Reset and Rewind

Chapter 14 - The Trigger Theory

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"You look like shit."

Yeah, no kidding. Izuku felt like shit, too. He spent day and night trying to remember every detail, flipping through the pages of his notebooks, where he had written down so many important events. All things that could lead to triggers, to memory gain, if his theory turned out to be true. And between all that research and worrying and trying to keep himself from collapsing under the pressure and implications that his home, the world he wanted to return to, probably didn't exist anymore- He had exams, like everyone else, and he had to study, too.

"Didn't sleep very well," Izuku hummed, leaning onto Kacchan's shoulder with his eyes closed as he mentally reviewed some of the subject matter they would be quizzed on today. Their train rides to school felt so peaceful. Just the two of them, two anonymous teenagers lost in the crowd of the morning rush hour. A part of him wished things could stay like that forever.

"You said that yesterday too," Katsuki grunted. "I swear, your eyebags are starting to rival those of the damn insomniac and that's saying something."

"Nobody can rival Hitoshi on that front, Kacchan," Izuku chuckled, not opening his eyes as he spoke.

"Don't tell me you're actually stressed because of the exams," Katsuki snorted. "This is baby shit. I bet I could pass even without studying."

"So why are you even trying then?"

"If I don't beat everyone else, what's the point?" Katsuki countered, making Izuku laugh again.

"As competitive as ever... Please never change, Kacchan," he mumbled, yawning before he nuzzled closer to his boyfriend.

"Oi, don't fall asleep on me, we're almost at our stop."

Izuku whined, allowing himself to be pulled along by Kacchan. That routine continued for the next few days. Drag himself out of bed after an all-nighter, let Kacchan drag him to school, take an exam, let Kacchan drag him back home and repeat. Days went by in a blur and before he realized it, the exams were over. Well, the written exams were over. They still had the practical to complete.

"You don't look so well, Deku-kun," Ochako frowned.

"No shit, I've been telling him that for days now," Katsuki grunted.

"It's just the exams guys, really, nothing to worry about," Izuku said, forcing a smile.

"You also said we shouldn't worry when you almost lost your quirk, so I'm not inclined to believe that," Shoto pointed out.

"That's going to haunt me the rest of my life, isn't it?" Izuku deadpanned.

"We know you haven't been sleeping, Deku, and it isn't because of the damn exams," Katsuki hissed. "Talk. To. Me."

"Alright, fine! I have a theory about how people regain their memories, okay?" Izuku confessed. "I've been trying to figure things out and I didn't want to tell you guys yet because it were exams and I haven't gotten the chance to test it out yet and-"

"You think you know why we have our memories back when no one else does?" Ochako interrupted him. "I always knew you were smart, Deku-kun! Tell us!"

"It's a theory, it's not certain yet," Izuku told her. "I-I don't want to give you guys any false hope in case it turns out to be a dud."

"How are you going to test it?" Katsuki asked. "You said you haven't gotten the chance to, how are you planning to do it?"

"I can't tell you, you might influence things," Izuku told him. "It's all really delicate, okay? But please trust me on this one! I'll be able to test it out soon."