Addicting Virus - Tododeku

Chapter 8

How did we get caught?

Tadashi's kid was tailed.

But he saved us, I think that makes up for it! We should still kick him out!

He didn't save all of us. Shigaraki wasn't able to be rescued.

That makes things more complicated.

Where is Izuku?

Midoriya's ear is pressed against the wall, fingers forced to be still. He saved them, he can't believe that he actually intercepted them on their way to jail. What's worse than aiding and abetting villains? Stopping them from going to jail. He knows that in a technical sense, that this is not more immoral than the stuff he usually did. Helping the League isn't worse than the murder he committed not a full two days ago. But something about it makes his skin crawl.

But I couldn't leave her. Not after she had been loyal to him for so long. Not after what happened with Todoroki. He told Tadashi the bare minimum of what happened for Todoroki's safety. He'd never be able to tell his mom. Who else did he have besides her? But as he sits in a room removed from her, listening to the group of them seethe, he's unsure of how much he can share with her.

What was he supposed to say when she asked him what happened? He barely understood it himself, he never heard of a hero kissing a villain after interrupting their attempted murder. What does kissing me even mean? Does he have a crush? Have heroes been trained in new manipulation tactics? He shakes his head hard. He doesn't have time to dwell on this when he's still deep in the woods. If I mess this up, I could end up in a zone of crisis. I need to figure out what I'm going to say. He swallows hard, trying to force himself to be calm. He doesn't have to say much. If they press him, all he needs to do is keep it simple and repeat himself. I'm not alone, Tadashi is there. He reminds himself, as he tries to keep his hands from shaking.

I know what questions they'll ask. I know how to lie. He tells himself, as memories of the crime scene left behind by Shigaraki return to him. The decomposed corpses of cops both surrounding and inside the building. The sirens---the yellow tape, I couldn't---

He swallows again, steeling himself at the sound of fists against the door.

"Izuku!"

Leaving Shigaraki behind was the correct decision. Saving the others was a horrible mistake that he couldn't take back and that he would refuse to if given the issue. Because leaving the others sans Toga had been impossible. So he had to deal with the consequences of his haphazard morals. All of them.

Toga charges inside the moment he opens the door.

"We need to save Shiga!" She hisses, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"I know." He eases, internally dreading the very real possibility of having to sabotage her efforts. "Was it Todoroki?" She demands at the same time.

"I---yes." he affirms, kind of surprised by her question. She moves forward, stepping into his space, nose almost brushing his as she asks,

"Izuku, do you love him? Because I can teach you how to become like him before we kill him--

"No!" He exclaims, surprising himself by shouting.

"So you don't love him?"

Midoriya feels absolutely disoriented by this line of questioning. He expected Toga to accuse him of lying, of leaving Shigaraki behind to get arrested, both things he did. But the fact that she trusted him enough that the thought didn't even cross her mind----