Chapter Text
"Are you sure you haven't seen him?"
"I'm sure, sir."
"His classmates say you were the closest person to him, even more than his mother. Do you have any clue as to where he might be?"
The teenage girl rolled a pink dread between her fingers, her face scrunched as she scraped her mind.
"Nowhere you haven't already checked. He's not at any of our usual spots."
"So not at the scrapyard, auto repair shop, or your basement, correct?"
"Yes sir."
Nodding his head the detective shook the girl's hand, a mirthless smile on his face.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Hatsume. We'll be sure to update you if the situation develops."
Nodding her head, Mei allowed the man to walk past her, his palm resting on the exit to the principal's office.
Before he could turn and exit, however, he was stopped by a question, spoken by a trembling voice.
"W-Will you find him?"
Lowering his head, the man could only clutch the doorknob alongside the case file tighter, his face a grimace.
"I…I hope so."
"You hope so?"
The man took a deep breath, relaxing his grip on the doorknob as he forced a course of determination through his veins.
He was by no means a pro hero, but regardless, the police department was still competent people, people who are good at what they do.
And he was intent on proving that.
"We- the Police Department- we will find Izuku Midoriya."
"Did…did the police say anything?"
A fatigue found only through profound grief slowed the girl's movements, so much so that it seemed to take minutes for her to settle her sights on the blonde beside her.
"Why do you care?"
Her voice was dry and hoarse, which, paired with the puffiness of the girl's eyes, indicated her earlier tears.
The blonde cast his ruby eyes downward, struggling to find an answer to her question.
I mean, why did he care?
Ever since they were kids, the blonde had done everything in his power to ostracize and exclude the boy, even going so far as to physically harm him.
But now that he was missing,
But now that he was missing…
"I…I don't know. I grew up with Deku- shit- Izuku, his mom is practically my aunt-"
"So you bully all of your aunt's kids or was it just Izu?"
"That's fair...Hatsume?"
"What?"
"Do you hate me?"
"I…"
The girl chewed the inside of her mouth, a habit she and her now-missing friend shared whenever they fell deep in thought.
"I don't hate you. Solely because of the fact that Izu still has some faith in you."
Days passed since that conversation.
Days turned to weeks.
Weeks to months.
And before long, Mei Hatsume found herself in the middle of UA's support department, surrounded by countless tools, circuit boards, and everything else she'd need to make her dream a reality.
Their dream a reality.
And yet, she felt none of the joy she expected to upon her admittance.
None of the giddiness that usually came full force whenever she stepped foot near a workbench.
None of the euphoria aroused from finally managing to make a semi-working prototype.
And she knew why.
Because Mei Hatsume was doing none of it with Izuku Midoriya.