Chapter Text
It was dark when Izuku opened his eyes. He blinked, trying to locate his ever-shining All Might alarm clock, but was met with more darkness.
Groaning, he sluggishly raised his arm to wipe at his eyes. He felt heavy. Exhaustion pulled down at his limbs, and he struggled to remember what he had done that had left him this exhausted. UA's training was difficult, but the last time he had felt this weak was during his first month of training on the beach.
His hands curled into fists, and he groggily rubbed at his eyes and then blinked again.
Nothing. Only darkness.
The warmth encircling him shifted, making Izuku flop as he struggled to right himself. His blankets were tucked tightly around him, but his bed felt odd. It radiated heat, and as Izuku shifted, it shifted in turn.
Izuku moaned, trying to open his eyes and discover why everything felt strange. Was he getting sick? Should he get Aizawa?
"Hush, none of that now," a deep, warm voice cooed. "Such a fussy one. Always moving, always thinking. Never allowing yourself one moment to rest."
Izuku felt his body adjusting. His blankets were warm around him, and he felt himself being pressed up against something hard. A hand was carding through his hair, gently combing out the tangles. He felt himself melting into the touch, humming with pleasure at the soothing feeling.
"There we are," the voice praised. "Such a good little one. Poor, tired thing. Nobody has been taking care of you, have they?"
Izuku wanted to protest that they had been taking great care of him. He had his teachers, All Might, his mom, his friends- but moving his tongue seemed too hard. It was as if it was made of lead. All he could manage was a chirp that came out indecisive.
The voice made a tch sound. "Little hero, what are we going to do with you?"
"F'ne" Izuku tried to speak, but the words were slurred.
The voice chuckled, "Of course you are. Just like my little brother, so willing to throw yourself into danger and ignore what your body is saying. Driven to a fault and lacking any self-preservation."
The lecture sounded similar to something Aizawa would say. But Izuku didn't think Aizawa had a brother...or did he? But no, the voice sounded off too.
"What are we going to do with you?" The voice mused. His hand stroked Izuku's hair, pausing long enough to massage Izuku's temples in a way that left him dizzy with relaxation.
The hand pressed against his scalp, scratching at the right places before slowly winding through each curl.
"Keep... goin'" Izuku slurred as he nestled against the warm bed. It vibrated and hummed every time the voice spoke. It was nice and soothing.
"Okay, I will," the voice assured him. "You really do need more love and attention, don't you, little hero? I suppose I'll just have to be the one to give it."
Izuku tried to say something, but he forgot it as soon as he made a noise. He tried to stir in the blankets, but the bed shifted, adjusting to his squirms.
"Now, now, Izuku, none of that. It is alright. No struggling now. You are safe here. You belong here."
"Why?"
The voice chuckled.
"Because here, you're safe and loved and looked after. Nobody else will take care of you like I do."
That sounded wrong, but when Izuku tried to protest, a finger pressed against his lips.
"Shh, now. Simply relax. Your body craves this, and you should listen to it for once."
Izuku did as the voice said, letting himself melt deeper into the warmth. His head turned soft and fuzzy, and Izuku found that he didn't mind the blindness when he felt so calm and relaxed.
As snuggled against the bed, a low thump sounded in his ears. Deep and consistent, the sound pulled at his consciousness. Slowly, Izuku's attention faltered. The warm bed, the gentle touch, the soothing noise- it was all so peaceful, and without even meaning to, Izuku drifted back to sleep.
The next day, Izuku woke up feeling extraordinarily well-rested.
It felt great. All the soreness from yesterday was gone, and his bedhead wasn't as bad as usual! He was surprised as he felt his sheets. Did he change them last night? He must have. These ones were clean and fresh!
Come to think of it, his dorm room looked better than usual. Izuku's room wasn't exactly messy, but it did look like someone had swept and dusted. He shrugged it off as he began to get ready for the day.
Now... where was his favorite pair of All Might pajamas? He had folded them up in his drawer yesterday. He distinctly remembered that. Where were they now? He bit his lip and dug through the drawers but found nothing. They must have gotten mixed up in another drawer. He didn't have time to search for it as he began changing into his uniform.
He left the dorm room, a happy, smiling student. Never noticing that several of his notebooks and other various clothes and knick-knacks had likewise disappeared.
It was dark when Izuku opened his eyes. He blinked, confused when he failed to locate his All Might alarm clock. He blinked again, feeling an odd sense of deja vu rushing over him. He had done this before, hadn't he?
Moaning, he tried to move his arm to rub at his eyes but found them pinned against his sides. A thick blanket wrapped around him, cocooning him in its warmth but preventing him from wiggling free. Izuku tried again, but the warmth around him tightened, preventing him from even twitching.
"Hello, again, little hero." the voice said.
"You," Izuku slurred.
"Me," the voice confirmed. "Another hard day, huh? I can feel how tense you are. Poor child..."
"Lemme alone," Izuku muttered. "Want to sleep."
"And you will, eventually," the voice replied. "But first, let's get you feeling a little better, yes?"
Izuku was startled as the feeling of a warm, wet washcloth touched his face, and began to scrub his face, behind his ears, and neck...
"Hey... that- eep!"
"Oh?" the voice mused. "Is our little hero ticklish? Have I found a way to defeat my little hero? Just when I do this?"
Izuku sleepily giggled as the washcloth rubbed the sensitive part of his neck.
"Stoooop."
"Never, " the voice said with wicked delight. Mercilessly, he cleaned Izuku's neck and face, removing any dirt or build-up.
Izuku squirmed and protested, but the heat felt nice, and his body felt so weak that it was hard to find the energy to fight back.
The washcloth was removed, and a soft, fluffy towel began dabbing at his face. Izuku spluttered as it was teasingly pressed against his eyes, nose, and mouth. But it removed the lingering water and left Izuku feeling warm and clean.
"Better, hmm?"
"Wa' fine bef're," Izuku mumbled, but it was without any ire.
"Fine isn't good enough, little hero."
Something cold pressed against Izuku's cheeks, and he squeaked.
The voice chuckled. "Merely moisturizers. Now stay still."
Slowly the voice rubbed the lotion in, working in slow circles that started at Izuku's chin and towards his forehead. At times, the hands pressed deeper, massaging Izuku's tense temples where he carried his stress.
Izuku moaned as he felt the tension slip away.
Teasingly, hands poked at Izuku's round cheeks, squeezing them and pinching them in between rubbing the lotion.
"St'p," Izuku protested.
"Never. They simply beg to be squeezed."
Izuku squirmed, and the hands finally released.
"Such a shame. I suppose there's always next time," the voice said before giving Izuku's cheeks a final squeeze.
Izuku's brain felt like it was floating away on giant clouds. Thick and fluffy, his thoughts were difficult to discern. All the tension from that day's training had been released, and wrapped securely in the thick blankets, Izuku felt an odd sense of calm come over him.
A feeling pressed on his mind, pushing through his heavy thoughts. Safe. He was safe and secure in these arms and with this person.
"Oh, little hero," the voice cooed. "You can barely stay awake, can you? Such a tired little one..."
Izuku didn't protest. Instead, he instinctively moved closer, resting his cheek against the chest of the person who held him. The visitor chuckled, sending soothing vibrations through his chest that helped soothe Izuku all the more.
"Let's get you tucked in."
He was laid down in the familiar softness of his bed, the blankets tucked up to his chin, and he felt a kiss on his forehead.
"Sleep tight, my little hero. I will be back tomorrow to take care of you."
Izuku could not even respond. He was already drifting to sleep as large fingers combed through his hair.
"And you're supposed to be able to fight me?" the voice laughed. "Oh, my poor, helpless thing. I'd much rather take care of you instead."
"You look happy this morning, Deku," Uraraka said. She hurried up to him, backpack bouncing with the movement. "I thought you would have been exhausted after that training All Might put us through yesterday."
"I'm a little sore,” Izuku said, feeling self-conscious. Had he not worked hard enough?
"Really? You look so..." Uraraka struggled for the word. "Vibrant. Normally after training like yesterday you've got dark circles under your eyes, but your skin looks so healthy today."
She leaned forward, and Izuku's cheeks began to burn. "Oh-you think so. Wow-I um. Thank you. You look good today too."
Faces close together, Izuku watched as Uraraka's face flushed pink, and she jumped back. "Of course!" she squeaked.
Izuku flushed. Did he... did he really look that good?
These last couple of days, he had some bizarre dreams, and it was odd.
Usually, when he dreamed, he didn't sleep soundly at all. Tossing and turning, restless and muttering in his sleep. Not these last times. He had dreams, but he woke up feeling more relaxed than ever. Even today, he felt cleaner when waking up. Refreshed.
It was nice.
And now Uraraka had noticed?! This day was just getting better and better!
"Oh!" she eeped. "I don't mean, of course, I look good; I meant 'of course, you're welcome.' I didn't- do you really think I look that good?"
"Yeah, you look great!" he replied. "I mean- you look good every day but especially today-"
"Will you two quit it already?" Kacchan asked as he stormed into class. "Any more sweetness crap, and I'm going to need insulin!"
Uraraka rolled her eyes, but she and Izuku followed after.
The compliment lingered in Izuku's mind all day. He wasn't a poor sleeper, but he had also never slept as soundly as he had the last several days. Maybe it was training? Or was his body finally adapting to One for All?
Izuku didn't know, but he was happy to take this good luck.
The fuzzy feeling that clouded his mind and numbed his body was growing familiar. Izuku sighed in pleasure as it flowed over him.
"Content, little hero?"
Izuku hummed in agreement and nodded his head sleepily. He still couldn't see, but he found it difficult to care when he was so comfortable.
"Oh, were you looking forward to my visit?" the voice asked, picking him up and cradling him against a warm chest. "Aren't you a sweet little one?"
Izuku only hummed, melting into the hand carding through his hair. The hand sensed him craving the affectionate touch and gently began petting his head, stroking his cheek, while the other hand rubbed circles in his back.
"I admit, I have begun to look forward to our little visits too," the voice said as Izuku smiled in pleasure. "You are quite soothing, little hero. Let's get you cleaned up."
Izuku wanted to protest the warmth of the hands going away, but he got the washcloth to wash his face and then a warm fluffy towel to dry him off. Moisturizers to the skin again, though this time he did not mind so much, even with the fingers squeezing and poking at his cheeks.
"Hm... you're hair is getting a bit oily, isn't it? Let's see what we can do..."
Izuku gasped at the warm wetness in his hair and then the feeling of fingers massaging his scalp. He could smell a strawberry smell of shampoo as every inch of his scalp was massaged, and felt the shampoo foam cling to his curly hair. A moment later, the pleasant feeling of warm water in his hair washed over him, and then the hands became hot, but not uncomfortably so. Enough that he could feel his hair drying without any issues.
"Oh, what lovely curls you have. I used to have curls similar to yours, but no longer," the voice sighed and continued carding his hands through Izuku's hair. A light oil was worked into his hair, the buttery smell lingering in the air.
Izuku felt his curls swirl together, forming soft ringlets that fell on his face.
"This is better. Your curls need better treatment than they've been getting."
Izuku hummed in acknowledgment. His curls were messy, but they were so difficult and painful to take care of. If only caring for them felt as good as this, he would always have nice hair.
The oil was gone, but the hands continued to mess with Izuku's hair, wrapping the strands around a finger and scratching at his scalp.
Izuku sighed as the hands played with his hair for several minutes, only for them to stop, and he was placed back on his bed again. He moaned, wiggling against the blanket cocoon.
"No'" he slurred. "Don' stop... don' go..."
The voice was quiet for a moment, and Izuku had the impression he had surprised whoever it was. The hands gently returned, and he was pulled into a hug.
"Oh, little hero, do not worry," the voice cooed. "I will not be gone long. I'll see you tomorrow."
He felt fingers card through his hair once more.
"Do not worry... this is not forever. Just until I have everything prepared. After this, we won't have to cut these visits short. I can come to see you any time and take care of you... you are a joy to look after, little hero."
Izuku stared at his hair in bewilderment as his mirrored reflection stared back.
Hesitantly, he raised a hand and poked the fluffy mounds of green curls. His mouth opened as he felt the soft curl spring back. His hair was light and fluffy, and each curl was perfectly shaped, for once not looking like an abandoned bird's nest.
"It doesn't make sense," Izuku mumbled. "I haven't changed my shampoo or anything else. I'd even thought about getting a new product, but I haven't done it. So why...?"
He poked the curls again, half expecting them to light on fire or grow snake heads. That was as likely as what they looked like now.
The dream lingered faintly in his mind. He struggled to remember them, left less with words or events and more with feelings. But he thought he remembered something about his hair. Someone had been playing with his hair.
"Hello, little hero."
Izuku squirmed as arms reached up underneath him, pulling him from his soft blankets. Blearily, he looked for his alarm clock, but a large hand pressed his eyes closed.
"None of that."
Izuku's stomach lurched, and he opened his mouth to scream, but a wave of calm crashed into him, drowning away his fear. His body relaxed, melting into the arms, and a thick cloud formed in his mind.
"You haven't ever woken up for me like that before," the voice scolded. "Relax, little hero. Let me take care of you."
Fingers pressed at Izuku's stomach, eliciting a delirious giggle.
"Always so ticklish," the voice said fondly. Izuku's stomach was pinched again. "But they obviously have not been feeding you enough."
"'M fine," Izuku insisted as he was cuddled against a familiar chest, trying to open his eyes. "Wha'- wha' are you doin'?"
"My, full of questions today, are we?" the voice chuckled. "Just our usual routine. I would have thought you'd be used to it by now, little hero."
Izuku felt the warm washcloth over his face, and he hummed at the feeling. The voice chuckled as hands scrubbed his skin clean. Izuku giggled as fingers poked his stomach and cheeks.
"St'p!" Izuku giggled. "St'p. Wanna sleep."
"Oh, but you sleep so well when I take care of you," the voice replied. "Don't you, little hero?"
Izuku lay limp as the voice continued washing his face, rubbing in moisturizer, and brushing out his hair.
He couldn't think of a time in his life when he had been pampered like this. Ever since his diagnosis he had been expected to grow up and take care of himself. Never had anyone shown so much care.
So why were his shoulders prickling in unease?
"Hmmm, we should get you back soon, but I have a special treat for you today."
Dishes clinked, and Izuku was adjusted in the voice's lap before something was pressed against his lips. "Open up, little hero."
With his mind foggy and limbs numb, Izuku obeyed.
Something sweet and delicious filled his mouth as he chewed, and he couldn't hold back his smile.
"Oh, you like that, little hero?" the voice asked. "Another bite?"
Izuku nodded and opened up again, allowing himself to be fed like a child. Even though something in his mind was telling him that this was wrong, he couldn't help but enjoy the food in his mouth. It felt... good.
"Why?" he asked.
"Why feed you? I told you, you aren't being fed enough-"
"No... why this?" Izuku pressed. "Why... care?"
The voice paused, then stroked his hair.
"I once had a younger brother I looked after. He was everything to me, but being a hero was everything to him. He was my little hero, but in pursuing that goal, he lost his life."
"M' sorry," Izuku said.
"As was I. For years I've searched after the last remaining piece of him. It was that quest that led me to you. You look so much like him, your eyes..." Hands gripped Izuku close, squeezing him tight. "I won't let the heroes take you either."
Izuku's lungs begged for air, but he squeaked out. "M' gonna' be a hero."
An icy coldness slammed into Izuku, chilling his limbs and seizing the breath from his lungs. He whimpered as the temperature plummeted more, freezing him in place.
"I see..." the voice said, fingers combing through Izuku's hair. It occurred to him that it was more like petting an animal, not as affectionate as he thought. "It seems that I must be faster about my task then. Such a stubborn child."
"M' gonna be a hero!" Izuku insisted, trying to kick out. "Lemme alone!"
The fingers stopped, and Izuku felt the arms tense around him. He heard a sharp inhale, then realized he had probably just said something hurtful to this voice, whoever it was. That didn't seem right, but then that uneasy feeling was growing more and more in the back of Izuku's mind. Something was wrong here, and he couldn't figure out what it was.
"Very well, little hero... until tomorrow, then."
He was placed in the welcome softness of his bed and tucked in by his blankets. For the first time in several days, Izuku woke up feeling uneasy instead of well-rested.
"It's come to our attention," Aizawa said during morning announcements, "that something...unusual has been happening in dorms. We've been seeing signs of glitches in our systems."
The class turned deadly silent; all amusement sucked from the room. Several students, including Kirishima, turned worried eyes to Bakugou. He had been taken by villains, and despite All Might's heroic stand, the villain from Kamino Ward had escaped, albeit with injuries.
Aizawa continued. "If there had been anything from the past week or two that has struck you as odd or out of the ordinary let me or another teacher know." Aizawa glared at each of them, and Izuku sank into his seat at the look.
Anything unusual?
He thought about his funny dreams. About those hands that stroked his hair, washed his face, and squeezed his cheeks: the soothing voice, the warmth blanketing him, encouraging him to sleep.
And then how his hair came out smelling like strawberries and shinier. And how his skin felt smoother.
It was unusual. It... it would kind of line up with the glitches... right?
But that didn't make sense. How would he even phrase it?
"I've been dreaming of disembodied hands pampering me, and I wake up feeling extra nice in the morning with extra shiny hair?
He could already see Aizawa's deadpan stare.
Izuku bit his lip. What if Aizawa asked for proof? Pulling out his notebook, he tried to write out everything he knew. The dreams felt foggy, and the words blurred, but Izuku dutifully wrote everything down.
However, looking at it, Izuku knew it wasn't enough. Although he had filled more than two pages detailing the dreams, there was nothing concrete that he could use. If Aizawa asked for evidence, all Izuku had was his word. Which with teachers never went far.
Blood pooled in his mouth, and Izuku pulled his lip away, frowning at the cut he had made. Proof, he would get proof. Tonight he would stay up, put a camera somewhere and wait. If he had another dream, this time he would have evidence to back it up, and if he didn't have another dream...well, Izuku would talk to Aizawa about it regardless tomorrow.
That night, he went to bed with the camera set up and ready. He also remembered what Aizawa said about the camera's glitching, so he also set up a tape recorder and had his phone recording as well. There should be something to catch whether or not these strange dreams were actually happening or not.
Unlike the last several nights, he couldn't fall asleep. He tossed and turned and tried to pretend that he was actually fast asleep in dreamland, but he just couldn't. He was waiting. Waiting for those hands, that voice...
He wasn't looking forward to it. Not at all. Not after... not after the last dream.
But what if that was all it was? Just a dream? What if he was getting so worked up over nothing?
"Hello, little hero." The voice from his dream said.
Tucked under the covers, Izuku stiffened. It was here. It was real! His heart pounded, but Izuku forced himself to lay still. He was asleep, he chanted in his mind.
"I know you're not asleep. There's no need to feign with me. Truthfully I thought we were past such falsehoods."
Izuku's stomach lurched, and his palms felt clammy. However, he forced himself to open his eyes and sit up.
"Ah, there they are," the voice said. "Those pretty eyes. I have been looking forward to seeing them."
Izuku felt his heart plunge. Instantly, everything changed. Instead of the warm, safe, tired feeling he had with the voice, he felt like a trapped animal. Too scared to move lest the hunter discover and devour him.
The feeling he had the day they had rescued Kacchan. That feeling of frozen terror, even when he couldn't see the villain. Even though the black skull-shaped mask was gone, there was no denying the towering being over him gave him the same fear as then.
"Do you know who I am, little hero?"
Izuku opened his mouth, but fear gripped his entire being. He couldn't even make a squeak or a whimper. He could only stare at the villain, heart pounding so loud that it could be heard through the room.
All for One.
The eyeless face smiled down at him as the familiar hands reached out and began to comb through his hair once more.
"What is wrong, little hero? Too tired to answer? You really must rest yourself more."
The fuzzy feeling crept over Izuku, leaving his fingers and toes tingling before creeping upward. The same foggy sensation slowed his thoughts but didn't completely cover the terror coursing through him.
With a burst of energy, Izuku lunged away and reached for the door, for Aizawa, for anyone who could help.
With a chuckle, All for One seized Izuku by the waist, lifting him into the air. The fuzzy calm pierced by terror, Izuku screamed, thrashing as he kicked into nothingness.
"LET ME G-" The villain's hand slapped over Izuku's mouth, choking out his screams.
"None of that, little hero," the All for One scolded. "Why so excited? Didn't you sleep well during our last visits?"
Izuku thrashed in the villain's arms, fighting the calm and the warmth and the feeling of safety and comfort. He bit down on his hand, hard enough to draw blood, and forced himself free enough to yell.
"HELP! SOMEONE HELP-"
"Oh, from the mouths of babes," All For One chuckled, cradling Izuku. "Crying out for help in the darkness, with no one to care for you. Not even yourself. Do not worry, little hero. You will be taken care of now. Because I am here."
Izuku fought as the arms that once seemed comforting and gentle swaddled him like an infant, the blankets wrapped around his mouth to muffle his screams.
"Oh, little hero, don't worry," All For One crooned as he rocked him. "I told you, I don't want to fight you. I'd rather take care of you instead."