Not powerless

chapter 12: Haru

Had this room always been so small?

It was a common thing for Haru, when he needed to get away for a moment, to take refuge in what had been his little brothers room. At first it was a place of comfort, somewhere for him to go to still be close to Izuku until he was found. As the months passed and no news of his brothers whereabouts came to light, as he could see his parents giving up hope, it became something else.

It became a reminder of everything that went wrong.

The room was too small, too bare. There was enough room for a bed, a desk and a set of drawers, but nothing else. The walls held nothing save for a singular poster; a small thing with images of the top ten heroes standing proudly. It should have been accompanied by so many more, but all that was left of them were tattered remains still hanging on with tape.

A singular window was high on the wall, letting only a small amount of light in. Why was this room so small?

Where were Izuku's things? They were in Haru's room. Izuku said it was because there wasn't enough space, but if that was true, then why did Izuku move out in the first place. They'd always shared a room, so Haru really wouldn't have minded. He would have loved to still be with his brother.

He collapsed to sit on the bed. It was Mom and Dad who'd said Izuku was ready to be on his own. They said it was a rite of passage in childhood to be in his own room. His own room, so much smaller than the others, tucked away.

Out of sight.

He gripped his hair harshly. Why didn't he see it before? It was so damn obvious! There was no way all the times Izuku had been left behind were innocent mistakes. No way all the forgotten meals were accidents. Why had it never registered before? Why had he not done anything?

He couldn't help but remember the day before Izuku ran. Dad hadn't even thought to check if Izuku was home, hadn't bothered to go upstairs to see his third child. Haru had. Haru had gone to fetch his brother, only to find him curled up in bed completely distraught.

A harsh voice calling his name snapped him out of his misery. Slowly, Haru picked himself up and gave Izuku's room one last look before leaving. It was dinner time.

Dinner was a much more awkward affair than it had been previously. Conversation was always stilted, with Mom and Dad trying to project an air of normality, but it only made Haru remember that Izuku never really talked during meals, and always tried to leave as soon as they were done.

Four places were set at the table. Yet another thing to lance at Haru's heart, because how many times had this been the case when Izuku was still upstairs? The food barely tasted of anything but he forced himself to eat it. Mizuki was sulking while Mom kept glancing at the empty space.

"So how has everyone's day been?" Mom asked, her light shaky and forced.

"Shit. That idiot Togata came back from his internship and now everyone acts as if he's the next coming of All Might," Mizuki said, "it's stupid. The moron could barely control his quirk for an entire year and now I'm supposed to believe he'll be a good hero."

"Mirai has taken a liking to him," Dad said.

"Yeah, but he's not you Dad! I don't know why everyone thinks Togata's such a big deal. He's always got that stupid smile on his face and no matter how many times he flashes his junk, he always just laughs it off like he doesn't even care."

"Maybe he doesn't?" Mom said.

"Only an idiot is that happy," Mizuki said, returning to sulking over her food.

Or maybe that's just who he is, Haru thought. He'd met Togata once, purely by chance. The boy shone incredibly brightly and honestly, it made sense for people to compare him to All Might. There was something about him that made him feel calming, even when he was being boisterous and exuberant.