Thank you for all of your support with this story! I'm really trying to make it interesting and stuff
Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia.
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Call Me… Deku
Chapter 3
Bakugo performed well in academics as well as battles, of that much everyone was aware. During their first hero training session, he and Todoroki stood atop the class in terms of combat sense and ability. All Might praised their skills and told the rest of the students to take note.
But that didn't make Bakugo feel as good as it should have. As their teacher prattled on about what should and should not be done during missions similar to stopping villains with a deadly bomb, his mind wandered to Midoriya again.
'What would he have done?' Katsuki wondered. Without a quirk, it would have taken considerable skill and probably a miracle to get past some of the students, like him and Todoroki for instance, but he remembered the slime villain's attack. While all the pro heroes with their superpowers were afraid and calling out for someone with a more suited quirk to step in, little Izuku had bolted towards him, using a damn backpack as a weapon.
As crazy as it seemed, not one of the Pro's had been effective enough to do anything, and that simple act worked well enough to give him a few desperate seconds of air. He probably would have suffocated if the nerd hadn't done something right then.
"Bakugo man… what on Earth are you thinking about?" Kirishima questioned, waving one of his hands in front of the other's face. "We were dismissed like two minutes ago and you're just zoning out."
Katsuki swatted the hand away, not even bothering to be irritated. "Just stuff, shitty-… uh... Kirishima…" he answered, catching himself before he called the redhead by his insulting nickname again. It was a hard habit for him to break, not using demeaning phrases instead of names.
Kirishima just smiled though, a big toothy grin plastered on his face. "You can call me whatever you want, bro! I mean, even if you decide on shitty-hair it's not so bad… since you know… your hair isn't that different from mine!"
Bakugo let out a weak laugh, relaxing some. "Mind if I ask you some more stupid fucking questions about your quirk?"
The redhead placed his hand on Katsuki's shoulder and nodded. "Yeah! Come on, I'll tell you anything your little stalker brain wants to know."
"Fuck off! I'm not a dirtbag stalker. It's research damn it. Fuck. Okay, let me get his notebook." Bakugo growled, giving the teen a sharp jab to the stomach.
"His?" Kirishima questioned.
Bakugo froze again, tension climbing in his shoulders. "Yeah… it… it belonged to someone else first."
"Eh? Well, okay… I won't ask you about 'him' then, but maybe you could tell me why you want to know about my quirk?" Kirishima offered, hoping to get at least some information at of the distressed blonde.
"I've already fucking told you. It's research. See it says so right on the front 'Hero Analysis for the Future'. This kid I used to know was obsessed with hero's and was always blabbing on about smart shit like fighting styles and special moves." Katsuki replied, pointing to the cover.
"Seems like a pretty manly man!" the redhead replied, making his voice slightly cheerier. He hadn't missed the 'used to know' part of Bakugo's explanation. He wondered if that's where the blood had come from.
"Yeah…"
Midoriya watched as Tomura explained his plan in detail to Kurogiri and the TV screen, almost rolling his eyes at the absurdity. There was no possible way for it to go smoothly, absolutely none. Even if they had a Nomu that supposedly could take down All Might, and an 'army', it was still stupid.
"Deku, what do you think," the Master asked.
"I think it's going to be a disaster" he replied bluntly, earning a worried look from their resident warp gate.
Shigaraki growled, his eyes widened dangerously as his hands twitched by his sides. In an instant one was reaching for his face, fingers stretched out to inflict maximum damage. But Izuku didn't flinch back, he stayed exactly where he was, staring deep into the blank TV screen.
"Tomura. That's enough."
Deku and Shigaraki then stared at each other through the fingers, one manic and crazed, the other, calm and blank. This wasn't the first time that Tomura had nearly dissolved his face and it probably wouldn't be the last, but Izuku was used to it now, his prior panicked reaction quelled into one of indifference. Eventually, the gangly man backed away with a scowl, muttering about insolent little children.
"I don't care what this little bug says! I'm going through with it because it's my right to destroy anything I don't like… and I hate All Might the most."
"Very well, Tomura… Use this as a learning experience. Deku, I'd like for you to hold back and not participate in this assault, I have something else I'd like you to do." All For One stated.
Midoriya's blank eyes started sparkling, though only slightly, and he nodded to signify his agreement. Whatever the Master villain wanted, Deku was only too happy to oblige. He wanted the man to believe in him, in his brilliant mind. He wanted everyone to see that he wasn't worthless and could become the most powerful person in the world.
Deku returned to his small room, feeling slightly more exhilarated than usual. Once Tomura and Kurogiri left to see a broker about criminals they could use, he'd had a discussion with All For One about his part in the whole scheme. It wasn't that long ago that Midoriya would have died before agreeing to harm heroes, or even associate with less than savory characters.
All that changed of course when he shattered, literally and metaphorically. He still didn't particularly like hurting people, and he definitely detested killing, but, it wasn't as if he was incapable. As he stripped and stared at his body in the mirror, he thought back to his first encounter with the League of Villains and their leader.
~ Flashback~
Midoriya was in so much pain when he woke that he was sure that he'd gone straight to hell. That would be fitting for how shitty his life had been up until that point; the universe simply wanted him to suffer, even in death.
Despite the aches that seemed to take over all his senses, he was vaguely aware of another presence near him, one that practically emanated death and decay. His hazy green eyes looked around, trying to find the grim reaper, but instead, they landed on a monster of a human.
"So, you're finally awake, are you?" the thing spoke, it's eyes completely erased from scar tissue.
Midoriya was in too much agony and fear to speak, so instead, he settled for his usual response: crying. Every shaky, weak sob tore through his lungs, leaving him with the bitter taste of iron in his mouth, choking his dry throat.
"Calm yourself, my child. I mean you no harm… I merely wished to speak with you. Will you allow me to do that? Blink once for yes and twice for no." it asked, its voice soothing despite the ominous aura surrounding it.
Midoriya blinked slowly once, his brain still trying to force him back into unconsciousness. He wanted to die, not be trapped in some dark room with tubes hooked up all over his body and some evil force sitting beside him. Maybe this was the devil?
"My name is All For One, and I want to offer you something. You see, you intrigue me, Izuku Midoriya. Someone with your intellect and analysis skills is a rarity, one that even I can't forcefully take. How pitiful it is that you were born without a quirk and were sidelined."
Deku felt another wave of pain, mostly emotional, flow through him like a tidal wave, crashing around in his heart and mind. Was he really going to be taunted by this man too? He didn't even know him and he was being insulted. Why? Why him?
"I'd like to give you the chance to prove everyone wrong about you." The man continued, a smile starting when Midoriya's bandaged head turned towards him, awe and hope just barely surfacing in his eyes. "Of course, you'd be branded a villain…"
That ruined Izuku's moment of anticipation, crushing him back into his lowly place in the world. "I… I couldn't be a villain… I don't want to hurt people! I want to save them… That's all I've ever wanted…"
"Oh, my dear boy. Your face is so easy to read… I know you've always wanted to help people. You idolized All Might, did research on all the pro heroes and put your heart into being kind to everyone. But what did that get you?"
"Broken…." Izuku thought, his green eyes closing tightly in pain.
"That's right. Where were the heroes when you were told you were quirkless? Where were the heroes when you were bullied by everyone around you? Where were those precious heroes when you finally snapped and gave up? Hmmm? Did anyone try to save you before you jumped? I thought that's what heroes did. They are supposed to help people, but no one helped you, did they?"
Midoriya hiccupped, ignoring the horrible pain that followed as he tried to move around, to do anything to end his suffering right then. That's why he jumped, he couldn't take this... he needed a way out. But the man wasn't finished. He stood and moved closer to the bed.
"What did All Might tell you when you told him you were quirkless? I bet he said what everyone else did… to give up. The Symbol of Peace should have seen the desperation in your eyes, just as I do. But I don't think you need a quirk to be the best. You could join us, lend us your amazing brain and knowledge on current heroes. We would not think less of you, or ever tell you that you couldn't do something."
Izuku stopped his struggling then, panting heavily as he stared up at the humanoid demon before him. How had All For One known about his encounter with All Might? He was sure now that this was, in fact, the devil, and if he agreed, he'd be selling his soul. But, a growing part of him didn't care. The man's words were so sweet… so sickly enticing that he wanted to believe it, wanted to follow him.
"I can even give you a quirk or two if that's something that you feel you must have. But trust me when I say, there is no need. You are special, my boy. So very, very, special… and once you've let go of who you were and mastered hiding your true intentions, you'll be unstoppable."
If Midoriya thought that his sense of self was shattered before, he'd been wrong. The broken pieces of his dreams were ground into dust, leaving him with nothing left but to give in to this great evil hovering over him, or hope that they let his suffering end with death.
"C-ca-all m-me D-de-deku…." He ground out beneath his oxygen mask.
Izuku Midoriya let himself fall into the dark abyss.
~ End Flashback~
~Time Skip: Friday~
"I thought I told you not to meet with me here," Midoriya stated blandly, not taking his eyes off the blonde.
The figure shrugged gently as if they weren't actually in serious danger for going against what the small villain had told them. "I'm just not sure why you come to watch. I was hoping you'd let me sit here with you."
Midoriya moved faster than the other could process, flipping them so that he could press the teen up against the tree with a blade hovering dangerously close to their jugular. Unreadable green eyes bore into the shocked ones, daring them to try and move. "Don't toy with me."
When the captured teen didn't answer, Midoriya dragged the knife slowly, making a small, but threatening cut across the soft flesh, never blinking or looking away, even as the other closed their eyes and hissed quietly. "I suggest you tell me what you're really doing here."
"It's the truth. I came to see you…"
There was hesitance in Deku's face, a suspicious glint that had probably formed after being around psychopaths for so long. In any case, Izuku said 'oh' and removed the knife, another blank yet soft smile gracing his lips as he wiped the small amount of blood from his blade and put it away. "What about? Is it something important?"
"I was sure he'd slit my throat and then just leave me there…" the spy thought, rubbing the stinging flesh gently. "No, it's not important… I'd just like to get to know you, that's all. Unless you contact me, this is the only place I knew where to find you."
Midoriya flushed slightly across his cheeks, nervously rubbing the back of his head. He still hadn't stepped back though, so they were still nearly pressed up against one another like it was a normal interaction. "Well, okay… I mean I'm kind of a boring person, so I'm not sure exactly what you're hoping to accomplish. This is my time to watch Bakugo though, so, I'll cut you again if you don't leave."
The teen nodded and waited to be released, this time averting his eyes to seem like less of a threat. Despite how completely serious Deku sounded, that paradox of harsh violence mixed with kind warning drew him in like a moth to a flame.
"Are you a masochist or something? You must be since you haven't left yet… If you get Kacchan's attention when you scream though, I'll be kind of upset." Deku stated, getting ready to pull his blade out again.
"You… uh… You're still holding me to the tree…"
Another, more furious blush covered Izuku's cheeks as his usual unreadable stare slipped momentarily and he looked down, apparently just noticing how close they were. "S-sorry…" he stammered out, moving back and dusting himself off cutely while his captive stalked off.
Deku took out his phone and texted his Class 1-A spy once he was far enough away, offering to meet up for coffee later that week. "Coffee would be fine right?" he thought. He'd never had friends after he started elementary school, so he couldn't actually be sure, but that sounded like something teenagers did together when they hung out.
His thoughts returned to Bakugo, though, as they always did, watching and listening intently as the teen talked on about what they were learning in hero training, and who was at the top of the class. It was surreal seeing his childhood friend, crush, and bully speaking to his tombstone so lovingly.
Deku wondered how Katsuki would react once he saw him again. Would it be relief or rage? Happiness or Anger? Love or hate? Knowing Bakugo, it would probably be the latter of all of those questions. But, it wasn't as if Midoriya was weak anymore. The knife he'd finished cleaning glinted in the small strands of light pouring through the tree limbs.
"Kacchan… I have such plans for us…"
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Okay… so a reviewer thought my villain Deku was a boring enigma compared to Kaachan. Is this getting better? Seriously. I'm not being bitchy about it, I really want to know! Criticism about my writing will make it better, so keep it coming whether it's good or bad!
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