Timeloop Trouble

Chapter 2 - Wake Up!

Getting Tsubasa alone proved to be a real problem. Izuku hadn't really thought that part through at all. Because everyone clung to Kacchan like moths to a flame and not a lot of kids in their class gave quirkless little Izuku the time of day, let alone follow him for a private conversation. Being ignored was better than being bullied, though, and he had to thank Kacchan for influencing them into doing so. Still, if they couldn't get Tsubasa separated from the others, they couldn't execute their plan.

Kacchan was right when he said the boy would be traumatized after being turned into a monster by his grandfather, so Izuku expected him to react badly to the memories. That was the main reason they wanted to get him alone. Another was that they needed to plan out their next step with him. They already had an idea on how to proceed, but Tsubasa held all the concrete information. He knew where the lab was and how to get in, he just didn't know it yet.

"I'll invite him over for a playdate," Katsuki suggested.

"Won't your other friends get jealous, Kacchan?" Izuku asked.

"I play with you after school all the time," Katsuki pointed out. And yeah, okay, Kacchan did spend a lot of time with Izuku apart from all the other kids. Like right now, when they were practicing ball tricks in the Bakugou's backyard.

"That's different, though," Izuku frowned.

"How is it any different, Deku?"

"Because I'm a charity case," Izuku said, continuing before Katsuki could protest. "I'm the sad quirkless kid and Kacchan is good enough to play with me because he's awesome like that. Also, our moms are friends, so it's normal we see each other more often."

"Okay, one, you're not a charity case, not to me," Katsuki started. "Also, fuck the other extras. I'm having Tsubasa over and you better make sure to be there."

"That's not exactly my choice, now is it?" Izuku snorted, earning a slap on his arm.

"Katsuki! Play nice with Izuku!" Mitsuki yelled from the other side of the garden.

"It's okay auntie Mitsuki!" Izuku called back with a bright smile before turning to Kacchan. "I know you care about your friends, Kacchan. I don't want this to cause a fight."

"They're little brats, Deku. They forget and move on," Katsuki stated. "I'm having him over and that's that."

Izuku frowned, not liking being overruled by Kacchan, definitely not when someone's life was on the line. Because it was, right? If they didn't do this, Tsubasa would die. Hundreds would die. They'd all be turned into Nomu by the doctor's hand, some more successful than others. They had to make sure to do things right. And maybe inviting him over really was the only way they'd be able to get Tsubasa alone. Maybe Kacchan was right about this. Still, that didn't mean Izuku had to like it, thoughts of consequences swirling through his mind a million miles an hour.

Having Tsubasa remember and interfering with the timeline in such a crucial way had to have serious consequences, didn't it? Izuku hadn't stopped to think about it when he suggested this plan to Kacchan, he didn't truly, deeply consider it. All he had wanted to do was make Kacchan happy. To give him his friend back, to give Tsubasa a second chance at life, or, well third, technically. Yeah, Izuku had been so focussed on all the good it could bring that he didn't stand still to think about what sort of punishment would be attached to it all.

"You okay?" Katsuki asked, poking him in his side, making Izuku squirm and jump up.

"Yeah! Fine!" Izuku squeaked. "It's uh, it's a good idea. Invite him over."

Katsuki squinted at him for a second before focussing back on the ball. Izuku would talk to him when he felt ready to talk to him. And if he didn't, Katsuki would just have to pry the answers out of him, after they dealt with Tsubasa.