Something Different

25: Dreaded Questions

There was nothing Izuku could do but sit still and keep his mouth shut. He was pondering over the questions that Detective Tsukauchi and Eraserhead were asking—well, more of the former. Eraserhead was just present to facilitate the questioning. Based on Izuku's prior knowledge, Detective Tsukauchi had a Quirk that allowed him to detect truths and lies. One slip-up and he may never step back in UA ever again.

"You're not in trouble, Midoriya," Detective Tsukauchi said soothingly when he realised that Izuku wasn't keen on answering any of his questions. "We need you to answer honestly so that we know how to help you."

Yeah, right. Izuku could help himself. He didn't need a bunch of irritating heroes to save his ass. When Izuku remained silent, eyes drawn to his lap and hands balled into fists, Detective Tsukauchi decided to reask the same inquiries.

"How did you know to utilise Bloodlust, which only villains have managed to conquer?"

"What's your relationship with the Hero Killer: Stain?"

"Who trained you?"

"How did you know the Nomu's weaknesses during the USJ Attack?"

"Are you involved with villains?"

The questions continued like the neverending sound of metal grinding in Izuku's ears. He'd tuned them out at this point, not even noticing that he was sinking deeper into the chair he was on. If someone had plunged a knife through his chest at that moment, Izuku doubted that he would've noticed. In fact, Izuku contemplated the thought of dying once more.

"Midoriya," Eraserhead's voice broke him out of his thoughts, his eyes snapping upwards to look the hero in his eyes. Onyx-like irises stared back at him, but despite their cold exterior, Eraserhead's brow crinkled to reveal his inner conflict. "Were you trained by a supervillain?"

It was a strange inquiry, and Izuku had to pause to think it over. Eraserhead had used the term supervillain instead of the regular villain, so there was definitely an inference made there. There was also the odd use of past tense—could it be a simple grammar error, or something else? There was an air of silence that followed the question; even Detective Tsukauchi eyed Eraserhead. There was pure curiosity in his question—no malicious intent to throw Izuku into juvenile detention or even jail if he'd answered wrongly. There wasn't even a right or wrong answer. Completely open-ended and good-natured.

"I was," Izuku murmured, before looking away. He trusted Eraserhead. He wasn't like the other heroes—he would only retaliate violently if his loved ones were threatened, even going so far as to cut off his own leg when Tomura had shot him with a Quirk-erasing bullet.

There was a simultaneous sharp intake of breath by Eraserhead and the detective. They shared a glance, before their shoulders slumped. "I... I see," Detective Tsukauchi coughed into his fist. Although Izuku had barely said two words throughout the interview, he must've thought that it was enough... at least, for then. "Thank you for your... honesty, Midoriya. Nobody will hear of this, I can promise you that."

"He was... I trusted him the most, out of everyone. I'd do anything for him," without even realising it, Izuku's mind had begun to recall the events in Jaku City. His teeth gritted and he fought back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. "But he backstabbed everyone. He killed them, and I was supposed to... I should've... No..."

Izuku left it at that, his voice far too weak to continue. Tears were falling freely down his freckled cheeks. There it was again—the ache in his chest. The weakness whenever he remembered the things he'd lost... the people he'd lost... and yet, why did a part of him wish to forgive All For One? He didn't understand it. It was disgusting. Izuku wanted to dig into that part of him and tear it out, no matter how much it would hurt.

"You should have died with them," Izuku's eyes widened as he heard those words. But they weren't filled with malice or contempt, it was... empathetic. Understanding. Slowly, Izuku inclined his head upward to look at Eraserhead, who had stood up from his seat yet not moved. Detective Tsukauchi must have chosen to give them privacy, which he was grateful for. "That's what I thought too. But that's not how it works... Even if you'd died with them, nothing would've changed."

Izuku saw the truth in his words. Although the eternal rest would be appreciated, the pain wouldn't end. He would still have to cope with the deaths of his friends, even in the afterlife. Izuku knew all along that it was a miracle that he was even given a second chance to mend his mistakes.

"I know..." Izuku bit his lip, "I just... I wish that things could go back to the way they were."

"I know," Eraserhead agreed. There was a distant look in his eyes, as though he was also reminiscing. The bottom half of his face was concealed by his capture scarf, so Izuku couldn't be certain that he was smiling. "But... that's just the reality of life, Midoriya. People come and go... willingly or not."

"I know..." Izuku's voice quivered, and he had to clasp a palm over his mouth to suppress a sob as unwelcomed memories rushed through his head. They didn't exist anymore. Nobody but him would ever remember the days of training, fighting, laughing, arguing, and crying with the League. "I... I can't..."

A pair of strong, yet lanky-looking arms wrapped around him and Izuku felt like he didn't even have the strength to pull back. This was what he needed at the moment. "You can't live without them," a soothing voice muttered into his ear, and it actually sounded as though Eraserhead understood. He had gone through something similar. "I'm sorry that you had to suffer in silence like this... alone..."

"It's... It'll be alright, Midoriya," Izuku couldn't help it. He buried his eyes in the hero's shoulder and sobbed like he'd never before. The tears and wails seemed to extend up til an hour, and Izuku felt horrible that he was using Eraserhead as some sort of pillow to cry on.

"I... I'm sorry, I..." Izuku couldn't even formulate words. Not only was his throat too dry and sore, he was too mentally drained to find the proper vocabulary. He'd never been in such a pathetic state. Even when he'd broken down multiple times in middle school, it wasn't as bad. Izuku's eyes were red and puffy, to the point where he could barely lift the lids.

"Don't apologise, Midoriya," Eraserhead shook his head slowly, looking a little more tired than usual. It looked as though he'd shed some tears of his own, but Izuku wouldn't be the one to point that out. "You deserve to vent your emotions, especially if you've been holding it in this entire time. Hiding your emotions like that isn't healthy, Midoriya. You should've sought help."

"I didn't think I'd need help," Izuku's eyes turned hollow as the tears on his face dried up. "I'm used to dealing with my own problems."

"Was that something that your trainer made you do?" Eraserhead scowled for a moment, before he allowed his facial features to relax slightly. There was a rage still bubbling within him, however—that much was obvious by the way Eraserhead narrowed his eyes. "Don't follow his teachings anymore. You deserve a teacher that can actually teach."

"Don't get me wrong, he can teach," Izuku admitted in spite of himself. "His methods are just more... forceful and require inhuman determination."

"Brutality, then," Eraserhead sighed, "What's his name? We could track him down and–"

"No."

Eraserhead blinked, eyebrows raising slightly, and Izuku realised that he'd just snapped at someone who'd comforted him a moment ago. Guilt swelled within him, but he continued with an explanation regardless. "He's not recorded in the system. I've checked. It's alright... I'm in the process of preparing myself to face him." I'll kill him.

The last part, of course, was left unsaid. If Eraserhead knew that he was plotting murder, similar to Iida's situation with the Hero Killer, he'd pull all the stops. Izuku didn't need a hero getting in the way of his plans. It felt relieving to let out almost everything he'd been hiding. But what Eraserhead didn't know, was that Izuku had already once fallen into the path of a villain. He thought that he'd just been trained by one. For then, his secret was still in wraps... He just wondered how long he could keep up the facade of an innocent hero-in-training.

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