The Emerald Prince

Chapter 146: Make mine a double

It was November now, and though the afternoons still gave tantalising hints of summer, the mornings were frosty and biting.
The greenette adjusted his red scarf and pulled his coat around him a little tighter.

"Okay nerd?" Asked Bakugou, the blond had always been immune to the cold, hot blooded as he was. He was in a T-shirt just to add insult to injury in Izuku's opinion.
Izuku nodded and smiled, "winter is coming Kaachan!"
"Obviously." Replied Bakugou, not getting the reference, though Uraraka giggled.
"When did you find the time to watch Game of Thrones, Izu?"
He shrugged as they reach the apartment they'd been heading to. "I read them when I was learning English."

Uraraka and Bakugou both stalled at the door, the first out of nervousness at meeting her crush, the second because he'd be meeting his would be kidnapper. Izuku just knocked, unaffected, and the second he did, it was swung open by Toga, who beamed at them - well, Uraraka - calling, "Jin! Sako! They're here!"

The blonde reached out to grab Uraraka's hand and pulled her inside, talking at her excitedly.
Izuku glanced at Bakugou, but the taller teen inclined his head slightly. Izuku shrugged and led the way inside, smiling at the two men there to greet them.

Atsuhiro's hair had grown out a bit, he had a small bun at the base of his neck, and a couple clips holding back his bangs. He was dressed in a red collared shirt and grey trousers, though there was an undeniable domestic feel thanks to the yellow apron his wore over the top.
Jin, aka Twice, stood beside him, looking uncertain whether to behave confidently or cautiously, of two minds though Izuku mentally told himself off for the pun. The older man wore a white tank top over his muscular upper body, and some jeans; with holes clearly worn through use, not fashion.

"Hello again." Greeted Astuhiro cheerily, and Bakugou growled. He was still pissed with the top hatted bastard, who's actions had definitely fucked with Izuku's mental health.
Izuku smiled brightly, completely ignoring his companion, "hi! Sorry we couldn't talk back in Kamino!" He turned to Twice, bowing shyly, "I never really got to meet you properly, Bubaigawara-san. I'm sorry I couldn't formally greet you at the training camp or at Kamino."
"Uh," Jin seemed faintly surprised at the polite address, sending a sideways look at Atsuhiro who grinned. "Well, you were pretty busy then Aizawa-kun, but I appreciate the consideration."

He beamed, and the two men melted slightly, never having seen this side of Izuku before, they were defenceless. "Oh, and this if you didn't know, is Bakugou Katsuki!"
There was a painfully awkward stare off.
Izuku coughed, "Kaachan."
The low growling that no one had really registered stopped. "Nice to meet you." He gritted out, "thank you for allowing us into your home."
Izuku gave a look that suggested the polite address from his friend was the stuff of legends. Neither Jin nor Sako had any idea what to make of it.

"Pleasure is all ours," said Atsuhiro dryly. He glanced down the hallway Toga had dragged Uraraka down, and shrugged, apparently giving up on the two young women, and leading his other two guests into the living room.
"I'm just going to check the oven," he informed them, as Jin settled nervously on a chair and Bakugou and Izuku took the sofa, "I hope you two like Macaroons?"
Izuku positively glowed at the question, though Bakugou narrowed his eyes to the point Atsuhiro thought the kid would be able to see through closed blinds.

Izuku smiled at Jin, "I'm sorry to bother you both, but I wanted to discuss my quirk with you, if that's alright Bubaigawara-san."
"Jin, please," sighed the older man as Atsuhiro left, glancing curiously at Bakugou, "I know the family name's a bit of a mouthful."
Izuku nodded, nudging Bakugou who was glaring at the closed kitchen door. "Well, I have the ability to give, copy, and.. and take quirks."
Izuku knew the man had worked out where this conversation was going from the way his knuckles whited on the beer bottle his was holding.
"Right..." was the shaky reply.
"I hope you won't be offended," continued the greenette steadily, "but in my time before UA, I tended to gather as much information on people, though villains especially, so I know you have...difficulties mental health wise with regards to your quirk."
"For someone whose suffered as much as I have, you sure do duck and dive." Replied Jin dryly, "I'm fucked in the head. That's what happens if you clone yourself fifty or so times then all the clones start killing each other and you're the only one left. Still no idea if I'm the original or not."
"That's fucked up." Said Bakugou in spite of himself.
Jin laughed. "Understatement."

Izuku hummed, "sorry for treading carefully, but I wanted to know if you'd like to find out for certain if you're the original or not...or if you'd like me to take your quirk. Would either of those help you at all?"
Twice looked thoughtful, but he was no spring chicken. His eyes sharpened as he settled them on Izuku. "How would they help you? You could take over the world with my quirk and yours."
Izuku nodded. "I could. I could take over it anyway. Your quirk would make it easier, well in theory at least. In practise, you found out the hard way that doesn't work. If you hold ambition of ruling the world, all your clones will too, and you'll never work effectively."

Jin listened to him quietly, his expression unreadable, and earning some grudging respect from Bakugou in the process.
Izuku continued calmly, "what I want to do is..."

And he explained it.

All of it.

The other person who's quirk he needed to take or copy. The fusions. The final plan.
Bakugou couldn't believe what he was hearing. Izuku adored his air of mystery, the grand and dramatic reveals, yet in front of him, and Jin, he laid out every detail, every worry, every consideration.
Jin's mouth fell open as he gazed at the greenette sat calmly in front of him.
"Take it." He said calmly. "If I lose it, I'll know I'm me, and I might be able to live happily again. You deserve it, far more than me at any rate."

Izuku flushed at the compliment, the reaction jarring compared to the composed genius of a few seconds ago, but Jin smiled at him, standing up and bending to kiss Izuku's forehead.

Double
Take           Copy          Leave

"Congratulations, Jin-san," said Izuku with a smile as he took the quirk, "you are not a clone."
Timing it perfectly, Compress re-entered the room, and Jin leapt at his best friend, dragging the slimmer man into a bear hug and sobbing loudly.
Izuku turned away to give the pair some space and smiled at Bakugou, "so what do you think of it all?"
The blond chuckled, "fucking awesome, Deku."
The greenette beamed.

They stayed for Macaroons and eventually gave up on retrieving Uraraka, so made their way back to UA alone. It was quiet, and a little tense, as Bakugou tried to work out what to say.

"I'm sorry," he managed eventually, and those green eyes darted to him in faint surprise, "I'm struggling so much to accept your forgiveness and friendship...which I'll never deserve, and it's preventing you being able to move forward."
Izuku sighed, "it isn't easy to forget ten years of your life. I mean, as the victim, I'm considered innocent so there shouldn't be much guilt on my conscience, there is, but it can't compare to yours...but regardless we can't change what happened, and I did and still do forgive you, though I knew back then you wouldn't be able to accept that easily once you...once you really understood your actions."

Bakugou nodded quietly as they reached the gates to UA. "Last time we were alone like this... you found Eri."
Izuku slowed to a stop and turned to look at him, "Kaachan...what were you going to say that night? Before I interrupted?"
I was going to tell you I love you.
"You interrupted? Can't remember." Grunted the blond disinterestedly.
"Oh..." Izuku looked a little disappointed, but Bakugou brushed it off.
"Fancy Katsudon tonight Deku?"
Izuku turned to smile brightly as he pushed open the door to the Heights Alliance building. "That would be great Kaachan."

———

Name: Double
Ability: User can create an exact duplicate of anything, living or not. If the clone is a person, that clone will possess their quirk and all their memories at the time of duplication.
Side effects: #StarWarsTheCloneWars
Drawbacks: Drains energy making user more vulnerable to mental weaknesses and depressive episodes. User needs to know the exact measurements and characteristics in order to duplicate something. Limited to two duplications at a time. Duplicates dissolve after taking a certain amount of damage.