Reset and Rewind

Chapter 22 - Recovering from Battle

Recovery Girl had to have been warned about their fight the night before because she didn't even blink when they stumbled in at the crack of dawn to get their bruises treated. They slept through Nezu's opening speech, welcoming students into the second term. Neither of them had heard it the first time around, since they were on house arrest, but it's not like they missed anything important. People did ask them where they were when they appeared in class during first period, covered in bandages and scrapes.

Izuku was glad when Aizawa called for their attention and the interrogation was forced to be postponed. He could already imagine what his friends had to say about it. Tenya was right, after all, he should know better than to fight someone after school hours and without supervision. It was reckless and stupid, no matter how anyone looked at it. But that's just the thing, wasn't it? None of them could possibly understand how much that fight actually meant to them. Not back then, nor now. It was something special, something private between them.

"Bakugou, Midoriya, I'd like to have a word with you two after class," Aizawa sensei stated before starting the actual class. Izuku had hoped to get away without having to face Eraser's wrath since Kacchan asked for permission ahead of time, but guess that had just been a feeble dream. He tried not to dwell on that upcoming lecture, but he still failed to stay focussed, simply dribbling in his notebook as class dragged on.

Kacchan knew his secret now... He knew Izuku had been here since he was four, or well, he'd been conscious of the future from that point on. He hadn't told the others yet, key word being yet. Izuku wasn't sure whether he'd stay quiet for long... I mean, yesterday was nice. They had shared their feelings and cuddled and Izuku had felt truly safe and relaxed for what felt like the first time in forever. But the others wouldn't accept no for an answer and he had the feeling the first one to drag answers from them was going to be Aizawa sensei.

Izuku was pulled out of thought when the bell rang, startling him for a moment. He really hadn't been paying attention at all...

"You okay?" Katsuki asked, turning around in his chair as everyone else packed up their things. "You seemed zoned out."

"I have a lot on my mind," Izuku confessed, but that shouldn't come as a big surprise to Kacchan after everything he learned last night. "It's nothing to worry about though."

"You know I don't believe that shit anymore," Katsuki grunted, turning around again and getting up from his chair. Izuku sighed, getting up as well. Most people had already left the room, happily chatting with their classmates. A few of them, all members of the alliance, had stared at the pair for a little while. They were much slower to leave the room, but they did so anyway. It was clear Aizawa wanted to talk to them in private.

"I'm sure you know what this is about," their teacher started, tapping away on his tablet. "But let me remind you, just to be sure."

With that he turned the screen towards them, showing them the security footage of ground beta, of their fight. There was sound, too, which made Izuku's blood run cold. If there was sound then Eraser would've been able to hear everything they'd been yelling at each other, everything they confessed and cried about. Even-

"F-four... I was four."

Even that.

Aizawa paused the video after those words were spoken, placing the tablet back on his desk as he stared at the two problem children in front of him. Izuku's breath hitched and he quickly averted his eyes to the ground. He might be an adult, mentally, but that didn't make him any less terrified of the man in front of him. Everyone in their right mind would be. And oh great, he could already feel the tears well up in his eyes. And why couldn't his body stop trembling?! Just stand normally damnit!