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Chapter Text

"We haven't got the men to spare."

The student could only nod, unable to pull his gaze away from the crater, body swaying as adrenaline thrummed through his veins; it was a feeling that he'd become accustomed too, the war leaving no time to relax or be comfortable. Even when unconscious, Izuku was aware, his Quirk keeping him barely asleep and ready when danger arose - and often, it kept him and many other's alive.

His toes were poking over the edge of the building, threatening to lead his body down. It would have been easy, to fall, a strong gust of wind taking him with a rush against his ears - losing control would be freeing. But Izuku had a responsibility. He had a job to. The Detective took a step closer to Izuku, feet scuffing against the gravel, but stopped when Izuku's shoulders tensed; there would be nothing he could do quick enough to stop the teen. Izuku falling was not his area of concern, the Detective very clearly seeing the black tendrils that wrapped around his fingers and slipped through like rope. One for All would not let Izuku die so easy.

"Midoriya - you know it's a trap."

There was a tightness in the Detective's voice, a guilt to having no aid for the child but Izuku could feel nothing but pity for him. Pity for everyone - and with that, the Heroic urge burned deep in his veins. This was his war, it was on him to help save those captured in their effort to help him. Yes, Izuku knew it was a trap - it was obvious and plain as day. His friends were placed down like cheese on a weighted board - and Izuku was the mouse the metal was awaiting to capture. He was being pulled away from the safety of numbers and separating him from the thinly spread barrier.
But if Izuku could free them, they'd have more.

"We need all the numbers we can get; we need them." He needed them to survive. The Detective said nothing for a moment, having sensed Izuku's half lie, and already dissecting the truth. It weighed heavily on Izuku's shoulders, his weakness being so obvious it was being used against him and putting others in danger.

"Eraser won't be happy."

Izuku flinched, only ever so slightly, at the mental image of his teacher hunched over in his hospital bed, amputated and weak. The man had given so much, more than he should, and had lost nearly just as much. Izuku knew the Detective was right - once he found out, it would take multiple Heroes to hold him down and stop him crawling his way to help the teen.

"Then don't tell him."

It came out harsh and cold, bitten and spat out. Izuku pulled his hood up, blinking away the image of his mentor hooking his pinky finger around Izuku's and begged him to stop diving head first; begged him to ask for help next time. Blinked away the image of his mentor's face when he found out Izuku had broken his promise. Izuku couldn't dwell on that now; trust can be rebuilt, he could handle a scolding. But he couldn't let his friends die - couldn't let his colleagues suffer the consequences of Izuku's Quirk history. When the war was won, Izuku would repent and apologise he would hang up his coat and lay in bed and cry. Only then.

"Don't make me tell Aizawa his student is dead; don't let Toshinori mourn a son. Do you understand, Deku?"

Without sharing another word, green arched off Izuku's body and he pushed forward. The push from the ledge sent him over the debris and onto another roof, where his body rolled to protect his ankles; the supports on his shins would make sure they wouldn't break, but they still ached from training. Away from the Detective, he could truly breathe. The plan set heavily in his mind, his detour making it shake. If he was successful, if he saved them, they could build off the plan - they had a better chance at protecting the civilians. And if worst - No, Izuku couldn't let that thought go on. Worst case scenario is that he breaks a bone rescuing them, but when had that not been the situation.

All for One's fortress grew bigger the closer he got, blocking out the last rays of the sunset in the sky and casting a great shadow across the city. Right to UA's toes. He steered to the side, heading to where his friends were held; the King of Villains wouldn't allow for Izuku to near his home, no matter the circumstance.
He could see them, within a crater with All for One sat in a throne made of rubble. He felt Shigiraki's eyes on him, even from this distance, and lifted his chin - Izuku wondered if the boy was still in there, or if any hope of redemption was lost alongside his body.

That didn't matter at that moment.

He awaited on the edge, looking down at the trap; Denki was on his side, the hospital gown muddy and the bandages around his hands smearing red; the dampened cloth around his head keeping his Quirk at bay was tight, and a bruise around his throat (purple and ugly red) made Izuku's heart twist.
Slumped against him was Kirishima, twitching as he hardened his skin - he was angled in a way that would have shielded most of Denki, but by the blood leaking from his forehead and the swelling around his eyes and lips he was losing the battle against his Quirk. Off to the side, murmuring to each other, was Oijiro and Shoiji's. Both had an extensive mass of rope around their body; trapping tails and extra limbs painfully tight enough that Izuku could see the redness where blood was struggling to pass through veins. Oijiro was wriggling his tail, trying to find room where he could slip it free.

Out of everyone, they looked the least damaged, but Izuku could see the bruises and cuts lining their body, along with the deep bags under their eyes and sunken cheeks where fear and exhaustion was dragging their minds down.

Izuku's eyes held onto Bakugou's form longer than any other's.

Unlike the rest, metal was wound around his palms and trapped them against his sides. One big silver encasing was used to cover his midsection, crossing his arms and forcing his hands flat against his stomach - a section led up from the spine, branching out around his neck and just under his ears, smothering his mouth and leaving his nose so he could breathe. It spread down, wrapping his ankles and pinning them into ground' and into the large puddle. A pipe led up and dripped a steady flow of water down his back, nullifying his Quirk and tinting his skin blue. His form shook, eyes snapping back and forth as he heaved - no doubt, after those hours they'd been trapped there, he'd fought until he'd almost exhausted himself. The biggest threat treated as such; blocked from the rest of the group by a metal shield.

One last jump away and -

Izuku stumbled forward, the green arms up his arms and legs vanishing, the distance he'd travelled morphing into a white abyss. He skidded to a stop until his ankle twisted on the sudden smooth floor, hands catching his arms. His head snapped up, heaving for breath as his knees buckled. Seventh cushioned his fall, slowing him until his legs pressed gently to the floor, before backing away. Her hands left cold imprints along his body. The sudden loss of his Quirk made his insides curl, the feeling of helplessness hitting him as his blood raced through his veins; his body fought the snap in his mind, and he was failing to accumulate quick enough.

Still trying to catch his breath, Izuku set his eyes on First - his eyebrows furrowed at the silence, ears ringing in the white abyss. "What's - What's going on?" The crack in his voice burned, a shiver running down his spine. There was something cold about being separated from your body; a numbness where his physical self was in pain, a missing thrum of his mind. Izuku didn't, and had never, liked it. First looked tense in his throne, something shadowed in his eyes and a turned down curl in his lips that went past his usual worry. In fact, with a quick glance around, everyone looked uncomfortable. It sent alarm bells blaring, panic making Izuku's hands brace against the floor.

"Ninth, you've done well in the War against my brother."

As though a voltage had pulsed through Izuku, he jolted, forcing himself to stand on uneven legs. The War - he needed to get back. "You're too young to suffer the burden of what must be done. All for One is ruthless, and will not play fair. Especially in the body of his successor." Izuku swayed to the side, disoriented still, and wheezed out his question; worry was beginning to squeeze his heart. He needed to get back. His friends were in danger. First stood up and took a few steps closer, voice tight. His hand extended out, palm up and fingers limp. Izuku couldn't drag his eyes away from it.

"You're strong, but your weaknesses are apparent and will be your downfall. You won't do what is needed to take down my brother, but if you do, you'll be struck with guilt for the rest of your life. Let me take over, let me have this burden."

Like a child, Izuku shook his head and took a small step back, murmuring a 'no'. His eyes fluttered across the room, begging the vestiges around to argue against First, but no one moved. No one looked. Izuku knew what would happen if First took over - the sacrifice that would be made. Same as he knew that the risk his body was taking - that saving his friends - was putting the War at risk. He wouldn't let them die. "Izuku -" "No!" Panic thrummed at his heart. "No! I can - I can do it! I need to save the-them!" The air shifted, as though a realisation set on the group. With his intentions confirmed, and priorities made clear, First took a deep and sorrowful breath. "I'm sorry, Ninth. The choice has been made, we can't let you risk everything. It won't be long, just until I finish the fight with my brother."

Panic and adrenaline pushed Izuku, mind slipping into fight is flight, and he flung forward. Without the aid of One for All, and the weakness in his muscles, his punch was off kilter and feeble. He cried out as multiple bodies shot forward, arms wrapping around him and pulling him back. He clawed and thrashed, panicked sobs breaking through his hysteria. It turned into angered yells when First approached, a sorrowful look in his eyes as he placed his palm against Izuku's forehead; and vanished. "No! No! Let - Let me go!" Curses and threats spewed from his lips, and his legs kicked out. He needed to get back, he needed to stop First.

Right as he caught someone's hair in a tight fist, something slammed against his temple and stars flooded his vision. Izuku swayed then, dropping to his knees as the edges shadowed. And when his eyes slipped shut, no one caught him.

-

Izuku grit his teeth as he clenched his fists, tugging as much as he could against the rope that tied his hands to the arms of a concrete throne - less to try and escape and more to wipe away the tears falling down his cheeks, whines stuttering his curses and threats. There was a lump in his throat, cracking his words when he tried to be harsh and instead making his attempts to bargain feeble and weak. His head was throbbing, a bruise he was sure covering his temple aching as it tried to drag him back into unconsciousness. He hadn't been awake long, his neck aching from the uncomfortable angle his head had been drooped, his limbs beginning to cramp and hurt from his fighting.

Second, who stood only a metre away, barely glanced back at the writhing and screaming child.

"Izuku," he jolted, head snapping up as he came face to face with Nana, not having realised she'd breached his bubble and crouched down, "drink this. It will make the pain go away." He twisted his head when a glass was brought to his lips, jaw clenching tight. He roughly tugged, hands curling into fists with the urge to strike out. But there was little he could do, restrained to Seventh's 'throne'. Nana sighed, reaching forward to tuck a stray hair behind Izuku's ears. He couldn't evade it, too bothered on focussing on the cup. He snapped his teeth at her, not caring how childish and stupid he looked. "You're only punishing yourself. Come now, I assume you want to be strong and aware for when Yoichi comes back?"

At First's name, Izuku's stomach curled. Anger burst through his veins and a tear slipped down his cheek. Occasionally, the other vestiges would glance at each other sharing a look. They all knew what Izuku's body was doing. He was the only one in the dark. "Let me go." His demand was met with silence across the empty plane, no one daring to look at him. Except for Nana, who only wiped the tear. It would have been soothing, his Mama's eyes flashed behind his own, if not for his restraints.

"Later. When you won't cause harm."

A sharp burst of anger burst through him, and Izuku snapped his body as far as he could, head knocking the cup from Ninth's hand and sending the liquid across his lap - it soaked through the joggers, making them scratch his legs. Awakening out of his Hero gear and in casual clothes that were a size too big had been frightening, but was quickly shoved to the bottom of the barrel of things to worry about. The plastic hit the floor with a sharp clank, and a few of the vestiges flinched and turned their backs; Izuku seethed through his teeth, shooting a glare to Nana and feeling skin tear around his bound joints. "Let me -!"
He was cut off as Nana pressed a hand against his chest, firmly pressing him back and standing. There was a different look in her eyes, like she was addressing a disobedient child, with an edge of awareness. She knew that behind Izuku's actions was desperation.

"Enough. You're going to hurt yourself."

With her hand still on his chest, pinning him back, Izuku could only clench his fists and try to take deep breathes to calm himself from the incoming hysteria; he refused to meet her eyes, and twisted his aching wrists. "More than you hurt me?" In response, the bruise on his temple throbbed, and she sighed. There was less strength in her hold, and as she crouched back down, it vanished. He slumped forward, shoulders beginning to ache and tail bone uncomfortable on the cement. "How about this, if you calm down and behave, I'll give you some information. First might not be back for hours, and you need all the information you can get." Second bristled, turning slightly and opening his mouth, but was silenced when Seventh raised her hand. From this angle, Izuku could see a shiny bruise under his chin and split on his lip, and felt pride knowing he'd landed at least one hit. They shared a look, and he nodded before turning away; Izuku met her gaze with a glare, trying to remember the intimidation Bakugou had taught them when they were little.

Kacchan needed saving.

Feeling fear breaking through the anger, Izuku forced the rope to dig further into the bleeding skin. "How do I know you won't lie?" Izuku needed her to change her hairstyle; for a moment, he was inclined to trust her, the press against his heart that reminded him of his Mama making his decisions difficult. He couldn't get distracted. "You're going to have to trust I'm not. I know it's not much, and I wouldn't either, but it's the biggest chance you've got." Biting the inside of his cheek, Izuku dropped his gaze once again, focussing on the wet patch. His head beginning to pound. "Why - Why are you helping me?"

A wobble undercut his words, and he twisted his ankles. The sharp shot of pain brought clarity to his brain, sending another surge of adrenaline through his veins, and keeping him focused on escaping rather than panicking. "Are you going to behave?" His eyes snapped up, head rising a little slower, and looked between Seventh's eyes - looked for any signs of lies. Instead, they seemed to glow with honesty, and it brought a sickness to Izuku's stomach. Or maybe that was underlying nausea of a head wound. He nodded, and she smiled gently, lifting another cup. He stared at it, at the liquid sloshing up the side, and tried to quell the bile rising up his throat. "This will help with the headache, drink and then I will tell you, okay?"

Feeling the shiver up his spine, Izuku took a few sips of the water, before pulling back. His stomach cramped, having taken enough, and she didn't seem to mind, placing it besides her before looking at the rope. With a glance, he realised blood had begun to drip onto the throne's arm.
"You - You said -" She shushed him, preventing his panic from rising, and looked him in the eye. "I know. Once I've spoken, you'll let me wrap your wounds. Understood?" Although firm, her tone was soft and he found himself nodding. "Good. Everything here is controlled by our subconsciousness, and imagination. Slightly. First and Second made an agreement that all Successors would come to know this space when interfering with us, to prevent any difficulty."

He blinked.

"Therefore, between us we can make this place into whatever we want. We want and get whatever we want." She eyed him for a moment, as Izuku dove into thought. "For now, whilst you are still living, you are incapable of doing this." Things began to make sense, putting the pieces together in his mind. It made sense - where the cup had come from, and the rope. A world controlled by their minds put him at a disadvantage - he was at the mercy of the people who wanted to keep him here. He shook his head; tears were rising once again. "I'm not - I'm not staying. You can't ma-make me." She nodded, pushing to stand. "I'm sure First will be as quick as he can, you'll be back in your own body soon enough. You'll never have to worry about All for One again." Izuku's eye twitched but he refused to lash out, pressing his own back against the throne as his heart began to thud. Limb by limb, Nana untied Izuku and rubbed a salve against the skin, before wrapping them in bandages.

He winced, muscles jolting every so often, but she only reassured him she was just tending to them and even letting him see. By the time his ankles were done, the tips of his toes (feet bare) were tingling. Every time he winced, so did she, and another apology alongside with a reason slipped out; the solution to each was giving Izuku his body back, and the bitter thought burned his tongue each time. His wrists were worse, splits in the skin and burns pulled at the scars. He flexed his joints, suddenly realising the normal pain in his fingers was gone; the tightness he'd gotten so used to was missing an the had the sudden fear of over extending to digits and injuring himself. He must have been staring and moving for too long, because when Nana spoke again there was an amused quirk to her smile. He closed his fist and set it on his lap, watching her work on his final abused limb.

"Your body and your mind exist as two separate entities; whilst in this state, you won't feel any pain inflicted upon your body. Equally, your body won't feel any pain inflicted on your mind."

Izuku looked at the rest of the Vestiges, trying to get any to meet his eyes, but they were all insistent on doing their own things; Izuku wondered if anyone would help him. As she tied off the last bandage, Izuku felt a heaviness to his eyelids, and tried to contort his hands in a way that would pull at the wounds; she grabbed his hand, dipping her head to be at the same level as his. "Stop doing that. I know what you are doing, and will not let you harm yourself to hold up a delusion." He pulled back, staggering up from the seat now the ropes had also vanished, and ignored the flinch in Seconds shoulders. "Delusions?!" He let out a sarcastic laugh, knees too weak and stomach protesting his sudden movement, dragging his hands through his hair.

"You - You lot are the ones with delusions!" Nana shook her head to Second as he made to move, watching Izuku. It was once again made apparent to the vestiges just how young Izuku was. "Come now, settle down. You've hurt your head." Izuku shook his head, wrapping his arms around his body. He looked at Seventh's throne in fear, choking on a sob as he lost control. His face crumpled, a wail slipping through as he sunk to his knees. And when vomit followed, his gags and hiccups disturbed by murmuring, Nana crouched to his side and pulled him away from the sick. She soothed him as the exhaustion caught up, the boy too far gone in his panic to realise he sought comfort from one who'd locked him in his own mind.

And this time when his eyes slipped shut, his body was held.

Chapter Text

There was a soft rumble around Izuku as he began to stir; he was warm, a fuzziness wrapping not only around his shoulders but his mind. It took him a minute to be able to open his eyes, face screwing slightly as something tickled his nose. The first thing he actually saw when they opened, and he blinked away the blurriness, was a fluffy pillow. His face was pressed against it, the soft strands slightly matted under his cheek. It was comfortable, holding it's shape even as he sunk into it slightly, and Izuku would have allowed it if not for the foreign living room just passed the pillow.

He jolted up, eyes wide and heart giving a large thump in his chest when the memory of what had happened and where he was hit him.
Izuku slumped back into the pillow, eyes dropping to his lap briefly; the bandages around his wrists were still there, still tender when he flexed the joint. The damp patch that had been on his lap was gone without so much of a stain, and tossed to Izuku's feet from his panic was a thick blanket. The room he was in was quite big, with soft coloured walls that flickered with the flames in the fireplace the four sofas were centred around. Each was big enough for two to three people, with enough pillows and blankets to cover each of the vestiges.

There were photos around, of people Izuku didn't recognise, and framed ones of the holders. On the coffee table in the centre was a random clutter of things, none of which Izuku would find useful, and he pushed to standing; why was he in a living room? The bandages on his wrists were proof he was still in the abyss, and not back in his body.

He furrowed his eyebrows, thinking back to what Seventh had told him.

They made a 'collective decision' to make an appearance in the white abyss, so Izuku assumed this is what Seventh meant; this must have been where they stay during the rest of their time. In a home created by their minds. For a moment, Izuku stared at the pillow at his feet, urging it to vanish. Expectantly, it didn't, and Izuku could only groan and dig his elbows into his knees, fingers clutching at his hair. Here, he had no power. No strength, no aid of their Quirk - he was once again Quirkless and weak.

He just needed a minute to think.

Pushing to standing, Izuku glanced up at the fire before his gaze dropped to the pillow; he needed to know where all the vestiges were. There was an opening to his body; there had to be. He just needed to find it, and for that, he needed them in one place. Grabbing the pillow, Izuku flung it in before glancing to the door - there was a high side table next to it, big enough to hide his form. Providing they didn't look back at the door, Izuku wouldn't be seen.
That's if they all ran in.

Either way, with the pillow being swallowed by flames, and Izuku hooking the blanket to it (the end hanging out like a fuse) it would have to do. His knees protested, body still waking up, as he crouched besides the table and pulled his shirt over his nose. Black smoke began to rise. He almost aborted the mission, and put out the flame, when it took a few minutes for anyone to run in. It wasn't until his eyes stung the door burst open, Nana running in with Second on her tail. They went to immediate work on the fire, as Izuku took his chance - like he said, it would have to do. Keeping low, Izuku gripped the handle and slammed it shut behind him, pushing the handle up and gritting his teeth as it took all his strength for it to pop.

Broken and left behind him as he bolted.

Not that there was much further to go; the room opened onto a small hallway with stairs inches from his nose. There were similar photos in frames running up the stairs, smiling faces and oak furniture tormenting him - he stumbled over the edge of a rug, twisting so his shoulder hit the coat rack rather than his head. It collapsed with a ruckus, but Izuku was already standing, looking around as smoke peeled through the bottom of the broken door. There was yelling from inside now, feet hitting the floor in the rooms above - the room seemed to spin, the identical doors taunting him.

One to his side opened, and as Izuku twisted, Yoichi closed it.

Two pairs of green eyes met, the elders eyebrow quirking up. He looked tired, shoulders lightly slumped, and Izuku felt a surge of adrenaline vanish the moment his grip left the handle; that was the door he needed. "Causing trouble already, Izuku?" His head snapped to the side when the door he'd broken opened; no smoke left it, nor did the heat of a fire roar. Seventh walked out, no ash or soot in her hair or on her cheeks - Second bypassed them, ignoring Izuku's flinch as he passed the kid.

Straight up stairs, murmuring orders to return to rooms.

As Izuku lurched for the door, First stepped in front of him, wrapping an arm around the boy when he lost his balance at the sudden obstruction. Izuku shoved him away, teeth clenched and chest heaving hard. Nana furrowed her eyebrows, glancing at Yoichi. "Move." His word came out breathless, the order strict but falling short at the under toning shakiness. It had little effect on the elder, who only sighed and rubbed his eyes - it only made Izuku angrier.
"We'll talk tomorrow, Izuku. I'm tired, and you've had a stressful few hours. I promise in the morning."

Izuku realised that he was also tired, and his shoulder ached, but he didn't care - anxiety and worry for his friends was a stronger tug on his emotions and it kept his guard standing. As his mouth opened to protest, to once again order his return to his body, Nana stepped forward. "First, I promised him you'd answer some questions when you came back."

A look passed over his face, and he sighed again, nodding and gesturing to the door Izuku had escaped from. Izuku looked between the two adults, the vestiges sharing a conversation through looks Izuku wasn't aware of, and felt like he was missing something important. They were trying to get him away from the door. "In there, please." Keeping cautious, Izuku allowed himself to be led, glancing over his shoulder at the oak and Yoichi. Being between them sent shivers along his spine, and Izuku's eyes travelled back to the fluffy pillow as he entered the room - his fingers twitched, the odd comfort making his heart ache.

There was a coldness seeping through the fiery anger, keeping him level headed in a random burst of clarity; he could get information. Despite the roaring adrenaline telling him to run, and the instincts calling for him to fight, Izuku found Aizawa in the back of his head.
Information is power when the stakes are high.

First seemed to deflate into the cushions, eyes shutting and clenching ever so slightly as though managing a headache. His breathing was oddly uneven, as though he was nervous - or maybe even exhausted. It made his anger spike. Seventh glanced at him, frowning, before turning her attention onto Izuku. She'd taken the seat at the side, between them, and just within Izuku's distance - subconsciously, Izuku's feet pulled up off the ground, tucking under his knees and crossing his legs.

"Ten minutes, and then bed. You're both tired and -"

Izuku cut in, worry making his words hasty and rushed. It took his breath with him, leaving him to shakily inhale. "Are th-they okay?!" Yoichi's eyes opened them, steadying on Izuku and judging; it took him a minute to answer. "Next question." A hand grabbing Izuku's wrist kept him half stood - teeth clenched and the fire burning one more. Yoichi simply watched him like a parent about to prevent a child's tantrum, Nana trying to compel him back to sitting.
"You can't do that! I need to kn-know! Tell me!"

Tears sprung to his eyes once again, emotions taking over once again, and Izuku felt anger growing at himself. He tore his arm away from Nana, pulling it to his chest as though it had burned, and the kid found himself grinding his teeth. The room seemed to pulsate around them, the fire roaring in his ears as Yoichi's eyes met his. They were filled with guilt, but hid any reference to what Izuku needed to know. Green that failed to remind Izuku of the kind First he'd always been told stories of. He found, so suddenly, he couldn't breathe, and it only fuelled his anger.

"Give me my body back. I can do it! I can save them!" Nana sighed, flashing Yoichi a look as his face twisted in pain, before standing. There was something different in her stance - one that mimicked All Might when he put his foot down. Or more realistic, a stance his mentor was mimicking. "Calm down, or we'll cut this short. You're smart Izuku, ask questions that mean something."

Anger still simmering, Izuku dropped back to sitting with a soft thump, knee bouncing as he remained glaring at the vestige. He needed to get himself under control - she was right and he loathed the fact. Hooking his lip between his teeth, the teen sunk into thought, allowing it to cloud him slightly. He allowed instincts to take over, to aid him in the presence of danger, and centred his mind like he had so many times before.
All he had to do was concentrate.

"Seventh said this place is controlled by imagination - how?" She sat down, nodding in reassurance to Izuku, and Yoichi rubbed his eyes tiredly - a motion so similar to Izuku's Teacher he found his breath catching in his throat.

"Subconscious, is more reasonable. For you. One for All attaches to the mind, buries there and when the Quirk moves on, a part of it stays there. Part of us moves with it. We haven't fully understood it ourselves, but the world builds based off our mind - we create what we think." They. They created what they thought. Izuku had no control.. The answer was unsatisfactory, and became even more so when Nana continued.

"It's complicated, Izuku. We don't simply think it and it appears - more like we imagine it and it's somewhere here. This room never had a fire extinguisher before, and yet it was here when we needed - all damage was erased when we returned." Izuku grumbled, locking the information away (despite how useless it was) before moving on with a heavy breath. He was tired, an exhaustion set deep in his bones. The timer was in the back of his mind, the slump of Yoichi's shoulders making it blare and flash.

"But - You made the cup vanish."

She nodded, smiling slightly. "We can clean up easier than we make a mess." It made no sense, but something in her eyes made Izuku sure there would be no follow up explanation. So, instead, he reached up to brush at the bruise on his head, and the ache in his shoulder. There were still bandages on his wrists and ankles, the burn and welts from the rope throbbing.

"How do injuries work?" Would they vanish magically? Or would he need to avoid infection? Could he even get sick in this reality? If he gained a fatal injury, would it kill him? Would his mind tear and shatter until there was nothing to return to his body. "No injuries cross. Nothing sustained here appears on your body, and vice versa. But any wounds here act as they would in the real world - those aches and pains will last until naturally healed." Izuku nodded, and took a deep breathe.

"How long until you've finished your mission?"

-

Izuku stared at the empty walls, feeling them leer back at him.

Nana had put a end to the questioning before Izuku could explode once again and ushered him upstairs (a hand on his arm and a slightly force in her grasp) and opened the door to his room, not glancing inside as though ashamed of the dullness on the other side. She'd stayed to the side, telling him it was for his privacy - rooms represented each of the vestiges, and most wanted it to themselves.

The room was boring, grey walls and carpet making the flickering light darker, and a bed with no sheets pressed against the corner. There was a desk with a few dry pens and dull pencils and a crinkled notebook. A bookshelf was left empty with a thick layer of dust and the clothes folded atop of the draws were stretched and faded.

The windowless walls spun as he lay on the bed, feeling tears well in his eyes.

It hit him so suddenly how much he missed his Mama - even within the dorms, she'd send him a message and when he'd vanished, she'd left his bedroom light on. There had always been a way she'd let him know she was there, and more than ever he needed it. Twisting onto his side, Izuku curled up, sobbing into the arms he moved to cross over his face. It was silent, a skill he'd long honed to stop his Mama from worrying. It shook his chest, making his head ache.
He wanted to go home.

He wanted the god forsaken war to be over.

For the first time since he was a child, Izuku sobbed so hard he struggled to breathe and the muscles around his lungs spasmed. He heaved and gagged, silently screaming and bit so viciously into the back of his hand skin broke. And when it finally stopped, and no tears were left, he let his eyes slipped closed and prayed he'd wake up in his own body.

He did not.

Waking from a voided sleep was almost painfully, snapping to awareness from nothing leaving him uncomfortable and confused - his eyes were heavy and puffy, nose still stuffy. His shoulder didn't hurt as much as he sat up, but his foot was numb from the awkward position he'd slept. Routine told him he was hungry, and yet his body desired nothing, and his mind told him he was going to vomit if he ate anything. So, he lent against the wall and weighed his options.
He had to get through that door.

If he did while Yoichi was in the void, then he should have a free route into his body. But then came the question of how to keep it that way he'd been pushed out before, he could do it again. Gnawing on his lip, Izuku rubbed his nose and rested his elbows on his knees. His face was warm in his hands, still leaving evidence of his sobbing, and Izuku swallowed past the lump in his throat.

What would All Might do?

It was a question that hadn't gotten him far before, and one Aizawa had forced him to stop pondering, but that man was the only one who possibly knew what was going on - had he experienced it? There had to be something he could do. Letting his head thump against the wall, Izuku took a deep breath before pushing to standing and wobbling to the desk, filing through the strewn stationary - nothing sharp enough to cause damage, but if he snapped one in half -
It took more effort than it should have, and Izuku resisted the urge to look in the mirror, instead stuffing the sharp pencil in his pocket and licking his dry lips. He had to do something. It left a heavy weight as he approached the door, frowning at his bare feet when he wiggled his toes. He could run without shoes.
Izuku listened, waited until he was sure no one was outside before pulling it open, wincing when the door squeaked - it was an imaginary house, why was it so noisy?! Once it clicked shut behind him, Izuku headed towards the stairs.

It was still night? The hallway was dark and there wasn't any noise from downstairs or in any of the other rooms in the hall (upstairs seemed so much larger than downstairs, and his room tacked onto the end. The very end - a good few metres from the stairs. It's okay, he was quiet. He kept in the middle of the hallway, away from the doors on either side, and made sure to take a note of each. Whilst wooden, and almost identical, each door held a little decoration beneath the name pinned.

Izuku was separate, as though tacked on, and the others ran in order of succession. Seventh's was closer, and Firsts the furthest. Izuku hesitated outside the final, eyebrows furrowed slightly - the door looked older, and was cracked open. The handle and lock mechanism gone. He'd heard stories, seen dreams, of the life lived by the original One for All user. Metal walls and locked doors had kept him up at night, and the desperate pleas of a fearful child had haunted him briefly.

It made sense for that fear to linger.

Swallowing thickly, Izuku carried on, sneaking down the steps and wincing at every slight noise - the slight hitch of his breath and the snap of old floorboards with sudden weight. The crack in his knees and the rustle of the fabric between his thighs rubbing. When he stopped at the bottom step, the door enveloped his vision, and anxiety thrummed beneath his skin. He could wake up anywhere - in any situation. He needed to be ready, to have a clear mind. Who even knew how long had passed - did time run differently in the void? How long had he slept? What had Yoichi accomplished? If anything?

Reaching for the handle, Izuku hesitated, taking a deep breathe.

"Izuku." He jumped, hand gripping the handle and tugging. Locked. He resisted the urge to punch the door, turning to glare at Yoichi - who lent against the door frame of a room he didn't care to look in. "It's early, You should still be sleeping." The kid scoffed, looking at the door before his hand dropped into his pocket, gripping the pencil. Would he attack First? Really? If push came to shove, would Izuku have the balls to do it?

No, he probably wouldn't.

"It takes time getting used to. I miss dreaming, but it's not too bad being without it." His voice was slightly strained, the kindness not forced and not fake. It made Izuku want to cry again, and he pressed his thumb against the splinters. "If you need help sleeping, I can -" Izuku cut in, voice clipped and snappish. Yoichi didn't look offended by his anger, understanding drifting on his face instead - this version of Yoichi was familiar, and almost made Izuku forget about stealing his body.

"I need my body back."

The conversation was getting old and repetitive, driving Izuku insane, and apparently Yoichi agreed. He skipped over the comment, tucking his hands in the pocket of his fluffy hoodie - that itself was hideous. "I'm going to be gone most of the day, and you should be sleeping before I get back, so Nana is going to be looking after you. Ask her to make soba one day, it's amazing. Best I've ever tasted. I'm sure she wouldn't mind making it if you wanted."
Soba.

They were treating this like a retreat, as if Izuku was a child in need of babysitting - he didn't need 'looking after'. He was fighting this war, saving people - he was sixteen! He'd fought Villains and faced the grim reaper more times than he could count. First must have seen Izuku's growing agitation and sighed, huffing an exhausted laugh. "Kid, take this time to rest. You've been on edge for months now, let yourself calm down. When you're back, everything will be back to normal - school, friends, all of that. You'll be an amazing Hero that fights normal Villains."
The splinters dug into his skin.

"It's not going to be long. You'll be back before you can even memorise this place. You don't - None of you deserved any of that. My brother should have been stopped years ago, and I'm sorry none of us were ever able to stop him. But I can now. You're all just kids."

Izuku collapsed, sitting on the bottom step and dragging his hands through his hair.

He was so sick and tired of all the pity - constantly. From his friends, his teachers, the ghosts in his head. He knew they were kids - he knew it wasn't fair. But that was life, nothing was ever fair but they had to deal with it and get on with it! His breathing shuddered. "You can't - You can't let them die." Yoichi moved to stand besides him, leaning on the railing. When Izuku didn't look up, he crouched, leaning through the bars to pull his hands from his hair - and this time, Izuku didn't pull away, the skin soft and warm and so alive.

"I'm going to end All for One. I promise. Now go back to bed, Nineth."

Izuku did, suddenly exhausted, and turned back down to Yoichi when he reached the top. He was still crouched, something flickering in his eyes, which vanished when they made contact. The teen took a deep breath, licking his lips despite the dryness in his throat. "I'm not going to stop trying. I'm going to get my bo-body back." The elder nodded, lips tugging into a frown.

"You'll sure try. Goodnight."

Chapter Text

The Vestiges were everywhere.

There was always one in every room; a house full driving Izuku insane. It had always just been him and his Mama, with conflicting days. She was home when he was at school, and he was home when she was at work. And in the dorms, the place was larger with multiple facilities to keep it from being crowded. But in the house, his captors seemed to be constantly everywhere - whenever Izuku went to one place, someone tried to spark a conversation, and it was repeated when he fled somewhere else. The only place he could be alone was his cage, but Izuku was restless and on edge.

Adrenaline seemed like a constant in his veins, thrumming as though his body was trying to replace the buzzing Quirk he'd grown used to. And whilst he was thankful for it, grateful from the distraction from the silence in his mind, the weakness in his knees and shaking in his hands was beginning to become a hassle. It made simple tasks difficult - the fear was clouding his instincts and nullifying the skills he'd honed.

He briefly remembered a class where Aizawa had mentioned it - prolonged stress and putting your body in a state of constant terror decreased it's ability to function. It was a lesson in preparing them for their hostage class. But they hadn't had that yet, and Izuku didn't know how to stop it. Izuku huffed, dragging his hands down his face as he retreated back from the door; it was locked, Yoichi using his body once again (since those words on the stairs, he'd been gone before Izuku awoke and back after he'd bored himself to sleep).

In the two weeks, Izuku had followed the same random routine; when his legs grew tired of lying on the solid mattress, he'd try the door before trying to find something to do - which usually ended up with him knocking something over, scowling at Nana and retreating back to the room he'd been assigned. Only to repeated hours later. A part of him felt guilty he was acting like a brat, that he recoiled from their touch and fled whenever one tried to pull him into their activity, but the other parts reminded him they wouldn't have to deal with it if they'd let him free.

And a single part, a weakness in his mind, told him it was just his nerves.

"Hey, Izuku." He froze, hand gripping the handle of the cupboard, and feeling his heart skip. Sixth hadn't looked up from where he was stirring the liquid in his mug, nose buried on his collar in a way that reminded Izuku of his teacher, and his heart clenched. Agitated, Izuku slammed the cupboard shut and stormed out the kitchen, heading for the stairs. Second was walking down, and offered a smile to the kid, who only shoved past him with a harsh yell.
Why were there so many people in one goddamn area!

A hand hooked around his bicep when he was a few steps from the room, not letting go as he tugged. Nana sighed, gently, and softened her grasp when he turned to properly face her. She smiled, and Izuku felt his knees shake once again. "Why don't you join us, Izuku? We're watching a film. I'm making popcorn." He shook his head, going to take a step, but the grip firmed once again and her head tilted slightly. She let out a sigh, eyes flickering something akin to Izuku's Mama had when he'd come home broken and bruised.

It made him feel sick, vomit twisting in his gut.

That had been weird to hear - despite having not eaten or drink, his appetite non existent and not needed, he could still throw up. It was vile and bitter, and as they had no toilet, he'd hunched over the bathtub and choked on acid. For the first few nights, he'd awoken from the dreamless sleep in a panic and haze, before throwing up. Nana and Yoichi would find him, sharing a glance before offering to help. Izuku would shove them away and retreat.
He wondered if it had something to do with his mind being separated from his body.

"Kid, please. One film, and then I'll answer any more questions." Izuku's head snapped to her, eyes widening slightly, and his breath shuddered. "Pro-Promise?" He hated the way his voice shook, and bit into his cheek, blinking away the burning behind his eye - he wouldn't cry. He refused to cry. She nodded, pulling him back towards the stairs before giving him an affirmation. He closed his eyes for a second, deja vu rushing through his veins - his friends had awful habits of dragging Izuku around, viewing him as shy.

He felt sick again.

He managed to detach himself from her grip, pulling his sleeves over his fists and tucking them deep in his pocket; she was all smiles when she moved into the room Izuku had awoke in, people already beginning to gather. There was one sofa left empty, and Izuku dropped onto it, dragging the fluffy pillow from before (Izuku was going to take this to his cage with him) curling up tight. Another thing Izuku realised was that he was almost always cold - not uncomfortably but enough that short sleeved top were off the table.

Nana bounded to the corner of the room, where a television stuck from the wall, and began to siffle through the small disks and cases. She spoke over her shoulder, raising one in each hand; the covers were colourful and animated and not anything he'd recognised. Probably pre-Quirk, or the very beginning of the rise. Yoichi's era. She rattled off the names, hands going up in vote, but Izuku focused on picking at his nails. He shrugged when his name was called, opinion wanted, and the television was switched on. Nana stepped over people, switching the lights off and passing around bowls of popcorn - before settling in the seat at Izuku's feet.

She tossed him a worried glance, urging him to watch the film, and Izuku tugged his hoodie up and twisted slightly so his eyes cast on the screen.
Time seemed to blur as he watched it, the colours on the screen mixing as his vision swam. Everything so often, the music would pitch and the voices would get louder - the people around him would suck in air and sigh in relief, as if they hadn't seen the same movies over and over and over. His eyes focused when a woman appeared on the screen, eyes soft as she watched the toddler by her feet. The Mother spoke in hushed and panicked whispers to the man besides her, fingers twitching and interlocking.

The kid bounced up, wrapping her in a small hug, and something deep within Izuku bloomed.

Homesickness as vile and bitter as acid spread through his system, flooding his veins and making the tips of his fingers numb. His nails dug into his palms, threatening to tear the skin, and his spine grew rigid. It made his stomach clench and shift, pressing into his lungs as he tried desperately to stop the tears past the single one that slipped down his cheek.

He wanted his Ma - he was so desperate for her. The warmth that radiated off her, and the lingering smell of apple washing detergent that stuck to her clothes. It fell deeper, his sudden longing gripping onto Sunday Mornings and eggs - katsudon they'd smell all evening and jokes over the dinner table.

He crossed his arms over the pillow on his chest, ducking his head into it when he felt Nana turn to glance at him; the fluff of the pillow stuck to his cheeks, and he bit harshly into the edges of his tongue when he was unable to nip at his lip. The film finished without him moving, and he remained seated as the other vestiges began to file out. Nana stayed in her seat grinning friendly and nodding - "one more thing" she promised, and Izuku stupidly agreed, following her into the next room.

Where they were all sat around a table.

"We don't need to eat, but I guess we're stuck in our ways. A routine helps to keep us busy." Izuku shoved the vestige away, not even sitting in the chair before turning around and heading towards the hallway; there was a deep grumble amongst the group, and a hand caught his wrist. "Come on, kiddo. It tastes good; Second is a surprisingly good cook." Shrugging her off, Izuku slammed the dining room door behind him and padded towards the oak one; the handle was cold as he gripped it, not budging despite the harsh tugs.

Deflating, despite knowing this was going to be the outcome, Izuku dropped onto the bottom step of the stairs, glaring at the frame he was facing. Glared until his eyes burned too much to hold the venom. The muted sounds of laughter were heightened slightly, a body joining him on the step, a plate placed a few up behind them. Nana shouldered him slightly, staring at the door too. "You know, I had a kid. A little boy."

Dipping his head into his crossed arms, Izuku shrugged. "I know. His son killed my friends." Guilt flashed through his heart when she inhaled sharply, fingers tightening their grip on his joggers. They stunk, and Izuku wondered if they'd been the ones he'd thrown on the floor whilst half asleep that morning. It wouldn't have made a difference; his hoodie held a weeks worth of sweat and his hair was slowly collecting and displaying oils. At the crinkle of his nose, Nana laughed. "You know, we don't need to eat, but we definitely need to shower. You reek of teenage boy. How about this, you go shower and eat, and I'll take over guard duty?"

He shook his head, gaze hardening as they focused on the door once again. What would it matter if she waited for First? She knew when Yoichi was coming back, Izuku didn't - there was a split second where Izuku could get through the door, and gain control of his body once again.

Izuku's eyes blinked open at a low clicking, white and green filling his vision. There was an ache in his neck from where he'd been lying awkwardly against the wall, a sharp pain twisting as he burst to standing, stumbling over his own feet. Yoichi cast him a glance, toeing off his shoes and allowing the kid to barge past. To slam his fists against the wood and tug at the handle.

"No! No, please!"

He broke into sobs, wailing against it as Nana burst down the stairs - hair tussled and pyjamas twisted. The two users shared a glance, suddenly aware of the deep bags under Izuku's eyes and the slump in his shoulders. He was exhausted. "Come on, kiddo, let's get you into bed." First led the way, glancing back every so often to see Nana supporting most of the kids weight, tears still raining down his cheeks and sobs breaking his breaths.
He was oddly compliant, the kids usual fight vanished.

His nose crinkled at the smell in the kids room as he pried the door open, and the mess along the floor and the dust coaxed everything; it looked dull and depressing, the furniture bare and uncomfortable. A prison he'd built for himself in his own mind. Redirecting to his own room, First pulled the covers back on the bed and nodded to Nana, who helped Izuku clamber in. "I'll sort his room out, you can handle this?" She'd already climbed in with him, running a soothing hand through his hair as he hugged her, head craned into her neck as he blubbered.

They both keened, eyebrows furrowing in guilt and worry when Izuku whimpered. "Ma-Mama, please do-don't let them take me." Nana nodded, sending First away as she murmured half-promises to the kid. Enough to get him to calm and sleep, but not give him false hope. He shook his head, burying his face in her shoulder and clutching tighter - and she shushed him, pulling away enough to dab the corner of her sleeve against his face. A part of her, pushed deep down, sent flashing images of what her life could have been across her mind, and she pushed Izuku's hair from his face.

"It's okay, it's going to be okay."

Eventually, Izuku's cries simmered and he fell soft against her side, the vestige looking at him with pity. There was a tingling at the back of her neck, where she (and the others) could feel Yoichi changing the house. Changing Izuku's room. She sighed, running a hand across his forehead and tucking his hair out the way; it desperately needed washing. "Oh, my boy. It's going to be okay." The bruise on his head was so faint now, barely even there, but her stomach twisted nonetheless. She believed in her words, despite her dwindling hope; Yoichi was going to win, and Izuku would get a normal life. That's all that mattered.

That's what mattered.

Izuku's eyes ached as he awoke, head pounding behind his temples. The warmth his lack of dreams had clung onto were gone, replaced with confusion and worry as he looked around - there was a central focus of a light blue in the walls and furniture, the room a modest size with the bed pushed up against the wall. Above it was a window, but when Izuku reached up to look, a voice cleared from the doorway.

"You've slept through the day, dinner is nearly done." Worry panged through Izuku at the mention of the time, tumbling off the bed as he thrashed - First was here, which meant no one was using his body. Was he injured? Was he - "Calm down. Your body is resting within UA's walls. We want you to come down for dinner, we've got a conversation that's needed."

Too exhausted to argue, Izuku clambered out the bed, feet sinking into a thick carpet slightly, before following Yoichi down the stairs and into the dining room. He could hear the other vestiges in the neighbouring room, probably playing a board game or something, and his eyes flickered to the oak door. It would be so easy to run to it, to try, maybe he could - "Izuku." Seventh was stood in the doorway, smiling at him, and Izuku trudged in.

She beckoned him to sit, First moving opposite and Nana seating besides him. Caging him in.

Nana started, taking a deep breathe. "Izuku, we understand you're frustrated, and scared. But, you're letting that get ahead of your health. So, we've decided to put you on a routine; every morning we'll wake you up, you'll shower and eat and so on -" Izuku shook his head, eyebrows furrowed. No, he didn't want that. "I'll take you to the library and we'll find you some books, make sure you keep up with your studies. Yoichi suggested taking you to the gym. What do you think?"

"No."

Nana opened her mouth, but Izuku shook his head. "No! I don't - I'm not getting settled here. I'm going to escape, I'm going to get my body back!" His head dipped between his arms, fingers intertwining with his hair "This - This is bullshit! You can't control when I eat! When I shower! Is taking my - my body not enough?!" Nana reached forward, pulling one of Izuku's fisted hands from his hair, but the kid slapped her away. The chair slid across the floor with the force of his stand, puffy eyes blazing in anger.

"You can't do this!"

First caught sight of Second dipping his head the door, eyebrow raised, and shook his head. Once it shut, he turned back to Izuku, calculating how to approach the mid-teen. Nana beat him to it. "Kiddo, this isn't healthy. Whilst not your physical body, you're damaging your mind. We're only trying to help." He shook his head, eyes clenching shut.

"This is your fault! Just give me my body back! let me go!" First shook his head. "Not yet. The war is taking longer than -" Izuku cut him off, voice rising in panic. "Let me fight it! I need to fight this with my friends! This isn't fair! It's my - It's my War! You had your time!" When Firsts didn't respond, Izuku stormed out, running back towards his room feeling hot. Burning.

He kicked the door open, halting so quickly it sent nausea through his body; the room was different. It seemed larger, a window still missing but curtains drawn over a light to mock where one would be - there was a bed pressed against one wall, the mattress thick and duvet covered in a grey sheet. That was also plump, the pillows similar and a black blanket draped across the foot of the bed. On the wooden bed side table was a lamp, a stack of books beneath it - the table was the same oak shade as the wardrobe, the door slightly ajar and revealing hanging clothes.

Besides the wardrobe was a desk, another lamp, and a pile of notebooks. In a mug was a collection of pens. Little nick knacks covered the room, occupying space and making it seem more functional - and photo's. Framed photo's surrounded the room, hung on the walls and placed on surfaces. Photo's of Izuku and his Ma, of Izuku and All Might, of his classmates and his teachers. A scream bubbled in Izuku's chest, burning as it rose through his throat, and arms caught him as he lunged forward.

His foot caught the door, and he did scream, thrashing in the grasp dragging him out of the room and pinning him to the floor - Second still avoided eye contact, countering all of Izuku's fights, which only made Izuku angrier. They left him there to cry, to calm himself down, and then Nana tapped Seconds shoulder, approving Izuku's release. "Go have a shower Izuku, and then we'll watch a movie." Defeated, Izuku waited on the ground a moment more, watching the ceiling, before sulking up and heading towards one of the bathrooms; a part of him, deep within his chest, gave up.

Chapter Text

Izuku's last source of rebellion against the routine had been sleep; his day was all marked out in colourful pens, the paper pinned against the backboard of the desk in his room, and there were six people who poured their effort into making sure he followed it. And such, Izuku kept himself awake at night, staring at the ceiling and mumbling incoherently. It left him exhausted, with deep bags under his eyes, but the need to pass out wasn't there, and his body wasn't collapsing in on itself.

A nap here and there kept him going.

He knew it was stupid, he had to be aware and ready so he could snatch his body back, but the need to rebel overwhelmed this. So, as he sulked down the stairs, ready to be taken to the library, his eyes snapped to the end of the hall. There was another door; it was definitely new, and from the light breaking in through the opened crack, it definitely led to an outside. He glanced over his shoulder, standing from where he'd been sat and did a quick check of the room besides him. There was no one - he could get out.

His pace increased, hand wrapping the handle and snapping the door open; to reveal a garden.

It was large, the fences huge and covered in a bush, with a tree in one corner. Beneath it's large canopy was a blanket, a bench to one side and a BBQ on the other. In the centre of the garden was a little stone well, water simmering at the top - flower beds lined the edges of the garden, little wooden fences keeping them slightly elevated. There was a patio right outside the door, furniture and potted plants decorating the space.

First was there, a hose in one hand as he watered the plants, seeming content in being alone in the space. After only a few short seconds, he noticed Izuku and looked up, a gentle smile gracing his face - the hose dribbled to a stop and he dropped it carefully to the ground. "Morning, Izuku. What do you think?" Turning around, Izuku bumped straight into Nana, who grinned at him - as she did whenever she knew he wasn't going to enjoy her next words. "We're having a picnic today Izuku, we're staying outside!" He was ushered out, and went silently, slouching into a deck chair with little argument.

He was too tired to fight.

Yoichi vanished and the rest of the vestiges slowly trickled out, each bringing activities out. Izuku pulled his knees up, sitting so he was sideways on the metal chair (the arm digging into his lower back) and lent against it, elbow sitting in his leg and chin resting in his palm as he watched them go about their own day; Nana kept dropping by, content in allowing Izuku just rest, and only pushed him to have a drink of water before settling with Second and Fourth. The kid's eyelids grew heavy and his head kept bobbing, sleeping creeping up his shoulders until he was awakening in snapshots - a blanket pulled over his shoulders, an umbrella casting him in shade. And when he awoke for the last time, his duvet was being pulled up to his chin.

=--=

Izuku dragged his hands down his face, rubbing his eyes as they grew heavy. Slumping back in the desk chair, he stared at the open notebook in front of him, the pencil slowly rocking besides it from where it had been discarded. His writing was slowly becoming more incoherent, the characters slowly losing their shapes and meaning - and he hadn't realised it until pulling back.

Not that it truly had a meaning anyway; the lists of the people he went to school with serving the only function to keep him awake.

Sighing, his eyes slid to the turned down photo frame, his teeth finding their way to his lip. A chill ran down his spine and he pulled the hoodie closer around himself, pulling his heels up to rest on the edge of the seat and shins pressing against the desk to keep his knees against his chest, leaning over them to continue lazily writing on the page.

He flipped to the next, and closed his eyes briefly, imagining All Might. A much younger version, with a suit Izuku had always found comfort from. So, he scribbled and sketched, brain running on it's own as he reviewed his old analysis and wrote the updated thoughts. It was much easier, now that he understood the Quirk, and his heart beats slowed comfortably. He licked his lips when they grew painful from his mumbles, hunching over further and further as he let himself drift into the familiarity of his own thoughts. Unhindered by the idea of war or worry of control for the first time in a long while.

Fell so deep into it that when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he forgot where he was and lifted his head expecting to apologise to his Mother or wish her goodbye as she left for work, only to stutter the word out and leave it hanging in the air between him and Seventh. Her hair was mostly pulled back but messy, as though she'd only just awoken, but there was a dried puffiness to her eyes as if she'd not long been crying.

"Come on, time to get in bed. It's late."

Izuku shrugged, twisting away and continuing to write, trying to ignore her presence when his own eyes burned. "I'm not tired." Nana sighed, leaning over to pull the pencil from Izuku's hand and drop it into the small basket. Before he could grab it back, she pulled the notebook away and pushed it into it's slot on the shelf. Her hands went to his shoulders, urging the chair to spin him away and his legs to the floor. "This can wait until tomorrow. Come on, in bed." Not finding the will to argue, Izuku slumped forward and moved to sit on the bed, staring up at the vestige. She looked exhausted. So, he waited for her to get closer, dropping his gaze to his hands, unable to stomach another look of pity.

"Nana, please, can you at least tell me if they are okay?"

She sighed again, her own hands clasping together. "Not tonight, please Izuku. I've had a long few hours, we'll come back to this tomorrow. I promise." Something in his gut sank, and he reached forward, grabbing one of her arms as she turned away. He couldn't stop the tears rising in his eyes, voice wobbling as he shook his head.

It softened, barely coming out as a whisper. "My Mu-Mum. Please - I just - I need to know about my Mum." He watched the change in her, and she urged him to move closer to the wall, sitting besides him on the bed and wrapping an arm over his shoulder. Izuku allowed it, too tired to imagine it was anything other than his Mama. "Izuku, what I'm about to do, I can never do again. Is that understood? And you cannot tell the others." He nodded, looking up at her for a moment, and she held her hand out.

Carefully, he took it, nearly jolting back when it sent a shock up his arm. She smiled reassuringly, and closed her eyes - Izuku felt compelled to the same.

Taking over his own vision, as though it was his own, was his Mum. It was from a short distance, but it was obvious she didn't know she was being watched, as she sat at the kitchen table within one of the sanctuaries. Izuku could see half of his Aunt through the window, as she held her hand, a thumb rubbing against the side of her fist - she wasn't crying, instead her face was softly crumpled as though she was trying to stop herself from it. There were fine grey hairs making the green almost sparkle, soft wrinkles at the sides of her eyes that worsened as she smiled. She suddenly shook her head, wiping her eyes and closing the book in front of her, detaching from his Aunt and standing. Her head turned, looking at the window for a split second before she moved to grab an oven mitt.

The image cut off too early and now Izuku truly was crying, soft hiccups making his shoulders shake. Nana squeezed his shoulders. "That was two days ago - she's perfectly healthy and okay." Izuku nodded, pulling the hoodie sleeves over his hands and pressing them against his eyes; she was okay. Nana gave one last squeeze before standing, going to leave, but Izuku once again caught her. "Can - Can you pass me that photo?" She looked where he was gesturing, nodding and retrieving the turned down frame, handing it to the teenager.

He looked at, trying to hold back tears.

It was recent, his screensaver (which he imagined is how First was able to transfer it to the abyss), of when he'd first been accepted into UA. There was a different light to her eye, as though years and years of worry had vanished. It made her look younger, as she clung onto Izuku's arm with one arm and the other taking the photo. His Mum had always believed in him, there was no doubt about it, but there was always pity - because she knew others didn't. But that was gone. Izuku's stomach hurt.

"Go to sleep now, Izuku. Tomorrow is your free day, you can sleep in. Goodnight." Izuku nodded, watching Nana close to the door as he whispered a thank you. She only smiled softly, before leaving, and Izuku was left alone. He stared at the photo, the room slightly lit by the desk lamp, and traced his thumb over his Mum's cheek. She was okay. Mama was okay.

Izuku fell asleep hugging the photo.

The teenager fell silently to sit on the bottom step, leaning against the wall as if it would increase how much he could hear, and lowered his breathing. The house was quiet, Izuku waking early with nausea twisting his gut, and hushed but angry voices caught his attention. He got a strange sense of deja vu from them, memories of his parents fighting in the room besides keeping him awake at night when he was younger making his heart droop slightly. So, tucking his hands deep in his pockets, he listened.

"That was stupid and irresponsible! Everyone here swore they would keep him in the dark! How do you think he'll react now? It's not going to calm him down!" There was a venom to Firsts voice Izuku hadn't heard before, under toned with stress and exhaustion. Izuku knew immediately the topic of conversation, and clenched his fist, nails biting into his palm. "Why? Seventh! Why?"

He heard a chair leg scuffle. "You do not get to judge me, Yoichi. You haven't been here looking after that kid. I have watched him break and break repeatedly! He's just a kid! And that's why we're doing this - or have you forgotten? I showed a scared child that his Mother was still alive. I did what was best for him. Are you? Is that still your goal?" Izuku ducked his head a little more, blood welling on the inflamed cuts on his palm. "What are you implying, Nana?" There was a quick response, her tone deep and cold.

"This is not about revenge, Yoichi. You are doing this so Izuku does not have to, not to get back at your brother." A chill ran down Izuku's spine, the whole houses temperature seeming to drop in the silence. "I haven't lost sight, Seventh. You have. I have not forgotten your aversion to slaughtering All for One. I have not forgotten that that is your grandsons body." There was the sound of a palm against a cheek, and Izuku found himself already on his feet, foot hovering over the next step down. His eyebrows furrowed, and he turned, silently slipping back upstairs and ignoring Second as he stepped out his own room, slamming the door behind him.

He hated them all.

"Come on Izuku, open the door."
Izuku pulled the duvet tighter around his body, nose digging into the fabric as he tugged his hood further down his head. He could hear Nana tried the door handle once more, but Izuku had jammed his chair under it today, and until they figured out what was stopping the door opening it to remove the obstacle, they could do nothing. So, he lay in the bed, hugging the photo of his Mum tighter. After a while, she walked away again, leaving him alone, and Izuku let his eyes shut.

It was just easier to sleep now, to wait until it was over.

So he did, falling asleep until he was gently shook awake, and a deep sigh made him curl tighter. "Go away." Seventh sighed, and he heard her sit on the desk chair. "Last week, you heard me and First argue, didn't you?" She took his silence as a confirmation. "Do you have a question?" Slowly, Izuku sat up, sitting against the wall and pulling the blanket with him. "I want to go home." She nodded. "I hate you all." Another nod. "I think First will fail. I think I'm going to be stuck here forever."

She froze.

"I think he's losing. And you are all losing hope. That's why you showed me my Mum, that's why you are all stressed. I think my body is failing, and I'm dying. All for One is winning." Tears slipped down his cheeks as something in his heart slipped out of place, Izuku suddenly feeling drained. His chin fell to his chest, and he looked down at the photo. "Nana, I'm scared. I don't want to die - I want to go home." Nana shushed him, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking one of Izuku's hands - she shook her head, squeezing it slightly. "No, no, no Izuku. I promise you, everything is okay. I promise, not long now. Okay?"

Izuku's breathe shuddered and he nodded, no fight left in him.
=--=
Izuku had been sitting in the garden when it happened, lent against the tree and fingers tracing a curled pattern on the joggers over his knee; Nana was sat besides him, although in a chair, humming gently as she read from her book - Izuku had been reading one too, but it had been discarded to the grassy floor besides him when he'd gotten bored of the fourth reread. A part of him wondered how the vestiges didn't grow insane with the lack of new things for nearly a generation before being joined by a new successor.

The days had been boring, the vestiges not leaving their own space and Nana insisting they drive off routine and instead appreciate the good (artificial) weather. Her foot twitched and Izuku looked up, squinting as sun broke through the leaves, and she stopped humming, putting her book down. "Izuku," he waited, "let's go inside." Her voice was oddly sombre, although there was a smile on her face. She stood, beckoning Izuku to follow, and he did, hands digging into his pockets as a cold shiver ran down his spine. He stalked behind her as they went into the house, freezing when she stepped aside in the hallway to show Yoichi - Izuku didn't know it, but the other vestiges were all stood at the top of the stairs, their own little grins on their faces.

"Izuku," his vision swayed slightly, and Yoichi nodded his head, "All for One is dead. Our mission is complete." Izuku's knees buckled, and Nana quickly stabilised him, Yoichi moving to the side to show the open door. Izuku's heart pounded in his chest, tears sprinkling his eyes as nausea twisted in his gut. He could go home - he was finally going to get to go home. He looked to the side, at Nana, as her hands slipped off his arm, a small smile gracing her lips. "Go on then, kiddo. You're going to be a great Hero, and don't be a stranger. I'll see you when you're old, got it?" He nodded, taking steady steps to the door, quickly speeding up.

Ants run under his skin, and the handle of the door burned his hand as he wrenched it open; a white void welcomed him, and Izuku stepped out without looking back. He quickly went into strides, running and running and not looking back - Izuku didn't turn to see another figure step into the threshold, blue eyes saddening. He took a deep, brave, breathe and let a smile pull at his lips; Nana wrapped an arm around her successors shoulders, her own grin spreading. "Love you, my boy."

"-give him back!"

Izuku gasped as pain exploded from his abdomen, knees buckling from under him - arms caught his, gently lowering him as Izuku struggled to gather his breathing. Wind whipped his cheeks harshly, goosebumps rising down his arms, body subconsciously leaning into the source of warmth as his insides seemed to churn and ache. His ears were ringing, the kids head throbbing as his vision blurred and shifted. The warmth seemed to tighten around Izuku and a sob bubbled from his lips, the cold seeping out from the bottom of his feet; there was a voice in his ear, rough and demanding.

When he could finally inhale through his nose, strong caramel burned the back of his throat.

"Breathe, goddammit! Izuku!" Gagging suddenly, Izuku's senses shot back at him so instantly he jolted back, but the hands gripping his let him go nowhere, fingers digging into his skin and nails biting slightly. There were soft, the skin smooth compared to Izuku's ragged and scarred ones, and for some reason that made something within Izuku curl up. Gravel dug into his knees, and there was small rocks stuck to a small wound on the back of his hand, but he didn't dare move. He didn't want to wake up. "Izuku, please." His brain sizzled as he caught the voice, head tilting up and bottom lip wobbling as he shoved the hands off his arms and wrapped them as tight as he could (which wasn't very, since the tips of his fingers were numb and he felt as though his arms were made of jelly) around his shoulders.

"Kacchan!"

His dissolved into sobs as his friend brought his arms around Izuku quickly, squeezing tight and letting out a relieved sigh - neither moved for a while and Izuku wailed into Katsuki's shoulder, absorbing his heat and letting it soak through his body. He shook and the arms tightened, Katsuki murmuring soft soothes, followed by half-hearted jabs, until eventually Izuku could finally breathe and his cries fell limp. He waited a little while longer, and it was Katsuki that separated them, eyebrows furrowed as he looked Izuku up and down. His words were soft, and Izuku nearly started crying again at them. "Come on, let's get you home."