Kobayashi Trauma

Chapter 25

(1 year ago. Dandelion's pov)
My spot got taken over. I need to find a new place safe from the wind. Maybe somewhere more residential this time. I'm wandering around when I collide with a boy around my age. As I fall backwards my bag splits open my belongings go everywhere. He cowers.
"I'm so sorry please forgive me! I didn't mean to!" He pleads. He cautiously stoops to help me pick everything up. He has fluffy green hair. A black school uniform.
"It's no big deal." I say quietly, averting my eyes and pulling at my bangs. He just stares at me. Uncomfortable under his gaze I shrink away from him. He seems to notice I'm anxious. We pick up everything, stuffing it back into my bag.
"Oi! You damn Deku! You quirkless loser!" Someone yells. "What do you think you are doing?" The boy in front of me cowers more. I turn to see who said that to see a blond boy igniting small explosions in his hands. As he approaches, I stand up leaving my bag on the ground. As the blond gets closer 'Deku' cowers more and more. I plant myself between the 2. The blond looks surprised. "Why would you protect this loser?" He asks. I just drop into a defensive stance. The blond just scoffs and walks away.
"Why did you help me? You didn't need to." 'Deku' asks. The bracers I'm wearing just happen to be similar to the blond's quirk. I hold out my hands and let them go off. His eyes go wide. "Did you just copy his quirk?" I nod.
"What's your quirk?" I mumble.
"Oh! Ummm... I'm quirkless." He mumbles back.
"Do you want to hangout sometime?" I ask a little more confident... He is also quirkless, we are on even ground.
"Sure!" He eyes light up.
"I was just about to head to the library, wanna come?" I ask.
"Yeah, sounds good!" We start walking to the closest library. I go to my usual section to find the electronics books. The boy follows me.
"So what is your name?" I ask.
"Izuku Midoriya." He says.
"So... Can I call you Izu-chan?" I ask. His face goes red.
"Umm... Y-yeah. What's your name?"
"Dandelion."
"What's your last name?"
"I... Dont have 1."
"Everybody has a last name." He says. I look at my feet.
"I don't remember my parents... I think they died when I was little." I admit. He looks sad.
"What about your caregiver or legal guardian?"
"Haven't got 1. I've... Always been alone." I finish grabbing the books I'm looking for and go to hide in a back conner. He sees were I sit and goes to grab his own books. We read together till the library closes. Then we put our books away. On our way out
"So if you don't have anyone to take care of you where do you live?" He asks.
"Wherever. Mostly alleys. It's not so bad." I say. He looks heartbroken. "It's all I've ever known."
"Do- do you want to stay at my house tonight?"
"Oh no. You don't need to worry about me... I don't want to impose."
"You won't be imposing. It's not a big deal... Plus I'd probably get an earful from my mom if I let you sleep in an alley." He tries to convince me.
"You can't tell her... I don't want people knowing I'm homeless."
"Fine I won't tell her. I'll make something up... Just stay at mine tonight. There'll be food and a warm bed." He says. I don't know if I've ever slept in a bed....
"Ok..."
"Really?!" He sounds happy. We walk to his home. His mom greets us.
"I see you've brought a friend... I'll make extra." She seems chill... For an adult. He follows her into the kitchen. I wait just inside the door, almost waiting for her to say no. He comes back.
"Why are you still standing at the door? Come on in. She said it's ok."
"What did you tell her?" I ask. I put my bag next to the couch on the way to the table.
"I just told her you needed a place to stay for a bit." We eat dinner. Me and Izu-chan watch movies for a while. Then his mom brings out a pillow and blanket for me. We both fall asleep on the couch as we watch movies. In the early morning I wake up, wrapped in Izu-chan's arms. He feels safe. I close my eyes and just soak in the moment. Izu-chan shifts as he wakes up a little while later. He taps me, I open my eyes and look at him. "We should probably be getting up." He whispers. I nod and push myself up. His mom comes out her room and looks between us.
"Well you 2 are up early... Want some breakfast?" She asks. We both nod. She heads into the kitchen.
"I'm gonna go shower." Izu-chan says.
"Ok" I say shifting to let him get up. I walk into the kitchen "Do you need help with anything?" I ask his mom.
"I'd love that." She says. She starts instructing me around the kitchen. Grabbing things, chopping things. Just busy work. I wonder to myself if this is what it would've been like to have a mom. Some of the dishes I end up making on my own... With instructions of course. Izu-chan gets out of the shower to see us cooking. He smiles watching us. Once everything is ready we sit down at the table. "So when were you gonna tell me you have a girlfriend?" His mom asks. I feel my face heat up, I avert my gaze to the floor next to my chair and begin pulling at my bangs.
"Oh, we're not dating... Just friends." Izu-chan says quickly.
"Oh, ok. My mistake." She says. I glance at Izu-chan and go back to eating. "Do you want to use the shower?" She asks me. I pull at my bangs.
"I- I don't have any clean clothes." I mumble.
"Do you have dirty ones?" She asks. I nod. "Then we'll just wash those." After breakfast I grab my bag. She sees the tear. "Would you like me to mend your bag?" I nod. She hands me a housecoat and a towel. "You can wear this after your shower while we wash your clothing. Just use whatever soap is in there." I head to the bathroom. Inside I close and lock the door. The bathroom smells nice. It's clean. There are 2 different sets of soaps. 1 assume is Izu-chan's and 1 is probably his mom's. I turn on the water and adjust it. I strip quickly and hop in. The water feels nice. When I hop out I feel cleaner than I've been in a long time. Wrapping up in the towel and then the housecoat I leave the bathroom. I hand my clothes to Izu-chan's mom and she puts them in the wash. My hair ties on my wrist leaving my hair out of my normal braids to dry. I go and sit on the couch with Izu-chan while I wait for my clothes. After my stuff comes out of the dryer. His mom brings my bag over mended and packed. I thank her. I look at the clock.
"Oh shit! I'm late! I gotta go." I change quickly.
"Are you coming back?" Izu-chan asks.
"Do you want me to come back?" I ask. He nods. "Then I'll be back..." I rush out the door with my bag. I run almost across town to meet up with my best friend Himiko.
"Hey sorry I'm late my friend took in an alley cat last night." I explain.
"All good. Was it at least warm?" She asks.
"Oh yeah... He smells good too."
"Oooh!" She nudges me with her shoulder.
"Whatever!" I say laughing. We head to the shop where a mentor of mine works. Outside I have a smoke. When we walk in I see no one in the building. "Hello Sensei!" I call. He pokes his head from around a corner.
"Hey, wasn't expecting you in today!" He says excited to see me. "Since you were late. I thought you weren't gonna show."
"Yeah... I had to run across town." I explain. We head to 1 of many workbenches. My mentor starts explaining the topic of today. Himiko doesn't seem to understand any of it, like he's speaking a foreign language but it makes too much sense to me. My mind begins to wander all the things I can do with this new information. He explains new materials, parts, and welding technics. After he finishes his prepared speech he lets me tinker while giving me pointers. I tinker using the newly acquired knowledge to show I understand. Once I prove I comprehend it I switch to work on bracers I've spent the last week on but can't get to work. Me and Himiko chat while I work. I kick ideas around in my head I try to explain some of my ideas to Himiko. She smiles and nods along. Then I actualize my ideas in a sketchy ghetto rig. I try it out... It needs work. Around noon I run to my bag to grab my smokes to find 2 sandwiches in my bag.... Izu-chan's mom must have packed me lunch. I take the 2 sandwiches and hand 1 to Himiko. Taking a break to eat and let ideas simmer. I realize why my ghetto rig didn't work. After eating I step out for a smoke, then I fix the attempt, I now have a functional base for my newest bracer. I spend the rest of the day improving it and welding the rest of the form. By the end of the day I have finished ice bracers. The 3 of us leave the shop. I'm taken aback by how dark it's gotten. We each go our seperate ways. I head back to Izu-chan's house, lighting a smoke on the way. I knock on the door.
"Hey, wasn't sure you were gonna show." His mom says answering the door. She lets me in.
"It is ok that I'm here, right?" I ask pulling at my bangs.
"Yeah. It's not a problem... Would you answer something for me? Only if you are comfortable." She asks.
"Yeah... What?"
"Is your home a safe space for you?" She asks. I shake my head slowly.
"Well feel free to stay here as long as you want." I smile.
"Thank you." I hug her. She hugs me back. "And thanks for the sandwiches." She smiles in response. We go further into the house and she hands me a plate left over from supper.
"Saved this for you." I sit and eat. Then I join Izu-chan on the couch. We fall asleep watching movies again. When I wake up resting my head on Izu-chan' collarbone. His mom is standing over us. I scramble away from him.
"Mrs Midoriya! We weren't doing anything I swear!" I try to explain startled.
"I'm not mad. I know my son. He's a safe space for you isn't he?" I nod. "If you are gonna sleep like that you might as well sleep in a bed... And please call me Inko."
"Inko... Can I help with breakfast again?" I ask. Her name feels uncomfortable.
"Of course!" She smiles. I get up and follow her into the kitchen to make breakfast. Izu-chan gets up a bit later and goes into the bathroom. We finish cooking and the 3 of us sit down to eat. I eat fast and explain that I have a thing. Inko hands me 2 sandwiches.
"Thank you." I say running out the door. I run to the shop, for today's lesson. Smoking outside. I tinker on my bracers more. At the end of the day I run back to Izu-chan's house for supper. Tonight instead of dozing off on the couch Izu-chan grabs my hand and walks to his room. He leaves the door open. His room is covered in All Might memorabilia. "Do you want to be a hero?" I ask.
"Yeah! It's all I've ever wanted!" He says excitedly. Then his tone turns south. "But nobody thinks I can do it." I put my hands on the sides of his face.
"I know you can do it." I say instilling my voice with confidence. He grabs my hands and sits down on his bed pulling me to cuddle with him. I doze off in his arms. His bed is soft and warm. When I wake up his eyes are open. He runs a hand over my ribs. I shriek. "That's ticklish!" I roll away from him, falling off the bed onto the floor. I scramble to get up. He grabs me and pulls me back onto the bed, rolling on top of me. We pause for a moment just looking at each other before I push him off and go to help Inko with breakfast. I end up staying with them for a week. Sleeping cuddling Izu-chan, helping Inko make breakfast, getting 2 sandwiches from Inko, going to the closest thing to school I've ever know, then back to Izu-chan's for supper and to sleep. Being in a house for this long has me antsy. I feel like something bad is gonna happen. At breakfast
"I'm not coming back here tonight... My parents want me home. So I'm heading back to their house." I explain.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Inko asks. I nod.
"I can't stay here for forever. I have to go back eventually." I say.
"No... You can just stay here!" Izu-chan doesn't take the news well.
"I can't keep leaching off you... I need to face them." I say knowing he won't be convinced. Inko nods. She puts a hand on Izu-chan.
"We need to let her go. This is what she wants." Inko says calmly. After we eat she takes my bag into the kitchen. She comes out and hands it to me. Its heavier than usual. I head out after saying goodbye to Inko and Izu-chan, I hug them both. I take a moment to say goodbye to the house. Then I head across town to the shop. Himiko is there today. I finish another set of bracers by the end of the day. I follow Himiko to her spot. The extra weight was all food. We eat some of it then we sleep leaning against each other. I miss Izu-chan's arms.