Visions of Hope

Starting to Question

Izuku trailed behind Bakugo and his other friends, silent and just watching the boys. As they walked towards the playground, Izuku let his mind wander, no longer listening to Bakugo brag about his impressive quirk and how he'd be the number one

hero someday. It was the same sort of thing Bakugo said daily. Instead, Izuku let his mind wander to some of the questions that he always had on the back of his mind.

"Oi! Stupid Deku!" The shout from Bakugo caused Izuku to jerk to a stop. He noticed the other boys standing at the playground and the fact that he had strolled right past them. "Pay attention, ya quirkless loser or you can't come with us."

"Sorry, Kacchan," Izuku muttered moving back to the group. He rarely enjoyed his time with Bakugo anymore...but he still saw the loud, rude boy as his best friend and he held onto the hope that it might change back someday. He barely heard Bakugo

assigned roles for their adventure. Finally, they were off into the woods behind the playground with Izuku trailing at the back - the victim they all were 'protecting.'

Izuku stayed as quiet and invisible as Bakugo seemed to want him to be, just watching the boys ahead of him march confidently across the log. Bakugo held his hand out in front of them, popping off small explosions to 'ward off the bad guys.' Izuku looked away a moment, eyes settling on the log under his feet as he returned to a thought that bothered him more and more. The older they got, the less he believed Bakugo was his soulmate. Sure there was always smoke when Bakugo let off his explosions...but Izuku never felt warm when he saw them. Anytime he had a vision of

his soulmate's quirk - which appeared to be about once a year - he always felt so warm.

Just as the thought, and resulting smile, crossed Izuku's awareness he heard a cry ahead of him. He watched in a mix of shock and horror as Bakugo's foot slipped from the log and he tumbled several feet into the creek beneath them. While the others dropped to the log, calling down to Bakugo, Izuku turned and raced back down the log. He clumsily climbed down the embankment and splashed his way to his blond friend.

"Kacchan! Are you okay? Let me help you up," Izuku offered as he held out his hand. Bakugo's red eyes stared at the extended hand for several seconds before he roughly smacked it away with a small, harmless explosion to make his point.

"I don't need help from a quirkless Deku like you!" Bakugo shouted as he hauled himself from the creek. Izuku flinched back, holding his stinging hand. Bakugo's hit hadn't left any damage, but it confirmed in Izuku's mind that there was no way Bakugo could be his soulmate. He watched as the blond stomped from the water and started climbing up the other side, shouting for the other boys to get a move on. Izuku turned and headed the other way, no longer interested in being near his 'friend.' Maybe hewould get lucky and meet his soulmate soon...then Bakugo would leave him alone and he wouldn't feel bad about not giving him attention.