Do Not Let Your Past Define You

Chapter 2: Returning

Return: Verb- 1)To go back or come to a place or person. 2) to give, put back, or send (something) back to a place or a person.

***

-Kidnapped Boy Returns After Five Years-

Five years ago, a Quirkless boy named Izuku Midoriya went missing, along with several other Quirkless children. While no other child has been found, Midoriya was saved yesterday, by the Number One Hero, All Might.

All Might states that the boy was inside a warehouse he entered during patrol.

"I was on my daily patrol, and heard screaming, so I investigated." Was the statement All Might gave when asked.

It is being speculated whether or not All Might was really on patrol that morning. What was he doing in that part of the city?

The boy, Izuku was found in critical condition, with several broken bones in his ribs, arm, and legs, a large quantity of cuts and small burns, a concussion, and a large cut above his right eye. He was extremely malnourished, and unconscious when found.

He has recieved medical treatment, but is still unconscious. The doctors said that there were signs of previously broken bones, several scars, and other serious conditions.

"It's terrifying, honestly. To see a small, nine-year-old boy in such a horrific condition. He was close to dead when he was brought in."

"There are signs of poorly set fractures and clean breaks all over his body. It's a miracle that he hasn't been paralyzed."

These statements were made by the two doctors, [Redacted], and [Redacted], who were overseeing the surgeries and recovery of the boy.

***

Inko couldn't believe it. When they told her that her boy was alive, and in the hospital, she had denied it. There was no way.

Her precious little adorable, four-year-old boy, who'd been taken from her. Only he wasn't anymore. Little, four, or taken.

He was still small, of course. She's been to see him, and she's been shocked at how small he'd been. The doctors said it was malnutrition, and Inko had been horrified.

He wasn't four anymore either. He was nine. Five years since he'd been taken. Inko preferred the word taken to kidnapped.

Kidnapped felt like he'd never come back.

She always believed he'd come home one day. At first, she'd thought he was lost, or home late. Then, Katsuki had found her, and told her what happened.

She'd always held a firm belief that her boy, her Izuku, wasn't dead. No one else believed her, except Katsuki, and Mitsuki. Everyone, even the detectives, thought he was dead and gone, declaring the case a cold one.

A "dead end," as they said.

Hilarious.

Some people congratulated her. Congratulated her. They seemed to think that she'd been done a favor by God, being ridden of a "Quirkless waste" like her son.

She didn't hesitate to screw their day up with and without her quirk.

When she'd been able to go to the hospital and finally see her son, she'd been horrified. He was covered in scars, cuts, and burns. She could see his ribs. There was a nasty, horrible, cut above his right eye. The doctors said he had several broken bones, and old breaks that were not set correctly.

Inko had broken down, her built up emotions becoming too much. To be honest, she had been surprised she hadn't done it earlier. She'd collapsed on the hospital floor, sobbing her eyes out. Her son was back. He'd live. But it was clear that he'd gone through something horrible there. Wherever "there" had been. All Might hadn't disclosed the location, nor the name of the villain who'd taken her son. Thinking back, All Might hadn't been seen for at least a week after saving Izuku.

But, while she was sitting on the cold, hard, ground of the hospital, she hadn't even thought of that. All she could think of was that her son was back. He was home. And Inko had never felt such a combination of pure relief, and horror before. She was happy Izuku was alive; that much was obvious. She loved him more than anything in the world. But, she was also scared, and worried. He'd been close to dead when they found him, and he was covered in scars. Inko wondered what kind of mental impact it would have on him.

But, in the meantime, Izuku was alive. He was going to come home. Finally.

Inko would focus on that.

***

Izuku didn't like being asleep.

Sleeping meant nightmares. Sleeping meant that anyone could sneak up on him and hurt him. Both of the options had already happened countless times.

Izu remembered that once, he could sleep without being scared of who would wake him. He could sleep peacefully, knowing he was safe.

He'd never be safe again.

After Sensei took him, the feeling of 'safe' disappeared, along with his memories of it. All he remembered now was a flash of green, small popping noises, and the word 'Deku', chanted over and over. He heard it in his nightmares far too often. It was important, but Izuku couldn't remember.

He only remembered in his dreams. But his dreams were full of blood, monsters and a voice calling his name from a distance, echoing through the terror.

Izuku really didn't like sleeping. But with Sensei, he was forced to, after he'd gone a week without sleeping and his performance was less the satisfactory.

One of the scariest things about sleeping, for Izuku, was waking up. Usually, Muscular, or someone else would wake him up, whether it may be with cold water, kicks, or punches. Once they'd burned him until he woke up.

He didn't ever sleep with fire near him ever again.

Waking up to see Sensei, or Muscular, or anyone else, looming over him, waiting to begin his daily torture was terrifying.

But, Izuku thought, there are a lot of other terrifying things he's had to do.

Izuku opened his eyes.