QUIRKLESS LIFE

~15~

Catharina stared at the rubbery porridge in front of her, eyes heavy and appetite non-existent. Andrea urged her to eat for the fifth time that week but got barely any response from her friend. Vinayak was getting increasingly worried, and he began threatening the staff to make better food for her so she would take even a single bite of her meals. This backfired on him as he got more scars across his arms, though the Indian child couldn't care less.

"Cath, please... you've barely eaten... just a single mouthful... just one... please..." The red head took the spoon, holding it in front of the Dutch girl, and sighed when she didn't move.

"Catharina Anholts, eat. You're going to starve yourself to death. Would Izuku want that?" The girl blinked sluggishly and shook her head, hair falling in front of her black eyes.

"No..." 

"Then take a damn bite Cath! I don't like seeing you like this..." Vinayak exclaimed, and Catharina finally opened her mouth, taking the spoon from Andrea and taking a bite of the porridge, blankly swallowing and continuing to stare at the table, earning a sigh of relief from the Greek girl next to her. The boy her age smiled, though stopped and quickly turned his head away before Andrea, or any other quirkless, could see it. 

"I miss him..." The platinum blonde mumbled, and the mood suddenly became somber. The Greek wrapped an arm around her in a comforting half-hug, and the raven-haired boy looked at the floor, arms crossed, and brow furrowed.

"We know... we all do, Cath... but he managed to get out of this hell hole... he'll make it... I'm sure of it... if he doesn't, he'll be back here, and you can protect him as much as you want..." The boy reassured, patting Catharina's shoulder, and bit his tongue to stop from crying.

You would think that children so young wouldn't have to face such pains, but they do.

This violation of the people it's meant to keep safe, is not for the faint of heart.

While Vinayak was right, Izuku did make it, he did not enjoy it. He regretted his most recent choice of following a stranger in place of Momo in the middle of the night. The boy had told the butler to not wake her, since he seemed sketchy, even if it was one of Momo's butlers, and said he'll help him with whatever he needed.

He had to limp his way back to the room, tongue bleeding ever so slightly and legs hurting just as much as before Granny B found him. His mind was fuzzy, the feeling of hands on his body making him feel sick. He used the collar of Catharina's coat to hide the marks on his neck. The boy didn't dare tell anyone. Why would he? Who would believe him? He had no proof. And that's the basic thing you need before you tell someone. At least that's what Izuku had been told.

"Izuku-kun! Morning, how did you sleep?" Momo asked, a smile on her face and Hime in her arms. The greenie held his doll close, staring at the floor. He didn't respond, so Momo asked again.

"How did you sleep Izuku-kun?" The boy looked up, hands squeezing the doll. He swallowed before replying.

"I slept well... and you...?" The girl smiled and patted his head, though brought her hand back after she saw the ever so slight flinch.

"I slept well thanks! I had a crazy dream. You were a villain! Could you imagine?" She laughed as the two headed to the restaurant for breakfast. Izuku shook his head, playing with the hair of his Cath-doll.