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please save me | shimura tenko

synopsis ↬ you save shimura tenko

warnings ↬ mentions of child abuse/neglect, all for one does not exist in this universe, reader makes references to "maternal/motherly" behavior although it’s gender neutral, mention of death

pairings ↬ young!tenko x parental figure!gn!reader (platonic!parent-son/teacher-student)

word count ↬ 4.9k i'm so sorry

a/n; this came to me after watching his origin story and seeing all those people ignore a helpless child...

A cold gust of wind caused a shiver to run through your spine as you briskly walked towards your destination. Taking care of the students at your elementary school drained your energy for the day; you barely had enough strength to walk. You thought about going home — everything you needed for your quirk was located there — but a loud grumble from your stomach ushered you to find food. As your shoes clicked against the sidewalk pavement, you watched as some students ran toward their parents, grandparents, or guardians.

A warm smile spread across your lips while you watched, reminding you why you loved your job. Overwhelming maternal instincts urged you to care for children, but the work of finding a suitable partner never seemed to end well. You had many offers and confessions, most of which you turned down. The ones you called your 'lover' showed their true sides eventually, and those relationships soon ended. You had a longing desire for a companion, someone that would stay by your side since it was rather lonely. Your work as a teacher seemed to fill that void for a while until you noticed your yearning started to grow.

While walking down the path to the nearest coffee shop, you notice a small figure. The person was a long distance away, and it would take a couple minutes for you to reach them. They seemed so small compared to the adults walking near them. Hunching their back as they stared at the ground, something wasn't right. You wondered if it had been one of your students and quickened your pace toward the mysterious person upon realizing it was a child. Pedestrians stared down at the boy, observing in horror before choosing to ignore him.

An older woman approached the child, whispering something to him before turning around and scurrying away. It was a confusing and strange sight. You couldn't fathom why civilians were ignoring him. Some completely turned around and moved in the opposite direction as the boy watched, stunned and unable to move. Others glanced at him, only to distance themselves and quickly move away as if he carried the plague. A few closed their eyes and pretended that the boy didn't exist.

As a few people walk and clear the street, you see an empty circle surrounding the child. Soon, you two are the only ones on the sidewalk. You can overhear a few loud chatters amongst a group of girls watching the boy and keeping their distance. It doesn't bother you one bit. You've grown accustomed to the whispers of others. The boy looks down the street with his back turned to you as he watches others turn away from him while intensely scratching his neck. Before you know it, you're standing directly behind him, but he doesn't seem to notice — as if he's lost in a trance.

By now, you're the only adult left on the street. You could sense something was wrong as you examined the boy's demeanor. He looked like he could be a student from your school, around five years old. His hair was a faded grayish-blue color. His clothing seemed tattered and dirty as if he had been wandering for a long time before you found him. The pitiful scene reminded you of your childhood traumas; memories of your parents and the orphanages returned after being suppressed for years. The excruciating feeling of abandonment caused you to feel a sense of pain as you watched the boy.

"Excuse me? Little boy..?" You call him in a soft tone. It was the same voice you used to console your students. Welcoming and warm, you tried not to scare the boy.

His head slowly turns around to the voice behind him. Although his expression was blank, you noticed his face contorted oddly at your tone. You reminded him of his mother, who turned to stone before disintegrating into dust before his eyes. He's unsure whether he should smile and seem friendly since it only made the older woman run away.

Still scratching at his neck, you can see dry pink wounds. No blood pours from his skin, although his flesh is nearly visible. The soles of his feet were calloused and covered in soot. He'd been walking alone for what seemed to be days or possibly weeks. His hands were bloody, but you presumed it wasn't his own blood. As he stared up at you, his scratching seemed to slow down.

"Are you okay? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" You inquired to the boy as he stared speechlessly. His expression was still blank. Blinking a few times, he was still too stunned to speak. In your experience, personally and as a teacher, you would've guessed the boy went through something traumatic.

"I... I..." The boy tried to speak, but he didn't know what to say. You watched as his mouth moved to form words. He wanted to say something, anything. The boy was too scared that another person would abandon him again.

His voice was low. You could barely hear his words with the noise of cars passing by. It was dry and hoarse like he hadn't used it in a long time. Maybe he's thirsty, you thought before digging through your purse and taking out a half-empty water bottle. He certainly looked like he needed more than only water. After screwing off the cap, you give it to the boy, whose eyes widen brightly at the gesture. The first sign of help he receives in a long time.

"I'm sorry, it's a bit warm and I drank some on the way here." Shyly smiling down at him, you watched as he carefully held the bottle with only four bloody fingers. The boy grasps the bottle and glances between you and the water in his hands. His expression seems a cross between perplexed and grateful. "Aren't you thirsty? It's okay, you can drink it."

He eagerly sips the water, drinking it until all the contents are gone — down to the last drop. The boy stares at you and the empty bottle as if he expects more of your gifts. Unfortunately, you didn't have anything else for him.

"My name is (Y/N), can you tell me your name?" You say while kneeling down at the boy until you're at eye level with him.

"S- Shim- Shimura... Ten- Tenko." Tenko's voice trembles as he speaks. Another chilly breeze causes the boy to quiver as you watch him. It's getting colder, and the sun is setting faster. You need to hurry.

"Tenko! What a wonderful name..!" Smiling affectionately at the boy, you try to get him to trust you before helping him — which proved easier than you thought. "Tenko, do you know where your parents are? Mama? Papa?"

He knows. The place where he killed them. A pile of stone and ash under the rubble of their home. Tenko's eyes start to water, and soon, tears pour from his dry eyes as his face distorts in a pained expression. He's tired of crying. Memories from that night started to flood his mind. He didn't mean to do it...

"I... ki- killed... them..." He stays silent. Only the sound of his crying comes out of his chest. Tenko expects you to run away, abandon him like everyone else has been doing. As you remain speechless, he feels a burst of guilt through his body. He waits for you to leave him. Your stillness doesn't even give him anxiety.

At first, you thought he was lying, but Tenko wished it was all just a bad dream. Maybe they abandoned him, or he was lost. A small child that seemed too weak to protect himself, could kill his own parents? He stares down at his bloody hands. You were right. It's not his blood. In a world full of people with powerful quirks, children would inevitably hurt themselves or their loved ones. As time passes, his cries become louder and hysterical. His mouth opens as if he wants to scream, but only weak noises and unintelligible words come out of his mouth.

"Tenko..." You whisper to the child to try and soothe him before reaching out to hold his hand. The dried blood sticks to your skin for a brief moment, but you don't mind — after all, it's not the first time. His hysterical crying stops shortly as the flashbacks of his parents' death stop. Tenko's hands recoil from yours, dropping the empty bottle to the concrete as he stares at you in horror.

The tips of your fingers begin to crumble, turning into a lifeless gray color before becoming dust and sprinkling the ground. Suddenly, all his itching comes back. Worsening to nearly every inch of skin on his body. He did it again. All he can do is destroy. The only person that offered to help him would turn to dust, just like his family. He was useless, only harming people close to him. Unworthy and undeserving of love. You weren’t fazed compared to the boy whose traumas were reawakened.

Tenko collapses backward before landing on his bum, scratching his neck as he watches intently. He thinks you'll start screaming, running away, or lifting your hand to strike him, but you don't. You aren't moving, only watching and completely unbothered. Perhaps you are already dead and lifeless. Everything he touches dies. Why did it hurt to see you crumble?

Then, as if it's magic, the decaying stops. Skin and bones that were once gray and hard returned to their original color. The flesh in your hand grows back to normal like nothing happened.

"Is this your quirk, Tenko?" His scratching stops. He stares dumbfoundedly at your hand in disbelief. Although he is still a bit shaken, he answers.

"Y- Yes..." Tenko isn't quite sure what a quirk is, but, after being alone for a few days, he learns about his destructiveness.

You give Tenko a warm smile and offer the boy a helping hand. He's too scared to hold it, afraid he'll kill the only person that has treated him nicely. Upon noticing his demeanor, you decide to reassure him.

"I should've asked about it before scaring you, honey. I'm sorry, don't worry. My quirk is immunity. After I come in contact with a quirk, I am immune to it." Your quirk wasn't the most intriguing, but it came in handy when dealing with children whose quirks were still hard to control. Tenko seemed confused as you spoke, so you changed your wording until he understood. "If you touch me again, I'll be fine." You explained while beaming down at the boy.

Your immunity quirk always seemed difficult to explain to people. It was complex. It only worked with quirk-types that were close-range and didn't cause much damage. To use it, you need the life source from a living being such as plants, animals, and humans. Taking a being's energy usually resulted in their death. You learned this the hard way. It would become lifeless; the last time you used it on a human, they looked almost mummified — dried up like a raisin in the sun. Eventually, they would turn to dust as all the life drained from their bodies. Perhaps you weren't scared of Tenko's quirk because yours was more or less the same.

After taking energy, you could use it for your immunity and even healing. You can regrow limbs and other wounds, just like now with Tenko. When your energy was full, you could even use it on others to heal them, something you did with your students almost every day. However, you could never use it on humans or animals, not anymore. In the past, you would only use it to defend yourself but the overwhelming feeling of guilt eroded your morality as you watched your victims turn to dust.

The boy's trembling hands hold yours, half expecting you to turn into stone like his family and half elated that you were still intact.

"See? I'm okay... You won't hurt me. Don't be scared..." You hold his other hand and lift him up, he stumbles a bit before finding his balance.

Tenko's legs weakly support him from falling, he seems extremely malnourished and weak. His diet consisted of random trash and unfinished food from the garbage of local restaurants. Some days, he would sleep in alleys hungry as his stomach would painfully rumble. His limbs are so frail; without his quirk, he would be utterly defenseless. Another cold gust of wind causes him to shiver, and you realize that the sun had been setting fast. It was almost dark out, there was no way that you would leave him alone.

It would have been wiser to send him to a police station or a hero on patrol. But, if he had been walking alone for days, could you trust them to care for him? You saw them, the passersby who ignored the little boy. He must've encountered a police officer or a hero at some point, but of course, there were more things important than a missing child. What would the police do? Send him to an orphanage when he clearly seemed traumatized and had a strong quirk that could easily harm others. You experienced this first-hand.

You weren't sure why he seemed so traumatized. He didn't look like a murderer — but his bloody fingers say otherwise. He needed help and guidance. You've seen children like him before. Broken and lost souls who have endured unbearable pain and lash out at others because they're scared. Nobody is there to defend them. Nobody wants to protect them.

"W- Will you punish m- me..?" His question breaks you from your long thought. Tenko's still holding your hands and staring up at you with big doe eyes, pleading for you not to abandon him.

"And why would I do that?"

"B- Because I did a bad thing and I hur- hurt my family..." Sniffling, his head hangs low in shame and guilt. Some of his tears hit the dry concrete pavement. Your hands released his. For a second, he thinks he has scared you away. Until he notices your hand reaching for his head. As you watch him flinch, you think he's been beaten before. It was until he felt the pads of your fingers caress the pale blue locks that he finally relaxed.

"I won't punish you, Tenko," He eases into your touch as you move the hair out of his face in a motherly manner. "You must've been through a lot..." His sniffling stops as you finish your sentence. You examine his scars and terribly cracked skin. You're too weak to heal him in your current state. "Do you want to come home with me? We can have dinner and stay warm. It's getting colder now..."

Tenko shyly nodded up at you. He was extremely eager to finally receive help. A home? It's been a long time since he's seen a warm bed and eaten home-cooked meals. His stomach roared a bit, a sign that he was getting hungry. You chuckled softly before responding.

"Alright, let's go... My car should be close by here." You held his tiny hand in your palm as you escorted him to your car. He stuck close to your body like glue.

After walking for some time, you would occasionally glance down at the child who aimlessly followed you. Noticing his bare feet on the pavement of the ground, you were a bit worried that he might scratch his feet while walking on the gravel. You offered to hold him in your arms until you reached the car; you swore, for a brief moment, his eyes lit up excitedly. When you hoisted the boy into your arms bridal style, he snuggled closer to your body, desperately wanting to feel the embrace of another being.

When you reached the car, you quickly unlocked the passenger door and strapped him inside a child car seat — you figured that you needed to buy it after becoming a teacher for emergencies such as this. The drive home was quiet; you tried talking to the boy and becoming familiar with him, but it seemed he trusted you already. A few minutes passed before you noticed him sleeping. His soft snores echoed through the car quietly.

After parking near your apartment complex, you exited the car and tried waking him. After a few attempts, he finally woke up to see your figure looming over his before smiling down at him. Tenko still seemed a bit tired. It had been a long time since he finally had a comfortable place to stay. You decided to carry the child into your building, craddling him in your arms. A few of the other tenants gave you some strange glances as they saw you with the helpless child, but none of them dared to question you. It's not like you minded their behavior too much. The life in your arms was your only priority.

As you led him inside your apartment, you placed him on his feet; you didn't care about the dirt he tracked on your floors. You watched as he marveled at the various house plants that decorated your home, so green and luscious. Snake plants, pothoses, and peace lilies were only some of the greenery that filled your apartment. For as long as you remember, you've had a fondness for plants after deciding to only use your quirk for good. Placing your fingertips on some of your plants, you absorbed all of their life energy since you would need it for your quirk later. Tenko failed to see some of the plants you touched wilt as he was mesmerized by the rich and lively nature in your home.

"Tenko, let's go wash up first, okay? Then we can eat and relax." You say after gaining enough energy to heal some of his wounds and scars.

You grasp his hand and take him to your bathroom. After putting a stool under the sink, you help hoist his body to the counter. Tenko stares at himself in the mirror, not recognizing himself anymore. Cracked skin and deep scars cover his face. His pale blue hair nearly frightens him. At this moment, he realizes he's become a ghost of who he used to be.

"Everything okay, honey?" You ask while holding his shoulder and rubbing smooth circles into his back.

"My skin..." His shaky voice barely allows him to say an audible sentence. He hasn't scratched his sore body in a while, but seeing it in a mirror makes his skin itch again.

"I'll take care of it, don't worry... how about we wash our hands first?" He brings his hands to the sink while you turn on the faucet and pump drops of soap into his palms.

Your hands intertwine as you help him wash the blood until his skin is clean. The red liquid flows down the drain, and memories of his parents' death slowly vanish as well. Somehow, the feeling of sticky blood touching your skin doesn't faze you. Your hands have been soiled by the blood of your victims; it doesn't matter how often you wash them, it still lingers.

When you're done, you turn him around to face you. Your fingertips only graze his skin lightly, but soon, the dry spots on his face begin to heal. Although some of his scarrings are still visible, they begin to fade and blend in with his skin. Some of his skin retains the same texture, and his eyelids and eyebags are still cracked, although most of his face is healed. A few specks of black hair peak through his sky blue hair. Once satisfied, you turn the boy around to face the mirror.

"Do you feel any better?" Tenko's eyes widened in shock. His skin, now soft and supple, was healed. Some dryness remained in some areas and a few scars were still visible, but he didn't complain. You didn't notice the black pigment in his hair too much, he did. Giving you a joyous toothy smile, he was the complete opposite of his quiet demeanor.

"It doesn't itch anymore, y- you fixed it... Thank you..." Turning around, he gave you a big hug and nearly engulfed your body with his slender arms.

"You're welcome, Tenko." You chuckled before hugging him back warmly. When you tried to pull away, he only held you tighter.

"Come on, I'll wash you up and heal the rest of your wounds." Tenko nods as you disappear briefly to a nearby closet. You retrieve an old pajama set you intended to gift one of your students, but you figured Tenko needed it more.

He smiled brightly upon seeing you hold his pajamas, wanting to change out of his old clothes. Tenko enjoyed the warm water against his skin during his bath. His muscles eased into your hold. You needed to change the water a few times as you cleaned him since it quickly turned a murky, brown color.

He tried holding some of the toys you placed in the bath for him, but, when he wasn't careful, the toy would turn to stone before falling into the water. Every time it happened, he would become saddened; his puppy eyes always made you tear up. You would quickly distract him by giving him a few tickles on his sides until the bathroom walls filled with his laughter. After his bath, you healed his scars and itchy skin with your quirk and some moisturizer created by your friend, Mitsuki, with her Glycerin quirk.

Dinner was quite stressful when deciding what to feed the boy. You wanted to make him a big hearty meal since he desperately needed nutrition. But as you watch the hungry boy follow you closely, you decide to make a simple chicken soup. Adding carrots, onions, pasta, potatoes, and chicken to your flavorful stock, the aroma filled your apartment. After you filled his bowl with dinner, he eagerly ate and drank all of its contents; you gladly gave him more servings and observed as he indulged before eating.

After eating, you excuse yourself to clean up and let the boy explore your apartment more. However, Tenko seemed adamant about staying close to you, clinging to your legs and hips as he watched you wash the plates and stack them to dry.

"Do you... need help?" He offered while watching you meticulously clean up the mess from dinner. Of course, you declined.

"No, I'm fine, Tenko. Besides, you need to rest soon." You didn't want to tire him out, although his meal gave him more energy. You also couldn't risk him disintegrating some of your expensive porcelain plates.

As you fiddled with the plates on your counter, you felt him release his hold on your leg and move elsewhere in your kitchen. He stopped at a bouquet of red roses and eyed up the flowers. They were a gift from someone who tried to court you recently. The relationship eventually fizzled out. You completely forgot about the flowers that were surprisingly still in good shape. A brief vision of Tenko playing in a backyard crosses your mind; he's carefree, running around and smiling without worrying about his quirk.

Tenko tries to carefully pull a rose from your bouquet. He releases a wince as thorns prick his dainty fingers. Trying to feel the petals of the rose, all five of his fingers accidentally touched the rose at once. Soon, the flower begins to wilt and decay, turning into gray dust in his palms until a few petals and parts of its stem remain. His whimpers break you from your daydreams as you rush over to him and leave the rest of the plates to dry.

"Tenko... What happened?" You whisper to him after seeing the dead flower in his hands. Kneeling down and wrapping your arm around his waist, he finally responds.

"I'm sorry... I just wanted to look... I didn't mean to break it..." While he speaks, more tears swell up in his glossy eyes.

"Tenko..." You whisper while holding another rose from the bouquet. "I realized something. You and I are the same." As you touch the flower, it begins to wilt as well. You take all of its meager life energy while Tenko watches you repeat the same action he does.

"T- The same?"

"Yes, our quirks..." His gaze shifts from the dead plant in your hand to your face. "I grow flowers because I don't want to use my quirk to hurt people anymore. I know you feel guilty, but it's not your fault... I'm not mad."

Your words only cause a fraction of his pains to disappear. You notice that he still feels horrible about ruining your roses. Standing up, you reach for an old box in the corner of your kitchen. He watches you open the lid and pull out a pair of gloves and a wooden beaded necklace. You kneel down to his height before handing him the items.

"When I was your age, I used to have problems with my quirk too. These helped me." The gloves block contact with living things you didn't want to take energy from. While the necklace canceled out your quirk from appearing whenever you did not want to use it.

Tenko slips the gloves around his hands while you put the necklace around his neck. They both fit perfectly. You wonder if this encounter was fate or luck.

"They can stop you from using your quirk until you learn to control it." He tries to touch a random cup in the room and is amazed to see that the object is still intact. You decide to take the gloves from him and keep him wearing the necklace. "Look at the time... I think it's time for you to head to sleep now."

Placing the gloves on the counter, you take him to your bedroom. His eyes examined the whole apartment as you walked with him. Full of curiosity, he glanced over every detail. Once you stopped in front of your door, Tenko stopped.

"This is my room. You can come in here whenever you'd like." You say before pointing to a room adjacent to yours. You unlocked the door and tried showing him inside. "This is your room. My friends usually sleep here, but you can have it if you'd like." The boy started shaking his head and clinging to your hips again before speaking.

"N- No... Can I sleep in your bed... with you..?" He sheepishly asked while peering up at you; Tenko's eyes pleaded; he wouldn't take no for an answer.

You give in and carry him to your bedroom. Perhaps he should stay with you, just in case something happens while you're away. As you sit on the end of your bed, he climbs into your lap and refuses to move. Tenko's mouth moves as he tries to find the words to complete a sentence. You brush some of his hair away from his face while staring into his crimson eyes.

"What's wrong? Do you need something, sweetie..?"

"Why d- did you rescue me?" For a moment, his eyes become glossy again. Regardless of the happiness he's shown you today, his emotional state was as fragile as glass.

"You know... there was a time when I was scared and alone." His ears perked up as he listened. Your childhood pains flooded into your mind again. "I used my quirk for bad things. I even hurt people I cared about. I was confused and didn't have anyone to guide me..."

His head rests on your chest, just above your beating heart — a reminder that you were a living human who didn't succumb to his quirk. After pausing for a second, you continue once seeing the boy become intrigued by your story.

"You were alone for a long time, right? You thought nobody would save you and wondered why the world forgot about you? I know that feeling too..." His eyes brimmed with tears before they cascaded down his cheeks and dampened his shirt. "I'm sorry the heroes were too busy, and others ignored you..."

A few drops of his tears spilled onto your shirt, but you didn't mind too much. Deciding to let him release his emotions instead of keeping them inside, you allowed him to cry out all of his pain. While kneading his shoulder, you thought about what would happen next. Thankfully tomorrow was the weekend, but you had to call in soon and take some vacation days.

Tenko needed clothes and other things for him to use, but you two could share for the time being. Although you were a bit wary, you would have to take him to a nearby police station soon. He seemed really attached to you; sending him to an orphanage would be extremely dangerous. You were the only one who could handle his quirk.

"I can take care of you if you'd like." For a long time, you've always had a soft spot for children who endured a similar upbringing. There were always a few in the classes you taught. You couldn't help but give them extra attention. "Will you let me raise you? I can help you control your quirk and learn to master it..."

Tenko eagerly nods as he wraps his arms around your neck. You hear him mumble a few words as you gently caress his back. The boy melts into your touch; again, he doesn't want to release you from his hold.

As a few seconds pass, you feel him tug at your shirt and whisper your name.

"...thank you for saving me."

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