Rooftops are Peaceful. I Assume You Agree?

Chapter 1

"You cannot be a hero."

"Be more realistic."

"Someone quirkless cannot be a hero."

"Take a swan dive off the roof."

Despite the repeating whirlwind of words in his head, Izuku found his brain strangely quiet. Soft music drifted from his phone, which laid next to him on the ledge of the roof All Might left him on, into the night sky. There wasn't much traffic at this time of night, less so in this area. Izuku caught a glance of a car on the street below. Less so because of the street noise that didn't reach this high up and more so because of the bright headlights.

Izuku kicked his feet in the breeze, his shoes tossed somewhere on the roof. All Might really had left him in the perfect spot to fulfill Kacchan's wish. Kacchan's request. He wondered if Inko would pretend to cry, if she'd bother to pretend at all. He liked to think she would pretend. (He doesn't think she would.)

...or maybe there was another way. Ghost stories that flitted through conversations in the deeper, darker parts of the quirkless forums filled his mind. Ghost stories about an underground network that could help you disappear. A network that could erase any and all evidence of your existence in a single night. Could give you a new name and image. Could help you fake a quirk. Idly, Izuku wondered if he could fake an analysis quirk—if he was good enough for that.

Izuku almost didn't hear the silent thud of a person landing on his roof. Almost. If he hadn't been bullied, if hearing where people were in order to avoid them wasn't a necessary skill for him, he wouldn't have. In a different world, one where Midoriya Izuku was born with a quirk, he wouldn't have. In a different world, he wouldn't be on this rooftop.

In this world though, he knew the exact second another person landed on the roof. He thought for a moment, it was smarter to turn around, to see who had landed behind him, but did it really matter? They were either here to save him or kill him—the chances of being kidnapped as a quirkless were slim; no one wanted the quirkless. Did it matter which?

"Hey kid. What're you doing up here?"

Izuku didn't say anything, instead opting to turn his head just enough to take in the person next to him. Eraserhead, his brain supplied.

"Don't feel like talking?"

"...not really." Izuku whispered. "Sorry, Eraserhead."

Eraserhead blinked. "You know who I am?"

Izuku nodded, looking back out at the cityscape.

"Impressive. How'd you find me?"

"Online."

"...where online? Even I can't find myself online much and I check for security reasons."

"Underground and vigilante forums. Not easy to find. Have to know where to look."

Eraserhead hummed. "Want to tell me why you're out here, kid?"

"Not really."

"My husband hates it when I stargaze from our apartment building's rooftop."

Izuku looked at the pro hero.

"Apparently, it's 'dangerous' and 'freezing.' I find it peaceful."

"Me too."

"Most people never figure that out though. How'd you?"

Izuku hummed. "Kids at school locked me on the rooftop overnight one time."