Liberty

Separated

Waking up in an unfamiliar place was nothing new to Izuku. Waking up in an unfamiliar place without Gin or Hoshi, however, was something else entirely.

Senses blurred and memories blurrier, Izuku tried to recall anything that might help him.

He remembered Hoshi twitching and writhing as she turned invisible. He remembered Gin yelling at...someone. He remembered the feeling as if a weight was lifted off of his chest right before he blacked out. The smiling man.

Well that didn't help.

Looking around this new room, Izuku saw glossy wooden walls and floor. A single overhead light, the glass tinted a warm orange yellow glow. There was a single bed to the far wall complete with a springy mattress, a pillow and a duvet. A moss green rug laid out on the floor to the side of the bed. A single wooden dresser sat in a corner of the room, a mirror drilled into the wall above it. Opposite the bed was a normal looking wooden door.

Where...was he? Where were Gin and Hoshi? Izuku felt loneliness and a little fear edging at the back of his mind.

He was in a place he'd never seen before.

He'd been separated from Gin and Hoshi.

He was alone.

Izuku fell to the floor and hugged his knees to his chest, his shoulders shaking in silent sobs as he dug his finger nails into his legs.

He hadn't been alone like this for a long time, and being in an unfamiliar place didn't help either.

As his mind wracked with thoughts of what ifs. What if Gin and Hoshi were hurt? What if they were dead? What if he was dead and this was the afterlife? So caught up in his thoughts, Izuku never noticed the door opening and the shadow man walk in.

"Izuku."

The boy in question yelped loudly and jumped about a foot in the air before diving beneath the bed. Standing at the door the shadow man, known as Kurogiri, sighed.

Izuku peaked out from under the bed, his eyes widened in surprise. The man standing before him, he remembered him. It was the man from the decontamination room.

"Who are you?" Izuku asked, eyes peering cautiously up at the tall man. The man slowly crouched down to Izuku's level.

"My name is Kurogiri, I'm a...close friend of Payton's."

Kurogiri held out a pile of folded clothes to Izuku. In it was a pair of grey joggers, a matching grey shirt and a pair of trainers.

"Get dressed and knock on the door when you're done." Kurogiri stood up and was about to turn away when he felt a tug on his vest.

"Where are Hoshi and Gin? Are they all right?" Izuku asked, his voice wavering with choked back sobs. Kurogiri sighed, he knew this would happen.

"Gin and Hoshi are fine, they're in separate rooms like yourself. Orders from the boss." The last part was an annoyed grumble, as if Kurogiri wanted the three to stay together.

With that, the man left the room, and Izuku was alone once more. Izuku looked at the pile of clothes he'd been given, the fabrics were warm yet breathable. A nice change from the thin, plasticy hospital gowns they'd been forced to wear. It'd been a while since he'd worn actual clothes.

The joggers fit perfectly, however the shirt was a bit loose. He didn't complain, these were the first actual clothes he'd worn since...since...

Izuku shook his head. He wouldn't think about that now. He needed to be strong, for them. It was the least he could do.

Knocking on the door, Izuku stood nervously and waited. Not even a few seconds later, Kurogiri opened the door.

"Are you ready?" Kurogiri asked, he was standing to the side of the door and holding it open. Izuku nodded and made a noise of acknowledgement, walking past Kurogiri before stopping.

"Good, let's go."