Archive of Our Own ^beta

There was a prophecy. An old legend that everyone kept saying to their loved ones to keep them away from the truth, from the previous mistakes they made in the past. It happened one day. It was supposed to be happy and welcoming, surrounded by the other gods and enjoying the newborn, sleeping with his green curls and freckled cheeks.That day, a message came from the underworld in panic and said the following words.

”I fear this news would be heartbreaking, goddess Inko but the prophet had another vision, it’s about your son.” 

All eyes were on him as he tried to calm down. He already went to the underworld and feared it, especially meeting the Masaru.

“A few hours ago, the prophet saw a terrible thing about what’s going to happen. It concerns your son and his soulmate, katsuki Bakugo, the newborn of the underworld.” He sighed. “With fear, he explained to me how the two of them would never meet because if their path crossed each other at least once, the world would fall into a constant and endless war.”

Their eyes went wide as Inko immediately reached her husband’s arms.She tried to keep her tears away but was too weak, how many times have they tried to let peace in the human world? How many times did they fail? None of this could happen again, especially if their son were concerned. Everyone knew the Bakugos as heartless people, only able to bring pain and to suffer into their world, and the legend says how their son would be like them. The prophet never lied, not even once, and everything he predicted was right. 

“We’ll do anything we can to protect our son from him and this terrible fate. We’ll save both worlds, even if this means keeping them away from each other.” Hisahi said with a dark glare on his face. Izuku was still sleeping and smiling in his dream, but the reality was otherwise, hopefully, he couldn’t see his mother's sad face and the hate in his father's gaze.

—-

Time passed, and the tiny baby started growing up, only to become a sweet and caring boy. His freckles cheeks were still chubby, but he could discover the world by himself, walking around the place he visited and asking questions with a funny interest.  One day, when Izuku was only five, he got lost. 

That day would change his life forever, for the best and the worst. He remembered being alone in an unknown place and following his mother minutes ago before a butterfly caught his attention, and his small hands left hers. Now he was standing here, crying and calling for help in the dark with low light due to the firefly around him.There was a lake, a beautiful lake full of flowers in the backside, and where the fireflies were flying around. As the freckled boy came closer, the water was moving with the slow wind. He should’ve known his curiosity would bring him to a non-return point, and it was the moment when, by inadvertence, he fell into the water.

Izuku thought it was over, it was the end, but a stranger saved him. The first things he remembered were the fireflies and the familiar landscape around him, as a small boy, probably around his gaze, was looking at him curiously. He had red ruby eyes, blond spikes, and a curious glance. At this moment, Izuku realized where he was and how he could never find his parents, and he was scared of the stranger.

“Oi, I’m not gonna hurt you.” The blond said, seeing how the freckled boy moved away from him. 

“My…my parents always said not to trust a stranger, and you’re a stranger !” His small voice mumbled from afar. It was luck that the blond boy could hear him.

“But this stranger saved your life, freckles.” He smirked, making sure to stay here and not be afraid of his new friend. A few minutes later, the freckled boy realized how the blond would do nothing to hurt him and loved closer. His hands ruffled the other’s cheek, checking if he was real before seeing Katsuki moving away.

“Oh, Sorry,” Izuku answered, hiding with his head on his knees. “It’s just…I never met anyone like you before. Thank you for saving me….”

Katsuki’s eyes glanced at him curiously before ruffling the messy curly hair and seeing a blush on the freckled man’s face. “Katsuki. My name is Katsuki Bakugo”

Izuku’s face turned into a smile, his parents always told him to be distant from strangers, but for some reason, this boy gave him a feeling of deja vu.

“Izuku !” His hands found the blond. “Izuku Midoriya !”

“You seemed happy for someone who nearly died a few minutes ago,” Katsuki commented, and the other laughed. “I’m still a stranger. You know that ?”

“It’s because kacchan saved me !” Izuku didn’t know why but being with this boy made him comfortable, almost like he needed to be constantly on his side from the moment their eyes met. “And you’re not a stranger if you gave me your name. It’s just…I rarely meet new people, so you’re the first person I met !”

“And what does this mean ?” The blond asked, noticing how a bright smile appeared on the other’s face.

“This means we’re friends now! You’re my first friend !”

Katsuki said nothing in answer, ignoring how his chest reacted to the sudden smile of the freckled boy by his side. There was something strange with him, it was his first meeting, yet he couldn’t be an idiot and hurt him.

A few minutes after talking together, Inko’s voice reached the place. Katsuki and Izuku promised to meet again on the new moon before the blond disappeared without telling why.

“Izuku, where are you- Thanks, you’re here, sweetheart. I was so afraid something happened to you.” She hugged her son, feeling how the boy hugged her back. “Your hair, what happened ?”

“I…I fell in the lake.” He answered, but a smile appeared on his face. “But hopefully, I wasn’t alone because my new friend saved me !”

Inko smiled, holding him in his arms and leaving the place. “I’m glad, we should probably thanks your new friend for saving your life."

——

That’s how Izuku and Katsuki often hang out at the lake. It was complicated to avoid their parents’ questions, but the time they spent together, smiling, laughing, and creating a bond was with it.

There was something inexplicable with Katsuki’s presence, every time they were together, Izuku was happy and mutual. Over time, the two friends became closer and always hung out in this specific place. It never changed, it was like time stopped whenever they were around. The fireflies kept flying around the place, watching the previous silence being filled by their two voices and discussion, how there was no one except them in this place. 

Izuku grew up admiring his childhood friend. He would never forget that day when they first met, and he saved his life, how this led to a fantastic friendship, and how he cherished every moment. Katsuki was stubborn but caring in his way, always making sure to be here when Izuku fought with his parents, and on the opposite, Izuku was here when Katsuki was talking about how he hated having his parents around him.

They both complete each other, and time proves it. Today, they couldn’t live without each other and their comforting place. The oddest thing was how feelings slowly started to get involved in their relationship, talking about the arranged marriage, hiding the jealousy, hearing how his friend was close to someone else…

At first, they feared it. They kept everything to themselves, thinking it was something due to how they cared about each other, but when it got stronger, they knew. It was still new to them, and they faced every insecurity à teenagers had to face with their first love, thinking it would be over…if only they knew. Unfortunately, their happiness ended when someone discovered them. It was supposed to be a casual day where the two friends were talking about anything and everything, without knowing someone in Izuku’s relatives was following them.

“And that’s how- kacchan, are you listening ?” Izuku asked curiously, noticing how the blond had been distracted for a few minutes.

“There’s someone following us. I can feel it, nerd.” He answered in a low voice, seeing the fear in the green eyes. 

“But- no one knows this place except us- how ?!”

“I don’t fucking know, but I’ll find it. Stay here, and run when I tell you to run, alright ?” Katsuki added, putting himself in front of the freckled man. It was a sign of protection, but for Izuku, it was just a reason to blush even more. 

“No, you can’t face this stranger by yourself !” The freckled man said, inverting the places and looking at him with teary eyes. “Remember the last time you tried to defend me? You got a scar on your chest, I don’t want to hurt you anymore !”

“Shit,” the blond sighed, trying to calm the freckled man by his side. He knew Izuku was sensitive about that and his scar, a scar he had difficulty lying about. “They’re coming, stay behind me, and don’t forget what I said earlier. Got it, freckles ?”

Izuku nodded, and everything went fast. Two men started to get out of their hidden place in the next second. Katsuki could recognize one of them because it was a guard of the underworld: Aizawa, but the other was still unknown.

His breath became faster as he could feel Izuku’s shaking hands on his back. When the two men ran into each other, their eyes let the teenagers stand there. They were afraid, but the bond hid it, knowing how the freckled man was holding him like there was no tomorrow.

“You- Say your name, or you’ll be banished from this world.” 

“My name is Katsuki Bakugo, what the hell do you want from us ?” He answered, and the other’s eyes went wide. No, it was impossible…

“It’s you.” He says, coming closer, “It’s you who will bring the destruction in our world, stay away from Izuku.

Katsuki frowned. “I won’t let you reach your stupid goal. What did I do to you? Why does the nerd is implied ?”

“Because-”

“Shhh,” Aizawa stopped him. “We made a deal, they didn’t need to know.”

Izuku And katsuki shared a curious glance. What do they mean? Why does everything seem so important?

Unfortunately, Katsuki was immediately put on the floor in the next seconds as they tried to block him from any of his attacks. Izuku watched the scene with terror and started to cry, begging them to leave them alone and let Katsuki go.

With fear, he recognized the familiar eyes. It was the sale one with who he grew up the entire time, it was All Might, his mentor and someone he admired until now. The only thing Izuku could feel right now was the worries for Katsuki and the hate toward the man he had previously admired. All those years wasted by a simple betrayal, by the knowledge of not being trusted by his own family, that they were forced to send him watching him from afar.

“Stop" he yelled, trying to defend himself, but his attack was too weak. He regretted not training enough and how he was obligated to watch the unforgettable scene in front of his eyes and be a spectator of the disaster he created. His legs started to move toward the blond to defend him, only to be pulled away by the other guard. “Let me go, let kacchan go! We did nothing wrong !”

“Your meeting was a mistake, we should’ve been more careful,” Aizawa said sadly. His eyes found All might, and they knew. “Remenber our promise. We shouldn’t hurt them but go to the last-minute plan. I fear it’s the only choice we can make now.”

Last minute plan? The only thing they can do? What the hell does this mean? Izuku tried to reach the blond, but it was useless. The only thing they could’ve done was to glance at each other and be unable to help the other. There was nothing except pain and a sad reality. They both wanted to protect each other, but when the time came, they weren’t strong enough, and it was their biggest regret. All might and Aizawa shared a glance, letting the boy go. Izuku wasted no time, and how the body moved on its own to immediately rush toward the blond. 

“Kacchan, are you alright?” He asked, with tears in his eyes. His hands checked everywhere to see if his friend wasn’t hurt, feeling how the two of them were shaking. Hopefully, he was fine.

“I should be the one asking you this, nerd,” Katsuki smirked, wiping the other’s tears away, knowing his words weren’t enough to comfort his childhood friend. “Did he hurt you ?”

“I’m fine,” the freckled man answered with a smile, helping his friend to stand up. None of them dared to talk, but this awkward atmosphere was still.

“We’re truly sorry.” Aizawa and All might answered at the same time. The fear invaded the two boys' eyes, who held on to each other because there was no tomorrow….only to hear a loud sound in the next few seconds.

Katsuki immediately turned out to see what had just happened, and his face was pale. His guard knocked out Izuku, All Might, as he watched with fear his childhood friend leaving the place.

“What are you doing? Oi, I’m talking to you, asshole. Bring me Deku back-” 

Before finishing his sentence, he knew the same fate as his childhood friend. The last place they cherished became a part of their past, something they needed to hide for themselves and live with the consequences of their actions. One meeting can change a life, including the pain of being away from the one you love.

—-

When Izuku woke up, he found himself standing in the familiar bed. His childhood plushies stood by his side as a bright light caught his attention. His head arched, finding an injury and blood. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart.” Inko's voice added, helping him to rest, “You’re safe and need to rest.”

“Where am I ?” He asked with a low voice, feeling a headache. He had the feeling of being a dream, a bad dream where he forgot something important.

“In your room. All might find you standing alone in the park and bring you home. I don’t know what to do if something happened to you, or even worse if I ever lose you again.” Inko sobbed as she hugged her son, whispering, “It’s all over now.”

Izuku glanced curiously at her. “What do you mean? Why would I be in this wood in the first place ?”

Inko meet All might eyes. They knew something, but the freckled man couldn’t name it. The only things he could feel were a pain in his chest and the impression of missing someone he had never met.

“Nothing, you live to discover new places since your childhood. I guess it must be for this reason.” She smiled and kissed his forehead. “Did you meet anybody here ?”

“In the wood ?” Izuku sighed. “I don’t think so, why are you asking ?”

The woman smiled sadly in answer. “Nothing, I was just curious. Now you need to rest, sweetheart.”

The boy nodded, barely speaking, as his mind still took him with fake memories, something he had created by himself. The door closed, leaving the freckled boy in doubt and inexplicable pain in his chest.

—-

Katsuki woke up with a sudden chill on his body. 

His hands found the back of his head where the previous hit was given. His body arched, and for some reason, there was this hidden pain in his chest, almost like it was saying something… something he couldn’t understand and name.

“Thanks, you’re finally awake."A familiar voice caught his attention. His red eyes meet his mother’s, they are teary, and his father is standing by her side.  

“We were worried about you when Aizawa found you unconscious near the lake,” Masaru explained, noticing how their son’s face was turning into worries.

“The lake? Why would I -” His eyes went wide, and his hands immediately took the sheet apart, his legs leaving the bed and rushing toward the door. Panic started to fill his chest as his only goal was to reach the closest exit and leave this place. “I knew something was wrong, I needed to find him.”

Mitsuki and Masaru shared a surprised gaze, holding their son’s arms and pushing him back to his room. 

“What are you saying? You need to find who ?”

Katsuki’s face darkened, holding his fist. “I need to find Deku. I’ll make sure to make this bastard pay for hurting him."

Silence filled the room. None of them dare to speak or even glance at each other, knowing they have failed. It was supposed to work, but Katsuki was the only one to remember, and he needed to calm down.

“Katsuki.” His mother said, meeting his red eyes. “Who is Deku ?”

Katsuki frowned. “Izuku Midoriya, the same stupid nerd I have hung out with since I saved his life in the lake. The same stupid boy with freckled cheeks and wild green eyes constantly asks me about the world. The same and first friend I’ve made, the one who never left me and….”

“Son,” Masaru sighed, trying to calm his son. “We can’t understand what you’re saying. Can you repeat and slower this time, please ?”

The blond rolled his eyes. “Well, Deku is the only friend I’ve made all along, and yet, he’s…” silence filled the room.

“What happened ?” Mitsuki asked, holding his son’s hand with worries in her eyes.

“Forgot what I was talking about.” The blond confessed, “Just like I wanted to think about it, but something kept stopping me from saying these words loud.”

“You were talking about Deku,” Masaru explained. A dead silence filled the room as the three of them glanced at each other, none dared to speak, waiting for the answer and seeing their son’s eyes were filled with doubts.

“Who’s Deku?”

They both glanced at each other. They knew it was unfair to act that way, to break their son's happiness and love, but it was the least they could do if they wanted to save their world. 

“You’re tired, brat. You should rest, Aizawa, and we will check on you later, alright ?” Mitsuki smiled, holding her son’s hands and facing the curious red ruby eyes.

”Whatever,” The blond complained, leaving his mother’s touch and turning on his bed. When the door closed, he tried to close his eyes, but this pain in his chest kept reminding him of the things he had lost. Katsuki couldn’t name them, but it was important to him.

——

Years went, and things changed. 

Their life took another turn after the tragedy, after this constant feeling of missing someone, yet it was still a memory to them. The teenagers were slowly becoming more mature, facing things like war and no return decision, some things they would never forget, and building which they were now. 

Today, Izuku was a grown-up man. He was 21 and, as expected, was the son everyone wanted because he was caring and welcoming toward any strangers reaching his territory, knowing how to keep peace with his parent’s help. He knew it was his role since he was born, since his first cry, and he was his parents’ pride. People kept saying he would make a fantastic leader and make the right choice, especially his wife's choice. 

Many women wanted to be by his side, flirting with him and offering him an expensive gift from their territory, hoping to win his heart. The freckled man always denied them, rejecting any offer he could find, even under his father’s pressure. When people asked him why his only answer was, " I feel like I’m making a mistake by choosing someone else," they never understood and let him live his life. 

Sometimes, there were those small frames of memories in his dream.

They had never left him since his youth and the day he woke up from that day. He only remembered an unbearable pain in his chest before waking up in his room and forgetting everything about his life. His parents said it was common in their community, they all forgot a part of their life as a god due to their immortality, and it was the prince to pay. Izuku never questioned their answers, trusting them and yet, living someone else life each night.

It was always the same thing: a blurred frame of a lake, with fireflies flying around him as someone was talking next to him. He couldn’t name the other boy by his side, he couldn’t even look at him because the only thing Izuku could see was a stranger. For him, this boy around his age was a stranger, but something felt wrong with it…how could a stranger feel so familiar, almost like he knew him his entire life? 

His life was complicated enough, and he couldn’t give more time to that false dream he had invented. On the other side, things were different for Katsuki. Today, he was his parent's pride, and people always knew him as heartless and the one who brought destruction. Indeed, his life changed after the day when he woke up in his bed, leading him to ask about a stranger he called "Deku," without knowing anything about him or even how close they were. 

Sometimes, odd things happened.

It was always in his dream when he let his imagination trip him into another of his fake dream where he was standing next to a freckled boy with chubby cheeks. He couldn’t name it for some reason, but this boy was calling him by a unique nickname, and his heart always melted at how he was protonated by it. It was all blurs, it happened mainly during the night when the bond was alone with his thought and lost himself in someone’s else life.

There were things he couldn’t explain.

Sometimes he could feel how the freckled boy was holding his hands and explaining how happy he was to be his friend, how everything felt so real. Katsuki didn’t have any friends, or the first time he ever had one, it was his group of extras, but he was older. When the blond asked him why he had forgotten a part of his past, his parents never answered, leaving him doubtful. All of this started after the lake accident when they found him unconscious, but as much as he tried to remember why or even how he ended up here, he could never. 

Katsuki wanted to remember.

He wanted to know what truly happened in his youth and what was the mark on his head. If it was here, it must be for a reason. The blond wanted and even tried to spend most of his night looking for unknown answers, to know more about the freckled boy by his side and seeing him growing up. Every time he tried, the only thing the blond could see was. Blurred face, with a familiar voice asking if he was alright. 

The entire world knew about the day when the two families failed to the prophecy. The same families promised to keep the world in peace but didn’t stop their children from meeting and leading the world to possible destruction. The Midoriyas and Bakugos agreed not to hurt the other as long as they respected their pact, the one they made after their meeting years ago. It was simple and they shouldn’t hurt each other and try to keep their children away as possible. They were the only ones to know and dealt with the worst way to end things… erasing their children’s memories. 

——

“Someone bought you a gift,” Ochako said, bringing him a huge mirror in her friend’s room. “It’s anonymous, but I’m sure they want to win your heart. It’s even better than the previous one with the lady and her frogs singing your favorite songs.”

Izuku rolled his eyes, catching the brunette and placing the mirror in front of him. “A mirror? Seriously ?”

“Don’t look at me that way! You and I both know what we think about a mirror, it’s a curse and the least you can offer to someone.”

Izuku laughed. “No, YOU think it’s a curse. I never said anything.”

The woman frowned as the comment hurt her. “Because you didn’t have to face your sister constantly checking on the mirror day and night and asking if she’s alright, or even if her skin is perfect.”

The freckled man sighed. It’s been years, and he still remembered how he met her, how she helped him during difficult moments between his father and him, and how she never left him. Today, he was glad to have someone like her, she was the only one he could count on and trust. 

His scarred hands reached for the gift. It was common for him to have skills, but this one was particular, probably because it was anonymous and breaking. The glasses were recovered by a light film, almost invisible as the border was constituted by golden. It was pure gold, and the sign and details were breaking, made with precision, almost like it was side for him. 

“Why would someone bring a mirror ?” He asked, meeting his friend’s curious gaze. 

“I don’t know,” She answered, putting her hands on his shoulder. “But I think you like this gift more than you think, deku-kun.”

Izuku rolled his eyes, hearing his friend’s comment, and left the room with the new mirror. 

The same night, Izuku had the same dream, except this time, it was more familiar, almost like a deja vu. He could feel pain in his chest, how his hands were holding the boy’s back like there was no tomorrow, and saw his mentor, All Might, followed by another guard. His voice kept whispering how scared he was, and the other boy was trying to defend him from them, but no matter how much he tried to look at him, he couldn’t see anything. 

The freckled man suddenly woke with chills, calling a nickname he had always heard but never used and touching the injury in his head. It was like he was living one of his memory of someone else’s life, and it always ended that way. Even if he tried for many years, Izuku never found more memories with both of them after that event. 

He sighed and glanced at his room. It was late, and the night was already covered by the stars, revealing how Izuku was the only one awake in this place. His green eyes found the mirror next to his bed, and he ruffled his hair as his legs left the bed and walked toward it.  For some reason, this mysterious gift had something mesmerizing. It was almost like he was enchanted, and it wasn’t like a simple mirror, but it was something more. His scarred hands reached the gold owning the border as he glanced at his reflection. Izuku had bags under his eyes. He seemed exhausted and couldn’t leave his visions of the gift.

“I should probably sleep, stupid nightmares.” He whispered with a sigh. His imagination was tricking him again, the faster he found his bed, the sooner this problem would be solved. 

“You’re right, you look like shit.” A sudden voice said, breaking the silence in the room—Izuku immediately runes over, this time wide awake and ready to defend himself again an intruder.

”Who are you ?” He said, way too loud. “Show yourself.”

The freckled man heard a laugh and started to panic. 

“Right here, dumbass.” The voice said, and Izuku’s head found the mirror. 

His eyes went wide when he saw someone standing on the other side, the man was breathing, and his heart started beating faster. The stranger had red ruby eyes, spiky blond hair, and a determined gaze on his face. During one moment, the freckled man had the feeling of seeing an older version of the child with who he stayed in his dream, almost like he had found him again, but it must be a coincidence, right? He was taller than him, but at this moment, he moved closer to the mirror, touching it, only to gasp when his hands crossed the mirror over. 

“What the -” Izuku answered, stepping back. How was it possible? It must be a fever dream, a dream way too, really like the others. When he hurt himself, he made a painful noise and saw how it was real. “How…How is this even possible ?”

Katsuki said nothing, standing here and looking at the freckled man. He was asking the same question since someone gave him this mirror as a gift. 

“I would love to answer your question, but I’m afraid I don’t have an answer. So we’re both stuck with this magical and shitty thing, freckles.”

Izuku glanced at him with a curious glance. “Wait a minute, I already heard this voice. I feel like I already meet you…who are you ?” Katsuki sighed. He puts his hand on his forehead and looks at the stranger standing before him. His heart was beating faster as he took this time to notice the freckles on his cheeks, the green emeralds' eyes, and the messy green curls. 

“As strange as it seemed, I feel the same way.” He confessed, noticing the surprised face at his answer, “My name is Katsuki Bakugo.”

The freckled man's eyes went wide. “Katsuki Bakugo? Like the son of Mitsuki and Masaru Bakugo ?”

“No, the son of your neighbor.” He comments, “Of course I am, dumbass.”

“It’s amazing, I always heard about you, but I never knew how you could be so…” Izuku tried to speak, but he felt how his heart was beating faster, and he was trying to hide his blush. How could he look away when the prettiest man was standing before him?

“Cut this shit out.” Katsuki commented, “What’s your name, freckles ?”

Izuku said nothing. All of this was still strange to him, he was talking with a stranger with a magical mirror, and they could understand each other. It was like the pain in his chest, the one he had since that day at the lake, faded away when his eyes met with the red ruby one. 

“Izuku Midoriya.” He answered, smiling. 

Katsuki’s face became pale, why did this name sound so familiar with the nickname he had given to this boy in his dream? How does it feel wrong to hear his voice but also good to see him? There were too many questions and a lot of unsolved answers.

“Haven’t we met before ?” Katsuki asked with the most sincere tone he had used until now. Izuku’s eyes shined on his words, and a bright smile appeared on his face, even though he didn’t know why hearing those words made him happy. 

“No, I’ll remember someone like you, Katsuki.” He answered, sitting on his bed as he heard about how the blond got this mirror from an anonymous person and how it was the first time it was happening to him. Izuku took his time to listen to the blond’s story, knowing more about him and seeing why he was so familiar with him.

“You know, you look like someone I know.” The freckled man confessed.

"If this is flirting, I don’t think it could work on me, blondie. We barely know each other, I didn’t know you were this fast with guys. " Katsuki commented, and Izuku rolled his eyes at his comment. 

"Shut up." Izuku answered, sitting on his bed and feeling the other’s gaze on him. He had just met him, and he was so annoying, how old was he? Five? And it wasn’t flirting anyway. “I was just saying you look like someone I have seen in my dream since I was 14, but it’s so strange because I don’t know you.”

Katsuki smirked. “Let me guess, you also have these vision and dream things where you see someone by your side, but you can’t see their face, even if you tried to ?”

“How…how do you know ?”

Katsuki couldn’t help but smile. With this line, he caught the freckled man’s attention, which was pride because the other seemed out of reach. It took a few seconds before hearing the answer, and Izuku’s heart missed a beat. “Because I’m also doing the same shit since I was 14.”

A sudden sound caught his attention, and Izuku turned to his mother, standing in front of the door.

“Izuku, sweetie, it’s late. What are you doing awake at this hour ?”

“Nothing….” he glanced at the mirror. “I just had a bad dream.”

"Again?" Inko smiled, "Try to rest and don’t stay up late, alright ?" she kissed her son’s forehead before wishing him a good night. She knew about the recurrent dream and always felt terrible for lying to her son, but it was the right thing to do.

When the freckled man turned back to the mirror, Katsuki was gone as he came, leaving him in an empty and awkward silence. What just happened? One night, he had a bad dream and met a pretty and stubborn boy…What an unexpected twist.

——

"Still awake, blondie?" The familiar voice asked, catching his attention. 

Katsuki turned his head, only to find the freckled man looking at him with a fun expression. This idiot seemed to like teasing him, and the blond hated it. 

"Stop calling me like that, idiot." The other answered with a middle finger and noticed like the other was laughing. "And stop laughing, or I’m going to kick your ass."

"I’ll stop calling you that the day when you’ll stop calling me freckles. A deal is a deal. " Izuku’s face turned into a smirk, making the blond sigh in answer. 

It was still late, and the stars shone in the dark blue sky. At these hours, everyone was asleep, and they would be the only people awake, yet none dared to question why. It was always about the same thing, the same unsolved questions. 

"You’ve got the same dream again?" Izuku asked with a worried tone. He could read into the other’s face and notice when his face was twitching. Unfortunately, it was often when the freckled man was right, and the blond hated to admit it. 

"Nothing changed, always the same blurry vision about the guy with me." He confessed, taking a glance outside to see the empty city. Casually, people would walk and whisper about the new gossip, but Katsuki’s favorite moments were when it was calm. It was the only moment he found peace and could enjoy life without the pressure on his shoulder. " And my stupid hag talked about the future of this world, what the hell was I supposed to say? "

Izuku put his scarred hands on his chin. "I don’t know, maybe "I’ll do it later, mom," or something like that…but tell me it’s not what you did. I’m right, Katsuki."

Katsuki rolled his eyes. He hated when the other could read into his face, almost like he’d known him his entire life. "Of fucking course I don’t do it, what did you expect? And who even called their mom like that, I called my old hag, and it’s fine."

Izuku seemed offended. He learned more about the stranger he met that night, his life, and the people around him. He learned about Katsuki’s " stupid " parents and friends, but a part of him could read how he cared about them, but of course, Katsuki would never admit it. 

"Let me tell you, that’s what you should call your mom, you might be the only one directing the woman who gave you life." 

"I’ll respect her the day when she’ll respect me, freckles." He answered without wasting time, shutting the other again. A smirk appeared on his face when Izuku’s face showed how he couldn’t answer.

"Katsuki." Izuku called with a low voice. He didn’t know if he should ask this question or not if they were close enough, but a part of him wanted to know. "Can I ask you a question?"

The blond noticed the sudden change in the freckled man’s tone. " f it’s about what I eat today, I refuse to tell you because you’ll say I have a bad taste again, and no one will insult my taste."

Izuku rolled his eyes and hid a laugh. "Of course not. I’m not going to ask you that, stupid. I already know the answer and know you have shitty taste, but you don’t want to hear me." His face turned into something softer. "I was wondering…Did you ever question where those dreams came from?"

Silence filled the room, leaving an awkward silence.

"No." He answered, meeting the curious face. "But if you ask me this question, you might think the opposite, right?"

Izuku hated how the blond was right and could read into him.  

"Well, yes…You might think I’m strange, but I keep wondering, what if those dreams came from a past life? You know, the kind of things dead people in reincarnation could see?"

Katsuki forced, giving a judgmental glare. "Do you seriously believe in this shit? I thought you were smarter, freckles."

Izuku rolled his eyes. "If I choose to believe in this, it’s my choice. Don’t blame me if I want to comfort myself about that stuff, idiot."

"Don’t ever call me an idiot again, and you do realize that you’re a god and you can’t die, right?"

"If we’re talking about this point of view, you’re right….but this doesn’t mean I’ll change my mind, idiot." 

"Izuku, I swear I’m gonna kick your -" 

The freckled man couldn’t help but erase the other more, knowing a mirror was separating them, and even if he wanted, Katsuki would do nothing to him. 

"On a serious tone…. " Izuku sighed, resting on his bed and turning his head to the mirror where the other was standing. "You never asked yourself what those visions mean, and we were the only ones to have them? It’s too odd to be a coincidence. "

“I take them and try to understand if they ever make sense. It’s always some parts of the unknown conversation, those kids might’ve been close to talking about anything and everything. "

"Kinda like us. " The other commented with a soft smile on his face. He would never admit it, but he liked having Katsuki by his side, it was like having a conversation with a friend you could call anytime, knowing he’ll be here for you. 

"They’re not like us, freckles." The blond commented, ignoring the other’s comments. "We’re just two strangers with the same strange dreams, nothing more."

"You…Don’t you consider me a friend? It hurt my feelings, Katsuki. I don’t know if I can forgive you for this. " Izuku answered with a sad face, striking the blond to make him think he hurt him. Katsuki knew the freckled man was lying and teasing him, and he sighed, too lazy to answer.

"I’ll consider you as my friend the day where you’ll stop saying I’m an idiot and give me this stupid nickname. " 

"Unfortunately, that day would never happen. You’re stuck with me whether you’re satisfied or not, blondie. " 

——

Two weeks had passed since their first interaction. It was strange to know that you could be watched by someone else again your will, but for some reason, this Katuski didn’t seem scary. He seemed more like a child who wanted to talk late at night because he didn’t have any friends…which Izuku would never tell him. 

Katsuki was a mystery to him.

This man was known for his name and reputation, yet the rumors and things people whispered about him were false. Instead of facing someone heartless and angry, the freckled man met a stubborn blond who kept swearing at Izuku’s comment. It was still fun to talk between a mirror and act like children who wanted to stay up at night…it was almost like they were creating childhood memories based on their past if they had one. 

With time, Izuku and Katsuki kept trying to talk to each other every night, knowing more about how or even why this was possible. In his doubts, one day, he asked Ochako to check if she saw something, but the girl gave him a curious glance.

“Deku-kun…I only see my reflection. Are you sure you’re okay ?“ She asked with worry. Recently her friend has been acting weird, and she started wondering what the reason was but seeing the freckled man fixing the mirror might have answered her questions.

“Listen, I’m going to tell you something, but I promise it’s real.” She nodded.”It seemed crazy but each night I…I keep seeing someone on the other side. His name is Katsuki Bakugo, and we share this strange feeling of deja vu. I’m sure something is up, but I don’t know what.”

Ochako gave him a strange gaze, she sometimes knew her friend could be delighted about anything, but it was too big to be a lie. The woman knew the story about how the freckled man tried his best to remember his past, but something was always cutting him from the truth. He would always share his dream, the boy standing next to him and how close the two of them were, especially how everything felt so…real. 

“The craziest thing is how…Katsuki seemed to be like the boy in my dream.” Izuku added, “He has blond hair, and his red eyes are familiar, almost like I have seen him before when I’m not. Uraraka, we met two weeks ago, and I feel so…strange around him.”

The woman sighed. “Listen, I trust you. You need to explain everything you know because I know something is wrong with this gift. I should’ve known the moment I bring it here, but take the time to explain everything, deku-kun.”

The freckled man smiled, happy to know she was by his side and didn’t judge him. That’s how he started to explain their unexpected meeting, the things they shared, how they both mirror in the same situation, and there must be a link. It was only the beginning. The beginning of the long and endless respect, but Izuku would make sure to be here each night to speak with the blond. 

——

“Oi, are you still here, freckles ?” a familiar voice asked, cutting the freckled man off his thoughts. His green emerald eyes met the red ruby one and the usual smirk, the same one that warmed his heart for no reason. 

“I don’t know.” He smiled, “I should ask you the same, Katsuki. Were you waiting for me ?”

It’s been months since they started to talk with each other, when the two of them became closer, where they shared more and more about their life and insecurities, about how they weren’t the only ones to have this unknown pain since that day. It was strange to talk to a stranger and feel like you knew him your entire life, almost like the two of you were destined to be together.

“As if, dumbass.” The blond was a nerd, making the freckled man smirk. He knew how they had a habit of always talking to each other about their day, their theories about this mysterious thing, and how they could feel something was up.

“I was just checking if you were still here.”

Izuku glanced at the blond, noticing how his face softened compared to the first day they met. They learned a lot about their personalities, habits, and interests with time. Katsuki learned about Izuku’s insecurities, and Izuku listened to Katsuki’s confession about how he felt something was missing in his life. 

“I shouldn’t be scared then. If I fell asleep, you would be here to watch me.”

Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Not creepy, nerd.”

Izuku enjoyed a time like this when they were only the two of them, just like old friends sharing secrets in a secret place away from the world's gaze. His eyes found the scars on his chest, it was the first thing that caught his eye when they talked about their injuries and backstory, but Izuku never had to ask him about the circumstance of this one. 

“Katsuki,” His voice whispered, caching the other’s eyes on him, “I was wondering…what is this scar on my chest? You always hide it away, but I wonder why. It must mean something to you, right ?”

Katsuki smirked, revealing the scar on his chest. Izuku tried to hide his blush, but the blond wasn’t blind and noticed it. 

“Huh, this one? I would love to explain it, but I don’t know anything.”

Izuku glanced at him curiously. “What do you mean ?”

“One day, I woke up and forgot everything about my past. The only memories I have are the small frame of memories linked to my dream. My parents always said it was due to war, but I don’t trust them.” Katsuki ruffled it, noticing how the green emerald eyes never left him. The blond always admired how the freckled man was invested in his story or whatever he was saying, almost like he was admiring him from afar. “If it were due to war, as they said, I would probably have it after my awakening and not before. I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like this scar is the only thing that rests from my past, right ?”

Izuku said nothing. One glance was enough to see how his scarred hands were full of stories, but he could remember them, except for the one behind his head, the one he still tries to find today. 

“I understand.” He smiled. “I have the same feeling as the one behind my head.”

“What’s the matter with this one? What’s so different ?” The other asked with interest as the freckled man turned around to show him the scar. It was deep enough to hurt someone and knock it out, and the sight was enough to see how it was still healing even through the years.

Izuku smiled, meeting the other’s eyes. “This one is different. I never said it to anyone, but when I woke up, I was bleeding here, and even if I tried, I couldn’t remember how I got it. I only remember being 14 and having headaches, I wish I could know why I was on the lake that day.”

Katsuki’s eyes went wide. “Did you say the lake ?”

The freckled man gave him curious eyes. “Yes…why are you looking at me that way ?”

Silence filled the room, and one sentence was enough to give them a pale face.

“Because I also got the same one. I was on the lake too.”

——

Something was odd. Casually, Izuku’s dreams were blurry, and it was impossible to imagine what his fake friend looked like, but something changed. 

That night, just like the scent, the freckled man went to sleep and started to close his eyes. The first thing he saw was the familiar scene of an unknown territory, full of darkness and lightly brightened by the fireflies around them. The two boys were playing together, and the time seemed to stop whenever the freckled man dreamed about his past life, almost like nostalgia controlled his thoughts. 

There was this slow and friendly atmosphere, like his current self was jealous of his younger self, at least the one imagined in his dream. The only thing he could feel was happiness and being just himself. No matter who this boy was, he seemed to accept him for who he was and not because of his name like the other people he could’ve met. Izuku tried to fight against his own will to stay asleep, to ask questions when he could, but he couldn’t change anything, not when this part belonged to the past.

For the first time in his life, the freckled man stood up and faced his dream. He had enough strength to raise his head and face the childhood friend of his plan, the one he had wanted to reach since the beginning. His heart missed a beat when he saw him, and he understood how familiar he was.

“Oi, are you alright? You look like you saw a ghost, deku.” The blond asked with a curious gaze.  

Izuku didn’t answer, too occupied by how his heart was beating faster, and he was trying to control his breathing. There was no way, how could he- and when? How could it be Katsuki when the two of them had only met months ago? How could’ve met each other and forgotten about their past? 

There was no doubt it was the same red ruby eyes, the same blond spiky hair, and the same curious face he faced every night. His childhood friend, the one he had kept dreaming about for years, was the same one he had met, he became friends again and fell in love. 

At this moment, everything made sense. It was logic, the small frame tanned with the years and the memories they tried to erase. The same memories brought him happiness and made him smile when he was sad. It was enough to give him a sense to keep going, knowing that somewhere else, someone was waiting for him, waiting for him to recover and find each other again. The memories might be erased, but their feelings were strong enough to stay with the years and increased with their meeting. 

It was the same Katsuki he met in the mirror that day, who commented on his face, and he learned to enjoy who he was. How could he forget someone so important to him? Someone who stayed by his side when he was young and scared when he was happy and mumbling during hours? When the same person was the reason for his happiness and his pain by his presence in his life?  No matter what happened or how time separated them, Izuku kept contemplating the frame of his childhood friend. He knew why this place seemed so familiar, why he felt this instant connection with the blond when their eyes met, or even how their lives were connected without knowing why.

 Now Izuku remembered; he remembered their friendship, their complicity moment, how the blond defended him, and the story of the scar on his chest. He knew what happened that day, why All might and the man Aizawa were here, and how that day turned into a tragedy and separated them until they met again. He remembers this happiness filling his chest and heart and how he was himself by the other’s side. The freckled man remembered how the ghost he had tried to chase his entire life was, in reality, the one he cared about because it was Katsuki Bakugo. Katsuki Bakugo was Kacchan, Kachan was his first and best friend, and Katsuki Bakugo was the one he reached the entire time without realizing it. 

“Kacchan,” He said, looking at the tiny version of the blond still looking at him curiously. “Why can’t we remember all of this ?”

Izuku was suddenly awake, unable to sleep, and with heavy breath. His scarred hands were shaking, his face was pale, and his green eyes teary. Fate decided otherwise because the freckled man opened his eyes before hearing the answer he needed, the one he had reached the entire time. 

His body moved on its own, reaching the mirror. At that moment, it was like getting the person you care about without knowing if the story would have a happy ending. His hands touched the gift he cherished more than his own life, and he could protect more than his own life. His scarred hands keep hitting the glasses, calling for the blond but having no answer. Why wasn’t this working? Why does fate decide to separate them? Why was Izuku the only one to remember? 

No matter how hard he tried to call the blond, Izuku was the only one awake that night. He spent the entire night tearing up, wishing to do something, to understand how they ended that way. That night for the first time in his life, Izuku slept with a heartbroken face, holding his pillow as if they were the only thing he could have to hold on to the hard reality. That night for the first time, Izuku closed his eyes, calling the blond by his nickname and dreaming about the rame of his past, with no blur and only the mixed feelings fighting in his chest.

—--

Katsuki noticed something was wrong with the freckled man. Izuku, who was usually smiling and waiting for their meeting, was silent the entire time. It was like something happened in the previous nights, something too hard to put into words, and the blond became worried.

“Hey, freckles.”He called him, but there was no answer. The only thing he could have was the heartbreaking sight of the nerd holding his pillow and hiding. “Izuku.”

Izuku finally revealed himself, with teary red eyes and bags under his eyes. On the first night, it seemed that the nerd didn’t sleep for a few days, and his body was exhaled. Something woke in the blond’s chest, an old feeling hidden in the dark for years, and he never thought he could feel it again. The only time he felt this was in his dream. How it was way too realistic, yet it was the same thing he was feeling now.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” The blond whispered, trying to hide his worry, but Izuku knew him better. “What happened, nerd ?”

Izuku said nothing, wiping his eyes and smiling. Something felt wrong, it wasn’t the causal and happy smile the nerd used. He could read into him like an open book, but knowing he couldn’t do something to help his friend was worse. The only thing Katsuki could do was watch the man he cared about suffering in silence from afar. 

“Katsuki.” Even saying his name was painful. It wasn’t the same thing as the nickname. This one sounds more painful. 

Since he discovered the truth, eve thing was messed up, he refused to leave his room, and people were worried about him. Even Ochako, who knew the entire story, couldn’t help him, she stayed by his side and watched her friend lose the light of hope he had in his eyes. It didn’t feel right to talk to him when it wasn’t him, it wasn’t the same Katsuki he used to smile and laugh with, not when their memories were taken away. 

“Izuku.” The other answered, this one with a low tone. He didn’t even try to his worries as he could feel how something was going on, something he wanted to know. At this point, everything was messing up in his mind, and his only goal was to help the freckled man, but communication wasn’t his thing. 

The atmosphere became awkward as minutes passed, and even the low attempt to reach the mirror was weak. Izuku insisted that it was better that way but knew he had to explain it. He had to watch his world. He couldn’t let his feeling talk because it was a truth the blond needed to discover by himself, even if it took years. Izuku was ready to take the risk. 

“Something happened nights ago?” He confessed, making his fake smile,” something I never imagined, and I don’t know how to deal with.”

“IIs it about your parents? Round Cheeks? You know you can tell me anything.”

Izuku laughed. “And it’s a problem. If I tell you everything I know, you would think I’m crazy, and it’s better that way.”

Katsuki sighed. “I hope you know I’m here if you need anything, nerd. I’ll never judge you or whatever your stupid overthinking makes you think. We’re both in this mess, and we’ll get out of here together.”

The freckled man glanced at the other, taking his time to see how much he had grown up since childhood. It was still blurred for him, but now it was making sense. The same red ruby eyes looked at him with a worried gaze, the same hands reaching his to comfort his friend or even the same messy blond hair. It wasn’t a surprise if Izuku fell for him a second time, and he could fall for him in a lifetime, even if this meant forgetting about each other. 

“I wish you could remember, ” he whispered in a low voice. It was hard enough, and usually, talking with him made him feel better. 

----

Days seemed to be endless. 

Izuku didn’t know how or even why he still had this odd feeling in his stomach, which he thought he’d never have again. It was the same one he had when All Might and Aizawa separated years ago.

Inko started to get worried, wondering what had happened, but her son was only quiet about each question. It was always the same thing, the night that used to be filled with joy was now a forgotten memory. Katsuki watched the freckled man losing the light in his eyes each night, with the same tears and begs under his eyes he saw that day. 

Ochako knew something was wrong. She never saw her friend like that, and knowing Izuku, it must be something important. That’s why she decided to do the research by herself. Even if it took time, she needed to find the truth. 

Finding a hidden truth was more complex than she expected, especially with the limited information she could find and the public registers. The woman spent her days searching in the library, asking people if they knew something about the lake accident, and facing doubting gaze. Her instinct knew it was something bigger than she thought.

“Sorry, I hope I don’t bother you,” Ochako said, knocking on All Might’s door. “I have a few questions to ask.”

“Of course, you know you can ask me anything.” All might nod, “Is this about Young Midoriya? He seemed lost recently.”

“I agree, and I think you have the answers I need.” The woman sighed, looking straight into his eyes. “I’ll be clear, what happened that night ?”

“Which night ?”

“The one where you found him in the lake when he was 14.”

Silence filled the room. All Might’s face turned blank, his eyes went wide at the question, and the woman could see how he knew something about it in one glance.

“You already know everything.” He answered, “Young Midoriya was gone, and we were all worried for him, we found him near the lack unconscious.”

“Why should he be here in the first place ?” She asked. “It doesn’t make sense. Deku-kun would never go in a place like that alone, he must have been looking for something….or someone.”

All might avoided her gaze. She had a point.

“I don’t see what you mean, you know how young Midoriya is…always exploring the world for his curiosity. It would’ve explained how he found this lost place.” 

Ochako said nothing, it was a part of the plan to fall for this fake story. She needed to watch her words and not talk about the dreams, at least not yet.

“But every time I ask him why he seems to say it’s something important to him. It shouldn’t be the case if he only went here once….”

“Listen, I know this situation is stressful enough for him, and you’re a great friend to care about him. It’s something you shouldn’t ask, it belongs to the past, and we can’t change that.” All Might added, putting his hands on her shoulders, “It’s like the prophecy, it’s done, and no one could change what the prophet said.

The woman glanced curiously at him. “The prophecy? Why would Deku-kun be implied in this ?“

All Might’s face went pale, he realized his mistakes and started to change the topic, but the woman always insisted.

“Because he’s the son of Inko and Hisahi Midoriya. Like you, everyone has his prophecy once he gives his first breath.”  

“Oh,” The woman said, playing the innocent “And where could I find mine ?”

All Might sighed, “The only way to find it is to look for the place that matters the most to you, it should feel like a deja vu. Don’t ask me how or even why, but it’s already too late, and I said too much bye!”

Ochako watched the older man close the door faster than he opened it, hearing how he was mumbling. 

“Bullshit,” she sighed. “My parents always said I never had one, and I already tried, idiot.”

They how she left the place with new hope and clues to find the things this world was trying to hide.

——

It’s been weeks now, and Izuku’s state worsened. At first, he used to glance and nod to the blond questions, but now he was looking away into his room. It was like he was a ghost of himself with the sale sentence “I wish you could remember.” and “I’m sorry.”.

Now the freckled man was acting alone in his room and blocked in the same nightmare. Katsuki hated it, he hated to see the man he loved suffer in silence and be unable to do anything.

“Izuku,” he whispered, “I don’t know what happened to you, or even if you’re ignoring me for something I did, but if it’s the case, I’m sorry.”

Izuku didn’t answer, holding the same plushie for weeks. 

“I want to help you. I hate seeing you destroy yourself, and I don’t know.” The blond’s voice was shaking, but he succeeded in having eye contact with the green emerald eyes. “Where is the Izuku, I know? The stubborn one who keeps mumbling until no hours, the one who loves to share about his days, the one to…Shit, talk to me, please.”

Izuku knew he shouldn’t act that way, it was making things worst, but it was the only way. What would be Katsuki’s reaction when he knows the truth? Would he be disappointed because it’s just Izuku and not the fantastic friend he used to have in his dream? 

“Kacc-Katsuki.” The freckled man answered in a low voice, glancing at the worried red eyes. “The Izuku, you know, died that day.”

“Which day ?” There was this stressed and shaking tone in the blond’s voice. He wanted to ask many questions, but hearing Izuku’s voice was already enough.

“The day when this happened,” Izuku answered, ruffling the scar behind his neck. He hoped it would be enough to change something in the other’s amnesia, it could be a great start.

Silence filled the room, the dead silence soon replaced the previous atmosphere.

“I keep having these dreams.” Katsuki said with a nostalgic tone, “The same one where I hang out with this boy in the lake. We were both innocent and happy by the smallest thing the other could offer. Recently, it became less blurry.”

Izuku’s eyes found him, there was a sad tone, and he listened to each of his words.

“It’s like…” the blond made a bitter laugh. “It’s like something wanted me to remember all this like an unsolved problem where I’m still looking for my missing piece. Crazy, right ?”

“And….And how is it different from the other time ?” Izuku’s small voice asked, catching the other’s smirk.

“I can hear his voice, see a part of his face my mind doesn’t want me to forget." He sighed. “I feel like…this person might be more than just a friend. It’s strange to feel that way about someone you see in your dream.”

Izuku started to move, his heart beating faster as the light in his eyes slowly returned to life. There was still a chance.

“This boy in your dream, how is he ?”

Katsuki looks at him with curious eyes. He remembered when the freckled man was initially interested in his dream, yet he had never asked this question in the past. 

“He was...smaller than me.” He answered, “He was always smiling and laughing at stupid things I was doing, always saying how he was grateful to have someone like me as a friend…even if I don’t understand why.”

“What do you mean ?”

“We were young and dumb. I might have hurt him a few times, but we protected each other all the time, even after a fight.” He confessed, feeling the green eyes on his, “I can’t understand why someone could be happy to have a friend like me. I’m not the type of friend who has the same values as him. For some reason, I feel like we were completing each other.”

“You shouldn’t say that,” Izuku speaks, moving toward the mirror to face the blond. 

It was strange to talk with him again, but I needed to hear it. He let his scarred hands slip into the mirror for the first time and break the boundaries. Katsuki’s eyes widen at the sight of the familiar hands coming his way, but he lets the other do. 

With the fear of rejection, Izuku started to cup the blond’s cheeks, giving him the first touch they both had. It was strange for both of them, feeling the other’s warmth for the first time in his life, feeling how real it was.

“I’m sure this child was lucky to have you by his side.” Izuku smiled, feeling Katsuki’s skin on his hands as the blond let him cup his cheeks into a tender touch. “No matter who he was or where he is, you’ll find him. Trust me, he’ll thank you with his way.”

Katsuki ignored how his heart was beating faster at the other’s touch. He could only focus on Izuku’s scarred hands and how he wanted to keep them for himself. The strangest thing was how this had never happened in the past, it was the first time the blond felt that connection with someone, even if they were worlds away from each other.

“Tch, you’re saying this like you were the one I dream about, nerd.” He answered, taking the smaller hands in his and noticing the freckled man blushed at the sudden touch.

“I might not be the one in your dream, but a part of me is jealous about how you had the luck to know this boy better than you know me.” Izuku knew he was talking about himself, his younger self, to be precise, but he didn’t care. He was jealous of his younger self, the one who had everything, and saw his life fade after the amnesia. “I’m sure this boy cares about you, especially with how you describe him…you must care a lot about him.”

Katsuki smirked. “Warning, your jealous side is showing, freckles.“

Izuku ignored the blush on his cheeks, feeling how their hands held each other. None of them wanted to leave the other’s touch, but they knew they shared the same thing: The impression of a deja vu.

Now the freckled man knew the truth and how connected they were, this impression comforted him, knowing he wasn’t hoping for anything.

“Me, jealous? I’m not jealous.” Yes, he was.

That night, something changed and leading to non-return consequences.

—-

No, there was no way.

The woman has been reading these lines repeatedly, but it doesn’t make any sense, yet it was the same names on the paper. She could read the report endlessly, those words won’t change. 

“On a summer night, the two souls would meet each other for the first time. Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo would reach the boundaries of the time and lead the world to a no-return point. People have tried to warn them, hide the truth, or change the story, but the past can’t be undone. Two young boys would meet in a lost place, somewhere important to them, and would be the only thing that could reconnect their souls together, the only way to reframe the past and forgotten memories.” 

Ochako turned the page, and her eyes went wide.

“But warning, even if the two soulmates would meet again in another circumstance , this meeting needed to be avoided . This single meeting would bring the world down, including the gods trying to make the human world better and the poor innocent souls.”

The woman stepped back, trying to understand what does this mean. The words were explicit, it was clearly saying how Izuku and Katsuki’s meeting, no matter the time and the circumstance, would lead to the world's end, the same world the gods created decades ago to protect humans and let them live in peace. Without thinking, she took the book and left the library. She knew where to go and didn’t need to waste time. 

Once she reached the familiar place, her eyes met Inko’s. 

“Uraraka, how are you? Are you alright ?” She asked worriedly, but the woman nodded in answer.

“Yes, I’m fine. Do you know if Deku-kun is here? There’s something important I need to tell him.”

“Of course, he’s in his room. Is this about the gift ?”

“Yes, this one.” The brunette nodded, not knowing what Inko was talking about. It was her only way to reach this place and lead the truth to her friend. It was a question of time before she knocked on the freckled man’s room. “Deku-kun, please open the door. Listen, I found something about you know what, I think you should read it.”

In the following seconds, the door opened. It showed an exhausted Izuku with fewer bags under his eyes and messy green hair, he seemed different, but it was questioned she would ask later. 

“Alright, come in.”

—--

The woman sat in the bed, her hands on her forehead as she glanced around the room. Finally, her eyes found the mirror, and she took a deep breath, knowing it would be complicated to hear.

“Listen…I found something, and I think you should read it yourself.” Izuku’s eyes glanced curiously at him. “It’s about your dream and strange connection with Katsuki Bakugo.”

“Let me see this.” He answered, not wasting time and reading the noted page where the prophecy was written. The woman waited to see a reaction, at least a frown face, but instead, she saw a neutral look. It was insane for her, and the freckled reacted like he was reading a casual book.

“Oh” was the only thing he could say. 

“Oh? That’s all you could say ?!” She said with a loud tone, too astonished. 

Izuku didn’t answer. What was he supposed to say? How he knew everything, and he lied to her? It would be too direct but yet, the best thing to do. Don’t get him wrong, reading all of this and how his and Katsuki’s life was on the line was odd. The craziest thing was how their life and future were guessed since they shared their first breath, how the story was already written for them.

But reading this…reading how Katsuki was his soulmate was unexpected. He ignores the thoughts of what their life could’ve been if they weren’t separated that day. Would they still be friends? Have a better and closer relationship? Reach the step and be more than friends? It was a question the freckled man could never ask. The only thing that mattered was how he had a second chance to save them and their future, but it had a price… something he was ready to sacrifice.

“Indeed, I already knew all of this….” He sighed, facing the surprised face of his friend. “It happened months ago when I had this dream…this frame of my past. I remember too well when the blur became clear, and I recognized those eyes. Uraraka, I could see the boy’s face, my childhood friend….and it was Kacchan’s one.”

“Excuse me ?” She faced him and hit his shoulder, hearing a slight pain noise. “And you never tell me anything about that? How dare you ?” It took her a few seconds, but she connected the dots. With the prophecy, the words were written about the two of them and how their memories were only framed…it only means one thing. She had never experienced anything like that, she could never know what the freckled man could feel and the pain after learning that the man she’d been talking with for months was her forgiven childhood friend.

“You were the only one to remember.”

Izuku nodded and glanced at the mirror with a sigh. “Exactly. You have no idea how hard it was to pretend to be fine, to see your childhood friend ask you if you’re fine every night, and not be able. You have no idea how often I wanted to scream, to yell to the world how unfair it was, and he needed to remember….”

“But there’s a way.” She cut him, noticing the tears in his eyes. It was the first time he could have the answers to his question, the first time in years. It was still new to him, and too much pressure on his shoulder. “It said how you two should meet at the same place where everything started…you should go back to the lake.”

“I can’t !” the freckled answered with a sad tone. “You read the same thing as me. As much as I want to meet him…I just can’t. The lines said it would lead to the world's end, and I can’t risk innocent life.”

“Izuku Midoriya.” The woman sighed, putting her hand on his shoulder and meeting his surprised green eyes. “You’re dumb. You’re dumb because you always let the other’s happiness. First, you even forget about how you should have your happiness too. I have enough of seeing you suffering, crying, and wondering when it’ll be your turn because it’s your only chance to reach the thing you wanted the most.”

“Not when it means being the one who brings the world down !” Izuku yelled back, stepping back and holding the pillow on his knees, just like a child who got punished. “I truly want this ending, I know I deserve it too, but…it’s too hard. Don’t get me wrong, learning that Kacchan is my soulmate makes me happy, and I still don’t understand why...Why all of this happened, and why erasing our memories ?”

Ochako sighed. He was right, they needed to solve this mystery first, and how they even forgot about each other in the first place. Until now, it was only theories, but reading them loud seemed unreal, like there was something else.

“This doesn’t make any sense…there’s only one way to do it, and it’s-”

Their eyes met, and time stopped. It was like they knew what the other was thinking. With Izuku’s pale face and wide eyes, he knew, just like her.

“To hide the truth.” He finished.

Silence filled the room, and the freckled man made a bitter laugh. 

“Of course, they would do that. I was naive to think they truly cared about me and my happiness when it was only to save the world. I still remember how all might, my parents and everyone around, kept saying I was unconscious that day, but they knew everything…since the beginning.” 

Ochako noticed how the freckled man’s eyes became teary. She was still shocked to see that it wasn’t something from her imagination. It seemed so crazy that two families could help each other to hurt their children, their only heir. The same parents raised them with love and safety, the only ones Izuku and Katsuki could trust. 

“All Might knocked me out, making me unconscious, and the last thing I rendered about this moment was hearing Kacchan begging them to bring me back and how he was about to make them regret it. The entire time they were lying to me…I can’t believe I was stupid.”

“You’re not stupid.” The woman said, “You’re just a victim of their system. I’m not one to know how you feel and even how you should heal, but I know one thing. I know you and how hard it is to learn everything now, but this doesn’t mean you can’t be happy. You should think about what you want the most, what feels right, and if you’re ready to give up everything you’ve been through with Katsuki, including the fact that you’ll always stay a hidden memory to him.”

The freckled man looks away. He couldn’t answer, at least not when he was lost with himself and his choice. It was between his happiness and the world's future, being egoist or humble.

“How I’m supposed to know if I’m making the right choice ?” 

“I don’t know.” The woman answered. She needed to be honest, even if it was hard to hear. “I don’t know what you’re supposed to do, no one knows except you. You can take your time, think about every scenario and things that could’ve happened in you two weren’t separated…but this never changes the luck you have today.”

Izuku glanced at her and made a bitter laugh, wiping his tears. “Luck? You call this luck ?”

“Don’t cut me, dumbass. I wasn’t finished!” The woman rolled her eyes, hitting his shoulder. “The luck you have to still meet him, even after what happened. Fate could’ve decided otherwise and made sure never to reach each other’s paths again. The prophet could’ve written more about your future, but he didn’t, and you know why ?”

The freckled said nothing.

“Even if the story was already written, it could be changed.” She smiled. “By erasing your memories, your parents changed everything, thinking they were right and safe. No one could know what would happen if you decided to think for yourself first. If you two met again, this unexpected gift was meant for a reason.”

“How can you be so sure ?” He whispered with a low tone. His friend was correct, there could be another way to end this story, never to know Katsuki’s existence or stay his entire life with the idea that he was living someone else life. Now he had all the answers to his questions…why was it so hard to accept?

“I’m not sure, especially in that case, but I know it’s a way to see the situation. Your parents did a bad thing, and it’s your choice or not to forgive them but don’t forget you also have your right to speak, you can change the story too.”

Silence filled the room. It was enough to know how words didn’t need to be shared in situations like this. Ochako could try her best, but in the end, Izuku would be the only one to make a choice.

“That night…” his voice cut the dead silence. “That night, we weren’t alone. It was always blurry until now because I didn’t have enough answers, but I know now.”

“What happened…before you woke up here ?” She asked curiously.

Izuku sighed, putting his hands on his forehead and glancing at the mirror. “Kacchan and I spent a lot of time in this place. It was the only place we were both sage, especially because he was with me. Suddenly he heard a noise and protected me from the stranger.” He could feel the same hate he felt that day, even years later. “All might start to talk about how we shouldn’t be here. Another man followed him.”

The woman said nothing, listening to her friend’s story and seeing his face become sad.

“- I tried to fight, but it was too late when I did. I barely had time to check on kacchan before forgetting everything and…you know the rest of the story.”

“It’s unfair.” She said, holding her fist. “How dare them? You were just children at that time !”

“Don’t get me wrong, I know how unforgettable their choice was. That day, I thought my mentor betrayed me, but I was wrong…I was betrayed by the one I cared about the most. My own parents."

The woman never saw her friend in that state. His green eyes stopped being teary, only to be filled with anger during his storytelling. He was holding his fists, feeling how unfair and selfish they were. 

Izuku trusted them. 

He trusted his parents more than anything, he loved his mother because she always wanted the best for her son, and it was his first mistake. By making this choice, she took away the last chance to truly help her son by taking away his happiness, even if it meant having no regrets. 

About his father, it was something else. Since childhood, Hisahi kept saying how he would be proud to be his son and how taking care of Izuku’s wellbeing was nothing more than just a bother to him. The freckled man was even surprised to think he cared about him one day, or maybe it was for his reputation and his lands.

“The only thing I can say is to trust yourself.” Ochako answered, “The rest of the story belongs to you.”

—-

Katsuki ignored his friends talking in the background. They were always saying the same shit, and he was more occupied by something else.

Indeed, the blond kept thinking about that night. It was unexpected and yet, still familiar. The way the scarred hands hesitated before cupping his cheeks, the tender gaze on Izuku’s face, or even how he was slowly coming back to life. It was something he never thought he would see again, seeing the light in these green emerald eyes and how his chest was melting at sight.

“- and that’s how, hey are you listening, Katsuki ?” The red-haired man asked, glancing at him with curious eyes.

“No.” The blond answered, “I don’t see why I should listen to you when I have something better to do.”

“Such as finding the boy in your dream,” Mina commented and faced the death glare of her friend in answer. “Come on, you know we’re here to listen to your story and how things go with….what was his name? I forgot.”

“Izuku.” Katsuki sighed, “His name is Izuku Midoriya, and it’s the only thing you need to know about him.”

Mina shared a glance with the others. The group noticed how their friend’s behavior changed after meeting this unknown boy. They were also here to hear about their story and how the stranger slowly became someone important to him. No matter who he was, how the two of them met under strange circumstances, seeing the blond happy made them happy.

“Blasty…you know you can’t lie to us. Not when we know you better than you know yourself.”

“Mina’s right! You’ve been acting strange for a few days. Are you two okay ?” Sero asked curiously.

“I don’t know, it’s complicated.” The blond sighed, he should tell them the entire story and how being away from Izuku was hurting his chest for some reasons he couldn’t understand. He hated how the freckled man looked at him with a gaze he couldn’t read, it almost felt like nostalgia.

“Wait? I thought you two were good. How could you mess up, kacchan ?” 

Katsuki frowned. “How often did I say to stop calling me that, Pikachu? Are you deaf ?”

“Alright…I never understood why you never wanted me to call you that way. It’s just a nickname.” Denki sighed.

“It’s not just a nickname, it’s something more. Something I keep for the right person.”

“Ohhhh,” The group gasped, teasing the blond by their side. “Bakugo is a romantic, who could’ve guessed?”

“Shut the fuck up.” He shied a middle finger in answer. “I’m not. It’s just…I keep saving this for the right moment with the right person.”

Kirishima moved closer and hit his shoulder. “And this person could be called Izuku ?”

Katsuki ignored the blush on his cheeks. Indeed, it was complicated to deal with his feelings, not when he was struggling between his need to find the boy in his dream and how Izuku was here as his friend.

“Joke aside, did you find anything new about the boy in your dream? It’s not common, it’s the least we can say.” 

“No, nothing new.” The blond frowned. 

If, at first, he hated the idea of reaching unsolved questions due to this odd dream…now it was the only thing he wanted to do: answers. He kept looking for the one he needed to know because his instinct told him it wasn’t just “answers.” It was more than that.

“I tried, I tried every night, but the only thing I can see is how familiar it felt. It’s always the same thing, both of us talking like children enjoying being away from their parents, the place I couldn’t name but bring me nostalgia every time I think about it.” He sighed. “The only clue I can have about him is his voice, the way he called me by this stupid nickname…but it’s also the only thing I can cherish and hold on to."

“Do you…do you have any ideas about what he looks like ?” Kirishima asked, noticing how his friend’s face turned into something sadder.

“The only clue I have is the freckles on his cheeks. It’s the same ones as the nerd has.” 

The confession made the group tilt. They knew everything, or at least what the blond wanted to say, but it was a strange coincidence. The question was with asking.

“Did you ever thought about how it could be the boy you met? Izuku? I mean, it’s an odd coincidence.” Mina said.

“It crossed my mind, Raccoon eyes.” The blond sighed, glancing at the mirror in his room. 

He never understood why he had this gift in the first place, no one had ever sent him in his life, and it was the first time. The expeditor was anonymous, which made things even stranger, yet this mirror had something mesmerizing. 

“But there’s no way it could be him. I mean, why wouldn’t I remember him if I already let the nerd?” 

“It’s a good question, but did you ever question yourself about why he seemed so familiar ?” Sero glanced at his friend, knowing it was something he feared to face.

Katsuki said nothing. 

Of course, he asked himself this question many times, but he hated how he never had the answer. It was like he was close to finding the truth, but something or someone stopped him. 

This lead to the main question: What does he feel about Izuku? It was a mystery to him, a problem to solve and an answer to find, especially for his unsolved questions. His entire life, or at least the ones he remembers, the blond tries to find the answer to the origin of this constant pain in his chest. It was the same one that kept reminding him how he didn’t have this place in this world, at least not until he was clear about these dream things. 

At first, he thought it was just a few dreams, nothing more essential than an imaginary thing. It was just a thing children had during their youth that would fade with time, but when it stayed longer…it seemed odd. None of his friends ever had this type of thing, not even once, and yet, the blond had been living it since he was 14. He only remembers waking up with a massive scar on his head and how he went to the lake, but why? Katsuki knew himself better than anyone, and if he went to this place, it was for a reason he couldn’t find it. 

So he let those dreams fill his night, letting his chest feel this pain and happiness like it was yesterday…only to find how the reality gave him a strange feeling. He hated all of this, the knowledge of having something special and a quest he needed to complete, but the blond was the only one to search for the answer.

Until Izuku came in his life.

Indeed, Katsuki was scared to make any move on him, not the first time. He remembered when he had the mirror, facing another place in another timeline where a stupid man with green eyes and freckled cheeks was sleeping. Katsuki was scared. First, he didn’t even know him, so why should he bother? He let time pass, facing the same stranger sleeping and thinking it would be stupid to give him attention, especially when he was the only one to know this odd thing. 

The time made him realize how maybe looking at the freckled man sleeping could help him. He didn’t even know his name or where he came from, but the first thing that caught his mind was how pretty he was. The blond remembered that day when he glanced at the gift by mistake and saw him. For some reason, his heart missed a beat, and he had a deja vu, but it was stupid, right?

The blond decided to break this endless circle that night when he saw the man he admired from afar glancing at the mirror for the first time. That night, everything changed, and both souls connected again, even if time tore them apart.

Katsuki wasn’t someone able to talk or even express his feelings. The only people able to see this vulnerable side of him were his friends, soon joined by the freckled man. It was strange to see how everything seemed so easy with him, how it was easy to lose himself in those green eyes and listen to a stranger mumble for hours until the sun rose. 

He learned more about him, his hobbies, his interest, and especially how he wasn’t the only one. That night, Izuku confessed to his framed dream, and the blond knew something was up. His first instinct told him it wasn’t a coincidence, they were meant to be. 

When the freckled man said, “Haven’t we met before ?” His chest melted, and a sudden nostalgia reached his face. Why? He didn’t have any answer because the only he could do was nod and say how he felt the same.

“I know something is up.” The blond sighed, facing his friend's worried look. “Not about me but about me, about us. We can’t live in similar situations. There’s this thing every time I look into his eyes…as if I already met him before.”

Silence filled the room. None of them saw Katsuki in that state, especially if someone. The only thing they could be sure of was how this boy was important to him, not because they were his friends and heard about his story, but because they could read into his eyes. Katsuki was sincere.

“You should ask him if he has more clues, you can help each other and maybe find answers in the most unexpected moments.” Mina smiled, noticing a wave of sadness on the blond’s face.

“I already did, and I’m not sure if I can now. The last weeks it’s like something happened to him, something he refused to say.” He confesses, “And there’s this strange feeling in my chest as if I wanted to bring the world down for a man I just let a few months ago.”

“This only means one thing, blondie…but you won’t like it,” Mina confessed.

“At this point, you can say whatever you want, I’m not even surprised about this situation.” 

They all shared a glance because they knew what was happening, or at least why their friend was feeling that way. It surprised them to see how Katsuki didn’t figure it out yet.

“Katsuki…you’re in love with him.”

The blond said nothing. What could he answer? It was something he guessed since the freckled man was distant. It was something a friend shouldn’t feel, not with his jealousy when the nerd was talking about someone else closer to him, not when the blond had the feeling of seeing a part of his soul leaving him when Izuku was refusing to speak to him.

It was clear, and to be fair, the blond didn’t know when he started to fall for him. It must probably be before their meeting, being just strangers and watching him from afar. Izuku said he wouldn’t forget someone like him if he knew how Katsuki fell first when all the signs were right before him.

It was hard to deal with. The first days were complicated, thinking he didn’t deserve any right, that he didn’t know him enough, but it took time. It took time to accept how it was alright, how it wasn’t just about him having stupid mesmerizing eyes and chubby cheeks but also because he was a fantastic person. He wanted to be the one by his side, the shoulder to cry on and share the most hidden insecurities. 

“I know.” He smiled, probably for the first time in a few days. “It knew it since the first.”

Mina shared a glance with Kirishima, Sero and Denki said nothing, but they knew.  

“Why shouldn’t I give you a chance ?” 

“What do you mean ?”

“Why don’t you give yourself a chance to be happy for once,” Kirishima said, putting his hands on the blond’s shoulder. “You should think about yourself for once, put this distorted dream away, and take the chance to look at what you have your front of you.”

“And What do I have in front of me, shitty head ?” He rolled his eyes.

“A chance to live.” He stepped back, joining the group and letting the blind face his reflection in the mirror. “Think about it.”

“What if it’s not mutual ?” The blond asked lowly, as if the answers would disappoint him.

“You don’t know until you try. Give him a chance, Kats. It’ll be fine.” Mina smiled, knowing these words would help him. 

——

It’s been a few days since the freckled man didn’t have any news about Katsuki. He was worried, he even tried to reach him a few times before facing his reflection. His chest hurt at the idea that his childhood friend was avoiding him, but another part saw this as an occasion to see if things become evident for him. 

This led him to the current moment when he couldn’t think about anything except his last conversation with Ochako. 

The woman was right, he should think about himself first, and it started with confronting the one who betrayed him: his parents and All might. 

That’s why he decided to reach a step, expressing himself for the first time and facing his mentor. It was still unfair how this situation ended, and his mentor, his model, would be ready to sacrifice him. With a deep breath, his scarred hands knocked on the door, only to hear a familiar voice answering a few seconds later.

“’ coming ” All Might’s eyes found the green emerald one. “Midoriya Shonen, what a surprise. What are you doing here ?”

“I wanted to talk about something, can I ?” He asked with a smile, knowing he had to be natural. He couldn’t break his character, at least not yet.

“Of course, you can.” The older man nodded.

Izuku thanked him before facing the familiar desk. He remembered when he was younger, he came here as a teenager, curious about the world and wanting to discover more about what was expected of him. 

“What is it about ?” His mentor asked with a curious tone, sitting on his chair. “If it’s about the training, we could find another day. You already made enough progress, and your parents must be proud.”

“Indeed, it’s not about my training.” He confessed, his eyes darkened. “Did you hear about the latest news? How a prophecy was hidden from the world and concerned my family.”

All Might’s eyes went wide. He tried to stay calm, but he knew his student, he needed to calm him down before he learned the truth. 

“I don’t see what you mean, there must be a mistake. Since when do you care about prophecy ?” 

Izuku laughed bitterly at him. “Since the moment I knew it concerned me and my fate. Now you better tell me everything you know because It’s over.”

The older man said nothing. He was shaking because how was it supposed to be? Why or even how his student discovered the hidden truth they tried to keep all this team? He needed to stay in his character, even if this mean let Izuku think he was crazy.

“You must be mistaken. There’s nothing with you or your fate, I don’t know where you hear this, but you better further it. It’s for the best, Midoriya shonen ?” He said, and Izuku’s sudden. 

“Are you fucking serious ?” The freckled man holds his scarred hands in a fist. “If you don’t know anything, then…I could ask kacchan. Maybe he knows something or- wait, I can’t because he doesn’t remember anything about me.”

“How do you know this name ?” All Might’s face became paler. “You’re not supposed to.”

Izuku raised his voice, laughing bitterly at him. “You have no regrets, right? Taking away our childhood lets us think we were just lost in this place when you were hurting us in the first place. How dare you even betray me in the first place? I trusted you."

“Midoriya Shonen, you need to calm down.” The older man said, his tone getting louder as he faced the freckled man. 

“What are you going to do? Knocked me out again and gave me another scar? Letting me think I’m crazy? Or way worse…making me forget about kacchan’s existence again ?” Izuku said, not controlling himself anymore. What was he supposed to do? Stay calm and let his mentor play with his feelings. Have you manipulated him again? It won’t happen twice. 

“You’re not supposed to remember anything. We made sure of it.”

A sudden anger rise in his chest, almost like all the hate he got that day at the lake could be finally expressed years later.

“Stop with this bullshit. Aren’t you ashamed? You were supposed to protect me, just like my parents did, and you fucking betrayed me. I trusted you. You took him away from me when I was a child, but it’s over.” Izuku gave him a cold glare, spiting his venom into his words. “You think I would never know about what the prophet said? Let me quote, " This single meeting would bring the world down, including the gods trying to make the human world a better place and the poor innocent souls.” ”

All Might glance at him. The naive and dreaming boy he used to train was now replaced by a man full of hate. From that angle, he could see small and hidden tears in the corner of his eyes.

“You can’t understand. It was the least we could do! It was our only choice. It was you or the world.” The older man tried to justify his actions but knew it was unforgettable. He felt guilty the last years about seeing the teenager growing up and admiring him, knowing the truth would be too hard to hear. 

Izuku frowned. How could he? How could he look in the mirror and live as if nothing happened, like he didn’t take away a part of his student’s life? 

“So you choose the world.” He laughed bitterly. “I never mattered in the story, but even once. All you ever wanted was your ego and to keep your power, to make me think I was naive and just dreaming when I talked to you about my past. You can’t control me anymore, I’m not the naive and stupid teenager I was, the one who trusted you.”

“It was a sacrifice we needed to make, you’ll understand and take this solution if you were us.”

“How? How would I even think about wanting to take away my children’s happiness just because I’m scared? Contrary to you, I always let them be my priority, even if I’m their mentor or parent. I care about them, clearly something you never did with me.”

“I cared about you. I knew the consequences, but it was the only thing to do. We thought it was over, and once you forget everything about this boy, you’ll fall in love again with someone new.” All Might tried to defend himself, but it was useless. He couldn’t fight against someone like Izuku.

“You were right on one thing.” The freckled man smirked, seeing how fear he could read into his mentor’s eyes. “I fell in love again, but it’s not with the person you think.”

“Then with who ?” He asked curiously, trying to take the sudden news.

“With the same boy, you’ve tried to keep me away. Your plan could’ve worked in another universe, but it’s too late.” Izuku said, giving a last glance to his mentor. "I made my choice and chose myself first, even if this means making a sacrifice. You should know what it means. You did the same thing years ago.”

The freckled man couldn’t wait for another second to listen to the bullshit. The other was shaking. He ignores the tears falling down his cheeks. How would they? All this time, they broke him apart and manipulated him like a puppet. This time it was over, the old Izuku they knew was gone, and it was a no-return point.

—-

“Izuku !” He heard his parent’s voices behind the door. 

It surprised him how the news spread faster, a few hours later, Izuku was facing his old mentor and telling the things he had always wanted to say. It didn’t take him too long to return to his room and close himself. He didn’t want to meet anyone and wanted to be alone.

“Open this door, son,” Hisahi said, trying to break it, but a dead silence only followed it. “You better explain what happened with your mentor.”

“Izuku, sweetie.” Inko tried to speak, thinking she could make things without violence. She knew how her son used to be more vulnerable around her, she was the person he trusted the most, and everything would be fine.

“How many times do I have to tell you ?” The freckled man shouted. “Why do you care about me suddenly? It wouldn’t be a surprise if you were faking it again.”

“Take that back, son.” His father’s voice raised. “We need to talk.”

Izuku sighed. He left his bed and walked through the door, only to open it and face his parents. His father's eyes were full of hate, while his mother's was full of tears and worries. They seemed to know what had happened, and it was time for revelations.

“What are you talking about? You know we cared about you, sweetheart.” She said, only to see how the boy stepped back.

“Of course, you would care enough about me to hide the truth. Do you want to talk? Alright, we will, but talk about the prophecy first.”

Inko and Hisahi shared a glance. It was enough to know how they knew, they didn’t need words because the thing they feared the most was in front of them. They tried to hide it and keep this secret hidden, but seeing the hate in the green emerald eyes made them face reality, and they failed.

“How…How do you know ?” Hisahi asked with a low tone, not recognizing his son. “You shouldn’t know about that or remember anything.”

Izuku laughed bitterly. “Everyone keeps saying the same thing, it was so important to you? To break my trust and make me think I was at fault? Well done, you did, but it’s over. I’m not the same child you used to have, I have had enough of being controlled by everyone around me.”

Inko’s eyes were teary. She knew that day would happen, and it was the thing she feared the most. Since her son’s birth, she wanted to give him everything he needed to be happy, no matter if it was asking for some sacrifice. Unfortunately, in her quest, she faced the worst thing a mother could feel: regrets. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

Izuku looks at her with teary eyes. “You should’ve said this after erasing my memories. You had everything you wanted, a perfect son, and you thought I would never know anything ?" 

Silence filled the room, at this point, everyone could hear the freckled man’s loud voice. None of them dared to act, knowing it was something they should face the 3 of them.

“Did you think about what I could feel? How taking me away from the only friend I had was the best thing to do when you were egoistic the entire time ?” The freckled man asked with a dark gaze, “You lied to me. I will never forget the betrayal, especially your mom…I thought you wanted my happiness.”

“I still did. I’m trying to fight every day to live with this regret, The regret of making a mistake that day and taking you away from the person you care about.” Inko tried to speak, but finding words was complicated when his mouth refused to talk.

“What if my happiness was with kacchan ?” He asked, facing their wide eyes. “What if my happiness wasn’t in money, power, or ego but simply being next to the person I love? Did you think about that ?”

“We are your parents, and we know what’s best for you, Izuku.” Hisahi tried to calm him, but it was impossible, not when his son was against them. 

“No, you don’t know, and that’s the problem.” His green eyes gave a cold glance to his father. Hisahi was trying to control his fist, calling himself but still raising his voice. His gaze was enough to see how angry he was. “When were you going to reveal the prophecy ?"

Inko sighed, putting their hands on her son’s shoulder. “When you’re older. We thought it would be better to learn it once you understand the situation more maturely.”

Izuku stepped back. “Excuse me? How often do I remind you how I’m 20 and not 14? You always saw me as a little child unable to make decisions alone. It would be easier for your plan.”

“It was to take the right choice-”

“Wich right choice? The one you planned did me since my birth? The one you wanted because it could reassure you.” Izuku laughed bitterly, realizing how messed up they were. They lied to him the entire time, and yet, they never gave up.

“It’s not about you, son.” His father answered, raising his voice. “It’s about humanity and their fate. We can’t let our feelings come with the decisions we’re taking every day.”

“It’s easy for you, you and mom found each other, and everything is suddenly fine. But, did you ever wonder who was the boy who saved me that day at the lake ?”

Hisahi has a curious glance at his wife. He remembered when Inko told him about the accident, and they both talked about how they should thank this boy if they found him.

Izuku smirked, “Kacchan saved me at the lake. He was my first friend, the only one with who I felt safe and my first love. You took it away, just like the “happiness” you wanted to give me. The only thing I can see in your eyes are lies.”

Inko said nothing. She always said she was thankful for the boy who saved her son, but she would’ve never guessed it was the same boy who would bring the world down. Don’t get her wrong, she was glad to see how Izuku was still alive, but if it meant facing this hateful gaze, it was the price to pay for their lies.

“You want us to thank him? Too bad because we’ll do anything to stop this prophecy, feelings or not.” Hisahi moved closer, ignoring his wife’s words to stop. “So listen to me, don’t ever think about this boy again. If I hear this name in my house again, I’ll make sure to erase your memories again, my son or not.”

Izuku laughed at him. If his younger self were watching him, he would be surprised to see how he wasn’t scared of Hisahi. Today, the freckled man would stand against his father and give him the same hateful gaze. 

“Try it, then. Nothing can stop me, and you feared it.” He spilled his words just like venom, making his father angry. “It’s my turn to change the story, prophecy or not, this won’t stop me from reaching Kacchan.”

“Izuku, please, think about it. There must be another way !” The woman said between her sobs, “We can still talk and-”

“Talk about what? Another lie, too bad I already took my choice.” He glanced at them before closing the door. “I’m leaving tomorrow. I won’t hesitate to hurt the people on my way, whether you’re my parents or not.”

The only thing Izuku could hear behind the door was his mother’s sob, followed by Hisahi telling her how they’ll find a solution. The reality slapped his face when he listened to his father’s voice explaining how they needed to get rid of the mirror.

Izuku had no time to waste, and it started now.

—-

The fight between Izuku and his parents was the newest gossip in a few hours. People would say how the freckled man made a scene about the sudden truth, some would say he was making a crisis for nothing and it was for his safety, while others would take his defense and say he made the right choice.

If everyone heard the freckled man’s words, none dared to look at him. He would feel bad causally, thinking he was wrong, but the previous Izuku naive about everything faded away that day. 

He already knew what he was supposed to do. It was a question of time before the mirror. His only way to communicate with the blond would be gone. His last hope was Katsuki, it was now or never.

“Katsuki.” He called, but the only thing he could face was the reflection of himself. He tried many times, but there was always a dead silence, and he didn’t know if there was a chance to save himself, to keep them.

After a few long and endless minutes, he was about to give up before hearing a familiar voice behind him. His face turned into a smile when his eyes met the red ruby one. His heart missed a beat when he noticed how the blond seemed exhausted, almost like he didn’t eat for a few days.

“I’m here, freckles.” He answered, glancing at him. There was something strange in the green eyes, awe mixed with fear. The blond realized it’d been days since their last interaction and how much he missed him. Yet, it wasn’t his priority.

“You look like shit, what happened ?”

Izuku smiled, wiping his tears away. It was style one he kept for himself the entire time, all this time of being manipulated and used was finally over. He could have his happiness, too, even if this means having a no-return point.

“Just a fight with my parents, nothing important.” 

The blond didn’t believe him but said nothing. He had so many questions to ask, and he could only focus on how the nerd constantly glanced at his door.

“Listen, I don’t know how much time I have, but there’s something I want to say,” Izuku confessed, ignoring the blush on his cheeks. It'd be fast if he needed to act, and Katsuki deserved to know.

“I need to say something too.” The blond added, noticing the curious eyes on him. “It’s…it’s important.”

Izuku’s missed a beat at the sight of a vulnerable and shy Katsuki. He was still the same, having difficulties expressing his feelings, but when he was doing it…he meant them.

“Kacc-Katsuki, I would love to hear them. I don’t know when my parents would come, but they planned to break the mirror.”

“What the”

“Yes, I’ll explain everything later. Meet me at the lake first.” 

The blond said nothing, realizing the freckled man was more than serious.“The lake? You mean the lake… the same one we used to talk about ?” He asked with a low voice. It’s been a while since they talked about their dream, but they didn’t mention his location.

“Yes, and be quick.” The other said, jumping when he heard a noise coming into his room.

“Why ?”

“It’s a life or death situation,” Izuku said before giving him a last glance. “See you there. I promise I’ll explain everything, trust me, kacchan.”

It was the last thing the blond heard before hearing background noises. His sudden danger sense activated themselves, and without thinking, he took his bags and moved away.

No matter the situation and its importance, he had no time to waste. It started by getting to the lake, even if he didn’t remember the way by heart, he still had the frame and could recognize the familiar landscape.

----

How much time has passed since he reached this place? Since he saw this lake with the fireflies around him, he lightened the comfortable atmosphere. It was strange to see how the business he had imagined his entire life was real and under his eyes. It was the same lake where the two boys would play with the water, wood where they would sit for hours and talk until the night came down. 

He had the impression of returning to the past for a few seconds. It started when his feet reached the first vegetation that grew up with time but never took away the beauty of this place.

It was too early to see the freckled man, but he knew he could trust him. Izuku and he were about to meet each other for the time without a glass separating them this time. This time would be accurate, all those months of effort and friendships would be worth it. At this moment, all his memories of his conversation with his friends came back into his mind, including their last one. Katsuki would laugh at himself for taking so much time and thinking the nerd would wait on him when he lost himself in his illusion.

Katsuki couldn’t help but be stressed. How would it happen? What would be the nerd’s reaction? Would he be disappointed? There were too many questions reaching his mind at the current moment. It was something he had always waited, wished for, and was the perfect place for a love confession. He prepared himself for rejection, even if it was the worst case. It was a risk he was ready to take, especially if this meant reaching the freckled man. Nothing assured them that their meeting would be perfect, but it was a risk to know if their chemistry was still here.

It means something to them. It wasn’t any random lake but the same one they dreamed about, where their memories were connected. No matter how many times he feared their meeting, knowing he would never be enough or it would be a mistake, the blond had to admit it…it was the first time he felt alive since he was 14.

When his parents asked about his destination, he only said, “not your stuff.” They shouldn’t know, it was when he could test his limit, reach the impossible, and be alive. 

A sudden sound caught his attention. The blond immediately turned, only to face the familiar face. His heart missed a beat when he noticed a slight smile on the freckled man’s face, it was the same thing he used to see every night, but seeing it in real life was something else.

At this moment, the only thing he could think about was how it was happening. All his plans, the things he planned to say, faded as soon as Izuku’s figure reflected herself with the fireflies. He was smaller than him, and his green curls were messy, but the freckled man was breathtaking.

“Hi,” he smiled, putting his scarred hands on his curls. Izuku had many things to say, to scream and to yell, but he would instead stay here, facing the red eyes he used to adore from afar. They were still distant from each other, too scared to make the first move, but their gaze was enough.

Katsuki took his time mesmerizing each detail about the freckled man in front of him. He was even prettier in real life, how a sudden blush covered his chubby cheeks, and the green emerald eyes were looking at him like he was his everything. At this moment, it was like the time had stopped, and the time reunited the two souls, just like the first time, and let the story continue where it stopped.

If the blond had this impression of deja vu, Izuku couldn’t help but starts at the blond standing in front of him. How many times did he want to be here? To stand in this place and meet him again after so many years. His younger self would be so proud of him for speaking for himself and deciding his choice. If the current Izuku would say something to his younger self, it would probably be, “we did it.”Katsuki took a deep breath, his hands moving closer to the freckled man. His breath stopped when he noticed how close they were. They didn’t know who made the first move, but they faced each other in the next few seconds. 

It happened naturally. The strong hands found the freckled cheeks, cupping them into a familiar and tender gesture. Izuku let himself go, feeling the other’s warmth and his heart melting. Green emerald eyes couldn’t leave the red ruby one, being way too addictive to each other.

“Hi, freckles.” The blond answered. It was strange to see Izuku in person, with the number of nights he dreamed of meeting him. There was no fear in their eyes, only love and tenderness, maybe because of the heartwarming feeling in their chest.

The silence was filled with the sound of the fireflies flying around them. Izuku could see how much he missed this place, but also the person with who he was. He knew why he was here, had something to say, and won’t waste any seconds.

“How did you find this place ?” Izuku asked, his scarred hands finding the blonds.

“It happened neutrally.” He answered, facing the other’s smile. “I just followed my memory, before realizing it, I was here.” His heart missed a beat when his eyes found the injury on the freckled cheeks, he didn’t notice it before. “Shit, what happened to you ?”

Izuku stepped back when the other’s hands found the new injury. He almost forgot about it and was now facing a worried Katsuki.

“It’s nothing…before coming here, my father thought he was right by slapping me, this asshole.” He whispered. It was rare to hear the freckled man curse, but when he did it, it was for a good reason.

Katsuki’s face became worried, suddenly checking if it was still hurting. He was asking questions, and the gesture melted the other’s heart, especially how the blond truly cared about him. 

“I…I wanted to tell you something.” Izuku suddenly cut him, letting the curious red eyes. It was the moment he feared the most, but he needed to do it. It was the right moment.

“Luck on you, I wanted to say something too. So who’s a start, freckles ?” The blond smirked, facing the happy face of the freckled man by his side.

“I would love to hear what you want to say, but I would love to start. There’s a lot to explain, and I think I found the answers to your questions.” 

Katsuki nodded, following the freckled man to the wood. This gesture triggered his old memories, the same ones he had in his dream. At this moment, he realized that maybe his friends were right, maybe Izuku and the freckled boy in his dream were connected.

Izuku said nothing, glancing around him and admiring the place of his childhood. It was the right time and place I’d he wanted things to change, just like the prophecy said. Something was comforting in sitting next to the blond, who glanced at him with curious eyes.

“It’s about the boy in your dream.” He started, catching his attention. “I know who he is.”

“Really ?” The other frowned in surprise. Izuku laughed, putting his scarred hands on his neck. It would be a lot to handle, but how many times had he wanted to say those words loud since he recovered his memory? Too many times to count.

“He’s just standing next to you.” Was the only thing he could answer. He knew Katsuki was smart and could connect the dots. As expectedly had his answer in the next seconds when the red ruby eyes went wide with a pale face.

“What the-”

“I know it’s seemed crazy.” The freckled man smiled, taking the other’s hands into his own. “I never thought it was a coincidence if we lived the same dream and joking with me. I still caught feelings for you, even if we don’t know each other.”

Katsuki couldn’t focus on what the other was saying. It was too sudden, in a few minutes, he had to face a sudden revelation and a love confession ?! His heart beat faster, trying to focus On the other’s warmth, but he was too focused on how the green emerald eyes were teary.

“I…I didn’t know until a few months. I always knew something was strange, even since the first day we got this mirror. It happened one night, and suddenly the blurry face of the boy by my side was revealed, and it was you.” He laughed, feeling tears falling down his cheeks. “Somewhere else in know it was and would always be you, but the moment I realized it, it made sense."

“Why…why did you never say anything ?” Katsuki whispered in a low voice, trying to listen to each word of the man by his side.

“I was scared.” He confessed, "I was scared because I was the only one to remember. You were there, talking to me about a boy you never knew, and hearing all of this was painful. How many times have I wanted to tell you the truth? To say it wasn’t just a stranger, but it was me? So I let things go by themselves, hoping you’ll find the truth yourself…it was the best thing to do.”

Katsuki said nothing. So it was true? All of this was linked to him the entire time, and he was the only one to forget. He felt bad, bad for letting the man he loved suffer the whole time in silence. If only he knew, maybe he could’ve tried and helped him, taking his time to listen to him and their story.

“There’s something else you need to know,” Izuku said, taking a deep breath. The blond nodded, letting the other fill the silence while his scarred hands wiped his tears.

“It all started years ago, and if we met that day at the lake, it wasn’t a coincidence. We were meant to meet, and even if it’s seemed crazy, we’re…soulmates.” Izuku feared this moment. Maybe the blond refused to be his soulmate with time? Possibly Katsuki would be interested in someone else? “We weren’t even conscious about what happened, but it started with you saving me at the lake. It was written on the paper the entire time.”

“What do you mean ?”

“The prophet came one day and explained how two souls would meet, and this meeting would be the beginning of the end.” He explained, smiling while holding the blond’s hands tighter. “These two souls meant to be together, and being in the place where everything started could heal their broken fate. This prophecy scared them, so they made a deal to keep the two souls away from each other and acted as if nothing had happened…even if this meant hurting their children. Does it seems familiar to you?"

Katsuki said nothing. Without realizing it, his hands held the scarred one tighter. It was too sudden, and he tried his best to follow, but knowing Izuku and him were soulmates? It was a surprise. 

“Hurting their children? Does this mean…” he asked curiously, but a part of him knew the answer, just like the freckled man by his side.

“Erasing the other’s existence.” Izuku finished. He tried his best to stay calm even if releasing all of this loudly helped him. 

The red ruby eyes left his gaze, trying to figure things out. It was the answer to his questions, and it felt odd, wasn’t he supposed to be satisfied? What was bothering him? Maybe it was the sudden betrayal of his parents and how they reached this step to avoid this prophecy.

“Can you tell me more about the prophecy ?” He asked with a shaking voice, only to meet the caring green emerald eyes.

Izuku nodded. He started explaining the things he read and how they proceeded. He could see how the blond’s face turned pale at the sudden revelations, how everything made sense and the consequence of their meeting.

“Wait a minute-” he put his hands on his forehead, feeling a headache. “I need to take a break before-”

In the following seconds, his body found the floor, and how vision went black. The only thing he could feel was the sudden pain due to the scar on his head and the panicked voice of Izuku. He would hear how worried and terrified he was, he could feel how the scarred hands were holding his body and begging him to wake up.

It was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.

—-

“Kacchan,” a small voice said, looking at the lake and taking flowers. It was their hobby, and they always made bouquets for their parents as an appreciation gift for their love and support. 

“What, nerd ?” The other said, glancing curiously at the small freckled boy. It was a rare time when they could hang out , and no one would notice it.

“Do you think we will be friends forever ?” There was hesitation in his voice, almost like he was scared to ask this question. 

“Of course , we will, Deku !” Katsuki smirked, moving closer to his friend and ruffling his green curls. The small green emerald eyes glanced at him with awe.

“Really ?” He said with gaps before hugging him. “I’m so happy. Kacchan is my best friend !!”

The blond sighed before smiling, holding him closer. “Tch, whatever.”

——

“Kacchan, what’s wrong ?” Izuku asked with worry .

This time it was an older version of the freckled boy. The two sat closer to the river and glanced at each other. It might be years later because the two teenagers were now standing near the lake , and everything felt natural .

“Nothing.” The blond answered enough to reflect how he wanted to avoid this subject.

Recently he’s been dealing with his feelings and realized he was in love with his childhood friend, but of course, the nerd would never share the same feelings. No one would because he was destined to be someone great and an unforgettable legend…he couldn’t have time to love someone, even if he truly wanted.

“You know, I’m here if you want to talk.” Izuku smiled , but he tried his best to hide his worried. He knew how the blond was , and he needed comfort. “It’s alright if you want to keep it to yourself , but I won’t judge you , I would never.”

“I told you I’m fine, deku. Don’t you get it ?” His voice turned into an angry tone, facing the sad face of the freckled man by his side. 

“I get it.” He made a fake smile, hiding his pain. He made a mistake by talking to him about this subject, leaving a dead silence between them. “I should probably go."

Katsuki hated it. He hated to see Izuku hiding his tears and making this fake smile, mainly because /he/ was the reason for the nerd’s pain. The blond wished his feelings could fade away and have his friendship back.

——

“- and I told him how…kacchan are you listening ?” Curious green eyes meet him , watching the blond with a slight blush.

“I lost it when you started, which was a long time ago, freckles.” Katsuki teased him, ruffling the small green curls. He liked teasing Izuku , even if they were just 6, Katsuki wanted to be the one the nerd admired .

“That’s mean !!” The freckled boy whispered, hiding in his arms. “This means you didn’t listen to anything !”

Katsuki still teased him, watching his stupid but cute face tuning into something funny as the two of them were arguing. Izuku would say that he was a lousy friend for lying to him and he wasn’t his friend anymore. 

“Calm down, freckles.” The blond calmed the freckled boy, noticing the hidden tears in the green eyes. “I was kidding , you were talking about how you said to All Might how you were his biggest fan which is false , by the way.”

Izuku’s eyes widen at the previous words. He always knew Katsuki wasn’t the wrong person, and it was terrific to have someone like him by his side.

“Really ?” He asked curiously, coming closer to the blond. “Then who’s the biggest fan ?”

Katsuki smirked proudly. “Me.”

Izuku gasped, making the other laugh. “No! I am the biggest fan- you’re not-”

“You know I’m right , you should have someone else to admire, nerd.”

Izuku said nothing but smiled in answer. He made a sign to the blond to move closer and was shy. 

“You’re right.” He said before whispering to his friend’s ears. “Because I’m your biggest fan, kacchan.”

—-

“I’m getting married , ” Izuku said, breaking the awkward silence. It’s been months since their last fight , and the blond refused to say anything to the freckled man.

“What ?” Katsuki glanced at him with a surprised face. There was no way, he was too young , and if the nerd was getting engaged…it meant they would probably never see each other again.

“Well…I’m not technically getting married , but my parents talked about how I should think about finding someone.” The freckled man sighed. 

“Are..are you ready? Why you didn’t say anything ?” Katsuki asked curiously, ignoring the pain in his chest at the thought of Izuku ending up with someone else.

“No…but there’s something they didn’t know.” The freckled man confessed, this time with a smile. “I’m already in love with someone.”

Silence filled the place , and none dared to speak. Katsuki ignored how painful his chest was, knowing he would never have a chance with the freckled man , and it was too late. He had to admit it , he was stuck in his trap…now he had to let Izuku live and find his happiness on his own, even with someone elsE.

“Oh , “ he answered, not hiding the surprise in his tone. “And what does she looks like ?”

“Well…he’s the best person I’ve seen and let.” Izuku laughed, the blond didn’t know , and it would surprise him. “He’s important to me , and I’m afraid I was the first to fall for him. He’s inspiring, knows how to take care of me , and supports me in his way , I think I realized how I was in love the moment I saw his eyes shine.”

Katsuki was supposed...did he hear well? The nerd said , “he” ?! So this means it could be a chance, even if it is too late.

“I didn’t know you were Into guys.” The blond commented, smirking.

“I didn’t know it until I met him.” Izuku smiled. It was true, he realized it while growing up, and his feelings were getting harder to ignore.

“Cool.” The blond said , but he couldn’t hide the jealousy in his voice. Of course , he was jealous, the boy he loved was in love with someone else , and he missed his chance. Katsuki hated himself for being so naive and thinking he had time. “What’s he looks like ?”

Izuku smirked , it was fun to see Katsuki jealous of himself . “Do you want to know, kacchan ?”

“You’re right. It’s your personal life , and feel free to talk about this extra if you need.” The blond frowned, stepping back and ignoring the jealousy in his chest. Izuku was his first love , yet someone better than him took his chance…he was stupid.

“Oh….” Izuku answered until a dead silence filled the place.

“Tch, whatever.” The blond rolled his eyes, changing the topic.

——

A sudden light caught his attention, making him open his eyes slowly but surely. His body could not move, even if he tried to, as the forgotten memories returned to his mind. 

The only thing he could think was how it was real, how his doubts and suspension about the origin of this strange feeling in his chest became clear. Izuku was the key to his problem, the only one to make him feel that way.

Everything was blurry, and the blond could feel a headache. He groaned, putting his hands on his forehead before ruffling the scar behind his neck. It was bleeding, and it lost have been reopened in the sudden fall. 

“Kacchan”

He heard Izuku’s voice from afar. The bond opened his eyes, and he noticed how he was still in the lake, with the fireflies and the comforting atmosphere. His head still hurt, but the first thing he noticed was the worried green eyes.

“Kacchan? Thanks, you’re awake-” Izuku said, standing by his side. He looked like he cried, and his scar rends hands were checking if he was alright. “I thought you would never wake up, but- shit, you’re bleeding !!”

Katsuki groaned in answer, whispering a low “I’m fine,” but it wasn’t enough to convince the nerd by his side. 

“Answer me, how many fingers do I have ?” The freckled man asked worriedly and cut a part of his shirt to stop the bleeding behind the blond’s head. 

“Enough to make me a middle finger,” katsuki answered, noticing how the freckled man’s face softened at the answer. Izuku tried to catch his breath, comforting himself and helping the other to stand up.

“You need to rest.” He insisted, even if Katsuki kept saying he was fine. They both stayed a few minutes in their state, fighting each other to prove they were right to the other. Katsuki couldn’t help but notice how Izuku’s face was prettier than his memories. He could hear him mumbling for hours, and for the first time, he knew. He knew he had found the one. His feelings came back, and maybe this soulmate's story was true.

“I knew it..it was a bad idea to take you here. I could’ve put your life in danger, and we shouldn’t-”

The family's hands cut Izuku in his shoulders. His green eyes meet the red ruby one, and a soft smile appears on the blond’s face.

“Hey, deku, you never told me about who your lover was back in time. I want to know him now."

Silence filled the place. Without realizing it, Izuku’s vision became blurry, and he started to shake. His heart was beating faster, his scarred hands trying to hide how surprised he was, while his face went pale. It took him a few seconds to realize what the blond had said, especially how it sounded like a fever dream.

Indeed, since he learned the truth, Izuku always wondered how Katsuki would react. He could be mad, disappointed, or even disgusted, but no, it was the opposite. Instead of facing a surprised expression on his face, The tee ruby eyes looked at him as if he hadn’t seen him for years. 

It seemed like a fever dream, something the freckled man would create to comfort himself, but no, the familiar touch brought him back to reality. The blond’s hands cupped the freckled cheeks, now full of tears when Izuku could still not say anything. Don’t get him wrong, he was relieved to know this secret was over, and they both didn’t need to hide anymore…it was still crazy.

“Kacchan,” his voice whispered between his sobs. He didn’t know what to think, the only thing that mattered was that the man he loved was by his side. When the string hands cupped his cheeks more tenderly, the freckled man let himself go and melted at the sudden touch. “You…you remember everything ?”

Katsuki smiled, bringing the other closer in an embrace they used to do in their childhood. “Of course, how could I forget when my biggest fan is standing right before me ?”

Izuku couldn’t help but smile at his answer. In response, he puts his head in the blond’s chest, still putting his scarred hands behind his back. Katsuki could feel the nerd holding him like there was no tomorrow, so he hugged him back, tearing up. It was like the two smaller and younger versions of themselves finally met each other after so many years.

Time stopped around them, Izuku kept sobbing and asking if he was sure it wasn’t a dream when the other was ruffling his hair tenderly in answer. None dared to speak, feeling the other’s warmth was comforting, and they wanted to stay here forever.

“Deku,” Katsuki said, meeting the green and teary eyes. His hands wiped his tears away. “What happened ?”

Izuku didn’t need to be asked twice. He sighed, sitting next to the blond and wiping his last tears. “They erased our memory. They made sure not to have any souvenirs about the other, the things we lived and took us away. That’s the truth they’ve been trying to hide from us for years.”

“Wow..that’s fucked up.” 

Izuku laughed. “You couldn’t say better, kacchan.”

Katsuki ruffled the green curls, seeing how the green eyes looked at him with love and awe, just like the younger version of himself.

“I missed this stupid nickname, freckles.” He confessed, and Izuku didn’t even hide his blush.

“I missed hearing it too. I’m glad you’re back, kacchan.”

Katsuki smiled, pining the chubby cheeks and putting the more petite man closer. Izuku didn’t fight back, feeling his hands holding the blond’s neck tightly.

“I can’t believe my parents did that,” Katsuki confessed. “That night, Aizawa told me he was sorry and was against it, he had to follow orders…I wished I was strong enough to leave him and rush toward you.”

“It’s alright.” Izuku smiled, putting his hands in Katsuki’s and cupping his cheeks. He hated to see this sad and painful gaze on his face, especially when it was due to their last. “Look at me, it’s alright because I’m right here. I know how painful it was and how you might regret it, but I’m not mad at you…so you shouldn’t be too.”

Katsuki avoided his gaze. He knew Izuku was right, but still, he hated this regret in his chest. 

“I can’t. I can’t because I was close, I could’ve gone against the rule and kicked him if I wanted, but I couldn’t because I was afraid. Seeing you being unconscious and taken away were some of my nightmares after this accident…except this time I could know who was the boy in my dream I failed to protect.”

Izuku smiled, noticing how the blond was melting at the familiar hands in his cheeks. He could’ve used words, but Izuku decided to take action and take care of him.

“Kacchan…we were kids. We tried our best, and I should blame myself too. I failed to keep the promise I gave you years ago, but we’re here today.” His scarred hands intertwined with the blonds. “Still alive and recovering our memories.”

“It’ll never be enough, deku.”

“I know, and we’ll do our best, I promise, kacchan.” Izuku smiled, kissing the blond’s hands. “That day, you asked me who the boy was…well, it was you. I fell in love with you years ago and still do years later.”

Katsuki’s eyes went wide. His heart was beating faster, and he couldn’t speak…how many times did he think he wasn’t good enough for Izuku? How often does he blame himself for hurting the freckled man and letting him go, thinking he would be better with someone else? Too much to count. Every time his gaze fell into the green emerald eyes, they looked at him with this love and tender expression, something the blond wanted to keep for himself. After all, he knew him better than anyone, and the nerd should be the only one looking at him that way…not at another extra which wasn’t worth it.

“Are you kidding me ?” He said, trying to focus on the man beside him. It was shaken, and his mind tried to understand everything between the prophecy, the revelation, and their fate.

“I’m not! I fell in love with you and was scared to tell you anything. I thought you would reject me for liking, but you accepted and supported me. I was glad to have someone like you by my side, but I wanted to be more, even if we were just teenagers who wouldn’t know how to deal with their feelings and first love.” 

Katsuki glanced at him, noticing how the freckled man was trying to give his tears. With a soft gesture, the strong hands found the more petite and scarred ones and whipped them away from Izuku’s face. The freckled man’s eyes were finding their light of jupe, something that never changed since he recovered his memories and still loves to this day.

“Oi,” he cupped his cheeks, hearing how the other stopped breathing at the sudden touch. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, you can cry too. I missed all of you, even your crybaby tears, deku.”

Izuku’s face turned into something softer at the previous words. He was scared to face a disappointed Katsuki, someone who’ll reject him or even be distant, but it was the opposite. The taller man was taking his time to be here for him when Izuku wasn’t the one who was supposed to be hurt.

“After that day…I never knew where this feeling came from. The only memories I got from us were the dreams, and I was jealous of this boy.” He confessed. “In my dreams, he was always happy and seemed to have a good childhood, hanging out with his friend at this lake. He seemed happier than I’ll ever be, I was jealous of him because of that…because he had something I didn’t have: a part of his past.”

The wind slowly ruffled the green curls, revealing the teary eyes on Izuku’s face and the pain he was trying to hide. Katsuki couldn’t help but feel something painful in his chest, it was similar to what he felt that day when he avoided the nerd because he realized his feelings.

“With tears, I learned to accept it,” Izuku confessed, looking at the red ruby eyes for the first time. “I wasn’t jealous anymore, I was curious to know more about his story each night before falling asleep. I would never guess this boy I desperately sought was my younger self and my soulmate standing by my side. Crazy, right ?”

“This shit is insane.” The blond commented, hearing Izuku’s laugh. This sudden sound melted his heart, and he smiled. He moved closer, taking his time, not too afraid of the freckled man. “But I think I like where the story is going.”

Izuku took a curious glance at his words. His heart was mal thing at the soft sight of the blond looking at him like he was his everything. 

“What do you mean ?"

“I might have found all the answers to my questions and doubts because of you.” He confessed. “I never had any jealousy toward the boy in my dream, hanging out with his friends…I always considered it as a stupid recurring dream and nothing more. They only made sense after meeting you, and I started looking for answers in unknown places.”

Izuku said nothing. A part of him always wondered how the blond felt about that. He knew about Katsuki Bakugo, who left Izuku with a mirror, but he never knew anything about Kacchan, his childhood friend.

“Remembering all of this was sudden, and there are still things I didn’t understand. I’m sure I’ll learn more with time, and we will solve the missing piece together like we always did when we were younger.” Seeing the sudden blush, the blond’s hands put lost curls behind the freckled man’s ears. 

“I’m sorry if I didn’t reach you,” Izuku confessed. “I should’ve told you everything when I learned the truth instead of making you think about this stranger’s identity.”

“I should be the one to apologize for taking too long to notice the clues under my eyes." He whispered, noticing how Izuku’s face softened.

“I don’t blame you, it was still new, yet…Would you choose the younger version in your dream contrary to me?”

“What do you mean ?”

“You always had this light in your eyes when you talked about this boy in a dream by your side. I never wondered until I knew the truth, and I started to think that maybe I wasn’t good enough….” the freckled man confessed, feeling tears falling down his cheeks and wiping them away. “I was jealous of my younger self for many things, but I would’ve never guessed it would be for your love too.”

Katsuki’s face turned pale. Is that what the nerd felt the entire time? Did he live with this uncomfortable feeling of not being good enough for the blond’s love? It was-

“Bullshit,” Katsuki answered, meeting the green eyes. “How could you be jealous of yourself when you already have been one since the beginning ?”

To his words, the green eyes shined. It was like his younger version was standing next to the blond and was hearing the things he always needed.

“No matter if it’s the boy in my dream or the man standing next to me. You’re the same, and I would never have a preference, especially when you both look at me with these stupid shining eyes.” He ruffled his curls, bringing him closer. He knew he needed to say it and could understand the nerd’s worries.

“I came here for one thing, and I would’ve never expected you to be the one who beat me.” He confessed, feeling the freckled man’s head on his chest. “Feelings are complicated, it’s the least I can say. It has never been easy for anyone, especially someone like me, who was hiding away because he was scared of not being enough. I always doubted what I should feel around you before realizing how it was something natural.” He felt the scarred hands holding his back tightly. “I was young and afraid, afraid of not making you happy or not being the one for you. When we were brats, I would’ve never doubted how much I cared about you. Growing up made me realize I was more attached to you than I thought.”

“Kacchan”

“So I hide. It was the best I could do, I was hurting you, and you would never be happy with someone like me by your side. Even if I try, you would always find someone else, and I wouldn’t say anything…because it was your life on the line and your happiness.” Katsuki could feel tears falling down his cheeks, but he didn’t care. The only thing that mattered now was how Izuku held him like there was no tomorrow. “And then I heard about this guy. I knew it was too late for this guy you fell in love with. There was no reason to fight anymore because your heart was already taken by someone else, and I’d lost. You described him with so much love, passion, and affection that I was jealous of him. I wanted to be him so bad, and even changing my behavior would never be enough to win your heart back. I would’ve never guessed that you were talking about me.”

“Kacchan”

“Then the accident happened.” Katsuki made a bitter laugh. “I could never forget the fear and worry I got when I saw All Might taking you away. I felt so bad for not being able to save you, and I promised myself I would find you again. Unfortunately, the next morning, when my first thoughts were about reaching you…I realized I was chasing after a stranger who was important to me for no reason.”

The scarred hands held him tighter, and Izuku’s head found the blond’s heartbeat. He was alive, and he was by his side. He remembered it’ll be fine.

“Years later, I found myself having a stupid mirror that would change my life. I found myself looking at a stupid freckled man sleeping on his bed and noticing how pretty he was without being able to talk to him. That’s how I learned to know him that night, by breaking the glasses and knowing more about him and who he was.” One of his hands kept ruffling the green curls tenderly, and the other held his back, feeling how shaking he was. “Guess what? I fell in love with him as I did with the nerd years ago.”

Izuku’s heart missed a bit to the blond’s words. He was tearing up and wouldn’t hide it, he knew it would happen one day, and it seemed unreal. The freckled man felt familiar hands taking his chin, forcing him to meet his red, teary eyes. Oh…Izuku didn’t know Katsuki was crying too.

“Listen to me, it didn’t matter who I was facing. It could be my childhood friend or the stupid nerd I talked with for months…it’s still and will always be the same person who made me fall for you. As long as his name is Izuku Midoriya, he has freckles, chubby cheeks, and green emerald eyes, I would choose him over the world anytime.”

Izuku didn’t notice when he started sobbing. He only felt the familiar warmth on his cheeks, wiping his tears. His heart melted at each of the blond’s words, the way he was taking his time to comfort him and answer his questions. Izuku would never get tired of noticing new details on the other’s face…this time, Izuku knew he had made the right choice.

Katsuki’s hands cupped the cheeks tenderly, afraid of hurting him, and he noticed when the freckled man let him do. The way the small head was finding the familiar warmth, seeing hung for his comfort, and closing his eyes was the answer he needed. Katsuki has been looking for something or someone his entire life without realizing that the answers were closer than he expected.

The scarred hands answered to his touch, doing the same thing by wiping the blond’s tears and revealing a bright smile. At that moment, he knew, Katsuki knew he fell in love with Izuku all over again.

“Katsuki Bakugo,” he answered softly, “You know you shouldn’t torture yourself because you’re the one I’ll choose. It was, and it always been you.”

The answers were enough to comfort the blond. Without wasting time, Izuku’s scarred hands left his face, only to find his neck and bring him closer. Katsuki said nothing, letting the other do as he noticed how he enjoyed being around him, touching him, and feeling how it wasn’t a dream anymore. 

A sudden kiss followed the scarred hands around his neck. Izuku’s lips shut the blond’s down, breaking the boundaries and limits they have been installed since the beginning. The only thing that mattered at this moment was how they cared about each other.

Izuku was the first one to reach this step in their relationship, but Katsuki was the one who got addicted. He knew he couldn’t let the freckled mango, not now he saw him searching for his lips like it was the last thing on earth. To answer him, he puts his hands on the freckled man’s waist, hearing a surprised noise coming from his mouth in answer. 

“Kacchan” They broke their kiss, much to their disappointment, “You remember when I said that the boy in your dream would thank you with his way? Now he did.”

Katsuki smirked, noticing how they were red due to the last touch. The freckled man was expecting an answer, but it was a question of time before Katsuki kissed him again.

Izuku couldn’t help but smile, sitting in the blond’s lap as he let their lips meet. Their kiss was soft and tender, the kind of kiss every main character wishes they could have with their lover, for the first time, Izuku felt like the main character of his own story. 

The scarred hands held Katsuki closer, their lips searching for each other before finding the other and tasting him like there was no tomorrow. Izuku melted at the renewer warmth in his chest, how he wanted this so bad, and it was happening. Katsuki couldn’t help but smirk at how the two of them were closer, maybe he could have his happy ending too.

Izuku was the first to break their kiss, taking his breath and watching the red ruby eyes on him. He put his head on the blond’s shoulder, intertwining their hands. If their younger self were watching them, they would surely be jealous.

“And that’s my answer to your confession.” He chuckles, cupping the chubby cheeks and watching the other smile. “Hell was the journey, but it brought me heaven. I would’ve love to spend a lifetime with you, Izuku Midoriya.”

“You do realize what this means?” His voice was low. Even with the previous revelations and how they were both still emotional, many questions were still unsolved, one of which was about their fate. The realization hits them at the current moment, staying and confessing their love was only the start, but it wasn’t their life on the line…it was the question of the world’s fate.

Silence filled the comfortable atmosphere, making it awkward. The sound of the water moving behind them, the fireflies flying around them, and the light revealing the entry of this place, almost like It was calling for them. Izuku knew it was a hard choice, he had to finally speak for himself and make his voice for the first time in his life with no regrets, but it was a question of mutual trust. Would Katsuki be confident enough about his plan, the consequences of their actions, and the pressure on their shoulder? 

Izuku knew his final choice since the moment he ran to this place, it was something obvious to him. Now…the fate of the world was behind their hands and the following words of the blond.

Katsuki sighed. He has never been exposed to such an important decision, knowing it was between his desire and his pressure. It was the same pressure he had on his shoulder since he was young, since the accident, and how his parents made sure to give him the life he needed. It might be a part of the manipulative trick, making him stay only to play with his feelings and nostalgia. If he were younger, Katsuki would’ve stayed here and accepted his fate, but it was different…now he had something to hold on to and a story to live by himself with the man he loved by his side. 

This situation was more complex than it seemed. 

On one side, there was their family member and their friends. After their betrayal, Izuku’s relationship with his parents and the one he trusted with the pets deterred him to the nonreturn point. He knew that if he returned to his house, they’d try to make him forget everything again. The only problem was what would happen to Ochako. His only friend and how she didn’t ask for anything, especially not to face the consequences of his egoist choices. The woman comforted him with the idea that it was alright, that no matter his preference, he would live for himself first.

 It was different with Katsuki. The blond had just learned how his parents betrayed him, and this choice still hurt him. The main problem was how there were still his friends and their lives on the lines…contrary to him, none knew about their tragic fate. Katsuki was someone with a complex, and hopefully, his friends succeeded in helping him and give some of the most unforgettable memories. He will always cherish this day.

They never asked for this fate, but what was he supposed to do? What would they say if they were here and forced to make choices? Knowing them would probably be something linked with a stupid joke followed by severe advice. «Think about yourself, bro,» They would say, «Try to live for once,» they could add. If the blond doubted at first, the instincts told him how right he was, they weren’t strangers anymore, and he hated to think about how their lives were on his hands. 

From the other side, it wasn’t about them and their loved ones…it was about the fate and life of innocent people. None of them asked about that, they didn’t even know this world existed, and it’ll be a disaster. It was against Izuku’s values, he wanted to protect everyone and ensure they were safe…He would be the one who brings them down. Katsuki never thought about what this world could become in the future, his only worries were about the present and nothing more. Izuku seemed to envy the blond for his mindset because maybe he shouldn’t have this strange feeling in his chest.

“Yes, I know what this choice implied.” The blond answered, breaking the silence. He could feel how the green eyes were waiting for an answer that would change their life forever. In response, the string hands found the scarred one intertwining with Izuku’s. There was no doubt in his voice, his face, and how he looked at him. “I’m ready to take the risk, freckles. What about you?”

Izuku said nothing. The previous doubts came back, and he needed to remember why he was here in the first place, to find him, to explaining him the truth. Staying here would mean living with the idea that people lied and manipulated him toward their goals. Izuku’s opinion was never taken into consideration. It was their first mistake. Maybe considering him could change the entire story, and perhaps they’ll have him by his side…at that moment, the only one considering his choice was Katsuki. 

He sighed, taking a glance at the familiar place. It brings him many memories, smiles, and laughs he will never forget, but it was a part of this story…of their story. It wasn’t perfect, it started unexpectedly when a boy decided to save him from drawing. They didn’t know at this period, but this stranger and their meeting would change the story into their own. Two boys separated from each other, being away but still concocted by the strong fate of their souls, bringing them together to start something new. The novelty never scared them. It could be a great start, especially if it were thinking and taking itself into count for the first time. 

Maybe this life wasn’t for them, it was their time to rise for themself. Taking his voice should be difficult… then why does breathing seem easy? Almost like it was something they had known for years and could express for the first time. 

With one glance, the decision was made. Izuku’s hands intertwined tightly, noticing how anxiously the red eyes were waiting for an answer.

“It’s okay if it’s you.” Was the only thing he answered. The blond couldn’t help but smirk, bringing the more petite man closer to him with a laugh. It was the same laugh he used to have as a child, the same one with who Izuku fell in love. The freckled man hides in the other’s chest, holding him closer and laughing. 

Their younger self should be impressed by how things turned into another plot twist. The two boys planned for success and power, brought their dreams down and decided to choose love all over the world over the lies and the people crossing their roads. For some reason, they could feel how no matter the years and the timelines, they would choose each other over everything. Maybe it wasn’t just a one-time feeling but a lifetime story, the beginning of an endless cycle where their story could be replayed many times in different ages and settings, but still taking each other into account.

This time it was by Katsuki’s life-saving gesture, but who knows, maybe in another life, it would be the opposite, and Izuku would be the one talking to Katsuki first…even funnier, maybe they’ll not know each other at all, and it could be love at first sight. 

No one could plan what life reserved for us, but taking yourself into count was always the correct answer. It’s the lesson Izuku and Katsuki learned in this journey full of obstacles, and it was the lesson they wanted to share with people reasons for their story from afar.

“So,” Katsuki said, ruffling the green curls and facing the freckled man. “What are you planning to do now, freckles?”

Izuku sighed. Where can they go now? They’ll be researched after their meeting, and people will bring them down again. Crazy how they think they know the world around them but realize they don’t know anything. There were so many places to visit, to discover, and memories to share…this time, they’ll make sure to have no regrets.

“Anywhere you go, kacchan.” He answered, cupping the other’s cheeks and selling their lips together in a caring and tender kiss. It was different from the previous one, yet they couldn’t stay away from each other…One wonders how they both survived without each other during those years. “But my first request is to catch the lost time.”

Katsuki accepted it. He even started to answer him by reaching out his hands and glancing at the place. All his life, the blond wondered why this place could bring him such warm memories and feelings he couldn’t describe, only to face the one behind those. The craziest thing was how they searched for answers without seeing how the keys were under their eyes the entire time. 

They were each other’s missing pieces.

Izuku could feel the wind ruffle his face and reveal how the place they cherished would become a memory to the world but something unforgettable to them. The same place they tried to reach their entire life, the one at the origin of their meeting, their heartbreak, tears, and smile…the one that separated them only to be the object of covetousness.

“Are you ready, nerd ?” The familiar voice asked, taking him out of his thoughts and noticing the soft red ruby eyes glancing at him. These sights melted the other’s heart because inside him, he knew, Izuku had always been looking for him, even when they were out of reach.

Izuku nodded, smiling as his scarred hands found the blonds. Once they walk out of this place, the world they know as themselves will fall, leaving their two souls against a new world to build….with their own rules, where they can be themself.

“I’ve always been ready for this moment.” He answered, leaving where their story started, and the world ended. 

It was time to change the story.

- End -