Chapter Text
Awkward…
Izuku ran through the crowd of people, swerving to purposely get lost.
“Hey get back here!! RABBIT!”
Izuku chuckled behind his mask as he slid into the closest alleyway and jumped into the closest dumpster. Gross.
Footsteps run past the alleyway with yells as people grumble unhappily from being pushed into the crowd uncomfortably.
Izuku waited for any more yelling from those obnoxious heroes but luckily he lost them!
The dumpster lid was held open and Izuku threw himself out from it with annoyance, wiping extra trash off his gear. How irritating!
Izuku walked further into the alleyway, looking around to see if there were people around but not anymore !
“Oh!! Go catch him!! He’s the dangerous Rabbit!! Get him!!’ How annoying!! Freaking heroes need to mind their own business!! I don’t look that suspicious anyway!! Ugh!!”
Izuku complained to himself, mocking the hero’s voice – Kamui Woods – out of spite. He turned a corner spotting the misty purple portal he had grown used to seeing. Walking up to it he walked through and shivered.
Even after years of using the portal it still feels cold as hell !
“Izuku, welcome back.”
Izuku looked up to see the portal maker – Kurogiri – and let out a bark of laughter.
“Hey Kuro!! I bought ya some new tea and got Tomura, his stupid new game!!” Izuku said happily, though changed his tone while mentioning Tomura, the snotty little brat!
Izuku pushed his hatred against his brother to the back of his mind and dropped a grocery bag on the bar counter. Kurogiri took the items and warped the game away, leaving it in Tomura’s room.
Kurogiri took the tea from the bag and stored it away safely, Izuku hopped onto one of the bar stools and rested his chin against the counter with boredom.
A glass of orange juice was placed in front of Izuku. He glanced up to look at Kurogiri and sighed as he sat up straight and put his hand out while grabbing the orange juice with his other hand.
Kurogiri placed a few pills in Izuku’s palm.
Izuku gave Kurogiri a conflicted look for a moment but dropped it as he popped the pills into his mouth and took a swig of his OJ.
“Gross.”
A misty hand was placed on top of his green curls, Kurogiri ruffled his hair before going back to cleaning the cup behind the bar. Izuku huffed at the loss of contact but leaned his cheek against his arms, lying his head on the counter while messing with his cup of orange juice.
The front door burst open and Giran stood there looking happy with a big toothy grin.
“Izuku!!! How ya doin’ kiddo!”
Giran greeted while slamming the front door closed and walked over with his hands in his pockets. Izuku glanced over at him and brightened up, getting off the stool and tackling him into a hug.
“Giran !! I’m dying of boredom. Please tell me you’re not busy!!!”
Giran laughed and placed a hand on Izuku’s curls, ruffling his hair. Giran looked up at Kurogiri and waved at him.
“Well, it depends if Kurogiri will let you hangout with me today.”
Izuku whined and let go of Giran as he quickly turned to Kurogiri and threw himself at the bar counter.
“Kuro, pleaaasseee!! Can I hangout with Giran!!!”
Izuku begged the misty man. Kurogiri didn’t respond, after a few quiet minutes he nodded and continued to clean the glasses.
Izuku practically squealed and ran to Giran, holding onto his arm happily. Giran chuckled at the greenette’s enthusiasm and took out his cigarette box offering one to Izuku.
The greenette took one and let go of Giran as he took a lighter out and lit it up.
“Thanks ! So what are we gonna do today!!”
Giran opened the front door and led Izuku out and they walked down the stairs to the outside world. Giran then took out a pocket knife.
“Well, we need to get some blood samples for a buddy of mine. He’s testing different bloods with trigger to see if any effects happen.”
Izuku walked with a pop in his step in excitement at the task ahead of them now.
*
*
*
Life is upsetting. It is never easy. It’s always unfair. Never worth it.
Izuku stared at the ground, it was miles down from where he was standing on the rooftop. Giran told him he had to head out for a meeting with some random group and told him to head back to the bar.
Enthusiasm is Izuku’s cover up. Yet everyday he feels a heavy weight in his chest for every action he does.
It makes dad happy when Izuku does his tasks correctly. But he doesn't want to make dad happy anymore.
Tomura is his successor and it’s been Izuku’s job since to keep him safe.
Even if death is at risk.
Izuku’s quirkless, he doesn’t matter. Izuku was made to be Tomura’s shield.
Nothing more, nothing less.
So Izuku lives everyday to its fullest regardless how tired he feels.
Because one day he won’t be there for the sake of keeping Tomura safe.
Izuku reached his hands up to his ears and took his hearing aids off, everything going silent as he stared ahead at the sunsetting.
Wishing that in a different life he was being protected by Tomura and they smiled, laughed, played together like real brothers.
But wishing is never enough.
*
*
*
Sleeping has always been a problem for the greenette. Kurogiri is usually out at night and doesn't come back till 5 in the morning, Tomura games or sleeps all night but doesn't give a damn about anything, dad just doesn’t care unless he has a task for Izuku to complete.
So during the night Izuku chooses to help the underground heroes as a vigilante.
Yeah, he may be on the bad side of what the heroes are against but so what? Not like Izuku had a choice. He never does. Isn’t allowed to.
But when he’s out in the night, cold wind hitting his face as he drops into an alleyway to kick some ass, he feels free for once, gets to make choices, gets to live.
Though it’s hard to keep it a secret that he does this at ass-o-clock he’s willing to do anything just to get outside and help the side he’s been dreaming to be on since he was a kid.
Mom would be proud. And that’s all the motivation Izuku needs to get through fights.
Footsteps approach Izuku from behind and he quickly turns around to see it’s just Midnight. Izuku relaxes and turns back around to enjoy the view on the rooftop.
Midnight walks up and stands next to him, leaning against the railing as she looks at the boy.
“Doing okay, Rabbit?” Midnight asks softly, not attacking but just wanting to talk.
Izuku always found Midnight confusing, she had tried to capture him but after a few horrible attempts she decided against it and wanted to befriend the greenette.
Izuku glanced over at her, wondering how she handles the cold so well since her outfit is very revealing but pushes that thought away.
“Yeah, just listening for anything. But tonight seems quiet. How’re you?”
Midnight hums and leans her chin on her hand while looking at the waxing crescent moon.
“I’m doing good! Oh! Guess what! Tsukauchi finally got Eraserhead on your case since I told him I’m not equipped for the job! So good luck with the grump!”
Izuku laughed at Midnight’s comment, he knew who Eraserhead was! He’s the erasure hero that can make any quirk unusable by blocking their quirk factor from working but the effect ends when he blinks.
Knowing information is important when staying near the bad side of society.
“He’s going to struggle with me then. I hope I don’t make his night worse. If I make it fun then that’s a win! If anything though, I would rather be buddy-buddy with him like I am with you.”
Izuku spoke with admiration but guilt. He lives with people who beat him for even walking too loudly when they’re pissed so the least he could do is try to be nice with Eraserhead.
Midnight let a bark of laughter out as she placed her hand on top of Izuku’s viridian hood hiding his curls.
“Don’t worry about it, Kiddo! If anything he’ll try befriending you. He has a reputation for working with vigilantes so you’ll be fine. Be safe tonight, ‘kay? I’m heading out early since it’s quiet tonight, see ya!”
Midnight pressed a kiss onto Izuku’s hood and hugged him before running off. Izuku held the top of his hood where she kissed him and felt warmth spread throughout his chest. One thing he’ll not admit is that Midnight is the closest thing to a mother that he has.
Izuku suddenly felt cold without that hug.