7. back in the game

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(TW: uh kidnapping, gore, arguments between friends, bad parting words)
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That afternoon, several things took place.

Izuku ate dinner, added more cuts to his arms to clear his head, did his homework, and then got ready to go.

He suited up, but changed his clothes. He didn't want to be recognized, especially knowing his teacher patrolled the area.

He slid on a long sleeve shirt, opting to leave his bandages on and take his compression sleeves off, and pulled on black, baggy cargo pants. He switched out his usual red sneakers for grubby black converse that were almost too small. They were hand me downs from Bakugo when they were just in middle school.

Next, he pulled his bangs up into a little man bun and then tucked all his hair into a beanie, leaving no green to show.

And finally, the black mask. He brought the disposable black surgical masks with him in case he got sick, but this purpose worked too.

He took a deep breath. He felt concealed. Warm. Safe. Ready.

He opened his window and took a step onto the frame. Halfway out the exit someone called his name in shock.

"Izuku? What are you doing?"

Izuku whipped around, nearly hitting his head on the window and saw Todoroki standing rigidly in his doorway. 

"Uhhhh-" he quickly pulled down his mask, "uhhhh- what are you doing in my room?"

"I came to see if- this is not about me! What are you doing?" Tododoki asked hurriedly.

Izuku climbed back inside, "nothing! It doesn't matter!" He tore his hat off, "what do you need?"

"Are you going out to vigilante?" Todoroki asked, "you can't do that it's not safe."

Izuku shut the door to his dorm, leaving the two of them inside, "this is the only way to make things right."

"Everything is right what are you-"

"My mom is in the hospital because I wasn't there!" He shouted, "people are getting hurt because there's more crime in my neighborhood than heroes to deal with it, and it's getting worse because I am not there." His voice was unsteady and he hated that he was incapable of sounding purely angry.

"You can't go out." Todoroki said sternly, angry because someone was angry with him, "it's too dangerous."

"I've been doing this for months and I'm fine. It is not too dangerous." Izuku argued, "I can handle myself. You can't stop me from going."

"No, but I can tell someone who can that you are."

Izuku groaned in furious frustration, "why can't you just leave me be!? Why do you care so much!?" Izuku shouted.

"Because you're my friend!" Todoroki yelled back.

"We aren't friends." Izuku spat, "how could we be? How could I be friends with anyone here? I don't belong here."

"Yes you d-" Todoroki began.

"You don't even think I can defend myself like I always have just because I'm quirkless!!" Izuku yelled furiously, "What would your dad say about you being friends with a quirkless person?" Izuku countered. This time he sounded angry. Really angry.

Todoroki was speechless, "you're an asshole" he said lowly, "you know that Midoriya?"

"I know." Izuku said, his voice matching the volume with a unsettling tone as he repeated the names he'd been called his entire life, "and a lowlife. And worthless. Without potential. Useless. Pointless. A waste of a human being. Just a pointless Deku. I've been an stupid useless asshole my entire life, havn't I? I'm nothing worth noticing for you people. So why do you even care? Why, Shoto?" Izuku instigated.

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