inheritance | IC Inbox

[Though Izuku likes just about everyone he's met in Chroma, there are a few that he's grown very fond of--Minato just happens to be one of them. So, of course, when Izuku spots him near the gardens, he immediately perks up.]

Arisato-kun! [Izuku's ready with a smile whenever he turns to look at him, completely unaware of the complications that would arise from simply being around his friend at the moment.] Where are you headed off to?

Ah, hello, Midoriya-kun--

[Minato hasn't figured out by now what his triggers are for his memories being shared.

Which makes it really unfortunate that his trigger for his memories is legitimately just greeting someone. Sorry, Izuku. You're not getting much of a warning before you're getting plunged into a memory.

It's of Minato, Minato in bed, waking up very, very slowly. He's groggy, though Izuku will only be able to feel his emotions--his sleepy contentedness, peaceful and warm and--

Suddenly, fear and shock and alarm, as Minato bolts upright in bed, eyes flying open.

He looks around his room almost wildly, breath hitching. From the calendar to the sunlight streaming through the window, heart hammering in his chest as he's almost disbelieving--

And then he reaches out for his phone, fumblingly, and checks the date.

February 1st....

His emotions are still in disarray, shock and amazement far too strong for it to be just another day... and slowly, he laughs, disbelievingly, burying his face in his hands as his shoulders shake. In truth, the laughter is...desperate, almost, and definitely entirely disbelieving, his emotions in turmoil...

But soon enough, there's a knock at his door, and Minato blearily lifts his head to look as Yukari comes in.

"Minato-kun, are you okay...? You've been kind of out of it--oh, you're awake!" She smiles, but there's something off about it, something different, and his brow furrows a little.

Before he can respond, she continues, "I'll go grab you some breakfast, okay? Take it easy!"

She turns to go, and Minato reaches out a little, throat hoarse, "Wait--is everyone else okay? Did everyone make it?"

The look she gives him is funny. "Make it through what...? ...Whatever, anyway, just stay there. I'll be right back."

The shock runs through Minato, sharp and intense, as Yukari leaves his room--shock and then fear, worry, concern. They don't remember, do they...?

A moment later, he breathes out a soft sigh. He expected that. They all expected that... he'd have to just hope that they'll remember by March 5th. A stretch, and slowly Minato shifts as if to get up--

And then he chokes, hand coming to his chest to grasp at his shirt as he does, wincing as his head throbs. The sudden pain and exhaustion takes his breath away, enough so that he stumbles and falls to his hands and knees... and then, staring at the floor, his eyes slide shut as it all sinks in, his every feeling just utterly exhausted and utterly resigned, and to himself, softly, he breathes, "Oh..."

Now he understands.

... And quietly, Minato's hands clench into fists as he comes back to himself, teeth grit. Dammit--!]

[Once he's freed from the memory, Izuku stumbled back a step or two in a daze. It's not the first memory he's encountered today, but this time was even more disorienting than before, with the way the emotions had swept over him.]

A...Arisato-kun? [His voice wavers. It's difficult, separating his emotions from the ones from the dream, but even then Izuku can still feel the resignation that had settled over him. It seemed so wrong, that someone as steadfast as Minato would feel that way. What had happened?]

[... Oops.

Minato's... definitely just staring at the ground, hands clenched into fists, teeth grit together.

If he could have spared Izuku this, then... he would have, no matter what it took. But...]

...Sorry. That... you had to see that.

Why are you apologizing? [Dazed as he might still be, Izuku immediately tries to shake it off once he hears the apology. Minato blaming himself for this--he's not having any of it.]

It's not your fault. It looks like the town's acting up again.

[... Maybe not, but he feels like he has a lot of things to be sorry for.

But even so...

He just nods quietly, casting his eyes down.]

... Right.

[That...lapses into awkward silence, because really, he doesn't know what to say.]

[He takes one look at Minato as the silence drags on before making up his mind.]

Okay...let's go. [It's pure luck that makes Izuku snag Minato's sleeve rather than grab his hand to tug him along. There's obviously something wrong with the picture, and while he is sorry Minato hadn't had a choice in having his memory thrown out there like that, Izuku isn't just going to let the awkward silence grow between them either.

At least they're already near his cottage, and it's not a long walk at all.]

[... Oh. Okay. Minato follows obediently, expression a little downcast despite himself. These sorts of things... he would have been happiest if they were never brought to light, and if he could have lived his life here without this hanging over his head. But...

It really wasn't to be, was it?

So quietly, obediently, he follows.]

[For the short walk back, Izuku lets Minato keep his silence, knowing it would be better to coax anything out of him when they're somewhere more private. Besides, there's a lot that he wants to mull over, too, while they're both lost in their thoughts.

Izuku heads straight for the kitchen once they're inside, gently pulling Minato along with him.]

I'm gonna make us some hot chocolate. [Izuku tells him while steering him toward one of the chairs. A small smile flits across his lips.] It's fitting that I'm gonna use up the last of it with you. We shared our bad memories with each other to get it, remember?

[Oh... Izuku's really going above and beyond to try to comfort him, isn't he..? Abruptly, Minato feels a little bad for worrying him to this extent.]

Midoriya-kun...

[... Still, he seems pretty sure about this, doesn't he? Minato doesn't think trying to deny that he could use it here and now is a wise plan.]

... Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Izuku grabs two mugs from the cupboards and sets the kettle near the fireplace to heat. While they're waiting for the water, Izuku leans against the counter and watches Minato for a moment.]

We haven't had the town pull something like this for a while--apart from the forest, of course. [Izuku muses softly, not really pressuring Minato into talking. Yet.] It reminds me of that first month we were here, when the furniture and everything talked.

[The town had revealed things that weren't meant to be then, too.]

[... Minato nods quietly at that, relaxing a little at the topic of conversation. It's a bit easier to talk about, that's for sure.]

Yeah... I wonder what it means. The first time, it was to pressure us into fixing things, but this time...

We didn't have a goal like that.

No... and there wasn't a quest posted for this either.

[It's something that's been on his mind, since the sirens. But that's not what they're here to talk about, so he lets that one go for now. There's a pause before he finally asks--]

Are you okay? [Though he doesn't have context for the memory, Izuku has a feeling that it was something fairly serious. As he checks the kettle and makes the hot cocoa once the water's hot enough, he glances over at Minato, gauging his expression, too.]

... Well...

[That's a harder question to answer than he'd like for it to be. He doesn't want to lie to Izuku, after all.

But telling someone like Izuku this, that's--]

... I am. [Softly:] Emotionally, I'm fine. It was my choice.

[... But what that choice was... that's a little harder.]

Your choice...? What do you mean?

[Logically, Izuku guesses that whatever Minato's alluding to is the cause of that rush of emotion he had felt at the tail end of the memory. The way the girl and Minato had been talking, there's obviously something going on that he's missing. But Izuku can't figure out what it could be.

There's a growing unease in his chest. What could have affected Minato like this? ]

... It was something that needed to be done.

That's... what I need you to know.

[... Before he says anything more... Izuku needs to know that much.]

[You're worrying him, Minato! But all the same, Izuku nods, wondering if Minato's looking for some kind of confirmation from him.]

I believe you, Arisato-kun. You're kind and thoughtful...whatever happened, I'm sure you would have considered as many factors as you could before you decided.

... Yeah.

[He sighs that out softly, eyes closing for a long moment... and then he looks at Izuku firmly, gathering his poise and calm.]

You can ask me, you know. If you have questions.

[When the water's heated up enough, Izuku adds the last of the hot cocoa mix to the mugs, pours the water in, and then brings the cups over to the table. He sets one in front of Minato before he sits down.]

I'll ask only if you're okay with it, Arisato-kun.

Even though Izuku does have questions, and he's practically squirming with the need to ask them, Minato's comfort is still the most important.]

[Minato knows. After something like that, he imagines Izuku must have so many questions.

He won't begrudge him that.

His own expression is more rueful than anything.]

It isn't anything that will hurt me. I guess I was just... getting comfortable with people not knowing here.

... You can ask. It's okay.

[Well, if Minato himself says it's okay... even with the reassurance, Izuku still hesitates.]

Comfortable not knowing what?

[It's said softly. Izuku's hands tighten around his cup.]

... That back home, I died.

[It's said softly, but clearly. It's not something he'll shy away from--not now, when they're at this point.

He didn't want to hurt Izuku this way, but... what can they do?]

[It doesn't sink in, at first. Izuku stares at him blankly, wondering if he'd heard wrong.]

You...what?

[He definitely heard that wrong.]

[That's the reaction he should have been expecting, right...? It's still hard to see that look on Izuku's face and to know that he put it there.]

... I... was in a situation where there was no other good option. If I hadn't, so many people would have died. And so...

I chose to give up my life.

Arisato-kun... [It's barely a whisper. But of course. In all the scenarios Izuku could have thought of, this one makes so much sense. Minato giving his life to save people, it's something that he would do.

...there's something else, though. This conversation's stirring up a flash of a memory, of another conversation that they'd had before.

Izuku inhales sharply.]

When I asked you if dying to protect people was a good thing before...that's what you were thinking about...wasn't it?

9/21; event

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