Chapter 1: Just Another Day
'No…not again…'
He couldn't say it out loud...not with the embarrassing ball gag shoved into his mouth.
Every sound he made, every threat, every plea, was jumbled into an incoherent moan.
Pit...Pat...Pit...Pat...
Bare feet, their owner circling without a word.
Izuku pulled weakly at his fetters, not that it would do any good.
'Not again…'
His muscles screamed. Though that was nothing new…
Not since he'd been abducted.
The memories from training camp flashed before his mind's eye, though they seemed...faded somehow, duly rendered in flame and smoke and moonlight.
It seemed like so long ago. But he knew better.
Pit...Pat...Pit...Pat...
In this concrete room devoid of windows, with no mention of time, he knew exactly how long he'd been here...the dull burning across his back was his constant reminder.
Shigaraki circled him, his thin, deranged smile stretching across his face.
"It won't be long now," he rasped, taking pleasure in the mix of dried and fresh blood that had dripped from the boy's wrists, the cuffs biting into his flesh when he would struggle… which was often.
Deku shook his head, matted, dull curls bobbing stiffly. He knew what his captors were waiting for, but based on how long he'd been here, they weren't coming. There weren't any leads for the heroes to follow.
As if reading Izuku's thoughts, Shigaraki huffed, amused. "Oh silly, little rodent...all we had to do was increase the publicity of your plight. It's all just a game of hide and seek…"
Deku's eyes cracked open, unable to comprehend what the man meant.
With a laugh that creaked like a rusty hinge, Shigaraki tossed a newspaper on the concrete by the boy's bruised and bloodied knees. His mossy, tired eyes widened, a new sense of dread sinking into his stomach. Shame bloomed across his cheeks.
There, on the front page, was a picture of him, suspended by the chain that had been his lifeline. He winced. He hadn't seen himself since he'd been taken...What a difference one month could make.
Naked, gagged, eyes wide and pleading. His body, a testament of abuse and starvation. Ugly blotchy bruises and cigarette burns covered much of his torso, arms, and face. A white sign was propped against his hips, hiding his lower half from view, and for that he was thankful. A shred of dignity and at this point, that's all that mattered.
"3 days" was the message painted onto the sign, in sloppy red paint that dripped like blood. Maybe it was blood? Perhaps even his own blood. He wouldn't be surprised.
"It wasn't easy getting this into the paper, but I've got pawns everywhere these days," Shigaraki chuckled, drinking in the boy's look of horror and embarrassment. "These won't go out till Monday, but your spikey friend had a special delivery this morning."
...Kacchan...
Deku struggled violently, knowing it was useless. What had they done...why just Kacchan?
"Oh calm down. Jesus, you're such a baby. Compress didn't touch him." He paused and sucked at his teeth. He leaned down, speaking conspiratorially, "Think two missing students will be enough to light a fire under their asses though? I mean, aren't you like, All Might's favorite?" He spoke as though he expected an answer.
Deku's face felt hot, his breath coming in short gasps. What if it was Kacchan that found him...like this? At this point did he even care?
"Heroes make all these grand promises… 'I'll save you,' 'Don't worry, I'll find you,' 'Everything's going to be alright,' blah...blah… But they are so bad with the followthrough." He scratched at his neck, the sound like nails on a chalkboard falling on Deku's ears. Izuku stiffened, the sound eliciting a pavlovian response. He'd been here long enough to know the villain's tell...He was getting irritated...and excited.
'Not again...'
Shigaraki crossed the room with long lazy strides then pulled at Deku's lifeline, the chains that attached to the cuffs on his wrists growing taught. It forced his back to straighten. A whimper tore from the boy's lips around the gag. His knees stayed firmly pressed on the concrete, locked in place by 'C' shaped shackles deadbolted to the cell floor.
29 days without sitting on anything but a toilet twice a day if he was lucky.
29...
He felt the hand at the back of his neck, loosening the gag enough for him to spit it out. He did as expected, gladly, though this was no break from torment or abuse. He wore the gag like a necklace as Shigaraki stepped back, sitting in his chair that sat at the edge of the ring of light the single bulb overhead produced. Deku stretched his aching jaw, finally able to swallow his spit and lick his cracked lips. It stung...but not as much as what was coming.
The iron door to his cell swung open and Goto stepped in, his impressive bulk barely fitting through the doorway. Heavy boots traversed the darkness of the room briefly before taking their place behind Deku. Next came the flick of Shigaraki lighting a cigarette with the dreaded zippo.
This moment marked the beginning of his 30th day.
Deku took a steadying breath...and waited for the loud crack.
It came...pain splitting his back, hot and angry.
"One…" Deku growled through gritted teeth, the whip adding to his personal calendar.
"Two…" He balled his fists, muscles tight.
Deku tried to keep his voice even throughout the assault, his eyes screwed shut in agony. He felt as though he was being shredded.
"Eight…" he gnawed at his lower lip to keep it from quivering. He tasted blood.
"Fifteen!" he shrieked, the whip missing its mark, instead wrapping around to his stomach. ' Halfway there...'
All for One buzzed under his skin, begging to be used, the hollow promise he'd grown accustomed to...but that's where it stayed, locked away, just out of reach.
They were diligent about administering a quirk suppressant daily.
"Twenty-four…" he sobbed, hot tears stinging his raw cheeks.
"T-twent-ty Nine!" his body shook with pain and fatigue and he waited for the final strike...
It came, and he counted "Thirty…" he panted, entire body shaking.
The pain in his wrists was gone now, hidden behind the intricate latticework on his back. Blood dripped freely from both.
This part was over…
He heard Goto leave, without a word as Shigaraki took his place before his captive. "Where…"
It didn't matter where he said...the man would usually ignore him. "Shoulder," Izuku whimpered, body trembling and slipping quickly into shock as he waited…
Pit...Pat...Pit...Pat...
Every muscle tensed as Shigaraki pressed the cherry of his cigarette against the instep of Deku's left foot.
The chain was given just enough slack for Deku to collapse to the floor, chest heaving.
He didn't care that his ass was now embarrassingly on display.
That had faded a week ago. It didn't stop the fear from tearing through him like another burn. His wrists were affixed to a ring set into the floor.
Shigaraki grabbed him by his hair, yanking his head back, forcing their eyes to meet.
"What do you say…"
"P-please…" Deku mewled weakly.
"Please What, you insect…" his captor seethed, flecks of his spit landing in Izuku's face.
"G-give it t-to me…"
The sting of the smack on his ass cheek was nothing compared to the pain he was already in, but an angry blush spread across his freckled chest. "That's right, fucking slut…"
He let go of Izuku's hair and replaced the gag, fastening it tightly behind his neck. Izuku closed his eyes. He was so dizzy, willing himself to blackout. He knew it was coming …
The scabs and ripped flesh stung at his entry, the abrupt, dry dick pressing into him.
Deku clenched his fists so tight his nails dug into his dirty palms. His hollow whimpers mingled with the disgusting slapping sounds as they echoed around the barren room. He could feel the bruising, 4-fingered grip at his waist, slamming hard enough to press the air from Izuku's lungs.
It never lasted long...Shigaraki's rasping breaths matched his pace, dehumanizing insults falling from his smirking mouth.
Izuku tried to fight the fresh wave of tears but his muffled sobs spurred Shigaraki into a frenzy.
When his captor was finished, he dressed and left the boy chained to the floor.
To distract himself from his pain and shame, Deku idly did the math... the sum of sequential integers up to 30…30 factorial...what a fucked up math problem...
"465" he moaned through his gag as he faded in and out of consciousness.
At some point, his meal was delivered. His stomach growled violently. He didn't care what form it came in. Twice entered carrying the stainless steel dog bowl the words 'cum dumpster' scribbled on the side with a sharpie. "EAT UP! I hope you starve !" he said in his odd way, setting the dark chunky dog food in front of deku. The man took the gag off, once again letting Deku wear it like a necklace. He didn't hesitate to jam his face into the bowl, desperate to sate the hunger gnawing at his stomach. Pride doesn't matter when you're starving.
While Deku ate, Twice cleaned his wounds. Of all his captors, he hated Twice the least. He was...gentle, almost sympathetic. Almost.
His touch was soft, barely-there as he took his time applying an ointment that kept infection at bay and by morning, his wounds would be little more than gnarled scars. "Gotcha pretty good didn't he, this is nothing, " he spoke to the back of Deku's head. Relief washed over him as the ointment seeped into his skin. Deku wondered if this was the only reason he was still alive.
Before he left the room, Twice took a clean cloth and washed Deku's face. "Thank you…" Deku managed to say, his voice tired.
"Don't mention it kid, such a pain ."
Deku gave a little smile and opened his mouth for Twice to replace the gag. He wondered if the man left it slightly loose on purpose.
He wasn't sure how long he laid there, the metallic taste of the dog food lingering in his mouth but eventually, sleep, deep and dark and dreamless pulled him under.