Special thanks to my reviewers : matlalcoatl164 and chaosspeer.
Allmight Rehabilitation Center
The center's orientation branch was as busy as ever on that Monday morning. Izuku was walking slowly down the hallway, with a clipboard in one hand and a grim and lost look on his face. His head was still hurting him despite being bandaged and he could barely use his left hand because of his ring and middle being taped together. Ever since that phone call from Katuski, he'd been brainstorming about it. Katsuki was clearly trying to keep him out of trouble, even if the singer didn't realize that himself. Meaning he was likely to give him a beating if the therapist showed up again. But was him getting jumped the only reason Katsuki wanted him to stay away? It sounded like the excuse he was waiting for. He was going to need a new approach if he wanted to get close to him. For one, HELLGATE was ruining him. He needed to get him away from that place. Izuku pushed the door of the room in which he was suppose to have a meeting with his first group of the day.
"Mr Midorya!" Exclaimed a girl with pink hair who jumped out of her seat, quickly followed by a boy with a long nose and pitch black hair and also a blond guy with headphones.
"Oh hello Mina. Fumikage. Denki." He said with a tired smile. "It's good to see you again. Sorry I couldn't be here last week."
"Are you sure you're feeling alright sir?" Asked Mina.
It was hard to believe that a year ago, these kids would barely talked to him. They were teens from broken homes and neighborhoods, who'd been caught up in drug dealing to survive. Mina had been the worse of them all. She used to run away all the time and even attacked the staff. She had been a slick manipulator. The child protective services thought it was hopeless so they sent her here. Izuku had been patient with her and extremely clever. And after a year of hard work, he'd managed to pierce through her thick armor and she'd cried in front of him. The real Mina came out, a kind hearted girl who enjoyed to live and to laugh. Once she'd progressed, everyone else in the group hadn't taken long to pick up the same path. Izuku was so proud of them. They'd fought and they were winning. The therapist smiled to himself. There really was hope for everyone. This group was the living proof of that. Izuku walked over to the round shaped table and sat down.
"Come on and sit down you three." He invited. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine really. I'll take off the bandages in a couple of days."
Mina, Fumikage and Denki went back to their seats, joining the two others. Izuku immediately saw that someone was missing. He knew all his groups by heart and this one consisted of six people. Mina Ashido, Fumikage Tokoyami and Denki Kaminari, the ex-punks and junkies, Tsuyu Asui, orphan and alcoholic since she was thirteen, Hitoshi Shinsou, the oldest of the group, NSSI* with a record of violence and vandalism and last but not least, the latest addition to the group...
"Where is Shouto?" Asked Izuku.
Everyone shrugged or shook their head. Izuku sighed. It wasn't unusual for patients to skip out on their therapies but after a couple of times, it was protocol to signal it.
"Has anyone seen him today?"
"No, but he only came once last week when you were being replaced by Mr Iida." Said Fumikage.
Shouto Todoroki. A kid with a history of parental abuse, covered in scars both physically and mentally. A passive mother and a father that'd beat him whenever he had the opportunity. It wouldn't be far from the truth to say he'd been tortured for years by him. One particularly bad incident involving boiling oil left him a nasty scar on half of his face. He'd ended up running away from home at fifteen and unfortunately the one to become his protector was a drug dealer. Shouto became a mule or merchandise carrier for that guy. He was caught by the cops not so long ago. Eight weeks actually. And it'd been the exact opposite of Mina. He was quiet, withdrawn and wouldn't share anything about his feelings. But he quickly took a liking to the group and Izuku had made some good progress with him. But Izuku being absent for a week might have triggered something. It took a very long time for Shouto to start talking at all and even longer to trust Izuku. But he'd started to open up ever so slightly and even seemed to start enjoying common activities with the group. He'd gotten a bit closer to Mina than to the others. Her cheerful attitude had a good effect on him, and when he arrived she 'd been more than willing to take him under her wing.
"Well, let's begin." Said Izuku.
After the session, the patients went their way and Izuku was about to head to the medical branch to go see Ochako. His head was hurting a little and he wanted some painkillers. But he heard footsteps running behind him.
"Mr Midorya!"
Izuku stopped and turned around. "What is it Mina?"
She caught her breath before speaking. "I think I know where Todoroki is." She said, quietly.
"You do?"
She nodded and took out her phone. She had a worried expression on her face. "Remember when we talked about me giving you the numbers of all the dealers I knew so we could help more people like us?"
"Yes."
She looked to the side as if she was ashamed. "I...I kept one from you. Not because I wanted more supplies!" She swore. "I promise I'm clean! You can ask the medic staff!"
The therapist placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Mina. I believe you. What is it?"
"I didn't want to give you his name because... I was scared of him. He's done some pretty horrible things to people who ratted him out before. But I think it's the same guy that Todoroki was working for. It sounds like him anyways..."
"Sounds like him?"
"The way Todoroki talked about him like a savior, you know. Like he was taking care of him, like a father figure or something... Well, he's the only dealer I know that acts like that. I think Todoroki might have gone back to him."
She looked for her contacts and showed the screen to the therapist. "His name is Tomura Shigaraki."
Izuku's eyes widened in shock. 'Kacchan...'
HELLGATE
No matter how or what he sang, the crowd adored him. That was how it always was. The problem was that it was always the same crowd. The same kind of people, most of them not good influences or teens that snuck in to drink and shit. Katsuki used that annoying feeling as fuel to power his music and that only made the crowd go even more wild. But for once he did something that he never did before. He was looking at the faces he could discern in the crowd. Some faces were familiar but it wasn't those he was looking for. It wasn't intentional, his eyes were looking by themselves as the rest of him focused on his guitar and his song. Although he didn't try to stop his eyes from looking. And suddenly they stopped wandering around and stopped on someone. Messy green hair to be exact.
'What the hell?! What's he doing back here?'
But as he observed, he realized the nerd wasn't looking at him, or even listening to the music. He was looking around. Was he drunk? No, his movements were too precise, and there was that annoying terrified look on his face. The same one he had back in school when Katsuki used to threaten him. What the hell was he scared of ? Katsuki finished his song, and immediately stepped backstage to grab a black hoodie (probably Tomura's) to hide his face. He then went back to the club and pushed people to make his way in the crowd, ignoring their protest. It took a while but he finally found Izuku who was still looking around. The sight of him pissed him off and he grabbed the shorter young man around the neck with his arm and pulled him to a quieter corner. Izuku was thrown against the wall and grunted more in surprise than in pain.
"Kacchan!"
"What the fuck Deku! I thought I told you to get lost!"
Instead of listening to what the singer had to say, Izuku grabbed his former classmate by the shoulders. "Thank goodness! I need your help!"
"What? Did you get in trouble again? That's why I told you to stay away you stupid looser! Why can't you just do what you're told?! What sort of shit are you in this time?"
"Not me." Replied Izuku. "It's one of my patients."
"Patients? From the Center?"
"Yeah. His name is Shouto Todoroki. Long story short, he's in trouble. I think he went back to his former dealer."
"What's that got to do with you being here?" Growled Katsuki. "It better be good. Otherwise, I'll be the one to send you to the hospital for good."
Izuku threw him a very serious look. "Kacchan. Did you know that your boss is a drug dealer?"
Katsuki's eyes widened in shock. This was bad. HELLGATE didn't just look like a shady club. By using bands and people like Katsuki as bait, gang members could come out and deal all kinds of drugs to the people here. No one had ever been able to prove anything and no one in the neighborhood was brave enough to blow the whistle on the gang that owned the place. People had been killed for less around here. If Deku was on to Tomura and the asshole learned it, then that dumbass was toast. Literally. Tomura had a thing for using rats as ashtrays. The red eyed singer grabbed Izuku by the shirt and dragged him outside, before pushing him away.
"Get the hell out of here Deku."
"What? Not without Shouto! If he's here, I have to find him before he gets to Shigaraki."
"Why do you care? The dumb kid got in this mess by himself. By choice, you idiot!" Shouted Kastuki.
"Choice? It's not a choice, he doesn't know better! He's only fifteen Kacchan! Sure he's influenceable, but he's not a lost case. I refuse to believe that." Declared Izuku. "And he's my responsibility. I'm not leaving before I find him. The quicker I do, the faster I'll be on my way. So please, help me!"
Katsuki clenched his teeth. The damn nerd was not giving up. The explosive young man rubbed his face roughly trying to focus. Izuku would keep coming back until he got what he wanted. That's what Ochako had said about him. Damn it! "What does he look like?"
"He has dyed hair white on one side, red on the other, and a red scar on the left eye." Said the therapist. "He's hard to miss."
Katsuki knew that description. He'd seen Tomura's mule hanging around for a while now. If he was right, then it was the quiet kid that barely spoke to anyone except to the bastard. "Go to the back alley. And make sure no one sees your nerdy face. I don't want to have to save your ass again."
With that, Katsuki disappeared in the crowd. Izuku sighed and wondered if the singer was going to be alright. Did Kacchan know about his boss? Probably, he wasn't an idiot. He knew the part of town he lived in wasn't exactly known for the legal business. The green-haired lad went to the alley and waited for a while. Katsuki was a heavy smoker now, but he wasn't giving obvious symptoms of drug abuse. His thoughts were interrupted when the metal door opened and someone was pushed out into the alley. Katsuki stepped out right after and closed the door.
"Found your runt Deku." He said, grabbing the kid by the collar and pushing him forward.
Shouto tried to back away but a strong hand on his back kept him from it. He looked up and met the eyes of his therapist. They didn't show anger. Just concern, and maybe a hint of disappointment. The scarred teen looked astonished.
"Mr Midorya... what are you doing here?" Asked the teen with a quiet voice and his eyes looking away.
"That should be my question, Shouto. I was worried about you. Looks like I was right to be." Said Izuku with a firm voice, but without ever raising it. He stared at the kid for a while before speaking again. "Did something happen with Mina and the others?"
"No..." Muttered the teen. "Nothing."
"Why did you come here?" Asked Izuku. "What were you looking for?"
"It's none of your business." Replied the kid.
He wasn't the type to shout, unlike Kacchan, when something was bothering him. On the contrary he'd grow quieter and quieter, until he simply refused to speak anymore. And then, all possibility of getting through was practically lost. Izuku was trying to avoid that at all costs.
"I'm sorry." He said, earning himself the surprised look of the teen. "I couldn't be here for you last week. You probably thought I was abandoning you. Even if I couldn't really do anything about it, I should have contacted all of you. So I'm sorry Shouto."
Katsuki looked intently at the scene that was playing out in front of him. Why the hell was Deku apologizing ? The brat was the one who got in trouble and ran away. What the hell kind of reversed roles bullshit was that? But his critical thoughts were immediately silenced when he saw the teen stare in surprise at Izuku. He knew that look all too well. It was confusion sure, but mostly guilt. The kid was confused that an adult (if that was even the right word to describe Deku) was lowering himself to his level and seemed to see through him like through clear water. How did the nerd do that?
Izuku took a step closer to the kid and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I meant what I said the first time we met." He continued. "I will help you get back on your feet. And while you do that, I'm here to protect all of you."
"You all say that..." Muttered Shouto looking at the ground. "You all say the same thing. It's alright now. We'll take care of you now... But all you do is pass us around like dead weight."
"I'm here, aren't I?" Said Izuku.. "I stand by what I said. I'll have your back until you're back on your feet. I won't force you to come back with me, Shouto. But I'll come back here. And I'll wait. As long as it takes. I never shut the door on anyone, I won't start with you."
The kid's teeth suddenly clenched. "Why? Why would you go this far for any of us? No one ever cares! They always wait for someone else to do it! When everyone else always tossed us aside... what do you gain from it?"
"I had my dark times too. I was alone. And I crawled out of it as best as I could. I know how hard and painful it is to do it alone. It feels like it's impossible, doesn't it? Well I hate that word." Izuku smiled. "But you're right, I do gain something from it : when I see you guys all grown up and on your feet, you confirm that my philosophy is correct."
"Philosophy?"
"That's my secret. But knowing that I was right flatters my ego." Joked the therapist with a big smile this time. "What do you say? Give the center one more chance. You know, Mina was worried about you. She told me how to find you."
"I … can't. Mr Midorya … If I leave … he'll never forgive me."
"And if you stay, he's gonna end up killing you anyways." Said Katsuki, tired of the kid's shaky attitude. Sometimes a good kick to the ass was the best way to make someone make up their mind. At least for the people here, it was the best method according to him. "Trust me, you're not the only mule he has and definitely not the first one. That bastard won't give a shit if you get killed, you stupid kid."
"Huh?"
"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Suddenly shouted the singer exasperated, making Shoto almost jump out of his skin. "LOOK AT YOU, SHAKING IN YOUR BOOTS! SOMEONE'S OFFERING YOU A HAND AND ALL YOU CAN THINK OF IS STAY NEAR THAT BASTARD WHO'S GONNA KEEP USING YOU UNTIL HE'S DONE? WHEN SOMEONE MAKES AN OFFER LIKE THAT YOU TAKE IT, DUMBASS! DON'T YOU KNOW DEKU'S RISKING HIS LIFE BY COMING HERE?"
"What?" Let out the astonished teen.
"Tomura's the one who sent him to the hospital, moron!"
"Kacchan, that's enough." Said Izuku.
When the green-haired lad turned to the teen, tears had started falling down his cheeks. He tried to wipe them but they kept coming. No sobs, just a silent cry.
"I'm … I'm sorry Mr Midorya. I thought after a beating like that, you were gonna quit... " Let out the crying teen. "I didn't know ..."
"Give me some credit." Said Izuku, ruffling his hair. "It'd take a whole lot more than that to make me quit. Come on, let's go. The others are waiting for you."
The therapist grabbed the crying teen by the shoulder gently and they started walking away. Shouto let himself be led by Izuku while he was still covering his eyes with his forearm. Katsuki stayed quiet while looking at the pair walking away. Even he could tell that the brat had a long way to go, before being able to think by himself, but at least he was in good hands. When they reached the end of the alley, the green-haired lad turned around and looked at him.
"Thanks for your help Kacchan. Really." He said with a big smile.
That left him a bit dumbfounded. "Get the hell out of here." He simply replied.
Izuku nodded before leaving with Shouto. The singer leaned against the wall and took out his pack of cigarette before realizing that he wasn't really feeling like smoking and put it away. There it was that annoying feeling again. Feeling bored but not really wanting to do anything. He looked around. Again, not even a stray cat to be seen. Man, was this boring... He found himself thinking about the old days, when he dragged his friends around to get in trouble. Deku was always there. Somewhere a little behind watching him. Like a little bug, following him around. At first, he'd thought he was just hanging around him because he was weak. But once he saw a bunch of losers picking on him. He'd passed by without a care in the world and the nerd saw him. But he never asked him for help. And the following day, he was following him again. That was the first time he'd thought Deku wasn't totally a wuss. And the only time he'd oppose him was when Katsuki'd beat up someone just for the hell of it. And even when the blond would turn on him, no matter how hard he was shaking in his boots, he'd never back down.
"Since when have you become so cool huh? Nerd face." He muttered to himself.
The metal door opening interrupted him. Kurogiri stepped out into the alley. "Oh it's you Nitro." Said the man with a painted face. "Have you seen Todoroki anywhere? Tomura is looking for him. And you too by the way."
"Haven't seen anybody here." Said Katsuki, before walking passed his boss's right arm. But the dark faced man grabbed his shoulder to stop him.
"Strange. Nomou said he saw you with the kid not too long ago."
"I had something to ask him, not that it's any of your damn business." He threw him a murderous glare. "Get your hand off me before I set you on fire, freak show."
Kurogiri didn't show any sign of being impressed but he let go off the angry blond. Katsuki resumed his pace and headed back inside, and headed for the office backstage. As usual, Tomura and his goons were getting high after closing the club.
"Ah, Nitro. Glad you could make it."
"What do you want this time?"
"Just letting you know that we got our hands on your favorite." He said holding up something to his face. "It's been a while right? Want some?"
"Son of a bitch..."
Katsuki's apartment
Izuku stood in front of the door, holding his breath. He was more than sure that the second he'd knock and identify himself, he'd probably get yelled out and beating from his former classmate. He'd long thought about coming here in person or calling, but he was pretty sure Katsuki wouldn't have picked up. At least now, the therapist had clear idea of the situation here. It's not like the drug dealing surprised, not in this district. It was the best place to have any kind of illicit activity going on. HELLGATE seemed to be a well organized traffic. And Tomura Shigaraki was the center of it all. Just how deep was Katsuki in this mess? However, Izuku was working with junkies. That meant that he had the observation skills of a therapist. And he hadn't picked up any signs of drug abuse from the singer. But then how could he explain his attachment to this place? He clearly disliked Tomura, so if the guy wasn't his dealer, then what was holding him in this crappy place? In any case, Izuku wasn't anywhere near giving up. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door of Katsuki's apartment, on the sixth floor of the HELLGATE building.
"Kacchan? It's me."
It was the first time he came during the day, so it was likely that Tomura and his gang weren't around. But there was also a chance that Katsuki was at the garage, working on his motorcycle engines. When no one answered, Izuku knocked a second time. Again no one answered. Izuku was about to leave when something collided with the door on the other side and made a strange noise. He pressed his ear on the door and listened. It wasn't clear but he could hear mumbling. Izuku frowned and grabbed the handle.
"I'm coming in." He announced.
He twisted the handle and pushed the door open. The apartment was actually a big room with a small kitchen, a bed in the corner and a singled window. The whole place reeked of alcohol and cigaret. But that was not what caught the green-haired lad's attention. Katsuki was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall and surrounded by at least thirty cans of beer, half of them already empty. He was wearing nothing but beige pants and a black tank top. His cheeks were red and his eyes seemed lost as he stared out the window but didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular.
"Kacchan, what the hell are you doing?" Asked Izuku, a little worried at the sight.
The blond turned to him and stared at him for a long time before speaking. He raised the can he was holding towards the therapist as one would when proposing a toast. But the look on his face screamed exhaustion and sadness. "Fucking Deku's in the house, people. What'd we do to deserve this honor?" He said before drinking.
"Kacchan how many of those have you had?" Said Izuku crouching down next to him and eying the empty cans. "It's not even noon yet..."
"Fuck off Deku..." He replied, drinking some more. "Why d'you feel the need to rub it all in my face..."
"What are you talking about?"
He exploded in laughter before settling down and regaining his sad expression. "Stop playing fake samaritan with me... you fucking nerd..."
"Alright Kacchan, I think you've had enough." Said Izuku grabbing the can from his hand before he could take more. "Let's get you sobered up, you're talking nonsense. Come on."
The shorter man grabbed the singer by the arm and pulled him up. But the second the blond was back on his feet, Izuku found himself grabbed by the collar and slammed against the wall. Katsuki was holding him by the collar so tightly that he was practically strangling him.
"What are you doing, Kacchan?" Let out the green-haired lad as best he could while grabbing his former classmate's wrists, hoping to loosen the strong grip. He froze though when he saw the enraged glare the singer was throwing him. He was almost snarling like a dog, ready to attack and for a moment, Izuku was afraid he would bite him. But the hands holding him by the collar started shaking.
"Why Deku?" He said, with a deep voice that seemed to be showing anger and despair at the same time. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP?! I NEVER ASKED YOU FOR ANYTHING! WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, HUH?!"
"Kacchan, please calm down... You're hurting me." Said Izuku, as the blond boy's grip tightened even more.
"YOU GOT A JOB, A GIRLFRIEND, A HOUSE! YOU HAVE A LIFE, YOU HAVE EVERYTHING! ISN'T THAT ENOUGH FOR YOU? DO YOU HAVE TO RUB IT IN MY FACE?! I GET IT ALREADY! I LOST! THERE, I SAID IT! I LOST TO YOU! USELESS GOOD FOR NOTHING DEKU BEAT ME! SO WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, DAMN IT!"
"Beat you? What are you talking about?"
Katsuki suddenly went quiet and looked at the ground but without releasing him. It was like he couldn't hear him, his ears covered by his own rage. Izuku could feel his cold hands shaking against him. What had happened? He dared not ask and held his breath, waiting for the singer to calm down. But when Katsuki didn't say anything or moved for a while, he risked a question.
"Are you alright, Kacchan?" He asked.
Something then caught the therapist's eye. Something was falling from Katsuki's face onto the ground. Tears. Izuku's eyes widened in shock. Never, in his entire life, had he ever seen the blond cry. He knew everyone was capable of it, especially when having drunk so much but somehow it still surprised him. He gulped at the sight.
"Damn it Deku." Muttered the singer. Even when he was crying he seemed angry. "I tried. I really did. But I still screwed it all up... Where did I go wrong?"
The look he threw him was still angry, but with the tears falling, Izuku couldn't help but grit his teeth as his own eyes started to water. 'Oh, Kacchan. Just how much are you suffering?' He thought, unable to say out loud.
Katsuki clenched his teeth angrily. Letting out a shout of rage, he sent his forehead to collide with the therapist's. Izuku was thrown back and slid down the wall holding his head painfully. It was like a bus had hit him in the face.
"Ow!" He let out, as he ended up on the floor and looked up at his assailant. "What was that for?"
"Don't give me that look!" He was panting now, and Izuku saw that the water falling from his face was not only made up of tears but also of heavy sweat. "Stupid...nerd face..."
The green-haired lad's eyes widened when he saw the taller boy loosing his balance and falling forward. He quickly got to his knees and caught him before he could hit the ground.
"Kacchan!"
"Get the hell off me, Deku..." Muttered the blond, although he did nothing to resist the shorter boy's assistance. His eyes were closed as well.
"You're not okay Kacchan." Said Izuku placing a hand on his forehead. "You're burning up!"
"Who cares..." Kept muttering the almost passed out singer.
"I do!" Said Izuku, passing his arm around his neck. "Come on, let's get you to bed."
It took a lot of effort for Izuku to drag the tall and heavy singer to his bed. Once the deed done, the therapist covered him up and looked around. This room was freezing. There was no heater anywhere. It was dirty too, and hadn't been cleaned in some time. He didn't have to search around to know he would't find anything useful to treat him.
"Kacchan, when's the last time you ate?" Asked Izuku.
"Who cares?" He mumbled back.
The therapist sighed. Katsuki wasn't going to make it easy for him. Besides, with a fever like that, it was likely he'd fall asleep soon. He took out his phone and dialed his girlfriend's number.
"Ochako? I need your help."
About an hour later, the round faced brunette entered the singer's apartment. She was carrying a small black bag. What she noticed immediately was the state of the room. For someone working in the medical field, hygiene was the most important thing.
"Thank you, I'm sorry I bothered you during your day off."
"I'm glad you called me, this place is a mess. And it's freezing in here!" She said, taking off her coat and tossed it on the table. "I brought the electrical heater. It's in the car."
"I'll go get it." Said the green-haired lad, before exiting the room quickly.
Ochako looked around. She didn't have to be a psychologist to tell that whoever was living here was neglecting themselves. The short woman approached the now sleeping Katsuki and sat on the edge of the bed before placing her hand on his forehead. He was indeed burning up. She opened he bag and took out out her thermometer and placed in under the sleeping blond's armpit. When it beeped she took it out. It indicated 39,5 degrees celsius. She then grabbed his arm and proceeded to pock around his pressure points a little. The tension was clear in his muscles. She checked the state of his teeth and the dryness of his eyes as well. The nurse then took a cooling pad out of her bag and placed it on the singer's forehead. She chuckled a little when he frowned in his sleep at the contact of the cold. What a scary guy. At that moment, Izuku returned carrying the electrical heater.
"Well?" He asked as he plugged it in and turned it on. "How is he?"
"From what I can tell, he's overexerted himself. There's a clear tension in his muscles, and he's dehydrated." She said. "If he starts vomiting, he'll need to see a doctor for a flu shot. For now, all we can do is change the cool pad regularly and give him painkillers for the headache if he has any. But Izuku, why didn't you call a real doctor?"
The green-haired lad, rubbed the back of his neck and looked away for a while. He then looked at the girl who waited patiently for his answer. "Ochako, I have a favor to ask. Could you take a blood sample from Kacchan and have it analyzed?"
Her eyes widened. She definitely wasn't aloud by protocol to do that, but technically speaking she did have access to the necessary equipment and the expertise to do so. Izuku was always one for following the rules. It surprised her that he'd ask her to do that.
"Do you think he's sick?" She asked. "Why don't you just take him to the hospital? I know you said he was a stubborn mule but ..."
"That's not it."
He moved over to the end of the bed and uncovered one of Katsuki's feet. Ochako approached and Izuku showed her the space between the singer's big toe and the rest. The nurse indeed saw the little purplish dots clearly from an unclean injection needle. And it was not the first time she'd seen those marks. Her mouth dropped open.
"Oh my gosh." She let out. "He's a junkie?"
"Except I've been seeing him for over a month now. He hasn't given any signs of addiction." Said Izuku.
A sad look appeared on the gentle girl's face. "I hate to say this but... don't you think you were ignoring them because he's your friend?"
"Maybe. That's why I want to make sure." Said Izuku. "If he really is an addict, I'll try to bring him to the center."
"And if he's not?" She asked.
"Then, I'll have to keep digging for what's wrong. And I'll keep looking until I can save him."
"It's that bad?"
"He's destroying himself, Ochako." Said the therapist.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to get you to abandon him. But why do you feel the need to go this far for him? You haven't seen each other in years..."
Izuku looked at the ceiling for a while before smiling. "I'm not sure. If I had to guess, I'd say it's a debt. When I was a kid, looking up to Kacchan was what made me want to become better and stronger. His presence alone was enough to make me want to lift mountains. He was like a brilliant light, guiding me even though he didn't know it. In a sense, he saved me. That's why... it's my turn to save him now."
Ochako looked at the determination in her boyfriend's green eyes. She threw her arms around his neck. "Hmm. Ochako?"
"You're a hero, you know that right?" She whispered.
Izuku felt his heart pound harder when she said that, and his cheeks turned red. It was childish, but that was the best compliment someone could give him. And coming from Ochako, it was worth more than anything. He hugged her back and after a little while, they releases each other.
"Well, then." Said the short nurse jumping back on her feet. "This place is so filthy, even a rat couldn't handle living here. I'll clean the kitchen and the floor. You find someplace to wash his clothes. I'm pretty sure he doesn't do laundry either. And then we need to fill his fridge."
"Yes ma'am."
"When we're done...I'll take a blood sample."
* NSSI : Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
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