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Izuku remembers chasing after Kacchan as a kid. It’s hard not to, in all honesty.
Chasing after Kacchan was something of a daily routine for Izuku.
But Izuku and Kacchan never spoke.
Because Kacchan was always running away.
And Izuku was always stuck chasing behind.
On the rare occasion that Izuku did manage to catch up, Kacchan would just run faster. Izuku would stumble and trip, losing Kacchan to the wind.
One time, Izuku caught up to Kacchan. The blonde ran faster, of course, but this time Izuku anticipated it and sped up himself.
When minutes passed and Izuku still didn’t falter, Kacchan stopped. He turned to Izuku.
For a second, just one second, Izuku was filled with hope.
And then Kacchan shoved Izuku to the ground and darted away.
Izuku was left staring at his retreating back, wondering where he went wrong. But he knows.
Kacchan has always been bold.
Fearless.
Arrogant.
It was foolish of Izuku to think he could ever catch up.
But he does.
He gets into UA with Kacchan, even if his score isn’t quite as high.
He passes the quirk apprehension test by the skin of his teeth while Kacchan excels.
And in the Battle Trial, Izuku finally beats Kacchan. Izuku finally wins.
After that, the school year goes wrong in so many ways but Izuku and Kacchan keep on racing ahead.
Each striving to pass the other.
Each striving to win.
And now Izuku walks through Ground Beta, waiting for Kacchan to arrive.
They moved into the dorms mere hours ago. The dishes from dinner weren’t even dry when Kacchan told Izuku to meet him outside. When Kacchan told Izuku that he wanted to talk.
So Izuku went, despite the fact that it's past curfew. It was Kacchan calling, after all.
And now Izuku walks through the paper city, and he can't help but notice how quiet Ground Beta is.
How empty.
The streets are silent. The air is still.
Maybe Kacchan wasn't calling him after all.
A quiet boom draws Izuku's attention, and he manages to dodge Kacchan's explosive punch. Just barely.
His clothes get singed. His hair is ruffled.
Izuku's breath catches in his throat.
Kacchan lets out a hoarse yell and charges again.
Izuku can't believe he ever thought that Kacchan would want to talk. He doesn't. Not to Izuku, at least.
Kacchan is yelling at Izuku as he attacks, but his explosions are too loud.
And Izuku doesn't want to listen to someone who is only going to scream at him.
Kacchan flys at Izuku with another flaming punch, and Izuku ducks easily. Kacchan lets out an incoherent scream, and he takes to the air again.
Kacchan continues charging at Izuku. Izuku continues dodging. Kacchan is the only one screaming. Eventually, though?
Izuku gets fed up.
The next time Kacchan flies at him, Izuku flips the other over his shoulders. He pins Kacchan down. He holds Kacchan still for several long moments.
And just like that, Kacchan lays limp.
He doesn’t scream.
He doesn’t fight.
Kacchan just stops.
Izuku rises out of his crouch, takes a few steps backwards.
Kacchan rises as well. There are tears streaming down his face.
Why was I the one to end All Might? Kacchan asks.
It’s the same question he’s been yelling all night, but now he asks quietly. It’s nearly a whisper.
Izuku doesn’t have an answer for Kacchan. Not one that he would accept, anyway.
So Izuku says nothing. He just looks at Kacchan.
Kacchan is getting tired of Izuku’s silence. He drops into another crouch. He’s ready to fight to get the answer he thinks he needs.
Izuku just sighs tiredly.
Kacchan will never be satisfied with any of the answers that Izuku could give him. With any of the answers that Izuku would give him.
So Izuku gestures for Kacchan to stop fighting. To stop talking. To stop.
And for once, Kacchan listens. For once, Kacchan stops fighting.
So here Kacchan stands, hands loose at his sides. He draws a shaky hand close to his chest, and glances downward. Hesitantly, he stretches his hand out towards Izuku.
Kacchan is no longer arrogant.
No longer fearless.
No longer bold.
Kacchan stands there, hand finally outstretched. Izuku does not take it.
Instead, he walks away. Kacchan stays still, staring at Izuku's retreating back until he disappears around the corner. Hand outstretched until he's gone.
The only sign that he was even there at all is the way that the kicked-up dust settles in his wake.