Eraserhead (12:53am): Are you safe?

Candid (12:56am): when have i ever been anything but safe
Candid (12:56am): suck it
Candid (12:56am): im perfectly fine

Eraserhead (12:57am): Alright. [Read 1:01am]

—

Izuku was fifteen. He killed himself one year ago, exactly, and he had been wandering around as a ghost ever since. Or a corpse. Or… a gravedigger.

Maybe killing himself wasn’t the right way to explain the situation. He died. He came back to life. He said nothing, and his Mom said nothing, and then she died from heat exhaustion during a bad summer when they still lived in the countryside. Izuku took his Mom's car, drove to Tokyo, and deposited her into a grave next to her husband. He hadn’t known what to do that day, just that—well—things were wrong, and so was he, so he clawed at the soil while sobbing until there was enough room to curl up next to Inko Midoriya and stay there with her.

It was all pretty blurry. And in the real world, that wouldn’t ever happen. He was too young to drive. And he had been very young when he killed himself. (Got himself killed.) So, well, it was all up in the air.

It wasn’t like he had a particular coverup story.

Not that he needed one. Izuku Midoriya vanished into Tokyo’s overwhelming population and business. He didn’t mind at the time. And he still didn’t, even now, because he hung out at the cemeteries and muttered to the tombstones and scratched at his scalp until the dirt fell away. He was oftentimes dirty, not bloody, and he was disgruntled.

His favorite things were the moon, the stars, the night, and the empty grave he used as a bed most months.

Izuku preferred heroes to villains. He preferred being a kid—stuck fourteen forever—rather than living with a beating heart. Blood pumping. Breaths mingling. Oxygen was a requirement for easy living and he wasn’t sure why he would ever bother with it again.

Izuku was a vigilante.

A necromancer, a ghost, a gravedigger—robber, in some cases—so a thief was still more accurate than kid or kiddo. But Izuku was Candid, and he was laced with candor and ghostly-adjacent haunting skills. He was honest enough and had access to a hero’s personal number. He helped out when he felt like it—twisting with the worms, shaking during thunderstorms. Izuku wasn’t sure why anyone would ever choose anything else. His skin crawled, but he didn’t rot, and when people attacked him head-on he never felt the pain—it didn’t hurt or ache or sting. He could laugh at them or cry or hit with two weak arms or whistle with all the wind in the country, and he was fine.

Mostly.

Because who wouldn’t be fine if you could empty an entire graveyard and have coffins bust open and corpses walk forwards with anger?

Necromancy, but no one truly came back to life—dealing with the dead, disrupting and interfering with corpses—Izuku wasn’t honest about that. But he was fifteen, not eighteen, and he wasn’t that mature compared to other vigilantes. He was just a kid. He was. He died as one, acted as one. It was easier to be a hollow shell that passed through walls but couldn’t float past the particles of dirt that caged him. Packed down, pressed in—cold, sometimes damp. Waiting and waiting and waiting and then finally digging himself out with tears in his eyes and the moon high above him and his phone flickering on when he finally, finally, finally took himself to an outlet next to a gas station or convenience store.

Izuku wasn’t sure how anyone would ever catch him, really. If they needed to. Japan was full of far more dangerous people.

He didn’t do anything too insane—he just disrespected the undead, because they weren’t present—no sentience—and then he cried and whistled for support when people came after him. Izuku liked death because it was within reach. He liked death because it came easily enough, and when things were easy to beckon, then he got lost in them. He liked sticking close to things like that.

Me or them, Izuku sighed. Me or them.

But he was a kid.

Yeah.

And all the tight-lipped messages didn’t mean much because he still showed up on a roof and waved at Eraserhead like a middle schooler would. He still smiled, dirt clinging to his lashes and the chill of the air making him shiver.

“Hi,” Candid greeted.

“Hey,” Eraserhead nodded, stepping closer. He closed the gap with practiced ease, goggles covering his eyes. It was easier, maybe, to pretend that this wasn’t a terrible plan.

Like most things involving Candid, it was already terrible and there would be no way to lessen that burden.

Eraserhead must be looking at him. “Is everything going well?”

Scrutiny.

“Yeah,” Candid said, because saying no meant having to explain himself or the situation that was ruining everything, and he never enjoyed doing that. He cleared his throat, crossing his arms over his chest. The jacket he was wearing had been eaten away by moths and bugs over the months in the dirt, but Candid didn’t know how to fix it. (He didn’t want to bother, really.) The chill seeped in. “How about you? Are you well?”

Eraserhead tilted his head and slowly nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed, smooth. “I’m well.”

“Okay,” Candid said, and didn’t ask again.

—

Eraserhead (1:23am): Are you safe?

Candid (1:27am): are you going to ask me that every time i show up on the news

Eraserhead (1:27am): I will if I have to.
Eraserhead (1:27am): No one else seems to be asking you that.

Candid (1:28am): well im just dandy if you have to know
Candid (1:28am): living my best life as all kids are.

Eraserhead (1:29am): Alright. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. [Read 1:32am]

—

Candid (11:41pm): so, eraser.
Candid (11:41pm): how was ur top secret mission that i totally didn’t help you with

Eraserhead (11:42pm): It was a success. The information you sent was useful, though legally speaking you shouldn’t be doing that. I can’t endorse you going out of your way to get that kind of information.

Candid (11:43pm):yeah and legally speaking im supposed to be dead
Candid (11:43pm): so. you know
Candid (11:43pm): we all have our fun little run-ins with the law

Eraserhead (11:43pm): Are you serious, Candid?
Eraserhead (11:43pm): That’s really not funny.
Eraserhead (11:43pm): You aren’t joking, are you? Of course not.

Candid (11:45pm): as serious as i can be
Candid (11:45pm): anyway it was fun talking with you i gotta go help my mom w ith groceries
Candid (11:45pm): k bye

Eraserhead (11:47pm): Candid, you said your mother was also dead. [Read 12:09am]
Eraserhead (11:47pm): Your entire case file has been wiped clean, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t still searching for you. We haven’t given up on finding you. [Read 12:09am]

Eraserhead (11:48pm): You said it yourself. Everyone is dead in one way or another. You said that, and we promised that you weren’t. We promised you that. [Read 12:12am]
Eraserhead (11:48pm): We promised you that you weren’t dead. I promised you, and I still do. [Read 12:12am]

Eraserhead (11:49pm): Be safe. Get some rest.

Candid (12:17am): yeah
Candid (12:17am): yeah you too eraser

—

UNSENT:

Candid (5:30pm): did you know that im gonna make the moon blow up one day? and if i can’t blow up the moon, then im gonna go home and watch hero documentaries until my brain melts? and if that doesn’t work, then im going to like actually fucking kill myself? did you know that my favorite Tokyo graveyard has a buy-one-get-one free tombstone sale right now?

(Not delivered, fuck off.)

—

Candid (10:58pm): i can’t believe you told your detective friend that i exist
Candid (10:58pm): how dare you
Candid (10:58pm): that’s so mean

Candid (10:59pm): you can’t just tell a detective that’s on my case im still alive and not dead! that goes against my terms of agreement

Eraserhead (11:01pm): I did not tell any of my associates who you were, Candid, or that I had any ties to you and your pre-existing state. They figured it out on their own and confronted me about it.
Eraserhead (11:01): What terms of agreement could you possibly have?

Candid (11:03): you did not just ask me that eraser
Candid (11:03): that’s also so mean
Candid (11:03pm): i resent you for being so calm all the time

Eraserhead (11:04pm): Be resentful, then. You’re allowed to be and feel things, kid.

Candid (11:07pm): don’t you ever get nervous? don’t you ever forget to live a little? don’t you ever get so high off of weed you end up thinking the sky was meant to be yellow and not blue???? what kind of person are you if you don’t do that

Eraserhead (11:07pm): A normal, sane, perfectly law-abiding person. A normal citizen.

Candid (11:08pm): you told your super scary cop buddies about my existence as a ghost and you think being a NORMAL citizen of this country is what will be my ticket out of death’s clutches???
Candid (11:08pm): nuh uh. no deal

Eraserhead (11:09pm): Again, Candid. I didn’t tell them anything. It is not my place to share information about you. They cannot prove your existence as it is. Whether or not they can tie a supposed identity to you remains irrelevant for that reason.

Candid (11:09pm): why are you a logical person

Eraserhead (11:10pm): I do not smoke marijuana excessively nor do drugs. It’s just the way the world works, kid.

Candid (11:11pm): “it’s just the way the world works, kid” bLAH BLAH BLAH
Candid (11:11pm): there is no way that you DONT do weed have you seen yourself
Candid (11:11pm): you look like a stoner.
Candid (11:11pm): and yes i know i also look like a stoner but that’s not the point so don’t even bother bringing it up

Eraserhead (11:13pm): I was not about to bring up the fact you look like a stoner, that would have been insulting of me.
Eraserhead (11:13pm): You look more like a scrappy, lost cat.

Candid (11:16pm): im blocking you

—

In the dark, Candid could almost say he was real.

It was like, just for a fraction of a second, his quirk solidified into something steady and the whispers that filled his head quieted down just long enough for Candid to see himself for what he was. He glanced at his palms, speckled with dirt and mud. One of his nails was missing. It sent a shiver down his spine, all wrong, but he swallowed the saliva that filled his mouth. Nausea crept up. He batted it away with his sleeve, shaking.

His quirk wasn’t normal in this kind of society. It was unfortunate but true, given the population’s history of… quirk discrimination.

(That was the nicer way to say it. Izuku didn’t know why he bothered trying to be nice.)

—

Candid (12:49am): are you crazy. [Read 12:53am]

Eraserhead (12:57am): No, I am relatively certain I am not.
Eraserhead (12:57am): Did something happen?

Candid (12:58am): what part of don’t go near tokyo’s main graveyard was not clear
Candid (12:58am): WHAT PART OF THAT WAS NOT CLEAR
Candid (12:58am): should i have made a big sign that said “danger! walking corpses! little kid gone wild and is sleeping in an empty grave!”
Candid (12:58am): should i have called you and told you that you were gonna die if you went ?????

Candid (1:02am): because
Candid (1:02am): becaus e. beacuse eraserhead i swear to every god above imma cry if you show up again unannounced

Eraserhead (1:02am): I do not patrol in the Tokyo area, Candid. Why was the graveyard off limits?
Eraserhead (1:02am): I would not have appeared in your area without informing you.

Candid (1:03am): im gonna fucking bury myself alive

Eraserhead (1:03am): Do not.

Candid (1:04am): if that wasn’t you bothering my grave then it was someone else
Candid (1:04am): which means someone else was poking and shittingf around where i was supposedly resting for my time like
Candid (1:04): im. hello what the f uck get out of my house you son of a bitch h i don’t have any. time for this !

Eraserhead (1:05am): Candid. Are you safe?

Candid (1:05am): im fine sorry imma go fix this mess
Candid (1:05am): sorry eraser

—

Candid dug his hands into the dirt, gasping when his head broke through the surface. The soil was grey and cold and dry. It crumbled under his nails, ripped gloves, and he shrieked. The moon was looking at him and through the accompanying dirt box he laid in, there was a guy blinking down at him from the surface.

“Need help getting out?” The guy asked, quietly.

Candid’s eyes were watering and he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help himself, either. “Yeah,” he croaked. “Help, please.”

—

Eraserhead (11:24pm): Are you safe?

Candid (11:24pm): yeah
Candid (11:24pm): im okay. im staying with a friend right now

Eraserhead (11:25pm): Alright. I’m glad you’re okay. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Candid (11:26pm): okay

—

Candid (12:03am): i think this is what you’re looking for

[CANDID] HAS SHARED A LOCATION WITH [ERASERHEAD] AT 12:03AM

—

Candid (12:22am): what counts as anything?

Eraserhead (12:23am): Anything.
Eraserhead (12:23am): Anything counts as anything, Candid. Is something wrong?

Candid (12:23am): haha
Candid (12:23am): does weed count as anything

Eraserhead (12:24am): No, weed would not be in the criteria. Eraserhead (12:24am): Though I’m assuming you are only asking that because you don’t want to come off as scared.

Candid (12:24am): don’t call me out like that eraser that’s not fair

Eraserhead (12:24am): Is something wrong? I know you’re usually up at this time, but if you’re with a friend, it’s concerning. Are you safe still?

Candid (12:26am): yeah i just wanted to know what you meant by “anything”
Candid (12:26am): no one ever offers me that kind of assistance so!
Candid (12:26am): sorry
Candid (12:26am): it’s probably silly to you

Eraserhead (12:27am): Your questions are not silly.
Eraserhead (12:27am): You can say whatever you want, whenever you want. There are limits, but you’re good at knowing when to let silence stay.
Eraserhead (12:27am): If I can help you with something, I will.

Candid (12:31am): o kay
Candid (12:31am): yeah im okay im safe
Candid (12:31am): i was just confused and wanted to know

Candid (12:34am): sorry for waking you if i did. im okay and safe and all that [Read 12:46am]

Eraserhead (12:46am): No need to apologize, Candid. You didn’t wake me. Make sure to rest if you can.
Eraserhead (12:46am): If you need anything (not weed, don’t make another joke this early in the morning) don’t hesitate to reach out. I will do my best to help. Be safe.

Candid (12:48am): y ou too eraser

—

Eraserhead (1:01am): Are you safe?

Candid (1:01am): Yeah

—

Eraserhead (4:01am): Are you safe?

Candid (4:02am): sure

Eraserhead (4:02am): Are you?

Candid (4:03am): yeah. of course i am. why would i lie? im all good

—

Candid (11:10pm): i don’t think im a violent person
Candid (11:10pm): i really don’t
Candid (11:10pm): but everyone thinks i must be violent because my quirk is inherently cruel and not exactly passive and it’s such an exhausting thing. im not violent. im not violent. you know im not, you’ve met me, you’ve fed me and sheltered me and talked to me without fear or hate and YOU KNOW so why can’t anyone else figure that out. im a kid and im great and everyone else is actually insane
Candid (11:10pm): maybe not you but
Candid (11:10pm): it’s still hard to tell because i don’t know you that well
Candid (11:10pm): but you’re not violent or insane from what i can tell. i think im just sad
Candid (11:10pm): you know im a liar and a cheat and a freak and etc etc etc but you don’t know me as ME but i’d never let you? and that’s my fault. but it’s hard to tell you or anyone in person because im supposed to be d-e-a-d. and im obviously not but it’s still obvious and stupid and there’s only so much i can do
Candid (11:10pm): sorry
Candid (11:10pm): im drunk
Candid (11:10pm): or not drunk but like tipsy
Candid (11:10pm): but i swear i wanted to say all this so just let it slide. i wish it weren’t so dumb
Candid (11:10pm): maybe im the dumb one
Candid (11:10pm): i don’t know

—

Candid (8:56pm): this is for you

Eraserhead (8:57pm): Maybe I’m the one who should block you.

Candid (8:57pm): ha
Candid (8:57pm): you make me laugh

—

Eraserhead (9:12pm): Are you safe?

Candid (9:13pm): safety is overrated
Candid (9:13pm): but yeah im safe

—

Candid (12:43am): hey how are you doing
Candid (12:43am): i don’t know what else to ask
Candid (12:43am): sorry about last week

Eraserhead (12:43am): I’m fine.
Eraserhead (12:43am): Last week wasn’t a bad thing. Are you doing alright?

Candid (12:43am): im okay
Candid (12:43am): the graveyard is quiet
Candid (12:43am): sorry that’s weird. i know you don’t understand it the way i do but i swear im okay. the graveyard isn’t loud anymore and that’s a good thing

Eraserhead (12:44am): Then I’m glad it’s quiet.

Candid (12:44am): yeah thank the universe for that
Candid (12:44am): can’t stand anymore howling

Eraserhead (12:44am): Would you like to meet at the normal spot?

Candid (12:44am): Tonight?

Eraserhead (12:44am): Yes.
Eraserhead (12:44am): Only if you’d like to. If you think it’s safe.

Candid (12:44am): im not injured or anything
Candid (12:44am): i can meet with you if you want yeah
Candid (12:44am): i don’t mind

Eraserhead (12:44am): It would be good to talk to you again.
Eraserhead (12:44am): It’s a relief to see you in person.

Candid (12:44am): that’s cause you’re always worried
Candid (12:44am): and last week was rough
Candid (12:44am): even though you aren’t saying it was, i know it was, i felt it

Eraserhead (12:45am): It wasn’t the easiest week, Candid. But that isn’t your fault.
Eraserhead (12:45am): You know that.

Candid (12:45am): i guess

—

UNSENT:

Candid (4:44am): i think you shouldn’t look for me
Candid (4:44am): or wait for me

—

UNSENT:

Candid (6:06am): im dead. im very dead and no one is supposed to know me. or know im alive. it’s all messed up because people know and i can’t change them. i can’t change them or how they think or what they know. everyone else gets to breathe normally and live normally and that’s all fine but im not like that and you’re not anyone special. im not special and im drunk and im not supposed to be here and everyone that knows me knows im not supposed to be here. im supposed to be on the moon or dancing in space or flying with the wind or burning alive or burying myself deeper in a grave where no one will ever find me. because living hurts and it’s been so long since i actually tried and trying is so hard and it’s only ever made worse when you text or call or ask to meet at a random station with random information and
Candid (6:06am): stop thinking of me and stop trying to keep me alive and
Candid (6:06am): it’s just really difficult. stop being difficult.

—

And it was difficult because no one else cared, but Eraserhead acted like he did.

(Maybe he did.)

Because Eraserhead brought him food. Because Eraserhead asked if he was safe, if he was okay, if he needed anything. (What counted as anything?) Because Eraserhead seemed to be watching. Because Eraserhead seemed to be waiting, ever so fucking patiently, and he had yet to turn Candid into the police and that had to mean something.

That had to mean something, right?

—

Eraserhead (11:25pm): Are you safe?

Candid (11:25pm): im safe
Candid (11:25pm): im even in my house trying to make miso soup
Candid (11:25pm): would you believe it if i said i’ve never cooked in my life? never even cooked in my undead life (right now) so the whole kitchen is a safety hazard
Candid (11:25pm): but im fine yeah
Candid (11:25pm): excluding the hot broth on the floor and the knife that somehow ended up in the wall
Candid (11:25pm): im good

Eraserhead (11:25pm): Do you want me to stop by and bring you miso soup?

Candid (11:25pm): no i’ll figure it out

Eraserhead (11:25pm): Would you like me to stop by at all?

Candid (11:26pm): do you even know where i live?
Candid (11:26pm): spoiler alert im not near the graveyard

Eraserhead (11:26pm): You aren’t a ghost, and you aren’t a throwaway child. I wouldn’t be opposed to learning where your residence is.

Candid (11:26pm): haha

Eraserhead (11:26pm): I mean it.

Candid (11:26pm): im sure you do
Candid (11:26pm): it’s just funny
Candid (11:26pm): no one else ever has so i think it’s funny

Eraserhead (11:26pm): I can likely be there in an hour or less.

Candid (11:26pm): who knows, maybe im on a remote island and not on the mainland…

Eraserhead (11:26pm): Are you?

Candid (11:26pm): no but that would be funny too
Candid (11:26pm): im at an Airbnb right now. if you can bring mushrooms, soft tofu, seaweed, and some kind of fish? that would be cool

Eraserhead (11:26pm): Sure.

[CANDID] HAS SHARED A LOCATION WITH [ERASERHEAD] AT 11:26PM

Candid (11:26pm): see you soon then