Chapter Text
Great. Just great. Not only did I completely forget about me and Kacchan’s playdate after school, I had completely ditched him. For a vape. A useless stick that spits out smoke.
Whatever. I walk home the familiar path, knowing that the gas station a few blocks away from my house can sell them to me. I kick a few rocks along the path, looking down and thinking. Tracing the pavement with my eyes, tracking every crack and carefully stepping over them. My thoughts always seemed to move fast, nothing staying in place, always changing, always hazy. Colors. Shapes. Can't breathe. It hurts. I don't like this. Mom. Kacchan.
I blink a few times as I stumble, holding my head as my vision blacks out and the world tips around me, before continuing to walk. “Huh. That's weird. That has been happening to me more often…” I rub my eyes and keep walking down, under the bridge, a bit preoccupied wondering what was happening to me.
Ah, there it was, the gas station. I had asked a few of my online friends about how to get vapes, they had said this was the best method. I shrug and enter the store, hoping it would work again. I look through the aisles, working up the courage to ask for a vape.
I rehearsed it in my mind over and over again, ‘hello sir, one green apple vape please.’ and then I walk out. Easy, simple, then why the fuck was it so hard to just go up and ask, goddamn it. I look around the aisles, my stomach growling loudly as my eyes land on a katsudon bowl.
‘Izuku, say ahhh! You have to grow big and strong if you want that quirk of yours’
I swallowed coarsely, I wasn't even able to eat a proper meal at lunch, I threw everything up…and then I also didn't eat breakfast…and I threw up dinner….My stomach growls louder at me as I look at the katsudon longingly. Bells ring snapping me out of my daze. Someone else entered the shop.
“Man today was horrible, at least beating up stupid Deku made it better.” Someone laughed. My stomach drops. Tsubasa, my classmate, and his other friend snickers.
“Oi, idiots, make this quick, I want to go home and train. You guys always fucking stall.” Kacchan’s voice was what really got me going.
I scrambled to the back of the store to try to look as inconspicuous as I could, looking at the refrigerated drinks, hunched over to try and hide my green mop. Everyone always told me I look plain so hopefully they just ignore me
“Can you believe that stupid Deku ditched me though? Oh he’s so getting a beating. I bet the teachers will look away again when they see new bruises. God I can’t believe these shitty teachers are all so pathetic. I’m the favorite of course.” Kacchan laughs cruelly, and his lackeys follow, laughing with him and jeering
“Yeah Deku’s dead tomorrow” One of them makes a fake choking sound. “I live a block away and you know what I hear? Deku’s mom is always bitching about him. Man. If I had a son like him I would’ve killed him when I found out he was quirkless” Kacchan snorts as Tsubasa points it out.
I clutch the handle of the fridge, trying to will away the tears. Why did I have to be quirkless? Why couldn’t I just have a quirk? ‘You know, you could make this easy. Kill yourself. Kill yourself. Kill yourself. Kill. Kill. KILL YOURSELF FUCKING KILL YOURSELF KILL YOURSELF” I hear the door of the shop slam shut bells ringing once more. Making my way to the cashier after they left, I asked for 2 vapes.
I left the store, and went to my favorite building. It was a few blocks away from my house, a bar, not very fancy but the owner pretended not to see if I snuck in and went straight to the roof. I sat at the edge of the roof, smiling nervously as I looked down and saw how far the ground was and I lay on my back.
It was noon, the sun’s pretty. It looks like when Kacchan uses his quirk, orange explosions, he makes my head all fuzzy and the backs of my eyes all spotty and hurt. Or that might just be the dopamine. Just rushing to my brain. I laugh. I wish Kacchan was with me. I think if I could just stare I would be okay.
I take another puff and take out a pencil and my notebook working on hero analysis. Lets see, today Kacchan warmed up his hands, and used them on me…I sit up and shut my analysis notebook and scratched my head, nothing else really happened…. Maybe I should have gone to Kacchan after school.
I know he would be happier then…and I would also have more for my notebook. I groan and take three puffs consecutively, letting myself go as I breathe in the smoke. Just then I hear something thump on the roof.
“Hey kid. You aren't planning on jumping right?” I scrunch my nose and sit up. Who was he? Dressed in black, a grey scarf, eyebags, goggles? “Jump?” Who was this nutcase? Seriously? My eyes widened when I realized what he asked me “Oh no! No! Of course not! I wouldn’t…end my life by jumping no, i'm just here for the fresh air” He looked at me in a deadpan and walked over to me sitting down and admiring the view. I take another puff and swing my legs.
The dark haired man looks at me in pity, “What’s a kid like you vaping for. You do know that it's going to destroy your lungs.” He looks to the side, waiting for an answer. I snort “Having a crush on your childhood ex-friend bully.” The dark-haired man just stares at me for a second “Well…I can relate to having a crush on your childhood best friend”
I look towards him and raise my eyebrows, slightly interested "is he blonde and loud?" The man looks taken aback and squints his eyes at me "how did you know?" It was my turn to be surprised "I was just describing my crush... Did I actually guess right?" The man sighs and looks to the side, his yellow goggles glinting at me.
I gasp as it clicks, "Eraserhead...?" I say tentatively. Eraserhead raised an eyebrow "You know me kid? That's impressive." I fluster and wave my hands around and go off in a tangent "well I like hero's alot and like they're really cool so I look into a lot of heroes like you! And there's not a lot of information about you and I mean not many people hear about the hero that erases quirks, heck I don't even expect other hero's to know about you. Which I bet makes it hard to team up with people but-" Eraserhead interrupts me with clearing his throat.
I blush and purse my lips realizing I was rambling. I look away, back to the high drop. “Are you patrolling around this area?” Eraserhead sighs and ruffles my hair “Get yourself home kid. I bet your parents are worried sick about you” I purse my lips and clench my vape tighter “not…really…”
Eraserhead raises an eyebrow and warily asks “Is everything alright at home.” I nod my head quickly, I’m not a weirdo. I’m not gonna let this guy in. He only cares because I’m a quirkless Deku. “haha, yeah…everything’s great.” He sighs and holds eye contact, tired black eyes barely eclipsing his worry “Whats your name kid”
I nervously laugh, suddenly feeling way more self-conscious, “Izuku Midoriya…?” Eraserhead nods and folds his arms across his chest, “How often do you come up here?” I think for a while….well, it depends, money, mom, mood “Not sure…I try to come every week though”
Eraserhead huffs in amusement. “Would you look at that. Me too.” He looks fondly at me and then ruffles my hair “Welp I have to go now. Meet up here at the same time next week?" Was he trying to joke around? I start to laugh and then he waves at me. He was completely serious. I think about it. “I’ll…I’ll try."
Eraserhead nods once before using his capture weapon to leap to another roof. I lay back down and take a few more puffs before taking out my phone. I groan when I see the cracked screen. “Kacchan you broke my stuff.” colors start to mix together, I put in my head phones and wipe my eyes.
I’m not in love, no no,
It’s because…
Be quiet
Big boys don’t cry