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Izuku Midoriya. Not many knew he existed. Well not many knew he existed by that name. His parents (mainly his mother. He doesn’t know his father all that well) knew him as Deku and those he would run into at night knew him as Runt. He’s not sure why people called him that, probably his small stature. It’s fine if only he knows his real name. Sure, sometimes he forgets what his name is and it’ll take a few days to remember, but it’s not like he has friends to remind him. His mother keeps him home all day, only allowing him to go out at night for a reason he doesn’t really know. He vaguely knows his age and the only way he’s able to tell time is by the light that filters through his window. He’s only allowed to go out when the sky is completely shrouded in black, so he waits and watches the light on his floor inch it’s way up and up and up his wall until it stops and is slowly replaced by darkness.
He was fine. He didn’t miss the feeling of being loved or the feeling of being wanted. You couldn’t miss something you never had in the first place. Some people look at him with concern when they see him roaming the more ( how would Mr. Scarf say it? Ah!) grimier and crime infested parts of the district. Or what the internet called, the Red Light District. Mr. Scarf (maybe he forgot the man’s name but that’s not important right now) would always walk him home when they ran into each other and he’d always ask Izuku questions. Some questions he couldn’t answer like his age, because he only has a vague understanding, or his birthday.
Sometimes Mr. Scarf would tell Izuku things like how he has 4 cats whose names are Raisin, Bastard, Bucket, and Cat. Izuku loved hearing about Mr. Scarf’s cats. They sounded so sweet but Izuku refused to visit Mr. Scarf’s house to see his cats. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Mr. Scarf. He did! Mr. Scarf was a hero so obviously he should be trustworthy! But Izuku’s mother always told him that when he went outside at night, to not follow people home. No matter who they say they are. It was the one rule besides being home before the light starts to shine on the ground.
“Hey Mr. Scarf?” Izuku asks, looking up at the man who was walking him home once more.
“Yeah Runt?” Mr. Scarf asks.
“What’s the light in the sky called again?” Izuku really hates his memory. He knows Mr. Scarf has already told him what it’s called but he can never remember. Just like how he can’t remember Mr. Scarf’s name.
“The bright one is called the sun and the darker one, the one that’s out right now, is called the moon.” Mr. Scarf explained patiently. He was always patient with Izuku. It was nice. Different.
“Oh! Ok. Sorry for asking again.” Izuku apologized.
“It’s fine Kiddo. Sometimes people forget things. As long as you ask I’ll explain.” Mr. Scarf said, patting Izuku’s head softly.
“Alright!” Izuku chirped. When he got home he took out one of the notebooks Mr. Scarf had given him to remember things and he wrote down what he was just told.
“Bright = Sun. Dark = Moon.” Izuku mumbled as he wrote it down. He’ll remember next time. He will!
Shouta sighed as he walked into the police station. Runt was small. Small enough to be mistaken as a 5 year old child, though Shouta doubts Runt is actually that young. He’s been building up a relationship with Runt for a few years now and for the first year Runt would continuously ask his name each time they met. He doubted Runt ever went outside during the day due to his pale skin. So yes, maybe Shouta was worried for the obviously neglected and abused child, but he couldn’t do anything just yet. He didn’t have any solid evidence he could use in a court.
“Maybe you should give him a phone.” Tsukauchi’s voice sounded from next to him.
“Yeah I would, but I don’t think he knows how to use one.” Shouta says, turning to the detective. “Anyways, that’s not why I’m here. I have some paperwork I need to do.”
“For that criminal you brought in earlier?” Tsukauchi asks, leading them to his office.
“Obviously.” Shouta says, slouching down in a chair when they reach the office and grumbling as he takes the paperwork from Tsukauchi.
They work in silence for some time before Tsukauchi speaks up, the sound of pen scratching on paper ceasing from both men.
“How old is he?” Ah, so he’s still asking about Runt. To be fair, both men seem to be protective of the kid. They don’t know why, especially when only one of them has ever met Runt.
“I don’t know. When I ask him he always says he can’t remember or he himself doesn’t know. I think he’s around 8 or 9, but I can’t be positive.” Shouta answers.
“What’s he look like?” Tsukauchi asks, typing on his computer.
“Greenish black hair, freckles, green eyes. Pretty plain.” Shouta says, standing up from his chair to stand behind Tsukauchi as the detective looks through records.
“Quirk?” Tsukauchi asks.
“He doesn’t know what a quirk is. So he doesn’t know if he has one.” Shouta answers easily. The night he asked Runt his quirk, the kid just looked at him confused.
“What’s a quirk Mr. Scarf?” Runt asked, clearly confused.
“It’s like a tool that helps people in their everyday lives. Sometimes it’s not all that helpful, but a quirk can range from the smallest thing like changing your eye color to being a strength augmentation.” Shouta had answered, trying to choose words that the kid would understand.
“Aug-men-tason?” Runt asked.
“Augmentation.” Shouta offhandedly corrected. “It makes the person stronger.”
“Oh!” Runt looked thoughtful. “Do I have a quirk Mr. Scarf?”
“Well can you do anything others aren’t able to?” Shouta asked, genuinely curious. This could help him find out more about Runt.
“Um, I don’t think so. I mean like my mom does a lot of cool things but I can’t do those.” Runt replied, a finger to his chin.
“What can your mom do?” Shouta asked.
“She can move things with her mind! Like knives and books and stuff!” Runt had responded enthusiastically.
“Is that so?” Shouta kept the conversation going, making sure to tell Runt of all the quirks he had run into during his time as a hero. Shouta’s hero status seemed to be the one thing the kid constantly remembered.
“I don’t know his quirk, but I know his mother has a small attraction quirk. Or telekinesis.” Shouta said, looking down at Tsukauchi.
“Do you have an idea of what the mother looks like?” Tsukauchi asks.
“Most likely very similar to Runt. Green hair, small.” Shouta guessed.
“Well it might take awhile. Just keep an eye out for the kid.” Tsukauchi said, turning to his computer.
“Will do. Text me when you’ve got a good guess on who the kid is.” Shouta said, walking out of the office.
Deku peeked out of his room. Mother was gone. She had said she would be going somewhere for 3-4 weeks which meant a lot of Sun and Moon days. He counted on the calendar Mother had hanging in the kitchen. He knew a week lasted from the day on the far left to the day on the far right. What were they called again? Sun...Sunday and Sas..Sater...Saturday! It was currently the 2nd Su-n-day Mother was gone, so Deku didn’t think he should be worrying, but sometimes Mother came back earlier than expected, so of course he was going to be cautious. Mother almost never wanted to see him during the day. Deku Deku Deku. He didn’t have another name. Maybe he did. He thinks there’s someone who calls him something that’s not Deku because Deku means useless and why would he be alive if he was useless.
“Mmm.” Deku hummed. It was a tuneless hum as he walked the halls but it was something he did whenever he was confused. He doesn’t know where he got the hum from.
“Haven’t gone out.” Deku mutters after a while. Sometimes he reverts back to simpler speech when words become harder than they should be. He doesn’t have an issue with it but once he did it while Mother let him roam the house during the day and she sent him back to his room. Mother just wanted to protect him. That’s why Mother does what she does. Because Father is dangerous.
Let’s go out and play Izuku. The voice he often hears on these days speaks. He’s not sure who the voice sounds like. It doesn’t sound like Izuku or Mother and it doesn’t sound like Mr. Scarf.
“Play play play.” Izuku, not Deku, Izuku, says as he walks back to his room and slips out the window.
The sun’s out Izuku. Mother wouldn’t like you going out to play.
“But you told me to.” Izuku pouted, sitting on the...what was it called again?
A fire escape Izuku.
“Yeah that.” Izuku says, sitting on the fire escape, swinging his legs.
Mother’s not home so let’s go play during the day.
“Day not here.” Izuku says.
Day is here Izuku. See the bright ball of light is in the sky. Mr. Aizawa said it was called the sun. And the sun comes out during the day.
“Mother says not to leave during day.” Izuku continues humming and swinging his legs.
Mother’s not here.
“But Mother might come back.” Izuku countered.
Ah yes. She does tend to see if we’re home or not when she comes back.
“Where is Mother?” Izuku asked.
I don’t know Izuku. She never tells us where she goes.
“Zuku Zuku Zuku.” Izuku echoed.
Yes. Izuku. Not Deku. Not Runt. Izuku.
“Not Deku. Play?” Izuku asked, forgetting what he just said in regards to leaving during the day.
Always Izuku.
“Yay!” Izuku exclaimed quietly, climbing down the fire escape.
“Name name name.” Izuku said as he tried to navigate his way to the park he visits at night.
What do you need a name for Izuku?
“You!” Izuku said.
I’m you and you’re me. We are each other.
“You don’t sound like me.” Izuku whispered.
I am a part of you aren’t I?
“Part?” Izuku asked.
Yes, like how a leaf is a part of a tree. You are the tree and I am the leaf.
“Leaf leaf leaf.” Izuku said, beginning to run towards the familiar park.
Leaf. Yes. I am your leaf and you are my tree.
“I’m tree.” Izuku said confidently.
Let’s play Hide ‘n Seek Izuku.
“Tree!” Izuku said, running towards a tree at the edge of the park.
Be careful Izuku.
“Mmm.” Izuku hummed, climbing the tree carefully like Leaf told him to. “Leaf leaf leaf.” He repeated once more when he was settled on a low hanging branch.
There are leaves around you, Izuku. Do you see their different colors?
“Different? Like me?” Izuku asked.
You could say that. The leaves change colors when it becomes cold. They change into reds and oranges instead of their usual green.
“Pink.” Izuku whispered, pointing towards a lone pink leaf.
That leaf is pink Izuku. Sometimes there are pink leaves. No one leaf is the same.
“Sad.” Izuku says, reaching out for the leaf.
I don’t think so. It just makes the leaves unique and different in their own way.
“Keep keep keep.” Izuku hummed.
You can keep the pink leaf Izuku. Would you like to give it to someone as well?
“Mine.” Izuku stated. “No more Hide Seek now?”
Yes. Let’s go home now.
“Home home home.” Izuku echoed. He didn’t notice the eyes following him until he left the park, nor did he notice the figure walking behind him. Well not until Leaf pointed it out.
Izuku do not slow down. A bad person is following us.
“Fast.” Izuku nods. He speeds up as much as he can until he reaches a populated area and Leaf tells him it’s ok to slow down a bit. They make it back home without any more issues.
“Safe.” Izuku says as he slides in through the window.
“Are you now Deku?” Mother says from his bed. “Where were you? What did I tell you about going out?”
“Leaf told me to do it.” Deku says.
“Who is Leaf, Deku? There’s no one else here but us.” Mother questions, not at all believing what Deku says.
“Leaf in head.” Deku points towards his head.
“What have I told you about talking like that? It’s disgusting, stop it and speak like a normal person.” Mother stands from Deku’s bed.
“Sorry.” Deku apologizes, looking down at his feet. He knows what’s coming. ‘ Closet closet closet ’ He thinks to himself as he follows Mother down the hall to his timeout closet.
“In.” Mother hisses at him. Deku nods and steps into the cramped closet, watching as the strip of light becomes smaller and smaller until it’s no more. “You have 3 days in here to think about what you did.” Mother’s voice says from behind the door.
“Yes.” Deku answers.
He sits down on the pile of clothes Mother keeps but never uses, curling in on himself.
“Bad bad bad.” Deku says to himself in the darkness of the closet. Leaf doesn’t talk to him for the rest of his time in the closet. It makes him cry silent tears.
Shouta’s worried. Of course he’d be worried. He almost always saw Runt walking the streets at night every day, but he hadn’t been spotted for 2 almost 3 weeks. He decides on the 18th day of not seeing Runt that he’s going to get the kid a phone. In the event Runt ever needs help, at least he’ll have Shouta to call. Tsukauchi was still looking through the databases for Runt’s supposed mother. The detective had narrowed it down to around 20 women by last week, so now it was just a matching game to see who looked the closest to Runt. It was a long slow process, but Shouta would wait. As long as Runt was safe, he’d wait. But he didn’t know if Runt was safe right now. Runt could be bleeding out in an alleyway with no way to contact Shouta, so of course he’d be worried and a tad irritable.
“Heya Shou!” Hizashi, the kind, loud blonde that is Shouta’s friend, greeted.
“What Hizashi?” Shouta snapped, harsher than normal. He knows he shouldn’t take out his worries on his friends and coworkers, but he can’t help it right now. Runt has been missing for 18 going on 19 days.
“Woah. What’s going on, Shou? Is it the little listener?” Hizashi asks. Right, Shouta forgot he told his friends about Runt.
Shouta grunted in response. Hizashi took the grunt as what it was and left the topic alone. Runt wasn’t even a vigilante so it’s not like he’s out there getting hurt from fighting villains, but if Shouta’s gut is correct then his home life isn’t the best. And Kami does he hope his gut is wrong this time.
~~~~~~
He sees Runt 2 days later, slowly walking around and humming to himself. The kid looks skinnier than the last time Shouta saw him, and it definitely worries him. Tsukauchi said he would be able to get back to him on Runt’s mom in less than a week, so for now all he could do was watch out for the kid. And give him the phone Shouta’s been wanting to give the kid.
“Hey Runt.” Shouta said, stepping up behind the kid, telegraphing his movements and making his steps heavier.
“Hiya Mr. Scarf!” Runt exclaims, turning around.
“I have something for you, Runt.” Shouta squats to be eye level with the kid. He hands over the burner phone. “It already has my number in it so if you ever need help, just call me.”
“Woah! Thanks Mr. Scarf!” Runt exclaims, holding the phone like it’s some prized possession. And Shouta thinks that to some kid, it might be.
“Sure, just don’t lose it.” Shouta warns playfully, ruffling Runt’s fluffy green hair.
“I won’t!” Runt promises. Shouta chuckles.
“What happened to you Runt? You were gone for 19 days.” Shouta says absentmindedly as he begins to walk the kid home.
“Ah! Mother wasn’t home so I didn’t go outside, but I went outside during the day which she told me not to do and she came back sooner than expected and I had to go into the closet again.” The again worries Shouta, but he makes sure his face doesn’t portray his thoughts of disgust at a woman who would lock their kid in the closet.
“Why can’t you go outside in the daytime?” Shouta asks.
“Mother never told me why. She just said that I can’t and should not tell people my name.” Runt explains like it’s normal for a child to be neglected of social interaction by their own mother.
“What is your name?” Shouta asks even though he knows the kid just said he can’t tell people.
“Deku!” Runt exclaims. “It’s what Mother calls me.”
“What does Deku mean?” Shouta asks because he’s really hoping it doesn’t mean what he thinks it means.
“Mother said it means useless!” Shouta has to hold back a grimace at the thought of a mother calling their own child useless.
“Do you have any other names?” Shouta asks, hoping to any deity out there that might listen, that ‘Deku’ isn’t Runt’s actual name.
“Mm. Name name name.” Runt echoes, humming in thought. Shouta refuses to call Runt ‘Deku’, even if it is the kid’s real name. “Yup! I do!”
“You know you can trust me with that information right?” Shouta asks, stopping and crouching down to Runt’s height once more. He’s really hoping he can get a name out of the child in front of him.
“Yup yup!” Runt exclaims. “What was it again?”
It takes a few minutes, but Runt’s face finally lights up and he looks at Shouta like he’s about to tell the greatest secret in the world.
Izuku leans forward and whispers into Mr. Scarf’s ear, “Izuku.” It’s the only part of his real name that he can remember at the moment, so he apologizes for being unable to give Mr. Scarf his whole name.
Mr. Scarf tells him it’s alright and stands up again to begin walking them home.
“What’s your name Mr. Scarf?” Izuku knows, he knows Mr. Scarf has told him, but he can never seem to remember.
“Aizawa Shouta, Kid.” Mr. Ai-za-wa says easily. Izuku repeats the name the rest of the way home, trying to commit it to memory. It doesn’t work as when they get to the familiar corner before his home, Izuku forgets Mr. Scarf’s name and looks down at his feet dejectedly.
“ ‘M sorry Mr. Scarf.” Izuku hiccups. He really wanted to remember Mr. Scarf’s name this time. Really he did! It was just so much harder than he thought it would be.
“It’s fine Kiddo. You should get to bed though. And remember, if you ever need help, my number’s in that phone.” Mr. Scarf points to the phone in Izuku’s hand.
Izuku smiled, albeit sadly, at Mr. Scarf before walking further down the street to the stairs of the apartment complex.
~~~~~~
It’s a few more weeks until Leaf talks to Izuku again. Izuku keeps the phone Mr. Scarf had given to him, on his person at all times, so when a small child, smaller than Izuku, appeared in front of him asking for his phone, Izuku gave it over. Why wouldn’t he? He’s bleeding out in an alley because someone attacked him. He takes his time to look at the child. Their hair is purple, almost black and they have freckles dotting their cheeks. Their eyes shine a nice purple and they look as pale as a ghost. Maybe they’re sick.
“Who?” Izuku asks, ignoring the searing pain in his side from where there was a knife lodged into the skin and muscle.
“Leaf.” The small child, Leaf, says, looking for something on Izuku’s phone.
“ Hello?” Izuku hears Mr. Scarf’s voice come through the phone.
“Hi? Yes, hello. Izuku needs help. Please help him. I can’t help him because I don’t know how, but you’re an adult so you must be able to help him. Please, I don’t want him to die. He’s so young.” Leaf sounds desperate? worried? Izuku’s not sure, but their voice isn’t the normal cheery sound he usually hears in his head.
“ Who is this? ” Mr. Scarf asks. “ No wait, where is he? What happened? Make sure to keep him awake. ”
“I’m Leaf. Uh he’s in an alley bleeding out near the convenience store on the way to the apartment. Um, please help.”
“Leaf Leaf Leaf.” Izuku says, his vision beginning to go black.
“Yes. Yes, I’m Leaf, Izuku. Please stay awake. Mr. Aizawa’s going to be here soon.” Leaf pleads.
“Izuku?” Izuku asks. Everything is really blurry. Why is everything blurry? Is it because of the knife? Maybe he should take it out.
“ No! No. Don’t take the knife out Runt. Leave it in. Just stay awake until I get there with an ambulance. Leaf, put pressure on his wound ” Mr. Scarf says. Leaf does as Mr. Scarf says.
Izuku doesn’t know how long it takes, but eventually Mr. Scarf is standing a ways away from him, a foreign expression on his face. Actually, he’s not sure if it’s actually Mr. Scarf or if it’s just his eyes messing with him. Is he going to die? He doesn’t want to die. He doesn’t know Mr. Scarf’s name. No, he knows. He’s just too useless to remember. Dumb dumb dumb.
“No, Izuku you’re not dumb. You just have a little more trouble remembering things, but that’s ok. You’re not useless. I’ll tell you as many times as you need.” Mr. Scarf says, getting closer. “You’re not going to die either. I won’t let you, so don’t you die on me ok? Don’t make me a liar.”
Izuku cries. And then he giggles. It’s a wet giggle, because Mr. Scarf’s face looks funny, but that’s because all the colors are morphing together. Sirens sound in the distance and Mr. Scarf lets out a sigh.
Izuku doesn’t want to go. He wants to stay with Mr. Scarf but those scary people are going to take him from the man. Mama’s going to be angry because all these people are going to see him. He’s not allowed to go places with others. She says it’s dangerous. He’s not allowed to be seen outside of the dark.
“No.” Izuku says, staring up at the people in white and blue. They share a look between each other before looking at Mr. Scarf. “No! Nonononono!”
It’s all he can say as his mind reels with thoughts of what Mama’s going to do to him when she finds out. He doesn’t want to go back into the closet. Last time he went back in the closet, Leaf didn’t talk to him. Leaf. Where’s Leaf. He wants Leaf.
“I’m right here Izuku.” Leaf’s voice says from next to him. Izuku doesn’t want to die. He doesn’t want to go back into the closet. He just wants to go exploring at night and finally Mr. Scarf’s name. This isn’t what he wanted.
“I know Kiddo. I know. And you will. Just let the EMTs take you to the hospital. You won’t have to go back into the closet ever. You won’t have to do anything you don’t want to do if you just come with me to the hospital. I promise.” Mr. Scarf says, his hands hovering over Izuku’s head.
“Promise?” Izuku asks, because he wants what Mr. Scarf is telling him. But he’s scared.
“Yeah. Yeah, Kiddo, I promise. Let them help you and you can have all the things I told you.” Mr. Scarf says. Izuku feels himself nod in consent and arms picking him up. He’s placed on something and then there are voices around him. He looks to his left to find both Mr. Scarf and Leaf next to him.
“Sleep now?” Izuku asks, his words slowly failing him.
“No. Not yet Kiddo. I know you want to, but you have to stay awake just a little while longer.”
“But ‘m tired.” Izuku tries. His eyelids feel heavy and the black dots at the corner of his vision slowly keep inching up and taking up what he can see.
“I know. I know you are, but we have to get to the hospital first.” Mr. Scarf’s voice sounds so broken. Why is he so sad? Izuku doesn’t want Mr. Scarf to be sad. Does Mr. Scarf have his own Leaf?
“You could say I have my own Leaf, yeah.” Mr. Scarf whispers. There’s loud beeping noises and people rushing out of the big box Izuku is in. Where is he? There’s lights flashing in his eyes and people saying things he can’t understand. They’re all crowding him and he just wants it to stop.
“It will stop soon Izuku.” Oh Leaf’s voice was back in his head. That’s nice. At least he has Leaf with him. “I’ll stay with you for as long as you need me to.”
“Sorry. ‘M sorry Leaf.” Izuku says, repeating it like a mantra as he’s wheeled through doors and hallways. The pain in his side is screaming at him and he has half a mind to just take out the knife, but each time he reaches for it, someone’s hands gently swat him away.
He hears voices and sounds, but none of it is clicking in his head and when they put some kind of mask over his face, he takes that as their permission to finally sleep.
His dreams consist of warm summer beaches and ice cream cones. He’s walking with Mr. Scarf and Leaf. Neither of them look sad like they did when he was awake, so he takes it as a good sign. He’s happy on the beach with Leaf and Mr. Scarf. Nothing’s wrong here. There’s no pain, no sadness. Just laughter and happy times. He’s so wrapped up in walking down the beach with them, that he doesn’t notice the crying man behind him, locked behind a see-through wall, unable to get to Izuku. He doesn’t notice how Leaf’s hand goes from cold to warm, and he doesn’t notice the sad look Leaf gives him when he looks up at Mr. Scarf.
Maybe everything was just a dream. One big, long dream that he finally woke up from. That would explain why he’s no longer in pain or locked in the closet. Everything’s alright now that he woke up.
Shouta wants to scream at the world. Tsukauchi had gotten back to him on Izuku’s full name, age, and who Izuku’s guardian was. But it was too late. Izuku Midoriya was dead. He died during surgery. Leaf had disappeared before the doctors had come to inform him of Izuku’s (because Midoriya sounds too formal for a kid Shouta’s known for so long already and who had already given Shouta his name) death.
It hurt. He had tried to save the kid. Tried to be a trustworthy adult for the kid, and he supposes he was with how much the kid would light up upon seeing Shouta, but he didn’t feel like he did enough. Izuku was dead, but Shouta would make damned sure Inko Midoriya got what she deserved for what she did to her son.
Izuku would get the justice he deserved for not being able to have a childhood.
( Years later, when Shouta is asleep in a hospital bed, fighting for his life because villains decided to attack his class, he’ll dream of a beach. A beach where he finds Izuku, the kid he failed so early on. The kid who was only 9 years old when he died.
Izuku will hold out a hand to him and call out the nickname he hasn’t heard in so long.
“Mr. Scarf!”
Another small child will appear next to Izuku and they’ll smile warmly at Shouta. Shouta will wonder where he is, but take the kid’s outstretched hand anyways. He’ll tell Izuku of what happened when he died and what Shouta has accomplished as a hero and as a teacher so far. Izuku will smile and listen as Shouta shares stories and experiences with the boy.
Izuku will walk Shouta back the way they came and the kid will send him off with a bright smile and a farewell.
“You have so much more to do Mr. Scarf! Please help those kids like you helped me.”
And then he’ll wake up and cry into the arms of his best friend for the loss of a boy so young.)