"Woah..." Your jaw dropped as massive stone doors slid away to reveal a giant maze.
Tun!.. Tun!.. Tun!..
Spotlights flicked on one after another bringing light to the quartz, eloquently carved halls. Each surface was carved with such care, the occasional greek-inspired marble statue adorning a corner or pillar. But everything was white. So bright you were forced to squint. The small, cramped crawlspaces before this were the complete opposite: dark and cobweb ridden.
Ms. Zeya's shoes echoed loudly on the marble as she enters the maze. You followed, the two of you reading the plaque directly ahead.
" 'Let Zeya lead.' "
You pulled back, hands in your pockets. "Tuh, okay fine then." With your array of quirks, you had almost the whole place mapped out already, but fine. Let the supposedly quirkless one lead. Couldn't even offer to fly her over the walls, since that might disturb whatever test this was.
The next twenty minutes were excruciating. Each and every footstep was louder than it should be. Zeya kept running into dead-ends, and you were paranoid one of those statues would jump out at ya the whole time. When the maze was finally at its end, a simple prize stood on a podium: nothing special, just an old lizard toy. Probably a childhood token from Zeya's past if you had to guess. How cruel. Ms. Zeya didn't react much to it, but she did decide to pick it up.
Twp!
Before you could even realize there was reason for alarm, Zeya was laying on the ground. One of the statues closed its mouths, hiding away the weapon.
"...Ms. Zeya?"
You stepped closer. A sleep dart protruded from her back, which you carefully removed and set down on the podium beside the lizard toy. You stood there for a while, stupidly, like a child set free. She wasn't dead, only sleeping. The reason why exactly was unknown. Your instructions were...unclear. Should you bring her back? Should you wait? Was there something you were supposed to look for? Someone you were supposed to find? It was embarrassing just how lost you were, waiting for instructions.
After a while of half heartedly searching for another clue, you laid down and fell asleep beside Ms. Zeya. You had the feeling she was needed for this quest. And since there were no monsters to fight or puzzles to solve, your best tool was time.
----------
You were shaken awake. "(H/n), wake up."
"Hhhhh, what?" Rubbing your neck, you already regretted napping on such a hard floor.
Zeya stood and walked up to the big, empty wall. Your Sight quirk noticed the projector hanging from the ceiling before your eyes did.
Rubbing your eyes and sitting up. "What's going on?-" She slapped your head. "Ow!"
"Why did you fall asleep?!"
"..." You shrugged.
"Hhhgghh.. give me a break." The woman dragged a hand down her face. But now wasn't the time for that. Both of your eyes turned to the screen, where a video of none other than your father appeared on the projection. The lights had gone eerily dim. He sat calmly with his fingers woven on a dark-cedar desk, a dark wall behind him with a few shelves behind holding nothing of importance. It looked...like the videos in those "blueprints" he sent you! Same setting! Was this it then?
The video played. ""I'm so glad you finally decided to join us, Zeyale. Now, we can finally discuss the meaning of this arrangement. I hope you will cooperate~"" You ever seen a chimp bear its teeth? That wide tugging at the lips; contorting of the face around everything but those dead eyes, which quickly becomes the center-point of the expression? The soulless, unblinking gaze? If you have, you probably know that this isn't a smile at all. No. The animal kingdom knows no smiles. For the chimps, the bearing of teeth isn't a sign of joy.. It's a threat... And that's what this was. Exactly what this was.
Ms. Zeya shivered and took a step back. "What is this about?!"
""We'll start with a history lesson."" Of course he didn't respond. This was only a video. ""Though it took me some time, I finally discovered who your birth parents were, Zeya.""
You turned swiftly. "You're adopted!?"
"YES I was adopted! How did you think I-!?"
""Now now, you two~"" The video taunted, guessing our moves correctly. ""We can discuss the finer details later.. What I'm hoping to disclose now is the night of my beloved son's death."" The man's fingers tightened together. His grin became grim. ""And why you didn't save him...""
---------------
-----
There was an error embedded into the very code of the streets in that city. An anomaly that didn't follow the natural flow of what had been, what was, and what would be. It wasn't long before the demon lord wannabe took interest in such an odd little thing.
A wandering girl. A child who could seemingly predict the movements of anyone he sent to investigate. She hid herself most of the time, moving around in the darkness like a wounded animal. She trusted no one. That was how she survived. Didn't let a soul near her... In a way, it reminded AFO of his upbringing. If not for Yoichi, he certainly would have lived much like that child is right now.
The child never let a soul see her face... The villain decided that that would change soon.
----------
She was sleeping. Under a bridge too old and eroded to be of use. In a town mostly abandoned and growing full with weeds. The few residents here were either drug addicts left to wander the empty streets like zombies, or the occasional hero barring them from leaving. It was cold. The rush of water tearing at the cracked cement provided consistent ambiance of gentle might.
All For One dropped a blanket over the child. One old and torn, strong with the scent of the lavender candles from home. He then distanced himself, about ten feet, before sitting down.
His eyes scanned over the bridge, no real thought or emotion portrayed. Just..soaking in the atmosphere.
The girl's eyes opened, she woke slowly upon realizing her hands were clutching a blanket. She inhaled the foreign smell and crinkled her nose. The soft chuckle from the man tore her eyes to him. She didn't gasp. Just...held her breath. Staring at him like a deer in headlights.
Having gained the girl's attention, the villain studied her small form a moment before speaking. He gestured to the bridge that loomed over them. "I grew up in this city...when it was a much livelier place. ...I am afraid my presence made it into what it is today." He set his hand down on his knee. His legs were crossed loosely. He watched the girl for any small cues that she was interested in or capable of conversation. But, most of all, his gentle gaze hid his much more predatory intent... If a girl like her, so small and weak, is able to survive in a place like this, then surely she must be aided by an impressive quirk.
Her heartbeat was audible in his ears, rapid and pounding. She sat up, but was otherwise too scared to move. All For One scooted back a few inches. "You don't need to worry... I'm not here to hurt you..." She didn't trust him, however, which was probably the smartest decision she could have made.
But, unfortunately, she'd already caught the demon's attention. There simply was no escaping.
He offered her warm food three times a day from that moment on, ensured she had a blanket to sleep with every night, and made a show of providing for any other needs she may have. The poor girl couldn't have been any older than five. A true mystery how she arrived here. Most of the residents were too bad-off to even conceive or birth children. Their only ability was to consume drugs until they die. Often experimental drugs from none other than Dr. Garaki's, his assistant.
Despite her best wishes, the child did eventually warm up to the helping hand. Like any and all living beings, she slowly came to rely and trust the hand that fed her. So, at last, the child allowed herself to be taken from the streets and given a home. Since she looked similar enough to himself, the villain decided he may as well bring her back to his own personal abode. That way, he would be able to keep a closer eye on her. That way, he could sooner discover what her quirk truly was and how it functioned. Otherwise, it would be pointless to steal.
The villain introduced her to his son, his little shooting star, a boy only a couple years older than the girl. He was loving and affectionate like his mother, and so was more than happy to take in a little sister to care for and spoil. Chloe, though she knew from the start his true intentions behind this, hoped that this was a sign her husband was changing for the better.
Iito, the son's nickname, was an interesting fellow. Even at seven, there were signs of him growing to be big like his dad. He sported heterochromia. And despite having a very large, naturally built body, was most like his mother in personality. He liked bright "happy" colors, flowers, and geeking out about romcoms and the few shojo mangas his mom let him read. The girl, meanwhile, was quiet and reserved. When she did speak, it was through drawing pictures or writing what little words she learned at school. At the very least, they knew her name was Zeya.
Iito loved Zeya, even though she was quiet. He'd carry her on his back to school and beg her to watch him play baseball after, when he liked to show off his enhanced strength and speed. In return for all of these kindnesses, he stole from her plate of food quite often.
Chloe loved having a second child. She loved on Zeya like the girl was her own daughter, and in time Zeya grew to see her as her mother as well. She even warmed up to the idea of AFO as her father.
But then the boy went into middle school, and everything changed. Not instantly, but slowly. AFO spent more time alone with his son, going on trips with him, talking to the kid one-on-one. Zeya became more nervous, seeing the subtle changes in her brother's expression every time. The denial that started to suppress his guilt. The intense desire to tell her what was going on was overwhelming, but, he kept it all to himself.
Family time became more uncomfortable with the passing years. Iito changed. Chloe changed. Toruichi changed. Zeya didn't as much. She could talk, but, in a way, she reverted back to how she usually was, to keep at least some assemblance of normalcy in the home. But, nothing could hide the occasional glare Chloe gave her husband. Nothing could hide the harsher tone AFO adopted with his son at times. Nothing could change the attitude shift in Iito, as he turned on his friends one after another, often for no reason at all. Nothing could change the swelling anxiety in Zeya's chest... Everyone seemed to know what was going on, except for her. And she was too scared to ask.
She was starting to be grateful she never told anyone what her quirk was.
Some secret, invisible wire, was about ready to snap.
----------
"I killed someone." Iito blurted. It was just him and Zeya in the living room watching TV. Zeya chuckled, the absurdity so comical. "I'm serious."
Zeya froze. Then, she paused the show. "What?"
Iito's stern gaze fixed on the screen still. He looked more embarrassed admitting it than anything. "...Yeah..." He rubbed his jaw. The boy was fifteen now. He was tall, strong, and much more of a pillar of protection than Zeya ever saw herself becoming. So, though he had changed a lot, this revelation shocked the girl to her core. Her skin went cold.
"...Why?" She mumbled.
Iito shrugged. "You wouldn't get it." And reached for the remote.
Zeya pulled back, hand holding the remote far away from him. "Hold on! You don't just kill people! How!? Why!?"
He clearly regretted over-sharing "I said.. you wouldn't GET it!" Iito growled, shoving Zeya against the back of the couch while reaching for the remote. The girl wrestled him for it.
"No!"
"What do you mean NO, just press play!!"
"Not until you TALK to me!"
"I WON'T!"
In her desperation, the girl made a terrible mistake. She reached into the baggie of experimental pills in his pocket, pills which both of them knew Iito wasn't supposed to have, and ate two of them. Then, she activated her quirk.
Iito was on top of Zeya prying her hand open when he suddenly froze. His gaze was...distant. Eyes fogged over as though he'd seen a hundred apocalypses. Zeya wasn't quite sure what she'd just done. She knew what she did in a technical sense, but she had no idea what the result of it would come to. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her skin itched uncontrollably. Hives broke out on her skin and she could barely hear.
Iito moved again, standing up off of the couch and staring at the wall blankly.
Then, he grabbed his jaw and tore it off. The popping of cartilage and cracking of bones, followed by the horrific, messy sight, made Zeya scream. She stood on the couch and screamed at her brother to stop. But, he kept grabbing at pieces of his flesh only to tear them off. Flesh which grew back. Flesh which refused to be destroyed. But that didn't stop the boy from trying.
Zeya gave up trying to talk sense into him, running out of the house with tears in her eyes to grab her mother. By the time the two returned home in a terrified frenzy, All For One was already on the scene of the crime. "NO, DON'T!" The man wrestled his son to the ground and pinned his arms behind his back, keeping the young man from ripping his own heart out. The boy had successfully ripped open his own ribcage and throat; it was a wonder he was still alive. Even restrained, Iito's eyes didn't change. Dilated to the greatest degree, not appearing to comprehend what was going on. The moment Chloe saw her boy like that, she fainted. Zeya caught the woman and helped her down as gently as her small body could. "ZEYALE, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" AFO had never shouted at her like that, with such rage filled eyes. Eyes aimed directly at HER. She was tempted to give up and faint as well, but held her ground, forcing herself to stare at the two with tear filled eyes.
"I- I DON'T KNOW!" She did know, technically, but..again, she had no idea it would lead to this... All For One recognized the unnaturally bloodshot eyes, hives, and blue tongue at once. His expression shifted from a more ruthless rage to a hardened glare reserved only for those he intended to kill.
"You used your quirk mixed with that experimental drug?"
The girl's vision fogged, even flashing red there for a moment. She was too scared to speak or move. Too terrified to run. Instead, she nodded stiffly and broke down crying. Zeya fell onto her knees and aggressively wiped away the tears and snot.
AFO returned his attention to his son, placing the back of his hand on the kid's head and activating a small red glow. Though he fought it, Iito's eyes did eventually close. The boy soon regenerated, though the bloody mess of flesh didn't go away. After a long pause, his father sighed. He stood back up and hoisted the fainted Iito over his shoulder. He strode past Zeya and Chloe, leaving behind him a trail of blood. "Clean this up." The villain's voice held a rare bite of anger to it. This was no acting on his part. Zeya nodded again, and once her legs permitted her to move, got up quickly to clean the mess. But there was only so much one little girl could do. Professionals were needed to clean such a terrible blood stain.
----------
All For One laid his son down on the metal table, careful of his head placement. His eyes drifted to stare across the table at the doctor. "I need you to find out what Zeya did to him."
"Of course!" Dr. Garaki leapt into action, proceeding with every possible scan and test he could think of. The villain stood in silence by his son's side. The sharp light hit every metal surface, every machine, and bounced back to cloud his vision.
His mind kept replaying what had just occured over and over again. The image of his most precious son tearing himself apart, the coppery scent of blood, his own rough movements made to restrain him. A memory so blurry yet so clear, crystalizing in his mind. He remembered the drugs and dug through Iito's pockets, pulling from them a small ziplock baggie of experimental pills. Something the boy likely smuggled out of this very lab. He held the baggie between his fingers delicately, mind full of violent thoughts.
In the end, he chose to let the emotions slide from his conscience, slipping the small plastic bag into his own pocket.
He paced around the room for several hours, keeping a close eye on his son.
-----
At that time, Zeya was helping her mother stand again. She explained the situation slowly, out of view of all the blood.
"He...killed someone...?" Zeya watched her mother's heart break in real time. She clutched the cloth over her chest and shivered.
Zeya didn't know what to say... She nodded, then hugged her mother. "I'm sorry..."
Chloe rubbed the girl's back. "It's... It's okay... It's not your fault...
It's his..."
----------
"I believe I know what the issue is now." A tired Garaki turned his chair from the computer to face the metal table. AFO stood from the floor over by the wall and strode to the table at once, placing his hands upon it. He needn't ask the question. "I've never seen this before..." The doctor removed his glasses to clean them on his shirt. "The neurons in your son's brain have reached their full capacity. Usually, our brains evolve as we grow older to adjust to the build-up of information we take in. We forget memories to replace with new ones, which changes the chemical components of our mind. But.. it appears your son's brain stopped doing that. Instantly, I might add. Like it suddenly absorbed years worth of memories in the span of a second. An onslaught of memories his mind wasn't prepared to intake. That explains part of it, at least. But, from what you told me, it sounds like there must be an emotional component to it as well."
The villain's jaw tightened. This complicated his preexisting theories about Zeya's quirk. He was so sure he had it down, only to be proven how wrong he was... So then, her quirk has more to do with manipulating minds than time itself? Can she only manipulate the minds of others like this while under the influence of Trigger, or is it a normal feature of hers but to a lesser extent?
He ran a hand through his hair, grunting irritably. "So then, we fix this problem by removing a portion of his memories?.."
"...Yes."
"Ghh." This was more than a setback. If too many memories were removed, he would have to teach his son all over again; all those years of training would be for naught. But, if he didn't remove enough, Iito might... The man's posture shifted to that of abdication. "Hhhh... Do what you must."
"Yes sir.."
Not a member of the family was the same after that day. Though, they tried to move past it.
----------
Iito lost about a year's worth of memories, so he had to redo his final year of middle school. He had to re learn a lot, apparently. And this second time around, Chloe was much more verbal about her disapproval. It resulted in family dinners where the parents would actually argue with one another rather intensely. Zeya stayed quiet about it, blaming herself for a large portion of the growing animosity in the house.
She spent more time out of the house. Either that, or scheming with her mother ways to prevent Iito from being corrupted. It was a tiring, vicious cycle. Home wasn't home anymore. Her family felt like a mini warzone. And no matter what she and her mother tried, it didn't stop Iito from returning to that state. That childlike life drained out of his eyes.
Zeya knew well this was the time to give up, so, she did...
Left alone to keep her family together, her mother spiraled.
Chloe started to argue once again, Zeya silent, not backing her like she usually did, when suddenly Iito spoke up, politely reprimanding his mother for speaking up.
...
The woman stared at her boy long and hard, defeat slowly setting in. Her heart once again broke.
Now, no one was on Chloe's side. Everyone had become complacent. Complacent to her little boy being turned into a monster... A monster... Like the man she had spent a century trying to change...
To no avail.
...
Everything she touched, everything she did, every little thing she tried to do to make the world a better place... Centuries of suffering!! For naught.
Because everyone she raised died. Everything she touched crumbled. Her legacy warped for cult worship. Her descendants used to kill people. The only person who could live alongside her was the devil himself.
And the devil was only using her to make more. Just. Like. Him.
...
That's it.
That's enough.
That.
Is.
Enough.
. . .
It wasn't even four months after the accident that the whole house came crumbling down. The family along with it.
---------------
"Zeya, sweetie, while your dad is out of town, I want to try one last thing to fix your brother before he graduates~ Would you mind sleeping over at one of your friends' houses?"
"Um.... Sure, Mom..."
I knew what she had planned wasn't good. I could see that touch of insanity in her eyes. But, I let her do as she liked, hoping it really would fix something.
I let her.
Because I had already given up myself.
I let her.
Because it was easier to give up on a person than it was to risk insanity trying to fix them.
I let her.
Because I was scared of losing yet another family.
I let-- I woke up in the middle of the night. Later than that. 3am at least.
Something was wrong. A sick feeling ate away at my heart. Made me want to vomit. I woke in a cold sweat from my regret. And, seeing as this feeling wouldn't go away anytime soon, I decided to get dressed and leave my friend's house as soon as I could. I just needed to check on my house. Make sure everything was going smoothly. Then, I could return to my friend's couch.
All the lights were off at my house. It was eerily silent. Not even the crickets chirped. Not even a frog croak or owl hoot.
The doors were unlocked. It was easy to tiptoe inside.
Blood.
As soon as I opened the front door, there it was. Plastering the walls. Seeping into the cracks of the floor boards. Buckets and buckets of it. And it kept going. Everywhere. My joints locked up and a series of shivers went up and down my spine as I stepped in. Everywhere I looked, there was at least a drop of blood.
And then I reached the kitchen and--
I was in tears, balling my eyes out as an intense heat enveloped my front. I was on my knees. Suffering from such intense emotional pain, I shivered intensely. I must have vomited at some point, because I could still taste the acidic residue in my mouth.
I was on the sidewalk, facing a house that had been completely enveloped in flames. Smoke bellowed miles high into the sky, yet no ambulances or fire trucks had arrived. It was just me.
A large figure stepped out of the fire, the flame shielded from singing his clothes or skin. But he hadn't gone unaffected. His skin was layered in ash and smoke. Small cuts let blood flow from his arms. His business attire was ruined with blood and soot, jacket discarded. As he approached me, I wrapped my arms around myself and forced myself to stop crying. It sort of worked.
His eyes bore down on me. The eyes of a cold blooded killer who had seen too much. I was scared to meet his gaze, half convinced he would kill ME next! "Wh-where's Mom..?" I sobbed, knowing full well what the answer was. He didn't answer, looming over my small, helpless form as if deciding whether or not to kill me. "Y..you need to SAVE her! G-ghet her OUT of ther-r-re!!" I begged. Reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his pants. I knew what she did and I would never forget it, but something in me still wanted her to remain the good guy, the wholesome, innocent mother I knew!
Even though she'd just killed her own son.
My pleas must have torn the man from whatever trance he was in, because after a couple blinks, he came-to, at least somewhat.
He knelt, grabbed my arm, and stood again. I was yanked onto my feet, yelping and crying out. "Relax, I won't hurt you." He said sternly. I looked up at him, bleary eyed, then attempted to pull myself free.
"Th-then GET Mom out of there- she- she's BURNING!!"
"I know. I chained her to the ground."
My voice caught in my throat. His bluntness shocked me most of all. I started to cry again. "W...whyy..?"
He didn't care to answer directly. Instead be murmured, "...because Hell won't have her," which I didn't understand at the time.
The man, who was now a size larger than normal, tugged me along, down the sidewalk. I couldn't hope to fight back, though I did try. My shoes scraped, rubber over pavement, but my struggle was useless and I knew it. I could do nothing but beg and cry like the child I was, knowing nothing would be the same.
. . .
Hard to believe it, but I lived with my dad for another three years before leaving him to attend UA. That time to mourn and process only solidified the truth.
That man...was a monster.
And nobody could change him.
-----
---------------
""Turns out you were the child of a minimum wage salary woman and a playboy foreigner. You abandoned your mother in a car crash, correct?"" A hint of mockery etched into his smile as he picked at the nerves he knew would make Zeya's blood boil. It worked and she hated how easily he accomplished it. The woman clenched her jaw and balled her fists, cluing you in that he was right. ""My my... You sure do have a habit of giving up on people in the most dire of situations~""
"F#ck you!" She knew it was just a recording, but she still had to say it. You flipped the screen off while she was at it, but internally were still processing the mountain of new information.
This still didn't answer the question of what Ms. Zeya's quirk was, but at least it gave you some useful insight.
The AFO in recording sat back in his chair, fingers weaving together in a more casual sense. He tilted his head ever so slightly, easily imagining the reactions given from his taunts. ""...You didn't save my little star..."" His smile tightened into something almost sad. ""You couldn't save my little star... Now, why was that?"" Silence haunted the room as he let you think about it. Like a teacher giving his students a chance to solve the problem before he had to step in.
You couldn't think of anything solid, however. Even with all you knew about Ms. Zeya's quirk, both from the story and your own personal experience, the clues didn't fit well into one answer.
""Note the maze."" He gestured vaguely to the surroundings behind you. The tall walls of quartz and stone. "If this video is playing as it should, then Zeya wasn't exactly the most graceful navigating through it as she otherwise would be...""
"Where's the off switch??" The woman stomped away in a frenzy, searching the local statues for any hidden buttons or levers.
""If that is the case, then it proves my theory. Thank you, Zeyale...for helping me put the final pieces together~ And proving how your quirk functions~""
"WHAT?" The woman spun around to face the screen, watching his devious grin on full display. No way... This was a setup from the start!?
Your gears started. Just as you were beginning to put the pieces together, the video playing answered it for you. ""I believe your quirk has to do with sending your present memories into a previous version of yourself...Zeya. Allowing you to experience the same event over and over until you get it right~ But, since our brains aren't designed for such an intense build-up of memories, I believe your quirk has one fatal limitation~"" Zeyale knew what was coming next. She gave up scrambling for an out and faced the screen head-on, glaring as if the man were really here. ""If that sleep dart did the trick, it just proved my theory~ Though your gift may seem infallible, you cannot undo anything past waking up now, can you~? A limitation you can only dispose of while under the effects of Trigger.""
You remembered your first encounter with her. The veil of trigger hidden away in her pocket. The freaking president of the HPSC carrying around an illegal drug! You never understood why until now!!
...With all she's learned about her quirk, it isn't impossible to imagine her being able to use her abilities in horrifying ways. Such as torturing people without them ever knowing. Sneaking or breaking into places without anyone ever finding out...and letting people be murdered, intentionally turning a blind eye, all for political gain. A cold chill ran through you as the realization sank in. What a horrifying monster Zeya had to be to do such things. How corrupted she herself must have become without even realizing it.
It was especially terrifying to imagine what your father could achieve with such a quirk.
No wonder Zeya was so protective of the details of her abilities, going as far to legally put that she had no quirk at all.
This was...really dangerous.
And he used you as ammunition to force confirmation out of her. Again, he used you for his own selfish gain. Taking advantage of your every thought and desire to- no. It went beyond that.
He RAISED you to become obsessed with quirks. He raised you to study a person before taking their quirk. He raised you to doubt authority and walk down a path that...would eventually lead you into Zeya's trap. A woman he raised as well. Raised to hate HIM to an OBSESSIVE degree. Someone he let go to UA and rise in rank in an effort to destroy him. Not realizing she was likely playing into one of his many schemes as well.
...He had manipulated both of you to such a great extent, both you and Zeya couldn't even speak.
How much of this was natural...and how much was just the two of you following the exact path he carved for you ages ago...?
...
""Oh, and (Y/n), my angel... You have come SO far, it is only fair that I reward you."" The video pulled you from your deep thoughts. ""You'll find the backup of my blueprints in the mail soon. I hope they are everything you need to take me down someday.. Toodaloo~"" And then the screen went dark. The projector slowly receded through a crack in the ceiling, leaving the maze room...a very quiet place.
.
.
.
---------------
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
---------------
"I'm home." He said to no one.
Tenko pushed the apartment door open with his elbow. His hero suit was still on, though it was clear he'd just gone shopping. Grocery bags filled his hands, restricting his movements. He shut the door with his head, the loud click assuring him off the automatic lock. He swayed away from the door, almost immediately tripping over a pile of clothes.
"Woah.." He sounded softly, carefully evading the pile, only to run into another one. He maneuvered around the little maze of mess until he reached the kitchen.
He set everything on the stove since the countertops were messy as well, and started putting things away in their various cabinets and fridge compartments. Silence stuck to the walls like mold, the trash absorbing any sounds of movement he made.
The vestiges never followed him into his home.
Tenko sat on the ground in front of his couch, since it was covered in clean laundry, including many clones of his hero outfit. He sort of bought a lot of them to ensure he was always presentable no matter how little he took care of himself.
His eyes were sunken-in and stiff, face not moving beyond the audible breath or two. He turned on the TV, which immediately switched to a sporting event similar to soccer but with quirks involved. He changed channels, frowning at yet another ad featuring Hawks and (Y/n). He changed channels again. More quirks. Changed channels again. A child's cartoon about fictional heroes. Changed channels again. Another ad. Changed channels again. Hot women in bathing suits. Changed channels again. Beer. Changed channels again. Crime. Changed channels again. Gambling. Changed channels again. Blood. Changed channels again.
Sin.
Tenko let the remote drop on one raunchy show about people cursed to be part wolf or some sh*t. It was cringe as Hell and obvious no one cared about the plot. Just an excuse to bring two horny characters together: those characters being the film and its audience... This kind of stuff used to make him feel some way. Not anymore. Instead, he just sat there criticizing the film, comparing the explicit material to others he deemed far better. He acted like he had the higher ground here by pretending to critique such content. Though, deep down, he knew d*mn well he was addicted.
The vestiges never followed him into his home.
When the film had ended, Tenko went out of his way to write a one-star review of it online. Then, he got up to eat something.
...Ew. You saying he has to actually MAKE food? After staring at the fridge and listening to his mind spiral, Tenko closed the fridge and ordered takeout, snacking on ice cream bars until his food arrived. His trash cans, all of them, were already overflowing with trash, so the guy didn't have anywhere to put his garbage once done eating dinner. He considered actually doing some good and taking out the trash, but... He set it on the floor beside the bin and sat down to play videogames in his room instead.
Hours passed. He played game after game, but couldn't bring himself to play one for very long. The games got more violent, more explicit in nature. The money he earned from saving people went right into these games. Games about killing people. He wanted to feel his stomach turn every time he knifed an enemy in the neck, he wanted to feel sick every time he watched blood splatter. But he didn't. He'd been desensitized. Desensitized to all of it. Desensitized and addicted to a degree. And it was just getting worse.
A buzzing sound finally caught his attention. His phone rang angrily at him from the other room, so Tenko paused his game and hobbled over to it.
Eleven missed calls? "Yes?"
""Um... Are you coming to train or..no?"" The young man's eyes widened at once. It was none other than Izuku talking to him through the phone, the boy he promised to train! SH*T!
A nervous laugh left his throat before anything else. "Oh-hoh-oh, yeah! Sorry!!" He ran into his room and turned off his gaming console. He sniffed his armpit. Atrocious. But he didn't have time to change. "I- I just got back from stopping a villain! I'll be there REAL soon! Meet you at the warehouse!"
""I'm already here.."" Izuku pouted. ""Have been for a really long time."" The boy was too shy and respectful to get angry at Tenko, but his disappointment came across clearly.
Tenko hurried to put on his shoes. "Okay bye!!" He hung up on the kid and launched out of his apartment door. As soon as he could, the young man rocketed through the air to reach his student.
----------
This place held many memories. Tenko skipped in through the large metal doors, remembering all the times he and Iguchi had to work as a team to open them. An empty airplane hanger full of rusty walls and broken glass greeted him, its floors a mix of broken concrete and dirt. Izuku stood in the very center of the warehouse, practicing controlled kicks and punches; tapping an old dummy but never breaking it. Tenko marveled at how quickly the kid had learned self control. The teen had spent days practicing, no doubt.
Pushing aside his own doubts and aches, Tenko put on a broad smile and waved at the younger teen. "Hey!! Hahah, sorry for being so late!" When Izuku turned around with a pure, forgiving smile, the hero knew instantly.
This kid would grow to become a far greater hero than he could ever be.
Tenko trained Izuku more fighting fundamentals. Now that the kid knew how to hold himself back for the most part, he could be taught even more lethal kicks and punches. Tenko showed him critical hit-points; places to and not-to punch. Showed the kid how to swing an attack that wouldn't hurt himself. How to place and move his feet in battle. He taught Izuku everything he could, pretty much! His lessons were always so much more disjointed and information heavy than (Y/n)'s. Took Izuku time to adjust to the more chaotic teaching style. But just like with his quirk, he adjusted quickly. Because he had to. He knew that if he wanted to be a hero like All Might, he had to be prepared for every challenge. Mentally and physically.
Izuku had no idea All Might's vestige was right there. He had no idea that a portion of the tips and pointers he received were from All Might's very mouth; that the world's greatest hero was enthusiastically watching him learn and grow just as Tenko was. Tenko was sure Izuku would have loved to know that. He was his biggest fan, after all... If only he could.. could see him...
Tenko's phone, which sat alone on a rusty table in the corner of the room, started to ring loudly. The two stopped sparring instantly. It was dusk, nearly night! So the chances of this call being urgent were high. "One moment, please!" Tenko ran to grab his phone. A call from Endeavor?? "H-hello, sir!"
""Ghhhh... I really hate to have to tell you this, but next time you leave a review on a porn site, do so on an alt account.. It's weird enough hearing you're into that stuff knowing how much time you spend around my daughter, but the news was broken to me through one of my subordinates because.. hhhh... It 'picked up traction' online..."" ...Tenko couldn't breathe.
'Wait, so I didn't use my alt?... F*CK!' ... "Endeavor, sir, I am SOOO sorry! And I would NEVER think such thoughts about your daughter; she's such a an angel! And also WHAT?! Wh-who is spreading this!?!"
"Are you talking to Endeavor??!" :D Izuku ran up to Tenko, who immediately turned to him with crazy eyes.
"YES! HERE! TALK TO HIM FOR ME!" The elder teen panicked and handed Izuku the phone. Now given direct access to the current number one hero, Izuku bombarded him with questions after question until Endeavor eventually hung up. Meanwhile, Tenko rolled around in the dirt having a panic attack.
Once Izuku had been hung up on and Tenko calmed down a bit, they laid and stood in silence. Izuku walked over to Tenko and calmly placed the phone on his chest before patting his forehead. "Thanks, kid.." Tenko groaned.
"Are we going to keep training, or do you need to go home?"
The elder sat up and groaned, grabbing his phone. "I should probably go home... My shift starts super early... Ughh..." He felt terrible. How was he ever going to look his boss in the eyes again? How was he ever going to look at his FANS again?? If his mistake really lead to a massive outbreak, who knows? Some might not feel safe around him. Others might speculate he's doing even worse things behind closed doors. People might start accusing him of talking inapropriately with his fans or even being into CHILD PO- wait... Should he teach Izuku anymore?? What if people saw the two together and assumed the worst?! You can't CHANGE how people interpret you, no matter WHAT you try! Crap! Crap! Crap! SH*T!
The two left each other rather unceremoniously. At least Izuku was satisfied enough with what he had learned, determined to practice it in his own time. Tenko meanwhile returned home feeling miserable. He became anxious. Suddenly, every person who saw him only thought the worst of his character, so he thought. Suddenly, everyone hated him, so he thought. Even the animals he passed by on the street thought him a creep and a weirdo, so he thought.
In reality, these were all things he thought about himself since, well, a really long time.
...He kind of was a creep and a weirdo, and every time something bad happened to him, it only got worse. He depended upon unnecessary habits more and more to make himself forget.
But it only made things worse.
. . .
"I'm home." He said to no one.
He stumbled into his room, kicked off his shoes, and maneuvered around the piles of clothes and trash. Today was a bad day, so he determined. He was a terrible person, so he decided.
Tenko sat down in front of the couch and plugged in his phone. Though his stomach turned with anxiety, he decided to witness the damage done to his image for himself. So he went on social media and...oh. It actually wasn't that bad. Not that bad at all, really. Yes, news was out. Yes, the embarrassing truth was out, but only to a few hundred, maybe a thousand. His fanbase was primarily positive. With fans of his even arguing in his defense. If anything, it was those spreading the hate that were mocked and persecuted.
Because no hero could really be that bad of a person...
Though this made him feel a little better, it didn't change the whole of his mood. He'd been making excuses for ages, but he couldn't do that anymore.
This incident was only the tip of the iceberg. The darkness that hid beneath was what really bothered him.
Tenko set his phone down on the carpet floor beside him. "Can you guys come in?? Enter?!" He set his arms on his knees, his chin on top of them. The vestiges walked in slowly, their feet clipping through the mess. The young hero stared ahead at the lifeless TV monitor. "I think this power would be better suited for someone else... What do you guys think?"
Silence filled the room. Some were thinking. Others were sympathetic.
"LOOK at this place!" Tenko gestured around his apartment, which now bore resemblance to Iguchi's room when they first met in person. He was SO ignorant back then! Waltzing in and starting to clean, like cleaning it would fix anything! NO amount of cleaning can fix the mess inside!! And Tenko let his best friend die with a broken heart!! He didn't SAVE him! He merely prolonged his suffering!! "Look at ME! You SERIOUSLY think I'm worthy of your power?!"
Nana took a step forward, a soft sort of pain in her eyes, "...You're still recovering.."
"No SH*T Sherlock! I've ALWAYS been recovering from SOMETHING! Never in my life have I NOT been recovering! And I CAN'T pick myself up again like YOU, All Might, or ANY of you!! I don't know how much longer I can keep this act up!" He grabbed his hair and pulled it to cover his face. "I WANT to be a hero, don't get me wrong, but if this keeps going, I'll- I'll-- I'll FAIL you! ALL of you!!" His voice was broken. HE...was broken.
"..."
Several wanted to argue, but several of them were already thinking this before. Both for his sake and for their own. But they were all stuck. No two members agreed with one another on this matter. Most of them didn't even agree with themselves.
"You know what?" Tenko's shaking hand grabbed his phone and dialed a number. "I already know who to pass my quirk on to."
Izuku answered. ""Yes?""
---------------
You didn't know when you'd fallen asleep. But after such a straining little adventure with Ms. Zeya, you collapsed onto the beanbag in the dressing/makeup room. The bean bag was big, like a soft nest that swallowed you up. No wonder you caught Keigo taking naps on here. It was so...nice...
A flash of light stirred your slowly waking mind. Judging by the crust on your eyes and the heavy feeling in your head, you had been asleep for several hours. Your eyes opened and immediately turned to look at whoever woke you. Iceman/Geten stood by the bean bag, not even a smirk on his face, but a mischievous air about him, as he examined the picture he'd just taken on his phone. You were about to tell him to f*ck off when he did just that. Your attention no longer on him, you realized WHY he had taken the picture. The source of warmth wasn't just an oddly shaped pillow, but a person. Indeed, your arms were wrapped loosely around someone, their arms wrapped around you, your legs intertwining like this were a natural occurrence. Made your face turn red once you realize what was going on.
Hawks, or Keigo as you weren't allowed to call him. His dirty blond hair was mangled and a tad greasy after a long day. His soft, sleeping breaths blew onto your collarbone. His arms around you loose and uncovered. How...how long had he been here?? And also wft??
You thought about breaking away.. longer than Kai would have liked you to. Though your mind was a whirlwind of questions, the air was so calm. Luling you back to sleep. Your weakness for wholesome snuggles made this tempting. Maybe, if only you pretended like you never woke up and found out about this after the fact...you could get away with this. Just this once. Play it innocent. Pit all the blame on him.
But... That wouldn't be very nice to anyone, especially yourself. After all, you didn't want to give him the wrong idea... A snuggle for him might not be the same as a snuggle for you.
You huffed, forcing yourself out of the comfort by pushing the man away. He started to groan and reach for you, so you lightly slapped his hair to wake him up. "Owh!" He opened his eyes, face going pale the moment his gaze met yours.
"Why are you sleeping with me?" You had a stern, ready to judge him look.
His face turned bright red. He pushed himself away and sat up, grabbing his falling feathers frantically like he was at the scene of a fresh crime. "I- uh-I- NU-UH!!"
"Yuh-huh." You lifted an amused brow, tilting your head. You had to balance three contrasting emotions: those being intense fluster, slight betrayal, and the faintest of desire. All of which were promptly covered up under a calm, borderline teasing mask.
"Sorry!" The guy pushed himself off of the beanbag, fidgeting with the pockets of his pants as he stiffly walked away. It was only after he stepped out from your close vicinity that you heard the drumming of your heart.
"I don't hate you!" You stood suddenly, clutching the hem of your shirt. Keigo froze and stared at the ground, his shoulders tense. You didn't quite know how to word your feelings, but, your mind raced desperately for something to say that wouldn't push him away from you. "If-if you were just tired, or meant it in a friendly way, then I don't mind-! Honest!" Hawks was your only remaining friend on this side of morality. You ran a hand down your arm, rubbing a foot over the dark, thin carpet floor. "I know we're both figuring our sh*t out...and it doesn't help that we've been pretending to be a couple lately... If you need anyone to talk to, even about uncomfortable stuff, I'm here for you..." The guy visibly shivered, inhaling the smallest gasp. After a pause, he clenched one fist and combed the other through his hair. His back was still to you. You had a feeling he didn't want you to see his face, so you didn't pry.
"...You're too good to me, really..." He spoke softly his wings dropped loosely so, when he turned to look over his shoulder, "It's why I know for certain now" you could clearly see the big, genuine smile on his face and small tears in his eyes. "I'm going to marry you someday.."
That made you feel a mix of feelings all at once. The awe of his adorable smile, shock of what he said, worry about what his words meant, and slow-setting horror that he was being serious.
You forced a convincing smile, rubbing the back of your neck. "Ahah.. ha ha hahah... Ahah. Yeahhhh nnnooo I meant as a friend..."
Keigo's smile dropped. His lips pursed and his whole face turned a bright red. He soon after broke into laughter as well. "AHAH! You know I was totally joking, right?! Pshhh, sheesh!" He slapped his knee, still totally red in the face. His wings curled in closer to try to hide as much of him as possible. "I- I mean, you're not even my type!"
"Ouch~ not even a little~?" Your own cheeks pink, you retorted back with a tease. You played into the game along with him, happy to accept his words as the new narrative.
"Not to offend! Not at ALL actually. You're beautiful! --B-but not THAT beautiful! ... Oh god..." He covered his face with his hands and wings. It was more than rare for you to see him this nervous. It was actually quite refreshing.
You simply laughed and shrugged it off, refusing to think too deeply into how he was actually feeling. You pranced by and patted him on the shoulder. "See you again at work, okay, buddy?!"
"Yeah! Totally!"
There wasn't much else to say, so you skipped off into the night. Decided to take the long way home to cool yourself down.
----------
Even in the subway, your heart was beating rapidly. Bright lights flashed by, but other than that, it was so dark outside. Even the city streets were dampened with a layer of gloom. But, inside, your heart fluttered.
Getting to hold someone so closely again felt like a dream come true. Even the small, menial things like the feeling of skin on skin, sweat on sweat, tickling of hair, and gentle breathing. A scent different, but not foreign. To hold, not something, but some-one. Someone that was alive, moving, and had a whole life of their own... Yet they decided to spend this tender moment with you... And the way his words hung in your head like a promise, his smile played on repeat. You stood in the subway car to keep yourself from zoning out, but with how much you were blushing, you debated sitting down.
Those tender thoughts and that tender moment never left your head even as you walked the long way home. Even as you let your skin soak in the cool mist of the night air. Even as you stepped through puddles, pet passing street cats, and cleaned some trash along the way, your thoughts returned to that moment. Hyper fixated on those feelings.
Though lovely and warm those feelings may be, they came hand-in-hand with a slow-settling dread. A fear starting to crawl up your spine as you went through hypotheticals. Like, what if you did pursue a relationship with him? What then? He'd made it clear in the past that he wasn't Asexual, meaning he'd want to do things like kiss and be intimate. And, well, you weren't into those kinds of things. You liked the idea of being close to someone, yes, but not in a romantic way that made you uncomfortable.
Then your heart stopped as realization hit you... You didn't even realize they were back now, but, here they were. ... Your emotions. ... Your frustrating, complicated, but oh so missed emotions.
You stopped at the gates of the Shie Hassaikai base and stared through the bars for a while. You purposefully left them out of your thoughts so you could process your other feelings. But, Kai and his side of things was definitely a big factor playing into your reason for not choosing Keigo.. Even if they were...less than just, they were family to you. A lifeline. Betraying them would probably hurt you more than them.
A midnight jogger switched to simply walking about ten or so feet from you. "(Y/n)?" His face was unguarded. Kai huffed and puffed as he recovered from the exercise.
You shrunk down to 5'3 again and turned his way with a soft smile and wave. "You're out here quite late."
"Best time to run. ...Weird shift?"
"-Yeah!" You ran a hand through your hair, thinking he somehow knew about you and Hawks, then realized he meant the strange time returning home. "I had a mission in the middle of the day..."
"Ahh, want dinner, then? Some of the guys are probably still eating. An event just ended for us as well." The man opened the gate and, his hand ghosting behind your back, led you inside.
"Hm? What event?"
Kai dug through his short-pockets and pulled out his usual cloth mask to fix over his face. "Just another meeting with potential business partners regarding our shared futures. Nothing you should concern yourself with."
"Mh," you hummed in thought. If he wasn't giving you details, it probably wasn't that big of a deal. You nudged his sweaty side with your elbow. "I didn't know you worked out~"
Kai squinted at you. "How do you think I got like this then?"
"Your quirk?"
"...Pmh.. seriously? That's not real muscle. And besides, running gives me a chance to clear my head."
"Huh." You focused on the road ahead while thinking. Strange. This whole time living here, you never saw him working out. You assumed he maybe did so, since there was a gym room under ground, but imagining him working out wasn't even a thought. Guess you knew less about him than you believed you did.
"...Jogging outside is a new thing." Kai said as the two of you stepped up to the sliding doors of the smaller, side house. "I was too scared to for the longest time, but, as long as nobody's around, I feel fine doing it now."
"Ohhh, progress!" You chuckled. There. That answered your query. As if he knew exactly what you were wondering about!
As you stepped inside, the warm light from the dining area and kitchen beyond it greeted you. A few of the Eight Bullets, who by now were really more like dorm buddies, sat around the table with their empty bowls left about, playing poker. They immediately teased you to join them, but you declined. You headed in the direction of your room to change first, but Kai grabbed your sleeve and lightly tugged you to follow him to the kitchen, where he poured you a bowl of still warm ramen. The gesture overall was sweet, but, it only served to make you feel guilty about earlier today.
You didn't kiss Keigo, but, it was probably on the same level. And that was the one thing Kai explicitly asked you not to do. He was perfectly fine with you PRETENDING to be in a relationship, but, as far as he was concerned, you were his. "Thanks." Your voice was weaker than intended when you were handed the ramen. He looked over his shoulder while grabbing himself a small portion of ramen as well.
"What's the matter?" He was too good at this now. Too good at knowing something was off even when you weren't sure. A roar of laughter bellowed from the other room about something unrelated. You waited for the noise to settle before speaking.
You blushed, stirring the ramen with your chopsticks. "I'm just...tired."
"You don't look that tired." He turned, ramen in hand, and scrutinized the details of your face with his own eyes. As if he needed those anymore to see clearly. You worried he might somehow read your mind and find out what had happened. You felt terrible about it, really. But telling him the truth would only put Keigo in trouble. His hand landed on your shoulder, startling you. "Sure you don't want to watch a movie?"
"No- I'm good. Thanks, though." You repressed a shiver. Not because you felt that you were in any danger, though. The man didn't look the slightest bit angry. The closest he was to that was probably his subtle concern, which you could feel through his fingertips.
"What happened?"
Cccrraaap... You stopped and sighed slowly. "...Just...a video of my dad sharing some family history." You changed the subject to something that still held relevancy, watching the man's brows tighten on his forehead. "Some dark sh*t about how one of my siblings was murdered..."
Kai's hand slipped off your shoulder, though you could tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted desperately to help you. To comfort you, somehow. But, the longer he spent thinking about it, the more he froze. The harder it became to actually do or say anything.
There wasn't a monster to fight here. There wasn't a bad guy to punch in the face. Not a physical opponent of any kind to take down. Only...emotions, thoughts, and feelings. His natural enemy in this life. Watching him freeze, it became painfully obvious why you were drawn to Hawks back there. You gave yourself at least a little grace. Because as bad as it sounded, Kai Chisaki would not make for a very good husband. And you knew that for a very, very long time.
"Come on." You gently nudged him to follow you out of the kitchen. The two of you sat at the table and witnessed the chaos that whirled around the game of poker, with high stakes involving the loser stapling their finger. It definitely wasn't safe and you eventually talked them out of doing that. So, instead they settled on editing a photo of the loser in a bikini.
Kai sat quietly beside you, eating slowly so he'd finish around the same time as you. He was quieter than usual. He didn't make his jabbing remarks or half insults towards his crew and their nonsense like he usually did. Instead, he kept looking at your hands. Occasionally glancing at your face, hair, and back, thinking to himself about what he could do to show he cared. But, he couldn't think of anything. Or, any thought he had was immediately shut down.
Because he didn't want to make it seem like he was making a move on you when that truly wasn't his intention.
---------------
Tenko floated onto the unstable roof of the warehouse, where he saw Izuku sitting and staring at the stars. The light pollution was so dull out here. The stars sparkled beautifully, and the younger teen was clearly admiring them. Tenko stepped lightly over patches of rust and shattered glass, until reaching the center-most part of the building, where he stood behind the young Midoriya.
He cleared his throat into his hand. "You wondering why I called you here?" Tenko's voice attempted to mimic that of a deep voiced, confident and wise mentor. But it was clear how little he fit that description.
Izuku chuckled softly. "No, not really." Instead, he was focusing on the beauty overhead. Though, obviously, he was a little curious.
He would be turning fifteen soon... To think someone of such an age already had so much power. Tenko believed he deserved it, of course. He could see through training that the kid was a hard worker and held the determination to save people not even Tenko had. Where Tenko would pause and hesitate, Izuku ran right ahead. And he had a good moral compass on him too, raised by a wonderful mother.
-----
The vestiges called him for one last meeting inside his head. Yoichi, surprisingly, was the one who stood with his fists clenched, concern portrayed through a strict stare. "He has a copy of my niece's quirk already."
"Yeah." Nana folded her arms, though much gentler about her restraint. "I know you think you aren't worthy, but consider the consequences of what could happen if you give one person so much power. Consider it, please."
"At least give it to one of his friends or something. What about that blond kid?? He seems a good fit!" The fifth suggested while smashing his hands together. Though a couple others shook their heads at the idea.
"Just think about it." Tenko cut through the conversation with his soft, slightly raspy voice. He kept his face low, letting the hair fall over his eyes, as he felt ashamed to even stand in the same room as these legends. "...What we're doing here is creating a god... What I'm doing. A god with the immortality of Chloe, combined with the immortality of her daughter, (Y/n), combined with two quirks that can consume and redistribute power as we know it. He won't just be overpowered, he will be able to fix everything." He thought of the boy's smile, his grit, his determination, but most of all, his innocence. He hadn't seen death like Tenko and (Y/n) had seen it. He hadn't been desensitized--corrupted by it. And with so much power, he hopefully never would. Because villains would tremble at the sound of his name. They would run from his approaching footsteps. They would crawl back into the sewers where they deserved to be. Tenko had already decided, and the others realized that.
Izuku Midoriya would be made into a god among men. He would be like All Might, but better.
But, for obvious reasons, even All Might was hesitant to take that step. After all, you can never undo the creation of a god.
But, at the very least, they all had a seat at the table. If things did get out of hand, perhaps they could stop such a god themselves by holding back their power and weakening him from the inside. Yes, that might just work. But, the final deciding factor was the boy's will. For, he really was a good kid.
-----
"Tenko-san?" Izuku stood facing Tenko, concern in his large, rounded eyes. The elder teen blinked, returning to the present.
"Yes?"
"What's going on?"
"Oh-h, right!" He cleared his throat again, and sighed. "I called you here actually.. to tell you the truth. About me, my quirk, and...why I'm a fraud." He went on to tell the story from where it began. Stumbling around old stories of him as a kid, sometimes losing train of thought and needing to remember where he was going with this. All this stumbling through stories about his life eventually led him to talking about his quirk, One For All, which was like a mirror to the quirk Izuku already had, All For One. All the while, Izuku listened so intently, he forgot to breathe at times... Tenko finally reached the present, after explaining everything about All Might and the other vestiges as well. "And that's where I finally come around to...you." He scratched his head, messing his hair up nervously. "If I pass the quirk on to you, I'll still have the embers of it for maybe about a year, but...to be honest, I think the quirk would be much better suited to you... Do you...want it..?" The young man couldn't believe how awkward he was asking. Yeah, this was a pretty big deal, but compared to previous passings-down of the power, he was a nervous wreck. And it suited him.
...
Izuku was completely silent. Mouth slightly agape, staring with awe, wonder, and confusion.
...Him??
His hand lifted, involuntarily, carefully reaching for Tenko like he was some small animal.
His skin crawled at the very thought of such a quirk. Drawn to the idea on a molecular, cellular level, it terrified him.
He yanked his own wrist back. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline!" He blurted, then gave himself a moment to breathe. Izuku's mind went hazy, vision fogging, as if to punish himself for refusing. The temptation to turn around was visceral, like taking it was ingrained into his very DNA. One half of himself longing for the other. Which was EXACTLY why he had to refuse it. "I'm sorry..." He whined, falling a step back. "But I can't take that power!"
Tenko's eyes widened at once and he took a step back as well. He could see the struggle plain as day. The anguish that resulted from having to fight against his own instincts--his own quirk. "I understand." Tenko stepped forward, hoping to pat the boy on the shoulder; give him some form of assurance. But Izuku, instead, turned invisible and ran away. His clothes were still visible, and his pounding steps loud on the rusty metal roof. Tenko's eyes followed the retreating one, fearing he only made things worse.
---------------
16 In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there also.
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.
---------------
It was dark and quiet. Everyone was either in bed or preparing for it. So late at night, it was a wonder why so many had decided to remain up so long.
This was a strange house. The walls were thin, but we're made with material perfect for blocking out noise. The floor was made of wood, yet it stabbed chills into unprepared feet like stone or metal usually did. The house, not counting the manor it was loosely attached to, was small. Yet, there remained rooms you had never stepped foot into before. It was a comfortable home and a haunting sight all in one. A place you could relax, but around every other corner held a memory of a terrible fight or a tragic incident. So many bumps and scrapes along the way to where you were now. So many people who were no longer in your life had gone through here. The history of these walls and these hallways were dirtied with invisible ash and blood. And yet it was your home. The place you would run to in a heartbeat if ever something came up that you couldn't handle alone.
After brushing your teeth and spitting into the sink, you felt a sense of unease as a noise neared you slowly. Steps on the sturdy wood. With this light and your mind set in such a mood, you would have thought it a monster sooner than a person, of not for your Sight quirk.
It was only Kai again. He leaned carefully against the wall and waited for you to be done with the bathroom. So, you hurried to wash out your mouth and put your things away. When you exited the bathroom, however, he didn't move.
"How have you been?"
"Good?" You were stopped by the sudden small talk.
"It's probably going to be really foggy tomorrow... So, be careful out there."
Your posture straightened, humoring this.. short.. speak. "..I will. Um. Thank you... You..stay safe too."
As you moved to walk down the hall past him, his gaze followed you, his arms loosely crossed. "Is your kimono ready yet for the ceremony?"
You stumbled in your steps to turn and chuckle at him. "Yeah-h. Mrs. Yamashi is picking is up for me tomorrow!.. She's also helping me with my hair."
The man seemed to smile ever so slightly. "I'm glad to hear you've been getting along with her."
"Heh, I know, right? She used to HATE me a few years ago!" He knew you never had to exactly look at something in order to see it, so it amused him to see you glancing around everywhere as if there were many things to see. You.. were.. nervous... Did he somehow find out?? Was this small talk just build up to-!?
"This request is going to sound weird. But, I don't really care anymore." He pried off his mask and got down on one knee. More in a knightly way than...whatever else. He stared down at the floor, even after all this time spent talking himself into doing this, he was nervous but in a calm way, if that makes any sense. "I am allowing you to kiss me. Wherever you like."
...
Now, you had to agree. That was a very strange request. You tilted your head. He clenched his teeth. "I'll explain in a minute-- But... We're getting married next week, so, I thought I'd see if...we should kiss in the ceremony. Or leave our plans as they are.... Thought I would let you decide."
Well, this was certainly a dramatic way to spring on the question. Talk about heart attacks! The hallway was so dark, only lit by the bathroom door. It didn't match the explosion of emotions. None of which made any sense.
You blinked a few times, each blink shuffling through the mix of feelings you had. Mostly shock.
It was impressive, you had to admit, that he was willing to literally stoop so low, and let himself be kissed, even though you already knew that wasn't what he wanted. He was quite literally giving you free reign over his most personal space. And though it made him uncomfortable, he stayed strong and ultimately let you be the one to choose.
Put on the spot, you had no idea what to do. You knew walking away wouldn't do anything but be rude. And standing there thinking for too long would only serve to agitate the both of you. Once you had decided, all wariness melted away.
You reached out and softly pet his hair, which was softer than you remembered it being, and gently held his head in place with both hands to drop a little smooth on his forehead. As your touch left him, the man exhaled slowly. It both sounded relieved and disappointed somehow. "Yeah..." He sighed. "...I only see you that way too..." So then, that was his way of getting the confirmation that he needed. That the two of you weren't, in actuality, in love with each other.
Stepping back, the air in the house felt so thin. Like a string instrument was playing on a single cord...
And that cord was about to break.