Kumo

Chapter 2

Izuku hobbled down the empty sidewalk. He shivered as a cool breeze washed over him. If it weren't for the street lights at the corners, it would have been pitch black. His leg ached every time he accidentally jerked it.

He sighed, looking around. It was too late for the buses and trains to be running. It wasn't like he had any money on him anyway. All of that was back at home. Hopefully.

He grimaced as he remembered being forced to tell the nurse at the hospital why nobody was coming to pick him up, why nobody was listed on his chart. He remembered the dread of overhearing the nurse and a doctor talk about orphanages. He hadn't been quite sure it was him they were discussing, but then again how many orphaned kids ended up in the hospital?

A lot, actually, but he wasn't taking any chances.

So that night when most of the staff had gone home, Izuku took his only opportunity. It was hard, it was painful, and he had almost gotten caught twice.

If only he hadn't broken his leg from that fall. The blood loss he could handle, but it had been a while since his leg had been out of commission and he forgot how hard it was to move. And how loud it was.

He hadn't even realized the blood loss he suffered until he woke up with small stitches in his thighs.

That didn't matter now. all he had to do was get home, put the whole ordeal behind him, and hope no one came looking.

Luckily, his apartment wasn't too far from the hospital. Unluckily, he was on the second floor and the apartment didn't have an elevator. It took him five minutes to get up the flight of stairs. He kept wobbling even with his crutches.

He walked passed a small group of people in the hall as he approached his apartment. The group talked amongst themselves, but their voices stopped when Izuku plucked the sheet of paper hanging off his door.

He saw them exchange worried glances out of the corner of his eye. He read the paper, and crumpled it between his hands. He heard it tear.

A pair of feet approached from behind. Izuku looked over his shoulder to see his neighbor, Chie, looking down at him.

"I don't suppose you have extra money for rent?" Izuku asked.

Chie shook her head, kneeling down to match his level. "What did it say?" The other two people with her slowly came forward. Izuku eyed them wearily. He wasn't too familiar with them, and he was pretty sure one of them was a villain but it didn't matter.

"He's changing the locks if I don't pay tomorrow morning," Izuku whispered.

Chie frowned. "That bastard," she muttered.

Izuku shrugged. "It's fine. I'll just do more commissions tonight and go to the back tomorrow."

Chie gave him an unimpressed look "You know commissions don't pay that much." Izuku squeezed his eyes shut. She was hinting at the raised rent. It was 10,000 yen higher. There was no way he'd get that much in time. He'd run out of customers.

Tears that Izuku didn't know were there started running down his face. Chie pulled him against her chest, being mindful of his leg. He sobbed into his arms.

"As much as I hate to say it," she whispered, "there is the homeless shelter."

Izuku shook his head. He really didn't want to go there. The one nearby had a terrible reputation. Reports of items being stolen, women being sexually harassed, and just general abuse from people and even some of the staff.

"You're not sleeping on the streets, Izuku."

"I'm not going to that shelter. I can protect myself."