The tension in the air was thick drying Izuku's mouth, making it hard to swallow back the bile that wanted to come up as every wrong move they could make at this moment.
What made it worst was that they had yet to attack them. Like a standoff, Hachiro was waiting them out, possibly to see if Izuku made the wrong move that would tip the scale in the older man's favor.
Pacing back-and-forth in front of their boarded-up window wasn't helping the situation as everyone's panic whispers followed him around, crowding him.
"What are we going to do!?" Denki said.
His muttering began as Izuku ignored Denki's question. He could tell Hachiro was hesitating to attack them, but why?
"Shut it Pikachu, I know that look, he's coming up with some crazy ass plan that may or may not get us all killed." Kacchan said.
Izuku's group didn't know what type of quirks his friends had, but Hachiro didn't know what they could do, either.
"Until he's done, Hatsume go turn on the floodlights outside so we can keep those bastards in sight. Pikachu, start charging the battery packs." Kacchan ordered.
Izuku nodded in agreement, his mind still working out their next steps.
This could go in their favor if they played their cards right.
"You figure something out?" Kacchan asked.
"Not quite, but I think there's a chance to get out of this. First, we need to figure out as much as we can about them." Izuku said.
"I won't be able to recharge these batteries all night, guys." Kaminari said.
If they had been trying to wait them out, this would have been a problem for them, but Izuku had no plans to let them direct how this night would go. Izuku padded Kaminari's shoulder as he passed him.
"Don't worry, just charge these for now. I don't think we'll be using them much longer." Izuku said.
The electric boy's lower lip puffed out his face, frowning, making it obvious that he wasn't sure what Izuku was trying to insinuate, but Izuku didn't have time to explain things just yet.
He walked back to the front door, glancing back at his family with a smile that he was hoping was reassuring, but they looked no more comforted as they stared back at him, eyes wide and alarmed by his plans to step outside.
"You all stay here and stay hidden. Our only chance is if we can get them to out themselves." Izuku said.
"The hell you're going outside by yourself." Kacchan yelled.
He was fast on Izuku's heels, his arms crossed and stance firm as he dared Izuku to even protest. Hatsume turned back to her monitors, bringing up every camera angle available to monitor those that were still hidden.
"I got your back Midoriya!" Hatsume said.
"Please be careful." His mom said.
Her hands were resting on Chieko's shoulders, keeping the girl close to her side. Chieko holding onto the book that Kacchan had gifted her, but her face didn't give her emotions away.
He wishes he could be like All Might. A confident smile on his face telling them not to worry because he was here to protect them. His late mentor would have been able to ease their minds that they would get out of this alive.
But Deku wasn't All Might. People like those men outside that snuffed the symbol of peace out. They only took what they wanted, destroying anyone that got in their way. The sound of metal grinding reached his ears, but he didn't react until he felt a warmth rest over his shoulder.
Izuku startled, looking up to meet Kacchan's eyes. A fiery red raged behind his eyes, but a familiar malicious grin grew across his face in that moment.
"Let's make them sorry they ever thought to mess with what's ours." Kacchan said.
Kacchan didn't break eye contact as he stared Izuku down, demanding the same conviction he held, scorching every shred of doubt that festered inside Izuku at that moment.
It was that smirk that once made Izuku flinch and look away, a stuttering mess. To the sweet scent of nitroglycerin that permeated the surrounding air, promising a world of pain to whoever dare cross him. This was the cocky Kacchan that Izuku knew him to be.
Izuku felt a rush coursed through his veins, his heart thrumming in response to Kacchan's unwavering stare. He was all-encompassing; his very presence was intoxicating to Izuku, as it always was. This was the Kacchan that left Izuku star struck and in awe, willing to chase him to the ends of the earth.
The symbol of victory.
"Hell yeah we are!" Denki cried out, bringing Izuku out of his hero worshiping thoughts.
Izuku broke eye contact with Kacchan, his face hot and thoughts racing at how easily the blonde could capture his attention even now. He was sure Kacchan had caught him, but he couldn't bring himself to see the other boys' reaction, so he focused his attention towards the others.
Hatsume was watching her monitors all business and ready to cover Izuku's blind spots. Shinsou didn't look near as excited as the grinning yellow-haired fool next to him, but he had an asshole of a grin on his face that he said he was ready to give these guys a hard time. Even Chieko and his mother stood taller, their faces determined to do whatever he needed of them.
Izuku's eyes watered a bit, and he looked down to choke back the oncoming tears. Whatever happened tonight, Izuku was going to do everything in his power to protect his family. Even if he had to use One for All at full power and break every bone in his body, he would do it, if it meant they were safe.
"God damn crybaby." Kacchan muttered.
Kacchan wasn't looking at him anymore. His face turned away as he smacked Izuku in the back of his head to bring him back to reality. It didn't hurt, so Izuku didn't mind it as he smiled towards his friend.
Somehow, Kacchan always had a way of pulling Izuku's emotions every which way he pleased. He wondered if he was even aware of it.
"Let's go, nerd." Kacchan said.
They step outside and when he released the doorknob, Izuku felt a bit of resistance as he pride his fingers from the now warped metal. That must have been where the sound had come from.
Hachiro smiled as soon as he spots them standing on the porch. The two men were leaning over the lower wooden fencing that surrounded their base. Their stances were casual and not at all worried. They didn't show that he planned to step past the threshold as if they were waiting to be invited in.
"Ah, there you are. You had me waiting so long I thought you weren't home." Hachiro said.
Sato glanced over to Kacchan, noting his presence and his face frowning as if it disappointed him to see the blonde standing next to Izuku.
"Sato here was hoping to say hi to Chieko." Hachiro grinned as the younger man chuckled next to him.
"can't she come out to play?" Sato asked.
Izuku didn't bother to take the bait as he watched the two's every move. He decided to getting to the point was the best route.
"What do you want, Hachiro?" Izuku asked.
Hachiro pushes back from the fence, feigning a look of offense, as if Izuku's words had broken some code of social etiquette. When Izuku nor Kacchan react to his pretenses, the older man shrugs, brushing his peppered hair back with a sign of amusement before moving back to lean over the fence.
"I want to see what other goodies you have hiding inside that house. We can do another trade." Hachiro said.
"I want nothing from you but to leave us alone." Izuku said.
Kacchan stood to the left of him, his arms crossed and grasping his arms so tight Izuku was sure he would leave bruises soon. If he was feeling the same as Izuku, then he knew the anger that was brewing beneath the surface.
"Is that right?" Hachiro said.
His facial pleasantries stay locked on his face as he smiles at them while accepting some kind of compact from Sato.
It looked like a regular compact mirror to Izuku as the man opened the case. The small buzz of the intercom came through Izuku's ear.
"From the rooftop, one man just disappeared!" Hatsume warned.
Izuku tensed, ready for anyone who may try to attack them. The compact shook as smoke billowed out of the reflection, forming the outline of a person before solidifying into a man he had seen earlier on the screen.
He looked a little older than Sato. His hair was a long silvery sheen that he kept tied back from his face. He didn't acknowledge either Izuku or Kacchan as he spoke to Hachiro.
Red flags were being thrown up as Izuku considered how this quirk may work against them. Was it only mirrors that he could move around in? Or was it any reflective surface? Izuku made a mental list of every reflective surface he could think of that was in the house. All weak openings that could threaten them all.
Izuku tried to make out anything the man was saying, but his voice was a soft muttering that revealed nothing to him. The interest on Hachiro's face didn't ease any of Izuku's worries. He could feel Kacchan tensing beside him as he probably came up with his own theories of disadvantages.
When Hachiro turns back to the boys, his face is back to his usual pleasant neighborly persona.
"I'm ready to make a trade." Hachiro said.
Kacchan stepped in this time before Izuku could even get a word out.
"Not interested ass-hat."
Hachiro sighs standing straighter and closing his eyes in thought as if he was trying to figure out a way to convince them.
"Look, I don't have any problem with you all leaving this area in peace, but for that peaceful exit, how about you leave whatever items or equipment?" Hachiro offered.
His smirk returned to his face as his head tilted to the side to eye them. "We also wouldn't mind you leaving behind the three you have hidden from us."
Kacchan teeth snap at what Izuku can only describe as a growl. His voice is low as his eyes shift to Izuku for a moment, but he never turns his back to the three men.
"If they know how many girls are in our group, then that mirror guy's been watching us from inside."
It was the worst outcome, that some of the advantaged they had were being used against them now, but that didn't make Izuku falter. He knew they still had a chance. Izuku dipped his head down to make sure only Kacchan could hear him.
"That doesn't mean they know everything."
Hachiro leer darkened as he made eye contact with Izuku's own glare. The older man licked his lips, making Izuku's skin crawl in response.
"I even promise to take it upon myself to care for your mom in your absence." He said.
Sato and the third one snicker. There was no doubt in their minds that they believed the outcome would be in their favor.
"Fuck you!" Kacchan shouted.
Izuku's jaw clenched, his body somehow already taking a step forward at the galls. This man had to even use his mom to taunt him. Kacchan grabbed his arm before he could take the first step, his bruising grip the only sense of rationality Izuku had left as he stared down at the despicable man standing in front of him. Izuku was all too willing to put this monster down right at this moment, but Kacchan pulled him back, forcing him back into the house with a shattering slam of the door.
"Izuku?" his mother called for him, her voice questioning.
His gaze stayed fixed on the door though, eyes unblinking. His vision only saw Hachiro's smug face and Izuku was sure with every fiber of his being that if he turned to look at his mother at this very moment, she would see something frightening.
"Izuku?" she tried again.
Izuku closed his eyes, releasing a heavy breath to temper his anger before facing his mother with a calm smile on his face. It felt uncomfortable against on his face, but he would force it there to ease her worries.
"Don't worry, mom, we're going to get out of here, okay?" Izuku said.
Izuku felt stiff as he moved towards one of their bags, fishing out a pen and paper before going over to stand next to Hatsume. Everyone but Kacchan watched him, confused, as he waved them closer to him. He pressed one finger to his lips to make sure they said nothing as he wrote onto the blank sheet of scrap paper.
'They're watching us.' Izuku wrote.
There was a gasp from his mom as she covered her mouth with her hand. The Denki moved to stand next to Izuku's mom, patting her arm to reassure her, though his attempt at a smile was tight-lipped as his skin had paled at the news.
'It's a reflection quirk. Everyone needs to look for every type of mirror or reflection you can find big or small and pile it in the living room.' Izuku instructed them.
'This person can hear us and move through the reflection, so don't go off alone, stay in pairs.' Izuku warned.
They all search throughout the house. There wasn't much since most of it had been bare of any valuables, but they took down everything they could find that had even a slight reflective surface, piling them over some sheets that his mother had found.
They removed all but Hatsume's monitors. Izuku couldn't risk giving those up, so they had agreed to keep them separate while Hatsume states she will figure out a way to stop him. Before Izuku can even lift the decent pile of things, Hatsume must have figured something out because she grabbed a few pieces from the bunch.
"What?" Izuku asks.
Hatsume winks, mischievous in her expression as she walks away without another word of explanation. Izuku shakes his head but doesn't protest. If Hatsume needs them, then he trusts her enough to tilt the odds in their favor.
Izuku grabs the pile, lifting it over his shoulder as he carries it outside to the front. Hachiro and Sato turn at the sound of his exit, curious to see what he's doing.
Izuku throws the pile into the lawn, the sound of breaking glass and other items a sort of finality to make it known that Izuku isn't backing down to them.
Hachiro lets out a huff of amusement. "You think that will be enough?"
Izuku responds by slamming the door shut.
He could hear their laughs through the layers of wood, keeping them safe from Izuku's ire.
"What are we going to do now?" Shinso asks.
"I wanna know why they haven't attacked us yet." Denki said.
The electric boy slouches down into one of the worn out couches they had found when they first arrived. His face looked tired as he rested his arms on his knees, looking to Izuku for answers.
"They're confident they'll win, but they're being cautious. My guess is they don't want to take the risk yet, because they don't know our quirks." Izuku said.
"What about calling Inasa?" Hatsume offers.
Her voice was more of a loud whisper compared to everyone else. The girl couldn't whisper to save her life.
"No." Izuku shakes his head.
"But he could bring reinforcements with him." Hatsume pushed.
It made logical sense, which is why Izuku could understand Hatsume's obvious choice, but the reminder of Inazuma's ever looming threat made Izuku unwilling to take the risk of Inasa leaving that man the chance to escape.
"It's not an option we can consider right now. The hospital is still too vulnerable and Inasa leaving could tilt the scale and allow one of his followers to help him escape." Izuku said.
Chieko tensed at Inazuma's name, her stance closing off as she seemed to curl around her book as if to reassure herself. Izuku hated he had to even bring up that man's name in her presence, but he needed to drive it home that Inasa could only be a last resort and besides, Izuku was still sure they could make it out of here the victors.
"No, what we need is information." Izuku said.
Shinso must have caught on because he was nodding in agreement. "Recon, if we figure out most of their quirks while keeping our own hidden?"
Denki straightened, grasping what they were insinuating. "Oh! Yeah, we'll have the upper hand!"
"I can use my spy babies to see what we can find out?" Hatsume offered.
They all huddled in around Hatsume, keeping their voices low as she maneuvered her spies closer to the men on the roof.
There was still so much to consider, so many unknown variable. Izuku, fingers pressed into his chin as he considered all of what they knew so far. He knew it wouldn't be perfect, but he needed the odds to be high enough in their favor. His mom and Chieko here and the least experienced in defense made them openings to be used against them if given the chance. This worried him as he went over the options they had to keep them safe and out of harm's way during the inevitable fight.
The layout had them trapped and backed into a corner, but it could also be their biggest advantage if they lured them in a few at a time. Keeping them separated would also be best.
Izuku watched the man with the reflection quirk, talking to the shorter man that was on the roof with him. The silver-haired man's quirk seemed to allow him to move easily and although they did their best to get rid of any reflective items in the house, Izuku wasn't sure how strong the reflection had to be to allow that man to travel through it. It was also safe to assume his partner must have some kind of long distance quirk or something that would allow him to come down quickly to assist if he was called upon by Hachiro.
"Bring up up the visuals on the two in the alley?" Izuku asked.
Hatsume did as he asked, bring up to different angles until they saw the two men chatting, their forms resting against the far wall of the fence line. They were actually inside compared to Hachiro and Sato, who had stood outside of its borders.
Neither man looked overly strong, but they didn't look nervous or worried standing out there alone. Izuku guessed their quirks were powerful enough to hold their own or crafty enough to keep them safe. Izuku wasn't sure with but they must have a quirk that was more useful at a closer range.
As the night dragged on and the last of their battery packs ran out. Izuku's plans began stressfully stitch together until he felt sure they could win this. Maybe not completely unscathed, but they had a chance.
As Denki moved to recharge the battery packs, Izuku stopped him midway. Izuku glanced over to Hatsume.
"Hatsume, call Inasa and get him up to speed with what's going on." Izuku said.
"Did you change your mind?" Hatsume asked.
"No, I still don't want him to come, but that doesn't mean he can't help." Izuku said.
"On it Boss." Hatsume said.
Izuku brows pinched at nickname she had given him, but shook his head to stay focus. Now wasn't the time for distractions.
"Denki, don't worry about the lights. We're going to let them die out on their own." Izuku said.
"But we won't be able to see them." Denki said.
"Yeah, but they won't be able to see us either." Izuku said.
Kacchan smirked ask he moved closer to Izuku.
"What you got planned in that nerdy brain of yours, Deku?" Kacchan asked.
"I have a plan." Izuku said.