-x- Izuku -x-
Looking around the gym, Izuku felt embarrassed. All the vampires were lifting super heavy weights, and he couldn't lift anything heavy. He did not have what the others did, and was the only one out. He stood there awkwardly until Todoroki walked over. "There are other machines to use than the weights," he said in that bored, empty voice.
Izuku knew he took medication every night, at dinner they had him take them before eating. Izuku never asked about it, but was curious of what it was for and if it worked. He also had seen the amount of blood Todoroki needed. It was in a very large, 72 ounce metal canteen. He had one at lunch and then at dinner, along with other food.
And Izuku couldn't lie, the food here was absolutely fantastic. So that was great! It didn't feel like a hospital rehab, which was a relief. The people there were nice, both the humans and vampires. He felt he could get a lot of help there. He hadn't started human training yet, where he had to learn to resist a bleeding human.
Todoroki mentioned he still had to do that, and still failed most of the time.
"I'll teach you some calisthenics if you want. It uses body weight instead of real weights." Izuku smiled and nodded. Todoroki was not a good instructor, but he did his best to explain. But it was obscured because he'd never had problems with them. Even before being turned, he'd been very flexible and fit for his age. They did upper body exercises, which were exhausting, and Izuku saw just how out of shape he really was. Nobody looked down at him for it. It was nice having a welcoming environment, truly.
He was impressed with Todoroki's physical abilities that weren't just from being a vampire. The handstand pushups, upside down rock climbing, doing slow flips. Izuku wanted to learn how to do those things, too, and worked diligently to get there. Todoroki did praise him sometimes, but never sounding too invested.
After an hour, many were leaving the room, and heading to the rec or swimming. He saw some were sitting on stools in the side of the rec room, in their underwear (this was the men's area of the compound. He hadn't seen any women yet.) and lathering themselves in extremely strong sunblock. It stunk badly.
"You'll get used to the smell," one of the oldest said. He was in his forties, but nice most of all to the kids and teens there. Izuku looked to Todoroki, who was sitting against the wall, head down, arms resting on his pulled up knees. It wasn't like Izuku hadn't seen the very large and very nasty burn on his arm. Black and leathery skin, having never healed. Izuku had a tiny one, not the big on Todoroki.
So, it wasn't surprising he didn't like going outside. But Izuku did, and joined them at the stools. When he felt he'd done well, his nearest neighbor grabbed his arm. "You go out there like that, you're toast, kid. Do another layer after your first dries."
"Oh, thank you!" Izuku said with a bow.
"No problem. Us minorities gotta stick together." And they went back to preparing for the sun. When they did go out, Izuku saw Todoroki at the couch, looking bored as he flipped through channels. When Izuku went out in the sun, he didn't hurt, and had completely covered any exposed parts, and even those under his clothes, just to be safe.
He went to the nice grassy area and sat down, looking at the sky. It was wonderful, that he could go under the sun, even if it would be scary for rain, if it did wash off somehow. Though he didn't know if enough would wash off to be dangerous. He wouldn't risk it, though. Rain was a no-no for now, at least.
After awhile, he went to look around the pretty area, and then headed back inside, happy he'd made it out. When he got inside, Todoroki was gone, and he focused his hearing, and could tell he was doing something in their room, in that direction. They were the only ones in that hallway. When he was about to go see him, he was pulled aside from an instructor.
"Time for human training," she said brightly. He swallowed and nodded, following her down a hallway he hadn't been down before, and then into a room. There was a human behind some thick glass. There were holes in it, though, so Izuku could smell her scent. "Now, she will give fresh blood, and you need to find a way to resist. You've only been here five days, so you have much longer to master this. Most manage to do so in the allotted time."
Todoroki couldn't. It made Izuku sad again. How disheartening to not improve, at least not much. Seven months… two years. That was just too long. But he was brought back to attention when the human on the other side of the glass pricked her finger. The smell of blood rushed at him. Before he knew what he was doing, how to think, he was trying to shove an arm through the small holes, banging on the glass to get to her, mouth watering.
She was wholly unafraid, and then wiped her finger on an alcohol wipe to get rid of the strong smell from the source. Once it was gone, Izuku stood there for a long moment, confused before he came back to himself. "I'm so sorry!" he cried to the human. She gave him a kind smile.
"This is nothing new. There's no need to apologize, I am completely safe in here," she said. He wiped his eyes and nodded. That feeling had been awful! He couldn't do anything and his body acted without his permission. Like how you breathed, it's not like you consciously took a breath and let it out.
It had felt the same, it just happened. He had zero control over his own body. "Will I really get better?"
"Eventually, yes. Whether it's within the allotted time, only you can make that happen." Izuku nodded, but then came up with another question.
"Why is Todoroki still here? It's been way longer than six weeks for him…"
"While I cannot discuss his circumstances, I'll generally say that everyone has their own stories, their own ways to heal. Some just have a harder time than others," Mani said. She was the one that took him in. She gave him a blood bottle and he drank it, making his throat burning die down.
It felt like a chronic injury, but he would get used to it soon. More used to it. He left, and passed Todoroki in the hall. He had his muzzle on, looking straight, not even glancing at Izuku. He went into the room Izuku had just been in. He stopped in the hallway, too curious for his own good. He listened from the hallway, not too close to the door. But close enough to hear.
"Alright, go." Instantly, there was a shattering sound, the sounds of snarling, pounding fists. The sound of cuffs being clipped came, and the sound of a body hitting the floor. "Get out, Mia. Shoto, you're okay, calm down," the instructor soothed. "It'll get better, just be patient." Izuku hurried away when he heard Todoroki crying.
Tears came to Izuku's eyes, too. He wiped them, feeling such sympathy and pity for his roommate. Izuku's stay here was productive and calming. Shoto's must be hell. Watching everyone else come and go while he just was unable, he couldn't do it. He couldn't leave. Failing every day at the most important training.
When he made it to the rec room, he went and sat on the beanbag chair in the corner. He glanced up when Todoroki came out, muzzle gone and looking emotionless again. But Izuku knew he was hurting deeply inside, he just didn't show it, give it away. Poor guy. Izuku hoped he would get better soon. He deserved it.
When dinner was had, he they both ate normally. Shoto did add a lot more blood sauce and powder to his food than anyone else, but nobody batted an eye. It was normal for him. He poured so much blood on his mashed potatoes that it looked more like a blood soup. Then he drank what was left inside.
Before Izuku had been a vampire, it would have looked absolutely disgusting. But now, after seeing everyone drinking it like it was no big deal, he started to see it that way, too. It was a necessity, so why look down on it? When he got home, he'd drink in private, but hopefully wouldn't feel ashamed. All of the donated blood he drank was given with consent to this cause. To help them to live. Izuku wished he could thank each donor, but it was impractical.
For bed, Todoroki stayed up and worked on homework, headphones on at the desk in the corner, in the dark to not disturb Izuku since he could see just fine in the dark. "You should go to sleep," Todoroki said.
"So should you, Todoroki. It's a Saturday, you have all of tomorrow."
"Call me Shoto. I'll be busy tomorrow."
"Doing what?"
"Going outside. They're making me." He held his burned arm gently. "It'll be fine. If I burn to death, it doesn't really matter."
"Of course it does!" Izuku said angrily, sitting up. "You deserve to live like everyone else!" Shoto turned in the rolly chair, his resting sad face still on. "Just because you did some things that weren't your fault doesn't mean you should just die a painful death."
"It's not supposed to hurt too long before-"
"That's not the point. You shouldn't talk so - so flippantly about your death!" Shoto was grumpy, and asked why he cared anyways.
"You're going to leave eventually, and I'll be here alone again. Everyone forgets me eventually."
"I promise I will never forget you. And when you get outta here, I'll be your friend. If you have nobody else to go back to, now you have me. Got it?" Shoto looked down, but didn't cry. He just nodded, and turned back around wordlessly. He finished the work, and both fell asleep quickly after that.
Izuku was truly angry when Shoto acted as if his life was insignificant. Like he was trash worth throwing away. It made him sad and angry and frustrated. He wanted to help him somehow, but how would he do that?
The next morning, he had an idea. He'd been up about an hour, staring at the ceiling and silently brainstorming. When Shoto woke up, Izuku climbed down the bed and sat in the desk chair that he used, the other reserved for Shoto. "Do you do art, Shoto?"
"No," Shoto replied. "All I can do is make figures." Izuku looked curious, wondering if it had to do with his quirk. They'd never actually talked about it in the last week. He also didn't know Izuku was quirkless. Though he knew somehow that Shoto wouldn't look down on him for such a thing out of his control. Izuku didn't ask to be quirkless. Shoto didn't ask to be turned into a vampire.
"Can I see?" Shoto lifted his palm and ice came out, creating a cat. It was sloppily made, but still clearly a cat. "Wow! That quirk is awesome!" Shoto put the ice figure on the bedside table. The older vampire didn't ask about Izuku's quirk, he just said he was taking a shower, grabbed some clothes from his dresser, and went to that floor's bathroom.
When he came back, his hair was still damp and flat. He was dry everywhere else. "Hey. Did you mean what you said last night?"
"Of course," Izuku answered firmly. "I promise."
"Okay," and he left. Izuku hoped he could convince him that he was telling the absolute truth. He planned on reuniting with Shoto if he left before the other did. Izuku left to take a shower, too, wondering how he could make him understand he was being sincere, and did care. He'd never had such a quiet and emotionally tortured friend, but that didn't mean he was a turn off to have a friendship.
He was much more modest and quiet than Kacchan had ever been. He wondered what the explosive kid was doing, now. He sighed, still thinking, brewing a plan.
-x- Shoto -x-
Shoto wasn't sure how to react to what Midoriya was doing. He was trying to be nice, to be friends. He didn't know how to respond to something so new and unfamiliar. It made him uncomfortable, but also feel warm inside, not from his fire quirk. The day after proclaiming that he'd still be friends outside of rehab, before his first trip outside in months, Midoriya baked him blood brownies.
They tasted horrible, absolutely horrible, but it was the gesture that counted. And it wasn't only Shoto that didn't like them, Midoriya tried some and his face crumpled in disgust. "Well, hopefully next time will be better." Shoto moved to the drawer with all the cookbooks, and took out a skinny one.
"Here's the right recipe." Midoriya's face flushed, and he nodded shyly, embarrassed he hadn't just found that book and used it. When Mia came out, she had a bottle of sunblock and a jacket and boots. Shoto shook, unable to help it. Midoriya looped his arm through his, surprising red and white haired kid.
He said, "I'll get burnt, too. So you don't need to go alone." Shoto nodded, and they both got suited up with sunblock. When the door opened, Shoto tried to take a step out, but was shaking greatly. "It's okay. You're covered up," Midoriya said nicely. He put his hand out into the sun, and there was no burn mark. It was fine. "See? The sunblock alone protects."
The shorter boy stepped into the sun, and reached out both hands. Shoto knew he was being stupid and weak. But he was scared of burning to death, or having more scars. He was flippant about his death, but he didn't want to die. Not yet, not now. Now, he had a friend. Maybe; it was likely Midoriya would get annoyed with his lack of emotion and lack of progress. He'd forget about him and move on by the time Shoto got out.
Shoto took both hands, closed his eyes tightly, and walked out into the sun. He was expecting agony, but none came. He felt a breeze ruffle his hair slightly, the red and white mixing a bit. He glanced up at the blue, cloudless sky with wide eyes. "You did it!" Midoriya cheered. But it was too much, too scary, and Shoto started to hyperventilate. Mia helped him inside, Midoriya following after.
Shoto fell to his butt and put his head between his knees, breathing deeply. Mia couched next to him, and rubbed his back. "I'm so proud of you, Shoto," she said sincerely, even sounding emotional. "You did a wonderful job." He nodded, and his breathing evened out. He looked at his hands and arms, touched his face and neck. No burns.
Midoriya was looking happy for him, too. He was so much braver, going outside like it was no big deal while Shoto couldn't handle it longer than two minutes. So embarrassing. The others in the room started cheering for him, all congratulating from his success. But it didn't make him happy, and he hurried to his room, up the stairs and down the hall.
When he got inside, he cried into his pillow. His standards were set so low. He didn't even walk anywhere, he just stood there and freaked out. It was shameful. The tears came out of his good eye, the burnt one's tear ducts sealed from the scalding water. He heard Midoriya coming, and wiped his tears away, composing himself.
The door opened quietly, and he walked in and sat on his bunk, not looking at Shoto, which was nice. He didn't want to be stared at when he was just crying. "Everyone succeeds at their own paces. I wasn't afraid of the sun because I've never been burnt. Well, I haven't felt it. I never went through the pain you have."
Shoto didn't know how to reply, so he stayed silent.
"I think everyone has some things they're not good at. But you… should only be ashamed if you give up on improving those things," Midoriya continued. "I do know what it's like to be the odd one out, the one that always fails compared to every other person. I'm quirkless, have always been a loser, ever since I found out."
The older vampire was surprised to hear he was quirkless. Too bad he never got super strength or speed. Something that could have been passed off as a quirk. He didn't look down on Midoriya for that. But he did have an argument.
"Being quirkless is harmless. To you and everyone around you. I have to wear a muzzle around most of the humans here. I killed people."
"When I went through the training to try and get used to human blood, I think I would have killed her. Only the glass kept us apart."
"There's a difference between trying on accident and succeeding. One of the people I killed was only six. I killed this kid. Then I killed his dad, and then I ran away. I got hit by a car, and attacked the woman who did it. Then the police came and I killed one of them, too. The only reason I'm not in jail is because of my age and circumstances," he confessed, his words being spat out by the end.
Midoriya was silent for a moment before he dropped down. He walked to Shoto and gave him a hug. He tried pushing him away, but not using his vampire strength, which was an improvement. "It wasn't your fault, Todoro- Shoto. It was you, yeah, but you weren't in control. There was just nobody to stop you like there was for me."
Shoto sniffled, and hesitantly hugged him back, not used to hugs too much. "We're friends now, so if you want a hug, I'll give it to you. And if you don't, then I won't." The damaged one nodded. It made him feel better, but it didn't erase any guilt. He'd been told too many times by now that it wasn't his fault. No matter who said it or how many, the guilt never faded.
"...Thank you," Shoto finally whispered. "I'll do my best, to be a good friend. I-I don't know how… I've never…" he mumbled, not finishing his sentence, though Midoriya knew what he was going to say.
"There's no set rules other than being kind and understanding. There's no list of things you need to make. Besides, I'm happy I'm your first friend! So I'll do my best, too." Shoto nodded, and Midoriya moved to the desk. He put music on and asked if Shoto could do some more things with his quirk.
The taller of the two hadn't thought twice about him being quirkless. It was no big deal in his eyes. He saw nothing wrong with it. There was nothing to be ashamed of, there was no possible way for him to control that.
When he was making sloppy objects of his ice, Midoriya asked a very charged question. "What was it like, drinking directly from somebody? You don't need to tell me if you don't want to. Just cause I'm your friend doesn't mean you need to tell me everything about yourself."
Shoto wasn't going to skip this question. "It was like fireworks going off in your body. Or like smoke clearing, and looking at the blue sky. It was so warm and felt so good. I don't know if it feels that way every time. I had never tasted blood before that, so… I might be biased. I'll never find out, though. Bottled blood was a let down at first, nothing compared to fresh. But I got used to it after a bit. It's not a problem or gross."
"The sound of heartbeats sometimes makes me excited. Like, human heartbeats. My own feels and sounds different. I looked at necks a lot, imagining biting down," Midoriya admitted, sounding ashamed too. Shoto wasn't the only one in pain. He knew that and didn't act like that wasn't the truth.
All of them hurt. They were all thirsty, fought against vampire issues. At war with themselves, mind and body. There was nothing about being a vampire that outweighed the negatives. Nobody there wanted this, and all would reverse it if only they could. It was a dream they all shared, some more intensely than others.
After they had dinner and went back to their room, Midoriya wondered, "What are the pills for, Todoroki-kun? Do they work?"
"Call me Shoto. I don't like my surname. They're antipsychotics. I… wasn't always this calm and boring. I was violent and unpredictable. I always wanted to hurt people, and got so angry so easily. They said it was not only a vampire thing, but a result from child abuse. But the pills dim everything down. But I like it. Not feeling angry or violent so strongly. I feel content, even if some things are dulled."
"They're like miracle drugs, then?" Shoto nodded. "I'm glad for you."
"Hopefully I won't need their help someday…"
"Medicine isn't like practice lessons on self-control. There are lots of mental illnesses that are treated with meds life long. I don't think there's anything to be ashamed of if you gotta use them forever," Midoriya said brightly. Shoto drooped at being said to have a mental illness. That would be better than what he had, though. Much better. "I'm going to sleep. I want to study in the morning."
"Um… I'll try to help," Shoto said quietly. "I'm good at school work, even if I've never been to school before."
"Wow, never?"
"I've been homeschooled my whole life. So I've never had a friend. Um… can you be patient? I'll need to practice." Midoriya bluntly told him that experience was practice. Learning yourself was the only way to be a good friend.
"And I will be patient, I promise!" he vowed. Both of them went to brush their teeth, and then went to sleep. Shoto fell asleep almost immediately from the mental and emotional exhaustion from that day.
-x- Izuku -x-
Shoto truly didn't know how friendships worked. During lunch, he'd offered all of him his food, thinking that was what friends did. Or when he was going to let him cheat off his work, so innocently, because friends helped each other. He didn't know if he needed or how to do physical affection, so he just kept shaking his hand.
It was kind of sweet. Even though he had been some "vicious vampire", Shoto was actually a very sweet and understanding person. He just came off as rude or bored because of his meds and life long trauma. Izuku hadn't asked him about his childhood again. They never talked about it, which was just fine.
The taller child was a great listener, too. He listened to Izuku gush about heroes, how he wanted to be one, too, even if he was quirkless. He listened when Izuku talked about All Might. Never interrupted, and always kept eye contact to show he was indeed paying attention, even if he didn't speak back.
For some reason, Shoto seemed to despise the concept of heroes. He didn't hate All Might, he thought he was a good guy (from what he saw on TV), but he hated the hero society as a whole. Izuku was positive he had some personal connection to a hero of some sort. A really bad one. But it wasn't Izuku's job to convince him heroes were good. Most of them.
Izuku never did anything to try and change who Shoto was. Yeah, he accommodate and assured him after the times he had to go outside and had the same reaction, overwhelming fear and anxiety. But other than that, he never attempted to "fix" his friend, and it didn't feel like some project, either.
It was genuinely enjoyable to be around him. But even with a new friendship, Shoto was still insecure and shut down sometimes. Not often, but it could be in the middle of a conversation, and he'd honestly say he needed a break. Or he'd just say, "Okay" and stop talking. Izuku respected that, knowing he clearly suffered from anxiety and depression.
But Izuku dreaded the day he be sent home. Because he'd be leaving Shoto all alone again. Maybe they'd make an exception and allow him to have phone calls with him. Others weren't allowed to contact family, because it hindered their growth. They needed to only focus on themselves.
He did miss his mom, but knew it was for the best, and looked forward to seeing her again. He knew she'd learn to adore Shoto, and they wouldn't speak of his unfortunate past around anyone else.
-x- Shoto -x-
Shoto sat under a tree in the courtyard, covered in long sleeve clothes and sunblock. He was hiding under the shade, sitting against the tree, trying to work up the resolve to walk around, even for a little bit. But he was scared. Nobody was there to try and coach him, which he appreciated.
He looked at the beams of sunlight filtering through the trees, and moved his left hand to rest under it, the sun shining on his pale skin. It didn't hurt. He touched his arm unconsciously, the one that had sustained agonizing burns. It itched, the skin was tight. Uncomfortable, but not necessarily painful.
When his counselor asked the same questions, holding up the card of a person, Shoto's eyes widened. "A… a person. Who… would happen to taste delicious," he said breathlessly. Admin grinned at the progress. It was huge progress, a huge step. For the past eight months, he'd always seen them as food, or tools if they helped him.
He didn't respect them as much as he did his fellow vampires. Hopefully, that was behind him.
"Very good!" He pulled out the sun, and Shoto said it was death. No progress in that sense, even though he'd been periodically going a few feet into the sun. "Well, progress is slow and steady."
So here he sat, under a tree, his hand in the sun, unhurt. Standing up, leaning his back against the tree, he took many deep, calming breaths. It didn't help, as his heart was pumping wildly. There was only one way to conquer the sun, his only true enemy. He closed his eyes tightly and stepped out into the sunlight.
It felt warm on his skin. He walked blindly until he tripped over a potted plant, and fell. Standing up, he felt the sun on the back of his neck, his exposed ankles. But he didn't burn. Standing up on shaking legs and arms, he walked to the koi pond, looking at his reflection in the serene water. No burns. At all.
He looked at the koi, so lucky all their life was to swim in circles. He looked at the sky, and then hurried inside. When he got there, Izuku was waiting. Shoto collapsed against the wall. Izuku didn't comment on the tear streaks on his cheek, and he didn't even notice it himself. Izuku gave him a hug.
"Good job. You're amazing!" he said brightly.
Shoto drooped. "I'll still be here a long time. You only have maybe two weeks left," he mumbled.
"But then when you get out, we'll be friends, still. Seven months isn't that long in the grand scheme of things." It didn't feel like he was dismissing Shoto's feelings. But he didn't have any response. "Come get some blood. Then we can go work on homework." The other nodded, and they did as Izuku suggested.
Shoto woke up from his violent nightmare by Izuku shaking him. "Shoto, wake up," he said. Shoto jerked up, panicked, looking at his hands, though they weren't covered in blood. "Are you okay? You were screaming," Izuku said in worry.
"Just- just a bad dream. Sorry to wake you up." He turned his back to him, not wanting to talk about it.
"Scooch over." Shoto was confused. "The beds are more than big enough for both of us."
"Wha- you want to share the bed?" the older vampire asked in surprise. "Why?"
"I figured sleeping with a vampire smell right there would help you not have more nightmares." It might work, and he knew he'd slip back into his nightmare. That was what usually happened after having disturbing dreams. So he moved over, and Izuku got his blanket and pillow. They both fell asleep quickly, it not being awkward at all.
He didn't have any nightmares, and woke up to Izuku tangled in his blanket, breathing with his mouth wide open. Shoto sat up, of course waking Izuku in the process. "It worked. Thanks," Shoto said, a smile in his voice but not on his face.
Izuku beamed and nodded, glad to help. It was nice, really. He was a very good friend. Shoto would work extra hard to improve and not be alone too long. He didn't want to be alone. Though he had nowhere to go. When he got out, who would he go to? Who would feel safe with him there?
Shoto went to go take a shower, hands clasped together in worry of being all alone, or with a frightened roommate for seven more months. It was a haunting thought. He wanted out of here as soon as possible.
That day, during the human blood practice, he started to run to try and get past the glass before his subconscious activated his quirk, and he had just enough willpower to stomp down his foot on the ice spike, the tip of it shoved straight through his shoe and foot, poking out from the top of it.
Blood spilled all over the ice, and Mia shouted in worry, coming over to the wincing Shoto. But his head was cleared. He pulled his foot out of the ice. It was red with blood. But he found this didn't hurt nearly as much as the sun, or as his throat on bad days. He was panting, which turned into deep, calming breaths.
Blood, bottled blood, was rushed to him. He drank it, and his foot healed over. There was no damage but for the blood smeared all over it. "Pain… pain suppresses it," he said in shock. He thought for a moment, ideas sifting through his mind at a rapid pace, all stupid until he picked a good one. Before they were to scold him, he said, "Give me something that will hurt me if I lose control! A shock collar!" he begged.
They were not happy with the idea. "I'll heal afterwards! Please, I want to feel safer, I want a failsafe!" the twelve year old insisted. "Please," he said desperately. Mia pushed his hair out of his face in a motherly gesture.
"Are you sure?" she asked with a sad voice. Shoto nodded vehemently. "Alright," she complied. "For now, go and do something relaxing." Shoto nodded, and left to go tell Izuku about his idea. He found him with his senses in their bedroom. He opened the door and saw tears in his friend's eyes.
"I can't figure it out myself!" he lamented, and Shoto was relieved it was homework and nothing more serious. Shoto walked over, looking down at the English homework. "How do I pronounce this?!" he asked, pointing to a word.
"Fi-nom-uh-non," Shoto replied, speaking slowly. "You know you could have googled it or something."
"I didn't want to cheat," Izuku said, and rested his head on the desk. "If I'm going back to school soon, I want to be prepared. Tami-san said that she synced up our lessons to my school, but still! I was absent for so long, even before coming here. What if I'm held back?"
"Stop panicking. Um… it'll work out, right? You might be behind everyone else, but if you have a nice teacher then maybe it will be okay."
Izuku snickered. "You're really bad at being positive," he stated. Shoto flushed a bit, but then remembered why he was there.
He sat on his bed, and said, "I didn't attack her, in human blood training. I stomped my foot on an ice spike, and it worked. I broke out of the trance completely. So I'm having a shock collar made. Then whenever I'm gonna freak, it'll just shock me and I might not go crazy!" he explained excitedly. But Izuku's face showed sadness. "I know it's not the best, and I should be way better at it on my own, and it's like cheating and a cop out, but…"
"No, it's a good idea. Sorry if I came across as a negative reaction. It's smart… but I wouldn't want you to get hurt," Izuku said sincerely.
"I'll heal just fine. Small injuries like that heal over fast for me," Shoto replied. "And you said medication is helpful, right? The collar could be like medication for me and all." Izuku nodded, and looked down sadly. He mumbled that he'd really miss Shoto. "But you have a friend out there, right? And your mom actually cares about you."
Izuku nodded. "Well, I don't know if Kacchan came to his senses and will bully me again. Now I will just have more things to make fun of, to be mean. I still have no way to defend myself. I don't want everyone to know. What if I can't become a hero because of it?"
Shoto said, "That's a few years from now, right?" Izuku nodded. "Uh, then don't worry about the future? I know I do that a lot and all, and worrying about the future is a thing that you should do sometimes… but if it makes you sick, you shouldn't. But I do that, so I'm being a hypocrite…" He was doing his best for a pep-talk.
"I understand," Izuku said, thankfully ending Shoto's pathetic advice. He apologized for being no good at it. "It's okay. Not everyone is positive or anything. It's hard for you to be positive because you've had a terrible life, and all…"
"Not all bad, though. I have you as my friend," Shoto replied honestly. Izuku teared up and suddenly hugged Shoto. "What's wrong?" he asked, patting his back.
"I'm gonna miss you a lot. I don't want to leave you all alone."
"I feel happy for you… though I'm sad for me," he admitted. Izuku pulled away, and then wiped his eyes to stop the tears. "I'll get better sooner so we can be friends again. Maybe I could even try going to the same school as you. If anybody wants to take me."
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked.
"I don't have anyone lined up to take me. I think I'm in limbo right now. No foster parent would want someone who already killed a father and son, right?" Shoto pointed out bluntly. "I don't know where I'll end up." Izuku frowned deeply, knowing this was right, it did make sense. "It's okay. Hopefully I find someone to take me."
There was nothing Izuku could do. "I wish you could stay with me and my mom. She'd be really loving to you. I don't think we can afford it, though."
Shoto was touched by his words. "But you've only known me five weeks…" Izuku smiled and said it was more than enough. "It would be nice… but I don't want to put stress on your family. Your mom seems nice, based on what you say of her. But why would she welcome me? I'm a mess, a trainwreck."
"That doesn't mean you don't deserve to be loved, too," Izuku said firmly. Shoto shut down, and didn't want to talk about it anymore. The other respected that, and nodded.
It as after dinner that Shoto's new instrument was brought to him. It was a black band, a thick choker. It couldn't be taken off by him himself, it needed somebodies assistance. It was put on, and didn't hurt and wasn't too tight. "That was fast…"
"A hero sponsored you," Mia said. Shoto grew cold, and looked at her sharply. "Some people know about it, Shoto. You know that." Slouching, he nodded. Izuku looked confused. "After some dessert, do you want to give it a test run?" Shoto nodded again, and got some normal brownies.
He and Izuku went together, and Shoto knew he had to be curious about what was just said. But he didn't plan on telling his hero obsessed friend that the number two was abusive and the root cause of Shoto's issues. He wouldn't do that, and plus, didn't want anybody to know. They might treat him differently, and he didn't want that.
When they got to the training room, it was a different human this time, a man. Both of them had day time practices, so the volunteers must be cycled out. Shoto had never seen this man, but he was a human. A person that would taste good. That was his definition of humans right now, which was much better than before.
Izuku was removed from the room for the moment so he didn't react to the blood. Or at least feel stress from it. He didn't attack anymore. Only felt sick and stressed. He was so much better at it than Shoto. He was good at school work and having a quirk, but Izuku was better with everything else. Everything important.
The human man cut his thumb behind the glass. The moment Shoto started to react, his body stiffening as only instinct took over, he was zapped. It was strong enough to knock him to the ground, twitching. It was uncomfortable. Mia hurried to him, crouching beside him. She saw the tears coming from Shoto's eye as pain.
"I-It worked," he whispered with a tiny smile on, eyes wide. His voice was full of relief. Mia rubbed his back, and he stood up. The man was still bleeding, he had not covered the wound, but the sting in his neck kept him distracted. He then left, the smell of his fresh blood, the source of it, was gone.
He staggered on his feet, but was healing quickly. At a reasonable pace for a vampire. He felt such relief and hope. Maybe this was a turning point. A cheat. But still, maybe it could prove to him that it was possible to leave. To live. He hurried out to give Izuku the good news, though he was a vampire and heard it all. He hugged his friend when he came to him. "It's a good start!" he said brightly. Shoto nodded. He could tell it bothered Izuku at least a little bit. But Shoto didn't care about what others thought. This was to keep him and any possible victims safe.
