Checkmate (ShinDeku)

28

The thing about parties is they never go the way you expect them to. No matter how much planning and detail goes into it, everything is out of control before the first hour is up.

Control does not equal happiness.

He's heard that phrase from his therapist more times this week than he's heard his own name. It's repetitive- another thing his therapist loved. By repeating the phrase in regularity his brain will see it as a fact rather than a philosophy.

Izuku has found a lot of repetition in his life lately, in the long talks he's had with Tsu- they'd basically gone over Izuku's entire unedited history. The bullies, the support course, how he was able to lie to the commission. She'd cried, telling him she should have seen through his facade and been there for him. Izuku had smiled. Not because of his friend's pain but because she cared about him enough to feel it. Hitoshi had been repetitive too. Their hands interlocked in such a familiar way now it felt more normal for him than standing alone. In their touches, Hitoshi's beautifully observant eyes scanning over him. In practiced embracing- Izuku wondering where Hitoshi went when the hugs turned silent.

Repetition followed him, even now at the party of the year with way too many people crammed into his cozy-definitely not-meant-for-more-than-two-people apartment. They all cheered, celebrating the recently identity revealed hero Occult.

"Congratulations Midoriya", Tokoyami patted him on the back.

"Hey, congrats kids!" Hawks nodded quickly, before disappearing into the crowd.

Izuku smiled and it wasn't forced as he thanked all of them.

"Can you believe it? Ranked number nine on the billboard just a few weeks after the trial! Congratulations!" a girl with brown hair grinned, shaking his hand. Hadn't she been in class 1-A? It was hard to remember. She'd been at the trial too- where All For Nothing was given a life sentence in the highest security prison in Japan. It had been shortly after Izuku had taken off his mask in front of the press- ever the lover of drama. Watching them clamor over themselves for a picture of him had been the highlight of his week- well tied with every moment he spent with Hitoshi.

He watched the party roar on- some of the bolder heroes even going as far as to start up a round of Karaoke. The walls shook along with the beat, drowning out his thoughts as he listened to a high pitch voice sing about never-ending love or drugs or something along those lines.

The smell of too much cologne was suddenly shrouded by an earthy scent- that was the only warning he got before Tsu managed to latch onto one of his arms- pulling him over to a bigger group.

"Tsu was just telling us Occult plans on doing his first live interview soon," a young woman said, her dark hair pulled back into what looked like a painfully tight ponytail.

Izuku flushed- since when did he get embarrassed? He shoved his hands into his pockets, then took them back out again, a little unsure of himself. In the past, he'd been so used to pretending to not care about or have a distaste for Occult. Now with people tossing the name around like hot potatoes, he second-guessed himself. "It's Izuku actually," he said,  sarcasm taking a back seat as he tried to think this through.

"Oh I know your real name," the woman laughed. She seemed nice-like the type of person that laughed with you, not at you.

"No. I mean that's what I want you to call me."

Tsu nudged him, eyebrows furrowed in a silent question.

"My hero name," Izuku clarified. "I'm changing my hero name to Izuku."

Tsu turned to him, the lights of the party reflecting off her as she made a sound of confusion. "You never told me about this kero," she said. There was no judgment there, just a curious openness. God Tsu was so good. Even when she was caught off guard she was ever the supportive friend.