Chapter Text
Izuku is running.
His heart pounds with adrenaline, fear coursing through him as he races through the alleyways of the dark city. He’s never managed to escape the compound before and he’s not about to waste the chance to finally get out.
The streets are scary at night, dark and loud, with the opressive sound of cars, music, dogs barking, and people shouting overwhelming Izuku's senses. He's trying not to cry, knowing that the more attention he draws to himself, the more likely it is that his nii-san will catch him and he’ll have to go back to that terrible place.
He can’t go back. Nausea surges through him at the thought. His arms are bleeding from his nii-san’s latest discipline, blood running down his body, dripping down his legs. He’s wearing nothing but a torn shirt and pants, no shoes or socks. His feat are dirty, cut and bleeding from running over glass and rocks in the street.
Izuku doesn’t know where he’s running to, only that he has to keep going. He has to make it. There’s no alternative. If his brother and the others catch him, Izuku will be locked away forever. He’ll be nothing more than a science experiment for Papa’s weapons. Terrified, he manages to keep running, knowing it’ll only be minutes before they wake up and realize that he’s escaped. He only made it out because his nii-san made a mistake tonight. Papa will be furious, Izuku’s sure. He'll take it out on nii-san, and if nii-san catches him, he'll take it out on Izuku, too.
Izuku’s running so fast and so hard he barely notices a man in front of him, dressed in all black. Izuku slams into his legs on accident, falling back to the dirty sidewalk with a little cry of pain. Shaking with anxiety and adrenaline, Izuku looks up to see the man’s long, shaggy black hair falling around his shoulders. He has yellow goggles on, so Izuku’s can’t see his eyes. They're in a small alleyway near a quiet street and there's no one else around. Izuku is terrified, worried this stranger will harm him.
“Kid, are you alright?” the man asks kindly, but Izuku is too scared to answer. The man looks down, frowning when he sees the blood on Izuku’s arms.
“It looks like you’re hurt,” he continues gently, kneeling down in front of Izuku. Izuku scoots back a little, his heart pounding with fear. Why does this man want to look at his injuries? Is he going to make them worse? The man doesn’t move closer, but he his head tilts as he takes in the blood on Izuku's body.
“My name is Eraserhead,” the man says calmly, “I’m a pro hero. I’m out patrolling to see if anyone needs help. Can I help you?"
Izuku’s eyes immediately fill with tears. A pro hero. A real hero. He had found help. Izuku used to dream of a pro hero rescuing him, of All Might swooping in and smashing through the enforced walls of the yakuza compound. Of being taken away to somewhere safe. It’s hard to believe he’s this lucky, to escape and find a hero all in the same night.
“D-Don’t let them take me back,” is what Izuku manages to say, tears burning in his eyes, “P-Please Eraserhead, sir, I d-don’t wanna go back.”
Eraserhead looks at him for a moment before pushing up his yellow goggles, revealing kind, dark eyes that are full of concern. Izuku hasn’t seen anyone look at him like that in a long time.
“Alright, kiddo,” Eraserhead says, pulling out his phone and typing something fast before pocketing it again, “First, can you tell me your name?”
“I-Izuku,” he manages to whisper, trying not to shake as Eraserhead gently pulls up his sleeve, looking at Izuku’s injuries.
Eraserhead smiles calmly as he scans up and down Izuku’s arms, which are littered with cuts and scars from nii-san's quirk. Something flashes in Eraserhead’s eyes, but he carefully pulls Izuku’s sleeve back down, keeping a steady hand on his arm.
“You’re freezing, Izuku,” Eraserhead says gently, “Can I pick you up? I won't hurt you, I promise.”
Izuku nods, gasping a little as Eraserhead gently holds him to his chest, wrapping him up in his jacket. It’s warm and feels safe, something Izuku hasn’t felt in years. He feels himself starting to cry with relief, pressing his face against the hero’s chest. He clutches his hands into the odd scarf Eraserhead has around his neck, relief coursing through him.
“It’s going to be alright,” Eraserhead murmurs, rubbing his back, “I promise, Izuku. More help is coming.”
Izuku keeps his face pressed against Eraserhead’s chest, hoping against hope that nii-san and the others won’t find them. Eraserhead is a good hero, Izuku’s sure, but he can’t face off against Papa and the others. There’s too many of them. He has to warn Eraserhead about them, before Eraserhead gets hurt, too. Before nii-san makes parts of Eraserhead's body go away.
“S’not safe,” Izuku hiccups, wiping his eyes, “T-they’re coming. They’re g-gonna hurt me again.”
“Who’s hurting you, Izuku?” Eraserhead asks, “Who’s after you?”
Izuku chokes out another sob as the sound of ambulance sirens comes closer, and he thinks he sees another hero walking into the alley. Clinging to Eraserhead like his lifeline, Izuku tries to keep his focus and explain to Eraserhead what's going on.
“P-Papa and nii-san,” Izuku chokes out, “They h-hurt me. They d-don’t let me leave. I d-don’t wanna go back there Eraserhead, please."
“You don’t have to,” Eraserhead says instantly, “I’ll make sure of that.”
There’s some quiet for a moment before a second voice interrupts Izuku’s panicked thoughts.
“Eraser, how’s the little guy?”
Izuku looks up, seeing another hero in the alley. It takes him a moment before he recognizes him, his eyes widening when he realizes just who it is. Izuku isn’t supposed to know this hero, but he had stolen a radio from Papa’s office a year ago and started listening to it at nighttime. The hero in the alley was Present Mic, the hero who also held a nightly radio show that Izuku happened to love. It was the only thing that got Izuku through his nights sometimes.
“P-Present Mic?” Izuku asks quietly, “W-Why is Present Mic here, Eraserhead?”
Present Mic looks surprised at being recognized as he walks over, smiling at Izuku. “Well, little one, Eraserhead said he found someone in trouble and needed some backup, so I’m here to help!”
Izuku feels more relief, nearly dizzy with it now. The ambulance sirens are closer, close enough to see the red and blue flashing lights coming closer to the alley. He doesn’t say anything more, just clings to Eraserhead and watches Present Mic out of the corner of his eye. The sight of both the heroes makes Izuku feel safer than he has felt in living memory.
A few moments later, the ambulance pulls up and Eraserhead carries Izuku into the back of it. Izuku is too scared by the bright lights and white uniforms of the medics to answer questions, keeping his face buried against Eraserhead’s chest. Present Mic sits next to them, keeping a concerned eye on Izuku.
“We’re going to the hospital,” Eraserhead tells Izuku quietly, “I know you’re scared, Izuku. We’re not going to leave you, I promise. We’re going to get you healed and then figure all of this out, alright?”
The hospital is scary. Izuku tries not to cry as his wounds are cleaned and dressed and he’s given a physical by a doctor in a scary mask that reminds Izuku too much of his nii-san. He doesn’t let go of Eraserhead the whole time, afraid that at any moment Papa and the others will burst through the doors and take Izuku away.
When the doctors and nurses are done with him, Izuku’s wearing hospital scrubs and he’s clean, all his cuts covered in bandages. He’s sitting on a hospital bed with Eraserhead, Present Mic sitting in chair next to the bed. There’s a new person in the room too, a police officer with a clipboard, writing some things down as he asks Izuku questions.
“So, Izuku, Eraserhead told us that you were running from someone,” the police officer says calmly, “Your father and brother?”
Izuku nods, wrapping his arms around his middle. “Y-Yes.”
“Alright, thank you for telling me that,” the officer continues, writing something down, “What are your father and brother’s names?”
Izuku shudders, staring down at the bed. He doesn’t answer for a long moment, and Present Mic reaches over to rub Izuku’s back.
“It’s okay, little listener,” Present Mic says very softly, “We’re going to protect you now, we promise.”
Izuku sniffs, wiping at his eyes, unable to look at the heroes. “T-They’re gonna be so m-mad at me. N-Not supposed to tell. I'll be in t-trouble.”
“Well, I understand they told you that,” the officer says calmly, “But just like Eraserhead and Present Mic here, the Japanese police will protect you, Izuku. Whoever your father and brother are, or whatever they’ve done. We’ll keep you safe, okay?”
Izuku nods, wringing his hands in Eraserhead’s scarf. He knows if he wants help, he has to tell the truth. “Um…Papa is the B-Boss. And nii-san is Kai. We live underground, so the police c-can’t find us. I d-don’t like it there.”
Izuku doesn’t miss the inhale that Eraserhead makes at those names and descriptions, and the sight of the police officer’s eyes widening.
“Izuku, this underground home,” the officer continues, “Are there any symbols on the wall that look like this?”
The officer holds out his phone in front of Izuku, showing a picture of a spray painted image on an alley wall, one that Izuku knows only too well. It’s a strange white symbol on a black background, sort of like a flower, but with jagged edges. A yakuza symbol. Izuku trembles when he sees it.
“Y-Yes,” he whimpers, “N-Nii-san says it’s…it’s a symbol of d-death. Our s-symbol."
“Shie Hassaikai,” Eraserhead says darkly as Izuku chokes out a whimper of fear at the name. The Shie Hassaikai has been Izuku's home since he can remember, and it's scary there. Everyone is mean and they hurt him if he's bad.
The officer asks Izuku more questions, but he curls into Eraserhead’s arms without speaking, terrified the more they ask about the organization Izuku had run from. Izuku knows that Papa and nii-san aren’t actually his father and his brother, but they’re the only family that he can remember. They're the ones that will be coming for him, and soon. Nii-san will be so angry.
Eventually, Eraserhead passes the now shaking Izuku to Present Mic, who begins humming to help soothe him. Izuku knows a little about Present Mic’s Voice quirk, but he didn’t know it could be used quietly like this. It’s nice, the humming calming Izuku down. It's quiet in the room for awhile, the sound of Present Mic's humming the only thing that can be heard over the hospital machines. Izuku snuggles against Present Mic, clinging to him like he had clung to Eraserhead, and the two pro heroes share a look over the top of Izuku's head.
Izuku gets so sleepy he forgets about his own quirk for a moment. He’s always hyper vigilant about it, but right now he’s too relaxed to remember to keep it turned off. As Izuku's eyes droop closed and his control on his quirk begins to fade, Present Mic’s humming abruptly stops. There's the sound of Present Mic clearing his throat a few times, but normal humming comes out instead. It sounds nice, but it doesn't have the soothing effect of his voice quirk.
“Eraser, are you doing that?” Present Mic asks, sounding confused, “My quirk’s not working.”
“It isn’t me,” Eraser says quietly, widening his eyes for a moment before looking confused, “Mine’s not working either. What’s going on?”
Izuku whimpers a little, his stomach sinking. They’re going to find out about his quirk. They’re going to know. They’ll send him back to Papa, they’ll let nii-san hurt him again. Izuku's quirk, it's why they took him in the first place. He lets out a whimper and buries his face against Present Mic's chest.
“It’s gotta be the kid,” Hizashi says, his eyes widening with realization as he looks down at Izuku, “He’s canceled out all our quirks, Eraser. Even yours.”
Izuku sobs then, pressing his face against Present Mic’s chest. “I’m s-sorry, I f-forgot to t-turn it off. I d-didn’t mean to use it, I’m s-sorry! Your q-quirks won’t work with me around.”
“Hey, buddy, it’s alright,” Present Mic soothes, “You’ve got a quirk that cancels out quirks, huh? How cool is that! Guess what, Eraserhead does, too!”
Izuku looks up, locking eyes with Eraserhead in surprise. “R-Really?”
“Really,” Eraserhead says, “I haven’t met someone else with a quirk like mine before. How does yours work, Izuku?”
The police officer is watching, writing things down as Izuku speaks and the heroes ask him questions. Izuku stays curled against Eraserhead’s chest, feeling safe enough to reply. They don't seem mad, so it might be okay to just tell them.
“Um…I just have to not concentrate,” Izuku mumbles, playing with one of the zippers on Present Mic's vest, “And then everyone’s quirks don’t work. Papa…Papa said he t-took me because of my quirk. When I was a little kid.”
Present Mic’s eyes widen, but he doesn't stop holding Izuku, “He took you? Do you remember from where?”
Izuku shakes his head, feeling nervous. “N-No, a-all Papa ever said was they freed me from heros and my quirk was a ‘blessing.’ Nii-san…nii-san used his quirk to take my blood so Papa could use my quirk. I think they were using it for bad stuff. I’m s-sorry.”
“Hey, it’s alright,” Eraserhead soothes from next to him, “Izuku, listen. Whatever they did to you is not your fault. How about tonight, can you tell us how you escaped?”
Izuku nods, holding out his arms. “I’m supposed to wear things on my wrists that stop me from using my quirk but nii-san forgot to p-put them on tonight. He was t-tired because Papa was mad at him for m-messing up, so he t-told me to go to bed. I w-waited until it got to be late and I s-snuck out.”
“That was very clever, Izuku,” Present Mic praises him, “That can’t have been easy to do. You were really brave tonight.”
Eraserhead nods. “Present Mic is right, that was really brave. Izuku, you said your brother took your blood to use your quirk, right? Do you know what they were using it for?”
Izuku shivers, a sick wave of nausea running through him before he manages to say, “T-They did it when I was b-bad. P-Papa makes nii-san hurt me. His quirk…he can make stuff go away and b-bring it back.”
“Shouta,” Present Mic murmurs suddenly, pointing down at the scars on Izuku’s arms, “They look like surgical cuts. We know someone in the Shie Hassaikai has some kind of disintegration quirk."
“Fuck,” Eraserhead swears under his breath, "Those goddamn monsters."
The police officer looks disturbed, sharing a glance with the two heroes. “It’s too dangerous to put him in a foster home. My supervisor ran a background check on him on the way to the hospital, he has no living family. The yakuza were it. He needs to be somewhere safe, with someone who can protect him.”
“We’ll take him,” Present Mic says instantly, a determined look on his face as he looks at Eraserhead, “Shouta and I will take him.”
“If he wants to come home with us,” Eraserhead says calmly, looking down at Izuku. “What do you say, Izuku? Do you want to come home with me and Present Mic? We’ll look after you, be your new family if you want.”
It’s too good to be true. In all his fantasies about escaping, Izuku imagined he’d maybe find his mom and dad again, the parents he can’t remember, but he never held out too much hope for it. He never dared to dream that he could find a new family, that he could once again be safe.
“Y-Yes please,” Izuku says softly, knowing he gets in trouble if he’s not very polite, “W-Wanna go home with you.”
Eraserhead and Present Mic both smile, the sight of it warming something inside Izuku.
"Alright then, little one," Present Mic smiles, "Then let's make it official. Officer, let's get started."
Present Mic begins talking with the officer as a doctor comes in. The three of them start talking in big words and Present Mic begins filling out a lot of paperwork. Izuku sits clinging to Eraserhead the whole time, resting his head against him. He’s warm here, and safe. Eraserhead and Present Mic are safe. They're going to take him home.
“My name is Shouta Aizawa,” Eraserhead tells him quietly, “Present Mic’s name is Hizashi Yamada. We’re married and we have an apartment together. That’s where we’ll take you. It’s not big, but it’s nice.”
“Zawa?” Izuku sniffs, “And Zashi?”
“That’s right,” Aizawa smiles, “And you’re Izuku. Should we call you Zuku? Then we’ll all match.”
Izuku giggles, feeling a warmth in his chest as he snuggles against Aizawa. He’s safe. When nii-san had been burning him, hurting him, tearing him apart, Izuku had never imagined this. The warmth and safety of someone's arms, someone who will protect him. Aizawa shifts him so he’s cuddled against his chest and Izuku feels his eyes begin to droop close, finally feeling safe enough to sleep.