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Chapter Text

Midoriya would've never imagined that his first day back (from internships) would be a hassle. Quite literally so, because he's struggling to make his way through the crowd of news reporters and journalists that were asking him an overwhelming amount of questions, all of those questions overlapping one another because they were all so eager to question a U.A. student that was in the same class as (Y/n).

"Do you think (L/n) should be expelled?"

"Do you know if (L/n) is coming to school? Ever?"

"Did they ever tell you about what happened at the Taito Ward?"

Midoriya refuses to even make eye contact with any of them, covering his eyes with an arm, while still trying to walk forward, towards the main gates of the school campus. "Sorry. I-I'm not good with interviews." He'd be lying if he said he wasn't annoyed by this point. "Please. I need to go inside." He requests this as nicely as he possibly could.

Midoriya is fortunate that all of a sudden someone had dragged him through the crowd, by force. "You heard him, didn't you? We have to go inside!" It's Uraraka, who doesn't hesitate to resort to shoving some of the people that dare to get in her way. It seems as though she had arrived at the scene not too long ago before Midoriya, considering that she had came from behind. "We don't know anything, so just leave us alone already!" The brunette never notices how astonished Midoriya was by her bravery.

The two manage to reach and enter the gates. The first thing that Uraraka says after she and her friend had succeeded is, "Geez...I'm not the kind of person to get annoyed by people, but I think the press just became my only exception..." She pats down her clothes to get rid of any wrinkles or dirt that might've been caught along the way. "It's because of them that (L/n) doesn't want to come back right now. They're making them out to be the bad guy."

A frown appears on Midoriya's face. "Yeah..." He hesitates to ask his friend, "Uraraka...if you're saying that, then...you don't believe that (L/n) did that? The incident that happened at the Taito Ward?"

Uraraka raises an eyebrow. "Don't you?" Midoriya's silence changes her expression and tone in a mere second. "Deku, we both know that it was her. We're (L/n)'s friends. We know them better than anyone else! We've known them long enough to know that they would never do that! If anything, that incident explains why they've always been so paranoid about using their quirk, since the first day they got here!"

"I know that." Midoriya assures to her that he agrees with her explanation. "It's not that I believe (L/n) did that, but..." He contains her anger in fists that he tucks to his sides. "How come they didn't tell us?" His eyes wander down to the brick road he was standing on. "They knew that we would've believed them, didn't they? So why is it that they still decide to keep this a secret from us?" Uraraka's eyes soften at a rhetoric that she's never thought about before. "We're almost halfway down with our first semester. We've spent so much time together. They had so many opportunities to tell us about the incident. And I don't think it's just about the fact that they don't trust us. As messed up as this sounds, I think...that maybe there's more this incident than what the media is letting on. That maybe..."

"I thought we both agreed that (L/n) had nothing to do with the incident." Uraraka refuses to hear the accusation that will be held against (Y/n).

"We did."

"So then why does it sound like you're going to say that they did?"

Midoriya falters from sharing his thoughts on the matter. "I'm sorry. I'm just..." He loosens his fists and locks eyes with Uraraka. "--....I feel hurt. I wish that (L/n) had told us this before everyone else found out."

"It's not like there ever was an opportunity to bring this up..." Uraraka takes into consideration. "(L/n) was just worried about us. About what we might think, and how our reactions will affect how we interact with them from that point on. Iida and I...did kind of maintain a distance after we first saw her at the combat training...so I think that kind of gave (L/n) all the more reason to wait a while before we were ready to hear about what happened..."

Midoriya still has his speculations. "Do you really think they would've told us? If the media hadn't found out before us?"

Uraraka is honest in responding with, "I don't know..." She notices that Midoriya is wearing a saddened look and she grabs him the shoulders. "Hey, it's going to be okay. I'm sure we can find some way to talk to (L/n) personally. Once we do, I'm sure they'll want to come back." Midoriya appreciates her efforts in being positive about such a dire situation, a smile replacing his initial expression.

Midoriya and Uraraka go their classroom and the atmosphere is incredibly tense. Silence whelms every other student, and it looks as though no one really had the courage to break that silence. Midoriya and Uraraka enter the classroom rather awkwardly, unaware that the reactions of their classmates would be this overwhelming for them; they can also feel so many of their classmates staring them down, as if they had a role in the incident, or even the sole perpetrator themself.

'I guess this is what (L/n) was so worried about.' Midoriya starts to understand (Y/n)'s hesitation in revealing such news to him alone. 'Though, it's not like it's out of the ordinary to become scared...' He recalls back to what the news had covered about the incident. 'A district that has existed for centuries...hundreds of people that ended being causalities...all gone within ten minutes. There's no doubt that this was her that did that. Meaning that ever since the incident she's been holding back on us...she can kill any of us if she really wanted to. I've always known that through my observations, but now I know about the incident, it...' Now sitting behind his desk, he forms his hands into fists, on his desktop. '--...it makes me question everything about her. I never even once considered the possibility that I could take her on at some point, once I control One For All. Nor have I wondered if All Might was even capable taking her on. But with what I know now...is it safe to assume that the gap is way too wide for either one of us to fight her? Whether that is right now or in the future?' The thought of fighting someone so powerful frightens him tremendously. 'More importantly...is it possible for her to get even stronger? And if so...what will that mean for (L/n)? Will it even still be their body if she really goes grow super powerful, to the point of...'

"Alright, the suspense is killing me over here." Mineta volunteers to address the elephant in the room. "Midoriya!" He nudges Midoriya on the back, since he's sitting behind him. The second he earns Midoriya's attention, he asks him, "It is really true that (L/n) killed all of those people?"

Midoriya knows the answer to that question, but he believes it's only (Y/n)'s place to explain their quirk as a whole. "I...I don't know. I can't speak for (L/n) by answering that, Mineta."

"No, they didn't." Bakugou has his legs resting on the table, slouching against his chair while maintaining the conversation. His response earns the attention of everyone else in the classroom. He scoffs at how poorly Midoriya had tried to answer the question. "And you're supposed to be their friend, huh? Give me a break. You know that someone like them wouldn't do that. What's there to question about?"

"Because it really was (L/n)." Sero jumps into the conversation. "They have pictures to prove it, Bakugou. It would be pretty hard to deny pretty solid evidence."

"And it would be pretty hard to deny that you're a dumbass." Bakugou retaliates. "That's not them."

"Then who else would it be?" Jirou deadpans. "Their evil twin or something?"

"You don't know anything, earphones." Those words of mockery had almost made Bakugou jump at Jirou, right then and there. "So how about you wait until they come back, so that they can explain everything and beat your ass themself." Jirou only rolls her eyes at him.

"You really think (L/n)'s going to come back?" Kaminari only asks this because (Y/n)'s return is actually the one thing he's dreading about.

Kirishima checks the clock that is built on one of the walls of the classroom. "Homeroom starts in less than five minutes. I don't think--"

"They are." Bakugou states, with certainty.

Asui mentions, "But usually (L/n) is one of the first people that get here. It just seems rather odd for them to come--"

"They're coming." A hint of hostility silences Asui on the first go.

Midoriya's eyes soften at his childhood friend. 'Even Kacchan is worried about (L/n)...' Seeing Bakugou so certain of his beliefs motivates him to do the same. He clings onto hope that (Y/n) will make an appearance, like his childhood friend.

"Bakugou..." To everyone's surprise, Hagakure confront Bakugou on a certain realization that she had. "--...did you know about all of this? About the incident?"

Bakugou has no reason to say otherwise. "And so what if I did?" He neglects the fact that so many of his classmates were now in shock.

On an impulse, Kirishima stands up from his seat. "If you knew this entire time, why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it doesn't matter." Bakugou puts emphasis to his words. 

"It doesn't matter?" Sero feels the need to remind Bakugou about what exactly happened at that incident. "Bakugou, people died! An entire city got destroyed! There's nothing left! No one survived but (L/n)!"

"It doesn't matter because it wasn't them." Bakugou reiterates his initial point of having this conversation.

"Is this you being in denial or something?" Sero fails to believe his own classmate. "Look, we get it. You and (L/n) are friends, so to learn that they did this--"

Bakugou hits a fist on his own desktop, removing his legs from his desk so that he can do so. "No, you're in denial. At this point, you're all just finding an excuse to avoid them after what happened at the Sports Festival!" He points at every single person that sits in that very classroom. "Don't pretend that you guys actually liked them from the very beginning! None of you did! Maybe pink cheeks and Deku, but that's only a damn handful of this class!" His rhetoric puts everyone in deep thought. No one dares to go against the truth.

"Even if that's maybe true..." It takes a couple of minutes for Yaoyorozu to muster up the courage to speak up. "--...at least tell us who really did it, Bakugou. If it wasn't (L/n), then who did it?"

Before Bakugou can say anything, Mineta says, "You're really going to believe him on the spot? He's probably just saying all of this to protect (L/n). Don't forget that this is Bakugou we're talking to. He practically makes it a priority to be sadistic and hostile--" He gets snatched off of his seat, held by the collar of his uniform shirt. He screams in fear when his eyes meet with Bakugou's, his short legs kicking in mid-air.

"Kacchan, don't!" Midoriya tries to touch one of Bakugou's shoulder but his extended hand gets slapped away. 

"You wanna repeat that?" Bakugou gives Mineta the death glare and the screaming gets even louder.

"Take it easy!" Kirishima steps in to separate Mineta and Bakugou by force. "We're all a little on edge right now, so let's just calm down before we can continue this conversation."

"There's nothing to talk about!" Bakugou argues. "Because (L/n) didn't do it!"

"You keep saying that, but you're not giving us a reason why we should believe that, Bakugou." Yaoyorozu points out. "You repeating it just makes us question if you really have the right reasons for defending them."

"That idiot doesn't need me to defend them! They can give their own explanation! But don't go making assumptions before they can say anything, like they're a villain!" Bakugou insists that the class waits for (Y/n)'s arrival, so that they can receive a legitimate account that offers a clarification on who was the perpetrator. "Besides, even if they did do it, we're suppose to be heroes, aren't we? Shouldn't we rescue everyone? No matter who the hell they are?" His question puts the classroom in another awkward silence.

And coincidentally that's when Aizawa walks into the scene. "As much as I want to say that that is, in fact, true, the media has made it difficult for (L/n) to return." He stands behind his desk while sharing the recent news, regarding (Y/n)'s current circumstances. "U.A. is more than willing to support them if they wish to continue their studies, but (L/n) has kept their distance. They've backed out from dropping out once, but I can't say with certainty that the outcome will be the same if they consider the thought."

Uraraka covers her mouth, in disbelief. "No...!"

Iida raises a hand. "What if some of us speak on their behalf, to the media? Perhaps we could encourage the reporters and civilians to have a change of heart!"

"Absolutely not." Aizawa's eyes narrow. "That'll only give the media the impression that (L/n) is manipulating you guys to defend them. They'll just find another reason to talk down on (L/n). It's what they do best. (L/n) has to give a statement before doing anything else. Once they make their choice on whether or not they want to stay here, U.A. will give a statement, too. If you guys want to make things easier for (L/n), you say nothing to those vultures out there. Understood?" He only receives looks of gloom.

"We can't even talk to them?" Midoriya asks.

"Not without getting caught by the media. The media's also keeping a close eye on the house that they live in." Aizawa says this with sincerity. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait until (L/n) releases their statement."

"But if they choose to leave, then we won't get to talk to them regardless!"

"(L/n)'s credibility is on the line here, Midoriya. Your feelings don't matter to the media. No matter what you say or do, the media will always say something against you. If you even try to talk to (L/n), your own credibility goes down with theirs." Midoriya tenses up at Aizawa's warning. "So if you ever want a hero career in the future, I suggest you stay in the sidelines for once. (L/n)'s already having a tough time trying to make a decision in the first place. Do not give them another reason to leave."

Midoriya has no choice but to oblige to his teacher's demands. "Yes, sir..."

"The same goes for everyone else." Aizawa makes sure he makes eye contact with all of his students. "You are not to go anywhere near (L/n)'s place. Nor associate with them in any way. I know it's not ideal, but this is the right choice that we can make for (L/n). We might not like what they decide, but, in the end, (L/n)'s their own person. We have to respect their wishes."

"And what if those wishes are leaving?" Bakugou's question influences everyone to look at him, his own gaze retained on Aizawa. "What's going to happen to them if they leave for good? Is the Hero Commission gonna throw them in a prison, because they're a criminal? Put them on court or something? Exclude them from society altogether, forever? You expect us to let all of that happen and do nothing? You're their teacher, aren't you? So can't you at least do something!" He gets stuck in a layer of Aizawa's scarf and is dragged forward, now staring at his teacher dead in the eye.

"I've tried everything, Bakugou." Aizawa keeps his quirk on so that he can intimidate his student, his red eyes speaking for themselves. "You think I'd let my own student walk away because they're not liked?" Bakugou choses to say nothing in response. "I've been a pro-hero for years. And for years I've seen plenty of heroes get criticized for their mistakes. And (L/n)'s mistake couldn't possibly be excused by the public. People outside of this school will never make the effort to get to know (L/n) as a person. They're not as flexible as you are. And that's just how ignorant the world this as a whole. It's been that way for centuries, and it will continue to be that way. We can't change something that's ingrained into human behavior." He deactivates his quirk and lets go of Bakugou. "Nor can we reform the society that thrives off the division of heroes and villains." He can't help but to show empathy for his own student, aware that he was just only showing his own share of care for (Y/n). "I'll still do what I can to contact with their guardian, but I can't make promises in convincing (L/n) to stay. That choice is entirely up to them." He decides to end homeroom a little early, wanting to give his class time to collect themselves. "If you guys need someone to talk to, you could always come to me. There's also the school counselor and all of the other pro-heroes." He heads his way to the nearest door and opens it. "Class dismissed." When he leaves he closes the door behind him. Bakugou never moved a muscle since then.

Midoriya makes an attempt to comfort Bakugou, while maintaining a distance. "It's going to be okay, Kacchan. We don't know what's going to happen, but we should at least be glad that (L/n) hasn't gotten hurt."

"Shut up." Bakugou decides to leave the classroom, opening and slamming the door closed to express his anger to his classmates.

Though he has yet to take Bakugou's word, Kirishima can understand where Bakugou was coming from. "Yeah...I'd be pretty mad if I lost my best friend, too."

"He's not wrong." Tokoyami joins the conversation, not long after Bakugou's absence. "Whether or not (L/n) really did commit this atrocity, most of us here have kept a distance from them since the first week of school. Initially, that was my case, too, but once I actually got to talk to them personally, I've come to discover a lot of things about them. All of which contradict everything that the media is saying about them."

"How can you say that when they beat the living crap out of you, Tokoyami?" Ashido retaliates on an instinct. "They could've killed you if they really wanted to!"

"But they didn't." Tokoyami shares. "They ran an impulse in that instance, sure, but..." He pauses. "None of you guys, but those that can call them their friend, has any right to judge (L/n) at first glance. Doing that would just make us hypocrites, as those that cling onto biases on who we think of as heroes and villains." The classroom returns to another few seconds of awkward silence.

Until Uraraka takes it upon herself to speak for Bakugou, too. "Tokoyami's right. Bakugou was telling the truth about (L/n). (L/n) never told us about the incident, but they've implied that their quirk was capable of killing someone. They've always kept our well being in mind. And our feelings. I don't feel like I should explain for (L/n), either, but, if they really do decide not to come here again...then..." She stands up. "--...I feel like it's my obligation that I should, at least for everyone here, in Class A. Because (L/n) really cares about us. They care a lot about what we think of them. If they already told Bakugou, then surely they would've told the rest of us at some point."

Midoriya agrees. "Yeah. Considering what happened at the basic training and the sports festival, they probably wanted to gain our trust. But once they did, then we probably wouldn't have thought much of it."

"You're kidding, right?" Sero raises an eyebrow. "Something as gruesome as what happened at the Taito Ward? I'd lose all my trust in them."

"How can we be so sure that they won't try to kill us, too?" Jirou offers. "They've tried to do that several times. They attacked Uraraka, Iida, Bakugou, and Tokoyami. How exactly can things go back to normal, say that they do choose to come back? We're not going to accept them with open arms. We're talking about someone who's taken the lives of hundreds of civilians, and destroyed a city that centuries old."

"That's the kind of mindset that (L/n) was worried about." Iida says. "They weren't trying to deceive us. They just wanted a fresh start, a chance to pay back for that mistake."

"You don't kill people by accident, Iida." Kaminari sounds rather obnoxious when he says this.

"You're right. You have free will to do something like that." Iida admits. "But you don't know the full picture of this situation, Kaminari. None of us do. We may not all agree about (L/n)'s innocence, but it's like Bakugou said. It's only fair that we let them explain everything in their statement. Whenever that is."

Todoroki shares his own feelings on the matter, too. "Neither of us have any right to judge (L/n) for this incident when we don't even know what happened. Granted, there's no doubt that the evidence shows that it was (L/n), but..." He looks back at the rare moments he had with (Y/n). "--...I want to hear their side of the story. Because they're not the kind of person to do that without a reason."

"Exactly." Midoriya nods. "There's more to this incident than what the media is letting on. We'll just have to see what happens before we can react properly." Everyone else only keeps a worried look, questioning the legitimacy of Midoriya's belief in (Y/n)'s innocence.

Hawks has a long conversation with the Hero Commission that same day, and he returns to his agency, where he relocated (Y/n) to reside in for the time being. In a room where the two can lounge by themselves, he relays everything that was discussed in the meeting.

"The Hero Commission wants to put you in full lockdown, at a facility that's far away from the public." Knowing that (Y/n) doesn't want the most terrible news to be sugarcoated, Hawks is blunt with them. "This'll basically be no different from a prison itself, specifically the one you were in before I took you in. The organization anticipates to...and this is what they told me, rehabilitate you. They want to give it a year so that you can become a full fledged pro-hero that'll be liked by the public. You'll...basically be a carbon copy of me." In addition to sharing what the Hero Commission were enforcing, he reveals that he has a plan that is suppose to be an opposition of that plan. "But my priority to prevent that from happening hasn't changed. I'm not going down with a fight. The Hero Commission may own you, as of now, but that's going to change." He gets more cautious with his words the closer he got to telling his pupil his intentions. "At the end of the day, the choice to stay with the Hero Commission is up to you. But if you want to go back to U.A., with all your friends...then I'd be more than willing to adopt you as my child. You'll have more freedom on developing your hero career. You'll have more freedom to go out in public, whenever you want to."

The entire time that Hawks was explaining (Y/n) the current circumstances, they maintained an emotionless look. Even though there was a possibility that they could see their friends again, their sour attitude hadn't changed since yesterday. "Ever since this entire country found out about the Taito Ward, they've been calling me a villain. A monster." They slump their head down and rest it in their hands. "How the hell can you promise my freedom when everyone else doesn't want me to be free in the first place?"

"The public can't keep you from going back to school, (Y/n). And neither can the Hero Commission." Hawks mentions. "Granted, we'll most likely have to go through a lot of legal work for me to obtain custody over you, but--"

"Mr. Hawks, I'm not stupid." (Y/n) interrupts their mentor, their hands still intact to their face. "The media's been talking about you, too. You're going to drop down the hero rankings at this rate. And I don't want to make things worse..."

"Who cares about the rankings?" Hawks assures to (Y/n) that his only concerns are about them. "Kid, we're not talking about me. We're talking about your future here. If you go with the Hero Commission, or, worse yet, go back to prison, there's no future for you to look forward to. You could never go outside ever again. You won't get to see your friends again. I'd put my own hero career on the line if I have to make sure I become your legal guardian."

"I never had a future to look forward to, even when I started U.A." (Y/n) words stuns Hawks. "I just wanted to live a normal life. For a while. Even then, I knew that this wasn't going to last forever. That's why I had to mentally prepare myself for this to happen, but...for it to happen so soon..." They remove their hands from their face. "And it was all because of me. Everything that happened, since the very first day I came to U.A...it was all my fault. I hurt people. I...let all of this happen. I was so...stupid--"

"Talking down on yourself isn't going to change what has already happened." Hawks advises (Y/n) to cut themself some slack. "Both of us saw this coming. Maybe not by this point, but, it happened." He encourages (Y/n) to put more thought into this next decision. "Do you want to go back to U.A.? Or do you want to go with the Hero Commission?"

(Y/n), for once, trusts their own desires, and reveals their true ambition. "I want to go back to U.A." Hawks expresses his approval with just a smile. "I finally decided what I wanted to do as a hero, and I can't do that if I'm with the Hero Commission. I...I have to go back." The mission that they had recently accepted was on their mind but there were also thinking about their friends. "My friends are waiting for me. They deserve an explanation."

Hawks expresses relief with a sigh. "That's what I was hoping you'd say. I didn't really have any prepared if you were going to say the opposite." He attempt at making a joke doesn't earn him a reaction from his pupil whatsoever, so he moves forward with the conversation. "It's not going to be easy. I'm going to have to engage in a custody battle with the Heroes Commission, and those kinds of legal cases can take up to months. I'll try to do whatever I can to speed up the process, but, I have to remind you...if I do win this case, I'll become your official guardian. Your chances of receiving custody from either one of your parents by that point would be much slimmer than ever. Not that that wasn't the case when the Heroes Commission first took you in, but..." He seeks for a confirmation from (Y/n). "--...you know how much I value your feelings. I need to be certain that you're okay with this."

(Y/n) hesitates. "I know that my parents gave me away. Otherwise, the Heroes Commission wouldn't have been able to take me in in the first place, right?" They lean against the cushions of the couch and embraces their legs to their chest. "I don't even have any memories of them, so it's not like I care. Like I said...it's always been my grandma and I. Just the two of us." Hawks felt empathy for the lonely teenager, as it was a lifestyle that has always been familiar with. "I always thought of my grandma as my mom. I still do. She...taught me a lot." (Y/n)'s fingers play with the cuffs of the hoodie that they were wearing. "I would do anything to see her again...but, I know that that'll never happen. And, I think...even though she's gone, I...I think I'm okay with the life that I have now. Because you've...taken care me. You've done...a lot for me. And you still are, despite everything that just happened." Hawks's eyes widen a little. "Even when I've made a mistake, you've never yelled at me. Or if I said something mean. You never held anything against me. You make sure that I study a lot for school. That I maintain a proper diet, with vegetables and fruits. That I wear a raincoat whenever it's raining outside, even if it's only a drizzle. You were already my guardian since I first came here..." Their kind words warms Hawks's heart, a genuine smile forming on his face. "I know that I've already said this, a lot of times, but...I'm really grateful for you, Mr. Hawks..." They hide their face into their bent legs.

Hawks can't just leave (Y/n) in such a vulnerable position. He moves to sit on the same couch as (Y/n). "I'm grateful for you, too, kid." He still maintains a safe distance, for (Y/n)'s sake. "Before I met you, I was just as lonely as you were. I became a hero out of obligation. I wanted to support my mom, considering that my dad had gotten arrested for some petty crime. Choosing the hero career was the only option I had to secure her well being. I also wanted to give people the life that I could ever dream for: a life of peace. I like being a hero, don't get me wrong, but...there were moments where I've contemplated on my choices. Even now." (Y/n) stiffens, assuming that his decision to take them in as his own was one of choices that he's had a second thought on. Hawks can read their body language and ruffles a hand into their hair. "But once I met you, my ambitions as a hero made more sense. Having you around in my life reminded me why I wanted to be a hero in the first place." The same time that (Y/n) raises their head to look at him, Hawks offers a smile to them. "I've had second thoughts on a lot on the decisions that I've made throughout my life...but taking you in...deciding to finally make it official through a custody battle...is not one of them. I want you to understand that. So matter what happens, say that this custody battle ends up in the favor of the Heroes Commission...I'm still sticking around." His reassurance influences (Y/n) to shed a few tears, their happiness overwhelming them in that moment alone; their body moves on an impulse, and the next thing Hawks knew, he had gotten caught in a hug. At first, Hawks is alarmed by the fact that (Y/n) had initiated the hug, for the first time ever, but once he hears (Y/n)'s quiet sobs, he melts into the hug, securing his arms around the teenager.

A press conference would come about a few days after the news, regarding (Y/n)'s background, became the breaking story of the country. (Y/n) wore formal attire to the event, accompanied by their mentor and a few other members of the Hero Commission. The Hero Commission have yet to learn about Hawks's next move, about his intentions in wanting to claim custody for (Y/n); he anticipates on sharing that in the press conference.

While they wait in a lounge room that is designated for them and Hawks, (Y/n) skims through the papers of information that they're suppose to share with the public. They've prepared the script themself; whether or not the public would accept them as a member of society was entirely up to their approach, so there was some pressure that fell onto (Y/n)'s shoulders. They hope for the best to come, but they wouldn't be surprised if the event went downhill either.

"The press conference will start in five." An employee of the facility relays to Hawks and (Y/n) after opening the door.

Hawks nods in acknowledgment. "Thank you." The employee leaves and closes the door, enabling Hawks to then focus his attention on his pupil, who's clearly nervous. "(Y/n), you're going to be okay." He takes the script from (Y/n)'s hold. "Just speak what's on your mind. While the media criticizes authenticity, they also admire it. Considering your circumstances, honesty is critical here. We can't expect them to accept you after this press conference, but at least they'll know the truth."

(Y/n)'s anxiety still remains. "My classmates will probably be watch the press conference. I...don't want to mess this up. I really, really want to go back. Things won't be normal anymore, but I want to make sure that they understand that I still want to be a hero. That I know the difference between right and wrong. I want them to keep trusting me. Or at least have some hope in me..."

"Hey." Hawks holds onto both of (Y/n)'s shoulders. "I know that I said that I'd always support you, but you have to remember that you're also doing this for yourself. Not for your classmates. Not for me. But for you. You're doing all of this to be happy. To live the life that you want to live. You're not going to let anyone decide your life for you, understood?"

(Y/n) takes Hawks's words to heart. "Yeah." They smile to show their appreciation for their mentor. "Understood."

(Y/n) and Hawks were now only seconds away from walking into the room that the press conference would take place in. The second that they make an appearance, walking to the platform that has a table and seats prepared for them, the media takes a series of pictures, and asks countless of questions that only overlap one another and are ignored. The two reach the platform and take their assigned seats, as it was present in the name tags that were placed on the table.

Hawks is the one to calm down the press. "We will answer questions once a statement is made. So hold them." It isn't long before the press go quiet. And that's when Hawks would confirm, "As it has been speculated by the media, it is true that I took in (Y/n) (L/n) as my student. I've been training them personally, and have taken them into my home, as if they were my own. I accept full responsibility of enrolling them in U.A., and of the damages that have come about as a result of their enrollment. But I implore you all to listen to their story. We do not ask for your sympathy. We ask for your acknowledgment. An acknowledgment that recognizes (Y/n) as a victim to their own quirk." He looks over at (Y/n), his eyes giving them the signal to relay their story, to which (Y/n) understood on the first go. 

(Y/n) maintains eye contact with the press that sits before them. They lean into their personal microphone and introduces themself. Even though their nerves have yet to settle down, they managed to talk clearly and consistently. "My name is (Y/n) (L/n). I was born and raised in the Taito Ward. My parents got a divorce shortly after my birth, and gave me away to my grandma. My grandma passed away two years ago, from an illness. This is because we live in one the poorest districts of the country of Japan. Nothing was ever a given to us. The water was hardly ever clean, contaminated with garbage and chemicals that come from the urban regions. Buildings were covered in moss, and the walls were vulnerable to the weather. The education system consisted of educators that handpicked those that they deemed had the potential and who didn't. I was one of the students that wasn't deemed as fit to have an education, so I gained nothing from school. Because the neighborhood was so poor and dirty, it was common for children to take that reputation to heart, whether that is shop-lifting, drug-dealing, or even beating up someone, maybe even killing them in the process. I experienced my share of bullying, for years. Even then, I had no worth in society, so it was easy for bullies to pick on me and get the last laugh. These bullies would pull on my hair. Kick me in the ribs. Dunk my head in the contaminated river so that I couldn't breathe. They made my life so hard. It had gotten to point where I felt like I might die. So before those bullies could've done far worser than what they've already done, I used my quirk. I assume that this was out of self-defense. By no means did I have any intention in killing these bullies. I wanted these bullies to suffer, but I didn't want to take their lives."

"That night that the Taito Incident took place was the first time I used my quirk. Before then, I had no idea that I had a quirk in the first place. I couldn't use it on command. My quirk is called Life and Death. The name speaks for itself. I can repair the human body, but I can also demolish it. But this quirk was originally not my own. It was passed down to me when the original wielder used her own quirk on herself to reincarnate herself: Her name is Shikei. She has lived a life of her own, decades, possibly even centuries, ago. Because of what she's experienced from her life, a life that was cut short, she has become spiteful of the world that thrives off quirks and Pro-Heroes. She intends on using my body to target someone, and to harass anyone that she pleases. She is, in no way, similar to me. I intend to return to U.A. High and become a Pro-Hero. A Pro-Hero that can restore the trust of the people that they wish to protect. And put a stop to the woman that is seeking for vengeance." (Y/n) bows her head and keeps it lowered as she says, "I thank you for your patience. I will take any questions that you might have."

"So then you're blaming this woman for the incident at the Taito Ward? You're not at fault whatsoever? Not even in the many other instances that she has supposedly provoked your classmates?"

(Y/n) slowly raises their head, staring at the journalist (that had asked the question) dead in the eye. "Though Shikei was the main perpetrator, I was her accomplice. It's because of my shortcomings as someone that lacks physical stamina and a composed mind that Shikei was able to control my body in the first place. Therefore, the incidents that have taken place prior and since my enrollment in U.A. High...was my fault as much as it was Shikei's." 

"So then it was your fault."

(Y/n) clarifies, "Yes." And this encourages the press to ask more questions.

"How can we be certain that this other person exists? What if it's a mental disorder that's never been diagnosed? Like Multi-Personality Disorder." The question draws out some laughter from every other journalist that resided within the room.

Though they had gotten annoyed by the obnoxious joke, (Y/n) responds, "Whenever Shikei takes over my body, my eye color changes to purple. That's her own eye color. And though I have eye bags, whenever she comes about, those eye bags become darker. Very much darker. Her body language and her attitude is also significantly different from mine, as I've mentioned. While she is more sadistic and hostile, I am more welcoming and timid. If you rewatch my match with Katsuki Bakugou and Fumikage Tokoyami, you can mark those differences yourself."

"Did you have any intentions on killing Katsuki Bakugou?"

"No." (Y/n) answers this question rather quickly. "Again, Shikei had taken control, prior to the start of the battle. So even if I had no intentions in killing him, I had no chance in regaining control of my own body. Shikei's own soul is embedded into my body, so she has the privilege to do what she pleases when I give her the chance to do so. Which is why I do anything I can to stay awake, for almost an entire day. I never sleep more than an hour. But because I am constantly exhausted that there are occasions where she's able to take over, like at the Sports Festival."

"But during the Cavalry Battle, you and Katsuki Bakugou were continuously yelling at each other. It doesn't seem like you even wanted to be in his team. You sure that you don't hold any personal grudges against him?" The journalist snickers in between his questioning. "I mean, who wouldn't? He's as aggressive as that woman you mentioned." Laughter returns to the room, and not a single of those humored journalists notice that small hint of agitation on (Y/n)'s face.

"I ask that you don't compare Katsuki Bakugou to someone who has actually committed mass murder, sir." (Y/n) requests, straining a smile so that the press doesn't accuse them of any backlashes for their behavior. "Katsuki Bakugou and I have had our differences. He's not one to rely on others, even when he needs support. But that has never stopped me from wanting to become his friend. You'd think that his aggressive behavior interferes with Class 1-A's learning, but it doesn't. He's passionate about a career that he's chosen willingly. A career that he is devoted to, more than anyone else in that class. If you had asked him about our interactions, he'd brush our friendship aside, but, for me personally...he has motivated me to stay on this path towards heroism. Mr. Hawks has been a significant role model, but even when I got accepted to U.A., I still had my doubts about going, because of my past. Katsuki Bakugou learned about my quirk and my past, but he was able to differentiate me from Shikei. Though initially he hadn't treated me like an equal...he has gone out of his way to keep me at U.A., helping me restore my body back whenever Shikei came about. Hence the reason why he went above and beyond in our match, at the Sports Festival. Katsuki Bakugou...is one of the handful of people to believe in me. And I'd never take advantage of that privilege by trying to hurt him."

"And what about Fumikage Tokoyami? Did you plan on taking his life away that night you fought at the rooftop of Hawks's agency?"

"I intentionally harmed Fumikage Tokoyami in that scenario, yes." (Y/n) admits. "I had let my anger get the better of me at that moment, because he was preventing me from storming out, so I hurt him. I initiated the fight. And he followed along, out of self defense. Rest assured, his response doesn't justify my action. But we did reach a compromise shortly after, through a genuine conversation. Fumikage Tokoyami has become a close friend of mine, and I anticipate that I'll get to continue in working with him on the field, as pro-heroes."

"You said that you will put a stop to this woman who's caused this much trouble for you and your classmates." A journalist mentions, prior to asking, "How exactly do you plan on doing that?"

(Y/n) goes tense. "I..." They want to share their plan, but since they have yet to make the effort to make their secret plan possible, they wonder if there was even a point in disclosing it with the public. The last thing they want to do is give the public a false sense of hope, let alone lie. Not to mention that their reactions will most likely be similar to the one Tokoyami had when they shared their plan with him.

"Some quirks are more a burden than a blessing, sure, but what about the quirks that give individuals a sense of purpose? A sense of self? Not just in the hero  career, but for the careers that are interrelated with the aspect of heroism? So many people are happy to live in this world, so it's not like they'd like the idea either."

'If I say no, then the media will turn it against me. They won't believe my story. But if I say yes, they'll think of me as someone with good intentions. Someone that's completely different from Shikei.' Beads of sweat rolls down the corners of (Y/n)'s forehead. "I..." And in that moment their last conversation with Midoriya haunted their mind, the terrified look on his face engrained in their memories. Suddenly, their choice was made. "I do have a plan." Everyone expresses awe, while Hawks shows confusion from his end. "Though I have yet to develop my quirk, I believe that once I know how to modify the genetics of a human body, I can get rid of Shikei's existence completely, in addition to the quirk that I inherited. I would become quirkless as a result, but, for the well being of this entire world, I am willing to make that sacrifice. I plan on doing the same to the person that she is targeting, to prevent any more murders from happening, by my own hands." In the end, they choose to keep quiet about their ambition to initiate the worldwide extinction of quirks. 

"Can you promise that the incidents that have occurred in the past will not occur again?"

"You have my word." (Y/n) makes a vow that is bound to be critical in their career, moving forward. "If it ever becomes the case that I repeat my mistakes, I'll take it upon myself to return to prison. For good. You will never see my face in public again."

[One Week Later]

Despite Hawks's warnings, (Y/n) returns to U.A. High much sooner rather than later. And the press took their chance in following and pestering them with questions that never were touched upon in their statement; Hawks had to hire bodyguards to protect (Y/n) from any harm or interactions from the press, which does make a difference in enabling them to walk into the school campus. But reaching the campus was just the beginning of what (Y/n) presumed to be a difficult day.

'It feel like it's been forever since I last came here...' (Y/n) has to ignore the stares that they were getting from nearly every student that were within the campus. 'But that was only two weeks ago.' They change out of their casual shoes at the shoe lockers and follow the same route they would always use to get to class, like any other day. 'The media keeps on talking about me because some of them still have their suspicions about me, especially after the press conference. I don't want to jinx myself by assuming that the majority of the class are going to be the same, but...I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if that became reality.' They're now standing in front of the door of their classroom, hesitant to slide it open. 'Maybe Mr. Hawks was right. I probably should've waited until next month. I'm probably not being fair to everyone else here. I'd imagine that they're just as confused as the press are, after everything that I said at the press conference.'

"Are you just going to stare at the door like a dumbass?" (Y/n)'s gaze follows the voice that they knew all too well, expressing shock. "What, did you forget how to open a door?" They never thought that Bakugou would be the first person that they'd reunite with. But a part of them was relieved to see their classmate again.

"Bakugou." (Y/n) wears a nervous smile. "Hey."

Bakugou clicks his tongue and expresses disgust. "That's all you can say? After everything that happened?"

(Y/n)'s smile falls right off, understanding Bakugou's reaction to their awkward greeting. Their eyes find the floor, their anxiety residing within them. "I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you when the incident first reached out to the press, but, Mr. Hawks didn't want me to take any chances. I couldn't afford ruining your reputation, considering what happened at the sports festival, so...sorry. Again." 

"I don't care about what happened at the sports festival." Bakugou shares. "And I don't even care about the fact that you left me in the dark for the past two weeks. But what I do care about is that plan of yours." (Y/n) stiffens. "You're going to sacrifice your own quirk? Because everyone else doesn't like it? Where the hell is your dignity, huh?"

(Y/n) doesn't have the courage to look at Bakugou in the eyes. "Can we not talk about this right now? Our classmates are probably listening from the inside..."

"Our classmates?" Bakugou isn't even surprised that (Y/n) was valuing their peers more than their own being. And he refuses to repeat himself, so he chooses to have the last words in this conversation. "You know what? Forget about it." He pushes (Y/n) away from the door and slides it open himself, so that he can enter.

With the door open, (Y/n) finds it pointless to hide themself from their classmates, walking into the classroom. They take one glance at their classmates and their face goes pale when they realize that they were all looking at them.

"(L/n)!" Uraraka and Iida don't waste time to greet their friend, their fast movements startling (Y/n) to the point of them screaming in genuine fear.

Uraraka pulls (Y/n) into a hug. "You came back!" She was at the verge of tears, the happiness overwhelming her now that she got to see her friend again.

"When Mr. Aizawa told us that there was a chance that you'd leave the school, we got so worried!" Iida reveals, making the same hand gestures he'd always make when it comes to explaining things. "And to listen to all those negative comments that the media was making about you! It was unbearable! It's admirable that you still choose to come back, regardless of everything that happened."

"I'm so sorry." Uraraka tightens her hold on his friend, scared that she'd lose them for good if she had let them go at that moment. "You went through so much and I never even noticed, or even asked you what was wrong. I keep looking back on the months that we've spent together, and it's all starting to make sense to me. Right before you ran away, from our argument, I should've figured out that there was more to your anger than you just yelling. I should've listened to your side of the story, instead of siding with Deku."

"It was my choice to keep it a secret, Uraraka." (Y/n) assures to the brunette, breaking away from the hug that the two can make eye contact. "Why would I hold that against you when you weren't suppose to find out in the first place?"

"She wasn't suppose to know?" Sero interferes with the conversation. "You were planning on not telling her this entire time? Or any of your friends? Seriously?"

"Hey, cool it, Sero." Kirishima advises Sero to stay in the sidelines.

"(L/n) has already explained themselves in the press conference!" Iida speaks for (Y/n). "Why are you still holding your suspicions, Sero?"

"Suspicions?" Kaminari agrees with Sero's rhetorical question. "Didn't (L/n) admit that they were their quirk's accomplice? Whether or not they didn't kill those civilians personally, they're still responsible in some way, aren't they, Iida?" Iida has no response for this argument, and neither does (Y/n).

"Without (L/n)'s body, Shikei wouldn't have been able to do it, sure, but it's not like (L/n) had any say in the matter!" Uraraka comes to (Y/n)'s aid. "You're not being fair! It wasn't their choice to begin with!"

"Oh yeah, and you're going to forget about what happened to Tokoyami?" Jirou uses her thumb to point at Tokoyami. "Uraraka, they're just as strong as she is. (L/n) benefits from their own quirk, just as much as the original wielder does. You can't deny that."

"Exactly." Mineta offers his own input. "We're not the bad guys here, Uraraka. Because we're not the ones that committed mass murder. If anything, we're potential victims."

"How can you say that?" Uraraka couldn't believe what she was hearing. "(L/n) went out their way to explain everything, on live television, and you guys...just weren't listening at all!"

"That's not true, Uraraka." Hagakure gets up from her seat. "We all took the time to listen to everything, but, you can't just force us to trust (L/n) again."

"What trust?" Uraraka strains a smile. "It like what Bakugou said: None of guys trusted them from the very beginning! Not after what happened to me and Iida! You never gave (L/n) a chance! None of you guys did!" (Y/n) despised every minute of this argument, feeling responsible for drifting their classmates apart, ruining months worth of laughter, fun, and friendships. 

"You're really going to excuse (L/n) for what they did, Uraraka?" Sero scoffs. "Because they had a hard life? Suddenly that makes them justified to ruin an entire city and kill hundreds of people?"

"We're not saying that it's justified!" Iida stands by Uraraka's side. "We're saying that (L/n) was forced into a crime that they didn't want to do!"

"So what?!" Though almost half of the people in that classroom agreed with Sero's stance, those same people that had supported him knew that he had stopped low in making his argument. Not like Sero cared. "At the end of the day, the Taito Ward is gone! Everything! And it's only a matter of time before we end up in the same situation, now that (L/n)'s back! It's because that they can be forced to do the things that they don't want to do that they shouldn't be here! Why should we have to worry about our well being in place that's dedicated to learning and prevailing? Do you know how selfish that is?" (Y/n) goes stunned after hearing those last words. "To come back here, despite the risks? Despite everything that's happened?"

'Selfish?' The one word is ringing (Y/n)'s ears for the next minute. And as the word continues to echo in their mind, their subconscious replays a number of moments that have occurred in their past, moments that they have shared with their late grandmother.

"Remember, (Y/n). People will always ask for something in return. It's not an obligation for someone to give you respect. You earn it. You meet their accommodations, by any means  necessary, no matter what those accommodations are. Because without respect, you're meaningless. You struggle to understand who you are, and what you can do for others."

"No one likes people that feel entitled to have their own opinions and desires. They're the kind of people that no one would interact with. Promise me you'd never be like that, (Y/n)."

"Being nice is not an option, (Y/n). It's more common for people to be mean, but that's exactly why you have to be the bigger person. Because when you are the bigger person, that makes you better than those mean people. And someday, you'll be loved by many, because you're a bigger person. You'll be rewarded for being the kindest person out there."

'Yeah...that pretty much covers it.' (Y/n) doesn't disagree with Sero's rhetorical question. They couldn't. It made sense.

"What's your deal, Sero?" Uraraka never backs down from the argument. "If we're really going to talk about who's being selfish here, it's you!"

"What, for caring about my own safety? As well as the safety of my classmates?" It doesn't look like Sero could ever be convinced of trusting (Y/n). "Sure, I'm selfish, but not as much as (L/n) is. Uraraka, you got a firsthand experience of what that woman is like! You mean to tell me that you aren't scared that she'll come back? And what about you, Iida? She almost gave you a concussion! Imagine what she could've done if Bakugou hadn't stepped in when he did!"

Uraraka hesitates to admit the truth, "Of course I'm scared. But I also know that (L/n) has been working insanely hard to prevent that from happening again. I know that they'd never want me or anyone else to get hurt."

"Exactly!" Iida makes his stiff hand gestures while mentioning, "While it's justified for you to feel scared about the worst case scenario, you have to remember that (L/n) is a completely different person from their quirk! Anyone who has interacted with them would know that! (L/n) performed a series of tests that the Hero Commission had initiated themselves! And those tests have proven everything that (L/n) has explained! At this point, your paranoia is preventing you from making an effort to see this situation from (L/n)'s perspective, Sero!" Sero can only click his tongue and look the other way, away from Iida's gaze.

"As much as I appreciate your help, I don't think it...really matters to me." (Y/n)'s stance of on this argument alarms Uraraka and Iida. "Not anymore at least." They offer a smile of assurance when they say, "Sero and everyone else are right. I can't just...force them to like me. I mean, it's not that I don't want them to. I've...always wanted them to. But after everything that just happened...I..." They find their fingers on the straps of their book bag. "--....I've been coming to terms with the fact that...I just can't please everyone. And that...I shouldn't have to. I can only do so much to make people smile and laugh, you know? Why go through the trouble?" They disregard their friends so that they can go to their assigned seat. "I'll live. It's not like they're the only people that hate my guts right now."

Uraraka's about to follow her friend to their desk. "(L/n)--" But Iida stops her, holding her by one of her shoulders. He silently shakes his head at her, and she understands what he was trying to say from that action alone. Both knew that even though (Y/n) had regarded the argument as meaningless to their feelings, they actually meant the opposite; and they knew that their choice to sit down and put an end this argument implied that they wanted to be with their own thoughts.

Midoriya arrives to the classroom and he notices (Y/n) right away. '(L/n)'s back!' He sees them resting their head on the desk and contemplates on whether or not he should greet them and apologize right away. 'Even though they came back, everything still feels super awkward...no, it's much worse now that they're actually here...' He worries that he'll, once again, say the wrong thing at the wrong time. 'How exactly do I apologize to them? I mean, I've always thought about how I was going to do it, but I never really figured out how...what if it sounds half-assed? Or hardly genuine? Will they even accept it, considering what I know now? -- All Might said that he talked to them about One For All, but that doesn't erase the fact that I exposed them to him, and got scared. I can't just assume that they'll accept my apology because of our connection to All For One. That just sounds messed up. And it doesn't sound fair to (L/n) if they're just accepting my apology because they have to.' 

"Midoriya, take a seat already." Midoriya gets startled by Aizawa's presence, staying put while his homeroom teacher walks to his tall desk.

"But..." Midoriya steals a glance at (Y/n) but still walks to his desk. Though it was near (Y/n)'s, he tried his best not to look their way, to avoid making himself and his classmate uncomfortable. 'I'll have to wait until lunch.' And that's when he finally decides that he'll talk to (Y/n). 'I'll talk to them once the first bell rings.' As he focuses on unpacking his notebooks and textbooks, (Y/n) looks at him, fortunate that he never does take notice their gaze on him.

The first bell for lunch period rings the classroom, and a good amount of the students with the classroom are taking their leave. (Y/n) is one of those students, and is purposefully walking back Midoriya's desk; the same time that they pass by, they put a folded piece of paper on the corner of Midoriya's desk.

'A note?' Midoriya had anticipated to talk to (Y/n) personally but they had already left the classroom. 'Are they leaving for the day? No. I don't think they took their book bag with them...' He accepts the folded paper and unfolds it. 'Why did they give me this?' He sees that their handwriting was on it and can deduce that it was a note. And after reading the first sentence his heart had sunk.

I don't want to be friends anymore. I said that I would help you and Mr. All Might, and I still am. But let's keep our distance from now on, as classmates.

Midoriya wastes no time in jumping out of his chair and running right out the classroom, negligent of the fact that Iida and Uraraka were approaching his desk. The second he's in the hallways, he looks both ways; on his right he finds (Y/n) at the very end, near the stairs. "(L/n), wait!" His plea only influences (Y/n) to make a break for it, going up the stairs, and up to the next floor. "Hey, I said wait!" He pursues them and the next thing he knew he was in the middle of a goose chase. 'Why are they running? Are they scared that they're going to hurt me? That they're going to scare me again?' He succeeds in keeping (Y/n) in his sight, now only running from a feet behind them. "(L/n), please!" His adrenaline kept him from wanting his steps, his foot tripping on one of the steps. He loses his balance and face plants the steps. The sound that comes about, because of the collision, halts (Y/n)'s movements.

"Ow..." Midoriya removes his face from the steps, cupping a hand over his nose, which is now bleeding.

(Y/n) gasps. "Oh my god!" They feel responsible for this outcome so they tend to Midoriya's wound. "I-I'm so sorry, Midoriya!" They use their quirk to stop the bleeding, with the work of one hand alone, lightly pinching the brick of Midoriya's nose. "I actually didn't think that you'd follow me..." They sigh. "But I should've. You're pretty persistent. I guess that's why I started running in the first place." In less a minute they've stopped the nose from bleeding. "I've stopped the bleeding, so you should be okay, now. Sorry again..." Midoriya didn't seem to care about his own nose because now that he had caught their attention, he goes down into a deep bow, pressing his face onto the floor, at the bottom of the stairs. "Huh?" The sight was foreign to (Y/n).

"I'm sorry." Midoriya says. "I'm so sorry...!" His voice cracks because his throat had already started to go dry. "I hurt your feelings! I betrayed your trust! You have every right to be mad at me! I'm nothing but a hypocrite! I said that I believe that you would never do anything to hurt me, yet I told All Might everything about your quirk, and I almost hurt you! I treated you like a villain! Even though I had no idea about your circumstances, I should've known that you were going through something much more complicated than just having to learn how to control your quirk! But I so invested in my own goals! I never once spared a thought about your troubles, or your feelings, at least when it really counts! That's why you couldn't tell me everything that happened. And it makes sense." (Y/n) can hear him crying in between his words. "I don't want you to forgive me because you feel like you have to. I just wanted you to know how...sorry I am, for being...such a jerk to you."

"You're not a jerk." (Y/n) maintains their distance from Midoriya. "Stop saying all those bad things about yourself, Midoriya. You're not a hypocrite. And you're not self-centered either--"

"Yes, I am!" Midoriya's yell startles (Y/n), forcing them to go quiet. "You were right. About what you said. I told All Might because, deep down, I am scared...I want to help you. I really, really do, but...I can't use my quirk without breaking my bones. I'm weak. If I were to fight Shikei right now, I'd be dead. I'd only let you down. And I don't want that to happen. You're...you're my friend. And friends are suppose to help each other out. But I wanted to take the easy way out by asking All Might for help. Even now, I still think that I'd only hold you back from ever becoming stronger than Shikei..." He raises his head and reveals his red puffy eyes and tears. "Regardless, I still want to be your friend! I don't want you to avoid me! You think that you're doing me a favor, but you're not! Because you're one of the many reasons why I come here..." He fails to wipe away all of his tears. "You're a nice person. You always worry about what everyone else wants. You're always thinking about everyone in Class A, but not yourself. You let me talk about my problems, but you never talk about your own. You listen. You're one of the most selfless people I know...and I admire that..."

(Y/n) can't run away now, not wanting to leave Midoriya in this vulnerable state. They sigh in defeat and take a seat on one of the steps. "I'm not selfless."

"You are." Midoriya persists.

"I'm not."

"You are!"

"No. I'm not. Selfless people don't put the lives of hundreds at risk because they want to go to school." It's as though Sero's words had haunted (Y/n)'s mind. "You and I both know that all of this could've been prevented if I had just...hadn't enrolled here. Better yet, if I hadn't existed--"

"Don't say that." Midoriya demands. "Don't even joke about that, (L/n)." His tears start to dry up, making it easier for him to talk in more coherent sentences. "I know that...a lot of people don't like you right now, but there are people that do like you." A light color of red taints his freckled cheeks. "I do. A-And so does Uraraka. And Iida. And I'm sure Hawks does, too, since he decided to initiate a court case regarding custody, right?"

(Y/n) appreciates Midoriya's efforts in trying to encourage them. "Yeah, you're right." But it doesn't negate the fact that there are so many in their classroom that have made their decisions early on. "It just...it sucks. I expected that there'd be people who'd avoid me, but...for them to actually resent me...it hurts. I take full responsibility for what happened at the Taito Ward, and recently, but..." They depict their feelings as invalidated, as someone who is the perpetrator of the crimes themself. "--...it sounds messed up, doesn't it? Wanting people to still like you regardless?"

"No, it doesn't." Midoriya takes a seat next to (Y/n), on the step. "Well, maybe a little, but...it's not you have bad intentions in wanting that. You want people to like you because when they do, you feel like your choices...and your existence...are justified. That you have as much of a right to live, like everyone else."

(Y/n) would've never thought that their feelings would be deduced so clearly. "Exactly." They say breathlessly.

"I thought so." Midoriya plays with the wrinkles of his uniform trousers. "I've kind of felt the same way. Back in middle school. I mean, I've always wanted to be a hero since I was a kid, but...it's common for people to pursue the hero career. Everyone in my third year were planning on applying to a hero program. Part of me felt like if I still tried to apply, too, I could not only find a way to get accepted, but also be liked by my classmates. Because if I had just listened to them and Kacchan...then that just would've give them the impression that they were right about their perceptions about me." He blinks, his calm attitude turning into an anxious one. "Sorry. I know that's not even close to what you've gone through. I was just trying to relate to you a little bit, to make you feel better. At least a little."

(Y/n) cracks a little smile on their face. "Don't worry, it's working." They find their eyes on the floor that is only a few steps below them. "So then...you're not scared of me anymore?"

Midoriya shakes his head. "No. Not anymore."

"What about Shikei?"

Midoriya sought to redeem himself with honesty, the one thing that (Y/n) could ever ask for. "Yeah, I am. But, I still want to help. To be honest, though...I don't agree with the fact that your plan requires you to sacrifice your own quirk." (Y/n) perks up at this confession. "I want to help you defeat her with a completely different plan."

"There isn't one." (Y/n) felt like this conversation was now going to escalate in being a repeat of what they and Bakugou talked about. "This is the only plan that I can come up with. And it's a pretty safe one. I'm grateful that you want to help, but...you can't defeat her, Midoriya. Even if you teamed up with everyone in Class A, you still wouldn't stand a chance. I don't even think that Mr. All Might would either, considering his current circumstances...besides, initiating a fight is exactly what she'd want. You'd only be playing into her game if you provoked her."

"But that's not fair to you." Midoriya shared his reasoning with (Y/n). "Are you really okay with sacrificing your quirk? You'd rather be quirkless than be a pro-hero?"

"It doesn't matter what I want." (Y/n) rests their head into one of their hands, their elbow on their lap.

"Yes it does!"

"No, it doesn't." (Y/n) talks more firmly. "It's not just the country that'll be at risk. We're talking about the entire world here, Midoriya. I can't just reject the only option I have to secure the safety of every single person here because I want to stay a hero. It just feels...wrong." They look at both their hands. "I was a wreck after the incident at the Taito Ward. I couldn't eat or sleep after that night...sometimes I can still see the blood in my hands, the blood of those I killed...I don't want to imagine how worse it'll been if she were to attack every person on a global scale. And I don't want it to happen either. So if that means I have to sacrifice my quirk, then so be it." They put an end to this discussion before it becomes another argument. "Look, I don't want to talk about this, so just drop it." They get up and walk up the rest of the stairs. "We can stay as friends. But right now I just want to be alone."

"(L/n), wait--"

"What did I tell you about taking 'no' for an answer?" Midoriya freezes up at these bitter words. "I need some space. It's getting really hard for me to socialize at this point. I just need some time to myself. I'll talk to you later, okay?" (Y/n) continues to walk up the stairs, leaving Midoriya all by his lonesome.

Midoriya felt nothing but sympathy for his friend. 'They made it look like they were ambitious to continue working their way to being a hero, but...they're actually not. It's like..they've given up. On being happy.' His eyes start watering, the pain of having to stay in the sidelines overwhelming him. 'They look worse than when I last saw them, before internships. They're more quiet. And it looks like they're more tired, too...' He wonders if there's any chance that he can help out (Y/n). 'Is there really nothing that I can do? Is there really no way that I can ensure (L/n)'s safety, but get rid of Shikei permanently? To make sure that (L/n) gets to keep their quirk after getting rid of her?'

The only person who dared to listen on the conversation, hiding from their sight, is Todoroki. He didn't mean to do so, since he was following his usual route to the cafeteria, but he's glad that he did choose to stay behind, while his classmates and every other peer decided to prioritize lunch.

A few hours go by and classes were finished for the day. (Y/n) is packing their belonging, zipping up the main pocket that held their notebooks and textbooks; while doing so, Todoroki stands right in front of their desk. The two make eye contact and (Y/n) greets their classmate with an awkward expression. "Uh, hey, Todoroki." They assume that his visit to their desk was for a reason. "What's up?"

"I'd like to invite you to my place." Todoroki is straight to the point, as it was his nature to be blunt and maybe even a little thoughtless.

(Y/n) raises an eyebrow. "What, why?"

"My family has our own library within the estate. And we store archive of firsthand sources that go all the way back to ancient times, recorded by our ancestors. I believe that we can learn about your quirk if we examine the archives ourselves. Your quirk, Shikei, was a real person, am I correct?"

(Y/n) nods. "Yeah." They don't want to get their hopes up, but there was a chance that they could find something in an archive as old as ancient times. "You really think that we can find something?"

"I don't want to make any promises, but it's worth a try." Todoroki proposes that the two start their expedition right away. "Are you free today?"

"Yeah, of course, but I need to let Mr. Hawks know first." Todoroki gestures out his own device and (Y/n) takes it with hesitation. "Thanks..." They make the phone call to Hawks and receive the approval. "I'm good to go. My ride is waiting so you can come with me." Todoroki nods and the two start making their way to the main entrance of the school. "Will it really be okay that I visit? Your family won't...get scared or anything?"

"Probably." Todoroki didn't seem all that bothered to let a mass murderer walk into his home. "But you're not going to cause trouble anyway, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

(Y/n) thinks that Todoroki might be a little small-minded. "I mean, yeah, but I do have a history of...causing trouble, so it's not like it'd be out of the ordinary for them to keep their distance from me, or simply feel uncomfortable being around me." And that's when they ask Todoroki, "You didn't feel that way when you first found?"

Todoroki gives that question some thought. "Not really." (Y/n) reacts with a perplexed look and he elaborates his response, "What you did was terrible, but, even I had my speculations. Even though we've hardly talked to one another, I can tell that you're a genuinely good person. I never believed that those moments of kindness were fake. Whenever you helped people, or cheered on your friends, you looked like you were actually enjoying yourself. And considering what Bakugou said in your defense, it just made more sense to believe that there was more  to the incident that what the media let on."

"Bakugou?" (Y/n) is taken aback by who Todoroki mentioned.

Todoroki hums. "He kept saying that you weren't he one who did the incident. That you deserved to explain everything before we started to jump to conclusions. He even hoped that you'd still go to school right after your story got exploited to the media." For some reason, (Y/n) didn't seem all that surprised to hear that Bakugou had done all of that. "You have a really good friend, (L/n)."

'Would he even call me a friend?' (Y/n) chuckles at their own thought. "Yeah. I guess I do." They take it upon themself to thank Todoroki. "Thanks for helping me out. This means a lot to me." They offer him a smile but he keeps his stoic face. Though he does attempt to relay his own share of gratitude in saying:

"No problem."