Chapter 41: Our Differences

"You heared me, right? He isn't picking up his phone. We have to find him!" Todoroki argued at his earpiece, sliding down from his mountain of ice after obstructing a robber's passage. Recently he received the news that Midoriya was missing, and possibly kidnapped after a series of strange footages. These footages showed a hidden bar get demolished by the hero, followed along by villains as he protected civilians from the cement. But the quality was so low that their faces could not be detected.

Mei notified the police department and hero agencies that the green-haired hero was missing. She claimed that, hours ago, Midoriya called her explaining how he was assigned to meet up with Bakugo and extract information from him, but ever since nothing else was captivated. Mysterious enough, even when his disappearance was the talk of the town, those who offered him to help with the case did not report their contribution and involvement.

When Todoroki tried to call him, he did not answer, and Midoriya always accepted; they were close buddies ever since high school.

"You're thinking what I'm thinking, are you?" Kaminari said in hesitance.

"I... I don't want to go onto that conclusion just yet. We hid the news for two months now. Who would've snitched and told him straight away that Bakugo was alive?" He paced, departing a few buildings until reaching a stop outside the secret Pro Hero corporation. "I'll see you inside, I'm already here." The other hummed in accordance. Todoroki thought to himself in an intense prudence.

Midoriya, he worried if he was okay. If he was not hurt, or going through terrible sufferings. All of his friends thought likewise: they did not want him to experience the ill that they caged for an eternity. They wanted Midoriya to gain the happiness he deserved, not to plaster off a facade soon to decay.

A multitude swarm of vechiles gathered at the building. Despite being as secretive as possible, for some reason the disappearance of a Pro Hero was so vital for it to be ignored. Todoroki entered, met by the outstanding whiteness of the walls and sanitation. Clean flooring, and almost an isolated space, stepping over the elevator. After he clicked a button, someone introduced a hand to the doors, stopping it from closing. Kaminari presented himself, entering with a greeting and standing beside Todoroki. The bicolor man nodded with respect.

As the doors closed, he moved frontward to press on the third-last highest floor. Music tuned and they were silent, impatiently stepping their shoes. Todoroki glanced up in inspection for time to run faster, but the awkwardness encouraged Kaminari to talk.

"So... how do you feel?" He asked, carefully.

Todoroki looked at him, then down in limited understanding of himself. "Worried. My head hurts." Kaminari uttered a word in agreement, backing away.

"I hope he's okay," he said. Todoroki wished for the same thing. Kaminari, figuring out that his tears were glistening, placed an arm around his shoulders to hug him.

...

"You're saying that now after you captured me hours ago? If you missed me that much, I don't think you'd be treating me this way." I revealed myself from the shadows, in the middle of the racks that were labeled in endless columns and rows. Kacchan was yards in front of me, and he stopped walking.

"Sometimes you make everything difficult, you know? It wasn't the right moment," he said, soley standing as he checked out my prime position. He seemed to be at ease once he saw me and my handcuffs.

"Not the right moment? How did you think I'd react when I woke up to find that I was chained, huh? More importantly, to the fact that you managed to outsmart the police by lying to them!" He chuckled in a way that irritated me, but it was calmer than fewer occasions. He did not move, and maintained on the same spot. Although the darkness eventually embraced our vision and I reckoned I almost lost sight of his whereabouts.

He stepped nearer. "You've always been this overreacting." His feet stopped, approximately six feet apart. I could sense the tension stretch out within my chest. I could move, I could try to escape, but these handcuffs would be a bother as I am chased.

I stepped farther, refusing to reply at such unbearable figure. The sound of metal clacking against one and another resonated. Obnoxiously attractive, he was, but that did not mean he was not menacing. Those red eyes pressumably shone without light, as its saturation and concentration were more dense than before.

Smiling, he locked his stare at me, probably admiring my conflicted stage of undecisiveness.

"You know I've changed.." I said. "Don't think this will be easy like it was years ago."

"I know. That's why when you were asleep I injected a substance into you. Including, those handcuffs can send you a shock in any minute. All I need is to click this button," he raised something from one of his pockets. It was illuminated by the red circle. "You could be as experienced or as diligent, but you're still human."

I hated his jeer mocking; underestimating me like I am still a worthless "quirkless." Though I now grew concerned to these handcuffs and whatever drug he put in me, I awaited for any disturbance.

"Come here," his hand gestured to hurry and stand in front of him.

My feet walked backward slowly. I did not want to listen to him and his command. Kacchan switched the item he had from his hands after seeing my denial.

To my surprise, he did have the audacity to use the shock on me. My arms shook, sending currents across my body in pure vulnerability, that it led to dropping on the floor. My muscles suffered a temporal loss of sensation, going numb from that sudden electrification. I breathed heavily as if I had performed a tedious labour, my head laying on the ground.

"Even if your quirk comes from All Might, that does not make you any stronger." I heard his shoes walk closer to me, encouraging me to raise my head. "In fact, it'll be fun to discover ways to damage this power. I still can't believe you are his successor."

Stunned by disbelief, my kneeling pose turned aching. Kacchan just mentioned the basics of my secrets in an indifferent manner, acting so casually. "How... how do you know that?"

"What? It's obvious."

"No. It's not obvious. I've had friends for five years and they still haven't matched the connection. Well, except Todoroki," I corrected him plus myself. All Might did retire a few years ago, and the truth behind his idolized muscles had to terminate. Everybody knew his real body now, but not the fact that the power can be transferred to a successor. He now crouched to my level, and the smug face he wore was not there anymore.

"Todoroki? The icy-hot bastard?" I nodded. It wasn't a surprised that he knew. Apart from Todoroki being incredibly famous for his reserved description and good-looking aspect, his split quirk was eye-catching and he frequently roamed around the streets at midnight.

It was that I realized that Kacchan was examining my costume; from my respirator to my hood, down to my red pockets and shoes. It sort of felt uncomfortable to have his eyes wander my every move. Eventually, it made me shiver when he pulled me to him, playing with my hood.

"This is inspired by All Might, am I right?" He changed the subject, gazing at my outfit in which I deeply disliked. Swallowing a gulp, I said, "It is." Whenever it is Kacchan's presence, I always lose my control of an unbridled stance. But if it were any other villain, I would put my entire will to bring them to their defeat. Why is it that I restrain myself from giving my all when it comes to him? Why is it that I pretend that I am inferior? It seems as if I want him to touch me.

No... I can't treat Mei like this, no matter how corrupted I am.

Kacchan caressed my arms with delicacy, fondling them until lowering to my clothed chest. The palms touched my abdomen as he tapped them to confirm whether they were solid. He looked up to converse about my trained body.

"You're built," he smirked. I mentally hit myself because of the embarrassment.

His hands let go of me, staring into the abyss. "When I think about what happened, the only thing I regretted was killing your mother."

"What?" My attention ached to volunteer to his speech.

"We weren't doing anything bad, but I crossed the line because of my own insecurities, not aware of how serious those mistakes led to. I was careless to think how you'd feel to lose Inko, and how much that acceptance of loss affected you," he said. "But I noticed that, no matter how many times I feel guilt or reflect on the past, I'm still the same person."

That was... somewhat true. His words portrayed the tendencies of a bipolar hypocrite who expects his predictions to turn correct. It felt odd to have him relaxed, glancing up to my eyes or at my suit from time to time. Kacchan and I hadn't seen each other for so long we don't have anything else to tell to each other. It's not like we're on good bonds, but the day he was imprisoned for the last time, a whole blast of emotions were at the scene. That day still lingers so vivid in my mind; from the weight of the rain, to the pressure to survive. Oh, how I thought I was going to die.

Yet again, he softened my waist, leading to my stomach in which he pushed me down. The handcuffs almost blocked the commiting of his actions, but I was more scared to know that he crawled on top of me.

"I like your costume. It's so well-thought and adorable. Did you make it by yourself?" He asked me, fixating his urged eyes to me, coveting to maintain mine in his avarice. His hands creeped beside my body, and I aparted slowly and carefully. For some reason, his comment made me angry; I did not want my hero costume to be adorable in any way. Every design is meant to comply with suitable expectations and requirements that function with my quirk.

I nodded in silence, wordlessly. His gaze switched to the side of my hair, with softness, intruding his fingers onto the messy tangles. It was caressed with such care I almost gave in like a cat being petted in the neck. Why was he doing this?

"Did you miss me as well?" He questioned, now inches away from my face. His knees captured me in between, so his entire body kept me under his control; just like that maniac wants.

"...I'm not sure," I said in honesty. I had no intentions to be indirect, but there was something about the overindulgence of his warmth that made me given in. The temptation of what I utterly hate to the bottom of my guts.

"You agreed to see me when you had the chance to back down," he said, smoothening my cheek.

"I wouldn't refuse a hero's work no matter how personal it was," I justified. He tried to tease me, and I resented it so much. I have always hated his use of words and how he targeted them towards me, as if every word coming from his mouth are factual. Should've expected this for a longevity, since two months after waking up wouldn't give him the freedom to become a decent human being. In fact, he still had a young mind.

"Then what are you doing letting me touch you? Are you perhaps waiting for me to give it to you so you can put me in prison again?" He shortly rotated his head in a click. "Geez, what a selfish prick you are."

At once he brought his lips too close, aiming to combine them with mine. It was too close that I swang my overpowered leg and kicked his body to the ground. Quickly I stood in trouble, glutted by the overwhelming sensation of dizziness and flusterness. I gripped my knuckles inside the handcuff in sole disappointing rage.

"Do you think I'm someone to be taunted with, Kacchan? Just so you know I have a girlfriend and you're just a mere insolence!" I shouted. He raised his head with madness masking his reaction, deteriorated by my statement and its meaning. He stood from his kneel, cleaning his mouth with a palm.

"Girlfriend? Since when were you into pussies?" A rough voice declared. I was offended by his ignorance and singular persception.

"Since the day I met her! Now, will you stop being so childish and let me go?"

"I'm sure I won't do that, not until I get what I want. If you don't want to be with me, no one else can have you." That sounded sort of concernedly. I felt I was in danger. He does not want to move on. He does not want to change for good. It's like he does not care ruining his own life for me. Why, after all these five years, he hadn't had the right mind to forget about me? I thought he hated me.

Gesturing to myself, I began, "Can't you see I'm better off without you? Can't you see that I am now a Pro Hero, that I have amiable friends, and a granted life? Can't you see that?" I expected another one of those bothering smiles that boiled by blood, but he had a staid expression it almost made me shake.

"I know you're lying," he said as he pressed onto the button, electrifying my chills from the handcuffs. I trembled until I paced behind a rack made of steel. It did not help me in any way, whether it is to hide or be far from his grasp, but I preferred that than falling to my knees. Gosh, why is it that not even One for All can block these waves?

...

The streets were fulfilled with the exploitation of noise coming from the horns. Vechiles composed of their machinery's beeping, with the civilians distressed of the amount of heroes that gathered up in the street. Todoroki, Jirou, and Kaminari were in the same group, meanwhile Shoji, Tokoyami, and Tsu united forces.

Previously the meeting was held. Most of the Pro Heroes were from Class 1-A, a few being the experienced ones of Japan for decades like Best Jeanist, Gang Orca, and Hawks. It was very tough and tense for the discussion as the friends prevented touching personal and subjective topics. Mei was not present since she works for the heroes and was currently not properly assigned, but she contributed to Todoroki's call. Everybody could not believe it when informed that Midoriya, the guy who defeated them all during high school, was kidnapped. And it sort of connected the dots when it was accomplished by Bakugo.

This pursued the beginning of the case, a new one. The main drive to search for the hero was significant, and no one else expected to give up so soon.

"What about your fiancé?" Todoroki asked Kaminari after talking to the police. They were outside in the middle of the road, but in that area the cars did not fluid similar to the other busy side of the town. He waved to him as he jogged away.

"Oh, Jirou? Tell her I'm going to go to the locker room because I left my support item," then he headed off with hurry, skipping as he wore his left shoe. Todoroki sighed, slipping his sight to the dark, blue sky tainted by a dirty purple. Stars were not lightened just yet. He kept finding himself dazing off from consciousness, worrying about Midoriya and the valuable friend he was. Throughout high school, he was almost his protector and guardian.

Todoroki could have been emotionless and dismissive, but he never intended to hurt Midoriya's critics. If someone tried to molest him, Todoroki would intervene, because he claimed an important person should teach him the common sense in this world. He felt like he was his big brother, but never confessed neither accepted the fact that he valued him too much. Unlike half of his high school companions, Todoroki was not in a relationship; so he tended to be isolated from social connections pretty often.

Uravity ran towards Todoroki from behind, yelling his name as she stumbled and crashed onto his body.

"Uravity, be more careful with your leg," he said as he held her arms, putting her back to her feet.

"I-I'm sorry! But Shoto, we found Deku!" She managed to stutter with that desperate tone. Todoroki widened his eyes and bursted out his emotions in such rarity, that he forgot morals and respect. He held her hands in anxiety, shaking them.

"Where?! Where did you find him?" He asked, almost shouting through the crowded noise.

"He's on the other side of Japan, far away behind the mountains of Saitama! We're going to tell the rest of the heroes and make sure to bring at least your group! Don't head off alone!" She pointed at the left, indicating it was very high.

Todoroki backed with shock. Midoriya was very far from their current location, but he was so grateful to Uraraka, who went ahead and risked her walking privelege in order to inform him. Suddenly, he started running to the opposite direction, scattering his icy trail up like a sliding staircase. Even after he was told to not go alone, Todoroki apologized but claimed that he could not wait for everybody. Uraraka shouted for him to stop his track, because it was too dangerous, but Todoroki ignored it.

He dashed and stepped onto it, running as he formulated a path out of the city. By ignoring the sirens and yells from his companions, he went ahead and did his own dealings without partnership. As he kept on formulating the way beyond limits, the hero corporation's building boomed, unaware that it was one out of the six bombs deployed in Japan.

...

Reminding myself of the Hero Killer, Stain, I wished to have had my phone in my possession. Todoroki, I know he must be feeling really devastated by how trapped he feels regarding my disappearance. Uraraka, I know she must feel guilty and scared to know that she is meeting with past experiences, acknowledging the seriousness of this scenario. Mei, I know she might feel disappointed and worried; I'm sorry I was careless like usual.

"Deku, I'm not using my quirk for a reason," within the thick air, a deep voice rang in my ears. Chills ran across my body; I was scared. It was sort of questionable that Kacchan did not use his explosions, but I wonder if it is because he wants to go easy with me. If so, that was an improvement. My back let go the bar of the filled racks, in which the documents protected my live position.

As I sensed his steps get closer, gingerly my body moved forward, bending for none of my shadows to be seen. Turning the corner into a new rack, I knew Kacchan was now in the column I previously stood. A breath of relief exhaled, feeling my pulse increase at this tension. The shock he activated twice made me tick irregularly, being more sensitive to this frozen atmosphere and lacking stability.

It felt like a horror movie at this point, running and hiding away from the murderer.

Sweat slid down from my forehead, in which I assumed it was impossible within the wind of the air conditioner. Even though the room likewise functioned as a freezer, my rigid respirations worked as a heater. My head was dizzy and rotated my vision; where was I focusing before? My back lost a balance on the bar of the shelf, and I soon was going to fall on the ground. Although I forcefully placed my leg to stand, the thud noise sound across the room. In the corners of the racks I saw Kacchan switch his head to the source; at this moment my heart dropped.

Cursing beneath my breath, I skipped to the next column, expecting him to advance to me.

I knew he was merciless to give me hope, instantly snatching my shoulder as he appeared from behind. Despite my decreasing strength, I used 3% of One for All and punched him with my restrained hands on his jaw, in which he made sure to respond by igniting my face. Though my sight was blind, I aparted backward, careful not to trip.

Shit! Shit! I can not see anything! My sight was all white and it faded away slowly, blooming with red tint and yellow. Kacchan stepped to me, and though I could not focus my eyes I flung my leg wherever. There was a point I felt Kacchan's grip behind my shoulder, holding me still, and injecting the needle of a syringe in my neck. I lightly gave a wail from the piercing point. What the hell was he doing?

Pushing him with my back, I kicked him afterwards in which I was sure he fell. My shoe interfered with the gap of the other, removing it off me. I did the same with the second shoe and I was left with both of my socks. Using all of my natural instincts, I could follow the vibrations on the cold floor. This way, with my view being temporally covered by the explosion, I could still protect my reflexes.

My injected neck felt numb. I, however, sensed that Kacchan got closer to me in front, so I ran backwards. Utilizing Black Whip from my mouth, I attatched it to the top of a rack and pulled it inward. The shelf fell along with the documents and tragically collapsed down, impacting a loud sound of a mess as papers flew across my skin. I did not know if I managed to get a hit, but luckily my view was fading a little clearer.

With hurried steps, I walked the opposite direction, trying to not stumble over a rack. For once I could see everything, but the dark pit was unbearable. Kacchan coughed from afar, and his explosions made me tense. I felt so dizzy that I tripped because of my own pace. This time it wasn't because of my sight, but because of this tormenting nausea. Having my handcuffs drag me to a wall, I laid without any effort. I could have used my legs to knock off the wall, but I am not informed. What if there are villains supervising outside? What if I am on a high flooring? What if I'm on a mountain or in the middle of the ocean? Despite having the advantages, one can not overuse them without a proper reasonable thought. Besides, I did not think I could keep it up with my weaknesses.

Kacchan neared, the small light through the window portrayed his figure. He stood in front of me, and crouched.

"Guess it's starting to have its effects. I was right after all," Kacchan said impassively. I dazed off, my sensitive head nodding as in because I was confused. I asked for clarification. "Remember your medicine, Deku? Remember that it was serotorin? Well, instead of balancing your hormones, they actually overwhelmed them. All of this time, you were taking drugs that made you horny, instead of helping."

Nothing made sense. I could not align my hearing aid. Did I listen correctly? Was I taking pills that did the opposite of their purpose? That reminded me that Kacchan, five years ago, once stole the bottle and never gave it back. I doubt if that's how he knows and if he ever tried them out of curiosity. But that did not match up. My psychologist was a professional man, and even my mother found good reviews of him. But... if Kacchan is right, that man twisted my entire life, and I would be more than glad that he stays dead.

My expression was so lost and stunned, Kacchan had noticed it.

"I know right? Such a small mistake led to us here. Just because I fell for you, I am here rotting in misery. Is this how strong our love for each is? Is it actually this powerful and dangerous?" Kacchan kneeled, his words making me reflect. Love... I knew what it was. Love was not an obsession, it was a feeling. It was not a desire, it was an appreciation. Driven by my opinions, I wondered what his interpretation was.

"It's not that, Kacchan..." I whispered. "What you feel it's not love. You just want me for my body," Kacchan formed a furious frown. I reckoned I did not say anything wrong, but a statement that should be objective. He neared his face.

"That's because it's the easiest way to express it. I want to hug you. I want to caress your skin. I want you to depend and think of only me, but you don't listen to me. It's easier to make love to you because I feel myself drowning into you, and your body being more honest than any lie you speak." For God's sake, I could not stare at him without my vision slipping away. Those were the most loveliest words I heard from Kacchan, but a detail within them made me anxious whether he's trying to trick me.

I don't want to test it, because I do not want to betray Mei as well.

Now, if he did feel love, then why go over boundaries to drug me and treat me so harshly? He was interfering with my rights. Then again he would say it is because I am hard to handle. Then what the hell do I do to confirm it when his "expression" is so erratic?

Damn it. We are so complicated.