No Regrets || Lying Hero Deku AU

Chapter 9

I promised to not regret this...But...If this is what I'll have to face...

Midoriya was conflicted. Well, conflicted is a weak term to describe what Midoriya was feeling, but more or less accurate.

He had killed a man. Not directly, at least not at first. His hand was used to kill a man — which Midoriya still wasn't sure whether that was a crime or not — and then he actually finished him off, this time more by himself despite the pressure Toga kept putting on him as the man struggled to live. How was he supposed to so-calmly live with that thought? How did Toga, Dabi, hell, even Shigaraki, deal with these situations? Or did they already simply get so used to it they walked away without so much as a second thought?

No, at least that didn't feel like Dabi. Did Dabi kill people before? Probably, despite the thought making Midoriya shiver. How did he cope with it? Did he feel the same nausea? The heavy weight on his body, as if he was carrying the corpse on his shoulders? If not, then did he feel any empathy for whom he killed?

It was troubling, how easily people can take away a life. Also, how easily that can go unnoticed and unpunished. Who knows, maybe the teenagers or drunken people that will pass by would pay no mind to the leftover stink and the strange puddle at which flies and other insects would gather, for the sake of not giving away that they were either dealing drugs, or not raising suspicion that they were a part of whatever happened.

People were selfish. Midoriya felt like he was an exception, at least, up until this point. Why did he think he was so special? He didn't know.

Those thoughts kept racing through his head throughout all of the following day after the murder. He was supposed to meet the League too, which, much to his dislike and fear, meant seeing Toga and Dabi as well. Dabi would certainly notice how distant the two teenagers grew, and he was bound to ask questions, question Midoriya knew he would have to answer, but also felt like couldn't: he didn't want to admit his crime, no matter how obvious the taint in his mind could appear on the inside.

Although, when his table shook and a loud thump sounded, he was snapped out of his thoughts, eyes widening as he flinched and turned towards the angry blond beside him.

"Hey, Deku! Are you even listening?! Fucking deaf-ass nerd." Midoriya bit his lip nervously. Had he been ignoring Bakugo all the time while he was thinking? How long was that?! And how pissed did he make the fuming male?!

"Oh, um, well..." Bakugo grabbed his collar and pulled him up, forcing him to stand.

"Can't help but notice how pathetic you look. You seemed even more stressed than you are with me." Bakugo stated seriously but not tenderly. At least, no tenderness sounded in his voice, but Bakugo's next words made him tense unwillingly.

"Who the fuck is scar face? He looks like a goddamn villain, and if you're messing with him, you better cut that shit out." His voice was low, a serious glint in his eyes fusing with his anger, showing an intimidating look that certainly affected Midoriya. Midoriya gulped nervously. He couldn't tell Bakugo that Dabi was a villain, and that'd obviously be a lie by how Bakugo was looking at him, expecting more of a confirmation rather than an answer.

"He's a nice person." Midoriya mumbled vaguely.

"Nice or not, as stupid as you are, you should know better than to fucking mess with shady people like him. I'm not about to go and try to calm auntie down should you go missing, fucking idiot." Midoriya's eyes widened. It almost sounded like he cared — no, it sounded like he cared. Bakugo wasn't able to express emotion like that, at least, not that Midoriya ever seen him do that, but right now, it was clearer than ever; as rude as his comment was, it was true. A warning. A Bakugo version of "take care".