Thread by @ThanksSmite

#KRDK Soulmate angst where if one soulmate receives a scar the other gets a matching one~

cw: past physical abuse, extreme bullying, burns, scars. #angstaugust

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Eijiro's body is covered in scars. In fact, there is very little of his skin that isn't scarred in one way

or another. And unfortunately, only one tiny one on his eyebrow actually belongs to him.

At the age of seven, Eijiro had been happily chasing butterflies around his garden when he noticed a big red mark on his arm. Startled and scared by its sudden appearance he'd run inside

calling for his mothers. They'd shared what he now knows were concerned gazes and sat him down on the couch, explaining what 'soul scars' were and how one obtained them.

He'd spent the rest of the day sitting on the grass running his fingers over the marked skin, promising

himself that he would give them the biggest hug when he finally meets them.

After all, if someone has a cut that big on their arm then it must have really hurt, and whenever he's hurt hugs from his mama and mum always make him feel better.

As the years pass by more and more scars appear on his body varying in size and colour. He knows they concerned his parents and teachers, no one quite knowing how to handle the knowledge that sweet Eijiro's soulmate was being constantly hurt on a regular basis.

He's also painfully aware that his mothers had spent hours looking into a potential match for his scars, contacting an agency that specialised in finding soulmates. However, to their dismay, no one had been admitted to any hospital with matching marks on their bodies.

And so Eijiro is forced to live with the knowledge that out there, somewhere, the other half of his soul is experiencing a neverending agony that he is powerless to save them from.

It's in middle school, when he first changes into his gym kit in front of other students, that he concocts his story. The other kids are, of course, horrified by the way his body looks and rather than admit it's because of his soulmate, he informs them that they are a result of

his quirk coming in at a young age. He weaves a tale of his skin cracking and bleeding whenever he used it as a young child and ignores their pitying gazes. He's not sure why he lies, only that it feels right to do so. It's as though he is protecting his 'other' from

some unknown prejudice.

And so the years pass with only Eijiro, his parents and those involved with his medical care and education knowing the truth behind his scars. However, as his body continues to accumulate marks Eijiro's heart breaks a little further.

Some concern him less than others, such as the small cuts on his fingers, but it is the large starburst shapes that appear in various places on his body, including the newest on his right shoulder, that worry him the most.

He's become somewhat of an expert on scars since his childhood having spent hours researching them. And with the help of a doctor and the soul scar agency, he's been able to deduce the source of a number of them.

The largest are burn scars. Those are the ones that make him cry.

Eijiro doesn't cry for himself. Quite honestly, he couldn't care less what people think of his physical appearance. No, he cries for his soulmate.

He cries for the eight years of torture they've been subjected to. For the pain they've experienced and their inability to escape.

It is actually his scars, in conjunction with his inability to protect some other students from a potential villain, that spur him into heroics. Because surely, if he has the power of a hero license and the connections that come with it he'll be able to find them.

Some nights he dreams of bursting into villain 'lairs' or cold, dark basements and rescuing his injured soulmate. He imagines holding them in his arms, hiding his face in their hair and telling them that they are safe and he won't let anyone hurt them ever again.

Being accepted into UA puts him one step closer to his goal, and he's not afraid to admit that he sits on his bed that night and kisses one of the scars on the back of his right hand.

"Just hang on a little longer," He whispered into the dark, "I'll find you. I promise."

He doesn't expect to make friends within the first few days of being at UA but by some miracle he does, even if Bakugo is a particularly grumpy creature with a horrific attitude.

Eijiro also didn't expect to have his gay awakening in the form of one Izuku Midoriya, but hey ho, worse things have happened and Izuku is /very/ attractive.

Between his studies and the newly proclaimed 'Bakusquad', as Denki had dubbed them, Eijiro doesn't pay much attention to anything else.

That is until they're changing one day after a training session and Sero gasps and stares at someone on the other side of the room.

"Midoriya...what /happened/?"

Spinning on his heel, terrified that Izuku had somehow been hurt yet again without anyone realising, Eijiro's jaw practically hits the floor.

It's as though he's staring at a photograph of his own back. Scars, small and large, litter the entirety of Izuku's back, wrapping up over his shoulders and vanishing down the back of his trousers.

Voices flood the room, questions and concerns being thrown around from everyone present, however, Eijiro hears none of it. They fade into the background as he watches Izuku shrink in on himself, desperately scrambling to hide his body from view with his gym shirt.

"Everyone out."

Silence falls over the room and when no one moves Eijiro turns to look at the others, narrowing his eyes.

"Out."

Perhaps it's his facial expression, or maybe it's the fact that he's never once used this tone on any of them, but the other boys quickly dress

and vacate the room. Not even Bakugo challenges him, much to Eijiro's very relieved surprise.

Once he's certain the others are gone, his attention returns to Midoriya.

The green-haired boy has his arms wrapped around himself and is doing his best to become one with his locker.

"Midoriya-"

"I'm sorry." Stunning green eyes peer at him from behind a curtain of curls. "I'm so sorry you're stuck with me."

(Tweet limit!)

"Why are you apologising?" Eijiro asks cautiously, tucking his hands into his pockets in the hopes of coming across as less threatening. He knows his physique can be off-putting at times, especially to someone as meek as Midoriya. And considering he's fairly certain the boy is

about thirty seconds away from a full-blown panic attack, the last thing he wants is to make Izuku think he's in any way threatening him.

For his own part, Izuku just turns away and fiddles with the hem of his shirt.

"I..." He swallows, "I know I'm not...well, I'm me. And you're...you."

"I'm not sure how you being you requires an apology Midoriya." Eijiro admits, "There's nothing about you that's /wrong/ or needs to be apologised for."

"But there is!" It's the first time he's seen Izuku explode, scarred hands digging into green curls as he turns to face him fully. "There's so much wrong with me. I break my bones every time I use my quirk. I talk too much, Iida will tell you, he called me out before we'd even

been accepted into UA! Not to mention the fact that I'm weak and stupid, I'm..." He takes a deep breath and his hands drop from his hair to hang loosely at his side, "I'm Deku. Useless."

Eijiro frowns and withdraws his hands from his pockets, digging his fingers into the fabric of his trousers instead.

"You're not useless Izuku," Another flinch.

"But I am!" Izuku protests with unshed tears in his eyes, "There's so much you don't /know/! You're you Kirishima.

You have a wonderful quirk, one that doesn't hurt you. You're funny and so kind. People love you and you love them, I'm just a useless Deku. The kind of person that people hate. You deserve someone who's as good as you, and who you can be proud to call a soulmate. Not me."

The tears have started to fall freely now and this time Eijiro doesn't resist the urge to move closer. Izuku's eyes fly shut, his hands twitching but he makes no move to escape which in itself is concerning. However, there's a lot to unpack from his panicked rambling and only one

question on Eijiro's mind.

"Who hurt you?" Green eyes fly open. "Izuku, who hurt you?" When no answer is forthcoming he presses on. "Was it your parents?"

"No!" Izuku protests with a shake of his head. "No, mum isn't like that. She's never hurt me."

"Your father?" Another shake of his head. "Then who-"

"Kirishima," Izuku's defeated tone and sad expression has him falling silent. "Please, don't make this harder. Just...just walk away. I promise I don't expect anything, I know I'm not what people want in a soulmate. And I

don't want to see you being tarnished with the same brush as me. You deserve so much more and I accepted the fact that I would be alone a long time ago."

His heart aches for the other boy and while he wants nothing more than to wrap his arms around him, it would be counterproductive and likely raise more issues. So, he instead chooses to use his words.

"I don't know who made you think of yourself this way, but they're wrong Izuku." He holds his hand up when Izuku opens his mouth to interject. "Please, just give me a minute to talk?" Izuku nods and Eijiro continues. "There's a lot to unpack from what you've just said, and to

be honest? I think it's something we, well you, should talk about with your mum and Aizawa-sensei but that's up to you. That being said, I mean it when I say this but I'm in no way disappointed to find out that my soulmate is you. I've spent eight years trying to find you Izuku.

My parents have taken me to every specialist we could, we've spent hours trying to find /you/. To help you because we were so scared every time a new scar appeared on my skin. You were out there, hurting, and there was no way I could help you.

If anyone is useless it's me."

"No!" Izuku interjects "You're not useless Kirishima!"

"And neither are you!" Eijiro shoots back in frustration, "I mean it when I say you're all I've thought about since I was seven. And to be completely honest? I'm more than a little gay and you

are incredibly good-looking." Izuku blushes and looks off to the side but he doesn't show any signs of disgust so that's a win. "So, whether we're platonic or romantic I don't care because guess what? I lucked out on the soulmate lottery. Somehow I've ended up with a soulmate

who's cute, funny and the kind of person I've always wanted to be."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew the whole truth."

"I doubt that because while we haven't known each other very long, and we aren't the closest of friends, it's hard to miss the fact that you are perfect."

"Everything about you Izuku Midoriya is perfect. Do you have flaws? Probably, everyone does. Do I care? No. The bone breaking is a little worrying but hey, we're at a hero school and Aizawa-sensei gets paid to help us train our quirks. When he isn't asleep anyway."

That at least draws a nervous laugh out of the other boy in addition to a small smile. It doesn't last very long though as all too soon Izuku sighs heavily and sinks onto the floor, arms wrapping around his knees as he draws them up to his chest.

Eijiro mimics the movement and waits patiently for Izuku to speak.

"I've never been good enough," Izuku admits after a short period of silence, "I don't understand why you would think I am."

"And that's okay." Eijiro reassures him, "I'm not entirely happy with myself either, but you aren't alone Izuku. I want to help you, my parents want to help you and I'm sure our friends will too. But you've got to me, or someone, who it is that's hurting you."

"I can't," Izuku laments, covering his face as he drops his head back onto the locker.

"Yes, you can. We won't let them-"

"He's changed!" Izuku interrupts "Or he's trying to, and I won't be the one to take away everything he's worked so hard for. I won't."

"Izuku-"

"No! You don't get it! No one gets it! No one understands and it's so frustrating! All I want is to be a hero, I want to help people but I can't /do that/ with everyone breathing down my neck!"

Eijiro sighs again. While he desperately wants to know the truth, to take Izuku away from whoever the man responsible for his injuries is he knows pressing the issue won't get him any further.

(Tweet limit again, nearly there though!)

Especially not when he's just caught sight of Aizawa-sensei standing just out of sight in the doorway behind Izuku. Their homeroom teacher gives him a concerned look and he subtly waves the man off.

Returning his full attention to Izuku once more, Eijiro shuffles forward until their shoes are touching. It's the most contact he's allowed himself so far and there's a certain thrill that comes with it. More so when green eyes peek out at him from between scarred fingers.

"I'm not very good at this," He admits with a tired smile "And I feel pretty bad that when I saw your back I was a little excited because yay, my soulmate is standing in front of me and that's really cool.

But I'm promising you now Izuku, nothing you tell me will change how I feel. All I want is for you to be safe and happy, nothing else."

"Eijiro," The whisper is almost inaudible but it sends a shiver up his spine. "I can't." Izuku's voice is pained as he whines, scrubbing his

hands over his face. "I can't tell you."

"Okay," He concedes, realising that the conversation is going nowhere and not wanting to risk losing what progress he has made. "Tell you what, let's make a deal yeah? I won't press for any more information, and if you ever want to tell

me in the future then that's cool, and if you don't that's also cool."

Izuku frowns, "And in return?"

"In return you let me take you out for lunch at the weekend so we can chat. Don't know about you, but I really, /really/ want to get to know my soulmate."

To his immense relief his smile is returned, albeit by a small smile but hey, he'll take his wins where he can get them.

"That...doesn't sound so bad I guess."

Gasping in mock offence Eijiro puts a hand on his chest. "You guess? Well, I /guess/ that I'm going to work extra hard to convince you to also let me take you to an arcade as well."

Izuku laughs softly and it's the most beautiful sound he's ever heard.

"Deal."

He stands correct. /That/ was the most beautiful thing he's ever heard.

"We should probably get to class huh?" Izuku's eyes go wide.

"Oh, Aizawa-sensei is going to /kill/ us!" He whispers in horror.

From the corner of his eye, Eijiro sees the man in question walk around the lockers, looking as nonchalant as ever. However, he can see the concern in those otherwise emotionless features and is sure Izuku can too.

"Problem Children."

They both scramble to their feet.

"Sorry sensei! I'm so sorry! It's my fault, Kirishima-kun was just helping me work-"

The raised hand from their sensei has Izuku falling silent.

"Your classmates have already spoken to me. We will be having a talk later on Midoriya." Izuku wilts and Eijiro wants to curse out their teacher for undoing his progress but holds his tongue. "That being said, right now I want you to go to Recovery Girl and sleep.

You look exhausted. Kirishima can go with you, to register both of your statuses if nothing else."

"Yes sensei," They say in unison, bowing their heads.

"I will know if you don't show up, so don't even think about trying to leave campus," Aizawa warns with a weak glare.

"I promise we'll go straight there sensei!" Eijiro says with a sharp smile.

"Good. Get going." And with that Aizawa turns on his heels and leaves.

"To Recovery Girl?" Izuku asks sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Eijiro nods and smiles. "Yup! Don't fancy being expelled for hanging around too long haha! You get going, I need to grab my stuff, I'll catch up in a second."

He doesn't particularly /want/ to leave Izuku but he needs a few moments to calm himself down.

"Sure thing. I'll see you there." And with that Izuku slings his signature yellow backpack, uniform stuffed inside, over his shoulder and scurries out of the room.

Once certain he's out of earshot, Eijiro slams his head against his locker and shouts into the palms of his hands.

"Fuck!" It's so frustrating to be so close, to finally know who his soulmate is, and not be able to help them. He's also pissed off that Aizawa stepped in when he did and undid the hard work he'd done to get Izuku to open up ever so slightly.

Why is he always so powerless to help those who need him the most?!

All he wants to do is scream and bash his head against his locker but he's sure Aizawa-sensei is lurking around, just waiting for an opportunity to hand out detention for loitering.

So, Eijiro straightens himself back up and takes a handful of deep breaths just as his mama had taught him.

It's okay. He knows Izuku is his soulmate. Aizawa knows something is going on and will look into it. And in the meantime, Eijiro has a maybe-date coming up!

With that in mind, he grabs his own bag and begins to leave the room, only to pause as he passes Bakugo's locker. It's burned to hell, the edges warped and partially melted. Kami, his friend really needs some anger management classes.

Then he spots it.

Heart sinking and stomach rolling he yanks down his collar and stares at the scar on his shoulder.

He looks at the locker.

Looks back to his shoulder.

Oh...

The small burn on the middle of the door matches the one on his shoulder.

The one on Izuku's shoulder.

He's still standing there in disbelief when Aizawa-sensei storms back in five minutes later.

END

Bad ending is bad but I've run out of time and this thread was getting way too long for what was supposed to be a short one 😂

If anyone wants to write a follow-up or play with this idea feel free bc I sure as hell won't be anytime soon~

@spicyoolong @fluidmako I'm too lazy to dm you both 😂

Top of the thread:

https://twitter.com/ThanksSmite/status/1557853622670483456

Okay, depending on how early I can dip out of work I MIGHT write a brief follow-up with a confrontation between Bakugo and Kirishima because I hate the ending for this thread. Just honestly ran out of time yesterday and willpower 😂

Follow up with Kirishima confronting Bakugo will be up tomorrow!!!