[48] New Era

As we walked through the crowded stadium, I caught snippets of conversation all around us.

"Did you see that Midoriya kid? He's got some serious power!"

"I heard he was quirkless until recently. Late bloomer, I guess."

"That final match was insane. I thought they were gonna bring the whole place down!"

We found Uraraka's parents near the concession stands. They were a kind-looking couple, with the same round face and warm eyes as their daughter.

"Mom, Dad!" Uraraka called out, waving. "This is Deku - I mean, Izuku Midoriya. The one I told you about!"

Her father's eyes widened as he took in the gold medal around my neck. "Well, I'll be! It's an honor to meet you, young man. That was some performance out there!"

I bowed slightly. "Thank you, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you both. Uraraka's told me so much about you."

Her mother beamed. "Oh, you're even more polite than Ochaco said!"

"Mom!" Uraraka hissed, her face turning red.

I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. "You're too kind, really. Your daughter was incredible out there, you know. She's got a bright future ahead of her."

Uraraka's blush deepened, but her parents practically glowed.

"That's our girl," her father said, ruffling Uraraka's hair. "Always reaching for the stars."

We chatted for a few more minutes, with Uraraka's parents asking about my quirk and my plans for the future. I kept my answers vague but enthusiastic, painting a picture of a dedicated hero-in-training with big dreams.

As we said our goodbyes, Uraraka's mother pulled me into a surprise hug. "You take care of our Ochaco, you hear?" she whispered. "She talks about you all the time."

I patted her back awkwardly, catching Uraraka's mortified expression over her mother's shoulder. "Of course, ma'am. We look out for each other in Class 1-A."

As we walked away, Uraraka groaned. "I am so, so sorry about that. They can be a bit... much."

I waved off her concern. "Don't worry about it. They seem like great people. You're lucky to have them."

She smiled, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Yeah, I really am. Hey, want to grab some food?"

Before I could answer Uraraka, a shout came from the crowd.

"There he is!"

A sea of cameras suddenly swung in our direction, flashes popping like firecrackers. Reporters surged forward, microphones thrust out like weapons.

"Mr. Midoriya! How does it feel to be this year's champion?"

"Can you tell us about your quirk?"

"What are your plans for the future?"

The questions came rapid-fire, each reporter trying to out-shout the others. I felt Uraraka tense beside me, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden attention.

Time to put on a show.

"Whoa, easy there!" I laughed, holding up my hands. "One at a time, please. I'm just a student, after all."

A woman with spiky green hair managed to push her way to the front. "Midoriya! Your performance today was incredible. Did you expect to win when you entered the festival?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Honestly? No. I knew I'd try my best, but there are so many amazing students here at U.A. I'm just honored to have made it this far."

"What about your quirk?" A man with a pencil mustache shouted. "It seems incredibly powerful. Have you always had it?"

Careful now. This was delicate territory.

"Ah, well, my quirk is... complicated," I said, choosing my words carefully. "It manifested late, and I'm still learning to control it. Today was as much a test for me as it was a competition."

"Is it true you were quirkless until recently?" Another reporter called out.

"I... yes, that's true," I admitted. No point in denying it now. "But I think that just goes to show that with hard work and determination, anyone can achieve their dreams."

The reporters ate it up, scribbling furiously in their notepads.

"What message do you have for other late bloomers out there?" A kind-looking older woman asked.

"Don't give up," I said, letting real emotion seep into my voice. "I know how hard it can be, feeling like you're falling behind. But your worth isn't determined by your quirk. It's determined by your actions, by your heart. If you have the drive to be a hero, to help others, then keep pushing forward. The world needs all kinds of heroes."

"What about your rivalry with Katsuki Bakugo?" A young reporter piped up. "You two seemed to have quite the intense final match."

I laughed, waving my hand dismissively. "Kacchan and I go way back. We've always pushed each other to be better. He's an incredible fighter, and I'm lucky to have such a strong rival."

"Speaking of strong," another voice chimed in, "your match against Todoroki was particularly impressive. Any comments on that?"

I paused, considering my words carefully. This was a chance to cement my image as not just powerful, but compassionate.

"Todoroki is... an exceptional hero-in-training," I said slowly. "During our match, I saw someone struggling with the weight of expectations. I just wanted to remind him that his power is his own, not anyone else's."

The reporters leaned in, hungry for more. But before they could ask another question, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Alright, that's enough for now," Aizawa's tired voice cut through the crowd. "These students need to rest and recover. You can submit official interview requests through the proper channels."

The reporters groaned in disappointment, but Aizawa's glare left no room for argument. As he herded us away, I turned back to the cameras with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, everyone! Duty calls. Thank you for your support!"

As we walked away, Uraraka let out a long breath. "That was intense, I can't believe how many questions they had for you, Deku."

I shrugged. "It's all part of the game, I guess. Better get used to it if we want to be top heroes someday."

Aizawa grunted. "Just remember, there's more to being a hero than playing nice with the press. Now go get changed and rest up. You've earned it."

We fell into a comfortable silence as we walked. Up ahead, I could see the entrance to the 1-A locker rooms. I was already fantasizing about taking a long, hot shower and collapsing on my bed. But as we got closer, I noticed a familiar figure waiting by the door.

"Izuku!" Ai called out, waving excitedly. Her usual professional facade had slipped, an almost giddy smile on her face. "There's my champion!"

"Hey, Ai," I said. "What's going on?"

She held up her phone. "I just wanted to show you some of the pictures I got during your match. The media attention right now is insane - we need to capitalize on it."

Curious, I leaned in to look at her screen. She flipped through various shots expertly taken from different angles around the arena. There was one of me dodging Bakugo's explosions, electricity arcing from my fingertips. Another captured the massive shockwave from our final clash. But the one that really caught my eye was a photo of me and Kacchan right after the match, both battered and bruised, but walking together with the faintest hints of smiles on our faces.

"Whoa..." I breathed. "These are amazing, Ai."

She smiled knowingly. "I thought you'd like that last one in particular. Shows your sportsmanship and history with Bakugo. Very humanizing."

I nodded slowly, still studying the photo. She was right, it was damn near perfect for crafting my public image. The determined underdog, respectful even in victory.

"Your social media is blowing up too," Ai continued, tapping at her phone again. "You're up to 280k Instagram followers, 340k on Twitter. Lots of verified accounts and reporters are tagging you."

"Seriously?" This was all happening so fast. I knew my performance would get attention, but this was even out of my predictions.

Ai laughed. "Oh, this is just the start. Once I really get your profiles going, your follower count will be in the millions."

I let out a low whistle. "Guess I'd better start thinking about what to say in those interviews then."

"We can go over talking points tomorrow. For now, you should get changed and rest up." She shot a glance at Uraraka. "I'm sure your classmates want to celebrate too. Just, ah, be subtle if you decide to toast your victories, okay?"

Uraraka turned beet red. "W-we're not...I mean, it's not..." she sputtered helplessly.

"Right, well, we'll be responsible. I'll come find you later, Ai."

She nodded. "You got it, boss. Go enjoy your victory. You earned it."

With a wave, she headed off, probably to leverage some of those interview opportunities. I watched her go, marveling at how quickly she was propelling me into the spotlight.

But for now, a shower was calling my name.

"Shall we?" I said to Uraraka, gesturing towards the locker room entrance.

She nodded, the blush finally fading from her round cheeks. I held the door for her, and we both stepped into the blessed silence within. Most of our other classmates had already cleared out their lockers and headed back to the dorms, leaving just a few stragglers.

Just as I was about to leave, a gruff voice called out.

"Hey, Deku."

I turned to see Bakugo sitting on one of the benches, uniform shirt half-unbuttoned, his first aid bandages just visible underneath. His hair was still disheveled from our battle.

"What's up?"

"The old hag texted. Wants to know where we're celebrating tonight."

I shrugged, running a hand through my hair. "We could just do it at mom's place. Doesn't need to be a big thing."

Kacchan snorted. "What? Don't want to be in front of your new fan club?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know me, Kacchan. I prefer a quieter scene."

I grabbed my bag and headed out of the locker room with Bakugo. The walk to the dorms was quiet at first, both of us lost in our own thoughts.

We stepped out into the cool evening air. The sky was painted in shades of orange and pink, the sun sinking behind the city skyline. I took a deep breath, letting the day's tension start to melt away.

We walked in comfortable silence for a bit, the sounds of the city filling the air around us. As we neared the dorms, Kacchan spoke up again.

"That thing you did at the end. With the lightning. When did you figure that out?"

I shrugged. "Pretty recently, actually. I'm still getting the hang of it."

Kacchan's eyes narrowed. "Bullshit. You pulled that off way too smoothly for it to be brand new."

"Okay, okay. I may have been practicing it in secret. Wanted to have an ace up my sleeve, you know?"

He snorted. "Sneaky bastard. No wonder you managed to..."

His voice trailed off, but I knew what he meant. No wonder I managed to beat him.

We reached the dorm building and headed up to our rooms. As we reached Kacchan's door, he paused, hand on the doorknob.

"Hey, Deku."

"Yeah?"

He didn't look at me, his gaze fixed on some point down the hall. "You better keep improving. 'Cause I'm not gonna let you stay ahead for long."

I grinned. "Wouldn't be much of a rival if we didn't push each other."

He nodded and disappeared into his room. As I closed my own door behind me, I reflected on how far we'd come. From a childhood bully to fierce rivals to... whatever this was now. It was useful, having Bakugo push me like this. His drive to surpass me would only make me stronger in the long run.

I showered quickly and changed into casual clothes, my mind already shifting gears to tonight. I was genuinely looking forward to seeing my mom's face light up.

A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. "Oi, Deku! You ready or what?"

I grabbed my jacket and opened the door to find Bakugo leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed.

"Yeah, let's go. You sure you're up for this? We could always raincheck if you're not feeling a hundred percent."

He scoffed. "As if. I'm not gonna let a few bruises keep me from free food. Now move your ass, I'm starving."

We made our way out of the dorms, falling into step beside each other. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the campus.

"So," I said, breaking the comfortable silence. "You think they're gonna embarrass us with baby pictures?"

Bakugo groaned. "Fuck, I hope not. If the old hag brings out that stupid photo album, I swear I'll blow it up."

I chuckled. "Come on, it's not that bad. Remember that picture of us in the All Might onesies? That was pretty cute."

"Speak for yourself, nerd. I looked badass."

"Sure, Kacchan. Real intimidating with your little foam muscles."

"At least I filled mine out. You looked like a damn skeleton."

We bantered back and forth as we made our way to the train station. It felt... nice. But I knew better than to let my guard down completely. Bakugo was still Bakugo, after all.

On the train, we found seats near the back. Bakugo immediately put his feet up on the empty seat across from him, daring anyone to say something.

"So," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "What's the deal with you and Ponytail?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Yaoyorozu? What do you mean?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb, Deku. I've seen the way you two are always huddled up, whispering and shit. You got something going on there?"

"We're just friends," I said finally. "Study buddies, you know? Her quirk knowledge is really impressive."

Bakugo snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what you're impressed by."

"It's not like that, Kacchan. Besides, I thought you didn't care about 'extras' and their drama."

"I don't," he said quickly. "Just making sure you're not getting soft on me. Can't have my rival distracted by some girl."

I smirked. "Aw, Kacchan. I didn't know you cared."

"Fuck off," he growled.

The rest of the ride passed quickly, and soon we were walking up the familiar street to my apartment. I could already smell something delicious wafting from the open window.

"Oh man," I said, inhaling deeply. "Mom's gone all out."

Kacchan nodded, a hint of eagerness in his step. "Your mom's cooking is the one thing I've missed since moving into the dorms."

I laughed. "Don't let Aunt Mitsuki hear you say that."

"As if. The old hag can barely boil water without burning it."

We reached the door, and I could hear excited voices inside. I glanced at Kacchan.

"Ready for this?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's just dinner, Deku. Not another fight."

"Right, right."

I took a deep breath and opened the door. Immediately, we were engulfed in a whirlwind of hugs and exclamations.

"Oh, my boys!" Mom cried, pulling us both into a tight embrace. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Geez, Inko, let them breathe," Aunt Mitsuki laughed, but she was right there too, ruffling our hair.

"Mom, come on," Kacchan grumbled, but I noticed he didn't pull away immediately and he didn't call her old hag.

I sat at the dinner table, surrounded by the aroma of Mom's cooking. Kacchan was next to me, scarfing down katsudon like he hadn't eaten in days. Our moms chatted animatedly, recounting every moment of the Sports Festival as if we hadn't been there ourselves.

"And when Izuku landed that final blow!" Mom gushed, her eyes shining. "I thought my heart was going to burst!"

Aunt Mitsuki nodded enthusiastically. "It was something else, alright. But Katsuki, that Howitzer Impact of yours was incredible too!"

Kacchan grunted, his mouth full of rice. For all his bravado, he always got a bit sheepish when Aunt Mitsuki praised him directly.

"Hey, Kacchan," I said, nudging him with my elbow. "Remember when we used to play heroes in the backyard? You'd always insist on being the hero so you could blow the evil lair up."

He swallowed his food and smirked. "Yeah, and you'd cry every time I caught you."

"I did not!"

"Did too, you big baby."

We bickered back and forth, falling into an old, comfortable rhythm. Our moms watched us, amused looks on their faces.

"Some things never change," Aunt Mitsuki said, shaking her head fondly.

But they had changed, I realized. Kacchan wasn't just a pawn in my grand strategy anymore. He was... family. A brother in all but blood, pushing me to be better, keeping me grounded.

"Oi Deku," Kacchan's voice cut through my thoughts. "You gonna finish that, or what?"

I looked down at my half-eaten bowl. "Oh, uh, yeah. Just thinking."

"Well, don't hurt yourself," he snorted, but there was no real bite to it.

As we finished dinner and helped clean up, I was genuinely enjoying the moment. Not analyzing, not plotting, just... being.

"You boys want to watch a movie?" Mom asked as we settled in the living room.

"As long as it's not a sappy romance," Kacchan grumbled.

I grinned. "What about that old All Might documentary? For old times' sake?"

Kacchan rolled his eyes, but I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. "Fine, whatever. But I'm not doing the catchphrases this time."

As the familiar opening credits rolled, I leaned back on the couch. I glanced at him, catching his eye. He raised an eyebrow, silently asking what I was looking at.

"Nothing," I said, turning back to the screen. "Just glad you're here, Kacchan."

He was quiet for a moment, then mumbled, "Yeah, well. Someone's gotta keep you in line, nerd."

I smiled to myself. Some things really did change. And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing after all.

End Of Volume 2

{A/N: Ahhh Volume 2 finally done. Honestly, when I started this I never really thought I would ever write 100k words of a story, Never thought I would have 1 million views. And that wouldn't have been possible without you guys so from the bottom of my heart:

Thank you!

Now, this next volume will focus on Internships and Hero Killer and for those waiting for R18 scenes…. Just know you won't be waiting long. So get ready for that.

The final thing is what are your thoughts on the story so far? I'd love to hear your opinions.

Anyways, Volume 3 will be released on Sunday. You guys have a good weekend and I will see you then!

}