Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Jogo is missing”

The thought plagued Kenjaku’s mind as he took a contemplative sip of his black coffee. Letting the thought linger, He leaned back into his plush chair nestled cozily in a corner area of a cafe that he took residence in to think.

Deep in thought, he barely saw the world of Tokyo go by till he is almost startled by a woman accidently bumping into the large window beside him due to being pushed too hard by someone rushing down the street. His mind then focuses to observe the humans hurrying by.

Humanity, ignorant, and not knowing of their existence, Kenjaku scoffs at this thought... how very ignorant.

Reigning back into himself, he lets his mind wonder to his dreams. He is determined to someday bring back the fear that humanity once had of the curses. But he cannot get too far ahead of himself. No, that will be for another day, because currently there is there is an issue putting his dream on pause. The vanished Jogo and the other different grade cursed spirits. This threw a wrench into his plan of merging of all humans.

They couldn't have just disappeared without a trace even an exorcism would have been reported... No this was something new. If only he could figure it out.

Kenjaku lets out a sigh and takes another sip of his coffee. He takes his eyes off the streets to cast a glance around the small, quant café till his eyes pause at his refection in a mirror on the far wall opposite of himself. He takes a moment to inspect the face looking back at him. The face has determined brown eyes framed by long black silky hair. The eyes are softened by laugh lines and an easy smile making him seem more approachable and charming... Easier to manipulate someone with. The body was also helping with the muscular tone and tanned skin really sealing the deal especially if he was in need of seducing someone. Oh, how Satoru Gojo's (Special Grade sorcerer) sentiment would be his own downfall. Much to Kenjaku's pleasure, Gojo's care for Suguru Geto (Special Grade sorcerer) got in the way of his body's proper disposal leaving it ripe for the picking.

Luck was smiling on Kenjaku that day he found Geto's body. He was in need of a new and useful corpse to transplant his brain into to achieve his goal. Not only was this corpse perfect for concealing his identity, but it would be a useful manipulation technique against Gojo. Kenjaku bites his lip chuckling in his own amusement, musing over all the various ways he could toy with Gojo emotions using his and Geto's close bond. Hmmm... so many choices. He could play the role of the remorseful returned man, looking to make up with his best friend opening the abandonment scar back into a wound. He could weasel his way back into Gojo's new life and from what he hears a family at that. That makes it more exhilarating! Bringing more people into the web of utter destruction to watch The Chosen One fall.

Much to his dismay deceiving Gojo would have to wait. Ugh! that was going to be the most pleasurable part. Well for himself not Gojo, probably just fuck the blue-eyed bastard up more, but hey that adds more to the fun experience.

Right now, he needs to focus all energy locating his lost cursed spirits. They would decide to go missing after all that work he put in recruiting them to defeat the jujutsu sorcerers. He needed all the sorcerers that would not comply to fall. Which will be easy enough once Gojo was out of the way. Their overreliance of him makes them weak and venerable since they will fall apart once he is gone. They were doomed to their own stupidity and inner corrupt politics without him there to balance the scales with his power and big heart from what he hears.

Personally, Kenjaku did see what they saw in that guy besides his six eyes. From what he could tell the guy comes off as cocky and annoying. But he didn't much care what Gojo was as long as he was trapped in the prison realm he had acquired. Still, it is difficult and frustrating to execution a plan this elaborate when his “soldiers of war” keep disappearing.

These disappearances were a true mystery to unravel since there have been no reports of the cursed spirits being exorcised by sorcerers, and he even heard that Gojo was out of the city, dragged out begrudgingly from what he hears, on clan business.

If Jogo, Hanami, and Choso were hold up somewhere hidden from him playing Monopoly again and lost control of the spirits, he would unleased his temper this time. The only thing he could think to do in that moment was resigning to his fate of having to visit Mahito since he was supposed to be next in charge. It was inevitable to visit that maniac since he could not afford anymore loses.

Then another thought popped into his head, another problem he needed to deal with today was his informant from Kyoto Jujutsu High.

Rubbing his temple knowing he could no longer avoid it, Kenjaku pushed his coffee cup away and rose from his nook at the café taking a moment to still himself at the door before pushing it open entering into the fray of the Tokyo masses in route to Mahito.

--------

The route to Mahito’s hideout by foot takes time, but it gives Kenjaku a proper chance to prepare himself for mentally dealing with the special grade cursed spirit.

Finding the tunnel opening was the simple part, but the trek down the tunnel would be another story. The tunnel led to the large, abandoned area where Mahito spends his time torturing unsuspecting souls. This part was more difficult since it was so gross and unkempt. Grumbling, Kenjaku took tentative steps down the cold, mildew filled path. He could feel his feet started to dampen as the puddles of water and algae splash on the floor. Not wanting his feet to get drenched, he looks down, navigating around the small pools of water best he could. He stifles a gag when he notices the water on the floor starting to change from blueish brown to red the closer he gets to Mahito's room of horrors. Mahito should learn to control himself, this is nasty.

The pseudo sorcerer pauses at the entrance of Mahito’s torture chamber to look at his own reflection in a crimson damp mesh at his feet. If he would have one wish, it would be not to see what grizzly mess Mahito had for interior decoration if this was the entrance. Actually, he would wish for Mahito to have a different personality, but psychotic is what he was stuck with. Even Kenjaku knew how much he needs Mahito for his plan at least for the time being.

Kenjaku breaths in deep, summoning all the patience and calm he could muster before stepping over the blood-saturated water into the scene playing out in the open space of Mahito’s territory.

The putrid smell was so bad the gag from earlier almost resurfaced. If the smell did not overwhelm him, the sight was working overtime. The room had body parts scattered about with ragged cuts where they had been ripped from their sockets. Blood was like a decorating decision made by a mad man, splattered here and there on the floor, walls, and ceiling. A body or two hung down from the ceiling, half skinned left to rot while transfigured humans crawling their own agony, begging for the mercy and relieve that only death could offer. 

In the middle of chaos, Mahito looks right at home, slicing slowly into current his victim, getting pure delight from her wailing. Her guttural wails and moans gnaw at Kenjaku's bones in annoyance. He did not savor killing in this way, way too messy and loud.

Her worn body was a bloody mess in the process of idle transfiguration in the spirit's hand. Mahito laughs came out too innocent, the echoes of delight bouncing off the walls to echo down the tunnel.

Kenjaku schooled his face into a more serious tone when he sees Mahito straighten, catching onto his cursed energy. Slowly, Mahito turns his face, letting his smile broaden across his menacing stitch- lined face, catching the pseudo sorcerer's gaze. He draws out a greeting, “Oh hellooo, Getooo" while stabbing his knife-like hand in once more for good measure and twisting it.

“I think she has had enough,” observes Kenjaku while stepping farther in the room, trying to hold back his disgust and impatience for it all to be over with. “We have a more important matter to attend to.”

 "What possible could be more important or fun than this?”

At that question, Kenjaku lets a knowing smile play across his face, “Visiting our ‘friend’, Kokichi Muta, and give him what he desires most since he has been such a helpful informant."

Now all his attention on him, Mahito releases his dying victim, letting her drop to the floor like a discarded toy and starts waltzing toward Kenjaku.

“Oh, I just love play dates.” he purrs, licking his lips with anticipation while wearing his psychotic grin.

Kenjaku stands his ground, knowing the cursed spirit was about to get too close for comfort and start testing him. I don't trust him, but I got to pretend to.

Mahito steadily approaches till he is barely inches from Kenjaku’s face, causing the pseudo sorcerer some slight irritability and discomfort from the lack of personal space.

Choosing to not take the obvious bait, Kenjaku clears his throat and asks “Mahito, do you know anything about the missing cursed spirits and other special grades? You are supposed to be in charge of them.”

Barely giving the question thought, Mahito shrugs and huffs “So a few goes missing. So, the others up and disappeared. we do not need him or them. We can always find more. You are clearly overthinking things again.”

The difference Mahito is showing reminds Kenjaku of how small-minded Mahito really is. Unlike himself, Mahito is incapable of seeing the bigger picture and past his own sick pleasures. Sometimes it is more than enough to exasperate him.

Trying to keep his composure, Kenjaku forces a fake smile and through gritted teeth lectures, “If we are going through with our plans, we have to keep the cursed spirits in line and accounted for, even the low grades. We need the numbers if we want to get in a better position to eliminate the sorcerers, especially Satoru Gojo. Getting The Chosen One out of the way is the key to the success of our plans.”

Letting out a groan, Mahito rolls his eyes “Satoru Gojo, Satoru Gojo, Saturo Gojo! The Chosen One! Everyone makes him out to be SOOO special that I feel like if I say his name enough, he will appear. Just like- what is her name?"

...

 "Oh yeah! Bloody Mary," Mahito answers himself, using a little formed body of his for mocking the answer.

Kenjaku bites the inside of his cheek not to laugh at the absurdity of it all because not only does Mahito know who Bloody Mary is, but he kind of has a point.

"I mean why is he important? He is just another one of those wack-job sorcerers, just a little crazier from what you've told me," Mahito crosses his arms, wearing a pouting demeanor, waiting for an answer.

"It's his technique and status that makes him so important. He holds the balance in his hand and without him the scales tip in our favor," Kenjaku answers.

This boiled down answer seems to pacify Mahito even though he is still frowning.

"Well, Gojo is not important at the moment. Muta is waiting and it would be terribly rude if we kept him waiting." Kenjaku states, hoping to pull Mahito out of his mood. He needs the spirit to do his part and kill the kid, so that business could be over with. "If you quit pouting, I will let you kill him however you please."

Something flashes across Mahito's face before he lets a smile start across his face again.

What was that? It wasn't the usual delight or chaos. It was something new that Kenjaku could not quit place.

Deciding this was not the time to figure it out, Kenjaku turned toward the entrance once more, "Come along, Mahito"

The pseudo sorcerer chooses not to think too much of the puddles; he would have to step over again and kept his thoughts on Muta.

He did not see how Mahito lagged back. The cursed spirit was doing something he usually didn't which was thinking. 

Mahito let his eyes drift around his space taking in the savagery that was all over it. He took a step toward one of the hanging bodies, watching it move with the wind that occasionally swept through. "I will let you kill him however you please..." Why did this statement strike him so weird all of a sudden?  He has always maimed, tortured, killed, and more for pleasure. He had been made from humans and knew that is what he was supposed to do, but for some reason in that moment he felt... bad about it, like he shouldn't want to. He felt like, why does Kenjaku and the others always feel like to get him to do something they have to bride him with sedition. He is only doing what was encoded in him, but he was starting to wonder if it was really what he wanted.

He broke from this revelry when he heard Kenjaku let out a curse when his foot slipped into a blood pool.

Oh well, I guess this is something I can contemplate later, so he shrugged to himself and took off after Kenjaku.

-------

Standing at the opening of Kokichi Muta's, better known as Mechamaru, room, Mahito took in his surroundings.

The room was much more sterile and cleaner compared to his own abode, making him feel out of place and shockingly uncomfortable. The inside was casted in a dark light making it very gloomy with no joy to be found.

The sterile smell stuck in his nose making it itch, causing him to rub at it, Mahito was starting to feel the impatience sink in shifting his weight on his feet as he side eyes Kenjaku, looking for his reaction to the sight of not only the room, but the young sorcerer in the tub situated at the middle with his back turned to them. All the cursed spirit saw was an appraising look plastered on his master's face.

Kokichi Muta as a whole repelled Kenjaku.

Kenjaku was someone who repels all kinds of technology from this modern time. Technology is all Muta seemed to be since he had to spend his days residing in a tub with his frail body hooked up to tubes, while using a computer to control his mechanical puppet to use his heavenly restriction. This fact and the demeanor of Muta in general caused Kenjaku to have no respect for him, but he had no issues using the young man as his informant, or in other words "rat" among the sorcerer community.

To his credit, Muta played his part well, flying under the radar with no one even suspecting him.

Since Muta's information helped Kenjaku's plan, he was willing to let Muta's dream become a reality, even if it was short lived.

The one thing Kenjaku could respect about Muta was the fact the boy was a fellow dreamer. The young man's dream was to be normal and requested in exchange for information for Mahito to use his transfiguring ability on his body forming it into new. 

Kenjaku found this dream so foolish, but who was he to judge. But it was humorous.

Funny, he embodies all the form of communicative technology a human could possess, yet he never interacts with his close ones for real, much less his own crush!

Truly depressing of a spectacle you are, Kokichi Muta

Though Muta didn't share the real driving point for his dream. His fellow classmates, especially Miwa. He longed to be able to walk out into light, day or night, without his flesh burning, meeting the other Kyoto classmates, as Muta. He wanted the confidence that would come with his new body to help him get closer to Miwa. One day he hoped to get up the courage to ask her on a date... How lovely that would be. For the chance at a happy life with his found family and love, he would pay any price.

Finally, Kenjaku speaks in a tone that is coated in strained pleasantries, “Good afternoon, Kokichi Muta. Are you ready for your life to change?”

Startled, Muta has an anxious demeanor as he quickly shuts down one of his computers in surprise at their unannounced entrance. he returns the pleasantries with his own fake ones, “Good afternoon Geto and Mahito. I was not expecting you both till tomorrow.”

“Lucky for you, I had some time to spare today, so I collected Mahito and came right over.” Kenjaku says, walking closer toward Muta.

Mahito starts to trail after Kenjaku, puzzled by the fact humans feel the need to be fake nice to each other. Would it not be easier to just wear your feelings openly? Humans are weird, sometimes I question I was made from them, he mused, but it doesn't get far as Kenjaku starts giving him instructions on how far to take the idle transfiguration of Muta like he doesn't not already know.

Mahito rolls his eyes, sometimes Geto is way too bossy. I know I know, fix him, then give him a few minutes before killing him.

Ignoring his master's instructions, Mahito swipes pass Kenjaku, making it to the edge of the tub before taking a breath or two meeting Muta's eyes. He could feel the distain in the younger sorcerer’s unwavering gaze. Something that feels like instinct telling him that Muta will attack him the first chance he gets.

It doesn't matter though, Mahito shrugs off the feeling. He knows he could take the sorcerer on. He reaches out a hand to touch the young man’s skinny arm to start the process without a word. 

As the process comes to an end, Mahito’s eye catches a glint of something appearing at his right side distracting him. He could not help his curiosity as a translucent, ethereal distortion appears, almost beckoning him to come closer. He slowly takes his hand off the now whole-body Muta and walking cautiously from him toward the force. All his basic instincts are yelling at him not to touch the force, that it could be a trap, but he ignores it choosing to reach for the distortion.

Kenjaku, still on the other side of Muta's tub, has now seen the suddenly appeared distortion. It sends a shiver down his spine, screaming that it was bad, he chooses to call out to Mahito in a commanding tone, “Do not touch it!  We do not know what it is, or if it is a double-crossing trap set by Muta.”

The pseudo sorcerer flashing his eyes toward Muta, who was busy inspecting his fixed body and testing his leg strength to climb out of the tub.

Wait, am I?

I am

I am truly whole now

Muta could not stop looking at his new body, feeling pleased with how much stronger he felt. He had felt Mahito let go of his arm, and out of the corner of his eye he watched the cursed spirit move off almost dazed. He had also heard Geto say something to the cursed spirit, but Muta could not focus, only caring about taking his first steps.

I can feel it, the nerves and muscles in my legs! I can feel them tensing, working and moving. I can finally feel the soles of my feet on the cold floor, the hard bareness on the concrete. I don't have to waste my life away in that machine anymore! I can speak with my own voice, everyone can see what I'm truly like, not a husk of myself. And Miwa... I'm sorry for having to lie to all of you, but it was for the greater good, I will make it up to all of them, to her!

While the young sorcerer was contemplating his sudden thoughts and emotions, he didn't notice the distortion, now looming in front of Mahito’s hand to the back of him.

Muta had a one-track mind, getting out of the tub and putting on some proper clothing to enact his plan to double cross these villains. He hoped this act would be enough to right his wrong deeds and win the forgiveness of Miwa and the others when they found out about what he did. He had no loyalty to Geto and his cohort, planning the whole time to only use them for his own gain. These thoughts blocked out voices and actions that were happening around him.

The distortion, translucent and vivid in colors and gradients faintly dancing from it, almost felt nonexistent in the room, out of place. Mahito, against Kenjaku’s command, reaches out, touching the force, causing what looks and feels like a rippling effect under his hand. He can’t look away; it was too mesmerizing. It felt like he couldn’t pull back his hand, even if he wanted to. Then, the ripples started to tear in the distortion, it progressed into an intense rift, the singularity staring into his eyes, piercing his thoughts. This action took Mahito totally by surprise. Before he could catch himself, he stumbled through the void into the unknown. For once filled with fear for the unknown end while being torn into the black void.

As Mahito was pulled through the rift, it happened so fast that Kenjaku did not have time to react. He was taken aback by his total astonishment and shuttered looking at the black, uninviting opening. He knew he had to get Mahito back, he is too crucial for his plan to lose him.

Making a quick judgement call, Kenjaku lets out a curse "Shit!"

Through all of the variables I could think of, I never expected something like this happen. What could this be?! A trap set by Muta? No, that can't be, there's no form of technology possible that can distort space and time, it's impossible. Maybe a sorcerer- no, no sorcerer so far has a technique like this, not even Yuki; her technique doesn't work like this, she adds virtual mass to a critical degree that it makes her density create a singularity for herself, not separate! No other sorcerer has been given the establishment of rift creation, not even Satoru Gojo... as we know of. And I have already established there is no cursed spirit or user that can do this action. I can't let this make me stumble; my plans can't fail, not when I have gotten this close. First thing I must do is reobtain Mahito, and even though this is very risky, and may end up killing me; there could be a chance of this aiding me in my plans. Very well Mahito, for once I'll follow you instead.

Finally organized, Kenjaku walked towards the opening in which Mahito was pulled into, letting him be absorbed by the void as well, with a crack of a smile.

Chapter Text

The afternoon sky was full of dark, gloomy clouds, promising rain.

The city center of Musutasfu, a once bustling area, around him was in ruins. Skyscrapers were collapsed or barely safe enough to enter to check for more civilians. Sporadic fires were being put out by a few heroes, but the restoration of the city was taking more time than usual due to the demised of the hero ranks.

People roamed the broken streets, abandoned stores, and other crumbling areas in attempts to recover other victims of this devastation. Names being called echoed down the streets, and to some small relief he would pass by loved ones being reunited. The happiness of reunions was not common these days... sorrow, death, and fear were the main emotions.

Walking down the streets, that days earlier was a battlefield, Shouta Aizawa (hero name: Eraserhead) was walking with purpose in the direction of a fire escape; it is attached to one of the only apartment buildings in the area still standing. Fatigue wore in his bones as he climbed the rungs of the ladder to the top. Once at the roof, he seeks out the best vantage point for his patrol. Finally finding the perfect perch, he starts to survey his surroundings. After a couple minutes mindlessly, Aizawa lets out a huge yawn, feeling the exhaustion sink into his bones once more. Patrols these days were worse than usual. Not only had he not slept properly in six days, but his eyes were starting to give out due to overuse. causing him to doze off every now and then. A constant blinking light catches his eyes. Turning to investigate, he is met with the source of the glow. A leaning and damaged billboard still flashing the face of the kidnapped student from six days ago.

Katsuki Bakugo, one of Aizawa’s students from class 1-A, had been kidnapped by the League of Villains at the forest training camp in an attempt to convert him to their side. Aizawa felt his heart tug at the boy's face. The guilt and anxiety welled in his stomach, making him feel nauseous. He knows he is to blame for the kidnapping. It was his own lapse of judgement, thinking they were safe enough there and more pro heroes’ presence was unnecessary to help protect the kids that sealed Bakugo's fate. How foolish am I? 

Aizawa didn't need to look far to know why he had chosen to stay ignorant to the dangerous.

Who am I kidding, of course I know why I was. I just wanted the kids to, well, be kids. That isn't much to ask for, right? While we live in a world, where monsters are everywhere in every form or fashion, quirk and quirkless; I know that, I see it every day, more than what most heroes will see, but nothing they should have to see. But now, ever since their first enrollment, they have had to encounter and get used to terrible situations. Why, why should they?  Now, just from trying to take them to a camp, that we thought would be safer, what I thought would be safer, only put them in a more vulnerable situation, and ended up with a missing student. Now, coming home, they're risking their lives before even getting their hero license. And yet, we're treating it like it's normal!? We haven't protected them, we've just made them a bigger target. But it isn't their fault, if anything, it's ours. We failed them, we failed their parents, blinding them with the concept they would be protected. Yet, see how that's turned out.

All of this filled his thoughts, he doesn't want to realize the reality of it, but it's too apparent all around him to drown it away, like he has usually done his entire life.

He wanted to forget, but the feeling of shame of his failures took precedence, Aizawa closed his eyes to try to block out the light hoping it would bring him out of the dark space that was trying to suck him in.

----------

Hands tugging at his hair, Aizawa snapped by to the present when he heard buses pulling onto the street at the front entrance of the apartment building. He had a job to do and needed to be vigilant. He was in charge of looking out for potential threats that could lurk on the surrounding rooftops as they loaded the civilians and wounded into the buses to take them to the quarantined safe zones of the city. This was harder than the usual hero work, since their new enemy was many unknown creatures, invisible creatures.

This new enemy appeared the day after the return from the forest, the sheet-like distortion was first noticed since cars were not able to pass through the lanes of the street that the distortion was blocking. The police and heroes had responded immediately being on high alert already. The area was roped off, both pro hero and police were stationed to deter curious civilians till the distortion was identified. Just hours after its sudden appearance, the distortion opened into a rift. Invisible creatures crawled through so unexpectedly, that Best Jeanist was crushed before he even had time to react. At the same time, Kamui Wood burst into an unquenchable flame that engulfed his body and burnt his lungs, leaving him where he couldn’t cry out for help. The police officers did not stand a chance being devoured; civilians scattered into chaos, trying to get away. The invisible creatures spread out, overtaking the city.

Destruction and fire were all they knew the whole day. Smoke bellowing while buildings crumbled. Some people had thorny vines growing out of their bodies, screaming with their pain so excruciating, it can still see the suffering in the corpses' appearances. It was weight of the onslaught, leaving heroes overwhelmed and slaughtered. And started new rumors and superstitions of how this could have come to be. 

Containing the creatures felt so impossible for just the pros. Even though it was the last resort all students from heroes' courses were pulled in to aid in the fight and civilian assistance immediately. Against All Might, Aizawa, and all the other UA teacher's wishes, 1-A and 1-B students of UA were given also given the order. Aizawa even had a few of 1-B play sidekicks to him and the strain of keeping them alive that day was almost too much for him to shoulder.

The support from the students was supposed to help with collateral damage, but instead, many of those kids dispatched would never live to see past 15 to 18 years old.

This guilt was added to the already existing mountain of it on Aizawa’s shoulders... He could almost feel his knees buckle. The pros should have been enough... The kids shouldn't have had to die...

Successfully, the buses pulled away, merging with more to make their way to the other side of the city. Finally, the clouds gave up, and he felt the rain start sprinkling onto his hair and clothes. He shut his eyes again, savoring the moments of calm, while trying to ignore his intrusive thoughts. In vain attempts to clear his mind, it drifted unprompted back to the battle five days earlier.

Then a specific memory showed itself... The smell of the boy, who he had ineffectually saved, crushed body filled his nose. Every day he tried to hide that memory in his head, but when he closes his eyes, he can see the kid, staring at him. That same face he saw before it vanished in the blackness. And no matter how many times he showers; he can never shake off the smell of the corpse.

The young boy had been standing, looking lost and frozen in shock on the roadway of a main street, when a large and deep sinkhole suddenly opened behind him from shockwaves of an earthquake. Happening too fast for the boy to register what was happening, the sinkhole’s unstable edge gave out under the boy’s weight, causing him to stumble backwards, throwing his hands out, trying vainly to regain his balance. Standing in a store’s doorway only 10 meters away, Aizawa had rushed forward, missing the outstretched hand by a second. To his horror, the young boy free fell backwards letting out a blood curling scream to the bottom of the void, leaving his body mangled. 

Frozen, Aizawa heard the impact of the roadway that followed the boy down, hitting his body just moments later. The impact and noise had sent a jolt down Aizawa's spine to move. Treading softly, he peered over the side and his mind was filled with the gory mess that was below.

The child’s head being the only body part not flattened by rubble. Morbid and guilty, Aizawa made his way down the sinkhole's edge into the void. Once on the floor of the sinkhole, his eyes meet the lifeless gaze that was staring at him. The expression embedded on the child's face, Eyes ridden of any innocence, now filled with emptiness. Every chance of a future for that child, all of those paths... gone, like a candle blown out, not given the opportunity to shine.

I call myself a pro-hero, someone that kids like him could look up to, knowing that no matter what, there's someone there to protect them. But, even though I was there, a "pro-hero" was there, he still couldn't be saved; worse was that the kid was wearing a black shirt with the name and picture of pro-hero "Eraser-Head"; it was weird, Eraser-head was a very unknown hero, and a very unpopular one as well, I didn't even know regular civilians knew me, except for that one kid. I don't know how he knew about me, but every once and a while I remember seeing that kid in the crowd with his parents, wearing that shirt, even with wrapped-up toilet paper on his neck. Out of every hero, he loved me the most just from the little he knew, even though he would probably never see me on the news in action ever. Yet, the first time he would ever meet me, is the few glimpses of me frozen, scared shitless, while he was dying. And when he needed me the most, I couldn't save him.

"Pro-hero"

Aizawa’s body gave up on him, taking him to his knees. He could not speak; he sat in shock of what happened with his heart beating out of his chest.

It took him a painfully long time to catch his breath, he knew he was having a panic attack, not only from what he just witnessed, but from the desolation of the whole day. All the death and destruction were partly his fault. It was all his inadequacies which caused the boy and others to die.

"Pro-hero"

He felt empty and helpless, but he would never show it. He keeps his feelings bottled deep down in a crevice nobody could ever find or break open. It was his burden to bear, and he could not show weakness.

Fixing his sight on the boy’s head, Aizawa stared unwavering and numb at the blonde hair of the young boy.

The blonde, unruly hair... Again, the kid who looked up to heroes who could never save him, even when they're close

Bakugo

----------

Slowly , Aizawa got up from his kneeling position besides the boy’s corpse and made his way up the sinkhole’s steep side with unsteady climbing.

Waiting till he had emerged back onto the remaining solid roadway, Aizawa took a couple deep breathes, steadying himself before making his way toward the collapsed buildings to his left. He knew he had to stay focused on the new mission find the survivors; wounded, trapped; and casualties. It did not take long searching the wreckage of the scene for Aizawa to discover the body of Rikido Sato.

The teen was a student from 1-A class... Deceased.

Aizawa squatted, checking the student’s pulse with a shaking hand to find it completely still. With all the rubble on the body, Aizawa deduced that Sato was killed on impact by a building coming down on him. Later, he would learn that Sato, low on sugar, heroically gave his life to push civilians out of the way of the building that took his life.

Standing now, Aizawa scanned the area, spotting Mezo Shoji only 20 meters away, another class 1-A student, prone body splayed on the rocky ground. He made his way over and gasped sharply as he got closer to the bloody sight. One of the creatures had ripped Shoji’s arms and webs off, leaving jagged cuts and holes in their place for the student to bleed out in a pool of his own blood.

Trying to control his panic, Aizawa couldn't hold back the noises coming from his throat after seeing his two students that he cared so much for. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself when Midnight’s voice came over his earpiece. She yells, “Aizawa! You need to come over here now! I found two more bodies, I think they’re 1-A students!”

Without a second thought, He takes off into a dead sprint, making his way to Midnight’s location. Other voices entered into his earpiece, confirming other assisting students killed in action that have been found. Among the ones being named were Tsuyu Asui, Mashirao Ojiro, Koji Koda, Fumikage Tokoyami, and Toru Hagakure, who all had been 1-A students... All his students.

Trying to contain his heartache, Aizawa focused on weaving through all the wreckage. He stopped right beside Midnight, her face almost lifeless. She was looking down at the two charred bodies who had been identified as Mina Ashido and Hanta Sero via devices they had been given to wear that could tag and track them. The body identified as Sero had his arms wrapped around Mina's body, in what looked like an attempt to shield her. This last act of heroism stirred feelings in Aizawa that he was trying to hold back from again and again.

He was so past numb that he could barely feel or acknowledge anything. His body felt as if it were to cave in itself. He barely registers Midnight, who was void of her usual playfulness, clamping her hand over her mouth trying to stifle her increasing in volume soul deep sobs. This had been the first of her students to find.

Everything felt still, empty. There was no air gushing, or any natural noises, just quietness.

Then the sound of feet pounding on the ground was coming up fast behind him, alarmed Aizawa spun to see Denki Kaminari, one of his remaining 1-A students, racing toward the two bodies of his best friends now behind his teachers.

Aizawa couldn’t throw out his arms quick enough to stop Kaminari, who had heard about the fate of his two friends, from throwing himself onto their remains.

Kaminari let out a wail of heartbreak that ran through Aizawa’s body and broke Midnight’s resolve. She started crying into her hand's palms, shoving into her eyes whimpering over and over, "too cruel" 

"Too cruel"

"Too cruel"

Pulling out the last of his resolve and not fully break down, Aizawa attempts pulling the electric boy off the bodies. Kaminari is beside himself at this point, he kept looking back at his teachers with a red face and tear-stained eyes and kicks wildly at him screaming, “No! Get off me, I can’t leave them! Not again. We promised we would all be together, and I will keep that promise!”

After one last pull, Kaminari’s grip on them slowly faltered. Still choosing to struggle, he fought half-heartly with Aizawa to get back to them. The older hero didn't let the small punches and pushes deter him. Instead, He pulled the boy to his chest, embracing tightly whispering calmly as the young man sobbed into his chest, “they cannot be dead”. 

They can't be. After all this time, after everything I've been through, I wished this one day could be a bad dream. Yeah, it's wishing something that's not possible, but day after day ever since this has happened, nothing is the same. We promised them that we could protect them, I could protect them. And out of all the times I wished I could keep a promise, I would stop at nothing so they could have a chance. Yet I didn't, I didn't say no to them helping, I thought they were capable, which they were, they were some of the best. But due to my pride over them, it got the best of me, it got the best of all of us, and look where it got us; loosing some of the best kids that could've become amazing heroes. I would often scold the kids during class so they could pay attention, though most of them would never listen and do it anyway. Now, the class barely has a sound anymore, and has very few seats.

 
Back in the present, Aizawa was soaked by the rain that now was falling heavily. He let himself come back to the welcome calm that was the here and now and started scanning the roof tops again. He could not keep dwelling on the past days when unknown danger was still lurking. Mount Lady had only been able to take down one of the creatures that was smaller before she was injured by a much larger creature. The smaller creature’s makeup was still invisible after being slain. He wished they knew more and where they had come from. But right now, he just needed to focus on the roof tops.

----------

On the day of the battle two hours before Midnight found their bodies.

Earlier in the day, Mina Ashido had been fatally injured by shrapnel impacting into her torso. She had wrapped it with gauze to staunch the bleed, so it would not impede her duties. The adrenaline coursing through her helped her resolve to keep going in order to assist Hanta Sero get civilians out of a building that was on fire.

Right as the last person ran through the first story conference room door, the ceiling started coming down around the duo. With no way out for the both of them, and Sero refusing to leave Mina, they resigned to their fate deciding to sit down on the floor, leaning back against an overturned table to relieve their weary legs.

Once getting as comfortable as possible in their situation, Sero throws his arm protectively around Mina’s shoulders, pulling her close to his side. Sero knew the outcome of their fate, but the least he could do for the girl he loved was distract her for as long as he could.

Sero ignored the debris coming down from the collapsing ceiling and the heat that was starting to feel blistering. He willed himself to focus on Mina and his last mission which was his confession. Even though it was practically selfish, he could not leave this world with regrets.

“Mina, I wanted to ask you something.” Sero asked, trying to give her the most comforting and easy smile he could muster.

Mina, looking up at him with her big black eyes that still had their sparkle, trying to return his smile, responded with a soft “Okay shoot”

Sero squeezing her shoulders tighter and trying to take the anxiety out of his voice asked, “Will you go on a date with me when we get through this? Just the two of us?”

Mina, struggling, wrapped her arms around Sero’s torso, squeezing him with all she had left. Her voice rasping. “Nothing would make me happier”—Mina starts coughing—"could we go see that romcom I have been wanting to see? I just know the guy is going to get the girl in this one.”

Sero with happiness filling his heart replies with the smoke starting to burn his throat “Nothing would make me happier…We can even get those gummy worms you like so much.”

Two more support beams fell from the ceiling letting in more of the blistering heat and suffocating smoke from the rooms above. Their ability to breath became more difficult, and the building’s collapse was imminent. Realizing this, Sero pressed on with his attempts to distract Mina from their inevitable demise.

He pulls Mina’s chin up for their eyes to meet, searching for permission for their first and final kiss, he is meet with the approval by one of her signature smiles. Without hesitation, he leans down giving her a kiss full of the love and friendship shared between them.

Sero slowly pulls back looking into her eyes again struggling to with the sentence “I will pick you up at 7:00.”

Mina looking at Sero like he was her everything chokes out “You do not have to pick me up… It was totally out of your way.”

Sero without even missing a beat, musters out “I cannot let you go alone.” Then he kisses her on the forehead with tears streaking down his face covered in soot.

Mina buries her face into his chest sobbing at this point uses her last bit of air to say “Promise you will show up...”

Sero chokes out “Promise” trying to put all his heart into the statement.

While the last of the ceiling comes down, the two young lovers fold farther into each other with silent promises of a date and love that will encompass them forever.

Chapter Text

Trying to hide his amused smile behind his hand, Megumi Fushiguro (Grade 2 Sorcerer) uses his other hand to angle his phone to get the best shot for a video of Yuuji Itadori (Grade 4 Sorcerer) trying to explain the Human Earthworm franchise to Kento Nanami (Grade 1 Sorcerer).

Yuuji has lost Nanami around the middle of Human Earthworm 2, but Nanami is trying to be a good sport attempts to keep track of the plot. Megumi, wanting to make Gojo jealous of missing this moment, tries to focus on the vacancy of Nanami’s eyes as the undeterred Yuuji explains the plot of the fourth movie for a third time. If Gojo was here, he would be eating this up and teasing Nanami about it for months to come. 

Yuuji wraps up his theatrical conclusion of the film, his body sweating from all the sudden changes of multiple emotions rapidly, trying to convey what he called an "ounce of the expressions that someone experiences from the last movie".

Man, Todo is really getting to his head, isn't he? I wonder why they call each other "brother"... 

and how does he get his attention? Megumi thought while looking at Yuji panting his heart out.

Yuuji, after recovering from his acting out for his presentation of the movies turns to Nanami, expecting for a comment.

Clearly confused, Nanami responds warmly “How… riveting...” tilting his head almost trying to decipher all he had heard.

"Well, what was your favorite movie? And character or scene?" Yuuj asked excitingly.

"..."

"Hmm, maybe..."

As Nanami was choosing his answer, making sure he could remember the right scene from the correct movie, which his memory of it is fuzzy,

Megumi can pick up his vocal tone while answering each question. He seemed of conveying interest in Yuuji’s movie summary. This is Nanami’s way of showing he cares. The older man is not the type to watch Human Earthworm willingly, but for people he cares about, Nanami will sit through anything. Megumi knows this from personal experience. He can't keep count of the dog facts and books the man had to sit through when he was a young child going through his dog obsessed phase. Nanami never wavered with his interest and occasional questions, no matter how many times he heard Megumi repeat or reshow him books.

Everyone always assumes Nanami is unemotional with no capacity for showing human feelings, but they would be wrong. Maybe he is more on the stoic side and reserves soft moments for his loved ones in privacy, but even in a crowded room; he always will show he cares in his own way. Megumi knew these are some of the reasons he could always look to Nanami growing up because he felt more like him than Gojo and Tsumiki. He could count on Nanami to understand and be confided in without judgement no matter the emotion shown. 

Megumi ends the video with Yuuji’s big smile at Nanami’s comment, seemingly accepting each of his answers.

Tapping on his messaging app, the dark-haired teen navigates to his and Gojo's message thread. It had been sparce lately with Gojo being stuck in endless clan business. Five days earlier, he had gotten the call that he had been summoned and told he would be expected to be away for a month. The attacks by the special grade cursed spirits and other business had the clan on edge, and Gojo, being a clan head, would have to sit through it, bored out of his mind.

Sitting at their breakfast nook the morning of his departure, Gojo ate his Dorayaki, swearing to Megumi and Nanami that he would try to escape early and treat them to dinner wherever they choose, as long as it had an excellent dessert menu. Then before being carted away by the hired driver as a 'captive' as he jokingly dubbed it, Gojo had ruffled Megumi hair against the boy's half protests and dipped Nanami into a kiss. This left them to share a mock exasperated look as Gojo strolled out the door with a wave, and a "I love you guys."

The memory warmed Megumi's heart. Even though he wouldn't admit it out loud, he missed Gojo. The last message he had received from the man was how boring clan business was and sent a dog video thumbnail. He uploaded his video to the thread and let his thumb hover over the send button. Instead, he exits going to their family group message, seeing Gojo's last message, asking if they had left on their mission yet?

They were playing with fire not telling Gojo the whole truth. Nanami had been on the phone with him yesterday, explaining that he might not hear from them for a couple days because he and Megumi were going on a mission and wouldn't have service. This had unsettled the white-haired man, but he knew that is just how the job goes sometimes. He had made Nanami swear they would be safe and let him know when they left and got back.

Not wanting to look at the message any longer due to shame, Megumi clicks off his phone, catching the end of Yuuji and Nanami’s conversation. Even with the phone out of his face, the bubbles of texts filling the void screen, he still couldn't think about it.

“They should be here any minute." Nanami answers to whatever Yuuji's question would have been.

Megumi had missed their whole conversation being lost in his own thoughts, but he already knew the basis of the conversation. Yuuji was wondering when Aoi Todo, Kasumi Miwa, Kokichi Muta, the Kyoto students assigned to assist on this mission, would arrive. Megumi could tell by the look on Yuuji’s face he was trying to mask his excitement to see his newfound brother, Todo.

Megumi personally found the muscle head to be extremely weird, but to each their own.

With the lull of the conversation, Nanami takes the opportunity and turns where he could address both Megumi and Yuuji when he speaks.

“I know this mission is not ideal or is being handled properly. I personally would not be bringing all of you young sorcerers into this, you're only 1st years and no students should be experiencing this level of an assignment, but it is out of my control… Yuuji, I know this will be extra stress on you with being Sukana's vessel. If you run into any problems on this mission, do not hesitate to relay it to one of us."

"Thanks for the concern, Nanami. I will be sure to do that." Yuuji fixes the older man with a reassuring grin, "if anything this mission will probably help me challenge and keep Sukuna under control in my mind!"

At that, Nanami's mouth started to form a subtle smile. Not many would be this eager for a mission as potentially dangerous as it is, at least as what the higher ups think. But just maybe, there might be a chance that it won't be that... bad? I don't know, we're going through something we don't know we might come out of, there could be nothing on the other side, only void. We'll only know once we go through. All I know is, that Yuji, though I haven't known you long, but from what I've seen of your actions, you really have a heart of steel, all of you do, even if you don't notice it yourselves.

Before anyone can say anything else, all three of them can hear voices starting to rise from the distance with a loud, “Brother! where are you!?” being shouted from the end of the hallway. Yuuji, flashing an even bigger grin at both of them before taking off out of the open doorway toward the awaiting Todo.

Megumi rolls eyes-so-hard-it-almost-hurts, meeting his slightly annoyed facial expression to Nanami’s matching one, “Looks like the peace is over…”

Megumi then pauses before stepping closer to the older man, "I have to ask now that we are alone. Why do you think the clan is sending us somewhere dangerous without Gojo?"

Brooding, Nanami turns to face out the window, fixing his eyes on the tree in the courtyard. Catching the look on his face, Megumi tilts his head to observe the older sorcerer’s eyes always betraying him.

The boy knew something was up. It was hard for even Nanami to school his expression in his eyes. They were the windows to his soul.

"They jumped at the opportunity to assign a group of us to the mission to prove to Gojo and the rest of sorcerer society that they do not need him. I, as you know, am not delusional and know how we need him. Also, do not think I willing agree for us to go without him. I tried to fight it, but... I should tell you before we leave, what has us in this grave predicament." Nanami then turns to face Megumi with an extremely pained expression. "Megumi, if I do not comply with their establishments and tell Gojo of the situation, they will threaten Tsumiki's life, or worse. That is the only reason I did not call him to come home right after the debriefing. Noncompliance is not an option..."

With this revelation, Megumi feels the air get knocked out of him. His eyes dilating, having to come to the realization that his sister not only is in a coma, barely holding on, but if they do one wrong step, she won't ever get to see his face again, any of their faces again. He finally speaks out,

"Wh- what? Why didn't you tell me sooner... Do you think she is safe even if we go along with them?!" he could feel a knot form in his stomach; speaking, he felt like he was gagging the words out, 

No... why her? Why of everyone in the world they could use, of everyone that's close to everyone, to us, they use her? She's doing her best trying to stay alive, now she's threatened of death, or even worse, what the hell is their issue?! She's never done anything wrong, the only thing ever was her trying to stop me from getting into so many fights, she was always worried for me, sometimes she was surprised she didn't have a heart attack from me. I hated bullies, they're nothing but assholes that pick on ones for their own insecurities, just like those higher up assholes, they're no different. But I don't like how Tsumiki tries to help me when she doesn't have to, she already had a lot on her. And now, ever since that curse attacked her, I hate myself, she tried to help me when I was being stupid, I talked about how she was "self-righteous" trying to say what was good and bad, yet I was being no different. Ugh, this is all hurting my head, why did this all have to happen so soon?

He then was gently touched on the shoulder by Nanami, making sure he was okay.

"Listen, I am truly sorry. I should have told you immediately, but I was hoping something would change, but they reiterated the threat to me this morning." Nanami pinches the bridge of his nose "The stakes are high on this mission, so they say, and you need to be fully aware."

The only thing the darkhaired boy could do was nod. His legs felt like lead, holding him stuck in place. He didn't want to do this. Deep down, he was scared- no, terrified. He was worried what would be behind there, a trap set by the curses? A set up of the higher-ups to control everyone and listen to them, and Gojo- Gojo, he didn't want to leave him here, he wants to see him, he wants to see his sister okay and happy again, he wants to be with his friends before something happens. He doesn't want to die, to die alone. While thinking all of this, he is trying his best to not show it, and keep it all bottled together, even though there's a crack in it.

Setting out a frustrated sigh, Nanami adds, "Also I have another part of me who is glad I can go on a mission and spare Gojo of having to. It takes some responsibility and weight off him... Even his shoulders have to get tired, but I wish it didn't have to come with the price of you and Tsumiki's involvement."

Megumi, still feeling weighted down, but covers his worriedness in his voice and finally responses, "I wish you would have told me, but... I understand. We have to do what we can to protect Tsumiki and help Gojo. I do feel guilt though about, well, lying to him."

Trying to reclaim his composure, Nanami says, "I share in your guilt. It pained me so much to not tell him everything. He seemed so despondent being away stuck with those ungrateful leaches. I couldn't bear to add to his pain,"

"It would have been cruel to do so." Megumi is pensive, "You know he is going to be so mad when he finds out. He will probably try to come after us."

"Probably so, but I am sure he will unfortunately soon have Tsumiki being held over his head, too. If everything goes to plan, we will be back before then." Nanami replies

"The only consolation is that Gojo will be in this dimension, and as smart as he is, he will figure something out... hopefully," Megumi looks down at his clenched his fists at his sides, trying to ease himself and let of some of the edge in his form. He still had deep anxiousness for what might happen, he doesn't want anything bad to happen, not when everything that has happened so far.

Nanami has been seeing Megumi's worry build up. He can understand why with everything that has been happening, it can be too much for anyone. Seeing the anxious teen, he finally reaches out, grasping Megumi's shoulder, grounding the both of them, "We just have to hope," reassuring him, that there might be a chance, that things will turn out okay.

Megumi's head snaps up at that moment to see the tenderness in Nanami's eyes. He gathers himself enough to fling himself forward into the older man, wrapping his arms around his middle. Nanami in response embraces him with a tight squeeze, his chin tucked on the boy's head.

“It is time we should join them. Now that Muta is here, the portal should be ready very soon.”

With that being said, Nanami releases the dark-haired boy and starts walking out the open doorway with Megumi following behind him.

Megumi's mind could not stop thinking about how much he wished Gojo was there too. He could reassure them both not only with his words, but his mere presence. Then... Everything would be okay.

-----------
After a short time, they were all gathered in a basement room listening to Muta go over his new knowledge of the distortion, and how he was able to replicate it so they would be able to cross the same boundary as Geto, Mahito, and suspected missing cursed spirits. They would only have 5 minutes of an opening for everyone to walk through, so they needed to do it in a timely fashion.

Megumi, now tuning out Muta’s speech, which had turned into know-it-all-ism, starts looking around at the assembled sorcerers that had been selected for the mission.

The Toyoko group consisted of Nanami, Ieiri Shoko (Special Grade Sorcerer), Mei Mei (Grade 1 Sorcerer) as the leaders with Maki Zenin (Grade 4 Sorcerer), Toge Inumaki (Semi Grade 1 Sorcerer), Nobara Kugisaki (Grade 3 Sorcerer), Yuuji, and himself.

The Kyoto group was Aoi Todo (Grade 1 Sorcerer), Kasumi Miwa (Grade 3 Sorcerer), and Kokichi Muta.

All together, they had made a solid team hand-picked by the higherups... That fact did put a little suspicion in the air, hopefully it might be coincidence, but that could be a stretch as well.

Megumi could sense it though, the tension from among the Kyoto group, particularly with one of them. 

The signs of tension were not even really Todo’s clear distain for Muta, but Miwa’s complete disregard of Kokichi altogether. She was choosing not to even spare him as much as a glance but adding to it with not speaking to him when he would address her. How much this bothered Muta was painted all over his face, but Megumi could not blame the girl. He personally didn’t like the guy, and the whole Toyoko group were willing to overlook his past transgressions as long as he stuck to his end of the bargain. Muta and the higherups had struck an agreement that he would not be thrown out of Kyoto school and cut from all jujutsu society, as long as Muta fully cooperated and used his full knowledge of the distortion in aid to the mission.

Per the usual, the higher ups were only concerned with their plans and not real justice.

Muta finished his instructions with a longing look at Miwa, who was leaning against the wall, choosing to look at the floor instead of him, her eyes clouded with resentment. Todo was besides her, sending Muta death glares while whispering something to the blue haired girl.

Muta's pining was so painfully obvious that Maki was rolling her eyes, and Nobara let out a laugh that she disguised as a cough when Nanami shot her a look.

After finishing his speech, everyone dispersed from the tight group. They scattered, choosing to pick up their gear and mentally prepare for Muta to open the portal.

Megumi, now ready was feeling restless, waiting over to the side of the machinery that would make the portal they would walk through. He looked to his left to see Toge had taken up position beside him, looking equally pensive before shooting him a peace sign and unsteady smile. Unrealizing the machine had started up, he had to stop himself from jumping when the machinery started whirling, and the portal came to life.

Mei Mei, hefting up her huge axe bag, elected to go first with Todo going in behind her. Toge reached up giving Megumi’s shoulder a pat before following behind them. Toge's action and tone had been so reassuring that Megumi, helping him with his edge and taking off some edge. As the others one by one walked through, he saw Itadori and Nobara give him goofy faces before disappearing into the black void. When he was about to head through himself, he quickly pulled out his phone to his and Gojo's messages and decisively hit send on the video.

He silently hoped that this video could magically give the man a clue and make him come to the rescue somehow.

He then thought back to Nobara and Yuji, while he doesn't show it, those are his friends, his best friends. If they're going in without any hesitation, then he shouldn't either.

With one last deep breath, Megumi stepped through the portal following his fellow sorcerers into the unknown.

Chapter Text

Desolation… A wasteland… This place is nothing but rubble… In this dark hour, I need to focus my energy on what matters most. -clenching his fist- Finding my brother, Yuuji! Have no fear, I will find you!

But first…

Pulling out his phone, Aoi Todo scrolls for the perfect jam that truly speaks for this moment. No… wrong… Wait… there it is. He makes his selection, and places on his kawaii-cat headphones to be met with the tune of “I Want You Back” by NSYNC. How fitting he muses. He surveys his surroundings. Now, I must descend into this dark, desolate wasteland, filled to the brim with curses to find my kindred brethren. Jumping down from the ledge he had perched on, he lands in a superhero pose.

In reality, Megumi, Toge, and Mei Mei have been the unfortunate bystanders to this whole over-the-top drama of a monologue, that actually was spoken out loud word for word (The ledge was really only five feet high).

“Wow… He really is a moron,” observes Megumi, side eying his other two companions.

Toge shakes his head in worry, responding with an exasperated, “Mustard Leaf,” while Mei Mei looks impassive as ever.

Todo struts dauntlessly towards the three unwilling observers and throws his arm around Toge, “Come my three soft goths. Not only do we have to rescue my brother from this…” Todo makes a face when he looks around, “’hellhole’. but we also must save the others. Yuji must need great aid for the back-breaking labor he must be doing to carry his team. I would be surprised if Muta’s incompetence hasn’t cause them to die by now.”

Mei Mei finally speaks up, addressing in an eased tone to the whole group, “He does have a point. We should be making our way to find them.”

She looks around, observing their surroundings. They are in a sizeable alley between two semi- standing apartment buildings; The foundations seem to be slowly crumbling from whatever had happened. She had to stop herself from shuttering at the thought of all the money lose.

Toge breaks her thoughts by tapping her on the shoulder softly and pointing toward the end of the alley way. He picked up on the incoming voices faster than his other three companions. The voices were getting louder. Todo to pull his headphones down to around his neck so he could understand the commotion. Mei Mei and Megumi had their backs to the end of the alley, but now are turned around to face whoever is coming around the corner.

-----

“Dudeee… That wasn’t very manly,” Eijiro Kirishima (Heroname: Red Riot) states mellowly.

He is referring to Kaminari shocking Izuku Midoriya (Heroname: Deku) on accident, trying to cheer up Kirishima out of his melancholy state when they crossed the street a few minutes earlier.
It has been a long sixteen days. Starting with the kidnapping of Katsuki Bakugo, to the distortion ruining their lives, to their classmates’ deaths. Which has made even harder by loosing two of their best friends to the fire. He hardened his heart at the thought of them. He could not bear the thought of their pain or never seeing them again, nor does he want to stomach the guilt of showing his pain towards his classmates-no, his friends so they won’t feel even more upset. He wants to be the positive reassurance of the group, the one that can help everyone feel better. But it’s starting to become more difficult. Aizawa had requested him and Kaminari to have a couple days off from patrol to process the kidnapping and deaths. It was devastating… He and the blonde held each other through that time and cried till they had nothing left.

As they walked on patrol, his thoughts kept going to Bakugo a lot, hoping he was all right, and they could reunite the Baku-squad soon. Well, what’s remaining of it. He missed hearing the unending and energetic cursing of the explosive quirk user, the screeching either meant for the group enjoying themselves, or having to stop the maniac from terrorizing everyone, especially Deku. Though most would see him as a sociopath, mainly on a surface level; it was his way of showing how he cares about ones in his own weird way, and if your really close to him, you can see a very different side. The squad has seen this side before, and enjoys it every time when it shows. When he isn’t in his usual state of mind, he has an almost warm tone from him in his own way. Sure, he has his moments where he can be a little unbearable, but at the end of the day, they all loved every part of him, especially Eijirou. Out of everyone Bakugo always hanged with Eijirou the most. While it took a while for them to become more aquantenced with each other, but once they did connect, along with the added members that came along because no one wanted to be with them, they became all inseparable. But now with Bakugo missing and the many losses of the once beloved group, he feels empty. While he still tries to tough it out, it becomes more difficult, without the others, without Katsuki, he feels like he has lost a part of himself. No, he has lost all of it. Whenever he looked at Kaminari’s face, he could tell he felt the same way even though he tried to hide behind his smiles and jokes.

His mind pulled back to reality at the sound of Midoriya speaking up.

“I-I-It’s okay! It really didn’t hurt that much,” Midoriya interjects, trying to keep the peace. Still having that same warm, reassuring smile he always has no matter what. Ejirou was staring at the two. His is so natural. He’s doing what I wish I could do, even though it really isn’t me, have I been lying to myself? Have I been making a facade of what I am because of the ones around me? I don’t know, I wish I was like Midoryia, I wish I was like ALL MIGHT. No matter what turmoil they go through, the always have that smile to make you feel like “It’s okay, I am here!”. I can see why Bakugo looked up to him so much.

Kaminari, taking in Deku’s reply, takes an apologetic stance and rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m really sorry I got a little carried away with juggling those cans.”

During this conversation, the three of them do not break the quick stride they have matched with Aizawa trailing behind them. They were out on their set routine patrol secretly hoping not to run into more invisible creatures. Even Midoriya has yet to think of a way to stop the vicious beasts.

The boys changed the conversation from Kaminari’s mishap and were walking toward an alley that would take them to another point of their patrol. Aizawa hanging back to pear in a window of a shop not far behind.

Kaminari then checks on Kirishima; his face still covered with some gloom. While he did perk up a bit from the gag, it seems it wasn’t enough. Man, poor Ejirou, I wonder what he’s thinking about? Maybe I should ask.

“Hey um Kiri, are you okay-“

But before Denki could finish his sentence, when rounding the corner, they stopped abruptly and was met with the surprise of four people who looked totally out of place from their uniforms, and from the way they carried themselves. Kaminari let out a startled yelp that caused Aizawa to come quickly to their side, looking from them to the strange group.

Were they part of a gang? Hoodlums? Wait a minute… are those cat headphones?

Aizawa steps in front to put himself between his students and the four people staring at them in the alleyway. He starts sizing them up determining their leader. It seems that title belongs to the silver hair, frankly beautiful lady with a big case on her back… Wait did I just think about her beauty?!

Shaking his head, he addresses her, “Identify yourselves”, which did not come out in his usual intimidating demeanor.

With the look of impatience, the biggest guy in the opposing group takes a small step forward.

“I will have you know I am Aoi Todo, and I have far more important things to do than deal with strangely appareled people. Wait, where is that guy’s shirt?!” Todo interjects, pointing at Kirishima.
Kirishima scuffs in surprise and steps up to stand beside Aizawa, crossing his arms trying to cover up any embarrassment on his face. Midoriya takes this chance also to come up on Aizawa’s other side looking at them with curiousness.

The silver haired woman puts her hand up to her mouth to stifle a laugh while the dark, spiky haired guy besides her slaps down Todo’s hand.

Composing herself, meeting Aizawa’s serious face with one full of amusement, she finally speaks, “I am Mei Mei. From the state of your city, it seems our missing cursed users and spirits have arrived. It is fortunate we decided to come across ourselves. You should be grateful even…” she trails off even though she seemed she had more to say.

Mei Mei’s attention leaves Aizawa looking past him and his students. All the amusement drains from her face to be replaced with solemnity. He follows her gaze in time to hear a crash sound out as bricks start falling, making it seem like something was crawling over the remaining wall on their right in the alley way behind the lone Kaminari. Aizawa, now walking toward Kaminari, he stops. Another noise of trash cans being knocked down comes from the other end, causing the spiky haired boy and the one calling himself Todo to spin to meet the noise.

----------

Closing his eyes, Kaminari feels frozen in place. He knows the invisible creatures are coming up from both ends of the alley. Flashes of Sero and Mina’s bodies flash in his head. No, I am not ready to join them! Then he hears a rush of movement causing his eyes to pop open.

He follows the movement of the guy from the other group dressed in a turtle-neck jacket that covers half his face running and stopping behind him to face the creature. This action causes Aizawa to surge forward till he is besides Kaminari when the blonde turns to face the back of the guy. Turtleneck stands firm between them and the deadly creature pulls his jacket down, exposing the rest of his face and the tattoos on either side of his mouth.

When turtleneck speaks, a booming command of “backup” is concentrated at the creature. It had an immense force behind the words, and bricks start to move as if something was moving backwards. As the words came from the guy’s mouth, Kaminari felt a light wind as several crows? Flew past his and Aizawa’s heads, clawing where the creature should be.

There was an unzipping noise that caught the teen’s attention, he looked back to see the woman identified as Mei Mei unzipping the large case that she was carrying on her back, bringing out a large axe.
“Stop!” another command shoots out and the noise of attacking crows brings Kaminari to snap his attention back to the fight. As soon as he does, he feels someone run between him and his sensei. He can’t take his eyes off Mei Mei, who is now advancing on the creature. She wields the axe with practical ease, running it down the invisible forces’ forms. It seems to attempt bucking at her, but using the handle she propels herself onto it. The ways she stands makes it appear that the creature is low to the ground. Catching her balance, she starts hacking at the creature’s flesh, while her movement shows the creature under her is trying to get away. Turtleneck starts going in closer poised to command at any moment. Then Mei Mei hits the creature one last time in a finishing blow jumping backwards. She lands on her feet beside her companion, who is now bringing throat spray out of his jacket’s pocket. She takes her sleeve, wiping her face and turns to face him and Aizawa with a small smile of triumph.

Kaminari gulps and looks to catch Aizawa with his mouth gaping open looking totally impressed. That almost scares him more than the thought of the creatures ripping him to pieces.

----------
At the other end of the alley at the same time, Midoriya and Kirishima are witnessing what the red head dubbed as “super manly”.

Trash cans were getting knocked down and crushed by one of the creatures as it was coming down the alley toward them along the left wall. It seemed to try a flanking maneuver. Kirishima’s face fell and looking unsure what to do, shooting worrying glances toward Midoriya. The other boys focus was on the two guys from the group still standing in front of them at a distance.

When the noises started, the guy in the turtleneck and Mei Mei had taken off to face the creature where Kaminari and Aizawa was. These two had stayed in place with their back to them observing the creature.

The muscled-out guy Todo tilts his head to look at the spiky haired one, sending him a wide smile with a booming laugh while the latter just returned it with a frown. Then they sprang into action.

The spiky hair looks forward again, speaking calmly while moving his hands, and two dogs appear, one black and one white with symbols on their foreheads. Both of the dogs sprinted off as quickly as they appeared straight for the creature.

Then all of a sudden there was a distinct clap with the words, “boogie Woogie” spoken.

To Midoriya’s amazement, Todo disappeared and reappeared to the side of the creature, hitting it with a hook. The impact drives the creature into the wall with the dogs tearing at its form. Clouds of different powdered substances cloud over the scene and dust the creature. Now he could see its outline which looked to have six legs and a body like a human. The appearance made his body chill and causing a shiver of fear. If just the outline was this scary, he could only imagine how the creatures looked. Todo and his partner clearly can see the creature and do not seem to be put off. They either have no fear or this is not their first fight with these creatures, or they’re just crazy.

Midoriya stole a glance at Kirishima, who actually seemed to be faltering in his usual bravery by taking a step back with shock and fear painted on his unsettled face. The red-head’s arms wrap tight around himself. Midoriya’s attention did not stay long on the redhead as the black dog being flung through the air to land at Midoriya’s feet. The other white one was hit and landed in a heap of trash. Todo was on the ground trying to hold the legs off his face while the spiky haired guy now fighting with the creature’s other legs not baring down on Todo. He knew even though he was scared out of his mind, he could not stand back and let these two do all the fighting.

Summoning all his courage, Midoriya took off from his position and started feeling his power surge through his body. He focused his power into his legs causing him to leap and soar through the air then redirecting it to his right arm bringing down the impact onto the creature’s face.

“Detroit Smash”

The spiky hair guy stops his attacks as the creature looking at Midoriya with a quizzical look. The force of the blow from his punch causes the remaining wall behind the creature to fall and the ground to crumble up.

Due to the impact driving the creature off Todo, it gives him time to get to his feet and let out an excited yell of awe toward the green haired boy. Midoriya landed on the other side of the fight clutching his arm that was shooting with pain and tries to return Todo’s excitement with a strained smile.

Todo gave him a huge grin before focusing back on the creature with a new vigor. There was just a rain of blows that drove the creature back then out of nowhere the creature was enveloped in a hoard of bunnies that came out of nowhere. The bunnies disappeared within a minute with the creature being no more.

----------

Kirishima finally pulling himself together jogs over to Midoriya, asking was he okay and slinging a guiding arm over him while giving wary glances toward the two dark haired guys.
There was silence for a few minutes while all eight people in that alley way looked at each other.

Todo broke the silence. He quickly advances toward Midoriya slapping him on the back with friendliness, “Boy whose hair reminds me Wasabi, you proved to have great courage even though you were clearly frightened. I would be proud to call you my brother… well I already have a brother, but there is no harm in having two!”

Midoriya just looks at the guy in surprise answering him with an unsure “Okay…?”
“Now that we are brothers.” Todo now has his hand squeezing Midoriya’s shoulder, looking quite serious. “I must ask. What is your type?” looking at him expectingly.

This statement causes Midoriya to flounder with a flush and almost choking on the saliva that had pooled in his mouth. Kirishima was looking at Todo with big puzzled eyes. Kaminari from where he and Aizawa were standing hears the exchange and tries bite back a laugh with no success.

Todo’s serious face broke out to another grin, leveling his gaze with Midoriya’s.

“It seems you are not as decisive as you are brave, Wasabi, but fear not! Your brother Todo will teach you the way. You are but a young sapling and with my tutelage you will become a mighty tree!”
Midoriya gapes in surprise again as Todo pulls him into a hug with Kirishima backing off, coming up right beside spiky hair.

The spiky hair rolls eyes so hard at Todo that Kirishima thought they are going to get stuck.

The guy’s head then drops back and side eyes Kirishima with a smirk, “His last braincell is fighting for its life.”

Kirishima lets out a laugh that is part way relieved. He takes in the spiky haired guy who was watching Todo who brings Midoriya into a bridal-style hold, against the green haired boy’s many protests. The guy was tall and had this air of nonchalant and mystery. The way the guy carries himself and stayed calm during that fight made Kirishima feel like he is the manliness guy there is.

Kaminari took this as a chance to thank his and Aizawa’s two protectors. He walked up to the two who were standing side by side.

“Thank you for the help. Without you, all four of us would have probably been the creature’s lunch,” Kaminari says, feeling a little shy even for him, especially under their intimidating gaze.

With his turtleneck still down, turtleneck smiles the sweetest smile and answers with “Salmon Flakes.”

This took Kaminari totally off guard. Not only did this guy speak a totally weird language, but he was getting a better look at the guy’s tattoos.
Without thinking, Kaminari blurts out “Hey those tattoos are hardcore. Can’t believe you already have some being so young.”

Its turtleneck’s turn to be taken off guard responding, “Bonita Flakes! Tuna Mayo.”

Kaminari takes the reply in and gives some thought before answering “Well it’s even more hardcore that you are born with them. I am actually jealous.”

That reply not only left his companions stunned, but made turtleneck’s group even look surprised. It made turtleneck light up with an even brighter grin.

Spiky hair gives the blonde a pensive look, “You know what Toge said?”

Ahhh that’s turtleneck’s name, Kaminari shrugged “Against popular belief, I’m not as stupid as I look. Toge,” He gestures in Toge’s direction, “is very clear.”

Spiky hair gapes at him while Todo lets out a laugh at spiky hair’s face. Todo’s laugh jostles Midoriya who he is holding close to his chest in the bridal style. Midoriya’s face is so red from blushing, he looks like a deer in headlights while trying to keep his arm in place during the movement.

With the tension now broken, Mei Mei, still holding her axe over her shoulder, makes her way from besides Toge to stand, shoulders almost touching Aizawa’s side. She leans forward and gives the tired man, who looks like he is in a crisis, a small smile to catch his attention from his brooding thoughts.

Aizawa snaps out of his thoughts, realizing how close in proximity him and Mei Mei are, and Kaminari swears to himself that a blush tried to form on his sensei’s face.

Aizawa clears his throat addressing Mei Mei, “I think you and your companions should come with us to our base. It is clear you are not from here and know way more about these creatures than we do. You proved that…” He trails off, not really sure what more to say.

Mei Mei leans back and corrects him, “They are called Cursed Spirits. We will go with you and explain more once we are at your base. We do need to find the other members of our group first though.”

“Wait… There is more of you?” Aizawa’s eyes becoming wide, to the surprise of his three students, staring at her, and before he could say or ask more the headset in his ear came into life.

Chapter Text

“How did this spiral out of hand so quickly?” Yuuji questions himself while he watches the stalemate between Maki and a girl in a pink costume.

Maki had her naginata to the girl’s throat, while the pink girl with a very determined look kept her hand tight on Maki’s arm after claiming she could make her float away. Nobody was moving or speaking.

He looks at the pink girl’s companions, who were two other people with costumes that reminds him of superheroes in his comics he would read back at his dorm room. Oh, to be back in the loving embrace of his bed in their home dimension, or at the very least for Nanami to be here to handle the situation.

It has only been an hour or two ago when they stepped out of the portal into what only Yuuji could describe as a desolate wasteland that is nothing but rubble; also realizing that four of their group were missing. To cut down on time, their group had been split into two smaller teams. Nanami, Shoko, and Miwa went in one direction while Maki, Nobara, Muta, and Yuuji went in the other. He remembers Nanami putting Maki in charge and distinctly telling her not to engage, especially not in any form of hostility with the inhabitants without his approval. They were to find them if things went south.

Well, Nanami, it went south fast, VERY FAST

The tall guy who looked like he could pass for a blonde-worried superman steps forward, speaking toward the pink girl, clearly trying to defuse the situation, “Hey Ochaco, I think you should calm down. We can all talk this out.”

Yuuji deciding to back up blonde superman clears the space between him and Maki to put his hand on her shoulder, “Maki, come on…” He looks at guy willing him to introduce himself.

“Oh right, my name is Mirio! (hero-name: Lemillion)” the guy said with a smile starting to crack on his face.

“Hi Mirio, I’m Yuuji.” Flashing his friendliest smile and summoning resolve into his voice to speak again to Maki.

“Mirio is right. You also need to calm down, so we can talk this out.”

“Damn it Maki! just put the naginata down. We know you could end her, but we didn’t come here to harass the locals you four-eyed hot head!” Nobara barks while coming down from her perch on a small hill of rubble.

“Why did you come here then?” asks an unreadable girl with aux ends for ear lobes. Yuuji thought her ears looked super awesome, but chose to wait till they are on friendlier terms to tell her.

“Our answer should make you happy,” answers Muta with his arms crossed behind Nobara and Yuuji. “We came here to retrieve the missing cursed users and spirits that escaped our dimension. They’re most likely the cause of the ruined city, loss of lives and your loved ones.  I am sure that goes completely over your heads, but try to process that we are not your enemy, hence pinky-pie there should let Maki go.”

Yuuji groans, dropping his hand from Maki’s shoulder. To make matters worse now Muta has insulted these people. Come on Nanami, please sense the danger and show up, Yuuji silently pleaded

“Wait so you are not in leagues with those creatures?” asks Mirio with hope flashing across his face.

“Eww, no. We take down cursed spirits. That is what those creatures are called,” Nobara chimes in again, “We are sorcerers, and our job is to keep cursed users and spirits in check. I know that is hard to believe since we came in the same way they did, but it is true.” She finishes by looking at the others for back up.

“She is correct. We would never associate ourself with such scum.” Muta agrees while Maki lets out a condescending laugh which has been the first noise to come out of her since the stalemate started. He ignores her, finishing with “We have a lot more to explain, but we don’t need to do it out here.”

Mirio looks at Aux ears, “Keep an eye on them, I’m going to make a call.”

He steps away, pulling out cellphone and walking away for privacy.

They all start glancing at each other, not really knowing what else to say, while the two girls stayed locked in their battle of wills between the two opposing groups.

Yuuji goes to clear his voice to say something when he is interrupted by someone else speaking

“Maki, that is enough.” A voice says in the background, stopping mid-sentence with a sigh of disappointment, “This comes to show how well you follow instruction.”

The strong commanding tone is enough to make Maki visibly start to relax her stance.

Yuuji feels true relief wash over him as he turns to see Nanami approaching, looking aggravated as ever. Shoko is right behind him, tugging out a cigarette to light while shaking her head at the ordeal. Besides her, Miwa has her hand poised at her blade’s handle, seeming ready to draw it at any moment.

Nanami stops right beside the two girls and pinches the bridge of his nose then breaths in deeply to still himself before addressing both girls, “I do not know what is going on, but nothing good will come out of this standoff. Let’s start with both of you backing off each other and call it even, so we can start being productive.”

Not surprisingly, both of them start to back down. Maki starts to lower her blade while the pink girl starts to unclench her fingers from the green haired girl’s arm. Yuuji knew nobody could resist Nanami’s commands… Well… normal people couldn’t. There were exceptions to the Nanami rule.

“Better, now let’s start with names. What is yours?” Nanami asks casting his powerful gaze down on the pink girl

The girl who has been holding her own this whole time now starts to faulter slightly under the intimidation of Nanami. Yuuji does not blamer her. If he didn’t know about the soft center of the older blonde sorcerer, he would also be frightened for her.

“My name…e is Ochaco (hero-name: Uravity), sir,” the pink girl responds.

Nanami gives her a nod, then looks up to aux girl, “And your name is?” while raising his eyebrow

This girl impressively stays impassive, “Jirou (heroname: Earphone Jack), and the guy on the phone” she points toward blonde superman who is not far off, “is Mirio… Sir.”

“Woah, he got to her, too without even trying. Nanami would have made a hell of an interrogator in another life” muses Yuuji as he watches Nanami take over the whole situation even more.

Nanami acknowledging both costumed girls replies, “I am Nanami Kento. This is Maki Zen’n, Yuuji Itadori, Nobara Kugisaki, Kokichi Muta, Shoko Ieri, and Kasumi Miwa,” as he points to each as he says their names.

As the older man is giving introductions, Mirio walks back into the fray. Now bearing a smile across his face and looks at Nanami.

“I’m glad to see you got our two combat-engrossed friends to relax. Civil conversation is a way better way to go about things.” He finishes by putting his hand out for Nanami to shake.

Nanami takes it firmly, and meets the younger man’s grin with a face of indifference.

This does not perturb the younger man, who speaks up, “I just got off the phone with All Might. We are bringing you and your lot to our base because your group is of interest to us and our cause. I have to alert Eraserhead to what is going on, and we will head that way.”

Nanami just gives a nod, before turning around to give Maki the most disappointed look. Maki returns the action with a sheepish shrug, covered with irritation.

Yuuji shutters. Sheesh, glad I’m not on the receiving end of that, he’s like horrifying… He then notices Mirio comes beside him and leans in, “Is that guy always that serious?” while side- eyeing Nanami.

Yuuji gives his answer some thought. He personally has never seen Nanami even show pain, much less of a smile. “Nope, he is serious with a side of even more serious.”

Mirio lets out a laugh, “oh wow, he and Eraserhead are going to love each other!”

Before Yuuji could ask who that was, Mirio steps away with a clap to get everyone’s attention.

“Alright everyone, if you would just follow me this way.”

The blonde starts walking and talking into a headset as Jirou and Ochaco step in behind him. Shoko takes a long drag from her cigarette as the rest of them start falling behind the costumed people.

“I hope they believe us.” She says nonchalantly, walking beside Nanami.

“I think they will. As long as we relay our story in a conscious way, and Muta explains all the technical,” replies Nanami as he is straightening out his tie.

“Do not worry, I will dumb it down for them.” states Muta, trying to match his walking pace to Miwa’s.

Miwa groans with disgust and speeds up beside Nobara who throws her arm around the blue haired girl.

“Muta, you are going to totally win us points with that humble attitude of yours.” Nobara huffs sarcastically.

Listening to Nobara and Muta break into an argument, then silenced from a fed up Nanami, Yuugi’s mind wonders to his original worry when they crossed over. Was the new presence of Sukana’s vessel going to invite the cursed spirits to attack these poor people even worse now? Will I be more of catalyst for destruction than assistance? Then his grandfather’s words sound in his head. You are a strong kid, use that strength to help people. And when you die, make sure you’re not alone like me. He bites his thumb from the stress as all of this blends in his head, making his brain feel like mush. He shook off the thoughts, saving it for another time, and re-focuses on following the group toward the base.  Hm, if Todo is there, he could help me with these thoughts.

-----------

“If I beat my head against this wall, I wonder how long it would take to go unconscious…”

Toshinori Yagi (Hero-name: All Might) has never been so sick of someone in his life like he was of Enji Todoroki (Hero-name: Endeavor). The fire hero had been talking his ear off nonstop about how he would make a better leader than him and how his son should do more patrols than Midoriya… blah blah blah... blah.

“Am I starting to doze off? I sure hope so.”

All Might, leaning up against the wall directly across from the other two seated heroes, steals a glance at Endeavor’s son Shoto Todoroki (Hero-name: Shoto), who looked extremely bored sitting beside his father. Their eyes meet briefly and the boy’s look reads, “I wish he would shut the hell up, too”. This causes All Might to accidently let out a little laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Endeavor asked, stopping mid-rant to stare flaming daggers into the number one hero.

“Oh nothing. Well, nothing you would find funny.” replies All Might as he pulls himself up into his full height to stretch. If he finds anything funny with that hell-fire personality…

They were the only three in the debriefing room. They were waiting on Mirio and Aizawa’s patrol groups to come in, baring the strangers they had come across. The team leaders had debriefed him quickly about them over the phone. Personally, he was excited to meet the people who could potentially help them with their creature problem. He had apprehensions, yes, but he always leans more toward hope no matter the situation, and that was not going to stop now even with everything that has transpired. That being said though, Aizawa had sounded very out of character, causing him to mentally make a note to himself to check on the man when they had a private moment.

Pulling himself out of his reverie in time to hear the door to the room open, he sees Mirio peer through, equipped with his signature big smile across his face.

“Young Mirio, it is so good to see you. Please come in and bring the strangers also,” All Might greets as he advanced to the center of the room, preparing to meet the newcomers.

Mirio ducks back into the hallway and can be heard telling Ochaco and Jirou that he has it from there. Two sets of steps can be heard retreating down an adjacent hallway.

Then the young blonde hero reemerges at the open doorway strolling in with the strangers following close behind them.

What a strange bunch. All might observes as he is approached by a man with a cleaver-like sword strapped to his back. He felt very small under the man’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Nanami Kento, you must be All Might.” The stranger says while going in for a firm handshake.

A little daunted but not shaken, All Might clasps Nanami’s hand, “To the point, I like that. We are waiting for Aizawa, his three students, your remaining group, and two others to show before we get started. It is nice to meet you, Nanami.”

Nanami responds with a nod and a crisp “sounds good” before taking a seat at the table.

The feeling of being scrutinized again comes back to him as he looks across the room to see a short haired girl leaning in whispering into the ear of a He thought Bakugo was green haired girl who is giving him the most judgmental glare. He gulps. Here I thought Bakugo was unsettling, but this bunch was a whole other level.

“You look just like Captain America!”

All Might was cut from his train of thought form the random remark. He looks down to see a pink haired boy looking at him with eyes fill with amazement which makes the taller man feel better.

“No wait, you would be your own thing, like Captain Japan… No better, General Japan!” exclaims the pink haired boy with true excitement and awe.

He reminds All might a lot of Midoriya with his excitement, even though his fanboying is over comic book characters.

“I take that as a compliment. Captain America is an admirable and inspirational man. And what might your name be young man?” asks All Might.

“Yuuji Itadori…” the boys says as his attention has already landed on someone else. Before All Might could even blink his eyes, Yuuji was already at the table leaning across it staring at Endeavor’s face. Giving the fire hero great discomfort and irritation streaking across his usually stoic face.

“OH WOW YOUR BEARD IS FIRE! Does it hurt? It does not seem very practical.”

All Might coughs to try to hide the surprised laugh that is trying to escape his throat, while Endeavor looks like he is trying to kill Yuuji with his eyes. While his father is clearly seething, Shoto’s usually unemotional face looks like it is fighting for control over its expression as he clearly wants to break out cackling. Instead, his face settles in a subtle amused smirk.  

Before Yuuji can get another word out, he is grabbed by the scruff of his jacket by an unamused, frowning Nanami.

“Yuuji, try and control your mouth before you get yourself in more trouble,” Nanami reprimands while dragging the pink haired youth down into a chair besides him.

Just as the boy was settling into his seat, All Might become aware of more voices coming down the hallway.

He hears the voice of Aizawa half-heartly order the three boys with him to take Midoriya to recovery girl. As he tries to listen in on their words, a tall, muscular guy steps into the doorway.

“YUUJI!!! MY BLOOD BROTHER!!”

Before All Might could make a coherent thought, Yuuji jumps up from his seat and takes off across the room with great energy to be met halfway by the yelling guy while calling out, “TODO!!!”

Todo is laughing while Yuuji and he share a tight and familial embrace, “Oh my brother, I am so glad to see you well and not been killed or maimed because of Muta’s incompetence!”

The dark-haired boy at the corner of the room seems like he’s trying to inch closer to the blue haired girl, who is pointedly looking anywhere but in his direction. He rolls his eyes and mutters something under his breath.

Noticing the lowkey rejection, All Might thought, Man, this gives me second-hand embarrassment.

Then All Might watches as the two sibling-like boys- wait, are they siblings? -devolve into talking at the same time at a ridiculously fast pace till another guy saunters in with hair that the tall hero could only describe as urchin hair, and attitude that screams brooding. Was this Aizawa’s long lost son?

Yuuji peels himself off Todo to throw himself onto the urchin-haired guy.

“Megumi you’re okay! I am also so glad to see you.”

This makes the brooding guy body go ridged, “Yuuji, I am glad to see you too, now get off me you idiot.” He finishes by shaking him off, which does not stop Yuuji’s massive smile.

Megumi promptly walks from Yuuji waving at Nobara, making a direct route to Nanami, whose stoic face softens when he stops in front of the older sorcerer.

“Hello Megumi, good to see you are unharmed.”

“Hello Nanami, nice to see you are also uninjured,” Megumi replies back while settling into the seat beside him.

It was a stiff, yet All Might feels as if he was looking at something he wasn’t supposed to, like there was affection there, trying to be hidden under the surface of the statements.

All Might turns his head back from the exchange to almost jump by how close Todo was now to his face.

“Hello great pointed-haired, weirdly dressed individual! What is your name?” says Todo with great exclamation. All Might didn’t have much of a reply, just surprised from the young man’s surprisingly great stoutness and energy that came off him. Reminds himself of his younger days.

“Why hello there! My name is All Might, your name is Todo correct?” All Might replies.

“All Might, Such a magnificent title! It suites you greatly with the presence you give off, great strength and warmth; the feel of hope to everyone!” Todo expresses with stride, “but yes, my name is Aoi Todo, ever since I became of here, I searched for my blood brother, hoping he was fine. Now that I know he hasn’t fallen from the hard work of carrying his group through the desolated city like Sisyphus and his boulder up the mountain, I was relieved! Now that I know Yuuji is safe, I YEARN to meet everyone here and learn of their… traits,” Todo says.

I don’t know whether to admire this kid, or be terrified of him to be honest, All Might thinks to himself. “Well, it’s been a great pleasure to meet you, Todo! We must discuss more later on. But first, I need to speak to the others,” but, before All Might could finish his statement, he is gripped on the shoulders by the sorcerer, he turns around anxiously.

“Wait! Before you go, I must ask you something of great importance, something that will affect the tides of existence…” Todo said. All Might waited for his question, ready for the most crucial of questions to come his way.

“What is your type?”

All Might was perplexed from the question, “wait what?”

During the exchange of Todo and a now weirded out All Might, Aizawa enters the room with a gorgeous woman by his side.

How Aizawa looked made All Might have to double-take, watching him totally perplexed. The usually impassive and unimpressed man looked like he was going through ten different emotions that the older hero did not think possible for the chronically sleepy hero.

All Might snaps his head to give Endeavor a look like “are you seeing this or am I in a fever dream?”

But Endeavor was too busy staring at Aizawa with a raised eyebrow equal to All Might’s own confusion.

They both watch as the erasing hero takes a seat, huffing out a huge exhale then lets his head hit the table.

Chapter Text

“Are we gonna go in or just stand out here?”

Tomura Shigaraki stood rooted to his position on the sidewalk staring at the bar door. He has had to process a lot over this past 8 days. The destruction of the city took even the league of villains by surprise and lost many of their own to it. It wasn’t till Kenjaku met his master All For One that attacks from Cursed Spirits ceased. The meeting between the two heads also lead to him being saddled with a so-called “cursed spirit” known as… Mahito… what a weird name.  At first he couldn’t see the annoying creature, but after 2 days when an agreement was finally struck between All For One and Kenjaku, he was totally able to see the creepy thing’s face. That unnerving smile, patched face, Mahito reminds him of some horror he fought in a video game once.

The two had been dropped off at the entrance of the bar which was still their hideout because apparently that bar could withstand even an all-out assault. The others had been briefed already about the contract and Mahito, but here he was standing outside the bar, trying to figure out how he was going to keep Mahito under control because Mr. shady Kenjaku warned him about Mahito’s love of chaos. He felt his anxiety peak because not only does he have this patch-face of a character to deal with, but also the equivalent of a gremlin chihuahua in his possession still.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mahito staring at him with a friendly smile spread across his face, still not deterred by the unanswered question.

“I cannot wait to see your lair! You’re like one of those super villains from the comics I sometimes read if my victims were carrying them; though… they weren’t easy to decipher with all the blood splattered on them,” Mahito said with some hint of disappointment in his voice.

Shigaraki rolls his eyes “This is not a lair. It is a temporary hideout till we can find something better.”

“’lair’, ‘hideout’, same thing,” he says while finger quoting. “I think lair matches more of your vibe you, and your supposed bunch have going on,” Mahito comments back while gesturing his hand at him.

All he could do was stare at the cursed spirit like he was a moron, what is this dude’s deal? Bro acts like frickin’ child lmao. After a pause, he finally shot back “Whatever you say,” while reaching for the door.

Shigaraki opened the door, swinging it out and stepped into the empty front-room of the bar. He felt Mahito brush past him with his arms outstretched wide with excitement, “Wow! your lair is…” the spirit stopped his charge to look around dropping his arms to his sides, the exhilaration in his voice trailed to a sarcastic, “lame!”

“Well thanks,” Shigaraki deadpans, crossing his arms.

“I really was expecting something way more exciting than this. It so… drab… I at least decorated my own personal lair even if it was, well, unconventional. I could help with yours,” The curse spirit’s disappointment perked up to a wicked grin.

The disturbing gesture of a “smile” made Tomura’s hair stand behind his neck, “Uh… I’m good” Shigaraki stated, shutting down the cursed spirit. He didn’t wanna know what Mahito’s version of interior design was. He had an idea that involved a lot of blood due to some of Mahito’s victim stories from Kenjaku. Man, Toga is gonna love this guy.  

Mahito saunters over to him with big puppy eyes. “Oh, come on Shiggy… Pleaseee. I promise to keep it tasteful.”

Mahito now had his hand on Shigaraki shoulder, tilting his head trying to drive home his “cute” plea, but to Shigaraki, it looked like a deranged person vying for permission to commit murders in his semi-clean bar. The only thing in Shigaraki’s favor was Kenjaku gave Mahito strict instructions to do whatever the decay villain told him to. Ew wtf, why did he put his hand on my shoulder? He’s acting like we’re best buds or something.

“No,” Shigaraki stated firmly, fixing him with a cold, firm look while shaking off the spirit’s hand.

“Fine,” Mahito huffs out glumly, “You’re no fun,” He walked over to a bar stool and dropped on to it, then starts spinning himself.

Shigaraki opened his mouth, attempting to inform him that this wasn’t a funhouse until he was interrupted by

“FUCK YOU! COME NEAR ME AGAIN AND I WILL KILL YOU!!”

Crap, Mahito had totally distracted him from the explosive chihuahua. Only Kurogiri was here watching him because the others had jobs All For One had given out.  

Mahito jumped up at the outburst looking utterly delighted, “Oooo it sounds like someone here is fun!” then he takes off to the back-room.

Shigaraki groans, following the spirit, knowing this is not going to end well.

----

Bakugo (Hero name: GEMGD) could now see the curse spirit after a struggle that ended with Shigaraki having to threaten decaying the blonde. The decay villain placed glasses provided by Kenjaku on the blonde that would give him the ability to see the spirit. He didn’t do it out of the kindness of his heart though, so Bakugo could see the spirit when he was in the room. It was more to disturb the hell out of him because Mahito’s face was torture. To his despair he personally had refused to acknowledge that Mahito had some unconventionally good looks. This gave Shigaraki a little pleasure since the explosive captive has been more trouble than what he was worth, unfortunately.

The explosive captive had been hard to wrangle in, and had been very clear on his stance of being a villain when they first brought him in. They thought after some time he would change his mind, but he never wavered. The loyalty part of Bakugo he could admire, everything else? Well, not really. He also thought after watching his classmates’ deaths flash across the screen and the destruction of the city on the news every night would break the boy some, but he was wrong. All it did was cause Bakugo to be even more enraged and hateful towards the group. He's even gone out of his way to escape even more frequently, which puts them more on edge and have to take out even more time to watch him and make sure he doesn’t scurry away. Because to their surprise, and vexation; he’s actually great at stealth. Now from the pass couple of days (or weeks) they have learned one thing from him, do not attempt to sway Katsuki Bakugo. Now from the learned lesson, they only keep him for the sake as a threat or bargaining chip.

After the struggle of keeping Bakugo under control, that left him more out of breath than he cared to admit, Shigaraki excuses a relieved Kurogiri, who looked like he needed a break.

“He is positively adorable!” Mahito exclaims while leaning down into Katsuki Bakugo’s space. He finishes by bopping the restrained blonde on the nose.

This earned the cursed spirit a “Get fucked patch-face!” in return, and a signature snap of teeth at Mahito’s finger.

“Ooooo Feisty… I LOVE HIM!” Mahito clap his hands together turning to face Shigaraki. “He’s way more entertaining than the bunch I had to deal with before, they were always such Debbie-downers” he says with a frown, “but you… YOU’RE EXACTLY THE TYPE I’VE WANTED TO FIND!” He says wildly, “folks like you are a rare breed, and the most fun to poke with, especially your ego~” Mahito says as he’s staring into his eyes, almost like he’s trying to read his mind.

Bakugo has neve been more perplexed and emotionally confused in his life. He feels as though his brain is turning into sludge from the absolute annoyance he feels near this guy, This doll-fuck-face is weird as absolute hell… he sounds like a FUCKING serial killer, and here I thought the other patchwork dude was a weirdo, maybe all patch people are weird… next time I see another stitched person I ain’t going near them. This dude makes me wish I had to listen to Frickin’ Midoriya’s self-righteous speeches again. Wait, no, not that far.

Mahito stares at Shigaraki while clinging onto Bakugo’s chains like a monkey, staring at Tomura with kitten eyes, “Shiggy can I please play with this adorable gremlin? I want to give him the perfect makeover…”

“No, we need him untouched if we want him to have any use,” Shigaraki replies, wishing Bakugo would have remained quiet so he could have kept him hidden from Mahito a little longer.

“Who is this asshole?” Bakugo asked with seething irritation. Shigaraki could tell the presence of the spirit was getting to the boy because the more aggravated he got the more obscenities he used.

“He will be your worse nightmare if you do not chill out,” Shigaraki answered from his leaned position on the wall behind Mahito.

“I’m not scared of a stupid patch-faced spirit.” Bakugo retorted, straightening his upper body in his sitting position, staring both villains down with a hateful sneer.

Mahito let out a cackle that caused the spirit to double over before coming back up to his full height, looking down on the boy, fixing him with a positively evil grin, “I gratify you, your one of the very few that have entertained me before even laying a finger on you,” He leans into the boy’s ear “Your will to fight back would make breaking you so much more… sweet.”

Bakugo didn’t hesitate and went for it. He tried to bite Mahito’s face, but Mahito was faster and quickly took a step back, still holding his grin. “Almost had me. Too bad you are too slow, just like all your friends that died.”

All that did was get a rise out of the explosive blonde “YOU CAN TALK ALL THAT SHIT WHILE I’M RESTRAINED, LET ME GO AND SEE HOW FAST I AM FUCKFACE! I WILL KILL YOU BASTARD!” he was struggling against the bonds trying to get at the patchface spirit who stood his ground.

Much to Shigaraki’s worry, the bonds started to seem to give slight, so he pushed himself off the wall, placing himself between the two opponents. He advanced on the blonde getting close but not in his range, “Listen here you little shit, you don’t know what that guy can do to you. You need to calm down and be a good little boy, and maybe your hero friends will strike a deal for you. I sure hope they do because I don’t like you as much as you don’t like me.”

Shigaraki then spins on Mahito “And you quit provoking him. You stay out of this room unless instructed because I do not mind giving Kenjaku a call if I have to. That gremlin is a ticket that All For One and Kenjaku plan to use, so stay away from him. And remember, we ain’t buddies, and if I have to disintegrate you into little pebbles I won’t care. At. All.  Got it?” He then walked away, giving no room for a retort from Mahito.

Then he stopped and turned where he could see both of them, he finishes with “So both of you shut up!”

Bakugo huffed, leaning back into wall, letting the back of his head hit the wall. Mahito crossed his arms with a pout.

Turning back to Mahito, “Why are you still here? Go!” Shigaraki points to the doorway leading to the front room.

Mahito let out a sign and starts walking. Except not toward the door, but straight for Shigaraki.

“Shiggy…” He says, looking as sheepish as he can.

Bakugo huffs out a laugh and mumbles, “Shiggy” in a mocking tone with Shigaraki giving the blonde a death glare.

“Don’t be mad at me… I will be good, I promise… just don’t be mad.” Mahito looks at him with big eyes that to his surprise looks remorseful. Shigaraki was surprised from what Mahito said.

 was he actually, sorry?

“Okay touch-loving birds, I think I will gouging my eyes out if you two make out,” Bakugo grinds out with a disgusted look on his face.

Mahito looks confused while Shigaraki sputters at that comment, his heavily blushed face looking wildly at Bakugo, who now wore smugness in his cold demeanor.

“Don’t be gross, or I will disintegrate you too and take my chances with All For One and Kenjaku,” He burned holes in the blonde with his eyes to cement his point. Bakugo let out a laughing “as if!” as he dropped his head to stare at his shoes instead of meeting Shigaraki’s gaze any longer. He got all the fun he wanted from pestering the chapped-face loser.

Letting out a frustrated growl, Shigaraki circles back to Mahito grabbing him by the arm and dragging him through the doorway into the front room. Mahito went along with it and was pulled away.

---

Once out of the back room, Shigaraki let go of Mahito’s arm, taking himself straight to the couch at the end of the room. He threw himself down and ran a hand across his face. What did I do to get stuck with these two? He finds a spiderweb on the ceiling to keep his attention when he feels the cushions on the couch give under the weight of Mahito taking a seat at the other end.

“Shiggy?” Mahito tries much to Shigaraki’s annoyance. He refuses to look at the spirit and chooses to watch the spider spin its fly victim for a snack later.

He feels a tap on his shoulder after a couple of minutes and finally looks at Mahito with all the cold, leave-me-alone vibes he could muster. He was tired, and wanted a break from his mentally strenuous task of glorified babysitting.

“I was wondering, what is that?”

Shigaraki follows Mahito’s finger to the Nintendo Switch Dabi had swiped before the devastation.

“A Nintendo Switch… Have you never seen one?” Shigaraki could not believe someone wouldn’t know what a gaming console was.

Mahito, for once in the short time he had known him looked actually… embarrassed… maybe even feeling inadequate.

“I have never seen one before,” Mahito says rubbing the back of his neck. “Not much time to learn about the world around you when you are too busy being what you are made to do… Not many people who would line up to actually teach me anything about the world even if there was time. I was born from the fear and resentment of humans… yet that’s all I know from them. I was never taught the basic concepts of humanity, morality, I don’t understand it. I never knew what was fun to everyone else, the only thing I think is fun is killing because that’s all I’ve ever known, I was born as a monster and trained as a weapon, yet everyone sees me as a monster, why am I a monster? Why am I a monster when I’m only doing what I’ve always known? I always want to know the point of morality and why everyone cherishes, so I could be human and feel, and I could get to know why people like videogames. But, oh well its not anyone would do that for me, no one would want to play with a monster, only tell it what to do.”

Shigaraki didn’t know if it was Mahito’s tone or words that soften his harsh glare. He for one knew what it was like to have no one want to take out time for him, especially not willingly.

Taking a big breath, Shigaraki leans forward to the coffee table and picking up two controllers. “Okay, I will show you,” He stops mid-handing over the controller, “But you gotta promise not to destroy the controller. We don’t have many spares.”

Mahito lights up, taking the offered controller, “I think you should be more worried about that than me since soon I will surpass you.”

This actually gets a genuine laugh from the decay villain.

“You can try, Patchy.”

Chapter Text

After Muta’s boring debriefing, Todo’s words, with All Might and the other heroes, Yuuji and Todo found themselves looking at the mostly crowded cafeteria of the headquarters, Todo and Yuuji spy Midoriya waving them over to his table in the far right of the large room.

Responding with smiles and waves back, the two sorcerers make their way to the table and taking seats across from the green haired boy.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Ms. Unyielding, Fancy seeing you here!” Yuuji says, letting out a small laugh directed at Ochako, who is sitting beside Midoriya.

Ochako lets out her own little nervous laugh before looking down at her food.

Midoriya and the other two boys at the table looked at each other, then Ochako in confusion.

“You already know this guy?” asks Kirishima looking at Yuuji with pure bewilderment.

“I was just telling you guys the story about running into these dimension guys,” responds a now irritated Ochako Uraraka from looking at Yuuji, who was wearing a shit eating grin leaned back in his chair.

Yuuji slaps Todo with the back of his hand playfully before pointing at Ochako, while leaning toward her. “Dude look! this girl right here was brave enough to have a standoff with Maki!”

Todo at the moment wasn’t really having any interest in the conversation until he heard that statement, he jutted back to reality and was surprised, in his own way, for the feat of braveness. “Usually, people cower in the presence of Maki, but to hold your own and not have a vital wound is amazing and shocking! Especially with a delicate, cinnamon body like yours!”

Ochako’s brain felt sort of mush from Todo’s remark, her face was both warm and perplexed, man, should I take that as a compliment or an offense? Yeah, probably compliment.

“Does that qualify her enough to be a sister?” Midoriya says while budding into the conversation with a notebook in front of him, looking ready to write at any moment.

Noticing the book, Iida speaks up, “Midoriya, are you writing about our new allies?”

A blush creased across the green haired boy’s face. “Writing? Wait wha…” asks Yuuji with a searching gaze at the four people at the table.

“I… I write notebooks about heroes, villains, and people of interest and their abilities. I usually take notes on quirks, but considering you’re from a different universe, I’m not sure if you have any of them, so… I am starting a notebook on your group!” Midoriya answers nervously

Todo and Yuuji exchange a look, then Todo looked directly in Midoriya’s eyes, “Quirks? I better get my own notebook.” Yuji stares at the two and replies, “yeah me too!”

The whole table lets out a laugh and starts having a causal conversation about their lives and how they differ. Midoriya scribbling away when he hears something he deems notebook worthy.

“So about cursed energy… how does it form? Is all cursed energy the same? How do you infuse it into ‘cursed tools’? Oh and one more thing… Itadori, are you really sixteen?” Midoriya asks the two “brothers”, questions after questions, wondering about the terrifyingly remarkable world that they come from sounds. The two students answered all of them, though some more difficult than others, though won’t specify which was the most difficult and what they told Midoriya was fact or not, they weren’t sure.

“So, what’re quirks? Is it like cursed energy? Can. I. Punch. It???” Asks the shockingly Natural pink haired Yuji, deep emphasis on the last question.

Midoriya, thinking of the best response for each question, replies, “Well, surprising to say and a little unorthodox… but think of them as superpowers, because, well, that’s what they are. People, 80 percent of the population, are usually born with it; not many people are born without a quirk these days, hehe…”

“Oh, so basically the X-men! But, reverse. Wait,” Yuji says with excitement but turned to concern “Is there racism in your world?”

Midoriya was dumbfounded, at first, he thought about it a little when he was in middle school but never thought about it on the level of now at this very moment, with how the limits for quirkless people in career and many other things, the significant disadvantages people without quirks have, how he was treated by his quirk peers. His head was overloaded, oh man, 10 years of repressed oppression is filling my head right now, I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT THIS WAY BEFORE, I THOUGHT KACCHAN AND EVERYONE HATED MY PERSONALITY NOT THE FACT I WAS QUIRKLESS. Adding onto the fact that society mostly wants children to be born WITH QUIRKS. Oh no, oh FUDGE. Ohfudgeohfudgeohfudge! Midoriya felt dizzy from the overwhelming thoughts, everything was spinning, bodies were disoriented. Everything felt too warm, his head was burning and aching immensely. His body felt numb. He knew he over thought something again, and from doing as such, he’s going to vomit.

Yuji noticed Deku looking very ill, “Hey Midoriya, Are you okay? You don’t look so good- wait, NO DEKU!”

Todo snapped back into reality from hearing his brother yell, he then noticed a soon-to-be-throwing-up Deku, “COME BROTHER, we must take our sibling to refuge where he can relieve himself!”

Todo and Yuji reacted swift as the wind; they both picked him up and escorted him to the bathroom.

….

After returning from consoling Midoriya over his spiral, the trio take their seats again. Todo starts up a conversation with Iida asking about his type, which results in the class representative going on an entire lecturing spree that even Todo felt like he was the size of a bug from, well in the inside at least.

Laughing as a triggered Iida scolds Todo about extreme personal questions, Kirishima sees Megumi walk by their table in the direction of a table besides the wall behind Yuuji and Todo where a blonde man was sitting alone. He lets his eyes follow the dark-haired boy as he greets the older man before taking a seat across from him.

“Hi Yuuji!” Kirishima waves for the pink haired boy across from Yuuji’s attention.

“Yea?” Yuuji responds, turning his face from the Iida-Todo face off to look at the red head.

“Why is Megumi not joining us? I thought he would since Todo told me on our journey back that you, him, and crazy hammer-girl are pretty decent friends,” Kirishima asks, trying to speak where his voice won’t carry to the others.

Yuuji turns slightly around, his eyes scouring the room to pick Megumi amongst the crowd of other dinners before finally spotting him.

“He is sitting with Nanami, which isn’t crazy unusual, since he hangs with him normally. Guess he’s trying to keep a sense of normal since we are far from home, I don’t know though,” He finishes with a shrug.

Kirishima holds back his disappointment when he leans back and starts pushing around his food. Noticing the change of mood, Yuuji goes to open his mouth before being interrupted by Maki, dropping into the seat beside him.

“Well, well, Maki, maiden of combat, we were just talking about you!” Todo calls to her, giving her a big welcoming smile from the other side of Yuuji.

Maki smirks but ignores the comment, directing her statement at Todo and Yuuji, “Nobara told me to tell you guys and Megumi that she already went with Inumaki to the section of rooms we will be staying in. Our group is staying in the same dorm house that 1-A and B of UA got lumped together in. Apparently, it had been made before the big incident to house them for school. Some rooms not being used anymore...” Her voice trails off when she sees the looks of pure sorrow on the other four people’s faces at the table.

Not one for emotion, she knew she had to address what they must be feeling even if it was uncomfortable. Damn, I wish Yuuta was here to handle this instead. He’s much better with feelings, and handling groups. She takes a breath and fixes the downcast teens with the most-sincere apologetic look she could muster, then she addresses them.

“Look I didn’t mean to sound insensitive. This has to suck losing friends, then we show up out of the blue and have to use their rooms without acknowledging them, or hell barely knowing them. We’ll try to honor their space to the best of our ability. You have my word on that.”

Yuuji then speaks up, face shown with solemness. “Trust me, Maki’s word is law. We really are sorry about what happened, I know it must feel horrible to lose ones close to you, especially with how they went, but I promise we’ll do our best to help put things right the best we can.”

Todo slams his hand on the table with great force to catch everyone’s attention, motivated by his brother’s words, “Once we figure out how those cursed spirits were brought to your world, and whose using these schemes to their causes, I assure you none will rest till the perpetrators are brought to justice!” he says with vigorously.

Midoriya looks around at his friends, then speaks “I think I speak for everyone when I say now that we know who you are, we hold nothing against any of you. We appreciate the help. We really need it,”

“You can count on us my other brother.” Todo says pointing at Midoriya, while casting a huge smile.

Before another else can get a word in they hear giggles, and all their eyes cut to some girls located a table or two down from theirs to the side.

The girls around their ages all had smiles, and some were whispering behind hands to each other while pointing. One of them was brave enough to wave sensually and mouth “Hi~” in their direction, while the others broke out into more giggles.

Maki and Iida exchanged a grimaced look, cringing at the ideas of the other girls’ thoughts before turning to their food.

Teasingly, Ochako smirks, “I think they are talking about our two new guys. Especially Yuuji judging by the way one of them keeps eyeing him. Yuuji, I am sure they would love to have your company- Yuuji?”

“yuuuuuuji?” Ochako repeats worryingly, waving her hand over to catch his attention.

Meanwhile Yuuji? No reaction.

Yuuji’s mind was elsewhere, he was staring blankly at one of the tables behind theirs, paying no attention to the girls’ table, if he knew they were there to begin with. It was unclear what he was staring at with his golden yellow eyes, shining from the reflecting of the room’s lights. He didn’t know what he was feeling, or even wanting to look at, it was unclear.

“Yuuji?

Nothing.

“Yuuji?”

He catches it, the reflection in his eyes.

“YUUJI!” Ochaco almost yelling out, trying to catch the pink-haired boy’s attention.

When that doesn’t get any response, Todo sees his brother in a trance, just staring off- no, seeking something, but he doesn’t know yet. Either way, though he hates to interrupt Yuuji’s meditation, he doesn’t like leaving someone to no response.

Blue-

Before Yuuji could fully encapsulate what he was looking at, he was struck fiercely into his side by Todo, who looked displeased. “What?!” Yuji asks almost screaming out shakingly, still recovering from the elbowing.

“Cinnamon girl is talking to you. Don’t be rude.” Todo chides, gesturing toward the short brown-haired girl.

“Oh! Um sorry I was, er… lost in thought.” Yuuji says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Ochako nods her head toward the girl group, “As I was saying, those girls probably would love to have your attention, Yuuji.”

Yuuji finally catching Ochaco’s drift, let his eyes wonder over to the girl group, and the brave girl from before sees him looking. She leans her face onto her hand with a seductive grin and gives him the “come-hither~” signal.

Yuuji responds with a small nervous smile before whipping his face back to his own table companions.

“Uh… no thanks, I’m good right here!” He reacted loudly, nervousness filled his tone of voice, causing the others to laugh.

Why?

Why don’t I want to go over there? To talk to them. They clearly seem like nice people, and are interested in me. Sure, I got plenty of people who had the hots over me, both chicks AND dudes, but it was mostly due to my popularity, nothing else. But, while they seem like they may want to like me for everything, not just looks. Yet, I don’t want to. It’s like I have nothing to feel back… I hate this feeling, its weird. It’s like my body doesn’t know what it wants. Maybe, maybe it’s that reflection, something I don’t know somewhere in my that it’s after… I don’t know, it could just be Sukuna messing with my head, as usual.

Yuuji shivers, then glances behind himself once more before turning back to the table fully. “Subject change, so let’s say all of you have hero names. Maki, what would your hero-name be if you were one?”

Maki thinks for a second or two before responding with “Shredder!” wearing her signature smile while stating the title with pride.

Todo whips his head in surprise to look at her, “Like the villain from TMNT?”

“What can I say, it’s a badass name,” Maki responds with an amused smirk. “What about you Todo?”

“The Flamboyant Fighter. Gladiator of Takada-chan!”

“I like it! Wait… whose Takada-chan?” asks Midoriya, curious as always around Todo.

Then all eyes fall to Yuuji, “Well what about you, Yuuji?” asks Ochako

“hmmm,” Yuuji gives it some thought with his thumb on his chin.

“Probably… Western Tiger,”

As he said it, he felt his chair lean back till he was looking up into the dark eyes of Megumi, who is looming above him, pushing his chair back into the leaning position.

“How fitting for you,” Megumi says trying not to look amused.

“Well can you do better, Megs?” Yuuji asks coyly.

Automatically, Megumi deadpans, “Shadow man.”

“Wait… that actually good.” Ochako says looking surprised

“It is really good” gushes Kirishima, propping his face up with his hand looking up at Megumi.

Yuuji snorts “With how fast you said that, you had to be sitting on it for a while.”

Rolling his eyes with a sneer, Megumi takes his hands off Yuuji’s chair, causing it to drop back down. The impact causes Yuuji let out a huff before laughing. Megumi grabs a chair from another table and places it between Yuuji and Maki, taking a seat then nods politely at everyone at the table. After a little more small-talk, Iida and Ochako excuse themselves, saying they needed to get some sleep after the long patrols today, waving bye as they left the table.

After watching the pair go, Kirishima scoots in closer to Midoriya so he can lean in slightly toward Megumi “So, Megumi, I have a like million questions about those cool dogs you summoned in the alley way.”

“Oh, my demon dogs. Well, they are shikigami-” Megumi stops to look at Midoriya, who is writing fervently into a notebook. “Um… what are you doing?”

Taken by surprise and before Midoriya could answer, Yuuji leans into Megumi, “oh he is taking notes on the cool stuff we do. Maybe he should just write a whole one about you and your shikigami, Megs.”

Megumi’s face paints over with a furiously red blush that he tries to subtly cover with his hand. Maki chuckles besides him to which he snaps to pointedly look at her.

Todo guides the conversation with “I wonder when that waste of space Muta and the girl they assigned to him will know where the curse users and Bakugo is.”

“Muta claimed when me and Inumaki dropped him off at the work room that he could have them found by the end of tomorrow the day after at the latest.” states Maki leaning over to look at Todo “But who knows. I am just ready to take them down.”

“I have started to really worry about Kacchan even as brave as he is.” Says Midoriya looking rather worried

“Yeah… me too,” Kirishima added looking downcast, “I feel like he can take care of himself, but that doesn’t make me worry any less. He is all alone with the those villains, and he wouldn’t have been if I would have been more manly and disobeyed Aizawa to help.”

Midoriya turns to face Kirishima, “Don’t beat yourself up over that. Even all of us working together couldn’t pull it off. Plus it could have resulted in you being kidnapped to, or hurt and either would have made Kacchan upset… more than he would care to admit. You have been able to become his friend this year and and that’s saying something. If he genuinely gains an attraction toward someone, he wouldn’t want them to get hurt over something that wasn’t their fault.”

Kirishima opened his mouth to speak, still looking sad. He contemplated what Midoriya said.

Maybe he’s right. He probably wouldn’t want me to be down in the dump over this, but I can’t help it! Can’t I be upset at myself for trying a bit harder to help. Sure, everyone was doing their best and yeah it could’ve been worse, but that can be said for a lot of stuff that has happened that’s risked our lives. And while he’s trying to tell me I did my “best” like everyone else, it sure doesn’t feel like it. I could’ve done way more, if I were in that position now, I would’ve actually reached out for him, if I would’ve helped Midoriya in the ally, and not freeze like a wet cat. Everyone said we risked our lives, yet, it feels more like they risked their lives; if I was faster, if I helped, Bakugo could still be here. Maybe I’m being too harsh to myself, but am I? Have I really changed?

From that little boy in the chair?

Kirishima was dark in the face, all these thoughts engulfing him. It reminds him of old times, reminiscing of his past. In his classroom, the dark-haired child, always worrying about how people would feel about him, how he would always freeze-

Todo then puts his hand on Kirishima’s head, shaking her hair, catching Kirishima’s attention.

“Kirishima, I can tell of your inner doubts and worries. You want to live up to someone, but first, you need to decide what you want to achieve mentally. If you want to break from your past inner traumas, you can’t keep them imbued in your body, covered by a smile, or else it will destroy you on the inside. You must target your inner self, and destroy the blot that’s still ensnared to you, to truly be free. Your masculinity is not weighted by your ability to step into an already bad situation, plenty of “manly” men would tuck tail and run, it’s your inner self, your conscious, that determines yourself, and that’s what matters, and that’s what people look at and strive to, and help push further,”

“Right now, Bakugo needs you more than ever here, not in the past; no matter how hard you tried in that situation from what your friends told me about, it was inevitable for him to be captured. But, now with everyone together, we can focus on the singular cause, to save him. We will all try our best to save the explosive hedgehog, and you will be there with us.” He said, his grin encompassing his energy around everyone, “it will be okay.”

Kirishima was in awe, the words that came from him; the form, encouragement, energy, everything.

I don’t know why, but somehow, through that speech, I feel better, he really lives up to what they say doesn’t he? While I see Megumi as the manliest, Todo is something… more. He’s more than manly, he’s an inspiration, a light in the dark, no matter how hard the turmoil is, he helps pull someone out of it; he reminds me of someone, but I can’t remember.

“I’m let you know now. Todo knows what he is talking about. When I first meet him, he had my back in a battle. Oh, by the way Midoriya,” Yuuji leans in point down at the notebook, “You should write about Boogie Woogie. That is Todo’s technique,”

Wait, now I remember!

Midoriya nods and poises to write when they are inturrpted by Mei Mei showing up at their table and telling Todo it was time for them to start their guard duties. Todo got up saying he would see them later.

He’s just like…

Kirishima feels a warmness in his body from his realization, something he hasn’t felt in a while. He finally lets out a yawn, “Well I am beat from patrol today. Come on guys me and Midoriya will show you to the dorm.”

At that, they all got up from the table and made their way to the exit.

All Might.

-----

Megumi stood where the edge of the rows and rows of tables began and scanning the room. Much to his dismay it was crowded. Full of people he did not know or care not to even attempt to know. Getting slightly on his tippy toes, he spots who he was looking for.

Letting out a breath, he starts his trek across the cafeteria. He skirts Yuuji and the big idiot’s table hoping they don’t catch the small glance he spares Yuuji. Why does he always have to smile like that? So bright and beaut- Wait… What the fuck was that?

Shaking his head, he was not ready to unpack that strange thought when other things were pressing on his mind. He was bursting to let out even the slightest emotion, so he was making a beeline for the only person he would share even a teaspoon of feeling with… Nanami.  Nanami, was the sensible and understanding parent that he could count on and thank goodness he was alone right now.

Nanami’s eyes were shut, looking lost in a whole other world when Megumi made it to the table.

“Hey, can I sit here?”

Nanami’s eyes open and slowly looks up at Megumi with a small smile. “Now why would you ask a question like that. Of course you can.”

Megumi slides into the seat across from Nanami “I was just making sure you were not about to have a meeting with one of our new allies or something.”

Nanami huffs “I have had enough new people interaction for the day.”

“Me too.” Megumi supplies, while organizing his food in front of him to his liking.

They fall into a comfortable silence when Megumi lets out a little laugh.

“What has you so amused?” Nanami asks.

Pushing his rice around, Megumi answers, “Remember for my 9^th birthday, Gojo decided to cook instead of you. The rice was so scorched that it was black.”

Nanami lets out a controlled, knowing chuckle at the memory which encourages Megumi to keep going, his giggles carrying in the sentences, “Then due to the rice incident, he forgot about the cake! It was so on fire that the oven’s inside looked like a blast furnace!”

“Hehe, I will never forget walking into the kitchen to Satoru covered in spiced vegetables, while trying to pull out a somehow flaming cake with the smoke detector blaring like a siren. You two were panicking around him, though I wasn’t sure if it was him, or the cake. I was genuinely taken aback, shocked even. I knew at the time he could not cook, so I just let him try, but I didn’t know he would cook a nuclear warhead in there!” Nanami added.

“That’s because he was chopping vegetables and dropped them all over himself when he realized about the rice. Oh, and remember the soy sauce?” Megumi asked playfully.

“Yes I do, he spilled it all over his hair, it was extremely hot to add on,” Nanami said, “I was surprised he didn’t use infinity, unless he was trying to make an excuse to go to the doctor.”

“Yeah, his hair was stained for days! And his favorite apron too…”

“Worst of all was the oven. The cake caught on fire because he forgot to clean the oven out like you told him to that morning at breakfast. Gojo was yelling for Tsumiki to call the fire department right before you walked in, but we couldn’t find the phone. It wasn’t where it was supposed to be…” Megumi recounts, very amused at this point.

“That is because he misplaced it. I ended up finding it on top of the fridge. He was off and on it all day, calling me to remind me about stuff for your birthday and pestering me into hurrying home from work. I would have been back earlier if I would not have stopped for a few things we needed from the store,” Nanami says fondly, “though I didn’t expect to be rammed by a terrified Gojo with a burning cake, and all the groceries splattered everywhere…”

At this point, they are both burst out laughing at the memory of the “Honored One”, who could battle cursed spirits in his sleep, running franticly overwhelmed into a shocked Nanami’s arms with all the groceries destroyed, pulling the worried blonde man while making it pass the threshold of the kitchen doorway, begging him to fix the situation with Megumi and Tsumiki pulling on Nanami’s pant legs in unison, trying to recount the events that lead to the pure chaos of the kitchen. They even made it into a game, “How many times does the Honored One take creative license?”

With a genuine smile, Megumi looks at Nanami, “You know dinner still turned out great after you came in and took over. You even were able to calm us down and show us how to help you cook. First time, Gojo chopped vegetables without a mess, and without destroying one of our kitchen knives by slicing onto the table top too hard,”

“Somebody had to know how cook, or we would have starved,” Nanami replies with a genuine full smile. “Something good came out of his bad cooking, the opportunity for family bonding.”

“Well… Don’t tell Gojo, but that birthday is still one of my favorites,” Megumi whispers, pretending he’s around listening for them.

“I would say that quieter, after all, this is Satoru Gojo we’re talking about, he always finds an exception,” he said while putting his finger to his lips whimsically.

“And I wouldn’t dare… you would never hear the end of it,” Nanami says jestingly while retaining that same nonchalant face.

They share a smile before falling back into silence.

Then Nanami clears his throat, and gives Megumi a sudden pained expression, catching the younger one’s attention.

“What is wrong?”

Nanami looking pensive before leaning in, “I am going to admit something now, since we are sharing.”

Megumi in suit leans in “Okay?”

“I miss Satoru. I will even go as far as saying, I could even go for some of his antics right now.” Nanami replies.

Megumi gives the older man a long hard look before responding, “I will do you one better. I miss Gojo and would even let him hug me right now.”

Then trying to lighten the mood and make Nanami smile again, He then adds “How many Islands do you think he is offering to buy us since we aren’t answering him?”

Nanami huffs a smirk and holds up two fingers, “I believe two a piece since it has only been a day. If it hasn’t went up to at least five by the time we get back, I will be forced to divorce him since he clearly doesn’t love me anymore.”

Nodding, Megumi deadpans with a sigh, “And I will be forced to ask him to un-adopt me. Can’t be somewhere I am not wanted. Since you also are on the papers though, you legally have to take me in.”

Nanami barks out a laugh, “Oh Gumi, I would not let you live on the streets since Gojo became a tight ass.”

Letting out his own laugh, Megumi says “In all seriousness, I bet we will have a million messages, phone calls, and facetimes a piece. We will probably even hear of escape attempts he would have tried since by now he has probably seen through their rouse.”

“I feel that your predictions are sound. I can only imagine what we will have to do to make this up to him when we get back,” Nanami looks down at the table with a small sign of worry on his face.

“My predict is we won’t be allowed out his sight for at least two years. We will also have to allow him to hug us even in public without argument and watch the Digimon movie while eating entire bowls of sweets to help his sorrow till he is content, which scares me. I have witnessed him watch it ten times in a day once…” Megumi shuttered, horror engulfing his face, “But, if it gets him okay again, I am willing but, with a little fight. Can’t let him get too comfortable.”

“Do not worry, I will put up one, too. Cannot let him think we are going too soft,” Nanami adds, letting a small smile grace his face again.

Then Nanami reaches across the table to take Megumi’s hand that is resting besides his plate, “I am glad we are talking to each other like we usually do, and not letting the situation cause us to bottle this all in. I know me and you tend to do that and be men of few words till Gojo bullies it out us with Tsu… Tsumiki helping him.”

Then the older sorcerer looks down with regret painting across his face “I… I am sorry, Gumi. I should not have let you come on this mission. I should have fought for you to stay. We have been through enough hell with what happened to Tsumiki, I do not think I or Gojo could bare more heartache with something happening to you. I let my feelings about leaving you behind without Gojo home, plus the threats to Tsumiki’s life get in the way of my better judgement. You probably would have been fine, but I never know what the higherups, especially the Zen’n clan, will do without me or Gojo around,” Nanami lets go of Megumi’s hand and ran it across his face, caressing his cheek, “It’s hard to make the right decision sometimes, and I feel like I haven’t made it. I have failed you, Tsumiki, and Gojo.”

Megumi levels Nanami with a dark worrying look, “Don’t do that…”  

Nanami opens his mouth to try and speak while letting go, but Megumi holds Nanami’s hand in place to silence him.

“Please, don’t put yourself down over something that isn’t in your control. There is no clear right decision. There are too many what-ifs. Me and you both want to help Gojo and you know just as well as I, that the higher ups will hurt Tsumiki given any chance. Like we talked about earlier, it is a good thing Gojo is back home,” Taking in a deep, sharp breath to calm himself “Also, I am glad you brought me because I couldn’t live with myself if you went without me or Gojo having your back. Don’t you dare act like you have the monopoly on caring and worrying, Nanami!”

“Gojo isn’t my only parent… I need you just as much.”

Nanami was taken back. One thing him and Megumi had in common was their stoicism. They tended to always deflect with sassy and sarcasm. They held their feelings close except when pushed or extremely comfortable with someone. Though as the years went by, they have found talking about feelings with each other came rather naturally. Gojo also probably had a hand in it. His affectionate ways off rubbing off on them slowly through the years, softening them up to tender moments.

Nanami gave his son a look of pure love and opened his mouth to respond to him, “Meg-“

When, “Hello Megumi, can I borrow Nanami for a minute?” Interrupted him. A groan came out instead and his usual impassiveness look returned to his features… Mei Mei

---

Nanami let his eyes go from Megumi up to the looming body of Mei Mei.

“What do you want?” Nanami asked irritatingly. He was in no mood for her demands.

“I would rather have this conversation in private,” Mei Mei answers with a sly grin.

Nanami takes his eyes off her back to Megumi, “Why don’t you go join Yuuji and them? Trust me, it would be a waste of time for you to hear what she wants.”

Megumi nods and gets up, making his way over to Yuuji’s table. Nanami watches in fondness as Megumi grabs the back of Yuuji chair, leaning the pink-haired boy backwards.  Forcing himself to look away back to Mei Mei.

“What is so important that you have to bother me?”

Mei Mei slides herself into Megumi’s now vacant seat, “Well Nanami, I feel like we should discuss my payment since it has went pass the original agreement.”

Letting out a sigh, “Really, Mei Mei?” Nanami shakes his head, “We had no clue it was going to turn out like this. Look around you at how much these people have suffered for nothing but the hope it will end. In my opinion, you should just be happy with what you are getting paid. Nobody else is or will be asking for more.”

Mei Mei dropped her grin and replayed it with a grumble, “that is easy for you to say since you have that endless Gojo wealth waiting for you back home.”

Pausing Nanami stared at her for a second “Excuse me?”

“You heard me perfectly fine, Nanami. You have the Gojo wealth you can rely on so obviously you wouldn’t have to ask for more. All you have is help these people by retrieving or take down any cursed spirits and users. Easy for a Grade 1 like yourself,” Mei Mei retorted snobbishly.

Trying to keep his frustration in check, “You say that if I have nothing to lose when Megumi and the other kids are here. I also do not care about the money but want to make right whatever happened that brought our problems into these people’s dimension, but that takes a heart to understand that,” Nanami spat, his piercing eyes with his cold tone joined, meeting Mei Mei’s perspective.

Mei Mei’s eyes were slits and mouth curled back when they felt another’s cursed energy come up beside them.

“Well, Well, Mei Mei, over here trying to suck more money out or bully some Gojo money out of Nanami.? That wouldn’t be beneath you.”

They both looked up to see Shoko joining them, sitting down at the end of the table hazingly. Relief washed over Nanami’s face at the presence of his friend and drinking buddy.

Shoko produced a flask out of her coat, starting to pour liberally into her cup before offering it to Nanami, who gladly took it and poured himself some before returning it to her afterward.

Mei Mei was giving Shoko a death glare. Her eyes like ice pikes.

“Oh, wipe that look off your face, Mei Mei. I know you, so don’t act surprised that I am calling you out. I know you are out sniffing for money, you’re always a whore for it!” Shoko leaned back in her seat, sizing up the woman while taking a big sip of her drink before adding, “Also I saw that Aizawa guy gawking at you, and you throwing around smiles like you are a sweetheart. Cut that shit out. I got the dirt on the guy from his friend Hizashi Yamada in the food line. He is a teacher and a pro hero but doesn’t get paid the bucks especially now, if that make you happy. It is best you leave him alone and not crush the sliver of soul he has left,” Shoko emphasized her point by returning the death glare. “Understand?”

After a long pause, Mei Mei huffs ruggedly, “Fine I will leave him alone, but I will get recompensation from Yaga or someone when we get back. Better yet…I might just have a talk with Satoru Gojo when we get back since I helped protect his precious family.” Finishing with a wicked, almost seductive grin, as per usual of her.

Now having his fill of the money hungry woman, Nanami levels her with a look that screams don’t fuck with me, punctuating his words to get his point across and pointing at her threateningly “Leave. Satoru. Out. Of. This.”

This makes her grin drop into an unamused frown. Her frustration showing through her hair.

Retracting his finger, Nanami composes himself, “And get to your post protecting the wall. We agreed that you would be over first watch. Take Todo with you. Me and Inumaki will relieve you both in 5 hours,” He dismissed her by a nod toward the door.

With the instructions given, Mei Mei rose with a curt nod then fixes her face into fake smile before stalking off to retrieve Todo.

Watching her leave, Shoko rolls her eyes commenting, “Isn’t she just a bundle of good intentions?” she says, dragging out the words in her usual sluggish tone.

Leaning his elbows on the table, Nanami swirls his drink while rubbing each of his eyes with the palm of his other hand, “Well, as long as she does her job, and does not try to swindle anyone in the process… I don’t care what she is.”

“Right. Come to think of it, whose job was it exactly to remember to get Ijichii?” Shoko asks, facing Nanami “It’s kinda of a bitch that you, Mei Mei, Todo, and Inumaki have to take turns on the wall.”

“Actually, it was Yuuji’s, but I am not going to reprimand the kid. He has enough on his mind. Not only is he in a new dimension and learning how to be a sorcerer in such a short period of time, but he also has to handle being Sukana’s vessel. I am just glad that user has not decided to make a scene himself. Good thing there is four of us at least to protect the wall, since his presence will probably bring more than usual spirits around here wanting the power.” Nanami answers, taking a drink.

“Well, I will be ready to back you guys up if you need it,” Shoko says. She perks up when she notices Miwa entering the cafeteria. She waves the blue haired girl over.

Miwa makes her way over to Shoko and Nanami’s table, giving them a nice, polite smile.

“You need me for anything?” she asks, bowing to the two of them

“Actually yes,” Shoko answers. “Will you please take a plate to Muta and Hatsume, the girl who is helping him, work on some tech and locate that Bakugo kid and the cursed users.” Shoko smirking driving the order home with “Food is good for the brain.”

Looking uncomfortable Miwa doesn’t argue and just nods. She leaves to join the line to retrieve the food.

“Shoko…” Nanami says quirking his eyebrow and looking slightly amused, “I know what you are doing.”

“What can I say? She needs to give Muta a chance to explain himself and talk it out,” Shoko then turns her attention to Nanami, pointing a playful finger at him. “Hold on, I don’t wanna hear anything out of you. Thanks to my interfering, you and Gojo are married in every sense but on paper. Actually, I am pretty sure Gojo tells people your last name is really Gojo!” She lets out a laugh.

With that statement being made, all Nanami can do is laugh along and finish his drink. Because Gojo does, in fact, tell people his name really is Kento Gojo, and there might even be a ring in a jewelry box on their dresser at home, but she does not have to know about that.

----

Miwa pushes the door to the tech room open with her hip and is greeted by the sounds of tools banging away and a joyful girlish voice talking about babies…

Wait… Babies?!

Making her way around tables, the blue haired girl makes it to the pink haired girl, who is inspecting a piece of tech at a work station, covered in different gears and gauges

“Hi, Hatsume right? I brought you something to eat,” Miwa says shakingly, keeping her usual nice manner, offering one of the plates to the girl.

A wide grin breaks across the girl’s face and instead of taking the plate, she starts to circle Miwa like she was prey, observing her with crazed, analytical eyes. Touching her clothing, measuring everything, making the timid girl uncomfortable. Whoa, she is really, um touchy?

“Hmmm… I heard you have a sword…” the girl broke into a thinking pose, before looking like a light bulb was above her head, “I got a million ideas to make it better!”

“Wha…” Miwa replies confused, overwhelmed by the inventor’s actions.

“Don’t let her overwhelm you, she is just enthusiastic.”

Muta comes out of the shadows of a corner, where it seems like he was typing into a computer.

“She did the same thing to me when I first was brought in to help her. She is quit amusing,” Muta stops a few feet in front of the pair of girls, giving Miwa a hopeful smile

Miwa willed her face to stay impassive even though she felt more comfortable around Hatsume’s “enthusiasm” with him here.

She sat the plates down on the closest empty table and looked around to spot multiple small objects on a table at the center of the room. Out of curiosity and new found bravery, she looked at Hatsume, “What are those?”

“Oh, these babies?” Hatsume waltzed over to the table lifting a pair of googles “Muta is showing me how to infuse cursed energy into objects. We are making different eye pieces to fix different heroes so they will be able to see the apparitions that have plagued are dimension for the past days, the so-called “cursed spirits” that hail from your home dimension. These right here are actually for Aizawa. Ya know, we figured out that how cursed energy reacts uniquely to humans with quirks, that slowly they adapt to cursed energy and can visibly see it over time, depending on the amount of time they spend around cursed energy. But, this is the faster and safer route, ironic how for so long the “supernatural” and traditions have been used to hold back science and progress, yet they can work together greatly when done right?”

“um… yeah,” Miwa says, both confused at the fast ramblings yet completely understanding what she says.

Hatsume places down the googles to bring up a dish.

“If you look close enough, we are testing if we can infuse the energy riiight into these fun little contacts for those who would want to try them, Neat huh?” Hatsume gives off a huge confident smile.

Miwa looks down at the dish and nods approvingly.

“You guys are really in here working hard. Good job. I heard you are really amazing tech savvy”

“Yep, the stories are true! I’m quite renowned for making the perfect equipment, so long I know the situation of course. At the time I had lack of interaction or understanding of cursed energy, until this topknot came along,” Hatsume kept her grin and elbowed Muta’s side, which caused him to hitch a bit, while joining them at the table side, “thanks to him, I got a well enough concept of cursed energy and started planning out designs and testing theories together. He is smarter and way more creative than what he looks, which is a little off putting, but hey! People say I’m off putting all the time but doesn’t bother me.” She barks out a laugh and places down the dish.

Miwa returns Hatsume smile. Though she’s pretty chaotic, and a little too close for comfort when it comes to… physical interactions, she seems very nice.

Miwa shares a smile with Hatsume, which catches Muta’s attention.

In the pause of silence, Hatsume catches the look Muta is giving in Miwa’s direction and with uncharacteristic subtly, “Sooo… I’m check the data and see if we got a read on the location of our lost boy and your goons, I’m gonna leave you both to your devices.”

Muta nods and Hatsume salutes him before walking off, humming to herself.

Miwa, not liking being left totally alone with Muta, even with the comforting feeling, starts to turn to leave. I wish Todo was here to defuse the situation or even make a jab at Muta. She stops in her tracks when she hears a reluctant nervous voice speak out.

“Miwa… Will you finally talk to me? I don’t care if you scream at me just… Let’s talk. We can step into the side room for privacy. I promise I won’t even get close to you. Just hear me out… Please”

Miwa spins to see Muta with a pleading look, gesturing toward the side room which is an off shoot of the big work space Muta and Hatsume were using.

Her mind was spinning, she was too angry and hurt to want to hear him out, but at the same time, it has been bugging her to find out why he was the rat. It would help if Todo was here for support, but she knew she couldn’t ignore Muta forever. The time for the confrontation was inevitable and the time was now. Steeling herself and without a word, Miwa stalked off toward the room with a hopeful Muta right behind her at a respectful distance.

---

Miwa walked directly to the first seat she saw in the room and took it. Muta came in a moment after and looked around for a chair and then placed it where they could face each other with a little distance between.

Without making as much of a sound, Miwa gave Muta a look saying, “Okay go on” when he got comfortable enough in his chair.

Hunching over to rest his elbows on his knees, he turned his head in his hands till he could run a single hand through his hair letting out a weak awkward laugh.

“Honestly, I didn’t think I would make it this far… I kind of don’t know how to start.”

There was a pause and finally in a small voice, Miwa spoke.

“Start at the beginning,” she said.

Shocked, Muta’s face snapped back to facing her with relef flooding over it. Finally speaking to me. Maybe she will give me a chance…

He didn’t waste a second to speak again scared, she would change her mind, “Well… I was approached by Geto, offered being a spy for them with the promise of a new body. I always… I just wanted to be normal to be with you guys… ya know…” his voice cracking, he could feel tears forming, trying hard to keep them in. “I wanted to be a part of the group as Muta, not Mechamaru, especially get closer to you…”

Miwa just stared at him letting his words wash over her, almost becoming white noise. She felt her anger start to die down slightly with how open and fragile Muta sounded, baring himself to her, but she could not stop the sense of betrayal she still felt. She couldn’t stop the anger the sill simmered in her heart. She couldn’t stop herself when her body jerked up and she stared down into Muta’s eyes.

“Why didn’t you just come to us!?” she yelled out almost surprising herself

All Muta did was sputter at the surprise of Miwa’s aggression, choking at his words. He couldn’t react, shocked to see Miwa’s form, her face dark with hate and resentment, eyebrows furrowing relentlessly.

“We accepted you as you were and multiple times I tried to come see you, but you never let me. You never answered, leaving voice mails saying that, ‘I’m sorry but I can’t see your right now, maybe next time’, you always pushed me away, all of us away. You didn’t give us a chance to know you. You just assumed you had to be a certain way for us… for me to care. You didn’t let us decide for ourselves. You took that from us, expecting us to be like everyone else when we are like family. How dare you!” Feeling more confident in her voice, Miwa pointed at him “and even then, we could have helped you to get a new body if you were so obsessed with it. And yet, you went off and betrayed us for a body from them?! People who clearly were going to kill you after getting what they wanted. And due to you living we can barely trust you! How are we supposed to know if you aren’t still siding them? What’s next you want? Friends? Or someone who won’t criticize you?”

She kept inching closer till she was just a breath away from his face, looming over him, her face going from burning anger to a more relaxed face filled with cold resent, her dark eyes piercing his soul. Tears forming in her eyes, her voice breaking out, “You were so busy being stuck on something out of your control, and had me painted as someone I wasn’t, that you didn’t realize I was already in love with you.”

She didn’t realize she was crying till she felt them roll down her cheeks. She didn’t even try to stop them.

Muta stared at her with utter amazement and shock, “I…”. He was stuttering with the shock of her expression, unable to handle ay of what she told him.

In for a penny in for a pound, fuck it. She thought, she finished, solemness in her straining voice, “I thought you were great. You were smart and always a big member of our team, even funny in your own way. You always were there when we needed you. Yet you didn’t let us be there for you for something so important to you. I would have been there!” she could feel the scream leave her throat. She finally broke down, tears pouring out and her body shaking from relieving herself of the weight.

Muta tried to rise and reach out to her but she slapped his hand. She took off through the door, pausing for a second to hear Hatsume call out, “Yo, are you alright?” she didn’t look back as she ran out the bigger room’s door.

If anything, she felt better.

Muta came almost tripping into the bigger room to be cut off and meet with a concerned Hatsume. One of her eyebrows raised in suspicion.

"Look, I can see that you two have some complicated relationship stuff, and you both have a lot to get out of your chest from some past things, especially her; I could tell from her emotions and expressions toward. But you both need some time separate from each other, then you can start trying to get connected again after things die down, K?”

Muta was breathing heavy with his knees feeling weak. He was trying to keep the anxiety attack that was surfacing at bay.

“Hey man, you don’t look so good,” Hatsume reached up examining his eyes. She ushered him to the closest seat against the wall.

Letting his head hit the wall, he finally let out his own scream, which caused Hatsume’s eyes to blink at the action, observing his tone and body language while he slumps back down into the seat. It must’ve been something really bad between the two, huh.

He let his head lull to the side, resting on his shoulder, “Hatsume?”

“Yeah?”

“I really screwed up…” He felt his own hot tears slide down face.

Chapter Text

The shift change started at 6:00 in the morning sharp, and Aizawa as always could physically feel his eyebags sag.

Trying not miss a step while rubbing his eyes, he takes the stairs one at a time up to the top of the wall erected to protect UA campus that now is the headquarters and residence of the heroes, and assistances fighting against the new cursed spirits and villains that have allied with the spirits.

Aizawa makes it to the top walking through a canopy area that leads to his designated post when he is cut off by Hizashi Yamada holding two coffees.

“Gooddd morninggg, Shouta!”

Cringing at how loud and how much of a morning person his best friend was, Aizawa grunted “Morning, Hizashi.” Then he pointedly eyed the coffee in the blonde’s hand, willing him to hand one over.

Yamada, following Aizawa’s eyes to the coffee, understood, “Oh yeah! This is for you. I hope you didn’t think I wouldn’t bring my best friend his favorite coffee. Saw on the schedule that you had morning shift on the wall and thought you could use a pick me up,” he said, then handed the sleepy hero the cup full of black coffee.

Aizawa took the drink and automatically brought the cup up to his face with extreme precision, feeling the warmth radiating from the it and smelling the nice bitterness of the brew. Mm, the good stuff.

Nodding a thanks, Aizawa took a sip and noticed Yamada was making no move to leave.

After a long pause, he finally took the bait, “Okay Hizashi, out with it.”

Not waiting a moment, Yamada goes in on him promptly, “Okay, this coffee right here that I’m gonna give you is for Mei Mei. I thought it would be the perfect prop for an opener.”

“…Excuse me?” Aizawa choked on his next sip but that did not stop Yamada.

“Oh, come on Shoutaaa…” Yamada practically begged in an almost whining tone, “Nemuri told me about the state you came in to the debriefing yesterday after meeting the sorcerer in the alley. Actually, I am slight offended you didn’t tell me last night, buttt I will let it slide since this is probably like your first crush.”

Aizawa stiffened “Crush? I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself. And, you and Nemuri shouldn’t be gossiping about me.”

Yamada shook his head bashfully at him, “You do have a crush though. The way Nemuri described the look on your face, and since we have been friends since freshman year in high school; I know for a fact you have never looked at anyone like that!” He emphasized playfully, knowing how his old friend will probably try to dismiss it and say he “isn’t into that stuff, you’re just making assumptions.”

Feeling like he was cornered now, Aizawa sputtered, “…I am not talking about this, and even if I was…” he whispered, “…I wouldn’t even know what I would say.”

“I got a look at her last night.” Yamada had his hand on his chin thoughtfully, “You like the night, and she looks like the kind of lady who would like the night... You catching my drift?” He asked, with a smug grin forming on his face.

“The night?... What the hell are you talking about?” Aizawa asked clearly confused.

“I mean to be straightforward you both are pretty much goths.” Yamada said with a shrug

“Got...?” Aizawa looked at Yamada like he was extremely dumbfounded, confused why he would even use the word, “do you even know what a goth is?”

“Well… not really, but that is beside the point.” Yamada waved his hands dramatically, “the point is I’m trying to figure out what you can say to start a conversation.”

“Have you thought maybe she doesn’t want to have a conversation with me?” Aizawa asks with a scowl, clearly getting irritated from experiencing multiple emotions for the past five minutes.

Yamada beamed, “Let me tell you that is where you are wrong. You, my friend, are the strong brooding type, and the women love the strong brooding type.”

The loud hero then threw his arm around a flabbergasted Aizawa’s shoulders and notices Yagi in his All Might form walking by to take his own position on the wall.

“Toshinori!” the blond hero called, waving the man over.

Yagi greeted with his usual big smile plastered on his face, “Well I hope you two are having a pleasant morning. The sun is rising so nicely.”

Yamada barely acknowledges the tall man’s greeting, directing going in with, “Toshinori, please tell Shouta, women love the strong silent type. I am trying to get him to talk to our new resident lovely lady he seems to be smitten with.”

Toshinori without missing a beat says, “Oh the woman who has Shouta love struck. Really, I wish you could have seen his face when he came in. It was very… different for him.”

Aizawa visibly cringed how they were so openly talking about him

Looking right at the black-haired man, Toshinori trying to look reassuring, “Oh yes, Shouta, you probably would be popular with the ladies if you would let yourself be seen more. You are always hiding away in the shadows like that hero Yuuji so fondly called you…” the number one hero paused, tapping his finger on his chin the lighted up, “Batman! Yes, he said you were like a crime fighting bat called Batman.”

All Aizawa could do was groan while staring into the sky, contemplating how he got in this situation; he was stuck between these two blondes trying to give him an unwanted pep talk to speak to a woman he wasn’t even sure would want to see him again… She did have to save him like he was some common civilian in that alleyway. A hero his ass, more like a useless warm body, just waiting for its inevitable end, hasn’t even contributed in any form. I was never considered as much of a hero compared to others anyway.

He gets jostled from his thoughts when the other two heroes decide it’s a great idea to call over a person who is walking by from whatever they were doing. Little did they know they were walking into impending doom.

Oh fuck.

It seemed to be Nanami, who is making his way from his post since he was supposed to be getting relieved by Todo, though with being met in the eyes of the two blonde heroes, that relief might not come.

No please don’t come over here and hear the craziness these two are spewing, not if you want your thoughts to remain normal.

Nanami looked tired and in no mood for conversation, but he also seemed like a polite guy. The sorcerer mustered a friendly, small smile and greeted them, but attempted to keep moving past when he was all but blocked by the oblivious duo of Yamada and Yagi.

“Nanami,” Yagi put his hand on the man’s shoulder, “Please help us in our endeavor to boast Shouta spirits. He needs the courage to talk to your fellow sorcerer Mei Mei!” He says cheerfully, wanting to help his fellow hero in romance despite the grumpy teacher’s reluctance.

Nanami seemed to try to stay composed, and yet a little befuddled. Well, this is a new one.

“Hmmm…”

This didn’t stop Yamada from stepping in closer to the sorcerer, “Tell Shouta how women would find him attractive, so he will try to go talk to her.”

Aizawa wished the ground would open up and swallow him, and judging by the look on Nanami’s face, he wanted to do the same thing.

“I don’t see how my opinion is relevant in this,” Nanami tried to step aside and make it down the steps that were pretty much mocking him with how close they were. They would lead him away from this weird interaction.

Apparently not being able to take a hint, Yamada says like it was the most obvious thing, “Well I mean… Not to put you on the spot or anything, but I heard you find men attractive, so I feel like you are best qualified for this.”

“And apparently in a long-standing relationship from what I hear,” Yagi added in.

Nope, instead this is when Aizawa wanted the ground to open up and swallow him, Yamada, and Yagi.

Nanami, feeling put on the spot, gaped like a fish out of water not being able to form a word before pinching the bridge of his nose.

At this point, Aizawa wouldn’t blame Nanami if he slapped or punched Yamada and Yagi… Hell he might do it for him.

Before anymore out of left field words could be spoken, a voice cleared behind Aizawa, Yagi, and Yamada, sounding like a woman’s voice.

All three men spun to be meet with Mei Mei, smirking with her hands on her hips.

Her eyes went passed them to be meet with Nanami who had his eyebrows raised in exasperated manner, then the two sorcerers progressed to share a nonverbal conversation.

Yamada not taking shocked eyes off Mei Mei, thrusted the cooling coffee in his hand into Aizawa’s chest hissing, “Now is your chance,” he whispered in Aizawa’s ears.

Aizawa feels like a deer in head lights, looking from Yamada to Yagi, who was giving him a thumbs up.

The nonverbal conversation ended with, “Play nice, Mei Mei.” Nanami looks at Yagi and Yamada in turn, shaking his head and breezing between them to pass by Mei Mei.

Nanami then stops and turns, “Actually I am in a loving relationship with a gorgeous man with ethereal blue eyes. Not all men are my type, Yamada.” He even levels Yagi with a look of “Good day.” The blonde sorcerer then turns back on his feet to escape down the stairs.

Mei Mei watches Nanami escort himself away, then brings her attention back to the three heroes Infront of her, “I would wager that Nanami isn’t happy with you two now.” She says looking right at Yamada then to Yagi with a playful grin, “I will warn you that Nanami makes a formidable enemy.”

Yamada stiffens and Yagi is clearly lost at the meaning of the woman’s words. Hm, I wonder what she means. Nanami seemed fine to me.

Aizawa, wanting to end this cluster fuck, thrusts out the now cold coffee to the silver haired sorcerer awkwardly, “This is for you,” he says sheepishly in his own monotone tone.

Mei Mei tilts her head then takes it, “Well, what do I owe you?” while cocking an eyebrow.

Aizawa shakes his head, “Nothing.”

Mei Mei gives the black-haired hero a meaningful look before, swishing the coffee in her hand and looking down at the cup to take a sip.

“Hmmm…”

All three men practically lean in to gauge her reaction

Mei Mei looks back up “Not bad… My favorite part is it’s free”

With that being said, she sashes pass the trio, sparing a quick wink at Aizawa, who is fighting a blush rushing up his neck.

Y’know what? Fuck Shoko, this guy is kinda cute when he blushes, Mei Mei muses

The three heroes watch her go with Yagi breaking the silence.

“Ya know Shouta… I think I get what you see in her.”

“I Knew the coffee would work.” Yamada says sounding so satisfied with himself

Aizawa groans breaking away from the group to stomp to his post.

----

Nanami shivered at the temperature drop walking into the hospital ward. It was much colder in this part of the building than the warmness that the noon sun has brought in. It was a pleasant day with the sun beaming and puffy white clouds slowly floating across the pale blue of the empty sky. The weather was a moral boost, feeling as if things could get better and causing everyone’s moods to be a little more jovial, but the coldness in the room was bringing Nanami’s mood down.

“Only been in this dimension for two days, and you are already need to be fixed up?” Shoko jokes walking up to the blonde sorcerer, “tsk tsk.”

Nanami rolls his eyes still bracing his right wrist that had been bothering him all morning.

“Shoko, who are you… Oh, well good afternoon, Mr. Nanami,” Recovery Girl greets in her sweet, elderly tone, while looking the sorcerer up and down openly like he was a meal.

Shoko watching her actions grimaces, and Nanami lets a small smile grace his face.

“Good afternoon, miss.” Nanami greets, “My wrist injured it slightly fighting a curse off the wall this morning. I thought I could work through the pain, but it has been bothering me all morning. A green haired boy named Midoriya saw me fussing over it while leaving lunch and told me to come see you. He said you are the best.”

“He should know! he is in here all the time with broken arms,” Recovery girl holds out her hand, slowly inspecting the wrist Nanami holds out for her with tender care.

Turning it over and watching him wince slightly when she bends it, the healer gives her diagnoses.

“Yep, slightly fractured. I could fix this with one kiss.”

“Just one kiss?” Nanami repeats, “Very efficient.”

After giving it a slightly longer kiss than needed, Nanami rolls the wrist.

“Thank you, that feels much better.”

Looking at him from under her lashes, “if you get even a small cut, don’t be shy, come and see me,” Recovery girl says coyly.

Nanami nods, “I will, don’t worry.”

“I will be looking for you,” The healer says with a small wink before walking off.

Once Recovery Girl left the for the ICU unit, Shoko lets out a barkingly laugh and turns to Nanami.

“Should Gojo be worried you will leave him for Recovery Girl?”

“Maybe, I mean he cannot heal me like that. Image the convenience,” Nanami answers with amusement.

“He probably could if he would get off his ass and learn to use his RCT for more than himself!” Shoko says sticking her hands in her lab coat pockets.

Nanami nods, “Probably so, but we both know he will not do anything he does not want to.”

Shoko then brings a lollipop out of her coat pocket and unwraps it. Nanami watches her surprised, “Lollipop?”

Shoko looks at the cherry candy before popping it into her mouth, “Yeah Recovery Girl doesn’t allow smoking in the hospital, so I have to eat one every time I feel the need for a smoke.”

“Another reason to fall for her,” Nanami jokes, “Your lungs and patients will thank you. I thought you were going to give me second hand smoke every time I had to come see you.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha.” Shoko deadpans, “When did you become so fun Nanami? I didn’t see you complaining about the smoke all the times I patched you back together.”

“I was too out of it from blood loss to complain,” Nanami says with mirth.

“Also, I only smoke when I drink,” Shoko adds confidently, as if that even helps her case.

Nanami, giving her a questionable look, “So all the time?”

Shoko rolls her eyes, “Okay comedian, I’m gonna remember all this next time you try to bum a smoke off me while we are out drinking.”

Nanami chuckles at her empty threat.

Pausing for a moment, the playfulness in Shoko’s drains away, she looks at Nanami and with an grave expression, “Can I talk to you about something?”

 “…Sure.” Nanami answers

Shoko nods for him to follow her, leading him to an unoccupied office. They sit opposite of each other at the lone desk in the room.

Nanami gives Shoko an expectant look while Shoko lets out a calming breath.

“I have been meaning to ask since we have a moment alone… What are you going to do when you see Geto during this rescue and capture mission?”

Nanami sucks in a breath at the ex-sorcerer’s name. He had not allowed himself to think about Suguru Geto in many years…

During the time of Gojo’s awakening and being away a lot, Nanami and Geto grew very close and in the depths of his heart, Nanami curses himself for not seeing how deep Geto’s pain was. He had been blinded by his own hatred for the clan’s power over them, curses, and Haibara’s death to take true notice. His own pain and hatred didn’t wane till after Gojo and the kids interwove into his life.

After Geto left leaving Gojo to have to shoulder more of the load, the white-haired sorcerer asked Nanami for help with Tsumiki and Megumi at the time ages 5 and 4. The blonde sorcerer didn’t know that they become what he lives for. The more time he spent with the two and Gojo, he could feel love replacing the negatives in his life. Slowly and after a massive fight between him and Gojo because the older thought he had to fight the memory of Geto for Nanami’s love; the pair confessed their affection for each other and Gojo was actually relieved when Nanami wanted to leave the society.

“If something happens to me, Kento, you will be here for them.” Gojo had said when Nanami told him. Then not long after he went into the corporate world, he moved in with Gojo and the kids become a family under one roof.

The memories of Geto were shared here and there over time, but they were the happy ones. They tried not to let the cult leader worm his way into their lives no more. It wasn’t till Yuuta came to Jujutsu High that Geto came back out wanting the boy’s vengeful spirit. Gojo was so worried during that time, and when the big fight between Geto and his cohorts came, Gojo had Nanami, Megumi, and Tsumiki stay home that day under heavy barrier protections incase Geto tried to get personal.

Even though Nanami has his guilt over Geto, he wouldn’t let it get in the way of doing what is right, especially with Megumi and the other kids here.

“Honestly Shoko, what has to be done will not be something I relish, but I will do it none the less,” Nanami crossed his arms hunched in his chair.

Shoko bows her head, “I know it will be hard for you. You guys had been friends… I was more trying to check on you than really wanting to know.”

Nanami looks at Shoko somberly, “He was my friend, but I will not hesitate to do what is necessary.”

“Even death?” Shoko asks, equally pained.

“Yes… Even death.” Nanami answers.

Shoko nods her head in understanding hand going to wipe at unshed tear, “It never seems to get easier.”

Nanami gives her a sympathetic look, “No, no it doesn’t.”

The two sorcerers share a meaningful look when they hear a knock at the door.

Pulling herself back into her usual impassiveness, Shoko calls out “Come in!”, and Nanami turns in his seat to face the person at the door.

Muta pokes his head in the room.

“Hey Nanami, I was told you were in here. We were able to get the results in. Thought you would want to see immediately.”

“Yes, on my way,” Nanami rises from his seat looking back at Shoko, “I will tell you the details later.”

Shoko nods while rising with him, fishing another lollipop out of her coat pocket. She thrusts the candy out, offering it to the blonde sorcerer.

“Here is one for the road.”

Nanami smiles and takes the lollipop.

----

 The trek along the path back to the technic building was silent till Muta broke it.

“Have you talked to Yaga yet?”

Masamichi Yaga was playing middle man between the mission and the higher ups. Muta knew by now they needed to give an update and let the other side know this was going to take longer than they thought. He also was hoping Nanami would put a good word in for him to help him on his path to redemption in the other’s eyes. A vote of confidence from Nanami would be a big deal.

“Now how could I do that?” Nanami asks, his eyebrows knitting in clear confusion.

Muta’s train of thought ceased. Wait…

Muta stopped in his tracks, causing the other sorcerer to stop too. The teen looked Nanami dead in the eyes.

“…With the inner dimensional devices, I created one that could reach through the rift so we could stay in communication. The higher ups asked for three, One for this group, one for Yaga, and one for them…”

Nanami’s face went from confused to dark, his face slightly clenched from his frustration.

Those motherfuckers… They tricked him. They got him to make those devices and didn’t even give it to them.

Nanami took a deep breath trying to reign in his palpable anger.

“Muta… I am going to choose to believe that you did not know they would pull a scheme like this since clearly you are being honest with me.”

Muta let out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding. He was so relieved Nanami wasn’t going to assume he was in on the higherups clear deception.

“I do have a question for you. Do you have any idea who they could have given the devices to?” Nanami placed a hand on the younger man’s shoulders.

Muta looked at the hand, then back at the older sorcerer.

“No, but give me some time and I will try to find out. Hatsume could probably help me rig something up.”

Nanami nods, “This is top priority after we plan the rescue and capture mission. Let’s keep this between me, you, and Hatsume for the time being,” Nanami drops his hand back to his side.

Muta nods in agreement.

The two sorcerers resume their trek to the technic building in silence again. Both in worry for what may happen in their new-found knowledge. The suspicion was right, the higher ups do care, but in a different way.

---

Yuuji huffed while falling onto the couch between Megumi and Nobara.

They had been lounging most of the day away with some of the UA class A and B, they called themselves, since the new broke of the location; so now they were just waiting on Nanami, All Might, and the others to make a decision on the away team.

“Whatcha doing?” Yuuji asked, looking toward Megumi who was sunk into the couch cushions reading a book

“Have you suddenly went blind?” Megumi deadpanned and Nobara snorted out a laugh while watching whatever was playing on tv.

“Just trying to start conversation.” Yuuji answered eyes squinted in annoyance.

Megumi didn’t even spare him a glance, just kept his attention on his book, but adding a little “dramatics” into his next page flip.

“I told you they act like them, Shinso.”

The voice came from the couch across from them. It was occupied by two boys; a blonde who loudly spoke, and a purpled haired guy who looked unimpressed by everything.

Yuuji shot the blonde a quizzical look.

The blonde leaned off the couch, smirking boldly.

“You two,” the blonde gestures at him and Megumi, “remind me so much of Naruto and Sasuke.”

Shinso looking lazily at the blonde asking “Don’t you ship them?”

“Totally! Cute couple.” The blonde answered not taking his eyes off Yuuji and Megumi with a knowing grin.

Yuuji’s eyes got wide and started to stutter, not expecting such a statement and coming to realization what it’s implying, “Wha- what?”

He could hear Nobara cackling to his side with her head thrown back. He stole a glance at Megumi whose face had turned a bright shade of red, trying to hide behind his book.

“Oh, leave them alone, Monama. Don’t you have something better to do?”

Kirishima was coming into the living room and was shooting a glare at the blonde on the couch.

Yuuji was so happy to see the redhead coming to their rescue

“I didn’t mean anything by it. Calm down,” Monama said, waving off the redhead while flopping back into his original position besides Shinso.

Kirishima wore an annoyed expression that didn’t look natural on him. He just rolled his eyes and huffed before turning toward Yuuji, wearing his usual sunny smile.

“Have you guys seen Maki?”

Nobara trying to stop laughing and wiping a stray tear from her face asked chortingly, “What do you want with her?”

Kirishima put out his hand to lean on the end of the couch

“Todo talked about how strong she was last night so I was going to challenge her to arm wrestling match since we have nothing better to do right now.”

Nobara tilted her head to the side looking amused.

“Think you can beat her?”

Kirishima shrugged lightly

“Don’t know but I’m a try,” He flexed his other arm, “I’m pretty strong myself!”

Nobara playfully rolled her eyes, “good luck, Hercules.”

Kirishima laughed good-naturedly.

Then it was like she just appeared out of thin air, Maki was behind the trio’s couch.

“What does he need luck for?”

Yuuji and Nobara jumped in their seats while Megumi recovering from his earlier embarrassment just turned the page in his book unaffected.

“I wanted to challenge you to a round of arm wrestling, Maki,” Kirishima answered for them while rubbing the back of his neck.

Maki took her gaze off the three on the couch and fixed it on Kirishima. A wicked smirk played across her face while she sized him up. Putting a hand on her hip, she spoke.

“I’m game. Let go to the dining table”

Shinso leaned toward Monama and stage whispered, “It’s like a lion sizing up her prey.”

---

“I knew this was going to be a slaughter,” Shinso announced with his arms crossed. Monoma was leaned on him for support while laughing endlessly at Kirishima’s quick defeat.

Denki was patting a slack jawed Kirishima on the back who still hadn’t recovered for how quickly the match ended, while a guy who could pass for Kirishima’s twin named Tetsutetsu gave him a big side hug, both were in tears from the resolution, while Yuuji was almost confused on which one was which.

Miwa gave the red head a pitying look, while Midoriya explains that maybe it was her heavenly restriction that beat him.

Nobara was congratulating Maki who wasn’t even hiding her amusement at the whole scene.

Jirou leans toward Yuuji with her phone in her hands still filming the whole thing, “Bakugo is probably going to challenge Maki for Kirishima’s honor when he gets back.”

Yuuji smirks, “Kirishima’s boyfriend?”

Jirou gives him a meaningful look, “oh, he wishes.”

Yuuji lets out a knowing chuckle then says while gesturing at Kirishima, “Well Todo did try to warn him about Maki.”

“Like that was going to stop him,” Jirou responds.

Then the front doors burst open and Todo and Inumaki come strolling in.

“We are back from the wall,” Todo calls out.

Denki pulls away from Kirishima to meet the two in the living room and start telling them about Kirishima’s defeat at the hand of Maki.

Once the three make it to the dining table crowd, the amusement is clear in Inumaki’s eyes while Todo slaps Kirishima on the back.

“You are a brave one, but I warned you.” with a good-natured chuckle.

“Think you could beat her, Todo?” Midoriya asked quizzically, curious from Maki’s shown feat of strength if the third year could best her.

Todo looks to Maki who was cheekily leaned back in her seat. Without a word Todo pulls Kirishima out of his seat and slides into it.

Denki was making a bet with Inumaki on the winner as the two clasp hands.

It was a stalemate for a second or two; Todo visibly straining against to keep them even. Maki’s cheeky smirk starts to slip as Todo slyly grins at her and without effort slams her hand to the table. Maki was taken aback from Todo’s effortless transition, she never even expected it, nonetheless it was a fair match. Inumaki automatically shoots out his hand for Denki to pay up.

Kirishima throws his arms around Todo’s neck, cheering his victory before the bigger guy and Maki shake hands on good match.

“You are still badass though, Maki” Kirishima beams at the Zenin.

Maki nods and lets a small smile grace her face. Todo, despite being a raging schizophrenic, has reminded me of how I still have so much training ahead of me, I must continue if I am to accomplish my dreams.

“I had no doubt the big meathead would win,” Megumi comments behind Yuuji making him jump. The teen had finally decided to join them at the table.

“I’m going to invest in bells for you and Maki to wear. You two are too sneaky,” Yuuji says

Megumi just scowls at him.

Kirishima saddles up besides the brooding teen.

“I’m glad you didn’t see me lose. It was brutal.”

“Well, it could have been worse. You could have lost to someone like Yuuji,” Megumi answers slightly smirking

“HEY!” Yuuji said with offense

Kirishima snorted as the pink-haired boy started whining about Megumi’s comment while the dark-haired teen just rolled his eyes making faces at Kirishima, expressing absolute annoyance from Itadori’s gullibility.

Everyone divulged into conversations amongst themselves that ceased when they heard the front door open; All Might and Nanami entered and before either can say anything.

“Hey Nanami, do you want to arm wrestle Todo for winning title?” Yuuji asks with curiosity, his face equating to that of an elementary kid’s when they get to ask a question, while waving at the older sorcerer calmly.

Nanami’s expression stays indecipherable as he shakes his head a “no” gesture placidly. Denki throws his arm around Yuuji’s neck addressing the other man.

“What about you, All Might?”

The big hero just shrugs while Nanami looked at him with eyebrow raised.

“Hm, why not; it doesn’t seem like it wouldn’t hurt to try, very well then!”

The number one hero walks over and takes the seat Maki vacates. Him and Todo square off and after they start, Todo’s hand is already meeting the table top almost immediately.

Everyone aside from class 1-A/B was astonished at how Todo, probably one of, if not, the physically strongest of the Kyoto students, was taken down in mere seconds without a shed of sweat. Though some of them, particularly Nanami, was not all surprised.

Amazement comes over Todo’s face and the sorcerer is on his feet. Incredible, I’ve never felt such density and strength in my life! He is much more than the other strangely dressed ones, no, just from the shreds of the second I experienced of his power, I can see, understand what they look up to!

Todo stands from his chair after defeat, a few tears almost seen forming within his eyes. At first, All Might was worried if he upset the sorcerer’s pride or something, being ready to apologize, but was stopped mid-sentence by Todo.

“Striped-wearing hero of this dimension; never in my life have I ever felt such energy, power amongst my peers or anyone before, not even Satoru Gojo!” Todo says, praising Toshinori for the rather short round of arm wrestling. Toshinori was just puzzled, he didn’t even know what to say.

“Haha, thank you Todo. I’m not in my best years but I manage!” All Might says cheerfully, reminiscing of the past before taking damage.

“No All Might, I’m not just thankful for the round, I am inspired, in awe! Despite your age and losing of prime years, you are still probably stronger than all of us could ever be. I wish to learn from you, and take after your ways. And fight along side you everywhere you go. From now on, I shall call you mentor!” Todo proclaims, his arms waving out into the air while staring into the lights of the ceiling.

All Might could just admire, and worry about Todo’s feelings, admiring the passion of the sorcerer, and the absolute terrifying imagination he has. “Ahahaha… I, uh, see, that is quite admiring Todo, I will look forward to it!” All Might said, sweat trickling from the back of his neck in worry, his voice rasping between worry and his normal courageous tone.

Grasping the moment, Nanami steps forward getting everyone’s attention.

“Okay it’s time for us to pull the ones for the away team.”

---

Their footsteps echo down the corridor leading to the big room used for the clan meetings. Obviously already aggravated by the endless meetings that he has subjugated to for days, his mood was made even worse by the lack of contact from HIS Kento and Megumi. It was getting under his skin more and more every time he went unanswered.  He was worried to the point of wanting to ditch these meetings and go check on them even if it ended up annoying them.  

Atleast I know where Tsumiki is, but If I don't hear from them by...

His thoughts come to an abrupt halt, Satoru Gojo stops dead still, mindlessly his hand comes up to his temple rubbing it, head tilted with a feeling.

Meanwhile, Ijichi pacing behind him frantically, trying to keep up with Gojo, while trying his best to maintain his calm demeanor.

"Gojo what is wrong?" Kiyotaka Ijichi asks, while stopping besides The Honored One abruptly, not wanting to meet Gojo in the eyes with the tone of his voice.

"I can sense that..." Gojo voice is full of pettiness " someone just gave a compliment to someone else at my expense" 

Ijichi face was pure bewilderment, looking around for the offensive person wielding a compliment like a weapon.

"Nobody... Nobody is here"

"Obviously," Gojo hisses, "We are alone here. I sense it somewhere in the infinite nothingness."

Ijichi knew Six-Eyes was powerful, but this was just unbelievable.

I knew he had strong awareness of his surrounding but not this great. If only he used it beyond his pettiness. 

"How dare someone say someone is better than me," Gojo sneers.

Ijichi really hoped Gojo was too caught up in his ego to notice him roll his eyes.

Chapter Text

“Come onnn!”

Toga yelled while throwing herself over the couch back in a lazy manner, crashing into the spot beside Choso. Irritation and need filling her deranged mind so intensely black streaks were forming outer her head.

“Your ‘technique’ is so cool, and bloody!” She said, accenting “bloody!” with her excitement, “I wish you would do it again,” again, intensifying her statements, but instead of disturbing excitement, it was disturbing want, her contracted pupils not helping with the already uncanny wide grin plastered on her face.

The group had just gotten back from a job rounding up some rogue cursed spirits; Choso used piercing blood to take out a high-level curse that attempted to kill them, slicing the monster in two with the concentrated blood. For one it helped save everyone due to the abruptness of the enemy and the fatalities that could’ve happened if Choso had not stepped in. The surprise and awe gained Choso some positive reputation from his new semi-human peers. On the other hand, almost a little too much for him, especially when she saw it.

While sitting around eating take out in a living room created in a room off shoot of the bar, Toga wouldn’t leave him alone about his blood manipulation. Apparently, she was mesmerized by all the blood and wielding of it, her head perked up more when he said that he forms blood from his cursed energy supply, which he ended up feeling like he would regret giving her that information.

“It would be reckless. We are in a small room, it could end up blowing our safety with the patrolling ‘heroes’ and jujutsu sorcerers that could be around,” Choso exasperatedly explained while taking another bite of a fry he was munching on slightly, “And I need time to recover, piercing blood requires convergence, it can’t be fired immediately.”

Toga upside down beside him crossed her arms and pouted, her hair messily spread out from her head placing on the couch cushions, her body gangling out on top. Choso rolled his eyes with impassiveness. So childish.

“Leave him alone. You’re annoying,” Shigaraki points out from his spot on the floor at the coffee table. He is sitting cross legged relaxingly while digging into his noodles, but frantically struggling for the food to make it to his mouth with Mahito throwing himself in some way on the decay villain every few seconds; the cursed spirit causing him to bump the noodle cup into his nose, not even reaching his mouth.

“Let me have some of your noodles.”

Shigaraki is trying to fight off the special grade spirit as he tries to reach over his shoulder for the noodles from the spirit’s spot snuggled against his back. The villain regardless of the Mahito’s effort will be damned if the spirit was going to get his noodles. He was starving after the effort they put in rounding spirits and attacking civilians.

“Stop it!” Shigaraki tried to scoot away but all that did was make Mahito snake his arms around his neck tightly and be dragged with the movement, “You’re gonna make me drop them…” he said, fed up from barely getting a solid bite.

“But SHIGGYYyy!”

Shigaraki turns his face to be meet by the biggest pouty face he has ever seen. In the last couple days, he had been able to witness Mahito fight and torture with no care other than the disturbing passion radiating from him, so it almost takes him back a little how the sadistic spirit could make such a face. Just like how he can shift his body into the most abstract of forms from his organic body, it seems like he can do the same with his face and personality, from a vulgar amalgamation of hate and torture, to the equivalence to a puppy dog’s face. The spirit’s eyes were big and his lip was quivering something furious. He almost looked innocent and shit… Shig knew he couldn’t tell him no.

“Fucking… Fine but only half.”

Mahito’s face transforms quickly into a beaming smile, expressing joy in his creepy, yet somehow cute way, lifting out his arms into the air in a cheer, while holding onto Shigaraki with his legs; Shigaraki grumbles, taking the offered bowl from the spirit.

He didn’t want to admit out loud he really didn’t mind sharing with Mahito. He was starting to come to the realization that he was starting to enjoy… Maybe even develop feelings for the spirit despite his tenacities. Feelings was something foreign and suppressed since he was a child but ever since Mahito came around it was getting harder and harder to ignore the swell in his chest every time the spirit looked at him or asked to play Mario Cart. Though, Shigaraki was not ignorant to Mahito’s distain for human, thinking them disappointing, similar to his own disappointment in heroes. Mahito was clearly sadistic and a monster, and he has done horrible actions, but they were really no different than each other just different kinds of monsters reflecting each other.

Mulling over his thoughts, Shigaraki leaned against the coffee table with his head in his hands watching the spirit slurping the noodles making a messing of his face. The spirit could be so playful and immature at times but it could be endearing. Sighing with contentment, Shigaraki sees Spinner gawking at Mahito so from a pang of protectiveness, Shigaraki glowers at Spinner.

“It’s rude to stare, fuck off”

Spinner gives him a “WTF” look before going back to his conversation with Dabi across the coffee table. Despite wearing his face mask, he could feel Shigaraki’s red eyes still glaring at him, the weight of the gaze was starting to kill the lizard villain, so he continued his conversation with Dabi to try to lose his attention.

Mahito looks between Spinner and Shigaraki then blinks at him.

“Why did you do that?”

Shigaraki, realizing he had practically been growling at Spinner, froze. Was he that obvious?

He turned to look at Mahito, who was staring at him with an eyebrow cocked up, his eyes staring observantly, his mouth mostly closed, but seeming like he wanted to say something, looking almost worried due to no response.

If he was going to admit to his protectiveness of Mahito, he didn’t want to say it in front of the others. Trying to think of the right words to say, Shigaraki was relieved when the spirit’s attention was taken by the noise. Geto, Jogo, and Dabi coming through the front door and entering in to the living room. Three are just returning from the two pyrotechnics burning some buildings down to make the heroes jobs even harder.

Always the charmer, Suguru Geto’s smile was plastered across his face. It made Shigaraki wish to see it decay under his touch. He wasn’t sure what it was about the sorcerer, but he seemed so fake. His smile, words, expressions, and whole demeanor didn’t seem real. Like his body was just being puppeteered, just unsettling. Those surgical stitches on his head don’t make it any better…

“Good afternoon, how was the mission?” Kenjaku asked in a silky tone while going to stand at the head of the living room common area.

“We were able to get the spirits in place like you asked, but I had to kill one,” Choso answered impassively not even taking his eyes off his dumplings.

“What a shame,” Kenjaku responds slightly pouting with a sigh, while subtly retaining that warm, calming appearance, “But sometimes it can’t be helped.”

Shigaraki watches Geto appraise the room. It’s like the man was calculating his every next move. Two things the villain has deduced about the sorcerer: one, he is manipulative. Two, he is always calculating like life is a big chessboard. Huh, what is his deal?

Sure, his maser is always calculating and coming up with new solutions, but this is different; his isn’t just planning, its ambition, though there’s no hinting to what that ambition is.

Jogo shuffles over to pick up some rice and takes the seat of the other side of Choso, who is still lost in thought picking at his food. Jogo seems get a feeling and perks up to look over at Toga who is just staring him down, her eyes bewildered by his appearance. The girl has yet to get used to his volcano head, so she openly stares whenever he is around, which makes him uncomfortable despite being, sort of, used to it. Geez, no wonder Choso is being so silent.

Dabi plops down unceremoniously onto the floor besides Shigaraki to nod in acknowledgement in his effortless, cool-guy sort of way toward him and Mahito, who has now curled himself catlike into Shigaraki’s lap, with Shig carding his hands softly through long, grayish blue hair gazing, looking down on the spirit. Sometimes it felt so strange that he didn’t have to worry about hurting Mahito. 

He didn’t notice the sideway glances he was receiving from some of the others in the room.

Shigaraki was too caught up in Mahito purring in his lap. Absent mindedly, he finally looks up to catch a meaningful look quickly flash across Geto’s face who had been all but openly staring at the two of them. Catching Geto’s eye, the sorcerer quickly averts his stare to the wall above them. The look was too quick to read, but he knew in his gut whatever it meant wasn’t good.

Recovering fast and lightly shaking his head, Geto’s returning smile wasn’t as playful as the one before, clearly very forced; almost like it could twitch into a frown at any given second.

The sorcerer cleared his voice and sing-songs with fake sweetness the words, “Oh Mahito, can you get up? I need to talk to you a moment”

Mahito stirred, not opening his eyes whining, “Ugh… Do I have to?”

“Yes,” Geto’s deadpan voice dripped with a greatly pained, fake cheer.

Stretching like a cat, Mahito unfurled himself, shifting onto his back to give Shigaraki a wide smile and a light tap on the villain’s cheek. The soft touch came so easy and didn’t even make the him flinch. The unspoken trust spoke volumes because Mahito also had dangerous hands. Then the spirit elegantly departed from his lap to follow Geto down the hall to the bar room skipping towards his master.

After the two left the room, Choso, coming out of his own mind space, cleared his throat and rose from his seat while grabbing one of the takeout boxes from the coffee table.

“I will take this to Bakugo,” and with that, the death painting sauntered out of the room.

“He must enjoy screaming to actually offer to feed that lunatic,” Dabi comments with his eyebrows raised his eyes, watching the painting disappear through the door leading to Bakugo.

Choso had joined their group at the “lair”, Mahito has dubbed the bar hideout that against Shigaraki’s wishes, a day after Mahito, and ever since he laid eyes on Bakugo, the man has taken upon himself to feed and watch over the boy.

“Choso has siblings back in our dimension. He is accustom to having someone to take care of.” Jogo explains out of nowhere. “He is the oldest and naturally a nurturer. Even that little shit probably has wormed a spot into Choso’s heart like a stray, angry, mouthy puppy.”

The villains observed Jogo chew his next bite before going further.

“The cursed paintings have no family and are looked down on, but Choso keeps them all together through his determination, unyielding loyalty, and love. If it wasn’t for him, they would have no direction or care. Choso is good in his own right even after all he has been through… It’s strange he sticks around with us really.”

This seems to strike a cord with the villain group around Jugo. They all became quiet, falling deep into their own thoughts. Not having family or someone to show the right path and neglected was a tale all them could sympathize with.

One person felt the weight of Choso’s story a little more than the others.

The room started to feel like it was closing in to Claustrophobic levels, and he needed space to breath.

Placing down his food down and rising from his position on the floor, Dabi walked outside, trying to keep his feet under him and not tumble out the door to get some fresh air.

He couldn’t let the others see how much he was affected. His aloof personality was his shield against the pain his past brought. It was so long ago, but like Choso, he once was the oldest of siblings but he lacked the strength Choso had. Apparently, even when things got too difficult, Choso didn’t run… Maybe if I was half the person Choso is…

Quit thinking those thoughts… I’m nothing like Choso… and I don’t have to worry about those issues anymore.

But a small hidden part of me wishes I was.

Damnit.

---

Bakugo had his back to Choso when he entered the room and closed the steel door.

Against the death painting’s wishes, the others insisted that the chains stay on the blonde to keep him from using his quirk, so Choso had attempted to at least make the boy comfortable like getting him a bed cushion to sit or lay on with a pillow and blanket. It still wasn’t enough in his opinion but it was the best he could pull off. He didn’t like to see others suffer for no reason and this boy had done nothing wrong but be a hot-head that caught the attention of this league. Only people who make his brothers suffer should would see Choso’s bad side. Only one is still out there will suffer greatly at his rage…

But not this defenseless kid who clearly has self-esteem issues that is over compensated for with a massive ego that is so fragile. Nothing that couldn’t be fix with some unconditional support and nurturing. Choso wouldn’t mind being the one to give it to him. He did have the patience of a cat and could wait as long as he needed for his help.

Okay maybe he was a slight masochist because the kid could be loud, belligerent, stubborn among other things that would make Choso’s brain thrum with a migraine, but he couldn’t turn his back on someone who just needed an older brother to show him the way. Times like these he was thankful for his own patience.

It had taken some time, but Choso had already made some progress with Bakugo. At the beginning of his arrival the blonde had done nothing but scream, curse, and lug at him with fury in his eyes, but now he still yells some here and there, Choso believes now it is more for keeping up appearances, but with far less bite… Well at least towards him… Maybe Bakugo could sense Choso genuinely meant no harm because the passionate cursing and fighting was saved for the others.

Dabi had made the mistake a couple days earlier, leaning too close to the blonde and having to move quickly to avoid a broken nose from the kick that was directed at his face while being sarcastically verbally attacked with, “did you staple your own face? Because it’s a shit job. I could have done better with my eyes shut and hands cut off.” Jugo with all his toughness fell victim to an intense tongue lashing, where his volcano head was the prime subject, starting with, “You are so ugly I could weep!” It proceeded to get so bad that Choso swore he saw a small tear in the spirit’s eye when he vacated the room, hanging on to his large, singular eye. Out of everything he’s seen in his life, Jogo shedding a tear was a completely new one.

Bakugo was quite the word smith even though he uses mostly vulgarity and slurs, he can really turn it into an art, and it didn’t help that Mahito would clap and encourage his tirades even when he was the subject. Mahito admires Bakugo’s moxie. Choso could find himself admiring it too but without Mahito’s flashness. Geto had even graced the boy with his presence and lived to regret it by being called things such as “unsettling zombie”, and “fake ass mother fucker” through bared snapping teeth. That seemed to not set well with Geto at all, causing the usually calm sorcerer to glare daggers into the teen before storming out, slamming the door behind him. Proven even more that Bakugo had a way of getting under people’s skin, regardless of their character.

Wordlessly, Choso approaches Bakugo’s area, placing the food within reach and stepping back calmly to walk over to a cushioned chair close by. He sat down, sitting on one leg carefully picking up the art pad he has been drawing on to not mess up his drawing.

After a few minutes of quiet with charcoal to paper, scribbling designs or notes being the only sound, he hears a gravelly voice ask.

“Why haven’t the losers just killed me already?”

Chose doesn’t even look up from his sketch that he was focusing on absent mindedly, while trying to give Bakugo his attention in a casual manner.

“You are being used as a pawn in their game, simple as that. Though I’m not sure.”

Choso could hear Bakugo rolls his eyes with a huff even though his back was turned.

“No shit dumbass, I was kind of looking for more details. Not just a ‘I’m not sure’.”

“You are asking the wrong person. I don’t involve myself with the details.” Choso says impassively while adding a stroke or two to his piece.

Bakugo shifts on the cushion, turning around with a scowl a little rice on the corner of his mouth, abandoning his remaining take out beside him, “Then why the fuck do you hang around and do what those assholes say?”

“Means to an end,” Choso deadpans, leaning toward his page focusing on his shading.

Bakugo ponders for a moment.

“The fuck does that mean?”

Choso chooses to ignore the question, baring down on his pencil hoping the blonde will let it go and let him have a moments peace to not devel into his revenge story. He wouldn’t mind talking about Bakugo’s problems, but not really wanting to bring up his own at the moment.

But in very Bakugo confrontational fashion, the blonde does not.

Bakugo just scoots farther toward Choso on his big cushion where the chains are still comfortable

“I usually could care less, but I am bored out of my motherfucking mind so…” Bakugo looked agitated and impatient “tell me why.”

Choso stops drawing and looks up from the pad, he levels him with a gaze, watching the blonde almost bounce up and down in his sitting position. Being the oldest of his siblings, he has gotten exceptional at reading body language and the underlying things. He knew being bored maybe part of the reason Bakugo asked. It was more like the blonde was scared and wanted to take his mind off things for a moment. Choso couldn’t refuse him.

Going back to his art so they wouldn’t have to keep eye contact, more for Bakugo than himself, Choso makes another small horizontal stroke with his pencil before answering.

“I know you are aware of our dimension now and what entails of it. I am actually a product of a curse user inhabiting a man’s body, getting my mother pregnant, making me what I am before you. A cursed womb: death painting. I hate that man and what he did to my mother, me, and brothers. Working with Geto will get me the revenge I seek.”

Bakugo actually looked perplexed, his pin prick eyes and rigid glare softening up a little from the concept.

“Wow… damn… that was not what I was expecting you to say.”

Choso looks up at the blonde and smirks, “What where you expecting?”

“The normal lame ass reasons. Not something like revenge for you and your family,” Bakugo answers leaning toward him “What is your plan?”

“To kill Noritoshi Kamo,” Choso answers grimly with a tilt to his head now meeting the blonde’s gaze.

Bakugo scoffs and actually cracks a small smirk, “Fuck… I think I could actually admire you if you weren’t associating with scum.”

Choso tilts his head more thoughtfully, humming.

“You are right, they are scum, but the sorcerers would never go for my plan, especially with me being a death painting. People have assumptions and stereotypes about me.”

Bakugo makes a “tch” sound while biting his lip, looking down breaking eye contact and in an unusual smaller voice, unlike his usual gruffness whispers, “I get it…”

The change in voice pulled on his heart strings, Choso places down the pad and pencil onto the side table and leans in his seat toward the blonde with much concern in his face, his baggy eyes trailing over his facial expessions.

“What do you mean?”

Bakugo still wouldn’t look up. His blonde bangs covered his eyes which were trained on the fingers twisting in his lap.

Choso could see it all clearly now. He finally was having a glimpse at the real Bakugo who due to days of being chained, and not getting enough rest was having a hard time, even with his endless vigor keeping up the charade.

“Bakugo…” Chose tried again.

Bakugo let out a sigh and bit out, “My personality puts people off, okay?” It came out like a bite wincing as he kept going, “They make stupid assumptions aren’t true. I have my own set of ambitions but people think I couldn’t reach them due to how I am. Nobody probably really wants to get me back… Well… There is one person who probably would come for me no hesitation, but he has shitty red hair.”

The blonde let out a small laugh at that to cover what Choso was sure was the beginning of tired tears.

“We got that in common Tattoo Face… People’s dumbass assumptions.”

Choso lets out his own small chuckle at what must be his new nickname.

Deciding against digging deeper into what clearly is an uncomfortable topic for the blonde and wanting to relish the farther progress he had made, so Choso chooses to lighten the mood instead.

“Tattoo face?” Choso asks, his nose crinkling in amusement

Bakugo rubs his eyes with his forearm and lets out a watery laugh.

“What else could I call you with such an obnoxious tattoo right across your face?”

Choso shrugs languidly

“It is pretty on the nose nickname.”

His pun apparently was a hit and both of their laughs devolve into a comfortable silence. In the silence’s wake, Choso picks his pad back up.

“Hey Tattoo Face, what the hell are you drawing?” Bakugo asks breaking the quiet. His curiosity was clear on his face.

Choso gets up from his seat and bends down right in front of the boy flipping his pad around for him to see. The blonde inspects the picture.

“You,” Choso says warmly, “Your hair is a little tricky to capture. It’s unruly but nice.”

Bakugo looks at the picture a little longer before fixing his gaze on Choso grumbling.

“Tch, call me Katsuki”

Choso hummed a smile, reaching out to brush the rice off the corner of the blonde’s mouth.

“Okay, Katsuki.”

---

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kenjaku hisses.

Shigaraki keeps his breathing calm and tries to make himself smaller as he eavesdrops from the door way into the bar. He didn’t mean to listen in but couldn’t help himself when he was walking by. He can’t see Geto but at his spot could see Mahito sitting arms crossed on a bar stool.

Mahito is twisting the seat back and forth under his weight in impetuousness.

“Stop that,” Kenjaku swats at him trying to get the spirit to sit still.

Mahito huffs and rolls his eyes, proceeding to start spinning the seat in circles.

“Are you listening?” the sorcerer asks, his own patience starting to wear thin watching the seat spin and spin, the creaking was getting on his nerves.

“Kinda not really. Don’t know what you are getting at,” Mahito says stopping his movements to face Geto looking up when sorcerer starts to lean closer from his position looming over him.

“I told you that you needed to get to know these people for us to enact my new plan, but I didn’t think you would go this far,” Kenjaku states aggravatedly “I can’t count on you if you get too chummy with that weirdo.”

Mahito severely rolls his eyes.

“Oh, come on Geto. Are you getting jealous?” The spirit finishes with waggling his eyebrows, while wearing a smirk filled with smugness.

Not amused by the retort, Kenjaku ignores the spirit statement, instead honing back in on him.

“Have your fun, but just know that it’s coming and you will not be the reason the plan doesn’t work, I can’t let it fail over a meaningless concept of relationship of all things.”

Mahito tilts his head to the side and has a moment Shigaraki could only describe as apprehension.

“I don’t see why we are ‘helping’ them when you are planning for us to still go home.”

Kenjaku sneers at Mahito leaning, in closer where face to face.

“Clearly you don’t listen. I plan for that All for One fool to kill all the sorcerers in this realm and using the rift to splice our dimensions together.”

Mahito bites his lip and chooses to look down.

“It seems you are abandoning your original plan.”

Kenjaku pushes back looking down severely at the spirit

“I’m not abandoning it just improving it. getting a grander scale.”  The sorcerer motions his hand in the air to emphasize his point. “It will work.”

“We could all get killed doing this and not even finish the mission” Mahito says in an unbelieving tone.

“Do you doubt my motives, Mahito?” Kenjaku asks with a snarl

For once Mahito dims a little, the spirit still won’t meet the sorcerer’s eyes

“No…”

Kenjaku’s snarl melts back into the charming smile that haunts Shigaraki

“Good, can’t have you losing faith. I need you, after all, you will be our catalyst.”

Mahito was confused by what he said. Catalyst? What does he mean?

Mahito looks up, wanting to know, but apparently Kenjaku was convinced enough to turn and walk away, paying no heed to him anymore, exiting down to the building’s basement, but the doubt plaguing the spirits face was clear.

Once he knew the sorcerer had totally let left, the decay villain came out of the shadows of the hallway approaching the spirit ready for a confrontation.

“So, you are just using us?” Shigaraki asks in a low perturbed snarl. He felt more betrayed than he probably should. 

Mahito doesn’t seem surprised when he sees Shigaraki approaching him. It’s like the spirit knew he was there the whole time. Rising with ballerina level grace, Mahito strides toward him, meeting him at the half way with only an arm’s length distance between them.

Mahito says nothing, just studying him, head tilting back in forward in his unsettling way, but Shigaraki in his anger doesn’t back down.

“You are fake just like everyone else. Using us for your schemes. I could almost applaud your performance, Mahito.”

Anyone else wouldn’t have been able to notice the subtle flinch of Mahito impassive mask at the use of his real name from him, but Shigaraki could easily and zeroed in on it.

“After that spill you gave me your first day here, I almost felt like I could trust you. I almost felt like me and you understood each other, but obviously I was wrong in that assumption.”

Shigaraki gets closer but feel like the distance between them is a gorge compared how they were back in the living room when he was living in delusional land.

“Worst part is he doesn’t even care about you or the others just his plan. Don’t you see you are just fodder for his scheme?”

Mahito takes a step closer, unnaturally stoic with his response

“Maybe so, but I don’t mind dying for the cause. To see cursed spirits reign will be a privilege.”

Shigaraki scoffs “Won’t even live to see it, how noble of you.”

Mahito tenses, then like a predator stalking his prey starts circling around Shigaraki curiously.

Not good at self-preservation, Shigaraki forgets for a moment that in this room, Mahito is the dominate species when it comes to power, yet the spirit still hasn’t attacked, just regarding him till he stops at Shigaraki’s ear.

Leaning in, Mahito whispers wolfishly.

“You are no better than me, Shiggy. You are used and will die just like me…”

A million emotions hit the decay villain at once.

Yes, he has blindly followed All for One since a young age but lately he has had his own doubts with the choices the number one villain makes. He especially didn’t agree with trusting Geto and when he expressed it to his master, he was just brushed off like he was some incredulous child.

Was Mahito wrong?...

No…

What was he going to do about it?...

Shigaraki stays still, but he knows he is about to meet Mahito head on. Stepping into dangerous waters with a transfiguring shark. Knowing that he might not leave again.

Mahito… The one who holds to his believes, unwavering like him to the point of self-destruction. The one who even under all the manic sadistic was someone who cares for his fellow spirits, his own, and wants to see them at the top like he does his own. Common goals…

Keeping his body in place, Shigaraki turns his head to stare into Mahito’s unwavering eyes their faces just an inch apart. For a fleeting moment, his thoughts flash to their fellow spirits and villains getting along in the other room.

In the stillness of the room the only sound is Shigaraki whispering “Follow me instead” to Mahito who tips his face in so slightly that their noses brush, breathes mingling.

Wanting to see the spirit’s face, Shigaraki leans back to watch as Mahito’s face contorts with expression of graveness at the words. The villain forgets himself in the way the spirit’s eyebrows scrunch and his mouth straightening to a hard line. He wishes those alluring features were instead holding the bright eyes and manic smile that it does after a kill… That was when Mahito was at his most beautiful. His thoughts are broken by Mahito answering with, “I won’t follow All for One.”

Neither of them moving from their closeness like their magnets pulling each other in.

Shigaraki smirks, “No, Follow me and only me, Patchy”

Mahito eyes search him intently. He could feel those big doe-eyed two-toned eyes piercing into his soul but he didn’t care. He wanted Mahito to see the soul he was barring to him and only him. It was like when Mahito would rip open his victim when searching for the soul. It was depraved… It was glorious.

“You know the soul is made first.” Mahito states matter of fact, lips starting to purse up and turn into a playful smile, “I can see into yours… I truly want to trust you. I belief you are someone worth following.”

“I won’t disappoint you.”

Shigaraki had never meant anything so much in his life.

“Swear it,” Mahito hums sweetly going to rub their noses together for a second time with uncharacteristic seriousness in his eyes.

“I swear it.”

Shigaraki answers without hesitation not needing to give his answer any thought. He watches Mahito body language visually relax.

The gorge between them disappears.

Their closeness is disrupted for only a moment. Shigaraki pulls away only to turn his body to meet the spirit’s as he melts into him. Mahito bends down to adjust for their height different with his arms going around Shigaraki’s neck fingers finding and twirling the hair at his nape. The spirit’s head goes to rest on the villain’s shoulder to look up at him through his eyelashes a coy smirk playing across his face. Fully aware of his actions, Shigaraki puts his hands on Mahito’s waist meeting the spirit’s heady gaze.

Licking his lips before biting down onto his bottom lip almost lustfully, Mahito eyes now lidded lilts his face up barely, leaving space between their lips, dreamily asks.

“Seal it with a kiss?”

Mahito made quit the temptress in that moment. Shigaraki felt a little self-conscience because there was Mahito in all his hot, alluring glory while… Well… He was himself chapped lips and messed up skin from his quirk, but the way the spirit was looking at like he would burn the world for him gave enough confidence boast for a flirty attempt.  

“You are such a tease,” Shigaraki says, instead letting a genuine smile actually grace his own face, taking a hand and running the back of it gently across the spirit’s cheek causing Mahito to keen.

“Shiggy…” Mahito purrs but was cut off by Twice, who didn’t spare them a glance, running through the door toward the hall leading to the ‘living room’ area.

“They are here!”

At the shout, Mahito borrows his face into Shigaraki’s neck shyly, while the decay villain instinctively squeezes the spirit’s waist not wanting to let go.

“Their timing is terrible,” Mahito huffs out when they reluctantly parted.

They share one more smile before making their way to the chaos of the other room.

Chapter Text

How strange

He thought, while staring at his bloody hand in the dim, flickering light of the basement.

He weaved his soaked hand above like a dance, mesmerized as the blood drip… drip… drip… onto his face like rain drops from a leaf, dropping the blood onto his face, leaving residue patterns from falling onto the same spot. Some of the blood even dripped together to roll down his face to drip down to the floor beneath his prone figure.

How strange, he thought again, I can’t feel a thing.

His body had lost feeling, and he wouldn’t even pretend he could force it to move save his arm that held his blood hand above him. The fall probably broke his back and other bones, sending him into shock… But he had a feeling it wasn’t the broken bones that truly had him shaken.

No. it was the gaping hole in his stomach that had him mentally checking out. Leave it to him to be dramatic, and spiral right before his… Could he say it? Well, Death.

Drip… Drip… that was it, the last drop. The rest of the blood was starting to congeal on his hand, he could feel the liquid harden. Starting to shift from the young, bright red of fresh blood, to the rustic red of old blood right in front of his eyes.

The bright red had been such a pretty shade, almost close to the shade of Kirishima’s bright red hair.

Kirishima… His best bro… The guy he has spent many of a night with, mourning the losses of their best friends, and worrying about Bakugo, sharing the melancholy they’ve felt ever since this all started, and only trusted each other to express it.

But, it was just the other day they finally got to share a good laugh, first genuine one in ages felt like, due to the sorcerers even if it was at Kirishima’s expense losing to Maki. It had been nice to laugh again, not always crying and trying to hide the despair from others. These creatures had uprooted their whole lives, leaving them with nothing, but darkness and hopelessness till the sorcerers came and brought hope with them.

Hope… Nah, hope’s a fickle thing.

It was so easy to have hope one moment and lose it the next. What was hard was having hope, and never letting it go. So, in what he knew was his final moments, Denki Kaminari chose to hope and believe in it. He knew he couldn’t hope for himself, but he could hope for others. He could hope that everything would work out and the others would find a way to stop All For One and Geto from taking over this dimension. He could hope Kirishima would live to see the brightness of the world again back. He could hope Bakugo would make it through this and make it back to Kirishima. He could hope those two could get their heads out of their asses and see what they mean to each other. He could send all his hopes out and hope at least one would stick. He will hold on to these, and won’t loosen his grip, but clasp harder, until he can’t feel anymore.

That would be the last act of Denki. He would be a hopeful man.

As he hoped, he could feel his life force draining and his power that was always present waning. He wondered, man, was this how Mina and Sero felt in their last moments?

Probably not. They had died in a blaze of fire that was probably so intense and agony that they had no time to just slowly slip into oblivion. Every time he felt his heart pump slower, his eyes got heavier and he could feel sleep calling him.

Was that Mina’s voice telling him it was okay to sleep?

Was that Sero’s voice calling him to join them?

Probably not, just his brain trying to comfort him in his last moment, and he would allow it. What better way to die with loves ones calling your name into their own embrace.

With his vision getting more and more blurry, Denki moves his head slightly to look at the curse-infused Nomus that surrounded him in this glass-like cage. The group wasn’t advancing on him, probably sensing he wasn’t long for this plane of existence, or the more likely answer was they wanted him to suffer.  

A group of them had been sent out to rescue Bakugo and apprehend Suguru Geto. The others would be dealt with later.  It was a stealth mission and Denki had been chosen due to his electric power that could be used to kill lights, or take down big groups. What they hadn’t been prepared for going into the hideout was the villains and cursed spirits that were there, nor that the floor of the hideout giving out within minutes of them being there.

On the way down into the cage, one of the Nomus had made it to the flood before him, stabbing him through like a kabob with its sword arm, to shake him off like a ragdoll onto the floor. It had taken some time for him to even register he was even bleeding.

Now choosing to ignore the Nomus, Denki’s line of sight went to a gap between some of the Nomus to the cage besides his. In it, Bakugo was screaming, “Denki!” beating uselessly against the walls of his own cage that must be quirk and cursed energy proof.

The blonde’s cage didn’t have Nomus in it just one of the special grade spirits, maybe, he wasn’t really sure what the guy was. All Denki knew was the guy was deathly pale with his hair in tufted in what Mina told him once was called “space buns”, and he had to be alright, despite whatever he was because he put his life on the line trying to save Bakugo from Geto, who was using Bakugo as a human shield in an attempt to save his own skin from the fucked-up mess that was the rescue mission.

Fuckkk the mission…It had turned into a shit show.

What he would have given for Nanami to have been there. It had went south fast and really need more of negotiation than strength or sneaky. He had seen Nanami take strategy, even talking someone as hard headed as Endeavor into a few things, so his abilities were off the charts. But Nanami couldn’t be spared at the wall. He couldn’t come with how many high-level grade curses started attacking the walls. Looking back, it was probably on purpose to keep them there, or maybe not. With the look that had been on Geto’s face at their away team, he has a suspicion that All for One might have fucked him over, just like they got fucked over.

Turns out, the information on how many villains guarding Bakugo was way off, and he was sure Muta would be furious when he finds out that he and Hatsume were tricked. If Denki had to guess, All for One had one of his lackies to feed them misinformation, which in turn made them believe a small rescue mission would be okay. What they didn’t account for was Geto and more of the other special grades to be there. He shuttered the most, thinking about the pure sadistic smile that crossed Mahito’s face when he attacked Todo.

Slowly swiveling his head and limply letting it knock onto the concrete flooring, Denki sees the cage of the other side of him where Todo is fighting off Mahito and Shigaraki, while keeping Jirou safe. He could see her flustered face due to not being able use her quirk or it would hurt Todo too. She was focused on Todo speaking words of encouragement as he kept the two at bay. The big guy was cradling his own bloody torn arm. His tendons were severed at his forearm where Mahito had cut it with his blade hand, but the curse spirit hung around in Todo’s space too long after. The sorcerer reaches out with a glowing fist impacting onto Mahito chest cavity, sending him flying back. This movement caused a more wary Shigaraki to turn going after Mahito’s sprawling figure.

Groggily Mahito got up on his knees, shaking his head to clear it, looking more disoriented than the usual maniac. Shigaraki kneels besides him, whose face was covered by that weird ass hand, but Denki could tell he was angry due to the tension of the villain’s body while he wipes away the blood on Mahito’s mouth with his sleeve.

Wait… did he just cup the spirit’s cheek… WHAT THE HELL?  

With a nod from Mahito, Shigaraki stands again to his full height and scratched his neck aggressively. Mahito then joins him, grabbing Shigaraki’s hand to stop his scratching, whispering into his ear as the villain starts to relax slightly.

Is he comforting him? Ewww are they together?

Denki shuts his eyes pushing the image out of his head. He feels bad for Todo and Jirou, but he doesn’t want his last dying thoughts to be of Shigaraki and Mahito being a couple.

Moving his body that is screaming in agony from sharp pains running up and down his body, Denki manages with a lot of effort to roll onto his stomach where he can see the cage infront him. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought the Nomus want to taunt him because they parted so he could see Aizawa and Mei Mei fighting back-to-back against five Nomus much bigger than the ones in his cage.

The pair made a good team. Mei Mei was terrifying as she wielded the large axe. Her long hair was down swishing purposely covering her face covering her next moves She was slicing down a Nomu with three powerful precise hacks, probably susceptible due to being part cursed energy. Her hair swayed away from her face for him to see that anxiety was etched across her usually calm face. His attention was taken away quickly as Denki watched Aizawa take down the second to last Nomu, killing it.

Internally cheering his teacher on, Denki didn’t notice where the last Nomu was till Aizawa quickly shoves any unknowing Mei Mei out of the way as the Nomu was coming toward her back. Instead of its spiky fist colliding with the back of socerer’s head, it was Aizawa’s eyes taking the full force of the attack straight to his goggle covered eyes.

The cage muffle sound so one would have to yell to be heard, or be Bakugo, but it was like Denki could hear the gross crunch of a broken goggles and nose as the spikes met his teacher’s eyes. Aizawa automatically hit his knees with no fight, hands going straight for the bloody mess where his eyes should be. The hero made no sounds. He didn’t cry nor scream as his shaking hands started to prod at the bloody gore of eye-goo and broken goggle embedded into his face. Denki could muster a scream for his teacher but his heart pained more as he felt hot tear falling down his bloody face as he watched the scene.

Mei Mei had stumbled at the push but quickly recovered till too late to stop the mutilation of Aizawa’s eyes. Her rage twisted into the features of her beautiful face as she yelled, catching the Nomu’s attention. She threw her axe with extreme force, lodging it into a stunned Nomu’s chest. This caused the Nomu to screech while liquid burst out of its chest. Not giving it a second to recover, Mei Mei used the axe for leverage scaling the Nomu while pulling a blade from her leg sheeth. She stood on its shoulders coming down with all her weight into its’ exposed brain. Then the sorcerer progressed to pulling out the knife slicing and punching its face.

The Nomu’s arms were too long to reach up for her properly, but getting a few swipes here and there, but not enough to knock her off.  Mei Mei then took the blade in both hands bringing it down with brutal accuracy down on its head with a mighty scream, holding on till the Nomu hit the floor. This action causing her skid across floor a little way away onto her side. On her way down her leg caught the spiky arm causing a nasty ripping wound down the side of her leg.

Not even giving herself a second, Mei Mei dragged herself toward Aizawa who was calling out to her with pain and uncertainty in his voice. The man was going into shock but trying to fight it long enough to know if she was okay.

Denki watches as Mei Mei pries Aizawa’s hands off his face to assess the damage. What she saw made her own face twist from set anger to total shock and horror, something to his knowledge of her, rarely ever happens. Their voices got too low for him to hear. The next thing he knew though, Mei Mei wraps her arms around Aizawa pulling him into her and starting to pet his hair. Her face falling back into her usual mask, trying to keep calm so he would stay calm.

Denki knew this time, Aizawa lost his eyes forever…

Then his mind went to the last two in their party with a lot of effort, barely having the energy or force to move, he turned ruggedly to his to see the cage now behind him that housed Maki and Miwa who seemed to be fairing the best out of all of them against the enemy.

The pair had been luck landing in a cage with a couple of low-grade cursed spirits that they took down quickly. Their blades slicing through the air as they yelled spirit positions at each other, while constantly moving to make harder targets.

Beside the girl sorcerer’s cage and across from Denki’s own cage, Toga looked truly annoyed, banging her head against the cage wall. Spinner leaned against one of the other walls of the cage watching the two girl sorcerers take down spirits. They had no Nomus or spirits with them, just a very pissed off Geto at the center of the cage sitting on the ground legs-crossed in jeans and a sweater staring into space. The last thing that guy probably thought was he would be also a prisoner in one of these cages.

A sharp numbing pain hit Denki again making him wince hard and lose interest in the other cages around him. The adrenaline was starting to run out and his heart slowing down even more. He couldn’t help the bitter feelings that started to well inside him.

Denki felt bitter that he only lived such short years to end up dead from blood loss in a basement surrounded by Nomus… It fucking sucked, but that is how it goes for heroes right? They usually don’t end up with the poetic deaths like in the movies, just miserable reality-filled ones that were sad and lonely.

He could hear Bakugo still pounding on the wall. That guy didn’t know the meaning of giving up, and one would think by now he would have stopped screaming. Knowing Bakugo though, he would find a way to blame Denki’s death on himself.

Denki wish he wouldn’t, but in the hot heads typical fashion he would make it about how he failed as a hero and should punish himself. Yeah, maybe he didn’t know Bakugo for long, but he was pretty good at reading people. Denki wasn’t as dumb as people made him out to be. Another hope to add to his list that Bakugo wouldn’t blame himself.

 This was just shitty luck.

With a lot of effort and his body protesting as it started to shut down more, Denki rolled back over onto his back to face Bakugo’s cage, the dried blood on his face peeling from all the moving, and his shift in position causing him to cough up some. his breathing was starting to slow down and he could feel his soul slipping, but he knew he had to hold on just a little longer.

The Nomus had totally lost interest in him and dispersed to the point where him and Bakugo had a clear sight of each other. Even in the low light of this crappy basement Denki could see tears forming in Bakugo’s eyes. He had finally stopped screaming when Denki looked at him, but the blonde didn’t stop banging. He went as far as trying to blow the wall with controlled blasted from his quirk when he saw how vacate Denki’s eyes were getting.

Bakugo had turned around and said something to the maybe spirit who then attempted something Denki could only call Blood Bending, which was no help either. Then the tears flowed freely from Bakugo’s eyes, no way.

… Damn the dude was an ugly crier.

This thought made a laugh escape Denki’s throat. Bakugo through his tears looked at him confused when he heard him laugh.

Swallowing to some of his remaining saliva to wet his throat, Denki croaked out as loud as he could for Bakugo to hear.

“You are an ugly crier, Bakugo!”

“What the hell, dumbass!” Bakugo called back with no bite clearly trying to cover his voice from cracking.

“Thought you should know before I peace out of here,” Denki says back, trying to remain up- beat. The clock was ticking.

Literally growling at his words, Bakugo yelled, “DON’T FUCKING DIE ON ME DUNCEFACE!” The anger filling his voice was clear, but Denki knew it wasn’t real anger, just Bakugo’s way of showing he cared.

“You aren’t the boss of me!” Denki yelled back, trying to sound playful even though he was starting to panic as he slipped just a little more into oblivion.

Bakugo rolled his eyes, the tears still flowing.

“You are going to be okay. Someone will come help.”

Bakugo’s attempt at comfort was useless because Denki knew the truth there’s no stopping it.

Instead, he chose to look up at the ceiling smiling.

Denki Kaminari needed to make these words count because they will be his last.

No matter how scared he was and wasn’t ready to go, he knew he had to accept it and make this count.

“Bakugo, I’m not gonna make it either way, so be good to Kirishima for me. All he has left is you. The guy for some crazy reason actually likes your grump ass, and I will haunt you if you don’t,” Denki ignored Bakugo’s loud protests and kept going, “Maybe one day we will all be together again.”

And with his remaining strength with Bakugo yelling as background noise, Denki Kaminari used his last moments to fry the Nomus in his cage to hell. He wouldn’t even feel the after effects because he went peaceful with electricity, and his friends on his mind.

----

Bakugo watched his friend’s death sliding down the side of his cage, resigning to dry up his tears and screamed only internally. He was seated on his butt, knees to his chest, not being able to take his eyes off Denki’s lifeless body that now was staring at him. The liveliness that once played in his eyes was gone, and his smile was gone. The blonde felt a hand rest on his shoulder and squeeze. He finally looked away from Denki to look up at Choso, who was giving him a sympathetic look before the cursed painting broke the eye contact to stare daggers at Geto in the other cage.

Bakugo’s own dead eyes drift back straight forward, seeing Jirou in the distance crying herself in a ball with Todo standing tall, arm covered in brownish and bright blood and bruises littering his body, trying not to sway while standing guard over her. Shigaraki and Mahito had retreated to the other end of the cage deciding it wasn’t worth killing the other two if they couldn’t get out themselves. They still choose to have a stand-off with Todo from their spot with an annoyed Mahito’s arm slung around a jittery Shigaraki.

Bakugo’s eyes glanced at Maki and Miwa who had killed all the curses in their cage and now looked to be in conversation in either about what happened or how to get out with sad looks on their faces as their eyes flash to every cage. The pair had caught Bakugo’s line of sight and shot him their own versions of sympathy looks.

Then he saw the scene that made his stomach flip. Mei Mei had ripped some of her cleaner cloth from her uniform trying to mop the caked blood best she could off Aizawa’s face. His eyes! He couldn’t see well due to the distance, but it just seemed where his eyes should be a gooey bloody mess. Aizawa showed no emotion, just still as Mei Mei worked. It was clear their sensei was too out of it to realize about Denki yet and Mei Mei, trying to keep their situation under control the best she could hadn’t told him.

In his inner thoughts were his true self esteem lies, where no one else could hear all that echoed was,

Denki is dead because of me…

Aizawa lost his eyes because of me…

All these people I don’t know could have died because of me…

I’m worthless…