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Chapter 5 (✿^‿^)

He wanted to make it evident that he just wanted to help the boy. He saw the distraught expression on Midoriya's face, so he just smiled, the smile that told everyone everything was going to be okay (but skeleton-like).

"Um... Kacchan and I are childhood friends. Not anymore, though. Like, we're not friends anymore, not that we're not childhood friends anymore because that wouldn't make any sense because that was in the present tense and-"

"I get it, kid. Keep going." Toshinori gave him a reassuring glance.

"Right." Izuku chuckled nervously. "So, like I tried to say earlier, we're childhood friends. When we were younger, I'd follow him around all the time because he was like the leader of our friend group. We all thought he was really cool." Izuku frowned and Yagi prepared for something bad. "But when he got his quirk, he became... different."

"Different how?"

"He started treating everyone else like they didn't matter. I still followed him around, but he treated me like I didn't mean anything, said that moving small things around was useless and he started calling me 'Deku'."

"Why Deku?"

"It's another way to read my name. It means 'someone who cannot do anything'. And if he felt someone who was... well, who he considered... weak was out of line, he'd beat them up. I didn't stand for it, so I tried to stop him, but I don't have the level of control over my quirk where I could move whole objects, especially complex formations like human beings, without messing up their molecular structure. Anyways, I told him to stop, but Kacchan said that someone who could move things that he couldn't even see around shouldn't be trying to play the hero. Said I was looking down on him by trying. Then, he starting hurting and threatening me. Apparently, I annoy him because I'm a nerd? I think there's more to it than that, but I dunno. It sucks, cuz my classmates almost never wanna talk to me because they're scared of him."

"Young Midoriya, that is called, 'bullying' . And it's hurting others, it's wrong, and nobody should have to stand for it." Toshinori stated firmly. Although he may be gaunt, the shine in his eyes was one that was unmistakable to anyone in the world, just in the eyes of who they thought was a different man.

"I-I," Izuku murmured. "...I know. I just... never wanted to admit that someone who I admire so much would do something so bad . I've always looked up to him. He has a great quirk, he's so cool, and, and, confident! He's... he's going to go to Yuuhei and become a great hero one day and-"

"Heroes don't hurt the innocent." The fire in the blond's eyes was blazing, an inferno that could melt any ice-users quirk use in an instant.

"Bu-But he usually just makes threats, not actual violence! And they're usually empty! They don't mean anything, I'm sure he doesn't really mean them, and it's not like I ever thought of actually doing it!" Izuku put his hand over his mouth, realizing he had made a mistake.

The emaciated man glowered; nightmares of yellow skeletons with horrifying eyes would haunt Midoriya forever. "What exactly was it that you did not think of doing?"

Venom dripped off Toshinori's every word and the green haired boy thanked whatever entity existed that his rage was not directed directly at him. It only solidified what he and everyone else already knew; don't mess with All Might.

"Uhm, uhm... Nothing! It was just a dumb thing Kacchan said to be and it didn't mean anything! Honest!" Izuku idly wondered if his head was aching from his quirk use or from the stress of keeping eye contact with someone so scary.

A heavy sigh, then the hellish bony creature shifted into the sympathetic bony teacher. "Midoriya, my boy, I'm not sure what Bakugo said to you, but as clueless as I am, I can assume that if you refused to do something that someone you admire so much asked you to, it must have been bad." Midoriya's eyes leered to the left a bit. "You also mentioned this small, yet important, detail while talking about... threats." Midoriya rested his gaze back on Yagi, eyes stilling. "And finally, you covered your mouth after you said what you said, which was suspicious because you have been defending your bully for a majority of the time we've been talking." The green haired boy flinched. "Therefore, I conclude that he told you to do something or threatened to do something to you that would look bad on him and whatever he said was, hypothetically, harmful to you or for your wellbeing." The look on Midoriya's face was enough for Toshinori to tell he was right on the money.

He may not be very perceptive, but he'd picked up a few tricks in the years working with his... sidekick. He shoved all thoughts of Nighteye down into the abyss of his mind and focused his attention back on his protege.

"Ahem, since it seems that I was correct, I'd like an explanation now! Earlier you told me to be honest with you on what we'll be doing from here on out, and since I have, I expect that you'll be honest with me as well!"

The skeletal man noticed the broken look on his protege's face but chose to ignore it. He was going to get answers. "I-I'm sorry for avoiding the truth, Yagi-sensei." Izuku was now staring at the ground and the wet spots on the sand told Yagi all he needed to know about the face the green haired boy was making. "I-It's just, I don't want you to have to deal with my problems... I mean, you've got your time limit and... and everyone is always counting on you! You've got the weight of the world on your shoulders! You don't need to worry about my insignificant issues!"

"Nonsense!" Toshinori stated firmly. "If it's bothering you this much, Midoriya my boy, we need to talk this out!" 'And figure out what this it is!' Toshinori added mentally.

Izuku took a deep breath. "Please don't be upset with Kacchan, okay Toshinori-san? I'm sure he was joking." His teacher nodded but was holding two crossed fingers behind his back. (So what if it was childish? Yagi didn't care.) "...Yesterday, our teacher told the class I was applying to UA. Bakugo got upset because he's trying for UA as well and wants to be the only one from our school to get in. Like I mentioned earlier, he thinks my quirk is useless. Yesterday after class, he and his... friends cornered me and he told me not to apply for UA. Said that if I wanted to go so badly I should..." He squeezed his hands into a fist, trying to fight off his urge to dig a hole and live the rest of his days there. "...and I quote, 'Take a swan dive off the roof and hope for a better quirk in my next life.'"

The middle schooler was pretty sure he was squeezing every part of his body; his eyes, his fists, his stomach, his head (if that was even possible), his back, his thighs; he was distracting himself by creating tension all over his body.

Seconds turned into minutes and when Izuku finally decided to peek at the expression on his teacher's face, the rage he felt radiating off of him was much more explainable. Yagi's mouth was set in a grim line, his eyes were glaring at some imaginary target, his teeth were grinding against one and other, and his fists were clenched so tightly that it had pierced his skin. Midoriya squeaked, primal instincts tell him to run away from this horrible threat, but he stayed glued to his spot and let the silence overwhelm him.

Eventually, Toshinori spoke, menacing aura still surrounding him, "Am I correct in my thinking that you did not consider this terrible idea even for a second?"

"Er, ye-yes. Like, yes I did not consider the idea, not yes I considered it because I definitely didn't." Stuttered out Izuku.

The blond was upset, that was for sure, but even though there was an obvious amount of tension on his body, relief overwhelmed him and he relaxed a bit. Of course, he was still full of righteous indignation, but he had calmed slightly by the affirmation that his student valued his life. A small sigh escaped his lips and he continued with his questioning. "I understand it was recent and you were exhausted yesterday, but have you mentioned this incident or any of the other occurrences I assume have happened over the years to your teacher, your school's counselor, the principal, or your mother?"

A short shake of a green haired head was all it took for Toshinori to relive all of his earlier distress. "Young Midoriya, I am aware of your unlucky streak yesterday, but when these sorts of things happen, you must tell someone right away. Bakugo-kun should not have gotten away with attempting to instigate suicide, nor should he have gotten away with all of his other successful attempts at abusing you physically and mentally." His protegee stared at the ground solemnly. "We are going to go to your house right now and we are going to explain the situation to your mother." When Izuku tried to protest, a look from his teacher shut him up.