Puppet Master

Our Last Chance

Hizashi ran for the balcony. "!!!IZUKU!!!"

The boy's body fell forward. "NO!" He reached forward. Not once had he ever been so grateful for Izuku's quirk in his life then now when the string formed from his back. Hizashi grabbed it and planted his feet.

The world stopped.

At a forty-five degree angle, Izuku leaned over the edge completely straight, stopped mid-fall, feet just on the edge. A glowing green string ran from his spine into the middle of the living room of an apartment on the sixth floor of the complex where a man with long, yellow hair stood holding the other end of it.

Hizashi took a deep breath but his heart still pounded rapidly. He pulled slightly, the greenette's body reacting and coming to a standing position against the railing but not moving further as it stopped him. Hizashi walked forward, taking more string by the length so Izuku's position wouldn't change until he came up behind the boy and wrapped his arms around him.

Hizashi hauled Izuku over the rail before he collapsed on the floor of the balcony. He looked down at the boy draped across his legs.

Izuku stared up blankly at the night's sky.

Hizashi swallowed, tears welling in his eyes. He lifted the boy up by his shoulders and took him into a hug, unable to hold himself back.

"Why would you do that!?" he yelled. "I- What happened!? I was so worried!"

...

"Why...?" Hizashi jolted. "Why," the boy continued, "can' I even die correctlae?" Hizashi's heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong? I thought it wan'ed me gone. Is it jus' toyin' with me? Makes sense. Imma doll afta all."

"No..."

"I don't understand. I put down the pencil. I should be gone by 'ow. I said goodbye. I shouldn' be 'ere. It wants me gone. Why ain't I gone?"

"Don't say that..."

"What do I do 'ow? Jus' keep livin'?"

"Yes!" Hizashi didn't even know if the boy was listening. He sounded as though he was just rambling to himself.

"It 'urts. Is that wha' it wants?"

Hizashi grabbed Izuku by his shoulders and tried to look him in the eyes. "Nobody wants that!" Only... Izuku wasn't looking at him. The greenette's head fell to the side, dull, lifeless eyes looking through Hizashi as if the man wasn't even there.

"What did I do wrong?" he asked to no one in particular. Hizashi still replied. "You did nothing wrong, I promise! Please! Listen to me!"

A sigh. A long, tired sigh.

Hizashi leaned forward, head resting against Izuku's chest, tears streaming. "Come on, Izu... please... just tell me you can hear me...?" It was silent.

Hizashi choked on a sob. "Mary Lou, I'm so sorry! I don't know what to do!" Hizashi jolted when a weight lightly fell on his head. Then again. And again. He looked up and met his eyes with blank ones.

"There, there." Izuku was... patting him. "Don' cry." His voice was so empty. Hizashi leaned up. "I- Izuku?" The boy was still looking down where Hizashi was. His head slowly raised with his arm. A small hand came up, gently wiped at the tears continuously falling from the older man's eyes. "There, there." Izuku was trying to comfort him.

Subconsciously.

Hizashi grabbed the hand nearing his face. "Izuku! You can hear me right!?" The boy blinked slowly. Hizashi grit his teeth.

"I'm," Hizashi started slowly, "hurting." Izuku blinked. Hizashi nodded, placing a hand on his chest. "I am hurting. I am sad right here." The boy looked down at his chest. He lifted a hand and put it over Hizashi's that rests on it. Hizashi nodded. "Right there." Izuku looked up.