Izuku's phone vibrated but he didn't look at it. Tell me, he continued to chant. On the edge of his consciousness, he acknowledged that what he's thinking is somehow being relayed to Ezra. He'll try to distract him as best he can while subconsciously forming a plan.
He clenched his fists and gave Ezra a final look before walking back to his apartment, still chanting.
He turned subtly every so often to see a curious Ezra still sitting in the growing distance. He tried alternating distractions, verbally and mentally chanting Tell me while only recalling images of Ezra on the bench.
He tried to keep his mind void of any new thoughts til he got to his apartment and locked the door behind him.
Closing his eyes, he tried to absentmindedly gather the last few things as Shoto had followed through with taking the bulk with him.
With the last bag Shoto packed for him, he added his passport and hero badge and fished for his apartment keys. He was mid-sigh when he caught himself, I shouldn't emphasize my thoughts with feelings. Tell me, tell me.
Blindly placing the keys behind him on the counter, he left his apartment closed but unlocked. Tell me, tell me.
After the bag was securely on his shoulder, he opened his eyes, facing the direction of the boardwalk, blinking into the contradicting brightness.
He had noticed taxies while standing in front of Ezra since there was a main street behind the bench area. Closing his eyes when he could afford to, he chanted and blinked his way back to them.
He cautiously stopped when he noticed Ezra was no longer on the bench. He tried to scan the area without seeming overly alert.
Backing into a familiar open-front tourist store, he 'looked' for a postcard he had seen before, while pretending to look at others.
Once his intended card was at the edge of his peripheral, he grabbed it and kept the photo side faced down.
After a longer casual browse which concluded in the additional purchases of sunglasses, hoodie, water and snacks.. he muttered, "For the 'stakeout'."
After purchasing, he hovered by the entrance pretending to sort his cash as he waited for a taxi to free up in front.
He got in one and pretended to be on a phone call, "Can you hear me? Yeah, yeah, I'm heading to Loma Square now but I don't have much time." Izuku acted while shaking his head at the driver.
Izuku slid the postcard to the driver, along with a one-hundred-dollar bill, pointing sternly at the photo with one hand while making the shh gesture with his other, decoy-acting phone pinned between ear and shoulder.
He knew the driver understood when he mouthed 'Airline?' and Izuku leaned back, looking away again.
"Ah.. how about we get JAPAN- ese food.. To Go." Izuku nodded.
Izuku rested his eyes while still holding the phone deceivingly up to one ear.. Just to keep the driver from asking anything that would give him away.
No, don't tell me, tell me. I don't care anymore.
The square Izuku mentioned followed a similar route as the airport, so if Ezra somehow caught a glimpse of what he could see along the way, well, this was the best he could do.
When they were close, Izuku focused on his music playlist. He picked a song and sang along in his head.
🎵All I wanted from you
Was something you couldn't do
And I should've realized
...
And after all this time
I can confirm I lied
And I hate being lied to
But you never told the truth
...
So thank you and sorry
...
"Yeah, thank you and sorry." Izuku said to the driver as he barely let the car stop before jumping out.
Izuku ran inside without looking directly at the Japan Airlines sign he knew was above.
He got in the kiosk line he recognized from the week before and fully outed himself as he searched for outgoing flights on his phone. He bought the next one available and was next to print it out.
He guzzled his water then got in a line that led to a friendly-looking security lady. As he waited, he realized that he had gotten in the TSA precheck line before, and that that must have been what they were asking about. I'm just an idiot..
He jolted forward when he realized he was up next. Not having much on him in, he zoomed through and then changed in the bathroom. Now wearing a hoodie and glasses sitting atop of his head, he could afford a somewhat breather.
He played the rest of the song while closing his eyes and waiting.
🎵When we were us it was so noisy in my head
And in all this silence that's left
I'm at rest
As Izuku's plane drove the taxiway before taking off, a pissed-off Ezra slammed an abandoned hoodie on ground.
Izuku had made a show of putting it on and checking himself out in the bathroom mirror, only to take it off while his eyes were closed in the waiting area.. Ezra was looking for someone wearing it.
Texting while he still could, he asked Liam to keep or donate whatever he wanted from his apartment asap and to keep the keys safe til he could tell him later where to drop them off.
Though those locks should definitely be changed..
He put his phone on airplane mode and melted into his seat.
🎵And even then that's still a f*cked up journey
Don't worry I'm still a f*cked up story
***
