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“Izuku come out, it's dinner time!” Izuku's mother yelled at him but he couldn’t hear her. He was in the middle of writing about the hero present mic. His mother screamed again louder this time he heard her he jolted up and out of his thoughts. He rushed downstairs apologizing right away. His mom just ignored him and finished but a plate together for him.
“How was work?” He asked. “It was good.” That was all his mother said. “How was school” “It was fine” ignoring the verbal onslaught of taught and slurs, ignoring the bruises and burns. It was fine. That’s just how things are, it's normal. This is how most of their conversations are.
He tried being in out of his room for 2 months instead of being in his room he was outside to try and be close to his mom but she was either at work or out with friends the only time he truly saw her was at dinner. She usually was out 2-4 times a week. He was used to this relationship. It was fine kinda lonely but it’s all good. It was life, it was normal.
He was only able to eat half his food he knew he needed to eat more, especially with the training he was going through for a quirk he didn’t even want. He felt like he was being ungrateful he didn’t mean to but he could only stomach so much.
He tried speaking to his mother but she just told him she was going out with friends. So he just said bye and went to his room as he always does knowing he won’t be able to sleep, be it from the nightmares the insomnia, or getting sucked into writing.
——
He was running. He's gotten pretty good at it, running. Izuku was always running. From bully’s nightmares to villain fights. One day he hopes to be able to stop and catch his breath.
He climbed up a fire escape. Running from the expositions. He was going to be late to training again “shit” he cursed All Might is going to be so pissed. As soon as he heard Kacchan and his friends leave he ran to the beach trying to get there as soon as possible.
___
“You’re late young Midoriya.” All Might said he sounded angry. “A hero is either early or right on time, never late.” Always the same thing he would get there early if he could but he couldn’t.
Izuku has long given up trying to explain all All Might says he is doing is making up excuses. It hurt but this was the number one hero he knew what was best and how to be a hero even if he didn’t want the quirk. A strong heroic quirk is how you become a hero even if that isn’t always true but it’s what All Might says.
After cleaning today and what’s supposed to be tomorrow's job as punishment for being late he was finally able to go home.
___
It was dark by the time he was able to make it home. Checking to see if he saw his mother's car he didn’t so that means she’s likely not home. He got to the apartment. It wasn't home hasn’t been in a long time. He saw a note and pizza. His mother was out again but hey he got pizza that’s something.
He didn’t want to be home at that moment. It was uncomfortable, quiet, and lonely so I just went to the roof to stare at the stars.
The roof has always been nice. He is alone but also not he can have time to himself without feeling completely alone. Being alone is never fun, he doesn't enjoy it. But he hates crowds. It’s like he doesn’t want to be alone yet he doesn’t want to be surrounded by people.
He listened to the sound of the city and the sirens in the distance. Hours passed he didn’t process the fact that it was now 1 a.m. he knew time passed he saw the clock but it didn’t feel real his head felt like it was in fog. Sometimes this happens it's annoying but it happens he was doing things having thoughts living his life he couldn’t process how time had passed. It feels like a dream he’s brain covered in a fog machine. He got up and went downstairs heading to bed for the night. Still wonders how so much time has passed and it still feels like it hasn’t. He ignored the distant voice that said his name thinking he made it up.
___
His days passed like that
School
Run from bullies
Be late for training with all might
Go home and have a 50/50 chance of Mom being there
Go to the roof if she’s not, go to the room if she’s is
Study until 1 am
Go to sleep
Repeat
That was until someone came to the roof.
He was sitting on the edge trying to get his brain to stop being so fuzzy and have so much pressure. He could deal with it but he didn’t enjoy it. He wanted to go home but the apartment wasn’t his home, it was a place to sleep.
He heard a thump and slow steady steps coming forward. “Hello” he called in a steady voice trying to show he wasn’t going to do anything but still wanted to keep his guard up.
“Hey kid, mind telling me why you're up here it’s dangerous and it’s really late?” The person replied it sounded like a man.
“I like the view.” He said.
The man came closer. “Would you like to chat for a bit? This is quite high up.”
“What’s there to chat about?” Izuku's response.
“Why are you really up here?” The man's response.
He stayed quiet. He really wants to stay. This is one of the few places his brain quiets down that this is one of the only places he has to himself other than his room. That no one ever looks for him here (as if they would look for him) that none of his bullies have found him here. There are many reasons but all he’s going to say is. “I enjoy the view.”
“If ya say so kid. You know there’s always a hotline to call if you need or a hero agency.” The man came over and sat by him. Now that he has gotten a closer look at the man he realizes that he’s a hero or a vigilante.
“It’s fine, we'll be fine. Like I said, I just like the view.” He might be seeming defensive but he was fine.
The man was quiet for a few minutes. “Do you have any hobbies?” The man asked.
This caught Izuku off; he wasn't expecting that he thought the man would keep prodding. “I like hero analysis.” Unsure if that was a good answer he elaborated as to why. “It's just really interesting to me, how quirks work, why they work, what could happen with different team-ups! Quirk compatibility is really interesting too like-" he cut himself off, Biting his lip as he flushed a deep red. He'd gotten too caught up again.”
“That’s really interesting kid.”
“Thanks, I guess…I’m going home now.” Izuku said he was done he didn’t want to be there anymore. Izuku started to get up.
“Stay safe kid this is on my patrol route I hope I won’t see ya again but if I do please don’t be near the edge.” the hero said.
Izuku hummed and left the roof leaving the hero for his patrol.
___
It’s been a week since he met the hero. He still hasn’t seen him since. It’s been a week since his mother was home. Well since he’s seen her. She was home when he went to school. Maybe she completely left him. It's not like it would make too big a difference hardly sees her anyway.
Izuku was writing in his notebook about the new hero he saw today. They had an average fire quick strong enough to be a hero but not A list.
Izuku was tired, they were running out of food, and he had no money and couldn’t get a job. No one’s going to hire a useless quirkless freak. He was tired, he was hungry, he was done.
Izuku got up knowing they had no food but still had hope. He walked to the kitchen and saw a note that had his mother’s handwriting. He picked up the note next then he knew he
felt himself crawling back into his brain he didn’t care enough to stop it.
___
He came back and he was on the roof with a letter in his hand. He doesn’t remember reading it but a tiny male voice in the back of his head told him his mother wasn’t coming back. He wanted to tell it it was wrong but he knew he knew the voice was right.
That made him laugh and laugh and laugh he couldn’t stop laughing it moved to crying he didn’t notice when but he started to cry.
He knew this was coming, he knew his mother didn’t love him, and he knew she didn’t see him as his son, it didn’t hurt nonetheless. She after all was still his mother even if he barely knew her. There was barely any food left.
He was tired. So fucking tired. He wanted to go home. Does he know what exactly that home was, but he wanted it. He wanted to go there.
He saw the edge he was on the 12th floor, he knew a jump from that would end it all, maybe that longing for home would end.
He got up.
He walked to the edge.
He took off his jacket and his shoes.
He placed his headphones in and played, “No Complaints” by Noah Kahan on.
He stood on the edgy ready to fall. To lean forward and go home.
But he heard a voice that sounded like a person from a show he liked telling him to stop and go back to the apartment.
Izuku sighed, and he decided to listen to the voice. This has happened before the voice always stopped him when he was close. He got off the edge putting on his shoes and jacket. He took off his headphones.
He was startled to hear a familiar voice this time outside his head. “Hey, kid. Are you okay?” I was Eraserhead. Izumi knew that tone. The hero saw him. Saw him nearly jump. He will have to take him to the hospital. That will lead to them trying to reach Inko. Who won't answer. He’s tried she changed her phone number. Which will lead him to going into foster care. A quirkless person in foster care never survives. He regrets listening to the voice.
There was no getting out of this...but he can try. “Yes, just hanging out.” t
The hero sighed. “You know I saw that. I'm going to have to take you for a mental health evaluation.” “No thanks.” he really didn't want to go.
“Kid you know I need to.” the hero sighed. “would you rather we just talk for a bit first? Tell me what happened?”
“Yes please.” Izuku wanted to put this off as much as he could.
He knew this would be the last time he saw the hero so why not? He explained that his mother left the bullying the quickness even all might leaving him on the roof leaving out why. Eraserhead didn't like that but didn't push. He even explained the voice that stopped him. He told him everything.
The hero looked sad. Izuku didn't get it. He honestly didn't get it. It's just his life it's fine he was perfectly fine he was fine alone he always has been. The hero should just leave him like everyone else. It will hurt he knows that but that's his life his destiny to be alone forever.
“What?” Izuku asks. “This is normal.” he knew deep down it wasn't but he didn't want to know that.
“Kid. You know it isn't.”
Izuku got up ready to run. He didn't want to be in the foster system, he just wanted to be left alone. He couldn't breathe. Why was this hero being nice it was weird no one was ever nice to him. He shouldn't be nice he didn't deserve it.
Izuku felt the hero's hand on his hand taking it to the hero's chest.
“Kid, breathe with me.” izuku did.
“Would you like to stay with me after we go to the hospital? I can foster you until we find a quirkless friendly placement for you?”
Izuku wanted that but he couldn't speak so he just nodded.
The hero grabbed him and they took off towards the hospital.
He had his evaluation. He needed a 72-hour watch which the hero offered to do for him. And they couldn't reach his mother of course. The hero again said he would foster izuku.
Izuku was happy, things were finally looking up. They were safe. Apparently one of the hero's friends brought his car to the hospital for them. they started heading to his new home for the time being. He learned the hero's name was Shota Aizawa. and he had 3 cats.
Izuku was happy things were looking up and they were finally safe. It was nice he was finally feeling happy.
He was safe.