Phantoms of Choice (TodoDeku)

A Long Overdue Conversation

Hello and welcome to the thirty-fourth chapter!

(This song embodies my mood at the moment)

Deku's POV unless told otherwise. If a POV is switched mid-chapter and it is not indicated whose POV it is, it's Deku's.

Enjoy!!!

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Bakugo: Sit here, nerd.

Before I can argue he roughly pushes me down to a sitting position on the mossy and slightly damp log. I take in the surrounding area. The log I've been forced to sit on is near the bank of a river, which has another log serving as a crossing a bit farther up. Tall grass and wild brush follow the river and its surrounding area, and small fish can be seen cruising the river if you look hard enough.

This is peaceful enough and slightly familiar... But why would Bakugo of all people want to talk to me in private... And in this specific location no less...

Bakugo plops down on the other end of the log, firmly keeping his gaze on the river. The silence stretches on, the refreshing sound of the running water of the river droning on in the background. It's easy to get lost in your head despite the situation in an environment like this.

Bakugo: I uh... I heard you became a vigilante. That Xian one.

I resist the urge to gawk at him. Was the "Great" Bakugo Katsuki trying to have a civilized conversation?

Or maybe a confrontation?

Me: Yes. That was me.

Bakugo: Why'd you do it?

I glance at his face tentatively, expecting to find a look of barely held-back rage. But his expression is calm and contemplative.

Me: A lot of reasons.

Bakugo: What was your biggest one? Or the main one?

Me: ... I wanted to see if I could make a difference to anybody. It started as just a silly way to prove to myself that I wasn't worth anything... But I kept going, and going, and going. So I just became a vigilante.

Another bout of silence sprouts between us as Bakugo's gaze remains on the river. When he speaks again, it's abrupt and hesitant.

And only one of those words would typically describe Bakugo.

Bakugo: Do you recognize this area?

Me: Hm? It... Seems like any other quiet place by the river to-

I stop as the log running over the river's position rings a bell. An old, rusty one. A memory that hasn't been recalled for a long time.

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Kacchan: Forward march and here we go, members of the agency Bakugo!

Kacchan yells the tune happily as his three other new friends march behind him, me in the back. We march across a small river using an old slick log as a bridge

Kacchan: S-aah!

Kacchan yelps as his food slips on the slick wood, and he falls into the shallow river below.

Friend 1: Kacchan!

Friend 2: Hey! You okay down there?

Friend 3: Oh don't worry, Kacchan is super tough. See?

Friend 2: Huh! Now hurry and get back up here!

I watch quietly from the sidelines as his friends lean over the log to watch Kacchan below.