Chapter 3

Eren's POV

"Grisha," my Mom cried out, "please stop! You're hurting him!"

"Shut up!" My Dad yelled at my Mom, eyes burning deep into her soul. "This is his punishment! And you're going to watch!" My Dad roughly pounded back into me.

"Ahh!! D-Dad! Stop! Hah!!" Screaming out in pain, I tried struggling out of the ropes my Dad held me down with, but he must have noticed because he slapped me across the face.

"G-Grisha!! Stop!! H-he's only ten!" My Mom started bawling. I didn't want her to cry. I wanted her to be happy.

"M-Mom! I-It's okay! D-don't worry about m-me!" I gave her a weak smile so she wouldn't cry anymore. But I guess that made her bawl even harder.

~Present~

I guess I didn't scream this time. I found myself staring at the ceiling. I sat up and started rubbing my eyes. I sighed and stared down at my hands. It should have been me who died.

I took the covers off and stood up, stretching until I was satisfied with a CRACK from my bones.

"Ugh..." I sighed heavily and just stripped off my clothes and got in the shower.

After I finished with the shower, I put on black jeans, an olive shirt, white shoes, and a black hoodie. Of course, I put the hoodie over my head.

I grabbed my phone and checked the time, reading 3:20 a.m. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I looked over at the window and decided to just open it and jump.

I walked over to the window and quietly opened it, looking at the door to make sure no one entered. After it was fully opened, I felt that cold breeze and I sighed, relieved that I get to go out at this time again. I looked around the streets and fount that it was okay to jump.

Once I safely made it down, I wandered the streets before going into an alleyway.

Smells like cigarettes and alcohol. Not that I know. Maybe I'll take a sip?

Right in the middle of my thoughts, I bumped into something or someone. They fell down, not me. I only stumbled backwards.

"What the ****, man? Can't you watch where you're going?" I groaned and started rubbing my arm. I do this because of my anxiety. I sighed and knelt down a bit, trying to get a view of the person better.

"Hey. You need a hand or what?"

"Funny you should say that." Answered the stranger. He shuffled and stood up, stepping a little closer to the light for me to get a view.

He had burnt scars on his face? Metal stitches holding it into place. Icy blue eyes staring down at me. "You're smaller than I thought."

"Tch," I rolled my eyes, "who are you? Why are you here at this time?"

"I should ask the same to you."

"..." Okay, I don't know who he think he is, but I think he's trying to start beef with me.

After my silent response, he started laughing. What the ****?

"I'm Dabi. You?"

"What makes you think I'd say my name to a stranger?"

He rose an eyebrow and got serious. "Look, kid. I'm just tryna be nice. But it seems like you're not that type."

"Whatever. I smell alcohol. Maybe I can take a drink?" I asked as I looked behind me, hoping no one followed me.

"Huh? How old are you?"

"I'm fifteen, dude. Does it really matter?" I groaned. This was getting annoying.

"Kid, that's not right. You can't drink at that age." He glared at me as he said that.

"You're not my Dad. Plus, I've been drinking since the age of thirteen. Why do you care?" I crossed my arms at him.

He didn't say anything. He just looked at me like he didn't believe me. I can't tell if he's smiling or not because of the scars.

"Fine," he turned around and glanced behind me, "if you want a sip, follow me."

________________________________

I was swinging my legs in front of me as I took a sip of my beer. I kept getting stared at from the people in the bar. I didn't like this attention. It didn't feel right.

"How old is the kid?" Said the 'leader' of the gang. He has wrinkles all over his face and chapped lips, a plastic hand covering most of his face, making his two eyes and bright, baby blue hair visible.

"He said he's fifteen," answered Dabi after finishing his beer.

"What?"

"Exactly." Snorted Dabi and glanced at me. "Have any family members?"

"An older brother and a friend. Both living with me."

"Living with you? So you bought the house?"

"Yeah. My father was a doctor when I was born. So when he died, I inherited his money. He was a normal man when my older brother was born." I took one last jug and threw the bottle in the trash, sighing and rubbing my eyes.

"What's up with you?" Asked Dabi. He sat on the stool beside mine and ordered two more beers.

"Nothing... Just trying to deal with my fucking emotions and thoughts," I muttered, grabbing the bottle and taking a sip.

"Emotions and thoughts," answered blue hair, he sat on the stool on my opposite side, "what kind of emotions and thoughts?"

"What's his name?" I asked Dabi and he replied with 'Shigaraki'.

"Shigaraki," putting my beer on the table and facing him, "I have depression. You know, the sad shit? Yeah, I have that. It makes me think of suicide. Cutting myself every single fucking night. Crying myself to sleep, thinking that it should have been me who died, ya know? I should have just killed myself after that fire fucking Endeavor didn't stop."

The bar fell silent after I expressed myself. I knew that was going to happen. This crazy looking girl hugged me from behind and giggled.

"Why didn't you?? You would have saved yourself a lot of pain!"

"Toga. Shut the **** up. You're not helping," Dabi retorted and pushed her off of me, shaking his head.

"Hey..."

"Kurogiri."

"Kurogiri," I continued, "what time is it?"

"It is seven thirty-five."

"Shit," I stood up and pulled the hoodie over my head, "gotta go. I left my number on the napkin. Text me if you want. I don't care."

________________________________

"Where have you been, Eren?"

It was lunch and Levi and I were in the classroom again, but with Deku. He was trying to make me crack and tell him where I was.

"Don't worry about it, Rivaille. I was just taking a walk."

"At four in the morning?"

I looked away from the ceiling and towards Deku. "Izuku..."

He flinched from the way I said his name and gulped.

"When did you see me?"

"I-I couldn't sleep so I thought I could just take a jog outside... A-and I saw you walking... I didn't recognize y-you until you looked m-my way..." He stuttered and looked down.

I sighed. I couldn't stay mad at him. How could I?

"It's fine. I'm not mad. Sorry if I made you feel that way." I gave him a small smile, trying to make him not think I was mad at him.

"S-sorry..." He weakly smiled back at me but he started tearing up.

"Deku-Kun? Are you okay?" Levi looked worried, as always, and was about to stand up but Deku shook his head.

"N-no, I'm fine! I-I'm just... Happy!" He looked up, tears streaming down his face, a smile appearing.

"Happy..?"

"N-no one cared for me th-this much, expect m-my Mom..!" He wiped his tears and let out a broken laugh.

"Deku-Kun..." I closed my eyes and stood up, making him look up at me.

"Come here."

He quickly stood up, determined to what I was about to do.

I pulled him into a hug and dug my face into his hair, enjoying his sent. He hugged me back and clenched tightly onto my uniform, clearly sobbing by now.

"It's okay, Deku-Kun. We're here."

The door slammed open and an angry boy came stomping his way towards us.

"Hey! Shitty Deku!" He yelled and snatched him away from me.

"K-Kacchan!!" He looked terrified just by looking at that guy.

"Why'd you ditch us today?! Huh?! Why?!" He yelled, small explosions popping out of his opposite palm.

"I-I..!"

"Hey," I grabbed Deku's wrist and pulled him towards Levi and I, "you don't have the right to yell at Izuku like that."

"Huh?! You don't tell me what to do!"

"Deku-Kun! Why weren't you at lunch with us?" A girl with brown hair asked.

"I wanted to have lunch with my real friends!" He raised his voice and greeted his teeth. "You guys only want me to humiliate me!"

"Midoriya," a guy with red and white hair came behind the girl, "we didn't mean to laugh at you."

"No! I don't care! You guys are mean! Especially you, Katsuki!"

Katsuki? That's his name?

He stayed quiet after Deku said his name. Something must have happened between them...

"You guys should leave. Izuku doesn't want nothing to do with you." Levi glared at the three of them.

"You can't just claim him!"

"Uraraka-San, don't scream." The red and white haired guy said and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"B-but, Todoroki-Kun!" She looked at him and pointed at us.

"Come on, Izuku," Levi looked at Deku, "let's go to the restroom and clean you up."

They both left the room I was stuck with three idiots.

"My name is Shouto Todoroki," said the guy with red and white hair, "this is Ochaco Uraraka, and that's Katsuki Bakugo."

"I didn't ask for your names," I rolled my eyes but introduced myself, "my name is Eren Jaeger. And the guy that left with Izuku is Levi Ackermann."

"Nice to meet you, Eren." Shouto nodded and Uraraka only crossed her arms and squinted at me. Katsuki only stared at me.

"So," I cleared my throat, "why did Izuku come back yesterday from the lunch room?"

"It's Bakugo's fault!" Exclaimed Uraraka.

"Shut up, Round Face!!"

Levi and Deku came back and I let out a sigh of relief. It's a good thing Deku isn't crying. I mean, yeah, he looks kinda cute when he's tearing up, but I'm glad he isn't sad.

"Deku-Kun! Are you okay??" Uraraka immediately turned to Deku and brightened up.

Shouto expected Deku to respond to her but he past the three of them and looked up at me, leaving the trio in shock.

He gave me an awkward smile and I only shook my head.

"It's fine."

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