Chapter Text
“Monoma, Shinsou! Get your asses to attention!!! There’s a newcomer and she’s real dangerous!!!” The Warden screamed down the hall.
8 year olds Neito and Hitoshi immediately stood up, shooting confused looks at each other while waiting for the door to slam open.
Suddenly, the huge, heavy metal door swung open, which had Neito flinching at the air and noise right next to his rusty old bed and damaged ears.
There stood the Warden in all her glory, camouflage suit and boots perfectly in place. In her hand, lay a leash, it was heavy and chained.
Neito followed the leash down to the leather collar wrapped around a sharp neck and collar bones.
Said neck and collarbones belonged to a small girl curled up on the ground. She had long green curls and dim, narrow eyes. Her left eye was a bloody crimson and her right was a striking gold. In short, she looked like a damn tough cookie if Neito had anything to say about it.
”This is Midoriya Aki.” The Warden introduced, gesturing down to the girl. “Her father was caught as a huge, high ranking boss of a massive Yakuza. She’s more dangerous than either of you. We’ve already given her a beating, now we have something for you 2 to do.”
Neito raised his gloved (he had to wear gloves so he couldn’t use his ‘villainous’ quirk) hand, knowing better than to speak without asking. When the Warden pointed at him he stated his question shakily.
”W-what’s me and Hitoshi’s job, miss?” He asked timidly, sharing another side glance with his purple-haired roommate.
“Well, Monoma, Shinsou,”. The Warden said, giving each of them a violent glare. “We need you both to keep her on her leash and make sure the muzzle stays on in case she tries to lunge at you. Her quirk would be able to blow this place to the ground if she didn’t have this muzzle on.”
What? Neito thought, staring at the muzzle he just realized the young girl was wearing. She has to wear the same muzzle as Hitoshi…Because her quirk uses her mouth too…And the Warden wants us to hold her leash?! What the hell?!!! That’s horrible I don’t want to walk her like a dog!! She’s just a kid!!!
Hitoshi raised his hand, waiting to be called for. Once the child was, he started to sign, unable to speak due to his muzzle.
”Is she very dangerous? Will she lunge at us? Is she unsafe?…” He signed, raising an eyebrow.
”Yes, you damn brats! She’s very dangerous and can’t be trusted. Her father shot her mother and she’s unsafe because she’s just like him but with an even more powerful quirk!!!” The Warden screeched, walking toward Neito and shoving the leashes end into the boy’s hands before slamming the door shut.
Immediately, Aki scurried away, curling into a ball by an old, rusty bedframe with no mattress on the left corner of the room.
Neito let the leash fall out of his hands, utterly confused and heartbroken for this kid.
Aki wasn’t given a mattress, a phone, a toy, a book, any stationary, nothing. And she was a girl. Neito was taught that girls weren’t supposed to be here, that they were supposed to be proper and beautiful, but he didn’t believe that. He wouldn’t let himself be manipulated.
“Uh-uhm…”. Neito whispered, not knowing what to do. “Hello Aki, my name is Neito…”
The girl only whimpered and curled in on herself further, her big, baggy cargo pants and huge longsleeve hoodie hiding her small, malnourished frame completely.
Hitoshi let out a grunt from the right side of the room, taking a step closer from his bed.
Aki saw the sudden movement from her spot on the floor, holding up her hands- which were obviously frail and violently trembling- and did a jumbled, terrified string of sign.
”No! Don’t step any closer! I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry!!” She signed as her shallow breaths started to give her less and less air.
Neito turned his voice smooth, hiding the stammer and making it velvety soft for the child, he was starting to doubt she was his age…She’s incredibly small. “Hey, it’s okay, just look up so Hitoshi can sign to you, sweetie.” He said gently.
Aki hesitantly peaked an eye out, staring at Neito before moving to Hitoshi.
“Hello, my name is Hitoshi, you seemed uncomfortable when the Warden called you that name. Is there something else you go by?” Hitoshi signed, keeping his movements slow and predictable for Aki’s sake.
”I z u k u…” The kid finger spelled, fear welling up in their eyes as if they were scared to get beat for it. “That’s my name…And I’m not a girl…I don’t feel like a girl or a boy…But I lean more to boy…I don’t look like one though, I have a big chest and daddy really liked it…”
Neito and Hitoshi’s hearts collectively crumbled. They may have been 8 year olds but they knew what grooming and rape was…And this definitely sounded like it to them.
”Okay, Izuku.” Neito kept his voice steady. “We can call you He and them if you’d like?” He offered.
The most unnoticeable, tiny spark lit in Izuku’s eyes, the boy showing the first emotion other than fear he had the whole time.
”Yes!” They signed quickly, their shoulders dropping a fraction of an inch.
Hitoshi stepped forward again, moving with extreme gentleness and grace to not frighten the child. When Hitoshi sat next to them, they grabbed their collar with both hands and reverted their gaze.
Hitoshi stopped and signed to the kid, gently tilting their face upward. ”Hey, we’re never going to touch that leash…I think me and Neito both trust you won’t lunge at us.” He signed rapidly.
Izuku looked back to Hitoshi’s face expecting something like a prank face or for the purple-haired boy to suddenly grab his leash. When his eyes were met with nothing but genuine kindness and respect he felt a bit better…Even if his face was actively seeping blood.
“Now…” Neito started, walking over to where the 2 kids were huddled up. “How old are you?…. And why’d the Warden say your quirk makes you unsafe?”
Izuku picked his hands back up into the air, his fingers moving fast. “I’m almost 8! I turn it in 5 days!!! As for my quirk…It’s called pyrokenisis…I can breath fire and control it with my mind…I can also control other fire too! Not just my own.”
Ah, Neito thought as the puzzle pieces connected. So they muzzled him and put him in a room with no fire users so he couldn’t be villainous like his dad…
”I think it’s cool.” Hitoshi signed, giving a soft smile. “Controlling fire is awesome…Also, I just turned 8 last week and Neito is a bit older than me so you’re the youngest.” Hitoshi playfully stuck his tongue out in a gesture of mockery.
Izuku let out the little amount of giggle he could through the sharp, jagged edges of the muzzle (which was actually just 2 pieces of scrap metal welded together at least Hitoshi’s was a cloth one with a real strap).
That night, Neito couldn’t sleep. Not when he knew his new roommate was sitting curled up into a ball in the corner because they weren’t given a mattress.
All Izuku had were the clothes on their body and Neito was furious about it. None of them should have to suffer. Especially not the youngest.