Izuku hates places like Chuck E Cheese's.
There was always something unnerving about the rat mascot to him. It wasn't the eyes, surprisingly enough. It was something else. Maybe it was the fact that the modern version of the costume doesn't have a tail, or maybe it was because, most of the time, Izuku wouldn't sense any kind of quirk inside the suit.
It's weird, but Izuku can still tell the difference between a quirkless person and nothing.
He can still feel the remnants of quirk genes in quirkless people, likely due to the fact that their parents or other family members had quirks. Except whereas those with quirks feel full, quirkless people feel a little lighter somehow.
Izuku isn't sure how to describe it, but if he focuses hard enough, usually he can sense the dull buzz of any person's energy, quirk or not. Well, Aizawa was the only exception to that a while ago, for reasons he's still unsure of, but anyway!
Perhaps this is a mechanism Extract was built with in order to seek out potential suitors for quirks, which is kind of sad to think about, as only All for One can give quirks. Extract seems to have gotten that ability but not the means to act on it.
Since Izuku can still, in more ways than one now, sense a person even if they're without a quirk, it's pretty easy for him to tell if there's no human present.
How? Well, if there's just nothing there for him to sense.
So those few times that he went to Chuck E Cheese's after he manifested his quirk, back when he was still young and accompanying Kacchan and Auntie while his mother worked, he was always confused by the lack of a signal behind the costume.
It was nothing. Just radio silence from his quirk.
Even as the rat talked. Even as it waved and walked around and said hello.
It wasn't a quirkless person, as again he still would've been able to very faintly sense the hidden genes, so what was it?
It's a mystery Izuku has yet to solve. It makes him hate Chuck E Cheese's to this day.
He's certain the mascot isn't an animatronic. So it has to be something else. Something... otherworldly. But to be in every Chuck E Cheese location? Izuku has a conspiracy on his hands.
This is why arcades are a hit or miss with Izuku. It's a love-hate relationship.
He won't enter an arcade of any kind if they have a mascot. Izuku simply won't go in. He'll turn right back around.
Yagi sees him glaring through the windows of the brightly colored pizzeria style arcade room on the top floor of the mall. "Do you like arcade games, my boy?"
"Yeah," Izuku says. "Usually. I used to play against Kacchan a lot. I always won."
Yagi laughs goodnaturedly, but after a few seconds he frowns. "You know, you've mentioned a lot about Young Bakugou recently. Have you ever done anything fun with anyone else? Maybe another friend?"
Izuku turns and stares at him blankly. I only had Kacchan, he thinks, unimpressed. You know that.
Yagi must sense his mistake, as he rubs his neck and turns his face to the sky, where the ceiling opens up to allow the sunshine through. "Or just anyone in general? Not necessarily a friend."
At this, Izuku pauses. He knows what he's implying with that last part. He's probably talking about an adult. Maybe his mother. Or his father.
Any other time and maybe Izuku would've clammed up immediately, but this day has gone relatively great so far, so he's feeling... happy. Happier than he's been in a bit, he thinks. With his hands full of bags and his heart feeling light, he doesn't mind talking.
He remembers, vaguely, one lucky morning when he was allowed to go with Kurogiri to get some supplies at the mall. Kuro always made sure to keep his quirk in check out in public so as not to draw attention. His purple clouds were mere ghostly shadows over his features. "Yeah," he eventually admits. "My... dad's friend. He took me places sometimes. He, uh, actually took me here when I was younger."
"Oh, yeah? Was he a good player?"
"I don't know." Izuku shrugs, staring at his reflection in the mirror and wondering if Kuro ever thinks about this. "He only ever watched me play. He never joined in."
"Ah," Yagi says, sounding even more awkward. "That's a shame."
For a moment, Izuku is lost in remembering. He was probably only like six or seven, and he was still fairly new to the facility and to Father. He was still trying to adapt and learn how to be who he truly was. One day, he was finally allowed to go out with Kuro on an errand, and he was told by Kuro that they were not to stray from their objectives. But Izuku was so excited to be at the mall, as he hadn't been there in months, that when they passed by the neon lights and sounds of other kids playing in the arcade, Izuku begged to go in.
And Kurogiri, after seeing the way Izuku stared at the other kids and their parents, relented.
"Fifteen minutes, young one," Kurogiri says, following closely behind Izuku when he squeals and proceeds to skip inside. "And then we leave. We mustn't be late."
But that fifteen minutes turned to thirty, and that to forty-five, and then that to an hour. Before they knew it, they'd been there for two hours, and Father was upset when they returned.
Izuku still feels guilty to this day about asking Kuro at all.
Yagi clears his throat then, and Izuku looks at him in the reflection of the window. "You know, if you ever need someone to accompany you to places, anywhere that is, I'd be glad to go. Or even if you just want a place to sleep over at. I'm sure that you're very happy over at Aizawa and Yamada's, of course! But, well, I'm sure things can get pretty hectic."
The hero glances behind him to where Aizawa and Yamada are looking at a large map of the mall. Izuku follows his gaze and winces, wondering if Yagi noticed the tension he has with Aizawa. He didn't think it was that noticeable, but maybe he's just a little ignorant. He should've known Yagi is always more observant than he lets on.
All Might smiles at him then, something soft lighting up his bony face. "So, you're always welcome over at my apartment, Midoriya. Doesn't matter what time. I don't want you to feel as though you're not."
Izuku stares into his genuine eyes, and the sadness that permeates the air from Yagi makes the boy want to frown. He doesn't like that feeling at all, much less from Yagi. And so Izuku forces a smile on his face, trying to put as much warmth behind his words as possible when he speaks. "Thanks, sensei."
He doesn't know when he's ever going to take up the offer, or if he even will at all, but it's nice to have the option. It's nice to know that Yagi wouldn't mind.
"Ooh, this place is always fun!" Yamada says, coming up behind them. "Do you want to play a few games, Midoriya? Maybe enough to get a prize!"
Izuku holds up his hands. "Oh, no no! I'm okay!"
"Are ya sure? I swear you said you loved arcades before. We could play paintball! They've got a course way in the back!"
"I know! I love playing, I do! I'm just..."
Yamada seems to get it rather quickly, though, as he throws his arms up in a whatever gesture. "Nah, it's alright. All good! Maybe we'll come back another time." He puts his hand up to cover his mouth when he whispers dramatically to Izuku. "Maybe when the others aren't with us, ya know? We'll dominate the entire arcade without them."
"I used to be a champ at air hockey back in the day." All Might butts in, looking thoughtful. "But that was decades ago."
Yamada recoils. "I keep forgetting you're ancient, dude. Geez."
Yagi sputters, and Aizawa, who is walking up to them, chuckles darkly.
"I'm not ancient!" Yagi defends. "I'm only, like, eighteen years older than you!"
"Only, he says, as if that's not— oof!" Yamada cuts off when Yagi quickly karate chops his neck, sending the other blond to the floor.
Izuku slaps a hand over his mouth to try and hide his giggles, but the appalled look on Yama's face as he gets back up makes it hard to contain it. He busts out laughing, and pretty soon everyone else is too. Even Aizawa is smiling beneath his scarf.
Izuku's stomach hurts from the action, so he turns away and puts his hand on the wall to fix himself.
It looks like even All Might is insecure about his age.
Izuku can only guess why.
"I always found it weird how this mall has a whole grocery section," Yagi comments, observing all of the produce stands and stores of cold foods.
"Since it's so big," Izuku says, "I guess it can have pretty much whatever it likes as long as it falls within procedural standards."
"Sure, but I can't imagine waking up one morning and thinking, oh, I really need some lettuce! Off to the mall! You know?"
Izuku smirks. "I'm sure flying heroes like to be able to just drop in from above, though. No entrance door necessary."
Yagi side-eyes him. "I see that look. Don't get any ideas."
"What do you mean? I'm not a flying hero."
"As if that would stop you."
Izuku doesn't have a response to that, as he's not wrong at all.
He helps Yagi pick out some tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, and bags them for him too.
When he walks toward Yamada, the man hums in question. "Hey, kiddo, I've been craving some muffins. What kind should we make in the morning?"
Izuku scans the various fruits and flavors in front of him. "Up to you. I love 'em all."
"Hm. What about lemon? Or raspberry? Ooh, maybe pumpkin!"
Pumpkin muffins, Shimura says, longing. It's been a while since I've had one of those. I hope you know that we can taste what you taste, too, Izuku.
Izuku hides his smile at the hidden message. "Pumpkin sounds great," he says aloud.
Toshi's gonna have to fight to regain his spot as my favorite successor, kid.
As Yamada picks out the stuff he needs and Yagi talks with Aizawa about the special food he has to eat to accommodate himself, Izuku wanders a little.
It's a good thing they found lockers to store their other bags for a while. They had to pay for them, which Izuku didn't like, but Yagi took care of it. But at least now Izuku isn't as heavy handed. He can put his hands in his pockets and look around without needing to use any of his enhancements.
He knows he's not supposed to stray far, but he can't help it. The moment he sees a bakery shop full of hero-themed cakes, cookies, and donuts, his feet just carry him there. It's probably new, as Izuku doesn't remember seeing it before.
This is as good a time as ever to check it out.
He's handed a business card when he gets close, and also a small bag full of samples. Immediately, he's hooked.
Free shit and he's only just walked in? That's a good sign. Izuku isn't ever going to leave.
The woman at the counter gives him a warm smile as she wipes down the glass. "Hey, welcome to Pros 'n Pastries! Need any help, just ask!"
"Thanks!"
The prices here aren't too expensive, he notes happily. He wonders if Yamada would like to come in and see, since Izuku knows he's got a sweet tooth. They've got a lot of stuff for such a small shop. He reckons they sell out quickly.
Izuku spots a Midnight-themed Oreo cake and wishes he had his phone on him so he could take a picture and send it to her. She absolutely hates Oreos, so he wants to see her reaction.
It's really cute, though, he thinks.
Maybe Ms. Hanako will like it. He knows the old lady loves sweets, too. Which also reminds him that he hasn't seen her in a long time. He hasn't had the chance to go to her pizzeria.
He hopes she isn't worried about him. That would suck. He doesn't want her to be upset.
Izuku walks out of the store, about to walk to his teachers and give them some of the free samples to try, only to stop immediately when he steps out of the doorway.
There's an opening there. Directly in front of him.
Izuku doesn't know why he thinks it. Doesn't know why the thought pops into his mind at all and makes the connection, but it does.
Before him, in between the bustling crowds of people carrying bags and scrolling through their phones, is a clear line. No one walks through it, and it stays perfectly straight, almost as if it's been programmed as a no-walk zone. It's only big enough for someone like Izuku to run through.
It's like it's only for him to see.
It's a clear shot. It's the best chance he's ever gotten and possibly the only chance he'll get for a while to run and not be found.
To run. Run. Why is he running again? Right here, Izuku doesn't remember all the details. Why does he want to leave so badly? He's unsure.
He's sure he had a reason before, maybe a couple of weeks ago, but right this second? When they're just being one happy group and going to the mall of all places? He can't find it. Why would Izuku even think about running?
But still. It's been ten whole seconds now and the clear line is still there. Waiting for him. Teasing him. Leading directly to a golden exit in the far distance.
Izuku chances a quick glance to the side of him. He spots his teachers ten or so yards away, unaware of his current predicament. Aizawa is shaking his head at all of the things Yamada is picking out from the clearance produce pile, and the blond hero himself is clutching a basket of goods in his hand, along with what looks like a bag of muffin mix.
Yagi is beside them, garnering their attention as he points to a black table of expensive melons.
They aren't looking at him. They don't see Izuku. It could happen in the snap of a finger.
The crowds are big. Izuku could slip through the cracks presented to him and they'd never be able to find him until he's already out of the store and far, far away. Izuku is good at running, however much he doesn't enjoy doing it sometimes. Even if he's seen, the massive throngs of people will make it near impossible for Aizawa to accurately use his capture weapon on him, and as fast and skilled as the man is, not even he would be able to catch up to a powered up Izuku if he were unable to erase his quirk in time.
Yamada's quirk is more harmful than beneficial here with so many innocent, vulnerable people around. It wouldn't do anything good.
All Might is a wild card, as he has strengths in nearly every category, but even he would have trouble picking Izuku out. And besides, would he risk transforming here? Izuku doesn't think so.
This truly is the best opportunity for him to leave.
Izuku would be back at the apartment quicker than you could say Plus Ultra! He'd have just enough time to grab his important stuff and say goodbye to the cats, and he could get to one of his abandoned safe houses to lay low for a bit. One of his safe houses that not even Aizawa knows about.
He knows people. Some of his clients owe him. He could hop from place to place so he'd never get caught.
He can't leave the country anymore, as he's sure the exits are being watched, but that's okay. That plan has long since been put on the back burner. There's still many places in Japan for Izuku to go.
It would be a sliver of freedom for Izuku. It would return him to how things used to be, back before he got himself fucking exploded.
There are hands on his shoulders. Soft ones. Not heavy. Izuku feels them, but something tells him they're not truly there.
A whisper of a breath sounds right beside his ear, and it sends shivers down his body. Is that really freedom, Ninth?
Izuku closes his eyes, feeling First's energy wreath around him until the vestige is standing right in front of him. He feels the presence—God, he's suffocating in it—but he doesn't want to look. Doesn't want to see him.
Running for the rest of your days will never allow you to accomplish what you want, the man continues, all soft and sad and kind.
Izuku leaving would break every last piece of what he's been slowly building. First is right. If he leaves now, he'll truly be on the run. He'll be running from all of the heroes, even Yamada and Aizawa this time. He won't be spared, at least not like all the other times. Hell, he thinks that maybe even All Might would go after him, too, which is just a scary thought.
Not only that, but Midoriya Izuku would be looked for as well. He'd be searched for by the government and the police, mostly since there's still the issue of legal guardianship. Tsukauchi would come looking for him. Izuku's face would be plastered everywhere.
Is that what he wants?
Remind yourself who you want to become, First—no, his name is Yoichi, Izuku knows him, he's Yoichi— says.
Izuku's fists clench. His breathing has slowed, and he can feel his muscles twitching to move.
This time, the voice comes from right in front of Izuku, outside of his body. And think of what you're fighting for.
Izuku sees cat-shaped pancakes and mismatched eyes. He thinks of the guilt he's felt oozing from Kacchan's skin every day for the past week now, and he winces at the reminder of the sorrow he's sensed from All Might. He remembers a soft hug after running away the second time around, and then a rough hand reaching out to him on a rooftop holding a sandwich.
Would he really be willing to risk all of that?
"I won't disappear again," Izuku tells Yamada, hands shaking as blood drips down his palms from nail-shaped crescents. "I promise."
That's right; he did say that. He promised them.
Izuku opens his eyes, and the opening is still there. It's like it's being kept open for him. Only for him. For just this second.
He would be gone so fast it's not even funny. His fingers twitch with anticipation, and his quirks stir underneath his skin.
When Izuku looks back, Aizawa is staring right at him. His hands are in his pockets, and his face is half hidden in his capture weapon. He doesn't have his quirk active or anything. He's just watching Izuku through half-lidded eyes, looking tired.
He looks the epitome of casualness even though Izuku is sure the man knows damn well what he's thinking about. Aizawa definitely realizes what Izuku is contemplating, if the way his eyes flit toward the opening has anything to say about it, and yet he doesn't move. He blinks once, slowly, barely interested.
It looks... it almost looks like he would let Izuku go if he tried.
Izuku's jaw sets. He looks back at the crowds, and the opening is still there. But then the world comes back into focus, and the tightness leaves his chest.
Maybe he really doesn't want to be the one on the run anymore. It's been tiring after all these years.
And they said they could protect him, didn't they? That's what they promised. And Yamada... he's never broken a promise.
The doubt of his, that moment of contemplation, is gone a little slower than it came.
Izuku turns around and jogs back to where his teachers are standing, leaving the feeling of Yoichi far, far behind him.
He wants to see what flavor muffin mix Yamada bought for tomorrow's breakfast.
They eat lunch at a burger joint. It's one that Izuku has only gone to once with Kacchan, as the blond always complained about how they didn't have orange soda.
Izuku likes orange soda, too, but he prefers grape. It's gotta be real fizzly, though. That's his only requirement. And this place has the best grape soda around!
They sit at a large, three-sided booth. Yagi gets one of the ends, as he needs his space, and Yamada and Aizawa share another end. Izuku is in the middle, as it's the smallest side. He can't complain, though, as he can clearly see both the entrances and exits to the store this way.
"The chocolate milkshake looks good," Yamada says, pointing to it on the menu.
"Every milkshake looks good to you," Aizawa replies.
"Because every milkshake is delicious."
Izuku runs a finger along a small crack on the side of the table. "Except peanut butter shakes." They all stare at him, confused, so Izuku elaborates. "I hate peanut butter."
Yagi nods. "I'm not a fan anymore either. It's hard to process. You know, I'm thinking about getting a milkshake too. I haven't had one in a while. What do you think I should get, my boy?"
Izuku leans in close. "You should get the strawberry milkshake."
The pro hero puts up the menu to hide both of their faces as he whispers to him, matching his energy. "Does this have anything to do with the fact that Aizawa hates strawberries?"
"Yes."
"We should both get one, then," Yagi says, sounding almost sinister.
And so, when the waiter comes around to ask what they want, Izuku and Yagi make sure to say their order loud and proud, ignoring Aizawa's unimpressed stare.
It's the little things, Izuku thinks, that make it all worth it.
Izuku wishes he could steal things again without getting lectured for it. He'll admit it, he misses the days where he could walk into a large, overpriced bookstore and snag something off the shelves without having to pay for it.
And before you judge him, he knows it was wrong. He knew it then, and he knows it now. He knows that just because he was stealing from a large store, one that's a part of a chain and not family-run, doesn't mean he also wasn't stealing money from the author of the books he took.
Some authors get royalty off of every book sold, while some are simply paid a flat rate for having a hundred or so copies available for sale at the store. Izuku tried to steal books that wouldn't mess things up for the author, but it's hard to always find that information out. So, a lot of times, Izuku wasn't just stealing from the store, he was stealing from the author.
That's why Izuku only ever stole books if he really needed them and couldn't find them online or at the library. Doesn't change the fact that he did it, though.
But here, Izuku finds himself wishing he had the opportunity to steal again.
He doesn't care about author royalties or whatever. Not with this specific book he's looking at: Eliminating the Giftless; An Overview of the Unwanted.
Izuku has seen this book before, and it's nothing but nonsense about how quirkless people and those with mutant features are nothing but a stain on society that would be better off being lumped together in a place far, far away to eventually die off. Even 'villainous' and mental quirks are stabbed at, which annoys Izuku just thinking about it.
He's not sure why or how this book even made it past an editor.
Izuku wants to steal the book, deface it, and then mail it directly to the author as an anonymous threat. Hell, he'd even make it not anonymous, he doesn't care.
Some people just don't deserve the platform they have.
"You shouldn't upset yourself by looking at those sorts of things," Yagi says from beside Izuku, sounding grim. His face is pinched as he stares at the book in Izuku's hand. "My team at my agency warned me of that author. Did you know he wanted to set up an appointment with me a while ago for an interview? He wanted to ask all about my perfect quirk, as he called it. He wanted to include the interview in the book."
Izuku's nose wrinkles. "If it's an interview he wants, I'd be glad to give him one. It just might not go the way he'd expect."
Yagi chuckles. "I bet it wouldn't. But, as fun as that sounds, I'd rather not have to pick you up from jail when it's done."
"I am an astounding citizen, actually. I would never hurt him." Izuku's voice turns lower. "Even though he'd deserve it."
"Did you find anything you want?" Yagi asks, changing the subject.
Izuku lifts up his shoulder. "Not this time."
"That's fine! Did you maybe want to go to that candle place over there, then? Aizawa and Yamada went to get some things at the hero supply store, so we can go without them for a bit."
At the mention of candles, Izuku becomes a lot more interested. "Yeah! I love candles! It helps stop the urge to burn down buildings."
Yagi sighs, covering his face when a few bystanders give them judgmental looks. "Please stop saying things like that aloud, my boy. One of these days someone will actually call the police."
"I think people should learn to just mind their own business."
"It's hard for anyone to ignore you, Young Midoriya."
Izuku's eyes narrow. "Something tells me that wasn't a compliment."
Yagi doesn't answer, as they're then walking inside the candle store. Immediately, Izuku is hit with a ton of scents and smells of body mists.
"Yamada likes to burn that one right there," Izuku says, pointing to a big candle on the sales table. "It's on clearance!"
"Winter berries? That's a nice smell." Yagi picks it up. "Would you like it?"
"Me?" Izuku asks.
Yagi looks around, as if wondering who else Izuku thinks he could be asking. "Yes?"
"No, thanks! I don't need any more candles."
"I didn't ask if you needed it, my boy." Yagi laughs brightly. "If you don't like this one, then pick another. You can never have enough candles."
"Well, which flavor is your favorite?"
Yagi doesn't blink at the word choice. "Hm. I can't say I have one."
Izuku shakes his head. "You're lying."
Yagi blanches, looking scandalized at the abrupt accusation. "Eh?"
"Mhm. You're a liar."
"Wha—why do you say that?"
"Everyone has a favorite. It's a law."
"A law?"
Izuku breaks away from his side and picks up a big, thick blue candle. "Yep. It just passed. How about this one? Sea breeze."
Yagi gives Izuku another one of his concerned looks before bending over to smell it. He recoils immediately, hand slapping over his mouth. "Oh,definitely not that one. Eesh!"
Izuku frowns down at the candle when he puts it back. "Do you prefer fruit, flowers, or more earthy scents?"
"Uh, it doesn't really matter to—"
"Remember the law, sir."
Yagi sighs. "I guess I like earth scents... or whatever that means."
Izuku sniffs at him. "Typical."
"Hey," Yagi says, offended, but Izuku is already on the other side of the store, beckoning him over. He's on a mission now.
Izuku holds up a dark purple one towards him. "What about Moonlit Path?"
Yagi reluctantly takes a whiff, but he doesn't look too fond of this one either. "Far too strong. I can't handle ones that are too overwhelming, you know."
"Okay! Got it." Calculating the new information, Izuku goes for one on the very top shelf now, having to climb Yagi like a tree to reach it despite his protests.
"Woah, be careful!" Yagi plucks Izuku, who's now carefully holding a small glass jar, off of him. "My boy, I'm not going to sit here and smell each candle. I was under the impression you'd want one. We're not here for me."
"I'll get one if you do," Izuku offers, holding his gaze with a blank expression.
Yagi stares at him, as if to check if he's kidding, but then he seems to deflate even more. He sets Izuku on the ground and then sniffs the Pine Needles Izuku is holding.
"Is that one good?" Izuku asks.
"It's not bad, but it's not quite good either," Yagi admits with a thoughtful hand on his chin.
"So we're getting closer!"
"I believe so."
Izuku shoves another one under the man's nose. "What about Log Cabin?"
Yagi moves his head away. "Who names a candle after a cabin?"
"Dunno. Smell it!"
Yagi does, and he gently pushes it away right afterwards. "That doesn't smell anything like a log cabin."
Now Izuku is upset on the manufacturer's behalf. "How would you know? I bet you've never been in one!"
"And you have?"
"I used to live in one, thank you! Right outside the city in the forest. I put it together myself." Izuku pauses. "I lived in it for a month until some other homeless people burnt it down because they thought I was part of a gang."
Yagi is silent, momentarily at a loss for words. And then: "What?"
But Izuku is already off again, asking the worker if she has a scent called Petrichor, or anything close to it.
Izuku is sure Yagi will like this one.
"Do you want me to carry that for you?" Yagi asks, eyeing Izuku's bag, which holds two medium-sized candles. "It looks awfully heavy."
"It's not heavy for me! I used to drag whole refrigerators, remember?"
"If you say so."
Izuku points to a pickle store. "We should go there next, Yagi. It's one of my favorite stores!"
"Pickles? I didn't know you liked pickles, my boy."
"I love pickles! They sell all kinds there. Auntie loves the fried ones."
Yagi brightens up. "Maybe we should get her some, then!"
Masaru likes spicy dill chips, so maybe we could get some of those, too. They're not too expensive, so I don't think All Might will mind.
"Speaking of," Yagi continues, "when do you think you three will be having dinner at their house?"
Izuku tips his head. "Dinner?"
"Yes. Yamada mentioned that you all could possibly visit the Bakugous for a meal. I mean, you are pretty close with them, right? A dinner would be polite, given the new circumstances."
New circumstances? Izuku feels that itchy sensation start up inside him again. "What circumstances?"
Yagi pauses too, and he turns to give Izuku an awkward look. "Well, you're living with Yamada and Aizawa for the time being. And you are under the school's legal guardianship. You weren't... planning on lying to Bakugou's mother forever about that, were you? About your father?"
Lying? Izuku never really thought of it like that. With everyone else, yeah, sure, he was lying. But with Auntie? And Masaru? He kept them in the dark because he had no choice. If he told them he was homeless in the first place... there's no telling what All for One would've done. The entire Bakugou family would've been wiped out, and Izuku would've been the one covered in their blood.
He wasn't lying to them. He was leaving out details. He was telling them things that would save them from continuing to push and search.
He was stopping them from signing their own death warrants. He had no choice!
"And I reckon that eventually she may find out anyway, so isn't it best to tell her yourself, my boy?"
Izuku knows that. Logically, Auntie and Masaru will find out eventually, as the courts and police are actively looking for his father, and also because Izuku is under the legal protection of other people now. But there was still some part of himself that wanted to keep them in the dark for a little while longer.
And the way All Might is talking makes it sound like Izuku himself would have to be the one to admit to it all. To the lying, to the—the 'neglect,' or whatever they call it, to the homelessness.
And he can't do that. He doesn't have that capability to look Auntie in the eye and admit it.
He can already imagine her face. He can feel the disappointment, the sadness, and, god, it's enough to have him quaking. She asked him so many times if he was okay, she offered every single time he came over if he needed a place to stay, and he always said the same thing in response. He always brushed her off. He always smiled and laughed and went about his way.
He doesn't want to say anything different to her, as he knows she'd be angry with herself if she knew.
Or maybe she's always had suspicions and just never had a way to act on them.
"Hey, why don't we go take a seat?" Yagi cuts through the fog, and there's something about the way he says it, with that panicked edge to the words, that makes Izuku snap to his senses. "I shouldn't have said anything at all, Midoriya. I'm—"
"Deku?"
Are you kidding me? Can this day get any worse for him? Actually, he doesn't want the universe to answer that.
Izuku freezes, shoulders coming up to his ears as he processes the voice and the quirks coming up quickly behind him. Shit.
Fuck! This is a mall. Teenagers come to this mall all the time. He thought of the possibility of running into classmates here, but in all honesty he didn't care too much. He figured he could just avoid them as much as possible.
Here, though, he was distracted yet again. And they found him.
It's too late to play dumb, as they've already seen him. Izuku is one hundred percent fucked.
Izuku's wide, panicked eyes meet Yagi's for a second before he turns around, plastering a small, nervous smile on his face.
Uraraka, Asui, Ashido, and Hagakure stare back at him, all with various looks on their faces. They're each carrying a few bags except Uraraka, who is also the only one not smiling.
No, she's not even looking at Izuku anymore. She's staring behind him, right at Yagi.
"Hi, kero," Asui greets, putting a finger to her mouth.
"Midoriya!" Ashido squeals, bouncing forward and nearly sending Izuku to the ground when she hugs him tight. "Didn't think we'd be seeing ya here! Uraraka said you told her you'd be busy!"
Izuku's cheeks burst into flame, not wanting to make it seem like he was lying. He gives Uraraka a nervous glance, pushing his hands out in front of himself. "Oh, yeah! I'm—I'm busy, yeah! I'm actually—"
"Nevermind that, Mido!" Hagakure interrupts, her gloved fingers pointing at Yagi. "Who did you come with?"
Yeah, this is it. Izuku's heart may just burst. He's going to break down. He wants to curl up into a ball and make a home under the floor. He'll become a dirt bug. Maybe then Yamada will actually hate him!
Yagi moves from behind Izuku, and he's red all over too. His large, bony hand finds the nape of his neck, where he rubs anxiously. "Uh, hello! I'm... I'm—"
He looks to Izuku for help, and the boy wishes he didn't, wishes the man could've just made something up on the spot, because come on, he's a pro hero for fuck's sake! He's supposed to be an excellent liar!
What is Izuku supposed to say? He obviously can't tell them that this is All Might, as that would not only reveal Yagi's secret but also make them both look weird (what kind of teacher takes their student on a mall trip during the weekend?), so what else is there to say? They probably won't believe it if Izuku just said he's a friend, as Yagi is much, much older, and if he called him a neighbor it would raise more questions than answer them!
They really should've come up with a cover story before this, huh? Now they're screwed!
So, with this thought in mind, Izuku opens up his mouth, and the world is doomed.
"Guys, meet—meet my dad!"
The nervous shout rips out of him, and it's quick and loud. It hurts Izuku's throat, and it makes people turn their heads as they pass by. Izuku isn't sure why he said it, isn't sure why he even thought of it, but the damage is done.
Dad. He said dad. As in... dad. Not Father.
Oh, kid, Shimura says in sympathy, but Izuku doesn't want to hear her right now. He doesn't want to hear anyone! Yagi makes a strangled noise but otherwise doesn't react to the declaration, thankfully.
"That's your dad, Midoriya?" Ashido asks, obviously skeptical. She stares at Yagi for a second, mouth dropping open. "He's huge!"
Yagi chokes, having to quickly turn around to hide the blood that spews from his lips.
"Yeah, kero," Asui agrees. "I don't see it."
"Woah," Hagakure says, mindblown. She pokes at Yagi's side, not caring at all for formalities. "He's so tall, and you're so... not."
Oh my God.
"I'm not done growing," Izuku defends himself weakly.
"Deku?" Uraraka says, and her shining brown eyes are on him now. Her face is pinched, and her brows are furrowed in worry. Her concern nearly makes Izuku sick with the intensity of it. "I thought your dad was away on a business trip again?"
Izuku gulps, guilt exploding inside him. "He, uh, surprised me! He finally got a break and decided to fly back over after hearing about, er, Hosu. Right, Y—Dad?"
The title feels wrong on his tongue, and it makes Izuku nauseous. He can't look Yagi in the eye as he talks, but luckily the pro hero seems to have put his act together.
"That's right!" Yagi smiles again, all charisma. He straightens up and puts a hand on Izuku's shoulder, extending his other one in a handshake to the girls in front of him. "I've been swamped with work, but I was finally approved for a vacation! It's lovely to meet you all. My boy here has told me a lot about you."
Izuku winces, recognizing the mistake and hoping the others won't notice it. Uraraka most definitely will sense the issue, but the others probably won't.
"Hello, sir! Nice to meet you too!" Ashido bows a little before accepting Yagi's handshake, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm Mina! Midoriya hasn't told us much about you, honestly, but it's still cool to finally see ya!"
Asui elbows Ashido in the side, as if to stop her from saying anything else that's possibly incriminating. "I'm Tsu, ribbit."
Hagakure snatches Yagi's hand next. "Heya, Mr. Midoriya! Say, you do look kinda familiar now that I'm thinking about it."
Izuku is so caught up on the Mr. Midoriya thing that he barely registers his classmate's last sentence. Yagi does, though, as he stiffens immediately, but only by a fraction.
"Yeah," Ashido says, humming. "I swear I've seen someone like you at our school."
Well, fuck. Izuku's Grade A intelligence strikes again. They're about to get found out, aren't they? They're going to get caught in a lie!
Izuku's heart has just about stopped by the time Uraraka finally speaks. She's been ignoring Yagi's hand for the entirety of the conversation and has been giving Izuku an are you okay? look since the moment he revealed Yagi was his father. "We don't want to interrupt you," she says, voice surprisingly sweet. "So we'll leave you two to it! I hope you have fun."
It's the pointed way she says the words that clues Izuku in that she's trying to help him out for whatever reason. Yep, she has definitely sensed Izuku's tension by now.
"Oh, yeah, you're right! It's a private thing, huh?" Ashido goes in for another quick squeeze, throwing her arms around Izuku's neck in a hug, before turning away and grabbing Asui and Hagakure's arms. "Come on, we should go get a snack! Bye bye, Mido! And bye Mido's dad!"
Izuku flushes once more, waving goodbye to them awkwardly.
And then it's just Uraraka in front of him. She grabs his hand, and her palm is warm. Izuku focuses on the feeling of the raised bumps on her fingertips given to her by her quirk, and he stares into her intense eyes. They're dark, and they demand his attention. "Call me later?" She asks, not sparing Yagi a glance.
Izuku swallows. "Yeah."
Uraraka nods, relieved, and gives his hand what's probably meant to be a comforting squeeze before letting go. She runs to catch up with her friends, but not before sending a thinly hidden glare at Yagi. Izuku tries to release some of the tension in his chest, but the bad feeling remains.
Izuku is glad he has a friend as observant and caring as Uraraka, but this time it may cause more problems than anything good. The thing is, Izuku hasn't exactly made it a secret that he doesn't have the best relationship with his father. Uraraka, Iida, and Todoroki all know this, as he's mentioned to them before that his father is on a lot of business trips and never has time to come see him, but he should've remembered that Uraraka—out of all three of them—seemed the most upset about it. She was adamant that Izuku's father could be more active in his life if he truly wanted to, and she maintained that Izuku shouldn't feel guilty about being upset over it. She said it's wrong of Hisashi to treat Izuku like that, and that he shouldn't just accept it.
So, really, Izuku accidentally made Uraraka hate his father even before meeting him. Which, in hindsight, probably wasn't the best idea. Sure, everyone should hate his actual father, but the new father he just came up with? Yeah, no. Izuku would rather proudly show off Yagi as his dad than ever admit to All for One being his father.
It's no wonder that seeing Izuku's supposed father so out of the blue here would cause Uraraka to become frazzled.
I really need to come up with better covers on the spot... I hate lying to them so much.
Izuku watches them disappear from view, and he tracks their quirks until he can barely feel them anymore. He should keep a better watch on his surroundings now to prevent those sorts of things from happening again.
Izuku blinks rapidly to get rid of the way his eyes start to burn due to the dryness in the air, and he turns toward the pickle store. He wants to forget this just happened yet knows it would be impossible. That's just not the type of person he is. He's always worried about things more than anyone should.
"Midoriya, are you okay?"
Izuku starts, taking an instinctive step away from Yagi, who is leaning down to speak to him quietly. His face is shadowed, making his blue eyes glow even brighter.
"I'm sorry," Izuku says, head bowing. "I—I shouldn't have made you do that. That was—wasn't right. It was—that was probably really uncomfortable for you."
Yagi shakes his head quickly. "No! It was okay, Midoriya. I—I didn't mind it, honestly." He pauses. "I don't mind it."
Izuku doesn't believe it. "I shouldn't ask you to lie to them. They're your students."
The man takes Izuku's shaking fists and uncurls them, stopping his nails from digging into the skin again. "It's not like you expected them to be here. And it's not like we could tell them about my quirk. Really, there was no other option at the moment." He smiles a little. "You probably could have said I was anybody else, someone I could have done a better job of acting as, but that's alright. We can't do anything about it now. And as I said, I don't mind it at all."
"But what if they see you at school now? They already said you were familiar. And Uraraka already kinda sorta hates you because I told her I don't have the best relationship with my dad, so I don't want you to be treated badly either because of what I've already said and—"
"Hey, hey, don't worry about it. We'll figure something out!" Yagi straightens up, putting his hands on his hips. "This isn't a big deal! For now we should just keep enjoying ourselves, yes? It's a beautiful, warm day out."
Izuku wipes his nose. "I thought you said it was cold."
"I never get cold," Yagi reminds, almost proudly. "My metabolism works even quicker than yours. I store a lot of body heat, even in this form."
"Uh-huh." Izuku crosses his arms, letting Yagi take his bags from his hands. He spots a sign to his left and makes for it, needing to calm the awful feeling under his skin. "Uh, I—I need to use the bathroom, sir. I'll be back."
"You—"
Izuku ignores the rest of his mentor's sentence as he stumbles away, entire mind buzzing. He runs into a few people on the way to the hallway, and he utters quick apologies under his breath in response to their annoyed calls.
Thankfully, there's no one else in the bathroom when he bursts in. It's secluded, so he picks the stall in the farthest corner away from the door to hide in. His chest just feels too tight, and he can't think for shit anymore. He's not sure why this is happening now, of all times, but the stress of the prior events, coupled with the anger and pain he's been feeling for the past few weeks, is making him sick to his stomach again.
He leans over the toilet just as the first dry heave hits him, trying hard to not put his hands on anything anyone else might have touched. He doesn't know how clean the mall keeps the bathrooms, and he's not about to get himself some unknown disease by touching up on everything in here.
As his body tries hard to throw up the cheeseburgers and delicious smoothie he ate during lunch, Izuku keeps the bathroom to himself. For a good ten minutes, there's only Izuku on his knees before the toilet, an intense, ugly cloud of emotions swirling around in the air, and the sound of sweet instrumental music coming from overhead.
Izuku likes the piano music he hears. It's soothing.
When he's calmed down enough to the point where he doesn't feel as nauseous, Izuku puts down the seat lid and sits on it, bringing his knees up to his chest. He presses his forehead to his sweatpants, his sweat soaking into the fabric.
This isn't healthy, kid, Banjou says, and for once there's not an ounce of humor in his voice.
"I know. But it's just me."
Shimura doesn't take this as an acceptable answer. You need to tell someone about these spells you're having. Your medication helps the symptoms for your other issues, but this is something different. You need to nip this in the bud now before it grows to be something worse.
What does she expect him to do? Izuku has already thought this over on nights where he couldn't sleep. Doesn't she know that?
"What exactly am I supposed to tell them? If I say what's happening, they—they'll just send me away to get studies done. And they won't find anything to begin with."
You don't know that, En pipes up, surprising him. You're better than this. Shape up, Ninth. You won't be able to continue on for much longer if you choose to stay like this. Be smarter.
Izuku huffs and buries his head even further into his pants. He has a raging headache now, and it's putting some kind of neon film over his surroundings. Everything is in high definition. It's too bright! It's making him want to rip out his own eyeballs just so he can replace them with something else.
He figures the vestiges are right, in some way, and he appreciates their brutal honesty, but things are just going way too fast yet not fast enough for him. He wishes he had the ability to control time. He wants to be able to stop the earth from spinning for ten minutes, and also to speed it up for however long he likes.
Is that so much to ask for?
The door to the bathroom opens, and Izuku bites back a sigh. Black boots enter his vision, and Izuku follows them with his eyes as they walk from the entrance and stop outside his stall.
"Kid," Aizawa begins, making Izuku roll his eyes to himself. "You fall in?"
"Go away."
The underground hero makes a negative noise, not fazed at all by the warning tone. "I don't think I should."
"Can a boy not shit in peace around here?"
This elicits a snort from him. "No." When it's clear Izuku isn't going to speak, Aizawa continues. "You should know that Yagi is worried about you. He told me what happened."
"That's great. Want a gold star for being fucking nosy?"
Aizawa moves back, leaning against the sink counter with one ankle crossed over the other. Izuku glares at the tile, suddenly annoyed by the fact that he can't see Aizawa's reaction. "You know, Mic's parents used to wash out his mouth whenever he cussed. If you're not careful, he might do the same to you."
Izuku can't hold back his scoff this time. The obvious empty threat does nothing but make his headache worse. "That wouldn't work on me. I used to eat soap whenever I was hungry as a kid, so it wouldn't do anything but clean my insides."
"There are a lot of things wrong with what you just said. I hope you know that."
Izuku laughs at the abruptness of the last phrase, and he's surprised to find that it's all genuine. The next two minutes pass by in silence, and Izuku spends that time trying to put himself together. Aizawa doesn't say anything, but he stands there by the counter, just waiting. He doesn't leave Izuku for a second.
The boy slaps his cheeks to put away his emotions before unlocking the stall door. He doesn't see Aizawa's eyes when he goes for the sink to splash his face. In fact, he resolutely doesn't look at Aizawa at all, much preferring to act as if he doesn't exist for the time being.
He wipes his wet face on his shirt and then smooths his clothing down with his hands. He tries at least to look presentable sometimes, thanks. Sometimes the comments on his appearance do get to him. He just doesn't always show it outwardly.
Izuku sniffs and shakily walks toward the exit, doing a mental check to make sure none of his classmates are close by. The only thing worse than being seen with his supposed father is being seen with a teacher. That would admittedly be much harder to explain.
Aizawa follows behind him, but not too close. He makes sure to keep a minimum of a five foot distance away.
When they reach the end of the hallway, though, Izuku pauses. To their right is a bench holding what Izuku assumes is all of Aizawa's bags and drinks. He must've set it all down before entering the bathroom.
Izuku looks out into the crowds, looking at all of the stores they have yet to go into. His previous enthusiasm and excitement is all gone, though. His energy has been drained, just like that, and his good vibes are ruined. Everything feels off now, like a record player starting off at the wrong time.
"They went off without us," Aizawa explains. "But we can catch up to them."
At the mere idea of having to play catch up, Izuku's face crumples. If he's being honest, he's not in the mood for any of this anymore. The different emotions and powers swirling all around him make him feel like he's been caught up in the middle of a hurricane. None of it is fun now.
Aizawa doesn't even glance at him when he speaks. "Do you want to go?"
Do you want to leave, is what he means.
Izuku shakes his head. "They're still shopping. And Yagi is—they're both having fun. I don't want to ruin that."
Aizawa thinks for a second before nodding. "Okay. We can wait for them in the car. We might as well get a start on putting all of these bags in the trunk."
With these words, Aizawa hands Izuku a bunch of bags and then a mango smoothie. Izuku blinks at it, watching the condensation slide down onto his palm, and he notices that Aizawa has a matching one in his own hand. Huh. He must've just bought them before going after Izuku.
"Let's go," Aizawa says, gesturing to the escalators leading to the nearest exit.
And so Izuku wipes his face one last time and follows with his smoothie in hand.