Ticked Off [Boku No Hero Academia]

12: SHIGARAKI

The boy watched Uraraka sprint away from him, off to get some bug spray. He tilted his head with fond amusement, grasping the straps of his yellow backpack as he glanced around him at the mall. There were people everywhere, and the building was filled with humming chatter as they enjoyed the pleasant day. Izuku stared around him, ignoring the twist of dread in his stomach and trying to act happily oblivious.

"Oh, it's someone from UA, cool!" Someone in a black hoodie approached him. "Let me have your autogra-"

Izuku's expression didn't change as he blinked innocently up at the newcomer, a hint of venom in his tone. "Shigaraki-san! Let's talk."

The stranger stiffened, clearly not expecting that kind of response. He raised an arm with the intention of slinging a casual arm over the kid's shoulders, but faltered when Izuku lifted his phone, his thumb hovering over the call button.

"Touch me, and the police will be here in a flash," he said cheerfully.

"You think you're in any place to threaten me? One touch and you'll turn to dust in less than a minute. Even if you try something, before I'm caught I could crumble twenty – no, thirty people..." Shigaraki drawled, chuckling airily. "Since we've got this chance, why don't we sit down and have a chat?"

Izuku shrugged nonchalantly, constantly reminding himself that he could easily take down the villain without any casualties if he needed to and remembering that the Hero Killer himself called him scary. He settled down comfortably, patting the space next to him with a snarky smile. Shigaraki twitched, a hand going to his neck as if to scratch before he forcefully shoved it back in the pocket of his hoodie. He sat down, hunched over so his face was mostly hidden from view, ragged locks of pale blue hair curling out from beneath his hood.

"Anyway, I hate everything, but what pisses me off the most right now is the Hero Killer," he mumbled, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, he's all over the news," Izuku hummed thoughtfully. "You sent all those Noumus to wreak havoc, and there wasn't a single mention of you."

"That's the problem. The media think the League of Villains is working with Stain, but almost everyone is looking at the Hero Killer. Everything was upstaged by him..." He spat bitterly. "No-one's looking at me. Why is that? No matter how much he boasts, in the end he just destroyed what he didn't like, right?" Shigaraki turned his head, leering down at the boy. "What do you think the difference is between me and him, Midoriya? What's the difference between me and you? The Hero Killer noticed you, and respected you... He compared you with All Might. What do you have that I don't, huh?"

"What's the difference?" Izuku mused in a whisper, acting as if he needed a few moments to collect his thoughts. "I don't agree with Stain, but I understand him... At that time, I was saved. At the very least, he wasn't destroying just because he wanted to. He didn't just abandon it it vain, like you did. Even if the way he did it was wrong, he was trying to live up to his ideals, I think. So... it's conviction. Both the Hero Killer and All Might-san have known values – Stain wants to return to the old ideas of heroes, and All Might-san wants people to feel safe. That's why Stain respected me, probably, because I want to be like All Might-san."