Naomasa wonders why he didn't realize before. Any physical evidence of the vigilante's visit has already been eaten or hauled off in trash bags and surveillance cameras offers the investigative team little to no conclusive evidence on who the kid is.
In all technicality the detective couldn't even prove that it was Piper that gave him the food. He asks the two officers that were working upfront if they remember anything about the boy, but neither can give him any more clues than the cameras.
Yū laughs sheepishly scratching at the back of their head when he asks if they remember anything, "The only thing I can remember is the food."
Naomasa pauses, suddenly realizing the implications of the words. He looks up at the officer. "You said you knew what restaurant the food had come from, right?"
"Oh! That's right!" Yū exclaims, coming to the same conclusion. "If you know where the food came from then you can try tracking that kid down from there!"
But, the restaurant offers them only a few extra clues.
"Oh you mean that one kid?" The hostess laughs. "Yeah he had this stupidly expensive takeout order. I didn't think he'd be able to afford it but he just whipped out this giant wad of cash and I absolutely lost it."
"Do you remember what he looked like?" Naomasa asks, writing down the info.
"Uh... He had a hoodie and a face mask on but I think he had blonde hair? I just know he had these two really long strands that just hung down in front of his face like bunny ears." The woman tries her best to mimic what it looked like with her hands.
"Do you know what color his eyes were? Or any other details about his appearance or what he was wearing? Anything that stands out to you at all." The detective tries not to let a frown tug at his lips. This wasn't as good of a lead as he thought it'd be.
"Sorry." The woman sighs, attempting a smile. "I don't think I remembered much more than that."
The detective sighs, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "All that time spent on leads that go nowhere." He stands, packing his things for the night. It's been several hours since he'd found himself at the restaurant and since then he's been running through as much surveillance footage as he could to no avail.
His phone buzzes on the desk and the man perks visibly despite the late hour. He prays that it's the lady from the restaurant having just gotten off of work, prays it's to tell him that she's miraculously remembered the key to finding Piper.
He isn't expecting the vigilante himself to be on the other end of the line. "Detective Tsukauchi."
The man freezes, eyes whipping to the empty desks around him. He was alone in the office. "Piper."
A tense silence falls between them that's eventually broken by a sigh from the vigilante. "Detective, I'm going to cut to the chase. I came across some info that someone's gathering up fighters. A lot of fighters." Naomasa tenses, listening carefully as the teen explains the details of the situation and his thoughts on who's behind it. "I don't know what they're planning, but it's something big. It's..." Piper trails off. "It's more than I can handle by myself."
"Be honest with me Piper," Naomasa says quietly. "Depends on the question, Detective."
There's a moment where Naomasa thinks over his next words, carefully stringing them together. "Are you okay?"
Midoriya opens his mouth to respond, surprised. "And I don't just mean physically."
Midoriya's grassy eyes fall towards the dark streets below him. Passing cars leaving streaks of white and crimson. "I should be the one asking that," the vigilante laughs weakly.
"I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, you've made that much clear," Naomasa chuckles. "But I still worry about you, kid."
"Your question," Midoriya whispers, "The answer is probably not, but... I will be... eventually."
"I could help, you know." The vigilante can hear the exhaustion slipping into the other's voice. The last conversation they'd had like this had landed the detective in the hospital. But, Midoriya wasn't cornered anymore. He wasn't stuck inside a convenience store with only one way out. "You're still a kid. Obviously you'd get more than a slap on the wrist considering how much you've done. But, you could still save people. I'd make sure of it."
"Thank you," Izuku tells him sincerely, looking out over Musutafu's skyline. And, he is thankful. This man who's spent nearly a year trying to catch him cares about him on a level that only a handfull of people have cared about him since his fourth birthday. "But, the story you're seeing... It isn't all of it. If I give up, if I get caught, that's the end. I won't be able to save anyone anymore. They won't let me."
"Then tell me the rest of the story."
The vigilante shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that."
Naomasa turns the words over in his head for what feels like hours. "They won't let me. They won't let me." He'd said something similar the last time they'd met and here the words return. What does Piper know that makes him believe that with such certainty?
"If he won't tell me that could mean it's a clue to being able to find him, or at least something important about him," Naomasa mutters, kicking off his shoes at the door to Misaki's apartment.
The light in Reo's room is still on, seeping sluggishly beneath the door.
He raps at the door as quietly as he can, pushing it open. He finds Reo's tinkering with something at his desk and sees a head of green hair sticking out of the covers on the teen's bed. When neither of the boys so much as acknowledge him he clears his throat gently. The sound startles his nephew into dropping one of his tools and lets out a yelp of surprise. On the bed Midoriya throws himself from under the covers groggily.
"Was happ'n," he slurs, squinting around the room. His hair is a mess of curls, yellow All Might hoodie a stark contrast against the room's white walls.
"Did you have to scare me like that?" Reo asks him with wide eyes.
Naomasa is borderline exhausted but he still finds it in himself to laugh at the state of the two boys. "Sorry about waking you up, Midoriya. I didn't realize you were staying over."
Izuku rubs at his eyes. "Detective?"
Reo picks his screwdriver back up, setting it aside for the moment. "Another long night?" the teen asks him as Midoriya tries waking up a bit more.
"You could say that," he sighs. "Well I'll leave you to it. I know it's spring break but don't stay up too late, Reo."
The teen waves him off with a grin. "Yeah, yeah. I'll see you in the morning." "Goodnight you two."
"Night."
Midoriya attempts some form of goodnight that comes out nearly incomprehensible as he falls back into the bed. He waits for the sound of the door closing before he speaks again. "How long was I asleep?" he mutters.
"Probably thirty minutes," Reo sighs, turning back to the blueprints he has laid out.
"So it's not even midnight?"
"Nope."
Midoriya throws an arm over his face. "Wake me up in an hour," he mumbles, already halfway to falling back asleep.
"What about an hour and a half?" Midoriya only grunts in response.
Spring break has changed more than just Midoriya's patrol times. This much is obvious when the vigilante spies none other than Eraserhead perched atop a nearby building. It's obvious that the man is part of Musutafu's most recent manhunt for the latest unlucky criminal. The occasional police lights illuminate the surrounding streets as Midoriya slips behind an air unit a few rooftops over, hiding himself. The vigilante was fortunate to have escaped that first time he met the hero.
He doubts he'll be so lucky in a second encounter.
Izuku figures that with Eraserhead on the scene they'll have no problem catching whoever it is they're after without him. This probably would have been true if Midoriya hadn't stumbled across the guy as the vigilante was trying to disappear further into the city.
They two of them freeze, staring at each other from separate ends of the alley they've found themselves in. Maybe they both could have gone their separate ways peaceably if they didn't recognize each other.
Midoriya curses, letting out a deep sigh. He leans against his staff, suddenly tired.
"Keep your mouth shut and I won't hurt you," the man tells him, pointing a pocket knife he'd pulled out at the boy. " I saw you fighting those pathetic excuses of heroes. If you barely managed to beat them then you won't beat me."
Midoriya stiffens at the words, gritting his teeth.
"Weak. Always too weak when it really counts," the voice in his head chuckles. The boy pushes it to the side. He can't dwell on it. The past is too far gone. The only thing he can do now is become stronger.
He tries to hold this thought in his head. It's a difficult thing to do.
"My quirk is meant for maiming." The man grins, shifting his stance. "It's a bit much so I was avoiding using it, but if you're gonna try to stop me then I won't be afraid to use it."
Midoriya scowls. He's heard about this man through osmosis on several of the online forums he frequents. And though he can't remember the man's name, he certainly wasn't bluffing about his quirk. Blood bending, he recalls. He truly wasn't a match for this man. But, he does know who is.
He'd barely escaped the hero's notice earlier. But, with sirens still whining in search of the man before him, Midoriya thinks it's the perfect time to draw his attention.
Piper raises his hands in surrender. "You're right," the boy says. "I wouldn't be able to beat you." The criminal lets out a sharp bark of laughter. "Seems you're smarter than I thought."
The vigilante switches over the voice setting on his mask and lets out a high pitched scream of desperation. "Help! Help! Villain! There's a villain!"
The criminal stares at him with widening eyes as Midoriya grins behind his mask. The vigilante slips the grappling hook from his belt and throws it up towards the nearest rooftop. He lets out another scream as he feels it catch against the ledge. The man takes a furious step forward, trying to get within range to use his quirk on the boy.
"Help! Help me!"
There's a distant shout of, "This way!" that distracts the other long enough for Midoriya to begin
his ascent up the building. He lets Reo's tech do most of the work, the retractable cordage also helping drag him up the building faster.
"Villain! Villain!" he cries over his shoulder. From this position Midoriya can see police rushing down the street, headed directly towards their location. He watches as the man tries to run out the opposite end of the alley only to be cut off by a set of glowing crimson eyes glinting behind a set of slitted yellow goggles.
The vigilante hauls himself over the lip of the building before he can be seen, switching his voice setting back and tucking the grappling hook into his belt. He peaks cautiously over the roof's ledge, watching as the criminal struggles with Eraserhead's capture weapon and three police officers storm down from the other end of the alley.
The hero's eyes trail up the sides of the buildings, leaving Piper to drive beneath what protection the roof offers. The boy's heart roars.
They'd made eye contact.
As soon as the man is in cuffs Eraserhead drags himself up the side of the building with his capture weapon, chasing the afterimage of someone he hopes he doesn't recognize. But, by the time he makes it to the top, the head he'd seen peeking down at him is nothing but a shadow leaping off the otherside of the rooftop.
Midoriya tries his best not to look down as he jumps the gap between buildings, focusing on where he's landing instead. Behind him Eraserhead hauls himself over the edge of the previous roof, scarf falling gently back around his shoulders. He immediately takes off after the boy without another word, eyes lit up red as soon as he catches sight of the vigilante. His hair rises around his ears.
The flash of a silver staff is all the hero needs to confirm his thoughts on the figure's identity.
Aizawa grunts, as he leaps the alley between buildings. He throws his scarf out to stop the vigilante but quickly retracks it as the teen takes another running jump from the building.
For Midoriya the next building over is lower than the last, but he has no time to hesitate with Eraserhead tailing him. He tosses his staff towards the other roof before leaping the gap between buildings. He hits the roof hard, joints protesting as he forces himself into a roll. He stumbles back up, scrambling for where his staff landed before setting off again.
His heart pounds relentlessly in his chest, threatening to choke him.
He needs to get back on the streets. Even if there was a possibility of running into more heroes or police, there are also more places to hide. It slows him down, but he takes the chance. Scrambling down the nearest firescape.
Eraserhead catches up to him in the alley.
It was only ever a matter of time if Midoriya is being honest with himself, but the fact still manages to catch him off guard. The hero sends his scarf out, wrapping it around the vigilante's ankle and Midoriya hits the ground hard. He catches himself with his hands, but the fall sends his staff skittering away from him.
The hero pulls at his capture weapon, dragging the teen closer. Piper kicks at it, catching it with the spikes of his boots but it's not enough to even begin severing it.
He curses, trying to think of a solution.
"Never too late to become a killer," the voice cackles. "The ones who try to spare another's life
will always be at a disadvantage." Sharp teeth glint in his mind's eye. Midoriya pushes the thought away in disgust.
The vigilante scrambles for one of the escrima sticks at his side, thinking fast. He flips the small switch at the bottom before the hero's weapon whips out, pulling it out of his grasp. "I've heard my students gossiping one too many times about your little taser sticks to fall for that, kid."
Eraserhead grabs it, studying it beneath the barely there light before he slips it into his belt for safe keeping. Midoriya rolls over, hiding as his other hand reaches for the second stick.
Despite the situation Midoriya dons a wobbly smile beneath his mask. He doesn't think he's been able to use this specific feature yet. The vigilante presses the button on the handle, weapon crackling with electricity. He grins because the one he holds isn't the only one to go off.
Aizawa flinches violently, caught off guard by the sudden jolt of electricity sent into his side.
The grip on his ankle lightens and Midoriya uses the chance to push himself up and aim a sloppy heel kick at the hero that he easily dodges. He presses down on the button again. The one in his hand crackles uselessly, but Eraserhead curses, discarding the weapon still stuck in his belt. He tosses it down the alley out of the boy's reach, but it's not the escrima stick that Piper needs.
He pulls the pin from a smoke grenade, coloring the alley a vibrant red as the vigilante turns away from the hero and instead lunges for his staff. He's barely able to get a hold of it before Eraserhead is dragging him back blindly by the ankle. It nearly sweeps him off his feet as it forces him to hop forward stupidly, but with his staff back in his hands he uses it to put more distance between them. The capture weapon slackens as he swings his staff out like a bat, but hits something metallic rather than flesh. The collision rings out like a crashing cymbal, jarring his arms.
It was true Eraserhead wouldn't be able to see, but neither would Piper. But, that was a risk the fifteen-year-old would have to take.
The hero sends out another strand of his weapon through the smoke that Midoriya manages to bat away with his staff, letting it wrap around the pipe instead. He uses it to pull the man further into the smoke, using his capture weapon against him. A dark figure shifts in the fog ahead of him and Midoriya aims a swing of his staff towards what he assumes is the hero's chin but hits glides through nothing but smoke.
There's a sharp tug on his ankle as the capture weapon retracts from the end of his staff. Piper lunges forward, following the retreating path of the scarf. He swipes out diagonally like he's wielding a katana.
There's a shuffle of feet and a milk crate comes flying from his right, capture weapon slamming it into his bicep. He grits his teeth as the hero emerges from the smoke. His eyes are a blazing crimson, hair rising around his face.
An idea comes to the boy suddenly.
Eraserhead sends another strand of his weapon out and Midoriya does his best to fend it off. He waits till he feels that sharp jerk at his ankle again before enacting his plan.
It's obvious that the move is meant to just throw him off balance. He stumbles forward, planting
the trapped ankle harshly back on the concrete.
This moment would make or break his performance.
Midoriya bends his ankle out, pushing nearly to its breaking point. It's just enough to look bad without actually incapacitating himself.
The boy lets outs a sharp cry of pain, knees buckling beneath him as he collapses onto his side. He curls up around his 'injured' ankle as if protecting it.
Eraserhead emerges cautiously from the red haze, studying him carefully. "Seems you're not as impervious to pain as people seem to think if that's all it takes to floor you." The capture weapon slowly unwinds from his ankle, curling back around its owner.
The smoke is clearing, revealing more of their surroundings.
The vigilante rolls himself shakily to his knees, grabbing at his staff to help him stand, acting the part of someone who's injured. The hero sighs, watching him struggle to limp away. "Give it up, kid. If you broke it then you'll just make it worse trying to get away."
The vigilante takes note of the dumpster to his left and his first escrima stick laying a few feet in front of him. He pretends to stumble.
"Kid." His quiet footsteps draw closer.
But, the kid releases another smoke bomb, blue this time.
Eraserhead's quick to react, capture weapon lashing out at him from the thickening smoke. Izuku scrambles for the grappling hook, tossing it up towards the nearest rooftop. There's a clang of metal at it latches to the top of the fire escape. Instead of climbing it he leaves it to hang there and tosses his pipe to cover the sound of quietly hauling himself into the dumpster.
Izuku holds his breath, not daring to make even the slightest movement in fear of discovery.
He hears the hero curse softly upon discovering the rope. "Up again, problem child? You're getting faster." There's a quiet creak of metal that tells the boy Eraserhead's latched onto the fire escape with his capture weapon and a grunt of effort as he hauls himself up.
Midoriya doesn't stay in the dumpster for long, fearing that the hero might return if he doesn't find him on the roof. Jumping in here had been a huge risk in itself. There'd have been no way out if he was found, but if he'd continued on there's no doubt that he would've eventually been caught again.
He pulls himself just as quietly out of the dumpster, collecting his scattered gear and doing his best to make his way home unnoticed.
He camps out in an old warehouse on his way back for an hour just to make sure he's not being tailed before finally slinking up his apartment's balcony and falling into bed.
"Maybe a knife wouldn't be a bad investment," he murmurs into his pillow, remembering Eraserhead's capture weapon. "Just a small one."
The next day dawns with Reo grinning at him from the otherside of the Midoriyas' front door. "Of all the times you've been to my place, this is the first time I've been to yours." At Midoriya's confused look he offers the boy an explanation, "Your mom invited us for a late lunch." His grin
widens at Izuku's disheveled appearance. "Just wake up?"
He nods dumbly. Inko had woken him up only twenty minute ago, telling him with a gentle smile to get dressed. He had figured she wanted to take him somewhere, but had been proven wrong when a knock had sounded at their door.
Reo's mother appears behind the teen, smiling softly. "Hi Midoriya. Nice to see you again." The boy stutters out a hello as he steps aside, letting the two in.
"Sorry my brother couldn't come, he's been busy with work recently."
"That's fine," Izuku coughs to cover the cracking of his voice.
Inko peeks around the corner from the kitchen, bright smile in place. "Are they here?" she asks before spying their guests and slipping down the hall. "Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you, Tsukauchi-san!" Inko says, clasping the woman's gloved hands between her own.
"I should be saying the same thing."
Inko turns back to her son. "Sorry, honey. I meant to wake you up earlier but you were sleeping so well. I didn't want to bother you." She begins fixing some of his curls to his embarrassment before his friend intervenes.
"Did we shock you?" Reo says with a grin, drawing his attention. "Your mom said she wanted it to be a surprise," he laughs.
They all move towards the kitchen.
Inko tears up when he introduces Reo to her as his friend and he brings her into a hug with a laugh. "I'm sorry. Sorry," she snivles, waving off their concern. "It's just... I'm so happy to see that you're happy, honey." She pats at her tears with a napkin, trying to compose herself.
Misaki offers her a soft, kindly smile. "You're not the only one Midoriya-san. I think they're really good for each other."
Good for each other? Midoriya thinks. He's saved my life more times than I can remember. He's good for me, but I can't say I'm good for him.
Reo elbows him painfully in the side as if he knows exactly what the boy's thinking. I would've gone insane in that apartment all by myself, is what his eyes say. Midoriya doesn't know how much he believes it, but he can't help reciprocating the smile he throws at him.
The two boys are tasked with setting the table as the women move towards the stove, helping each other finish the last of the cooking.
"How did my mom even set this up?." Izuku asks in a hushed whisper, watching the mothers work. "I know for a fact that I don't have Tsukauchi-san's number and I know you don't have my mom's."
"I honestly don't know and at this I'm too scared to ask," Reo breathes. They share a concerned look from across the table.
Inko grins at them over her shoulder. "Food's done!"
There's a mess of quiet chatter as the four of them eat. Chopsticks clinking against plates and bowls
and the murmur of the two women as they talk about their jobs. Eventually Misaki looks up at Izuku from across the table. "You're starting high school soon, Midoriya-kun? Where did you decide you're going? I know you were talking about hero schools last time."
"Ah..." Midoriya trails off, tensing against his will. He across the table glances at Reo, the older teen's eyes asking if he's okay. "It is. But I'll just be going into their general education course."
Misaki arches her brow, smile on her lips. Her interest is genuine and somehow that makes the conversation that much more painful. "What school is it?" She looks between him and Inko.
Inko beams at her proudly. "He got into UA."
Across from him Reo immediately begins choking on his food, staring up at Midoriya. His eyes are the widest he's ever seen them go. Misaki slaps him on the back a few times to help him recover. "UA?" he croaks.
It's then that Midoriya realizes the mistake he'd made. He told Reo about getting rejected from the hero course, but never anything more than that. He feels himself flush with embarrassment. In his defense it had been a hard topic to broach at the time, not to mention the events that had unfolded soon after.
"So you'll be able to see Reo everyday then!" Misaki grins, glancing between the two boys.
This time it's Midoriya's turn to stare at his friend, wide eyed and frozen as the words sink in. There's a look in the other's eyes that says 'we're talking about this later' and Izuku can't help but agree.
Misaki ignores their starting contest, plowing the conversation onwards as she turns to look at Inko. "It's a really great school. I've never had to worry about Reo while he's been there. It's a really safe place." She glances at her son. "Aside from the occasional phone call about him blowing something up in the support lab," she laughs.
"That wasn't my fault!" Reo splutters, "Someone swapped out the fuel in my canisters with some homemade garbage they were trying to test out!"
"Right, right."
Midoriya can't stop himself from laughing.
Their lunch ends peacefully, Inko busy distributing leftovers as the two boys work at washing the dishes.
"So, school, huh?" Reo laughs tensely, side eyeing their mothers.
The younger teen huffs. "How long have we known each other for me not to know that you're in the UA support course?" Izuku whisper-shouts as they finish drying the last few dishes, bumping hips with Reo.
"Well I could say the same to you," the teen hisses as they slip away to Midoriya's room. "When were you gonna tell me you got into UA?"
Midoriya pushes open the door to his room, ignoring with a hushed embarrassment the mountain of All Might merchandise plastered around the room. "It was a touchy subject," Izuku mutters, "I still
don't even like thinking about it for too long. It's not like I want to be in general education. But, I couldn't bring myself to give up on my dream school."
"That's understandable." Reo sighs, finally taking a moment to glance around the bedroom. "You know I wasn't expecting your room to look like this, but now that I'm here I'm not surprised."
Midoriya flushes. "I told you I like heroes."
"That's why I'm not surprised," he laughs. There's a shadow box above the boy's desk that has the signed Piper mask hanging in it. Reo grins at it. "What'd your mom say about that?"
"I told her I ran into him on my way home from school," Izuku huffs, plopping down on his bed.
"Reo." Misaki raps gently against the door, easing it open. "Sorry to cut you both short, but it's time to head out. We're supposed to meet your grandparents later." Izuku can see her eyeing his All Might posters with a rising smile. "It was good seeing you again Midoriya."
Izuku rises from his spot along with Reo, offering her an embarrassed smile. "You too Tsukauchi- san."
Inko meets them in the hall.
"It was so nice meeting you two." She smiles at their guests. "Especially you, Tsukauchi-kun. Thank you for being friends with Izuku." Midoriya can see the woman tearing up again.
"Mom," he laughs, pulling her into another hug.
"I don't think I've ever said it," Misaki speaks up, drawing everyone's eyes. "But, I feel the same way as her, Midoriya-kun."
Izuku doesn't think he's really been that great of a friend to the older teen. He's put him through far more than he should have. Midoriya might be the one that comes in with cuts and bruises and he might be the one who had died, but in doing so he hurt Reo. That much has always been certain no matter how much Izuku tries to drown it out at times. Reo has been there for all of it and continues to let Midoriya cling to him despite the bruises his desperate hands leave behind.
"You don't deserve him," the voice in his head whispers.
And Midoriya agrees with it, but Reo is still here, still standing before him. He's thanking Inko for the food and smiling brighter than Izuku's seen him smile in a long time. Midoriya doesn't deserve a friend like him. But, Reo has never cared about what Izuku deserves.