Chapter Text
Deku's POV:
All men are not created equal. This was the reality I learned about society at the young age of four. A reality I had to accept in order to survive the hell my own father puts me through every day. A cold and cruel reality I fight to protect my friends and family from.
Stain, All Might, my father, even my childhood best friend. There isn't even a single person I've ever met that has proved otherwise, proved that everyone deserves an equal chance. However, I refuse to remain at the bottom of the food chain.
"What do you think, my little devil prince~?" I turn my gaze from the files in my hands to my father, who's kind smile hid a thousand lies. He holds a hand out warmly. "Is the office to your tastes?" How many people had father killed with those hands? How many quirks had he stolen? How many times had he beaten me for the mere thrill of it?
A small scoff escapes me as I smile back. "It's perfect, father. The top floor view makes all the people down there feel like pawns under our grasp~" I hand the files to the guy beside me, who blushes darkly as he takes them.
I look down at him for a few moments, gazing upon him in a dominant manner. Kion, the son of my father's current secretary. A few nights ago, at a party held by my father, I pleasured him out of his mind and made him reveal all our company details to me. From father's strengths and weaknesses to our business deals, he told me everything. He even told me where I can find a copy of every business contract father had ever attempted, whether it had failed or succeeded.
"Father, the condition you set for not remembering the party the other night.." I trail off slightly, knowing father would catch on without me having to say it. After all, he was the one who guaranteed he would take care of it.
His brows furrow for a moment and he crosses his arms. "Ah, that. It's nothing much. I spiked the wine that night. The condition for being able to remember the party is having undying loyalty towards either you or me. Naturally, the only ones who would be willing to do anything for us would be the ones who are loyal to us within our secondary business down south." Then, only the members of the League who have sworn their loyalty to us should remember that night..
"I see.." I crack my neck on both sides with a low groan. I can hear Kion's breath hitch at the sound. From the looks of it, he seems to remember that night. If that's true, this guy who's three years older than me was already willing to die for me just because I had a little fun with him for a few hours. Pathetic.
Father walks over to me and puts a hand on my shoulders. "Have you thought about who to have your heir with yet?" Kion's lovesick gaze quickly turns to one of sadness, almost as if his heart would break in that moment. I hold back the urge to roll my eyes. How dare a mere pawn covet the game master?
"I'm fifteen, father. Of course I haven't.. Why would I want to be a father before I even reach adulthood?" Father bursts out into a fit of laughter and I look at Kion, gesturing to the mini bar I had in my new office. He bows his head and starts serving us whiskey with a glum expression.
"It's never too early to think about the future, son. With your quirk, you need to make sure the lady you choose is compatible with you, don't you think?" Father and I both knew what he meant. Despite the doctor confirming Proliferate cannot be inherited, father was hopeful.
A smirk curves my lips as Kion brings us our whiskey. I take a glass, holding it up to father. He does the same and we toast. "I'll be sure to bring you good news as soon as I'm aware of it, don't you worry. You and I will die one day, but our legacy never will.. The empire we've built will prosper long after us~"
"That's what I like to hear! When did I raise such a good son, huh? I'm in a good mood today, so let's have lunch at the place down the street!" I bite my lip to hold back a scoff. The one that costs seven hundred fifty thousand yen for two people on average? Money just grows on trees at this point, huh?
Father downs his whiskey glass in one go and I sip on mine. As father starts to leave, he looks back at me expectantly. I hold my glass up with a smirk. "Make the reservation, then. I'll be right with you as soon as I finish this simple filing~"
Kion looks up at me, his face flushed and father seems to notice. He smirks and I knew that meant he was encouraging me to play with my toys to my heart's content. "Very well, then. The reservation will be for half past noon, so don't be late~" With that, father places his empty glass on the mini bar table and leaves, locking the door behind him.
A shaky breath escapes Kion as we were now alone in the room. I don't say anything, facing the window behind my desk as I take another sip of whiskey. A sigh escapes my lips. This is far from what I was expecting. I played with his ass for one night and now he's suddenly looking at me like I'm the only thing good in his life.
"Um.. s-sir..?" Kion rubs his own arm nervously, fidgeting as he seemed anxious. He had no idea what I was capable of. He had no idea how many people I had murdered with the hands that touched his body the other night, yet he was looking at me like I was his salvation.
I turn my head to look at him over my shoulder, my eyes glowing as I glare at him. "Kneel." A switch seems to have flipped in him because he immediately falls to his knees, shivering in delight. His breathing was heavy and his face was flushed. As little interest as I had in him, at the very least he was obedient.
Kion's tongue was out from how heavily he was panting. He sounded like a dog in heat. I take another sip of my whiskey and walk around my desk, sitting on it with my legs crossed. Kion was kneeling in front of me, not even daring to raise his head. That's how a dog should be.
"You remember the other night, don't you?" Kion flinches, his fists clenched on his lap. I couldn't even use my fear quirk on him, since it was a quirk within Proliferate and I didn't have my mask. Even so, he was shaking. "I only played with you for a few hours and you've already devoted your life to me?"
"Young master, that's-" I use my foot to lift his chin, forcing him to look at me. I can nearly see the hearts in his eyes as I glare into them. "Young master is.. my employer, my boss.. I've lived my entire life learning how to serve the company but now.. I- I was recently told it's you I have to serve and.. I'm really happy to be of service to you.."
A bored sigh escapes me as I rub my temples. Kion remembering the other night was never part of the plan. Even so, I couldn't exactly toss the bomb to someone else. If I manipulate his memories, there's a risk of him devoting his loyalty to whoever he remembers spending the night with. I needed him in the palm of my hands.
Even so, how else could I use him? Having a loyal subordinate in the company was useful, but it won't be long before I meet with Kacchan again. If I don't play my cards right, Kacchan will assume I fool around with just about anyone and he won't fall for me like I've planned. I need a reason for Kacchan to fall for me and a way for Kion to stay loyal.
Kion looks up at me like a scolded puppy yearning for affection. He remained on his knees obediently, waiting for me to speak. I think for a moment before smirking. He seemed to remember something from the other night because his face immediately flushed. "What a shame, Kion.. you're a guy from our affiliate family and my father expects me to have an heir. Didn't you hear?"
He immediately pouts, making me realize he was even easier to manipulate than I was expecting. "I- I know that.. if our fathers knew about what we did, they would surely punish us and never allow us to see each other again.. Even so, I- I really like young master..! You're nothing like my brothers or my father, you're so kind and you tell me when I've done something right.. You praise me and say thank you to someone like me.."
In other words, I manipulate information out of you then give you bare minimum decency and you've already painted me as a prince in your head? How naive. I decide to play along with his little fantasy for a moment, looking down at him with a warm smile. He nearly gasps, putting his hands to his chest as if to stop the pounding of his heart.
Kion leans forward and kisses my shoes, trembling in ecstasy as he does. Even something as small as that seemed to really get him going. "I like you, young master.. Your father calls you a devil prince, but to me.. you're an angel. Please, young master.. please give me a chance.."
I chuckle softly, covering a smirk with my hand when he calls me an angel. It was amusing, seeing how he painted me in whichever way he wanted after only one night. Kion seemed hopeful at the sound of my laugh. I put a hand on his head. "Minamoto Kion.. I've suffered a lot to earn my father's favor. I cannot give you any more than what I already have.. You're a good boy, so you understand, don't you?"
Kion's eyes water and he nods, lowering his head. I gently play with his hair, whispering sweet nothings to him. If he wanted to paint me as an angel in his head for selfish reasons, I'll just have to play my role well for my own selfish reasons. "We.. really can't, young master..?"
The role of an angelic prince.. I'll be sure to play it well. I lift Kion's face by tucking my fingers under his chin to tilt it up, giving him a sad smile for the sake of his false hope. "Your life could be in danger if I open my heart to you, don't you think? My father expects an heir.. I don't know what he'll do to you. If he finds out, he may fire you at best.. at worst, I- I can't even imagine it.. I wouldn't be able to bear seeing you get hurt.."
"Oh, young master.. you're too kind for your own good. You won't even be selfish enough to let your heart decide..?" Kion starts tearing up even more, crying softly. I get down from the desk and lift him up with ease, sitting him down on the desk. His eyes widen and I could hear his heart pounding in his chest.
I look down at him with a warm smile, wiping his tears away. "I'm sorry.. I'll never forget the night we spent together.. but you can never tell anyone about it. If my father finds out, he may beat me.. He is a kind man only to those in his favor. I've only recently gained his favor, please don't do anything to risk me losing that.."
"I understand, young master.. if you are brave enough to close your heart to me just to keep me safe, then.. I will also do the same.." Kion swallows hard, meeting my gaze shyly. "However.. m-may I just have one more kiss before I let you go..?"
Annoying. I smile, tilting his chin up and connecting our lips. I had to enamor him well, I had to kiss him in a way that would make him never want to let me go. So, I imagined I was kissing Kacchan and poured all my affection for my best friend into the kiss.
I hear him moan weakly as he didn't dare pull me closer, accepting what I was giving him without asking for anything else. I could tell what he was thinking, even without him saying it. He was likely convincing himself I also fell for him that night. How tragic, my little pawn. The prince's heart is reserved for someone else.
As soon as Kion leaves, I take out my handkerchief and wipe my lips with a scowl. I check my watch to see it was almost time for my father and I's reservation. I put on a face mask before leaving, my driver taking me to the restaurant.
A lot had changes since the night of the masquerade. My life used to be train, eat, kill, repeat. Now, my life was mostly train, study, business, eat, business, repeat. I had an official driver who took me around in a matte black Rolls-Royce Ghost with a black and white interior that my father bought at an auction for fifty three million yen. I thought father was joking when he said our money was unlimited, he was not joking.
Kion had become my official secretary to be and he was the only one allowed to see my face because he remembered me from the other night. No one else had seen my face yet. As far as they were concerned, I was a stand-in for the real Midoriya Izuku who had yet to be found.
Even so, I was treated as if I was really the heir. All of them seemed to be convinced I would die soon after the heir was found, so they were nice to me. Funny enough, they had no idea I was really Midoriya Izuku.
Father separated an office for me on the top floor, down the hall from his. I was now learning how to manage and inherit the company directly from him. I was being tutored by him in all aspects of business, from the financing to the stocks to the business deals and investments. It was so much information to take in, but it was easier to manage between Toga and I.
Every night, Toga and I would quiz each other on business topics that father taught us and teach each other. After all, if she was going to continue being my stand in, she had to know just as much as I did. We couldn't risk father finding a single fault in either of us.
I also warned her about Kion, to which she gagged. I knew she didn't like guys, but her reaction was pretty dramatic. She told me she would be courteous to him at best, but that she would shut him down if he tried to do anything. That meant I had to be nicer to him, perhaps even flirty, to keep him confused about my standing. I wanted him to falsely believe he had a chance.
In the past, I had very severe insomnia at night, but it was impossible for me to have that now. As soon as I come home, I practically knock out from everything I do in a day. I used to think that twenty four hours was a lot of time in a day, especially when all I had going for myself was my training with All might or Stain. Now, I realize 24 hours is enough time for next to nothing.
Tenko, Touya, and Shirakumo hadn't left the meeting room on the second floor at all in the past few days. On the night of the masquerade, taped to his business card, Endeavor handed over a map of a place called U.S.J. which Shirakumo seemed familiar with. The three of them were in the process of planning our escape.
Meanwhile, Toga and I switched between business and the League. I hand selected every person in the League who was there by force, telling them they would be able to escape with us. I made sure their families were safe and to those who had nowhere to go, I offered them a place in the new building. However, there was a condition.
I used Hitoshi's mind control quirk on them. On the day we escape, they would no longer remember what really happened in the League. Just like with my mom and friends, I made sure they would believe they were kidnapped rather than tricked and gave them false memories of what their life was like in the League.
After doing so, my head was throbbing so badly it felt like it was being ripped apart. Using a mind control method on that many people was extremely painful and tedious, but it was necessary. The first thing the heroes and police are going to do when we escape is interrogate us. If our stories differ even a little, the police may find it suspicious and they won't trust us.
Due to Touya's influence, I was eating with perfect dining etiquette every single time and I only wore clothes from luxury brands. It was to the extent that the only time I felt comfortable wearing casual clothes was when I was training in the gym.
I lined my story up with father and told him I would be infiltrating U.A. soon. He had already gone through with his divorce to mom and started sending an insane amount of alimony to both her and myself. He said it was because he doesn't control where his money goes completely, he orders his secretary to do it.
Because of this, rumors of father's divorce spread throughout high society. They all wondered whether or not father actually had an heir or he was making it up to cover up his divorce. It wouldn't really matter, since I would be making my appearance soon.
Now that Kacchan was a student at U.A., I had the pleasure of watching him walk home every night. With Proliferate, I have a quirk that allows me to hide in the shadows. I would wait inside the shadows of U.A.'s front gate before going inside Kacchan's shadow to follow him home.
It was the highlight of my day, the sun setting as Kacchan walks home with me under him. I was able to look up at him, as I had always done. It felt like Kacchan was stepping on me, looking down on me. The thought of me putting him in his place made me shiver.
Once Kacchan was home, I would switch shadows and make my way back to my father's company to learn some more. Out of everything father has taught me, we both realized I was particularly good at day trading. I found it amusing how easy it was, something everyone says is so difficult. It was merely about timing, knowledge, and predictions. I've always excelled at those things.
Due to my day trading, I was able to open up a separate bank account that father wouldn't be able to see. The credit card father gave me was used for everything regarding business or the League, but anything regarding the new building or my family and friends would be done through my private account. After all, I couldn't let father track my moves so closely.
One night, the night before we are to escape, I look in the mirror and see dark bags under my eyes. I hadn't been able to shower in days and I was in a horrible mood. More than that, when I close my eyes lately, I can see all the people I've killed lying at my feet in cold blood.
My eyes watered and I look down at my hands. If I close my eyes, I can see all the wounds father has inflicted on me over the past year. I can see myself falling from the building after my father dropped me. I can see the hero I killed for my first murder, gagging on his own blood before his body drops coldly. I can see my fake mom's dead body, which I stepped on with so much ease that it terrified me.
A maniacal laugh escapes me and I cover it with my hand, not wanting to alarm my brother who lived just next door to me. My bottom lip starts to quiver as I felt myself begin to sob. If Izumura and Izuku were still separated, things would be so much easier. I wouldn't have to carry all this guilt, because it wouldn't be mine to carry.
Tears stream down my face as I was now sitting on my bedroom floor, counting how many people I've killed. Every time I thought I counted properly, I would remember I missed a few dozen and start all over again. This went on for hours and didn't stop until my tears had run dry.
I run my hands through my hair in frustration. I never wanted to become a killer, I never wanted this. If I could go back in time, would I still want to become a hero? Knowing how many heroes are double agents, how many are spies for my father and how many have terrible mindsets regarding our society. Would I still dream the same?
I sob into my hands, holding in my cries almost perfectly except for the occasional sniffle. I take some toilet paper to blow my nose, continuing to cry. I know everything I've been through is necessary. I know I should feel grateful to be alive, grateful that my friends are alive and I finally have a chance to get them out of my father's grasp safely. Even so, all this anxiety was too much to bare and I hadn't let myself feel in months.
Fourteen. I was fourteen when all this began and I was fifteen now. I wasn't even a legal adult yet and I felt so scared out of my mind, I often wondered if dying might solve everything. I hid it very well from the people who cared about me, but living was so painful at this point.
"Kacchan.." My childhood best friend looked so pretty in his uniform. It suited him, he belonged at U.A. with the best of the best. All Might may be the No. 1 hero, but Kacchan was the only true hero to me right now.
How hard was it for you, Kacchan? How hard was it for you to pretend I mean nothing to you so perfectly? I thought I would never understand, but I do now. Every single day, I have to pretend I see my mom and my friends as pawns in the palm of my hands. Every single day, I have to pretend I would be willing to dispose of them at any time. Every day, I live with the fear my father will dispose of them for me.
I sniffle, blowing my nose again with a long groan. I tilt my head back to look at the ceiling, which seemed almost black now that the sun had fully set. I had been crying for hours now, so there wasn't a single light in my apartment that was on. I felt like I was drowning, water filling my lungs as I didn't dare try to swim to the surface.
Even if I manage not to drown, I don't deserve to see the light, not after everything I'd done. My hero, my precious Kacchan. Would you finally reach a hand out to me if you knew that I was dying inside? Would you finally look at me, not with anger or disgust, but with all that affection you so desperately tried to bury deep inside your heart?
Sweat drips down my hair and I sigh, forcing myself to stand, as I had done so many times in the past year. This year I've spent without you has been torture, Kacchan. I wish you would bully me like you used to. I wish you would tell me all those lies you don't mean, tell me how I'm useless and paint me as weak with your harsh words.
I'm tired. I'm so tired of being strong. I'm so tired of being the only one everyone can depend on. I want you to tell me not to do anything, like you used to. I want you to tell me to stop being such a loser and remind me I can't do anything without you. For you, Kacchan, I'll be anything you need me to be.
Quirkless, weak, pathetic- whatever you decide you want me to be, that is what I'll be. I've come too far to be weak now, no one believes I'm weak. They worry about me, but they're so certain I won't break even though I'm holding on by a thread at this point.
You're different, Kacchan. You don't expect anything from me. You want me to be weak. You want me to be useless without you. You want to protect me. You'll die before anything happens to me. I can nearly hear your voice in my heart from when we were kids. "Izuku, you really can't do anything, can you?"
A chuckle escapes me as I wipe my dried tears from my face, taking out my phone. I smile down at the picture of us. "You're right, Kacchan.. you've always been amazing, and I can't do anything without you.."
I take a deep breath, kissing the picture of Kacchan on my screen and holding it close to my heart. I should print the picture and put it in my wallet soon, to make sure I always had one on hand. I run my fingers through my hair, feeling so much better after realizing the truth. I'm useless without Kacchan.
The thought was so liberating, I felt a huge weight off my shoulders. I may be strong, but I need Kacchan. I need to compete with him. I need to run behind him, constantly trying to catch up to him. It's only then that I'm truly able to breathe. "I'll make you need me too, Kacchan.."