Evil....Maybe Not

Settling Down

Deku's POV:

I've been hiding out here with Kacchan for about two months now, and surprisingly, we haven't been caught by the other students. Kacchan says they're puzzled about why he got a room upgrade, but Aizawa quickly squashed any gossip. 

I've grown fond of my covert life here, enjoying every moment I get to observe Kacchan being himself. It's a side of him I rarely saw before. His usually abrasive demeanor has softened, and his rare, spontaneous outbursts of laughter—usually directed at his friends down the hall—never fail to make me smile.

As I overheard him having a blast with his friends, my curiosity about them grew stronger. I broached the subject with Kacchan several times, but he always brushed off the idea with vague promises to wait a bit longer. It was maddening.

Determined to take matters into my own hands, I decided to call Mr. Aizawa. Thankfully, I still had my phone and had saved both Aizawa's and Kacchan's numbers for emergencies. I dialed Aizawa's number, hoping he'd answer despite it being the weekend and his supposed 'sleeping time.'

"Hello?" Aizawa answered, his voice groggy.

"It's me, Izuku," I said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Do you need something?"

"I was wondering if I could finally meet your students. Kacchan's been telling me to wait, but I'm eager to get to know them," I explained, trying to keep my voice steady.

Aizawa chuckled softly. "You can meet them anytime; they live in the same building as you. It's up to Bakugo to organize a meeting in the common area, though."

I sighed in relief. "I was hoping you could introduce me. I feel like Kacchan might just end up yelling at everyone instead of letting them get to know me."

"Sure, I can handle that. I'll talk to Bakugo first to make sure he's on board. Is he there now?"

"He's in the bedroom. I can ask him," I replied, stifling a yawn.

After a bit of shouting back and forth between us, we agreed that Mr. Aizawa would ask the students who were comfortable meeting me to come by the common area the next morning and throughout the day.

Aizawa hung up and sent out emails to the entire class, explaining my situation. The responses were mostly positive, with many students expressing interest in meeting me. A couple, however, declined—Ojiro and Tsuyu—stating they were uncomfortable meeting a former villain. I could understand their hesitation.

I was jolted awake by the aroma of breakfast wafting through the room. I padded out of our bedroom to find Kacchan in the compact kitchen, cooking eggs.

"Did you make some for me?" I asked, hopeful.

Kacchan chuckled, a hint of his old self shining through. "Nope. You're perfectly capable of making your own eggs."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help feeling grateful for his return to his usual self.

After preparing and eating my breakfast, I got ready for the day. While showering, I had my usual shower thoughts and realized I hadn't gone into heat for quite a while. Maybe being with Kacchan had balanced my pheromones, especially since I'd been off my medication for some time.

Once dressed, Kacchan led me out of the room for the first time in months. My nerves were on edge as I followed him, but he gently pushed me to walk in front of him.

"Since this is all new and nerve-wracking for me, can we take our time getting to the common area?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light.

Kacchan stopped and turned me to face him. "Are you having second thoughts?"

I shook my head, but he wasn't convinced. "Look, they're friendly and open-minded. I'm here with you; they won't judge you harshly. Maybe a few might, but the ones who want to be your friends will stand by you. So, take a deep breath and let's go."

I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, walking beside him but still feeling anxious with my gaze fixed on the floor.

We descended a few flights of stairs—my irrational fear of elevators keeping me grounded on the steps. Elevators made me feel claustrophobic, and I couldn't bear the thought of being trapped in one.

When we reached the common area, I was struck by the sheer size of the room. It was spacious, with a large couch and a TV in the center, and a full kitchen tucked away in the far corner. The entrance from outside was on the left side from where I stood. A few students were sprawled on the couch, engrossed in a video game, while others were enjoying snacks. My nerves kicked in, but Kacchan's calming pheromones helped me relax slightly. The students noticed us and waved us over to join them.

We approached and took a seat. A boy with bright yellow hair and a girl who was entirely pink were deeply absorbed in a fighting game.

"Hey, Bakubabe, is this your little friend?" the pink girl asked, her gaze shifting to me. I had my hood up and my head down, shrinking into the corner of the couch.

Kacchan glanced at me, then sighed. "He's a bit... how do I put this without sounding harsh... unusual."

My head shot up in surprise at Kacchan's words. I couldn't stay silent anymore. "You've got some nerve saying that!"

The room fell silent, the other students exchanging surprised glances. I quickly realized this was classic Kacchan behavior. "Am I going to 'die' now?"

"Not yet. You still have to meet these people, but you can bet I'll make you wish you were dead if you mess this up," Kacchan said, a playful yet serious tone in his voice. Laughter erupted around the room. "Classic Bakugou," someone muttered.

The pink girl was the first to approach me. "So, what's your name?"

"Midoriya Izuku," I replied.

Her face lit up with a smile. "Cute! How long have you known this guy?"

"Since we were babies," I said, feeling a bit more at ease. "Our parents were high school friends and ended up living next to each other, so we've always been close."

The boy with yellow hair seemed to relax a bit and came over next. "Got any dirt on the 'backhoe'?"

I leaned in and whispered, "I've got plenty. If you need blackmail material, I'm your guy!"

I wasn't trying to be discreet, but I could see Kacchan's irritation from the corner of my eye.

As more students gathered around, the atmosphere became friendlier. I was thrilled to be making new friends and started learning everyone's names and quirks. The trust they showed in sharing this information with me was reassuring.

After a while, a tall student with half-red, half-white hair, who had been quietly observing from the kitchen, came over. "I've been listening and connecting some dots," he said.

Kacchan immediately interjected, "You haven't connected anything!"

The red-and-white-haired student continued, "Are you two dating?"

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment, and Kacchan facepalmed. "I thought Mr. Aizawa emailed everyone about this. Yes, we've been dating for years... we just weren't officially together."

The room fell into an awkward silence. A red-haired guy then walked out without saying a word, leaving me wondering about his reaction.

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1166 words