stolen pencils, tiny footsteps

do not make a sound

All things considered, Izuku isn't really that great of a borrower.

Borrowers are meant to take things that won't be missed or noticed when gone. They were meant for small houses with as few humans living inside as possible. Fewer humans meant fewer chances to be spotted and caught and hurt.

Borrowers were to go out when no human were out and about, slinking through the walls and floorboards in the dead of night or when the humans were not at home. Being caught in the act meant leaving and finding a new home to live in, or in extreme cases; it could mean a borrower's death.

Human's did not take kindly to sharing their home with tiny people. Who would? No one wants their belongings to vanish, bit by bit. And no one wanted to be spied on by tiny little eyes when you think you are truly by yourself.

Not that borrowers are malicious—they only wish to take what they need to survive, and nothing more! Was that so wrong?

And with all that in mind, Izuku was a horrible borrower.

Not in the sense he was bad at what he does! No, he would have starved to death long ago if that were the case.

He was too curious and just a little bit greedy for his own good.

Borrowers should stay away and out of sight until humans are away?

Izuku actively seeks humans out during the busiest of times. Watching their habits, interactions, everything that makes a human, well, human.

Each individual was different and unique. They had their own likes and dislikes, their own friend groups, and personal little niches that made them who they were. They were interesting and fun to observe.

Borrowers should take what would go unnoticed, and only what they needed to survive?

Izuku takes what he finds interesting.

He is a hoarder through and through. If he thinks he can use something, the item in question will be snatched away the next day.

The humans notice, of course. They would be blind not to.

However, no one thinks of a borrower stealing their stuff, not when there are hundreds of other more likely candidates for the small theft.

Which brings to the next point: borrowers live in small houses, with as few humans as possible.

Living in a school was anything but small and few.

Izuku lost count of how many close calls he had over the years. How many times humans just barely spotted the tiny borrower in the corner of their eye. Or just often he was from being trampled to his death by unsuspecting shoes because he was an idiot walking around when humans were present.

It was nothing but pure, unrestrained chaos.

But it was his home.

And once he got used to the chaos, Izuku couldn't imagine going back to live in some stuffy old house with the world's most boring, uninteresting human living in it.

Everyday felt like a new adventure to the young borrower. It was interesting, it was fun. And he wouldn't trade it for the world.

Well,

It would be nicer if his parents were here. Or if he could know if they were safe.

But it wasn't like you could really... enter the school grounds or your own. Izuku was pretty sure of that fact.

So, as it was, Izuku could admit that he might be... just a tiny bit... lonely.

But it was fine! It was impossible to spiral too far in his loneliness when the school was so packed full of humans!