My Hero Academia Symbol of Hope (DC x MHA)

On The Run

The farmhouse smelled of dust and aged wood, the faint echo of creaking floorboards filling the quiet. Izuku and Rody collapsed onto worn mattresses in a dimly lit corner, the day's chaos leaving their muscles aching and their minds buzzing. Outside, the wind whispered through the broken shutters, carrying the distant sounds of the countryside.

Rody sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers fidgeting with the strap of the briefcase, eyes distant. "I... I can't stop thinking about them," he murmured, voice tight. "My little siblings... I left them alone. What if something happens while I'm away?"

Izuku placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "Rody... you're doing everything you can to keep them safe. You're not abandoning them—they'll understand."

But Rody's gaze remained fixed on the floor, memories clawing at him unbidden. He remembered the warmth of another time, when life had been simpler. Eddie Soul, his father, had been a brilliant engineer, full of gentle humor and a love for his children that had been reciprocated in full. Rody's eyes glimmered as he recalled a particular moment—his father handing him a small puzzle box.

"You've been looking after your siblings so well," Eddie had said with a proud smile. "Solve this, and there's a little reward for you."

Rody had worked at it for hours, twisting the mechanisms with careful fingers until, finally, the box clicked open. Inside lay a delicate locket, a gift for his care and responsibility—a tangible symbol of his father's trust and love. He had worn it proudly, the weight of it comforting, a reminder that someone had always believed in him.

But that warmth had shattered. One day, without warning, Eddie abandoned them. He had left to join the anti-Quirk cult, Humarise, and the world they knew collapsed. Rody and his siblings were evicted from every place they had called home, friendships dissolved into whispers, and they were forced into the harsh reality of shantytown life. Anger, confusion, and betrayal had seared through Rody, each day a reminder of the father who had once cherished them but now turned his back.

Rody's fingers curled into a fist. He had gone to the locket then, twisting it violently until it snapped. The broken pieces fell to the floor, a reflection of his shattered trust and the searing hatred that had grown in the years since.

Izuku watched silently, sensing the weight behind Rody's words, his own jaw tightening. "I get it," he finally said softly. "You're carrying all of that with you... and yet you're still doing what you can for your siblings. That's... that's amazing, Rody."

Rody gave a bitter laugh, voice trembling. "Amazing... yeah, maybe. But it doesn't make it hurt any less."

Night pressed down over the countryside like a heavy velvet curtain, shadows stretching long and thin across the old farmhouse. Inside, Izuku lay slumped against the worn mattress, breathing unevenly in sleep, while Rody's mind refused to rest. Images of his siblings—helpless, abandoned, scared—swirled in his thoughts. The weight of responsibility pressed against him like iron.

Finally, unable to endure the idea of leaving them alone any longer, Rody quietly rose. Pino, perched on the windowsill, fluffed her feathers in alarm, letting out shrill, disapproving chirps.

But Rody ignored her, eyes hard, jaw set. "I have to... I can't just sit here."

Stepping into the moonlit night, he clutched the briefcase tightly, the cold metal biting against his palms. Each step was measured, careful, but the tension in the air made the farmhouse feel impossibly large. Pino, agitated, flapped close to his shoulder, squawking and tugging at his sleeve. Eventually, her persistence woke Izuku, who quickly scrambled to his feet. "Rody? Wait—what are you—"