:) I should be focusing on TL and ETGHS. But my brain only seems to want to work on things I refuse to post. Yet here we are...

This story may have some themes of religion. I am not really that religious, so if I get something wrong, please let me know and i will fix it ASAP.

With that little disclaimer out of the way, enjoy the story.

The building was old. Large stone walls that were weather-worn and cracking, windows that had no panes, adorned with some spiders silk. The wooden doors were large, towering above the grounds as if they were the threshold to something grand, but they too were worn down. The wood stuck up in some places so that anyone who would touch it would pull away with splinters, and the intricate bent iron that framed the door was no longer silver but acidic eaten rust. Torches, not lights, hung from the front of the doors and likely through the entire building.

The building itself was foreign in design, with vaulted ceilings that were more European.

Inko would rather be anywhere else than here. It was almost a full days worth of driving from home, and in the middle of nowhere. The closest town was an hour away.

The mother was nervous, and she supposed she had a right to be. She wasn't here for sightseeing, or to convert to life as a nun. She was here for a far less happy truth.

A priest at one of the many temples she had visited over the week had recommended she come here for her problem. He had said that it might be the only salvation she could have.

The problem was her son. Something was very wrong with him, something he couldn't control and something that was beginning to scare her. He was smart, almost terrifyingly so. He was healthy, a strong heart, and lungs. He wasn't insane, as far as Inko could tell.

No the problem was what he did when he was sleeping. What he did without realizing how disconcerting it was. He was only five, so he was still new to this world. He was still learning things.

He could make things float, he could make them disappear, he could summon things to his side just by looking at it.

This would have been normal if he'd had a quirk. But he didn't. It was impossible to have one.

She would wake up and find things written in blood on the walls. Whose blood was a guess all on its own? Or when he would wander around the house in his sleep, mumbling in a language Inko was not familiar with.

That is what scared her so much. That and the fact that when she woke up last Wednesday, it was to a headless squirrel sitting on the coffee table with a pentagram around it.

It had frightened her so badly, she ended upstairs leaning over a toilet puking.

"Kaasan," A small, shaky voice pulled her attention from the building to the child clutching her hand, "Why're we here. What is this place?"

She gave a half-hearted smile to him, "We're here to get help. You know, like those nice men we saw at the temples?"

Izuku gave a confused nod, looking back at the building, "How are they going to help?"

"I don't know Iuku, but I'm sure that they'll try." The mother and son walked up the stairs and to the wooden door.

XxXxXxXxX

The man who greeted them was old and frail-looking. His eyes were a dull brown, his hair a shock of wispy white across the top of his skull. He gave them a soft smile and sat them down in some plush chairs in a room close to the entrance. A coffee table in front of them had tea and pastries set out, and one of the nuns was sewing something by the window.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya-san. Though, I wish it was under different circumstances." Father Jeremiah said in a shaky voice.

Inko nodded, "Yes. I wish it was under very different circumstances."

"Do you mind explaining what problems you have been experiencing with your son?"

So Inko explained everything that had been happening. The blood, the language, the dead squirrel. As she talked, her hand raised to her mouth, then tilted her head to look at her son.

He was sitting at the window gazing out at the mountainside. His eyes were bright and wide with wonder.

Father Jeremiah pursed his lips as he listened to her. He occasionally glanced over at Izuku.

"This is indeed, very concerning. May I talk to Izuku alone for a while?"

"Yes," Inko said uncertainly.

Jeremiah stood and helped her up, "I'm sure one of the sisters would love to show you around."

The nun that was sitting by the window sewing stood up and gently guided Inko from the room.

XxXxXxXxX

When Inko returned to the room, her heart was fluttering in her chest. Father Jeremiah's face was pensive, searching her eyes for something. His lips were pursed, and the wrinkles more pronounced.

"I am afraid the problem is more serious than we thought it might be. I don't have the ability to help you, but I can call a colleague over to help. Of course, this means that you would have to stay a few more days."

"What is the problem?" She whispered.

The priest closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I believe that your son is either possessed by a demon or cursed by some sort of dark magic."

Confusion played in Inko's eyes, but when the realization that something dark was plaguing her son, the breath rushed from her lungs.

"If we stay, you can help him. Right?"

"We can certainly try. And do not think we will not give it our all."

"Then we stay!"

Her voice shook with emotions, but her resolve was strong. She wanted to save her son from whatever was turning him into a monster. Father Jeremiah nodded and gave a worn smile.

XxXxXxXxX

It was the next day around noon when Father Jeremiah's colleague arrived. The man was intimidating who went by the name Anthony.

He looked to be in his late twenties, but talking to him revealed him to be much younger. Inko couldn't help the fear and slight anger that bubbled in the pit of her stomach hearing this. But she trusted these men to help her son, so she stamped that down.

The group sat in the parlor room to discuss what would happen, and how this ritual would go.

"It would do no good to worry you more than necessary, Midoriya-san. You will be taken to a bedroom. For your safety, it would be best to keep you away from Izuku. I will stay in the room with you as extra insurance, as well as to lead you in prayer which will hopefully help.

"Anthony will be with your son and one of the sisters. We will perform this exorcism, and get all the dark energies out of your son. By early morning tomorrow, you should be able to return home with your boy."

Inko clenched her teeth at the thought of being separated from Izuku, but she kept quiet and nodded.

"Well, let us proceed with preparations then," Anthony said, standing slowly.

XxXxXxXxX

Izuku was scared. He didn't know what was happening, or why his mother had brought him here. He didn't know who this tall, intimidating man was, or why his mother was being taken away from him.

The woman stared fretfully over her shoulder as they were guided away from each other by the two men who had been talking and checking over Izuku all afternoon. The long hallways and vaulted ceilings made the building feel chilly, which did not ease the young boy's nerves.

"I promise that everything will be ok, Izuku." The tall, scary man said, looking down at Izuku with soft eyes. His hand was firmly placed in Izuku's midback, urging the boy to walk forwards. Another woman in black and white robes followed the two, a small basket in her hands and a gentle look to her face when Izuku glanced at her.

When they finally stopped walking the three of them were standing in the doorway of a cavernous room. Standing parallel to the door was a gigantic wooden cross with white candles decorating the alcoves next to it. In the center of the room was a strange circle with symbols painted in white.

Two small, waste height pillars rose from the floor close to the center of the circle, gleaming silver chains trailed from them and to a comfortable looking chair. Closer to them was a chair, and a small wooden table. The table had nothing but a glass of water on it until the nun set the basket down.

She began to remove more objects. Izuku watched her pull a beaded necklace, a small glass bottle filled with water, and an old weathered book out. She then retreated to the chair, placing the empty basket down and then walking back over to the two of them.

"Come this way please, young one." Her voice was sweet, calming even. It wrapped Izuku up like he was in a warm blanket. He followed her with no questions, even when the other adult walked over to the table to open the book.

The nun patted his head when they got the center of the circle and pointed to the chair, "Please sit down. I have to secure you so you don't hurt yourself or pastor Anthony. I promise that I won't hurt you."

The command flowed through Izuku like a breeze. He mindlessly sat down and let her strap the chains to his wrists and secure him to the chair as well. Even with the calm waves flowing through him, and the dreamy haze that had passed over him when the girl had spoken, there was a part of him that twitched and pushed against the calm.

"Alright, Izuku. Please remain calm for the rest of this time. We are only here to help you." The nun said as she smiled and then walked over to Anthony.

Her absence sparked the nervousness to come back. The wriggling feeling of something wrong intensified, and Izuku blinked. The shackles were cold against his bare arms, and the room's darkness struck fear deep within the boy. Fear bombarded his senses all at once.

"I want Kaasan!" He whimpered out.

The two adults looked over at him, the girl slightly surprised.

"I want Kaasan!" He repeated, this time louder. There was a shakiness to his voice. He gave a tug of the chains on his wrists and tried to hop down from the chair.

The nun rushed forwards, soft words flowing from her mouth again, "Calm down. Everything is ok. She's still here, and as soon as we're done, you can see her again. I promise."

A haze washed over Izuku's thoughts again and he stopped struggling. The nun stopped short when she saw her quirk take effect. She retreated to the exorcist again and nodded her head. He quickly set to work.

Picking up the bible and the rosary, he began to speak, "I confront and expose the operation of every evil spirit in the name of Jesus. I break every demonic stronghold, and I command every evil spirit to speak in Jesus name."

Then he began to recite scripture from the book, his voice filled with confidence.

Izuku noted almost immediately that the feeling of wrong intensified. It bubbled under his skin and screamed in his head. The world around him became fuzzy, but not in the nice way it had when the nun had spoken to him.

The shackles began to sting more than chill. A whimper escaped the child's lips when pain flashed through his body. His limbs took on a mind of their own, jolting and trembling as if lightning was racing across his nerves.

Whispered screams and voices began to fill Izuku's head, causing a splitting pain to erupt in his skill. Darkness crept at the edge of his vision. Hot, sticky tears raced down his cheeks, and then Izuku let out a scream. The wrong feeling had become an agonizing writhing, dancing over every single nerve ending at once.

"STOP!" He wailed out, the volume of his voice tearing his throat raw.

One of his hands wrenched against the chains holding him in one place, and the familiar pain of peeling skin gave a slight, momentary distraction. Something in Izuku lept awake at the familiar pain, and instinct took over the small child.

This pain was a different kind of pain than the ones spoken by the words of the man. It was normal, familiar, safe. His arm jolted again against the metal.

Again

And again

And again

Until he felt something warm and slick roll down his forearm. Then the child began a chanting of his own. It was in a foreign tongue, and despite only ever learning how to speak Japanese, Izuku understood every word that left his lips.

The pain of the prayer and scripture words began to fade away. Mist eased into the room from the small cracks on the walls and the small windows. The candles flickered, the flame shifting from red and orange to an icy blue before flickering out. Ghostly pale limbs reached from the mist and caressed Izuku's face, wiping away the tears.

Others scratched at the floor, raking claws into the stone and disrupting the magic of the devil's trap. Darkness took over the child's vision completely, even as a calming presence fill his soul.

XxXxXxXxX

"This is a deeper level of evil energy than we previously thought," Anthony said, staring deep into Inko's soul.

There was a scratch on his cheek, covered only by a small bandage. The nun that had gone with her son and the exorcist was in the infirmary, being treated for far more serious wounds. Izuku lay in an armchair next to his mother sleeping peacefully. There were bandages in his wrists and a blanket draped over his small form.

Jeremiah spoke up from his place on the couch, "Has your family ever talked about using black magic, or conversing with dark energies before?"

Inko clutched the edge of her shirt in her trembling hands, "No. At least, not as far as I can remember. But my husband used to talk about his folks and how strange they could be sometimes."

"Did you ever meet your husband's family?"

The mother shook her head, "He was an only child, and his parents died three years before we met."

"That could be the reason then," Anthony nodded, placing a hand against his chin, "If it is something like a family curse, or even a family custom to mess with devil's magic, then the purification would be different from a normal exorcism."

"You weren't able to cure him," Inko fretted, "What are we supposed to do now."

Father Jeremiah and Anthony exchanged glances, "We can still cure him, but it would require he stay here long term. Until we can say for certain, he has been cleared of these dark energies, he is a threat to everyone around him."

"Long term! But I have a job, and Izuku has school. We can't just abandon that to come to live here!" The mother argued.

"Midoriya-san, you misunderstand. Only Izuku would be staying here. You cannot stay." The head of the monastery whispered to her, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Izuku would have to stay to be healed. You being here could disrupt the process. We have a library filled with hundreds of years of knowledge, and several of the nuns used to be teachers before they joined our company. He will receive the best education we can provide. And he would be well cared for in all other aspects."

"He is a child after all, and it would be treachery to harm a child in a house of God. I will personally take on the role of parent when you are not here if that calms your fears." Anthony explained, "You would be allowed to visit as much as you wanted, of course. This would ensure the safety of not only you but everyone else that lives close to or interacts with you on a daily bases.

Jeremiah pipped up, "You saw for yourself, the results of last night's tragedy. There are some very dark energies around your son. It would be in your best interest to leave the purification to us while we have a chance of combating them."

Inko looked at her hands where they were folded neatly in her lap. The skirt she was wearing was wrinkled and worn.

"This is all to help Izuku?" She croaked.

"Of course!"

Inko nodded to them, "Then I suppose I can't refuse. Just help my baby."

The woman broke down into quiet sobs, burying her face in her hands.

XxXxXxXxX

It had only been a month, and Izuku missed his home with every fiber of his being. He spent every night in his room sobbing into his pillow, and every day ignoring the questions asked to him by both Father Jeremiah and Anthony. He had become nearly despondent to everything.

At home, he didn't have to wear shackles. At home, there was the constant comfort of his mother. At home, it wasn't cold and echoey.

Most importantly, at home, Izuku could talk as freely as he wanted. He could ramble for hours and hours about everything and nothing.

People weren't scared of him at home, he wasn't forbidden from speaking.

The child just wanted his mother. He just wanted to go home.

XxXxXxXxX

nine years later

The cold shackles rubbed against his wrist as he reached up for a book on a higher shelf. He had worn them for so long the feeling almost didn't register. He only noticed them because of the dull sting of metal against raw skin.

Funny, they had always been a part of his wardrobe, something he had no choice but to wear for the past nine years, yet they still managed to cause him pain.

Izuku dropped from his tippy toes onto his full foot with the heavy book in his hand and grimaced. He'd just had the bandages taken off the night before, and he would have to get some new ones tonight.

"Izuku, Anthony wishes to see you in his room." A soft, whispering voice called out to him from down the row of bookshelves. The boy turned to see one of the many nuns he'd grown up with.

Sister Roana.

She had her hands clasped around some holy beads, clutched tightly to her bosom as if in prayer. It was a common occurrence for the residents of the building to do so to avoid the dark that surrounded him. Her robes shrouded most of her face in shadows as she had her head tilted down.

He nodded quietly to her and signed thank you with his free hand. Izuku quietly shuffled past her, the long robes he was wearing trailing along the ground. As he exited the rows of bookshelves, he placed the book on a table with a plethora of others and walked out of the room. Sister Roana had exited just before him and was heading to the abbey, another of her sisters joining her from another room.

Traces of the fading sun peeked through the windows, leaving glittery gold trails across the stone floor. A few torches were lit along the pathway as a guide.

It was peaceful. It was still. It was quiet.

It was always quiet.

Izuku paused outside of the door that lead to Anthony's room and knocked. The sound seemed like a canon was being set off in the middle of nowhere.

Loud

Disruptive

Dangerous

"Come in."

Izuku gently pushed the doors open and stepped into the room.

It was small and quaint. A cross and alter stood directly parallel to the door. White candles decorated around it were lit and a hunched figure in black robes sat kneeling in front of it. A murmuring voice trailed from the figure as well.

There was a small cot off to the left side with thin white sheets. A chest pushed flush against the wall next to it. Long billowy curtains hung from the window on the right.

Izuku walked forward and sat down on a chair placed just to the left of the door. He waited patiently for the man to finish his prayer.

Anthony was a very tall man. His torso was long, and his legs even longer. It made him tower above the people he spoke to. His eyes were a narrow steely gray that seemed to peer into the soul and pull at every sin. His nose was sharp, turning up at the end as if constantly sniffing in disdain at the mere mortals. And his lips were thin, his smile filled with sharp canines. He could easily have been an intimidating man if it weren't for his nature.

Izuku felt like he had known Anthony for his entire life. He knew that despite the appearance, Anthony was a gentle giant. There was an air about him that promised safety. His every touch was gentle and reassuring.

"Izuku! Thank you for coming. I know that you usually use this time to study, and you must for knowledge is power. I didn't mean to interupt."

The green-haired boy gave a wave of his hand, the shackles and chains clinked softly together. His fingers move with precise movements, making words that he wished he could utter with his voice.

"It's alright. I know you would not have called me here unless you needed to discuss something important."

"Of course. I called you here because I have some news. I have been talking to Father Jeremiah about our progress with the purification rituals, and he believes we have cleared up most of the dark energy. He thinks the next one we perform should be the last before you can rejoin society. Of course, you'll have to come back once a month to get the rest of it. But you won't be a threat anymore."

Izuku's heart stuttered in his chest. His eyes widened and tears pricked at the edge of his conscience. His hand was once again moving, this time a bit sloppier.

"You mean I can leave? I can go home? I could speak? "

The deep and gentle laugh that Anthony let escape sank into Izuku's bones, "Yes!"

The man gave a wide smile, "You will finally be able to feel human again, kiddo!"

Izuku's throat closed. His shoulders began to quiver with emotion. The powerful tears that crawled down his face forced his form to jump and shiver, but no sound escaped from his mouth.

Anthony reached out to touch his surrogate son's shoulders, "Today is truly a happy day. God is smiling down on us, blessing you for your devotion to him."

The boy gave a watery smile to the man. Then he launched himself at Anthony to wrap his arms around the long torso, and bury his face into the man's chest.

Perhaps at last, Izuku could taste freedom. Perhaps at least, he could know life without the weight of chains.

XxXxXxXxX

Scripture quotes and prayers that used to burn Izuku's ears and skin floated around him.

He stood in a circle, a cross behind him and candles at his feet. The soft light warmed the chains, which glittered softly. They were attached to the pillars emerging from the floor and wrapped firmly around Izuku's arms.

Anthony paced in front of him. He was dressed in black and white robes, a rosary held firmly in his left hand held up towards Izuku and a bible in the other.

The words he was speaking still left a soft ache in the back of Izuku's head, but it was far from the pain that used to bombard his very soul.

The session seemed to draw on forever, but eventually, Anthony closed the book and placed it under his arm before looking directly at Izuku with his gray eyes.

"Still with me kiddo?" His voice was raspy from talking for so long without water.

Izuku nodded and smiled at the man.

The excitement was like a bubble in his chest. It rose to the top and pushed against his ribcage, wanting to burst forth into the word. Anthony returned the smile with his own. He walked towards the boy swiftly and set the bible to the side so he could unchain the boy from the floor.

"Come. We should go and meet Father Jeremiah. He will have the last say of whether you are pure or not."

XxXxXxXxX

Izuku could barely contain the energy that flowed through him. He was wearing a regular t-shirt and jeans, the robes of his imprisonment long discarded. Though a necklace with a wooden cross still hung from his neck, and the bandages wrapped over the wounds on his wrist were visible signs that this was only a recent change. Anthony was by his side, a strong hand clamped on Izuku's shoulder firmly grasping the boy he considered a son.

Father Jeremiah stood behind the two of them with one of the nuns next to him. This was the nun that Izuku had met first, the one he had wounded during his first night.

There was a suitcase behind Izuku, filled with the few belongings his mother had brought him or he had acquired during his stay.

The sunlight almost seemed blinding as it glowed on the front steps of the old building. There was a warm breeze that causes the green branches of the trees to sway slightly. Despite it being near late fall, there were no signs of the cold here.

It truly felt like something holy was smiling down on Izuku on the day of his release.

A small car pulled up, and Izuku began to vibrate on the spot. His mother exited the car, a blindingly bright grin on her face. She had been sitting in the back next to a blond-haired boy about Izuku's age.

The boy also stepped out of the car, a look of disdain on his face until he saw Izuku. The disdain changed to contemplation.

"Zuku!" Inko called, racing over to her son. She scooped the boy into her arms and squeezed him. He hugged back, just as happy to see her as she was him.

When she pulled away, she kept a hand attached to his, "I changed some things in your room because I knew you'd grown, but I left most things where they were. If you want to change anything around, we can do that. And Mitsuki promised to help pay for things if you want new decorations and such!"

She began to ramble on and on. Izuku squeezed her hand but did not stop her. Anthony had reached back to grab the suitcase and was heading to the car to place it in the back. He met with a blond-haired woman who had just exited the car as well from the passenger side.

"I wasn't sure if you wanted to go to a private school, or a public one. Or even what grade you'd be qualified for. We'll have to get you tested to see where would be best to put you in..."

The woman trailed off, just gazing at her son. Izuku glanced at her quizically. Inko shook her head, a giddy grin overtaking her face again, "Its nothing. I'm just so happy that I can take you home. Its been so long!"

Before Izuku could do anything in response, Father Jeremiah stepped up to the family.

"It's nice to see you again Inko. Especially with such a happy event happening." He reached a hand out to shake the mothers. Anthony joined them, nodding his head in agreement.

"Yes. I can't thank you enough for taking care of my child. I appreciate everything you have done for us!" The woman gushed.

Anthony reached out and grasped her hand, "We are glad we could help someone so nice. Even if it was not our jobs. Please take care, and don't be strangers. Come visit for more than just your appointments."

Inko nodded, and the two waved their final goodbyes. Before they would walk down the steps and to the car, Izuku broke away from his mother and rushed to hug Anthony. The man hugged him back.

Then the child joined his mother again, and they walked to the car. Sitting inside, Izuku watched as the forestry around him began to move by as the car accelerated. The trees melted into buildings, and soon, he was far away from the place he had been imprisoned for nine years.

He was finally heading home.

I am looking for a beta reader for Tough Love and this story. If you're at all interested, PM me!

Also, this little story is going to be on the backburner. Something I can work on when I get Writers Block with other stories I have. I will update it whenever I finish a chapter, but those chapter updates will be far and few between.