What Could Have Been (vigilante deku)

41

"Oh gosh," Recovery girl gasped as she looked over Izuku's fist. "What ever happened? I could've sworn that physical training doesn't start until after lunch today."

"It doesn't." Jr said. "Stupid people like to punch walls, though."

Izuku glared at him and childishly stuck his tongue out at him.

But Recovery Girl only frowned and looked it over some more. "That's not healthy, Midoriya. You're lucky I'm here or you wouldn't be able to use this hand for a couple days. Two the least if you're stubborn."

Izuku switched his attention to her and blushed sheepishly. "I apologise." He said politely. "Better the wall then someone's face, right?" He asked which only earned him another glare from her.

"The only good thing about this is that since it's a smaller injury, my quirk won't take much of your energy." To prove her point she puckered up like usual and with a kissing sound, kissed his hand.

"Wow, that was passionate." Jr teased. "That's the most action you're going to be getting from a girl in your entire lifetime, I guarantee it."

Izuku groaned and elbowed him. "Don't be disgusting." He then focused back on Recovery Girl. "Don't mind him. His brain hasn't finished developing."

This time Jr was the one elbowing Izuku who just laughed.

"That's not funny." Jr tried to protest but he couldn't fight the smile making itself on his own face.

"Okay, you boys can get back to lunch. It's only an hour so hurry it up. There's 30 minutes remaining at most."

She hurried and ushered them out.

"I hope they have Katsudon." Izuku muttered aloud. "I really do."

Jr laughed. "I totally remember Katsudon being your favorite. I'm not surprised it still is."

Izuku let himself smile too. "Hey Jr.." he whispered, suddenly serious.

Jr hummed in response. "Everything that happened...the reason you left...why?"

Jr's breath hitched in his chest. "I didn't mean to betray Sensei, I just-" he sighed as he failed to find the right words. "I just..couldn't..do it."

Izuku grabbed his arm and squeezed it comfortingly. " I get it, I really do. You couldn't help who your dad was and what he did for a living. You truly couldn't. But you could've warned Sensei. The attack..it wasn't your fault."

"But you almost died." Jr said, hands balling into fists and his fingernails digging into his palms. "I-If I had been more loyal, more braver, I could've told you two from the beginning and we could've avoided it all."

"That's true," Izuku said and stepped in front of Jr. "But that doesn't mean you aren't brave and loyal. You just love your dad, and it's okay to love him. Instead of fleeing though, you could've explained everything to Sensei. I'm sure he would've understood. Even if you were always stuck on believing I was his favorite, he really did care about you. He was angry yes, but you should've seen how much he missed having you around when you were gone."

"But you were his favorite." Jr said, looking away. "look at the ring on your finger. That's a family ring. I may have been his trainee but he looked at you as a son. I was there when he explained what that necklace meant. It may be full of rotting flowers but I would've killed to even be an option in his mind. But it was always you. My training was based off yours. It's why I was always racing to be ahead of you. It was because I was always so far behind. I would always fall back because you were a quicker learner. Our quirks didn't require the same things, and yet he never got me what I needed. Everything we did revolved around you. I didn't have a place at home because I didn't want to be a part of what my parents did, so I searched for it in Sensei. But he never took his eyes off you. I wanted him to see me, but I was never enough. I could never best you, and that made me angry. It made me feel useless. It's why I could never admit that I actually cared and admired you. I hid behind feigned hatred and took all my self anger out on you."