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deku just wanted one normal day out with his friends.
today, they all had an full day planned of things to do. all with ochako, tsuyu, todoroki, momo, iida, and even shinsou decided to come along. he was excited to spend the whole day with them, and to actually do something calming and fun, rather than harsh training with all might or focusing on the loud thoughts in his head that tends to keep him busy more than he'd like to admit. but no, it didn't end up like that -- things turned for the worst when a villain attack had happened at a brand new cat cafe that shinsou pointed out and said they had to check out.
they all agreed to go, of course they did. the cafe was packed, with nearly all of the seats taken. cute cats and kittens roamed around, occasionally stroking the costumers with soft mewls while they attempted to eat, but they couldn't focus when the gentle, pleading, eyes of the cats looked up at them for attention.
deku didn't blame them, he somehow already found himself holding a white, chubby, and fluffy cat with big sapphire eyes that stared directly into his green ones. he, though, wasn't the only one of his friends to be holding a cat, shinsou had two cats cuddled into his lap, while he went to a booth that he apparently had picked for them. todoroki was laid out on the floor with five -- wait, no, seven, cats laid on top of him with the most content face that deku seen on the normally passive teen in a while.
ochako, tsuyu, and momo all each had kittens in their arms who were playing with the girls while they all smiled with coos. iida, poor iida, he had given up on any scolding that was going to happen and went up to the counter and paid for the group. deku felt bad and knew he'd have to pay back iida later, but for now he focused on the cute, little, angel in his arms who pawed at his face for his attention.
"aren't you so cute, i wish i could take you home with me." deku softly says as he rubbed behind the cats ears. she softly started to purr as deku made his way to the booth shinsou sat at with now three more cats attached to him. deku wouldve said he was surprised, but he would be lying if he did. he was more surprised that shinsou only had two at the start, and didn't join todoroki who had seven.. wait, is that ten cats? surrounding him now. deku sighed, his friends need help for their cat addition, and possibly his teacher. he too likes cats a lot.
"hitoshi, where did you even get so many cats from so fast?" deku asked as the fluffy cat that was in his arms, took to his lap and curled into herself. she now, looked like a fluffy, white, ball and deku couldn't resist the coo that came out of his mouth.
"you should ask shoto that. he started off with five, now he has ten- oh wait, now he has thirteen. he's covered in them, lucky bastard." shinsou said in a deadpan as he held one of the cats, it was a calico kitten, to his chest, while he ran his fingers through her soft fur earning soft purrs and mews from the kitten and turned over in his arms showing her pink belly.
deku wouldnt say todoroki is lucky, he could already see the struggle of having to clean the cat hair off of his uniform. it'll be like cleaning glitter, sure he'll get most of it off but he'll never get it all off. besides, cats are warm. deku can feel himself getting hot with the one cat on him, todoroki must be burning up with all of them on him. though, granted he might use his quirk to cool him down a bit.
"i guess.. ill just stick to my one, thank you very much." deku says and shinsou just rolls his eyes, moving his attention to the next cat which was a tabby, black male cat. though, before he could say a word, the lights flickered, before they had fully cut off leaving everyone in sudden darkness. consumers started to loudly mutter, as the employees tried to keep people calm, saying they'll figure out what was wrong. deku felt himself frown, a sudden power outage wasnt normal -- especially for a new store.
and it wasn't normal, people tried to leave, and it was quickly leaned that you couldn't leave. that, caused an loud uproar within the cafe and a mix of loud cries of cats and people blended together that it gave deku a headache. he needed to calm the people, and he also needed to figure out what the hell is happening -- which, obviously its a villain attack, but by who is what he needs to figure out.
"hitoshi.. can you?" deku whispered to the lavender haired teen who nodded his head. he already understand, while the plan was to use shinsou to calm the people for a second, seeing as shinsous quirk can only take over a crowd of this many people for so long. deku just want the others to stop freaking out, and so he, and his friends can handle things if needed.
shinsou didn't take long in taking over the crowd of people, with soon shouts of people turned into eerily silence. his voice soon came in soothingly, and in a orderly tone not too long afterwards.
"all of you, i need you to be calm, you all are going to hurt someone acting like this." shinsou ordered, before his grip on the crowd released and his body fell into the booth with a tired huff. deku sadly smiled, feeling guilty that he tired shinsou out but proud at how far the teen had come with being able to use his quirk on people. he'll have to congratulate him later when they get out this mess.
"deku, what are you doing? what is your plan?" ochako hissed out and at some point, managing to find her way to the green haired teen. deku reeled back, as his eyes searched for her, but only managed to find her figure along with the others who was next to her.
"my plan is to help these people. like the heros we are training to be, we- i can't just sit here. these people are panicked and the door is locked. from the inside! we don't know if we have connection to the others, since, the others who went to go get help, hasn't came back." deku hissed back, his eyes leveling with her own chocolate ones that he could feel were burning into him as if he was the one in the wrong. lately, that's all she and the others, well, besides shinsou, todoroki, and tsuyu, does. its as if him trying to be a hero, and trying to save others even if he gets hurt, is wrong.
he gets that they don't like it, they don't want him to hurt himself in the process. but do they really think he likes it? he's the one who has to deal with the pain and aftermath with teachers, with his mother, with his friends who started to baby him too much, and with the others who looked down at him with pity. he didn't like it either, its not like deku had willingly signed up to be hurt.
"you don't know what's going on back there, there could be a small problem keeping them hel-" right as ochako was about to finish her sentence, there was a crash from the back, and the two men and woman who were employees came running and screaming with something or someone on their tail, laughing and walking with heavy steps. deku wanted to laugh, he wanted to fucking laugh. he was right to be worried, but of course before he could even try and act and maybe prevent this from happening, someone had to step in his way.
"well, well, well, i smell bratty heros here. shall we play?" the voice spoke in a scratchy, horse, voice, that made deku cringe. he needed to think, he needed to find away to safely get these people out of here and get the pros here so they could take care of the situation. an idea sparked into his head, and he grimaced. he was gonna have to fight, but he'll do what he have to do.
"how could we play in the dark and in a closed in space no less? and with all these people who could get hurt and in the way? why don't you let these people free and then talk." deku spoke and he could hear the soft protest of ochako, iida, and even feel momo pull on his sleeve, whispering what was he doing. deku had things under control, though, he had a feeling his friends were going to be a reason that things fail. deku had to hold back the bitter sigh that wanted to show.
the villain crackled, his voice sounding like nails running against a chalkboard the lights had seemed to respond to his voice, flickering on and off -- shining brightly before turning dull. deku had wondered what his quirk was, and did it have anything to do with electricity, his appearance didn't give him much of an answer with him looking like a plain person. average, black, hair that was complemented with brown eyes and an normal light gray hoodie an darker gray sweats that were baggie and not pleasant to his form whatsoever.
deku see people like him on the street all the time, and he probably saw a few people dressed a like inside of the cafe -- after all, he wouldn't think of the man as a villain. even the look in his eyes, they didn't seem crazed and lustful for revenge, for killing, like shigaraki. it just seemed like a normal person. a normal young man, if deku was being honest.
"you're right little hero, hm.. out you all go!" there was a click on the door, and deku saw the door open from a single command and flick of the villains hand. people were quick to scramble out of the the cafe, nearly trampling each other just to be free. deku sent a look to shinsou as he subtly shifted and signed to the lavender teen to call for help. the teen eyes widen ever so slightly, but his face set to determination and ran out with the others.
his friends gave him a wild look, but he could see the small difference in iida and todoroki when they read his hands. but he paid them no mind, instead he took part in leaving with the villain who was already outside waiting for him. his job was to distract, he just needed to hold out enough for the pros to get here. that's all.
"huh, so i get to fight the hero deku. i like that name, deku. deku. deku." his voice took on a growl while a sudden shake rumbled throughout the ground and suddenly deku found himself not on his feet -- he was falling. the villain was near him, whispering deku yet he couldn't see him. the greenhead gritted his teeth as one for all powered through him, and lightning crackled around his body. he could hear the villain laugh in delight as his body was suddenly jerked forward and met with glowing red eyes.
"how fun! your quirk allows you to- to produce lightning! this makes things so much easier on me, and things deadlier for you." the villain whisper, and soon deku screamed. it was as if one for all started to work against him and power higher, higher, and higher to places that he didn't know how to control. he could feel his bone burn, as his vains felt like it was being pumped with fire as he fell to his knees -- gasping for his breaths.
he wasn't falling, the villain was right in front of him who did god knows what to him. his friends are faintly calling to him, but all he could hear was ringing in his ears as he tried to get up but he could feel his legs give out from under him. deku was lightheaded, and sick to his stomach. there was a thick lump in his throat that wouldn't go away no matter how he tried to swallow it, it only seemed to grow in size.
deku could see the villain in front of him laugh more and try and approach him, but he didn't make it. his friends were all lined up in front of him, all scrowling with anger. deku wanted to smile but he his body fell limp to the ground as dark spots took over his vision, with unconsciousness taking over his body.
....
deku woke up in a start. his eyes were blinded by a familiar set of white lights and the strong smell of medicine and bleach. he was in a hospital, he thought with a sigh. the first thing that deku had noticed, was that his chest wrapped up in bandages, with one of his arms put tightly in a cast. he didn't remember breaking his arm, if he did, nor did he remember taking any damage to his chest. but deku did remember the pain.
he remembered the pain that felt like electricity was running up his body as his quirk went out of control, slowly destroying his body. he remembered crying out and trying to move -- the feeling that he was suddenly sucked in by the ground and falling. that he was surrounded by darkness and only hearing the whispers of the villain as he took control of his body.
dekus breaths started to pick up as he remembered the fight -- it was more like a beat down for him -- he didn't even get a single hit in. he was taken down in a single second before he was down so easily. tears formed in his eyes, he had failed. deku needed to just last not win and yet he couldn't even do that. his friends had probably got hurt because of him, and he probably caused more problems than helped. he was a failure.
"hey, i don't want to hear that talk. not from you at least." deku jumped at the new voice, he scanned the room and his eyes lanned on the darker corner of the room, where two people stood. he could see the vanishing warp as he saw shigaraki with a mix of relief and anger clear on his face. next to him, was of course, kurogiri who didn't show any true emotions in his spacy yellow eyes, though, he seemed relaxed as he moved to the corner to take a seat, watching as shigaraki walk to deku.
deku wanted to be surprised that the older male found him -- that he came to him even. but he wasn't. lately they just couldn't stop running into each other, and deku was fine with it. if anything, deku was happy that shigaraki was in the room with him. he was feeling sad, alone, and drowning in his own guilt.
"shigaraki.." deku whispered, his voice cracking as he gave his best smile but it only came off weak, watery, and like a forced mess. the older man sighed and frown, taking his own seat on dekus bed. his red eyes stared into his green ones -- reading him, making him feel more vulnerable than he already was. deku wanted to wither up, he wanted to run if he could just remove these damn cables, but he also just wanted to give up and cry into the mans arms.
the older seemed to take notice in his distress and ruffled dekus green hair with his finger up in the air, allowing deku to lean into his touch. he had on a rare smile that was comforting, rather than threatening. it made deku tear up more than anything and he didn't understand why.
"who did this to you?" shigaraki quietly demanded, his tone leveling yet deku could tell it was better not to argue with him. deku just shook his head though, he didn't want to cause more troubles than he already has. shigarakis eyes narrowed, as his grip on his on dekus hair, making the younger tense, seeing the grey - blue haired man turn serious - turn protective.
"i don't think you heard me right, it wasn't a question. who hurt you." he asked with a low growl, as deku reeled back, nearly snatching shigarakis hand away in the process. the question had multiple layers to it, deku could tell. he didn't mean hurt in the physical way, he also wanted to know why he was crying -- why he felt so upset. but, deku also knew if he told, the people would most likely end up dead.
"i.. a villain. there was an attack and i got hurt. nothing too serious." deku gave an short answer, but he knew the older man saw through it but didn't press. he was glad for it, he didn't think he could take someone being dead all because of him. shigaraki sighed and moved his hand to dekus shoulder, carefully bringing the younger into a hug that took deku by slight surprise but was quick to wrap his arm as best as he could around the villain.
"you don't have to feel like a failure. heard your muttering as we came in, i honestly don't know what the fuck got you like this, and since you won't tell me, ill just do plan b and try and.. comfort, you." dekus eyes widen as his grip around shigaraki tighen and his form started to shake with his emotions going into overdrive. before he knew it, he was sobbing into the olders shoulder and he didn't mind it. the older merely gave him soft shushs and hair pets occasionally. he didn't believe that someone was there for him, that someone was a villain who was there for him. it made dekus body wrack out another sob as he buried his head within shigarakis neck.
shigaraki has treated him better than anyone else, dispite not being friends, dispite being enemies. it made dekus heart clutch, as he held onto the man, not wishing for him to ever go. he was the only source of comfort he had.