Deku sits patiently in the bland cell. Counting the minutes that turn to hours that turn to days. And each day he is stuck with the same routine.
First the food comes. Then the sedatives to keep him under control. He has no choice in the matter, but their efforts still amuse him.
They have yet to see his quirk, but they know just how powerful he is. He could blow this entire place up if he wanted to. Even with their security measures in place that would end his life if he did, they could not take the chance that he would still do it. The possibility of loosening his tongue was just a bonus.
At the same time everyday the same person comes in. They ask questions, tell their own story of what might have happened, show him some pictures, anything to something as little as emotion from him. Then they leave.
He's then left to himself for the rest of the day, to let him mind eat at him or do whatever it is they think they are doing to break him. After one more meal, his white cell goes black. Then it all starts back up again at the same time the next day.
Deku squeezes his eyes shut and cranes his neck as his head swarms with bees and a stampede of animals pound through his skull. Then slowly, his body goes numb and his thoughts loosen. But this time, nothing seems to fade. His body still tingles, and the pounding is ruthless, resonating through his ears. The room begins to spin and Deku swallows the rising lump in his throat.
When the door opens, Deku doesn't stamper down his anger. He doesn't have to control for his body to activate his quirk even if it wanted to go on a rampage against his will. But he sure has plenty of words to share. "The next time I see you, I swear it will be on the other side of this cheap glass. I will rip you apart, piece by piece and watch as you slowly burn alive. So come on, ask your questions while you can. I want to see the horror on your face as you get what you have asked."
He's growing tired. Tired of them trying to find some sliver of innocence in him. Tired of fighting his own mind and tongue against the drugs every damn day. If they want it so much, maybe he should just give it to them straight for once.
Deku opens his eyes, surprised to see a blur of an outline of Bakugo standing in the doorway. He didn't need to see to know the color on Bakugou's face drained the moment he heard Deku's words.
His loud panting penetrates Deku ears, telling him Bakugou had no permission of being here. "Just what did you have to do to get in here?" Deku remarks, expecting the alarm to go off any moment. But as they sit in silence, it never does. "All right, what is it?" Deku asks with no concern in his voice.
"Why?" Bakugou finally speaks.
Deku cocks his head, sensing a question that has been lingering in Bakugou's mind for quite a while. "Why what?"
"All those people," Bakugou says forcibly, his voice wavering. "Did you even blink?"
"What are you talking about. If you haven't noticed, I've done a lot of things to a lot of people. You saw watched as they showed me my file. You'll have to be more specific."
"At the festival. You murdered and injured all those people! Why'd you do it? What was the reason?"
"Reason? Why did I have to have any reason? It sounded like a cool entrance for a dead kid."
Bakugou's eyes widen in shock. He didn't know what kind of answer he would find but he wasn't expecting that.
"Are you regretting asking?"
Bakugou swallows then shakes his head.
"Come on, ask some more," Deku dares, sensing there were more questions. "Come on," he whispered again.
"Why go through all this trouble, and not tell anyone?" Bakugou asks, treading lightly. "You haven't given anyone any straight answers."
Deku takes in a deep breath, his swirling mind calming for just a moment. "Because none of them will believe me. Its much more fun to taunt them, watch as they grow impatient. If I tell them, you know what will happen, they--"
"You haven't even given them a chance! How can you say that when everyone has done nothing but try and help you."
"Help me? What right do you have when you haven't been on the other side? Do you want to know why my mother hasn't gotten over my supposed death? Why she's had to rely on you taking care of her every day, out of pitty?" Deku spits his last word like poison, unable to stop himself before the words left his mouth.
"You-You knew?"
"Of course I knew."
"Then why—"
"I did," Deku interrupts, anticipating the question. "When I realized she wasn't going to get over her son disappearing without a trace for so long that they gave up, I finally went to see her. I told her not to find me. That once I left, she'd never see me again, and I didn't want to be found. To just let me stay dead because in a way, the son she knew was. But she found me anyways. "She—" pained laugher erupts from Deku as he speaks but he doesn't stop.
Once the words started, they just kept coming. "She found out what I'd become. I told her I was there by choice, but she didn't believe me. She was so convinced I was being held and forced to commit those heinous crimes. Just like all these people. Do you know what it's like, when you finally find people who understand you and all anyone sees is a victim who needs saving. The few people who actually care about you are the villains. They are the reason you are who you are. Like the last fifteen years of my life weren't absolute hell by the people who were supposed to be the heroes!"
"Why'd she stop? Why didn't she go to anyone, the police, if she was so sure?"
Deku takes a deep breath, calming the raging fire in him, for once thankful his quirk couldn't rage out of control. "Because I died. Again." Bakugou's brows furrow in confusion so Deku continues, "You probably haven't seen it, but there's a burn that stretches down her back. She got it trying to protect me. I was fighting. She must have been following me because the next thing I know, she jumps in, thinking I was being attacked and needed saving. She was so convinced that I wasn't there by choice that she almost died. I had to keep that from happening again."
Bakugou looks at Deku with disbelief, shock, and guilt. Then for the first time years, he says Deku's name. "I-Izuku."
"Don't speak that name! After all these years, you don't have a right to," Deku growls. "Iz—"
"That's enough!" The door bursts open and several guards shadowed behind the large frame of the number one hero filled with fury step in.
"I had to—"
"We will talk about this later young Bakugou," All Might says before locking eyes with Deku.
"Ah, well look who it is," Deku says. "I was wondering how long you'd squirm in the corner before finally coming to see me."
"I don't know who you are or who the hell you think you are working for, but you are playing a dangerous game kid."
"Is that so, I think I do."
All Might takes a deep breath, not a single clue of that fearless smile on his face, and leans into the glass barrier. "Where is your mother? Is she with him? I know you're not working alone."
Bakugou's ear perk. "What are you talking about?"
"Is that why you let us chat for so long? Because you thought I'd talk about how she's safe in my care now that I'm back? You know I have to wonder," Deku goes on, "are you wanting to know where she is because you think that Uraraka girl is where my mother is? Or because you think he has her and you are wanting to finish what you started? You know I really can't tell who it is you so called heroes care for anymore."
"Hey don't ignore me!" Bakugou yells feebly, desperate for understanding
Deku glances at Bakugou then cocks his head, ready to poke and prod. "Let me tell you something interesting about A—"
All Might punches the near indestructible glass, quickly silencing Deku's next words. "Not another word out of you unless it is about the captives you're holding."
Deku smiles, "Now that's just mean. Captive implies being held against their will for malicious means. And more often than not, in less than pleasant quarters. While one is there against their will one of them surly isn't. Therefore, only one is a captive. But not for malicious means. I just needed a way in."
All Might clenches his fists and grits his teeth.
"But let me assure you. Both are being treated with the utmost of care. However, that will change for one of them if I don't get out of here soon. As you've pointed out, I'm not working alone. . . and they have permission to have a little fun if I'm not back by a certain time. And let me just say, time is running out."
All Might punches the glass again, this time cracking it.
Deku takes a deep breath, wriggles his fingers, and feels himself come back slowly but surely. "Well, this has been fun," Deku says with a smile. "But I think I'm ready now."
Brows furrow around the room and Bakugou stands there speechless and confused.
"Can you really call yourselves heroes when you're so easily fooled? Those sedations aren't as powerful as you think."
Eyes widen and the room is filled with seething fire. Gas fills the room, but the heat quickly burns it away. Within seconds Deku is free from his binds and the room keeping him there. Fire explodes into every corner of the precinct, shattering glass and stone, caving in the ceiling above, and burning everything and everyone it touches. Him, Bakugou, and All Might are the only ones Deku spares. Everyone else is at the mercy of luck and fire.
His body burns away the rest of the poison keeping him at bay and Deku finally stands up. He walks across the room, the fire around him parting like the sea. He goes right past Bakugou whose being shielded by a hovering All Might.
"I'm looking forward to seeing you again Kachann," Deku says then nods to All Might. "I'll tell him you said hi."
Sirens blare in the distance as fire trucks weave through traffic in the night, desperate to get to the scene. Guards that surrounded the precinct, no doubt there because of him, are now out cold on the ground, soot in their hair and on their faces, guns drawn, and burned clothes. Blue flames leap around against the cold of the concrete.
A few bystanders lay scattered about, a bit battered with a couple dying flames flickering on and around them.
"About damn time," Dabi sighs as he steps into sight.
"You came to rescue me. How sweet. I didn't know you were a big softie." Deku answers. "If I had known I would made sure to give you a teddy bear before I left."
"If I had known you were so weak I would have killed you on the spot instead of taking pity on you," Dabi counters.
Deku smiles. "Oh come on, did you really take me in because of pity? I thought it was because you were just sentimental and saw a little bit of yourself in me."
"Don't flatter yourself. Now lets get out of here before more come."
Deku nods and turns. Then suddenly the world tips and the ground beneath his feet slips out from under him. His ear pound, head picks up speed, and the color drains from his face.
Dabi catches Deku before he hits the ground, surprise in his voice. "Deku! Are you okay?"
The sedations. They must have been stronger than I thought.
Deku shakes his head, and everything recedes. Then he nods and stands up. "I'm fine."
But before they leave a voice calls his name from the fire. It was Bakugou. He jumps through the fiery doorway as the hungry flames dip and part with a blink of red eyes. "Deku, wait!"
Deku scoffs. "I think it's time you go home. We're done."
Bakugou straightens and curls his fingers. "No we're not. You're not leaving again."