≡Izuku POV≡
I slid down the wall as soon as I walked in, trying to breathe and get my thoughts under control.
I can't believe I'm freaking out this much over just hearing his name.
I pulled my knees into my chest and hugged them as my mind continued it's horror show.
⁜Flashback⁜
I carefully crept out of Mom's room, being as quiet as I could. Today is Friday, I know there's no point trying to hide, he always finds me.
I'm 9 years old now. Mom has started to get a little sick from all the stress. I'm worried about her, every day she gets a little worse and I don't know what to do.
My worried mind halted as I heard the door open and slam shut.
I heard random grumblings, something about a bet. He started stomping towards the hallway that I was trying to walk through. Hearing him get closer, I began to panic and walk faster, but not fast enough.
He grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me down to the ground. I fell with a slight yelp as my back collided with the hard ground.
"SHUT UP! WHY ARE YOU MAKING SO MUCH NOISE?!" He snarled as he began kicking my gut.
I scrunched up from the pain, curling into a ball to try and protect my stomach. He continued to kick my back and limbs, even my face. The pain throbbed through my body. Every beat my heart took would send out a new wave of pain.
I quietly whimpered as he stepped on my head, twisting his shoe over my ear.
"I SAID SHUT UP!" His throat began to glow as he prepared his quirk.
He let little dribbles of flames leak on my arms as they singed my skin.
Suddenly, he opened his mouth, letting all the fire pour over my back, melting my clothes and letting it boil over my scorched skin.
I tried biting my lip to stop my screams, but after 5 seconds of the constant burning, I let some slip out.
My skin felt like it was melting off my body over and over again and sizzling over my insides.
⁜Flashback End⁜
≡Katsuki POV≡
I walked into the staff room and looked around, making sure to close the door fully so no one would interrupt.
In the corner of the room beside the door, Izuku was curled up in a ball gripping his hair and whimpering while rocking back and forth.
This isn't good.
I slowly walked over to him and crouched down a foot away.
"Izu... It's ok, he's not here," I slowly reached out and put my hand on his head and ruffled his hair. At first he flinched, but then stopped whimpering and slowed his rocking.
"You're safe Izu, I'm here for you. You're in the cafe, he's not here," I whispered sweet nothings into his ear as I scooted closer to him, wrapping him in a side hug.
"K-Kacchan," he whispered out as he shifted and leaned into my shoulder. "I-i'm scared... What if h-he comes back?"
"I'll protect you. I'll make sure that bastard never lays another finger on you."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
He slowly calmed down after and fell asleep. I carefully took off his apron and visor and put him on my back. I walked out of the staff room to see the cafe empty with his boss behind the counter. She simply waved at us as I walked out.
It was already 7, so I walked back to his apartment.
When I got there almost an hour later, I took out his keys and went in.
The house was quiet and a little messy. It looked like the kitchen was barely used and there was dust almost everywhere.
I walked down the hall to where I knew his bedroom was. As I walked, I couldn't help but wonder how much had happened to Izuku in these walls. I walked past a bedroom with the door closed and figured Aunty Inko must be sleeping.
The door to Izuku's room didn't have any hero merch on it, which was a little confusing, until I figured he probably got rid of all his All Might thing's after what he said.
When I opened the door, I was shocked.
His room had random projects and materials scattered all over the floor creating piles at random corners. 3 of his 4 walls were completely covered in blue prints that were slowly leaking onto the last wall. He had an unfinished project on his work desk that did not look like something from school.
I walked over to his bed and put him down. A small smile covering my face seeing a few pictures of us and his other friends on the wall.
I looked at the pictures for a bit before I heard a weird beeping noise that sounded like an alarm. At the noise, Izuku started shifting around and opened his eyes.
He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he sat up and then looked at me.
"Oh! Kacchan! Wait, what happened?" He asked, waking up fully.
"You fell asleep at the cafe, so I brought you here. What's up with your room? Ever heard of cleaning?" I joked.
"Hm?" He looked at me and then around his room then at the alarm clock then back at me. "Oh!"
"What's up with the alarm?"
"Uhh...." he looked around the room with a contemplating look. Finally he sighed and told me to wait there while he did something.
I waited in his room as I looked around. All the inventions he had seemed like they were the real deal, not just random things he made while bored.
I walked over to his work desk and saw his notebook open with a bunch of notes;
Kado
Untraceable attachment/ signal jammer
Plug in to anything and block out certain signals so it can't be traced
Silver, small
What the hell?
"You know, it's rude to snoop," Izuku sighed and he walked over to me.
"What the hell is this?" I asked as I kept studying his notes.
"Well, you see, I haven't exactly told you everything..." he mumbled as he looked down at his feet.
"What do you mean? What haven't you told me?" What could he be hiding from me?
"Well, I think it'd be a bit easier to show you first... Come with me, and don't say anything, she's sleeping," he walked out of the room and I followed. We walked to the door that was closed and he opened it.
There was a sleeping Inko surrounded by random inventions that seemed to bring her things. She was hooked up to an oxygen tank. Across the room from her bed, there was a box filled with used needles and a table with more packaged ones and bottles of medication.
As I stood there staring, Izuku began to walk back out, closing the door with him. Once the door was closed, he started talking again.
"When I was about 9, my mom started to get sick. I think it's from all the stress, but I'm not sure. Once I was 10 though, it got worse and she hasn't left that bed since. At first, it was like a flu, not too bad. She just always felt gross and couldn't really stand up. Then, one day when I was 11, I came home to blood everywhere. I'm pretty close to the pharmacist nearby, and he hooked me up with some medication I have to give her every day at 8pm. Unfortunately, nothing is free," he looked down as he started walking back to his room.
I can't believe he's had to go through all of this, and by himself too.
"The medication costs a fortune. I had the 'ingenious' idea to start selling my inventions," he sighed sarcastically. "Since then, I have been using the money I make as 'Goldberg' to pay for all the bills and food. Since I started working at the cafe, that has helped a lot."
"You've had to pay for all the bills since you were 11?" I asked.
"Pretty much. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't know how to say it."
"Izu," I said as we both sat on his bed, "don't apologize. I understand why you did all of this, but, is this safe? What kind of things are you making and for who?"
"The things I make can range from a smartwatch to a fake eye to a silent gun... The people I make these for are usually repeat customers. It's pretty rare I get a new customer. They're not all bad, sure there are a few but..." what other choice do you have?
"You're sure it's safe?" I asked hesitantly.
"I have precautions I use, and I research my clients so I'm prepared."
"And it's the only way?"
"...yup..."