Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

By and large, it was a normal day. 

For everyone but Izuku, that was.

Because for him  the voices in his head where driving him insane

Normally, see, they all got along. Everyone kept to their corners and behaved amicably. 

But, for some inane reason, on a school day of all days, they decided to behave idiotically and wreak havoc in his headspace. 

However, he had to go to school today. Yes, his system was giving him a headache, but no one knew about his system yet except his mom, his therapist, Kacchan, and All Might. And there’s no way he was going to tell anyone else. He wasn’t ready to face the possibility of rejection.  

So, he headed out of his dorm. 

“Morning Midoriya!” Sero exclaimed, flashing him his usual toothy grin. .

“Good morning,” he responded, waving. 

He sat down to have breakfast and let the chatter distract him from the chaos inside his head.

Chapter Text

That was it, he was going to find a way to murder Isda and Chuuya. 

They, for some unknowable reason, were antagonizing Morana. Which made no sense to him, everyone in the system loved her, but here they all were. 

And all this would be tolerable if it weren't for the fact that they were doing it while he was in class.

He tried to send calming waves their way so they would stop, but it didn’t work.

Finally, he had enough. 

He stood up, and screamed “WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP ALREADY!”

There was silence in the classroom, but he wasn't paying attention to that.

“ALL you two have done today is be ANTAGONISTIC. Morana did absolutely NOTHING WRONG Isda. She was right, you were being rude, stop making fun of her.

“And Chuuya!” He exclaimed, gesturing wildly, “Stop egging them on, it’s annoying and pointless. I am trying to focus on school, please just SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY.”

Silence reigned in the classroom.

Finally, Tsuyu spoke. “Midoriya? Who are you talking to?”

Izuku froze.

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit

They knew. 

Aizawa wasn’t dumb, he’d figure it out.

He’d figure out and think he was a freak and then he’d be expelled from U.A. and be a laughingstock wherever he went just like when he was Quirkless. 

Aizawa cleared his throat, “Care to explain this outburst, Problem Child?”

He started panicking. ‘Calm down’ came Omisha’s voice ‘panicking won’t help. Let me take over’

So he sunk out and was replaced by Omisha, who said “We’ll tell you after class is over for the day. Apologies for interrupting”

Aizawa narrowed his eyes at the formality, but nodded.

And so they returned to class.

After the bell rung, Izuku (who had stopped panicking and was now in control again) made up an excuse about how he had left his phone at his dorm and slipped away.

Slipped away to pack up.

Because Izuku? He couldn’t face them. He was going to run away

Chapter Text

Izuku knew he only had a few minutes before someone noticed he didn't just go to the forms to fetch his phone. He had to act fast.

He only packed essentials; he didn't have to worry about anyone seeing him because everyone was at class, so that was one potential problem he didn’t have to worry about.

But where to go? Everyone would immediately assume he’d been kidnapped, so had to write a note explaining that he wasn't so they wouldn't get worried. He quickly scribbled down on his bedside table

“I’m sorry. We're a system. Look it up, you’ll find it. I know I’m a freak and I don’t belong, so I’m sorry we ever pretended otherwise. These have been the happiest years of our life. I’m running away. I’m too much of a coward to face you all head on. I’m sorry.”

He placed the note on his door and headed out.

‘This is a terrible idea-’

“Shut up   Omisha” he exclaimed, “I know   but I can’t face them. ”

Omisha just sighed.

‘I just hope you know what you’re doing. This area of town is dangerous’

“I know, that just means no one will look for us here. Now will you please shut up, because, as you correctly pointed out, this part of town is dangerous and I don't want someone to hear me seemingly talking to myself.”

“Well you’re right about that ,” said a voice from behind him.

Izuku whirled around, OfA at the ready.

And came face to face with a gang of villains, all with quirks at the ready.

Oh shit

Chapter Text

All Izuku could see was black.

‘Where am I?’

‘Be quiet,’ Asano hissed. ‘You’ve been kidnapped by a gang. There’s a bag over your head. You have to remain calm.’ 

It took every ounce of Izuku's willpower to keep himself from screaming out his frustration. How the hell did this happen?!?!

‘Wow you’re very cool for wallowing in self pity now will you please calm down ’

Izuku sighed internally, but obliged. Asano was the best prepared for times like these; he would have to be an idiot not to listen to him. And despite what some people said, Izuku was no idiot.

‘Thank you. There seem to be seven of them, they’re currently gloating over having kidnapped a U.A. student. It seems they’re planning to use you for ransom. That could be good, more chance of survival-- if they deliver on their promises, that is. They don’t exactly seem like the type to do that. That means we’ve gotta be prepared to fight our way out. Also-’

Just then, a crash resounded through the building, startling Asano out of his internal ramble. 

‘Shit, I don’t know what that could be.’

There was yelling and screaming and fighting noises and then silence.

Izuku tentatively reached out verbally; “hello?”

“Hey, It’s ok. I’m here to help.” A soft voice said.

“What’s-what’s your name?” Izuku’s voice trembled out

The voice seemed to hesitate. “Touya. My name’s Touya, kid. Are you ok?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. Perfectly fine.. We’re fine, ” he repeated.

“I don’t think you’re fine, kid. And that’s ok, got it? Now, let’s get this bag off your head. Close your eyes to give yourself time to adjust to the light.”

The kind stranger slowly eased the bag off his head.

And then exclaimed “What th-!? Midoriya??”

Izuku’s eyes snapped open. And saw the villain Dabi standing there. 

Aizawa was losing his goddamn mind. 

Stupid Problem Child. Stupid him for not realizing that the Problem Child would do something like this. 

He had no clue what to do.

Of course he had figured out that Izuku was plural, but he had no clue where he had gotten it into his head that he was a freak because of it. And if he found out any particular person was the cause, they would meet his fists. Pro hero duties or not.

Chapter Text

Izuku was being kidnapped. Again .

This time by an actual bonafide villain .

Fuck his life. 

‘I would just like to take this time to tell you that I told you so.’

“Shut up Omisha,” he grumbled.

Dabi paused. “You good, kid?”

“Why do you care. You’re the one who fucking kidnapped me ” he said, glaring. 

“Look,” Dabi said. “I don’t like kidnapping kids. But you know my real name and there’s no way in hell I’m letting my family find out that their sibling became a villain.”

Izuku paused. “You know Touya is a common name right? I probably wouldn’t have found out your identity anyway.”

“Shit.” Dabi swore, “You’re right.”

“Besides,” Izuku muttered, “It’s not like there’s anyone I can tell.”

“Why not? You go to U.A. don’t you? You must be swarmed with so-called ‘heroes’.”

Izuku didn’t know what to say. Then he decided ‘fuck it. It’s not like this can get any worse’.

“I’m a system, and everyone at U.A. just found out. I ran away. That’s when I got kidnapped by the gang.”

“Huh. Okay then,” Dabi said, shrugging.

“Wait. What? No ‘wow a U.A. student is a freak’?”

Dabi glared. “Listen here. Twice is plural too. I don’t care if you are a system, don’t call my friend a freak. Being plural does not make you a freak. Got it?”

Izuku gaped. 

“He is?” Izuku blurted out. 

“Who is what?” Dabi asked.

“Twice. Is he really plural too? And you don’t think we’re freaks for it?” 

Dabi’s gaze softened. “Of course not. Being plural is natural, it doesn’t make you a freak.”

Tavora whispered in his mind “he’s lying. He’s just trying to trick you into trusting him, he doesnt believe that. We’re freaks.”

Izuku nodded. That made sense to him. 

“Ssssshut up Tavora.” came a hiss from Deceit. “You wouldnt sssssay that to anyone else so dont ssssssay it to us.”

The two started fighting.

“Shut up shut up shut up shut up,” Izuku mumbled.

Dabi paused where he was making food and looked up “What did you say?”

Tavora and Deceit stopped arguing for a second and he responded “Nothing important.”

Deceit came forward and hijacked the body to say “Dont lissssten to thisssss idiot. He’sssss not ok, Tavora is being a jackasssss.”

“Deceit,” Izuku grumbled, “He’s a villain, you arent supposed to tell him things”

“He hassssn’t killed usssss yet and he’sssss been kinder than sssssome of the idiotsssss you’ve talked to.”

Izuku and Deceit returned to the front and caught Dabi looking at them. 

“What?” Izuku grumbled.

Dabi smirked “Youre back then? Did you hear any of what I was saying?”

Izuku shrunk back “no”

Dabi sighed. “Thats fine, you know that right? I was saying you shouldnt listen to Tavora. Just be a jackass right back at them.”

“I dont want to. Im not a villain, I dont treat people that way.” Izuku spat.

Dabi shrugged “Your loss. If people are rude to you, you have the right to be rude back.”

“No I dont,” Izuku mutters.

“Idiot,” Deceit hisses.

Unfortunately, at least from Izuku’s point of view, Dabi heard him. 

“Listen here,” Dabi says, poking Izuku in the chest, “You have the right to defend yourself. No matter what. Verbally, or physically, you have that right. If someone started attacking you physically, you’d defend yourself, right? So why should it be any different when youre attacked verbally?”

Izuku gaped at him. “What?”

Deceit hijacked the body again.

“THANK you. Finally. I’ve been trying to convince him of that for yearssss and he never lissstenssss .”

Izuku shook his head. “Why am I listening to this? I'm taking advice from a villain .”

Dabi sighed. “Listen kid, I may be a villain, but only for a reason. I dont get off on killing people like some jag-offs.”

Izuku dropped his head. “Sorry. I know it’s unfair. Not all villains are evil, Deceit convinced me of that a long time ago. I just- it's hard to shake years of prejudice.”

Dabi nodded “yeah, I get that kid. But it’s good that youre trying.”

“Is it ok if I give Ebony front? It wont leave, and it’s good at following instructions,” Izuku prompted.

Dabi shrugged “sure, you want me to untie you? Its not like you’ll be able to find me through only my first name, and your friends are probably worried. As long as it doesnt get back to Fuck Hands McGee that I let you go, I dont give a shit.”

Izuku gaped. He was going to let him go? Just like that. Well. It was probably a trap, but he could feel Ebony moving in so he was more apathetic than usual. “Sure, you can untie me.

And Izuku retreated into his void as Ebony took over.

Chapter Text

Ebony blinked. Where was it? Ah right, with Dabi. 

It wanted to ask for music to listen to, but it didnt want to be a bother, so it kept silent. 

Dabi spoke. “I assume you are Ebony?” He said. 

Ebony felt itself nod. “My name is Ebony, yes. What would you have me do?”

Dabi raised an eyebrow. “What do you want to do?”

Ebony hesitated. Surely it wouldn't get in trouble if he had asked? “Music.”

“You want to listen to music?” He asked. 

Ebony nodded. 

He tossed a bag to it, saying “I recovered this from the gang Izuku was kidnapped by. I think it has everything Izuku took with you.”

Ebony nodded again. “Thank you.” It took out the phone and earbuds. 

It put earbuds in and spaced, letting itself float around while Dabi made food. 

Aizawa, meanwhile, was freaking out. The Problem Child was lost, and there had been a sighting of Dabi and burned corpses of what appeared to be a gang. If Izuku was captured by the League…. he shuddered to think. They needed to come up with a plan of action, quick.

Dabi was having the weirdest fucking day. 

It had started out pretty normal, just with him burning some assholes alive, but then it had really taken a turn when he found Midoriya. Or, he supposed, Midoriya plus however many. 

Now Ebony was sitting on his couch, untied, just listening to music. Seemingly unaware that they were in the presence of one of the most notorious villains in Japan. 

And, it seemed, Midoriya had a fuck of a lot of issues. 

Dabi sighed. “I'm not being paid to deal with this. I should just leave it alone.”

He knew he wouldn't though. Despite how fucked up he had become, he was still a big brother. And he couldn't just ignore someone. ‘As long as Shigaraki doesnt find out, it’ll be ok. Right?’

Chapter Text

Dabi had just finished cooking when Ebony sat up. 

“What’s wrong Ebony?”

Ebony shook their head. “Not Ebony, Unita”

“Oh, sorry Unita. Pronouns?” Dabi asked, cursing himself for not asking Ebony when they came to front.

“It/its,” Unita responded.

Dabi nodded. 

Unita looked at him strangely. “Youre weird,” it commented. 

Dabi muffled a laugh. “No offense taken. Why’s that then?”

It blinked. “Oh, sorry. I just meant you didnt make fun of me for my pronouns. Thats weird.”

He sobered up fast. “I would never make fun of someone for their pronouns. I may be a villain, but I'm not a jackass. Your pronouns are valid, Unita.”

Unita looked at him for a second, before opening it’s arms. 

Dabi blinked. “Are… are you gesturing for a hug?”

Unita nodded. “Yeah. Is… is that ok?”

He smiles. It was nice that it trusted him, even though it was mostly stupid. 

They hug. 

Unita retracts from the hug, though reluctantly. 

Unfortunately, Dabi seemed to notice it’s hesitance. 

“What’s wrong?” He asks.

Unita fiddled with its fingers. ‘ What if this is the thing he thinks you’re a freak for’   it thinks.

But it steels itself. If he calls it a freak, then it will deal. Like it always has. 

“I’m depersonalizing. Do you know what that is?”

“Isn't that when you don’t feel like you're real?”

Unita nods. He is correct. It braces itself for the inevitable ‘how weird’ and shoves Izuku further back so he doesn’t hear. 

“Oh. Do you want to go on a walk? I hear that helps.”

If it was any more present, Unita would be gaping. But it wasnt, so it just shrugged. 

“Fine with me.”

And so they headed out. Completely unaware of what awaited them.

Chapter Text

When Izuku comes back to front he’s at a park. He drops to the ground, letting the memories wash over him. He doesn't know why. Usually Izuku would just tough it out, but he feels safe here. 

Dabi looks over him, asking “You ok kid?”

Izuku reviews Unita’s memories. Blinks. Reviews them again. 

He stands up. “Did you really tell Unita its pronouns were valid?”

Dabi looked at him. “I did. Because they are.”

Izuku teared up. “No one has ever said that before. Thank you so much.” Izuku whispers, hugging him. 

 “Then the people around you are idiots,” Dabi scoffs, returning the hug. 

Izuku giggles, somewhat deliriously.

“Want to keep walking?” Dabi asks

Izuku nods, shuffling his feet along. 

He opens his mouth to ask if he and the system can stay with him for a while when he hears a shout. 

“IZUKU!”

His head snaps up. 

It’s Uraraka.

He tugs on Dabi’s sleeve, hissing “you need to get out of here before she sees you”, but its too late. 

Dabi has turned and Uraraka has spotted him. She pales. And screams.

Izuku turns to Dabi, whose hand is raised, ready to summon fire. 

“Dont,” Izuku pleads. “They wouldn't have let her come out here without a pro-hero. You need to run, before they find you.”

Dabi relaxes and turns away, getting ready to escape. But he tenses up again. “Bit late for that now, isnt it.”

Izuku whips his head towards the direction Dabi is facing, and freezes when he sees Aizawa-sensei.

Chapter Text

Izuku was going to have a breakdown. They were fighting. 

And he didn't know who to help. 

Aizawa and Uraraka were some of the first people to be nice to him at all, but Dabi had been so accepting of all of them . 

He didn't know what to do. His pleas to stop fighting fell on deaf ears. 

But when he saw Uraraka’s hand reaching out to touch Dabi, which would give the heroes the advantage in the battle, Izuku didnt think. 

He blocked her hand. 

The look of shock on her face was enough to send him spiraling for years to come, but he couldnt bring himself to regret it. 

He didnt want Dabi hurt. 

Aizawa-sensei paused in shock, and that gave the opening Dabi had been looking for. 

He knocked Aizawa-sensei unconscious. 

“We have to GO Izuku,” yelled Dabi, “the scream could’ve attracted more pro-heroes”

“Izuku no! You dont have to, we can help you! Please, come back with me!” Uraraka pleaded

Izuku looked back and forth, and Uraraka lunged. 

He blocked her on instinct. 

Now he was the one in shock. Uraraka had betrayed him. 

“Izuku, please, whatever control he has you under! We can help you!” Uraraka pleaded again.

Izuku had decided. He wasn't safe with the heroes. “I'm not under any control,” he said decisively, “this is my decision. Tell everyone that they helped create the best years of my life so far. But now i'm leaving for an even better life.”

Shouto was in shock. 

Either Izuku was under mind control or he had knowingly gone with a villain, and he didnt know which was worse. 

But Shouto steeled himself. It didnt matter. He would save Izuku. Just like Izuku had saved him.

Dabi finally caught his breath when he made it back to his apartment. 

“Kid, are you sure about this? It’s not too late to go back and claim you were under control.”

“I'm sure.” said Izuku. And then giggled.

“Please don't tell me you're delirious, I don't know how to deal with that.” 

Izuku gasped out, “Yuri has been trying to get me to do this for ages. He’s so happy right now.”

“What, become a villain?” Dabi asked.

“Kind of? They’ve been trying to get me to put ourselves first for so long, and I finally did just that.”

Dabi laughed, “so your idea of self-care is becoming a villain?”

That sent Izuku into another set of giggles, which quickly turned to sobs.

“W-What am I d-doing? M-my mom i-is probably so w-worried about m-me”

“Can I touch you?” Dabi asks.

Izuku nods.

Dabi drops down to where Izuku is on the floor and hugs him, murmuring “It’s ok Izuku. Your mom will be fine. Just focus on yourself. Put yourself first, ok? There's nothing wrong with that.”

Izuku was still crying, but he nodded. “Th-thank you Dabi.”

“No problem,” he said, dusting himself off and standing up. 

“Now. Let’s deal with the fact that Shigaraki probably saw us on the news together, shall we?”

In a dark room in Tartarus a chuckle could be heard.

Chapter Text

Tomura was ready to dust the entire bar, and everyone in it. Especially that fucking idiot Dabi, who apparently had convinced Midoriya Izuku of all people to become a villain. 

He had to hand it to him, it was smart. It’d go well with their plans, recruiting a student from UA. But why did it have to be Midoriya?

He sighed. “Well then, Midoriya. Welcome to the League of Villains. Don't expect me to like you.”

Midoriya gaped.

Toga beamed, “Oh! Oh! Now that you're on our side, does that mean I can see you bleed?”

Midoriya backed away.

Dabi facepalmed, “No, Toga. No attacking our allies.”

“Welcome to the team, glad to have someone else plural on the team! Awwww, now we wont be unique.”

Midoriya nodded, and seemed to be shy as he asked, “is it ok if we ask you some questions?”

Twice nodded.

Midoriya started asking rapid fire questions. “Do you have different names? How many do you have? How do you keep order? What do you do when there are arguments? Do you get headaches when too many people talk at once too?”

“Cool questions! We dont have different names, not sure how many we have, we really only keep order by having the mask on, we don't really have arguments except who the real one is, and we pretty much always have a headache, yeah!” Twice said, mumbling the opposite of each statement under his breath so that Midoriya would know which one was the real answer.

Tomura just sighed again. “I need a drink.”