All For Some

Chapter 89: Trying To Keep Crises In Order

Those of you following the calendar might have noticed this chapter came 4 weeks after last rather than 3. I work on this story on the side of an original novel and due to less productive writing during the spring there has been a long break on that project which I want to get back to. For this reason at least for the summer AFS is going to have only monthly (every 4 weeks Saturday) chapters until I have enough of a backlog to focus on my main work for a while. 

First we are going to have a couple interim chapters tying things up and maybe stretching Izuku a bit tenser before big events during summer break. 

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Izuku laid on his bed in his mostly dark bedroom. Even though the sun had to be already high only narrow slivers of sunlight came past the edges of the curtains that had been so critical for his secrets and privacy the previous night. After probably the longest sleep he remembered ever having he was not right at the cliff of collapsing, just one or two steps from it but not on it. He still didn't feel well rested though. He finally got the strength to turn on his side and sit up.

At least Shirokuro's stuff was nowhere to be found. Most likely all that would appear in their suitcase washed and pressed by the next time Shirokuro would come out. Kurogiri was diligent like that, but Izuku couldn't even rely on the Nomu as long as he was keeping secrets from father.

He left the empty feeling room without even opening the curtains and dragged himself downstairs through the quiet house. He was trying to contain the flow of fears and emotions at least long enough for breakfast. The sun was high enough that he should probably have thought about lunch but that was too much to ask. He dug up the strongest coffee he had gotten to support Hitoshi's coffee connoisseurship that even Hitoshi had thought was too strong to actually enjoy.

Speaking of whom, their group was supposed to train at the beach during the afternoon. It would have been so nice, Izuku looked at his faint reflection on the coffee pot. He wasn't ready for it, especially not within Hitoshi's perceptive sight. Truthfully everything going on in his head made him feel a bit ill. He took up his phone and sent a quick message on a group chat about not feeling great, truth as long as they did not inquire for reasons, and could not join them at the beach. Pretty soon the group seemed to agree it wasn't a good time to go there. Izuku wasn't sure if he hoped they chose to not go just because he wasn't there or afraid of it. Then the phone rang mid Izuku's breakfast/brunch. Dread rose up Izuku's throat when he saw name of the caller

"Izuku," Hitoshi said, "are you okay?"

"A bit sick."

"Not what I meant and you know it. Things have to be pretty bad for you to cancel training?"

Izuku sighed, there was no point pretending all was fine with Hitoshi. At least he hadn't made a video call.

"Worse than normal."

Hitoshi was quiet for a few seconds.

"You know I'm fine after yesterday, and it wasn't your fault that happened. I should have been better prepared after all the training you put me through."

Part of Izuku wanted to agree. Hitoshi should have reacted faster to not be caught, but that really didn't feel right to say now.

"I know," he answered simply, "it's not, just, that."

"You sound afraid or... resigned? You should share what weighs you."

If only he could. Hitoshi would probably know the exact words to make him feel better if they existed, or at least take over as the bouncer for his collective crises and panic attacks trying to get in. That is if he did not turn on him as a villain that he was.