Chapter Text
Two hours.
Two hours had passed since they first left the USJ. Two hours of thought-spiraling despair while being stuck sitting on a shitty plastic waiting room chair in an empty hallway alone. Katsuki's knee was bouncing insistently as he used his nails to pick at his gloves. He had already unraveled some stitching and was absentmindedly working at a new seam. Katsuki's eyes stayed on the office door approximately ten meters away. Izuku was behind that door. Alone.
When they first left the USJ, Snipe instructed the driver to take them to an outbuilding at the edge of the UA campus, clearly only used for offices by the non-hero staff. Two paramedics were waiting for them in the lobby. Katsuki tolerated the one medic covering his back in bruise cream. At the same time, the other was able to reset Izuku's shoulder and partially heal the broken bones with a quirk. Due to the partial disintegration of Izu's elbow needing more imaging before treatment, the medics had tried to force Snipe into taking Izuku to the hospital before questioning. However, Snipe insisted that neither boy was to leave campus until Nedzu spoke to them. The paramedic compromised with Snipes' promise to take them to Recovery Girl when Nedzu was done questioning and left it at that. Paramedics didn't have the authority to overrule Hero commands and could only do so much. They had given Izuku a sad smile but made sure to fill him up with as many pain killers as they could without causing him to become incognizant.
After both boys were treated, wrapped in clean bandages, and Izuku's arm set in an immobilizing sling, Snipe led them to where they were now. With a firm shove to his shoulder, Snipe planted Katsuki's ass in the chair, "Stay here, Akatani, don't try anything funny, or you will regret it." His other hand on Izuku's good shoulder led the green-haired teen two doors down and into a room, closing the door behind. KEM wanted to scream, rage, and tell Snipe he could shove this chair where the sun doesn't shine, to grab Jack and run. But he didn't. Katsuki knew they had to play this out so as not to make more enemies when they didn't even know who their allies were at that moment.
Aizawa was gravely injured but was getting treatment. His family was at his side where they needed to be. But that also meant their only true allies in the Hero side of this world were not an option at this moment. For the first time since meeting the man, Katsuki felt he could trust Eraserhead wholly to have their best interests at heart, but because of their actions, Eraser wouldn't be jumping in to save them anytime soon. With Eraser so injured, would Present Mic or Shinsou want to help them after everything at the USJ? Katsuki knows what Shinsou said to him at the base of the stairs, but Shinsou also doesn't know everything that was going on. Once he learned that Izuku was Jackalope, a criminal analyst who just recently started doing work for the 'good' guys. Once, he knew that KEM moonlighted as a not-vigilante for months while they lived on the streets. That they have stolen food and money. That they have killed to survive. Would he want anything to do with them then? Would the USJ attack even have happened if Jackalope and KEM didn't exist?
Katsuki felt a headache forming behind his eyes. This dull, fiery pain came with dehydration and overuse of his quirk. Katsuki pulled off his gloves and rubbed his eyes as he leaned back against the dull taupe colored wall. Katsuki felt a few tears well up that were quickly massaged away. He was tired. The USJ was the most prolonged fight he had ever been in, let alone one so high stakes. An image of the bird monster flashed in his mind along with the fear he felt for Izuku being near that thing, but Katsuki shoved those emotions to the bottom of the stack. There was no place for fear while waiting for Nedzu. Fear would just make things worse. Stay mad, stay strong, stay focused.
Leaning forward on his arms, Katsuki locked his eyes on the door that Snipe escorted Izuku through and started his vigil. After about thirty minutes, Snipe emerged, causing Katsuki to begin to rise from the chair before Snipe put a hand up to stop him.
"Still waiting on Nedzu, Kid. Just relax." Snipe said while approaching Katsuki. "Your friend in there isn't a real talkative one, huh?"
Katsuki bit his cheek from smirking and just shrugged, watching the Hero lean against the wall across from him. Snipe crossed his arms, kicked up a heel, and looked down at Katsuki.
"You know this is a complete mess. It doesn't look good on you as a UA student who is in association with villains. Let alone villains who have the gall to attack UA directly." Snipe hummed, watching the teen.
' Oh, so it's my turn for fucking interrogation, huh? ' Katsuki couldn't help but think as he leaned back, crossing his arms, mimicking Snipe, not saying anything.
"So, you don't care about your standin' at UA?"
Katsuki shrugged once more before throwing Snipe a bone, "Didn't want to come here to start with."
"You had the highest scores on the entrance exam, and you didn't want to come to UA? Why even apply?" Snipe sounded surprised.
"I applied before I knew how discriminatory UA is." Katsuki huffed, rolling his eyes.
"UA has the strongest anti-discrimination rules out of all hero schools in Japan." Snipe tilted his head slightly.
"And isn't that fucking saying it all." Katsuki huffed, looking at the door where Izuku was.
Snipe was quiet for a few moments before speaking up again, "How are you associated with the one called Jackalope?"
Katsuki didn't bother reacting.
"Why did a villain come running to you after the fight?
Katsuki's eye twitched, and he gritted his teeth; he wanted to scream that Izuku wasn't a villain, but this wasn't the time or place. He stayed silent.
"Your friend in there also pulled the silent treatment on me. I'm telling you the same I told him. It's better to work with us now than drag this out, Kid. We can't help you if you don't help yourself."
Katsuki rolled his eyes.
"Alright, I'll leave you to Nedzu. He is the one you should fear since it was his domain that was attacked. I'll just ask one more question. Did you know about the attack beforehand?" Snipe uncrossed his arms and stepped forward to tower over Katsuki.
Katsuki uncrossed his arms and leaned forward to look up at Snipe. "No."
Snipe seemed to stare into his soul before nodding once. "I am going to be posted at the end of this hall. It's a dead end, so if you try anythin' funny', you must get past me, but I'll give you space for now. Midnight will be joining us shortly until Nedzu is able to free himself from the mess at the USJ."
Snipe walked down the hall, his cowboy boots echoing with each step. The Hero only moved a few meters away from Katsuki but behind a corner to give the illusion of solitude, and Katsuki resumed his vigil.
Katsuki's patience was running thin after the first hour alone, one of his gloves being picked to shreds. Midnight had indeed made a short appearance, discussing something quietly with Snipe, but she never entered the hallway. Not a sound could be heard behind the door where Izuku was. Katsuki's mind kept conjuring images of Izuku bleeding out from his wounds in here, even though he knew that was unlikely unless Izuku purposely harmed himself. Which was a whole deeper, darker thought spiral that Katsuki had to shut down.
At the two-hour mark, Katsuki had to move. His body was protesting the chair, the bruises on his back were throbbing, and his head felt like it was going to crack open. Flexing his sore hands, he began to pace back and forth from wall to wall in the hall. Katsuki knew the moment he started towards the door, Snipe would return and "watch" him. Katsuki preferred the solitude; he would rather worry alone than keep up the mask of indifference with the Hero. So, he paced back and forth, less than two meters of space, but it was enough. Katsuki wished this hall had windows, but of course, It didn't; that would have been an escape risk, but these plain neutral-colored walls were starting to really piss the teen off. Each time he walked enough to meet a wall, he let his boots kick it slightly, scuffing it to disturb its pristine appearance.
The sound of a door falling closed echoed through the hall, causing Katsuki to pause. Multiple set footsteps could be heard approaching, and Katsuki felt a spike of fear strike his heart. This was it. Would Nedzu have Izu's back? Would they both be going to jail? Would they be forced to go back to their parents? What would happen with Izuku? He was already declared dead; would he go to jail or the system? Would he have to go back to the old hag? Separated? Branded as villains and forced to go on the run? Katsuki already knew he would do anything to keep them both out of jail, even if they had to turn to villainy. Dry swallowing hard, Katsuki settled back into the chair, allowing the mask of annoyance to settle over his face as his knee bounced once more.
From around the corner, a vaguely familiar face emerged; a taller man with black hair and a long trench coat was rubbing his eyes, nodding while a white-furred mammal balanced on the man's shoulder. Snipe waved his hand down the hall towards Katsuki and then the door. They were clearly discussing what was going on here. Black beady eyes locked with Katsuki's red, causing a shiver of fear to run down the teen's spine. In most cases, Nedzu was impossible to read, but his eyes felt cold, and his fur was bristled, clearly agitated. That is not a good sign.
The two newcomers started down the hall, leaving Snipe behind as they approached, pausing only when they got to Katsuki.
"Mr. Akatani, if you could please come with us, I am sure this conversation will be better with everyone together." Nedzu's voice chirped from his position on the man's shoulder.
Katsuki nodded once and stood, leading toward the door where Izuku was. The handle turned without resistance, and Katsuki stepped in. Izuku's head shot up from looking at his lap, his green eyes wide and teary. Izuku's mouth opened to call out to Katsuki as the teen entered the room, but with a gentle shake of his head and the sight of Nedzu behind Katsuki, Izuku fell quiet. The room was a basic conference room with a small rectangular table in the middle, six chairs, and a large presentation screen. Izuku sat on the table's far side, and Katsuki quickly joined him while the man closed the door behind them. Nedzu hopped down and stood on the table between the teens while the man.
"Hello, I am Detective Tsukauchi, badge number Delta-68947. I will be conducting this interview. I have interviewed the rest of your class, Akatani, and will take your statement." The Detective announced as he pulled out his notepad and recording device.
"And, of course, I am Principal Nedzu!" The mammal announced, his eyes never leaving the teens. Izuku slowly shifted his foot so that it was flush with Katsuki's boot, a small reminder that they both were not alone. "Detective, before we begin, would you be interested in a coffee or water? I believe that just down the hall where we met Snipe was a small breakroom. While this floor is not used normally, I do believe the fridge is stocked with excess water and canned coffee. I think these young men would also appreciate some water. Do you mind?"
Tsukauchi looked up from his notes, gave the teens a once over, and nodded. "Coffee sounds good. I woke up early because of this insanity. I'll need the fuel to write the report after this. Would you like anything, Nedzu?"
"No, thank you!" Nedzu clapped his paws together as the Detective stood and exited the room. The silence was deafening as the principal stood on the table staring at them. Izuku fidgeted under the mammal's gaze, picking at the sling his arm was in, the bandages still bright white, indicating that he had, in fact, not bled out. Katsuki crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair, keeping his mask of annoyance up. Both teens looked like shit. Izuku was covered in dust and bloodstains from his fight, Katsuki sweaty and disheveled from his. But as soon as the Detective's footsteps could not be heard, Nedzu spoke.
"This was not how I had hoped to meet you face to face, Jackalope."
Izuku flinched as he nodded, "Wasn't my p.plan either." Izuku's voice sounded harsh as if he had been crying but trying to put on the Jackalope mask. Katsuki bumped his foot, a silent promise they were together.
Nedzu's whiskers twitched as he turned to look at Katsuki. "While I have interacted with Jackalope in the past, I am going to assume that you go by the moniker KEM? Is that correct, Akatani ?" Katsuki bristled at how Nedzu said his alias; clearly, the principal knew more than he was letting on but nodded once. Best to play along for now.
Nedzu sighed and ran his paws over his fur, soothing it. "As much as I love mind games, and I greatly look forward to learning more about how you operate Jackalope, I think for the interest of time here I am going to show my hand, so to speak, because I need you to trust me." Nedzu paused, making sure both teens were paying close attention.
"We know who you are. I know you are the runaway Midoriya Izuku and Bakugo Katsuki. I know you are the underground analyst Jackalope and his right-hand KEM. But I will tell you that is not important right now ." Katsuki fought the urge to stand, blast the Rat bastard through the wall, grab Izu, and run. But chewing on the inside of his cheek, Katsuki looked at Izuku, who was staring at Nedzu in terror.
"It's not important right now because of the USJ attack. All statements collected at the scene indicate that you, Jackalope, upon realizing where you were at the start of the attack, turned against the League of Villains. The Detective and I need to hear what happened from your side of the story. That is what we are doing here. But you are not under arrest."
"What?" Izuku whispered, confused.
"Because accounts say you did not lay a finger on my students, and I believe their stories. The Jackalope I have worked with thus far, I do not believe they would harm my students. UA will have 72 hours to press charges on you, charges being criminal trespassing and possibly conspiracy. I know you have many questions; I know this is confusing. I'm sure it feels like everything you both have worked for hangs at the tip of a blade, a blade held in my paw. But I am asking you to trust me. Give me 72 hours. I will ask that you be placed in UA custody for the next few days. Immediately after this interview, we will take you to the medical wing. Recovery Girl will see to both of your wounds. After that, I will bring you dinner, and we will have the first of many discussions, I am sure. But I swear to you, at the end of the 72 hours, if you are not happy with the plans we may make, you will be able to leave without anyone stopping you. I may have to leave a door or two unlocked and admit I have no clue where you escaped to, but I will not imprison you. I swear that."
Izuku's mouth was opening and closing, trying to find the words before he looked at Katsuki, confused. Katsuki didn't want to believe this; this was the same tactic Eraser pulled with them to trust him. Telling them everything they didn't know upfront. But where was the lie? Eraser knew who they were now, and Nedzu took down Aldera because of how they treated Izuku. Izuku has done work with Nedzu before for cases, multiple from the sounds of it, and Izuku had never complained about Nedzu being an unfair client. Had Eraser spoken to Nedzu about Izuku's rejection from UA? Was Nedzu the one who rejected him? What did Nedzu do with their information thus far? He knew who Katsuki was, yet he was allowed to continue in class 1-A. None of the principal's actions made sense, yet he asked them to trust him. Trust him when he holds the power to determine the rest of their story. To define them as heroes or villains.
"Why?" Katsuki demanded his dry throat, which caused his voice to crack.
"Why what?" Nedzu's ear twitched.
"It's the same fucking question I asked Eraserhead. WHY the fuck do you care?" Katsuki felt his anger rising.
"Because I have seen the damage the world has done to you both, and I refuse to take away your freedom of choice. No human is truly free; there are too many rules and laws that define your species. But choice is the only freedom you are born with, and I will not take that from you. I understand all too well what happens when I see people who do not think they have a choice in life. I am asking for 72 hours for you to make a choice with all information available to you." Nedzu stated calmly, his dark eyes full of sympathy.
Katsuki turned to Izuku. The smaller teen's eyes were wet, on the cusp of spilling tears as he reached out with his good hand under the table, not attempting to hide his movements, and held onto Katsuki's forearm. Katsuki let his hand rest on Izuku's knee, and they had a silent conversation with their eyes.
For wanting to give them the freedom to choose, Nedzu had them in a corner here. Go with the Rat's plan, hope Eraser and Mic don't hate them, and then… unknown. Or what? Run and be on the run for who knows how long? But how was that different from when they made the deal with Giran? They didn't know what they were getting into then either and were doing nothing but running then, too. Izuku looked exhausted; maybe being Jackalope was starting to be too much for one wickedly intelligent teen. Katsuki sighed and closed his eyes first; he would follow Izuku again for this. If Izu wants to run and stick to his side of the plan, KEM will be there to back him.
Izuku gripped Katsuki's arm, "72 Hours."
Nedzu nodded with a slight grin, which Katsuki instantly hated, "Thank you. Now, I expect Tsukauchi to be returning in the next 34 seconds. He and I have already discussed that this interview will focus on the USJ. Once we have had more private discussions, he may need to take more statements later, but you can also trust him."
Katsuki rolled his eyes at trusting a cop, but Izuku just nodded along as footsteps once more could be heard approaching. Nedzu winked at them once before allowing his features to settle into a look of indifference just as the door opened. Tsukauchi returned with his arms, holding four bottles of water and sipping from a can of coffee.
"Welcome back, Detective!" Nedzu chirped.
"I looked for some tea, but there wasn't any," Tsukauchi said while setting down the waters, placing one in front of everyone. Slowly and clearly, he held Izuku's bottle of water for a moment longer, twisting open the cap for the wounded teen, allowing them all to hear the seal being broken in the moment before setting the open bottle down.
"Th.Thank you," Izuku mumbled before drinking a long drink. Katsuki stared at the water in front of him. He knew the moment he cracked that open, he would chug the entire bottle and probably need more to ease the dehydration of his body. He didn't want anyone in this room to know how rough of shape he was; Katsuki could go without water until he could drink his fill in private. But Izuku kicked him lightly, his eyes flicking between Katsuki and the water. He knew how dehydrated Katsuki was, and after such a long fight, Izuku knew Katsuki had to suffer.
Looking over Nedzu and Tsukauchi, Katsuki sighed, reached out, and cracked open his bottle. His mouth and throat instantly felt better as the clear, cold liquid seemed to wash the grit away. Within seconds, the bottle was empty, causing the adults to share a look of concern. Izuku, after drinking half of his bottle, placed his in front of Katsuki, encouraging him to drink more.
"Would you like more water?" Tsukauchi asked, looking at Katsuki; the man had eye bags almost as deep as Erasers.
"M' Fine," Katsuki mumbled, pushing Izuku's bottle back at him.
"Please have mine. I am not thirsty." Nedzu placed his unopened bottle in front of Katsuki, causing the teen to frown more.
"I'm fuck'n-"
"He is dehydrated, thank you," Izuku spoke up, his voice more determined after getting a drink and slightly settled after Nedzu's speech. Katsuki clicked his teeth in annoyance.
"Ah, I will be sure to let Recovery Girl know to be ready with fluids then." Nedzu nodded as he pulled out his phone and tapped away at it. With a growl, Katsuki grabbed the second water bottle and downed half of it, leaving some to sip at. His headache was already starting to ease, the intense throbbing lessening to a dull ache.
Tsukauchi frowned slightly before setting up his recording device. "Now, before we start with the statements, I need to inform you that I have a passive quirk that I can not turn off. It allows me to detect who is telling me the truth or lies. Please be truthful in your statements, as I will be checking."
Izuku's eyes lit up at the mention of his quirk, but he kept quiet as both teens nodded in acknowledgment. Nedzu watched Izuku closely as the analyst was excited at the mention of the quirk.
"Thank you. We will now begin starting with you, Akatani. Please state your name, quirk, and class for the record?"
A trick question right off the bat. The Detective was acting as if he didn't know their other identities. Katsuki pressed his lips together before responding, "I go by Akatani Katsu or Kat for short. I make shit explode, and I am in class 1-A." Framing the answer as truth even if it wasn't. The corner of Tsukauchi's eye seemed to twitch involuntarily, and he locked eyes with Katsuki as he spoke.
"True. Could you please explain in your own words what happened today?"
"We had a field trip to the USJ, got there, and shit hit the fan."
"True, but could you elaborate?" Nedzu's whiskers twitched in amusement while Tsukauchi seemed to deflate.
"Fine. So, we got to the USJ, Aizawa and Thirteen were going over rules or some shit. I don't know. I was kicking Eyebags awake and wasn't paying much attention."
"Eyebags?"
"Shinsou, he didn't sleep last night. Anyway, we were at the top of the steps, and we heard voices. Looking at the courtyard, I saw these massive purple clouds and then people. A fuck ton of them. These people were there yelling about wanting to kill All Might, and this one turned against the rest." Katsuki's eyes couldn't help but drift to Izuku as he continued to speak. "Aizawa-sensei tasked me with getting the rest of the class out of the fucking USJ with Thirteen, and we were running. Until that warp fucker blocked the door. His name is Kurogiri; by the way, he listens to the one covered in stupid hands. I blew a hole in the doors for Glasses, fuck, he is Vice Prez, um… Iida?"
"Iida with the engine quirk?" Nedzu confirmed, clearly amused.
"Yeah, him. He ran off to get help, and the cloud fucker teleported me to the ruins portion of the USJ with Shar- Kirishima. We fought some criminals there; they had bats and knives. Fucking nothing to take them down, two ran off at the end of the fight. And then we went to help at the courtyard."
"One moment, you said two criminals ran off at the end?" Tsukauchi was taking notes in his book.
"I might have let them go; they were harmless, and I regretted being there," Katsuki answered, annoyed at being interrupted again.
"True, did you know these criminals?"
"No."
"True, thank you. Please continue."
Katsuki rolled his eyes but continued with his condensed story. "I told Sharky to look for hurt people while I took a chance at Kurogiri. I was able to get behind him and attack, thinking they wouldn't be able to escape if he was taken out. That's when there was this stand-off with the bird monster – "
"Nomu. The bird monster is called Nomu." Izuku muttered as he picked at his sling once more.
Katsuki was shocked but nodded. "Yea, shitty Nomu. It crushed Aizawa's arms and then his face into the floor. I tried to take out cloud fucker, but he deflected most of my blasts back towards me. Then All Might was there. He gathered me, Shinsou, Frogger, Sharky, and Aizawa at the base of the steps and ran off without a word. He was fighting Nomu. I found the leader of the villains, Shitty, something I can't remember. And was threatening me before Snipe shot him, and they vanished."
The room fell to silence as Katsuki's story ended. Tsukauchi looked like he wanted to pull his hair out, knowing that wasn't the whole truth, but Katsuki technically didn't lie. Nedzu looked amused.
"True…. Thank you. How did you end up alone with the leader of the villains at the end there?"
' Fuck .' Katsuki wasn't sure how to truthfully lie about this one. The silence started to set in when Izuku spoke up.
"Because he was drawn into the fight because Shigaraki and I were fighting. He was collateral to that fight."
"True; please state who you are for the recording."
"Jackalope."
"True, so you say Akatani was drawn into your fight?"
"At the end, yes, right before the heroes arrived."
"True, thank you. Your interview will start shortly. I just have a few more questions for Akatani. These are standard questions I asked all members of class 1-A. First, did you know about the attack before it happened?" Tsukauchi sighed.
“No.” Katsuki huffed.
"True. Do you have any association with any of the villains who attacked the USJ?"
"No."
Tsukauchi's eye twitched again. "Partial truth, please elaborate."
"I know Jack. And Jack isn't a shitty villain, so no, I didn't know any of the villains; I knew Jackalope."
Nedzu had to rub his snout to hide his whiskers from twitching.
"True. How do you know Jackalope?"
"I've done work for him." Katsuki hedged his bet on this answer. Tsukauchi's eye didn't twitch, but he looked at the teens as if he knew it wasn't the complete answer.
"True. Very well, did Jackalope ever attack any students at the USJ?"
"Hell fucking NO. The moment he realized he was at the USJ, I watched him draw his sword and attack handy fuck. He did nothing but attack the villains."
"True. Thank you. This concludes the interview and Akatani Katsu's statement." Tsukauchi paused the recording, sighed, and started a new page of notes. "Thank you for your cooperation. I am sorry you had to experience this as a first year."
"It's whatever." Katsuki huffed, crossing his arms once more.
"It's not 'whatever.' first-year hero students are meant to be tested and pushed but not in actual life-threatening situations. I know there have been some previous accidents during training, and now this. I personally apologize for the issues UA has caused you, Akatani. It is not what the school stands for, and I will correct it as much as possible." Nedzu gave Katsuki his sole attention before giving a partial bow.
Katsuki hated this attention and just nodded once, refusing to say more. He wasn't the real victim of the school. Nedzu's actions with the school didn't mean shit to him.
"Jackalope, if you are ready for your interview?" The Detective cleared his throat as he prepared a fresh note page. Izuku's lips pressed into a firm line before nodding once.
"Then we will begin; you stated your name was Jackalope, and from other student accounts, that was the name the villains called you as well. Do you go by any other aliases?"
"Yes," silence settled in the room for a moment.
"I assume you will not share those other aliases?"
"No."
"Very well. What is your quirk?"
Silence once more.
Tsukauchi sighed and made a note before continuing, "Could you please explain the events that led to the attack on the USJ? All accounts state you arrived with the villains." The Detective looked exhausted.
"How f.fast can you take notes?" Izuku pinched his hand when he stuttered. Katsuki nudged his foot again, letting Izuku feel he wasn't alone. But he leaned back on his chair, balancing two legs, and looked smug. This was going to be funny.
"I'm pretty good with shorthand, but that is also why I record the interviews; I can always get more detailed notes for my report later."
Izuku seemed to think that over, eyes staring at the recording device. Nedzu seemed to be watching Izuku curiously. Suddenly, Izuku just relaxed. As if he wasn't just terrified of speaking seconds ago. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as his green eyes locked on Tsukauchi.
"I will tell you everything from today. You can ask questions after I'm done. Good luck with the notes." Izuku's voice was calmer, and something clicked for the teen. Katsuki could feel the steady confidence that Izuku typically had while they trained or when he did an analysis, calming the anxious teen. Katsuki couldn't help but wonder what Izuku had figured out, but he was proud of Izu for being able to know his worth at this moment.
The Detective nodded once, his pen poised over his notepad, "Whenever you are ready."
Izuku took a long, calming breath before he started speaking.
"I was hired to review a plan for them. I had previously told Kurogiri, the Warp Quirk holder, that I refused to work with them anymore because of Shigaraki Tomura, the man-child covered in hands. Shigi and I do not see eye to eye, and we have attacked each other in the past. Kurogiri offered a significant amount of Yen for thirty minutes of my time and assured me that I would work on quirk evaluations only with him. In the end, I agreed. So, I went to the normal pick-up spot. Kurogiri warped me to their hideout. No, I do not know the location of their hideout. I always went to the alley behind the 7/11 near the fish market for Kurogiri to warp me in. I have never left the hide out directly, so I don't know its physical location. I can tell you it's a bar, but there are no logos or remnants of logos either for booze or the bar itself. I'm not sure if Kurogiri cleans it that well. The bar is in OK condition but could also be a prop. I have never seen patrons, but there is a TV at the end of the bar that is always on but showing nothing. I have a feeling it's monitoring or a way to communicate with someone else. Once I got to the bar, Shigi was there, acting like he was on cloud nine, bouncing around with his gross hands. I don't know where he got the hands, I think they are embalmed real human hands, but I have not touched them to know. I told Kurogiri to send me back because he knew I refused to work near or with Shigi. After some discussion, Kurogiri promised that while they reviewed the plan, Shigi would be preoccupied with something else and then warped all three of us to a large warehouse. No clue where; I only saw the inside, but the sun was coming through on the right side of the windows, so it had to be an eastern-facing wall, and I could smell ocean brine with the rust, coastal somewhere. It is not run down and is clearly still in operational use. The warehouse was filled with criminals or people desperate enough to do stupid things for money. Once we got there, Shigi really went off the rails, claiming these people were his army of minions, pointing out the stronger ones, and started preaching his plan to me and those gathered. Only spoke in gamer lingo. Once Shigi starts talking, I don't bother trying to get a word in. He just throws a temper tantrum if interrupted. But while he was distracted by preaching, I started trying to text KEM to warn him about the attack. Yes, I knew he was in class 1-A, and I knew he had a field trip today, which is why I tried to warn him. But the same techno quirk that kept communication dead at the USJ also killed mine. You will see at least ten texts to KEM that I am sure have gone through to his phone by now confirming this. I attempted to warn as soon as I knew. Then I met Nomu. That is a genetically modified creature. I'm sure at some point, it was human, but I don't know how long ago. They have somehow synthetically forced more quirks into a living body. It had shock absorption, critical healing, enhanced speed, strength, toughness, and reflex. But it has no functioning thought. It is just a tool. I don't know how or where they created it. Clearly, they have more backing than I thought because Shigi is too stupid to be able to pull this off. That's when I knew I had to see this through, at least do what I can to limit damages…."
Izuku just kept talking. Filling the room with his words. He spoke about Shigiraki's quirk, mental state, and how Izuku thinks he is easily manipulated. Digging into Kurogiri's quirk, which always seemed to defy explanation, but if the League has scientists mutating quirks, it would provide more explanation to Kurogiri's. Izuku spoke about how kind Kurogiri was and always a conversationalist. Izu started listing every appearance and quirk he could analyze of those attacking the USJ. Katsuki realized about halfway through the list of people Izu was describing were all the people who directly attacked Eraserhead at the start of the attack, the rapist who screamed about being deaf, and all those who seemed particularly violent. But Izuku left out those he thought were desperate, never mentioning the wire-haired woman or chameleon man.
Any rational person would assume Izuku never saw them in action to report them like this, but Katsuki knew better. Katsuki knew Izuku didn't just miss a quirk he found interesting, which was all of them. No, Katsuki had to fight from barking out a laugh when he realized. ' This fucker has been hacking police databases again! ' Izuku was reporting everyone who already had a criminal background, people who were violent, and people who deserved to be caught. He was manipulating the narrative but providing so much information that this Detective would never be able to parse out what Izuku left out because he wasn't lying .
Detective Tsukauchi didn't stand a chance against the onslaught of information. He had already filled out at least five pages of notes, but Izuku hadn't even discussed his actions at the USJ yet. Nedzu, however, had his beady eyes locked in on Izuku as he spoke. The principals' whiskers would twitch occasionally with interesting tidbits of information, but slowly, quietly, the principal's tail began to sway back and forth on the table. Almost like a predator just watching, learning its prey, Katsuki instantly hated it. Nedzu's eyes never left Izuku as he continued to speak.
Izuku seemed to speak for at least an hour, providing in-depth details about the attackers, who and how they operate, how infuriated he was when Shigaraki tried to force him to be associated or join the League, how the Nomu attacked him when Shigi demanded it. Punching him through a plaster planter box and into the fountain. How Shigi decayed his skin and sword and threatened to hunt Jackalope and KEM down. Katsuki tried to keep up the cool indifference while Izuku spoke, just balancing his chair legs, while watching the Detective try and keep up. Katsuki couldn't help but smirk in amusement. Forcing the world to see who Izuku truly is was so satisfying to Katsuki, better than any middle finger he could throw.
When Izuku was done, the silence in the room felt deafening. Tsukauchi was working on his notes as Nedzu seemed to be thinking when Izuku finally took another drink of water. With a sigh, Tsukauchi seemed to pull on his hair as he straightened into his chair.
"True… Everything you said was true for the record. I… Thank you for your cooperation. Frankly, you are one of the most cooperative…. Well, not villain, I have interviewed. May I ask why you are providing so much detail?"
Izuku couldn't hide the smirk that pulled at his face. "Because I am an analyst, it's what I do."
"Is that the only reason?"
"No."
"May I know why else?"
"Because I am curious."
"Curious?"
"Yeah, I'm curious to know if you have all the same information as I do. All the details I know, from locations to quirks. Who will win?"
"Win what?" Nedzu asked, his voice controlled but clearly intrigued.
"Who will find them first? The cops, with national resources and hundreds of eyes seeking justice and wanting to bring them to court for due process…. Or me."
Nedzu burst out laughing maniacally, his small body shaking with amusement. Tsukauchi looked like he rolled over in his grave as he sighed.
"Please do not take matters into your own hands. But I will assure you that the police will do everything in its power to find these villains." Tsukauchi's tired eyes plead, looking at Izuku. Who just responded with a shrug.
"I do have a few questions. If you don't mind, I know we have been here for a while, and I do wish to get you both seen by Recovery Girl. But please bear with me. How did you become affiliated with Kurogiri and Shigaraki?"
Silence. Izuku began to pick at the sling again, his eyes locked on the Detective, but he refused to speak. Katsuki felt a bit of anxiety rise; if they answered this, they would be breaking the quirk deal they made with Giran. The silence stretched out longer.
"Jackalope?"
"No comment."
"You will not disclose how you became entangled in this?"
"No."
"Detective, I don't believe this is directly related to today's attack. Perhaps we can move on to your other questions?" Nedzu spoke up, surprising the teens.
"I suppose. OK, moving on. Jackalope, did you intend any harm to come to those at the USJ?" Tsukauchi asked, running his hand through his hair.
"No, after arriving at the USJ, I intended to harm Shigiraki for his stupidity and attempts to force me to join them. But I would never and have never attempted to harm any UA students outside of training with KEM." Izuku spoke clearly once more.
"True, who is KEM?"
Izuku turned to look at Katsuki, who just shrugged. Izuku nodded once, "He is."
"Akatani here?""
"Yes"
"True. What is your affiliation with the UA 1-A Student Akatani?"
"He is my information runner, and we train together." Izuku tried to appear disinterested, but the corner of the Detective's eye twitched. Tsukauchi shared a look with Nedzu, a silent communication between two who know more than they are willing to share now, but they had to play by the rules for the recording.
"Has Akatani ever shared UA Security protocols or sensitive details about the school with you?" Nezu asked Izuku, preventing the Detective from confirming or denying the truth.
"Never. He has complained about having a training session where a floor fell on his head but has never provided me with sensitive information on UA."
"True. Thank you both for your cooperation in this interview." Tsukauchi took a moment to close out the interview on the recording and put away his notes. "Now, I will be direct with you. Prior to getting statements from all the students and yourself, Jackalope, you were looking at multiple charges: Federal Trespassing, Conspiracy, Assault and Battery of Minors, Assault and Battery, and Mayhem minor…"
"That's BULLSHIT! Jack didn't do any of that?!?" Katsuki snapped forward in his chair, his fits hitting the table harshly.
"AS I said before the statements were collected. Those are the charges most of those captured will be facing. Jackalope has cleared him of most of the charges with his cooperation and the statements of your class. Federal trespass and assault are the two that could be pressed right now at UA's discretion and if Shigaraki comes forward to press charges for attacking him." Tsukauchi looked slightly annoyed at Katsuki's outburst but kept his tone level.
"If Shigi shows up to push charges on me, I will counter-sue," Izuku stated flatly.
"Yes, the likelihood of him coming forward is next to none, so in the end, you are looking at Federal Trespass at UA's discretion. As promised, you will receive medical care as UA has requested to hold you in their custody for 72 hours until UA determines whether to press charges."
Nedzu cut in, "While you will be within our custody, you will not be imprisoned; I just ask that for the next 72 hours, you do not leave UA Campus. Akatani, we have attempted to reach your emergency contacts due to this attack without any response. This is a major concern of ours, as your safety is our priority here. Additionally, you have received direct threats to your life by the villains who attacked, so UA will activate its emergency guardianship over you. Your homeroom teacher would be the one to be your direct guardian; however, due to his injuries from the attack, I will be stepping into that role until your guardians contact us or Eraserhead is well enough. As such, the two of you are welcome to stay together during your time here at UA. A double room has been prepared in the infirmary. Still, if you wish to have separate rooms, we will be happy to accommodate them."
Katsuki crossed his arms again with a scowl. He was wondering how Nedzu would keep him here as well; the emergency guardianship makes sense; through a rancid thought in the back of his head, he couldn't help but wonder if Eraser would even care moving forward. Izuku nodded along with Nedzu, agreeing that a double room was fine.
"Wonderful! If that is all, Detective, I believe Recovery Girl is back from the hospital and is ready for them." Nedzu clapped his paws together.
"Yes, thank you both for your time and cooperation again. I am sure we will speak again soon." Tsukauchi turned his direct attention to Katsuki; the man's tired eyes seemed to be studying him. It was almost as if he was searching for something in Katsuki. Locking eyes with the man now, knowing that he knew who Katsuki was without him saying so, it dawned on Katsuki. This was the man who told him to get out of the police station when Katsuki tried to report Izuku's abuse. Annoyance and rage flared through Katsuki's veins as he sneered at the man while looking away. Katsuki would play this game with Nedzu, that's fine, but any trust he may have had with this Detective, as minuscule as it was, was officially gone. Tsukauchi looked down, his mouth pressed to a firm line as he gathered his things.
Leaving the small conference room, the group approached Snipe, and after a few quick words, the Detective left to deal with the aftermath paperwork. Midnight had already left. Snipe and Nedzu escorted the teens back into an awaiting car and towards the main buildings on campus. Not much was said during this time; Snipe had given the two teens interesting looks. He was surprised they were not cuffed or in the back of a police car, but he kept comments to himself. Nedzu spent the time tapping away on his phone. As they were pulling up to the main buildings, Izuku softly asked, "Is Eraserhead OK?"
Nedzu put away his phone and looked at Izuku, "Yes, he will recover just fine. He had to have surgery on his face to reconstruct his orbital socket, but Recovery Girl has been to the hospital to see and heal him. He is still unconscious, but his family is with him. Frankly, this is also not the first time he has had both arms broken at once."
Izuku's eyes were watery as he nodded. "Thank you." Nedzu's own eyes softened before he turned to address Snipe.
"Snipe, thank you for your assistance with this. I will escort these two towards the infirmary wing. Please tell the staff that lives on campus that these two are under UA Guardianship for at least 72 hours, even with campus shut down, they are allowed and expected to be here."
Snipe nodded with a brisk 'yes, sir' and exited, following the paved paths past the main building and out of sight.
"Now, shall we?" Nedzu began walking through the halls leading them. Izuku gawked with every turn, his lower lip bit between his teeth to keep from mumbling facts about UA. No matter the situation, Izu was still a nerd. Katsuki dragged his heels as they walked; he really didn't care to see Recovery Girl. He knew she would have some comment about seeing him again, but he refused to leave Izuku's side. While Nedzu had been upfront thus far, Katsuki still felt on edge. They had 72 hours to figure out their shit or flee.
"I'm sure both of you have mixed feelings about all this. But I assure you, this evening, you will receive medical treatment, a hot meal, and rest. I will return with your dinner, and we may have a short discussion while you eat, but otherwise, I will leave you to rest. You did just go through a traumatic event, even if you do not feel that way about it now, and there is much to talk about moving forward, but that does not need to be tonight. We can see how things are in the morning and go from there. If there is anything you desire while you are here, please just ask." Nedzu spoke as he led them through the halls.
It was pushing late afternoon, and the school was empty. They crossed paths with a few janitor bots, but beyond that, the school was eerily quiet, save for Nedzu speaking softly to them. The Infirmary wing was the same; all the aid stations were dark, and there was none of the usual bustle of people. Nedzu entered one of the back rooms, which appeared to be some sort of recovery room, not a hospital room. Recovery Girl was already there, busily moving some papers around as she worked on notes. Her head snapped up when she heard the door open.
"Nedzu, I told you to send them to me an hour ago! You better have not been tormenting these boys." Recovery Girl slid from her stool, picked up her cane, and pointed it at the mammal.
"I apologize. Jackalope was very forthcoming with information, and it took a while to note it down. I brought them straight here as soon as we were done." Nedzu held up his paws in a shrug, clearly not bothered by the threat of the woman's cane.
Recovery Girl huffed but turned her attention to the teens. "Well, I am glad to see that you have gotten some medical attention thus far. Seeing how one of you is in bandages and the other is not, I am going to focus on you, dear Jackalope, was it?" Recovery Girl led them towards the two beds tucked around the bathroom corner, but both teens stopped short in surprise. On the first bed was Katuski's backpack, hero costume case, and a clean set of gym clothes neatly folded. On the other bed was Izuku's damaged sword and gym clothes as well. The sword had a bright red band across the hilt, peace tying it to its sheath.
"I took the liberty of having your things brought straight here. Powerloader has assessed your sword, Jackalope; he feels that the hilt and handle can be saved, but the blade will need to be recast. It is peace tied, as we request of all students who carry a blade at UA. Keeping secure in the sheath will also keep it from potentially breaking more until you determine what you would like to do with it." Nedzu chirped as he stood behind the teens.
Katsuki immediately dug through his bag to pull out his phone. As predicted, there were about twenty notifications from Izuku. There were a few from Shinsou and Kirishima, but Katsuki ignored those as he marched over to Nedzu and held out his phone, showing the notifications from Izuku.
"Thank you, Akatani. However, I had no doubts that he did attempt to warn you. If you would screenshot that and email it to me, I will add it to any reports that justify Jackalope's innocence in this matter."
Recovery Girl was helping Izuku out of his ruined Jackalope hoodie and dress shirt. Izuku was wearing a tanktop under it all, but the fading scars of his abuse were visible in the harsh lighting of the room. Katsuki hovered from his side of the room, keeping an eagle eye watch on the Heroine as she worked. Izuku was strangely quiet, not verbally answering questions but nodding yes or no, always facing her, keeping his back and many of his scars as hidden as he could.
"I am going to fetch your dinners; please take however long you need to get washed up and comfortable," Nedzu said without looking up from his phone as he left the room, leaving the teens to the mercy of the recovery hero.
After much poking, prodding, and a few X-rays, Izuku's arm was mostly healed. The dislocated shoulder was already set, and a quick kiss from Recovery Girl set that back to rights; Izuku did have multiple fractures in his arm, elbow, and one rib, and the kiss almost mostly healed, but Recovery Girl claimed that she didn't want to deplete him completely of energy before he showered so he was still stuck in a sling and bandages. The decayed flesh of his arm was cleaned and treated, but Recovery Girl was not happy.
"I see another scar like this on your bicep. It appears fresh but well-healed. Did you get this treated?"
Katsuki spoke up for that, "We know someone with a healing quirk. They checked it out, couldn't regrow the skin, of course, but they kept it from getting worse."
The Hero pressed her lips together as she looked over the old decay compared to the new. The new patch was along Izuku's forearm as if he used it to block Shigi's attack, spreading over his elbow. The area was still oozing blood. Muscles and ligaments could be seen clearly. There were a few smaller areas of decay, but it appeared that Shigiraki got more clothing than skin.
"I am going to clean and bandage this, but I would like to run some tests on synthetic skin before I try and heal this over. I strongly dislike the idea of leaving a scar so large on someone as young as yourself. I may be able to use a layer of synthetic skin to protect it while encouraging new healthy skin growth over the area. I don't see much damage to the ligaments. Can you move your fingers, dear?"
After a few more mobility tests, which caused Izuku to wince and pant lightly in pain, Recovery Girl finished the test and directed him to the showers. "I wrapped your bandages with a waterproof cover right now; once you are done, I can remove those to let the bandages breathe, but you have plaster still falling out of your hair. Please shower, deary." Izuku nodded, gathering up the gym clothes set out for him. Izu gave Katsuki a nervous smile and slipped into the bathroom. Katsuki wondered how much longer they had before Izuku broke down crying.
"How are you feeling, Akatani?" Katsuki jumped, startling him from staring at the now-closed bathroom door.
"'M Fine."
"I think I'll be the judge of that; Nedzu said you were dehydrated. Would you like more to drink or an IV?"
"Drink. I'm fucking fine; none of those d-list criminals got a good hit on me." Katsuki huffed while watching Recovery Girl prepare a large water bottle with the hydro powder.
"And I got a report that your own explosions were turned against your back?" Recovery Girl handed the water bottle to the teen. The shower in the bathroom could be heard turning on as Katsuki took a long drink of water. While Katsuki drank, Recovery Girl gently assessed his back; she did much of the same poking at Katsuki as she did with Izuku but eventually agreed that he was in well enough shape. Dehydrated, yes, with some mild contusions and burns on his shoulders, but he was in decent shape for fighting in an attack at this scale. Recovery Girl gave him a quick peck, and instantly, Katsuki felt exhausted.
The pain in his back and head kept him upright through the stress, but once that pain was eased, Katsuki felt himself deflate, leaning against a bed.
"Easy, dear, I'm going to finish up my notes. I suggest you get ready for a shower once your friend is done." Katsuki huffed but nodded as he slowly began to peel off his hero costume. He ensured that the Heroine's back was turned before stowing his bracers back into his backpack, not the costume case. Izuku emerged not long after, his face red, most likely from crying in the shower and attempting to wash it all away, but gave Katsuki an easy smile. Katsuki nodded once and went to shower himself. The hot water released more of the stress he felt about the day.
Katsuki allowed the hot water to cascade down his head and back as he pressed his forehead into the cool tile. His brain felt like rice porridge, thoughts sliding around, never sticking to one topic, emotions flipping between fear and rage. Katsuki closed his eyes and just willed himself to stop. Stop thinking. Stop fearing everything that was out of his control. Just STOP.
With a deep shuddering breath, Katsuki felt his mind go quiet. Numb. Another deep breath felt the last of his tense muscles release. He felt boneless, his forehead on the tile the only thing keeping him standing. But for the first time today, Katsuki just existed. There was nothing in his power at this moment. They needed rest and more information before they could plan. The proverbial rug has been pulled out from under them, and it would take time for them to get their feet under them again. Katsuki needed to settle. To be Izuku's calm in this storm.
Staying in the shower just long enough to properly wash, Katsuki was happy to put on clean, comfortable clothing before leaving the bathroom. Recovery Girl was gathering her things; the harsh overhead lights were off, and the room was cast in a warm glow from the bedside lamps. Izuku was already sitting on his bed, legs tucked under him, watching the Heroine.
"Nedzu should be back soon with Lunch Rush and your dinners. There is a phone on the desk here, dial 99 if you need anything. Get some rest, Dearies. I'll return in the morning to see how much more we can heal you, Jackalope. Akatani, make sure you drink the other water bottle I prepared tonight."
Katsuki huffed as he shoved the last of his dirty clothes into the costume case. "Sure. Thanks."
"Th.thank you, Recovery Girl," Izuku mumbled from his bed.
"No need to thank me. Just rest. I'm sure tomorrow will be busy for you both, even If the school is closed." She smiled softly at them and left the room.
Silence descended on the room. Katsuki was tempted to pull out his hearing aids to truly embrace the quiet, but he would wait until after their food arrived. He didn't expect an attack in the night, but he didn't want to be surprised at Nedzu's return. The sound of fabric shifting caused Katsuki to turn in time to be hugged around the waist by Izuku. Katsuki instinctively wrapped his arms around Izuku's shoulders.
Izuku leaned his head into Katsuki's chest, sniffling. "I ruined it all, didn't I?"
Katsuki sighed and hugged him tighter momentarily, "You didn't. That fucking Cloud Shithead and Hand Job Fuck did. This was not supposed to happen so soon."
"I should never have accepted the job. I knew the money was too good." Izuku whined, digging his head into Katsuki's chest.
"You are damn good at what you do, it fucking makes sense they would offer so much. We couldn't have fucking known they would betray you. Just from here on out, KEM is coming to the meetings." Katsuki gently tugged at Izuku's hair to make him look up. Izuku's eyes were wet, but it seemed that he got most of his tears out in the shower.
Izuku let out a wet snort, "If Jackalope even survives the next three days. Who is to say what I will be able to do at the end of this."
"Jackalope can't be killed because you are Jackalope. You know for a fact we won't go down without a fight. We ran before we could run again. I'll even punch Ass Might in the dick again to do it."
Izuku let out a wet laugh at the reminder of their first escape. "That's true. I just feel so guilty. I ruined the good thing we had going. Eraser got hurt so badly, but who knows if Mic and Hito will want anything to do with us? And now… Nedzu…”
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'll charbroil that Rat if he tries anything. You didn't ruin anything. We are still together, not in jail, and may still have options. We just gotta play this shit out for now." Katsuki sighed, giving Izuku one more tight squeeze. "I promise we will get through this just like we have so far."
"Kacchan is the best." Izuku whimpered, hugging him tighter. They held each other for a few moments, knowing they still had each other. It was just enough for now.
A soft knock on their door had the teens jumping apart from each other. Izuku quickly wiped at his face as Katsuki yelled out, "Yea?!"
The door opened, revealing Lunch Rush pushing a cart with Nedzu on his shoulder. Lunch Rush gave a friendly wave while pulling off the covers of his prepared dishes. "Hope you two are hungry! Chow time, boys!"
The Lunch Hero really had provided them with a well-balanced spread; they each had main dishes of spicy curry noodles for Katsuki and some sort of stir fry lo Mein for Izuku, with a small tray of fruit and bowls of soup for each. As well as two slices of cake for dessert. Seeing and smelling the food, both the teens' stomachs growled. The Hero began setting up their meals on the trays across their beds.
"Thank you, Lunch Rush. You are welcome to take the rest of the evening to yourself. As you know, these two will be staying at UA for a few days. We will be here in the morning, but I will inform you what we decide on tomorrow." Nedzu pat the Hero on the shoulder once he was done setting out the meal.
"You got it, Boss," Lunch Rush replied as he let Nedzu climb down and settle on a chair beside Izuku's bed. "I'm making Waffles for breakfast, boys!" Izuku smiled softly and said thanks before the Hero left the room, leaving the teens alone with Nedzu.
"Now, I would like to deal with one small piece of business before you settle into your meals. Give me just a moment." Nedzu said as he pulled out his phone once more. After a few taps, the phone was on speakerphone and was ringing. Izuku and Katsuki shared a concerned look, confused about who Nedzu would call after hours and with them in the room to hear the call.
"What?!" A gruff voice that was very familiar to them answered the phone.
"He is here with me and can hear you," Nedzu responded cooly, his beady eyes settling on Izuku.
"Yea? Hey Kid, are you there?" Giran asked on the phone. Izuku started to nod before clearing his throat.
"Yeah, I'm here. What's going on?" Izuku asked nervously. Katsuki was staring at Nedzu in shock, ' What the fuck is happening? '
"Ah shit, Kid, looks like you got a lil too big for your britches, huh?" Giran could be heard exhaling on the line, probably smoking. But the man sounded nervous.
"Do it Giran," Nedzu commanded.
"I am, I am fucking Rat. Chill."
"Do what?" Izuku asked, scared.
With a sigh, Giran began to speak. "Look, Nedzu and I discussed a deal about a week back or so. I'm fulfilling my end. I, Giran, release Jackalope and KEM from any and all business agreements we have." Katsuki and Izuku felt a chill run down their backs as the deal quirk they were under was officially terminated.
"What?!" Izuku exclaimed, pushing up to his knees as if he could look into the phone and see Giran. "What is going on?"
"You're free, Kid. Look, you do damn good work, this isn't me getting rid of you. You and I have made a good amount of money together, but you caught the attention of the fucking big wigs. You are now free to walk whatever path you want. The fuckin agreement was up in a few months anyway." Giran commented as Nedzu watched the teens closely.
"Did you know what the plan was when you set up that meeting?" Izuku asked, anger seeping into his voice.
"Fuck no Kid. I would never have pushed for you to meet them had I known. Those fuckers were trying to steal you from me, seems like." Giran snapped back. "Well, it looks like you still got hooked, but at least the Rat will give you a choice."
Izuku looked at Nedzu, who nodded once. A silent promise of choice.
"Well, that's my end of the deal, Rat, treat the Kid right. And Jackalope, don't forget where you got your start Kid. I'll always have work for you if you want it." The line went dead as Giran hung up on them. Izuku and Katsuki could only stare in shock at Nedzu as he calmly put the phone away.
"Well, with that settled, as I said, you will be free to choose your path. Now, I'm sure today has been stressful for you both. Please enjoy your meal and get some rest. I will be back in the morning to discuss this further. Akatani, I have already programmed my cell number into your phone. Please call me If you need anything." Nedzu each gave them a nod before walking out of the room. The door closes softly behind the mammal.
Izuku was gaping like a fish as he looked at Katsuki in shock. Katsuki's fists were clenched, his fingernails digging into his palms as he slammed his fists into his bed.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?"