Chapter 47

Inasa's skull is pounding, but he tries not to let it show on his face. All things considered he's in a pretty foul mood, at least by his own standards, but he tries not to let that show either.

He remembers almost nothing useful, just the girl's face and the sting of a needle, before waking up draped over a toilet tank with one boot soaking in the bowl and a woman standing over him, dressed in the uniform of Gang Orca's agency and looking incredibly relieved to find him crammed into a bathroom stall.

The indignity would be bad enough, but then he finds out that he's missed the main exam. The rest of the participants are outside receiving their scores, and Inasa has spent the entire thing drugged in a public bathroom.

Then he finds out he's lucky to be alive, because his attacker was none other than Toga Himiko of the League of Villains. She has the highest estimated body count of the league's current lineup, which means that the fact that he was found drugged instead of dead was, at best, statistically unlikely.

But it's no use dwelling on what-ifs. For now he finds himself bustled into a room where his homeroom teacher, the exam proctor, Gang Orca, and a handful of other concerned-looking adults are waiting with…

Oh. Just his luck. He's disheveled, his foot and the edge his cape are soaked in toilet water, he has a vicious headache, and he's being pushed into a room with Todoroki Shouto and his green-haired friend with the creepy eyes.

"What are they doing here?" It comes out more confused than angry. If he was attacked by a villain, he'd be debriefed, wouldn't he? Unless… "Wait, did they get attacked too?"

Gang Orca nods. "From what we can tell, it looks as if Todoroki Shouto was the main target of this attack. Toga used her quirk to copy your form in order to remain undetected."

Shocked, Inasa shoots them another glance. Todoroki gives him a look that he can't read. His friend's face is bland and emotionless. Between the two of them, something curdles in Inasa's gut; the caustic mix of dread, anger, relief, and retroactive terror within him clashes with the bland calm he sees around him, and it sets his teeth on edge.

"Did you get a look at her?" His own sensei rests a hand on his shoulder. "Did she say anything to you?"

"It's no good," Inasa says, shaking his head. "I was headin' out to the main exam, then she was there stickin' a needle in me, and then the next second I was wakin' up. She didn't say anything. She didn't look anything like the pictures they have up, either. Must'a taken someone else's form first—some girl from Ketsubutsu."

As he goes on to describe her in more detail, Todoroki stands up straighter. "I saw her before—she tried to attack me in the first round, but I eliminated her before she could get close." Beside him, the other boy shifts from foot to foot and says nothing.

"Midoriya," one of the other adults, recognizable as the underground hero Eraserhead, addresses Todoroki's classmate. The name tugs at Inasa's memory. He knows that name, doesn't he? "Go wait out by the bus. You've done enough."

"Just a moment," Gang Orca speaks up. "I'm curious. You did well, warning me while minimizing the risk of alerting the villain—she might have panicked otherwise. But how did you know? Are you familiar with Yoarashi?"

"Not really." Midoriya's voice is just as emotionless as the rest of him. "We just met today. But I know Toga, a little. When—" He shoots a glance at Inasa. "I was with the League for three days, and Toga doesn't care much about boundaries. You get to know her whether you want to or not."

Inasa gapes at him. Midoriya Izuku, of course! That whole mess in Kamino was to save him and one of his classmates from the League.

"She's an actress, but… I noticed things, when I came to help hold off Gang Orca," Midoriya goes on. "The way she moved, the way she fought, the expression on her face. They were… familiar. Really, uncomfortably familiar. And I heard some of the stuff she was saying to Todoroki, and that confirmed it."

"Such as?" Eraserhead prompts.

"Nothing that I care to repeat," Todoroki says icily. "Attacks against my family, that sort of thing."

"She gets under your skin," Midoriya adds quietly. He leans over to bump Todoroki's shoulder gently. "Like a tick. She's good at that."

"There's one more thing," Todoroki says. "I believe Midoriya was also targeted—just more indirectly than I was." Midoriya looks up, like this is news to him too. "When he came to bring me here, Toga stopped me from following right away. She held me back just long enough to—to greet him. She made a point of speaking with him. I don't know if she knew by then that he recognized her. But I'm pretty sure she wanted him to."

"I'm gonna sleep real good tonight," Midoriya remarks.

There's a tired cough, and Mera clears his throat to speak. "If there's nothing more to be learned about the villain, then all that remains to discuss is the test itself." He nods to Midoriya. "You already had a passing score to begin with. If anything, this incident confirms it. You have our thanks and congratulations." He looks to Todoroki. "As for you, I'm afraid you'll have to attend the make-up exam in April for the failing students—"

"Wait, what?" Midoriya says sharply, eyes snapping to Mera. It's the most emotion he's shown since Inasa walked in.

"Midoriya," Eraserhead warns.

"No, that's not fair!" he protests. "He was doing fine until she showed up! How can you fail him when she sabotaged him on purpose—"

"Midoriya, it's fine," Todoroki says tersely.

"It's not fine! This isn't fair, I know for a fact you wouldn't have failed if she hadn't—"

"I might as well have!" Todoroki cuts him off. "You weren't there, I was. I as good as failed."

"You didn't fail, you were attacked by a villain—"

"That just makes it worse, doesn't it?" Todoroki interrupts him again, and Midoriya twitches at his harsh tone. "Forget the simulation. A real villain showed up and I played right into her hands. Don't you get it? She found a weak spot and got into my head, and I made it easy for her. So drop it."

The two of them glare at each other until Midoriya looks away first.

"I phrased that badly," Mera says mildly. "Neither Todoroki nor Yoarashi have officially failed the exam. But because you were both sabotaged, our results are either nonexistent or unreliable, and therefore we must evaluate you both more accurately. I apologize for this, truly, and from what I've seen of your performances before this incident, I have every confidence that you both will pass in April. Remedial training will be required of you, but…" He nods at Todoroki. "If you believe that some shortcoming of yours left you vulnerable, then you'll agree that that will be useful for you."

Midoriya shoots Mera an icy glare until Todoroki elbows him.

"That's enough." Eraserhead speaks in a tone that discourages argument. "There are a few things we need to discuss, but the three of you should return to your classmates."

Todoroki doesn't wait for confirmation, or for anyone to contradict Eraserhead, before taking Midoriya's elbow and towing him out of the room. Yoarashi bows, thanks them, and follows them out.

The locker room is empty when Inasa goes to change back into his uniform. He leaves his costume with those of the rest of his classmates, and fully intends to return to them as Eraserhead ordered.

But then he steps out and hears voices, coming from one of the side hallways that don't lead to anything important, where the students had no reason to go. He's alarmed at first, naturally, until he steps closer and recognizes Todoroki and Midoriya's voices.

It's nothing more than curiosity that makes him creep closer to see—neither of them needed to change like he did, so what reason would they have to delay obeying their own homeroom teacher? Inasa makes his way closer as stealthily as he can manage, muffling his own footsteps with soft cushions of air, until he turns a corner and comes upon them.

He's always thought he knew what to expect out of Todoroki Shouto: haughty looks and cold words and much the same as what he sees in Todoroki Enji. And he hasn't known Midoriya long enough to expect anything at all.

What he doesn't expect is to turn a corner and find them tucked away while the former talks the latter through a panic attack.

Neither of them notice him, of course. Midoriya is too busy trembling violently, while Todoroki holds on to him and talks in a low, steady voice.

"It's all right, Midoriya."

"—sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry—"

"You don't have anything to be sorry for."

"I should've known, she was here the whole time and I should've seen it, I should've known the second I stepped off that bus, I know she was watching I just know it—"

"Midoriya."

"It's me! I never miss things! I'm not supposed to miss things, but I missed her—"

"Midoriya—"

"—and she got close enough to—she could've—i-if she wanted to, I mean she was already there when I got back to you and—"

"Izuku. Breathe."

Inasa catches sight of the look on Todoroki's face, and it's—jarring. It looks nothing like it did all those months ago, when Todoroki shut him down without even looking in his direction. Maybe if Todoroki's eyes had looked like this, back then, Inasa wouldn't have come to the conclusions he did.

"I should've known," Midoriya repeats, but his voice has lost its frantic edge. "I should've known, they've been so quiet since Kamino."

"That's not our job yet," Todoroki replies. Then, in a softer tone he adds, "Sorry I snapped at you, before. I know you were trying to help."

"It wasn't your fault, Todoroki."

"Well it wasn't yours either."

"Is your dad gonna do anything when he finds out?"

Todoroki freezes for a moment, and something like fear flashes across his face just for an instant. "No. Doubt it. Bastard's too busy with his new workload. I'll be fine, Midoriya. I'll retake it in April, and I'll pass then. Don't worry about me, all right? I'll catch up soon. And as for Toga Himiko, she didn't hurt me."

"She took your blood, Todoroki, you know what that means—"

"And we all know about it. The heroes know about it. If she tries anything, then you'll be able to tell the difference, remember?"

A wet sniffle reaches Inasa's ears, and Todoroki pulls his friend into a hug and lets him cry into his chest.

Belatedly, Inasa realizes that he's overstayed his welcome. This is between them, it has nothing to do with him, and his presence is an intrusion.

Still softening his footsteps, he hurries back out to the parking lot.

His classmates are curious and relieved to see him, of course. Camie musses his hair (there's not much to work with) and calls him a scrub, and Moura-senpai gently nudges him for an explanation, but he shrugs and grins and fends off questions as best he can. Eventually they take the hint and leave him alone for now, and he sighs with relief. His headache is better than it was, but he's not much for explaining himself at the moment.

The dull throb is finally ebbing when he looks up to see Midoriya and Todoroki crossing the parking lot together. Midoriya's looking around, and eventually catches Inasa's eye and turns to Todoroki. They exchange words for a moment before jogging over, Midoriya leading and Todoroki following.

Inasa steps toward them, bracing himself. He's not sure what this is about, and he's not sure if he likes or trusts these two, but it wouldn't hurt to give them the benefit of the doubt, would it?

"Yeah?" he says.

"Okay, so—" Midoriya looks a little pale and red-eyed, but he's noticeably less blank-faced than he was before. "I know it's kind of awkward and you don't know us very well, but, I guess we just wanted to know if you were okay? After… uh, everything."

"Oh." Inasa looks back and forth between the two of them. Midoriya seems sincere, if awkward, and Todoroki simply meets his gaze and holds it. "'M fine. Head hurts a bit, but it'll pass."

"Oh, good." Midoriya looks thoroughly relieved at this. It's weird, seeing him so expressive now after he looked so blank while talking to the adults. Beside him, Todoroki makes a noise of agreement and draws Inasa's attention again.

Inasa's gut still curdles at the site of him, but the feeling is duller now. It's hard to hate someone after you've seen them hold and comfort a crying friend.

Before he can think of what to say, he finds himself presented with the top of Todoroki's head as the other boy dips in a short, sort of awkward bow. "She was targeting me," Todoroki says, without quite meeting Inasa's eyes. "Or—both of us. Either way you shouldn't have been involved, but you ended up getting caught up in it anyway. Sorry about that."

"Are you seriously apologizing to me for something a villain did?" Inasa asks incredulously.

Todoroki shrugs. "You were collateral damage in an attack against me. Whatever problem there is between us, I certainly don't want you getting dragged into something awful because of me. You can accept it or not, but it didn't sit right with us not to at least say something."

"You really don't remember, do ya," Inasa says, and for a moment Todoroki seems to shrink in on himself.

"I take it you guys have met before?" Midoriya says, glancing between them.

"It would've been at the demonstration, right?" Todoroki says. "For recommended students?"

"You'll probably call it petty," Inasa says, crossing his arms. "After I edged you out in our scores, I went up to you to introduce myself as a future classmate. You pushed past me and told me to stay out of your way." Even out of his own mouth it feels like such a small thing, and he shakes his head. "Guess it probably sounds stupid. But it played out almost word for word like a run-in I had with Endeavor, years ago. Brought up some bad memories, and the fact that both of you were considered top-class by UA ended up souring me to the idea of attending."

By now Todoroki is staring at him, wide-eyed with unmistakable recognition—and that's something, Inasa supposes. He had to jog his memory, but at least there was something in there to be jogged in the first place.

"Yeah, that is kind of petty," Midoriya says.

"Midoriya," Todoroki sighs.

"What? It is. I mean, shuffling past the fact that he judged an entire school on two people while ignoring the dozens of other UA-trained heroes who turned out fine, it's not like you told him you were gonna kick his ass on live TV."

"Midoriya."

"Or accused him of being an illegitimate child--"

"Regardless, I am sorry about that," Todoroki cuts him off, and Midoriya lets him. "A few things have changed for me since then, and I'm sorry you had to meet me back then. I wasn't in a very good place at the time, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

It's as sincere an apology as he could have hoped for; frankly, Inasa hadn't expected one at all. "Think I might've misjudged you," he admits.

Voices call out from across the parking lot—the UA crowd is calling the two of them over.

"Looks like we're leaving," Midoriya says. "Bye, Yoarashi. Glad you're okay. Let's go, Todoroki."

"Coming."

"Guess I'll see you at remedial training," Inasa says gruffly.

Todoroki's mouth quirks to one side. It's almost a smile.

The incident is dealt with delicately, but word spreads among the students anyway. Once they're back at the dorms, Aizawa-sensei gives them all a brief, stern lecture on the importance of discretion with ongoing investigations before releasing them. The moment they're all free, Izuku finds himself and Todoroki inundated with questions. It's Iida who saves them in the end, fending off nearly the entire class long enough for Izuku to get a word in so that they can properly explain things.

"Wait!" Bakugou's eyes widen with furious realization. "That bitch touched me!"

"What?" Kirishima looks alarmed.

"Someone touched the back of my neck in the second round! And when I turned around, all I saw was baldy and some other girl!" He seethes, scratching at his collarbone. It's the spot where Toga slashed him in Kamino; it didn't scar, but it was still the deepest wound he received that night.

It's almost a relief to hear him yelling again, for all that it sets Izuku's teeth on edge. Bakugou has been eerily quiet since the results of the exams were released. He's the only one besides Todoroki who didn't pass, and his tense silence is far more unnerving than his usual volatile rage.

Todoroki seems fine, for the most part. The temperature in the common room stays steady, and his usual calm facade doesn't seem to be a strain on him. He's quieter than usual, avoiding questions and letting Izuku do most of the talking. At some point Mika crawls into his lap, and from that moment on he ignores the rest of the class.

It's getting on to early evening when the others finally disperse, to talk amongst themselves, share the news of the exam results with family, or in Iida's case, go straight to bed in preparation for the start of the new term tomorrow. Todoroki dozes on the couch with Mika curled up on his stomach, and Izuku is about to join him when Hino sits down heavily next to him. It's sudden enough to startle Rei, who perches on the back of the couch and swats at his head.

"You know," Hino says. "When I told you what I did, at Kamino, I never said anything about you keeping it to yourself."

Izuku looks at him, confused.

"Not about me," Hino says quickly. "You can, uh. You can do what you want with that. But—c'mon, kid. You've been quiet about Dabi. Have you even told anyone?"

"Sent in a tip." Hino doesn't know sign language, so Izuku keeps his voice at his usual muttering volume. "Straight to Tsukauchi."

"Fat lot of good that'll do," Hino snorts. "You know how many crackpot tips get called in to the police these days? Loads. I used to do stupid shit like that in high school. No—tips aren't good enough. If you're worried about telling people about your power—All-Might knows now, doesn't he?"

Izuku purses his lips. "Todoroki said Toga brought up his family. Did she—?"

"Talk about how much he took after daddy dearest? Yeah." Hino pulls a face. "Clever little tart brought up my sister, too. She hit him right where it hurt."

"Do you think… that maybe Dabi…?"

Hino frowns deeply, pursing his lips. "Hm… damn. I didn't think to ask the ghosts around her, when they told me who she was. But… nah. For one thing, he wouldn't have had to. Yoarashi—the real one, mind you—compared him to Endeavor before the second round started, and Shouto took it about as well as you'd expect. If she saw that, she could've built off of it."

"Is there another thing?"

"Yeah." Hino frowns. "She thought it was Endeavor who scarred him. His brothers didn't stick around long, but they didn't clear out 'til after my sister was hospitalized. Fuyumi knew, and she wouldn't have fibbed, not even to protect them. She's not the bravest girl, but she's sensible and honest."

Izuku's mouth twists. "Okay. Okay, you're right." He looks at Todoroki, who still dozes fitfully on the other end of the couch. "I think… I'll tell him, at least. I don't think it should get out now. We just lost one number one. Much as he deserves it, now's not the time to start discrediting the new one. Not until things are more stable."

Hino sighs harshly. "Fair enough, it's your world. I'm already dead, so what do I care."

"Please stop pretending to be an uncaring asshole, it doesn't work anymore."

"Eat me," Hino snorts, then adds, "Heads up."

Izuku looks up to see Bakugou approaching, and braces himself on instinct. He doesn't shake; he might have, if Bakugou had taken him by surprise. But it's hard to get caught off guard when he's surrounded by invisible people willing to warn him about things.

So he watches, warily, as Bakugou stalks toward him and past him, every inch of him tense. "Deku," he bites out. "Meet me outside later. We need to talk." Without waiting for a reply, he keeps walking. Rei blows a raspberry that he doesn't hear.

"Charming," Hino says dryly.

"That's Bakugou," Izuku murmurs. "He's always been like that."

Ignore him, Rei says. He's stupid and he'll just hit you again.

Izuku sighs deeply. She's probably right.

"Are you going to?"

Izuku jumps; Todoroki's eyes are shut, but apparently he's awake and aware. "I thought you were asleep."

"He's loud." Todoroki opens his eyes halfway. "Curfew's soon. Think he'll be done in time?"

"I don't think it'll matter to him," Izuku says. "What do you think?"

Todoroki's mouth tightens a little, only for a moment. "I try to avoid wandering outside after dark with someone I don't trust," he says. "And you don't trust him."

"Not really…" Izuku's voice trails off. In his mind, he goes back to the warehouse in Kamino—the taste of blood, the burn of his broken wrist, Bakugou's hand shaking against his shoulder as it heats up and I don't fucking want to! "I don't not trust him, anymore." He swallows hard. "Kamino changed things."

"How so?"

"I don't know." Izuku's voice cracks. "But things are different now, somehow, and I don't know if it's because of me or him or both of us—but—" His chest feels heavy. "I think I have to."

"You don't have to if you don't want to—"

"I can't just avoid him—"

"You told me once that avoiding things that hurt you doesn't count as weakness," Todoroki says sharply.

"And it didn't change your mind, either," Izuku shoots back.

Todoroki doesn't answer, except with a look of flat disapproval. It's almost identical to the looks on Hino and Rei's faces.

"If this is because of what I told you about—about what happened years ago…" Izuku's throat closes up. "I told you because for the first time in years it felt okay to talk about it. Not because I need protecting. He's bully, not a villain. I can handle him." Todoroki looks unconvinced, Rei even more so. "Also, he said he wanted to talk. And Bakugou… I don't think he's ever said that to me before. So… that's something."

"Will it last?" Todoroki asks dryly.

"Maybe not. But it's worth it to try."

Todoroki holds his gaze a moment more, then shrugs and looks away. "Try not to get dragged into a fight. You'd get suspended before the first day of the new term."

With a sigh, Izuku gets up. "If he just wants to pick a fight, then I'll leave. I'll see you later."

For a moment it looks as if Todoroki wants to say more, but in the end he shrugs and lies back again. "I'm keeping your cat."

"That's what I thought you were gonna say."

He doesn't want to go, if he's being honest. He wants to go to bed, he wants to forget about everything that happened today, he wants to do anything but deal with Bakugou.

But he also wants this dealt with. He wants—

He wants things that he can't have, but that's nothing new.

Bakugou is waiting for him just outside. It's not yet curfew, but it's close enough that Izuku knows they probably won't finish whatever this is before getting yelled at. He walks down the steps, hands clenched in his pockets, and watches Bakugou turn and walk away with a jerk of his head.

"Let's go."

"We can't talk out here?" Izuku asks. Hands close around his wrist, and he looks back to see Rei clutching him, scowling darkly at Bakugou's back.

Bakugou pauses. "Fine, if you don't mind people hearing when we talk about your quirk." His eyes narrow. "Or your quirks."

Hearing those words is like being plunged into ice water. Numbly, Izuku follows him.

They don't go far. But where they do go is a place with fewer cameras, fewer lights, fewer chances of being interrupted. Izuku's hands are clammy, his pulse pounds in his ears, and it takes a few tries to breathe normally again. He forces himself blank, like he always does.

"What's this about." Izuku's voice sounds hollow even to him. They're a safe distance from the dorms. No one's likely to overhear them, even if they yell.

Across from him, Bakugou scowls, his hands deep in his pockets. "So how many do you actually have?" he asks, his tone grating.

Rei pulls closer as Izuku answers. "How many what."

"Don't play games with me," Bakugou grits out. "I know you have more than one quirk. Two, at least. Would've thought it was fucking impossible, but then we met him."

Izuku winces. Part of him wants to say it has nothing to do with All For One, but really, it has everything to do with him. He opens his mouth to reply, but his throat closes up and it feels as if his stomach is trying to crawl up his throat. He's not safe anymore. This isn't Todoroki or Uraraka or Iida or All-Might. The last time he answered a question like this from Bakugou…

"Well?" Bakugou snaps.

"Why do you think that?" Izuku asks, voice shaking. "Strength isn't enough for you?"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Bakugou's voice rings out like a gunshot. "You think I don't notice how fucking off you are, all the time?" He pauses, making a scalding noise in the back of his throat. "They've gotta be blind or deaf, to miss so much, but I'm not. Everybody hears you mutter, everyone knows you don't shut up even if you're quiet about it, but they don't listen. They don't hear what you're actually saying. They don't hear you talk to people."

"Lots of people talk to themselves—"

"I said don't play games!"

"I don't know what you want from me!" Izuku yells back, but—that's not quite true. He does know what he wants, but— "Even if there was something to tell, why would I tell you?"

Bakugou's palms spark, his quirk popping and flashing with temper, and Izuku recoils as if those firecracker bursts were aimed at him. Bakugou's hands curl into fists, cutting off the bursts, and he clenches his teeth in a grimace. "What's the matter, Deku?" Bakugou asks. "Are you scared of me?" He takes a step forward, and Rei moves in front of Izuku immediately. "Think I'm a villain?"

Izuku freezes. "W-what?"

"You think I don't see it?!" Bakugou barks out. "You think I don't know what people say? I have eyes and ears and a fucking brain, Deku! I've heard what people say about you! I know something went down in Hosu! I saw you in the forest, and I was fucking there at Kamino!"

"Bakugou, what—"

"You handled them!" Bakugou yells, stepping forward. "Every single fucking time I've seen you up against a villain, you've handled them! Useless, quirkless freak Deku goes up against every villain and fucking smiles at them! You went up against goddamn All For One and you fucking smiled!"

He stops, breath coming in and out in harsh, trembling gasps. Izuku stares at him, speechless, as his breathing starts to hitch.

"And all I have to do is grab you, and you fold like wet fucking paper. You're afraid. Of me. Villains are nothing, but I'm the one that scares you."

"Can you blame me?" Izuku blurts out. "You've been treating me like dirt since daycare, and you're surprised that I flinch when you swing at me?"

"Then what about that Toga bitch? What about All For One? What about Shigaraki fucking Tomura? Did you think they wouldn't kill you, as long as you kept grinning like an idiot whenever they looked at you? They were nothing to you, but I—" His voice cracks, and he stops and presses his mouth shut, eyes widening. He's shaking, from head to toe.

"They weren't nothing," Izuku tells him. "I was always afraid, Bakugou—I'm always afraid—"

"Bullshit," Bakugou spits. "You handled them. But you don't handle me, and—why the fuck—" He stops again, ducking his head, raking his fingers through his hair until they twist and tangle and yank.

In spite of himself, Izuku finds himself stepping forward, past Rei. "Bakugou—"

Bakugou explodes again without warning. "What is the fucking problem?!" he almost roars. "What am I doing wrong?"

For a moment, all Izuku can do is gape. "What?"

"I started the same as you! The same as everyone! I saw All-Might, I saw how he fought, how he won, no matter what happened! I watched him fight, I watched him take down every villain he went up against, and I wanted that! I wanted to be him!" He stops for a moment, chest heaving. "And you kept chasing that, no matter how fucking hopeless it was, no matter how much of a creepy, worthless freak you were, and suddenly it's like you are him. He plays favorites and picks you. Nobody else. Not me, not fucking Half-face or Ponytail or anybody else. It's you. Everybody fucking worships the ground you walk on, and I'm—"

To Izuku's alarm, he sees the corners of Bakugou's eyes glisten.

"That—that shithead reporter called me a villain, fucking Aizawa said it too, and I—"

"Aizawa didn't—"

"Shut up, Deku!" His voice cracks again, twice in a few words. "Where the fuck did it come from! Why the fuck do you have two? Why is one of them his?"

Izuku flinches. "You're—I don't know what you're talking about—"

"You're a liar," Bakugou snaps, and in that moment, so does Izuku.

"I know that!" he shoots back. "So out of everyone we know, why would I tell you?"

Bakugou recoils, eyes widening as if Izuku just took a swing at him. They narrow again, shining oddly in what little light there is. "Fine," he growls. "I don't need you to tell me, because I already know. All-Might plays favorites, and he picked you. And all of a sudden you grow a fucking quirk—maybe two. And we just—we just met that fucker in Kamino, who steals quirks—who knows All-Might—" He raises his head, red eyes blazing. "It's his, isn't it? You have All-Might's quirk. Not just a similar quirk, it's his."

There's a leaden pit in Izuku's chest, weighing him down to the stomach. Bakugou's halfway there. If only he'd had an open mind when they were seven, he'd have the whole truth. "Let's say you're right," he says shakily. "What makes you think I would tell you the truth? The last time I tried to tell you a secret, you called me a liar and set your friends on me. Why should I think this would be any different?"

Bakugou stares at him. "What fucking secret?" he snaps. "I remember you spouting some crock of shit when we were eight, but I didn't think anything about it because you disappeared right after."

"Seven," Izuku says hollowly. "We were seven, Bakugou."

"Who the hell cares?" Suddenly he's shouting again, and Izuku is flinching back. "You're not answering me! Why the fuck did you come out here if you weren't gonna—"

"I don't know!"

His voice echoes, cutting off Bakugou's words.

"I don't know why I'm here!" Izuku goes on, and the evening dark blurs around him with tears. "I don't know what I thought, I don't know what I wanted, I don't—I don't know, I just…" He tries to breathe in, and his chest shakes and hitches, and the tears finally spill over. "I wasn't going to come out here. She—they both told me not to come out. But I… I did anyway. Because I thought—you were so calm before, Bakugou. And you… you talked to me, and you didn't yell, and you didn't threaten me, and I thought that maybe, after Kamino… maybe you just…"

Izuku stands there, hot tears dripping down his face as he tries to focus on the pale blur of Bakugou's face. He doesn't hear anything from him. He's as good as blind now, and what his former friend is feeling is anyone's guess. A small, cold hand slips into his, squeezing gently.

"You want to hear something pathetic?" He doesn't wait for an answer. "I used to have these, these daydreams, right? I still do, sometimes. I-I'd imagine that… you'd come up to me. And for once you wouldn't hurt me, or threaten me, and you'd—you'd say you were sorry. You'd say you wished you didn't do all those things, and you were sorry, and you know what's really pathetic about it? I think, if you did that… if you said that, in real life, if you just looked me in the eye and said you were sorry and meant it… I think I'd forgive you." He chokes out a laugh. "Stupid, right? I'm really stupid. I should've listened. I-I'm sorry, but I… I'm so tired, Bakugou. I love helping people more than anything, but I don't know how to help you and I'm just so tired."

His body feels heavy, his throat raw. He feels wrung out from head to toe, like a damp washcloth, and right now Rei's hand is the only thing keeping him grounded.

There's silence. And then, across from him, a similar broken laugh reaches him.

"Fuck." Bakugou's voice breaks again. "How—how did—" The noise that he makes might be another laugh, but it's a broken, wretched sound devoid of anything remotely happy, so what would be the point of calling it that? "How did I fuck up this bad?"

Izuku doesn't answer.

"My whole life, it's been about All-Might, same as you. But I had a quirk, not you. I was gonna be great, I was great, everybody knew that and everybody said that, just like everybody knew you were useless and creepy." He forces out another bitter laugh, voice rising. "And now you have All-Might's quirk, and I'm the reason he can't be a fucking hero anymore! How fucked up is that?"

Izuku jerks his head up, started. "You're not—"

"I'm not?" Bakugou snarls. "I saw you, Deku! You were—fuck, you had everything handled! You had plans, and all I did was run! I was a distraction! Fucking dead weight! I had to get dragged out of that fucking hole, while you were stringing those bastard villains along by the balls!"

Some part of Izuku wonders if he should feel pity. But right now, all he feels is bitterness and old, scabbed-over resentment. "You know what your problem is, Bakugou?" he says wearily. "You always make everything about you."

It happens quickly. Bakugou's wet eyes spark, and then his palms spark, and he lunges in a flash of temper, the way he often does when he's backed into a corner. One For All comes to Izuku on its own as he flinches back, and Rei charges forward with a shriek and slams straight into Bakugou's chest.

Izuku doesn't register it at first. He expects Rei to rush through him like she always does, so when Bakugou lands flat on his back with Rei perched on his chest and still screeching with rage, all he can do is blink in confusion. It's not until he sees Bakugou's eyes wide with shock and locked on Rei's hunched, snarling form, that he realizes what's happening.

"Rei, no!" Her fingers are growing long and sharp when he cries out. When she whips around to look at him, her black eyes ooze. "Let him up, Rei. Don't hurt him." She hisses a protest, and he shakes his head. "Rei, please. We'll only get in more trouble."

She hesitates, and a familiar crackle draws his eyes to her arms—green lightning darts along her skin.

"Leave him be," he tries to say firmly, but his voice trembles. "Let him up."

Reluctantly she backs away from him, still hissing as she returns to Izuku's side. Bakugou scrambles to his feet, and—it's not a fluke. It's not going away. His eyes are still fixed on Rei, wide with shock and alarm.

Okay.

This is happening.

"What was that about a crock of shit?" Izuku asks.

"What the fuck is that," Bakugou hisses. Rei hisses back and sparks with green.

Izuku looks down at Rei, then back at Bakugou. The terror is back, cold crawling panic threatening to creep up his spine and outward. "That's—that's a ghost, Bakugou." He tries to take a breath, but it feels like he's breathing through a straw. "She's a ghost. I see ghosts. Y-you were right, sort of." The lump in his throat breaks his voice to pieces, and no amount of swallowing will make it go away. "I have two quirks, and one is—one was given to me by All-Might. But th-this one is mine. It's always been mine."

Bakugou is silent, for a long time. He stares at Rei until the green sparks disappear, and then he blinks and flicks his gaze back to Izuku. "Where'd it go?"

"She's still there," Izuku says. "You just can't see her."

Bakugou's face twitches. "Did All-Might know about that before he gave you a second quirk?"

"No," Izuku replies.

"So you lied to him too, then."

Izuku tenses, bridling. "I've told him the truth already."

"But you lied to him first."

"What of it?" Izuku shoots back. "And why wouldn't I, after what happened when I told you?"

At this, Bakugou blinks at him. His eyes cloud over with shock and confusion, and something in Izuku's chest—some squirming, twitching uncertainty—finally settles.

"Bakugou," he says cautiously. "Do you even… do you even remember what happened when I told you?" Bakugou blinks at him again, and part of Izuku is satisfied at how desperate he's starting to look. "Do you even remember what I told you at all?"

"It was…" Bakugou's eyes flicker to Rei—or to him, the empty spot where Rei was previously standing—and back up to Izuku's face. "It was back in second grade, right? Fuck, it was that fucking long ago, you can't expect me to just—"

"Yes I can," Izuku cuts him off. "Because I remember it."

The closet is always with him, just out of his reach unless he's in the throes of panic. It's cloudy otherwise, all vague feelings and wispy, incomplete memories.

"I've tried to forget," Izuku continues. His eyes burn, but they're dry. He's run out of tears already. "I try every day to forget. But I can't, because that day—it changed everything for me. It changed me, and because of that, I can't… I don't know how to not lie anymore." His throat bobs as he swallows. "And that's why I'm afraid of you, Bakugou. That's why—that's why I don't see you the way you want to be seen. Because you want to be a hero, and yet you can hurt someone like that." Rei clutches his hand again. "You can hurt them so bad that they still think about it and the scars still itch and it's shaped the person they are, and not even remember. It was the worst day of my life, Bakugou. But it was just another Wednesday for you, wasn't it?"

Only silence meets this. It stretches long enough for Izuku to be sure that Bakugou won't answer, long enough for Rei's temper to cool.

"For what it's worth, you're wrong," Izuku says. "It wasn't you that caused All-Might's end. If anything, it was me." Bakugou jerks his head up. "He gave me his quirk. His power was already on the way out, and by Kamino he was running on fumes. You had nothing to do with it."

When Bakugou speaks again, his voice is raspy and quiet. "The hell I didn't—"

"He's right, young Bakugou. You should listen to him."

Bakugou's palms spark again, this time with alarm. It's only All-Might, and Nana of course, striding down the walk to join them. It's well after dark, well after curfew, and Izuku ducks his head. All-Might passes him, pausing with a gentle hand on his shoulder to check for injuries, and then moves on until he reaches Bakugou. Nana stays by Izuku's side, hovering over him and Rei in an almost protective manner.

"I didn't want to interrupt," he says with a sigh. "It seemed important, what you were talking about, and since it didn't quite come to blows, I didn't step in. But Midoriya is right. What happened at Kamino was not your fault."

Bakugou's fists clench. "I didn't even—"

"What happened at Kamino was this, young Bakugou," All-Might says. "I did what I have always done. I did my job. Do you think a hero begrudges those that he saves, for not rescuing themselves and saving him the trouble?"

Bakugou flinches.

"Needing rescue is not a weakness," All-Might continues. "It is not something to be ashamed of. How would heroes do what needs to be done, if they resented and looked down upon those they should protect? You are not to blame for what happened to you, young Bakugou. Nor are you to blame for what happened to me. No one is to blame but the villains who have harmed us."

Another flinch, this time when All-Might reaches out and rests his hand on the back of Bakugou's head.

"You've made a great many mistakes," he says. "Some can be fixed, some can be forgiven, but that isn't for you to decide. All you can do is learn, and move forward, and fix what you can. That's what everyone does, when they make mistakes. That's what I try to do." Gently he draws Bakugou into the lightest hug possible, just one arm across his shoulders and no more. "I'm sorry that I didn't realize you were struggling."

Bakugou doesn't return it. He doesn't quite pull away, but he doesn't lean into it either. He stands stock-still and ramrod-straight, fists still clenched at his sides. "This isn't—" Bakugou's voice is rough and quiet. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

All-Might lets him go, and Bakugou steps back and out of his reach, still looking at the ground. "Far too many things are out of our control. All you can do is decide what to do with what you can control. Your choices, your actions, your reasons." He pauses. "I'm not blind. I know that so many heroes that came after me were chasing my image. But you can't just pick and choose what you like about being a hero, and ignore the rest. You want to win, and that's good—but you can't forget why. We don't triumph for its own sake; we fight to win so that we can save people. It does a hero no good to only think of his own desires. And Midoriya was right—it isn't always about you."

Izuku ducks his head.

"Why him?" Bakugou's voice cracks. "Why—why'd you pick him?"

"A few reasons," All-Might answers. "But at the end of the day, I chose him because I was afraid, and he gave me courage." Izuku's breath hitches, but All-Might doesn't seem to notice. "And… this can't get out. You know that, right? The power that I gave him has been a closely-guarded secret for generations, and the world is… well, it's about to get more dangerous. Do you understand, young Bakugou?"

Bakugou nods.

"Good. In any case, it's well after curfew," All-Might continues. "The first day of the new term is tomorrow. Come back to the dorms, now. Aizawa wants a word with you, before you go to bed."

The walk back is quiet. Nana's hand rests on Izuku's shoulder, Rei's curls into one of his, and All-Might falls into step beside him.

"All right?" he asks, and his eyes hold far more—concern and pride and an unspoken apology.

"'M fine," Izuku murmurs back. All the while, Bakugou says nothing.

Sure enough, Aizawa-sensei is waiting for them when they return. He doesn't quite look angry, but he does look thoroughly unimpressed.

"I'm sure you both had an excellent reason for wandering around nearly a half hour past curfew," he says flatly. "And I'd love to hear it."

Izuku shuts his eyes and braces himself for a punishment. "We were—"

"It was my idea," Bakugou bites out.

Izuku has to make an effort not to gape at him. "We were having a conversation," he says.

"A conversation." Aizawa has the look of a man with a seven-hour-long migraine. "And is there a reason why this conversation couldn't have taken place inside? Or tomorrow?"

"It got sort of personal," Izuku answers. "And loud."

"If I may, Aizawa," All-Might breaks in, a little meekly. "I know that rules are in place for a reason, but at the same time… their discussion did turn to things that I would rather not have been overheard. So… I'm a bit grateful they didn't hold this shouting match in the common room. Or in either of their rooms. Thin walls, you understand."

Aizawa gives him a withering look. "Of course," he says acidly, and sighs again. "Obviously, breaking curfew and therefore school regulations has consequences, you've been told this. Both of you will report back here immediately after orientation tomorrow. You'll be spending your free hours tomorrow cleaning the common area from top to bottom. If you're quick, this won't stretch over multiple days and cut into your homework time. Understand?" They nod. "Good. Go to bed."

Izuku suppresses a sigh of relief. It's a slap on the wrist, hardly even an official punishment. It could have been much worse. Maybe if it had come to a fight, it would have been.

Bakugou goes to the elevator, and Izuku keeps walking toward the stairwell.

"Deku."

Izuku looks back.

Bakugou's eyes are fixed on the elevator door as he waits for it to come down. "It—it was an empty closet that we couldn't even lock." The doors open, but he doesn't walk in right away. "You weren't—it wasn't supposed to—"

"Good night, Bakugou," Izuku says. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

Todoroki is still awake, after Izuku is finished getting ready for bed. His room is dark when Izuku taps on his door and opens it, but when he looks at his friend, he finds Todoroki watching him, as if he's been waiting for him.

"How'd it go?" Todoroki asks when Izuku settles down next to him.

"I don't know."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Izuku shuts his eyes. There are paws walking along his leg; Todoroki must have brought Mika into his own room. "What about you? Are you okay, after… today?"

Todoroki is silent for a while. "No," he whispers hoarsely. "I—today made me realize that, no. I'm not—there are things I thought I'd gotten over, that I haven't."

"You could've ended up a lot worse," Izuku points out.

He's surprised when Todoroki shifts closer and wraps an arm around him. Todoroki usually isn't the one that initiates clinging. "Yeah," he says hoarsely. "I know. Thanks, Midoriya."

"You called me Izuku earlier."

"Sorry."

"It's fine," Izuku says. "Anybody who takes me at my word that ghosts are real gets to call me Izuku."

Todoroki doesn't say much of anything after that, so Izuku huddles closer and tries to shut his mind off from all thoughts of Toga Himiko and Bakugou Katsuki.

"That was lenient of you," All-Might remarks.

"Was it?" Shouta asks, dreading the oncoming headache. Green tea is lovely, but it can't work miracles.

"A bit." The former Symbol of Peace shrugs. "Considering your track record of expulsions."

Shouta snorts into his tea. "You're joking, right? Bakugou just resolved a dispute with verbal communication. I'm half-tempted to give him extra credit."