Dabi shot him a text a day later saying they couldn't go over for a short while. Deku leaned back on his couch feeling the loneliness setting in.

Maybe I was wrong. I shouldn't have pushed so hard.

He still had three days left but he had healed up pretty good. He grabbed his phone and begged his agency to let him go back on patrols at night with Shouto. There was less work at night and he could still take it easy. After some arguing, they finally agreed.

Things weren't the way they should've been. Izuku shouldn't have gotten close to any of them. Even if Shigaraki didn't like him romantically, he didn't want to lose any of them as friends. Now he was hurting because he was being pushed away.

His favorite thing about them was no one teased him about his inability to use his own power.... since it wasn't really his. Maybe they liked hanging with him because he thought their quirks were cool and he had no problem with them being unusual at all. They lived together perfectly fine even with Dabi talking shit most of the time.

The biggest problem was his growing feelings for Tomura. He had thought if things weren't slow, he wouldn't have to worry about too much. It wasn't something he wanted to rush. He was enjoying the fact the villain was kind of romantic. It was something cute he liked and something Izuku really wanted.

He was more than glad to put on his uniform and to out again but his heart felt heavy. Izuku wanted Shigaraki right there by his side. He wanted to see his sleepy face and his bed hair. He frowned. He never had an actual boyfriend or girlfriend. He literally just slept with people but with Tomura it was another level of need and wanting.

Izuku pushed the thoughts away and drove to his agency. Shouto ended up pulling up next to him. The dual user jumped out of his car and greeted his best friend with a smile and a rare hug. He forced a painful smile but apparently Shouto didn't notice or he chose not to question him.

"I'm glad to have you back. It was too quiet. I thought I would have a small break from your mumbling but I actually missed it," Shouto said with a smile.

Izuku blushed and nodded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get hurt."

"I know. Let's get started and get some coffee. How does that sound?"

"That sounds amazing actually. I'm ready to be out and about!"

They walked to one of the few open gas stations and got their coffees. It was just like how it was weeks ago but it wasn't. Deku's brain was thinking about Tomura. The jealously and anger he had displayed just over Dabi training him.... The burning anger in his red eyes from the lap dance.... The way he just left because Katsuki Bakugou showed up at his door. It thrilled him to some point and disappointed him on another level.

It was just training. It wasn't like they were kissing.

I admit the lap dance was a bad idea.... Dabi went with it though. He thinks there's something between us but maybe there isn't? Maybe Tomura just doesn't like me and he's worried about being found out?

Izuku sighed.

"What's wrong? Was I droning on too much?"

He blinked realizing he never heard a single word his friend had said.

"S-sorry. I didn't hear what you said."

Shouto tried to look offended but he couldn't pull it off making Izuku chuckle.

"Are you that lost in thought or are you hurting too much?"

"I'm fine."

"Is it that guy? The blonde or the one Uraraka and I walked in on?" Shouto asked pinpointing the problem.

"Blonde?"

"Yea. Katsuki apparently went to apologize to you and some old blonde guy was at your apartment in his underwear."

"Oh my god...."

He buried his face into his hands.

"He was just a friend. He knew about my issues with Kacchan and he decided to make it awkward so he would leave.... Why does he have to go broadcasting things to everyone?"

Shouto arched an eyebrow, "Well it's obvious."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"He's jealous."

"Shut up."

Izuku wrinkled his nose as Shouto looked surprised.

"Jealous?"

"He's not in love with you or anything like that. He's jealous because you don't want him around anymore. You always looked up to him."

"What? Kacchan isn't that petty! That doesn't sound like him at all."

Shouto rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone. He tapped on the screen a few times before handing to Izuku,

"Who's Ignorant Dumbass?"

"Bakugou. That's his name in my phone."

Izuku snickered a little as he started reading.

B: Why won't Deku talk to me?

B: I know you can see my messages you asshole!

B: I called Deku. Someone hung up on me.

B: Are you two hanging out? Tell that fucker to call me.

B: YOU NEED TO ANSWER ME.

B:DEKU IS DATING SOME OLD BLONDE GUY WTF

B: When is he going back to work? I want to talk to him.

B: TODOROKI!

S: Oh.... I must've muted you. Have great day.

B: YOU FUCKER I WILL END YOU

Izuku looked up at him.

"He never once messaged me but he showed up that one time. Why is he pestering you?"

"He knows I'm your best friend."

Izuku said nothing.

"What's been bothering you?"

He looked at Shouto.

"Nothing is bothering me."

"You're not a good liar."

He sighed, "I'm struggling with One for All. I managed to climb up some but I'm stalling still. I feel as if I'm not being challenged like I should."

"Neither one of wants to hurt you. I am glad you made some progress without us though."

"I feel like that's the problem."

"Then.... You want to really be against me? An actual real fight?"

"Better than the one at the Sports Festival."

Shouto smiled, "If that's what you want."

The next two hours was uneventful and quiet. Izuku tried chasing down the cat to pet it but it kept running away. It was always the same cat they saw and petted everytime they went out. Shouto took a few pictures and sent them to Ochako to make her laugh. They ended up getting to another gas station getting a hot dog and another coffee.

This is really nice. I guess maybe I just needed some time to think about stuff. I do miss hanging out with Shouto. I do miss them though. I miss seeing them all in the morning. I miss having them to talk to and drink coffee.

"I missed you," he said.

Shouto blinked looking shocked. He placed a hand on his own chest and closed his eyes.

"That's one of the nicest things you ever told me. I missed you too."

Izuku grinned.

He's such a dork sometimes.

"We have a few hours left. We already circled our area twice. It's been a while since we did that. Wanna go down the alleys and check those?"

Izuku nodded.

They made their way through the alleys even though they weren't expecting to find anything. The agency made sure to keep Izuku's medical leave very quiet to keep the crime down. The two of them split up to make quick work of their extra task. That might've been a very bad idea.

Just as Izuku turned down the alleyway he heard angry shouting and angry whispering. He listened closely when he realized he heard Dabi and Shigaraki. They were talking to someone who he didn't recognize. He couldn't make out what they were saying so he decided to get closer. Then the walkie talkie feature on his phone went off.

"Did you find anything?"

The angry voices stopped and the ground started to shake.

Oh shit. Oh no- Oh shit!

A large man with an outrageous build of muscles came out of the shadows with Dabi and Tomura behind him. They looked pretty pissed until they saw who it was. Deku opened his mouth to say something but he was cut short when the man swung one of his giant hands. The hero was slammed into the wall.

"Don't hurt him!" Shigaraki hissed through clenched teeth.

"Are you trying to tell me you're with him? You were trying to betray me this whole time?" the man yelled.

Izuku pried himself out of the wall.

I don't know if I can even bring up sixty percent at this point. I'll hurt them.... They're in the way.

"No that's not it!" Dabi yelled.

The man went to swing at them but Izuku grabbed his arm. The man was a lot stronger than he looked but so was Deku.

"Leave them alone!" the hero snapped trying to jerk his hand backwards.

"You think you can beat me hero?! You're no All Might!"

Pain flickered across Izuku's eyes and Tomura saw it.

"ARGH!"

Izuku was flung over his villains friends, further into the alley way. He hit a few trash cans and landed in the dumpster.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!"

"Deku!" it was an outside voice.

The man swung his fists downward but Izuku managed to be quicker. Black whips went flying out wildly. It grabbed the angry man's wrists then two grabbed Tomura and Dabi, pulling them backwards. They landed beside of the dumpster. The whips faltered and the man fell face first.

Izuku climbed out of the dumpster. His shoulder was screaming at him but he had to ignore it. They had told him there hadn't been any activity in a while so he would be alright. He wasn't alright. He just saved two people who probably deserved to be slammed into the ground but he wasn't willing to let it happen.

"Deku!"

Shouto was at the beginning of the alleyway. He couldn't see much but he was furious. He had been under strict orders to keep Izuku's physical movement to a minimal of just walking.

"Are you ok?" he yelled.

"Y-yea! I just.... I just...."

Izuku looked at Tomura who sat there staring at him It was the second time he saved him.

"Man are you ok?" Dabi asked.

"Yea... My shoulder. Get out of here now."

"You're hurt," Tomura whispered.

Deku looked away, "It doesn't matter. Have Kurogiri get you out of here."

"But-

"Leave!" he snapped angrily.

Dabi shot the warping man a text and they were out of there quickly.

Shouto managed to tire the big guy out and had him trapped with ice. Izuku managed to climb out of the dumpster and he laid on the ground. He couldn't tell if he was bleeding but it felt like nothing was broken. Shouto rushed to his side.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm too tired for this shit," Izuku said with a smile.

Shouto snorted and helped him up.

"Um... Shouto?"

"What?"

"The guy you iced up.... He's gone."

Shouto turned around. All that was left was chunks of ice here and there.

X

X

Izuku returned home and flopped onto the couch. Shouto had to put his shoulder back in place and he was nice enough to use his quirks on his back. Izuku had fallen asleep at his desk, drooling all over the paperwork. After another cup of coffee, he had headed home.

He started drifting off to sleep when he felt something grab his hero costume. Izuku was lifted into the air and thrown off the couch. He stared at the ceiling trying to figure out what exactly happened. He rolled over to see Shigaraki standing there with a furious look on his face.

Oh boy-