bittybat | (no subject)

[Izuku flinches back at that, looking horrified.]

No, I just--I was just thinking about it! [More timidly, he adds--] It wouldn't be a good idea for me to do the quest with anyone.

[At this, Damian's brows come together instead of rising.] Why? You think no one would else be able to function with your level of strength? [The wooden staff is lifted and settled back over his shoulder.]

Some of us wouldn't have any issue with it.

[He's just!! too confident...!!]

[Damian, why is everything about you a challenge. Izuku purses his lips before giving a shake of his head.]

I just don't want you to hurt yourself. [He exhales, rolling his sleeves up to show off the scars Damian's already seen before.] When I first got my quirk, I'd shatter the bones in my arms and legs whenever I tried to use it. It took me a while before I could control it at all.

[Damian's next question was going to be about the scars. His eyes drop to the offered arms, and his lips twist gently.]

So you have super strength, but not the "super body" to go with it.

[Unfortunate. He can imagine how wrecked Clark and Jon would be if they had their Kryptonian abilities without the Kryptonian bodies.] I've had metahuman powers before. For a short duration after my resurrection. Flight, indestructibility, increased strength among other things. [What would he have been like with those without the body to sustain it?]

I've broken more bones as a mere human than anyone else I know aside from the Family. I'm not worried about broken bones.

[A pause, before Izuku's smiling at him just slightly. It figures that Damian would figure out exactly what the problem is so quickly.] Yeah, that's exactly it. I trained a lot and built up my body so it could handle the quirk.

[Then, he's quiet again, eyes narrowing.] You really want to do this. [Even after Izuku's already explained?]

[For a long moment, Damian just stares at Izuku. And then he actually smirks from around the thin pole. In Japanese, he says:]

Too scared, Izuku-kun?

[Izuku barely manages not to roll his eyes at that very blatant attempt at goading, but he does level an unimpressed look in Damian's direction to make up for it.]

Quit it. You know that's not going to work. [He draws his knees up to his chest, worrying at his bottom lip as he thinks.] You've done this quest before--how long does the swap last?

[Quietly, Damian sucks his teeth and glances away. He seems gently offended his taunt didn't get the desired outcome. Izuku is too much like Jon in this regard. Certain challenges rile Jon up, but most of the time, Jon looks him in the face and smiles.

Irritating.]

A day or two at most. [He peers at Izuku again.] You sure you want to be "normal"?

["Irritating"... are you sure??]

It's not going to bother me if I'm quirkless for a few days Damian. I was quirkless for most of my life. [For a moment, Izuku's worried expression softens into a smile.] Besides, a friend of mine's changed my opinion on quirkless heroes. He tries to provoke me into doing what he wants sometimes, even when asking normally would get the same result, but he's an incredibly competent hero and a good person.

[Now there's a tinge of amusement in his eyes as he teases--] Sound familiar?

[Apparently, Damian doesn't seem convinced Izuku wouldn't be bothered. Of course, Damian, despite being quirkless for about 15 years, would absolutely be bothered if he got a quirk and then lost it again.

He was already kind of like that with the superpowers he got after his resurrection.]

I don't know what you're talking about. [His face bunches, and he quickly looks anywhere but at Izuku.] I haven't ever heard of anyone having anything in common with such a person.

Were they here?

[With his face turned away as is, Damian might not see the grin spreading across Izuku's face, but he'll definitely hear the soft laugh.]

They're still here. [Right here, in fact.] I'm sure you'll meet them eventually if you haven't already.

[Okay, he'll take mercy on Damian now.]

A day or two isn't too long. [Izuku says this slowly.] I was just worried about being caught unprepared by another attack while we've swapped.

[He opens his mouth, but then closes it again rather than argue any longer. If he has to live in denial, he'll live in a lot of denial, okay!]

I can handle my own during an attack even with some kind of newly acquired powers. [Even if he may have a lot of trouble, Damian at least sounds extremely confident.] Or are you trying to imply that you won't be of any use because I'm worthless as a normal human...?

[This time, Izuku shakes his head, a mix of amused and exasperated.] Do you have to take everything I say negatively?

I'm just saying, even if I've been working on my combat skills with you, I'd still be at my best when I have the quirk I'm already used to handling in a fight.

If you spent so long without your quirk, you would already know how to function in combat. Sure, your skills can use a great deal of honing, but you aren't helpless. [Reaching up with one hand, Damian taps his temple.] This is the greatest weapon you can ever have in your arsenal.

It doesn't matter how strong you are, what powers you have. Your brain will win your battles every time. If you're smarter than your opponent, the victory is yours.

[Izuku actually throws his head back and laughs this time.] You wouldn't be saying that if you'd seen me before I started training. [He knows how scrawny and physically weak he had been back then, even without having to look at the picture All Might had taken when he started the American Dream regimen.]

You're right, though... strategy counts for a lot. [It's nice, hearing that from someone who's been on the field longer than he has, especially after all the sneers his notes got in middle school.]

So...we're doing this? [Though Izuku had his own concerns about giving his quirk away--mostly it being the quirk that All Might had given him on top of all that explosive power--things in Chroma have never really worked the way he expected. Besides...it's only a for a day.]

[Straightening, Damian swaps the wooden staff from one hand to the other, offering out his right to Izuku when it's free.] Unless you're too scared. [He wiggles his fingers teasingly a bit.

Shake on it, and give him One For All.]

That again? [Izuku half-laughs. But he shifts, crossing his legs under him when he faces Damian.

Then, he takes the offered hand, bracing himself for whatever might happen next. All he feels is a strange rush of warmth leaving him, though, and after a second of two, Izuku frowns.] I guess...that's it?

[It is quite like Percy's swap, too. Their hands clasps, and it's little more than a warm, tingling pair of palms and the rush of mysterious air by them which ruffles their hair and clothes.

Unfortunately, he's already had Percy's powers and, therefore, he can remember the feeling of having to pull it all up from within. Gentl clenching the hand he had used to shake, Damian lifts it by his chest. Also unfortunately, Damian's confidence and curiosity trump his inclination to be cautious.

He can feel the mounting pressure of the power running from his elbow to his palm, and the length of it goes brilliantly more paler and twines with the volcanic veins of strength and the crackling lightning of green, leaving behind the scent of ozone.]

[It's surreal, watching his own power being used by someone else. Despite himself, Izuku leans forward, brimming with curiosity.

Whatever his initial misgivings had been, he can't deny that this is an opportunity that most likely won't come up again.]

How does it feel?

Like someone is standing behind me. No... [That isn't right either. It isn't behind him. There's no drive to move forward physically.] It feels... as if... someone is standing within me.

Not with a body. With a spirit.

[He grips his fist a bit tighter, and the swathe of glimmering flesh and red creeps up his arm to his shoulder. He lets go of the staff so it drops to the ground, lowering his right arm to his side and lifting his left. Lightning springs from one joint of his body and hops quickly to the next. He can feel it. Some of the things he's capable of doing.]

You use it to jump, right?

[Oh...Oh. Though there's a flicker of recognition in Izuku's eyes at that description, he says nothing, chewing nervously on his bottom lip while staying silent.]

Yeah, I do--[Distracted, Izuku answers before he can think better of it, and his eyes widen.] Wait, Damian-kun, I don't think that's a good idea--!

[It doesn't matter. Damian takes Izuku's warning, but with less seriousness than he should. Even while Izuku is talking, Damian turns around and bends his knees low.

Power is snatched from his arms to his feet. It's a lot quicker than he is expecting, and it's a hell of a lot more powerful. The build-up isn't very gradual. It's more like a faucet, turned on or turned off, no trickle.

The ground crumbles beneath his feet, and his legs extend without much of his command, unable to remain coiled when the pressure had built. He takes off straight up, a crackling sparkle of green energy and heated core. A small, speeding jumping bean.

Goodbye, Izuku...!]

[In the second it takes Izuku to process this, it feels like he aged ten years from the stress alone. Is this how Aizawa-sensei feels when he's chasing after their class all the time? No wonder he's always so tired.]

Damian-kun!

[There's... no helping it. With his power in Damian's hand, all Izuku can do now is run and hope he's there to catch Damian if things go downhill. With his eyes on the distant figure above, Izuku starts running.]

[Percy hadn't been wrong. Damian really has to learn to stick the landings of the powers he absorbs. There was too much strength in his legs, and he shot way too high.

Coming back down, he tries to brace himself in some of the trees, one of the trees, and the branches crack under his force until he gets to sturdy bottom ones and they break his fall. Touching down rattles him from legs to forehead, clacks his teeth and spits a hiss of green lightning.

Okay. No high jumping. He gets it. High jumping is bad when the body isn't built to match the quirk. He can learn from his mistakes!

Hoping down onto the ground, he takes off again. This time, rather than spring directly up, he springs forward like a rabbit, a pinball. Actually, he's faster this way, it's easier to work with.

And unfortunately, Izuku is made-up of nothing more than highly athletic normalcy. Running after him luckily doesn't put Izuku out of breath. It's not hard to appreciate the training Damian has put into his body, his stamina, his reflexes. It may not be supernatural, but it's pretty incredible for a thirteen year old.

Anyway, yeah, bye, Izuku. Damian leaves the other boy in the dust.

But then, not to worry, ends up returning in the same manner after a handful of minutes bouncing around this section of the town with Midwestern Legs.]

[Izuku skids to a stop, heart still pounding from both worry and the chase. Relief floods through him when he gives Damian a once-over and doesn't see the tell-tale discoloration on the skin anywhere.

It's then that he finally allows himself to relax a little, and even smile.]

Having fun?