Soon enough the day of the UA entrance exam was upon them. All the hard work Izuku and Sero put in boiled down to this one day.

The two had met up that morning, on their usual rooftop. Sero was shaky and nervous, nearly jumping out of his skin at every little noise and movement. Izuku was doing his best to try and calm him down, reassure him that he was going to do great and the teachers would have to be blind to not let him in.

Eventually he realized his words weren't getting through Sero's thick skull. He stomped in front of him, cutting off the nervous pacing. Reaching up, he grabbed the back of Sero's head and brought it down so they were eye to eye.

"Now listen to me, Hanta Sero. You have worked your ass off for two months for this exam. You're strong, you're smart, you have an amazing handle on your quirk, and you've got the biggest heart I've ever known. You're going to ace both tests today and you're going to make it into the hero course. There isn't a shred of doubt in me. You're going to do amazing, okay? I believe in you."

Hanta had to remind himself to breathe, he'd stopped as soon as Izuku had closed the distance between them. He was so close. Sero almost didn't catch what he was actually saying, too focused on the way his lips moved.

Sero finally made eye contact with the other boy, who huffed as he realized that he hadn't been paying attention to his words.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Sero asked softly.

Izuku shook his head before letting their foreheads rest against each other. "You're an idiot. Did you hear anything I just said?"

"You believe in me."

Izuku chuckled, of course that was all he had heard. His laughter stopped, though, when a hand gently pulled his chin up. Sero was looking down at him like he hung the moon and the stars.

"Iz," he said before swallowing. "Can I kiss you?"

Izuku froze, completely unprepared for the question. His brain wasn't working, wasn't supplying any thoughts or feelings, let alone articulating them.

All he could do was nod.

Sero slowly leaned down, closing the few centimeters of space between the two. His lips were soft and warm, just barely brushing against Izuku's. The touch sent a spark through Izuku's whole body, shocking him back to consciousness. He reached up and wrapped his arms around Sero's neck, pulling him closer.

The kiss only lasted for a few seconds, but as soon as they pulled away, Izuku hugged the taller boy as tight as possible. He wasn't sure if it was because he didn't want to let go yet, or if he was trying to hide how red his face had become. Maybe it was both.

"Go kick some ass, okay?" he whispered to Sero.

The taller boy chuckled. "Of course, lightning bug, couldn't disappoint you, now could I?"

Izuku gave him one last squeeze before finally letting go, stepping back ever so slightly. Sero smiled down at him, placing one more chaste kiss on his lips before taking off towards the school.

Izuku was finally able to take a deep breath, his heart nearly beating out of his chest. What the hell just happened?

While he tried to figure it out, a slow clap sounded from behind him. He whirled around, his heart dropping at the sight.

Shigaraki was wearing a sinister smile as he walked towards Izuku. "Now that truly was touching to witness."

A wisp of purple smoke caught Izuku's eye. He frowned, realizing that Kurogiri wasn't on his side anymore.

"What'd you want?" Izuku spat at the blue haired man in front of him. He had no time for
Shigaraki's games.

Shigaraki lazily looked down at him. "I want to know if dear, old daddy has any idea that his son is helping a hero wanna be get into UA."

Izuku's harsh glare and silence answered that question.

The man dramatically gasped, taking another step forward. "Now that's too bad. I wonder what he'd say if he knew, what he'd do." His eyes flashed to Izuku, both of them recalling what happened the last time Izuku didn't live up to All For One's expectations.

"What do you want, Shigaraki?" Izuku hissed, wanting him to cut to the chase.

He cocked his head to the side. "How much is this secret worth to you, little Izuku? How much would you give to keep it safe? To keep him safe?"

Izuku took a shaky breath in through his nose. This was dangerous ground. One wrong move and Shigaraki could send his world crumbling, everything he'd worked for, everything he found joy in. It could all be gone with a snap of his fingers.

"Just tell me what you want already." Even to his own ears Izuku sounded defeated.

"Beg," Shigaraki commanded, his eyes dancing sadistically.

Izuku was taken aback. He'd never... he'd never begged for anything. He'd barely even asked for anything.

Sero's smile flashed in his head.

"Please, Shigaraki-"

"On your knees."

Izuku dropped seconds later. "Please, keep what you saw to yourself. Don't tell anyone, I- I beg of you."

Shigaraki let out a barking laugh. "Look at you, All For One's great protege, begging like a dog." He walked around Izuku, kicking him from behind. The boy fell onto his hands, catching himself.

"Please," he repeated weakly.

The weight of the man's foot came crashing into his back again, forcing his arms out from under him as he dug his heel into Izuku's back, right between his shoulder blades. He hissed at the pain, but tried to keep his reaction to a minimum.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Izuku's eyes flew up, making direct eye contact with his father. He was livid. Izuku had never seen him so mad. For just a split second, for one idiotic second, Izuku thought he was angry with Shigaraki for tormenting him.

But All For One's anger was directed as no one but his own son.

Shigaraki finally took his foot away, taking a single step back from the boy. He was offering him up to his father. What an ass.

"Get up," All For One seethed.

Izuku scrambled to comply, already feeling that lock on his quirks click into place. He was powerless again.

"I didn't raise you to beg," he said, taking slow and calculated steps forward. "I didn't raise you to roll over like some bitch." The word was spat into Izuku's face as he did his best not to flinch. Showing any more weakness would only make his father more angry. He really didn't need to do that.

"It seems you've forgotten how to behave," All For One said casually, as if discussing the weather. "I guess you need a reminder."

A rough hand gripped Izuku by the hair and yanked him along. He cried out as his feet tripped up and he was suddenly being dragged by only his hair. It felt like his father was going to rip off the top of his scalp.

A warp gate appeared in front of them, and his father did not hesitate to walk through. They came out in one of the underground cells Izuku knew they had under the complex. He'd only been there a few times, the last visit being a not so pleasant memory.

Izuku knew he wasn't going to get off with only a few bruises this time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the exams, which Sero thought he'd absolutely aced, he went back to the roof. Izuku was supposed to be waiting there for him to be done, he had said he wanted to know how it went. When he got there and didn't see the boy he'd kissed that morning, he frowned and pulled out his phone. He sent him a few texts, asking where he was, if he was okay, but they weren't answered. He eventually just called Izuku. It went straight to voicemail.

Sero frowned, thinking about the last time Izuku went radio silent. His first instinct was to go right to the compound and try to find Izuku, but he knew that wouldn't end well. According to that mist guy, Sero wasn't allowed to step foot there anymore, and something told him they'd upped security.

The only thing he could do was send a text telling Izuku to call him as soon as he could, and head back home.

To wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Izuku could barely open his eyes by the end of his "reminder". He definitely couldn't move any part of his body, the whole thing was constantly pulsing with pain, even when completely still. In all his years of harsh training and punishments, he'd never experienced pain like that.

He'd never been waterboarded before either, but he guessed there was a first time for everything. Even the thought of water sent panic ripping through his entire body. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to get rid of that new found fear. Everytime he tried, he could only remember the never ending water pushing its way into his mouth, his nose, going straight to his lungs, filling them until he felt like he was going to die.

Izuku was pretty sure he had at one point.

He wasn't sure how long his lesson had dragged on, but by the time the swelling in his eyes had finally gone down enough for him to be able to see, it had been a full week. Most of his memories of those days, after the lesson, were hazy and filled with a dull ache. He knew someone had taken care of him, but he had no clue who. He didn't think he cared either.

On that seventh day, he was finally able to take in his surroundings. He was back in his own
room, in his own bed, in clean clothes. He turned his head, wincing as the sharp pain it caused shot through his whole body. His phone was on his nightstand.

He needed that. He needed it right now. He had to make sure Sero was okay. He needed to know that he was safe.

"You're going to hurt yourself, Izuchan."

A disapproving feminie voice startled him, making him twitch and nearly scream from the pain. He didn't move as his eyes shifted to the blonde girl standing at the foot of his bed.

"You're not supposed to be moving yet," she said with a frown. She skipped around his bed, taking a seat next to him as he asked, "Who the hell are you?"

Izuku wasn't surprised by how rough and scratching his voice sounded. It didn't even sound like him.

The girl flashed him a psychotic smile, showing off her fangs. "Himiko Toga, I'm new. I was assigned to look after you while you recover."

He groaned, of course he got stuck with some random ass newbie who couldn't be any older than him. Oh, and she had to be batshit crazy.

"I need my phone," he croaked to her.

She frowned down at his limp figure. She reached for his nightstand and Izuku thought she might actually be listening to him. Until she brought a glass of water to his lips instead.

"My phone-"

"Drink water first," she tutted.

He rolled his eyes, but listened. Water sounded more and more amazing the longer he thought about it. And god, it did not disappoint.

It wasn't even cold, but Izuku imagined that's what Heaven felt like.

Toga smirked down at him once the water was completely gone. "See? Don't you feel better now?"

"Whatever. Just give me my phone," he said impatiently.

Her frown was back. "So pushy. I think I liked you better when you were unconscious," she muttered while handing him his phone.

Every fiber of his being screamed in protest as he brought his phone up to his face. He had twelve messages from Sero, all asking where he was and if he was okay. Telling him to call as soon as he could. It did nothing to calm the panic he felt for the other boy's safety.

Before he could decide what to do, a figure appeared at the foot of his bed. Kurogiri. Izuku froze at the sight of him.

"Toga, out," he ordered.

The girl whined, but didn't argue. She was gone in a few seconds.

"You picked him over me," Izuku stated. He couldn't do anything but stare at the man who had betrayed all of his trust.

"I did not pick anything. Your father ordered me to stay at Master Tomura Shigaraki's side, to follow his every word. I did not have a choice."

Izuku rolled his eyes. Typical of everyone in that place, to follow every word his father gave no matter their own thoughts and feelings. "You always have a choice," he spat back.

Kurogiri seemed to contemplate his words for a second. "Perhaps. Just as you now have a choice."

"Your father has decided how to handle the situation with that boy."

Izuku's breath hitched.

"You will use him. If he's going to get into UA, we need the inside information. You will provide us with that."

Izuku was going to refuse, he couldn't do that. He couldn't betray Sero like that, not after knowing the boy trusted him completely.

Kurogiri saw that, and saw the determined glint in his eyes. He spoke again before Izuku had the chance. "Or he dies."

The boy completely froze, stopped breathing, his mind refusing to function. The words "he dies" playing on a loop.

"He knows too much. He's been inside the complex, he knows of your quirks. He's your weakness. If he can't be useful, he can't live."

Izuku blinked back the tears in his eyes, glaring right into Kurogiri's soul. He could have sworn he saw the mist shudder.

"What is your choice, Izuku?"

He gritted his teeth, looking away. "I'll- I'll do it. Just... just don't hurt him, please."

Kurogiri nodded once, turning to walk towards the door. "For what it's worth, Izuku, I wish it never would have come to this."

Izuku didn't respond as the man left his room and Toga slowly came back to sit on his bed. Even she seemed to sense his destroyed mood.

"I... I know what happened, Izuchan," she mumbled.

He stayed silent.

Toga gulped. "Do you- do you want me to text him? Let him know that you're okay?"

He looked up at her. his grip on his phone loosened. She took that as confirmation.

She clicked on the only notifications Izuku had, all of them from the same person, Sero. She didn't know who the boy was, but she figured he was this Sero person. After typing up a quick message, explaining that she wasn't Izuku, but he was okay, she sent the phone back on Izuku's bed.

She grabbed a bottle of painkillers off the nightstand, but Izuku shook his head before she could even open them.

"You should take them, they'll help."

"Don't need them," he mumbled.

Toga sighed and set the bottle next to his phone on the bed. "Take them, they'll help you get better."

Izuku just glared at her.

"The faster you get better, the faster you can go see him."

He clenched his teeth, but slowly reached his hand out. Toga smiled in victory, handing him two pills and another glass of water.