Tea In A Bar

Chapter 16: "You're back!"

Izuku was drifting, drowning. At least that's what it felt like. It always felt like he was being pushed underwater and couldn't breathe. More things were always being added to the weight that dragged him down.

The looks from his mom, teachers, classmates. Those were additional weights. Each cut and bruise was another one. Every time someone's face twisted into disgust once they found out he didn't have a quirk.

Even when he did get one, courtesy of All Might, it was not something to keep him afloat. Instead, it was another weight.

Did no one see him drowning?

No, they didn't. After all, Izuku was very good at pretending he was fine or at least smiling like he was. All these years he managed to reach the surface a couple of times to get some air before going back down under.

But after his exam, he couldn't anymore.

So he drifted.

He wasn't even able to get the burn cream he had gone to the store. Simply trapped in his own mind, in a sea of cruelty and doubts. In thoughts that made it hard to breathe.

So he didn't notice when a familiar voice called out to him. But he felt a small warmth for a moment. Slowly the sea of unpleasant thoughts disappeared, replaced by smoke, wisps of grey around him. Nothing there that dragged him down.

Then he saw the lights like he had in the past and in front of him was the woman with a beauty mark on her chin.

She tilted her head and looked at him with a smile that made him want to cry. There was something heartbreaking in her eyes. And he watched as she reached out a hand and placed it on his cheek.

"Oh Izuku," She said, "I'm so sorry."

Why was she apologizing, he thought. He wanted to ask but once again he could not speak wherever 'this' was.

"I-," The woman looked down and to the side.

Izuku noticed how the other lights were close by again, and one of them waved at him. It was a little funny and he thought about waving back. Were they other people? He turned back to the woman when she spoke again.

"I know you're tired, so it's okay. Don't be hard on yourself sweetheart. Just-just rest okay?" She was looking at him with that look in her eyes. He wasn't used to it. Why was she looking at him like that, why did it hurt?

Maybe it was because not even his own mother looked at him like that, telling him to rest.

And God, did he want to rest.

Could he? Was it okay?

Just like last time, the woman seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. She nodded and brought his face towards her. Then she kissed his forehead.

"It's okay Izuku."

Then she let go and Izuku felt himself being pulled away. But he didn't want to go, he reached out his hand. He didn't want to go back to drifting again. He was so tired of it. The woman kept smiling at him, as if trying to reassure him it would be okay.

Maybe it would.

He pulled back his hand and let himself be pulled away.

Instead of feeling like he was going back underwater, he felt the softness of a cushion underneath him. He could hear familiar voices and the warmth of someone's hands on his face.

When he opened his eyes it took a few moments to process what he was seeing.

Yellow eyes were staring right at him and dirty ash-blond hair framed a young girl's face.