Chapter Text
Why not just kill him?
Izuku tried to ignore the voice in his head. He’d gotten better at it over the past few years, as his quirk developed.
If you really don’t want to, I could do it for you. I promise I won't leave a trace.
Izuku frowned as he bandaged his arms in the empty classroom, expertly wrapping his burns. It was a funny thing, his quirk. And something he’d kept secret since he was four.
It wouldn’t even be that hard-
Izame, please. I don’t want to talk about this right now.
He cut off the entity that resided within his skull. Izame, his quirk. He’d discovered it when he was four, and concerned his mother when he said he could hear a voice in his head. Once he was taken to the doctor, they discovered that his quirk allowed him to talk to and possibly manifest another version of himself.
Izame wasn’t very stable, however, as they soon discovered when Izuku manifested him and he not only stole from several stores, but even set fire to a police station.
Since he was constantly trapped in Izuku’s body in order to prevent any further criminal activities, Izuku didn’t know how to prove to people he actually had a quirk without seeming crazy; besides, he was legally required to keep Izame a secret. This led to his friends and basically everyone but his mother turning on him.
Throughout the bullying, which he could never tell his mother about, Izame grew more and more bitter. It turned into vicious fantasies, which Izuku had no doubt would come to fruition if Izame were to ever get out.
Izuku, I hate how he treats you. He deserves to pay, sweetheart. Izuku felt the concern from Izame, and let a sorrowful smile slide onto his face.
When they were younger, Izame was the only other ‘child’ who would talk to him, and he quickly grew protective of his holder. Izuku couldn’t help but feel like he had a soulmate in Izame, and it wasn’t long before the other found out - they did share a head, after all.
I know. But I’ll be ok, I always am.
He finished tying off his bandage and began to put the first aid kit away, hiding it in his locker as he always did. He tried to never treat his wounds at home for fear of his mother discovering the abuse he suffered at school.
I know you’re strong but… what he said to you today… Izuku paused, halfway down the staircase, before continuing on his way out the school.
You mean telling me to kill myself.
He felt as Izame shifted inside him, uncomfortable.
Yes.
He picked up his notebook from the pond and shook it off in a feeble attempt to dry it before placing it in his backpack.
You don’t have to worry about that. I’m not suicidal - I could never do that, especially since I’m responsible for your health too. It would be way too selfish.
Izuku, we’re not talking about me right now. Do you want to live for yourself? There was a desperate edge to Izame’s voice, barely overshadowed by his growing concern. Izuku didn’t want to give his friend any more reasons to worry, but he had to think before responding, else he might say something stupid.
It’s hard to say who I’d be living for if I didn’t consider you. Alone, I don’t know what I am, so I don’t know who I could say I’d really be living for. It’d be pointless. I don’t want to die-
Do you want to live?
Izuku mentally paused at the question.
I know you don’t want to die, Zu, but I don’t think you want to live either. I… I think you only really take care of yourself for me, and if I weren’t here you’d be - you would still be with me.
Izuku stayed silent, unsure how to respond to the achingly accurate prediction.
Apathy towards life isn’t living, it’s just surviving, and you deserve better, you deserve to care. You don’t do enough for yourself, Izuku, and I can’t let you disregard your own life like that. You mean too much to me, and not enough to yourself.
Izuku could feel tears welling in his eyes and willed them not to fall, hating himself for making his best friend feel this way. It hurt to hear the truth, to acknowledge his own self destructive tendencies and lack of self preservation when it came to his own health. But that’s what it was: the truth.
-
Izame was quiet as his host was forced to think about his words, and the underlying message. He knew that his friend was selfless to a fault, and that he always focused so much on others that he never left any room to care about himself. It was a dangerous habit, one he hoped to break, but didn’t know how.
I- I’m sorry, Izame…
The quirk-born boy felt himself break a little bit, his resolve in confronting his softer side crumbling.
Don’t, Izuku. Just promise me that you’ll try? I’ll always be here to help. He did the equivalent of mentally squeezing Izuku in a hug, offering what little comfort he could by sending his emotions through their bond. He was slightly appeased when Izuku responded similarly, if a little weakly.
I promise to try… I love you, Izame. Izame’s metaphorical heart soared as he sensed just how much Izuku meant his words.
I love you too, Izuku.
They settled into a comfortable silence, listening to the sound of Izuku’s footsteps on the asphalt. He was approaching a deserted underpass he often used as a shortcut home, the sunlight disappearing as cracked concrete replaced blue skies.
Izame was content to continue home as usual, except that years of constant vigilance for Izuku’s bullies kept him on edge, and he felt something was wrong.
Upon hearing a strange sound behind them, Izame nudged Izuku to turn around so he could see through his eyes. Towering over the middle schooler was a being made of sickeningly colored green sludge, with a single visible red eye freezing him in place.
Sensing Izuku’s fear and realizing that he couldn’t move, Izame decided to take action. He and Izuku had discussed how he could forcefully possess his host, but wouldn’t out of respect for his wishes; but that didn’t matter when their lives were in danger.
He forced himself into Izuku’s place and took control, sprinting as fast as Izuku’s body could move, away from the villain who had been droning on about using him as a meat suit - like hell he’d let that happen to his host and their body.
The villain yelled and pursued him, easily catching up and enveloping him in its slimy body. Izame yelled and screamed, kicking and flailing to try and get himself and Izuku out of there, to safety. The villain then proceeded to force itself into his throat, the taste and smell of sewage overwhelming him with fear.
Izame, his eyes! You can hit them, they’re solid! Izuku’s frantic voice echoed within his head, his best friend’s panic matching his own.
Taking his advice, he reached out and grabbed one of the hideous yellow and red eyes, squeezing with all Izuku’s might. The villain shouted in pain, temporarily loosening his hold on him and allowing them to escape.
He coughed, hacking up the sludge in their body while stumbling away, disoriented from the lack of oxygen. As he watched the green monstrosity begin to pull itself together, he came up with an idea.
Izuku, we have to split. He could feel his partner recoil almost immediately.
What? No! You could get hurt, you haven’t had your own body in so long and I don’t want to lose you! We aren’t even allowed, we can’t!
They both knew, even as Izuku argued, that it was futile. It was the best option - no heroes were around, and Izuku’s body was weakened from the villain’s initial assault. Not to mention the perks that came with Izame’s body; unlike Izuku, his body came with power - he was enhanced, and not quite human enough to die.
Izuku, we won’t survive like this. Do you trust me?
…Alright. Be careful, please.
As soon as he received his host’s permission, Izame activated their quirk, and Izuku reached out his hand in front of him. From that hand, Izame’s body began to form, red muscles and wiry veins sprouting out of his fingers, twisting together to surround a pristine white bone. The process extended to shape a body, skin covering muscle and clothes over the whole thing, giving Izame a means to autonomy for the first time in nearly ten years.
Just like the last time he’d been out, his appearance was similar to Izuku, but not quite the same. He was a few inches taller than his friend, with a stronger body, less freckles, and black eyes. Other than those small differences, they could be twins.
Now that he had a body, Izame grabbed Izuku and pulled him away from the underpass and the villain, helping his weaker half walk. He then set him down against a wall, knowing that since they couldn’t run, he had to fight.
A hand tugging on his shirt stopped him, and he knelt down in front of his partner to listen. Izuku looked worried, and tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
“Wh-what are you going to do?” He asked, fear making him stutter slightly. Izame smiled at him gently, caressing his friend’s face and holding it with care.
“Don’t worry, Izuku. I’ll protect us. Just stay here for me, okay? Call out if you see a hero.” Izuku looked as if he wanted to protest, but Izame turned and started walking back towards the villain before he could get a word out.
No longer comforting Izuku, his expression became vicious as he stared at the villain, assessing his prey. He licked his lips and smiled in twisted glee, the joy of freedom making him a little delirious. It had been so long since he was out, and he was itching to kill someone. In fact, he relished the opportunity to completely obliterate the villain who dared to attack his Izuku.
Izame stifled a maniacal laugh as it bubbled up, aware of Izuku watching his every move. Instead, he drew in a breath, observing the situation and feeling his muscles flex in anticipation. The villain was still talking, the annoying bitch, but Izame simply smiled; it would’ve been sweet if it wasn’t for the cold rage that festered beneath it.
“This is gonna be fun.”
He smirked, taking off in a sprint towards the sludge, who flinched back before rising up to meet him. Not giving it a chance to even think about using his body, Izame reached out and yanked one of the solid eyeballs out, dodging a tendril of slime as the villain yelled in anger. With a sadistic grin, he flung the disgusting thing as hard as he could, savoring the sound of screaming when it was crushed against the filthy concrete.
Now that the villain was distracted, he decided to perform a rather difficult maneuver, but one he was almost positive would result in the villain’s death.
There were two things that contributed to his plan: the first being that while it was Izuku who loved researching quirks and studying their abilities, Izame enjoyed observing people’s weaknesses and planning ways to exploit them; in fact, his situational awareness and strategic ability were probably also enhanced, just like his body and senses.
The second was the fact that there were all kinds of scum who used this underpass, and they didn’t tend to clean up after themselves. It just so happened that the two items essential for Izame’s plan had been sitting there for several months beforehand, just waiting to be used.
He ducked under a tendril of slime and grabbed the half empty can of gasoline, swinging it in a wide arc towards the green blob, the villain making itself a laughably large target. The gas quickly mixed with the similarly liquid body, and the sludge villain’s fear was so great he could almost taste it. He picked up the nearby lighter and tested the flame, and he couldn’t hold back a laugh when he saw his target desperately trying to get away.
“Oh, you brought this on yourself, shithead. Don’t try to run now - you didn’t let Izuku run, did you?” His expression turned sour at the memory, glaring at the villain with disgust, as though he was nothing more than a roach beneath his feet.
“I personally think you’re getting off easy,” he hissed, keeping his voice low and threatening. “But my favorite person is still here, and I’d rather he not see my less pleasant side. So just burn already, you bastard.”
With that, he tossed the lit lighter into the rapidly retreating villain’s body, turning and walking back to his partner as the villain turned into a puddle of fire, his screams echoing throughout the underpass. He guessed that some other component of the sludge was also flammable, as the amount of gasoline he used wouldn’t have been enough to kill the villain unless that was true.
As he approached Izuku, he let himself relax, feeling his friend’s horror and fear of his actions through their telepathic bond and wanting to appear less threatening. Izuku was looking down at the ground and covering his ears, and Izame couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for scaring him.
He crouched down beside him and gently grasped his wrists, pulling his hands away from his ears even though he knew they could still communicate telepathically. Izuku remained stubbornly staring at the ground, and Izame sighed, holding both of the smaller boy’s wrists in one hand and using his other to caress his face, trailing up to nestle in fluffy green hair identical to his own.
“Zuzu, baby, please look at me.” At this, Izuku reluctantly looked up, meeting his eyes. Izame’s guilt grew as he saw the tears threatening to overflow, and he was quick to pull the other into a hug, murmuring assurances into Izuku’s hair as his friend trembled. He spoke quietly, saying anything and everything else he could think of saying to calm his host.
But he didn’t regret it. He wouldn’t promise to never do it again, and they both knew that if given the opportunity, he would likely enjoy it far too much. But it had been too long since they could actually hold each other, and Izuku soon melted against him, hugging him back.
“I hate it when you do that, ‘Zame. I hate it.” Izuku’s voice was muffled into his neck, and he sighed, running his hands up and down his back in a soothing motion.
“I know, ‘Zuku. I’m sorry you had to see it. But I couldn’t let him go - not after he hurt you, hurt us. I can’t be kind like you, baby. You know that- that it’s just part of my nature. I’m- not a good person. I’ll always be like this. I’m sorry, Izuku. Please, please, don’t be mad at me…”
Izame rarely got emotional. It wasn’t something they often discussed, his damaged morality. Izame was Izuku’s quirk, and in turn his power was partially Izuku’s. They had often speculated how Izame came to life, suspecting he was born partially from Izuku’s desperation for a friend and a need for something bad to balance out Izuku’s untainted goodness. Of course the second theory was more Izame’s teasing than anything else, but it was at least one thing to explain his insatiable desire for chaos and vicious tendencies. They had other theories, but either way, Izame was cruel and merciless to everyone other than Izuku, the only ones exempt from this treatment being those who Izuku wanted him to respect, and even then he usually barely tolerated them.
Izuku looked up at him, face wet with tears. “I’m not mad at you! Never, it’s not your fault, I could never be mad at you for this! I love you, Izame, I love you so, so much, even if you do these things I hate, even though I should be mad at you, I can’t do it. I hate what you do, not you, never you. Even if I should, even if I’m scared, even though it makes me sick. I love you more than I hate your actions. You’re my- you’re everything to me, Izame.”
His words echoed within their minds, ringing true with every syllable. Izame didn’t know what to do with the sheer amount of love he felt from Izuku, except to return it with equal force. They were both crying at this point, green eyes meeting black as they rested their foreheads together, one sobbing, the other silent as tears dropped to darken the asphalt beneath them.
A loud noise startled them, a manhole cover flying into the sky as someone jumped out from within, shouting an all-too-familiar “I AM HERE!” Twin eyes widened in shock as All Might posed before them, practically shining in all his glory.
Izuku was frozen, gaping in awe, but Izame had yet to run out of adrenaline, and he was still in defense mode. He immediately placed himself between the hero and his partner, a snarl on his face as his muscles tensed in anticipation, ready to fight again at any moment.
To him, it didn’t matter whether his opponent was a hero, a villain, or the old woman across the street; he would protect Izuku either way.
“Ah, hello there children! I was chasing a villain made of sludge and it seems he came through here - did either of you happen to see him?” The hero’s smile was now directed at the two of them, but it didn’t make Izame relax; quite the contrary. The pure power that the man radiated just raised his hackles further and he started backing up, pushing Izuku behind him despite his protests.
“We saw nothing. Go away.” He growled, glaring at the hero. He’d have to apologize later, but Izuku wouldn’t like to meet his idol if the man discovered the dead villain behind him.
“Now, it’s not good to lie to a hero young man! I understand that you’re scared, but you have nothing to fear now that I am here!” The man took a step forward and Izame flinched, every instinct telling him that man was dangerous. He just wanted to get him and Izuku away from the hero and back home, where they could talk alone and in peace, safe together.
Izuku was having none of it. He stepped up next to Izame - well, as close as he could, because there was no way he was letting his host talk to the number one hero unprotected - and started talking.
“P-please don’t mind my brother, All M-might! H-he’s just a l-little p-paranoid.”
Hey!
Just go with it, ‘Zame!
Fine.
“W-we did see him, h-he attacked us, that’s why we’re a l-little on edge. But…” Izuku glanced at Izame, the conflict clear on his face. “B-but he got away, I think he knew you w-were coming and ran that way.” He pointed away from the villain’s charred body.
Izame purposefully kept his expression still, surprised that Izuku would lie to a hero, especially All Might. He practically idolized the smiling man, but he lied to him… for Izame. His friend was so anxious, and he was gripping the back of Izame’s shirt so tightly his hand shook, but he was staring into All Might’s smiling face as innocently as he could.
The hero bought it easily.
“I see! Thank you, my boy! Now, I must be off! The life of a hero-”
“Wait! B-before you go, can I ask you a question? Please, it’s really important.” There he goes again, surprising Izame. He couldn’t believe it - first Izuku lied to his idol, then interrupted him? Where was his hero-adoring little sidekick?
“Well, I really must be going, but I can’t deny a fan! Go on, ask your question my boy!” Izame narrowed his eyes at the hero, noticing how he twitched and tensed like he was eager to leave, and it was strange how the smoke from his arrival had yet to clear, appearing to almost cling to his form.
“I’ve always been weak, a-and had n-no power. I need to know, can someone like me, can someone quirkless ever hope to be a hero like you?” Izuku’s voice was full of desperation, and Izame itched to hold him again and comfort him, to tell him that it didn’t matter even if he was quirkless, he could be a hero either way.
Instead, he watched as All Might’s smile became forced, and his stomach twisted unpleasantly as he realized what was coming. He knew Izuku felt it too, which was why it hurt all the more when the hero crushed the small amount of hope the boy had left.
“Being a hero is a dangerous job. Even with powerful quirks, heroes die all the time, killed by villains on the job. So no, I cannot say that without power you could become a hero. It’s not bad to dream, so long as your dreams are realistic. Maybe you could be a policeman.” He continued talking, but it faded to static in Izuku’s ears.
Izame saw how his friend’s head dropped, felt his overwhelming hopelessness, and had enough.
“Didn’t you say you were busy? I think you can leave now, All Might.” His voice dripped with venom, and he relished how the hero’s grin flickered.
“W-well then, as I said before, a hero’s job is never done! You two make sure to stay safe now! Goodbye!” His words were rushed and he seemed slightly unsure of himself.
Idiot.
With that, he jumped away, the wind pressure almost knocking the boys over and causing them to stumble back several steps.
After a couple seconds of silence, Izame spoke.
“Didn’t even stay to take us to the hospital to check us over. We got attacked by a villain, that should be standard procedure. Fucking dumbass.” He rolled his eyes and turned to Izuku, taking in his dull eyes and defeated form. He took his friend’s hand, carefully pulling him forward so they could walk together.
“I won’t say sorry, ‘Zuku. But All Might was wrong. If anyone were to be the first quirkless hero, it’d be you, and if you want to apply to UA, then fucking apply. You’re brilliant, little star, and anyone who can’t see that should gouge their eyes out and check them.” Izame felt a spark of accomplishment when Izuku’s lips twitched upward in a smile.
“Thanks, Izame. Let’s go home?” Izame nodded, taking his twin’s hand in his own as they continued down the street, towards home.
As they walked, they decided to talk about what to say to Inko. Izuku’s mother was probably the only person outside of Izuku himself that Izame respected. She had been taking care of her son alone since his father left, and she was always kind to Izame despite his violent tendencies. He wouldn’t go so far as to say that he liked her, but her presence was not unwelcome in his life.
“We should tell her the truth.” Izuku said, earning a sharp look from his partner.
“No. Absolutely not.” Izuku looked like he was about to argue, so Izame continued. “I just killed a man. If we tell her, she’ll be an accomplice to murder.” Or something like that. Izame didn’t exactly research laws before he broke them.
Izuku looked conflicted, but still determined.
“She still deserves an explanation, Izame. You haven’t been out in years, she’ll be suspicious if we don’t give her something.”
Izame sighed, but agreed. Izuku made a good point. The local authorities had made it explicitly clear to the Midoriya family that Izame wasn’t to be let out except in case of emergency; Izame thought they were being too extreme, while Izuku thought it was a reasonable reaction to committing arson in a police station.
The point was, Izame hadn’t had a physical form in almost ten years, so his presence was a definite cause for concern for those who knew of him.
“We’ll tell her most of the truth - we were attacked by a villain, you got hurt, and I had to come out and… help you run away.” Izuku nodded, but Izame had just remembered something and stopped walking, grabbing his friend’s arm to get his attention. Izame frowned as he looked over his holder, his eyes catching on the rips in his uniform and growing bruises around his neck.
“You’re hurt. How are you healing?” His fingers ghosted over the dark marks, wanting to touch but resisting in case it caused pain. Izuku shrugged.
“Okay. I’m not too hurt, I just have a couple bruises from being tossed around, and I think he stretched out my throat a little - it’s pretty sore.”
Izame’s fingers twitched and he placed his hand around his partner’s neck, letting it rest there gently. Izuku looked confused, but didn’t push him off - it warmed his heart to know his vessel trusted him so much.
“I’ll give you some of my strength so you can heal faster. I know your immune system is basically invincible, so the sludge probably won’t get you sick, but your abilities aren’t as prominent when we’re separated - I’ll help you heal.” Izuku’s eyes lit up in understanding, and he nodded.
“Thanks, ‘Zame. Can you do it while we walk? Mom will be worried if we take too long to get home.” Izame nodded and shifted his grip so that his hand now rested on the nape of Izuku’s neck, gently pushing his strength through their bond to speed up Izuku’s healing process as they resumed walking.
They both had naturally fast regenerative powers, but when they were separated they got divided unequally, favoring Izame. It left Izuku healing only slightly faster than a normal person while Izame could regrow limbs within minutes.
Their quirk was a weird one. When they were merged, Izuku could heal at an accelerated rate, never got sick, and had near limitless energy. Izuku retained most of these abilities when they separated, if slightly weakened. All that wasn’t abnormal for a quirk; no, the strange part was Izame himself.
When corporeal, his body gave him improved physical abilities, making him stronger, faster, and more durable than most heroes. It also gave him unlimited stamina, incredible regenerative powers, enhanced senses, and an inhuman disposition; his body didn’t function normally, he had no blood and no heartbeat, and most pain he felt was dulled.
Superhuman didn’t really cover it; Izame’s only tie to humanity was Izuku, and his status as a quirk didn’t exactly qualify him for the human label.
They had reached the apartment and started climbing the stairs. Izame sensed that Izuku’s neck was healed, and dropped his hand, pleased to see that the skin had returned to its usual color.
They reached the door and Izuku pulled out a key to open it, calling out for his mother once he did.
“Mom, I’m home!” He seemed nervous, glancing over at Izame and then around the apartment. Izame grabbed his hand and squeezed it, sending a calm wave of reassurance through their mental bond.
Inko called back from the kitchen.
“Welcome home, Izuku! I made your fav-” Her voice cut off as she peaked out into the living room, Izame’s presence interrupting her ability to speak.
Izuku waved weakly beside him, and his mother’s eyes shifted to take in his disheveled appearance, the dirty, ripped uniform and stained backpack eliciting a worried gasp. She stepped into the room completely, rushing to check Izuku over and make sure he wasn’t hurt.
“What happened? Oh, Izuku, are you hurt? Izame, you too, are you okay?” Izame blinked. He hadn’t expected Izuku’s mother to worry about him. Her eyes, the same green as her son’s, bore into his soul with their concern. He looked away and started to explain.
“We were attacked by a villain. Izuku wasn’t able to get away alone, so I came out to help, and we got away unharmed. We’re okay.” It was short and a little sharp in its delivery, but that's just how Izame was.
Inko knew he meant no offense and simply pulled in her children for a hug. Izame allowed himself to be maneuvered rather stiffly and tolerated the touch for a few seconds before pulling away. Inko let him go and gave them both a smile.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, Izuku, Izame. I’m sorry that you had to go through that. Why don’t you go get cleaned up, and you can tell me the full story over dinner? I’m making Katsudon, your favorite.” Izuku lit up and agreed excitedly. As he darted to his room to get out two changes of clothes, Inko turned to Izame with a kind and weary smile.
“It’s good to see you again, dear. It’s been too long.” Izame barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and Inko’s crinkled as if she knew what he was thinking. Then her expression turned slightly serious and he tensed, wary of the change in the atmosphere.
“I want you to know, Izame, that I don’t care what you did to get Izuku out of that situation. I won’t ask about what happened to the villain, and you don’t have to tell me. Just know I’m glad that both of you are safe - both of you. You are both my sons, and I will love you no matter what.”
Izame’s throat felt tight. That- didn’t make sense. Inko was supposed to be upset, angry at him for hurting another person. Not - not so kind, not so good to him. She wasn’t supposed to care, not about him.
He blinked away the sudden wetness in his eyes and looked away from hers, nodding quietly. A soft smile crossed her face, and she laid a gentle hand on his stiff shoulder, a comforting presence.
“Go wash up with Izuku, I’ll have dinner ready when you’re done.” He nodded again, grateful for the provided escape. Emotions weren’t really his thing, especially when they weren’t rage, sadism, or love for Izuku. He didn’t know how to deal with - whatever just happened.
Izame decided not to think about it too deeply and instead went to join Izuku in changing into cleaner clothes.
-
The katsudon tasted amazing that evening, and Izame decided it had everything to do with not having eaten in years and nothing to do with the company that came with it.