Rejected Stones

The Eve of Ragnarok

Beta'd by kylekatarn77 and Poliamida

59. The Eve of Ragnarok

The gods are fallen and all safety gone. And there is one sure thing about the fall of gods: they do not fall a little; they crash and shatter.

-John Steinbeck, East of Eden

It was over. And it was all Izuku's fault. He sat on the ramp of the truck with the Ultra Armor in it, with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. The snow had stopped falling, but the air was chill as dawn lit the sky in muted winter colors. Flashing lights played across the churned ground as police swarmed over the area. They hadn't arrested any of 1A. Yet. Mei was hugging Izuku tightly, humming softly. Eri was snoring in his lap, having refused to be parted from Izuku. Mei didn't seem to mind sharing Izuku's attention with the young girl, which was probably for the best at the moment. Not even the police wanted anything to do with a girl who could make people vanish.

But Izuku's eyes couldn't leave the other couple huddled together. Bakugo was laying wrapped in a blanket, on the tailgate of an ambulance his eyes wide as he stared at nothing, unblinking. His head was resting in Uraraka's lap, and she stroked his hair as she whispered to him. There was a bandage around Bakugo's left arm, but the bleeding had been minor at best and the bruising slight. The damage, however, went far deeper. And the paramedics could do nothing.

Katsuki Bakugo. The boy who had made Izuku's life a torment for 10 years. The golden child, born with one of the strongest quirks in the world. He had always scored at the top of the class; academically, physically, and in popularity.

But some time in the past year, things had changed. True, Bakugo had scored at the top of the UA entrance exam. But Izuku hadn't needed to take any entrance exam, he'd gotten in on recommendation, his place given to him instead of needing to prove himself. Izuku had made a close friend, more, he'd found the love of his life. Bakugo had been rejected and ostracized.

Then came the Sports Festival. There, Izuku had triumphed, crushing even Bakugo at every turn. He'd made friends in the hero course before he even entered it. True, Bakugo had helped save Izuku at the summer camp. But then it had been Izuku who led the charge against the League of Villains to save not just Mei, but All Might. If anything, Bakugo had been his ally, even his follower. The media had labeled Izuku a hero. Bakugo was called a demon.

And now, the ultimate reversal: Bakugo had reached out to save Izuku. And in doing so, he had lost his quirk.

Izuku slowly stood, gently passing Eri to Mei.

"Izuku?" Mei asked, looking concerned, but quietly placing Eri's head against her shoulder.

"I'll be right back," Izuku promised. He walked over to Uraraka and Bakugo. She looked up, tears in her eyes.

"He won't say anything," she whispered. "Please, Izuku. You've known him the longest. Please. Help him."

A lump formed in Izuku's throat. When had they gotten together? Bakugo, the violent, ill mannered hooligan, and somehow captured the heart of the sweet, polite Uraraka? But then, she wasn't so sweet, nor so polite as she once had been. The trials they had endured had changed them all.

"Bakugo. Katsuki?" Izkuk said kneeling. "I...thank you. You saved me. Again."

Bakugo's eyes flicked up at Izuku, but then they lost focus, and he stared off into the distance again.

Izuku swallowed. What to say? What words could help?

And then he knew. Izuku stood, looking down at Bakugo and extending his hand.