Behind the Smile | TodoBakuDeku | Book 1

Chapter 18

Aizawa's POV

Let's make something perfectly clear. I would do anything to keep my kids safe, especially my problem children. No one would know, well maybe except Hizashi, that they have a special place in my heart. Finding Midoriya like that...covered in his own blood, by his own doing...that killed me.

Midoriya had a ticking time bomb strapped to his chest, and it was that bastard, Psycho Flip, who put it there. Luckily Nezu had just the pull I needed to have the best shot at getting answers. I needed to do everything in my power to get that damn villain to start talking. Unfortunately for him, I was pissed and had little time for bullshit.

Deep underground, in the lowest level of Tartarus, I found myself experiencing a rage unlike any other. I wasn't sure if I was seeing red because of the anger, or because of my blood-stained hands.

It had been hours at that point. Countless wasted hours of inflicting torture on him. Honestly, the things I did would haunt my memories for as long as I live, but it would have been worth it if it meant saving my kid. Just as I was about to place my blade under the next fingernail, Psycho Flip finally cracked.

"Wait!" He screamed. "No more, please! I can't take this anymore!" I forced a crooked smile to make it seem like I was pleased, when in all actuality, I was mortified by myself and what was possibly going to come out of his mouth next. I slid the blade in my pocket and straddled the back of the chair seated in front of him.

"What exactly does your quirk do?" I asked coldly, with clenched fists.

"Look, I'm sorry about whoever it is that died because of it, but I can't tell you–"

SMACK

I slapped him dead across the face and wrapped my capture cloth tightly around his neck. "You think I'm here for apologies?" I angrily asked. "Well, fuck your apologies and just answer the questions!"

He twisted and strained, trying to shake off the cloth, but his hands were bound and he wasn't going anywhere. "Fine," he managed to hiss out. I released the cloth once more and waited for his answer.

"It's rather...confusing...and it's not like I wanted it anyway. I can't control it, so I just...live with it," he started, gasping for air.

"You mean you don't know how to control it?" I asked.

"No, I mean it is uncontrollable. More like a curse than anything. When it was forced on me–"

My interest peaked. "What do you mean forced on you?"

"You know All for One, right? Well, he gave it to me for "safe keeping". Before him, I was a quirkless nobody. He found me at my lowest point. I was on the bridge...the same bridge the last kid died on...and he stopped me from...jumping. I was ready to end it all. There was no point for me to keep going, but he told me he found chaos poetic...that he could free me from the pain, but in turn I'd have to live to watch others suffer. My life, in exchange for countless others who would have probably never even considered their own death yet...That's when he gave it to me."

At first, nothing happened. I felt saved and somehow hopeful when he took me in, but it didn't last long. My depression and anxiety overtook me once more...I tried again...to kill myself. But instead of blood pouring from my wrists, it was a deep purple mist. Apparently, a suicide attempt is what it took to activate my quirk."

But as that mist left me, so did my worries and pain. I felt numb, which was a hell of a lot better than feeling everything all at once. I didn't know it would really latch onto people and make them feel and see the things I had. It brings out their darkest side and uses it against them. If I had known...well, I don't know what I'd have done."

"So it is a suicide quirk then?" I asked with conflicting feelings. For one, I hated every ounce of this villain's being because of what he did to Midoriya and countless others, but it seemed he also didn't choose that life. Still, he could have sought out help...tried to find a way to stop the chain of deaths he was responsible for.

"Not necessarily, yes it makes the bearer become consumed by self hate and immense depression, but it is ultimately their decision whether or not they can live with that. They could choose to live with it but nobody has done that yet."

"And when they die? Then what?" I continued to ask, though I was sure I already knew the answer.

Psycho Flip continued to cooperate. "Somehow it knows when the user is going to die about five minutes ahead of time. In that time, it needs to find a new host. If it doesn't then..."

"Then what?!" I demanded.

"Look, I know this may seem ironic, but I don't want to die anymore. I found someone who loves me and I want to be with them once I get out of here. I've found my meaning in life and I don't want to lose them. You just need to leave this alone please! You–"

"Time's up!" A guard interrupted.

— — — — —

"Shota, don't you think you went a little hard on the dude?" Hizashi gestured to the blood stained capture cloth.

"No," I deadpanned.

"Buddy, you beat him to a freakin' pulp! You must feel–"

"No," I repeated. "I'm not doing this. What's done is done. Maybe this information will help my kid and maybe not, but at least we know something."

"You do know he's not actually your...your kid, right? He has a parent."

"But he doesn't have a father. Not one that stayed around anyway. Look, my kids...my students are the closest thing I'm ever going to get to being a dad. I'm an underground hero and full-time teacher at a school where attacks occur constantly. It'd be irresponsible for me to consider it. But I do have them and that's enough for me. I...I love each one of them as if they were my own. I will not let them suffer. I will not bury my problem child!"

Third Person POV

As Aizawa and Present Mic pulled up to the entrance of the UA dorms, something like a shadow near the edge of the roof caught their attention.

"Hey, what is that?" It was difficult to see through the now downpouring rain, but Aizawa had a bad feeling he knew exactly what, or rather who, that was. He bolted from the car just in time to see Midoriya lean off the edge and begin to plummet.

Faster than he even thought possible, he sprinted toward the building and reached out with his capture cloth. Seconds before impact, he was able to grab hold of Midoriya and gently lay the boy into his arms.

"Aizawa?"

"Yea kid, I got you."

"I don't want to die. Why did I do that? I don't want to die. I don't want any of this. Why did I–" Midoriya was hyperventilating and on the verge of passing out.

"Shhhh," Aizawa cooed. "You're okay now. I have you. Just rest, kid."