Work Text:
Everything bad happens at the corner of Bad and Dark, and everyone knows it. Denki takes his breaks there, an unlit cigarette in hand. He never plans to smoke it, it is a reminder of where he came from. He stares at it as he twirls it between fingers, his stands at the corner and asks it to taint him, to taint his gold. It never tries, and Denki leaves feeling victorious. His hair grows longer and he returns each day, expecting to see someone but no one is there. The corner of Bad and Dark doesn’t exist, just this club with it’s too loud music and flashing lights that give Denki a headache. No one ever enters but him, but it never shuts down. He’s sure that it’s a coverup for some villain’s hideout, but he never asks and never checks.
Sometimes it’s better for secrets to stay in the dark.
One day, someone grabs his hand before he enters, his eyes are wide and soft, moss. His hair looks much the same.
“Why do you go in there?” his voice is softer than he imagines a cloud to be.
“I’m challenging it,” they both stare at the red strings connecting their pinkies.
“Why?” he looks down into Denki’s eyes as he pauses, thinking.
“I don’t know-” he pauses again, “I’m tempting fate, asking it to try to ruin me and laughing when it doesn’t. I’m in love with the idea of the danger that never shows.” the man smiles at Denki.
“I’m Izuku.”
“Denki,” they share a secret smile as he lets go, letting Denki enter alone. He cannot get that man out of his head, his eyes watching the red string that now connects them. He flickers his lighter, staring at it and the cigarette. He throws both of them down.
“Denki-” he gasps as he feels someone pull his hair, turning to look, to complain. They die on his lips as his golden eyes meet green.
“Izuku.” he smiles at the acknowledgment.
“You walked right past me,” he grabs Denki’s hips and pulls him close. He raises his eyebrows, “You smoke?” His face burns red as he shakes his head.
“No-! Of course not-” he pauses, “My parents did.” Izuku stares at him, waiting. “It’s what’s supposed to tempt me- I always win,” his voice is quiet when he says this. Izuku laughs, a balloon that lifts into the sky, the sun itself in all of its glory.
“That’s silly.” he brushes his lips over Denki’s and laughs again when his face burns redder.
“I-It’s not-” he huffs, looking away.
“Alright… It’s not.” he plays with Denki’s hair, smiling sweetly. Denki stares at his freckles and wonders how he didn’t notice before. He gasps when Izuku kisses him again, his ears burning as his blush travels across unmarked skin. Only when Izuku pulls away is he able to breathe again. The red string ties them together as he leans closer to him. “You have freckles too… they’re cute.” he smiles as he lets him go. Denki stumbles into the club alone, his hands shaking. He holds the cigarette, the lighter, and he hopes this was his obstacle. Everyone knows that they must face their darkness here, he stares at the door as he burns his fingers and does not scream. He lets go and lets another lighter fall to the ground, he breaks it as he stomps down. Fire and smoke has to be it.
“Have you ever thought of death?” Izuku is holding the pack of cigarettes in his hands, looking it over.
“Of course.” Denki’s legs swing as he sits on the railing outside of the club, the lights of “Bad and Dark” illuminating the street.
“What’s your thoughts on it?” Izuku stares at Denki as he waits.
“Everyone dies. I will, you will. It is a fact of life, I’m not scared. I think… it’s peaceful.” Izuku laughs and throws the pack to him, laughing again when Denki struggles to catch it.
“I think that’s bullshit. I think when you die, there’s nothing. Just a void, you don’t even know you’re dead.” he shrugs at Denki’s shocked look. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.” he leans close to him and kisses him, “Be careful in there, Cigarette Boy.” he laughs as he disappears in a cloud of smell that is perfectly him in a way that words cannot describe. Denki wanders inside, alone. A new lighter in hand, dark green with a white “I” on it. He leans against his corner and flicks it on. The room is too hot as the flame flickers, it threatens and reminds him. He has overcome his darkness each time.
The flame whispers something else, What if your darkness isn’t us?
He laughs as he is twirled, his hands coming up to rest on Izuku’s chest. “What is this for?” he’s smiling as he leans up towards him.
“It’s our six month,” Izuku smiles as he leans down, capturing his lips with his own. “You’ve won for each day of our six months together,” he laughs but something whispers to Denki. He laughs with, but it’s nervous.
“Izuku…” he hums as he dances with Denki to non-existent music, “What is your last name?” Izuku freezes, leaving Denki to trip over his own two feet.
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?” Frustration hurts, but it’s the one thing that he feels.
“I would lose.” he lets go, a parting kiss, and Denki is left alone.
“Why do we only meet here…?” his question goes unanswered and he is left alone inside once more. The flame flickers and licks his hand, telling him once more.
Your darkness isn’t us.
“Denki.” he looks up at Izuku, a wry smile on his lips.
“Izuku,” it’s a greeting, one they are comfortable with. Arms go around his waist, his arms going around his neck.
“Missed you,” he mumbles, face buried in his neck.
“Missed you more,” Denki laughs, pulling away and touching Izuku’s face softly. “You were away for so long- I thought I scared you off.” his smile is gentle as he rubs his thumb under Izuku’s eye.
“Sorry, I was… thinking.” his pale skin turns blue and purple under the lights, “How would you like to move in with me?” the lighter in his pocket warns, but Denki never understood.
“Of course!” he laughs and they kiss, Izuku picking him up with ease. A squeak passes his lips as he stares at Izuku in shock. He just smiles back and holds him with one hand, playing with his hair.
“You are so gold… so good.” Denki frowns as he watches.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Izuku laughs and places him back down.
“Nothing, what’s your address?” Denki walks in alone, Izuku on his mind. The cigarette is lit, and thrown to the ground. He stomps it out and debates, thinks. He lights a second and lets it hover over his lips before doing the same to that one as he did the first. The flame taunts, the lighter weeps.
Denki is stolen, lips swollen and bleeding. He stares up at the ceiling of the club in the upper room. His voice cracks, wrinkled paper, when Izuku comes near. He smiles and shows fangs, he smiles and offers food, water.
“Come on, my dearest Denki, you must drink, you must eat.” the lighters weeps, the cigarettes are dead. Denki’s golden eyes hold no light as he does a task he used to joke while doing.
“What are you?” his voice cracks, a mirror being hit.
“Haven’t you guessed?” Izuku leans close, the fangs glinting off the green light in the room, “I am a vampire, your soulmate… holder of your soul and lover of your life.” he leans in close and kisses him, laughing when a whimper leaves his lips, “You will be like me, give it time.”
“I don’t want to be,” Izuku laughs at Denki, pushing his hair out of his face.
“You failed your darkness, a soulmate,” a snake that is poised to bite, “Love, light… dark.” he smiles, “This would never have happened if you weren’t impulsive… I suppose that’s what I love about you.” Denki flinches away from his hand and Izuku frowns, scowls. His eyebrows draw together as he stares at him. “That wasn’t nice.”
“I’m not nice, fuck off-!” he lets out a yelp, his head flying the other direction. Tears spring up in his eyes, a waterfall down his face. His cheek throbs and he swears he can taste blood.
“Midoriya.” he waits for Denki to respond, and when he doesn’t, he continues. “My full name is Izuku Midoriya and you will be taking that name. That name and my nature,” he leans in close, “Don’t move away from me.”
Screams echo down the empty street, passive eyes watching as the golden boy screams and begs for it to stop. He curls into a ball and cries, his breathing goes still before the screaming does.
“Don’t worry… he hasn't escaped you.” Izuku bites his nail as he watches Denki’s stillness, “This is how all vampires are born he’s still-” he freezes as Denki moves the slightest, a smile across his face. “Finally. Hungry, baby?” his question is met with a groan and golden eyes fluttering open with tears still streaming down his face.
“‘Zuku…” he whines and curls further into the bed, a whimper escapes his lips as Izuku’s hand smooths down his back gently.
“I’ll be right back baby.”
Denki lost and he cries, he cries and stares at the lighter. If only he understood the warnings before. He clings to the blankets and wishes he never did something so foolish, he wishes that he was just anyone but himself.
The darkness clings and takes notes, watching your every reaction. He knew and he relishes in winning.