Work Text:
If they were human, it would be considered a miracle. But they were not; thus, they called it something wondrous. The Father of Creation had done it again. Praise be only unto him, for he is the hand that guides all.
It was only once every thousand years or more that an angel was born. Not created by magic, not an ascended soul, but born from the will of Father himself. It had been even longer in time since God decided to create Twins. It wasn't since Sandalphon and Metatron that any twins were born over ten thousand years ago. Now in this new age of mythical humans, two angels popped into existence before the Thrones of Heaven as every angel before them had done. The thrones and archangels watched in astonishment as two lights, two new stars in the night, flickered into existence.
Two young children stood side by side, looking out at their siblings gathered to greet their existence. The one on the right, taller than the other, stood proud with a strong chin and broad shoulders, ready to train in becoming a true warrior of God. Their crimson eyes scanned those before them as their halo began to glow with fire as bright as the explosions on the sun. With a smirk, they felt their wings grow from his back with a thunderclap, causing the very heavens to shudder at its strength. Wings of pale gold and firelight feathers graced the child, their ashen hair growing into soft spikes around the halo that grew from the head. The halo held the color of lightning with orange embers within the overlay of bone.
The other, smaller child stood looking at their birthmate in awe before their deep forest green eyes scanned those around them. They stood tall, proud of their existence, but where the blond was blessed with the broad frame of a fighter, this child was blessed with a lithe, flexible frame expressing speed. Their eyes, however, shone with wisdom beyond the ages, calculating, analytical, and kind. A breeze blew through the thrones pulling at wings and halos as the wind sang with the love of freedom. While the first child entered the heavens with a bang, the other slipped in like a shadow, full of knowledge and always learning. Those gathered in the room watched as wings, the color of moonlight streaming through the trees, ran down the child's back like water. The feathers held an iridescent that shone with a green light. The halo held the light of crystal clear running water, with deep blues in the ridges as it rose from deep green curls.
Micheal and Gabriel approached their newest siblings, smiling with open arms.
"We welcome thy siblings! For this is a glorious day indeed, our Father saw it fit to grace us with more family." Micheal's voice nearly sang with joy as Gabriel nodded along. "Please, inform us. How do you wish for us to address you?"
The blond smirked once more, looking Micheal over with a critical eye. "I am Katsuki. And I will be of the male sex," he announced, feathers fluffing up and wings lifting off his back in pride.
The green one nodded, memorizing everything being said around them. "I am Izuku, and I too will be male. It is a pleasure to greet you siblings." his wings tucked into his back as he nodded his head, ever polite.
"Excellent! Let the heavens rejoice as Katsuki and Izuku join our ranks! Come let us feast!" Grabiel called out as cherubs rushed off to spread the word of the newest angels born in the heavens.
The sky celebrated for a fortnight the birth of the newest twins. The stars shone brighter, the winds sang louder, and the earth bloomed with a vitality not seen in a hundred years. They were two sides of the same coin, both holding darkness, and light within them. One proud and held a ferocity of loyalty to Father's will not seen since a young Lucifer walked the clouds. The other kind and yet cunning, able to outwit any of those who approach him during the games and crush them without mercy. And they were inseparable.
For years they trained side by side, under the tutelage of Micheal himself. They learned that Katsuki held sway over the moment within an explosion. The moment lightning meets the earth, the flash of brilliance within the sun, the heat and passion only seen in those who excel in war. Micheal quickly granted him the title of Archangel, training him to be the ultimate warrior only bested by Micheal himself.
Izuku, while fast and merciless when need be, preferred books to study and learn everything that all lifeforms knew as well as all the secrets of the cosmos. While he had no sway over any specific role in the universe, his knowledge and wisdom knew no bounds. After learning all that he could physically from Micheal, he was taken under wing by the Archangel Zaphkiel and given the title of a Throne, becoming one of the most excellent secret keepers of the heavens.
Izuku and Katsuki disliked being separated for their studies. That was the only time they were ever without each other, and they hated it. The moment their studies were over for the day, they would gather within the garden to sit together, basking in each other's grace as they watched the sunset on the day.
After many more years, the boys held the appearance of teenagers, young adults if being generous, and they started being given more responsibilities. Katsuki was sent to seek out evils attempting to break free from their confines and bring them to justice or recapture them. Izuku was assigned a few mortals to watch over, to be their guardian while balancing his position as a Throne, listening, searching, and collecting the secrets of the cosmos.
But regardless of how much time passed between their missions, they always met in the garden as soon as they returned. They would spend time basking before regaling each other with tales of their successes.
"Then the fucker decided to raise a damned legion of imps! Can you believe that fuck? Like forty legions of Imps could even put a scratch on me!" Katsuki growled as he leaned back, his wings relaxed in the soft grass behind him, giving the soft glow of firelight. "But it was fine, barely broke a sweat before the slime fucker was imprisoned back into the jar. And dropped to the bottom of purgatory, so fuck if we will ever see him again."
Izuku chuckled as he lay on his stomach. A hefty tome lay before him as he skimmed it slowly, listening to his brother and best friend. "I'm surprised he had the energy to even summon imps; he had only been free for what a year if that?" His wings had darkened slightly, allowing the long feathers to almost blend in with the grass around them. If it were not for the soft light of his halo, he could hide easily in plain sight.
"Yea, he was a punk." Katsuki huffed before looking at Izuku. "What about you? Why have you been so busy lately?"
"Oh well, I have a new assignment. I am reviewing all pure souls and making sure fitting guardians are assigned." Izuku hummed, flipping the page.
"There are pure souls still? Fucking news to me." Katsuki grunted before pushing up to his feet and stretching.
"Yes, there are plenty of pure souls! I am surprised you have one as filthy as your vocabulary is." Izuku teased before snapping the book shut. "My two souls are very pure and doing great things with their lives."
"That's right, you have that hobo fucker and that brainiac chick, don't you?" Katsuki reached down to offer a hand up.
"Shouta is not a hobo! He is a great hero. And Melissa will do great things with her mind." Izuku gripped the hand offered tightly, allowing the blond to pull him to his feet with ease. Standing side by side, Katsuki still stood a head taller than Izuku with twice the muscle; Izuku was like his shadow, yet still bright like the moon reflecting the light.
"Whatever, Nerd. Come, let's eat. I don't have a mission, for now, so let's go for a flight tomorrow." Katsuki led the way to their shared quarters, a small cabin-like building on the outskirts of the Silver City.
"I would love to! Though I need to be back before sunset to gather reports from those who are guardians." Izuku said, tucking the large tome into a satchel on his side.
"You really are in charge of all that now?" Katsuki asked, looking over at the green man.
"I am one of the Thrones; yes, it is my duty to gather and sort knowledge. Make sure all those responsible for souls are treating the souls with respect and doing their jobs. It is against Father's will to directly influence human events and choices; the cosmos has watched angels Fall for less. But if we have this responsibility to protect and guide pure souls, it is my job to make sure angels are doing it correctly." Izuku's voice rolled with pride and wisdom as he understood better than anyone what it is to watch an angel Fall. He had watched the previous Throne of his position be chained in mercury and cast from the Silver City when their halo cracked and darkened. They hadn't even truly Fallen, just fell out of God's favor but still were shunned by their siblings without remorse.
It was that shunning and the distance from family when they needed the most support caused them to Fall truly. Their thirst for knowledge became their greatest sin, as they became Marbus of Mammon's court in Hell. Izuku had made the mistake once of discussing it with Zaphkiel causing the Archangel and King of Thrones to forbid Izuku from seeking knowledge on why angels Fall out of favor and what happens after. His displeasure caused Izuku's own halo's glow to darken from the bright crystal of fresh flowing water to a teal of the color of ocean waves in a warning.
"For a group of fuckers who are supposedly the smartest of us all, yall are pretty damn stupid for worrying about humans so much. They have free will for a reason, and we get in trouble for fucking with it, so why be so uptight about monitoring the guardians?" Katsuki grumbled as he slammed open the door to their home, beelining to the kitchen to start their night meal.
Izuku sighed with fondness as he willed a fire into existence, lighting their hearth with a warm glow. "You know why Katsuki. You may be a fighter, but you have seen what demons can do with a pure soul in their grasp and the Hell on earth that soul experiences before death."
Katsuki just clicked his teeth before turning and beginning the meal.
"I swear you have no love for secrets and knowledge." Izuku prodded before settling down into the day lounge and returning to his book.
This was common for them. Strongly opinionated banter about many topics is what kept their relationship lively. They loved the challenge that the other posed, and while it went unspoken, they knew that neither Heaven nor Hell could keep them apart forever.
The following dawn shone brightly as the boy with golden fire wings and the other with iridescent forest wings stood at the precipice of Heaven looking down at the earth. With an unspoken challenge, they both lept, driving themselves faster and faster into the earth's atmosphere, becoming shooting stars in the pale dawn sky. They flew faster than the human eye could perceive, becoming nothing more than lights flashing just out of sight.
They flew for hours until the midday sun was warm on their wings, and the wind was biting against their face. The angels slowed to a stop landing atop the tallest building in Japan, and overlooked the city. It was a clear day of early summer; a brisk wind pulled at their feathers, the winds begging for the divine beings to bask in its freedom of flight. Katsuki looked out to the south, watching as a red-winged mortal flew at incredible speeds through his city.
Izuku looked to the East, checking in on his ward at the teaching institution called UA. Izuku smiled as he observed Shouta pushing his students to their limits, forcing their bodies to become stronger and learn so much more.
"I swear nothing and everything changes every time I come here," Katsuki grunted as he turned to look at Izuku, who nodded.
"Humans change so much and yet repeat everything throughout the ages. I swear when Father granted us life, these humans barely had what they are calling quirks, and now look at them. All have them, almost, and yet they still fall for the same sins that have existed since the start of time."
"No need to be a poet Nerd." Katsuki rubbed Izuku's head, ruffling his curls and shaking his head by his halo. Izuku's wings flared in indignation. "Stop that! You don't like it when I touch your halo!" As he batted Katsuki's hands away, he was laughing loudly.
"Are we getting food or heading home?" Katsuki asked, looking down at the streets below.
"Oh! Can we get food? You know I can't mask myself well, so you would have to do it." Izuku's eyes shone. Katsuki knew this was Izuku's not-so-secret pleasure. Experiencing human life in a manner of speaking. His curiosity about why humans succumb to sin and why the human experience was so unique in the cosmos.
"Yea, yea, come on, let's go back to that ramen place we tried last time; it's the only place we have found that makes it spicy enough for me." Izuku clapped with joy before both jumped off the building and made their way across Japan to a small hole-in-the-wall ramen shop. This shop was run by a short woman who shone with kindness. Her soul was not pure enough to have a guardian. Still, her life force was nothing but love and careful consideration for others. Katsuki thought she looked like Izuku with her long green hair, but Izuku denied that they looked similar.
After they ate their fill and enjoyed the woman's company, they flew back to the Silver City so Izuku could care for his duties.
Approaching his Throne, Izuku felt happy to have spent the day with Katsuki. He felt lighter and happy to have also done his duty by checking in on Shouta, mentally wishing his wards students luck on their coming exams. He made a note to check in on Melissa soon, to see how far she has come.
Izuku set up his ledger and began collecting reports from those who checked in on their wards that day, documenting the progression of the souls and the angels' interactions with them. Izuku made sure they were organized and easy to read for Barachiel to review. The sun had set when the last angel finally delivered her report to Izuku.
The angel in question was Adriel, and she intensely disliked Izuku. Adriel was a human who ascended long ago. She trained under Azazel before they fell, learning all sorts of arcane arts, and did not feel as if Izuku deserved the title of Throne, nor believed they were born by God's will. She thrust her report into Izukus hands before turning and storming out. Izuku sighed softly before reading the information. Adriel only had one soul under her guidance, a young child with a very powerful quirk. Adriel's report was lackluster, to say the least, just commenting that the child was fine and living with a cousin who was providing for her every whim.
Izuku sighed as he recorded the information in the ledger before something caught his attention. Adriel had submitted almost the exact same report the time before and the time before that. Frowning, he took his ledger and reported information to Barachiel. Barachiel was the Chief of the Guardian angels, and they would know what to do about this.
Izuku approached a sizeable ornate door that glowed softly with the milky way trapped between the silver filigree. Reaching up, he knocked with three solid beats before slowly pushing the door open. "Lord Barachiel, If you have a moment?"
The large individual stood looking out of their window overlooking the Silver City; they turned to look at the visitor. "Ah, Izuku, you have the reports, I assume."
"Yes, but I believe I should bring something to your attention."
"Proceed then." They waved their hands, and two glasses of wine appeared before the both of them.
"Um, I believe Adriel might be falsifying their reports. She has submitted the same report three times now." Izuku accepted the wine while handing off the ledger.
"Adriel, huh? Well, I wouldn't worry about it. Adriel has been doing this for a long time, and while not all of her souls stay pure through their lives, many have in the past. I am sure nothing has changed with the child in question, thus the repeat reports." Barachiel took the ledger before placing it on their desk.
"I-I understand, but it is curious, is it not? What is the protocol for checking on these souls?"
"Why there is none Izuku, we can only watch and report on their life choices; it is not our duty to influence human free will. Do not worry, I am sure the child is fine. Now is that all?" Izuku quickly swallowed his wine before nodding and seeing himself out.
Walking back to his home, he felt the familiar sense of unease settle over him. It was not good to question his superiors as if questioning God's will, but this distance many angels had with each other and humans did not sit right with him. Blind faith in each other did nothing but hiding secrets that should not be hidden. As the direct student of the Lord of Heaven's secrets, he knew this all too well.
Izuku was late getting back to his home. A small pot sat beside the hearth, softly steaming. Katsuki had left a warm meal out for him before going to sleep. Sleep was a subjective term as they did not need sleep, but a profound meditation was more accurate. Izuku smiled softly as he took the warm meal and settled down on the lounge with his book.
Izuku lost himself in his reading as the night turned to day, and the first light of dawn created sunbeams across the pages of his tome. While he preoccupied himself with his book, the back of his mind kept wandering back to Adriel and the one pure soul under her guidance. Something dark settled in his stomach.
"You better have slept." Katsuki's voice growled from near the entryway. Izuku lifted his head and smiled softly at the blond before closing his book softly.
"The meal was delicious, thank you." Izuku stood, gently shaking out his wings before slipping past Katsuki heading to the kitchen area.
"You are avoiding the question." Katsuki huffed, following him.
"What question? You had made a statement before." Izuku smirked.
"You knew what I meant! Why did you not rest?" Katsuki grabbed the flour out of Izuku's hands, shooing him away from mixing pancakes.
"I rested. I just didn't sleep." Izuku sighed, relinquishing his preparations for breakfast.
"Why not? You only get like this when something is on your mind." Katsuki looked at him over his shoulder while cutting fruit.
Izuku sighed as he poured two glasses of juice for them and looked pensive. "I just have a bad feeling. I am worried for a soul under the guidance of Adriel."
"Adriel, huh? That witchy bitch?" Katsuki started plating hot pancakes. "Doesn't she fucking hate our guts?"
"Yeah, she does, but she has submitted the same report three times in a row now. I am worried that she isn't doing her duty for the soul." Izuku hummed, cutting into hotcakes in front of him.
"Well, why do you think something is wrong?" Katsuki asked carefully, wording his question. Katsuki could tell that this might be one of those secrets that he only learns because of Izuku. Angels didn't question each other's motives, and warriors couldn't have doubt in their comrades.
"I...I don't know. Just my mind, can't stop thinking about it." Izuku sighed, pushing fruit around his plate.
Katsuki sat there eating while he looked at Izuku. Many years ago, Micheal had thought that Izuku had the gift of premonition. Still, when tested, it just appeared he was good at predicting and analyzing. Katsuki trusted Izuku's instincts, though. Regardless of them being brothers, Katsuki and Izuku have always had each other's back and fought alongside each other many times.
"Trust your gut. You know that. Go check on the soul yourself." Katsuki huffed and finished his breakfast. Izuku's eyes snapped up to meet Katsukis; many words passed unspoken between them. Tears formed in Izuku's eyes before he nodded once determinedly.
"That's the smart thing to do." Katsuki reached forward and flicked Izuku in the forehead before cleaning up.
The pair split off to complete their respective duties for the day. Izuku spent the day deep in the catacombs reading the histories of pure souls. In contrast, Katsuki spent the day training before reading reports on possible demon activities. By sunset, Izuku was once again standing at the precipice, looking out over the earth. The moon was glowing with amber light as it hung low on the horizon. The crescent gave the dark sky a Cheshire grin as even the stars did not dare shine beside it that eve.
Izuku checked over the small scroll he nicked from his office. Noting the last known location of the soul in question. He let himself fall with a deep breath before snapping his wings open and gliding down towards the same island Shouta was located on. Izuku skimmed just above the hazy clouds, feeling the soft vapors pull at his fathers, causing him to smile softly. It was a warm night, and he couldn't help but glide over the city where Shouta patrolled. Seeing the man perched atop a building, Izuku couldn't help but giggle as he watched the gruff man with a heart of gold teach a young boy with purple gravity-defying hair about what to listen for in the night.
"You really are such a great teacher, Shouta." Izuku sighed before flapping his wings, keeping just out of sight. As Izuku turned and flew off into the darkness, he missed Shouta's contemplating look as he looked to the sky.
Izuku flew slowly, dread laying heavy in his chest. It had been many years since he felt this deep apprehension, not since he last went into battle with Katsuki at his side against a legion of purgatory. Sighing deeply, Izuku began to descend, gliding over residential areas; he could fly on silent wing.
The stench hit him before the bone-chilling fear did. The caustic reek of cacodemon caused the angel to gag, forcing back nausea, as he covered his face with an arm and landed softly on the roof. Izuku felt his legs give out from under him as he fell to his knees, looking out over a traditional Japanese compound. His first instinct was to sob; this was the last known place of the pure soul under the guidance of Adriel. This pure soul had spent time around whatever demons claimed this home. Tears sliding down his face, Izuku pushed himself to his feet, stealing his nerve. He had to find this soul; Izuku had to know if the child was even within those walls.
Izuku's heart raced; taking a deep breath, he started wracking his brain about all he knew about cacodemons. They were powerful beasts, cherubs who fell tend to turn into cacodemons. They can be wise and cunning but tend to fixate on their sin of choice. Izuku sighed in relief as he remembered that cacodemons are individually powerful. They always demand followers, but they could not command entire legions. Meaning any followers this cacodemon had were more than likely lesser demons or humans.
Taking one last breath, forcing himself to ignore the foul scent of sin in the air, Izuku silently wished he had worn his breastplate. Cloaking and hiding his presence Izuku floated himself down into the compound. Izuku's skin crawled as the cacodemon's presence rolled over his soul. Its presence felt like tar, pulling at Izuku's grace. Being in its lair made the fear grip harder in his chest. Izuku swore to himself that he would never enter earth without his sword ever again.
Ducking between hallways, it was easy to hide from the humans. Izuku was not the best at cloaking himself during the day, but the shadows clung to his iridescent wings at night, hiding his glory with ease. Many had wondered if it was proof that Izuku and Katsuki were perfect opposites, as Katsuki hid without challenge in the daylight and could even cloak others, but was too loud and bright to truly mask at night.
Izuku crossed no demons in his sweep of the upper floors, and Izuku was starting to wonder if he had checked everything by his second sweep. However, a hissing sound echoed down the hall as he watched as a drunk man literally crawled out of a hidden doorway. With a frown, Izuku slipped past him and down the steps. Stepping out into the lower halls, Izuku felt a fresh wave of apprehension as the copper tang of blood permeated the air.
Izuku took his time searching each room he came across. He found bunks, offices, laboratories, and training rooms, and a few times, he spotted humans within these rooms. Many of the people were asleep at such a late hour, but a few were drinking or gambling. Izuku breezed past without drawing attention to himself.
In one room, Izuku had to pause and reaffirm that he was hidden before slipping past. A tiny imp sat on a desk with a bottle of beer, complaining loudly for all to hear. Its voice was nasally behind its white bird-like mask, Its body packed into a black jumpsuit-looking cloth. Izuku could tell the small thing had the power to grow much larger if it wished, and the humans that sat with it couldn't tell that they sat with a denizen of Hell. The imp was complaining about taking care of a small girl, that 'the brat' didn't appreciate all they did for her. Izuku felt his stomach twist; that girl had to be the pure soul; there was no other reason why a child would or should be near these beasts.
Izuku began to hurry now, opening his senses more, seeking any amount of good in this place, and just at the edge of his search, he picked up on it. The pure soul was a tiny, fragile soul, clearly close to breaking, a lifetime of torment packed into one beautiful little soul. Izuku felt his eyes begin to water once more as he ran towards the feeling of goodness. A large steel door blocked his path, the only thing standing between him and the soul. He reached for the handle, his grip firm, before freezing. What was he going to do? He couldn't take the girl from this place. He couldn't directly interfere, or he would risk Falling. Izuku could reveal himself only once, twice if he is lucky, to a pure soul, but that was usually only when the souls were about to pass on.
Izuku reached out with his senses again, studying the tiny soul just beyond the door. It held no hope for the future; shadowy cracks could be felt throughout it, the taint of the demon was strong and would soon overpower the child. Izuku knew he had to give this child hope; he refused to lose such a soul to this cacodemon.
Izuku forced the door open, breaking the lock with ease. It was better to break the lock than using any of his grace to just appear in the room; the less the area smelled of him, the better. The room was dark, almost as dark as oblivion. Toys still in packaging could be seen throughout the room; one small bed was pushed against the far wall with a thin blanket just barely large enough to cover the tiny form quivering underneath.
Izuku slowly stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Only then did he drop his cloaking, allowing the small silver-haired child to barely see him in the shadows. He reached for the small bedside lamp, clicking it to give the room a dull glow. Even the light from the bulb seemed muted down here. The form under the threadbare blanket shook harder; the smell of her fear seeped out of the walls.
"Hey, it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you, young one." Izuku whispered softly, kneeling beside the bed. "I promise if you just peek out, you will see I am not like the rest of them here." Izuku kept his movements slow as he gently rested his hand on her hidden shoulder. The body flinched at the touch, and Izuku had to keep himself from frowning. "Please, just a little peek?"
The figure shifted slightly, barely lifting the blanket enough for one small crimson eye to lookout. Red met green, and the little girl gasped, lifting her head and promptly tangling herself more in the blanket. Izuku smiled softly as he pulled the blanket free from her head, revealing a silver-haired child with eyes as red as Katsuki's. A small horn graced her temple as scars littered her thin arms; a nightshirt much too big for her hung off gaunt shoulders as she wrapped the blanket around her tightly.
"Who are you?" She whispered, eyes wide in reverence.
"My name is Izuku." He smiled at her, his wings shuffling slightly.
"Uku?" She muttered, her eyes watching the feathers fluff and Fall flat again.
"Izuku." He knew celestial names were sometimes hard for human tongues to grasp. Demons couldn't even use an angel's real name; the grace and power in the title alone burned their mouth.
"Deku?" Izuku just smiled and nodded. ‘Close Enough’
"What's your name, little one?" Izuku gently tucked the blanket around her.
"Eri," she whispered, her eyes watching his movements closely.
"That's a beautiful name," Izuku leaned back onto his heels as his eyes traveled the room. It was full of unopened toys, but it was cold, the cement sloppy painted a yellow color hiding the fact that it was a prison. "Can you tell me how long you have been here?" Izuku asked softly.
Eri shrugged as she pulled the blanket tighter, "Since I was cursed." she whispered.
"Cursed?"
"That's what Chisaki says. That I hurt people, that I am cursed." Izuku's wings flared in anger before forcing himself to settle. This child had a perfect soul; she was far from cursed.
"Can you explain more to me, child? How have you hurt people?"
Eri chewed on her lip before nodding softly. "When my horn grew, I made daddy disappear. M-mommy called me a monster, but I didn't know what I did. My horn just hurt, and there was a bright light, then I don't remember." Her voice became thick with emotion as Izuku reached out and patted her head gently.
"It's ok, Eri, you are not cursed. It just sounds like your quirk." Izuku tried to reason softly.
"NO! That's the curse Chisaki says everyone has a curse and he's gonna make them all go away with my curse." Eri shook her head under Izuku's palm. ‘Chisaki must be the cacodemon, sounds like it is obsessed with quirks.’ Sensing Eri's fragile state, Izuku smiled softly once more. "Would you like to play with any of your toys with me? I can't stay much longer, but I want to make you happy before I go. Is that ok?"
Eri looked around the room before shaking her head. It was clear she didn't trust any of the boxes or dolls. "What are you?"
Izuku stiffened. If he answered honestly, then he would be toeing the line of Falling even more. Angels were forbidden to show humans proof of the divine. Taking a deep break, Izuku smiled as he stood, "I am just someone who watches over others. You caught my attention, Lil bird, I'll be sure to check in on you when I can, ok? Please don't tell anyone about me?"
Eri looked unsure for a moment, fear and distrust rampant in her eyes before nodding softly. "Ok, Deku."
Izuku had her lay back onto the pillow as he tucked the blanket down around her tightly. "Get some sleep; it's late. I'll be back soon, ok?"
Turning to leave, Izuku heard a small "Thank you." whisper out of the room as he closed the door and repaired the lock.
Away from the child, Izuku let his anger rage around him, the stench of the cacodemon not even reaching him at this point. Making his way back through the base, avoiding all humans and the imp, Izuku found himself flying straight up into the night as fast as he could, wings pumping hard as he returned to the silver city. Flying directly to his home, the sun started to rise over the horizon as he pushed the front door open with a slam. "KATSUKI!"
The blond nearly materialized beside Izuku in an instant, "What's wrong?" his voice gruff from sleeping but body tense, ready for action.
"That pure soul is trapped in a cacodemon lair." Izuku hissed as he paced the main room, his rage causing some of the plants to wilt back away from the green-winged angel. "She has been there for years, being used to remove quirks!" Katsuki blinked, it had been many years since he saw Izuku this enraged, and he felt a twinge of fear run down his wings.
"Oi, calm down, or everyone will feel your anger. I understand that you're mad, but you need to be rational about this." Katsuki ran his hands over his face. Izuku, however, pulled his rage within himself once more but did not stop his pacing.
"Adriel did this; she had to have. Did she sell Eri to the cacodemon? How did she end up with him?"
"Wait, who is Eri?" Katsuki asked, confused.
"The pure soul, the little girl, her name is Eri." Izuku waved his hands as if it wasn't important.
"And how do you know this? You only know your spirit's names because he heard their names while you watched them." Katsuki growled, knowing full well what Izuku did.
Izuku paused in his pacing before huffing. "It's not important."
"Bullshit! Did you reveal yourself to her? You are not her guardian!" Katsuki grabbed Izuku's shoulder to keep him still.
"I had to find out what was going on!" Izuku snapped back, grabbing Katsuki's forearm. "Katsuki, her soul… it looked like it had been torn apart and put back together a hundred times, it looked like shattered glass, and there was so much sin surrounding her. AND an IMP! I never saw the cacodemon, but his stench covered everything. It was sickening." Izuku started to tear up, his emotions and fear finally causing his facade to shatter. Thunder rolled across the sky, causing the Silver City to quiver as the rain fell with Izuku's tears, "Katsuki, I couldn't do anything to save her."
Katsuki pulled Izuku in for a hug as he stared at the storm brewing outside their windows. It was rare for an angel to feel such emotions, strong enough to influence the weather. "Shhh, Izuku, it's ok, you couldn't do anything last night, but there is still more you can do. Maybe leave a note with your one grumpy hobo soul; he is a hero near there. Maybe he can save her. While you work on getting the soul placed under you and away from shitty witchy bitch Adriel, yea?" Katsuki ran his large hands over Izuku's curly hair comforting the man. Izuku nodded as he cried, allowing the emotions to run their course before he stepped out of the hug a short while later.
"Thank you Katsuki, I think being in the cacodemon lair really was playing on my emotions," Izuku said, wiping at his face. "But you're right. I just need to send a hidden message to Shouta and let him handle things."
"I'm always right and don't go doing anything stupid like that again. You should have called or prayed for me; I would have gone in with you." Katsuki huffed, willing his tear-dampened shirt clean as he went to make breakfast.
"You can't hide your presence worth a damn at night; you're too bright," Izuku smiled, making his way over to help.
"Fuck you, and fuck off. Go take a bath; you still have the stink of a demon clinging to you." Katsuki smacked Izuku's hands away from the food and shoved the shorter angel towards their bath.
"I'm going!" Izuku smiled again, but Katsuki knew it didn't reach his eyes; the rain coming down in sheets confirmed Izuku was still working up over this young Eri. From that morning on, it rained for six days and nights.
~
The following days Izuku did everything he could to collect evidence of Eri and this Chisaki on earth to place it where Shouta would be able to find and act on it. It was hard to find proof that the humans could use, so Izuku got creative, influencing Shouta to investigate with his intern in a new area, tweaking some locks here and there giving Eri a chance to escape one evening, a few whispered directions, lead Eri to run straight into Shinso's legs.
Izuku smiled from the top of a nearby roof, watching from afar. Shinso had just knelt down to pick up the small girl when the stench of demon rolled through the air. Izuku tensed, his hand drifting to the silver sword strapped to his hip. Since that night, he never left the Silver City without it. And watched as a man with a large beak-like mask appeared from the shadows from where Eri was running from.
Izuku was just far enough away that he couldn't hear the low conversation. Shinso looked confused as Eri hung onto his neck; Shouta was tense, his hand gripping Shinsos shoulder as the masked man spoke softly. The reek that rolled off the man confirmed that he was processed by the cacodemon, making Izuku enraged once again. How dare this demon hide within a human like that, let alone what he was doing to Eri's soul. The man reached for his gloves as if he would pull them off when Eri ran back to him. Izuku had to bite his tongue to keep from calling out to her as she wrapped her hand in the man's hand. Before they walked into the shadows, the beaked man looked back over his shoulder, saying something to the hero and hero in training but staring at Izuku directly. The demon could see the angel even with his grace hidden.
Izuku felt his blood turn to ice in fear before the man and the child disappeared from sight. Why didn't Shouta grab the child and run? Why didn't they help her? Izuku's mind raced as he glided down closer to Shouta and Shinso.
"We have no proof, be logical." Shouta's voice was tightly clipped; he was angry.
"Fuck the proof, you know she is being abused! Did you see those scars?" Shinso snapped back from behind his mask.
"We need proof, or we will be charged with kidnapping. Come on, let's go look this Chisaki up." Shouta started walking off quickly, his shoulders tight. Shinso muttered something about fuck the system before following his mentor. Izuku sighed; at least all this wasn't in vain. Shouta could at least start investigating for the proof damn humans needed for everything.
Izuku flew back to the Silver City. He had been neglecting his duties the past few days, and he needed to report about the guardians. Making his way to the golden Throne room, Izuku threw himself into his work. It was very late by the time he caught up on the reports, pushing the early morning hours when the throne room doors opened softly. Looking up, Izuku found himself looking at Adriel as she approached with a sneer on her face.
"What, isn't it past your bedtime, baby angel?" she taunted, tossing down her report. Izuku glanced at it, seeing the 'all is well' report before he felt the hot broiling magma of rage slide along his bones, heating his body.
"Don't fucking bother reporting. I know what you did." Izuku growled, his voice low, his eyes glowing a toxic green. Adriel's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms.
"Well, that is it you are accusing me of? We are in the Throne room, so even without an audience, this would be an official accusation." she puffed her chest as her lavender eyes studied Izuku closely.
"I am not as stupid to accuse you here of anything. I know your ways; I just wanted to make sure you knew that I know. She will be out of that hell hole soon enough, and I will make sure you will never guardian a soul ever again." Izuku's voice carried conviction as he stared down the sorceress before him.
"You don't know shit; you're just posturing without proof." she snarled. "It's not enough to lie about being born of God's will, but you gotta drag others down with you." Her light grey wings flared in rage.
"YOU KNOW WE HAVE NOT LIED ABOUT OUR BIRTH," Izuku snarled, standing on his Throne, his own shadowy green wings flaring back. "Get out of my sight. I want nothing to do with demon dealers."
"You dare to accuse me of demon dealing!?" She screamed.
"No, that was not an accusation, just an observation," Izuku smirked, knowing full well what line he was dancing around.
"You insolent little brat. I hope you Fall." she snarled one last time before storming from the room. Izuku sighed hard as he slumped back into his Throne. He ran his hands through his hair, pushed the last reports together, and left them for the Chief to review later. He also included an official request that Eri's soul is placed under his care, though he knew it would take forever for that request to be reviewed. Angel bureaucracy sometimes took eons.
"Proof, everything needs material proof; this is why sin runs so free," Izuku muttered to himself as he walked home, looking forward to Falling to his bed.
~
"Mr. Deku. How do you keep coming here? Are… you like the others?" Eri asked one night while Izuku sat with her.
"The others? Chisaki's men?" Izuku asked as he ran his fingers through her silken hair. She nodded, her red eyes watching his every movement.
"No, my child, I don't have anything to do with Chisaki; I strongly dislike the man. No, I am just me, and I want to get you out of here." Izuku smiled softly.
"I ran away once," Eri said suddenly.
"OH? Did you get far?" Izuku pretended to be surprised.
She shook her head, "but I think I heard your voice telling me where to turn." Izuku's hand stilled mid-stroke before pulling a tangle out of her hair. "Well, I don't think that was me, but I am glad my voice could help you." It had been two weeks now, and this was the second time Izuku had visited Eri. He could feel how lonely and scared she was, and he couldn't bring himself to just leave her in the darkness even if he couldn't physically help her more. Every moment he spent with the child he risked Falling.
"It's ok, Mr. Deku; I am happy you come to visit me," Eri whispered softly before yawning wide. Izuku smiled before standing, "Rest child, you need your strength." Eri pouted but nodded. As Izuku turned to leave, he felt Eri's hand brush against his wings, causing him to shiver.
"Eri?" he asked, never having a human touch his wings before.
"So pretty," she whispered, half asleep. Izuku chewed on his lip for a moment before preening out a loose feather. Imbuing it with invisibility from others, he handed the shiny feather over to Eri.
"Keep this hidden ok? Keep it safe, but if anything ever happens to you, or you fear for your life, break it in half, ok? I'll do everything I can to help you." Eri's eyes were wide as she slowly ran her finger over the stiff rachis. "If I can't help you, I'll send my brother. His name is Katsuki. He is tall and blond and very, very loud, but the strongest, kindest man you will ever meet." Izuku smiled as he patted her hands while holding his feather. "Can you say his name?"
"Kattsee?"
"Katsuki."
"Katiki?"
"One more time, Katsuki. Or maybe a nickname like my name?"
Eri's face screwed up. "Kacchan?"
Izuku grinned as bright as the birth of a star. "That's a perfect nickname for him." Eri smiled softly before laying the feather gently beside her pillow, her hand laying on top of the calamus, eyes drifting closed.
Izuku made a swift exit after that, flying towards where he could sense Shouta. Peering through windows, he found the man sitting in on a meeting with many other heroes. Izuku sighed silently, hoping that the meeting would help Eri but wouldn't get his hopes up. Having the child run into the hero was a big step forward, but he couldn't do much more. With one last sigh, he flew home.
~
Two days later, Izuku had just woken up when he felt the feather snap. Izuku felt his heart begin to race as he willed his breastplate and sword onto him before running off to the precipice of earth. It was rare for the record keeper to dawn his armor; the simmering metal looked like solid ice against his iridescent wings, with matching greaves and vambraces.
Izuku dropped from the heavens as fast as he could fly, the wind and air pressure ripping at his hair and feathers as the cold dew from the clouds stung his face. Breaking the cloud cover, Izuku saw a battle raging around the cacodemon's compound. A woman with the appearance of a dragon fought with a man who appeared to drain energy; the fight was berutal, as around a hundred other humans fought each other in and around the buildings. Izuku scanned the area as fast as he could, looking for Eri; he felt the presence of the cacodemon, a few imps, and something that felt like a shadow of purgatory.
Izuku frowned; there had never been a purgatory beast around the compound before, so he assumed it had to be with the heroes. Izuku could also feel Shouta, deep underground, and Eri near him. There was an intersection below him where he felt Shouta and Eri below. Izuku could phase through the ground to get to the underground space, but he knew it would burn too much of his energy. With a few small nudges of fate, he watched as the dragon woman slammed the energy man into the intersection, crushing the cement causing the area to cave in, the ground swallowing them with ease.
Izuku flew in after them, his presence still hidden as his hand rested on his pommel. Surveying the scene, Izuku felt sick at the sight before him. A human hero was dead, impaled on created pikes, the scent of blood mixing with the cacodemon's natural stench. Shouta was pinned by an imp, his movements sluggish as if affected by time itself. Other students were in the room, dodging the pikes and trying hard to get to Shouta. And Eri stood in the middle of it all, night shirt stained with blood and clutching the broken feather to her chest as she openly wept.
"COME, ERI! All this will end if you just walk away right now. This is your curse; these people are dead because of you!" Chisaki roared as his body mutated, having multiple arms and the mask fused with his face.
A blond-haired boy who was bleeding out screamed in defiance, "NO! Eri, this is not your fault; we are here to help you!"
Chisaki roared as he lunged for Eri to grab her, just as her horn started to glow. The power held in the child was incredible as Izuku felt her soul flare with pure grace as her quirk activated. Just as Chisaki's hand touched Eri, it was as if his body was peeled apart at the seams, separating him from his underlings.
"You dare defy me, girl? I am the only one who can FIX you!" He screamed, reaching for her again. Feeling the bloodlust spike in the air, Izuku moved before he realized it, his wings and body moving without prompt as he swept the child up into his arms. Flying high above the others, keeping her out of reach. Holding on to her, Izuku felt his body become visible to everyone and everything in the room; soft gasps could be heard as he felt Shouta's eyes burning into him.
"Mr. Deku?" Eri whispered, clinging to his neck as he cradled her to his chest. Fear and adrenaline burned through Izuku as he felt his halo crack in the middle. Pain flared within his head as the bone fractured. Izuku just broke so many rules, interfering with humans, revealing himself, showing proof of the divine; he felt this connection to Heaven start to splinter. ‘I'm Falling.’
"So the nosey angel reveals himself finally." Chisaki sneered below him, his yellow eyes bright with amusement. "Ah, I see it now; the crack is already forming. Is that child really worth you Falling?"
"Shut it, demon. She has a pure soul; yes, she is worth it." Izuku barked back, mask in place, not showing his fear as his wings began to strain. He needed to get Eri out of there, Shouta too; for that matter, his grace was waning quickly.
Chisaki moved towards his fallen men, laying his hands on the energy man, they shattered into a million or more atoms. "It's really a shame that you decided to Fall for the brat; I was planning on trapping you the next time you came to visit her. Had a few seals already put into place. Oh well, I guess I'll just help you on your way to Hell." Chisaki began to grow, the atoms filling his body, shifting the flesh as he became even more monstrous. "Let's see how much grace you have left, little angel."
Feeling fear roll down his spine, Izuku dodged the first mountain-sized fist thrown at him before flying as hard as he could up and out of the hole.
"Mr. Deku! I am so sorry; this is my fault." Eri cried into his neck. "No, this isn't your fault Eri, I chose this; I told you to break the feather if you felt like you were going to die. I chose this. I chose you, Eri. Remember NONE of this is your fault." Izuku panted as he broke free of the underground, the sunny blue sky greeting them to the daylight. Eri screamed as she saw the hand sweeping for Izuku, swearing he was unable to dodge fast enough as Chisaki swatted him into a building, his wings and back slamming against the siding, curling around Eri to protect her. Sliding down the building, he landed on a low roof and rolled.
"Are you ok?" Izuku asked, clinging to Eri, she nodded, but her horn began to glow once more. Chisaki was crawling out of the hole screaming for Izuku to fight him, his deformed body oozing blood and pus as his stench was almost visible in the air. Feeling Eri's quirk wash over him, Izuku's body healed, and he felt his grace stop seeping away as if she rewound him to just before he fell. "Eri?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I don't know how to stop it!" She was scared, shaking as she tried to push away.
"No, no, listen to me. You are not a curse, you are a blessing to me, and I need your help to beat him, ok? If I put you on my back, can you hold on?" Eri nodded while chewing on her lip. Izuku smiled at her and gently put her on his back, nestled between his wings. Izuku knew he had to fight, and holding the girl to his chest wouldn't allow him to use his sword; this way, her quirk kept his grace from fading for now while he killed this demon.
Standing up, he unsheathed his blade. Angel blades were forged in the fires of a dying star, and Izukus was no different. Its pale light illuminated the area around him, giving the angel and his armor an unearthly glow. Izuku felt the pummel begin to burn at his flesh; it was slow as if the blade knew he had Fallen, yet the little grace left in him kept the star fire at bay for now. Taking a deep breath, Izuku jumped off the building and raced towards Chisaki.
Clashing in midair, both angel and demon screamed their war cries. Snarling, deformed, and full of sin, Chisaki tried to throw the angel back onto the ground to crush and rend the divine being. "If I kill you, I might be promoted to general, get my own half legion. So come angel, make my time on earth worth it!" he screamed in joy.
Izuku, on the other hand, lashed out with his blade with ease, slicing through flesh and bone faster than Chisaki could regenerate. So much of the flesh in this form was human, causing the sword to not burn as severely as it would if it met only demonic meat. They battled hard, flying higher and higher into the sky. Demonic and angelic blood rain upon the ground causing all the humans to pause and watch the clashing otherworldly beings.
Izuku moved as if he were a dancer, narrowly dodging Chisaki's swipes as he got in close, digging his blade deep into the demon's chest. Chisaki screamed as he tried to pull the blade free from his heart, but Izuku grit his teeth and pressed harder, forcing them to fall back to the earth together. Chisaki reached up, grabbing Izuku by his halo, his demonic presence burning his soul as he too screamed in pain when the bone-like halo finally broke in the middle, instantly the teal ocean light went out, replaced with a black broken horn. Izuku felt his connection to his grace snap as they hit the ground with a sonic boom.
Dust obscured the area as the humans slowly approached the crater. Pulling himself up and out over the edge was Izuku, his halo clearly broken now as one of his wings hung limply, broken as well. Eri was once more in his arms as he knelt down to the ground, placing her down softly. Shouta led the group of humans that slowly approached. Two of his students flanked him, Shinso and Tokoyami, and Dark Shadow also peeked out behind the avian-headed boy.
"A Fallen," Dark Shadow was the one to break the eerie silence that settled over the battlefield. Shouta gazed at the sentient shadow before turning back to the unknown winged being. Eri was crying and trying to convince him to stay, but Shouta could tell the man was in severe pain. Approaching slowly, Izuku looked up, bright green eyes meeting dark charcoal as he nodded in thanks.
"Eri, I need you to go with Shouta now. He will take care of you, I promise." Izuku spoke slowly, masking the pain he was in.
"How to do-" Shouta startled, looking at the green-haired man and back to Eri.
"Oh, I know a lot more than just your name Shouta. Just… I won't be around anymore. Please look after each other; pure souls need to stick together. Give her the life she deserves." Izuku pleaded with the dark-haired man. Izuku felt his armor start to burn into his flesh, but he couldn't allow Eri to see that. Her guilt was already too much.
"Eri, I have to go; I'll try and visit when I can, ok? Please. Please just go with Shouta." Eri was crying now, her face blotchy as fever started to set in from quirk overuse. Izuku peeled the crying child off him with shaking arms and slowly placed her in Shouta's arms. The dark-haired man just wrapped the girl up in his scarf, "Wait, who are you?"
"Nobody anymore. But Eri called me Deku. Take care of each other." Izuku took a few steps away before his wings flared out behind him, some of his feathers falling out onto the ground. He gave the gathered humans one last sad look, a tear falling from his eye, carving a path down his dust and blood-covered cheek. Izuku nodded once to the group in thanks and with one painful flap of his wings, Izuku forced his body up and over the buildings, staggered fight out of sight.
~
Katsuki was on the training grounds when the summons from Micheal reached him. Sighing, he willed his official armor and weapons to his body, preparing himself to meet with his commander. Walking down the marble halls, something felt off. Katsuki had left the house before seeing Izuku that morning. The nerd finally got some much-needed rest, but Katsuki couldn't help but worry about him. The soul being trapped with a demon was wearing hard on the man. And if Micheal was summoning him, Katsuki knew he was about to be put on a mission, and who knew how long that would take to deal with.
The doors to Micheal's office were open as he approached, his boots echoing off the old floor. Without knocking, Katsuki entered.
"You summoned me?"
"Katsuki, good timing, yes. Just got a report of a new Fallen. I need you to deal with it." Micheal held out a thin scroll without looking up from his book.
"Who fell?" Katsuki asked, shocked, skimming the missive.
"Doesn't matter; we do not speak their name anymore. Just deal with it." Micheal grunted,
"Yes, sir. Any specific orders?" Katsuki asked, confused but not daring to question his commander.
"No, I trust your judgment."
"Very well. It will be dealt with. Thank you, sir." Katsuki quickly left, knowing when he was dismissed.
The report said the Fallen was located on earth, in Japan. Katsuki frowned, knowing Izuku had been spending so much time there, ‘I hope the nerd didn't run into this Fallen. That would look bad on him. ’ he thought to himself as he made his way to earth.
It was a short flight, slowly circling lower and lower, allowing his senses to reach far, seeking any hints of Fallen. Fallen angels were interesting creatures, neither demonic nor divine; their presence almost felt like a void, that was until they were escorted to Hell, where they were converted into a demon or devil. If a Fallen isn't accompanied to Hell, they are a pain to keep in existence, not divine enough to get into the Silver City, but not unholy enough to cause any real trouble. These glorified humans know too much for their own good. Sometimes they were even able to keep their wings, though flight was iffy at best. Intensive trouble makers or tricksters.
Flying lower, Katsuki could see the dust settling from a significant battle to the east. Katsuki sighed, wishing he had known about the fight; human battles were fun to watch when they were that large in scale, but to the west of that, the sense of nothing hit Katsuki's grace. He knew; that's where the Fallen was.
Shifting his wings, Katsuki gripped his sword as he flew headlong towards the void feeling. It led him to a large mountain, forested and remote. An odd choice for a Fallen as they thrived being near people once outcasted. Frowning, Katsuki landed with a grunt, his sword out and aimed at a set of bright green eyes.
"Izuku?" Katsuki gasped, seeing his brother propped against a tree slowly bleeding. His wings lay on the ground around him, Izuku's sword and armor scattered around the clearing. Katuski could see where his hands burned from peeling it off his body. But what made Katsuki feel sick was the broken black halo that sat within his forest green curls.
"No...No! What happened? What did you do, Izuku!?" Katsuki screamed, dropping his sword and dropping to his knees before the only person he had ever cared for. Tears burned in his eyes.
"Please…. Stop saying my name. It hurts so much." Izuku hissed, "I'm so sorry, Katsuki-" Izuku whimpered as his tongue burned using Katsuki's name, speaking a name of grace causing pain to roll down his throat like fire. Collecting himself, Izuku spat out a mouthful of blood and winced at the sight. "I'm so sorry, my brother. I didn't mean for this to happen." Izuku felt more tears burning in his eyes; he blinked them away, not allowing himself to cry. He didn't deserve to cry with Katsuki; he did this, he broke their family, this was Izuku's punishment.
"What did you do?" Katsuki growled, his face wet with tears.
"I saved that girl. The demon was about to kill her and my body… just moved without me knowing. The next thing I know, I'm revealed to all the humans in the area because I am holding her. I then had to fight the cacodemon-"
"YOU FOUGHT IT? ALONE?" Katsuki roared as Izuku watched a tree across the clearing explode with the blond's anger.
"I...I didn't have time to call for backup, the girl, Eri, would have been dead long before anyone would show up." Izuku whispered, sadness filling his chest. He could only guess what Katsuki felt at that moment; his family, his brother, was no more, destined to become a demon at best. Izuku winced as he shifted his wings; the once vibrant green, now a dull dark grey, almost reminded Izuku of Shouta's eyes.
"So you fell for the girl. The thing I warned you the most about?" Katsuki growled, his anger turning to hurt, pain, anguish, and grief. "And now I am the one tasked with dealing with you."
"What really?" Izuku looked shocked; Katsuki wasn't the one they usually sent out to deal with Fallen.
Katuski pulled out a small scroll, "Orders to deal with you how I see fit." His voice was rough with emotion. "Izu…. Fuck what I am going to do? I cant drag you to fucking Hell. You're my brother." Katsuki pulled at his blond spikes.
"I… I don't know. But I'll do anything you want, Kacchan. You were right about everything all along; I let my emotions rule me, and look where it got me." Izuku sighed, allowing his head to lean back against the rough bark of the tree.
"Kacchan?" Katsuki croaked in confusion.
"That's the nickname Eri came up with for you. I told her she could trust you; if I wasn't around, she couldn't say our names, so she called you Kacchan and me Deku." Izuku huffed, looking up at the bright blue sky. ‘ What a beautiful day to Fall.’
"Deku is a fitting name for you, fucking useless," Katsuki growled, but there was a smirk on his face even as the tears wet his cheeks.
They both fell silent, the chirp of birds and the slow gliding of the clouds overhead keeping the grieving brother's company. As the sun was about to set, Katsuki sighed, shifting to sit next to Izuku, not in front of him.
"What comes next?" Izuku asked softly, he tried to hide his fear, but Katsuki could hear the slight quiver in his voice.
"I don't fucking know. But whatever it is, we will face it together." Katsuki growled, not looking at Izuku as the smaller jolted in surprise.
"Really?" His voice is so full of fragile hope.
"Yea, we are brothers, you ass, you need your older brother to keep you in line," Katsuki smirked when Izuku smacked his arm.
"Older by half a second!"
"But still, brothers."
"Yea, brothers till the end."
~
4 years later
~
"KACCHAN!" Izuku whined as he was dragged by his horns out of the seedy bar he had infiltrated this time around. "Stop it, you know I hate you touching them!" he whined much like a child.
"If you would stop doing stupid shit, I wouldn't have to drag you around like a child!" Katsuki growled back, pulling him faster into a dark alley.
"Come on, it was an imp nest! Not that dangerous!" Izuku pulled free of his brother's grip, adjusting his dark suit back into place, brushing off his shoulders as if dust were on him. Katsuki glared at him, wearing an equally nice suit, but a light cream color caused his hair and halo to shine in the darkness.
"You are an informant, not a fighter! Stop making me come to save your ass, just tell me about the dens, nests, lairs, dungeons! Don't go into them!" Katsuki growled.
"The Silver City takes too long on these small ones. You know that. Look, I had them almost all banished before you even got here tonight!"
"They had you stuck in a SOLOMON SEAL!" Katsuki roared back.
"A technicality…" Izuku muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, his coal grey wings shifting in embarrassment.
Katsuki stepped up into his face, poking his chest. "No more fighting. You don't have grace to fall back on," he growled at the green-haired Fallen. "Report shit to your Hobo or to me. Period." Izuku sighed but nodded.
"Fine...Fine. But hey, while you are here, wanna check out a dungeon I heard a rumor of? It's not too far from here." Izuku had a pleading pout, but his eyes glimmered with mischief.
Katsuki pinched the bridge of his nose before sighing. "Yeah, whatever, I need to check in on Hobo and the Brat later so I can submit a report on them. Fuck you again for convincing me to become their guardian." Katsuki led them out of the Alley with a smug Izuku prancing behind him.
"Oh, come on, you know it's just a technicality, I still watch over them." Izuku chuckled as he swiftly took the lead. Katsuki hid their wings from the humans they passed on their walk, making them appear as two humans, but one had horns. No matter how hard they tried, Izuku's broken halo could never be hidden. It had to have been the curse of the Fallen.
The two made their way a few blocks over to a building with a nondescript sign out front calling it Mightnight's. "This place?" Katsuki asked, looking around. "I don't sense anything, just a bit of sin."
"I dunno, like I said rumors, but let's check it out." Izuku quickly turned away to hide his shit-eating grin. Pulling open the door, he held it open for Katsuki to enter first. Walking through security, Izuku couldn't hide the smug grin on his face as he watched Katsuki go through a myriad of emotions. Rather guarded, then confused, before realization dawned on him and the anger set in.
"Izuku," Katsuki growled the Fallen's name, causing Izuku to flinch in pain. "This is a human sex dungeon." He growled, his body heating up with rage.
Izuku knew he was in trouble when Katsuki used his real name.
"I thought you needed to unwind a bit," Izuku whispered before winking and sprinting back out the door and down the street, laughing. Explosions could be heard chasing him as Katsuki threatened to finally drag his ass to Hell.
Izuku raced through the night, dodging his brother laughing at the thrill of the game of tag they fell into. Was this the life Izuku pictured for himself 4 years ago when the battle happened? No. And it was far from perfect, but this was what it means to Fall, and Izuku wouldn't change anything about it.