Chapter three - Absence of Fruitfulness

After yesterday's emotional breakdown, Inko decided that she wouldn't let Izuku go to school the next day, which of course, Izuku protested against. He kept trying to reassure his mother that everything was fine and nobody meant any harm. Izuku was trying to normalise the abuse he received at school to his parents by sugar-coating it with words like 'accident' and 'playing' but his efforts only gave off the opposite effect.

"I-Izuku, sweetie, we only want what is best for you in the world..you know that, right? And once in a while, everybody needs a day off to reflect and contemplate whatever they need to reflect upon. You know, like, just clear their mind? It's healthy and it will help you," said Inko with a sweet smile. Hisashi nodded with his arm around his wife's shoulders. Izuku was hearing this first thing in the morning after all that happened yesterday so his mind was still a little muddled. Izuku loved his parents more than anything and anyone in the world, so he would listen to whatever they had to say and take it to heart.

"Okay, Mom," he sighed. "Anything for you."

Hisashi shook his head in false nervousness and jealousy at the affection shown between the two. "Geez, guys I'm here too.."

"O-Oh yeah, sorry. Good Morning Dad!" Chuckled Izuku, while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hmph, whatever, whatever," Hisashi said pettily like a child. "It's not like I care or anyth-"

Hisashi was cut off mid-sentence because Izuku went to give him a warm hug. Inko joined in on the hug and the three didn't want the hug to end. It reminded them of the hug they gave each when they were told that Izuku was quirkless. After the long hug, everyone went to their own specific tasks. Inko went to make breakfast for Izuku and herself while Hisashi went out to work with nothing but toast in his mouth and a glass of water.

"Thanks for the food!" sang Inko and Izuku in harmony as they tucked into their breakfast. They were eating omelette and white rice and soup along with a glass of milk or water.

"Mom, this is so good! Your cooking is always the best!"

"I made it like this just for you, my sweet." She was absolutely elated that her son was happy. She, like Izuku, loved nothing more than her family. She took a little longer to eat but when they both finished, she went to do the dishes.

"Izuku, you can go upstairs for 45 minutes then come back downstairs. I need to speak with you." she sounded quite stern this time when she spoke. Izuku took note of this and gave his mom the 'okay'.

When Izuku went up to his room, a whole new aura was surrounding him. The aura of pure happiness almost immediately left his body when he stepped into his room where nobody could see him. He instantly felt like a 50 ton metal block was put on him and he collapsed onto his bed. When this happened, a flood of emotion overcame him as he then remembered what would happen to him if he skipped school without Bakugou and the lackeys knowing.

"They probably think that I snitched on them or something, they will give me a new set of bruises tomorrow.." Izuku shivered in fear of the thought that he would come back home worse than the day before. His parents would contact the school and then his parents might receive a bad name, just like Izuku did! Him and his parents would be called 'The Family of Deku' or 'Baby parents and their Deku'. Izuku started to cry in horror at his own thoughts. He never ever wanted to cause his parents trouble, though he could be a little cheeky sometimes. He was then overcome with the feeling of…. Emptiness. The simplicity of Emptiness. He thought about what he had to look forward to. He came back home with scars and bruises and swellings, lied to his parents about them, he was alone with no friends and had absolutely nothing to look forward to. Actually, scratch that, he had his birthday..? Izuku nonchalantly laughed at that thought. He tried to be optimistic about his dream birthday sometimes but dreams are dreams for a reason, and such should be left as dreams and not reality. He shook his head in despair. Each day this 'reality' was chipping away at his sanity. He then, with no emotion whatsoever, got up to get a book then laid on his bed facing upwards and put the open book on his face and stared at nothing.

"God help us all.." he whispered, trailing off into a dream.

(Izuku's dream)

"Huh? where am I-" his thoughts were cut short when he was met with the excruciating pain of not being able to breathe and all he could see was pitch black. The more he struggled and tried to gasp for air, the more it hurt. He tried to speak, cry and breathe. Nothing happened. He could only "see" pitch black yet..he was still conscious. He heard footsteps getting closer to him and then felt his head being forced into a bucket or container of some sort filled with cold water. Izuku touched the water and then touched his face. He was in a state of absolute petrification. He touched his face only to find out that he had no facial features. No eyes, nose, lips or protruding cheeks and forehead like a normal human. When his head was taken out of the water, he could breathe again but only to find that seconds later, he was in a car.

"This car.." he thought. "I've been in this car before..! Oh, it's mom and dad's car!" He got his facial features back but he didn't know that . Izuku observed his surroundings and saw that he was on a road of some sort with many other busy, large vehicles there. There were green-leaved trees and an assortment of different houses away from the road.

"It looks just like where we live..Oh and there's Bakugou's..house..!"

It looked like an ordinary day to Izuku. His mom was in the passenger seat and His dad was driving. The happiness was short-lived when Izuku said,

"Ohh, dad, dad!" yelled Izuku. "There's a cute squirrel! Can we get it.."

"Hmm?" Hisashi asked as he turned to face Izuku. At that exact moment, a huge lorry was driving by to turn but Izuku's car was in the way. Izuku's face was the incarnation of the phrase 'absolute horror'. His pupils were nothing but two green dots in the middle of a milky white abyss. His mouth was slightly agape and showed his uvula hanging in his mouth. His skin turned a ghostly pale color on his whole body. It was at this moment that Izuku quickly realised that his foolishness would be the death of his parents.

"Da-"

Nothing more could be heard. The lorry collided with the car and Izuku's parents were the ones who were critically hit. Hisashi instantly died while holding Inko in his hands to protect her from the crash. Izuku 'luckily' only got hit with a few cuts and bruises, nothing more and nothing less was done to him. There was no ambulance or hero even five minutes after the disastrous ordeal.

"Nonononononononononono Idontwantthis make it stop, MAKE IT STOP...please.." Izuku screamed in utter despair while violently clutching at his hair. His eyes were like a faucet and his tears kept flowing and flowing. It wouldn't stop. But then…

"..zuku. Izuku..Izuku!" he heard his name being called in the distance somewhere. He lazily opened his eyes from the nightmare he had.

"What the hell was that dream about.." he thought in sadness and confusion. He saw his mom staring at Izuku in shock and distress. He was drenched in cold sweat and tears were leaking from his eyes in small droplets.

"Izuku I have been calling you for 10 minutes..what happened?" Inko observed her sons body and his face was red and puffy.

"Baby, what happened..?" she looked at Izuku in desperation for an answer of some sort. Something. Anything. She wanted to know.

"Shit." he thought.

"Sorry for worrying you mom, I was dreaming of a horror rollercoaster with scary twists and turns and I cried like a wimp even though I'm in middle school.." he gave a watery smile. His lie was pretty believable because his mom knew how he could get when it came to rides.

She had a feeling there was more to the story but decided to trust her son and not press any further.

"Okay, sweetie," she consoled. "I'll make some early dinner for you, okay?" She landed a kiss on his forehead and left the room.

A tear escaped his eye. He needed a saviour of some sort. It was as though Izuku was cut off from the world and had nobody to talk to.

"All Might..what would you do right now.." his words trailed off into yet another sleep but this time it was more peaceful than the other one.