Tabula Rasa (BakuDeku)

39

Losing Deku

Why are they all leaving him? What did he do?

Did they lie?

He lets himself hang limp in All For One's grip, swinging in the air like a doll. "See? They don't want you. Accepting you into the Academy was merely a publicity stunt." The greenette shakes his head, they wouldn't just leave him like this. They've got to have a plan, right?

"No? Why else would they be leaving you here? And that blond boy? He wanted you gone the most." He shakes Izuku over the roof and sighs, "You should check who your allies are before you go switching sides."

The greenette sniffs, "K-Kacchan...?"

His eyes flutter shut, and he's out again.

Izuku wakes up in pitch black.

It's cold, so cold that he tries to wrap himself in his limbs but he can't. Both arms and legs are held apart, splaying him out starfish against the wall as his head hangs low in shame. Izuku tries to conjure One For All but there's no use. The restraints won't budge.

"Izuku Midoriya," All For One tuts, "You have caused me a lot of trouble." The bright yellow lights flicker on and Izuku knows where he is immediately.

In a panic, he tries to yank his hands out of the restraints bolted to the wall, but the outcome doesn't change. "You really have to learn where your loyalties lie." All For One pulls a fat lever, and a surge of electricity flows through his body, and not the good kind. His screams are muffled by the sounds of his insides frying.

After what feels like years, the electricity stops. He pants, biting the inside of his cheek as he tries to catch his breath.

"Do you remember the first time we were here?" All For One asks. Izuku nods. He remembers it vividly.

It was in the first month All For One had taken him in. He'd already gained his quirk, but was beginning to second guess his decision to follow All For One home. Like an idiot, Izuku tried to run away. He didn't get very far.

All For One hums, pulling the lever again. A scream tears though Izuku's throat like a shard of glass, pulse quickening and eyes widening when he thinks All For One might be increasing the voltage.

"Do you remember the second time?" The greenette nods again.

That day, he'd seen Katsuki on tv for the first time. Of course, it'd be the first of many, but it was the day of the sports festival. He, Shigaraki, Kurogiri and All For One sat in the living room, watching it together. You know, for villains sake.

It was the first time Izuku had seen Katsuki since the day he ran away. He acted the same, talked the same. He just...looked older. Filled out a bit. Izuku hated to admit it at the time, but he missed the angry blond.

So he tried to run again.

Just like before: Lever pull, and the nauseating, hot pain only confirms the fact that All For One is increasing the voltage. Maybe he's trying to kill him. Is this how Izuku's going die? Electrocuted to death in a basement?

Izuku's body tries to curl in on itself, completely forgetting about the restraints. It hurts, like he's being torn from the limb.

"And the third time."

It was when the League of Villains kidnapped Katsuki from UA. Originally, the greenette was excited, finally they'll be together again!

And then he remembered the monster he'd become.

So instead, Izuku ran to go save him. It's not like he had to go far, Shigaraki practically came stumbling on their doorstep, heroes one inch behind them.