#lida tensei

[shoutashii]

aizawa subconsciously acts more friendly/jokey (as much as he's capable of) towards lida because the boy is literally a picture-perfect spitting image of tensei when shouta and the dumbingos were in school

[bingbongboyo]

mega doodle dump cause i haven't posted here in forever whoops anyways-

[frickingnerd]

dating tensei iida

pairing: tensei iida / ingenium x gn!reader

tags: wholesome fluff, mentions of marriage, established romantic relationship, mentions of the iida family (& tenya)

everyone can see how much you and tensei love each other you based on the way you two look at each other

you're not the type of couple who's very open about your relationship or the type of couple who does physical displays of affection

but just the way you two look at each other tells everyone just how deeply in love you two are

tensei always talks so highly about you in interviews, yet refuses to discuss things like marriage or your future together with the interviewer

though it is clear to everyone that the two of you will end up married one day and that you'll be the sweetest couple there is

not just the public loves you, but so does the iida family! 

tensei always has to listen to his parents begging him to finally marry you whenever he brings you home

and even his little brother tenya is occasionally asking him when tensei will finally put a ring on you! 

[phantom-support]

Hello Hello

Thanks for stopping by my account

My name in Rian; I am the owner of this account and the official lover of Tensei Iida (don’t fact check me)

This account is solely for MHA + MHA OC content.

Besides posts about my love and adoration for the Iida brothers; you will receive:

-Headcanons

-Ships (Canon x Canon/OC x Canon/OC x OC)

-OCs + Aus

-character art

My current projects/AUs:

-Class 1-C: The hero course now has an extra class cause I didn’t feel like separating my OCs into class a or B. Now there’s a whole new group of students learning to be heroes.

-20 Years Later: next Gen Au based on my favorite ships

Thanks for stopping by, see ya!

[rayraygo1267]

I absolutely LOVE and ADORE Tenya and Tensei’s relationship. So here’s some headcanons for them.

(Let me know if you have any others)

Iida Brother Headcanons

Tensei use to read stories and sing lullaby’s to Tenya to calm him when he was a baby

Tensei showed Tenya off to his friends at UA

Tenya spent every weekend and (or) holiday with Tensei when he was in the hospital

Tenya always went to Tensei whenever he couldn’t sleep or had a nightmare as a child

Tenya views Tensei more as a father figure than a brother and loves him more than his parents

Tensei helped Tenya design his hero costume

Tenya used to play with Ingenium action figures when he was little

Tensei and Tenya used to race and Tensei would always let Tenya win to make him happy

Tensei gave Tenya his old Ingenium costume after the Hosu incident

[tiredboogawwo]

Really Stupid Tenya Au+Art

Ok so by the title you can probably tell that I have little faith in my Aus. So here we go:

Basically Tenya as the Lov/Jaku Traitor. [wait! That doesn't make sense!?] I feel UA traitor stuff is really overdone, so basically after his teacher (I'm one of those "ooo tensei was friends with his teachers and they hung out with tenya as a kid!" people) is almost killed at the USJ incident, Tenya says: Ayo thats not right, and starts looking heavily into them.

This eventually leads him to Jaku Hospital. Questioning whether he should really get involved in something this serious, he gives himself time to ponder it. Then his brother is almost killed. And all sh1t hits the fan. Tenya jumps the gun, and fast. Hearing the rumors of the hero killer and the lov somehow working together (not quite true bro) he fakes his personal information and goes undercover as a maintenance worker at the hospital. Finding out horrors, secrets, and tragedies galore, how will he get himself and those close to him out of the mess the lov and he himself made?

Not only that, Pretending that everything was fine when his brother was attacked was one thing, but keeping up a malicious act around those you wish to deceive also seems to bleed into his hero life too....

But hey, maybe he does make a better villain than a hero?

Art+ more hcs/facts

Au stuff:

1) He gets no sleep. Like maybe an hour, bro is working the night shift all while risking his life and going to UA, he lives off coffee

2) He has a bunch of oil stains, and god knows what else on him at all times from repairs

3) His hat hair is insane

4) He wear contacts and hides a lot of his hair with the hat, but the contacts make his eyes itch and he just generally struggles with them.

5) :)) because of his lack of sleep, and odd behavior the UA staff start to suspect he's the UA traitor.

6) Tenya finds himself slipping. Different acts, whether it being the one that everything is fine at school, or the malicious and heartless act he puts on at his job, they bleed together sometimes at school, where he feels the safest. He's tired. Everything hurts. He's constantly working or exercising or studying. He's starting to slip, and he knows it. But he can't stop, not when he's so close

7) Aizawa first catches on that Tenya is hiding something when he passes out one time during gym. Tenya is a straight laced student, so he of all people would get an adequate amount of sleep. Not only that, but he made excuses, something that the kid he knows wouldn't do.

OK I FEEL THIS WAS KINDA WACK BUT PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENTS

I genuinely need to know, I feel it was wack. Also also, I wanna see some villain/hero Tenya clashing a bit in this au, you're free to use this idea but please give some credit

[milevenotfound]

TRANS DEKUSQUAD HEADCANONS

Izuku: Izuku realized he was trans when he was quite young, possibly in elementary school. He struggled with understanding and expressing his identity at first. Izuku came out to his mom, Inko, when he was around 10 years old. He was nervous but prepared a heartfelt explanation. Inko responded with unconditional love, saying, You’re my Izuku, no matter what. He initially kept it private, waiting until he was more comfortable before sharing it with others. Izuku struggles with dysphoria occasionally, particularly when he compares himself to others. He tends to overthink and self-critique, but he uses journaling as an outlet to process these feelings. He keeps a private journal dedicated to his own journey, where he writes affirmations and documents his progress, much like his hero analysis notebooks. Training helps him combat dysphoria, as physical strength and growth remind him of how far he’s come. All Might becomes a pivotal figure in Izuku’s life, offering not only hero mentorship but also subtle emotional support. Though they don’t talk directly about Izuku’s trans identity, All Might’s belief in him reinforces Izuku’s confidence. Ochaco Uraraka is one of the first classmates Izuku tells. She immediately supports him and cheers him on, helping him feel safe and accepted. Iida Tenya is unwavering in his support, offering practical help when Izuku needs it and standing up for him if anyone says anything hurtful. Bakugo Katsuki initially struggles to adjust but never questions Izuku’s identity. Over time, he learns to express his support in his own gruff way, like saying, You’re still a nerd, but I guess you’re my nerd.

Shoto: Shoto realizes he’s transgender around the time he starts learning to fully accept himself. His struggles with his family and his quirks make him more introspective, leading him to explore his gender identity during his high school years. Shoto starts binding his chest, feeling more comfortable and confident in his body. He may have had some moments of self-consciousness at first but grows to feel more at home in his own skin. Bakugo, despite his rough exterior, is surprisingly protective and fiercely loyal, standing up for Shoto if anyone disrespects him. While Shoto is generally stoic, he has moments of dysphoria that make him retreat inwardly. He may sometimes feel like he’s not measuring up to his own expectations or the ones placed on him by others. But he pushes forward, using his determination to create a path toward self-acceptance.

Lida: Tenya’s realization that he is transgender happens during his teenage years, possibly around the start of high school. Growing up in a family with a strict sense of duty and discipline, it takes time for Tenya to understand and accept his true gender identity. He spends a lot of time reflecting on how he feels, especially after coming to terms with his values and his role as both a hero and an individual. Tenya’s family, especially his mother and older brother Tensei, are initially confused but ultimately supportive when Tenya comes out to them. Tenya would start binding as a way to relieve dysphoria. He’s very cautious about it and might even be self-conscious at first, given his sense of discipline and perfectionism. Over time, though, he becomes more comfortable with it, especially as he sees how his friends react with nothing but acceptance. As a person who is incredibly disciplined and hardworking, Tenya feels pressure to live up to the standard.

Uraraka: Ochaco might realize she’s transgender during her time at U.A. The more she grows, the more she starts questioning her gender identity, eventually coming to terms with being a woman, which feels more authentic to her. While she had always been feminine and nurturing, there was a period of self-reflection where she realized her gender didn't fully align with how others saw her and how she felt inside. Ochaco’s family is very supportive when she comes out. Her parents, especially her mother, have always instilled confidence in her, encouraging her to pursue her dreams. The support might come as a surprise to her, as she expected some hesitancy from her traditional parents, but their love for her is unconditional. Her family works with her to make her transition as smooth as possible, helping her navigate the emotional and social challenges that come with it. Ochaco may experience some gender dysphoria during her transition, especially in relation to how her body changes. As someone who’s always been energetic and athletic, she might have some challenges in reconciling her physical self with her inner sense of identity. However, her determination to live authentically helps her push through these tough moments. She becomes more confident as she learns to embrace her body, quirks, and femininity.

Asui: Tsuyu might realize she’s transgender in her early teens, around the time she starts developing a deeper sense of who she is and what it means to be comfortable in her own body. Growing up, she always felt comfortable in her skin, but as she matures, she starts to understand that her identity as a woman doesn't completely match the gender others assumed her to be. Her self-discovery is gradual, and she comes to terms with it quietly, taking her time to understand and embrace it. Midoriya is one of the first to support her, offering a listening ear and comforting words. Uraraka, who shares Tsuyu’s values of empathy and caring, is particularly close to her and often checks in to make sure Tsuyu is doing okay emotionally. Even Bakugo, who may struggle with expressing emotions, respects her identity and makes sure to stand up for her if anyone disrespects her.

[yourmommasworld]

Thank you for 10 notes so here is yandere Iida family 2

Also if you can’t read cursive hear is what i said “Thank you for 10 notes so here is yandere Iida family 2” also I know they don’t show the Iida family

When the drugs wore of you woke in a familiar room. This was one of the rooms you cleaned when you were there maid. With the amount of books it might be Tenya’s room. You tried getting off the bed but a hand stoped you. You looked up and saw Tenya and Ms.Iida standing with food. “Are you ok you have been sleeping for 12 hours” Tenya asked. “I’m fine but where am I” you asked looking around the room. Ms.Iida lowerd thé food she hand. It was a normal Japanese breakfast. You tried to remember what happened yesterday but your memory was foggy. Then you suddenly remembered. ‘‘Where is my boyfriend’’ you screamed. You tried to get out of tenya’s grip but he was to strong. ‘‘Please my love calm down he is not dead’’ he screamed hold in you down. ‘‘ then where is he Tenya’’ you asked still trying to get free’’. ‘‘he is in jail’’ he said. When you finally realized what he said you kicked his chin and ran. You Yan to the bath room and locked the door. You heard Ms.Iida shouting for you to get out of the bathroom. “Dear please come out I promise we won’t hurt you” she yelled. You were scared they’re banging and pounding on the door you felt like they might break it. After a few minutes the banking and yelling stopped. So you popped your head out of the door. You were soon dragged bye strap of your bra and got pushed to a wall. “ where do you think you’re going”  Tensei asked. Great the one person you did not want to meet. He than carried you bridal style back to Tenya’s room were you saw Ms.Iida on the bed like she was gonna cry. You were about to say sorry when Tensei said “save it I think instead of saying you’re sorry show it”. You looked up him confused until he said “ what I mean is give her a hug”. They are much stronger than you so you have no choice. You wanted to believe someone was gonna save you from them but you know that was probably not gonna happen

I’m sorry it’s short

[t-annuki]

My Husbando Academia

"You taste like the fourth of july

You got me on my knees

I love you but I don't know why"

[futuristicnightmarepeach]

Think Before You Speak

Barid (Finale)

Summary:

The issue is this; think before you speak, even if you think you’re defending a loved one. Or, the first day of training goes very wrong, Tenya is very badly hurt, and Tensei complains to the media.

This does not go the way he hopes.

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Relationships:

Iida Tensei | Ingenium & Iida Tenya Midoriya Izuku & Yagi Toshinori | All Might

Characters:

Iida Tensei | Ingenium Yagi Toshinori | All Might Kizuki Chitose | Curious Hero Public Safety Commission President (My Hero Academia) Iida Tenya's Parents Midoriya Izuku

Additional Tags:

Tensei being a bit of an idiot

Language:

English

Series:

Part 1 of Sticks and Stones Next Work →

Stats:

Published: 2022-09-25 Words: 2626 Chapters: 1/1

Words May Hurt

Barid (Finale)

Summary:

Tensei's careless words will lead to changes no one could have imagined.

Loose lips sink ships, and carelessness will drown you.

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Relationships:

Iida Tenya & Midoriya Izuku Iida Tensei | Ingenium & Iida Tenya Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku

Characters:

Nedzu (My Hero Academia) Kayama Nemuri | Midnight Iida Tensei | Ingenium Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead Bakugou Katsuki Bakugou Masaru Bakugou Mitsuki

Additional Tags:

Characters will be added as they appear - Freeformfic will not be in chronological order just in order of when shit comes to me

Language:

English

Series:

← Previous Work Part 2 of Sticks and Stones

Stats:

Published: 2022-10-01 Updated: 2022-10-01 Words: 1280 Chapters: 1/?

[mch-n]

[bingbongboyo]

my mha interest reawakened with the release of My Hero Ultra Rumble. So Here's a doodle dump to accompany that. I'm no expert and like AUs so thats why some these are random as hell lol

[farreader]

Iida loves his brother more than his own parents.

I don't think this is even a headcanon anymore. This is just true!

[thanatosisactuallythanatoes]

Consider: Iida Edition 1

So, we all know the idea that Tensei is close to Aizawa, Mic, and Midnight. There is some fanfiction about it, but consider:

They babysat. A lot. Everyone adored little baby Tenya. The still adore Tenya.

No one, and I mean NO ONE passes a chance to fuck with Tenya. Be it with weird class rules, stuff they know, and other stuff

The students are so confused, What was the Stick Incident and why is Iida laughing so hard about it.

Iida has a lot of powerpoints, most of them are blackmail and others are random bullshit his bother handed him and he never ended up getting rid of.

When everyone graduates, they demand a randomly selected Iida powerpoint™ they get it, but it’s one of the ones his brother sent so it’s a 100 slide powerpoint about how Marilyn Monroe was actually a siren or fae.

They narrowly missed the powerpoint filled with the spreads of all of Tenya and Tensei’s photoshoots (something I shall talk about in a different rant)

The other powerpoint was a theory about the door to Not Narnia, and why The Ditch™ is important to the functioning of the friend group.

Kaminari swears he saw Tenya hit the woah the 3am in the kitchen. Not a single soul belived that Iida knows meme

Iida isn’t actually all uptight, it was a bet with his brother. He gets 10,000 yen if he wins.

The bet was if he could pretend to be an uptight, pretentious, person with the flavor of  flour, he’d get 10,000 yen. 

Iida has a weird spotify playlist. He leeches off of his brother, so when someone stole his phone to figure out what he listens to they got his brother playlist which include, but is not limited to: WAP, Yaru-chin Bitch Club theme song, Anaconda, Baby got Back, Instanbul Not Constantinople, Du Hast, Soilder Poet King, Bird Song, ect.

Along with the Yaruchin Bitch Club theme, when their parent weren’t home Tensei read it out loud like a old English tradgey, he got 10/10 yelp reviews.

Iida actually has to worse sleep schedule of all of Class 1-A, he’s just really good at hiding sleep deperavation.

Everyone still wants to know what the Stick Incident was. Like, explain??? Please.

Iida was once overheard on the phone with his brother and what has was saying was, “I never liked the taste, but I may just be baised because they make me unalived,”

Once Iida accidently called Mic Yama Yama in class, he was tease mercilessly about it from Midnight and Tensei about it.

At one point in a fight against Aizawa, (think exams, but 2nd year) and was mad at him for some reason, he of couse hadn’t slept in about 85 hours and was tired. Done™ he snapped, and just wen ton a rant about how he shouldn’t have to answer to the person behind Not Narnia.

That adds to the list of conspircies on the Bullshit Board.

The Bullshit Board isn’t to be confused with the Bullshit Binder (which is yet another rant) which is something completly different and way more problmatic. 

Mic once dropped the Bullshit binder on Iida’s desk in class, it was weird, seeing him just look at it in pure horror, because he got the completed version of January 1st every year, and it’s disturbing.

Once questioned about it, he started to read the first page out loud,

“I solemly swear to only put the best of bullshit in the Bullshit Binder, and hoep that once the year is up, our bullshitting may be put to good use in causing the chaos of the centuries.”

This contunies on for about 3 paragraphs, before drifting off and talking about brain trauma for another 7 paragraphs.

[soren-bleu-kun]

Tensei Iida’s agency is in Tokyo which means Tenya Iida probably didn’t get to see his big brother too much before Stain 🥺

[kumeko]

Title: an eye for an eye

A/N: For the second @misteriida zine, which sadly got cancelled due to covid. The theme was Bnha Fantasy, so I couldn’t resist covering Iida’s arc in this world.

Summary: Paladins upheld the law. Paladins strove for justice. Yet, as Tenya held his brother’s limp hand, all that burned within him was a desire for revenge.

…

…

…

…

Standing in the middle of the hallway, Izuku glanced at the wooden door in front of him, and then at his best friend Uraraka. She looked just as nervous as he felt, her teeth worrying her lip as she slowly nodded. Turning back to the door, he timidly knocked. It was strange. Very strange. Usually it was the reverse; Tenya knocking on Izuku’s door to make sure he wasn’t just on time but early for their paladin lessons.

 In fact, this morning, as Izuku tumbled out of bed, he had been afraid he’d overslept and missed Tenya’s knock. Only that wasn’t the case, Iida had been nowhere in sight when he and Uraraka left the dorms. The only answer, as impossible as it felt, was that he’d overslept.  

 “Tenya?” Izuku tried, knocking a little louder. There was no response, not even the sound of someone fumbling for their clothes. He bit his cheek. This was starting to feel serious. “Do you think he left early?”

“Maybe?” Uraraka reached for the doorknob. It turned easily. “It’s unlocked.”

 “He wouldn’t leave it like that.” Swallowing, Izuku pushed open the door and stepped inside. Morning light shone in through the window, revealing a sparsely decorated room. There was a well-organized desk, carefully hung clothes, and a neatly made bed; all hallmarks of Tenya. “He’s not here.”

 “That’s strange.” Ururaka followed after, glancing around the room. Her hands gripped the hem of her shirt. “He wouldn’t leave without us. Did he forget to do something?”

 “Maybe? We should go—” Spotting an envelope on Tenya’s pillow, Izuku raised a brow and picked it up. “A letter?”

 “What’s it doing there?” Uraraka peeked over his shoulder.

 Flipping it over, Izuku’s eyes widened as he saw his name neatly written in black ink. He couldn’t explain it, the sense of foreboding that washed over him at the sight, only that he felt  something heavy in the pit of his stomach over it. “It’s addressed to me.”

 “Open it,” Uraraka murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. He wondered if she could feel it too, this dread that refused to leave. “It might be important.”

 “Yeah.” Mouth dry, he opened the envelope and pulled out a letter with a trembling hand. There were two pages filled with Tenya’s cramped writing. Taking a deep breath, he read the contents aloud. “To my friends, Uraraka and Izuku.”

 I am sorry for any hurt I am about to cause you. I know that I am doing something wrong. Many times over the past few weeks, I contemplated telling you. You both give good advice, and I am sure that it would be the same in this matter. If I had told you, you might have talked me out of it. Yet, I do not know how to explain this to myself, let alone you. I have never been good with words, I am only friends with you because you reached out to me. Even writing it down now does not clear my thoughts. Where do I even start? As you know, my brother had been injured last month by the paladin killer, Stain…

 -x-

 Gripping his wooden sword firmly, Izuku swung down quickly. It hit the practice dummy with a satisfying thwack and small bits of hay floated to the ground. His armour clanked as he slid back into position. Looking over his shoulder, he asked, “How was that?”

 “Great!” Tenya smiled broadly at his friend, giving him a thumbs up. Honestly, it was impressive how far Izuku had gotten in the span of a few months, especially since his background had nothing to do with any form of skilled fighting. Crossing the training ground, he stood next to Izuku and slowly adjusted his stance. “If you stand like this, though, you’ll be able to transfer your power better.”

 Izuku frowned. “I knew something felt off.” He looked down, adjusting his footing to match Tenya’s. “This better?”

 “Yeah.” Nodding, Tenya stepped back. There was something really fulfilling about teaching Izuku; maybe it was how quickly he picked things up or maybe it was just how open he was to suggestions.

 Holding her practice sword loosely, Uraraka left her target and approached them. Mirth coloured her voice as she added, “That’s our class leader for you, noticing the smallest of issues.”

 “It’s an important detail,” Iida countered, pushing his glasses up. This wasn’t the first time he’d argued this point, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. If more paladins noticed these things, they’d be better at their jobs. “It can mean the difference between life and death.”

 Izuku nodded. “It does.”

 Uraraka sighed. “Right, right. This is why people think you two need to lighten up.” She shrugged. “Anyways, Tenya, you really do have the best form.”

 Iida flushed, pleased. He wasn’t a prideful man, but it was nice to hear someone had noticed all his hard work. Rubbing the back of his head, he thanked her before glancing at Izuku. “Though I think Izuku has the strongest attack.”

 “W-w-what?” Flustered, Izuku shook his head rapidly. “The strongest? Me? T-that’s not…”

 It wasn’t good to be humble to the point of ignoring your own strengths. Honestly, anytime they praised him, Izuku would immediately panic, as though they’d found out a great secret. It was strange.

 Before he could ask, one of their instructors sprinted past them, heading toward the school’s front gate. Tenya barely turned around in time to catch two more instructors following after, one of them yelling for someone to get the school’s healer.

 “What was that?” Uraraka asked, squinting toward the front gate. As the tall, imposing doors opened, they could hear a huge uproar as people poured in.

 “It’s Stain!” someone yelled, their voice startling clear amidst the clamour. “He’s killed again!”

 “Killed?” Izuku paled, glancing at them.

 Without another word, they sprinted toward the gate. Iida had heard rumours about the paladin-killer Stain, that low villain who struck paladins in the middle of their rounds. There was no honour in his attacks, just a body count that was now in the double digits.

 And now he had another death on his hands.

 At the gate, one of their teachers, Kayama, was clearing a path through the students crowding the way. Unlike her usual playful expression, her face was tight with worry. Fiercely, she shouted, “Keep back. We need to get him to the medic.”

 Behind her, Tenya could just barely make out Yagi and Aizawa. As the crowds thinned, he caught glimpses of a stretcher, of gleaming silver armour, of red blood.

 “Who do you think it is?” Uraraka whispered, instinctively reaching for his hand. She trembled; he could feel the vibrations through his arm. Or maybe it was him shaking.

 “I don’t know.” Izuku stood on his toes, straining to make out the injured paladin. “We’d have to check who was out on patrol.”

 Tenya rubbed his chin as he recalled the patrol schedule. “If I remember correctly, Jean, Endeavor, Tensei…” His voice caught as he uttered his brother’s name. The stretcher cleared the crowds, providing him with an unobstructed view of the victim. A mop of black hair, the insignia of the runner, Atlanta, carved onto the breast plate, the Iida family sword lying next to him.

 For a second, Tenya couldn’t breathe, couldn’t hear. In slow motion, he saw Uraraka gasp, felt Izuku grab his arm. Aizawa looked at him, pitying, before turning straight ahead.

 Tensei groaned. In an instant, everything came rushing back and Tensei started to run. “Tensei!”

 “I’m sorry.” Kayama stood in front of them, her trademark whip wrapped around her arm. Blood flecked her cheek and she shook her head. “You have to wait till our healers have checked him.”

 “Tensei!” Tenya yelled again, trying to push past her. His world narrowed to just his brother’s form, quickly carted away to the school building. “TENSEI!”

 “You can’t!” Izuku pulled him back, his voice thick with concern. “W-we have to wait.”

 “Yeah.” Clearly shaken, Uraraka grabbed his other hand. “Let’s wait, together, okay?”

 Kayama grabbed his cheeks firmly, forcing him to look at her. “Listen to your friends. I’ll get you the second it’s safe.”

 Tenya looked at his brother one last time before slowly nodding.

 -x-

 Or maybe I should go even earlier than that. The Iida family have been paladins for generations, a line that’s been unbroken. Tensei has always been the ultimate paladin, the very person I aspire to be. My brother used to come back from the school, training me on his holidays…

 -x-

 “You ready?”

 Standing in the middle of the armoury, Tenya adjusted the collar of his leather armour uncomfortably. At twelve, he was taller than almost everyone in his class, but still his brother’s hand-me-downs were a size too big. “I think so.”

 “You think so?” Tensei poked his head in. Catching sight of Tenya, his eyes widened a fraction before he burst into laughter. Doubling over, he wheezed, “You look like you’re playing dress up.”

 “Hey!” Tenya tugged on his armour again, trying to get it to fit on his frame properly. His cheeks burned red-hot as his brother continued to laugh. This was not how he expected today to go. “It’s…it’s just a little big.”

 “More than a little.” Calming himself down, Tensei wiped the tears from his eyes. He straightened up and appraised Tenya. His lips quirked as he tried not to laugh. “Come here, I’ll fix it for you.”

 Puffing his cheeks, Tenya trudged over to his brother. “It’s not that bad,” he mumbled.

 Realizing he’d gone too far, Tensei tried to mollify him. “You’re right, it’s a good attempt.” He crouched, loosening and retying various straps.

 Despite himself, Tenya could feel the difference. The leather clung to his skin tighter, though still not enough to be called a proper fit. When Tensei finally stepped away with an approving nod, Tenya begrudgingly admitted, “It’s better. Thanks.”

 “Yep, you look like a proper paladin now,” Tensei replied, grinning brightly.

 Tenya bounced on his feet, his fists shaking excitedly. “Really?”

 “Really. Just missing one thing.” Tensei glanced around the armoury, at the spears and swords proudly displayed on the walls. Heading over to a small trunk, he opened it up and pulled out a wooden sword. “Your weapon.”

 Eagerly, Tenya grabbed it. Sure, it wasn’t a real weapon, but it was the next best thing. Maybe, just maybe, if he impressed his brother, he’d even be able to hold one today. He could dream, at least.

 Now properly suited, they headed over to the stables. In the paddock, Tensei had set up a single training dummy. The straw-stuffed humanoid-on-a-stick looked a little worn; no surprise, considering how many times Tenya had fought it with a stick.

 But he didn’t have a stick now. No, he was using an actual wooden sword. Standing in front of it, Tenya frowned as he stared down his enemy. “You will be defeated today.”

 “Good fighting face,” Tensei praised, crouching down next to him. His cheek twitched from supressed laughter but at least he was taking it seriously now. “Do you remember the stance I showed you?”

 “Yes!” Iida held out his sword and adjusted his feet, shifting his weight so it distributed more heavily on his back foot. His armour bumped against him slightly as he moved.

 “Close!” Resting a hand on Tenya’s arm, Tensei gently bent the elbow. “You need to relax your stance a little. If you’re too rigid, you can’t strike with enough force.”

 Tenya tried to keep his expression serious throughout the training lesson, but it was hard. His brother only had so much time at home, and he chose to spend it training him. There was nothing more amazing than that. His brother was the greatest paladin of all time.

 -x-

 I can already guess what you’re thinking. The teachers and other paladins can handle this. Maybe. My brother is not the first paladin to fall to Stain’s hand. Even with all those injured, we still haven’t been able to catch him. No one knows where he goes or when he’ll appear. Besides, even if we did, they will try to capture Stain alive. To give him a fair trial, as our laws entail.

 My brother is not the first to fall but I want him to be the last. It is not the paladin’s way to demand revenge. Justice, sure, but not revenge. I fear I desire nothing but the latter.

 Iida paused at those last words, not sure how to continue. Where to continue. He leaned back into his chair, staring at the paper on his desk. He had spent the last few hours trying to find the right way to say goodbye to his friends, but that was impossible. There were no words to describe the strange mess of anger, fear, and loss that settled in the pit of his stomach. What could he say, to explain the way he felt when he sat in the recovery room, clenching his unconscious brother’s hand? Tensei’s pulse had been faint, so very faint. Even now, he could feel it, as soft as a bird’s wing. Death had been in the room that day and it was only a miracle that it hadn’t taken Tensei away.

 His brother was alive, but only just.

 Tenya picked up his pen again. Would his friends understand? Food had lost its taste, sight its colour. There was only the red of blood, the red of hatred, the red of revenge. It left a bitter sensation in his mouth but it was something at least.

 No, there was no way he could describe the white hot anger that burned inside him, threatening to consume him whole. It was something that could only be experienced and he hoped they would never understand.

  Outside, an owl hooted. Tenya looked outside his dorm room window at the night sky. It was a cloud night, the stars barely visible. This was it. The hour was late and if he wanted to avoid the night patrol, he had to leave now.

 Quickly, Tenya scrawled his name at the bottom of the letter before folding it into an envelope. Setting it on his pillow, he stared at his friends’ names. They would be hurt. They might never forgive him.

 That was fine. This was more important than his own happiness.

 Steeling himself, Tenya removed his paladin badge from his tunic. It was the last, final step. There was no going back now. The school would never take him back if he succeeded. And if he failed…

 Before he could second guess himself, Tenya whirled around and left. One way or another, he was going to end it.