Knowing what the right thing to do in hard situations was one thing that Izuku knew he needed to work on, especially after this.
He'd known that Iida was struggling with what had happened to his brother. Izuku knew that he needed to do something about it. But knowing what to do was more difficult than it sounded. Izuku sent his friend messages and offered to spend time together, he tried to be there for him. He tried to be a good friend.
It was obviously not enough, Izuku wasn't enough. He should've done more, been better. Just like always.
When he'd first found Iida, lying on the ground with the Hero Killer standing over him, pure horror had swelled in Izuku, the likes of which he'd never felt before.
Iida had looked like a corpse. Izuku had thought... he thought he'd been too late.
But then he'd shouted at Izuku when he'd knocked the hero killer away and the unadulterated
relief that Izuku felt left his hands clammy and his body shaking.
The fight was rough, and probably the most terrifying thing he'd ever done, aside from the entirety of the USJ fight. Stain was scary . But Izuku's determination to defend his friend and class representative trumped any fear, squashing it down until it was barely noticeable.
The fight was not turning in his favor though and he had to rely more and more on Todoroki after he showed up, especially when Izuku became paralyzed by the vigilante's quirk.
The pivotal moment, the moment that changed the rest of Izuku's life, was when Stain jumped to the wall, ricocheting off of it and spinning through the air like a bullet, sword aimed at Todoroki who was slowly turning, as if in slow motion. Izuku yelled in warning, panicked, and Todoroki glanced at him, baring his back.
He was going to watch one of his first, one of his closest friends, be murdered . Right in front of him.
No.
One for All flared into life, fulgurite figures of green lightning branching over his skin, every hair standing on end as his body finally reacted. He didn't know if OFA helped the time limit of the paralyzation quirk, or if it was solely his blood type, but either way, Izuku was running forward, screaming, faster than he'd ever moved in his life.
He threw an arm out, his only concern to just move Todoroki. To save him.
He hit him a bit too hard and the other boy went crashing into the opposite wall and Izuku winced, eyes flicking upward when he saw the sharp sparkle of the moonlight off the surface of the Hero Killer's blade.
There was nothing to be done.
The blade sliced across Izuku's throat like a knife through freshly baked bread, blood immediately spraying up across his vision. His hands instinctively came up to cover the gash, blood gurgling out
of his mouth as he stumbled forward, his knees giving out.
Someone shouted but all sounds were drowned out by the roar of blood in his ears as Izuku crashed forward and then dropped to his side, feet kicking weakly at the ground.
He was rolled to his back but he couldn't see through the black spots in his vision. There was more pressure over his own rapidly weakening hands and Izuku coughed, blood spraying from his mouth.
He couldn't breathe.
"-oriya." A voice sounded over the harsh pounding of his heart increasing through his head,
slowing down.
He could feel himself dying. He could feel the time between each beat increasing with every pulse, blood spurting between his fingers, powered by his heart.
He was surprised by the lack of pain. Maybe it'd just been too fast. Maybe it was the shock. Whatever it was, Izuku was grateful. He had felt a lot of pain in his life and despite being
accustomed to it, he was far from enjoying it.
He just hoped All Might found the baggie of his own hair he had shoved in one of his hero notebooks. He'd figured that was the safest place for them, his old, no longer used notebooks. And he'd taken All Might as the sentimental type to want to go through them if Izuku were to...
He'd put the baggie right next to All Might's massive signature, from when they'd first met.
He just hoped it was found. Izuku couldn't bear to be the killer of One for All.
The last thing Izuku felt was burning agony across his neck, like someone had lit him on fire. His body spasmed in pain, wetness gurgling at the back of his throat, eyes shooting wide to see a blur of red and white, expanding to fill his entire vision before it went completely black.
--
Shouto had known fear. All his life he'd been exposed to the terror that was his father, of the wretched anticipation of waiting for the next fit of anger, of the next 'training session'... of the stark reminder of Touya's absence and the unstated rule to never mention him.
But this fear was completely different. This was right now, this was watching his only friend bleeding out on the ground.
It was his fault.
His back had been exposed for a second . He knew better than to look away during a fight, but... he'd done it anyway. He'd grunted in surprise when Midoriya had shoved him roughly into the wall, his shoulder hitting it painfully.
It was unlike his friend to be so careless and he'd turned in just enough time to watch in stunned silence as Midoriya's throat was slit from one end to the other, an arc of blood immediately spraying out in a macabre single-colored rainbow.
The Hero Killer stepped back, seemingly in surprise, dripping in crimson, as if he hadn't meant to
nearly decapitate Midoriya. As if it was an accident.
A life as Endeavor's star child had never had any benefits, had never had a pro in the thousands of cons.
But Shouto's reaction time was fast because of that training and he took advantage of the Hero Killer's surprise, darting forward, planting a flaming fist into the vigilante's face. Shouto slammed him headfirst into the wall where he dropped to the ground in a pile of loose limbs.
Endeavor had at least given him that.
"Tie him up!" Shouto snarled to Iida, who had climbed to his feet, helpfully now unparalyzed. Shouto didn't wait around watching, sprinting to Midoriya's side and falling to his knees heavily. There was so much blood; pooling beneath Midoriya's shaking body, sprayed out in front of him.
Shouto rolled Midoriya to his back to see his face. Jade eyes were wide with fear, and his face was as pale as death with lips tinged in blue and red as blood trailed from the corner of his mouth. "Fuck, Midoriya..." Shouto gasped. The other boy's hands fumbled to cover his neck weakly, barely accomplishing anything as blood sprayed out with every beat of his heart.
Shouto knocked the hands away, shoving his own against the wound. Blood immediately gushed past his grip and Midoriya made a gurgling sound, feet jerking limply against the ground.
"It's okay, it's okay." Shouto swallowed, panicked, eyes flicking up to see Iida finishing tying the Hero Killer up to rush over.
Shouto couldn't think .
Midoriya was going to die.
"Kid!" Shouto's head jerked up. Native was looking over, eyes desperate. "Use your fire, cauterize the wound or that boy is going to die."
Shouto went still before looking down. Midoriya was no longer moving, eyes half lidded and lips parted. He wasn't even shaking anymore and his chest didn't move with breath, and if it wasn't for the hot blood that still gushed between Shouto's fingers he would've thought he was dead.
"Fuck, fuck." Shouto hissed and then shook his head.
He couldn't think, he had to do this now. He had to do this right now.
Shouto lifted his right hand away, leaving his left, and carefully sent the fire he had once despised into his fingertips. The fire that Midoriya himself had gotten Shouto to use.
The irony was not lost on the boy, but he wouldn't think about it until later, when he was alone in his bedroom.
Midoriya's body spasmed and Iida jerked forward to hold him down, but it was unnecessary. Izuku had no strength left in his body. He couldn't even scream, only bubbles of blood welling at his mouth before his eyes closed the rest of the way.
Tears pricked at Shouto's eyes but he ignored them, sliding his fingertips across Midoriya's throat,
trying to tell himself that this wasn't his friend he was doing this to. It didn't work.
Shouto finished and fell backward, arms shaking as they held him up. He was coated in blood up to his elbows, and it decorated his chest and neck as well as smeared across his face.
What had he done?
Iida lifted Midoriya into his arms with no preamble and took off with the sound of engines, and the smell of exhaust mixed with the scent of iron and cooked flesh.
Shotou turned and vomited across the alleyway. --
A steady, annoying, beeping broke through the haze of sleep and a breath of air hissed between Izuku's teeth, forehead creasing, light piercing through his eyelids.
He wanted to sleep, just a little more. He was so tired.
A few hours, or a few days later, who knew really, the beeping returned and Izuku wanted to crush his alarm, like that time when he'd first gotten One for All and he'd accidentally decimated his All Might platinum edition alarm clock.
He'd had to use his phone after that, setting an anime opening as the... Wait...
That beeping wasn't his alarm. He was familar enough at this point with the sound to know that that was a heart monitor.
Izuku's eyes snapped open, an expanse of a white tiled ceiling stretching above him. Yes, hospital, okay... backtrack. What had happened this time?
He'd been with Gran and they were going to... They'd been...
Iida.
Stain.
Izuku lurched up, eyes wide, hand going to his throat to feel thick bandages wound around his neck over and over again.
"Midoriya?!" A familiar voice said and Izuku's head swiveled to see Iida standing in front of a chair, hands held up nervously, face creased, as if in pain.
Izuku opened his mouth, 'Iida...'
Izuku recoiled, frowning before trying again. 'Iida.' Nothing, there was nothing. No sound at all.
Iida paled, stepping toward the door. "Your mom just left for a second, she'll be right back." Iida shouted, grabbing the door handle. "I'm going to get a doctor!"
He disappeared out the door and Izuku prodded at the bulky bandages. It didn't hurt, but a glance up at a clear I.V. connected to his inner elbow told him why that might be the case and he dropped his hand. It was probably best not to mess with the bandages or the wound beneath them.
He opened his mouth again, trying to say something, forming words with his mouth, names of his classmates and places begging to be set free, but nothing happened. Maybe his vocal cords had been damaged? Why hadn't Recovery Girl healed them yet if that was the case?
The door opened and a doctor stepped in, wearing a white coat and a flowered top beneath it, lanyard hanging from her neck, a nametag on her coat read, 'Ayaka.'
Before she could introduce herself, the comforting form of Izuku's mother burst into the room, tears in her eyes as she threw her arms around Izuku.
'Mom...' Izuku tried, gritting his teeth at his inability to speak.
He settled with lifting his arms and hugging her back as tightly as he could manage. He still felt weak and tired, like he'd just run several marathons back to back.
"Hello, Midoriya. My name is Ayaka, it's so great to meet you." She smiled sweetly at Izuku and his mom leaned back, wiping at her eyes and looking up at the doctor, nodding to her.
Izuku's frown deepened, looking between the doctor and his mom.
'What...?' He attempted and a stifled sob broke out of his mom and she leaned forward, hair covering her face as she pressed her hands to her chest.
His mom cried a lot, it's where he got it from, but not... not like this.
An empty pit was growing in Izuku's stomach and he didn't like it one bit. --
'You're permanently mute.'
' I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do.'
'You'll be okay, given time. The wound should heal rather quickly, considering the...'
Izuku had tuned the doctors out after a while, leaning back into his pillows. He was due to be released soon and he didn't know how to feel about that. His whole life... everything was going to be different now and he would just go home... just like that. As if nothing had happened.
His mom came to get him and they drove home in an uncomfortable silence. There were still bandages around his neck, but more in an attempt to reduce scarring than anything else. He'd been told that no matter what, there was going to be a big scar.
But what was another to his rapidly growing collection? It was everything else that bothered him.
How was he going to be a hero if he couldn't communicate with anyone?
His mom stopped to pick up dinner before they reached home and Izuku climbed out of the car with a soundless sigh, shutting the door behind him before following his mom up the steps to their apartment.
Inko set the table and Izuku sat down, yawning. He was mostly better, but the medicine he was taking for the next few days made him tired.
He forced a smile onto his face for his mom as she divided out some katsudon between the two of them. She smiled back and he dug in with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.
There was one thing he'd already noticed since the severance of his vocal cords. When people knew you couldn't speak, they felt the need to remain quiet as well, as if for some reason it would be rude to talk to him or around him, when he couldn't.
It was frustrating and he didn't know how to express it. It wasn't rude at all. He wanted his mom to talk to him. He wanted to hear her voice and everyone else's too. Just because he couldn't speak, didn't mean other people shouldn't either.
His eyes pricked with tears and he swallowed his bite of pork, opening his mouth to request to leave the table early and then snapping his jaw closed when he remembered. His hands clenched around his chopsticks and his mom gave him this look of pity.
Izuku gritted his teeth and stood from the table, his chair screeching against the floor. He waved good night to his mom and walked to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him and sliding down it.
His mom's cries echoed from the kitchen but his were silent. --
He'd texted his friends over his hospital, and then his home stay, but he knew returning to school was going to be something different. Something more difficult.
He stood in front of his mirror, grimacing as he ran a finger across the harsh scar, snaking across his throat. It was thick and ridged. You could see where the skin had separated and scar tissue had formed, where the burn began and ended, spanning up the expanse of skin nearly to his chin.
He'd almost died there.
He'd been told that he would have if not for Native's quick thinking along with Todoroki, cauterizing the wound, and then Iida carrying him to the hospital. If it hadn't been for them Izuku would have bled out right there in that gross alley.
He hadn't seen the other boy since he'd woken and he'd tried texting Todoroki a thank you, but he still hadn't responded and Izuku was worried that he'd done something wrong. He was afraid that he'd lost one of his few friends because of this.
Izuku was afraid that he'd hurt Todoroki.
Izuku dropped his hand, lips parting and brow furrowing, trying to force anything out of his mouth.
Nothing came out but a flat breath of hot air and he squared his shoulders, fighting tears before they even came. He could do this. You didn't need a voice to become a hero. He could be the silent hero or something.
Izuku ate a quick breakfast and hugged his mom, listening to her as she fretted over him with a forced smile before leaving, his smile dropping with a sigh.
He was tired.
The train ride was spent with his headphones in, trying to pretend everything was how it used to be. Trying to lose himself in the noise.
He removed them when the train hit the station and he stepped out, climbing the hill toward the school, shrugging his bag higher on his shoulders. He could do this.
He could do this.
He was running a bit early and the only person in the classroom when Izuku reached it was Iida, who stood from his desk as soon as Izuku stepped inside.
"Midoriya." He breathed, the corners of his eyes creasing as his gaze flicked to Izuku's neck. Izuku had to physically prevent himself from reaching a hand up to cover the scar, one hand grabbing the other wrist, fingernails digging into his skin. "Midoriya, I'm so sorry. "
Izuku shook his head, lips parting before closing, teeth grinding and his shoulders lifting. No, no, no. That's not what he wanted, that's not what he needed. Not apologies, not pity . He'd do it again, if he had to, he just wanted... he just wanted Iida to know that he shouldn't have been so vengeful in the first place.
Izuku knew that Iida wasn't sorry for the right thing, that he was just sorry for what had happened to Izuku... Izuku didn't blame him.
But he didn't have the words to tell his friend that.
"Midoriya." Todoroki's voice sounded stiffly from behind him and Izuku turned around rapidly, wanting so much to speak back but instead waving lamely. Todoroki was frowning deeply, his eyes on Izuku's neck before flicking away and pushing past him to get to his desk.
He was obviously mad at him.
This was so hard.
Iida sat back down, staring at his desk and Izuku walked to his own, laying his head down. He loved his friends. They were the first people that really seemed to care about him in... forever really, aside from his mom, but he just didn't feel like he could handle them today. He didn't think he could take their pity .
Uraraka was the next to find him. They'd texted several times since the incident, but for the most part Izuku had just needed time on his own to come to terms with everything.
He forced a smile onto his face as Uraraka talked to him, though her voice was static in his ears as he just nodded in the right places until finally Aizawa walked in, sending them all to their seats.
Izuku sagged into his seat, the fake smile falling from his features as he ran a hand down his face. Aizawa glanced at him. "Midoriya, please see me after class."
Anxiety rose in Izuku's chest like a tide and he would have groaned if he was physically able to, instead settling for pressing a hand against his chest. Why did teachers do that, why wouldn't they just add on something small like, 'no need to be concerned, or, it's nothing bad.'
Aizawa turned to the board and scribbled something down before starting his lecture monotonously, the class quiet for the most part.
His classmates kept sneaking looks at him, and Izuku kept his eyes down on his notebook, fingernails tracing the scar. The whole dynamic of the class was off. Izuku had finally gotten the strength to raise his hand in classes, to participate in the lectures. People teased him for his muttering, sure, but they didn't make fun of him for it. It had been so different than middle school.
Izuku had finally been able to be himself, but now... a part of him was gone and he didn't know who he was anymore.
Who was he without his voice?
Somehow Izuku had tuned out almost the entire lecture without noticing and he blinked up, Aizawa suddenly standing in front of him as the class remained sitting, abnormally quiet.
"Come with me." Aizawa sighed and turned away.
Izuku blinked before grabbing at his backpack and shoving his notebook into it, chasing after Aizawa, his head down.
His own mannerisms reminded him too much of his middle school days and he clenched his hands into fists, nails digging into his skin.
He hadn't had a voice then either, but now it was so much more physical .
Izuku followed Aizawa to the teachers offices, walking past All Might in his powered down form whom he waved at half heartedly, fighting a wince. That was another conversation he was not looking forward to.
Aizawa led the way to the back, shoving open the break room and guiding Izuku in with a hand on his back. His teacher gestured for him to sit down on the couch as he pulled up a loveseat and fell into it with a sigh, running a hand across the shadow decorating his chin and then sliding his hand up his face, as if in exhaustion.
"Midoriya, I couldn't possibly know what you're going through, but you do know U.A. is going to do our best to make accommodations, correct?" Aizawa said, dropping his hand and meeting his eyes.
Izuku recoiled in shock, blinking rapidly. That was... certainly not what he'd expected of this conversation.
'What...?' he mouthed.
Dang it. Maybe eventually he would stop trying to speak.
Aizawa sighed again. "I can read lips well enough." He shook his head and then frowned. "Did you know that Mic is partially deaf?"
Okay, what?!
Aizawa must have seen his confusion because he nodded. "Yes, so of course he knows sign language. You're going to begin taking after school classes with him starting tomorrow as long as you can get a permission slip signed by your parents or guardians."
Sign language? He supposed it could help... but only if he was around other people that communicated with it.
Izuku frowned, hand on his chin, lips moving soundlessly.
Even if not a lot of people knew about sign language, or used it, it could be useful. It would provide him a way to communicate with heroes in the future, which he would definitely need. But what about civilians?
Izuku just couldn't possibly see how he could be a hero. He needed to talk to All Might.
"Midoriya." Izuku's head shot up at his teacher's exasperated voice. "You know this doesn't change anything right? Things might be a bit more difficult for you but you can still be a hero."
Izuku averted his eyes, frowning.
Aizawa stood, dark eyes searching over Izuku, as if looking for something specific and not finding it, his shoulders falling as he stepped forward, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to Izuku.
"Get someone to sign this tonight and give it to me or Mic tomorrow. Your lessons should start as soon as possible, we need you to be able to communicate in class, but in the meantime you'll be given a white board and marker." He said and Izuku flinched. Of course, he definitely needed another reason to stand out.
Aizawa hesitantly and awkwardly patted his shoulder. "Alright, go on back to class."
Izuku nodded, sliding to his feet, shoving the paper into his bag before heading toward the door. "And Midoriya?"
Izuku froze, head turning to look at his teacher. He looked tired, which was no different than usual, but Izuku felt guilty about it for some reason. Like it was his fault that Aizawa had shadows beneath his eyes.
He really was sinking back into his middle school mentality.
"It's going to be okay, Problem Child." His voice was softer than Izuku had ever heard it before and he tried to tell himself it wasn't pity, because he knew it wasn't, But he couldn't help the anger swelling within him.
Izuku nodded to his teacher and turned away, pushing the door open and leaving the room, letting the door fall shut behind him. He walked straight up to All Might, hand rifling through his bag.
"Young Midoriya, how have you-"
Izuku found what he was looking for and held it out to Yagi, the man taking the piece of notebook paper with a frown, looking at Izuku with confusion. "My boy?"
Izuku gestured to his throat in a harsh answer before turning away and leaving the teachers' offices.
He didn't go back to class, he knew he couldn't handle it right now, he just...
Izuku's feet picked up speed in the empty hallways, all classes in mid session, all good students where they belonged.
Izuku wiped at his eyes, nearly running now, legs moving quickly as he sniffled. He felt weak, and why was that such a surprise? This was how it always was with him, relapse after relapse into an old mental state that was supposed to be long past. Why couldn't he just-
He turned a corner at a run, slamming face first into something hard and both he and the person he'd hit nearly went sprawling. A hand lashed out and snatched his shoulder, righting him and he grabbed the wall, catching his balance.
A snort sounded, "Oh, look, Mr. Great-At-Everything is skipping class."
Izuku looked up to see the slightly familiar face of the purple haired boy from his first one on one during the sports festival. He was in no state to remember his name at the moment though.
The boy's smirk dropped from his face when he caught sight of Izuku's expression and the tears in his eyes. "Hey, you alright?"
Izuku took a step back, out of the boy's grasp, shaking his head. He wiped his sleeves across his eyes, mouthing the words, 'I'm fine,' despite imagining there was no way the other boy could see his mouth with the way he was covering his face.
"Midoriya right? What's wrong?" Izuku continued shaking his head, taking another step backward, feet tangling together, causing him to drop to his butt.
His chest was heaving and his heart ached. His ribcage was shrinking, and oh crap, why was his ribcage shrinking?!
"Alright, alright." The purple haired boy crouched in front of Izuku, not touching him. "Can you answer me? What's your favorite color? Do you like ice cream?"
Izuku folded into himself, laughing soundlessly as tears broke past his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. It was funny, wasn't it?
The one thing that this kid had been able to use against him and now it was rendered useless. It was funny!
"Um. Let's get to the bathroom." A hand grabbed his arm and Izuku let it pull him up, closing his eyes for a moment and trying to take a deep breath. It didn't work.
He opened his eyes as he was pulled along like some sort of puppet toward the nearest bathroom, the other boy finding a place to give him some privacy.
He shut the door and locked it behind them once they entered and after checking to make sure that the stalls were all empty. Izuku moved forward on his own, turning so that his back hit the wall, his body sliding down until he could bury his face in his knees.
He was supposed to be better than this. He was supposed to be past this.
The other boy knelt in front of Izuku once again now that they were alone. "Midoriya, just answer me. I can help, it's like the one thing I'm good for." He said with a derisive laugh in his voice.
Izuku lifted his head, biting his lip before lifting a hand to point at his exposed throat. Shinsou , that was his name. Shinsou.
The other boy sucked in a sharp breath, eyes on the scar. Izuku supposed what had happened to him was still private information for the most part. He'd seen some of the news that had come out from that day. He'd seen some of the things that people said about it.
The public knew that students had been injured during the fight but they didn't know which ones or how badly. It had all been buried beneath another great victory by the number two piece of shit.
Apparently he was thinking like Kacchan now too, great.
"You can't speak anymore, can you?" Shinsou's voice had lowered, becoming cautious.
Izuku shook his head, dropping his hand and taking a shuddery breath. He was getting control of his breathing at least, so that was something. And he hadn't thrown up on Shinsou, another positive.
"You're the perfect foe for me now." Shinsou smirked.
Izuku frowned, sliding his feet forward a bit, unfolding from his tight ball as he regained control of his senses. He opened his mouth and then frowned in frustration, thumping his head back against the wall.
"Mood."
Izuku blinked, lifting his head, aghast. 'What?' He mouthed.
Shinsou smiled crookedly, leaning back. "Let's ditch the rest of the day and go to the nearest cat cafe."
Shock flooded Izuku's system but he found his head nodding stiffly and Shinsou grinned, an expression eerily similar to Aizawa's evil smile when he had something planned to nearly traumatize the class with.
Shinsou stood and Izuku slid back up the wall, wiping his bottom free of bathroom floor filth. "You like cats, right?" Shinsou asked as he unlocked the bathroom door and then held it open for Izuku, letting him walk through before releasing it.
Izuku nodded, because he figured if Shinsou was asking that question, it was because he liked cats and Izuku didn't want to give the wrong answer to a potential friend. Honestly, he'd never really had much experience with cats. He and his mom's apartment didn't allow pets, and they wouldn't have been able to afford one even if it had.
And it wasn't like he'd had any friends with cats, or any friends at all for that matter.
Shinsou snorted at his response, as if he knew that Izuku was a bit less than enthusiastic about felines.
"Well, no matter what, you'll be loving them after today. They're the best things ever, like, you haven't lived until a fluffy Himalayan falls asleep across your eyes after a bad day. And that's exactly what is going to happen. There's this one Himalayan, Kimi, she's the best. She sounds like a broken lawnmower when she purrs, but it's okay because she's just so amazing."
They walked side by side and Izuku stared at Shinsou in pure awe. He hadn't taken Shinsou for one to ramble like this, completely one sided, but it was like he knew that it was exactly what Izuku needed.
No one had just... talked to him like this since the accident. Everyone, his mom included, had treated him like glass. They'd been quiet around him, when what he needed was sound and voices. He needed his family and his friends to fill that void that he used to fill himself with his own voice.
Izuku hated the silence. He always had. He'd always muttered or tapped a pen or had music.
Shinsou just... got it.
The other boy continued talking even as they left the school, the receptionist not even bothering to chase after them. They approached the gate and Shinsou made a waving motion and the gates just opened.
Izuku didn't question it, wiping tear tracks from his cheeks in embarrassment, his cheeks pinking when he remembered how he'd been only a few moments ago, breaking down in front of the boy he'd only met once.
Shinsou eventually moved on to how to properly care for a cat's fur and the easiest way to bathe them and Izuku found himself smiling at the other boy's passion. It reminded him of how he felt about heroes, in a way.
They walked down the hill, eventually falling into silence. It wasn't a silence like the rest. This was comfortable. Soothing in all the ways that none else had been.
It was nice.
It was getting warmer and the air smelled of floral trees and grass. Izuku tilted his head back as they walked, breathing in through his nose. Maybe he did just need a minute to take everything in.
He'd lost something big but... he'd survived .
It was a nice thought, but it wasn't that easy to just... dismiss it all.
Izuku sighed and Shinsou looked over at him. "Was it the Hero Killer?"
He was sticking with yes or no questions. Shinsou was good at this.
Izuku nodded in response and the other hummed thoughtfully, hands shoved in his pockets. "That must be rough."
Izuku nodded again, looking down at his feet.
"It's what, only been like, a week?" Shinsou glanced at him from the side and Izuku ducked his head even further.
Shinsou looked away, turning as they reached the end of the hill and walking straight into town, Izuku at his side.
Izuku's phone vibrated in his pocket and he stiffened, fingertips twitching. He didn't want to look at it. He just wanted... he just wanted to be who he was for a bit, whoever that was. He didn't want to pretend. And he didn't feel like he had to be someone he wasn't with Shinsou. He had nothing to prove to Shinsou.
Izuku's hand lifted, rubbing his throat. It was healed for the most part but the scar tissue hurt, especially with him moving his head around so much.
And there was a lot of scar tissue, especially with Shouto's fire.
It was finally sinking in that he'd just... walked out of school. He'd thought he'd been ready for class and he felt so weak for running away.
Izuku tapped Shinsou's elbow and the boy looked over at him with a raised brow. 'How long' he mouthed.
Shinsou blinked and then pointed ahead of him and to the side, across the road. "It's right up here." Izuku nodded, rubbing his neck absently, missing the knowing look from Shinsou.
They entered the cafe and Izuku paused at the door, stricken, realizing for the first time another issue he hadn't considered before now.
Ordering .
Shinsou caught his deer-in-headlights expression and grabbed his wrist in a loose, two fingered
hold, pulling him to the side and out of the way of any other incoming patrons.
"Are you hungry?" Shinsou asked, eyes a vivid purple as they stared into Izuku's as he shook his head viciously. "Okay, what about a drink. Hot?"
Izuku frowned. Did he want a hot drink? It was cool outside but getting warmer quickly. But something warm did seem nice, actually. He nodded.
"Coffee?" He shook his head. "Tea?" Izuku brightened, nodding.
"What flavor?" Shinsou pointed at the list of flavors the cafe had, a sign hanging above the head of the attendant.
Izuku lifted a hand, raising two fingers, signalling that he wanted the second option. Chamomile sounded really nice right now.
"Okay." Shinsou leaned back as Izuku grabbed at his bag, finding his wallet and removing a few yen to give to Shinsou. "You can stay here, I'll grab our drinks."
Izuku shrugged, letting the purple haired boy leave as he looked around, taking in one side of the cafe with tables and chairs and a few college aged students doing homework and discussing something about trigonometry, then the other side with all the cat trees and the toys and all the felines.
Izuku smiled and turned, heading to that section.
There were cushioned seats against the floor and wall and Izuku sat down at one, next to a white and brown, fluffy cat that immediately stood from its spot, stretching its front legs out in front of it before jumping to Izuku's lap and yawning, kneading at his legs before flopping down against his stomach.
Izuku's smile widened and he slid a hand along cloud soft fur, almost textureless against his callouses. The cat started purring, a rumble against his legs.
He decided right then and there that he liked cats.
Shinsou returned with two mugs and sat down next to Izuku, setting one mug at Izuku's feet and then sipping at the other. "Seems like Aini likes you." Shinsou observed and Izuku lifted his head, smiling.
Shinsou smirked and made a clicking noise with his mouth, a grey cat hanging out in a box in the alcove next to the window lifting its head before leaping out and meandering over.
Izuku tilted his head, expression becoming thoughtful.
He lifted his tongue against the roof of his mouth and then inhaled sharply while bringing it down, a sharp clicking sound resounding out of his mouth.
The cat in his lap lifted its head questioningly and Izuku laughed soundlessly, leaning his head back, shoulders shaking.
He'd made a noise!
Shinsou was watching him over his mug, unable to hold back his own wry grin from spreading across his face. Izuku laughing, even when it carried no sound, was contagious.
Shinsou was just happy to be able to see Izuku smiling, despite barely knowing him.
They eventually gathered their things to leave, heading outside. When they reached the section where they would part ways, Shinsou turned to Izuku who glanced at him expectantly.
"Here's my number." He said, handing Izuku a piece of paper with a bunch of numbers scrawled on it in atrocious handwriting as a smirk grew across nearly his entire face. "If you ever need anything, feel free to call me anytime. "
Izuku looked up, jaw dropping in surprise. Was he serious?
Shinsou snorted and turned away, lifting his hand up in a backward wave. "Just text me, ya buffoon."
Oh! It was a joke!
Izuku closed his mouth, tears of happiness in his eyes. Someone was joking with him... about being mute. Izuku laughed almost the entire way home.
--
Izuku got his permission slip signed without any trouble, his mom eager to give him a way to communicate.
He finally checked his phone that night and found half his class had texted him, asking where he'd gone and if he was okay.
Izuku leaned back in his bed with a sigh, letting his phone drop to his chest as he looked up at the ceiling. He had to tell himself that he had friends now, they weren't just pitying him. They actually
cared. He wasn't the same person he'd been in middle school.
So Izuku lifted his phone again and texted each one back individually, finding himself tearing up at their kind messages. He could tell Iida was feeling guilty, his message more clipped than they would have usually been. And Todoroki hadn't messaged at all.
He was going to have to talk to him.
But for now he just messaged his friends back, apologizing for leaving early without telling them, and reassuring them that he would be in tomorrow to see them all.
With that finally done, Izuku shoved his phone into its charging dock and snuggled into his bed, closing his eyes.
Images of the Hero Killer filled his sleep, nightmares of that night that sent him shooting into wakefulness more than once, silent screams scraping against his inner throat.
At least there was a plus side to being mute. He couldn't wake up his mother with his nightmares anymore.
--
All Might caught Izuku on his way to lunch the next day, standing awkwardly in the hallway with a bento that looked tiny in his overly large grip. "Lunch?" He asked, a softer than usual smile on his face.
Izuku glanced at his friends, shoulders dropping. He knew he'd have to do this sooner or later.
He waved a farewell to the group of his classmates before following All Might to the teachers lounge and heading into the same room that Izuku had been in with Aizawa the day before.
All Might locked the door behind him as Izuku dropped onto the familiar couch, already reaching up to his head.
All Might turned from the door and made a strangled noise, deflating with a bloody cough. "My boy, what- no- this is not-" Izuku frowned, tilting his head, hand buried in his curls.
All Might pressed a hand to his face with a sigh, crossing the room to drop onto the couch heavily. "I have failed you as your teacher, mentor and as..." All Might shook his head and then looked up, staring into Izuku's eyes. "I want to make one thing clear. I do not intend to now, or ever, take One for All away from you. "
All Might took a deep breath, reaching into his pocket and pulling out Izuku's letter. "This..." All Might pointed at the clear, steady writing, small and even. "The fact that you thought I would want to take One for All... because of an injury you had no control over..."
All Might shook his head, gathering his thoughts. "I would never. You are not just a holder, young Midoriya. You are... you. You are kind and courageous... maybe a little too much." Izuku's mentor smiled at him and Izuku couldn't help but replicate it, despite the tears prickling at his eyes. "One for All is yours, my boy. It is not mine to take. And I promise you that you are wrong. You shouldn't worry about being unable to be a hero because of this." He gestured to his own throat, mouth tilting up in a crooked smile. " You already are a hero to me. "
Suffice it to say... ... Izuku cried. --
Izuku was the one to approach them after the last class ended, holding up his whiteboard that he'd written on and erased at least fifty times before finally settling on something simple.
'Sorry for leaving yesterday. I needed some time, but I think I feel a bit better now.'
Kirishima had approached when he'd seen Izuku heading over there and he peeked to the side to read the board.
"Take all the time you need, bro." Kirishima grinned with double rows of sharp teeth, speaking before anyone else could. "But know that the whole class is here for you. Don't shoulder everything on your own. You can talk to us."
Izuku snorted, the corner of his mouth lifting, and Kirishima seemed to realize what he'd just said, lifting a hand to the back of his neck bashfully. "Ah, maybe that was bad phrasing."
Izuku shook his head, his smile growing, and soon enough the entire group was laughing.
"Hey, Deku, wanna come shopping with us after class?" Uraraka offered once they'd all calmed down.
Izuku shook his head, turning his whiteboard and clearing it with his sleeve, quickly scribbling on it.
'Can't. I have JSL lessons with Present Mic.'
The group collectively blinked.
"Sensei, may I join!?" Iida quickly and loudly demanded.
From the front of the classroom, where Aizawa was laying in his sleeping bag for a post class nap, cracked an eye open.
"I don't care. Get the forms signed by a parent or guardian. As soon as that happens, you can join the extra classes. The papers are in the podium."
Iida stood from his desk and strode up to the podium. "I want one too!" Uraraka exclaimed.
"Grab one for me!" Kirishima yelled.
"I would like one as well, please." Tokoyami added.
And it went on, the entire class taking one, even Kacchan, with the explanation, "I'll need to be able to talk to you, to beat you, asshole." Which made no sense, but who cared.
Izuku watched Iida hand out the papers, more tears gathering in his eyes. They all wanted to learn sign language with him.
He really was lucky to have such amazing friends.