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Izuku carefully pulled a beanie over his hair, smoothed out his baggy hoodie and loose pants. His green hair was covered by equally dark green fabric, his arms and legs hidden by dark blue cotton.
The underground is the most dangerous scene of all heroics scenes. While the daylight has the big fights and the rescue has to deal with mass casualties, the underground works based on a network of information. There knowledge is power. Who knows what, is where, has which assets. In your future you will all come in contact with the underground in one way or another. To survive that I can only train you into following one rule: Don't get caught.
He tied off the custom made running shoes coloured a dark brown. Pure black is too noticeable if there are light sources and there always were, unless it's a new moon and in that case the dark colors would look black. Perfect camouflage, perfectly subtle.
To follow that rule you need two major skills, one: Stealth. The art of moving without being heard or seen. It doesn't matter if people are looking in your general direction or have their back turned to you, always move as if attention would be your death sentence. Because it just might be.
Quietly he slipped out of his dorm window and climbed down the drainpipe. His hands clad in gray compression gloves with grippy pads secure around the metal. He carefully lands on the grass and slips into the shadows of nearby trees, sneaking forward in smooth, soundless movements until he is far enough from the student dorms so he couldn't be traced back to a specific building, much less a room. Then he started a slow jog, just stretching and warming up his muscles.
Stealth isn't necessarily about not being noticed, it's about not seeming out of place. The more you can pretend like it's natural and normal to be where you are, the less likely people will pay attention to you. Never freeze up, never show surprise, never pose a threat until you have the clear advantage.
Green lightning sparks up around his body, slowly stopping to tingle and press on his bones, instead buzzing through his blood and muscles with power, trickling slowly around him, begging to be used, to be set free, to be allowed to show its full potential. But Izuku kept a tight choke on One for All, making sure to only glow lightly and be slightly faster than his relaxed posture would assume.
If stealth doesn't work you only have one chance of survival. You will never know if the buildings around you contain backup for you or the other party. So you will run. Run as fast and as far as you can, making sure they can't see you. Don't trust in your quirk to keep you safe. Every sound, every flicker of light is a trail. And when there is a trail, then there will be someone following it. Hunting you.
The deliberate rustle of leaves snaps Izuku to attention.
The underground lives from the concept of hunting.
Red glowing eyes set on him and One for All vanishes completely. Not even a pressure on his bones remains.
No matter if you talk about heroes, villains or vigilantes, if you run from them, they will follow you.
Izuku stills. Takes two deep breaths. Allows himself to fall into the familiarity.
It's an instinct to hunt until they catch their prey.
“What are you doing out here so late?”
The moment the sun goes down anyone in the underground choses if they want to be predator or prey for the rest of the night.
Mikumo tenses, giddy anticipation fueling his veins, drowning out his thoughts.
And when a predator catches their target you better hope they are a hero or a kind vigilante.
A feral grin spreads over his lips.
Anyone else can and, most likely, will kill you.
He bolts with a dead sprint to a small, artificial forest on campus.
Even if the predator is an ally of the prey, to hunt is an instinct, an uncontrollable urgel.
It's pure adrenaline pumping in his body as the red gaze sticks to him, leaves him with only his body as a defense. Leaves him only with the option to run and hide.
To escape a predator you have to be fast enough to hide from them, smart enough so they won't know where you vanished to, and quiet enough so they won't get a new trace to you.
Laughter wants to spill from his lips but he keeps it contained, keeps all noise but labored breath and quick footsteps to himself.
Over the next weeks you will learn stealth and speed until you can even avoid me for long enough.
Mikumo lets himself drop to skid underneath a bush, rolls to the side once he passes the stem, changes direction while hidden from sight.
Your training will consist of games of both tag and hide’n’seek. Quirk usage is restricted but allowed if it helps you to hide or to pursue.
With carefully calculated movements he scales up a close by tree. A moment later Eraserhead steps underneath the branches Mikumo balances himself on.
Any experiences you have are of value here. They can get you into a position of becoming a predator. Or they can get you out of a predator's grasp. If you choose to fight, be subtle about it. There is nothing you need less than a crowd in the underground.
He takes a small pebble from his hoodie pocket and flings it into a plant a few meters behind Eraserhead. His pulse thunders but his breath comes out controlled and shallow.
Eraserhead turns and heads into the woods.
Mikumo silently climbs from the tree and pins a small note to the wood.
Thank you for the chase, Sensei. If you can identify your target before the end of our Underground training I will even tell you why I made you play with me. Don't worry, it's not to cover for anyone else to sneak past UA defenses. I will see you in class.
~Yamikumo
Still silently he climbs into another tree, hiding between the branches as he waits for Eraserhead to return from the faked trail, trying to pick up a new trace. Not that Mikumo would leave any, not when his brain is silent of all fears, his body buzzes with satisfaction of exerting himself. Not when he is the prey and the puppet master both at once. Not when he feels like he can finally breathe again. Not when Midoriya Izuku steps into the shadows and Akatani Mikumo emerges in his place.
Eraserhead returns, rips away the note to read, his quirk activates. A low growl escapes his throat. “Yamikumo… you better be prepared.”
Mikumo breathes out slightly shaky, holding in his delighted laughter. He will enjoy this hunt. He can barely wait for it to properly start.
Once the air was clear he let himself drop to the floor. “We'll see, Eraserhead. We'll see who got the better training.”
Silently Akatani Mikumo blends into the shadows and sneaks back into his dorm. Into his daylight personality and identity.
Shouta smiles down at the note in his hand. He would recognize the clumsy scrawl anywhere. Yamikumo had returned and picked Shouta to find him, unmask him.
The police informant had been elusive since he first reared his head three years ago. The only information on him are his alias and a disconnected phone number. And now his age and school. Yamikumo would have already found himself but Shouta is more used to hunting, fighting and observing than the intelligence gathering Yamikumo does.
But now he has the informant in his class. One of the twenty people in his classroom are already versed in the underground mechanics, they challenged him personally to a hunt. At least he could narrow down his suspect list already.
Yamikumo was too tall to be Mineta, too small to be Shoji or Kouda. He had no obvious mutations, so Tokoyami, Ojirou and Hagakure are also unlikely. Todoroki, Yaoyorozu and Iida were also unlikely due to their legacy status. No daylight hero would be able to charm an Akatani.
Which leaves… everyone else. Eleven potential suspects.
The lessons of the following days would show who had the skill to be an Akatani.
Anyone not showing their full potential.
Anyone being better than is plausible based on quirks and files.
He has eleven suspects and one Akatani to find among them.
Izuku slightly skips with anticipation on his way down to the teachers dorms. His skin once more feels too thin, itchy and tight. His legs beg to run. His mind screams with boredom.
Carefully he knocks on the door to Aizawa's on campus apartment. He knows the man is still in his office, grading essays. But the door opens anyways.
Izuku flinches backwards. “Mic-Sensei? What… am I at the wrong door?”
The blonde man blinks a few times. “Greenie? You here for Aizawa?”
Izuku smiles at the nickname Present Mic gave him a few weeks into the school year when they spent twenty minutes after the lesson ended just talking in English about how amazing Downton Abbey is. They would have kept talking if a disgruntled Aizawa hadn't come through the door to demand Mic's attention. “Yeah, I wanted to know if he's in his apartment… I… um… god, this is embarrassing but I wanted to leave him a note because I wanted help with my anxiety.”
Mic carefully reaches out to touch his upper arm. “Don't be nervous, Greenie, Shou's definitely gonna help you, no matter if you ask verbally or in writing. Wanna come in for a tea? You look like you could use a warm cuppa to settle those nerves and I am missing hours worth of gossip. Jirou and Shouji don't spill, Hagakure and Mina don't have the type of intel I am interested in.”
Izuku beams at that and lets himself be guided into the apartment. Immediately a cat winds around his ankles and looks up at him pleadingly. “That's Dumpster. Shou named her, just don't question it. If you pet her, only touch her head and shoulders, at any other place she will attack you. And don't give her food, she's on a diet because she is at risk of kidney failure and we try to minimize her salt intake.”
The boy smiles. “Adorable. Sensei has a bad taste in names but a wonderful taste in cats.”
Mic laughs and waves him over to a small kitchen bar. “Take a seat. Any tea preferences?”
Izuku follows suit, sitting on one of the chairs in a backwards fashion. “Thanks! If you have, I'd kill for a good indian chai. Momo only has herbal and black teas, never spice based…”
He earns himself another chuckle while he goes through his backpack to find his notebook on the UA rumor mill.
“So, Sensei, do you want the false assumptions on teachers or students first? Because I have a lot in both categories.”
Mic raises his left eyebrow. “For both? How do you know what theories the student body has on us teachers are wrong?”
Without hesitation Izuku rises to the bait. “Sensei, really, you know me for a while now. You of all people know that I have eyes in my skull and ears on my head. So… Kaminari talked during lunch about how Aizawa must be having relationship issues with his partner because of how happy the man was a few days ago and how he slowly is becoming grumpy again. His exact theory was that Sensei was happy because he got laid good but ever since his partner isn't allowing any action.” Mic chokes with barely contained laughter. “To which one: eww, not a picture I ever wanted in my brain. If I could have one topic to never know anything about then it's the sex life of people I look up to and try to learn from.”
He receives a hum of understanding and agreement.
“And two: Aizawa doesn't act differently towards you, proving my point that your marriage is stable… speaking of which, Todoroki still owes me a piece of merch for losing the bet, I am just not in a position where I feel comfortable sharing my knowledge and evidence. Also he has been watching us as a class more closely ever since we started underground training and he hasn't found what he is looking for yet.”
Mic fills two cups with tea bags and boiling water. “What evidence do you have to believe I am married to Shou? And what does Todoroki believe? What is his evidence? Also, since when do you bet on things like this?”
Izuku snaps closed his notebook, wraps his hands around the warm tea cup, and gives Yamada a shit eating grin. “In your second year sports festival, which I know he threw on purpose by the way, the birds eye overview shows you kissing him while you celebrate winning one of the mini games during the intermission. The first year sports festival shows your full face after he beat you in the third round. Marking the moment you absolutely fell in love with him. Your face doesn't do that whole lovesick puppy thing anymore but your eyes still look at him with even more adoration. So you two are in a relationship. It's a marriage because you start tracing the ring on the chain around your neck whenever you get worried and try not to let it show and take over.”
Mic blinks surprised. “Christ, Greenie, you are Nezu level observant. And an almost equal level of stalker. Watching the sports festivals from over ten years ago… takes some special dedication.”
Izuku snorts. “I didn't watch it for my hero analysis, that's a breach of privacy in my eyes. I watch it for the quirks I get to analyze and the sports festivals from your first and second year have my uncle in them! And I was a happy seven year old to see that you got the guy I literally watched you fall for in real time.”
Holding back a snicker, Mic nods to Izuku to continue. “Okay, so, Todoroki. The boy tries to find families among students and pro heroes wherever he looks. So he has a hyperfixation of finding a female partner for Aizawa since he is convinced Shinsou is Aizawa's son. Not like that would ever make sense, they don't share a last name and the ages don't line up the slightest. Like I said, you two were in the same year as my uncle and my mom remembers being taught how to change diapers on the guy. But Todoroki just sees mental quirks and tired and assumes automatically there is a family connection. If Aizawa and Shinsou are related it's distant cousins. It is more likely for Shinsou to be related to Miss Joke if we go by quirks. Which, by the way, I tried to explain to him, but the boy doesn't listen properly! So he theorized Aizawa to be in a relationship with her and that Shinsou is their secret love child. And if I have to hear the words Secret love child uttered by him one more time just because All Might tells me I did well in a spar, I will stab a bitch. Todoroki heard how Miss Joke basically sexually harassed Sensei at the licensing exam. I swear to god, I was so close to publicly calling her out for inappropriate and illegal behavior. And Todoroki believes Sensei would voluntarily sleep with her, let alone have a child with her… and again the timelines don't match up! Shinsou was already at least three years old when those two even met properly! God, it's so frustrating! But I made the bet so when either one of you two slips up in front of him or I get consent from you both to tell him I can use Endeavour's money to get merch. Maybe I'll be extra spiteful and make it All Might merch…”
Izuku humms thoughtfully and sips his tea. Mic has his face buried in his arms on the counter. He sobs laughing. “Midoriya, sweet little green bean, I promise to cherish this knowledge till the day I die. God, I can't even tell Nemuri about this, she wouldn't believe me how savage you can be. And how oblivious Todoroki is.”
Izuku takes another long sip. “That's exactly why I only share my knowledge with you, Sensei. You know how valuable it is and how to keep quiet about it.”
Mic's green eyes flash dangerously. “You make it sound like this is a transaction. Do you want something specific from this apart from the tea?”
Izuku beams. “You catch on fast. As to be expected of Nezu's personal student. Your personas are good. Nobody who isn't on your level would be able to see through them if you didn't let them. I need you to play messenger for me. Give Aizawa my notes without reading them and never tell him who gave them to you. You can have fun with how they reach his possession as long as their content and origin stay secret. Especially from Nezu. If Aizawa chooses to share my notes with you I won’t mind but I don’t appreciate noisy people. Can I trust you in exchange for regular tea meetings? Let’s say every Monday at lunch so you have a good start into the week?”
The glint in Mic’s eyes intensifies. He is obviously interested but waits if he can get a better deal. They both know that Mic will agree to the proposal. The only question is how much Izuku is willing to give for the cooperation.
“I can tell you what effect the notes will have on your husband. Give you an edge so you can watch his reactions. Let you have the same amount of fun he and I will have,” Izuku sweetens the deal. He had expected the turn of events, had expected Mic to join in on the game. Mic enjoyed the subtle ways of analyzing and playing with others just as much as Izuku did.
“Deal. Give me the info of what I can expect now and ShouShou gets the note the moment he steps through the door.”
Izuku leans forward conspiratorially. “Oh, nothing much, Sensei. It’s just an invitation for a little game of tag. I want the exercise to deal with my anxiety, he wants to catch an elusive target. It’s a perfect game. Especially with you on the jury.”
Mic holds out his hand. “Let’s make it a game. I want a piece of information and you like a good bet. If my husband catches you within the next ten games I want to know what makes you such an interesting target.”
Izuku shakes on it, transferring the note. “Oh, if he can catch me at all you will know. But if he catches me within the timeframe you will receive the full story. But keep in mind, I am good. I am the reason Kaminari thought Sensei got laid.”
Emerald meets crysolite. “Oh we will have a fun time then, Greenie. Now, I expect this door to open in about two minutes. The balcony doors are open and I believe you know your way back to the dorms.”
Izuku gifts him a small smile. “Thank you, Yamada-Sensei.”
And then he disappears.
Hizashi carefully observes his husband. Shouta really is in a bad mood, sour and frustrated. Not at all the calm and warm man Hizashi married. He sighs and moves over to hug the man on the couch. “Shou, come on, talk to me. What is making you upset?”
And like every time the gentle touch and steady support works its wonders. Shouta sags into his chest and rests his head on Hizashi's shoulder. He groans in frustration. “Zashi, one of my kids has connections and skills that are valuable and amazing. But I don't want one of my kids to have them. Not with them all so young. They are all still children! Why does it all have to be so complicated?”
Carefully the blonde lets his hand slip into black strands of hair, brushing through the tangles carefully until Shouta relaxes into a boneless state. Hizashi hums in delight. His husband is still a human cat.
“Which one is it? We can find a way to help them. Keep them safe. Just give me a name and I can take care of it for you.” Hizashi knows he is probably an asshole for most likely knowing just who Shouta is worried about. But he also knows Shouta doesn't know the kid nearly as well as he assumes.
“I wish I could. I don't know which one it is! They challenged me to a hunt a few nights ago and left me a note to reassure me that they didn't do it as a distraction but because they just wanted a game of tag. And I have been doing campus rounds every evening since the moment the sun's gone. But nothing. And none of the kids are showing me anything I didn't expect! But one of them is trained since childhood to be proficient in the underground! And I can't find them! Can't catch them! Can't make sure they are safe and okay!”
Gently Hizashi rocks Shouta, cradling the man's head in his palm. “Maybe I have something to help you. When I got here after classes I found a little something slipped through underneath our door. They already left you a note once. You think this is them too?” He flashes the note between two fingers.
His offer is accepted immediately. Shouta scrambles to unfold the paper. “Read for me, my love?” Hizashi requests the moment he spots writing.
Shouta takes a moment to swallow and clear his throat. “Dear Sensei. Thank you again for the last chase. If you want to catch me you will have to do so at underground times. Tonight I will give you a visual signal again so you can try to find me. I expect you to handle our games with a certain discretion, if anyone but Present Mic is made aware of your knowledge about my whereabouts then your equally lethal secrets will enter the rumor cycle at UA. The kiss you received at the sports festival in you second year was your first I assume. How beautiful to have such a magical moment captured forever in the footage of the day. You should really tell your other students how valuable secrets and knowledge are. Some already know not to talk but others will spread just everything they hear. A real shame. See you soon, Yamikumo. Hizashi… A student tries to blackmail us. One of our students knows. If one knows, how many others could know too?”
The blonde silences his husband with a kiss. “Don't panic, Shou. The goal is to catch them, isn't it? And they said it themselves, information is valuable. They haven't told anyone. And they won't tell anyone unless they have to fear you playing unfair. They don't want to hurt you. But they need to be sure they can trust you. You said it, Shou, they were trained for the underground. Blackmail is what they need to feel safe.”
Shouta sighs heavily. “What would I do without you?”
“Wallow in self pity and probably step on notes like this one,” Hizashi offers without a second of hesitation. He carefully presses kisses to each of Shouta's temples and the crown of his head. “Rest a bit, love, I know you want to catch a kid tonight. You want your full energy for that. I'll be here to help you whenever you need me.”
Shouta nods and sinks into the couch. “My kid. My prey. If Nezu ever found out we'd have to kill the rat and flee the country.”
Hizashi shakes his head over his husband's antics. Not that he disagrees, he's just never voice those truths. “Nezu won't be able to lay a finger on them. Don't worry, my love. I'll take care of that.”
Shouta hums in contentment before curling up against Hizashi's side, slumbering silently.
Izuku waits carefully for the last rays of sunshine to disappear from the horizon before he lets his body droop against Iida's shoulder. Just for a short moment he leans against his friend only to seemingly startle back to attention. Then he repeats the action a few minutes later. Over and over until he feels the eyes of Iida and Todoroki on him.
The girls would cuddle with him. Iida does not mind touch but having someone sleep against him would make him feel trapped and a trapped Iida is an Iida that can't run. A trapped Iida can't relax.
Todoroki is the group's source of awareness when Izuku is unreliable. Todoroki will be the one to point out the obvious when Tsu doesn't care to do so.
So Izuku lets himself fall against his blue haired friend again, this time not startling up, instead curling up closer to the heat source. One of the first tactics Dahlia had taught him, one he was allowed to practice on his dad.
You are cute, Mikumo. Cute and young. It opens you a lot of doors and closes a lot of eyes. Use it. Make yourself small and non threatening. And nobody will do as much as look at you twice. It's how you get what you want. Go and show that Izuku to your dad, will you?
Iida squirms. And Izuku has to suppress a smirk. Too easy.
“Midoriya? Are you tired?” And Todoroki falls. Hook, line and sinker.
He hums with faux sleepiness, curling up further.
“Oh, Deku-kun, do you wanna go to bed?” Uraraka involves herself, always so concerned for her friends, always trying to make her people feel comfortable. Ingrained instincts from her childhood.
Just like his instincts to run from people who chase him, to hide his skills unless it is dark or his life depends on it. To call his mom Inko in the light of day and Dahlia at night and during training. To play Izuku around everyone who can't know about his family, his heritage, his legacy.
He lets more sleep seep into his voice. “Don't wanna leave my friends… don't wanna miss anything…”
Uraraka coos. The air around Todoroki heats up slightly. Iida freezes. Tsu croaks.
“Midoriya-chan, you need to sleep. Come on, go upstairs.”
He whines high. Playing more into the sleepy, childish act.
“Uraraka, if you help me I will carry Midoriya to bed.” Todoroki is very much a cutie in Izuku's eyes. Todoroki is also the height of obvious and oblivious.
But his body becomes weightless and gets cradled against Todoroki's warmth. And the small sigh he lets out isn’t even for the show. His muscles relax, the permanent ache in his hands lets up a little.
And he snuggles closer to Todoroki. The warmth increases along with Izuku’s contentment. Strong arms carry him up the stairs into his bedroom, carefully laying him on his bed and tucking a blanket around his body. “Sleep well, Midoriya. You deserve the rest.”
Izuku’s heart melts a bit at the affection. But rest really is not what he needs at the moment. Not when his body buzzes with nervous energy, his brain cycles around every insult, rude comment, leering look and physical attack towards him. He needs to be Mikumo tonight. He needs to run and hide and play, need to be allowed to fight back and use his brain. He can’t be helpless little Izuku. Not for tonight. Not when he craves to feel strong without a haunted quirk weighing his shoulders down.
He waits in his bed until Todoroki’s steps are by the stairs. Then he gets out of bed and puts on his outfit from the first chase. Izuku is almost giddy with excitement as he opens his window and climbs down the drainpipe.
And Mikumo melts into the shadows.