Chapter Text
It all started like this:
Izuku’s 4 years old, he’s wandering around his new neighborhood clutching his All Might figure while his mother Inko is helping the moving team with some boxes in their new apartment.
Izuku is excited to find new friends in this neighborhood! Oh he can't wait.
His Mama told him he needed to be back at 5:00 pm because it's dangerous at night.
Izuku is brave and he's not afraid of the dark, but he needs to listen to his Mama because she's all that he has left.
Papa died back in a villain incident in Hosu and Izuku misses him dearly and so does Mama.
To avoid the past getting to them, they move to a new neighborhood.
Now walking around the playground, he notices a run down slide and a set of swings with one torn from the chain holding It upright.
He hears soft sniffles from behind the broken slide. So with a full heart and confident face he makes a beeline towards it.
He spots a black haired boy crying as his shoulders shuddered.
Izuku frowns and approaches the boy.
Noticing the movement the boy cranes his head toward Izuku.
Izuku sees this and admires the beautiful glassy grey eyes that eye him profusely.
Tears streamed on his face as he looked at Izuku.
“A-are you okay?" Izuku worries, crouching next to the boy.
The boy slowly backs away but he was met with his back hit against a pole.
He gives a small cry of pain and this concerns Izuku more.
So he gets up and lends his hand to the crying boy.
"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you” he coos and gives a genuine smile.
Tenko was confused. He really was. He was only supposed to be at the backyard but Mon had run away from him so he tried to find him but his Father Kotaro has already scolded him from disobeying his rules.
Tenko hates his Father, he really does.
Now he's here at the park, crying his eyes out while a green haired boy held his hand out to him.
But his instincts are telling him no don't trust him, he'll just hurt you too.
"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you” the boy reassures and Tenko feels relief, but in the back of his mind it's telling him no no no.
He's afraid he'll hurt the boy, he's afraid he'll end up like his other friends. He's afraid if he acts out he will run away from him.
Suddenly, the itching feeling is back. He scratches his neck over and over again but the urge is still there.
The boy grew more concerned for Tenko.
Suddenly the boy snatches Tenko's hand away from his neck as he crouches down next to Tenko.
"Don't. Don't do that, you're hurting yourself”
Tenko thinks for a moment. This boy is kind hearted, he feels like the warmth of a thousand suns, the feeling of nostalgia. He feels like the warm summer breeze that passes through.
He feels warm.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to ijusthoughtyouwerehurtingyourselfandiwaskindaworriedyouwerealsocrying—I'm sorry” he apologizes again but this time Tenko laughs, he feels light. He hasn't felt this in a long time.
The freckled boy (now that Tenko notices) hides away and flushes red completely.
"I'm Tenko, Tenko Shimura” he greets the boy with a sincere smile wiping his tears away.
With this the green haired boy looks at him and smiles and that warms Tenko's heart.
“I'm Izuku Midoriya, just Izuku!" He clasps Tenko's hand on his own.
They're days go on like this.
Izuku had told Tenko he was new to the neighborhood.
They'd chase Tenko's pet dog Mon around and laugh when they'd end up on the playground everyday.
Tangled in each other's warmth.
They shared a lot of interests, mostly on heroes and their dreams.
Tenko opened up to Izuku about his life, the abuse and how his Father despised heroes.
Izuku reassured him he will be a hero and that's everything to Tenko.
The itching feeling would disappear and his days would go lighter.
Izuku would wipe away the tears from Tenko's face and tell him no one will ever hurt him again and that Izuku would do anything to be friends with Tenko if they'd disappear in each other's life.
They were laying on the ground in the shade of a willow tree. Tenko had just gotten scolded by his Father and Izuku’s mom went to work.
The sun shone aimlessly as the birds would hum their harmony.
Their hands intertwined and their hearts sync as one.
“Tenko" Izuku calls sitting against the tree as Tenko’s head would lay on his lap.
"Hmm?” Tenko would reply.
Izuku would smile as his freckled face looked like constellations under the radiant gaze of the sun.
"Do you think we could be heroes one day?” Izuku would ask and Tenko would think.
"Of course we'd be heroes! We're partners in every universe, remember?” Tenko would say rejecting Izuku's gloomy questions.
“What made you say that?" Tenko asks and Izuku gives a sad smile looking at him.
“It's because of your Dad—" Tenko would put a hand to his mouth and Izuku would tear up quietly.
“No, don't say that, I'll be a hero. I don't care about him, no, he’ll never control me” he'd wipe Izuku's tears away.
"I-ill save you one day Tenko, I'll be a hero if you can't. I'll be your hero and nobody else's” his shoulders would shudder and Tenko would place a light kiss on his forehead.
"My hero” he would joke and Izuku would laugh.
The year would come, April would pass and so did July. Both boys were now five.
Tenko was playing with Mon while waiting for Izuku to meet him at the park.
It's another September. The day Tenko and Izuku met.
September 19.
The warm air would hug his skin as Izuku would arrive and Mon would run circles around them both.
“I heard Mama say we could get our quirks soon!" Izuku says and Tenko loves when Izuku would ramble on and on about heroes or anything.
He loves listening to the soft voice that would whisper him to sleep and would read to him whenever he couldn't pronounce words right.
Izuku would tutor him with patience.
Tenko loves Izuku as much as he loves the color red and as much as he misses his deceased grandmother.
Tenko would admit he was excited about getting a quirk, but his Father surely wouldn't.
The cicadas would sing their tune as their day would soon come to an end.
Izuku would look at his watch and Tenko would too.
It's 3:07 pm and both would go home at 5:00 so they'd have about 1 hour or so (if Tenko could count properly).
Upon taking turns in the swing a footstep alerted them not from far.
“Tenko!" The booming voice of a man shook Tenko as he looked across the road.
It was his Father, Kotaro.
"Didn't I tell you to be home at 5:00!” Kotaro fumed and Tenko stood in front of Izuku to hide him as Izuku worried.
“Is this what you're doing everyday! Hanging out with this useless boy?! You should be studying if you wanna pass—" Tenko drowned out the harsh words his Father would say and cover Izuku's ears as he hugged Tenko.
"Don't say that to him. He doesn't deserve your words” Tenko muttered underneath his breath as anger bubbled.
He tried to not let it show but it was hard. He couldn't when the anger was boiling, while he waited for it to evaporate his Father had already taken a step forward and grabbed Tenko by the arm and pushed Izuku off Tenko.
As Izuku fell to the ground with a cry of pain, Tenko snapped.
He tried to kick and shove Kotaro off him but it was no use, he could only watch.
Izuku had hit his head on the rough pavement as his head started to bleed out.
Izuku cried as he got up and ran to Tenko while Kotaro remained unfazed as he dragged a crying Tenko out of Izuku's sight.
“D-dont hurt him" Izuku dragged himself toward Tenko. Every ounce of pain hitting him.
He'd promised Tenko he'd be a hero for him. And he could never break that.
He felt lighter this time, his eyes glowed an eerie green as his wound patched itself and disappeared leaving adrenaline rushing through Izuku.
He wouldn't let that bad guy take Tenko.
He ran towards the cries and sobs he heard. He didn't care if it was past his curfew.
He knew it was Tenko's house when he saw Mon wandering around the broken hole in the fence.
He crawled through the broken hole in the fence and followed Mon through the backyard where he could hear yelling from inside.
"—what were you doing!?" Then a harsh thud. Izuku couldn't bear hearing every harsh word that monster would say to Tenko.
“You disobey my rules, you lie to me and you talk about those heroes like they raised you!" Then another slap.
Izuku looked through the window, squinting as a beam of light entered his view.
He could see it clearly now, concerned faces tucked under the masks of disappointment.
He could see Tenko amidst it all and that…monster.
Then everything stopped. It felt like time made it clear.
Tenko couldn't take it anymore, Kotaro had hurt his[?] Izuku.
He couldn't unsee what would happen to Izuku, he knew he was injured on the head but what if he fainted! What if his mother hadn't found him in time! He couldn't let that happen.
So all he had to do was to listen and obey this monster and he'd let him go, maybe.
“—all you had to do was listen, and next time I see you hanging out with the boy I'm sending you to the streets" he threatened and Tenko remained calm.
He watched as Kotaro dragged him through the halls and out the backyard.
"You'll be sleeping here for the night” Kotaro huffed and slammed the back door shut.
So with a thought in mind, he walked towards the main gate and slowly checked if it was open, and to his luck it was locked.
It's no use, he couldn't even save Izuku anymore.
He broke down then and there.
His tears infused with rage and disappointment in himself.
Mon had approached him and he hugged him tightly as he tried to stop his tears from streaming down his face.
But then. He felt the itch resurface and the urge to hurt what hurt his worsen.
Opening his eyes he no longer felt the presence of Mon, just ashes and dust.
“No no no no no" his whole body shuddered. There must be a villain that got in and hurt Mon!
He heard more footsteps approaching him and this time it was Hana, she looked scared and wanted to comfort Tenko.
But before she could get close enough, Tenko's eyes took on a crimson red color as the world seemed to close in on him.
Tenko gripped Hana’s hand close but it was all too late, she had already crumbled and turned to dust.
Then came his mom, then his grandparents and then the monster.
Everything and everyone was crumbling around and it was him. He had realized it too late.
He was already charging at his Father with the intent to kill. Adrenaline rushed through his veins and he charged.
"Tenko how could you—!” Then he crumbled and it blew under the rubble and he disappeared.
He heard someone calling his name but a hand had already grabbed him up and into a purple mist.
He could see green hair and tearful eyes running towards him.
He thought it was all a dream. That it was all a nightmare he had gone through and it'd be all right when he woke up.
He'd thought it'll all be okay.
Izuku watched it all happen one by one.
When the bodies turned to dust, they hadn't dropped dead.
He had watched Mon crumble and his tears burst. Because it was Tenko who did it. But he would never blame him, not now, not ever.
So with the intention to save, he ran towards the other girl and pressed through the dust and a burning determination bubbled up inside him.
A burst of green emitted from him, giving light through the surroundings. Everyone regained consciousness as one by one built back up as the green light swerved through their bodies and turned dust back to the people that once was. It recovered those on the surface who were close to him.
Those under the rubble couldn't be saved.
“T-tenko? Where's Tenko?" A voice weeped, it was the ghost of a woman with black hair with haunted grey eyes.
Izuku overused his quirk to the point he couldn't take it anymore.
His vision blurred and his heart hurt.
He cried as he looked for Tenko. When he did find him, he had already been taken away by the purple mist.
Izuku noticed red eyes and fading black hair looking at him as his vision faded to black.
4 years later..
Te—Tomura is turning nine. He hasn't seen the outside world since that faithful day All For One brought him to.
His Sensei put him into grueling training, no stopping till he dropped and continuous studies that boosted his IQ.
He couldn't really hate his Sensei, he'd taken him in when he was a murderer. He had killed his family and he left Izuku, the only friend who could stop the endless itch that would eat him away every second.
He'd grown to hate his quirk, but Sensei changed and recalibrated every inch of his thought into a positive one. Molding him till he wasn't Tenko but Tomura. Tomura Shigaraki.
He'd learn to adapt to the name when Sensei and the Doctor would call him in.
After all, he gave in the first time.
4 years ago, he remembers exactly when Sensei met him, it was before Izuku did.
He was crying and he couldn't find his way back home because Kotaro had forgotten to take him home after his classes.
Sensei had brought him home that time. He didn't know why a stranger would help him when no one could.
His thoughts were interrupted with a light knock on his door.
“Tomura" a gruff voice called from the other side of the door.
That must be Sensei.
He silently made his way to the front of the door and turned the doorknob, revealing Sensei with a half soft smile and another following him behind.
Te—Tomura knows his name is Kurogiri since Sensei would call him daily for a schedule announcement or some errands Sensei would tell him to do.
But although they had some rather friendly encounters, Kurogiri would seem quiet most of the time.
"Is something bothering you?” Kurogiri asked, a bit confused.
Even if Te—Tomura couldn't tell what his expression was, he knew he was raising an eyebrow somehow.
"It's nothing” Tomura shrugged and Kurogiri gave a nod.
“Well then, since it's the weekend why don't we go outside and buy you some new clothes?"
“But since I can't go, you'll be with Kurogiri in the meantime as he will also assist you in your needs" he continues and hands Tenko a credit card.
Sensei waved them off and headed back to his office, leaving Tenko with Kurogiri’s unfazed look.
“Where do you wanna go young Tomura?" Kurogiri says, backing away with a small bow.
"To the mall” that's all Tenko said before he was pulled into a purple mist along with Kurogiri.
When they arrived, he had stepped out of the portal dizzily while he clutched his aching head close.
"Sorry you need to get used to it after all” Kurogiri apologized.
They were currently in an alley. It's safe to say Tenko doesn't mind the smell, he's just amazed he can finally go out after four years being isolated.
The itch was making his skin crawl, he has the urge to itch and itch he does.
He hates it when the itch gets to him, his neck bleeds every time he does so.
He's careful to not decay anything while he's still slumped over some garbage bins.
"Let's get going,” Kurogiri says as Tenko gets up.
They were only 5 blocks away from the mall so Tenko did a bit of sight seeing while he's at it.
He looks to see happy children prancing around the playground..
He wishes it were him.
He stops for a moment and Kurogiri also pauses, Tenko takes a bit till he starts walking again.
He misses Izuku.
He misses that kind smile and the kind heart who used to love him as much as his own Father had hated him.
He tries to leave the past behind, but he just can't. He can't forget those times in the playground where all he'd do is chase Izuku around the broken swings and Mon oh Mon.
He wipes away the tears that are threatening to fall.
He wants to be free. But his heart is restricting him.
When they arrived at the mall, he set his mind on two things: Clothes and some Video games to keep his mind wandering too far.
He ignored Kurogiri's protests and trailed in the store.
He spotted a wall of Nintendo switches, some video games and gameboys.
There were also some All Might figures on display, he wasn't that much of a fan of All Might, but he knew Izuku would love it.
He really needed to stop thinking about his deceased best friend, it only causes him pain.
He held one in his hand as he began looking through different other games that were out and some posters that announced other games that were going to be out soon, probably early March.
After checking out, Kurogiri insisted on carrying some of the bags while Tenko walked around the mall.
His body had grown, he looked mature outside but inside he still held the mentality of little Tenko.
The four year old Tenko who would happily hold Izuku's hand.
No, he isn't supposed to think about Izuku.
His hoodie felt tighter, it choked him and he hated it, the heat felt like suffocation, the walls were narrowing around him.
The itch crawled back onto his neck.
He slumped against his bedroom wall careful enough to put his gloves back on so he wouldn't disintegrate anything.
He thought back to the playground, the memories he held with Izuku. It soothed him dearly.
"I-ill save you one day Tenko, I'll be a hero if you can't. I'll be your hero and nobody else's”
This is where his safe place is, under the willow tree in the green grass that reminded him of the person who held his whole world.
The person who'd gladly rebuild everything he would destroy.
Tenko hates these thoughts. He envies it.
He lets himself cry till Sensei calls him back outside.
Till his years would pass thinking he had killed Izuku, thinking he was a problem, a pest anyone would trample on.
He just wishes Izuku were still out there. It's one of his biggest ‘what-if’s’
If Izuku was still out there.
If his family were looking for him.
Izuku's nine! Shouldn't he be happy?
It's not the same anymore.
He wants soft kisses on his forehead. He wants it all back.
He wants Tenko back.
[҉I҉f҉ ҉o҉n҉l҉y҉ ҉T҉o҉u҉y҉a҉ ҉s҉t҉a҉y҉e҉d҉]҉
He remembers it vividly, like a small bubble ready to pop from a gust of wind.
He remembers Tenko's fearful eyes that turned ruby red, how Tenko's hair turned a pale blue that reflected the morning light.
“Izuku honey?" Mama called him back into reality, he hadn't realized he was staring blankly at his birthday cake.
It feels bittersweet, it's the first time he had celebrated his birthday after Tenko had gone missing and nobody made a move.
He was willing to do anything for Tenko. Even if he would die trying to get him back.
"I'm fine” it felt automatic, like a switch turning on when somebody asked if he were okay, he would automatically say ‘im fine’ or ‘im okay’.
He had only celebrated his birthday to not worry his mother, he knows that Inko had been worried these past years about his mental health.
Even after all the therapy he had gone through, he still wasn't ‘fixed’ like everybody wanted him to be. He already lost two people he had cherished in this world.
He couldn't just do that, not with his Tenko out there, he can't stand thinking Tenko is either dead, he can't stand thinking Tenko is crying and he couldn't do anything about it, he feels useless.
He feels awful.
He feels awful for worrying his Mama, he feels sorry for all the therapists who took time to try to understand him when he would just shut them off.
Because life wasn't like that, life wasn't just one whole ‘sorry’ to begin with.
His vision began to blur as tears started to mix with the fire that'd been burning inside him for years.
It wasn't time to move on.
He'll cope with that.
He'll look back again to two people whom he loved so dearly.
“I'm sorry sweetie, I know Tenko was dear to you, I didn't mean to—im sorry baby" Inko hugged him as he started sobbing and as he called Tenko's name endlessly.
“I-im sorry Tenko, I'm sorry, i wish I could've saved you, I wish I could've been a better hero. I wish I҉ ҉c҉o҉u҉l҉d҉'҉v҉e҉ ҉l҉e҉t҉ ҉y҉o҉u҉ ҉s҉t҉a҉y҉ ҉T҉o҉u҉y҉a҉
" his voice cracked and Inko soothed him to sleep as the candles melted and the cake had gone cold.
This day didn't feel as wonderful as she imagined it to. It never is. Because once a wound opens, it'll take time to heal and she knows it too well.
As the fire inside him continued to burn, Izuku knew Tenko was still out there.
[ued to burn until it would go out, until society would continue to shape them into opposite sides.
The bond they shared was greater than any love it's trust.
[REDACTED], come back..]
[҉H҉e҉ ҉k҉n҉e҉w҉ ҉T҉o҉u҉y҉a҉ ҉w҉a҉s҉ ҉s҉t҉i҉l҉l҉ ҉t҉h҉e҉r҉e҉]҉