Echo Chamber

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Izuku startled awake at the scream, looking around in confusion as his eyes adjusted to the dark surroundings. He blinked as he saw the two figures standing just outside the doorway to the lounge, one clutching its leg as a bundle squirmed on the floor. He immediately felt panic rise inside him. How had he not heard them? How had he not felt them? He could barely sense anything from them now as it was.

"Who are you?" he asked as he shot off of the couch, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he stared down the two figures.

"Fuck," one said, "Did we get the wrong one? They never said that there would be two brats here."

"They?" Izuku growled, "Who do you work for? What do they want with us?"

"Shut up and come quietly kid!" the first figure spat, stepping into the room as he spoke to his partner, "Hey, quit fucking around and help me grab this brat!"

"Little shit stabbed me in the leg!" the second shouted back, clutching their thigh as Izuku began to smell the first hints of blood, "Just grab the kid! He can't do shit to us without quirks!"

"So, you really don't have quirks anymore," Izuku muttered as he watched the other man step into the room, arms stretched out towards him, before the teen flexed his fingers, "But that doesn't mean I don't."

"What?" the man growled, before the heavy weight resting on the bookcase behind him shot off the shelf, slamming into the back of his head.

He staggered forwards, swearing loudly as Izuku caught the weight, immediately darting forwards and swinging it up and into the man's face. There was a sickening crunch as his head shot back, Izuku feeling warm fluid splash against his face in the dark. He didn't think about what it was, just brought the weight back down on top of the stunned man's head, making him crumple to the floor, unconscious.

"What the fuck?" the second man growled, as he limped forwards, "Quit fucking fighting and just come with us you little shit! I want my stronger quirk!"

"Fuck that," Izuku laughed back, the man freezing as he heard the sound of ripping fabric, glancing behind him to see the girl rise from the sack they'd shoved her in, ripping the tape off her mouth, yellow eyes glowing in the dark, "Himi-chi, maim."

"Himi-? AAARGH!" the man screamed as the blade sunk into his back, quickly being pulled out and stabbed into his arm, slicing through the tendon in his elbow as he tried to stagger away. He barely made it two steps before the dumbbell smashed into his temple, sending him careening into the wall, where he slid down to the floor, leaving a dark line against the paint.

"Are you okay?" Izuku asked as soon as it was obvious that the man was no longer a threat, running to wrap Himiko in a tight hug, "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"I'm okay, Izu-kun," the girl muttered as she snuggled closer to him for moment, before pushing away, "I gotta...gotta go. The smell is too strong."

"Right," Izuku muttered as he pulled her towards the bathroom, switching on the light and grimacing as he caught sight of himself in the mirror. He had a streak of blood up the front of his shirt, and a decent amount splashed across his face, now smudged from when he'd hugged Himiko.

"Get it off, get it off," the girl hissed as she struggled with the pajamas she was wearing, Izuku closing his eyes as he grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, stepping back towards the door as he bundled the still warm fabric in his hands.

"Have a bath, Himiko," he said as he turned away, stepping out the door and closing it behind him, "We'll take care of everything else."

"Izuku?" the teen froze at the sound of his mother's voice, blinking as the hall light switched on, the woman looking at him from her bedroom doorway, the worry obvious on her face, "Oh my gods! Are you okay? I've already called the police, but are you hurt?"