Fallout

Izuku frowned. Okay, so the lack of communication was understandable. Yes, he'd left quite a few messages for Daisuke, even a phone call or two. But the calls all played the same voicemail, and the messages came back unread.

That was understandable. The finals were right around the corner, and Daisuke was probably knee-deep in studies.

But.

Today was supposed to be their one last session before the exam furor started for real, and Daisuke wasn't one to forget something like this, right?

Something raw and sharp gnawed at Izuku's heart.

… Could something have happened to Daisuke? Was he in such a bad condition that he was unable to even reply to Izuku?

Or was he just angry at him for something he didn't realize he had done?

The second option was much more preferable of the two, Izuku admitted to himself. He loved Daisuke, but… but if it came to his happiness and safety over Izuku's? Well. There was honestly no competition.

He switched his phone on again, flipping through the contacts he had until he reached Daisuke's. There were a few emergency contacts above it, but right below it was 'Kaa-chan's, and right under that, Mirio's.

Daisuke had given it to Izuku with a promise to call in an emergency, and Izuku had accepted it with a bursting heart.

He had friends.

Of course, Daisuke told him that multiple times when they met, but it was still hard to believe, really.

He had friends. He, Deku Izuku, had friends.

Heaven help him, there was no higher feeling of euphoria.

Then he remembered Daisuke's smile and heaven came crashing back down. He pressed call, and for a second, it rang.

Trrrring.

That first ring was so, so misleading. And Izuku always fell.

"Sorry, guys! I can't come to the phone right now, but leave a message, yeah? I'll get right to it!"

Beep.

Izuku flinched.

He stood there, silent and unresponsive, minutes after the second beep came and left, ending the silent voicemail that Izuku was starting to feel Daisuke would never hear.

He shook his head.

No.

Maybe Daisuke had just lost his phone? That was possible. He could've lost his phone and be unable to get a new one because finals, and-

'Then why didn't he come today?' His mind whispered traitorously, and it drifted along his skin like the barest of shivers.

'He has friends. Why didn't he have them call you?'

Because!

'Maybe he's sick of you. Everyone gets sick of a Deku. You don't even have a quirk.'

No! Daisuke was not like that that! He was brilliant and nice and- and-

'And probably in trouble, then.'

Izuku gasped loudly and his phone fell to the ground with a clatter that made him freeze. It bumped into his collapsing mind and froze it, jumbling it up with a fury that didn't cease until the right combination was found, and he was him again.

But the thought echoed with the tenacity of a hero pursuing a villain.

Daisuke...

Izuku swallowed.

He had to… he had to call Mirio.

He knelt to retrieve his phone with quivering fingers, the lock screen an unholy mess of notifications. He swiped past, entered his password, and stared.

'Mirio-san'

It had 'Togata' when he'd first entered the number into his address book, but Daisuke had forced it out with an 'Oof! Too many names. Stick with one, Quirky.'

So Izuku had.

He swallowed the nervousness in his throat and wondered if Mirio would treat him with the same kindness that Daisuke had.

He shook his head. Mirio had been good to him even before he'd known Daisuke! Of course he'd be nice!

And if not… if not nice, at least he'd be kind enough to tell him where Daisuke was.

He inhaled sharply. He would gather up the energy for this, and he would do it now. This was not for himself; this was for Daisuke.

A person who, alongside Inko, deserved more than Izuku could ever give them.

This was for Daisuke. He would muster up the energy if it killed him.

He clicked call.

Mirio was staring at his ceiling, his eyes listless and confused. His arms twitched for something to do.

But they had a holiday today.

A vacation.

A rest day.

It sure didn't feel like it.

He drew in a ragged breath as his phone rang. He considered letting it ring.

The tone, a tune from a movie he'd watched with Daisuke, Tamaki, and Nejire, was comforting and flowed over him strangely therapeutically.

He let out a huff. If only.

He forced himself up from the bed, his body heavier than he ever felt before, and pulled his phone from his bedside table.

Unknown number, huh?

He pressed answer anyway.

"Hello?"

The voice was small, hesitant, and nervous.

Familiar.

Mirio frowned. "Who is this?"

The voice inhaled slight. "I, uh… I'm Midoriya Izuku-" The voice seemed to reply in habit, but then stopped.

Mirio raised an eyebrow. He didn't know any 'Midoriya Izuku'. He would have hung up, too, if his mind hadn't shut him up.

"Uh… I'm- I'm Quirky? Quirky Analyst?"

Mirio's eyes shot wide open. Quirky? As in adorable-kid-Quirky-who-was-an-absolute-genius?

He relaxed and his first, small laugh of the day escaped, striking the pain of a rusting spear through his chest. "Quirky. What a time to talk, huh?"

Quirky seem to swallow on the other side of the phone. "Mi- Mirio-san," He began softly, and his voice seemed to become more nervous the more he spoke.

Mirio frowned. He'd known Quirky wasn't confident in himself, but Daisuke had said-

Daisuke.

"I- I wanted to ask if… If you know where Daisuke-san is?" Izuku's voice murmured with static. "I've been trying to- trying to call him, but he isn't answering, and- and he was supposed to come today fo- for one last lesson, but-"

Quirky- No, Midoriya Izuku, seemed on the verge of tears.

Mirio's own throat clogged. "Quirky…" He swallowed. "Daisuke is-" He broke off.

The kid's light gasp reverberated alongside the crackle of the telephone. "Wh- What? What happened to- to Daisuke-san?"

Mirio stared at the screen and breathed deeply. "Izuku," He began intentionally, the name putting a stop to Quirky's concerned muttering. "Dai… Dai didn't answer his phone a few days ago," He explained. "So Tamaki called me and we went over to his house. His mother was worried to pieces. We looked everywhere, but there's been no sign of him… The police are working on it now."

There was a sharp inhale, and then silence.

Mirio frowned. "Ingenium's also looking for him," He added.

Izuku didn't reply.

"Quirky?"

Shallow breaths filled the speaker and the shaking sounds of scratches filled Mirio's ear, until-

Until Quirky, with a small voice that bespoke more fear and blame than Mirio thought possible, spoke up. "… How long has he been gone?"

There was a heaviness in the air that clung to these words. For a moment, Mirio considered withholding the information. "Three days," He answered, pushing back the foreboding.

There was a loud screech, and Mirio pulled the phone from his ear with a wince. What the heck? "Kid? Quirky?" He called after the ring vanished.

There was a muffled thud-

And then a ringtone.

Mirio stared at his phone with wide eyes.

What the heck was going on? He knew Quirky and Daisuke had gotten close – closer than Mirio had expected with Daisuke's lack of delicacy, but they had. And of course Quirky was taking it hard, but he hadn't taken it that hard. Not until…

'Three Days.'

What had happened three days ago?