The sun was setting again the next day when Izuku found himself back at the skate park. It was becoming a routine—a way to detach himself from the constant pressure of school, his training, and the expectations of being a hero. This place didn't ask for anything from him. It didn't care about All Might or One For All. It didn't even care if he landed a trick or wiped out. The park was just there, waiting for anyone who wanted to roll through.
He was standing at the edge of the half-pipe, staring down into the curve when a voice called out behind him.
"Yo, you're here again, huh?"
Izuku turned to see a group of three skaters his age. They weren't in their school uniforms, just wearing casual clothes—torn jeans, hoodies, and beanies. One of them, a guy with a shaggy haircut and a worn skateboard covered in stickers, stepped forward, flipping his board up with his foot and catching it mid-air.
"You're pretty good, man. Saw you hit that half-pipe last night. Clean stuff," he said with a smirk, his tone laid-back.
Izuku didn't respond immediately. He glanced at the group, sizing them up out of habit, then just shrugged. "I'm alright."
The guy with the shaggy hair laughed, seemingly amused by Izuku's nonchalant attitude. "Alright? Dude, you've been here almost every night this week. Don't be so modest."
One of the other skaters, a girl with bright green hair and piercings lining her ears, raised an eyebrow. "We've seen you around, but you keep to yourself. You got a name?"
Izuku hesitated for a moment, not sure if he wanted to share anything personal. But something about the way they were so casual and indifferent made him relax, just a little.
"Midoriya," he said quietly, adjusting his skateboard under his arm. "Izuku."
"Cool, I'm Kaito," the guy with the shaggy hair said, offering a fist bump. "And that's Emi," he pointed to the girl, "and the tall guy's Ren."
Ren, a lanky kid with glasses and a blank expression, gave a small nod. He seemed like the quiet type, the kind that didn't speak unless necessary.
Kaito gestured to the half-pipe. "You gonna drop in again, or are you just gonna stand there looking cool?"
Izuku glanced at the half-pipe, then back at the group. He wasn't used to being around other people in his downtime. For so long, he had distanced himself from everyone outside of hero training. But there was something different about these kids. They didn't know him as Deku, didn't expect anything from him.
Without saying a word, Izuku set his board down and pushed off, dropping into the pipe with ease. He carved up one side, then the other, the familiar sensation of speed and weightlessness washing over him. When he came back up to the top, he stepped off his board smoothly.
Kaito whistled, impressed. "Damn, you make it look easy."
Izuku shrugged again, barely acknowledging the compliment. "It's not hard."
Emi stepped forward, pulling her own board from under her arm. "Let's see what you can do with a challenge then."
She kicked off and dropped into the half-pipe, executing a series of tricks as she flew from one side to the other, grinding the rail on the top before landing a clean kickflip back into the bowl. When she came back up, she looked at Izuku expectantly.
"Think you can top that?"
Izuku stared at her for a second, then silently stepped forward. He hadn't intended to show off, but something about the way Emi challenged him made him want to push himself just a bit harder. He kicked off his board again, this time throwing in a few spins and ollies, skating faster and higher, before finishing with a clean grind on the rail, just like Emi had done.
When he stepped off his board, Kaito let out a low whistle. "Alright, alright, I see you, Midoriya."
Izuku just nodded, not offering much in the way of conversation. He wasn't here to make friends, after all. But the group seemed to understand that, respecting his space without pushing for more.
As the evening wore on, they continued to skate together, not saying much. It was easy, comfortable. They didn't pry into his life or ask questions about where he came from. In return, Izuku didn't ask them anything either. It was just the sound of boards hitting pavement, the wind on their faces, and the occasional laughter when someone wiped out.
Eventually, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Emi sat down on the bench, wiping sweat from her brow. "You're not too bad, Midoriya. I guess we'll see you around?"
Izuku, who had been about to leave, paused for a second. He didn't respond, but something about their relaxed attitude made him think that maybe, just maybe, he didn't mind hanging around them.
"Yeah," he said after a long pause, his voice calm and flat. "Maybe."
He didn't say goodbye as he skated away, disappearing into the fading light of the evening, but he could feel their eyes on him as he left.
For the first time in a long time, Izuku didn't feel completely alone. But that didn't mean he'd let anyone in. Not yet.
