Chapter Text
The prospect of a self-made class reunion was brought up by Mina, which Fumikage isn't even remotely surprised about. Not that he would complain, of course. He missed his fellow alumni since hero work consistently prevents any attempts of socializing, among other matters. Having the chance for the twenty-one of them to just hang out and enjoy themselves was too good an opportunity to pass up.
It had been planned months beforehand; a relaxing day at Dagobah Beach followed by some late night fun at a karaoke bar. All of them had lined their schedules up to make absolutely sure this day was free for them; obviously the only thing that could really ruin it would be an impromptu villain attack somewhere in their vicinity, but with literally an entire group of well-known pro-heroes it was bound to be taken care of with relative ease.
Thankfully, that didn't happen. There were no unexpected or unwanted interruptions, and everyone had a wonderful time together.
What did happen, however, was something still completely incomprehensible, even after several hours of becoming remotely used to the idea of anything like it.
To give a bit of backstory, the main reason behind the get-together was to hopefully bring forth the return of a somewhat missing friend of theirs. A group chat was made so the still-fresh heroes all just barely in their mid-20's could keep in contact after all these years. They were never truly apart—fighting for your own and each other's lives during their time in UA may have turned them into some alikeness of a family. Denki had brought that up, in the ridiculous half-joke nonchalant way that he does. It had been laughed off somewhat, until Izuku brought up that there was some truth to the statement.
There was a distinct change in atmosphere after that; no one had quite known what to say after he'd brought it up, and he almost looked ready to take it back, until Eijiro admitted that he felt the same. Then Ochaco, then Toru, then Rikido. Soon enough everyone had given in to the idea quite amiably, save for a particularly stubborn three, but they were roped into it soon enough. Fumikage was all for the idea; he loved his friends, his weird little makeshift family filled with oddball personalities. His heart swelled at the memory.
Which brings them to today. They've more or less lost contact with a member of their family. A certain quiet animal lover; tall yet not even remotely imposing (to them, at least), the gentlest giant one could ever know.
Koji isn't one that stands out very often, all things considered. Or rather, he prefers to fade into the background a lot of the time, simply observing and letting conversations flicker by without feeling the need to contribute. His presence among the class at one point was near invisibility to rival Toru's, but his mostly mute nature sure did give her a run for her money.
His outspoken confidence over the years had blossomed into something magnificent, though, and Fumikage had watched his friend grow into an incredible hero right before his eyes.
He loved Koji so much, as much as the rest of his hero family.
That's why it hurt so much, to see him slowly begin to fade away from them over the last couple of years.
Everyone suspects it may have been the passing of his beloved rabbit Yuwai. They were aware of how devastated he was; it had happened within the time frame of his less active socialization. Contrary to what many would think, Koji was a constant within their group chat. Always wanting to talk and know how everyone was doing, even having a vocabulary to rival Katsuki's.
No one really knew Koji the way they all had and no one really understood how much he'd opened up since the start of their time at UA. Watching him go from shy and sweet and seemingly innocent, to vocal and talkative and laughter ringing pleasantly through their dorm common room, back to reserved and silent and practically background noise among their tight knit cluster. He'd even managed to avoid all media presence in this time, so none of them really knew what he was up to; many thought his disappearance was the cause of a villain until Koji's manager stepped up to address his hiatus from hero work.
It was painful for all of them.
So of course they were ecstatic when he popped into the chat out of the blue to confirm his attendance to Mina's overly hopeful idea.
anima: that sounds fun!!
anima: im sorry i havent been here much
anima: i let yuwai dying get to me a bit too much i think
anima: then everything just became too much to bear?
anima: it was selfish of me to just
anima: disappear like that and worry you all
anima: i just needed to uhh
anima: reinvent my life?
anima: i miss you all and want to see you again so ill be there!
They weren't really sure what to make of such cryptic messages, until he showed up on a fucking motorcycle of all things.
Fumikage is hyper aware of how he and everyone else are all collectively speechless at the sight before them. Koji casually strolls up to them after shutting off his bike, heavy boots had thick pants tucked firmly inside them, protective gloves and jacket with the latter having his hero name insignia embroidered on the left breast, removing his hilariously shaped, clearly custom-made helmet to fit his head. His eyes are shining in the bright sun filled with an amalgamation of various emotions; most notably, in Fumikage's personal opinion, regretful longing.
Fumikage is hyper aware of his heart skipping several beats, and he can feel Dark Shadow writhing in glee within the darkest confines of his soul.
"Hi guys," Koji speaks up, quite shyly. He doesn't seem that aware of the stunned silence among the group, but, God, is it good to hear that voice again. High-pitched, yet so soft spoken and kind. Fumikage could weep over such an angelic sound, "It's, uh... been a while."
"I'll say!" Denki cries. And he's actually crying; tears are streaming down his face as he crashes into Koji in a flying leap hug. He'd laugh at how little he moved catching the electric blond with utter ease, Minoru right on his heels whom Koji catches with even less trouble in his other arm, if he weren't so worked up over just seeing his friend again for the first time in two or so years.
He can't help his eyes trailing to the small scar on his lower lip. Koji had gotten it from a villain attack a few years back, a chunk of glass from a shattered window sliced it open; he hadn't been wearing his mask at the time so the explosion of shards took him by surprise, as he had explained. Fumikage had to strongly resist the urge to run up and trace a finger over it.
"When did you get a bike?" Hanta finally asks, after the awkward silence has more or less passed and the two still firmly hanging on to Koji stopped sobbing so loudly, now just reduced to mere sniffles.
"Oh! Um... last year?" he replies with some uncertainty. Fumikage can tell how much he's forcing himself to speak, like nothing's changed and everything is fine and that he didn't go practically off the grid from them for over two years. He almost wants to be angry with the taller man but he's just too transfixed on his being here feel any negative emotion towards him.
"Okay, this is fucking great and all," Katsuki pipes up, garnering the attention of everyone, "but what the fresh hell are you wearing, dipshit, we're at a beach."
"Oh, right! It's just protective gear when I'm riding my bike. I have swim trunks on. I just, uh..."
"We have a locker saved for you," Mezo supplies, knowing Koji needed somewhere to place his outerwear, "It's locket nine, code two-left, nine-right, four-left."
Koji nods and dashes off to the little shack full of lockers for beach goers. They watch him disappear inside as they all try to digest what had just occurred.
Toru is the first to speak up, "Can you believe it?! Sweet, shy Koji! On a motorcycle!"
"Always seemed like a bike with training wheels, kind of guy, to me," Hitoshi adds, only half-serious.
They'd all reached a point in their lives where they ditched formalities and just went on to refer to one another with their given names when off-duty. Except for Ochaco and Katsuki, of course, whom both still have a tendency to call Izuku "Deku." Although, that sort of slips out from the rest of them every so often as well, not that he minds.
No one could really fathom the idea of Koji riding a motorcycle of all things, so of course it's all the more surprising when he returns in just his swim trunks to see tattoos plastered on various parts of his body.
"So what're we—" He pauses when this time he's taken notice of their jaw-dropped expressions, backing up slightly and raising his hands defensively in front of his chest, "Wh-what?"
Fumikage can't help but to think how ridiculously cute it is to see him nervous and flustered as his face turns visibly red at the attention. He also can't help that he simultaneously believes Koji looks ridiculously attractive with the sculpted muscle he's all too familiar with from years of training together coupled with the colorful ink crafted so intricately on his skin. His face is heating up now, as well, and he can't even say he's glad no one can see because his damned features would just give his feelings away regardless. Thankfully, everyone is too focused on Koji themselves to pay his gay panic any mind.
"Tattoos too!" Minoru shouts, "Are you in the fuckin' yakuza or somethin'!"
Koji flinches and shakes his head rapidly, "No! I-I just thought they looked cool!"
"Dude, is this what you meant by 'reinvent your life'?" Eijiro asks, but there's a grin beginning to break out.
"It's just really unexpected from you of all people," Kyoka adds. She walks up to him and Koji stiffens, his entire face as red as Eijiro's hair now. It's honestly amusing how flustered he gets over his old crush, still, especially now that she's up close and personal inspecting the artwork applied to his body. She gasps and calls out, "Whoa, sick! You guys, check this one out!"
Koji squeaks as he's spun around with his back to the others now. They're all wide-eyed at the gorgeous masterpiece permanently etched into him, his entire back used as a canvas for the prowling tiger slinking around branches of cherry blossoms. After the initial embarrassment dwindles away, they have gone over each tattoo and his reasoning behind them. It's a very bland answer, one he'd given just moments ago; from the snake coiled around his left bicep and slithering head first onto his left pectoral, to the pure black forest wrapped around his left wrist and forearm with birds fluttering about or perched on branches, his hero name written in English on his right forearm, the kanji for his actual name on his knuckles.
"Aren't you worried about these getting ruined in hero work?" Momo asks carefully.
Koji shakes his head, "One of the artists there has a quirk that can restore things to their nicest condition. It works on tattoos, and it's really convenient."
Izuku looks ready to burst with questions about said quirk, but Tsuyu speaks first, "Which of these is your first one?"
Koji's expression shifts, what was once a beaming smile is now tentative and almost blank, "This one." He flips his right arm underside up to show a small tattoo of a white rabbit right where the wrist meets his palm, the kanji for "Yuwai" with smaller text beneath it. Numbers. Dates, it seems. What Fumikage assumes might be the rabbit's initial birth or adoption...
And the animal's eventual death, a date they all recognized.
There's a very noticeable shift in the overall mood. The loss of his beloved pet is what sent Koji into his inevitable disappearance from the group. None of them knows what happened or where he went or what he's been up to since, but they can't bring themselves to ask. They're sure it may be too tough for Koji to speak about for now, so they'll wait until he's ready. Mina is choking back a sob and Tsuyu croaks quietly "Little Yuwai-chan..."
"I wanted—" Koji's voice cracks and Fumikage hears him swallow, probably wanting to keep his emotions from running too high, "I wanted something to remember him by, so I... got this. I kinda liked the idea of collecting more, and got a bit carried away."
Rikido breaks the tension with a warm smile, patting Koji on the shoulder, "Well, like you said, they look cool."
Koji beams. His smile radiates the same energy as the sun, Fumikage is sure, as it just about blinds him.
"It's fantastic to see you again, mon amie, but I believe it's time for us all to have some fun," Yuga quips, sending a sparkling wink Koji's way.
He nods, and just like that the former classmates are thrown deep into various beach activities. Koji hung back with the likes of Mina and Ochaco in the beginning, both of whom were still gushing over his tattoos and even offering suggestions for new ones. Mina had clung herself around one of Koji's arms; Fumikage had to really force himself not to run over and pry her off only to replace her with himself.
A heavy hand clasped his shoulder, Fumikage looked to his side to see Mezo standing there giving him a scrutinizing look.
"You've been pretty quiet since he arrived, you all right?" the three-armed man inquired.
"Yes," Fumikage answered, a bit too quickly. He cleared his throat, "Just... hoping this isn't a dream. I don't want to wake up if it is."
Mezo dipped his head sadly, an understanding expression crossed what little of his countenance could be seen behind his mask. Of course he had become easier to read over the years to everyone else; even when he'd gained the courage to show his friends what he looked like beneath the accessory, the mask was just apart of Mezo, so they were all more than accustomed to figuring out his feelings through the crinkle of his eyes or the shift in fabric over his mouth.
"It does feel a bit surreal," he said with an almost silent sigh.
Fumikage hummed, watching his friend melt quickly into familiar comfort over all the attention. Their other friends moved back and forth from whatever they were doing to take turns chatting with Koji. His smiling face made Fumikage's heart soar.
Of course the moment had to be ruined.
"Oh, my God! " the irritatingly wispy voice of Dark Shadow ground out, poking a tiny head between the two of them, " Would you just go over there and get your man, you gay little idiot!"
The bird-headed man sighed, annoyed, but the quirk kept going. "Honestly, I can feel how badly you want him, y’know. Why not ask Mezo here to help you out very quickly? He can take you behind the locker shed for a—"
" Shut up, " he snapped. Dark Shadow snickered and retreated back into his host's body. Fumikage pinched the bridge of his beak, letting out an irritated breath.
"Sounds like they're more desperate than you are," Mezo says, his voice a mix between amusement and embarrassment.
"Have I ever mentioned that I wish I had a different quirk, sometimes?"
"Only about a trillion times."
"Well, this will be a trillion and one."
Fumikage looked back up to see Koji and the few sitting with him staring at him, his larger friend sporting a bemused expression. It quickly flipped back to a welcoming smile, waving him over.
He didn't move, only waving back quite dumbly. Mezo had to slap a hand to his back and push him forward, bringing the two of them over.
"Hello," Fumikage greeted quietly after a moment of awkward silence.
"Hi!" Koji replied, pulling him into a crushing hug, "It's great to see you again, I missed you!"
Fumikage's stomach was filled to the brim with fluttering butterflies swarming madly, feeling nearly weightless as he was pressed against the man's chiseled physique. He could feel his cheeks growing hot again, inhaling sharply and holding his breath to refrain from making any strange noise.
Koji pulled them apart and eyed him for a moment, "You put on sunscreen, right? I still remember how badly your skin can burn."
He flushed. Letting out a faux-annoyed huff, rolling his eyes, "Of course I did."
His friend nodded, pleased, and soon enough they were wrapped up in hours-long conversation. The light feeling in his heart was present the entire time.
He was glad to have Koji back; to have him close again. The years without him were dark. A melancholy darkness. Seeped in murky, forlorn oceans of endless depression. Faintly contemptuous at the man before them again, returning to old times like he'd been here the whole time. The anger he felt was deep and repressed, but minute in size. It wasn't as if he was truly bitter over the sudden abandonment, but abandoned he— they were, nonetheless.
Now wasn't the time for interrogation, however, as much as he wanted to question Koji over where he's been. Why he disappeared, why he felt the need to cut them off. Why he couldn't rely on them to help him through his struggles.
Mostly, Fumikage mused, he felt this may finally be his chance. Dark Shadow did have a semblance of a point (an indignant wriggle in his soul, claiming they had an entire point), and that his agonizing crush on one of his best friends ran several years too long and too deep. He couldn't continue to let the fear of rejection hold him back, because he'll never know what he'll have unless he goes for it.
And even if he did feel heartbreak, Koji's friendship was just too important to him to lose.