Chapter Text
Death.
Although the idea seemed to scare most, Izuku Midoriya was not one of them. The general concept was overall relaxing. The knowledge that after a certain time, life would just.. stop. It seemed like a well deserved break from the shitshow called living. Not to say he was suicidal, he'd just prefer to not live. Too much drama, he'd say. Such a shame when he found out about his quirk.
Izuku Midoriya... A mysterious teen, fourteen years of age. He'd describe most activities enjoyed by his age range as 'tiring' or 'time wasting'. This was one of the reasons why dear old Inko was so worried.
To himself, it was a curious factor that so many found themselves intrigued by him. In his warped eyes, he was the embodiment of boring. Dull lime irises and black tinged green hair. Yet to others, he was much more. More than the emerald eyes, so full of emotion hidden by facial features over the years, jade roots of fluffy shamrock curls, bouncing with every step, ending with peridot tips so light and soft they could float away with feathers. More than a perfectly curved face, not too round yet not too long. A slender, almost majestic figure, with nimble and skilled hands and a thin frame. More than a silky smooth voice, carried by the wind like a melodic whisper, highlighted by deep piano-like undertones. More than his quick thinking, always analysing mind, never missing a single detail. He was an angel in human form, still keeping certain attributes.
Maybe than was why so many found themselves lured in.
Just another day. That's how it started, yet it'd change his life.
Izuku groaned, rolling over and slowly sitting up. Gently rubbing his eyes, he let out a soft yawn, emerald curls bouncing slightly as he got up. His morning was pretty normal, leaving for school as soon as the clock hit eight. Running a hand through his locks, Izuku let out a breath. He slumped down onto his desk, his lean figure bent over. As the day went on, everybody ignored him. It wasn't unusual, to say the least. Just another one of Bakugou's 'harmless' pranks. He enjoyed the look of hidden fear plastered on his face as he wondered if he were real. To others it was humorous to see him poke and prod his hand with a confused look on his face, but to him it was terrifying.
Bakugou would repeatedly talk about how he'd want to hit Midoriya, but the boy had a particular aura that seemed to calm anyone who came close, meaning they'd just insult him from afar, throwing things to aid their sincerity.
The day went by like usual, dragging like a cloth caught on a nail until the clock struck three thirty. (Love you AJR) Midoriya carefully picked up his books, sliding them into his bag with care. He didn't have a pencil case, not seeing the point of worthless weight, so he just dropped his pen into his bag and shut it. Although Midoriya was quite far behind the others leaving, he still managed to leave only slightly late. Yet, unbeknownst to him, Bakugou was waiting, not giving him a chance to recover. He stuck out his foot, catching that taller boy and tripping him. Midoriya lay on the floor for a second before gracefully getting up. With both of them avoiding eye contact like the plague, he carried on a few more steps before being stopped again. "Quirkless people like you... Especially you... The wasters of oxygen.. Should do us all a favour and take a swan dive off the roof." Bakugou smirked at the boy's empty face. The contrast in feelings was almost laughable. Bakugou walked off, not giving a chance for the nimble teen to respond. Midoriya took a few seconds to just let his classmate's words to sink in. Mind on the topic, he slowly made his way home. He was fine. This was fine. Seeing as his thoughts were occupied, it didn't really come as a surprise when he found himself getting light headed, eyes fading to black as he let go of reality.
Slimey and green, the criminal who we're going to call Hydos hadn't had the best life. But when he lay eyes on the boy, he knew that it was now or never. In an almost trance like state, he leapt at the teen, beginning to take over his body. He didn't even fight back, surprising the law breaker.
Heroes. Told to save and protect, both lives and dreams. However, even the greatest couldn't stop the slender teen from dying. Yet this was only the first time that Izuku Midoriya would lose both.
Suffocation. Not the nicest way to go, but still not the worst. At first it was hard to notice that he was dead, but after a while it became clear. The smooth foggy darkness seemed to comfort him, a huge difference to his previous situation. But as soon as he reached out to touch the onyx void, he snapped back to life. He hastily inhaled, coughing up dirty lime liquid. Perhaps taking a breath in right after being suffocated was not the best idea.
All Might knew he was too late. He knew when he met the sightless eyes of Izuku Midoriya with his own that he was, with no doubt, dead. Milky skin seemed to glow, cold and pale, taunting him ever second, cursing at him for not being faster.
Then the boy took a breath.
All Might had never backed off faster.
Green hair shaking slightly, he sat up. A cool hand made its way up to comfort his pounding head. He let out a soft groan before slowly standing up. It wasn't long before his brain managed to process the figure in front of him. Feeling slightly.. off.. Izuku forced a smile onto his face. "Sorry to keep you!" He stated, taking a few steps back, turning and running. Well, trying to run. He made it about three steps before falling over. Letting out a single squeak, he lay there.
Overcoming his shock, All Might cautiously peered over, worry printed on his face like a font, thick, bold and fake. Izuku would adore to say he seldom fell, yet due to his clumsy nature, it would be a sore lie. Thin fingers comforting his soft head, he slumped into an almost kneeling position.
A groan slipped from his velvet lips.
Wide eyes blinking, he stood, slouched over slightly. Fatigue was obviously evident on his rose tinted face. "Are you alright there?" The hero couldn't help it, the words just seemed to tumble out. Running a cherry tongue over his dehydrated lips, the teen responded. "I'm fine. Sorry to bother you." I'm not fine. I can still feel the panic, it's like I'm still dying... With a singular nod, Izuku continued his journey home.
In some other universe, he'd've had his dreams crushed that moment. He'd have caused another incident, but since the criminal was subdued with little to no problem, the paths differed again.
Hollow. Izuku Midoriya felt so hollow. He found himself randomly inhaling as deep as possible, just to check that he wasn't still there, suffocating in slime.
When the truck hit him, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of relief, right before the pain. Yet it wasn't the pain that hurt. Before impact, it was rather obvious that the vehicle was moving about sixty miles per hour, with all that force and momentum, there was no way he should've still been alive.
His confusion deepened when his vision went black. He was still aware, so painfully aware, of everything. He could hear the screams, he could feel the panic, he could smell the petrol. It was like he had his eyes closed, but was still there, caught in the moment. Then the realisation hit, harder than the truck.
Petrol... The guy in the front seat seemed to've had a flame related quirk... Fire plus fuel.. Eyes snapping open, he raised his voice. "GET BACK!" Those who heard immediately ran, not even knowing why, as if their bodies were forced. However, not all were aware, some fighting instinct to try and save the boy on the middle of it all. He curled up as quickly as possible, covering his eyes and ears as the sparks found the fuel.
Boom
People heard the explosion from all around. At least thirty dead, no suspected survivors. A passing police officer with a time track quirk helped the people who were injured but alive thanks to the teen's shout, the ambulances already piling in.
The officer saw the truck hit the boy, his shout, the of ignition, the aftermath.
Almost untouched by the warzone surrounding him, he lay.
Izuku Midoriya.
Peridot eyes and emerald hair spread out like a halo, pale, almost translucent skin, nearly mistaken for dead, Izuku Midoriya. It seemed like a gruesome miracle.
Then it happened. The closest victims to the unconscious figure began to.. fix themselves. Their skin threading back together, organs back to pristine condition... It spread like fire, from one person to the next. A chorus of shrieks from the previously dead pedestrians filled the air like smoke.
Confusion wrapped around the paramedics, the officers, the civilians, as the injured returned to health, the dead back to life.
Most of the bodies were being retrieved, yet the teen in the middle drew the most attention.
The boy was a revolution, and with him came change.
The case was a nightmare. A quirkless teen developing a quirk in a traumatic experience and reversing all supposedly irreversible damage was less than common. Majority of the survivors were pretty much shell shocked, who wouldn't be, but they all seemed unharmed. A few weeks past and the whole situation was swept under the rug.
Cold, lengthy fingers traced over his pale rose lips, whilst his other hand ghosted over viridian curls. Ever since the incidence, his skin steadily returned to usual. School life did the same. It was as if nobody wanted to acknowledge the factors. The greenette would try to avoid large bodies of water, fears creeping up from all directions at the mere thought of drowning. The teen had noticed another change in his body. Three onyx strikes on his wrist, lined in like a tally. However much he could wish he didn't know the meaning, it became increasingly obvious
He knew long before the fourth appeared.
Words had been swirling through his head all day. The same phrase etched deep into his brain, carved with a blade. "Swan dive off a roof..." It was far from helpful when the only person willing to bring up the accident was Bakugou.
Cornered and scared, the lanky male curled up in the alley. "Where'd that big brave hero go? Tch, how cowardly. How weak. Your determination is as fake as those smiles. Why bother to carry on, huh? You'll never get anywhere." Bakugou spat, leaving him there.
Feeling his breath hitch, he shakily stood.
Dark thoughts clouded his mind like deadly fog, blurring reasoning and drowning all logic.
When the haze finally cleared, he found himself on a rooftop, gazing down at the maze of buildings below. People crawling about like ants on a board game, cars and blinding lights at every turn. Voices urged him on, laughing at his struggles. His fingertips brushed over his sea green locks, catching on small knots. Closing his eyes like a blind, he took a deep breath, savoring the sweet lack of carbon dioxide, leaning towards the invisible warmth.
He didn't really notice when he began to fall. He wasn't really there when his body hit the floor. But he was there when he sat back up. Sluggishly rising, he pondered for a second. Knowing the insanity of his thoughts, he mindlessly peeled back the plaster on his wrist and firmly pressed down on the first mark.
Green-brown liquid filled his vision, engulfing him and suffocating him. The slow pulse of his heart dropped, halting within little to no time. Those red irises stared into his own, burned into his memory.
He ripped his finger off of the tally, heaving and panting. Heart racing, he stumbled down.
Frail arms shook as he collapsed. The cool floor pressed against his face as he let a breath drift from his mouth.
Curses tumbling from his lips almost like a second breath, the greenette hastily inaugurated his journey home. He'd barely begun when the facts settled in, absorbed into his memory and branded there.
Then the rain came.
No warnings were given.
Freezing droplets cut through the air with ease, those outside were drenched within mere seconds. Icy water grazed his face with every passing second, sliding down his body before falling, seemingly suspended in time before destruction. Izuku shivered, the past events flashing through his mind like the lightning in the sky. Deep rumbles and groans split through the air, warning the people of the ongoing storm; all too late. Emerald locks stuck to his face, clinging on like there was no other choice. Brushing an almost numb hand through his water coated hair, he quickened his pace.
Eventually, he made it back.
Slipping his cold key through the worn brass slot, he twisted it, applying as little pressure as possible. The familiar creaks that came with the aged hinges moving filled the hall, alerting the house's occupant of his presence. Silence being the answer enough, she pulled him into a warm hug, contrasting the cool empty feeling from a few seconds ago. What had been guillotine-like knives of water was now just tapping in the background. Izuku melted slightly as he returned the embrace, worries slipping from his mind like the raindrops from his form. The moment of affection ended almost as soon as it began, both participants pulling away carefully.
Whenever the teen came home late, Inko knew that it had been a hard day, asking questions just got no response most days. With the knowledge that her child was safe, the peridot eyed mother let out an internal exhale of relief.}
Sunrise always came too early. It woke him just before the sense of rejuvenation came, the product of sleep.
Too soon. It was always a little too soon.
As always, the dreary routine began. Check the time, get up, get dressed, leave. There was no point in getting food, it wouldn't get eaten. Izuku wove his arms through the dirty, dull dijon straps of his well-worn backpack. Slipping on his shoes like second nature, he pulled the door open and left without so much as a word.
Gravel scuffed the base of his trainers, leaving a new mark every step. If he wanted to make it to school undisturbed, the route was longer by far, going behind the more well known and used path. Most of the students knew he wouldn't dare walk that way, in eternal confusion on how the boy seemingly appeared from thin air.
If his teachers cared -which they didn't- they'd notice the ever growing aura of fatigue around him, as well as the deep bags embedded beneath his eyes; a permanent statement of his schedule. Yet closed mindedness and selfish desires plagued the students' minds, clouding out all empathy that would be directed at the emerald teen if they'd've had an ounce of decency.
Surprising lack of what made them human appeared to be strangely necessary to have education or work at the school.
Even with the ability to calm everyone around him, their hatred ran deep.
It wasn't too far into the day when he decided to tell someone about his quirk. Ranting seemed like a good idea at the time.
As the lesson ended, he silently returned his classwork to his backpack, gently zipping it closed with his thin, pale fingers. He felt eyes on him, knowing how many was not his priority at the moment. His sights were set on surviving the rest of the day uninterrupted. Slipping the ochre bag onto his back lopsidedly, he stood with the rest of the class. Shortly after being dismissed and exiting the aged classroom, he found himself being dragged by his shirt by none other than Katsuki Bakugou. Cold shivers began to slip down his spine repetitively, almost like the ticking of a clock. Tingling numbness spread up his long fingers, removing his ability to hold.
The crowd thinned until the two were alone. Katsuki slammed him through the door of an empty classroom and kicked him to the corner, blocking his only exit. Pure, unbridled anger seeped from the raging teen. Emotionless facade steadily in place, the greenette blankly looked up at the blonde. Rough, calloused hands wrapped around the front of his shirt, lifting him up. "You fucking liar." Ah. It was about that. "You really thought to hide this from me for eleven years?!" He spat, looming over the lean boy. "Well? Say something!" A dry, cracked laugh choked it's way up through the pale boy's throat.
As Bakugou let go, he let his legs catch him before he hit the ground. "Why didn't you tell me!" Another warped cackle was forced from the teen. "Why? I wonder. Maybe because you'd act like this. I only found out a few days ago, but you wouldn't believe me if I said that, no. No, you'd blame me and, I don't know, call me a liar? Kick me? You're a ticking time bomb, Bakugou. Who knows what you'll do next!" Izuku glared at Bakugou -who refused to meet his eyes- and stepped to the side. "You wouldn't even want to know how I found out the rest of it." He started to walk away, shortly stopped by a hand on his shoulder. The red eyed teen tore the bag from his lean body, holding it in a firm grasp. "Tell me or your stuff gets ruined." He hissed, small explosions popping in his hands, burning the worn fabric of the backpack. "Well, then. If you wanna know so bad, why don't we go somewhere more suitable. Wouldn't want an extra to walk in, would we?" With Bakugou leading, they made their way to the rooftop.
"So, tell me." Izuku took a deep breath and pulled up his sleeve. Four obsidian tally marks marked his scarred skin. "I know how you despise to follow instructions, but listen closely. Each of these lines will explain my quirk to you. Just remember, it isn't real." Izuku took a hold of Bakugou's hand and placed it on the first onyx tattoo.
Bakugou didn't even have time to ask what he meant before being transported beneath a bridge. It was semi-dark, light still visible. He heard a faint sound of water moving, yet there was no rain. He tried to look around, but it was as if his body.. Wasn't his body. 'His' head turned and out of nowhere, murky green filled his vision. The feeling of being suffocated overwhelmed his mind as he gasped for breath, his efforts lacking reward. A numb tingling sensation clawed its way up 'his' figure as 'his' vision began to tunnel. It wasn't long before it all went dark.
When his vision returned, he was back on the rooftop, lying on the floor. Shakily righting himself, he stood up. "W-what the fuck was that?"
A short sigh fell from Izuku’s cherry lips. “That was my first death.” Bakugou’s eyes widened. “What the hell are you talking about?” He cried, the panic of drowning fresh in his mind, taking over his emotions.
“Each mark I have is a way that I’ve died. This is what I meant when I said I’ve only known about my quirk for a while. When I had no signs of a quirk by four, we just assumed that I didn’t have one. Seeing as it makes me immortal, I guess it makes sense that we didn’t see it.” Bakugou paused to think for a second, before hastily blurting out a question. “What did you get the other three for?” Izuku kept his silence unbroken, it was far from crucial to let him know.
Glancing at the time, he quietly left.
Soft muffled footsteps followed the greenette as he strode to his next lesson. He felt eyes on him again, opting to ignore them in contrast to facing the students. He retrieved his tattered exercise book from his bag, placing it on the table in a single movement. Flipping it open to the most recent blank page, he clicked his pen and began to write.
As he did so, more than a few of his classmates gazed at him, admiring the view. Viridian ringlets lined his face, a soft frown formed on his delicate and pale features. Concentrated emerald eyes that were focused on filling the blank page seemed to swirl with jade and ivy, even from distance, the obsidian roots of his hair seemed to gleam like a raven’s feathers in the warm yet dim light.
Long, elegant fingers loosely held the pen, writing each kanji like a font. His uniform seemed to perfectly hug his figure in all the right places, loose in others.
His calming aura flooded from his form, submerging the room in tranquility. Shamrock green curls faded into pine tips, highlighting his scattered freckles.
Golden rays of sunshine caressed his face, comforting his body like a mother to a child. Plump ruby lips caught the light, seemingly manipulating it with tulip tints.
Well, that was until the lesson was cut short by the teacher’s exclamation. “I would hand out these future career forms, but I assume you all want to be heroes.” Majority of the class perked up at the statement, a few frantically nodding. Only two kept neutral faces. A flurry of quirks shown off lit up the room, the varying usefulness painfully obvious. “Yes, you all have wonderful quirks,” The hints of sarcasm dripped in his tone, fueling the lie and fueling their egos. “But you know it’s against the rules to use them in school.” The room quietened, yet the source wasn’t due to the minor scolding. “You make it seem like a quirk is all it takes to be a hero.” A monotone voice spoke out, fully silencing the class.
“True, some seemingly useless quirks could be utilized, but let’s be honest here, when is something like stretching your fingers going to help save someone? We all know they’re too brittle to hold up rubble and would snap if you tried to grab someone who’s running. They make you a great target, your bones would break if flicked too hard. And don’t get me started on you, Kayuso, if we fought, I’d win with no trouble. It’s almost too easy to spot your weakness.”
The boy in question shifted uncomfortably. “If you’re so smart, what is it then?” Izuku let out a dry laugh. “All I’d need to do would be pull away one of your rocks and you’d be on the floor crying. You make everything about your quirks, all of you.” As he’d been talking, he’d packed his belongings away and had neared an open window.
Without even looking, he jumped onto the frame. “It honestly makes me sick.” He spat, kicking off from the window sill, down at least four floors. Concerned mumbles burst out from the class, rushing to the window to see the teen. They expected to see him dead, at least injured, but there he was, walking away with no regrets. A flood of on-the-spot conspiracy theories were chucked around, trying to find a logical explanation for the quirkless kid surviving the fall. “The bastard does have a quirk, idiots. Or did you forget the whole lorry incident?” Bakugou hissed, pressing a few students to back away from him. He was still annoyed that he’d only heard about it that day, through a mistake at that.
Izuku muttered most of the way home, planning how he’d tell his mother about his quirk. When the lorry incident happened, he’d convinced her that it had been the work of someone else.
He was so caught up in his head that he didn’t notice the hooded figure trailing behind him, nor the approaching hero, known to all. It was only when All Might was directly in front of him that he managed to take in his presence.
He tried to assure himself that this was the source of his feeling of unease, but his mind refused to accept it. He knew something else was there, but tried to focus on the man in his peripheral vision. “Hello there, (General Kenobi) Midoriya” Izuku stepped around him, motioning the hero to follow. Continuing his walk with All Might in tow, he began to speak. “I assume you’re here about the accident a few days ago.” The taller male nodded in confirmation. “Yes. The issue of your unknown quirk still stands.” Izuku let out a deep sigh, blowing a few peridot hairs around.
“I found out as much as I could in the time. It’s pretty simple. Each time I ‘die’ I gain a tally mark. If someone touches the mark, they see how I died from my perspective. I can’t die the same way twice. If someone recently deceased died in a way that I died previously, I can resurrect them, also being able to heal people injured in that way. It’s pretty simple if you get your head around it.” All Might blinked. It seemed borderline impossible for the teen to have gained that much information in a mere week. “How many people know about this?”
Izuku shrugged, swinging his arms playfully. “Only a few kids at school, and I’m about to tell Inko.” An eyebrow was raised at the use of his mother’s first name. “I refer to my parent by their first name, it’s pointless playing with stupid nicknames. Being a mother doesn’t define her, she’s her own person.” Finishing the conversation immediately, he gave a single salute and went on his way. Unbeknownst to him, the hooded figure overheard about ninety percent of the conversation, piquing his interest in the curious yet elegant teen. Before he could even risk being caught borderline stalking, he split paths with the younger boy and returned to the place he came from.
Without another issue, the green haired teen made it back home. He’d finished formulating his miniature speech and was ready to tell Inko. He carefully opened the door, closing it behind him softly. As expected, the short woman was there. Gently setting down his bag, he addressed her. “I have something I think you should know tell you.” Her eyes flew open wide, thoughts flashing through her head like lightning, varying from all kinds of explanations. “I have a quirk.” From all the crazy things she expected, this was not one she thought of. “W-what?” Leading her to a chair, he sat her down. “I found out a few days ago. I got caught in a villain attack. I should’ve drowned.” A deep feeling of concern washed over her, almost forcing her to panic. “Then I got hit by a truck. We both know there was no way I should’ve survived that, let alone the explosion after.” Although she wouldn’t have thought it directly, it was slightly expected. “I mean, at least I can’t die, right?” Inko nodded. It was all going to be fine.
It was far from fine. He’d still not managed to find a safe way to use his quirk to try and get into UA. On the other hand, training physically might be good for his chances. Although his lean figure was already rather muscular, there was still more than enough work to be done.
Cool water dripped down his flushed face. Although he was overheating, his body refused to sweat. It seemed that the more he ‘died’, the less he was alive. But seeing as he only had four tallies at the moment, it could change. Emerald curls clung to his forehead as he continued to work, keeping up his haste pace. Focused peridot eyes gleamed with ambition and determination, only swirls of pine clouding his irises. His pale figure under little to no strain at the speed, the warmth of the sun impacting his temperature. Bringing himself back to walking, he paused, making the decision to take a well deserved break.