#anyway! should izuku have signed a contract he can't read? no

[pocketramblr]

36 for the word game, please!

36. — conditional

"You don't... want to eat my soul?" Izuku asked. Everything felt unreal, between the light around the demon and the floating sensation between Izuku and his body. Maybe it was just the bloodloss or oxygen deprivation. Maybe the demon wasn't even here. That'd be the better option, right?

"It would not be." The demon grumbled. "Young man, I'd have to be a very powerful demon to utilize souls in magic. I don't know if anyone but the demon king has ever managed it. As for eating humans... Well, yes, some demons would. But I don't."

Well, then Izuku's would-be murderers were going to be very disappointed.

"They just summoned a demon, guess there wasn't a way to phone ahead and check your interest. Sorry you got dragged into this too, then, you can leave right?" And then with no demon to fulfill their wish, Izuku's kidnappers would... Probably just kill him. He was dead anyway.

The demon's brows furrowed, his eyes shone sharp blue in black. "I could, but I don't want to leave you to your death. Nor do I want them to try again, with another summoning circle."

Oh. That was nice of him.

"Unfortunately, I can't really do anything yet until I accept or deny the contract. Until you are dead, or mine." The demon began to pace, yellow bangs swaying side to side. Izuku watched him, and didn't move from the circle painted on the ground. Moving sounded like it would hurt.

"Well, I guess..." The demon sighed, then turned back. "Ok, here's an offer: I adopt you as my son. That means accepting the contract, with another on top."

Izuku already had a dad. He thought about what his mom would say if he said yes, it would have broken her heart. But if he said no... Well she wouldn't exactly have been happy about this, either.

"As your son?"

"It would allow you safe passage to the Netherworld and would fulfill a condition of the contract."

"The Netherworld?"

"Where demons dwell. As I said, in this world... You're not long for it."

"What are the other conditions?"

"I'd need something from you. As this saves your life, you'd have to give up something too."

"My soul?"

"No, that'd be under my custody until you reach adulthood. You'd have to give up your surname."

"Oh, like, change my name on the family registry because I'd be adopted? Demons have family registries too?"

"Sorta... But no. I mean, give it up. You wouldn't ever remember your family's name here, and it'd be replaced with mine."

Oh.

It was his mom's surname.

"So if I don't agree, I die. And if I do, I forget my name and go to the Netherworld with you, and you are definitely only going to adopt me and not eat me because if you wanted to do that you already would have, I guess, and... What happens here? To make sure there isn't another summoning circle or they try to get even more people killed because it apparently works and-"

The demon waved a hand. "In accepting, I would also be sealing the deal with... them too, yes, but I can then make sure they are unable to do anymore harm with it."

"So, you wouldn't be giving them what they want?"

The demon snorted. "I'd be giving them what they think they want. And I can promise you this, they will regret it."

Izuku almost asked what it was. Almost asked what they wanted badly enough to kill him. But couldn't.

"All right. I agree."

"Really?" The demon sounded too surprised, considering he'd been trying to sell Izuku on this plan. Or, trying to get Izuku to sell on his plan?

"Yeah."

"Deal. Sign here." The demon snapped, and papers and and old pen hovered in front of Izuku. He couldn't read the paper.

He signed it anyway.

#and that's why everyone calls him 'Izuku' and no one uses Midoriya in that au #because of the conditions on the adoption #anyway! should izuku have signed a contract he can't read? no #but was it totally worth it because now he gets dad might? yes #pocket talks to people #shih shoulda had it #ask game #a familiar Netherworld au