Grave Keeper

Grave Keeper: Chapter 6

Bakugou shook, gripping his fists at his sides. "But I'm weak," he grit out. "Even though all I wanted to do was become someone strong like you, but 'cuz I'm weak you're like this!"

Gray moved before she realized what she was doing, stepping forwards and slapping Bakugou. Midoriya's eyes widened and Toshinori pinched his index and middle fingers against the bridge of his nose, sighing silently.

"What the fuck, Hood Face—!"

"Shut up and listen to yourself!" Gray snapped, startling Bakugou and he stepped back.

"If you're at fault, then so am I! You weren't the only one kidnapped, now were you?" she seethed, eyes narrowed. "You're not weak, Bakugou Katsuki! Toshinori's true form being revealed isn't your fault! Or did you forget whose weakness and moment of hesitation made him use all the power he had left to protect them?"

Her voice dropped as she reached up, grabbing the blonde's face in her hands, eyes both blazing and welled with tears.

"It's not your fault," she repeated, "Because if it's your fault, then what am I!? It was my weakness that made him protect me from All for One!"

She dropped her hands, stepping back and letting out a breath. "I'm angry, I'm frustrated, and I hate myself for it. I wasn't fast enough, aware enough, and I hardly look strong enough— I'm supposed to be a Servant holding the Lance that brings Light to the End of the World, but I wasn't able to do anything..." she gazed down at her hand, curling it into a fist. "But all roads have to end somewhere."

Midoriya hesitated before he walked over, patting Gray's shoulder before arms wrapped around all three of them, Toshinori holding them close.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "I didn't know."

Bakugou pulled out of the hug first, smacking Toshinori's hand to the side with a huff but Toshinori seemed to have expected that, pulling away to look at all three of them.

"I have been a hero for a long time, and here's what I think," he said. "To obsess over victory the way you do, Young Bakugou, and to want to rescue who is in trouble the way you do, Young Midoriya... If you're lacking in one or the other, you won't be able to maintain your own sense of justice as a hero. For the way that you boys both longed and feared the other's strength and spirit, your feelings are out in the open now and you both understand, now don't you?"

Gray nodded. "If you boys can recognize each other and raised each other up," she started, "You can become the best heroes who both win and rescue. I have no doubt that if you push yourselves to your limits together, you can also carve your names into the Throne of Heroes."

Bakugou hung his head, staggering a bit before he sat down. "That... That's not what I wanted to ask about..." he said. "You."

Midoriya flinched, glancing over. "We're all training under the horse bastard, but... if you've got the strongest person helping you out... you can't be loosing."

Midoriya was silent for a moment before he nodded. "I'll get stronger so that I can beat you..."

Bakugou seemed to accept that as Gray let out a breath, adjusting her hood and glancing up at Toshinori, who gave her a small smile.

"Who else knows about you and Deku's relationship?" he asked.

Toshinori ran a hand through his bangs. "Recovery Girl and Nezu," he started, "Chiron too. Among the students, Astolfo, Gray, and you are the only ones."

Bakugou ran a hand through his hair too. "You don't want people to find out, do ya, All Might? Since you've been trying to hide it, I won't say anything to anyone... I won't go blabbing like shithead Deku over here, okay?"

Gray glanced up at her master again and he nodded. "Then this secret stays with us," she said.

(x)

Aizawa had zero mercy on any of them and Gray found herself sheepishly admitting that yes, she, Midoriya, and Bakugou were all under house arrest— luckily for her it was just for one day since she didn't go out to start the fight, but she had been out after curfew.

She also had to confirm that yes, All Might was her master and she was only alive because he and her had created a contract. Bakugou and Midoriya had found out when Aizawa had brought his punishment down on the three of them.

His exact words to her were "just because All Might thinks this is his fault doesn't mean you can just rush in because you're his Servant now" and Yagi had just apologized for getting her involved.

She had told him that she didn't mind, after all, since it was her duty.

"I mean, Midoriya and Bakugou, I can understand," Ashido sighed, "Since they got into the fight, but you Gray-bird?"

Gray shrugged a bit. "Aizawa-sensei was mad that I was out past curfew, and I think he wanted to spite Toshinori some more," she sighed. Hagakure made a motion that was certainly her shaking her head.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to calling All Might by name, much less his first name."

Gray giggled softly. "You managed to call Chiron by his name."

"That's different," she huffed and Gray glanced over as Iida chewed out Bakugou and Midoriya, who were cleaning. While Gray wasn't assigned to help them, she was sure she was going to end up doing it anyway. Unless the two boys kept her from helping, that was.

"Anyways," she sighed before turning back to the girls. "Keep me informed about today. Aizawa'll tell you not to talk to Midoriya and Bakugou, but you can give me a rough outline on what happened, I'll catch up eventually."

"We'll help you if you need it too," Jiro said and the others nodded before they turned to head out. Astolfo waved to her before the last of them left, the door closing. Gray glanced back at Midoriya and Bakugou.

"Do you two need he—"

"Fuck off, Hood-face!" Bakugou snapped, "We got it! Go read or something!"

Gray just giggled softly, easily deciphering the angry teen's words.

"We're fine and don't need help" and "Go sleep or read, don't bother with us".

He was a lot less rough around the edges when one could figure out what he meant.

She turned, walking into the kitchen with a hum and grabbing a glass, filling it with water before she glanced at the clock.

She had a few hours until lunchtime, she could at least make something for the two boys to eat later when it got closer to that time. Content with that plan, she pulled her phone out of her skirt's pocket, texting Iida quickly. Glass in hand, she waved to Midoriya before heading up to the Class Representative's room, opening the unlocked door and walking to the bookshelf.

Between the two of them and Yaoyorozu, the original books that had been brought with each of them had been shuffled around the entire class— or among those who wished to read them, at least. It wasn't uncommon for any of the students to borrow books from another simply to read.

And Iida always had something interesting to read. If nothing caught her eye, then Yaoyorozu's room was next.

She could do with a day of only reading.

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Mirio shows up next and I'm excited. Because a bunch of things get thrown out the window.