Tied to Another

Chapter 10: Ripped out Stitches

   It had been a while since Izuku had been able to talk to his mentor, and he was really happy All Might made time to talk to him. He followed his mentor to the teacher's lounge, enthused. He hums happily, carrying his bento box and listening to All Might talk about his week.

   He was smiling widely, so, so happy! He followed All Might in, moving to the usual spot, pretty far to the back. He waved a greeting to Midnight-Sensei and Yamada-Sensei before sitting down and watching all might contently.

   They chat for a while before All Might brought up his disappearance. Izuku mumbled answers to questions until it reached his current soulmate.

   "Young Midoriya," All Might starts. "Who did you retie your string to?"

   Izuku stiffened. "I... uh..."

   "Midoriya?" All Might questions, a little more forceful this time.

   "I... uh... I retied it to myself." He felt the room go tense for a moment, with everyone looking over at him, some poor attempts to be subtle. He looks down at his lap with sudden embarrassment at the attention.

   "Midoriya," All Might sits in silence for a moment before speaking. "you know that...soulmates can't be the same person, right?"

   Izuku flinched a bit. "That is... what they say," Izuku mumbles, feeling the need to explain. "but my soulmate...it's...me."

   All Might sighs as he rubs the bridge of his nose and fixes a confused stare on Izuku, making him shrink into the chair. "Can you explain to me exactly what lead you to do that?"

   "Well..." Izuku trails off, looking at his hands. Then he sighs a little and glances back up at All Might. "...I was having so many problems with my... Bakugo I just...gave up." He looks away. "I cut the string..." Izuku looks down at his lap again. "...and then retied it to the only constant in my life." He stares up again, confident in his decision but still nervous.

   All Might nods slowly, taking in Izuku's response and not letting the anger and confusion he felt overtake him. "And...you don't regret your choice?" He asks cautiously.

   Izuku glares gently and nervously at him. "Why would I?"

   All Might sighs deeply. "Izuku. That boy was your soulmate for fifteen years."

   "And he tormented me for all of them, what's your point?"

   All Might hesitates before answering. "I still do not understand the relationship you two had. Soulmates are supposed to be meant for each other." He pauses. "I thought it would have at least been enjoyable-"

   Izuku glares harder. "Well it wasn't." He firmly states.

   "That is still no reason to cut your soulmate from your soul!" All Might exclaims. He seems quite angry. "How...how could you?"

   "He was going to! It was better for me to not be taken off guard, since he's already got Kirishima!" Just as firmly, if not firmer it is stated.

   All Might blinks in surprise, taken aback by Izuku's outburst. "What."

   There is a pause for all parties in the room to process. "How long are we talking about?"

   "Almost six months." Izuku says. He glares a bit harder at All Might now.

   All Might is stunned. "Six months?!...and you didn't know-"

   "I've know for about three." He grumbles, looking away. "He talked about cutting the string for longer than I've known. It's been cut for almost a month."