2

I was just leaving my shower when I heard the notification on my phone go off but I ignored it, everyone knows that I shower after getting back, my quirk is literally my sweat so after training it could be dangerous if I don't wash any excess off quickly. I dry myself quickly putting on a pair of loose pajama pants. I then started drying my hair better before doing some basic skin care. The hag would hang me out to dry if I started slacking, my sweat is good for my skin but not as good as hers. Her's can practically reverse someone else's aging.

I hear my bedroom door open, Kiri must have come to check on me. I was anything but happy when I left him. I raised my voice so he would be able to hear me so I could continue drying my hair. "Just a sec Kiri, I'm almost done. You know my hair takes fucking forever to dry. You probably need help with homework right? You might as well call the others and we can get to work, you have all been doing a lot better recently. Maybe we could have a hot pot here in the room instead of pizza all the time? Then I won't have to pretend to be angry all the damn time. Like why does everyone have to stare just because I'm not trying to kill you all?" I started grumbling about the damn extras in our class.

I heard what sounded like a wrapper tearing open from my room, oh not Kiri then. It's Kami, "Kami you could have just said it was you instead of Kiri, but whatever. What I said stays the same," I called out as I turned to walk out the door. "You know I don't like you eating your junk food in my room though, would it really kill you to eat some carrots or broccoli?" I walked into my room, not bothering to stop drying my hair. Not like I need to see to know where I'm going. I go to my desk and pull out the notebooks I had been working on for them.

"Here are the study guides I put together for you guys. I know you have more trouble in English because of your dyslexia but I think the different colored highlighters and pens are actually helping with that. And I know Kiri's ADD makes it hard for him to focus on studying so I found a fidget toy that could help, actually I found several different kinds and honestly you could all probably use one to help you focus." I let out a sigh before going over to my closet and started searching for the boxes that were finally delivered early this morning.

"Hold on, I have the package here somewhere and tell Ashido to stop taking off with my face cream would you? I know it's her, I bought her a little to hold her over until her care package from home comes in." I turned around holding the packages the towel was now laying around my neck. I looked up, "And-" I froze. The person standing in my room was not anyone from my squad.

It was Deku...

"Deku? Why are you in my room?" I tried to sound angry but my voice just came out hollow. I see my phone on my bed and pick it up trying not to show my shock at finding him in my room. That's when I saw the notifications, 7 texts from Deku.

Deku: I'll come by your room after I think you're done in the shower! I promised to apologize properly and I meant it!

Deku: Actually I'll probably get there early, could you leave your door unlocked? I promise not to touch any of your stuff. I'll wait quietly.

Deku: Shoot, I'm running a little late. All Might sent me on an errand but I should still get there soon!

Deku: I know I'm probably annoying you but would you want me to bring anything? I'm at the store and your favorite spicy ramen is on sale?

Deku: You are probably in the shower already. I went ahead and got the ramen, you can just look at it as an apology gift?

Deku: I'm almost back now, sorry it took so long.

Deku: I'm back in the dorms! I'll be there in about 5 minutes.

I even heard my phone notification before I got in the shower! Why didn't I look at it? I mean Deku of all people wouldn't make a big deal about me actually caring about my friends but what if he told one of his friends? Then there would be denial and it would get turned into a joke and then my friends would start defending me and then it would just be a great big mess.

I don't even know how long we just stood there. It seemed like forever before I realized that the tearing paper sound I heard was from the birthday present I had gotten him. I looked up and saw him staring at the card. I knew what it said of course I had hand written it myself; For the greatest hero, the best hero. But just in case, here is your favorite hero too. Hopefully one day your old villain could be a hero too? P.S. If not you can always throw it away. I understand. ~Kacchan~

Then inside the package was a one of a kind three piece set, All Might, Deku and then in a small black box with the word villain written on it in white was a Dynamight. The figures were extremely expensive and no one else in the world would ever be able to get them.

"You shouldn't have come in here, I had no right to think I could ever-!" I stopped talking. What could I say? Nothing I say could ever change what happened. "Look, just forget you ever saw it. You don't have to..."

"No," Deku's voice croaked out, his back was still facing me so I couldn't see his face at all. His voice told me that he was crying but I couldn't even begin to guess what was running through his mind. I saw him pick up the black box and carefully open it, pulling out the Dynamight figure and carefully setting it next to the Deku and All Might ones before he crushed the little black box it was in.

He finally turned so I could see his face and even with tears in his eyes the smile he was giving me was so large and pure, it had no reason to be aimed at me. But it was.

Could I actually hope that we could be friends again? Real friends? I mean I know we have been rivals for a few years now but that was all. We worked together and we studied together (only when assigned too) but we weren't friends. How could I ever even begin to pray for more than what I've been given? I don't deserve what I have now.

"Kacchan, you'll always be my hero." His big smile took up most of his face and he suddenly closed the two or three steps between us and hugged me. He was still crying his happy tears but he was HUGGING me. ME!

"But-"

"Shh! No, don't argue. I forgave you a long time ago and you have always been my hero. I saw what you did when you thought I wasn't looking. I saw you chasing the older kids away from me. The more dangerous ones, I saw you leading the bullies away whenever it looked like I was going to get more than a couple bruises. Even at your lowest, your meanest, you cared. You protected me. You were my hero then and you still are now."

A hiccup and sob and it took far too long for me to realize it wasn't him that it came from. I was crying, sobbing really. He knew? How? When? I was so careful not to show any signs of caring in case the stupid students from our old school got any ideas. It was so hard, but now he's saying that he knew about it all?

"Kacchan, you are my favorite hero. All Might is my mentor and role model, I'll always be his fan but you have always been my favorite." His words seemed to cut through whatever little bit of restraint I had left. I wrapped my arms around him, clutching him to me, while we cried in each other's arms. The tears of relief poured out of me as the last of the burden was lifted from my shoulders. Deku never looked down on me. Not even once.

I don't know how long we were like that before we finally pulled away trying to wipe our faces before I gave up and just went back to my bathroom and cleaned my face again. Looking in the mirror I could see the whites of my eyes were bloodshot but for once I don't feel like a shadow of a person anymore. I feel whole. Deku came in standing beside me and I handed him a towel and he cleaned his face too.

When we left again I sat on my bed before just collapsing on it. Deku forgives me, more than that he knows everything. Does this mean we can be friends again?

"Deku?" I hesitated, should I really ask?

"Yes, Kacchan?" Deku sat next to me on the bed.

"Does this mean we can be friends again?" I sound like a child. I should just crawl under a rock and die. Why can't I stop hoping for more than I deserve?

"..." I looked up when I didn't hear an answer. Deku was frowning but he also wasn't looking at me. It looked like he was far away, deep in his thoughts.

"Deku?" I ask again hoping to snap him out of it. It seemed to work because he jumped and looked down at me. His big green eyes looking at me, a few strands of wet hair stuck to his face from him cleaning his tears away.

"Sorry Kacchan, but I thought we were already friends?" He looked so hopeful like the next thing I said would determine everything, it hurt me so much. I sat up and pulled him into a hug.

"Yeah," I croaked but he seemed to ignore my voice breaking and just melted into the hug instead. Eventually he pushed me over and he just curled up against me, yawning. Damn was I really that tired? I yawned and just relaxed in Deku's arms. Friends again, I couldn't help the smile on my face as I hummed happily before sleep took me.