Me: hey please go to bed at a reasonable time!! sleep is important ((:
Half of you little gremlins: i have not slept in FIVE YEARS and i did not plan to do so this century, until a few moments before you posted this chapter, and now i shall delay my slumber for another millennia so i can read this
Me: nO-

Anyway yeah. pLEASe take care of yourselves. have you eaten/drank anything recently?? if not, please go grab something now!! i love you, i'm proud of you, and i really hope you're staying safe!!! enjoy the chapter <33

Discord server, if yee haw: https://discord.gg/DSBF4dP

~

The hospital discharged him later that day. Aside from the exhaustion – struggling to sleep for a couple of weeks before the fight certainly didn't help – he was physically unharmed. Aizawa pulled apart the curtains to his room, and Izuku perked up excitedly, making a droplet fall from his damp hair and onto his nose. Since he was in such a state coming in, the medical staff had cut open his costume in order to take it off to ensure there were no injuries beneath, then let him take a shower. Apparently Nighteye had dropped off his school uniform to change into, which he was grateful for.

"Sensei!" Izuku chirped happily, standing up and bouncing over whilst buttoning up his shirt. "How are you?"

"Three stitches," Aizawa responded flatly. "Come with me."

The boy hastily thanked his doctor and dashed from the room, matching pace with his teacher as they walked down the corridor. For someone with such long legs, Aizawa sure moved frustratingly slow.

"Sorry I couldn't be with you when it counted," Aizawa apologised, not taking his eyes off the end of the corridor. "And I'm sorry for not offering support when you were clearly stressed about this mission."

Izuku blinked, steps faltering for a moment in surprise before he caught up. "Hey, it's okay, sensei. I should've asked for help, really, I've been told to do so enough times by everyone over my lifetime... But some habits die hard, I guess. Anyway, how's everyone else? And what happened with Chisaki?"

"Nighteye used his Quirk on Chisaki and saw that the police escort would be attacked by the League, so he informed the police and they took measures to try and counter it. However, the League still attacked and escaped with the Quirk-suppressing bullets after destroying Chisaki's arms, but no police or heroes were killed in the process. Most of them were injured, especially the officers who were driving when the van crashed," the teacher explained with a slight frown.

"Hm. It's probably a good thing that event stayed mostly the same," Izuku mused. "Maybe Nighteye-san knows the importance of things remaining unchanged..."

"Kirishima has bruises and lacerations on his whole body, but he'll live," he informed in answer to the first question.

"He did so well. I'm proud of him," Izuku murmured with a smile.

Aizawa briefly glanced sideways, then looked forwards again. "Amajiki cracked a bone in his face, but none of his injuries will leave a scar."

"That's good. He was amazing, too, and I'm so proud-"

"Fat Gum has broken bones in a few places, but he seems fine," he continued flatly. "Luckily, the blade that stabbed Rock Lock didn't hit any vital organs."

"I'm so glad," Izuku breathed, hurrying a few paces to stand next to his teacher and gently knock elbows. "And Eri-chan?"

"Still feverish and sleeping. She's being quarantined right now." Aizawa's gaze flitted sideways as they paused outside the lift. "You can't see her, so don't try anything." The boy pouted, but didn't deny his scheming thoughts, and let his teacher continue. "You were able to touch her by continually destroying your whole body, right?"

"Yeah."

He stepped into the lift when the doors opened. "There aren't many people who could do that."

Izuku padded in after him, leaning in the corner and draping his arms over the rails. "Like, physically or mentally?"

Aizawa side-eyed him again as he pressed the button and the doors slid closed. "Do I really have to answer that?"

"If you want to," he shrugged lazily.

"I don't." The doors opened, and he stepped out. "Since Eri's Quirk only seems to work on people, training to teach her control isn't something we can approach lightly. Right now, it would be most logical to keep her quarantined. For her sake, as well."

"I know," Izuku said softly, looking at the ground as they walked. "Recovery is a long process, and it can't be rushed, but... It still frustrates me that I can't help her quicker." He paused, suddenly raising his head and glancing around. "Where're we headed?"

"Nighteye wanted to see you-" Aizawa explained, and for a moment Izuku's heart stilled, bad memories flooding his mind- "He's waiting outside the hospital to take you back to his office. Apparently you weren't very clear with him about what happened during the fight."

"Oh," he hummed in realisation, letting out an unintentional laugh as he remembered his cryptic, sleep-deprived answers. "Oh, yeah, I need to explain a lot to him. I bet he'll have a lot of questions, so it'll probably take a while..."

"Midoriya," Aizawa said abruptly, coming to a stop before they could turn a corner in the empty corridor and shifting to face him fully. "Did Nighteye die in your timeline?"

Izuku stilled, swallowing and staring blankly past the man, seeing a ghost of a scene that still haunted him. "...yeah..."

There was a pause, then the teacher lightly bumped their shoulders together and continued walking. "Come on, Problem Child. Don't make him wait."

The boy smiled privately to himself, furtively glancing up at the man's stoic face and only grinning wider, filled with fondness. Aizawa may try his hardest to come across as distant, but the second he saw a sad child, that facade crumbled – and it was very satisfying to be the one who continually broke it. Izuku skipped forward a few paces, checking the signs and bouncing down the corridor before turning to wait for his teacher. There was no point in getting caught up with memories when the real things were alive and well before him.

They headed down to the front entrance. Nighteye's lanky, hunched figure was instantly recognisable, standing awkwardly off to the side of the path. He had changed into another suit that wasn't ripped, yet looked exactly the same, save the addition of a green-spotted tie. Aizawa's palm lightly ghosted over Izuku's upper back, and when the boy blinked up curiously, his dark eyes were narrowed marginally.

"Hey," Izuku called, wildly waving his arm in the air. "Look, I'm not dead! Isn't that great?"

Nighteye remained unimpressed, but ambled a few steps closer to meet them in the middle of the path. "I presume you know I'd like to talk with you, Midoriya."

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, um, you- yeah, you deserve a better explanation from the one I gave you earlier," he admitted, automatically leaning back into his teacher's touch to chase his retreating hand. "Ah, sensei, you heading out?"

Aizawa let his hand linger a moment longer before reaching up to scratch at the stubble on his face. "I need to get back to UA. Call someone if you need something, Midoriya."

"Got it, sensei. See you later! I lo-" Izuku violently bit down on his tongue, cheeks flushing faintly under the two men's gazes, one mildly more amused than the other. "Right. No affection. We're all serious heroes here, definitely. I've never felt a single emotion, ever, in my entire life. Never have I ever hugged someone or told them I care about them, not even once, absolutely not-"

Aizawa was already walking away, leaving an uneasy Nighteye to deal with Izuku's ramblings. The man uncertainly waited for him to quiet himself, which he may have drawn out longer than necessary for his own amusement, then jerked his head towards the hospital campus exit.

"We'll talk back at my office, unless you'd prefer otherwise," Nighteye told him, already taking long strides.

Izuku had to rush three steps for the hero's every one, leaving him stumbling over himself in his eagerness to keep up. "No, that's good! I'm glad I get a chance to stretch my legs after being confined most of the day. Thanks for the clothes, by the way – it would've really sucked if I had to continue wearing my hero costume, because I bet the blood would've mostly dried by now, and it would've been all crusty and horrible, and people would've looked at me weird – which is fair, really, because, I mean, who goes around covered in blood, right? Scary!"

As usual, there was silence in response to his tangent. Nighteye paused at the edge of the street, glancing around for traffic before crossing and leaving Izuku to frantically dash after him like a duckling. They continued walking for a while, passing a few people who excitedly pointed out his UA uniform, and he always flashed them a bright smile and wave. It was so endearing to see people be so awed by him merely acknowledging them.

"Hey, um, I'm sorry for being a bit... snippy," Izuku began, twisting his fingers together nervously. "It was just a stressful time, and I hadn't been sleeping well, and that's not really any excuse, but- Yeah. I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

Nighteye gave a huff of breath, awkwardly readjusting his tie. "I also owe you an apology for being so unfair towards you. I'll admit that... you have far exceeded my expectations, and... All Might did make a good choice."

Izuku screwed up his face, trying not to cry.

"What's wrong?" Nighteye asked, a hint of alarm in his tone, looking so hilariously out of his depth that the boy couldn't help but let out a sob-laugh, tears trailing down his cheeks and lips pulled back in a bright smile. "Why are you... crying?"

"Happy crying," Izuku corrected, giggling and sniffling and trying to regain his composure. "You'll get used to it, if you'll keep me around."

The man's steps faltered as he looked sideways, hesitating when he seemed locked onto Izuku's smile. In the awkward lull, Izuku lightly patted his arm and pointed ahead cheerfully, saving them both from any further uncomfortable silences.

"Look, there's your agency! Time flies when you're having fun, huh?" He exclaimed, hopping ahead a few paces and seemingly jolting Nighteye out of his stupor.

Nighteye looked a lot more comfortable when he was sat back behind his desk. Izuku closed the door behind them and pulled up a chair, lounging back on it and mentally running through everything he needed to clarify.

"Long story short, I'm from the future," he started, taking a deep breath and meeting his tutor's wide eyes. "It started back in April..."

*

"And there was that coffee cup incident a couple of years back, remember that?!" Izuku leaned forward eagerly, eyes bright and hands moving enthusiastically when he spoke.

"Of course – All Might defeating a villain using a cup of coffee is legendary," Nighteye agreed, lips quirking in a small smile. "Outsmarting the villain and using his own talents-"

Needless to say, they had become very sidetracked at some point after the explanation. The man had remained mostly quiet, patiently listening as Izuku recounted the events that had led him to his current predicament. With such little emoting, it was hard to tell what he was feeling. Although Izuku had been expecting questions at the end of his spiel, he wasn't mentally prepared to answer the first inquiry.

"I'm dead in your time, aren't I?" Nighteye had said flatly - and Izuku could only stare.

Being faced with a ghost of his past had been difficult, but somehow it hadn't properly hit him until this Nighteye calmly stated it. Flashes of a dark room, humming machinery, and Toshinori's miserable face passed through his mind, and his green gaze turned glassy as he glanced at his lap. Izuku closed his eyes as they warmed, and for a moment he focused on breathing, and when he regained his composure he stared back at the proof of fate's impermanence, giving his tutor a firm nod in confirmation. To his credit, Nighteye didn't look particularly perturbed, perhaps since he had been resigned to his death when he used his Quirk, and he was quick to shift the subject with more questions that the boy was more than happy to answer as best as he could. He'd even revealed that the young woman who had returned Nighteye's arm was indeed Eri in the future, and that Toshinori was still alive. Izuku was usually hesitant to share such information, but Nighteye was different, and it was a huge relief to lessen the burden of carrying his knowledge alone.

To see a small smile bloom at the news of Toshinori's survival was a bonus.

Izuku had eagerly inquired what it had been like for Nighteye when he was kidnapped to the future. There had been no transitional pain for him, so Izuku couldn't help but wonder if he'd hypothetically be able to stay there forever. They theorised that it might've been because Nighteye was dead and thus didn't exist anymore in that future, so there was no dimensional complications with his presence like there was with Izuku whenever he travelled - although, that was likely more due to manifesting a physical form in a plane where his physical form had been Obliterated. Either way, he definitely needed more careful experimentation to see the limits and peculiarities of the Quirk's effects.

And then they started talking about Toshinori, and any focus on the original conversation was eagerly shoved aside.

When two All Might mega-fans were put into the same room together, it was weirder to not expect them to go on elated rants about obscure incidents the hero was involved in. Any lingering tension between them had long since dissipated in the hours they spent sharing facts, leaving only a relaxed atmosphere. Nighteye had shucked off his jacket and tie a long time ago, and Izuku had undone the top buttons of his shirt to loosen it. Both of them were completely comfortable.

"Oh, it's late," Nighteye said suddenly as he glanced at the time.

Izuku looked at the clock, practically leaping out of his seat in a panic and grabbing his phone to double-check. "I need to get back! Sensei'll be mad if I stay out past curfew!"

Nighteye nodded sagely, standing up and heading across the room. "I'll walk you to the exit. Call someone to take you back to UA."

"Already on it," Izuku confirmed, frantically texting away and doing his best to conceal a devious smile as they walked.

It was dark outside and a cool breeze snaked past them as Nighteye opened the front doors for them. Ambient light from inside spilled out through the glass. A lone figure was lurking outside in a hoodie and a baseball cap, doing his best to be incognito in the least incognito fashion imaginable. Nighteye tensed up uneasily, shifting a half-step closer to the boy and staring cautiously at the unknown person.

"Toshi-san," Izuku greeted happily, a little bit of mischief sneaking into his tone.

Toshinori padded closer, warm light spilling over his smiling features. "Hello, my boy. You've been here a while. Did you have fun?"

"Absolutely! Nighteye-san is so much fun to talk with!" Izuku motioned towards the man with a grin.

Both Nighteye and Toshinori froze up when they realised who they were faced with. They wore hilariously similar expressions of panic and uncertainty. Tyres crunched over tarmac as a sleek plainclothes police vehicle drew up on the street, and the window rolled down to reveal Sansa behind the wheel, cat ears flicked up in curiosity at the unfolding scene.

"Ah, Sansa-san's here to pick me up, so I've gotta go. Both of you talk it out and make up, please, thank you, okay-love-you-bye-"

Toshinori whipped around. "Young Izuku-!"

Izuku was already gone.

*

He knocked lightly on the door.

"Fuck off."

He knocked on the door, a little harder.

"Fuck off."

He knocked again with the fearlessness of a man who had stared death in the face more times than he could even count – and he could count to ten, at least.

"Fuck off!"

"Kacchan, please open the door," Izuku called with another aggressive rap on the wood.

"Fuck y-"

He slammed his whole fist against the door, and it gave a strained groan, causing him to cringe at the unintentional use of his Quirk. "If you don't open the door I might accidentally break it down, Kacchan, sorry-"

The door opened violently. Kacchan had murder in his slitted crimson eyes. His body filled the doorway and one hand remained raised, ready to slam it closed at a moment's notice. There were plasters and bandages and bruises dotted over his visible skin. Izuku relaxed and let out a contented sigh as he bathed in his friend's intense vibes.

"This better be fucking important, Deku," Kacchan snarled, looming over the smaller boy with his teeth bared.

"I know we're not really there yet, but I've had a-" Izuku faltered, because neither bad nor good were applicable- "day and you're the closest thing to home I've always had so can I just..." He leant forwards and gently rested his forehead against his friend's chest without waiting for a response.

Kacchan remained frozen, but that was probably more due to the confusion than actual willingness. Izuku could feel the warmth seeping from his body and hear the faint, comforting thud of his heartbeat. He took a shaky breath through his nose, letting his eyes flutter shut and savour the moment. Kacchan stayed still for a second longer than expected before roughly shoving at the other boy's shoulder to push him away.

"Fuck. Off," he spat, then slammed the door hard enough to shake the hall.

Izuku stared at the door with a faint, fond smile. "...thanks, Kacchan."