15 Bared Souls
[The hero team... WINS!]
Everyone in the observation room stared at the screen, unsure of what to say. It had all happened so quickly, they were unable to process what had just happened.
Jiro and Shoji both suddenly looked at their teacher in alarm, "All Might! The building!"
The hero felt a rumble and ran from the room, yelling into the mic, "ALL OF YOU GET OUT OF THERE, NOW!"
***
Katsuki stood as frozen as a statue, a look of stunned shock on his face. He seemed unable to register his surroundings at all. Until Haru started coughing violently.
Finally coming to his senses, the elder Bakugo jolted to life, his heavy boots thudding against the ground as he ran towards his brother, "Haru!"
Haru's hand slid from the wall, his body going limp as he felt his strength starting to slip away, his vision blurred as a side effect of the food pill and blood loss.
He felt Katsuki's arms catch him and let his head rest against his sibling's chest, too tired to fight back anymore.
Katsuki's voice softened as he saw the results of his anger reflected on Haru. The younger boy's right arm was covered in second-degree burns while blood trickled from both his forehead and his mouth. His normally pale skin was now deathly white and his golden eyes glazed.
"This... this is all my fault," Katsuki's voice broke.
Haru looked at Katuksi with dead eyes, unable to even form a smile with his blood-flecked lips, "It was my choice. I won't hate you for hurting me, just... don't hurt him... anymore..."
Katsuki felt his eyes sting, "YOU SHOULD! WHY DO YOU KEEP FORGIVING ME WHENEVER I HURT YOU!"
Haru coughed, getting blood all over Katsuki's shirt.
[ALL OF YOU GET OUT OF THERE, NOW!]
Katsuki snapped his head up as a sudden crumbling groan filled the building.
Haru's origami restraints were coming undone. With Izuku's final desperate attack, the concrete structure couldn't take it anymore.
Katsuki clutched Haru to his chest, his eyes frantically looking to the best route of escape when he saw Izuku still unconscious. With a growl, he ran forward and grabbed Izuku by the collar, and flung him over his shoulder. He may have hated the damn nerd, but he wasn't someone who leaves someone to die.
"You owe me big time for saving your ass, Deku!"
There was a loud crack and the floor beneath him started the crumble and the three of them started to fall, "Shit!"
"...Ryuk..."
A whisper filled the air as a massive origami eagle appeared above them, clutching them in its claws. With a harsh shriek, it smashed through the wall turning itself over so they all fell on its body as they made a rough landing. Ryuk imploded from the weight of their impact and the three were sent tumbling to the ground.
***
Uraraka was still holding the bomb when she heard All Might's voice echoing over her radio.
[ALL OF YOU GET OUT OF THERE, NOW!]
The room started collapsing as Haru's clone snatched her up, bridal style, "Time to go."
A cloud of paper rose up to protect them from falling debris as they ran. Performing a massive leap, the clone pushed itself away from the building. The loose gravel crunched under its feet as it landed.
Only a few seconds later, the building crashed down, leaving behind a skeleton of its former self. The clone used itself as a shield as a cloud of dust blew out at them.
Uraraka coughed from the heavy dust, "Thank you."
The clone nodded acknowledgment. "My time is up. Take care of your friends," it said as it slowly fell apart.
Uraraka blinked. 'Wait? That wasn't the real Haru?'
"Young Uraraka!" the girl looked up to see All Might running towards her, "Are you alright?"
The girl gave the hero a reassuring smile, "Thanks, I'm fine! Haru made sure I got out."
All Might shook his head in disbelief. 'Even in his state. He was still looking out for his classmate.'
The Symbol of Peace quickly searched the surrounding area and spotted Katsuki slowly getting up. The hero quickly ran over, Uraraka at his heels.
As they got closer, a twinge of guilt hit All Might as he saw two figures splayed out on the street.
'I should have stepped in sooner.'
***
Haru and Izuku's unconscious bodies were ferried off on stretchers. All Might watched them go, feeling the worst he had felt in years. He hid his feelings, however. He had a class to teach and he needed to maintain the instructor's facade. It was a no brainer that Nezu would give him more than a lecture for this.
Katsuki could only stare off after his brother, horrible images of Haru bleeding and in pain, yet still smiling at him. The look on Haru's face when he confronted him at the start of the match.
***
"Katsuki, if you try to hurt Izuku, so help me, I swear to everything I hold dear, I will never forgive you."
***
Katsuki stared at the blood on his glove. Haru's blood. His pupils shrank into pinpoints as he felt panic rising in his chest.
'Why? Why was I so stupid? Why do I keep hurting him so badly only for him to brush it off? Why is he so quick to stand up for Deku, but not for himself? Why? Why? WHY?'
His breathing became erratic as he began to lose focus on reality.
"Young Bakugo," a firm hand landed on the hyperventilating teen's shoulder, breaking his trance, "Cool your jets. Your brother will be fine, so let's go view your work. Whether you win or lose, you can always take something away from an experience like this. As long as you're open to learning," the hero noted the blood, "Oh, and don't worry, the school will have your costume cleaned by tomorrow."
***
"Well, despite the results," All Might faced away from the holographic screen, "The MVP of this exercise is Young Haruko."
Many of the students gave a low gasp.
"Shouldn't it be one of the heroes instead since they're the winners?" Asui asked.
Everyone glanced at where Uraraka and Bakugo were standing, thinking the same thing.
All Might's smile widened, "Valid question! Why didn't I choose one of those two?" he looked around, "Who has a guess?"
Yaoyorozu held up her hand, "Sir. I can tell you why. Haru embraced his challenge. He was the only one who adapted to his assigned role while he could," everyone stared at the girl in awe as she spoke, "I'll explain, Bakugo's judgment was clouded by a personal grudge against Midoriya. As you pointed out earlier, launching a large scale attack indoors was a foolish move that nearly ended in disaster.
"Similarly, Midoriya's plan was also poorly thought out. Considering the amount of damage he received, he rendered himself helpless. Not smart.
"As for Uraraka, she let her guard down midbattle and her final attack was far too reckless given the hypothetical stakes. If she treated the fake weapon as though it were real, she never would have risked such an imprecise move.
"Haru was fully prepared for his opponent's arrival, he pulled off his strategy and didn't let his guard down when he was forced to leave. Up until he saw a classmate in danger of heavy injury, he stayed in character. After Bakugo's careless explosion, Haru was forced out of the fight because of his injuries and the need to hold up the building, a very impressive feat on its own. Even taking a risk by consuming a pill with side effects was a calculated move on his part.
"Technically the hero team won, yes, but they took advantage of the fact this was training. They didn't respect the spirit of the trial," she said, finishing her in depth explanation.
All Might stood dumbfounded at the amount of detail the girl had given them. There barely anything left for him to say!
"Y-yes... Well... You overlooked a few things. Young Haruko could have used the capture tape on Young Uraraka," he gave the girls a thumbs up, "But, otherwise you nailed it!" He moved to the next round, "Now then! Time to blow this joint! Let's move on to the next match! Think about everything you saw and discussed as you tackled this training for yourself."
The entire class yelled out their response, "Yes, sir!"
***
(Later...)
A loud whistle marked the end of the exercise as Class 1A gathered back at the entrance tunnel.
All Might stood in front of them his fists planted on his hips, "That's the rap! Super work! You really stepped up to the plate, and we didn't have any major injuries except for Midoriya and Haruko. You should be proud! Excellent first day of training all around!"
Asui gave All Might a grateful look, "It's nice to hear some encouraging words after our homeroom class. Mr. Aizawa was kinda a buzzkill."
'Mmhmm! Mmhmm!' Several people nodded in agreement.
"I'M HAPPY TO BRING SUCH HAPPY POSITIVITY TO MY ALMA MATER!" All Might yelled in response, "That's all for now, folks! I have to check on our young injured fighters' progress. Now, watch how a pro exits, like he's got somewhere to be!"
He dashed off down the hallway sending a blast of wind back into their faces.
***
"The second day of school and he's already a regular patient! On top of that, another student got hurt in the same match. Why didn't you stop them, All Might?" Recovery Girl said, furious. Every inch of her short figure was screaming indignation and ire as she aggressively mixed a healing salve for Haru's burns.
All Might internally cringed at the old lady's tone, "You're right Recovery Girl, I'm sorry."
The heroine huffed, "Well, it's no good apologizing to me!" She turned her chair to look at the two unconscious figures lying on the infirmary beds, "Midoriya's too exhausted from his classes for my Quirk. I can't treat all his injuries at once. I did some first aid, but we will have to wait for his body to heal overnight," she sent another glare at the number one hero, "You are lucky that is not the case with Haruko. If otherwise, he would have needed to have been hospitalized."
All Might paled, "The hospital? Were his injuries that bad?"
Recovery Girl walked over and adjusted Izuku's IV drip, "The only reason he isn't in the emergency room is that he was born with those inhuman stamina reserves. Even so, the internal damage he sustained from that explosion nearly ruptured several organs," she sighed, "Facing a head-on explosion. What was he thinking? On top of that, the pill did more harm than good."
All Might frowned, "I was told to keep an eye out for when he did take the pill. What exactly are they for?"
Recovery Girl sat back down in her seat, a grave look on her face, "Haruko and I discussed several aspects about his 'Quirk' today. The side effects of overusing it are extreme exhaustion and potential death," All Might drew in a sharp intake of breath. The Youthful Heroine nodded sadly, "The pills were tailored for stamina and extreme focus Quirk types. Seeing that the boy's energy and stamina levels are far from depleted, my guess is that he needed something to temporarily give him a focus boost after suffering such intense pain and blood loss. Unfortunately, his body rejected the pill and he experienced the side effects much sooner than he should have."
All Might passed a hand over his eyes, "How could I be so stupid. I tried not to play favorites, but in trying to consider Young Midroiya's feelings I ended up ignoring Young Bakugo's. He even told me to end the fight several minutes before everything went to complete hell."
He flinched as Recovery Girl slapped his head with her syringe shaped cane, "How irresponsible! I know you passed on your powers to that boy, but this is too much. It's not fair to the other students, especially now that one is injured."
All Might quickly shushed the old woman, "Don't talk so loudly about One-for-All when anyone around you could hear! Remember, Haruko is present in the room."
Recovery Girl turned up her nose huffily, "Yeah, yeah, Mr. Natural-Born-Hero, Mr. Symbol-of-Peace."
All Might sighed, "Several people know about my injury and this weak form including the Young Uzumaki. However, only a select few know the secret of One for All, you, the principal, Young Midoriya, and a couple of very close friends of mine, but no one else knows the truth about my powers."
Recovery Girl's stern face softened slightly, "You're the number one hero in the world, All Might. Does it really matter if you were born with your Quirk or not?" she asked, "Do you have to be the Symbol of Peace? Is it that important?"
All Might spoke in a low voice, "If they knew I wasn't, the temptation of this power could corrupt our society. It's kept a secret for the same reasons we keep Haruko's true identity a secret. The powers he carries and the powers carried by the bearers of One for All, they can do the most good by protecting the world in secret. At least for now"
Recovery Girl approached Haru's bed with the finished salve. She gently applied it to the burns on his arm, a gentle smile on her face.
"Well if that's the case, it's even more important for you to be a good guide."
All Might sighed, "Yeah, your right."
***
Haru slowly felt himself come awake. He tried sitting up before a sharp pain from his arm and chest made him wince.
"Rise and shine, sonny!"
Haru's eyes snapped open to see someone an old woman standing over him. For a second, he was confused, his vision still blurry.
"Granny?"
A soft chuckled made him realize who it was his vision cleared.
'Recovery Girl!' It was a miracle he didn't scream the thought out loud. 'Oh my gosh, I called her Granny!'
The old woman luckily didn't seem offended in any way, "Well I've never had grandchildren to call me that before."
Haru ducked his head, his face flushed in embarrassment, "Sorry... You looked like my deceased grandma for a moment."
Recovery Girl waved it off, "Well you're not at heaven's gates yet," she said dryly, "No need to apologize. Tell you what. How about I call you Haru and you can call me Granny Chiyo."
Haru blinked, "Really?"
"Of course."
Haru didn't know what possessed him to ask, "Why?"
He was answered by a good-natured chuckle, "You are my sole student. I can allow some terms of endearment. Call it a special bond between a master and apprentice," Recovery Girl raised a warning finger, "Just remember that means you cannot slack off in your work or keep coming in injured all the time."
Haru gave her a rueful grin, "I'll try,"
Recovery Girl gave him a satisfied nod, "Now, let's practice what you learned today. Use that new technique of yours on your friend. It's hardly going to do the job, but it will help as long as you're careful."
"Yes, ma'am."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Granny..."
Haru sat up, stifling a small groan from the aches and pains of his still-healing body.
Recovery Girl frowned as she noticed his discomfort, "Maybe we should leave that for another day. Just come sit by him and check how he's healing."
Haru slid his legs over the edge of the bed, "Okay."
With Recovery Girls help, Haru was sat down in a seat where he could be with his injured friend.
'Okay.' He focused his chakra, a glimmer of green appearing on his hands. J'ust like she taught me. Use my sensory to search out the injuries.'
With a slow breath, he placed a hand over Izuku's forehead. As he worked Recovery Girl filled him in on what had happened since he lost consciousness.
"And that's about it," she finished before her face turned grave, "Haru, I'm afraid you cannot use those pills anymore. Your body has completely rejected them, nearly leading to drug poisoning. It seems that there are some differences with your body that won't accept some of the medications of our world. I will put together some pills of my own making that will fill in for now until some new ones are provided."
"Thank you."
Recovery Girl sniffed, "Don't get used to it, this is only temporary until we get some proper food pills for you. Darn those support companies giving you second rate pills. Just wait until I speak to their management."
Haru hid a smile at the picture of the old woman chewing out several larger people while threatening them with her cane.
Recovery Girl rounded on him making him sober up, "You will have to make it up to me by fully mastering that Mystical Palm of yours," she pointed her cane at a stack of on a stack of books sitting on a nearby table, "I supplied several books on anatomy and medicine. Read them all through by the end of the month."
They heard Izuku groan.
"Where am I?"
Haru gave him a serious look, "You have died. You are in heaven now."
Izuku nearly shot up before Recovery Girl pressed him down giving Haru a stern look, "Don't scare him like that! He's injured you know!"
Haru flinched as the giant syringe rapped his head, "Sorry."
The old lady shook her head disapprovingly, "Children these days."
***
"That's all for today's treatment! Come back tomorrow, okay?"
Recovery Girl gave the two boys one final kiss from her Quirk before they left, but was unable to completely heal Izuku. Haru on the other hand would be able to make a complete recovery by that evening.
Haru and Izuku made their way back to their classroom. They had missed their afternoon classes, but there was no helping that. Haru had changed out of his costume and dropped it off at one of the school's laundering rooms so the blood and ash would be removed. Izuku's costume was not so fortunate, being far too damaged to ever use again.
Not a word was said between the two about what had happened as they approached their classroom and slid open the door.
They were greeted by Kirishima, "Hey, Haru! Midoriya! Good to see you back!"
Haru grinned in response, "What, you think something like that could hurt me?"
Kirishima's sharp teeth flashed as he returned the smile, "I don't know what all you guys were talking about, but you were all pumped up, huh?"
Sero walked up to them, addressing Izuku, "I can't believe you held your own against Bakugo, he's super strong!"
Ashido popped up right beside them, "You did a great job dodging!"
Aoyama peered around them, "You were far from elegant but I suppose–"
Mina interrupted him, "And your dodging was like, whoo!"
Izuku got all flustered from all the praise, unable to collect his thoughts.
Haru took pity and stepped in, "Okay, calm down, guys, let me introduce you."
The excitement levels toned down to a calmer level almost instantly.
"Okay."
"Yeah, fine with me."
"I'm all for it!"
Haru motioned at each person as he presented them,
"This is Eijiro Kirishima, the manly dude who can harden.
Kirishima gave Izuku a thumbs up, "Nice to meet you Midoriya."
"Hanta Sero, his Quirk lets him shoot tape out of his elbows.
Sero raised a hand in greeting, "Yo."
Ashido broke in before Haru could speak, "Hi, I'm Mina Ashido! My Quirk is Acid! I just want to say your dodging was awesome!"
Haru sweatdropped before noticing someone standing behind the rambunctious girl.
"Oh yes, this is Tsuyu Asui, she has the Frog Quirk."
Asui tilted her head, "Please, call me Tsu."
Haru then motioned at a nearby blonde who had unconsciously been ignored by the others, "That's Yuga Aoyama. He has the Navel Laser."
A blur of purple shot into their vision, "My name's Minata!"
Another blur smacked the perverted teen into the floor, causing everyone to look at Haru.
"Oh, Mineta your startled me..."
Mineta pushed himself up from the crater in the floor "What's your problem?"
Tokoyami closed his eyes from where he was sat on his desk, "So noisy."
Iida instantly began freaking out, "Tokoyami! Don't use that desk as a chair! Get off of it this instant!"
Jiro, who was standing nearby, gave Iida a blank look, "Dude, you need to chill."
"Yeah you're carrying a lot of tension," Ojiro agreed.
Iida slumped a little, "No one understands," he raised his voice yet again, "I cannot condone such actions that disrespect these desks! Not when great men and women, our upperclassmen, once used them!"
Haru was suddenly standing by them, having wandered over after introducing Izuku to everyone, "Umm... Iida? All this furniture was replaced just before the semester started."
Iida blinked, "What?"
Jiro sighed, "Okay, now you've turned borderline creepy. Where'd you learn this stuff?"
Haru looked confused, "I asked."
Everyone stared at him.
"What?"
The door slid open and Kaminari walked in next to Uraraka with some curricular books, "So, anyway, you wanna grab a bite sometime? What kinda stuff you like?"
Uraraka paused to think, "Anything sweet," she stopped when she saw Izuku, "Hey, Deku!" she ran over to the injured boy, her face full of concern, "Why didn't Recovery Girl heal your injuries?"
Izuku gave looked down at his injured arm, "It had to do with the amount of stamina I had or something."
Jiro looked at the telltale bandages on Haru's arm, a slight hint of worry stealing over her, "What about you? You doing alright? You seemed to be heavily injured as well."
Haru shrugged it off, "My stamina levels are extremely high. I'll be completely fine by tomorrow," he turned to glare at Kaminari, "In the meantime..."
Jiro stepped up next to him, "I agree."
The poor blonde suddenly found both arms being grabbed by Haru and Jiro, Haru confiscating the books.
"Tokoyami, catch!"
The brooding teen and his Quirk, Dark Shadow, caught the books Haru tossed at him.
Kaminari felt his stomach sink as Haru and Jiro started dragging him from the room, "Wait! What did I do? Help!"
Izuku looked after the retreating trio, completely confused, "What's going on?"
Ashido quickly set his thoughts to rest, "I'm sure it's nothing. They probably wanted to hang out after school."
***
Kaminari's heels screeched against the smooth floors of UA's halls as his two capturers searched for a place to interrogate him.
"That one seems empty."
"Yup."
Haru nodded in response to Jiro's statement and steered Kaminari into an empty classroom. With a soft thud, Kaminari was roughly plopped into a seat. he sat there fidgeting as Haru and Jiro stood over him, both with a very scary expression."
"Well?" Haru's voice was sharp.
Kaminari chuckled nervously as he rubbed his neck, "Well, what?"
He yelped as Jiro's earphone jacks threatened to stab his face, "You know what," Jiro's attitude brooked no argument, "What were you doing with Uraraka?"
The electric blonde blinked, "Huh?"
Haru leaned down to his level, "Let me rephrase that for her," he gave Kaminari a fake smile, "Why were you just asking Uraraka out?"
Kaminari gave them a mischievous grin, wiggling his eyebrows, "C'mon! A guy can't resist a cutey like her! She's not taken, so why not ask her out?"
Jiro gave him a sadistic smirk, "Did I ever tell you what happened to the last person who lied to me, Kaminari?"
The blonde teen sweatdropped as he looked between his interrogators several times, "You guys remind me of good cop bad cop, you know?"
Haru maintained his smile as his voice got dangerous, "Up and fess or the 'good cop' will lose patience."
Kaminari finally broke, "Okay! Okay! I was trying to learn what she liked so I could set up a blind date between her and Midoriya!"
Jiro facepalmed at his stupidity, "I knew it. Kaminari, that's a horrible idea."
Haru straightened up, sighing, "Number one rule of third-party observers to romance: Do not interfere unless absolutely necessary or when asked. Some things are just better left alone."
"Aw, come on!" Kaminari whined, "This is my first opportunity to play matchmaker!"
Jiro shook her head, "All the more reason to not mess with them. This is a little more delicate type of relationship. One wrong move from us could ruin it before it even starts. We especially need to be careful with Midoriya."
Haru pinched the bridge of his nose with a groan, "Wow..."
His friends looked up at him, "What?"
Haru raised his eyes, "We're shipping them, and talking about whether to interfere or not."
Jiro paused to think before sitting down in an empty seat holding her head in her hands, "Great, I'm becoming like my mom."
Kaminari gave a short laugh at the disgusted looked on the other two's faces, "Guess I'm rubbing off on you guys."
Haru deadpanned as he looked at the blonde, "For the record, if my grades drop, I'm blaming you."
Kaminari gaped in protest, "Hey!"
Jiro chuckled.
A tap of footsteps running by made them look up to see Izuku running past the classroom.
"I wonder why he's in such a hurry?" Kaminari mused.
Haru felt a rush of guilt, "Jiro? How's Katsuki?"
Jiro shook her head, "Not good. He hasn't yelled at us since the exercise."
Haru briefly closed his eyes using his sensory to predict Izuku's path of travel.
Front entrance. Must be... Bingo.
"I've gotta go."
Haru started to walk away before Jiro caught his arm.
"Wait!"
The redhead paused, looking down at her, "Oh yeah. Meet me outside the front gate."
Gently removing his arm from the girl's hold, he ran off after Izuku.
Kaminari gave Jiro a confused look, "What was that about?"
Jiro answered him as she walked from the room, "I overheard something I shouldn't have."
***
Haru sped down the hallway, even bouncing off the walls as he rounded sharp corners. With the expertise of a practiced gymnast, he slid down sideways down the banisters of the stairways.
He finally arrived at the main door and stopped, sensing that Izuku caught up with his brother. With a swift movement, he opened the door quietly and stood at the head of the stairs, partially hidden by the shadows caused by the setting sun.
The reason why he stopped was because of what he heard the moment he stepped outside.
"I have to tell you something..."
It was the sound of Izuku's voice that made Haru pause. It was quiet, but it was a tone that Izuku had never used before. It was steady, but held a tinge of fear underneath it all. It held the need to be understood and the need to understand no matter what. It was... almost surreal hearing it from someone like Izuku who was always so timid.
Katsuki seemed oblivious to this as he stood with his back to them, only partially glancing over his shoulder. His whole attitude radiated negative energy.
"I wasn't hiding my Quirk from you. It was given to me by someone else, recently."
Haru drew in a breath in shock. The gravity of Izuku's claim was not lost on him. Being an abnormality himself, Haru knew best how revolutionary this case was. Revolutionary and dangerous.
Izuku continued, "I can't tell you who I got it from, so don't ask. It sounds crazy, I know. Like something out of a comic book. Only it's real," the mossy haired teenager bowed his head, "The thing is, I don't have any real control over this power yet. I haven't figured out how to make it my own, but I'm trying. That's why... I didn't want to use it against you in the exercise. In the end it the only way I had a chance of winning. I've still got a lot to learn. I know that. That's why I'm here," Izuku looked up again his voice rising a holding a resolute note to it, "You'll see, I'll work until I have full control of this borrowed Quirk, and finally beat you with my own power!"
To say that no one was stunned would be a major lie. Even Izuku seemed a little horrified at his last statement. Haru's face was a perfect representation of 'what the hell just happened?' Katuski was just dumbfounded.
"How dumb do you think I am?" Izuku tensed at the Katsuki's irritated response, "Borrowed power? Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot," Katsuki turned around, his eyes overshadowed by his ash-colored locks. When he spoke, it was heavy with pent up emotion, "You already made a fool out of me in that damn training exercise. So? Did you come here to rub it in? I lost! And to make matters worse, it was to you! I came in second in the exam, but that's not enough! I was angry that I couldn't be the person my younger brother always saw in me, that I could be the strongest!" his knuckles turned white when he clenched his fist, "When I saw that ice guy, Todoroki, I realized I couldn't beat him in a head to head fight!" he placed his hand over his eyes as if trying to ward off some terrible memory, "Crap! I even agreed with what that girl said! My attack was so stupid! Every time I close my eyes now I keep seeing Haru jumping in front of me! I keep seeing his blood on my hands! He won't even hate me for what I did to him! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" a strangled sob rasped from his thought as he looked up, tears appearing in his eyes, "Enjoy that win, Deku! You won't get another! I'm just getting started! Got that? I'm gonna end up the number one hero no matter what! I'm going to keep Haru safe even if I have to break myself doing it."
He stopped at the breath of wind and the feeling of someone hugging him. The familiar scent of fallen rain and vanilla filling his nostrils.
"It's okay, Katsuki," Haru's voice was but a soft whisper, "It's okay, I'm here for you."
Letting out another strangled sob, Katsuki buried his face into Haru's shoulder.
The younger Bakugo gently rubbed his brother's back comfortingly, "You're my number one hero, Katsuki. You always were and you always will be."
He stood there, allowing Katsuki to bring his guilt, anger, and, frustration under control. Allowing him to free himself of all the emotions that had been torturing him. Allowing him to find comfort in the one he trusted the most.
When Katsuki's breakdown finally calmed to heavy breathing, Haru gave him a comforting pat.
"Why are you always here for me?" Katsuki's voice was husky from the tears he shed.
Haru placed his hands on his brother's shoulder, "Because you're you. You gave me purpose, Katsuki. You inspire my dream. I'm the pillar that will support you no matter where you end up. I won't let you fall."
Katsuki bowed his head, "I don't want to lose you... I can't... but everything I do seems to push you away from me."
Haru gave Katsuki his warmest closed-eyed smile, "I promise I will always be there when you need me. I never break a promise."
Katsuki sent him a glare, "You said you'd never forgive me if I hurt Deku."
Haru flicked his brother's forehead, "Getting injuries while training is inevitable. I took the damage from the blast, so all is forgiven this one time," his expression became stern, "I won't be so forgiving next time."
Katsuki turned away, rubbing at his eyes with his sleeve, "Whatever."
"THERE YOU ARRRRRRRRRRRE!"
Haru mentally cursed at the familiarly loud voice of All Might.
The number one hero nearly knocked him down with the force of his passing by as he dashed up to Katsuki, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, "BAKU-GO! I FOUND YOU!" the hero took a deep breath, "Just so you know. Pride is an important thing to have but while you certainly have the abilities to become a pro hero, there's still plenty you have to..."
All Might's voice trailed off as he noticed the piercing glare Haru sent his way. Oh dear, really bad timing!
Katsuki shrugged off All Might's hands, "Save your speeches, All Might. I'll be more famous than you and I'll do it without your help."
All Might held his hands back in silent apology, "Uh, right."
He watched Katsuki walk-off, Haru following close behind.
'Guess he already got over it.' All Might took a step back. 'Man! Being a teacher is hard!'
***
Unknown to those down below, most of Class 1A had watched the whole proceeding from the windows of the upper floors.
Ashido looked thoughtful, "Huh, I wonder what that was all about?
Uraraka had an intense expression on her face, "The fated battle between rivals."
Asui didn't look convinced, "Whatever Midoriya was saying, it looked like Bakugo really wanted to punch him.
"Childhood friends turned enemies," Uraraka insisted.
Kirishima looked away from the window to the other student around him, "Is everyone forgetting how vulnerable Katsuki is around Haru?"
"Bonds that surpass the ties of blood," Tokoyami brooded.
Mineta shuddered, "They're both scary."
Todoroki didn't say anything as he silently eyed a certain redhead, his expression betraying nothing.
Ashido suddenly pressed her cheek against the glass as she saw someone running after Bakugo's, "Wait! Is that Jiro?"
Uraraka mirrored the pinked skinned girl's actions and gasped, "It is!"
Everyone watched as Jiro caught up with the pair, causing them to stop. They seemed to exchange some words before Haru motioned her to follow him and walk towards the direction of the station.
Ashido squealed, "This semester has gotten even better!"
She whipped out a notebook, adding a second line to a list.
IzuOcha
BakuJiro
"This is already the second ship in the making," she nearly squealed.
Question marks appeared around Uraraka's head, "Second? Who's first?"
Ashido realized her mistake and flailed her arms in panic, "Second? Did I say second? I mean first! Right, Tsu?"
"Not really," the frog girl said bluntly.
"Aw, c'mon!"
***
(A/N) To be honest, this is showing up way earlier than I was originally planning. I just wrote with the flow and this ended up happening. *internally screaming* PLEASE TELL ME I DID NO WRONG!
***
Haru followed Katsuki outside the gate when he remembered his promise to Jiro, "Hey, Katsuki."
He was interrupted by Jiro calling out his name.
Both boys turned around to see the dark-haired girl running to catch up.
Katsuki scowled, "What the hell does she want?"
Haru gave Katsuki an apologetic smile, "Sorry, she wanted to talk. So I'm taking her to see Mom's grave since she wanted to visit."
Katsuki's expression softened ever so slightly. With a grunt, he started to walk away.
"Well, maybe she isn't as annoying after all."
Haru looked at him suspiciously, "What's are you implying?"
Katsuki looked over his shoulder with a smirk, "She's decent."
Haru's eyebrows shot up.
"Did he just say I'm decent?" Jiro's voice sounded right next to him.
Haru jumped a bit looking down at the shorter girl, "Yeah, he did."
Jiro gave him a knowing smile, "From what I've seen. That's quite a compliment coming from him."
Haru shook his head in disbelief, "To be honest, I think you're the first person he's ever called that."
Jiro started off after Katsuki's receding figure, "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm honored."
Haru started walking toward the direction of the train station, "C'mon. I want to show you something."
***
It was only a single train stop before they got off. Haru grabbed Jiro's hand so they would get separated by the evening crowds. Neither of them seemed to acknowledge the touch or notice the smiles some people sent at them.
Jiro let herself be pulled along until she found herself at the entrance to a cemetery. She sent Haru a curious look as he absentmindedly dropped her hand, his eyes fixed on the rows of graves just visible from the gate.
"Where are we?"
Haru snapped out of his trance as looked at her, "You wanted to talk, so I'm taking you to a special spot."
Jiro's eyes softened, "Your mother grave," she breathed.
Haru ducked his head, "It weird, I know. I just feel like she gives me courage like she's still there for me."
Jiro patted his arm, "I get it. I'd probably do the same in your shoes. I did want to visit sometime. She seems to have influenced you a lot."
Haru sent her a grateful smile as he motioned for her to follow, "Follow me."
They made their way down the narrow paths bordered by the monumental stones of the dead. The light was fading, but Jiro didn't feel afraid. Her darkest secret was the fear of graveyards in the evening, but Haru seemed to light up his surroundings. It was as if he was bringing comfort to the departed ones with his presence alone.
They finally arrived at a small grove of wisteria trees.
She marveled at the beauty of the purple flowers in season. Their trailing branches almost made that particular spot ethereal.
***
(A/N) Surprisingly, I actually got the season right for wisteria.
***
Haru stopped in front of one of the smaller graves, "She sleeps here."
Jiro stood next to him, reading the inscription chiseled on the monument stone.
Konan
-- – May 2, 2148 [1]
Unknown
-- – May 2, 2148 [1]
***
[1] Theoretically, BNHA's first generation is from 2014, second, 2044, third, 2074, fourth, 2104, and fifth, 2134. Izuku is a fifth-generation and is 14 at the beginning. So, the show begins around 2148. This isn't canon I just need some date of some sort.
***
"My mom died in a villain attack protecting me," Haru explained, "They were unable to find any record of her. My adoptive parents were the only ones who talked to her before she died. There was another woman with her who was also dead. The authorities were unable to identify her either," he knelt, sweeping the dust from the stone, "The Bakugos paid for a proper burial for them both."
Jiro remained silent.
Haru swiped a speck of dust from his eye before holding out a hand in front of him. Creating a paper rose, he set it down on the grave.
"I'm sure she loved you very much."
Haru straightened up, "She had a dream of achieving peace. She wanted a world where everyone would no longer have to suffer from mindless conflict. She ended up dying because someone couldn't accept that. I want to fulfill her dream. I want to create a world where we can all smile because we truly feel happy. A world that understands. That's what pushes me forward," he turned to her, his golden eyes soft, "That's why I said what said to Katsuki today."
Jiro's eyes widened, "Your brother?"
Haru nodded, looking away, "Ever since we were little, everyone would praise him for his intelligence and his strong Quirk. To be honest, I practically worshiped him, still do. Now he's struggling with himself."
Jiro stared at her feet, "I see."
Haru looked up at her again, "Please keep this between us. You don't need to act any differently around him either. He's actually a kind person at heart, but he has a hard time with emotions and setting priorities straight. He just needs time to adjust."
Jiro gave a faint smile, still not looking up, "I promise."
Haru glanced at the sky and saw the sun was nearly set, "We best get going. Need me to walk you home?"
Jiro shook her head, "No need, I actually live just a few minutes from here."
Hari fidgeted with his jacket, "I can at least escort you a few blocks. I did take up your time. My mom would kill me if I let you walk back alone."
Jiro chuckled, "Because I'm a girl?"
Haru's felt his face heat up, "Well... yeah."
Jiro straightened up, giving him a formal bow, "Since you insist. I will allow you to escort me part of the way home.
***
(A short time later...)
Jiro hadn't been lying when she said she lived nearby. The two teens hadn't spoken a word to each other as they walked, but they shared a comfortable silence instead. It just seemed better that way.
When they arrived at her block, they parted ways. Even then, Haru secretly used his sensory to make sure there was no one nearby to bother her as he walked away.
As soon as he was out of sight, he paused, a small smile touching his lips. Gripping onto his bag, he flickered to a nearby roof. After that, he was tearing across the rooves faster than the untrained eye could see. He savored the rush of air that blew past him, feeling the crisp coolness of night starting to creep upon him.
He kept on like that, avoided being seen by both heroes and police. Technically since he didn't have a Quirk he wasn't going against the law, but it wasn't as if he could say that if he got caught. It wasn't a good example for him, a hero student, to break the rules, but what was the point of youth if he couldn't enjoy it?
Haru's senses tingled and he looked down to see a strange bundle huddled on the sidewalk. He realized a moment later that it was a person. A man in a black hoodie, barely in his twenties by the feel of his aura, which was unusually conflicted.
Barely breaking his run, he dropped down by the man, "Sir? Are you okay? Do you need me to call anyone?"
***
(A/N) Don't do this in real life. Don't talk to strangers.
***
The streetlights were on now, so when the man looked up, Haru caught a glimpse of pale blue hair and a pair of bloodshot eyes.
"Huh?"
Haru crouched so he was at eye level with the person, "You seemed to be in distress, do you need anything?"
The stranger blinked, a little confused, "You want to help me?"
Haru smiled, "I would be here if I didn't. You look like you collapsed or something."
The man eyed him carefully noting that although the boy seemed to be relaxed, he was not being careless. He was crouched at just the right distance that was close enough to be friendly but far enough to avoid an attack if necessary. He also noticed Haru's uniform.
"You're a UA student."
Haru continued to smile, "Yes I am."
A strange light flickered in the man's eyes for a moment before it disappeared, "So this is one of you 'heroic acts' or something?"
Haru held out a hand to help the man up, "I'd hardly get any glory for this. Just performing an act of common decency."
The man stared at his hand for a moment.
Slowly he reached out and took the proffered hand, keeping his pinky raised.
Haru gently pulled the man to his feet.
"Don't expect me to thank you."
Haru straightened his bag, "You don't need to."
The man stared at him a moment for speaking again, "I recognize you. You're Haruko Bakugo from the sludge incident."
Haru shrugged, "What difference does it make who I am?" he looked at the man's hand, changing the subject, "You avoided touching me with all five fingers. My guess is that your Quirk activated when all five fingers touch someone?"
"You're observant. Might get you in trouble."
"Trouble I can handle."
The man chuckled, "Very confident, are we?"
"What can I say, it runs in my family," Haru turned, "Wait here."
He ran off down the street, disappearing into a small corner store. The stranger waited, his fingers twitching as if out of habit.
A minute later, Haru exited the store.
"Here," he handed the man a pair of gloves, "These are for you."
The man carefully took the offered gloved staring at them strangely, "What are these for?"
Haru held up his own hand, pointing at it, "You can wear them. That way you can touch things without worrying about destroying them by accident," he paused feeling a buzz from the phone in his pocket, "I have to head home soon. Do you need me to get you anything?"
"No."
Haru gave the man one last smile, "Alright then."
He turned to go.
"Tenko."
Haru paused, looking back, "What?"
"My name's Tenko," the man's voice was low.
Haru nodded, "It was nice meeting you Tenko. I hope things work out for you. Even though you hate me, I wish you luck."
He turned and ran down the street, answering the text he had gotten saying he'd be home soon.
The man stared after him, an unreadable look on his face.
'He realized I already hated him and yet he still wanted to help me. I don't know whether that's meant to be compassion or stupidity.'
Glancing at the gloves, he pocketed them and walked down the street.
***
(Later that night at an unknown location...)
The dim light of a single overhead lamp illuminated the small bar hidden in the darkest parts of the city. The bartender, a man whose body seemed to be made of a strange dark mist, was cleaning an empty glass.
[Kurogiri, has Tomura returned yet?] a dark voice came from a monitor on the wall that said sound only.
The bartender paused at what he was doing, "Not yet, master. He left earlier in a tantrum. I think the plan we are about to set in motion is making him too excited."
[That is only to be expected. He's young, but he has potential. I wouldn't have raised him as my successor if he didn't.]
The door creaked as it was opened by the blue-haired man.
"Welcome back, Shigaraki," the Kurogiri greeted him in a monotone voice, "Did you do anything productive while you were out?"
Shigaraki sat down at the bar, "Don't address like that. I'm not five. I just encountered a UA student in the next city. He had the nerve to want to 'help' me."
Kurogiri looked up at him, "What happened?"
Shigaraki shrugged, "I let him live. It wouldn't do to tip-off UA that something was wrong," the villain looked down at the newspaper announcing All Might's new status as a teacher, "Did you see this joke? It says he's a teacher now," a dark smile appeared on his face, "What do you think will happen when the mighty Symbol of Peace is finally killed by the villains."
[Something tells me there was another reason you spared that student, Shigaraki,] the voice observed.
Shigaraki sat back, "There was, actually. He wasn't an ordinary run-of-the-mill wannabe hero," he rested his chin on the back of his hand, "You remember Haruko Bakugo."
*Yes. We considered him and his brother as possible assets. It seems a waste that so much potential would be wasted among heroes. He was the one you encountered?*
Shigaraki nodded, "Yes, he was unusual. Even though he offered me help, he never let his guard down. He hid it very well, too."
Kurogiri looked back from where he was putting the glass away, "I see... You think he has the same potential master does?"
Shigaraki stood up taking the gloves from his pocket, "Not exactly. He seems to already be tarnished with hero idealism," he smirked as he pulled a glove over his hand, "We shall see if he'll join us once the Symbol of Peace of dead."
***
