The Graveyard Boy

In Which Izuku Meets a Strange Man

After Shinsou left the graveyard, Izuku hung around to chat with a few of his friends. Naotoshi Suda, an old railroad worker, told Izuku that Hitoshi had the same purple hair as his wife had before it'd gone grey. The former mayor of the town, Amano Nakamitsu, said Hitoshi seemed like a good and lawful kid. Sani Yamaguchi, a governess and wife of a successful businessman, nudged Izuku's shoulder and told him that Hitoshi was handsome. She was always telling him about the way she'd been forced to marry a man when her true love was of the fairer sex.

"In your day and age," she said, "you're free to be with whomever you choose. I had no such luck in my day."

He nodded. "I don't know if I feel that way about anyone, but if I do I'll be sure to pursue it in honour of you and Kamei."

She smiled at him then, patting his cheek. "Thank you, son." She drifted off to take a nap- even in death, it was hard to find her completely awake. The rest of the ghosts grumbled and left the graveyard to continue whatever else it was ghosts did in the afterlife.

As he was leaving, a woman with short purple hair and eyes approached Izuku. "Tell Hitoshi hello from me, okay?"

"Yes ma'am, I'll be sure to!" He shot her a thumbs up and left the graveyard. It was growing dark outside, and the sun was barely visible beyond the hills.

It was a short walk back to his apartment. The small distance was filled with bustling shops on either side of the street and signs hanging from each outstretched roof. After passing his favourite cat cafe and rounding the last corner, Izuku trotted up a set of shoddy steel steps to the door with chipped blue paint that led to his home. Swinging it open, Izuku spoke. "I'm home!"

Inko immediately gave him a wave from the kitchen, where wafts of cookie-like aroma drifted. His cat, Aki, brushed against his leg in greeting. She was light grey with darker stripes, and the fur around her eyes made it appear as though she winged her eyeliner daily. "Hello baby," he crooned as he gently scratched under her chin.

He and his mother talked about their days, and he enthused to her about All Might's latest victory against a villain whose quirk was "Sloth". Although the crowds and reporters surrounding the area quickly fell asleep, All Might managed to force himself to remain awake and defeat the villain, who was putting his great power to work shoplifting. Izuku thought this usage of power was pretty anticlimactic.

The afternoon passed with Izuku scrolling through articles and watching a few episodes of the show he was watching. He and his mom ate dinner, and he headed to his room. Izuku sat on his bed and Aki curled into him, purring loudly. He absent-mindedly scratched her ears as he scrolled through the latest news. "All Might Spotted in Musutafu!" the headline read, and Izuku nearly pitched the cat off his stomach. All Might was in his town? He'd have to wander the streets and see if he could spot any villain fights!

Later that night as he tried to get to sleep, thoughts spiralled through Izuku's mind. All Might was in his town. Hitoshi was coming over for Christmas! All Might was in his town. He'd get to visit him in his orphanage! All Might was in his town.

***

Izuku woke up the next day with a new determination. Throwing on a heavy jacket and scarf, he headed out the door. The graveyard was only a few blocks from Hitoshi's orphanage, so he sat down at the bus stop to take the same bus he always did to visit his friends on the weekends. The frigid air pierced his coat and coloured his cheeks bright red. A steaming thermos was clutched in his heavily gloved hands, and his breath was sucked into the cold wind that blew. He felt the bench shake beside him.

The man who sat next to him nodded politely, and Izuku returned it. He had blown-back blonde hair and sharp features that vaguely resembled a skeleton, and the man's bony limbs only added to the parallels. Izuku found himself wondering if somehow his power had extended beyond ghosts.