#toshinori taking pride in how smart his kid is always gets to me man

[bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture]

And the last chapter of the first volume! Though technically there’s after-chapter content that will be in a separate post from this, but for now, what matters is finishing up the quirk assessment and getting into the battle trial!

Honestly, it’s a good thing that I just shoved all the opening arcs from before the USJ together into one tag, because this chapter literally goes from the quirk assessment into the beginning of the battle trial stuff, and trying to separate them out would have been a mess and a half. Better to just have it all in the ‘opening arcs’ tag.

...weird title for something that only comes at the end of the chapter, but whatever, it’s not like we don’t see that happen later on in the series as well.

[No. 7 - Costume Change?]

And we immediately come back to where we left off, with All Might realizing what just happened and what Izuku did and even why! One of those little peeks that remind us that All Might is very smart! Also god, him with a small fanboy moment over how proud he is of his kid and how cool that workaround was, mmm this is the Dad Might content I signed up for. 

Izuku is still standing firm, even with his finger swollen and damaged, biting back the pain. Ochako is cheering about that record, Tenya notices Izuku’s finger is damaged and thinks back to the entrance exam, calling it a ‘strange quirk’, Aoyama says it’s stylishly done, and Katsuki is brain broke.

I’m sorry that’s just so fucking funny. He is such a goddamn gremlin, but he’s also completely shook. He thinks about how quirks never manifest past age four, but somehow Izuku has a quirk. 

He then recalls Izuku saying ‘he earned this’ and gets pissed, blasting forward to demand an explanation while Izuku freaks out-

Only for Katsuki to have his quirk cancelled by Aizawa and also get caught up in the capture scarf. 

Beauty. Grace. He’ll bite off your face. 

Katsuki notes the cloth is stiff, while Aizawa tells him that it’s a capture weapon made of carbon fibers and a special alloy wire, then tells Katsuki to stop using his quirk already. Which is interesting; can Aizawa sense when people are trying to use their quirks while under the effects of his? If so, is he sensing the aborted movement of whatever quirk factors exist, or ??? 

(All I’m saying is that that is some possible fuel for a Dad For One connection but for Aizawa instead of Izuku… you know, just in case.)

As we sort of saw from the last chapter, Aizawa’s quirk has the side effect of giving him dry eyes (he was putting eyedrops in his eyes after using his quirk on Izuku). Izuku thinks that sucks since his quirk is so awesome. Aizawa lets his quirk and scarf drop, telling the class to prepare for the next event.

Katsuki is standing where he was stopped, glaring at Izuku who is holding his hand while Ochako worries over him and his finger. He’s caught up in a flashback (which again, reminder that this is chapter 7 and we already have flashbacks), thinking about how up to then, Izuku was just another pebble in his path. We get a brief cut to a memory flashback (not a chapter flashback) to when Izuku and Katsuki were still friends, and Izuku was waiting for his quirk to come in still, and then repeats that Izuku was only supposed to be a pebble. Single track mind, much?

Discord:

Ah, that good Bakugou discourse. This is why you do this stuff in a server with friends.

Izuku narrates a short passage of time - over the rest of the events - while handling the pain of his injured finger. Aizawa tells them it’s time for the results, with Izuku thinking about how he’s going to get expelled because the only record worth mentioning was the throw, and how the endurance running failed hard because of the pain. Aizawa says he won’t explain the process behind the scoring process, just that they reflect performance.

And then he reveals he was lying about expelling someone. 

The trio’s faces. Aizawa’s manic smile. The trio’s faces. And Momo there like ‘what did you expect?’ God, I can’t help but giggle.

Izuku just fucking ascending to a new plane of existance here.

Aizawa turns to leave, saying they’re done there and that the documents about the curriculum and whatnot are back in the classroom. He then calls out Izuku, who is shaking in panic (probably about Aizawa changing his mind again - I wonder if teachers before UA pulled that sort of ‘syke’ on Izuku… yikes.)

Instead, he just gets handed a pass to the nurse’s office (not even filled out fully, incredible) and then turns and walks off.

The class is left to stare after Aizawa in bafflement, with Izuku’s narration noting that he’s safe for the moment, but still has too much he can’t do, and that he’s literally starting from the bottom - but here’s there to learn so he can get closer to his dream!

Class rankings:

And- ah, he walked past All Might, who calls him out as a liar. Aizawa either didn’t notice him watching or didn’t know it was All Might specifically who was watching, but either way calls it ‘wasting time’ - which makes sense when all the teachers know about his time limit that he’s spending there watching Izuku the kids do their trials.

All Might notes that April Fool’s was over a week ago, and that the ‘rational deception’ thing falls flat when he expelled an entire class of first years the previous year. Aizawa discards those with zero potential, but he went back on his word here, and then asks if he sensed Midoriya’s potential as well. While giving Aizawa finger guns. Have I mentioned this man is a complete dork yet?

Aizawa catches onto the ‘as well’ bit, and determines that All Might’s supporting the kid - which isn’t his usual style. He then starts walking off again, saying Midoriya doesn’t have no chance, but that’s all he’ll say on the matter. He then says that if the kid had no prospects, he’d cut him loose, since it’s crueler to let someone chase half-baked dreams. 

All Might determines quietly that it’s Aizawa’s way of being kind, but out loud states that they can agree to disagree. Meanwhile, in the background, Sero and Sato notice All Might, which probably leads to class 1a going after him and him fleeing for safety. 

We transition to when Izuku is heading home, with him exhausted because of his trip to Recovery Girl. Tenya checks in on him, and Izuku says he’s fine, with us seeing a temporary flashback to the nurse’s office. Izuku notes his finger’s better, but he’s exhausted all of a sudden (he doesn’t remember last time since he was unconscious). 

A couple of things:

Kamui Woods pez dispenser 

Oh, so if he doesn’t have stamina he’ll die! Good to know! :)

Anyways, Izuku thinks about how he can’t keep going on like this and has to figure out how to regulate his power fast. Tenya goes on to talk about how Aizawa had fooled them, making them think that was how it was, only for it to be a deception. (The irony that the mercy was actually unplanned all along gets to me.) Izuku is more relaxed around him now that he realizes Tenya isn’t scary, just super serious.

Ochako rushes over to catch up, asking if they’re heading for the station. Tenya calls her ‘Infinity Girl’ and Izuku repeats it mentally in surprise. Ochako introduces herself, and then brings up their names - though she mistakes Izuku’s name for ‘Deku’, because of what Katsuki said during the test. Izuku corrects her with awkward hand gestures, saying his real name and that the ‘Deku’ is just Katsuki being a bully. 

Tenya and Ochako both acknowledge this, with Ochako apologizing, and then mentioning how ‘Deku’ sounds like ‘do your best’, and that she likes it. Izuku goes beet fucking red and immediately replies that Deku is fine, with Tenya chastising him for not showing backbone while Izuku calls it like the Copernican Revolution and Ochako questions who Copernicus is. 

The narration takes over, noting that even if there’s a lot he can’t do, he’ll do his best, but having All Might and even some friends behind him… it’s more than he could have asked for. 

Good children. Best friends. God, these were the good days… more OG Dekucrew content please and thanks.

We get one panel of Toshinori that Izuku’s got no time to rest, and that tomorrow the real test begins. Then we’re onto the next day, aka the first day of actual classes - and oh, right, UA has clubs, that’s something that’s easy to forget when we never see it with the hero classes. I mean, considering that the actual hero training classes probably overlap the usual club hours, not surprising, but still.

Present Mic is shown to be the English teacher, trying to get the kids in the spirit of class, but pretty much everyone is finding it boring - asides from Izuku, who is actually trying to answer the question mentally, even if not out loud. The narration notes that the mornings are for normal classes, and that lunch is top-notch food for dirt cheap in the cafeteria (as cooked by Lunch Rush), and then hero training is in the afternoon… possibly after lunch? Which isn’t great when people could end up throwing up. Ah well.

These fucking dorks. Two peas in a quirkless-to-superpowered pea pod.

And of course, more meta from the class on how All Might’s drawn differently.

Anyways, All Might gets into Hero Basic Training, how it’ll mold them into heroes, and that there’s no time to waste as he shows off a card reading ‘battle’ before stating that they have battle training. 

Have I mentioned he’s a dork? There’s more ham here than in Shatner’s performances in the original Star Trek series!

Katsuki is thrilled with battle training, of course. All Might notes that for battle training, the class will need - as the wall clicks and opens several drawers with numbered cases, each with contents in accordance with the quirk registry and the special request forms fill out before admission - costumes! Which the class is super hyped about. Izuku is holding his backpack in excitement, and All Might orders the students to come out to Ground Beta in ranking order once they’re changed, to which the class agrees. 

As he takes his leave, he notes that looking good is important, and to look alive, because from today on, they’re all heroes! We also get some nice transition moments showing pieces of people’s costumes, with Izuku being the last one out as the rest show theirs off.

So cool! And what a way to end a chapter and a book! And a nice nod to the prototype costume for Izuku. Time to say goodbye to it before the end of this arc. 

Next time, I’ll try to get through all the bonus stuff for the end of the volume, and then we can get into the battle trial proper! Looking forward to that.

[fruitymimi]

Free Bird 3 - Keigo Takami x Reader

free bird masterlist

endeavor calls keigo to his office to tell him important information and keigo couldn’t be happier.

pairing: keigo takami x GN!reader

warnings: yandere themes, mentions of trauma/abuse

a/n: THIS FINALLY TAKES PLACE IN CURRENT TIME LMAO. sorry this chapter is so short! i wanted to get something out before i got out of my lunch break, part 4 should be out soon!! hopefully today? idk don’t quote me on that but thank you guys for the support! <3

word count: 1676

As ridiculous as it sounds, Keigo still thought of Y/N everyday. He’d never gotten to say goodbye to them, so to Keigo, their relationship never ended! In Keigo’s mind, that was still his soulmate, still his partner, even when they moved to America because of All Might believing they would thrive under a Western hero’s training. Just a bunch of bullshit. 

He saved himself for them. He’d never kissed anyone, never slept with anyone, never thought anyone was as gorgeous as Y/N. To be fair, Keigo didn’t get the “privilege” of being Endeavor’s definition of independent until he was 21. Even if he became a pro long before that. 

But now, Keigo’s life was a little less monitored. He lived in a penthouse, of course Endeavor owned the building it was in. Endeavor always told him certain rules he had to follow, but Keigo always got a bit testy with him by replying with something that was smart-assy. 

Endeavor wasn’t fond of the way Keigo spoke to him most of the time, but now that Keigo was known by the public eye, he couldn’t risk the winged-hero telling the press about the conditions the hero commission had him living in for most of his life, all the mistreatment they tried to mask it by saying, “It’s just hero training!”

And Keigo wasn’t fond of the way Endeavor treated him, but, when Keigo actually thought about it, he had nowhere to go. He didn’t have anywhere to call home. He damn sure wasn’t going back to his parents, hell, he wasn’t even sure if they were alive. 

Countless times he’d thought about what would happen if he ended up asking Endeavor if he could see them just one more time, but Keigo couldn’t bring himself to care enough about their well-being to even consider having the conversation with him. He knew he was supposed to feel bad, but he couldn’t. 

Each time he tried to feel pity for his parents, he remembered that they were lied to by Endeavor & the hero commission and ended up just giving their child up for free, not getting a single paycheck for their kid. It was funny to him. They thought they were going to be filthy rich, but ended up being a couple of nobodies who were now child-less, possibly homeless, possibly deceased, who knows? He wished nothing but guilt onto them, he wanted them to feel what he felt his entire life. 

Endeavor couldn’t deny his feelings, either. It wasn’t many, but there were times where he wanted to pull-out of the deal with Keigo’s parents and let the man live a normal childhood, much like he deserved, but at the end of the day, Endeavor wouldn’t even do that for his own children. Why would he do it for Keigo?

He’d often find himself thinking about this, thinking about how different Keigo would be had he not stepped into his life. That’s how he ended up here, seated on his desk as he waited for Keigo to come knocking at his door. 

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of something thumping against his office’s window. He turned his head, only to be greeted by Keigo standing at the glass door on the office’s balcony. 

Endeavor looked up at him, startled. “Keigo..” he mumbled, standing up to unlock the glass door. Endeavor blinked as he watched Keigo walk into his office. “Why didn’t you come in through the door?”

Keigo brushed off his jacket, shrugging. “I had a nice lunch, decided that I could work off the calories by flying in.” Keigo said to him, clicking his tongue. Keigo walked over to Endeavor’s desk, sitting down in his big, leather spinny chair.

Endeavor furrowed his brows, closing the door. “Whatever. Takami. You know how I feel about you sitting in my seat—“

“Yeah, yeah. How long have you known me, Number One? I’m here on time, so just tell me what you called me here for. I’m a busy man, I’ve got important things to do.” He spun around in the chair, bending his head back to keep eye contact with Endeavor. 

Endeavor sighed deeply, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Anyways,” he leaned in. He knew what he was about to say was a terrible decision. Of course, it was one made by Endeavor. “Do you remember your training days?”

Keigo blinked, tilting his head. He almost had a look of annoyance. “‘Do you remember your training days?’ Of course I do. Did you think I forgot any of it?” He mocked Endeavor.

Endeavor bit down on his lip. “Well… do you remember Y/N?” Endeavor asked Keigo.

 Oh, boy…

How could Keigo ever forget?

He had multiple videos of them saved on his phone while they were on TV interviews, he kept up with them as if he was their #1 fan… in a way he was? 

Every night he heard about them being on TV, he’d stay up until he couldn’t keep his eyes open just so he could hear their smooth voice. He remembers the night where their hero costume was revealed, he was practically drooling in front of his TV. He’d replay the videos countless times during his night shift, too. He’d have their voice ringing through his airpods while he was on patrol. 

He was so happy for them when they were announced the #3 hero, of course, they were beaming on the screen and Keigo could have sworn he saw a twinkle in their eyes. He remembers them thinking they couldn’t become a top hero with their “stupid quirk”, though Keigo always believed in them and didn’t allow them to talk down about themselves.

He couldn’t go to sleep unless he rewatched at least an hour's worth of content. He could replay them in his head word for word, he never got sick of seeing the same ones, hearing the same stupid podcast. 

He’d listen to their voice to calm down after a hard day at work. He would use them as therapy, as an escape. Keigo would no doubt consume fan content if he wasn’t absolutely disgusted by their fans. They’d sexualize them, speak about them in ways that only he was allowed to. In his mind, Keigo was the only one who was allowed to think of them in that way. 

That wasn’t it, no, no. Keigo would constantly daydream about the day they would be with him. He’d fantasize about what his lips would feel like pressed against their skin, against their—

Keigo stopped spinning in the chair, gripping the armrests. “Yeah. ‘Course. I remember the day you took the love of my life away from me, too.” 

“They weren’t dating you.”

“Just get on with what you were saying, Endeavor. If you’re gonna talk about what you did and why you did it, I’m all ears.” 

Endeavor for once was debating with himself. He had a conversation with All Might about this, and Toshinori of course disagreed with him. 

“Endeavor. All I’m saying is he can’t handle seeing them again. You can’t just let him be the one who shows them around because you’re too busy. Why do you think we’ve avoided this for years?”

“You’re the one who told them they could come back to Japan. I didn’t say that! If they move back, nothing is going to stop that boy from finding them. And that’s. Your. Fault.”

“My fault?! Last time I checked, I didn’t groom Keigo into being a hero. I’m doing my job as Y/N’s mentor. You’re the one who has a track record of being a shitty authority figure.” 

“...Why can’t you help them settle in? They’re your student. Are you not capable of being All Might anymore?”

“Oh, so you’re trying to be funny? You know if I were to do it, I wouldn’t be able to protect them if something happened. You know this, Endeavor.”

“Whatever. He can’t be that mental anymore.” 

Endeavor took in a breath, looking up at Keigo. “They're coming back to Japan. I need you to help them settle in. You know, show them around town, help them move into their new home..”

Endeavor could see Keigo’s wings flutter at the sound of that. He cursed himself for not listening to All Might, but he couldn’t just agree with Toshinori as stubborn as he was. You’d never catch Endeavor agreeing with anything the former number 1 hero had to say. He’s always held too much resentment to allow himself to agree with anything his said. His fragile pride was too strong.

Keigo blinked a couple times, his eyes going wide. “You’re… serious?” Keigo asked him, sinking into the chair. He didn’t know how to feel, his palms got all sweaty and his cheeks grew pink. “Don’t joke with me, Endeavor.”

“I’m not joking. Toshinori can’t do it, if someone targets them, he’d be useless. I’m going to be busy,” doing absolutely nothing, “and you’re the next best hero. So I trust you.” Bad idea. 

Keigo nodded his head. “I can do it! When… When am I gonna see them?” he asked, placing his hands on the desk in front of him.

“Tomorrow. Their flight comes in tomorrow at 12 PM. But Keigo, we need to have a talk.” Endeavor folded his hands on his lap, leaning in to make eye contact with him.

Keigo rolled his eyes, looking at the man. “What? A talk about what? What could we possibly talk about other than their arrival? Unless you’re going to apologize.” Keigo asked him. He just wanted to know more about tomorrow, he didn’t give a shit about whatever Endeavor had to say.

“You know what? Nevermind. Be at the airport by 11 AM, don’t lose them.”

Keigo smiled, standing up from the seat. He straightened his jacket. “I’ll tell you how it goes, Enji.” He said to him, moving onto the window. 

Endeavor watched as the man flew off. 

What has he done?

[theolddarkmachine]

Imaginary - Chapter Seventeen

Midoriya Izuku’s life was turned upside by fate.

Eri’s life was turned upside down by circumstance.

And Bakugou Katsuki is about to learn that even imaginary friends need to grow up.

Chapter 17 of 19

Also on AO3

A/N: It’s another kinda shorter one but FAO;IJSELDFJ DOST MINE EYES SPOT THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL? After this, only one chapter and an epilogue left! also, fun fact, tsuru was my grandma’s maiden name!

***********************

The sun is bright and warm, heating Katsuki’s skin as he lets his feet carry him along the sidewalk. He’s distantly aware of the continuous chatter beside him as his latest assignment goes over the tactics of their most recent game of capture the flag with the other neighborhood kids at the park.

Tsuru Yuji, age 6.

Target of schoolyard bullies.

Colorful personality trapped behind a stoic, quiet demeanor.

In the beginning, Katsuki had thought that he’d be a bit of a tougher case, one that would keep his mind from tracking back to the house just two streets over with the girl with the happy smile, and the man with the all too bright eyes.

But things never went the way he wanted them to, apparently, since it had only taken a matter of days to break Yuji from his shell, and just a couple of weeks for the change to completely turn his school life around. Now Yuji had friends, and the inability to stop talking.

“Mr. Bakugou?” His name shattered his reverie, pulling his attention down to the kid at his side. The sunlight glinted off of Yuji’s too big glasses, blinding him momentarily.

“How many times do I have to tell you to drop the ‘mister,’ kid?” Katsuki gruffs without any heat as he returns his gaze back to the pavement stretched before them.

Yuji’s reply comes in the form of a high pitched giggle before he continues on about how next time, they should make the top of the slide their home base.

“Then, we could just slide down if we need to get away fast!” He exclaims, hands shooting upward as if the revelation is groundbreaking. And maybe it is.

Who was Katsuki to say for sure?

“You’re too damn smart, kid,” he replies with a halfhearted laugh of his own as he keeps his eyes trained forward.

The first time they’d taken this route back to Yuji’s house, he had told himself it was a mere accident. His feet had grown so used to this street that they’d automatically made their way here before he could even acknowledge the direction they had gone.

Not that it had mattered, as he had told himself, as he’d stolen a quick glance at the Midoriya household just days after he’d left it for the final time. While a bit out of the way, this path still technically did lead to Yuji’s house.

The second time they’d taken it, Katsuki had told himself a bit more walking was good for them both. Nothing wrong with a bit more exercise and all that.

Now, a month later, he had run out of excuses to tell himself.

It had broken just about every big rule in the imaginary friend handbook, but he couldn’t stop himself from trying to catch just one more glimpse of the pair that had worked their way so far under his skin.

When he had left the Midoriya household for the final time, he had left a bit of himself behind. The gaping open maw of his chest had been exposed and raw, leaving him filled with a painful ache unlike anything he had ever felt. Katuski had felt loss in the past, but this had been wholly different, and in those first few days, he had wondered if he might never be whole again.

It was a dramatic thought, of course. One he had to swallow down like a bitter pill as he’d taken on his next assignment.

The ache remained, it had just numbed enough for him to be able to finally breathe again.

But that didn’t stop him from walking by their home whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Just to be sure things were still okay.

At least, that’s what he told himself.

Gaze still ahead, and Yuji’s droning voice filling his ear, Katsuki feels his heart stutter at the sight of movement in the Midoriya’s yard.

The honey colored sunlight twists in Eri’s hair, making it shine bright as she cheers happily at something Izuku says. She looks absolutely elated as she crawls her way up into the car and waits for her dad to get her buckled in. When Izuku closes the door, and turns to walk around the back, Katsuki can see the wide smile that’s still stretched across his lips.

They look so happy, he thinks, and something about that knowledge fills his lungs with acid.

Katsuki watches as Izuku makes his way around the vehicle, his wide frame pausing at the driver’s side as he looked out toward the street.

For just one fleeting moment, Katsuki feels his breath stall in his chest as that familiar green stare passes over him. It’s gone almost as quickly as it has come, but it still leaves his heart racing as he watches Izuku climb into the car.

“Mr. Bakugou!” Yuji’s voice is indignant as he calls his attention back to him. Snapping his gaze away from the car as it backs out of the driveway, Katsuki hums.

“Yeah, yeah, kid,” he says, trying to ignore the strain that leaves him sounding breathless. “I’m listening.”

***

Katsuki was fucking angry.

And tired.

So goddamn tired.

Tired of the pitying looks his friends shot him when they thought he wasn’t looking. Tired of feeling like hole had been punched through his fucking chest. Tired of the emerald colored dreams that haunted him.

And especially tired of being summoned to the fucking Administrator’s office.

He’d woken that morning to the text that had the audacity to proclaim a meeting time for just an hour from then, and he already knew what it meant. Time to move on. Because it was always fucking time to move on.

Katuski would never be able to stay in one place for long, never allowed to be something permanent.

And that pissed him off.

His angry steps punctuated the otherwise quiet of the lobby, making the poor sap manning the front desk jump as they looked up from their coffee towards him.

“Mr. Bak—” they start to say, eyes going wide as he growls.

“Don’t call me that,” Katsuki hisses before he throws open the doors. The loud crack of the wood against the walls cut through the air in a dramatic way that would normally fill him with some sort of thrill. Now, it just settles somewhere in the vast expanse that sits at the center of his chest, lost to the empty feeling that’s slowly expanding.

“Lively as ever this morning, young Bakugou,” the Administrator says, not bothering to look up from the folder he’s holding open before him.

The sight of the unassuming tan of the file only serves to push the burning fury through him faster as he lets the doors fall shut behind him with another loud crash. It feels as if the air in the room is sucked out by the bone shaking sound as Katsuki fixes his fiery stare on Toshinori.

“Cut to the chase, old man,” he snarls, mouth twisting into a sneer that’s full of teeth and sharp rage.

A soft sigh brushes through the space as he watches the Administrator close the folder before gently pushing it toward the edge of the desk.

“Please take a seat,” Toshinori offers, keeping his attention forward.

“I’d rather just get this over with,” Katsuki bites out in return.

There’s another weighted pause before Toshinori sits back, his gaze finally finding Katsuki’s as it flashes with the steely silence of a command. For all the kindness and fun loving nature that encapsulated the Administrator, he had almost forgotten that he was the leader of the Imaginary Friends fo a reason.

Swallowing the sharp taste of his pride, Katsuki walks to the bean bag chair, falling into it with a muted thud.

“Talk,” Katsuki snaps, whittling the single word down to a barely there syllable as he keeps his gaze trained on Toshinori’s. His stubborn defiance is the only reason he catches the shift in the Administrator’s stare as it sweeps over him. Softening into something fond, and almost sad, it cools the inferno tearing through his veins, if only for just a moment.

“Have I ever told you about my predecessor?” He asks, solemn and far off, as if lost to the track of time.

“You brought me here for a fucking history lesson?” Katsuki growls, hands curling into tight fists where they sit on his knees. Toshinori’s eyebrow raises in silent admonishment. It forces a low string of grumbles from his mouth as he folds his arms across his chest and slips lower into the bean bag.

“His name was Banjo Daigoro, and he was a great Administrator,” he sighs at the memory. “But I was never his first choice for successor.”

A spark of interest lights the cavern of his insides as he cocks his head to the side.

“Originally, he had chosen one of my closest friends,” the Administrator continues before taking a steadying breath.

“Shimura Nana.”

The name rocks through Katsuki, sending a chill rocketing down his spine as his mind spins around the words that had encapsulate Shimura Nana’s terminated friendship.

“She was in training to take over the position, but was still going out into the field. Loved working with kids, you know?” He says, a small chuckle weaving between his words as his gaze goes distant at the memory.

“Banjo had assigned her a final case before she was going to be officially promoted. But then, she was seen.”

Shimura Nana reports child caretaker made verbal acknowledgement of her presence.

Katsuki remembered. She had only been with her charge for a week before it had happened.

And then—

Friendship terminated.

“Torino Sorahiko,” Toshinori rattles off, voice void of inflection as he recites what was written in the file word for word, as if it laid there before him.

“Lost both his parents. Was showing aggression towards his uncle, who had taken him in. He was a good kid, Nana was adamant about that. Then one day, his uncle saw her, and spoke to her.”

The blue of his eyes goes perfectly clear, settling into a cutting blue as his gaze returns to the present. Finding Katsuki once more, they whittle away at him until he’s flayed open, raw and exposed beneath the Administrator’s stare.

The feeling of being seen clings to him like a premonition. It’s equal parts awe and terror as it works its way through him.

Swallowing thickly, Katsuki speaks.

“What happened?”

But he knows. Has known for far too long.

Friendship terminated.

“We aren’t exactly supposed to be seen by anyone other than our charge, especially not by their parents or caretakers, as you know,” Toshinori says, pausing long enough to arch a brow at him before continuing.

“And Nana knew that too. Probably better than most, given the position she was going to take.”

He pauses again as his lips quirk sharply upward with bygone amusement and his voice falls into a hush, carried by the weight of his memory’s past.

“Funny thing is, that didn’t change anything. Even knowing hadn’t been enough.”

Katsuki’s breath catches deep in his throat and threatening to choke him as Toshinori speaks.

“Officially, they terminated the friendship. If you found Torino’s file right now, it would say as much. But Nana had returned after that, and they could still see her.”

Silence settles between them as Katsuki notices the way Toshinori’s eyes shine wetly.

“So, she made a choice,” he finally concludes with a shrug, as if what he had just said was nothing. As if he had just been talking about the weather. Katsuki might have even found it funny, how mundane he had made it, if it wasn’t for the fact that every single one of the Administrator’s words had been shrapnel that had torn him apart.

“What did she choose?” He hears himself ask, voice twisted into something even he doesn’t recognize. It hurts, the way it scrapes itself through his throat, and he could swear he tastes blood at the back of his tongue.

And yet for all the ways Katsuki ached, Toshinori just looks him over before fixing him with an all knowing smile.

Slowly, he reaches across the desk and pushes the folder closer towards him.

“It’s time to move on, young Bakugou,” he says by way of answer. The statement rings with a finality, one that doesn’t allow for argument or further discussion.

Sighing loudly, Katsuki grabs the folder, defeat hanging heavy across his shoulders in a way that makes him think he might find himself crushed into the ground with it.

Maybe that would be better, anyway, he thinks as he flips it open. With his eyes fixed down at the file, Katsuki feels his heart rate spike as it ratchets inside the cage of his chest.

“What is this?” He asks, not looking up. His pulse is deafening as it beats its soaring rhythm in his ears as his eyes trace back and forth across the folder, as if he’s missing something.

Except he knows he isn’t.

What could he possibly miss when the file itself is empty?

Katsuki’s tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth as he finally shifts his attention upward. His confusion is met with another smile.

“Even imaginary friends need to grow up,” the Administrator says. The words circle around him, overlaid with the memory from months ago, when he’d been in this same spot, only the folder before him then had held information about a little girl and her dad.

Then, he hadn’t known his life was about to change.

Now, he feels the sudden click of a realization deep in his chest as his gaze falls back down on the empty folder in his lap.

A rush works through him, filling the chasm at the center of his chest as his lips slowly turn up into a smile.

************************

[talpup]

Chaos: 38

Please remember, this fic is rated explicit and has warnings of violence, sex, questionable con, and non-con (though we’re thankfully done with that), and other possible triggers.

I am SO excited.  I’ve left bread crumbs all over this fic and we’re nearing the point that they’ve all been leading to.  That’s not to say I’m done laying bread crumbs.  There’s a few key ones in here even.

Hope you all enjoy the angst.  THANK YOU SO MUCH to those who have left comments recently.  They really brighten my day and make me want to get more of the story out for you all.

As always, a special thanks to @inorganicone2230​. I can’t express how grateful I am for your friendship, and help with ideas and proofreading Chaos and Erase the Shadow.  There’s no one else I’d rather go down the rabbit hole of plot bunnies with.

***If you prefer reading off AO3 here’s the link for that: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20155333/chapters/54145633

38.1

Hawks brandished his blade at Enji. “Where’s Reyanna?”

“Where’s my son?”

“Son?” The feathers of Hawks’ wings quivered, itching to be released after being restrained for so long.

Todoroki stepped out into the office. “Hello, Father.”

Father? Hawks thought looking between the Second Chief of heaven and the Child of Hope.  His eyes widened as realization dawn.

“Father!”

Todoroki and Enji stared silently at one another.

Hawks’ mind went into a tail spin, but first things first.

He lifted his blade at Enji and demanded.  “Where’s Anna?  What did you do to her?”

“Why would I know or care where the Bitch is.”  Enji snapped.  Burning blue eyes on his son, he ordered.  “Todoroki.  Come here.”

Hawks’ wings spread to block the Llaes’ way.

“No.” Todoroki said.

Hawks swallowed, relieved that Todoroki refused to go.

As surprising as the information was, it explained a lot.  Like how Todoroki had been able to freeze things back at Purgatory Chasm for one.  All the other Llaes’ before him had been fully human, and as such didn’t have an affinity.  Not even Abril.

Hawks turned his head slightly and looked at Todoroki out of the corner of his eye.  “How long have you known you were a nephilim?”

Fuck. It just struck him that the kid was like Reyanna.  A nephilim born of a human and… well in this case, an archangel.

Todoroki blinked and shook his head.  “Only recently.  Though I guess, in a sense, I always knew.”  He lifted his eyes to Enji.  “You’re not going to kill us.  So let us go.”

“You’re wrong.  I’m not going to kill you.  But the Released traitor here.”  Enji flames flared.  “Him I just might end.”

“Gook luck with that. My restraint’s been lifted.”

Enji barely glanced at Hawks.  The Released Archangel’s posturing didn’t even warrant a reply.

“Let us go, Father.”

Eyes on Todoroki, Enji remarked almost proudly. “You completed the second step.  A fete that vision-less Toshinori never thought possible. But if it wasn’t safe for you before, it certainly won’t be now.”

“Reyanna will protect me.”  Todoroki replied easily.

Enji scoffed. “Like she did with the others before you?  No, my boy.  That Bitch has failed too many times for me to trust her with you.  She betrayed the last Child of Hope and willingly gave her up to Lucifer.  Did she tell you that?”

“That’s not true!”  Hawks exclaimed.  “Aizawa took her and forced her. That fucking shit broke her and raped her.  Todoroki!”  He called behind him, eyes and blade still directed at the Archangel before him, ready to fight. “She didn’t betray the last Llaes.  There’s no way Anna would willingly give one of you up.”

Todoroki pressed his lips together.  His eyes lowered as if considering.

Finally he lifted his head, eyes locking with his Father’s.  “I don’t care.  I’m going.”

Enji’s eyes narrowed.

He doubted he would have been a good father.  But he would have been present if his son hadn’t been taken.  Stolen and hidden by some unknown source.  For years he had thought his son was dead.  That was until Todoroki had used his power for the first time.

As much as he wanted to ask his son what had happened, ask who or what had taken him, there were more pressing matters.

“How many steps are left?”  Enji asked.

“One.” Todoroki told.

“And which of the two gates will you close?”  Enji questioned.

“The one that needs it most.”  Todoroki answered.

“Hell.” Enji supplied.

“I will close the gate that will see all of this come to an end.  Never again will there be another Sealer.  I will be the last Llaes and put to right a wrong that begun back during the dawn of man.”  Todoroki said.

Enji nodded, understanding that his son spoke of hell and Lucifer’s incitement of the Fall when the then prideful Archangel refused to serve humanity.

“I still can’t let you go.”  The Second Chief of heaven gruffed.

Not only was his son too important as the Child of Hope, but he had just gotten the boy back.  This was the closest and longest he had been with him since before he was stolen away.

“I’m not asking you, Father.  I’m telling you.”

Enji crossed his arms and huffed.  “You think Toshinori’s ex Assassin can get you passed me?  Even with his Restraint lifted I can end him easily.”

“He’s needed to help with the final task.  If you end him the gates can’t be closed.”  Todoroki said.  Before either archangel could remark on the revelation, he asked. “Did you know my friend is a made Third?”

Enji’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion. Where was this coming from?  Who cared about the boys friends?  Though he wasn’t all that pleased that his son was fraternizing with Thirds.

“What?”

“My friend.  Shinsou Hitoshi.  His parents were kill by a pack of Were’s. Luckily he survived.  Aizawa found him like he found me.  He took Shinsou in.  Helped--”

“Aizawa’s the one that took you for me!” Enji thundered.

“He didn’t know.”  Todoroki told.

He couldn’t say how he knew Aizawa hadn’t known that he was the Chiefs son, he just did.

The Llaes was able to see into the future and past to some degree, though none had been able to do so to the extent that Abril had.  Other than that limited knowledge, and the ability to seal and unseal things, the Llaes had never been anything other than a regular human being.

But Todoroki wasn’t human.  He was a nephilim.  A true nephilim like Reyanna.  Yet still so unlike his protector.

Somehow he was able to use the creative freedom of his nephilim power to stretch the innate knowledge that came with being the Llaes.  It was a confusing thing that Todoroki had yet to learn how to control. At present, the excess detailed knowledge simply came to him out of necessity or urgent desire.

“If Aizawa had known I was your son, who knows what he would have done.”  Todoroki continued. “All he did was keep his promise to Reyanna by seeking me out and making sure that I was safely hidden till I first used my power. Which is more than I can say for you and heaven.”

“Excuse you.”  Enji stormed.

Todoroki stared at the hulking Archangel unaffected by his anger and flames.  “You have sworn to protect humanity but have left helpless, innocent children to be mauled by Were’s.  If it weren’t for Aizawa, Shinsou would have died.”

“Your friend’s a Witch, just like his parents were.” Enji dismissed.

“So if Shinsou wasn’t a Witch someone from heaven would have stepped in and saved him? His family wouldn’t have died?  He would have been spared the pain of being mauled?  Of being made a Third?”

“Of course not.  Thirds are abominations. Heaven doesn’t mix and meddle with them.”

“But what of the humans that the Thirds attack, Father? What of them?”

Hawks and Enji shared a looked.

The Second Chief sighed, his massive shoulders rising and falling. “You’re too young to understand.”

“Try me.  Convince me that heaven hasn’t simply abandoned the humans to Thirds.  You fight daimon's and demons to protect the lives and souls of humans. Why not Thirds?  What’s so different about them?”  Todoroki pressed, his hard eyes and set jaw making it clear that he would not be dissuaded.

With a growl Enji expelled. “They’re children of Chaos.”

A silent moment passed.

Finally Todoroki prompted.  “And?”

“The Thirds are simply too numerous.”  Enji admitted. “If they put aside their differences and banded together.  Became a united force like they were in the beginning.  They would overwhelm us.  They would overwhelm both heaven and hell.” He stopped.

Todoroki waited for him to continue but when it looked like he wouldn’t he opened his mouth.

“They almost undid God’s work once already.”  Hawks said before Todoroki could speak.

Enji looked away in disgrace.  It was something that no angel or daimon liked to speak of. A failure that still hung heavy over the entire Host of heaven.

“Long before the Fall.  Before any of us realized why God had created the earth.  We were at war with the children of Chaos.”  Hawks told.  “Most of them were weak and defeated easily enough.  But their numbers made them formidable.”  He shook his head and huffed.  “Ever been bitten by an ant?  It might smart but you can kill it with ease and shrug off the sting.  Now imagine being covered by ants, and every time you brush a swath of them away there are countless more that instantly take their place.  That was what we faced.  A nuisance too numerous to handle.  And then there were the Leviathan’s.”

“The creatures that escaped.  That the first Llaes sealed away.”  Todoroki supplied.

Hawks nodded.  “Only a handful of them broke out.  And the smallest ones at that.  Still, we were all lucky Abril was able to lock them away again.  If it weren’t for her, who knows the damage and lives their rampage would have cost humanity.”

“Enough of the history lesson.”  Enji snapped.  “We have a deal with the Thirds.  They stay out of our way and we stay out of theirs. It might be a tentative peace but it’s peace just the same.”

38.2

Reyanna’s eyes snap open, fully cloaked in the chaotic nebulous black of her power.

For a moment Shouta saw burning quasars and spiraling galaxy’s in his Love’s eyes.  And then they were gone.

“Anna!” Shouta said her name in a reverent hush.

His arms tightened around her, crushing her to his chest.

Hizashi blinked in amazement.

So this was the true power of a Bond.  To bring ones love back to life if the person left living was torn up enough by the others death that they were willing to break said Bond.  He had never hear or read of such a thing, and the beauty of it swelled the Angel’s heart with pride and joy for his friend.

Shouta had brought her back.  Reyanna had been dead.  Dead before the Daimon have even arrived.  But despite all that, Shouta's love and their Bond had brought her back.

“I thought I lost you!”  Shouta breathed, unwillingly to admit even to himself that he had.  His eyes squeezed shut, face buried into her hair and neck.  “You’re not ever leaving my side again.  You hear me.”

He exhaled and breathed deeply, taking in her scent while trying to steady his heart. Her body was no longer chilled against his, but warm.  Yet the fear and adrenaline still rushed through him, making his hands tremble.

“You scared me.”  He admitted, softly. “I don’t know what--”

“You betrayed me.”

Shouta's muscles tensed, a chill running down his spine.  “What?”

“You... betrayed me.”  Reyanna repeated, as if still coming to grips with what he had done.

Her eyebrows furrowed, her arms tightening and shaking around him as the memories crashed over her in a drowning onslaught.

She remembered everything.  Absolutely everything.  She remembered what he had done.  And why she had wiped her memory and gone to slumber.  She remembered the deaths he… No.  The death they had caused.

It washed over and through her in a rapid tide of boiling acid that took her breath away and made her wish she were dead.

Though he didn’t let her go, Shouta pulled back far enough to see her face.

His wide, worried eyes stared into hers.  “Anna. I...”

He was at a loss of what to say.  A part of him still hoped beyond hope that she hadn’t remembered and was talking about something else.  Some misunderstanding he could easily explain.

Shouta stopped and slowly shook his head.

“You betrayed me!”  She screamed, pushing him away.

She was on her feet in an instant.  Her feet staggered, legs wobbly from the sudden change and having flinted to a stand.

“Anna!” Shouta knelt and got to his feet, his hand reaching out to steady her.

Reyanna slapped his hand away, the sound loud in the empty field.

“Don’t touch me.  Don’t you dare fucking touch me.”  She seethed.

Hizashi cringed, his head ducking with a jerk.

Shouta's hand extended to her then stopped at the curling of her lip.  It hovered between them, palm up and open, a silent beckoning plea for her to take it.

“Anna.”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?  That I wouldn’t remember?” She demanded.

Hizashi bit his lip.

“It’s like you betrayed me all over again!”  She exclaimed.

“No.” Shouta said firmly.  “I never betrayed you.  And I didn’t tell you because you never would have trusted me.”

“Which I can’t.”  She declared.

“Yes. You can.  You know you can.  Anna, everything I do is for you.  Because I want you to be safe and well.  Because I need you to be safe and well.  If you remember everything, than you know that.”

She hugged herself and stepped back from him, the urge to take his hand too great.  Why did she have to love him so much?  Why couldn’t he have just told her the truth?  It was too much.  It all just hurt too much.

Shouta stepped after her, he hand still extended.  “Anna.”

His voice was hoarse with emotion. He had lost her for a time to her slumber and memory wipe, and had worked at slowly getting her back.  Then he had lost her to death and miraculously gotten her back, only to now lose her again because she had remembered what he had done.  Fate was nothing if not cruel.

Well fuck fate, he thought.  He wasn’t losing her again.  He wouldn’t let her leave.  He would convince her to forgive him and stay.  He had to.  He didn’t think he’d be able to bare the pain of it if she left him again.

“I didn’t betray you.  I would never betray you.”  He swore.

You used her love and desire for you against her, his mind accused.  You betrayed her and you know it. Shut up!  He thought.  He didn’t need his inner guilt badgering him and siding with her.

“Anna. Let me explain.  Please, my Love.” His left hand lifted to lightly clasp her upper arm.

His eyes landed on his thumb, bare for the first time in centuries.  A tremble of fear ran down his spine.  Their Bond was broken.  If he didn’t convince her to forgive him and stay.  If she left…

No. He thought with a metal shake.  He would get through to her.  After all, he had kept his promise to help her help the Llaes.  She couldn’t deny that.

Even if she did leave, there was still the Tie.  He would find her.  Even without the Tie, he would always find her.  He would make her understand and forgive him.  He had to.  He loved her too much to be without her.  They belonged together.

Reyanna grabbed his wrist.  She stared at him, her heart breaking like it had all those years ago.

Shouta felt a moment of hope when her thumb rubbed against him, but then she shoved his hand away.

“You had all this time to explain yourself. To tell me what you did. But you chose to keep me oblivious, like some idiot. Well you don’t have to explain anymore, Shouta. I remember what you did.  I remember...”  Bile rose in her throat as the image of two dead bodies swam in her mind. “I remember everything.”

The gruesome image of the way she had found Tamaki and the Llaes’ when she returned to the safe house refused to leave her.

“I did what I had to to keep you safe and well.” Shouta told.

“We could’ve found another way, Shou.”

“There was no other way.”

The image of the Llaes and Tamaki’s lifeless forms flashed in her mind. “You killed them! You made me kill them.”

“No. We didn’t.  It wasn’t like that.”

“I know exactly what it was like, Shouta.  You made a deal with the Devil.”

“For you!”  Shouta stressed feeling desperate.  He was losing her again. He couldn't lose her again.  “Lucifer was hurting you, Anna, I had to--”

“You had Hizashi use the guise of needing to meet so you could get me out in the open and take me.”

Shouta shook his head in regret.  “You never should have run, my Love. You never should have even known about the deal.  Lucifer--”

“Lucifer’s the damned Devil.”  Reyanna spoke over him.  “I expect to be used and betrayed by him.  But you…  You hurt me more than Lucifer ever did or could.  You used my love for you against me.  You took something special between us and darkened it.  Twisting and ruining it for that sick deal you made.”

“Anna, no!  I ruined nothing.  Please, Kitten.”  Shouta felt frantic hearing her say he ruined their love.  “The deal was for you.  For your own good.  He had a part of your life force.  There would've—there is another Llaes.”

“She was a child.  An innocent.”

“And you are my Love.”  He argued.  “You mean everything to me.”

Her lip trembled, tears welling in her eyes.  “I trusted you.”

“You should.”

She felt physically wounded.  “I trusted you with Todoroki.”

“You can.  Anna--”

“No!” She sliced a hand through the air.  “I trusted you!  Twice!  Twice I trusted you.  Twice I fell in love with you.  And what did you do? You betrayed me, again!”

“No! Anna.  I didn’t.  I didn’t betray you.  I kept my word.  I hid Todoroki.  I did what I could to protect--”

“I don’t want to hear your lies.”

“I never lied to--”

“I don’t want to hear your voice!”  Her hand raised to her mouth, stifling a sob.  “I can’t even stand to look at you, you sick, twisted, selfish fuck!”

It was happening all over again, and Shouta couldn't bare it.  His eyes were slowly growing red.  Not with his power, but with unshed tears.

“Anna, please.  Please, Kitten.  Don’t do this.  Not again.”

“Don’t do what again?”  She asked, eyes wild with angry hurt.  “Make you fall in love and trust me?  Wait!  That’s what you did.  You made me fall in love with you again, Shouta.  Made me think that everything between us was perfect.  That we had been happy together...”

“We were.”

“...That we could be happy together...”

“We could.  Anna!”

“...That you had never tricked me and used me to see the Llaes dead.”

“I did it for you!”

“You told Lucifer where to find her!”  She screamed at him.  “You knew he would kill her and you used me and broke me.  You served her and Tamaki--”

Her pupils became pinpoints.  Memories of the human-nephilim hybrid that she had taken into her care flipped through her mind, ever other image that of him dead.  Her breathing quickened.

“Tamaki.” She keened.

Hizashi flinched as if the name were a physical blow.

“I didn’t know he would be there.”  Shouta said.

“I told you!”

“By then it was too late.”

“He was my witness at our bonding, Shouta!”

“For fuck sake, Anna!  I love you!”  Shouta snapped.  “Everyone else could fucking die a horrible death and my world would still be perfect so long as you’re in it.  So long as you’re with me.”

She backed away from him, shaking her head.

Shouta watched her tears break their banks and roll down her cheeks.  His heart wrenched.  He had once again wounded his Love.  He had hurt the most important person to him in all of existence and made her cry.

His next words were spoken with a low gentleness, as if he were afraid to shatter or scare her away.   “I did it for you.  I love you, Anna.”

“How is that suppose to make me feel better, Shouta?”

It already felt like her fault and his words only cemented that feeling. She was Lucifer's daughter.  No matter her motive or deeds, all she would ever bring was pain and death.

She pressed her lips together, trying to blink away the tears that obscured her vision.  As much as she hated herself for her show of weakness, maybe it was better this way.  It was easier to hate him when she couldn’t see the frowning pout on his handsome face, or the love and ache in his dark eyes.

Shouta’s heart raced, his lungs taking in unsteady breaths of air.  She was closing herself off from him again; trying to lock away and bury her love.  He could see it, feel it.

“Anna, don’t do this.  Not again.  Please, my Love.  I beg you.”

“And why would I acquiesce to your plea when you ignored mine?”  She asked, voice cold and brittle.

A lump rose is Shouta’s throat, his Adam's apple bobbing with the painfully swallow.

Her anger had been so terrible for him the first time that he had thought nothing could ever match the heart wrenching pain.  But he had been wrong.  This second time was so much worse.

“I made good on my promise.  I helped you help this Llaes.  I did more than I promised.  I hid and kept him safe.  I saw that he had some semblance of a normal life before he came into his power.”

Her silence was more deafening than any shout.

Shouta's ears rang, his heart pounded so hard he felt it pulse in his temples. He teeth clattered lightly before pressing together.  He couldn’t go through this.  Not again.  He had to convince her.  He had to make her stay.

He stepped toward her.  “Please, Kitten.  Please.”

She pulled away from his reaching hand.  “Don’t touch me.”

“Anna. I can’t live without you.”

“Then I guess you’ll die.”  She uttered too softly for him to hear.

“I love you.”

Her eyes lifted, glaring daggers at him.  “Fuck your love, Aizawa.”

“Ann--” Shouta reached for her but she was gone, already flinted away.

[comicgeekscomicgeek]

Their Hero Academia – Chapter 38: The Sports Festival Part 11: End Credits

Presenting the next raw and unedited chapter of my on-going, next-gen, My Hero Academia fic, Their Hero Academia!

Earlier chapters can be found here

Katsumi stared dumbly at the scene before them, several long seconds passing before she’s able to process what she’s seen, even with the rest of her class going wild around her. Going wild might actually have been putting it mildly.  Especially where Loud Kid was concerned.  She’d be surprised if Bird Girl, sitting next to him, didn’t have some hearing damage after they’d watched Toshi and the Newb fight.

Toshi and the Moth Girl in third (and the memory of the Moth Girl kicking the crap out of Shiro Monoma was something she was really going to savor), the Horse Girl in second, and the Newb in first place.  What was the world coming to?!

She would, if forced to admit it, confess that the Newb had actually fought hard.  He’d gone full out using his Quirk, never hesitating, even against Izzy, which was something she’d struggled with.  Katsuimi hated to admit it, but she’d probably have been hard pressed to defend against his speed and range.  The Horse Girl, though, she couldn’t believe she’d made it that far.  Especially since she’d won her first match by pissing off her opponent.  It wasn’t a completely unviable strategy, but the way she’d gone about it just made Katsumi’s skin crawl.

“Quite the sweep for our class, isn’t it?” Izzy asked.  

Katsumi nodded.  “You sorry it ain’t you down there?  You nearly beat the Newb and I know you coulda taken Horse Girl and Moth Girl.  Probably Toshi too.”

Izzy smiled and just shook her head.  “Perhaps. I pushed myself harder than I ever had before and did not completely succumb.  I am quite happy with that.”  She gave Katsuki a playful nudge.  “As for winning against them, it is difficult to say, though not completely unlikely.  I did beat you, after all.”

Katsumi stared at her for a moment, then broke into a laugh.  “That sense of humor you’re developing needs some work, Izz.  That definitely wasn’t funny.”

“It was a little funny,” Izzy said.

“It was a little funny,” Katsumi conceded.

Izzy regarded her thoughtfully for a moment.  “And what about you?  I was your first opponent and I defeated you.  Do you regret that you did not make it farther?”

Izzy always was one for the hard hitting questions.  She knew how much winning in general meant to Katsumi and knew that she’d been the direct cause of her loss.  It wasn’t an apology—Katsumi neither expected nor wanted one—but it was an acknowledgement of what had happened.  

“I ain’t embarrassed I lost, if that’s what you’re asking,” Katsumi replied.  She ran her left thumb over the knuckles of her right hand, still sore from where she’d punched Izzy’s ice wall.  “Considering I was going to throw it all away before you talked me into fighting, I’m happy to have made any kind of mark at all.  Can’t even say I’m disappointed.  You put up one hell of a fight.  Just… motivated for the next time around.”

Izzy seemed satisfied with that and nodded.  “Of course, you do realize I will be equally motivated.”

A smile worked its way across Katsumi’s face.  “Then we’ll just have to get stronger together, won’t we?”

Another nod.  “And then I can look forward to kicking your ass again.”

Katsumi felt her eyes go wide.  “Who the hell’s been coaching you in telling jokes?  Is it Sparky and Horse Girl?  Or Ghosty and her gang of idiots?”

Izzy looked confused, exaggerated, faked confusion.  “Joke?”

“I really gotta stop underestimating you.”

***

On the third place platform, Toshi gave Kocho a reassuring grin.  The moth-girl from General Studies seemed down, even though she’d placed. He could understand that, he supposed. The General Studies students who made it to the Tournament always fought hard and any defeat had to be heartbreaking. But she should have been proud of her accomplishments too.

“You did great,” he said. “Almost a new record.  Except for that one year, you did better than anyone else in General Studies.”

She did smile a little bit. “I know,” she said.  “Keep telling myself that.  Still…”

“You really wanted to win,” Toshi said.

“I really wanted to win,” she agreed.  

“Always next year,” he said. The competition in the Second Year Sports Festival was way more intense than the First Year.  It was extremely uncommon for anyone outside of the Hero Courses to get past the first stage, let alone place.  But considering how well she’d done…

“Maybe,” Kocho said. “Think I impressed anyone enough?”

“Could be?” Toshi replied, which wasn’t nearly as reassuring as he’d hoped he’d be.  “I could quote you all kinds of statistics, talk about the people who’ve made the jump over the years, but really, it all really depends on what the teachers and staff see in you.  But you fought hard.  Smart too. I’m rooting for you!”

That did get another small smile out of her.  Maybe that was enough.  Not exactly the heroic victory Toshi had been hoping for, but he’d done what he could.

“All right, folks, let’s give a big hand to our winners! And here to present their medals, former Number One Hero, All Might!”

Grandpa Might’s entrances weren’t quite as dramatic as they might have been in the old days, and he was no longer quite as muscular as he had once been (though far more healthy than he had been prior to Aunt Eri restoring his health) but he was still a large, fit man, and today he wore a version of his old blue, red, white, and yellow costume, tailored to fit.  His trademark smile was on his face and Toshi could easily tell it reached his eyes. In point of fact, Grandpa Might seemed to be practically vibrating with excitement and grandfatherly pride.

“In Third Place,” Present Mic announced, “Koharu Kocho and Toshinori Midoriya!”

Grandpa Might took a moment to steady himself before he approached the platform, first slipping a Bronze Medal over Kocho’s head.  “Young Kocho,” Grandpa Might said, “you showed significant skill and courage today. A credit to yourself and your class.”

His grin grew broader and he embraced her, causing her dark eyes to go wide with surprise.  Grandpa Might was still an incredibly affectionate man. “I think we’ll be seeing great things from you,” he told her.

Grandpa Might turned his attention to Toshi.  “And Young Grandson!”  Toshi thought his face was going to split wide open from the grin.  “Your grandmother and I could not be prouder of you! You’ve done us all proud!  Your dedication to your classmates, your dedication to going Plus Ultra…  You are an example to us all!”

Toshi was pretty sure Grandpa Might was going to cry, but he held it in as he placed the medal over Toshi’s head, then hugged him tight.

“Grandpa… Might…” Toshi squeaked.  “Can’t… breathe…!”

Grandpa Might released him quickly, then rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.  “Ah, sorry, sorry!” he babbled.  “I got a bit carried away there!”

“All right!  Let’s give another round of applause for our Third Place finishers!” Present Mic announced and the crowd went wild.  

“They’re cheering,” Kocho said, eyes wide with wonder.  “They’re really cheering… for me…?”

“For you,” Toshi assured her.  “For both of us.  People love a winner, one way or the other.”

He knew he had a lot to live up to.  His grandfather was one of the greatest Heroes of all time.  His dad was well on his way to matching that, if he hadn’t already. His mom was an incredible Hero in her own right.  Grandma Inko, Grandma Yua, and Grandpa Hideki were all incredible people too.  It would take a long time for him to reach their levels.  But today felt like a pretty good start.

***

On the Third Place platform, Midoriya and Kocho looked proud and pensive, respectfully. Up on the First Place platform, Haimawari looked nervous as hell, shaking like a leaf, an expression of confused awe on his face.  As for Mika…

Finally, she thought, the respect I so clearly deserve.

She already knew what her classmates thought of her.  Oh, for sure, Chihiro and Akaya were her friends, and so were many of the students in 1-B, like Kana, Anime, and Shiro.  But she also knew that people like Aoyama and Shoji dismissed her as trouble and that Kirishima-Bakugo threatened her with violence on a regular basis.  Mika was even well aware of the fact that most of the school considered her to be a perverted joke.  Word got around, after all.  And she would proudly embrace “pervert.”  But joke?  Never.

Maybe, just maybe, a few more people would start taking her more seriously after this.  Of course, if that meant she had to actually start acting more seriously, than forget it.  There were too many super attractive people in this school to give up on trying to get with as many of them as she possibly could before graduation (This would probably one day include sex, but for right now, she’s settle for making out and some fondling.  Her or them. She wasn’t picky.).  

Hell, she’d be surprised if she didn’t have a dozen plus new admirers after today.  Nothing sexier than a girl who could kick ass.  She should probably send the vampire girl, Kan, a gift basket or something though.  She’d gotten the better of her through the utmost use of her provocation skills.   That was rough.  She’d do it again in a heartbeat, and it would probably be great against villains, but she also might well have cost Kan some internship opportunities by making her lose her cool like that.

Blood oranges, maybe? Or was that too much of a joke?

She was also, if truth be told, more than a little worried about the possibility that Daddy had seen way too much of her fights, especially her first one.  It might have finally irrevocability shattered his perception of her as his innocent little girl.  He was supposed to be working today, but if he saw the highlights or something…

He might also try to kill Haimawari.  He’d gotten to full on second base with that last “shove” that had sent her out of the ring. Which would be a shame, to kill somebody with an ass like that.  Of course, Kana was interested in him, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look at the menu.

“And in second place,” came the voice of Present Mic, “Mika Mineta!”

“Young Mineta,” All Might said, as he approached.  He seemed to be weighing his next words carefully.  Probably trying to decide whether or not to lecture her.  Adults did that a lot.  “You utilized all the skills at your disposal, even if some of them were rather… unconventional.  Take pride in that!  A Hero must be willing to use all their skills, no matter how diverse!  Still, a Hero must also be mindful of their image as well!  It is a balancing act.”

With that, he slipped the Silver Medal over her head, deftly managing not to get it tangled in her horns, which was an impressive feet.  After that, he gave her a brief hug.

As the crowd applauded again, Mika grinned. Second Place.  Not bad, not bad at all.  And Kirishima-Bakugo was sure to be furious about it… which made it all the sweeter.

***

First Place.  He’d won the Sports Festival.  He’d won fights against people demonstrably more powerful than him, like Izumi and Midoriya.  All this time, ever since he’d gotten his acceptance letter, Isamu had questioned whether or not he had what it took to be a Hero, whether or not he even belonged in U.A.  When he’d found out he was in a class with nothing but the children of Pro-Heroes, several of them the children of Top Ten Heroes, that feeling of unworthiness had only sunk in further.

But since coming to U.A., he’d made friends, learned new skills, and pushed himself harder than he’d ever pushed before.  Midoriya, Izumi, Shota…  all his friends believed in him.  And not one of them had treated him like he wasn’t worthy of a place at U.A., no matter his pedigree.  

And now he’d won the whole damn Sports Festival.  And for once, he actually believed that it was really happening to him and wasn’t just part of his coma dream theory.  When they were gathering them up for the closing ceremony, he’d briefly mentioned to Midoriya that he couldn’t believe he’d made it this far.  But then Midoriya had something that had really stuck with him, crashed right through the self-deprecating cloud he’d been living in.

Midoriya had said that he had to believe it, or else he was just making the efforts of everybody who’d been competing and fighting against him worthless.  He’d said that they deserved to have their efforts recognized, not just dismissed as some kind of dream.  It was about respect, Midoriya had told him.

And Isamu had realized he was right.  He’d been so caught up with his own issues, that he hadn’t stopped to think about how that might have been framing everyone else’s efforts.  He respected all of them—even Mineta—too much to do that.

“And now,” Present Mic announced, “your First Place finisher and new Sports Festival Champion…  Isamu Haimawari!”

And then there was All Might before him, Gold Medal in hand.  He’d almost gotten used to having one of the greatest Heroes in the world as his teacher, but had not had a lot of close-up, one-on-one time with the man. He’s not intimidated, not exactly, the man’s too friendly, too smiley, to really be intimidating.  But All Might is still an incredible presence, a reminder of how far he has to go and what he might someday be.

“Young Haimawari,” All Might intoned, giving him that famous grin. “Today, you displayed amazing skill and ability.  You’ve taken a major step on the road to becoming a Hero!  Whatever doubts you may have, know that while your doubts keep you humble, they can also hold you back.  Use this victory as your springboard to self-confidence!  And know that we are all quite proud of you!”

With that, he slipped the medal over Isamu’s head, then hugged him.  Isamu was taller than average, but All Might dwarfed him easily, leaving his head pressed against the man’s muscles.  Fortunately, he survived the hug with nothing crushed.

His parents believed in him. His friends believed in him.  All Might, the greatest Hero of any generation, believed in him.  

Maybe Midoriya was right. The time for moping and self-doubt was over.  He’d earned this.  He could take pride in it.  He could use this to motivate himself, to be the best that he could be.  His confidence issues weren’t going anywhere any time soon.  But he also felt more at ease than he had in a long time.  A competition stocked to the gills with the children of Pro Heroes and the winner was him.  As far as the public knew, a total newcomer to the Hero scene, and known only to him, the son of two very skilled, though long-retired Vigilantes.  Mister Aizawa had been right… this truly was anyone’s game.

And it was his.

“And that’s our winner, folks!  Let’s show all our winners, and all our competitors, just how much we appreciate all of them!  They all went beyond!   PLUSSSSSSSS ULTRAAAAA!”

“Hn.  Do you have to yell so loud?  You’ve already got the microphone.”

***

With two days off before they had to be back in class and permission to go home, Isamu walked the streets of Naruhata for the first time since he’d started U.A.   The moment he’d stepped off the train, he’d felt more relaxed. This was his home turf, the place where he belonged.

People on the train had recognized him as the guy who’d won the Sports Festival.  He’d had total strangers congratulating him and more than a few teenage girls trying to flirt with him.  That had been a little awkward.  But he’d managed.  

Now, back in his own neighborhood, it was familiar faces that congratulated him, names that came easily to his lips.  And finally, his steps carried him to what he always considered sacred ground, The Nice Guy Convenience Store, the convenience store owned by his father, Koichi Haimawari.  It was the place where he offered up convenient foods and goods at reasonable prices, but also where he held court and listened to the problems of the people in the neighborhood.  That Dad had been the Vigilante known as the Crawler was an open secret here, and the people of Naruhata looked after their own and kept it from outside ears and eyes. But if you had a problem, then it was well known the elder Haimawari would do everything in his power to help you. He’d made a lot of friends over the years, knew the right calls to make, the right favors to call on.  Even though he had long been sidelined from being a Vigilante, he was still helping people.

Helping people, he had taught Isamu, was the absolute best thing a person could do in this world, Hero or not.

Isamu stepped towards the store, the automatic doors parting for him with a small whoosh.  “He is the man who won the Sports Festival!” came a voice from the counter.  “My son!”

He felt his face redden. “Daaaad,” Isamu wailed.  “You’re being all dramatic again.”

Dad stepped out from around the counter, slow, careful steps that kept him from aggravating his bad leg. “Can’t blame a dad for being proud, kid.”

“Give your old man a break,” another voice said, gruff and growly, but warm and touched with pride of its own.

A second voice, tense and reedy, added, “He’s had the Sports Festival on all day.  Been glued to the highlights and post-game ever since.”

The voices in question belonged to a short, stocky man with thick muttonchops and hair that came to a point, and to a tall, slim man wearing red-tinged glasses.   They were as familiar a sight to Isamu as anyone, longtime friends of the family from his parents Vigilante days.

“Uncle Jube!  Uncle Ichimoku!  I didn’t know you were going to be here!”

Uncle Jube laughed at that. “Wouldn’t have missed it, kid. Besides, somebody had to keep any eye on the place while your old man was glued to the TV.”

Uncle Ichimoku pushed his glasses up on his nose.  “You did great, Isamu.  Fushichou said to tell you she’s proud of you.”

Fushichou was Uncle Ichimoku’s daughter, with a telekinetic Quirk.  Together with Uncle Jube’s daughter Mujina, who had a Quirk that gave her double-wooden knives in her hands, they too were familiar and friendly presences in his life, despite being several years older than him.  He’d harbored a bit of a crush on Mujina at one point, actually.  They’d both gone to other Hero schools, but had encouraged him to try out for U.A.

He was glad he’d listened.

“Where’s Mom?” he asked.

“If I know your mother, she’s already put together a surprise party for you,” Dad said.  He hesitated, then added, “…Well, she’s probably gone out and picked up a cake.   …She’s probably raided the freezer for ice cream.  …If we leave now, there might still be some for us.”

Isamu had to laugh at that. It was certainly an accurate description of his mom.  Planning and organization were not exactly her strong suits.  Her desk in her office looked like a paper bomb had gone off in it and she was perpetually up against the wall on her deadlines.

“You okay closing up early?” he asked his dad.

“Sure,” Dad said.  “Benefits of owning the place.  People will understand.”

Dad gave him another look over, a faraway look in his eyes.  

“You, ah, you okay, Dad?” he asked.

“Just… so proud of you,” Dad said.  “I’m proud of the work me and your mom did.  We helped a lot of people.  Maybe even helped save the city once.  Small works do wonders and I was proud to be a friendly neighborhood Vigilante.  But you… you’re going to be truly spectacular, amazing, sensational… and a whole bunch of adjectives I haven’t even thought of yet.”

“Daaad,” Isamu wailed again. “Don’t be so mushy, okay?”   But he was smiling.

Dad went on, “So.  Any idea what Heroes might try scouting you?”

…He hadn’t thought about that!