You're My Hero, Brat (IzukuXTomura)

..Relieved?..

Chapter Twenty-Four

...

After everything that happened, the attack on the USJ, being kidnapped, missing his classes and worrying his mother, and even having the sacred promise he made with All Might on the line, Izuku Midoriya felt like a weight was off his chest now that someone he knew he could trust, also knew what Izuku was hiding all these weeks. And Shoto seemed to be quite understanding about it. That night Izuku and Shoto talked about it in class after their classmates left for the day. Considering they were in UA, Izuku felt it was more safe to talk about all of this.

''So,'' started Shoto after Izuku finished telling him everything , to when he was kidnapped to today. Of course he didn't tell Shoto about One for All, only that Tomura Shigaraki knew a valuable secret of one of the pro heroes and if it got out, it could have devastating consequences if the world found out. ''you've been under Shigaraki's thumb all this time?'' Todoroki clarified, which Izuku responded with a solemn nod. ''That's right..'' Izuku replied. Shoto went silent afterwards.

''You said that Shigaraki wants something in this school that the principle has? And you were supposed to spy on the teachers and find it? Seems like a stupid plan considering he didn't even tell you what he wants you to find...'' Shoto commented as he thought about this. His eyes gazed back over to Izuku who looked extremely nervous right now; the smaller was clutching his fists and sweating. Shoto stared at him for a moment. ''You don't need to worry. I won't tell anyone.'' He assured.

Izuku paused, the sighed and gave Shoto a weak smile. ''Thanks Todoroki-kun..''

... 

The upcoming Sport's Festival was in three days . Hard to believe, but the time had gone by before everyone's eyes, and Izuku could feel the anxiety and nervousness building up in him. He had been practicing hard training and preparing himself, but when it came to his private life, things seemed to be getting clearer thanks to Shoto. Maybe having someone know the situation helped getting a weight off of Izuku's chest, but something was in the back of the hero's mind, and Izuku couldn't figure out what. But since his last encounter with Tomura over a week ago, Izuku had been able to focus more on school, hero and combat classes, and even got to hang out more with his classmates and friends. Maybe Izuku was betting that Tomura had given up on him, and that the whole blackmail thing was over; maybe Tomura had called it quits, but Izuku wasn't as naive to think that. He knew he would learn what Tomura was up to when they crossed that bridge eventually.

''Izuku? Honey? I'm going to the store and have to run a few errands. Will you be okay alone for awhile.'' Inko told her son after peeking her head into his room. Izuku was studying at his desk, but paused and smiled back at his mom. ''Yeah I'll be fine, Mom. Don't worry.'' He promised her. Then he stopped and remembered he had a book from the library he needed to be dropped off today. Asking his mom to hold on a moment, Izuku scrambled to search through his school bag and hand his mom the book. After they both exchanged goodbyes, Izuku looked down to close his bag, but something caught his eye.

The communicator, well, also partly tracking device Tomura had given Izuku. For a moment, Izuku simply stared at it like he had never seen it before. Then he gritted his teeth, grabbed the device, and pulled back his arm like he was going to throw it ---

But Izuku stopped himself, sighed, and looked at the communicator. His fingers hovered the button that turned it on. Did it even still work? Izuku hadn't received any messages from the League for awhile now. If it worked sending messages from Izuku's end, could he try and find the League's HQ eventually? But those thoughts weren't really on his mind right now.

''All villains are to be stopped by heroes. They hurt people.. ruin lives.. and destroy society and do despicable acts all in their own selfish gain.."

''You think just because you're a hero and I'm a villain, you can act surprised when I do something normal? Tch, you heroes really are stuck up, aren't you?''

''Now get dressed before I do it myself.''

''For God's sake. Just open your mouth and let me see if you're even listening.''

''Put this on and hurry up. .''

''You're my hero, brat. You don't need to be selfish and to go around saving others all the time.''

Izuku gripped the communicator in his hands. He bit his lip. His heart pounded. He hated Shigaraki and what he stood for, but here also didn't. He didn't hate everything about Shigaraki! Izuku knew it was something he refused to admit until now. But the times he spent with Tomura.. they weren't all bad. No. Izuku smiled and even felt a light fluttery feeling in his chest at times. He was scared of Tomura, no doubt, but there was a part of the villain that Izuku couldn't despise; the part of Tomura that decided to help train him for the Festival, the part of him that carried him home after Izuku got hurt, that part of him that risked his identity for Izuku's just so Izuku wasn't caught by Shoto with a shady figure. There was a glimpse, it was small, just a barely able to notice fragment of a different side to the villain Izuku didn't think anyone else would ever be able to see, but he did.

''Be selfish; do whatever the hell you want and save yourself..''

''You said to save myself!! You said it was okay to be selfish! Do whatever I wanted!!!'' Izuku yelled into the communicator. He knew it was one-sided, but he shouted out through his heart at it anyway. ''I saved myself ! But I don't feel it at all!!'' Hie eyes brimmed with tears. Why was he crying over a villain ignoring him? Izuku wanted this; he walked out with Shoto and never looked back; he threw the villain and the league away and finally it felt like his life was going back to normal; but here he was, crying like a baby. Not crying was at all odd for Izuku in the first place. But still. 

''YOU SAID I WAS YOUR HERO, DIDN'T YOU !?''

Izuku leaned over, screaming into the communicator those words, afterwards, his crying paused as he panted for breath- his breathing heavy, but his eyes widened at those words he just said with all his might and soul. And that's when Izuku Midoriya realized. . .

''I.. really like being. . with you. . 

. . I. . .I like you."