Black Mail Is Not A Compromise

I put in my earbuds I had agreed to train Izuku but I still had my nightly activities which Izuku would learn about... eventually especially if he couldn't get into a hero course.

Tonight I had a singular target, a very attractive blond woman whose quirk seemingly influenced only men he had seen her use it in public a few times and whenever she spoke directly to a man he would do whatever she wanted, leaving many of his fellow males much much poorer and a few losing relationships to the woman in question.

as such he had marked her with his sixth sense and bought some earbuds at a general store before heading to the apartment building that the marker had directed him to he climbed from window to window invading more than one person's privacy which he supposed was on him but hey he is trying to make the world a better place they could give him a break.

Finally, on the third floor he found her sitting on her bed looking through what looked to be at least ten wallets from a glace he grimaced she was a petty thief, usually, he would ignore those for bigger targets but she had a very very dangerous quirk and she could be hired by someone far worse than most of his targets to do some very very bad things so he would take her off the streets.

Jake checked one last time making sure his earbuds were secure under his mask he held himself up with his left hand and took his phone out of his pocket, opening up Spotify and playing some very loud music he had found called "Rip And Tear", he found despite its chaotic and almost demonic nature matched his inner tempo so it wouldn't throw him off his fighting he hoisted himself up once more his hands resting on the top of the windows frame he pushed off with his boots and used the momentum as he swung back to smash into the window.

He did a barrel roll to make sure he didn't cut himself on the fragments of the window before going into a roll to disperse his kinetic energy, he turned to look at the woman who was now to his left shocked.

He strode forward intent on ending this quickly so he could plan Izuku's training for the next day, the woman snapping out of her shock looked angrily at him her mouth moving but his ears hearing no words and therefore any control she could put him under useless, seeing no reaction spurred her anger further she scrambled towards her dresser grabbing something before swiping at him.

Unfortunately for her, she was slow, Jake grabbed her arm painfully inciting a tear-filled reaction from the woman that he couldn't hear ridding much of the effect especially when she dropped the switchblade she had tried to cut him with, he twisted and kicked her arm dislocated he could feel it pop out of its socket before he released it she began screaming in pain or gasping for air, he couldn't tell.

he looked around her apartment for something to tie her up with only finding a couple of towels which he didn't think would do the job seems he would need to knock her unconscious before calling the police he walked over to her she seemed to finally look at him instead of just crying on the floor she looked as if she was pleading as if she had the right to do that when she has ruined so many peoples lives.

He raised his boot intent on quickly rendering unconscious when he was suddenly hit from the side his eyes glimpsing a flash of green before he rolled from his back onto his feet ready to fight this sudden intruder.

well, he was ready to fight until his eyes landed on a certain greenette "great well I didn't plan on you finding out this soon but now will have to work" Jake sighed lowering his guard he walked forward casually before smashing a fist down into the crying woman's temple rendering her unconscious a little less violently than before which he hoped eased Izuku.

Jake found that it didn't by way of being tackled.

--Line Break--

when Izuku had first heard the glass shatter he had thought it was a bottle of some sort that a drunk had thrown at the side of the building but after the angry yelling and succinct crying, screaming, and begging he knew something was very very bad was happening to his neighbor he thought of calling the police but from what he was hearing they wouldn't make it in time.

He hadn't even started training with Jake yet but he couldn't just leave her to her fate AllMi-no any hero wouldn't do that so he couldn't call himself a hero if he didn't try and help.

As such he rushed out of his door his mother who had been talking to a 119 operator (911 in America) yelled after him in worry, but he ignored her she didn't and couldn't understand why he was doing this, his legs nearly gave out as he jumped down the outside stairs to the floor below but he narrowly stayed on his feet as he turned and slammed his shoulder into the door ripping it open although he was sure he would regret it later, but what he felt didn't matter.

what he saw was the back of a black hooded figure standing what looked like a couple inches under six feet, they had what looked like a military vest on with baggy black pants that gripped their legs near the ankles with one foot raised level with the woman's head, that was all Izuku saw before he charged with a war cry as he slammed into the criminal knocking him off his feet before Izuku placed himself in between the now gibbering woman who was holding her arm and the suddenly upright Villain they locked eyes the dark blue sparking a hint of familiarity.

Izuku's confusion was palpable as the Villain went suddenly from a fighting pose to a casual stride saying something that sounded like "didn't plan on you finding out so soon" although the carbon black mask that covered the mans entire head muffled most of what he said so Izuku couldn't be sure.

And just like that his fist smashed into the woman ceasing her crying suddenly and violently he yelled horror coating his mind, he had failed to save her, he wasn't a hero, he had failed like always, tears flowed out of his eyes as he tackled the villain smashing his enclosed fist into his mask feebly trying to do something anything to avenge the innocent or apprehend this man till the police arrived.

"Stop" the muffled voice growled

words came out of the Villains mask Izuku heard them but didn't comprehend them

"Izuku stop I don't want to hurt you" it came again clearly holding back anger

this gave him a moment of hesitation 'he- he knows my name?' the main quickly rolled out from under him and Izuku suddenly felt himself freeze, he tried to squirm out of the grip he was somehow in before it dawned on him that this must be the villains quirk, he saw the man glance back before sighing and turning back to Izuku, he felt the grip disappear and he fell a couple inches onto the ground he hadn't noticed he was frozen midair.

"who are you?! what do you want?!!"

in response the man unlatched his mask brown hair cascading like water down to his shoulders, he reached up grabbing the mask firmly before lifting, revealing a sharp chin, frowning mouth, a chiseled nose, and dark blue eyes that shone like sapphires framed by sharp eyebrows, all accompanied by pale skin.

"J-Jake...?" Jake sighed heavily "Yeah, Izuku, its me, I'm guessing you want to talk about this but-" he pointed at the, dea- oh she was unconscious, woman "-she made a fuss and the police will be here a lot sooner than I would like"

stunned Izuku could only respond with "B-but why?" this earned him a piercing sapphire glare "She is a criminal Izuku, look at all those wallets she has on her bed" Izuku looked seeing a little under a dozen wallets on the bed with cash sorted neatly next to each wallet along with the occasional credit and debit card.

Izuku suddenly felt very embarrassed for defending her at least until he looked back and her bloodied face and sickeningly twisted arm both gave him a sickening pit in his stomach, she was a thief but he didn't think she deserved that. He looked back at Jake who was still glaring at him he tried to match it failing but still the effort was there and Jake noticed. "What? you think I was wrong for stopping her?" Izuku gulped then steeled himself yelling back "Y-YEAH, LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO HER HOW DOES A PETTY THIEF DESERVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL SHE DIDN'T HURT ANYONE!" he stopped seeing Jake freeze and then with furry growing on his face grabbed him by the collar hoisting him up on his toes "SHE RUINED PEOPLE IZUKU WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED IF SHE STOLE FROM SOMEONE AND IT WAS THEIR ONLY MONEY FOR FOOD SHE USED HER QUIRK IZUKU SHE MADE MEN DO WHATEVER SHE WANTED SHE ENDED HAPPY RELATIONSHIPS DO YOU THINK EVERYONE TOOK THAT WELL? HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU THINK SHE HAS INDIRECTLY KILLED AND HURT IZUKU?" Jake breathed heavily out of breath from the tirade still fuming but not releasing any of that anger.

After a few stunned seconds Izuku lowered his head responding barely above a whisper "No... not like this Jake this isn't right, you cant do this."

Jake paused furry fleeing like a leaf in the wind, "what is the right way then? you think I should be a hero like AllMight, he destroyed your dream Izuku he killed it mercilessly without a thought of how it would effect you he a thoughtless Idiot who's only goal is supporting society even though it tries to destroy innocents like you or imprison people like me even though I only want to help, or Endeavor who has had more civilian casualties then he does of rescues his only goal being to be number one so he can inflate his ego, or some of those who do it for fame and fortune acting like common celebrities? Heroes don't have a standard Izuku I had hopped to train you and convince you to be like me making a real difference or if not change how people view the quirkless by being the first one to become a Hero"

Izuku sat there for a few seconds still as a statue and quiet as a mouse before jerking his head up tears trailed down his face but there was an intensity in his eyes a grit and will that Jake was stunned by "You can make a standard Jake you can be better than AllMight, Endeavor, and the rest of them you can set an example, I don't know what your quirk is but if you can do what you did to me to others then you have the power to rise to the top I can't do that I might get in the top 100 if I'm lucky but I can never surpass AllMight, Just... Please Jake what your doing is wrong and illegal at least try and study to be a hero even if you decide you don't want to be a symbol you can work as an underground hero and do..." he paused and waved around the room indicating the mess Jake had made "this full time without having to split your time in between a Job and helping people plus you won't be breaking the law and you will be trained on how to fight without hurting people to that level." Izuku said as he pointed towards the nearly broken body of the woman.

Jake starred into Izuku's eyes for a second then a minute then what felt like ten more, Glaring and thinking, stewing on those words, Izuku saw his eyes fog up caught up in some sort of memory then a flash of hurt crossed them and doubtfully Jake raised his head "I- I don't think I can Izuku, you don't understand and I can't explain not right now, and even if I could I don't know if I would want to" he let go of Izuku's collar letting his toes rest he saw Jakes shoulders slump and he started to turn away before Izuku's hand shot out gabbing the arm of his hoodie "If you don't stop Jake I will tell the police, so if you want to help people you need to do it lawfully, otherwise your the same as her" he pointed at the unconscious woman.

A look of betrayal and then... acceptance crossed Jakes face "I see i don't have a choice in the matter, Fine then since your forcing me to fulfill your dream FOR you I might as well make you good enough to really compete, we will start training tomorrow"

he violently shoved his mask back on before clipping it tightly before vaguely gesturing towards the woman, "tell the police when they get here that a vigilante attacked the woman but you fought him off" he then stiffly made his way towards the window before hoisting himself up and turned back a note of finality in his voice "Oh, and Izuku, if you ever compare me to someone like her again" he nodded at the bed as the woman was unconscious on the other side "I will break your face" Izuku's only response was to gulp and nod.

Jake then swooped out of the window disappearing into the darkness somehow without making any noise even though they were on the third floor.

--Line Break--

Jake was furious, but also admittedly chastised, Izuku had a point, Logically he was completely sound, but he didn't know Jakes history with heroes and hopefully never would, becoming one felt wrong, even disgusting. These thoughts stewed in his head as he ran, leaped and rolled, across the rooftops of Musutafu, he had heard the police burst into the apartment as he had reached the top of the building and it seemed they didn't take Izuku as a threat so there were no problems there.

He leaped again and followed it with a roll so his ankles didn't hate him yet despite the normal soothing feeling of content and freedom he had when parkouring he only felt a sense of dread and some sort of gut wrenching disgust, he did not want to be like those people, the best of them still couldn't hold a moral candle to real vigilantes, the kind he had learned from amd worked with. Maybe if he introduced Izuku to some he will change his mind, although that would require knowing some in Japan, which he didn't, but that was a problem for later Jake right now he needed to clear his head.

he continued on his path he had no set destination and he already had a plan on how to train Izuku tomorrow and he would find no peace at home, so he continued to wander and run across the rooftops feeling calmer if not less Ill at the thought of being a hound dog of the government.

a low swoosh was the only warning he had before a bandage like rope curled around his head and clothes lined him into the roof with a crack his helmet had saved him from most of the blow but his ears still rang, he forced himself to roll to his hands and knees looking up his eyes caught a red glow, messy hair, and a scowling pale face.

'Oh fuck'