Today is going to be shit; Tommy knows it is.

He's felt like shit every since he woke up at three. There's a cold, icy feeling settling in his gut about something wrong. So much so, that it's permeating his thoughts and clearly his actions because he can't stop pacing and he wants to but he can't. Because here's the fucking thing: Tommy doesn't even know why he's feeling this. So there's just a bad feeling in his gut about seemingly nothing at all or everything, and he fucking hates it because his gut is never wrong.

What will happen on patrol? What will happen in the cafe? What will happen to this home-like apartment? What will happen to Takoda? What will happen to the people? What will happen to Izuku and Inko?

Prime, Tommy should've known his luck was going to fuck him over. It's been months with this good streak, and now reality's going to crash over him and this is not a dream. This is not all happiness and joy, this is fucking reality.

(He's Tommy Innit "Theseus" Craft, the boy who breaks all he touches.)

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

There's no brewing stands. No potions he can give, no ingredients he can get, and he doesn't have obsidian for blaze powder or any Nether ingredients. There's not enough time to get Netherite, and he can't stand lava or explosions so it'd be useless to try regardless. Fuck, he's not able to get diamonds, either — a full set would take at least half a day to get, and that's if he's lucky. Izuku would have to be awake, too, to even get to his mineshaft. Iron armor would be his best shot, which, fortunately, he has enough ingots for maybe three sets. But fuck, not only does he not have enough for everyone he holds dear -- in this world, where shit like metal manipulation can exist, it's flimsy.

Fuck. Alright; iron armor is his only choice. At least it's something.

Tommy opens a chest with one hand, taking out a stack and some more of iron and feeling his body weigh heavier with them in his inventory. His other hand taps his crafting table, already taking out chest-plates, leggings, boots, and helmets. Twenty four ingots for each set of full armor, and Tommy has garnered seventy-nine ingots, just enough for three sets of armor and some weapons. He really has four sets, as he'll equip his vigilante set underneath his uniform at Tari's. Eight swords or two axes... No, wait, perhaps he could make iron bars and snap those into rods? But no one knows how to use them... Shit.

At least it's something; Tommy will make some just in case, his hands already slotting six ingots in their places, putting the extra ingot back in a chest, his fingers shaking as he replaces the ingots with sixteen iron bars. Inko has telekinesis, she'll be able to use knives and throw them. Or a blunt object to knock an intruder or ten out. She'll need a set of armor for either today or in the future. Izuku... Golden apple slices for OFA, one of the sets of armor. He can't exactly bring these staffs to Tari's Coffee for public use, but Tommy will keep them on him. He'll hold the extra set, too, only if his vigilante set breaks.

Shit, maybe Izuku needs them.

...Okay, the extra set for Izuku, then.

Tommy sets his forehead on a chest, closes his eyes, and feels his paranoia of something wrong ring in his head. This isn't enough to soothe him -- no, no even close -- but he'll make it so.

It has to be.

===

Izuku heads off to U.A. with five golden apple slices, wearing specialized iron armor underneath his uniform with the extra set in his backpack, and a tease that Tommy's being overprotective -- that nothing bad will happen. After all, it's only the third day of the school year, and U.A. has one of the best security systems. (As if the infiltration just a day prior showed that.)

The blond's gut twists as he watches him go. He prays Izuku's right.

===

13:03

*<> tommy!! we're going to the usj today !!!

*<> Usj? Univresal Studio of Japan?

<> ah, no, this one stands for unforeseen stimulation joint

<> apparently we're going to be taught by three teachers instead of two like originally planned? not sure whar that's abt...

<> i think it'll be fun !! (⌒▽⌒)

<> You suer youll be s afe, Big Man?

<> i am !!! like i said, three teachers instead of two today. u.a.'s teachers are all pro heroes !

<> But

<> Do you have your iron armor o

<> n?

<> i do, i do. don't worry, alrighfjcjdjdjsssssssss

<> Izuku????

<> WHO THE FSBDBX UCK AR E YHCBD OCH Uzzz

<> z Hello Midd fgfhrv iyss

<> frin ned dddd

<> IZUKU??????

<> dddffffffff

<> Iiiiiiiizsrjrhfjerjrrrrrr

<> IM BACK

<> IM ALIVW TOMMY DW

<> my classmates stole my phone because i was smiling at it (● ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ⁾⁾

<> Oh thank Prime youre safe

<> sorry for any panic ,,,,,,,

<> Who was the frist perosn?

<> ah

<> you won't like my answer

<> Say it im nto a pussy

<> Unlike Someone

<> /j

<> hey! >:(( /nm

<> anyways, it was kac

<> bakugo.

<> Oh

<> Him.

<> Wait he got into U.AS' hero course

<> apparently, yeah

<> of course he'd make it though

<> Ahut the fuck up

<> He dosent deserve to be in the hero ccourse

<> you've told me that too many times

<> however, even schools like u.a. may have favoritism for strong quirks ...

<> Bu

<> ANYWAYS

<> How did you cut me off mid text

<> we're almost at the usj

<> Youre avoiding the fuckin question

<> WAIT TSU JUST ALMOST RVEEKALED OFFA WITH HER OVSERVATIONS I

<> Izuku youre a

<> GOTTA CLEAR THIS UP RN

<> Yo uare a right bitch thats what yku aee

<> hypocrite /j

<> I

<> ttyl !!!

<> GRT VACK JWRW

===

13:37

<> BTICH

<> MI NOT LEYYYIBG YOU GET AEAY EITH THIS

===

14:09

<> IZUUK

===

15:24

<> IZUKU ANSWHR ME YOY FUCK

===

big hellion

...

"H-Hi! You've, uh, reached my voicemail. I-I'm probably b-busy at the moment — just leave a message here and I'll r-respond as soon as I can!" The speaker picks up a few shuffles, "Bye!— "

===

17:45

<> Izuku

<> You fucikgn wanker this idnt funny snymore

===

big hellion

...

"H-Hi! You've, uh, reached my voicemail. I-I'm probably b-busy at the moment — just leave a message here and I'll — "

===

big hellion

...

"H-Hi! You've, uh, reached my voicemail. I-I'm probably b-busy at the moment — just — "

===

big hellion

...

"H-Hi! You've, uh, — "

===

Eraserhead doesn't come to the shop at his usual time.

Tommy bites his lip, pulls a smile and trudges on. The armor under his sleeves is uncomfortably warm.

An extra large serving of dark coffee goes hidden and untouched.

===

18:37

<> ...Izuku?

===

19:06

<> TOMMY

===

big hellion

...

"Tommy!" His voice is hushed. There's the shuffling of fabrics and the lowered voices of students in the background. But honestly? They could go fuck themselves. "Tommy I — "

"Izuku," Tommy breathes, settling himself on the mattress of his bed, "Fuck you."

"Wh— "

"Fuck you so much." Tommy chokes, his grip on his communicator wobbling, "You fucker, you fucking bitch you — I'm — fuck you, I'm going to kill you when you get back, fuck you, I — "

Izuku laughs. There's an undertone of true terror that lines his voice. "Y-Yeah, I..."

"No; shut up, alright? Fuck you, man, just. Fucking shit, I knew it, I said there'd be something bad happening but 'no!'" Tommy imitates a Prime-awful impression of Izuku's voice but he doesn't fucking care, "'No! Meh meh meh meh I'm Iz — Midoriya fuckin' Izuku and I think that Tommy is a fucking wrongun' and that he's being overprotective and — and I'm gonna prank him and m-make 'im all panicky and — '" He trails off into stutters.

"I know," Izuku whispers. "I. I know, but Tommy — villains attacked. A-An entire invasion of actual villains who w-wouldn't hesitate to kill. S-Some of us a-almost. Almost died. My homeroom teacher — E-Eraserhead almost d-died."

Shit.

The next sentence Izuku says makes Tommy's ears ring. "There was a thing — a Nomu, the leader called it — that. That All Might had to..."

"...'go beyond' to defeat." It comes out like a whimper.

Tommy freezes. "Fuck," he haltingly exhales, "fuck, fuck, fuck — did anything help him? T-The apple slices or the armor or — "

"T-They did!" He knows Izuku's trying to rush the topic, "They did. A lot. T-The leader had a disintegration quirk" — What — "so if he touched me the armor would've protected me. A-And the Nomu... Eraserhead i-isn't in g-good... c-conditions, though he w-would've been in worse ones had I not s-saved the apples. Same for t-the other teacher, Th-Thirteen. I-I'm — we're all s-stable and I'm fine, by the way!"

"Alright — Alright, that's... Okay."

"...idoriya?" A voice calls, barely picked up by the speaker, "...lking...secr...mmy?"

"Ah — sorry Tommy," Izuku murmurs, "g-give me a moment."

Something covers up the speaker, and as a muffled conversation ensues, Tommy plans.

The armor helped. Iron is flimsy, so Tommy will go to the mineshaft and mine for diamonds to create better armor. Maybe Netherite, if he can stomach getting it.

He'll make the apples a highly-concentrated juice (or try to) for Toshinori, and put them in two vials — one for the hero, one for Izuku. The green haired teen doesn't know how to wield a sword so Tommy will have to show him. Daggers, maybe, and a bow for long distance — or, if too far, a fishing rod. No crossbow.

And then, there's the added trauma.

Fuck. The trauma.

Not now. Later. That shit's for future him.

Just. Tommy needs context, so fucking much of it, and he needs to know what to do. Izuku will dig into himself like a miner, their pickaxe and a rich cave, to be stronger or better for situations like these, and the blond doesn't even know most of the details, just the important ones. Tommy's seventeen, he can (maybe) handle this shit — Izuku is fucking fifteen.

Tommy can't let this shit repeat. Can't let something like himself repeat.

"I-I'm back," Izuku says. "E-Everyone wants to m-meet you." Tommy inhales.

He can handle this shit. Just, not now. Tommy has to prepare so many fucking things.

"Tell them to fuck off," he says, getting up. Where did he put his pickaxe? "Come back soon, dickhead."

He ends the call as soon as Izuku gives a panicked cry.

===

Izuku comes home and cries in Tommy's arms, clawing at his back. "Tommy, Tommy, Tommy," he whispers through choking sobs, curling into himself, "I'm s-sorry, I-I'm sorry, I-I'm sorr-y." Bandages — freshly wrapped — wound around his arms, and the older teen can see the edges of more under Izuku's pant legs. He wails in the crook of his neck and Tommy can't do more than close the front door and try to comfort him, tears staining his trademark t-shirt.

Tommy gets a glimpse at Izuku's face and almost recoils at how much he looks like him. How he stands less a child and more a soldier, how he has a haunted look in his eyes, and how he's still tense. Prime, he's still fucking scared.

("Back straight, weapons at your side," Gener — Wilbur orders, face painfully stotic, "and do not ever let your guard down. Shoulders, neck, and head up. Look confident. Do not stand down.")

Tommy shoves a golden apple into Izuku's mouth. He doesn't think twice when biting down, no hesitation in his jaw or eyes. Fucking hell, Izuku even sighs when the steam rolls from his pores.

...Though, he understands. Tommy passes a fresh bowl of katsudon and explains his plan for the concentrated golden apple vials as Izuku eats like a starved man.

===

Inko does not — will not know about his nightmares.

===

The next fortnight is spent in long, claustrophobic strip-mines, hearing the crazed scribbles of a leader drowning in insanity, remembering the path to his mineshaft, helping Izuku survive, and filling chests with armor and ore. Izuku helps him to get to the mineshaft at five in the morning and stays there until Tommy leaves which... The blond doesn't leave until he feels like he can't handle the walls of his strip-mines anymore, is out of food, is about to pass out, or needs to go to the bathroom.

Regardless, when he leaves the mines, Izuku is not far behind wherever Tommy goes. He's worryingly silent, not even responding with a noise when Tommy asks for directions to the mineshaft again. Doesn't talk about heroes or the constant news lines about the USJ or even about Tommy's "quirk" much.

Tommy gets it. And Inko does, too, though never as much as they do. (Tommy ignores the quiet weeps across the wall that are the epitome of why-can-i-not-do-more and i-am-sorry-sorry-sorry, and soothes a writhing, sleeping Izuku.)

( the headlines scream,

Tommy grunts, ripping out some diamonds with the end of his pickax. They clink onto the stone ground, echoing over a blocked lava pool that took him ten minutes to even get close to. The blond shivers, picking the priceless gems up and weighing them in his palms. Three of them, making his total two stacks. This world is fucking loaded.

Izuku quietly awes at them with large eyes when Tommy holds the diamonds to him. This is the first time he's been in the mines Tommy's made, as he was only allowed to go in after the blond had made him more armor. The older teen sets the valuable gems in the other's hands and goes to continue mining, the green haired teen still gaping at the gems in his palms. The sides glisten under torchlight, a mix of rough and soft combined with light orange highlights and tints of yellow and blue.

"This..." Tommy hears Izuku move forward in tandem with him. "These are... diamonds? They're so pretty...!"

"Yeah, Big Man," Tommy says, digging up some coal — and oh, soon after, some gold. He hadn't expected that. "Real diamonds 'n' shit. Don't sell them though — I'm collecting those to make armor."

He turns to see Izuku nodding, murmuring, "I won't! ...How do you make armor from these, anyway? On the Mohs Scale, this is the toughest gem known to man."

...The fuck's a Mohs Scale?

Nevertheless, Tommy takes out a stick, coats it with the coal he just got and strikes it on the floor. It bursts to life as Tommy forces a quick crevice into the wall and shoves the freshly-instigated torch into it. "Big Roach" — an indignant yet quiet cry rings out that Tommy pointedly ignores — "if I couldn't make it into armor I wouldn't have mined it. It's a part of my — quirk." Still getting used to the quirk shit.

"Really?!" Izuku runs by his side with the little hop hop hop of his feet tapping the ground, and Tommy wants to bounce with him in utter joy, "Like the crafting table? Do you make armor with that?"

"Ye — " Tommy swings, digging up some iron with a grunt, "Yeah."

"How does that work?" Izuku's voice steadily rises, "Can you see how the diamonds are merged to make armor? Oooooh do you just meld it together with the glowy thing your fingers were doing? Wait, wait — how do you make we — tools, then? Like how do you make the pickaxes or the shovel or the bucket or..."

Tommy picks up the iron with the smallest smile on his face and lets him rant.

(THANK YOU TO @Si_Wolfie FOR THE FANART :DDD)

===

Inko moves into his line of vision and sets a hand on his cheek when she sees Tommy up and making coffee for the nth time that week, dulled iron pickaxe in hand at four in the morning. She frowns at the flinch he makes, something pitying and Tommy fucking hates it.

"Don't over-work yourself, alright?" Inko asks.

"Yes ma'am," Tommy lies before downing another cup, going out the door and following a path to a mineshaft he shouldn't need to memorize by heart.

===

On the second week of temporary leave, Tommy brings Izuku outside to Takoda after a particularly bad nightmare. The green haired teen fidgets with a closed glass vial filled with golden apple juice, the gold reflecting in the moonlight. There's heavy bags under both of their eyes.

"Alright, Big I," Tommy says, pointing a wooden, dulled tip of a sword imitation towards Izuku's chest. He tosses one to Izuku's feet. "I'll show you how to wield some fucking weapons this week." Izuku immediately picks up the blunt blade with newfound determination.

===

"Running forward. Duck, try to swing off-balance with blade — he jumped before impact, so high-kick when he comes near and adjust grip — "