My Highschool Boyfriend Is Japan's Most Wanted

Chapter Five: Awaken

Chapter Five
...

It had been three days since Shoto collapsed on his doorstep, and while he was stable, his condition had not improved. He was stuck inside of a deep coma, which his body had not recovered from. No matter what Izuku did, he couldn't wake his friend back up, and it filled him with dread. Dread for both Shoto but also Eri and Ochako's safety as well.

The first two nights, he hadn't slept worried that someone would come looking for Shoto, but no one came. As far as Izuku was aware, his secret was safe. As long as his secret remained safe he and his family couldn't continue their lives away from the chaos of the second Era of peace.

Eri walked in to check on Shoto, she had heard the stories of how he had helped Izuku on Tartarus and how he had stayed a friend to him and Ochako. Despite being a child, she did her best to help Izuku and Ochako tend to Shoto's wounds. "Will He be all right?" She asked, her voice still holding the sweetness of youth in its tone.

Most guardians or parents would give Eri an optimistic answer, but Izuku never lied to Eri. He felt that telling her lies was a discredit to all that she had gone through over the years.

"His wounds are serious, so I'm not certain, for now, however, he is stable." Izuku calmly explained. He was careful to use words she understood and with her advanced vocabulary, he liked throwing in longer and more complex words to test her abilities.

Eri seemed to feel a heavy burden when she heard the words as she stepped closer to Shoto. "I hope he feels better soon." She said hopefully.

"I hope so too, Eri." Izuku said with a wry smile, the stress of the past few days visible even upon his happier expressions. He wanted to do more for Shoto, but he wasn't sure what he could do after all that had happened to Shoto's body. His muscles had been shredded, and his respiratory system was severely damaged. If he did wake up, he wouldn't be able to speak or explain what had happened.

"Get better, Mr Shoto." Eri said as before Izuku could stop her she touched Shoto's hand. Her emotions mixed with her desire to help Shoto caused her to activate her quirk, and even as she pulled away quickly, Shoto began to shrink. His wounds seemed to reverse as his body stopped fitting his clothes. His face looked almost identical to when Izuku had faced him in the UA Sport's Festival.

"Shoto are you." Izuku started to say before Shoto's eyes opened wide as if be had just taken a shotgun shell to the chest. His hands went to his face as his darted around the room absorbing every detail of his surroundings.

Shoto shot up to his feet and looked around seeing the house, Eri and an older man he didn't recognize. Instantly he reached a hand out to the man's shoulder. "I need your phone, I have to contact Melissa it's an." He paused as Ochako walked into the room. A million thoughts raced through his head as while she looked taller, she was recognizable, unlike the other man, which Shoto began to realize was Izuku.

Ochako smiled and tilted her head slightly. "Shoto, you finally woke up." She paused as she noticed the effects of Eri's quirk on Shoto, noticing not only had he shrunken but his injuries had disappeared. "Wait, did." She started to say as the realization struck her.

"Eri reversed Shoto's age, mentally he's our age, but his body is well." Izuku’s voice trailed off as Eri seemed upset. "The point is he is better, and he can explain what happened." Izuku added as Shoto returned to his seat.

Shoto put a hand to his head, accepting the reality of the situation and the fact that he had survived all that he had. He had failed to defeat that wretched corpse, he failed to stand his ground, he failed to clear Izuku's name and he failed to avenge all the lives Aka ruined. Despite this failure, he explained everything to Izuku, from his involvement to Melissa, to meeting his mother and traveling to the villa and the fight with corpse Aizawa.

"Someone associated with Reo Yuki stepped in, I think he brought me to you." Shoto added looking at Eri then at the house. "Izuku I swear I didn't know you were here, but he did know." Shoto said seeing the worry and anger cross Izuku's face.

"Of course you didn't Shoto." Ochako said warmly. "This isn't your fault." She added.

Izuku looked at his feet and then at Shoto. "You investigated the Prime Minister, you put both Eri and Ochako in danger with your reckless behavior." Izuku said his voice rating as he spoke. "If Reo Yuki is saying you are his aire it means he needs you and by extension he brought you here to complete whatever plan he has in store for his inevitable return." Izuku's voice dripped with venom, causing Eri to shuffle uncomfortably.

"That's the thing Izuku, he didn't attack you or leak your location." Shoto tried to say before Izuku's glare caused him to stop speaking. Two years ago this would be the reverse of their positions, and now it was as if Izuku was the cold, emotionless robot.

Ochako looked at Izuku sadly but put a hand on his shoulder. "Izu me and Eri are safe I know you promised to stay by our side, but you saw Tartarus, and the current state of Japan, you can't let Shoto go alone." She said tears welled in her eyes as she spoke.

Looking at his palms now, he shrugged her arm away as he rose to his feet. "I won't leave you again now when Aka's bioweapon could be out there, Shoto can stay until he recovers, but after that, he needs to stay away and avoid the Prime Minister at all costs." Izuku said coldly as his words chilled the room. He wouldn't abandon his family, this wasn't his Era, and he wasn't a hero. Aka had made him a fugitive, and then Japan's Most Wanted, and due to that fact, Izuku embraced his title. Let the heroes and villains fight amongst themselves. Eventually, someone would step up, and Aka would be disposed of, but until then, he would stay on the sidelines and watch.

"For what it's worth Shoto, I wish I could appreciate your efforts." Izuku said as he exited the room, leaving Shoto to ponder his next moves alone yet again.