Izuku, Kaito, Ren, and Emi had been skating for hours, weaving through the city streets with no particular destination in mind. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a long shadow over their path. The four of them had found themselves near the outskirts of town, where crumbling old buildings and graffiti-lined walls gave way to the city's abandoned district.
Ren, always the quiet one, spoke up first. "You guys wanna hit the old warehouse? We haven't been there in a while."
Kaito smirked, already pulling ahead of the group on his board. "Bet I can beat you there."
Without a word, Emi shot forward, laughing as she picked up speed. "You're on, Kaito!"
Izuku followed behind them, hands in his pockets, his expression as unreadable as always. He didn't care much for racing, but he let the group drag him along. It wasn't like he had anything else to do, and these skates kept him grounded, letting him stay in his zone. Kaito and Emi loved the thrill of the chase, Ren enjoyed the calm, and Izuku... well, he just wanted to forget everything else.
The warehouse stood tall and decaying, a relic of a forgotten time. Its windows were shattered, and rust crept along the metal framework. Inside, the massive space was wide open, the perfect place to practice skating, do tricks, or simply chill. The four of them had made it their unofficial hangout spot, far from the prying eyes of anyone at U.A.
Kaito jumped off his board first, flipping it up into his hand and flashing a grin. "Still got it," he bragged.
Emi rolled her eyes but grinned too. "Barely beat me."
Ren leaned back against a nearby wall, pulling his hoodie down a bit more. "Same old spot, huh?"
Izuku silently glanced around, taking in the familiar place. The walls were covered in graffiti, some of it their own work from past visits. Emi pulled out her phone, snapping pictures of the group.
"Let's get some new shots," she suggested. "We gotta update the feed."
Izuku shrugged but didn't object. Kaito and Ren lined up for a picture, with Emi setting up her phone to take a group shot. Izuku stood off to the side, a little detached as always. His nonchalant attitude had only grown stronger recently, and his friends noticed, but they didn't push him to open up.
They snapped a few photos, some serious, some goofy, all of them capturing the camaraderie of their crew. Emi scrolled through the pics, smiling at the shots. "These are dope."
As they finished up, Ren glanced at Izuku. "You alright, man?"
Izuku nodded, his expression neutral. "Yeah. Just thinking."
Kaito clapped him on the back. "You're always thinking, dude. Relax."
Emi added, "We should come back here at night sometime, take some cooler pics when the lights are low."
Izuku didn't respond. He looked around the warehouse, the decaying walls reflecting how he sometimes felt inside—worn down but still standing. He liked this place because it was away from everything: the pressures of U.A., the expectations, and the constant noise of people's lives.
As the sun finally disappeared behind the skyline, the group skated out, laughing and racing each other again. Izuku remained quiet, but his mind raced with thoughts. The warehouse, his friends, the world—it all felt distant, like a part of someone else's life.
But for now, skating with his crew was enough.
