WHO: iida, izuku, cairngorm, ochako, okuyasu + others! maybe you!
WHERE: all over
WHEN: this month!
WHAT: we're getting that good CR
WARNINGS: potatoes and oranges, and best friend angst, disembodied jewel hands?, violence?, fishing
starters will be below!
izuku (and todoroki) / after the forest exploration log
still, the hours that passed by were tense. iida wasn't tied to one part of the town, but he lingered near the outskirts of the forest regardless, examining the well and it's (newly) fresh water, scouring for whatever leftover things there were to repair or find after the town's refurbishment. mostly, he just watched the forest.
the one time he leaves the forest's side is when a few finally leave the forest. when he returns from his home after having something to eat, he sees a familiar head of white and red, and beside it, another familiar nest of messy, dark green hair. they're both sitting, and from behind, they seem solemn...
not that it stops him as he jogs over to them, waving his arm and calling out: ]
Todoroki! Midoriya! You've arrived back safely?!
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Still, Izuku jolts out of his daze and offers Iida a weak smile when he calls out to them.]
Yeah...we didn't run into anything that we couldn't handle. Todoroki-kun did most of the work with his ice. [He adds a beat later, because it's true.]
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The goat men weren't too difficult.
How was it here?
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...but. goat men. he blinks hard. ]
Other than the sudden changes from a few nights ago, nothing too out of the ordinary seemed to have happened.
I'm glad to see that the two of you are mostly safe and out of the forest, but... What do you mean by 'goat men?'
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[Izuku's voice is softer than usual, though it could be easily attributed to his exhaustion.]
Todoroki-kun froze them so we could investigate.
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[Shouto honestly sounds tired, which isn't out of the ordinary. But he usually doesn't sound like this after fighting villains. Being worried over an entire bunch of people... that's more tiring than he would've expected.]
I froze them before they could.
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no, they seemed more exhausted and sullen. iida bites back his inclination to panic and bombard them with questions. he'll get the situation as it is now and send them both off to rest. he gestures an arm toward them, his other hand at his chest. ]
Good work, Todoroki. I'm glad they weren't able to throw it. I don't know how much the two of you were able to investigate, but perhaps those are questions for another time.
They aren't still frozen in the forest now, are they?
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They were the ones who attacked us, but it didn't seem right to...leave them like that. So we tied them up--just in case. We didn't want to risk any of the other groups running into them.
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We figured there were more of them. Eventually one of those will come out to untie the ones we stopped from chasing us.
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I don't remember anyone looking like a goat coming out of the well with us, and I certainly haven't met anyone like that myself. [ he looks back between the two of them. ] But if they immediately tried to throw a weapon at the two of you, I would take the utmost caution when entering the forest from now on. We should be ready in case they come to find us.
For now, the two of you seem quite worn out.
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But as soon as Iida mentions being tired, Izuku stubbornly shakes his head and keeps his eyes on the forest stretching out in front of them.]
I'm fine. I should stay here and wait until all the groups have returned.
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... Didn't I ask you to take care of yourself? [He regrets it almost as soon as he says it. It feels weird and manipulative. It feels like something Shouto might have heard from his father. Not to take care of himself but to keep pushing himself beyond his limits.
He's just trying to look out for his friend.]
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You should listen to Todoroki, Midoriya. It's noble of you to think of the others ahead of yourself, but I would say no one would benefit from you exhausting yourself completely.
[ self-care, izuku. ]
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I-I'm going to stay. [There's an underlying hint of steel in his tone, even if Izuku doesn't quite meet either of his friends' eyes.]
I know I promised, but this is...different. I need to know if any of the groups don't make it out. [His expression grows pained.] Even if it's going to be difficult, it wouldn't be right if we didn't go in to look for them.
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You can't save anybody if you're barely awake and exhausted. Remember what happened the first day of class? It's not your body this time. But being this tired isn't good for you or your ability to help others.
At least get some rest. If it makes you feel better, I'll stay here. I'll watch for people to come out.
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yet he remembers what had happened during all might's triumph against all for one. he remembers about how izuku's inclination to help others—that self-sacrificing attitude towards himself that still triumphs over his own safety and well-being now when there are many others who needed or at least wanted him to stay alive—might have created the same sort of situation he himself had bred.
iida observed how midoriya had grown much more capable since they entered U.A. still, he still bore the weight of wanting to protect his friends from that same fate at all costs, even against themselves, whether it's izuku or todoroki or ochako or whomever. his left hand is still a reminder of that.
which is why iida shakes his head and points four fingers again at todoroki. his tone is grave, and his eyes are deep and serious. ]
You were as involved in these situations as he was, Todoroki. It's just as important that you get some rest as well.
[ he's not getting out of this either. he lowers both of his arms now, his eyes shifting between the two of them. ]
I will be the one to stay and respond if need be. That was my promise before all of you made this expedition. [ he brings a hand over his chest. ] And I'm in better condition than you both to respond. I can inform the two of you of any incidents that occur as soon as I arrive back in my home.
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I know that you two are looking after me, a-and I'm grateful. [Izuku bows his head, gaze finding its way to the dark ground again.] I just know that going back right now would be useless. I don't think I'd be able to sleep at all, so I might as well stay here.
I'm sorry. [He hates that they're worrying about him, but at the same time, he doesn't think he can agree with what they're asking of him right now.]
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[This definitely sounds like a gripe. Because he's griping. He's using this moment to complain.]
Even if you think you can't, you might not realize how tired you really are. At least get some blankets.
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he takes in a short, deep breath to calm his nerves and then looks at todoroki. ]
If Midoriya is intent on staying where he is, I can stay here with him until the rest of the groups have left the forest. You will be the first to know if there are any incidents.
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Iida-kun, you don't have to--[He cuts himself off a beat later, though he doesn't look happy about it. This is... probably the best he's going to get, considering how adamant they both were about him resting before this.]
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I think you've realized. We're just as stubborn as you are.
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You've done enough for one day. [ he tries to smile reassuringly. ] We are your friends. Accept our pleas as a favor to us both. You should have faith in us if anything goes wrong because of it.
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Okay. [It's a simple answer as gives them both a wobbly smile. Stubborn as he might be, even Izuku can admit he feels better with one of them by his side.] That means...Todoroki-kun, you have to make sure you rest.
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[Because Shouto's used to this going the other way around.]
I'll sleep as long as you promise you will too.
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If anything, I'll be sure that he does! Todoroki, I will have to trust that you will as well.
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