01 ✦ Video

[mightdoriya]

[It could have all been a dream, given the way Izuku wakes up in a bed that isn't his own. It could also very well be the hospital- a fact that wouldn't have been surprising- but the stark lack of a sterile atmosphere leads him to believe otherwise even as he sits up with a start. His heart is hammering in his chest and between his ears with such ferocity that believing this is anything but reality would be difficult...

He isn't afforded much time to collect himself, because someone has noticed he's awake and immediately lept up onto his chest to greet him, his fluffy tail wagging excitedly.

Okay, maybe this is a dream after all.

Everything happens pretty quickly after that. Your usual fair of arrival: Izuku's "mom" comes in the room upon hearing his Eevee chirp at him, ushering him up-and-at'em even as he's stammering questions and trying (and failing) to get her to give him a straight answer. She is in fact not even remotely his mother but she doesn't seem to know that or care, and before he's able to get a word in edgewise he's out the door with a bag over his shoulders. Eevee had taken advantage of the chaos to climb up Izuku's back, sitting pretty on his shoulder as if he belongs there. So what does Izuku do? Well...

He starts to walk, hoping he'll be able to come into a town and maybe someplace more familiar than the route ahead of him. ...only for a Pineco to drop from a tree and attack both him and his Eevee pretty much immediately. It's a pretty sudden and surprising introduction to Pokemon battling before he's even finished reading up on it, leaving him to find a tree to sit down under for a while before anything else can happen. He has the PokeGear, so let's just try to contact someone. Anyone.]

Hello? I don't know if anyone can hear me on this, but it's worth a try...

[He pauses as Eevee pushes his head into the screen's view, hello he's here too.]

My name is Midoriya Izuku. I'm not sure what's happened, but I'm really not where I'm supposed to be right now. My only guess is this all is due to the effects of a Quirk, but I don't remember anything that could have lead to that.

[Unless Shigaraki had some tricks up his sleeve he really wasn't prepared for. Doesn't explain how his injuries have ceased to exist, either.]

I've been reading the guidebook, but it's really just giving me more questions than answers. Not only that, the pet the lady had in her house where I woke up followed me outside and I can't get it to go back home to her. She won't answer the door now so I'm not really sure what to do about that.

Comments

[apshot]

[ Katsuki is still going to grumble that he's essentially been ditched for the time being just to talk to this shitty nerd. It's only Deku's yelp that brings him back to the situation in front of him. Typh looks rather satisfied with herself for the reaction. She puts her snout into Deku's stupid green hair before moving back and pressing her face against Bakugou's.

He grunts, but... Well. Katsuki just lets it happen, as if this is completely normal behavior from the big, scary Typhlosion. ]

You mean "pain in the ass?" Because if so, then yeah?

[ Of course she doesn't look entirely put out by that statement. Instead she just licks Katsuki right back and then he's giving her a swat. ]

[mightdoriya]

[If nothing else, Izuku appreciates this scary hulk of a Pokemon treating him kindly as opposed to, like, taking a bite out of his head or something. Not that he would have anticipated Katsuki's Pokemon being poorly behaved; quite the opposite, actually.

It makes Izuku wonder if everyone's starters are of a similar brand of being a "pain", since...Izuku can kindof see where Katsuki is coming from, if only because Mighty seems to constantly have ten times the amount of energy that Izuku does.]

It looks like she likes you a lot.

[If the licking and the mothering is anything to go by...]

And I'm...really glad to see you doing okay.

[As much as he knew he would be, it was hard not to imagine coming up on Katsuki all battered and broken like he last remembers him.]

[apshot]

[ Like Katuski would ever allow any of his to NOT be somewhat well behaved. Unfortunately or fortunately, he's somehow managed to get very affectionate beasties. Kirishima makes fun of him all of the time for assembling "cute" critters all the time. ]

That's not an accomplishment. She likes everyone.

[ He shoos her away for the time being. Back onto the more serious topic. Deku is the one that leads into it with the whole "Glad to see you doing okay." ]

And just why the hell wouldn't I be doing okay?

[mightdoriya]

[Liking everyone or not, it's still quite a feat to be in Katsuki's company and genuinely enjoy it sometimes. That isn't to say Katsuki hasn't improved in terms of attitude over the last while, but...well, it's still saying something.

But, right. Izuku hadn't intended to launch right into that, but it sortof just came out anyway, didn't it? He exhales slowly, forcing himself to maintain eye contact while he speaks.]

You took a hit that was meant for me.

[apshot]

[ He had said things would be different. Then that's just how it's going to be. Knowing that Deku had never looked down on him had changed a lot. Katsuki's attitude and outlook has changed a lot - though not everyone would know this. His attitude on the outside is still kind of crappy and even at his best, he sounds like he's criticizing. It's just how he is.

The news that he had taken a hit for Deku... Well he doesn't really look all that shocked by it. Well. His eyes are still a little wide in surprise. Yet as he digests the information? He kind of knows that he would... ]

How bad was it.

[ Because Deku had been freaking the fuck out. ]

[mightdoriya]

[He can't mince words around Katsuki. He knows better than to even try. He respects him too much for that besides.]

It was point blank. You were still fighting through it the instant after it happened, but...I didn't see you after that. I went straight for Shigaraki.

[In an absolute frenzy, more or less.]

[apshot]

[ Point blank and still fighting through it... Sounds about right. Go big or go home you know?

But then something doesn't hit right. ]

You did. What.

[ Be very, very careful how you respond to that, Deku. ]

[mightdoriya]

[Haha, well...

How else can he answer it but honestly?]

It's the last thing I remember. I saw you get hit, and I just...reacted.

[He was already pushing himself too hard. Too reckless. It's very likely that if Katsuki hadn't been there to pull Izuku out of the proverbial jaws of a lion, he would have died right then and there and Izuku knows that. But, at the time, in that moment? He didn't know if Katsuki was okay. He couldn't think quickly enough to comprehend why Katsuki saving him mattered.

All he could think about was putting Shigaraki down, whatever the cost.]

[apshot]

You just reacted...

[ He's calm. Voice is even. That's a bad sign. A very bad sign. It's safer if he's actually shouting rather than this. The cogs in his head are starting to turn and put things together.

They shouldn't be where Shigaraki is. The assignment is to clear out the city. The heroes are supposed to put him down before he's a problem. So has all of this failed. ]

You reacted by going after the one guy you shouldn't.

[mightdoriya]

[Yeah, it's...Izuku would much rather Katsuki be yelling at him right now, if he's honest. That deathly calm is scary and he knows that he's treading on very dangerous territory all of a sudden. Hopefully his Eevee is too distracted by Katsuki's to notice how the atmosphere between them has changed.]

I know, but- a lot happened in the time between what you last remember and where I'm from. Shigaraki was...is on the verge of taking out the entire city and everyone else with it. I couldn't just stay back while he bore down on us, and you didn't either! You came with me! That's why...

[That's why Katsuki was able to take that hit at all. He was there too. Though...it was more like Katsuki came along because he knew Izuku was going to do something stupid, and sure enough...]

[apshot]

Shit hit the fan. Yeah, I get that.

[ He can acknowledge that. Shit goes wrong. Things don't always go as expected. That's all part of the hero gig. But there's something here that doesn't add up... ]

You. Went after. The one guy you shouldn't. After I already took a fucking hit to obviously prevent that.

[ Katsuki knows himself. He knows why he would have went along. It'd be for this exact reason - because Deku fucking goes feral under pressure and stops thinking. ]

[mightdoriya]

[Unlike the Izuku living in the moment where he lost all reason and went after Shigaraki in spite of what Katsuki had done to protect him, the one who ended up in Johto has had time to think about that very fact. And...it's hard for him to really quantify how he feels about it.

On one hand, he's ashamed for having thrown himself into danger despite Katsuki trying very deliberately to protect him. On the other...he can't say he fully regrets it either, if only because just accepting his fate wasn't going to be an option either.

For what it's worth, though? Izuku at least looks appropriately cowed when Katsuki grinds out those words.]

I did. And...I'm sorry. ...I'm sorry for being so reckless. Especially when I've been trying not to do that anymore.

[It's kindof a back to square one situation. Or, maybe Izuku never made any strides away from that habit to begin with. When Katsuki is involved, it's hard to say.]

I wasn't thinking, and I...I just didn't know what else to do.

[apshot]

[ Actually, he is prepared to chew him out even more for being so reckless and for not, you know. Using his brain and instead letting his blood boil. Thinking with his fists sort of thing. But then he has to go and say sorry for it and what's Bakugou supposed to do with that? How can he maintain his angry indignation? ]

The fuck? I don't want your damn apology!

[ He wants Deku to take him seriously! To realize his limits and when to stop rushing into things headfirst and actually rely on someone. Anyone! ]

You didn't know what else to do... Was it really that or did you just lose your fucking mind?

[mightdoriya]

[Well...what was it? Did he have truly no other option? Or...

Did he just act out of emotion? Anger? Izuku knows the truth about himself because it's something he's struggled with for a while now, and because of that it's difficult for him to answer. Katsuki likely knows exactly why that is, too.]

No...you're right. Even if continuing to fight wasn't the right decision...I probably would have anyway. I don't really see myself being able to...stop, in that moment.

[Because...it was Katsuki. He watched Katsuki receive what he assumed in that moment could very well have been a fatal blow. After that, he lost all reason.]

[apshot]

[ He does know. There's a lot of things that he has come to accept about himself and about the other teen right in front of him. Things he's always known but refused to acknowledge because the reality is... Katsuki does, in fact, know fear.

Though he had said that he would fix things. That things would be better. And Katsuki had meant that. ]

It's not the decision to fight that's wrong, shit head. It's doing it alone.

[ Which is what he assumes happened. Because Izuku is just that sort of person. ]

[mightdoriya]

[If Katsuki knew what Izuku was thinking right now, he'd probably get even angrier. That thought of how, when he does fight alongside someone, they always end up getting hurt somehow anyway. How he feels responsible for that, even if the person in question is a Hero too and knows and accepts the same risks that he does. It's never easy watching your friends take hits on the battlefield, but it's different with Katsuki.

He cares about him so much. A world without Katsuki isn't one that Izuku can fathom.]

I know.

[And yet in practice, well...Izuku's still working on that part.]

...I know you don't remember it, but...I wanted to thank you for being there for me anyway. It's thanks to you I'm even still here right now.

[apshot]

Do you?

[ Know it, that is. Because Bakugou isn't really sure that Deku does. This loser takes on so much stuff upon his shoulders. Decides to carry those burdens instead of sharing them. Bakugou knows the the secrets that Izuku has to bear. Knows the full weight of the legacy too. So just fucking trust him.

Then he tenses at the simple thank you. Feels his ears go hot with embarrassment. ]

I WOULDN'T BE DOING IT FOR YOU!

[machismost]

[ When Kirishima left the two, he hadn't intended to listen in and really he was too far away for it even if he tried. He'd gone through feeding and hydrating his Onix and had even sent out his Riolu to try to surreptitiously herd the playing Eevees away from what was turning out to be an emotional discussion. It doesn't really come as a surprise to the redhead - Bakugou was always getting fired up about something Deku was doing back at home, so this feels oddly normal to him in a way.

But there comes a point he's really got no more things to preoccupy him aside from something wholly obvious like trying to sweep Onix off. And now has come a point where it looks to Kirishima like Katsuki's gotten himself into some distress. So okay, time to try and break this up! ]

Heeey, you guys wanna get on the road? Or do you wanna have our lunch here? Not a bad day for it.

[ He asks during his walk over to the pair, smiling broadly even if his eyes betray some of his concern. ]

[mightdoriya]

[Izuku had flinched back when Katsuki shouted like that, though the reaction wasn't at all surprising. In the end, it's a relief more than anything that Kirishima comes bounding over to break through the tension their conversation had caused. Izuku actually visibly sags with relief, even though he knows this isn't over, probably. But...he hopes Katsuki understands that he's mainly just glad he's okay. That was always Izuku's first priority.

For now, he turns his attention to Kirishima with a smile that is- he hopes- reassuring. Everything's fine, or it will be. He promises.]

I'm fine with whatever you guys want to do. We're probably a lot less likely to get jumped by wild Pokemon with you both here if we want to picnic by the route.

[Izuku's are still baby, so they've been attracting quite a bit of attention.]

[apshot]

[ Ah huh... Kirishima would step in right about now, wouldn't he? Bakugou's yelling probably caught the red head's attention. Maybe one day people will actually stop and asking Kirishima what his secret is in understanding Bakugou's moods and how to read him.

For now though he just scoffs. Conversation is done. For now. In moving out of the way, he doesn't really stop himself from shoulder checking either one of these assholes. Katsuki's just wound a little too tight right now. ]

Do whatever you want.

[ He hates the cold though. Keep that in mind. ]