A/N: Decided to write this story after listening to Lupe Fiasco's Tetsuo & Youth. In this particular story, Izuku will be referred by his nickname, Deku and Mina will be referred by her last name, Ashido. It is a OOC Izuku x OOC Mina love story...I think! Enjoy!
Deku placed his money on the register. He watched the last few dollars he had to be given to the cashier for a pack of cigarettes. Cigarettes were not really his fancy. He just wanted something to blockade his agitation. He looked in the eyes of the cashier. It was a sight all too familiar for him—a thousand-yard-stare that is reflective of his life.
"Here is your change, sir," said the clerk as he has his money in his hand.
"No, thanks, keep it," Deku said as he grabbed the black plastic bag containing his cigarettes. The bell from the door made a clicking sound as he exited the convenient store. He tossed the bag on the ground and retrieved his cigarettes. Kool menthols were his tobacco of choice. He pulled out a lighter from his pocket to light the cigarette. He watched as the smoke blended with the night sky.
Tonight was no different than any night. He was doing his usual evening routine: a convenient store, the library to pick up some books, and the grocery store to pick up his dinner for the night. Only this time, he went to the convenient store last. The change of his routine was an avoidance of a certain individual that has been rattling his brain over the last couple of days.
Deku took one final drag before discarding his cigarette on the ground as he proceeded to walk back to his home. Izuku Midoriya was his name, but his friends called him Deku. And by his friends, it was really his classmates. He was nicknamed Deku as a portmanteau for Defenseless Izuku. Stemming from sequences of constant childhood bullying due to a so-called childhood friend and the commonality of seeing red, or in his instance blood from the blows of swinging fist.
As a loner, he couldn't care less on what anyone called him. For as long he could survive his remaining high school years in peace, all is well.
Deku reached into his pocket to get another cigarette until he was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Yoo-hoo, Dekkun!" The sweet and pleasant, but rough voice called to him. He turned around and furrowed to the familiar voice. It was a girl, dressed in leopard-skinned clothing, rushing with her high heels towards her. The gyaru-type woman approached him with an embrace and then following a kiss on the cheek. The strong, pungent odor of her perfume attacked his nostrils as he pushed her off of him.
"Well, that was rude," she frowned as she pulled out a compact case from a purse. With the amount of powder applied to her skin, it seemed that she placed makeup at any moment's notice. I wish that she have to put too much of it, he thought, because it is not going to make her any prettier. The girl closed her compact case and looked at Deku. "Dekkun, I am so glad to see you."
Flatly, Deku said, "It is also good seeing you too, Ashido." Ashido smiled as she continued to stare at Deku as if she was observing for a change. "What are you doing out here this late, Dekkun," Ashido said as she took Deku's lighter from his hand to light herself a cigarette.
"Can you drop the honorifics, Ashido," said Deku while rubbing the soles of his shoes on the ground.
"No, I won't, Dekkun," said Ashido teasingly.
"Or at least do not sound like a schoolgirl doing it? It is freaking me out," said Deku.
"Well, I am a schoolgirl," said Ashido, "According to the customers that I pick up."
"Really, like I want to hear about your loose affairs," said Deku.
"Why not, you liked it whenever…," said Ashido before Deku placed his hands over her mouth. "Please, Ashido, let's not bring that up ever again." She laughed at his comment that he made about her.
Mina Ashido was her name. Her surname is a play on words like acid but she can be venomous like a snake, sucking whatever she can to get what she wanted. She was also obsessed with the color pink.
She and Deku go to the same high school and they are both classmates. On the days she showed up at school, she had a reputation of being a 'bad seed.' She and a couple of her cohorts have been known for fighting, extortion, and even prostitution. With the latter, it was said that Ashido was the ringleader and have clients that are ranged from teenage to older men and even women (which came to no surprise to Deku). Even he was not exempt from the wrath of Ashido. She, in particular, had given him a hard time. However, Deku shows apathy whenever she bullies him. It was irritable, but at the same time, intriguing. That alone made the curious Ashido pursue him.
In the end and despite her nature, she developed a special connection with him.
"What in the hell do you want with me, Ashido," he demanded.
"I just wanted to see you, sweetie," she responded.
"Look, if you are looking to borrow some money, look elsewhere because I am broke."
Placing her hands on her hips, she said, "Do you think that is what I think of you, a walking ATM? Just because I borrowed from you a couple of times doesn't me I am using you. At least I pay you back."
"True, but that is the only time when you come around. Aside from that, I am very surprised that you are throwing the friend label around," said Deku.
Mina winced a bit at his comment. Izuku was taken aback as well. In the past, he was not as vocal to her, but something, in particular, was causing him to become more open to her. He turned from her direction and began trekking his way home.
"Where are you going," asked Ashido. Noticing that he was leaving, with her high heels, she began speeding after him. "Dekkun, why are you are not talking?"
Izuku remained silent. He had already had a rough day and being around Mina was not going to make it any better. If I can get away from this woman, then my day won't be any more hellish, he thought to himself.
Just then, she brushed past him and stopped in front of him. He remained silent. Emptiness remained in his eyes. He thought to himself of his blunt and curt departure to her was enough. She continued to stare at him to grab his attention. Seeing her sincerity or at least it looked like it, he averted his eyes.
"Talk to me, Dekkun," said Mina pleadingly, "I really wanted to see you."
He tried to look away, but she was going in any direction he was going. She grabbed him by the hand. He tried to let go of her, but she held a tight grip on him. "If it is what you saw, I'm sorry," said Ashido. Her voice went from bubbly to seriously faint. He stood still. He began to tremble from her words. He tried to walk away, but she maintained her grip.
"I wished that you have to see her like that, Dekkun," said Ashido, "I wished you did not have to see her true self."
Like a bolt from the blue, he shouted, "How could she do me like that?" He wanted to cry, but he tried to save himself from embarrassment. If she discovered this, then what opportunities she could use against him. He tried to loosen the grip from Ashido but to no avail.
"Uraraka was and is bad news," said Ashido, "Ochako is the kind of girl who would play with boys like you."
Ochako Uraraka was a classmate of Izuku and Mina. He had a crush on her. A few months ago, he asked Ochako out on a date. She accepted and began going out. Although they were a couple, or it seemed, the relationship remained conditional. He had never kissed or consummated their relationship. He went to great lengths to buy her love. Despite his efforts, it was never enough to be reciprocated.
A few days ago, he was at school on cleaning duty when he discovered something that would change the direction of their relationship. He caught Ochako in a compromising position with another classmate, his childhood friend, Katsuki Bakugo. Rumors of her promiscuity and her involvement with Katsuki were confirmed. She had been scamming boys to buy her love through gifts. He was one of Ochako's many pawns. Speechless, Deku silently ended their relationship.
The fateful encounter between Ochako and Katsuki was foreseen by Mina. However, he did not believe her. Or rather, he just could not accept it. This was not his first time being burned in a relationship.
Nevertheless, Izuku was the kind of person who does not let the next woman suffers from the past. But, he fears of the "what if" in it.
Since then, he avoided areas where he would find Ochako. Seeing her with someone else would only bring pain and heartbreak.
"Look, I know you are upset," said Ashido, "And you have every right to be. But at least there is a consolation."
He turned and faced the pinkette.
"Consolation? Such as," asked Deku.
"The consolation of not spending your days in a lie with a complete and worthless bitch," said Ashido, "Knowing that you deserve better than that. I have may have been wrong for telling you that, but for that it is worth, I would do it again in a heartbeat."
"Why, so that you can humiliate me," asked Deku.
"No, because…," said the pinkette as she completely stopped in mid-sentence. He watched as her cheeks began to flush. This was his first time seeing her in a vulnerable state.
"Because what," asked Deku.
"Because you are too special of a boy to be toil with, that's all," said Ashido while turning away flushing.
Mina suddenly realized that her hand was still gripped around Izuku. She let go of his hand and placed her hands in her coat pocket. The wind began to pick up and its breeze was not paying the pair any compliments.
"Look, it is getting cold," said Deku, "Would you like to come over?"
"Is that an invitation," asked Ashido in a cute way.
"Call it what you want," said Deku flatly as he was walking away from her. He then turned to face her. "Are you coming or not?"
"Gladly," said Ashido.
To be continued….