Chapter 33: Lean On Meeeee~~
Eraser came back after a while, followed closely by a very happy looking Mic, and the four of them began to head back to the apartment, the two pro heroes asking the boys what they wanted for dinner.
The night had been nice. They ordered in and watched some movie that Izuku hadn't seen before, Mic making constant commentary that caused everyone to laugh out and groan depending on the scene and his comments. The four of them talked and laughed and praised Hitoshi for his performance, while the boy blushed at the praise.
Eraser had brought home a large stack of paperwork and had been working at it ever since they got back. Izuku wasn't sure what it was about or why he had it, didn't they all have like two days to rest before classes started back up? He didn't ask though, not exactly sure what was overstepping and concluding that if he needed to know, Eraser would tell him.
Those two days flew by. With Hitoshi staying with them because his foster parents really couldn't care less at this point, there was never a dull moment. The two boys hung out and laughed and even trained a bit despite the desperate pleads for Izuku to let him take a break.
No such luck unfortunately. Izuku wasn't as nice as people always assumed he was, and he needed to continue to work with Hitoshi if they still wanted to get him into the hero course. He actually had a really great idea that would help both of them and do something for the community. Something that would work out most of their muscles, build up their endurance, and help them do something that was worth it.
But he thought that he could wait two days to let Hitoshi feel at least some sort of rest before they got started.
Izuku even got texts from both Kirishima and Kaminari during the break. It was so different to have people actually reaching out and trying to be your friend. He had just assumed that the two would ignore him until they had to see him again, so imagine his surprise when he got a facetime call from Kaminari and opened it to find that the boy just simply wanted to talk and get to know him.
The two talked about basic things. Childhood, Izuku opted to leave out most of the trauma. School, Izuku told him that he was taking a break before he went back, if he ever did, to which the blonde went on to whine about how cool it would be to have Izuku there with them at UA. This then led into the conversation of quirks and such, which Izuku successfully deterred so that he didn't have to come up with some bs lie that wasn't that he couldn't die. If he told the boy the truth, then he'd have to get into how he figured out he couldn't die and then they'd have to talk about his childhood and that just really wasn't something Izuku wanted to bring up to his new friend.
Kaminari was actually a lot of fun to talk to. The boy was a little scatterbrained at times, but he was really nice and funny too, even though most of his jokes were terrible and painful to listen to, they were so bad that Izuku couldn't help but laugh.
The boys made plans to meet up and talk a bit about Kaminari's quirk and how he could improve his use of it after classes started back up and honestly, Izuku was over the moon.
Sure, he had Hitoshi as his friend now, but that was more or less a forced friendship that they both mutually accepted. This thing that he had with Kaminari and Kirishima and maybe Shoto, this was completely just because they wanted to be his friend. Not because he saved them or because they were both so lonely that they gravitated towards each other. No, they really just wanted to get to know him because they liked him.
Hitoshi wasn't as excited about his new friends and Izuku was. He was a lot more introverted and really didn't like to have too many people around, but that was okay. He didn't have to be best friends with them or anything, but it would be good for him to have a few people that he knew when he got transferred into the hero course.
One thing that did surprise him though, was a late-night text he got from a certain two-toned boy asking if Izuku was awake.
The fact that Shoto had texted him at all had thrown Izuku for quite the loop, but also that fact that he had texted him so late in the night-or morning now, he thought.
Izuku:
Yeah, I'm up. U ok??
Shoto:
I'm fine. Why are you awake at this hour?
Izuku:
Wait a minute-
You are the one who texted me and asked if I was awke…
Shoto:
Yes. But I didn't expect you to actually be awake. I apologize for disrupting your night.
Izuku:
It's no prob, what's up?
Shoto:
I couldn't sleep and I read somewhere that when your mind is filled with troubling thoughts that you should go to a friend and talk to them about it.
Izuku:
…
Are we friends?
Shoto:
Is that not what this is?
Do friends not have deep conversations and exchange numbers?
Izuku:
I mean they do but-
You know what, yeah, we're friends.
Tell me what's going on
Shoto:
I'm afraid it would be difficult to explain over text.
Do you mind if I call you?
Izuku:
Fine with me
The boys talked for a while. Shoto told Izuku how he was having to deal with his father more than usual due to the break and how much it was weighing on him to have to be around him so much.
It was heart breaking to know just how messed up his home life was and how they could literally do nothing about it. If they tried to out Endeavor the entire hero system would crumble, and it was doubtful that anyone would believe them anyway.
The hero was known for his brashness and aggression. Most found it endearing in some sort of way. Others just simply ignored it. It would be hard to convince people that one of their heroes, someone that they put all of their hope and trust in, was actually extremely abusive and just a huge dick.
So, Izuku opted to do the next best thing and take the boy's mind off it everything. He started talking about everything and nothing as Shoto simply listened and chimed in with his thoughts whenever he had them.
It might have seemed like a small thing, but the obvious shift in the boy's mood from when he called him to when they got off of the phone was what made staying up talking until the sun rose worth it.
The morning came that everybody had to go back to classes. Eraser was up early as per usual, and Hitoshi had gone home to his foster family for the night. He couldn't exactly be over all of the time, but most of the time was good enough. Just as long as he wasn't with those people, who clearly didn't care for him as much as he deserved, too much.
Izuku met Eraser in the kitchen as the hero handed him a cup of coffee that he had pre-made for him, assuming that he'd be up before he had to leave.
The boy took it with a nod and small smile and the two just stood in comfortable silence. That was until Eraser broke it, "So I should probably warn you, the hero students are going to be doing their internships soon and so I'm going to be a lot busier that week."
"Internships? I thought that hero students didn't usually get internships until their second year."
"Usually that is the case, but with the attack earlier in the semester and how well they did during the sports festival, pros are eager to get their hands on the potential heroes."
Izuku nodded before taking another sip of his coffee, not too hot with lots of cream and sugar and just a dash of cinnamon. How Eraser had figured out exactly what he liked; he didn't know. Especially because he mainly drank black coffee around him to keep himself properly caffeinated. "So, if they're all going to be going other places for their internships, why are you going to be so busy?"
"Well," The hero cleared his throat, "I think that we all saw just how much potential Shinso has at the sports festival, even if he didn't win, he came pretty dang close. I talked it over with Nezu and we both agreed that he would be a great student to fill the open spot in my class with. Of course, he needs proper training and everything, so I put in the paperwork to take him as my intern for the week to get him ready."
Izuku almost choked on his coffee, as he whipped his head up to the pro, "You wHAT? You're taking him on as your intern? He's going to be in the hero course!?"
It was exactly what they had been working towards. Oh, Hitoshi was going to be so happy! Especially because he'll be spending so much time with Eraser and being trained by his all-time favorite pro hero. Izuku was looking at the half-empty mug of coffee in his hand when he felt a warm drop of water slide down his cheek. He was crying? Wow…he hadn't cried happy tears in so long. It was…nice.
"You know…he doesn't have to be the only one."
Eraser's words caused Izuku to look at the hero with confused eyes.
"It wouldn't be hard to get you enrolled and into the hero course as a transfer student. You have more than enough academic ability and we both know that you're a very capable hero already-"
"Stop." Instantly the mood shifted. This was dangerous territory, and unfortunately, Eraser was none the wiser.
"I-what?" Izuku's only response was to shake his head lowly. "Izuku, you need to stop this. We both know that you can't be a vigilante forever. What are you going to do when you eventually get caught? You have to start thinking about other-"
"What else is there? If I can't be a vigilante, then what else am I supposed to be?" He hadn't meant to raise his voice, but he couldn't help it. He knew where this conversation was going, and it just hurt. So. Much.
Eraser kept his tone light and his eyes on Izuku. "A hero." He said it with such assurance, as if he believed that it could actually be a possibility.
"No." Izuku's eyes began to pool with tears as he cursed his emotional nature. "Stop, just…please." Memories ran through his head. All of the words that people threw at him to deter him from his dream. Every time Katsuki had beaten him down and screamed at him for even entertaining the thought of being a hero. He thought of when he was diagnosed as quirkless and the tears in his mother's eyes. Of the endless nights of research, he did because he refused to believe that he didn't have a quirk.
He thought back to that day, the day that started everything. Katsuki had been picking on him just like every other day, but for whatever reason he was extra pissed that day. Pissed enough that when he caught sight of one of Izuku's hero notebooks on his desk his eyes flashed with fury, and he chucked it out the window before walking off laughing with his friends about how worthless he was.
It was the same day that Izuku had met his hero. All Might saved him from some sewage villain that tried to kill him and use his body as a skin suit.
That was the day that Izuku's spirit broke.
He followed the hero up to a random roof and poured his heart out to him. Begging, pleading him to tell him what no one else in his life other than his mother had told him. But even your greatest heroes can't always live up to your expectations.
All Might was just like everyone else. He thought that Izuku was weak and useless just because he didn't have a quirk. He didn't even take into consideration how much good he could do with the proper training, just brushing him off because of something that he was damned with since birth.
Izuku considered jumping that day. The thought of his mother's tear-stained face and broken sobs are what carried him down those steps. And then she died.
"Why? Why is this such a-I don't understand why this is such a difficult thing. You can be a hero-"
"Don't." It came out as a growl and Izuku even surprised himself with the poison dripping from his lips. But he couldn't take it. He couldn't let himself fall down that rabbit hole again just to have his heart shattered…again. He wouldn't allow it. "Don't you dare say that to me."
Eraser let out an exasperated scoff and set his mug down, "Why not? We both know that you're more than capable-"
"I just CAN'T, okay?" Izuku snapped, breathing heavily and trying his hardest to keep the tears from falling down his cheeks. "I can't-I can't allow myself to hope that. Not again."
"Izuku," Eraser took a few steps forward and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Look at me."
"No, no-I…just stop! If you truly care about me, then drop it."
"Why are you so against this? You've been saving people for months, what makes being a hero so different?"
"BECAUSE I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" He yelled out forcing himself out of the hero's grip and turning his back to him. "I can't be a hero because I'm not good enough, happy?"
"Who told you that?"
"Oh, come on Eraser, I grew up quirkless remember? People aren't exactly open to the idea of someone so weak and useless trying to save them."
"But you've been saving people and you don't seem to have a problem with it."
"That's different."
"How!? How is that any different than doing it officially with the proper weapons and clothes?"
"Heroes are good! Heroes are strong! They help people and save everyone with a smile. They bring hope to those who need it. That's not me."
"What do you mean that's not you? Do you know how many anonymous thank you letters the police station has gotten from civilians that you've saved? Have you not been paying attention to how much people love you on the internet?"
"No, no. no-"
"Izuku! If you would just listen to me-"
The boy let out a pained sob and he forcibly turned back to Eraser and walked closer. "Don't you get it!? I'm broken…I'll-I'll never be good enough. I'm useless and I'm selfish and I'm-I'm a horrible person."
Eraser grabbed both of the boy's wrists as he tried to grab at his hair, his face, his ears, anything to alleviate the pain he felt inside. "Hey! You are not useless, and you are not a horrible person."
Izuku let out another sob as he refused to look at the hero's eyes, "How-how can you know that? You barely even know me, you don't know the thoughts in my head, you don't know what all I've done."
"I know enough. I know that you've been through hell. I know that with all of the crap that life has thrown at you, you have every right to be angry. You have every right to blame the world and everyone who has ever beaten you down and cursed you for no reason. Hell…I'd be angry, I'd hate everything and everyone around me. I'd want to destroy everything that destroyed me, but that's not you Izuku. Instead, you've chosen to help people. To put yourself in danger time and time again, just to make sure that they're okay. That's not useless. That's strength."
That's when the tears finally fell freely. "But I-"
"No. Izuku Midoriya, you may be upset, you may be angry, you may be broken, but one thing you are not is weak. I've seen exactly who you are and all that I see is light, not this darkness that you try to cover yourself with. I see a boy who wants nothing more than to help people. What could be more heroic than that?"
"You-you mean that?"
"I do."
"I-but I can't-I'm supposed to be dead. I don't technically exist anymore, and I never finished my last year of middle school let alone anything from this year. And-"
Eraser took hold of the boy's wrists again and forced him to look at him. "Hey. Hey, you don't have to make any decisions now. Nothing would be able to happen until after the internships anyway. Take some time and really think about whether or not this is what you want. Not about whether or not you can do it, because you can."
"…okay."
Izuku fell into the hero's arms as he sniffled and just stood there in shock.
"I have to get going or else I'm going to be late. Are you good here? I can probably convince Nezu to let Mic have the day off."
Izuku shook his head as he stood straight up and picked up his coffee again. "No, I'll be fine. I just need to have some time."
"And that's totally fine. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay? Try not to get into any trouble while I'm gone."
The hero was half-way out of the door when Izuku finally got the courage to speak up, "Eraser!"
He stopped and turned to the boy, "Yeah?"
"Thanks."
The night was cold, but not too cold. The city around was bustling with people leaving work and going out for the night. Helpless sheep going on about their everyday lives, completely ignoring the retched filth that was their hero society. It made Stain sick.
No matter, that wasn't his objective tonight. Tonight, he was looking for a very specific pro hero in need of culling.
Despite his usual schedule, Stain decided that this particular situation was more important than the other two heroes he planned on cleansing in Hosu. He was actually a little pissed because his last attempt wasn't as successful as he had hoped. He had been going after a very specific speed-type hero that was doing some work there, but another got in the way and ended up being the target instead.
Actually, this target was one that he still wasn't one hundred percent on. The only reason why he was going to go ahead with the culling was because that stupid group of wannabes kept on breathing down his neck and he was getting irritated. He admitted that he was slightly grateful that the other one had showed up and that the speed hero got away with only minor injuries, but he wouldn't ever tell anyone that.
Even so, he might've taken some of that anger out on the young hero, but it was just as well. One less to turn false.
Stain still had a ways to go until he got to his destination. With the last hero, he had to go into hiding for a few days until the dogs backed off. And now he was making his way back to Hosu.
At the moment, he believed that he was in Musutafu. And if he wasn't mistaken, this was where that little vigilante resided. Maybe he would get to run into him again.
Stain liked the kid. It was clear that he had heavy convictions and that he stayed true to those convictions. Although, he was a little too hero-like for his taste. Perhaps he would be able to take the kid under his wing and show him all that was wrong with society. He could do with a sidekick to take his spot when he inevitably got caught.
Maybe spending some extra time in this city would be worth his while.