"Fuck!"
Groaning he held a hand against his forehead and tried to ignore the pain that seemed to split up his skull.
It wasn't working.
He felt just like after his first drunken night but way worse.
It was almost comforting to know that his body couldn't handle everything.
He sat up and looked around despite of feeling dizzy and examined his surroundings.
He did not know this room but he really didn't care where he was exactly.
Floor and walls made of concrete didn't leave any way for the sun to enlighten the room instead some flickering fluorescent lights did her job, giving the room a sickening look that mashed just too well with the scruffy smell and dusty air.
Tattered pleather furniture that had its best time left long behind were scattered through the hall, there were some punchingbags and other gym equipment that wasn't going to kill someone because of its age, like weights and barbells.
The furniture that wasn't right in his line of sight looked better.
There were: A table made out of plywood, some of this stackable chairs, an old TV, one of the oldest Playstation models that existed (but it was in an excellent condition.), a coffeemaker which was likely to be the most expensive thing in the room and a small, outdated microwave that had a high chance to explode with the next use.
"Well? How ya feelin' after yar first flight, Deku?"
Groaning he threw a arm over his skull which seemed to be three times bigger than it should be.
"Like shit.", he rasped and tried to clear his throat but that scratched his vocal cords even more.
He had no idea who he was talking with but the voice sounded some kind of familiar.
"You've got some booze here? I'd like a bit.", he still sounded like a fucking crow but it wasn't as hoarse as it was some seconds ago so he was just going to count it was a win.
The stranger chuckled, the quiet sound still hurt his head.
"Finally down and already starting again?"
He shrugged weakly without removing his arm from his face to save his eyes from the fluorescent lights.
"Of course. Best cure and makes you forget the most.
I'm gonna bite the dust someday if I keep up, just you wait."
Izuku heard the sound of rustling clothes getting nearer.
"Why so complicated, squirt? You'd bite the bullet any time?"
The stranger sounded truly curious and perplexed.
He wasn't judging that Izuku had a death-wish which was a new experience for the boy because until now everyone strived to keep him alive.
"It'd go wrong. Just like everything else I tried.",
for a moment everything was quiet,
"You've got some more of this stuff?"
The man grinned.
"Sorry to disappoint you, squirt but you'll have to pay for every next shot."
"How? I've got nothin' to pay with and I don't know any other ring to fight.", even if he was listing facts, he was whining and, yeah, he was trying to get drugs through pity.
Yet, his trading partner was unimpressed.
"Figure something out."
With a sight he took his arm off his face and looked around.
He might be able to make some more money but after spending that it would be over.
"Where's my bag?", he asked and searched the warehouse for the yellow backpack without moving from his spot.
"Right next to you."
He looked down and indeed, there was his bag on the ground next to the sofa and looked pretty and untouched.
He used all his strength just to lean down and pull the backpack onto his lap, his arms were weak and trembling and he got nauseous as soon as he lowered his head - but he managed to get his loyal companion on top of him.
The greenette opened it and found everything in exactly the same way he packed it.
Without searching he pulled out the pills, vials and syringes he got from the hospital and suddenly he was really glad that he didn't listen to his conscience.
Grinning he held up the goods and watched as the brown eyes of the man in front of him grew wide.
"Everything unopened and unused, directly from the hospital.", he explained smugly and spread the theft over his lap.
"I could've used this stuff to give me the golden shot.", mumbled to one-eyed boy and felt really, really dense.
Appalled from his own ineptitude he smacked his palm against his forehead and flinched hissing when it hurt more than he anticipated.
"What was I thinking that I just stored this stuff?! It's so fucking strong I would've died in mere seconds!"
When he opened his eye, ready to end it right there and now, his treasure and ticket to make it out of this world had vanished.
Confused he looked around and saw the drugs floating in front of a man who sat at the table and he hadn't seen until now.
The redhead whistled impressed and placed the vials and packages on the table.
"You've really got something here, squirt. If you wanted to die happily the Morphin would've been your best friend; but you don't own it any longer."
"Give it back!"
"Nope. I'm not going to let potential like yours die when I just found it. You're going to make us rich, little Deku."
"I won't!"
A bottle of scotch floated towards him and gently settled down on his lap where the drugs lied some seconds ago.
"You can't bribe me with something like that.", the boy said coolly but he felt how his throat turned dry and begged him to screw the flask open to still the thirst.
"My addiction isn't that bad.", said the greenette next, mostly trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
Both men just smiled knowingly and waited.
And he knew that they didn't have to do it long before his control slipped and he'd start to chug down the contend of the bottle like it was the only water in the midst of a desert.
"What potential? I'm quirkles. I'm an alcoholic. I'm a minor, blind on one eye and constantly limping. What could I provide that no one else has."
He tried to buy some time, to distract himself from the problem lying patiently in his lap.
"The reason why we'd like you to be a part of our group? You're a survivor! I did some research and to live after so many suicide attempts - serious attempts - that's impressive.You're almost unkillable like a cockroach - maybe that's your quirk?
Doesn't matter.
I need tough guys for this gang who know how to survive on the streets, are able to fight but still know how to use their brain.
You cover all of that points.
And none of my boys would be able to just go intl a hospital and steal so much and get away with it.
You're a natural!
Listen: I'm gonna get ya everything ya want: Alc, Drugs, Cigarettes, name it and you'll receive and you'll never have to think about your life again - that only thing you have to do is to do everything I tell you to.
Sounds like a deal?"
He knew it was dumb but if he was able to collect all his rewards he might be able to finish himself off in a rather nice way.
And with thought he took the hand the blonde held out for him.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
It's impossible to collect drugs - once you've got a taste you can't stop, Izuku had to learn this the hard way.
Another thing he forcefully learned was that all this goods that made him forget his problems were slowly but surely destroying his brain - rendering him useless.
"THAT'S THE FOURTH TIME THIS WEEK THAT YOU WERE ALMOST THROWN INTO JAIL!
USE THOSE REMAINING BRAIN CELLS AND DO YOUR JOB!"
In contrast to everyone else in the hall the boy who was screamed at did not flich, not even when an empty bottle bursted on the wall next to his face.
He knew this kind of violence since he was four. He knew even worse and it was not like he cared for himself or his body.
"I should pull your plug.", growled the man coolly and finally got the attention of the one-eyed brat.
"No! Please not! I won't survive it! I'll do what I can!!! But please don't leave me on the dry!", he begged and saw the devilish smirk on the lips of the blonde grow.
"What's your use by now?
If you set ond step into a hospital you get recognised. You're no good for fight because everyone is afraid of you by now. And if you'd deal with drugs... -"
"I know, I know! "You'd rather use it for yourself than to make money outa it." I am aware! But - but - I - I-I could..."
"Exactly, squirt. There's nothing you can do, you're useless. Scram!"
The smallest and youngest member of the gang stood there leaned against the wall like a wax figurine, his remaining eye wide open.
He started to shiver whilst his head ran a thousand plans the second, analysed them and deemed them not fit.
He had to do something that they would have to keep him!
He had to do something that everything remained as it used to!
He couldn't survive one day in the real world without any protection!
Begging and crying wasn't an option.
On the other hand, if he was annoying enough they might kill him...
No.
Their leader still was a sadist (which fitted his quirk pretty well) and the guy knew that Izuku wanted to die more than anything else. He would let him life just to amuse himself with the knowledge that Izuku was out there suffering on the streets.
He could threaten them that he was going to sell them out to the police. But he wouldn't do it. They were his safest drug and alcohol source and he wasn't going to destroy that.
And he would confess his own crimes as well.
For a short while his rushing mind remained at this thought.
Why not try to commit suicide again? Who said he was going to survive again?
The answer was frightening simple.
He strived his next fix and the next bottle more than his death.
All this intoxicants were draining his life slowly and someday he was going to waste away beneath the severity of the side effects but until then addiction clutched so him tightly in its claws that he'd willingly life.
Was he going to do something against that?
No.
"INFORMATIONS!", he screeched frantically and made everyone stare at him like he lost his mind.
Which was kind of ridiculous - he lost his sanity long ago.
"I - I have informations of Heroes, Villains, Gang members, Vigilantes and Policeman! I know the weaknesses and strengths of their Quirks and personality!
I know their fighting styles and strategies and I have plans how to fight them!"
His heart was fluttering in the cage of his ribs like a little bird seeing a cat in front of its cage.
Scaredly he shut his eyes tight, yet still felt all this eyes resting on his skin like acid, slowly burning him.
"... what did you say?"
"I own the analysis of several thousand persons...?", he framed it like a question even though he was telling the truth.
"Prove it."
He nodded hesitantly and slinked towards his room which had been off-zone for the whole Gang. That had been one of his conditions to be part of their group.
For the first time since he entered he left the metal door open and let everyone see his simple, chaotic room - filled with bottles and syringes, with dirty laundry on the floor and stacks of books everywhere.
But the really important thing was the shelf which was one of three pieces of furniture in the room.
It was filled to the brim with notebooks, every single one of them looking like the other.
Izuku shuffled his way through the room to the shelf and picked out some of the books that didn't look any different than all the other hunderes around them.
Then he returned to the speechless group and spread them out on the table and open one page of each one.
Endeavor, Toxic Chainsaw, Eraserhead.
Stunned they stared at the extensive notes the boy had made, than at the author of the books.
They had a goldmine right in front of them and this dumb, addicted brat didn't even recognize the power he held in his hands.
Informations like the ones they saw written down right in front of them were worth more than gold or drugs, even diamonds couldn't compare to this notebooks.
The smile that grew on the lips of their leader was false and smug when he looked towards Deku who was reading one of the pages with a frown and mutely moving lips.
"Squirt."
Immediately the boy with the wild hair jumped and stared at him with a round eye.
"Congratulations. You'll never have to work ever again.", said the blonde and his disgusting grin stretched even wider.
Their stray really revealed himself as valuable.
And what a value it was.