Ticked Off [Boku No Hero Academia]

33: SIBLINGS (2)

Discord server, if you're chill with Professor Hidgens and myself yeeting Starkid references at each other and trying to help everyone reach their apotheosis: https://discord.gg/DSBF4dP

also i feel like i lied to you guys because you were expecting an endeavour vs izuku fight but. that's not happening any time soon,,, our boy may be petty but he's also busy!!

~

"Izuku-kun," Tenya called, a familiar hum filling the air as he dashed towards his friend, no qualms with running while they were still outside. "I've been meaning to ask you something..."

Izuku blinked. His friend's tone was tense and cautious and his expression was a little awkward and uncertain. Even his gait looked a little stiffer than usual as he settled into place, comfortably walking with the other student towards the main building for homeroom.

"Ask away," he said eventually, frowning a little in concern.

"Well," Tenya hesitated before shaking his head and clenching a hand into a fist by his side, steeling his features. "Ever since I was little, I've always admired my brother. In my eyes, no hero could surpass him. At some point, I suppose I presumed he was invincible, because he never got badly hurt and he always returned to hero work with a smile. But... Then, Stain attacked him, and I was reminded that... everyone is human. Seeing All Might's true form has reinforced that for me, and it's just..."

"Earth-shaking?" Izuku suggested with a sympathetic smile.

"Exactly," he breathed a sigh of relief, visibly relaxing now that he knew the sentiment was shared. "Part of me still doesn't believe that these horrible things have happened, even though I'm reminded of it every time I visit Tensei-niisan in hospital, and we often see All Might around school. Even though I know I couldn't have done anything to help, I still feel... guilty, I suppose is the best word for it. Like I should've been there to try and help them. That's a little of what motivated me to foolishly seek out Stain, and although I should've learnt from my mistakes, sometimes I get too restless to sleep at night because I feel like I shouldn't waste time sleeping when people are out there, right now, in danger, and I want to help them." He took a breath, staring down at his feet as his pace slowed before he came to a stop, navy blue eyes vulnerable and desperation lining his features. "You've got a lot more experience than me, Izuku-kun - do you feel the same as I do? How do you deal with it?"

Izuku closed his eyes for a second with a nod of understanding, then blinked up at his friend with the most comforting smile he could muster. "I think every hero – no, every good person shares that feeling, Tenya-kun. To care about strangers and loved ones alike is a wonderful trait to have." He hummed in consideration for a moment, trying to string his thoughts together into a reassuring speech. "I often feel like I should be out saving people while I'm doing other things. It's a little difficult to adjust from being a Pro Hero to being a student again, knowing I technically have everything I need to be out there right now and instead being stuck in lessons, but... I'm doing as much as I can feasibly manage, as Oni. There are plenty of other Pro Heroes to handle the situations I can't, and I have to have faith in them to succeed. The way I handle it is by focusing on the things I have accomplished rather than the things I feel I should be doing."