Face Me Like An Idiot

32

Decipher watched as blood dribbled down the side of Mietto’s head, out of her ear, and down her lips. Clenching his fists tightly, he glowered at All For One’s confident posture.

“It’s either you become part of our organisation, or your dear companion,” All For One gestured to Mietto’s unconscious body, her hands tied behind her back with rope. “Will die.”

Decipher bit his bottom lip, uncertain of the decision he would eventually have to make. His fingers twitched, then curled into his palm. He had the strange desire to scratch, bite or hurt, the man in front of him.

His eyes stared, unseeing, at the cracked ground. He contemplated his choices, the corner of his lips twitching upwards in sick amusement for his predicament. 

Despite their arguments, he and Mietto would always make up afterwards; Mietto’s cheerfulness after a plan had gone wrong, and how she encouraged him to let loose. Then there was Cherry, Mietto’s adoptive daughter… She wasn’t with them for a significant amount of time, but she was considered family, either way.

“Or,” All For One shrugged, noticing how conflicted he was. He pointed at the nearly broken down wall, where he hid Katsuki. The blond should have run off by now, but Decipher knew what All For One’s gesture indicated…

“No!” He yelled hastily, immediately wincing at the desperation in his voice. He swallowed the lump in his throat, his stomach twisting with dread. “Lay a finger on him, and I swear, I will cut it off!”

All For One hummed, a tinge of disappointment in his voice. “For someone so talented, you seem to have a bunch of liabilities holding you back… what a waste.”

“…Beg your pardon? Liabilities?” Decipher stared at him, his disdain overpowering his fear of losing his loved ones. “I hope you realise that what you just said could very well be your last words.”

“Oh, how arrogant. You believe that you can defeat me, when even All Might cannot?” All For One pointed to All Might, who, despite his anguish, took a desirous step forward. Persistent, and so very predictable.

Narrowing his eyes at the hero, Decipher redirected his gaze back to Mietto, whose eyes were tightly shut and lips were curled downwards in pain. His scarlet irises dulled, the subtle outline of a verdant glow decimating. 

One of his knees touched the ground, his left elbow leaning on the other’s knee. He reached his right hand to Mietto’s cheek, caressing it gently as he allowed his thumb to trace her cheekbone.

“Mietto!”

=

“Mietto!” Izuku grabbed onto the woman’s hand, a bright grin on his face. He hopped in place, his curly hair bouncing. “Can we get an All Might figurine after we buy dinner?”

Mietto laughed heartily, squeezing the ten-year-old boy’s hand. “Of course, Izuku,” she smiled sombrely, squatting down to match his height. “But you have to buy them yourself when you get older, okay?”

Confused, Izuku tilted his head and stared at her with those big, round eyes of his. “Why?”

The woman sighed, looking down at their intertwined hands. “…I won’t be with you forever. Just like… your previous mother.”

Izuku could tell that Mietto didn’t like talking about her; she knew that it brought back memories that he would rather avoid. But Mietto looked like she wanted to tell him something…

What was it?

≈

Sat on a couch, Izuku swung his legs back and forth in a kicking motion, humming a soft tune to himself. He watched through an Ipad, which was connected to the pin on each member’s clothing. He checked and double-checked if there were any problems with their deals with other groups.