#the cicadas kept dying outside.

[couriersiccs]

are we doing anything we want to be doing. hello? hello? are we living our lives as we would ever freely choose to live them? hello? are we happy? are we living before we die? are we thinking about how we'll think back on our lives when they're about to end? are we going to be satisfied? are we going to wish we did more? is there anything we can do that won't make us wish we did more? can we do more? are we doing all we can? is this all there is? is this how life is? are we participant or observer? do we get to choose? what do we do if we don't?

hello?

[mysticaletherealliving]

I could not stop wasting time. It was crazy. I wanted to do something with my life, but instead I went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. I couldn't even tell you about anything that I saw. I didn't talk to anybody. The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence.

- Yiwei Chai

[liquidlightandrunningtrees]

I could not stop wasting time. It was crazy. I wanted to do something with my life, but instead I went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. I couldn’t even tell you about anything that I saw. I didn’t talk to anybody. The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence.

Yiwei Chai, The Jacaranda Years

[onenicebugperday]

@dani-aka-that-one-namechanger submitted: As I told you in your PMs, this little one was getting eaten alive by ants when I saved it. I brought it inside, thinking it was dying from the Texas heat. My objective of caring for it until it got cooler out failed when I formed an attachment to it. I want to name it either Gregory or Cassie. I'm curious what gender is the little guy? Also, what do adult cicadas eat?

As we discussed in IM, adult cicadas are much better off outside than kept as pets. They use their proboscis to suck fluids from a large range of trees and other plants. This one was likely at the end of its natural life and ended up dying anyway.

[gravvedolly]

I could not stop wasting time. It was crazy.I wanted to do something with my life, but instead I went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. I couldn't even tell you about anything that I saw. I didn't talk to anybody. The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence.

[arotechno]

O. basilicum, part vii

By the summer that Basil turned eighteen, the state of affairs in Verdigris had begun to change.

Long before then, Jim’s mother had passed away unexpectedly, and he had followed his older sister out of town. His parting gift to Basil had been a new cane, as his old one was much too short to be of use to him now.

“Don’t worry about me,” Jim had assured him. “I don’t know where I’m headed, but wherever it is, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Basil had been skeptical, but he hadn’t voiced his concerns. It was a dangerous world out there, but who knew? Maybe Hank was right. Maybe there was a better world out there. If Basil had resigned himself to never leaving, perhaps Jim could see enough of it for the both of them.

In the weeks and months that followed, Basil took up fishing alone. Throughout the warmer months, whenever he wasn’t running errands for Frida or working in the community garden with Dusty, he could often be found down in the creek, wading up to his knees. Other times, he took long walks in the woods with his cane, staying out as long as he dared before Frida would start to worry.

She worried less, these days. That was one of the more surprising changes. Perhaps Basil was just growing up, or perhaps it was something else. Either way, Frida spent less time fretting over him and more time lauding him for how far he’d come since arriving at her doorstep, battered and broken. She did still worry for him, of course. Such was the natural way of things: the sun rose every morning, Basil did not have a heart, and Frida worried.

After all, for how much things may have changed in Verdigris, others would always remain the same. Basil liked that just fine.

All of that to say: by his eighteenth birthday, Basil had become so firmly rooted in Verdigris that the thought of calling anywhere else home felt incredibly foreign. Where he had once been a stranger wearing someone else’s clothes, now Basil walked the dirt roads of the village like he’d been born there, his unsteady gait the only visible indicator of his former life. Two more years and he’d have spent half his life in Verdigris. Already, Swallow’s Point felt like a distant dream.

Basil had long ago given up any intention of ever returning to Amistadia. It wasn’t home to him any longer; being driven out of it had severed those ties completely. Even if he wanted to return, even if he thought it was safe to do so, he doubted he could manage it. And what would be the point in returning? Nothing awaited him there. Why leave Verdigris, the only place he’d ever truly been accepted as he was? Here, they were left alone. Basil had no doubt that passing travelers knew they were out here—but whether those strangers recognized them as Heartless, he couldn’t say, and did it matter? So long as they kept to themselves out here, no one thought of them as a threat. Sure, there were some who understood—Jim’s mother had been one of those precious few—but most never would, so it was best not to bother.

Even so, Verdigris was a small place. And Basil knew, from Hank’s many stories, that the world was much bigger than this. But he was no king, no god, no hero—after everything, a quiet life suited him just fine.

Basil hefted his pack over his shoulder as he walked home from the creek, barefoot in the tall grass. In it he kept his shoes and his canteen, and his cane hung from a leather loop attached to the outside, should he need it. Fireflies rose up from the grass around him, blinking softly as if keeping time with his own steady breathing. Crickets chirped and cicadas hummed their mournful evening song, like a choir all led by the gentle summer breeze blowing through the hillside. Basil walked slowly, taking it all in, though he didn’t have time to stop and rest a while. He was already late for supper; the sun was starting to set earlier than he had gotten accustomed to anticipating.

As he crested the hill, Basil squinted through the evening’s dying light. Dusty stood at Garth’s front gate, gesturing wildly. Raising a hand to keep his sunhat from blowing away with the breeze, Basil hurried up the road to meet them. His bucket slapped against his thigh as he went along.

“...and that’s what I don’t understand!” Dusty was saying animatedly when he arrived.

“What’s this?” Basil asked, expertly dodging Dusty’s waving arm.

“Ah!” Dusty said, pointing. “You! Tell the old man here to stop being so damn difficult.”

“Oi, don’t involve the poor lad in this,” Garth cut in, voice gruff. He was hunched behind the fence, leaning on an old, sanded down tree branch he used as a walking stick.

“Don’t involve me in what, exactly?” Basil asked again, setting down his bucket with a sigh. It looked like he wasn’t going to be home for supper after all.

“Old man Garth here won’t accept anything from the town garden,” Dusty explained, crossing their arms over their chest. “Not a single bite.”

“I grow my own food,” Garth said firmly. “Save what the town grows for others who need it.”

Dusty gestured at Garth’s garden, incredulous. About a week prior, animals had gotten into Garth’s yard and eaten most of his late summer harvest. Something had also eaten one of his chickens.

“I have enough,” Garth insisted. “I preserve most of what I grow. Save your charity for those who need it.”

“Save my— I don’t understand what you think the point of a community garden is if not to feed the community!”

“Stop,” Basil said. Dusty actually quieted. Despite being one of the younger folks in town, Basil seemed to have that kind of sway over people. Even Dusty, from time to time.

Basil glanced down at his bucket of fish. Only a few measly brook trout sat at the bottom, still with their scales (he was too squeamish with a knife to skin them himself). He’d been hoping to take these home to Frida; it was a poor afternoon’s catch, but it was something. Basil frowned. Then, he picked up the bucket and held it over the fence toward Garth.

“Here,” he said. “At least take this. Just in case.”

Garth peered in the bucket, wary. He raised his bushy gray eyebrows.

“I don’t need charity from you either, lad.”

“Don’t think of it as charity.” Basil shook the bucket. The fish slapped around wetly inside. “Think of it as payment. I still owe you for this.” With his other hand, he reached behind and pulled out his cane, tapping it against the dirt.

Garth’s expression softened. “It was just scraps, Basil. Jim did all the work both times.”

“Jim’s not here, so I can’t repay him. Besides, you taught him everything he knows. Please?”

Garth was quiet for a moment, scratching his short beard in thought. Then, finally, he sighed and took the bucket.

“Thank you, lad,” he said softly.

Basil smiled wide and turned to walk off. If he stayed any later, Frida would certainly have his hide. Dusty stared after him, feigning suspicion.

“I still expect your help in the garden tomorrow,” they called after him.

Without looking back, Basil lifted a hand and waved. He understood the code for what it was: he would almost certainly be interrogated tomorrow. Dusty liked to challenge and taunt him, whether that meant a mandatory heart-to-heart or getting his hands dirty. Often, it was both. Whereas it had once embarrassed him, now Basil found himself looking forward to it. Not that he’d ever admit it.

That was the greatest change since Basil’s arrival in Verdigris, although it was mostly an internal one. In a way, the people of Verdigris had become family to him more than even his own parents had been. Thinking that way made Basil feel guilty, but he hadn’t seen his parents in eight years, and doubted if they were even still alive. Maybe they had loved him unconditionally—they certainly risked a lot for him. But Basil wasn’t too concerned with love, not anymore.

The people of Verdigris had taken Basil in exactly as he was. They’d sheltered, fed, and clothed him. They—Frida, Hank, and Ann especially—had raised him, and saved his life. Basil wasn’t very strong, nor was he particularly skilled; but he would be there for them in return, in the only ways he knew how. But it wasn’t out of a sense of indebtedness—that wasn’t the kind of debt that could be repaid, anyway. It was simply what felt right.

Frida was waiting on the front porch with a lantern when Basil finally arrived. He committed the image to memory, deep within the well of his chest, of her standing with a light in the dark, waiting however late into the night for his safe return.

She looked at him disapprovingly.

“Sorry,” was all he said.

“You’re never going to listen to a word I tell you, are you, Basil?” Frida asked fondly. She glanced down and tilted her head, as if noticing he had arrived empty handed. “No catch today?”

“I gave it to Garth.”

Frida hummed, urging him into the house, not caring for the dirt on his feet.

“You make it difficult to be upset with you.”

Basil beamed ear-to-ear, which only seemed to weaken Frida’s resolve further.

“Come now,” she said. “Supper is getting cold.”

[jessyreadss]

"I could not stop wasting time. It was crazy. I wanted to do something with my life, but instead I went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. I couldn't even tell you about anything that I saw. I didn't talk to anybody. The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence."

- Yiwei Chai, The Jacaranda Years (via crowsummer)

[heather-the-feather-xoxo]

a poem by stoicdreamss

I could not stop wasting time,

it was crazy.

I wanted to do something with my life,

but instead I went to sleep

or sung in the shower

or sat and stared at the wall.

I couldn’t even tell you anything that I saw.

I didn’t talk to anybody,

the cicadas kept dying outside,

and as I dreamed my mouth grew thick and venomous,

with silence.

Oh but it’s embarrassing.

Sometimes when the wanting shows how much I just need someone’s hands on mine,

how I just want a soft voice to call me out of sleep,

somebody to drink coffee with while the sun wakes up.

I am so good at being alone,

until I remember what it’s like to be loved.

And then, I am aching all over again.

Then I’m calling you up in the middle of the day and ask for something impossible.

Couldn’t you pretend that I’m not all together too much.

Just for this one afternoon.

[aspenforest732]

Bello Licentiae Chapter 2: Bonding

Summary:

tw: PTSD, trauma, kidnapping, burns, abuse, grounding, dissociation, death/dying, criminal activity Relationships evolve as 1-A starts training for the Provisional Licensing Exam

Notes:

'text' JSL Text thoughts

Akira nodded to Katsuki as they padded into the kitchen to make tea. He quietly handed them his Gang Orca mug at their offer to refill. ' I get nightmares pretty often, ' Akira opened as the chamomile tea steeped. ' Counsellor says it's common for heroes, especially ones with PTSD. '

Katsuki scoffed, still curled up on an armchair. "Heroes don't get nightmares."

Akira raised an eyebrow. 'Eraser does. Heroes are still people, and our brains sometimes need more time to process trauma than we have while we're awake. At least that's what I've heard.'

Katsuki went quiet as they sat down on the couch next to his armchair. The quiet hum of the lights and screeching cicadas outside filled the silence as Katsuki stared into his tea and Akira ran through what they could work on that day. Physical training was out of the question since they were still regaining mass from their kidnapping, so clone work while eating would make the most sense.

The elevator's whir added to the night sounds, so Akira got up to make another mug of tea. Moments later, Katsuki startled up from his tea as the elevator doors dinged open to reveal a tired Fumikage. Akira grabbed a hibiscus rose blend as he entered the common area. Katsuki swiftly stood and started to walk to the elevator when Akira caught his eye.

' We've all got issues. You're welcome to stay if you want. ' At his hesitance, they added, ' We don't have to talk. '

"A film sometimes alleviates the terrors of night," Fumikage offered as Dark Shadow settled between them and started their soothing purr.

A couple hours into a rainforest bird documentary – Katsuki having been outvoted for birds over heroes – the dorm's door opened, and Akira jolted up from dozing on the couch. Capture scarf unraveling from its grounding pressure on their torso, Akira crouched and silently padded towards the genkan as Fumikage let out a half-asleep grumble at their absence. Moments later, Aizawa padded into view, and Akira relaxed back into a neutral stance.

Aizawa looked between them and the two in the living room and sighed. ' Couldn't sleep? '

Akira nodded and signed ' nightmares ' before gesturing to the kettle on the stove. ' Want some tea? '

' I've got coffee. Try to sleep, we're working on ultimate moves tomorrow. ' Aizawa headed up as Akira settled back on the couch after readjusting Katsuki's blanket on the armchair. They barely stirred as Aizawa left half an hour later, sleepily lifting their head to wave at him before settling back down.

Akira woke up a few minutes before Katsuki around five and started making tamago gohan. ' Breakfast now or later? ' they asked, turning just enough for him to see.

"I'll make it later," Katsuki grumbled and grabbed an energy drink from the pantry. "Run with Kiri first."

Not long after the pair left in matching green workout gear, Midoriya sped through the kitchen to grab the same drink and nearly fell as Akira waved from the island with their food. They raised an eyebrow, 'Situational awareness, Broccoli. Be glad Sensei isn't here.'

"Hey, did I do something to you?" Midoriya blurted out while wringing his hands.

' Not recently, but we do need to talk at some point, ' Akira kept their expression carefully neutral. ' Go on your run. I'll approach you when I'm ready to talk about it. '

He hesitated a moment, conflicted, before speeding out the door. The door slam jolted Fumikage awake to Akira's eye roll. ' Do you want breakfast? Or do you also have a ridiculously early run? ' they teased. Fumikage gave them a half-hearted glare before trudging upstairs.

Over the next few hours, Akira got ready for the day, and the class filtered into the common area. Before leaving, Akira filled a couple tumblers with their smoothie and grabbed a few mango jelly pouches. As Hitoshi was the last one downstairs, Akira handed off a purple cat travel mug full of Aizawa's blend. Like Hitoshi sometimes did for them, Akira guided him to class with occasional nudges and pulls to Kaminari's amusement from their snickering.

In class, Aizawa officially announced the weeks' goal of creating ultimate moves for the provisional license exam. In the Training Dining Land, Akira sat down near their Ectoplasm clone and signed, ' I want to focus on fine motor control for better combat and reconnaissance applications. '

"Do you want advice on control?" the clone gently asked, keeping a comfortable distance.

Akira shook their head. ' Our methods of control are very different. I'd like to start solo, and I'll signal if I want to move onto sparring before lunch. I'll dismiss the clone and ask if there's something I need another perspective on. '

Warping a few inches to the side, Akira focused primarily on evasion tactics, running through forms and methods of falling without dispelling the clone for the first few hours. There were enough holes in their clone's defense to be noticeable, and there was still a delay when Akira wasn't inside their mind shadow.

Not long into practice, All Might walked up and initially moved towards their clone, so Akira dispelled it. ' Do you need something? ' they signed.

"Ah, I'm just making observations and giving tips where I can," All Might said awkwardly. "You've mentioned your clones have a heartbeat, yes?"

Akira nodded, keeping their face carefully impassive against the desire to punch the man. ' Yes, why? '

"Have you tried seeing what else they mimic? Fine motor control is important for reconnaissance, but since your clones also copy what you're wearing, they might be able to use your support items."

' Yes, but- ' before Akira could explain, he set off towards the next student. They sighed and warped to continue working. Their capture weapon was too complex to use reliably at this point unless they directed their clones to try and interface with the nanites. Shifting their control up, Akira lightly tugged at the brain area of their clone with the clear image of their capture weapon rising. It shakily rose on their clone, hovering for a few seconds until Akira shifted their control back to the thread trailing from the shadow. Almost immediately, the scarf wrapped around the clone and constricted as if a stranger had tried to interface with it.

When they broke for lunch, Akira grinned at Hitoshi's mixed success mimicking their classmates' mannerisms and speech patterns. He almost had Fumikage's down, but they were struggling with more animated voices like Kaminari.

Hitoshi brightened as he turned to Akira, lowering their mask. "I could create a voice for you if you want," he grinned. "I bet you could learn how to talk in time since they're artificial vocal cords."

Akira froze, rice ball halfway to their mouth. Shoto especially looked curious, but Katsuki stiffened from where his group sat nearby. ' May I? ' they gestured for the mask. Akira hummed, adjusting the knobs and dials several times before they said, "Testing." Akira startled as a slightly higher version of their old voice came through louder than they intended. Adjusting it a couple more times, they tried again, "Does this... yes, this is close to how my voice sounded." It was more difficult than they remembered to vary the pitch without using the dials, but it was a close approximation.

" Your voice?" Shoto asked, eyes bright. Aizawa locked eyes with them and straightened. He drifted closer but stopped back as Akira slightly shook their head.

' When I still had vocal cords, ' Akira signed and held out the mask for Hitoshi. He froze reaching towards it, and Mad Banquet stared at them for a long moment. Hitoshi seemed to shake out of their stupor first and gingerly took the mask back.

"What happened?" Shoto asked. He shrunk back slightly, confusion twisting his expression as the group's focus snapped to him.

' Not important. It's been four years, and I have other means of communication at this point, ' Akira signed before going back to their food. Looking around the group, they continued, ' Really, it's not great that it happened, but I'm out of that situation and am quite capable without my voice. '

"You don't want it back?" Hitoshi asked, anger burning in his eyes although Akira was fairly certain it wasn't directed at them. "Hatsume could make one of these for you."

Akira shrugged, ' I have bigger things to focus on right now, and at this point, I don't need or particularly want it. You're welcome to use my voice as a neutral one if you want, but some may recognize it. '

"Any particular group I should avoid using it around?" Hitoshi asked too casually for the calculating look in their eyes.

Akira sighed exasperatedly, ' Not the time, Blank. '

That night, as everyone filed back into the dorms, Akira slipped into the kitchen with Katsuki. ' You cooking for everyone or just you? '

"Everyone, Reaper," he grumbled. "You know how to make katsudon?"

Akira nodded and started pulling out onions and scallions. After a few chops, they tapped his shoulder to show their usual sizes with Dabi. ' This good? ' They eyed the spices Katsuki set out with a raised eyebrow. ' Might want to leave out the death spices. Not everyone has fire quirk levels of spice tolerance. Unless you make a batch just for you and Peppermint, that is. '

"Those are fine, and what do you mean?" he growled. "Deku loves my cooking."

Akira mock put up their hands in surrender. ' Maybe he's just used to it? Most people stick with salt, pepper, sugar, soy sauce, and mirin. I got used to spicy food living with a fire-quirked roommate, but he kept it toned down a bit. '

"Fine, you do the spices, but the extras better not call it bland."

"Woah, Kat's letting someone else lead in the kitchen?" Kirishima grinned as he settled at the island, resting his elbows on the counter. "Anything I can help with?"

Akira blinked, remembering that morning. ' Are you two dating? ' they signed before carefully sliding him a knife and cutting board with the rest of the scallions. They pulled out some milder and earthy spices to balance out the tolerable end of Katsuki's selection.

"I can do it with my quirk," Kirishima protested and blushed, "and yeah, made it official after he got cleared from the hospital."

Akira immediately snatched the chopping board back, scowling at him. ' That's unsanitary! You're worse than Wildfire. ' At his confused look, they clarified, ' Roommate. Either take the knife or just sit there lookin pretty. '

Kirishima preened as Katsuki shot them a dirty look. He sheepishly reached across the island again, taking the knife before Akira would let go of the cutting board.

"Weren't they the bastard who kept burning you?" Katsuki asked as the smell of burnt caramel wafted through the air. Akira wrinkled their nose but was mostly used to the acrid scent by now.

' Yeah, but that was mostly my fault. Can sneak past Eraser and paranoid for a reason don't mix well ,' Akira signed. ' We figured it out, though. He kept trying to use his fire to cook, and he doesn't have good control to begin with. '

"Why do you call him that when he's off duty?" Kirishima paused to compare his slices and went back over his small pile with finer strokes.

Akira cocked their head for a moment before realization struck. ' Oh, I guess because I've known him as Eraser for longer? ' they mused. ' Calling him Sleepy Cat feels weird at this point. '

"So what, did the fucker keep an eye on you for the-"

Eyes wide, Akira warped onto the counter and slapped a hand over Katsuki's mouth. Kirishima yelped as a knife cut dispeled the other clone and Katsuki froze, small explosions briefly lighting up his palms. His eyes narrowed as they shook their head emphatically.

After a moment, Akira released Katsuki and slid off, carefully avoiding the cabinet handles on their way down. ' No, and please don't talk about them. Wildfire offered me a place to stay after my building was destroyed by Endeavor. '

"What's his name?" Kirishima asked awkwardly after a moment. Akira and Katsuki snapped to look at him before shifting back to their stations.

Akira hesitated, glancing towards a quietly approaching Shoto, ' I don't think- '

"Toya," Shoto said as he got closer. "They're arresting father in a few days now that they have his testimony, so there's no harm in Bakugo and Kirishima knowing now."

Katsuki scowled, brow twisting in confusion. "Wasn't Toya your oldest brother? There was a big scandal in the hero forums when he died."

Shoto's neutral expression cracked as he frowned bitterly. He started to speak, but Akira put a hand on his arm. ' I've got this. Wildfire ran away. He nearly died that night and has been biding his time to take down Endeavor. A lot will come out in the trial, and I will probably be unavailable this weekend. '

Katsuki scoffed, "If they're taking down Endeavor, why aren't they going after your family?"

Akira gave him a pointed look and threw up their hands at the defiance in his eyes. ' Fine, you want to know so bad? Meet me down here at eleven. I'll let Eraser know we're talking. ' As the other two perked up, they huffed, ' And no, you two can't come. Murder God only gets this talk because he overheard something while we were kidnapped. '

Dinner was tense, especially with the uncertain looks Midoriya and Aoyama kept giving Akira. Mina tried to keep the others engaged with their ultimate moves, but conversations kept drifting off. After showing Aizawa's permission to Vlad, Akira waited for Katsuki to make his way down. Around 22:30, they texted Fumikage to join them. He might as well get the full picture since he was part of the hospital fiasco .

' Raven has more context because of our lunch conversations and because he was with me at the hospital, ' Akira explained as they set out.

"Why are we leaving the dorms?" Katsuki asked with a hint of uncertainty. "And where are we going?"

' The dorms are too big for me to properly sweep, Ear Jerk and Tentacle Boy have Thinker quirks, and the roof has the risk of quirks that use or are similar in function to satellites, ' Akira said simply. At Katsuki's laugh, they just stared at him straight-faced.

Expression falling, he looked between them and Fumikage. "You're serious?"

Once they were well into the forested area of campus, Akira leaned against a tree and gestured for the other two to stop. ' So we're on the same page, Murder God, did the League say anything after I left? '

"Marbles-"

' Mr. Compress ,' Akira reminded him.

"Mr. Compress was weirdly obsessed with you," Katsuki said. "He kept talking about wasted potential and something called forced quirk manifestation. They were just trying to recruit me after that."

' First things first. Yes, I was born into the Inoue family... ' Akira tiredly explained forced quirk manifestation, their abuse, and their current standing with the family. ' I have plans for them, but it will take years, and I will likely not be around to see them succeed. '

Fumikage startled at that, and Dark Shadow unfurled from the comforting hug he'd been giving Akira to face them. "We will protect you, little shadow! You will see your success," they crowed.

Akira smiled bittersweetly, touched at their enthusiasm as Katsuki let off a few small pops. ' I'm afraid you won't have much of a choice, but I appreciate it. ' They lightly rapped their head against the tree trunk they leaned against. ' The odds of my survival plummeted the moment my family found out I'm alive this early, and they were already pretty low to begin with. I didn't want to involve children – other children, at least, but it happened anyway. '

"We're not children," Katsuki ground out.

' We are, though, ' Akira tiredly insisted. ' We should be, anyways. I had to grow up fast, and our class has had to as well in the past few months. My family is a bigger stage than any of us should be even thinking about right now, but here we are. '

"Fat Gum was aware of your predicament before he arrived," Fumikage said bluntly.

' He figured it out during my internship. Eraser and Principal are involved, and more may be added to the list in the near future. They're aware of Raven and Dark Shadow knowing and of Murder God hearing the name. And of our meeting tonight, obviously. I can't give you more, but I don't want either of you involved while you're students. '

"You're a student," Katsuki grumbled as he kicked a rock.

Akira smirked, ' Yeah, and I was carrying this alone until Fat Gum. '

"No, you weren't." Akira startled, looking to Fumikage. He crossed his arms with a pointed look, "You forget I've learned you like a book. What would you withhold when so much has been revealed?"

Akira sighed, ' Right... There's a group I'm in that has helped me survive this long. Once we graduate or if there are extenuating circumstances, I'll introduce Raven and Dark Shadow, but not before then. Murder God, you'll have no reason to know them as a limelight. '

Katsuki bristled, "Are you saying you're a criminal?"

Akira shrugged, ' I'll be labeled one soon after my plan starts, and Eraser is aware of the situation. ' They leaned against the tree, arms lightly crossed as the pair mulled over the information. Dark Shadow gave a gentle squeeze as Akira started to drift, so they gave the shadow bird a few pets to help ground both. After a minute, they pushed off the tree. ' If you don't have any more questions, we might as well head back. '

"Only the same as I did in the hospital."

Akira winced and signed to Katsuki, ' Raven and I need to talk privately for a moment. You can head back now. '

He scowled, drawing up. "Eh? I thought you were bringing me in."

Akira waved him off, letting some of their annoyance seep through. ' This is different. It's not that I don't trust you, rather that it's a sensitive matter I barely know how to address with Raven. '

Katsuki looked ready to put up more of a fight but with a deep breath, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stalked back towards the dorm. Once Akira heard his footsteps fade into the distance, they sagged against the tree and lowered themself to the ground. Dark Shadow let out a startled squawk and stayed around them as a steadying force.

"Akira?" Fumikage asked softly, treading closer to sit in front of them.

Akira sighed and tucked their knees to their chest as they focused on Dark Shadow's purr to settle their racing heart. ' I'll be fine, just... give me a moment. ' They focused on deep breaths, cicadas screeching, and the soft yet prickly grass underfoot, petting Dark shadow as their family's retaliation gradually felt a little farther away. After a few minutes, they uncurled into a cross-legged position and focused on Fumikage.

"You said he offered something?" he asked gently.

Akira nodded and signed, ' All for One collects quirks. He knows how they work and interact with each other, and he has the power, funds, and resources to take down my family. '

Fumikage slowly nodded, expression clearly fighting to stay neutral as Dark Shadow shifted uncomfortably. "Are you sure?"

Akira tiredly explained his file room, the access they had, and finally the offer. ' Raven, I... his path hurts the fewest people. Has a near-guaranteed chance of success. Doesn't put any other innocents in danger. It- it makes sense, but... '

"But he's tried to maim or kill us on multiple occasions," Fumikage said softly as hurt seeped into his voice. "He wants to destroy the world."

' No, ' Akira signed to his surprise, ' he wants to rule it. ' After a shaky breath, they continued, ' The Commission is not working, and too many people are invested in the status quo for it to be reformed. It's time we make this world our own. It's time someone put them in their place. '

"Have you told Aizawa?"

Akira slumped forward and shook their head. ' I'm pretty sure it's the right choice, but I... I don't want to lose them. I wasn't going to risk losing Mad Banquet either, but you were there. ' As Dark Shadow purred a little louder, Akira smiled slightly at the idea of having people to worry about rejection from.

Fumikage gently took their hands. Akira blinked out of their thoughts, knowing how rare physical touch was for him. "It will take far more than a difference in code to lose us," he said firmly. "In this space right here that we have made for each other, you can say anything and I will not abandon you. The worst things you have or will do don't matter. Watch me hold them up to the light and not even flinch. We are not the Banquet of Light for a reason, and we pledge ourselves to your cause so that you will not bear this alone and have voices of reason in times of turmoil. Speak with Aizawa or one of your trusted adults, and we can continue this with the rest of Mad Banquet."

Akira nodded reluctantly with a shaky smile and forced themself to get up. ' They're probably wondering why we're not back with Murder God. '

Notes:

gosh I had Luke's part of "Last Day of Summer" from Lightning Thief: the Percy Jackson Musical stuck in my head for this chapter. Like yes, it's an inspiration for Akira, but they haven't crossed the line to Luke's stance yet.

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[kiss2012]

jsyk i could not stop wasting time. it was crazy. i wanted to do something with my life but instead i went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. i couldn’t even tell you about anything that i saw. i didn’t talk to anybody. the cicadas kept dying outside, and as i dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence.

[verssai]

The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence

[rareghanaian]

I could not stop wasting time. It was crazy. I wanted to do something with my life, but instead I went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. I couldn't even tell you about anything that I saw. I didn't talk to anybody. The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence."

[earthangel48]

"i could not stop wasting time. it was crazy. i wanted to do something with my life, but instead i went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. i couldnt even tell you about anything that i saw. i didnt talk to anybody. the cicadas kept dying outside, and as i dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence."

[tazbidfarhad]

I could not stop wasting time

It was crazy. I wanted to do something with my life, but instead I went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. I couldn't even tell you about anything that I saw. I didn't talk to anybody.

The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence.

~The Jacaranda Years/Yiwei Chai

[thatgracelessheart]

The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence.

- the jacarda years by yiwei chai

[sofiaricoo]

I could not stop wasting time. It was crazy. I wanted to do something with my life, but instead I went to sleep, or sung in the shower, or sat and stared at the wall. I couldn't even tell you about anything that I saw. I didn't talk to anybody. The cicadas kept dying outside, and as I dreamed, my mouth grew thick and venomous with silence