Post Vitam

Chapter 06

Izuku took time to consider all of his options. If he agreed to let his mother be charged for the abuse the cops will just 'loose' the case files again. Like that time when she had stabbed him and threw him out of the house. Old lady Amaya from next door found him in a small pool of his blood and called emergency services. They sent a police unit with the ambulance.

He remembers how nice and caring the detective sounded while questioning him. Stark contrast to the conversation he overheard between the detective and the officer stationed outside. "We don't have time to waste on some quirkless kid, I have actual work to do goddammit!! Loose those files in a fire or something.."

The memory of how he was punished for talking to the police still sends shivers down his spine. It wouldn't take a therapist to figure out it was the source of his claustrophobia. His mother had grabbed him by the scruff of his neck when he got home. "So you're a fucking rat too on top of being useless?!  I should hire an exterminator!!!" 

"I-i-i'm s-s-sssorry Mam!" He pleaded with her tears running freely and desperately trying to get out of her grip. "It'll n-nnever t-tell them anything a-againn... P-please let g-go?" Inko gave a wicked smile, she loved nothing more than hearing the pest squirm and beg. 

"You're right rat. It will never happen again..." Her smile getting wider and dragging Izuku behind her. When she got to the door leading to the hall closet she stopped. She put Izuku in front of her against the door, leaned in close to his ear whispering. "Wanna know why Izuku?" 

His mother hadn't called him by his name since before his dad died. He was terrified thinking his heart might actually stop beating. He couldn't answer her. She didn't wait for an answer either. Simply shoving him into the closet saying "This is where I'll leave you to rot if you do..." Laughing hysterically as she shoved Izuku in the closet and locking the door with him in it. 

Izuku remembers how dark and small that closet is. How he spent all week long crying begging to be let out. How he reeked from his own bodily excretions. How tired he was but too scared to sleep. 

Izuku never eat much but he had never experienced hunger as intensely as he did that week. He remembers how his mother ripped him out of the closet and threw him outside to hose him down with chilling water.

With these memories in mind he wondered if it was worth it to report her now. He'd have his revenge in the end by outliving every poor bastard who's ever mistreated him. When he's well over the normal hundred years old will they even matter? 

Is it really worth it to make them suffer now? Then again if he did report it maybe foster care isn't so bad? He might even not have to go to a group home. He could end up with nice people for once in his life? Did he dare dream of leading a normal life?!

"H-how would that work though?" He finally asked the doctor still unsure if he should go through with it. The doctor's eyes avoided Izuku's. 

"That's the tricky part I'm afraid, I'm guessing it's a parent or guardian of yours. Since your wounds and bruises are healed now it'll be a case of your word against theirs." The doctor saw the hope vanish from Izuku's eyes and continued "BUT! I examined you. I saw signs what is most certainly abuse so it's not just your word but mine as well."

"Do we have to do it today? It happens mostly because I'm quirkless." Izuku sighed

"WERE"

"I'm sorry...?"

"You WERE quirkless, though never actually I suppose"

Izuku realized he still thinks of himself of quirkless. All those years of being told you're less than nothing and add no worth to society. That way of thinking isn't going to disappear in one day let alone the same hour he found out differently.

With the warmest actual smile he could manage the doctor carried on saying "There is no need to do this today technically, but there is a limit to when I can reasonably explain why I didn't notify the abuse myself to the police." he said grimly before he continued 

"I do however have to make an official note with the hospital that I suspect abuse. Part of the rules here. You'll not get in trouble if you decide against reporting your abuser though." He added quickly noticing the slight panic in Izuku's expression

Izuku sighed in relief "Thank you doctor, I promise I'll make a decision soon" Genuinely thankful he wasn't forced to make a choice on the spot. 

He returned the smile "Please do so Midoriya. Now then I'm afraid our little visit must come to an end. More patients to see" He stood up guiding Izuku back to the door he came in.

Izuku thanked him again and was about to leave when he turned to Lucas and in his best broken English gave his goodbye "See you around maybe Lucas, don't annoy the old guy too much. He could be much worse" Giving him a sad smile and leaving.

The door closed behind him, it had been forty five minutes but it felt like a lifetime had passed by. In a sense it had. Izuku had entered that room quirkless and left it an ordinary member of society now. 

He was considered "Normal" now. He had worth. Izuku was getting angrier the more he thought about it though. He was balling his hands into a fist nails cutting into his palm drawing a bit of blood. 

He opened his hand and saw how his quirk closed the small cuts like they were never there... It was mesmerizing, he shook his head to snap out of his trance and spotted the boy he sat next to while waiting. He still wanted to apologize to him and intended to do so making his way over to him.

Izuku blushed a bit now that he was in front of him. He coughed out of nervousness gaining the attention of the boy who was deep into a matching game on his phone. "H-hey there... uh sorry about earlier. I was a bit rude"

He gave a soundless laugh and a cheeky smile "A bit yeah"