"So, as I can see from the entire situation," Stain spoke, hunched over, "Is that you wish me to join your little gang."

"Well, when it comes to actual evil, you are the real pro," Tomura spoke, drumming his fingers on the tabletop.

Izuku silently gripped Todoroki's hand. Their ambitions were slightly different from Tomura's delusions. Looking at the light in his eyes, he had to repress a shudder. They weren't the eyes of the same man who had pulled him out of the river, who had treated him to ice-cream and played tag in the playground. That Tomura sometimes appeared, mostly it was this haunting mockery of the man he had once known that stalked about, talking of destruction.

Todoroki knew what insanity looked like. In fact, he recalled it too clearly at times, so clearly that it physically hurt and Izuku had to hold him until he stopped shaking. He remembered a furious Tomura who had sworn revenge on All Might and Endeavor and by extension the entire hero society due to the injustice the three of them faced.

People matured with age. Tomura seemed to defy age and set laws of time and maturity.

"And what are your goals?" Stain asked, calmly, which was almost eerie.

"Well, you see, I want to kill All Might," he spoke lazily, and his eyes caught Izuku and something akin to anger flared through his eyes before it went back to the eerie bloodthirsty look, "And I also want things that I don't like destroyed. So that's that."

Which pretty much annoyed Stain enough to bring forth his katanas.

"You are the kind of people who I hate," he growled, "Bloodlust without conviction is meaningless."

"Hold your fire," Izuku called out before Tomura got sliced into ribbons, "Tomura is a bit cracked in the head, so let me speak."

He gave Tomura a pleading look. Tomura narrowed his eyes but didn't protest.

"So, the thing is," Izuku spoke in relief, "Hero society is flawed. I think we all can agree with that fact. Along with that, we all know the prejudices on Quirks. How Quirkless people are weak, some Quirks are villainous, yada yada. So, the thing is to, uproot that illusion. Heroes aren't what they claim to be. Most do it for the show, many are selfish and want to become the best and it goes onto their families."

Todoroki twitched but took over automatically, "This society had grown too reliant on those with the hero licence. So much so that they actively ignore the hero's bad behaviour as long as they get saved. Most don't have the heart for it. Many are weak in the heart, cowards who run from responsibility. Your motivations are somewhat similar to ours so I think it would be good for the us to co-operate, to cover a bigger ground and spread a better message. For the betterment of the oppressed."

Stain put the katanas back. He actually looked interested.

"Your opinions are sound. One of the first times when people have actually decided to agree with me. Somewhat. I would think it over.......for the time being, I would like to return to Hosu City and finish my work there."

Izuku broke out into a smile.

"Thank you, Stain-san," he said relieved, "I like you."

The comment was offhand, but it did cause Stain to pause through Kurogiri's portal to give him a curious look.

"I am going out," Tomura announced and stormed off, God knows where. Izuku didn't bother to run after him.

Kurogiri sighed and followed him, as his main job was to take care of him.

Izuku took out his laptop immediately.

"The Sports Festival this year would be interesting," he chirped.

"Sure," Todoroki said amused, pressing a kiss on top of his head before picking his novel up, "I am finishing this first, however."

Izuku was too caught up to hear him.

It was adorable to see, his face flushed up in excitement and passion.

Todoroki smiled as he began reading.

As the thick smell of death and fear hung over Hosu City.