Vero here gave me a call the day she met you," she pointed to the tat-up woman who coyly smiled at them, waving her finger. Himiko pouted. "You ratted me out to my doc… Not cool"

"What can I say, I was a concerned citizen and the way she talked about you two I would have sworn she adopted the both of you" Vero took the now ruined drink and tossed it in the sink next to her. "I'll have to charge you for that~" she sing-sang in her ear, Akemi batted her away with her free hand, the other still in her pocket.

"Sure, the day you pay for your appointment…"

“It was on the house; don't worry about it!" she dropped the subject immediately.

The duo looks at the two older women bicker together for a moment and came to a realisation. "Wait, do you both know each other? How?" Himiko was now intrigued to learn more about the past of her doctor; maybe Vero had a few embarrassing secrets to spill over a drink.

"We went to the same college!" The bartender answered her with joy in her voice. "She was studying medicine and I was studying the arts" she looked smug telling them she actually went to college.

"No, I was studying and you were smoking pot and drinking with those bums…"

“Hey, we both ended up in the same place today, my bar!" she gestures grandly to the establishment they were standing in, clearly proud of it. Akemi sighed and lit another smoke. Himiko leaned forward to have a good look at Akemi, who was behind Izuku from her seat. "Isn't it dangerous to go in a bar filled with villains without a quirk?"

The woman scoffed at her accusation while Izuku took in the news of her lack of quirk with renewed interest. "Maybe, but those bums back there wouldn't touch me even under duress. I saved half of them from dying and treated the STI of the other half," he threw her thumb backward vaguely pointing the various patrons who all looked aside, not daring to meet the eyes of the woman who knew their deepest shames. "And anyway, I got this…" She pulled a revolver from her pockets.

“WOAH!" both teens were surprised by the sudden weapon reveal, Akemi was packing heat. "Since when do you carry a gun!?" Himiko was flabbergasted. Vero was holding out her hand as if she wanted to inspect the iron; Akemi let her.

"It's new, with you on the loose…" she pointed at Himiko. "John was nervous so he bought it for our wedding anniversary" Himiko was both offended and proud of the fact her doctor armed herself just for little old her.

"When are you going to ditch that man and get with a real woman~" Vero said pointing at herself with the gun exposing some of the good she was missing out on. Akemi snatched the weapon from her hands and glared.

“Just forget already you goddamn dike…"

Vero teased her, putting a light hand on her arm as a lover would, but she wasn't here to play. With her still burning cigarette she aimed for her arm, searing it and forcing the teasing girl to back-off with a laugh.

"Also catch" Izuku reacted in time as the doctor tossed him a bottle of pills. Himiko recognised them instantly; her smile diminished, the same pills she prescribed her on meeting. "Why are you giving him this?" it felt wrong to see them again.

"He didn't tell you?"

Himiko turned toward Izuku who sank a little into his seat. "I-I meant to but we were attacked at the park before I had the chance to speak…" they were trying to get her to take her medication again? The same that stopped her from loving Izuku to the fullest, she'll rather die than entertain the idea.

"No…"

“It's not that bad you-…" Izuku was cut off by a screaming Himiko.

"NO, I'M NOT TAKING THOSE! I don't need it anymore, I got you…" she sipped on her drink starring down those who turned their head toward her, her eyes were like knives, cold and sharp...

"I need air…" she stood from her seat and walked out of the bar. Izuku lifted a hand to catch her but ultimately let her go; she needed some time alone. Vero poured him a glass of water; he weakly took it.

"You need to help her understand this is for her own good," the doctor put a reassuring hand on him, making sure he was comfortable.

He fiddles with his drink before answering. "I know… It's just things are going so well right now. Is it really necessary?"

"Four…"

"What?"

“That's the number of persons that were injured the day of your capture, four persons were hospitalised for severe cuts over their body, one of them was lucky she missed the artery by a hair…" Akemi's words were firm she knew he was also reticent but he had to understand this wasn't a game. Himiko needed not only his help but also hers.

Izuku thought about the day he decided to become a vigilante; she had put a knife to his throat, and even if she didn't mean it, the action in itself wasn't normal. He rubbed the condensation on his glass as if he was trying to physically soothe his nerves, but the doctor didn't stop there.

"The day I saved you both from Diamond, I told her you had died during the fight. She went berserk and tried to kill me just for saying it" her grip on his arm got firmer. "We have too…"

He looked down his glass and sighed. "I-I'll do it…"

“This is all I ask…" she patted him on the arm, assuring him he was doing the right thing. He sips from his drink; he needed something to help calm his mind. Luckily for him, there was a TV in the corner of the room; maybe that's what he needed: some mindless static. He asked Vero if she could turn the volume up. It was an interview.

Akemi already groaned in frustration. "Of course, it's this fucking guy…" he paid a bit more attention than he initially intended to.

It was a host and a man in a well-tailored striped suit; he was all smile. His face was very sharp and angular with a prominent nose and burnt orange hair; he had the feeling he knew him from somewhere.

The host, a very beautiful brunette, started the interview. “… I am pleased to receive today on our show our esteemed guest, Rikiya Yotsubashi. CEO of the Detnerat Company. Tell me Mr. Rikiya, I can call you Rikiya?” the man let out a very curated laugh. “But of course miss, we are all friends on TV …”

Akemi groaned again; Vero offered her a drink that she pushed away, even if she wanted it. Izuku looked confused at the doctor. "Who is he, why do you seem to hate him so much? I know his company, but you look like you hate the guy personally

She fished in her pocket for a cigarette but she was out of them; she sighed and answered his question. "Say hi to Re-Destro, leader of the MLA…"

He blinked, Re-Destro the guy in charge of one of the largest anti-government groups in the whole country? "Are you sure? What is he doing on TV then?"

"It's pretty much an open secret at this point, a game of cat and mouse between him and the media. I treated enough assholes to know he is in charge. Authority cannot arrest him because they lack solid evidence on the guy. I got to granted him that much, the guy is very good at hiding his dirty laundry…"

He was laughing with the host. “…Haha, I’m sure you will do better than me on that!”

“So, tell me Mr. Rikiya. Your company has been under investigation yet again from the authority. I've heard though the branch some of your employees have linked with the MLA; is it true?”

“Nonsense! Those are just words spewed by our many rivals who know they cannot compete with us in terms of quality. Our product and employees are top notch; we made sure of it by holding rigorous interviews with each of them. If I weren't as amicable as I am right now, I would think you are accusing me of working with the MLA” he poses a gentle hand on the host's arm rest, as she laughs some more. Knowing what he now knew, this seemed more like two lions battling in a cage than a friendly interview.

“…Now you are spewing nonsense, haha! You know how it is; everybody wants to know about the rumors. It is good to see you deny them with such fervor. After all, those MLAs are nothing else than a bunch of quirckist…”

He smiles but Izuku could feel his back tense a bit at the statement. “Of course, we want nothing to do with them; diversity of thought is the cornerstone of our company. This is how we manage to bring so much talent from all around the globe to our doorstep”

Akemi let out a snort. “This is gold, I just know he is dying from the inside saying that out loud”

He continued. “But I'm here for another reason; we the good people of Detnerat are here to announce a new project we are working on and will be releasing to the public. For now, I cannot say more about it but know this…” he turned toward the camera, his face calm and composed, but his tone serious. “In about a month we will make our debut…” it almost sounded like a threat, but he quickly smiled and laughed as if nothing happened.

"That can't be good…" Akemi groaned yet again, her face hitting the bar. Vero was quick to start playing with her hair.

"There, there. Just tell yourself more business is about to pop out for you in the near future"

"I'm a doctor… the last thing I want is more client…"

Izuku had managed to change his mind away from Himiko but he remembered he needed to ask something from the owner of the bar.

"Vero, it's weird to ask but do you know a place that rents apartments, preferably one that doesn't ask many questions…" Vero brightened up, the opposite of Akemi who was sulking in her seat her forehead still on the wooden counter.

“Well, of course I know someone, me!" she pats herself on the heart. "I own this whole stinking building, and you don't seem like the type to make too much noise. So, for the low-low price of 12000 yens per month…"

Her tone went low as if she was trying to hide it. "…Utility not included…"

She continued as if nothing happened. "…And beating a few drunks when I ask you, you can be the proud owner of a one-bedroom apartment!" this… was honestly a good deal, they had hanged around the place non-stop since they discovered it.

"Alright, deal," they shook on it; she went under the bar and threw him two keys.

"The walls are not soundproof so keep it low you and your girlfriend~" she winked at him, sending him hiding his blush deep inside his jacket…

…

“In about a month we will make our debut…" this damn rat, was on the move Shigaraki knew it, he didn't like the idea of Sensei doing something without telling him first. But maybe this was a test? Something he did to push him to make a move.

A month… those damn kids from all over Japan would all gather around at the same place for a stupid exam allowing them the right to go fight and die in the streets, like Heroes… Maybe this was his chance to make an impact, to regain Sensei good favors, if he couldn't kill All Might as he stands right now, he could maybe nerf his morals by killing a few kids.

He turned toward his rag-tag group of misfits to addressed them all, as a leader should. "We have a raid to plan…"

Author’s note

Turtle-guy being wholesome, we love him!

Akemi! I love this character I created and I love bringing her into my story, and I give her a gun! (Pew pew) And Vero is very fun to write also. Is there too many OCs? Are they taking too much place in the story or do you appreciate them? Tell me!

I tried to write some non-gender text to push the surprise reveal, but I have no idea if it worked well.

Yea I lied no celebration yet, but soon enough! And now they have a place to stay, and a bed… (DO NOT EXPECT SMUT!! I have maybe one more risqué moment planned in the future; the rest is just cute kissing and couple stuff)

Medication is back on the menu, boys!! And Izuku is the one who needs to convince Toga, can he?

The MLA and the LOV are both on the move; the licensing exam is going to be very different this year…

Next time we catch up with UA and even more Izu/Toga…

Chapter Text

When Izuku entered his new apartment for the first time he realised this may not have been such a good deal after all. When he first entered the room just above the bar, he saw why this place was so cheap; trash covered every inch of the place. The previous owner was not as tidy as he was. Walls were faded with clear smoke stains on the ceiling above him. The floor, as little as he could see, was also stained by various chemicals he was NOT going to investigate.

Above him, the plumbing creaked every time someone went to the toilet below. He tried to use the sink; it rattled violently before spewing dirty brown water that became clear with time. "Note to self; boil the water first…"

The only furniture he had was a bed that seemed better on a day; he could feel the spring on his backside as he sat in it, but it was better than sleeping on the ground, maybe? He opened the toilet and closed the door as fast as he could; the smell was atrocious, and he didn't want to know what he got a glimpse of in the toilet.

He had a lot of work to do.

At the very least Vero was happy enough to give him the bare minimum for his cleaning; a mop, some all-purpose cleaner, a pack of garbage bags, MANY paper towels and a pair of rubber gloves. With a discarded apron lying on the floor and a cloth wrapped around his mouth, he went to work, starting with…

The bathroom…

…

Himiko was walking back into the bar after her little meltdown, only to find Izuku was missing. When she inquired of the bar owner where her boyfriend was, she simply answered he was probably waiting for her in their new bed; she said it with a wink and a knowing smirk.

At that moment she knew Izuku had fallen for the clever woman trap, her apartments were so rundown it was barely a step above living in the street, she should really tell him to let her handle those kinds of things.

Skipping up the stairs, she dreaded seeing him again; what if he asked her to take the pills right there and then? She didn't want to; she didn't need to; nothing bad had happened since she stopped. Sure, she may or may not have injured a few passersby and threatened a person or two, but all was fine; nobody died…

He would see her good side, and pardon her, and kiss her, and tell her she's perfect… Right? She just had to not do anything drastic, be the perfect girlfriend for him, and he would forget all about making her take the stupid medication; everything will be fine as long as she behaves.

She pushed the door Vero mentioned to enter their new apartment.

Home sweet home…

Bags of trash were already littered across the floor, better than the trash itself she thought. The water in the mostly clean sink was running clear and Izuku was nowhere to be found. Out of the bathroom, a green blur heaving and coughing got out with a reeking bag that was leaking a dark substance from the bottom, "Himiko! Give me another bag!!" he practically yelled in panic.

"I am not touching that…" so much for being the perfect girlfriend…

…The next day…

“Once a prestigious student now saving criminals in the city… This is ludicrous how could they say that's what he was doing!" Ochako was reading an article on her phone; they had plastered an image of Izuku running off the hospital being pursued by the trio of heroes, directly from the security camera on site. Outside of the inflammatory title, the article had no substance. A piece written to get as many clicks as it could, they had no substance nor proof to say why he was helping criminals.

"I think you meant to say absolute fucking bullshit…" Bakugo was next to reading the same article on his own phone. He was wrapped in bandages and had a brace on one of his fingers. Recovery Girl could have healed him from all his injury in an instant but…

“If I heal him, the punk is just going to go back to breaking his own body! I'll do what I should've done with that other kid and let him marinate in his injury until he learns to take care of himself!!” her words still echoed in his mind.

It was morning before class, both of them were standing at the dining table browsing for any news concerning the green-haired boy, anything they could point to try and claim his innocence but they weren't lucky. Every paper was trying to get more views by painting him in a negative light; since his disappearance, this was the only article they could find with actual photos of him. The rest of them were only speculation and gossip about him.

New villain on the rise? Read page 6!

Streak of robbery in Musutafu, is the once star student to blame? Read page 13!

New Bonnie and Clyde? Read page 3!

It seemed just about everybody else had deemed them the new hot villain duo and were trying to milk them for all the attention they could squeeze out of them.

There was an uneasy silence between them as they read piece after piece. Since that night they fought against one another and were revealed All Might secret, they had grown closer. Not by much but they at least strive for a common goal, bring Izuku back. They're new friendship didn't go unnoticed as Todoroki and Iida sat down next to the pair, a bowl of cereal in each of their hands.

Iida passed Uraraka a bowl of her own and Todoroki handed one to Bakugo.

"Thank you, Iida!"

“I DIDN'T ASK FOR PITY HALF AND HALF!"

Iida smiled at his friend and Todoroki sat down without acknowledging the blonde. In a sense Bakugo had become their new Midoriya, a fact they all lament. "Bakugo, it's not proper etiquette to yell at your classmate when they bring food to you!" Iida waved his arm at the bombastic teen, who turned his attention toward him.

"Ehh, want to go at it Four-eyes!"

"In your condition that would be unwise!"

"I'm ready when you ar-…" he was silenced by a sharp smack on the back of his neck by the gravity user, she wasn't about to have her morning ruined by him of all people.

They may have a budding friendship in the wake of their shared interests, but she sure didn't forget what he did to Deku, and she sure was not going to forgive him. She wanted to tell everyone what kind of horrible person he had been in the past, all the suffering he put his best friend through. But this wasn't her responsibility; this wasn't her right to say so. The only one who would make him pay is Deku; that is, if he wanted to make him pay, something she doubts the gentle boy would do.

Bakugo rubbed the sore spot on his neck and started eating in silence. Since that night he found newfound respect for the usually bubbly girl, she showed a part of herself he only saw glimpses of during the festival. A burning intensity that rivaled Deku, and the willingness to stand against him of all people. She had guts and he could respect that.

The rest of the class entered one by one getting ready for the day of studies ahead of them, as always Sato was quick to jump on the oven and asking everybody if they wanted them to make something, pancakes won by a landslide.

The girls hovered over Ochako trying to see what she was looking at. "Still searching for news about him, Ochako?" Mina asked, knowing none of the articles were particularly pleasant to read.

"It's… I know he is out there, I just want to know if he is safe…"

"Well, he sure is safer now. Have you heard about the criminal gang takedown yesterday?" Kaminari asked everyone excited to share the news. "The news barely covered it but according to the reporter, when the police arrived, they found around fifteen gang members unconscious on the ground with no one in sight. They say an underground hero who didn't want any credit is responsible"

“You mean someone like Aizawa; if they are remotely similar, I could understand the man hates having the spotlight, Kero," Tsuyu bluntly said sitting down at another table nearby.

"I heard Midoriya had a hand in it someway…" everybody turned toward the speaker; it was Mineta. Bakugo was quick on his feet despite the injury taking the small boy by its collar. "Talk!"

"Woah, woah! Calm down! I just meant the guy he brought to the hospital might have been a part of the whole Fang gang thing, that's all I know I swear, don't kill me!"

Bakugo glared but complied, letting him down gently. "When you said part of it, what do you mean?"

“The guy he saved was part of a Yakuza group, The eight precepts of death, and they found another two of their members with the Fang, some say this was infighting and not hero work but no confirmed anything about it…" everyone looked at Mineta confused. "What?"

"Sometime I forget you're not an idiot…" Kirishima answered for the rest to the great vexation of the ball user who started yelling at him. What did he mean by that?

"Well, it's too soon to say what really happened; with some luck, the police might release new information," Momo said ever hopeful.

The group of friends silently finished their cereal bowl, as much as they wanted to discuss more about Izuku's involvement with a gang takedown, they had classes and Aizawa didn't tolerate tardiness…

…

“But this is good news? Why are we not telling it!" All Might was in his office with his familiar confidant and friend, investigator Naomasa Tsukauchi, who was briefing him according to the new developments in the curious case of Izuku Midoriya.

He sighed; he must have known the big guy would react this way…

"I know, him becoming some sort of vigilante is better news than him working with the Leagues but-…" he was cut off by a frustrated Yagi who slammed his unpowered fist on the table.

“No but! I’ve been reading article after article degrading my boy as if he was some sort of villain! He is out there doing his best and helping people we should let the public know! Get the press involved!” his sunken eyes were filled with intensity as he looked at the tired man in front of him. This was the best news he could ask for right now an undeniable proof of his good character as a hero and they keep it silent!

Again, Tsukauchi sighed. “I agree with you we should…”

“Then let’s call the media and-…”

“BUT!” he cut him off, trying to get his point across to someone as stubborn as All Might was a challenge. “My hands are tied; I cannot do this…”

Flabbergasted the blonde asked him. “Why…”

With a tone that betrayed his annoyance, he spoke. "You know why; The Hero Public Safety Commission…" what was those pen-pusher up to now? Yagi could feel his blood boiled in anger; the idea of those bureaucrats ruining young Midoriya's life was rage-inducing. His friend continued.

"You know it like I do; every instance of vigilantism cannot and will not be endorsed by official media. The boy will be treated as a villain as long as he keeps doing what he is doing without proper regulation, and it's our job to enforce those rules to avoid a resurgence in vigilantism incidents. A simple video of Stain shouting at the authority marked an augmentation of crime across the whole of Japan… Imagine if the number one Hero suddenly endorse a vigilante, we will face a wave of copy-cat like none before, people taking justice in their own hands; this would be anarchy for years to come."

He wanted to shout to tell him things would be different, but he knew it. Sometimes he wished not to be the symbol of peace; he could do so much more as a man than a symbol for Izuku right now… "I… I get it…" he rubbed his temple, he felt weak, him the strongest man alive, felt weak.

Tsukauchi didn't stop there. "And I'm sorry to shit on your day more than I mean to, but…"

"…What again…"

"He is back…it's confirmed and he is planning something…" All Might puffed back into his muscle form, ready to fight on the spot, his piercing blue eyes boring into the man's soul. "Tell me everything…"

Tsukauchi opened the laptop he was carrying and let the recording speak; the quality of it was abysmal and it was audio only. "This was recorded at an MLA meeting in Deika City, inside the Detnerat offices"

"Welcome…"

All might instantly break the armchair he was holding even with the terrible quality that bastard voice was unmistakable, smug as ever.

“I am honored to be here … with Destro's kins and …"

And now he is working with those despicable terrorists; nothing good was to be born of this union.

"I was too … against for who I am. I fought for the right to do as I please but unfortunately, I had a brother … couldn't see … the way I did. The very mask you see … is a result of the symbol of peace … uses the force given by those who didn't … push back my ambitions. I stand with … as an ally, someone who can help you destroy the very foundation … oppressing us"

He was glad he kept at least a little souvenir from their fight, but he didn’t miss the slight that was directed his way. “Uses the force given by those who didn't deserve it”, he could finish his phrase for him. He was mocking every previous One for All users with it.

"As for … for those who are not … any member present, one hit to try and move me… all, you deserve … who is working with you … volunteer…”

Tsukauchi closes the computer. "The recording ended here; after that, the mic was destroyed. According to our man on the ground, he then managed to steal the quirk of three members in the audience under the cheer of thousands gathered there

 “Can’t we arrest those who gathered? This seems like pretty damning evidence to me”

“Unfortunately, not, the quality is abysmal. They would probably just claim it was fabricated by a rival company and swept it under the rug. Giving them even more support from those who think the government is actively trying to disband them by force, even if it’s the case”

“So, you are telling me all we can do is wait…” wait for this monster to make his debut, this was the recipe for a disaster Japan has not seen in decades. As much as it pained him, his friend's logic was sound; arresting the MLA leaders would lead to their eventual release from lack of evidence and a surge in sympathiser for their causes. “That man on the inside, can he gather more information? Who is he?”

“Your guess is as good as mine; the man is a mystery. Only the higher executive from the HPSC knows who he is and what he does. I doubt even you can convince them to let you in on their secret mole…"

With Midoriya missing and All for One confirmed return in action, those were his priorities. God knows what this demon would do to his protégé if he managed to wrap his devilish hands around him. “Keep me informed on young Midoriya's actions and whatever you hear from… him…

Tsukauchi nodded and got up from his chair, laptop in hand and exited the office. Leaving behind a ruminating All Might, what could he do?

…Evening…

“What can we do?” he put some emphasis on the can as he said it. Him and Himiko were snuggling in bed against one another looking at the article written about them on her phone, she was more frustrated by the lack of mention of her. She helped after all; she deserved a bit of recognition!

The apartment was now mostly clean, (No thanks to Himiko) maybe another day of hard work and the floor will be the same shade of brown all over. It was the evening and he didn't realise how tired he was from all his investigation, fighting and running away. The second he hit the bed, he went out like a light, the annoyance of his loving girlfriend, who expected a bit of cuddling before sleeping.

Not that it mattered now, as she rubbed circle on his chest in the comfort of their very own private room, oh the things they would do~

“I mean we deserve the credit. WE took down those crooks not whoever they think did it”

“You’re right but it’s not like we can barge in the editorial room and tell them our version”

*THUMP-THUMP* someone was hitting their floor from below. The muffled voice of Vero resonated. “Hey kid, get down there! I got two idiots who think fighting in my bar is a good idea!" she wasn't kidding about the sound isolation, even with the floor in between they could hear her clear as day, sure she was shouting but still…

"Coming!" he got up, fighting against the grasping fingers of Himiko desperately trying to cling to him and make him stay as her very own heated cushion but he pushed through promising this would take a second. He went out and she listened intently.

 He arrived downstairs, the two drunks asking who the fuck he was and then the building shook. “My fucking wall! This is coming out of your pocket kid, don’t you know anything about restrain!?” Vero was seemingly pissed at him about how he handled them; he sure was quick and efficient.

She went back to her phone. Gears turning inside her twisted head, how could they get the attention they deserve. What was the point in being heroes if no one knew they were helping? Izuku would tell her helping others is the reward in itself, but fuck that! He was amazing and the whole world needed to know how great he was. She scrolled down the various pieces of journalism, each of them becoming more and more obscure and weird.

Quirk to get young again!

Erase your wrinkle with this new product!

Enlarge your p-…

And finally at the very bottom, one article that manage to pique her interest, it had about ten views in total and one comment.

Gentle criminal, annoying the populace once more…

Even the guy who wrote the article seemed disinterest by the topic. She clicked on it, something about an old guy and is weirdly small teammate robbing local groceries stores apparently known for their lack of tea brands. In total they had stolen about 7000 yens that they proceed to give to a homeless man during their escape. The man was apprehended by the police for possible complicity and then promptly release once they failed to establish a connection with the criminals, minus the 7000 yens that was then returned to the establishment. The whole thing was on Herotube. 

“What a bunch of chumps…” she took a look at the comment.

“Kep up the good wurk Genttle Criminals!!! Im Ur number 1 fan!!”

It hit her. Like a car going full speed, the idea hit her! Izuku entered the apartment, his face saddened by the money his little stunt just cost them; he barely managed to catch the bundle Himiko threw at him. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit them so hard…" he lifted his arm in defence awaiting the scolding incoming, but instead she just brushed past him running down the hallway.

“Get dressed! Meet me on the roof!" he looked at her going up the stairs and then down at his clothes. It was his costume; what had she planned for him? He did so and followed her without questions.

Once on the roof, he looked around to find her on the edge of it; she was fiddling with her phone. He stepped up to her, and she motioned him to sit down next to her. He did so. The city lights were illuminating the landscape, giving it a beautiful glow.  "Are you going to tell me anything?"

She didn't; instead, she grabbed his face and placed a wild kiss on his mouth to his surprise. He barely got the time to get comfortable, that she pulled away, holding out her phone in front of them. "Say cheese!" he looked up just in time to see the flash. He blinked and rubbed his sore eyes and got even more confused as she started typing furiously on her device.

"Won't you tell me anything?!"

She finished typing and with an exaggerated motion she clicked on send. "Done!" he was going to ask her once again what she was doing, but instead she showed him…

…

Mina was scrolling social media on her phone; her brain turned to mush as she scrolled endlessly on her phone in her bed. Meme, bad meme, ragebait, DIY… just a bunch of non-sense to take her head off her long day of studying. She scrolled even more until she found a post.

It was posted today and was blowing up all across the platform she was currently on. Her eyes widen as she dropped the device on her face, too surprised to hold it correctly in her hands. She ran out of the room screaming as loudly as she could. "GUYS!?!"

She ran down to the opposite side yelling at the boys to come down, NOW! Some were already in bed and clearly not happy to be woken up by the pinkette.

“I WAS SLEEPING RACCOON EYES! YOU BETTER HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SHOW!!” Bakugo yelled, most of them agreed with him as they wiped their tired eyes awake. She pulled out her phone, finding the post in questions and showed them.

10k likes

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It was a picture of a vaguely confused Izuku looking up to the camera, his lips still wet and parted; next to him, Himiko was smiling as widely as she could, closing her eyes for the picture. In the background they could see the night sky and the city lights below them. Just above they could read the captions.

“Musutafu, problems with fanged gangs and looser criminals? Then say hi to your new Vigilante team, Blood-bound!!!”

Author’s note

I'm back, sorry job got in the way of this chapter, there you have it our new social media sensation on the loose fighting crimes and snapping pics! If the media refuse to help them, they shall do it themselves! This was planned long ago; I'm thrilled to get to it!

A chapter dealing with a lot of articles and media this time around with some insight about All Might, Bakugo, and Ochako.

Next time another job? Maybe I need to check my timeline; I got a lot of things planned and I need to make sure they all work together. I should maybe ask someone to help me make sense of it IDK…

I have another week of vacation incoming starting Wednesday; expect a lot of chapters!

New profile pic :)

Chapter Text

The man was running for his life, what was supposed to be a shakedown for some loose change in this neighborhood had become a fight for survival. He and his boys had heard about the power vacuum left behind by the Fang takedown and thought it would be a good idea to go down in their territory to collect some 'protection fee' from the locals.

After all, without the dangerous criminals around who would stop them?

Turn out a shitty little teenage boy with some idea of grandeur, that's who! Four of his guys were already knocked out, and he intended not to be the fifth, he turned the corner and…

“Heya, smile for the camera big boy!" where the hell did the school girl come from? He couldn't ponder his question as the boy following him came in full force with a knee behind the head, knocking him out in a fraction of a second.

Izuku and Himiko wrapped up the five members together with the help of some zip-ties he bought from a hardware store; well, Izuku did as for Toga…

"This video has been banned for breaching our terms of services… Damnit! It's the third time tonight, how am I supposed to show our good work if they keep pulling this shit" the post she made earlier may have gathered a lot of attention very quickly but was banned just as quickly. Turns out vigilantism is a crime and streaming or publishing crime online is still illegal.

She went to create another email and a new account for the fourth time.

"Maybe this is not such a good idea, I mean the longest one of your posts stayed online was an hour top… We should maybe stop" he wasn't thrilled by the idea; he wanted to be a hero and help people, and he knew his public image was something important for every hero, or in his case, vigilante, but at the same time…

"You just don't want the attention, well, too bad because I'll show everyone how amazing you are!" she was right, he was camera shy. Whenever he would be around the camera he tenses and became rigid as a board; it seemed he might not have gained as much confidence as he thought. He almost let one of the crooks get away because he saw her with the phone up and start fiddling with his thumbs, embarrassed.

But this whole new social media was not the only thing on his mind right now; his mother was also amongst his concerns. He wanted to go see her tonight, to tell her he was doing alright, him and Toga. She said she took some of her blood as she was sleeping when he questioned her about how she managed to get some for her stunt back at UA, so he wasn't scared about her safety.

He trusts Himiko…

Things were piling up on his side when they got down from the roof and Giran bumped into them. Giving the duo their well-earned bonus and a slew of new jobs for him to do, each of them respecting the boundary he set; no harming the innocent and no villainous acts. Unfortunately, that means he didn't have the time to go and see his dear mother; well, he had. Nothing stopped him from taking a break after all.

Nothing but him…

This feeling in the back of his head telling him he had to go out and help as much as he could before it's too late. As things became normal, well as normal as they could be, he opened a whole new can of worm, one he would have rather forgotten. He was working on borrowed time…

He gave All Might his hairs and so One for All was out of his hands and right now, he felt he could lose it at any moment. It was a matter of time until he found someone else, someone worthier than him to pass it. After all, who would let a villain hang on the most powerful quirk in the world, even if he was a villain only by name.

So Izuku worked, day and night, to push the thought away. To enjoy the time he had, the time he could be a hero. He'll see his mother later, for now he could, and he had to use his quirk to be of help to others.

Himiko typed away, getting more and more frustrated until she let out a groan, the video she just posted got taken down in seconds. She stomped the ground in anger kicking a nearby trash can. "HOW!? It's like they have someone just to block us from posting anything!" she went back to her phone scrolling down Herotube until she found the thing that made her blood boil. "Those two can post video of them robbing a store, but we can't post a single picture of us doing hero stuff!"

She turned the phone toward him showing a video of Gentle Criminal and La Brava, the both were posing in front of a store as they fled the scene under the annoyed shout of the owner.

"Maybe they know something we don't?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know…"

Himiko's genius plan was slowly becoming more and more of a fantasy than a reality. At the same time, they were barely beginners in the subject; it's not like they could find someone who could teach them how to become internet sensations…

She took a look at the video noticing a relevant detail. "Hey Izuku?"

"Yeah?"

"Those guys are villains?" she pointed at the video on her phone featuring the duo. He raised an eyebrow, answering nonetheless.

"Not the worst of the bunch, but yeah?" where was she getting at?

"And they are here in Musutafu?"

"What are you…" he was cut by the smile of pure sadism emanating from his girlfriend, one he only remembered when she was on the brink of her emotions.

"Let's pay them a friendly visit…"

…

“Another job well done, if I say so myself. La Brava, you were superb tonight, darling" Danjuro Tobita was walking down the street in his casual clothes after a long, tiring day of gentle villainy. They were about to celebrate them shattering their subscriber goalpost, a grand total of twenty!!

Aiba knew a spot where they could sing and drink all the tea their heart desired, a karaoke bar nearby. She could already imagine the two of them alone, in a booth right next to one another. Her heart was already swooning at the idea.

They entered the building greeted by the polite translucent woman at the desk; they could see the faintest trace of her body. Danjuro, gently, approached the woman with his usual grace. "Hello good miss. Your finest room for two please"

She quickly complied and gave them a keycard for one of the rooms, and a menu for various snacks and complementary drinks. Together they went on their merry way, failing to notice the couple behind them entering the business as they entered their own room…

Gentle and Brava sat down on the couch in front of the screen; two microphones were laid on the coffee table next to the remote giving them access to the vast catalogue of songs. Aiba was quick to sit and look at the songs they would sing, making sure to take one with a romantic inclination while Danjuro was looking for the tea they would sip in between their vocal representations.

She settled for a generic love song while he chose a brand of overseas tea. They both took their respective mics and were about to begin singing…

*Knock Knock*

"That was quick!" He paused the song and shouted to the employee. "Come in!"

But the door didn't unlock the normal way; to their horror, a knife slid in between the gap of the door, slowly being lifted until the cold steel unlocked the lock. With a sickening *click* the door opened ajar creaking all the way it did. Aiba took the hand of Gentle trying to ease the creeping dread nestling in her stomach.

He wasn't doing any better; his eyes were riveted to the darkness behind the door trying to take a glimpse at the intruder. He felt a drop of cold sweat running down his back. All his senses entered some sort of overdrive as he got ready to fight or flee, then he saw…

Sickening yellow eyes in the doorway just beyond the door, locked on them like some wild animal looking for food, just below a smile spreading so large it seemed unnatural. The person didn't move yet spoke in a low tone.

“Found you~”

“AHHHHHH!!!/AHHHHHHH!!!” they both screamed simultaneously…

…

Song and music filled the room, on the couch Izuku and Gentle were discussing and just in front of them Himiko and La Brava were singing one of the songs their impromptu guess had chosen for them.

"When the demon heart is crying! And the blood is gushing bright!" Himiko was holding one of the mics.

"Raise up your hat for a funny sight! When your cat is slowly sighing!" while Aiba was holding the other.

"What are you singing!?" question the confused blonde. Both were not singing the same thing at all…

"The part on the left! It's the censored version…"

"No, you need to sing the one on the right! It's the official chorus!"

Izuku laughed at the girl's antic while sipping the tea he was offered by the older man next to him. After clearing the misunderstatement between them (and their pants), the four of them were now sitting together in the small room exchanging politeness and anecdotes.

Seems like vigilante and gentle villainy shared quite a lot of similarity. "So, you are the duo that appeared out of nowhere yesterday!" Gentle was thoroughly impressed by the teens standing in front of him; even his companion took a pause from singing to talk to them directly.

“You mean Blood-Bound!?! You guys exploded the local news yesterday!" how could she miss it; she had seen their faces while working on their latest upload the day before. They had garnered more view in a single picture than they had in months of working on their channels. "You must tell me your secret! I would kill for us to get that much attention!" the petite woman yelled at the girl next to her.

Himiko dismissively waved her off with a smile. "Aww thanks! Actually, that's why we're here," pausing the song, Himiko went toward Izuku deposing herself in his lap while Aiba took a more reserved approach and sat down next to Gentle.

“For us? What could we have you need?" the small woman was curious. Judging by how fast their face had spread through the internet they didn't need them to build their persona or popularity. Himiko leaned toward them; her face filled with intensity.

"How do you stay online? Whatever I do I get booted out of every site possible and we can't post anything without someone jumping at our throat!" she frantically waved her arms at them conveying all her frustration, Izuku could feel her squirm and jitter in his laps, a feeling he found quite pleasant so he let her speak. "I mean, I know you aren't the most popular evil-doer online, but someone should have notified the site by now, yet your videos don't budge"

So, that's what they're after. It was so trivial for Aiba to answer she wasn't sure if it would be insulting for them to tell how easy it is to pass the security of most online streaming platform. "Well you see-…" she was cut off when Gentle put his hand over her mouth.

With a blush she looked up at the man his eyes filled with the same determination as someone who found an opportunity, he cleared his throat. "Of course, we are willing to share our professional secret with you both…"

Izuku brightened up; he wasn't glad to be displaying himself to the world so openly, but with Himiko so ardent on the subject, he was more happy for her to get what she wanted. "Thank you so much Gentle, we…"

"IF…" why is there always an if… "You accept a collaboration with us…"

Gentle knew this was one in a lifetime opportunity for them to rise in popularity. He could use them for his own benefit, as bad as it sounded. If they were to appear side by side in the same video with the name 'Gentle Criminal' in front and center, it could propel them to stardom in days instead of years. He had to take his chance to carve his name in history.

Izuku looked hesitant; the man was known more as a local nuisance than a villain, but still… he didn't want his face front and center in a video stealing or hindering others. Himiko, on the other hand, was very quick to jump at the opportunity. "Deal!"

“Fantastic! Let us order some more tea to celebrate this partnership! I'll even splurge in the more expensive brands" he got ready to call room service but Izuku spoke first.

"Can we just make sure to do something good instead of being villainous?" the trio in front of him looked curiously at him; Himiko was the first to tease him.

"Of course, mister goodie two-shoe~"

The gentle duo looked at each other and then him, smiling. "Not a problem, although I do not plan on changing my villainous way!" he didn't know it yet but this is how Izuku was convinced into collaborating with a duo of 'villains' on the most hectic night of his life, for now he just wanted to go home and rest.

After Himiko was done singing, he just could not say no to her smile…

…

“My throat is hoarse…" the girl let herself fall down into the bed that was theirs, her vocal cord ruined by the strenuous singing competition she got into with the small girl. Turn out Gentle criminal and La Brava were pretty swell guys for a bunch of openly villainous individual; the older man had even given him recommendation for teas he might enjoy.

They had agreed to work together in three days from now, Aiba pushing the importance of teasing such a big project to create hype and in turn bring more viewers to the stream they had planned. Izuku was still nervous at the idea of filming himself in action but luckily for him he had a supportive girlfriend who knew exactly how to calm his nerve. "Come here…"

She said it in a husky voice as her lips meet his in the privacy of their own home. Worries melted away replaced by something way more enjoyable in its stead.

Thing got heated rapidly as she let a trail of kiss up his neck until she reached the lobe of his ear giving it a tantalising nibble. He shuddered, letting out a moan he couldn't suppress to his embarrassment, a detail she noted for later. He was quick to kiss her back to stop her teasing, grabbing her and pulling her over him as they lay in their bed.

She loved every second of it, his hands, his lips, his breath… She wanted more, her own hands grabbing at his skin, but she stopped herself. "Hey, what day is it?"

Taken by surprise by the ordinary question in the middle of their heated make-out he reached from under her toward her phone to take a look. "8 of July, why?"

"No reason," she looked down into his half-lidded eyes filled with love and went down to kiss him again, straddling him. She wanted him right this instant, to give herself to the man she loved, but she could wait a bit.

His birthday was coming up soon, and she had the perfect gift in mind…

Author’s note

This chapter was rewritten, a first for me. I had to delete 2000 words to get to a point I enjoy it; it is shorter because it's more of an in-between chapter setting up the events of the future: Himiko's birthday surprise and Izuku meeting his mom.

I hope this is not too bad for you guys; the next chapter is clearer in my mind and should be better and filled with actions!

BTW, I have an idea for the next chapter, tell me if I can use your username in the fic, after all every video stream needs its chat!

Up next, a gentle collab and a vision is fulfilled…

Chapter Text

…Three days later…

On this weekend, Izuku had plans, Giran had tipped him off concerning some new crooks in town planning a transaction in Musutafu. They didn't pay the trading fee for operations in the city, so Izuku was given the very convenient date and address of their transaction and he intended to crash this deal.

The only problem was the location for this deal, right on the highway passing through the city. Apparently, they didn't want to stop for the cargo and would make the transition from one vehicle to another as they drive, complicating things quite a lot for them. Izuku could easily run after them with One for All alone but…

“Do not worry, the gentle mobile is ready for this night of excitement!" they did accept to make a collab with Gentle Criminal on one job and it just happened today was the day they planned on doing it. He looks at the beat-up car in front of him, a far cry from the illustrious Might mobile he used to watch on the TV when he was young; next to him, Himiko clapped her hands in excitement.

"It's been so long since I rode a car, let me go get my CD!"

"You have a CD, what for?"

“Well, every road trip needs a mixtape, no? I just happened to have one from long ago I kept in my things" they were standing outside of the bar having agreed for Gentle to pick them up for the operation. He waited for Himiko to go get her things upstairs under the watchful eyes of the doorman curiously eyeing the new duo in front. Gentle gave him a polite wave from behind the wheel not wanting to seem rude for intruding.

La Brava was sitting on the front seat, setting up the many cameras she had brought; a dash cam, at least three go-pro and her phone. This night was about to be captured from every possible angle.

Himiko finally got down CD in hand, jumping in place. Seems everybody was ready for the night. The teens entered the backseat and Izuku buckled his seatbelt; Toga simply sprawled herself into his lap, handing the CD to La Brava, telling her to put it in once they started the video.

With the roar of the sputtering engine, the four of them were gone toward their destination.

…

Inside of UA things were becoming more and more hectic. The dorm of class 1A was in full swing despite the late hours. "Does anyone have a USB cable I can borrow?" Sero was setting up the TV in preparation for what was about to happen.

When they saw the announcement of Izuku's vigilante business three days ago, they were not expecting him to follow it up with a collaboration with a local criminal. It was Kaminari who found the announcement online first, on an obscure Herotube channel with barely any subscribers: ‘A gentle collab: Blood-Bound and Gentle Criminal 9:30 pm this Saturday,’ It was presently 9:13 pm and the curfew was coming up faster than they liked.

"How did you find them? This gentle guy is barely a footnote on the site" Jiro was curious as to how her electric friend stubbled upon this before anyone was made aware; within the hour of the announcement, he knew about it. It took the nation of Japan at least two days for them to notice it, he was too quick for it to be a coincidence.

"I-I'm a subscriber to his channel…" he rubbed the back of his neck, everyone turned toward him, heads cocked in surprise. "H-hey the guy is mostly harmless and his videos are funny as hell to watch!"

Iida passed a cable to Sero, who connected his phone to the TV, giving everyone a view of his phone on the big screen in the living room. From the back they could hear the distinct pop of the popcorn heating up in the microwave. Some gave Sato a dirty look; they were about to watch Midoriya collab with a criminal, not a movie. "I eat when I'm nervous, get off my back…" the large teen defended himself.

The only ones not moving in all directions or shouting were Ochako and Katsuki, their eyes riveted to their own screen, not wanting to miss a second of what was about to happen.

“Everyone! It's starting!" Uraraka shouted from the table, as she said the TV sputtered to life; at first, a big hand covered the main camera, jostling it left and right, adjusting it, and then. “Welcome to our Gentle-viewers! Tonight, we have quite the spectacle in store for all of you!” La Brava was front and center, opening her arms in grand fashions to announce the start of the stream; next to her, a dapper gentleman in a convoluted suit was holding the steering wheel, giving a nod to the camera.

In the back seat they could finally see him; Izuku was rigid as a board sitting upright, a wobbly smile on his lips and a blush on his cheek. In his laps, Toga was sprawling herself giving two joyful peace signs with a smile so wide it threatened to split her face in two. In the background they could hear the subtle sound of music playing a mix of pop and popular songs from some years ago.

The stream had already 35k viewers and the chat was going wild rolling so fast from comment to comment they could barely read one before another took its place pushing it up out of the screen.

Class 1A was dumbfounded; they almost expected it to be a bad joke, but there he was, their classmate in the flesh, in front of all of Japan for them to see. He looked like he was ready to pass out from sheer embarrassment.

"I still can't believe Midoriya is really with Toga, Kero…" Tsuyu spoke bluntly as ever telling what everyone was thinking as they watched the girl lift herself high enough to put a peck on his chin. This was surreal; he was the very definition of a hero, and there he was with a villain in his lap, more ashamed to be on camera than to hold her.

"Well, he does seem nervous; maybe it's coercion…" Momo stated not really believing what she was saying.

"I'm more curious what the hell he is doing there?" Kirishima added. Everyone shut up as the Gentle Duo spoke.

“Tonight evil-doer such as ourselves are ready to enter a transaction so foul we had no choice but to partner up with Blood-Bound to take them down, we may be villains but we aren't monsters… So, it's our job to stop them and bring them to justice so that gentle villainy prevails! Any comments on the matter, my friends?” Gentle turned his attention toward the pair in the backseat.

“They’re going down!” Himiko then blew a raspberry at the camera while giving two thumbs down.

“W-w-we c-can’t l-l-…” Izuku tried to speak but was frozen as he watched the number of viewers grow and grow; he was having stage fright. They started at 35k and now not even ten minutes in they were already at 50k, word of mouth was spreading faster and faster. He could feel his hands moisten and the pit in his stomach growing.

Suddenly he was pulled down by the blonde in his lap who kissed him deeply in front of a whole audience, chat went wild. In the dorm some audibly gasped, Iida put his hands in front of the screen trying to save the purity of his classmates. "Advert your eyes!"

AllAboutNothin: Woo give him tongue girl!!!

The super chat was active displaying the comment for everyone to see. Iida used his other hand to hide it…

"Get away from the screen class president we're trying to see here!" Mina shouted, her pink cheek more flustered than usual. The class erupted in chaos as they tried to pry away the tall teen from the TV; quirk was used.

Ochako was at the table together with Bakugo looking at their own phone away from the commotion happening near the couch as everybody reacted differently to what just happened.

Ochako looked as their lips parted, his eyes suddenly focused on her and his smile steadying, there was no denying it.

They were in love…

This brought her pain; she still clings to the hope she may have a chance with the boy, but seeing them so close and intimate, even in front of thousand, quell her hope. She didn't cry, having grieved her lost chance already; there was no need for her to do so even if she wanted to. He looked happy, that was the important part…

As for Bakugo, he wasn't as focused on their little display; his mind was elsewhere as he looked at Deku. He was All Might successor, the one who is pretty much destined to take his place in the future, him once quirkless Deku…

And he was ready to throw it all away, become his useless self once again for a girl he met not even two months ago in the stinky basement of a villain organisation. He did it so she could have a chance at a normal life, All Might said. Like the dumb kid, he always was thinking of others before himself.

No matter how hard he trained, he could never hope to become a hero like Deku, for his strength wasn't in his brawn or quirk but his boundless open heart. A thing he could never achieve…

Erroki: When does it start?

Another super-chat took front and center. A pair of clothes jolted up from its seat; Hagakure just had a genius idea. She turns toward her friend Momo grabbing the rich girl by the shoulder. "Momo, we need you!!"

"Uhh, huh what?"

"With your money we can send him a message through the super-chat!!"

Momo knew someday she was going to be used for her money; she just hoped it wouldn't be that forthwith…

…

“W-well, we first need to locate our target, dear viewer! It should be soon enough," Gentle answered the chat; he could feel the joy fluttering in his stomach. 60k viewer!!! He did it stardom in a night! His name would be on every magazine journal and article online by tomorrow. He was about to become someone looked at and admired. He quickly wipes away a single tear of joy near his eye. "Do not worry! Blood-Bound and Gentle Criminal are working together on this thrilling case!"

"Wait, I think I see something in front," Izuku pointed at two vans about seventy meters away from them; black and with no licence plate at the back just like Giran said. The action nearing, he started relaxing; he had work to do.

Davepowa: LETS GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Toga stood from his comfortable laps and pointed at the radio. "La Brava, hit track 12!" the small woman hit the button and the car was suddenly filled with the energetic sound of electropop 'Joyride by Kesha' she started bopping her head to the rhythm. Aiba turned toward the eccentric blonde, a look of delighted confusion on her face.

"Really?"

"Hey, don't judge. I've seen what kind of song you sing…"

"ANYWAY!!" La Brava went red; she didn't need the internet to know she was a soapy love-heart at her core. She pressed some button on her phone and the video stream changed displaying the dashcam with the point of view of her three teammates in each corner, gratuity from the go-pro she mounted on each one of them.

They could see as they approached the door opening from both cars as they drove side by side and some kind of heavy-duty case was being tossed inside the left car. Giran Info was right now; they just had to apprehend them. Gentle hit the gas as much as he could, sending his engine purring loudly as he got closer and closer, something the cars in front noticed.

The backdoor opened with force from both cars revealing their occupant, one woman with long silky hair in the left car with her fellow thug, a bald tattooed man. In the right car, a spiky-haired man and a rather large man was standing ready.

“Who the fuck are those clowns!" The large man made a fist and sent a heavy rock from his knuckle toward them; he could hear the music blasting from the beat-up car following them.

"I don't think so, my good man" Gentle touched his window and, as the rock impacted, it bent and sent it back toward his sender, hitting him over the head, dazing him. Izuku unbuckled his seatbelt and opened his window. He grabbed the edge of the roof and with a pull he hoisted himself on the roof. Now in the open, the woman sends him a wave of pressurised water from her mouth trying to push him off; he held on.

Gentle who was driving had to use the wiper to wipe away the water dripping down the window. Himiko pulled out a knife from her pocket and asked him to pull next to the left car. He tried to but the car in front of him swerve to block him from overtaking it.

"Young man, would you be so kind as to clear us a path?" Izuku understood what he meant and sent out a black whip to wrangle the swerving car in front of him. In spite of the water pressure attack, he managed to catch the back tire, tangling it and forcing the car to slow down just enough for him to maneuver himself in position next to the van.

Himiko kicked the door open and gave a friendly wave to the astonished driver before leaping at him through the open window. She landed in his lap and as he lifted his elbow to strike her, she pushed down his leg forcing him to hit the brake.

Everyone on board was sent stumbling forward; the driver included. His face hit the steering wheel, forcing out a *HONK* from the horn. While he and the other were dazed, she opened the driver's door, shoving him out of his seat in one swift movement. The man screamed as the fast-moving pavement almost collided with his face, but he was saved at the last second by a tendril of black energy wrapping itself around him and shoving him back inside the moving vehicle from the back, right into one of his teammates trying to get back up.

Izuku jumped in the left car, leaving Gentle to deal with the right one. In the confusion, the other car had slowed down, allowing the older man to take the front with his car and get in front of the other vehicle on the right. "This might be a bit shaky, darling," he said to his partner who put on her seatbelt, knowing what he had in mind.

Gentle activated his quirk, spreading it to the whole vehicle and hit the brake with all his weight.

The other van wasn't able to slow down fast enough and both collided with extreme force. The hard van behind them were halted in their advance crashing them to a halt but Gentle rubber car having the property of elasticity compressed on itself and was sent flying forward, absorbing most of the shock of the impact. "WAAAAAAHHHH!!/ WAAAAAAHHHH!!!" they both yelled as they more than doubled in speed towards the other vehicle in front of them, Gentle swerving the best he could to avoid them.

At least the right car was taken out at the same time…

…

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!" Kirishima watched as Gentle and La Brava cameras were sent flying forward. This was the most reckless arrest they had ever seen in their life.

"What are you kids doing? It is way past your curfew…" Aizawa entered the room now 10pm; he had the responsibility to wrangle these kids back into their bed. He took a look at the TV; it seemed they were playing some sort of game, seeing the three distinct first-person perspectives he was looking at.

"And what is that?"

"…Midoriya…" Mineta simply answered. Aizawa blinked and took another look at what was happening on screen. Two views of a car going over 120 miles per hour trying desperately not to crash, another of someone driving while happily tapping on the steering wheel, humming to herself, and finally Problem child socking on of the criminal in the jaw sending him over the car seat landing in the passenger seat next to it.

xXShadowlord420Xx: This is awesome kick their ass!!

Dragonlord69: #Me when mom say no nuggies…

Princesscrown: Call us Midoriya this is class 1A!!

With the last message he locked at his student spotting Momo typing on her phone under the careful eyes of Hagakure and Mina guiding her through the process.

He just knew those who were in charge of the problem child tonight had their work cut out for them...

…

“THIS IS IT MY BOY!!!” when All Might heard about what was happening, he immediately pulled out his phone while still in his bed. He may have been a bit careless in his method but who was he to judge him.

The start of his career in America was way worse than this, seeing his boy fight with such fervor made him remember his old day with David Shield the time they rode the Might Mobile even if it wasn't of use for him anymore.

Seeing young Midoriya fighting so hard was making him feel young again.

Then from young Midoriya camera he saw red and blue lights rapidly advancing toward the vehicle he was standing in. He took his remote and opened the news.

“… Reckless villains fight on the highway happening right now in Musutafu. The authority and various heroes were tipped off by concerned citizens reporting dangerous driving on the road. Authority recommends everyone to avoid the area for the moment…”

He could see the area from the helicopter images and came to a realisation.

“I know where this is…” still in his bottom pyjamas All might threw a shirt over his head and jumped out of his window toward the action.

…

Izuku was done taking down the crooks in the back of the van; they weren't much of a fight in close combat against him, but now he had another problem.

The police were closing in on their position and he could see a few heroes trying to catch up with them.

"What is in the case?" he turned to face Himiko, asking the question,  who was looking at him and not the road ahead of her unbothered by the danger she was subjecting them. "HIMIKO THE ROAD!!" she turned just in time to avoid a car in front of her swerving violently on the left grinding against the rail sending sparks around as she managed to regain control of the van. "Sorry~"

She was going to kill him one day…

"I'm bored of driving. Take my place; I want to have a look!" she let go of the wheel and skipped to the back toward the case that the criminal had bolted to the floor with the help of a quirk, probably the tattooed guy.

It might be today…

He lounged at the steering wheel taking control of the van avoiding yet another car. "HIMIKO!!! I don't know how to drive!?"

"Don't worry, it's an automatic, you should be fine. By the way, hit the gas; the police are catching up…" he hit one of the pedals braking instead of accelerating, he quickly pushed the other one. His driving wasn't smooth jerking left and right with too much strength sending Toga tumbling down. "Hey watch it!"

“I TOLD YOU I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE!!!"

"It's like kissing, smooth and steady, loverboy~" he blushed at least three shades of red, but he listened gliding from left and right instead of jerking it around; he was making progress. Himiko made her way toward the case turning the camera she had on her toward her face. "Heya, ready for an unboxing video!" she winked at the camera. And turned her attention to the box she opened and…

…

“Is that a timer?" Ojiro asked.

"Why is it counting down? Oh, god, why is it counting down?!" Kaminari yelled.

"It's a bomb…" everybody turned toward Todoroki who just said that as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world; only the shock on his face betrayed his surprise.

Sugoi324: Cut the red wire!!

Princesscrown: DO NOT CUT ANY WIRES!!! Momo was typing furiously!

“DEKU, STOP YOUR STUPID GIRLFRIEND, ONCE IN YOUR USELESS LIFE!!" Katsuki yelled from the opposite side of the room. Ochako was at her wits' end, she looked like she was about to pass out from the stress. She was floating above the table; her eyes were unable to leave her screen. "Deku!!"

Aizawa had never been so right in his life to call someone a problem child. He should probably stop whatever was happening in the dorm, but he was also enthralled by whatever he was doing on screen.

…

“Izuku, we might have a problem…" she looked at the timer; they had 6 minutes… he adjusted the back-mirror in front of him and spotted the flashing red light. He hit his own head against the horn, sending out a long drawn-out honk.

Why couldn't things go their way for once…

"We need to get out Izuku! Let the police handle it!" they really should, there was no way for him or her to disarm a bomb in six minutes but at the same time there was also no way for the bomb squad to make it in time. He had a choice to make.

Leave and let others deal with his mess…

Or find a solution right now…

“Himiko, where is the closest bridge with a large body of water?!" She rolled her eyes but complied nonetheless; why was he always so reckless? She pulled out her phone and opened the map app.

"10 minutes away by the highway…" shit that means they didn't have time. "Or 6 minutes if we take a turn right now" well, he had his answer. He swerves and takes the exit; police are still chasing after them, splitting into two groups: one after him and the other after Gentle Criminal. He just hopes they will manage on their end.

This path may have been faster, but it was filled with tight curves and traffic. Next to the road, he could see passersby turning their heads and businesses still open at night. If he failed to make it, he just put more people in danger.

“Turn left now!" he was going too fast; the van would tumble on its side. if he turned too fast, he had to slow down, but he couldn't, or the police would catch up, so he did the next best thing. Sending a black whip from both his hands, he anchored himself to the vehicle and grabbed on an electrical pole as he turned. The centrifugal force threatened to make the van turn over, but he managed to stay upright thanks to the pole he was holding on.

The pole broke under the weight of the car pulling it and was sent down behind them as they turned; the police cars following them were forced to stop their pursuit because of the obstacle. His heart was beating 140 beats per second; this was the most dangerous thing he had ever done. He could see all the cars coming his way and driving in the same direction; he was forced to swerve in between them.

He hit the horn as much as he could trying to warn people away from him. "3 minutes left!" He could see the bridge in the distance; it was just a straight line, and he could evacuate everyone on board and toss the car in the water. How hard could it be…

Police came from both sides blocking the bridge as he was barreling toward them, he couldn't slow down; he had to ram them. From the sky, a figure came down landing in the center of the two police cars. All Might…

His mentor was blocking the way and even with a train there was no way he could pass through him. "1 minute!" yelled Himiko

The large man raised his hand in a stopping manner and shouted. “Midoriya my boy stops this car! We need to talk-…” but Izuku had no time to talk, so he took a gamble and yelled back. "ALL MIGHT LET ME THROUGH!" he gritted his teeth knowing what was at stake and with all his force he shouted. "YOU HAVE TO TRUST ME!!"

The boy wasn't stopping at the speed he was going; he would collide with them in seconds. Yagi had to make his choice right now, with no idea about the bomb he was taking a gamble of his own; this may just have been Midoriya's way to try to escape from the police.

He gritted his teeth and stood his ground, Izuku thought all was lost but at the last moment All Might raised his foot on the police car next to him and pushed it just enough for him to pass through. Izuku smiled and took the exit that was given to him "TEN SECONDS!" Himiko yelled at him, less and less sure they would make it.

Izuku entered the bridge and as he reached the middle of it, he turned sharply to the right aiming for the river below. With One for All at 30%, he fought against the force of the impact and grabbed the three unconscious criminals and Himiko, and leaped out of the car as it destroyed the barrier.

3 seconds…

He was standing mid air holding everyone in the black tendrils. He took a look toward All Might and saw him hunched over the guardrail, a confused expression on his face as he was falling down the water. Izuku threw the bundle of criminals at him hoping he would catch them.

2 seconds…

The car impacted the water and started rapidly sinking in the water below. He and Toga were sent further and were about to hit the water soon after the car; he had no idea how strong an explosion was packed inside that thing, but he knew this was about to hurt.

1 second…

Just like the day of their escape from UA, he wrapped himself and Himiko in a tight cocoon of black whip and closed his eyes as they hit the water.

0…

The car was well below the surface when the explosion happened, reducing the impact of it by a lot; still, the blinding light engulfed the whole area as the bomb finally exploded.

*BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!*

…

Class 1A looked in horror as the camera was cut off. Even Gentle and La Brava had cut their video feed, effectively ending the stream. They were barely able to see a glimpse of the titanic explosion that just happened in front of them. Some were holding their breath; others looked aghast at the situation, and the rest were holding their mouths as if they were stopping themselves from screaming. Even Aizawa was looking pale.

Have they just watched their friend die?

It came seconds later; the audible *boom* resonating throughout the whole city had finally reached UA, hammering even harder the harsh reality of what just happened.

"Deku…" Ochako was the first to speak…

…

A monumental explosion lifted tons of water from the large channel below. All Might grabbed every person he could, shielding them from the possible debris and other dangers. Part of the bridge was destroyed by the force of the displaced air and every window in a mile radius was shattered in an instant. If this bomb had been above the water when it exploded, the damage would have been catastrophic.

Shrapnel from the car was sent at unseen speed toward the cocoon the teen was huddled in, piercing through and impacting Izuku on his lower lip. One for All managed to keep him alive, but it still managed to split his lower lip open. He held Himiko closer to him, shielding her fragile body from the debris.

When the bomb exploded, they were standing on the surface of the water and so were propelled forward, skipping like rock thrown in a pond by children. Luckily this was a channel for ships and so was mostly straight allowing them to go without hitting anything hard other than the water surface.

Him and Himiko were sent a good kilometer away from the original impact; his body only faltered as they slowed down enough for them to sink into the water. He swam up to the surface taking a good breath of oxygen; he looked around him. "Himiko?!" she was nowhere to be seen on the surface.

He dives down to see her struggling, waving her arm uselessly against the water around her; she was panicking, and he could see her choking in the water. He fought against his aching muscle and activated One for All again at the lowest percentage he could muster, trying to not exhaust himself to the point he would pass out.

He swam down and grabbed Himiko as she passed out; he surfaced bringing her above the water so that she could breathe.

But she didn't…

He held her with one arm and swam with the rest of his body toward the nearest shore. With the last of his strength, he pulled her out of the water and turned her on her back. Adrenaline was flowing through his whole body. "No, no, no…" he put an ear against her chest.

She wasn't breathing.

He remembered his first aid class with Thirteen and went into action, putting both his unpowered arms against her chest. He began some compressions: one, two, three, four… he tilted her head back, holding her nose close and brought his lip to hers and blowed into her lungs.

Nothing.

Again! One, two, three, four and he breathes air into her again.

Nothing…

Tear was starting to flow out of him; had he killed her? Did his recklessness cause her demise? With rasped breath he continued his compressions "Come on Himiko, you can't leave me alone! Not after all we went through…" until finally…

* Cough Cough* she spews out the water that was stuck in her lungs and started breathing again between rasps. Izuku, so overjoyed, grabbed her in an embrace that could have bruised her ribs. "You're alive! I'm sorry I should have listened to you… I'm sorry," the boy was crying both sad of what he almost caused and happy Himiko was fine and alive.

The girl looked at him through blurry vision and slowly returned his embrace with a timid smile. "Don't be…" her voice was raspy from the lingering water clinging into her airway. She giggled faintly. "I'm the one who opened the mystery box after all…" he separated from her to take a better look at her, still holding her by the shoulder. He smiled, then he giggled until he laughed openly while holding her.

"I'm never letting you do something like that again…" he placed a kiss on her lips and held her closely against him.

Author's note

There you have it, the greatest collab in the vigilante history of all time. Did you see it coming? What was a bomb doing on the highway? Will the public take it well? What about All Might?

This chapter was hard to write but so satisfying; I mean, with all the different characters and perspectives, finding a good balance was hard.

I just realised what is it with me and cars? It's the third chapter with a car battle in it… I may be obsessed.

Sir Nighteye's vision has been realised; Izuku drove a car with the police chasing after him!

So many questions to be answered in the next chapter, taking a break from our favorite duo before his birthday!

100 kudos!! thanks to everyone :D

Chapter Text

…The next day…

”…no one else did anything”

“Oh, so you’re siding with the criminals now?! Face it, they risked the lives of more than a thousand trying to play hero yesterday. If those teens had done nothing, we wouldn’t be looking at over 10 billion yen of damage and at least 24 injured!”

“And what would it be if they didn’t find the bomb? Who knows what those individuals had in store with such a weapon? Thanks to these vigilantes, the police apprehended every criminal responsible. They might have saved more lives than we gave them credit for…”

“Those are villains! If they had tipped off the heroes, none of this fiasco would have happened!”

“I’m just saying-…”

“Oh! Grow up!”

The interview on TV was looking more and more like a televised tantrum since yesterday the whole nation of Japan had been divided into two groups: those who support the action of Blood-Bound and Gentle Criminal, and those who don’t.”

Over a million views in one day for the video on Gentle Criminal channel, something the authorities are desperately trying to take down, but whoever is responsible behind it knows what they’re doing. The video is hosted in another country and creates copies over and over as the video is taken down in Japan, and they can’t take down the original because they need the authorization of the other country's internet officials to do so, a process that may take months, seeing the lack of reaction from said officials.

In the street, people are both celebrating the incident and protesting it; the fact that a vigilante of all people was the one to stop something so dangerous shook the public's opinion about heroes, and the fact that the boy used to be a star student at UA turned villain only added oil to the fire.

Not only that, All Might himself was seen helping the boy in full camera view. Pushing aside a police car so he could throw the bombed car off the bridge.

“…You want to fight!” the guest who had been berated most of the interview stood up, fist raised toward the host, who did the same. Tsukauchi had seen enough and closed the TV. He sighed heavily, rubbing his hand across his face slowly, before raising his eyes to meet those of his good friend Yagi Toshinori, who was looking more and more nervous as the three men in the room bore into his soul with their eyes.

“I…”

“You stupid oaf! You have any idea what kind of ripple you just sent into the system!” his former teacher and mentor, Gran Torino, cut him off before he had the chance to even try to explain himself. Next to him, Nighteye had his head hung low, ashamed of the action of his idol.

“You still have a soft spot for the boy; I should have assumed so…” the bored man shook his head in disapproval.

“It’s…”

“Yagi, why would you do that when I told you to stay away from this. I’m the one who should be dealing with this…” the detective cut him off once more, also done with his antics.

“I had to try…”

Nighteye's head shot up. “Try what? I told you he was a lost cause; you didn’t even try to arrest him or anything else, for that matter. Are you even considering Mirio? Or are you still hoping that by miracle the boy would let go of his companion and come back to you?”

Once again, he was alone in his corner. The three men in front of him were rightfully angry at his actions. Just like Tsukauchi said by helping young Midoriya that night, a wave of civil unrest had emerged, and many were pointing to his involvement as the reason why the movement grew so fast.

*Bang* someone just knocked himself into his locked door, for good measure. All Might turns into his muscle form. Just in time, because said door was blown away by an explosion, and waltz-in Bakugo and Ochako both out of breath after running to his office.

“What-…”

“HE IS ALIVE!!” Bakugo ran at him, his phone outstretched toward him, on it a picture of a banged-up Izuku and Toga with bandages and bruised at the top, a caption that read ‘We live!’ Yagi let out a breath of relief when he saw his student was fine, undoing his transformation in the process, to the shock of the three men present, who jumped in between him and his student, trying to hide his form.

“It’s fine… They are aware” Yagi lifted a defensive hand toward his colleague, urging them to stand down. They looked at him, surprised, but quickly composed themselves with a sigh. Of course, he shared his secret with his student. Gran Torino hit him over the head while he was still close enough before sitting down in his chair.

Tsukauchi turned toward the children who had just barged into the private meeting. “Good to know, now I need to ask you to leave. This is a private topic …”

“Hell no!” the blonde yelled, holding the detective stare. Ochako had a similar glare in her eyes.

“This is about Deku. His power, right?” every man turned toward All Might, staring daggers in his soul once more. OF COURSE!! He told them about One for all… Yagi simply sank deeper into his seat, trying to make himself smaller than he was.

“This doesn’t concern you children; you should let the adult deal with this…” Now it was Nighteye who spoke; he had this look of professionalism hiding his annoyance. He remembered the two students from the day he administered their exam, the same day they captured the boy, but not the girl.

“Again, hell no!” Katsuki glared at every adult other than All Might in the room. “You guys just want him gone! Throw him back into a cell and take away his quirk, I won’t let you.”

“Deku is a hero, he proved it yesterday!” Ochako yelled, voicing her own opinions. “Even Himiko helped take down those criminals, we should help them, not throw them in prison!”

It was now three versus three in the room fighting about the question of what shall they do with Izuku Midoriya, but the opinions of children didn’t weigh much on the matter as the adults seemed annoyed by the two in front of them.

“Perhaps we should listen to the opinion of our youth!” a third voice entered from the back of the room, everyone turned to meet the beady eyes of… “Am I a mouse? A dog? A bear? No, I’m the principal!” Nezu had just entered the room with a kettle of tea in his hands and a plate with enough cups for everyone around. He poured one and handed it to Ochako, who was the closest person next to him. She gladly took it.

“What is this Nezu? You were the one who proposed their arrest, why the change of heart?” Nighteye looked down at the small animal in front of him as he offered him a cup of tea as well, but he refused.

“Of course, I vouched for their capture in the past…” Katsuki glared at the rodent, his hands balled into fists, thinking about how much difficulty he forced Deku through with his stupid game. “…But never their imprisonment! It was always my objective to reform them to the best of my ability. Throwing them in a cell would serve no purpose after all,” he turned toward the scowling teen and put a cup in his hands, forcing him to uncurl his finger as his expression softened under the confusion.

Tsukauchi looked at the principal, confused as well. “You personally said you were working with us for this very objective!?”

“I lied!” he turned toward him so fast he almost spilled the tea from the cup he was serving; his face locked in this perpetual smile. “Why do you think I built the prison on our school grounds? So, I could hold them both out of the grabby hands of the government! Of course, their escape caused quite the commotion in here, and I take the blame. After all, I should have prepared for such an event, I was just a bit too optimistic about our chance of capturing them both” a cup was handed to the detective.

“So, you used us, you damn punk…” the old grizzled man gritted his teeth, he should have known he was planning something like this, he was playing right in his paw…

“Of course! And you were such good pawns as well” Sorahiko was going to drown this rat in his kettle; he also refused the cup offered to him.

“Are you saying Principal Nezu?!” All Might jumped from his seat, putting both his hands on his desk, and hope was back in his body.

“We will try to reclaim Izuku Midoriya and Himiko Toga for a new reform program I designed. With their current popularity rating, too many want them both free and arrested, so here I am with the compromise!” he gave Yagi a warm cup of tea, the large man took it with both hands.

“Now our biggest hurdle shall be contacting the boy and convincing him to come here of his own volition, nothing our faculty isn’t able to do, I presume…” Finally, he poured himself his cup, sipping on it in a gentle manner. “…Or our students once they obtain their licences, something I’m sure they can easily do!”

He gave a polite nod toward the two young teens in the room who looked at each other.

They could go get Deku back…

…

“I can’t feel my legs…”

“And I can’t feel my arm… We make a great team!” Izuku and Toga were lying in bed next to one another, after being patched up by Akemi, who reminded them just how much of an idiot he was, a fair price all considered.

His lips had healed but left behind yet another scar on his body; he was hoping he would avoid scarring his face, but at least they had survived, a miracle given the force of the explosion. He looked at Himiko phone who somehow survived both an explosion and being dunk in a river (He should get one of those) a message from Gentle Criminal assured them they had manage to give the police the slip and the both of them were recuperating, he also wrote he was willing to do another collab as long as it wasn’t as crazy as the last.

Questions were still plaguing his mind; had he done the right thing yesterday? Why was there a bomb in the van? Who were the men responsible? What if Toga hadn’t survived… Could he have lived with himself knowing he killed her after she told him to bail? He was reckless; yesterday proved it. One day, he would slip up and that would be the end, for him, for others, for Himiko…

His girlfriend sensed his turmoil; he had been looking at that stain on the ceiling too long to be normal. She wrapped herself around him and gently kissed him on the cheek to get his attention. He turned his head so he could look at her. She was smiling, cupping his face in her hand. “It’s fine… I’m alive, you’re alive…”

She was right, they were both alive, and he felt alive. The scar on his lips reminded him that he had just stopped some criminal group from detonating a bomb somewhere else, somewhere he might not have been able to stop them. He could live with that. With eyes half-closed, he did the same thing as her, cupping her face with his hand, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. “Thanks, Himiko, what would I do without you…” again, she chases away his doubt, leaving behind only her smile.

“I don’t know, and I’ll make sure you never know because I’m never leaving!” she giggled and kissed him.

…

In a dark room, all he could hear was the whimper of the many patients of the doctor. Patient wasn’t the right word; victim was way more appropriate for them. Shigaraki had been there so many times that the scream didn’t affect him beyond being annoyed by how constant they were.

He eyed the purple tubes, each of them holding various specimens of Nomu. All of them were grotesque, with leathery skin, bulging eyes, and exposed brain. All of those used to be human with dream and aspirations, now they rotted in a vat waiting so that he could use them as he wished.

He approached the doctor, hunched over one of his patients, scalpel in hand, and focused on his work. “Stop! Do not take one more step, I don’t need you spreading your germs around my subject!”

“I don’t think germs are his concern right now,” he looked down at the man on the table, who wasn’t moving, but his eyes were looking at him, the pupil jittering as the good doctor operated on him.

“It is mine! If he develops an infection, it’s back to the beginning, so don’t step a foot forward.”

The man's fate didn’t concern him, but he still needed the doctor, so it was for the best not to piss him off. “How is my little project coming along?” the doctor paused, wiping the blood from his hand before guiding him toward one of the many vats he passed in front of. Inside, he could see the aberration he asked to be made.

“Is it ready?”

“No, but it should be by the day you asked, you asked me at the last minute, so count yourself lucky I even find the time to make it for you.” he played with the hairs of his moustache as he talked, admiring his handiwork. “I must say the idea you had impressed me, I didn’t think you would find a concept that would intrigue me as much as it did, where did the inspiration come from?”

Shigaraki took a look at his phone, one of the freeze frames of yesterday's vigilante incident with Toga and her annoying boyfriend at the center of it. He turned toward the doctor and gave him a smile that managed to make his skin crawl. “Just some friends…”

Author’s note

Another short chapter, opinions are changing about heroes, Nezu wants them to come back to UA, and Shigaraki is working on his special project…

We even got some fluff between our favorite couple!

I didn’t forget about Inko. I thought about adding her reaction in this chapter, but I’m keeping her for a later chapter.

I tried Grammarly. Tell me if you see an improvement.

Next time, happy birthday, Izuku!

Chapter Text

TW: one smutty scene, I don’t know if I should warn, nothing is going to be graphic, but just in case, I added a special separator if you are not comfortable reading it. (Look for: …❤️…)

…Three days later…

Today was a special day, Toga had made certain of it. She and Izuku were still recuperating from their injuries, but that didn’t stop him from sneaking out for a patrol yesterday, something he regretted dearly once Himiko caught wind of it; no kisses for the night, she said!

Truly a cruel mistress… But even the cruellest of villain knew they should reward their minions one in a while, and today she intended to pamper him the best she could. Izuku had his eyes covered by a cloth as his girlfriend pulled him through the streets of Musutafu. He did question the safety of it; what if a villain attacked or a hero spotted them? But she shut down his worry as she usually does, with a smile and a crystalline laugh.

So, he followed her without question, his hand wrapped around hers as she pulled him toward her secret destination. “You’re going to love it!” He was sure she was right after all; as long as he was with her, he would be happy.

“Any hints?”

“No, silly, that would ruin the surprise!” he let out a laugh. Himiko was so spontaneous, he had no idea what she had in mind. The only thing he knew was that they were outside on a sidewalk and they’d been walking for quite a while. He knew it was late, so he could cross off his list the ice-cream shop where they had their first date. Maybe it was the park? But they didn’t have many good memories from the place, so probably not. The mall was also closed, so it couldn’t be…

“How many times must I tell you your muttering is cute for you to stop?” she teased him. His face reddened, he was caught in the act. He continued his walk until he was forced to stop when Himiko halted, bumping into the girl.

“We’ve arrived!” she slid behind him a fiddled a bit with his makeshift mask to reveal…

“…Himiko?”

“Yes?”

“Why are we here?” he didn’t want to sound so miserable, but he couldn’t suppress it. The sad sight in front of him had no good souvenir in store for him, one of the most miserable places of his whole childhood. He couldn’t begin to guess why she brought him here of all places. Just looking at the double door made his chest tighter as his nerves failed him.

Aldera Junior High, his old school…

His fingers curled on themselves, rubbing against one another as they tried to soothe him. Himiko was at the door, waving him over, in her arms a long gift box about the size of her arm. He didn’t want to go in, anyway; the door was locked, so they shouldn’t. It was illegal! Yeah, that’s why it's illegal, so they can’t go in…

He nonetheless approached the blonde who had an ear-splitting smile on her lips. Why?

“H-Himiko, w-we shouldn’t…” all trace of his confidence he had built this past month vanished under the shadow of the building he was standing under.

“Since when does that stop us?” she knelt in front of the door and pulled out a pin from her hair, letting one of her buns loose. With a twist of the wrist, the lock on the door clicked, and the building was open for them to enter its halls, its suffocating halls…

Himiko entered without a second thought, her gift still in her arm. She turned around to see Izuku next to the doorway, looking scared, as if passing through would set him on fire like he was a demon of old entering a shrine. She knew in advance he would be nervous, but she didn’t expect it to be this intense. “Izuku…” she let go of her smile, looking him deep in his eyes. “Do you trust me?”

He looked up to see the look of pure assurance she was giving him. Whatever she had planned, she wouldn’t hurt him, not like they did… he put a foot inside, not catching on fire as he had thought, and walked toward her until he could hug her close; her smell was relaxing. “With my life…”

Her smile returned, and she hugged him back, letting him calm himself before they moved once again. It took minutes, but the combination of her warmth and the stroke of her hands on his back allowed him to continue. She took his hand and, with no hurry, she gently guided him through his school. He looked around to see flashbacks of his youth.

The locker he was shoved for hours until one of the teachers finally heard him scream.

This was the spot where one of the girls confessed to him, telling him to meet her after school, only to never show up; he waited for hours…

This was the place Kacchan burned his school uniform, forcing him to go back home without a shirt.

So many memories, and none of them were good. All miserable like he was, like he is right now, the only reason he is not collapsing from a panic attack is Himiko's soft hand holding him as he walks in the darkness of the after hours, everything seemed worse. He could almost hear the ghostly sneer of his classmate as he walked.

She must think he was pathetic, him, the guy with the most powerful quirk in the world, reduced to a shivering mess walking down the hallway of his old school because he was bullied there. It was all in the past; it’s not like they would hurt him if they saw him. He had a quirk. He had changed; he had worth in their eyes now. “You alright?” she asked, pulling his head out of the dark hole he was digging himself. All the colors seemed to return as she spoke.

He nodded and followed her, too weak to voice it. She stopped in front of a door. He looked at the number on it.

His old class…

If he was nervous now, he was panicking, even Himiko had a hard time calming him, why? Why did she bring him here? It had nothing of value in his eyes; worse than that, it was a place of pure agony he barely tolerated because he had no choice in the matter. His breath became erratic, his heart beating faster.

“I-I’m s-sorry… I-I c-can’t…” he could feel the tear in the corner of his eyes, he looked down trying to hide them, but Himiko didn’t let him avert his eyes.

Just like she does in bed, she cupped his cheek, forcing him to look up at her. She was looking so serious right now; this wasn’t a gift, this was something deeper than that. She wanted to help him overcome something he never truly unpacked. “You said you trust me. Did you lie?” she said it in a way that felt inhuman, as if it was a spirit in front of him, one that wanted to help him to let go.

“I-I didn’t” she pulled on him until he was inside the class, and even worse memories flooded his fragile mind.

The board where they would write hateful messages to him that the teacher would simply wipe away without reprimanding anyone.

His desk, where they would carve similar messages that the faculty refused to remove, seemed they had changed their mind once he was gone.

The window where Kacchan told him to kill hims-…

“Happy birthday!” Himiko took place in front of him, giving him the box she was holding. It was wrapped in a custom All Might wrapper; she knew him so well. He took the box in the hope that whatever was in there would help him chase away the bad things floating inside his head. Under the watchful eye of Himiko, he unwrapped the packages, opening the box to reveal… a baseball bat?

He looked confused. This sure did clear his mind. It was bizarre and so out of place, it felt weird in his hands. He took a closer look; maybe he missed a detail? It was an aluminium bat with an All Might print on it, just a regular model. He tried to find something more, an engraving, a secret message hidden on it, but found nothing of the sort. “Thanks?”

She laughed, adding to his growing confusion, all the dread he was feeling now completely replaced by his cluelessness. “This is not the gift Izu…” she picked the bat from his hand, skipping toward the front of the class.

“This is!” she wound up a strike before he could say anything and obliterated the cup on the teacher's desk, sending shards of sharp ceramic all over the room and a few now broken pencils with it. Izuku raised his hands to protect himself and then yelled.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” She wound up another strike aimed this time at the computer on the desk, shattering it with one strike. She giggled and struck again as he looked at her, powerless to stop her rampage. Once the computer was reduced to a paste, she tossed the bat toward him, and he barely managed to catch it as he fumbled it. “Your turn!”

He looked at the bat in his hand and dropped it. “I-I can’t! What i-if we’re c-caught or if we break something important or-…” this was insane, he couldn’t vandalise a place so freely, he was a hero, not some thug from the streets!

“Why? This place hurt you… I want you to hurt it back” she ran at him, taking his hands in hers.

“But t-this will change n-nothing I-I’ll still be-…”

“Be what? A loser? A freak? Some nobody? Was that what you were about to say?” he pursed his lips. She was right; he was about to say something similar. She brought his hand to her chest, letting him feel her heartbeat. “I’ve seen you risk your life for complete strangers, for people who would kill you if you turned your back for a second. But there is one person I never saw you stand for…” she let her head fall on his chest against his own heart; she could hear it beating fast.

“You…” his heartbeat suddenly steadied. “I’ve never seen you do anything for yourself; you only think about others, and I hate it... Because I love you, I want YOU to be happy, not others. I know it sounded selfish and short-sighted, but this is how I feel. You are my world, Izuku, and I can’t stand the idea of you thinking you are somehow less than anyone, that you need to look up to someone. You don’t, you’re perfect…” she was sobbing in his chest, unraveling herself in front of him.

She was right, all his life, he never thought he was good or amazing or even better than someone else. He could see the strength in each of his classmates, every hero he ever analyzed, yet at every turn would take the chance to lower himself while comparing himself to others. He said he was humble…

No. He was self-deprecating; he hated who he had been all his life and hid it well even from himself…

But he hated seeing Himiko cry, and he hated even more that he was the reason why she was crying.

With hesitation, he grabbed the bat from the floor, still debating if all this was a good idea. This wasn’t his class anymore; new students took their place from both him and Kacchan. It was childish to lash out at objects.

He walked toward his old desk, bat in loosely in hands.

All the markings had vanished; now new wood stood where etchings were. They must have changed it when he was gone, but something caught his eye. The thickness of it was all wrong, he could see a panel over it from the side. He slid one of his fingernails under it and pulled at it using One for all. The cheap glue didn’t hold, revealing his old desktop in all its horrific glory.

“Useless”

“Quirkless”

“Idiot asshole”

“Just leave.”

“Jump”

“HAHAHA”

They didn’t even bother to replace it; they just threw something over it and called it a day. He could feel his grip tighten around the baseball bat as he read more and more of the hateful messages. He was weak back then. Did it make it right to treat him this way?

Himiko sat down on his desk, hiding every message behind her curves. Again, she could just do that chase away all the bad from his head. But this time, his anger remained, and she did nothing to quell it. “It’s okay” she whispered.

She remained on his desk as he walked in between the others; there was a pencil left on one of them. His finger trailed from the edge of the desk to the wooden pencil, and he flicked it, sending it tumbling down to the floor.

 It wasn’t enough.

He slips his hands underneath the furniture and flips it to its side, sending it down as well. This was the desk of the boy who inserted wet fingers inside his ear. He kicked another next to him, pushing it back into the other behind it. Those were the girls who laughed at him during recess.

He gripped his weapon and lifted it above his head. He could feel the power of One for All flow into him. This was Kachan's desk, the very same one where he told him to go take a dive. He brought the bat with so much force that it bent as it pulverized the wood beneath him, making it useless.

It wasn’t enough…

Himiko watched Izuku grab another desk a throw it with so much force that it went through the wall in front. She could see the wires and the wooden trust of the wall as he continued his rampage, punching, kicking, and throwing everything he could get his hands on in a fit of rage, one he had buried long ago, and he needed it to get out. A chair went past her, almost hitting her head, but she wasn’t scared of him.

Even as he cried out in anger, thrashing his old school, she wasn’t scared, none of it was directed at her, at his core, Izuku was still a boy, one that barely had the chance to live a normal childhood and hid his resentment behind a veil of heroism. She was looking at the real him, the one that peeked out only when he was fighting for his life, the burning anger smoldering inside his soul, and she loved him.

Just like how he loved her after seeing the black tar inside of her, the sickness she didn’t want. He made her feel normal, and she wanted him to feel the same to know the real him, just like how he prodded to know the real her.

They were the same…

She smiled as he panted. He was done destroying the room. He looked around to see the damage: broken windows, wood splinters everywhere bent metal tube that used to be chairs. He really went overboard…

But at the center of it all, there she was, the most loving person he had ever laid his eyes on, Himiko. She stood on his desk, her feet kicking the air in the middle of his carnage. Like an angel coming to get him toward heaven after the destruction of it all. She looked around, smiling at his work. Nothing was still in one piece inside the class, and she giggled.

“Fuck this class!” she yelled. Her voice filled with joy.

“Fuck these idiots!” she kicked one of the wooden planks near her feet.

“Fuck this school!” she opened her arms, gesturing at the whole establishment.

“And lastly…” she beckoned him toward her, her tone lower, hushed behind her burning emotion. She was blushing. The red tint covers her beautiful face. He obeyed and stepped over the debris until he was right in front of her. She grabbed his jacket, pulling him in a wild kiss. He did nothing to resist it. He could feel her tongue hungrily devouring him until they both had to pull away from each other, a trail of saliva still uniting them. She undid her last buns, letting her hair cascade down, barely reaching her shoulder. He could see her clothes loosely fitting her form.

“Fuck me…”

…❤️…

He couldn’t react in time, she pulled him into another kiss, her legs wrapping around him, on his desk, she was the perfect height for his groin to rub against hers. His head was a mess of emotions and hormones he didn’t know what he should do; all of this was going way too fast!

But one thing was absolutely certain…

He loved Himiko.

So, he abandoned reason, he abandoned caution, and let his body take over him. He didn’t want to fight it anymore. His mouth opened, letting her in, and at the same time, his hands grabbed her from under, squeezing the soft flesh of her behind. She let out a moan, giving him the chance to bring himself in her own mouth, his tongue wrestling with her in a wild dance of dominance. He was winning.

Winning… He intended to dominate this confrontation; she wanted him to love himself, to enjoy himself so he would. One of his hands let go of her flesh to grab her collar, yanking it aside, almost ripping the fabric. He sank inside the crook of her neck, planting sloppy kisses against it and sucking on her skin. His other hand reached underneath her skirt, crawling toward part of her body he only dreamed of exploring.

“Izuku~ I’m yours, take me~” she moaned in his ear. She could feel him effortlessly manhandling her, even without his quirk; he was strong. Stronger than her, he pulled off her cardigan, revealing her red school uniform she usually hides under the thick fabric. He freed one of his hands to grab the button of her shirt near the top, and he pulled until it broke.

He lifted himself from her. Himiko was sprawled, her back against the desk. He had a perfect view of her body. When the first button broke, it allowed his finger to trail to the other below. He slowly pulled his hooked finger down the middle of her uniform, hungrily looking at her as one by one the buttons would break, revealing more and more of her skin and undergarment, until…

*Pop*

The last one was undone, her shirt now ruined, draping on both sides of her body, hiding nothing from his eyes. If anything, she was posing for him, her hands behind her tilted head to the side, elbow out, her golden eyes glimmering in the darkness devouring the sight of the man she loved, enamoured by her body. His hand stayed on her belly, tracing the scar she received from Diamond.

“Not fair, if I’m alone~” she pointed at him, and he agreed instantly, discarding his bomber jacket and the black shirt under it. In the darkness, he was towering over her, her verdant eyes also glimmering, giving him almost a monstrous appearance if he wasn’t her lover. He looked possessive, strong, and dominant. She bit her lower lip in anticipation. She was so focused on his upper body; she failed to notice his hands leaving her to play with his ‘Might’ buckle.

Her eyes glazed down, savoring every scar, every muscle on their way toward her due. His belt clicked and was discarded as quickly, and she could see the bulge in his pants.

For a second, he hesitated. Himiko was below him, her legs on each side of his hips, and her drenched panties rubbing against his loose pants. She giggled and pulled a condom from her lifted skirt.

“Happy birthday, Izuku~”

All hesitation left him; he grabbed the rubber from her, unwrapping his second gift, and lowered his pants to apply it correctly. She took the chance to have a glimpse, smiling. By no means was he big; he was still growing after all. All thought left her when she felt both her thighs being pushed up, spreading her wide for him; she could feel him pressing her through the fabric.

“Himiko?” both his hands occupied her asked her for both her consent and to help him remove the final item blocking their path. With pleasure, she pushed aside her panties and told him. “Take what is yours.”

And he did, pushing himself inside of her in one thrust, his body faltered under the pleasure, and he let himself fall forward in her awaiting arms, reaching even deeper. It didn’t hurt, having broken her hymen long ago when she was experimenting with herself inside her parents' house, but the suddenness of it made her empty her lungs in one breath; she tried to squeal, but only air came out.

“Are you ok?!”

Of course, the first thing he does is worry about her. “I told you, take me… Use me”

He was still deep inside of her, looking deeply into her eyes, doing his best not to release himself early. “What if what I want is for you to feel good as well?”

“Then continue, you’re perfect” she kissed him, and his hands let go of her legs to wrap themselves around her torso. The now free legs locked around his waist. He wasn’t going anywhere. In the middle of the kiss, he started moving, slow and steady like kissing, like driving…

Each one of his thrusts picked up pace, faster and more confident than the last as he got more comfortable. Her moan and his muffled by their locked lips, none of them wanted to let go of the other to breathe, enthralled by the pure ecstasy happening below. He let go of her mouth first to let a huge groan right into her ear. She turned her head to take one of his earlobes in her mouth, her tongue sinking in his canal. She felt him stiffen and trust harder. Whatever she was doing was working.

A powerful moan escaped his lips, one he desperately tried to silence by sinking his teeth into her neck. It was her turn to clench around his member, letting out a hot moan right in his ear. This triggered a chain reaction of her playing with his ear, causing him to bite harder; neither of them could hold on.

“Izuku!”

“Himiko!”

They looked at each other and, with a final trust, forehead against forehead, both of them came together in the middle of his old, thrashed class, on his old, defaced desk.

He would never think about this place the same way…

…❤️…

“Izuku, you ruined my shirt!” Himiko looked down at the button of her shirt, now all across the floor. Her boyfriend laughed as he finished putting on his own clothes.

“You practically begged me with your eyes to remove them!” he was acting coy, not able to suppress the smile on his lips. Himiko had changed her mind; she wants her shy Izuku back right now!

“You owe me a new shirt!” she put on her cardigan over the now ruined shirt, doing her best to stuff the loose fabric inside, hiding her less than innocent appearance. She took a last look at the desk she’d just lost her virginity on. They had made new memories on it, better ones, but the old remained. She tried to lift it, but the heavy metal legs stopped her. “Hey, Izuku, I need a hand.”

He turned to see her desperately trying to pick up his desk and walked closer to her with a curious look on his face. “What are you doing?”

“I got one last thing to do here, but I need your help” with one hand, he lifted the heavy desk, his power crackling around him; he still had that smug look on his face.

“Show-off…” she scoffed, amused by just how much he had changed in the short time they shared. Pushing away the debris with her foot, she exited the class, Izuku behind her, still holding the piece of furniture. She went toward the fire exit and climbed up the stairs until they both reached the roof. She jogged ahead of him until she reached the edge, looking down.

Izuku followed her and put the desk down near the edge, waiting for what Himiko had in store for it. She thanked him and, with all her strength, she pushed the heavy thing until its leg was pushing against the ledge. Her hands were ready to give it the last push, and with a smile, she yelled.

“GO HOPE FOR A BETTER LIFE ELSEWHERE YOU WOODEN PIECE OF SHIT!!!”

She tried to push it off but failed to lift it high enough. Grunting and heaving, Izuku looked dumbfounded at her. She was trying to make his desk commit suicide…

“Pffff-HAHAHAHAHA!!!” he couldn’t keep it in; tears rolled off his face as he absolutely exploded in laughter. He tried to stand but ultimately failed; he was rolling on the floor, the absurdity of the situation too much for him.

“Stop laughing and help me!!” Himiko looked offended by his reaction, angrily shouting at him now. She let go of the desk and walked toward her rolling boyfriend, poking him in his ribs for making her feel stupid. The boy both laughed and cried out in pain, as he was tortured for his insolence.

Haha- ouch! Stop, I’ll- ouch! I’ll help, I swear, haha.” it took him a bit longer than Himiko wanted, but he finally stood wiping away one last tear from his eyes. He went toward the furniture that would be fearing for its non-life if it could and put his hand together with Himiko under the top. “Are you ready?”

She nodded. “One!”

“Two!” he crouched.

“Three! /Three!” together, they flipped the desk over the ledge, and it was sent down crashing loudly on the pavement below. Himiko looked down, pleased with their work. “It's sad that desks don’t bleed…”

“If you want, I can throw myself with it” she turned scared toward Izuku, who had an absolute shit eating grin on her face. He was joking. He looked different, better. When he first entered this place, he was ready to throw up. Now he was joking about killing himself with the sincerest smile she had ever seen; he had improved so much…

She sat down on the edge, and he did the same thing, his arm coiling around her shoulder, pulling her close into his own shoulder. They stood there looking at the courtyard below, both the happiest they had ever been. “Thank you, Himi, this is the best birthday I've ever had in my entire life…”

“No problem, Izuku, just tell me if anything else bothers you. I’ll make sure to throw it off a roof…”

Izuku sincerely thought about it; there was one last thing bothering him in his mind, a secret so great that he had planned to never reveal it to her, but after tonight, she deserved to know everything about him.

“There is one thing… But just to be sure you don’t have a problem of your own, I can help you throw off a roof first?” he sneered, as she poked him in the rib one last time. She also pondered the question, her eyes riveted to the stars above and her hand on her chin.

“Mmmh? I can’t swim, but you can’t throw that”

“I can throw you in a pool”

“IF YOU DO THAT, I’LL CASTRATE YOU!!” this wasn’t an empty threat; it made him laugh all the same. He rubbed his hand against her shoulder.

“I’ll teach you one day… I promise”

“So, what is eating at you?” she turned her head toward him, he wasn’t looking scared or uncomfortable; he had a glimmer of determination in his eyes.

“You know… I was really quirkless back then.”

“I know you told me you were a late bloomer already…”

“No, I mean really, REALLY quirkless, I have the extra toe joint to prove it. ”What was he talking about? He had a quirk right now, didn’t he?

“What about your quirk, then? You know the one you have. How do you explain that genius?”

“Someone gave it to me…” now he was joking, what he was saying was impossible! Yet his eyes were serious, and she knew he couldn’t lie…

“Who?”

“All Might…”

Himiko blinked once, then twice, then thrice. Did he just say he inherited All Might's power, him? The guy who blew his limbs during the sports festival under the incredible power of his quirk. Him the guy who could lift a car as if it were a rug. Him, the guy so strong he could-… Oh my god, why does that make so much sense!?

Himiko was grappling with the implication of what he just said, the weight that was on his shoulder at all times, no wonder he was a nervous mess all the time. Finally, she made one last realisation. “Does…” she began.

“Does that mean I need to throw All Might off a roof?” Izuku looked at her, all the seriousness of what he said suddenly vanished as he watched Himiko calculate a method she could use to push the number one hero down a roof.

“Yep” he didn’t laugh, no matter how hard he wanted to; he managed to keep it in until he couldn’t. Both of them laugh to tears, resting against one another to stop them from falling to their doom.

Their outburst lasted a minute before Izuku stood back up, offering his hand to Himiko. She took it, and he helped her step down the ledge. Together, they finally left Aldera Junior High behind, one against the other, arms wrapped around one waist and the other shoulder, they still had all the night ahead of them; they could unpack the rest another day, for now, they just wanted to go home and hold each other until sleep took over.

…

“I can’t wait to hit the bed; I’m so emotionally done for the day…” Izuku was walking ahead of Himiko toward their apartment. He reached for the door, ready to give it the usual three knocks, but he was beat to the punch; the door opened to reveal the usual bouncer with his turtle quirk. He was looking particularly angry tonight. “Get in Vero, need to talk to you…” what could she want to talk about that made this guy so angry?

“Is it about the wall I told her I would-…” he was cut off by the men who pointed at the door; the message was clear: move your ass. He complied, confused and afraid about what the owner wanted from him, he opened the door and…

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IZUKU/MAN/MY GOOD FRIEND!!!

In front of him, all the usuals were gathered near the counter at their center. He recognized many of the people gathered; John and Akemi both sporting a tiny party hat, blowing a kazoo with the same bored eyes as usual. Gentle and La Brava dressed to the nines, lifting a cup of what looked like champagne and Vero, who had a cake in her tattooed hands.

He turned toward Himiko, she was smiling. Had she planned this just for him, he looked at all the people gathered just for him and couldn’t help but smile.

“Happy birthday, brat, just try not to get yourself maimed by the time you turn 18 and I’ll be happy…” Akemi said before blowing once again in her kazoo.

“Once we heard the news of your upcoming celebration, Aiba and I couldn’t just ignore it, after all, we’re also celebrating our 100k subscribers, all thanks to you!”

“Look at this cake, isn’t it awesome!” Vero displayed the All Might-themed cake in its full splendor with the big 17 on it for him to see. “…By the way, you owe me 4000 yen for the cake.” Ever the scammer that woman…

Izuku approached the group and was quickly enveloped by all the people gathered just for him (and the usual ones who were roped into this). They all tapped his shoulder, shook his hand, congratulated him, and questioned him about where he was. A question he was more than reticent to answer.

He finally made his way toward the bar, and Vero was lighting the candles. “Shity lighter! Hey, who got a fire quirk in here?” one of the patrons stepped forward and stared intently at the candle's wick until it lit up. Izuku was amazed. The guy had heat vision. Just how cool was that! He heard a grumble from the back, and he turned around to see the bouncer rolling his eyes, arms crossed on his chest. Was he jealous?

“Alright! Now make a wish, kiddo” Vero put the cake in front of him. What could he wish for? He looked to his left, Himiko was talking to Aiba about something. To his right, Akemi was berating one of the usuals about him not following her instructions. He did miss his friends…

“I wish I could see class 1A again” he blew his candle, and everybody cheered. He didn’t have the time to take a slice that someone took the cake hair from All Might, then another took an eye and the mouth. In seconds, his cake was reduced to a pile of mush as the criminals around him were fighting for a slice…

Vero laughed and pulled a cupcake from behind the counter. “Catch” she threw him the pastry with a wink. She looked to his right, Akemi was still berating the man, and John had joined the ‘conversation’. Vero leaned in and poured him a shot from her finger. “Quick, before the party pooper stops us”

He looked at the shot. Normally, he would just politely refuse, but today's event had emboldened the boy. He took it and downed it in one go; the amber liquor was burning his throat, but he couldn’t deny the warm feeling right after was pleasant. Many men saw him and started chanting his name.

Akemi turned her head just in time to see him slam the empty shot on the counter. She sighed, and John took it as a sign to give her a cigarette. She thanked her husband with a quick kiss on the cheek, earning a groan from the sexually frustrated bartender.

Talking about sexual frustration, Vero noticed how the boy had changed. He was standing straight, confident, and was overall way more relaxed than he usually was. She had her doubts, and they were confirmed when she looked at Himiko; she still had a vague blush on her face, and she hadn’t noticed it yet, but a piece of her undone shirt was peeking from the bottom of her cardigan.

Izuku turned to see the bartender looking him directly in the eyes, a knowing smile on her lips. He was about to ask, but she asked it first. “You got laid, right?” Silence in the bar, everyone turned toward him, he froze like a deer in headlights, then sweat poured out of him at an alarming rate.

Now every eye was on Himiko, the girl simply gave a million-dollar smile while holding her flustered cheeks, squirming in delight on her stool.

The whole bar erupted into pandemonium, all the guys grabbing and shaking Izuku in celebration of him becoming a man, and the few girls gathering around Himiko to ask their lot of embarrassing questions. Gentle spat out his drink, and Akemi lit a second cigarette before the first one was even done. Chain smoking was a valid coping mechanism when dealing with those two.

The men said they had to do something special for him now that he was a man and went to a table with a bottle of hard liquor to pour out some shots, leaving him a few seconds of respite from the cacophonies. The chain smoker next to him took her chance to speak to him in relative privacy. “I assume you used protection”

“Y-yes ma'am…” this was way worse than the time his whole class saw his hickeys…

“I won’t bother you with it, I just need to know, have you had the talk with her?” she motioned with her hands a bottle of some sort. He knew what she meant.

“N-not yet…”

“It’s your birthday, so like I said, I won’t bother you. Just remember, the sooner the better. Oh, and if you drink don’t forget to also drink water. Happy birthday again brat” with these last words, she patted him on the shoulder before chasing away the creeping woman approaching her by pulling her gun and aiming it at her; the safety was on. Vero, back off with her hands up, she will get her one day…

From behind, two men took their places standing next to him; they already had a shot in each of their hands for a total of four now in front of him. One of them draped his arm over his shoulder, getting really close. “Here's the deal, we’re going to play a little game of truth or dare for each question you don’t answer, you drink!” nothing was forcing him to drink, so why would he…

“…Is sticking your dick in crazy worth it?” the other guy asked him with a shit eating grin on his face.

“…” Izuku didn’t answer; he only took the glass in front of him and downed it in one go while his face took the color of a blazing sun. He was not dealing with that sober…

…

Izuku was standing at the bar at least five empty shots stood in front of him. Why did they ask him about his All Might obsession of all things? He could feel the world start to spin around him, and his cheek flustered under the effect of the alcohol he had just ingested. All accounted for, he was feeling great; this tingling sensation all over his body was slowly taking over, leaving him damn near euphoric.

“Hey, you ever tried one of that?” one of the guys offered him a curious object, a thinly wrapped stick. In his daze, he didn’t recognize it, thinking maybe it was a piece of candy. He didn’t even bother to undo the wrapping a pop it in his mouth.

Every patron looked at him, dumbfounded as the guy just ate a fucking joint and swallowed it.

“This candy tastes awful…”

“Holy shit! Akemi!” the doctor turned toward the group of men panicking around the boy.

“What?”

“What if, hypothetically, we accidentally made the guy swallow a joint… is it bad?” Akemi looked at the group of fucking idiots standing right next to her. The kid was rubbing his neck as if he had just swallowed something tasting awful. Why must she be the only responsible adult in here…

…

“Okay, okay! Look at the camera and do it!” Aiba was holding both her phone and her laughter.

“I AM HERE!!” in front of her, Izuku was doing the iconic All Might pose, his hand on his hips, his legs spread apart, and his face the carbon copy of the iconic hero. Every patron was laughing and wheezing at the sight of it; even Akemi couldn’t keep a straight face.

Someone lifted a paper, yelling to him. “Read this!” He took another of his iconic poses and said in his best imitation.

“Commit crimes!” another wave of laughter erupted; some were literally laughing so hard they had a difficult time breathing, others were beating their fists against the table, trying to regain composure. It just seeing the symbol of peace say things so outrageous was way too much hilarious.

“Now this!”

 “Don’t forget to drink and drive, kids!”

Someone fell over…

…

“WOOOOHH!!” Izuku was spinning one of the clientele at ludicrous speed using his black whip. All the boys were gathered on the other side, ready to catch the human projectile. Vero looked in horror, fearing for yet another destroyed wall, powerless to stop the overpowered teen.

He let go at the wrong time, sending the poor soul toward Gentle Criminal, who was having a nice discussion with his partner. Luckily for Vero, the man reacted in time and countered the human projectile. “Gentle rebound!”

The man was sent back at Mach 3 toward a bunch of drunks not ready to catch him, even if the idea was theirs. The man crashed into them, sending them down like a bunch of bowling pins. “STRIKE!” yelled the ecstatic boy!

This was the time Giran chose to enter the bar, just in time for him to see the human pile on one side of the room and a laughing teen on the other while the ladies and John were busy chatting at the counter.

“Did I miss the memo?”

“Giran!! Come here!” forgetting his freshly made victims, he walked toward the new arrival, damn near crushing him in a bear hug.

“Gnnrk, glad to see you to kid…” he said, his voice muffled by the tight embrace he was receiving.

“Got a job for me?”

“Not until you let me go…” and just like that, he was dropped to the floor, where he could finally breathe freely. He took a second to compose himself before standing back up.

“I’m sorry to say kid, but you just force yourself into a little vacation; your little stunt kicked the hornet's nest, so every crook and criminal are huddling down until things come back to normal” he said, his everlasting smile returning to him. “Unless you finally got rid of that pesky conscience, then I've got at least ten new jobs for you!”

“FUCK!” hearing him swear was a surreal experience. He looked really mad about not being able to work for him. He did appreciate the enthusiasm.

“Come back in a week and we’ll talk business” he ruffled his hair and gave him a wad of cash, his bonus for dealing with the highway bomb dealer. “Happy birthday, don’t spend it all in one place!”

Now out of a job, Izuku had to find something to pass the time; luckily for him, there was one thing he couldn’t wait to do over and over now that he had free time and no self-control. He wobbled toward his target and leaned against the bar. “Hey shexy~”

Himiko turned to be graced by the presence of her now shitfaced boyfriend, barely standing straight as he was trying to seduce her. “Hey, good looking~” her little comment made him smile even wider.

He made his fingers walk the counter until they reached her arm. “My place or yours?”

She giggled. “I don’t think my boyfriend would appreciate you being so forward” she winked.

His fingers curled around her arm, pulling her in one swift motion toward him. “What if I don’t care…” he was holding her close, his strong arm blocking her escape. She bit her bottom lip, clearly aroused by his dominant attitude. She leaned into his ear. “You. Me. The toilet. Now!”

The two of them pulled each other toward the nearby stall under the eyes of the many women who heard everything. Akemi tossed a condom over her shoulder, an expression of being done with her life on her face. Himiko caught it, and the two of them vanished behind the door while making out, already pulling each other's clothes off.

“Where is birthday boy?” Vero came back from the back with more bottles to restock what had been drunk tonight. She was looking left and right, searching for the teen.

“They went to the toilet…” Akemi simply said.

“They?” It took her a grand total of three seconds to connect the dots. “Oh, hell no! If I’m not getting off tonight, neither are they in my bar!” she grabbed a broom a ran toward the toilet, kicking the door open.

“You have a room upstairs, you damn horny fucks!”

…

Himiko and he were now in their bed. He was still very drunk from his night, both the liquor and his feelings. The bar was still very lively even at this hour, and they could hear every bit of laughter, the fights, and the commotion happening downstairs. He couldn’t believe just how much fun he had today; he could say this may have been the best day in his life, maybe even more than the day All Might gave him one for all.

Himiko gave him a bottle of water from the fridge and told him to drink it all before he went to sleep; the doctor's advice would help him not die from a headache the next day. He grabbed it and did so before lying on his back. The world was still spinning, and at the center of it, Himiko. She was over him, smiling, the center of his world. He could feel fatigue finally take over him, but he had one last thing to say today.

“I love you…”

“And I love you too…”

Nothing was ever going to change that for them…

…

In an apartment, the echoes of sobbing could be heard. It was late, and she should have been sleeping already, but she couldn’t. Inko was in her room looking at the album of her son's childhood pictures, gently stroking the one she adored the most. Him, in his All Might hoodie smiling at her.

She had seen his video, his picture online, she knew he was alive and relatively well, but she could also see her. The sickening yellow eyes that bore into her soul, the cold blade she put on her throat, and that bloody smile…

This dread was making her sick; she didn’t feel safe even here in her home, and she didn’t feel any relief to see her son with her now that she knew the disturbing secret she was keeping from her. With a final sob, she closed the album and went to bed, one last thought on her mind as she fell asleep.

“Happy birthday, Izuku…”

Author’s Note

I took my time with this one (and played a bit of Rimworld), and I’m super proud of it! I think it may be my best chapter yet.

I wanted to explore how Izuku had changed Himiko, but also how she had changed him. She cares deeply for him, and so does he. his self-sacrifice may not only be because he is a good person. I absolutely adored writing the anguish and the rage he felt at his past!

The smut scene… Like I said, this is the only one I wanted to write. Do not expect more of them; at best, it will fade to black. This one was more important, so I didn’t want to skip it.

Should I rate this story M? I’m still not sure.

Next time, everything that goes up will go down. Izuku and Inko meet again for a much-needed talk…

Chapter Text

…Two days later, morning…

All Might was walking the halls of UA on this fine morning; he could now smile honestly knowing that young Midoriya was in the good hands of the faculty, and it was only a question of time before they found and brought him back. So, he and Himiko began the process of rehabilitation.

Students were walking the halls with him; some were first years from class 1B, others from the general education program, and even some teachers were getting from class to class. He made sure to wave at each and every one of them. After all, the symbol of peace had the responsibility to make everybody feel safe!

But something was afoot…

Too many avoided him directly or suppressed their reaction when confronted. Some of them even openly laugh at him. One of them stopped him to say. “Thank you, All Might.” It was very strange… Happy students were a good thing for everyone, but he couldn’t help but feel he was missing something. No matter! He had a class with his youth, and he needed to be focused.

He opened the door to the sound of laughter coming from the middle, where many students were huddled around young Kaminari, who was displaying a video of some sort to his friends. He watched as they observed with bated breath until…

“PFFHAHAHA, where the hell did you find that?”

“It’s on the gentle channel, a bonus for paying subscribers!”

“You’re paying?” Sero lifted an eyebrow.

“H-hey, I-I’m just doing so to keep an eye on Midoriya!” wait, what was that about Midoriya? All Might approached the group, curious about what was happening.

“Oh god!” Mina wiped a tear from her eye. “This is my new favorite meme!” the other froze when they saw the hulking figure behind the girl, standing there like the brick wall he was. “What?” she asked, quickly turning to be face to navel with her teacher. She yelped in surprise, not expecting someone so large to be able to sneak up on her.

“What is this about, young Midoriya? I’m quite curious, you see…” every teen was suddenly very nervous around the number one, questioning if showing him was a good idea. Too bad for them, he wasn’t only strong, he was also fast with a swipe of his massive hand, he took the phone from the electric blonde and played play on the strange video title: Blood-bound comedy night!

This was inside a bar. He could see a young woman with vibrant red twin tails introducing the video, in the background, every face was blurred to protect the anonymity of those present. “Hi! And welcome to this special video, we are here for a special someone. Today is the birthday of Deku! And he will show us one of his many talents!”

Crap! It was Midoriya's birthday yesterday he completely forgot about it! Not like he could get him a gift even if he wanted to...

The video continued turning toward the unsteady young man, and his smile was all crooked. He took a swing from a brownish bottle and wiped his mouth.

“SINCE WHEN IS HE DRINKIN!!!” he almost broke the phone right there and then he turned away from his student to get a better look at the video. His protégé talked, well, he slurred was more fitting…

“Okay okay, mhh-mhh.” he cleared his throat, steadied himself, and took a pose. “I AM HERE!”

All might look in horror as he struck a face very similar to his and a voice practically mirroring his. His hand began shaking. This couldn’t be…

“Read this!”

“Do crimes!”

“I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT!” What? Why? How? WHY WAS IZUKU SLANDERING HIS IMAGE IN A BAR?

 “Now this!”

“Don’t forget to drink and drive, kids!”

“THIS IS HORRIBLE ADVICE!!!” Oh my god… this wasn’t real…

“Read mine!”

“Problems in life! DO DRUGS!”

“ADVERT YOUR EYES AND PLUG YOUR EARS, CHILDREN!”

“We would, but you’re hoggin' the phone, All Might sensei…” one of them said. Kaminari was still waiting to get his phone back. All Might went into the comments to see how the public was reacting.

AllAboutNothin: This is the funniest shit I’ve ever seen.

Erroki: I’m so telling my future kid to go out and drink and drive!

Davepowa: Thank you, All Might :)

The last comment had at least 200 replies, all of them repeating the same phrase with the same stupid smile... Thank you, All Might :)

That day, Yagi Toshinori vowed to capture young Izuku the next time he saw him; he would not repeat his past mistake and let him slip through his hands. Kaminari held out his hand and asked for his phone back. He complied, and the teen looked at him with a gentle smile. “Thank you, All Might.”

“…”

…Evening in the city…

Endeavor wasn’t the number two hero for nothing; he was strong, fierce, and had immense discipline, but his opponent was no slouch either. A mutant sporting four hulking arms, all of them equipped with what looked like chainsaws oozing an acrid green liquid.

He sent out a wave of fire to his opponent, who managed to duck under, using his unnatural flexibility and charging at him using his chainsaw as threads propelling him at speed faster than anticipated. The large, fiery man dodged the two weapons as they tried to bisect him and counterpunched with a fiery deflagration, sending them both back.

Himiko was looking down from the roof where she was standing. This was boring; none of them had bled yet. So, she was forced to watch two hulking men fight each other until things finally got interesting. She was resting her face in both her hands as she watched the chainsaw dude narrowly miss the red guy…

“Boring…”

“Hey, don’t say that this is awesome!” Izuku appeared from behind her with a bag in his hands. She was way more excited to see her boyfriend bring what she truly craved. “Snack!”

“I got you a chicken sandwich and a Coke” he said, sitting down next to her and taking out the item, watching intensely the fight happening down there. “Who is winning?”

“Red dude or whatever” she went for her own sandwich but hesitated when she realised what Izuku had taken for himself was looking way better, so she stole his and gave him her own. He protested, but a quick peck on the cheek quickly calmed him down.

He still pulled her arm to get a quick bite from his sandwich. “Stop stealing!” she yelled.

“I’m just taking back what is rightfully mine!” they both giggled and ate in silence, watching the colorful fight happening below.

“Remind me what we're doing here?” she wasn’t thrilled to watch heroes in actions that was more a hobby fit for her hero nerd boyfriend but when he told her Endeavor was fighting the escaped convict Toxic Chainsaw near them he dragged her with him, leaving her on a good spot to watch while he went out to get some refreshment.

“Well, first of all, this is awesome” he pointed at the fight.

“Debatable…”

“And second of all, Toxic Chainsaw is super strong, so there's a good chance he might injure Endeavor, and you know what that means?” she turned toward him, stars flickering inside her eyes.

“BLOOD!”

“Yes, that and we could sweep down and help him if he is in trouble…” she wasn’t wrong, but he was hoping his heroic tendency might have rubbed off on her, clearly not. “And you remember we need pro-heroes' blood for the Gentle special collab coming up, the higher the hero rank, the better he said.

“It’s kind of weird how okay they are with my quirk…” when she told them how her quirk worked the night of Izuku's birthday, she expected them to be revolted, to find her weird; instead, they questioned her and were truly impressed by the quality of the double she could become. Aiba even proposed she could use it for a special project of hers, which intrigued her. Never did someone say her quirk was useful or interesting, well, no one apart from Izuku.

 “Told you” he smiled at her. He was the one who convinced her to open up about her ability with them; he was sure a bunch of internet stars would find a use for someone like Himiko. He watched Himiko fiddle with her finger. A mix of embarrassment and pride was visible in the way she moved. No one had ever tried to use her for anything other than murder and stealing, and knowing the eccentric duo, they weren’t about to ask her something similar. This was a big step for her.

He pulled her in for a quick kiss on the cheek, making her giggle. “Hey, something is finally happening!”

The hulking monstrosity below starts revving up the engines on its body. Whatever he was about to do, he intended to end this fight right there and now. Endeavor was similarly focused on his opponent, his flaming facial hair bursting out uncontrollably; both ready for the other.

“CHAINSAW MASSACRE!!”

“HELL’S CURTAIN!!”

The man with four arms started to glow a sickly green, the liquid pouring out of his eyes and nose, as she charged the number two himself. He was hit by a blanket of burning flame, and he cried out in agonies but powered through the pain until…

“GRRKK!!” One of his revving hands hit him in the gut, but not very deeply, still enough to draw blood from the hero. Himiko whistles, impressed by the villain for managing to hurt a big shot like Enji Todoroki. “That guy is no joke” Toxic Chainsaw fell face first, finally succumbing to his injuries, unconscious.

“He did give All Might some trouble about 5 years ago”

“Trouble? How so?”

“It took him 45 seconds to take him down, way more than the other villains he apprehended” Izuku stood and observe the scene, from what he could see the situation was handled and Endeavor injuries weren’t fatal, the best outcome he could hope for, now they just need for him to leave the scene and they could sweep in for some of his blood.

At least the pro was nothing if efficient, even if quite brutal. He knew he was holding back during his fight. At any time, the man could have incinerated his enemy to a pile of ash, but he was no villain. A horrible person, for certain, by the confession of his friend, but still not so bad that he would kill his enemy. The large man walked toward his downed foe, grabbing him by the hair while his other hand was grasping at his injury, and walked off the scene, dragging the escaped villain back to Tartarus.

Once far from their sight, the teen got down from their perch toward the fight scene, sooth and green bile was everywhere, the clean-up cost is going to be expensive, but in the middle of it all, their prize. Himiko hummed and skipped toward the small puddle of blood on the floor and with the help of a syringe, managed to get just enough for one hour's use of her quirk, she couldn’t wait to know what Gentle had planned and what his reaction would be once she told him they got the number two himself ready for action.

They were about to leave when footsteps emerged from behind them. “Hey, who are you? You’re not part of the other sidekick?” They both turned to get face-to-face with the sidekick Burnin, in her hero costume, flaming green hair fluttering in the air.

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Burnin! She’s Endeavor's top sidekick; her quirk, Blazing Hair, allowed her to climb the ranks of the agency in a short lapse of time!” Izuku was busy nerding out about the semi-pro in front of him, forgetting his situation.

“Hey! You’re those vigilantes on the loose!” she went to a fighting pose, pulling out a fireball from her flaming hair.

“Also known as Blood-Bound!” Himiko cheerfully corrected her, not the least threatened by the girl, with Izuku near her, she didn’t have to fear anyone. Izuku crouched down, ready to flee with his girlfriend. She took her cue and jumped on his back, and both of them ran away from the sidekick, who in turn began to pursue them.

“I’m going to need back-up!” the heroine called on her radio, getting various rogers from her teammates. For now, Izuku and Toga were running on the empty main street. He had the speed over her, but the fact that she was flying meant she knew where he was most of the time. “Fire!” Himiko yelled, and he dodged to the left, avoiding the flame coming their way.

He entered an alley only to be confronted by a man wrapped in bandages. He threw said bandages at the pair, but Izuku simply jumped over him.

Himiko felt the tendril wrapped around her snuggly securing her to his body as he used his hands to control two more whips, hooking one of the roofs and swinging up away from the other hero, but right back into Burnin flying above. She was about to send more fire their way, but was cut off by a knife she had to dodge, a gift from Himiko.

Izuku landed on one of the roofs and continued his mad dash out of the danger. He was so glad all of this happened after he had the chance to cure his hangover; he wasn’t sure if he would have been able to move like that yesterday. He still had flashbacks of him filling the toilet bowl while Himiko gently patted his back. He swore he would never drink again…

From up the roof to down another alleyway, they kept moving in between avoiding the many sidekicks gathering around them until they managed to find a little piece of quiet for them to take a breath, well, Izuku did, he was the one running. Himiko took the time to stretch her limbs. “Gezz, they don’t give up…”

“That means they are good at their job.”

“Could they be a little worse? Just for once”

This made him chuckle, but not for long. Someone was coming. Their way, he could hear the footsteps. “I’ll go check this way!” A man turned the corner only for him to be grappled to the ground by at least three different tendrils; one on his legs, another to his arms, and a third around his mouth. Izuku had reacted before he could say anything and was faced with the sight of a familiar face. “Manual?”

The pro hero Manual was the same Iida had interned under while he tried to avenge his brother in Hosu. What was he doing here? He wanted to ask him, but he would talk the second he let go, alerting the other. He was thinking, how could he get away from this situation?

“You know him?”

“Yeah, from back then, he is a pro hero. Not affiliated with Endeavor, so I wonder what he is doing here” Himiko was also thinking how they could get away from the army of sidekicks surrounding them. Then an idea!

“This guy…” she pointed at the man wriggling on the floor. “Is he popular? You think Gentle would want him for his project?”

Manual freeze, his project, what are those teens talking about? Was he about to become the guinea pig for some mad scientist?

“Nah, I think he is ranked 222 in the hero board.”

“Still top 300 not too shabby…” Manual looked at the girl over him, her unhinged smile splitting her face in two. He tried to scream, but he couldn’t. When she pulled a needle, he fought against his restraints even more. “Don’t fight, I don’t want to spill too much of your blood…”

“MMMMMRRRR!!” he could only let out a muffled scream in horror, his blood?! He was going to die tonight, killed by some lunatic teens on a quest to appease their secret mad doctor called Gentle, clearly a play on words, as the doctor would be a sadist! He then felt a prick on his neck; the boy behind him just stuck him with a needle.

“Hey! Get your own. I was about to do it!” Himiko was vexed that Izuku wouldn’t let her do the deed. He simply smiled and tossed her the vial.

“Teamwork, you distracted him long enough for me to take some without a fuss…” he motioned to her mouth. “Could you?”

She rolled her eyes but complied, taking the blood of the hero in her mouth, transforming herself into a carbon copy of the man below. Izuku crouched to his neck and pressed on the earpiece. She immediately understood what he wanted from her. She also crouched and made her best imitation.

“Nothing in the alleyway! I couldn’t find the sexy guy or the beautiful girl!” Izuku did his best not to burst out laughing as the hero only looked more and more confused. Wasn’t he about to die?

 “What the fuck? Aren’t you like 28? Those are teens you-…” The boy took his earpiece and crushed it in his hands before bursting out laughing.

“Sorry, Manual, I can’t control her when she does something like that…” he patted him on the shoulder in a friendly way before making his way toward the melting clone. “You need to stop goofing off.”

“Make me~” still holding Manual, he planted a kiss on her, his face was filled with joy and amusement. They waited a bit before he finally let go of him and grabbed the girl, bridal style, leaping on a roof in the sound of their combined giggles. Manual looked up.

“What the hell just happened…”

…

Izuku and Himiko had made off unscathed from the Endeavor agency, a feat he could be proud of after all. Escaping them wasn’t an easy thing, seeing the number of heroes working under the man. He landed near their apartment and let Himiko down. They had nothing planned for the rest of the day except enjoying each other's company.

Well, there was one thing he wanted to do. “Can you go home on your own? I got one last thing to do…”

“Oh? A surprise for me, I hope,” she grabbed him by the hem of his jacket, her face right next to him, teasing him.

“Not this time, just some alone time, shouldn’t be long, I swear.” he took the bait and kissed her on her lips. She hummed in delight and groaned in frustration as he pulled away from her.

“Mmmmfine… Bring back some grub, the fridge is out.”

“Can’t you do it?”

“Nope, I’m too cute!” she pulled away and ran toward the bar, waving goodbye to her lover. Who did the same.

“Alright, let’s go. I just hope mom will not be too mad at me…” he turned around and started walking toward his old apartment. His mother was probably worried sick about him; she deserved to know he was doing well for himself and that Himiko was also fine.

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t feeling guilty for leaving his mother alone for so long. Izuku loved his mom. She may not have been perfect, worrying too much about him at every turn, but with a son like him, he could understand. Not even a year in the hero business, and he risked his life more than some pros all of their career.

It’s not like he was a perfect son either; he was still considered a villain by most.

He walked the way home, taking the time to think about what he should say, how he should say it. She was for certain going to ask him to stay, but he couldn’t; he had new responsibilities, and he had Himiko. There was too much for him to go back to his old life as he knew it.

For now, he just emptied his head, taking in the fresh, crisp air of the evening into his lungs one breath at a time. He would deal with it as it unfolded, like Himiko would say, there is no need for him to overthink things.

…

He finally arrived at the apartment; he didn’t have the keys anymore, but that wouldn’t stop him. He knew he could enter by the window; the emergency ladder on the side of the building gave him access. He jumped up and climbed the metal steps until he reached the familiar room he grew up in.

His finger slipped underneath the window and pulled. It was stuck. As expected. But he knew one trick to unlatch it. He jiggled the window left and right until. *Click!* Just as he knew it would, the lock had always been loose in the past.

He opened the window and stepped into the barren room, no decoration except his old journals; every piece of custom decor Himiko had put into it had been removed, stripped away. Even the bed sheet leaves behind a mattress with nothing on it. He could hear the TV on the other side; it was the news. He knocked at his door.

The TV shut off as his mother yelped, not in surprise, mind you, it was more akin to… fear? “Mom? It’s me…” she never reached for his door; instead, he heard the frantic sound of her shuffling away. He panicked and opened the door to see what was happening.

His concern was met with a knife flying at him, narrowly missing him, lodging itself in the door he just opened. Was she attacked by someone? He turned toward his attacker to be faced by his terrified mother clutching a kitchen knife against her chest while others were flying around her, like a crown of protective blades. “Mom?!?”

“STAY BACK!?” she pointed the tip at him, her hands were trembling in fear, her face contorted by the intense emotion flowing through her. He raised his hand in a non-threatening manner. “It’s me, Izuku! What is-…”

“Have you come to finish me off?! You already took my son from me, now you want to replace him!?” did… Did she think he was Himiko? That couldn’t be. She took her blood while she was sleeping. She should not know about her quirk, so why is she…

“You took him! You manipulated him, but I saw you… I saw your true colors. I won’t let you near me!?” Inko was breathing heavily in front of her. The imposter had raised her hand, only so she could lower her guard, so she could get closer. She won’t let her! She threw another knife at the fake. Grabbing one from the air around her.

Izuku dodges yet another blade. “Is it about Himiko!?” she froze, clutching the knife harder. “What happened?!”

“Stop pretending! You-you…” she didn’t know what to say, what to do. She was losing her mind. The intruder walked closer it’s hands still in the air; he was close enough for her to get a good look at him through the tears in her eyes. His green mop-head, his wide, round eyes, his diamond freckled, this was the face of her son, the one she loved so much…yet…

She lifted the knife at him; she couldn’t be sure. Izuku looked at the emotional mess that was his mother. Just what had happened that she reacted this way? He opened his arms, taking one step closer. “It’s me, Mom, I swear… Remember that time we watched the All Might video until I fell asleep?” She didn’t lower the knife, but her hands wavered.

“Or the time I hurt myself and you cried so much the doctor had to give you an IV?” tears were prickling down her eyes, down her face. The blade lowered a bit.

“Or the time we played rescued, and I pretended to be All Might…” she remembered little Izuku bursting with joy, lifting the blanket from her as he smiled like he just lifted a building, and her hugging him so tightly he wouldn’t stop giggling.

“Help me, help me!” she would laugh in between.

“I AM HERE!!” and he would burst out the door in his little onesie…

She was pointing a knife at her son…

“Izuku!!” she let the knife fall to the floor as she threw herself in his arms, the other blades floating all tumbled down uselessly to the floor as she cried the hardest she ever did on his shoulder. She had almost killed her son; she could never forgive herself.

Izuku held his mother, returning her embrace, his arm wrapping around her, and she had lost weight. He rocked her gently from left to right in his hug, doing his best to calm his sobbing mother. He was still confused about what happened.

“Mom? What did Himiko do?” he was afraid, afraid of the answer. He loved Himiko with all his heart; he couldn’t even imagine her doing something bad to his mother, to the woman who treated her so well. But he could feel his mother's arms squeezing him even harder when he said her name; she was afraid. “What did she do?”

Inko didn’t want to answer. Doubt entered her heart. What if this wasn’t her son, just another fake trying to pull a confession out of her? She looked up to see his face filled with worried apprehension; he was looking rough, on his lips a new scar she had never seen before, and his eyes looked tired. She could also smell the alcohol and tobacco on his clothes. What had she done to her gentle son?

“T-the day you vanished… She came back here…” her voice was cracking; she was still afraid the mental image of the girl, the blood, the knife was still fresh in her mind. Her son tightened his hold on her, recomforting her as she spoke. “That smile… That damn bloody smile…” she started crying once more, she couldn’t, she was too afraid to continue.

“She told me you were sleeping…” Izuku's mind was blank; she lied to him…

She dared lie to him! He who sacrificed everything for her! He who risked his life for her! And she lies to him!? About this? ABOUT HIS MOTHER?!

His hold got firmer, making sure she was feeling safe in his arm. He could feel the love slowly replaced by rage; he thrusted Himiko with his life; he had given himself to her willingly, and that’s how she repaid him. His breathing became hard trying to contain his anger. “Did she hurt you?”

“N-no, but I was so afraid… I still feel the knife at night under my chin…” Izuku kissed his mother on her head and pulled away just enough that he could look her in the eyes. “I’m sorry, Mom… For everything, I should have been honest from the start. I put you in danger, and I could never forgive myself. I was so… stuck. I couldn’t think about you or the other, but I swear I will change”

Inko looked into her son's eyes; there was a fire burning behind them. One she had never seen so intense. “Stay, Izuku, we’ll make it work. I’ll keep you safe…”

“I can’t… I still have something to do” he pulled away and went toward the door. Inko grabbed his arm, trying to keep him inside, but her son was strong, stronger than her. “Izuku, don’t go! She’ll hurt you.”

He opened the door, sparing a glance at his mother begging him to stay. But this was his mess; Himiko was his mess, and now was the time he took responsibility for it… “I’m sorry… I swear I’ll be fine. I’ll see you later…” he went out and closed the door, leaving behind his poor mother, once more crying. He could hear her through the wall, her sobs fueling his silent anger.

…

*KNOCK!! KNOCK!! KNOCK!!* the bouncer at the door jumped in surprise. Whoever was on the other side was knocking way harder than he needed to. “Yeah, I’m coming! Calm down!” he opened the little window to see Izuku. He was confused; the boy was not usually this forceful.

“Hey Izuk-…”

“Open the damn door!” the teen yelled at him. Energie crackled around him as he did so. The turtle man was more confused than ever, but did so. The last lock was barely unlatched when the door burst open, pushing the large man against the wall, denting it with his shell. Izuku did not spare a glance at him and walked forward toward the bar. He tried to say something, but the glare he received from him could have killed a man. So, he let go…

Vero was wiping the counter from yet another puke stain. Tonight was just like every night. Clients were drinking, drunk were fighting, and idiots were trying to seduce the lesbian bar owner… Just as usual, with one glaring exception.

*BLAM!!*

The door of the bar opened with so much force that it was bent; the metal door was bent… In walked the resident cinnamon roll. She learned to love and hate his attitude and his tendency to wreck the place. “Hey, watch it, jackass! This is coming out of your pocket once again!” she expected him to keel over and apologize as he usually did, then she would tease him, but…

“Where is Himiko…” there was no trace of anything but anger behind his words. This took her by surprise. His eyes locked with hers; she couldn’t help but fear the boy. “U-upstairs…” he nodded and walked toward the back, toward the door leading to his apartment, each of his steps louder than the last as he stomped his way up.

Many clients were whispering amongst each other as he walked by, but none of them dared to stop him. Izuku vanished behind the door, leaving the bar in a state of cold fear. Vero upped the music, trying to change the mood, but whatever would happen wasn’t going to be pretty. She was morbidly curious about what made him so mad; she reached down the bar and pulled out a horn.

It was a trumpet uncurled that could easily reach the ceiling above. She purchased it long ago to spy on the women she was renting above the bar during her lonely night, but now she just had to know what was going on with her resident vigilante. One of the patrons asked her something, but she shushed him, listening intently to what was happening above.

She heard his step first, then the door. “Heya, did you bring some food?”

…

Himiko was in bed scrolling her phone when the door opened, gently, mind you. Izuku was back! “Heya, did you bring some food?” Izuku was standing in the doorframe, his eyes obscured by his hair. He lifted his head and.

“Nah, sorry I forgot,” he was smiling. He removed his jacket and threw the on one of the chairs. Before making his way toward her, he sat on the bed. Himiko grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss, but strangely, he didn’t reciprocate it. “You good?” she asked, not sure why he wasn’t kissing her back.

“I’m fine…” he was still smiling, but something felt off. Like he was hiding something.

“You sure? You are acting weird?” he was calm, sitting in bed next to her. No nervousness, no nothing, just this creepy smile that felt unnatural on his lips. “So, what did you do while you were gone?”

“Nothing important,” he… wasn’t lying? She couldn’t tell for the first time since she met him, he was an enigma, and she couldn’t know what was going on behind those emerald eyes. He looked down at the floor, still smiling. “I’ve been thinking…”

“About what?”

“About you… A lot…” still that damn smile, she couldn’t read what was he playing at?

“Did you?”

“Yep…”

“What about me?”

“Just you… In general…” she couldn’t take it anymore; this tension was killing her. What was he getting at? He fiddles with his pocket, pulling something he let fall in between them.

The pills…

“I’ve been thinking a lot about you.” he wasn’t smiling anymore. She looked at the bottle with mild panic. Did Akemi put him up to this?

“I don’t need them…” she turned her head away from him and the bottle of pills, but she was forcefully grabbed by the chin, forcing her to look at him. “Izu?-…”

“DON’T LOOK AWAY!” gone was the game, the fake smile, and everything he was doing. This is what he was hiding behind; the rage, one directed at her. His grip was hurting her, she lifted her hands to his to try to pry herself away from him, but he didn’t let go.

“Izuku, you’re hurting me!”

“When!” he yelled at her. “When were you planning on telling me?” what was he talking about? She had no clue what had gotten into him.

“What?”

“Don’t play coy with me, you know what I mean! Unless you’ve already forgotten all about it?” his grip tightened, pushing her down into the mattress. He was over her, blocking every possible escape. This dominance she normally found thrilling was now terrifying. “You need a hint?” she nodded in her confusion.

“MY MOM! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HER!!” he was snarling at her; his face twisted into one of an animal out for blood. Her own softened in those of a victim, a prey. His mom, she remembered now amid her psychosis, she went home for some blood to clear her head, and Inko walked in on her. She didn’t mean it; it was an accident. She told Izuku what she intended to do, she swore…

“I-…”

“SHE THREW A KNIFE AT ME THINKING I WAS YOU SHE CRIED HER HEART OUT BECAUSE OF YOU!!” his grip lowered itself to her throat, wrapping his digit around it. “HER, THE WOMAN WHO GAVE YOU A HOME! THE ONE THAT DID EVERYTHING FOR YOU! I’M I NEXT?! UH, WILL YOU SNAP AT ME ONE DAY!!”

She tried to answer, but the grip was too tight to breathe, much less talk. She was choking under his eyes, squirming and fighting against him. In her pocket, she felt the cold of her switchblade; she could use it to get away from him.

But she couldn’t… She didn’t want to hurt him anymore; she loved him. Spotted started appearing in her vision as he tightened his hold, consciousness was leaving her, and then he let go.

She raised herself coughing and spitting her teary eyes, trying to regain function. He had almost killed her. Izuku stood up and tossed the bottle of pills in front of her once again. “You’re going to take those…”

*Cough* “But Izu… They… They stop me from loving you!?” she fought against the air they both breathed and pleaded with him; she didn’t want to go back to this limbo. This muted feeling was all wrong, alien.

 it wasn’t her...

“Please… I’ll change, I swear!”

Izuku tightened his fist. He was too angry to think rationally. “Like you said before?! Like you promise me, I don’t know how many times. I trusted you, Himiko, and looked what that got me!” his hand went to his face, rubbing against it. “You know who changed? ME!?” he pointed at himself, his face getting into hers.

“I changed! I did everything for you, I left my school, I left my friends, and I even left my mother behind! Now I’m stuck here with a bunch of villains and criminals fighting in the streets for cash, and a chance to live my fucking fleeting dream!” his arms fell to his side as he chuckled darkly.

“Yeah! I’m on borrowed time! I GAVE ALL MIGHT MY FUCKING QUIRK BACK!! It’s just a matter of time before I become quirkless again, until he finds someone better than the guy who fell for a villain!” he poked her in the ribs.

She was just confused. “You gave it back, why?” She didn’t even want to debate how it was possible.

“When they captured me, All Might visited me. I gave him the means to get One for All to another…” Again, he let out a snort, laughing at the joke that was his life. “For you, I said… I said take it back and give her a chance, and in walked my knight in shining armor!” his face twisted into a grimace, mocking her, he was hurting her feelings, and he didn’t care anymore. She wanted him to change so did he!

“In walked my dear mother, who proceeded to choke my teacher and take him hostage! Until I made the worst fucking decision of my life and did the same fucking thing!” She avoided his face; it was hurting her too much, and she could only whisper.

“I’m sorry… I just wanted to help…”

“Then take the pills…” his tone was cold. This was an ultimatum. She wanted to cry; she thought he loved her for who she was, not whoever the pills made her. He told her he would work with her…

“But I won’t be me…”

Izuku couldn’t stop the hateful words he was about to say to Himiko; those were the most horrible things he could ever say.

“Good, because as you stand right now…” stop, please, Izuku, stop, she pleaded in her mind.

“…I don’t love you…”

This broke the dam. He didn’t even look at her when he said it. Himiko gazed at him through tears, her mouth agape, unable to say anything because of her sobs, and just like the first time they met face to face, she ran out of the room holding her face in her hands, trying to keep the tears inside.

 She bumped into him, and he didn’t move, looking down, disappointed in her, disappointed in him.

Himiko ran out as fast as she could, not looking in front of her, not caring about anything. She needed air, she needed space…

She needed Izuku; his arms, his smile, his kiss, his love, his support, his presence, and she needed him… but he wasn’t there anymore…

She ran past the bar, not caring if anyone saw her cry. She had just lost everything tonight; there was no point in caring about appearance. She pushed past the bouncer and ran out into the night…

…

Vero had heard everything… and she just wished she didn’t. Luckily, the music stopped everyone from hearing the conversation upstairs, so she was the only one aware of what had just happened. She wasn’t surprised to see the girl running down the stairs crying, and she knew she couldn’t stop her.

And she wasn’t surprised to see the boy enter the room as if he had just been told his dog had been shot. Him, mini All Might in person, she heard what he said about his quirk, how he inherited it from the number one himself. He walked toward her, sitting down at the bar, mopping and looking like a sad sack of shit. “Pour me something…”

“Sure, some water coming u-…”

“You’re a bartender, so serve me something strong, anything…” This was a bad idea, giving liquor to a guy with the power to level a city while he was at his lowest could only end badly…

Seeing the tat-up girl wouldn’t serve him, he took the initiative. Using Black whip, he grabbed a bottle from the back, a whiskey. He didn’t care; he grabbed the neck of the bottle and snapped it like it was nothing, not bothering to open the cap. He wouldn’t need it anyway. He brought the sharp glass to his lips a drank and drank and drank until the liquor wasn’t going inside anymore, pooling in his mouth instead and spilling from the corner of his mouth to his shirt and floor below. This was a waste of a good bottle if Vero had ever seen one. But the boy didn’t stop, drinking what he could and spilling what he couldn’t until the bottle was empty.

“Another…”

There was no stopping him, so she did her job. Switching him to beer instead in a glass so he wouldn’t spill it all over her bar. He didn’t seem to care that this wasn’t hard liquor like he had asked; he drank nonetheless as the patrons looked at him in uneasy silence.

“Want to talk about it?” Vero was seriously leaning against the counter, ready for him to spill his heart like he spills his liquor. Izuku rolled the beer in his mug before downing it…

…

“I’m not the problem! She is! She threatened my mom with a knife and has the gall to go out crying like she is the one who is hurt.” Izuku was looking more and more drunk, but he was still in the beginning phase of it. Vero cursed her lack of foresight; if she had stocked up on non alcoholic beer, she could have stopped him from destroying his liver tonight.

“But you were rough with her like you said…” she had to navigate this; she may not have a fancy medical degree like Akemi, but she knew how to talk to people down on their luck; hell, this was half the job.

“Can you blame me? She drank my blood two times per week!” another mug was downed, and he was nowhere close to be done. “Another!”

…

His mug flew across the room; he had thrown it. “FUCK THIS, WHY ME!?” he banged his fist against the counter so hard he dented it. “I JUST WANTED TO BE A FUCKING HERO AND LOOK WHERE I AM IN A SHITTY BAR FILLED WITH THIRD-RATE VILLAINS!!!”

“Hey!”

“WANT ME TO CAVE YOUR SKULL SHITFACE” the man quickly went back to his corner, making himself as small as he could to avoid the wrath of the teen. Vero gave him a plastic cup that she filled with beer… Now was not the time to tell him he was being unreasonable. He took it, crumbling the cheap plastic in his hand. “ANOTHER!”

…

“I… love h-her so m-much…” he was crying, his face deep in the dented wood hidden by his arms wrapped around his head. He only got out of his cocoon to take a sip from his drink. He couldn’t even speak without sobbing or sniveling. “W-why did I say that… I don’t hate her… I-I” he broke down into a sob. Vero put a reassuring hand on him.

“I’m sure she knows you didn’t mean it; you were stressed and overwhelmed…” she finally reached a point where she substituted his beer for water. He took it and didn’t complain. “A-another…”

…

“I should call her… Give me your phone, Vero” Izuku tried to lounge at the woman but was pushed back gently into his seat. The woman was nearly done dealing with his antics, but she knew he would at least listen to her.

“No, what you both need is some time, and I’m not letting you make a drunken call to your girlfriend.”

“Come on, I’ll pay you, just let me speak to her. I don’t want her to be alone right now. I was stupid. I need to excuse myself.” he pulled out a large wad of cash, one way more than enough to pay for the wall, the door, and the phone call. With gritted teeth, she pushed his cash away.

“Just go to bed, kiddo… Before I changed my mind…” she was still watching the wad of cash, almost hoping he would not listen to her. Why must she have a soft spot for kids?! He thought about it and listened, making his unsteady way toward the stairs to the contented sighs of everyone, happy no one was killed tonight by the teenage boy. Izuku entered his lone apartment and crashed into his bed. He was shattered. There was no anger left, no sadness, only loneliness, and the vague scent of Himiko he missed so much…

Author’s Note

BAM GUT PUNCH! We’re so back with the angst, a chapter going the other way than the previous one. Starting with fluff and comedy and action and ending in pure drama and Angst.

Remember to thank your local All Might :)

And do not hurt the mom of a momma-boy…

The double-edged sword of building Izuku's confidence! He says some harsh things now, and he became an alcoholic for the night with all the stages of grief…

Himiko is once more alone without Izuku. How will it end?

I’m taking a little break from this fic, nothing long, I just have something I need to do at home. I’ll be back within a week max

Next time, Himiko…

Chapter Text

Bile was the first thing Izuku tasted as he woke up from the dream that was his sleep into the nightmare that was his life. He barely had the time to roll to the side to puke his guts out onto the floor. Coughing, he vowed for the second time he’d never drink again, his throbbing headache pulsating painfully into his cranium.

This morning, he was alone to deal with his hangover, no Himiko to hold his hair and whisper comforting words while he dealt with the consequence of his actions. She was gone; he had chased her away yesterday. His memory was slowly returning, her crying, and him strangling her…

He didn’t even have the excuse of being drunk at that time; he was to blame for his actions…

But those weren’t the only memories resurfacing; his mother was also crying, scared, terrified of Himiko. She had threatened her life, and she would never feel safe in the comfort of her own home because of what she did…

Himiko or his mother? Which one did he love more? Why did he have to choose?

He wiped the vomit from his mouth and stepped out of their bed, avoiding the puddle at his feet. He opened the fridge to see he was out of any type of drink to rinse his mouth; the tap water would suffice as long as he wouldn’t swallow, and he may as well take a shower at the same time.

He stripped and entered the shower, letting the lukewarm water wash away his soreness, but not his pain or his headache. He opened his mouth, and the flowing water rinsed what remained, spitting it down the drain.

He let his head touch the cold tile of the wall. What will he do? He wants to see Himiko again, make sure she’s okay, but another part wants her gone for good, let her rot away so he could go back to his old life and beg All Might for a second chance. She was the one who told him he should think about himself, do the thing he wants, so why should he entertain her now that he knew she had betrayed his trust?

“I’m so weak…”

This idea of just tossing her away when things got hard was not the first time it had crossed his mind. If he had been more tactful and not so enraged yesterday, he might have convinced her to give the medication a chance.

Instead. He said, ‘Take it or leave,’ and she left.

He closed his thoughts and showered, got dressed, and walked downstairs. Vero was the only one present; it was too early for the others to begin drinking. Villain or not, many had jobs to do during the day. He looked around to see the extent of the damage; one glass mug shattered on the wall, bits and pieces of it still stuck in the drywall, the bent door hanging uselessly by its last socket, and the sunken counter with a fist indented in it. He was just glad to see he didn’t hurt anyone in his bender last night. Vero saw him and smiled. “If it isn’t my bundle of troubles. Sleep well?”

“Like shit…”

“Good, keep that in mind the next time. I compiled your bill. When you’re ready, pay up I'm not waiting for you to break something else. This place used to be reputable before your arrival…” She had a sly look in her eyes; despite everything he had done, she was joking. This added to his guilt; he didn’t deserve it, and he may have felt better if she had berated him instead. He sat down at the bar and looked at the paper she had made for him.

This was going to set him back quite a bit, but he couldn’t care less; he pulled his wad of cash and counted the money he owed until a thin remainder was left for him to enjoy.

“So, how are you feeling?” She took the time to make sure he was alright as she slowly made sure the money was good.

“Like I said, like shit…”

“You know I heard quite a bit of what you said last night, you weren’t very discreet, mind you, but I take part of the blame…” she sighed. “So… mini All Might, didn’t expect that…”

He froze, did… did she know about his quirk? Oh, God, he yelled it He had forgotten all about the thin walls! How could he be so stupid? At least the counter already had a groove caved in to receive his forehead…

“Don’t worry, I’m the only one who heard, and I’m not about to start spilling secrets even for money. That’s how you lose this kind of job.”

“You swear?”

“On my eternal love for the good doctor!” she crossed her heart, swearing her silence. “So, tell me what you are going to do?”

He thought about it. From what he knew about the bartender, he could trust her to stay silent about his secret, which left him with the difficult choice: what to do with Himiko? Head in his hands, he thought about it. He could ignore it or call her, at least try after what happened, she may not answer him.

“Can I make a phone call?”

“300 yen”

“…”

“Hey, it’s a lot less than what you offered me yesterday.”

…

Himiko was hidden; she didn’t want to be found; she didn’t want to go out into the world ever again. Every time things get good, she does something that blows in her face eventually.

Actions have consequences…

A stupid saying, why should they? She just wants to live happily ever after, not atone for all her mistakes forevermore. That was selfish, and she knew it, but all her life, people looked down at her, tried to cure her, tossed her aside, exploited her, and ignored her. No one ever gave her something good to enjoy fully, so why should she treat them with any kind of respect?

Because he did and she spat in his face, took her knife and twisted it in his back…

She was a freak, everybody said it to her, and she listened to them, she accepted it, and made it hers. She became the person they expected, so their words wouldn’t hurt, faceless masses thinking alike had no bearing on her life. But then she opened up to him, gave herself fully stripped down to her soul right in front of him, and he accepted her…

But did she? She hid the part she knew was problematic; she pretended to show him the worst, keeping the part that would crumble her image away from his prying eyes.

Izuku hated her; she saw it in his eyes yesterday. Just like her, he hid a part of himself, an anger she thought she would never be the target of. How wrong she was… Her hands reach for her throat, and she could still feel his finger tightening as he spewed his hatred at her. He wasn’t the first to do it, but he was the only one she didn’t fight back against.

Why would she fight back? So that she becomes alone with a hole in her chest she couldn’t fill?

Alone, no lover, no league, nothing. She received a message; it was from Vero. “It’s Izuku, I want to talk…” did he want to forgive her, or was he ready to end it for good? Just thinking about it made her heartbeat once more. She hovered the call button, but she stopped herself.

Her eyes filled with tears; she just wanted him back, so why was she stopping herself? She said it, she is selfish, and nothing will ever change that; she will always do what is needed to get what she wants.

So why can’t she push the button to call him? Because he deserved better? She can’t be better, she tried!! SHE TRIED, DAMNIT!! He would always be disappointed with her.

In the end, what was her choice? Be miserable with him as the pills mush away her brain? Or not doing anything until she snaps and causes irreplaceable damage to him and everyone around her.

Her thumb whisked away the number in front of her; she didn’t want to think about it, too much was going on inside her head. She looked at the number disappear to the top until another caught her eye.

Goto Gen

Was she her friend? She knew nothing about her, yet she protected her from the popular girl with no reward for her good deed. What would she think of her now that her face and crime were made public? What was she doing? Ever since she ran away, she hasn’t thought about the greenette in any way or form. Was she thinking about her?

Maybe this is what she needed: a new perspective on her situation, one not tainted by her or Izuku, or the law. Just a normal girl in a normal school, she would tell her what she can do, what she should do…

…

Goto was eating, like always, on the roof of her school; it had been weeks since the news about Tamaki was made public; she was a dangerous murderer from the league of villains on the loose who managed to steal away one of UA's top first years.

And she, Goto Gen, fed her cheese…

The nerdy girl was not very well welcomed by the rest of her school after the news. She was seen as someone who not only sympathized with the quirkless but also unhinged, mentally deranged criminals. Her social life was officially over. Why did she try to be nice?

So now she eats her cheese alone on the roof…

At the very least, Chio had not been very active recently; she seemed uninterested in pushing her punishment further than just exile from every social activity or social circle. In truth, she wasn’t doing anything of note since Tamaki left the school; she was distant and had dropped out of many extracurricular activities, attending only the one she had to as student president.

Her personality had shifted; she almost seemed meek compared to how she used to strut around the school. Maybe she was scared that Himi would come back to enact her vengeance?

*Clang*

The door opened, and no one ever came here except…

“Got any cheese?”

“WAAAAHHHH!?!” Himi was back! And she had a knife! And she was out of cheese… OH GOD SHE WAS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF A LACK OF CHEESE!!!

Why was she such a glutton? She should have eaten her vegetables first, but nooo~ she had to skip to the good part right away, and now she was going to die alone and cheeseless!

Himiko approached the trembling girl and sat down next to her. Goto couldn’t move, terrified of what she had planned to do with her knife; it was sharp and could kill her in a second. So, she closed her eyes and didn’t move. Maybe she’ll go away if she doesn’t move?

She stayed like that, awaiting her trembling demise, but it never came. She opened her eyes to see Himiko's knife over her body held in an ice pick grip, ready to strike. She was waiting for her to see her death! The knife went down and…

Picked a piece of her bento, the meat to be precise. Himi twirled the knife and ate the morsel she had just stolen from the girl. “What up?” She sounded so sad… Almost defeated, her face was a mess of runny makeup and dried up tears, yet she had no emotion, like a robot going through its programming.

“I… Uhm, got a C+ in math…” why did she say that? No idea. That was just the first thing that entered her mind. Himi nodded and picked one of her carrots using her knife again; this time, she didn’t flinch, she didn’t seem like she wanted to hurt her.

“Uhm, how are you doing, I-… I saw the news…” Himiko didn’t react as she ate the lunch that wasn’t hers; she swallowed.

“Pretty bad actually, I think I just got dumped by my boyfriend…” of all the things that could be troubling a criminal on the loose, her love life was the part getting to her? It seemed so bizarre; she expected something like the police are catching up or I killed someone, not high school drama.

“Why?”

“I threatened his mom with a knife…” That was more like it! Wait! This is not good news at all?!

“WHAT!? WHY!?” Goto shot her hands to her mouth, realizing that asking that to someone like Himi was maybe not a good idea for her safety. Life seemed to come back into Himi's eyes, something akin to frustration.

“I don’t know!? I was in the room getting some blood when she walked in on me, and Izuku was gone; my mind was all over the place. I just accidentally slipped back into one of my bad habits. I-…. UURGGHH” she was waving the knife around as if she forgot the sharp piece of metal even existed, she was gesturing her frustration with herself.

If you didn’t listen closely and removed the knife, she seemed like a normal teenage girl having a rough day.

“…And now he’s mad at me… or not, he tried to message me but-…” her shoulder slouched, she didn’t know what to say, she was looking ahead of her toward the city, trying to find the right words.

“You don’t know if you deserve it?”

She sank in her knees, looking at the blade in her hands. “Yeah…”

Goto hesitated; she sure as hell couldn’t run fast enough to get away from the murderer next to her, but at the same time, she didn’t want to. Himi had been nothing but kind to her since she met her, sure she went through an apathetic phase and she threatened someone with a knife, but she deserved it for bailing on her, and Chio was an asshole…

“Don’t take it the wrong way, but… Why are you here?” this was the one-million-dollar question after all that time she suddenly appeared out of nowhere just to chat after a break-up. Wait, was she being used as an emotional crutch? The idea was more insulting than her coming back to kill her somehow…

“… What do you think about me?” Himi turned toward her, eyes filled with conflicting emotions. She totally was used as an emotional crutch! The gal!

“Hmph, well, first of all, you’re a terrible friend!” Goto scoffed at her, turning her head away from her indignantly, puffing her cheek with righteous pettiness. Then she remembered this was a criminal on the loose holding a knife and she deflated… “b-b-but not in- a-a b-bad way I-I- swear!!!”

Himiko leaned in toward Goto. She could see how hurt she was by her words, but also intrigued. “How so!?” Goto shyly twirls one of her pigtails; she should have shut her mouth.

“W-well, you didn’t come back for me…” she was fiddling with the tip of her finger, obviously nervous, about the danger she was posing, of course, but also the abandonment. Without Himi, days were long and tedious; at least when she was here, time would fly by; they would talk and do things, but now, without her or anyone else, everything was boring. Hell, today was the most exciting she had ever been since her departure, and it almost was worth the risk of getting stabbed.

“A-and I-I… kind of miss you…” why was her cheek burning up suddenly?

Himiko was dumbfounded. She expected a lot of things: confusion, fear, rejection, even a slap, but never would she have thought someone other than Izuku would genuinely miss her presence. It was confusing. “Why?”

“W-well, you’re funny, smart, and you are not scared of anyone… I admire you in a sense. Before you entered this school, I was always behind, in the background, following others and doing what the other wanted, but with you, I felt like I was doing something special, something no one else but me could do. Even if you didn’t need my help, you accepted it nonetheless, and for the first time, I felt I made a friend that is mine, not just an acquaintance that I agree with…”

Himiko was standing there like a fish fighting for air. Had she impacted this girl's life so much in the little time she spent with her? This feeling in her chest felt so warm, so good, it was like with Izuku. The validation of someone else she didn’t know, she needed.

Himiko was a girl who easily fell in love…

She leaned in and kissed her on the mouth, a quick peck she so desperately needed. It was in her nature to seek comfort, to seek blood from others.

Goto was freaking out! Was she supposed to reciprocate? Could she? She still had the knife; if she stopped her, she might use it, and her lips were so soft and warm on hers… She finally pushed herself away from her. Her eyes were like a saucer as she rearranged her glasses. “H-H-Himi!?! What about your boyfriend!? Y-y-you told me he-he…”

Himi giggled, finally pocketing her knife, and easing the girl in front of her, she laughed audibly. This was a good discussion; she felt better already. “Sorry… I just couldn’t resist, but you’re right, I should think more about him and others…”

This was the realisation she needed. What pushed Izuku away, what made her life miserable all these years? It wasn’t her quirk, or her condition, it was her…

The selfishness inside of her is taking and taking again for her gain without ever giving back. The reason she loved Izuku, Goto, Ochako, and Saito was that they would give to their friend, share with others, and think about them as people...

She had been selfish from the start. When Diamond threatened a kid, she wanted to run. When she was about to be captured, she sliced and diced passersby like one would dead meat to get away. When she had the chance to tell him about his mother, she lied so she wouldn’t deal with the consequences.

She made him happy because that would, in turn, make her happy, and he would make her happy because he wanted her happy...

Such a small difference, yet it was like when she compared him to Dabi; The victim or the protagonist, who would she be…

“Thanks, Goto, I needed that,” she had a smile now that was better than when she entered the roof. She stood and walked toward the exit, stopping just in front of the door. “Want me to come back? You know, as friends…” her tone was hopeful she would answer positively.

Goto was still red from the earlier kiss. Her hormones were in overdrive, still not sure what feeling was that she was overwhelmed with. “S-sure…”

“I’ll try to visit you more often, how about next week?” The greenette nodded. Himiko was about to leave when she stopped her. “WAIT!” Himiko reopened the door, giving her a curious look.

“W-where are you going?”

“I need to see another friend, then I’ll be ready to face Izuku again… and Goto?”

“Y-yes?”

“You kiss very well~” Himiko took the time to enjoy the sight of the burning girl in front of her as she did her best to hide her face away from hers. Then she closed the door, making her way toward her new destination. Tomorrow was a special day, and she intended to clear things up with another person she cared about…

…

Bouncing a ball was such a trivial activity for a villain, yet there he was, passing the time the best he could. All the preparations were done, and they just needed to wait for the damn thing to begin tomorrow. He threw the ball against the wall, but it was caught by a scaly hand. “Spinner, need something?”

Shigaraki observed the mutant in front of him. He was dressed in his usual Stain getup, eyeing his leader intensely, as if he had a few questions concerning the raid plan tomorrow.

“I meant to ask you one thing before we do this…” he was using his serious tone, the same he used during his confrontation with him, defending the little green shit-stain he had accidentally captured. “Go on”

“What do you intend to do tomorrow?”

“We already had this talk, Spinner. Want me to repeat the plan?” he sighed. Was he nervous that this thing wouldn’t work?

“No, mean, why are you doing this?” was that what Dabi was feeling when he probed him with his question? He should give the flaming boy some credit because this was annoying as hell.

“Like I said, we’re using this to demoralise All Might…”

“Yet in doing so, we may hurt those who are worthy to be heroes. Your plan lets no chance for them to prove their worth…” Was he still on the hero bullshit Stain was spreading? After the time spent together, he was starting to think he was just in for the free bed, the games, and all the food he could steal.

You still cling to this foolish moral system, I see…” Spinner undid the buckle holding his massive sword, ready to cut his leader if he kept slandering the words of his idol. A curious sight, more than a threatening one for Shigaraki. “I also meant to ask you something?”

“I listen…”

“What are you doing here? You joined the group that vowed to kill All Might, the very symbol of what you think is a hero, and yet you don’t leave. Why?”

He scoffed. Was he mocking him or trying to look cool? He couldn’t say. “All Might will not fall so easily, and I joined your group so I could cull the weak from this broken system, not so I could kill those who showed potential. I am here as the test for those who claim to be hero, the blade aimed at their heart to see if they have the courage to push on or the cowardice to run away, so is my purpose…”

He was so collected and calm as he said that, using all those big words he wasn’t used to spewing most of the time. “Did you steal that from an online poet group or something?”

“IT’S THE OFFICIAL STAIN’S BLOG YOU JACKASS!!” Gone was the faux air of cool, and in came the true Spinner, a brat who used to play online most of his day until he landed in the wrong crowd of blade-wielding basement dwellers. It was refreshing to see him be true to himself.

“So, do you want me to give them a cookie and a pat on the back at the end? With a plaque that says ‘Congrats, I survived the league of villains’ as if we’re a carnival game?”

Spinner scratches his head, thinking about it. Was he seriously confronting him with no idea of his own? “Well, I had an idea…” Shigaraki listened, intrigued by what someone like him had in mind.

“You know how in most games we don’t face the boss right away?” Finally, someone spoke words he could understand.

“Like in Turbotro 2 when you have to face the three mini bosses first?”

“EXACTLY! Right now, we only have the big Boss and nothing else to build him up. It’s a Boss rush thrash of a game with nothing else!” talking about it like it was some sort of video game, unlock something in the young man, a passion he thought absent.

Shigaraki was intrigued. He was right. As of now, he only had the Nomu he asked for as the main focus for his plan; the way he described his previous plan, even he would find such a game trash. “So, what do you want? A fishing Minigame, so we bloat the encounter?”

“How about a bonus round? You know this test comes in two rounds, so we just have to test the second part to see who is worthy, since the noobs will be culled from the start.”

“Yeah, but we are missing the easy NPC we can grind on.”

“They aren’t worth any XP anyway, so why bother…”

The two of them continued to speak in terms no one else wanted to even try to figure out, letting the two resident chronic gamer planning the attack getting excited and throwing gaming terms left and right until they had a drawn plan of what this operation would be like, making it both brutal and effective satisfying Spinner need to test the would be heroes and Shigaraki craving to kill a bunch of kids. He finally made a call to the Doctor.

“Who is this?”

“Shigaraki. Do you have some trash mob in your inventory you could drop for us for the Mythic raid?”

“What the hell kind of lingo is that?!” The two of them had spoken for so long that he forgot how normal human beings communicated.

“I meant, do you have surplus Nomu you could spare tomorrow? I don’t need the finished ones; the failed ones would do”

“Why didn’t you say that from the start?! Yes, I do have a few failures with no purpose right now, but they aren’t worth much in a fight. I do have a lot of them to compensate for the lack of firepower. Why?”

“Could you give them for my project tomorrow? I think I just found them a purpose…”

Author’s note

My game in Rimworld crashed and burned so hard I had to come here and write the next chapter to calm my nerves (Fuck you, Randy Random three raids back to back is not fucking fair gameplay!! All the while, my pawn is standing in the fucking rain because I forgot to reinstall the table!! I love this game…)

Cheese

Himiko's fickle heart adds yet another one to the list, and we are nearing the exam; many people will gather, it seems.

A bit of Spinner insight, should I do the other as well? For now, we have Dabi and Spinner, who should have some time with Tomura next?

And what does Shigaraki and Spinner have planned for our students?

The next chapter will be around the license exam… Probably will split it into two parts, a lot of things will happen, changing what I think is one of the worst MHA arcs…

Chapter Text

…The next day…

The bus was on its way toward the Takoba National Stadium. Class 1A was excited for the day. They had been training so hard for a chance to have their provisional Hero License, and today they would prove they had the true hallmark of a hero. The test had a 40% passing rate, lower than the other years due to circumstances, and was happening twice a year, so even if they failed, it was only six months before they had the chance to reapply.

But six months was too much for them. Izuku was still out there, and they had no news from him since the video on his birthday, something weird, as their social media account would usually post every day. Ochako refreshed the page an endless number of times and sighed; today seemed dry as well in terms of possible news.

“Nothing Round Cheek?”

“No, it's like they both vanished…”

“Maybe a hero got them in custody?” Iida raised his hypothesis, turning toward Todoroki, after all; they may not have posted something themselves, but they had news from the Endeavor agency, who had an altercation with the duo, ending in no wounded except the pro-hero Manual, who was struck by a needle and had minor bruises to his hands and feet.

“Doubt it, my old man would have been gloating about it if he caught the current number one vigilante duo of Japan…” Todoroki had his eyes closed, trying to rest before reaching their destination. He did question his father, but only got a grunt for an answer as he was recuperating from his fight with Toxic Chainsaw.

From the back, Kirishima poked his head out. “You guys talking about Midoriya again?” Now, the rest of the bus was also getting curious about the conversation. Ever since his bridge stunt, he had become the talk of UA once more; everybody was hanging on to every bit of information they could get about the boy.

“Is the rumour true? They want him back in UA?”

“Even Toga! Could you imagine her in UA? I would never be able to sleep soundly…”

“I don’t know about that. Isn’t she helping him with the whole vigilante thing?”

“You saw it yourself; she was the first who try to bail when she opened the bomb on the highway. Doesn’t ring very heroic to me…”

“You think she’s the one who got him into drinking?”

Conversation was happening so fast all around, it was hard to say who was speaking, every word they said interloping with the next. This was getting irritating for the blonde at the center of it all.

“WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP!! We’ll just beat him and drag his ass back into the school… even if he doesn’t want to, I am not letting him shit his life away”

“What about the other news?” it was Ojiro, his plain face standing out from the colourful duo flanking him.

“You know the Aldera Junior High incident that happened the day of his birthday?” Bakugo looked away; the window seemed a better thing to stare at right now.

“Yeah, wasn’t that your old school Bakugo? I heard the place was so thrashed they had to close three whole classrooms”

Bakugo didn’t answer, but he knew it all already; his mom had told him what happened the day after. When he went to see the picture, he had no doubt that Izuku was the one responsible, not only was it his old class that took the brunt of the damage, but there was also a picture of a desk broken in the headlight of the article. If someone would look hard enough, they could see the words etched inside the wood. “Jump,” it was the only one they could read from the picture; the rest was lost in the splinter. Of course, no one mentioned the defaced desk, concentrating on the damage and the extent of it. An All Might bat was found on the ground asking the question if this was caused by the new Thank you All Might :) meme popping around the nation.

He grimaced thinking about it, something the brunette in front of him noticed. She glared at him, but not for long.

“You think he’ll even want to come back?” this gloomy idea came from Jiro. Many stayed silent when she said it, but it was a possibility.

“H-hey, it's Midoriya we’re talking about here, you know our resident hero nerd… He can’t possibly bail on us if we offer him a chance… Can he?” Kirishima was their optimist, yet even he was doubting what he said. So much happened in so little time, and no one had any idea what was going on in his head.

A mole for the League of Villains? A lovestruck fool who fell for Toga? Both? If only they had the chance to talk to him again…

“Stop you’re clamouring back there, we’re here…” Aizawa was already up from his seat when the bus stopped in front of the massive building, similar to the USJ they were familiar with. They got down one by one under the supervision of their class president and could now see the massive crowd of youth all gathered for the event, thousands of hero candidates, most of them second years, older and more experienced than they.

At least in terms of academics, Class 1A had faced so many hurdles already; they had to adapt, get better, and train even harder to rise to the challenge. So, none of them were intimidated when all the attention was suddenly gathered on them.

Aizawa looked at his student; he was proud of how far they had come from the first class he taught them, yet one was still missing. Those were no rumours they spoke of, Nezu had personally informed him of his intention of capturing Izuku and Toga for his new program, and even if the boy did put a blade on his throat during a moment of duress, he still thought he may have a chance of becoming a hero the right way.

The girl, on the other hand…

Himiko Toga had shown no promise of reintegrating society the correct way; she seemed more than happy dredging with criminals and bringing the boy with her than letting herself be helped. A knife incident at the new school she was frequenting, the aggressiveness she showed toward Miss Midoriya the night of his capture, and the lack of care for others she exhibited from the videos they posted online didn’t paint a pretty picture.

Everyone deserves a chance, but not everyone takes it…

For now, he had bigger problems, notably his class and…

“Shota! Long time no see! Are you avoiding me?” Miss Joke, of course, she was going to be there…

“Yes…”

“PFFFHAHAHA!! Nice joke! I didn’t know you had it in you!” why was the universe hellbent on making him miserable in the most troublesome of ways? The mint-haired woman approached him and, without any care for his personal space, slung one of her arms around his shoulders.

“Mister Aizawa, who is that?” Denki saw just how close the two of them were, and together with Mina, sensed some juicy gossip stewing in front of them. He tried to answer but was beaten to the punch.

“I’m his wife!”

“WHAT!!?!”

“She definitely isn’t…

“Do not push the inevitable, Shota, one day I shall find that heart of yours, I just need to dig through all the angst stored inside first!” Still holding him, she was poking where his heart would be, too bad for her, he left it with his cat at home. No place for love in a hero's life…

Unceremoniously, he removed the offending limb from his body and turned his heel toward the space allowed for teachers and guardians. “I trust you all to find the entrance desk. If you need me, I’ll be there…”

“Let me tag along, it's been so long since we talked!”

“Could be longer….”

“HA, you’re a riot, Shota…” she wiped a non-existent tear from her eye and followed the reluctant man toward the teachers' lounge, vanishing away from their students. Mina turned toward Denki, who in turn did the same.

“I ship them so hard!”

“I know!”

Mina's excitement was cut off by a quick chop to the back of her head. “Oh no, you don’t! I saw enough of your love matching!” It was Ochako, still reeling from her last attempt at creating romance. Mina wanted to protest, but if someone was allowed to stop her in her tracks, it was Uraraka. Tying her outside a building like a balloon was far from enough to punish the pink menace.

“F-fine…”

“All right, class, let’s do our best! We are students at the best hero school of Japan, and we are here to prove it.” Iida took the role of the leader for his class, raising their minds and spirits. “All together! Plus…”

“Ultra!!!/ULTRAAAA!!!” Their rousing chant seemed to have gathered one extra participant from another school. A large teen was behind them, pumping his fist high in the air as if he were part of the class. Judging by his authoritarian hat, he was a student from Shiketsu, their closest rival school.

“Dude… Do you mind?” Jiro already had enough eccentric personality in her class; she didn’t need another one in her life. The boy turned toward her, his smile etched in his face and attacked her with a bow, nearly hitting her as he folded himself in half, missing her by a hair.

“SORRY! I’m just super pumped to see UA here this year, first year like me nonetheless!!” He was tall and broad, his intense face adorned with a buzzcut. Next to him were three of his classmates: A brooding teenage boy with short purple hair hiding one of his eyes and a bombshell with light brown hair and a cleavage that would make Midnight proud, and finally, a ball of hairs? With the same hat as the others.

The latter approached class 1A. “Sorry about him, Inasa is…”

“VERY HOT-BLOODED!!!” the teen answered for him, not the least embarrassed by the fact he was being way over the top.

“Yeah… Exactly…”

Ochako appeared from the back to see what was going on, and the other girl seemed to take interest in her, fixing her intensely. Did she know her? Why was she looking at her so intensely? Could it be…

“Yo, gurl like so waddup with the pinky cheeky cheek that’s like tote cute as hell!” never mind… Seems her intuition wasn’t as good as she expected, it felt almost disappointing… She jogged near her until she was close enough to touch her pink cheek.

“Aww, That Nats so chill!”

“Camie, do not touch the other students…” the broody one reprimanded his bubbly classmate, pulling her away from the now blushing brunette. “We don’t want to catch whatever they got…” the way he said it had an undercurrent behind it, something far from pleasant…

“The fuck you mean, Squint-eye...” hands in his pocket, Katsuki took center stage.

“You know exactly what I mean… Your classmate's actions are a disgrace for the heroes gathered today” no one had done anything yet, so he could only mean one person: Deku. His hand balled into a fist; no one was going to slander his name if he could stop it. He took a step forward but was held back. He looked behind to see Ochako holding him by the arm the same rage was burning in her eyes.

“He is more a hero than all of you…” he retorted, not hiding the anger behind his words. But the other teen didn’t flinch, only scoffed at his comment.

“What kind of hero hangs around villains, drinking and slandering the number one himself. Face it he is more a villain than a he-…” he couldn’t finish his phrase. Bakugo had already reeled back his fist, ready to strike him down, but he was too slow…

It was Ochako who connected first, her fist hitting the boy right across his face, leaving a nasty bruise. Both class representatives stepped in between to stop more conflict, holding back their respective students.

Iida, with the help of the other, held back Bakugo and Ochako, who wanted nothing more than to jump at the boy's throat.

And the student with the hair used his quirk to stop the large one and the brooding one from doing the same. Inasa didn’t want to protect his friend; he was happier for the fight itself than defending his friend's honour.

“You are no better than him! Lashing out like animals, face it!” this was the last thing he managed to shout before being smothered by his friend's hair until the only thing they could hear was a muffled sound.

“Let me at him, I’ll show him!” Ochako was restrained by Todoroki and Iida, both struggling against the girl who tried to push past her friend to land yet another punch.

“LET ME GO SHITTY HAIR! HE WANT A FIGHT; I’LL GIVE IT TO HIM!! Katsuki was on the ground, as Kirishima had tackled him, fearing he might set off an explosion if he let him loose a second more.

If the student of UA didn’t want to gather attention, they had just failed miserably, as of now, everyone within a hundred-meter radius had set their eyes on the fighting teens. A man with large, stressed eyes who looked like one of the legal guardians for Shiketsu students appeared, pushing away the crowd so he could get to the center of it. “What is this!? Nagamasa explain!”

The teen with the hair quirk turned toward his teacher, still holding his classmates within his hair. Inasa had a wide smile on his face.

“It’s Seiji, he instigated the fight with UA students” muffled cries of protestation echoed from his mane. The man sighed and told them to go get ready. Something his student, for once, listened to him.

“I’m sorry, he always had been quite the stickler about those things. I’ll handle the rest with your teacher” he bowed, offering sincere apologies to the offended party. Ochako, now away from the target of her aggression, calmed enough to also apologize.

“I’m sorry… I’m the one you punched him…”

“With some luck, you may have put some sense into him; he needs to get rid of that bad habit. I’ll go now, sorry again for the inconvenience” with a last bow, he started walking toward the teachers' lounge, probably to meet with Aizawa.

“How screwed do you think we are once Aizawa-sensei learn we started a fight not even a minute after his departure…” Hagakure asked the rest of her class, already fearing what punishment awaited them all.

“Very…” was the collective answer.

…

“…Our shares just dropped another 5.4%. Public relations is at an all-time low since the incident …” In the premises of the HPSC, men and women were gathered discussing the latest disaster they’ve just been through.

The bomb incident on the highway with the Gentle Criminal and Blood-Bound group at its center was disastrous; not only did they only partially succeed in their operation, but they also showed the whole thing to tens of thousands of civilians, exposing the public to the incompetence of the hero system.

Ever since the Stain incident, public opinion had shifted regarding the heroes; the only thing keeping them afloat was their big hitters, such as All Might, Endeavour, and Hawks. But even now, they couldn’t suppress the opposing voice anymore. The populace demanded change in this day and age, as the villains were now starting to organize.

“What about the MLA? Any news concerning the cryptic announcement made by Rikiya Yotsubashi?” if the public heard a rumour concerning the potential leader of the Destro movement, their organization were fully aware of his operation, keeping a keen eye on the man and his closest business partner.

“As of now, we cannot pinpoint a particular event planned in the near future. It could have been a message trying to goad us into action, so they could capitalize on it” a well-dressed woman remarked.

“What about our mole? Anything new on his side?”

“Nothing we can use, every paper trail he found only led to offshore bank and dead ends…” trying to find evidence to throw the man behind bars was akin to wrestling an oiled pig. At every attempt to grasp him and his organization, they would just slip away and walk off scot-free or let one of their followers take the fall.

“What about the man they brought to the conference, All for One?”

“As far as we are aware, his only involvement, as of now, is his speech. Still knowing All Might failed to finish him can’t be good. The man is cunning and ruthless. I can only imagine the kind of thing he has planned for Japan…”

So many things all happening all at once was becoming overwhelming for them to juggle priorities would shift at every turn. Blood-Bound, the MLA, All for One and even…

“What about the League of Villains? They’ve also been under the radar for quite a while. This can’t be good”

 The LOV has been strange as of now, nothing more than a splinter in their foot, causing minor crimes and petty damages all over the country, thanks to their portal maker. The shadowy man was the only thing making their arrest nigh impossible.

“Nothing since the Endeavour agency attack, they might be planning a big operation hand in hand with the MLA since they do share a business partner now…”

Reacting, controlling and restraining were the only things they seemed to be able to do recently. They just hope that sooner or later, they could find a way to launch a counter-offensive against one of them so they could stop spreading their resources so thin and fully eradicate those terrorist organizations.

“Let’s just hope whatever they have in store for us is nothing we cannot handle…”

…

The examiner had the same drive as a dead fish and the motivation of someone who had just learned about an economic crash. Looking down from the control room windowed section hanging above the terrain, he could see the thousands of children gathered… In particular, a group of three who are currently fighting against many.

Of course, Aizawa ‘forgot’ to tell them about the famous crushing of UA, the famous event where all of the heroes of training all over Japan decided to gang up on the prestigious academy. Ochako deflected yet another series of balls incoming her way, diving behind cover.

The test was divided into two parts; the first was some sort of quirk dodgeball where they had to eliminate two opponents to qualify for the second part, which was a rescue simulation, from what she understood.

Now all of them had their costume on, fighting for their life, all while over ten different students tried to tag her with their projectiles; everything was just peachy!

Ochako had slowly been pulled away from the rest of her group. She had managed to stick with Sero and Mina, but they couldn’t retaliate, faced with too much firepower in front of them. They didn’t have the numbers and, with Mina in mind, didn’t have the wiles to pull something that would both let them keep their marker safe and take down nine students in total.

The three of them were huddling behind a piece of concrete as balls flew over their head with a combination of quirks. “What do we do?!” Sero was holding his head down, trying his best not to get hit.

“I can’t keep blocking with my acid, I’ll run out at this rate!” they’re screwed. No matter how she looked at it, there was no escape. What can she do? What would Deku do? Probably something reckless, inventive and dangerous. Something no one would anticipate, like…

“I GOT IT!” Ochako slammed her fist in her hand. This was a plan with so many holes it would make a strainer jealous, but a reckless plan was still better than nothing. She brought her two teammates close so she could explain her idea.

…

“Come out already UA! No need to prolong the inevitable!” One of the many students shouted at the piece of concrete in front of them, but none of them dared to get close, fearing they would be taken out by the three students currently huddling behind their makeshift barricade.

“Oh yeah said like that, it's so reasonable. NO WAY JOSÉE!!” the pink one shouted back, poking her head out for a second before dodging the sea of projectiles incoming her way.

“You want us to come? Well here. We. GO!!” the brunette with the pink cheek shouted from behind the debris. When her last word was said, the large piece of concrete was sent at them at incredible speed, forcing most of them to dodge out of the way. They wiped the dust off their brow now without cover; they would be an easy target for all the others. They looked where the UA student once stood and saw… Nothing. They were gone!

“What, where?!”

“SERO, MINA NOW!” from behind?! They all turned to see the three of them charging at them, taking down most of them, thanks to the element of surprise.

They had taped themselves to the piece of concrete they’d just thrown! And with the help of the acid user, they manage to undo their bindings in a second, letting them act as soon as they impact the wall. The student tried to lift his arms to face the brunette charging at him, but his face soon met the pavement as she pulled him into submission using some kind of martial art.

UA was the best for a reason…

…

“We did it!” Mina, Sero, and Ochako all looked relieved as their targets all turned green, signifying they had taken out enough opponents to participate in the next part. That also means they could leave the battlefield, as they were no longer considered valuable targets.

“That plan was awesome, Ochako! Where the hell did you pull that from?” Over-enthusiastic Mina shouted, taking her friend, and the only reason why she passed, in her arms, lifting her off the ground.

“I just thought, what would Deku do if he were here? He always knew how to pull the best out of us…” She looked down a bit saddened now that Deku was in her mind.

Mina put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get him!”

Sero did the same, giving her a wink and a thumbs up. “He may have given up on us to do his thing, but we sure as hell didn’t forget about him. I’ll drag him back with my tape if need be!” her friends were the best. She pulled both of them in her arms for a well-needed group hug, and together they walked toward the exit.

“HELP!” a shout came from a platform underneath. They could see one of the students from another school stuck underneath heavy debris. He was wearing a green uniform looking like a ninja right out of a movie.

“Don’t worry I’m on my way!” Ochako shouted and jumped down to the platform using her quirk to slow her descent. She landed next to the boy and looked up to see Sero and Mina looking down.

“You, okay?” Mina shouted.

“Yeah, you can go, I’ll handle the rest!” with no good target on her, she wasn’t in any danger and with her quirk, she could easily lift the large, cumbersome debris blocking the other student. Sero and Mina gave her a thumbs up before leaving for much-needed refreshments. Uraraka turned toward the offending object, and, with a touch of her fingers, she lifted the heavy boulder.

“Thanks, I was sure I was a goner…”

“That’s no problem, what kind of hero would leave someone behind if they could help?” she beamed a smile at the guy, happy to be of service.

“Yeah, thanks again Ochako…”

“Like I said, it’s no prob-…” did he just say her name? She had not told him yet, so how could he know it? She took a second glance at the other student; his appearance was normal, though a bit eccentric, but one detail was unmistakable. “You’re really amazing, no wonder Izuku likes you so much…”

He had no target on him.

She raised her arms, but was too slow. The boy lounged at her, tackling her below into an alcove away from prying eyes and possible help. She rolled, landing on her back, while her opponent landed comfortably just above her, pinning her hands down to the ground.

She fought back but stopped when she felt something against her neck, a knife.

“Long time no see…” with horror, she watched as the flesh melted from his face out of the slit for his eye, pouring down her with wet sploshed until he used his free hand to reveal her face.

“Toga!?” she felt the knife on her neck press a little deeper.

“I’m sorry, but we need to talk, Ochako”

…

The examiner was busy looking down at the students, all fighting for the prestigious and tedious right of having more work. Something the tired man could and would not comprehend. He was already overwhelmed with responsibility; he didn’t even want to try imagining being a student balancing his work/study schedule.

Behind him, the door opened, but he didn’t turn. “Is it you, Gang Orca? Is everything ready for the second part?”

“Oh yes, all is ready…” this raspy voiced was not Gang Orca; he turned to be met with a hand wrapping itself around his mouth, pinky up. He tried to struggle, but the man shushed him.

“Shh, this will all be over soon, you can log off now” and the last of his digit connected, disintegrating the man as she shouted in the hand of his attacker. Using the back of his hand, Shigaraki wiped away the dust from his outfit. Another man entered, followed soon by the others, five in total, into the room via a portal.

The leader pulled a chair and sat down at the console in front of him, the controls for the whole building: Camera, terrain, weather, everything his heart desired.

“Let’s start simple” he turned off the security camera with the designated button and pulled out a little device he pressed on his neck, a voice changer. He then pushed the Mic button.

…

“Every student who passed can come back to the start. Rest of you noobs, better luck next time…” the voice was different from the regular announcer, a higher octave, not that Ochako was very focused on it; she had more important problems right now.

Notably, the knife and the girl holding it…

“Sorry about the knife, I don’t know if you’re going to try to beat me up just yet” she was straddling her, pushing her weight down her chest to stop her from getting up. She had a smile on her face, but it wasn’t wide or maniacal. From this angle, it almost seemed gentle in the darkness of their hidden alcove.

“W-what do you want?” she couldn’t fully hide the fear in her voice as she tried to put on a brave face in front of her aggressor.

“Just talking, I swear…” her curious smile didn’t waver.

“We don’t usually need a knife to talk, h-how about you dropped it…” Himiko seemed to look at her with a burning intensity as if she were trying to find something hidden on her face.

“This is how we met, you know…” gone was the smile, replaced by this unbelievable look of pure sadness.

“Him wrapped up in a chair and I with a knife hovering just above… I even stabbed him right… There…” she slid the tip of the knife across her skin-tight suit until it touched her arm. Tearing it just enough so she could see the skin underneath.  Ochako wasn’t sure what was going on. Why was she here? Where was Deku? Those two have never separated since their escape. Did something happen to him?

“Where is Deku!” she almost shouted, fearing the knife if she tried to shout for help.

“Gone, I left him…” and just like that, Himiko let go of her victim, walking back to one side of the makeshift cavern they were standing in, sitting down opposite her, facing her and holding the weapon between her fingers.

Ochako didn’t lose time sitting upright and backing away toward her own corner; she was crouching, ready for a fight.

 “What do you mean!?” Had she hurt him? Killed him?!

“I left… simple as that, he told me he didn’t love me anymore…” Himiko didn’t move from her seated position, wrapping herself with her arm, looking down. She was open. If Ochako wanted, she could easily rush her and take her down, but something wasn’t normal.

Himiko wasn’t dumb; she knew what Ochako was able to do. Was this a trap? No, something inside of her told her this wasn’t it. She was leaving herself open on purpose, like some sort of test to see what she would do. Ochako relaxed a bit but didn’t let her out of her sight.

“Deku told you that?” it was hard to believe he was ready to take his teacher hostage for her sake, so why now, of all times?

“Yep, I even got the mark to prove it” she let down the hem of the green uniform she was wearing, showing the bluish bruises around her neck. Deku did that? He would never. Slowly, her fear was replaced by concern. For Deku and Himiko.

“Why?”

“I threatened his mom with a knife…”

“WHAT!? WHY!?” Ochako shot her hands to her mouth, more as an instinct than a true desire to stay silent. Himiko looked at her flashes of a greenette with a very similar reaction that appeared in her mind, making her smile, chuckle even.

“Bad day, bad time…”

“What did you want to talk about?” again, the smile vanished. Himiko didn’t know; she just thought being near Ochako would trigger yet another realization about herself, something she could work on to get Izuku back to help her prove she could change, and this wasn’t empty promises. Only one question was plaguing her mind.

“Why do you do all of this?”

“Uh?”

“Being heroes, saving others without thanks or rewards, how? Every time I’m confronted about something, I always buckle and think about myself. How can I change that?” Himiko, for the first time since she pulled away, looked at Ochako. Her eyes were filled with worry; she was afraid.

This wasn’t an interrogation; this was a cry for help…

“Himiko, what are you doing here?” Ochako carefully approached the sitting girl in front of her, still ready if she tried anything dangerous.

“It’s just… You love him like I do… I thought that maybe I could learn to be more like you or him, so he could learn to love me again…” was that all that was? The death threat, the infiltration, the separation from her classmate? Just for some love talks about the wonderful boy she also loved. Ochako got close enough if she wanted; Himiko could hurt her, but she didn’t move, still looking up at her. She was confused and afraid; she opened the palm of her hand, gesturing to the blade.

“We talk on my terms…” her tone was firm but not angry, a clear message that she would not continue if there was no trust established. Himiko looked at the blade, then Ochako and gently tossed it at her. She grabbed it, tossing it on the opposite side, and sat next to the girl.

“You got it all wrong, Himiko…” Ochako started, and Toga listened. “He loves you; I can tell how much he does…” the talk she had with him after the whole Mina fiasco came to her mind, how he yelled he loved her but fell in love against his will, it was still fresh in her mind,

“But I’m horrible, I end up hurting those I love in the end, how could he ever love me now that he realizes how much of a selfish girl I am…” Himiko didn’t believe her, even if she was the one pushing him away right now. How could he forgive her?

How could she let him forgive her? She may hurt him again, or someone he loved, just like she almost just did with Ochako right now, using a knife because she didn’t want to lose anything; control, freedom, power, love… She wanted it all, for her alone and no one else.

When Izuku lost his drive, his will to fight after they escaped from UA, she immediately resorted to violence to make him go back to who he was, putting a knife against him. She didn’t want to hurt him, but this wasn’t him; she was ready to risk his life for her joy and pleasure. He deserved better…

“You know, not everyone becomes a hero because they want to save the world” Himiko turned toward the gravity girl, breaking her thought. Where was she going with this?

“When I was young, my parent didn’t make much money; they tried to hide it from me, but I could tell… Sometimes I could hear them cry about how little they could afford for me, for them, for anything we needed…” she turned toward the blonde, her face filled with determination.

“I told myself I would become a hero! So, I could make all the money we need to be happy, to go on vacation and buy whatever we need! This is why I save people, why I am a hero!” Himiko didn’t know what to say.

“Everyone wants something different in life, something selfish…” she turned away to look at her feet, ashamed. “I want money, I want my parent happy, and I want Izuku… Just like you, I’m selfish and I know how horrible my thoughts can be if I let myself go…”

“Ochako, you say you’re selfish, but you do all of this without hurting anyone, you’re different from me… Better…” this triggered something in her, something akin to hope, but how could she compare herself to her? She never hurt anyone, never killed.

“Then become better!” Ochako grabbed her hands, making her look into her eyes. “Not for him, not for me, not for anyone else than yourself! Be someone he loves because you want him to love you! Be someone better so you can do what you want! What if it’s selfish and self-serving in the end, you will become a better person, that’s what's important!” she said this with so much determination, with such passion, she was enthralled.

“And if you don’t, I’ll take Deku! I’ll love him and I’ll cherish him because I also want him, so this is war, Himiko, and I don’t intend to lose to you or anyone else!” every word she yelled with her red, blushing face was true; she meant every one of them. This lit a fire in Himiko's soul.

She will make Izuku love her again, she will make his mother forgive her, she will make everyone fawn over how cute she is, and above all else, she will live as she pleases. Ochako suddenly seemed to be reminded of something.

“Toga, I need to tell you something, UA is-…” but her words were cut off by the sound of an explosion and terrain shifting underneath them. The second phase of the exam had begun.

…

“What the hell was that!?” Bakugo was standing near the starting area with all his classmates; only Round Cheek was missing. Over two hundred participants were standing in the same place, waiting for an explanation. Among them, a trio of Shiketsu students missing their fellow loud-mouthed, squint-eyed friend; he made sure to eliminate him first…

“Looks like chumps got stuck inside a natural disaster. Wanna do your job?” the announcer had changed as well. Who the hell was that guy? The giant TV showed the extent of the damage happening further in the colosseum. Picture of elders and children stuck beneath diverse obstacles appeared for them to see.

“Are those real victims!? What the hell kind of exam is this?!”

“Don’t get pissy, those are not real victims, although their acting could get some help…”

“HEY!” one of the kids stuck inside a building yelled, offended by the remark.

“How about we give them some motivation…” the voice changed again to the confusion of many, but not UA. They knew who this was, who was the man behind the mic. Aizawa was already putting on his goggles and pulling Miss Joke with him as the other teachers still wondered what was happening.

“Is that?”

“Shigaraki…” Bakugo ended the sentence.

In front of them, the giant screen displayed in full the leader of the League of Villains, his usual attire of human limbs grasping at him, and in the background, the rest of the League of Villains stood ready.

“Now take a closer look around.” The TV once again changed to display the usual site of destruction where the victims were stuck and hidden for them to save, with one key difference: Nomus, hundreds of them, disgusting grey beasts running around the stadium wildly with one mission in mind.

Kill.

“This looks like a situation for our little heroes to play with!” his laugh echoed through the mic he was yelling in.

“You have two choices… Run and give up on this little dream of yours, or stay and die like the NPC you are. What will it be, little heroes?”

Many exchanges nervous looks before running away. This was too much for them. What the hell were they supposed to do against a real villain!? They were still children, for god's sakes! Training and chasing their dream, they didn’t have the time to face a real threat yet. So, they ran, they ran toward the door to save their lives, at least fifty of them.

“STAY HERE YOU IDIOTS!” Aizawa yelled from the stand. He and Miss Joke were already running toward the control room to face the villains. And many teachers and heroes were jumping down to save the civilians stuck inside the Arena.

The kids running didn’t heed his advice, too panicked to listen to the word of someone in the stands. They entered the doors, pushing themselves out of the way to get out faster, but then…

*FWWWWOOOOSSHHH*

A sickly stream of blue flames emerged from the door they were running toward, consuming most of the students screaming in agony as the teens and teacher watched in horror. Two smiling Dabi emerged from the massacre, a blue flame still lingering in their hands as they delighted in the expression of pure horror around them.

“HAHAHAHA, LET'S THE TRUE EXAM BEGIN HEROES!!!”

Author’s note

This chapter was hard!! I was stumped on so many levels while writing it, but I think it turned out all right. A lot of things will happen in the second chapter, so don’t worry.

I know I skip over the whole Inasa and Todoroki beef, but I’ll be honest; it’s stupid they have conflict for like one day, then they become buddy, so I just skipped it. Also, I wanted to write some brain rot, so Camie is here!

The whole HPSC bit is setting us up for the future MLA thing I got planned. Hope it turns out alright.

Himiko and Ochako! So happy how my little speech between those two ended up, and of course, I had to cut off Ochako before she said anything about the UA program. Don’t want to make things too easy.

I skipped over a lot of things, but you don’t need me to explain what happened in the anime and describe fights. At least I gave a little spotlight on Ochako Mina and Sero's teamwork. The next chapter is going to be full of them, so don’t worry, everyone will have some time to shine!

As for the whole Shigaraki new exam planned, it is not over. New elements will be introduced next chapter, upping the scale, and Izuku will have some lines this time around. If the action takes too much time, I may split it into three parts.

Up next, the true exam begins with a twist…

Chapter Text

TW: a few mentions of death. I didn’t do it last chapter to avoid spoilers, but now you should expect it. Also, this whole timeline can get confusing as all of it happened roughly at the same time. (A bit like the chimera ant arc in HxH for those who know) Keep an eye out for the “IZUKU!!...” It is an indicator of where you are. Also long chapter over 10,000 words. Now let’s get into it!

…

Izuku was sitting at the bar, sipping on his water. He receive no messages from Himiko since the day she ran off. He was feeling miserable thinking about it, his mind still torn between the love he felt for her and this feeling of betrayal eating at his guts. Vero was with him, with some patrons who started drinking as soon as the clock hit noon.

“Still no answer, kid?”

“No… You should know, it’s your phone I’m holding after all…”

“Hey, as long as you pay, I’m more than happy to lend it, just don’t go sweeping in my browser history” she winked, giving an idea of what he might find if he tried to. That didn’t even manage to fluster the boy in front of him, too concerned to think about such things, his finger hovering over the call button.

“Can you turn on the TV? It might help me distract myself…” Vero sighed but had no reason not to. She picked up the remote and pressed on. It was the news, the show host was a beautiful brunette with quite the cleavage showing. Vero found what she would be looking at instead of the mopping kid.

“…Breaking news, a terrible attack orchestrated by the league of villains has struck the Hero provisional license exam happening at the Takoba National Stadium about twenty minutes ago. As of now, the number of victims remains unknown…”

If Izuku wanted to change his mind, he sure wasn’t hoping for that…

“Wait, the license exam!?” his class was supposed to be there that day!!

“Authorities are busy evacuating the area as the presence of a bomb has been declared; those living in close are urged to evacuate as fast as possible.”

His friends were in danger! And he was sulking in a bar, doing nothing while they all risked their lives. He went online trying get more news, the address, or anything he could do to help them in any way, shape or form.

This was happening in another city, far from Musutafu, even if he ran there with all the power available to him, it would take forty minutes to reach them, and by the way they were talking, he didn’t have the luxury of time. He was powerless to stop it…

Another thing caught his attention, a stream on an unknown platform with currently 250,000 viewers, titled the ‘LOV and dead kids collabs’. He clicked on it and was greeted by the screams of dozens of people all yelling at the same time. At least eight cameras displayed the gruesome massacre happening. Screams and cries of pain all echoed simultaneously, displaying heroes saving children, elders being torn apart and students fighting off villains.

“I have to go; I-I have to try something! I can’t just stand around, maybe I could-…”

“IZUKU!!...” his muttering was interrupted; he looked at Vero, but she wasn’t the one who cried his name. The voice came from his phone, and he could see her…

Himiko…

…Earlier…

This was anarchy. Nomus were running rampant everywhere, lashing out with claws and teeth at everything their deformed hands could grasp, and right now, Katsuki was the closest thing.

“Raaawwwggrr”

“DIE!” one quick explosion was more than enough to get rid of the abominations. It twitched and convulsed until it stopped, its unblinking eyes never closing. Class 1A, Shiketsu High, all the teachers and about a hundred more students were fighting, restrained to their starting area, submerged by the things.

Kirishima lightly swiped another away from Momo, killing it instantly.  “At least those things are weak as hell!”

“How did he make so many of them?” the girl he just saved asked, beating yet another one with her conjured staff. Even if those things weren’t as strong as the Nomu they saw at the USJ or in the forest, they were quite bothersome, overwhelming them by sheer numbers alone and tearing them apart by a thousand cuts.

A student away from the safety of the group was flanked by two Nomus who promptly swipe him off his feet and began tearing into him. Mina was about to strike them with her acid but was stop when a gust of air swept them off their feet, sending all of those near the starting area hundreds of feet into the air. She looked with the rest of her class at the person responsible to see the hot-blooded guy from Shiketsu with a grin on his face, every monster now hovering with him.

“I’ll deal with them! Go save the rest of the victims hiding around!”

Blue fire rose toward him from the two Dabi standing around the injured charred student at their feet, using them as a human shield. A laser hit one on the side of its head, dissolving the clone. Another was hit by a controlled fire spray, also dissolving him.

Aoyama and Todoroki stood next to one another, one had an uneasy expression on his face, and the other his usual calm demeaner.

“What’s this? Endeavour spawn manages to take down the awesome Dabi! Give him a medal so he can show it to daddy!” on the camera, they could see the original with a wide grin on his face holding the Mic as if hosting a show, his voice was deranged and joyful, taking great pleasure in what he was doing.

Todoroki merely scoffed at the comment.

Shigaraki took back the Mic. “He is right, while you are losing your time levelling up, people are dying heroes. Come on, move and put on a show for the cameras!” drones were flying around the place, capturing images of elders and children being swarmed by the atrocity. Others were being saved by heroes, while less fortunate were being overwhelmed.

“Like that? I got the idea watching that shitty green turd and his crazed girlfriend. The thing missing from their video was some real death and destruction, so I fixed it, you’re welcome” he let out a laugh as he watched the carnage and destruction happening below. One student threw some sort of hard projectile toward him, but it bounced off the reinforced glass.

“Nice try dumbass! Now I’ll explain the rules…” he cleared his throat before presenting his group to the camera.

“Say hi to my mini-bosses! Each of them will defend a part of the arena and stop you from saving as many people as you can. Your job is simple: stop the Nomus from killing everyone, but that’s not all!” he clicked a button, and a picture of a small creature with black skin similar to the Nomu at USJ appeared. It had similar bulging eyes and an exposed brain, but it seemed harmless compared to the one they saw.

“Say hi to little fat man! I hid this little guy somewhere around here, and he has a very special surprise in store for you all” the next picture shows the same creature somehow doubled in size, his body swelling like a cadaver in water.

“He gets bigger and bigger every minute you fail to find him, and I got him a very special quirk just for this event” he smiled, his chapped lips cracked under the strain of his skin going so wide.

“Self detonates… The longer you wait, the bigger the explosion will be. The idea was also inspired by the little green turd…” Bakugo wanted to rip the hands from his body and shove them where the sun wouldn’t shine.

“So go! And save some lives, little heroes! If you can…” the video feed cut as the five villains disappeared inside their respective portals, toward somewhere around the gigantic arena.

This was bad; this now means the five main areas of the large stadium were guarded by villains, and Shigaraki was acting as a wild card in the middle of all this. They had to be intelligent about this; they couldn’t go alone, that was a sure way to lose someone.

“CLASS 1A GATHER!!” Iida took center stage, yelling at the top of his lungs to get everyone's attention.

“We need to split up and save the civilians. We also need to find Uraraka, as she is still missing! We have five areas to cover: the city, the flooded area, the mountain, the industrial park, and the forest!”

They all nodded, knowing their class president had the right idea. This way, they could cover each other's backs and also scout more ground to find their missing classmates.

“I’ll take the flooded zone with Momo, Shoji and Mineta, Kero!” Tsuyu was the first to organize some sort of team, to the great surprise of Mineta.

“Why me?!”

“We may replicate the thing we did back at the USJ if we're lucky” a sound argument the pipsqueak couldn’t oppose.

“Alright! Then I’ll take Bakugo, Kaminari and Mina for the city!” Kirishima said while grinning.

“WHO SAID I’LL LISTEN TO YOU SHITTY HAIR!!”

“See, he’s already pumped!” Katsuki's comment did nothing to shrink the boy's grin.

“Alright! Me, Aoyama, Koda and Jiro will take the forest!” they could hear Hagakure, invisible whip tug in her hand as she got ready to fight.

“Seems like we're buddies again, Koda” Jiro gave a sly smile to her fellow teammate, happy to work with the boy who helped her beat Present Mic for her exam. Koda gave her a confident nod.

“I’ll take the industrial park…” Todoroki simply stated, already running off toward the designated area, but he was followed closely by Sero, Sato, and Ojiro. All keeping up with him.

“You really need to work on your teamwork. Even Bakugo is better than you now” Sero grinned as he swung past him, pulling Sato with him.

“That leaves Tokoyami and me for the mountain area…” their team was smaller than the others. Normally, four would work perfectly, but they were missing two people as of now.

“We’ll accompany you!” the hairy teen from Shiketsu walked up to them with his other classmate.

“I’m like so bummed but they sure need an ass whopping, and I can’t like, not do anything” the girl said, to the confusion of everyone who was listening…

“All right, everyone, keep an eye out for the special Nomu he mentioned and Uraraka! Let’s go!” with the help of his turbo leg. Iida propelled himself forward, but not so fast that he would leave his team behind.

They would not fail…

…

Shigaraki was looking down at the carnage happening below, noticing how the UA student took no time to react in the middle of the chaos. This was probably what Spinner wanted: to raise the next generation of heroes through hardship until the cream of the crop emerges from the ashes.

The door behind him was kicked open.

“Eraserhead, still pro-active as ever. I should have expected it by now”

“Shut your trap, villains. You are not getting away this time!” he threw his scarf at him as Miss Joke ducked underneath, charging at the leader of the league, who didn’t move an inch. The capture weapon was easily redirected when a portal appeared out of thin air, sending it elsewhere.

“I would love to chat, but I got some corpse to make. I’ll make sure to ship your students in a bag…” and he stepped inside the portal, which closed the second Miss Joke's fist was about to connect with him. Aizawa ran toward the window to look down at the situation happening below just in time to see his student run off toward the five corners of the stadium, right into the danger.

“I told those idiots not to move…” a part of him was terrified, afraid of the idea of his student running headfirst toward the danger, and another couldn’t be prouder of them. He just hoped they had been listening when he taught them…

…The forested area…

(Hagakure, Aoyama, Koda and Jiro)

“Where the hell do they keep coming from!?” Jiro blasted yet another Nomu away with her speaker boot, a futile effort as another took his place not even a second later. Luckily, Aoyama was ready to laser the little monster.

The four of them entered the forested area to find that the number of those beasts wouldn’t dwindle no matter how far they were going; they must have thousands of them if they managed to be so numerous wherever they went.

Koda was at the center of the formation, whispering with all the animals he could get a hold of, not many, as this place was located inside a building, but he did manage to find Mice and insects he could communicate with. “Three civilians on the right and another on the left!”

He was the center of their intelligence, the one gathering information as the others defended him. Students from other schools followed them and listened to the timid boy, going in the direction of the hidden civilians, trying to save anyone they could.

A Nomu appeared in his unprotected back. Claws, raised ready to tear him apart, but the thing froze midair, his limbs constricted in an invisible tangle of cords.

“Invisible prison!” Hagakure tightened her hold, the aberration twisted and popped, splattering her with gore.

“EWW, EWW, EWW! It wasn’t supposed to do that!” the visibly panicking invisible girl did her best to frantically wipe away the blood covering her. Luckily, another student with a water quirk rinsed her off.

“They are so weak, it’s a wonder they don’t pop by themselves. Their only redeeming quality is the sheer number of them” Jiro commented, jabbing her jack into one and making it explode in a similar manner.

“Everyone, watch out!” Koda yelled, pushing aside Jiro before she was impacted by a Nomu sent her way like a cannonball. It missed, impacting the tree instead, exploding on impact.

“Damn! I was sure I had you with this one…” the intruder stepped out of her bush, revealing a large woman with thick lips, a plain shirt and a wicked-looking metal arm. Magne was here to crack some skulls, and it seemed she had found her next target.

“I've got to say, you runts improve quite a lot from the last time we saw you at summer camp. I hope you make this interesting”

They had the advantage of both numbers and knowledge of their opponent's quirk, well, at least at first glance in truth if you counted the number of Nomu running around it was still a ratio of ten for one and they had barely seen her quirk in action, only vaguely knowing it had to do with magnetism.

“There isn’t a way to convince you to abandon your villainous way, is it?”

“Nah, this is way more fun than a nine-to-five. Come on, give me a good fight!” she raised her metal arm, aiming it at Koda, hoping to take out the largest member of their team first.

Her arm glowed pink as Koda started glowing blue, lifting up his feet toward the muscular woman, flying toward his opponent, something shifted in the metal arm; a spike had appeared in the palm of her hand, and Koda was going straight at it!

But he stopped midair, on the opposite side, a pair of gloves and her two teammates were holding on to the invisible lasso, saving their friend from being skewered. They all grunted, feeling the magnetic force slowly overpower them.