Enjoy.

"What!? You're actually inviting me over, what's the catch, you brat!?"

He holds the phone away from his ear. It's unusual for him to ask his mother over, for this very reason. He'll visit them and he keeps in touch, but they're pains in his ass when they visit him. Katsuki responds in kind, "I just need your help with something, hag!"

"See you soon then, sweetie. Love you."

Katsuki huffs as he hangs up his cell. Deku's condition has not gotten any better, if only worsened. The hero was able to pull some strings and get a visit with the villain at his house, though he wonders if that'll do much good. The doctors all say it's psychological, and some trauma is involved. Katsuki doesn't know shit about trauma, but he knows his mom might have an idea.

The day of reckoning comes, and Deku is wheeled in by Katsuki after the hero takes him from the orderlies. They're sent away as Katsuki gets Deku in a comfortable position in the living room. He sits across from the quiet individual. The former villain merely stares blankly at nothing. He's even more sullen and withered. His face is sunken and his eyes are haunted.

Bakugou stares at him, "Why is this happening to you?" He's out of the bad place, Bakugou saved him, didn't he?

I deserve everything bad that's ever happened to me. This is my punishment.

Bakugou sighs, "I have someone coming over to see you. You'd probably enjoy her more than me. All Might is here. He's been staying at my house, I don't know if you know... We're all going to have dinner. I'm going to make it now, okay? Here's some t.v."

Bakugou leaves him to get dinner ready. As he's finishing up, there's a knock at his door and he moves to fetch his old lady. He tells her, "He's in the living room."

She smacks his arm as she moves inside, "Don't give me that look, wimp. This isn't your fault." She saw the silent plea in her son's eyes, the clear "Help him."

He watches her go through narrowed eyes. He moves to set the table as he sees his mother sitting beside Deku's wheelchair. She has her hand over his, "You look so much like your mother, dear. Your crazy hair is definitely your father's though. You probably don't remember him. Do you remember your mother? She was such a nice person, so sweet. She wanted to do the best for you. I was sad to see her go, but I'm sure she's happy you got to live on for so much longer than she. I couldn't help thinking about you every now and again. You were little, but I thought you'd make a wonderful person someday, being so sweet and kind like your mother. But you're sensitive too, and I know you're hurt and you've been hurting for so long. You don't have to anymore. You're safe now." Mitsuki just talks to him. She doesn't expect an answer, she just wants to connect. Even if he doesn't remember her, she remembers him. She hopes it's enough, that he'll understand there are people here for him.

Katsuki calls, "Dinner is served."

Mitsuki wheels Deku to the space at the table, "Let's get some meat on your bones." She sits beside Deku, eating. He continues staring. All Might walks in, "Sorry I'm late." He surveys the room and sits on Deku's other side while Katsuki sits across.

Toshinori and Mitsuki chat idly, before the retired hero directs his attention to Deku. "I've never seen you this way, young-Midoriya. And I never got to thank you for saving my life. You were my hero that night."

The young-Bakugou gruffly interjects, "He wasn't there." He tried to believe All Might's story, but there's no way Deku killed Drax. Just look at him.

Yagi smiles and tells the green haired guest, "He doesn't believe my story because they never found the place, but you killed that Drax Brother that night."

Izuku flinches, turning his face away and leaning back. He's sorry. He shuts his eyes knowing someone is going to hurt him, and Mitsuki asks, "What's wrong dear? You need to tell us. Are you hurt?"

He shakes his head, leaning back as far as he can go. He said he was sorry. Please-

Toshinori joins Mitsuki, "You're going to have to tell us the problem, m'boy."

Izuku buries his face in the back of his chair, tears prick his eyes, and as soon as Mitsuki touches him he flinches away, "Sorry! M'sorry!" She retracts her touch as he shakes, hiding his face. His voice is weak and sounds like gravel.

All Might asks, "Why are you sorry? You saved me, son. You did a good thing."

Izuku shakes his head, "Sorry... Please... No more." It's a trick. This is punishment. They watch, they're always there. He can't get away. The Brothers can always see him, they can always reach him.

Mitsuki assures him, "You're safe, sweetie. No one's gonna hurt you." They don't know.

Izuku blinks as tears fall down his cheeks, he murmurs in disbelief, "He comes at night. I can't be free."

Katsuki sighs, "We need details." This is an act, it has to be. Deku was never such a weakling.

Izuku observes Katsuki's tired eyes and lackluster concern. Right, he can't rely on heroes nor their kind. They can't help him. He has to face this alone, like he always does. Joten sentenced him to die, so he must follow through. Deku's former indifference returns as he mutters with finality, "Mother is waiting." He seems to revert to his former dispassionate self.

Mitsuki stares at him before she scolds, "Your mother would hate to see you like this, Izuku. She'd absolutely hate it." This draws the mental patient's eyes to her. Does this woman think she knows his mother? Did she see his mother in her last moments?

A kind of calm anger flares behind his irises as he responds, "She didn't mean to leave, she's waiting now." Yes, she's gone. She was taken. He just wants to be with her again.

All Might levels with him, "Whatever is wrong can be fixed, young-Midoriya. You're not alone. You saved me. I like to think you're a good person underneath."

I'm a killer, a villain. I have no right to joy nor happiness nor even life itself anymore. My torture continues as I live on. Why can't I die? Mother waits so patiently for me to join her.

Deku is once again unresponsive.

Mitsuki whacks her son upside his head. She replies to his indignation with, "Progress was being made and you shut it down with your attitude. You may not remember your friend but I remember mine, and her child is in so much pain right now. I know she'd help you too if our roles were reversed."

"He's still a villain."

"He's a person who needs help right now. No one came to save him last time, Katsuki, save him this time." He did save him. That's what he doesn't understand, the villain is already saved? What else does he have to do?

Katsuki watches his mother shake her head. Deku and Yagi-san are watching a cartoon. Deku will be staying with them for two more nights, and then he'll go back. There's still time. Time is fickle however.

They notice some improvements as Deku resides there. He almost becomes more lucid, though he's tentative.

Mitsuki puts a plate of food in front of him and he whispers, "Thank you." It's progress, but he's tormented. They can't tell why though.

All Might asks, "Do you want to watch some t.v.?"

Deku shakes his head. The television scares him. The computer scares him. The phone scares him. That's where he watches from.

Mitsuki offers, "How about a walk outside? Do you think you're up for that?" Her son is about to deny but she glares at him. Deku nods briefly. A walk should be safe. They finish eating and the three venture outside Bakugou's house. The hero walks behind as his mother helps Deku along. He's still skin and bones. All Might stayed at home.

Mitsuki talks about Inko, Izuku's mother. "Your mother was the kindest lady I know. I remember I could always count on her to watch you two when you were little. Forgive Katsuki for not knowing your story, he was young when I found out, and I didn't want to burden him. I always thought of you and your mother though, Izuku. I always wondered if you were alive and what kind of man you were." Little did she know, he was being abused and killing people to drown out his own pain.

Deku stares at the pavement, he responds, "Tragedy changes you. I suppose she could be considered strong, but she was too kind. She lacked the strength to protect me, to fight. All she could do was beg. That's the legacy she left me, beg, like a dog, to the strong. I'm tired though..." He stares ahead. He tried to be strong and get back at the people who hurt him, but he must really be weak, just like her. That's why he can't pretend anymore. He's not strong. He just wants to cuddle up with his mom one last time.

They walk in silence. Mitsuki finds it hard to talk while on the verge of tears. She murmurs, "You are strong. If you've survived this long, you're strong, but you still have her kindness too." Kindness is not indicative of weakness.

Deku chuckles dryly, he disagrees, "If you are kind, you are weak. That's why my life is still not my own." His life hasn't been in his own hands for a long time.

Mitsuki reprimands him, "You brought yourself under house-arrest with your own actions." She's not technically wrong.

Deku nods, grinning, "Yeah, I watched my mother die by the same villains who made me their slave. They taught me how to torture and maim just right. Now, my life is owned by heroes who never cared about me until I became a villain. I definitely got myself here."

Bakugou growls from behind, "Everybody has a choice, Deku."

Deku smiles up at the sky, "My choice was to die a peaceful death, then burn in hell for the rest of eternity, but I can't even do that without people getting in the way. People who pretend to care, to see a good person in me, only to tell me the next second what a piece of scum I am. Can you guys get your story straight?" He's tired of this bullshit. They don't need to pretend to care about him.

Bakugou threatens, "Good thing you're back to your jolly old self, because you're going back tomorrow."

Deku's smile disappears, and he nods definitively. Right. Back to hell, it is. They walk back to Katsuki's in silence.

See, they merely proved his point. They're trying to cure him just so they can send him back to the loony bin. They throw his mother in his face, talking about how disappointed everyone is in him, how he's so kind, but wait, you're still villainous vermin, an absolutely despicable person, Deku. Hope this pep talk helped, now go back to the place you belong, bye. He frowns. Izuku goes to his room, and sits up in bed, remembering vile acts. He's tired, so tired.

When they go to his room in the morning, they find him huddled in the corner. He couldn't sleep. Mitsuki asks, "Izuku, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

He only looks up after she's touched him. He can't meet her eyes. He needs to commit to death. No more fooling around. He's quiet and doesn't touch his food. They wonder what happened to all their progress.

Bakugou growls, "Whatever you're trying to pull, it's not going to work. You're going back."

All Might sighs, "Unfortunately, it is the punishment for your crimes, young-Midoriya."

This is what I get for being a villain, I know, I deserve everything that happens to me. This is my punishment. There's Joten's version of punishment, and now here's the heroes' version.

He's dejected and deflated as he walks back into the arms of the orderlies. They drive away and he never spares All Might nor the others another glance. Maybe they did want to help him, but unless they bust him out, they'll never save him.

When he returns to the psych ward, it's much of the same abuse. The orderlies enjoy beating him around, and the doctors proceed with their unlawful medical experiments. Then, at night, when he's supposed to finally get some rest. A figure materializes out of the camera lens watching his locked room. He can't even muster a whimper in response. The silver haired beauty has a porcelain smile. He's seemingly dignified and calm as he stalks toward Deku strapped to the bed.

"I missed my plaything, where'd you go?" He removes his white gloves and sets his hands on the bed, shifting it toward him. "Joten got you good, Izuku, but you're mine for now. He doesn't have to know. You'll be happy to know, we have your precious League of Villains on the run. They're nothing without you behind them, such a shame. I enjoyed your work. Joten also mentioned something about getting someone new, he said there was a girl in the League perfect for the role. It seems you knew her, what's her name, Emi?"

Deku remains passive. There's nothing he can do anyway. How long has it been since he's seen her? She was the only one who mattered, a light in a dark place.

As the "fun" begins, Deku lets out a quiet groan. How he wishes he could see her one last time, all grown up, but that will never happen.

The man atop him breathes, "She'll be a better addition than you ever could, you useless thing. This is all you're good for. I told Joten I still wanted you in the family, but then he had to go and break you. You're no fun like this. Don't worry, for Drax, I'll make sure you die a painful death. The doctors will be notified once I'm satisfied. Frankly, my Brothers and I can't be bothered with you anymore. We'll grab the new girl in a few days, after we wipe out the League. Everything you built will crumble. The dust is all you'll amount to."

Deku blinks at his visitor as they prepare to leave. He whispers, "Lux..." With his attention, Deku continues, "Don't underestimate Eri."

Blood spews from his mouth after a stinging slap. "Don't think you can speak to me, dog."

Life had become dull and boring since Deku left. Her former guardian offered companionship and trust ever since she was first put in his care. All that was down the drain now. No one really made time for her anymore. She was a princess locked away in the League's tower, but she was not fragile and no one was coming to save her. She doesn't want a prince, she just wants a family again.

A whole year passed as she toiled away, like mere baggage, forgotten until word reached the League and the world that the great Deku had been captured by heroes. Eri barely recognized him, hardly any of them did. Toga was the only one reveling in his humiliation. She sniffed at the television screen, "He must smell delightful."

Eri worried over him. Why was he so thin? What happened to the cool air about him, the calm with a raging fire behind his eyes? Not to mention the one who did the capturing, Ground Zero, who she greatly admired, seemed down in the dumps as well. There were other signs as well, of course. Despite the media attention or the crowd's taunts, Deku never batted an eye. Even as things were thrown at him, he never expressed hurt nor fear, nor pain. He seemed like a skeleton held by strings.

Eri continued to watch the proceedings, following Deku's story. Tomura addressed them when word first reached them, "He's nothing to us now, leave him. We have bigger problems."

The League's power had dwindled over the years. Their life-altering machine was lost after a hero pounded it to dust in a grand mission to destroy it. Not to mention the entire underworld seemed to be gunning for them now. Their group was solely focused on defense at the moment, so no, they had no time to spare for a defector like Deku.

As if first noticing her, Tomura approaches Eri, a blooming fifteen year old. "What do you think of picking up some slack around here?"

The silver haired teen offers a shy smile, "How can I help?"

They were such simple words, but they carried so much promise and power. That small gesture propelled her into the League's dirty business. She saw everything, as there was nothing Tomura hid from his protégé. He would tell her, "Eri is the only one I can trust around here."

He brought her deeper and deeper, so she was covered in a black tar, tainted and burning from her sins. The League did nothing to help anyone, ever. It was a vast connection of villains across the world, all making life difficult for everybody else. This system had no merits, no morals, except to aide the most debase villains. These villains... The truest sense of the word "evil". All these doomed individuals helped each other fulfill their violent urges via molestation, murder, devastation, theft, and so on. After they looked out for number one, otherwise known as themselves, then they could get to making a hero's life not worth living.

Eri, Deku's little ray of light, was utterly repulsed the further she delved into the League's business. Deku had managed this shithole. As time flows on, Eri develops a kind of perpetual frown, as if she's constantly disgusted but she isn't going to voice it. Her brilliant red eyes turned dull as she gradually lost her interest. She watched her subordinates torture families for information on heroes and known associates. Hell, she gave them the order to get the information, any means necessary.

As the weight on her shoulders continues to grow with her wrongdoings, she gets a kind of hyper awareness. It's all a farce. Tomura was wronged as a child and he's taking it out on everyone around him. He saw the hypocrisy and decided to even the score, but this? This is taking it too far for something that happened half a lifetime ago. A deep anger or hatred began to manifest in Eri. She felt it in her throat and on the tip of her tongue when she glanced upon Shigaraki.

Her fingers began itching. Maybe one hero gets away, or the police are called sooner than expected. Why all this bad luck, they wonder? Eri shrugs.

A tear from a paper leading to the League's hideout shows up at a crime scene. Who did that?

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as Eri finds. Her little hints end up in the Blood Brother's hands. She miscalculated during a grandiose publicized execution when they happened to be in the area, and as it happens, their response time is actually quicker than the police.

They heard the thundering steps before the building took a hit. The broadcast had just finished airing when the building trembles from a terribly loud crash. The ground floor must have been rushed. League members begin to scatter. Eri scales the stairs quietly before she stops.

"Eri!? Hello, Eri-chan! Our beloved Deku sends his love!"

She finds herself rooted to the spot. What do they mean? He's in a psychiatric ward for the criminally insane, they can't have contact with him...

"Oh, Eri! Still here? I must say you look quite the catch, a step up from Deku. That piece of trash is barely good enough for a quick fuck these days, but you, you're special! A partner! Leave the loser league and join me."

She's heard enough. She slips outside the building. Toga waits on the roof next door. Eri joins her and the two head off. As they're stalking off into the night, Eri asks, "Is there anyone who can get eyes on Deku-san?"

Toga perks right up, "I know a guy!" She smirks, "Are we breaking him out?"

Eri shakes her head, "No, I just need to see him right now. Can you get the contact?"

Toga hums, "Yes, just this way." She pulls Eri along a dark alleyway. They blend as the walk through the city, expertly weaving through the streets. Toga leads them to a shanty bar with all its lights out expect for an "R" in "BAR". Eri is used to these sketchy places, and calmly follows to the back room.

A large man occupies a crowded room with a t.v. screen lighting his greasy face. The sounds of a game echo from the sound system and he doesn't notice them walk in until Toga asks, "Randy, can you get eyes on Deku?"

He pauses the game and peers at them with squinted eyes before he nods. "Oh, you guys." Sighing, he changes channels and pulls a cord to connect into his forearm. Closing his eyes, he murmurs, "Deku? Ah, Deku." The screen appears to be changing channels until it rests on a video feed. Eri steps closer, staring at the screen as the picture begins to register. It's a night vision camera, so there are green shades of color, but fairly clear. There's a moving body and this hefty individual straightens up, dismounting from the bottom. Eri squints at the screen, the bottom barely moves, but the top seems to right themselves before leaving the room.

Eri creeps closer to the screen as worry sets. Randy mutters, "That's Deku."

The person rolls onto their side, curling on them self. Touching the screen, she can't believe he's being treated this way. It's just not right. "Oh Deku-san."

Toga giggles, "His best chance was with us."

Randy murmurs, "Are we done here?"

Toga pats the stout man on his head, "Yes, you were a peach." Eri follows her mentor out. Once they're out of the bar, Eri considers asking Toga...

"Can we get him out?"

Toga raises a brow, turning to face her protégé. A blush tints her cheeks and she bares her fangs in a grin, "Sure, why not? What's Tomura gonna say, no? We could use his brains again."

The look of relief that passes over Eri's face doesn't go unnoticed by Toga. She rights her walk. It was mostly joking before, but there really is some sort of familial bond between Eri and Deku, isn't there?

Eri hides a smile as she puts up her hair. It's time to repay the kindness Deku showed her when she first came under his wing. She'll bring him out from the darkness, like he did for her.

Toga glances at the determined expression Eri wears. The child has gone and grown up. This is now a young woman set on protecting her family. Toga pities anyone who gets in her way.

It wasn't long after Lux left that those ominous words began to fester. But what could he do? His life no longer belongs to him. His body is merely a tool for those around him to use him and abuse him as they please. It's what he deserves, after all.

Amidst his self-loathing and spiraling, a ray of light shines on him. It confuses him at first, because most of the people he deals with prefer to do their heinous acts in the darkness. Then the angel appears, and she's beautiful. Though her face is blurry, Deku knows he's gazing at grace, in its purest form.

Despite himself, he feels a stray tear slide down his cheek as this young Saint smiles at him, with love in her eyes, "Deku-san," her voice is crystal clear, "Would you like to come with us?"

Another lady enters his vision, "Eri, let's go."

Deku returns the smile, and through his muddled thoughts, he asks, "Eri-chan, come for a visit?" His voice is quiet and evanescent. He reaches a newly freed hand up to the teen's face and she grasps his thin, scarred hand.

She's patient and kind, "You belong with family."

An associate presses their hand to Deku's shoulder, and he begins to shrink. Eri holds his doll-sized form as the little group passes through wall after wall. They reach the back of the facility and continue into the open field. The shrinking powered villain reaches into her back pocket to pull out a tiny jet that she releases from her quirk. The three girls and tiny man enter as Toga's voice greets them from the com system, "Everything to plan?"

Eri presses the button to reply, "We're headed home."

"I've never seen him so... So, weak?" Tomura glares at the green haired patient. The tog dogs of the League were gathered in an old apartment complex. Eri brought Deku to the guest room where he now slumbers.

Dabi gripes, "Well, if he's back in, maybe we can get his opinion." Things are pretty shit right now.

Tomura growls, denying, "He's not back in. He's just Eri's pet."

Eri peers up from Deku to Tomura, a mysterious something in her expression. She educates them, "He's important to the hero Ground Zero, maybe we can use him through Deku-san."

Toga giggles, clapping excitedly, "Let's get them to kill each other!"

"Actually, I have a plan. Care to indulge me?"

Eri smirks at Tomura, who meets her with a twisted grin, "Proceed."

A/N: Shit's bout to go down. I appreciate y'all, hope y'all enjoyed ^-^