Darkest Before Dawn - 126

Chapter 126

[Kazuki Endo]

He kind of wished he could work out in the mornings more often.

That day, his training was in Quirkless combat with Tiger, and the physical strain was… nice, in a way. He might be a bit of a morning person – at least when compared to others – but his brain always felt sluggish all the same for a few hours after waking up. Pushing his body though? It didn’t require him to think and it seemed to jog his brain into working a little faster than normal routine did.

Admittedly, he wasn’t too sure why he was training in Quirkless fighting when the point of the camp was to push their Quirks’ limits. Kazuki’s best guess was that it was some other case of him being treated specially, but he wasn’t complaining. Hell, the reason why he hadn’t asked about it was because he didn’t want to risk them changing his schedule.

He liked it, after all.

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” Kazuki replied with a grin, offering his hand to Minoru. They were more or less the only two that were training Quirkless fighting, after all. Ojiro supposedly helped his friend here and there the other days, but that seemed to be mostly because nobody else was really in a position to help the short guy. Kazuki imagined that had something to do with his inclusion in the whole thing too, maybe.

“Morning can’t be over soon enough,” Minoru grumbled as he finally took his hand and stood up. He continued muttering under his breath all the way until he was standing on the other side of the circle they had to fight in. “We never fight you one on one for a reason, dammit,” his friend complained before taking his stance.

Kazuki didn’t say anything, simply following suit. He had a feeling that anything he said would just annoy his friend more or make him feel worse some other way. So, in the spirit of not making everything worse for either of them, he just kept his mouth shut. His friend was feeling kind of down though, so he was trying to think how to help cheer him up.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t like he could try to hook him up with one of the girls from I-Island while that deep in a forest without signal. That was the one trick Kazuki knew worked for sure, and they couldn’t take a break and so something meaningless, since their schedules – or Minoru’s, at least – were fairly packed. So, he’d either have to get creative or just let his friend deal with it.

Unfortunately, he was following the meddling approach to being a hero a little too much, mayhaps.

‘I really shouldn’t even be playing matchmaker anyway,’ he thought wryly. Sure, it helped cheer up his friend, but that was only going to lead to disaster. What did he know about any of that shit? Nothing, that’s what. ‘Although, the Shoto and Tsuyu thing worked out well? They are friends, at least, so maybe I could just, nudge for Minoru to have more friends?’

More friends was always nice, but that was for Kazuki. He wasn’t sure how much his vertically challenged friend would appreciate that. He tended to not take too well to people, Kazuki had found, probably because of some kind of inferiority complex- ‘I shouldn’t be trying to psychoanalyse my friends. Shoto and I have a competition going for who is the most messed up,’ he told himself, somewhat frustrated.

So, pushing all those thoughts aside, he decided to focus on his training.

Maybe he’d come up with some way to cheer up Minoru, maybe he wouldn’t. At the moment, he should focus on training. Much as he was cut a lot of slack, by the looks of it, Kazuki didn’t want to completely waste all that time. Especially when others were involved. Like, he didn’t want to half-ass the training with Minoru, since that would affect his friend.

The same applied to his teacher, and the Cats. It was one thing to be lazy when he was by himself, but if he was taking someone’s time, then he’d rather put some effort. It wasn’t the mentality with which he’d set out to tackle the camp, but it was what it was. At least he did get some time alone to train often, since there were only so many teachers for the number of students around.

“Switch?” Minoru asked from the ground, his voice coming out a little ragged. Kazuki didn’t know if that was because of the pain or the exhaustion. Either way, he decided to take pity on the poor guy.

“More like a break,” he answered, and he grinned when his friend deflated where he laid on the ground. They had been allowed to take a break here and there. Tiger wasn’t that much of a slave driver. “Then we can switch,” he added, already walking off to the side to pick up a bottle of water and a towel for each of them. Minoru didn’t seem very intent on standing up… or moving at all, really.

“Why did I decide to become a hero again?” his friend wondered and he chuckled before taking a gulp from his bottle.

“... For the chicks?” he asked with a grin, passing Minoru his own drink and dropping the towel on his face.

“Right,” came the muffled response before the boy groaned and sat up, drying the sweat off of himself and opening his bottle. “I don’t know if it’s worth it, man. Or if it works at all,” came the dejected addition from Minoru. Kazuki knew he barely meant that though, so he just grinned at him. He was a good guy, after all, surely he’d get lucky at some point.

It wasn’t like he was Kazuki levels of disturbing.

[}-o-{]

[Kyoka Jiro]

Her ears hurt and she’d had the worst headache for a good hour.

She was so done with the day and the training and the camp. She wanted to go home and lie down for a month. Alas, no rest for the wicked meant that there was no rest for heroes either. Unfortunate that, truly. Maybe she should have just stuck to being a musician.

“I regret all my life choices,” Mina commented and Kyoka grunted her agreement. “Don’t look so… fine Kazuki. You’re supposed to be suffering with us!” the pink-skinned girl exclaimed. Momentarily, Kyoka wondered how she’d meant that “fine”, especially with the emphasis. A second later, her exhausted mind realized that no, Mina likely hadn’t meant it like that.

It was probably related to the fact that Kazuki looked like he’d just come off a light training session. Considering he’d been fighting Minoru alone, she wasn’t surprised. There was also the fact that the teachers seemed to be taking it easy on him. She envied him that, but she also understood.

More than once she’d been awed by how dedicated he was to training himself into the ground. It was no wonder that when everyone else was pushed to the limits, he was left mostly to his own devices. She’d have felt bad otherwise, really. Kazuki really needed a break.

“Fine, huh?” Toru said, and even though she was invisible, Kyoka could hear the wiggled eyebrows and the teasing expression. Although, she could also more literally hear the slight tremor in her voice, nerves. Considering they’d both been of the same mind on the matter though, Kyoka was forced to consider that maybe her efforts to push thoughts of Kazuki aside might not have been entirely successful.

Toru and Momo were down horrendous, after all.

She’d really rather not be in the same situation.

“You know what I meant!” Mina exclaimed, turning a funny shade of purple, as she did when she blushed.

“I have nothing to say,” Kazuki commented, taking a gulp from his bottle of water and dropping on the couch next to her in the common area. Kyoka wondered if he knew what he was doing when he placed his arm over the backrest… behind her. “But skill issue.”

That wasn’t well received by the already annoyed Acid girl.

“How’d the training go, guys? Have fun?” Kazuki asked, ignoring the glare sent his way. Him being insufferable was kind of good for Kyoka. Helped put some distance there. “Minoru did,” he added with a slight grin, turning towards the poor bastard that had apparently been thoroughly beaten black and blue.

“... Did he do something?” Momo asked, looking a little concerned for the short guy. Not that Kyoka wasn’t of the same mind. She knew how brutal dealing with Kazuki in Quirkless combat could be. The guy could take all the hits and deliver his right back with no issue at all. It was a little sad, to know that he could do that because he was used to pain, but it was also very impressive, she had to admit.

“He got very motivated eventually,” Kazuki answered with a grin that told them all it might be better not to ask. Especially since it was Minoru. Guy probably got convinced it’d help him get girls. He’d get a lot more – or any at all – if he wasn’t like that, really, but Kyoka had realized that was a lost battle long ago.

Kazuki could deal with his best friend’s… everything on his own.

“... Still struggling, on my side of things,” Toru mumbled after a few seconds, dropping on another couch and just lying there. That was a good idea. Too bad Kazuki was right beside her and if Kyoka didn’t want to lay on his lap… Actually- “Training is pain.”

“No pain no gain,” Eijiro said, but not even he managed to put actual energy behind that. The guy looked drained and that was saying something, considering he was… Eijiro. Back to her previous thoughts though, Kyoka wondered if she could- “I do wish we’d be given a break though.”

“You’ll get a break eventually… probably. If not, then the week will be over and we’ll go back to normal lives,” Kazuki commented lightly, and Kyoka was struck by how… good – she didn’t mean it like that, she didn’t – he looked when he was just… relaxed, confident, at ease. It was a tragedy that he hardly ever did. “Hmm, I think I have some energy to burn before lunch,” the boy commented, pulling his arm back and standing up to stretch a bit.

Kyoka didn’t quite know if she was relieved or disappointed.

She really needed to get a hold of herself.

“Lucky~” Toru muttered and Kyoka could feel the invisible girl glaring at her.

“What?” she asked, playing at being clueless. Her head hurt too much for her to have to deal with Toru’s and Momo’s jealousy. One of them needed to get their act together so that they could all move on with their lives. “What do you think he’s gonna do?” she added then, trying to divert attention somewhere else.

“Can’t do much here, can he?” Minoru mumbled, his voice muffled by the couch’s cushions. “Probably play violin?” he added, turning his head to the side to speak properly. Kyoka could only hope he was right, because she loved hearing Kazuki play.

It was around then that they heard Kazuki’s voice approaching, talking with someone in the hall.

“-why are you following me though? I thought you hated violin,” Kazuki commented as he walked into the room, his head turned to look at the kid – ‘Kota, wasn’t it?’ – by his side. Sure enough, Minoru had been right. Kazuki was carrying his violin in its case.

“I never said that,” the kid said, narrowing his eyes and pouting at Kazuki. “And I don’t have anything better to do anyway,” the boy added, crossing his arms.

“Sure you didn’t,” Kazuki replied, rolling his eyes and then turning towards the rest of the room, which not only included their friend group but several others both from 1-A and 1-B. “You guys mind if I play here? I can go outside if you do,” he asked, giving them that smile that said he expected someone to, indeed, mind.

He seemed surprised when the only answers he got were encouragement and some uncaring comments. Kyoka saw it across the faces of most of their friend group, the way they took in Kazuki’s confusion. It wasn’t a great deal then and there, it could be a normal reaction, but it turned into something different when they all knew he reacted like that almost every time. He was barely getting used to receiving such treatment from them.

Kyoka really hoped his mother rotted in jail.

“Well then,” Kazuki mumbled mildly, as if that had been a development that he hadn’t expected. Nevertheless, even through his uneasy expression and slow motions, he set the violin’s case on the coffee table and opened it. And then Kyoka took in the change in her friend when he had his instrument in his hands and was getting ready to play.

Idly, she wondered if she changed that much when she was about to play.

“What do you say, Kota? Any suggestions?” Kazuki asked, the confidence he’d built all the way back in his internship shining through once more. It was also just as obvious that he didn’t expect the boy to really have preferences or anything, but-

“The one you played the first day, for Shino,” the boy said, looking to the world like he was making a key decision in life and not just picking a song. All the same, Kyoka tilted her head, wondering what song that one could be.

“... Sure thing,” Kazuki said after recovering from his own surprise.

‘Ah, Devil’s Trill,’ Kyoka realized almost immediately after Kazuki started playing. She had practically memorized the song, after hearing her friend play it so much. It was his favorite, after all, so it was an unusual day whenever he didn’t play at least a part of it.

Idly, Kyoka looked around, trying to see the reactions of everyone else. Thankfully, she didn’t see too many bored or otherwise bothered expressions. Some of them were indifferent, but that was fine, she supposed. She didn’t agree, but music was largely subjective.

Maybe Kazuki picked up more emotions than she could see, or maybe it was his insecurities shining through again, but Kyoka saw her friend finish the song and grow nervous, uneasy. By the way he glanced around, she almost wondered if it was the small crowd that set him on edge. That’d be worrying, if he really went to play at one of the parties Momo’s parents organized.

“... How was that?” Kazuki asked, apparently trying to bring back some of his ease by focusing on Kota.

“I liked it,” the boy said with a very serious nod. “Did it take you long to learn?”

“Wanna learn too? There’s easier instruments to start with, but if you really want violin… Well, it’s not easy, I can tell you that,” Kazuki explained, still holding the violin in place as if he were about to play more. “You should make sure it’s what you want, because they are also not cheap.”

“Why’d you start, if it’s so hard?” Kota asked and Kyoka saw the shift in her friend’s expression.

“Because I wanted to impress someone,” was the answer he gave, a sad smile on his face. “Didn’t work out, but I ended up liking it anyway.”

“Who did you want to impress?” the boy asked and Kyoka had half a mind to step in, because-

“My mother,” Kazuki answered calmly, playing a few short lines that were probably just random tunes. “So, what do you say, little guy? Another one?”

“I’m not little,” the kid grumbled with a pout and Kyoka was able to breathe once more. That had been a bit close. She didn’t know how it would have gone if that conversation had been followed through, but she imagined it’d have been nowhere good.

“You are,” Kazuki said with a chuckle. “Enjoy it. Growing up sucks,” he commented and there were some chuckles and agreements around the room that seemed to remind both Kazuki and Kota that they weren’t alone. It was a little adorable to see the kid shift a little closer to Kazuki, as if trying to hide behind him but stopping himself at arm’s length.

“... You still have to prepare for that Grimm idea, right?” the boy asked, looking at Kazuki and their friend grinned.

“I do,” he agreed, taking a deep breath in and looking at his violin. “Do you mind waiting for a song or two more? I’m already here so I might as well. We can continue researching after that,” he added and the boy seemed a little reluctant but nodded all the same.

So, that’s how they were all treated to two more songs and Kyoka felt her headache finally leaving her alone. Nothing like good music to relax. On that note, she almost fell asleep, but she refused to miss any second of that. Considering how busy they all were, she’d take any chance she got to enjoy music. They didn’t even have much time for that.

“Done?” Kota asked, hopping off his seat and walking up to Kazuki when it did, indeed, seem like he was done. He’d moved the violin away from his shoulder. The older boy nodded with a grin as he moved to set the instrument in its case. “Say, what do you think is better? Violin or piano?”

“Violin, obviously, but piano’s not bad. Might be easier,” their friend answered and suddenly Kyoka was realizing that it was… a little odd, how the two of them almost were in their own world. They seemed aware of the rest of the room and the people in it, of course, but it was like they were reluctant to move away from each other. Or maybe it was just the kid. “You wanna ask your aunt for some classes? She’s good.”

“... Eh,” the boy replied noncommittally as they moved to leave the room.

“No wonder they call him Monster Daddy,” one of the 1-B girls said.

She was not wrong about that, not at all.

[}-o-{]

[Hina Maeda]

“Long time coming, isn’t it?” she asked, bringing her glass up to her lips.

“I guess so,” Nemuri answered with a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes, before it turned somewhat… sad. “Thank you for looking out for the kid,” the UA teacher said and she clicked her tongue, looking away. “He adores you.”

“Could say the same for you,” Hina replied, rolling her eyes. “He’s always telling me about the last meal you prepared. And… how nice it is to have someone at home with him.”

“Well, he’s always talking about advice you’ve given him, or how he’s gonna ask you for your opinion or for more advice,” Nemuri continued, and their grins slowly turned into genuine amusement as they continued. “Time can’t pass fast enough,” the teacher added, her lips twisting once more, this time into something much more… mean.

She hummed her agreement, taking another sip from her drink. Idly, she checked the television that hung on the corner of the bar. Not quite time yet, sadly, but it would be, soon enough. Just a few minutes. What was that compared to the years Kazuki had waited?

“You’re telling me,” she mumbled, sighing. In the spirit of not going crazy waiting, she decided to continue talking. “Do you think he’s having fun?” she asked, looking at Nemuri for answers. UA had been so tightlipped about the whole thing that she didn’t know anything about the trip Kazuki had gone on. She’d admit… she was kind of missing his regular calls. “He was really looking forward to some time to relax and have fun with friends.”

“I don’t know about his friends,” Nemuri replied, and she was answering deliberately slowly, picking her words carefully. Was she afraid of revealing something? Or was she afraid of angering her? Because if it was the latter, then Hina definitely wanted to know why. “But he shouldn’t be having a terrible time. Inui made sure that they’d let him take it easy and relax. He’s been pushing himself a lot and everyone has seen it. It shouldn’t be too bad over there.”

“I hope so,” Hina said, taking a deep breath in and deciding that maybe she shouldn’t take a sip every time she had to process her emotions. “He was very sad.”

“Tell me about it,” Nemuri all but whined. “Do you know how heartwrenching it was to see him so down every day? Kid had me actually looking for recipes and stuff to try and cheer him up!” the teacher complained.

“What are they talking about?” a new voice asked and both Hina and Nemuri turned to see their friends had arrived together.

“Talking about their son, I imagine,” the second one answered and both of them twitched. “It’s kind of adorable,” Ryuko commented with a grin as she took her seat. “We didn’t arrive too late, did we?”

“Back up a little. I feel like I missed a lot of things, what son?” Rumi asked – more like demanded, really –, following suit and looking between the three of them for answers. Neither Hina nor Nemuri were about to deign that with an answer though.

Hina wondered if the UA teacher felt anywhere close to how she did. Because she almost wanted to just admit it and get it over with. How could she though? It had been barely a few months, barely. Yet, no matter how much she repeated that to herself, no matter how much she told herself that she had no business getting as attached as she did… It didn’t change the fact that she still had.

“Kazuki Endo, you might remember him from-”

“The Rampage,” Rumi finished, eyes widening a little. “Remember him? I’ll never forget, Ryu. We were both there. Hell, you-”

“Anyway,” Ryuko interrupted, glancing nervously towards Hina and Nemuri. With good reason too, because they were now rather intently staring at the rabbit heroine, who seemed to realize a little too late. “The point is that Hina took him in for his internship-”

“I remember that, but what about it? Don’t they just leave after-” Rumi was having one of those days, apparently. One of her “don’t think, just do” days, which was usually kinda fun. Not that day though, not at all.

“And Nemuri’s kind of been living with him since she’s kind of his guardian. You know, share meals and all that,” Ryuko continued, saving her friend from getting stabbed with a chopstick. She was nice like that. “They are very fond of the kid. Which is why the joke came to be.”

Joke.

Much as it annoyed Hina to no end every time she had to deal with the “son” thing, it annoyed her ten times more to hear that. She was having a lot of trouble trying to keep her distance, but something like that wasn’t something to joke about. Hell, it was precisely because it was no joking matter that she was so conscious of the topic. If nothing else, because she imagined Kazuki would be hurt if he heard about it being spoken about in that matter.

She could imagine it very clearly. He’d hear someone say that treating him as a son was a joke and he’d just… take it in the worst way possible. Because his brain was still wired like that, despite UA’s and Hina’s best efforts. The damage those damn parents – she used the word very much as a technicality – had done to that boy was unforgivable.

Which is why she needed time to speed up.

“Is he any good? I remember that he won the Festival,” Rumi commented. “Looked like he could fight too, surprisingly.”

“What do you mean surprisingly?” Nemuri asked, beating Hina to it.

“Um-”

“Just that his Quirk doesn’t make you think ‘direct fighter’, you know? Nothing against-”

“Sounds like you have something against him,” Hina pointed out a little too bitingly, maybe.

“Girls,” Ryuko cut in more decisively than her previously failed attempt. When all three of them turned towards her, she pointed at the TV. Sure enough, there was something very important going on. The thing Nemuri and her had decided to meet for and… celebrate, as it were.

The trial of one piece of shit that once called herself mother was starting.

And that was something to celebrate, if anyone asked Hina.

[} Chapter End {]

Hey guys! How’s it going?

Some more training, some more idle time and some… Well, that last part is probably the most interesting in the chapter, I imagine. At least for most people. Which makes it all the more concerning that it’s the one that has me the most nervous.

… Yeah…

Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!

Discord Link: discord.gg/UTDransjJZ

Random Question: Already asked this in GoM and SFaW, but… Would any of you be interested in a K-Pop Demon Hunters story or three? They’ve been living rent-free in my head since I watched the movie and I’ve got plotbunnies for days. I might even be able to work it on top of my current stories, since my plot bunnies don’t sound too long when it comes to this fandom… I know, I’m shocked too.

See you.