Chapter 4 - Tsunami

Present

Unironically, it's Todoroki that sees his burn first.

The man narrows his eyes and hauls the villain off his shoulders as Izuku limps further into the room. Uraraka steals Tsukauchi's chair for him as the detective sticks his head out the door and calls for their station's medic.

He settles into the chair with a hiss, rolling up the singed edges of his pant leg. Todoroki murmurs to Uraraka as she inspects his leg and hurriedly leaves the room.

The skin was bright red and blistery - but he thanked anyone above listening that it wasn't permanently injured. The medic comes in, shooing Uraraka away and takes to tending his calf where the worst of it was.

"Deku, Sir, er ah -" The medic stutters as he applies antiseptic and some of his own healing quirk, "Burns are nasty, and they always hurt worse than they look. But - I don't think you'll be scarring too bad from this. Or more likely, with some TLC, it should fade quickly."

Sinking into the chair with a relieved groan, Izuku asks, "Will I be able to stand on it by the end of the day?"

The medic looks over at Hibiki and Tsukauchi and then back up at Izuku, "You'll be able to stand on it almost immediately, but I recommend you at least take a rest!"

Tsukauchi nods sternly, "We only have one more villain left, Deku I don't want to see you out of bed until after dinner at the earliest."

Izuku scrunches his face in displeasure, but doesn't fight back. He could use the time to catch up on his sleep. Outside of his one break, he had been awake the entire time, while his team had likely taken turns sleeping (on the rough carpet of the office, but still, sleeping).

Exhaling shakily, he runs his hands over his face. His right glove was ruined, as were his pants. Despite the minor scorch marks on his hoodie from the skyscraper battle, it would be good for one more trip. His eyes dampen.

Uraraka pats his shoulder as the medic applies the final touches and leaves.

"Don't worry, I'll stay with you." The pads of her fingers are particularly bright under the office light as she flashes him a thumbs up. "Todoroki will be back soon too."

She hovers a hand over him as he stands and together they make their way to the sick bay. His lower lip puckers, and Uraraka guides him faster. They had the room to themselves.

"He went to go fetch you some burn cream." Uraraka chirps as he hauls himself into a bed. Laying back, he remembers that All Might still had his medical mask.

"Oh! Would you ask him to get me another mask? All Might stole my last one."

Her eyes nearly pop from her skull, but she's quick to pull out her phone and text Todoroki. It nearly slips from her hand in her palpable concern and excitement to hear more.

The sympathetic crier she was, she looked ready to burst into tears too. It didn't help that she was such an enabler when it came to crying, and she held that title with pride.

"Ochako-" He starts, voice breaking and nose running, "Kacchan called me old! And I ran away when All Might tried to hug me!"

He was a gross crier, but so was she. Tossing a hand over her face, she grabs his hand with her free one.

"Deku-" She starts, and its her voice that breaks and her nose that runs this time, "We're only 26! And why did you run from him? You probably made him sad!"

"Why would you say that?!" Izuku nearly shrieks in distress.

"What are you guys crying about?" Comes Todoroki's blank voice from the door. The two nearly jump from their spots, equally startled and embarrassed.

Izuku sniffles loudly, "I-"

"Deku didn't let All Might hug him!"

"Ah," Todoroki, probably intentionally blunt, quirks a brow, "...I can see how that would make you upset."

Having years of practice, Izuku is able to quickly dry his eyes, "Were you able to pick up what you wanted?"

Blinking, Todoroki pulls out a jar of ointment as he makes his way to the bedside. He places the jar on the nightstand and props a hip against Uraraka's chair.

"I wasn't able to pick up your mask, but we'll be needing to go out tonight anyway to get you some replacement pants." Todoroki gestures back to the ointment, "Use that when changing your bandages."

Saluting him, Izuku protests when Todoroki taps at Uraraka and the two stand to leave.

"You," He points to Izuku and Uraraka stifles a chuckle, "Need to get some rest."

"Your last villain, Deku." Uraraka smiles. His last trip to the past. "Sleep tight, okay?"

They turn the lights off before he can argue and Izuku settles further into the pillows. His mind replays the last few trips to the past. The fights, the secrets, seeing All Might and Bakugou. Rubbing his eye, his cry and all the fights had taken more out of him than he realized.

Sleep welcomes him deeply.

...

Wednesday, November 27th 5:17 pm. ~10 Years in the Past.

From the moment Deku had been discovered, he had been expecting this.

Hands clenching in his pockets, he looks up at the red-orange of the sky. The setting sun a backdrop to dozens of police, Pro-Heroes, and students from class 1-A.

Closer to him and the portal, he picks out the likes of Aizawa, All Might, Tsukauchi, Present Mic, and other UA heroes. Behind a hastily put-together barricade, his younger friends stand on alert with the police and heroes from other agencies (his heart nearly leaps to his throat as he spies Nighteye's face mixed within the crowd).

His eyes soften as All Might steps forward.

"Young Midoriya."

He doesn't miss the way All Might's eyes search him up and down, trailing slowly over where his new sweatpants covered his leg. Aizawa hadn't made a move yet to suppress his quirk (a show of faith? Or was it guilt?). Adam's apple bobbing, Deku finally gives up.

Gloves already forsaken, he pulls his new medical mask down with a feeble smile.

"All right, I think I get the point."

Relief surges through the people he had encountered face to face in this timeline. The hopeful widening of All Might's eyes churns something in his chest, but he smiles anyway and runs a finger against the notebook in his back pocket.

He waits for them first before deciding on if he should bring it out right then. They likely hadn't expected anything from him, or really, anything except a confrontation.

Dried grass crunches under All Might's feet as he crosses the rest of the distance hesitantly. He pulls something out, eyes tensely darting between it and Deku's face.

All Might holds it out with both hands - its his earlier face mask folded up beneath a familiar jar of ointment.

A bark of laughter forces itself from his chest before he can stop it, and All Might isn't the only one who stiffens in worry. It was unneeded, he wasn't planning on running again.

Deku picks the jar up carefully, "Let me guess, Todoroki helped you pick this out?"

All Might's eyes widen and Deku looks around the taller man's shoulder to lock eyes with the young Todoroki. He smiles at the stunned look, it's all the confirmation he needs.

"How did you know?"

Deku grins conspiratorially. Dawning realization spreads over his former mentor's face, and when he looks to 1-A behind him, he sees Kaminari pulling on Todoroki's shoulder as they work it out themselves.

Tucking the returned mask into his pocket, he holds the jar close to his chest.

"Thank you though, I really appreciate it."

A lull forces itself uncomfortably between them. Neither Deku nor the group gathered there knowing how to break it. He inwardly winced out how guarded everyone was, just waiting for the moment he'd try and flee.

All Might extends a hand, clearly fearful that if he moved any further, it would set Deku off. He sighs and knocks the hood from his face, shaking his hair free.

"You caught me," He admits, "I'm not running anymore."

And just like that, he's crushed against All Might in a tight hug. His head clacks against the taller man's shoulder. Biting his lip and clenching his eyes shut, he grips All Might just as desperately close.

The police and those unfamiliar with him grow uncomfortable - either because All Might was hugging a potentially dangerous stranger, or because it was such a tender moment. Deku sniffs - he had already done all his crying.

Taking one last moment to memorize this, the two separate. Swiping a thumb at the corner of his eye, he looks back up at All Might with an open smile.

"What now? You know there's a villain out there that I'm supposed to bring back, right?"

All Might nods and Aizawa skulks forward.

"We've already got that situation under control, Endeavor's team was assigned the other portal."

He scratches at the back of his neck, trying to loosen his nerves. The winter-dead trees shiver with what little leaves they had left.

"...How did you get here so fast - and for that matter, how did you know who came from which?"

Aizawa looks back at the police and Pros, someone must have given them the okay to leave. As they gather their belongings and the barricade, they look about as relieved as he was that this wasn't going to end in an arrest.

"Apparently the other portal's energy readings had inverted spikes compared to this one, or something. Ask your younger self about it - I'm sure you two can geek out about it."

Looking back at Deku, Aizawa's nose wrinkles - probably at the thought of having both him and his younger self putting their minds together. Before he can take it back, Present Mic interjects from over his shoulder.

"And those portals gave out readings up to an hour before actually opening, yo! You aren't subtle at all!"

Up to an hour? Deku brings a thumb up to his lip. Was the time before opening caused by the full moon, or Hibiki? Maybe -

"Like I said, ask your younger self." Aizawa cuts him off before he can start mumbling or spouting off questions. All Might laughs, and pulls Deku closer to where he and Aizawa were huddling. He hides a smile, knowing it was to keep him from the cold rather than keep him from running away.

"Endeavor wanted to capture the villain for you himself." All Might says with a grin.

His brow raises in astonishment - that was as much of an apology as he would get from the flame hero.

"I thought he would still be recovering?"

"Recovering?" Aizawa probes, both him and All Might standing straighter, "From what?"

Deku slaps a hand over his mouth - he had destroyed the high end nomus after all. Endeavor would have never been attacked by that first one. Only a few months had passed since he had first arrived, and he was already seeing changes.

Aizawa, blessedly, doesn't press the matter. "He promised to hand the villain over to you on one condition."

Deku shifts in caution, and while Aizawa and All Might show no reaction, he can see Present Mic and Midnight grow wary behind them.

"Condition?" He's careful to keep his voice level.

"Yes." All Might grins, "You have to come eat dinner with us."

Deku sputters and looks between them, double checking that he heard them right. Their faces indicate they were serious. He shakes his head in exasperation.

A smile so bright splits his face almost painfully, "Well, guess I can't say no to that!"

The smiles he gets in return make staying a little longer worth it alone.

...

"You've been here seven times?" Aizawa confirms from where he sits next to Deku in the back seat.

"This is the seventh and final villain." Deku nods and Present Mic speaks up from the driver's seat (he doesn't miss the disappointed haunch from All Might in the seat in front of him).

"And it's been a month since last time for us but only a day for you?"

Deku nods again, quirking a brow, "Yes, our encounter up on the skyscraper was a month ago for you, but for me it was just yesterday. How did you know?"

All Might speaks up, "Young Iida said that you were wearing the same outfit from his last encounter with you. Aizawa too was able to confirm that from the month previous."

"Heh," Deku rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, "Maybe should have thought that through better."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Aizawa starts, leaning further back into the cramped seats, "Todoroki had been adamant about his theory of the stranger on UA's campus actually being you since August and the occurrence of portals became public among heroes."

"Ooh," Present Mic makes a face and looks at Aizawa through the rear-view mirror, "Little Todoroki told you not to tell Midoriya."

Deku and All Might chuckle as this spurs a debate, and Deku takes the time to find out what had happened to this timeline during his visits.

Dr. Ujiko - arrested and in an undisclosed prison far from Tartarus.

Three of his villains had been identified and their present counterparts were being observed for activity.

Eri was back at UA. Mirio was on track for graduation.

Some of the weight lifts from Deku's shoulders. The loud rumble of the engine keeps the others distracted from his relieved smile.

When they had ushered him into Present Mic's bright red import car, he hadn't really expected to be taken back to the UA dorms. The caravan of cars transporting class 1-A and their teachers slowly filtered in as he stepped into the dorm's common area.

He also hadn't expected to nearly crash into his mom as she set the table with Recovery Girl.

"Izuku!" She cries, "I knew it was you!"

He can hear his friends laughing as they enter the building while she runs a thumb over some stubble he must have missed at the back of his jaw.

"You get so big." Her eyes water - and oh no he was not going to be crying anymore tonight. Deku holds her hand gently and playfully yanks over the younger Izuku.

He thought it would be awkward, to be around all of them - all when they were so young. But, as they look at him like he was the coolest thing in the world, that awkwardness drains.

Deku tosses an arm over his younger self's shoulders, "Wanna get a picture?"

"What -" Younger Izuku squeaks, "Can we do that?"

"As long as you can keep the pictures private, I don't see why not." Deku reassures.

He can barely get through the picture with the two other Midoriyas before the others swarm him for pictures of their own (and when Yaoyorozu creates an instant print camera so he can have copies of his own, he's quick to profusely thank her). He laughs as they question him about the future or about what it's like or if there are any cool movies and video games to look out for.

Most questions he is forced to dodge, and as they sit at the table, he's thankful they don't try and push him. At one point, the question of 'timeloop vs. timeline' comes up, and as he stabs a fork into his food, he ponders on if he should answer.

"...Well, none of what I do here changes my future." Is what he settles with.

"Then it's a diverging timeline dipshit, no need to be so secretive about it anymore." Bakugou fumes from the other side of the table. When multiple people jump to his defense, he can only throw his head back and laugh.

Dinner itself is an event. Ashido tries to get him to spill who is dating who and then he lets slip that he once tore a shirt by flexing for a calendar photo-shoot.

Half the class instantly jumps on him, demanding that he flex the shirt right off his chest. Deku (and very noticeably, his younger self) blush furiously.

Eventually the novelty wears off, and as dinner finishes each person breaks off into their own group - either staying at the table or splitting to the couches by the TV to play games.

Sir Nighteye stops by with UA's Big Three and Eri (who cries upon seeing him - he doesn't know if that was good or bad), and Deku basks in the fact that he's able to talk to all of them like this. As Mirio and the others leave, Nighteye pulls him aside.

"I'm... sorry. For things I said." Nighteye shifts under the doorway lamp, "You make a spectacular hero."

Deku feels it like a kick to the gut. Running a sleeve across his eyes, he nods fervently. Before he can thank Nighteye, the other cuts him off.

"Thank you, Pro-Hero Deku." Nighteye was no fool, he would already know what had happened to his counterpart. Uraraka calls Deku from inside, and before he can say anything to Nighteye, the other waves him off and heads down the steps.

"Enjoy the rest of your night."

"You too!" Deku calls and is yanked back into the building by his arm by Uraraka.

"Tall Deku, c'mon! Iida has something to say!"

He laughs at her abrasiveness, so very relieved that none of that hesitation or caution he had seen a month previously seemed to be showing now (he politely turns an eye at how bright the tips of her ears were turning). It was nice, being treated like he actually belonged.

She drags him to the couches, where a few of his old classmates and Todoroki and Asui, sit. Only one person stands, ridged and tall.

Iida bows, a perfect 90° angle, "Forgive me! It was not my intention to interfere with your mission and cause any derailment in the timeline!"

Deku waves him off, "No, no! From your perspective, you were doing the right thing!"

"Yeah, man." Kirishima calls as he passes by the couch, "You looked super suspicious dude."

He laughs in embarrassment, "Sorry about that. So you guys knew it was me?"

Squeezing himself between Todoroki and Hagakure on the couch, Iida nods.

"Well, we weren't entirely sure. Not until we saw you without the face mask. It was only because Todoroki had that theory-" Todoroki whips his head in Iida's directions in clear betrayal, "-that Midoriya, the current Midoriya, was able to come up with a plan that the teachers signed off on to unmask you."

"There was a lot of debate between the police whether you were a vigilante or a villain." Uraraka supplies, "And if you weren't actually you from the future, well..."

Deku frowns at that thought and the conversation continues around him. A hesitant, gentle tap at his knee brings his attention to Todoroki.

"I'm sorry about my father." He says quietly, not wanting to be overheard as the others continue to chatter. Deku doesn't miss the way his eyes focus on his covered leg.

"Don't be!" He reassures, and then slowly, "How is your father, by the way?"

Todoroki finally looks up at that, curious at the question.

"He's... been doing better."

If Aizawa and All Might's earlier reactions meant anything, it was that Endeavor had never had a chance to redeem himself in the fight against the nomu. Deku had taken that chance from him.

He fiddles with the stitching on the couch's armrest.

"I may have messed something up for him." Deku admits.

Todoroki's brows raise further, as if astonished.

"Listen, he's a stubborn guy." Even as he says it, he knows his words are true, "But he's trying. And I have no doubt that what I did will set him back at all."

He doesn't need to hope. Endeavor had done his damnedest to repent, this one would simply find another way.

Todoroki looks like he wants to ask further, but respect for Deku's secrecy of the timeline (or a threat from Aizawa he was unaware about), keeps his lips shut.

Deku is about to continue the conversation when a call from his younger self at the table cuts him off. With a quick "Excuse me", Deku stands and nearly bounces into Jirou.

He's quick to apologize, adding on another for when he scared her back in September. She twirls her earjack around a finger bashfully and shoos him to the table. His younger self and his mom are quick to integrate him into the heated debate the table was having about the paradoxes of time travel which quickly devolved into the ethicacy of adoption based on quirks.

The hours tick by, and no one minds.

It's fun.

Sometime mid-conversation with Midnight, Todoroki, himself, and All Might about conspiracy theories that had yet to be solved even in his timeline, Deku stands and excuses himself to the bathroom.

Its as he's washing his hands that Bakugou strolls in. Both their eyes widen, unexpecting of the other's presence.

Recognizing he had Deku cornered, he strides up to him. Deku watches as the other's face twists as he fights on what to say.

"Hey," Bakugou settles for, "That fight we had wasn't half bad."

It obviously wasn't what he was wanting, Deku knew Bakugou was probably foaming at the mouth wanting to know where things stood in the future. His smile slowly falls.

No, that wasn't right. Bakugou would want to find out those things for himself.

It really had been a long time.

"Yeah, toughest battle I've had in ages..." His shoulders slump from their tensed position, and Bakugou looks him up and down, judging.

"You're pretty shit at being a time traveler though."

Deku snorts, and Bakugou continues before he can get a word in.

"I can understand not sending someone with a flashy quirk like me in, but was there no one better for the job?"

This must be awkward for Bakugou, he thinks. Crossing his arms, Deku props a hip against the sink.

"Hey, I was pretty decent! Kept you guys from being killed didn't I?"

"Pft, and stumbled every step of the way doing it." Bakugou pauses, head cocking to the side as his eyes narrowed at Deku's feet. "But still, you must be some hero to get chosen for a job like this."

Rather than thanking him for the praise - for that was sure to set him off - Deku smiles solemnly and returns with praise of his own.

"You make an excellent hero, Kacchan."

Bakugou rolls his shoulders like it would roll off the words - looks like he still had a hard time accepting compliments from the heroes he admired. It brings a brighter smile than Deku thought possible to his face. Bakugou's quick to wipe it back off.

"You changed things here though. Didn't capture just the guys from your time." Bakugou looks back up at him, and Deku no longer feels that same smugness at being taller. Rather, as he looks down at the other, it's an uneasiness that settles deeply into his gut. "That means your timeline was bad enough you had to risk changing things here."

Bakugou, in reality, was just a kid.

"That means, in your timeline, people are probably dead."

What a place, to be having such a serious conversation in the bathroom of 1-A's dorm. Regardless, Deku was a hero, so he could smile in the face of despair.

"What I hope, is that you will never have to find out."

He can see Bakugou's brow twitch in anger, before it switches to something like pity and back again to false disinterest.

"Thanks then. I guess."

They fall quiet and Deku senses the conversation wrapping up. As much as he wanted to escape any awkward situation, this would be the last time he would see Bakugou. Real and alive.

Huffing a laugh somewhere between bitter and mirthful, Deku praises cryptically.

"You never lose, Kacchan."

Before the other can ask, Deku throws an arm around his shoulders. Bakugou freezes as Deku pulls him into the hug, too stunned to act.

Tokoyami steps from a stall, sees them, and immediately retreats back into it.

Death threats spew from Bakugou, and Deku ruffles the teen's hair and pulls back like he was scalded. He evacuates to the door, chuckling as Bakugou venomously calls after him.

"Wait! What rank are you! Am I still taller -" The door swings shut and a laugh, deep within his chest, bubbles out through Deku's throat.

He'd missed this. This was his home at one time.

Deku thought it would hurt more than it did. Being here. Seeing those that he had lost.

Once upon a time, it was home.

But...

He steps back into the common room. His mom was currently brushing the hair from the younger Izuku's eyes. A few of his friends had started falling asleep on the couches. Aizawa and Present Mic murmur to each other as they clean dishes by the sink. All Might pulls his phone from his ear to make eye contact with him.

Deku was 26. This hadn't been home for ten years.

"Tsukauchi is holding your villain by the portal." All Might says, voice heavy. Deku meets his tired eyes, and nods solemnly.

He takes turns saying his goodbyes, careful not to miss anyone. His mother hugs him tight, and he promises to give her counterpart a call when he gets home.

Walking down the steps with young Izuku and All Might, he turns to look back up at the dorms. The night sky nearly consumes the dark building, all the light focused on the common area where everyone was.

"Err-" Younger Izuku fidgets, "UA's not, destroyed, or anything in the future is it?"

Deku blinks the moisture from his eyes as he looks down at him. "Ha, no- just being sentimental."

The three pile into the car Tsukauchi sent for them, and the drive back to the portal is spent in comfortable silence. Tires humming as they pulled into the grassy lot, Deku catches sight of the detective and Endeavor holding his villain. He only feels mild guilt at keeping the man out this late.

He greets the two as they pass the villain off to him and says to Tsukauchi, "Anything you want me to tell your future self?"

Tsukauchi looks taken aback at first. With a shy grin, he looks between Deku and young Izuku.

"Tell him to do a better job of keeping you out of trouble."

Deku chuckles and bids him and Endeavor farewell, the latter biting out an embarrassed apology and an order to be more cooperative with heroes in the areas he were to work in next time. The portal's tug has him looking at its location as they leave.

"One moment." He tells the two remaining. Deku grabs the cuffs around his final villain's wrists. His name was Blackout, and - well, it didn't matter anymore, did it?

Deku shoves the villain into the portal, watching him disappear into what appears to be thin air. His younger self can't help the "Cool!" that leaves his lips.

"So you're heading off then?" All Might looks disappointed, and Deku couldn't possibly leave without seeing him smile one last time.

"It's where I belong." And it was true. That was the future he had made for himself. This was the one that would be taken over by their hands. "I have people waiting on me. That is my home."

His smile is ever so bittersweet.

"But there is one thing I wanted to give you before I leave." He pulls the notebook from his pocket, running his fingers tenderly along the spine. "I spent all morning working on this before I came back today."

Cold wind runs between his fingers as he extends the book to All Might. It held everything they needed to know, and everything that had happened differently. Yeah, some people could never be saved. But others could. Taking it and idly flipping through it, All Might responds.

"Midoriya, are you telling me you planned to give this to us before we all assembled to catch you at the portal?"

All Might sounds exasperated, but the quirk of his lips tell him otherwise. Before Deku can cheekily respond, he's suddenly crushed beneath All Might's hug once again.

This time, he doesn't fight it as the tears silently fall. Deku hugs him back equally as tight, burrowing his nose into All Might's neck.

He smelled exactly the same as he remembered, and Deku nearly weeps that time hadn't skewed that memory.

"I've missed you, so much." He whispers.

Just like with Nighteye, All Might too seemed to understand that he had passed. All Might only clings to him tighter.

"I'm so proud of you, my boy."

For a moment, Deku is back to being a teenager. Before tragedy, but still always a step away. It had never mattered though. Someone would always help him through it.

He looks up at the man who extended his hand first.

"Thank you." His chest clenches tight as he squeezes All Might's shoulder, "Thank you for everything."

All Might laughs, and though it's watery through his own tears, flashes the smile Deku had long been aching to see.

"I think it's you we should be thanking."

Nodding quietly he pulls back and All Might's arm trails away, the lingering warmth fueling him. Deku smiles, and ruffles his younger counterpart's hair.

"Think I can leave him in your hands? It won't be easy, don't think I've solved everything."

Young Izuku squawks and laughs easily back, "You can count on it! I won't let you down!"

"Very well." Auburn leaves rustle in the late night breeze, the trees behind him were just on the other side of the portal home. "Take care, will you?"

He steps back, its tug growing stronger. Deku always hated goodbyes.

His eyes trace over the two before him. All Might stands tall, pride and longing warring in his eyes. Young Izuku clutches a fist to his chest, aware of the weight on his shoulders.

Both of them smile and nod, All Might's voice rumbling out, "You too."

"Always."

Deku flashes them a brilliant smile and a two-finger salute. He jumps into the portal.

And it takes him back home.

That's a wrap, folks!

Thank you so much for reading this story, I appreciate you all so much!

For those that know me from my other stories, you know how much I looooove time travel (well, that and horror. Slow burn romance? Miss me with that and hit me with the slow burn horror lol). So sorry, not sorry for this very indulgent fic. I hope you all at least were able to enjoy it!

Also, the full moons he travels back to are actual dates in 2080 that the full moon hits its peak, if anyone were wondering lol. So if you guys like the full moon and are still trucking around in 2080, keep that in mind haha!

Right then.

Thank you all again for reading, you don't know how much I appreciate you all.

And extra big thanks to those of you who left comments or will be leaving comments - I couldn't do this without you guys!

Hope to see you all next time, in whatever else that may be! Stay awesome! :)