Work Text:
In a small apartment isolated from all eyes, far from the central city despite the sounds of horns resounding in these walls as a familiar sound, stood a familiar face. The bright light passing through the curtains of the living room window would highlight the messy green curls, still disheveled from the day before.
The small shadow left his room earlier with a groan, wiping his eyes and observing how the sheets still stood out from others by the folds, showing restless sleep. It was one of these nights where dreams and old memories would mix, leading to nostalgia about a past life this vulnerable soul cherished.
The scent of the hot coffee coming out of the machine made its way to the hero’s nose, slightly forcing him to leave his thoughts for a few seconds and return to reality…
Izuku had never been a fan of coffee, but moving to this new country implied surviving new changes that became his habits over time. The one experience he had with coffee after his first mission ended up being his morning routine, despite the strong scent tricking his nose. His scarred hands unlocked his phone, only to see a few messages from his colleagues. Years ago, after graduation, Izuku Midoriya decided to take some air into an unknown state, with unknown landscapes he learned to discover through the years.
The city he admired at first became his everyday life. With time, the buildings he loved weren’t so majestic anymore, but he wasn’t complaining. Izuku felt safe in this small apartment, a few meters away from the agency where he was currently working. It was the first place he could find despite many visits. These white walls, which could bring a little pale to the place, were now decorated with frames reminding him of the life he had left behind. All those memories he promised to cherish would now reside inside his soul forever and warm his late night.
The wooden furniture came to settle strangely well with this modern atmosphere that emerged each piece, all unique with their own stories. Some would start with a shy smile, others with hope, and the saddest ones with bitter tears about broken promises.
Unfortunately, he had to start from zero with the economy he had made on his accounts while trying to manage his professional and personal life. He used to text and give updates to his mom, and sometimes to his friends but the distance became stronger and led them to never talk again.
Izuku Midoriya had always been the kind of man who cared a lot about his loved ones and stayed in touch with them. Unfortunately, taking behind a screen wouldn’t be enough to compensate for the real emptiness in his chest. It was a strange feeling he had welcomed against his will, denying its presence as long as he could, but he eventually gave up. The first time he started to tear up was two weeks after moving to this place and started with his new agency with strangers.
Don’t get him wrong, they were kind people who accepted how the "new", as they called it, would bring some hope to that part of the metropolis that was corrupted years ago. Izuku easily adapted to their habits and their personality, letting those worries become a part of his past. Indeed, he would stay friends with some of them, learning about each other’s stories, but nothing could compare to the people he had left behind with promises that would never see the light of day.
The naive man, who left UA that day and hoped to stay in touch with his classmates, ended up following them from afar. He was still in awe to see how his classmates reached their dream, and some of their names ended up being on everyone’s lips. Others took another path or their careers disappeared from the rankings a few years later without any news of what had become. The world had forgotten them as characters in a book, to make room for the new heroes who will survive until the end.
Some faces would be led into scandals, others seen with their new family they were trying to build and everyone kept walking into their path. It was how life works: in the end, you’re on your own from the beginning to the end.
The story you’re writing depends on you and the world will remember your presence by your actions. Some heroes would stay unknown because their fears consumed them, while others would be admired decades later for their bravery. If All Might was one of the most unforgettable legends in the world, Izuku Midoriya would be his shadow.
Indeed, he appeared in this town without the hope of being the next figure of peace, but he still had his small success. He was the new hero everyone admired, especially because he had this light in his eyes, but no one was seeing his flaws. None would face the salty tears falling down his cheeks after a failed fight, especially how his shadow would be melted with the dark clothes and cold grave of the people he couldn’t save.
During the darkest moment of his life, he ended up facing his worries alone and fighting his reflection. Izuku realized how he was alone the entire time….It wasn’t a reality he enjoyed, not anymore. He found himself regretting the past where he could return home and confess to his mom, talk to his friends after class, and train with his childhood friend.
Now, those gold days were over, replaced by the emptiness of this apartment. That night, he started to cry and fell asleep until his tears consumed his strength, forcing him to unconsciously be welcomed into this false dream.
The freckled man tried to change his mind, create new friends, and start fresh new relationships but nothing was working. The people he had beside him would never be his old lover and the one who still occupied his mind late at night when the stars would admire his misery. Their touch and kisses would never give the same chills Izuku had when his childhood friend was holding him close during rainy nights. Unfortunately for him, the blond was out of reach, and the freckled man couldn’t move on.
He decided to change his mind by putting the television as a background sound. It was summer and people were supposed to have fun, but instead, he would rather work on the paper stuff in his agency. Rest day or not, it would be the only thing able to change his mind with the new person he forged through this pain.
The sound of the channel he skipped passed like a set of songs that the hero had already heard multiple times. He had seen this scene more than once, with blurry eyes or bags due to his sleepless nights, too afraid to face his nightmares and find comfort in these static images.
A news channel had caught his attention with the presence of a young journalist, probably in her twenties, interviewing a new generation. The life lesson Izuku learned in this city was how, no matter how strong you are, you can be easily replaced overnight by someone new. The sign of hope “Deku” used to inspire faded away, and his name would escape some lips when he was making his patrols but it was an everyday fight.
Some heroes would be ready to sacrifice their own lives to stay in the legends, and the training could be more intense, depending on their motive. Izuku used to be one of them, before realizing how no one would be by his side when he woke up in the hospital.
From now on, the freckled man would work for himself, maybe slower than the others but he had a specific goal: One day, he’ll return to Japan with his loved ones and make them proud. It might be stupid and selfish, but the nostalgia in his soul would lead him to be better, not only for his past but also for his future self.
His scarred hands typed on his computer the last report of the mission he had: A villain who claimed to know the bank’s weakness but, as expected, it was only a staging to distract the “saviors” from his real motive. Despite having a hard time catching him, this mission was interesting enough to realize that it was time to train more. It took him by surprise, but Izuku’s bodies nearly gave up at the end of the fight, pretending to smile for the cameras, despite the unshared tears. The last weeks hadn’t been in his favor, facing the constant tiredness and letting himself go physically and mentally, but Izuku was surviving.
“- and we wish you the best! Thanks for listening and I have the pleasure of welcoming another guest who participated in this battle. The path from Japan might have been long but this name would probably remind you of someone because he’s the number one hero in Japan. It’s a pleasure to meet Dynamight in person !” The reporter said with a smile, hiding her excitement and staying professional. Her makeup was well done enough to cover the blush on her cheeks. Indeed, everyone who stood beside Katsuki Bakugo could explain how it was imposing to see someone with such charisma and confidence.
The sudden mention of the hero’s name caught Izuku’s attention, forcing him to cut off his paperwork to focus on the sight under his eyes. In this screen that sowed so far from him, stood the familiar shadow of his childhood friend…making his heart beat faster.
Nothing changed since the last time they talked with each other, except the fact that Katsuki had become older, with more muscles and the same stupid expression on his face. Izuku remembers how he used to be the author of his most iconic smirks, no matter if it was during their training or in their past relationship.
His emerald eyes widened, turned his computer off, and focused on the other’s voice echoing in his living room. Naturally, his fingers pressed the button of the sound to be sure that it wasn’t another one of his dreams.
Izuku had many questions reaching his mind, and the first one was…why? Why someone like Katsuki Bakugo would be in a country so far away from his house and his lands?
During a few seconds, the freckled man projected himself into his past, where the two childhood friends used to hang out together after school. The small boy would be mesmerized by the impressive presence of his neighbor who used to be his inspiration. It was a common truth for everyone, even if the wonder duo would be too blind to see it.
Their journey was complicated, full of unknowns and obstacles but they ended up healing the past wounds. The tears they shed in apologies would become the new “I love you” and the secret-exchanged smiles became his new reason to breathe. Falling in love with Katsuki was easier than breathing, welcoming the unforgettable love confession, still echoing in his mind to this day.
———
It was Izuku who made the first move, asking to meet his childhood friend after class.
He remembers this day like yesterday: his heart beating so fast that he could leave his chest, and scarred shaking hands. He remembers taking his old habits of mumbling, losing himself in his speech, before being stopped by callous hands on his chin.
The sight that followed ended up being something breathtaking: he couldn’t take his eyes away from the orange light of the sky mowed with the causal yellow, welcoming the sunset and the wind ruffling their faces. None dared to speak, losing into each other’s eyes and familiar hands cupping the freckled cheeks.
“If it’s a dream don’t wake me up,” Izuku whispered, the words leaving his lips without realizing.
His jade eyes were shining, meeting the blond’s heart and falling for the gentle touch. It might be the first time his childhood friend was this delicate with him. This scene escaped from a fever dream, giving him a direct path to heaven.
How could Izuku forget the moment when their lips met, fading into something tender but messy? It was their first, and it couldn’t be perfect for the other’s eyes, but for them, it was all they wanted.
The freckled man authorized himself to close his eyes, letting this warmth fill his chest and accepting how they could potentially have their happy ending. How many nights did he dream about this moment? Too long to count.
The only thing that mattered was how Katsuki’s hands were gently caressing his cheeks, highlighted by the previous blush, crimson. The burning and addicting crimson eyes decided to lose themself in this welcoming forest that represents the jade iris. It was similar to an unplanned trip, where the blond would be guided by his instinct and admire each detail of this mesmerizing landscape.
“Is that answer enough for you and answers your questions, nerd ?” His voice echoed like a melody to the freckled man’s ears, controlling his blush. Don’t get him wrong, he had been freaking out about potentially facing rejection, but it surprised him when he decided to take the opportunity to describe his feelings in words.
The only reaction Izuku had overwhelmed by this happiness spreading in his chest, was to immediately hide himself in the blond’s chest, trying to cover how embarrassed he was. If it was this easy… maybe he should’ve confessed earlier instead of letting some of his insecurities win.
“Does…Does this mean you like me ?” Izuku asked with a delicate tone, murmuring in the other’s clothes. A soft chuckle escaped from the blond’s lips, an answer the freckled man was ready to accept, if the strong hands caressing his back weren’t already here.
“Liking someone isn’t enough to describe the strength and intensity of their emotions…that’s why I would rather say love.” The words sounded so clean and smooth when they were escaping his lips, almost like they were made for Izuku the entire time. “Loving you is easier than breathing and I’ll cherish it if it's your request, freckles.”
Izuku only answered with a tight grip on the blond’s shirt. This was enough to make as the sun was about to fall, letting the night welcome this new love story. Tonight, for the first time in years, the two shadows agreed to return to their dorms together, knowing tomorrow would be full of hope.
———
It would be considered as something stupid but the freckled man was nostalgic about how love used to feel like freedom. The darkest moments would be welcomed by his lover’s arms, believing the tender words, and temporary promises they made to each other. This sensation they couldn’t name for years was now rising in their chest and comforted their souls for the best…even in the most vulnerable doubts.
Izuku remembers how, a few weeks before graduation, he announced to everyone how he would leave the country. This was a complete shock, and some promises were made but the most impacted person was Katsuki. After all, this romance was temporary, and this future they built themselves would fall apart.
It was obvious for the wonder duo to project themselves together, but fate decided otherwise. This revelation forced them to stay distant for a long time, leaving Izuku without an answer and Katsuki hurt by this sudden betrayal.
These feelings being stronger than any goals to accomplish had led the couple to distance themselves. When the exams were getting closer, it was time to end this debate that was not taking place…and for the first time, Katsuki was the one who had spoken. That night, he had confided that he wished only for the happiness of the boyfriend, but none of them would know if their relationship could survive with the distance and the time.
“I love you more than anything, and I think we’re both aware of this fact but I don’t want us to get hurt.” He confessed, observing how the emerald eyes glanced curiously at him. “You’ll live on the other side of the world, and I’m afraid I’ll become a part of your past, like this town and the people you met.”
“Kacchan…” Izuku whispered with a sad smile, his hands cupping the blond’s cheeks. “I’m grateful for everything you’ve done until now and I would never consider you as a ghost of my past…not when half of my soul belongs to you.”
It was a truth the two men knew, making it obvious to the world surrounding them but this proximity would be hard to deal with. There was only one way to end things…but formulating them into words during vulnerable moments like this one would be useless. Each thing will come in time, and for the moment, they will enjoy their last weeks together until the freckled man’s departure.
“I don’t know what will happen to us, but I can assure you I’ll leave a part of me in this town, in case you need comfort when I’m gone,” Izuku assured, holding his boyfriend closer, almost like he was trying to reassure himself.
He hated the idea of leaving the love of his life behind, but he couldn’t refuse an offer like this one. All Might made sure the agency on the other side of the world would be interested in his student case, and they did! Unfortunately, this career choice had consequences on his personal life.
“No amount of calls and casual texts would solve this emptiness in our chest, but I’ll be there for you. We’ll try to survive as long as possible because I don’t want to lose the amazing boyfriend you are and childhood friend who meant a lot to me.”
It was the last words Izuku whispered to Katsuki before sleeping that night. The next morning, the couple ended up waking up beside each other’s presence, and holding the other until unexplained tears fell down their cheeks. It would be the same tears Izuku welcomed with a kiss before leaving the airport. His scarred hands held the blond’s shirt tightly, sobbing into his shoulders and promising how it’d be fine.
Katsuki Bakugo had never been an emotional person, but that day, he promised he would always wait for “a nerd like you”. With this comment, Izuku’s shadow left the airport…and this sight had been haunting the taller man for the first months, no matter how hard they tried to keep their promise with the casual texts and calls.
Unfortunately, it caught them by surprise but the distance took over their relationship. These calls to annoying shifts were replaced by nights of complete sleep, and the absence of regular messages. None of them had the strength to say it was over, knowing how it would break the last form of the bond they had together, but they knew it.
Since that day, the freckled man had been following his childhood friend’s journey from afar, wishing things would return to what they used to be. It would happen, from time to time, to send a message before deleting the content, thinking that maybe the blond moved on.
Not everyone was a nostalgic person like him, drawn into the “What Ifs”. Indeed, some strangers would be stranger than Izuku could ever be by trying to change their fates, even if this meant erasing the souls who used to be ours.
A slight smile appeared on his face, remembering the old time. Years later, the man he left back in Japan didn’t change and the flame in his chest started to awaken again. Izuku never thought he would feel it again, but the intensity of this past love he left behind returned to his origin… and his eyes were captivated by the breathtaking figure under his eyes.
Katsuki was still annoyed by the questions from the reporter, but something was different in his gaze when the woman asked the reason for his sudden arrival in an isolated town like theirs.
“If I may, it’s quite unusual to see a big name like yours lost with the others of this city. There might be a reason behind this sudden choice, and as you described earlier, you decided to take some air from Japan. Would you mind explaining to us what happened here ?”
Katsuki gave an unimpressed gaze to the smaller woman standing next to him. He could feel the sun burning his face and wish this hell was done already. He hated interviews since graduation, and the personal meaning behind each of their questions, even the smallest and most innocent ones.
“You already know the entire story,” he pointed out annoyed. “I’ve been dealing with the same landscapes and shit since my youngest age, and I’m easily getting annoyed by the things I already have. I’m constantly looking for something or someone new, hiding in the unknown.”
Something has awoken in Izuku’s chest. He felt the sudden rise of red coloring his cheeks, trying to not jump to conclusions because there was no reason the blond was talking about him…right? It’s been years and they have moved on, or supposedly if the freckled man believed the latest drama and cheating affair about his childhood friend.
“How can you get bored in a huge country like Japan where everyone is teaching someone new every day? Don’t get me wrong, I understand your logic, but why did you choose this specific place? There must be a reason.” The woman asked with a curious tone, noticing how the taller man’s gaze softened. She might have reached the perfect question, and it would be the perfect opportunity to finish the interview with an unreleased new one.
“Some people already figured out their life at this age, while I’m still chasing after a ghost of my past. The world might see me as a sign of hope but this is only a facade of what I am…a stranger lost in his feelings and trying to find a return to his past at the source. Does it make me a selfish person if the reason for my presence here is based on nostalgia and a name that all these lips have already pronounced in the past?”
This time an awkward silence appeared on the ground, forcing the journalist to look at the cameraman to see if it was time to pass the ground. None realized how the previous revelations dropped by the taller man were about to change their lives most abruptly.
With a slight nod from behind, the woman understood the message and left a last word for the person targeted by the hero who had attracted the attention of people until now.
“Does it make us selfish to reach someone important to us? We’ll never know but I hope you’ll find this person. Thanks for according to us your time and welcome to our town, Dynamight.”
Katsuki nodded, the camera recording each of his shadows leaving the corner of the street with the other journalists asking a bunch of personal and shitty questions. If the television switched the topic as soon as possible like nothing happened, things would be different from the other side.
Izuku’s face turned pale, hearing a loud sound when the remote control fell to the ground, leaving Izuku in his thoughts. His heart was about to leave his chest, wondering if the words he previously heard were the result of his desperate attempts to comfort himself in his misery.
There was no way Katsuki Bakugo revealed to the entire world how he came here for someone like… him. There might be another explanation, another lover he needed to reach, or an old friend that wasn’t him.
However, no matter how rational the freckled man tried to be, nothing would erase this slight sign of hope in his chest. It had been years since someone made him feel that way, with an urge of happiness and excitement appearing in his gray soul.
The answer reached him a few seconds later when an old memory appeared like a reminder. It used to be a forgotten dream, a fragment his past self was chasing and he didn’t understand at first…but it would make sense at the current moment.
———
“As silly as it sounds, I wanted to make a last promise with you.” confessed the freckled man, his head resting against his boyfriend’s chest.
The endless landscape was beautiful, followed by the ethereal moon and the shining stars, giving competition to the ones Izuku had in his eyes. He could feel the callous fingers playing with his curls, followed by a slight smile appearing on his face, realizing how this was what the world meant by happiness.
“No matter where you are, thousands of miles or 5 minutes apart, I want you to remember me with the stars. They’re here for a reason, highlighting this unknown fate waiting for us but they’ll always be there, like my love for you.”
“You’re not making things easier if you start to play with sappy confession, dumbass,” teased the other, hiding how he was still worried by the rest of the sentence. Don’t get him wrong, he trusted Izuku more than anyone but this situation would make him vulnerable. “And you can’t ask me a promise I’ve already kept for decades.”
“You’re not that old,” the greenette laughed at the comment but rested closer to the comforting warmth. “I would like to keep this bond between us wherever we go, even if it sounds selfish of me. I need you to remember me as a good friend if it’s not the nerdy boyfriend, but every time you need something and I’m out of reach…call the stars. It’ll be a sign I’ll hear you, even for a few seconds.”
“If this is what you want, I can’t refuse such stupid requests, especially if this means returning the favor. The stars might comfort my nights, but they’ll never be you…even if you're a thousand miles away from my soul.”
———
Tears fell down Izuku’s cheeks, realizing how he had been right since the beginning.
Katsuki called the stars more than once in his despair, waiting for an answer before checking his dream by himself. Maybe none of them had the strength to move on since their graduation and they’d been occupying each other’s mind the entire time… especially with those nights when they would reach each other were an answer to his calls.
“You’re stupid, Kacchan,” whispered the freckled man, wiping his tears. He never expected to find the answers to his questions on a summer day, but for the first time in years, Izuku Midoriya felt alive. It might be seen as a simple word or broken promise, but the flame in his chest ended up giving him the strength he needed to change his fate.
A genuine smile appeared on his face, turning the television off to make sure about his next move. If the answers seemed so obvious to his heart, his reason would make him think about worst-case scenarios…the one that led him to destroy the most important relationship in his life. His scarred hands grabbed his phone, deciding to trust himself and try for the first time in years.
The jade eyes caught the familiar name on his screen, feeling excitement and fear having an inner conflict in his chest. He shouldn’t think in the current moment and act like he always did to get the things he wanted. After all, he succeeded in reaching Katsuki’s heart in their teenage years. What stops him from recreating the same story by changing their fate?
He took a few seconds to read the last unsent message he texted to this number that used to comfort his nights. The memory reappeared in his mind like a flashback, recalling the state of mind and vulnerabilities he put into each of his words.
———
From Kacchan :
Oi, nerd.
I know we’ve been distant recently but I do remember we have a date to do to celebrate your presence in the rank….
Text me when your stupid ass decides to visit Japan, I’ll wait for you and we’ll make sure to catch the lost time.
*seen Monday Sep 30, 20XX, 11:30 pm*
To Kacchan :
Listen, I know you’re somewhere else in Japan, having the time of your life but I don’t think I could ever love someone like I did with you. I tried so many times but I ended up breaking more hearts because of the strong bond between us. You can call me stupid for believing in naive beliefs, but I’ll wait for you in the afterlife, even if you don't want me anymore. Katsuki Bakugo, I have so many things to confess and explain, but I wish I could hear your voice again and feel your welcoming hands holding me close like we used to do. I love you and will always, but you’ll never be mine….Not anymore.
Please, don’t give your heart to someone else because my soul will always wait for you. I miss you…I miss you so much it makes me sick. I’m seeing your face everywhere because you’ve been occupying my mind and I don’t think I could love someone else, especially if they’re not you. Please think about me when you marry someone else and picture me in your life as someone who made you happy…
*unsent message due to the lack of connection, try later*
———
Don’t get him world for projecting, during a short moment, what his life could’ve been if he stayed in touch with his childhood friend. These kinds of confessions would always share the same fate: being lost somewhere else on the note application, with hundreds of unsent confessions.
This time, Izuku wasn’t sure about the future, expecting him after this call…but Katsuki was worth fighting. His fingers crossed the contact name, before pressing the “call” button. His hands were shaking due to the anxiety in his chest, but his heartfelt reassured when he repeated this meaningful gesture he lost years ago. The silence was playing with his nerves, imagining how stupid he'd be if Katsuki was ignoring him and-.
“Reaching an old friend? I was wondering when you’ll text me, nerd.” There was something funny hidden in his voice, almost like he knew this would happen. Izuku smiled, resting his head against the pillow of his couch, smiling stupidly through their interactions.
“I didn’t know you were searching for answers, if I knew we would’ve made things easier.” The freckled man affirmed with a soft tone, reassuring the other on the line and waiting for an answer in this silence. Everything happened so fast, but now he would rebuild himself by welcoming the man who caught his heart more than once. “I’ve seen your interview, you could’ve at least given more hints and not played the mysterious soul, this image never fits you.”
“It would be too risky to say your name in front of the national television, knowing you’ve built an empire on your own while I was gone. You’ve made a pretty good impression on this shitty country, I have to admit it.” On the other side, the blond couldn’t help but rest his back against the wall, lost in a street. He decided to answer this call, knowing how he had been waiting years to finally hear Izuku’s voice again.
“You’re too generous with your words, if I was this high, it would be impossible to reach me but it’s a truth you’ll learn if you decide to stay here…” Izuku sighed, feeling how his freckled cheeks turned maroon due to the blush and acting like a teenager experiencing his first love. Indeed, he was afraid of facing this temporary happiness, thinking about how the blond would probably stay a few days… “Tell me, do you know how long you are planning to stay here? I still have a place if you need to get some rest, I asked the owner and he told me it was welcoming enough for another person.”
“I haven’t decided yet…but I still have a few things to figure out.” He could feel the other’s smirk behind the line. Hopefully, they weren’t facing each other because Izuku was trying to stay calm on the phone when his heart wanted to scream about how much he missed him. It brought him back to his confession when he was just a teenager in love. “But I’m not against the idea of having a roof over my head tonight, you can ask the owner if he wants to welcome someone like me.”
“Trust me, he waited for this moment for a long time…You’ll always be welcome. Maybe I could help you to find the answer if you let me be a part of your life again.” This proposition sounds wrong, especially after everything they’ve been but Izuku wasted enough time chasing the ghost of his past. He missed Katsuki more than anything, and he will make sure to let them work this time. “But I’m glad you came.”
“What can I say…you called.” The blond teased but the tone in his voice revealed how he was touched by this previous speech.
After all, he had been watching the nerd’s progress since he left UA, and he couldn’t wait any longer. This emptiness in his chest would lead him to make mistakes, and Izuku wasn’t one of them. At this moment, he knew it was time to take his bags and reach the man who had haunted his nights for years. He was ready to spend his entire life chasing after the man who stole his heart and the other half of his soul, it was a promise he’d keep.
“After all, maybe this city might forget about your name but I never did. Would it be unfair of me to think we’re still together and pretend nothing happened ?”
“If being in delusion was an addiction, you’ll be my favorite drug, Kacchan.” The words escaped his lips without realizing it, thinking how It might be the confession he always wanted to say since he left his past behind him. “But I would love to try again and take this date we never had.”
“So you have seen my last text…” Katsuki sighed. The sun was burning his face, but the hidden smile would be enough to give him hope about this new chapter of his life. “Do you allow roommates or are you playing solitary freckles ?”
Izuku, from the other side, smiled. He covered his face with the pillow to scream silently and feel how he was a blushing mess. It would be embarrassing if someone would find him in this situation, but he had never been happier.
“It’s fine if it’s you.”
Maybe it was time to reconnect with his past and Katsuki Bakugo was the key the entire time. Izuku figured it out now…no matter what was expecting them, they were ready to start again…for a brighter future.