KAI WAS BECOMING MORE accustomed to the chaos you brought with each visit. It was subtle, but you could sense him slowly softening toward you. He didn't sneer at your presence as he did with others, though your constant stash of candy was an exception—it bothered him, but not enough to push you away.

Despite this growing connection, one thing gnawed at him: your quirk, and worse, your naive ideals. It was the one flaw in his eyes, the one thing he wished he could rid you of. You were insistent on becoming a hero, something he found not only foolish but revolting. In his mind, heroes were part of the problem, a symptom of the twisted world that quirks had created.

All these villains, heroes, chaos—it was all because of the mutation of quirks. Kai hated it, despised it with every fiber of his being. And you, with your pure intentions, were tangled in it just like everyone else. He resented the fact that someone as clean as you—someone he didn't find utterly revolting—was still a product of the world he detested.

If he could just remove your quirk... you would be perfect. You wouldn't be bound by the corruption of quirks or by society's false ideals. In his eyes, you'd finally be free.

You were here again, making an excuse to Aizawa of your whereabouts so he wouldn't get suspicious.

"Kai? You're quiet," your voice broke him from his thoughts. You were eyeing him curiously, a half-eaten candy in your hand.

"I'm always quiet," he shot back, his usual icy demeanor returning.

You chuckled softly, brushing off his cold response as usual. "True. But you're also staring at me like you're planning something," you teased, popping another piece of candy into your mouth.

Kai narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable. "Maybe I am." His tone was flat, but there was something unsettling about the way he said it.

You raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was joking—though, Kai wasn't exactly the type to joke. "What, planning how to confiscate my sweets?"

He didn't respond immediately, his mind still running over the thought of removing your quirk. Instead, he shifted his gaze. "You're wasting your time chasing dreams," he muttered, more to himself than to you.

You blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Being a hero," Kai clarified, his voice sharper. "It's pointless. You're just part of a flawed system."

You frowned, feeling a bit defensive. "It's not pointless, Kai. I want to help people—make a difference."

"That's what they all say." His voice hardened, eyes flashing with disdain. "But it's all because of quirks. Remove the quirks, and the problem is solved. No heroes, no villains, just... normal."

You hesitated, realizing he was serious. "So, what... you'd remove everyone's quirks if you could?"

His gaze darkened, and he looked at you with an intensity that made your stomach drop. "If I could, I'd start with yours."

Kai's words lingered in the air, heavy with an intensity that made you feel like the ground was shifting beneath you. His gaze was unflinching, cold and calculating, as though he had already dissected the thought in his mind a hundred times before speaking it aloud.

"If I could, I'd start with yours."

The bluntness of his statement knocked the wind out of you. You stared at him, a mix of confusion and unease swelling in your chest. He wasn't joking—Kai never joked—but this was different. This wasn't just his usual cynicism or cold demeanor. There was a terrifying resolve behind his words, as if he genuinely believed what he was saying would be better for you.

"For real?" you whispered, not quite able to meet his eyes, but feeling the weight of his gaze on you. "You'd take away my quirk?"

"I would." His voice didn't waver. There was no hesitation in his tone, just cold, hard certainty. "Your quirk. Everyone's quirks. The world would be better without them."

You took a step back, your mind racing to comprehend. The idea of losing your quirk—this thing that had defined so much of your life, your dreams, your path—left you feeling hollow. But to Kai, it was simple. To him, quirks were nothing but the root of everything wrong in the world. It was clear he wasn't speaking out of spite; he genuinely believed that ridding people of quirks would fix everything.

But why yours? Why start with you?

"Kai..." you started, your voice shaky, trying to find the words. "You really think that would make things better? If I didn't have my quirk, I wouldn't be able to—"

"Wouldn't be able to what? Play hero?" He scoffed, cutting you off. "Your quirk isn't who you are. It's just a mutation, an unnecessary one at that. It ties you to the same system that creates villains, the same system that created me."

His eyes were hard, filled with an old bitterness that came from the deepest recesses of his hatred for quirks, for what they symbolized to him. The conviction in his voice made it clear he'd thought about this far longer than you could've guessed.

"Heroes, villains, society—they're all twisted because of quirks," Kai continued, his tone growing darker. "You think you'll be different? You won't. You'll become part of the problem."

"I'm not like that," you shot back, anger bubbling in your chest now. "I want to help people. I want to change things for the better."

"And that's where you're wrong," Kai's voice was cold. "You'll end up just like everyone else. Stuck in a cycle, using your quirk to uphold a broken system."

The words stung, and you clenched your fists at your sides. Part of you wanted to argue, to shout at him that he didn't understand, that he was wrong. But a small part of you—the part that had always wondered if you could really make a difference—felt a sting of doubt.

"Why me, Kai?" you asked softly. "Why would you start with me?"

For the first time, he didn't have an immediate answer. His gaze wavered for a fraction of a second before he shifted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because you're different. You don't disgust me like the others. But that won't last if you stay like this."

His words hung in the air, colder than any insult he could've thrown your way. The fact that, in his twisted mind, this was some sort of compliment only made it worse.

You stood there, grappling with the weight of everything he said, feeling the walls of your resolve closing in. You had never seen this side of Kai before—this raw, unfiltered glimpse into the beliefs that shaped him.

It wasn't just hatred; it was fear. Fear of what quirks could do, fear of what they had already done to him and others like him. In his eyes, quirks weren't gifts. They were curses.

"I don't need you to understand," Kai added, as though sensing your internal struggle. "But know this—if I ever get the chance to rid this world of quirks, I won't hesitate. Starting with yours would be a mercy."

His words cut deeper than you expected. There was a twisted sincerity in what he said, like he genuinely believed that removing your quirk would be an act of kindness. It wasn't cruelty—it was, in his mind, salvation.

"Kai..." you hesitated, a sinking feeling growing in your chest. "I don't think I could ever see the world the way you do."

"Good," he replied simply, his tone colder than ever. "That's why you'll never understand."

Without another word, he turned and began to walk away, leaving you standing there, overwhelmed by the gravity of what had just been said. You watched him retreat, your heart heavy with the realization that Kai wasn't just fighting against the world of heroes and villains—he was fighting against the very idea of who you were.

And the most chilling part?

You weren't sure if you could ever change his mind.

//

Midoriya hadn't seen you in what felt like ages. At nine years old, he didn't know how to express the growing emptiness that your absence left in his daily life. You were like a beacon of light for him—a rare friend who never once looked at him with pity or doubt.

Whenever he was with you, it felt like the weight of being quirkless was lifted, and the world was just the two of you, free from the harsh realities of quirks and hero rankings.

He wished more than anything that you attended the same school. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so isolated, surrounded by classmates who scoffed at his dream of becoming a hero. They always said it was impossible for someone like him—someone without a quirk.

But you... you never believed that. Every time someone tried to knock him down, there you were, standing by his side, shouting back at them with more determination than Midoriya could ever muster for himself.

He smiled, thinking back to one of those times. It was after another rough day at school. Kids had teased him again, calling him 'useless' and 'quirkless Deku.' You had found him sitting by the swings, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Without hesitation, you sat beside him, swinging your legs lazily and bumping shoulders with him as if to say, I'm here.

"Don't listen to them, Izuku," you had said, your voice filled with conviction far beyond your years. "One day, you're gonna be the greatest hero, and they'll all see."

He had clung to those words like they were his lifeline, his heart swelling with gratitude. You saw him, really saw him, not as someone broken or incomplete but as a person who had the potential to do something amazing.

If only he could see your smile again, he'd feel invincible, even for a little while. The memory of your support kept him going on the hardest days, and no matter what, he would hold on to it.

The doorbell rang, its chime pulling him from his thoughts, but he paid it no mind at first, his focus on his hero notebook, where he'd been scribbling ideas for new strategies and quirks. His pencil scratched across the page, the noise faint in the quiet of his room.

Then, his mom's voice broke through, followed by the sound of the front door closing. He turned his head just as Inko appeared at his bedroom door, her face beaming with a smile that caught his attention.

"What's up, Mom?" he asked, closing his notebook and sitting up straighter, sensing something different about her expression.

Inko stepped aside, revealing you, standing behind her with that familiar, bright smile he had missed so much.

"Hi, Izuku," you greeted warmly, your presence lighting up the room in an instant.

Midoriya's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. It felt like the world had stopped for a moment. All the worry, all the doubt, melted away in the space between your smiles.

"You... you're here?" His voice came out in a soft, surprised whisper, as if he couldn't believe it. His heart raced, both excited and nervous, as the memory of all the times you stood up for him came flooding back.

Inko chuckled, quietly stepping out to give you both some space, leaving Midoriya still in disbelief.

You skipped over to him and slumped onto his bed, patting the spot beside you with an inviting grin. "Omg, Midoriya, I have so many quirks to tell you about!" you gushed, your eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as he settled next to you.

"There's this dude with two quirks, omg! And this one girl who can create anything as long as she knows the molecular structure!" You spoke rapidly, your voice bubbling with energy. Midoriya's eyes widened, fully captivated by your words.

"Wait, seriously? Two quirks?" he interrupted, leaning in closer, his own excitement bubbling over. "That's amazing! How does that even work? Is it like one is fire and the other is ice, or something totally different?"

Your laughter filled the air, and he could hardly contain his enthusiasm. "And the girl who can create anything—imagine if she made a robot that could help us train!" he added, his mind racing with possibilities. "What if she could create new hero gear?"

You grinned, thrilled to see him so engaged. "Exactly! And there's this one guy who can teleport! Can you believe it? He just disappears and reappears somewhere else! Think of all the training we could skip!"

Midoriya's heart raced, feeling the energy in the room ignite. "This is so cool! I wish I could meet them all!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with a newfound determination. "Maybe one day we can work together to be heroes with our quirks!"

"Definitely! When you get your quirk, we'll make a team together that'll surely irritate Katsuki," you chuckled, your laughter ringing like music in the air. The thought of forming a hero team with him filled you with excitement, and you could almost picture it: you, Midoriya, and your quirks taking on challenges side by side, unstoppable together.

Midoriya's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, mirroring your own. "That would be amazing! I can already see it—we'll take on villains and rescue people! Just imagine how proud my mom would be!" His voice was laced with a mix of hope and determination, and it warmed your heart.

But as the energy in the room buzzed, you knew there were things you needed to remind him of. "One more thing, Izuku. Please don't push yourself too hard. There might be times when you need to go all out, but don't lose hope, okay? If no one else will, I'll always be behind you," you said, squeezing his hand gently. You wanted him to feel your sincerity, to know that you believed in him with every fiber of your being.

He tilted his head, a bit confused at first, but as he looked into your eyes, something shifted. "I don't think I hurt myself too much but... I'll trust your words, [Name]." There was a vulnerability in his voice that struck a chord in you. It was a reminder of the weight he carried, the dreams he clung to in the face of doubt.

You grinned, wanting to lighten the mood. "Great! Now, let's see who can do the most backflips!" The shift in tone was instant; his face lit up with joy, and you could feel the warmth of friendship wrapping around you both like a cozy blanket.

In that moment, surrounded by dreams of the future and laughter, you realized just how much you wanted to be a part of each other's journeys. You didn't just want to be friends; YOU WANTED TO BE HEROES, TOGETHER.