Chapter Three

Better Run Like The Devil

I watch Midoriya go, glad that he's not going to try and wrestle my name or identity out of me. He wouldn't be able to, but trying would've been very irritating. His head hangs low, and anger bubbles up in my chest.

Kacchan

tell you to come up here

plan on being a hero

I feel sick, disgusted to my core, at this Kacchan. How can anyone seeking to be a hero, a defender of the weak, target someone weaker than them and bully them into nearly killing themselves?

Before I know what I'm doing, I'm following Midoriya, sticking to the shadows, remaining unseen. He doesn't need to know that I'm watching him. That I'm protecting him. And he definitely doesn't need to know that I'm intent on finding this Kacchan, and teaching him what it means to be a hero. I'm not going to kill him. But I am going to scare him. There's still a chance he could change his ways.

Midoriya turns right down a mostly-empty street. I'm to backtrack and find a new pathway to reach the end of the street and intercept him. I nearly trip over a couple of rats

I'm watching with my one good eye, as they eat from the dumpster behind our house. They're fascinating little things, so disgusting and yet so persistent.

Like my father, I think with a giggle. The door behind me creaks, and I turn quickly, trying to hide my eye. "I'm okay!"

My mother smiles a little bit at me, tucking her beautiful white hair behind her ears. Her smile lights up the room, and for just a moment I actually believe that I'm okay. She walks to my bed, her pale skirt flowing in the air currents, and sits next to me. She has a tube of ointment in her hand. "Let me see, Shouto."

"I swear, I'm fine! You don't need to. . ."

She grabs my chin and twists my head to face her, while her other hands pulls mine away from my blackened eye. She smiles again, like she's hiding something behind her teeth, and gently rubs the ointment on my bruise. I sigh as it numbs the area, soothing the pain away, and eventually the bruise too. When she's done, she pulls me in and kisses my forehead. "All better."

I smile up at her and lean into her shoulder. She reaches across me and rubs my back gently. I sigh happily again and lean up to kiss her cheek. "I love you, Mom."

She swallows hard and leans her head against mine. "I," her voice sounds muffled, "I love you too, baby boy." Then, she pulls me into a tight hug, like she's trying to hide me from the whole world. "My sweet little Shouto." Something wet lands on my cheek and rolls down. "Never let him beat your heart out, you hear me?"

I snuggle in closer to her as more tears roll down her face onto my hair. "I hear you, Mom."

that skitter away as I approach. I clamber over a ladder onto a rooftop and scan the area for Midoriya. His hair is very distinctive, so I locate him quickly and pursue. Jumping across rooftops.

Badass.

Midoriya is headed for an apartment complex, places that generally masked strangers to run around freely. I clamber to the top of another building, tall enough to keep an eye on him while I quickly remove my costume. In the inner pocket is my stealth gear. Civilian clothes. Red hairspray. Scar concealant that Tomura-chan got me. I quickly slap it on, using a small hand-mirror to check my work, and head to the back of the building. Luckily, there's a ladder, otherwise I would've had to create one from ice. I climb down and walk around to building to the apartment complex, and get halfway across the street before I realize something.

I have no plan. And there's incoming traffic.

I hurry across the street, flipping the bird to a cabbie who honks wildly at me. The doors automatically slide open as I push through. The lobby of the apartment complex is small, with only an elevator, a bored-looking security guard, and a public bathroom within. I wave at the guard and stride after Midoriya, trying to maintain a confident air. I think it works. He steps into the elevator, I go in the adjacent one. We ride up to the fifth floor; I wait twelve seconds before I disembark from the lift. Midoriya is walking down the hall, clutching at his arms. He pauses before one door, wipes away his remaining tears and enters. I follow him down the hall, examining the doors on either side, hoping to find clues as to who Kacchan is.

If you nip it in the bud, it won't bear fruit.

One door reads "Omashu". The other-"Bakugo".

I sigh internally, frustrated. No help here. I walk to the end of the hallway, fling the window open, and clamber out, using my ice to form handholds.

I need to speak with Sensei.

Christ on a bike, this took forever and I don't know why.

Anyway-please review! Even if it's negative, I love hearing your thoughts.