In the end, the decision is an easy one.
After all, it's the same option that Bakugou has been trying to shove down his throat for the last eleven years.
How hard could it be to say yes to him for once?
Midoriya tries his best to keep his wandering thoughts in check as best he can while the nurse is around. He doesn't know what kind of thoughts might trigger her quirk, and he doesn't plan on staying long enough to find out.
His dead-eyed doctor comes in, giving the woman a curt nod as he passes. He doesn't even look at Izuku, just stares down at his clipboard, fiddling with the pages in a way that tells Midoriya he's purposely not looking in his direction. "Seems this is our last day together, Midoriya-kun. We'll be discharging you as soon as your guardian arrives to sign your paperwork and confirm that they've scheduled an appointment with a certified therapist."
Izuku nods stiffly. Despite his mother's best intentions, picking a therapist with her was an awkward affair. Inko was distinctly ignoring price points and Midoriya couldn't keep himself from looking at them. After a few hours of deliberation they'd landed on someone close enough to UA for him to go after school when he needs and cheap enough for it to not constantly nag at the boy's conscience.
"After that, you'll be able to leave. I believe that Dr. Sui has already discussed when your next visit with Recovery Girl should be. But, she asked that I remind you to visit her once you return to school."
Izuku nods along silently, taking note of the man's bored expression. "Of course."
There's a quiet knock at the door behind them that draws their attention as someone peaks their head in. "Dr. Ogawa, they're calling for you in administration next time you're free."
The doctor looks back at the nurse. "I can head over now." He turns back to Midoriya briefly, offering a polite nod. "Take care of yourself, young man."
The two leave together, leaving only him and the nurse from before. His eyes find her kind ones and he smiles at her gently.
This will be the last time he sees her.
Inko comes in several hours later with a soft, yet sad smile. She drags him into a hug, holding him tightly to her chest. "You ready to go home?" She murmurs into his hair.
He rests his head on the woman's shoulder. "Yeah." The last two weeks have been the longest in his life. But, it wasn't over just yet. Just a few more days. Just a few more and it'll all be over.
Dr. Sui slips in behind her, smiling at them from the doorway. "If we meet again I pray it's under better circumstances."
Inko releases him and Izuku lets out a quiet chuckle. "I think that's something we can all agree on."
"Thank you for all your hard work, Dr. Sui," Inko says, sincerity spilling out, "I don't know what we would've done without you."
The doctor laughs softly, "He's a strong boy, Mrs. Midoriya. He would have done just fine with or without me."
Inko ruefully shakes her head, denying the statement without the need for words. "My gratitude isn't any less." She turns back to Izuku, squeezing his hand gently. "You've got all of your stuff right?"
Izuku nods silently before bowing to the doctor. "Thank you," he murmurs solemnly. His mother's hand runs a hand over his back in a soothing manner. "Let's go home."
19 · Trending in Japan #PiperSupport
13k Tweets
Quackity @quackityHQ · 1h
If we can get #PiperSupport trending then I'll gift 5 tier three subs in the offline chat
Ashy @plutonisms · 2h #PiperSupport LETS GOOOOO
Vee @vsversus · 1h
I still don't know if they're dead or alive, but I don't need any prompting to help trend
#pipersupport
Dippy @spinningpotatogang · 53m
#pipersupport
#PiperSupport is just a bunch of leftist propaganda Ebon @bingus · 2h
@WormTree3 · 37m
If you guys can trend j-pop idol names every other day then we can trend #PiperSupport Missing Piper Hours :( @nabtime · 1h
I'm starting this hashtag to show Piper that we're still here supporting him no matter what!
#PiperSupport
Ranboo @ranaltboo · 29m
Deserved #PiperSupport
Emily @AllMightyyy
Yall cant be serious about this #PiperSupport trend lmaooo, just call yourself a villain sympathizer and move on
R @Wiiikip · now
#PiperSupport
The apartment feels different. But Midoriya can't exactly put a finger on what's changed. He slides his shoes off at the door, watching as his mother glides down the hall to the kitchen.
There's an air of disquiet that hangs over the household, permeating the in-between moments.
He slips down the hall quietly, pausing at the door to his room. He feels hesitant to open it, unsure as to why.
Inside is no different than how he left it. The bed's been made and his shelves straightened, but nothing else has been touched. Thankfully there was no vigilante gear for the woman to accidentally find besides that of his bulletproof vest tucked beneath his bed.
Reo has what remains of Piper's gear.
He'll need to get all of it back.
He glances away from his closet, trying to occupy his mind with other things. He'll need to talk to Reo again soon.
24 · Trending in Japan Find Piper
10k Tweets
Chase @AlwayReblogNeverPost · 2h
Okay but can someone please find piper the anxiety I feel rn is through the roof
愛藍 @cucknrun_ · 1h Find Piper!!!!!!!!
MVN @mustafuvigilantenews · 1h
Twitter trends 'Find Piper' in Japan in response to the prolonged absence of Musutafu vigilante, Pied Piper
RIP L'Man @N1kiDidNthingWrong · 54m
normally i wouldn't agree with trending something like find piper but given the circumstances this is more of an emergency since the last we heard of piper was that he was severely injured
id rather him be caught than dead
Wren check pinned @wrenner · 38m PLEASE WE'RE DESPERATE FIND PIPER!!!!
LxL @heroo_supremacy · 26m follow me I draw
'find piper'
(follow limit) @plutonandfrosty · 1h
Please help trend find piper, you might not think it does much, but it can help spread the word to
the right people!!
fuck u im @alwaysright · 1h
find piper?? maybe u should check ur local graveyards
!!PINNED!! @vigilantebegood · 3m WARNING
Please turn your autoplay off! user @/GoPiperrr56 and several others are spreading potentially triggering videos that are disguised as fan edits in the find piper trend
don't engage with them! block and report! be careful and please take care of yourself!!!
It's been a long time since Midoriya has been able to sleep eight hours at a time. He spent a year waking up at odd hours of the night for patrols and in return for good efforts, his mind often saw fit to rouse itself at random times throughout the night.
He stares blearily at his All Might posters, barely visible in the darkness, questioning why he's even awake all the while already knowing the answer. He shuts his eyes, blocking out what's visible of the hero's smile.
He would usually be in the middle of a patrol right now, slinking down alleys, apprehending criminals, saving people.
He tries to coax himself back to sleep to no avail. He rolls over, grunting at the pressure it puts on his side. His eyes reopen, staring blankly into the darkness until his vision adjusts and he's greeted with the sight of his closet. There's a painful ache that starts up in his chest thinking of the map of leads he has, or lack thereof, on Eri's whereabouts hidden inside.
He should send it all to the detective.
He pauses at the thought. How would he react to Piper's death? How would Eraserhead? How would my supporters?
No matter what scenario he comes up with in his head, no matter how painful his chest aches at their hurt, nothing compares to his mother's grief-stricken face.
His nightmare about Reo still haunts him as well. That phantom feeling of total loss rests quietly in his chest, pulsing in time with his heart.
His mother told him he was allowed to be a little selfish, but in truth, he's been more than a little selfish. Midoriya's righteous cause for vigilantism has never solely been about saving others. Heroism was his dream, a dream that had been ripped so viciously away from him. His heart, his sun, desired to save others. And in that desire lay hidden his desperation to prove himself. But he's done so at the cost of others
Izuku swings his legs over the side of his bed, pushing himself to his feet. He stands there quietly for a moment, debating with himself if this is really the only solution. And he knows, somewhere deep down, that there are other ways he could solve all of this. But this, this is the only way to ensure that Inko would never have to worry about him again.
He's memorized the number by now, and it's a good thing too considering his other phone is probably being stored with the rest of his gear. He dials the number, hesitating for only a moment before starting the call. The ringtone hums in his ear for a few tense moments before it's answered.
"Giran," he says without preamble, "It's Piper."
There's a beat of silence before the man lets out a long sigh. "Wow kid, I'm surprised to see that you survived."
The boy grimaces, hand hovering unconsciously over his side. "I need to talk to you... in person," he adds after a moment. "Can you meet tonight?" He glances towards his bedroom door, thoughts momentarily straying to his mother. "I'd need two or so hours to get over there."
"I've got someone on the books that encrypts all of these phone calls, Piper. As long as there's no one to overhear the info on your end, then no one will ever have to know this conversation even took place."
Midoriya hesitates at this.
Inko thinks he'd tried to kill himself. If she came to check on him even once while he was gone... She would think he was trying to do it again. She'd have the police on his trail within the hour.
"Then... I need you to do something for me," the boy says softly.
"Unless this is time sensitive there's something I'd like to bring up first," Giran interrupts, clearly waiting for the Izuku's okay before continuing. "My favor," he says, chair creaking over the phone as he shifts. "I'd like to redeem it."
Midoriya tenses, eyeing his bedroom door cautiously. This was a mistake. I should've let Giran think I'd died like everyone else.
"I call it a favor, but really it's a preemptive measure to avoid any future conflicts of interest that may arise on my part," the broker explains, "You see, I kinda like you kid, you're good for business. I have the supply and you create the demand so I'd rather not see you become a red smear on the concrete if you get what I mean?"
Midoriya only grunts quietly in response. Uncertainty clear on his face.
"What I'm trying to say is that I need you to stay away from the League."
The boy freezes, surprised by the request. "Who?"
"The League of Villains. The guys who did in the USJ. I need you to stay away from them."
He swallows the bile in his throat. "That's it?" Izuku asks, carefully perching himself back on the edge of his bed.
"They have dangerous people behind the scenes, Piper. People that make Overhaul's little gang look like cranky preschoolers. It's for your own sake just as much as mine. Stay away from them."
Midoriya's jaw clenches, memories of the USJ resurfacing. Blood and pain and the thought of death. He swallows them back, lets them drown in the roiling ocean that's made its home in his stomach. He lets them drown there, he forces himself to let them drown because he can't let himself get involved again. This is the only way.
Izuku forces himself to relax. "I think what I called to ask you for will fulfill your favor then."
On the other end of the line the broker bears a thoughtful expression.
Midoriya takes a deep breath. He forces himself not to hesitate. "I need you to help me kill Piper."
There's a long period of silence where Izuku finds himself holding his breath, waiting for a response.
"So you've finally decided to get out?" Giran asks.
The boy lets out a quiet hum of agreement, sobering himself.
"I never thought I'd see it," Giran says, leaning back in his seat. "I don't guess you'll let me change my favor now?"
Midoriya chuckles mirthlessly. "'fraid not."
"Worth a try." The broker jokes. "So, how soon do you want all of this done?"
Izuku perches himself on the edge of his bed, hunching over his lap. The only light in his room comes from the phone pressed to his ear. "The longer this gets drawn out the less people there will be that believe it."
Giran hums thoughtfully. "Give me a day or two then. I'll see what I can do and we can talk payment then... It's nice to know you're alive, kid."
"Nice to be alive," Izuku murmurs somberly before clearing his throat, "And just one last thing. Remember what I asked you for that one time? Just before the Precepts raid?"
Giran taps absently at his lit cigar, thinking back. "The letters?"
The boy nods, leg bouncing nervously. "Yeah. I need you to deliver one."
"Are you sure you're ready to go back?" Inko asks, fluttering around the boy.
Midoriya laughs quietly. "I'm sure. I think the normalcy will be good for me. Besides, I can see Recovery Girl again while I'm there." He's not even been out of the hospital for a full twenty-four hours yet. But, he'd come out of his room fully dressed for school before Inko had even finished waking up.
She studies him closely, watching the way the small fire in his eyes flickers desperately.
His mother straightens, emerald eyes laced with resolve. "If you're sure then. If you feel bad at any point in time you call or text me and I'll come pick you up. I don't care if it's physical or not; I'll come get you. Do you understand?"
Izuku smiles softly at the woman. "I will."
"And Chee-san has explicit instructions to send you home if you show up at the dojo. You're still recovering and I don't want you pushing yourself until you're healed."
Midoriya clasps her hands between his. "I'll take care of myself." You won't have to worry about me much longer, I promise.
Izuku doesn't know what to expect when he shows up at the train station, but Reo's absence makes it clear that he shouldn't have expected any sort of normalcy. He's not entirely surprised, but there's still a pit of disappointment that curls in his chest when he finds himself unable to find his friend hidden among the crowd.
Reo was angry, but not in the usual sense. Izuku had crossed a line somewhere along the path to vigilantism. But the more he thought over the situation, the more he realized that the line he'd crossed was further back than he'd initially believed.
He'd passed that line long before he'd nearly died and it was clear that he'd simply been refusing to admit it.
"Was it really a lie though? It doesn't seem like a lie... Not because I believe you wanted to kill yourself, but because no matter your intentions you almost did."
Midoriya shifts uncomfortably in his spot on the train, his grip on the hand strap overhead tightening.
There's a low hum of noise on the train. A baby babbles softly to his right and a girl in the seat to his left whistles repeatedly, cursing under her breath. His eyes catch on the reflection of two UA uniforms behind him in the train's window and he finds himself tuning into the students' quiet conversation, staring absently ahead of him.
"-heard one of the kids in 1-A got pulled by their parents after that USJ incident."
"I'm not surprised. I'd be asking my parents to pull me if that happened to me. I mean UA's a good school, but there's lots of good schools out there."
"Yeah, but it's UA. You know what that can do for your résumé, right?"
Midoriya grimaces, trying his best now to drown out the rest of the discussion. He lets a combination of the rumbling of the train and the girl's whistling bury any of his more unfavorable thoughts.
UA is loud, not that it wasn't before, but Midoriya becomes all the more aware of it during his solitary walk through the halls. There's an oddness about it that takes him by surprise. He'd always been alone in middle school, so after only a few days at UA he feels surprised to admit that he nearly managed to forget that feeling.
He's surrounded on all sides by strangers, but that's how it's always been for him.
Three days. That's all it took Reo to overwrite those memories. And six seconds was all it took for his absence to drag them back.
1-C is a strangely unfamiliar place. In the two or so weeks since school has been in session he's only been here three times before today and yet he finds a strange comfort in being here again. In a class of twenty people no one pays his entry much mind. Even Shinsou doesn't look up as he enters, too busy squeezing in a few extra minutes of sleep, only raising his head when Midoriya pulls out his chair to sit.
The teen blinks at him tiredly before pulling himself up and leaning back in his seat.
Midoriya offers him a small smile and Shinsou pulls his lips into a lazy grin.
"Welcome back."
"Didn't miss me too much did you?" Izuku teases, clinging desperately to the sense of normalcy that he gets from being able to mess around with someone again.
"I was heartbroken without you here," Shinsou jokes.
Midoriya laughs softly as more students begin filling the room, taking their seats. "Goooood Morning little listeners!"
Izuku flinches back at the noise, whipping his head around to the source as Shinsou grimaces, picking at one of his ears. Present Mic enters the room with as much subtlety as a crying toddler, which, is to say, very little. Midoriya has been able to recover from the USJ to a certain physical extent, but the emotional wounds still remain fresher than he's willing to admit. He's been removed from reminders of what happened and hasn't had to confront them since he landed himself in the hospital. Now, however, he's forced to confront them head-on.
He jerks his eyes away from the teacher, refusing to deal with whatever emotional trauma his appearance had dug up.
The man immediately takes note of Izuku's presence. Though thankfully he doesn't mention anything about it to the class and continues on with homeroom as usual.
Most of the day is somewhat of a blur. He spends his time getting caught up with what he missed and finally turning in the assignments Shinsou had dropped off while he was still at the hospital. He's forced to sit out during P.E. by Vlad King, though he chats sporadically with Shinsou via text as he watches the lilac-haired teen from the bleachers, forcing himself to choke back a laugh when the boy nearly gets caught on his phone. At one point the hero glares up into the bleachers at Midoriya himself, obviously having caught on to what was happening despite having no evidence to prove it.
Izuku shrinks into himself the moment they lock eyes. They're dark red. Midoriya's beginning to hate the color red.
Reo isn't in the cafeteria for lunch and Izuku learns from Shinsou that the teen hadn't been at their table all week. Shinsou, however, is a surprisingly good distraction from this fact. Part of him thinks the other boy is purposeful about his small talk and light-hearted jabs like he knows Midoriya needs the distraction.
There's a short succession of crackling explosions from Bakugou on the other side of the cafeteria near the end of lunch that has Izuku jerking violently in his seat. They take him back to the USJ, back to black mist and suffocating heat and burning hands melting through his hoodie, fussing with his skin, ki—
"Midoriya," Shinsou's voice drags him back. The boy taps at the table between them. "You're in the cafeteria. The bell's gonna ring soon, you need to finish eating."
It's not much, but it's enough to ground him back in reality. Maybe he should've taken a few more days off school.
He takes a moment to regather himself before picking his chopsticks back up from where he dropped them and shoveling another bite of food in his mouth.
"Have you given the sports festival anymore thought?"
The question grounds him further, gives him a much-needed distraction from the burning scar on his neck. "Not really," he admits, still somewhat distant. "There's not any reason for me not to compete though. You—" Izuku pauses thinking over his next words, "You said that winning the sports festival could get you into the hero course, right?"
"Yeah," Shinsou mumbles around a mouthful of food, eyeing him carefully. "And you're certain about that?"
"It's happened before."
Midoriya gnaws gently at his bottom lip, staring down at his plate. "You know I originally applied for the hero course here. I was rejected if it wasn't already obvious, didn't even get to take the test."
Izuku doesn't know why he's saying any of this, he especially doesn't know why he's throwing all of it at Shinsou without warning. He refuses to make eye contact with the other teen, fists clenching in his lap. "Because of that I'd given up on everything for a while. Even when you'd first brought up the sports festival, I didn't think it mattered. If I decide to take it seriously now, you won't hold it against me, will you?"
"Why would I hold that against you?" Shinsou asks flatly.
Izuku glances up at him warily.
"I already said I wouldn't mind the competition, didn't I?"
Midoriya's lips part with the intent to speak but all that comes out is a quiet laugh of disbelief. He
lets his head fall, chuckling to himself. "That you did."
Pied Piper would be dead soon.
Midoriya Izuku, however, didn't have plans on dying.
"Guess I've only got three days then?" He looks up to find the other boy smirking at him.
"I promise I'll still eat lunch with you when I get into the hero course," Hitoshi teases monotonously. His eyes are tired but his grin is bright nonetheless.
Maybe, just maybe, he'll choose to be optimistic about this for once. Midoriya smiles.
"Do you want me to sign a napkin for you? There's no telling how much my signature will go for in a few years."
He parts ways with Shinsou at the end of the school day, ducking into the hall when he catches Present Mic eyeing him for an opportunity to speak after class. He unfortunately can't leave school just yet, but he's had enough practice slipping away from someone to easily avoid a teacher only half-heartedly seeking him out.
He quickly asks one of the older looking students for directions before heading up a floor to Recovery Girl's office.
Izuku knocks gently at the door, only sliding it open when a voice from inside tells him to come in. The heroine sits at a desk off to the side, looking over papers. When she glances up at him she looks surprised.
"Midoriya. I didn't expect you to see you here so soon." She carefully slides off of her seat, hobbling towards him. "Did you go to class today? Or did you just drop in?"
A doleful expression crosses his face as he closes the door behind him. "I've been here all day."
She sighs. "You need to be careful not to overexert yourself. No one will blame you for taking another few days off. You're still recovering." She waves him over to a nearby seat, motioning for him to sit as she hefts herself onto a stool. "You should be fully healed after this, but if you find you're still experiencing any pain afterward don't be afraid to drop by again."
"It honestly doesn't hurt too much anymore. I doubt I would've even come to see you if you hadn't told me to," Midoriya chuckles.
She glowers at him over the brim of her visor but says nothing in response to the words. "You'll be a little tired after this but given we don't have too much more to heal, it shouldn't affect you like it has in the past. You might feel like taking a nap when you get home though."
"It's been a while since I've had a good nap." He offers her his hand which she takes gently in hers, pressing her lips to the back of it. He's still not used to the effect her quirk has. Tingles start up violently in his side, uncomfortable, but not painful in any way. The feeling persists for only a few moments before he feels a more mild form of exhaustion strike him. He blinks tiredly.
"Let's have one last look at it then."
Izuku shrugs off his blazer at the woman's words, slinging it over the back of his chair and lifting
his shirt. Her fingers are cold against his skin as she works to peel the bandage from his side. She studies the freshly healed area with a thoughtful expression before glancing up at him.
"Would you like to see it?"
Midoriya's mouth opens as if to say something before he closes it again. Do I want to see it? he wonders, pondering the question. Whatever remnants remained in his skin would be there for the rest of his life. The scar, because of course there has to be a scar, would never fail to remind him of his failures, of his almost death.
Of his trauma.
He nods stiffly.
The woman spins on her stool, shifting through the drawer behind her and returning with a small handheld mirror that she offers him. "I'll get you some gummies for the road. They'll help wake you up a bit," she murmurs gently, patting his knee before she hops off the stool and crosses the room, leaving him alone for the moment.
His fingers clench around the handle, shifting it so he can see his face in the reflection. Even with how much bed rest he got while in the hospital he still looks exhausted. His dark circles though, for the first time in over a year, don't look as dark as they once were.
He takes a deep breath and angles the mirror towards his side.
He's not expecting to see three separate scars. Just as Dr. Sui had warned, the surgery had left him with a nasty reminder, they're worse than any of the others he's received in the past. The only one that might've been comparable having long since been erased.
He feels nauseous looking at them.
He can hear Recovery Girl making her way back across the room and lets go of his shirt, letting it fall back into place. He sets the mirror down on the counter, turning to face her. She offers him a handful of gummies with an unreadable expression.
Without the woman in front of him, Midoriya would have spent many long months recovering to get to the point he's at now. And he can see that knowledge reflected in the hero's eyes. She's scared for him, scared that, because he's healed so quickly, he'll forget the consequences of what she thinks he's done.
He won't of course.
He doesn't think he could if he tried.
"I know the consequences," he tells her softly, solemnly, "I won't forget them."
That's all she needs to hear.
He pops the gummies into his mouth, grimacing at the strange mix of flavors as he pulls his blazer back on. There's no pain in his side, no achy muscles. There's only scars now, scars and memories.
"Thank you for your help."
"Take care of yourself, young man."
Izuku bows before heading towards the door, sliding it open. He blinks at the person standing on
the other side of the door, waiting for the apparition to disappear. Because it's surely some sort of hallucination.
It doesn't.
The color drains from his face, freckles stark against his skin. Eraserhead stands before him, mummified but standing. Alive.
Aizawa catches his gaze and Midoriya's mind roars with static. He has to rip himself out of his thoughts just to look away and ripping himself out of it is like trying to fight the pull of gravity. He blinks again, trying to clear his eyes as they water up. It's been two weeks since Izuku had to carry the man out of the USJ. And the nightmares he's had over the last two weeks were more vivid than even the memories Midoriya had of the incident itself.
His scars burn.
He feels Recovery Girl come up behind him. "You're late."
Izuku steps to the side, allowing the man to pass before he finally slips out the door, looking as if he'd seen a ghost. As tired as he is he doesn't waste any time disappearing down the hall as quickly as he can.
Aizawa lies on one of the nearby beds, dosing after another round of healing from Recovery Girl as she explains Midoriya's situation to the boy's homeroom teacher.
"Surgery?" Yamada's eyes are wide as he leans back into his seat.
"The only reason I'm telling you this is because I was informed that you were already aware of what happened. You're also the teacher that's around him the most. It's important for you to be aware of the extent of his medical issues in order to keep an eye on him. The others will of course be notified that he was in the hospital, but for privacy sake the reason why will be withheld."
"I know what happened," The man sighs, "But, I wasn't aware of the details or that he had to have surgery because of it." He runs a hand over his face, glancing at Shouta.
"Given the reports I've seen and the conversations I've had with him I doubt he's likely to try again, but I still think it's important to keep an eye on him, especially with him being quirkless. Even with UA's policies, he's at a higher risk of being bullied."
"Quikless," Aizawa mumbles, half asleep, "What if he's quirkless." "Go back to sleep Shouta," Hizashi whispers.
He does.
Midoriya makes his way out of the buildings as quickly as he can. He needs something to do, needs to get out of his head.
He needs to kill Piper.
Izuku dials Giran's number again, heart in his throat, fire in his neck, blood on the backs of his eyelids.
"You sent that letter right?" Izuku asks as soon as the call goes through, slipping past what few people litter the sidewalk.
"Piper?"
Midoriya only grunts in response.
"I sent it with all the updated documents that you sent over."
The boy glances to the side nervously. "You didn't read anything did you?" "Despite my job description, I know how to respect a client's privacy." Izuku's shoulders relax in the slightest.
There's no going back from here.
There's a cold feeling that settles in Naomasa's chest like the steel core of a long-dead star.
He tries to remember the last time he saw Piper, tries to remember what kind of interaction it had been. Had it ended on a positive note? A negative one? He can't remember.
His hands shake.
He can't remember.