Timeloop Trouble

Chapter 27 - The Hero Killer

Izuku took it all back. Not being in the hero course was the worst. Not being able to meddle and influence what was going to happen was driving him absolutely mad. Because here he was, looking down at Kacchan's internship request list, and all he could think about was Tenya. Well, Tensei, actually, and Tenya's reaction to his brother's ambush. To Stain, the Hero Killer.

"Oi," Katsuki frowned, flicking a finger against his forehead. "Snap out of it, you're being loud as fuck."

"Was I mumbling?" Izuku asked, scared he might've accidentally leaked something. "Sorry if I was saying nonsense, I-"

"No, you just... Ugh, just tell me what's going on with you today," Katsuki complained, taking the list out of his hands. "You've been acting off ever since I asked you who you think I should intern with so spill, nerd. Is it because it's not you?"

"Huh?" Izuku asked, confused. Not him? What did he mean by that?

"Don't act dumb, Izuku, I know you wanted to be a hero more than anything else when we were kids," Katsuki scoffed. "So is that it? You're sad cause you're not in the hero course? Am I rubbing it in too much?"

"What? No, no, that's... That's not it, I promise," Izuku said, forcing a smile. Well, maybe it was a little bit, but he couldn't tell Kacchan that. "I'm just not feeling too well today, sorry."

"Don't apologize for feeling like shit," Katsuki frowned. "Should've stayed home if you weren't feeling well."

"It's not that bad, I swear," Izuku said, taking the list back. "And I know just who you should intern with! Here! Best Jeanist! He's a top five pro hero, which means it'll look good on your resume and he's got a bunch of experience! I can't guarantee you'd like it there, though... I mean, all sidekicks and interns are required to wear denim-"

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Katsuki interrupted, pausing for a moment. "You won't happen to know how that'll go, do you?"

"Like I said, everyone needs to wear denim. He's uh... He's really strict with his morals," Izuku rephrased. "And I don't think you fit his perfect hero picture at all, so that'll be...challenging, for the both of you. If you decide to accept his offer, of course! You don't need to just because I'm suggesting-"

"Ugh, shut up! I wouldn't have asked you for advice if I wouldn't consider following it," Katsuki pointed out. Right... Izuku really needed to remind himself that this Kacchan actually liked him, even if he didn't have his memories. He'd never been relentlessly bullied, not by Kacchan, not that bad by anyone else either. It was easy to forget when all Izuku knew was to keep his timeline standing as much as possible. Alterations tended to flow into one another, mixing and mingling together. Izuku's lives all blended together in a way, making it hard to separate this reality from any other sometimes.

Being together with Kacchan was easy, though. Loving him came naturally to Izuku. But knowing he didn't have his memories, moments in time that so fundamentally changed them as people, it made things a little harder. Made conversations seem more...rehearsed, in a way. Stiff. Repeating. Guess that was the correct word for it. Repeating. Like a scene from a movie, a chapter from a book. Stagnant. Never changing. But that wasn't true. Things were changing. Izuku was changing things, changing his fate, his path in life. But not this, not Kacchan. Never Kacchan.

"You're really zoning out today," Katsuki sighed. "Are you sure you're-"

"I'm fine," Izuku said quickly. "I uh... Can you do something for me, Kacchan?"

"Depends," he shrugged.

"Can you ask Best Jeanist about the Hero Killer if you go intern with him? Ask him whether he's planning on going to Hosu City?"