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“If you fall asleep, I will let the Nomu have you.” That’s what the Doctor told Izuku before shutting the door behind him. Every now and then, all the lights would shut off, making it harder for Izuku to keep his eyes open.
Izuku had lived in this cement room since he was seven. He was used to little tests like this. Sometimes Izuku would pass with flying colors. Other times, Izuku would fail and the Doctor would tear Izuku apart piece by piece and Sensei would put him back together. He always put Izuku back together, they never let Izuku die. Apparently Izuku being quirkless was good for something. The doctor drew blood from Izuku often, and used it in his experiments. It did something to the Nomu, helped them adapt to the multiple quirks better or something. Izuku wasn’t really privy to that information, that didn’t stop him from reading the doctors notes when Izuku was left in his lab for hours on end. He may have been strapped to a table, but he could crane his neck to read.
It had been a very long time since the doctor gave his orders though, and Izuku was exhausted. He refused to give in to his drooping eyes though. Out of all of his punishments, being given to the Nomu was one of the worse ones. You’d think since some of Izuku’s blood is floating around in their DNA that Izuku would have some kind of authority over them like Sensei and Tomura have, but no. The Numo did not listen to Izuku, instead they threw him around like a rag doll, and then Sensei had to pick up the pieces and put Izuku back together again.
Izuku started seeing things a while ago. A younger Izuku begging for help. His mom wondering why Izuki left her. A little Kacchan who had fallen into the stream, sneering up at Izuku saying he didn't need his help. Izuku saw these things and others like them all the time.
Izuku usually tried to hold his younger self, but he was scared of older Izuku and would cry. Then he wouldn’t let older Izuku get anywhere near him. Izuku would try to explain that he didn't want to leave his mom. But she'd just cry blood and disappear saying how disappointed she was in him. And Kacchan… Kacchan would let his fingers spark and pop and tell Izuku to keep fighting. Kacchan would tell Izuku to be strong like All Might. And then he'd climb back up onto the bridge and walk away.
Izuku listened to Kacchan to the best of his ability. Some days were harder than others.
Like today. Izuku was so tired, he was ready to just crash onto the floor the second his legs gave out.
Izuku never got the chance.
One second Izuku is pacing his cell, the next a huge boom rocks the whole building. The wall with the door in it cracks, causing the door to crack with it. With just enough space for Izuku to escape.
Izuku had tried escaping before. He usually got caught by the Nomu, ordered to make sure he didn’t leave the building. Or the Doctor saw him. And even worse is when Sensei caught him. They started keeping Izuku in some kind of chains when he was outside of his cell.
But Izuku was in his cell when the wall broke, so he doesn’t have chains holding him back from running. Kacchan did tell Izuku to keep fighting, and to be strong like All Might.
So Izuku fought his way out of his cell, and he used the strength he had to keep going. He was welcomed by the lab being half destroyed. Sensei was boasting about something. Izuku hid from him, not wanting to be punished. Izuku went behind a pillar and took in the full scene. All Might was there, smiling like he does, Izuku would’ve gone to him, except he was talking to Sensei. There were several people Izuku didn’t recognize. Tomura was with them, then behind them…
“Kacchan!” Izuku shouts, then he runs. He runs to Kacchan because Kacchan told Izuku to fight. And Izuku would fight tooth and nail to be with Kacchan again.
Kacchan’s red eyes grow wide. He whispers something. Maybe Izuku’s name. It doesn’t matter, because Izuku throws himself on his best friend, he wraps his arms tight around the bigger boy, and doesn’t let go. Then Izuku starts crying, because he missed Kacchan so much.
Kacchan cradles Izuku’s head, he’s saying things. Things that warm Izuku’s heart. “I never stopped looking.” “I knew you were still alive.” “I’m never letting go.” “Just hold on, we’ll get help.”
Then things start happening. Izuku is unsure how much of it he comprehends. He’s so damn tired, and Kacchan is there. Kacchan is safe and warm and smells just like how Izuku remembered. Like carmel, and trees, and fresh laundry detergent, and home home home.
Izuku has no idea when Kacchan wraps Izuku up in his arms, lifting Izuku’s legs to wrap around Kacchan’s waist, making Izuku hold on. He says it again and again. “Do not let go of me. I need you to hold on. I need to use my hands, you cannot let go, Deku.”
Izuku smiles, he also starts crying harder. He hadn’t been called Deku in so long, and he missed it.
He holds onto Kacchan tightly, using the last bit of his energy to do just that. Then they’re in the air, and there's other people their age.
Izuku has no idea how they get down.
All he knows is that Kacchan has him, and isn’t letting go. The other kids talk about finding officers, finding heroes. “We have to tell Tsukauchi. We have to tell him that I found Deku.” Kacchan says.
“You know him?” The red head mumbles, pointing at Izuku. He looks scared.
“This is Izuku, I told you about him. My friend who went missing.”
“Are you sure, what if that’s Toga?”
“Shut the fuck up.” Kacchan growls. “It’s not.”
“She was on the field.” The black haired girl says. “No way could she be in two places. If he was one of those mud clones he wouldn’t have been able to survive the trip.”
“It’s Deku. It’s Izuku.” Kacchan says sternly, rubbing fingers through Izuku’s hair. “We have to tell the detective. We… Shit, I have to call Auntie.”
“Kacchan?” Izuku mumbles, he can’t lift his head off of Kacchan’s shoulder.
“Yeah?” Kacchan whispers. He’s so soft, and Izuku is sinking.
“Tired.”
“Sleep.” Kacchan tells him. “It’s okay.”
Izuku frowns. “Don’t want to wake up and you're gone.”
“Shhh, I’m not going anywhere. Sleep, Izuku. I’ll be right here when you wake up. I’m not leaving you. I’m never leaving you again.”
“Not your fault, you didn’t know what would happen when we split that day. You didn’t know.” Izuku whispers. He doesn’t hear the reply, just falls into a deep sleep in Kacchan’s arms.