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today the class took a trip to the mall once again due to food being low and needing to restock some supplies. izuku couldn't be more thrilled to get out of the dorm without having to sneak out in the dead of the night, or having to make fake excuses to leave and hope that the teachers didn't see through them. typically, they did, but they just let izuku go and gave him a warning for lying when he got back.
izuku didn't care about the warnings, they never exactly went further than a few days house arrest or a few weeks detention. he could handle it, especially since lately he couldn't help how more free he's been feeling. it could be how he's met with shigaraki twice, both on accident and both bittersweet times and nerve wracking times, but all and all he left the meetings feeling a bit more lighter.
izuku knew shouldn't like talking with a villain, especially a deadly one. one that has a hit out for all might and anything else he hates. but, izuku couldn't find himself to care. shigaraki has been too kind to him, or, well, as kind as a villain could be. he hasn't attacked him, nor has he tried to blackmail him. izuku could almost say shigaraki was more worried about izuku getting caught being around the villain. that in itself made izuku want to be around him more, which, is also not good. but, like izuku says -- who cares?
"deku kun, are you sure you don't want to join me and tsuyu with shopping? im going to be a few hours and.. well.. i ah, um.. don't.. want anything to happen to you." there was an unspoken again as ochako pressed and pleaded to izuku with worried eyes. izuku could feel his stomach coil with irritation as he gave his best encouraging smile, but it only came off strained and forced. that only made ochako frown more in worry.
"ill be okay uraraka san, just go on. ill be here. i might go to the dorms early, since i didn't need anything but please go. don't worry about me." izuku said with more force than he intended to. but he was exhausted, irritated, and just wanted ochako to leave him alone. he didn't needed a babysitter, he knew how to take care of himself. hes been doing well for the last eleven years thanks to him having to practically raise himself and bullies -- he can handle being alone.
ochako gave him a shaky smile, as she nodded her head. she seemed like she understood, for now, and left him be. izuku couldnt hold back the relieved sigh that passed his lips as he watched the girls figure disappear within the crowd of people. really, it was only a few hours. he could be alone for that long without being a problem. but no one seemed to think that. people seem to think every second of the day that he'll run into a villain, then crush every living bone in his body, before nearly killing himself.
he's reckless, izuku knows this, but he isn't stupid. hes not going to risk others and himself all at the sametime by just throwing himself into battle -- it isnt heroic. but no one seems to see that about him, they just see his injuries. his recklessness, his questionable selfless nature and tendencies, and the fact his quirk used to break his bones before he truly has control of it. izuku, for once, just once to be recognized as more than his flaws. but, for some reason, he feels as if he's asking for too much.
izuku sighs, as he slumps his shoulders. the outing was supposed to be nice. it was supposed to be an nice distraction of his sad, muddled up, thoughts that refused to leave him alone for a single day. but no, he couldn't get a break. not even for an hour, or a single second it seemed. but it was fine, maybe he could text ochako that he was going back to the dorms. she'll probably be happy and relieved that he was somewhere safe rather than out in the open causing more trouble than necessary.
though, before izuku could take any action, izuku felt a breeze whip around him before a familiar, callus, hand was wrapped loosely around his throat with only three fingers. izuku trailed his eyes up to the person holding him carefully, though, it wasnt much shock to him to see shigaraki with a grin plastered on his face. izuku almost laughed, seeing the familiar situation that took place in the very mall, and the fact they keep meeting more and more whenever one or the other is hurting in someway.
though, izuku didn't laugh. instead, he took the option of being a little shit and grinned right back at shigaraki.
"so, is this your way as greeting people or do you have a choking kink?" izuku says as the older man faltered, his grin wiped as if he was processing what the younger said before, he glared with a look of disgust. izuku then, laughed, he couldn't hold it back and it was worth feeling the tightening hold around his airpipes before shigaraki released him with a bitter, mirthless, chuckle.
"oh ha ha brat. fuck you too." shigaraki says with a low growl, though it held no real threat or bite to it. it was more for show, izuku observed as he watched the man sit next to him on the fountain.
"what are you doing here, shigaraki? aren't you supposed to be.. taking over the world?" izuku asked, with genuine interest rather than trying to find out information that could put away the older man. for some reason, izuku did not like idea of putting away shigaraki anytime soon, even if they're enemies. it was something he rather not think about it now.
"fucking team sent me out like im some maid or whatever! im out to get shit for them, because apparently we need food to survive, shame." izuku couldnt help but to snort at the joke, though he could tell shigaraki was partly serious on the survive part. the look in his eye when izuku gave a short laugh was mildly confused, before it turned to accepting or something alike. it was concerning, and izuku hoped the older man was taking care of himself.
"im here for the same reason i guess.. or, well my class are. i just had a good reason to leave without risking getting in trouble." izuku murmured with an awkward shrug, while shigaraki gave him a strange look, almost as if he was considering something or if he wanted to ask something. his red eyes lingered for a moment, before he turned away and shrugged along with izuku, making the teen wonder what he was thinking about.
"so why worry about getting in trouble then? its your mental stability. if they cant even grasp the understanding of 'i need space' then fuck them." shigaraki says soon after with a scratch behind his neck, leaving small droplets of blood to fall down onto the seat where they sat together. izuku frown in worry as he grabbed shigarakis wrist and pull at him to stop, forcing the older man to stop and stare at him for a moment.
shigaraki sighed quietly but digressed and laid his hand down onto his lap. izuku smiled ever so slightly, silently cheering at the small victory in his head before he focused his attention on what shigaraki said a few seconds ago.
"oh, um, i can't just do that shigaraki. i can get in worse trouble than simple house arrest or detention. what if i get suspended? or worse, expelled? i don't know what id do with myself.." izuku softly says with betraying tears in his eyes. he tried to wipe them away, but they came back with full force, refusing to let him have any dignity to not cry.
"don't cry brat, you'll be fine without u.a. if you ever got expelled." shigaraki promised, but izuku merely sniffled as he shook his head. he wanted to believe the older man's words, he wanted to do badly, but he couldn't. he wanted to be a hero so bad and if got expelled, it's all over for him. no other hero school will let him in, since u.a. is the top school in japan. that means he can't be a hero, nor get into any other school since he was expelled from u.a. what else could he do? nothing. absolutely nothing.
"fuck, if you're that serious about being a disgusting hero and you got expelled, just be a vigilante, at least you're doing something illegal." shigaraki muttered the last part, but izuku still heard it. he merely rolled his eyes, but it brought a smile on his face. a small, watery, smile, but a smile.
izuku was glad the older man was trying to encourage him, even in his worst times. even when he didn't owe him, it was just them being friends. and strangely, izuku was fine with this.
"thank you.. shigaraki."