Besties With the Bad Guys

Chapter 9: The Confrontation and Confession

(A/N: I sincerely apologize for the long wait most of you had to endure for this new chapter. I was caught up in some personal issues that I resolved a little while ago, and I was also going through some writer's block. I'm already in the middle of writing the next chapter of the story, so hopefully, you won't have to wait long for chapter 10. I had to go over my brainstorming sheet for the next few chapters and had to edit it so that it would fit the BNHA storyline better. Thank you for all of the support and comments that you have given me throughout the story, and I hope that you will continue to read my future works. Also, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE 9.41K READS!!!! Let's get to the story now. Hope you all enjoy it!)

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"How do you know Touya?!" Todoroki asked angrily, grabbing Izuku by his shirt collar. At that moment, he backed Izuku into a wall and was questioning him about the tattoos he had spotted on the first day of school. Todoroki had been holding back on questioning him since then but couldn't keep quiet anymore. He had to know just how Izuku knew his older brother. Izuku didn't answer the question and looked at the ground. He knew this was going to happen, but he was hoping it wouldn't have to be this soon. Tears were pricking in the corners of his eyes and his throat and mouth became dry at the mention of his lost friend. His sharp elf ears slowly turned red, and his breath hitched as his lip quivered barely before he bit down on it. He let out a watery chuckle paired with his remark.

"First of all, if you want someone to answer you, you should probably refrain from slamming them into walls. It makes people a lot less willing to talk. Second, what the hell happened to him? I haven't seen him for years. Not since he randomly disappeared." Izuku's voice broke as he spoke in failed attempts to stay confident. He never liked to show weakness since he found out what people could do to him using it, but here he was, trying desperately not to break down at the mention of his old friend's name. The split-haired male stiffened, and his eyes widened at the sight of Izuku trying so hard, so desperately, to not cry. To not show weakness, to not break down at that very moment. His heart started to ache as he drew in a painful breath. His eyes softened and glistened with tears as they slipped out of his sockets and trailed down his cheeks, building up faster and dripping off of his chin. His breathing sounds raspy, and Izuku looked at him, imagining the worst from looking at the stone-faced male in front of him who started to cry silently.

"Touya is... Touya's dead. He passed away around 4 - 5 years ago. He was... burned alive because of his own Quirk. I didn't want to believe it, but they found his DNA and parts of his clothes at the scene." Todoroki stopped, realizing what he had just confessed. Izuku was frozen in his tracks but clenched his fists, adding more pressure to his lip using his teeth, until he started to taste blood. He paused and touched his bottom lip gingerly, reaching away to see the warm but dark liquid almost coating his fingers. He clenched his fist once again and attempted to calm himself down.

"...I'll... I'll see you later, Todoroki-kun. I'm not in the mood to answer questions after the answer I just received. I'll tell you how I know your brother when I am ready, but right now, we both need to go calm down." Izuku whispered, his voice cracking and giving off slight hiccups, he was being just barely heard by Todoroki who just nodded and slumped onto the floor, eyes still pooled with the tears he held.

Izuku melted into the ground, becoming engulfed in the empty void around them. He started to feel the burning hot tears leak down his cheeks and grasp to his hair, dripping off his nose and chin. As Izuku cried, an object floated slowly toward him. His eyes cleared just enough to see what it was.

It was a photo.

In the middle was him and on both sides of him were Keigo and Touya who were both smiling brightly while Tenko stood behind them, a hand on Izuku's shoulder and a warm smile spreading across his face. Izuku was smiling the brightest out of the four, his friends' arms slinking around his neck. That was Izuku's breaking point. Izuku buried his face into his knees and curled up into a ball, holding himself tightly as he floated around the vast empty void, the photo still stuck in his firm grasp. His eyes were bloodshot and his sight blurred, the tears that dampened the corners of his eyes clinging to his eyelashes. His voice hiccuped and broke repeatedly, his face wet with salty tears until his tears dried up and his head ached from the dehydration. He wiped his tear-stained face and straightened out his clothes, still breathing shakily and trying to calm down so that when he leaves, he won't worry about anyone he talks to.