Chapter Seventy Nine

"What the hell was that-!?" Bakugo snapped around; his handsome face contorted with annoyance. "-if you hadn't gotten in the way that villain-!"

"-is my brother." You interjected, shooting him a stern look as you turned, pushing past putting your focus back on Shiro, who lay motionless.

"Your brother?" Bakugo blinked, tilting his head to the side. "You mean the one who sold you to Shooter!?"

"That's the one."

"Why were you protecting him then!?"

"Shut up." You exhaled, suppressing the welling pressure behind your eyes.

"(y.n)-"

"Just-!" You snapped, refusing to face him. "-help me get Shiro to a med tent."

"Hah?" Bakugo stomped to your side, scowling down at Shiro. "What happened to the garbage disposal?"

"The moron took a bullet for me." Your words were dusted with a bitter salt as you glanced down at Shiro. A heavy ache settled in your chest as Bakugo, and you guided Shiro towards the nearest medical tent.

All you wanted was for Tank to return, to see him again, to finally get the answers to the questions which continue to haunt you. But he vanished again, leaving you with uncertainty about when and where you might encounter him once more.

Your heart fluttered, Tank was alive, after all these years...you glanced at the sky, wondering whose body you burned so long ago...

----

"He's stable." The doctor announced, his hands disappearing into his lab coat. You stood within a medical tent amidst the bustling Star Festival. "I don't know how, given the severity of the wound." He continued, "But once the scene is clear and we have the opportunity, we'll transport him to the hospital and keep him under observation for a few days."

You nodded. "Thanks Doc."

"Of course." He replied, his attention pulled away as a nurse called for him. "Please excuse me." He hurriedly excused himself.

You gazed down at Shiro lying on the stretcher. "Asshole." You muttered.

"(y.n)-!" The tent flaps flew open, Gray burst into the area, eyes frantically scanning around until they settled on you. "-oh, my G-!" He exhaled, visibly relieved and jogged over. The tent entrance widened to admit Midoriya, Bakugo and Kirishima.

"Good to see your alive." You smirked at Gray's anxious expression.

"I searched everywhere for you!" He panted, clearly out of breath. "What the hell happened?" Gray asked, touching Shiro's hand and studying his peaceful slumber. Your gaze lazily shifted to Bakugo, who seemed to have kept your encounter with Tank to himself.

"It's..." You began, the events replaying in your mind. "...a long story."

"Is Shiro going to be okay?" Kirishima inquired, joining your side.

"Yeah..." You nod, "...he just needs rest."

"Great-!" Gray grumbled, "-that means he's going to want us to wait on him hand and foot."

"Yeah." You agreed, looking down at your brother, who had taken a bullet for you. "He kinda deserves it though."

"Do not ever let him hear you say that!" Gray points, playfully warning you, prompting a chuckle from you.

"Well-" Midoriya interjected, relieved by your well-being, "-if everyone's okay, we should probably return to securing the scene and assisting anyone in need."

"Right." Gray nodded, "We should—"

"Hell no-!" Bakugo pushed Gray back. "-you two-" He points to you and Gray. "-are staying right here."

"But-" Gray protested.

"No." Bakugo crossed his arms. "You two still have price tags on your head, the last thing we need right now is a bunch of lowlife villains trying to cash in."

"Plus-" Kirishima chimed in, "-you two are still kinda on a grounded status, you shouldn't be practicing any hero work."

"Ok mom!" Gray threw his hands up in exasperation. "I guess we will just sit here and let you do all the work!"

"That's all we're asking of you." Midoriya grinned turning to you—you broke eye contact, looking back at Shiro.

"Here." Bakugo approached, holding two folding chairs.

"Where did you get those?" Gray wondered.

"Do you want them or not!?" Bakugo retorted, opening one of the chairs for you.

"You're not going to open mine?" Gray pouted.

"Open your own damn chair!" Bakugo snapped, his crimson eyes locked onto you until you sighed and settled into the seat.

"We'll be back as soon as we can." Midoriya smiled at you, "If I see Toshi I'll send him this way, I know by now he's probably freaking out as bad as we were."

"Hah!?" Bakugo narrowed his eyes. "Speak for your damn self, I wasn't freaking out!"

"Yeah, you were-" Midoriya was cut off by Bakugo shoving him forward.

"Let's go already-!" Bakugo glared, "-damn nerd, wasting all our time!"

"But you-!" Midoriya protested with a chuckling Kirishima following them out of the tent.

"I like them." Gray smiled weakly, staring at the entrance of the tent. "They're ok."

"Yeah." You nod, looking at Gray beside you. "Where's Renata and Kana?"

"With Aizawa." Gray answered, his tired eyes fixed on the rise and fall of Shiro's chest. "The moment I heard you two were missing, I had him watch them while I went looking for you two."

"Hm." You hummed.

"What the hell happened (y.n)?"

"I don't know." You sighed, leaning forward with your elbows on your knees, rubbing your exhausted face.

"It seems like something happened." Gray pressed for details.

"I saw Tank."

"Tank?" Gray repeated, his brows furrowing. "You mean our old guard dog from our cell days?"

"That's the one."

"What the hell-!?" Gray started.

"He said to drop the search for Shooter-"

"Oh, I'm sure he did!" Gray scoffed.

"-and focus our attention on the League of Villains."

"Huh?" Gray blinked, shaking his head. "That-That doesn't make any sense, why would we care about a group with questionable fashion choices?"

"Tank says...their next move is to free Shadow Jack."

"Ha-!" Gray chuckled, throwing his head back, "-I'd like to see that happen, Shadow Jack is under tight lock and key, there's no way they can get to him."

"I don't know." You shrugged, "That's all he said about it."

Gray studied your face, "Do you believe him?"

"I don't know..." You honestly replied, "...but he saved Shiro and me."

"He did?"

"Yeah, if he didn't show when he did..." You shook your head. "...I don't know if we would be sitting here right now."

"Maybe it was planned." Gray mused. "Maybe Tank wanted you to think he swooped in and saved you to gain trust."

"I don't know." You repeated, exhaling deeply as you leaned back against the chair.

"How did you and Shiro get so far from the festival?" Gray wondered, knowing Bakugo commented on how he found you and Shiro blocks away.

"A fog quirk caught me in the crowd, it felt like I went paralyzed, I blacked out and when I came to, I guess Shiro road along for the ride."

"Did you know it was Tank from the start or-?"

"No." You cut in, "I didn't know Tank was the one who caught me."

"How?" Gray smirked, "He's like the only dude I know who chokes up smoke for a living."

"I thought Tank could only transport people with him-" You sighed, leaning back in the chair. "-when I knew him, his fog was always purple, what caught me in the crowd was black, not purple...I guess we aren't the only ones with a few upgrades."

"You ok?" Gray's expression softened, pushing aside the murky tinge of jealousy stirred by the appearance of your biological brother. "After seeing him?"

You pressed your lips together, holding back the prickling sensation as you turned to him. Shivers ran up Gray's spine, seeing you so vulnerable.

"No." You whispered.

"Hey-" Gray sat up, gently rubbing your back. "-we'll figure this out like we always do! I'm sure once Shiro is awake we can-"

"Gray!"

You and Gray turned; Renata rushed into the tent. "Thank God, I found you!"

"Ren?" Gray stood up, "What's going on?"

"I can't find her!" Renata cried, tears streaming down her face. "I can't find Kana!"