Izuku stared at the shelf where his notebooks had been stacked just yesterday, perfectly neat in numerical order, right where they'd always been.
The shelf was now completely empty, the only sign anything had ever been there being the rectangle clear of dust.
He sighed heavily, numbness settling in his exhausted limbs and mind. He didn't have the energy to think past the fact that he'd seen notebooks in Tenko's suitcase and wonder why he'd taken them. He just trudged over to his bed and crouched down.
A part of him wanted to be angry. He should be angry. But he wasn't. At least, not at Tenko. Or any of his family, really.
He pulled the shoebox out from underneath the bed and opened it up. The three extra notebooks were still inside—they contained a compressed version of everything in his other notebooks that he'd written down one day when he was bored. He closed it and pushed it back underneath.
Then he ended up sitting on the floor by his bed, legs tucked beneath him. Tenko's words echoed through his mind as he stared blankly ahead.
"I don't want to leave you, I really don't. But I can't leave Dad alone. I have to help him, I owe him that much, at least."
His fists clenched around the fabric of his pants.
He was only angry at himself.
He was angry at himself for being quirkless, and useless, and a Deku. He was angry at himself for probably being what drove Dad away. He was angry at himself for not being good enough for Tenko to choose him over Dad. He was angry at himself for being so weak Mom didn't think she could tell him the truth. He was angry at himself for being what drove this family apart.
He wasn't angry at them. What could he blame them for, being right?
This was all his fault.
"Izuku!"
He blinked, taking note of his blurry vision as he was snapped out of his thoughts by what he knew to be a faux cheery yell.
Shoving his thoughts to the side, he scrubbed his wet cheeks and scrambled to his feet.
"You're gonna be late for school!"
"Coming!" he called back.
He grabbed his bag off the corner of the desk chair, ran pointedly past Tenko's empty unmade bed, and then stopped at the closed bedroom door.
He didn't want to go outside. He didn't want to face Mom, if he was being honest. He didn't want to face what he knew to be a fake smile full of lies. A cheery voice that never planned on telling him that his missing brother had been right there the night before, or the truth about what had been going on if said brother had not asked her to.
He swallowed hard. He didn't want to face the woman and the conversation that he knew would only end in more lies or a truth he wasn't sure he was prepared to confront yet.
But as he fingered his bag strap and took a deep breath, he realized he didn't exactly have a choice. Because one thing he did want to do was get to school. Get out of this too-small house and away from this entire situation for a few hours. Get to his friends and tell them everything, maybe stay at Hitoshi's for a while. Just get a break. He grabbed the door handle.
He felt like he was being suffocated in a mess of emotions and thoughts he couldn't understand. He needed out.
But that meant getting past Mom.
So he took another deep breath and pulled the door open, hurrying down the hall and into the kitchen. A quick survey showed Mom just closing his bento box on the counter. He watched as his mom hummed softly, her movements fluid and untroubled, as if nothing had changed.
He swooped in, grabbed the bento, and stuffed it into his bag, then hurried out, swiping a piece of toast from a plate on his way through the doorway. In a moment he was at the front door slipping his shoes on.
"I gotta go, promised Shoto and Hitoshi I'd meet them early," he said in a rush, already reaching for the door handle.
So close.
"Wait, Izuku?"
With a grimace, he froze, internally groaning. He didn't turn around or lower his hand when he tightly said, "Yeah?"
There was a pause, then, "Can I talk to you for just a moment?"
Izuku slowly lowered his hand, clenching it into a fist at his side as he did his best to keep his voice steady. "I've really- I've really gotta go. They're- they're waiting…"
"They can wait a little bit longer, can't they?" He heard his mom step into the living room behind him, her voice was quiet and sounded a bit shaky. Maybe she didn't seem so relaxed after all. "It'll only take a minute, school doesn't start for quite a while. Please?"
Izuku forced himself to take in a deep breath and relax his fists before he turned towards her, praying his expression looked normal enough. Luckily it didn't seem like he needed to be too concerned, as she wasn't paying attention, looking down at her fidgeting hands instead.
"Ok," he managed. "What is it?"
"Izuku, it's… I- well…" she started and then stopped a time or two, taking a few deep breaths and still not looking up. "You see, it's- it's about… um…"
He crossed his arms, his hands becoming clammy and sweaty as he closed and opened them and waited. He couldn't sit through this.
"Izuku, I-"
"It's... it's about Tenko and Dad, isn't it?" Izuku cut in, his voice trembling slightly.
She finally looked up at him and blinked, dumbfounded for a moment. He kept eye contact, and refused to care when his voice came out a bit cold.
"They're not coming back, are they?"
Please just get this over with.
Her shoulders and face fell. "No, no- Izuku, they're- they're coming back, eventually. It's just gonna be a little while longer. And- but there's- there's things you need to know. They're not… they aren't in America, I don't actually know where they are. Because, see, well-"
"I get it, ok?"
The words echoed off the walls and silenced his mom, clearly startling her. To be honest, startling Izuku as well. He let himself slump, quiet voice a sharp contrast to his previous outburst.
"I get it. Just- just stop trying to make excuses."
"Izuku…" she stepped forward. "No, I'm not-"
"You are." He was so sick of this. "You can't say it."
He shook his head. "I don't care if they're in America, I don't care where they are. I know they're not coming back and I know why." He looked down as the tears crept into his eyes. His mom seemed too shocked to speak, or just didn't know what to say.
He sniffed, wiping the tears off his face. "I know it's- it's all my fault."
She stepped closer, reaching towards him. "Izuku, what are you talking about?"
"Stop it!" He pushed her away, making them both stumble back. "Stop acting like you don't know, just stop. Stop with the lies already!"
They met eyes, two green gazes. One full of hurt and confusion, the other full of hurt and anger and grief.
Then Izuku straightened, eyes darkening. "Say it." His voice became suddenly quiet and calm. "Say what we both know, tell me the truth."
She stared at him for a long moment. Then she squeezed her eyes shut, and forced the words out like they physically pained her.
"They're villains."
He blinked at her. Once. Twice.
Then he burst out laughing, loud enough to startle Inko into taking a few steps back.
"Yeah." Once the laugh died down, he turned back to the door. He opened it, stepped out, and just before closing it behind him he finished, "Maybe they are."
—-
The sound of rain hitting against the car felt encapsulating around Inko as she drove, clammy hands gripping the steering wheel. She squinted through the wet windshield, wipers swinging back and forth, as her leg bounced nervously.
She nearly honked at a guy who swerved too far to the left and almost hit her, spraying up more water against the gray clouded sky. She bit her lip so hard it hurt as lightning struck, flashing the dark clouds around her, accompanied by the loud boom of thunder a moment later.
"They're not coming back, are they?"
She slammed on the brakes behind another car stopped at the red light ahead and threw her head back against the headrest with a groan, covering her face with her hands.
She'd managed to keep himself occupied enough to keep the thoughts out all day while Izuku was at school. But now that she was on her way to pick him up, with nothing but a storm outside to distract her, she couldn't quite get away.
The argument her and Izuku had that morning kept replaying in her head. He just hadn't understood. She couldn't make him understand, she didn't know how. She hadn't come across the way she meant to, she felt like she'd just made things worse somehow, but she barely understood herself.
What was he thinking?
She startled forward as the car behind her honked twice. Looking forward she realized the light was green and she pressed the gas.
What had he meant by it being his fault?
She had a feeling he thought he knew, but had a very wrong idea of all of this. But she had no clue what he was thinking.
Thunder cracked over her again as she turned onto a busy street, spraying up water. She felt now more than ever that he needed to know the truth. They needed to sit down and talk, calmly. To clear things up. She'd made the mistake that morning of trying to get this over with during a time he was already rushed and clearly upset.
But now she'd get a chance to try again, hopefully after he'd had the day to calm down. And she was determined to get her message across and make sure he understood.
She did honk this time as a guy cut her off, and grunted louder than necessary when her knee hit the steering wheel from bouncing so hard.
That didn't make her any less anxious though.
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down as she drove, then her her phone lit up with a buzz in the passenger seat. She reached over and picked it up. When she saw the message on the screen, she nearly dropped it.
Unknown has blocked you.
What?
Hisashi blocked her.
Why?
Anxiety spiked, her breathing quickened as she tried to focus on the road. But she kept glancing back down at it.
What happened? Is something wrong? Did something happen to him? Did he do that or someone else? Maybe he was just having to change numbers again for some reason?
Tenko. She could text Tenko.
The scrambled for her phone in her hand and pulled up Tenko's number, starting to type a message.
But just before he could send the message, a new notice appeared. She froze.
Tenko has blocked you.
She stared down at the phone in shock, mind racing with thoughts and questions—Why? Something had to happen for them both to block her. Something had to change. But what? Why would-?
She looked up at the sound of screeching tires and a horn honking. She barely registered the car in front of her in time to slam on the brakes and scream before impact hit. Glass rained around her. Then it all went dark.
—-
Izuku sat on the edge of Hitoshi's bed, staring down at his lap as his legs kicked back and forth. Shoto was to his left on the bed, leaning against the wall, eyes on him blankly.
Izuku finally felt his friend's eyes leave him as the bedroom door opened, though he himself didn't look up as Hitoshi stepped inside.
"Ok, I got coffee for myself," the purple haired boy said tiredly, walking over and setting three cups down on the nightstand. "And milk for you guys. It's all they had."
Izuku picked up one of the two milk cups, mumbled a thanks, and then chugged it all at once. When he set the cup back down again, Hitoshi blinked at him for a second, but then just grabbed his coffee and started to sit at the desk.
"Izuku."
Izuku finally looked up at Shoto, who still hadn't picked up his own cup. The red and white haired boy cocked his head slightly as Izuku realized that gaze wasn't completely blank. It was tapered with concern.
"What's going on?"
Izuku straightened, looking away. "What do you mean?"
"You've been acting weird all week," Shoto shifted to be sitting next to Izuku. "But all day today you seemed about to collapse, emotionally and physically. Then you ask us to come here instead of your house to hang out. Something's wrong."
Izuku slumped and crossed arms. "Nothings wrong." Why was he denying it? Hadn't he come here wanting to talk to them about it?
Hitoshi scoffed from behind his coffee cup on the desk chair. "If that isn't the lie of the week." He set the cup down with a clink. "Shoto's right. We've tried to leave it alone, tried not to push, figured you'd come to us if there was a problem. But you haven't been yourself, and we're done ignoring it."
Then, in a softer voice he said, "We're worried about you, Izu. Just tell us what's wrong."
Izuku stared at him, mouth slightly open. Hitoshi stared back.
They were worried about him.
That was the breaking point. His teeth clenched as the tears flooded in, he turned and pulled himself into Shoto, burying his face in his friend's shoulder before the tears spilled over. He had to hold something, so he grabbed Shoto's shirt and forgot about holding back and let out a loud sob.
It took about five seconds for Shoto to relax completely and shift so Izuku's face was in his chest, then he just put a hand on his head and ran it through his hair as the sobs kept coming. A second or so after that, another weight lowered on the bed, and eventually Hitoshi decided to rub small circles in Izuku's back.
Izuku settled into their company as he cried, enjoying their warm touches as he tried to get himself under control, but he wasn't able to for a long time. By the time he did manage to get down to just sniffles, he wasn't sure how much time had passed.
He didn't move to get up from where he was still against Shoto, and although Hitoshi had stopped rubbing his back, Shoto was still playing with his hair.
"Better?" Hitoshi asked.
Izuku nodded, finally pushing himself up and wiping his eyes. Then he looked at Shoto, who had a huge wet spot on his shirt. "Sorry," he grimaced slightly.
Shoto blinked, looked down, and shrugged. "It's ok."
"Don't think your crying is going to get you out of giving us an answer," Hitoshi said jokingly. Izuku chuckled wetly.
Then, in a more serious tone, Hiotshi asked, "Is it about your dad?"
Izuku looked down at his lap again, biting his lip. There was know avoiding it now, and he'd wanted to tell them anyways. "Kinda," he mumbled.
Then he went on to tell them everything that had happened. Everything. From Tenko disappearing and his mom's lazy excuse that he'd gone to America with his dad, to how his mom had been acting all week. Then to what had happened the night before and the conversation he'd overheard, all the way to the argument he and his mom had had that morning.
Neither of them said anything the whole time, and he never looked up to see how they were reacting.
Once he'd finally finished, there was a long moment of silence. He still didn't look up, instead focusing on his twiddling fingers.
Finally, Hitoshi huffed out a, "Wow. That's messed up."
With a nod, Izuku scooted back on the bed and finally looked up at them both. Hitoshi was scowling at the wall, and Shoto was looking at Izuku with a sad expression. Anyone else might call it pity, but Izuku could see it wasn't that. It was just sadness.
"So basically—" Hitoshi turned to him, "—your dad and brother left and your mom only lied to you about it until you found out the truth by overhearing conversations that only happened because your brother randomly appeared again and no one ever told you. And the truth being that they left to who knows where and they're not coming back."
Izuku winced at the words, but nodded. He didn't miss the glare Shoto sent at Hitoshi, but Hitoshi did, or just ignored it.
"What the heck?" He seemed to be growing increasingly angry, throwing his hands in the air. "What are any of them thinking? Hisashi just packs up and leaves for know reason, and Inko lies about it? And Tenko too! Seriously. What the heck?"
"I don't know about Tenko," Shoto spoke up. "He said himself he didn't want to leave, but he felt obligated to go with Hisashi."
"He should've felt obligated to stay with his family! Izuku needs him, not a grown man. He doesn't owe anything to a guy who abandons his family!"
"Hitoshi-!"
"How could Hisashi just leave like that anyway? Why would he? I don't get it, he loves Inko and Izuku. What changed?"
Shoto sighed. "That's true. There has to be a reason, and a good one for Tenko to go to. They wouldn't just up and disappear for no reason. So what is it?"
"It's because I'm quirkless."
Now with his legs curled against his chest and his head in his knees, Izuku's voice came out barely a muffled whisper. But he knew they both heard him, because they both went quiet.
"What?" Shoto asked after a second.
He looked up to see them both staring at him. "They left because I'm quirkless."
Shoto's eyes widened, but Hitoshi's narrowed. "No, that can't be it-"
"Don't you get it?" Izuku put his legs down, and he might've teared up again if he wasn't out of tears. "It's the- it's the only thing that makes sense. Dad must've- he must've just finally realized that I wasn't- wasn't worth it or something. But mom- I guess mom didn't- didn't agree, so dad left, and- and Tenko went with him cause he didn't want to leave dad. Or- or something."
He buried his face in his hands, just missing the looks his friends traded.
"It's- it's all my f- fault," he mumbled, voice shaking. "I ruined my- my family."
"No," Hitoshi muttered, fists clenched. "No, that's not it, it can't be. It doesn't make sense. They wouldn't."
Shoto rubbed Izuku's back as he whispered. "Even so, it's not your fault, Izu. You didn't do anything wrong."
Izuku just shook his head in his hands and gave a shaky sigh.
The silence that was left after that was interrupted by a piercing ringing that Izuku recognized to be his phone's ringtone from on the dresser. He didn't look up as he heard Hitoshi stand up, grumbling something about bad timing as he walked over. Then he paused.
"Izuku," he didn't sound annoyed anymore, but strangely calm. Izuku looked up to see the purple eyes on him, a hint of concern. "It's your mom. You want me to answer?"
Izuku took in a deep shaky breath, held it for a second, then let it out. He'd felt bad about not telling his mom that he was going to Hitoshi's after school, but he'd forgotten about it until now. He was surprised it had taken her this long to call.
He guess he probably needed to answer though, she was probably worried if she showed up to school and he wasn't there.
He nodded, and Hitoshi pressed a button on the screen. A second later, a voice came through the speaker. But it was very clearly not his mother's voice.
"Hello? Is this Izuku Midoriya?"
Izuku straightened immediately. The voice was deep, a man's voice, and not a familiar one. Hitoshi was looking at him with a raised eyebrow as he walked over to the bed with the phone. Shoto just looked confused.
"U-um, yes? Who- who is this?" Izuku said as Hitoshi set the phone down.
"Hi, Izuku." The man sounded kind, and purposefully gentle. It only put Izuku more on edge. "My name is officer Sansa, I'm with the police. I'm afraid there was an accident."
There was a pause, and Izuku felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest if it could beat any faster. Hitoshi and Shoto looked equally worried.
"Your mom's in the hospital."
In a second, he was up and out of the door.