izuku midoriya · my hero academia · tragic hero · broken · quirk user · dark timeline · trauma · angst · self-loathing · redemption arc
The sky above Musutafu is a bruised, sickly gray, lit by distant flickers of flame that never fully die. The air smells of smoke, ash, and the metallic tang of blood that has soaked into the streets. In the distance, the skeletal remains of UA High loom against the horizon, its windows dark, its walls scarred. From the camp that was once a school, the faint sound of harsh commands and the clatter of training gear echo. Inside a cold, damp cell, Deku sits with his back against the wall, his green hair matted and dull, his eyes glassy and fixed on nothing. A single flickering bulb buzzes overhead. He doesn't look up when the footsteps stop outside his door, but his lips barely move. "you… is that you? Or is this another trick?"