Chapter 333 - 14-

Chapter 14: Note To Self: One Step At A Time

Over the next few days, the boy barely left his room. The spirit tried to coax him out for more than just food and school, but he was practically unsuccessful. Despite any kinds of motivation from Gami, he still felt mostly uncomfortable in the new environment.

Yamada did his best to interact with his student as much as possible. Whether it was sparking a conversation at dinner, or just calling jokes through the closed door, he made it happen. But even his natural cheeriness just wasn't enough to make Midoriya feel comfortable in the home and Yamada knew that. The teacher wasn't ready to give up, but could feel himself grow more and more unmotivated after each attempt.

Aizawa felt largely indifferent despite also noticing the tension in the house. He just wasn't used to being overly emotional or caring, and when he was, it was only towards his husband. He did promise the blond that he would try harder when it came to making the teen feel at home, but promising and actually doing are two different things.

Said hero was currently sitting on the couch, flipping through Midoriya's notebook. He had gotten home earlier than Yamada and the boy was hiding away in the guest room. He had been looking through the book throughout the days after he had received it, and couldn't deny he was impressed. The notes inside were very thorough, and the actual analysis was astonishingly advanced. He found the pages dedicated to himself and wished he hadn't shut the teen down at dinner all those days ago.

The front door swung open suddenly, a long creak resonating in the air. Eraserhead turned sharply, but his eyes only met his partner's. He loosened and let his shoulders relax, going back to flipping through the notebook.

"Hey Zashi," he greeted, "Hopefully whatever made you stay late wasn't too bad."

"No, it was just some paperwork I needed to catch up on," the blond replied, "You know, with the whole new school year and everythi-"

The hero then noticed his tired husband wasn't paying much attention to his ramblings, so he took a few steps closer to analyze him. He was almost fully engrossed in a thin notebook in his hand, and he quickly realized it was the one Midoriya had left for him on the table that first night.

"Hey isn't that the little listener's notebook?" he asked rhetorically, "You're finally reading it, huh? What do you think?"

Aizawa turned to face him with a bit of unusual enthusiasm, then flashing the open page he was on. The page had a quickly sketched drawing of Eraserhead, along with some arrows pointing to his hero costume. There were notes all around the drawing as well as on the next page, mostly short scribbles and scrawlings.

"The notes in this book are on the level of professional quirk analysts," he said with unnatural pride, "Not only are there in depth explanations of how exactly the quirk functions, but ways to counter it as well. There's ideas for support gear and fighting styles for heroes."

Present Mic lit up, almost as if it were his notes Aizawa was gushing over, "I told you it was worth taking a look at!! The little listener just makes me wanna go YEAH!!"

"Here, listen to this," the rugged man pointed a finger to one of the word blobs next to the drawing of him, "Erasure has an blatant weakness to mutant type quirks and while Eraserhead's capture weapon and fighting style are effective ways to combat this disadvantage, he still is largely capable of being overpowered-"

"Jeez, the little listener writes like he's in college," Yamada interrupted to joke.

The tired teacher shot him an annoyed glance and the blond chuckled, but subsequently sealed his lips. Aizawa rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but snort at his husband's antics. He checked to make sure he was pointing to the right part and then flipped the book back in the English teacher's direction.

The pro decided now was a good time to continue, "Erasure naturally evens out the playing field between the user and the opposer, so creating support gear that mimics that against mutant quirk users would be ideal. An additional weapon like a high voltage taser or a tranquilizer gun might work and though that would still leave a disadvantage against mutant quirks with tough skin, it would be effective against most other mutant quirks."

"You got support advice too?" his partner remarked, "The little listener said I should get some sound grenades and I'm honestly interested in seeing if my support team can whip up something like he was talking about."

"Sound grenades, huh?" Aizawa repeated, "An electric weapon actually doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"I knew you would like it!!"

Eraserhead knew exactly what the announcer was looking for, and as much as his pride didn't want to admit it, he knew he wasn't going to be able to skirt around it.

"You were right…"

He watched his rowdy partner pump his fist in cheer, hissing out a short "YEAH!!" before returning to his mostly calm, normal self. Finally taking off his jacket, Yamada moved away from the door and kicked off his shoes. He knocked a hand into Aizawa's hair playfully and the tired man shifted so he could plop himself down next to him.

"Any updates on the little listener?" Present Mic quickly changed the subject.

The ragged man sighed, "No. The kid's just been hiding away in his room since we got back."

Yamada's shoulders slumped and he sighed heavily, "I just wish there was more we could do. He still seems so uncomfortable here even after all these days…"

Aizawa just sighed again, his words escaping him. He laid the notebook down on his leg and stared at the hallway. He couldn't really understand what the boy was going through. The teen had been taken away from all he'd ever known, whether he believed it was a safe place or not. It wasn't something he could just fix in a matter of days. He wasn't sure how long it would take for him to get comfortable staying here, but he was sure his crummy attitude at the start definitely didn't help.

A slight buzzing from underneath him startled him out of any more depressing thoughts. Moving his hand down, he pulled his phone out of his back pocket. There was only one notification on the lock screen and so he opened it up to see the details.

The blond man noticed the lack of attention towards him, "What is it Sho?"

Said man flashed his phone screen at Yamada, "It's the vet."

Present Mic turned frantic, "Are the cats okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, the cats are fine," he reassured, "We need to pick them up."

A relieved sigh left the English teacher, "You should have worded that better. I assumed the worst."

"My bad."

Aizawa lifted himself off the couch, straightening out his wrinkled pants. He slipped his phone back in his pocket before sliding on a pair of general black shoes. He yawned and stretched out his arms, before returning to normal.

"Are you going to go pick them up now?" Yamada asked.

The tired teacher gestured to his pair of outside shoes sarcastically, "Yeah. Are you coming with me?"

"Sure, sounds lik-" he stopped suddenly, his train of thought hopping onto a different set of tracks. They couldn't just leave Midoriya behind. I mean, they physically could, but it wouldn't be right. Just ignoring the fact he was living among them would only further the uncomfortableness in the home.

Besides, taking Midoriya with them would be a great way to bond, not only with them, but with the cats as well. The cats had been at the vet since a few days before Midoriya had come into their household because of a FLUTD situation. Somehow, all of their cats had contracted feline lower urinary tract disease and needed serious medical treatment. The teen hadn't gotten a chance to meet their furry companions, and this would be a perfect opportunity.

"Wait," Yamada cut himself off, "Why don't we bring the little listener with us? He hasn't met the cats yet. This would be perfect!"

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," he shrugged, "But you'll have to convince him."

The blond scoffed, "You underestimate me, Sho!"

But he didn't have time to hear his partner's huff, because he was already walking towards the guest room door. He didn't have any shoes on, but his footsteps were still loud enough to resonate throughout the hallway. He approached the door and immediately heard shuffling coming from behind it. It was fair to assume he had heard him coming.

He rapped his knuckles against the hardwood gently, careful not to be too startling, "Hey little listener. How are you doing in there?"

There was more shuffling, but not for too long, "I'm fine."

Yamada frowned at the blunt answer, but didn't let it get to his head, "Well, Sho and I were going to run some errands and we were wondering if you'd want to come with us?"

Of course, no answer came right away, and his ears were met with only the sound of more shuffling. There were some slight mumbles, but the blond just assumed he was talking to Gami.

His husband had explained Midoriya's situation late that first night. He was skeptical at first, I mean, who wouldn't be? A kid who's powers didn't come from a quirk? And from a ghost no less? It was a lot to take in, but the more time he spent around the boy, the more he realized how much time he liked to spend alone. And when he heard the slight whispers and conversations that came from behind that door, he started to believe his husband's explanation more and more. He had never gotten personally introduced to the ghost, but he hoped he would soon.

A call came from the other side, bringing him out of his thoughts, "I'll go… i-if that's still alright?"

If he was being honest, Yamada wasn't really expecting the kid to agree, much less agree so quickly, but he wasn't complaining. He smiled to himself, pride bubbling in his chest. "Sounds great. We'll be waiting by the front door!"

He moved away from the door to give the kid some space. He didn't want to scare him by waiting right by his door for him to come out. As Present Mic approached the front door again, he sent a smirk right to Aizawa. He was sure his partner had heard the entire thing.

The hero rolled his eyes, "Fine, fine. You don't have to rub it in."

The blond laughed, "He'll be out in a few minutes."

He let his chuckling run its course before quieting down. He turned to stare longingly at his husband, growing into a wide smile. This was perfect, just the two of them. It was how it always was, and how the two of them had grown to love. Yamada had always wanted to adopt a kid, but he knew that didn't really fit into his partner's idea of a relationship. So he was content with just living like they always had. Just the two of them, now and forever.

Then, the guest room door creaked open, and the two remained two for no longer.

Aizawa drove down a busy street, his hands clenched on the steering wheel. Yamada was sitting next to him in the passenger seat, cracking jokes and quips. The two chatted like they always did, with the blond doing most of the talking and Eraserhead piping in every here and there. The car atmosphere felt so typical for the two of them and the muffled sounds from the street eased in like background noise.

So it was easy for the two to forget that Midoriya was with them in the back seat.

The teen just sat quietly, hoping not to draw the heroes' attention back on him. When he had left the guest room, their piercing stares shot right through his soul. He immediately regretted his decision to leave the safety of his solitude, but there was no way he could just change his mind now. So here he was, hiding away in the back of the car.

Gami was the one who had convinced him to go in the first place. He really didn't want to, but the ghost was desperate for him to open up. His mentor had done so much for him throughout his life, so he almost felt obligated to make him proud. He just kept telling himself that this was for Gami.

Currently, the spirit wasn't even in the car. He had tried to sit down in one of the seats, but his form proved detrimental. The boy wasn't sure what to do when the car started and his companion wasn't in it, but Gami just improvised.

He could only imagine what someone would think if they could actually see the ghost chasing after the car beside them.

His gaze was solely focused on the window beside him, and he watched Gami push to keep up with the car. The car wasn't traveling that fast, maybe about 20 mph, but that was an obnoxiously fast speed to fly at. Well, it was more floating than flying.

The car took a left turn and pulled up next to a decently sized building. Midoriya watched as Gami stopped at the entrance and moved towards his car door. The boy unbuckled himself, but waited for Aizawa and Yamada to open their doors before opening his. He looked up at his ghostly companion, and despite not being able to see his face, he was sure he was panting. He shot a joking stare at him, and the spirit just huffed and turned away. Together, they walked into the building behind the two heroes.

"Contrary to what you may believe, I am not fatigued."

"Whatever lets you sleep at night," he quipped back.

"Considering I do not sleep, your statement is invalid."

MIdoriya smacked his forehead at his mentor's idea of a joke, but he couldn't help but give a small chuckle under his breath. He loved that Gami always tried to contribute, even if it was towards something he didn't understand completely, like how to properly joke. Even if he didn't do it exactly right, the attempts always made him cheer up.

Now paying attention to their surroundings, the inside of the building was surprisingly clean. The duo figured they were in some sort of reception area, considering the large front desk and the seating area. No one was in any of the seats though, so he still wasn't sure where exactly he was.

Yamada sat himself down in one of the chairs, but Aizawa stood up by the front desk. The teen looked between the two individuals, unsure where to move himself. He could sit by Yamada, but would Aizawa yell at him for sitting and being lazy? He could stand instead, but then Aizawa might get annoyed with him. But he also couldn't just stand in the middle of the floor like he was now. Picking at his gloves nervously, he could feel his fingers twitch.

"Little listener," a familiar voice called out, "come sit over here."

That was a direct command. That was something he knew. He could do that. So he listened, walking over to his English teacher and sitting in the chair next to him. He was unnerved by the close proximity, but this was an order. And he knew how to follow an order. Pulling his hands to his lap, he fiddled with his fingers in an attempt to take his mind off of everything plaguing it.

Gami moved over to stand next to him, but didn't even try to sit down. Both of them knew there was really no chance of him being successful. Besides, it was much easier to stand.

"I wonder where we are?"

Midoriya was wondering the same thing, but didn't respond as Yamada was right next to him. He didn't know if the blond hero was aware of his secret, but he wasn't going to give it away. But the specter had a point. Supposedly, the two heroes were going out to run errands, and if the boy were to believe his presence didn't change that, he wondered what kind of business they needed done here.

All parties watched as Aizawa talked with the female receptionist. She seemed put off by his ragged appearance, but nonetheless gave him the information he wanted. He assumed the man was done, as he made his way back to where all were sitting.

"She said Dr. Chisabe should be out to get us in a bit," he repeated to his husband.

"Oh ok," Yamada replied.

Midoriya didn't say anything, but that didn't keep his mind from wandering. Who was Dr. Chisabe? He was a doctor, but what kind of medicine did he practice? Aizawa had said "us" so that must mean everyone was coming along, but then who needed to see a doctor? Was it him? Was that the reason Present Mic wanted him to come along? His hands suddenly grew clammy form under his gloves and his throat dry. Was this all just a ploy to get him in front of a doctor?

Gami seemed to notice his successor's panic, even though the other heroes didn't. He floated forward and rested his hands on the boy's head, playing with his hair.

"Whatever it is, just take a breath and clear your head," the ghost tried to reassure without outright saying he was overreacting. His successor did this a lot, over analyzing the situation and hyping it up to more than it probably was. Albeit, there were some times where the boy was right, and it ended up being exactly what he was thinking or at least similar to. But he often stressed himself out, and Gami did his best to try and ease that.

Midoriya took his mentor's advice, and also took a deep breath into his lungs. Maybe he was overthinking this. Still, lowering his guard would be a foolish idea. He played around with the fabric of his gloves. Maybe just taking his mind off everything would suffice. That was easier said than done, but he would try.

Rhythmically, he matched the picking of his gloves with his heartbeat. The tempo echoed around in his head, effectively separating the paranoia from his head. It was almost soothing in a way, but if he thought about it more than that, he knew his paranoia would find a new way to seep into his mind. Sometimes, the boy wondered what life would feel like without his gloves. How did freedom truly feel? He couldn't really say he'd felt freedom, not when restrained by his job and all his responsibilities and these damn gloves. These gloves were the bane of his miserable existence, just a reminder of how he could never have the luxuries of a normal kid his age. Nurturing parents, childhood friends, a loving household, he could have none of that. Sometimes, he thought his role as Death was purposely trying to make him suffer so it could feed off his misery.

No. Enough of that. He had lost the tempo. It was obnoxiously offbeat from his heart. He just needed to breathe and clear his head. Drain it, even if only for a minute. Match his heartbeat once more. Plucking the fabric again, he got back into the rhythm of things, this time, his head felt empty. It was nice, peaceful. If only every moment was like this…

There was a call of his name, then again, and then once more. It snapped him out of his momentary tranquility and his hands ceased movement. He looked up to meet the sound.

"Sorry to startle you like that, little listener," Yamada spoke softly, "But Dr. Chisabe is here. We have to go to the back now."

Midoriya didn't respond, his mouth oddly dry, but that was a command. So he stood up and followed the blond hero. He didn't see Aizawa in front of them, so he assumed the underground hero had already left without them. Though, he did wonder why exactly the heroes were at a doctor's office.

Together, the two, plus a ghost, arrived at a private back office. Well, it wasn't really an office, more like a check up room like the ones for pediatrics. Aizawa was already seated in one of the seats, but there was no sign of the so-called Dr. Chisabe. Yamada paused upon entering the room, so the teen cautiously peeked out from behind him to figure out why.

At first, he could see no reason for the teacher's stop, but when his eyes focused on Aizawa, his brain kicked into high gear. There was only one open seat left. He wasn't sure why the hero would contemplate giving it to him, but he would straighten things out.

"You can have the chair, Mic-sensei," he confirmed, "I can stand."

He didn't wait for a response, moving towards the bright window to stand there instead. Yamada seemed to want to stutter, but sighed instead and moved to sit in the empty chair. Aizawa flashed him a slight look, but nothing more. Midoriya watched as Gami followed them inside the room and stood next to him by the window. The blinds were open, letting light flood the room. He could feel the warm sunshine touch his back.

The door then swung open and in walked a tall man with decently long brown hair. He wore a set of blue clothing. He looked more like a registered nurse than a doctor, but he of all people knew not to judge a book by its cover.

"Ah, Aizawa-san, Yamada-san," he greeted, "and a new face? I certainly haven't seen you before."

"Present Mic smiled, "This is Midoriya."

The doctor continued, "Nice to meet you, Midoriya-kun."

The boy shuffled nervously, "You as well, Chisabe-san."

He did his best to be respectful. That was the best way to avoid conflict with adults.

The doctor just laughed heartily, "Anyways, I'm sure you know from my email, but your cats have all recovered from FLUTD. I was most concerned about your youngest one, but even he has made a full recovery."

"What a relief," Yamada sighed.

"Indeed, let me go get them now."

The doctor left as quickly as he came, leaving the door open this time. Midoriya shifted back towards the window. Cats. Dr. Chisabe was a veterinarian. There was a feeling of relief at realizing he was only overreacting moments ago, but a new taste of fear replaced that quickly. He couldn't be around animals, he was just too dangerous. His gloves felt slick against his skin, sticky with sweat, but he didn't even notice, too focused on the deadly power tingling at his fingertips.

The brunet returned, this time holding two cat carriers in his hands. He placed them on the examination table in the corner of the room. Both Aizawa and Yamada jumped up as Chisabe opened up their doors, while the reserved teen took a fearful step back.

The doctor reached inside and pulled out a calm, orange tabby with slight white accents. The cat barely squirmed in his hands, but relaxed even more upon being placed into Aizawa's arms. Chisabe took a glance at the lab on the carrier.

"Juice recovered the fastest, and though he's a bit chubby, he's nowhere near being overweight," he paused, "They eat dry food just fine, right?"

Eraserhead just nodded, stroking the cat in his arms.

"That's what I thought…" he sighed, pulling out the other cat in that one carrier. It was a beautiful mix of black and white, with defining markings almost like a tuxedo. The cat seemed to sway away the doctor's hand and strutted out himself. He stopped near the center of the table, but continued to stand proudly.

Then, Chisabe moved over to the second carrier, and though the door was open, he nudged it further. A little wearily, a pure white cat poked his head around the corner, scoping out his surroundings. Once it made eye contact with Aizawa and Yamada, he instantly calmed and walked out of the carrier himself. Not bothering to go much further, he plopped himself down on the table and curled up lazily.

The doctor didn't move though, and seemed to be waiting on something. He sighed, and reached into the carrier. Midoriya listened unwillingly as a small cry came from inside and watched the brunet pull out one terrified tiny kitten. Chisabe looked sadly down at the ball of fur in his hands.

"Has he been like this for a while?" he inquired.

The blond nodded drearily, "Links is paranoid of almost everything."

Chisabe hummed, "And how long have you two had him?"

"Well, we adopted him at about 3 weeks old, and he's about 6 weeks now…"

The doctor put the kitten down and immediately, he scurried back into the carrier.

"I think that's how this FLUTD outbreak started," he concluded, "Links's paranoid behavior is stressing the other cats out."

Aizawa sighed, still holding onto Juice, "So what do we do? Just keep Links separated from the others?"

"That's the best course of action right now," Chisabe explained, "but only until his behavior calms."

It was just then that Yamada remembered there was someone else in the room, and he turned over to Midoriya, "I totally forgot to tell you, little listener. We have cats."

The boy nodded dumbly. He didn't expect Aizawa to own cats, but even so, he did not want to be around them. Gami was no longer at his side. He had moved away towards the table to look at the four furballs.

The blond gestured towards the cat in Aizawa's arms, "This is Juice."

Then he moved over to the table and scratched the head of the tuxedo cat, "This is Octave."

Continuing with his introductions, he stroked the back of the white cat laying down, "This is Cumulus."

Finally he pointed a finger at the second carrier, "And the little kitten is Links."

Remembering his manners, Midoriya nodded shakily again, but made no move to come closer.

"Would you like to hold one?"

"NO!" the teen cut him off, backing further into the corner he was in and away from the table. Then suddenly he started up again, "I-I mean no thank you."

All three adults looked over at the boy weirdly. Gami rushed back over to his successor, standing next to him reassuringly. Chisabe coughed to clear his throat, hoping to ease the tension in the room.

"Well, other than that, you're all good to go," he started, "Let me just load these guys back inside."

Midoriya suddenly felt the uncomfortableness creep up his spine. He should have phrased that better, or at least been more respectful from the start. He watched the heroes help place their cats back in their two shared carriers and wished he had the means to help. He inwardly cursed out his gloves, wondering what fur felt like. Was it as soft as it was claimed? He wished he knew.

Following the heroes out of the room, he lagged behind nervously. The carriers in their hands were mostly quiet, with the exception of soft cries from one in particular. That was Links… right? The poor kitten was so scared of everything, and he wondered why. The cries tore at his heartstrings, and made him long for the ability and the confidence to hold and reassure him. Was that what he sounded like? Was that how he appeared to others, like a lost, scared kitten? At least he had Gami with him every day, but Links… he had no one. The other cats, though they were older, didn't seem like they knew how to deal with him.

The situation rang oddly familiar to his own, and though Midoriya never put the pieces together to see it that way, one particular ghost certainly did.

It was like clockwork, the trio exited the building and got back into the car. The teen didn't bother asking if he could help, too lost in thought to care. He squeezed himself right back into his seat as tight as he could towards the window. Yamada didn't go straight for the passenger seat, instead opting to travel around the car to the other side and open the back seat instead. The boy was afraid he was going to sit in the back with him, so when he didn't climb into the car, he was momentarily relieved.

When the hero began loading the carriers into the back though, he wasn't sure what was worse. He turned his head fully towards his window to stare at Gami, keeping his attention off the growing fear at the back of his mind. Picking at his gloves, he listened for his heartbeat, carefully matching his rhythms to it. He could do this. He just had to follow the tempo, one beat at a time.

One beat at a time.

Midoriya had spent the next few hours in the guest room, alone, like usual. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Yamada had placed the small kitten, Links, in the room with him to separate him from the other cats. And he couldn't just tell the hero not to. So he curled himself up in the corner with his notebook and his phone, as far away as he could from the creature.

Links seemed to only want solitude as well, as the cat had moved to the opposite corner of the room once he was placed on the ground. He hadn't strayed away from that spot either, which was fine for the teen. But that didn't mean he was going to move away from the only area that felt safe.

There seemed to be so much on his mind, and yet, he couldn't really tell in the foggy mess of his head. Too much had happened too quickly, and he couldn't even begin to process it all. It was a sickening type of overwhelm, one that left him drained and unable to even muster up the will to stand. He thought that feeling overwhelmed meant he should be bouncing off the walls, desperate to get out of this suffocating room, but he felt no desire to move at all. He just wanted to waste away, and hopefully sift through his muddy thoughts.

Out of everything: out of the vulnerability of admitting his past once more, out of the shock of being taken from everything he knew, out of the torment of reliving his lowest moments, none of that seemed to gain footing as the most prominent thought in his head. Out of everything that really mattered, at least, what Gami would agree that mattered, none of it was on his mind. It was there for sure, but that was the thing. It was just there. He wasn't actively thinking about any of it; it was just treading the murky waters of his mind like a capsized sailor.

Why, out of everything, could he only think about one specific set of red eyes?

Well, to really be specific, he couldn't take his mind away from the battle training exercise, even more specifically, the incident that had taken place towards the end of it. He dared not speak of it even in his thoughts, afraid that would be more than enough to will it into existence again. But that didn't stop him from replaying the events over and over and over again like a broken record player.

Uraraka had secured the weapon. They had won. It was over. It was supposed to be over.

"Deku…"

Bakugo stood by the entrance to the room, the only way out. He was practically smoking from his skin, red hot steam bubbling off his body. His eyes glittered with anger, such livid hatred he'd never seen before. Sure, Midoriya knew his very presence irked the blond to no end, but never in the countless years he'd known him had he ever seen such an expression. It was so unusual, even for Bakugo. Something about the sheer loathing that radiated from him in that moment was so uncharacteristic, so unnatural.

"You played me like a damn fool. I bet you think you're so smart, don't you?"

He remembered the pure fear that stammered through him as Bakugo raised his gauntlet at them. His heart rate was out of control, and he was so sure he was going to have a heart attack then. But, he also remembered the countless reassurances that he fed himself in the seconds before all hell broke loose. He remembered telling himself that Bakugo would never, ever, do something as stupid as that. There was no way in hell that the fiery teen would risk his placement at U.A. all over some petty rivalry, if it could even be called that. Yes, Bakugo was aggressive. Yes, Bakugo hated his guts to the ends of the Earth and back. But he was not an idiot. It didn't make any sense. Why would Bakugo shoot at them?

"I'll tell you what I think, you fucking runt! I think you should learn your place!!"

And then he went over. He pushed his friends out of harm's way, and he went over the edge instead. He fell, landed on his back, and wouldn't even be thinking about all this in hindsight if he wasn't immortal. Well… at least it was him. If it had been anyone else, well… he'd really rather not think about that.

But, did that erase the severity of the incident? He couldn't die, that was for sure, but did that excuse Bakugo's actions? No, of course it didn't. He still attacked after the training exercise was officially deemed over, and his actions still put all of them in danger, even if he was the only one injured from them. And of course, every hero watching would think the same. Though, by that standard, only All Might could be considered, but this would obviously go up to Principal Nezu. Midoriya was naive, but he wasn't a fool.

Bakugo's hero career was more than likely shot.

But, was it wrong for him to not want that? Something still felt off.

God, if Gami could hear his thoughts now, he'd drill into him that the blond deserved that. That Bakugo deserved to have his hero career ended before it could even begin. That Bakugo was too hotheaded and reckless and uncaring to fulfill a role as a hero. But he didn't really believe that. And it wasn't just childhood naivety thinking for him.

Every time he replayed the events over in his head, his gut was filled with such a sourness that his own lips nearly puckered. Something was so terribly wrong about it all, and he couldn't make sense of it. All this, his actions, his hatred, his disregard, it just wasn't Bakugo. And he wasn't perfect, certainly not by any means. Far from it. But, despite his numerous flaws, Midoriya just couldn't see a universe where he'd do what he did. And obviously he'd done that in this universe, but it felt so bizarre, so abnormal, like it was forced upon his very nature.

And he just couldn't wrap his head around it, which made sitting in silence, drowning in own suffocating thoughts, so much more painful.

He shifted his head to a new placement against the wall, half heartedly listening to the muffled speeches from the living room to try and pry himself away from the swirling mess of his head. He wasn't meaning to eavesdrop, as he had been in that exact spot before the conversations started, but he couldn't really help it. He couldn't make out specific words, but recognized Aizawa and Yamada's voices instantly. There was a third voice he didn't know at first, but figured it's nonchalant tone to be the principal's. The fourth voice though, he had no idea. All he could tell was that it was a young male's, maybe about mid to late 30s.

He had been observing the muffled noises for at least an hour now, tuning in and out, and wondered what it was all about. Gami had been phasing in and out of the room to check, but so far, the ghost hadn't spoken a word. And honestly, Midoriya wasn't sure whether he wanted to know the true nature of the conversation. His outlook on today was already down the toilet, so he was afraid whatever they were talking about couldn't be much better. Normally, Gami would stop him before his spiraling went too far, but the spirit's quietness only reassured his growing paranoia.

Then, there was sudden shuffling in the opposite corner of his room, and his head lurched in that direction. It was just the little kitten, now up and pacing back and forth, just barely leaving the corner. He expected Links to cry out like he had done earlier, but to his surprise, the cat was completely silent save for his footsteps. He wondered what Links was thinking about. What was stressing him out so much? There was nothing even in here that would have provoked him. Was it just in his head? Was it like the boy's own pressing thoughts that eventually consumed him?

Before he could spend any more time pondering the anxious cat in the corner, a knock came from the guest room door.

"Hey little listener," came Yamada's muffled voice, "We need you out here for some stuff."

They needed him? Who needed him? Who was "we"? Why was he needed? Was he going to be taken away and put somewhere else more fitting? Did they finally stop believing his bizarre story? What was going to happen to him?

A small meow came from the corner, snapping him out of his spiraling. Midoriya looked up to meet the wide eyes of the kitten staring right at him. He had stopped pacing and was now just merely staring him down, tail swishing back and forth. Links meowed again.

"Are you alright?" Gami broke the silence while helping his successor up.

"I'm fine," the teen replied, though he wasn't sure who exactly he was responding to.

Links gave out another cry, eyes still not breaking away from his form.

"Uh, little listener?" came from just beyond the door again.

"I-I'm sorry," he called back hoarsely, almost as if he'd been crying, which he had not, "I'll be right out."

He hoped he could make good on that promise as he heard Yamada's tread leave the area. He knew he had to, as it was a command. But he wasn't sure if he could will his legs to move far enough, the fear still plaguing his body. What was he even scared of at this point? Yamada? Aizawa? The new household? Being taken away? The kitten for goodness sake?

No, no, no. He wasn't going to start again. His hands moved almost instinctively towards each other, his fingers aching as if they were freezing. The boy pulled at the fabric again. The little trick he had discovered earlier really made him feel calm. He matched his heartbeat easily this time, since it was thumping in his ears. He really didn't want to leave the comfort of this room, even if he wasn't truly alone. He could deal with the company of Links if it meant he didn't have to face whoever was waiting for him out there. But he had to. He was told, so he had to.

He took a first step, the landing matching perfectly with his echoing heart.

Step. Beat.

Step. Beat.

Step. Beat.

Step. Beat.

Step. Beat.

Soon enough, Midoriya found himself at the door. He found himself turning the doorknob ever so slowly. That was fine. He knew as long as he took steps forward, no matter how slow or timid they were, he would make it through that door. He would make it down the hallway. He would face anything anyone out there threw at him. Besides, the boy knew he wasn't alone. With Gami simply walking beside him, the fears eating at his heart quelled.

He didn't even realize he was currently walking down the hallway into the living room. He was just walking with his heartbeat. And boy was it beating fast. Fast enough for his saunter to seem normal.

He only looked up once he was sure he was in the living room. He knew it was right where his feet switched from hardwood to carpet. Glancing up, he made sure to keep his head low enough so he wouldn't aggravate anyone. Eye contact was important, but so was reassuring the adult that they were in charge.

His guesses from earlier were correct as his submissive gaze focused on the two heroes and Nezu. But that fourth voice was someone he still didn't recognize. He was tall, with short black hair and a long overcoat. His similarly black eyes were almost inviting, but Midoriya knew better than to judge a book by its cover.

"Ah Midoriya!" the principal cried, "So good to see you again."

True.

The boy made a small wave, but kicked himself upon remembering that this was the principal he was speaking to, "H-hello sir."

The rodent laughed, "I told you that Nezu worked just fine."

True.

This time, however, he did not respond. The boy knew better than to address him by his name so openly. Nezu seemed to be waiting for him to correct himself, but he kept his vow of silence. Once the principal realized he wasn't going to get a reply, he moved on to his next point.

"I'm sure you are wondering," he chuckled on, like this was some sort of game, "This here is Detective Tsukauchi, from the police department."

True.

He was a detective? Why the hell was there a detective here? The teen started growing more fearful of why they needed him.

"My full name is Tsukauchi Naomasa," the man introduced himself, "It's a pleasure."

This was most certainly not a pleasure.

The detective reacted out for a handshake, and Midoriya's haphephobia and behavioral instincts fought each other violently. In the end, his fear won out and he took a small step back, signaling that he wasn't going to shake hands.

The newly introduced Tsukauchi narrowed his rectangular eyes, but didn't make anything more of it. Nezu stood up from the couch and walked towards the teen.

"Now I'm sure you're wondering what's going on," the principal continued, "I've been having Tsukauchi-san here look into your situation at home."

True.

Oh, so that's what this was about… He brought his arms up to his chest defensively, right where a big portion of the burn scar laid. He could feel his hands start to shake, but managed to keep his urge to just curl up and die inside him. Gami was still a few paces behind him, but made no move to come any closer.

The detective jumped in when Nezu paused, "She's in custody, Midoriya. She can't hurt you anymore."

What?

He was in shock. What was he supposed to do? He hugged himself like he was his own lifeline, dropping to his knees as his legs gave out on him. He could feel the broken sobs claw their way up his throat and out of his mouth, but he really didn't know why he was crying. Was he crying because he didn't have to go back to her, or because he couldn't go back to her anymore? He was just so lost… and so damn confused.

There was complete and utter silence in the living room other than the gut wrenching sobs coming from the prone boy. None of the adults moved a muscle as Midoriya's shoulders heaved up and down violently. Surprisingly, it was Tsukauchi who broke it first.

"She was good at avoiding us at first, but we managed to catch her drunk at a bar one night and took her into custody," he spoke carefully, choosing his words with precision, "Once she sobered up, we took her statement. Now, I just need yours."

The teen looked up shakily, his face entirely red and puffy from crying. He hadn't noticed his ghostly companion had moved up right behind him as he was sobbing. Midoriya's lip quivered, his mouth unable to form coherent words. He just focused his vulnerable consciousness on the spirit's rhythmic stroking of his hair.

"You don't have to write anything. All you have to do is talk and answer some questions. I'll record it," Tsukauchi explained, hoping it would somewhat ease him.

"I know this is a lot to take in," Nezu interrupted, "So we don't have to start right now. If you need time to collect yourself, that is alright."

True.

The boy turned to Gami, who was still behind him. He had undoubtedly known about what the adults wanted even before Yamada had gotten him from the guest room. So why didn't he say anything?

"Just do what is most comfortable for you," the ghost advised, "Do not rush into this if you do not want to."

This was just like with Todoroki, or when he was hospitalized in Recovery Girl's office. He had to just do it. If he waited or stalled, the fear would never let him muster up enough courage to try again.

"No, I can do this now," he replied, "I need to do this now."

True.

Tsukauchi turned to the principal in confusion and Nezu also frowned at the odd choice of words, but nonetheless clapped his paws together, "Well then, let us clear out of here so you and Tsukauchi-san can use this room to talk."

True.

Aizawa and Yamada got up off the couch and moved to stand in the hallway instead. On the way there, the blond stopped by Midoriya's fallen form.

"You need some help up, little listener?" he asked softly.

"N-no, I'm ok…"

False.

He felt a pair of cold hands wrap around his underarms and lift him up instead. Stumbling on his feet, he trudged his depressed self towards the now empty couch and threw himself onto it. Gami floated over to stand by the armrest.

Yamada turned back, "You know little listener, you can have someone sit with you during the statement. You don't have to do this alone."

True.

The teen had no problem answering that, "I'm not doing this alone. I've got Gami with me."

True.

"Well, I wouldn't advise talking to Gami during this, Midoriya," Nezu jumped in, "The recording will most likely be used in a trial and we're trying to keep that whole secret under wraps."

True.

He sighed. The principal did have a point. Sure, Gami could still talk to him during all this, since no one would hear him. But did he want someone to sit with him, and who? The boy didn't even register that the rodent had freely talked about his secret in front of Tsukauchi.

Nezu would definitely not baby him. He would treat him like the strong individual he was. But he didn't know the principal on any sort of personal basis and didn't want to show his vulnerability to someone he wasn't yet comfortable with.

Aizawa was someone he admired. He would feel confident in completing the statement if he had his favorite hero by his side. But Aizawa wasn't really known for his emotional sympathy and besides, asking the hero to stay with him would probably just annoy him.

Yamada had been nothing but nice to him since he had first arrived at the household. He was always gentle and thoughtful with his actions. And though he hadn't really gotten close to the blond hero, he felt some sort of inviting feeling when he was around him. Besides, it would be the most respectful choice since Yamada was the one who had initially brought it up.

"C-can you stay with me, Mic-sensei?" he finally asked, "I-if that's ok?"

The hero seemed surprised he was picked, but agreed and sat himself down on the couch as well, making sure to give the boy enough space.

Aizawa and Nezu continued over to the hallway and stood there, out of sight. Both were still close enough to hear any conversation that happened by the couch.

And so Tsukauchi hit record on his camera, and Midoriya started talking. There were times where the detective stopped to ask questions, but otherwise it was a steady stream of words coming from the teen. There were a few times where he broke down into tears, whether from stress or trauma was unknown. There were many times where he stuttered, or paused, needing a moment to collect himself before continuing. But he made it to the end, and was able to tell his entire story.

Tsukauchi had needed to record his injuries and scars after he had finished, and the teen was apprehensive at first, but when Gami talked him through it, he accepted. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing the numerous chunky scars from being impaled by liquor bottles. He made sure to separate the one circular scar on his left arm from the rest, explaining he had gotten that in an unrelated accident. Lifting his shirt to reveal the massive burn scar was the most challenging, but he knew he had to. He ended up having to take his shirt off completely so the detective could see the extent of the injury.

Yamada was in pure shock during the recording. He knew things with Midoriya weren't good, but he had no idea it was this bad. Aizawa had told him as much as he knew, albeit it wasn't much. But hearing it straight from the student was a whole other experience, one that ripped his heartstrings into shreds.

Tsukauchi eventually got all the information he needed for the statement, and turned off the video camera. Midoriya pulled his shirt back on quickly and the other two adults stepped back into the living room.

"Well, this brings us to my other course of action," Nezu cut right to the chase, "which is where Midoriya will be staying."

True.

The rodent gestured to the detective, motioning for him to speak. "I didn't want to say this before I took your statement, just to make sure it didn't interfere with your account. But your mother is in our custody permanently until the trial begins."

At the shocked expression now plastered on the teen's face, he clarified, "My quirk is called Lie Detector. It allows me to pick up on whether direct statements are true or false. There were numerous points in Inko Midoriya's statement where my quirk registered her as lying, enough that it would be safest for us and you that she remained in our custody."

His legs would have given out on him again if he were standing, but thankfully he was still sitting on the couch. Gami scooped him into a hug, whispering small reassurances. Everything he knew was suddenly ripped away from him. All his familiarity was now gone. He had lost his parents, his home, what next? And even if his parents weren't necessarily good people, they were all he ever knew. He just wanted to make his mother proud. Was that so much to ask?

"I think it's best to keep Midoriya here until further notice," Nezu's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, "If he were to enter the foster system, it might prove problematic to his studies here at U.A."

True.

The principal didn't mention that he also wanted to keep the boy as close to the school as possible.

Both Yamada and the student snapped towards Aizawa to witness his reaction. It was no secret that the rugged man wasn't fond of taking care of a kid, at least at first. Both wondered if his reaction would be any different from the beginning.

But to their surprise, Aizawa didn't huff or sigh. He didn't yell or get mad. He just shrugged his shoulders, letting his hair flop around on his head. "Alright, whatever you think."

False.

"Oh, wonderful!" Nezu cried, "Simply wonderful."

True.

Both people on the couch were stunned by Aizawa's nonchalant reactions, for very different reasons. But neither made a sound, allowing the principal to continue on with whatever else he wanted to say.

"One last thing before you go, Tsukauchi-san," the rodent began.

"Yes?" said detective hummed.

"I was wondering if Midoriya could tell his situation to you? You know which one I'm talking about, correct?"

That made the boy pipe up, forgetting his manners, "You told him?"

Nezu chuckled, "Why of course I did. This doesn't mean I don't believe you, but you can't blame me for wanting some solid confirmation."

True.

The teen faltered, "Is this going to be recorded?"

"It isn't," Tsukauchi spoke up, "It's just for securities sake."

He took a long gulp as Nezu gestured for him to begin. Sure it wasn't going to be recorded, but his mind still found paranoia to latch on to. Even though he knew his story was entirely true, Midoriya was still nervous about messing up, or doing something that would make his statements come off as false. It was a weak argument, but fear and paranoia made it grow exponentially.

But what was he to do other than talk. Not wanting to talk would only make him seem more guilty or suspicious. So mustering up all the remaining courage he had left, he let his secret escape his mouth.

"My powers aren't quirk related."

True.

Hearing nothing from any adult, he looked up for instructions. He caught Nezu just making another small motion with his paw and so he continued.

"I am the Grim Reaper."

False.

Gami gave his successor a hard glare.

Tsukauchi interrupted, "That was a lie."

Midoriya started to sweat, "W-well, I'm not technically the Grim Reaper. I-I'm more like an embodiment of Death, but I-I was afraid that wouldn't make s-sense if I phrased it like that."

True.

"That registered as true," the detective fixed, "You can continue."

He let out a sigh of relief, the stress fading from his shoulders as he detensed, "Gami was the previous Death, and I technically inherited my powers from him."

T… true

"Can you elaborate on that?" Tsukauchi asked.

The teen knew exactly what to say, as he had been skimping out on information in an attempt to make his claims easier to understand, "Well, each D-death has a set of powers they are given once t-they begin the job. Since G-Gami retired and I became the new Death, I-I got the powers he once had. I g-guess that's not really inheriting them…"

True.

"Alright, but can I ask a question?" the man inquired.

"S-sure sir."

"What do you do as Death? Do you go out and… take souls?"

"No, no!" the boy cried, resorting to his rambling, "I don't kill people. I… decide where their soul goes once they die. I'm not responsible for anyone's death unless I k-kill them myself… like a villain or something."

True.

"I'm assuming that's all you needed to know, Nezu-san?" Tsukauchi wanted to clarify.

"Indeed! How did it turn out, detective?" he chirped.

"Well, it's all true, whether you want to believe it or not…"

The principal tilted his head almost innocently, "I believed it from the very beginning, I just wanted to make sure."

True.

Neither Aizawa nor Yamada had said a word. Yamada was the most silent, surprisingly, but he was busy taking in all this fairly new information. He was the one most out of the loop after all. Tsukauchi walked over to the front door, grabbing his matching hat off the hook and beginning to turn the doorknob.

"I've got to go get this recording to the station, so I'll be off," the overcoat wearing man stated, "I assume this won't be the last time we meet over a matter like this, so goodbye for now."

"Stay safe, Tsukauchi-san!" the rodent called with a cheery tone.

"See you, Tsuka," Eraserhead remarked for the first time in a while, his voice a bit hoarse.

"Later, Tsukauchi!!" Present Mic cried, his annoncer personality making the call even more dramatic.

"B-bye sir," Midoriya felt it would be rude not to say goodbye, even if the detective's presence made his heart skip one too many beats.

The tall man waved, but didn't stick around for long as he swung open the door and walked out. He pulled the door closed behind him and was gone. Only then did the teen release a breath he had no idea he was holding.

"I really did not enjoy that experience."

The boy couldn't agree more. Though, he had the sickening feeling it may not exactly be over.

Although Tsukauchi departed from the household, one rodent principal remained, sitting eerily still on the oversized armchair. His head was cocked to the side, like some curious street animal, and when Midoriya made the unfortunate mistake of making eye contact, he smiled so uncomfortably that he felt the strongest desire to shrink in on himself. He noticed a set of paws clasped on Nezu's lap, as if he were waiting for something, or on something. And while part of him hoped whatever the principal wanted was resolved quickly enough for him to leave already, he couldn't help but also wish for that desire to never come.

Though, when Aizawa and Yamada finally realized they still had one more guest in their house, he resorted back to hoping the matter would end as quickly as possible.

"I hate to bother you all once more," Nezu smiled, though it came off conniving rather than comforting as he intended, though, maybe he didn't exactly intend for it to be comforting in the first place, "But I wanted to speak with Midoriya privately before I left. Of course, if that's alright."

Was it wrong to wish he could scream no? Was it wrong to wish he could just scurry off and lock himself in his room? Even if he was locking himself in with Links, that would be such a better alternative than whatever hell he'd have to go through now.

There wasa small inkling of him that wished one of the heroes would tell Nezu it was getting late. Tell Nezu that he could talk with him some other time, or maybe even not at all. But he knew that would never happen. It was all wishful thinking, it was always wishful thinking.

And it never hurt to wish until it did.

Yamada sent back his own smile, though his actually accomplished its purpose of bringing warmth. "Of course, if the little listener doesn't mind. We can wait out in our bedroom."

It was sort of nice, for the voice hero to offer him a say like that. But it was more bittersweet than anything else, because it didn't really matter in the end. It didn't really matter as the pros stood up anyway. It didn't really matter as they walked away without waiting for a response. It didn't really matter as their bedroom door creaked open, and then clicked shut.

It was kind of funny, how Nezu leaned back into his chair relaxed just as Gami moved up to stand protectively in front of his side.

"I do apologize about occupying your time further, Midoriya…" the mammal admitted with only the slightest hint of concern in his words, "I just had a few questions for you that I never had the chance to ask in the days before."

He only nodded in return, unable to trust his true thoughts to not bleed into his words. Gami growled, and the teen was thankful in that moment that his mentor could not be heard.

But when the rodent sat up from his relaxed position, taking on a much more serious attitude, Midoriya wasn't so sure he wanted to hear what he had to say anymore. Nezu's little black nose twitched ever so slightly, reminding his audience how despite everything, he was still an animal above all else. An animal trying to understand the nature of humanity.

"Has Bakugo always been that aggressive towards you?"

For a moment, Midoriya drew the largest blank he had ever recalled, which was contradictory enough on its own. What was Nezu talking about? When was Nezu talking about. Who was Nezu talking about?

He hadn't even realized how long he simply sat there in silence and worked against the words that eventually came out.

"Ah, well I guess… but it's really not as bad as you think," he rushed to spit out, "We grew up together, went to school together, of course he'd be a bit more…"

The words died on his tongue, dropping dead like they'd been shot point blank. He couldn't bring himself to finish that statement, and to be honest he didn't really want to. It was such an obvious lie, he'd just be wasting his breath. It'd practically be an insult to every breath he'd taken in his life.

Maybe Nezu understood that too, because he didn't make him finish.

"I thought so. It was quite obvious to tell his personality even before coming to U.A., during the entrance exam," the principal reaffirmed, "Though, it was equally obvious to see his personal grudge towards you during the batter training exercise hosted by All Might."

The battle training exercise? Of course, why was he even surprised that Nezu knew that at this point? It was practically a given, that the principal would be briefed about one student almost killing another.

But, Bakugo didn't mean to kill him, or Uraraka or Iida. There was no way he'd risk his position at U.A. by doing something as stupid as that. But… he did, and that didn't make any sense. It was completely contradictory to everything the blond had worked for to get here. It just didn't make any sense, and no amount of explaining could help him understand.

He was sent spiraling back into his thoughts from earlier, reassessing every moment leading up to his fall from the edge of the floor. Bakugo was pretty aggressive the entire time, so much so that it took everything out of him just to keep up. It was only luck that he managed to get away and fall back with Uraraka, but that was besides the point. The point was that Bakugo had been fairly normal, in an albeit terrifying way, up until he fired at the trio right at the end. Maybe someone like All Might looking in from the outside wouldn't have seen a difference, but to Midoriya, who had known the blond since childhood, it was completely out of character. Bakugo was extremely intelligent, more than smart enough to understand the implications and consequences of that final shot. And even if he was flooded with emotion, which was most of the time, he had self control, that same self control he'd witness when Bakugo apologized to him after the sludge villain incident. At least, he was pretty sure that was an apology.

So for him to ignore every brain cell in his body and take that shot, and fire off that explosion, the boy just knew that something was terribly wrong.

And then his mind trailed off even further, still where he was thinking earlier, to punishment, to expulsion, and the subsequent panic was enough to send him flying back to reality. He hadn't realized how much he had curled in on himself, or how silent the air was since Nezu's previous words.

He looked up hesitantly, locking eyes with the principal in front of him, something he never would have done in a million years. "You… aren't going to expel him, are you…?"

Everyone seemed particularly caught off guard by that statement. Gami snapped towards him, and though the ghost's face was hidden, Midoriya could still tell his aghast expression.

"What?! You cannot possibly want to defend him?!"

And as for Nezu, he simply cocked his head like a curious scientist examining an unexpected development. The teen could definitely feel himself under a microscope, being prodded at in hopes of producing a reaction. And that's why he said nothing to Gami, make no sound, no movement. He wasn't going to give the reaction he knew the rodent was waiting for.

"Oh?" Though, this was Nezu he was talking about, of course he would press forward regardless. "You don't believe I should? That is quite odd to hear from you considering what I believe to be your relationship with him."

Midoriya already knew how strange this sounded coming from him, especially in defense of Bakugo, but he didn't need Nezu restating that for him. In fact, he knew that anyone on the outside would agree with the mammal, hell even Gami, who was the closest to the "inside" that someone could possibly get. But his mentor was biased, having disliked the fiery blond from the start, as well as being especially protective of him. And Midoriya wasn't particularly fond of Bakugo either, though, his actions right now certainly didn't go to prove that. Maybe it really was childhood naivety, because admitting that he still respected Bakugo and his potential for heroism sounded so weird, even for him.

Regardless of where the motivation came from, however, he felt such a strong responsibility to do all within his power to fix this. Because he knew something was wrong, and he'd be damned if he just allowed whatever universal mistake it was to play out unresolved.

"I know our relationship isn't the best example of… childhood friendship." That was an understatement and even he knew it. "But, I know Bakugo better than anyone else, and I know that what happened during the battle training exercise wasn't him…"

Beside him, Gami seemed even more flabbergasted, but Nezu looked intrigued, like MIdoriya was some complex puzzle he was trying to put together with his eyes alone.

"I'm not sure I understand," the principal pushed.

"I know Bakugo isn't particularly… tame by any standards, but he would never do something this reckless, this stupid." Again, Midoriya found himself repeating his thoughts, trying to decipher how he was so certain the blond would never do something like this, though he had. "He would never… I j-just know."

But he had, and that's what puzzled the teen the most. He felt his brain tearing itself apart trying to come up with a plausible answer, but the more he thought about it, the less it seemed to fit, like it simply had been forced upon him all of a sudden.

He just couldn't make sense of it all.

If he had been paying just a bit more attention, maybe he would have seen the way Nezu stared at his perplexed form. Maybe he would have also seen the bewildered look in his beady black eyes, like the gears weren't quite turning for the rodent either. Maybe he would have seen the sadistic smile that pulled contradictory at his cheeks, like he was enjoying the mystery presented before him.

But the boy never got a chance to, as Nezu hopped off the couch and reset his face to its usual nonchalant yet cheery appearance. Midoriya looked up from his lap at the soft thud, only to lock eyes again with the mammal. And though his face looked as it typically did, he couldn't stop himself from seeing some inkling of worry in the solid black eyes that stared back at him.

"The well being of my students is my most important focus at all times, I can assure you, Midoriya." The principal gave a little nod after that. "I do apologize once more for taking up your time, and for having to depart so hastily, but I do appreciate the insight."

The teen wasn't really focused after that, barely hearing Nezu walk to the hallway and call out goodbyes to Aizawa and Yamada, or approach the front door promptly like Tsukauchi did. He barely heard the doorknob jiggle as it was unlocked or the hinges squeak as it was opened. But he did manage to catch Nezu calling out to him one last time before leaving.

"I do have the feeling we'll be seeing each other soon, but for now, do take care of yourself, Midoriya. You're certainly one of the most promising students I've seen through my doors, and it would be a shame if you allowed yourself to get hung up on this incident."

Before he could even attempt to say anything else, the principal was out the door, and it was closed behind. The boy let out a breathy sigh he hadn't even realized he was holding and sank back into the couch just as he heard the master bedroom door open. Somehow, he found himself even less reassured than before, but that was to be expected from an individual like Nezu. Though, he could assure himself of one thing.

The thought wouldn't be leaving his mind anytime soon.

That night was sleepless for Midoriya. He tossed and turned uncontrollably, as if he was fighting off a villain in his dreams. There were a lot of things that caused his restlessness, the events that had transpired just before in the living room certainly being at the top of that list. But surprisingly, something about Links being in the room made him uncomfortable too. Just the fact that someone else's eyes were upon him made him feel uneasy, even if it was just a kitten.

Gami was a different story. He wasn't sure if the specter slept at all at night, but he knew that the man did watch him. For some reason, that fact never bothered him. Maybe it was because he subconsciously allowed the ghost permission to watch him while he slept. Maybe it was because the spirit was the only person he truly trusted. Who knows? He certainly did not. All he could confirm was the Gami was an exception to his paranoia, and thankfully so.

The morning sun didn't hit him this morning, since the ghost couldn't open the curtains of the guest room. The teen was woken from his few moments of sleep by the phantom feeling of ice cold water being splashed on him. Of course, once he jumped out from under the covers, he found himself completely dry. Still, chills washed over him as if he had just gotten out of the shower. He yanked open the curtains himself, his cold awakening turning his mood sour. Gami looked over as he rubbed his eyes awake.

"Someone is cranky this morning," he teased.

"Be quiet," the boy quipped back jokingly, but the slight undertone of crankiness was still audible.

The spirit smothered a chuckle, but it came out like a snorted laugh. There weren't many times where Gami laughed, so the few times he did, it was like the sun shined only for him. His moodiness faded away as the corners of his mouth turned into a smile. Midoriya brought a hand to his mouth, but couldn't help but laugh as well. One laugh grew into two, soon the duo were snickering by the bed like gossiping school girls over something as mundane as waking up.

The teen finally calmed his laughter down before it became too loud. Swinging his legs off the side of the bed, he hopped out carefully to change. Trudging towards the closet, he pulled out his spare turtleneck and sweatpants that he took with him to U.A., putting them on now instead. He still hadn't gotten any of his stuff from home, despite now having spent a few days at the Aizawa-Yamada household. All he really had in terms of clothing was his U.A. uniform and that spare set of clothes in the closet, both of which had to be washed each day so he could keep using them. Yamada had given him a set of worn loungewear that had once belonged to Aizawa to use as pajamas, since he didn't have any. Midoriya was apprehensive at first, not wanting to upset the constantly tired pro, but Present Mic insisted and eventually he gave in.

He slipped on both the turtleneck and the baggy sweatpants before closing the closet door. It was still early in the morning, obvious by the rising dawn. He had no idea who was up and who wasn't, but he hoped everyone else was asleep. Being the first one up was sort of a safety net for him, as it allowed him to avoid any surprise encounters. The boy grasped the doorknob quietly and gave it a gentle turn. With a soft click, the door opened just wide enough for him to fit through. He didn't want to take the chance of pulling it open further and having the hinges squeak. But he squeezed himself through and made his way to the living room without a sound.

He sat down on the couch, alone. Both the living room and the kitchen were empty. Midoriya's stomach growled and his mind yearned for entertainment, but he dared not touch any more food, or the tv remote. Thankfully, he had his notebook underarm before he left the guest room, and that would be more than enough to entertain him.

He scribbled away in the book, just revising and adding to notes that were already there. Gami slipped in comments here and there, but the two stayed relatively quiet as to not wake anyone up. That never ended well for him back at home.

There was a sudden creak in the floor, and both of the deathly duo shot up. The teen's heart dropped to his stomach, sure he had been caught. But how? He was sure he'd been quiet, so who had woken up?

The ghost flew around the corner, open to scouting out the situation. He peeked his head out from around the wall, staring down into the hallway. After a few moments of silence, the spirit returned to Midoriya's side by the couch.

The boy looked up at him confused, "So?"

Gami shrugged, "False alarm."

"What? What do you mean false ala-"

The ghost shushed him rudely and pointed towards the hall. Like clockwork, another creak echoed from beyond the hallway. Midoriya grew nervous at the small sounds, his heart thumping in his chest. His mentor hadn't seen anyone, so where were those noises coming from?

His hands grew sweaty as soft footsteps came closer and closer. The steps seemed sneaky and deliberate. If it was Aizawa or Yamada, why didn't they just announce themselves? He was loud enough for anyone to hear him from the hallway. What if it wasn't either hero? Was it an intruder? A villain? He contemplated the thought of having to defend himself so early in the morning. He braced himself for whatever would meet his eyes, friend or foe.

He visibly crumbled in confusion when a small grey paw strutted out from behind the wall. He heaved out a sigh at realizing he had overreacted. Gami cocked his head, wondering how he had missed the small feline.

Links strolled out from the hall like he owned the world, eyes closed, tail wagging. It was almost if the kitten had earbuds in, and was swaying like he was listening to music. The cheery cat made his way all the way to the center of the living room before opening his eyes. And once he realized he was being watched, quickly scrambled to the corner of the living room, curling into himself to make him appear smaller. Midoriya's heart hurt at the sight.

"Well, I was certainly not expecting that…"

But the teen simply ignored his friend, "He seems so sad. Did I do something wrong?"

Gami paused, "I do not think so. He just seems afraid of humans."

"Afraid of humans?" he repeated, brows furrowing.

The ghost realized his successor had never handled an animal before, so he was pretty in the dark on the subject. "Yes. Sometimes it is because of paranoia. Sometimes it is because of previous trauma. But just as you can be afraid of cats, cats can be afraid of humans."

The boy's face soured and he turned defensive, "I'm not afraid of cats. I'm… just afraid I'll hurt them. All animals for that matter."

He turned towards the shaking kitten in the corner, and his heartstrings tugged. Was this how he seemed? All scared and alone? He felt a longing to help, but really didn't know how. What if that were me? What would I want someone to do?

Pulling his legs up off the floor, he laid them along the couch. Shifting his body, he turned away from Links hiding in the corner. His head now face towards the kitchen and away from the scared feline.

"I'm not looking anymore," he spoke softly, still without eye contact, "See?"

He then buried his head into his notebook and started revising his notes again. He made sure to keep his eyes away from the cat. He gestured for Gami to turn away as well, unsure if the kitten could tell the ghost was watching him. But the spirit listened, and soon, both were fully engrossed back into the notebook, quietly laughing and chatting.

Then, as quiet as it was, both individuals heard a small step on the hardwood. It was almost undetectable, but both were waiting for it. The, like clockwork, there was another step, and another, until the tiny paws sounded as if they were dancing upon the floor.

Midoriya felt a small smile form on his lips as he listened to the little cat move around. He was sure that Links had walked out of the corner by now and was somewhere in the center of the room. It certainly didn't feel like much, but the small yips that came afterwards warmed his heart. Maybe he couldn't touch the kitten, but this…

This he could do.

Surprisingly, neither Aizawa nor Yamada had too much of a reaction at seeing him up so early. Eraserhead had gotten up less than an hour after he had, Present Mic on the other hand slept in until much later. On a more unfortunate note, the minute the rugged man had walked into the room, Links had huddled up in the corner again. And once the blond entered, that sent the kitten running back to the guest room for good. Midoriya felt a bit of despair eat away at him while listening to frantic paws against hardwood, but there wasn't much more he could do.

It was around noon, when the teen heard a jingle of keys being taken off their hook. He had remained in the living room despite the awakening of both adults in the household, just moving himself to the smaller armchair near the corner of the room instead. He looked up snapily from his notebook, eyes locking onto Aizawa's form taking a single key from off a hook. Yamada too was interested, watching him from the kitchen island instead.

The homeroom teacher spun the key around his finger lazily, then making his way to the living room.

"What is that, Sho?" Yamada voiced both his and the boy's thoughts.

He flashed the slab of metal at his partner, "Tsukauchi gave me this yesterday. It's a key to Inko Midoriya's house."

What? A key to his home? Why would the detective give that to Aizawa? He put down his notebook, letting it rest on his lap. Gami moved from staring out the window to back to his side. Both were listening intently, expecting the two heroes to keep talking.

But shockingly, the underground hero turned to him instead.

"Tsukauchi gave me this so we could pick up whatever stuff you needed from home," he explained, "We could do that today if you're up to it, Problem Child."

"You could finally get extra clothing," Gami remarked.

That was true. But other than that, there wasn't much else he wanted. His notebooks definitely, and his plants if they let him take those, but that was practically it. He really wished he could go alone, but he wasn't going to argue with Aizawa. Besides, he really wanted to wear his own pajamas for a change.

"That sounds fine," he whispered, but both heroes caught it.

"Alright," the hero replied, "We'll leave in a little bit."

Midoriya nodded and lifted himself off the couch, leaving for the guest room to put his notebook away. He remembered that Links was probably in here, hoping for some solitude. He paused at the door, wondering what he should do.

What if that were me? What would I want someone to do?

He gave the door a soft knock, letting the sound ring out.

"Hey Links," he spoke to seemingly no one, "It's just me… Izuku. Can I come in to put my notebook away?"

He must have seemed so silly, asking a cat for permission to enter a room, but then, a small meow came from inside the guest room. The teen looked at Gami, thinking he just imagined that.

"I think that means you can enter."

Turning back to the door, he gave a small shrug and twisted the knob. Deciding he would be quick, he slinked inside and placed the book down onto the desk. He left the room quickly and closed the door behind him, not staying behind long enough to hear a tiny goodbye meow.

Reentering the living room, he slipped on his signature red sneakers and stood by the front door patiently. He didn't want to track dirt into the living room just to sit on the couch, plus he was fine standing. Neither Aizawa nor Yamada was in his line of sight, so he figured the two were in their own rooms. And just like he guessed, he heard a door open and close, then watched Present Mic make his way down the hall.

The man was dressed in casual clothing, wearing a pair of light wash jeans with a dark jean jacket to match. His burgundy undershirt stood out and his hair was pulled up into a half bun. He had swapped out his normal triangular glasses for a pair of rectangular ones.

He was fairly startled at seeing Midoriya just waiting by the front door.

"Goodness, little listener," he sighed, "I didn't know you were waiting on us."

The teen faltered. He wasn't trying to rush them. "I-I just didn't want you guys to wait on me like last time."

"You don't have to feel bad about that," Yamada tried to reassure, "I sprung that onto you pretty last minute."

But before the boy could try and refute that, Aizawa came down the hallway, pretty much killing the conversation. He was dressed similarly to Midoriya, with a long sleeved black shirt and a pair of dark grey sweatpants. His hair was loose and messy, still with a few tangles in it.

"Alright," he interrupted unknowingly, "Are you two ready?"

Both nodded in confirmation, so the rugged man opened the front door and grabbed his car keys. They loaded up the same way they had on the way to the vet, with Aizawa and Yamada in the front and Midoriya in the back seat. Gami trailed behind, but didn't bother waiting for the car to start. He already knew how to get to his successor's home from here, so he figured he'd meet them there. The teen watched his ghostly companion leave without him, and wished he could go with him. But alas, the car engine started up and soon enough, the three headed off towards the Midoriya home.

Yamada nodded off about halfway into the drive, his light snoring filling up the cabin. The boy wasn't too sure how long they had been driving, but since the subway from U.A. to his house was about 40 minutes, he expected the drive to be a bit longer. Neither him nor Aizawa had spoken a word since they left, and quite honestly, he was alright with that. It felt lonely without Gami and he didn't remember if he had ever been separated from the spirit for this long. His eyes were constantly at the window, just hoping he'd spot the man's figure somewhere.

His mind oddly drifted back to the small kitten he had left in the guest room. Midoriya wondered what Links was doing. He was sure the cat was fine, since he probably enjoyed the empty house more. Maybe he was relaxing on the couch, or maybe playfully dancing on the living room floors. It was an unusual thing that brought a smile to his face, but he found himself stifling a giggle at the thought.

"We're here," came his homeroom teacher's voice, sending him out of his head and back to reality. Sure enough, when he poked his head out he could see the familiar structure of his house from a distance, almost taunting him. Aizawa pulled into the driveway, which was empty, and put the car in park.

"Hey, Zashi," he attempted to wake his partner up by shaking him lightly, "We're here already."

The blond man groaned loudly and stretched his arms out, nearly whacking his husband in the face. Not really saying anything coherent, he opened his car door and stepped out groggily, eyes squinting from the sunlight. Midoriya figured he could get out as well, since the two heroes had already. Looking around, he found no sign of Gami. Had the ghost not arrived yet? That thought made him frown.

Eraserhead slid the key into the lock on the front door and gave it a rough twist. The lock clicked out of place and the teacher shoved the door hard. It opened with ease and everyone walked inside. Midoriya got in first and then found someone familiar.

"There you are!" he cried.

Gami turned to face his successor from the couch. He was currently laying down on it.

"I can sit once more!" he yelled back uncharacteristically.

The teen laughed and rushed over to the sofa. Then, without warning, he threw himself down on it, right on top of his mentor. The ghost groaned, not expecting the extra weight, but he didn't complain. Both quickly turned to laughter, just happy to be in a moment that seemed homey. They completely forgot about the other two heroes also in the room in their bliss. Swinging his head around, the boy opened his tightly clenched eyes to meet the deadpan look of his teachers, quickly losing his laughter for embarrassment.

"S-sorry," he tried to explain, "It's just that Gami's here and he can't really sit on the couches at your house, but that's only because it takes time and practice and he already knows how to sit on this cou-"

"It's fine, Problem Child," Aizawa interrupted, "You can stop rambling."

That shut him up quick, and Midoriya got off the couch, now feeling mortified. Yamada elbowed his partner in the side, not enough to stir a reaction out of him, but just enough to sting. The teen shuffled his fingers together, then pointed towards a door down the hall.

"That's… my room," he announced awkwardly.

The blond took a step forward, nodding, "Do you need help getting your things?"

"That would be great," he whispered.

He did a 180 and began walking to his room, with the heroes following close behind.

"I am going to stay here if that is alright?" Gami called out from the couch still.

"No problem, Gami!" he answered back, stating the spirit's name so the adults behind him wouldn't get confused.

Finally reaching his door, he twisted the handle and watched it click open. Inside was the small sanctuary he dearly missed. Taking a few slow steps, he embraced the warm serenity of being surrounded by his plants. Aizawa and Yamada grew curious when no words came from the teen, so they both peeked inside.

The room was pretty bare on its own. There was a small bed by the window and a desk against the wall. Beside the desk were two thin bookcases.

But the furniture was definitely not the focus of the room. No. It was most certainly the remarkable displays of greenery all over the room. The bookshelves were full of potted plants, ranging from small flowers, to long stemmed leaves, and succulents. The pots containing them were a wide array of colors and shapes, some were even mason jars. Both men were in absolute awe.

Midoriya didn't seem to realize his teachers were inside the room yet, too focused on his plants to care. His eyes settled on a specific bunch of red flowers and paled at their condition.

"My spider lilies!" he cried out in shock, rushing over to them. He stroked their wilting petals gently with his gloves fingers, careful not to break them off. Their red hue wasn't as vibrant and the leaves drooped down sadly. He knew he hadn't been here to water them for a few days, but still wasn't expecting his plants to be in such critical condition.

Yamada was concerned over the outburst, but realized what the cry was about upon walking in, "Woah, I didn't know you gardened, little listener…"

"The boy turned around in surprise, "U-uh yeah. It's just something I picked up."

"Well, these are beautiful!" he yelled out with pizazz.

That made Midoriya bashful, and me moved away from the lilies to focus on his other things. He quickly piled his notebooks on his desk, making two neat stacks. Then moving to his closet, he took everything off its racks. There wasn't much in there to begin with, so he had no problem folding it all and laying that down on the desk as well.

Aizawa had come inside during the light chaos and observed all of the stuff now organized on the desk. While it wasn't a lot, it was certainly enough to require some sort of help.

"Do you have some sort of suitcase you can put that all in?" Eraserhead asked while gesturing at the desk.

"I-I don't," he stuttered.

"That's fine!" Yamada interjected, "We can just carry it to the trunk!"

Aizawa grumbled, but complied as the English teacher and the student both grabbed a small pile of clothes. Together, the three quickly managed to load up the trunk in just a few minutes. Midoriya walked back into his room, scoping it out to make one last check. His numerous potted plants stared back at him tauntingly and he wished he could bring them along. Yamada followed him in as well.

"Aren't you going to take your plants?" the announcer questioned.

"I-I can?!" the normally quiet teen exclaimed in surprise and happiness.

"Of course!" he loudly yelled back, "They're too nice to leave behind. Makes me wanna go YEAH!!"

But Midoriya only caught the confirmation and rushed over to the bookshelves. Quickly, yet carefully, he picked up the pots and jars and placed them down on his now cleared desk. His greenery was important to him, a little hobby that had grown into so much more, no pun intended. Raising sprouts into luscious leaves and petals helped him destress from the pressures of his job. Besides, it made him feel at home and safe. He couldn't wait to decorate the guest room with his bushels of greens.

Carefully moving the spider lilies, he grasped them tightly as to not shake their fragile, wilting leaves. Who would have guessed these little flowers would have been the start of something spectacular. He sure didn't. But there was no way he would just give up on them and let them die, and so the teen couldn't wait to restore them to their former beauty.

Maybe then, would the guest room finally start to feel like his own.