pandora's box [bakudeku/tododeku] [pt.1 of where's my love fic series]

diamonds

summary: two years later and izuku's quirk still hasn't shown up. katsuki starts noticing that izuku is turning quieter every single day but yoru rarely talks to izuku anymore. a lot of their classmates, actually, don't talk to izuku. while inko is working in tokyo, hisashi decides to have a heavy hand on raising izuku.

notes: this chapter's song: "diamonds" by rihanna.

warnings: near-drowning, child abuse, implied child abuse, manipulation, mentions of bullying, violence.

2 years later.

my head is pounding, can i go home now?

izuku feels like everything inside of him is screaming for oxygen as he prevents himself from resurfacing to the top. i have to, i have to wait it out. i can do this.

although izuku had held his breath underwater before, this time it isn't like that. he keeps fighting the urge to swim up, feeling like his head is about to explode. i can't, i can't, i'm so sorry dad. i have to take a breath. izuku swims up to the surface of the tank, gasping for air, his lungs feeling relieved as they take in the air.

but just as soon as his lungs start to relieve the burn of holding his breath, his head is pushed back into the water. izuku feels the water rush in like it owns him as his arms and legs kick out desperately as he tries to swim back to the surface. the light blue water swirls around him, trapping him, keeping him away from the oxygen he desperately needs.

i need my movements to be calm and calculated, but i can't, i can't! izuku feels his entire body start to throb, his lungs feeling as though they've been set on fire. he moves his arms like he's climbing rocks, but it's only water around him. his brain starts to go in full panic, with no coordinated movements, just clawing through the liquid that threatens to invade his lungs. i shouldn't panic, it's just dad, but i can't breathe, i can't breathe!

from izuku's lips comes an explosion of air bubbles as he thrashes and flails wildly in the water. his body feels heavy as his lungs scream desperately for oxygen. i feel dizzy. red and black spots start to cover izuku's vision as his eyes start to flutter. maybe if i just close my eyes...

all at once, izuku is pulled up from the tank of water, his eyes shooting open as he coughs up water. he feels his dad's arms tightly pull him out of the tank full of water, making izuku close his eyes in relief.

hisashi sets izuku down on the ground, handing him a cup of warm tea. izuku shakily takes the cup, keeping his gaze on the cup as he takes a sip of it. i just know dad's going to be disappointed. izuku sighs quietly, not saying a word.

"that was a bit better," hisashi finally speaks, towering over izuku as he stands in front of him. "you broke your record. you can now hold your breath underwater for ten minutes. not a lot, but we'll get there." hisashi sighs, running a hand through his curls. it's taken us two years just to get him to hold his breath for ten minutes. at least he's doing well in the other parts.

"why are we doing this, dad?" izuku mutters, looking up from his tea. he flinches when he sees his dad clench his jaw, immediately knowing he had made him mad.

"do you not want to be a hero? i'm doing this, we're doing this so you can become a hero with katsuki, remember?" hisashi raises an eyebrow, sighing as he sees izuku frown at that. "listen, izuku. your quirk isn't showing up. if you still want to be a hero you have to learn how to do other things so you can be on par with those with quirks, understand?"

that makes sense. izuku nods before shivering, the feeling of being in freezing cold water finally kicking in. "but does the water have to be cold?"