Viridian

Chapter 20: Fostering Trust

A/N: What?! ANOTHER update!? yep! My muse has decided to be nice to the bnha fandom for now, and I've written another (11k word) chapter for you guys! I initially intended to hit Hosu here, but it got pushed back by... erm... two chapters (hopefully not more, but we'll see).

DISCLAIMER!! In this chapter, Izuku will reveal that Shigaraki spread the Nomu curse through contaminated vaccines for the pandemic that they experienced. I am IN NO WAY supporting anti-vaccines. I encourage everyone who can safely do so to get vaccinated. This is just what made the most sense in this story. (I, myself, am actually now vaccinated). Seriously, please don't flame me for putting that in the story, it's just what made the most sense for Shigaraki to do. >_<

I wanted to thank everyone who has stuck with this story for so long!! I know I went a little AWOL when my muse latched onto the Zelda fandom (worry not LU fans, I'm still planning to write!!), but right now, it's solidly in the BnHA fandom once more! And Hetalians, rest assured that I'm still workin' on stuff for you, too! Eventually... ¬_¬

Fanart can be sent via e-mail to aizawa@email.com or sent through Discord. Remember to include your preferred username so I can grant you credit. Thank you to everyone who has sent fanart thus far!! I would normally post the fanart now as well, but I'm posting this right before work, so I really don't have much time. I'll get it next chapter, though! :D

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Izuku hissed lowly as he crouched under some rubble with Tamaki. It'd been stupid to go into the City Ruins—they knew that. But they also desperately needed medical supplies and the only hospital that hadn't been cleared out was in the middle of Tokyo Ruins.

Really, Tamaki and Izuku decided that it was worth the risk. They needed the antibiotics for Hizashi's fever. Dabi said he really wouldn't last much longer without them. This was ultimately why the two had been rebellious idiots and left without saying anything. Izuku left a letter just in case they didn't come back.

They'd both been understandably nervous as they approached the massive towering stone walls that'd initially been built to keep the Nomu out. Instead, they'd trapped them in when a bunch of idiots hadn't admitted that they were sick. Those who survived the massacres never really dared to return to the walled cities. Sure, by this point there were gaping holes in the walls, but it still kept most of those Nomu inside. The place would be crawling with them, and it was suicide to even get as close as they were now.

But Hizashi had been sick for days. He really wouldn't survive without the medicine, and Izuku wasn't sure he could bear to watch Shou break like that. With a silent shared between them, the two silently snuck their way in.

The city was nothing like they remembered. Towering buildings were reduced to rubble and old apartment complexes crumbled at the corners. Cars were left haphazardly—either abandoned in the middle of the road or quietly parked on the streets—where they rusted and the tires had practically melted to the pavement.

Trees were growing wildly and ivy was snaking its way up nearly every building. Many of the half toppled over structures were painted green with moss and grass where nature had readily begun to reclaim her land.

It was surreal—almost peaceful in a sense. Birds chirped and animals grazed and honestly if he couldn't hear the far too close sounds of Nomu, he would've thought it a good place to sit and draw. As it was, the sorrowful beauty of the abandoned city was enough to take both their breaths away.

Without the bustle of city life or the hum of electricity, everything was... softer somehow. The air was sweeter, and Izuku wondered if perhaps the destruction of society would've been a better thing for the planet.