Work Text:
~~~~~~~~~~
It happened as quickly as it left, but left a damage far worst than what they'd experience in USJ.
Izuku hadn't even noticed it happening until he was being pulled away and out of range of the glass that shattered overhead. What was even more surprising was that Tomura fricking Shigaraki was the one that essentially saved him from being stabbed by tiny glass needles.
It only got even weirder when the ground started shaking violently, and he was once again being pulled out of destruction by a hand that literally caused destruction with five-touch contact.
They entered a shop out of pure panic because everyone was panicking and they didn't know what else to do.
And then the top floors collapsed, the debris trapping them inside.
Now, this could've been easily fixed by Shigaraki's quirk, being destructive and all, but unfortunately they were too smart to fall for that simple solution. Much to Izuku's surprise.
Decaying the debris will only cause a rain of more debris, so it's basically useless. And decaying the walls without knowledge of what surrounds them sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Same can be said with Izuku if he so much as flicks the cement and cause a chain reaction.
Phones were a no go either as the greenette lost it during the commotion, and Shigaraki never had one to begin with.
That's alright though, they can't be only one stuck here, so maybe waiting for the heroes to come rescue them is the best line of action.
Unfortunately, Shigaraki doesn't share the sentiment.
For the first few hours: Izuku looked around the shop to see what they have, leaving his enemy to whine by himself in front of the blocked off exit/entrance.
They're in luck, the shop they entered was a food establishment. Specifically, a ramen shop. Easy to cook and ration, and it seemed to just be previously restocked, so they can last a couple of months if it takes them that long. Hopefully not.
The first few hours were also eerily quiet that Izuku assumed he was gonna be murdered, but everytime he looks back at his villain companion, he just stood there glaring holes at the debris as if it would do anything.
So it was awkward, basically. To the greenette at least – Shigaraki seemed pretty keen on ignoring his existence.
Better than trying to kill him, he suppose.
-
The first few…days? Was uneventful and incredibly awkward.
Shigaraki is yet to acknowledge Izuku's existence, except for when it's 'eating time' since they had no working clock to tell the time – they just eat when one of them hears their stomach growling.
More time pass by, and this system stays the same. For the most part.
Izuku tried making small talk, but not a single topic he brought up interested the villain. Either completely ignoring him or absently humming. At least the latter had some form of communication.
But the greenette was persistent; Shigaraki may be his enemy, but right now he was his only form of human contact. He didn't want to go crazy from isolation, not again.
So he keeps trying, even if it meant pissing the villain off after his last try.
-
Sleep was sparse.
When your enemy was literally on the other side of the room, its hard to rest. And you never know when another earthquake will occur and break the peace. So its best to stay alert.
Shigaraki seemed to think this too whenever they took time to rest; laying down on one of the comfy long chairs, but not turning off their brains to actually get some sleep.
The rare moments Izuku witnessed his enemy asleep, they hardly last long before he wakes up in gasping breaths. The greenette recognized that kind of reaction –a nightmare– but he chose to keep quiet as to not destroy whatever truce they indirectly agreed upon.
But a guy can theorize, right?
-
When Izuku finally broke Shigaraki's cold exterior, it was completely by accident.
The greenette was muttering a storm like he usually did when he thought too much, writing on some pad papers he found in the manager's desk. It was many, but he used up a quarter of it already during their stay. He doesn't even know how long its been, maybe 3 days? A week? A month?
No, it can't be. He hasn't heard any rumbling above that would indicate a search party. It shouldn't take them too long either. So its probably only been a week utmost.
And then eating time came around, and he and Shigaraki were back in the same room – since the villain prefers to stay locked up in the office for who knows what reason.
It was during one of his ramblings that piqued Shigaraki's attention.
"Wait, you play [insert favorite game here]?"
Izuku blinked, "Uh, yeah. I've been on an attendance streak to get the legendary [insert item here] which requires a whole year to claim."
He sighed, speaking while blowing at his hot noodles. "But now that's ruined because of this dumb event."
Shigaraki snorted, "You do know this 'dumb event' could have caused deaths or injuries, right?" He nonchalantly took a bite of his ramen, as if he were just talking about the weather and not the lives of human beings.
Izuku puffed his cheeks, "I know that, doesn't mean I can't be annoyed it happened though. I was only a week away from getting it!"
To his surprise, Shigaraki laughed – which almost spilled his cup of steaming hot ramen. That totally wouldn't be a disaster. But hey, the usual deadpan or scowling expression since they got here finally got some variety.
Izuku smiled, satisfied to have finally had a civilized conversation with the villain.
-
Ever since then, they started talking more.
Could you believe it? Him, Izuku Midoriya, a student in UA in their hero department, has gotten a villain to talk with him instead of killing him. An incredible feat that not every hero can do.
Since, you know– villains will be villains, and heroes will be heroes.
Izuku found him actually liking Shigaraki despite himself. If you ignored all the crimes he had under his belt, then he suppose they could become great friends. A weird duo with contrasting personalities, but similar interests. Those kinds are hard to find nowadays.
Unfortunately, life dealt them some wild cards, and now they're on the opposite ends.
But Izuku, right now, just wanted to think of this as some good nerdy pals being nerdy gamers in their nerdy lair. His consciousness can accept that fantasy for now.
-
Something…weird happened.
Actually, everything about this situation is weird, but this one thing just made it weirder.
Izuku was no stranger to mental health problems, he himself had some. Growing up quirkless can do that to a person. And with the lack of friends and plenty of time in his hands, he learned so much about the human brain and how it works.
The greenette liked analyzing heroes, that's an obvious fact; however, he loves analyzing villains too. They were just so interesting and complex, ranging from the average store thief to a deadly terrorist.
At the time, he was only curious about the backstory of a villain All Might had put behind bars. There was a video of their monologue online during the fight, and he made some mentions of good points that got him itching for more.
And down the rabbit hole he went, called the 'villain sympathizers'.
Izuku wasn't dumb, he knew the difference between good and evil. He knew where to draw the line. And he especially knew when someone was too far gone.
And Shigaraki was an anomaly.
So back to the thing that caused this whole info dump: Shigaraki's hand.
No, not the one attached to him with the deadly quirk. The hand that he wore on his face in the USJ – it turns out he actually had it with him this whole time. And Izuku caught him staring at it on the table when he went in the office to call for him.
It took a few 'Shigaraki?'s to get the man's attention, but when he finally did. He was promptly kicked out with a silent intense glare.
He was no stranger to his companion's mood swings, so he let him be for awhile.
And he, meanwhile, was trying to figure out whether that hand was real, or fake. Most likely is since this is a villain he's talking about– and if that's so, then what was the importance of that hand? The several other hands?
Did they belong to people he knew? Parents? Siblings? Friends? Were they still alive? Who were they? Who was Tomura Shigaraki before he became, well, Tomura Shigaraki?
Too many questions and hardly any answers.
And then Shigaraki walked out of the office craving for food, back to being calm and as if nothing happened.
If this occured during their 'awkward' phase, then Izuku would've let it be. But they're in the 'nerdy friends' phase, so he was more comfortable asking questions now, even if his companion isn't.
"Its my father's hand." Shigaraki replied nonchalantly as he crunched on some un-cooked noodles like they were crackers. He's done that often enough that Izuku hardly bats an eye.
But he did bat an eye at his words, "Y-your father's?"
"Yup."
"…And the others?"
"The rest of my family," Shigaraki stated like it was a known fact, but then frowned. "Except the other two pairs, they were some NPCs I killed when I was younger."
So his first kills then, Izuku thought grimly with a gulp. They left it at that and continued eating, but the greenette didn't rest at all that day.
-
The shake from above happened while he was asleep.
So when a part of the ceiling collapsed that just so happened to be on his side– Izuku was too disoriented to immediately react. He only registered being grabbed from his cushion/bed and a loud Crash! echoing in the room.
When he finally came to, he was leaning heavily on a surprised Shigaraki…and was that a hint of worry? No, he must be half-asleep still.
"For a level 115, you sure have the reflex of a sloth." Shigaraki muttered as he forced the greenette to his feet with a grunt.
Izuku merely turned to stare at his ruined side of the room, an avalanche of rocks filling almost half of the store. It blocked off the office on the back as well as the entrance of the kitchen, though the latter can be fixed by breaking a wall.
Good thing the restrooms were spared, they just have to move a little rocks– or decay them.
The room shook once more, and Izuku felt himself be pulled back into skinny arms.
But neither could bring themself to notice as noises from above caught their attention. It was very distant, but it was distinct enough to know that it was people shouting.
"Finally," Izuku couldn't help but groan in exasperation, "Took them long enough." He looked up to see an unreadable look on Shigaraki's face, his lips pursed when he realized just what this meant for his companion.
"Er…it sounds like they'll take a few more days. I think that's enough for you to find another way out." He looked away when bloodred eyes turned to him.
He knew this was stupid, and probably illegal. He had Tomura Shigaraki in a corner and they could finally capture him for good, but what was he doing giving him an escape instead? This choice will probably bite him in the ass in the near future– maybe even cost his entire hero career.
Despite the risks, he still wanted Shigaraki to escape.
"How do you suppose we do that?" Surprisingly, Shigaraki doesn't question him, which is a relief honestly.
Izuku furrowed his brows, looking around the remaining space they had. "I'm not sure…but we'll figure it out."
"Optimistic as always."
"Someone has to be."
Because of the tight space in the room now, the boys had to share a table. And while said table separated them from their respective cushions, it still didn't help that they were an arm's length away.
-
Is it bad that Izuku doesn't want this to end?
The answer should be obvious for anyone in his position. But it isn't to him. The last few days– or however long its been– has been the most peaceful and stress-free days of his life. And now, after hearing all the ruckus and feeling the room shake every few hours, reality is starting to catch up on them.
Shigaraki has been eerily quiet since his declaration, and has been uncharacteristically cooperative when the greenette asked him to do some stuff while they figured out another way out for him.
But Izuku had a feeling he too was disappointed and not at all excited for them to separate–
EHEM
…Where did that come from?
-
The days leading to their inevitable separation was…less than thrilling.
Morale was low, but they were persistent to get the job done. It surprises Izuku how easy it was to find another exit, they just needed to throw some ideas (game logic) around and experiment here and there then– boom! They had their escape plan.
The plan was simple, and there were several back-up plans that would ensure everything would work out. All they had to ensure was being quicker than the heroes above.
Though the fact that these plans were too easy to make in his standards still unnerved him. Why didn't he think of them sooner?
He knows why
As the crackling of equipment and shouts of people start to get closer each minute, Izuku starts hearing a voice telling him this was for the greater good.
Apparently that meant letting a villain escape with his willing help.
Great job, Izuku. You're gonna become a great hero someday, the greenette grimaced. might as well say he and Kacchan's relationship will get better too.
"Stain said you were a true hero," Izuku almost jumped at the sudden silence being filled. He turned around to find Shigaraki staring at his father's hand, sitting on the floor.
"Why, out of everyone in your class, did he think you were the truest? That Todoroki kid also ran into danger when he found you in trouble, so why not him too?" Bloodred eyes turned to look at him thoughtfully.
"What makes you different?"
Izuku stood there staring, dumbfounded by his companion's questions. But his mind reeled for an answer since he too didn't know either.
What did make him different?
The more the greenette thought of it, the more the difference started glaring at him from the back of his mind.
So he wordlessly sat down beside Shigaraki, taking his time to form the words and think about what he's about to reveal to his literal enemy. Thankfully, his companion is being patient.
"Only difference I can think of is my background," He started slowly, looking down at his hands and at the scars that branded them. A reminder of the life-changing choice he made that day.
When Shigaraki didn't interrupt, he finished in a quiet voice. "I was Quirkless."
.
..
…
Suddenly, everything went mute.
And Izuku couldn't help but sigh and close his eyes, knowing fully well what will happen next and preparing OFA– just in case.
But after 10 seconds…20…30…until it was 2 minutes past, nothing came. But that couldn't be right…
Right?
He felt an unfamiliar hand gently move his head, it was rough and only three fingers, but what surprised him more than the odd action were the words that followed it.
"That might be the best thing you could've told me so far."
Izuku's eyes snapped open, giving Shigaraki the most flabbergasted expression he's made since All Might's declaration to him.
"…Have you gone mental?" The greenette blurted out unintentionally, but he was curious…and concerned.
And Shigaraki had the audacity to laugh in his face. The fingers still on said face sliding down to tilt the head up with two, while the thumb caressed dangerously close to the greenette's bottom lip.
"Already have a long time ago." His companion stated with a smirk, bloodred eyes not at all focusing on his own, but somewhere completely different.
Despite the obvious, Izuku continues to ignore the signs. "A weird thing to admit to a hero."
"Its actually a cliché."
"Seriously?"
"I thought you were a die-hard hero fan?"
"…Stop bullying me."
This time, both of them laughed.
-
Its almost time.
From Izuku's careful calculations and consideration, he predicts the heroes finding them in 10-15 minutes. Enough time for them to prepare and say their goodbyes.
It's not like it'll be for forever…they just won't be seeing each other as 'friends' anymore.
"Alright, you just stand there and ready your fingers. Once my side is close to infiltrate, make sure you destroy this specific wall and step back immediately. Okay?" Izuku reiterated for the umpteenth time, getting a snort out of his companion.
"Yes, I know, Midoriya. We've been through this several times that I've practically memorized it."
Well that's good to know, the greenette blushed. "Sorry, I just don't want you getting caught."
"I appreciate the sentiment."
The room shook lightly, drills getting closer and boulders being moved. Suddenly the air felt more tighter and suffocating; and now that he thought about it, where is their oxygen coming from?
Izuku suppressed a groan, rubbing his temple to will the migraine away. He hasn't even gone out yet, but he's already missing the peace this situation brought him.
"You okay?" He feels Shigaraki grab his shoulder, thumb gently rubbing it as if he were trying to soothe a muscle pain. It might as well be 'cause even his body feels heavy.
The greenette sighed, looking around their run-down shop. It was claustrophobic, the food had very limited variations, and the lack of interaction with the world was almost maddening. Almost.
Despite all this, Izuku found this place to be like a second home– funnily enough. And it wouldn't have become that way if it weren't for a special someone.
Er– did he say special?
"I'm gonna miss this," Izuku remarked sadly, his expression dimming once the gravity of it all starts pulling him back.
For once, the greenette wished he wasn't special. He wished he was Quirkless again, and free to disappear whenever he wanted because nobody would care. Is it so bad that he wants to disappear from the life he chose for himself?
Was it really even him who chose this…?
Yes, because One For All is a part of him now.
"I will too," Shigaraki shared solemnly, the hand on his shoulder moving up to play with green curls, careful to only use three fingers. "But hey, on the bright side you get to see your little hero friends again."
Izuku's never even thought of them while they were stuck here. Either because he was busy surviving, or couldn't bring himself to care. Does that make him a bad person? Not even his own mom did he worry of her reaction to this.
Kami, what is wrong with him?
"I SEE THERMAL ENERGY COMING FROM HERE!" Said a man dangerously close to their location. Suddenly, they were snapped back to reality.
"I guess…this is goodbye?" Izuku tried for a smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace.
Shigaraki, on the other hand, didn't try to hide an actual grimace. But it immediately disappeared when he turned to look at him – it changed into something more calm and…soft.
"Not a goodbye," his companion said in a promising tone, his fingers slipping from his face as he stepped back. Further…and further away…until he was out of reach.
All Izuku did was watch, a feeling of longing washing over him. But he didn't pursue it.
"See you later then." He smiled, slightly. In return, getting a smile in Shigaraki's own way.
And then he was gone, another half of the room collapsing same time as the wall behind the greenette.
"WE FOUND HIM!"
-
A few days after Izuku got released from the hospital, he opened his game to find a gift from someone under the handle 'Revenger_Dust44'
It was the legendary item he was supposed to claim for a year perfect attendance.
Ding!
The greenette looked at the corner where the message bar was.
Revenger_Dust44:
Wanna test that new item of yours, hero?
~~~~~~~~~~