Chapter Text
"God why does it have to be me again?" Aizawa said as he forcibly shoved himself out of his warm bed. An intruder alarm rang throughout the campus. They were lucky the students were away for holidays and didn't cause a mass ruckus.
"Eraserhead, please dispatch the underground hero Erserhead." the robotic voice sounded.
"I heard you the first time." he muttered annoyed.
He debated whether going out in his pajamas would be a crime or not, since they looked so much like his costume, but in the end he hastly put on his real suit.
Running down the stairs and out the door, his footsteps became soundless as he preyed on the unwelcome visitor. Shouta spotted a dark clad figure looking lost. He hid behind a tree and readied his attack, his hands already on the capture weapon.
The silver, carbon strengthened, band shot out and wrapped itself on the intruder's arm. The man flinched and his eyes looked right into Eraserhead's deep red ones.
"Shit!" he cursed. He quickly struggled in the restraints pulling as hard as he could.
Aizawa went in for a punch when it collided with the man's back, having had turned around to block. He tried un uppercut, but the man crouched despite having the force of his scarf pulling him upwards. He blinked for what felt like a millisecond when a strong smell reached his nose, but it was enough for the trespasser to activate his quirk. The stench bomb that had done its duty, was discarded on the floor and the next thing he saw was black.
()
He woke up in an unfamiliar place. A back alley that looked like all the others did. He supposed the stranger had kidnapped him, but he felt no ropes tying him down. Speaking of feeling, his point of view was much too low even if he was on his stomach. He felt weird and tried to bring a hand to his head to rub his forehead when he saw a paw... his paw. He jumped up and heard a cat screech in the background, that actually wasn't in the background at all.
"God why does it have to be me again?" Aizawa said as he forcibly shoved himself out of his warm bed. An intruder alarm rang throughout the campus. They were lucky the students were away for holidays and didn't cause a mass ruckus.
"Eraserhead, please dispatch the underground hero Eraserhead." the robotic voice sounded.
"I heard you the first time." he muttered annoyed.
He debated whether going out in his pyjamas would be a crime or not, since they looked so much like his costume, but in the end he hasty put on his real suit.
Running down the stairs and out the door, his footsteps became soundless as he preyed on the unwelcome visitor. Shouta spotted a dark clad figure looking lost. He hid behind a tree and readied his attack, his hands already on the capture weapon.
The silver, carbon strengthened, band shot out and wrapped itself on the intruder's arm. The man flinched and his eyes looked right into Eraserhead's deep red ones.
"Shit!" he cursed. He quickly struggled in the restraints pulling as hard as he could.
Aizawa went in for a punch when it collided with the man's back, having had turned around to block. He tried un uppercut, but the man crouched despite having the force of his scarf pulling him upwards. He blinked for what felt like a millisecond when a strong smell reached his nose, but it was enough for the trespasser to activate his quirk. The stench bomb that had done its duty, was discarded on the floor and the next thing he saw was black.
()
He woke up in an unfamiliar place. A back alley that looked like all the others did. He supposed the stranger had kidnapped him, but he felt no ropes tying him down. Speaking of feeling, his point of view was much too low even if he was on his stomach. He felt weird and tried to bring a hand to his head to rub his forehead when he saw a paw... his paw. He jumped up and heard a cat screech in the background, that actually wasn't in the background at all.
He was on all fours, and had furry legs. He felt a new muscle and when he moved it, becoming distracted by the enchanting moves of his tail. It seemed even his behaviour was modified to that of a cat's, more or less. He snapped out and looked around for his clothes, ID, wallet, any possessions, but was greeted by an empty view. The chance of his capture weapon getting in the wrong hands was already bad enough. He had to get back to UA. Seeing the sun barely peeking out in the east he figured he must have been knocked out for a good few hours and rose up in the early morning.
He exited the alley carefully, trying to adjust to his quatrupedalism. It was easier and came more natural than he thought. Having known most of the city he realized he was still in Musutafu, roughly in the southern section, closer to the red district than he would wish. Thankfully none of his limbs were broken and he could easily make his way around. Looking around one more time and finding nothing he ran out and started heading for a metro station, where he would hopefully be able to blend in so as to not have to run to the other side of the city.
He ran devoted and made it to the station in record time, not that it was extremely far away. Being a cat had its advantages. The entry way was packed with people and he had not trouble slithering through the their legs. Just as he was about to weave his way in the train, a sweaty looking man, with a thin mustache and faded beard kicked him in the stomach. He went flying a couple meters and heard the man say something about 'fucking pests' before he saw the doors closing. He missed the train...
No problem, he would wait for the second one were it not for the warden who personally came up to him and picked him up by the scruff of his neck. He meowed rebellious but ended up being thrown out. Great. He muttered some remarks in his head and carried on having no other option but to run all the way to UA.
Shouta was grumpy thinking about his coffee. He had had to go back to where he started since he had gone the opposite way for the closest train station- so he was back where he started. The fastest way to the high-school would be through the red district, which was just as unpleasant to traverse as a cat as it was when he was human. The only difference was that if something happened he would not be able to intervene. The thought made him rack his brains for a solution.
He was striding towards the zone when he noticed a familiar face. Problem child.
What he was doing in these parts was beyond him. He cautiously walked up to the boy that was sitting on a bench. His hood was up but Aizawa could recognize his eyes right away, despite them looking duller than ever. His face was also inexplicably foreign. His complexion was thinner and less pigmented, his skin wasn't glowing and he looked terribly tired.
"Meow?" came out. He himself had to restart his brain after not being used to the situation.
Midoriya seemed to have noticed the stray cat and switched his foreign look to something tangible. He made no other move so Aizawa, swallowing his pride, meowed again.
"Meow?"
"Yeah, I have some food." he said looking far away. Shouta had to do a double take, his voice sounded nothing like the cheery one he knew. It was deeper and monotonous, and somehow suited him to a tee. It was like the voice and expressions he knew so far from school were fakes, when compared to those he was noticing now.
Izuku pulled out of his garish and dirty yellow backpack a half, not even half, a quarter eaten sandwich and placed it on the floor in front of him.
"Eat the meat if you don't like the rest." he said turning away his view.
Now this was a dilemma, the kid had sacrificed his lunch for him but he couldn't eat it. They both knew the food wasn't adequate for a cat, but in a crisis situation- especially given what he looked like- a bite wouldn't hurt if only to stop the hunger. The problem was he was not low enough to eat it.
"A picky stray... can't say it's the first time I've seen one." the grenette got up and walked away.
If only he had a way to make Midroiya recognize him. He sprinted after the boy and meowed again to get his attention.
"What do you want?"
"Meow."
"Mother's gonna kill me if she sees a stray."
Concerning, but could be just a figure of speech. He prayed the kid had a laptop or a pc at home so he could press the keys on the keyboard with his paws to create a message.
"Meow?" it was becoming embarrassing.
"Scram." he said with no bite in his tone. He did in fact, not leave, choosing to march after his student. Outside the sun was still barely showing, and the street lamps were turned on, brightly illuminating the way. It was not an appropriate time for a high-school boy to be out at.
Midoriya seemed to head closer and closer to the high criminal activity zone. It was confusing, surely the kid didn't live there. Aizawa's worries were proven right when he walked on the porch of a shabby house just a few meters away from the designated 'border' of the red district.
'What the hell kid.' Shouta thought.
The house was in a terrible shape, its paint was peeling and the wood was cracked and inflated by humidity. The front door looked anything but reassuring, any old retired man could be able to smash a pipe through the moulded frame. Izuku pulled out his keys from a side pocket in his backpack and as silent as possible turned then over in the lock. He didn't want to acknowledge the cat at his feet that looked like was waiting patiently.
Before entering, when he heard a click, he peered inside.
Aizawa could see well given his night view. Inside the dark room you could see a woman snoozing on the couch. around her were green tinted shards, there was a mess of bottles in front laying on a coffee table. His eyes widened but the kid looked unaffected. He quietly closed the door behind him and stepped in, taking off his old shoes. Shouta quickly slipped in as well his padded feet following Midoriya's steps so as to not make the wood creak.
Aizawa could only try to comprehend the images he saw once he was safely inside the boy's room. His enlightening moment was short lived as a strong smell of iron hit him. He backed away until he hit the door and looked towards the closed attached bathroom. That was all he could focus on.
"You followed me huh?" he heard the kid ask.
Midoriya threw his backpack in the corner of the room and opened the door he was intensely staring at. It looked like a minor murder scene. Dried blood was staining the white sink and floor tiles. Midoriya casually washed his hands and picked up a rag.
"Forgot to scrub it this morning..." he muttered.
He couldn't even meow. Was the kid hurt? Did someone attack him? Was that his blood? Countless questions were running through his mind.
He took a moment, in his stupor to look around the bedroom. It was exceptionally plain. No posters or figurines that would be stereotypical for a teenagers room. No colours, just a blank canvas. There was a creaky bed shoved in a corner, a desk next to it and a wardrobe that looked like it would soon fall over the kid and kill him in his sleep. There was no rug to cover at least a patch of the unpolished floor. The closet was open and was empty save for a few hoodies, two or three pairs of sweatpants and a drawer for socks and underwear.
Midoriya came out of the now clean bathroom and pulled out his laptop setting it on the barren desk.
"Used to have a lot more you know? I moved them to the dorms at my high-school."
Fantastic, he was the type to talk to animals. Aizawa thought it in the least ironic way possible, it was a goldmine for him, especially the laptop sitting harmlessly closed. This must explain the state of the room as well, surely the kid had moved his decorations in his new accommodation.
"I can't get you anything to eat." he said as he opened the window. "That's for when you want to leave." he turned over on his bed and popped in his ears his earphones. With his sensitive hearing, Aizawa could also choose to listen to the kid's playlist. It was surprisingly angsty...
He shook his head and jumped on the desk clawing at the computer. It should have been effortlessly easy but was apparently impossible. Staring meowing without even noticing he all of a sudden heard thumps coming from behind the door. Midoriya seemed to have sensed them as well as he hastily ripped out his wired headphones and grabbed him shoving him under the bed. He earned an indignated meow, which he violently shushed.
The door blew open and Midoriya adopted the position of a soldier.
"WHAT DID I JUST HEAR?"
'What the hell was happening?' Shouta thought dazed. he hit the wall under the bed pretty hard after being thrown like a rag doll or better a bowling ball.
'WAS THAT A CAT? DID YOU BRING A FILTHY ANIMAL IN HERE?"
"I'm sorry mother it was simply a video I was watching on my phone."
"That damn phone and kids these days!" she raged. "Can't even sleep in this shit house! It's all your fault we had to move here! It's your fault you were born you useless child!"
Aizawa tried to catch up but was left confused. This was never what the expected to see, or hear. He saw from the small part under the bed how the woman took a few steps forward and the next thing he heard was a resonating slap. He froze.
Inko grabbed his hair and made his look down as she was shorter. "Damn holidays, damn school! You even dared to come and plague this house!"
He heard a hiss before he saw the boy getting dragged out of the room and down the stairs. He was left unmoving trying to control his instinct to jump up and shield his kid. He carefully exited and sneaked after the two.
The living room was reeking of alcohol, cheap bear and gin. He caught a scene from behind the stairs where his mother threw a bottle after him. The bottle crashed in his arm after he protected his head and he could see shards embedded in his flesh. The woman was shouting something about 'cooking and cleaning' before shoving the kid further down another set of stairs. That's how he was met with the sight of the basement door.
The basement was just as filled with an iron smell as was the bathroom, even worse. Inko, Shouta recalled was the woman's name from his student's files, grabbed a bat laying on the floor and struk the back of his neck. The kid immediately collapsed and fell to the floor. Aizawa watched the scene unfold horrified. He ran inside and jumped on the woman hitting her pressure point with his weak paw. He himself was surprised he managed.
She fell with a thump and Midoriya looked up.
"Haah." he panted. "You, knocked her down." his voice was just as monotonous and 'normal'.
In his cat form he tried to signal how aghast he was but he couldn't rightfully express his emotions. Izuku reached out a hand and petted his back a couple times, then he got up and dragged his mother at the entrance of the basement. Shouta was confused until the kid returned with a bottle of beer and placed it near the invalidated woman. He was making it look like she passed out after beating him. He closed the basement door himself from the inside using a broken hanger. All throughout Aizawa appeared rightfully appalled and disoriented.
Midoriya sat down on the cold cement floor and laid down with an arm under his head. His eyes were staring through the ceiling.
"Meow!"
A deep sigh. "Yes?"
"Meow?"
"Do you by any chance have a quirk? You're awfully perceptive."
"Meow." 'No I'm a human.'
"Don't be scared. I'll get you out once she comes and lets me out."
"Meow!" 'That's not why I am agitated at all!'
The kid seemed to ignore him, even the paws that started lightly punching him. He fell asleep without even trying to clean up his wounded arm. The black hoodie was soiled along the right member.
()
He woke up to the sound of heavy metal door being forced opened.
His mother said nothing as she looked him over and left to get wasted. He heard the front door being slammed open.
He had no idea of how time passed, but his stomach was churning.
Shouta was in disbelief throughout the two or so days his internal clock counted. He never would have fathomed the state his kid was in. The home situation was disastrous to say the least. The basement was no less from a torture chamber, he was lucky he didn't get to see the kid whipped by one of the whips hanging from a clothing hanger. That didn't mean it never happened and who knows, maybe if he hadn't intervened he would have had the image burned on his retinas now.
He meowed insistent and sunk his teeth in the kid's hoodie, pulling, to shake him out of his dissociative state.
"Yeah... let's go."
He didn't expect to be picked up. It was unexpectedly comfortable and he could fall asleep as if he was in his sleeping bag.
They went back to Midoriya's bedroom and the kid took off his hoodie to probably shower. Right as he was about to turn and give his student some privacy he saw the blood soaked, previously white bandages wrapped around his forearms. Shouta paused, his pupils wide.
"They need changing..." he carefully but skillfully unwrapped them. Aizawa had just realized he had never seen his kid in anything other than a long sleeved shirt before. It was hard to believe but more and more was getting revealed and he was having a hard time catching up to the amount of trauma.
His skin was marred in fresh and new scars. Not only self-inflicted, he could spot a few burns and the new bleeding gash from the bear bottle shard that tore through his bandages. He felt as he was pondering and rearranging his thoughts for no more than a few seconds but he noticed Midoriya in fresh clothes (that looked the same as his dirty ones) and realized the didn't hear the shower in the background anymore.
He took the chance to jump on the desk yet again and scratch as his laptop.
"What do you want? I can't believe you want to write do you?"
"Meow!"
It was too much, to have the cat's judging eyes onto him, he didn't think he could withstand a conversation with anyone now
"No." he whispered. "And be careful with your volume if you don't want to be locked up again. Who knows maybe I'll skin you next time if you go about causing trouble."
He was taken aback by the threat. It was only natural he had never seen Izuku out of a kind setting where he thrived being the sunshine of the group.
"Hahaha." His ears twitched and he turned to look.
"I hate everything. I just want this year to finish so I can fucking kill myself already."
...
It was all a lie. Everything was. Midoriya was nothing but a lie, a carefully built image. It dawned on him when he pieced everything together, the abuse and his personality, he hid everything about himself. He remembers how he overheard at school that Midoriya said he loved helping his mother in the weekends; who knows what that excuse was for.
"How is it being a cat? You look like you've been having a rough time on the streets."
It was true, his fur was tangled and dirty, probably the cat equivalent to his dishevelled human state.
This time he didn't meow.
"I can't stay here. It feels like I am suffocating." he said in a whisper playing and tugging at his collar. He got down and picked up his discarded backpack again, throwing it over his right shoulder. Aizawa had to hurry behind him to not get locked in the room. He jumped out the second floor window and landed in a roll. Shouta had to be impressed, he knows most of the kids, including Midoriya, struggled with this move at school. Seems the boy was much more than he let on.
He didn't want to try and communicate, not after the surprises he'd been shown. It was pitch black outside but Izuku was used to the night, he loved it, everything was enhanced during this time. He sat on a paint chipped bench that freaked even under his light weight. Aizawa himself enjoyed night-time, he frequented it during his patrols. It was a pity coffee was highly toxic to cats, otherwise he'd be sipping one right then.
"Deku.. Deku.." he heard him mutter.
His hero name all of a sudden?
"You know, I hate heroes and their stupid costumes that are ghastly colourful to bring them popularity. I hate heroes who only save the privileged. I fucking hate heroes whose sole existence ruined society... I sound like a 'villain' now don't I?" he turned to look him in the eyes. "I wonder why I was stupid enough to never try and join them, God knows I'd be happier than now."
It was terrifying how a person could change. But it was never really a change at all, this was just the real Midoriya.
"What if I-... what if completing this stupid first year doesn't mean anything? It's just an excuse to live longer? What a coward." he searched through his bag until he found it. It was a pocket knife, Shouta's stomach dropped just at the sight of it , something was not right.
"I could just end it here. Heroes never cared about me anyway, no night-time patrol hero would ever notice me anyway, they'd think I'm a beggar sleeping." He pointed the blade towards his neck.
"Meow!"
"You can leave if you don't wanna see it."
"Meow!"
He was insane and troubled, what has brought these sudden thoughts.
"...is this a message from the universe sent through a cat?" he humoured himself. "...fine." he put the blade back opting to pick up his phone and start mindlessly scrolling. Aizawa didn't notice and messages or calls from his friends.
()
The sun started leaking from the horizon line. The phones battery was at thirty-seven percent. He sighed and closed it, rising to his feet. It woke Aizawa up, who, by his surprise, managed to snooze for a few hours. He stretched like a cat and jumped down.
"I'll buy you some food, come with me."
The convenience store was a few steps ahead from their bench. The bell jingles signalling a customer but the cashier didn't even look up.
They headed straight for the animal good department, who was severely lacking good quality food. What could you expect from a corner store? He quickly paid for it, having to face the overworked teen, and exited beelining for the same bench.
"Here." he said opening it up.
Shouta didn't want to eat it at first, but his stomach was yelling at him for not having eaten in over three days, so he stepped over his dignity and dug in. His cat transformation took care of the normally disgusting taste, the food was delicious.
Having finished the can in record time he noticed the kid didn't buy anything from himself. He knew he was malnourished from having seen him outside of his baggy clothes before showering. He was lucky there were only three more days until school started again. Aizawa would file a police report immediately and force the kid onto Recovery Girl, while also having to talk to Nedzu.
While he was thinking of what was ahead of him, Midoriya made himself busy on his computer. Shota threw a glance and his eyes became glued to the screen. Analysis. He quickly read over the profile on Backdraft and refused to believe it was done by a fifteen year old boy. It was comparable to that of the principal's. What could he be doing with all of this information? He could see all the other open tabs with countless other heroes' names. He wasn't selling these was he?
"Meow?" he tried to inquire.
"Just simple analysis." It was anything but simple if the six page block was only the psychological profile. "It's bad, to say the least, but it's a hobby."
It was awful the kid was underestimating himself, but that told Aizawa he couldn't have been sharing it around, so it was in the end fortunate. Still if this skill was honed -if there was anything remaining to be polished- it would be a valuable weapon in his arsenal. Another thing to discuss with Nedzu.
He took his chance and jumped on Midoriya's lap, slapping away his hand and readying his paws. The kid didn't seem to refuse him this time.
"UA."
"That's... the highschool I go to, I don't think I've told you that before." Hie eyes scanned his form as if already trying to untie the mystery.
It was painfully slow but he managed to type a short "Aizawa, quirk."
He caught on the idea immediately and he visually wilted. Looking him in the eyes, he muttered:
"Shit." he ran a hand along his face, burying it. "This can't be happening..."
He looked caught off guard, like his whole plan was foiled. He had never thought he'd needed a scenario for this, Aizawa thought.
"...I'll get you back to UA sensei." he whispered. He was wearing a dejected look, ready to accept whatever was coming his way, his eyes somehow became duller and his movements slowed down. Everything he worked for was gone because of a fucking quirk, the very thing he loved.
"Excuse me." he said picking up the cat and setting it in his arms. Leaving behind the empty can the two made their way to the train station.
Of course nothing could go well because while he was walking he heard a call.
"Deku?!"
He turned around on instinct, immediately slipping on a meek expression and warming up his stutter.
"Iko? Tsubasa?"
"Would you look at that it's fucking Deku! How's UA treating you eh?"
"F-fine. I like it there."
"Well of course you do, you shouldn't dare to think you could hate a place waaay over your status."
"Yeah, can't believe the teachres swallowed up your 'putrid' personality." they both started laughing.
"Isn't that exactly how Hura sensei noted in your resume?"
The duo was almost rolling on the floor.
"Ey, say nah, were being serious now, how did you bribe them." Tsubasa came close to mumbled in his ear.
"I- I didn't d-o anything. I got i-in on my own!" he said a volume too loud.
"Really now? Thought you'd be dead by now honestly." he snickered. "Should've taken that advice from Bakugo, you know? The swan dive off the roof thing? Because you don't really think you'll make it out unscathed do you? Better save some face, or protect UA from a scandal and off yourself now." he made a throat cutting gesture.
Shouta couldn't meow otherwise he'd attract unwanted attention. He was listening with rapt attention, noting everything down in his mind. 'Swan dive off the roof'? Bakugo would need to explain himself otherwise he'll be out.
"Anyway can't stay and linger, don't want to catch the quirklessness. We have important things to do, unlike your useless ass. Bye Deku!"
"See you later, maybe we'll sit and talk like the good ol' times next time." he smirked deviously.
They were left in utter silence.
"Ignore them... ignore everything." he squeezed the cat a bit too hard. His tone turned icy "You should have never seen any of this anyway."
The train ride and walk to UA was filled with stinging silence. Midoriya was bitter and completely separated from their reality and Aizawa wasn't faring much better. They arrived to the gate and Izuku pressed the interphone.
"Yes?"
"I need to speak with Principal Nedzu urgently. Tell him it's about Eraserhead."
The lady went silent for a second before he heard the gates open.
This was it.... no turning back... no longer a situation where he could quietly kill the cat and 'enjoy' his remaining days the way they were planned. He could feel how with each step his life was going past the point of return.
He made his way across the familiar and unfamiliar hallways, he had not, in fact, ever went past his classroom or cafeteria.
There was a huge dark mahogany door that opened automatically, as if the person behind put a sensor on it.
"Midoriya!" the principal squeaked. "I suppose that's...mhm... Aizawa?"
"You caught the assailant?"
"Yes. How lucky that Eraser managed to run into you, we've been fretting for days."
When he left his house he never thought that he would be in this sort of situation so he didn't apply makeup. He look far skinnier and paler; sickly pale, with dark circles under his eyes. Nedzu didn't comment on it, only giving Aizawa a subtle look that in his perturbed mental state he missed, unlike ever before.
"Thank you for bringing him here. I contacted a quirk specialists as soon as I was redirected to your call, rest assured your teacher will be back the way you knew him."
He bowed politely and made a move to leave.
"Meow!"
"Hm?" Nedzu tilted his head.
"I'm going sensei, see you after the holidays..."
The next meow didn't stop him.
"Is there something wrong Aizawa?" Nedzu asked mildly worried, but more curious.
"Meow!"
"Im afraid well need to wait to properly communicate, don't worry, the lady will be here in less than an hour."
()
He was walking aimlessly in the hot sun. Under his hoodie he was sweating, but he paid no mind to it. Perhaps in the window of time he had he should quickly find a building... so indecisive, what a disappointment he wasn't jumping at the opportunity. Should he go back home, or carry on?
He took a deep breath and one step in the direction that felt right.