Chapter Text
Izuku ran out of his house on short legs, a shovel and a bucket in hand. “I’m going out, Mama!”
Midoriya Inko poked her head out the door of their quaint little cottage, herbs in one hand and spellbook in the other. “Alright, honey! Don’t stay out too late!”
Nodding happily, he sprinted on the dirt path leading from their home, turning left and right and following the path to the forest that he so often visited, colorful birds passing by in droves, watching in curiosity as the boy sped past.
At the end of his path, he looked up at the tall, evergreen trees and breathed a sigh of relief. Nobody else knew about this sanctuary of his. This was the place where he felt most at peace, where no one could bother him. Here, he could pick flowers or climb trees or dig up pretty rocks in the dirt and place them in his bucket. Here, he was alone, and he was completely fine with that.
But, he wasn’t.
A branch snapped somewhere farther in the forest, deep enough in that the light that filtered in wasn’t quite as bright, only just seeping through the many-needled branches, and that whatever made the sound was just out of sight.
His hands clenched around his tools as he ceased his play and squinted into the trees. “Who’s there?” He shouted, for although the vast woods were supposed to be safe, he had heard rumors about wolves and coyotes and other, more cryptic things. “I have a shovel and- I’m not afraid to use it!”
A figure stepped out from behind a tree, human in all aspects except for the barely noticeable point of his ears, the slightly otherworldly features that no person Izuku had ever seen had.
Well, that, and his hair.
It was red and white, split down the middle like strawberries and cream, or perhaps a red velvet cake with icing.
Hesitantly, he lowered his shovel. “Who are you?”
The strange-looking-boy-with-pretty-hair blinked slowly, like a deer, and murmured, “Well... I’m Shouto. Nice to meet you... I mean no harm.”
Izuku, in all his childhood naivety, smiled and immediately ran over and shook Shouto’s hand with probably a bit too much vigor to be comfortable. “Hi there! I’m Izuku! Wow, this is so exciting! I’ve never seen anyone here before!”
He nodded serenely as he relaxed against a tree. “Well, I’ve never wandered this much out of the forest before... perhaps that’s why.”
Izuku’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “You live IN the forest? Isn’t it scary? That’s so awesome!”
Shouto flushed. “Well, not exactly... you see, I found a portal while exploring in my home, and it led to this forest, so now I come here when I need to escape.”
“Why do you need to escape?”
He froze, back going ramrod straight. “I sorry, I need to go. I... just remember there’s something I have to do..” Getting up, Shouto turned and started walking back into the mysterious forest.
Izuku’s brow creased, and he too stood up.
“Shouto, wait!”
Stopping, the boy turned around. “Yes?”
“Don’t forget to visit, okay?”
Shouto’s mouth curved in a tiny smile, and he responded, “Of course.”
From then on, Izuku went to the edge of the forest everyday, no matter the circumstances, and everyday he met his newfound friend, discussing everything from rocks to cool-looking birds to magic (which quickly resulted in Izuku nearly fainting when Shouto showed him his power to create fire and ice).
One day, as Izuku was about to once again leave his home to depart down the small dirt path, his mothers hand clapped on his shoulder. “Hold on honey, you silly bun, did you forget?” She ruffled his hair endearingly. “It’s your birthday! We’re going to the waterfall today!”
“The waterfall? But- I had something to do today-“
A soft smile.
“Tomorrow’s your birthday, right? I’ll make sure to bring something special.”
“No buts, Izuku! You know the waterfall is very important. It’s been a secret of our ancestors for centuries, and it could show you something very important, or even the future! It’s how I met your father, after all!”
His moms eyes crinkled around the edges as she smiled and gestured for him to get on her broom.
Reluctantly, he climbed on behind her, and they flew into the skies, house getting farther and farther away, while the mountains grew closer and closer.
Speeding into the forest canopy, their broom weaved in and out of branches and into a well-hidden tunnel, flying through and straight out the other side of the mountain, finally stopping in a small crevice between two mountains and before a majestic waterfall.
Letting out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding, Izuku combed a small hand through his windblown hair and stared up at the imposing wall of water.
His mother smiled. “Well, go on, Izuku, you know what to do.”
The various people already gathered patted on him the back and murmured words of encouragement.
He nodded, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, before stepping into the heavy spray.
When he opened them again, he was not staring at the wall of the mountain.
Instead, he was surrounded by a cacophony of bright, eye bleeding colors, blending together in uncomfortable smears, making him feel like the victim of a dizzying hex.
And laying in the middle, was Shouto.
Well, sort of Shouto.
He was older, and he had a huge red scar over his left eye, the one that flashed bluish-green, like the waters of coral reefs, but that wasn’t all. There was something different about him- he looked sadder, more afraid, like there was something in him that was struggling to break free and he could never let it out because it would destroy him.
And this Shouto, regardless of his features, was Shouto, and he was bleeding out on the floor.
Izuku let out a ear-piercing, heart-rending scream, and he felt hands on his shoulders, on his arms, dragging him out and he didn’t care because anything to stop this, no no nononononoNONONO
He was doubled over, coughing and sputtering on the water he’d inhaled in the middle of his vision. His clothes were sopping wet, and somewhere in the back of his mind he noted that his favorite red shoes were ruined. His mother knelt next to him, gently patting his back and gaping.
Around him, his everyone whispered and looked at him with concerned looks on their faces.
“What could he have seen? He’s only 5!”
“Are you okay?”
“Oh no.. is Izuku alright?”
His own mother put her hands on his cheeks and wiped away his tears, asking quietly, “Izuku, dear, what did you see?”
Izuku shook, arms trembling as he stared into her eyes and whispered, “M-Mama, I need to go now.”
_______________
He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, stumbling over rocks and roots that couldn’t have been there before, breathing in short huffs as tears rolled down his cheeks like rain in a thunderstorm.
He nearly crashed into a tree on the edge of the forest, breath catching in his throat because Shouto wasn’t there and something was so, so wrong.
Pine needles and snapped branches littered the floor, and rough, frantic footprints were scattered everywhere, made by what looked like huge boots and a smaller, much smaller pair of shoes.
Shouto.
His prints ended at the foot of a charred tree, and Izuku saw that the larger footprints led deeper into the forest, down the path that Shouto always took. He frantically followed them, looking for any sign that his friend was alive and well, hoping against hope that Shouto would be there.
Then, the path ended.
It was abrupt and left no clues to where the person who had left it had gone- he had no idea what happened, and it left him heartbroken and scared.
Trudging back along the trail of footprints, Izuku came back upon the end of the forest. It was then he noticed a small, trampled package laying beneath a thin layer of pine needles, wrapped in white paper and tied with a green ribbon.
It’s the exact color of my hair.
Opening it with shaky hands, he pulled out a necklace and a note.
Dear Izuku,
Thank you so much for being my friend.
Happy birthday.
Shouto
He held the necklace carefully, feeling the latent energy flow through his fingers, and slowly looped it around his neck.
Then, he walked home, knowing there was nothing left for him to do.
Shouto never came back.