The Flap of a Butterfly's Wings

Different Ways

The first thing he was acutely aware of was the smell. The metallic sent was so strong that he fought to hold in his gag reflex. He was disoriented; unaware of what had just occurred only a few minutes prior.

And when he did remember, the memories flooded him with such agony that his legs almost gave out from under him. When he remembered exactly what he had just done, he suddenly found it so much harder to breathe. He forgot how to breathe.

He felt the selfishness crawl up his spine that he was even able to draw in a few short gasps of polluted air when everyone else's right to breathe was stripped away from them before they could even blink.

He should be dead. He's the one that deserved it, he's the one that deserved the pain. That's what his tormentors told him at least, and he believed it with all his heart. He should've been the one on the ground, unmoving. But here he was, very much alive in a field of bodies.

He wondered how long he stayed there. How long his hands shook, how long it took him to comprehend that this wasn't a dream and never will be.

Whether it was seconds, minutes, or hours, he didn't know. Nor could he bring himself to care. He let a single tear escape his eye as he drew in a breath that turned into a broken chuckle. He should've known this would have happened, why hadn't he known? Maybe he was just never meant to be happy.

Or... Maybe he could be.

Izuku stood up straighter and willed his hands to stop shaking. He had no idea how far back he will able to go, or the drawbacks, but he needed to try.

    If he couldn't do that then he might as well just give up.

He screwed up once, he'd be damned if he did it again.

Everything flashed white and he let his eyes close; he felt himself fall,

but he never hit the ground.

___________________

When he woke up, he found himself in the arms of another. The soft, gentle fingers caressing his head and the gentle rubs on his back made him fight to stay awake, and eventually, he was being pulled back into darkness. The exhaustion far too deep to ignore.

When Izuku woke up again, things were a lot clearer. He knew where he would be, but he still couldn't help the feeling of surprise wash over him as he found himself at his childhood home, before he moved into the dorms. Izuku realized that he was once again in the arms of another, only he wasn't being carried this time and was on what seemed to be the couch. When he looked up he came across another pair of green eyes. He couldn't help the tears spring into his eyes and spill down his cheeks because this was his mother he was looking at. She looked so much younger and healthier than before and the worry lines his mother possessed from the other timeline weren't there anymore.

Izuku promised himself to make her worry as little as possible in this life.

He let his small arms wrap around his mother's frame as tight as they could. He didn't know how old he was, but he was definitely young enough to where it was hard to form full sentences.

A few weeks later, he was sitting at a table with a small cupcake in front of him. There was a small candle that was shaped like the number two sitting on top of it.

His mother and the Bakugo family were the only people there. The only people he needed.

He blew on the candle.

________________

"K-kacchan."

He was having a play date with Katsuki when he had let it slip. His mother and Mitsuki were laughing while taking a video of the whole thing. He was quite embarrassed with all of the extra attention and he felt his face heat up which only seemed to make the two adults giggle even more.