The smell of home-cooked food fills the hallway, a scent that Izuku hadn't truly experienced in years. It feels surreal. He and Michael walk down the stairs in silence, the tension between them still radiating like heat.
Clara : smiling as she sets the last plate on the table
Perfect timing! Sit down, everyone. Izuku, you sit here, next to William.
Izuku sits down. To his left is William, looking more relaxed than Izuku has ever seen him. Across from him are Elizabeth and Chris. Michael sits at the end of the table, his eyes still darting toward the small red stain on Izuku’s shoulder.
Elizabeth : swinging her legs under her chair
So, Izuku! Since you're at UA, does that mean you know All Might? Is he as loud as he looks on TV?
Izuku : chuckles, trying to ignore the stinging pain under his bandages
He is... definitely a presence, Elizabeth. But I spend more time with my homeroom teacher, Aizawa-sensei. He’s much quieter.
William : cutting his meat with precision
And what do they teach you there, son? Do they know... what you really are?
Izuku : pauses, his fork halfway to his mouth
They know I have a powerful Quirk. They think the wings and the Fox attributes are just part of my physical mutation. I haven't told them about... the soul part. Or the family.
Michael : leaning back, eyes cold
Smart move. I don't think "Heroes" would like the idea of a walking corpse's brother joining their ranks.
William : slamming his hand lightly on the table
Michael. Enough. Tonight is a celebration.
Chris : quietly, looking at Izuku
Does it... does it hurt? Being like that?
The table goes silent. Everyone looks at Izuku. He feels the weight of his hidden scars, the marks Michael almost saw, and the spirit of Funtime Foxy humming under his skin.
Izuku : softly, looking directly at Chris
Sometimes, Chris. But being back here... with all of you... it makes the pain a lot easier to carry.
Clara : teary-eyed
That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve heard in years.
William : raising a glass
To the Afton family. Broken, scattered... but finally gathered under one roof.
Izuku : raising his glass, though his hand trembles slightly
To the family.
As they drink, Izuku feels a sudden, sharp tug at his consciousness. For a second, his vision flickers to black and white, and he sees a ghost standing in the corner of the dining room, waving slowly at him. No one else seems to notice.
??? : talks to Izuku's mind
I am here and I always will be ! Even after death.
ns216.73.216.175da2
and then Add to home screen.