Wings of the Void [TodoBakuDeku]

The Best We Can Do

A/N: Trigger warnings for starvation(ish?) and suicidal thoughts/actions.

This one is a fucking rollercoaster, my guys. I've been up all night writing, all for you! Pay me in tears. :)

Enjoy, my gremlins! :D

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Shouta had been gone for half an hour by the time he returned to Izuku's hospital room. He lightly knocked on the door, not awaiting a response before opening it and stepping inside with a strained look on his otherwise blank face. "May I speak to you three in the hallway?" He asked.

The trio shared a look, knowing this had to be about whatever Izuku's doctor had shown him.

"Of course," Tsukauchi said lightly as they all got to their feet and followed Shouta into the hall.

The exhausted-looking man waited for the door to shut completely before he started. "I believe he was telling the truth," He said quietly.

"And you didn't before?" Hizashi asked. He gave his Shouta an incredulous look as he said, "But Tsukauchi used his quirk?" He turned to Nemuri, his expression curious. "Does this have anything to do with what you two stepped out of the room to talk about?" He asked her.

However, Nemuri didn't respond, as the previous revelation was the only thing to register in her mind. the woman had perked up at Shouta's declaration, her interest piqued. She ignored Hizashi, who hadn't been a part of the conversation they'd shared earlier, as she stepped closer to Shouta.

She gazed at him with a somewhat quizzical expression, though it was more relieved than anything else. "What changed your mind?" She asked. Whatever it was had to be big, or he wouldn't sound so sure of himself. Nemuri would be lying if she said she didn't have some doubts of her own, doubts which Shouta had placed in her mind earlier with his talk of All for One and villainy. "You were so against it not too long ago, so what happened? What's causing you to reconsider your theory?" She paused, eyes narrowing before she added, "Not that I'm complaining. I never wanted to doubt the poor kid in the first place."

The way she'd said it made Shouta scowl deeply. She made it sound as if doubting the boy was a damn crime, but questioning his motives wasn't even a betrayal.

You can't trust just anyone, not in our line of work.

Of course, he'd wanted to believe Izuku, but how could he not have reservations about something so profound? It was unbelievable at best and lunacy at worst.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pulled the blood he'd nicked from the lab out of his pocket, holding it up for them to see. "This," He stated. "Izuku's blood." The group only frowned at him, not quite understanding.

Tilting his head confusedly, Hizashi asked, "What about it? Does it have strange properties or something?" He narrowed his eyes at the vial, trying to see if there was anything clearly off about it.

"You could say that," Shouta muttered. "I examined this blood under a microscope. Each blood cell had these... peculiar symbols on them. There was something wispy and black between each one, and the cells themselves seemed to almost writhe... and glow." He explained. Everyone appeared shocked by what they were hearing.

After a long moment of stunned silence, as Shouta allowed them to absorb the information, Hizashi was the one to break the ice. "I'd just like to point out that I never doubted him," he grumbled as he took the vial from Shouta's hand. He examined the contents, noticing the way the surface of the liquid never stayed consistent, even as he held the glass container still.

"Oh, and that's not all," Shouta added, ignoring Hizashi. The small group stared at him with rapt attention, awaiting more information. "The lab worker thinks Izuku's blood holds undiscovered elements."