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A gift

"Izuku! Wake up, honey!" His mother's voice broke through his sleepy haze. "It's nearly time for you to go!"

"I'm up!" He called back, groggily rubbing at his eyes as he straightened up.

Today was going to be his first day back at school since the day he got stuck in SAO. To say he was nervous was an understatement.

Middle school was almost over. One year left before they entered high school. Given that he'd spent two years of his life fighting tooth and nail for survival, he didn't have much time for studying. This meant that he had one year to catch up to the rest of his peers.

Going through his morning routine, he made sure to look as presentable as possible. His wild, curly green hair wasn't doing him any favors.

His mother had insisted that he cut it, but he refused. His long hair was a testament to the growth he'd gone through. He liked it long.

Styling it into a ponytail, he made sure to leave a couple of strands out. They framed his face perfectly, keeping a wild yet organized vibe.

Finally, he made sure the tattoo on his arm was covered with a small wristband. The same mark was given to each SAO survivor. They were branded for life. This way, the government could keep an eye on them.

To them, they were just a bunch of kids who spent two years killing each other in a game.

Glaring at it for a moment, he went back to the rest of his routine,

Finally, when he was satisfied with his appearance, he made his way down the hallway.

Their apartment was small, his mom had moved in when the hospital bills were too much. Their old home, now long gone.

After waking up, he learned that his mom had taken three jobs to pay for his hospital bills.

Now that he was back, he was adamant on finding some kind of job to pitch in. His mother deserved to rest. He put her through too much in the past two years. He had a lot to make up for.

Inko's eyes landed on him as soon as he entered the kitchen. Fondness engulfed her features, a small smile stretching across her face. She still marveled at how much he'd grown and how fast he'd recovered. Izuku has always been a determined boy. Yet, it still astonished her how strong-willed and brave he was.

The detective had warned her. The boy who got trapped in the game wasn't the same boy who got out. Her son had changed.

He was forced to grow up too quickly. Force to mature and adapt. He had to. If he wanted to survive... He had to fight for his life and the lives of the players stuck with him.

She heard that he'd been the one to clear the game. Without him, all these kids would still be trapped.

Pride swelled in her chest as she thought of her little hero. Still, she couldn't help the small voice in her mind. The voice that whispered 'why him?' every time they'd tell her how much he had sacrificed for the others.

Her son didn't smile anymore. He tried, she could see it every time he spoke to her. Yet, it didn't change the fact that he spoke less and was quieter.

She'd hear him at night, thrashing in his sleep, calling out names she'd never heard before. Nightmares plagued her child and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

The events that transpired in the game was still a mystery to her. The only information she got was from the detective. Otherwise, her son kept quiet.

However, no matter how much she wanted to hear about his time in the game, she knew it wasn't right to ask.

If he wanted to talk, she'd wait for him to come to her.