The pros were terribly perplexed.

Kagayaki was now curling in on himself as though his abdomen had been struck with a blunt object, a visible luminosity seeping from the seams of his clothing.

Strobes and beams were cracking through his skin like a clay-covered lightbulb, and the heroes present had no idea how stable he was.

Or rather, how close he was to taking out the block.

He'd taken to shrieking bloody murder long after the remaining citizens were evacuated, yelling names and phrases at random.

At some point in time, however, the pros noted that his shrills were becoming less coherent; more that of intense pain instead of deep regret and sorrow.

He was gradually losing control.

...

"Mister, our mommy says that strangers aren't always good people. Are you a good person?"

The tiny hand that latched around Izuku's index finger suddenly tightened.
As if it were a warning that if he took too long to respond, she wasn't guaranteeing his safety.

"I-I'm sorry, but, weren't you the one who recognised me, dear?"
Izuku chuckled sheepishly, trying his best to appear nonthreatening.

"That's not an answer, and if you call me that again, you lose a finger."

She tugged harder into the direction she was walking in.

'Scary'
He gulped.

"I...Like to think I am. Being a hero, and all."

"You don't have to be a good person to save people. Any moron could do that. But I'll take your word for it."

Izuku was slightly put-off by this child's oddly intellectual perception on morality, but followed nonetheless.

The kids had offered to bring Izuku back to their "camp" as they described it, where there would indeed be more grown-ups like Izuku requested.

He couldn't feel further from a grown-up, however, when the little boys and girls of the group congregated to the front of their path, chanting nonsense and marching onward.

It reminded him of when he, Katsuki and the neighbourhood kids would explore the nearby forested area, of course, under Katsuki's lead.

A few of the kids had stayed to the back with him, though.
Taking turns holding his hands, and asking what his suit was made from.

One little boy asked Izuku to remove his gloves because they were rough and difficult to hold onto, and his mouth hung agape when he saw the cluster of scars that made their way up Izuku's knuckles and wrists, continuing past the sleeve of his suit.

"I-I'm sorry, are they scary?"
Izuku had momentarily forgotten just who was accompanying him.

"No...They're...Cool."
The child carefully poked at the scars as if they were on display.

Izuku smiled.
"Wanna know how I got them?"

The boy's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Izuku engrossed him with tales if his former battles--leaving out the gory details--until the next child asked for her turn, before stopping to listen out of her own curiosity.

Eventually, the kids were less paying attention to returning to their destination, and more focused on Izuku's whimsical tales of endearing justice and difficult pursuits.

Of course, most of these stories involved his partner.

He dare not utter Katsuki's name for fear of a breakdown, but instead assumed that the kids would put two and two together.

Spoiler--they didn't.

...

"Imperium, sir!"

"What is the meaning of this?"
Tenya and Shoto had immediately noted the lack of higher-rank pros announced on the news.

After a few minutes of convincing reassurances, Tenya left Shoto's side to intervene.

Kagayaki's state was being broadcasted countrywide, yet only amateur pros seemed to arrive at scene.

This, was definitely reason for concern.

"Mr. Imperium, sir, the perpetrator seems to be going off the rail–"

"So he's unstable?"

"...Y-Yes, sir..."

"And you're just going to let him obliterate the city?"
Tenya scoffed.

He wasn't one for stating the obvious, but he was definitely the last person you'd want to slip-up with.

Before the pro could even discuss a plan with Tenya--he was stunned by his immediate reaction.

The number two pro hero walked past the man and advanced beyond the now moonlit, shimmering caution tape.

He didn't hesitate in his movements, swiftly approaching the thrashing man, slinging him over his shoulder.

The pros on the sidelines winced and exclaimed fearfully, both baffled and in shock by the hero's unusual approach.

Tenya was generally known for his safe, supposedly efficient and guarded ways in terms of heroism.

He put the public's safety above all, and wasn't seen as a hero who could take risky leaps.

He earned the respect of many, but others saw him as meek and cowardly, since he couldn't act fast and without hesitation in situations like these.

But for once, Tenya wasn't strategizing his next form of action--but was instead thinking on his feet, coming up with a plan as he went.

He definitely wasn't going to make this a habit, especially with this many lives at risk, but...

He felt as though he owed it to his Hero.

...

Izuku was astounded.

The group had led him to the strangest, most chilling excuse of a clearing he'd ever seen.

Instead of lush, evergreen trees, he was met with a pitch-like ebony substance oozing from icy structures and pearly stalactites.

It wasn't a clearing because it was open, but instead, it was because of the lack of fog.

The thick mist seemed to draw thinner and thinner as Izuku made his way here, revealing this monstrosity of a 'camp'.

Makeshift tents had been propped up against the untouched walls.

There were plenty--many more than there were children with him, proving their earlier statements true.

There were more survivors.

Without thinking, Izuku gained a running start towards the camp, the handful of children following close behind.

Izuku observed what materials they used to build their homes, which varied from pieces of pillars and concrete, to torn sheets and the soles of shoes.

His mind had no idea what he was searching so urgently for, but his heart was dead set on what it wanted.

Izuku was stubbornly trying to suppress it.

The hopefulness; the joy.

He was telling himself not to get his hopes up, yet his head was already spinning.

The overwhelming senses of both relief and burning caution, a voice in the back of his head telling him that reality would shatter him to pieces--no.

He was going to be right.

He was going to find--

"Mister? Are you alright?"
One of the kids tugged at the sleeve of his suit.

Are you alright? Can you stand?

Ah.

The first time he'd ever seen Katsuki mad.

What he would do to see Katsuki's face again...

Even if it meant that he despised his existence...

"Deku?"
Said the low, husky but gentle voice of a man.

One word.

It took one word for Izuku's doubt and restraint to come crashing down in an instant.

His head whipped around, as he caught sight of the awestruck man standing at the entrance of one of the tents.

His clothes were baggy, cast upon his now lean, muscular frame like fabric draping from a sculpture.

Izuku could've collapsed then and there from his fluctuating emotions alone.

Glistening jade orbs welled up at the familiar gaze; the lovely scarlet that Izuku had known to ignite a blazing yet soothing warmth at his core.

Izuku's lips began to tremble, his entire body being stunned with a numbing-like sensation, causing him to stumble on his words.

"...K-Kacchan?"