Chapter Text
Izuku was always keenly aware that, some day or the other, his soulmate was going to try to choke him out. It wasn’t exactly the meet-cute he hoped for, being the hopeless romantic that he was, but he really couldn’t think of any other reason for the dark soulmark to show the shadow of a hand wrapped around his neck.
The marking first appeared on his skin at the age of six years—not long after he had been diagnosed as quirkless. Most soulmarks are known to appear a year or two before one’s quirk manifests, so Izuku had, for a long time, resigned himself to the belief that he was to be powerless and alone.
When he awoke one morning to the sight of an ashy black hand-shape on his skin, he leapt with joy to tell his mother of the news. She hadn’t handled it with quite as much enthusiasm. That morning, Izuku was given a long talk about personal safety and the idea that many lovers, even soulmates, can hurt each other very, very badly.
From that very first day, Izuku had known that his soulmate was probably not a very good person.
He spent more time than he was willing to admit thinking about it—how the meeting would go, how his soulmate might respond, how they would move forward. A million possible scenarios looped endlessly in his mind as he waited for the fateful day. Most of them were mid-battle, or perhaps in a dark alley late at night. None of his imagined scenarios were set in broad daylight in a crowded mall on a school trip. They also never featured one of the most wanted criminals in the country, but life has a way of throwing curveballs at you, as it seems.
He sat there now, on a bench in the center of the mall, desperately trying to catch his breath as the villain disappeared into the crowd of patrons, leaving Izuku with a million spiraling thoughts and nothing but the comforting presence of Ochako to keep him from falling apart in the chaos.
Shigaraki’s hands were tucked in his pockets as he had walked away. How long until he noticed as well?
Would he feel the same dread as Izuku felt in that moment?
It took Ochako walking into his line of sight and jostling him by the shoulders for Izuku to snap out of his daze.
“Deku,” she called, and her voice helped ground him even as world felt tilted on its axis. “Are you okay?”
It was a loaded question, to say the least. “He didn't hurt me,” he said, reassuringly.
“I can see that,” she said. “But that's not what I meant.”
Izuku knew that, but he couldn't bring himself to answer her real question, so instead, he reached a hand up to point at his neck, to the spot he had always known to be an ashy black. All his life, he had hated the sight of it, and now, he desperately hoped it remained there unchanged. “It’s him, isn’t it?” He knew there were mirrors in nearly every store around them, but he couldn’t bring himself to see on his own.
Ochako was silent for a long time, contemplating how to word her answer in a way that would cause the least harm.
It was all the confirmation he needed.
“Let's take this one problem at a time, alright?” she offered. “I’ll call the cops. Maybe they can—”
“No!” Izuku swiped her hand as she reached for her phone, startling her and knocking the device to the ground with a clatter loud enough to alert a family as they passed by.
Izuku picked it up, thankfully unbroken, and turned his attention back to Ochako as she stared at him incredulously.
“People can't know about this,” he explained quietly, the endless chatter around them creating a cloak of privacy even in such a crowded space. “If word gets out that he’s my soulmate, it could jeopardize my whole career.”
“Are you insane?” Ochako’s voice rang loudly through the open space of the mall, and it took all of Izuku’s self restraint to not slam his hand against her mouth in that moment. Thankfully, they didn’t seem to gather any more attention than all the other loud teenagers in the area.
“I can’t disappoint All Might like that,” he pleaded, and it seemed to be enough of an explanation to satisfy Ochako in the moment.
She complied with a nod of her head, hesitantly as it may be, and Izuku lowered his hand with a sigh of relief. “Fine,” she said, “but we’re still calling security. I have an idea.” The determined look in her eye, the look she always wore when faced with any sort of challenge or danger, softened as she took his hand in hers. “And, Izuku… you’re not disappointing anyone, okay?”
Izuku and the brightly colored patch of skin on his neck would beg to differ, but the way Ochako squeezed his hand and held his gaze made it abundantly clear that there was no room for argument, so all he could do was give her a gentle smile and a quiet, “thank you.”
Izuku hadn’t a clue how he managed to power through giving a statement to the police in the state he was in. He sat on a cold metal chair in a room with too-bright fluorescent lights and the air conditioning turned up higher than it had any right to be. His gaze remained fixed on one point on the detective’s desk as he recounted the events, toeing the line between saying too little and saying too much.
All Might sat beside him throughout the process, giving gentle encouragement and kind words, neither of which Izuku felt he deserved in that moment. He praised Izuku for handling the situation so calmly and carefully. Izuku didn’t know how to explain that calm wasn’t quite the right word—it was more a matter of being far too tired to panic any more than he already had—so he accepted the praise with a meek smile.
“And lastly,” Tsukauchi began, his fingers still hastily typing out the exchange, “did you notice anything else worth noting that might help us find him?”
Izuku tensed, his hands fisting against his knees as he resisted the urge to reach up to the scarf wrapped around his neck. His lips parted slightly as he attempted to formulate a response, but no words came.
“You can take your time,” All Might spoke, gently patting his back.
Kind, patient, understanding as ever.
Izuku didn’t want to sat that his presence only made this so much harder.
“No,” Izuku answered in the end, “there was nothing else.”
Detective Tsukauchi’s gaze lingered on him curiously for the briefest of moments, and Izuku nearly cracked under the pressure before the look was quickly replaced with a kind smile. “All right then,” he said, “that’s all, young man. Thank you for your help. I’ll show you out and have someone escort you back home.”
Izuku’s body moved on autopilot as he followed the man out the police station. All Might trailed beside him, apologizing profusely for not being there to help, praising him for handling everything so well, and lord knows what else. Izuku was ashamed that he merely allowed the words to come in through one ear and out the other, but his mind was already so full of unprocessed thoughts that it was impossible to make sense of the words he was being told even if he wanted to.
It was taking far more effort than it ought to just keeping those thoughts from spilling from his lips in a flurry of mumbling (contrary to popular belief, Izuku had some self awareness about that old habit).
The moment he stepped foot out the door, he found himself caught in his mother’s crushing embrace, and held her back just as tight. He felt something wet fall onto his shoulders and had to fight back his own tears from falling as well. The last thing he wanted was to worry his mother any more than he already had.
When they finally pulled away, her eyes quickly fell to the dark green scarf he wore, connecting the dots within seconds, even with the soulmark hidden away.
“Oh, Izuku…” Her voice hitched as another sob escaped her, and all Izuku could do was wipe away her tears.
“Can we talk about it at home?” He whispered to her. Ideally, they wouldn’t have to have that conversation at all, but he knew his mother needed the reassurance that he would handle this with care, that he wouldn’t allow himself to get hurt again. “I’m okay,” he said. He wondered if Tsukauchi could sense the lie from where he stood.
“Officer Sansa will escort you back safely,” Detective Tsukauchi reassured, gesturing to the uniformed officer with the appearance of an orange tabby cat. “But first, would you mind if I have a quick word with Izuku? Just forgot to give him a quick form to sign. Please, Ms. Midoriya, feel free to have a seat in the car and we’ll be out in a moment.”
Inko didn’t seem too keen on the idea of leaving her son for even a moment after such a long day, but she nodded her head hesitantly and followed the officer to the vehicle.
From the corner of his eye, Izuku noticed the tall figure of All Might follow her, no doubt reassuring her that Izuku was in good hands—both with the detective and with U.A.
The detective led Izuku back up the stairwell to the second floor, where they again sat at his desk. “Just sign here,” Tsukauchi instructed, holding out a pen and the statement that Izuku had just given.
Izuku did as he was told and was about to stand up to head back out, but found himself frozen in place when he locked eyes with Tsukauchi staring at him intently. “Is there anything else you need?” Izuku asked, attempting to keep his voice leveled. Playing dumb was a good choice, right? Probably not, but he wasn’t really in the best headspace right now, and he was never good with secrets to begin with.
“I can tell there’s something on your mind,” Tsukauchi began. “I thought maybe you’d feel more comfortable without the pressure of All Might listening in. Now: are you sure there’s nothing more you know that can help the case?”
Great, so he did pick up on it. “It’s not crucial to the investigation,” Izuku said, and he knew that much couldn’t be a lie.
Tsukauchi nodded, "In that case, don't worry about it. But," he shot a supportive smile to the young man across from him, "I can tell you want to say it."
Damn him and his over efficient truth quirk.
Izuku shifted restlessly in his seat, supposing there was no way to get out of this without the truth eventually coming out. He reached his hand up and tugged the edge of the scarf down revealing the blue-green soulmark coloring his neck.
He only let it show for a moment, feeling both ashamed and exposed without the scarf hiding it, but it was more than enough for Tsukauchi to catch on.
“Oh,” was all he could manage.
“Yeah,” Izuku muttered.
“He’s your—”
“Yes,” Izuku interrupted, because he really, really didn’t want to hear the word again.
“Did he say anything to you about it?”
Izuku shook his head. “I don’t think he noticed before he left.”
“I see.” Tsukauchi mulled over the new information. He cleared his throat, and continued in as formal a tone as he could with such a sensitive subject, “I believe it’d be helpful to station a few more officers around your neighborhood. In case he tried to contact you again. And, of course, it wouldn’t hurt to be more vigilant. Avoid going out alone or at a late hour as much as you can.”
Izuku gave him a small nod and a thank you. He began to stand, but stopped midway to ask, “You won't tell All Might, will you?”
“No,” he answered. “It’s a personal matter, and I won't get myself involved any more than necessary, for your comfort.” Whatever comfort Izuku got from that claim was quickly washed away as he continued, “But I do think it's something he ought to hear from you.”
“I know that,” Izuku said. His hand subconsciously rubbed at his neck through the layer of fabric. “I‘m just scared of how he’d take it.”
“For what it’s worth,” Tsukauchi reasoned, “you’ve told one person, and it didn’t go so bad, did it?”
Izuku couldn’t help the small smile on his lips. “No,” he said, “I guess it didn’t.”
“Exactly.” Tsukauchi gave his messy hair a pat, and the strands of hair that had been pushed down quickly hopped back in place. “All Might will understand.”
Izuku wanted to find comfort in that but… “I’m just worried,” he admitted before he could stop the words from falling from his lips, “that he’ll regret picking me.”
“Why do you say that?” Tsukauchi asked, leaning closer in his seat so as to allow for some semblance of privacy in the open bullpen.
“A soulmate is supposed to be your perfect match. Your other half,” Izuku began. “And the fact that he, of all people—someone so evil, and corrupt—is mine… what does that say about me? Having no soulmate, I can handle. But knowing that it’s him…”
Izuku hadn’t noticed the tears spilling from his eyes until Tsukauchi gently slid a box of tissues toward him.
“I see where you’re coming from, but I think you may be jumping to conclusions,” he countered gently. “All Might told me exactly why be chose you. You're a good, caring person, Midoriya. Everything you do is to keep the people safe and happy. You're everything that a hero ought to be."
The stream of tears slowed then, and Izuku smiled weakly in response.
"Being his soulmate doesn’t change who you are," Tsukauchi continued. "These things work out in complicated ways. However this goes, one way or the other, you’re going to be better for it." He spoke slowly, afraid of stepping on a land mine in such a serious discussion, but there was a firmness in his tone that Izuku knew he could trust.
"You think so?"
"I do. And I know you're a good kid. And that All Might didn't make a mistake with you."
The stream of tears came back just as vigorously as ever. Tsukauchi seemed distressed that he may have said the wrong thing, but Izuku's squeaky, "thank you," reassured him that these were good tears.
"Jeez, kid.” He gave an exasperated sigh, but the slightest hint of a smile lay beneath it. "Toshi wasn't kidding when he said you're an emotional one. Come on, I'll show you to the restroom. Wash up before meeting your mom."
Through his tears, Izuku gave a sheepish smile. “Thank you, again,” he said, voice wobbly and quiet. “I’ll talk with him soon.”
“Take your time,” Tsukauchi repeated.
Izuku wasn't sure how much time he'd need to take or how long he'd be able to put it off before he's inevitably found out. His soulmark wasn't exactly discreet. Maybe he could find a concealer to keep it under wraps until the time was right. However long that would be. Really, how long could he keep the secret up? How long should he keep it up?
“Uh. Kid?" Tsukauchi's voice broke him from his thoughts. Izuku looked up to see the detective was already standing a few feet away, pointing towards the bathroom. "You gonna keep sitting there mumbling to yourself or...?"
"Right!" Izuku hopped up off the chair and jogged after him. "Sorry!"
“And... we are... done! Voila, as Aoyama would say.” Ochako dusted the remaining powder off her brush and placed it back into the makeup bag beside her on the counter. With her hands on Izuku’s shoulders, she angled him towards the mirror hanging on the wall of the school’s bathroom. “It's all waterproof, so you don't have to worry about it coming off during training.”
“I really don't deserve you,” Izuku sighed as he looked into the reflection. On his neck, the heavy concealer covered the blue-green marking and several layers of black eyeshadow created the illusion that his soulmark remained unchanged.
Ochako was quick to retort by hitting him lightly over the head. “Don't say that. You deserve the best and that's exactly what you got.”
Izuku shrugged at that comment. “That definitely holds true with the friends I have. Soulmates, not so much.”
Ochako, angel that she is, was quick to respond to Izuku's endless whining with a sympathetic smile. “I'm really sorry it turned out like this. No one could've seen this coming.”
Izuku gave another shrug, keeping his eyes on his reflection’s neck. "I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up about it. I was always destined for one of those tragic soulmate stories, huh?"
To this, Ochako didn't seem to know what to say. All she could do was nod her head solemnly and gently rub circles into Izuku's arm in a comforting gesture.
As it stood, Ochako was the only person, barring the detective, who knew of the situation, and her endless support was what kept him going. He refused to carry the unpleasant mood throughout the training camp; he knew just how much she looked forward to it, and he wasn't about to ruin it for her by moping the whole way there. So, he took a deep breath to steel himself and flashed a bright smile. “But hey! The training camp will be more than enough to keep me busy! By the end of the week, I'll have completely forgotten about this mess.”
The light quickly returned to Ochako's expression. “Exactly! You'll be too busy kicking ass to worry about junk like this.” Hopping off the counter, she shoved her makeup bag into the old duffle bag she had packed in preparation for the trip, leaving only a small thing of concealer, a dark eyeshadow palette, and a brush for Izuku to pack away for himself. “You ready to head out?” She asked, tossing the bag over her shoulder.
"I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”
Ochako, punctual as ever, was already halfway out the door as he spoke. “Don’t take too long or Iida will blow a fuse!”
Izuku didn’t doubt that for a second, but he knew Ochako would gladly stall for as long as needed if he happened to be late. “I won’t, don’t worry!”
The door clicked shut behind her, and his smile fell as soon as he no longer had incentive to keep the act up. With a sigh, he began packing away the makeup into his own luggage. For some who hated lying so deeply, he sure did have a lot of secrets, didn’t he?