Ashes of the Deceived. (Izuku Midoriya x reader.)

Epilogue.

—First Person POV.—

You wouldn't think that people would believe that we all got so incredibly beat up— In so many interesting ways— From a bear attack.

Especially not when Jirou is sporting a bite mark that is a spot-on match for wounds found at one of the most horrifying crime scenes in recent history.

But I never fail to be surprised by what people will believe.

A bear. Right. A bear bit Jirou in the leg and I was thrown into a tree after heroically trying to get it off her.

So was Denki. Nobody except Jirou got bit, or got clawed, and my mom was completely unharmed, but hey, things like that happen.

Jirou and I are still in the hospital. She needed stitches and she's having to undergo rabies vaccinations, which sucks, but that's the price of our alibi.

Aizawa and Denki weren't even admitted. I'm lying in a bed with my chest wrapped up, trying to breathe properly so I don't get pneumonia.

They ran blood work on my liver enzymes, because when I came in I was still a shade of banana, but there was no damage.

Everything was functioning normally.

Mom and Denki come to visit in a steady rotation, and they wheel Jirou in once a day so we can watch 'Jeopardy!'

Aizawa came once or twice before informing me he'll be staying for a while just to make sure my mom and I can get back on our feet.

Nobody wants to say that they're relieved it wasn't worse, or that we all came out lucky, but I know that's what they're thinking.

They think that it could have been a lot worse. Maybe so, but I don't want to hear it— And if it's true, then they have only one person to thank for it.

Izuku kept us alive. He dragged himself and that monster into God only knows where. I keep thinking of things I could have done differently.

I try to remember if there was another way it could have gone— But I don't try too hard, because he sacrificed himself, my sweet, stupid boy, and I don't want that to have been for nothing.

There's a knock at my door. I look over and see Denki standing in the doorway. I press the button on my Posturepedic to sit up and greet him.

"Hey." He says, pulling up a chair "Aren't you going to eat your Jell-O?" "I effing hate green Jell-O" I snort, and push it his way.

"I hate it too, I was just asking."

I laugh "Don't make me hurt my ribs, you dick." I scold and He smiles. I really am glad that he's all right.

Then he clears his throat.

"We're sorry about him, you know" He whispers with sorrow-filled irises "Jirou and I"

"We kind of liked him, even if he was creepy, and we know that you—" He breaks off and clears his throat again.

I loved him.

That's what he was going to say.

That's what everyone else knew before I did.

"The house was, like, insane," He comments "Like something out of Poltergeist. Not the first one— The one with the scary old guy." He keeps on clearing his throat and avoiding eye contact.

"Mr. Aizawa and I went back, after, to see if anything was still there— But there was nothing. Not even his leftover spirits."

I swallow. I should be glad that they're free— But that means he's really gone. The unfairness of it almost chokes me for a second. I finally find a boy I could really be with, maybe the only boy in the world, and I had what? Two months with him? It's not enough.

After everything he went through, everything I went through— We deserve more than that.

Or maybe we don't— Anyway, life doesn't work like that. It doesn't care about fair or unfair.

Still, sitting in this hospital bed has given me plenty of time to think.

Lately I've been thinking about a lot of things. Mostly about doors —Because that's essentially what Izuku did. He opened a door, from here to someplace else— And doors can be made to swing both ways, in my experience.

"What's so funny?" I look at Denki, startled. I realize I've started to grin.

"Just life." I say with a shrug "And death."

Denki sighs and tries to smile "So, I guess you'll be transferring out soon. Off to do what it is you do. Your mom said something about a Wendigo?"

I chuckle, then wince. Denki joins in halfheartedly. He's doing his best not to make me feel guilty for leaving, to make it seem like he doesn't care one way or the other I go.

"Where—" He starts, and looks at me carefully, trying to be delicate "Where do you think he went?" I look at my friend Denki, at his sincere, earnest face "I don't know.." I start softly.

There must be a devilish glint in my eye "Maybe you and Jirou can help me figure it out."

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"His existence was remnants in the form of ashes—A broken and charred piece, left behind from a fire snuffed out long ago.

He was the Ashes of the Deceived."