Midori the Rabbit

Author's Note: This is the final chapter! I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this fic, it was a joy to make it and now I'm looking forward to releasing the sequel. I should have it posted within twenty four hours of posting this chapter, so look for it on my page.

Chapter 21: I am…

There was no school in the following two days after the sports festival. Todoroki had initially planned to spend some time with Izumi… but his last talk with her had reminded him he had some baggage of his own to deal with. Izumi was the light in his life now, but there was the constant dark shadow of his mother that threatened to dull it. In order to move past it, he had to face the shadow head on.

He hadn't seen his mother since the day she was admitted, afraid that his presence would be a burden to her, and prevent her mental state from stabilizing. It was time though, time for them to have a heart to heart and clear the past.

He stood outside the door, his eyes staring at the name plate with the words "Mrs. Todoroki" written in bold black ink. His fingers touched the door, and he felt the stir of nerves and nausea in his belly.

He opened the door, and stepped into the room and felt the reversal of time. She'd barely changed… the same silver hair, the same thin frame… "Mom." When she turned and looked at him, he saw the familiar grey eyes. For too long he'd seen those eyes in his memories tensed and sharpened with fear and hatred. Now they were calm, and sad.

"Shoto?" She whispered his name is disbelief. "Is that you?"

He stepped to closer to her, surprised that she didn't flinch away or even blink at his approach. "I'm sorry… I should have come to see you sooner, but I wasn't sure that you wanted me to." He clenched his fists. "I need… I need to talk to you… about the past, about who I am… I can't hide it or run from it anymore."

She stayed still, her eyes staring owlishly at her boy. She hadn't seen him since he was five.. The last memory she had of him, was on screaming in agony, crying in pain and confusion. Tears spilled over from the memory. "Do I frighten you?"

His head lifted up at her question and he stood straight again. "You… I thought you were afraid of me."

"No… my poor Shoto." She squeezed her hands together in her lap. "I've caused you so much pain… marred your face. You were just a child, an innocent child and all I saw was the incarnation of the man who-" she choked on the words and lifted her hands to her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Shoto!"

"Mom…" he shouldn't have come. Seeing his mother break down like this he bowed again. "I'm sorry, I'm causing you grief. I'll just-"

"Don't go… please Shoto." She reached out, took his hand surprising him. The hand was cold and shook like a leave but her eyes stared into his. "You came… that's all that matters now. You need to talk… to tell me something, ask me something. I'm ready, Shoto."

He looked at his mother's hand in his, and gripped it gently. He pulled up a seat sitting across from her… and let it all flood out.

He told her everything, from the day she left, his brutal training with his father, and finally joining U.A. He wanted to tell her that everything that had happened, he was trying to better himself, and tear away from his dark past.

"I see… so you're on your way Shoto." His mother smiled and touched his hand again. "You're making your dream come true."

"I'm trying… but I feel something holding me back. Keeping me from moving forward, and focusing on the future. That's why I wanted to see you, to confront the past… and also." He lifted his eyes to her. "I want to save you from this place… as penance for my sins against you."

"Sins?" Her eyes widen and then sobered in realization. "Shoto, you've done nothing to apologize or atone for. I'm the one who let my unhappiness break me. I took out my anger, my frustration out on you… I'm the one who should ask your forgiveness."

"Mom, I never blamed you. I blamed him. I let the anger and hatred I felt for him fall back onto me. I hated the part of myself that was like him because I know it's what's caused you this pain and isolation." He squeezed her hand gently. "I've changed though...He can't turn me into what he wants. I may have half his blood inside me, but I'm not bound by it. I'll be the hero that I want to become. I just need you to forgive me for taking so long to realize that."

"Shoto…" tears of happiness well up and she brought his hand up to her cheek smiling. "I do forgive you, and I want you to move forward with nothing holding you back." Her eyes shone brightly for the first time in years and a weight lifted from Todoroki's shoulders. "Do that… and I will be happy. That will be my salvation."

"Mom…" he smiled back at her, and the two hugged. He took a deep breath letting the rest of the weight just float away and he could finally breathe. Izumi's smile formed in his mind, as if he could see her there standing behind them, wishing them well. "There's something else I want to tell you."

"What is it, Shoto?" She pulled back stroking his left cheek with affection and no sign of fear or hate.

"I've met someone… it was because of her that I was able to be here today, able to find the courage to face you."

"Her?" Now her eyes danced with amusement. "It's a girl?"

He had to laugh. He sat back in his chair and looked out the window.

"Yeah, it's a girl. I'm in love with her."

"Shoto… you really have grown. What's she like, tell me." Fully invested she leaned forward watching the emotions play on her son's face. Seeing him smile, and that distant yet content look in his eye told her he meant it.

"She's… amazing doesn't seem to be a good enough word. She's strong, and sweet, and works hard to reach her goals. She's not afraid to take chances, to risk it all for what she believes in."

"She's in the hero course as well?"

"Yes, she's the hero who saved me from myself even when I didn't want to be saved." Todoroki lifted his left hand admiring it, images of Izumi flooding him, and filling him with emotion that his mother took notice of right away. "She's the light that's guiding me to my future, and so long as she's there with me, I'll never fall into the dark again."

"She sounds like a very special girl." His mother giggled softly. "I hope you will bring her to come see me so I can meet her."

"I definitely will."

~Midoriya Residence~

Izumi didn't want company, but once you agreed to something it was hard to take it back. After making sure her room was clean, and the snacks her mom made out for consumption she started looking for something to wear. She chose a simple green dress that made it easy to slip her sling on and off, her arm was still bandage the skin still healing, but all her breaks were mended and now she'd just have to wait til monday to finish the healing process.

She ran a brush through her hair, pouting as the curls tousled around her face messily and she shook them away sighing. "Mom's not even here to help me put it in a ponytail…" the doorbell rang and she sighed again. "Guess it'll do." She hurried out and opened the door, smiling at Uraraka and the other girls from her class. "Hi everyone."

"Morning, Midori-chan, how's your hand?" Uraraka asked stepping in and taking off her shoes.

"Better, it doesn't hurt as bad anymore. Come on in, everyone." She let them inside and showed them around the small apartment before letting them cram into her room.

"Whoa, man! Bakugo was right. It's a shrine to All Might!" Jiro eyed a poster on the wall, not noticing Izumi's grimace at Bakugo's name. Still she forced a smile on her lips and kept her concentration on her belongings.

"Mmmm… I truly admire him. When I was a kid I used to watch the same video of him over and over. I think I drove my mom nuts."

"This is a nice computer," Yaoyorozu sat at her desk playing with the keys to admire the desktop format. "You're very organized, Midori-san."

"What a bouncy bed!" Hagure and Tsuyu jumped on it simultaneously, laughing. Ashido and Jiro found spots on the floor to sit and Ashido immediately went for the food on the little coffee table Izumi had set out with snacks.

"Ooh Cake!" She grabbed a slice and downed it in one big bite, strawberry and all. "Mmm so good!"

Izumi smiled, happiness swarming her as she saw her classmates mingling in her space. She'd never had any real female friends before, so to see this made her heart glow. She knelt at the table and with one steady hand, poured the iced tea.

"Have you heard from Iida at all?" Uraraka asked her, making her hand tip a little. "Sorry."

"Not your fault, that's what I get for trying to do this one handed… no I haven't heard from him." Her eyes showed a great sadness, and the guilt rose up in her chest making her want to cry.

"You look really worried, Midori." Tsuyu pointed out. "Do you have feelings for Iida?"

"EH?" Izumi jumped again, but luckily had nothing to spill this time. Tsuyu was always one to say what was on her mind. It shouldn't surprise her that she'd ask something like that. "No, no, no I do like Iida but I see him more as a brother than anything else." She looked down again flustered. She already had enough of relationships and conflicting emotions.

"That's true, and you have your plate full handling Bakugo and Todoroki, huh?" Uraraka grinned and had Izumi going blue in the face. She wished they would change subjects.

"Todoroki-san was sure bold kissing you like that. It's been all over the news along with Bakugo-san's unseemly behavior after his win." Yao sipped her own tea, not noticing Izumi's surprised and panicked look.

"What do you mean all over the media?" Izumi blinked as Ashido handed her a newspaper out of her bag. Izumi went bright red when she saw herself, and Todoroki both practically topless and locked in a passionate kiss, with Bakugo in the next panel glaring at the camera his medal lodged between his teeth.

"Endeavor's son places second, but wins the girl…" Izumi read the highline and suddenly felt sick. "Oh man, he's not gonna like this."

"By he, you mean Bakugo?" Uraraka asked. "Of course he's not gonna like it. Who wants to see their girlfriend all over the news kissing another guy."

"I…" Izumi grimaced and fought off the tears folding the paper to keep herself from staring at it anymore. "I broke up with him."

"EH!?" All the girls shouted at once and immediately got closer to her.

"Why?" Hagure questioned her lace gloves fluttering mid air. "You didn't break up with him because of Todoroki, did you?"

"No…" Izumi clenched her good fist in the material of her dress as the tears welled up. "I was going to talk to him about my feelings about Todoroki, but…" She drifted off and wiped the tear that snuck out. Instantly she was surrounded, hands and arms holding her, stroking her hair to soothe. "I was upset already… my mind was on so many things… and because of all the conflicting emotions I felt from the two of them I couldn't stand to sit and watch their fight. I missed the entire ending of the tournament, and then I found out about Iida and felt so guilty I wasn't able to say or do anything to comfort him even though I'm supposed to be his friend!" Her voice was starting to crack."Todoroki-kun… before Kacchan came he knew right away something was wrong. He let me cry all over him, and even offered to take me home… It felt so right just being held by him, but at the same time it made me feel even more guilty… I knew I had to talk to Kacchan, tell him how I was feeling but... I was so upset… so angry at myself and then… Kacchan just kept yelling at me, making it worse by calling me stupid. I wasn't having it!" She shouted and shook as the sobs just kept pouring out. "Why couldn't Kacchan see that I didn't want him to yell at me, I wanted him…" she hiccupped. "I wanted him to comfort me like Todoroki did, I wanted him to show he loved me like I know Todoroki-kun does!"

"That idiot…" Uraraka whispered her brow twitching in irritation. "I can't believe him."

"Ribbit, are you gonna be okay, Midori-chan?" Tsuyu asked, her voice filled with sympathy.

"I don't know… I know what I did was right in the end. Still…" She looked up her bright green eyes just spilling over and flooding. "You should have seen his face. He looked so shocked and so sad. We've been friends since we were kids. I don't want to lose him."

"You won't," Uraraka insisted pulling her head to her shoulder and stroking her hair as the other girls all circled around. Yao patting her back and materializing a tissue to offer. "He's an ass for making you feel bad… but he cares for you Midori-chan. You guys will get through this rough patch."

"I hope you're right, Ura-chan. I really hope you're right."

~Bakugo Residence~

Mitsuki Bakugo stared at her son with an impatient look. He'd been moping all morning, playing with his food and now flipping mindlessly through T.V. channels.

"You're up before dawn, you cleaned your room, you barely touched your food, and you haven't screamed a word all day." She went up to him smacking a hand over his forehead making him flinch and grunt. "Are you sick?"

"Lay off, old hag, can't you see I'm busy?"

"Busy at what? Being a couch potato? What's going on, Katsuki?" She glanced at the news, saw the picture of Izumi and Todoroki flash on screen and her lips quirk. "Oooh I get it. This is about Izumi isn't it?"

"Tch," He damn near set the TV on fire, but remembered if he did that one more time he'd be the one buying a new one. Instead he testily changed the channel again. "Who cares about that stupid rabbit?"

Mitsuki walked around to sit beside him on the couch and wrapped an arm around him. "Now now, Katsuki, just because Izumi found herself a new boyfriend doesn't mean-"

"He's not her boyfriend! He just kissed her in front of the entire stupid world. She didn't even push him back! I'm the one that should have been pissed off and ranting and breaking things off with her, not her!"

Mitsuki blinked in surprise.

"You and Izumi were dating?"

Bakugo shook with anger and tossed the controller folding his arms and grunting. "Wasn't it damn obvious to everyone else? We hold hands, we kiss, I walk her to and from school…"

"Did you actually ask her out? Did you take her to dinner or a movie or-"

"No and no, but so what?"

"Katsuki, you poor stupid boy." She pat his head then grinded her knuckles into his hair screaming at him. "SO WHAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ASK HER OR HOW THE HELL IS SHE GONNA KNOW IF YOU'RE SERIOUS OR NOT YOU IDIOT!"

"OW! DAMN IT THAT HURTS! KNOCK IT OFF!" He pushed her off and ruffled his hair. Was it a wonder why his hair was never neat and tidy? "Alright fine, so she may have had a point, but that still doesn't explain why she got so angry at me yelling at her. I've yelled at her loads of times and she's never complained before."

"Just because a girl doesn't complain, doesn't mean she likes it, Katsuki. She's used to it, but if she was supposed to be your girlfriend you need to show her your softer side too, yah know. She was really injured badly from what I saw, and I bet you she was disappointed from losing the match, no one wants to be yelled at after that."

"Hmmmph…" she had a point, damn it. Still there seemed as though there was more to it then that. Whatever it was he wished she would have just told him. He'd been feeling like crap all day, and the ache in his chest along with the guilt kept him from sleeping well.

Now back to our breaking story… The Hero Killer is still on the rise, and his newest location puts him in Hosu City where local hero Ingenium was found brutally injured and near death.

Bakugo glanced at the TV and the hand that had been resting on his cheek suddenly fell limp at his side when he saw Iida and his mother walking into the hospital. If he'd recalled, Iida had left the tournament early due to family problems.

Kacchan, did you know Iida's big brother is Ingenium? Isn't that amazing? He really looks up to him too, kinda the way I do All Might. I hope we'll get to meet him one day!

Iida… Ingenium… Hero Killer?

He recalled seeing the look on Izumi's face as he'd walked up. So sad and tired, but he'd been too angry and annoyed to really understand or see. Damn it! He was an idiot!

"I'm going out!" He jerked up and ran out completely ignoring his mother's shouts asking where he was going.

~Midoriya Residence~

Determined to make Izumi happy again, the group decided to play games. They pulled out cards, puzzles, trivia, and had even decided to play dress up using Yaoyorozu's quirk to make outfits. Dresses, skirts, fancy shoes, hats, and more littered her floor. Yao played with Izumi's hair as the other girls help her into a white lace dress that looked almost bridal with it's big poofy skirt, and lace sleeves. Uraraka put plastic flowers into the hair and had to gush.

"Whoa! Midori-chan you look so cute!" Ura-chan turned her to the mirror. "You're normally very tom boyish but you definitely pull off the girly look. I could just imagine what the boys in class would say… oh sorry." She immediately apologized seeing the sadness return to Izumi's eyes.

"Mmmm, no…" Izumi smiled and stared at herself in the mirror. She'd never dolled up like this before and it made her smile brighten to see it all come together. "I'd like to know what they'd say too."

"It's very bridal, don't you think?" Tsuyu asked and handed her a bouquet to complete the look. The doorbell rang. "That must be Ashido and Hagure with more food."

"I'll go let them in." Izumi picked up her skirt with the bouquet, and feeling a bit girly and foolish yanked the door open posing with the bouquet. "I DO...oooh…. GEH!? Bakugo!" Izumi stared wide eyed as Bakugo, already sweating from his run went bright as red as he stared at Izumi in her outfit.

"Y...Yo… Izumi… W-What…"

"Hey Bakugo!" Ashido shouted waving her free arm while the other carried a bag of food. "What are you doing here?" She then noticed Izumi in the doorway and had to snicker. "Izumi-chan… so bold."

"Eh… EH?! EXCUSE ME!" She slammed the door shut in their faces. Bakugo held his heart and stumbled back. Just seeing her like that made him feel like he'd been stabbed in the back with cupid's arrow.

"Ho…." Hagure and Ashido lean into each other staring at Bakugo's reaction with obvious amusement.

"Shut up and stop staring raccoon face!" Bakugo shouted and turned his back to them to hide his bright red face. Stupid girls and their stupid costumes… they really were trying to kill him. When Izumi came back, her head down in embarrassment, the other two girls walk past her inside and whisper good luck before leaving them alone and rushing to the bedroom to tell the others what was going on.

Izumi closed the door behind her and looked at Bakugo. His head was lowered in shame, but he seemed to recover from the shock of her appearance from earlier.

"What are you doing here, Bakugo?"

"I need to talk to you." He tried not to wince. It hurt for her to use that name. His eyes wanted to swim with tears, but pride had him fighting them off.

"So talk…" she waited and held her injured arm, sans the sling. He eyed it, seeing her beautiful hands bandaged up left a twist in his gut.

"I came to apologize."

"For…" She didn't know why she felt so bitter around him. She'd just been balling in the other room hoping they'd get past this… but there was a part of her that made him want to grovel.

"For a lot of stuff!" He snapped and tried desperately to hold onto his temper. "For hurting you during battle practice, for forcing myself on you the day I found out you got into U.A and was trying to prove a point… for calling you names, and making you feel bad when you already felt like shit. For not asking you out properly, for not being a good boyfriend." He clenched his teeth and looked up a little so he could see her face. "I mishandled our relationship and I shoved my feelings on you without considering yours… also I found out about Iida, and I didn't realize yesterday that you were worried and frustrated and I let my annoyance and anger out on you. So…. I'm sorry!"

"Apology accepted." Izumi felt the pain in her chest easing and she smiled at him. "I'm sorry too. I should have been honest with you from the beginning. It took me too long to stand up for myself and maybe if I hadn't we could have avoided this."

"No, we couldn't." Bakugo said with assurance. "To be honest I knew you didn't like some of the stuff I did and the things I said, but I was arrogant enough to believe you'd never leave me. You've always followed me around before ever since we were little kids so why should you change." He began to shake now, his head lowering again and his hands clenching tight in his pockets. "But… you got your quirk, and everything changed. You got stronger, more confident, you made friends. You didn't need me anymore so I panicked. I just kept pushing harder and I hurt you. I never meant…" he choked on that gritting his teeth the tears starting to fall now. "Damn it! Kuso!"

"Bakugo…" she started but he finally blew up.

"That's not my name!" He screamed at her, his eyes spilling with angry tears as he lifted his head. "You've never called me that! It's always been Kacchan! Don't call me anything else!"

"Oh… I'm…" she couldn't finish, too shocked by his blow up to do much of anything but raise her hands up in defense.

"Usagi!" He pointed his finger testily at her. "Kacchan!" Then jerked his thumb back at himself. "Girlfriend or not this is the way it is! I won't accept anything else!"

"Kacchan…" overwhelmed by the joy that fluttered she had to laugh a little.

"I know, I know you said you're not weak or timid, but that's not the real reason I've called you that all these years!" Bakugo admitted catching her off guard.

"What… but… when we were little you said it was perfect because I was small, weak, and timid."

"This is so stupid," he muttered to himself not sure whether to be angry or embarrassed by the fact he was admitting all this now. Not like it mattered. "I said all that shit to look tough in front of the other boys. Do you really think they'd have thought it was cool that I called you Usagi because I thought you were cute?"

"EH!?" Her eyes widened in surprise.

"There you were, sitting with your sand castle, biting your bottom lip, and eyes big and teary. On top of that you used to wear your hair in pigtails all the time." He pulled out his cell phone and shoved it in her face. On the screen was the picture of her from the sports festival. It was a head shot from shoulder to pigtails. "Usagi… you're Usagi because you're cute!"

"Kacchan…"Emotions flooded Izumi, her face bright red and her heart fluttering in her chest.

"That's all I wanted to say… sorry for interrupting your party." He pulled his phone back and into his pocket and moved past her. Izumi only hesitated for a moment before whirling around.

"Kacchan!" She called out to him. "Do you want to stay?There's drinks and snacks, and we'll be watching Hero's Kingdom!"

He paused at the end of the hallway and looked over his shoulder at her. She was offering up the olive branch, he noted, and couldn't help but let his lips twitch a bit.

"That the one with the peasant chick, and the Prince and warrior king fight over her?"

"You know…"Izumi grunted and her eyebrow twitched in annoyance of the apt description of her favorite movie. "There's more to the story than that. The villain for instance…"

"Please, the romance is the only part of that movie anybody really cares about. Tch, that stupid ending too, everyone becoming friends to defend the country. The warrior king could have done it without anyone's help. He should have just killed the prince and taken his woman."

"Kacchan…" Izumi said his name scoldingly.

"I'll pass…" he turned his back again. Started to walk but then immediately stopped. "Usagi… do you like Todoroki?"

Izumi held her chest, looking into herself for the answer. What could she say to him? She couldn't lie… it would piss him off more than the truth. "Yes. I have feelings for him… but, Kacchan I-"

"I figured…" he glanced back at her again. He didn't want her sympathy, didn't want her to give him any hope. "You still need time to figure it all out. I won't ask you to be my girlfriend yet…" He turned to her fully so he could look her eye to eye. "Because when I do, I want all your focus and attention on me. I'm sure Icy Hot would feel the same way. So get your feelings sorted out...I don't want to hear those words from you, until I know you only have them for me."

Izumi nodded. She stood at her door watching him walk away… and couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her lips.

The next day at school everyone was to create their own code name. While some took their time thinking of them, others knew exactly what they wanted. Izumi hesitated, not because she hadn't thought of one, but because she had to present it.

"Midoriya-chan, are you ready?" Midnight asked beckoning her up to the front.

"Huh? Oh Yes!" She approached the front and stared at the name she'd chosen. This was it, even though they said it could be changed, Izumi knew this was the name she wanted. She flipped it around and heard the murmurs of her classmates.

"I didn't always like this name… but after coming here someone changed the meaning for me. I'd always been timid and shy, but after meeting everyone here and gaining so much experience I've changed. Still this name signifies me, and always will…"

She smiled at Bakugo who flushed, and then to Todoroki who gave her a smiling nod of approval.

"I am… The Lucky Hero: Usagi"

THE END

…

Or not… be sure to read the upcoming sequel "Midori the Girlfriend"