Wings of the Void [TodoBakuDeku]

In This World

A/N: Here's a short chapter for you! I got too excited and couldn't stop writing, so you get a double update, even though this second chapter is only 2,800 words.

Let it be said that I have no medical knowledge! A lot of the stuff in this chapter is shit ripped straight from my brain, and probably wouldn't fly IRL.

...

But who needs real life when you have fanfiction, anyway? :)

Enjoy the chappy, my gremlins! :) Double update!

—

Shouta stared at Nemuri, an incredulous look on his face. "You cannot be serious," he said lowly so Izuku wouldn't hear him.

"You said–" She began, but Shouta cut her off.

"I know what I said." He glanced to where his husband was trying to calm the keening boy down before he pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. He gestured to the door, signalling for them to take the conversation into the hall.

As soon as the pair had exited the room, Nemuri began her rant. "Shouta, if this isn't a sign from 'God himself,' I don't know what is," Nemuri huffed as soon as the door clicked shut behind her friend.

Shouta raised an eyebrow and gave her an unimpressed look. Is she really this naive? He thought in exasperation.

"Shouta, you–"

"No." He interrupted. "We don't know who he is, where he came from, or what he's doing here. We don't even know if he's telling the truth. Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me you believe that he's an angel, Nemuri?" His brain was going a mile a minute as he thought up plausible scenarios as to why the boy may truly be there.

None of them looked good.

"Of course I believe him! Tsukauchi used his quirk! Everything he said was true." Nemuri gave Shouta a pleading look, almost as though she were begging for him to understand.

She knew it was unbelievable, but she had a gut feeling.

And my gut feelings are never wrong.

"Maybe to him." Shouta's eyes narrowed as he thought. "He could have been brainwashed by some cult. It wouldn't be the first time." Shouta thought back to all the horror stories he'd heard; he was more inclined to believe that the boy had gotten those injuries in a cult as opposed to Heaven.

"Then how do you explain everything we saw—both at your house and in that room?" Her eyes were lit with determination as she spoke fervently. Shouta shook his head, but she ignored him and plowed on. "His appearance, multiple 'quirks,' the ability to heal from such grievous injuries! Can't you just accept that maybe there is something greater than simply living your life and then being thrown into endless nothingness?" She implored, searching for a way to bridge the gap between Shouta's disbelief and the unexplainable.

Shouta closed his eyes, inhaling a long breath. As he exhaled slowly, he said, "I have another theory, but you're not going to like it." Pausing, he looked at Nemuri, who gestured for him to continue. "There's a strong possibility that he's a villain," He muttered darkly.

Nemuri gave him a skeptical and somewhat enraged look as she scoffed at his words. "A villain?" She hissed. "Do I have to spell it out for you? Tsukauchi used his quirk on him! Everything he said was the truth, at least to him, anyway. Even if he's not an angel, even if he's been brainwashed by a cult, I don't see how you could make the jump to villainy."

Shouta looked around to be sure no one was listening in on their conversation before glancing back at Nemuri, finding her visibly afflicted by his words. She'd always grown attached quickly, especially to the younger generation. He didn't doubt that after hearing the boy's sob story she had become emotionally invested. That's why Shouta had been worried she would react like this, but his theory held merit. He didn't just come up with the notion out of nowhere.