Izuku knows when he's getting closer to his destination almost instinctively. The sheer amount of life packed into the place makes it shine almost like a beacon on his radar. The structure in itself buzzes with life, whether it was from the numerous electrical currents surging through its wall, or the countless people moving within its boundaries. The flickering heat signatures form a web, slithering and winding through the structure like a protective shield, blocking the rest of the world from its confines.
Albeit beautiful, it is also one of the main reasons why Izuku tends to avoid public places like this one. His brain can only take so much information before his senses are driven to their brink. The resulting sensory overload makes it hard for him to discern any of the information he receives. Rendering him, once again, absolutely blind.
However, over the years, Izuku has built enough control over his powers to avoid this particular outcome. So, the moment he walks into the mall's building, he turns his radar down, closing his view to a small space around his body and successfully blocking out the excess information. This, on the other hand, also means that he'll be oblivious to any suspicious activity going on around him. He supposes the whole point of this outing was to take a break from his nighttime job anyway.
His cane swipes at the floor in front of him, the low scrapping sound is almost a relief. His senses instinctively zone in on it, blocking out the roar of the bristling crowd around him. He feels for Shinsou's familiar presence next to him, a presence he's come to miss more than he'd care to admit in the last few weeks.
Their meeting had been bittersweet. Shinsou's hesitation throughout their interaction was blatantly obvious, the boy didn't know how to interact with him anymore, probably expecting to be shut out at any moment. Izuku has solely himself to blame for that. However, the teen's happiness at seeing him stung even more. The sheer amount of affection that swelled in Izuku's heart, felt like countless stabs piercing his heart.
He reminds himself that this was what he wanted. Space and distance. A chance for Shinsou to forget him before it was too late.
He lowers his head, eyes trained on the ground, trying to will his mind into believing his own desperate lies.
"Midoriya!" The call startles him despite his efforts to keep his senses open around him, his thoughts having drifted, Izuku had subconsciously blocked out the rest of the world. "Glad you made it man!" He recognizes the voices owner as Kirishima, the alleged red-head bounds excitedly his way, posture practically radiating energy. In step with the redhead, is a heat signature he recognizes almost instantly.
He feels Bakugou's eyes on him the moment he steps closer. Izuku, for his part, tries to meet the teen's gaze as best as he can. His unseeing eyes trail to the general vicinity of Bakugou's head, hoping he's catching the boy's gaze head-on.
"Hey Kirishima, are the rest of the class already here?" The question probably takes the teen off guard, if the way his steps falter is of any indication. He regains his composure soon enough though, his energy never wavering as he answers. Probably not used to having to point out obvious things.
"Yeah, man! Most of us, anyway, the only one's lefts were you guys! Keep walking straight and you'll reach the rest of the group!"
Kirishima then strikes up a conversation with Shinsou and like that, they fall into step with them, walking towards the gathered teens ahead of them.
He hears Bakugou's unsteady breathing next to him and moves to match his strides "Hey, Kacchan." The nickname slips from his mouth too easily, old habits tended to die hard. "Didn't take you for the class get-togethers type of guy."
He expects the boy to retaliate, curse him or at least shout something at him. He doesn't expect the teen to ignore him though. Legs picking up their speed if only slightly, feet hitting the ground with more force as the boy's hands clenched in his pockets. The information registers dully in Izuku's mind, Bakugou's reaction is the only indication he gets that the boy even heard him.
"Did you need something for your training camp?" Izuku ventures hesitantly.
The silence stretches and he thinks that he'll probably be ignored again. If not for the low, almost imperceptible- if not for Izuku's powers- "No." That the teen grits out after what feels like an eternity.
"Kacchan is something-" "Midoriya! You came!" Uraraka's exclamation cuts off his sentence and he finds himself being swept up in the class's usual chaos. He can't help but seek out the familiar condensed heat signature through it all though. He finds a fiery gaze trained on him all the while.
He finds his opportunity to question the teen a little while later.
"Were decided then!" Iida declared with more pride than absolutely necessary for this particular situation. "We'll split off in pairs depending on the items we each need to find! I, myself will go with Shinsou, both of us require sleeping bags, Midoriya I was thinking you could come with us since you didn't actually come here to buy anything."
"Uh, I was thinking I'd stay with Kacchan, since he doesn't need anything too..." He feels the boy tense up the moment he says this, it only serves to encourage his attempts at cornering the teen. What he finds suspicious, however, is the fact, that despite the boy's obvious discomfort, he doesn't say anything to protest.
As they all start to split up, he can't help but call out just as the taller boy turns to go on his way. "Hey, Shinsou!" Guilt gnaws at his insides as the teen perks up, hope radiating off of his posture as he turns around. "Catch up with us later yeah? We'll get ice-cream or something maybe?"
The boy nods almost instinctively, forgetting that Izuku isn't supposed to see it. "Yes, see you then." He says when Iida shoots him an incredulous look that almost makes Izuku laugh if not for the tight feeling in his chest. He opts for a shaky smile instead.
It's only a minute later when he feels like he's finally alone with the blonde, that he lets it drop. Face twisting into a gloomy, neutral expression. Empty almost, as if the emotions he's been suppressing twist and nullify each other until all that is left is a void.
"You know, don't you?" His voice feels strange to his own ears as he utters the words. Back turned to the explosion user, he twists his walking stick until it folds up to its smaller form, He's not planning on going anywhere until they talk.
The silence is once again his only response, the air feels like it's charged with a heavy sort of pressure, thick and suffocating as he feels for the other boy's reaction. Zoning in on the teen's body and blocking out the rest.
He feels the tremble of Bakugou's hands, clenched tightly, knuckles without a doubt white with the pressure. He hears the boy's heartbeat pick up almost drastically at his words. At the implications behind them.
"I mean," He continues, knowing the blonde wasn't going to speak anytime soon. "I didn't know until I saw you today, but I knew someone was bound to hear us, out on that balcony." He mutters, slowly turning to face the hero in training. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."
Bakugou's fists slowly unclench, the boy probably only noticing them now. "You fucking idiot." He grunts out, head bowed, shoulders trembling with tension. "You're sorry that I had to hear it?" His voice rises with emotion, head whipping up to look at him. "Not that- that you're-" His breath hitches and he stops himself before he says it. His hand rises to swipe at his hair, ruffling them in frustration. A manifestation of the helplessness he's feeling but is nonetheless unable to express correctly. "Fuck. Why did- How do- Fucking shit Izuku. Did you think that I wouldn't want to know? Did you think you could what? Hide it? Were we going to know when we got the fucking invitation to your FUNERAL?" People were starting to whisper around them, shooting occasional suspicious looks their way. Bakugou, however, didn't seem to care. "Is that it? Is that what you wanted?!" Dampness spreads down his cheeks and Izuku vaguely registers that he's crying. "What?! Were you just going to keep it to yourself? Only telling the half and half bastard? IS THAT WHAT YOU FUCKING WANTED? TO DIE ALONE?" The resounding smack seems to echo throughout the room, Bakugou's hand instantly comes up to touch his stinging cheek, eyes wide, as if breaking out of some sort of trance. Eyes finally focusing on Izuku's heaving, sobbing form in front of him.
"Izuku I-"
"How dare you." The low whisper cuts off whatever apology was going to spill out of the blonde's throat. "Do you think I want this?" His voice trembles but he keeps his tone low, dull milky green eyes looking into fiery red, meeting his gaze head-on. "Do you think I wanted my mom to sacrifice herself for me, only to go and die anyway? Do you think I want any of this?!" He gestures at his face, hand coming up to pull at his bangs, letting the full extent of the scar on his eye show for the first time. Ignoring Bakugou's intake of breath he continues, wanting to let out the building pressure plaguing his chest. "Do you think I want to die? That I chose this?" Calming down his racing heart, he tries to catch his breath, hands scrubbing the tears out of his eyes before falling back at his sides. "You know, if I actually had a choice, I would've told Eraser to save mom instead. At least then, one of us would've grown old." With that he thinks it high time he went for a walk, wanting to clear his mind a little. He shouldn't have brought this up, Bakugou wasn't trying to offend him. The boy was probably hurt and confused.
Turning to walk away, he feels a hand grab his wrist. The next thing he knows he's being pulled into a crushing hug. Two warm arms encase him and he can't help but lean into the hold. Not realizing how much he needed it until now.
"I'm sorry I yelled." He whispers into the taller boy's shoulder, fully aware of how weird they must look form a stranger's point of view.
"Shut up you idiot." And after a moment. "I'm sorry too." The hands around him squeeze tighter before finally letting him go. "We look pathetic." Bakugou huffs with a grin.
"Wouldn't want to ruin your reputation now, would we?" His jibe gets him a punch to the shoulder, no real strengths behind it. He plays the blind card anyway, acting as if the hit hurt him immeasurably. "You can't hit a blind person! That's just low!" "Fucking shut up dumbass."
They start walking away only to be stopped by a gruff, painfully familiar voice.
"Ah ah ah, where do you think you're going Bakugou." Before Izuku can even think of reacting, the villain is already on him, arm coming up to rest on his neck, five fingers drumming dangerously close to his pulse. Bakugou snarls dangerously, feet moving as if to charge at the man. "Me and you are going to have a little chat," Shigaraki states evenly, four fingers coming to a halt on his neck. "Or else, your friend here gets it." The pressure on his neck builds up and he can't breathe, cane unconsciously falling from his grip and onto the ground with a resounding clang. Too loud and unnatural on his ears. His senses were going haywire.
"Let him go Shigaraki. He has nothing to do with this." Bakugou snarls, tiny explosions popping menacingly from his palms.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. One wrong move and my finger might just slip and then… we both know that particular outcome don't we?" After what feels like forever, but can't be more than a few seconds, Bakugou nods, explosions stopping just as Shigaraki releases some of the pressure on his neck.
Coughs rack his body as he tries to regain his bearings, the hand on his neck moves in warning and he stifles the urge to lean forward. To move, to fight.
Too many witnesses, too many eyes around them.
"Good, now, Izuku was it?" At the shocked glare Bakugou shoots him, the villain explains. "I couldn't help but hear your little couple's quarrel back there, you were being quite loud you know? Although I didn't really hear much anyway…" He mutters as if in disappointment. "We'll be moving to that fountain over there."
"Wait!" Bakugou calls out, stopping them before they can move. "He needs his cane."
"hmm, fine, but I'll be keeping it with me for now." The villain says as he snatches the picked item from the explosion wielder. "Wouldn't want the blind kid to hit anyone with it now, would we?" Izuku can practically hear the sarcasm and arrogance in his tone.
The world feels muddled throughout the whole interaction. Shigaraki seems to be having a conversation entirely all to himself. It comes to a point where Izuku wonders why the man even bothered to come to Bakugou about it. It wasn't like the blonde was going to go into a whole philosophical tirade about hero societies with the murderous man-child in front of him.
Yet, the more Shigaraki talks, the more Izuku feels like there's something he's missing.
"Do you think you're going to amount to anything with that little league of yours?" Izuku says without really thinking about it. Satisfied with the shocked silence that follows his statement. A constant stream of distract distract distract repeats itself like a mantra in his mind. His words garner the wanted reaction if the way Shigaraki's hands loosen is of any indication. He can feel Bakugou trying and failing to find a way to warn him. "I mean, you don't even have a clear message to send to the public. All you're after is killing All Might and destroying heroes. Have you learned nothing from stain?"
"Izuku." Bkaugou warns, voice strained.
"Shut it." The villain warns "I want to hear this."
All he needs is one second, one moment where Shigaraki's hands slip a little and he'll be able to act. "You really are a bunch of amateurs." He continues nonchalantly, enjoying the way Shigaraki's hands twitch as if wanting to move, scratch at his neck probably.
He's close, he knows it.
"At least Stain knows that All Might isn't just some hero you can kill. He respects the symbol he represents."
There. Shigaraki's eyes widen in shock and dawning realization. Of what? Izuku will never know, considering the bullshit he just spouted off to gain time. His hands loosen for a second. Just a split second where his fingers are at a good distance away from his pulse.
Luckily for Izuku, a split second is all he needs.
Elbow coming up, he hits Shigaraki's throat, hands immediately reaching for his cane, twisting it out of the wheezing villain's grip and knocking away the fingers reaching for him.
He's not fast enough though, Shigaraki manages to graze his arm just as he pulls away. "Izuku!" He hears Bakugou shout but ignores it, too busy stifling a cry of pain, only letting out a hiss as he jumps out of the way. Positioning himself between the villain and Bakugou. Izuku stands on high alert, fully aware of the metaphorical landmine he just triggered. His arm bleeds just below the shoulder, blood trails all the way to his fingers. Each drop that hits the ground creates a waterfall sound too strong and loud to his ears.
"You little BRAT!" Shigaraki howls, blood lust amplifying as his gaze burns a hole through Izuku's sense.
The moment he seems like he's about to fling himself at them, two figures turn up.
"What's going on here?" Shinsou asks, voice low, threatening.
Shigaraki turns as if to answer but cuts himself off the moment he sees who he's talking to.
Huffing out an annoyed breath, he turns back to Izuku and Bakugou. Tone dark and voice low as he speaks, a dark mist forming around his form. "I'll show you what kind of league we are." The villain hisses menacingly. "We'll meet again, I-zu-ku." The way he says his name makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, involuntary shivers racking his body as Shigaraki finally disappears into a pool of darkness.
"Fuck." And yes, Bakugou might be right on that one.
"What the hell were you thinking!?" Bakugou screams the moment Iida goes off to call the police.
Immediately tearing a piece of his shirt and tying it around the hand-shaped wound on Izuku's arm. The wound in itself is shallow but the blood still hasn't stopped, which is somewhat expected but worrying nonetheless.
The teen's body language is closed off, shoulders tense, movements stiff as he works on taking care of Izuku.
Izuku wants to shoot the teen some sarcastic response about turning to dust but he knows it won't help the blonde. He can practically see the guilt radiating off his posture and adding to it won't help anyone.
"I wasn't." He says finally, hands fiddling with the walking stick still in his hold. "I just wanted us to get away from him."
"Are you okay Izu?" Shinsou asks, cutting off whatever response Bakugou had.
"I'm fine, honest." At Shinsou's pointed look he concedes to a more honest. "Just a sore throat and a-" How do you describe a handshape disintegrated skin wound without making it sound worrying... "Small cut...?" It sounds like a question to his own ears and he can feel Bakugou shake his head at Shinsou, scoffing and muttering something about dumbass blind idiots.
"The police are on their way," Iida says as he joins them once again, body moving even stiffer than usual. "I've also taken the liberty of contacting Aizawa Sensei, he will need to know that the league made contact with you."
His luck just kept getting better, didn't it? Will Aizawa question him again if he saw him? Would the police make him go back to the orphanage?
"-Midoriya?" It seems he zoned out before all three boys are looking at him now.
"Huh? I'm sorry what did you say, Iida?"
"I asked if you wanted me to contact anyone from your family. They won't let us come with you to the police station but surely they'd let you call one of your parents." He feels both Bakugou and Shinsou stiffen at the question. Both of the teens were fully aware that he didn't have any family left. He was alone, after all.
Pulling the best smile he could muster, he answered the boy. "No, it's okay, I don't mind going alone."
"You won't be," Bakugou states simply, effectively taking the spotlight off of Izuku. "They'll need my witness testimony too."
"It's settled then, come on, they instructed us to meet them at the entrance, and the rest of the class are heading over there now."
Aizawa knew the moment his phone flashed, bathing the darkness of his office with blue fluorescent light, displaying the name Iida Tenya in bold letters, that something serious had happened.
The hurried announcement that their mall outing had been crashed by Shigaraki of all people was unexpected. However, it was not the biggest piece of information that he got from the class president.
Iida's call explained that Bakugou and a friend of the class were together when Shigaraki used that friend as leverage to get Bakugou to listen to him.
Upon further inquiry, Iida finally revealed the boy's name.
Izuku Midoriya
If that wasn't enough of a shock alone. Iida had to go and explain that Midoriya was the one who fought off Shigaraki into leaving. Or at least until they were both out of danger.
So, that how Aizawa found himself waiting in Tsukauchi's office, hands drumming the table, his nerves subconsciously manifesting.
"You know what this means right?" Tsukauchi says without turning to face the underground hero, hands folded against his chest as he waited for the two teens to arrive. And yes, Aizawa did know. It complicated things but at the same time. It gave him the opportunity he's been desperately looking for, for months now.
A second chance. An opportunity to make things right.
At his silence, Tsukauchi turns around to meet his eyes, gaze intense as they traded an unspoken agreement. "We'll do it this time. We'll save him."