Chapter 1: Request

"Minoru…" the older man spoke, a tired sigh escaping him. "That's the name, don't wear it out. Hot babes not included" the seeming child replied.

"It'll sure be rolling off their tongues when they hear of the legend of Mineta Minoru and his quest to buy a dirty magazine in this day and age" he said. Facepalming all the while.

"I'm a collector, what can I say. Though, can't really say I'm shocked. A man of culture such as myself is prime real estate" Minoru said smug.

"Congrats. You've rolled a ten in delusions of grandeur and a one in bullshitting. Collect your items and move left towards the exit" he said.

"Not how it works. But as the future star hero, I'll let it slide, thanks" he said.

Moving to grab a couple of snacks, tampons, and the aforementioned dirty magazine "Minoru" the man stressed. His hand slamming the magazine back to the counter "Shinji?" he asked. "No" "Oh come on! It's just a dirty magazine" he said.

"Quick to underselling a piece of your collection, huh? I'm not selling to a kid, dude" he returned. "I'm not just some kid?! I'm the provider of fanservice! The king of the cultured, lord of-" "Tricking those girls into cheerleading outfits is hardly something to earn the title of king of the cultured, dude. Nice try but no sell" he cut off.

Seething, he glared, betrayal plain on his face "Don't tell me…you villain, you want-" "Quit trying to project. Strike three, you're out" he said. Cutting Mineta off yet again, the tiny boy's head slumped in defeat, though the flames of resistance still burned, the tricky flames of frustration burned hotter. Perplexed, Shinji sighed "Why are you so de…" he began. Before he cut himself off, realization close to breaking.

As silence descended between the two, a battle plan filled the mind of the shorter boy, his finger rhythmically tapping the dark purple spheres on his head. This store was his best bet, the only place he could possibly get his desired item. Unfortunately, he hadn't accounted for a sudden diligent Shinji, he grunted, the urge to bring out the white flag before he blinked, an idea, though hating that he had to play that card, he had no choice. Yes, he had no choice as…

"You wanna go there tomorrow, don't you?" Shinji said. A sigh leaving him as he stared down at his companion, a touch of sympathy in them. "Caught red handed, huh?" he said. A fickle smile gracing his face, his hand awkwardly scratching his cheek all the while, his heart ached, his spirit for battle weakening even further "Ugh, can't even say I'm surprised. You two always had the weirdest 'rituals'" he said frustrated. "…It was just something normal red-blooded males would do, o natural…" he said. His voice growing weaker, quivering "This once" "Huh?" he said. Breaking out of his growing stupor the magazine was freed "Don't make me say it again. Also, normal? You need to fix your definition of that" he said. His pale hands caressing his messy black mane, tired eyes squinted in frustration.

Mineta stared silent for a second before he smiled "Than-" he began. The sliding doors bell chimed, breaking the atmosphere with the force of a sledgehammer, the older boy immediately spouted his mandated greeting swiftly. The smaller boy's heart jumped in shock; the sudden appearance shook him. A normal reaction, he quickly defended. However, unease still pervaded, the hulking hunched figure menacing even when still. The deal interrupted. Silently, the three stood still for a few seconds before the man moved to the back of the store away from the counter "Fuck, I feel like shit. Hate when that happens" Shinji says. A sigh of relief escaping him. Staring, a wry smile broke onto his face "Still don't get how you got this job. Even more so on the mystery of how you still have it" he said. "No illicit materials are to be sold to-" "I get it! I get it. I'll get going, thanks" he said. Getting his items, he began his strut out "Also Mr. future star 'hero', careful on your way home. Heard the hero killer might be around the city" he mutters. "Right~ Paranoid as always. I'll be sure to and as a thank you, tell Rin-san about how you helped, I'll be vague don't worry" he said. Moving to exit the convenient store with glee in his heart "Goddamn brat and here I was looking out for you, last time I'm doing that" Shinji said.

The light threat rolling off him, the rare warmth of victory gracing him as he waved goodbye. The warmth challenged by a prickling sensation, a hateful glare on his back, slowly he glanced back curiosity and unease mixing distastefully, hateful crimson glared at him. A chill ran down his back before he rushed out, those crimson orbs burned hot, its presence scalding. A foible shake of his head was all he could manage, the confusing glare etched into memory.

The evening air touched his skin with the grace of a lover. His shiver the cause of its touch, a cool summer night. Staring at the item he had pushed so hard for, the weight was non-existent yet, his arms felt like lead when carrying it. The classics, something he had little appreciation for after all they have fallen out of the public consciousness for a reason. Quick, accessible, and high quality everywhere, what need was for these relics of the past. Why not progress…he stood silent, the always timely rebuttal lost to the wind. His heart ached, shaking his head he stared ahead, the path home always too long, blessed are shortcuts, no need to endlessly trudge down the winding path towards home.

His mind now aware of his surroundings, he spotted the subject of some of his fantasies. Mina Ashido, smiled brightly without a care in the world. The ever-energetic girl walked the sidewalk like a tightrope, the light breeze causing her white t and grey unzipped jacket to lightly caress her exotic pink skin, highlighting her magnificent bust, her movements causing the soft mounds to bounce with teasing glee. The feast for his eyes continued as his eyes lower to her hips, the fullness of said hips covered by drool-inducing jean shorts, her plump, firm, juicy thighs stretched out of those shorts, her athletic inclinations heightening the eroticism of her body.

Blinking, he realized he had been drooling, truly a sight for sore eyes. As he wiped off his drool, he watched as she walked down an alleyway, their pathways crossed, surprisingly. The particular alleyway a tried-and-true shortcut, his walk home significantly reduced by it 'She lives nearby?' he wondered, the oddity of them never meeting on the way to school hooking his minds curiosity. If that had been the case, then he cursed the time lost but now he would have had more opportunities to deliver his irresistible charm. Then he would be thrust into the eye of the class, Todoroki's spot at the top in danger "The hierarchy will be flipped" he mutters. His train of thought ending as he drew closer, ready to call out until "Right" he said, his eyes sparkled with mischief, the flame of revenge burning just as bright.

Payback, that prank she pulled that day would be repaid today, he thought, the promise of nudes only to see that, that... He shivered before he shook his head, a devious smirk gracing his face. Wordless he enters the alleyway, the smell of molding food and feces filling the air, the perpetrator haphazardly placed bags of trash. He gagged as the smell tickled his nose before blocking his mouth, the mission sound sensitive. His feet meeting the ground with care, the desired look of shock on her face facilitating it. The filthy passageway dimmer than usual, the darkness growing denser as he moved deeper, Mina's unmistakable figure slowly fading into darkness as he went on. His breaths a little heavier, it was darker than normal.

Deeper, deeper, deeper they went, the quiet of night disconcerting, his guts churning more as they went deeper. Narrower, narrower, narrower the walls seemed to get with each step, his breaths uneven, his will barely able to steady it. Colder, colder, colder the space got as if slowly telling, run, the sudden loud singing and quickening of the pace of Mina saying he wasn't the only one, the melodic tune not helping the unease, however, the lesser of the two evils won, silence far more chilling. The mission in question before he shook his head, he had walked down this path a thousand times, he just had to continue, he assured himself. His head slowly craning back, a complete abyss laying behind him solidifying his stance, the prickling of his skin only adding to it.

His steps sloppier, his breaths more ragged, his heartbeat wilder. He was sure she was aware of his presence, yet she made no sign of it refusing to look behind, her steps akin to a light jog, the song rushed, had he been able to see her face, that easy-going smile he bet would be gone. Had he been able to see his own, the all to familiar face of fear would be yet again plain, the mission forgotten. He needed to get out of here "STO-" a voice cut off. The shout desperate.

The sudden shout caused him to speed up, his head victim to whiplash as he looked back, his voice box frozen in fear. Nothing, the inky black daring him to keep looking, his heart unwilling to adhere. Running, running, running he ran reckless, his vision blurring as his tiny legs carried him down the alleyway, why was it so long? He ran until 'Light' he thought, the shrinking back of Mina disappearing into the light, he was almost there. He was almost safe, the light akin to All might's presence, a spark of hope burning bright.

Suddenly his body flung forward, a force sending him flying. His body slammed against the ground, his skin grinding against the unkept concrete, the familiar feeling of a bruise forming before he bounced. The ground and sky indistinguishable as he spun before he met the ground again, his second collision grinding away his shirt, before he rolled to a stop, the wall robbing him of all the force.

Slowly, he slid down into a puddle of some liquid, his mind disoriented, he blinked hoping to adjust. He felt like he had ricocheted off his balls to hard, his body pounding soaked in the thick liquid. He blinked rapid as the reality hit him, swiftly he scanned the abyss, his stare intent. As he sat sniffling tearful, his nose attacked by a pungent metallic sent, he gagged bile rising. Swiftly, he moved to cover his mouth, the smell much more potent, his stomach more eager to empty its contents. Reluctant his eyes dropped to his hands, curious of what the liquid was. Crimson filled his eyes and a pit his stomach, his mind unable to comprehend, the lifeblood of another filled his hands. Slowly, his eyes dropped to the puddle tracing it to its source. He froze completely, terror claiming his heart.

The body laid face down a little away from him, the light nothing more than a curse as he could now see, a sight he wished he never ever saw. Brain juice and matter leaked off the torn cranium, the broken nose and blood-filled mouth the most intact thing on its face. What had been an arm he thought mere mincemeat, fragments of white flooding down the crimson rivers. Sloppy gashes laid everywhere on the body, a broken teethed blade laid snugly in one of the gashes, sick glee most likely following each stab. The blue and green spandex died red along with broken pieces of some support item…A hero. He couldn't, he couldn't hold it back anymore as his breakfast filled his mouth. He had to-

Suddenly, he bounced off the wall, his jaw awfully hot, the searing heat painful. His mouth no longer functioning caused the mix of bile and food to spill all over him. He blinked, white-hot pain disorienting him before a fist buried itself in his gut, knocking the wind out of him. Futilely, he moved to defend. His forearms victim to the brutish strength falling upon him. His body merely a punching bag for the attacker, his life forfeit "Sorry" the attacker muttered? His mind barely even taking those words.

Desperate, he was desperate, he wouldn't say anything, he didn't see anything, he wished to say. However, the fists and kicks refused him, his pleas never leaving his mouth. His bones creaked, his skin bruised, his breath taken, the blows continued to rain uncaring, his lungs desperate for air. Light, he was feeling light, the agony slowly fading, yet terror remained the same. Dying, he was dying, he didn't want to die, not like this. Not when he hadn't had a girlfriend, the glare of his female classmates the only female stare he received. Not when he hadn't lost his virginity, clinging onto Momo the only thing close to intimate contact he had with a female. Not when he had yet to make Jiji proud. Not when mama had yet to see him. Not now. Not now. Not now. Not now. Not now. NOT NOW!

"go-" he heard as the blows stop, his vision too blurred. Darkness. Suddenly, he came to, the ground far beneath him covered with flood of viscous white "…ta, wake up please" the voice from before begged as he blinked before darkness again. As he came to a hand was wrapped around his ankle before letting go, the air blaring in his ears as he flew.

The wind knocked out of him yet again as he fell to the ground. His body burned as agony and fatigue fought, his breaths heavy, pained 'W…hy?' he thought, the sound of footsteps echoing "…shit, you dare-" he muttered. Grunts filling the air along with it, was it the other voice? It seemed to be saying something, he could hear it, it seemed they were too far away to make out their words. "…sure?" he asked. The footfalls stop, he tried to listen, wondering what they spoke on. Mineta coughed, blood flowing out of his mouth, he blinked straining his eyes enough to see his attacker, gleeful grey eyes staring back at him. Swiftly, he walked over to the boy, muttering happily to himself. He had enough, he was tired, he was hurting, he wanted to go home. Yet, he knew he could do nothing as the boy came closer, the fear from before still present. Coughing yet again his vision blurred, his eyes no longer cooperative "Hey, can you keep a secret?" he asked. A gleeful smile on his face, fatigue finally overtaking him, the request unanswered.