The Boy in the Chair

Grass is Green on the Other Side

"Bubaigawara Jin?" Izuku asked as the apartment door opened a crack. Izuku had Hawks help track down the former criminal and mentally ill man after Izuku found some questionable files in the archives. Apparently, Jin was targeted by the HPSC for the paragon Program whenever he was younger, but due to his mentality, even at that age, he was rejected. He could see why the HPSC did target him however. Double is a powerful quirk.

"Who's asking? Don't care!"

"I'm Midoriya D. Izuku. This is Ectoplasm," Izuku said, indicating the hero beside him. Izuku thought it'd be a good idea to bring a hero with a similar quirk, or even just a person with a similar quirk. Surely it would create some kind of kinship...or something. "He's a Professional hero and UA teacher. We were hoping to get a few minutes of your time."

"Go away! Come on in!"

The door didn't open or close so they did neither. Izuku raised an eyebrow at the hero, silently asking how to proceed. Ectoplasm moved closer to the door.

"I have a quirk that produces clones of myself," Ectoplasm said, "and I know how difficult it can be to retain a sense of self when there are many others wearing my face."

"You do?" a genuinely surprised voice asked, followed by, "You know nothing!"

"I know that it's pretty lonely trying to cope with everything all by yourself," Ectoplasm retorted. "We can help, if you let us."

Bubaigawara's confusion was very clear on his face as he finally opened the door. "Why would you?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Izuku asked, grinning at the surprised smile that tilted Bubaigawara's lips. "We're heroes. It's what we do."

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As the rain turns into a downpour, on the longest night for most families in Japan, a strange sight appears before the home of the dethroned number two hero. Where earlier reporters had gathered, now a single figure stands, half hidden behind a streetlight. His turquoise eyes gaze out, as if refusing to accept the sight of the building before him.

"This is so stupid," the thin boy says as he continues to stare at the house. "Shoto, why are we doing this?"

Looking at the dark house, Dabi doesn't want to meet them yet. He's still reeling from dealing with Shoto, he was not ready for anyone else.

"The house is dark already," Shoto replies simply, not even noticing Dabi's question. If he was honest, he didn't care. He barely knew his brother, but he knew his siblings knew him. He wasn't getting nearly enough satisfaction of happiness from Dabi as they would.

"Of course it's dark, idiot. Fath... Endeavor would have us in bed by 9, even if it's the apocalypse," he groans, realizing it's nearly an hour past lights out. "We need to leave, need to leave before he sees me," he tells him again. "Stop being stupid-"

"Touya?" a light voice behind him interrupts his panic filled mutterings.

Slowly, the boy turns around to find himself face to face with a shadowy figure outside of the dim light of the bulb overhead.

"Ah, you must, ah, be mistaken," he says, trying to pass it off.

"Yes, that's Touya," Shoto says, and Dabi inhales angrily. God he hated Shoto's nonchalant attitude.

Slowly emerging from the darkness, underneath an umbrella, a pale girl with white hair that has red tips steps forward.

"It is you. But, how?" Fuyumi asks, still not fully believing it.

"No, no, I mean, no way I'm Touya... I mean whoever that is. I mean, he has... had white hair, and mine's black."

Fuyumi narrows her eyes. "Your hair dye's run onto your shirt."