A/N Once again this will be another one-shot.

Warnings: No happy ending. Soulmate au. Aizawa/Izuku pair

"Speaking"

:Thoughts:

Aizawa's POV

Coffee in between hero work and before he was needed at the school was his usual routine. There was one shop in town that made the best roast. It was strong enough to keep him awake most mornings.

Shouta was more exhausted than normal, however. More than one cup was needed to keep him alert.

Heroes from all over the city were called in for a fight. Apparently, the Kings were at it again. Normally heroes didnt interfere with the Kings as they kept to themselves. However, the Red and Blue King were becoming increasingly public with their fights. It seemed almost as if a war between them was on the horizon.

Just before the appearance of quirks, there was a discovery in Germany. Scientists had found a Slate with unrecognizable carvings etched into it. They called it a relic and began to study it.

Germans and the Japanese thought it would create the next level of soldiers for war. Given the state of their world at the time it could have made the difference. If they could only learn how to forcefully activate the relic.

The relic was rightfully dubbed the Slate. By bringing mice as test subjects they found the Slate resonated with certain rats. When they resonated with it the rat would gain heightened intelligence or extra powers. Their powers were marked by a sword above their heads. It would be later named a Sword of Damocles.

Despite the scientists' best efforts, they were unable to get it to resonate with a human. Until a bombing run happened on their facility. More than half of the scientists were killed. Including a young scientist who was the twin sister of the head scientist.

Her brother was saved by the Slate's power and was given the power of the Silver Sword of Damocles. Adolf K. Weissman became the First and Silver King.

After that Japan took it back with them. A young Lieutenant became the Second and Gold King. With Weissman wanting nothing to do with the world any longer he took control over it.

As time passed it was revealed that there were 7 Swords of Damocles. Those who wielded the Swords and the powers that came with them were declared Kings. Kings only answered to themselves and in serious situations the Gold King.

Then came quirks and with the heroes. In the beginning heroes and villains alike fought against the Kings. It wasnt until the Gold King stepped in that peace between heroes and Kings resumed.

As long as innocents weren't injured the Kings would answer only to each other. Clansman had to answer to laws just like normal citizens. Though most ignored that rule. They felt the only ones they answered to were the Kings that commanded them.

Times were changing though. The Gold King was getting old and could no longer keep control over the younger generation. SCEPTER4 led by the Blue King stepped in when things got too dangerous. Or if the Red King was involved.

Heroes were beginning to be needed for rescues more often than before. SCEPTER4 could create shields to protect civilians but the flames of HOMRA were powerful. If the police even though it was HOMRA, SCEPTER4 would be immediately notified.

Heroes couldn't even put out the fire correctly until the Red King left. His mere presence was enough to keep the flames going.

Last night had been no different. Shouta helped rescue trapped civilians while SCEPTER4 tried to suppress HOMRA. At one point it appeared the Red King had lost control over his powers. Even at the first aid site half a mile away, they could feel the heat.

It was well after three am when the two groups dispersed. More than a dozen members of HOMRA were captured and arrested for their part in the destruction. None of them seemed particularly important and that frustrated the underground hero.

As he entered his favorite coffee shop he noted that it was mostly empty. A boy maybe in his late teens or early twenties was ordering at the counter. From the back all he could see was his green hair and that he was wearing a black t-shirt with jeans. The way he held himself spoke of quiet confidence.

The barista said cheerfully, "Its good to see you again, Midoriya. Your usual again today? How is Totsuka doing?"

Midoriya replied equally as cheerful, "I am well. Need Mr. Kusangi, Tatara, and Mr. Mikoto's coffee as well today. Mr. Kusangi was injured last night against the mafia group that's been causing trouble. Then the Blues showed up and only aggravated his injury. So Tatara and I will be running the bar."

There was a widening in the barista's eyes as she exclaimed, "Oh no! Poor Mr. Kusanagi. I know he means a lot to you guys. He's always looking after those of us who can't look after ourselves. Or those of us who are being bullied. Before HOMRA we had no one we could really go to for help. Heroes in this area are too overworked to help with anything like the mafia."

Shouta froze in surprise. HOMRA attacked a mafia group? That was why they were out last night?

That didnt fit their M.O. From what he learned they were a ragtag group who focused on their own needs. Heroes and the police never considered that there might be more behind the fights.

Midoriya answered, "We will always look after those that we can. If anyone else tries to let me or Tatara know. Or you drop by the bar anytime."

"Goodbye, Midoriya. Tell Mr. Kusanagi that we all hope that heals quickly."

Midoriya turned to face Shouta who stayed as relaxed as possible. He couldn't arrest this kid right now. Not only was he likely another small fry. Heroes and police couldn't take in a King or clansman unless they were committing a crime.

He was lucky that his hero clothes could be mistake for civilian clothes. Unless he pulled his goggles out from under his scarf then he wouldn't be seen as a hero.

Midoriya passed by him and because of the small space between Shouta and the door. Their shoulders bumped. Right where the soulmate mark that he had hidden every day since he decided he wanted to be a hero. The younger man didnt even pause as he went through the door.

Another thing that had appeared with quirks and King were soulmates. Most people had a soulmate and when they turned seven their mark appeared on their body. Shouta's was of a black cat with red eyes and a green bunny encircled by a red flame. Connecting the two animals were a white that looked like his capture scarf.

Something itched in the back of his mind. It felt off in a way but for the moment he ignored it. He needed information and this was the best spot to get it. A quick text to Hisashi asked his friend to watch his homeroom class.

With that done he approached the counter. The barista gave him a grin and inquired, "What can I get for you?"

Shouta replied nodding over his shoulder at the door, "Black coffee with two sugars, please. What can you tell me about that boy?"

"Midoriya?" She questioned absent-mindedly, "Honestly not much. I first met him when HOMRA first took him in. Word is that his mother was murdered by a villain. HOMRA took him in when his father abandoned him. Ever since that day he has not left them. Like most members, he is loyal to a fault."

"Do you know his first name?"

She nodded as she replied, "Izuku I believe. Izuku Midoriya."

That was all the information she could give on the teenager. It was enough however that he could start an investigation when he got back to the school.

As he expected both Hizashi and Nemuri cornered him as soon as he returned. They were curious about why he would be late. It wasn't often that he was late beyond a few minutes.

With some well-timed snaps, he was able to get then to back off. He didnt want to get them involved until he was sure about the boy. That would require research.

What he found was alarming. Izuku Midoriya was classified as a missing person but presumed dead. Inko Midoriya had been murdered by an unknown villain in their home when he was just 6 years old. Hisashi Midoriya had taken custody of the child for a short time before he disappeared.

Three months after the murder of his wife Hisashi filed a missing person's report on Izuku. The police searched but there were no signs of the boy. It was as if he disappeared off the face of the earth.

If he was picked up by HOMRA then that would make sense. If Midoriya was part of the fighting then the higher ranking members would protect him until he could protect himself.

Shouta's estimation of his age was right on the mark. Midoriya was 17 almost eighteen now. He had been with HOMRA for over a decade. That would make the bonds thicker than blood. It would also make him one of the first clansmen.

When the mother was murder Mikoto Souh had only been a King for a few months. Would a King mark a child as a clansman was the question. There wasn't enough information to answer it.

In the afternoon he took a nap in preparation for the upcoming evening. He awoken not by his alarm but by his soulmate mark burning like it was on fire. Anger that was not own coursed through his mind.

A moment later his phone went off. An officer said on the other side where explosions could be heard, "Eraserhead! You need to get down to the Southside immediately. Villains have acted HOMRA's base!"

Fuck! Absolutely nothing good could come of this.

Izuku's POV

He ducked behind Mikoto as a blue flamed villain rushed at HOMRA. The heat that his King gave off in response even made members of HOMRA flinch. They were strong and resistant to fire. That did not make them invincible, however.

There wasn't time to hide behind his King. He had a job to do that only he could perform.

Most of the clan were heavy tanks like fighters. There were three who preferred to stay out of the fighting.

One was Anna Kushina. She was the princess of HOMRA. Like Izuku she had been taken in when her family abandoned her. She was born a Strain. Someone who had abilities but they didnt come from a King. She could see the auras of Kings and clansmen. As a second ability given when she became a clansman, she gained a location ability. They thought she had a slight clairvoyance ability but it was hard to tell.

The second was Tatara Totsuka. He was a friend of Mikoto and Izumo before HOMRA was founded. Tatara held the ability to calm the hearts of those around him. In all the years he had known the older man he had never seen him fight. Always using his ability to stop a fight before it truly began.

Finally was Izuku. After his mother was murdered by a villain and his father abandoned him Mikoto took him in. With the help of Izumo and Tatara, he learned what he would in school. Through Mikoto, he learned how to fight.

Unlike the others, Izuku could use his flames in a fight. The difference was that he chose not to. He held the ability of barriers. Drawing runes in blood activated flame barriers. If you did not carry the mark of the Third King then you could not pass through the barrier.

It wasnt a perfect technique. The amount of time it took to create the runes in made him a target. Though he found out if they weren't removed then they could be used multiple times.

There were traps laid all around the bar for just such an event. Still, he had to set extra rune circles. That would make the barriers stronger. It also gave Yata and Rikio time to evacuate the civilians.

As he finished drawing the final rune he sat back on his heels. Blood dripped from his palm onto the ground. To get adequate blood to draw runes with he had to cut open his palm. He activated his red aura cauterizing the wound. Another pink and silver scar appeared on his palm.

Bringing up his wrist he tapped on his watch calling Yata. The younger boy answered, "Yo?"

"Are all the civilians evacuated? The runes are drawn and ready to be activated," he said watching as Izumo's flames struck out at the villains.

The villains were a tag team that he had seen before on the news. One had a size quirk that allowed his body to grow to enormous sizes. The other could shrink whatever they touched. Including organic materials.

It made sense that Izumo was the one fighting him. Izumo used his lighter to attack at long range. He was the strategist of HOMRA.

Yata replied, "All civilians are evacuated. We are ready for a full-on attack. Be ready to raise the barriers. Yata out!"

Izuku shouted disconnecting his phone, "As soon as Yata and Rikio enter the circle I'll activate the barrier! Anyone not suited for this fight fall back and assist the injured civilians!"

"Sir!"

Members of HOMRA sprung into action. The lower members ran towards the villains. They would keep the villains from escaping. The middle-ranked members were leaving the area to assist the civilians.

Two taps to his shoulder signaled that Yata and Rikio were entering the barrier site. A twinge of annoyance went through the back of his mind. It wasn't his own annoyance. This wasnt the time to think about such a thing though. He had to set the barrier.

Izuku put himself on the battle side of the barrier. Cutting open his hand again he placed his bloodied palm on the primary rune circle. A black shadow rushed across the barrier line into the fighting. It was already too late to stop him from activating his aura the circle's flames erupted from them. It formed a barrier of fire.

He shouted above the fighting, "King barrier is set!"

Mikoto only turned to give him a slight nod. Then nonchalantly joined the fight. Even against villains with quirks he never went all out. The only time Izuku ever sees him get serious was against Reisi Munakata.

Reisi and Mikoto fought like cats and dogs. It was because they were order and chaos in terms of their powers. Blue and red Kings were forever destined to clash. No one could say otherwise.

Izuku stood ready to join the fight when he found an unwelcome sight within the barrier. A man in black sweats with a scarf wrapped around his shoulders stood there. Covering his eyes were a pair of yellow goggles.

It took a moment for Izuku to recognize him. It was the man he bumped into at the coffee shop. Those goggles themselves struck a cord within Izuku. They looked just like the one on his soulmate mark.

His mind was racing. They bumped shoulders in the coffee shop. That was when he started feeling emotions that weren't his. The shoulder that he bumped held his soulmate mark.

The man asked watching the fights as they broke out, "What is going on here?"

Izuku pulled a lighter from his pocket as he said, "Villains attacked our home. Without heed of the civilian's homes that line our streets they attacked. Low and middle-ranking members kept them busy while everyone else evacuated civilians. HOMRA may seem like reckless thugs to you, hero but we care for those who cannot defend themselves. The barrier of fire was only set when everyone was gone."

Eyes widened behind the goggles. Izuku could feel the man's surprise and understanding. Everyone looked down upon HOMRA for being a gang of thugs. The lower-ranked members fit that bill more than the higher-ranked.

Outside of fighting with the Blues HOMRA tended to keep to themselves. It was only when one of their own was threatened that they picked fights.

Izuku was startled by a flash of movement that did not belong to the fighters. Just inside the doorway of the bar stood Anna and Tatara.

What in the twelve hells were they doing outside of the bar? Orders were to stay in King's room.

Mikoto snapped, "Midoriya! Protect Totsuka!"

That had him moving ignoring the possibility that he ran into his soulmate.

:No Blood. No Bone. No Ash,: he chanted within his mind.

The tiny embers that lay just beneath the surface of his skin erupted into flames. He didn't need the cadence for setting barriers. If he wanted to fight then he needed the embers ignited into a true flame.

Rushing to Tatara's side he checked on both he and Anna. They were in good health. Simply watching the fight between the clan and the villains.

The lighter in his hands was just like the one Izumo carried. In fact, most of the middle-ranked members and higher had one. It didnt matter if you smoked or not. The lighters carried the mark of HOMRA engraved into the metal.

They were a right of passage for every clansman. After serving the clan for a year each clansman was given a lighter and a pack of cigarettes carrying the mark. They would forever be a reminder. No matter where you went or if their paths strayed from that of the clan. They would forever be apart of HOMRA.

Izuku used him as a long-range weapon. The metal was strong enough to withstand the flames of his King after all. It would be a waste not to use it when he didnt smoke.

Watching the fight play out was just like the others. Misaki Yata the red-haired vanguard attacked using his skateboard for speed and extra power. Both he and Rikio acted as tanks. They hit hard and blocked attacks meant for the King.

Izumo was watching for any sort of opening to land long distant attacks. The stiffness of his posture spoke of the pain he was in. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't even be in the battle but it was all hands on deck with this attack.

And the King... Mikoto was never one to go with any plan other than his own. The man had heat radiating off of him. Nearby metal object began to distort the closer he got to them. The two villains froze as Mikoto closed in on them.

Above their heads was the Red Sword of Damocles in its glory. Their fires were feeding off of its strength. Fires that were nothing in comparison to the King's.

A rough sounding unfamiliar voice said next to him, "So this is the power of a King. I have not seen this up close like this before."

It was the man from the shop. What was he doing following Izuku?

Izuku responded with a growl, "This is just Mikoto toying with them. Only us clansmen are truly giving it our all. We wish to end this before the Blues decide to make an appearance. Who are you?"

The goggle bearing man replied, "I am the underground hero Eraserhead. I've seen the destruction your people cause. It's hard to believe that you would be attacked without provoking it."

"You're just like everyone else," Izuku bit out scathingly, "You only see what we do in the present second. You don't see past that at why we do what we do. Or at what cost..."

A hand closed around his shoulder cutting Izuku off. A pleasantly warm and calming fire went through him. It calmed his anger at the man in front of him.

Looking back he saw the warm light brown eyes of Tatara staring at him. There was a slight shake of the man's head. Izuku took a deep breath to calm his anger.

Heroes were all the same. They looked down upon the clans. Thought so little of them that they were little more than villains. That wasn't the truth, however.

HOMRA took a lot of the blame for people just having fire quirks. It was easier to write off for the police than spending time actually investigating. They didnt deserve that kind of reputation. HOMRA looked after each other. The eyes were family. Sometimes the only family that they could count on.

Tatata said his eyes turning cold in a way that was rarely seen for the soft-spoken blond, "You should not underestimate a clan's determination. Or let what you see on the outside affect your judgment," then something shifted in his face and the Tatara so lover why the clan returned, "Come by the bar sometime. Find out who we really are and what it means to be HOMRA."

There was that gentleness that showed a scared child that there was still good in this world. With his insistence, Izuku was taken in by HOMRA. He became the youngest clansman of the red clan.

Eraserhead huffed and a flash of annoyance went through Izuku. It wasn't his own. The soulmate bond there was no denying it any longer.

Then suddenly the man leaped forward. Using his scarf he attacked the villain that had strayed to close to them. A quick knee to the face and the villain was out cold. It all happened in an instant. If he had not been watching he would have missed it entirely.

The second one who was already pinned to the ground painfully by the vanguards. Yata had his foot planted in the villain's back. The others had his hands tied so that he couldn't getaway.

Mikoto called out, "Brat, take down the barrier. We will hand these two over tonight," Mikoto bent down to growl at the one they had pinned.

It was too far for Izuku to hear but he had an idea. Most likely a threat for them to never return to the city. While not all of it was HOMRA territory they would know if these two came back. If they did they would not survive the second encounter.

Concentrating on the runes he destroyed the primary rune circle. The barrier fell with it. The flames dissipating almost immediately. The buildings and roads were scorched but without any permanent damage.

Almost as soon as they fell the area was swarmed with police, SCEPTER4, and heroes. Choosing to ignore them he went to check on members of his clan. A handful of lower-ranked members had some broken bones but nothing too serious. Izumo was by far the worst off. He tore his stitches in the fighting. Pale he was barely able to remain standing.

As third in command of the clan Izuku began barking orders. That had the ranks moving and taking the injured inside the bar. The uninjured formed a perimeter in order to keep out unwanted guests.

Mikoto and the higher ranking members faced off with SCEPTER4. They were tired from fighting with the two villains but they would stand their ground.

Eraserhead called out, "Heroes stand down," eyes turned towards the man questioning his order, "HOMRA did not start this fight. They were attacked by these villains. As is their right they protected themselves and subdued them."

Police and heroes alike gave them wary looks and a wide berth. The vanguard released the unconscious villain while Eraserhead put cuffs on his. Mikoto aided Izumo back into the bar followed soon by Tatara and Anna.

Izuku stayed to answer the police and heroes' questions as well as those from SCEPTER4. A small smile crossed his face when he caught Reisi glancing at the bar with carefully concealed worry. Only six people knew this but Reisi and Izumo were soulmates. Their soul marks were of the Red and Blue Swords of Damocles circling in harmony. An action very rarely seen in their time.

As much as he disliked the clan itself he would not deny the man information. If it was him he would hope someone would alert him on the changes of his soulmate.

As the heroes and police began to disperse the civilians returned to their homes. Many called out thanks to Izuku and asked him to wish his clan well.

He approached the Blue King cautiously eyeing the stiffening members of SCEPTER4. Reisi held up his hand to stop them from coming any closer then stepped so that he met Izuku halfway. A flash of jealousy went through Izuku but he quashed it knowing it was not his own.

Izuku said with a small smile, "He overextended himself," there was a furrowing of the King's brow as the only sign of his worry, "Don't worry he will be fine in a few days."

There was a near-silent sigh of relief and tension released from the other's shoulders. In a whisper, Reisi said, "Thank you. Look after him and Souh. Those two are always getting into some trouble."

Then he turned and began barking orders. Slowly even SCEPTER4 began to leave. Then only Izuku and Eraserhead were left. With a glare in the man's direction, Izuku turned to head inside the bar.

That night he slept fitfully in his room. Dreams of fire and explosions kept him from a good sleep. Just before the fifth time, he woke up that night he dreamed of standing on a rooftop taking in the sights. Then a gunshot sounded and nothing.

It wasnt the first time he had such dreams. The first time he had one was just before his mother died. It was the first time he had seen someone die since his mother.

There was a niggle of doubt that it wasn't him. All of the dreams before had been of other people. Never himself. Still, the feeling wouldn't leave him.

A few days after the attack on the bar Izuku was cleaning while Izumo was out. Mikoto and Anna were napping upstairs in the living room. Lately, she had been colder than normal and he was almost positive it didn't have to do with the changing season. It was already late November it wasnt cold enough for her to be keeping so close to Mikoto. He couldn't ask either. Anna wasn't one to answer questions until she was ready.

The door of the bar opening drew his attention. A quick glance at the wall clock told him it was too early to be open. When he saw who it was he understood why they were there. Eraserhead was there in his civilian attire.

It was a little different from the first time he saw the man. Eraserhead was wearing a black long-sleeved t-shirt with jeans. His scarf was still wrapped around his neck but that was the only thing that was from his hero gear.

Izuku greeted cautiously as another man followed him in, "Welcome to HOMRA bar. What can I get for you?"

The second man had a bright smile on his face. He wore a black t-shirt and skinny jeans. His hair was spiked up and blond. Unlike with Eraserhead, he recognized this hero immediately. It was Present Mic a famous teacher and radio host.

What is the name of God were two pro heroes doing here? The bar was too far from the school. It was on the edge of most pros stomping grounds.

Mic said cheerfully, "Just a coke for me."

Eraserhead's eyes were on Izuku's shoulder. It took the younger man a full minute to realize why. Like many of the younger HOMRA clansmen, he wore his T-shirt slightly off the shoulder. It allowed them to display the clansman mark with pride.

Mic said breaking the silence that had descended over them, "Listen I know you two got off on the wrong foot. Shouta told me that he thought you two might be soulmates. Considering I have the best relationship with the clans I've come to help make peace."

That was right. Izumo was friends with the Present Mic. They acted as information sources for each other. So he couldn't be too rude to the man without risking Izumo's wrath. That wasnt something even Mikoto would risk.

Izumo placed the cloth he had been holding on the counter and leaned back on his heels. He questioned, "Eraserhead has made his views on my clan very clear. If he cannot accept my clan who are my only family. How can he ever accept me?"

There was a flash hurt and pain in the onyx eyes of the hero. There was a flash of something that was unfamiliar to the younger boy on Present Mic's face.

Before he got the chance to react the man said, "Heroes and Clansman have a lot of misconceptions about each other. Let's put aside what happened last night behind us and try to get along."

Both hero and red clansman glared at the loud hero. Then glanced at each other cautiously. With a sigh, Izuku waved the man into an empty seat at the bar. Time to act like the normal person he wasn't.

Holding out his right hand as Eraserhead sat he said, "Hello, I am Izuku Midoriya. Welcome to the HOMRA bar."

There wasnt any hesitation on the other's part to take his hand and reply, "Aizawa Shouta is my civilian identity. When I'm working please call me Eraserhead or Eraser. Otherwise, it's whatever you are comfortable."

Aizawa's POV

Two weeks had passed since he first met his soulmate. December was upon them and HOMRA was preparing for a birthday party for their princess.

Shouta had learned that all members of the red clan cared deeply for each other. They were a family and any reason to celebrate was taken advantage of.

Though they did allow Shouta to join them it was with suspicious looks. Bad blood was not so easily forgotten but Izuku accepted his presence.

Today he was supposed to help Izuku find a birthday party for the princess. As usual, they met at the HOMRA bar and found it bustling with clansman. He was barely given a glance as the men went about their jobs.

Izuku was chatting in a corner happily with Totsuka. The light brown-haired man had warmed up to him considerably since he started coming to the bar. There was no longer a frosty edge to his brown eyes.

When he was noticed by the man Totsuka bumped shoulders with Izuku and pointed to him. The younger man turned and grinned blindingly before saying hurried goodbyes.

Aizawa greeted with a gentle smile, "Good morning, Izuku. Are you ready?"

Izuku replied, "Yep Shouta. No Hizashi today?"

God no! That cockatoo was beginning to get on his nerves. One would think Izuku was Mic's soulmate not Nemuri. He was grateful for the other's interference for the fact that without him it was unlikely that Izuku would have accepted Shouta.

Izuku was learning about his life as a hero. In turn, Shouta was learning what it meant to be apart of a clan. The dangers of being one of the HOMRA brats was surprising.

He found that for the most part, the clan kept to themselves. They would instigate fights with SCEPTER4 but that was it. Most of them led fairly normal lives. The bar was a home away from home. A place of safety and friendship.

Shouta answered finally hiding the irritation at the thought of his best friend, "Not today. He has a week's worth of papers to grade by tomorrow."

There wasnt even a falter in the younger's grin. If anything it grew wider. This kid was the happiest little bunny that Shouta had ever seen. Bunny was the only animal that seemed to fit the man. The way he bounced around was case and point.

Kusanagi called out to them as they reached the door, "Be back before midnight. Anna's party is tomorrow."

Izuku waived him off and they left heading for the shopping district. Izuku was the only one who still didnt have a present for the girl. Shouta had seen the contemplation on his soul mate's face. He wanted it to be perfect for the girl but at the same time not outshine the others.

Shouta and Izuku were the same in the fact that he had gruff exteriors at first. But when they cared they cared deeply.

Together they traveled to the different stores. Izuku stuck mostly to the toy stores trying to find the perfect toy.

As the sun was beginning to set that evening they stopped at one final store. Upon entering Izuku froze his eyes on a stuffed lion with a red collar. A bright smile lit up the boy's face as he picked it up.

It was perfect. Shouta had overheard the princess calling the Red King a lion. Now she would have one that was completely her own.

It took some convincing but he got Izuku to agree to let him pay for it. Then they went to dinner for they were both starving having skipped lunch in favor of searching for the toy.

When they finally got back to the bar it was almost eleven. Shouta could hardly believe he spent one of his rare full days off roaming the city. But to see Izuku give that blinding smile made it worth it. The man truly had a way of warming even the coldest of hearts.

As they were saying goodbye Izuku got a mischievous look. The younger man moved forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. Then was inside the bar before Shouta could even react.

He wanted to rush in and demand answers. Doing so would only get him thrown out on his ass. Everyone who frequented the bar knew that to cause trouble for any member of the clan was to get banned. Considering that none of them were staying out late tonight demanding answers would be causing trouble.

At least he knew Izuku wouldn't be going out again tonight. That thought was what allowed him to return to his apartment without confronting his soulmate. A mistake he would live to regret.

His apartment wasnt far from the bar; a fact that he didnt realize until he started spending more time in the area. Shouta didn't use his apartment very often due to them from the school. Now that he was visiting the bar he spent more time there.

As soon as he got into his apartment he showered and fed his cat, Nero. After changing into clean clothes he made his way to his bedroom. The little demon cat kept trying to trip him as he moved towards the bedroom. It was as if Nero could sense something was going to happen. At this point, he was too tired to care.

After setting his alarm he collapsed onto his bed and passed out. Less than an hour later he awakened by fire coursing over his stomach. It felt as if he had been shot.

Turning over he looked down at his stomach. There wasnt any signs of physical damage. It only took his brain a second to connect the dots. It was Izuku.

Shouta was on his feet a moment later. In less than a minute later, he had his shoes and capture weapon on.

The pain in his abdomen was steadily growing worse with each passing second. There was a flicker of anger across their bond. There was another flash of fire at his shoulder.

Breathing became difficult through the pain. Shouta had to push through it to enter Izuku's phone number into his phone tracker. Every hero had one in case of an emergency. He was glad that Hizashi had forced him to learn how to use it.

According to the tracker, Izuku was two blocks to the west on the roof of a building. Without changing clothes he grabbed his hero license in case he needed it and ran from his apartment.

As he exited his building he got a call and without breaking stride he answered it, "Aizawa."

He had already memorized the way to the building. It wouldn't take him more than two minutes to get there.

"Sh... Sh... Shou..." came the familiar voice of Izuku. It was broken and barely, audible.

His first instincts were right then. Izuku was in trouble and his legs weren't moving fast enough.

"Izuku I'm here. I'm on my way to you. Just stay on the line," Shouta said trying to keep the panic out of his voice. He couldn't panic the younger man.

"Ta... Tatara... Shou, you have to protect him," gasped Izuku, "I'm just a diversion. Please you have to save Tatara."

The bond between them wavered and cracked around the edges as he hit the bottom of the stairs. Shouta didnt heed the younger's words. Tatara was protected by the Red King and second in command. There was no way they would let anything happen to him. Izuku was his soulmate that made Shouta his protector.

He climbed up to the stairs onto the rooftop. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. When they did his heart dropped.

Izuku lay on his back gasping for air pain written all over his features. Blood pooled on the ground behind him. It stained his white undershirt a dark red. His phone lay a few feet from his hand. Obviously, he had lost the strength to keep ahold of it.

Why? Why did he not activate his red aura and seal the wounds? Surely he could not have used that much of his strength in less than an hour.

He dropped by the younger's side tearing at the remains of his shirt to make bandages and inspect the wounds. There was a gunshot wound to Izuku's shoulder that was deep but through and through. Alone it was not fatal. It entered just above the collar bone and exited only slightly below the entrance. That means whoever shot him was or slightly taller than Izuku.

The second gunshot wound was much more serious. There wasn't an exit wound meaning the bullet was somewhere in his body.

"Shou," came the breathless sigh.

Shouta snapped without any heat, "Don't speak, Izuku," hearing sirens he continued as tears burned at the back of his eyes, "Just hold on. Help is on the way. Use your aura to stop the bleeding so that they can get here in time."

Izuku shook his head as he said, "It's too late. The bullets were laced with an aura suppressing drug. I can't even feel my King's flames. I'm sorry. I was trying to protect Tatara."

"Don't speak!" He ordered sharply pressing the makeshift bandages into the man's gut wound. Trying in vain to stop the bleeding.

Their bond cracked painfully straight down the middle. He knew that even if Recovery Girl was here there wasn't anything she would be able to do. Izuku was going to die in his arms.

Damn it! He should have been here! He shouldn't have left Izuku alone.

His heart broke.

Why?! Why did it have to be Izuku?! The younger man was a pure innocent soul!

Izuku reached up a bloodstained hand and cupped Shouta's cheek. As he used the last of his strength to press their foreheads together.

"I'm glad to have met you, Shouta. Don't worry it will all work o," Izuku's coughed painfully.

He struggled to draw any breath at all. Then the bond between them broke as the door slammed open and several officers burst through.

The tears that he had been ignoring burst from him. He clutched his soulmate close to him. The officers stepped away unsure of what to do.

They recognized the clansman symbol on the younger's chest. It was of the Red Clan. The second time that night one of their clan had been murdered. Someone would need to make the call both to the Blue King and the Mikoto Souh.

Shouta did not know how long he kneeled with Izuku in his arms. His face was buried in the younger's nape. Part of him couldn't accept that the soulmate he just met was gone. The logical part of his brain whispered that their bond was gone. That Izuku was dead.

Shouta only moved when Kusanagi and Yata arrived. They didnt try to take Izuku from him. Instead, they silently led him back to the bar. The police unable to stop them allowed them to pass. It was a clan matter and would be dealt with within the clan.

When they entered the bar several clansmen were inside. Each were fighting back tears. At seeing Izuku in his arms the dam they were barely holding back broke.

Mikoto's voice questioned from the backroom, "Another one?"

Kusanagi his voice breaking several times before he could answer, "Izuku, Mikoto. They got to him before Tatara. Hoping that he would distract us."

They brought Izuku into the backroom where two tables were laid out. One held a covered body that could only be Tatara Totsuka. Shouta unwillingly laid Izuku out on the other one.

Hatred, like he had never felt before, overtook him. Someone had killed these two young men.

Why?! Because they were HOMRA? Or was there something more going on here?

Kusanagi said examining Izuku wounds, "Aura suppressing drugs. Tatara said that it was the Colorless King that shot him. And they left his camera intact. We will find who did this and there will be nothing of them left."

Mikoto grunted in return. His amber eyes never leaving Tatara. Shouta remembered Izuku telling him that the two were soulmates. He wasnt the only one to lose their only light.

Kusanagi turned a silver chain with a fox on it in his hands. The fox and chain were stained with Izuku's blood. It was the necklace that he never took off. All he would say about it was that it was the last remnant of his past.

Kusanagi said with a pained look, "He would have wanted you to have this. Just like most of us in the clan he didnt have any other family."

With shaking hands Shouta took the necklace. That night he did not leave the bar. He was unwilling to leave the body of his soulmate. Around him, HOMRA was making preparations for a funeral. They would have it at the nearby beach. It was apparently a favorite spot of theirs.

Then the hunt for the murderer would begin. Even if it killed him, Shouta would find the one who took his soulmate.

When morning came the clan piled into one of the few vehicles they had. It was a large van but not everyone could fit. Separate trips had to be made so as not to draw the attention of bystanders.

Once everyone had arrived the pulled Tatara and Izuku out. Two funeral pyres had already been made for them. It was tradition within HOMRA that if one died and didnt have any other family they would burn. This would mean the lived and died by the beliefs of the clan.

Such events were rarely seen by the outside world. The only reason Shouta was allowed was because he was Izuku's soulmate. Not even Mikoto would deny a soulmate their final goodbyes.

As the final preparations began hurried footsteps approached. Shouta turned to see a familiar ash blond-haired boy rushing onto the beach. In the parking lot was a blue van that held the SCEPTER4 symbol.

Why had they brought Bakugo Katsuki here? The boy was hot-headed but he was not a red clansman.

Bakugo answered his unasked question by shouting, "Deku! What the fuck?! What happened to him?"

Deku?

Bakugo was a third-year student who was just days away from his graduation of Yuuei. He should be celebrating with his classmates. Not here.

Bakugo turned to face his eyes falling on the cleaned necklace around Shouta's neck. If he had left the blood on it, it would have only destroyed the metal. So he cleaned it.

Bakugo's shoulders sagged at the sight of it. Not in relief but in defeat.

The boy said, "That's Deku's necklace. Our parents got us matching necklaces when we were kids. I haven't seen him since he disappeared. How... how did he die?"

Kusanagi said his voice dark with anger, "A man claiming to be the Colorless King shot him. It was supposed to distract us and prevent us from finding about Tatara until later. It didn't work out that way because he called his soulmate instead of us. He tried to protect his fellow-clansman and died because of it."

"DAMN IT DEKU! You're quirkless! You shouldn't have been trying to play the hero!"

Quirkless or not Izuku protected those he cared about. That was why Shouta got the phone call last night. He knew that they would try to go after Tatara who he thought was still in the bar. By not telling the clan he was hoping to save them from burying to members. Something they had to do anyways.

Mikoto snarled, "Shut up, kid. The brat protected everyone. He did what he thought was the best for the clan. Today we will do as we have always done for one of our own. You can stay or go back to the Blues. Either way, this is happening now."

With that said, Mikoto went to Tatara first.

He placed a hand on the younger man's chest and said softer this time, "No Blood."

As one the rest of the clan and Shouta intoned slightly louder tears in their eyes, "No Bone."

"NO ASH!" They yelled.

Red flames engulfed the body. It only took a handful of seconds for there to be nothing left of Tatara.

Then Mikoto walked over to Izuku and began again, "No Blood."

"No Bone."

"NO ASH!"