Endless Bounds

Chapter 14 (Deku) part 3

Deku takes in a shaky breath, his voice wavering as he calls to his mother for the first time in too long. "Hey. . . mom."

Inko Midoriya looks up, eyes wide in disbelief. "I-Izuku?" She says hesitantly, unsure if this is real or if her mind is playing tricks on her. But as she stares into his eyes, his big green eyes, all doubt fades. "Izuku it's you!" She gets of the bed she had been sitting on for days and stumbles into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably as she holds to him tight. As if he would once again disappear if she let go. "It really is you. I-I can't believe it. You-you're here. You ca-ame back," she cries out between sobs.

For a second, Deku just stands there, in shock himself. It's been so long since he's felt this embrace. Not to mention he had been waiting for no less then a slap from an angered and hurt mother.

She feels so delicate in his arms. If he moves, she might break.

Then he remembers the day he found he had been born with no quirk. That crushing day his life crumbled before his eyes and ears. Even if she never said what it was he wanted to hear—what he needed to hear—he could still remember the soft and gentle way she held on to him while at the same time being his armor his needed to keep himself up.

It was nothing like the way she's holding on to him now. She refuses to let go, refuses to be ripped away and lose her son again.

Deku smiles softly and embraces his mother the same way she had embraced him all those years ago. "I'm here," he whispers.

Deku doesn't know what else to say, what else he could say. Your sons not the same as the last time you saw him? There is red staining the hands holding you all of his own accord? None of it sounds right. None of it he could admit now that he's here.

When he glances down at the hand that holds his mom, all he can see is red. Bright, flaming red blood coating his hand. Dripping down his palms and staining everything it touches.

Deku squeezes his eyes shut. But when he does that, a vision of his mother, dead on the floor floods his mind. Her blood a pool around her. Clothing and skin charred black from red and green flames. His flames. Bruises and cuts covering her body, eyes lifeless, skin cold and white as a ghost.

"I've got to go," Deku says abruptly and pushes his mom away from him.

"I-Izuku?" Deku's mother asks as he turns away. "What's wrong."

Deku takes a deep gulp, refusing to look back as he makes for the door and turns its knob. "Sorry," he says and closes the door behind him.

Back pressed against the door, Deku glances over at the door to his left. Weak thuds sound from the other side and the wood shudders. But it does nothing. The reinforced door bears no scratch and bears no indication of giving.

He takes in a breath and heads for the commotion. He's left the other guest alone for long enough.

Uraraka from class 1-A. The girl Toga had impersonated. She holds no specific interest for him nor is she anyone special. She was just a means to an end to get Toga into the center of the hero program. Now that that part of the plan is complete, she's just leverage to keep everyone in line.

He should leave her alone, best not to show her the face of the person who kidnapped her. However, something about being left alone with all the negative emotions possible was something he could relate to. Maybe he could ease her mind like Toga once had for him.

There was no sense in putting innocents in the line of fire. He'd never do that. He'd risk his life to keep that from happening. And if he had to pull an innocent in to get the means to the end, he wants to make sure they know they are safe in his care and he'd never hurt them—that is if they don't give him a reason to.