~O~

Winter evening,

Snow spread everywhere in sight in a calming silence. On the tress, on the roofs, it covered the paths and the roads. A cold and chilly breeze was blowing through the city of Musutafu.

Snow is cruel sometimes. Cold, merciless, unforgiving and heartless even.

But, on the other hand, it was a wonderful time to get cozy inside!

A wonderful time to cover yourself in multiple duvets, surround yourself with pillows and finally get a long nice nap after a tiring day full of hard work. And in such a setting, one could only wish for a piece of silence and warmth.

And, so far, that looked like a certain green haired boy's plan for today.

Just close your eyes and relax...

Sounded nice to him after hours and hours of non-stop training he did. School was at it's place. Hero training was there, but the boy, as everyone knew, kept pushing himself with extra work all day and night. Now, for once that he had decided to take it easy, he deserved it all the well.

Maybe in the midst of his sleep, Izuku was waken up by something - he didn't register what it was - that he grew slightly conscious to his surroundings. You know, that feeling when you wake due to a sound not-so-alarming and become somewhat aware that you're no longer asleep? It could be described as when a roommate accidentally drops something on the floor and it's noise wakes you up. Izuku wasn't a heavy sleeper, so he had plenty of those times. And this was probably just another one.

Anyhow, the green haired boy felt a chilly wave of air collide against his face. He felt his posture was a little uncomfortable as compared to how he usually was in his bedroom - he was lying on his stomach. Maybe he just fell asleep on one of the couches in the common area out of fatigue and somebody left the front door open?

'Come on, guys...'

'Close the door and lemme sleep for once!'

He got no reply. Of course he wouldn't. He didn't say that out loud. And considering that there wasn't a single sound, Izuku assumed that nobody was there who he could ask to close the door. Oh, he was gonna catch a cold...

He tried shifting on his side to get some warmth but soon found out that his muscles were too sore from all the training and sparring to be able to move without sending an aching pain throughout his limbs. Izuku groaned, almost in annoyance.

The green head huffed as he noticed his surroundings grow colder and colder. Another chilly breeze went pass him, colliding against his skin that only asked for warmth. But he only got shivers down his spine.

Maybe it was the fact that he was slowly getting more alarmed of his surroundings that now he realized, his entire body was freezing, ice cold. And something told him it wasn't just the breeze. He also felt some liquid cold near his head. Maybe there was more but that was the only place he registered it to be.

'Am I.... Not in the dorms?'

He asked himself. An unanswered question. He hoped fate would answer it for him. He thought it was too unusually quiet. Too unusually cold and chilly. Too unusually uncomfortable and-!

'Oh.'

He remembered.

Izuku was alone... In the snow... Somewhere... Badly battered and bruised, injuries littered his body. A gaping wound near his abdomen was bleeding out. A serious head injury, blood continuously trickling down his forehead. A concussion probably? He didn't know. It just hurt. Too much now that he realized his condition.

It doesn't hurt if you don't know. But it hurts more once you know.

Was there nobody around? Where were all of his classmates? Were they hurt too? He should get up to help them if they were. But the silence meant no one was there. Heck, he couldn't even hear the wind passing by.

Maybe he should call for help? A little help didn't sound bad when he was practically bleeding to his death. On the other hand, he doubted if he could actually do that.

'I... I want to scream...'

'But I can't...'

Just as he thought, he didn't have enough strength to. He could barely even part his lips.

His emerald green eyes never felt so heavy before in his entire life. He tried to open them, he forced them to open but he couldn't. Where was he? He wanted to see if anyone was nearby. Anyone who could help him maybe? He tried once again, to check his surroundings. Izuku managed to open his eyes halfway but it didn't really help. His vision was blurry, too blurry. A mixture of white, grey and red - that was all he saw in the split second he opened his eyes.

'I really want to scream...'

His body felt so cold, so cruelly cold that it felt like he was already frozen. But it wasn't even half true. It was just what he felt. Just his feelings. Feelings that never really mattered to him. Feelings of hurt that he always casted aside to achieve his goal.

'I wish I could scream.'

He wanted to scream. He wanted to scream at the top if his lungs. It never hurt so much as it did right now. And it wasn't even just the physical pain. It was horrible. It was the worst feeling ever. He never really wanted it to happen like this. He didn't imagine it to happen like this. He never thought it would hurt so much. He never really thought...

'Why can't it be faster?'

'Everything hurts so much.'

His body felt like it was going under a hundred different ways of slow yet continuous torture. He felt so weak. So weak, he couldn't even lift his finger. All his remaining life force wasn't even enough for him to open his eyes fully. His body was just so weak.

'Breathing hurts.'

It hurt so much. And it was everywhere. The pain was everywhere in his body. Every time he breathed, it felt like his heart was going to explode or his lungs would just burst out. Every time he breathed, it felt as if a jolt of pain went up his nerves, pushing him closer to an unending pit of darkness that was called death.

Slowly.

Painfully.

His body was lying on the cold, snowy ground - a puddle of his own blood had formed around his body. He didn't exactly remember what happened or how it happened. Just a few things were lingering in his mind regarding the previous events.

There was a fight... He didn't remember much of the background. All For One was there as well maybe? He wasn't sure. Everyone was split up. He couldn't recall where they were or why they were even there. How many people were with him, how many are still here, how many got hurt or how many were still fighting.

... But there still wasn't a single sound that reached his ear.

Did a head injury affect his hearing? Or did... Everyone just... Left him alone... Alone to... Alone to die?

If Izuku had the power to, he would've chuckled at that thought.

Why would they leave him alone? Stupid brain and it's stupid thoughts. His friends would never do that, Izuku was sure of it. They must be nearby, looking for him or.... Getting help from the pros! Maybe they were... Hurt themselves? No, there should be at least some sound.

Has he gone deaf? Izuku could still hear his own groans of pain so maybe he wasn't...

Then why...? Why wasn't there any other sound? Where were the heroes? Where were his friends, his classmates? Why weren't they there? He was always there for everyone, he always helped everyone, he always saved them, not caring about the danger.

Then why was he the one who was left alone to die...?

That brought tears to his half-closed eyes.

No. No. No. No. No. No. Stupid thoughts again. Nothing like that happened. He wasn't really alone. They would get here. It might take some time, but they would. He knew it. He wouldn't have to be alone. He shouldn't doubt them.

He knew they would come. They promised that they would never make him feel alone. They would fulfill their promise. He always did. They would too. Right?

...

'No, shut up, brain. It's not false hope!'

It's not. It's really not. Izuku hoped it's not. And if it was... Then... He didn't want to think about it.

Well, either way...

He was just going to take a little nap.

'They'll come...'

'I know they will...'

Darkness.

~O~

"A few a weeks ago, the dangerous villain; All For One managed to break out of Tartarus Prison with a few allies. Sources say, help was granted from the outside by the wanted League of Villains. Before any of the villains could reach a civilized area, a large group of heroes - pros and trainees immediately showed up to stop them between the mountains of Musutafu city and Shibuya - despite the dangerously snowy weather. The heroes fought to stop them with all they had and according to our reports, majority of the heroes have already recovered from all their injuries and are ready to get back in action. There are few that might stay hospitalized for a few more days. But most importantly, the reason to bring up this case, was to inform everyone that a hero-in-training from UA; Izuku Midoriya, who was reported 'missing' after his fight with the Symbol of Evil, had been found dead yesterday. His body was found deep in the mountains and the reason for the delay was reported to be the awful lot of snow. The boy - the hero who saved us from All For One had to die alone in a torturous manner. Ma-!"

The television was turned off. A heavy silence filled the common area of 1-A Heights Alliance Dormitories.

Heads hung low, a heavy aura covered up and the tears that were being held back for so long, finally fell down. There were cries, silent and loud. An exchange of empty comforts and dull words. In the end, none of it really mattered.

The only hope that they could reunite with their missing friend was shattered not even a minute ago. What hurt more was that they knew this was coming but they still chose to believe otherwise.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm so s-sorry you had to die a-alone... Please forgive us for n-not being there..."

Snow is cruel, isn't it?

~O~

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孤独死

« Kodokushi »

'The phenomenon of dying alone and remaining undiscovered for a long period of time.'

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