the copycat hero: Deku

Chapter 14

Here's a thank you chapter for EC hitting 250 Faves! First round of the TOURNAMENT AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRCCCCCCCC!

"As always, you are far too flashy," the blond sighed as he finished his lunch, Izuku sticking his tongue out at Monoma as he sat at the table with the 1-B student.

"Whatever, you managed to get through to the final round as well, so why are you complaining?" Izuku laughed.

"I'm not, I just wish you would be a little more subtle," Neito sighed, "Really, everything must be a game with you."

"And everything is a contest with you," Izuku shot back as he shoveled Katsudon into his mouth, grinning behind his bowl, "Though it's not the worst thing."

"A compliment? From you?" Neito laughed in mock shock, "How rare! I simply expected more sass!"

"Hey, I compliment people plenty," Izuku muttered as he set down his empty bowl, "Sass is just more fun."

"You say that, but is it really true?" the blond chuckled, punching Izuku gently in the arm, blinking when the other teen looked to the side, "What's up?"

"Todoroki approaching from our six," Izuku muttered, wiping his face on a napkin, and getting up, "I have a feeling I know what he wants."

"You go talk to your future boyfriend, then," Neito chuckled, drawing a slight glare from Izuku, before the green-haired teen just smiled.

"Oh, hey," He suddenly said as they both looked at the approaching dual quirk user, "I just had a thought. What happens if we face each other?"

"Simple," Neito shrugged, a grin on his face as he pushed Izuku towards Todoroki, "Best man wins."

"Do you know what a quirk marriage is?" Todoroki asked as they stood in the hallway.

"Yeah?" Izuku said, blinking a moment later, "Wait, you don't mean…?"

"Yes, he bought my mother like live-stock, just to breed the perfect successor," Todoroki said as he reached up to the scar on his face, "She gave me this scar. She poured boiling water over my face because I looked too much like him."

"Damn," Izuku muttered, "And…have you tried to get help?"

"Help? What help?" Todoroki growled, "No one would believe a word I said against my father. And this isn't about that!"

"Maybe it should be."

"Shut up!" Todoroki growled, "I called you here to tell you to stop using those flames! They aren't yours!"

"Well, technically," Izuku hummed, "Because I replicate quirks, I actually gain the quirk I copy, so they kind of are? I'm sort of just using your quirk as a template to change my own."

"What?" Todoroki said, staring at him, "Why…why are you telling me this?"

"You bared you heart to me, I figured I should let you know something about me," Izuku shrugged, before grinning and pressing his finger to his lips "So yeah, that's how my quirk copies the quirks of others, but don't go telling everyone. It's a secret."

"What is wrong with you?" Todoroki hissed as Izuku walked away.

"Oh, plenty," the teen called back, "Make sure to use your quirk to its fullest when we face each other. Because I sure will."

"AND WELCOME TO THE FIRST ROUND OF THE TOURNAMENT, LOYAL LISTENERS!" Present Mic shouted over the speakers, "LET'S GIVE OUR FIRST COMPETITORS A BIG HAND!"

The crowd cheered loudly as the two blondes walked onto the concrete arena, Neito giving Bakugo a sly grin as he stepped onto the stage. Bakugo scowled back, flexing his fingers as he glared.