Chapter Seven:
Shouto had his eyes glued to his phone as he took the elevator up to his sister's apartment. In his distraction, he ran into the door with his forehead. "Ow."
From inside, Fuyumi called, "Shouto, is that you?"
All of Shouto's fears and negative emotions welled up. "Izuku isn't replying to my texts! I think he hates me now! What if he never liked me to begin with? Did I leave him too many voicemails? I must seem like a crazy stalker. What if he thought we went to see the movie just as friends and now he's trying to figure out how to let me down gently? Big sister, you always told me that I was good-looking but would you tell me if my personality was garbage? You probably wouldn't say anything to avoid hurting my feelings! I'm a blank-faced introvert who barely knows how to interact with people. My personality is garbage!"
"Oh, no, Shouto, it's not like that." Frantic crashing came from inside the apartment along with Fuyumi hissing, "Get into the closet."
Face flushed, Fuyumi opened the door. She wore a short blue dress with a red rose pattern, and her hair was elegantly done up in a bun. She had on lipstick and eyeshadow.
"Were you about to go out somewhere?" Shouto asked. "Sorry, I'll come back."
"No, you're more important." Fuyumi ushered him inside. She sat him on the sofa in front of the TV and put on a kettle of tea. A sweet rose scent drifted from the kitchen. "Is this Izuku your crush?"
Shouto flushed and fiddled with his fingers. "Yes, we went on a date. Although I'm not sure if he thought it was a date. I'm certain he had fun. But now he's not replying to my voicemails ever since the fake scandal about me dating—ugh—Katsuki Bakugo."
"I'm glad you had a good date." Fuyumi put two teacups down on the coffee table. "Shouto, you're a kind-hearted and loyal person. Your personality is even better than your face, and you have a beautiful face. I don't know if Izuku is the one for you, but you'll definitely find someone."
"But I want Izuku!" Shouto wailed.
From the hallway closet, Miruko said, "Then you should confess your feelings! None of this namby-pamby maybe a date maybe not nonsense. Be bold!"
After a moment, Shouto asked, "Fuyumi, is the Rabbit Villain hiding in your closet?"
Fuyumi pinched the bridge of her nose. "This situation feels so metaphorically ironic. You might as well come out, Rumi."
With a boisterous laugh, Miruko pushed open the closet door. A mop fell out. Miruko was out of her villain costume, instead wearing a shimmering red dress with a slit up one side and high heels.
Shouto said, "Dad is going to hate this. That means I approve of you two!"
"It's not like you're thinking." Fuyumi looked away. "I'm persuading Miruko to set aside her life of crime and join the professional heroes to make up for her past."
Cheerfully, Miruko said, "Or maybe I'm persuading Fuyumi to defect to the fun side. That option should be on the table too. Good relationships require both parties to make compromises."
Shouto shook his head. "It's starting to look like our family really does have a curse to be attracted to villains…is that why my relationship with Izuku is failing? Because he's not a villain?"
Fuyumi sighed. "Don't listen to that nonsense. Curses aren't real. Just because Natsuo and I have ridiculous love lives doesn't mean you have to follow in our footsteps."
Miruko plopped down next to them on the sofa. "It sounds like you haven't been rejected yet, so don't give up!"
"Izuku congratulated me on dating Bakugo," Shouto said glumly. "What could that possibly mean except that he's not interested?"
"It could mean that he's putting on a brave face," Fuyumi said. "He might not have checked his phone for messages because his feelings were hurt."
Shouto's shoulders sagged. "It's all my fault…I hurt him…"
"Nonsense, you're not to blame for the press' usual idiocy," Fuyumi said firmly.
Miruko slapped Shouto on the back. "Love is war! In both cases, you have to begin with a proper letter of challenge. Did you tell this boy that you like him?"
Shouto said, "I told Izuku that I like shy people…"
"Wrong!" Miruko boomed. "The world is full of shy people. Tell him that you like him and want to take him on a date."
Shouto glanced at his phone. "But what if he rejects me?"
Fuyumi said, "Then I'll be here to comfort you."
Miruko added, "And I'll pour a bit of whiskey into your tea."
Shouto gulped. "I'm going to do it." He dialed Izuku's phone number one more time.
When Shouto's name flashed on caller ID, Izuku didn't want to pick up. But it would unfair to leave Shouto in suspense when his calls had been so frantic. Izuku should have texted back right away saying that he knew the scandal was fake, but he'd missed his chance while lost in his thoughts, and now Izuku couldn't exactly turn down the call and then text Shouto without making it obvious he'd been avoided talking.
Izuku answered the phone. "Hey, Shouto. I'm sorry, I only listened to your messages just now. I saw the press conference, so I know the scandal was fake."
"Oh, thank goodness." Shouto swallowed audibly. "I was afraid you were angry at me."
"I wouldn't have the right to be angry with you. It's not like we're dating."
Shouto's voice turned soft and uncertain. "I know, but last time we met, I…I wanted it to be a date." His tone became bolder. "Izuku Midoriya, I like you. Can I take you out on a proper date?"
"Yes, absolutely." Izuku's mouth moved without any input from his brain. He knew he should take it back. Shouto liked an illusion. If Shouto ever found out about Black Rabbit, if he came to know the real Izuku, then he'd be disappointed. Izuku's silence was a deception. But Izuku could not bring himself to speak.
"Great!" Shouto was nearly cheering on the other end of the phone. "I'll text you the details. I promise to plan something amazing."
Izuku was still having trouble talking. He tried twice before saying, "Y-yes."
Shouto chuckled. "No need to be nervous—but that part of you is also cute! I'll talk to you soon."
Staring at his phone after hanging up, Izuku wanted to cry, but the space under his chest was too hollow. This was everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he felt too guilty to be happy about it.
Izuku made a decision. He would hang up Black Rabbit's mask. Now the assassin had broken all of his limbs, surely that fool would be unlikely to be a problem again. Izuku would become the normal boy that Shouto wanted to date, and no one would ever find out.
A million different fictional romance plotlines had all told Izuku that it was a bad idea to pretend to be someone else in front of the person he liked. But even if Izuku could see the headlights of the oncoming train, he wanted it too badly to get out of the way.
Izuku could kill the Black Rabbit part of himself. He'd never wanted to be a villain anyway.
Shouto pushed open the door to the hero's headquarters, humming. He skipped down the hallway, a big grin on his face. Upon spotting Inasa, he waved. "Good afternoon! It's a beautiful afternoon, isn't it? Such a wonderful day!"
Inasa paled and pointed. "Imposter! The real Todoroki would never skip, hum, or spout platitudes about the weather."
Shouto scowled. "Jeez, you make it sound like something must be wrong because I'm happy."
"That growly expression does look more like Todoroki." Inasa circled Shouto. "Could it be that you're celebrating because Black Rabbit switched targets to Bakugo? How unexpectedly cruel! I had no idea you were like that!"
"What are you talking about?" Shouto demanded. "There's been another Black Rabbit attack?"
"You didn't know?" Inasa pulled out his phone. "Black Rabbit destroyed the downtown area while chasing after Bakugo. See, it's all over the news." He played a video clip.
As Shouto watched, his expression became somber. "Black Rabbit has flames now?"
Inasa nodded. "People are speculating about if All for One shrunk or if Black Rabbit is a relative of All for One."
When Shouto watched Katsuki get flicked in the forehead, he snorted. "Black Rabbit is strong." As the blue flames played around the villain, Shouto whispered, "Beautiful…"
"What did you just say?" Inasa asked.
Shouto jumped. "Nothing! I don't like villains at all! There's definitely no Todoroki family curse!" He slapped his own cheeks and staggered off, muttering to himself.
Looking after, Inasa said, "At least he seems to be back to his usual self. That cheerful whistling gave me the creeps."
As Hitoshi walked home from the convenience store, a shopping bag under his arm, he checked his phone. He had half a dozen texts from Izuku. "Ah, so the dating scandal was just a misunderstanding." Hitoshi didn't have the money for a television and rationed his mobile data so carefully that he rarely watched videos, so he hadn't yet seen the press conference. "Those two have a love life like something from a TV drama." Hitoshi frowned as he read Izuku's text asking if he was a bad person for deceiving Shouto about being Black Rabbit. "It seems like that guy is the type to worry about everything. You're not even a real villain, what's the big deal?"
Hitoshi was about to text back, then his head jerked up at a crashing sound. Glass exploded from the windows of a restaurant. Distant laughter drifted on the wind, then an explosion came from inside.
Whatever had been making that creepy laughter, Hitoshi did not want to be caught up in it. He whirled around and ran.
His phone buzzed again. Hitoshi glanced down, seeing a text from Izuku: I need urgent help!
Had Izuku somehow gotten caught up in this mess? But surely someone so strong could destroy any enemy? Wouldn't his parents save Izuku if he ever got in over his head?
In his distraction, Hitoshi tripped over something. Catching himself before he fell, he looked down. A head with a black hood and gas mask poked out of the concrete.
"Ahh! Sorry!" Hitoshi leapt backward. How had Izuku gotten stuck in the middle of the street? And how had he texted while buried neck deep in the ground? Perhaps using a new telekinesis power? No matter, it was more important to rescue Izuku. "I'll get you out of here." Hitoshi tried to lift the concrete, but it was too heavy. He looked around for a tool to use for digging. "Ugh, you're stuck in here good. What, did Shouto Todoroki discover your identity and freeze you in revenge? After all my hard work helping you conceal it…"
The black-masked figure said, "No, Katsuki Bakugo stuck me in here. Are you helping me? Are you a member of the Metahuman Liberation Army?"
"Huh? Those out-of-date terrorists?" Hitoshi blinked. "Hey, your voice sounds different." The tone was too deep to be Izuku. Hitoshi yanked off the gas mask.
A stranger with black hair and a thin moustache stared back. "Since you have uncovered me, I am not ashamed of my identity! It is I, Trumpet, the great harbinger of the Metahuman Liberation Army. You will be rewarded greatly for freeing me."
Oh, so it wasn't Izuku after all. Hitoshi stood up and walked away.
Trumpet shrieked, "Hey! Get back here! At least put my mask back on!"
Another text popped up from Izuku. Shouto asked me out on a date. An official date this time! I'm not sure if it's right for me to go when I'm deceiving him, but I agreed without thinking. Then I spent so much time fretting that now it's nearly time to leave and I don't know what to wear.
That was the big crisis? Date clothing? Hitoshi texted back, I think you may have bigger problems. I ran into a weirdo pretending to be you, and there's a massive villain attack going on. Hitoshi leapt away as a bit of roof fell off the building he passed. Explosions sounded above. I don't think Shouto will be able to make your date.
On the street, a group of people in gas masks danced around a burning trash can chanting, "With Black Rabbit as our leader, the Metahuman Liberation Army will rise!"
Hitoshi snapped a picture and sent it to Izuku. They claim to be working for you, is that going to be a problem?
The string of incoherent emojis in return suggested Izuku was not happy about this.
A man with waist-length black hair stepped in front of Hitoshi. He wore a gas mask over his face. "All normies must bow before those with quirks."
"I've got a quirk, actually," Hitoshi said. "I can prove it."
"Oh? What ability do you have? Depending you might be worthy to join—"
"Shut up," Hitoshi said, activating Brainwashing. "Take off your mask, raise your hands in surrender, and wait there to be arrested." Then he strolled away, returning to his apartment and safely locking the door behind him.
Izuku's fingers dug into his phone hard enough to leave a crack on the screen. Noticing, he dropped his phone to the bed and sighed. He'd just received a very, very apologetic text from Shouto asking to reschedule their date, with groveling for doing this a second time and promises that there weren't usually so many villain incidents in Musutafu.
Izuku wasn't angry at Shouto. He was angry at the universe. It wasn't fair. Izuku had decided to set aside Black Rabbit's mask forever and live as an ordinary person. But Black Rabbit still found a way to ruin his date! It felt like destiny was telling Izuku that he would never, ever be together with Shouto.
Screw destiny. Izuku stood up and donned his black coat. He would crush these imposters in time to still make his date.
The universe was out to get Shouto. It could not be a coincidence his date had been sabotaged twice in a row. Izuku would probably be angry, and rightfully so. Maybe the Todoroki family curse wanted to ruin Shouto's relationship because he wasn't dating a villain?
Spears of ice had destroyed the surrounding street. After a long battle, Geten of the MLA had finally fallen. Using his flames, Shouto burned a path through the ice wall. Then he slapped handcuffs on the unconscious Geten, who wore a heavy coat and a black mask. Panting, Shouto leaned against the ice. He knew he needed to get up and keep fighting. There were still many more black masks ripping up the city.
These criminals didn't even have a purpose. They weren't trying to steal anything. They crushed anyone who got in their way but did not target any particular people for harm. They claimed to be seeking freedom to use their quirks but from what Shouto could tell, they were just randomly destroying everything in sight. More importantly, they had set fire to the soba shop where Shouto had planned to take Izuku on their next date. For that foul crime, they were all dead meat!
A sudden pressure filled the air. Shouto looked up. Black Rabbit stood on top of the ice. Cold, menacing fury radiated off him. Shouto could see why Inasa had said that Black Rabbit had changed. This aura of malice was entirely different from any of their previous encounters. For some strange reason, it gave Shouto a thrill of excitement.
…How odd. He'd better not be turning into a battle junky like Bakugo.
Black Rabbit threw down a scrap of paper. It was a poster calling for all quirked people to join the Metahuman Liberation Army and rule Japan.
Shouto dragged himself to his tired feet. "Is this a declaration of war, Black Rabbit? We, the heroes, stand ready to defeat you."
Black Rabbit gestured for Shouto to flip over the poster.
Shouto did. On the other side, Black Rabbit had written in all-caps: THESE IDIOTS CALLING THEMSELVES THE METAHUMAN LIBERATION ARMY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. I HAVE KNOCKED THEM OUT ALL OVER MUSUTAFU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL OF THE POLICE AND HEROES CAN PACK UP AND GO HOME. YOU COULD EVEN MAKE ANY DINNER PLANS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
Staring up at the masked figure, Shouto tried to decide if he believed this. It didn't seem like Black Rabbit had any reason to lie, but he also had no reason to help the police. Perhaps the imposters had angered him?
A new voice shouted, "How dare you attack my people, fake Black Rabbit?" A giant man with an oversized nose ran down the street, sparks dancing off his body. "I, Re-Destro, will defeat you! Then I will become the true Black Rabbit, the strongest, the one destined to lead all metahumans to world domination—"
Black Rabbit teleported behind Re-Destro and punched him in the head. The villain hit the ground. The force of Black Rabbit's punch destroyed the street. Re-Destro landed in a pit fifty feet deep, moaning softly.
Shouto's face flushed. His heart hammered. He grabbed the front of his shirt, silently ordering his heart to stop acting up. Only Izuku was supposed to make Shouto feel so mushy inside! Maybe Shouto was confusing his appreciation to Black Rabbit for beating up Re-Destro (and Katsuki) with admiration. Shouto would definitely never think that a villain looked cool.
To cover up his feelings, Shouto summoned ice under his feet and glided toward Black Rabbit. "Today's the day that we finish our fight!"
Black Rabbit moved fast, too fast, leaping behind Shouto and holding up a phone to his face. The letters on the screen read: I came to defeat the Metahuman Liberation Army. You'll never see me again. I'm sorry. Goodbye.
The message roused a confused fury in Shouto. How dare Black Rabbit appear out of nowhere, shake Shouto's confidence, make him fear for his life, expose his abs on TV, and then vanish? Unacceptable! Shouto grabbed Black Rabbit and threw him over his shoulder. Pinning the villain to the ground with his shoe, Shouto growled, "You can't escape when I'm touching you." Fire sprang up around his hand.
Shouto had braced himself for a frontal attack. Instead, Black Rabbit punched the pavement. As the ground crumbled, Black Rabbit slipped away. Black Rabbit could have teleported to safety as soon as Shouto stopped touching him. But instead, Black Rabbit appeared behind Shouto and grabbed the back of his shirt to yank him away before he fell into the pit.
Black Rabbit had…saved him? That had been sort of cool. Shouto shook his head. The family curse must be messing with his mind.
Balling his fists, Shouto shouted, "What's wrong with you? Are you mocking me?"
Black Rabbit shook his head. He typed on his phone. Shouto checked his watch. He could wait for the villain to finish his message and still make his date.
The TVs in the department store across the street played the news, despite broken glass fallen all around the screens. Shouto had not been paying any attention during his fight. But when he heard the name, "Touya Todoroki," his neck swiveled around.
The left side of the screen showed an image of a patient lying in bed in a full body cast, with a picture of a young Touya on the right side. Wasn't this the same man Black Rabbit kept taking hostage? Completely forgetting about the villain, Shouto ran toward the department store so he could read the subtitles on the screen:
Previously believed to be dead, Touya Todoroki has come forward with a shocking statement. Allegedly the hero Endeavor had children as part of a project to create the perfect hero, discarding the ones with less useful quirks. Endeavor forced Touya into relentless training that destroyed his body. Some of Touya's statement was rambling as he claimed a conspiracy by his family to steal his quirk, so we hesitate to draw any conclusions at this stage about his veracity. It is also unclear how he ended up in a full body cast.
Shouto staggered backward. "Touya…is alive…? And he hates us? Of course he'd hate me, I replaced him and I didn't even do a good job at it. I can't even defeat you." Shouto whirled around, pointing at Black Rabbit.
It was impossible to read Black Rabbit's facial expression under the mask, but he'd completely lost his intimidating aura. His shoulders hunched up and he waved his hands. Stepping forward, Black Rabbit held out his arms. It took Shouto a moment to realize his enemy wanted to hug him.
How low had Shouto fallen, that even a villain took pity on him? "Go away!" Shouto screamed, shoving Black Rabbit. "I can't deal with you right now. I don't even want to be a hero! I never asked for this power!"
Something hot rose up under Shouto's skin, then vanished. He became aware of all the ice lying on the street around him. Normally, Shouto's body could regulate his own temperature. For the first time in his life, Shouto felt cold.
As a test, Shouto tried to summon a flame on his fingertip. Nothing happened.
"Did you just steal my quirk?" Shouto whispered.
"I didn't mean to!" Black Rabbit wailed. "Please give me a moment, I'll give it back." Black Rabbit pressed a bare hand against Shouto's cheek. Shouto was too shocked to even resist. It wasn't as if he could do anything to stop the villain in his current state. Black Rabbit felt all over Shouto's face, but nothing happened. "I've never tried to give one back before. I don't know how! I swear I'll figure out a way to fix this. I'm sorry!" Black Rabbit vanished.
Shouto was left standing stunned and shivering on the street. He'd recognized that voice. The shaky apology had been unmistakably familiar. Black Rabbit was Izuku Midoriya.
OMAKE TIME!
Omake: Shouto's Failed Attempt at Reconciliation Continues
Shouto: Just to be clear, I don't like Black Rabbit one bit! I hate villains and angry people! Black Rabbit should date someone equally violent, like Katsuki Bakugo.
Izuku: Ow, why do you have to keep twisting the knife?
Author's Note: FYI, I've started another collaboration fic over on Archive of Our Own as a result of playing fic telephone with some other writers. My handle there is katydid.
Title: Escape from the Night
Summary: Prince Yoichi fled from the night kingdom with an unnamed infant. Izuku grew up as the sole night elf among day elves, unaware that someday the dark will come for him.