Something Different

19: Regret

"You're in a different world than them."

"Do you see, now?" Shoto would never forget the eyes of the first person, besides his father, who had ever beaten him. Staring at him were cold, omniscient emerald eyes that threatened to drill him from the inside. Yet, despite his spiteful gaze, Midoriya's gesture was warm as he extended a hand to help him up. "The difference between us—do you see it?"

Shoto let out a small breath and took the outstretched palm, hoisting himself to his feet. Midnight had announced his loss a few moments prior, and Shoto didn't miss the look of rage that his father had shot him from within the audience. But in spite of what was to come, Shoto didn't really feel scared—he had lost that emotion eons ago.

"I'll get stronger..."

"I'm certain you will," the grip that Midoriya had on his hand increased momentarily, before he let go. He then glanced behind him—toward Shoto's father, he noted—and rolled his eyes. "Don't bother with that old scumbag. If he wanted you to win, he should've participated in the event in your stead."

Shoto couldn't help the huff of laughter that escaped his mouth. It was the first time that Shoto had heard someone openly talk bad about Endeavor, due to his status as the Number Two Hero. In a way, it was... refreshing.

"Todoroki," his attention was redirected back to Midoriya as he extended his hand once more. A gentle smile adorned his face. With all that had happened, Shoto had almost forgotten what kind of person Midoriya was. "Let's be friends."

...Friends?

Shoto stared, dumbfounded. A friend? Was he... really about to make a friend? He had never had one before. Endeavor always thought that people were obstacles and would only hinder Shoto's progress. So... this was a new concept to him.

As if reading his thoughts, Midoriya took his hands gingerly in his and held them tightly. "Shoto, you don't have to be bound by your father anymore. You can pave your own way and do things you enjoy doing." For some reason, the beaming smile on his face looked a little more like a scheming grin. "I'll protect you, Shoto! Your father...

...Can go fuck himself!"

-

"At long last, the battle we've all been waiting for... Izuku Midoriya versus Katsuko Bakugo!" The crowd roared with cheers as the two competitors left their respective tunnels. One bore a face of absolute rage, while the other was as tranquil as flowing waters.

"Deku," Kacchan snarled.

Kacchan couldn't beat him—that wasn't Izuku's growing ego speaking, that was the truth; an undeniable fact. Not only did Izuku have the influence of One For All within him, he also had years of battle experience. Oh, and he knew all of Kacchan's moves... and his future ones, too. But it wasn't like he knew that part.

"Kacchan..." Izuku was a little upset that he had to fight his childhood friend once more and damage his pride by defeating him. But he felt slightly reassured at the thought that his actions were for Kacchan's own sake. Once again, Kacchan had no way to know that Izuku was doing this for the betterment of his ownself. Even if he did, Kacchan was the type to yell 'I don't need your help!' instead of the usual thanks.

"Begin!"

Kacchan didn't waste any time as he propelled himself forward with his explosions. The distance between the two opponents lessened in what seemed like an instant. Izuku didn't even flinch as he raised his forearm and allowed the explosions to burn his flesh. Izuku ignored the pain and rushed forward, stepping on Kacchan's covered toes. He watched as Kacchan's face twisted from a scowl to a wince.

Izuku then reeled back an elbow and jammed it into Kacchan's chest, the latter letting out a choked gasp as oxygen was forced from his lungs. He clutched his ribcage gingerly, but Izuku didn't allow him even a moment of recovery as he closed the distance between them again. However, before Izuku could slam a fist onto his head—which would have ended the match—Kacchan grabbed his wrist and twisted his own body and slammed him onto the ground.

"Hey..." Kacchan's eyes twitched. For a moment, as Izuku stared upward at his opponent, he saw tearful crimson eyes. They dulled with constant regret, yet managed to burn with passion and repentance. The expression of Kacchan's eyes weren't one that could be worn by a regular teenager. No, what Izuku was seeing was...

"...Kacchan?" Tears started to well up in Izuku's eyes, the light in his eyes brightening as every second passed. Was he supposed to feel this relieved? It had only been ten months since he had seen Kacchan. But... for some reason, it felt like it had been forever since he had last seen him. "Kacchan... I'm sorry..."

"Damn," Kacchan huffed, "I suddenly see you in a UA gym uniform, apparently alive, and the first thing you can say is 'I'm sorry'? I thought we've established that it's not your fault. It's... never been your fault, okay?"

"The competitors are having a conversation!" Present Mic laughed, batting Eraserhead in the arm. "It's too bad that we cant hear what they're saying, right?"

"Wait, what..." Kacchan glanced around, at the cheering audience, and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. As quickly as he could, Izuku leapt toward Kacchan from the ground and tackled him. The latter struggled, but did not use his Quirk to free himself. "Hey! What the fuck... Izuku!?"

Izuku slammed a palm over Kacchan's mouth, leaning down to whisper in his ear. His slightly long hair hovered over Kacchan's face, almost tickling his nose. "I know it's confusing, but please... I need you to accept defeat. Just this once."

Katsuki's eyes widened, his body losing all of its tension. The thought of losing a battle used to enrage him, but then... If it was Izuku who asked, his voice filled with desperation, who was Katsuki to disobey? It was the least he could do, after what he had done to him in the past.

Letting out a relieved breath, Izuku raised his hand and rubbed his face as he felt tears start to escape. He couldn't cry on live television... That would be embarrassing. Midnight announced the end of the fight and Izuku's victory, causing murmurs to erupt from the audience. Of course, they were confused. Kacchan had proven himself to be a ferocious fighter, one who would likely refuse to lose even in death. To see him get defeated with minimal injuries... It was strange.

As soon as Kacchan regained his footing, Izuku didn't hesitate to embrace him tightly and bury his face into his shirt. He had to pull away quickly, however, as the audience was still watching. "We'll... We'll talk later," Izuku muttered, quickly shuffling out of the arena. He kept his head down to ensure that his hair obscured the tears that stained his cheeks.

-

A/N: Sorry for being MIA for so long! I've been working on this chapter bit by bit throughout the past month. I can't say whether I'll update more frequently, since I seem to be getting more busier by the day. I even have a competition this Saturday, so wish me luck!

Thank you for reading! Remember to vote for the chapter if you enjoyed it! <3