inheritance | IC Inbox

[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?

[He isn't surprised that Izuku picks up on that immediately. His eyes slide shut, and he draws in a slow breath...

Though his expression and tone are both calm.]

...I did what I had to do. There...was no other option. I tried everything else, but...

[...]

There was a lot more I still wanted to experience, too. I wanted...

[...he shakes his head, trailing off.]

... So please. Treasure your life. Hold onto it with everything you have. There's always so much more to live for.

[It's the last words that get to him, like a knife to the heart. Before, he could think through the shock, but now it's like everything's finally sinking in. His mouth wobbles.]

When...when I kept asking you about your friends, and what you'd do when you got back home... [Izuku's voice breaks and he closes his eyes against the tears that are threatening to spill.] Why didn't you say anything back then?

... I'm sorry.

[Minato breathes that out softly, shaking his head, expression soft.]

I...wanted to be able to live a little while longer...as if nothing was different. Everyone treats me normally here. Selfishly, I liked that.

...not your fault. [It's muffled, a little, when Izuku sniffs and hurriedly scrubs the tears away, covering his face as he does so.]

I think...I would've done the same thing. I just feel bad...I kept asking you all that stuff and it just reminded you of what happened.

... No, don't feel bad.

[That gets a quick shake of Minato's head, even as he frowns.]

It's my fault for not telling you. And... I don't--

[...]

I'm okay with it. Honest, I am. Even if I wanted to be able to live a little longer... it was my choice, and I don't have any regrets.

[Minato seems...sincere, and Izuku knows that he is, when he remembers what they'd talked about before. It makes sense, now that he can put the pieces together, that this must've been the last resort for him.]

Things must have been really bad, if you had to do this. [Izuku finally says quietly.] What...what happened?

... It's not a happy story, but...

[If Izuku wants to know, he deserves to know. Minato's quiet for a moment, but more to get his thoughts in order than anything--

And then quietly, he begins to speak.]

Back home...for awhile, people were starting to have a sort of mentality that was...really damaging. People stopped wanting to live their lives. They were just going through the motions, because they didn't know what else to do.

...And that attitude...eventually, it ended up calling on a goddess.

[A slow breath.]

Nyx is the goddess of eternal night. She's... not malevolent, nor is she benevolent. She just is.

[...]

And when she heard humanity calling out for death... that what she came to give everyone.

[Minato's right. It's not a happy story at all. Just hearing it makes Izuku's chest feel tight, with worry for the people of Minato's world, with worry for the rest of the story.]

I don't understand. [Izuku murmurs, eyes sad as they watch Minato.] What was causing people to think that way?

[It sounds...unnatural, to wish for death. And for so many to think that way, enough that this goddess heard... there must have been an explanation for it.]

... Nothing.

[Isn't that the most tragic part?

It can be argued that eventually, it was Nyx's influence--but people called to her anyway. In the end, it was people, just people, because...]

People... just started to lose hope. They lost sight of what living was all about, and... got apathetic. And that apathy was enough to call out to her.

Not everyone, of course. But...a lot of people did feel that way. Because life can be hard sometimes, and people forget just how important living really is.

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