Chapter 7: Starting Over Doesn't Mean Forgetting
Dabi didn't want to wake up.
He was lying on something soft, softer than the scratchy hospital blanket he had stolen. It was warm. Dabi was always warm because of his quirk but this wasn't the ever flickering heat of his fire. It was cozy and soothing. A soft rumbling and mild vibration surrounded him making him feel more relaxed than he had in probably his whole life.
Peeling his eyes open he saw a crumbling concrete ceiling and a few rusty pipes. He went to sit up but noticed a weight on his chest. Looking down, his vision was filled with black and white fur.
A cat?
It wasn't the only one either. There were two curled against his side and he could feel a few more laying on his stomach, thighs and legs. Turning his head there were even more sprawled out on the floor nearby.
He was in some kind of tunnel. The space extended in either direction until it was lost in darkness. A beam of golden sunlight spilled in from a grate in the ceiling.
Sitting in the spotlight, staring up at the hatch, was another cat. It was huge, bigger than all the other cats, with patched fur in black, white and orange. It didn't seem to be basking in the glow. It was waiting for something.
With the soft scrape of metal on concrete the grate opened and a shadow fell over the animal. Someone jumped in, landing in a crouch. The grate banged shut behind them. The cat meowed a greeting. The person meowed back and leaned down further, allowing the feline to hop up to their shoulders.
Rather than stand the person remained in a crouch and used their hands to pull themselves closer with little smooth hops.
They settled against the opposite wall and Dabi could make out a starburst burn scar in their cheek and the long dark hair with feathers braided in it.
It was the thing from the alley.
Just a boy even younger than him.
The boy shrugged off the yellow backpack they were wearing, rummaging inside he pulled out a lumpy plastic bag. All the cats instantly scrambled off Dabi and crowded around the kid, crying and meowing. He untied the bag and dumped what looked like kitchen scraps on the ground. The cat's dove in, each grabbing a morsel and taking it somewhere to eat.
A soft coo snapped Dabi's attention back to the kid. He was holding a takeout container toward him. The smell of stir fry made his mouth water but he hesitated, he remembered how the kid had fought, the vicious growls and feral look in his eyes as he intimidated two grown men into running for their lives. Seeing Dabi's dilemma the boy put the container and a pair of disposable chopsticks on the ground between them and shuffled back to give him space.
Dabi snatched the food and shuffled back against his own wall. It was still warm and Dabi's stomach rumbled in anticipation. He felt awkward with the chopsticks, having not used them for years but it came back to him and he started shoveling down the food. They ate in silence for a while, the big patchwork cat still draped over the kid's shoulders.
The cats started wandering back to them as they finished their own meals. The boy looked a little sad when most of them chose to snuggle up with Dabi. Something sharp but pleasant settled in Dabi's chest, some dormant big brother instincts waking up again seeing the child upset.
"They probably like my quirk," he said softly. The boy chirped and tilted his head. "Fire quirk, I'm naturally warm." The boy brightened. A big smile spread across his face, excited but a little off putting with his sharp teeth. He whined and leaned forward, staring at Dabi like he was expecting something.
"You want me to show you?" Dabi asked. The boy nodded enthusiastically.
Putting aside his empty container Dabi summoned some flames in his uninjured hand. The boy twittered excitedly like a bird and stared in awe. He came forward with that same crouched hop as before, not taking his big green eyes off the dancing blue flame. Dabi extinguished the flame but the boy's expression didn't change.
"I'm Dabi, what's your name?"
The kid frowned and Dabi thought he may have said something wrong but then the boy started signing. Dabi recognized an I and a Z and he was pretty sure there was a K in there but he was rusty at sign.
"You can't speak?"
The kid made the universal hand movement for 'sort of'.
"You can speak but you don't?"
He made the 'sort of' gesture again. He looked frustrated with their predicament.
"Can you write?"
The boy brightened instantly. He hopped over to his bag and pulled out a notebook. When he came back he found an open spot in the sea of cats to Dabi's left and settled there. The big cat jumped off his shoulders but stayed close. The kid scribbled in the notebook and turned it so the teen could read.
" Izuku "
"Your name is Izuku?" Dabi asked. Izuku nodded. "So why don't you speak?"
" Forgot how "
Well that was concerning. How long did a person have to remain silent to forget how to speak?
"Where are we?"
" In the tunnels under the city. It's safe down here "
Dabi didn't doubt that, not many people would know about the tunnels and the ones that did wouldn't come down here.
"I guess this is how Kaijin is able to disappear huh?"
Izuku froze. He looked away and seemed to think over his answer before nodding once.
"I won't tell anyone. You saved me, I owe you that."
The kid's eyes snapped back to him but he still looked worried. Dabi was about to say something else to reassure him when Izuku reached out and gingerly took his left hand. A couple of the staples were still holding on but a few had ripped right out revealing the raw red flesh underneath. The kid whined sadly stroking his thumb just below the seam.
"Don't worry, it's happened before. Where's my bag?"
Izuku reached behind himself to just above where Dabi's head had been lying and handed him his pillow case. Dabi pulled out the staple gun. He had needed to replace a few staples in the past but never this many at one time. This was going to suck.
Bracing his wrist on his knee, he tilted his hand up so the skin came together and stapled it into place. He repeated the process, picking old stapes out as he went and finding it harder and harder to hold back a hiss of pain each time the metal shot into his hand. When he was done he looked up at the kid expecting to see disgust or fear but he just looked sad and confused and - angry?
" What happened? " the kid wrote.
It was Dabi's turn to look away. He could say it was a quirk accident, that wasn't entirely a lie but something about this kid reminded him of himself. Something told him the kid would understand and if that didn't make his big brother instincts burn brighter then he was beyond broken.
"It's not my skin. I was in a coma for over a year and some doctor used me to test artificial skin he had created."
A deep growl ripped out of the kid. He looked absolutely furious. Dabi noticed that the claws had made an appearance, his fingers flexing like he wanted to draw blood.
"It's fine," Dabi soothed. "Well, okay, it's not fine but I managed to escape. I just have to get used to it."
That stopped the growling but the angry rumbling from the kid's chest didn't let up. The big cat climbed into Izuku's lap and started purring. He stroked her fur and, very slowly, the rumble became a purr.
"You okay kid?" Dabi asked.
Izuku picked up the notebook again.
" I'm okay. I'm mad for you. No one should ever do what was done to us "
Dabi's heart stopped. He didn't wish his fate on anyone but hearing that something similar may have happened to this kid, this sweet, ferocious, little kid, made his own anger bubble to the surface.
"Us?" He asked.
Izuku nodded. He reached for the hem of the long sleeved shirt he was wearing and pulled it over his head. Dabi was about to ask what he was doing when his eyes were drawn to the large Y shaped scar cutting across the boy's torso and the letters and numbers tattooed on his collarbone like a label.
Dabi's breath hitched even as he acknowledged the almost sweet gesture. Dabi had shared his scars so Izuku was sharing his.
There were smaller cuts scattered all over him and, now that he was looking closer, Dabi could see a long, thin line across his throat. Izuku held out his arm and Dabi noticed the missing fingernails now that his claws were retracted and how the skin of his fingers looked like someone had taken a grater to them. Dabi's eyes roamed up the kid's arm until he locked onto the cluster of purplish dots in the cruck of his elbow. Those marks may have looked the least severe but the implications were horrifying.
The kid was writing again.
" The throat was a punishment when I tried to run away. The chest was surgery. The rest were my mom before she sold me to be a test subject "
"And the track marks?"
" Trigger. They wanted to test its effects on someone quirkless "
Dabi lifted an eyebrow. "You have a quirk though?"
" Late bloomer. Everyone thought I was quirkless, it's why my mom sold me"
Dabi felt his fire pushing against his skin, smoke was rising from the edges of his scars and the staples were turning red hot. This kid was exactly like him. Abusive parent, hurt for something he couldn't control and experimented on, made the plaything of some psycho doctor. Dabi tried to reign in his emotions before he combusted but his breathing was fast. The blood in his veins was boiling.
Izuku wrapped their arms around him.
Dabi struggled for a moment, afraid he would burn the kid, but Izuku clung on tighter. He made a trilling noise, the sound vibrated against Dabi's arm. The feel of Izuku purring and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest helped Dabi regulate his own breathing and start to cool down. He wrapped his arm around the kid's shoulders and squeezed.
"Thanks kid, I feel better." Izuku cooed at him questioningly. "I promise, I just got angry. Nothing that happened to us was fair."
Izuku released his hold but stayed plastered to Dabi's side, nestled under his arm. Dabi was reminded of another little boy, curled up against him on a futon. Savoring a moment of peace even as muscles ached and bruises throbbed. Izuku was about the same age as Shouto. There was no way Dabi was leaving now.
"Hey, what do you say we stick together? We can make our own little escaped experiment support group?"
Izuku giggled, the first human noise Dabi had heard from the boy. He scribbled in the notebook.
" Sure, I think you could use my help. You suck at this whole homelessness thing "
Dabi snorted and pinched the kid's shoulder.
"Were you watching me, cheeky little cryptid?"
Izuku's sheepish smile was all the answer he needed.
"Okay, we'll stick together and you can teach me to be a street kid."
Dabi took the kid bumping his head into his ribs to mean yes.
—---------------
Dabi and Izuku had been together for a couple of months. Izuku had taught Dabi everything he needed to know about surviving on the streets and the teen was healthier and felt more free than he had ever felt. It wasn't an easy life and there was always something to worry about but Dabi felt confident that he could survive and that Izuku would be with him every step of the way.
Izuku had shown Dabi his quirk not long after they teamed up. The vigilante had turned on his abilities one by one and showed the fire user each of the accessories that allowed him to borrow certain animal traits. The feathers in his hair were rooster and falcon, the two necklaces of bone were for rabbit and bat and the three bracelets were for spider, cat and lizard. Of course, the teen met Kiseki. The reptile scurried out of the boy's hair one night nearly giving Dabi a heart attack until Izuku explained that she was his friend.
"I thought you would have horns," Dabi confessed while the two were training their quirks at a construction site one weekend. "Everyone calls you a demon, it would fit the aesthetic."
" I can't find any bull bones since beef is mostly made from cow " Izuku wrote.
"What about goat?"
The kid's eyes widened before he smacked his head with the notebook a few times, grumbling in annoyance. Dabi laughed.
Goat was pretty easy to find and now Izuku could grow two horns from his forehead that curved back over his curls. He could also manifest cloven hooves and furry legs like a satyr.
The same day they found goat, as they collected some scraps for the colony, Dabi held up a fish skeleton.
"What about this? I'll bet you would grow gills. Might be handy to have."
Izuku had tried it and he did indeed grow gills and little pale green and silver scales in patches all over his body. His eyes went foggy when a protective cover grew over them but the kid signed that he could still see clearly. Finally, there were the fins that fanned out along the outside of his calves and the webbed fingers.
Kaijin added two more necklaces to his collection.
Now that they were a team Dabi and Izuku realized they needed a stable base or they would lose each other in the tunnels. They came across a convenience store in an area that had been abandoned after a villain attack and converted the back rooms into a modest living area. It was strange for Izuku to not live with the colony under the city but Queenie and the rest of the cats were around a lot so it wasn't too bad. It was exciting to decorate the small rooms and claim a spot where he could lay out his bed and not have to pack it up in the morning. Izuku had been living out of his backpack for so long that just being able to keep a decent pantry of non-perishable food was amazing.
To celebrate their new place the two boys decided they would spend a night acting like regular kids.
There was a festival happening in their territory. When Izuku had excitedly pointed out the fliers Dabi had hesitated. He and Izuku would stick out in their dirty, ripped clothes and unkempt appearance. When he voiced his concerns to Izuku the little vigilante had dug in his bag and pulled out a wad of cash. The teen's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped.
"You had money this whole time?" He yelled.
The kid had flinched and pulled back, he hunched up his shoulders to make himself smaller. Dabi took a deep breath.
"Sorry Izu, I was just surprised," Dabi pulled out the notebook he kept on him so he could always talk to Izuku. "Can you explain where you got the money and why you don't use it?"
Izuku uncurled himself and seemed surprised that Dabi was giving him a chance to explain.
" I steal it from criminals I fight. I try not to use it because I 've learned how to get most of what I need for free. "
Dabi read the answer and had to admit that the kid was making sense. It wasn't a fortune so he kept it for a rainy day and they both knew that rainy days when you're homeless are more like hurricanes.
"Why are you showing it to me now?"
" For the festival. We'll get some new clothes and buy some food from the stands. Let's really celebrate "
Izuku's eyes over the notebook as he held it up for Dabi to read were sparkling. How long had it been since either of them had done something just to enjoy it?
So the boys went to a second hand store and chose some fresh clothes. Izuku had found some jeans that were a little washed out and a t-shirt that said 'pants' on it, much to the kid's amusement. He was ecstatic when he found a pastel blue hoodie with "Put Your Hands Up Radio" printed on it in bright yellow. Dabi found some distressed black jeans and a black denim jacket. He picked up a white T-shirt to go under it, it was simple but the crisp white of the shirt made him feel clean.
Dabi insisted they had to do something about their hair so they found a public washroom and took turns cleaning out the grime in the sink and brushing away the knots. Izuku's hair took ages, his curls were past his shoulders.
"Do you want me to cut it a little?" Dabi asked. "I used to cut my brother's hair."
Izuku nodded and fished the scissors from the medical kit. As Dabi began cutting the kid chewed on the strings of his hoodie. After a few minutes he tapped twice on the counter to indicate he wanted the teen to look at him. Dabi glanced in the mirror.
"Brother?" Izuku signed, knowing Dabi would understand. The teen had picked up a book on sign language at the library. He still wasn't very good but could understand Izuku's simpler statements.
Dabi paused, not having realized he had dropped that little tidbit.
"Yeah," Dabi answered as he began cutting again. "A little brother. Our father didn't like us leaving the house so I had to cut his hair occasionally. My sister would cut mine when it got too long for Dad to ignore. I had another brother too but I wasn't allowed to see him or my sister much. Our dad thought they were failures because their quirks were weak, or non existent in my middle brother's case." Dabi continued rambling, finding it kind of calming to talk about his siblings.
He caught Izuku's hands moving again.
"Name not Dabi," he signed. Dabi smiled a little. The kid was too smart. "Cremation" was a little on the nose for a fire wielder.
"No, Dabi is what the doctor called me. He didn't even know my quirk, I think he called me that because of the burns."
The kid chewed his lip then tapped on the counter again to make sure Dabi was looking.
"Subject 11"
He finger spelled it slowly knowing Dabi's inexperience and the mirror would make it difficult to understand but Dabi understood.
"Is that what they called you at that place?"
Izuku nodded, his hand unconsciously coming up to rub at where the tattoo was.
"I like Izuku much better," Dabi said as he ran his fingers through Izuku's shorter curls making the boy purr.
The festival was loud and bright. Dabi had to keep a close eye on the little shape shifter as he darted from stand to stand. They got a few looks because of the excited chirps and mews Izuku would let out but he looked too happy to make him stop.
Izuku eventually reeled in his energy enough to buy some katsudon and Dabi grabbed some curry. They ate outside a cafe decorated with lanterns. Izuku picked out some little bits of pork and put it in his hair for Kiseki after making sure no one was watching. They grabbed some mochi for dessert and played some games. The pair faced off at beikoma, Dabi playfully trash-talking Izuku as their tops clashed and skittered around the drum. The kid made happy twittering noises and falcon shrieked in victory when he knocked Dabi's top out for the tie breaker. Izuku didn't stand a chance at kingyo sukui though, Dabi was pretty sure the goldfish identified him as a predator even with his cat traits off and kept their distance. The kid bounced excitedly when Dabi gave him the cat keychain he had won. Izuku later returned the favor playing suupaa boru sukui and gave Dabi a little blue dragon plushie.
As the sun set the crowd started migrating to a nearby park to watch the fireworks. Izuku pulled Dabi into an alley and led him up the fire escape. The navy sky with the last strokes of orange painted across it was beautiful. The boys sat at the edge of the roof and waited for the show to start. Izuku had Kiseki crawling through his fingers as he giggled.
When the fireworks burst above them Dabi pulled Izuku in close and ruffled his hair.
"You have fun, little cryptid?"
Izuku grinned and bumped the teen's shoulder with the top of his head, purring loudly.
Dabi was in awe of this kid. Scarred and traumatized and forced to grow up way too fast but sweet and kind. He was fiercely protective both as Izuku and as Kaijin, a force of chaos that pulled you in like a tornado. Dabi would do anything for him.
"Touya," the fire user found himself whispering into his adopted brother's curls. "My name was Todoroki Touya."
Izuku hugged him just a little tighter.
—--------------
"How did you learn to fight anyway?"
Dabi and Izuku were sparring in the empty convenience store they called home. They had dismantled the leftover shelving in the main area to make the perfect space to practice. Izuku had just pinned the larger teen, knowing exactly where to put his weight to make sure Dabi couldn't fight back.
"R-E-C" Izuku finger spelled then pointed at the ceiling and made the sign for 'window'
"You watched self defense classes through the skylight at the rec center?" Dabi clarified, receiving a nod in return.
"I'll bet being a vigilante was good practice too," Dabi said as he got into a ready position. "Are you going out tonight?"
Izuku nodded and lowered into the half crouch he always started with. He sprang forward and jabbed at Dabi's face. Dabi jumped back knowing that if he just leaned his face away the kid would go for his torso instead. The two traded blows for a few minutes, this was the last bout of their session so they were mostly just cooling down.
"I'm going to meet an informant. They say they have information on that new underground that's been hanging around the area." Dabi caught Izuku's arm and flipped him onto the ground. Izuku kneed him in the ribs and sprang back up.
"Be careful out there, he may be here because Kaijin has been more active lately." Izuku swiped at Dabi's legs with his foot making the fire user have to twist to avoid him. By the time he was stable again Izuku was ducking under Dabi's arm, hooking his hand over his shoulder and throwing him to the ground.
While Dabi caught his breath Izuku crouched beside him with a wide grin.
"G-g-good ma-mash."
"Match, kid, with the -ch sound."
"Match," the -ch came out sharp and fast like he was spitting it out.
"We'll work on it," Dabi assured him. They had discovered that Izuku didn't so much forget how to talk as he forgot how to use his mouth to form human sounds. The animal sounds Izuku preferred didn't require the use of his lips or tongue. He was having to retrain himself but it was slow going. Izuku had suggested that his vocal cords may have mutated making it impossible for him to ever speak properly again. Dabi hoped the kid was wrong and he could tell Izuku hoped that too but they could still communicate with sign and writing and Dabi's increasing talent for understanding the shape-shifter's body language and sounds. Izuku would adapt as he always did.
A phone rang from where Dabi's coat was hanging. He pulled it out and looked at the number, it was the informant he had planned to meet tonight.
"What do you want?" he answered. He listened for a moment, his face betraying his annoyance.
"I don't like last minute changes."
"..."
"Fine, but the info you have better be good." He hung up.
Izuku cooed a question.
"He changed the meeting place. It was supposed to be at the regular bar but now it's some warehouse out near the red light district."
Dabi could see Izuku's brain sorting through the implications. He rummaged in Dabi's coat for the notebook and pen the fire user always kept there.
" It could be a trap. He's moving you from a location with people around and strict rules to an out of the way location that he knows ."
"It's possible but we really need that info. If I'm right and the commission sent a hero to hunt you down we need to know who he is."
Izuku chewed on the pen for a moment before writing.
" I could come with you. I'll watch from the rafters and swoop in if he tries anything you can't handle ."
Dabi nodded, his fire could handle a lot but having the more skilled and intimidating Kaijin there would ensure they didn't get in over their heads.
"Okay, you head there an hour before the meeting time and hide. Once the exchange is done, if nothing goes wrong, meet me behind the bakery before you go on patrol."
Izuku gave Dabi a thumbs up.
At 11:00 Kaijin was hanging upside down from the rafters watching and listening for anything suspicious. As the hour crept closer to midnight he could only pick up the faint noises of people indulging in the city's nightly offerings a few streets over. The informant hadn't arrived by the time he heard the slight jingle of Dabi's boots approaching the warehouse.
Dabi entered and looked around. He was dressed in his ripped black jeans and white T-shirt but the coat he wore was his trademark. It was a long, tattered, leather coat stitched with thick white thread that resembled his staples.
When Dabi didn't see anyone he leaned against a support beam and waited. Izuku strained his ears for approaching footsteps but continued to hear nothing. After almost 20 minutes Dabi rolled his wrist like he was stretching but it was actually a signal to Izuku asking if they should wrap this up.
Izuku was about to drop down when he heard a strange noise, it sounded like soft fabric rubbing together. Looking around for the source Izuku made out a figure appearing from behind the beam across from Dabi where no one had been a second before. The intruder was dressed in dark clothes with a hooded cowl and a mask over their eyes. Dabi lit up both arms as the newcomer leaned casually against the beam.
"Onibi," the stranger greeted, lowering his hood to reveal black hair that seemed to float like he was underwater.
"Who the fuck are you?" Dabi replied.
"You're younger than I expected. What are you? Nineteen? Twenty?"
Dabi smiled, adjusting his flames so they only covered his hands. Between Dabi's rebuilt jaw and above average height everyone assumed the 16 year old was older than he was. Dabi used that to his advantage.
"That information will cost you."
"Not what I'm here for," the man said with a casual wave of his hand.
"What are you here for then? You're not who I was supposed to meet."
"I want information on a vigilante in the area and you need information about an underground hero, how about we trade?"
"Depends on what you know."
"I know quite a lot. He's a virgo, he's allergic to shellfish and he pulled a lot of strings to get this meeting."
Dabi's fire brightened. On the roof Izuku activated sticky feet and silently made his way to the top of the support post Dabi had his back to. He turned on claws, horns and falcon wings in case he had to dive in.
"You're the underground hero," Dabi said, his flames dancing wildly.
"Names Night Jumper. I heard you were the man to talk to if I wanted to meet Kaijin."
When Dabi stayed silent the hero sighed and held his hands up placatingly.
"Look, I know Kaijin the vigilante has been active for well over a year but he's been in the area for much longer. There are hundreds of stories about him claiming he's some kind of ghost or monster but the more rational explanation is that he's just a human with a pretty powerful transformation quirk. I just want to talk to him."
"Right, you expect me to believe the commission didn't send you to arrest him? The people in this area view Kaijin as a guardian, they won't be too happy to hear someone is hunting their cryptid."
"The commission didn't send me but it's only a matter of time before he peaks their interest. Undergrounds work with vigilantes and informants all the time and Kaijin has been doing good work. I just want to meet him."
Dabi seemed to think for a moment, trying to judge the hero's sincerity. Detecting nothing immediately concerning Dabi's posture relaxed.
"You better not be lying to me."
"I'm not, I promise. Can you tell me what you know?"
Izuku could imagine the sly grin plastered across Dabi's face and suppressed an eye roll as he realized what was about to happen.
"Hey Kaijin!" Dabi called out. "What do I know?"
Not one to deprive Dabi of his dramatics, Izuku released a low growl and climbed head first down the support beam. Claws clicking, horns shining, wings fluffed up and toxic green eyes locked on the underground hero. He looked every inch the demon people said he was. The way Night Jumper tensed up and stepped back made Izuku want to giggle.
"Night Jumper, meet Kaijin, the local cryptid," Dabi introduced. Izuku jumped down, switching falcon to spider as he fell and landed behind Dabi. His legs caged the informant in and made Izuku seem to hover above him.
The hero went speechless at the display for a moment before he snapped out of it. "Kaijin and Onibi. The cryptid and the yokai. You two know each other better than I was led to believe."
"We're a team," Dabi said. "I gather intel and Kaijin acts on it. It's a neat little setup."
"It does seem to be working well for you," Night Jumper agreed. "Hello Kaijin, it's nice to meet you."
Izuku nodded politely. He lowered himself to Dabi's side and deactivated spider but kept the horns and claws. The hero seemed nice and this was turning into more like getting to know a colleague than an information exchange but it was better to be safe.
"Kaijin doesn't actually talk. He signs though," Dabi informed Night Jumper.
"Ah, I know sign. Lots of undergrounds use it for silent communication."
Izuku perked up. "It's nice to meet you," he signed as a proper greeting.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is your quirk? I've never seen a transformative ability quite like it."
"Sorry, you already know as much as I'm willing to share," Izuku signed.
"Fair enough. I'm assigned to the area for at least the next few months so I'm sure we'll get to know more about each other."
"As long as you don't try to arrest me or Onibi I'm happy for the help," Izuku told him.
"I have no plan to interfere," Night Jumper assured the pair. "Now, we both have patrols to get back to so I will take my leave."
"Don't be a stranger," Dabi said, handing the hero a strip of notebook paper with his number. "I trade information for information or cash. Burn that once you save it in your phone. Don't share it or you can consider yourself excommunicated."
Night Jumper saluted Dabi and waved to Izuku before stepping into the shadows and disappearing.
With the hero gone Izuku immediately started twittering excitedly and crouch hopped over to inspect where the man had last been.
"You'll have a chance to ask about his quirk next time you see him kid," Dabi laughed.
Izuku huffed a little at having to wait to study such an interesting quirk but Dabi continued. "He seems genuine but still be careful. I may be able to convince people I'm of age but there is no way to hide that you're a minor. He may get some heroic ideas about a child vigilante."
Izuku nodded to indicate he understood.
"I'm going to pop by the Red Dragon and give that informant a piece of my mind. His next exchange just got more expensive. I'll meet you back at base after your patrol."
Izuku gave Dabi a thumbs up.
As they went their separate ways neither noticed the hooded and masked face floating in the shadows near the roof.
Chapter 8: Lost Children
Something was missing.
As Shouta floated awake he ran an arm across the sheets lazily, trying to get his sleepy brain to boot up. His fingertips brushed against the soft cotton of the T-shirt Nao slept in. The man shifted, grumbling at being disturbed.
Hizashi wasn't in bed.
The blonde usually slept in the middle. The unpredictable sleep schedules of his two raven haired partners making it a necessity, but he claimed he felt cozy between them and never complained.
The early morning sun was just starting to paint gold streaks across the ceiling. Shouta stood with a groan, slipping on some sweatpants over the boxers he had fallen into bed wearing. He stumbled out of the bedroom and toward the kitchen for a desperately needed cup of coffee. As he passed through the living room he almost missed Hizashi sitting on the floor like he was meditating. Open in front of him was a small tamaya. The incense was burning, filling the room with a sweet scent.
Abandoning his hunt for a morning pick-me-up, Shouta approached his partner, making sure his footsteps could be heard on the dark hardwood.
"It's May 21st," Hizashi said quietly as Shouta reached him.
"I know," Shouta replied, sitting down beside the voice hero. "I had to make Nao go to bed last night."
Hizashi sighed. "The file again?"
Shouta looked over his shoulder to where a police file was spread out across the coffee table. The picture clipped to the front matching the one famed in the altar. Every spring, as they approached the anniversary, the file would appear again. It moved around the apartment in Nao's wake until he finally got the nerve to open it. To reread all the facts and findings that were already permanently etched into his brain.
"Yeah."
Hizashi leaned his head on Shouta's shoulder. There were too many pictures, too many eyes staring back at them from the tamaya. Old colleagues, Nao's parents, Hizashi's grandmother. In the middle was a smiling teenager with wild sky blue hair but the candles were burning for the youngest today.
A green haired child. The frame was guarded by a little figurine of Eraserhead, the body glued back together and missing the capture scarf that was too damaged to repair.
"You want breakfast?" The static in Hizashi's voice betrayed his desire not to abandon his vigil yet.
"Why don't you stay here a bit longer? I'm going to grab some life juice." That got a small laugh. Shouta would count it as a win.
He brewed his coffee and pulled out the ingredients for pancakes. As the pan warmed he collected strawberries and whipped cream for Hizashi and chocolate for Nao. Shouta preferred his with butter and an unhealthy amount of cinnamon and powdered sugar.
As Hizashi got to his feet, directing a deep bow toward the altar, Shouta heard shuffling from the hall. A groggy Nao appeared running a hand over his scruffy chin.
"You should have slept longer Nao," Hizashi said, hugging the man and nuzzling into his shoulder. Nao kissed the top of his head.
"Bed was too empty," he replied.
Shouta set a cup of coffee on the kitchen island.
"Thanks Sho," Nao pulled out a stool and took a sip. Hizashi joined Shouta at the stove, running his fingers across the ravenettes back as he walked by to cut the strawberries.
It could have been a normal morning. Hizashi humming, the sizzling of the pan and the click of Nao's mug on the countertop. I would have been comfortable and calming if it wasn't for the blanket of gloom over the apartment.
Shouta turned with a plate of chocolate chip pancakes and set it in front of Nao. The detective didn't seem to notice, he was turned toward the living room.
"He shouldn't be on there," Nao whispered, sagging in his seat. He had said that every year since they had added Izuku's photo to the collection. None of them had given up hope that the kid was still out there but as time passed it felt fitting to put his picture up. Not to mourn the death of a child, but the death of a childhood.
Hizashi placed two more plates on the table. The rattle of forks against china pulled Nao back.
"Eat up," Hizashi said. "We can head out after breakfast."
The meal was quiet, as was getting ready to leave. Hizashi was always done last so the other two waited in the living room. Shouta gravitated over to the tayama again, he offered his own bow and silent prayer before dousing the incense and blowing the candles out. Nao stood beside Shouta, their arms pressed together.
"I hope you're happy somewhere kid," the detective said with a bow.
"Ready?" Hizashi called.
They locked the door and headed down the street, Hizashi hooking arms with his partners.
---------------------
None of them liked cemeteries but they could admit that this one was beautiful in spring. Wildflowers and lush trees decorated a smooth green lawn and neat rows of headstones.
While the detective and the two heroes had vowed to never stop searching, the Bakugou's had to move on for the sake of their son. Katsuki had spent too much time hoping and grieving in equal measure until he was lashing out at the world. His therapist had suggested giving him a place to mourn so his parents had purchased a plot and put up a headstone.
Shouta, Hizashi and Naomasa hadn't seen the family since they had visited them after the raid.
It had started off okay. Just introductions and the awe of a child meeting two heroes. Shouta had been a little awkward, not used to being recognized, but Katsuki had rambled about how Eraserhead was one of Izuku's favorite heroes. It made Shouta a little proud and a little guilty about the news they had brought with them.
"Did you find Zuku?" The kid asked as his excitement calmed.
The elder Bakugous noticed the way the trio's faces darkened and tried to get the child to go to his room.
"No," he insisted, gripping the couch cushions as if daring his mother to make him leave. "I want to know."
Nao glanced at Mitsuki and Masaru who looked sad but didn't attempt to remove their son again.
"We found where he was being kept," Nao confessed. Katsuki perked up, his eyes shining. "I'm sorry, he was gone before we got to him. We don't know where he went."
The light draining from the kid's eyes broke all their hearts. He looked empty as he sat there processing before his face contorted in anger. Small explosions scorched the couch.
"You promised!" He yelled. "You said you would find him! You lied!"
Nao flinched, the truth quirk user deeply pained at being called a liar.
"Katsuki," his mother hissed but Hizashi held up a hand and knelt in front of the boy.
"We're sorry little listener. We wish we could have brought him back today but we're still not giving up, he's out there somewhere."
Katsuki sniffled. "I want Zuku. I can't be a hero without him. I don't want to be a hero without him."
Mitsuki gasped and clutched her husband's arm. The trio couldn't imagine how it felt to watch your child's dream crumble before your eyes.
"I know it's hard but you shouldn't give up your dream. You should be a hero for Izuku. Make sure other kids don't get hurt like he did."
Silent tears streaked down Katsuki's face. He stood up and climbed the stairs, they all heard his bedroom door close softly.
"It's harder to see him quiet," Masaru said, rubbing his wife's arm soothingly. "He's normally so hotheaded."
Mitsuki sniffled. "What haven't you said?" she asked now that her son was gone.
Shouta sighed. "Izuku is a smart kid, he managed to escape."
"That's our Izuku!" Mitsuki cheered at the tiny bit of good news they were able to bring her. "If he's free then he could find his way home, he knows he can always come here."
The three crime fighters looked between themselves.
"It's possible, it's honestly what we're hoping for," Nao admitted. "But Midoriya confessed that she told him you didn't want to see him anymore. She convinced Izuku that Katsuki hates him because he's quirkless and for a child that's been told he's worthless his whole life…" The detective trailed off, not sure how to tell them.
"He would believe her," Shouta finished.
"That vile bitch!" Mitsuki screamed, turning away from her husband and clenching her fists in her hair. The rage in her face reminded Nao of Katsuki when he had demanded answers from his best friend's mother months before.
"Bakugou-san," Hizashi soothed, stepping toward the woman. "We meant it when we said we wouldn't stop looking, we'll do everything we can to bring him home."
That visit had been years ago.
The trio approached the now familiar willow tree and the simple gray stone.
Midoriya Izuku
Loved and Remembered
The stone was a monument to something lost and the lack of dates was a plea that it wasn't gone forever.
Hizashi held a bouquet, a strange collection of yellow sunflowers, greenery and tiny blue forget-me-nots. It reminded them of a forest on a clear summer day. The flowers were a unique offering they had only ever given to two people. A child with forest green hair and a sunshine smile, and a teen with hair and eyes as blue as the sky.
There were already flowers laying in front of the grave. A cluster of deep purple daisies. Their yellow centers looked like stars across a fresh night sky.
"Nemuri and Taishiro have already been here," Nao commented. Midnight had taken Fat Gum under her wing after the task force broke up. Together they were a voice for campaigns fighting for positive change across Japan. Sexual health, suicide prevention, body positivity, they had done it all.
"And Nighteye," Shouta said pointing to the item leaned against the stone, an All Might collector's card in a protective sleeve.
"Kid has us all wrapped around his fingers," Hizashi chuckled as he placed their bouquet beside Nemuri and Taishiro's. "And we never even got to meet him."
"If he had met any of you he would have passed out," a voice said from behind them. Shouta will forever deny jumping, he was lost in thought and hadn't heard anyone approach. "I knew it was you losers leaving the flowers."
Katsuki stood a few steps away, a scowl on his face and his arms crossed. He had grown a lot since they had last seen him. He was tall with only a small amount of baby fat on his face leaving sharp features. According to Mitsuki's occasional letters Katsuki had decided to continue working toward being a hero and she signed him up to a gym that had a license to do quirk training. The ten-year-old was more filled out around the shoulders and arms than average.
"Hello Katsuki, what are you doing here?" Hizashi asked.
Katsuki raised his eyebrows. "Same thing you're doing here dumbass. It's the anniversary of his disappearance."
"What Mic means is why are you here during school hours?" Shouta clarified.
A victorious grin spread across the kid's face. "I knew it! You were avoiding us. You always visited while school was in session. Damn, I love being right."
"Do your parents know you're skipping class brat?" Shouta asked, mirroring the kid's crossed arms.
"What are you going to do? Arrest me for truancy in front of my best friend's grave?" Katsuki sneered, taking a step forward and looking Shouta in the eye defiantly.
"Katsuki," Nao said firmly, stepping up beside Shouta. "Do you have something to say?"
The kid's demeanor changed instantly. His arms fell to his side and his mouth opened and closed a few times.
"Who said I had something to say?" Katsuki demanded, conveniently sidestepping Nao's quirk.
"You skipped school and came here early to catch us delivering flowers. There has to be a reason."
Katsuki lowered his eyes, looking past the heroes and detective at the offerings that had already been there when he arrived in the early morning. He approached the grave, the three adults turned to watch.
"Who leaves the daisies?" the kid asked.
"Midnight and Fat Gum. They were on the task force with us," Hizashi answered. "They dropped the flowers off yesterday. Today they'll be working with their organization that fights quirk discrimination, like they do every year."
Katsuki nodded, he hid his surprise well at the discovery that two more well known heroes were paying tribute to his friend.
"And the All Might cards?" Katsuki knelt and picked up the card with gentle hands. "I don't bring offerings, it doesn't feel right, but I collect the cards for him. He'll love them." He slipped the newest card into his pocket.
"Sir. Nighteye leaves those," Nao revealed. This time Katsuki can't help but spin around to stare in awe at the detective. "He was the lead investigator on the task force. After the raid he was moved to another investigation but he kept feeding us any information he could find."
"Wow, the Sir. Nighteye has been leaving All Might cards for Zuku. The nerd would die if he knew," Katsuki mumbled, forgetting his rough and tough attitude for a minute.
"Is that all you wanted?" Shouta asked. "To know who was leaving the flowers and the card?"
Katsuki lowered his eyes again, his hands clenched and unclenched at his side as he shifted his weight foot to foot.
"No, I wanted to apologize.' The kid dropped into a near ninety degree bow. It was directed at all of them but he was specifically turned toward Nao. "The day you told me Zuku's location was found too late I got angry. I blamed you even though I know you did your best. I'm sorry."
Nao grabbed the kid's shoulder, encouraging him to straighten up.
"You have nothing to apologize for. We know that you always saw Izuku standing beside you as you chased your dreams. You were six and your whole life had just been turned upside down."
Shouta put a hand on Katsuki's other shoulder. "Mic and I once had someone we thought would be with us for the rest of our lives. He was our best friend and when he died we lost our way. It took a lot of work between the two of us to be okay again. Your mom says you're doing well with training and that you go to therapy every week. Keep that up, we need good heroes who understand that saving someone takes more than punching villains."
Katsuki sniffled and used his sleeves to dry his eyes before the tears could fall. His gaze darted from Nao's face to Shouta's before landing on Hizashi.
"The apology may not be the only reason I came here," He confessed. He slipped out from under their hands and took a few steps back. "The last time I saw Zuku he told me that I would be able to fly one day."
Loud pops and a few sparks came from the kid's downturned hands before there was a loud boom and a bright explosion and Katsuki was rocketing straight up. He got as high as the willow tree before he started falling and the three crime fighters felt their hearts stop. Shouta was about to wrap the kid in his scarf, hoping he could break his fall, but Katsuki let off another, smaller blast just before he hit the ground. He landed sloppily, falling onto his back.
"Holy crap kid! Don't scare us like that!" Hizashi yelled, just short of using his quirk.
Katsuki sat up with a part sheepish, part mischievous grin. "Mr. Present Mic, sir. Your quirk is super powerful and it needs to be controlled or you could cause a lot of damage. Can I write you for training tips? I'm going to take the UA hero course exams like Zuku and I dreamed. I wish we could have been heros together but I guess I'll just have to do it for both of us."
"I think Izuku is already a hero," Hizashi said. The loud blonde crouched down to be eye to eye with the explosive blonde. "Did you know we broke up 17 trafficking rings while looking for Izuku?" Katsuki's eyes went wide and he shook his head. "And you remember the anti-discrimination organization I mentioned Midnight and Fat Gum running? It's called Dekiru and they started it not long after the raid in honor of Izuku. It was all thanks to him, Izuku inspired people to reach out and help each other and that is the most powerful thing a hero could ever do."
Katsuki remained silent for a moment before straightening up, determination burned in his eyes. "I have a lot of catching up to do then," he said.
Hizashi laughed. He stood and grabbed the kid's hand, pulling him to his feet.
"I would be honored to help you train Katsuki but I think we can do better than letters and some friendly advice. What do you say I train you myself? I've had a job offer on the table for some time and I think I'm going to accept. It would allow me to take on a personal student. I would be delighted if it was you."
Katsuki was beaming with excitement, his blonde spikes bouncing as he nodded enthusiastically. Shouta groaned and buried his face in his capture weapon.
"We're gonna tell the rat yes aren't we?" He sighed. Nao and Hizashi burst out laughing while Katsuki looked between them in confusion.
"Don't mind Sho Katsuki," Hizashi soothed. "He and our old sensei have a love-hate relationship. As in, Sensei loves to torment Shouta and Shouta hates it."
"I respect and fear him as the whole world should," Shouta insisted. "Now, you've missed all your morning classes. If you want to be Hizashi's personal student you are going to have to keep your grades up. Get to school."
Hizashi got Katsuki's mom's number so he could discuss a training plan with her and the kid marched toward the cemetery gate with his hands in his pockets.
"He's a good kid," Nao said as they followed at a more leisurely pace.
"He's a brat but he'll make a good hero," Shouta admitted.
"You'll help me with him right?" Hizashi asked, interlacing his fingers with Shouta's. "I can help him with quirk control but Explosion is ridiculously versatile. He'll need a lot of diverse training."
"Of course he'll help you Sunshine," Nao said as he grabbed Hizashi's other hand. "He won't let you have all the fun. I'm sure he already has some brutal training regiment swirling around that sadistic brain of his."
Hizashi looked at his fellow hero and found him sporting an evil smile. He was about to shriek that he took it back and Shouta wasn't allowed anywhere near his student but was interrupted by a phone. The default ringtone identified it as Shouta's.
"It's Night Jumper," Shouta said. He answered on speaker phone.
"Eraserhead here, you're on speaker with myself, Present Mic and Tsukauchi."
"Hey boys," The younger underground greeted. "I have some news from the cryptid hunt."
"Already? It's only been a couple weeks. Kaijin is supposed to be elusive," Hizashi questioned.
"What can I say? I'm good at my job," Night Jumper boasted before sliding into a more serious tone. "Joking aside, I got lucky. I went to that underground bar Eraser suggested and asked if anyone could get me a meeting with Kaijin. I kept striking out but a few informants told me about Onibi, a relatively new informant that's a bit of a rising star. Veteran informants started noticing that Kaijin always got involved in busts not long after Onibi asked around about them."
"Kaijin gets their information from Onibi," Nao concluded.
"That's the theory,"
"What's your next step?' Shouta asked.
"Dude, I'm already on step three. Give me some credit."
"You met with Onibi?"
"Last night. I guess it was early this morning actually. Whatever. He was really protective of the vigilante, accusing me of being sent by the commission but I got him to trust me and asked what he knew. Onibi is a creepy dude already but the grin he shot me was nightmare inducing. Like seriously, can I bill the agency for a night light? I'm going to need it."
"Jumper!" Shouta snapped.
"Shut it! I had to keep my cool during the meeting. Let me freak out."
"He didn't attack you, did he?" Hizashi asked.
"No, he has a fire quirk that he was keeping active but otherwise he didn't approach me. If he had thrown a few fireballs I would have known how to handle it but the flaming brat called out for Kaijin. The beast himself crawled out of the rafters and down the wall, growling the whole way. I get it now Eraser, I understand the stories of demons and monsters because he is terrifying! I almost ran, not going to lie."
"Were you able to figure out his quirk?" Nao asked.
"Definitely some kind of transformation quirk but it's damn powerful. He seemed to be partly shifting into several animals at once. I clocked horns, wings, claws, cat eyes, some kind of huge ears, whatever was letting him cling to walls and don't get me started on the fucking spider legs!"
"We should be able to find him using the quirk registry," Nao insisted. "That quirk is unique."
"That's where you're wrong my optimistic friend. I haven't gotten to the worst part yet."
"Get on with it then," Shouta hurried him.
"Okay, okay. Onibi introduced us and told me Kaijin can't talk but he signs. When I said I understood sign language his eyes lit up and he did this cute little bounce while he chatted with me. He is an absolute sweetheart."
"I'm failing to see how this is the worst part," Hizashi commented looking up at his partners. Nao looked just as confused but Shouta's eyes had darkened, a worried pinch between his brows.
"How old is Kaijin?"
Silence
"Jumper, you talk about him like he's a child."
"He can't be more than 12."
Hizashi gasped as Nao went pale. Kaijin the cryptid, the most effective vigilante currently active, was a child. Shouta's mind went to the worst possible scenario.
"Did it seem like Onibi was controlling him?"
"No, no," Jumper quickly replied. "Onibi said they were a team and Kaijin was just as protective of the informant as Onibi was for the vigilante."
That made them relax a little.
"At least the kid has an adult around," Hizashi said.
There was silence on the other end of the line again.
"Right?" Hizashi prompted nervously.
"I hid in the shadows after the meeting to get more info and Onibi made a comment about how people think he's of age."
"Implying that he's also a minor," Nao concluded with a groan. "How old do you think?"
"I had him pegged for twenty so I'm thinking sixteen or seventeen."
Everyone stood in silence, Jumper's mission to observe and work with Kaijin to determine if he should be added to the underground network just got extremely complicated. He was going to need help.
"Proceed as if nothing has changed and keep me updated," Shouta ordered. "I have an investigation to wrap up in Musutafu then I'm headed your way. Let's see if we can get both Kaijin and Onibi to go legit."
"You got it boss. Operation 'Befriend the Shape-Shifting Demon Child' is a go." Jumper hung up.
Shouta, Nao and Hizashi all looked at each other then turned back to where they could just make out the gravestone under the willow. The purple, yellow and blue flowers adorning it like jewels.
They had found two more lost children and this time, they wouldn't let them go.
—----------------
Izuku shook his head, his nose scrunched up and eyes squinted. He had just finished a long string of adorable sneezes that had Dabi bent over laughing. Deciding that his fit was over the shape-shifter glared at Dabi, his little pout negating any intimidation he was trying to achieve.
"You sneeze like a kitten," Dabi laughed. Queenie meowed in agreement from her cushion. The duo had used the old store shelving to build a climbing wall for the colony. Queenie had claimed a spot toward the top, overlooking her empire.
Izuku stuck his tongue out. "How did your visit to Red Dragon go?" He signed. Dabi huffed.
"Fucker though he was clever delivering the whole hero to me. Changed his tune real fast when I asked if he was trying to get me arrested," Izuku tilted his head, asking the obvious question. Dabi waved his hand dismissively. "He wasn't. The dumbass was just being stupid, how he thought anyone in the underground would be chill with a surprise hero is beyond me. I told him his next…" Dabi stopped abruptly and sneezed so hard fire shot out his nose. Izuku giggled as Dabi coughed a cloud of smoke.
"Whoever is talking about us needs to fucking stop," the fire user groaned.
"Shadow must be giving his report," Izuku signed with a cheeky smile. Dabi rolled his eyes.
"Bastard! Smack him when you see him next."
Izuku giggled again and headed toward the back rooms to change out of his vigilante gear. As he passed the shelf to give Queenie a head scratch his ears suddenly swiveled and all the cats went on high alert, staring at the side door that opened into the alley. Izuku growled for Dabi's attention.
"What is it?" The fire user asked, taking a defensive position at Izuku's side with his hands lit. Izuku held a clawed finger to his lips.
They stood in silence for a moment, waiting. A minute later there was the sound of running footsteps followed by a yowl. Izuku snarled and burst out the door, all his cat traits on display as he rushed toward whatever was hurting his family.
Standing in the alley was a girl not much older than Izuku with dirty and matted blonde hair. She was wearing a stained sweater that was probably once a cream color and a tattered pleated skirt. She held one of the elderly cats by the scruff and was pointing a knife as if deciding where the best place was to stab.
Izuku wasted no time throwing one of his kunai. The girl was fast, deflecting it with her own weapon but dropping the cat who ran past Izuku and Dabi and into the store.
"Not cute kitty-chan," the girl whined. "Their fur would have looked so pretty covered in red."
"Who the fuck are you?" Dabi demanded, flaring brighter.
"Oh! Fire-chan! I'll tell you if I can have some blood. I bet your blood is hot like soup."
Dabi blanched at the implication that the girl wanted to drink his blood. Izuku snarled again, baring his fangs and lowering into a crouch, ready to pounce.
"Aww, kitty-chan, I like your fluffy tail and you have teeth like me," She smiled wide, showing off prominent canines. "Do you like blood too? When I love someone I drink their blood. I think I love you. You're cute. Can I have your blood?" Her grin widened. She looked insane as she rambled about love and blood and played with the blade of her knife.
Dabi was on edge, his fire blazing across his arms and licking up his neck. He was ready for a fight so the teen was surprised when Izuku relaxed. The vigilante tilted his head as he reached up and slipped Dabi's notebook from his pocket, still not taking his eyes off the girl. Her crazy smile fell a little, confused by what the cat boy was doing.
Izuku pulled on Dabi's coat. The informant leaned down to read the message.
Ask her how long it's been since she's had blood.
"Seriously kid?" Dabi murmured. Izuku nodded firmly.
"How long has it been since you've had any blood?" The fire user asked the crazy girl.
The blonde's smile disappeared, she adjusted her grip on the knife and pulled her shoulders up to her ears. Her slitted yellow eyes flicked between the two boys.
"A - a week," she whispered just loud enough for Dabi to hear.
Izuku scribbled in the book again.
Tell her I'm going to help. She needs to stay calm.
Dabi locked eyes with Izuku, silently asking if he was sure. The way that toxic green gaze blazed with determination gave him his answer. The informant had long ago given up understanding how Izuku could read a situation perfectly with minimal information. The kid's intelligence was terrifying. Paired with his overpowered quirk and exceptional control and fight skills it was no wonder he was such an effective vigilante. Dabi would have written the girl off as simply insane but Izuku had looked past that and was determined to help her.
"I'm Dabi," he started, extinguishing his flames and relaxing his stance. "This is Izuku. He says he can help you but you need to stay calm and put the knife away. I will not hesitate to burn you if you hurt my brother."
Izuku chirped sharply and smacked the teen's leg. Dabi kicked his foot in retaliation.
The girl watched their exchange with calculating eyes. They seemed friendly but she had been on the streets long enough to know that people could be deceiving. One part of her screamed that they had no reason to help her. They were just pretending so she would drop her guard. Another part urged her to look closely, to see with the eyes of a young girl and not the monster they told her she was.
The cat boy was small, definitely younger than her and so adorable. His eyes were bright and slitted like hers. His smile was kind, not jaded by the experiences that had scared his face. The older boy was tall and scary with patchy purple skin and shiny piercings but he looked at the kid so softly. His stiff posture betrayed a life full of quiet battles and expectations but his tight smile hinted at an attempt to heal, to be better. Icy blue eyes blazed but held a warmth that comforted.
She could trust them.
She dropped her knife and kicked it away.
Izuku smiled as he approached slowly to not startle her. As he got closer he could see her shaking. Her pupils dilated but she clutched her skirt to control herself. They looked at each other for a moment, just two kids that had been left all alone, stomped down and desperate. Two kids that could help each other.
Izuku bit his own arm. The punctures from his sharp teeth bleed freely, drops of bright red rolling over pale skin. The girl whined, every one of her muscles tightening. Izuku chirped softly at her and gestured to his outstretched arm. She looked at him in disbelief. No one in her entire life had ever freely offered her blood, let alone their own. He didn't know her. He didn't know what she could do but he was presenting his bleeding arm like a gift.
The boy mewed softly, looking at her with kind eyes.
With worried eyes.
He was worried for her.
Himiko took his arm gently and started to drink. Izuku held still while she licked and sucked down the warm liquid.
When Izuku began to feel woozy and swayed on his feet hot hands appeared and carefully pulled them apart. Dabi's calloused fingers brushed through blonde bangs while the other put pressure on the still sluggishly bleeding arm.
"That's enough kiddos," Dabi said softly. "Let's go inside, we'll talk once everyone has gotten some rest."
The teen guided his sleepy brother toward the door. Himiko didn't move but when Dabi looked back, holding the door open in invitation, she didn't hesitate to follow.
Her knife lay forgotten on the ground