Mending the Battle Wounds (TodoBakuDeku)

Chapter 41

"What'd you mean by technically?"

Toga froze up at his question, knowing that she had just slipped up with something she couldn't really afford to slip up with.

Shoto sighed, wanting more than anything just to explain, but restraining himself. "You'll figure it out eventually. None of us are supposed to tell you certain things because it'll put too much strain on you."

"Absolute bullshit, but whatever," Katsuki said, walking back into the kitchen and sitting on the counter next to Shoto.

"Oh someone put on his big boy pants and decided to hang out with the big kids again?" Toga asked him with a glare. "Wow, sorry. Old habits I guess."

Izuku watched their interactions carefully, trying to fill in the blanks in his memories. "You two clearly didn't get along, but you're cool now. So what happened?" He mumbled, more to himself.

"See? That's our nerd." Katsuki whispered to Shoto as Izuku tried to piece everything together using logic, the few things people had given away, and his little amount of memories.

"Two main options. I'm either not dating Shinso, or the 'technically' was because he kissed back meaning we would have started dating if I hadn't lost all my memories." He continued to mutter.

"I value my life, so I'm just gonna tell you it's not the second one," Shinso said quickly, but not giving anything away about who Izuku was actually dating.

"Aw shit, really? That's so disappointing." Izuku whined.

"Izuku! That means you have a boyfriend smart one, how do you think he would feel if he heard that?" Toga scolded him.

Izuku's eyes lit up at the new clue he'd been handed. "So they're not here? That narrows it down a little bit," he started to mumble, a thumb traveling to rest on his lip as he tried to riddle out the missing puzzle piece. Little did he know, Toga had phrased her statement specifically to throw him off.

His thoughts were cut off as a sudden hurt hit him. "Wait, they're not... here? I slammed my head into a counter and lost all my memories, and they aren't here to check on me? Seriously?"

Toga balked at his words, not expecting him to twist her meaning so much. "That's not-"

Izuku's eyes had narrowed into a glare, assuming that whoever he was in a relationship with truly hadn't cared about him. His thoughts were racing with the idea of them using him, only being interested in his power and/or status. "It's fine, I don't even remember who they are. It's not like I really have anything to be hurt over."

"Izuku," Shoto suddenly spoke up, startling the other boy ever so slightly. Izuku knew that they had apparently been close, but the use of his first name was jarring. "Have you considered that seeing you in this state and not being allowed to tell you that you're dating might be too hard for them?"

His words made sense to Izuku, they really did, but he was back in his fifteen-year-old mindset. He was back to guarding his heart and feelings tooth and nail. "It doesn't matter," he admitted, not meeting the other teen's eyes as he leaned back on the counter. "I want nothing to do with them anyway."

Silence enveloped the kitchen.

"I can't believe you guys are surprised by that," Izuku mused with a shrug, staring pointedly at the tile in front of him. "I tried to kill you three weeks ago, at least in my time."

"It was a year ago for us," Shinsou reminded him in a quiet voice. "You've changed a lot since then."

"Yeah, well, I'm back now," Izuku bit out, suddenly annoyed with all the heroic bullshit that was being thrown at him. It wasn't his fault he was back to square one and he was starting to resent all of them for not meeting him halfway. They couldn't just assume he'd still be the same person without a year's worth of his memories. "Get fucking used to it."

"No," Katsuki said through gritted teeth, fed up with his useless grumbling. "This is a fucking act and you know it." Izuku's resistance wouldn't change anything, he had always just been a little kid desperate to become a hero, even in his darkest times. Fighting against it wouldn't last long, they just had to wait him out.

"I don't think you have any room to talk, Kacchan."

The venom dripping from the affectionate nickname struck a chord with the blond. They had overcome so much in the short time Izuku had been at UA and now it appeared it really was all gone. He wasn't sure what to do with that anymore.

Before he could respond to the taunt, a hand wrapped around his wrist. His red eyes flashed down and followed from the hand to the eyes of its owner. Shoto was hard to read, but Katsuki could clearly see the pleading in his eyes.

"Don't," he said in an urgent and hushed voice. He knew that Katsuki wanted to push and prod until Izuku remembered, but they weren't sure if his body and mind could handle that. They had to wait it out and get more information on his condition before they could make any sort of move forward. He knew Katsuki understood that, he just needed a reminder.

A loud laugh cut off their moment. "I fucking knew you were gay!"

All eyes turned to Izuku, who couldn't stop his laughter from bubbling out of him. He'd known the blond had to be gay for years, it was hilarious to find out he'd been right, yet again.

"So are you, nerd," Katsuki deadpanned back, not finding the situation humorous in the slightest.

"I'm dating a boy then," Izuku muttered, his hand drifting back to his mouth as he completely abandoned the topic at hand. His mind had already taken off and there would be no reeling it back in. "Everyone had been using they/them pronouns this whole time, it was throwing me off."

"Non-binary is still gay, Iz," Toga pointed out, her feet swinging slightly below her. She was just happy he'd stopped the 'I-don't-care' act. Not that she thought it would last long, but it was still nice it had breezed past so easily.

"You're right," he agreed instantly. "But I don't think there's any non-binary students in this course unless they came out during the year I've lost."

"What if they're not even a student?" Toga said with a satisfied smirk. It wasn't often she had the upper hand over Izuku and she loved every second of it.

"Fuck," Izuku breathed as the sudden realization hit him like a truck. "It could be anyone."

"Just give it up," Toga goaded, knowing it would be easier for everyone if he just followed the plan and waited for his memories to come back naturally. "You're never gonna figure it out."

"Is that a challenge?" Izuku asked back, quick as a flash. His eyes held their competitive glint and his smile had a hard edge.

Toga knew she'd just fucked up. 

I'M REDOING IIIIIIIIIIIIIT, NEW ENDING TIME!