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Deku for the longest time was the number two hero. He had done everything right he did the smile ,held the kids, kissed the babies , and of course saved the people. He just never could pass his lifelong childhood friend. Until one day he got the notification that he was the number one hero. Although it truly didn't sit well with him. Something was off. Bakugou would never let go of that title not until his dying breath.
Turns out Deku was right. It was his dying breath. Bakugou Katsuki had died at the young age of twenty four. His last battle was recorded even. Deku almost couldn't bring himself to play the video he knew the outcome. Just something pushed him to press play. Something made him watch as his oldest friend slash rival fell. His last words gripping at his heart.
"Izuku, I'm sorry." His final words were to Deku himself. Out of everyone it was to him. Deku felt his tears prick and roll down his cheeks. No. This couldn't be happening he's not dead. He was going to come bursting through those doors and announce himself the victor of the fight.
Deku dropped his phone running. He had to see it for himself to prove him wrong. Kacchan was too strong he couldn't of been dead. It wasn't like him.
As he got out side he released his power into his legs jumping over anything in his way. What he saw was something he'd rather have never seen. The Bakusquad, as their class had lovingly called them, where all laying lifeless on the ground. Paramedics were dashing to get to them. Kirishima was over on a rock a metal rod sticking from where his heart should have been. Denki was chard to a crips standing in a battle position. He only knew it was one of his ultimate moves due to how long he studied each of them.
Sero was hanging from the powerlines his tape seemingly still pushing itself out of his arms. Deku looked around for Mina he could have only assumed either she was already taken or died somewhere where he couldn't have seen. Finally his eyes drifted to the center of the battlefield. In all of his glory there he stood. His muscles locked in his final stance he had taken. His face was purely in rage. Holding so much hate for who ever that villain was.
According to the video the villain had killed all of them before he got to Bakugou. Ignoring the man completely as his toe spray his family while he was helpless to do anything about it.
Deku wanted to walk up to him, but he was pulled back by the paramedics urging him to help calm the crowd.
The strongest team to come out of the UA in years was dead. Five heroes lights ripped from their chest in seconds. Extinguished as if they were tiny embers. No this couldn't be happening. It's impossible, but the truth still stands before him.
It was a few day after the initial battle. The funeral was going smoothly. All of their class had shown up. They all had seen the news and made the preparations to come out there before it was announced. The public funeral where they would be barrier would be on Friday. Today was only for friends and family.
Deku couldn't of been more devastated. Hardly anyone from Bakugou’s family showed up. Only his father. He knew that Bakugou had a fight with his parents about his love life, but he didn't think that they would've held it even in death against him. Deku had given the man kneeling at his son's casket some space. He didn't mean too overhear the words tumbling out of his mouth.
“My baby boy, i'm sorry, i'm so fuckign sorry that I didn't fix things before you left us. I thought we had time. I thought you'd come home and we could be a family again. I'm sorry I should've been a better father, I loved you so much. I still love you Katsuki more than you'll ever know.”
Deku put his hand on his shoulder.
“Are you happy? You're the number one hero now. Come to gloat in his face? You bastard can't you give him a day of rest before you come and ruin it all with your presence. He hated you.” the anger rippled from this man like rocks being dropped into water. He grabbed Deku’s jacket and held him. Shaking him with everything he had. It wasn't much. The man barely moved him. His voice trailing off with each shake.
“I will never be happy. Being number one was my goal in life, but I never wanted it to be like this. Never like this.” Midoriya had whispered. He had meant it too. All he ever wanted was Kacchan to be his friend. To be his rival that pushed him to be better. He never wanted him to die. Not until he was old and gray.
Others pulled them apart. Fearing a fight. Uraraka had pulled him into a hug when she saw him. She didn't say anything, he was honestly grateful for that. He didn't have much to say. He felt like someone had ripped something from deep within him. He never would of thought losing the man that bullied him relentlessly through primary school would hurt this much, but he was also the man that pushed himself and strived after in the UA. They had fought so many times with a understanding of each other. He remembered the score they had left in his books. Two thousand three hundred and fifty six fights. Deku had lost most of the fights they had until he had gotten All Might’s quirk. They almost were tied now with wins and loses. Although now the standings were permanently suspended.
Midoriya choked back a sob. He was really gone wasn't he? Finally the tears came. He fell to his knees pulling Urkaka with him, she rubbed his back and whispered calming words to him, but none of it mattered. The man he considered his oldest rival, no, his oldest friend was dead and he wasn't coming back. He couldn't be there in that room anymore. He had already said his goodbyes, he needed to leave.
Pushing Uraraka off of him he ran. Faster than Ilda, faster than Tysu faster than all of them. What could he have done anyway. It was just too suffocating to be in there any longer. He ran until he couldn't. Ending up at a mountain range. He didn't remember which. Midoriya screamed until his vocal chords refused to make sound. It wasn't fair.
It took him seven years to come back to the memorial sight. Back to the grave that held his friends bodies their souls were free of. He sat on the grave and leaned his back up against it.
“Bakugou, I found him.” he started his voice wavering heavily, “I found the man who took all of your lives. I told them already I put flowers on Ashido’s grave earlier and the others. I told them what had happened. Now i'm here to tell you. I killed him, with no remorse ripped him apart like he was paper. He didn't even have a chance to scream. I killed him with my own two hands. The bastard deserved a lot more then that I just was so angry. After all these years I found him hiding, like the bastard he was. God, fuck, how did he kill you? How? You were all too strong to be killed by just one man.”
He felt the wind pick up. Midoriya felt nothing. He didn't look up, he didn't open his eyes.
“You know I'm being haunted by you. I keep seeing you everywhere. You were there in your new suit you got when you first started Absolute Zero Agentcy with them. I remember the tabloids going crazy. It was one of the first times they caught you smiling on camera. The first genuine smile they had ever caught. Your popularity skyrocketed. Along with the others. You were in front of my bed the first time i saw you. You were frowning, why were you frowning? The next time it was at a diner at our home town. You looked so lost.”
The wind picked up again. Still he didn't look up.
“The third time i was in a mission, one just like the robbery in the summer classes of the UA remember that one? The one where All Might played the villain? Yeah, I could hear your voice you called me a bastard. Then the other keep happening you kept showing up. The others think i'm unwell. Shoto, he says I need to come home and get help. I can’t go home yet I need to save more people.”
His voice is becoming weaker, his eyes still closed as he struggled for a breath.
“Kacchan, I think I'm sick in the head. I can't do anything without seeing you. Why did you latch on to me? Out of everyone why me?” he was met with silence. He expected that. The wind pushed against his body a bit harder now.
“Weren't we friends? Or at least on our way to being friends? I know it was in our nature to fight, it was just how we were. Right? Why won't you leave me alone? Why, Kaachan, why? Did you really hate me this much?”
The wind grew quite gently whipping at his face, almost as if it was trying to push away his tears.
“Kacchan, I loved you like a brother. You were on most day a part of the inspiration I got. I have a whole book dedicated to you in my hero analysis books. I finally got them published actually. They are in the newest UA textbook. You are already immortalized in many ways, but I thought you'd like this way the best. Kids will learn about you and forever be in awe of you.”
Midoriya coughed his body rippling with pain.
“ Today I fought, One for All. The media says I won. He was obliterated. Nothing was left of him, after the fight. I walked away from the battle, but it was my last battle. My successor, of two years now will be graduating in a year, Natsu is his name. He reminds me a bit of Kirishima. He was born quirkless like me, but has a strong heart a good head on his shoulders, I'm proud of him. He will do well.”
The wind was pushed against his shoulders once more.
“I think, I'm dying Kacchan. I got hurt in my battle. I just had to tell you. That if it wasn't for you I don't think I would've won the fight. I saw you again. When the final shot was taken. You were with me almost like we were punching him together. Only in his final breath he told me it was him who killed you. As soon as he was on the ground I ripped him apart. I think I had said something different before, I'm sorry my mind is too foggy right now.”
The wind settled. If he would have opened his eyes right then he would have seen Bakugou’s ghost trying to reach out to him. I was too late though. The hero named Deku, had closed his eyes for the final time. Bakugou knelt in front of him putting his forehead on the other mans.
“I wanted you to move on Izuku, bastard why didn't you let go?” the ghost stood and walked around to the grave resting upon its back. They could finally rest. He could move on. He didn't have to worry about his old childhood friend anymore. They were free.
When the world found its new symbol of peace the next morning they were shocked. He had disappeared in the night without a trace. The world was shocked to find him dead on a grave of his oldest friend and, in all of his interviews form seven years ago till now, his hero ,Bakugou Katsuki.