Work Text:
Izuku looked up at his mother with confused eyes, mind boggled on what she was implying. Why would someone sleep in a forest when you have a bed and house to sleep in?
“It’ll only be for a day Izuku, just to show you how beautiful nature can be at night.” His mothers explanation made a little sense, but he still felt questions stirring up in his head as he followed her and watched her throw the things she had been gathering that past hour next to their front door. He couldn’t read that well, so he didn’t understand what some of the words on the cans and bags were. He did know what OFF was, but he didn’t know why someone would name a can that?
He followed his mother around the apartment, watching her pick up extra things. He did notice that she packed his All Might pajamies, so he got a little excited and ran towards his shelf to grab his All Might themed figurines only to be stopped by his mother. She gave him a smile and put all of his toys back but one, handing him his first All Might toy he’d gotten.
“Only one, okay Izuku? We’ll only be gone for one night.” Izuku blinked before nodding and grabbing the yellow, blue, and red toy and then bolting into their living room. It was better than no All Might at all, he’ll be fine!
“Sweetie, can you grab six water bottles from the pantry please?” The freckled child nodded and ran to the said destination, opening the door with a strength that made it slam against the wall making him wince as his mother shouted for him to be careful. He hummed as he grabbed five water bottles, not being able to grab the sixth one. He set the bottles down on the counter before grabbing the last water bottle and letting it join the others.
“Mommy, mommy! What is camping? Why are we camping?” He watched his mother exit her room and set the things down on the ground with the other stuff. It wasn’t a lot, there was a duffle back, a backpack, and a bigger bag that had a pyramid like picture on it with flaps.
“Well, it’s when someone goes out into the wild and set up a makeshift room for themselves so they can sleep at night. They can go fishing or swimming if they’re near a lake or beach, and they can take a lot of pictures! You’ll just have to see for yourself.” Izuku listened to his mothers every word, and he felt himself getting excited as he felt giddiness build up in his nerves. That sounds like so much fun!
“Okay mommy!”
They had packed their bags in their car after exiting their building, and Izuku felt himself buzz with excitement as he heard his mother turn on the car and make her way down roads and highways, watching the dense buildings slowly decrease in numbers until there were only a few buildings and green passing by.
He watched as all of the green blurred as they passed, face squished up against the window as they passed by all of the plants and trees.
“—zuku, wake up sweetie. We’re here.” Huh, when did I fall asleep? Izuku rubbed his eyes, blearily making out that they had stopped and his mother had opened his door and was gently shaking him. He yawned as his mother unbuckled him and picked him out of the car, setting him down on the gravel. He looked down and saw grass and rocks, but mostly rocks. He looked around and at the forest ahead of them.
He liked forests, Kacchan had always taken him and his group into the forest near their houses to play.
But as he looked at this forest, he frowned at the height of the trees and the darkness creeping in the trees shadows. Kacchan’s not here, so he can’t make light.
Izuku slowly came to the realization that it was getting dark and the sky started turning mauve purple and pink as the sun started receding into the horizon he couldn’t see. He gulped and grabbed onto his mothers shirt as she grabbed their stuff. He took in a deep breath and relaxed at the nice smell of pine and grass.
He’s going to be a hero, he can’t be scared!
There was a sudden ‘hoot’ that came from the trees near him and he froze, looking up and seeing yellow, wide eyes looking down at him. Izuku watched the eyes blink as they suddenly turned out of existence.
He went over the thoughts that just ran over his mind before crossing them out.
He’s not a hero yet, he can be scared for just tonight. That’s what he told himself as he followed his mother into the forests understory.
“It’s ok Izuku, this place is safe. There are only small animals and deer here. Nothing can hurt or scare us.” Izuku almost wanted to tell her that there was a pair of eyes looking at him a few seconds ago, but he didn’t want to correct his mom. She might get scared too, so he has to keep that to himself.
There was a clearing and Izuku felt relief seeing other people walking around.
“Mommy, are they here camping too?” His mother looked at the people and then smiled down at him.
“Mhm! But we’re going to be in a tent away from everyone else, so it’ll just be us.” Izuku furrowed his eyebrows.
“What’s a tent?” His mother gestured to the long and big bag that she was holding and Izuku saw the pyramid looking thing again. But now he has a word for it!
“What does a tent do?” His mother giggled before getting into another clearing and setting their stuff down, by that time, the sky was red and orange and was getting darker which worried Izuku. He didn’t want to be in the middle of a forest all alone in the dark.
“Here, watch me Izuku.” Said boy nodded before sitting down on a stump and looking at his mother as she opened the bag and started taking out little things with her quirk before using her hands for the bigger things.
He watched in curiosity as she took long metal pieces and some sort of fabric and started to create the picture he saw on the bag of the tent.
And soon enough, she finished with a ‘ta-da!’ She wiped off her hands and looked to her son as he stared at the tent in awe.
“THAT’S SO COOL!” Izuku ran at the orange colored tent and opened the flap, seeing space inside.
“Is this the ma-makes-makeshif-t room you were telling me about?” His mother nodded brightly at him before he bounced inside the tent and jumped back out.
“Now, lets get things settled, shall we?” The two then made work on taking out their things from the backpack and set down two water bottles next to the tent as they took out sleeping bags and unrolled them in the tent.
Izuku almost didn’t notice the sky getting darker and darker. Almost.
When he heard another ‘hoot’ from outside of the tent, he suddenly felt like staying inside at all costs, not bothering to join his mother as she made American hotdogs over the fire she had made. He felt coldness creep up his back as he stared at the brightness shining through the tent.
Oh how he wants to cuddle next to that warmth so bad.
He swallowed, feeling his tummy rumble as his mouth watered.
He was hungry. So, so, hungry.
“Izuku? Honey? Come out. The hotdogs are done.” Izuku shook his head but knew his mother couldn’t see him, so let out a shaky ‘no’ so she knew that he did not like that it was going to be dark out there and their fire would be their only salvation until it could burn out.
He heard her sigh and he felt like maybe he made her mad. Then suddenly, there was a sizzling sound and he watched in horror as the light got dimmer until it went out.
He felt his lips wobble as his eyes watered.
Why did mommy put the light out?
He didn’t get his answer. All he got was his mother opening the tents zipper and crawling in.
“It’s not that bad sweetie. Come eat your hotdogs.” Izuku shook his head and wrapped his arms around his legs as he tucked his chin in. He heard her give out a small sigh as she smiled.
“Well then, how about this. We go out there and if you can’t stand being out there for more than five minutes, you can come back in here and eat and then we’ll go to bed.” The greenette thought it out for a minute, feeling himself wavering at his mothers calming voice and soft smile as she reached out a hand.
“O…okay. But if I don’t like it I can come back in.” She nodded at him as she took his hand and started to tug him towards the tents exit. He gulped and slapped his other hand over his eyes as he stepped out of the shelter he was so comfortable sitting in.
“Did you know, Izuku, that without all of those lights in the city, the sky looks much more pretty since there’s no other lights blocking out the stars from shining down on you?” Izuku frowned. He didn’t know that. He let out a shaky breath, realizing that since they’re not in the city anymore, he can see the sky she was talking about. The pretty sky she seemed so fond of talking about. The night sky that could cast light upon them.
“There’s way more stars than you can see when you’re in the city! They’re very pretty and bright and it makes you think you’re looking at a million fairies.” The four year old bit his lip as he felt his mind wonder.
Was the sky really that pretty?
“Is that really true mommy?” She gave a hum in reply as she looked at her adorable son covering his eyes before turning her gaze back up at the night sky.
“Well, there’s only one way to find out if you wanna want to know the truth.” Izuku let out a breath before agreeing with his mother.
She was right. Mommy is always right.
He felt a tingle in his spine urging him to let his hand fall beside him so he can see what his mothers seeing. But he didn’t like darkness. Is it really so good that he’d forget about the darks uncomfortable presence? He wasn’t so sure.
But he could always go into the tent if he didn’t like it.
Carefully and slowly, he took his hand down from his face but didn’t open his eyes, feeling the cool breeze brush against his face like the graze of his mothers fingertips when she told him bedtime stories.
The boy let out a steady breath as he let his eyes open.
Lights.
Millions and millions of lights.
He felt his eyes widen as he looked up at the lanterns in the sky as they shone different colors and cast brilliant light on them.
His breath hitched as he saw a flash of white shoot across the sky.
“That’s a shooting star, Izuku, you should make a wish!” The boy stared, fascinated at the sky as it gave him billions of beautiful, blinding lights.
He smiled as a thought came up into his head. All worries about getting a quirk and becoming a hero forgotten as he let his wish ring out through his mind, eyes sparkling as he watched the lights above him twinkle. He let his eyes slide shut as he sent out his wish.
I wish that one day mommy can be able to be in the sky so me and other people can see just how beautiful she is with all the other stars out there.
And then he opened his eyes to gaze at the glittering lights with his mother, any fears about the darkness washed away in the quietness of the night as crickets chirped and animals cooed.
The small boy grinned to the sky as he let his mind wonder into the stars.
The stars are a beautiful light in the darkness of the night.
And he decides that he quite likes camping with his mother.