The Player

Liam vs Azel

IZUKU POV

" Not if my Playcloud has anything to say about it!" - I shout. Once the barrier fully encloses us we start fighting. Liam goes in for the first hit and I counter attack. We fight for a few minutes, both of us are sweating, panting, we a equally matched.

" YOU KNOW WHY I AM BETTER THAN YOU KID! I'M BETTER BECAUSE I'M OLDER. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE DARKSIDE OF REALITY, CAN'T YOU TELL I'M TRYING TO SAVE YOU FROM IT."- Liam says, continuously trying to slash me with his katana. He looked like a mad man while saying it. We haven't known each other for more than five minutes, five god damn minutes and his already trying to say what's better for me! I'm furious, so furious. He doesn't know why im here, where I came from. Why im trying to hard to have a place here. My face turns into sheer anger.

" YOU DICK, DON'T GO MAKING DECISIONS FOR ME. I MAY LOOK LIKE I AM A CHILD BUT I SURE AS HELL DIDN'T LIVE LIKE ONE. DO YOU SEE ME, DO YOU SEE WHAT I LOOK LIKE. IM COVERED IN BANDAGES GOD DAMN IT. "- I angrily yell back. All of my moves turn hasty as we continue on fighting.

" I ALREADY ASSUMED YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL. I WAS IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU ONCE TOO. WE CAN RELATE TO EACH OTHER. ONCE YOU GET IN THIS BUSINESS IT IS VERY HARD TO GET OUT OF IT. DON'T GO DOWN THE SAME PATH AS ME KID, OR YOU'LL TURN TOUGH. AND SOMETIMES TOUGH ISN'T ALWAYS GOOD."- Liam yells to me, going a little hysterical. We both stop to catch our breath I stand there for a second. We might only known each other for a few minutes but we are already fighting. I knew he was acting cocky from the first time I looked at him. It was all an act to cover up his fear, he got so engrossed in his role he forgot about his true self. Like playing a part he was never supposed to play, like me. We were so similar it was almost mind blowing.

" Never let your guard down"- Liam tells me as he goes in for the last and final slash, aiming at my left shoulder.

*ba-ding*

Liam face turns to shock and his green eyes go wide. I took this chance to go in for a swift counter attack, but he leaps away from my playful cloud in time.

" I knew it, you've been through more hell than me. "- Liam mutters loud enough for me too hear.

" So you figured it out, didn't you?"- I state.

" Tell me, how much did it hurt for you? Your arm."- Liam asks

" Hurt like hell, emotionally and physically"- I say sitting down on the cold concrete. I was tired of fighting, fighting was going to get us no where. Liam comes closer and sits down in front of me and pulls out a bottle of whiskey out of nowhere.

" Sorry, I just got a little triggered seeing a kid trying to join a gang. Brought back some........ not so nice memories."- Liam slowly utters.

" It's fine, you can have your own personal feelings about things"- I reassure Liam. He reminded me of Nel a lot, a lot like him. I weakly smile.

" So.... since we are stuck here for some talk about it?"- Liam says lookin at me from the corner of his eye as he sips his whiskey. My smile turns blank. I turn to look outside the barrier to see no one there, especially not the person who casted this barrier. I sigh.

" Sure "- I say. I tell him starting from the time we went to the doctors office. I talked about Robert, my family, Bakugou, the treatment I would get from the social workers, even the old lady I met, my whole life story. To be honest I don't even know why I was telling him this, any of this. I only met him 10 minutes ago. I guess, I guess I told him because of the feeling of comfort that I feel around him for some reason. The feeling that he can understand what I have gone through. The hell and demons I have faced until now. It was so easy to tell him, to vent to a complete stranger. He didn't even have to understand the agony I've been through, him listening makes me feel better. After I'm done telling him everything we sit there in silence. The two of us didn't even dare to breath too loud.