What Makes A Traitor

[8]

Weeks went by and eventually midterms were upon us. My friendships with Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, and Tsu had grown stronger. I had grown especially close with Kirishima. At times, I questioned whether staying with the LOV was the right choice. Maybe I could just quietly separate from them and live the rest of my life as a hero, making the world right simply by not adding to the corruption that coursed through our justice system. But...I had a mission. I was doing this for my mother and helping the people who took me in. I had to do this. 

The bell rung as our written tests were collected. I caught sight of Katsuki staring at me again as he did every once in a while as he had been doing the past few weeks. He pushed his way past people and out of the door as soon as we were released. We had already taken our hero midterm so we were done for the day. I stretched as I talked to my friends. I started stuffing my things in my bag when I caught a glimpse of a small note fluttering down to the floor. I picked it up and saw a simple message scrawled on it:

Meet me on the roof.

Ominous. 

"Hey guys, I'll catch up with you later, ok?" I said to my friend group waiting by the door for me. They smiled and began to walk out, Kirishima lingering a bit and giving me a small smile. I smiled back at him.

I started walking through the emptying halls and stairs up to the roof. A weird feeling creeping up as I ascended the final set of stairs to the roof. The stairwell was dark and eerily quiet. I swore I could hear footsteps at one point but figured it was my anxiety exaggerating things again. When I made it to the roof I sighed, it was- 

"Calming up here, isn't it?" I heard a familiar voice say behind me. I turned around.

"Dabi!" I rushed over and hugged him. He petted my hair fondly.

"Shh. You want All Might to meet your villainous older bro?" He said with a smirk.

"Sorry. I just haven't seen you guys in so long...I missed you." I said with a smile.

"We miss you too, Deks." I smiled at the nickname: a shortened version of my chosen villain and now hero name.

"Why are you here?" 

"Shigaraki noticed how close you were getting with some of the students and teachers here. Just wanted to be sure your head was in the right place. That you remember your loyalties." He said as he played with my hair. 

"O-of course. I mean sure I've made friends but that doesn't mean-"

 "You've been very helpful, Deku. Every piece of information from telling us where certain heroes or groups of students would be so that our attacks would be more successful in damaging the reputation of UA and boosting our own. It's impressive and I don't want you to lose sight of what's important. If you do, a lot of people might suffer. Not only us but anyone who else who might be affected by a simple change of mind." His eye contact was intimidating and the sentiment behind his words...he was warning me. I gave him a small nervous smile and nod. 

"Good boy." He said, patting my head. "I have to go now but I hope you're alright. Remember Izuku, you have a family in the LOV. Don't throw us away for the uncertain." He gave me a smile and then ran, jumping onto a nearby roof.

I sank into a nearby bench and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. 

"Why are you up here?" I turned to another familiar voice which I was significantly less excited about. I sighed at sight of the spiky blonde hair and red eyes. He actually didn't look like his normal self. There were dark circles under his eyes which looked bloodshot and tired themselves. He was paler than usual, his hair more of a mangled mess then his average stylized spikes. He still had his signature scowl on his face but it was softer and more tired. A year ago I might have cared to know what was wrong with him but that was before. I turned back around and picked up my backpack, moving to go past him back down the stairwell. He grabbed my shoulder so lightly I almost didn't notice. It was out of character. When I did notice though I activated OFA and pushed him away from me with just enough force that he flew across the roof but stopped at the edge. I started to walk away again nonchalantly.