"It was Shindo's wish that we shouldn't cry or be sad here today. In fact, he would want us to celebrate his life instead - to spend today doing something we love."
"I know that even in Shindo's last moments, he thought of all of your love for him, carrying it in his heart. So let us carry that love with us today, and every day, in their memory."
The man motioned to the unlit candles that are arranged in the front of the portrait of Shindo before the ceremony begins, with one larger candle lit and burning. This larger candle could be used by the guests to light the other candles.
"Now, we have a few candles placed up here in the front, so if anyone here has a special memory of Shindo which they would like to share, they should come up here, tell their memory, and then light a candle."
Izuku, Kaibutsu, and one other person stand a ways away, watching from afar. Izuku's face was blank, Shindo didn't love any of these fake people. They didn't know him that well, they were only his friends because he was popular.
None of them cared that his older brother no longer had any family, that he looked like he'd collapse any moment. No one else here truly loved and cherished Shindo so why are they even here.
"More people showed up than I thought,"
"They only came for their own image, they'd look bad if the didn't," Izuku clicked his tongue.
The male rested an arm on his head, "When did my Izu get so negative?"
"When I lost you..." Izuku mumbled.
"But you have me back now don't you?" He grinned.
"Yeah, I do,"
Kaibutsu stretched beside them, "Let's still some food before we go,"
After some candles are lit there is a small pause beferore they continue with the ceremony.
"Thank you all for those beautiful memories. Before we say our last goodbye to Shindo, their family has asked me to thank everybody who came today."
"I know we'll never forget Shindo, our friendship with them, and the way they made us feel about life, and ourselves, and each other. May their memory live on in our hearts and minds."
As the funeral came to a close and people began to mingle, give condolences, or leave so Izuku decided to make his presence known.
"We'll be back so stay out of view," Izuku said.
"I know,"
Izuku and Kaibutsu make their way toward the casket, people pausing and whispering as they paused by.
"Deku?" Katsuki frowned.
"Should we go over? We have to get him to come back," Shinso frowned.
They were worried for Izuku and feared what he'd do if he was left alone for too long.
"No, he's taking this the hardest, let's give him time to process everything. Besides he has that, Guy(?) inside him or whatever so I'm sure he'll be safe. He isn't alone at least," Katsuki told him.
"Alright, you know him better than me so I'll trust your judgment,"
Izuku and Kaibutsu placed violets on Shindo's casket, it was his favorite flower, and if the people here really knew and loved him they wouldn't be looking at them like that.
"You came,"
The duo turned to see an older male with bags under his eyes that could rival Shinso's, a tired smile on his face.
Izuku looked down, "I'm sorry Shiro...because of me you lost..." he clenched his fist.
The man pulled Izuku into a hug, "You have nothing to worry about, Yo didn't sleep the whole time you were gone, he couldn't. He was so worried about you that he went out to look for you every single day.
He blamed himself for you going missing and swore that once you came back he'd do everything to make things right. He protected you because he loved you enough to give up his life for you, don't feel guilty for that.
He doesn't blame you and neither do I, you know you've always been family to us,"
Izuku hugged back and pressed his face against his chest, "...You're the one who lost you're brother so why are you comforting me?"
He smiled, "Because I know you're hurting just as much,"
Izuku hugged him tighter, "I'm sorry,"
"It's ok,"
ºººººº
Izuku sat beside Kaibutsu as he literally inhaled a slice of cake, "You sure you don't want any?"
"No, I'm fine," Izuku closed his eyes as his hair was detangled.
"Alright,"
"You're not gonna ask if I want any?" Dabi asked.
"The fuck would I share with you for?" Kaibutsu made a face.
"Oh wow,"
"There, done," The male huffed.
Izuku smiled and tilted his head back to look at him, "Thanks Yo,"
Shindo smiled, "You're welcome,"
"Me next," Kaibutsu tilted his head back a bit.
Shindo shook his head, moving over to him as he chuckled, he and Izuku were so different but so similar.
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Dabi asked.
"We're looking for someone," Izuku rested his chin on his fist.
"Who?"
"Someone with a resurrection or strong time reversal quirk," Kaibutsu told him.
"Oh, you want to fix something," Dabi nodded.
"I do,"
"Well, I still have connections from the league so I'll see what I can find," Dabi nodded.
"So what do you need from us?" The duo asked.
They were so in sync and the fact that they don't do it on purpose but do it so often creeped Dabi out if he was being honest.
"Help me get stronger,"
Izuku raised a brow, "Elaborate,"
"My body can't handle my quirk, if I'm going to kill my father I need my body to stay intact long enough for me to do that," Dabi drank his water.
"How do you expect us to fix your heat intolerance?" Kaibutsu asked.
Dabi gave them a look, "Doing something like that is childs play to you,"
The duo grinned a bit, "You trust us enough to do that?"
"I don't have choice," Dabi sighed.
Izuku could help but let his grin grow wider, "Really now?"
"I hope I don't regret this," Dabi grumbled and got up, going to find snacks.
Shindo had a hard look, "I don't like that he's around,"
"I know, he's responsible for what happened to me, not you, so I hate him with my very being," Izuku scowled.
"Then why work with him," Shindo asked.
Izuku's anger immediately became sadness as he frowned, "I need him right now, he can help me bring you back,"
Shindo frowned, "Izu...there's no way that's possible, if it was I'm sure the whole world would know,"
"But it could be possible! I can definitely bring you back, I know I can," Izuku turned to him.
"But if you can't? Izu please don't torture yourself like this, you have to let me go and accept that I'm gone. I don't regret saving you and I'd gladly give up my life for you again in a heartbeat," Shindo told him.
"What about you're brother?! He has no one left and it's all my fault, I took his only family from him," Izuku said guiltily.
"None of this is your fault and Shiro knows that too, you've been family to him since the day you met. Sometimes I feel like he sees you as his brother more than me, no ones blames you for anything.
Doing this is only going to give you false hope and hurt you even more. Izu please... I don't want to see you doing this too yourself," Shindo gave him a pained look.
"But Yo I can't do this," Izuku cried "I need you here with me, not a stupid projection of my memory of you but YOU! I can't do this alone, you're my best friend, throughout everything the only reason I could handle it was because I had you! How am I supposed to keep going without you?"
Shindo hugged him, "I know it's hard and it hurts but you aren't alone anymore, you don't have to do anything alone anymore. You have Bakugo and Aizawa and his dad, and you have him over there. You don't need me anymore Izu, I may be gone but you have so many people who care for you just as much now,"
Izuku shook his head as he held onto the male, "I don't care about that! I need YOU, if it wasn't for you I would already be gone, what's the point in living and being free if I have to lose you?
How can I possibly be happy and enjoy my freedom when you had to die for me to get it? I wanted to be happy and free with you and now you're gone and all I feel is pain and anger!
None of this means anything without you, I need my best friend back, I need you back. You can't leave me when I just got you back, it's not fair," He sobbed and both males frowned.
Kaibutsu stood up and walked over, crouching to run Izuku's back, "We'll bring him back, anything is possible if we do it together right? If we can't find someone who can do it then we'll just have to do it ourselves," he smiled.
Izuku pulled away and Shindo wiped his tears, "Alright Izu, I may not be the real him but I'll stay by your side until you can bring him back,"
Izuku let them both hug him tightly, "Ok...as long as I have both of you I'll be ok,"