Chapter Text
It takes a while for Izuku to open his eyes. His mind feels foggy, a blurry haze of memories attempting to rise from the depths, until they finally surface, clear and sharp as danger. He quickly sits up, analyzes his surroundings through the pain in his skull.
That’s right. He was fighting an elusive villain, surprisingly agile and sneaky for a villain who’s not very well known, and Izuku was so close to capturing him—maybe that was the problem. He got too physically close, and by the time the villain whispered cryptic words about how he’d see “all the different possibilities,” it was already too late.
Now, Izuku clenches his fists in frustration, flinching at a pang in his head. See all the different possibilities? What does that even mean?
Whatever it means, it’s not his main concern right now. Somehow, the villain managed to capture him. Maybe through a type of sedation quirk? He curses, knowing better than to get too close to a villain with an unknown quirk.
Izuku shakes his head, willing the distracting thoughts away. He stands up, looking around the dark room he’s being held in. Well, room isn’t quite the right way to put it—it’s completely dark, but there’s a perfectly visible door a few feet away, not attached to any walls.
It’s too suspicious. Opening that door might kill him. He doesn’t know what quirk he’s been hit with—anything is possible. So he tries walking away from the door at first, seeing if there’s anything else in the area. But when he looks back, he startles, seeing the door in the exact same place it was in before.
His heart drops as a realization hits him. He isn’t physically here—his real body is likely in an unconscious state right now. He hopes his call for backup arrives soon enough to stop the villain from taking him somewhere. At the very least, he still has awareness, so that means he’s safe enough…for now, his brain unhelpfully supplies.
Not knowing what else he could possibly do, he walks up to the door, takes in a deep breath, and opens it. On the other side, he sees a…dining table?
Strange, but it doesn’t look dangerous. He goes inside and jumps as the door slams closed and disappears behind him. But that initial surprise is nothing compared to the absolute shock he feels when he turns around and sees another Izuku.
Once the weird sensation of looking at himself from an outsider’s perspective slightly wears off, he pays closer attention and sees that this other Izuku is chopping up some carrots. He looks older, more tranquil, and Izuku is still speechless.
Then, it occurs to him. The villain said he’d see “all the different possibilities.” Could it be… that this is him, just from a separate universe? Izuku has read about these kinds of quirks, rare and mysterious ones that transport people into different worlds. Some are more powerful while others are tame, but they’re all equally as strange.
And this definitely doesn’t feel like a dream. Izuku pinches himself twice and nothing happens, so that rules out that possibility.
He walks up behind his other self, wary, and is about to say a greeting when someone opens the door next to the kitchen and walks in.
Izuku frowns, startled, and takes a step back. Kacchan? What could he be doing here?
This world’s Kacchan also looks older and more rugged as he settles himself next to Other Izuku with a surprisingly warm smile, setting some garlic down on the chopping board. “Found them,” he grumbles.
That’s when Izuku truly feels like this is a completely different world. He’s never seen that expression on Kacchan’s face—didn’t even know it was possible. It would give him chills, if it didn’t suit Kacchan’s face so much.
“Great!” Other Izuku says with relief. “No need to go to the grocery store.”
“Not like we live too far from it.”
It takes a second, but Izuku belatedly realizes that Kacchan didn’t notice him. Him, standing right behind the other Izuku in full hero attire. Slowly, he stretches an arm in front of their faces and waves. “Hello?” he calls out for good measure.
No reaction.
Huh. That feels weird. Like being a spectator in a video game, but in real life. He wonders if this is how Hagakure feels all the time. He tries poking his other self’s shoulder, but his finger goes through, as if he’s a ghost. Izuku shivers, not liking it one bit.
The two men keep cutting more vegetables, mumbling amongst themselves low enough that Izuku can’t clearly hear them. So Izuku takes his time looking around the house. It’s small and quaint, a cozy room with a good amount of plants and decorations. There’s a few pictures on the fridge that he leans in to look at. One of Izuku and Kacchan at graduation (with a much more typical frown on Kacchan’s face), another of Izuku sitting teary-eyed on a couch with a small brown puppy on his lap, and another of—
…
Izuku’s eyes go as wide as saucers, his throat completely drying up.
Oh.
Oh, wow. That’s… Izuku and Kacchan kissing, with suits on. A clear picture of a happy wedding day, with many of their classmates in attendance. He slowly turns to look at the two, now noticing the rings on their fingers, and like a slap to the face, feels like a complete idiot.
How did he not realize it sooner?
Now that he knows, the casual intimacy in the room is glaringly obvious, almost suffocating, like something he has no right to witness. Despite this technically being… him. But not him.
A loud chuckle breaks him out of his shocked daze, making his heart stop with the softness behind it. Kacchan’s laugh… Has he ever heard him laugh like that?
He’s definitely never made him laugh like that. But seeing this display in front of him, with Other Izuku laughing along and pressing a soft kiss to Kacchan’s lips, makes him realize it could be possible.
A crumbling noise from behind startles him and he turns around. Another door appears, looking exactly the same as the last one. Clearing his throat, he wills his cheeks to stop being so hot and his heart to stop going crazy.
With one last look at the happy couple, he goes over to the door, opens it, and disappears inside.