Adjusting the focus

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.

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Chapter 6

''Izuku! Izuku! Come on!'' Katsuki looked with excited eyes at his small friend. ''I need to show you something!''

Izuku allowed himself to be dragged by Katsuki into the park, in the direction of the trees. Their parents were waiting for them by on one of the benches further to the north in the park, but Katsuki didn't care right now. Besides Izuku was following him and mom always said he was the responsible one, so there!

A soft voice piped up behind him ''Kacchan? Why aren´t we going to mom and Mitsuki-san? What is it, Kacchan?''

Katsuki rolled his eyes at that. ''Mom told you to call her auntie! And I just said I'm going to show you, hurry up already!''

Then, when they were finally hidden sufficiently by the bushes and trees, he turned around excited to face the other. Mom wouldn't let him use it yet, so he hadn't been able to show it to Izuku yet but today he would finally do it. ''Okay, okay, just look at this.''

He opened his hands before him, scrutinizing at Izuku's face, excited at what his reaction would be.

He concentrates for a second, and the sweat on his palms puffs up in black smoke and tiny red and yellow sparks..

Izuku's eyes widen, and a smile forms on his lips. ''You got your quirk, Kacchan? That's great! It looks really cool.'' Then concerned eyes flicker up to his. That wasn't what Katsuki wanted his reaction to be.

''But that seems like a quirk that could easily hurt others and yourself. You will make sure to be careful with it, right?''

''Nooo, Izuku'' Katsuki complained. ''You're supposed to be really surprised and then admire me. Why can´t you ever do something right? I won the race last week to the park anyway, and the one before that and the- '' Izuku lets out an insulted squeak and Katsuki laughs. ''That means I'm more capable of taking care of myself than you and you shouldn't try to take care of me, stupid.'' Katsuki huffs. ''Besides, I'm the oldest one!''

It is 8 o'clock when Sansa is startled by his phone. It's been busy at the station lately, and he and Machida have been sitting behind their desks for hours now, only fuelled by questionable amounts of coffee. He blinks in surprise at his buzzing phone that has lit up and sends a curious look to Machida. Machida shrugs, so Sansa picks up the phone.

He blinks again when he sees the name on the screen. ''It's Midoriya.''

Machida perks up, getting excited by the idea of a little break. ''Put him on speaker.''

Sansa sighs, but picks up and presses the button for the speaker. There's rustling on other side, and there's loud breathing coupled with Izuku's panicked voice mumbling ''Please, pick up. Please. Oh god, pick up.''

Sansa instantly sits up straight. 'Midoriya? Are you there? Is there something wrong?''

There's more rustling and a soft clang. ''Sa-a-n? Sansa-san? Thank god. Sansa-san, I-I'm really sorry to bothe-'' The words come in gasps, and are kind of unclear, some parts of the words falling away as if the phone is being shaken back and forth. ''But the- there's man who's following us. Oh no- '' Izuku sounds ready to have a break down. There another voice in the background. It sounds like it is cursing.

''I-I think he will catch me soon.'' Sansa's eyes widen, and he is out his office in seconds, easily followed by Machida. It's been a while since Midoriya had called them while in a critical situation. ''Machida, call the chief. Emergency, also maybe back-up from heroes is necessary.''

''Midoriya. Stay calm. Where are you now? And who are you with?''

''I don't know! It's dark everywhere! And I lost Kacchan. Oh, god I lost Kacchan. You need to find him, Sansa!'' There's a sob. And a sound almost like metal rattling. Then cursing. ''Shit. Shit. Shit.''

'Kacchan' Sansa mentally revokes is a childhood friend of Midoriya, or at least was. From what Sansa knew it was complicated, but the point was that he should know the full name of the kid. Bakagou? Bekugou? He looks at Machida for help. ''Eh, Bakugou Katsuki, I think.''

Sansa hears more sobbing and gasping. Midoriya sounds ready to lose it. ''Midoriya! Focus! So, you were with Bakugou Katsuki. Where did you lose him? and where are you now? Talk to me.'' Midoriya sobs again. ''I don't know, Sansa. Just… Small, thin streets. Street lamps, single ones. Somewhere south. I don't know!''

''Okay, that's something, good. Do you have more? Have you passed restaurants? Cafés? Any landmarks?''

''Eh, I don't- '' There's another gasp and rattling. ''Oh! I passed Rumbles when I was still running with Kacchan, I think.''

Okay, Sansa could work with that. Rumbles was a small café located in the southern districts. It wasn't that far from Midoriya's home. ''Machida! Close to Rumble the café, pass on. Also, small street, single street lamps. Search for a blond boy around the age of eleven years old too.'' He says as they step in the car

''Okay, Midoriya, try to run to a bigger street. Do you know what direction you're running? How far away is the one who is following you?'' There's a loud clang again, and Midoriya doesn't answer for a second ''I can't, I don't see him anymore, but- ''

''Do you know why he's following you or bakugou?''

''I don't know!'' Midoriya sounds even more hysterical and well on his way to a panic-attack. ''He mentioned Kacchan, but I- '' There's a loud crash. ''No, no, no, nonono, this is not happening!'' Sansa wanted to curse.

''Midoriya, deep breaths!''

''Mom-… Urkh!... He said something about mom too. You've got to check on her!''

A flash appears before Sansa's eyes. For a second he can imagine the small, nervous and kind woman lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Disturbed Sansa turns to Machida again urgently. 'Send someone to Midoriya's house.''

''Mom's not home thou- '' A gasp ''She's meeting up with Mi-Mitsuki-san.'' Sansa curses ''Do you know where?'' There's a rustle again, and a loud thump. Loud breathing. It sounds muted somehow. ''Midoriya?!''

Again, no answer. ''Fuck, hurry up, where are we now?''

Machida shakes his head. ''We still have like five to ten minutes to go before we are at rumbles. Grab my phone and call Midoriya-san to warn her. It's the best option for now.''

Sansa nods and grabs the phone. ''Any answers yet from the others about the Bakugou kid?''

''No, nothing. They probably going to take a while yet too.''

Sansa quickly scrolls through the contact list, selecting the right number. All the while still trying to talk to Midoriya, but he isn't answering. His mother doesn't either. Sansa gets the voicemail. Sansa, again, curses when suddenly Midoriya's voice shudders from his phone again ''Sansa! I'm running through the park now!'' Sansa gives a quiet sigh of relief and only shoots a look to Machida this time. Machida seems to get it, and moves to their communicator again.

''Okay, that's good kid. We're there in ten minutes' tops.'' It's then that Midoriya's breathing literally stops for a moment, as do his steps. ''Midoriya? Midoriya, what's happening?!''

There's a pause, and then a breathy, horrified ''I-I found mom.'' There's a wobble in Midoriya's voice. There was a rattling sound, almost like a laugh. And then another voice than Midoriya's, scratchy and unintelligible.

''Well, hello darling, look who I stumbled on while following you?''

Izuku looked at his mom in horror.

At one moment, a grumbling Kacchan and him had been walking next each other to their homes from the dojo. Kacchan had been sent by Mitsuki-san when Izuku, unaware how late it had gotten, didn't come home at the time his mom had told him to and thus Mitsuki-san had refused to start on dinner because this was the first time the Bakugous had visited them in at least a month.

Izuku, calm from the hours of training he just had, didn't get on Kacchan's nerves for once, and they had both been content to just walk silently back home after Kacchan had screamed at him for only five minutes.

And then suddenly a man in a lab coat had appeared in front of them; coming out of very suspicious parked white van. This normally wouldn't have impacted them much, until the man turned to them, and blocked them from continuing. The man had zeroed his eyes on Kacchan immediately.

''Bakugou Katsuki, right?'' Kacchan had tensed. ''Ha? Why do you want to know? Who are you, creep?'' in answer the man had just smiled though. His eyes had flickered onto Izuku then. ''And the quirkless one, right? Eh, Midoriya Izuku. Yes, saw your mother earlier, she got the same green hair, doesn't she?''

This had been around the time Izuku had grabbed Kacchan, dragging him away slowly, around the man without showing him their backs. ''Haha, yes. I'm sorry though, sir, we have to go now. Our moms are waiting for us to come home.'' He didn't know the man, but he gave off all the bad vibes. He would have to make sure to warn his mom away from him.

The man had just smiled at them again. Kacchan had protested to the man-handling but to Izuku's relief he had allowed himself to be dragged away without actual trouble. When nothing happened Izuku had almost convinced himself that maybe the man wasn't that bad. He even began to feel a little bit guilty for brushing him off so harshly.

The man was silent behind them. Not following, but Izuku could feel his stare burning into his back. It gave Izuku an even worse feeling. Izuku concentrated on not looking back. He wouldn't look back, wouldn't apologize either. It could possibly provoke the man to act. Izuku wasn't sure what he would do, and Izuku didn't want to think about it either. Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't look back.

Kacchan startled, throwing his head around, and unable to stop, Izuku followed his movement. Turning around and looking straight into the man's eyes. They were grey, a steely, stormy grey, swirling and swallowing.

And the man grinned, his teeth reflecting in the street lights. He raised his arms slowly. Izuku began to stumble away, and he saw a glimpse of heavy, silver metal chains shoot out of his sleeves at lightning speed in their direction. He would be to slow to avoid them.

There was a loud blast, and Izuku looked on in disbelieve at Kacchan who stood in front of him with his hand outstretched, obviously having stopped the chains from reaching them. He grabbed Kacchan's hand and ran.

After that it had been a blur. They had run through countless deserted streets, some familiar, but most of them not. Using as much back alleys and short-cuts as they knew. Always with the rattling of metal chains behind them, and sometimes a chuckle or catching sight of a suspicious figure standing next to one of the streetlights. They had not been able to lose him. They were running, and he would follow. Never fully there but never fully gone.

Somehow, they had lost each other on the way, and Izuku, when he remembered he was in possession of a phone had called Sansa.

And then he had ended here. With his mom laying in the shadows, behind a man in a lab coat, engulfed by metal chains. Mistuki-san laying on the ground next to her with closed eyes and an unnerving puddle beneath her head, bound by just as many chains and Kacchan nowhere in sight.

They were standing on one of the bigger stone squares of the park. In the shadows a mostly dried-out fountain stood. Not being used now as it was winter. (Izuku remembers that Kacchan once jumped into it when it was a really hot summer and Masaru, who had been horrified, had tried to get him to jump out of it for longer than half an hour.) It was dark already, the only light provided by the streetlights and the moon. It made the bare trees of the park look scary. The sharp branches without leaves curling sinisterly to them like hands reaching out. The man, his hair had a strange shade; grey like Izuku would have expected from an elder but at the same time almost blue, a soft darker tone, the shade of faraway mountains or the sea on a dreary day, stood almost in the light. A part of him shaded and a part highlighted.

''I-Izuku?'' his eyes flickered to the wide ones of his mom, before he directed them back to the man again, not answering her. ''Let them go.'' Izuku had dropped his phone out of shock when he recognized Mistuki-san laying on the ground and he regretted it.

''Hmm? Let them go? I'm not sure. They look rather cozy, don't they?''

Izuku didn't have an answer to that but angry screaming, so he kept quiet. ''I have no need for them anyway. They're boring. Attraction of small objects and Glycerine, was it? I can't do anything with that. But that exploding quirk?! That would be useful! Sensei would be proud!'' The man grinned again. It looked even more unnerving with the lightning. Izuku tensed immediately after the words. He couldn't mean?

The man focused on him again, taking a few steps forward. ''And you,'' he crowed ''I haven't seen a quirkless kid for years now!'' It took a few seconds for Izuku to comprehend what the man had said. That had to be exaggerated. Sure, there weren't a lot of people like him anymore. But not so little that it was that special to meet someone like him. A small part of him wondered how much the man went out if he was so surprised at someone like him.

The man took another step, and Izuku was suddenly very aware of the fact that the distance between them was a lot smaller than it had been. He took several steps back. He had to stall for only a few minutes and then the police would be there. The man's quirk was too dangerous.

''Get away from him!'' Izuku's heart stopped at his mom spoke up. His eyes shifted to her again, and he looked in disbelieve as she attempted to get up with all the chains hindering her movement. ''You get away from Izuku!'' The man, and Izuku was pretty sure he could call him a villain now, turned around to his mother. He clicked his tongue and the chains moved around her, like snakes constricting their prey. His mom gasped after only a few seconds, gulping for air.

He was suffocating her. Shutting of her blood flow.

Izuku was moving before that thought had been fully grasped.

The villain hadn't even turned fully back around to face him when Izuku's fist landed in his face. Izuku jumped back while the villain stumbled and looked at his mom in panic when he realised that may have not been the best idea, but the chains seemed to have loosened, leaving her to gasp for more air, her eyes panicked and pained.

There was a growl. ''Fucking kid. Why the fuck did you just punch me? Were you trying to save her? Ha?! You're a joke. A quirkless kid. You think someone like you can hurt someone like me?! You think you can stop me from killing her?'' The villain seemed to do an entire 180 in personality, suddenly angry and bitter, ranting to Izuku. Izuku tensed again, readying himself for an attack.

''Well, fucking awesome I'm here then, because I'm pretty sure I can!'' Someone roared. His mother squeaked. And there was Kacchan. Of course.

An explosion went off directly behind the villain. ''What the fuck do you think you have done to my fucking mother and auntie you fuckhead?!'' Kacchan screamed as he jumped away, putting distance between the two of them. The villain stumbled a little bit from the explosion but less than Izuku had expected. Sure, Kacchan's explosions weren't yet as strong as the ones when they were at Yuuei but they were still impressive at an age of eleven. Kacchan looked dangerously angry though, obviously disturbed at seeing his mom out-cold, or possibly… Izuku wouldn't finish that thought yet.

The villain turned around so that he would have Izuku on one side of him, Kacchan the other, and their mothers behind him. He was crowing, abruptly switching his mood again. ''There he is! I said he would be there! I told him he would follow the quirkless one. I told him!''

Kacchan was not amused. He growled.

''Get away from my mother, you bastard.''

The villain seemed to ignore him though, and was flicking his eyes between the two of them excitedly. ''Izuku, look out!'' his mom called out. And Izuku was only just able to avoid a chain which was speedily shot out from the ground for his foot.

(A metal controlling quirk? Or only able to control those specific chains? How many chains did he have on him? Did it have to be a special sort of metal? The questions in his brain just wouldn't shut up.)

Izuku managed to grab the chain, and he tugged it as hard as he could, making the villain stumble again. Kacchan and Izuku made eye contact for less than a second, but it was enough. Kacchan powered forward to go in for the kill.

A second blast went off. This time right in the villain's face. There was a scream but when the smoke cleared up it revealed the villain with only minimum burn wounds. He had other chains wrapped around his arms. There was a choking sound, but not from the villain.

They whirled their head around to their moms again. The chains around them were swirling, making their bodies move in a kneeling position. Mitsuki-san was hanging limply, but Izuku's own mom was fighting it, or at least trying. ''Get away, Izuku! Just run, both you and Katsuki-chan!''

Izuku shook his head violently. ''Izuku! I'm serious!'' Her voice shook ''You can't do anything for us here. It's obvious he's targeting you and not us. Just leave now, before something happens to you two!''

''Will you fucking shut up, woman!'' The villain burst out and whirled around again. He clenched his fist and Izuku's mom choked when the chains tightened around her. He turned around pointing his finger at hem angrily.

''You two kids will stay still and cooperate, or else these two will feel the consequences.''

Kacchan bristled. ''Fuck you-'' Kacchan froze when a sudden scream of pain came from Izuku's mom and a grunt from Mitsuki-san. ''I'm all for playing games, kid, but you'll not win this one.'' The villain smirked.

''Now, will you stand still for a second. I promise you that your moms will be alright then.'' Izuku stuttered. ''How do we know you will keep that promise?'' Kacchan bristled again, turning to him. ''You fucking idiot, you don't seal deals with people like him! Are you out of your mind, idiot!?''

''And you,'' Kacchan pointed his finger at the man. ''I will fucking murder you before I listen to you!''

A chain shot out again, just as Mistuki-san was thrown on the ground by the chains, her head bouncing of the concrete with a nasty thud. Kacchan's head immediately snapped to her, and Izuku called out a warning but it was too late. The metal grabbed Kacchan and wrapped itself around him, pulling on one of his ankles which forced Kacchan to fall on the ground.

There were blasts, screams and explosions but Kacchan was confined. He was captured and wouldn't get out of those chains again. ''So, will you listen?'' The villain turned to him the same smirk still plastered on his face. His eyes flickered to Izuku's mom. ''Or do I need to hurt the other one too?'' Izuku looked with horrified eyes at the villain and his mom. His mom who now had chains covering her mouth was making muffled sounds while still gasping for air, shaking her head and tearing up.

(Izuku wondered somewhere in the back of his mind where Sansa and Machida were. They should have been here by now.)

''Well?!'' His mom choked, and Izuku scrambled ''Wait, no, stop. Just leave them alone, I'll do what you want.'' The villain grinned, ignoring Kacchan screaming angrily at the both of them. ''You will stay still for me?''

Izuku blinked, taking a deep breath. ''Only after you let them go.'' The villain flicked his head over to Izuku's mom, who was gasping and had fallen over, and Mistuki-san, still out-cold. He shrugged. ''Okay.''

The chains removed themselves from their mothers. His gaze flickered to Izuku again, but he shook his head and he pointed at Kacchan. He was asking too much, but he only needed a minute. Then they would be there. They had to be there.

Then the villain narrowed his eyes. ''I won't let him go. He's mine now.''

Izuku trembled. ''You said you would let them go.''

''I was talking about the other ones.''

''Then you lied.'' The man bared his teeth. Any time now and the cops would be there. Any time.

''I didn't say anything about who I would let go. You should be happy with those other two already.''

''I don't want you to hurt Kacchan.''

The villain grinned. ''Well, you know what? If you will be nice and quiet for me from now on, maybe I'll try not to.'' There was a shift behind him, and, as a heavy metal thing hit him on the back of his head, Izuku collapsed.

Katsuki screams through the (disgusting) rag in his mouth, trying to kick up his feet. His fucking kidnapper holding him just looks at him blankly. The white van he was being dragged into was the same one as the one from earlier. It was dingy, and the insides were clad with chains and manacles. A limp Deku was already hanging like a doll with his all his strings cut but the ones at his wrist on the wall. The only thing that bound him were the manacles placed on his wrists. Katsuki had gotten a different treatment though. Kastuki's hands were literally circled by metal chains, leaving him unable to use his quirk, and the man had forced something down his throat which left him dizzy and fuzzy. He had been fighting the urge to fall unconscious only because of his mother, auntie, Deku and because this man was a fucking bastard and he didn't deserve Katsuki going easy on him. He screams more muffled curses at the man who keeps ignoring him while he fastens Katsuki's hands to metal rings that hung from the wall of the van opposite of Deku.

Less than a minute later the van's door closes behind the man while Katsuki can't do nothing but struggling to come free in vain. The distance of the man doesn't seem to change the tightness of the chains. They aren't loosening. More screaming and cursing.

Another dizzy spell hits him. Katsuki passes out.

.

The next time Katsuki wakes up he feels horrible. It's like he's a balloon whose air has left him. He feels weak and sloppy.

It takes some time for him to focus his eyesight by blinking and before he manages to get an idea of what happened and the reason he feels horrible; probably a result of the something, most likely a drug, that the man forced down his throat. The man, who kidnapped him (and Deku) and had hurt his mom and Inko. He wants to scream again and to jump up and show the man why you don't just do that, but the only thing he can manage is a weak groan. He lays down for a bit longer, looking straight ahead at the red, sandy stone beneath him and when he finally feels like he won't throw up just by moving, he sits up and looks around slowly.

He's in a cell. The cell is open, with just old, almost rusty bars separating the cell from the rest of the room. It's a big rectangular room with walls, floors and ceiling made of concrete and just not enough light to be able to see the other side of the room clearly. The colour of the walls is a dark, soft red and the light shining through has a yellow shade, which gives the room earthy tones. The cell is placed on the side of the room against a wall, but it is placed in the middle of the wall. He's able to see a table filled with papers and books in the corner opposite of the cell. A familiar man with his lab coat is browsing through several of the papers and muttering. Katsuki might as well call him Lab coat, it seemed right.

Deku is already awake next to him and is looking at Lab coat with wide eyes. His hands fiddling with a metal shackle placed around his leg. Katsuki feels a flash of rage at Deku, because he got fucking caught. Deku had always been smarter than him, more responsible and never rushing into the situation, but the moment their moms had been threatened he had backed down and immediately handed himself over. He hadn't been only stupid but also weak and that had made Katsuki angry in a manner he hadn't been before at Deku, because Deku was always talking about becoming a hero, even while he was scared of literally everything sometimes, but when thrown into a serious situation he gave up without even a kick.

But screaming at Deku wouldn't help anybody now, so it would have to wait until later.

''Ah, you're both awake now?'' Katsuki startles at the voice.

He looks up to Lab coat slowly and he's sees Deku in the corner of his eyes shoot him a shocked look. ''Well, finally, that took some time. I've been wanting to get started already.'' Lab coat mumbles while pouting. Katsuki frowns disgusted at him. ''So, now we going to separate you two. Can't have you two distracted. Blondie, you may go first! Isn't that exciting?'' Lab coat eyes almost fucking twinkle as he looks at Katsuki, not even having looked at Deku one second since he noticed Katsuki was awake.

There's a splutter behind Katsuki and Katsuki wants to punch sometimes. Actually, he wants to punch Deku, because why can't he just keep quiet.

''A-Are you sure that's a good idea?''

The man redirects his gaze at Deku for the first time. ''I mean, I d-don't know what you're going to do, b-but Katsuki is really strong. So,'' Deku's eyes flicker to Katsuki ''He will hold out really long. W- Won't it be better for him to, uh, mellow out a little bit first?'' Lab coat cocks his head, almost like a curious puppy.

(Deku is spouting bullshit. He is, and Katsuki has no idea why. Only that it will end up in a way Katsuki won't like at all.)

''Maybe you sh-should leave him here first for only a few days, th-then h-he will give in easier.'' Deku hesitates, and Katsuki already moves to interfere because he recognizes this. This behaviour Deku takes when he's going to say something stupidly self-sacrificing, like he doesn't care what will happen to himself at all.

''A-and if you get bored, I-I wouldn't mind going first.''

That fucking selfish bastard. ''Wh- '' Katsuki gets interrupted by Lab coat.

''Hmm, I guess. But it will be fun to break him, no? Besides, can't you see how excited your friend is to go? I promise we can have fun after that! But you'll have to make sure to still be alive then, okay? It's always such a shame to find the exciting ones' dead already when I come to get them.'' Katsuki freezes. ''What the fuck did you say, bastard?!''

Lab coat blinks at him like a demented turtle.

.

Izuku looks at Kacchan in disbelieve as he goes off at the villain. Katsuki is screaming again, and the villain is laughing and Izuku just wishes he could do something. Because his strength isn't there, because talking isn't working, because otherwise Kacchan will be taken god knows where and Izuku won't be able to save him, again.

The shackle is tight around his ankle, however it's the only thing Izuku is fastened against the wall with. If he just would be able to loosen it somehow.

''WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BASTARD! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!'' Kacchan just won't stop screaming an Izuku needs to concentrate. The villain is just laughing, and laughing, and laughing. Izuku feels his breathing become a little bit heavier. His fiddling with the shackle becomes more nervous.

''WILL YOU SHUT YOUR SHITTY MOUTH- '' Keep a cool head, Izuku reminds himself, 'the last thing we want to have now is a panic attack.'

''AS SOON AS I'M OUT OF THESE CHAINS I'M GOING TO- ''

Keep calm, keep calm, keep calm, keep calm.

''I'm going to enjoy breaking you at full strength.''

''I'm gonna break you at full strength!'' Kaccahn grins manically at him from within the black smoke cloud while Izuku looks at him in disbelieve from the ground.

The metal groans as it gets squashed between his fingers.

.

A loud crunch sounds behind him. Katsuki turns around to look at Deku and looks in disbelieve at the metal shackle around Deku's ankle crushed and flatten like it wasn't thick heavy metal, but some kind of coke can.

Deku is looking at the metal like a frightened doll; empty and blank but with a fearful glint in his eyes.

There's a laugh from Lab coat behind him and Katsuki snaps around to see his surprised but overjoyed face. ''I thought you didn't have a quirk, kid?!'' He asks with a wicked grin.

Deku weakly tugs at the metal, but nothing happens.

''I-I don't.''

''Well, isn't that just interesting.''

''You get to go first anyway!''

The words echo around Izuku's head as he lays on the cold, stone table. He had struggled at first, scrambling to get away from the table and manacles that were only half circles coming out of the stone. It hadn't taken long for him to give up though. His struggles weren't doing anything after all. It was useless.

Izuku was still concerned about Kacchan. Because while it was obvious Izuku would get main attention from the villain now, Kacchan wasn't cleared forever. Izuku needed an escape plan. The manacles made his mind hazy with repressed memories though, and Izuku hadn't been able to clear up his mind since they had closed.

''Keep calm for me now. Otherwise I will get your friend too. He's was the one I wanted, you know. You were just a bonus. I thought Sensei would like him. He has such a nice quirk! Mm, I wonder if he only explodes his hands. But, now I think Sensei will like you too. If you just keep silent for me, okay?''

Midoriya blinks up in the too bright lamp hanging above him, while listening half-heartedly to the villain ramblings. Keep silent and calm, otherwise he will do something to Kacchan. The man is sitting on a spinning chair with wheels, weaving through the room quickly, and sometimes making spins. Sometimes he tugs at random chains, which literally hang everywhere and come from the ceiling, to gain speed or to lessen it. He rolls from the metal table to the stone one Izuku is laying on. He has covered the lower half of his face by a mask now. He looks a little bit like a dentist.

''So, why don't you talk a little bit to me about that non-quirk of yours?'' Izuku blinks up in the bright lights, not answering. It feels kind off nostalgic. ''Hmm?'' the villain laughs, slightly muffled by the mask. ''Don't worry Izu-chan. We're going to have fun now.''

A lot of the time separated from Katsuki feel like a haze to Izuku. The villain smiles at him a lot, and he talks to Izuku like he has known him for years. Izuku tries to ignore the talking and just keep calm. To not freak out.

It's the second day when he fails at that for the first time, at least Izuku thinks so, he doesn't know how long he has slept. He hasn't seen Kacchan. He hasn't talked. The previous day had been horrible. The man had been trying to get the non-quirk to react, all the while muttering about how 'Sensei' was going to be so excited about his discovery.

He is laid down on a cold stone table in the room again. He's pinned by the metal bounds around his wrists and ankles again, and Izuku is clutching the stone edges with his hands. He feels like he's going to be sacrificed.

So, the first time he fails, is on the possibly second day while he's lying on the bed and the villain accidently spills steaming hot coffee over him. Izuku had already been stressed, the metal binds make him think of nightmares and memories, and the hot liquid flashes him back to things he's been trying to forget for a long time.

He clenches his jaw and his hands and the stone table gives a loud crack as a part of is squashed to dust between his fingers. Izuku freezes in horror as the leftover chunks of stone leave his hands and crumble to the floor.

The villain looks at Izuku's hand in disbelieve, and then to his now empty cup. Izuku tugs at his restrains but the power has left him again. The villain looks at his struggle in blankly. ''It seems we've booked some progress.''

.

After that the villain is relentless. He tests all kinds of things. It's weird because he isn't specifically looking to hurt him, just getting his non-quirk to work. Of course, this doesn't mean he will go out of his way to make it less painful, just that he will stop with it as soon as he realises it doesn't work.

He has connected Izuku to several beeping machines, and made a list of things he tests. Hard sounds, clean cuts, electricity shocks and now liquids have joined it too. Izuku would actually find it pretty interesting in different circumstances.

The villain still talks to him, telling him every time what the result are and how exciting his non-quirk is. Tells him everything Izuku already knows about the joint in his foot. All things that aren't right. That aren't normal and Izuku still doesn't answer. He learns however that hard, piercing sounds get a reaction, but only a mild one. Clean cuts don't get a reaction at all, and it's the same for electricity shocks. Izuku thinks it's not wholly accurate, as he remembers those instances, and all of them had hurt as hell.

(Izuku has been convinced for some time however that it's his mental stage which decides if the quirk will come out. He wonders if the villain takes that into account.)

.

On the end of the day he learns that liquids only get a reaction if they're especially cold or hot, though the villain adds a little bit disappointed, it's a milder one than the first one. Izuku finds he's not really surprised.

One day begins different (The fifth, the fourth? Please, please let Kacchan be okay.). They had done broken bones the day before at least. Izuku wakes up to the familiar too bright lights, and cold surface with one hand bandaged and a face which feels stiff from the left-over of his tears from the day before. He still isn´t wearing a shirt, but he is wearing pants instead of just his boxers this time. They´re shorts though. No shoes, or socks. It's cold but the same as before.

The villain though is not the same. He's sitting next to the table on his beloved chair with wheels, but where normally an excited smile is placed is now a frown. After a minute of silence, Izuku turn his head to him. He blinks at him.

(Izuku doesn't know why, but with it feels wrong to talk to this villain. Just like calling him something different than 'the villain'. They communicate with a lot of long chatter from the villain and blinks and shivering from Izuku. The villain doesn't seem to mind.)

The villain gives him a sad smile. ''I'm sorry Izu-chan. I'm okay.'' There's a pause.

''I like you, Izu-chan. You're nice.'' The expression of the villain is heartbroken as he says it.

Izuku thinks he's a little bit like a little kid.

They don't do any tests that day.

After a week,Izuku thinks at least, the villain told him he has slept a lot, so if he sums it up together he thinks it's been a week, he isn't sure, there's been three day of experimenting at least. Maybe four, Izuku isn't sure, he wonders how Kacchan is doing, Izuku almost has a break down. He ruins the table, leaves a crater on the ground and the villain can only just manage to hold him down with almost all the chains that are hanging from the ceiling, which only is because Izuku freezes for a second to long when he stares at the blood on his hands, and suddenly his body is weak again.

The villain at first snarls and screams, ready to lash out, making Izuku cower in the corner he has crawled weakly to. He throws his arms over his other table. The metal one with all his instruments, pushing them on the ground, and then the table for good measure. One heavy, sharp, metal thing lands on Izuku, and Izuku whimpers in pain as the blood begins to flow. When the villain finally calms down, he looks at Izuku with concern and begins to apologize to him again and again.

Izuku wonders if he's mad.

(''I'll kill you, you fucking ungrateful good-for-nothing. You expected to get away with it? Did you?! Did you?! I will kill you! People like you don't deserve to live!'' He stamps on the machine in rage, kicking out again, and again.)

(''Izu-chan didn't mean it, I know he didn't. He's always so sweet for me. Trying to stay calm and silent. He wouldn't do this. You wouldn't, would you, Izu-chan?'' The voice of the villain is urgent and hassled, on the verge of panic and rage.Izuku wants to cry, but all he can do is give him an empty broken smile while he lays on the ground unable to get up again. ''No, that's right. Izu-chan wouldn't do that on purpose to me.'' The villain continuous. Izuku sobs.)

(''I'm so sorry Izu-chan, I didn't mean it. Tell me where it hurts. We'll make you all better. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.'')

Izuku thinks he is.

Izuku is coughing. His throat is dry and every single cough feels like a stab. That's not what Izuku is focusing on though. He looks at the blood covering his hands in horror. His gaze shifts slowly to villain. ''Wh-What did you do to me?'' It's the first time he says something to the villain ever since he's been brought to this room, even if it is a pained, hushed whisper - it's the first sign he's breaking-. There's anger is that question, but mostly hysterical dread.

The villain looks at him with distressed eyes, ignoring the question. ''You can't escape, Izu-chan. I like you Izu-chan. But you can't leave. I can't leave, Sensei will never let me leave. So, the only way is for you to stay here. I can't be alone. Please, don't leave me alone again. I will make sure Sensei won't know how precious you are. You have to stay my friend. Promise me, you won't leave.''

Izuku just stares at him.

Well, hello, here I am again.

Two weeks this time, which is the longest I've taken for any chapter so far, but I don't really mind as it gave me a more relaxing pace. So, I hope you don't mind too much either.

Don't really have much to comment on this chapter. Just Izuku and Kacchan get kidnapped. A small memory. The momma-bears get hurt. And a cray-cray villain. All in a day's business I would say.

- For the guest who commented on my misspelling Kirishima's name. Thanks a bunch. I'll make sure to correct that. I seem to misspell names a bit often. Sorry about that.

- Also as answer to Angryboy13's question which was how much chapters it will take 'till cannon.

This was a super hard question for me, because honestly, I just want to get cannon as soon as I can, so at first I actually planned to do a time-skip this chapter. But as you see in this chapter, a few other things were also already planned on my agenda that didn't fit anywhere else. So, I ended up not doing the time-skip.

Anyway, to shorten my rambling, I think we're finally going to see cannon in around 3 chapters. Can't promise anything though.

Once again, thank you sincerely for reading this chapter and please review!