Archive of Our Own ^beta

Ringing fills their ears, causing both males to groan and hold their heads. Helplessly watching the villain grin and raise a hand. Her palm had begun glowing, clearly about to send an attack.

"Kacchan!" Izuku yells with an outstretched hand. Desperately trying to reach his best friend in time.

"Izuku!" Katsuki yells back, reaching for the freckled boy as well.

Their hands intertwine as they grow closer and immediately pull each other into an embrace.

Just then, a blinding light encompasses the wonder duo and they find themselves losing their consciousness. 

…

He doesn't know when, but Katsuki eventually opens his eyes. The blonde winces as a minor headache begins to form, and he turns to the side to see Izuku. Still unconscious in his arms.

"Izuku-" Katsuki calls out, shifting to sit up and gently grip Izuku's shoulder blades.

"Izuku. Oi! Deku! Deku? Izuku... Zuku! "

Katsuki begins to panic when Izuku shows no sign of waking up. He jostles the man repeatedly, wanting to see those big eyes gazing into his once more.

Izuku's face scrunches, and emerald eyes open to meet crimson ones. "Kacchan...?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Katsuki assures. "You feeling okay?"

"Surprisingly, yeah." Izuku sits up and checks himself for injuries.

They're both uninjured.

"What happened?"

"Fuck if I know." Katsuki stands up and dusts off the dirt in his costume. Izuku mimics the other man with a concerned expression on his face.

"I'm glad we're uninjured, but it's weird that we aren't."

Katsuki scoffs but agrees. "We should find the others."

"Yeah..."

Both males keep their guard up as they walk through the paths. Finding their way back to where their classmates are.

"Deku, Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight!" Tenya calls out for them upon catching sight of the duo. "Are you both alright? How's the villain you were chasing?"

"Fucking got away." Katsuki growls with crossed arms. Irritated that he allowed the villain to escape their grasp.

"We heard some sort of ringing in our ears and were suddenly flashed with a bright light." Izuku begins. "Then, all of a sudden, everything went black. I woke up to Ka— Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight shaking me."

"That's quite odd. Are you sure both of you aren't injured whatsoever?"

Izuku and Katsuki nod in sync.

"Let's just be thankful that you're okay!" Tenya glances at their other classmates behind him. "We should head back. The mission is finished anyways."

Izuku offers Tenya a smile while Katsuki scoffs and walks towards the bus with the freckled boy trailing behind him.

Everything seemed normal. They went back to the dorms, and finally breathed sighs of relief.

"Thank goodness it's the weekend tomorrow." Denki groans as he practically hugs the coffee table. Sero's doing the same on the other end. "That mission destroyed my body!"

"Right? It's amazing how you went dumb three times."

"Hey!"

Laughter fills the room as they exchange a few jokes here and there. Smiles paint many of their faces while sharing conversations with one another.

The next day, Izuku was sitting on the couch with his friends. They were currently reflecting on the lesson they had last Thursday.

"I really don't get how that was the answer." Ochako sighs in exasperation.

"It's very simple." Tenya claims, raising his index finger like the darn nerd he is. He aids Ochako and provides another explanation of how the answer was obtained.

"Oh! I see!"

Izuku hums, "I'm gonna go drink some water real quick." He announces.

The other four give their responses of understanding and Izuku stands up before heading towards the kitchen. He opens the fridge and takes out a pitcher of water, bringing it to the counter. Izuku picks up a glass and pours a good amount. Bringing the glass to his lips and taking large gulps.

"What the fuck?!"

A voice calls out from behind him, sounding very similar to Katsuki. If not a little more rough and older.

Izuku turns around to face the man, and his eyes widen in shock. "Kacchan?" He calls out with a hesitant voice.

"Deku?" The man who looks like Katsuki questions. "What are you wearing?"

Izuku quirks an eyebrow and tilts his head to the side in confusion. "I should be asking you that." He straightens the degree of his head again before adding. "Did you get taller?"

It was seriously unbelievable.

The Katsuki standing a few feet in front of Izuku was very much taller and bigger. His shirt was not present, exposing the toned abs in his torso. A long red tattered cape drapes behind his back with a fur collar clinging to his shoulders. From his ear to his chest, accessories made from talons of who knows what adjourned the skin.

He looked straight out of a fantasy book.

"And you got smaller." Katsuki (?) comments as he approaches Izuku.

Izuku's eyes narrow. "You're not Kacchan..."

"Hah? The fuck are you spouting, Deku?"

Kacchan doesn't call him that anymore. Not after that night under the heavy rain. Not after they had finally fixed their broken relationship.

Who is this?

"What in the world?" Says a confused voice from behind the tall Katsuki. If his name even is Katsuki.

The voice was eerily familiar to Izuku. But the tall Katsuki seemed to recognize it immediately.

"Deku!" He turns around so fast and approaches the person behind him. Tall Katsuki moves to the side a little and Izuku manages to capture a glance.

Holy shit.

They look exactly like him.

The same dark green hair, the same freckled skin, the same big emerald eyes. But his clothes were different too. A white collared button up layered with a green vest. His belt had small pouches in them and a sword was hidden securely in a scabbard attached to said belt. And something that Izuku noticed is that they had the same shoes.

"Kacchan?" The tall izuku (?) calls out to the blonde.

What the fuck?

They have the same nicknames for each other.

"Who are you two?" Izuku asks cautiously, keeping his guard up. Ready to activate one for all if they show even the slightest intent of attacking him.

Tall Izuku finally meets his eyes, and they widen immediately. "You look like a younger me..." Says the tall Izuku. "My name is Izuku Midoriya. What's yours?"

And that makes Izuku halt. "My name is also Izuku Midoriya..."

"What?!"

All three males stare at each other with wide eyes. Well, more like tall Katsuki and tall Izuku are staring at Izuku while he stares back.

"Izuku? Are you oka—" Shouto halts in the kitchen's doorway. Eyes slightly wide as he tries to process the scene.

Three heads turn to him in unison. Three voices also call out to him at the same time.

"Shouto-kun?"

"Icyhot."

"Shouto-kun..."

Shouto's eyes darted from each person in the kitchen. Pondering if he's losing his mind. "...what's going on here?"

"We don't know either." Izuku responds with an expression of concern.

"Uhm. We don't mean any harm." Tall Izuku assures with a gentle smile. "If you're worried about that."

Tall Katsuki only scoffs beside him.

"I don't intend to harm you two either." Says Izuku.

"Then why don't we all work together to find out how to solve this...issue we have?" Tall Izuku suggests.

It seemed to be the most logical decision, so they went on with talking to each other.

"We could try asking Aizawa-sensei." Shouto recommends. "He just recently told us that the villain you and Bakugou were chasing got caught. Maybe he knows what to do about this."

"They did? That's great!"

Tall Izuku mutters under his breath, "Aizawa?" Clearly knowing somebody named Aizawa.

"Do you guys have Aizawa-sensei too from. Uhm— wherever you come from?" Izuku turns to tall Izuku as he asks this.

Tall Izuku nods. "Yes. Sir Aizawa is a dutiful knight working under king Nedzu." A smile paints his face as he talks. "He's also somebody of high status within the palace, being a commander to the other knights. And he helped us in our large mission six years ago."

Izuku couldn't help but be curious. "Knight…king, and mission? What did you need to do?" He asks. Even Shouto seemed slightly interested.

“Yes… Sir Aizawa is a knight, and king Nedzu rules over the Aimedaca kingdom.”

"And about the mission, we had to defeat some fucking big shot group of enemies." Tall Katsuki quipped from beside tall Izuku. "Called themselves the League of Villains."

Both Izuku and Shouto perk up at the name. Having been too familiar with the same group in their world.

Tall Izuku adds with a sad smile, "The mission had caused a war. And we lost many people in the process." His eyes drift down to his hands. "But we won the battle and are now at peace."

"The same thing happened to us..." Izuku speaks with a soft voice. The topic was much too sensitive and uncomfortable for his taste. He still hadn't moved on properly from Shigaraki.

"We also fought in a war and won." Shouto adds.

"You fought in a war?" Tall Izuku seemed a little mortified. "How old were you two?"

"We were around fifteen to sixteen then..."

"The fuck?" Tall Katsuki scowls with crossed arms. "Why are they sending teenagers to war?"

Izuku and Shouto hesitate in answering. Nothing they say could excuse what the government made them do.

It was necessary, yes, but not a great thing for teenagers to experience.

"You don't have to tell us." Tall Izuku's facial expression shifts into a gentle one. But beneath those eyes lay a flicker of anger for what he just discovered.

"Why don't we focus on what we must do?"

"Yes, right. Calling Aizawa-sensei."

Aizawa sighs tiredly as he stands in front of the group that called him to the dorms for an emergency.

Tall Katsuki and Tall Izuku were introduced to Tenya, Ochaco and Tsuyu while they waited for their teacher to arrive. Their reactions were, of course, that of shock but accepted it soon enough when Izuku and Shouto confirm that the two are harmless.

"We asked the villain and she said her quirk will disappear if the people affected realize something important."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Tall Katsuki growls.

Aizawa calmly replies, "It means that there is something that both Bakugou and Midoriya must discover."

"Must discover?" Tenya repeats. "That's quite difficult to achieve. Considering the fact that there are countless things that Bakugou and Midoriya may not know."

Tsuyu asks politely, "Sensei, can't you just use your quirk, kero?" Pressing her index finger to her chin as she speaks.

"Can't." Aizawa responds immediately. "She says it'll risk removing those two permanently. Even in their world, or something."

Tall Katsuki and tall Izuku tense up at that.

"So me and Kacchan have to realize something important," Izuku turns to the two. "And they'll be brought back to where they come from?"

"If what the villain was saying is true, then yes."

"Then we should start cataloguing possible discoveries as soon as possible." Ochaco commends.

Aizawa agrees with her and gives them a final warning. "Also, the villain stated that it doesn't stop with just one world. It can be multiple."

And isn't that great!

Izuku and his friends were seated in the common room, having sent a text in their class group chat about the situation and advised them not to worry because they were already handling the situation. And given that this was the first time it happened, it would be much better if only a couple of people are involved in case something happens and more people are affected.

But because this was an incident revolving around Izuku and Katsuki, their friends were more than eager to be involved. And the person they needed most was taking a nap.

While one group engages in a conversation with the two, another group tries to think of what Katsuki and Izuku would need to discover. To which they are struggling quite badly due to the fact that Katsuki wasn't there to offer his own insights.

Just then, another person pops up. This time, he looked exactly like Katsuki. If not a little more scarred.

They wore UA uniform and looked about their age. Although a little younger, so maybe they were a first year.

Of course, this Katsuki was shocked to have suddenly been transported to another location. He raises his palms with a scowl, activating his quirk. He didn't know what to say. He recognizes this place, recognizes the people, but none of it feels right.

When his eyes landed on Izuku's, they widened. Scarred Katsuki's emotions seemed to worsen. His hand was trembling as he stared at Izuku with a horrified gaze.

Izuku hesitantly calls out to the scarred Katsuki. "Kacchan...?" Slowly approaching the blonde.

Scarred Katsuki sends him a scowl and a glare. "Don't even think I'd let you hurt me again."

Again?

Izuku's eyes widen a little as his face twists in both confusion and anguish.

Did the Izuku in his world hurt him?

"What...?" Another person pops up. Izuku's version.

He had darker curls, sunken bags, and eyes that lacked shine. This Izuku was covered from head to toe with black attire that contained a few dark green accents. A black turtleneck, black pants, black belt with many small pouches, a black jacket with a hood that had green eye silhouettes and a mimicry of All Might's hair. Much like the hood Izuku has on his hero costume. The dark Izuku was clearly shocked, much like the Scarred Katsuki. His eyes had traveled across the room with a hateful gaze until they landed on Katsuki.

"...you." Dark Izuku growls.

Scarred Katsuki looked both terrified and angry, positioning himself in a fighting stance. It's like everybody around them didn't exist.

"Please refrain from fighting!" Tenya stands up from the couch and heads towards the newly brought pair.

Dark Izuku and scarred Katsuki seemed shocked to see Tenya.

"How are you alive?"

"How are you alive?!"

What.

Everybody else in the common room turns to the commotion.

"What do you mean?" Tenya asks cautiously.

"You’re supposed to be dead ." Dark Izuku growls. "I would know, because I killed you."

What?!

Tenya stiffens, "You… killed me?" He splutters with wide eyes.

"That's what I just said."

"But why-"

"Because Stain was right." Dark Izuku asserts, "You didn't deserve to be a hero. Hence the need for you to die.”

Ochako gasps, "That can't be true! Izuku-kun would never kill—"

" Don't call me that! " Dark Izuku yells with pure rage. "I don't know who this Izuku-kun you speak of, but it's not me! I don't even associate myself with any of you?!"

"That's because you two aren't from this world." Tall Izuku states, cautiously approaching the hostile pair.

Scarred Katsuki and dark Izuku look at him with subtle confusions.

"The fuck do you mean?" Asked the blonde.

"The Izuku and Katsuki here were hit with what they called a quirk, leading to the collision of parallel universes." With a calm voice, tall Izuku explains the situation. "We aren't from this world either."

"That sounds like fucking bullshit." Dark Izuku growls.

Scarred Katsuki seemed to loosen up, but he was still tense. "It's a logical explanation though."

That makes Dark Izuku turn to glare at him, "Like I care what you think?!"

"There's no fucking point in fighting when we have no idea where we are!" Scarred Katsuki raises his voice as he speaks, "If we want to get back safely then we should at least listen to what bullshit they have to say."

"You never fail to piss me off, Kacchan. " The way he says Kacchan held so much rage and hatred. "I want nothing more than to kill you right now. But these clones or other fucking versions of your classmates probably won't let me."

The people in the room tense up at that.

"Why would Midobro want to kill Bakubro?!"

"Is Midoriya-kun a killer in that world...?"

"He looks like the exact opposite of Midoriya..."

Izuku hesitantly steps forward with an expression of fear. "Are you with the league of Villains...?"

Dark izuku huffs. "You aren't?"

Just then, the elevator dings and Katsuki stomps into the common room, sleep-tousled hair, scowl deep. "What's with all of you fuckers being so loud at this hour?!"

"Would you look at that!" Dark Izuku grins maniacally and spins to face the blonde. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Who the fuck are you supposed to—" Katsuki's eyes widen. "Izuku?"

Dark Izuku did not like that. "No more Deku?"

And that makes Katsuki tense up.

They hear a ruffle, and all heads turn to see another Katsuki who looks disheveled. Dressed in UA uniform and eyes that looked heavy, empty and slightly red from probably crying.

He had been teleported close to Izuku, so the freckled boy hesitantly approached him. "Kacchan...?" He attempts.

The new Katsuki's eyes were blown wide as they met Izuku's. Looking like he was both relieved and horrified.

"You're... Alive ...?" He sobs, tears rolling down his cheeks as he cups Izuku's face. "Is this...real? But how...?"

The new Katsuki's voice has softened. He was speaking low and clearly hesitant.

Afraid of something .

But what?

The lights begin to flicker which sends everyone in a panic as they glance around in fear. Clutching to somebody close to them. But some were left to be on their own.

"Kacchan."

A looming voice calls out and nobody can pinpoint where it comes from.

And then the lights went off.

People let out screams and hug each other tighter.

"What is going on?!" Somebody yells.

"Everyone, please remain calm!" Tenya tries to ease everyone else.

More panicked voices shout with fear, until everybody is silenced.

"Kacchan..."

The looming voice calls again and this time everybody could hear where it came from.

All heads turn to a figure floating behind the new Katsuki.

"Oh my God ." Denki's face went pale as he froze, breath catching in his throat.

Everybody seemed to react the same way.

Even Shouto was disturbed, "What...is that..."

Because flying above the new Katsuki was something that would haunt their nightmares for as long as they live.

It's a slightly transparent glowing teenage boy with very dark green hair, skin as white as snow, a black uniform that Izuku and Katsuki recognize too well, bright red shoes and an awful lot of familiar freckles. The figure was painted with blood. Splattered on their hair, face, neck, uniform. Everywhere.

Like he died .

But that isn't what scared them. No.

It was the figure's face.

Eyes that are pure black and empty. An inhuman smile that splits too wide.

When they hear the word ghost, the thing that usually comes to mind is Casper the friendly ghost.

Holy shit, the ghost in front of them was the exact opposite.

They were terrifying. Straight out of a horror movie.

And was eerily wrapping their arms around the new Katsuki's shoulders. Hugging the blonde from above. "Kacchan. You're not forgetting what you did to me, are you?"

"No." The new Katsuki gulps. "How could... How could I ever forget..."

The ghost giggles. It echoed through the walls and made so many people tremble.

Then the ghost raises his head. Smiling uncannily to the group. "They see me..."

Izuku was shaking in his feet. He was still so close to the new Katsuki, and the ghost that looked like him was making his heart race.

A soft growl resonates in the room as tall Katsuki snaps his fingers and flicks the lights back on. "Everyone needs to fucking calm down."

Tall Katsuki and tall Izuku ease everybody until nobody's as hostile as before.

So here they are in the common room.

Izuku and Katsuki are seated next to each other on one couch. Tall Izuku and tall Katsuki are on another, suspiciously sitting very close together.

Dark izuku and scarred Katsuki are also sitting on the same couch but they were staying close to opposite arm rests. Looking like they don't want to be even a little bit close to one another.

And new Katsuki is sitting on the last couch with the ghost looming above him.

"So." Tall Katsuki begins. "We all acknowledge that we're from different worlds and need to fucking work together to return."

Nobody nods their heads. Still having their guards up regarding the situation at hand.

"Let's put down our grudges against each other just for now," Tall Izuku offers the others a gentle smile. "Because I'm sure we're all wanting to go back to our worlds."

They receive grumbles.

"We should begin with names." Tall Izuku suggests. "This way, it's easier to have conversations without being confused of one another's identity."

He turns to look at Dark Izuku. "Why don't we start with you?"

Dark Izuku's eyes narrow before he grunts. "Deku."

Two Izukus look at him with varying reactions. While three Katsukis tense up.

"Okay..." Tall Izuku glances at scarred Katsuki.

The blonde huffs out a breath, refusing to meet anyone in the eye. "Just call me Bakugou or whatever."

Deku chuckles and turns to look at Bakugou, "Why don't we call you shithead instead?"

Bakugou turns to Deku as well and sends the grinning boy a glare. "Why don't you shut your mouth?"

"Why don't you two quit it and fucking cooperate ." Tall Katsuki scowls at both of them.

Both males huff and they go back to ignoring each other.

In the end, they managed to come up with names to call each other.

Original Izuku: Izuku
Original Katsuki: Kacchan

Tall Izuku: Zuzu
Tall Katsuki: Katsuki

Dark Izuku: Deku
Scarred Katsuki: Bakugou

Dead Izuku: Midoriya
"New" Katsuki: Kats

"This is fucking stupid ." Kacchan grunts. "What could me and the nerd possibly need to discover or some shit.”

"Yeah, there are many things you may not know." Zuzu hums as he ponders. "Perhaps we can share some stories about each other and maybe it'll help you find out?"

Izuku smiles and nods to the other. "I think that's a great idea."

"I don't." Deku growls. "I'm not telling any of you shit."

"It will literally help you get back to your piss poor League." Bakugou scowls from his side of the couch.

Deku straightens up and turns to Bakugou with a glare. "I dare you to say that again." Taking out a dagger from the hilt on his thigh and lunging to attack the blonde.

A sword clashes with the dagger and sends it flying away from everyone.

Holding that sword was none other than Zuzu. Who had stood up to prevent them from attacking each other. "We need to remain calm and be serious." Zuzu reminded, "Everybody wants to be brought back to their homes. And we'll only achieve that if we cooperate with one another."

“I am what my kingdom calls a Dragonborn.” Katsuki begins, his arms crossed against his chest. The majority of the people in the common room lean forward to listen with curiosity. “And instead of quirks, we have abilities that are either elemental or scientific.”

“In the kingdom of Dragonkin, there are also Dragons!” Zuzu chirps. “They're different from each other though. Dragonborns have more human features but can still transform into dragons. Dragons have more dragon features but can still transform into humans!”

Katsuki huffs with a nod beside the freckled man. “Dragons who shift into a human still keep their common traits. Wings, tail, horns, and scales on their shoulder blades, cheeks and so on.”

“Oh!” Zuzu gently slams a fist onto his palm like he just remembered something. “Dragonborns will also have scales showing up in their skin when they’re angered!”

Denki asks from the side, “Mister Zuzu and Katsuki, are any of us here a Dragonkin?”

Referring to them as mister because they just found out that Zuzu and Katsuki were 27 years old.

Katsuki nods with a calm expression, “You and Eijirou are dragons.”

Eijirou and Denki gasp at that, and they turn to each other with bright smiles.

Zuzu finds them adorable. Because they’re literally the young versions of the people he knows!

“Mina and Sero are dragonborn from where we are.” Says the freckled man.

“Oh my gosh .” Mina squeals with joy. “I would so love to meet my other self right now!”

“Being Dragonborn sounds so cool.” Sero quips with a grin.

Ochako perks up from the side, “If they’re Dragonkins, what are we?”

Zuzu smiles softly. “In our world, there are mages and witches all over the kingdoms. You, Ochako, are a strong witch that helped us in our mission. Known for her specialty of controlling the gravitational pull of solid things!”

“Oh!” Ochako smiles. “It’s just like my quirk in here.”

“Yes,” Katsuki blurts. “But in our world, it’s called Magic.”

“That’s so cool…”

Deku scoffs. “Must be nice not being quirkless.”

So many people tense up at that.

“I don’t have a quirk either!” Midoriya giggles, “Look how that turned out.”

Oh.

Katsuki clears his throat, “Back to the task at hand.”

The tension slowly dissipates as they talk a little more about Katsuki and Zuzu’s world.

Izuku hums curiously, eyeing the sword on Zuzu’s belt. “Zuzu-san.” He calls out.

To which the man smiles and turns to Izuku. “Yes?”

“Are you a swordsman?” Izuku looks up to meet Zuzu’s eyes.

Zuzu chuckles, “Warrior is a more fitting name.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I use a sword because I can’t wield any magic.”

What?

Three Izukus look at him in shock.

He– So he’s technically quirkless .

“I was just a measly human back then…” Zuzu chuckles softly as his head lowers down to gaze into his sword. “Until I met All Might who saw potential in me and trained me. Then, he gave me this sword, which carried magic.”

He looks up to meet Izuku’s gaze. “I don’t know if you’re familiar with it, but he called this sword One for All.”

Everybody in Izuku and Kacchan’s world perk up at that.

“It’s what helped us win in the war.” Katsuki finishes for Zuzu.

The others had been informed about the mission they had six years ago.

Izuku glances down at his lap. “My quirk is called One for All…”

Deku and Midoriya turn to him in disbelief.

“Oh?” Zuzu’s smile widens. “We seem to have a lot in common!”

“Yeah…” Izuku raises his gaze once more. “All Might also saw potential in me. Trained me, then gave me this quirk.”

Deku stands up. His expression filled with rage.

“He what …?” He stalks forward, looking ready to kill. “That son of a bitch gave you a quirk?!”

Izuku looks at Deku with a hint of fear in his eyes, not used to seeing such anger in a face similar to his. “Yeah…”

“He— There’s no way!” Deku yells. “What’s so fucking special about you, huh?! Why would he see potential in you, when he crushed my dreams then left me on top of a fucking building!”

That makes Izuku’s breath hitch. “...he did something similar to me. But I proved myself to be a true hero, and he apologized for what he did, then gave me the quirk…”

Deku clenches his fists tightly, nearly drawing out blood. “Why didn’t that happen to me…? Why— Why did— Why couldn’t I be a hero too?!”

Tears were pathetically gathering in Deku’s eyes and he hates how weak he currently looks.

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and everybody was so silent.

Until somebody stands up and gently grasps Deku’s wrist.

To which the villain scowls and turns around, expression hardening when he meets Bakugou’s eyes.

“Calm down.” Bakugou speaks with the softest voice ever. “We don’t need to fight over this when we can just fucking talk about it normally.”

“Like I give a shit what you have to say.” Deku snarls, harshly pulling his hand back and out of Bakugou’s grip.

“Izu… De—” Bakugou doesn’t even know what he should call Deku.

The villain rolls his eyes in annoyance and brushes past Bakugou. Sitting down on his side of the couch and remaining silent.

Nobody dares to talk, or even breathe wrong. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Until a notification chirps from somewhere, causing many heads to turn.

Eijirou shamefully takes out his phone and checks the notification.

“What is that?” Zuzu says curiously.

“You guys don’t have phones?”

Katsuki quirks an eyebrow. “The fuck is a phone?”

So now, here they are, introducing technology to the two adults.

Izuku was showing Zuzu some features of his phone, while Bakugou was teaching Katsuki how to play a game.

“Hah, I can probably beat this shit easily.” Katsuki grins as he takes the phone into his hands.

He did not in fact beat the game. And instead lost. Five times.

Katsuki was about to use some sort of explosive magic on the phone before Bakugou quickly took it back.

“That’s so cool…” Zuzu chirps. “Having phones in the war would have been so much better!”

“Mm. We had to fly or use birds to relay messages everywhere.” Katsuki remarked.

“But all is well since we won the war!” Zuzu smiles. “We successfully protected and saved many people.”

Class 2-A smiles at that, reminiscing their own experiences in the war.

“Stop pretending war is heroic.” Deku snarls. “People die screaming.”

Well. He’s not wrong. And that disturbs the others.

“I remember the sound of my own bones breaking.” Midoriya smiles from above Kats. Like he’s proud to remember. Or something.

Midoriya grips Kats’ shoulders with cold hands. “Do you remember my screams, Kacchan?”

Kats tenses up and begins to tremble slightly. “...I do.”

Midoriya giggles.

“And you caused them, didn’t you?” The ghost’s smile widens. “You made me scream, beg, and plead for mercy. But never gave it to me.”

Class 2-A stands up in alarm, looking prepared to lunge at the spirit. Their faces twisted with uncertainty.

“You know.” Midoriya leans forward, talking right into Kats’ ear. “I was in so much pain because of you and your friends, that I was hoping you’d actually end my life.”

Two Katsukis tense up at that.

Tears roll down Kats’ eyes and he lowers his head. The tremble of his body worsening the more Midoriya speaks and haunts him of everything he’s done in the past.

“Stop that!” Izuku strides forward and grabs Kats’ arm, pulling him into an embrace. Kats sobs and buries his face on the freckled boy’s shoulder.

“Why are you helping him?” Midoriya flies closer and circles Izuku. “You were quirkless too, weren’t you? So he did the same to you? He did the same to Deku too.”

Kacchan flinched at that, a look of guilt flashing across his face.

The spirit’s smile turns into a wide frown. “So why the FUCK are you HELPING HIM?! ”

Katsuki lets out an animalistic growl as he stands, bright red and orange scales decorating his skin. “That’s enough.” He speaks with authority. “Our first rule throughout all of this was to fucking cooperate and stop antagonizing each other. But you two have never followed that.”

Zuzu stands up and gently holds Katsuki’s arm. His expression being that of concern. “I think we should all take a break…”

Deku rolls his eyes. “Why? Because Kats is being a crybaby?” His eyes narrow as he continues to speak. “Who cares if he’s being a pissy bitch, we all want to go home. So let’s fucking hurry it up.”

Izuku glares at Deku. “What is wrong with you?!” He yells with furrowed eyebrows. Deku was the complete opposite of him. He could not believe how insensitive the man was.

“Oh, so if he calls us a crybaby, it’s okay. But if I do, it’s wrong ?!”

Looking like they were about to have a heated argument, Katsuki yells again.

“Stop fighting for fuck’s sakes!” He lowers down the volume of his voice. “Let’s take a five minute break.”

Sitting on a table with Zuzu and Katsuki are Kacchan’s friends. Hearing more stories that the adults are happy to provide.

Meanwhile, Izuku and Kacchan were still at the couches with Izuku’s friends. They have notebooks in their hands and are talking about theories of what they would need to discover.

Eijirou suddenly calls out, “Mister Zuzu and Katsuki, can I ask something?”

Both males turn to him. One with a gentle smile, the other with a slight scowl.

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if you two have something going on… You two seem so close.” Eijiro flinches at the stupidity of his own statement and hurriedly defends himself. “Well, I mean— It’s definitely normal that you two are close since Midobro and Bakubro are, but you two just seem much more…closer?”

Many people turn their heads to listen in on the conversation as well.

“Oh, that’s because we’re married.”

…

“WHAT?!”

“Mhm. For three years now.” Katsuki says with a proud smile, his arms crossed against his chest.

All three Katsukis and Izukus turn a shade of red, clearly flustered and shocked at what they had just heard.

“Oh! A funny story actually.” Zuzu laughs before he continues. “You see, Dragonkins are known for their cultural traditions. They don’t outright confess to somebody they have feelings for and then they would be together. No, no.

“Dragonkins naturally desire to impress their potential partner before everything else. Because they want to prove to the other that they can be a good mate!”

Katsuki huffs beside him, a small smile on his face.

“But I didn’t know that.” Zuzu chuckles, “So imagine my shock when Kacchan knocks upon my door and offers me a fresh heart of an elk!”

“A FRESH HEART?!” People exclaim in shock.

“It’s a courting gift , you shitheads!” Katsuki yells.

Zuzu laughs beside him before adding, “I told Ochako about it, and she revealed to me that it was Kacchan’s way of asking for permission to court me! So I accidentally rejected him.

“But he was so persistent that he tried asking again. And the next time he did, it was a bouquet of flowers. So of course I accepted.”

Katsuki hums with pride. “Shinsou told me you humans liked flowers.”

Zuzu’s smile widens and he visibly softens as he looks up at his mate. The freckled boy leans forward and presses a gentle kiss on Katsuki’s cheek, earning a satisfied huff from the blonde. Who then nuzzles his husband’s hair. Inhaling that scent he’d grown addicted to.

“Awh, that’s adorable!” Mina squeals.

Ochako grins beside her and turns to their Izuku and Kacchan. “Why can’t you two be like that?”

Izuku’s face turns red and he buries it in his hands. While Katsuki grew more flustered, he also got angrier.

“Shut the fuck up, pink cheeks!”

Mina then gasps. “Oh my gosh, that’s it!”

Everybody turns to her.

“What if Midoriya and Bakugou needed to realize their love for each other?”

“WHAT?”

Deku snarls, “Like I’d ever love a shitty excuse of a hero like HIM ?!”

“ I wouldn’t date a villain either?!” Bakugou yells, sending a glare at Deku. Who returns the stare with more rage.

Kats and Midoriya remained silent.

“Hah?! What makes you think I’d fucking be in love with this nerd?!”

And God, hearing that from Kacchan broke Izuku’s heart.

He stays silent despite having a different initial reaction.

While the Katsukis and Izukus banter about how they could never love each other, Mina slips out of the scene.

She returns, pushing a large whiteboard towards the center.

Mina grins and takes a whiteboard marker, uncaps it, and writes the pairs’ names on the board.

She begins with Zuzu and Katsuki then connects their name and writes “Married.”

“Deku-kun and Bakugou-kun give off the enemies to lovers trope, kero.” Tsuyu comments from beside the pink haired girl. To which Mina giggled and wrote exactly that.

They hesitate at Midoriya and Kats. Because their relationship is messed up right now and they have no idea how to describe their connection. So it’s written with question marks.

“This is fucking stupid.” Kacchan grunts with a flustered, angry expression.

Deku scoffs, “Right? Like hell I’d date somebody like this dickhead.” He says, pointing at Bakugou with his thumb.

That angers Bakugou and leads to them having another argument.

God, a fight always happens after every topic or so.

“I think the Midoriyas and Bakugous should talk to each other about how they feel.” Tenya suggests, “Talking about your feelings is a great way to bond and potentially increase your trust and affection for one another!”

“That’s a great idea.”

Deku and Bakugou stare at each other awkwardly. Not sure who, when or where to start.

Midoriya drifts to the pair with that still terrifying smile. “Should I start the conversation for you?”

“Let them speak for themselves, Midoriya.” Zuzu says.

The spirit hums and decides to go back to hovering above Kats.

…

“This ain’t a fucking staring contest, start talking dipshits.” Kacchan snarls.

Which makes both hostile males angry. And then Bakugou started.

“Fine, I’ll fucking talk.”

He points at Deku with rage. “You ruined my fucking life.”

Deku grins and chuckles. “Cry about it.”

Bakugou’s eyes narrow but he sighs and continues.

“You joined the League. You killed Iida. You tried to kill me— multiple times. You put scars on my face, my arm, my ear, my fucking eye. You know how annoying it is to look in the mirror every day and see your handiwork?”

Deku’s grin turns into a frown and he snarls, “Then maybe you should’ve let me finish the job. Should’ve fucking killed you the first time we saw each other again.”

Tiny explosions spark on Bakugou’s palm, “I’m not done, asshole.

“You weren’t always like that…You used to look at me like I hung the stars for you. And I…” Bakugou clenches his fists. “I didn’t know what to do with that. So I tried to stomp it out of you. And then you disappeared. And you came back wanting me dead. ”

Deku’s anger seems to rise the more Bakugou talks.

“Well, newsflash, Kacchan . Not all of us get to be the hero. Some of us are just the extra who gets told to jump off a building.”

Silence engulfs the room and nobody dared to breathe.

“...I didn’t mean that shit.”

“Well look where that brought us.”

Bakugou grits his teeth, raising his chin. “You wanna fucking kill me? Then do it. Right here.”

That makes Deku grin. “Gladly.” He takes out another dagger form a hidden hilt somewhere in his body—what the fuck—and lunges at Bakugou.

They’re stopped by multiple people.

“Well, that didn’t work out well.”

The doors of the dorms open and Aizawa enters with Nedzu. They both approach the group, bearing news.

“We got updates from the villain.”

Everybody turns to the two.

“It’s not good news.”

Eyes narrow and everyone tenses up at that.

Nedzu, still smiling, relays the news. “If the others aren’t brought back within the day, they will slowly merge into the Midoriya and Bakugou we have in this world.”

“What…?!”

The Izukus and Katsukis look disturbed, clearly not wanting to merge with one another.

“I trust that you all have at least some ideas on what this…important thing they need to discover is?” Aizawa asks with crossed arms.

Tenya nods, “Yes, sensei. We’ve come to a conclusion that it may be their love for each other.”

Aizawa raises an eyebrow. “Then what’s the hold up? Why are all of them still here?”

Katsuki huffs, literal smoke coming out of his nose. “They’re a bunch of scaredy cats that won’t admit they have feelings for each other.”

“...I see.”

Nedzu hums, curious. “I feel as though the villain wasn’t being exact with her words.”

Everyone turns to the bear. Mouse? Rat? Stoat. Whatever the fuck he is.

“If you have already discovered that you share romantic feelings, then the others should logically be gone by now.”

Kacchan grits his teeth, “We don’t fucking have romantic feelings.”

Izuku doesn’t protest.

“Oh.” Nedzu sighs. “I see now why they’re still here.”

Somewhere along the way, somebody suggests that they try to meditate together.

One, because they need to fucking breathe.

And two, it may help in calming everyone’s nerves so they can cooperate easier.

So here are the Izukus, Katsukis and their friends sitting cross-legged in a circle. Attempting poorly to meditate and relax.

Five seconds in and Deku hisses, “I’m gonna fucking kill someone.”

“Fuck inner peace.” Bakugou mutters under his breath.

Aizawa sighs. “We need to do something else, then.”

“Get to know each other questions!” Nedzu chirps, pulling out a paper form who knows where.

“What’s your favorite memory?”

Zuzu begins by telling a heartwarming story of his and Katsuki’s marriage. The Dragonborn huffs happily and nods along with Zuzu's narration. He then says that their marriage is also his favorite memory.

“My favorite memory is when I caused the scar in Kacchan’s eye.” Deku states with a manic grin.

Midoriya hums, “My happiest memory is the sweet release of death…” He smiles. “Until I didn’t stay dead.”

…

“I hate this.” Three Katsukis mutter under their breaths

“Okay, let’s do something else.”

The next idea is complimenting each other.

Katsuki and Zuzu were silenced because everybody knew those two had a lot of good things to say about each other.

“Kacchan’s blood is a pretty color when it runs.” Deku smiles innocently. That bastard.

Bakugou was tempted to tell Deku to take a swan dive again.

“Okay, not that. Let’s do something else…”

“Let’s try cooking!”

“This is not gonna end well.”

It certainly didn’t. Because they decided it was a good idea to pair them up based on how they came here.

Of course, Katsuki and Zuzu were practically in sync. Moving around their stations with ease after learning how to use the technology they have now.

The other three pairs were working with knives around each other's throats.

Bakugou was about to take a quick taste of the sauce they made when he saw Deku grinning from ear to ear.

…

“Did’ya fucking poison the sauce?!”

“I don’t know. Did I?”

“You fucking-”

On another station…

“I think we should add sugar…” Izuku was holding the container of salt in one hand and sugar in the other.

“IT NEEDS MORE FUCKING SALT, YOU DAMN NERD!”

“STOP YELLING?!”

…

Bakugou raises an eyebrow as he scoops up something in the soup.

.

“DEKU WHAT THE FUCK?!” He yells, holding out a spoonful of soup with a shiny glass shard in the center. The soup was filled with crushed glass.

“It’s for texture dipshit.”

“I’m boutta beat yo ass.”

Kats was silently working in his station, alone. Because Midoriya couldn’t hold anything so he just floated around the kitchen.

The Katsukis kick the Izukus out of dinner preparation. Except for Zuzu. But the man felt bad for the other two so he joined them as well. So, the group of freckled boys decide to bake cookies instead.

Wrong idea.

Izuku and Zuzu managed to get every measurement right.

But Deku being the bastard he is, dumps salt instead of sugar and calmly states;

“They’re basically the same.”

Once they were cooked, Kacchan grabbed one cookie. Already suspicious of how hard it feels when he holds it.

Refusing to back down, he takes a bite.

And cracks a tooth.

“How the FUCK do you turn cookies into concrete?!”

Every meal was inedible, flamed, burnt, or destroyed.

Except for Katsuki’s and Zuzu’s. So they hand over some plates to the students and teachers while watching the chaos happening with the other Izukus and Katsukis.

And amidst it all, they decided it would be a good idea to have a cooking battle. The Katsukis versus the Izukus. Wow, what a fair fight! A group of highly skilled chefs and a group of men that would somehow be able to burn water.

“These need chopping.” Zuzu passes a pile of onions to Deku, “Small pieces, please.”

Only for Deku to pick up a knife with a scowl. “I chop people. Not onions.”

So he chops it up and makes bits of onion scatter everywhere.

Two Izukus are looking at him, bewildered, while Midoriya’s amused.

On the other side,

Kacchan adds a measured amount of spice in their soup.

Katsuki walks over and dumps the whole bottle.

“Oi! What the fuck?!”

“You humans are so weak.” Katsuki blurts. “This amount of spice is nothing to Dragonkins.”

“We’re not Dragonkins, Katsuki.” Bakugou growls.

“Not my problem.”

Kats grabs the pot of soup before all hell breaks loose as the three Katsukis lunge at each other. At least their food will survive.

But then somebody pushes Kats and the pot is sent flying up till it splatters its contents everywhere.

The Izukus glance at the Katsukis and muffle their laughs. Because on the other side of the kitchen was a pile of blonde men drenched in red soup.

“IT GOT IN MY FUCKING EYE?!” Nobody could tell who said that.

Deku and Midoriya burst out laughing.

And with the amount of Katsukis there with explosive powers, the chaos turned into a big boom.

The kitchen was a mess.

“Dinner is ruined.” Midoriya hums. “And so is everyone’s relationship.”

At last, Aizawa and Nedzu step inside the kitchen.

“Wow.”

Nedzu grimaces a little at the sight of the kitchen. Red soup was everywhere, eggs were broken across the floor, vegetable skins littered the surfaces and unknown liquids drench the tiles.

“All of you, clean. NOW.” Aizawa commands, already feeling a headache coming.

Despite the mess, the Izukus and Katsukis share a few reluctant laughs during the cleanup. They don’t fully trust each other yet—but for a moment, it feels like the first step toward cooperation.

Everyone was conversing on what more they could do. When suddenly, the room starts changing.

“What the fuck?!” The Katsukis yell in varying levels of irritation.

They stick to the people close to them, wary of the place they're in. Ensuring that they keep their guards up for any potential danger. Nedzu was quietly analyzing the situation.

The room changes into a field and they find three large entrances that lead to long hallways with so many doors.

“Where are we? Kero…” Tsuyu and Ochako stay close to each other as they look around the area. Eijirou is with Mina, Denki and Sero. While Shouto and Tenya stand together.

Nedzu is perched on Aizawa’s shoulder, and the Izukus are with their respective Katsukis.

“This might be what the villain was trying to warn us about.” Nedzu hums. “She had briefly mentioned that before the merging of worlds, the quirk will create a dimension of memories. In hopes of making the victims finally realize what they needed to know.”

“How is their quirk so powerful…?” Eijirou mutters.

“We don’t know.” Aizawa sighs. Even he’s in disbelief right now. “Let’s just look through these memories. The faster we get them to realize it, the faster everyone can return home.”

The group walks towards the entrance in front of them and looks through the billions of doors.

Sero and Denki curiously open one of them and gasp.

Everybody turns to look at them and the door suddenly pulls everyone inside. Screams echo through the walls as a blinding light encompasses the group.

Once they blink the light off their eyes, they find themselves standing in a beautiful scenery. The grass is green and healthy, flowers growing here and there, animals hopping or walking around their habitats. Trees were clumped everywhere with their leaves dancing with the wind. But in front of them was the edge of a cliff, showing the lively kingdom beyond.

Filled with dragons.

They soar in the sky or walk in the grass. Some lay, some sit, some talk.

“It really is the kingdom…” Zuzu mutters under his breath as he and Katsuki stalk through the grass.

Everyone was bewildered by what they were seeing. The whole place was gorgeous.

A roar disturbs the trees and a large dragon lands gracefully on the cliff’s edge. Their scales were red, fading to a beautiful color of orange. Eyes painted with crimson.

A voice sounds out, and they all look up to see Zuzu on top of the dragon who is now laying down on the grass.

Zuzu smiles as he goes down then pets the dragon beside him. “I still can’t fathom how beautiful your dragon form is, Kacchan.”

That’s Katsuki?!

Katsuki huffs and begins to glow white before he visibly transforms back into a human. The blonde wraps his arms around Zuzu’s waist and nuzzles the freckled man’s neck. To which the latter chuckled softly and wrapped his own arms around Katsuki’s shoulders.

“Awh, this was our first anniversary.” Says the Zuzu standing within their group. “Kacchan flew me to every beautiful scenery in the kingdom all because I told him I love sightseeing.”

And isn’t that adorable.

The Katsuki in their group walks towards Zuzu and wraps his arms around his mate’s waist from behind. Izuku’s smile widens and he relaxes into his husband almost immediately. Both of them feeling warmth and affection at being able to see such a precious memory again.

Then the door pulls them out.

“I’m assuming this hallway is dedicated to Katsuki and Zuzu’s memories.” Nedzu hums.

They venture off and open another door.

This one brought them to a forest where many Dragonkins gather. Specifically, Kacchan’s friend group and Zuzu.

They were talking about something that didn’t seem too important. So Eijirou, Mina, Denki, and Sero were gushing over how cool they looked in this world.

Soon they were pulled out.

“These are all probably gonna be so domestic.” Deku gags. “Disgusting.”

“Do you not have a single happy bone in your body?” Bakugou snarls from beside the villain.

Which makes Deku glare up at him. “I wanna break every bone in your body.”

“Please.” Bakugou scoffs. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“You two, quit it.”

“Tsk.”

Somebody opens a door and everybody’s pulled into a memory once more.

…

“Sorry I’m late!” Zuzu’s voice booms through the field as he hops off of Eijirou who was a large, bright red dragon. “Is everybody–”

He cuts himself off, catching sight of a familiar blonde man lying lifeless in the ground. A large hole right on his chest with blood furiously gushing out.

Zuzu’s eyes widen and his lips part in a mixture of emotions. Shock, disbelief, grief. And anger. He feels the magic of his sword swirling within his core, threatening to go berserk. But his heart was racing and he suddenly forgot how to breathe.

His eyes travel around the area and see multiple people injured or dead. Just like Katsuki.

He staggers, a fury of emotions swirling within his core. He can’t breathe. He can’t see with the tears blurring his vision. He can’t hear anything either besides the ringing in his ears and his racing heart.

Somebody grabs him by the shoulders and he sees blonde hair. But it’s not the ashy blonde he knows too well.

Togata gently shakes him, clearly screaming something. But Zuzu couldn’t hear him at all. Not with the loud rage bubbling in his heart.

“—iya!” He hears, although it was highly muffled. Like somebody had filled his ears with cotton.

“Cal—, —n!” What?

Zuzu gasps as a stinging pain registers in his wet cheek and everything goes back to normal. He’s panting and his ears are no longer ringing. But his heart was yet to relax.

“Midoriya.” Togata looks at Zuzu with an expression of concern. “Please, listen to me. I know you’re angry, I am too. But everybody’s still breathing, and Edgeshot and Best Jeanist are already helping Bakugou out. We need to continue fighting!”

Zuzu wants to cry. But they’re still at war.

“R-right!” Zuzu chokes out. “Okay. Yeah— Let’s go.”

They enter the battlefield once more while the injured are being treated.

Even though they won, Zuzu felt more grief than joy. He collapses in his knees, only being held up by his glowing sword. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

He killed Shigaraki. They won the war. And he doesn’t know if Kacchan is dead or not.

Seeing the blonde’s body there, cold and lifeless, shattered Zuzu’s heart. He hated the man when they first met. Because Katsuki was so fucking rude to him and didn’t actually want to bother with helping them on their mission.

Katsuki was the heir to the Dragonkin kingdom. He was the crown prince. He wasn’t supposed to be on their mission, because he’s supposed to focus on protecting his people.

But Zuzu dragged him in. He brought the man to war. And now he died.

And isn’t that so fucked up?

If it weren’t for Zuzu insisting that he join them, Katsuki would still be alive right now. Probably ruling the Dragonkin Kingdom in a month or two. But no. He led the man straight to his death. And now he has to pay for it.

Something—No, somebody—hits him on the head and he winces. Zuzu turned around and felt his heart skip a beat.

“You just won a war, Deku.”

Fuck he missed that voice.

“Why the fuck are you crying?”

Zuzu stands up so fast and jumps at the blonde man. Hugging him as tightly as he could.

“Kacchan…!” He cries.

“I’m here.” Katsuki huffs, wrapping his own arms around Zuzu. “You didn’t really think I'd get taken down so easily, did you?”

Zuzu hates that statement a little but he’s so happy right now that he could not give a shit.

…

When the group was pulled out of that memory, there were tears in many people’s eyes.

Zuzu and Katsuki had pulled each other into a tight hug with the blonde whispering assurances to his distressed mate.

Izuku’s heart is racing. He had wanted to let go of that memory for so long. He had tried so hard to move on. But fuck, he can’t. Not with having to practically relive it again.

Kacchan may be alive, but it doesn’t erase the fact that he died.

Aizawa suggests, “Let’s check out one last memory then head to the next entrance.” He clearly had some tears in his eyes. But he was still playing stoic. Aizawa was there to witness his student die after all.

So off they went to open another door and was pulled into yet another memory.

This time, the scenery wasn’t as bad as the previous one. It was calm and heartwarming.

In the center of yet another cliff sat Zuzu and Katsuki on a picnic blanket. There was a basket beside them that most likely contained their food.

The two were gazing into the stars above, pointing out the constellations they see.

Zuzu sighs happily and rests his head against Katsuki’s shoulder with their hands adorably intertwined. “I think. If I told my past self that we were dating, he would look at me like I told him All Might was not a true hero.”

Both of them laugh softly. “Why is that?”

“Because I hated your guts then.” Zuzu chuckles. “You always got on my nerves.”

“Just as much as you got on mine.” Katsuki points out.

“Haha, yeah. But like, I seriously can’t believe that we're dating now even when we started off as. Uhm, enemies?”

The blonde hums, “Yeah. My past self would call me crazy if I told him a stubborn nerd like you is my mate.”

Zuzu laughed softly at that and felt Katsuki shuffle in his position.

“And he’d probably scream… If I told him.”

Katsuki crouches on one knee.

“That I asked Deku,”

He took out a beautiful ring and Zuzu began crying.

“To marry me.”

“Oh Kacchan—” Zuzu sniffles as tears roll down his cheeks. “Of course I would!”

Katsuki’s smile softens and he inserts the band onto his mate’s finger. The freckled man doing the same to him. And then they pull each other into a tight embrace with happy tears.

…

“That was when you two got engaged?” Shouto asks politely.

Katsuki and Zuzu nod with proud smiles on their faces. Still holding each other dearly after the previous memory.

Now, almost everybody’s tears were replaced with happy ones after witnessing the adorable blossoming of the married couple. And even with the previous memory still fresh in their minds, they can breathe knowing that Kacchan is alive and well. And he’s there with everyone.

The group moved towards the next entrance at a slower pace than earlier. Izuku and Kacchan were silent as they walked side by side, feeling some sort of tension in the air after witnessing literal versions of themselves get engaged.

Internal conflict occurs within their minds, ripping out feelings that they both chose to bury from fear, anger, and denial.

Izuku sighs as he feels billions of thoughts running through his mind. He ponders, if it truly was their love that they needed to discover.

But no, that’s impossible.

Kacchan said so himself that he could never think about loving somebody like him.

Not in this world, not in any—

…

Maybe, Zuzu and Katsuki could be an exception.

Because their love story is so much more different than his and Kacchan’s.

So he can’t guarantee that they truly love each other.

I mean, look at Deku and Bakugou, then Midoriya and Kats. They’re always in each other’s throats or share an intense feeling of hatred.

He and Kacchan were the same.

So it can’t be love.

…

“Can… Can I be a hero even without a quirk?”

The answer he received was immediate, and not the one he was hoping to hear.

“No.”

And it shattered his heart. Crushed his dreams. Destroyed his hope of ever attempting to pursue the one thing he’d always wanted to be.

He can’t hear anything else that All Might was saying through the ringing of his ears. And next thing he knew, was that he was alone on the rooftop.

The teen’s hair flows through with the bustling wind and the once bright green eyes turned dark and empty.

Midoriya trembles in his position as tears roll down his cheeks. He mutters words of hatred and clenches his fist, feeling anguish crawling within his core. Then he remembers what Kacchan told him.

Just pray that you’ll be born with a quirk in your next life. And take a swan dive off the roof of a building.

Maybe, he could.

It would definitely take away all the pain he’s experiencing. It’ll give him freedom.

Midoriya walks towards the railing.

…

He takes off his yellow backpack and drops it on the ground.

…

Following suit were his bright red shoes.

…

He holds the railing.

…

And climbs to the other side of the ledge.

The air makes his curls flow along with the breeze. And he finds himself feeling peace for the first time in the last eleven years of constantly being tormented by the one man he admired the most.

Loved the most.

…

Midoriya lets himself fall.

Most of the group covered their eyes. But it didn’t stop them from hearing the loud sound of Midoriya’s bones cracking.

Four Katsukis were shaken. Haunted by the idea of Midoriya, Deku, Zuzu, Izuku , taking his own life, because of their words. Because of their advice.

Katsuki knows that he never told Zuzu anything like that. And that his Zuzu wouldn’t do something like that. But it doesn’t ease his heart at all knowing that some version of him did.

The memory turns black and everyone’s confused through tears. Until a spotlight befalls two figures in the center.

One is Izuku, and the other is Midoriya.

“Who— What… Who are you…?” Izuku asks the floating copy of him. Except that copy was bloody and clearly dead.

“I’m you.” Midoriya chuckles and circles Izuku. “I’m your inner rage. All the built up hatred you kept for lil’ ol’ Kacchan.”

“What…?” Izuku’s eyes were wide and filled with worry. “That can’t be. I— Shouldn’t I be dead…?!”

Midoriya giggles. “You are dead, Izuku.”

“...”

“I am your vengeance.” Midoriya holds Izuku’s hands. “I will seek the justice we deserve.”

Izuku hesitantly looks up into those sunken eyes. “But how…?”

Midoriya smiles. “Let me show you.”

The scenery changes into Kats’ room.

Kats was sitting on the floor, curled up with his bag pressed against the bed. Clearly sobbing into his knees.

Izuku watches Kats with an expression of concern, not even realizing that Midoriya was no longer behind him.

The sound of wood being scratched catches everyone’s attention, and they turn to Kats’ closet.

Kats gulps but stands up and approaches it. He reaches for the handle with a trembling hand and slowly slides the door open.

Midoriya was there.

In the darkness.

Smiling creepily with his limbs twisted in the wrong places and a too long crooked neck.

Kats gasps with horror in his eyes, falling down to the floor.

Midoriya emerges from the closet, chanting “Kacchan.”

Kats sobs as he crawls backwards in a desperate attempt to make the haunting image of Izuku disappear. The blonde closes his eyes, thinking it would help. But that looming voice fills his ears and echoes in his mind. He mutters please under his shaky breaths, begging for mercy, begging to stop, begging for forgiveness. Midoriya was relentless in making Kats suffer the consequences of his actions.

And Izuku couldn’t do anything.

“Stop!” Izuku yells, trying to get his vengeful spirit off of Kats. “You’re hurting him!”

Seeing as Kats had passed out, Midoriya brings them back to the black room once more.

“Why are you doing this?!”

Midoriya’s smile turns into a deep frown. “He deserves it. He hurt us and you’re complaining about me hurting him back?”

“I—It’s not right!” Izuku cries. “I’d never do that!”

Midoriya smiles again, “Why, because you care about your beloved Kacchan?”

Izuku halts at that which makes Midoriya laugh.

“You love him. You love him so much that you let him hurt you.” Midoriya leans closer. “You love him so much that you can’t even bear the thought of your own anger hurting him.”

“So what if I do?!” Izuku sobs with tears rolling down his cheeks. “You can’t hurt him! It’ll make us as bad as them!”

Midorya’s smile widens and he chuckles. “But you can’t do anything, Izuku.”

.

“Kacchan sees me. But he can’t see you.”

.

“Because you’re dead. And I won’t be, until our justice is given.”

.

Midoriya suddenly lunges at Izuku and the freckled boy screams. His body shakes as he holds his head, twitching uncontrollably while he flickers. And then he stops.

His appearance is the same as Midoriya’s.

Like they merged together.

But Izuku is being caged.

Locked inside his mind by the rage he worked so hard to bury. And has now surfaced.

…

Kats slowly turned to Midoriya who was clearly frowning. “You…”

Before anybody else can say anything, they’re pulled out of the memory.

Midoriya howls as his translucent body begins to flicker. And snippets of the Izuku they saw was showing up. But then it stops, and Midoriya remains the same. Terrifying. Haunting. Vengeful.

Somebody opens another door. Nobody knows who, but they’re pulled into another memory again.

…

Kats was sitting in his room and holding his arm. He mutters Izuku’s name under his breath and sniffles.

“Kacchan…” Izuku calls out, but Kats can’t see him. Midoriya was thankfully not taking over his body at the moment. Which allowed him to watch over Kats without the spirit tormenting the blonde.

But then Kats begins to press his palm against his forearm. And a minor explosion fucking burns through his skin.

Izuku’s eyes widen in horror and he runs to the Kats, “KACCHAN!”

Izuku can’t do anything. Only Midoriya can interact with Kats. He can’t be seen, heard, nor felt. So he helplessly cries.

“Kacchan stop! ”

More burns appear on Kats’ body as he continuously uses his quirk on himself.

“Kacchan!”

Three.

“Kacchan please…!”

Five.

“Don’t do this— Don’t hurt yourself! ”

Seven.

“Kacchan no!”

Ten.

.

Kats eventually stops and groans with tears rolling down his cheeks. And Izuku can’t do anything but watch and cry himself.

…

They’re pulled out of the memory.

Izuku—of the group, not the spirit—walks towards Kats with tears in his eyes. “Kats… You—”

Kats lowers his head in shame, his body trembling. “I’m sorry.”

Oh God.

They’re suddenly transported back to the center, out of the hallways. And the entrance of Kats and Midoriya’s memories are suddenly blocked by a metal gate.

Midoriya stalks towards Kats. “Izuku may have been foolish to think that you didn’t deserve any punishment.”

He scowls. “But that’s why I’m here, Kacchan.”

Kats grits his teeth and turns around to face the vengeful spirit. “What do you want from me?!” He yells angrily. “What justice could you possibly want?! Are you trying to drive me to kill myself too?!”

Midoriya pauses. “No.”

“What?”

“I’m only here because you haven’t proven that you should be forgiven.”

.

“I am Izuku’s anger, Kacchan. For as long as Izuku feels rage for you, I will continue to exist.”

For the first time ever, Midoriya drops to the floor. Walking towards Kats with his hands behind his back. “Come on. Apologize.”

“I’m sorry.”

Midoriya was about to complain about how short it is but Kats continued to speak.

“I was a fucking immature brat back then. Nothing I say can take back what I did. Or what I said. I knew how much you looked up to me. And I… I crushed that. I spat on it. I wanted to feel big, and you were the easiest person to make small.”

Midoriya blinks slowly. “You told me to jump,” He whispers softly. “And I did.”

Kats’ shoulders sag. “I know.” His voice cracking as he speaks. “I fucking know . I replay it every goddamn day in my head. I hear myself sayin’ it. I see you on that ledge. I see—”

He breaks off into an uncontrollable sob.

Midoriya studies him with his unnatural, pitch-black eyes. His smile is gone. Slowly, he kneels in front of Kats, tilting his head.

“Do you regret it, Kacchan?”

“Of course I regret it!” Kats roars. “I’d fucking trade places with you if it’d fix it. I’d— I’d…”

His voice chokes again. He sucks in a harsh breath, then stares at Midoriya with raw desperation.

“I’m sorry I told you to jump. I’m sorry I called you useless. I’m sorry I made you feel like your life didn’t matter. Because it does . It did back then, and it does now—even like this.”

Midoriya watches him, expression unreadable. Finally, he says:

“Say it to him.”

Kats blinks, confused. “What?”

Midoriya stands up and taps at his chest. He still felt odd, but those eyes of his were no longer black.

They were the emerald color that Kats loved so much.

“Kacchan.” His voice is softer. This is his Izuku.

“…Izuku. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry for everything. For the way I treated you when we were kids. For what I said that day. For making you think the world would be better without you. God, I was so wrong.”

His eyes shine with tears. “I don’t know how to fix it. But I’d do anything— anything —if it meant you’d still be alive. Or… at peace.”

For a moment, Izuku just stares at him. And everybody else watching stayed silent.

Then. Midoriya returns with a smile. But this time, it was softer. Gentler. No malice, no anger. “Wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

Midoriya closes his eyes and his body begins to glow. He seemed to crumble into bits until only Izuku was left. The anger is gone. The rage is gone. Kats has been forgiven.

Kats staggers forward and wraps his arms around Izuku. The freckled boy gasps but smiles, wrapping his own arms around the blonde.

“I’m so sorry…”

“I already forgave you, Kacchan.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

“Well I did.”

They both chuckle to themselves.

“This…doesn’t bring you to life.” Kats pulls away a little.

“It doesn’t.”

“But…why are you still here?” Kats asks with a voice nearly a whisper. “Shouldn’t you have gone with the spirit?”

“I don’t know…” Izuku shrugs. “But perhaps it just means I’m not haunting you anymore, more like protecting you.”

Kats’ eyes widen. “Why would you want to protect me?”

“You saw the memory. You saw how badly I was trying to get you to see me, so you would stop hurting yourself.” Izuku smiles softly. “And I guess that brought another strong will into my spirit.”

“So you’re basically his guardian angel now?” Sero asks with a finger on his chin.

“Sero!” Mina scolds from beside him. “Don’t ruin the mood!”

“I’m not!”

Midoriya—now transformed into Izuku—chuckles. And this time, it wasn’t the giggle that made everyone’s skin crawl. It was genuine. Familiar. It was Izuku’s. “I guess you can say that.”

“This is great and all,” Deku asserts. “But some of us still wanna fucking go home.”

“Right!” Nedzu smiles. “We should head to the next entrance!”

And so they do.

…

Deku sits on the edge of a building. One knee raised up beside him while the other leg sways outside the edge. He can feel the fresh breeze on his skin and feel a sense of peace as he sits on the brink of death. It calms him somehow. He just wanted to feel this sensation once more before he decided to finally accept his death.

But a voice calls out from behind him. “Hey, kid.”

Deku flinches in instinct and turns his head around to meet a scarred man. They had black hair, black attire, and piercing blue eyes. But what made the man extraordinary was the fact that his skin was purple. Clearly affected by some fire, which needed the staples the man has.

“Did you make these?” He asks, holding one of Deku’s analysis notebooks.

The freckled boy’s shoulders lose their tension and he responds with a tired voice. “Yeah.”

“Hm.” The man hums. “What do you think about joining the League?”

“The League?”

“Yeah. You’re clearly smart for your age. And that’s something valuable to society.” Says the man. “You were about to jump off, weren’t you?”

Deku hesitates, turning back to look at the city below him. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

“...I’m quirkless. Useless in everyone’s eyes.” Deku’s expression hardens as he recalls everybody that tormented him. “Everybody kept stomping on my dream. Even All Might.”

The man stayed silent, and all Deku could hear were footsteps approaching him.

“Why don’t you get your revenge?”

Deku visibly tenses up as he gasps, looking back at the man who was standing a few feet beyond the railing. “What?”

“Join the league and we’ll help you get stronger. Your analysis are fucking amazing, kid. You can do so much with it.” The man crosses his arms and leans towards the railing. “You can change society with it. Make them face the consequences of pushing you away.”

.

“Surely, you have even the slightest bit of anger in society, right?”

He does.

“Use that anger and show the world how wrong they were for calling you worthless.”

.

“Show them.”

…

“My brother recruited you…?” Shouto’s eyes were wide as he glanced at Deku who only grinned at him.

“You saw with your own eyes, didn’t you?”

And then they were pulled out of the memory.

Wanting no conversation to happen, Deku opens a door and forces everyone to be pulled into another memory.

…

“Thirteen! Protect the students!” Eraserhead yells, clutching his capture weapon as he runs towards the group of villains that had been warped in the center of USJ.

The students were terrified. Some were shaking and some were ready to fight.

Thirteen commands the students to flee, and were abruptly stopped by Kurogiri.

“Nice to meet you. We are the League of Villains.”

Bakugou and Kirishima rushed forward with an attack, but Kurogiri remained unharmed.

“My job is to scatter you all, and torture you to death!”

The students were then warped to different zones, but the memory focuses on one.

The collapse zone. Where Bakugou and Kirishima were brought.

“You damn villains!” Bakugou snarls. “Die!”

He and Kirishima fight off the villains surrounding them, working together to make it out of the building.

By the time they defeat all the villains in the area, both males were roughed up with bruises and dust. Bakugou guesses that there are more villains outside and immediately jumps out of the window. Ignoring Kirishima who was calling after him.

Bakugou explores the area and finds himself in a dead end. He grunts and turns around, only to be met with familiar hair, eyes, and freckles.

“Hello, Kacchan. ” Says the boy standing in front of him. “Look at you, making it to UA High. I always knew you could do it.”

“Deku…—”

Deku growls at the nickname but steps forward. “Is it fun playing hero? Making people think you’re such a good person?”

Bakugou’s expression hardens at that. And he finds himself entering a fighting stance. Everything in his guts is telling him that Deku may harm him or kill him. He shouldn’t be feeling that way. Deku’s fucking quirkless. Useless. Weak. He’s stronger, so why the fuck is he getting so scared over some nerd that decided to suddenly disappear and come back looking like they want to kill every person he sees?!

“Can you really call yourself a hero…” Deku stops in his tracks, placing a hand on his thigh. “After what you did to me?!” He unsheathed a dagger and lunged at the blonde with obvious intent to kill.

Bakugou defects it with his quirk, creating a good amount of distance between the two of them. Since when did Deku know how to fight?!

Without another word, he lunges forward, explosions booming in his palms. Deku side steps impossibly fast, boots skimming over the broken tiles. His gloved hand flicks and several small knives whip toward Bakugou.

Bakugou raises an explosion, deflecting the knives with sparks. Shrapnel peppers the concrete walls.

Deku uses the distraction as an opening and lunges in, aiming a vicious slash at Bakugou’s arm. Bakugou catches his wrist and swings the boy overhead, slamming him into the ground hard enough to crater the tiles. Dust billows around them.

“You think a few fucking knives will make you stronger than me?!”

But Deku smiles even from the ground. “No. This does.”

With a violent twist, he snaps free of Bakugou’s grip, spins low, and jabs two fingers into Bakugou’s ribs. A surge of green electricity arcs out of Deku’s fingertips—a shock device disguised as part of his glove. Bakugou cries out, muscles locking.

Deku rises and stands over him, expression twisted with rage and triumph.

“You always thought you were better than me.” Deku approaches dangerously, his boot clanking in the concrete ground. He harshly grabs Bakugou by the collar and pulls their faces close to each other. Noses nearly touching. “But look who’s flat on the ground now.

Bakugou’s teeth grind as he fights through the paralysis. His eyes blaze. “Why are you doing this—?!”

Deku’s face hardens. “After everything you did to me.” He growls with rage. Eyebrows furrowed in anger. “I’m done playing the hero. I’m done trying to be good enough for you, or All Might, or anyone else!”

Bakugou spits blood and laughs. “Then I guess I’ll have to beat that hero shit back into you myself.”

With a roar, Bakugou forces his muscles to move and slams both palms into Deku’s stomach, creating a harsh blast that sends Deku flying across the alleyway, smashing into the rough building behind him.

“I don’t care how far you’ve fallen.” Bakugou staggers after him, chest heaving. “You’re still Deku. And I’m still the one who’ll win.”

Deku drags himself up, coughing. “You’re still as arrogant as ever.” He wipes blood from his lip, eyes blazing. He reaches behind him and takes out another dagger from who knows where.

They rush each other again, explosions and sharp blades colliding in a storm of force. Each strike echoes like cannonfire. Deku flips over Bakugou’s guard and slams a knee into his side. Bakugou grabs his leg and hurls him into the wall beside them. Rubble rains down, but Deku bursts free with a snarl.

“I’ll kill you if I have to!” Deku roars, voice cracking. “I’m not your punching bag anymore!”

They charge, fists colliding, sending various attacks at each other. Where one has the intent to muder, and the other has the intent to win. 

Above, Shigaraki watches, scratching his neck furiously, eyes flicking between the two boys locked in battle.

Deku growls and lunges with all his might, finally landing a very deep gash on Bakugou’s upper arm. Which will probably scar even when he receives healing from Recovery Girl. The blonde hissed and jumped backwards, tiny exploding crackling in his palm.

But then Deku freezes, pressing two fingers into his ear. “Seriously?!” He yells. “Fine.”

The freckled boy sends Bakugou a glare before turning around and jumping through the rubble. Fleeing from the scene as quickly as he entered.

“Fuck!” Bakugou groans. “Stupid Deku…”

…

“Who you calling stupid?!” Deku lunges at Bakugou but is held back by Aizawa wrapping him in his capture weapon. Making the villain hiss in annoyance.

“Tch.”

The group is pulled out of the memory.

“So you attacked at USJ…”

Somebody points out and Deku snarls. Opening another door before anyone else could comment further.

“Hey, wai—!”

…

“Deku.” Shigaraki’s gruff voice cuts through the air like a warning. “If you don’t use sensei’s fucking training to be on an davantage, you’re better off out the League.”

“...I told you, I’ll do everything but kill somebody.”

“Three of our members got captured because you were too much of a fucking coward to take somebody’s life.” Shigaraki strides forward, placing four fingers on Deku’s shoulder. “Toughen up. We took you in to give you a fucking objective. And if you aren’t gonna follow that, then I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Deku tenses up and takes a shaky breath. Sighing softly and quietly. “Understood.”

“Good.” Shigaraki tightens his grip but doesn’t let his index figner come into contact with anything. “Go after that annoying hero killer and find a way to bring him to our side. Kill if you have to.”

Shigaraki finally releases Deku. “Don’t fucking disappoint us, Deku.”

The freckled boy presses his lips in a thin line. “Understood.”

Kurogiri spares him a glance before sending him out with a warp gate. Making the memory shift to the city of Hosu.

Deku silently walks through the streets with his hands buried in his pockets. Analyzing every bit of his surroundings and searching quietly for Stain.

He hears a commotion in a secluded alleyway and approaches with silent steps. Pressing his back against the corner wall and peeking from the side. Deku assesses the situation, seeing three people.

Stain is there fighting with one of Bakugou’s classmates. The darn brat that called for backup when they attacked, leading to their need for retreat. And the pro hero Native sitting with his back against the wall. Clearly injured and bleeding.

But for some reason, Bakugou’s classmate didn’t seem to pay him any attention. Focused on his conversation and battle with Stain.

This must be because of what the Hero Killer did to his brother.

How curious. He went straight for revenge.

Deku huffs and climbs up the building to enter the scene from behind Stain.

He can see from above how Tenya—Bakugou’s classmate—receives a strike from the vigilante’s blade. Who then takes a few steps back and licks the blood off. All of a sudden, Tenya was down on the ground. Alive but unmoving.

Almost like he was paralyzed.

Deku pulls up his mask and silently makes his descent. Being quiet with his steps as he approaches. But of course, Stain notices him.

The vigilante turns around in an instant and points a chipped Katana in Deku’s direction. To which the villain raised both his hands in a gesture asking for peace.

“I’m not here to fight you, Stain.”

Stain refuses to lower down the blade. “You’re that smart kid from the League.”

Deku doesn’t react.

“Are you here to try and recruit me again?”

The freckled boy nods and takes a couple steps forwards. “The League is set on a single objective. And I get that they may seem like mindless murderers.” Stain scoffs at that but allows Deku to continue speaking. “We didn’t have the time to talk. But believe it or not, I have quite the similar mindset as you.”

Stain quirks an eyebrow at that and lowers the katana yet ensures that his grip was still firm and steady. Ready to strike or defend.

“The hero society has been tainted with fakes.” Deku begins with a scowl. “And there’s nothing I hate more besides people being praised and admired for being a hero yet don’t act like one.”

Deku finds that their conversation is going well because Stain was actively listening to him.

“Indeed… All these fake heroes irk me.” The vigilante professes. “They do not deserve to be put on a pedestal. Hence why I choose my targets wisely.”

The freckled boy smiles and shortens the distance between them. He extends a hand with a tile of his head. “We could use your skill in the League. And if they allow me to choose who I can kill or not, I’m sure they can do the same to you.”

It was a lie. The League only has a limited amount of patience. But he needs to finish his objective; bring Stain to their side.

Stain huffs. “I still refuse to work with your poorly formed group.” Yet he extends his own hand and takes Deku’s for a firm shake. “But I will consider your offer.”

“Of course.” Deku remains calm despite the gnawing irritation in his core. He knows he needs to be patient, needs to earn Stain’s respect and trust. But fuck does he need the man to join them asap because his darn life’s on the line. “That’s all I ask for.”

A figure charges at Stain from behind and the vigilante skillfully deflects the attack. Deku takes out a few daggers hidden in his body and takes a fighting stance himself.

Tenya was moving again.

His teeth grit together so tightly that blood trickles at the corners of his lips. His eyes blaze with pure hatred, locked onto Stain even as his limbs tremble from the lingering paralysis of the vigilante’s quirk.

“You…” Tenya rasps, voice ragged. “You murderer… I won’t let you get away with this…!”

Stain’s gaze narrow. “You’re not ready, boy. Your vengeance blinds you.”

“I DON’T CARE!” Tenya screams, steam rising off his body as his engines whir to life. “I WILL KILL YOU FOR MY BROTHER!”

Deku flicks his gaze between Stain and Tenya. His hand tightening on his dagger’s hilt.

“Your brother was unworthy. A fake hero.” Stain asserts with a cold tone. “He chose the life of fame over true heroism. His death was meant to be a warning.”

Tenya freezes, breathing ragged. His whole body trembles as the words hit him like a slap.

“SHUT UP!” Tenya lunges at Stain with an engine burst of pure rage. Stain twists to meet him, blade flicking out—but Deku lunges between them.

CLANG!

Sparks erupt as Deku’s daggers clash with Stain’s katana. Stain’s eyes widened.

“Tch. What do you think you’re doing, kid?!”

“I can’t let you kill him!” Deku snarls, eyes darting to Tenya’s pale face. “Iida, you’re a smart man. If you truly want to be a hero then open your eyes!”

Tenya’s face twists with anger and he rams his knee into Deku’s stomach. The freckled boy lets out a grunt, staggering backward.

“What would you know about being a hero?!”

Tenya grabs Deku by the collar and slams him into the brick wall so hard dust plumes around them. “Your hands are stained with blood!” He shouts, voice cracking. “YOU DON’T GET TO LECTURE ME!”

Deku wheezes. He shoves Tenya off him with a burst of desperate strength, gasping for air.

He glares at the student with wide eyes. Tenya swings again and Deku barely manages to deflect the punch with his forearm, wincing as his muscles cry out in pain from the blow.

Stain watches, blade lowered, observing them like a hawk.

Tenya lunges again but this time Deku side steps. “I’ll bring you to justice myself… even if it means KILLING YOU!”

Deku’s breath hitches at that. This was turning into a battle till death.

“Don’t make me do this, Iida.”

Tenya bursts forward again with Recipro Extend. It’s far faster than Deku can dodge completely. Tenya’s blade-arm comes streaking toward Deku’s chest.

Instinct takes over.

.

Blood spurts out of Tenya’s mouth, both teens frozen in their positions. Eyes wide from fear, anger, and guilt.

For a split second, time stops.

Until Tenya’s engines sputter and die out with a metallic whine.

Deku’s eyes travel down to his dagger. Blade buried deep in Tenya’s gut, causing blood to pool out from the wound.

Tears rolled down Deku’s cheeks. He grips the handle of the blade, trying to pull it back. As if it would undo what he’s done.

Deku struggles to find his voice, heart racing and tugging in his chest. Blood stained his hands. A mixture of his injuries and the murder he just committed.

Tenya collapses against the freckled boy’s chest, smearing blood across his clothes. Deku lowers him gently to the ground, trembling. Still trying to process what he’s done.

“…brother… I’m— Sorry…” A shuddering breath escapes Tenya’s lips before his eyes close. And Deku watches as the body in front of him goes cold. Lifeless. Dead. By his hands.

“You made the right call.” Stain speaks quietly. “Weakness has no place in this world.”

Deku doesn’t answer. His eyes remain locked on Tenya’s lifeless face. But then police sirens begin to wail.

Stain turns to leave, sheathing his blade. “We’ll speak again someday.”

Deku doesn’t move. Even when the clouds start crying and rain drenches the three bodies in the alleyway. Two dead. One being eaten with guilt. Stain had murdered Native somewhere along the time frame of him and Tenya fighting. But Deku couldn’t bring himself to think. His mind was clouded and fuzzy, tears rolling down his cheeks the same time rain dripped down his face.

The freckled boy slowly rises, knees trembling uncontrollably. And with a weak voice, he whispers. “…I’m sorry.” Then melts into the shadows just as the heroes arrive.

…

“You— You actually killed him…” Ochako’s voice cracks as she cries.

Many people are surrounding the Tenya from their world, clinging to the fact that he was alive here. But their hearts were still shattered from having to witness him die. In the hands of somebody who carried the face of their best friend.

“You can obviously fucking tell that it was from self defense.” Deku’s voice uncharacteristically cracks when he says this.

They’re pulled off of the memory again. Deku reaches for a door but is stopped by Aizawa’s capture weapon. “Stop forcefully opening doors just to avoid being confronted.”

Which angered the freckled boy a lot. “What the fuck do expect me to do?!” He yells with glassy eyes. “I’m a villain surrounded by heroes who probably wanna arrest me when I’m not even from this world!”

Deku kicks a door open and pulls everyone into another memory.

…

The scenery was in a hospital. Bakugou was sitting up on his bed, bandages wrapped around his body. A pink scar was noticeable on his upper arm. Along with his cheek and ear. Then the eye patch covering his eye. It’s obvious that these scars were inflicted by his childhood friend.

Voices of Pro Heroes can be heard outside, clearly talking about Deku.

Bakugou had given them a story beforehand. Gritting his teeth as he finally revealed their origins as a child. Way before they were at the age of supposedly getting a quirk. Way before everything changed and went wrong.

“Bakugou has great potential and will make a great hero.”

“But did you not just hear what he did?! He’s willing to be arrested for it too!”

“He has clearly changed. We could tell that much from how different he is now. Yes, he’s often arrogant and snaps at people, but he has the determination to be a hero more than anyone.”

“Calm down, Present Mic. I’m sure that Bakugou’s actions can be redeemable. Although… I’m not so sure about Deku.”

“He’s driven by rage, of course. He was tormented for eleven years. And as much as Bakugou was a large factor to this, it was Deku who chose to enter villainy.”

“Does that mean he can’t be changed?”

“Most likely.”

Bakugou growls, placing a hand over his head. He was alone in his bed, the sound of his monitor beeping being the only sense of company he has. The blonde sniffles.

He was crying.

“Damn it, Izuku.”

.

“Is there really no way to save you?” His voice was barely above a whisper. Cracking a little as he cries into his palm. Muttering inaudible things to himself.

But most can deduce that it was him blaming himself for how his and Deku’s relationship turned out.

He was still clinging to a thin string of hope that he and Deku could be heroes together. Just like they dreamed of when they were children.

…

The group was silent as they’re pulled out of the memory.

Before Deku could kick another door open, they’re transported to the center again. And now, the entrance to their memories close off with a metal gate.

Awkward silence engulfs the group like a suffocating blanket. Everyone had many things to say, many things in their minds, and many questions they desired answers to. But everybody can also tell that it was time for Bakugou and Deku to talk to each other.

Deku’s head is lowered, his eyes hidden beneath green hair. Hands trembling on his sides. Bakugou’s breathing is ragged as he swipes a hand roughly over his face, trying to wipe the wetness away.

No one dares speak. Even Zuzu and Katsuki exchange a glance but stay silent.

Until finally, Deku lifts his chin. His eyes, glassy with tears, lock onto Bakugou.

“After everything I did to you…” His voice cracks. “You still want to save me…?”

Bakugou lets out a sharp, bitter laugh.

“Don’t fucking flatter yourself, Deku,” he snarls, voice thick with emotion. “This isn’t about saving you. ”

Deku visibly flinches at that. And he hates himself for reacting in such a way. He was trained to be stoic, unforgiving, and dangerous. He already threw away the child who cried at so many things. He killed the child that flinched at every loud noise or anything that inconvenienced him.

The blonde clenches his fists so tightly that the knuckles go white. He drags a shaking breath into his chest, struggling to keep his voice steady.

“This is about not letting the one person who believed in me become someone I don’t recognize.” His voice dips, softer but ragged. “It’s about not letting the kid who followed me around like a damn helpless puppy… Turn into a fucking murderer who thinks he’s beyond saving.”

Deku’s eyes well with fresh tears. His lips part, but no sound comes out. His heart was racing and he couldn’t stop the tears from actually falling.

Fuck. What would the League think if they saw him like this? After all the training they put him through. He was reverting back to the crybaby he hated the most.

“I see your face every time I look in a mirror. The scars remind me of the hateful glare you always gave me. The way you looked at me when you tried to kill me. And I keep thinking— if I’d just been better, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Don’t—” Deku rasps, shaking his head violently. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for my choices! I hate you, I really do. But FUCK! Eraserhead was right. It’s my fault for choosing villainy. It’s my fault for going down this path. It’s my fault for letting my anger control me. It’s my fault for—”

“It’s not your fault because you shouldn’t have had to choose!” Bakugou roars, voice cracking. “You should’ve had me. You should’ve had your best friend!”

Deku opens his mouth—but the words die on his tongue. His chest heaves with ragged breaths.

The others watch silently. Zuzu looks seconds away from crying himself and even Katsuki’s jaw is set, eyes downcast.

Bakugou takes a deep breath, “I’m not saying you can just come back and everything will be fine.” His voice lowers, trembling. “But… I still remember the kid who used to cry every time I scraped my knees as if I broke my bones. I still remember how you looked at me like I could do anything. And I—” His voice shatters. “I want that kid back, Izuku.”

Deku’s shoulders quake. He swallows hard. “Izuku, is dead . You killed— No. I killed him.”

Bakugou stares at him, breathing heavily. “Really? Then how come I’m fucking staring at him right now?”

Deku tenses at that. Tears still continuously rolling down his cheeks.

“Your eyes have their spark again.” Bakugou grins. “And from what I know, the Deku that wants to kill me never cries.”

Deku blinks, tears blurring his vision. “Kacchan…”

And this time, the nickname carried no malice. Or anger.

“You don’t have to forgive me.” Bakugou sighs. “I wouldn’t either. But at least let me help you?”

He extends a shaky hand at the freckled boy. And for a brief moment, they were back in that river scene years ago.

Deku stares at it like it could kill him. He takes one hesitant step closer—and stops.

“I… I don’t know how to go back,” he whispers, voice breaking. “I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’ve killed people, Kacchan. I’ve hurt you. Hurt so many people. How can I just… Go back?”

“You don’t go back,” Bakugou growls, low but firm. “You start over.”

Deku lets out a trembling exhale. He looks away, teeth digging into his bottom lip so hard it almost bleeds. “I don’t… deserve to start over.”

“Yeah, well, neither do I,” Bakugou snaps. “But here I fucking am. Trying.”

Deku’s lips quiver. His shoulders quake as he lets out a tiny, wet laugh. Fuck, Bakugou missed that sound so much.

Bakugou takes a small step forward, hand still outstretched. Deku’s gaze snaps back to him. Green eyes wide, shining with tears.

“I don’t forgive you.” The blonde takes a shaky breath, lowering his voice. “Not yet. And you sure as shit don’t forgive me. But that doesn’t mean I’m leaving you behind again.”

The silence that follows is so thick it’s almost suffocating. Deku’s mouth opens, then closes, words dying in his throat.

Then his trembling fingers inch forward… and just barely brush against Bakugou’s. The blonde doesn’t hesitate to hold it and pull the other into an embrace. Deku chokes out a sob, squeezing his eyes shut. Wanting to hug his childhood friend as well, but he still believes he doesn’t deserve to.

“Idiot,” Bakugou mutters, voice shaking. “I’ve always been your fucking hero, huh?”

Deku lets out a noise that’s a half sob, half laugh.

Zuzu wipes his eyes furiously. Katsuki looks away, scowling like he’s trying not to cry. Even Midoriya and Kats had tears welling in their eyes.

Aizawa and Nedzu look proud. Glad that Deku was allowing himself to be brought to light.

Izuku and Kacchan’s friend groups already had tears in their eyes from watching the tense moment become adorably heartwarming. Shouto and Sero had more control of their emotions though.

Deku finally opens his eyes, voice ragged. “Okay. One… One step at a time.”

Bakugou smirks through his own tears. “Damn right, nerd.” He tugs Deku closer, just enough that their foreheads bump gently together. And it almost felt like they were kids again.

The room changes, and they find themselves back in the dorms.

It’s eerily still for a second—like nobody dares breathe in case this reality crumbles too.

Then Tenya gasps, slapping his palms against his chest as though confirming he’s solid. “We’re… we’re back?”

Denki promptly flings himself onto the nearest couch. “THANK GOD. I thought we were gonna be stuck in trauma-vision forever!”

Ochaco wipes her eyes, smiling shakily. “I can’t believe we actually… made it through all that.”

“Kero.” Tsuyu nodded beside her as they were still holding onto each other.

Shouto blinks at her. “Statistically speaking, I thought we were all going to die.”

“That’s so comforting, Todoroki. Thank you.” Denki deadpans.

Zuzu glances around. “So… How about a snack? Anyone want to try cooking together again?”

All the Bakugous simultaneously yell: “NO!”

And that’s when laughter explodes through the room, echoing off the dorm walls.

“It’s literally so simple.” Katsuki walks towards Zuzu and takes the green haired boy’s hand into his. He bows and presses a gentle kiss on the back of his mate’s hand, rising to intertwine their fingers and announce with no hesitation at all. “I love you.”

Mina squeals from beside Eijirou and Denki who were also making their own noises of excitement.

Zuzu smiles up at his husband, “I love you too, Kacchan.”

They then turn to the younger Izukus and Katsukis whose faces were flushed red.

“See? Now you try it.”

Midoriya hovers beside Kats and turns to face the blonde. To which Kats does the same. Midoriya smiles and chirps, “I love you, Kacchan!”

Kats’ face grows a deeper shade of red and he reluctantly mutters, “I love you too, nerd…”

Midoriya giggles at that and moves through to the air to float behind Kats.

Bakugou and Deku look at each other.

“Fuck no.” They say in unison, turning to Katsuki and Zuzu again. Which is understandable, considering the fact that they just fixed the large cracks of their relationship. There were still many smaller ones to mend.

“Okay, fine, you two are an exception.”

Everybody’s head turns to Izuku and Kacchan when the two males make eye contact.

“...Uhm.”

“Yeah no, this is not gonna fucking work.” Kacchan huffs with a scowl.

“Dude,” Sero groans from the side. “Just say it.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to try, Kero.” Tsuyu comments.

Kacchan growls but reluctantly turns to Izuku again. His cheeks were dusted with a small blush and he grumbled, “I love you. Nerd.”

Izuku’s heart skips a beat. “I— I love you too, Kacchan…”

…

Nothing happens.

“That was hard to watch.” Deku quips.

“I actually agree with him.”

They return to their seating arrangement on the couch and everybody has their eyes glued to Izuku and Kacchan. Because, well, they’re the ones who need to discover the thing.

Tenya claps his hands together and suggests, “Why don’t we try close proximity? It may spike some romance!”

Ochaco beams from a table she was sitting on with Shouto and Tsuyu. “Oooh, great idea!”

“Alright you two,” Mina places her hands on her hip. “Go sit next to each other.”

They don’t move a muscle.

“Dude, sit next to each other!” Denki chirps from beside Sero who was chuckling.

“We are sitting next to each other, dipshits!” Kacchan bristles with irritation.

Izuku’s shoulder tenses and he finds himself frozen like a statue.

“Oh my God, we meant press shoulders or something!”

“Hah?!”

“Just do it!” All of Izuku’s and Kacchan’s friends yell in unison.

Izuku stays silent as he scoots over while Kacchan huffs and does the same.

Their shoulders touch and make both their bodies tense.

“Okay!” Denki claps his hands. “Now stare at each other for like, thirty seconds.”

…

Silence…

“Pfft.” Deku and Bakugou cover their hands to muffle their laughs—bitches.

Kats and Midoriya watch with shared amusement, while Zuzu smiles nervously and Katsuki has a deep scowl on his face.

Izuku tries to look up at Kacchan, but is immediately yelled at.

“The fuck are you looking at, nerd?!”

“Sorry! I’ll stop!”

The others groan as the two scoot apart like magnets repelling each other.

While trying some more activities, Izuku suddenly lets out an excruciating scream.

Everybody turns to him with worried glances, and they helplessly watch as scars form in Izuku’s body. And Deku notices that those scars are similar to the ones he has. Worst of all, blood is soaking through his clothes. The exact same spots Midoriya was previously bleeding through.

“Izuku?!” Kacchan panics, hesitating between pulling the man into an embrace or giving him space because touch might hurt him.

“What’s happening?!” Shouto yells with panic as he rushes to be near Izuku.

Then, Kacchan groans, clutching his eye. Scars form around his body, the same scars Bakugou has. Smoke flares out of his mouth, as if he could breathe fire. And horror flashes across everyone’s faces.

“Their worlds are merging.” Aizawa mutters under his breath.

“Oh God—?!”

Panic fills everyone, scared shitless of the situation.

“But we still have a few hours left!” Midoriya yells, holding onto Kats’ shoulders. “Why are the effects so severe already?!”

“Nobody really knows how long we took in the memory dimension.” Nedzu’s eyebrows were furrowed as he said this. And everybody’s eyes widened at the revelation.

“Dude, just confess to each other already?!” Denki turns to Izuku and Kacchan the same time everyone else does.

Both males look at each other with wide, pained eyes. But neither can still find themselves to believe that their feelings would be reciprocated.

Ochako yells out in a panic, “O-okay! How about a game of truth or dare, yeah?”

Tsuyu nods beside her, “Kero.”

“Right!” Eijirou cheers. “It’s the number one game for confessions!”

Mina looks at Kacchan, “Bakugou! Truth or dare?”

Kacchan glares at her but coughs up smoke again. So he hurriedly growls, “Truth.”

“Do you like Midoriya?!”

“Fuck no!” Kacchan yells with a red face.

Everyone stares in disbelief while Izuku looks away, visibly hurt.

Kacchan notices. Of course he does. So he adds with his voice cracking, “I mean, yes! I mean— No— FUCK! It’s complicated!”

Izuku looks up at him with tears welling in his eyes. Nobody can tell if it’s from the pain of the injuries he just got or from Kacchan’s indirect rejection.

“You don’t have to say that if you don’t mean it, Kacchan…”

Kacchan looks back at him with a face of mixed emotions. “Who the fuck says I don’t mean it?!”

Then he flinches, freezing as he processes his own words. Izuku’s eyes widened and the room went silent.

“You…” Izuku hesitates. “You mean it…?”

Kacchan grits his teeth, face red and fist clenched in his sides. “Of course I fucking do.” He turns away from Izuku and chooses to glare at the floor. “Ever since the fucking war ended, I loved you. Shit. I probably loved you even before that but was too much of a fucking coward to admit it.”

“You loved me…?”

“I—” Kacchan finally lifts his head to look up at Izuku once more. Finally meeting those emerald eyes he loved so much.

“Yes. Yes, I fucking loved you. Even though I told myself I should hate you, I just...can’t. It annoyed me so much how you always clung to me like a fucking leech. But for some reason, I kept…allowing you to.”

“Oh my God, it’s finally happening.” Somebody speaks from the crowd, but neither Izuku nor Kacchan was listening.

“Shh!”

“I should've pushed you away. Fuck, I could’ve yelled at you but I—”

“Didn’t.” Izuku finishes for him. “You didn’t push me away… Because you actually liked having me by your side…”

“Yeah, so what?!” Kacchan runs a hand through his hair. Gritting his teeth in frustration. “I wanted to push you away. Because I knew it was dangerous to keep you by my side with these…feelings I fucking have. Knowing that you won’t reciprocate them.”

Izuku frowns, his eyebrows furrowed in both anger and sadness. “Why are you always making assumptions?!”

Kacchan tensed up at that.

“I love you too! Ever since we were children, I probably did…” Tears spilled from Izuku’s eyes as he spoke. “I know, I know that you did so many bad things, but I can’t bring myself to hate you. And I don’t know why!”

Izuku sniffles, furiously wiping off his tears with his sleeves. Kacchan looked at him with disbelief, and before he could speak, Izuku continued.

“Then UA happened… You kept saving me despite claiming that you hate me with all your heart. I saw the way you changed. I saw the way you softened. I saw it all, under the rain that day. Where you saved me from myself.”

Kacchan’s hands tremble, aching to bring the freckled boy closer.

“Then the war happened— And I…I watched you lay there…bleeding in the ground. I cared about you so much. I loved you so much that I was willing to actually kill Shigaraki then. Despite telling myself, and everyone else, that he could still be saved.”

Silence fills the room.

Neither of them spoke, not even anybody watching. All of them were holding their breaths.

And then, Kacchan made his move.

He steps forward, grabbing Izuku’s face as gently as he could and shortens the distance between their faces. Kacchan halts when their noses touch, letting Izuku reject him if he doesn’t want this.

But he didn’t.

So Kacchan leans closer and presses their lips together. And suddenly, it was only the two of them. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion as they finally accepted their feelings.

Neither of them can hear the cheers of those watching, too focused on the kiss they now shared.

Izuku closes his eyes as his hands grip Kacchan’s shoulder tightly. Both finding themselves pulling each other impossibly closer.

The kiss doesn’t deepen. It doesn’t even last long. But it carried all the emotions they’d been harboring for each other for months or even years. And that’s what made it unforgettable.

Crimson eyes stare into emerald ones when they pull away.

Izuku and Kacchan breathe heavily, neither of them uttering even a single word.

Until a grin forms on Kacchan’s flushed face, and Izuku finds himself chuckling.

“Finally!” Voices yell from behind them, and the wonder duo are suddenly snapped back to reality. Faces going beet red at the revelation that they just kissed in front of everyone.

“Oh my Gosh!” Mina squeals. “We need to celebrate this!”

“Hah?!”

“Hell yeah!”

Laughter fills the room as Kacchan threatens to explode his friends. And then it stops when they see a glowing light.

All heads turn to Zuzu and Katsuki who were slowly fading away.

“Oh.” Zuzu smiles. “It seems the quirk is wearing off.”

Katsuki huffs beside him, snaking his arm around the freckled man’s waist. “About damn time.”

“It was nice to meet you all.” Zuzu offers a farewell.

“Bye-bye mister Zuzu and Katsuki!” Eijirou waves a hand at them. “Say hi to my dragon self for me please!”

Katsuki scoffs. “Sure, shitty scales.”

Eijirou gasps at that. Shitty scales?!

Zuzu only chuckles as he waves them goodbye. “We’ll make sure to tell everyone else about you all.”

Everybody sends their own farewells until the two adults are fully gone.

A beat of silence, then Deku and Bakugou began glowing as well. Slowly fading just like Zuzu and Katsuki.

“Welp, time to go.”

Izuku takes a step forward. “Deku. What are you planning to do after all this?”

Deku’s eyes widen a fraction at that, then he smiles. “Start over, like I agreed to.”

He looks up at Bakugou with a grin. “And this time, I’ll take a different path.”

Bakugou smiles and ruffles the freckled boy’s hair. Earning a groan from the other. “Bastard.”

Both of them share their own farewells the same time the others do, and then they disappear.

All heads turn to Midoriya and Kats.

“We’re gonna disappear next, aren’t we.” Midoriya smiles.

“I’m glad you two have fixed…whatever relationship you have, Kero.” Tsuyu smiles at the pair.

Denki finds himself agreeing. “I’m glad that Midobro doesn’t look scary anymore. I was so close to shitting my pants earlier.”

A few people laugh at that.

Then the two begin glowing and fading as well.

“This wasn’t how I expected to be forgiven.” Kats admits with a soft voice. “But I’m glad to know that in another universe, Izuku is alive.”

Midoriya looks at Kats with a gentle smile. Wrapping his arms around the blonde. “I’m just glad to know that we’re together in every universe.”

Kats finds himself smiling at that. “Me too.”

And then they disappear.

“Wow… They’re really gone, huh.” Sero runs a hand through his hair as he says this.

“That was crazy.” Denki sighs as he flops onto a couch. Eijirou followed behind him with his own noise of agreement.

“But it’s over now.” Aizawa crosses his arms. “Good job, you all worked together and got through all of this.”

“Just say you’re proud of them, Aizawa-kun!” Nedzu smiles from his shoulder. But the teacher doesn’t say anything more except a huff.

Mina wipes her eyes, still sniffling a little. “I can’t believe all of that actually happened. Like… parallel universes?!”

Tsuyu croaks quietly. “Kero. It was exhausting.”

Tenya nods sharply. “Indeed. But I believe we are stronger as a class for having endured this bizarre, reality-altering trial.”

Ochako tilts her head. “Still… I’m kinda gonna miss seeing all those other versions of everyone. Especially… y’know…” She glances at the spot where Zuzu and Katsuki had been standing.

“I, for one, am relieved there’s only one Bakugou again.” Shouto, perfectly deadpan, murmurs, “One is plenty.”

Kacchan immediately snarls, “What the hell’s that supposed to mean, Half-n-Half ?!”

Shouto feigns innocence. “Nothing.”

Kacchan opened his mouth to retort but decided against it. He scoffs, turning his head to glare at the empty spaces the other Izukus and Katsukis once were. “…Tch.” He looks away. “Those other me’s were annoying. ”

Izuku, who’s been quiet and staring at the floor, suddenly pipes up softly, “I… I kind of miss them, too.”

Everyone turns to look at him.

Izuku rubs the back of his neck, voice small but sincere. “I mean… They were all me. And… Not me. But… They went through so many things. And because of this whole incident, they changed...”

Kacchan grumbles an agreement under his breath.

Silence falls for a second.

Then Aizawa clears his throat. “Enough brooding. You all survived a multi-dimensional incident. And—” He pauses, sighs deeply, and mutters, “…and I’m proud of you.”

Everyone might just start crying again.

Nedzu suddenly pipes up from Aizawa’s shoulder, clasping his tiny paws together. “Well! Now that we’ve established our emotional growth… Might I suggest a celebratory meal? Perhaps ordering would be better.”

Given that the kitchen was still a little damaged.

Mina gasps, “Are you treating us to dinner, Nedzu-sensei?!”

Nedzu’s eyes sparkle dangerously. “Oh, no no. You’re all paying. You’ve traumatized our dorm budget enough with repairs.”

The entire class groans.

“I blame the Bakugous.”

“HAH?!” Kacchan yells, turning to Shouto with a glare.

“All of your versions had explosive abilities. How else would the kitchen be damaged?”

Kacchan’s eyes twitch in anger. “You wanna say that again?”

“Okay! Enough fighting!” Eijirou stands between both males. “We’ve had enough chaos for the day…”

“We should just start ordering now, Kero.” Tsuyu comments form the side. And nobody could protest under the influence of their hunger.

Izuku lifts a hand timidly. “Um… Can we just get something simple? Like… Soba?”

Shouto’s eyes light up. “Excellent choice, Izuku.”

“Oh my God,” Mina moans. “You and your soba obsession—live a little!”

“Fine,” Shouto deadpans. “We can get soba and spicy wings.”

Eijirou’s eyes shine. “YES! Now we’re talking!”

Nedzu rubs his paws together gleefully. “Splendid! I’ll go contact a couple restaurants. And tally up your debt while I’m at it.”

The class collectively groans again.

“Sensei, have mercy…” Sero slumps against the couch.

“You are all heroes-in-training,” Nedzu chirps. “Consider this financial discipline!”

Kacchan scowls and mutters under his breath. “I’ll pay. Just order the damn food.”

“I can pitch in too.” Shouto raises a hand.

Ugh. Rich kids.

Izuku blinks at Kacchan, startled. “You don’t have to—”

“I said I’ll pay, damn nerd!” Kacchan snaps, face red as a tomato.

Mina shrieks, “Awh! Look at him already being a boyfriend—!”

“SHUT UP, RACOON EYES.”

Laughter fills the room as they eventually order take out for the night. And they couldn’t help but smile together knowing that they survived yet another crazy catastrophe given to them by the world.

…

“Deku.” Katsuki calls out softly.

Izuku perks up, turning to look at his husband. “Yeah?”

“Shitty scales says they’re already there. We should go.”

Izuku smiles, walking over to gently hold Katsuki’s hands into his. Their wedding bands shining brightly underneath the night’s light.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

Katsuki huffs and presses a kiss on Izuku’s cheek. The freckled man giggles and they release each other’s hands. Katsuki walks forward, glowing white as he transforms into a dragon.

Izuku looks at him with stars in his eyes and excitedly approaches. Climbing his husband’s back with ease after having done it multiple times in the past years they’ve been together.

The bright dragon growls softly and Izuku gives him the go signal. And then they’re soaring into the sky, allowing the wind to brush through their skins. Or scales. Carrying a heavy load of stories to tell their friends.

…

The news reporter stands firm and composed with a mic in his hands.

“Villain Deku, real name Izuku Midoriya, announced dead.”

A picture of a bloody body, buried under heavy rubble, pops up on the screen of many. And everybody finds themselves breathing sighs of relief as the most feared villain is now dead.

.

Years later, Katsuki is now an outstanding Pro Hero with his other classmates.

He jumps through buildings under the pale moonlight, stopping at one specific rooftop. He sees a figure sitting on the edge, their black curly hair flowing beautifully with the wind.

Katsuki confidently approaches and sits down beside him.

“How’s patrol earlier?”

“Good.” Says the man. “Got a total of seven people arrested today, and ten civilians saved.”

Katsuki grins and ruffles the other’s hair. To which the man grumbles and turns his head to face the blonde. And something in Katsuki’s eyes softened.

“Always knew you were better at saving people, ‘ya damn nerd.”

The man giggles. “You always know the best parts of me, Kacchan.”

Katsuki’s grin shifts into a gentle smile as he intertwines their hands.

“Of course I do, Zuzu.”

“Careful, people might find out that Deku is still alive.”

“Pfft. Many people have Zu in their names. Like hell they’d know.”

Izuku chuckles. “Is it that hard for you to call me Mikumo?”

Katsuki huffs, “I still wonder where you got that name.”

“Hey, Mikumo Akatani is not that bad!”

“Never said it was, dumbass.”

Izuku finds himself smiling as he tightens his hold on Katsuki’s hand.

“I’m glad you never gave up on me.”

“Tch. And I’m shocked you thought I would.”

“And this is why I love you, Kacchan.”

Katsuki huffs. Turning away in silence.

.

“I love you too, nerd.”

…

Katsuki sits quietly on his desk, working on his homework.

“Y’know, Kacchan, I can just sneak into the teacher’s office and search for the answers.”

“Like you could hold anything.” Katsuki grumbles. “And are you underestimating my intelligence?”

Izuku giggles, circling the blonde with a playful grin. “No, but I want you to stop overworking yourself. Isn’t that due next week?”

Katsuki huffs and ignores the ghost.

“Kacchan, come on! You’ve been working nonstop for days!” Izuku places gentle hands on Katsuki’s shoulders. “Do you want me to bring him out again?”

“Sure, like you could do that.”

“With the amount of anger I’m starting to feel at the fact that you won’t listen to me, he might as well will.”

Katsuki grumbles and closes his notebook. “Fine, fine. I’ll take a rest. Happy?”

Izuku smiles brightly. “Very!”

…

“Kacchan, I love you.”

“I love you too, nerd.”

“In every universe?”

“In every universe.”