Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Tell me, detective. Do you believe that we’re the only beings in the universe?” The man shouted, swiftly dodging Rashomon’s tendrils.

Atsushi would pause to think, maybe have a mini existential crisis while he’s at it, if it weren’t for the fact that the guy who had asked the question was the criminal they were after.

It was a good question, really, but he was kind of occupied with ensuring they could apprehend the guy while making out of the current situation alive. The dude was really trying his best to knock them out, throwing whatever he could get his hands on in the abandoned building they were currently in.

It was kind of impressive, if Atsushi was being honest with himself.

“Run faster, jinko,” Akutagawa commanded, breaking him out of his thoughts.

(Easy for him to say, considering the fact that he was currently using Atsushi’s half-tiger form as his personal Uber.)

The younger rolled his eyes, but complied nonetheless, focusing all of his attention on speeding up while avoiding all the projectiles their criminal was currently hurling. He narrowly missed the moldy takeaway food that was thrown, but in dodging that, he failed to notice the activation of the criminal’s Ability.

In retrospect, he probably should have paid more attention to what the guy was saying because the next thing he knew, a goddamn television was thrown their way and the world turned pitch black.

-

When Atsushi awoke, the first thing he registered was the feeling of something warm and solid underneath him. It wasn’t uncomfortable but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either. Nevertheless, he was tired and he desperately needed some rest so maybe it would be alright if he just…

“Don’t you dare fall asleep on me.”

His eyes shot open.

In record speed, Atsushi immediately rolled off onto the very solid (but considerably colder) ground. He could see Akutagawa slowly sitting up through his peripheral vision, possibly plotting his demise. The way his eyebrows furrowed and his left eye twitched probably didn’t mean good news.

He couldn’t care less though, not when he finally registered his surroundings and realised that he was no longer inside the abandoned building the chase led them to. 

No, he was outside in an area that looked nothing like downtown Yokohama.

“What happened?” He asked, chancing a glance towards Akutagawa.

Except… Akutagawa didn’t really look like Akutagawa. In a way.

“I could ask the same of you.”

Akutagawa(?) had longer bangs that covered his forehead, though his signature hairstyle was still prevalent. His face looked similar but there was something off about it. Something Atsushi couldn’t quite piece together. Something that was so obvious, he completely missed it. His eyes still had that same hardened look, and his lips were still pulled into his signature frown so really, what was different?

“You look… wrong.”

To that, Akutagawa let out a scoff which was quite understandable. It wasn’t the most eloquent of sentences, nor was it flattering in the slightest. He… could have probably worded that better.

Maybe Dazai was right. Atsushi really needed to work on his people skills.

“You look younger. I’m assuming that I do too, based on your reaction. This might have something to do with the criminal’s Ability,” Akutagawa said as he stood up, brushing off the non-existent dust on his clothes that looked a bit too big on him.

So that was it. Now that he mentioned it, he could see it. The way the man’s jaw was less defined, his facial structures less prominent. It… kind of made sense… Except for the fact that the criminal’s Ability had something to do with transporting people to different universes, similar to what Poe could do with his Ability. Not this… reverse aging thing Fitzgerald recently took an interest in.

Why would they be younger in an alternate universe?

“Could this be similar to the Page where some sort of logic is required to maintain the coherence of the plot?” Atsushi wondered aloud, eyes still fixed on the mafioso in front of him.

Said man frowned as he considered the possibility, tilting his head slightly sideways in a manner Atsushi had no business finding adorable, considering they were slightly civil on their best days and contemplating murder on their worst. 

(Well, at least they were contemplating it nowadays. Back in those times, there was no thinking. Just doing.

Anyway.)

Realising his alarming thoughts, Atsushi decided to take a moment to properly observe his surroundings, eyes taking in the sight of tall buildings, some nature, and an abundance of weird-looking beings…. that could be human. Potentially.

They looked human and they acted human… with the exception of a few mutations here and there. The ones that didn’t have any obvious mutation exhibited some sort of Ability. It seemed as if the population of Ability users had suddenly multiplied ten-fold, if these mutations could be considered a side-effect of these Abilities. It was unheard of, but they were in an alternate universe after all.

That didn’t explain the people walking around in costumes, though. They looked like they walked straight out of those American comic books about heroes and villains. 

It seemed as if Akutagawa took note of the weird circumstances too, judging by the way he looked around threateningly as if daring anyone to come close.

“The best course of action is to figure out what kind of universe we’re in, if this Ability works the same way as the Guild member’s does. From there, we could figure out how to solve the question that is fundamental to this universe.”

Their first step was to check whether they still had their Abilities. They could have ended up in an alternate universe where they were the ones without Abilities and almost everyone else had them. An exact opposite of their reality. However, as Rashomon made itself known and as Byakko manifested a tail, they immediately ruled that possibility out.

The next step was to get some sort of information regarding the place they were in. Considering the fact that Akutagawa’s brand of investigation usually included a lot of blood, pain and tears that weren’t his, Atsushi offered to approach the friendliest looking person there was.

If the boy could stop mumbling and actually acknowledge his presence, that is.

“Excuse me?” Atsushi asked after a few more minutes of listening to the boy muttering about sludge, All Might(?) and Kacchan(?).... whatever they were.

The green haired boy immediately stopped talking before apologising profusely, ready to go on a whole rant of how he shouldn’t have rambled on when Atsushi placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

“It’s alright. Just… if you don’t mind me asking, what’s this place called? And what’s today’s date?”

The boy immediately stopped talking and regarded him suspiciously, eyes narrowing a bit but answering the question nonetheless.

“We’re in Musutafu, Japan and today’s the 31st of March.”

Atsushi lived in Japan all his life and not once had he heard of Musutafu. Either the boy was pulling his leg, or they ended up in a universe that had a Musutafu . He had no choice but to take it at face value, for now.

“Right… Say, what year is it?” 

Now it wasn’t the most subtle of ways to gather information and he could literally feel Akutagawa glaring daggers into the back of his head but he was tired, hungry and most importantly, sleep deprived. All he wanted to do was go home and rest but judging by the way the boy was scrutinising him, he didn’t see that happening anytime soon.

“2020.”

Alright, so maybe Atsushi was mistaken. Maybe the boy wasn’t glaring at him but he just… squinted his eyes because he couldn’t see and left his glasses at home or something.

He let out a smile, thanking the boy for his time and made his way towards his case partner. They didn’t have any major leads but at least they were still in Japan and still in the present. They could work with that.

Well, that was the plan until his senses started tingling and he immediately jumped to the left, narrowly avoiding the green-looking projectile that had suddenly made itself known. 

Atsushi looked down at the groaning boy, shocked and a bit betrayed as he recognised him as the boy from earlier. He looked up from him exasperatedly, accidentally making eye contact with Akutagawa who looked… amused? He was covering his mouth with his hand and his eyes had a bit of a mischievous look to them but… it must have been a trick of the light.

Yeah, that was probably it.

Forcing himself to focus on the issue at hand, he approached the boy and crouched down.

“Why?”

The boy slowly sat up, sheepish. Gone were the traces of his adrenaline-filled tackle. 

“I lied. It’s not the 31st of March and it’s not 2020 but you still believed me. You’re not from here, are you?”

Atsushi could feel his jaw drop as shock and embarrassment settled in. He had only spoken to one person and immediately their cover was blown. Hell, he had even gone out of his way to choose the least hostile-looking one, and yet.

“And if we aren’t, what are you going to do about it?” Akutagawa asked, inching closer.

The boy paused to think, though it looked as if his decision had already been made.

“Well, as long as you aren’t here to cause trouble, I won’t do anything. Besides, you looked like you needed the help.”

And with that, they gained a new acquaintance in the boy known as Midoriya Izuku.

-

Midoriya was a very chatty boy.

Atsushi had only asked him what the real year was, and he had somehow been briefed on 200 years of history, sociology, ethics and culture in the span of a few hours.

They had actually sat down in a park somewhere while he explained what Quirks were, how it came to be and the hero society, among other things. 

Apparently, they weren’t exactly sure how quirks came to be, but 80% of the world population had them. Therefore, the quirkless were now the minority, the ones shunned by society. It was weird to hear how different society was, in the way that the roles were now reversed, but also similar, in the way that they still shunned those who were different.

It was disappointing, to say the least.

Atsushi listened as Midoriya talked about UA, his dream school where they properly train kids to become heroes someday. 

(Essentially, it was like raising child soldiers, wasn’t it?)

“Sounds like the Port Mafia,” Akutagawa commented, only to be elbowed by a bewildered Atsushi.

Akutagawa grumbled but didn’t elaborate further when Midoriya asked what he meant, much to his relief. There was no need to tell the boy that the way his dream school worked was similar to how a criminal organisation operated though in opposing spectrums. He looked like he could use some good news, honestly.

The boy was enthusiastic when talking about quirks, even showing them his charred notebook that contained his analyses. It was amazing for someone his age, comprehensive and coherent. It covered all of the bases and then some. There was information on the strengths, weaknesses, improvements and possible alternate applications. Honestly, it would’ve been deadly if it fell into the wrong hands. If Mori ever found out about him, he would probably go out of his way to recruit the kid.

(Which… was a disturbing thought to have. He was glad that Mori was a whole universe away.)

But… there was something in the boy’s tone when he talked about quirks in the context of heroics. It was less enthusiastic, and he sounded a bit…. broken, even. Almost as if it was a sensitive topic for him.

“Do you think I can be a hero without a quirk?” Midoriya quietly asked after a period of silence, eyes downcast in a manner that was completely opposite to how he was just a few moments earlier.

Atsushi took a moment to think.

He had only known Midoriya for a few hours yet he’s sure that the boy was one of the sincerest people he’s ever met. His passion and determination to save others shone through in the stories he told, and although passion wasn’t enough, Midoriya was more than just that.

He was intelligent and quick-witted, with how he’d trick Atsushi to confirm his suspicions, and how he could analyse quirks and fighting styles at the speed of light. The notebooks he showed them was proof that he was a great strategist and his quick thinking would definitely give him an advantage in fights despite his quirklessness. 

Besides, quirks weren’t everything. Yes, it would be disadvantageous if almost the whole population had quirks, but if there was one thing that the Shibusawa incident had taught him, it was that Abilities (and quirks) weren’t invincible.

It was a no brainer, really.

“Of course you can,” Atsushi said warmly at the same time Akutagawa had spat out an “Obviously,” much to their surprise.

Atsushi whipped his head towards Akutagawa as Midoriya looked at him with tears in his eyes, the combined attention making the frowning man blush and look away.

“What? He’s a carbon copy of you, you self-sacrificing fool. Of course he would make a great hero. You light-dwellers disgust me.”

Akutagawa was pointedly looking at the ground, face growing redder by the second. For some reason, Atsushi couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight, heart pounding a mile a minute as he registered what the man had said about him.

Akutagawa had thought that Atsushi was a great hero. A hero . Someone like him, who had only brought misfortune as long as he was alive, who fought desperately to save others so that he could have an excuse for his existence. Someone who was trying his best to be more than just what the Headmaster said he was. 

He was a hero. A great one.

“Thank you,” Atsushi whispered, smiling softly.

The man shifted his gaze from the ground towards Atsushi, shocked.

“Whatever,” He replied, although it was nowhere near hostile.

Their interaction was cut short when the sound of Midoriya’s cries reached their ears, thanking them profusely for believing in him when no one else did.

The mafioso shifted uncomfortably while the weretiger laughed-good naturedly in return, bringing Midoriya into a hug. They stayed that way for a few minutes, waiting for his sobs to settle down into sniffles. Atsushi didn’t mind that his shirt was soaked with tears and possibly snot. The boy looked like he really needed it.

“No one’s ever told me that,” He confessed.

Atsushi hummed while stroking the boy’s hair, listening as the boy opened up about his past encounters. How people had laughed at him, ridiculed him, bullied him just for stating his desire to become a hero.

It was ridiculous how much society placed values on quirks. It was only one facet of being a hero, in Atsushi’s humble opinion. What mattered more were their intentions, their determination and dedication to help people, their empathy, compassion. After that, it would be their ability to fight and solve problems on the spot. A good fighter isn’t determined by their weapons or quirks, it’s determined by how well one can assess the situation and react accordingly, depending on what they had at hand with them at the moment.

The most valuable member in the Agency was Ranpo, who didn’t have an Ability. Without him, the Agency would cease to exist. To think that so much value was put on quirks, something that should be considered as a tool at best... It was ridiculous. 

“Someone… told me that the fastest way for me to become a hero was to take a swan dive off the roof and hope that I would be born with a quirk in my next life,” Midoriya mumbled, though they both heard what he said loud and clear.

Hot, white anger surged through his body at the thought of someone implying the boy was better off dead. That it was useless for him to even try just because he lacked a quirk. Someone so pure and dedicated and kind. 

“People need to be told they’re worthy of being alive by someone else or they can’t go on. You are worthy , Midoriya.”

Atsushi stared at Akutagawa in shock, touched and surprised at the fact that he remembered what he’d told him on that ship many months ago. That he’d find some value in it, and impart it onto other people. That he deemed it worth sharing. 

The man ignored him, pointedly looking at Midoriya who looked like he was about to go for another crying session when his phone rang. He hurriedly wiped away his tears and cleared his throat before answering the call.

Atsushi walked over to Akutagawa to give the boy some privacy, though the man was adamantly not looking at him. He was no longer blushing but the tips of his ears were still looking a bit red. He decided to not comment on it, though. It looked like he could use some reprise from all the “embarrassing” things he did today.

“It looks like we’ll be here for awhile. Do you think time works differently?” Atsushi opted for instead, pretending to not see the sigh of relief the other let out.

“Possibly. It’s better to keep track of the days we’re stuck here and compare it to how much time passed in our world once we get back. It could be valuable intel for when we pursue him again.”

Atsushi paused, marvelling at how different Akutagawa used to be in the past when they first started working as partners. The man used to keep all his plans and strategies to himself, expecting Atsushi to figure things out on his own. It took a few months (maybe even years) of bickering, haggling and perhaps a few rounds of fighting before Akutagawa was willing to let him in on things. Now here they were, brainstorming ways to improve their mission once they managed to get out. Hell, Akutagawa had even referred to them as a team.

He was brought back to reality once he realised the dangerous path his thoughts were heading. He couldn’t afford that, not when they were still stranded in an unknown place with nothing on them.

“If only we had a way to tell the time.”

As if the Universe had heard their prayers, two phones materialised out of thin air, before gently landing on the ground. 

Atsushi could do nothing but stare at the sheer ridiculousness of it all, wondering if he had hallucinated the whole experience. Rashomon picked the phones up, while Akutagawa examined them.

They seemed to be corporeal and they lit up once they were switched on, so that could only mean one thing.

The Universe could grant them things if they asked for it.

But why?

“It may be due to the same logic rule that made us look younger. Maybe it’s needed for the plot to progress further or to maintain the rationality of the setting. It would be abnormal if two teenagers didn’t have anything, as if they’ve never existed priorly," Akutagawa theorised.

(It made sense, but that would imply that their existence in this universe was significant enough for something illogical to completely hinder any development. Didn’t that make them the main characters of some sort? If that was the case, they would be dragged into every important event. That could only mean that whatever that’s happened to them was crucial to the plot so…)

“Midoriya’s important,” Atsushi concluded aloud, the same time the boy came up to them to announce his departure.

The snort Akutagawa let out when Midoriya tackled Atsushi into a hug was something he would think about for months to come.

-

After exchanging contact information and saying their tearful goodbyes, Atsushi and Akutagawa were left at the park, testing out their theory.

“It would be great if we could have a change of clothes.”

Seconds passed. Nothing appeared.

“Food and drinks?”

Silence.

“Come on, bare necessities are essential to our survival. The plot can’t possibly progress if we’re dead, can it?” Atsushi complained, not surprised to see nothing changing.

Akutagawa, on the other hand, was contemplating in silence, contributing absolutely nothing. Atsushi was about to give him a piece of his mind when the man glared at him. He backed off, resigned to cursing him out internally.

A few more minutes passed before Akutagawa made his first attempt

“A house to live in, as two homeless teenagers would raise some flags and attract the heroes’ attention.”

What seemed to be house keys materialised before landing next to Akutagawa. He turned towards Atsushi and smirked, before picking them up and examining it closely. The weretiger could only huff in response, more overcome by the feeling of relief at having a place to stay for the time being.

Luckily for them, an address was attached to the keys. Without wasting any more time, they made their way to their temporary accommodation.

“This looks decent enough,” Akutagawa commented as they entered their spacious apartment unit which had two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and a living room.

It was the biggest living space Atsushi had ever lived in.

“I have my own room?!” Atsushi exclaimed, running over to the bed that was in the middle of one of the rooms.

Akutagawa didn’t dignify him with a response but Atsushi couldn’t care less. It was simply too good to be true.

“How are they treating you at the Agency?” Was what Atsushi thought he heard but any concern coming from Akutagawa was most likely a figment of his imagination. 

They spent the remainder of the time cleaning themselves up and changing into a fresh set of clothes (which they then discovered had indeed materialised, just not at the park). Atsushi wanted nothing more than to just climb under his covers and sleep, but the rumbling noise his stomach made demanded that he at least fed himself before doing so.

He trudged to the kitchen, hoping to see something edible but stopped short at the sight of Akutagawa not in his Port Mafia uniform. It was too surreal. He had half a mind to turn back and just sleep everything away, hoping that he would wake up back in their own universe. However, it seemed as if this universe enjoyed messing with him because at that moment, his stomach rumbled louder than ever, startling the mafioso who was enjoying a cup of tea.

“Foolish jinko,” He muttered but said nothing else.

Knowing it would raise some questions if he turned tail now, he forced himself to walk towards the unfamiliar sight, adamant on keeping his eyes from lingering too long. 

He rummaged the cupboard, delighted to find a pack of instant rice and some leftover tea sachets Akutagawa hadn’t used. He could probably whip out a sad version of chazuke without all the salmon and seaweed which actually gives chazuke that flavour he loves but he’ll just have to deal with it for now.

It’s a different story once he goes grocery shopping though. 

“Do we have money?” Atsushi asked as he closed the cupboard, still not looking at the older.

“Yes. It’s in that safe over there,” Akutagawa replied, calmly sipping his tea.

To that, Atsushi let out a relieved smile. At least in this universe, he wouldn’t have to live off of discounts and vouchers. He could probably afford to splurge every once in a while and finally try out that fancy looking ice cream Naomi mentioned that one time.

“Why do you keep doing that?” The mafioso questioned, interrupting Atsushi’s thoughts of going grocery shopping without being constrained by a budget.

Atsushi looked at him, confused.

Was it really so wrong of him to stir his chazuke? Was it offensive in a way?

“Doing what?” He cocked his head to the side.

“Smiling.”

Oh.

He stopped stirring his chazuke in shock and decided to give it some thought.

He… smiled a lot so it shouldn’t really come as a surprise but that… didn’t really happen much around Akutagawa, now that he thought of it. Granted, they only met when they had missions and that wasn’t really something to smile about. Now that they were in situations that weren’t life or death, he could afford a smile or two. Even if he was in the presence of his work partner that used to dream of killing him.

Besides, they were kind of friends now, maybe. Sort of.

“I just… felt like it,” Was what Atsushi chose to go with, bringing over his bowl to the dining table and seating opposite Akutagawa.

The meal continued in silence as Akutagawa scrolled away on his phone and Atsushi wolfed down his dinner. It wasn’t really awkward per se, but it did feel weird to be sharing a meal with Akutagawa of all people. It wasn’t bad, it was just… different. Hell, if he was being honest with himself the silence was kind of comforting, somehow.

(Which was weird. Why would he find comfort in Akutagawa?)

Deciding to unpack that on a different day, he finished his food and went straight to the sink to wash it. As soon as he dried the bowl and cup he used, he placed them back and stood awkwardly by the table.

“So… I’m going to go… sleep…” He finished lamely.

The mafioso looked up from his phone in confusion. 

“Alright?” He stated, though it sounded more like a question.

To be honest, Atsushi had no idea where he was going with that either or what prompted him into thinking of doing that.

“Right. So. Uh. Good night,” He choked out, immediately exiting the kitchen and speed walking to his room.

Had he stayed a little while longer, he would have heard the soft “Good night,” that was muttered.

-

“We need to go to UA,” Atsushi concluded after dinner the next day.

Akutagawa looked up from his phone.

“For a visit?” He asked, shoving his phone into his pocket.

Atsushi noted that he was still out of his Port Mafia uniform, his long, black coat nowhere to be seen. Instead, he donned the same loose hoodie and sweatpants he wore yesterday. 

Not that it mattered when they were discussing their next course of action. He shook his head before continuing.

“No, as a student. Why else would we look younger than we actually are, and why we bumped into Midoriya who wanted to go to UA? The plot must have wanted us to be there for some reason.”

He spent a good deal of his afternoon going over the events of yesterday, analysing every single interaction they had. Midoriya and UA seemed to be a common recurring theme, hence the conclusion.

The mafioso contemplated his answer.

“You’d have to do it alone. I’m no hero material.”

Atsushi stared at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ve saved countless lives whether you wanted to or not — and I’m not going to do this alone!”

Akutagawa glared at him, opening his mouth to rebut but Atsushi continued, undeterred.

“You’re not exactly innocent, but neither am I. Neither is Dazai, nor Kyouka. We’ve all killed people before. Nothing can change that. What we can do instead, is to save twice as many lives to atone.”

Atsushi made his way to the safe to get some money for groceries, ignoring the imaginary daggers that were sent his way.

“If it makes you feel better, think of it as an infiltration mission of sorts. We’re not there to be actual heroes-in-training. We’re just there for... intel gathering,” He said as he locked the safe and stood up, pocketing the money into a wallet he found lying on his bedside table.

Akutagawa merely grumbled in response, though he didn’t disagree. Atsushi took it as a good sign.

“Now, I’m off to buy some groceries. Would you like anything?” He asked as he slipped on a pair of sneakers (his very own pair!).

When he received no reply in return, he took the keys and left the house.

The trip to the grocery store was relatively mundane, compared to every other thing that’s happened in that particular universe.

He grabbed whatever food that looked easy to prepare and stocked up on some tea, something he noticed Akutagawa consuming a lot. He picked up some eggs, bread and milk, just in case they wanted a non-instant alternative. He also scoured the desserts section for a treat or two, only to find a tub of fig ice cream left. Thinking that it wouldn’t hurt to try a new flavour out, he added it into his basket and made his way to the cashier.

While waiting in line, he texted Midoriya, asking about the things they’d need to prepare for to get into UA and getting a dozen replies in the next 2 minutes. Atsushi decided that he probably wouldn’t be able to comprehend everything in the short time it took for him to reach the cashier. So, they’d agreed to go over the details at Midoriya’s place

He texted Akutagawa of his plans on the way back, fully expecting him to tell Atsushi to do all the work. He couldn’t really fault the guy, though. Being a hero-in-training, even if it’s just for show, would go against everything he’s ever done as a mafioso. He’s known Akutagawa for a while, and not once had he lied. 

He may be a mass murderer but he wasn’t a hypocrite.

Though, Atsushi wouldn’t really say he was being hypocritical. They’ve been working together for the past few months and there’s still some Light left in the mafioso no matter how dim it was.

(Maybe one day, when he and Gin weren’t bound to the Port Mafia, maybe then…)

He got so lost in his train of thoughts, he didn’t realise the figure that had abruptly stopped in front of him, causing him to bump into said person. He was about to apologise when the stranger scoffed and turned around.

“Watch where you’re going, dickhead,” The blonde spat, red eyes promising murder.

See, if Atsushi was a lesser man, he probably would’ve sputtered out an apology of sorts. Maybe feel a bit of fear at the uncalled hostility. However, he had stared pre-truce Akutagawa in the eyes and lived. This was nothing.

“Yeah… okay.”

He ignored the offended huff that followed and side-stepped the stranger. He couldn’t really afford to stall, considering he had a tub of ice cream in his hands and he spent too much on it to let it go to waste via the weather. So he left.

Or at least, tried to.

The stranger moved to grab his arm but even without Atsushi’s enhanced senses, he could see it coming a mile away. He was personally trained by Kunikida, after all.

He jumped back in an instant, using the momentum to fuel his sprint. He didn’t look back but he could tell by the mini-explosions and expletives that the boy was pissed.

Deciding this would count as his light exercise for the day because God forbid he skipped out on any fitness activities unless he wanted Kunikida to go full on rage mode, he slowed down to a jog all the way until he reached their apartment. 

He felt his phone vibrate once or twice, indicating that he received a message from Midoriya or Akutagawa. Personally, he would bet on it being the former but with how unpredictable things in his life were, he wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter. 

Once he stepped into the lift of his apartment, he took his phone out of his pocket. He did receive a text from Midoriya but he had also received a text from Akutagawa, saying that he’d be down to go together so they could figure things out.

(Okay, so he didn’t exactly worded it out that way, but the sentiment still holds.)

It was weird but he wasn’t going to refuse his help. Akutagawa’s the only other person in the universe who knew exactly what was going on. If they were going to cheat the system and beat the Ability, they needed a solid strategy.

Filled with newfound determination, Atsushi marched to their apartment unit vigorously. 

He had a good feeling about this. Not only did he have Midoriya’s intelligence by his side, he also had Akutagawa’s cooperation. He felt invincible, as if he could tackle any challenges the universe presented to him. Once he packed away his groceries and made his way to the boy’s house, that is.

He was feeling optimistic.

-

So they’re not going to make it out of this alive.

“It can’t be that bad,” Midoroya offered, patting a groaning Atsushi and glancing towards Akutagawa every now and then.

“The physical portion of the exam is definitely doable. It’s the written part,” Akutagawa offered.

A written examination. For one of the hardest schools to get into. Right. 

“Midoriya. My orphanage only taught me how to read and write. Maybe some basic maths… but I’ve never gone beyond division and multiplication,” Atsushi lamented, laying his head on Midoriya’s table dejectedly.

Midoriya looked slightly alarmed, glancing towards Akutagawa silently pleading.

“I lived in the slums for most of my childhood until adolescence. I, too, only know how to read and write.”

It was silent for a few minutes, save for Midoriya’s rapid fire mumbling. From what Atsushi could gather, the boy seemed to be planning a study plan of sorts. He respected his determination, but there was simply no way they would be able to cover at least five years of education content in less than a year. He didn’t think his brain would be capable of such a daunting task.

“Alright, so you just need to do really well in a section or two and pass the bare minimum for the rest. We can give up on Maths and Science, but you’d have to do well for Literature and History. Do you think you’ll be able to handle that?”

Atsushi paused his internal screaming.

When it was worded that way, maybe his brain cells had a chance. He was good at literature, he spent most of his free time at the orphanage reading every single book in the library. As for History, if he treated it as something fictional, maybe he could trick himself into enjoying the whole thing.

Maths and Science however…

“Literature and History shouldn’t be that big of a deal, hopefully. I’m still… not entirely sure that I’d be able to pass the other two,” Atsushi answered glumly, mind thinking of ways he could get into UA without being a student.

Akutagawa hummed in response, agreeing.

“If only there’s a way for us to pass the written portion of the exams,” He said after a while.

Atsushi held his breath. Could this possibly work?

After a few more minutes of awkward silence, he concluded that it was either a bust or that something miraculous would happen on the day of the exam.

He hoped it was the latter but knowing his luck, it would most probably be the former.

“I have a proposition. I could tutor you guys. It would be revision for me as well so I wouldn’t mind. I’d just like to ask a favour from you in return,” Midoriya suggested.

Atsushi traded looks with Akutagawa, hopeful.

“What is it?” Akutagawa asked, arms crossed but interested nonetheless.

“Could you teach me how to fight? I’m currently working out with my mentor to train my endurance and strength but when it comes to fighting, I’m clueless.”

“What makes you think we can fight?” Atsushi enquired.

“Our first encounter. You could tell I was about to tackle you even without looking and jumped away without breaking a sweat. That level of situational awareness is either harnessed by a lot of fighting experience or is a direct result of your quirk or a combination of both. As for Akutagawa-san, he grew up in the slums and he’s alive until today. Obviously he would know how to at least defend himself. Besides, his control of his quirk seems so natural, as if it’s second nature.”

They exchanged looks once again.

Midoriya was a smart boy, he seemed like he would be able to break down concepts and explain it in a manner that would be understandable even for them. Maybe it wasn’t a lost cause after all?

“You have a deal.”

Chapter Text

Getting accustomed to their new routine took some time. 

Midoriya still had school to attend so while he was away, he gave them History and Literature textbooks to study. Once school was over, the boy would go train with a man named Toshinori before coming over to their place to spar. Then, they would rest for a bit before their tutoring session began.

During the process, they managed to confirm one thing. Time passed by relatively fast.

They weren’t quite sure if it was due to being preoccupied or due to it working differently from their own universe, though they could only hope it was the latter. They still had a few months left until the entrance exam, meaning that they would be stuck here for at least that amount of time. It wouldn’t bode well if the same amount of time passed in their universe.

What would the Agency feel? How would the Port Mafia respond?

Alas, those things were out of their control so they continued to follow their routine step by step instead.

“Don’t you ever get tired, Midoriya? Coming here straight from training just to spar and tutor, and then making the journey back home? Wouldn’t it be easier if we went over to your place instead?” Atsushi asked as he watched Midoriya mark his Algebra worksheet.

Who knew letters were involved in Maths? Certainly not Atsushi. Nor Akutagawa.

Midoriya froze, pausing his marking. Atsushi looked towards Akutagawa who was busy trying to integrate an equation, unaware. He then turned his gaze back towards the green-haired boy before him.

“You… want to come over to my place?” He asked, voice cracking.

That got Akutagawa’s attention.

“Why wouldn’t we? It’s the least we could do after all the trouble you went through for us. That’s what friends do, right?” Atsushi replied.

A tear slid down Midoriya’s cheeks, alerting the two men.

“Friends,” He whispered before breaking down, sobbing.

Atsushi immediately went to hug the boy while Akutagawa used Rashomon to get some tissues from the kitchen.

The silver haired boy wondered what mistake he made to have caused such a reaction as he continued patting the boy’s hair, hoping that he would calm down. 

“I’m sorry,” Atsushi squeaked, panic evident in his voice.

“Don’t be,” Midoriya managed to get out, shaking his head and slowly pulling away from Atsushi.

The green haired boy smiled, though tears were still steadily streaming down his face. He accepted the tissue Rashomon offered and blew his nose, using the other ones to dab at his wet eyes.

“I’m just… so happy. You’re one of my first friends in years,” He said once he calmed down.

Atsushi may have known Midoriya for a few weeks but he would gladly murder someone for him, morals be damned. Sure, Midoriya probably wouldn’t want that but hypothetically speaking, Atsushi would be willing. No questions asked.

The boy was by far the kindest person he’d ever met in all his years of living. Despite all the hardship he’d endured, he still had so much love and compassion for the society that shunned him, that had tried their damn hardest to break his spirit and his soul because they couldn’t handle how brightly he shone. 

(And maybe, just maybe, he saw a younger version of himself in the boy and he’ll be damned if he failed to protect him too.)

They decided to call it quits for the day, and spent the remainder of their time watching movies instead.

Midoriya had introduced them to the top ranking heroes, spending a full 20 minutes just gushing about the Number One Hero, All Might. Atsushi didn’t mind, though. It was always nice to learn more about the universe they were going to reside in for the time being. They weren’t sure how long it would last so it would be best if they could fit in and avoid any unnecessary attention.

Besides, it was always insightful to listen to what the younger mumbled. 

Akutagawa didn’t really join in their conversation much, content to just listen and nod along every now and then. They’ve never really talked about it, but he could tell that the mafioso had a soft spot for the boy in front of him. He wasn’t quite sure why but he wasn’t about to pry. 

His gaze drifted towards said man as Midoriya rambled on, slowly tuning out his words and instead, zoning in on the expressions the mafioso made. 

It was subtle, but he could see the spark in his eyes when he was interested, and the slight raise of his eyebrow when he’s confused. He’d frown when he didn’t really agree with what the boy was saying and his face would smooth out if he was contemplative.

Atsushi couldn’t really tell why he knew all of those details, or whether this was a recent development. Hell, he didn’t really know why he was so interested all of a sudden and why he couldn’t quite tear his eyes away from him these days.

It was weird, and he couldn’t tell if it was in a bad way or a good one.

They’ve been living together for a while and things actually seemed fine. They rarely got into fights and they existed within each other’s space quite well. They share the same past times and have similar lifestyles, as if they were similar people. As if they would’ve walked the same path if they were under the same circumstances.

He… didn’t really know how to feel about that.

“-daydreaming. Nakajima? Hello?”

He recollected his thoughts once he heard his name being called, belatedly realising he’d been staring at Akutagawa the whole time. He blushed a deep shade of red as he registered the amusement on the mafioso’s face. 

Eyebrows raised slightly, barely there smirk. 

(He wasn’t going to live this down, was he?)

“Something interesting on my face, jinko?”

(Yup, there’s no way Akutagawa would let this go.)

“Shut up,” He answered, looking everywhere but the infuriating man in front of him.

Midoriya looked at the both of them, eyes narrowing suspiciously but said nothing. He then proceeded to look at his phone and exclaimed in shock when he noticed the time.

“My mom’s going to kill me. I have to go now. Sorry we didn’t get to do much studying today!” He bowed when he stood up, making his way to the living room to pack his stuff.

“It’s no worries, Midoriya. Next time, we’ll go to your house instead if it’s alright. You wouldn’t have to worry about curfew and it’s really no trouble for us. We’ve been cooped up in the house all day, we could use the walk,” Atsushi said as he escorted the boy out, desperate to escape the embarrassing situation he got himself into.

The boy brightened up and agreed, before promising to text the details as soon as he got home. Once he turned the corner and was nowhere in sight, Atsushi closed the door behind him.

“He’s a good kid,” Akutagawa said once he reached the living room.

“Yeah. Kenji and Kyouka would’ve loved him,” He agreed, clearing the books on the table.

Akutagawa hummed in response as he helped clean the living room. They worked together in companionable silence, only stopping once everything was where it was supposed to be. 

“Do you miss them?” Akutagawa asked, breaking the silence.

Atsushi paused, registering the question.

Was Akutagawa really asking him about his feelings?

“I do,” He answered after he realised he’d been silent for an inappropriate amount of time.

The mafioso nodded, contemplative.

“Do you miss your sister?” Atsushi asked, feeling the need to ask in return.

He heard a deep chuckle.

“We’ve always been apart because of the missions assigned to us so I assumed the answer would be no. However, the reality isn’t quite so.”

Atsushi nodded, shocked at the answer he’d heard. Not that he didn’t think Akutagawa was capable of human emotions. It’s just that he didn’t think Akutagawa would be one for sharing them.

“She used to buy me the same fig ice cream you bought the other day. I was reminded of that fact when we ate it with Midoriya earlier, but I’ve never really thanked you for it. Even though it was unintentional on your part, thank you jinko.”

With that, he left the living room and entered his room before Atsushi could even get a word out.

If Akutagawa ever noticed the constant supply of fig ice cream afterwards, he never said a thing.

-

It was a normal day in the life of Nakajima Atsushi, resident dumbass.

He woke up early in the morning, 5 a.m. to be precise, and decided to go for a jog. Never mind the fact that the Sun hadn’t even risen and it was probably still dark. He had his tiger vision. He’ll live.

However, all the tiger abilities in the world wouldn’t be able to save him from his natural ability to get himself into non-life threatening, inconvenient situations.

He had forgotten to bring the house keys with him. It was a big problem because that meant he couldn’t enter, unless Akutagawa let him in. The problem with that? The man was a late riser.

By late, Atsushi meant late into the afternoon. If he was lucky, the mafioso would be up by 2 p.m. and even that was pushing it. He couldn’t even call him and wake him up because his phone died. Besides, even if it was fully charged, he wouldn’t want to do that. He treasured his life way too much.

He contemplated the actions he could take. 

Option 1: Try to break into his own house. It would be relatively easy if he used his tiger claws, but there was a chance that it wouldn’t work. His claws might be too big for the keyhole and he wasn’t about to break their door down.

Option 2: Walk to Midoriya’s house and hang out with him until Akutagawa wakes up. Too bad it’s a weekday and the boy actually had school so no one would be home anyway.

Option 3: Give up and die. 

He sighed heavily, knowing that he most probably had to wait it out, considering the fact that Option 1 didn’t work when he tried it out. He’d just have to deal with his hunger and the cold, unforgiving floor.

It was fine.

Minutes passed as Atsushi took the time to recall the topics he’d been studying the day before, trying to remember the laws of indices, to no avail. He then attempted to go over the concept of force and it’s dozens of subtopics, giving up when he couldn’t remember the correct formula to use when calculating pressure. Hell, he was so bored, he started going over the chronology of the events that led to The Great War, just for something to do.

He couldn’t take it any second longer. Maybe death by waking Akutagawa up before 2 p.m. would be a better alternative.

He took a deep breath, determined. He was going to tough it out and do it, consequences be damned. Besides, if he got injured he could always heal again. But the time lost due to wasting his youth away in front of his apartment? He could never get that back.

He knocked on the door loudly, knowing it was enough to wake the other man up. He waited for a few seconds, internally rejoicing when he heard the click of the mafioso’s bedroom door, indicating that he’d woken up. 

(And, if he was being honest, his anxiety levels were spiking through the roof. Although it was a better alternative than dying of boredom, he didn’t want to get stabbed first thing in the morning.)

His heart beat in time with the incoming footsteps, mentally bracing himself for the worst. The doorknob turned and the door swung open, revealing a sleep deprived Akutagawa who looked at him with murder in his eyes. He was wearing a sleeveless band t-shirt and shorts, looking nothing like the mafioso he first met in that alley but still managing to drive some fear into him. 

“Repeat this again and I’ll stab you.” He spat as Atsushi made his way inside, immediately making his way back to his room once Atsushi was in.

Surprisingly, there was no bloodshed. Which was a first.

Atsushi stared at Akutagawa’s closed bedroom door, feeling too shocked to move. His heart was still racing, though he wasn’t quite sure if it was due to the near death experience or something else entirely. 

But… something about the mafioso’s recent behaviour didn’t quite sit right with him. Back when they did stake-outs together, he would’ve been punched if he even breathed wrongly before 10 a.m. but now?

He got away with waking him up. It was a Christmas miracle!

Deciding to not push his luck any further than he already had, he tiptoed to his bedroom and vowed to make it up to the mafioso. Maybe he could treat him to a meal or something. He’ll have to ask the man later in the day.

It went by painfully slow when studying was all he did. 

Atsushi groaned as he got another question wrong. That marked the 5th consecutive one, prompting him to take a break and to reevaluate all of his life choices. Deciding that nothing much could be done until he asked Midoriya during their tutoring session later, he ventured to the kitchen to cook lunch.

It wasn’t much, just some fried rice with yesterday’s leftovers. However, he did cook an additional portion just in case Akutagawa wanted something to eat. He noticed that the man didn’t really eat much which was a shame, really, considering that he could cook . 

There was this one time he accidentally cooked too much food and gave them to Atsushi, not really wanting to keep and eat it another day. Atsushi, not one to refuse food offerings, accepted it without much thought and devoured it immediately.

It was needless to say, he was so shocked he ended up choking on it, but that’s not the point.

Ever since that day, Akutagawa would always cook a bit extra on the days that he did cook and naturally, Atsushi returned the favor. Today was just one of those days.

(It definitely wasn’t a peace offering in case the mafioso belatedly decided to murder him for waking him up earlier, no way.)

He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he didn’t realise another person walking into the kitchen, making his way to the cupboard. 

“What’s for lunch?” Akutagawa asked, causing Atsushi to jump a metre high, shocked out of his skin.

The older was surprised as well, though he quickly schooled his expression into one of nonchalance. He didn’t really do much to hide the amusement dancing in his eyes, though. As if he genuinely enjoyed watching Atsushi’s reactions for some weird reason.

Well, whatever it was, it was better than being murdered.

“That,” Was all Atsushi managed to say, pointing at the wok on the stove.

Akutagawa chuckled, shaking his head before grabbing a plate. He then made his way to the dining table, gesturing for a still-shocked Atsushi to do the same.

They ate their lunch in silence, save for some small talk about their studies and how they were progressing. Atsushi complained about the concept of integration as a whole while Akutagawa listened, nodding at the parts he agreed with. He then contributed a comment or two about the concepts he didn’t understand, though with less enthusiasm. 

Atsushi appreciated it nonetheless.

The whole exam preparations thing, with them complaining about stuff as mundane as academic struggles, was actually quite refreshing. It gave them an insight as to how normal people their age actually lived their lives, not plagued by problems as heavy as survival and the safety of Yokohama. Something they didn’t have the luxury of doing when they were that age.

Lunch passed by in a blur and soon it was time to head to Midoriya’s place for their sparring and tutoring sessions. 

If Atsushi walked just a bit closer to Akutagawa as they made their way there, it was no one’s business.

-

“How do you keep throwing me over your shoulder? I barely blinked!” Midoriya complained, rolling his shoulder as he stood up from the ground.

“I had a great teacher,” Atsushi answered mysteriously, though in reality he was busy remembering all the times Kunikida had done the exact same thing to him.

He wiped the sweat of his forehead using his t-shirt as he waited for Midoriya to assume a fighting stance. He heard the sound of a water bottle being crushed, turning his head to search for the source. 

What greeted him was the sight of Akutagawa looking at him intensely.

He blushed under the attention, opting to send the man a hesitant wave in case he had somehow offended him or something. That seemed to snap the man out of his reverie, coughing as he looked to the side.

That was weird.

“Are you done?” The green haired boy sassed.

Atsushi was equal parts annoyed and proud that the younger had done so. Back when they first met Midoriya, they boy would stutter and second guess himself, taking back his words and not finishing his sentences. Now, he was out there sassing them left and right.

(Huh, he must’ve picked it up from Atsushi’s constant banter with Akutagawa.

It was a victory, but at what cost?)

He shook his head and assumed a fighting stance as well, smiling softly. He then gestured for the boy to come at him whenever he was ready.

“Don’t look too proud of yourself, jinko. That’s the only move you mastered,” Akutagawa commented the same time Midoriya rushed towards him.

The boy threw a punch but he expertly dodged it, failing to realise the nimble leg that swiped his legs, causing him to lose his balance and hit the ground face first. The green-haired boy cheered, causing Atsushi to realise that the punch had been a distraction all along.

He picked himself up, feeling impressed and proud all the same, ignoring Akutagawa’s snickers. The mafioso, on the other hand, approached Midoriya, a dangerous glint in his eyes. The younger boy laughed nervously, though he stood tall, determined to take any challenge on. Akutagawa smirked at that and uttered his next words.

“Now that you’ve managed to disarm an opponent, let’s talk about finishing them off.”

-

“How do we act? What do we say? ” 

Ryuunosuke watched in mild amusement as the silver haired boy paced the living room. They were invited to have dinner at Midoriya’s house, at the insistence of his mom. Hence, the reason why jinko was currently losing his mind.

“I’ve never interacted with a mother before. Oh my God. What if she deems us a bad influence and we won’t be allowed to hang out with Midoriya anymore? We were the ones who taught him how to be a smartass! He used to be such a sweet boy, oh my god…. Do you think we need to get her a gift? I think we should get her a gift. What gifts do mothers like? Where’s Yosano sensei when you need her?” 

The phone rang, jolting him out of his panicked ramblings. He hurriedly went to answer it, almost dropping it in the process. The younger sent a glare his way when he snickered, deciding to take the call in his room instead.

The mafioso simply shook his head, entertained.

They’ve been going to Midoriya’s place quite frequently, but they’ve never encountered his mother. She was a busy woman, working tirelessly to single-handedly raise Midoriya so it was understandable. 

They were quite content with not being able to meet her before. Not that they didn’t like Midoriya Inko. It’s just that they’ve never really interacted with mothers before, as the weretiger put it. Based on what the Guild leader disclosed during their fight on Moby Dick, it was safe to assume that the weretiger didn’t have any memories with his mother. He was abandoned at the orphanage when he was still a baby, after all.

Ryuunosuke, on the other hand, couldn’t really remember much of his own mother. Life in the slums was all he knew and anything before that was hazy at best. He never really dwelt on it before, either. What good would it bring? It’s not like the past could be changed.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the weretiger closing the door, indicating that his phone call was over. He looked calmer than he did a few minutes ago, which must have meant that Midoriya managed to work his magic and talk some sense into him.

That was good. Comforting people wasn’t really his forte. 

“We’re going to buy her some chocolates and then we’ll go straight to the Midoriya household,” The weretiger announced, determined.

Ryuunosuke could only chuckle in response before agreeing. There really wasn’t much he could do to resist him these days, funnily enough.

It must have something to do with the fig ice cream offerings.

Deciding it was pointless to entertain his thoughts, he went to his room to get dressed for the day. If he chose to forego his traditional black coat for the day in favour of dressing up for the occasion so that jinko wouldn’t be as anxious, no one had to know.

-

“Pardon the intrusion,” Atsushi said as he took off his shoes, gesturing for Akutagawa to do the same.

He could feel his heartbeat accelerate. The hand holding the box of chocolates was starting to sweat. His ears picked up the sound of Midoriya Inko turning the corner.

“Welcome, boys,” She called out warmly, accepting the gift that Atsushi almost thrust at her graciously.

She took a step back to make way for the two men who looked out of place, smiling encouragingly at them.

Atsushi took a deep breath. He’d spent a good portion of his allocated study time to prepare for this. He can do it.

“Thank you, Midoriya-san,” He said as he bowed lowly, straightening up when Midoriya Inko hurriedly told him that it wasn’t necessary.

“Just call me Inko, dear,” She said as she brought them to the dining room, laughing wholeheartedly as both Atsushi and Akutagawa froze.

Midoriya looked at the both of them, amused.

“We simply cannot do that, Midoriya-san,” Akutagawa answered, awkward.

“Nonsense. You’ve been great friends with my Izuku over here for such a long time! You’re practically family,” She said as she gestured for them to sit.

She went to the kitchen to take out the dishes she made. Meanwhile, they hesitantly sat down, looking at Midoriya for some help. The boy merely laughed before joining his mom at the kitchen and offering to help her instead.

(That traitor .)

“I understand why you were acting foolishly earlier, jinko,” Akutagawa muttered as he walked up to him, careful to not let his voice be heard.

“Exactly- hey! I wasn’t acting foolish ,” Atsushi whispered angrily, panic momentarily forgotten.

The mafioso gave him a deadpan stare before shifting his gaze towards the Midoriyas who entered with their dinner.

To say Midoriya Inko prepared a lot was an understatement. She prepared a feast. From fried rice to udon to stew, she had it all laid out on the table before them.

“I hope you’ll enjoy my cooking,” She said as she took a seat, digging in.

They said their thanks and tentatively took a bite, tasting something that was nothing short of delicious.

Atsushi took a bite, and another bite, barely keeping in mind his table manners as he devoured the food in front of him. It was simply the best cooking he’d ever tasted.

Maybe there was something special about a mother’s cooking.

Without him realising, a tear streamed down his face but he hurriedly wiped it away once he was aware. It didn’t go unnoticed by Midoriya Inko, who looked on worriedly.

“Is there something wrong with my cooking, dear?” She asked.

Atsushi swallowed, before shaking his head. 

“It’s just… I’ve never tasted a mother’s cooking before,” He managed to say with a smile.

He could feel Akutagawa stiffen beside him, before hesitantly nodding along.

“Neither have I. It is delicious, Midoriya-san. Thank you for this opportunity.”

Midoriya Inko exchanged looks with her son, both of them teary eyed (so that's where Midoriya got his tears). Without warning, they were both enveloped into a group hug, much to their confusion.

“Oh, you sweet dears. You’re allowed to come and eat dinner with us anytime. Eat as much as you like,” She said once she released them, dabbing her eyes discreetly.

Midoriya nodded his head vigorously, eyes shining.

Atsushi looked towards Akutagawa, who looked at him back, equally overwhelmed. Not knowing what to do, they agreed and dinner went on as usual.

They listened as Midoriya Inko retold tales of Midoriya Izuku’s childhood, of how he had absolutely refused to dress in clothes that were not All Might-themed, or how he would watch his documentaries all day long. She had even shown them pictures, much to Midoriya’s embarrassment.

Atsushi cooed when he saw a picture of a three-year-old Midoriya in an All Might onesie, smiling toothily and looking ready to save the day. Midoriya complained loudly, before tackling Atsushi to the ground just to get the picture away from him. Akutagawa on the other hand, stood away from the action, content to just watch them make a fool of themselves.

Once Midoriya finally managed to retrieve the offending photo (when did he get so strong?), he proposed for them to do something less embarrassing.

“You’ve never played board games before, right? How about I teach you Uno? Mom’s a beast at it.”

And with that, childhood pictures were forgotten and silly childhood stories were left untold in favour of betraying closest friends and ruining relationships.

After a few rounds of Uno and the friendship destroyer known as Monopoly, with them looking at Midoriya In— No, Inko — in a new light, they decided to call it a night. Midoriya still had school the next day and they didn’t want to overstay their welcome. 

“It’s okay to stay the night, sweeties. It’s dangerous this late into the night. We have some spare futons we haven’t used in a while. It’s no problem, really,” Inko said as the boys helped her clean the table.

“It’s alright, Inko-san. This is nothing compared to the slums I used to live in.”

Apparently, that was the wrong answer.

Before they knew it, they had a handful of futon and blankets, and they were setting it up on the floor of Midoriya’s bedroom.

“We’re adults, though,” Akutagawa stated, confused.

Atsushi smacked his arm, dodging Akutagawa’s retaliation which came in the form of Rashomon, seconds later.

“Shh! They don’t know that. We don’t look our age, remember?” Atsushi reprimanded, looking at the door to see if Midoriya would be entering any time soon.

Akutagawa rolled his eyes, though the intended effect wasn’t quite there, considering the fact that he was currently holding onto an All Might comforter. 

“I’m pretty sure Midoriya figured it out. We don’t actually act like teenagers around him,” He replied, setting his futon next to Atsushi’s.

Atsushi stared at the little space he left between the futons before shaking his head to snap out of his racing thoughts.

“... You’re right. He’s scarily smart for his age. If he was trained well mentally, he could be Dazai’s apprentice,” Atsushi commented, noting the way Akutagawa froze a bit, before ultimately relaxing.

They’ve been working on Akutagawa’s fixation on Dazai’s validation, ever since they officially became partners. Surprisingly enough, it was a term that Akutagawa himself included in their truce, once the whole “killing after 6 months” agreement ended with nothing happening.

It was surprising but Atsushi wasn’t one to decline someone’s plea for help.

The silence was broken by Midoriya’s squeak when he realised that they were both prepared to take the floor. 

This resulted in a debate (of all things) on how he should take the floor and his guests should take the bed. Atsushi had claimed that it would be unfair if only one of them got the bed, so Midoriya should sleep on it to maintain fairness. Midoriya then suggested it wouldn’t be unfair if they could agree amongst themselves, to which Akutagawa claimed that he would — “Never agree with the jinko so take the damn bed, Midoriya.”

After a few more minutes of futile (on Midoriya’s end) debate, they’ve finally managed to convince him to take the bed. They talked for a while, lightly teasing him for his All Might shrine (his bedroom) while the boy laughed, agreeing. A few more minutes of small talk later, and they could tell that he was getting sleepier by the second. 

It didn’t take long for Midoriya to sleep, though the same couldn’t be said for Atsushi and Akutagawa.

Here Atsushi was, lying down mere inches from his former enemy turned partner turned friend. Someone who used to look at him with hatred in his eyes, desperate to kill. Someone who was there when the truth about the Headmaster was revealed, sparing his life so he could grieve in peace. Someone who fought alongside him, flirting with death every single time.

Here they were, years later. The hostility that brewed between them was long gone, replaced by annoyance and the occasional camaraderie. As time passed in this unknown universe they’ve spent months in, they’ve only gotten friendlier to the point that they could joke around with each other.

It wasn’t often, but it was definitely a huge leap from what they were before this whole fiasco.

“The entrance exam is a week away. Time really flies, huh,” Atsushi commented.

Akutagawa hummed, turning to lie on his back.

“I have a theory that time fast forwards once we’ve reached the requirements to advance the plot. Last time I checked, which was yesterday by the way, we had a month left.”

That… made sense. He did feel as if the way time worked here was a bit wonky, but that wasn’t really the vibe he was going for. It’s understandable, though. Akutagawa wasn’t really one for emotions, feelings and the likes.

“I guess you’re right.”

They sat in contemplative silence. After a few minutes, Atsushi could hear Akutagawa turn towards the other side, probably getting ready to sleep. He waited until he could hear the other’s steady breathing, indicating that the man was no longer awake.

“I’m glad that it’s you I’m stuck here with,” he whispered into the night.

A few moments later and Atsushi succumbed to dreams of mathematical equations, important historical figures and a certain mafioso.

Chapter Text

It was the day of the UA entrance exams.

Atsushi didn’t quite know how to feel about his performance on the written portion of the exam. He was quite confident he’d aced the literature section, though, all because the questions had asked about books that came out in his era. 

(He had found out from Midoriya that they were 200 years into the future a while back but he still couldn’t quite wrap his head around the fact. Everything was still so similar…)

History was… debatable. He wasn’t sure if he did well enough to cover for Maths and Science, which were terrible. Forget passing, he would be grateful if he had somehow managed to earn a mark or two.

What’s surprising, however, was the ethics question that was asked at the very end of the paper. 

What is just may not necessarily be legal and what is legal may not necessarily be just. Discuss.

Based on his past experiences with his orphanage, the ADA, Port Mafia, hell even with the Rats (as dubbed by Dazai), he had opinions alright. He may not be the most eloquent man but he had an arsenal of trauma and tragic backstories to back him up.

The environment - no, the universe - he grew up in was never black and white. The alliance between the Port Mafia and the ADA was proof of that. It wasn’t legal, definitely, but it was the right thing to do given the circumstances. Either they stick to the set of laws written a few decades back and let millions of Yokohama citizens die a painful death or they bend the law and save the city. It was a no brainer, really.

What may be legal, may not be just.

He had strong opinions on this one, mainly because it hit way too close to home. Under the law, Kyouka was to be executed for the crimes she did under the Port Mafia. They didn’t take into account that she was a minor, or that it was done against her will. They simply deemed her guilty and hence, should be killed. If it weren’t for the strings President Fukuzawa and Dazai pulled (which… probably wasn’t so legal), she wouldn’t have been here any longer. 

The universe they grew up in was cutthroat. It was cruel, and it had no mercy. The strong devoured the weak. The weak died and made way for the strong. But Atsushi disagreed. He was going to be strong so that he could protect the weak. 

Hopefully, that was heroic enough of him.

He shook his head, deciding that there was no point in dwelling. What's done was done. If they couldn't accept it, they just had to find another way into UA.

He then exited the classroom he took his paper in and headed towards their designated meeting spot.

“All that’s left is the physical portion of the exam. Considering the amount of time we spent training Midoriya, I have faith he’ll do well,” Akutagawa commented once he got there, already fully moved on from the written portion.

(Atsushi was right. Akutagawa did have a soft spot for him.)

“Yeah. He’s always been scarily determined. He’ll find a way somehow,” Atsushi agreed, waving as he spotted Midoriya making his way towards them.

“Did you get your exam centre number?” He asked, once they were in hearing range.

Atsushi looked at the piece of paper he was given right after he exited the classroom. It appeared as if they’ve all been assigned to different centres. 

Not one to waste time, they made their way to the hall for the briefing. They were seated according to the middle school they attended, Midoriya sitting nervously beside a vaguely familiar blonde. Atsushi and Akutagawa, who declared themselves as homeschooled (thanks to the documents the wish-granting Universe provided), sat far behind. 

It went by in a blur. One of the UA teachers, Present Mic, spent a good amount of time explaining the rules and what they were required to do. There was a point system based on the amount and type of robots they were required destroyed, and the candidates with enough points will make it to the Heroics course. It was simple enough.

Once the briefing ended, they were told to split up according to their designated exam centres. Atsushi wished Midoriya and Akutagawa luck, with the former shouting it right back at him and the latter confidently saying he didn't need it.

(He was most probably right, which was infuriatingly charming.)

Atsushi caught a glimpse of that familiar blonde who sat next to Midoriya as he made his way there, noting that they were in the same group. He couldn’t quite remember where he’d seen the boy, or why he even disliked him in the first place but it didn’t matter. He probably won’t be seeing him again, depending on their results.

He listened as the hero assigned to them gave his final briefing, already activating his Ability. He knew from personal experience that in real life, time was of the essence. A split second late and it could cost him his life. It shouldn’t apply any differently here.

The moment the hero stopped talking, the horns blared signalling the start of the exam. Atsushi, having already anticipated this, rushed ahead leaving his competitors in the dust.

He leaped forward and slashed the one pointer with his claws, not stopping to take a rest. He ran, clawing and slashing at whatever robot that came his way no matter the points. He didn’t have time to think, nor did he have time to calculate (not that he could, even if he had time). All he could do was run, slash, look for more.

It was relatively easy for him, considering that he was ahead of the game. He didn’t have many competitors at the front lines so he could just defeat them as he pleased without having to worry about injuring anyone in the process. A quick glance backwards confirmed that not many had made it that far, except for the blonde that was a few blocks behind him. 

He could see the trail of destruction that followed, meaning that there were bound to be students caught in all that debris. Young students who could be harmed if they weren’t careful enough, or if they couldn't dodge things in time. 

Suddenly, the exam wasn’t as important anymore. He wasn’t quite sure if he had enough points to carry him by, but he couldn’t just let these kids get hurt. He didn’t even care if it was all just a part of the exam. 

He immediately dashed towards the blonde’s general direction, slashing at the flying robot parts into smaller pieces so that it wouldn’t cause much of an injury to the others. He jumped and rolled, tackling students away from harm’s path one after another. 

He stopped momentarily to survey the situation. It seemed as if no one was willing to follow the blonde’s path, considering that all the robots ahead would have already been taken care of by the time they got there. That was a good thing, though. He wouldn’t have to worry about protecting them from incoming debris anymore.

With most of the danger taken care of, it would be best to scout the area and see if any students were injured severely and needed help moving.

Most of them looked relatively fine, save for the one guy who seemed to be limping. Atsushi approached the student, asking if he needed help walking.

“What about the exam? Don’t let me stop you from getting in just because you helped me,” The stranger voiced out, concerned.

Atsushi felt his heart warm at the sentiment.

“It wouldn’t be heroic of me to pursue my own interest at the expense of others. Besides, those points aren’t as important as your wellbeing. Now, hop on,” He replied earnestly, crouching down.

The guy hesitated for a few minutes before getting on. Once he was secure, Atsushi walked towards what looked like a first aid tent.

“What’s your name?” He asked the injured boy.

“Kaminari Denki,” He replied, sounding almost shy.

(Really, these kids were going to be the death of him.)

Atsushi continued asking him questions, making sure he didn’t feel uncomfortable or that he didn’t accidentally jostle his injury in the process. Kaminari, once he’s gotten less awkward and shy, happily replied to each and every one. They were getting along quite well, and Atsushi almost felt sad that they had to part once they’d reached the tent.

He bowed his head towards Kaminari and the hero known as Recovery Girl, before darting off in search of more people in need.

A few minutes later with minimal to do, Atsushi was strolling the streets when a loud rumbling was heard. Coincidentally, they only had a few seconds left on the clock. He remembered something about a zero pointer being mentioned in the briefing and could only conclude that this was the one mentioned.

A quick glance at his surroundings confirmed that everyone was running away from the robot, considering that it was large and no points were attached to it. It would be a waste of time to even consider going after it. 

Nonetheless, Atsushi knew the woes of teenage enthusiasm so he decided to go against the stream of running teenagers to check whether anyone needed any help. As he approached the robot, he could see one student - the same blonde from earlier - flying towards the thing with the intent to destroy. 

He looked capable enough, Atsushi wasn’t worried about him. What he was worried about though, was the fact that the blonde wrecked havoc everywhere he went. A robot of that size, when exploded, would have huge flying debris all over the place . It didn’t matter how far people ran, they were bound to get hit by a piece if they were still in range. 

Now, Atsushi may have flunked his Science paper a few hours earlier but even he could tell that the debris would hit at least some of the students running away. It didn’t look like the blonde would stop and quite frankly, he wasn’t close enough to stop him so he settled for his second best alternative; destroying the debris into smaller pieces and reducing the momentum. At least, if it did hit people, it would probably amount to a scratch or a small bump.

“What was it that they said earlier? Plus ultra?” He mumbled as he climbed the roof.

Realistically speaking, he wouldn’t be able to stop all of them but he had to try.

The Headmaster wouldn’t let him live, otherwise.

In theory, his plan was simple. Run as fast as he can and jump from one block to the opposite. On his way there, he should slice up as much as possible and hope for the best. All he needed was to get the timing right and near-perfect accuracy.

Easier said than done.

He went back as far as he could and sprinted the moment he heard an explosion. He jumped, extending his claws and slashing every bit of debris he could lay his eyes on. In the few seconds it took to reach from one block to the other, he had managed to dice up all the major debris that hurtled past. Granted, a few had hit him in the process but they were minor and he had regenerative abilities. He was fine.

He landed on the other side swiftly at the same time the clock hit zero. He brushed off the dust that collected on his clothes and jumped off the roof, landing in a crouch. He then made his way towards the first aid tent, only to be met by applause.

“Dude, that was so manly,” A boy with pointy red hair commented.

“You flew past the roof like it was nothing ,” Kaminari added, awestruck.

“And you didn’t even get hurt! Not a single scratch,” A girl with orange hair voiced out.

Atsushi blushed under the attention, sputtering out his thanks and bowing. Many students approached him to thank him for saving them, or for escorting them back and some even commented on his impressive offensive attacks the first half of the exam. 

He didn’t really know how to react, not being used to so much positive attention. It was needless to say, he was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

He laughed awkwardly, accepting their thanks and trying to get away from the crowd when mini explosions sounded.

“Think you’re all that, huh, punk?” Said an eerily familiar voice.

Atsushi knew he heard it from somewhere. He just couldn’t pinpoint where. But, that probably wasn’t important. Not when a pair of red eyes were glaring at him as if he’d insulted his whole ancestry.

Honestly, it was kind of refreshing to not have a fight that would involve death but that didn’t mean Atsushi wanted to be in one. All he wanted was to go home and maybe eat some chazuke. Or eat some chazuke before going home. It didn’t matter, really. As long as he wasn’t, well, there.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m scum. Heard that millions of times. Can I leave now?” 

That… probably wasn’t the best response, considering that little was needed to anger the boy in front of him. But he was tired, hungry and he just wanted to sleep. Could he really be blamed?

The tension escalated as the boy stomped towards Atsushi, murder in his eyes. Something about that was really familiar and it was bugging him. He had to have seen him from somewhere.

“Have we met?” Atsushi asked at the same time the boy grabbed onto the front of his shirt.

His grip slackened, a sign he was caught off-guard by the seemingly random question that was thrown. Atsushi took this opportunity to step back, freeing himself from his clutches.

That seemed to anger him further but fortunately for everyone involved, a cough was heard, breaking the tense atmosphere.

“Let’s go, jinko. There’s a chazuke place that’s going to close soon if we don’t hurry it up.”

It was said politely but anyone with ears could hear the silent threat that was evident in his tone. He may not have his reputation here, but Akutagawa Ryuunosuke could instill fear in anyone effortlessly. It wasn’t a surprise to see the students part as he walked through, approaching Atsushi and the blonde.

“Why am I still jinko to you?” Atsushi grumbled but followed after him anyway, leaving the crowd behind.

They were about to reach the exit when the same voice shouted.

“Oi! We’re not done here!”

Akutagawa stopped in his tracks. He slowly turned around, facing the boy that was metres away. He tilted his head sideways, emitting an aura that Atsushi used to be painfully acquainted with. Rashomon emerged from behind, taking the form of the Black Beast that had terrorised the streets of Yokohama.

“Yes, we are.”

And with that, he spun around dramatically and swiftly made his way to the exit. Atsushi bowed his head repeatedly at the gawking onlookers before hastily following suit.

So much for blending in.

“You can’t just threaten them, Akutagawa. They’re children!” Atsushi scolded as he caught up with the mafioso.

The man rolled his eyes.

“They’re teenagers. Besides, he looked like he was about to get physical with you.”

He continued walking as if he didn’t just turn Atsushi’s world upside down.

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Rabid Dog of The Port Mafia, threatened a guy that may have wanted to hurt Atsushi. The same Atsushi he tried to kill on their first meeting. Him.

“What…” was all he managed to get out.

Shaking off the weird feeling in his stomach, he jogged in an attempt to catch up with the older. True to his word, they ended up eating at the aforementioned chazuke place, much to Atsushi’s delight.

He may have flunked the exam but that didn’t matter. They’ll figure a way out of it together.

-

“So how did you do?” Atsushi asked, gulping down his third bowl of chazuke.

“The written portion was fine. There’s not much I can do for Maths but I think I did relatively well on the others. The physical portion was laughably easy. Dazai-san trained me worse on my first day.”

“That’s… good.”

“I suppose. I did end up clearing a third of the robots on my own. The examiner had to pull me aside to tell me that I’ve already gotten enough points and I should at least let the others have a chance.”

“Akutagawa, please .”

-

A week had passed and the results were due.

They were hanging out at the Midoriya household, letters in hand. They had promised to open them together and were just waiting for Midoriya’s to be delivered.

Atsushi wasn’t really panicking, not when Midoriya panicked enough for the three of them. Akutagawa was just calmly sipping some tea and Inko was doing the dishes.

They had found out just a few minutes earlier that Midoriya had somehow manifested a quirk on the day of the exam. 

“Yeah… The doctor said that it probably didn’t activate because my body wasn’t strong enough to handle the power. I guess once I started training with Yagi-san and you guys, I managed to build up enough strength.”

Now that had been bigger news, in Atsushi’s humble opinion. Nothing could top that, not even getting into UA while only formally learning up to grade 4 Maths.

It was definitely suspicious but he wasn’t going to question it. It was obvious that the boy was hiding something but… he would tell them if he wanted to. Besides, they all had secrets to keep, didn't they?

The doorbell rang, causing the green haired boy to let out a shriek before rushing towards the door. He came back seconds later, unopened letter in hand and tears in his eyes. 

“I can’t do this,” He said as he sat down at the dining table.

“Oh, sweetie. Whatever the results are, I’m still proud of you. The same goes for you two, Atsushi-kun, Ryuunosuke-kun.”

They blushed but nodded nonetheless.

Once Midoriya settled down, they gathered at the dining table and did a little countdown before tearing open their letters together. Identical holograms dropped out, in place of a piece of paper.

The heroes in charge of delivering the news (All Might for Midoriya and Eraserhead for both Atsushi and Akutagawa) explained about the point system and how they were graded based on not just Villain Points but Rescue Points as well.

“You barely passed your written exam but your physical exam was excellent. You scored above 100 points, the highest in UA history. This places you at number one, alongside another student who scored the same points. Congratulations and welcome to your Hero Academia.”

Atsushi stared in shock. He had never been the best at anything before. He had to be dreaming.

“So you’re the person I’m sharing first place with. It is only fitting,” Akutagawa said as he pocketed his hologram.

“I got third! I rank just a bit behind you guys, oh my god. And to think I’ve only had my quirk for a day at that time! I didn’t even know how it worked. I couldn’t have done it without you guys, really. The sparring session helped me a lot so thank you so much.”

After more thank yous and hugs were exchanged, Inko proposed for them to go out for dinner, her treat. Not really wanting to dampen the celebratory atmosphere they had going on, they agreed without much hassle.

They went to an all-you-can eat buffet, stuffing their faces with a variety of food from all over the world. Throughout their meal, Akutagawa had dissed Atsushi on his table manners twice, Midoriya had started getting teary eyed thrice and Inko had to call the waiter for a refill four times. It was needless to say, it was one of the best nights they’ve experienced ever since they stepped into this universe.

Rounds of food and laughter later, they finally parted ways. Inko had offered to drop them home if they didn’t want to sleepover, but they refused, saying they needed to walk and digest their food.

Besides, Atsushi kind of wanted some alone time to sort out his thoughts.

The moon shone brightly while the wind blew softly.

Atsushi and Akutagawa were walking side-by-side, enjoying the tranquility. Not many words were traded, both of them content to revel in the silence. Their shoulders brushed occasionally but neither moved away.

After months of being stuck in this universe and working their asses off, they finally made it to UA. It could be their end goal, or perhaps their starting point, but the bottom line was that they did it . Despite all odds, their living situation, their education level, they did it. 

It was an experience, really. Being on this long journey with Akutagawa. He’d learned more about the other on this mission than he did the past year and more of their partnership.

He knew how he looked like first thing in the morning, and the fact that he would rather do laundry than do the dishes. He also found out that the older liked figs and that he appreciated calligraphy. Just… small things he’d never dreamed of knowing about in the first place.

Honestly, it was kind of a privilege and for that, Atsushi’s grateful. Though, he kind of wanted to know more. Discover more parts of the mafioso that he might not discover in their own universe, where they’re burdened by their allegiances, by their duty.

He… kind of wanted to stay in this universe just a little bit longer because of that.

Before long, they reached their apartment unit. Atsushi turned to bid Akutagawa a good night before heading off into his room, but was stopped by the sound of the older clearing his throat.

He looked at the man, expectant.

“I’m glad that I’m stuck here with you as well, Atsushi,” Akutagawa said, before entering his room and locking the door behind him.

Atsushi, shocked at the fact that the mafioso had heard him that day and that he actually called him by his name, stood frozen at the door. 

A million thoughts made their way into his mind, his brain unable to process even a single one. His heart was beating rapidly and his cheeks were beginning to warm. The weird feeling in his stomach intensified. 

He stared at the closed door, uncomprehending. He wished he could obtain an answer or two but alas, it wasn’t essential for the plot to progress so the Universe didn’t bestow him any. Feeling a weird mixture of dejected and elated for some reason, he retired into his bedroom for the night.

Hopefully, he'll have more time to make sense of things.

Chapter Text

A few days later and he was woken up by the alarm on his phone.

Right.

First day of school.

He groggily got up to get ready for the day. He’d never been to an actual school before, so he was actually kind of excited.

He hummed a tune as he brushed his teeth and washed his face, feeling more energised the longer he was awake. He then went to put on his uniform, though he had no idea how to wear a tie properly . At the Agency, they didn’t care how his tie looked like or if he even wore one, but this was school. He’ll get in trouble if it wasn’t neat enough.

Maybe he could get Akutagawa to teach him. The Mafia might have fancy occasions which required him to suit up and stuff so he might know a trick or two.

He left his room once he was fully dressed and made his way to the kitchen to fix himself some breakfast.

It was nothing much, just cereal with a cup of coffee to sustain him until lunch. He was halfway through his meal when Akutagawa emerged from his room, looking half-dead.

“Someone’s not a morning person,” Atsushi snickered, dodging Rashomon.

“I work late hours with the Port Mafia. Of course I’m not a morning person,” He grumbled, pouring himself a cup of coffee and dropping four sugar cubes into it.

Atsushi gasped excitedly, much to Akutagawa’s mild annoyance.

“I drink my coffee with four sugar cubes too! It’s kind of a bad habit I never kicked once I was thrown out of the orphanage. Sugar used to be rationed so it was a luxury,” He explained, finishing the rest of his cereal.

Akutagawa’s eyes widened, losing a bit of the sleepiness as he mentioned that it was the same for him at the slums.

“The one who had the most chocolate bars was basically the king,” He commented, smiling slightly when Atsushi nodded his head vigorously.

“And to think you had that much. You were practically a millionaire!” He exclaimed, transfixed on the widening smile that graced the older’s features.

The mafioso shook his head good-naturedly, looking more alive by the second. He put his cup down before approaching Atsushi, taking the tie that was in the younger’s hand into his own. He then proceeded to help him wear his tie, long fingers working quickly, not that Atsushi was staring.

“There,” He said as he finished tying the knot, stepping back to admire his work.

Atsushi, who had stopped functioning ever since he smiled at him, could not formulate a proper response. To this, the mafioso merely chuckled before checking his phone for the time. 

His eyes widened.

“We’re going to be late.”

They were miraculously on time, though Atsushi suspected it had something to do with their main character syndrome. They arrived at the classroom just minutes before the bell rang, catching their breaths right before they entered the class.

“Note to self, never go down memory lane first thing in the morning,” Atsushi said, panting.

Akutagawa nodded in response, equally breathless.

Atsushi took a few more seconds to compose himself before sliding the door open. He was met with deafening silence for a total of 0.3 seconds before chaos broke loose.

“Holy shit, it’s you! The manliest guy I know! I’m Kirishima Eijirou. It’s nice to meet you,” Kirishima exclaimed.

“My knight in shining armour! We’re classmates!” A voice, which Atsushi recognised as Kaminari’s, piped up.

“You’re right. He is cute.”

“Bro, his eyes really are yellow and purple. It’s like the sunset, bro.”

“I kid you not he jumped from one roof to another like he was in a Marvel movie or some shit.”

Atsushi stood rooted to the ground, equal parts embarrassed and mortified.

“Looks like someone made an impression,” Akutagawa commented, smirking as he crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway.

“Shut up,” Atsushi hissed as he looked back to glare at him, though he immediately put on a smile when he turned around to interact with the others.

Through the crowd, he could see Midoriya sitting at a table, waving his hands frantically.

He sighed in relief. At least someone wasn’t treating him like some sort of icon.

“Nakajima! Akutagawa! Over here!” He exclaimed, gesturing towards the two empty seats near him.

Atsushi was about to make his way there when a familiar sounding explosion made itself known. He groaned internally, knowing just who and what had made the sound.

“You.” 

He turned around, making eye contact with Akutagawa who was still leaning against the doorframe. The older merely shrugged his shoulders and looked disinterested but Atsushi could tell otherwise.

“Just because you placed first on the exam doesn’t make you better than me,” He spat, glaring at the weretiger who, honest to God, just wanted to sit down.

“And you-“ He said, tone going dangerously low as he looked at… Midoriya?

“How did you get into the Hero course, Deku ?” 

Right. As if that didn’t raise any alarm bells at all. He knew Midoriya could stand his ground especially after all the months they’ve spent together, but the fact that he wasn’t doing anything made Atsushi’s stomach churn unpleasantly. Whatever it was that was going on, he was not going to tolerate any Midoriya slander. Not today, not ever.

Atsushi was about to go off on the blonde’s ass, when a yellow… thing… hopped into the classroom, which later on revealed itself to be their homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shota, in a sleeping bag.

The man had long, unruly black hair and very prominent eye bags. He had a long white scarf (of sorts?) wrapped around his neck. He looked like he could use some sleep. 

“Get dressed. We’re hitting the field.”

And with that, he left.

Truly a man of few words.

When they reached the field all dressed in their PE uniform, they were told that they were going to undergo an impromptu quirk evaluation and the one who ended up last, was going to be expelled.

It was only the first day of school.

(Maybe UA was more practical. It seemed a lot like real life.)

The other students looked anxious while Akutagawa and Atsushi seemed relatively unbothered. Not that they were confident they were going to ace it, although that was likely. It’s just that getting expelled didn’t really seem too bad compared to every other thing they’ve faced in life. 

“Feeling confident, Akutagawa? Why don’t you go first? What’s your record at school?” Aizawa asked as he threw him a baseball.

Akutagawa caught it effortlessly, though he paused to contemplate his answer.

“I don’t know what to tell you. I’ve never been to school and I had more important things to do to ensure my survival at the slums.”

Atsushi nodded his head in agreement, not processing the fact that his other classmates were looking on in shock. Even their teacher seemed a bit thrown off-guard at the sudden tragic backstory reveal, though he quickly regained his composure.

“Right. We’ll talk about this later. What about the other person that came in first? Nakajima Atsushi?”

Atsushi looked at Akutagawa who merely shrugged his shoulders in response before throwing the ball at him. He caught it without much trouble, then looked back at Aizawa who looked as if he was praying for something to happen. Or not to happen. He couldn’t really figure it out.

“I’ve… never been to school before, either. I mean, we did play some sports at the orphanage but the Headmaster rarely let me out unless….” He trailed off, not really wanting to delve deeper.

Aizawa let out a sigh, before nodding his head, accepting Atsushi’s answer.

“Alright, you two. There’s a lot to unpack there but we’ll do it after the class ends. Now, does anyone want to share what their record was without using their quirks?”

It was awkwardly silent for a moment before a few students piped up, saying numbers ranging from 30 metres to a whooping 50 metres. Aizawa then called out a random student to do a simple demonstration before proceeding ahead with the rest of the evaluation.

It was relatively straightforward, at least in Atsushi’s humble opinion. All they had to do was do some sort of fitness test but with their Abilities involved. For people who had constantly made use of their Abilities, or quirks in this case, it should be easy. 

So why were they tested on this in the first place?

He waited patiently for his turn to pitch the baseball. He had never really played the game before so he could only deduce what he’s supposed to do through observation. It wasn’t long before it was his turn to pitch.

Atsushi picked up the ball from the ground and transformed his pitching hand. He copied the previous student’s pose and threw the ball as fast and far as he could. The student who kept track of the distances, a girl by the name of Uraraka, whistled before informing the score of 500 metres to Aizawa.

“What exactly is your quirk?” Kaminari asked as he made his way back to the group.

He could see a few other students looking at them not so discreetly, anticipating his answer.

“It’s called Beast Beneath The Moonlight. It’s the ability to transform into a white tiger,” He explained, noticing Midoriya take out a notebook and scribbling away furiously in it.

The group nodded, though he could see that they were still curious. Nevertheless, they held the questions at bay and watched as Akutagawa went next.

“He’s the other person who placed first, isn’t he? I heard that he took out a third of the robots alone,” One of his classmates, Ashido, said.

Atsushi sighed in exasperation as the others gasped in shock, paying more attention to the boy who was about to pitch. 

He summoned Rashomon, uncaring of all the whispers that started as soon as it took shape. It picked up the ball and morphed itself into a catapult, one of the tendrils stretching it far back before releasing it at full speed.

It was silent for a few seconds before Uraraka called out a solid “700”.

Akutagawa simply nodded before making his way to Atsushi, Rashomon following his tracks.

“Show off,” Atsushi joked, dodging Rashomon for the second time that day.

“All in a day’s work,” He replied, steadily ignoring all the looks that were thrown their way.

Atsushi continued on towards the next station and the ones after that, transforming whichever part of his body that was necessary for the specific test. On more than one occasion, he caught his homeroom teacher looking at him, unsure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. He didn’t really think he was standing out per se, with Bakugou (the angry blonde who took the exam with him) doing the absolute most. In fact, he would go as far as to say he was doing normally. Not the worst but certainly not the best. 

At least, that’s what he thought.

“Nakajima, Akutagawa. See me after class. As for the rest, congratulations! You have potential. No one is getting expelled, it was simply a logical ruse. Dismissed,” Aizawa said as he waved the rest off.

Atsushi turned to look at Akutagawa, who looked relatively unbothered by the turn of events. 

“Did we screw up?” He whispered to the mafioso, eyes scanning Aizawa’s facial expression for any hints.

There weren’t any.

“Possibly,” The mafioso answered, tensing a bit as soon as it was just the three of them at the field.

Aizawa let out a sigh before gesturing for them to follow him somewhere, presumably a quiet place where they could discuss anything ranging from subpar performance to identity discoveries. They walked in silence, turning the corner when their teacher did and following him into an empty classroom. There, he gestured for them to take a seat, while he pulled up a chair and sat directly in front of them.

“I know you probably don’t want to talk about this but as a teacher, it’s my responsibility to follow up on these things. For context, the things you said and the way you acted in class just now was… concerning. Do you get what I mean?” He asked, tone low but it wasn’t hostile. In fact, he sounded a bit worried.

Atsushi… didn’t really know how to react to that. He wasn’t quite sure if he was understanding things correctly, and if he was, he didn’t really know what to say or where to begin. Besides, what could his teacher do when the source of his problems was in a different universe?

“I’m not quite sure I understand where you’re going with this,” Akutagawa answered, though Atsushi was willing to bet he was doing it on purpose just to see the man suffer.

They watched as their teacher struggled with words for a bit, before sighing and giving up on subtlety entirely.

“You’re from the slums and you’re from an orphanage. None of you had a formal education, judging from your exam results in the written portion. So I can rule out formal training using the process of elimination. However, the control you possess over your own quirk shouldn’t be possible at this age level, even with formal training.”

Atsushi gulped, feeling sweat form at the base of his neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rashomon crackling on the surface, not quite active but ready to strike nonetheless. For his teacher’s own safety, he prayed that the next words he said wouldn't implicate them. Akutagawa may have stopped killing but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt anyone if it was necessary for them to escape.

“What are you implying?” Atsushi asked, swearing internally when his voice cracked.

For some reason, that had caused Aizawa to falter for a brief second. He took a deep breath as if to compose himself, before saying the next few words.

“Were you trained to the point of physical abuse by a legal guardian?”

Wait.

What?

Atsushi took a moment to process the loaded question, startling a bit when Akutagawa let out a slightly maniacal sounding laugh.

“That depends. Does shooting a loaded gun at you in hopes that you would erect a shield in time count?” He asked, coughing once his laughing fit subsided.

The silver haired boy noticed the way Aizawa clenched his fists, before slightly relaxing them though the anger in his eyes couldn’t be mistaken. Not really sure if it was directed at Akutagawa or for Akutagawa, Atsushi decided to jump in just in case it was the former.

“Mine didn’t really train me. In fact, I didn’t know I had this, um, quirk until they threw me out of the orphanage. I thought it was because I was a waste of resources, since that’s what they always told me but then I found out it was because I was transforming into a tiger at night and eating all the produce - Huh, that explains why he used to chain me in the dungeon all that time… And why they wouldn’t give me any food… That didn’t explain that experiments they did, though…. But… Well, okay getting off track there but uh, he did… drill some lessons into me rather… harshly… If that’s what you’re asking?”

(That… probably didn’t help much to calm Aizawa’s anger, did it?)

He turned to the side, fully expecting to see Akutagawa’s blank expression indicating that he didn’t know what was going on either, but was instead greeted by the sight of him looking off to the side and clenching his fists. He tried to get the mafioso’s attention but the other was adamant on ignoring him for some weird reason.

Oh well. 

“If I’m understanding things correctly, your excellent control over your quirks and your incredible fighting abilities were due to the harsh living conditions you grew up in. Skills you were forced to acquire if you wanted to survive,” He said, voice steady though a hint of anger shone through.

Akutagawa shrugged. Atsushi hesitantly nodded, though he wasn’t quite sure where Aizawa was going with this.

“How are your living conditions now?”

Well, that certainly wasn’t what he was expecting.

Again, he was unsure of how to respond so he turned towards Akutagawa, hoping he would get the memo. The mafioso caught his eye, before sighing deeply and opening his mouth to answer.

“We live together in a decent apartment near UA. We have enough cash to live by, and we’re in frequent contact with the Midoriyas who look after us. The orphanage headmaster is dead and I’m no longer in close contact with the person who did that to me. We’re fine .”

That summed things up pretty nicely. There shouldn’t be an issue anymore, right?

Aizawa brought a hand to his face before rubbing it, suddenly looking more exhausted than he did a few minutes ago.

(Personally, Atsushi didn’t even think it was possible. The man already looked like he needed at least six months’ worth of sleep.)

He slouched further into his chair and sighed deeply, before straightening up once more and looking them straight in the eyes.

“I’ll see what I can do about this. In the meantime, I’ll redirect you to our counselling services. It’s free so you don’t have to worry about the money. Don’t keep things to yourself and seek help when you need it. Part of being a hero is knowing when you need help as well, got it? If you’re not comfortable with Hound Dog, you can always come to me, though I’m not a licensed professional so my help is limited. Nonetheless, I’m here for you.”

This time, it was Akutagawa who looked at him first, face showing the slightest hint of confusion. At that moment, Atsushi could understand why the mafioso had opted to shrug almost all the time. He truly didn’t know what was going on.

“Thanks?” He opted for instead, smiling unsurely at the nod he received from the man.

“Anytime. I’ll keep you updated,” Was all he said before he reluctantly stood up, prompting the other two to do the same.

Aizawa then walked towards the door, opening it and escorting them out, before closing the door behind the two. They could hear him sigh loudly for the nth time that session, before he moved away, presumably to catch up on some sleep.

“That was… something.”

They then made their way to the canteen for lunch.

Atsushi had a feeling that things were only going to get more chaotic.

Chapter Text

“Nakajima! Akutagawa!” Midoriya called out once he spotted them making their way into the crowded cafeteria.

They made their way to the table Midoriya was sitting at, spotting two of their classmates they hadn’t really interacted much with. 

Atsushi glanced over at Akutagawa, who was sporting a small frown. He knew that the mafioso was uncomfortable meeting new people.

It was understandable, though. In their line of work, trusting the wrong people could get you killed.

(Kind of like how he was almost murdered when he trusted Higuchi that one time but that was neither here nor there.)

“Hello. It is an honour to be acquainted with such capable people as yourselves. My name is Iida Tenya.”

The blue haired boy said, moving his hands in a chopping motion for some reason. He was about to continue on, mouth opening and hands at the ready but he was interrupted by an excited Uraraka. 

“And I’m Uraraka Ochaco!” She exclaimed, beaming.

They’ve talked once during the evaluation so technically they were already introduced but Atsushi couldn’t help smiling back, her positive energy contagious.

“My name is Nakajima Atsushi but you can call me Atsushi. This grumpy guy over here is Akutagawa Ryuunosuke.”

Akutagawa raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment much. He nodded politely at the two newcomers, before taking his seat at the end of the table. Naturally, Atsushi followed suit.

“What did Aizawa sensei want with you guys? Was it to praise your skills? Because you clearly outperformed the rest of us. Heck! Maybe even some of our upperclassmen!” Uraraka chirped as she took a bite of her burger.

Midoriya looked at them expectantly while Iida lectured Uraraka on the disadvantages of talking while eating, pleading for her to at least swallow her food first before talking.

(Well, Aizawa did say their skills were way above what a first year student should be, but that was because of their… unfortunate upbringing. So in a way, he kind of complimented them. 

Kind of.)

“Among other things,” Was what Atsushi settled on.

He listened as they discussed the test, blushing slightly when they gushed about his Ability. According to Midoriya, being able to pick and choose which body part he wanted to transform wasn’t really an easy thing to accomplish. 

He tried to steer the conversation away from him, but the others weren’t having it. They continued discussing his technique, even dragging in Akutagawa who had been silently listening in all this while. The mafioso looked highly amused, though he did join in on giving his thoughts on Atsushi’s control over his quirk. 

Now that they’ve tag-teamed, there was no way the conversation was going to end so he decided to get away from it temporarily. Thinking it would be best to leave by using food as an excuse, Atsushi announced that he was going to go get some.

That was the plan, until Kaminari slid into the seat next to him with Kirishima trailing along. He didn’t want Kaminari to feel offended if he left just as the other arrived so he stuck around a bit. Besides, he was also a bit curious about what the other planned on doing.

“Nakajima, you’re not eating?” Kaminari asked, pushing a pudding cup into his hand.

He looked at the pudding and then at Kaminari, confused. He had also noticed that the previous conversation died down in favour of witnessing the strange exchange between them.

(Honestly, he had no idea what the hell was going on. So he rolled with it.)

“I was about to go get some food, actually — and please, call me Atsushi.”

He pushed the pudding back into Kaminari’s hands, who then pushed it back into his. The boy merely smiled, encouraging him to take it. He looked to the side, seeing Kirishima nodding along enthusiastically. 

(Well, the boy did go through all that trouble to give him the pudding. It… probably wouldn’t hurt to take it, right?)

Atsushi, not really knowing what to do, accepted it gratefully as bizarre as it was. The boy flashed him a wide grin before taking off, finger-saluting him in the process.

“See you in class, Atsushi!” He exclaimed, almost bumping into Kirishima as they made their way back to their own table.

Atsushi then looked at the dessert in his hand, increasingly bewildered. 

He was glad he could make the boy happy by accepting his gift, but why did Kaminari even want to do so in the first place? Was it to thank him for saving him the other day? Because if so, it wasn’t necessary. He was just…. doing his job.

His thoughts were interrupted by a squealing Uraraka, who dashed to his side of the table at the speed of light.

( Huh , he thought her quirk was gravity manipulation, something similar to Chuuya’s.)

He looked at her, wary of the mischievous glint in her eyes. He had a feeling that whatever she was going to say next, was going to spell trouble for him one way or another. He mentally braced himself, hoping that it wouldn’t be that bad.

“It looks like someone has a crush on you~” She sang, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. 

Atsushi’s jaw dropped open in disbelief, looking towards Akutagawa for some sort of help. The mafioso, on the other hand, was busy looking at Kaminari’s general direction, brows furrowing in thought. 

Realising that he probably wouldn’t be getting support from him, he then turned towards a spluttering Iida who was torn between lecturing Uraraka and defending Atsushi. Midoriya was looking at the pudding in deep thought, possibly thinking of something equally outrageous.

(Basically, it had trouble written all over it.)

Deciding that it was probably in his best interests to clear up any misunderstandings that might have arisen, Atsushi cleared his throat to get their attention.

“Uh… I don’t think that’s the case. Besides, he’s too young for me.”

Iida looked confused while Uraraka rolled her eyes playfully. Midoriya seemed to have a look of understanding on his face and Akutagawa looked… pleased?

(Nah, that can’t be it. He must have misread his facial expression.)

Honestly, couldn’t he eat his lunch in peace?

“I’m going to go… get some food. Akutagawa, you coming?” He asked, wanting to leave the situation immediately.

“Sure,” The mafioso agreed, standing up.

They then made their way to the end of the line, passing by Kaminari’s table in the process. Atsushi smiled hesitantly when they made eye contact, ignoring the whoops and hollers the table occupants let out. For some reason, Kaminari looked shy, a complete opposite from his usual persona.

“That’s weird,” Atsushi commented as they finally reached the line.

Akutagawa scoffed, shaking his head.

“Isn’t it obvious, jinko?” He asked mockingly.

(Obviously not, if Atsushi was still racking his brains to try and figure out just what was going on.)

The mafioso refused to elaborate despite Atsushi’s pleas, steadfastly ignoring him as they moved up the line. He had even used Rashomon to cover his ears at one point, only undoing the action once they reached the end of the line. Atsushi took it as his cue to stop, knowing that he wouldn’t be getting anywhere when Akutagawa’s in that mood.

They walked back to the table in tense silence, a first for them since they were brought to that universe. Noticing the tension, the trio wisely didn’t comment any further and instead, changed the topic.

They discussed the possible lessons while Atsushi and Akutagawa ate in silence and it stayed that way until the bell rang.

Not really in the mood to finish his meal, Atsushi threw it away, with the exception of the pudding he was given. He noticed Akutagawa doing the same, not even sparing him a glance as he left the cafeteria.

Atsushi was confused.

How did the atmosphere turn so sour? To think that just this morning, the other had traded childhood stories with him and even helped him wear his tie…

He made his way to the trio, telling them that Akutagawa had gone ahead. They traded looks with each other but didn’t say much, noticing the angry expression Atsushi sported. They then made their way to Ground Beta, where their next class was held.

He could see Akutagawa standing alone at the far left, exuding a murderous aura that had even Dark Shadow, Tokoyami’s quirk, trembling. Their other classmates, already wary of him in the first place, stood further away, which caused him to be more irritated.

Atsushi rolled his eyes before approaching the man despite his initial annoyance, swiftly dodging Rashomon as he did so. He ignored the scandalised gasps their classmates let out, and the glares the older directed his way. He stood rooted next to him, showing a thumbs up when Midoriya looked at him worriedly.

“What a fool,” Akutagawa grumbled, though he could hear the relief in his tone.

Atsushi paid it no mind, deciding to focus on the Number One Hero that appeared out of nowhere.

“I am here!” All Might exclaimed.

Atsushi heard Akutagawa scoff, smiling slightly at his predictable reaction. He then turned his attention to whatever the hero was saying, stowing away whatever information that was necessary. 

Apparently, All Might was going to be their teacher and their first class was going to be a battle between heroes and villains. The hero team had to either apprehend the villain team or touch the cargo they’ll be guarding. The two teams will start off at different places, and the pairings will be decided randomly.

Atsushi was lucky enough to be paired with Midoriya, though he couldn’t say the same for Akutagawa. The mafioso was openly glaring at his partner, Kaminari, every time the boy tried to talk to him. He felt a spark of irritation flare up, knowing Kaminari didn’t deserve that kind of treatment, but he couldn’t do much about it.

Not when Midoriya was frozen in panic the moment their opposing team was announced.

He looked at his friend in worry.

He had seen Midoriya cry, had seen him worried, had seen him scared, but never had he seen him this panicked. As if every alarm bell was going off in his head simultaneously but there was nothing he could do about it.

Something wasn’t right.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

Midoriya seemed to snap out of his trance at that, finally looking at him and plastering on a smile. Atsushi could feel goosebumps forming, knowing that it was fake and his friend was trying to hide something from him.

“I’m fine,” He answered, voice still a little bit shaky.

He wasn’t buying that but he let Midoriya off the hook for now. The boy didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about it and he wasn’t going to force him to. Instead, he’d help by trying to distract the younger.

“So… what’s our strategy?”

Midoriya took a few minutes to think, though Atsushi could tell that he was still bothered by something. He tried to sift through his memories as he waited, wondering if he had missed a sign or two. 

(The green-haired boy started looking off when their opponents were announced, that was what he remembered but… what was off with their opponents? It was just Iida and… Bakugou. They were friends with Iida so there shouldn’t be a problem. So it must be related to Bakugou.

But why ?)

His thoughts were interrupted by Midoriya pulling on his sleeve.

“Knowing Kacchan, he’ll go after me. That means Iida will be guarding the cargo. I’ll distract Kacchan so you should go and take on Iida.”

Hold on.

Kacchan? Did Midoriya mean Bakugou Katsuki?

(Did that mean he was familiar with Bakugou before this? There was no way they were friends, considering the other had called him Deku. )

Atsushi felt as if he was on the brink of realising something, but was stopped by the sound of All Might’s rambunctious laughter as he asked the first two teams to take their places. That was their cue to go to their designated spot. 

As they made their way there, Atsushi couldn’t help but feel that something was off and that it would lead to something terrible. Call him a pessimist but his gut instincts never failed him. He just hoped that whatever that’s going to happen wouldn’t be too bad.

He stood next to Midoriya, waiting for the signal to start. Once it sounded, he immediately used his hearing to search for signs of human life. He could hear movement from a few floors above him, though he wasn’t exactly sure where. He relayed the information to Midoriya, who advised them to split up.

The sound of Iida’s pacing made it harder for him to be located. It sounded as if the boy was moving around all over the place, which was strange. He was in charge of guarding the cargo, surely it didn’t require that much movement?

Undeterred, he pressed on, using his sense of smell to increase his accuracy. The smell of engine oil helped him pinpoint the wing the boy was in, though he needed to get closer to accurately determine which floor the boy was on. He decided to transform his legs to get to his destination faster, aware of the timer.

He inhaled deeply once he was a bit closer to Iida’s hypothesised spot. Immediately, he picked up the scent of oil and ran as fast as he could towards him. He rounded the corner and ran up a fleet of stairs, determined to finish the battle as fast as he could when a loud explosion sounded.

He stopped in his tracks.

That must have meant that Bakugou had found Midoriya, as the younger had predicted earlier. It should be a good sign, considering that things were going according to plan but Atsushi felt dread creeping.

(Yes, things were going smoothly but… was that really a good thing?

Was it a good thing that Midoriya could tell that Kacchan , someone he knew from before UA, was going to go after him?

And didn’t Midoriya say that he and Akutagawa were his first friends in years? What did that say about Kacchan who saw the boy and called him Deku? )

He was reminded of that time at the park, how Midoriya had told them of jeers, taunts and years and years of abuse. Of spider lilies and crude words on his desk. Of crushed dreams and charred notebooks.

Charred.

Realisation dawned upon Atsushi at the same time another louder explosion was heard.

He had two choices.

Option 1: Fight it out with Iida and touch the cargo. This would end the match instantly so Bakugou will have no choice but to stop. 

This, however, was contingent on Atsushi’s ability to get to the thing as fast as he could, and Bakugou’s willingness to adhere to instructions. It wouldn’t take him too long to get past Iida, so he wasn’t worried about that. It was the explosive boy he was worried about because he wasn't quite sure that he would stop despite the battle being over, which led him to his second choice.

Option 2: Go the opposite direction and help Midoriya take down Bakugou. Then, they can always go and fight Iida together. He’ll be outnumbered so chances are they would win.

This depended on whether they could beat Bakugou and Iida before the timer ran out. They only 10 minutes left, so they’ll have to make it quick.

Honestly, they should’ve gone with the second option from the start. If Midoriya knew Bakugou was going after him, why didn’t they take the opportunity to ambush him instead?

Unless… Midoriya was trying to protect him.

Given his self-sacrificing nature, Atsushi wasn’t surprised if that was the case, which only strengthened his resolve to go through with the plan he chose.

He ran the opposite direction.

With the help of his enhanced senses and transformed legs, it only took him a few minutes to reach the corridor that the explosion came from. 

He took a moment to analyse the situation, noticing that Midoriya was heavily injured and that Bakugou’s gauntlets were activated. The former was struggling to move, which may indicate a feeling of helplessness. 

That couldn’t be good. Desperate, cornered people resorted to dangerous measures to beat the odds. Especially if that person was Midoriya, who was never acquainted with the words self preservation.

Realising what was about to go down in the next few moments, Atsushi let out a loud war cry as he jumped forward. He could see Midoriya’s eyes widen in fear as he leapt past Bakugou, before embracing the boy to protect him from the oncoming blast.

It burned.

He screamed in pain, memories of the Headmaster, the orphanage, his cell, flashing by before disappearing entirely. He could hear the sound of Midoriya’s voice, distant and jumbled. He couldn’t make sense of them but that didn’t matter. He had to make sure Bakugou was properly apprehended so that he couldn’t lay a hand on the younger.

He got off Midoriya, ears still ringing from the blast. He ignored the pain on his back and the blood on his head from when he knocked it on the ground, knowing that it would heal soon enough. Instead, he slowly made his way to a shell-shocked Bakugou.

He wasn’t really sure what happened next. He vaguely remembered punching the boy, knocking him out and tying a ribbon around his wrist. He vaugely remembered running towards Iida, more tiger than human. He vaugely remembered tapping on the cargo, but he wasn’t quite sure how he did it.

It must have been the adrenaline because as soon as it was announced that they won, he immediately slumped down, leaning against the cargo.

He transformed back into a human and inspected himself for injuries. Most of them had already been healed, but the burn wound was going to take a few more minutes max.

He wasn’t really worried about his physical injuries. It was his mental and emotional ones that had him frightened. He was sure he was reminded of something unpleasant a few moments ago, but what ?

“Atsushi!” He heard Midoriya shout, tears in his eyes as he ran towards him.

To that, Atsushi let out a smile, glad to see him relatively unharmed. The boy, however, didn’t feel the same, evidenced in the way he was lightly hitting him as soon as he crouched down and they were eye-level.

“Why did you do that? You got hurt because of me. You should have just let it be. I had a plan!” He said through tears, hits ceasing.

Atsushi laughed, raising his hands up in surrender when the boy glared at him, though he looked more like an angry puppy. Despite feeling upset, the boy still checked Atsushi for injuries, relieved to find none.

Midoriya’s heart truly was his biggest asset.

“I can heal, remember? And let’s be real, Midoriya. Your plan would have cost you an arm or something. What? Did you think you could punch it away?” Atsushi teased, ruffling his hair fondly.

The boy huffed before standing, opting to help Atsushi up instead. Midoriya offered a hand in which he gratefully accepted, and hoisted himself up. He was about to say his thanks when his senses kicked in and he immediately jumped to the left.

Rashomon narrowly missed him by a few inches.

“What the fuck, jinko?” Akutagawa seethed, stomping his way towards Atsushi.

Before he could get a word in, he expertly dodged Rashomon yet again , before realising a bit too late that this was the Midoriya Distraction Tactic and that he had fallen right into Akutagawa’s trap. The trap being Rashomon wrapping itself around his body.

“Stop squeezing so hard, my wounds are still healing,” He complained.

The both knew it was a lie, aware of how fast his regenerative abilities worked. Rashomon tightened around him in retaliation.

(Though for some reason, it wasn’t even that tight. As if the purpose was not to restrain but to hold. But that couldn’t be possible.

Besides, why was he even here in the first place? Was this even allowed?)

Akutagawa sighed.

“You can’t just jump headfirst into danger, you fool. Just because you can heal, doesn’t mean you don’t feel pain. Take better care of yourself.”

Atsushi looked at him in shock, though the mafioso adamantly ignored his stares. 

He had always told that to the mafioso when they went on missions, but Akutagawa never listened. He would continue explaining his plans that almost always used him as a decoy, though it’s not like Atsushi was against it. Most of the time, it was the most logical course of action. This wasn’t new and besides, they’ve experienced worse. 

What made it different this time?

The silence stretched on for a few more seconds, with Atsushi still trying to figure Akutagawa out. The mafioso, on the other hand, looked like he'd rather be anywhere but there. The thing was, the mafioso hadn’t indicated any intention to leave , with how Rashomon was still wrapped around him.

That, or the mafioso was planning on dragging him back.

“I think we should head back,” Iida said after a while, finally free from the knot Atsushi supposedly tied around his wrists.

Rashomon tightened around him once more, before releasing him completely. The mafioso then turned around swiftly, acting as if he hadn’t barged into the building just to scold him. He watched in amusement as Akutagawa nodded his head at Iida as a sign of acknowledgement, before helping the boy prop Midoriya up.

The green-haired boy insisted that he was fine, though the two people helping him ignored his protests. They then escorted him out of the building, with Atsushi trailing after them. 

The walk back was relatively silent, apart from the occasional groans coming from Midoriya. They stopped every once in a while, so that the boy could adjust. 

“I’m fine, guys,” Midoriya said, but they all looked at him disbelievingly.

The boy blushed a deep shade of red, but said nothing. They continued on until they could see the place their classmates were gathered at. They sped up a bit, wanting to get Midoriya some medical attention as fast as possible. It was only when they were almost at the door did Atsushi realise one thing.

“What happened to Bakugou?” He asked.

Akutagawa chuckled, which… couldn’t mean good news.

“You, uh, knocked him out cold. He was escorted out by a few students,” Midoriya answered.

Well.

Maybe it was more than just adrenaline fueling him. 

Before long, they arrived at the control room where the class watched the ongoing matches. Atsushi took a deep breath before opening the door, fully expecting his classmates to condemn him for what he did to Bakugou.

Instead, he was suddenly caught in a scarf of some sort and was being slowly dragged towards the owner who turned out to be Aizawa.

(Really, what was up with people wrapping him up like he was some sort of mummy?

And again, why was Aizawa there in the first place? Wasn’t it All Might’s class?)

“You’re going to give me premature aging,” Aizawa said as he released him, quickly scanning for injuries.

Atsushi blushed, an apology on the tip of his tongue when a voice spoke up.

“Why didn’t you stop the fight, All Might?” Akutagawa asked, voice level but the accusation was heard, loud as day.

Scandalised gasps were heard, his classmates not believing that a mere student would confront the All Might. The Number One Hero. The one who single handedly reduced the crime rate in Japan by a huge margin.

Atsushi kept quiet. He was interested to know the answer as well. Hero or not, he had a duty of care to his students. It seemed kind of irresponsible to just… let it be.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Aizawa regarding the mafioso curiously. He didn’t disapprove, which was surprising, considering that All Might was his colleague. In fact, he looked interested to listen to what Akutagawa had to say next.

“It was clear to anyone that Bakugou was hostile and had no interest in the class at all. As soon as the fight began, he immediately targeted Midoriya. If that didn’t raise any flags, it was apparent when they’d finally met. He fought not with the intention to win, but to hurt. Surely an experienced hero as yourself would be able to tell the difference but let’s say that you missed that sign as well. The moment he activated his gauntlets should have been obvious enough. So why didn’t you call it off?”

It was deadly silent. The students looked at each other, uncomfortable. They knew that Akutagawa had a point, though no one wanted to admit it. 

Aizawa silently hummed in approval, though it was only Atsushi who had heard it. He looked at his teacher, curious, but the man simply shook his head and offered nothing more.

“Maybe it was to see if Midoriya could handle it?” Ashido suggested.

Akutagawa chuckled yet again.

Atsushi could only pray that his reply wouldn’t be too searing. They needed to be on good terms with their classmates, after all.

“Handle it? It was obvious that he could no longer move nor fight and any attempt would result in a desperate, irrational act which could injure himself. Or was that what you wanted to see? What a desperate boy would do when pushed to a corner?”

All Might’s signature smile turned strained as he let Akutagawa’s words sink in. Aizawa, on the other hand, looked almost too gleeful at the turn of events. As if he was glad that someone was being… critical towards the Number One.

Huh.

“In real life-“ The hero began, only to be interrupted by a still pissed off mafioso.

“I’ve been acquainted with the horrors of reality, but this is a learning institution. It is meant to equip the students with the skills to handle reality, and expose them to what it’s really like out there bit by bit. This is only the first day of school. What skills could he have possibly learnt to navigate a situation such as that?”

Atsushi turned to look at Midoriya, worried. He knew that the boy idolised All Might. Having a friend criticise the hero to bits surely would have him feeling conflicted, even if it was well-intended. 

The boy was currently frowning at the ground, thinking. It looked as if he was having an internal debate with himself, not sure who to side with. His new friend that believed in him despite him being quirkless and trained him, or the hero who he’d looked up to all his life.

Atsushi didn’t envy him.

The man then looked around the room, trying to gauge what the others were thinking. Some of them were glaring at Akutagawa, and a select few were frowning. Even Iida and Uraraka looked uncomfortable, disagreeing with Akutagawa’s actions but liking him enough to consider a friend.

He came to the conclusion that the others, with the exception of Aizawa and the boy with half-red half-white hair who looked contemplative, probably sided with All Might.

Akutagawa looked unbothered. In fact, he actually looked as if he was bored with the whole ordeal.

After a few moments of tense silence, All Might sighed before admitting defeat, to the surprise of many. He walked towards Akutagawa, before placing a hand on his shoulder, completely missing the way the mafioso flinched ever so slightly.

(Of course, Aizawa caught it. Atsushi could hear the man exhale slowly, as if trying to calm himself, but what was that about?)

“Young man, you are right. I failed to consider the consequences of my slow decision making and for that I apologise. Especially to you, young Midoriya. You could have gotten severely injured. I will reflect on my ways so that this would not happen again in the future. Thank you for bringing this up with me,” All Might said earnestly.

Midoriya was obviously flustered, seeing as his idol was apologising to him. He had immediately forgiven the hero, bowing instead to thank him for his apology.

Aizawa shook his head and muttered something about Problem Children, while Akutagawa chuckled, pleased at himself. Atsushi elbowed him playfully, smiling along.

His other classmates didn’t really know how to react, especially when All Might himself admitted that he was wrong and Aizawa never said anything to contradict the mafioso. It seemed as if in their eyes, someone that society had labelled good couldn’t have done something bad . 

(And wasn’t that worrying?)

“You’d think I was a villain with the way they reacted,” Akutagawa whispered, amused.

Atsushi laughed, finding the situation absolutely hilarious. 

Considering the fact that the man beside him was, in fact, a criminal and the most wanted one at that, seeing him being antagonised for doing the right thing felt kind of ironic. 

He could feel his classmates eyes on him, but he couldn’t stop giggling no matter how hard he tried. In his glee, he didn’t notice the way Akutagawa looked at him with wonder in his eyes, surprised that he was the one who caused Atsushi to react in that way. The mafioso let out a small smile, content in watching. 

They absolutely missed the way their classmates were looking between them, curious and formulating theories of their own.

“Alright, class. Let’s move on to the next match,” Aizawa spoke up soon after.

Atsushi finally managed to quiet down, sobering up as he caught sight of the occasional looks thrown his way. He met eyes with the boy with half-red half-white hair. The boy didn’t look away immediately, as if he was trying to communicate.

Well, Atsushi wasn’t about to find out what it was that the boy wanted. His match was next and unfortunately for him, he was up against Akutagawa.

Atsushi internally wished him the best of luck.

He watched the monitor, spotting Kaminari and Akutagawa discussing their strategy near the cargo. They were the villain team, so it was their job to defend it until time was up.

He could see how shocked the boy was, presumably not expecting Akutagawa to be much of a team player. It was understandable, on his part. The mafioso didn’t really interact with anyone apart from him and Midoriya. Maybe even Iida and Uraraka, but that was kind of a stretch. Anyway, he wasn’t the friendliest person and he didn’t really leave a good impression.

(But Atsushi knew better, especially after all that time they spent working together. For some reason, Akutagawa had changed his stance on teamwork, even if he had to team up with people he didn’t like. Hell, their partnership was a prime example.)

His attention was brought back to the match when he spotted the boy from earlier, Todoroki, nearing the room the pair were in. His partner wasn’t there, for some reason. Either the boy was left behind, or it was all a part of some elaborate plan to secure victory.

Based on Todoroki’s standoff-ish behaviour, Atsushi was willing to bet on the former.

“This would be interesting to watch. A quirk that’s flashy and powerful, basically society’s definition of a perfect quirk, versus a quirk that’s more subtle and discreet but still just as powerful,” Midoriya commented.

Atsushi nodded, though he knew who’d win.

He looked on as Todoroki entered the room, immediately freezing the entire area. Akutagawa managed to evade the ice, but the same couldn’t be said for Kaminari who was quite literally frozen in place.

“How did that Akutagawa guy avoid it? Todoroki was fast ,” Kirishima wondered aloud.

“It’s because his, uh, quirk , allows him to manipulate his clothes into that… thing you see. It’s name is Rashomon and it devours everything, even space itself, so the ice won’t be able to reach him,” He answered, noticing Midoriya whip out his notebook to write something for the nth time that day.

Shaking his head fondly, he turned his attention back to the screen.

It seemed as if Todoroki was getting frustrated at his inability to get anywhere near Akutagawa and the cargo. All the ice he threw, no matter what shape or size, was instantly destroyed by Rashomon. He could see Akutagawa yawning, which only annoyed the boy further. 

“My, what excellent control!” All Might praised, seemingly over the roast the mafioso had dished.

Atsushi, suddenly feeling overcome with pride for the mafioso, decided to chime in.

“That’s not even half of what he’s actually capable of. It’s more like 10%.”

Aizawa, who was still in the room for some weird reason, let out a long suffering sigh.

“He shouldn’t be that good. Just what did he have to go through…” Atsushi's enhanced hearing picked up.

They continued watching the match.

Todoroki’s partner, Sero Hanta, finally arrived at the scene. The boy had a quirk that could let him manipulate tape, and so he had immediately tied Kaminari up.

(Not that it was necessary, considering the fact that his feet were still frozen to the ground but props to him for contributing.)

He tried to do the same towards Akutagawa but nothing was getting past the space Rashomon had devoured. They only had a few minutes left and if they couldn’t figure out a way past it, Akutagawa and Kaminari would win easily.

Atsushi could see Akutagawa’s lips moving, followed by a puff of air. It seemed as if the mafioso was conversing with them, though he could tell that it probably wasn’t pleasant given Sero’s and Todoroki’s facial expressions. 

It was likely that Akutagawa was stalling for time. At this point, it was clear that it’s a battle of endurance. Under normal circumstances, the mafioso would usually win, but considering the frozen state of the room and Kaminari’s shivering figure, it would be a tough one.

He couldn’t help but worry, remembering the lung disease the mafioso mentioned having. Sure, Rashomon devoured the space in front of him so technically the cold couldn’t reach him, but that only applied to his front side. The cold could still seep into him from other directions.

It probably wasn’t the best for him to be exposed to such conditions without proper clothes. If he could use Demonic Armor, even for just a while, that would be enough but for that to happen, he’d have to wait for Todoroki to exhaust himself first. Only then, he could let his guard down to do the switch.

Judging by the boy’s shivering figure, it was safe to conclude that he was also reaching his limit.

That had gotten Atsushi to think.

(Why would someone be so heavily disadvantaged by their own quirk? Unless, he wasn’t using it to its full potential. Could his half-red half-white hair be an indication of what his quirk actually was? White for ice and red for perhaps, fire ?)

“How many minutes do they have left?” Atsushi asked Midoriya, anxiety increasing the longer the match went on.

“A minute, maybe two. Why?”

Atsushi shook his head, telling Midoriya that it was nothing, but he could tell that the boy didn’t really believe him. 

It was fine, though. Akutagawa would be able to last that long. He trusted him and his capabilities. He’d definitely figure something out if he needed to.

True to Atsushi’s thoughts, he could see Rashomon grow smaller by the second, opting to cover Akutagawa up bit by bit. The space that it devoured began to decrease marginally, though it wasn’t obvious to people who don’t have, well, tiger vision. Todoroki definitely hadn’t noticed it. Akutagawa just had to tough it out a few seconds more.

Atsushi then had another thought.

(Why didn’t the mafioso just apprehend Todoroki and Sero from the start? Surely he’d thought of it. There’s no way he didn’t. It’s not like him to prolong things like this.)

“He’s going easy on them. He could have ended the match the second Todoroki and Sero entered the room,” Atsushi commented.

“What do you mean by that, young Nakajima?” All Might asked, turning to look at him.

He could also feel the weight of Aizawa’s stare on him.

“When dealing with… opponents … Akutagawa would immediately capture them using Rashomon if he could. He works best as a medium to long-ranged fighter, so he tries to finish his opponents at that distance. He’s not one to prolong things.”

The occupants of the room looked at him with varying degrees of shock and confusion, with the exception of Midoriya who knew just how experienced they were when it came to combat.

“Why do you know this, Problem Child?” Aizawa muttered, increasingly distressed.

“We’ve… fought. Against and alongside each other.”

Atsushi left it at that.

He could tell that his answer probably caused them to be more curious, but he was going to pretend to be ignorant. There was no need to go into depth about their actual lives. People who were born into a society that was very black and white couldn’t possibly understand the morally grey, or the circumstances surrounding their society. 

The timer sounded, breaking the awkward silence and signalling the end of the match.

Atsushi wasn’t surprised to hear that Akutagawa’s team was declared the winner. He knew that Todoroki wasn’t going to beat the mafioso with only half his strength. Not only did Akutagawa have years of experience, he was also merciless. Usually. 

(Why did he go easy on the kid? Was that him showing mercy? But why? )

Atsushi was, however, a bit shocked to see the condition the man was in.

Akutagawa was coughing continuously, though he waved it off when Kaminari and Sero asked if he was alright. He then walked away from the scene, presumably to go back to the place they were gathered at, his steps looking a bit wobbly. Soon enough, he got out of the camera’s range and out of Atsushi’s sight.

The second he entered the room, Atsushi immediately went to his side, swearing as he saw up close the condition he was in.

“You could have just finished it off in one go! Why didn’t you? You told me to take care of myself but you go around doing the exact opposite,” He fussed, hitting him on the shoulder when the man rolled his eyes.

“I’ll live, jinko. This is nothing.”

Atsushi frowned at that.

“Compared to everything we’ve been through, yes, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer . It’s okay to live life without experiencing pain, you know?”

Akutagawa laughed mockingly at that.

“You should tell that to yourself. I wasn’t the one who went around, getting my leg chopped off every once in a while.”

“It was only two times! And don’t make it sound like I wanted it to happen. Besides, you were the one who tossed it back at me and told me to heal faster!”

“We didn’t really have the luxury to wait now did we?”

“Okay, that’s true. You were bleeding heavily... I still can’t believe he stabbed you that many times and we still managed to escape.”

“I honestly thought that was it for me.”

“You always think that.”

“We’re always in those situations.”

“True, but-“

Atsushi was interrupted by the sound of Aizawa sighing his longest sigh ever.

“We’re going to have to talk about this once the school day ends,” He said, shaking his head before leaving the class immediately.

They exchanged looks, confused but not really refusing. They were just about to continue where they left off when it finally dawned upon them just how grave of a mistake they’d made.

They had their conversation when the whole class was paying attention to them. They heard all of that.

To say that they looked scared was an understatement. They looked absolutely horrified.

“It’s… for a school play?” Atsushi offered, though he could tell no one bought it.

The class looked at them as if they were aliens from a different planet, which… may not actually be too far from the truth. Technically. They weren’t supposed to know that though.

“Young Akutagawa, young Nakajima. Are they true?” All Might asked.

He could either play it off as a terrible joke, or admit to parts of his tragic backstory in front of impressionable children and a slightly naive adult to boot. He may have killed someone in self defense, but he wasn’t about to kill any dreams or warped perceptions of reality here. 

Atsushi took a deep breath.

“It’s in the past,” Akutagawa answered instead, indirectly agreeing to all their claims.

Iida looked like he was about to pass out.

“You’re only 15. How…?” Their teacher trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence.

“Rough childhood,” Akutagawa said sharply, signalling to everyone that he no longer wanted to continue the conversation.

His plans to do some damage control went down the drain. There was no way he could concoct a cover up considering that it was pretty much confirmed.

What would their classmates think of them now? He knew that Midoriya would never judge them, but he would definitely be worried that’s for sure. The others… Well… 

(They… wouldn’t pity them, would they? That’s the last thing either of them wanted.)

Atsushi accidentally made eye contact with Todoroki, who looked much better than he did during the previous match. The boy’s eyes widened for a split second, though there was a look of understanding. As if he knew just what kind of horrors they’d been through.

He looked away after a few seconds, but Atsushi could tell that that wouldn’t be the last time they interacted.

The next few matches passed by in a blur and before long, it was time for their more normal classes. 

To everyone but Atsushi and Akutagawa, they were infinitely harder than their physical subjects. Somehow, they’d managed to get by. Aizawa must have told their teachers about their lack of formal education, so their teachers gave them extra resources for them to study and catch up on. It was easily thrice the workload their classmates received.

It was nice of Aizawa, really, but they could do without more homework.

Atsushi didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. Akutagawa, on the other hand, looked like he would rather face off Fitzgerald again, compared to learning more Algebra.

(He was totally valid, though.)

Bakugou joined the class again somewhere between Quirk Theory and Ethics in Heroics. He glared at anyone who dared to even look at him and continued with his lessons as if nothing happened. 

The rest of the school day went by in a blur and soon, it was time for their second talk with Aizawa.

They didn’t really discuss much and Aizawa didn’t pry when neither of them wanted to elaborate. In fact, they didn’t really talk about their past. The teacher had just referred them to Hound Dog, again, if they really needed help.

“You said that it was in the past and that it doesn’t bother you anymore, but you never know. I’m leaving the decision in your hands for now, seeing that there’s no evidence of it actually hindering your daily life but if I see that it starts affecting you, I’ll make it compulsory.”

Initially, they had wanted to object the proposal but one glare from Aizawa was enough for them to reluctantly accept it instead. They then spent the rest of the time making small talk with the man, with him wanting to find out if he could help them in any other way. Not in terms of the trauma, but in terms of adulting, such as how to use coin laundry or how to open up a bank account.

Aizawa treated them as if they were teenagers who were forced to grow up quickly and in a sense, he was right. Though, in their universe, they had already grown up into adults.

It was... strange.

After they've established what sort of help they would need which extended beyond academics, they exchanged numbers and were then dismissed.

Atsushi left UA feeling very… out of his depth.

There was this complete stranger, who was also an adult, who actually cared about his well being without expecting anything in return. Someone who wanted to help him because it was the right thing to do. Especially when it wasn’t really that big of a deal. He was safe now and he knew how to take care of himself. 

It was really, really weird.

He couldn’t quite figure out just how things would play out from here on. Their societies were too different. Hopefully, he and Akutagawa could gain more insight during their time here in UA.

They had to, if they wanted to the fundamental questions(?) problems(?) (what were they even supposed to do?!) of this universe and return back to their own.

Chapter Text

A week passed by just like that.

It was pretty uneventful for Atsushi’s standards. He and Akutagawa went to classes, learned how to fight and control their quirks and learned the theory side of things. They then went back and did the unethical amount of homework they were assigned and by the time they were finished, they were too tired to do anything else.

Apart from the academics aspect of it, socialising was also quite difficult. Putting different universes aside, they were also different in age. 

Sure, Atsushi and Akutagawa might look like they’re 15, but that’s all there was to it. They had their memories with them, two whole decades worth of it. It made it hard for them to relate with the teenagers these days. The way they view things was just too different, despite the minimal age gap.

It also didn’t help that the teenagers that they did interact with back in their own universe, was about as normal as they were, which…. wasn’t normal at all.

(Atsushi was reminded of Kenji, who had the neighbourhood gangs cowering in fear whenever he walked by. He was also reminded of Kyouka, who had once taught him the different ways he could stab someone, without getting blood on him. 

They truly were something else.)

Their classmates often spoke of pop culture and, well, considering that they were from 200 years in the past, what they knew of pop culture would probably be considered classic literature.

One particular incident really highlighted it.

“So, what kind of shows do you like to watch?” Kirishima asked over break one time.

Atsushi hummed, deep in thought.

“I didn’t get to see much when I was growing up, but one of the most recent shows I enjoyed was Haikyuu,” He answered.

He was met with Kirishima’s confused expression.

“Dude, isn’t that ancient?” Sero chimed in, walking over to his table.

“Atsushi can watch whatever he likes. It doesn’t matter if it’s 20 years old or even 200 years old!” Kaminari exclaimed, slinging an arm around his shoulder.

Atsushi laughed, embarrassed.

(Right. 200 year gap.)

And that wasn't even the half of it.

It seemed as if their classmates were talking in a whole different language sometimes, with all the slang and the Internet jokes. They had to rely on Midoriya for translations or contextual explanations, and that made it hard for them to join in on the conversation at times. Granted, it’s not as if their classmates spoke like that all the time, but it still created a small, invisible divide between them.

(Fortunately, they weren’t the only ones lost in translation. Sometimes, Atsushi caught sight of Todoroki eavesdropping on Midoriya’s explanations.

Why would the boy be as out of loop as they were? As if he, too, were kept away from entertainment?)

Atsushi didn’t have time to ponder on that longer, though, because their breaks weren’t long and their classes went on for hours. As he said before, even when they had free time, they spent it doing homework instead.

Who knew going to school could be mentally and physically exhausting? A day at the Agency was less taxing than whatever UA had going on.

Atsushi assumed that today wasn’t going to be any different. Another full day of classes where he internally cursed the Ability user who sent them to slave away in high school and to awkwardly laugh at jokes he couldn’t even begin to understand. 

(Really, what the hell was a sheesh ?)

Surprisingly, that wasn’t the case.

Class 1-A was going to go on a field trip to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint (USJ for short) for a rescue simulation. 

“I wonder how realistic it would be,” Atsushi said, contemplative.

Midoriya started mumbling beside him, thinking of all the alternative situations they could be put in. He could see Bakugou glaring at the green haired boy, but he didn’t say anything once he made eye contact with Atsushi.

It seemed as if the blonde was avoiding him after what happened in their first match. Maybe he felt guilty for the injury he caused, though Atsushi healed just fine afterwards. He didn’t really mind, to be honest. As Akutagawa said, it wasn’t the worst thing they’ve experienced. The only thing he felt iffy about was the fact that he wasn’t sure if the blonde would feel the same amount of guilt if it hit his intended target.

He hadn’t really confronted Midoriya about his supposed friendship with Bakugou and the boy didn’t seem like he was going to open up anytime soon. He was going to pull a leaf from Aizawa’s book and stay out of it as long as it didn’t affect the boy.

“Have you guys done anything rescue related?” Kaminari asked, walking behind him and Akutagawa as they made their way to the bus.

Atsushi stifled a laugh when Akutagawa stopped in his tracks, shocked.

“Maybe once or twice,” The mafioso answered carefully, knowing full well that most rescue missions involving him, required rescuing from him.

They entered the bus without much hassle and soon, they were on the way.

Atsushi listened in on his classmates’ conversation, contributing once or twice whenever they asked him any questions. He was glad that they didn’t really treat him or Akutagawa differently after finding out a bit about their past. They pretended that the whole conversation never happened and for that, he was grateful. 

He couldn’t say the same for All Might, who looked as if he was walking on eggshells every time he conversed with either of them. It was quite hilarious, if he was being honest.

Speaking of All Might.

“Don’t you guys think that Midoriya’s quirk is similar to All Might’s?” Kirishima asked, looking around the bus for people who thought similarly.

He caught sight of Todoroki nodding contemplatively, looking as if he was thinking deeply about the issue. It was rare to see the boy actually participating in a conversation, so it was a welcome sight. 

He kind of felt proud of the development for some weird reason. It’s not like he was close to Todoroki or anything. They’ve never even conversed with each other.

“Huh,” He heard Akutagawa say beside him, breaking him from his thoughts.

He turned to look at the mafioso who was also in deep thought. Atsushi didn’t really think it was that big of a deal so why was the mafioso so invested?

He filed the action away for later because soon enough, they arrived at USJ. They piled out of the bus and into the building, amazed.

The outside looked impressive enough but when Atsushi stepped foot into the building, he let out a gasp.

There were various disaster sites recreated, from floods to earthquakes. It was very realistic, with the way the buildings barely stood after a rough earthquake or how unstable the land was after a landslide. It must’ve cost UA a fortune to be able to replicate the events in such detail.

Once they settled down, a rescue hero called Thirteen gave them a riveting speech about how quirks could be dangerous but it all depended on how one used and controlled them.

It was truly inspirational. It got him and his classmates feeling excited and quite literally, ready to save the day.

They were about to be assigned to their respective disaster sites, when a dark purple fog appeared in the middle of the building. A man, wearing fake hands all over his face emerged, leading a group of what appeared to be villains out of the fog. 

Atsushi’s instincts kicked in. He immediately jumped after Aizawa who went to fight the villains on his own. He transformed his hands and legs midair, kicking the first villain he saw as soon as he landed.

“It’s not my first villain fight so let me help,” Atsushi shouted as he punched another villain, sensing Aizawa’s reluctance.

The man couldn’t argue with that so they teamed up to take down as many villains as they could. Aizawa would catch them off guard by disabling their quirks and Atsushi would knock them out with his enhanced speed and strength. 

They made a good team, but they had their limits. Aizawa’s quirk wore off when he blinked, and so during that split second, the purple fog villain teleported away.

He could only hope that Akutagawa wouldn’t hurt him too much. It wouldn’t be heroic otherwise.

-

As the weretiger was busy fighting off the villains with Aizawa, Ryuunosuke had to deal with this lowtime villain who wouldn’t even make it into the lower ranks of the Port Mafia.

It was insulting that this was his opponent.

The villain was mostly made of fog, but he had a metal collar which seemed to be protecting his most vulnerable parts. Not only did he just inform the world of his weak points, he also did not have adequate measures in place to protect it.

“In order to have All Might, the Symbol of Peace, take his last breath…. Well, that is neither here nor there.”

(Even his monologue was pathetic. Was this the best he could do?)

“Stand back and do not get in my way,” The mafioso growled, glaring at Bakugou who looked ready to fight.

“You can’t tell me what to do,” The blonde replied, firing up his gauntlets.

Ryuunosuke rolled his eyes as he summoned Rashomon, which was already buried deep underground while the villain was monologuing. It emerged to the surface with the snap of his fingers, immediately restraining the villain by his metal collar.

“Those who seek death have an equal desire to die,” He said as he approached the struggling villain, Rashomon tightening painfully.

He stopped short a few metres before him, smirking as he leaned forward and said his next words.

“Shall I help you with that?” 

He laughed as he backed away, turning to face his classmates who were still frozen in shock. Even Bakugou’s gauntlets had died down in the midst of it all. 

The hero, Thirteen, seemed to finally come to their senses and hurriedly gathered the students to make their escape. Ryuunosuke stayed close to the villain as he watched the students try to pry open the door under the guidance of their teacher.

The villain was still struggling uselessly against his hold, annoying the hell out of him. It prompted him to knock him out cold, just so that he would stop moving so much. He could see Thirteen eying him warily for a split second before focusing on their task to get the students back to safety.

Within a few minutes, the door managed to be opened. Thirteen had assigned Iida and Yaoyorozu, the class representatives, to call for help. 

Considering that communications were jammed, they would have to go further out before Yaoyorozu could create a telecommunication device that wouldn’t be affected by the botched radio waves. That would take around 10 minutes so that meant it would take even longer for help to arrive.

Not that they needed it.

“He’s unconscious. Try to find something to keep him restrained, preferably around the metal collar. I’ll go and help the others,” Ryuunosuke advised Thirteen as he withdrew Rashomon.

“I can’t let you go. You’re a student and these are actual villains. It’s not safe,” They said, approaching the villain to apprehend him.

“Sensei. I’ve been fighting villains since I was a child. This is nothing,” He said sardonically, ignoring their attempt to stop him and running towards the direction jinko went.

Hopefully, they saved some for him.

-

“Villains are coming from all directions. My guess is that they were dispersed throughout this whole space, and they’ve either dealt with the students or Akutagawa managed to stop Purple Fog Guy from dispersing the students. My bet’s on the latter,” Atsushi theorised conversationally, dodging a punch.

“How sure are you?” Aizawa replied, kicking a villain in the face and punching another right after.

Atsushi paused to think, leg automatically aiming at a villain’s gut, hitting him square.

“Probably 95%.”

Aizawa stumbled a bit at that but quickly regained his composure as he disabled some Quirks. They fought in silence, with the occasional groans and grunts heard from the villains.

It wasn’t really that hard to fight them off. They were most likely low level villains who were promised a quick buck if they could go and rough up some kids. Nothing life threatening, except for maybe the Hand Villain who was just standing there doing nothing. Beside him stood a huge creature with it’s brains exposed, also doing nothing.

“God, that’s so creepy,” He muttered as he jumped up and delivered one final blow to the three villains who tried to ambush him.

In the distance, he could hear the tell-tale sign of Rashomon being activated, followed by a series of pained groans.

“He’s still alive, right?” Atsushi said as he approached Akutagawa, tilting his head to the side to make way for Rashomon shooting pass and knocking out another villain right behind him.

“Unfortunately,” The mafioso lamented, directing Rashomon to apprehend five other villains and knocking them together.

“You Problem Children are way too blasé about this,” Aizawa commented as he finished off the last villain standing.

They shrugged in response, turning their attention to the Hand Villain who was muttering angrily.

“Fucking cheaters, not playing by the rules. It’s a fucking glitch. A cheat!”

Right… Atsushi’s not going to try to comprehend what was going through the man’s mind.

It seemed as if Akutagawa wasn’t going to do the same either. The man had immediately summoned Rashomon and used it to wrap around Hand Villain’s torso within a split second, restricting his movements. That jostled the man out of his angry ramblings, causing him to go into a full-blown rage.

He struggled against Rashomon’s hold violently, thrashing around and screaming his head off. Akutagawa, on the other hand, looked at him indifferently.

Aizawa sighed, muttering something about Problem Children yet again, while Atsushi eyed the thing beside him, wary.

“Noumu! Get him!” He shouted at the end of his rant, mobilising the grotesque creature beside him.

The Noumu immediately made it’s way towards Akutagawa, causing the mafioso to release Hand Villain in an attempt to escape. He used Rashomon to propel him a few metres backwards, but the Noumu was insanely fast .

“I’ll deal with this guy, you go and help Akutagawa,” Aizawa said as he glared at Hand Villain, disabling his Quirk which turned out to be the ability to disintegrate everything his hand touches into dust.

Atsushi didn’t need to be told twice. He immediately leaped into action and chased after the two. He could see the wounds Rashomon inflicted on the Noumu heal almost instantaneously, which couldn’t be good.

It was like the fight with Ivan Goncharov all over again.

Atsushi ran as fast as he could before jumping high up into the air and landing squarely on top of the thing. He groaned in disgust as he made contact with the exposed brain, scrunching up his face. He took a deep breath and slashed it open, only to see it heal seconds afterwards.

Beast Beneath The Moonlight wasn’t enough. 

“We need to combine our Abilities!” Atsushi shouted as he held onto the Noumu for dear life, almost thrown aside when it punched Akutagawa’s shield with all of it’s strength.

“Get behind my shield and take us as far away as you can. I’ll need a few seconds to make the switch,” The mafioso replied, grunting as his shield was hit at full force once again.

Atsushi nodded. He then placed both his feet on the Noumu’s shoulders and kicked off as hard as he could, landing right behind Akutagawa. He knew that the Noumo probably staggered a bit but it wasn’t enough. He immediately wrapped his hands around Akutagawa carried him bridal-style, running as fast as he could to secure enough distance.

The mafioso immediately brought down his shield and handed Rashomon over to Atsushi. In the few seconds it took for the transfer to be complete, he could see the Noumu standing up and making it’s way towards them. 

“Go!” Akutagawa exclaimed once Rashomon was fully handed over, jumping out of his hands.

Atsushi wasted no time, immediately tearing a hole through space and concealing himself from the Noumu’s vision. He had to work fast because doing so meant exposing a Rashomon-less Akutagawa to the Walmart version of All Might.

He jumped and landed on it’s shoulders once more, horribly acquainted with the view of the exposed brain. He extended his claws and infused it with Rashomon, lifting his hand high up into the air before slashing down on it viciously.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, the Noumu stopped suddenly before falling to the ground seconds later. Atsushi, who was still on it’s shoulders when it happened, fell along with it.

“Oof,” He groaned as he disentangled himself from the creature.

Akutagawa approached him, extending his hand to help Atsushi up. The younger took it graciously, using his hand to hoist himself up unceremoniously. The mafioso grunted, but said nothing else.

“It’s dead,” Akutagawa said as he kicked the unmoving Noumu.

Atsushi nodded in response, feeling too nauseous to do anything more as his thoughts caught up with his actions.

He killed the Noumu. A living creature. 

“It was either it or me, jinko. Besides, the thing was more animal than it was human. Think of it as killing a pest, like a cockroach or a rat,” Akutagawa had said in an attempt to comfort him.

He wasn’t quite sure it worked completely but he did feel a bit better.

They made their way back to Aizawa, who had apprehended the Hand Villain using his capture weapon.

“Everything’s sorted out, then,” He said in lieu of a greeting, though Atsushi could see him scanning the both of them for any injuries.

“I killed it,” Atsushi said instead, watching the way the Hand Villain looked up at him in shock and rage.

The villain let out a stream of curses, thrashing around in a sad attempt to break free and perhaps disintegrate Atsushi into dust.

“This is how corrupt the hero society is! They let a murderer in just because he had a flashy quirk! He-“

Whatever Hand Villain wanted to say, was cut short when Akutagawa punched him unconscious.

The silence was deafening.

“Sensei, jin- Atsushi isn’t a murderer. That creature was a beast, and it was an act of self-defense. Had he not done that, I would’ve been dead. It was impossible to restrain or physically incapacitate it. It was his only option. If he were to be punished for it, punish me as well as I wasn’t competent enough to avoid this outcome,” Akutagawa spoke up on his behalf.

Hearing his given name slip out of the mafioso’s mouth shocked him more than the fact that Akutagawa was defending him, which was already shocking enough.

He looked at the man who was adamantly not looking at him, opting to stare at the top of their teacher’s head instead. He couldn’t believe that the other did that for his sake. He knew that Akutagawa didn’t believe in excuses or explanations. He only believed in results, so to see him being the one to dish them out for Atsushi, to be willing to take the fall with him… 

It’s making him feel things.

Aizawa sighed before making his way towards them, shaking his head. He didn’t make any indication as to whether he approved or disapproved of their actions, making Atsushi’s heartbeat pick up the nearer the man was. He didn’t know Aizawa that well so he couldn’t predict what the man would do.

By the time the teacher was an arm’s length away, Atsushi had worked himself up to the point where his Ability had accidentally been activated. He willed it away once he realised it, closing his eyes and bracing himself for any repercussion that would surely come his way.

It never did.

He slowly opened his eyes, surprised to see the look on Aizawa’s face.

There was no anger, no hatred. In fact, it looked kind. Understanding. As if he didn’t fault Atsushi for what he did.

He looked at Akutagawa for help, though the mafioso also looked as unsure as he did. He turned his gaze back to their teacher, confused and slightly anxious.

“You’re not in trouble. Both of you. I gave you the permission to fight because I trust your ability to discern the situation and take whatever action you deemed was best. I’m sorry that you had to do what you did but I’m proud of you for making that choice to save your friend. Both of you fought hard and you fought well and because of that, we managed to escape the situation relatively unscathed. I would never punish you for that.”

The complete and utter shock Atsushi felt when he heard those words was indescribable. He had never been praised before, especially for doing something that was a given. 

(Wasn’t it his job to save lives? Why would he be praised for it?)

He was so shocked, he barely registered the sound of commotion coming from outside, indicating that help had arrived. The heroes filed in, ready to save the day only to see no small amount of villains tied up or lying around.

They looked around, confused.

“I would make sure the fog villain was properly apprehended, if I were you. He can teleport himself and others away. It would be a bitch if he managed to escape,” Akutagawa stated once he recovered from his shock.

Atsushi could only dream to be that efficient. Maybe he should ask the mafioso for tips on compartmentalising. 

“Right…” One of their teachers, Midnight, replied awkwardly.

Aizawa ushered them out of the building, where they gave statements to the police regarding their version of things. They were then redirected to the paramedics so that their injuries could be treated, not that Atsushi needed it.

Akutagawa needed a little bit of patching up but it wasn’t that serious. He had only gotten injured when he initially faced off the Noumu.

By the time they were finished, it was already dark.

They made their way back on foot, despite Present Mic’s insistence to drive them back home. The hero had mentioned something about trauma and safety but one glare from a tired Akutagawa had stopped the hero short.

“We’re fine . This isn’t anything new,” The mafioso said through gritted teeth, annoyed.

Present Mic was about to refute, when Aizawa came to their aid much to everyone’s surprise.

“They’ll be fine, Hizashi. They probably need some air and some space. They can handle themselves.”

The rest was pretty much history.

UA wasn’t really that far from their place, which further solidified Atsushi’s theory that the school was the place to be. They hadn’t really made much progress on cracking “the fundamental questions of the universe”, though they did suspect that the USJ incident had something to do with it.

Atsushi had heard from one of the teachers that the attack was unprecedented . That had to mean something, right?

Even if it did, he wasn’t about to piece things together that night. He had far more pressing matters to think of, mainly the ethical dilemma surrounding his previous action. 

Although Aizawa and Akutagawa had assured him that it was the right thing to do, he couldn’t quite believe it fully. Technically, he had done the same towards Shibusawa, so why was this different?

Why was he so bothered when the Noumu wasn’t even human in the first place?

(Or maybe, deep down, Atsushi knew it was. A human experiment gone wrong, turning that once-living person into the monster known as Noumu.

Even if that’s the case, it wasn’t that different from Shibusawa. So why ?)

“Would you like to get something to eat?” Akutagawa asked, stopping his spiralling thoughts.

Atsushi looked at the mafioso, suspicious. The man wasn’t the type to eat dinner so the fact that he made such a suggestion was too out of the ordinary.

“Is that your way of distracting me from my thoughts?” Atsushi asked after a while, following the man anyway as he led them to a ramen house that was still open.

“Perhaps.”

He left it at that.

Throughout dinner, they made small talk. They didn’t discuss the USJ incident, nor did they talk about the Ability that had brought them to this universe. Instead, they focused on the more mundane aspects of life. Something more simple.

“Will they give me detention if I don’t hand in my homework?” Akutagawa asked, serious.

Atsushi stopped his chewing to think about the question, equally as serious.

“Should we ask Aizawa sensei?”

They immediately texted the man, talking about other topics while they waited.

By the time the teacher responded, they had already finished their meal, paid for it, and made their way back home. 

(The answer was no, which was good. He wasn't in the mood to do any calculus.)

The short detour helped Atsushi take his mind off of things, even if it was temporary. He would probably still have trouble sleeping for nights to come, but the gesture was appreciated. He was grateful that the mafioso had even tried in the first place and resolved to repay his kindness whenever he could. 

With those thoughts in mind, he bid Akutagawa a good night before entering his own room for the night.

He'll just... try to sleep things off and hope for the best.

-

Atsushi was suffocating.

He tried to take a deep breath but there was something heavy sitting on his chest, preventing him from doing so. He struggled to open his eyes, to no avail.

His hands blindly reached out, desperate to grab anything that could ground him to reality. He gasped when his hand hit something, feeling moist and squishy.

His eyes flew open.

Right in front of his face, was the Noumu’s exposed brain. The same one he had cut open, judging by the gash in the middle of it.

He tried to scream, but no sound came out.

The Noumu turned it’s head, as if it could sense that Atsushi was looking right at it. When he finally got a good look of it’s face, it morphed into something familiar. Someone that he’d seen before.

It was Shibusawa.

Suddenly, he was back in the orphanage, strapped to a chair as the man played around with the controls on his machine.

He knew what was going to happen next.

He screamed, begging for the man to stop. If he didn’t turn the voltage on, Atsushi wouldn’t have had to rely on Byakko to save him.

Shibusawa would still be alive.

He could see the man checking the wires, paying no attention to the warnings Atsushi gave. The warnings that would ultimately save his life. 

Once everything was in place, he looked at him, smiling maniacally. His finger hovered over the button that would end it all, inching closer and closer until —

“Atsushi, wake up.”

Huh.

He felt the sensation of someone lightly patting his cheek. But that was impossible. There was no else in the room besides him, Shibusawa and the Noumu — where did the Noumu go?

He could feel himself being gently shaken by the shoulders, causing the images to mix together until it eventually went dark. The last thing he registered was the sound of his name being whispered softly.

“Atsushi.”

His eyes shot open.

It took a while for his vision to adjust but when it did, he could make out the image of Akutagawa sitting on his bed. The man was leaning forward and looking at him worriedly, hands still on his shoulders even though he was already awake.

(Why was he here? What happened? Was it… a nightmare? Did he wake the man up because of that?)

“What…?”

“I heard you screaming. I thought it was an intruder so I came to check,” Akutagawa explained, though there was something soft in the way he said things.

As if he was dealing with a scared and wounded animal and he didn’t want to scare it away.

“Sorry—“ Atsushi began, sitting up, though he was quickly silenced by the hands that slightly tightened their grip on his shoulders.

“It’s no problem. We all have them sometimes.”

Once Atsushi was fully seated, the mafioso dropped his hands and placed them by his side. Atsushi could only stare at them, too embarrassed to look the man in the face.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked after a few seconds of silence.

Atsushi paused, not really knowing how to proceed.

“It’s stupid,” He settled on that, looking down at his hands as he fidgeted with them.

Akutagawa sighed, causing Atsushi to look up at him. The mafioso then nodded his head once, before moving to grab Atsushi’s hands and holding them in his.

“No, it’s not. If you’re bothered by it, you’re bothered by it. It’s as simple as that.”

He looked at the older for any signs of deceit, only to see him smile reassuringly, sincere in his words. Atsushi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, in an attempt to gather his thoughts.

“It started off with me not being able to breathe,” He recounted.

As soon as he started talking, it was as if the dam had been broken and the words just flew out of his mouth. He told the other about the Noumu, Shibusawa, and what exactly happened at the orphanage. He told him of the experiments Shibusawa did on him, how he had accidentally killed the man, and how his life took a turn for the worst once he did. How the Headmaster had treated him afterwards. How much of a living hell it was, to be alive. To survive.

Throughout it all, Akutagawa listened silently, holding his hands and rubbing circles on them with his thumb comfortingly. The man nodded his head at certain parts and frowned at others, indicating that he was there and he was listening. He offered a comment or two when the situation called for it, like when Atsushi asked if he was evil for killing Shibusawa (he wasn’t) or if it was messed up if he couldn’t fully hate the Headmaster after all he’d done (it wasn’t).

It went on for more than an hour. By the time Atsushi was done, he was blowing his nose and wiping away his tears, overwhelmed by his emotions. Akutagawa, on the other hand, looked like he was about to start killing again, starting with the already dead Headmaster.

“You can’t kill a ghost, Akutagawa,” Atsushi joked, though he could tell it fell flat by the look on the man's face.

“Watch me,” He said, frown deepening as he recalled the things Atsushi had mentioned.

They sat together in silence, with Atsushi’s hand still in his. Now that he wasn’t busy having a breakdown, he could feel a blush steadily creeping up on his cheeks. He was glad that it was dark and the mafioso couldn’t see him. He’d count that as a win.

“You’re the strongest person I know, Atsushi. Not many can go through what you’ve been through and still have the resolve to live in the Light. You might be foolish at times, but this isn’t one of those times. You’re strong and brave and kind. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Akutagawa looked at him straight in the eyes as he said those words, thumbs still absentmindedly caressing Atsushi’s hands.

“Um,” Was the only thing he could manage.

The mafioso looked a bit confused at that but accepted it nevertheless. He nodded his head once, before retracting his hands and standing up.

“I’ll be on m—“

Atsushi immediately seized his wrist, stopping him mid-sentence.

“Stay.”

He looked up and met Akutagawa’s surprised eyes, unyielding. The man searched Atsushi’s face for a second, relenting soon enough afterwards.

“Just for this night.”

Atsushi moved aside, patting the now empty space beside him. Akutagawa looked at him, increasingly shocked and confused.

“I made you stay, I’m not going to let you take the floor. Besides, it’s only for tonight,” He argued, rolling his eyes when the mafioso still stood there frozen.

He lightly pulled on the hand he was still holding onto, guiding the man towards him. He obediently complied, as if all his systems had shut down and he was moving on auto-pilot, much to Atsushi’s amusement.

He ignored his thundering heartbeat when the man finally joined him under the covers. He cleared his throat as he passed an extra pillow, averting his gaze when the mafioso accepted it and placed it next to his.

They laid down. Atsushi turned to face the right while Akutagawa turned to face the left, their backs to each other. They bid each other a good night for the second time that night and tried to drift off into a peaceful slumber.

With all the emotional turmoil Atsushi went through, he was already on the verge of knocking out a few seconds afterwards. His eyelids drooped and his breathing evened out, his mind slipping into unconsciousness yet again.

“Sweet dreams, Atsushi.”

Chapter Text

They went to school a few days after the incident.

Nothing much changed, really, except for the large interest their class had garnered among the school students. 

People looked at them wherever they went, whispering amongst themselves of ridiculous and downright outrageous rumours. Atsushi wasn’t even sure how it spread. 

The rumour was simple. There was a traitor amongst their midst.

How did they reach that conclusion? It was anyone’s guess, really. Though, it might have something to do with the fact that Shigaraki (Hand Villain) and Kurogiri (Purple Fog Guy) had managed to escape custody.

(That… did seem kind of suspicious considering the amount of heroes that were guarding them. Maybe it wasn’t that much of a stretch.)

Anyway.

That rumour wasn’t the only thing that had been spreading. Apparently, it was now common news, the fact that Atsushi and Akutagawa had helped Eraserhead (apparently, that was Aizawa’s hero name) take down all of the villains without any casualties. 

It was true, but that didn’t mean he wanted it to be known.

Students had been looking him up and down whenever he entered the vicinity. Some looked on in awe, some in envy. Hell, there were even some who looked at him with a mixture of the two, looking constipated at best.

Atsushi didn’t know how to react. It was only 8 a.m.

Akutagawa wasn’t doing much better. The mafioso absolutely loathed the extra attention that was on him, opting to glare at every single soul that even dared to turn his way. It had gotten so bad, the mafioso ended up summoning Rashomon to get them to back off.

As expected, some screams were heard, though Atsushi wasn’t quite sure if it was purely due to fear. Apparently, the brooding, emo vibe the mafioso had going on was… attractive to some people.

(They’re right.)

Once they entered the classroom after a lot of glaring on Akutagawa’s part, the class erupted into cheers.

“If it isn’t the Deadly Duo!” Uraraka exclaimed, laughing as Akutagawa’s frown deepened.

The Deadly Duo. That was the nickname the school had bestowed upon them.

(If only they knew.)

“Right… No thanks,” Atsushi said as he made his way to his desk, surprised to see a pudding on top of it.

He looked around, expecting to see Kaminari’s signature grin directed his way. Once he met eyes with the younger, the boy grinned his megawatt smile and even went as far as to throw in a thumbs up into the mix. Atsushi laughed, accepting the gift.

“We’re going to do a sleepover one of these nights and you’re going to tell me everything about your quirks,” Midoriya said from in front of him.

Atsushi smiled while Akutagawa nodded his head.

After a while, Aizawa strolled into class with a steaming cup of coffee in hand. The man looked even more tired than he did when they first met, causing Atsushi to believe that that wasn’t his first cup of coffee.

Their teacher took a long sip before putting his cup down.

“For homeroom today, we’ll be talking about the Sports Festival.”

The Sports Festival.

Apparently, it was a sports event that was even bigger than the Olympics. They’ll be competing against each other and students from other courses, in a series of selected events. There will be three rounds, and the final round will usually be a one-on-one fight.

It was the perfect time for them to show their talents and attract the attention of hero agencies for their internship. The further one progresses, the higher the probability of getting scouted by a good hero agency.

Not that it mattered to Atsushi, much less Akutagawa.

“It looks like we’ll be fighting against each other, jinko. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Akutagawa said once Aizawa finished his briefings.

Of course he would be excited for that.

Atsushi rolled his eyes playfully, nodding along. His eyes caught sight of the corners of the man’s lips turning upwards, before evolving into a smile.

He could feel his heartbeat accelerate at the sight.

(If Atsushi had to fight a million more matches just to see that smile again, he would do so immediately.

But why?)

“-sparring sessions?” Midoriya asked, breaking the trance he was in.

He shook his head to get rid of his thoughts, asking the boy to repeat his question, much to Akutagawa’s amusement. 

He had then found out that Midoriya was asking if they were going to resume their sparring sessions, which caught the attention of one Uraraka Ochaco.

“You guys are having sparring sessions? Let me join!” She practically announced to the whole class.

Soon enough, Atsushi and Akutagawa had made promises to accommodate not just Midoriya and Uraraka, but Iida, Kaminari, Kirishima, Sero and Ashido along. Surprisingly.

It was a weird mix of people but he wasn’t about to question it. What he was about to question, though, was the following.

“Aizawa sensei said that this would be the perfect opportunity for heroes to scout us, but wouldn’t it be the same for villains?” Atsushi voiced out as they made their way to the cafeteria for lunch, some time later.

Akutagawa hummed in thought while Midoriya mumbled away, forming several theories and conspiracies at once. When he looked behind him, he could see Iida open and close his mouth a few times and Uraraka standing still, deep in thought.

“I suppose. It is easily accessible to all, making it the best way to gather information on not only strengths, but weaknesses as well. Mori-san would never allow something like this,” Akutagawa concluded as they reached their designated lunch table.

They ignored the whispers that started up and the prompt declaration of wars in favour of Lunch Rush’s god-sent delicacies. 

Atsushi listened in as Midoriya and Iida debated on the pros and cons of televising the Sports Festival, even though he was the one who made it controversial.

Eventually, his thoughts started drifting towards the news he heard earlier that morning.

Shigaraki and Kurogiri attacked the USJ. They were apprehended but then managed to escape despite all odds. It was either they were more skilled than they let on, or the heroes were inefficient.

Judging by the tantrums Shigaraki threw when things didn’t go his way and the lacklustre monologue Kurogiri had dished (according to Akutagawa), the first option seemed unlikely. 

The second option could be feasible, but he doubted that all the heroes present were incapable of doing their job right. It... actually could have been an inside job.

Which brought him to his next point. Could it be something else entirely? Could they have someone more powerful backing them up and orchestrating everything behind the scenes?

He had a feeling that defeating them would be the key to going back to their own universe.

But how ?

“-always spaces out. Akutagawa, try calling him,” He heard Uraraka say, causing him to look up in confusion.

“Jinko, you-”

“Can’t you say his name instead? It’s always jinko this, jinko that. Why can’t it be Nakajima this, or even Atsushi that?” Uraraka teased, cackling as she saw the matching blushes adorning their faces.

Midoriya laughed along while Iida lectured Uraraka on the importance of boundaries and where to draw the line. 

The playful atmosphere continued on throughout lunch, putting them in high spirits for the rest of the day. 

This didn’t go unnoticed by Aizawa, who seemed to look a little less stressed for some reason. 

The man didn’t tell them off when they laughed in class, or when they joked around in simulations. Instead, he shook his head amusedly and turned the other way.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s your dad,” Sero commented as he fought against Atsushi during their one-on-one sparring session.

Atsushi laughed, dodging the boy’s blow by side-stepping to the left.

“I wish. He’s the nicest adult in my life, it’d be cool if we were actually related.”

They immersed themselves in the duel soon enough, completely missing the way their teacher had buried his face deep into his capture weapon, blushing.

It didn’t go unnoticed by Todoroki, who was looking back and forth between Atsushi, Aizawa and Akutagawa, no doubt formulating speculations of his own.

Speaking of Akutagawa.

“Your Quirk is similar to mine. Are you also a Dweller of Darkness?” Tokoyami asked as they traded blows, narrowly escaping Rashomon’s clutches.

The mafioso raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to proceed.

Their definition of darkness probably wasn’t the same but… he was nowhere near the Light. He could probably indulge the other a little.

“I suppose,” He replied, noticing the way Tokoyami brightened up a bit at that.

He then manoeuvred Rashomon in a way that had gotten Dark Shadow, who was trailing after it, to twist around itself, effectively rendering it unable to move.

Deciding that it was pointless to resist, Tokoyami bowed his head respectfully, acknowledging his defeat. Akutagawa bowed back, feeling some sort of camaraderie with the boy, which was a first for the mafioso.

Especially with inhabitants of this particular universe.

A few more rounds of sparring later and classes finally ended for the day.

They had a few days left before the weekend came, but Atsushi and Akutagawa found themselves looking forward to it. Not just because school’s out, but also because of the sparring session that they’ll conduct.

Hopefully, that would help bridge the gap between them and some of their classmates.

-

“It’s too early,” Akutagawa grumbled as he answered the door, letting half of his classmates into their shared apartment.

Atsushi laughed as he passed a cup of coffee to the man, opting to take over the welcoming of guests duty.

It was a Saturday morning, specifically the Saturday where they had agreed to help train their classmates for the upcoming Sports Festival. It was supposed to be a small gathering with only Midoriya, Iida, Uraraka, Kaminari, Kirishima, Sero and Ashido, but the invite had somehow been extended to Asui, Jiro, Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami.

It probably had something to do with Midoriya and his puppy eyes. It was way too powerful.

“You guys live together? Just the two of you?” Kirishima asked as he took off his shoes.

Atsushi nodded his head, catching sight of Kaminari frowning at the… shoe rack?

“Must be nice,” The blonde said, though there was a hint of bitterness in his tone.

(He must be imagining things. Kaminari was a sweet guy and there’s nothing to be bitter about… right?)

Once all the guests had entered, Atsushi closed the door behind him and made his way to the cramped living room. Midoriya, Iida and Uraraka had taken the couch while the rest sat on the floor. Akutagawa was leaning against the wall, hands crossed as he waited for Atsushi to take over.

The weretiger looked at him in amusement, clearing his throat.

“So… how do we do this?” He asked, looking at Midoriya who was flipping through his notebook.

He could hear Akutagawa snickering but he ignored it in favour of listening to Midoriya’s proposed plans. Or well, he tried to but the mafioso was really, really distracting these days.

He made his way to the man while everyone’s attention was on Midoriya, annoyed.

“Another sound and I’ll stop buying you your favourite coffee brand. I know you prefer tea but you need coffee to stay awake. You can only drink from that particular brand, right? Without it, you’ll suffer .”

Akutagawa stopped laughing at that but he still had a small smile on his face, which… wasn’t much better for his heart but an improvement nonetheless. 

(Really, what was up with him these past few days? The less hostile the mafioso was, the more the man occupied his thoughts! Shouldn’t it be the opposite?)

“You guys act like an old, married couple,” Asui said out of the blue, jostling Atsushi out of his thoughts.

He coughed loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. Akutagawa, who was still blushing beside him, sighed before using Rashomon to grab a glass of water from the kitchen. He then passed it to Atsushi who took it gratefully before chugging the whole thing down.

“Excuse me?” He managed after a solid three minutes of almost choking on his own spit.

“You’ve always acted more mature than us but it’s more obvious when you interact with each other. It feels like you’re way older than you actually are,” She pointed out, unaware of how close she was to the truth.

Atsushi made eye contact with Midoriya, who also knew how accurate she was, begging for him to save the day and divert the attention elsewhere. The boy nodded his head determinedly, before clapping his hands twice.

“Alright! I’ve worked out the pairs. You’ll be sparring with someone whose quirks will help bring out your potential.”

Midoriya really was a true hero.

Atsushi let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding once the group started chattering excitedly amongst themselves. 

“We don’t really act that old, do we? We’re only a few years older than them,” He whispered.

Akutagawa hummed in thought.

“We could always say we were forced to grow up early because of our past. It’s an uncomfortable topic, they won’t press for more details,” The mafioso whispered back.

Atsushi snorted at that, before agreeing goodnaturedly.

Before long, they had moved their little meeting to a park near their apartment. They were all split off into the pairs Midoriya had assigned them to, waiting patiently for the next step.

“You can’t rely on your quirk all the time. It’s merely a tool, a weapon and it shouldn’t be more than that. Today, we won’t be using our quirks. We’re starting from scratch with basic martial arts. Once you’ve mastered a few basic combinations, try incorporating your quirk. You’ll see that it is much more effective than just randomly throwing a powered punch and hoping for the best,” Akutagawa said, hands behind his back as he gave his first lesson.

The mafioso was a surprisingly good teacher. His explanations were easy to grasp and he didn’t really threaten anyone with Rashomon if they messed up. He definitely wasn’t the same person he was when he took Kyouka into the Port Mafia. He was kinder, more understanding.

Atsushi knew that Kyouka would be happy for him as much as he was happy for her.

He went to help Akutagawa, demonstrating some moves and roaming around the group to see if anyone had any problems. There were some general questions about their technique here and there, and the more specific, quirk-related ones he directed them to Midoriya.

(The boy was a skilled quirk analyst, after all.)

It was actually going better than what either of them had expected. 

They swapped partners every now and then, testing out new combinations against different opponents. Even Atsushi and Akutagawa participated, going slightly easy on their classmates.

What their classmates lacked for in skill, they surely made up for it in enthusiasm.

A few hours passed by just like that, with them going over the moves a few times.

They finally stopped for lunch, eating the packed food Inko had prepared for them all. The students were busy stuffing themselves while also discussing the new combinations they’ve managed to learn within a short period of time. 

Some had even gone up to Akutagawa to clarify some things, when just a few days prior they would’ve been too scared to even look at his general direction.

“Thanks for helping us, even when we’re competitors,” Yaoyorozu said, smiling.

Atsushi smiled back, while Akutagawa nodded his head in understanding. They watched as the girl blushed before making her way back to her friends, who were squealing.

“She reminds me of Gin-san,” Atsushi commented once she was out of earshot.

Akutagawa stiffened, though he immediately relaxed afterwards. He then turned his head towards their vice class representative, contemplative.

“I suppose she does resemble her a bit,” He agreed after a while.

They watched their classmates converse excitedly, shouting and laughing every now and then. 

It felt good to see teenagers acting their age without the world on their shoulders. This was how they were supposed to act. Carefree as they try to figure out who they were, and what they wanted to be.

They shouldn’t be burdened with the everlasting fight between good and evil, especially when their universe wasn’t as tainted.

“Let’s get started again, shall we?” Atsushi called out after a few more minutes.

They trained well into the evening, changing up partners again so that they could gain as much experience fighting different people with different fighting styles. Of course, they wouldn’t be able to be masters of combat overnight, but they were definitely better than they were initially.

Atsushi and Akutagawa weren’t there to teach them a certain way of fighting, after all. They were there to guide them and let them find their own style, what worked best for them. They merely nudged them towards their preferred direction.

They trained and trained, going above and beyond, though that didn’t mean there wasn’t room for laughter.

Sometimes, Kaminari and Kirishima would attempt to reenact an action scene from a movie they saw, failing miserably.

Other times, Uraraka would accidentally send Iida floating high up in the sky, when all she wanted to do was give him a high-five.

Sero would usually stop whatever he was doing to film those things, and Yaoyorozu would laugh politely at the side. Asui would try to solve things, while Jirou would make things worse for more video material.

Tokoyami would stand silently at the side, though it was clear that he was also amused at the turn of events.

“You should head back. It’s getting dark,” Akutagawa remarked, a few hours later.

The students groaned, initially against it but a quick glare from Akutagawa had them going silent in an instant.

“It’s important to get proper rest so that your body can heal and grow stronger,” Atsushi said, as he helped lift Kirishima off the ground.

They were still a bit reluctant, but agreed anyway.

He was touched that they were unwilling to part, content on spending more time with him and Akutagawa, even if that meant getting their asses whooped.

Somehow, despite the generation (and universal) gap, they managed to form new friendships.

It felt good.

“We can’t just leave without taking a selfie!” Kaminari demanded, while Kirishima nodded enthusiastically.

Ashido had immediately agreed and before long, they were all squished together in an attempt to fit everyone into the frame.

Atsushi was pressed close to Akutagawa, cheeks almost touching as Izuku pushed him closer.

(He had a feeling that it was intentional.)

Nevertheless, he ignored the butterflies in his stomach and opted to stare straight ahead at the phone Iida was holding up (he had the longest hands, after all).

After a few more pictures were taken, Atsushi bid them a goodbye as they made their way back to their respective houses, with Akutagawa nodding along and lifting his hand in greeting whenever they called out his name. 

After the last one left, they made their way towards their apartment.

“You’re a good teacher,” Atsushi complimented.

Akutagawa looked at him warily, unsure if the younger was pulling his leg. When he couldn’t find anything to indicate that the younger was joking, he looked away and covered his mouth in the way he usually did when he was embarrassed.

“Thanks.”

They continued walking in companionable silence, content to just bask in each other’s presence, not that Atsushi would ever admit out loud. The walk didn’t take long and once they reached their apartment unit, they bid each other a good night before retiring for the night.

If Atsushi lingered at his bedroom door, staring longingly at the mafioso’s closed door, no one had to know.

And if Akutagawa was leaning against his door, hoping for Atsushi to call after him or invite him over but it never came, it was no one’s business as well.

-

A couple of weeks passed by without any major incidents. However, there were a few events in particular that had stood out in Atsushi's mind.

Event 1: The weekly sparring sessions had caused half of 1-A to warm up to Akutagawa, with them talking to him casually in class whenever they could. 

They had even stuck around their lunch table, for a quick chat, before slipping off to join their respective friend groups for lunch. This had caused the mafioso to be even more socially awkward than before, which was apparently a positive thing because soon, the news spread and he had his own little fanbase for God knows what reason.

(Atsushi lied. He could definitely see the appeal but he won’t admit it to himself. Not even under the pain of torture.)

He watched as Ashido and Kirishima tried to acquaint him with what the youngsters call memes , hearing them gasp dramatically when the older stared stoically at Ashido’s phone screen.

“What’s the joke?”

Kaminari, who was passing by to fetch the other two because Bakugou was throwing a fit, loudly prayed to God to grant him strength.

For some reason.

Atsushi didn’t quite get it either.

Sero had to physically rope them in with his tape in order to stop them from giving Akutagawa a crash course on memes on the spot, when Bakugou was waiting for them.

Atsushi accidentally made eye contact with the blonde, nodding his head in acknowledgement. The blonde looked away seconds later, though he wasn't anywhere near exploding when his friends finally made their way to his table.

Maybe the younger still felt some sort of guilt, or he was going through something. Whatever it was, he just hoped that either way it would result in Midoriya getting the closure he deserved.

Event 2: The increasingly interesting physical classes they had to attend.

Those who learned how to fight with Atsushi and Akutagawa, improved drastically in classes, much to All Might’s confused wonder. Aizawa, however, knew exactly who was behind the drastic changes and just proceeded to shake his head, resigned.

“Don’t teach them anything too dangerous, Problem Child 1 and 2,” He said, after witnessing Uraraka dropkick Aoyama and sending him floating to the top of the classroom.

Atsushi gave him a thumbs up while Akutagawa promised nothing. Aizawa took another chug of his coffee at that.

All Might looked shocked to find out that the reason why his students were getting better was due to the fact that Atsushi and Akutagawa had been helping them train.

“You taught them?” He asked, frowning.

The hero was still a bit awkward with them, knowing that his blinding reputation and cheery smile didn’t work on them when it usually worked on others. It was as if he didn’t know what persona to assume when he wasn’t All Might.

“What? Like it’s hard?” Akutagawa answered icily, though Atsushi suspected it was because he wanted to try out that line from that one meme Ashido showed him.

All Might let out a strained laugh, unsure if he should let the disrespect slide or correct him on his behaviour. His hesitation caused the silence to stretch for an awkward amount of time and just like that, the time frame to take any action ended.

Dejected, All Might left to supervise his other students. Or so he said.

“Why are you antagonising him?” Atsushi asked, amused at the exchange.

Akutagawa sighed solemnly.

“He’s your stereotypical hero in every sense of the word. As a mafioso, I can’t just let him live peacefully.”

Event 3: Todoroki Shouto.

The boy was an enigma Atsushi couldn’t quite figure out. There would be times where they’d make eye contact, and it seemed as if the boy was about to approach him but he would usually change his mind last minute.

He knew he wasn’t imagining things when even Akutagawa commented on it, asking if he had done anything to offend the younger.

“I would never!” He exclaimed dramatically, causing half the class, Todoroki included, to look at him.

“Sure,” The mafioso said but Atsushi could tell he didn’t quite believe it.

He glared at the older though it was short lived once he saw Todoroki approaching him. He ignored the mischievous looks sent his way courtesy of Akutagawa, and focused on the boy who was scrutinising him.

“We need to talk.”

(And wow, wasn’t that misleading?)

The once silent class came to life, murmurs and whispers heard as Todoroki gestured for them to go to a more private place for their discussion. He could hear Kaminari complaining in the distance, while Kirishima, Sero and Ashido attempted to calm him down. Even Akutagawa looked surprised, eyebrow raised in a silent question.

“Right…”

He followed the boy outside the classroom and into a more secluded one a good distance away. His thoughts were racing, thinking of any and every possibility. He could never tell with the kid.

Once Todoroki made sure that they weren’t followed and that they had as much privacy as they could, he leaned against a table and crossed his arms.

“Do you know who I am?” He asked after a few seconds. 

Atsushi stared at him incredulously, not really knowing where he was going with this. Nonetheless, he did his best to answer.

“Todoroki Shouto?”

Todoroki looked at him, unamused. Atsushi merely shrugged his shoulders, unsure where he went wrong.

“I’m the son of Endeavor,” He said bitterly.

He had a feeling that it was supposed to be a big revelation but Atsushi didn’t know who Endeavor was and why he’s so significant. However, the way Todoroki said it made it seem as if everyone should know who Endeavor was. That meant that he had only one chance to react accordingly. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” He said solemnly, hoping that it was the correct response.

(It should be, right? The boy spoke of him negatively. For one’s own son to say things in that manner, it must have negative connotations. Maybe Endeavor was an infamous villain.)

However, judging by the shocked look on his face, Atsushi could tell he reached the wrong conclusion.

“What do you know of him?” Todoroki asked, uncrossing his arms as he slowly approached Atsushi, suspicious.

He stood his ground as the boy neared, causing them to be face-to-face. At this distance, Atsushi could see his face clearly. The mark on his eye that he previously thought was quirk-related, turned out to be a scar and suddenly, things made sense.

“He hurt you, didn’t he?” Atsushi whispered, careful to not startle the teen in front of him.

Todoroki’s eyes widened in shock, causing him to step back. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, seconds away from bolting out of the classroom or attacking him to mask his panic. Atsushi raised his hands in surrender, trying his best to smile placatingly.

(Hopefully, it wasn't the kind of smile Dazai would show him before making his life ten times harder.)

He didn’t want the boy to think that he was out to get him, now that he knew something that could be used against him. He needed to build trust, to show that he wasn’t the enemy and that he could help. If he didn’t, it felt like he was failing his younger self as well.

“I get it,” Atsushi said as he lifted his shirt up slightly, revealing the burn scars he had gotten years ago that never truly healed.

The boy was still shocked, yes, but also a little relieved, evident in the way his shoulders sagged a little. He exhaled long and slow, rubbing his face as he sat down on the nearest chair. Without much words, he gestured for Atsushi to do the same.

“This wasn’t what I had in mind when I called you here,” He confessed, looking away from Atsushi in favour of glaring at the ground beside him.

“Sorry?” Atsushi apologised, confused.

Todoroki sighed, shaking his head.

“No, I’m sorry for calling you here. Let’s head back to class.”

Atsushi was about to refuse (they just sat down!), though the look of guilt in the boy’s eyes caused him to pause. He resigned himself to just accepting it for what it was, knowing a losing battle when he saw one.

They made their way back to class, ignoring the stares thrown their way. He went back to his seat, shaking his head when Akutagawa looked at him expectantly.

“I’ll tell you later.”

The day passed by relatively uneventfully after that, though Atsushi couldn’t quite shake the feeling that he’d messed up somehow.

He never did find out why Todoroki wanted to talk to him, after all.

Event 4: Midoriya Izuku.

The boy seemed even more anxious than usual, especially after his one too many meetings with All Might . 

“There has to be something deeper going on,” Akutagawa mumbled, though Atsushi ignored it in favour of observing the green-haired boy from afar.

(It wasn’t really that far. They were still in the classroom, after all.)

He looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, kind of like All Might when he was in his civilian form. 

(Apparently, it was supposed to be a secret but anyone with working brain cells could tell that the skinny man donned in a yellow-striped suit was also the Number One Hero. That, and well, the man wasn’t as discreet as he thought he was being.)

Atsushi didn’t really know what his civilian name was, so from then on he’ll be dubbed as Yellow Suit. Anyway, that wasn’t the point.

The point was that Midoriya seemed as stressed as one of the most successful heroes in the century, all the while harbouring a quirk that was quite similar to the aforementioned hero. He was only 15. What responsibility was he shouldering to feel the same as someone who’d been society’s go-to crime fighting guy for literal decades?

Maybe he felt some sort of kinship with the hero? Or Akutagawa was right and there was something deeper going on?

“What do you think it could be, though? Something related to one of the fundamental problems of this universe?” Atsushi asked, frowning as he noticed Midoriya staring off into space for the 3rd time in the span of 5 minutes.

Akutagawa froze, slowly turning towards the silver-haired man seconds later. Atsushi, confused, looked back at him unblinking. 

The mafioso gestured for Atsushi, who was currently sitting on the table behind him, to bend down a bit so he could whisper his theory.

“Midoriya might be the true main character of this universe before we came so yes, that could be it.”

Atsushi gasped and looked at him, digesting the information and the implications behind it.

If that was the case, they probably had to help Midoriya with whatever trouble the boy was facing. Judging by the way the boy snapped out of his trance and started note-taking at a rapid-fire pace, it was probably something huge. Maybe as big as All Might and his 7-foot self.

But… knowing the boy, he would keep all of his problems to himself, even if he couldn’t solve it on his own. Maybe because he felt as if it would be a burden for other people and he didn’t want to drag them into his mess. 

Therefore, they needed a way to let him know that it’s not just his burden to carry. That they needed to be in on it because it was essential to them too. They needed to know because it could be the key for them to return to their universe.

But for that to happen… they would need to tell Midoriya the complete truth, and he would have to be willing to share his side of things.

“Let’s deal with this after the Sports Festival. He looks like he’s one major news away from losing it,” Atsushi suggested after a while, slowly leaning back once he noticed how close their faces were.

Akutagawa cleared his throat as he blushed and looked away, while Atsushi was suddenly fascinated by the design of the table directly in front of him. 

The awkward atmosphere between them was only broken once Aizawa strolled into class, signalling the start of homeroom. Atsushi immediately got off the table and went to sit in his seat, while Akutagawa took out the relevant study materials.

With that, some semblance of normalcy was restored.

Atsushi took one last look at the green-haired boy who still seemed a bit out of it, hoping that whatever burden he carried at least lightened a bit once the Sports Festival ended.

Hopefully, they could all hold out until then.

Chapter Text

Before long, it was the day of the Sports Festival.

“Why the fuck did they decide to do it at ass o’clock in the morning?” Akutagawa grumbled as he dragged himself towards the stadium.

They were currently walking on the sidewalk, around 5 minutes away from UA.

(Apparently, the school had a whole ass stadium on school grounds just for the Sports Festival. It was equal parts impressive and terrifying.) 

Atsushi laughed in response though it immediately turned into a shriek when Rashomon poked his side. In his haste to get away from the offending tendril, he bumped into someone warm and hard.

“Fucking extra,” Bakugou spat but did nothing else, opting to side-step them and continue on his way.

Atsushi rolled his eyes while Akutagawa stared after the boy, possibly contemplating murder judging by the frown on his face.

“It’s fine. It was my fault anyway.”

Akutagawa didn’t quite agree but dropped the topic nonetheless. 

They made their way inside the stadium, hopelessly lost due to the sheer size of the place. Atsushi looked at the map they were handed, desperately trying to find their assigned waiting room. Akutagawa, on the other hand, was sizing up the competition, glaring at every single student that looked his way.

“If only Dazai-san could see me win this. Not that I still need his validation...” He heard the mafioso mumble but decided not to comment on it.

It was progress, after all.

He finally managed to read the map and pinpoint their location, dragging along a sleep-deprived Akutagawa to where their waiting room was. They were already running late and the opening ceremony was about to start.

He couldn't afford to be late, considering that he was going to give the opening speech or pledge or something. Apparently, the top student from the entrance exam was supposed to give the speech and considering that he shared first place with Akutagawa, it was between them. The mafioso, however, had opted out of it immediately when Aizawa mentioned it to them a few days prior, causing him to be stuck with the task.

But... that was neither here nor there. Now, he had to focus on finding their waiting room.

After a few more minutes of walking, they finally came across a room that had the sign “1-A”, indicating that they came to the right place. 

Atsushi sighed in relief before opening the door, just in time to witness Todoroki declare war on Midoriya. In the process, he accidentally locked eyes with Todoroki, causing the boy to glare at him for some reason.

(The Sports Festivals really brought the worst out of people, huh?)

He stepped aside to let the boy pass before going into the room with Akutagawa in tow. He decided not to question it. He had enough on his plate to worry about, mainly the speech.

In no time at all, they were ushered to the field where the opening ceremony would take place. Atsushi couldn’t really focus on anything else until his speech was over. Even the reassuring smiles Akutagawa sent his way wasn’t enough to calm him down.

(In fact, it only made his heart beat accelerate for reasons he didn’t want to think about.)

“And now, we welcome Nakajima Atsushi from class 1-A to give his speech,” Present Mic announced from the emcee booth, startling him from his thoughts. He could see Aizawa sitting next to the hero, looking interested.

Atsushi took a deep breath and tried to recall anyone who was good at giving speeches and commanding crowds, though he discarded that thought when his mind could only think of Fukuchi.

Guess he was screwed, then.

He made his way to the podium, praying that he wouldn’t accidentally slip and fall to his death on the way there. Considering that he could heal immediately, it was pretty much unlikely but the sentiment remained.

He managed to reach his destination without much fanfare, to his relief. He smiled nervously as he adjusted the mic, avoiding eye contact with the crowd who looked at him expectantly.

He tried his best to calm down, telling himself that it really wasn’t that deep and that if he screwed up, it’s not like he was going to stay in that universe for long. Though, his moment of failure would be recorded and immortalised in time. It was no big deal, really.

Except that it totally was.

(That… probably didn’t help with his anxiety.)

He looked back at his fellow students for some sort of help, meeting eyes with Akutagawa. The mafioso smiled, before mouthing something. Atsushi leaned forward a bit as he tried to read his lips.

You aren’t alone .

And that really was the crux of the issue, wasn’t it? He wasn’t nervous to talk in front of a crowd, but he was scared to do it alone . 

It was simple. He had never fought alone. He always had someone by his side during the important fights, even if they were his enemies. He didn’t have the confidence to tackle things on his own, yet. 

He was still learning. Learning about himself, learning how to trust himself. It was a slow process but with the help of other people, he was getting better day by day.

And if he thought about it…  he wasn’t actually alone. He had Akutagawa, his classmates, Inko, and most probably Aizawa if the teacher was still awake. And… even if they weren’t there, he had the ADA. He had Dazai, Kunikida, Kyouka, Yosano… He just knew that they were out there somewhere rooting for him as well.

There was nothing to fear. 

He looked back at the crowd with newfound confidence. They quieted down, anticipating his next words.

“A friend once told me that the ones who make the world turn are those who scream within the storm of uncertainty and run with flowing blood,” He paused, smiling fondly at the memory of Dazai recounting his battle of wits with Fyodor, before continuing.

“I had no idea what he meant, so I asked him but he wouldn’t give me a straight answer. Instead, he told me to work for it. For a week straight, I would go up to him and ask but he would just smile and tell me to try again next time. It didn’t matter what I did, whether I had complained his ear off or if I had serenaded him. He didn’t budge. By the time Sunday came, I was more than ready to throw down the metaphorical towel but that was when I got my answer.”

He looked at the crowd, surprised to see them listening intently. As if they cared about what he had to say. He continued, feeling braver.

“He said to me, “Atsushi-kun, do you now see the bigger picture? When you asked me over and over again, trying out different approaches to obtain the result you intended, was that not an act done despite uncertainty? You still did it even when you weren’t sure whether I would give you an answer. That is what makes life .” At that time, I thought he was making excuses to justify teasing me.”

The crowd laughed along with him, although they didn’t know just how likely it was for Dazai to pull such a thing. He was only partially joking.

“But then, I decided to actually think about it once the annoyance I felt subsided. The only certain thing in life is uncertainty, just as how the only constant is change. We go through life, not knowing what it’ll throw at us. We can try preparing for it, but it rarely goes according to plan. Despite that, we fight , we fall, and we get right back up. That’s when it dawned upon me. The act of persevering despite the unknown, is what it truly means to be alive and living. The will to pick yourself up when life beats you down, knowing that there’s a possibility that it could be just as bad or it could be better.”

He turned around to look at the students, eyes meeting Akutagawa’s grey ones.

“The fact that we’re standing here no matter what course we’re in, be it Heroics, Support, General Education or Management, means that we’ve persevered. That we lived. And we’ll continue to live, no matter what happens today. Whether we win or we lose. Whether we make it past the preliminaries or the finals or none at all. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we tried and that we’ll keep on trying. Do we become complacent and stop moving forward? Do we stand after the fall? Do we continue to persevere and live? The Sports Festival is not the end, nor is it the beginning. It is just another uncertainty in the grand scheme of things. Despite that, we’ll fight! We’ll scream! We’ll give it our all! We’ll go above and beyond. Plus Ultra. ”

The once silent stadium erupted into cheers and deafening applause. 

Atsushi blushed at the attention. He didn’t expect his speech to garner positive reactions of that scale. He was expecting more along the lines of polite applause, the ones people usually give just so that the speaker won’t feel that bad.

He bowed, grateful, before making his way back to the students on the field. They were all clapping along, though the sound was quickly drowned out by 1-A chanting his name.

“Atsushi! Atsushi! Atsushi!”

What started as a harmless class cheer, spread amongst the students which eventually spread to the crowd.

He covered his face, embarrassed, before speed-walking his way towards Akutagawa who looked at him with a look in his eyes that he couldn’t really decipher.

“You did well,” He said, leaning in to whisper into Atsushi’s ear once he was close enough.

The younger blushed an even deeper shade of red, pushing the man away out of embarrassment. Akutagawa merely looked at him, amused. 

They waited for the crowd to die down so that Midnight could announce what their preliminaries were. After a few more minutes of whooping, whistling and cheering, it was finally time.

“This year, it’s going to be….. an obstacle course!”

The obstacle course will take place around the stadium, meaning that the starting and finishing line will be at the same place, the field they were currently at.

Not many details were elaborated on, but Atsushi could tell that placings would be important. He just didn’t know what the cut-off was. There could also be an advantage or a handicap for those who placed higher, so he should probably aim for the Top 10 if he wanted to face Akutagawa in the finals.

Should be simple enough.

Atsushi warmed up as he waited for the countdown to start. He got into a running stance once there was 5 seconds left on the clock, looking ahead.

Once the horns blared signalling the start, Atsushi transformed his legs and dashed forward.

The first obstacle was the tunnel they had to pass through to exit the stadium, purely because a large number of students would have to go through a narrow space simultaneously. Naturally, this would cause a bottleneck to appear.

The obvious solution was to be one of the first few to pass through, so Atsushi did just that.

Behind him, he heard the sound of ice being summoned and groans of protest, which could only mean that Todoroki probably froze the other students’ feet to the ground. He mentally wished them good luck and focused back on the second obstacle.

It was the zero pointer from the entrance exam. 

Atsushi immediately slashed at the first one he saw, making sure to slice it in half so that the debris wouldn’t hurt anyone behind him. He could see Akutagawa effortlessly slice up the robot into smaller pieces from the corner of his eye, not even breaking a sweat.

As if sensing his eyes on him, Akutagawa turned towards him and smirked before looking straight ahead and running off. Atsushi rolled his eyes in response and followed closely behind.

A few more students were successful in beating the robots, a stark contrast from the entrance exams. He felt a sense of pride at the fact that they've grown tremendously, realising belatedly that now wasn't the time to go down memory lane and marvel at their growth. He had an obstacle course to win and the same students he was proud of, was threatening to overtake him.

He had to focus.

After a few more minutes of trying to outrun his peers, mainly Akutagawa, Todoroki and Bakugou, he encountered the third obstacle. 

Basically, he had to move from one stone pillar to another. The catch? There were huge gaps in between and he could only cross via tightropes.

His strength and speed wouldn’t really help him here. Sure, for the first pillar he could run and jump to the next pillar, but for the successive pillars, he wouldn’t have enough space. Ultimately, it’ll depend on his balance.

Fortunately for him, felines were known for their balance thanks to their tails.

He manifested a tail and proceeded to run on the tightropes, winking as he surpassed Akutagawa. The mafioso flipped him off before directing his attention back to the task at hand, using Rashomon as some sort of vaulting pole.

Atsushi couldn’t really beat Todoroki who was blazing past with his icy path, or Bakugou who was literally flying using his explosions. It was okay, though. His goal wasn’t to place first anyway. He was still in the Top 10, his earlier performance helping him stay ahead of his other competitors. They were at least a couple of metres behind him, trying to figure out the best way to conquer that particular obstacle.

He was safe for now.

By the time he got through the third obstacle and reached the fourth and final one, Todoroki and Bakugou were already halfway through the minefield.

(A minefield. Was UA lowkey trying to kill off their students?)

Nevertheless, Atsushi trudged on. He didn’t really have to watch out for the mines, considering that he’ll heal almost immediately if he were to get hit. He’ll just get a huge heart attack everytime.

Since he was way ahead of the competition, he can afford to take his time. He used his enhanced sight to look out for the p aths that Bakugou and Todoroki used, literally following in their footsteps.

There were times where he almost stepped on mines that didn't go off even after the two students passed by it, causing him to slow down by just a bit. He wasn't really in the mood for successive heart attacks and he had a feeling that Akutagawa and Aizawa would nag at him, so he took it easy.

By the time he was halfway through, a loud explosion sounded, causing him to look back and witness a green projectile hurtling pass above him. He had a feeling that he knew that reckless green projectile.

He shook his head before continuing, deciding to chastise the boy about self-preservation later.

After the minefield, all he had to do was run to the finish line. He reached the finish line relatively early, placing fourth right after Midoriya, Bakugou and Todoroki.

He went to the green-haired boy to give him the lecture of a lifetime, when the boy was suddenly all wrapped up in Rashomon and pulled towards Akutagawa who had just placed fifth.

Atsushi turned around and jogged towards the pair, keen to join in whatever talk the mafioso had in mind.

“Midoriya Izuku. What did we tell you about self-preservation?” Akutagawa asked, frowning.

The talk lasted a while, causing Atsushi to realise just how much the older resembled Chuuya when he was busy lecturing someone. He must have gotten an earful from the executive for him to embody the man almost perfectly.

Once the boy had been thoroughly scolded, they then congratulated him on placing first.

“That doesn’t mean that we condone your daredevil act though!” Atsushi quickly added as they were hugging.

Midoriya laughed and nodded his head, breaking away from the hug moments later. Atsushi ruffled the boy’s hair fondly before sending him off to Iida and Uraraka.

“He’s going to give me premature aging,” Akutagawa huffed as they watched him go.

Atsushi snorted, causing the mafioso to look at him curiously.

“God, you sound so similar to Chuuya-san. It’s actually scary.”

Akutagawa smiled at that.

“That could only mean that Chuuya-san nagged you a lot, for you to be able to tell,” He said, mischievous.

Atsushi rolled his eyes playfully but agreed nonetheless.

Time passed by just like that and soon, they were preparing for the second stage of the Sports Festival. Basically, the Top Forty from the preliminaries progressed to the next stage, where they’re required to be in teams of four. 

Atsushi was right when he deduced that the ones who arrived first would be getting an advantage. The earlier one arrived, the higher the points they’ll be awarded. The points will then be written on a headband they’re required to wear for the next stage. 

To progress to the third and final stage, one had to gain points by grabbing headbands from other people. Therefore, the higher the points, the bigger the target.

Unfortunately for Midoriya, he was awarded 10 million points, with the one coming in second only being awarded a few thousand points. This meant that there was a huge gap in points and that would make him the prime target of all the teams.

Fortunately for him, he had Atsushi, Akutagawa and Uraraka on his team.

“Why can’t we just use Beast Beneath The Moonlight: Rashomon and conceal ourselves in the hole you tore in space until time runs out?” Akutagawa asked.

Midoriya looked at him in awe.

“You guys can do that when you combine abilities? How does it work? How long does it last? Are there any side effects? If you give Nakajima Rashomon, can you still control it? What’s the-"

“We’ll answer your questions later, Midoriya. We don’t really have time now. As for you, Akutagawa, of course we can’t! We’re not giving them a fair chance at the 10 million if we just hide the entire time. It’s not good sportsmanship.”

Akutagawa didn't quite agree but relented nevertheless. They didn’t really have time to be arguing, not when they needed a solid strategy to get out of this whole mess.

They turned towards Midoriya.

“Alright guys. There are two strategies I can think of for now. Either we let someone steal the 10 million right off the bat so that we can get rid of the target and then go on the offensive and steal other teams’ points, or we go on the defensive from the get go and protect our 10 million until the end. What do you guys prefer?”

If Atsushi was being honest, the first option seemed like the easier choice. They could easily go on the offensive because of Rashomon’s range and it's flexibility to be molded into any shape. Besides, Akutagawa’s control over his Ability was better than everyone there combined. 

But… the second choice didn’t seem too bad either, if they were looking for a challenge. With Atsushi’s enhanced senses, Rashomon’s ability to devour space and Uraraka’s ability to make them float, their defense was pretty solid. Midoriya, their designated rider, was also good at escaping tricky situations so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

He looked towards Uraraka who looked like she was still thinking, and then towards Akutagawa who looked… excited, somewhat. The mafioso had that sparkle in his eyes and his lips was turned slightly upwards.

Atsushi wasn’t sure if he should be afraid. An excited Akutagawa was unpredictable, mainly because the man never really expressed excitement before. It must be one hell of a thing for him to be able to do so.

(He had a bad feeling about this.)

“Why don’t we do both? We’re strong defensively and offensively. It shouldn’t be too much trouble,” The mafioso suggested after a moment of silence.

Midoriya looked at him, grin widening as he contemplated the third possibility.

“Won’t that cause us to be an even bigger target?” Uraraka, the only one with common sense, asked worriedly. 

Akutagawa smiled maniacally, reminiscent of the days when he was known as the Rabid Dog of The Port Mafia. Atsushi gulped nervously, knowing there’s no persuading the mafioso from doing otherwise.

“It’s only interesting if that’s the case.”

In the end, they went with Akutagawa’s suggestion. According to Midoriya, it would be wise if they could create the illusion that getting the headband would be impossible, so they were going to use Beast Beneath The Moonlight: Rashomon to tear a hole in space and hide there for a few minutes. 

After a while, Midoriya predicted that out of the 9 teams that would probably go after them, the number would drop down to two or three. When that’s the case, they would start going on the offensive. They would try to absolutely annihilate one of the teams that’ll go after them and hopefully, that would discourage the team from pursuing them. It’s more likely that they’ll go after other teams to gain back their points.

“You know what they say, the best defense is a strong offense,” Midoriya said, a slightly evil gleam present in his eyes. 

(Atsushi was once again grateful that Midoriya didn’t turn to villainy and that Mori was nowhere present in this universe. God knows what that man would do to have Midoriya on his side.)

He shook his head as he refocused on their strategy planning.

In the final stage of the match, it would probably be a three-way battle between their team, Todoroki’s team and Bakugou’s team. They would have to alternate between going on the offense and defense until time ran out.

Akutagawa would be their main striker, Midoriya would be their rider and their ‘brain’, while Atsushi and Uraraka would be in charge of defense. Atsushi’s enhanced senses and superior physical abilities combined with Uraraka’s ability to cause objects she touched to defy gravity, made the perfect escape team.

They were practically unstoppable.

“This might be the most reckless choice but I’m kinda pumped about it,” Uraraka said as she knelt down beside Atsushi so that Midoriya could climb onto their shoulders.

“It’s either we absolutely destroy our peers or we get absolutely destroyed by them. The uncertainty makes my heart race,” Akutagawa agreed from in front of them.

Midoriya laughed loudly while Atsushi let out a smile, both agreeing with the sentiment. They made sure everything was secure, from the headbands tied around their head to Midoriya who was sitting on their shoulders. They eagerly waited for the signal to start, excited to try and execute their plan.

The second the start was announced, Akutagawa transferred Rashomon to Atsushi and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared.

At least, in the eyes of the spectators.

“Would you look at that? Within seconds, the team to watch along with the sought after 10 million headband, disappeared into thin air! What’s more surprising is that none of the four possess an invisibility quirk. Just what is going on?!” Present Mic commented, using his quirk to amplify his voice.

They could hear the crowd murmuring and their competitors shouting in frustration but they paid it no mind. They needed them to give up after all.

“Fucking come out already, cowards!” Bakugou shouted as he blasted everything within a 5 mile radius.

“Is this even allowed?” They could hear Kirishima ask as he passed by them, along with an angry Bakugou.

Midoriya and Uraraka tried their best to keep quiet, while Atsushi smiled amusedly. Akutagawa merely shook his head but Atsushi could tell the mafioso was entertained as well.

They hid for a few more minutes, waiting for the attention to shift to the other groups. When Midoriya deemed it was safe enough to show themselves, they hurriedly made their way to the corner of the stadium so that their grand reveal wouldn’t be so… grand.

They emerged into the field, relatively unseen save for the spectators that were seated at their side of the stadium. It seemed as if there were multiple battles going on simultaneously so an unsuspecting reappearing act wasn’t really that big of a deal.

That was the case for everyone except for Todoroki and Bakugou.

“You fucking cowards! Fight me if you think you’re all that!” Bakugou shouted as his team sprinted towards them.

The ruckus caused Todoroki’s team to take notice and soon enough, they were also headed their way.

“As expected,” Akutagawa said as he activated Rashomon.

Atsushi laughed, transforming his ears and legs in case they needed a speedy getaway anytime soon. 

He watched as Rashomon discreetly pierced the ground, presumably to reappear again behind Bakugou’s team to steal their headbands. All they needed was to distract them for a bit so that Rashomon could do it's job.

“Lovely seeing you guys here,” Atsushi stated conversationally, knowing full well that Bakugou would take full offense.

“Die!” He exclaimed as he leaped off his team, using mini explosions to propel himself in the air.

His teammates exclaimed in shock, anxious that the blonde would end up on the ground and cause them to be disqualified from the round. Akutagawa used that split second to snatch their headbands from behind them, recalling Rashomon once Bakugou was only a few metres away.

“You know what to do, jinko.”

Atsushi rolled his eyes but complied nonetheless. He sped away as fast as he could and jumped, floating in the air as Uraraka tapped them. They hurtled through the field, reaching the opposite end in mere seconds. From the distance, they could see Ashido looking around for her headband before noticing that both Kirishima and Sero had also lost their headbands. 

They looked around, distressed, while Bakugou made his way back to them, furious.

“It must have been one of those extras! Maybe that copycat from class B. Die!” He screamed as he directed his team towards Monoma’s team.

“That… went better than expected,” Midoriya commented.

Atsushi had to agree.

There was only a few minutes left on the clock and Todoroki’s team still hadn’t come for them. It was out of character, considering the boy’s war declaration on Midoriya earlier that morning. They must be plotting something.

Well, they couldn’t really dwell on that when they were busy fighting off another team who thought it would be wise to go after them. Atsushi had successfully dodged their attacks  while Akutagawa effortlessly stole all of their headbands directly in front of them, causing them to retreat almost immediately. After witnessing the stunt they pulled, almost no team decided to go after them.

None except for one.

From his right, Atsushi could hear the rev of an engine, firing up. Before his thoughts could even form, his legs had immediately jumped to the side, dodging past a powered up Iida going at full speed. He immediately signalled Uraraka to tap them before jumping high up, narrowly avoiding the bolt of electricity Kaminari sent their way.

“Damn those tiger reflexes!” He heard Kaminari shout from below.

“It’s not just the tiger…” He heard Todoroki say.

(Now what was that about?)

They floated in the air for a bit, before Akutagawa stuck Rashomon to another part of the stadium and pulled them there. Uraraka was rapidly losing her stamina so it was wise for them to get to the ground immediately.

“There is only one minute left on the clock! Will the 10 million remain with Midoriya, Nakajima, Akutagawa and Uraraka, or will there be a surprising twist? Only 60 seconds left to find out!” Present Mic enthusiastically announced.

Midoriya turned to look at Akutagawa.

“Should we play it safe or risk it all?” He asked innocently as he flicked his finger and sent two teams flying away.

Akutagawa seemed to ponder his decision for a while before answering.

“As thrilling as it would be to put ourselves at risk, it would be better to play it safe. I do want to fight jinko in the finals, after all.”

Atsushi turned to look at him, shocked.

“That’s so romantic!” Uraraka cooed, ignoring the shouts of protest from the two involved.

Atsushi groaned, embarrassed. He glared at Akutagawa for dragging him into this mess before sensing a movement behind them. His eyes widened and he got ready to jump but his legs were frozen to the ground. In fact, all of their legs were.

He turned around, horrified as he noticed Iida gearing up to go full speed once again, knowing that if the boy succeeded, they were most probably done for. He cursed himself as he tried to free his legs but to no avail. Even Midoriya’s flicks weren’t enough, as Todoroki immediately froze their legs as soon as the ice broke.

Technically, he could use his claws but there was a chance he could hurt not only his teammates, but Todoroki’s as well. They couldn’t heal, not like him.

He exhaled slowly, disappointed in himself for being careless during their final seconds. He should have remained focused until the end. He was never taught to be complacent, after all. Kunikida would have his head if the man ever found out.

(And well… This was it, wasn’t it? This was the end. He wouldn’t be able to get that match with Akutagawa now. A match to gauge each other’s improvements without the threat of death looming above them. 

Why was he so disappointed?)

He watched helplessly as Iida dashed forward, hand flying towards his head in an attempt to at least guard his headband. He braced himself for the impact — only to witness Iida crashing into an invisible wall right in front of him.

(What?)

Akutagawa chuckled as the horns sounded, signalling the end of the match. He withdrew Rashomon before bending down, prompting Atsushi and Uraraka to do the same. Midoriya hopped off of their shoulders, but the one thing the three of them had in common was the confusion written all over their faces.

“What happened?” Uraraka asked as they approached Iida to help the boy up.

“Rashomon devours everything. Even space,” He answered as he extended a hand towards Iida who dazedly accepted it.

“Oh yeah. I forgot it could do that,” Atsushi commented, waving as he spotted Kaminari coming towards them.

“One day you’ll tell me all about your quirks…” He heard Midoriya mumble.

They chatted leisurely amongst themselves as they waited for Midnight to announce the results and who would be advancing to the next stage which would take place after lunch.

Before long, they found out that four teams would be proceeding, namely Midoriya’s team, Bakugou’s team, Todoroki’s team and Shinsou’s team. Atsushi didn’t really know much about Shinsou and his team because they were the only team that weren’t his classmates.

It caused him to pause.

Initially, Atsushi was under the impression that students of the top hero school in Japan, no matter their course, would have better control over their quirks. He had assumed that they were in their respective courses because that’s where their passion was. 

However, that didn’t seem to be the case. 

The whole Sports Festival, in conjunction with what he noticed at the entrance exam, seemed to hint at some sort of bias. The exam seemed to favour those who had more offensive style quirks. Therefore, those who had gotten into the Heroics course were mostly people with offensive quirks. Those who didn’t probably wanted to be heroes as well but were cast aside due to their quirks not really being suitable for direct combat.

The ones in the Heroics course were trained to enhance their quirks while the ones in other courses, usually ones with more subtle quirks such as perhaps, mind control, were left in the dust. They weren’t given any quirk training. Then, they were made to compete in the Sports Festival.

Wasn’t it obvious that the ones with more training, the ones with the offensive quirks, would look better? Would most probably win the whole thing? Just look at the results for this particular stage. The majority were his classmates from the Heroics course. 

It felt like it was a ploy to make certain types of quirks seem more… approved by the public. As if the system itself contributed to that kind of message being spread. But… that couldn’t be it, right? Who would gain from that? And what would they gain in the first place?

(He had a feeling that something was being gained, though, and the ones benefiting from it would be the ones who put them into place. Ones with enough power to dictate what a whole society should think. Something like…)

His train of thought was disrupted when he felt Rashomon gently curl around his wrist, before harshly tugging him. He turned to look at the owner, annoyed.

“What was that about?” He grumbled, but complied nonetheless.

Akutagawa merely pointed his head towards the direction of the food stalls and with that, they went for lunch.

Atsushi mainly stuck to his usual group, with the exception of Midoriya who left with Todoroki for some unknown reason. He didn’t think much of it. They probably had some important matters to discuss, maybe something along the lines of what they had discussed a while back.

He looked at the stalls of food, feeling his hunger kick in and keeping his realisation at bay. He took a whiff of the air before detecting what smelt like the tofu dish Kyouka loved to eat. Without hesitation, he immediately followed the scent and left Akutagawa behind.

The mafioso shook his head, not really surprised, and went to go get something filling to eat.

Once they finished scouring for food to eat, they met up with the group inside the stadium where some games were being run. None of them participated, though it was entertaining to watch.

Minutes before lunch ended, they finally spotted Midoriya who came in with a bowl of katsudon. He looked contemplative , for some reason. He almost didn’t hear them when they called out to him, which was kind of rare for the boy. 

He looked out of it, like there was something bothering him but he couldn’t share it with the group.

Atsushi wouldn’t pry, though. At least, not yet.

They still had one more stage to get through before the day ended.

Chapter Text

After lunch, it was finally announced that the final stage would be a battle tournament. 

It wasn’t really that surprising considering that Midoriya had already predicted that it was going to happen some time ago in one of their sparring sessions. 

“It’s easier for hero agencies to observe talent. It’s direct and straightforward that way,” He once said.

Atsushi was still impressed with how the boy’s mind worked. Truly one of his greatest assets aside from his golden heart.

(Screw anyone who told him otherwise. When Atsushi gets his hands on them… he’ll pass them off to Akutagawa for further action .)

Midnight was just about to go into more detail about the rules and regulations, when someone cut in.

“Excuse me, Midnight sensei but I’d like to withdraw from the battle,” Ojiro, one of his classmates, spoke up.

Murmurs started filling the stadium as the student went on with his explanation.

“I know it’s foolish to walk away but I don’t think I deserve my spot. Everyone gave it their all but… I was under the influence of someone else’s quirk. I was being manipulated by him and whatever I did wasn’t my own free will. I didn’t give it my best so I don’t think I deserve to move on.”

Atsushi looked at him, feeling irritated at his way of thinking. He looked around to see if anyone else felt the same way, but shockingly enough they looked as if they… agreed.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the purple-haired kid (Shinsou?), the same one that declared war on their class a few days after USJ, fidget uncomfortably although a frown was visible on his face.

(The boy must have been the one Ojiro was talking about. He must have some sort of control quirk.)

Realisation dawned upon Atsushi the moment the thought crossed his mind.

In a society that approved certain types of quirks, mainly the ones that were flashy, offensive and straightforward (possibly easy to control), there had to be certain types of quirks that were frowned upon, or discriminated against. Ones that were incomprehensible or didn’t make much sense, making it harder to control (or be controlled… but by who?). 

Ones that, if nurtured properly, could possibly take over society (wouldn't that disadvantage the government?).

It was human nature to be scared of the unknown, but what did that mean for the purple haired boy? How was he, someone with a unique quirk, viewed as? How was he treated because of that?

(Going by Midoriya’s past experiences and stories, probably not that well.)

Atsushi felt the overwhelming need to be on his side. It wasn’t right for him to remain silent when someone was being discriminated against, no matter how subtle it was, or whether it was the norm. 

He opened his mouth to defend him, when Akutagawa cleared his throat.

“If I may?”

Midnight nodded, a bit confused but granting him permission nonetheless. The mafioso waited until everyone quieted down so that all eyes were on him.

“The previous stage was a team battle, was it not? What did it matter what you did individually? It was your team effort that brought you the victory. If you were being controlled or manipulated, that’s just how your teammate’s quirk worked. Did you expect him to not use his quirk at all? When this society treasures quirks more than anything? More than human life?”

He turned to glare at Ojiro before continuing.

“He could have given you a simple instruction such as “Do your best,” so technically you did give it your all. Did you bother asking him? Probably not, considering that you’re afraid of him. That’s what this is actually about, isn’t it? Fear. His quirk isn’t your conventional hero type quirk and you can’t understand it so you were scared of it. With this kind of thinking, you’re absolutely right when you said that you didn’t deserve to be here.”

Atsushi nodded his head in agreement, slightly shocked that the mafioso had said everything he wanted to say. It was as if the man had read his mind and turned everything ruder, but the sentiment still remained.

It was scary how similar they actually were and how Atsushi had just started realising it after a long, long time.

He could see Shinsou looking at them weirdly for a few seconds, way out of his depth, before turning his attention back to their teacher. He was no longer fidgeting and his frown had eased into an expression of nonchalance, though Atsushi could tell that he was relieved.

(He counted it as a win.)

It was painfully silent for a few moments. 

No one knew what to do, whether to let Ojiro withdraw though that would mean accepting his discriminatory reasoning, or to ask him to stay, which would impede on his freedom of choice. It was a tough ethical dilemma, one which Midnight never really signed up for.

“Hey Midnight! What’s the hold up?” Present Mic asked, after a few more seconds of awkward silence.

They could hear a very familiar sigh coming from the speakers.

“Probably had something to do with Problem Child 1 and 2,” Aizawa mumbled, sounding tired.

The majority of class 1-A laughed at that, knowing full well the stress that Atsushi and Akutagawa apparently put their teacher through. Atsushi put a hand on his chest in a gesture of mock hurt, while Akutagawa smirked proudly. Bakugou just glared at them but didn’t say anything while Todoroki looked… suspicious, for some reason. Ojiro was looking down at the floor, mad but also confused.

The boy was probably reevaluating his way of thinking, which was good.

A while later, Midnight accepted the withdrawal of both Ojiro and another student from class 1-B, Nirengeki. Her reason was that she couldn't really force the students to fight if they didn’t want to, so she let it slide. They were then replaced by two students from the team that came in fifth, and with that, they finally drew lots to see who would be competing against each other.

According to the chart, if Atsushi wanted to fight against Akutagawa, both of them needed to make it to the finals but that meant possibly having to fight Midoriya in the third round. The boy was definitely a force to be reckoned with, especially with how he’d been improving ability-wise.

They spent weeks figuring out his quirk so that he wouldn’t break his bones like he did during the entrance exam, and over the course of the year, they’ve managed to help him find a fighting style that suited him best. That, paired with his analytical mind and quick thinking, was definitely a deadly combination.

The only disadvantage the boy had was inexperience but it wouldn’t be as bad if his opponent was equally inexperienced. 

The thing about Midoriya’s first opponent, Shinsou Hitoshi, was that he’s a wild card through and through. The boy could be on the same level as Midoriya in terms of experience, but they still didn’t quite know how his quirk worked. If it’s true that he had the ability to control people, it would be important to know exactly how it’s triggered and how to get out of it.

This element of mystery made him a brilliant yet annoying opponent. Atsushi could practically feel Midoriya’s weird mixture of excitement and anxiety from where he was seated in the stands. He waved at the boy, who was already at the field due to his battle being the first one.

The boy waved and attempted to smile back, though it looked more like a grimace. He then turned to focus on Shinsou who looked mildly relaxed.

“Who do you think is going to win?” Atsushi asked.

Akutagawa looked down at the two students who were about to battle it out, contemplative.

“Shinsou, if Midoriya doesn’t figure out how to break free from his quirk in time. Considering his skills, however, I’m sure he’ll be able to. So my final answer is Midoriya.”

Atsushi nodded, agreeing. Soon enough, Midnight was at the referee stand and getting ready to announce the start of the match.

To win, they had to either render their opponent immobile or to get them out of the designated fighting arena. It didn’t matter if it was intentional or accidental, as long as they were out. Besides that, it was practically free-for-all. The teachers would only step in if it got too… extreme.

Atsushi leaned back in his seat, ready for what could be an interesting battle but shockingly enough, Midoriya and Shinshou’s battle almost ended the second it started.

Shinsou had said something to Midoriya multiple times but the boy kept refusing to answer. 

(Maybe the trigger was something verbal? Kudos to the boy for figuring that out, but how?)

On his final attempt, Shinsou finally succeeded (he must have said something rude, based on Midoriya’s offended expression) and soon, the green-haired boy was under his control and making his way out of the arena.

Before Atsushi could even exclaim in surprise, Midoriya had somehow snapped out of his trance just a few centimetres from the arena (did it have something to do with that gush of wind?) and immediately launched his counterattack. 

From then on, it was clear that the green-haired boy had an advantage. He was more skilled in hand-to-hand combat, not only because of his studies in the Heroics course, but also because of all that training he’d undergone the past few months with Atsushi and Akutagawa.

A few more well-aimed punches and a drop-kick later, Midoriya managed to secure his victory.

In a show of true sportsmanship, the boy had called out to Shinsou shortly after the match ended, saying something that caused the boy to smile slightly in true Midoriya fashion.

Atsushi smiled at the display, feeling immensely proud of the boy.

The next two matches also went by relatively fast. 

In the second match, Todoroki instantly froze Sero in a big, icy glacier, rendering him incapable of moving within seconds. In the third match, Shiozaki had overcome Kaminari’s attacks and used her vines to secure success.

Atsushi wasn’t quite sure if it went by fast because it really was that fast, or if things sped up when it wasn’t related to the plot. It was one of the mysteries of the universe that they had yet to crack.

Whichever of the two it was, it really didn’t help with his pre-match jitters. Honestly, he had no problem fighting people one-on-one, but to do it in front of a crowd? And to have it televised nationwide?

Yeah, the time skips weren’t helpful. He didn’t have enough time to mentally prepare himself.

Anyway.

It was already time for Atsushi’s battle against Iiida.

“If you don’t win this one, you aren’t a worthy opponent,” Akutagawa said in an attempt of what Atsushi could only assume to be encouragement.

The weretiger laughed and showed a thumbs up, nonetheless. As he made his way to the arena, he pondered his possible strategies.

Iida’s strengths were his speed and his combat ability, considering the fact that he came from a family of Pro Heroes. Atsushi wasn’t quite sure if Byakko could outrun the boy, so it was better to rule out any speed-related strategies. Therefore, his other option would be to overpower him in combat and somehow get him out of the arena.

Sure, the boy was fast, but that didn’t mean he had endurance. If Iida relied too much on defeating his opponent quickly, that could mean that he was avoiding a battle of endurance. Atsushi, on the other hand, was a pro at endurance. All he needed to do was withstand Iida’s attacks, wait for him to tire himself out, and then strike with all he’s got. 

That was exactly what he did.

He either blocked or dodged all of Iida’s attacks, while dishing out a few punches and kicks of his own. The boy may be faster than him, but Byakko wasn’t exactly slow in the first place. 

He could see the boy’s frustration grow after each attack failed, growing more and more desperate to finally land a hit.

That was Iida’s first mistake.

The second he grew sloppy, which was bound to happen due to his speed increasing, Atsushi made his counterattack. He grabbed the hand that Iida used to attempt to punch his face and pulled the move Kunikida loved using on him.

Within seconds, he had Iida pinned to the ground. He transformed his torso into a tiger’s so that he was heavier, causing the blue-haired boy to be rendered immobile.

A few moments later, Midnight declared him the winner.

Atsushi transformed back and got off the boy, extending his hand to help pull him up. They bowed to each other before leaving the arena together. 

There were no hard feelings involved, which was good. They then sat together and watched the next few matches.

They went by relatively fast, excluding the Kirishima vs Tetsutetsu match and the Bakugou vs Uraraka Match. The match directly after Atsushi’s was Ashido vs Aoyama, in which Ashido had secured the victory within moments using her acid.

The one right after that was Akutagawa vs Yaoyorozu, the girl who resembled Gin. Atsushi wasn’t quite sure if that would cause Akutagawa to falter. He’s a merciless mafioso but also someone who loved his sister dearly. Maybe that sentiment would come into play?

However, Atsushi was proven just how pointless his worrying was once the match started.

Akutagawa didn’t waste any time and used Rashomon to prohibit Yaoyorozu from using her quirk to create something. He dished out attack after attack, preventing her from stopping and creating weapons due to her constant dodging. Even if she did manage to multitask, the items she created would’ve been devoured by Rashomon in an instant.

This had caused Yaoyorozu to take one too many steps backwards in an attempt to escape Rashomon’s jaws, only to accidentally step out of the arena. 

It was an easy but commendable victory, yet the crowd wasn’t as enthusiastic. Instead of cheers, murmurs were heard. It seemed as if they didn’t quite know what to make of Akutagawa and his Ability.

Nonetheless, the mafioso took it all in grace. He approached Yaoyorozu, bowed, and thanked her for the match, all while smiling slightly. The girl blushed and bowed back, before seemingly accepting Akutagawa’s invite to head back to their seats together.

By the time he settled in his seat next to Atsushi’s, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu’s match was well underway.

“How the crowd reacted didn’t sit well with me. You won the match fair and square,” Atsushi had said, pointedly looking at anywhere but the man beside him.

Akutagawa coughed, turning his head to look at Atsushi once it subsided.

“Rashomon seemed more in line with their idea of what a villain’s quirk is. They aren’t wrong, though,” He answered, diverting his gaze to the hand-wrestling match that was held to determine the victor instead.

(Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were too evenly matched.)

“Coincidentally, they’re right. If it was any other student, say, Tokoyami, it would’ve been a false accusation. That isn’t right.”

A superficial society that judged someone based on appearances, according to their own made up rules of what’s black and what’s white. These beliefs were then reinforced by the system. The government, the education system, the entire network.

A society that cared too much about the wrong things. Whether one’s quirk seemed villainous, whether one had a quirk at all. Too much importance was placed on something that’s just merely an extension of the human body. 

“A fundamental problem of this universe,” Atsushi whispered as realisation dawned upon him at the same time Kirishima won the hand-wrestling match.

Akutagawa looked at him curiously but said nothing more, content to listen to Atsushi’s theories once they reached home.

The final match for Round 1 was definitely… explosive. 

Uraraka had tried her best to defeat Bakugou, managing to land a few hits on him and send him floating. Alas, the boy could control his movements with mini explosions and Uraraka couldn’t hold on to him for long so he did end up breaking free from her hold.

She put up a great fight, even concocting a plan to use all the smashed up debris Bakugou exploded to finish him off, but he was a more experienced fighter.

(Atsushi had an inkling on how he got that… experience .)

Ultimately, it was the blonde that won after a gruelling battle. 

The crowd didn’t really know how to feel about that as well, though Atsushi couldn’t quite understand why.

It was a good match, with Uraraka being almost on par with Bakugou when it came to hand-to-hand combat (Atsushi could see her use some moves that Akutagawa had taught them personally). If anything, it just showed that Bakugou took her seriously as a competitor.

He was done trying to understand what society demanded of heroes (although he probably needed to if he ever wanted to leave).

They took a short break to prepare for the next round, starting with the Midoriya vs Todoroki match. Atsushi was confident the green-haired boy would be able to pull through, but it seemed as if the boy was more focused on another matter entirely.

He was about to ask, when the boy was called into the arena for his next match.

“Good luck, Midoriya!” Atsushi opted for instead.

The boy laughed before shouting out a “Thanks!”, though Atsushi could see a little bit of tension leave his shoulders.

(That was good.)

In hindsight, Atsushi should’ve known something was about to go wrong.

A calm Midoriya usually meant that the boy was about to pull off something batshit crazy. Something absolutely bonkers. Something unfathomable to the human mind.

Something along the lines of breaking his fingers one by one just to make a point.

Every time Todoroki threw a chunk of ice, the boy would attempt to flick it away. However, flicking wasn’t really his strong suit. He could do it a couple of times, but not consecutively. He still hadn’t mastered the control of his quirk using his fingers as they focused more on leg-oriented fighting styles.

(He could hear Akutagawa sigh at the same time a “Problem Child 3” was heard over the speakers, indicating their homeroom teacher was just as resigned as they were.)

They watched on in growing horror as the match prolonged, witnessing Midoriya sacrifice himself again and again to get something across to Todoroki. Probably in an attempt to save him. 

“Self-sacrificing fool. He got that from you,” Akutagawa grumbled, frowning.

Atsushi didn’t know what to say to that, so he just settled for a scoff.

They could see Todoroki growing more frustrated the colder he was, his refusal to use his flames bringing him down. Midoriya was also growing frustrated as he was full on shouting, though Atsushi couldn’t hear that well due to the surrounding wind that had suddenly picked up.

He had said something that caused Todoroki to pause, before huge flames roared to life.

As the both of them prepared to face each other with all they’ve got, Cementoss conjured up a wall between them just in time, before they seriously injured the other.

In the end, Todoroki was the one who was left barely standing in the arena while Midoriya was passed out just outside of it.

It was shocking at first but the more Atsushi thought of it, the more it made sense. Of course Midoriya would put someone else before himself. Of course he would.

(He’s a mini-Atsushi, after all.)

They had to wait for a while so that they could rebuild the arena so Atsushi took this time to visit Midoriya just before his match with Shiozaki. Akutagawa followed suit, a stern lecture ready on his tongue.

By the time they entered, it was filled with other 1-A students who thought it would be best to visit their friend too. This, in turn, caused Recovery Girl to usher them all out, saying that Midoriya needed to rest before his surgery.

(Surgery. The boy needed surgery! Inko’s going to need to sit down before hearing this.)

Initially, he had thought of the one-on-one battles as something fun, something exciting. Like a sparring match one would watch at the Olympics. But… he didn’t expect it to have such dire consequences.

Why weren’t measures in place to ensure the safety of the students? Surely they could have come up with a few regulations to make sure that the matches wouldn’t be too… violent. 

Now that he actually thought of it, a free-for-all, especially for powered-up teenagers who still couldn’t properly control their quirks didn’t seem as if it was the best of choices. To just… leave it up to the referees to stop the match before it got too wild didn’t seem like it was enough.

It certainly wasn’t enough back then, when All Might failed to step in between Bakugou and Midoriya.

Not only were they made to fight each other like some sort of less extreme version of a gladiator match, it was also televised nationwide. Their strengths and weaknesses were, as Kaminari would say, caught in 4k. They would be picked apart piece by piece, and if that kind of information ever fell into the wrong hands...

Atsushi was clearly distracted by that fact, up until it was time for his match to begin. Even then, he wasn’t really in the mood to fight so he ended things as quickly as he could.

He used his claws to cut through Shiozaki’s vines and when she was caught off-guard, he gently pushed her out of bounds. After the match that was Todoroki vs Midoriya, it was relatively underwhelming.

The same could be said for the remaining matches in Round 2. 

Akutagawa had easily defeated Ashido by restraining her with Rashomon as soon as the match started, lifting her up and putting her out of the arena. Meanwhile, Bakugou had figured out Kirishima’s hardening weakness and exploited it, giving him the win.

Out of the four of them that advanced to Round 3, neither of them were really in the mood to fight, except for maybe Bakugou.

The first match of Round 3 was Todoroki vs Atsushi. It was clear that the boy didn’t have any intention to use his fire anymore, though Atsushi couldn’t really pinpoint why. Nevertheless, Atsushi wasn’t going to take it for granted.

Fighting Todoroki was a bit more challenging compared to the others, mainly because the boy was experienced in combat for some reason. He had a feeling it was related to Endeavor but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

He decided to use the same strategy he used on Iida, knowing full well Todoroki’s refusal to use his fire would cause him to lose an endurance battle. Sure enough, when the boy grew tired, Atsushi easily overpowered him and won the match.

Akutagawa’s match was livelier than his was, at least. It was kind of hilarious too, if he was being honest with himself.

Bakugou looked ready to beat the mafioso to a pulp while the man looked as if he was dealing with a rather annoying…. mosquito. 

The boy let out streams of explosions, only for Rashomon to devour the space between them, not even letting a single one pass through.

He looked almost bored when parts of Rashomon emerged from the ground before it restrained the blonde before him.

Bakugou shouted, struggling as he tried to get Rashomon off of him, to no avail. No explosions could burn it, nor could it scare it away. It was there, and there to stay.

After a few more moments of his struggling and explicit cursing, Midnight declared Akutagawa the winner, though the blonde didn’t really take it quite well.

He had to be dragged away from the arena, screaming about how the match wasn’t fair and that the mafioso was a coward for not choosing to fight.

This time, the crowd agreed with the boy, though it was most probably because between the two, Akutagawa’s quirk seemed more villainous and the way he won didn’t really fit into their narrative of what a stereotypical hero fight should look like.

(Honestly, screw them.)

Whatever it was, it still meant that Akutagawa won and that they were going to face each other in the finals.

It was the moment that they’ve been waiting for, that they’ve been looking forward to ever since the Sports Festival was announced, but with Midoriya in surgery and with the way things played out after that, the realisations they’d made, it didn’t seem as exciting anymore.

Besides, going all out would only give the villains more leverage if they were somewhere out there watching them. Maybe it was time for a different approach.

“Remember the reason why Mori-san would disapprove of this?” Atsushi asked as he faced Akutagawa in the arena, seconds before Midnight declared the start of the match.

Akutagawa frowned as he thought, trying to decipher the message Atsushi was trying to send across without sounding suspicious in case anyone could lip read.

“Are you proposing an alternative?” He asked instead, though Atsushi could tell that the mafioso understood what he’d meant.

Atsushi nodded, immediately getting into a fighting stance when the match started.

(It was important to keep up pretenses.)

Akutagawa raised an eyebrow, following suit. They circled around each other in an attempt to stall for time though to the crowd, it seemed as if two predators were waiting for the right time to strike.

“We can compete in a different way. Loser has to exit the arena willingly,” Atsushi said as he faked a punch, holding in a laugh as Akutagawa exaggeratedly avoided it.

The mafioso delivered a dropkick, almost wiping the floor with Atsushi’s face.

“Interesting, and what shall that be?” He smirked when the weretiger glared at him as he recovered from the attack.

Atsushi tried to think of an alternative all the while avoiding the punches the mafioso was dishing, almost getting hit by a few. He retaliated with a few kicks of his own, though those were also swiftly dodged by the mafioso.

(Damn him and his reflexes.)

“What about rock paper scissors? Best of one,” He suggested after a while of them just trading blows.

They have yet to use their Abilities and the crowd was growing restless. Murmurs started to fill the air and if he listened hard enough, he could probably hear Aizawa’s sigh from all the way in the booth he was emceeing in.

Akutagawa stared at him incredulously before agreeing soon enough. 

They stood straight and faced each other, faces serious. Atsushi raised his right hand. Akutagawa mirrored his actions. 

The crowd drew a breath in anticipation.

“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!” 

Atsushi put out paper. Akutagawa put out scissors. Akutagawa won. 

With that, Atsushi dejectedly made his way out of the arena, to the complete shock of the spectators.

“Did they just… decide the final battle using rock, paper, scissors?” Present Mic asked no one in particular.

The stadium went silent. Midnight looked on in confusion. Atsushi shrugged his shoulders. Aizawa sighed, before declaring Akutagawa as the final winner of the Sports Festival.

The crowd clapped hesitantly, unsure if it was something to be celebrated since it ended in such a manner. They were also probably shocked and disappointed that the person they were rooting for (it was clear to everyone that Atsushi was the crowd favourite) were in cahoots with someone they had already deemed villainous.

It seemed as if they wanted them to be enemies, just so they could fit into the narrative that they had conjured.

Atsushi wasn’t going to have any of that nonsense. 

As if to spite society and their ridiculous expectations, he immediately walked back into the arena where Akutagawa was still standing, and proceeded to hook an arm around his shoulders, dragging him along playfully.

The mafioso was shocked but he decided to play along, willingly letting Atsushi do whatever he wanted without much complaint. 

They could hear the crowd murmur uneasily, but they paid it no mind.

Once they were out of sight, Atsushi immediately let him go, ignoring the longing in his chest at the loss of contact.

He cleared his throat and looked elsewhere, not meeting Akutagawa’s questioning gaze.

“I didn’t want to play into their expectations,” Atsushi vaguely explained after a while, still not looking at the man.

He could tell that Akutagawa wasn’t satisfied with his answer but he accepted it nonetheless. They didn’t really have the time to delve deep into the flaws of society as they were called to the stage for the award ceremony.

Akutagawa placed first, Atsushi second, and Todoroki shared third place with Bakugou. All Might had bestowed them the medals, though Atsushi could see a slight tremor in his form when the man had to give it to Akutagawa.

The mafioso merely smirked but said nothing else.

As soon as the ceremony was over, they made their way to Midoriya, who’d recovered quite fast from his surgery thanks to Recovery Girl. Akutagawa had then decided it was alright to give his long-awaited lecture while Atsushi chipped in every now and then. The green-haired boy dipped his head in shame, though it looked like he didn’t regret his actions.

(Maybe they’d have to call reinforcements, such as Inko.)

They offered to walk him back, but Midoriya had said that Inko was already on her way there. When they offered to wait with him, the boy refused, saying that he had some things to discuss with All Might and that he didn’t want to trouble them further.

Akutagawa’s suspicions only heightened once he saw the Number One Hero entering the room, glaring icily at the man as they made their way out.

There was definitely something going on but neither of them had the energy to figure out what it was. At least, not that day.

The second they left the school grounds, they were stopped by a certain purple-haired student.

“Wait,” Shinsou had said as he ambushed them at the school gates, looking nervous for some reason.

They stopped in their tracks as they waited for the boy in front of them to say whatever it was that he wanted to say.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Shinsou cleared his throat and looked straight at Akutagawa.

“Thank you for standing up for me.”

He then bowed stiffly and immediately ran away, not even waiting for the mafioso’s response.

Atsushi laughed amusedly at Akutagawa’s stunned expression, the man clearly not expecting to be thanked for doing something good. He immediately snapped out of his stunned silence at the sound, immediately using Rashomon to silence him.

Atsushi let out a shriek before laughing and taking off into a sprint with Akutagawa hot on his heels, dodging Rashomon the whole way back. 

For a short moment, they pretended that everything was fine.

Chapter Text

The journey to school was an interesting one, to say the least.

They had significantly underestimated the magnitude of the Sports Festival. Everywhere they went, they were almost always recognised by a random passerby. They would get nods of acknowledgements or maybe even cheers of encouragement. Even for Akutagawa, who they were lowkey afraid of.

It felt as if they were mini-celebrities.

“This feels different compared to when I’m recognised because of the Wanted list,” Akutagawa mentioned as they finally, finally made their way to the classroom.

They were stopped at almost every step of the way. It was a miracle that they even arrived there on time.

“The Wanted list? Why am I even surprised?” They heard a tired voice speak up, instantly recognising it as Aizawa’s.

They hurriedly made their way to their respective seats as their teacher hobbled his way into class in that classic yellow sleeping bag of his.

Aizawa activated his quirk to get everyone to quiet down before continuing.

“I’ll be giving you the list of hero agencies that put in a request for you. As usual, there’ll be some who get more than others. The next part of the class will be conducted by Midnight. She’ll help you deal with the PR side of things. That’s all.”

And with that, he zipped up his sleeping bag and went to sleep in the corner of the classroom at the same time Midnight strolled in.

(Truly a man of few words. What a guy.)

“You’ll be deciding your hero names and presenting it to everyone. Good luck!”

(Wait. What?)

Akutagawa slowly turned to look at Atsushi, horrified.

“I’m dropping out.”

Atsushi laughed aloud, knowing just how mortifying it was for Akutagawa.

The man had many aliases throughout his whole… career. The Silent Rabid Dog of the Port Mafia, the Black-fanged Hellhound, even Diablo. None of them sounded particularly hero-friendly, in Atsushi’s professional opinion.

It was no wonder that the mafioso was struggling and to be honest, he could also relate.

Back when he was at the orphanage, he would always hope that someone would come and save him. It didn’t matter that the concept of heroes didn’t exist in his universe, the person who saved him would be his hero, no matter what. 

However, after years and years of nothing happening, he gave up on that dream. He gave up on the notion of being saved, much less being the one who did the saving. To think that now... not only was he out of that hell hole, he was even helping others out of there...

It was... weird.

Atsushi panicked the moment Midnight called upon the first student, knowing that his time was running short.

He half-heartedly listened to their presentations, alarm bells ringing in his head as he desperately tried to think of an acceptable hero name.

(So far he’s heard of All Might, Eraserhead, Present Mic and Midnight. Considering that they were pro heroes, their names must’ve been acceptable enough for the public. How could he even begin to come up with something as unique as that?)

“Midoriya Izuku, it’s your turn,” Midnight announced, startling Atsushi from his panicked thoughts.

He immediately focused on the green-haired boy who determinedly made his way to the front, curious to know what the younger would name himself. Inko did mention variations of Small Might and Mighty Boy when he was at their house with Akutagawa the other day. Would the younger stick to that?

“My hero name is going to be Deku.”

(Oh!)

He listened as the younger explained that it was a move to reclaim something that was used against him, into something that can be used by him. Turning hurt into pride. Trauma into strength.

(Though, in Atsushi’s humble opinion, trauma didn’t help him get stronger. It just left him, well, traumatised . Anyway.)

It was a wonderful speech, Midnight even wiping away an imaginary tear at the explanation. He clapped along with his classmates as Midoriya finished his presentation, looking around to see what Bakugou’s reaction would be. The teen definitely looked pissed but he didn’t seem like he would do anything so that was acceptable enough for now. 

They would have to get to the bottom of the whole Midoriya and Bakugou problem one day if something like that was going to be a common occurrence.

As Atsushi was busy planning ways to ask Midoriya about the truth, his name was suddenly called.

He hurriedly stood up and tried to maintain his composure as he nervously walked to the front. Internally, he was screaming. He still had no idea what he was going to say so he was just going to have to wing it.

He stood at the podium and looked at his excited classmates. 

“Uh…” He began, hearing Akutagawa snicker from the back of the class.

He turned to glare at the mafioso when inspiration struck. He was going to have to thank Midoriya for his brilliant idea.

Atsushi  then smiled and proudly announced his chosen hero name.

“My hero name will be Jinko.”

Akutagawa stopped snickering midway, shocked at Atsushi’s revelation. The weretiger merely winked before continuing with his explanation.

“This name was actually given to me by someone, just like Midoriya. It started out as an insult but it had somehow evolved into something… pleasant. Something that means a lot to me so I’d like the public to know me by that name.”

He could see Akutagawa blushing furiously as he glared at the ground, hand covering his face. For some reason, he was ecstatic that he was the reason why the other was acting that way. He wanted to keep doing it.

(Perhaps... to continue doing it well into their future.)

“Whipped!” Uraraka shouted, ignoring the lecture Iida was giving her about teasing friends.

It was his turn to blush when he registered what she had actually meant by that. He cleared his throat then bowed, making his way to his seat that was directly in front of the mafioso.

He adamantly looked forward, feeling kind of shy around the man all of a sudden. 

(Probably because he had lowkey confessed that he treasured the damn nickname that was gifted to him by the man. He might as well just announce to the whole world that he l— nope, not going down that path.)

“How sweet! Thanks for sharing with us, Nakajima. I’m sure the person who gave you that nickname will be pretty happy to hear that. Alright so for our next student… Akutagawa! You’re up,” Midnight said.

(Did Midnight know? Was she intentionally messing with him? Why does the universe hate him?)

The man reluctantly got up and dragged himself all the way to the podium at the front of the class. He glared at everyone who looked at him expectantly, though it wasn’t as effective as it used to be. Realising this, he sighed before opening his mouth to start presenting. 

“I haven’t decided on a hero name.”

The class stared at him, dumbfounded. 

“You’ll need a hero name before your internship starts, though. You can even follow Todoroki’s lead and use your given name if that’s what you’re comfortable with,” Midnight suggested.

Akutagawa furrowed his eyebrows, contemplating for a few seconds.

“I’d rather not. Besides, internships aren’t compulsory, are they? I’d prefer to stay here and shadow Aizawa-sensei instead.”

This caused the sleeping teacher to wake up and actually leave his sleeping bag.

Midnight looked at the student and then the teacher, confused but hesitantly accepting it nonetheless. Akutagawa then made his way back to his seat, ignoring the confused looks thrown his way. Even from Atsushi, who belatedly realised he was supposed to look elsewhere because of his actions from earlier.

“You got hundreds of offers from hero agencies and you want to shadow me?” Aizawa asked, incredulous.

Akutagawa shrugged.

“It’s the only logical route for me. If I were to be a hero, I’d like to be an underground one. Away from all that publicity nonsense.”

Aizawa stared at him long and hard but Akutagawa didn’t falter. Sighing, the man merely nodded his head before saying that they’ll be discussing more later.

“Alright… Next student please?”

Atsushi couldn’t really focus on the next few presentations. His mind was busy processing the events from earlier. 

Did Akutagawa feel weirded out by it? Was he mad at him for some reason? Maybe he didn’t want his nickname to be used by the general public?

Well, it’s not like Atsushi’s going to find out anytime soon. He was still too embarrassed to talk to him. Instead, he spent all of his energy going through the stack of offers he’d gotten from hero agencies all over Japan.

He flipped through offers from Hawks, Best Jeanist, Ryukyu and Wash, not really registering the fact that they were a part of the Top 10 Heroes. Not when his eyes were glued on the current offer in front of him.

Endeavor Hero Agency.

“Endeavor’s a hero ?!” He said aloud in his shock, completely unaware that he did not, in fact, say it in the privacy of his thoughts.

“Mood,” Midoriya mumbled.

Atsushi nodded his head in agreement, before pausing. Hesitantly, he lifted his eyes away from the offending form and towards his perplexed classmates, accidentally making eye contact with Todoroki who was looking at him contemplatively.

“What is it, Problem Child 1?” Aizawa asked, resigned.

“I… didn’t know.”

Ashido looked at him in shock.

“How? He’s literally the Number Two Hero?”

(Number Two Hero?! He... really screwed up didn't he?

Alright, it's fine.... Just... How could he get out of this situation relatively unscathed?)

“I spent most of my childhood locked up in the basement…?” He answered, though it sounded more like a question.

(That… probably wasn’t the best response. He should really stop oversharing all of his traumatic childhood stories.)

He could see the moment it finally dawned upon his classmates. He laughed awkwardly and shrugged his shoulders, making eye contact with Aizawa and silently pleading for the man to take over. The teacher nodded his head, before clearing his throat. 

He then proceeded to talk more about the internships and what the protocol was, successfully diverting his classmates’ attention away from him. Atsushi sighed in relief before slumping back in his seat, glad. He was about to close his eyes for a brief moment when he heard a sharp intake of breath behind him.

“Atsushi…” Akutagawa started, though he left his sentence unfinished.

Atsushi straightened up and turned to look behind him, inquisitive. He was already surprised at the fact that he had once again called out his given name, but it was even more shocking for him to see the look of anger on the mafioso’s face. His eyebrows were furrowed and the corners of his lips pulled downwards. His fists were clenched and it looked as if he was struggling to keep his breathing steady.

He looked just as he did when they met again at the ship, though this time he could tell that it wasn’t directed at him.

“I don’t care if he’s dead. I’ll kill him again,” He whispered, furious.

Atsushi smiled gently at the sentiment, touched. He ignored the figment of the headmaster standing by the corner of his vision, disapproving. Instead, he took Akutagawa’s clenched fists into his hands and slowly pried them open.

“I’ve said this before, Ryuunosuke. You can’t kill a ghost,” He laughed lightly, focusing on relaxing Akutagawa’s death grip.

The mafioso slowly exhaled, though he suddenly froze. Confused, Atsushi looked up, only to see the man blushing furiously.

“What-” “Did you just call me Ryuunosuke?” They asked at the same time.

Atsushi blinked.

He sifted through his memories for a brief second before realising that yes, he did in fact, call him Ryuunosuke.

He wasn't even sure why he did so, or why it just... came out naturally. It wasn't as if he'd been referring to the mafioso that way in the privacy of his thoughts so why did it just feel... right?

His fingers that were busy prying the mafioso’s fists open, stilled. His brain had promptly shut down at the realisation and now he was left screaming internally.

“Uh…” came his intelligent reply.

Akutagawa stared at him for a moment longer before breaking out into a small smile.

“I don’t mind. Call me that if you want.”

Flustered, Atsushi immediately withdrew his hands before facing forward, blushing. He ignored the chuckle coming from behind him, in favor of listening to whatever Aizawa was talking about.

Something about not engaging in combat without permission and whatnot. Very interesting stuff. Yup.

After a few more minutes of trying his hardest to understand whatever the hell that was required of him during the internship later on, the bell rang and they were dismissed.

Atsushi immediately packed his things, wanting to run away from the mafioso as soon as he could. He ignored the looks Midoriya was throwing at him, not even looking up when someone approached his table.

“Nakajima. We need to talk.”

That sounded vaguely familiar. Kind of like deja vu.

He looked up, surprised to see Todoroki Shouto standing in front of him. Again.

“Okay?” He answered, confusedly trailing after the boy.

They went to the same classroom they went to the other day for privacy’s sake. This time, he immediately sat on the nearest chair, not even waiting for Todoroki to do so first. The boy raised his eyebrows at that, but followed his actions nonetheless.

It was silent for a few minutes.

“You received an offer from my father’s agency?” He asked, finally breaking his silence.

Atsushi nodded. Todoroki then continued.

“Alright. Are you going to take it?” He asked again, this time a bit more hesitant.

He paused to think.

He had never really considered which agency he was going to go for. Technically, he wasn’t even supposed to be there receiving all these offers in the first place. The smartest course of action was to go somewhere he could get answers. Initially, he had thought that it was going to be UA. So he planned to follow in Akutagawa’s footsteps and intern with Aizawa.

However, maybe it would probably be best if they went their separate ways so that they could gather more intel. Considering that they needed to solve one of the fundamental problems of this universe, maybe he could start with whatever the hell that was going on with Endeavor.

The Number Two Hero but an abusive father. It was as if the masses regarded the Headmaster as a respected public figure back in his own universe.

(He should probably look into Endeavor and check how the public sees him. If he’s violent and unpleasant, how did he even get to number two? Did the public tolerate him because he had a strong, flashy quirk that was approved by society? Even if he was such an asshole?)

Something about that situation felt familiar but Atsushi couldn’t put his finger on it. He decided to let that slide in the meantime and focus on more pressing matters.

“I’m not going to leave you alone with him,” Atsushi answered instead, smiling.

That was also true. He couldn’t let the boy deal with whatever issue he had with his father alone. No one saved him back when he was locked up in that cell, so he knew how it felt to be helpless. This time, he was going to do the saving. He can be his own saviour, and a saviour for others. He will be the person he was waiting for in that cell.

The boy looked at him in shock, before trying to school his expression into a more neutral one. He nodded his head once and stood up hesitantly, awkwardly gesturing for Atsushi to do the same.

Unsure of what’s going to happen next, he did as he was told. 

“Let’s go for lunch,” Todoroki suggested, waiting for him so that they could walk together.

Atsushi smiled at him widely.

“Sure.”

-

Todoroki had become a regular at their lunch table.

Atsushi was 98% sure that it had something to do with Midoriya and his uncanny ability to make friends. It seemed as if whatever the boy did at the Sports Festival really got through to the other, which was great. Though, he could do without breaking almost all of his bones in the process.

“I promise I won’t do anything reckless during my internship,” Midoriya whined, sipping his milkshake a few seconds afterwards.

Atsushi looked at him blankly while Akutagawa scoffed, disbelieving.

The boy just wasn’t convincing enough. He looked like he still believed that he had to sacrifice anything to save anyone if he needed to. 

They should probably get Aizawa in on their “talk some common sense into Midoriya” agenda. Considering that the man had dubbed the boy as Problem Child 3, it probably wouldn’t take that much convincing.

Midoriya sighed before raising his hands up in surrender. They then continued enjoying their drinks in companionable silence.

The three of them were currently in a cafe near Midoriya’s apartment, spending some time together before they parted ways for their week-long internship. That, and well, they needed some more information before proceeding with the next stage of their intel gathering.

“So… what do you guys want to know?” The green-haired boy asked.

Atsushi looked at Akutagawa, signalling for the man to do the questioning. The man shook his head exasperatedly but complied nonetheless.

“I think it’s better if we go somewhere private, such as our apartment. You can even sleep over there if you want, because I know you’ll have questions.”

Midoriya was definitely curious so he agreed easily. They finished their drinks and went back to his apartment so that they could take the things he needed to stay the night. After a while, they made the trek back to Atsushi and Akutagawa’s shared apartment.

“It’s best if you sit down. We’re going to need to clarify some stuff before we continue,” Atsushi said as he entered, opening the door open to let Akutagawa and Midoriya enter.

“Should I feel scared?” The boy asked as he plopped down on the couch.

Akutagawa nodded ominously.

“Mildly.”

And with that, they began telling the story of how exactly they ended up in their current situation. How they were actually well in their 20s and were tasked to apprehend a criminal. How they had failed said task and were now stuck in an alternate universe 200 years into the future, where everything was so different yet so similar.

“We didn’t call them Quirks, we called them Abilities. Funnily enough, not many people actually had Abilities. We’re actually the minority,” Atsushi explained.

Midoriya put his hand up, wanting to ask a question.

“Do they work similarly?

Atsushi thought long and hard, trying to recall the Quirk Biology knowledge that UA had drilled into him and trying to compare it with what little he knew of Abilities.

“I don’t think they do. Quirks is a genetics thing, right? If you have a quirk, you’ll be missing a toe joint and you’ll have that DNA thing or something. You’ll also inherit some aspect of your parents’ quirks. For us, it’s nothing like that. In fact, the Ability can be separated from the user using another Ability,” He continued, recalling the Shibusawa incident where he had to fight his own Ability.

“Aizawa-sensei’s Erasure probably wouldn’t work on you guys, if that’s the case. His quirk targets the DNA in order to disable it temporarily. So… if it’s not in your DNA, where do Abilities come from? What are they tied to?” 

This time, it was Akutagawa who answered.

“I have a theory that it originates from the soul. When I was separated from Rashomon, it took a form that was similar to my silhouette. It was also sentient, though it’s moves were predictable. It was essentially similar to fighting yourself.”

Atsushi nodded in agreement.

“I think it’s from the soul, too. When Shibusawa tried to extract my Ability, he mistook it for my soul actually. I would have died if Byakko didn’t—“

He stopped in his tracks, realising just what he was about to share.

“Didn’t what…?” Midoriya asked, morbidly curious.

Would someone like Midoriya understand? Yes, the boy had gone through his fair share of suffering, but the society he was in was inherently different from his. In this universe, there was only black and white. In his universe, it was predominantly grey.

Here, they had heroes who would step in and save the day. If they found a starving orphan on the streets, they would take them to a nearby shelter. The orphan would never know the dilemma of stealing something to survive for one more day. 

They were pampered in the sense that they never knew what it’s like to sacrifice everything , just to stay alive. To be able to have enough necessities to be morally correct was a privilege in itself. Something that was absent in his own universe. It was every man for himself, survival of the fittest.

Here, they had strong heroes who gave it their all to protect the weak. They had a safety net.

(And maybe, just maybe, there were people who fell through the safety net. People who became acquainted with that feeling of helplessness, that no one would come save them so they had to save themselves.

Maybe, in this universe, these people were villains .)

“You don’t want to know,” Atsushi settled on.

Midoriya looked anxious but said nothing else on the topic. Instead, he steered the conversation back to the main reason why they were telling him this in the first place.

“So you think that you’ll have to solve my universe’s fundamental problems to escape? This is based on the assumption that this Ability works the same as your friend, Poe’s. The only difference is that people get teleported to a different universe instead of into a book. But... there's a chance that your theories aren't correct...”

Midoriya took out his notebook and immediately started jotting some notes down. From afar, Atsushi could see the words “Ability” and “soul” written in capital letters, as well as the words “book” and “television”. 

The boy scribbled down some theories, interpretations and possible solutions in the span of a few minutes, before abruptly halting.

“Wait… so what information could you possibly need from me?”

Atsushi elbowed Akutagawa. The man merely glared at him before taking a deep breath.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

“We… have a theory of what one possible flaw could be, and we need to know your point of view. Basically, we believe that this society places too much importance on quirks. If that person had a terrible personality but they had a strong, powerful quirk that society deemed suitable for heroics, they get a free pass for almost everything in life. Does that sound familiar?”

Midoriya stilled. His eyes widened as he processed the implications behind Akutagawa’s seemingly harmless question. He put down his pen and closed his notebook, before taking a deep breath.

“Yes,” He answered carefully, unwilling to dive deeper.

The green-haired boy rubbed a hand over his face as he sank deeper into the couch.

“I’ve told you before how the quirkless get treated so I don’t think I’ll have to elaborate more on that. However, those with quirks also get discriminated against. Judging by the way you phrased things, I’m sure you get what I mean. The ones who have it all though, the perfect quirk, can basically do no wrong. Society will bend over backwards to make sure it stays that way. From wiping clean their records to shifting the blame to the victims. All because they had the perfect quirk for heroics.”

The boy sighed before continuing.

“Because you protected me that day, I feel like I owe you the truth. Kacchan… was my childhood friend but that changed when he got a quirk and I didn’t. The rest is history. The things I told you when we first met, were all done by him and his lackeys.”

Midoriya looked down at the notebook on his lap, touching it gently.

“I think he turned out that way because of society. No adult ever told him it was wrong and he’d never faced consequences for what he did, all because they believed he had the perfect quirk for heroics and didn’t want to jeopardise his chances.”

Atsushi frowned.

“That doesn’t excuse his actions, though.”

Midoriya smiled bitterly.

“Yeah, I know. It’s just… I feel as if he’s also a victim of society so I don’t really blame him entirely.”

Maybe the boy had a point, though Atsushi loathed to admit it. Midoriya himself had grown in an environment which could have pushed him towards the path of villainy but he never ventured down that route.

But maybe, it’s because it’s Midoriya. The boy with a heart of gold, who would never turn evil despite his circumstances. 

He shook his head, knowing it was better to analyse things afterwards. Now, he should focus on getting the answers he needed.

“Alright. Let’s move on,” Atsushi said as he sat on the floor, opposite to the boy. “We also theorised that this society believes that someone good can’t do bad things and someone bad can’t do good things. It’s very black and white. The perception that once you’re labelled a villain, you’re incapable of ever doing anything nice and vice versa. What’s your take on this?”

The green-haired boy took a moment to organise his thoughts. He frowned as he contemplated his answer, drumming his fingers on his notebook.

“I think it’s not that they truly believe that, it’s just that it’s convenient to not think otherwise. For hero society to work, the people need to trust them and trust is a fragile thing. If word gets out that some heroes aren’t exactly hero-like, it could ruin society as we know it.”

This time, it was Akutagawa who responded.

“It wouldn’t be a problem if it’s just a select few,” He commented, slowly piecing together what the boy meant.

“That’s the thing. We don’t really know how many out there are genuine. Being a hero has lots of benefits. Fame, fortune, prestige. You don’t really know what their motivations are. With how the rankings work, this problem is only exacerbated.”

It dawned upon Atsushi just how deep the problem ran.

“So based on what we’ve pieced together, once you’re labelled a hero, you’re incapable of doing anything deemed villainous. This is because the system pardons the ones with terrible personalities and strong quirks. Therefore, these people end up being heralded as the ultimate good when they’re obviously not. That's why people like you and Shinsou, who genuinely want to help people, are dehumanised while people like Bakugou and Endeavor are worshipped. They could be outliers, but those are the ones that we know of.” 

Midoriya looked at the both of them, eyes widening as things finally clicked.

“With people like that in power, there could be a real conflict of interest. When it comes to it, will they choose self-interest or public interest? There’s a chance that they would pick the former. Therefore, the people who need help end up not receiving any. With no place to turn towards, considering the system will favor the people who fit their definition of heroes and turn away others who don't, they would probably turn towards the other outcasts who are just trying their best to live.”

The green-haired boy put his notebook down, exhaling slowly. 

“The system itself creates villains.”

Akutagawa frowned, crossing his arms. Atsushi could tell that there was something on his mind, as if some parts of the puzzles didn’t quite really slot perfectly.

“But what had caused society to be this way? Who had the power to shape society into what it is now?” He prompted.

The answer was obvious, wasn’t it? The only one capable of making such an impact is the government. The ones who decide who gets to be heroes via licensing. The ones who decide the rankings. The ones who came up with the idea of licensing and rankings in the first place. The ones who control it all.

“The Hero Public Safety Commission,” Midoriya concluded, horrified.

The crux of the problem now lied in how they were able to obtain such immense power in the first place and to trace it all back, they would have to go back to the time when quirks first emerged, 200 years ago. The history books don’t really have that much detail on the hows and whens, and who’s to say that it hadn’t been edited by the government? It’s no longer reliable.

The only way they would be able to obtain such information, was to either go underground or for Akutagawa to stick to his Port Mafia ways. Considering that he was going to intern with Aizawa, the intel gathering part shouldn’t be much of a problem.

“How are we going to solve this, though? I doubt that three hero-in-trainings have enough influence to overthrow the government and overturn society,” Atsushi mumbled, making his way to the couch and sitting beside Midoriya.

They tried to think of it from multiple perspectives, trying to find a lead they could work with but to no avail.

Deciding that they probably wouldn’t be able to get anywhere, Akutagawa went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Atsushi followed suit with Midoriya trailing behind him. 

They pushed the problem at hand to the back of their minds as they focused on cutting vegetables and washing fruits. Atsushi and Midoriya did the prepping while Akutagawa did the cooking and before long, dinner was served.

They agreed to keep brainstorming for ideas another time, wanting to get as much information as possible during their internship so that they could come up with something resembling a plan.

“Maybe we can get Aizawa sensei to help. It’ll be the four of us versus the world,” Atsushi suggested as he ate another spoonful of rice.

Akutagawa hummed in approval while Midoriya looked at the both of them in shock.

“You’re letting an adult in on this?”

They stared at the boy, confused.

“We need more sources and he seems reliable enough. He actually cares about our wellbeing for some reason and he’s logical enough to not jump to conclusions or dismiss our concerns. It’s only rational that we include him. Besides, we don’t have to bear the weight of the world on our own. We’re only teenagers,” Akutagawa stated, sipping on some tea.

Atsushi nodded his head enthusiastically.

“Aizawa sensei wouldn’t turn on us just because we aren’t who we claim to be. Maybe it would actually make more sense for him, considering our tragic background stories that wouldn’t be possible in this universe.”

Midoriya still seemed a bit skeptical but he let the topic go nonetheless. The conversation then shifted towards the topic of internships and inevitably, Iida.

They had just found out that his brother, Ingenium, was attacked by the Hero Killer, Stain, during the Sports Festival. The incident happened in Hosu and coincidentally, Iida decided to intern at a small hero agency in Hosu. 

In Atsushi’s humble opinion, it definitely wasn’t a coincidence.

It made sense for the teen to go there and seek the Hero Killer, possibly to avenge his brother. Iida may be a stickler for rules but he loved his brother more than anything. He was similar to Tanizaki in that way. They were the type of people to burn down the world if anything happened to their loved ones.

Hopefully the boy was rational enough not to take him on by himself but... Atsushi should probably keep an eye out, just in case. 

Once the conversation died down, they started clearing up the table and doing the dishes together. Midoriya then started grilling them about their Abilities, even going as far as to propose ideas they hadn’t even thought of in the first place.

“I’m so glad Mori-san doesn’t exist here,” Atsushi said in awe after Midoriya had suggested ways to improve his mobility when transforming.

“Fitzgerald too,” Akutagawa agreed, placing the plate Atsushi dried into the cupboard.

They then exchanged stories about their respective universes, with Atsushi recounting his days at the ADA and Akutagawa recalling happy memories with his sister, Gin. They even shared some moments that they were fond of, joking and laughing throughout it all. 

By the time they got ready for bed, they were infinitely closer than they were before, the invisible barrier from before destroyed completely. The younger had easily accepted their pasts and their present, dishing out a cool, “Okay,” when Akutagawa revealed his true occupation. much to their surprise.

“You know, at this point in our friendship it’s weird if we’re not on first-name basis,” Atsushi joked as he arranged their futons in the living room.

(They had all agreed to sleep in the living room together to avoid an all out debate from occurring to decide their sleeping arrangement. Once was enough.)

“Technically, both of you are way older than me,” Midoriya countered.

Akutagawa rolled his eyes good-naturedly at the response.

“We’re the same age in this universe.”

The green-haired boy looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

“I simply can't. You can call me Izuku, though, but I don’t think I can call you by your first names. No offense but you guys are just too old,” He snickered, dodging the pillow Atsushi threw at him.

“It’s okay, really. Kyouka-chan calls me Atsushi and she’s 4 years younger than me. It’s fine,” He replied.

After a few more minutes of bantering, they reached a consensus. Atsushi and Akutagawa will call the boy Izuku, while he would call them, well, Atsushi and Akutagawa respectively.

“Not even Atsushi calls you Ryuunosuke. It’s way too weird,” Izuku concluded.

The mentioned people sputtered, blushing furiously. They both glared at the cheeky teenager, vowing to exact revenge. They looked at each other whilst the boy was busy laughing, silently communicating.

By the time Izuku noticed the silence, it was already too late.

Their counterattack was launched in the form of a tickle attack. Akutagawa held him down while Atsushi tickled him relentlessly. The boy laughed and laughed, tears streaming down his eyes as he tried to catch his breath.

“I’m sorry!” He wheezed, catching his breath once the duo relented.

They laughed evilly before letting him go and continuing with their task of setting up the futons. Once it was done, they laid in them and got comfortable.

“We won’t be seeing each other for a while,” Atsushi commented as he stared at the ceiling, willing himself to stay awake so that he could spend just a little more time with them.

“It’ll be the first time we’ll be separated in this universe,” Akutagawa added from beside him.

Izuku, who was on Atsushi’s other side, had already fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Atsushi shook his head fondly.

“Good. I needed the time off,” Atsushi joked, laughing a bit at Akutagawa’s offended huff.

The mafioso then turned to look at him, prompting Atsushi to do the same out of curiosity. The distance between them seemed infinitely closer than he remembered it being.

They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like hours, when it was only seconds. Feeling flustered, Atsushi then broke off the eye contact and darted his gaze towards the top of the mafioso’s head.

It was silent for a few moments.

“I meant what I said the other day. I don’t mind you calling me Ryuunosuke,”Akutagawa said out of the blue, causing Atsushi to snap his eyes back down towards the man’s grey eyes.

He could feel himself blush, thanking everything that the room was dark so that the man couldn’t see how flustered he was. He had never even considered the possibility of him being close enough to the other, to be able to call him by his first name.

It felt like a fever dream. Something unattainable.

But now, here they were on the floor of their living room, looking at each other as they laid side by side in the darkness. 

He’d be damned if he let the moment pass him by.

“I’ll call you Ryuunosuke if you call me Atsushi,” He answered, watching the way the man’s eyes widened.

The mafioso cleared his throat and turned away, though Atsushi could tell that it wasn’t a bad thing. He was most probably embarrassed, although he was the one who made things… different.

Atsushi then continued staring at the ceiling, feeling his eyes droop by the second, the longer he looked at it. The sound of Izuku’s even breathing and A— Ryuunosuke’s heartbeat were lulling him to sleep.

“Good night, Ryuunosuke,” Atsushi sleepily mumbled, closing his eyes.

“Good night, Atsushi.”

With that, they slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the brewing storm hidden behind calm waters.

Chapter Text

It was the day of their internship.

Atsushi was on the train, sitting next to Todoroki as they made their way to Endeavor’s agency. He looked outside the window, taking in the view of the future, and how it hadn’t really changed much.

There were no flying cars or pocketed oxygen masks, nor were there any inhabitable wastelands. There were just stretches of nature, residential areas and the occasional skyscrapers. 

(It was somewhat comforting to know that the world hadn’t turned into a post-apocalyptic nightmare.)

He then turned his attention towards the boy sitting beside him, noticing the tension in his shoulders and the way he was frowning. Worried, Atsushi decided to check on him.

“What are you thinking about?”

Todoroki froze before relaxing a few seconds later. He took a deep breath and faced Atsushi, face looking glum.

“I don’t know what to expect and it scares me. I’ve never willingly gone to him before for any help. I’m only doing it now because as much of an asshole he is, he’s a good hero. That’s why he’s number two.”

Atsushi felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance at how society had managed to brainwash the boy into thinking that way. Just because he was ranked highly doesn’t mean he’s a good hero. Look at Aizawa. The man was one of the most skilled Pro Heroes he’d encountered and he wasn’t even in the rankings. Though… that could be because he’s an underground hero but his point still stands.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, before speaking up.

“I think it’s brave of you to do that and it’s valid for you to feel scared so don’t beat yourself down because of that. I don’t quite agree with the last part, though. He isn’t a good hero if he’s not a good person. He’s just a hero that the government approves of. Easy to placate with the promise of fame and fortune.”

Atsushi smiled at the sight of Todoroki’s confused expression.

“If anything, he’s probably just good at beating people up.”

That got a startled laugh out of Todoroki. The boy huffed amusedly, covering his face with his hand to hide the smile that was forming. Atsushi laughed along, glad that he could cheer him up somehow.

They then spent the rest of their journey in companionable silence. 

Once they got there, it was straight to work. They didn’t have much time to settle in before they were asked to change into their hero costumes and to follow the sidekicks on patrol.

Since both Atsushi and Todoroki didn’t really have a costume designed, they simply changed into their PE uniform. The sidekicks looked at them disbelievingly but said nothing else. 

They were both assigned to different people, with Todoroki being assigned to Endeavor while Atsushi was assigned to a sidekick of his. That had meant that they were going on different patrol routes so they wouldn’t be seeing each other until their shifts ended.

Atsushi wished the boy good luck before following the sidekick on his patrol. There wasn’t much to do apart from walking down the streets and looking out for danger. Well, considering that they took the more crowded streets, of course there wouldn’t be any danger. 

“Wouldn’t there be more crime happening at alleys and desolated roads? Shouldn’t we be patrolling there instead?” Atsushi asked as they passed by yet another crime-free path.

The sidekick looked at him condescendingly.

“Let the other heroes deal with it. It’s not in our route so it’s not our job,” He answered, facial expression changing 180 degrees when a girl approached him for an autograph.

Atsushi could only stare in disbelief. 

What did he mean it wasn’t their job just because it wasn’t in their route? Wasn’t their job to save people regardless of where they were, as long as they needed help? Was saving people only appealing when the public’s there to witness it? 

Even the Port Mafia wouldn’t stoop so low and they’re a criminal organisation!

(Although, they did as much crime as they did saving. But again, they were a criminal organisation.)

Frustrated, Atsushi went to the side while the sidekick was busy entertaining his fans. He got out his phone and texted a quick message to Ryuunosuke and Izuku, asking them how their internships were going. He watched the crowd disinterestedly, waiting for them to disperse so that they could continue on with their job when he received a message.

Ryuunosuke

I informed Aizawa sensei of our current predicament. He took one look at me and chugged down a whole pot of coffee. I don’t think he fully believes me so I’m going to get him to disable Rashomon. If Izuku’s theory is correct, he wouldn’t be able to. Maybe I’ll inform him of my past as well, to further convince him. I’ll let you know how it goes. How are you doing, though?

Atsushi looked at his phone, amused. He shot a quick glance at the multiplying crowd and decided that it was probably safe to text him back. He then drafted a reply, detailing the things he’d done and the words he’d exchanged with the sidekick.

Just as he was about to hit send, his eyes caught sight of a suspicious figure looking around before entering the alley opposite of him. He hurriedly pressed send and crossed the road, knowing that the sidekick probably wouldn’t even notice his disappearance. He pocketed his phone as he made his way there and trailed after the person.

He followed him into one narrow alley to the next, knowing full well that by the time this impromptu chase had ended, he probably wouldn’t be able to make his way back to the agency. Nevertheless, he persevered until they finally reached a dead end.

The second they stopped, Atsushi heard alarm bells ringing in his head and immediately jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding a burst of blue flame that was sent his way.

Once he recovered from his shock and looked at the perpetrator, the only thing he felt was a sense of deja vu. As if he’d seen him somewhere, though that wasn’t possible.

He definitely wouldn’t forget someone with an appearance such as his.

The man had jet black hair and teal blue eyes. He was tall and lanky, though that wasn’t his most defining feature. No, it was the scarred skin on his face and torso, which told Atsushi of a life of pain and hurt.

He felt the immediate need to save him, for some reason.

“You aren’t that good at tailing people, hero ,” He sneered, approaching Atsushi and closing the distance between them.

Atsushi was suddenly reminded of his first encounter with Ryuunosuke, also in an abandoned alley somewhere on the streets of Yokohama.

However, that wasn’t why he felt a sense of familiarity from the man before him. He wasn’t going to contemplate that now though, not when he looked as if he was seconds away from beating him to a pulp.

“I’m not a hero. Anyway, I didn’t plan on being discreet,” Atsushi answered, standing tall though he did feel a bit nervous.

The man looked at him disbelievingly.

“So you wanted me to notice you following me into an abandoned alley? When the hero on patrol’s busy with his adoring fans? ” He asked mockingly, taking another step towards him.

Atsushi shrugged his shoulders, unbothered by the attempt at intimidation. If anything, he’s only feeling mildly nervous because the man in front of him was, well, good-looking despite the scars. 

(Maybe he had a type for the angsty, emo ones who looked like they could and would kill him. It’s a shame that he’s already too whipped for a certain mafioso, though. Not that he would admit it.)

“Sounds about right.”

They stared at each other, both unwilling to back down. Funnily enough, the longer Atsushi looked at him, the more familiar the man looked. He couldn’t really figure out why. Maybe it was better to ask him upfront.

“Have we met before?” He asked, breaking the tense silence.

The man looked at him incredulously. He took another step towards Atsushi, shortening the distance between them. He smirked and leaned in, the smell of cigarettes filling Atsushi’s nostrils.

“Sorry, you’re a little bit too young for me.”

Atsushi scrunched his nose, feeling mildly offended.

“Firstly, I’m in my 20s. Secondly, you’re hot and all but I’m not interested. You just look really , really familiar. Like I’ve seen you somewhere,” He answered as he pushed the man away, satisfied to see the look of annoyance on his face.

“You’re literally in high school. How can you be— wait, does UA even allow repeats? How long have you been a first year? Holy shit you must be dumb ,” He said in a deadpan tone, frowning in mock confusion.

He then rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, unamused.

“Did you really think I’d fall for that? Please . Didn’t think a hero would resort to such underhanded tricks,” He spat, once again approaching him.

Atsushi took another step back, hitting the wall behind him.

(Again, it wasn’t because he was afraid. He just really treasured his personal space. As he said, the guy was hot and all but he wasn’t interested.)

“Why would I trick you? Does it look like I’m trying to escape?” He countered, huffing. “I’ll have you know that I’m capable of leaving. I would’ve done so if I wanted to.”

The man clearly wasn’t having it. He slammed a hand against the wall, blocking Atsushi’s escape. He held up his other hand, producing a blue ball of flame and looking at him threateningly.

“I don’t know what tricks you’re playing and honestly, I don’t give a fuck. You’re getting on my nerves so just get straight to the point or so help me God I will burn you to a crisp.”

Atsushi looked into his eyes, feeling exponentially more annoyed than when he first started chasing the guy.

“Look, I would’ve told you even without this whole intimidation act. You can burn me for all I care, it’s not the first time it’s happened,” Atsushi answered, rolling his eyes. “You looked suspicious so I followed you to see what you were up to. That’s all.”

The man raised an eyebrow at that response. The hand that was still on fire, was brought closer to Atsushi but he didn’t flinch.

He would heal almost immediately anyway.

“And if I was doing something shady, what were you going to do anyway? Arrogant enough to think a first year like you, would be able to take on a hardened criminal like me?” He demanded, though Atsushi could see that the flames he produced weren’t as big as before.

Atsushi crossed his arms and sighed, frowning.

“I’ve had years of real-life experience so it wouldn’t really be a problem but that’s not the point. The point is, if you did something shady I would’ve offered to help.”

The man looked at him as if he just grew another head. 

“What?” He asked, shocked. 

In his bewilderment, he had accidentally extinguished his flames. The hand that was blocking Atsushi’s escape was still in place, though. It was clear that his guard was significantly lowered so technically, he could make his escape. However, that wasn’t the point of this whole interaction so he stood still.

“Don’t get me wrong. I would stop you first but then I’d ask you what your problem is. Not every person who commits crime is a bad person. Sometimes they’re just desperate. Like when they haven’t had any food to eat for the past four days and the only way to survive was to pickpocket someone,” Atsushi elaborated.

(Ah, he remembered that particular dilemma. Somehow he had ended up saving Dazai in the river and the rest was history.)

Throughout his explanation, he could see a myriad of expressions pass through the man's face. From confusion to anger to shock to understanding to contemplative.

It was a wonder, really. Atsushi didn’t know he was capable of that, considering all he’s ever done within the 5 minutes they’ve interacted was sneer and mock him. 

“You’re so fucking weird,” Came the reply, the man backing away and giving Atsushi the space he treasured. 

The man looked like he was about to say something more, but cancelled the thought last minute. He then turned around and made a move to leave via going back the way he came from.

Atsushi wasn’t quite sure what conclusion the man came to, but this outcome certainly was unexpected. Nevertheless, he wasn’t going to take it for granted. If he wanted to let him go easily, he’ll simply… leave. There was no need for further confrontation.

And… he should probably get back to the sidekick before the crowd thinned out so he decided to follow him, hopelessly lost.

“I’m not up to some shady shit and I don’t need your help, kid. Get lost already,” The man said, irritated, not turning back.

The weretiger scoffed.

“I’m lost but you look like you know where you’re going. Obviously I’m going to follow you,” He retorted, equally annoyed.

The man grumbled but said nothing else.

They walked in silence, a healthy distance separating them. Atsushi didn’t make any move to start a conversation and neither did the guy.

It was alright, though. He doubted they would have any meaningful things to say to each other.

By the time they reached the walkway they first entered, the crowd surrounding the sidekick was still there, though it was considerably lesser than when he first took off. He sighed in relief, knowing that the sidekick probably didn’t notice that anything was amiss.

“You’re interning with Endeavor’s agency?” The man said as he stopped right in front of the exit, turning behind to look at Atsushi.

There was something dangerous in his gaze that wasn’t present before, causing Atsushi to instantly be on guard. The man was hostile with him before, but this was a whole other level. He knew that whatever answer he gave was going to determine whether he would make it out of there unscathed or not. He was going to have to pick his words carefully.

“Yes but not because I admire him or anything. Between you and me, he’s a shit hero and an even shittier person. I’m only there because I have someone I need to protect,” He answered.

The “from him” was left unsaid, though for some reason, he could tell that the man in front of him heard that loud and clear.

(But why? )

“What’s your name?” He asked, in lieu of a reply.

Atsushi looked at him skeptically, gears turning in his head as he thought of an appropriate response.

It was alarming that the man, a self-proclaimed hardened criminal, was only… civil… with him when he showcased some sort of contempt towards the Number Two Hero. It was obvious that he had a deep grudge. Endeavor must have screwed his life up royally for such hatred to manifest itself.

But… that was Endeavor’s problem, not his. Besides, it didn’t seem as if the man would do anything to him now that he knew what his view on Endeavor was. Even if he was planning on doing so, it’s nothing that Atsushi can’t handle. It should be fine.

(And, if Atsushi’s being honest, he had a feeling that this wasn’t going to be their last time meeting. He had to make an impact somehow. That’s what Chuuya always said.)

He looked at the man, feeling impulsive.

“Sorry but I’m not interested,” He replied mischievously,  smirking as he saw the look of shock on the man’s face.

(God, that felt good. Chuuya was right. Going against an enemy’s expectation felt amazing.)

“You really are so fucking weird,” He replied once he recovered from the shock, the dangerous glint in his eyes disappearing.

Atsushi mock-saluted him and walked past him, taking his leave. Just as he was about to cross the road and head towards the sidekick, he spun around one last time, taking in the sight of the mysterious stranger who was looking at him.

“It’s Nakajima Atsushi,” He answered, still high on adrenaline and noticing the growing smirk on the man’s face.

“Thought you weren’t interested, Atsushi-kun,” The man replied, amused. “I’m Touya, though I doubt we’ll see each other again.”

Atsushi rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

“And I thought I was too young for you, Touya-san.”

The man laughed at that before flipping him off. Atsushi gasped in mock hurt, joining him in his laughter a few seconds later.

“Give Endeavor hell, kid,” Touya said, before turning to his left and walking away.

“You bet I will,” He replied.

(That went.... infinitely better than he expected.)

With that, Atsushi crossed the road and made his way back to the sidekick for a few more hours of patrol.

Nothing much happened after that. They went through the patrol route without much fanfare, although they did stop every now and then to cater to the sidekick’s fans.

Every single time that happened, Atsushi would complain to Ryuunosuke and the man would boast about his own internship experience.

They haven’t done any crime fighting either, as Aizawa usually patrolled at night, but they’d done some sparring. Surprisingly, Shinsou was there with them though that’s because Aizawa had decided to mentor him.

All in all, it was definitely funner than what Atsushi was doing.

By the time they were done patrolling (though it felt more like they were parading around), it was already evening.

They didn’t really do much apart from walking and stopping to take pictures every once in a while. They hadn’t done anything heroic . It was geared more towards fanservice.

(Honestly, who thought that turning heroics into some sort of popularity contest was the way to go? It was a system that was doomed to fail from the start.)

Grumbling, he made his way to where Todoroki was sitting in the cafeteria. He ignored the looks he was getting from the sidekicks, presumably because he was on good terms with their boss’ son.

“You look pissed,” Todoroki commented once Atsushi sat down opposite him.

The older merely huffed in response, much to the boy’s amusement.

(Funnily enough, it reminded him of Touya.)

“All I did was walk around and play celebrity. Didn’t even see a single crime, which… is probably a good thing. There shouldn’t be crime,” Atsushi commented, frowning slightly. “Or maybe we actively avoided crime.”

Todoroki frowned as well at the thought, before continuing to slurp on his cold soba. At the sight, Atsushi’s stomach growled loudly. Todoroki stopped his slurping to look at him judgmentally, though Atsushi could tell he meant it in a playful way.

“You can’t fight crime on an empty stomach,” He deadpanned.

Atsushi laughed humorously at that.

“You’re right. I’ll go get something to eat,” He replied, before making his way to the nearest stall.

After he had a steaming bowl of chazuke in his hands, he headed towards their table, only to spot Todoroki engaged in a conversation with Endeavor.

Remembering his informal promise with Touya earlier, he sped up his steps and hurriedly walked there.

“Socialising is a waste of time, Shouto. You can’t afford to have distractions if you want to be number one,” Atsushi heard Endeavor say as he reached the table.

At the sound of his chazuke bowl hitting the table, Endeavor turned to glare at him.

“Especially if it’s with scum like him,” He finished, turning his gaze back towards his annoyed son.

Honestly, Atsushi just wanted to eat his dinner with his friend. He did not sign up to get slandered by that failure of a hero. The same hero that had offered him the internship opportunity. 

What the hell?

(Though, he had kind of suspected that Endeavor had ulterior motives when he sent the offer. Maybe it was so that he could somehow humiliate the person who had beaten his son publicly in the Sports Festival. A petty way of seeking revenge, perhaps. But that was neither here nor there.)

“Thanks for the feedback, Endeavor-san. Lovely speaking with you. I’ll have to ask you to leave, though, because Shouto and I have some important UA things to discuss and with you here, it’ll only serve as a distraction. You know, with the whole… flaming, charismatic aura you have going on. We need to get this done ASAP so we can give it our all for this internship,” Atsushi said with a smile, knowing full well he was embodying Dazai.

The response was nearly instantaneous.

Todoroki stifled a laugh as Endeavor sputtered, majorly offended. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again soon after as he couldn’t find the words to say. This happened a few more times, his frown growing deeper and deeper the more he fumbled with his words. Feeling humiliated, he glared at Atsushi before storming off and leaving the two of them alone.

“Thank you,” The boy said as soon as the hero was out of hearing range.

“No problem. I promised someone I would give him hell,” Atsushi replied, digging into his still steaming bowl of chazuke.

(Small mercies.)

The boy smiled and nodded his head, before continuing with his meal. They ate together in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

After the meal, they made their way to the accommodation that was prepared for them. Todoroki had promised that he was going to tell Atsushi something once they had both settled in. Atsushi, not really knowing what it was about, agreed and soon enough, he was knocking on Todoroki’s door.

The boy had let him in a few seconds later, a towel hung around his neck and his hair still damp from a shower.

“That was fast,” The boy commented once Atsushi sat down on his bed.

Atsushi shrugged his shoulders.

“I didn’t bring much so it didn’t take me long to unpack,” He answered, watching curiously as the boy opted to lean against the wall instead of sitting beside him.

“Makes sense,” The boy replied, though he said nothing else afterwards.

Atsushi waited anxiously, not really knowing what to expect from the unpredictable boy in front of him. He watched as the boy frowned, before shaking his head and taking a deep breath.

“Nakajima, have you heard of quirk marriages?” He asked after a while.

Atsushi shook his head.

It was then, when Todoroki had opened up to him and told him everything there was to know about the so-called hero, Endeavor.

Apparently, Endeavor had used his status and wealth to force Todoroki Rei into an arranged marriage, solely because she had an ice quirk. He then tried to create a child that would have the perfect combination of his fire quirk and Rei’s ice quirk.

It was simple. He had been the Number Two Hero for as long as everyone could remember and had no chance of beating All Might. Therefore, he planned to create a child with the perfect quirk so that the child would be able to beat All Might and become the Number One Hero.

(Yet another horrible effect of the Hero Rankings. What was the government thinking?)

It didn’t go well the first three times, no matter how hard the man tried to train them. However, when Shouto was born, that was when he became worse. He had abandoned his other children and neglected them, in favor of paying extra attention to Shouto.

He would train the kid ever since his quirk manifested at the age of four, leaving him black and blue. His mother had tried to step in but she was pushed aside cruelly every single time, sometimes even bearing the brunt of his anger.

Day by day, Shouto was trained rigorously. He couldn’t go out and play with his siblings because Endeavor had called them distractions . He wasn’t allowed to play with his mother because it wasn’t fitting of a hero. He wasn’t allowed to have any friends because they would only hinder his progress.

He wasn’t allowed to be a child.

Endeavor had caused so much pain to his family, to the point where his wife was driven to a mental breakdown. One day, she mistook Shouto’s left side for Endeavor and poured boiling hot water on the kid because she hated that side so much. Endeavor retaliated by sending her away to a psychiatric ward.

That was the last time Shouto had seen his mother. 

The boy never blamed his mother for what she did, nor did he blame his siblings for not stepping in earlier. She was clearly unstable at that time and his siblings were only kids. No one could have prevented it from happening. They were all victims of Endeavor’s obsession and his vicious, flaming anger.

Because of him, the family had been broken. They no longer had a mother by their side, and Shouto was never close to any of his siblings. His older brother, Natsuo, had moved on as soon as he could and his older sister, Fuyumi, was still desperately clinging onto the hope that they could be a normal family once again.

(Though… were they even normal in the first place?)

By the time the boy had finished talking, Atsushi could only feel hatred burning for the failure of a man that Todoroki Enji was. He had promptly decided that he wouldn’t refer to the man as a hero, not even in the privacy of his own thoughts. 

How could someone who was entrusted with the public’s safety, act in such a way towards his own family? It was repulsive. Vile.

There was no doubt about it, Endeavor was a villain through and through.

“Does it bother you if I call you Shouto after this?” Atsushi asked, in a desperate attempt to lighten up the mood.

The boy smiled in response.

“I don’t mind.”

Atsushi spent the next few hours devising ways to make Endeavor pay without getting Shouto into trouble, much to the boy’s amusement. He happily joined along, pointing out the flaws in Atsushi’s plans and coming up with solutions to overcome them.

He could tell that the boy was grateful to have someone he could talk shit about Endeavor with, evident in the way he was diligently jotting down all their plans in a tiny notebook. He looked happy, with the way his eyes were sparkling and the way the corners of his lips were turned slightly upwards.

They might not be able to do anything to Endeavor as of now, with how the HPSC was protecting him but they could at least antagonise him bit by bit, pulling harmless pranks or humiliating the man.

Once they had a more solid plan though, it would be a different story.

“Thank you for listening,” Shouto said as he escorted Atsushi out the door once it was way past midnight, the both of them deciding to call it a day.

Atsushi smiled brightly.

“Thank you for telling me,” He answered warmly, before making his way to his own room.

They had a big day tomorrow and it was probably foolish of them to stay up so late, but they both couldn’t bring themselves to care.

Chapter Text

Atsushi and Shouto spent the next few days terrorising Endeavor, though they never got caught.

A fake dispatch call which required the man to travel for hours, lacing his coffee with laxatives, tripping the man using Atsushi's tail, their deeds were endless.

Although it was obvious who had enough guts to actually pull those things on the Number Two Hero, the man never had enough proof to implicate them so he was left eying them suspiciously every time.

Atsushi's personal favourite was when he switched out Endeavor's pre-written speech with the lyrics from Unravel by TK. The man only realised once he'd finished reciting the first verse, only to stammer his way throughout the whole thing minutes later. He was glad that Ryuunosuke had a Tokyo Ghoul phase.

Shouto's favourite moment, on the other hand, was when he switched out Endeavor's shampoo with purple dye, turning his hard slightly magenta. It wasn't a noticeable change, but it was enough to throw the man off for a few days.

They never got the chance to do actual hero work, which was quite disappointing considering that it was the main objective of the internships in the first place but... it was a win, nonetheless.

However, it seemed as if Atsushi's prayers were finally heard (shocking!) when a few hours later, they were dispatched to Hosu where the Hero Killer was currently making his move.

It was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, Atsushi could finally do actual heroic work and he was going to be doing it with Shouto. On the other, they were both stuck with Endeavor.

The man had barked orders at them the whole day, adamant on keeping them on their toes because apparently, heroes had to always be on guard whenever and wherever.

(In Atsushi’s professional opinion, the man was practically commanding them to remain anxious the whole day. There was nothing heroic in being a bundle of nerves for an extended period of time.)

The man grew restless as it approached night time, cursing everything from the sidekicks to the police and claiming that the leads were bullshit. Atsushi couldn't blame him, not with all the stunts they'd pulled on him this past few days. It would be a miracle if the man could remain calm and composed.

Endeavor was about to go off on another curse-filled rant, when an explosion was heard.

Everyone stopped moving.

Suddenly, a familiar sounding screech was heard followed by a loud crash, another explosion and terrified screams. Smoke was starting to rise while crowds started fleeing from a few directions. Atsushi tried looking for the source despite the chaos, horrified at what he saw.

It was the Noumu.

Immediately, he transformed his legs and sprinted towards it, ignoring the shouts that came from Endeavor and the other side kicks. He couldn’t afford any distractions after all.

He ran faster and faster, before leaping high up into the air and landing squarely on it. Before he could be thrown off, he dug his claws deep into it’s brain and split it cleanly in half, not giving it anytime to regenerate.

He jumped off the Noumu and watched as it slumped to the ground, unmoving.

Now that that was taken care of, he helped the other heroes that were on the scene evacuate the citizens. He didn’t care that he was technically breaking protocol and going against every single rule imposed. It didn’t matter in the face of human lives.

From the distance, he could see smoke rising from another area, indicating a fire. Another terrifying screech was heard coming from that direction, followed by more screams.

It could only mean that there was another Noumu. 

He assessed the situation and figured that the heroes could handle it from there, so he took off towards the direction of the fire despite the protests from the heroes.

By the time he got there, Endeavor was busy burning everything within a 10-metre radius to the ground, in an attempt to defeat the Noumu.

(Honestly, he was doing more damage to the city than the Noumu and that’s saying something, considering that the Noumu was programmed to destroy.)

He took a quick look around, noticing that most of the citizens had already been evacuated. That, or they knew that it was better to stay far away from Endeavor and took the initiative to leave. That was good.

Belatedly, Atsushi realised that Shouto was nowhere to be seen. 

Now, there were a few possible options. Either the boy was ordered to help with the evacuation, or he had gone somewhere else to do something far more dangerous and reckless. For some reason, Atsushi had a strong feeling it was the latter. 

His stomach twisted as he reached for his phone, sensing that something was terribly wrong. When he opened it, he saw an unread message from Izuku that only had coordinates attached to it. 

It was in Hosu.

Who else was in Hosu?

The Hero Killer. And also Iida.

He let out a string of curses before running towards the opposite direction, hoping against hope that he would be able to reach the coordinates in time.

He had predicted that Iida would take on Stain, but he hadn’t really taken into account the probability that Izuku had predicted that too. Knowing him, if he was in the area he would stop at nothing to save his friend.

Even at the cost of his own life.

Cursing his negative thoughts, he sped up in a desperate attempt to get there sooner. He knew how important the value of a second was in a fight to the death. He couldn’t afford to slip up.

Five minutes afterwards, he could finally see the alley the coordinates had led him towards. He mentally prepared himself for the worst, knowing that he couldn’t let his emotions get the better of him if he was going up against Stain. He had to be on top of his game.

He turned the corner.

The sight that greeted him was probably something that was going to appear in his nightmares. 

There was an unknown hero, bleeding on the ground but looking alive enough. Iida was lying in a pool of his own blood, though it was mostly concentrated around his arms. Izuku was frozen, also on the ground, but not bleeding out which was… relatively good. Shouto, on the other hand, was fighting Stain one-on-one.

(He really was going to get Aizawa’s ass on these kids.)

Just as he was about to pounce on Stain, the man had managed to graze Shouto using the sword he was wielding. He then proceeded to lick the blood off of the sword and suddenly, Shouto was unable to move.

That could only mean that Stain’s quirk was to paralyse someone when he consumes their blood.

(What was he? A cross between Medusa and Dracula?)

The Hero Killer then proceeded to move past Shouto and towards Iida, looking hell bent on causing further harm to the kid before him.

Luckily, Atsushi was there and he was having none of that.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit unbecoming to target children? Aren’t you after corrupted heroes?” Atsushi asked conversationally, drawing the man’s attention to him.

The man lowered his sword but looked at him menacingly.

“What do we have here? Another hero-in-training trying to save the day?” He asked mockingly, contempt evident in his eyes.

Atsushi scoffed and rolled his eyes in an act of feigned nonchalance though in reality, he was terrified of the fact that if he failed, he was most probably going to lose three of his closest friends.

Failure was simply not an option.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Izuku’s finger twitch, indicating that he would be able to move soon. Shouto was also showing the same signs, which meant that it would turn into a three versus one fight soon enough. All he had to do was stall for time.

(But... what was affecting the duration they stood frozen? Iida and the unknown hero had been there longer, presumably. Wouldn't they be able to move earlier?

Whatever it was, Atsushi had to respond pronto if he wanted Stain's attention to remain on him.)

“As a hero-in-training, it is my duty to save others regardless so to answer your obvious question, the answer is yes,” He replied condescendingly. “I have answered your question yet you haven’t answered mine. Tell me, Killer of Heroes, what exactly are you doing, running around targeting children?”

He could see Shouto look at him in disbelief, probably due to the fact that he had blatantly insulted a serial killer who had 10 different blades on him. 

(Ryuunosuke would probably react the same.)

Stain looked at him, intrigued.

“He sought after me not in the name of justice, but in the name of revenge. He may be a child but it is clear that the seed of corruption had already been planted. It is better to cut the problem at the root before it can bud.”

All Atsushi could make out of that whole dialogue was the fact that the Hero Killer liked making gardening analogies and he didn’t really know how to feel about that. But, if that’s what it took to get Stain to understand, he didn’t have a choice but to follow suit.

“You fail to consider that it was only a perceived seed of corruption. You will only know whether it’s doomed, once the growth process begins. Even then, you can cut out the parts that are ill and the plant will still bloom beautifully. What’s more important is the care you put in when nurturing it, not the seed itself.”

He could feel all eyes on him, even the unknown hero who was semi-conscious. For some reason, he felt that they were questioning his state of mind and whether he was, to put it lightly, sane.

Even the Hero Killer looked perplexed.

“Are we on the same page right now? I’m not actually talking about gardening,” The man said.

Atsushi crossed his arms in annoyance, though he took this moment of distraction to take a glance at Izuku and Shouto. It looked like they were seconds away from being able to move again.

He could stall for a few more seconds. It was fine.

“Neither am I. It was merely an analogy. Just thought that it would make you understand easier, if I spoke using your lingo,” Atsushi explained.

Apparently, that had annoyed the man because the next thing he knew, he was dodging a blade that was thrown his way.

“What is it with people and throwing stuff right at me? It’s exhausting to keep on dodging every single time,” He complained as he dodged yet another blade, transforming his legs so that he could speed up.

Stain growled in response.

The man charged forward with the intention to draw blood, though luckily for Atsushi he had enough practice dodging Rashomon. Compared to the mafioso, it was like taking a walk in the park.

He effortlessly avoided every attack, aggravating Stain the more he missed. His aims were getting sloppier and slower the more desperate he grew, and Atsushi took advantage of it.

“Now!” He shouted, signalling for Shouto to freeze the man to the ground.

The next few seconds flew by in a blur.

Izuku had powered up his hand at the same time Iida (who miraculously recovered) had geared up his leg. Simultaneously, the Hero Killer was punched, kicked and frozen, causing him to be knocked out cold.

Not really trusting that the man was fully unconscious, Atsushi transformed his arm and punched the guy one more time, just to be sure. 

They tied him up securely and gave basic first-aid to the hero known as Native.

Despite everything, Atsushi was kind of proud of the three of them. They put on a great fight and effectively defeated a well-known serial killer thanks to their great teamwork and coordination. Atsushi was only present for the latter half of the fight but he could tell that they did a great job holding out against the man.

As they made their way out of the alley, they were greeted by a short, old hero dressed in yellow and a few others. Atsushi was about to transfer the custody of Stain to the hero, when a winged Noumu appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Izuku.

He immediately transformed his legs and prepared to jump, when Stain regained consciousness ( how? ) and made his move.

He licked the blood of the Noumu that was on one of the heroes, causing it to freeze mid-air. He then jumped and stabbed its brain, before catching Izuku and breaking his fall. 

“Fake pro heroes and the pathetic criminals of society are the targets of my purge,” He dramatically began his monologue as he released Izuku.

“Everything I do is for a just world.”

Before he could continue, Endeavor arrived at the scene and instantly attempted to launch an attack. The man conjured his fire, uncaring if it hit all the other heroes and witnesses there. 

Stain, undeterred despite his heavy injuries, took a step forward and stood proudly.

“Fake heroes must be rectified and the word hero must be restored. The pretenders are welcome to try and stop me. However, only All Might, the one, true hero is allowed to kill me,” He declared, radiating a malice-filled aura that had even Endeavor taking a step back while the others fell to their knees.

Well, all except Atsushi, who had stared pre-truce Akutagawa in the eyes and lived.

“If you truly were for the cause, you wouldn't have gone after Ingenium, who was the very definition of a hero. If you did your research and chose your targets carefully, you would know. Clearly, you didn’t which meant that all those attacks were random. There was no meaning behind it,” Atsushi said, feeling anger rise at the hypocrisy of it all.

He took a step forward, ignoring the hatred in Stain’s eyes.

“Yes, fake heroes exist. I agree. They are, however, not the ultimate enemy. They are merely products of a broken system. A system that attracts fake heroes in the first place. You are cutting off the ill leaves, but not treating the roots. They will continue to grow no matter how many of them you cut off.” 

Stain narrowed his eyes, though Atsushi could see that he was taking in what he had said. Gardening analogy and all. Feeling braver, he continued on.

“You had said that the seed didn’t matter. It was the care and attention when nurturing, that matters more. Are you going back on your word now?” The man asked, slightly wheezing as his injuries started taking a toll on his body.

“Treating the root is part of nurturing. A seed cannot be changed as it is its nature. However, I believe you are familiar with the age old debate of nature versus nurture. You can think more of it in your cell and rethink your approach,” Atsushi suggested conversationally, as if he wasn't trying to reason with a man who had taken the lives of many.

The man before him let out a loud guffaw, laughing and laughing before slowly succumbing to his wounds. Impressively, he had passed out while standing.

It was eerily silent for a few seconds.

“Atsushi, did you just… persuade Stain to change his ways using a gardening analogy ?” Izuku asked, breaking the silence as he limped his way towards him.

The weretiger shrugged his shoulders and met Izuku halfway, silently picking him up and bringing him to the nearest ambulance despite his protests.

He made sure that all of his friends had gotten the proper treatment, steadfastly ignoring the daggers Endeavor was throwing at him, and the looks of bewilderment the other heroes sent him.

When the paramedic asked if he wanted to go to the hospital with his friends despite being relatively fine (thank you regenerative abilities), he immediately agreed. He hopped into the ambulance, relieved that he was away from all the stares.

As he waited for the vehicle to move, he took out his phone, only to see a few unread messages from Ryuunosuke.

Ryuunosuke

Aizawa sensei finally believed me. Though, I think he wants me to see a therapist after I told him of my time in the slums and how I was recruited into the Port Mafia.

Ryuunosuke

We’re currently searching for more information. Following Aizawa sensei on patrol is quite thrilling. He only goes out at night.

Ryuunosuke

I guess you’re busy today. Glad to know you’ve finally moved past celebrity and actually doing some hero work. That suits you more.

Ryuunosuke

Found out some information on the League of Villains (the ones that attacked USJ the other day). Call me when you have the time, it’s urgent. PS: Shinsou says hi.

Ryuunosuke

Please tell me that you’re not in Hosu right now.

Ryuunosuke

Judging by how silent you are and your knack for getting into the most ridiculous situations, I’m certain you’re there.

Ryuunosuke

The news just covered you annihilating a Noumu. Why am I even surprised? PS: Aizawa sensei just chugged another pot of coffee. You’re in for a long lecture.

Ryuunosuke

Atsushi. Is that the fucking Hero Killer.

Ryuunosuke

Gardening? Really? Might as well serve some tea to go with it!

Ryuunosuke

You looked fine, so I’m assuming you are. That’s good. 

Ryuunosuke

Please call me.

Surprised at how earnest the other sounded, Atsushi immediately dialed the number. He didn’t have to wait long, considering that the mafioso picked up on the first ring.

(Huh. He must have waited for him to call.)

“Atsushi. What the fuck? ” He asked wholeheartedly.

He could hear Aizawa reply with a “Language!” in the background, causing him to chuckle a bit.

“Do you think this is funny , jinko? You could have died. In a universe that isn’t even your own! How would I explain this to the Agency? To Kyouka ?” He ranted, upset.

Atsushi sobered up at his tone, realising just how much stress he put the other under. Through the line, he could hear the mafioso pacing around, a clear indicator that he was stressed.

“Right. Sorry about that,” He continued guiltily, shaking his head when Izuku had asked him what’s wrong.

He could hear Ryuunosuke sighing deeply.

“Just… be careful. I’ll kill you if you die,” The mafioso threatened. 

Atsushi nodded, before realising that the other wouldn’t be able to see him.

“Alright, Ryuunosuke. I’ll try my best not to die.”

He then listened silently as the mafioso lectured him, going on about the pros (none) and cons (plenty) of confronting a hardened serial killer without any backup or weapons on him.

“You had a gun on you whenever we fought. Don’t even try,” He continued before Atsushi could even interject.

Aizawa’s sigh was heard over the line, a sign that he fully understood just what the man was talking about.

(Atsushi was lowkey touched that their teacher was very understanding and supportive of them. He didn't really expect much from the man but he never failed to surprise him time and time again. Despite the different environment they grew up in, the obvious differences in their society, Aizawa was still willing to try and understand. Truly one of the best adult he'd ever encountered - sorry Dazai.)

By the time Ryuunosuke was done lecturing and fussing over his well-being, they had already arrived at the hospital.

The mafioso then told him to get another check up done by the doctor, before hanging up on him. Despite his initial intention to fill Atsushi in on his findings, none were brought up. Though, it was probably because Aizawa and Ryuunosuke were going to make their way to Hosu the next morning to lecture him (again) in person.

He conveyed the information to the other three hero hopefuls who shared the same hospital room as him, agreeing wholeheartedly when they groaned in unison.

It was going to be a long day.

-

It was only 8 a.m. in the morning and Atsushi was already dodging Rashomon, much to Izuku and Shouto’s amusement. Iida was looking on in horror, shocked at such murderous rage coming from the mafioso.

“You’re way more aggressive compared to Stain! He wouldn’t treat me like this.”

Izuku laughed in response. Ryuunosuke rolled his eyes and continued on with his assault. Iida had snapped out of his trance and made his way to restrain the older, to no avail. Instead, the boy had been the one restrained.

“Shouto, a little help here? You’re the only one I trust!” He exclaimed, ducking when Rashomon went for his face.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Aizawa said after awhile, eyes flashing to indicate that his quirk was being used.

Unfortunately for him, he must’ve forgotten that it technically didn’t apply to Ryuunosuke. Thankfully, Ryuunosuke remembered that and immediately ceased his attacks. It would’ve been foolish if that’s how their cover gets blown.

Just as he withdrew Rashomon, the two heroes from yesterday, Gran Torino and Manual entered the room. Behind them, was a tall-looking human with the head of a dog.

They later on found out that it was none other than the Chief of the Police, Tsuragamae Kenji.

Apparently, Stain was in a horrible condition. Yes, he was still alive but he sustained severe injuries which was actually a bad thing. Ever since the emergence of quirks, there were laws in place to ensure that people didn’t harm others with their quirks. The only people authorised to do so were heroes and heroes-in-training with licenses.

The same licenses that were approved by the HPSC.

Since neither of them had licenses, they weren’t accompanied by a supervisor and they weren’t given permission to fight, they had broken the law and therefore, must be punished.

“What? So you want us to sit by idly and obey the law? We would’ve been killed!” Shouto retorted.

Atsushi and Ryuunosuke nodded their heads in agreement, ignoring the looks that Manual and Gran Torino were sending their way.

The boy had a point. Of course they were going to agree with it.

“That is what the police think, if it’s an official disclosure. Considering that there weren’t that many witnesses, we can just cover it up. However, you won’t get any credit for defeating him,” Tsurugamae explained.

Aizawa looked at him skeptically.

“Who’ll get the credit, then?” The teacher asked.

“Endeavor.”

Atsushi could feel rage swell up at the mention of his name. There was no way in hell he would let someone as vile as him, a fake hero in all sense of the word, take credit for defeating Stain.

The Hero Killer had a point, though his methods were wrong. The word “hero” needed to be restored and having someone such as Endeavor be named as the person who defeated him was just too ironic.

He couldn’t let that happen.

“With all due respect, sir, I can’t accept that. You can give the credit to anyone else but Endeavor. If you can’t find someone apart from him, pin it on me. I’ll happily accept any punishment as long as he doesn’t get the credit.”

He could feel everyone’s questioning glances. He paid it no mind, though. Not when it was absolutely essential that he got his point across.

“You could be expelled , kid. Just let him have it,” The Chief said, confused at his hostility towards the Number Two.

Atsushi stood his ground. Getting expelled wasn’t the worst thing he’d experienced in life. He’ll live.

“Then expel me. I’ll just go to the public and tell my side of things. How I was forced to fight for my life when dealing with a serial killer, but I got expelled because I didn’t have a license. How the police offered to cover it up if I let Endeavor take the credit instead. How the authorities valued compliance over human lives. I’m sure someone is willing to listen.”

He glared at the man before continuing.

“If expulsion is the price of my defiance, then be it. It's much better than willingly letting someone like him get all the glory,” Atsushi paused, making sure that they would pay attention to what he had to say next.

“Someone like him, who was about to launch a straight up assault when Stain had clearly surrendered and was in no position to fight back. He, who almost burned Hosu to ashes just to fight one Noumu. He, who had no disregard for public property and collateral damage.”

Atsushi looked around the room, surveying the responses he was getting. There were varying degrees of shock written across their faces (courtesy of Manual, Gran Torino and Iida) as they tried to comprehend what he was saying.

“Stain’s ideology was to get rid of fake heroes. His methods were wrong and he didn’t actually go after the true fake heroes, but the principle behind his convictions are solid. We have to acknowledge that there’s truth in what he said, and that many people will agree with him. Not the whole maiming and killing part, but the part where he talked about restoring the word hero,” Atsushi explained, looking at Iida.

“Ingenium was proof that Stain didn’t follow his own principles but to the public, that won’t matter. Sure, he missed the point when he went after Ingenium but there are fake heroes out there that will cause his words to ring true. Endeavor being one of them. So to give the spotlight to him when he’s the reason Stain felt the need to do something, just isn’t right. You’re just proving Stain’s point and society will see that.”

Tsurugamae frowned at the implications, knowing that Atsushi had a point. No one in the room could actually refute him, which was both satisfying and worrying. He felt satisfied that he was right, yes, but he shouldn’t be. That was why it’s worrying.

(The HPSC really screwed over the Hero System, didn’t they?)

The silence stretched on for an uncomfortable amount of time. Tsurugamae didn’t really know what to say, considering that he was in a lose-lose situation. If he followed protocol, Atsushi would expose him. If he didn’t, the consequences were more dire. 

“May I propose a third option?” Ryuunosuke spoke up after a while.

The Chief nodded and signalled for him to elaborate.

“Give the credit to the students and say that they were given permission to fight from their supervisors. If you were going to lie in the first place, might as well lie about this and put bits and pieces of the truth,” He suggested, looking at Aizawa for support.

The man in question, although looking like he’d rather spend the next few years sleeping and away from all the drama, delivered.

“The kid’s right. It’s also less of a hassle to cover up, considering that the only people involved are here. You mentioned that there weren’t many witnesses but that didn’t many there weren’t any . If you give the credit to Endeavor, there’s a risk that the witnesses could reveal the truth and you’ll lose credibility as an institution. If you claim that the students already have permission, the people who can refute that claim are already in on it. It’s simpler.”

Tsurugamae sighed, knowing that there was no winning this. Given the fact that the case they presented was solid and logical, he didn’t really have any other choice.

“Fine,” He concurred, looking at the occupants of the room. “Though I expect these students to be punished at UA. This incident shouldn’t have a repeat, understood?”

Atsushi, Izuku, Shouto and Iida nodded their heads in unison.

The Police Chief left shortly after, Gran Torino and Manual following him after his wake, probably to sort out some disciplinary measures. Aizawa, on the other hand, turned to look at them, crossing his arms and frowning.

“I’ll accept any punishment but please, don’t punish Midoriya, Todoroki and Nakajima. They only came to rescue me. If I didn’t pursue Stain, they wouldn’t have been involved,” Iida pleaded, head hanging low.

Atsushi protested while Izuku shook his head vigorously. Shouto looked at Iida disapprovingly.

“ We broke the law. It’s only fair that all of us are punished. Self-defense or not, it was still… unlawful,” Shouto said distastefully, frowning as if the words left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

“This was what I meant in my entrance exam essay. What’s morally right may not be lawful and what’s lawful may not be morally right. To think that laws are absolute and should be unconditionally adhered to is both foolish and ignorant,” Ryuunosuke commented, surprising Atsushi.

He had also done the same in his essay. They really were two sides of the same coin.

Aizawa sighed for the umpteenth time, before uncrossing his arms and looking at each and every one of them individually.

“You were reckless so I can’t praise you for that. I’m sure that by now, you already realise just how foolish it was to have done so. Never do it again. I won’t be as lenient next time,” He said. “But I’m glad that you managed to survive. It wasn’t an easy feat, so you must have fought valiantly. Good job.”

They looked at him and then each other, confused. Surely there would be more to it than just that, right? There was no way Aizawa was just going to let this slide, no matter how proud he was of their apparently improved combat abilities.

“You’re still getting punished, though.”

Yeah, that made more sense.

They apologised profusely before thanking the man for his consideration. Aizawa looked highly uncomfortable with the display of emotions but he took it all in stride. Ryuunosuke watched the interaction silently, highly amused.

A while later, a doctor came to give them one last check up before discharging them entirely.

“I don’t know why they bothered. I was fully healed before I even got into the ambulance,” Atsushi said as he walked next to Ryuunosuke, trailing after the three students who decided to celebrate their discharge by eating some ice cream.

The mafioso looked thoughtful.

“Maybe they wanted to check if there was something wrong with your brain, especially with that stunt you pulled.”

Atsushi elbowed him in retaliation. The man raised his arms in mock surrender, though a smile was present on his face.

They then joined the other three in line, being the temporary designated adults (which technically, wasn’t really a lie) as Aizawa had left earlier to settle some things with UA. Atsushi had offered to pay but Ryuunosuke was having none of it. In the end, the mafioso had treated all of them to some ice cream.

Laughter and stories were exchanged, as they sat down and ate. 

Izuku had told them of how Gran Torino had initially pranked him, pretending to be the victim of a gruesome murder when he first walked in. Iida shared his experiences working with Manual, a small time hero who had a good head on his shoulders. Shouto mainly dissed Endeavor and shared all the pranks they pulled on him, which was an absolute delight.

He ignored the questioning glance Ryuunosuke threw his way, in favour of hyping Shouto up.

“What did you do, Akutagawa?” Izuku asked, biting his cone.

Ryuunosuke took a moment to ponder his answer.

“Mainly watched as Aizawa sensei beat the shit out of small time criminals. Provided some backup whenever necessary. Gathered some information for personal reasons. Helped train Shinsou. Just the usual.”

Damn, he really should have just interned with Aizawa. It sounded like fun.

“What about you, Nakajima?” Iida asked.

Atsushi pretended to think, though he had already known what he was going to say.

“Fanservice. Oh and I met an asshole in an alley but that’s about it,” He said, frowning as he remembered his awful patrolling experiences.

“Was he hot?” Izuku asked, a hint of mischievousness present in his tone.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ryuunosuke freeze.

“Yeah? I mean, he did have a fire quirk. How did you know?” Atsushi asked, impressed.

The boy sighed dramatically.

“No, I meant like, was he attractive?”

Atsushi looked at him, increasingly confused.

(Where was he going with this?)

“Maybe. Why are you asking me this again?” He asked, noticing the way Ryuunosuke was frowning.

(Huh.)

Izuku looked at him, evil glint present in his eye. He then made a show of looking at Ryuunosuke before turning his attention back to him.

“Figured. He sounds like your type.”

It took him approximately three point five seconds to understand the implications.

He blushed a deep shade of red, sputtering out excuses as the green-haired boy laughed. He turned towards Ryuunosuke, surprised to see that even he was blushing, which probably meant that he had understood the reference.

Atsushi then proceeded to lunge at the teen that caused it all.

Iida and Shouto watched amusedly, though they said nothing more. Ryuunosuke, on the other hand, was still trying to recover from the verbal attack.

Atsushi let out a war cry as he tried to push Izuku's face towards his ice cream while the green-haired boy shrieked, using his quirk to defend himself. Shouto then decided it was time for him to intervene and ultimately betray Atsushi, joining forces with Izuku. The boy had used his quirk to free his feet to the ground, cackling as he glared at him playfully. Iida sighed dramatically, slumping down as he realised just how futile it was to stop things.

The playful atmosphere surrounding them remained, even after they left the shop and bid each other goodbye. They then made their way back to their respective accommodations to continue with the rest of their internship.

Personally, Atsushi couldn't wait to return to UA and his apartment. Not because he missed Ryuunosuke or anything. Nope, he just... missed his bed.

Yeah.

Chapter Text

After their week-long internships, school resumed as usual.

The only thing that was a tiny bit different, was the fact that Atsushi had somehow become an internet sensation over the past few days.

It was mainly because of his encounter with Stain, but not the part where he had teamed up with Izuku, Shouto and Iida to defeat him. No, it was much worse.

The source of his annoyance came in the form of an article; 

Gardening Conversations: The Start of a Grassroot Movement?

Basically, someone had uploaded a video of him conversing with Stain right before the man passed out. They had transcribed what he said and even put in subtitles. Apparently, the words they exchanged somehow resonated with the people and were currently gaining traction.

Those same words were interpreted and analysed by the author of the article, emphasising on their discussion revolving around fake heroes and how the current system they had now was bringing more harm to society. The article had even gone as far as to criticise the Hero Rankings, linking it back to what Atsushi had said about “broken systems attracting fake heroes”. 

(How did they even manage to reach that conclusion? It was exactly what Atsushi was talking about.)

Anyway, netizens began commenting on the article and providing their own insights and interpretations of what Atsushi had meant. They tried to figure out his intentions behind using gardening analogies and somehow made the conclusion that it was because he wanted to start a grassroot movement .

Because of that, people were beginning to demand change.

The article was taken down multiple times but it had managed to sprout up like wild mushrooms after rain. No matter how hard the government tried, someone new would post it at a completely different website. 

Back to his current predicament.

Atsushi groaned as yet another person stared at him as he was making his way to class. The person made no move to approach him or do anything, really. He simply just… looked at him. Which was unnerving. Not even Ryuunosuke’s glaring could fend him off.

“Well, starting a grassroot movement could be a way of solving one of the fundamental problems of this universe.” The mafioso said as he opened the door for him, trying to provide some sort of comfort.

(That might be true, but Atsushi still had a bad feeling about it. As if what’s going to happen next could possibly end up being worse. He knew that with change came obstacles and to be honest, he wasn’t up for facing one bigger than Stain.)

As he entered the classroom, he was greeted by shouts and cheers.

Most of his classmates, especially the ones he rarely interacted with, looked at him in awe, as if they’d never seen him before. The others… had some more interesting reactions. 

Kirishima had come up to him and gave him a strong pat on the back, severely underestimating his own strength. Kaminari started a chant in his honour. Izuku and Shouto looked at each other before turning to look at him, smiling mischievously. Iida was busy trying to restore order. 

It was chaotic.

“If it isn’t the Katniss Everdeen of our generation!” Uraraka exclaimed, laughing playfully.

To that, Ryuunosuke laughed along while Atsushi groaned in protest. Never mind the fact that he had butterflies in his stomach at the sound of the mafioso’s laughter, he simply had to get the man to stop.

He abruptly turned around and put a hand over the mafioso’s mouth, successfully shutting him up momentarily. He could see the blush rising on his face as he brought a hand to Atsushi’s wrist, holding it loosely.

“Getting bold, are we?” He teased as he pulled Atsushi’s hand away, still holding on to it even when it’s long been removed from his mouth.

It was Atsushi who blushed this time.

“Shut up,” He sputtered, pulling his hand away from Ryuunosuke’s.

The man smirked in return, before making his way to his seat. Despite feeling embarrassed, Atsushi followed suit.

On his way there, he had accidentally made eye contact with Bakugou, who looked as if he was pissed at the idea of Atsushi’s very own existence. 

It felt really nostalgic, for some reason. 

Before Atsushi could go down memory lane, Aizawa had entered the class and soon, homeroom began.

Honestly, he wished it hadn’t.

Remember the obstacles post-change that Atsushi had initially thought he wasn’t up for? Yeah, on second thought, he’d prefer that alternative instead.

Why?

It was simple, really. Finals were approaching.

As usual, he wasn’t really that bothered about the physical portion. In fact, it’s one of the areas he was most confident in. He was, however, terrified of the written portion.

He was still so far behind on the syllabus so he was definitely going to fail, and failure meant not being able to go to the training camp Aizawa just mentioned.

He didn’t care much about the training camp per se, he just… didn’t think he should be away from Izuku during such an occasion. Whenever the younger was out of his sight, he'd usually get into all sorts of trouble. From Endeavor to Stain, the boy truly had an impressive portfolio of formidable opponents.

There was no way he was going to let him add another one into his ever-growing list. Not when he, Ryuunosuke and Aizawa hadn’t drilled the importance of self-preservation into him.

“Nakajima, Akutagawa, meet me after school,” Aizawa announced as he ended his briefing a few moments later.

The both of them nodded, though they didn’t say anything else. It probably had something to do with the confidential information they’d let him in on.

The day then passed by relatively fast and soon, it was time for their meeting.

Atsushi entered the teacher’s lounge with Ryuunosuke, surprised to see no one there except for their homeroom teacher. The man nodded his head in acknowledgement when he saw them and gestured for them to take a seat opposite him. They complied immediately.

“We haven’t really had this discussion with just the three of us,” Aizawa said, pausing to look at them both. 

“So let me get this straight, you’re both from an alternate universe where you’re actually adults.”

Atsushi nodded.

“Right. And to get out of this universe, you’ll need to solve this universe’s fundamental problems.”

“Theoretically. We aren’t sure ourselves,” Ryuunosuke answered.

The teacher sighed.

“Alright. How long have you been here?”

The weretiger frowned, unsure of how to proceed.

“If we’re talking about this universe’s time, we’ve been here for more than a year but we think that time works differently. It speeds up when there aren’t any major incidents,” Atsushi elaborated.

“It’s as if we’re skipping through the more mundane parts of life, like how they often do in books and movies,” Ryuunosuke added.

Aizawa paused to digest their answers, mentally noting down their observations. He then crossed his arms and leaned back against his chair, thinking hard.

“Are there any other things that you’ve noticed?”

Atsushi racked his brains, trying to recall every single thing they’ve noted and discussed between the two of them. They didn’t have much to work on, though that could be due to the fact that they’d been distracted by life as a UA student. 

Which… was actually out of character for them, now that he thought of it.

“We figured that when we stepped into this universe, we automatically became the main characters so things started to revolve around us. It got more complicated when we realised who the actual one was. It seems as if the universe isn’t running it’s natural course once we’ve gotten involved.”

He could see Aizawa’s frown deepen as he tried to make sense of things.

“But that’s pretty much it. Honestly, I think it’s kind of weird that we hadn’t gathered much. Between me and Ryuunosuke, we’re usually very efficient when it comes to these things.”

Ryuunosuke nodded.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if this Ability has the power to force us to comply with the plot. Maybe to the extent of causing us to behave out of character,” He hypothesised.

For some reason, Atsushi felt his heart drop at the statement.

If it was true, that could mean that whatever bond he’d fostered with the other wasn’t completely on his own accord. He didn’t want to believe that. Surely the feelings (yes, he’s admitting that now) he’d fostered for the other was genuine?

Because if it wasn’t… what would happen to them once they left this universe? Would they go back to square one? Where they treated each other as acquaintances at best?

He… didn’t want that. Not after all they’ve been through, after everything he’d realised. It’s true what they always say. One didn’t know what they had until it was gone. 

Now that there was a possibility that Atsushi was going to lose him, he couldn’t deny it anymore.

He had feelings for Ryuunosuke. He didn’t want to be just another person in the other’s life. He wanted to be something more. He wanted him.

“Yeah, you haven’t really tortured anyone since we came here,” Atsushi said instead, choosing to bury his thoughts for now and analyse them at a later time.

Aizawa looked at them suspiciously.

“Didn’t I tell you I’m a mafioso? I’ve killed people, this isn’t new,” Ryuunosuke said nonchalantly, enjoying the way their teacher looked a bit too uncomfortable with the fact.

The older man dragged a hand down his face, exhausted. 

(It seemed as if the only thing he could do in their presence was to sigh and lament. Atsushi kind of pitied him.)

“Right. Back to the topic. The theories you put out could be quite worrying if proven to be true. If the Ability is causing you to act a certain way, or to be dragged along with the plot, it could be it’s way of trapping you here. Maybe the longer you stay, the more of yourself you’ll lose,” The man continued, as if he hadn’t just received a reality check just a few minutes prior.

Ryuunosuke took note of his words seriously, nodding along as he listened to his explanation.

“But, there’s always a chance that that isn’t the case. Maybe, you’re finally given the chance to be normal teenagers and to experience normal lives, even if it's a few years later. You’re removed from the toxic environment you grew up in and you’re finally healing. Maybe subconsciously, you don’t want to leave so that’s why you’re putting things off. You’re hesitant to leave a place that brings you comfort.”

Silence surrounded them as they pondered his words. 

Atsushi looked at his hands as he mulled it over, trying to come up with ways to rebut his claims but none came to mind. He then looked over to his side, surprised to see Ryuunosuke equally as disturbed. He had initially thought that the older would immediately disagree with the second theory.

“You… could be right,” He said, defying all of Atsushi’s expectations.

(Did that mean that the mafioso enjoyed his time here with him? That things weren’t as one-sided as he originally thought?)

Aizawa’s face softened at the reply.

“I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you get the normal childhood experience. Well, as normal as it can get for heroes-in-training,” He announced, smiling softly.

They looked at him apprehensively.

“Why?” Atsushi asked, genuinely confused.

The smile on the man’s face widened a tiny bit. 

(It wasn’t nearly as scary as how he’d always smile. Maybe because it was genuine, this time.)

“You deserve it.”

They then moved on to a heavier topic, mainly Ryuunosuke’s and Aizawa’s findings during the internship.

One of the advantages of being an underground hero was that they usually had access to information that public heroes would never be able to get their hands on. Not because they had more resources or support (it was the exact opposite), but because they usually toed the line between good and evil.

Underground heroes mainly patrolled at sketchier, shadier areas so more often than not, they would encounter people who weren’t necessarily good but weren't necessarily bad either. 

These people usually had intel on activities that... weren’t quite legal. They had nothing to do with it, but they also weren’t going to blab. 

Unless they were offered something they couldn’t refuse.

A lot of these people were petty criminals who were on the run. Their offenses weren’t anything serious, something along the lines of theft, but they couldn’t afford to pay bail (if they could, they wouldn’t have resorted to theft to fund their daily necessities). If they got caught, they would have to serve time but then no one would be able to take care of their dependents.

It was a horrible situation to be in, with little to no way out. The general public couldn’t even begin to understand their plight, as they were the select few who were neglected by the heroes, by the system.

If they were fortunate, they would encounter an underground hero who would offer a reduced sentence or bail, maybe even waiver them completely if it was possible, in exchange for information. To these people, it was the light at the end of the tunnel. They didn’t care if it was dim, at least there was light.

Therefore, they were more willing to cooperate.

In a way, it was similar to how their universe worked, though it wasn’t as extreme. 

If the same offer was given to them, there was an additional factor to keep in mind. Mainly, if they divulged the information, would they live to see the next day?

Back in their universe, the answer would be no. They would be killed almost instantly, so it was better to continue living in their misery until they were caught or dead.

Atsushi was glad that at least in this universe, it hadn’t gotten that bad.

Yet.

Based on the information that Ryuunosuke and Aizawa managed to gather, most of the villains and small-time criminals weren’t as nearly as organised as the Port Mafia. The closest would be the Yakuza groups, but even they had been almost completely wiped out ever since the emergence of All Might.

That had been decades ago, when the man was crowned as the reigning Number One Hero. Before that, however, crime was rampant though it wasn’t as horrible as it was 200 years ago, during the dawn of quirks.

There were rumors of a man who had single handedly raised an army of thousands, wreaking havoc at an unprecedented scale. It was said that he had the ability to give and take quirks as he pleased, and that was how he managed to gather thousands of loyalists who would do anything for him.

It was unclear as to how that man was defeated, or if he was even defeated at all in the first place. Some claimed that he had acquired a quirk that allowed him to remain youthful, implying that he could still be alive.

But… they were all rumors at this point. No one knew for certain whether it was just tales meant to keep children from wandering around at night, or if there was even a hint of truth in it. The ones who knew were most probably too far gone to even contemplate helping the ones in the Light.

Atsushi had a feeling that this tale, no matter how far-fetched it was, had a role in solving the universe’s fundamental problem. He found it weird that crime suddenly dipped when All Might appeared. Sure, he was a good hero but to forcefully stop the momentum that had been going on for 200 years required more than just being a good hero.

There must be something more to the man than meets the eye and whatever it was, he had a feeling that Izuku was somehow involved. The boy was the main character, after all. 

He kept his thoughts to himself, not really wanting to share it with Aizawa without further proof. He didn’t want to unnecessarily implicate All Might and Izuku. He needed to do more research.

After awhile of contemplating multiple theories, they discussed more lighthearted matters such as Shinsou’s amazing progress and how they were finding the universe.

Aizawa listened intently as Atsushi and Ryuunosuke shared their thoughts and feelings, looking somewhat proud (though he would deny it) at how comfortable they found things, despite the weirdness of it all.

“It’s strange, the concept of having people there for you without any strings attached but… it’s nice,” Atsushi admitted, smiling shyly.

Ryuunosuke nodded his head, agreeing.

“It makes the world a better place.”

After a few more minutes of chatting, laughing and snacking on the snacks Present Mic had brought in some time ago, they were finally done for the day. They bid Aizawa a good bye, thanking him for his time before exiting UA and making their way back home.

It was late into the evening when they stepped out. The Sun was already beginning to set, casting a soft, yellow glow on everything it touched.

Atsushi was suddenly reminded of Kaminari, Ashido and Uraraka scrambling to take selfies because apparently, it was the golden hour. Whatever that had meant. 

A giggle escaped his lips at the thought.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Ryuunosuke asked, turning to look at him.

Atsushi shook his head, smiling. He made eye contact with the man, noticing just how ethereal he looked bathed under the glow of the setting Sun.

(Maybe they were onto something with the whole golden hour business.)

“Nothing much. Just remembered our classmates’ antics,” He replied, looking forward when he realised just how long he’d been staring.

Ryuunosuke hummed in response, though Atsushi could still feel his eyes on him. As if he had something more to say.

“What do you think of Aizawa sensei’s theory?” He asked, after a few more seconds of silence.

That caught Atsushi off-guard. 

He tripped, but was instantly saved by Rashomon wrapping around his waist and steadying him. He looked at Ryuunosuke and apologised, before straightening up and clearing his throat, looking elsewhere. Without much to say, he was released soon after.

They then continued on with their walk, as Atsushi pondered the question.

Deep down, he knew that he wanted to believe Aizawa’s theory more than their own but whether it was probable was a whole different story. He didn’t want to project his wants onto his beliefs. That would do neither of them any good. So, he was going to be objective about it.

It was true that he wanted to stay in this universe with Ryuunosuke for just a bit longer, but he also had a desire to go back. As much as he’s enjoying himself here, home was where the Agency was at. They were dysfunctional but they’re a family, nonetheless. He missed them dearly.

However, he didn’t really feel as if anything he’d done up to that point was against his free will. Or that he was particularly out of character. Personally, he thought the whole stupidly courageous act was kind of on brand for him.

If anything, it was Ryuunosuke who was acting weirdly. 

“I hope it’s true. At least on my part, I don’t think I’m acting out of character,” He answered after a while.

He couldn’t quite say the same thing about the other, who had treated him with so much tenderness, it hurt. The Ryuu— no, the Akutagawa — he knew never would’ve done such things. 

(But… that was before they were forced to live together, to get to know each other better. All that time they spent together had to mean something, right?)

He focused his attention on the scenery before him, of tired students and rush hour traffic. He was desperate to get his mind out of the gutter. There was no use trying to solve the unknown.

“It’s the same for me. Everything that I’ve done is of my own accord,” He replied, unintentionally answering all of his silent questions he had been agonising over.

Well.

He let out a small smile at that, relieved that whatever relationship they had cultivated over the past year wasn’t forced, nor was it one-sided. 

It was nice and it gave him hope.

“Ryuunosuke,” He began, turning to the side to face the older.

Atsushi stopped walking momentarily, causing the man to follow suit. He looked curious, but he played along nonetheless.

“Yes?” 

Atsushi took a deep breath, mustering the courage to say his next words.

“Thank you for being a part of my life.”

The man looked stunned, though a small smile was present on his face. He shook his head lightly, chuckling. 

“No, Atsushi. Thank you .”

They stared at each other for what seemed like ages. 

The cool air brushed past their cheeks as the Sun began it’s descent, making way for the Moon. Slowly, the lights started turning on one by one as the darkness crept. 

They stood still, basking in the peace of it all.

“Let’s head home, shall we?” Ryuunosuke asked, breaking the silence.

( Home. Maybe it was wherever Ryuunosuke was. Or maybe, it was Ryuunosuke himself.)

Atsushi’s smile grew wider at the thought, nodding in agreement.

“Let’s.”

Chapter Text

Finals exams shouldn’t be legal.

They had spent the past weeks trying to make sense of the syllabus, knowing that failure wasn’t an option. They couldn’t afford to, not when Izuku was still reckless and as prone to attracting trouble as ever.

Really, one would’ve thought he’d learned his lesson after Stain. But now, that was neither here nor there.

“I’ll just drop out of UA and settle this the Port Mafia way,” Ryuunosuke stated matter of factly, closing his algebra book.

Atsush watched as the older laid his head face down on the coffee table, groaning softly. He then turned his head to face Atsushi, frowning at him.

“Just try and stop me, hero .”

The weretiger chuckled, amused but looked away quickly afterwards.

(For some reason, he felt the urge to pat his head . It was ridiculous.)

Deciding that it was time he took a break because he was obviously not in the right state of mind, he stretched for a bit and stood up.

“Alright, I’m heading out. I can’t focus anymore,” Atsushi announced, closing his books one by one. “Do you want anything?”

Ryuunosuke, as tactful as ever, flipped him off. 

Atsushi rolled his eyes, good-naturedly. He then grabbed a random jacket that fell in his line of sight, took his wallet and left.

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. The sky was blue and the birds were out chirping. The breeze was blowing gently and families were out and about, enjoying the good weather. It was truly perfect for lounging outside without a care in the world, not cramming subjects that weren't even going to help him in the future. 

(He felt so wronged. Maybe final exams would be his villain origin story.)

Brandishing that thought away, he focused his attention on finding a decent-looking cafe to buy some treats and drinks. The mafioso was a picky eater, so he had to make sure that the food he bought was at least average in quality.

Atsushi couldn't fault him, though. Surely the other would want only the finest in life after the life of hardship he went through at the slums. 

Lost in his thoughts, he failed to realise the suspicious figure that had been trailing along after him for the past five minutes. He absentmindedly trudged forward, only to be dragged from behind into the nearest alley the second he turned the corner.

Instantly, his instincts kicked in and he elbowed the perpetrator hard in the gut. The person immediately let go of him, groaning in pain. Atsushi then turned behind to see who it was and if they would be launching a counterattack any time soon, only to see Touya crouching on the ground unceremoniously.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you could escape whenever you wanted the other day,” He wheezed, opting to sit down instead when even breathing proved to be a difficult task.

Atsushi stood frozen, unsure of what to do. On one hand, he felt sorry that he had injured the man. On the other, Touya shouldn’t have acted as if he was about to mug him. He lived on the streets of Yokohama. What did the man expect?

“Sorry?” He said, though it ended up sounding like a question.

He then bent down to help the man up, only for Touya to wave his help off.

“It’s fine, kid. I’m not that old yet,” He said, standing up with the support of the wall behind him.

It took a few seconds for Atsushi to register that Touya had appeared in front of him, weeks after the Hosu incident, and he was here in Musutafu.

“Have you been stalking me?”

Touya fixed him with a deadpan stare.

“Please. You’re a UA student. I figured you would live around here,” He replied, not sounding convincing at all.

There was no way he could find the exact place Atsushi actually lived at just from deducing where he went to school.

Nevertheless, he decided to play it cool. If Touya was up to any funny business, he could handle himself well enough. If he couldn’t, there’s always Ryuunosuke who would definitely make the man pay. 

“Right. Let’s say that I believe that. Anyway, what do you want, Touya-san?” Atsushi asked, curious.

Touya leaned against the wall, this time in an attempt to look cool and not because he was elbowed in the gut just mere minutes ago. He produced a blue ball of flame, not to intimidate but because he didn’t know what else to do. Sighing, he carried on.

“Heard you stopped Endeavor from getting the credit for Stain’s capture. Why did you do that?” 

Atsushi looked at him, confused. 

There was no way a normal civilian would have access to that knowledge, unless they were chummy with the Chief of Police. Considering that Touya wasn’t really the poster boy for Model Citizen, he could only conclude that it was known through other less legal means.

But..., Atsushi wasn't really the type to care about those things. At least, not anymore.

“It’s simple. He didn’t do anything so he didn’t deserve it. Besides, he’s basically the reason why people like Stain exist. It would be ironic to let him have it,” He answered.

He felt a buzz in his pocket, indicating that he received a message. Sensing that the man needed some time to process his answer, he fished out his phone from his pocket and proceeded to read the text.

Ryuunosuke

Can you please get me an iced Americano?

He snorted, amused. He then replied in the affirmative and looked up from his phone, surprised to see Touya still digesting things.

“You good?” He asked as he pocketed his phone.

That seemed to snap the man out of his stupor, causing him to extinguish his flames and stand up just a little bit straighter.

“You actually stood up to him.”

Now wasn’t that concerning?

There was this literal stranger who looked like he’d seen better days, being in complete awe that someone had stood up to the person he absolutely detested. As if he’d been failed by other people time and time again, until he was conditioned to think that no one would do so.

But, that implied that he was in contact with Endeavor frequently enough that required him to be disappointed that others wouldn’t take action.

He stared into the man’s teal blue eyes, trying to figure out the cacophony of emotions that shone through. He could see anger, confusion, pain, relief, happiness all rolled up into one. Somehow, he could see a resemblance to someone familiar. Someone with that exact shade of blue in his eye, accompanied by the same mixture of emotions.

(He looked like Shouto.)

Touya froze for a split second, before summoning his flames yet again. He looked at Atsushi accusingly, coming closer to the boy.

Atsushi, on the other hand, was beyond confused. Exactly what did he do to warrant such a reaction? 

As he scoured through his memories for any indication of foul play, he belatedly realised that he had voiced his thoughts aloud. That shouldn’t be an issue, unless… it actually was one.

Why else would Touya act so hostily all of a sudden?

“Oh my God. Are you his cousin or something? Man, what is it with your family and imparting familial trauma,” He joked, trying to lighten up the mood.

Touya glared in response, before actually processing what Atsushi said.

“Wait, cousin? ” He replied incredulously, extinguishing his flames.

The weretiger tilted his head in confusion.

“I don’t know? It’s just that your eyes looked similar so I thought you guys were related or something… Aren’t you?” He asked, feeling his phone buzz all of a sudden.

He didn’t make a move to answer it, though. The man in front of him was still suspicious of him and rightfully so.

“You don’t… know?”

Atsushi frowned.

“Hell, I didn’t even know Endeavor was a hero until I received that offer from him,” He complained under his breath, though Touya heard it loud and clear.

“ How? ” 

The weretiger shrugged, not really wanting to tell his life story to a stranger who had threatened to hurt him more than twice, though he never delivered on it. He was lucky that right now, Touya was more bark than bite.

However, if the man was pushed into a corner some time in the future, he couldn’t be certain that Touya would remain that way. Desperate people when cornered, will resort to desperate measures.

“You’ll need to be friendship level 10 to unlock my tragic backstory,” Atsushi answered, feeling his phone buzz yet again.

If he didn’t reply soon, that person would get worried and he really couldn’t be held accountable for what would happen next. So he needed to stop it from even happening in the first place.

“What do you actually know about him then?” Touya asked, crossing his arms.

Atsushi paused to think.

“He’s a piece of shit and he treats his family horribly, but that’s about it. I only know Shouto, though. And Rei, but that’s because Shouto told me some stuff. He did mention some siblings, but I didn’t quite catch their names, or how many of them there are.”

At the mention of those two people, it seemed as if a switch had been flipped and suddenly, his personality did a full 180. 

Touya leaned forward and narrowed his eyes, but there was no hostility in them. In fact, it seemed as if it was borderline protective . For some reason.

“Why are you on a first-name basis with Shouto?”

Now that caught Atsushi completely off-guard. Any intention to do anything else was completely cut off in favour of figuring whatever the hell that was going on.

“Because we’re friends?” 

The man scoffed.

“ Friends , huh. I guess that’s what they call it these days.”

As far as Atsushi knew, they’ve always been called friends ever since the word was invented. Touya should probably look into buying a dictionary.

The weretiger rolled his eyes, already 100% done with whatever that was going on. What was supposed to be a quick trip to the cafe for his well-deserved study break, had turned into a semi-confrontation with a hot asshole who liked picking fights with people in alleys.

He had better things to do.

(But… maybe it was a better alternative than studying. Maybe.)

“Alright, Touya-san. Whatever floats your boat. Anyway, I’ve got to get going. See you around, I guess,” He said, ignoring the offended look on the older’s face.

He then turned around and proceeded to leave the alley. He could hear Touya making a move to follow him, but stopped short when a new figure approached the alley they were in.

“There you are. What took you so long? Why didn’t you reply to my texts?” Ryuunosuke questioned, blocking the exit for both Atsushi and Touya.

The weretiger vaguely gestured to the annoyed man behind him, not even bothering to turn around. Ryuunosuke, feeling increasingly perplexed at the situation, took a quick look and shifted his gaze back towards Atsushi.

“Isn’t he a bit too young for you?” 

Touya sputtered at that.

“I’ll have you know that I’m not —” 

Ryuunosuke lifted a hand to silence him, glaring at the man.

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

Touya let out a confused noise while Atsushi groaned in response.

“Ryuunosuke, we’re probably the same age or something. Don’t make it weird,” He replied, scrunching his nose.

He could feel the glares Touya was sending him, so he turned around in an attempt to mediate.

“Look, Touya-san. I’m sure that Ryuu—”

“Are you two-timing my brother?”

Atsushi stopped talking mid-sentence.

(He what now?)

“Two-timing? Your brother? Literally who—”

It was at that moment, that everything made sense.

“You’re Shouto’s brother?”

He looked at the scarred man, taking in his appearance once again. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see the glaring resemblance between the two brothers. The eyes, the nose, the lips, the jaw. Even the whole facial structure!

How could he have been so blind?

Atsushi turned to look at Ryuunosuke, who looked equally shocked at the whole turn of events. The mafioso merely shrugged his shoulders when Atsushi silently asked him what to do, equally feeling out of depth.

Touya approached the two of them, stomping.

“Yes. Now tell me, are you two-timing him with this emo kid?”

(Ryuunosuke? An emo kid? That was rich coming from him, who was decked in black from head to toe and with that whole grunge rock aesthetic he had going on.

Anyway.)

Atsushi shook his head vigorously, denying his ridiculous claims.

“I’m not dating Shouto! I see him more as a brother figure if anything. Besides, I think he has a crush on Izuku,” He hurriedly let out, spilling everything that was on his mind.

Touya stopped short just a few metres away from the both of them. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, glaring at Ryuunosuke who couldn’t care less and Atsushi, who just really wanted to clear up the misunderstanding. When he deemed that he was telling the truth, he finally dropped his protective big brother facade and ceased his glaring.

“So you’re not dating my brother. You’re dating him?”

Atsushi looked at him, flabbergasted. It seemed as if there was no right answer. It’s wrong for him to date Shouto (again, he would never ) and it’s wrong for him

not to date him.

Really, what did the guy want? 

“Touya-san, with all due respect, I’m not dating—”

“So what if we’re dating?” Ryuunosuke interjected.

(What. The. Hell.)

Atsushi turned to look at Ryuunosuke so fast, he almost got whiplash. The mafioso, however, was hell bent on ignoring him. Instead, he chose to glower condescendingly at the man before him.

He raised an eyebrow, as if daring Touya to say otherwise. The man in question merely raised his hands in surrender, clearly not expecting that sort of hostility to emanate from the first-year student.

“Atsushi-kun. You really do have a type, don’t you? First it’s me, then it’s him. You need help,” The man said matter-of-factly, lowering his hands once Ryuunosuke lowered his guard.

Atsushi laughed awkwardly, knowing how right the other was. It was his turn to avoid Ryuunosuke’s imploring gaze, instead focusing on Touya’s smug one.

Deciding that it was high time he stopped whatever interaction he had with the guy, Atsushi announced his leave.

“Right. Now that that’s cleared up I’m going to just—”

“Wait.”

(How many times had he already been interrupted? This was too much.)

Atsushi waited for Touya to continue his sentence.

“Now that I know where your allegiance lies, I’ll join your movement,” He said, completely catching Atsushi off-guard.

Even Ryuunosuke seemed confused.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

Touya sighed before shaking his head, as if it pained him to do more than just be vague and cryptic.

“You embody Stain’s goal more than those League of Villain bastards. You’ve already made a move against Hero society, all the while being a first-year student with nothing to your name. I want in.”

He rolled his eyes at Atsushi’s perplexed expression but continued on with his explanation.

“Ever since you defied the Sports Festival, it’s been set in stone. Your refusal to partake in the finals, your speech against Stain, your defiance in letting Endeavor get the credit. Like it or not, you’ve lit the sparks of revolution.”

It took a few moments for Atsushi to actually understand what the other had meant.

“Holy shit. I am the Katniss Everdeen of this generation.”

-

For some reason, they had invited Touya over once they'd completed their cafe run.

The man looked impressed at their accommodation, going as far as to whistle every time he saw a piece of quality furniture that caught his eye.

“Damn, Atsushi-kun. I might actually believe that nonsense about you being in your 20s. There’s no way a teenager can afford living like this with no income or inheritance.”

Really, Atsushi made no attempt to hide his status as an adult. It was on him if he didn’t want to believe him. Though, him being an adult didn’t really contribute to having that luxury. 

“Right. Let’s get to the point, shall we? Something about a revolution?” Ryuunosuke said, glaring at the man.

Touya smirked.

“Don’t be jealous, loverboy. I can’t help that Atsushi’s attracted to bad boys like me,” He taunted, unaware of the fact that Ryuunosuke’s body count was probably more than his own age.

Anyway.

“So… revolution?” Atsushi asked nervously, eying Rashomon who looked as if it was about to make its appearance anytime soon.

Touya nodded and sat down on their couch, crossing his legs. He then leaned back and made himself comfortable, before crossing his arms and tilting his head.

“What do you want to know?”

With that, they had found out of the butterfly effect their actions had on the whole universe.

It started with the entrance exam.

Apparently, the other attendees had written not about the exam itself, but about an unknown student who had managed to take down almost a half of the robots alone, while still managing to save others. 

There were also a select few who talked about a student who annihilated three-quarters of the robots, before he was stopped by the invigilator in charge. Had the student kept going, he would’ve cleared the whole centre himself.

They were both unprecedented achievements.

“The forums didn’t really make the connection until after they saw you in the Sports Festival,” Touya explained, generously accepting the cup of tea Atsushi offered. 

He winked at him just to piss Ryuunosuke off, smirking when the mafioso clenched his fists. Atsushi rolled his eyes at the display, sincerely hoping that the man would stop provoking the mafioso. Undeterred, the man continued.

The attack on USJ was also widely talked about, especially in the underground scene. No one was surprised by Eraserhead’s abilities. They knew how capable he was, being a well-known figure in the scene. 

They were, however, surprised by the two hero hopefuls who came to his aid.

The small-time villains that were released spread the tale like wildfire. Of how they were swiftly defeated by a tiger-like boy and the wielder of demon-like clothes. How invincible they seemed, when they worked together. How refined their techniques were, for someone their age.

Some spoke of geniuses in the making.

Again, the story wasn’t given much weight until the Sports Festival. Specifically, the cavalry battle.

“I knew that the Sports Festival was the wrong decision. Mori-san would’ve loved it, and anything he loves is a red flag in itself,” Ryuunosuke commented, frowning.

Atsushi nodded in agreement. Touya looked curious, but he didn’t probe any further.

“As I was saying, the both of you had attracted some attention but with the stunt Atsushi pulled at Hosu, it solidified his position as the face of the revolution. Your friend on the other hand, is known as the blade. The tongue may be sharper than the sword, but it can’t hurt to have both, right? At least, that’s what they’re saying.”

Only then did it dawn upon Atsushi just how serious things actually were. It didn’t start with the article, things were already set in motion from way before .

Everything that they had willingly done, was a device to further the plot. One wrong move and they would’ve been in a totally different situation altogether. Such was the power of the main character.

“We’re not being dragged along, we’re forcefully changing the flow,” Atsushi concluded, turning to look at the mafioso.

Ryuunosuke’s eyes widened in realisation.

“With every decision we make, we’re one stop closer to reaching an end. It wasn’t about solving the fundamental problems of the universe all along,” The mafioso added on.

“It’s about reaching the conclusion.”

It was silent for approximately four seconds.

“You guys are so fucking weird. But... I guess anyone willing to change hero society is fucked up in the head one way or the other so I still want in. What’s our next course of action?” Touya asked, setting down his cup of tea on the table.

Atsushi paused to think.

He wasn’t sure before, but now he’s certain that something would happen at the training camp. Things usually start going haywire the minute they left the school. That had meant that they had to be there, by hook or by crook.

Also, judging by how frequently the name The League of Villains popped up in the past week alone, he was sure that they’ll have something to do with it. 

“Touya-san, do you know anything about the League?” Atsushi asked instead.

The man nodded.

“Not much, apart from the fact that they’re recruiting. Oh, and that Shigaraki is a complete nutjob. Seriously, there’s no way that someone like him is the true leader. I’m sure there’s someone hidden in the shadows controlling him. Or at least, advising him on what to do.”

Ryuunosuke looked contemplative as he mulled the information over.

“The leaders of criminal organisations are typically cunning. Judging by Shigaraki’s behaviour at the USJ and the rumors of him I’ve heard during my internship, I can safely conclude that he doesn’t possess that quality. If anything, he’s more of a spoiled brat. To put it into context, he’s no Mori-san. He’s more of… an Elise-chan. Your friend here might be right.”

At that, Touya raised an eyebrow.

“Are my ears deceiving me or did you just imply that you’re acquainted with the boss of a criminal organisation?” He asked, looking way more intrigued than he’d ever looked.

Ryuunosuke didn’t deem it worthy of a response so he ignored the guy. Atsushi, taking pity, answered instead.

“It’s a long story. Friendship level 10, remember?”

Touya laughed, concurring. Ryuunosuke looked between the two of them suspiciously, but didn’t comment any further.

Now that they’ve established that there was a true leader hiding in the shadows, they should probably regroup with Aizawa to decide on their next plan. What they could do for now, however, was to ensure that they could actually attend. But to do so, they’d have to pass finals.

“I think the League might attack our training camp, but for us to be able to go, we’ll need to pass our finals. I guess my question for you is, can you tutor us?”

Both Touya and Ryuunosuke looked at him incredulously.

“Him?” “Me?” They asked at the same time, glaring at each other.

Atsushi sighed.

“Look, Touya-san. I know that this isn’t what you expected when you decided to join us, but it’s the reality. We do think that there’s something fundamentally wrong with hero society and we did plan to do something about it, but everything that’s happened before this was all unplanned,” He paused, looking at the both of them.

“We’ve just been following the flow and saying things as they were. I feel that if we continue doing that, it’ll be the same. An event will happen, we’ll do what we think is right at the time, and let nature run it’s course. At least, for now.”

Touya frowned.

“So you’re not planning on actively doing something?” He asked, annoyed.

Ryuunosuke was also looking at him, increasingly confused. Atsushi smiled in response, though it wasn’t his usual friendly ones. No, this was more unhinged. Dangerous.

“I didn’t say that. Just… let’s deal with the training camp first. Once that’s out of the way, we can start with Endeavor.”

-

Ever since that day, Touya had been hanging around their apartment more often than not.

At first, it had irked Ryuunosuke, especially when the man used the opportunity to mess with him by flirting with Atsushi.

(To be honest, Atsushi wasn’t even sure why he was so bothered. Touya never meant any of it, especially when he saw Atsushi as his younger brother’s friend.)

“I may be a vigilante but I’m no pedophile.” Was what he said one day.

Atsushi had long given up trying to remind him that he wasn’t a minor. He hadn’t been one for years.

As time went on, however, Touya proved to be more of a blessing than a nuisance, even for Ryuunosuke.

The change was gradual. At first, Touya had kept his guard high, despite being the one who hung around in their personal space. The man would never let himself fall asleep, let alone eat anything that they prepared

They took no offense, though. They knew exactly what it felt to be cautious of everything, given their rough childhood.

Atsushi couldn’t really quite pinpoint when it started to change. Maybe it was the time when the man had accidentally fallen asleep, only to wake up hours later relatively unharmed. Maybe it was when he had taken a bite of Ryuunosuke’s cooking, and was still alive the next day.

Maybe it was simply due to all that time they had spent together, going over basic materials they should have mastered in middle school.

Surprisingly, Touya was really, really smart and he made a great teacher. He broke down big concepts into smaller ones, and was patient when going over them again and again. He never questioned why they weren’t up to speed, though Atsushi was sure he had his suspicions.

Nonetheless, he never brought it up.

There were times when Touya would bring food with him when he came over, and they would eat together after their study sessions. On days that Izuku or Shouto came over, the man made himself scarce but he would never fail to text them, asking if they had any questions that needed clarifying.

All in all, he was nothing like the man Atsushi first met in the alley all those months ago.

Back to the present.

“You’re so weird , Touya-san,” Ryuunosuke began, putting down his pen. “Atsushi told me that you were hostile when you first met him, but now you’re hanging around in our apartment for the fifth time this week, cooking dinner for us.”

Atsushi nodded his head in agreement. Touya, on the other hand, merely laughed. He ruffled Ryuunosuke’s hair, waving off Rashomon who half-heartedly tried to attack him.

“I guess you’re right, Ryuunosuke-kun. To be fair, I was in a really bad place at that time. If I didn’t meet Atsushi all those months ago, I don’t think I’ll even be considered a vigilante now. I probably would’ve joined the League,” He said, smiling as he looked at the both of them.

“Maybe interacting with you gremlins reminded me of what it felt like to be a brother. That made me realise, if I ever joined the League, there was no way I could continue being their big bro Touya, even if it was to bring an end to that old man. Fuyumi would have a heart attack.”

Ryuunosuke nodded in agreement, smiling slightly.

“When I first went after the men who killed my friends in the slums, Gin tried to stop me. She pleaded for me to stay with her, that nothing good would come out of getting revenge. Foolishly, I had ignored her cries and went ahead but luckily for me, Dazai-san had already killed them,” He opened up, eyes distant as he thought of the past.

“He told me that if I had killed them instead, he wouldn’t have taken me in. Instead, he would’ve taken Gin and I wouldn’t have been able to see her for years to come,” He concluded, ending it on a bittersweet note.

Touya, who had never heard any of them open up about their friendship level 10 tragic backstories, looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

“What?”

Ryuunosuke nodded solemnly, mistaking it as disbelief at Dazai’s actions instead of confusion at whatever the hell he was currently revealing.

“I’m glad I didn’t kill them either. That’s the only reason why Gin and I could continue being by each other’s side in the Port Mafia. We did end up killing a lot more people afterwards, though. I could never truly understand Dazai-san’s thought process.”

Atsushi wholeheartedly agreed, while Touya looked as if he was seconds away from passing out. 

“You’ve killed people? And you’re a hero-in-training?” He asked, borderline hysterical.

Ryuunosuke smirked as the tables were finally turned for once, enjoying the confusion in Touya’s eyes.

“Aizawa sensei is aware of this. It’s fine, it’s been years since I last took someone’s life,” He said, in an attempt to comfort the man.

The man took deep breaths to calm himself down, closing his eyes. Atsushi could hear him counting down the seconds before opening his eyes again, looking a little less frazzled. After regaining his composure, he turned to look at Atsushi.

“I’m sorry I can’t be your type. I’ve only committed arson.”

That got a startled laugh out of him. He could see Ryuunosuke exhale a sigh of relief at the man’s reaction, glad that he was accepting of his past despite his nonchalant exterior. Ryuunosuke may not seem like it but he really did enjoy Touya’s company and valued his views.

In a way, Touya felt like the big brother they never had. 

“Well, Ryuunosuke-kun. I guess it’s clear now that you’re leagues ahead of me when it comes to matters of Atsushi’s heart. Rest assured, kid. I don’t think I’ll be climbing up the criminal career ladder any time soon,” He joked, smiling softly.

“Thanks for telling me though. That couldn’t have been easy.”

Ryuunosuke shrugged but Atsushi could see his ears turning red, a tell-tale sign of his embarrassment.

He was glad, though. If anything, Ryuunosuke deserved to be complimented more often. Especially when he had grown up receiving more insults than not.

They then continued on with their last study session before exam season started, pushing other matters to the back of their minds. It was silent for a few hours, as Touya scrolled away on his phone while Atsushi and Ryuunosuke crammed every bit of information they could.

After a while, Touya went to the kitchen to fix them some dinner. They offered to help but the man waved them off, saying that he could handle cooking alone for a night.

As the words started to blur and as Atsushi’s enhanced senses picked up the sound of sizzling pans, his thoughts drifted away.

Right after their initial discussion with Touya all those months ago, they had immediately told Aizawa of what they’d learned. Of how they speculated that the League would strike the training camp. Aizawa had assured them that they’ve taken the necessary precautionary measures and that the exact details of the camp were on a need-to-know basis.

However, Atsushi wasn’t really convinced.

Based on his experience, something would definitely go wrong. For example, there could be a traitor amongst them, as he’d suspected during the USJ attack and after Shigaraki’s escape. 

Nevertheless, he trusted that Aizawa would have a backup plan if things went south. He wouldn’t be one of the most feared underground heroes otherwise. 

His thoughts then drifted towards Izuku. The boy had been busy with his own revision, but Atsushi could tell that something else had been plaguing his mind ever since he returned from his internship and talked to All Might.

There was definitely something deeper going on but he couldn’t exactly figure out what it was. He was planning to ask the boy once things calmed down a bit, preferably after the training camp.

Well, if it was significant enough, they were bound to find out anyway, which brought him to his final thought before they were called for dinner.

The Todoroki family.

Touya had never told them about his time there, or what Endeavor used to do to him. He only mentioned that an incident occurred and they wrote him off as dead. He had then spent the rest of his life, surviving on the streets.

Occasionally, he would talk about his other family members. How he used to watch TV with Fuyumi or how he would often have late-night talks with Natsuo. He never mentioned Shouto, though, despite him being the reason why they knew he was a Todoroki in the first place.

Shouto, on the other hand, told him almost everything. How Endeavor was dissatisfied with his performance at the Festival, how his training hours were increased because of that, how his phone was almost confiscated if it weren’t for Fuyumi who stepped in and talked some sense to the man.

Despite all of that, not once had he mentioned Touya. Maybe it might be taboo for him to talk about what he thought was his deceased older brother. Whatever his reason was, Atsushi wasn’t going to pry. 

But.. he did hope that the two would at least meet each other one day. Not on opposing sides of the law, but united against their father. It’s what they deserved.

Just as he thought of the last sentence, Touya had called them over for dinner and soon enough, it was forgotten in favour of inhaling Touya’s godsent curry.

Dinner flew by and just like that, another day in this particular universe ended.

Chapter Text

The exams were easier than they had expected but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t insanely hard. 

Atsushi spent the last five minutes calculating how many marks he needed to pass for every single paper he sat for, frowning when he realised that he… might not have enough.

(But… what did he know about marking papers? Maybe he had miscalculated or something. There was always hope… right?)

“I’m so sorry Touya-san,” He whispered defeatedly, staring out the window.

He could hear Ryuunosuke sighing heavily from beside him.

“I knew I wasn’t cut out to be a hero.”

At that, Izuku snapped his head towards their general direction and immediately made his way towards them, probably to give them the famous Midoriya pep talk or something about never giving up.

He could also see Shouto looking at the green-haired boy fondly, shaking his head as he followed suit. After a while, Uraraka and Iida finally joined their group (once the pep talk was over) and together, they made their way to the cafeteria.

They discussed the possibilities of the physical portion of the exam over lunch, brainstorming the potential things they could be tested on. Some had speculated that they were going up against the zero pointers from the entrance exam, others suggested that it could be something relating to rescues or first aid.

Whatever it was, they were going to find out soon enough.

Atsushi wolfed down the rest of his lunch, needing to restore all the energy he’d used to answer his previous papers. He ignored the dirty looks Ryuunosuke was giving him, opting to focus on the taste of the food Touya had packed for them.

(The man’s cooking skills had definitely improved.)

He listened on quietly as they continued their discussion, nodding his head occasionally to show that he was still paying attention. 

In reality, he was busy worrying over the fact that he might not be able to attend the camp and if anything happened, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

He knew that he couldn’t shield Izuku from the harsh realities of the world, but he wanted the boy to remain blissfully ignorant for a while longer. At least, until he graduated.

He was still so, so young and impressionable, with a brilliant mind and a brilliant heart. If he learned about the dangers too early on when he wasn’t mentally or emotionally ready, it could crush him.

Atsushi was not going to let that happen.

(But… maybe the Universe would help him out this time? Something about ensuring plot continuity? Unless…. the plot can still move forward despite that, just in a different direction. What would that mean, though?)

“What’s on your mind?” He heard Ryuunosuke ask, snapping him out of his grim thoughts.

He turned to look at the man, smiling softly.

“Nothing much, just plot continuity and all that.”

Ryuunosuke hummed thoughtfully, placing a hand under his chin as he contemplated his answer.

“Sounds sus but okay,” He replied, getting a laugh out of Atsushi at the sheer ridiculousness of it all.

He should really thank Kaminari for teaching them teenage slang. It sounded especially hilarious coming from the mafioso who exclusively used bombastic, fancy-sounding words.

Ryuunosuke himself was aware of that. Therefore, it could only mean that the man was doing it on purpose

“Thanks, Ryuunosuke,” He beamed.

The mafioso blushed a deep red and looked away, nodding.

“Sure.”

Before long, lunch ended and soon, it was time for their next class. Fortunately for them, the practical portion of the exam would take place at a later date, giving them time to recuperate before going into another nerve-wracking situation.

Atsushi entered the class, only to witness Bakugou towering over Izuku as he threatened to beat him academically. The blonde then glared at Shouto and threatened him too before making his way to his seat and scowling at anyone who dared to look at him.

Ryuunosuke was having none of that, though. He stared him down as he approached the blonde’s table, unwavering. In retaliation, Bakugou produced mini explosions in his palms, as if promising pain to whoever dared to defy him.

“That’s unbecoming of a hero. Are you sure that’s the path you want to pursue?” The mafioso asked conversationally once he reached Bakugou’s desk.

“What do you mean, extra?” He spat, narrowing his eyes.

Ryuunosuke smiled serenely, causing chills to run up Atsushi’s spine. His smile looked like it never meant to promise peace, but problems instead. The kind of smile he usually showed to his victims before killing them off.

Atsushi mentally prayed that the man would take it easy on the kid, no matter how annoying he was behaving.

He watched as Ryuunosuke leaned forward to whisper something to the blonde, though Atsushi could hear it just fine due to his hearing.

“I’m talking about your past. Does Aldera ring a bell?”

Bakugou froze, explosions dying down as he stared at the man in shock. Izuku looked between the two of them worriedly, though he made no move to interfere.

Ryuunosuke then leaned back, patted his shoulder a few times and left for his seat.

The rest of the class watched the interaction confusedly, not really sure of what they had just witnessed.

Atsushi decided to take charge and ushered the other students to their respective seats before going to his own. That seemed to break the tense atmosphere that had suddenly formed and soon enough, things went back to normal.

Present Mic then entered their class and that was how the rest of their day went.

Nothing much happened in the days that led up to the physical portion of their exams. They didn’t have to study for academics anymore so they were allowed to train. A majority of his classmates decided to meet up at school so that they can go over the moves they’ve learnt over the semester together.

Atsushi and Ryuunosuke, however, decided to take it easy. There wasn’t much need for them to improve so they took the time to just laze around in bed.

(Maybe there was a benefit to facing countless near-death experiences at such a young age. At least they didn’t have to revise.)

Their classmates tried to invite them over for some last minute sparring sessions a couple of times but they couldn’t bring themselves to go to school when it wasn’t necessary.

(High school was that bad.)

Atsushi did feel a little guilty at the thought of ditching them but not guilty enough to walk through the halls of UA on a weekend. Therefore, he decided to video call them instead so that he could give some pointers without having to be physically present. Ryuunosuke chipped in every once in a while when he wasn’t busy scrolling through his phone.

It wasn’t the best option but they made it work.

A few days later, it was finally time for the practical portion of their finals.

They were all gathered outside, along with some other UA teachers who didn’t even teach them. Considering that they were there, it probably meant that they were going to be involved with the exam as well.

Their principal, Nedzu, later on confirmed that that was the case.

Apparently, they had to work in pairs to defeat the teacher that was assigned to them. In order to pass, they had to either apprehend the teacher or at least successfully get at least one of their teammates to escape the exam area. The teachers will be disadvantaged by a handicap (which was merely slowing down their movements with some weights) to somewhat even out the playing field.

In Atsushi’s opinion, it wasn’t that much of a disadvantage. They still had years of real life experience and more time to refine their quirks. Not only that, they also had better reaction time and better on-the-spot decision making skills. 

It was still pretty unfair to everyone except for Atsushi and Ryuunosuke but maybe… their teachers would hold back a bit. 

(They should, if they had common sense.)

The pairs and their assigned teachers had already been determined prior, which was honestly fine for most of them with the exception of one pairing.

Bakugou and Izuku versus All Might.

“Aizawa sensei, may I have a word with you? In private?” Ryuunosuke asked, as soon as the others had left for the control room to watch each other’s progress.

Aizawa sobered up at that and nodded, looking serious.

Atsushi followed them along, curious as to how exactly Ryuunosuke was going to break the news to their teacher. He already knew what he was going to talk about, it was just the approach he wasn’t really sure of. 

They reached a secluded spot some distance away from the exam centre. Ryuunosuke did a quick scan of the surrounding area, before determining that it was safe enough. 

He then looked at Aizawa and took a deep breath.

“Bakugou shouldn’t be paired up with Izuku. I understand that a lot of thought was put into determining the pairs, but if your reasoning behind putting them together was to foster better cooperation between two perceived rivals, that isn’t the case.”

Ryuunosuke turned towards Atsushi, signalling for him to take over from there. Atsushi, who had nothing prepared, panicked for a hot second before realising that he needed to come up with an argument that wouldn’t reveal too much information.

Izuku needed him. 

“R-right! They aren’t exactly rivals. I can’t reveal what he told me in confidence but just… try to remember what happened in our first class with All Might. What happened to me was unintentional on Bakugou’s behalf because I wasn’t the target but… there was an intended target.”

Aizawa started at both of them, long and hard. He sighed, breaking eye contact and rubbing his forehead with his hand.

“Are you implying what I think you’re implying?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

Atsushi and Ryuunosuke looked at him grimly.

The teacher dropped his hand and straightened up, determined to fix things before it was too late. He thanked them and nodded his head in acknowledgement, before heading off towards the control room to announce the changes.

They followed suit, knowing that it would look suspicious if they weren’t already there with their classmates. They speed-walked past Aizawa, much to the teacher’s amusement and hurriedly blended in with the others, shushing Shouto who opened his mouth to probably ask them where they went.

“I’ll explain later,” Atsushi mouthed.

The boy nodded and turned his attention back to the monitors.

Aizawa then made his way to the front of the room, using his quirk to silence the other students and get them to pay attention.

“Due to circumstances, there’ll be a change in pairings. Midoriya, you’ll be partnered with Sero and going against Midnight. Bakugou, your new partner is Akutagawa and you’ll be going against All Might. Is that clear?”

Sero, Izuku and Ryuunosuke nodded their heads while Bakugou merely scoffed but complied nonetheless. All Might looked as if he had something to say, while Nedzu looked at Atsushi and Ryuunosuke curiously.

Atsushi pretended not to notice. Based on what he’s heard from Izuku, it seemed as if the principal was similar to Dazai in terms of intelligence. The only significant difference was that the principal at least had some sort of moral compass.

Therefore, standard Dazai operating procedures should be commenced. He elected to ignore his presence entirely, no matter how hard the principal tried to get him to make eye contact.

Instead, he walked towards his assigned partner, Shoji. They’ll be going against Snipe, which was great. Atsushi had a lot of experience dealing with bullets. They would be fine.

“So, what should our strategy be? Do you want to apprehend him or allow at least one of us to escape?” Atsushi asked, contemplative.

Shoji frowned, thinking hard.

“I think the biggest hurdle is getting past him without getting shot. Because of my body, I’m not as agile and it provides a larger surface area for the bullets to hit. Maybe I can distract him while you run away?” He suggested.

Atsushi analysed his suggestion, thinking of the pros and cons of going ahead with the plan. Behind him, the first pairing had already made their way to their designated spot, indicating that their turn would come soon.

“I’m sure Snipe is able to shoot with both his hands so that plan might not be feasible. It’s true that you aren’t as agile so running away will be hard for you. Maybe we should just take him on?” 

Shoji looked uncertain, but Atsushi could understand why. It’s not everyday that you end up facing an opponent with guns. Unless, you’re a part of the ADA or Port Mafia. But that’s a different story.

“I can act as a decoy while you sneak up on him and when the time’s right, we can knock him out. I’m quite fast and I’ve caught bullets with my own mouth before so it shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, I can heal almost immediately. If I happen to get shot, it won’t be fatal. It’ll just hurt a lot for a few seconds,” He said in an attempt to comfort the younger, watching confusedly as the other seemed to look more troubled than before.

“Uh… I don’t know how to respond to that but… isn’t that dangerous?” 

Atsushi laughed, patting the boy’s shoulder.

“It’s fine. I’ve faced worse.”

Shoji still looked unconvinced but agreed nonetheless. They watched in silence as Asui and Tokoyami fought against Ectoplasm, oohing and aahing during appropriate moments.

It was a relief to see that Ectoplasm didn’t really go all out as he would against a villain. There were times where Atsushi was worried he was about to do something that could seriously injure the students but fortunately, Asui and Tokoyami were quick on their feet and managed to dodge them in time.

The combination was an odd one but the both of them made it work. They worked together seamlessly despite not interacting much in class, highlighting their ability to cooperate and work in a team. Asui’s frog-like abilities were complemented by Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow, producing diverse and unique attacks that had Ectoplasm sweating as he tried to counter them.

It was a well fought battle, which resulted in both Asui and Tokoyami successfully apprehending their teacher and passing the exam a few minutes later.

That was Atsushi and Shoji’s cue to make their way towards their own assessment centre.

Once the exam began, it was relatively simple.

Snipe had severely underestimated Atsushi and his personal relationship with bullets, looking shocked to see a first year student running towards him no matter how many bullets he fired.

Atsushi, in his partial tiger form, managed to catch the bullets that were shot with relative ease, all because Snipe had never aimed at any of his vital spots unlike his previous enemies. 

He caught bullet after bullet, running around in an indiscernible pattern so that Shoji could sneak past their teacher without being noticed. He could see Snipe’s eye twitch as he narrowly dodged yet another shot, jumping high up in the air and doing a backflip mid-air (Snipe really was giving it his all, damn ) before landing smoothly and stopping yet another bullet with his claws.

“Are you crazy, Nakajima? Guns aren’t toys! Stop charging in so recklessly!” Snipe scolded, preoccupied with making sure his bullets didn’t hit him.

“With all due respect sir, this is the norm for me. Also, I’m not charging in recklessly. I’m using the knowledge that you’re incapable of actually shooting a student’s vital points. I’m exploiting your weakness,” He answered serenely, winking.

That was Shoji’s cue to tackle the teacher from behind.

They both fell to the floor, with Snipe falling face first while Shoji fell on top of him, putting all his weight on the man. Atsushi then rushed towards the both of them, holding Snipe down as Shoji put handcuffs on the man. 

Seconds later, the bell rang, signalling that they passed the exam.

Atsushi then helped Shoji up, who in turn, helped Snipe up. The man looked dumbfounded, unable to process the series of events which led to his failure.

“You…” He trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

Atsushi smiled sheepishly, looking at Shoji for help. The boy shrugged his shoulders, equally unsure of how to proceed. They both then turned to look at Snipe, who still looked confused with the turn of events.

“Congratulations, I suppose.”

The two boys laughed at that, before making their way back to the control room.

He watched as the matches progressed, listening to Recovery Girl’s analyses as they went on. Izuku had also contributed a fair share of his thoughts, looking inherently more relaxed than he did when his original partner was announced.

He realised halfway just how the pairings and teachers were assigned. Students were paired up based on their compatibility in terms of either quirks, personalities or a combination of those two. The teachers were then assigned to attack the pair’s weaknesses.

It made him wonder why he was teamed up with Shoji and why they were pit against Snipe. He wasn’t exactly friends with the boy but they weren’t on bad terms and their quirks were quite compatible with each other. But… he could guess why they were paired up with Snipe. Both of their quirks allowed them to at least, not die of fatal injury in case the man accidentally shot wrong.

(Huh, maybe that was why they were paired up together. They were least likely to die from fatal injuries. But… wouldn’t that be easily solved if Snipe didn’t use real bullets? Couldn’t he swap his gun out for those guns they used in paintball or something?)

However, he had no time to contemplate for long as the next match came on.

It was Ryuunosuke and Bakugou against All Might.

From the get go, it was obvious that Bakugou refused to cooperate with the mafioso. He wanted to face All Might head on and pass the exam by apprehending him. Although Ryuunosuke probably had a strategy that was similar, the blonde wasn’t willing to plan together and just expected the man to follow his lead blindly.

Surprisingly, Ryuunosuke just… let him. Based on Atsushi’s past experience teaming up with the man, the mafioso would be the one pulling a Bakugou and he’d be beyond pissed if the same thing happened to him. 

Back then, when they weren’t even civil with each other, Atsushi had done the same and the mafioso retaliated by attacking him instead. Granted, he didn’t expect Ryuunosuke to start stabbing Bakugou due to him taking charge but he didn’t expect the man to let it slide either.

It was clear that he was pissed, judging by the way his fists were shaking and his eyes were twitching but he said nothing and just… followed his lead.

Maybe the mafioso really wanted to pass finals.

(Atsushi had no way of finding out that it was precisely because Ryuunosuke wanted to pass finals, but not because he desperately wanted to go to the training camp. He just didn’t want Atsushi to worry if he wasn’t able to go.)

Putting Ryuunosuke's intentions aside, all that drama was only half of the battle.

The other half was to figure out a way to defeat All Might. Despite the handicap, he was the Number One Hero for a reason. It would take a considerable amount of effort and they didn’t have much time on the clock.

“I think not even Akutagawa-kun can salvage this situation,” Recovery Girl commented.

Deciding not to say anything, Atsushi looked around the room. Izuku and Shouto looked worried. Kaminari and Kirishima were clinging on to each other, manifesting that the duo would pass even though the both of them had failed. Ashido was pacing the room. Uraraka was glaring holes into the monitor. Even Iida didn’t look as composed as he usually did.

It warmed Atsushi’s heart to know that these people cared about Ryuunosuke, despite his prickly exterior. They managed to tear his defenses down and befriend the man, even when the man himself was adamant on not making any.

(Maybe this was what Izuku meant by the power of friendship.)

Musings aside, Atsushi continued monitoring the match.

Ryuunosuke was standing a safe distance away while Bakugou tried to approach All Might, failing time and time again. The mafioso looked almost bored as he witnessed the fight, not doing anything to help the blonde apprehend the hero.

At least, not obviously.

By now, if people still hadn’t realised that Ryuunosuke’s expertise was stealth and diversion, it was on them. Even if that person was All Might.

The hero was saying something on the screen, causing the mafioso to roll his eyes in annoyance. It seemed as if the man was trying to lecture him about something, presumably teamwork, as Ryuunosuke was just standing at the side and watching Bakugou get beaten up by All Might time and time again.

(The Number One really didn’t hold back. Seriously, was he unaware of his own strength or did it just not occur to him that he didn’t have to give his all in everything he did, especially when it involved sparring against teenagers with little to no experience at all?)

Ryuunosuke ignored his words for the most part, crossing his arms and cocking an eyebrow when All Might frowned at him, punching Bakugou and sending him flying once again. The blonde managed to break his fall using his explosions, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt.

The mafioso looked at the blonde amusedly, a slight (nasty) smile present on his face before he scowled, using Rashomon to slice a slab of concrete that All Might threw his way.

It seemed as if the Number One wanted him to join the fight instead of just observing from the sidelines. Ryuunosuke scoffed before wrapping Rashomon around Bakugou, lifting him up and throwing the boy towards the hero.

“You can’t do that to your teammate!” All Might shouted, furious.

At least, that’s what it looked like he was saying. Atsushi wasn’t the best at lip reading.

In All Might’s fury, he failed to realise that the attack wasn’t done because Ryuunosuke wanted to beat Bakugou up (although there might be some truth in it). It was actually to provide the boy with enough momentum and speed to dash forward. It caught the hero off guard when Bakugou was all up in his face, ready to strike. Especially when he planned to save Bakugou (from Ryuunosuke??) in the first place.

That was the distraction that the both of them were waiting for.

The second All Might hastily deflected another one of Bakugou’s blasts which came a little too close to his face, Rashomon emerged from the ground and binded the man’s limbs. It wrapped around his legs, his arms and even his neck, causing the hero to panic slightly as it tightened uncomfortably.

(It was obvious that All Might was starting to view Ryuunosuke as a villain and that was the start of his downfall.)

In the split second it took for All Might to break free, Bakugou who was blasted away prior, used that momentum to fly towards the man. At the same time, Ryuunosuke dashed forward, using Rashomon as a catapult to close the distance. He then used Demonic Armor, eyes flashing dangerously as he made his killing intent clear.

All Might widened his eyes, forgetting that it was students he was up against and punched the air with all of his strength.

Naturally, it caused a huge shockwave that caused all of the buildings around them to collapse and Bakugou to be blown away harshly. Ryuunosuke had already predicted that reaction and changed course before the punch happened, using Rashomon to pull him aside and away from the blast.

The Number One Hero realised his mistake a little bit too late, watching in horror as Bakugou was flung outside the exam area. He ran forward in an attempt to save the younger, but fell flat on his face as he failed to notice the tendril that was wrapped all around his foot.

As soon as he hit the ground, more tendrils emerged and immediately wrapped around him, keeping him there. The more he tried to struggle against it’s hold, the more it tightened.

From afar, Atsushi could see the mafioso approaching the Number One and saying a few words, no doubt trying to taunt him. All Might struggled at first but stopped when Ryuunosuke said something else, causing him to look guilty and stop resisting.

Before the hero could reply, the mafioso knelt and slammed the handcuffs down on his wrist and soon after, the bell rang, signalling their success.

The occupants of the room were silent for a few moments, trying to process whatever the hell that went on in that battle against their teacher. It was no doubt a thrilling match, one which neither of them expected to witness.

Atsushi was the first to recover, laughing fondly as he looked at the monitor. 

(Of course Ryuunosuke was going to antagonise All Might. Of course he would.)

At the sound of his laugh, the others started recovering as well. They clapped and cheered loudly as Ryuunosuke looked at the camera and saluted cockily, no doubt picking that habit up from Touya. 

Atsushi grinned, feeling his heart beat a mile a minute at the sight of the mafioso’s smug expression. The man didn’t even turn to help All Might, instead he was already making his way back to the control room.

Izuku gasped at the indirect shade while Shouto looked equally scandalised. The others didn’t seem to notice, or if they did, they didn’t care.

It was highly amusing.

At the end of the practical exam, Aizawa re-entered the room to make an announcement before they were to be dismissed.

“Congratulations to those of you who passed. Those who failed, please work harder to catch up to your peers. With that being said, everyone will be attending camp. My prior statement was just another logical ruse. Dismissed.”

The man left.

Atsushi stared at his retreating figure, feeling betrayed.

Had he known, he wouldn’t have spent the past few months working his ass off just to study subjects that wouldn’t matter once he got back to his universe.

He was right. The Final Exams arc will be his villain origin story.

“If I hear the word logical ruse one more time…” Ryuunosuke muttered, frowning.

Atsushi nodded along enthusiastically. Izuku laughed at the statement as he made his way to them, pulling a flustered Shouto along.

“Come on, guys. It can’t be that bad. Besides, it’s over now! We’re all going to camp!” He said excitedly, eyes practically shining.

For some reason, Atsushi felt the need to put on some sunglasses. It was way too bright.

(And.. judging by Shouto’s expression, Atsushi was willing to bet that he felt the same.)

“Midoriya’s right!” Uraraka chirped as she joined their little group.

“And because of that, you’re all cordially invited to our mall hangout! We’re going to buy the stuff we need for camp so you guys have to come along. Iida, go on and officially declare it as a compulsory class activity!” She demanded, smiling mischievously.

Iida looked at her, appalled.

“Uraraka, there is no such thing as an obligatory class hangout. It is unethical to force others to commit on a weekend, especially when it’s our day off.”

The group laughed good-naturedly at the duo, agreeing to come along to the hangout, except for Shouto who was going to visit Rei. Apparently, everyone else was joining and it was in a way, a class hangout.

They parted ways in high spirits, glad to finally be done with the term and excited to hang out together as friends. 

Chapter Text

On the day that they were supposed to go to the mall, Atsushi caught a cold.

Ryuunosuke sighed as he closed the door to Atsushi’s room, bringing along with him a small bucket filled with warm water and a small towel.

He put the bucket down on Atsushi’s bedside table and dipped the towel in, squeezing it once he was done. 

It’s not that he didn’t like taking care of Atsushi, in fact he quite enjoyed it. He’d always wanted to do so ever since before they stepped into this particular universe, but they were hardly friends back then. So really, it was an opportunity he didn’t want to waste.

It’s just that, Atsushi can be really clingy when he’s sick and that’s not good for Ryuunosuke’s fragile heart.

“Ryuu, go on without me. Tell Kyouka she was the best sister I’ve ever had and tell Dazai to start doing his own paperwork,” Atsushi said, acting as if he was imparting his final wishes onto the mafioso.

The man in question rolled his eyes, though he was internally panicking over the nickname the younger used.

“Go tell them that yourself. It’s just a common cold, not the end of the world,” He grumbled, changing the warm towel that was resting on Atsushi’s forehead.

From the kitchen, they could hear the sound of Touya’s laughter.

(Either the walls weren’t as thick as he’d like them to be or the man had an annoyingly impressive hearing range.

But... he couldn't really complain. Although it was true that he wanted to take care of Atsushi, he wasn't really sure how to so he had immediately sought Touya out for some advice. Therefore, he would... endure... his teasings. At least, until Atsushi felt better.)

“You’re so cruel, Ryuu. How could you say that to a dying man?” He whined, pouting.

Ryuunosuke took a deep breath to control himself, lest he accidentally exposed how incredibly weak he really was for the younger. He hastily looked away from Atsushi's pouting lips and decided to tap away on his phone, taking the chance to notify the others that they wouldn’t be able to make it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Atsushi looking at him intently, a dopey smiler forming on the weretiger’s face. 

It took all of his willpower to not do something as embarrassing as, God forbid, brushing aside his bangs or cupping his warm cheeks. He was already willing to lay his life down for the younger, he shouldn’t be caught doing those kinds of acts when they were strictly friends.

(If they were dating, however…)

Ryuunosuke cut that train of thought before it could properly take form. 

It wouldn’t do good to dwell on it, not when he wasn’t exactly sure of what the younger had actually thought of him. Sure, they were often teased by Touya and Uraraka (thankfully, not at the same time) but that didn’t mean Atsushi had actually felt the same way he did.

He wasn’t quite sure if he even wanted to find out, to be honest. Would he be able to handle the pain of unrecruited love?

“Ryuu,” Atsushi called out, breaking him free from his thoughts.

The mafioso hummed, though he didn’t look up from his phone. He couldn’t afford to, not when the younger was still looking at him like that.

“Ryuu,” He called out again, whining a little.

The man sighed, before pocketing his phone and turning to look into the younger’s eyes.

“Yes, Atsushi?” He asked, feeling fondness bloom in his chest.

He decided that he would in fact, act embarrassingly just this once, while the younger was too out of it to comprehend his actions. 

He brushed the bangs that were covering the towel to the side, patting Atsushi's head while he’s at it. He could feel the younger’s eyes tracking his every move, gaze boring into his soul.

He let his hands linger for just a second longer before retracting it completely, self control finally taking a hold again.

“You’re so hot.”

His hand froze mid-air.

Ryuunosuke stared at him dumbfoundedly, mouth hanging open as he processed what Atsushi had just said. Touya, who was still in the kitchen and shouldn’t even be hearing this in the first place, was laughing so hard he had started coughing. 

(Do it for Atsushi. Do it for Atsushi. Do it for Atsushi. Atsushi smiled at the response, serene. As if he hadn’t just turned Ryuunosuke’s world upside down with that single sentence. The younger then yawned, struggling to keep his eyes open, unaware of the chaos he wrecked.

How cruel.

“Right… Time to sleep, Atsushi. Close your eyes,” He coaxed as he went on auto-pilot, still trying to recover from his initial shock.

“Don’t wanna!” Atsushi protested sleepily, pouting even harder than he did before.

Before the mafioso could say anything else, Touya entered the room with a tray of his signature steaming bowl of chicken soup and some medicine.

“At least eat something and take your meds first, kid. Can’t start a revolution if you’re sick,” Touya joked, placing the tray on his bedside table.

The younger seemed to contemplate his words before deciding that the man was right. He then made a move to sit up, prompting Ryuunosuke to immediately help him. 

The mafioso ignored the chuckle coming from the other man, instead choosing to focus on the task at hand. Once Atsushi was seated, he picked up the bowl from the tray and passed it to the younger.

“Thanks.”

He nodded in response, not trusting himself to speak.

After Atsushi had eaten a few spoonfuls and gulped down some medicine, he helped the younger lie down once again. 

He could feel his phone buzzing in his pocket, indicating that he had received a few messages. Considering the fact that he had group chats muted and only turned on notifications from Aizawa, Atsushi, Touya and Izuku, it must be something serious.

He waited for Atsushi to fall asleep, though it didn’t take long at all. The instant the man was tucked in, he was immediately knocked out.

He withdrew his phone from his pocket and was surprised to see multiple texts from Izuku.

Izuku

hope atsushi is okay! or at least, getting better!

Izuku

omg…. the way i got ditched by everyone BYE

Izuku

[NOT CLICKBAIT!] u wont believe who i met at the mall!

Izuku

dont freak out

Izuku

but it’s um.. shigaraki

Izuku

n e way!! im safe now lol i’m just at the police station giving my statement lmao

Izuku

dont kill me pls mafia man

Ryuunosuke sighed his longest sigh ever.

Touya looked at him in amusement, still in Atsushi’s room for some reason.

“Apparently, Izuku had a little run in with Shigaraki ,” He relayed, feeling a headache starting to form.

Touya whistled.

“That boy really knows how to attract trouble, doesn’t he?” The man said, making his way out of the room.

Ryuunosuke followed suit, not before glancing one last time at Atsushi. When he faced forward, he was greeted by Touya’s smug expression.

“What?” He spat, annoyed.

The older merely shook his head, annoying him further.

“God, you’re so whipped.”

Touya immediately dodged, knowing that Rashomon would attack him. 

Ryuunosuke rolled his eyes, though he made no effort to launch another attack. He simply walked past the man and made his way to the living room, gathering the things he needed to go out.

“I’m assuming you’re going to meet Midoriya at the station?” 

He nodded, grabbing the keys.

“Take care of Atsushi. Call me when he wakes up.”

Touya smirked at that, but gave him a thumbs up. 

Just as he was about to open the door, a knock was heard, causing the two of them to look at each other in confusion.

“Are we expecting anyone?” Touya asked, crossing his arms as he followed the mafioso to the door.

“Not that I know of,” He answered, activating his Ability as he reached the door.

He pulled it open, readying himself to strike, but stopped short when he spotted just who was on the other side of the door.

“ Shouto? ” Touya gasped, dropping his arms in shock.

The younger boy nodded his head in confusion, but went inside anyway when Ryuunosuke stepped aside to let him in.

“Who’s this?” He asked as soon as he took off his shoes, looking suspiciously at his older brother.

Ryuunosuke paused to assess the situation.

He didn’t know as much as Atsushi did regarding the whole Todoroki family drama, but even he found it weird that the boy couldn’t recognise his older brother. Granted, Touya had more scars than skin and they recently discovered that the man liked to dye his hair black (it was originally red, then it turned white), but shouldn’t he be able to piece things together?

Or maybe… given the fact that Shouto was only five when Touya disappeared, and he didn’t spend much time with his siblings before that because of Endeavor, maybe he wouldn’t be able to.

(All the more reason to destroy Endeavor’s hero career.)

Touya looked torn between revealing his identity or faking his death to escape to a foreign country, renaming himself Steve and living a life of herding sheep.

Ryuunosuke, deciding to take pity on the older, stepped in.

“This is… Dabi … and he’s our… tutor.”

Dabi choked on his spit, causing Shouto to narrow his eyes at him suspiciously.

“You’re not cheating on Atsushi with this guy, are you?”

That got a startled laugh out of Ryuunosuke.

(They really were brothers, weren’t they?)

“With him? Please, I have standards — and I would never cheat an Atsushi,” Ryuunosuke paused, eyes widening.

“If we were to date, that is,” He added hastily.

The younger seemed to accept his answer, before making his way to the living room as if he owned the place.

Very similar to his brother, Touya, that borderline freeloader.

(Not that they paid rent but still .)

“Not to sound rude but why are you here?” Touya asked, once he regained his composure.

Shouto sat down on the couch, taking his sweet, sweet time answering.

“I heard that Atsushi was sick so I came to visit. Mother told me it’ll cheer sick people up if you come to visit them, so here I am.”

Touya stiffened slightly, eyes flashing dangerously for a split second before disappearing completely. Ryuunosuke eyed him warily, before deciding to ask the man later.

“That so, huh? Must be a wise woman,” Was what Touya settled on instead.

Shouto nodded. It was painfully silent the next few moments.

Deciding to remove himself from the situation, Ryuunosuke announced his departure.

“Right, so I’m going to lea—”

“Don’t go,” The two brothers said at the same time.

The mafioso raised an eyebrow in amusement.

“T- Dabi -san. Izuku is at the police station. You know I have to be there to lecture him in person,” He explained, enjoying the look of panic in the other man’s eyes.

He noticed the way Shouto slumped, before chuckling slightly.

“Of course he would,” He whispered amusedly, though everyone in the room could hear the fondness in his tone.

As if flipping on a switch, Touya instantly went into protective brother (bother) mode.

“Are you dating him?” He asked, with the finesse of a bull crashing into a china shop.

Shouto looked at him critically.

“Why do you care?” He sassed, reminding everyone that teenagers were not to be messed with.

Touya took a deep breath and opened his mouth to explain, but decided against it at the last minute. Ryuunosuke wasn’t quite sure what to make of that decision but it wasn’t in his place to say anything anyway.

Though he loathed to be apart from Gin, much less fake his death so that he could get revenge on their tormentors, he could understand why Touya would go to such lengths.

When a man is desperate enough, he’d do anything.

Maybe he wasn’t entirely sure Shouto would be on his side, maybe Shouto’s moral compass was too strong to understand the man’s morally grey ways, maybe Shouto didn’t want Endeavor to suffer consequences. 

Those were all questions that Touya didn’t have an answer to, so it would make sense for him to stay away.

He looked at the time on his phone, noticing that it was already late in the afternoon.

“Would anyone like some tea?” He offered instead, breaking the tense silence that settled over them.

Shouto nodded robotically while Touya declined, opting to lean against the wall that was opposite the couch and crossing his arms.

(Really, didn’t Touya have any other pose?)

Ryuunosuke then went to the kitchen to prepare a fresh brew, not really registering the sound of Atsushi’s bedroom door opening.

It wasn’t a problem, really, until Atsushi, who had made his way to the living room, opened his mouth.

“Touya-san? You’re still here?”

The silence was deafening.

He immediately went back to the living room to check on everyone’s condition.

He noted that Atsushi still looked a bit feverish, though it was infinitely better than his condition that morning. The effects of the paracetamol they gave him must have been accelerated by his tiger-healing abilities, hence why he was already up and running despite the short time.

He could see Touya stiffening, eyes widening in mild panic as he slowly looked from Shouto to Atsushi to Shouto again. His arms were still crossed, though he could see them trembling from afar. It was clear that the man was scared out of his mind.

Shouto, on the other hand, was thinking a mile a minute. He could see the boy frowning as he stared at his brother, trying to piece things together.

It was obvious when he came to a conclusion.

The boy stood up warily, approaching the man that stood opposite him. Touya made no move to leave, though that might be due to him still being frozen in fear. The boy stopped just a few metres in front of him, before reaching out for Touya’s hand.

Confused, Touya willingly let the younger drag his right hand and placed it onto the top of his head. The boy then looked at the man, expectant.

Unsure of what to do, the man slowly ruffled his hair.

They could hear the younger’s breath hitch as he grabbed the man’s wrist, keeping his hand in place.

“Touya-nii?”

And that was when the other shoe dropped.

Touya immediately tried to withdraw his hand, though Shouto was stubbornly holding onto it. The boy then proceeded to pull his brother into a tight hug, not letting him go. The man looked at Ryuunosuke and Atsushi, unsure of what to do.

The mafioso merely shrugged his shoulders, deciding that they should probably give them some privacy to sort things out. He stirred Atsushi off into the direction of his bedroom, guiding him by his shoulders.

The other seemed confused but didn’t retaliate.

“I think we just caused a family reunion,” Ryuunosuke said aloud, once they were in the privacy of Atsushi’s room.

Atsushi nodded his head slowly, still groggy from the nap he took. It took him a while to register what that had implied but when he did, his head shot towards the closed door in panic.

“ Shit,” He said, heartfelt.

(The younger rarely cursed but when he did, Ryuunosuke found himself having to conjure up an image of Mori smiling creepily.)

Once he had gotten his feelings back under control, he raised an eyebrow, causing the younger to shake his head before continuing,

“It’s just that Shouto thought Touya-san was dead. That’s what the whole family believes.”

Suddenly, Touya’s reaction from earlier made sense .

He wasn’t hiding because he ran away from home, he was hiding because he was presumed dead . 

Ryuunosuke could understand why the man was contemplating on joining the League a few months prior. If Gin had thought he was dead, there was nothing holding him back from going batshit crazy.

It was truly a miracle that Atsushi had met him in that alley the other day. Who knew what kind of person Touya would become? Would he even still be known as Touya?

“That’s… harsh,” Ryuunosuke commented.

Atsushi nodded somberly. 

He was sweating a bit, which meant that the medicine was working and his fever was starting to break. His tiger healing abilities really did wonders, reducing what could’ve been a 3-day fever into just a few hours.

“Hope that they can work it out, though. They have a common enemy. It would be a shame if they didn’t bond over that,” Atsushi said after a while, gesturing for Ryuunosuke to sit beside him on his bed.

The mafioso complied.

As his phone buzzed once again, he was reminded of what he wanted to do before the whole fiasco started. Looking at the time, he concluded that it was probably too late for him to go to the police station and lecture Izuku’s ear off. He would visit his place the next day, along with Atsushi if he was well enough.

“Izuku ran into Shigaraki just now,” He said after a while.

Atsushi paused mid-cough. He turned to look at Ryuunosuke, frowning.

“He what now?”

The mafioso smiled amusedly at the reaction.

“ Apparently Shigaraki approached him when he was left alone at the mall.”

They really couldn’t leave the boy alone. He really was a trouble magnet through and through.

Atsushi shook his head, sighing.

“He’s getting into too much trouble. It’s as if…” He trailed off, the sentence left unfinished.

Ryuunosuke looked at the younger, confused. Instead of asking, he decided to try and understand where he was coming from.

The main point was that Izuku had continuously faced dangerous situations, but that’s expected. He’s the true main character of this universe, after all. However, ever since they joined, most of the danger had been transferred to them.

Now that it’s going back to the original…. owner … it could possibly mean that their time here was running out.

Usually, when Izuku faced enemies, Atsushi or himself would be there to help him. Maybe not from the start of the fight, but they would at least be able to have a glimpse of the villain. Maybe throw in a punch or two.

It was the first time that they didn't cross paths with the villain at all. They weren't even at the scene of the incident! Granted, it was because Atsushi fell sick but... that could have been the Universe's way of ensuring that they stayed out of it.

“It’s the beginning of the end, isn’t it?” Ryuunosuke concluded, shifting his gaze towards the door.

Although he missed his sister and the life he’s built for himself in his own universe, he didn’t really want to leave yet.

Aizawa was right. He enjoyed living the normal childhood he never got, where his concerns mainly consisted of whether he could pass finals or if he could come up with more ways to antagonise All Might. He didn’t have to worry about his duty to the Port Mafia, or the fact that even a lifetime of atonement wouldn’t be enough to pay for his sins.

It was simple. 

And, if he was being honest, he liked living with Atsushi. The younger was a good housemate, cleaning up after himself and doing the house chores unprompted. Besides, they shared similar interests so they often spent their past times together. They both appreciated literature and a good cup of tea. Hell, they even had a similar sense of humor. 

In fact, it felt like he found a soulmate in Atsushi. It could be romantic, it could be platonic, but a soulmate nonetheless.

Here, they could be together, friends or maybe something more. In their universe, that depended on the Port Mafia and ADA alliance. Sure, it’s been going strong for a few years but given the nature of their jobs, it could break any time.

(Mori wasn’t really the poster boy for loyalty or integrity.)

Maybe, if they could still be like this in their own universe, he wouldn’t be as reluctant. Honestly, he’d go anywhere as long as Atsushi was there.

It had always been that way ever since he revoked his promise to kill him all those years ago.

The younger helped him realise a few fundamental things about himself, which had ultimately saved his life. He rescued him from the path of self-destruction he had set for himself.

For that, he would always be grateful.

“-hear me?” Atsushi asked, looking at him worriedly.

He shook his head to be rid of his thoughts, scolding himself for zoning out in the middle of their conversation.

“Sorry, I was… preoccupied.”

Atsushi laughed, eyes crinkling.

(It was a beautiful sight.)

“How the tables have turned,” Atsushi joked.

Ryuunosuke chuckled, conceding. He watched as Atsushi stood up and made his way to the door, putting his ear so he could presumably eavesdrop on the conversation that was going on outside.

“Do you think they’re still alive?” He asked, half-worried.

He shrugged his shoulders in response. 

Atsushi sighed and shook his head in mock disappointment. He then put a hand on the doorknob, contemplating on venturing outside.

“They should be fine. The apartment isn’t on fire.” 

The weretiger rolled his eyes playfully but agreed nonetheless.

He opened the door and exited the room, Ryuunosuke following hot on his trails. There, they could see Touya and Shouto talking seriously, frowns on their faces. 

Atsushi looked at Ryuunosuke, uncertain. They approached the living room tentatively, bracing themselves.

“Why would you eat hot soba? That’s literally against the rules,” They heard Shouto say.

Touya shook his head vigorously.

“Says you! Cold soba tastes whack as fuck. Why would anyone eat something savoury, cold? It’s like eating iced ramen or some shit.”

Shouto frowned.

“That’s disgusting — and it’s not the same! Ramen is spicy, soba is salty. Of course iced spicy things are weird.”

“What’s the difference? The only flavour that should be cold is sweet. Anything else is on thin fucking ice.”

Ryuunosuke let out a relieved sigh. They were fine.

They entered the living room, making their presence known. To that, Touya immediately stood up and went to check on Atsushi’s condition, lowkey impressed that he was almost fully healed.

“Man, didn’t know being a tiger had that many perks,” He said as he removed his hand from Atsushi’s forehead.

The weretiger laughed, amused.

From the couch, Shouto looked on curiously between the three of them. Ryuunosuke could tell that the boy was thinking of something, possibly cooking up another conspiracy theory.

Judging by the scandalised look on his face, he can kind of guess what the boy was going to say next.

“Atsushi, please tell me you’re not dating my brother. Akutagawa is the much better choice, never settle for less!”

(Well, he certainly didn’t expect that.)

Atsushi sputtered while Touya clutched his chest, feigning hurt. Ryuunosuke could only look on in numbed shock, unsure of how to even react in the first place.

(Should he be offended that Shouto thought of him as the second choice? Or happy that he was considered to be the better choice?)

“Shouto, it’s not like that. Also, shouldn’t you be focusing on other things? Like the fact that we knew your brother and we didn’t tell you?”

Shouto shook his head, unbothered.

“Touya-nii explained everything to me. It’s fine,” He said, smiling. “Besides, I’m interested in ruining Endeavor as well.”

Touya smiled proudly, making his way to his brother and slinging an arm against his shoulder. He ruffled the younger’s hair, much to the boy’s annoyance.

If anyone saw the smile he tried to hide when his brother did so, however, no one said a thing.

-

“Should we call Izuku? Ryuunosuke, don’t lecture him too long.”

“No promises.”

“Put him on speaker. I need to know what Shiggy smelt like up close. Is he as musty as he looks?”

“Oh my God, you’re embarrassing me, Touya-nii.”

“Oh! He picked up! Hello—”

“Izuku-kun, as your future brother-in-law, can you do me a fav— Ow! Shouto! Aren’t you a hero-in-training? This is civilian assault!”

“We’ll call you back, Izuku. Don’t give me that look, Ryuu—”

-

By the time Touya and Shouto left, it was close to midnight.

They were sitting in the kitchen, drinking the leftover tea that Ryuunosuke had brewed earlier. It was relatively silent, especially after the chaotic brothers had left.

Who knew the secret to making Shouto talk more was to throw in Touya in the mix?

(Certainly not Endeavor.

Anyway.)

“How are you feeling?” Ryuunosuke asked, glancing worriedly at Atsushi’s slightly pale complexion. 

The weretiger leaned back on his chair, relaxed.

“Much better now that I’ve eaten my meds and slept for a bit. Thanks for taking care of me, Ryuunosuke.”

The mafioso shook his head.

“I didn’t do much. You suffered for hours because I didn’t know what to do. If it wasn’t for Touya-san, you would still be in bed, sleeping it off.”

Atsushi waved him off, not accepting no for an answer.

“Touya-san told me that you stayed by my side the whole time, trying to break my fever. If you didn’t do that, maybe the meds wouldn’t be as effective or something. And because you did that, you couldn’t really cook for me. It’s fine. I really appreciate whatever you did, regardless.”

Ryuunosuke could feel his affection for him surge within him, suddenly fighting the urge to lean over the table and kiss him senseless.

It was a common occurrence these days, not helped by the fact that Atsushi seemed more relaxed around him. The thought that the weretiger found comfort in him ….

“Alright, if you say so,” Was what he settled on, gripping the teacup. “Do you remember anything?”

Atsushi looked at him curiously, tilting his head in a manner that had Ryuunosuke cooing internally.

“I… didn’t do anything embarrassing, did I?” He asked, uncertain.

An idea formed in his head.

He leaned over, placing his chin on his hand as he smirked at the other. He could see Atsushi’s eyes widened at the change in demeanor.

“I don’t know, did you?”

The weretiger huffed, though he could see a hint of blush rising on his cheeks that wasn’t fever-induced. Satisfaction washed over him as the other frowned, thinking long and hard at the possibly mortifying things he did.

“Stop teasing me. I’m sick!” He complained, drawing his lips into a pout.

Being the weak, whipped man that he was for the other, he couldn’t stop himself from uttering his next words.

“You gave me a nickname. Ryuu, specifically.”

He drank in the sight of Atsushi blushing profusely, his whole face going red. He decided right then and there. that this was the only acceptable red he’d like to see on the other.

What was he thinking when he wished to see the blood drain out of his lifeless body from all those years ago? Seeing it rush to his face was much more appealing.

Awash with newfound determination, he continued on.

“You wouldn’t let me leave, too, and you whined whenever I didn’t pay attention to you.”

Atsushi groaned, closing his ears as he pleaded for the mafioso to stop. Not one to back down, Ryuunosuke used Rashomon to pull his hands away from his ears.

“Do you know what else you said?” He asked, evilly.

“No and I don’t want to kn—”

“You said I was hot.”

Atsushi’s jaw dropped open. He could see the horror in the other’s eyes as he contemplated the possibility.

“I didn’t.”

“You can ask Touya-san.”

“Oh my God, kill me already.”

Ryuunosuke snickered, commanding Rashomon to release Atsushi’s wrists. The weretiger slumped down in his chair, hands covering his head.

“It was cute, I don’t mind at all. In fact, call me Ryuu from now on. I won’t respond otherwise.”

That got him a middle finger from the younger.

He would laugh, except, he wasn’t really joking this time. 

“I meant what I said. Call me Ryuu.”

Atsushi looked up hesitantly, as if waiting for him to say he was joking all along. When all the weretiger could find was the earnestness in his expression, he exhaled shakily.

“You’re… serious?” He asked, shy all of a sudden.

Ryuunosuke smiled at that, nodding his head.

“Alright…. Ryuu.”

(In hindsight, he probably severely underestimated the impact that nickname had on him, when uttered by a not-feverish Atsushi.)

He looked away immediately, knowing that he was blushing furiously. He couldn’t stop the grin that was growing, and deciding that it was futile to fight, he went along with it.

He was happy and he wasn’t going to hide it anymore.

He turned to look at Atsushi once more, laughing pleasantly.

“Thank you.”

Atsushi grinned back, equally as happy for some reason.

“Any time.”

-

During the days leading up to the training camp, they were busy trying to tie up loose ends

Atsushi was 80% convinced that whatever that’s going to take place, would be the last incident before they went back to their universe. 

He didn’t have any concrete evidence, he just… had an intuition and a few theories. Major events didn’t really revolve around them anymore. It all involved Izuku, and the plot was finding ways to keep them separated when those events happened.

From the Hero Killer incident to the mall incident, it couldn’t be a coincidence.

Their final arc was about to start so it's only logical if they finished up any business they had here. Such as the revolution Atsushi accidentally started. It hadn’t really taken flight but the seeds were already planted.

Maybe that was the objective. Not to change Hero society, but to instill the idea of change. Let the original characters of this particular universe decide how it should go, for better or for worse.

“We won’t be able to help Shouto and Touya-san ruin Endeavor, then,” Ryuunosuke said when Atsushi relayed his beliefs a few days ago.

But… The Endeavor thing? That was an exception. By hook or by crook they will get involved.

They decided to take early action to at least put things into place. Plan a few things ahead, just as how Dazai and Ranpo would do.  When the time was right, it’ll all play out just the way they wanted.

“I think we should get Izuku involved. I’m pretty sure he knows about Endeavor, maybe even Touya-san by now.”

Ryuunosuke nodded, taking out his phone to presumably invite Izuku over. The brothers were already on the way, so no further contact was needed.

After a few minutes, the green-haired boy accepted their invite. 

While waiting for their guests to arrive, they had decided to cook an early lunch, considering that they had time to spare. 

Atsushi hummed as he prepped the ingredients they needed while Ryuunosuke checked the recipe. They worked together to make some stew, considering that it was one of the few dishes they could cook for a large amount of people and not screw up too badly.

They’ve been cooking together, instead of for each other, as of late. 

Atsushi wasn’t quite sure how it started but he wasn’t about to complain. It was less work but he was still able to eat the same amount if not more. 

It was an efficiency thing.

(Totally not because of how domestic they’ve been lately, ever since they realised their time was limited.)

It went by smoothly and soon enough, the doorbell rang.

Atsushi wiped his hands on the kitchen towel before making his way to open the door.

It was Izuku who arrived first.

The boy brought some home cooked meals that Inko had prepared for them, reminding them to return the Tupperwares the next time they met.

Atsushi nodded his head seriously, before stowing the food away into the fridge. Izuku followed him into the kitchen, restless.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” He asked.

Ryuunosuke shook his head.

“We’re almost done here. It’s fine.”

The boy then went back to the living room, just as the doorbell rang the second time. He went to open the door, surprised to see Shouto and who he could only assume was Touya.

“Hey, brother-in-law! Didn’t know you were coming,” Touya greeted, getting smacked by Shouto in the process.

Izuku blushed a deep red, meekly bowing towards Touya in greeting. Shouto glared at his brother, before looking towards the green-haired boy, smiling gently.

“Ignore him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about most of the time.”

That got a smile out of Izuku, which then caused Shouto to be flustered. It was a whole mutual pining mess, one that Atsushi could only hope he could relate to.

“The food’s going to be done in a while. Do you want to wait or should we get started on our agenda?” Atsushi called out from the kitchen, washing the plates he used.

Touya strolled over and made his way to the sink, taking the wet plate from Atsushi and proceeded to look for a towel to dry it.

“Maybe you can brief us on the basics? Then we can go in detail during the course of the meal,” He suggested, accepting another plate from the other.

Atsushi nodded in agreement.

After all the dishes were washed, wiped and stored, they made their way to the living room where the rest were already gathered. Atsushi stood next to Ryuunosuke while Touya obnoxiously sat himself in between Izuku and Shouto.

The younger brother rolled his eyes but made room for him anyway.

“We’re here to discuss Endeavor’s downfall,” Ryuunosuke stated bluntly.

Shouto coughed in shock while Izuku looked at them, pleasantly surprised. Touya frowned, confused, before opening his mouth to ask a question.

“Why now? I thought we’re saving that for after the camp? There’s no rush.”

Atsushi looked at Ryuunosuke, unsure of what they should say.

They could come up with a half-baked excused or tell them the truth straight up. These people (plus Aizawa and Inko) were the closest to them. If anyone deserved to know about their impending departure, it would be them.

Ryuunosuke nodded his head, as if he could read Atsushi’s thoughts. Feeling infinitely braver now that he had the other’s support, he continued.

“Actually, we might not have as much time as we think. To put it frankly, it’s… almost time for Ryuu and I to leave this universe.”

(In hindsight, he probably should’ve worded that better.)

Shouto’s eyes widened, his jaw going slack. Touya’s eyebrows shot upwards as he processed the news , unbelieving. Izuku, the only one who knew the context, frowned, before nodding his head in understanding.

“You’re… leaving?” Shouto asked, eyes darting up towards the ceiling.

Atsushi followed his gaze in confusion, realising belatedly how wrong things were interpreted.

“No! I mean, yes, but not like.. dying,” He scrambled to explain, looking at Ryuunosuke for help.

The mafioso sighed, shaking his head amusedly. He cleared his throat, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“To provide context, we’re leaving this universe, as in physically exiting. Aizawa sensei and Izuku know this, but we’re not exactly from here. We were transported here from our own universe by an Ability, or as all of you call it, quirks.”

Touya looked at them, half-expecting them to say they were joking. When they stared back deadly serious, he laughed in disbelief. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to make sense of things.

Shouto, on the other hand, was looking intently at Ryuunosuke for some reason.

“So you’re saying you’re not Aizawa sensei’s love child?”

( What? )

“No?”

Shouto slumped down, dejected.

“ That’s what you’re worried about?” Touya asked, incredulous.

The younger nodded his head, appearing way calmer than his borderline hysterical brother.

Izuku, who was already in the know, decided to move along.

“What makes you think that you’re running out of time?” He asked, serious.

Atsushi paused to reorganise his thoughts.

“When we first came here, we thought that this Ability worked similar to our friend’s Ability, where you had to solve the mystery or fundamental problems, to leave. However, we found out that that wasn’t really the case.”

He sighed.

“The way this universe works is, it revolves around the main character. Therefore, all sorts of events will happen to this person for the plot to progress. When we came here, we accidentally became the main characters so that’s why we had to deal with so much but lately… these events aren’t happening to us anymore.”

“So they’re happening to the original main character. Therefore, you could only conclude that your time is running out,” Izuku finished. “That makes sense.”

Touya stared at them in silence, still trying his best to follow along despite his disbelief.

“Considering that you initially wanted to do this after the training camp but changed it to before the training camp, this must mean that you’re leaving right after camp ends,” Shouto contributed once he got over the pain of having his conspiracy theory debunked.

Ryuunosuke nodded before answering.

“It’s only a hypothesis as of now but yes.”

For some reason, Touya sobered up at that. He frowned, deep in thought.

“What makes the training camp so special?” He asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Something usually happens when we’re not in UA,” Atsushi replied, thinking back to when they first met during his internship.

Touya, as if remembering the same thing, sighed before shaking his head.

“This is fucking ridiculous but I somehow believe you.”

Atsushi laughed at that, relieved to know that they were still on good terms. He turned to look at Ryuunosuke who was already staring at him. He then quickly looked away, blushing slightly.

“Right. So the plan,” He said, desperate to distract himself.

He could hear the mafioso chuckle but decided to ignore that in favour of carrying on with the agenda.

It was silent as they brainstormed, thinking of ways that would harm Endeavor without him bringing his family into it.

After some time, it was Touya who finally spoke.

“Aren’t you a mafioso, Ryuunosuke-kun? Surely you have ways to deal with scum like him.”

The man in question hummed, slightly smiling at Shouto’s shocked expression.

“I don’t kill anymore so we’ll have to improvise. The next best alternative is to destroy the thing he cherishes most.”

Shouto gasped, looking around the room to see the other’s reaction at the scandalous news. When he saw that no one else was as surprised as he was, he stared at Ryuunosuke, unsure of what to say or how to react.

Izuku then decided to speak up, protecting the mafioso from possible backlash.

“He wants to surpass All Might and be the Number One Hero. If we cripple him, he won’t be able to do that but he’ll probably be idolised as a hero, similar to Ingenium after the Hosu incident. So, we should instead crush his reputation, which is both irreplaceable and irreversible.”

Touya looked at him in a new light.

“Shouto, keep him.”

The two boys blushed deeply, despite Shouto’s initial disbelief and Izuku’s initial seriousness. Atsushi laughed while Ryuunosuke smiled, entertained.

Touya, the Causer of Chaos, then proceeded as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.

“How do we destroy his reputation though? The HPSC covers up all his scandals and he buys off the press.”

That had gotten Izuku out of his embarrassed stupor.

“It’s easy. We write a detailed analysis on how horrible he is as a hero. Endeavor has the highest rate of property and collateral damage, not to mention his horrible rapport with his fans. He also rarely partakes in rescue missions and always beats up the villains he apprehended more than strictly necessary so if we can get our hands on these data and testimonies, we can write up the report. We’ll then post it on multiple forums at peak hours to ensure maximum traffic, and let the Internet do it’s job. Once it goes viral, public opinion will be swayed and that’s basically the death of his career. If your family decides to come forward and expose all of his wrongdoings, that’s basically the nail on the coffin. He’ll be remembered as the villain he actually is all along.”

All of them looked at Izuku in shock, amazed at his impeccable plan. 

Atsushi slow clapped while Ryuunosuke whistled, impressed. They both then agreed that they were once again glad that Mori was a whole universe away and no where near the kid. Shouto looked like he fell in love all over again while Touya looked just about ready to plan Izuku’s and Shouto’s wedding.

Izuku blushed when he realised that all the attention was on him. He smiled, bashful before scratching his head in embarrassment.

“Uh… why…?”

“I’m so glad you’re a hero, Izuku,” Atsushi said wholeheartedly.

The boy flushed a deeper shade of red, but accepted the compliment nonetheless.

After a few moments of them just marvelling at Izuku’s genius plan, they then made their way to the dining table to eat and discuss their plan in further detail.

They agreed to let Aizawa in on some parts of the plan, mainly when Shouto and Touya come forward with their testimonies. They’ll need the help of a trusted hero to gather enough evidence to incriminate someone as powerful as Endeavor.

Once they were finally done with all the little details, it was already night time. They agreed to meet again a day before the training camp to finalise some things, before parting their separate ways for the night.

Atsushi and Ryuunosuke may not be there when Endeavor is dragged to the pits of hell, but at least they had a hand in it.

And hey, if hero society’s toxic ways of valuing powerful quirks over human lives were forced to be changed due to this revelation, all the better.

Chapter Text

By the time they boarded the bus to go to their training camp, Atsushi and Ryuunosuke had come up with multiple ways the camp could be ruined.

Naturally, that had meant that they were prepared for anything. From infiltration to a hostage situation, no stone was left unturned.

“If they’re planning on kidnapping someone, make sure that it’s either one of us,” Atsushi recounted, committing it to memory.

They could tell that Aizawa was eavesdropping, judging by the way his stress levels were increasing. The frequency of his sighs were higher than average.

“No one is getting kidnapped,” The teacher said after a while, giving up his pretense.

Ryuunosuke snickered, amused at the man’s obvious distress.

“Don’t jinx it, sensei.”

Aizawa groaned in response, muttering something about not being paid enough to deal with problem children.

Anyway.

“What do you think we should do if they attacked us with poisonous gas?” Ryuunosuke asked, continuing their risk management simulation.

Atsushi thought long and hard.

“We’ll need masks and the only one who can supply us with that right now is Yaoyorozu. If it were to happen when we’re separated, we should just run away and hope for the best.”

Ryuunosuke contemplated the answer.

“What if there’s nowhere to run?”

Atsushi’s stomach dropped at the thought.

“We’ll have no choice but to fight our way through,” Shouto piped up from behind them.

They turned around, noticing a blushing Shouto (caused by Izuku sleeping away on his shoulder, blissfully unaware).

Atsushi immediately took a picture, before sending it to Touya, laughing as the boy could do nothing but frown at him in return. He didn’t want to risk waking Izuku up after all.

Ryuunosuke looked at the exchange amusedly, shaking his head in response.

“What a child.”

Atsushi rolled his eyes, but gasped afterwards as he received a reply from Touya.

Touya-san

LMAOOOOOOOOO simp

He didn’t really know what that meant so he was going to have to consult the Holy Trio of Memes, Kaminari, Kirishima and Ashido once their bus stopped.

Speaking of that.

The bus had abruptly stopped in the middle of nowhere. They were literally halfway up the mountain and there weren’t any significant monuments sighted.

It was either they were stopping for a toilet break (there weren’t any toilets) or they were under attack (it’s way too quiet, an attack would have been launched already).

“We’re here,” Was what they heard instead.

Atsushi turned to look at Aizawa who was smiling his signature Creepy Smile which would haunt his nightmares if he were a little less traumatised by his past. Alas, that wasn’t the case so he was fine.

Others might not be, though.

Once they all exited the bus, Aizawa explained that they were going to cross the forest and walk to their accommodation on foot. Apparently, it was a private property owned by the Wild Wild Pussycats or something, and they were the camp coordinators.

From the distance, Atsushi could spot a group of four similarly-dressed Heroes, consisting of three women and one men. There seemed to be a common theme in their costumes, which he could only assume was cat-related.