The Pied Piper of Musutafu

Nico

Amahiko sat down next to Shouta, the hero taking a short break to eat a jelly pack and catch his breath. 

"I've put out feelers but haven't found anything besides an abandoned warehouse." Amahiko said. "It was even more bare than the bar Dabi found Shigaraki in." 

Shouta sighed. "You know you can let us Pro's handle this?" 

Amahiko glared. "They hurt you. I may have undone the damage but they still had the audacity to lay hands on you and they will not go unpunished." 

Shouta backed off. Amahiko was pretty laid back about everything but someone he cared for getting hurt.

Thank you for being his friend. 

"I'm sorry." Shouta said. 

"It's my fault if any. I'm a literal god. I should have known beheading wouldn't-" he trailed off, eyes focused on the horizon as he sensed something Shouta couldn't. 

"This way." He said, leaping to the next roof. 

Aizawa only paused long enough to stuff his jelly pack back in his belt before following him. 

It was a bit nostalgic, running across rooftops in the dead of night, following Amahiko without truly knowing the destination, pushed as fast as he could go without breaking while Amahiko was barely winded. 

Amahiko didn't bother pretending to be human this time and skipped grabbing handhold to slow his decent, jumping off the building edge and landing lightly from a fall that would leave Shouta as grotesque Street art. 

The Underground hero used his scarf to rappel down, landing next to his friend only a bit winded. 

"Schist." Amahiko muttered. "It's too late." 

Shouta frowned before he heard it, a death rattle of failing, blood filled lungs. 

Amahiko dug in the trash, tossing bags out of the way like they weighted nothing before pulling something onto his lap. 

"It's okay." He murmured. "I'm here. You won't die alone." 

Shouta was right behind him, kneeling to see a teenager, the same age as his students, lying in Amahiko's lap, chest and face covered in blood. Shouta didn't need to examine too closely to realize a lost cause.  

"If you want to call me that, you can, child." Amahiko murmured, running his hand down the teems face, other hand held in a literal death grip. 

"Rest. I'll tell him. Promise." 

The teen seemed to grin, and the light faded in his eyes. 

Amahiko sighed, eyes closed for a moment. "Sometimes, I really hate humans." 

—--------

Shouta watched as the ambulance took the body away, Amahiko hiding in the shadows so only the Pro had to give his statement. 

As soon as he could, Aizawa jumped up on the roof to see Amahiko…talking to the dead teen. 

"What the fuck?" 

Amahiko looked surprised. "You can see him?" 

"It's a bit hard not to." Shouta said, moving slowly around to Amahiko's side. 

"How the…I can't give that ability. Only…" He trailed off, looking thoughtful. 

"What?" Shouta said after a few minutes, eyes still watching the blood covered ghost who had backed off to let them talk.

"What do you remember after the USJ? Did you dream? Weird visitors, animals outside your window?" 

Shouta thought back. 

Thank you for being his friend.

"I…maybe? I thought it was delirium for getting snapped in half. But I heard a voice talking to me before I woke up  I assumed it was Hizashi but I'm not so sure now.: 

Amahiko reached out with both hands, waiting for consent to touch Shouta's head. 

Perseus's fingers were cool, and he smelled of smoke and seasalt like always, his eyes glowing gold and Shouta knew his were the same. 

Suddenly he was back in that dark place, only Amahiko was still holding on to him. 

Thank you for being his friend. 

The scene faded and Shouta was hit by a major headache, Amahiko going down next to him. 

"No wonder you can see ghost." The god said, an amused grin on his face. "The god of the Dead likes you."