Chapter 1: Swan Dive
Summary:
Trigger warning: this is the suicide attempt chapter, as long as you know Izuku attempts suicide here and Shouto saves him, you can skip this if that is triggering to you
Notes:
(*’∀’人)♥ I reply to all comments when a new chapter is posted (。・ω・。)ノ♡
Thank you all for reading and commenting ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya Izuku felt the breeze against his face as he stared down at his phone. His shoes were neatly placed beside him. He swallowed, hand gripping the railing as he leaned back against it. Then he typed out his message.
I’m taking your advice
What the shit are you talking about useless Deku?
Bye Kacchan
The reply had been shockingly quick. The screen was lighting up again, constantly vibrating with each new message. He didn’t read them. His fingers trembled as he pocketed the device. Midoriya let out a shaky breath. All Might’s words echoed in his mind. Reminding him of how Kacchan was right. He was useless. He would never be a hero without a quirk. Tears pricked at his eyes; he rubbed them harshly with his sleeve. His stomach was turning as he stared down at the pavement below him.
It was for the best. He was saved once already. He got to meet his favorite hero. Now, his burnt notes felt like a heavy weight in his backpack. He gripped one strap as he chewed his bottom lip. Midoriya remembered his mother’s tears. He really must be useless to worry her so much. To make Kacchan so mad at him. To hear those words from All Might… He squeezed his eyes shut, and… he jumped .
Cold, freezing numbness surrounded him. He thought it would have hurt more, like one solid punch as he hit the concrete. Then, he opened his eyes. A quiet “Huh ?” escaped his lips as he found himself partially encased in what looked like a glacier jutting out from the ground.
“What were you thinking?” a scolding voice questioned. Midoriya turned towards the sound, his eyes landing on a boy, about his age, half white hair, half red, with an equally red scar covering his eye.
Midoriya didn’t have an answer for him. He felt his chest tighten as the tears silently poured from his face. The hero’s eyes softened as he stared at the green haired boy. Before he knew it, the ice was melting around Midoriya.
He was so focused on the hero who’d saved him, that he missed Kacchan, breathing heavily as he looked at the melting glacier of ice that had saved Midoriya, nor the way Kacchan’s muscles relaxed, despite the frown firmly set on his face. Kacchan scowled as he sent one more text before shoving his hands in his pockets and stomping off.
As his feet touched the ground, Midoriya stared down at his wet socks, soaked from the melted ice. He sniffled, feeling his lip tremble as he felt the hero’s gaze on him. Before he could register it, the hero had taken his hand and led him over to a bench, forcing him to sit down before joining him.
“What happened?” the boy asked, his serious gaze locked onto him, fixed.
Midoriya swallowed. His eyes felt sore, no tears left in him. His face was salty, covering his tear-stained freckles. And he poured his heart out to the hero. How a quirkless waste of space like him didn’t deserve to live. That he could never be a hero, and how everyone in his life reminded him of that. No one who knew him ever believed a loser, useless Deku could save anyone. He couldn’t even save himself. He knew he was mumbling, tripping over his words, and probably bothering the hero to no end. He knew how much people hated it when he started muttering, lost in his thoughts, stuck in planning. He was a pest who rambled, on and on, and he wasn't even sure what he was saying anymore.
“You analyze heroes in your notebook?” the words were carefully chosen, dodging rougher topics to shift Midoriya's focus. It worked.
Had he mentioned that? He was speaking so fast, Midoriya was shocked that the hero had understood any of it. He blinked, nodding silently as his gaze met the boy’s gaze, staring into those piercing dual colored eyes.
“Can I see?” the hero asked.
Midoriya pursed his lips, fumbling as he moved to take his backpack off. He scrambled to pull out the burnt pages before he found himself muttering again, “It’snotthatgreatIjustwritedownwhatIseeit’snothingreally.”
The hero didn’t answer immediately, silently flipping through the pages, absorbing every word, “These are incredibly well researched.” he remarked, “You would make an excellent support hero. Being able to accurately analyze a quirk's strengths and weaknesses would benefit heroes both in training and out in the field. If you applied it to villains, knowing just how an enemy's quirk works can be invaluable to taking them down.”
There may not have been much emotion put behind the words, but they were said in earnest, and Midoriya felt his chest swell, “Do you really think so?” his eyes were pink and puffy from all his crying, his words shook as he spoke, trying not to sound to hopeful, too desperate for something to hold onto. It wouldn’t be the first time someone said something nice only to take it all back and laugh in his face for daring to believe them, if only for a second.
The hero nodded sharply, “I do.”
Those two simple words brought a smile to his lips. If he had anything left to cry, tears would still be spilling down his cheeks. The hero never judged him for it, or slung insults at him. He just sat there patiently.
It took him a few minutes before he composed himself. He couldn’t help but feel dwarfed by the boy as their eyes met again. Even though the hero wasn't that much taller, Midoriya had told him so many horrible things about himself, embarrassing things that just spilled from his lips, secrets, doubts, fears, all his worst traits, and yet, he was still here.
“Are you a debut hero?” Midoriya asked, his voice small as he stared up at the boy. He had never seen any hero like him before. He definitely would have remembered that face.
“No, not yet.” the boy answered.
“Oh.” he mumbled dumbly before bowing his head, “Thank you for saving me!” he practically shouted, his eyes squeezed shut, feeling his cheeks turn pink. He couldn’t believe it took him so long to say that!
“You don’t have to bow.” the boy stated, causing Midoriya to sit up, “I was just glad I got to you in time.”
“Me too.” he said sheepishly, before his eyes widened and he sat up straighter, shocked at himself for taking so long to ask, “What’s your name?”
“Todoroki Shouto.” he answered, “And yours?”
“Midoriya Izuku!”
Todoroki smiled, a ghost of a smile, just barely curling his lips as he repeated, “Midoriya Izuku?”
His pulse was rising, “Yes!” he replied, feeling his face warm.
“You said you wanted to go to Yuuei, right?” Todoroki questioned, waiting for Midoriya to nod before continuing, “That’s where I’ll be attending. While I’m there, I hope to see you.”
He had said that? Probably. He had said too many things already, but nonetheless, Midoriya felt his fists tighten, his nails digging into the palms of his hands, “I’ll definitely get in,” he stated, a fire rekindled in his soul as he looked determinedly at the boy, “I’ll support you! I will!”
Todoroki’s eyes widened, just for a moment, before he regained his composure, “I look forward to seeing you there, Midoriya-kun.”
And that was it. He walked home by himself, refusing to take up any more of Todoroki’s time. He’d wasted so much of it already crying his eyes out and forcing the boy to listen to his life story. Midoriya felt silly as his socks left trailing footprints in his wake. The fabric was cold and damp, squishing with every step. He’d need to buy new shoes. There was no way he’d be able to retrieve his old ones. He clutched his notebook close to his chest, barely registering the world around him as he finally made it home.
In the privacy of his house, he knew if he was going to be able to go back to school, he’d need to face his consequences. Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek as he reached for his phone. He willed his hand to stop shaking as he finally looked at his missed messages. All from Kacchan.
What the FUCK does that mean?
Wait,
You shitty idiot, dont fucking move
I swear, u better still fuking be thre when I get ther Deku
U better fucking walk ur ass down the stairs
Izuku i SWEAR u had better not be fucking with me
There were a number of minutes that had passed before the last one had sent.
Don’t EVER do something that stupid again
Had Kacchan run back to school? He must have. The message implied it, and he used ‘again.’ That would mean he also saw Todoroki save him. The longer he looked over the messages, the more he could see how worried Kacchan had really been. Rushed typing, misspellings, he might have been running as he texted them…
I won’t.
He breathed out a sigh, feeling his body overcome itself with exhaustion as he stumbled into his room. He managed to get the socks off, tossing them into his hamper. Yuuei… Todoroki said he was going to go there. In the hero course, but still. He’d get to see him again. Thank him again. Kacchan would definitely be there too, but maybe that would be okay. Even if he could be mean sometimes, Midoriya was sure Kacchan would be an amazing hero. He’d have to support him too. He already had a lot of research on Kacchan’s quirk. The hard part would be getting the boy to let him help.
Midoriya collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the posters lining his walls. He lifted his arm, squeezing his bicep. Maybe he should start working out… He could start changing his diet, adding more protein. He'd need something, dumbbells? Maybe a medicine ball? His arms were too small, his frame too weak. He needed to exercise, build up his endurance.
His mother’s head popped into the room, “I can take you to the store to get some weights. I should have time tomorrow. We can go when you get back from school.” she said encouragingly. It reminded him that he was muttering out loud to himself, again. She was probably happy to see him take up a new hobby, though his mind was still on heroes.
“Thanks mom!” he replied, and for the first time in a long time, his smile felt real.
Notes:
art for this chapter On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Fanart by Blossom-2207 ♡ฅ(ᐤˊ꒳ฅˋᐤ♪)On Tumblr
Chapter Text
With all thirteen of his ‘Hero Analysis for the Future’ notebooks crammed into his bag, along with a new fourteenth edition filled with blank pages, Midoriya sprinted out of his house. The students at Yuuei would undoubtedly have amazing quirks. If he was lucky, Midoriya would get the chance to see how they worked.
While on the train, he wondered what classes would be like. He had two goals, learn everything he could from Yuuei and get Todoroki’s phone number. He’d been kicking himself all summer for neglecting to ask the soon-to-be hero for some way to contact him.
His hands fiddled with his tie as he tried to distract himself from the excitement bubbling up in his chest. The gates of Yuuei were so huge! He couldn’t help the way he looked around, gawking. As he was looking up at the building, he walked right into someone’s back. He ignored the dull pain in his nose, looking up at the kid with big spiky purple hair, “I’m so sorry!” Midoriya said, a dozen more apologies on the tip of his tongue, but he was silenced when the student held his hand up in front of him.
“You’re fine.” he assured him, “Just try to watch where you’re going.”
Midoriya nodded. He didn’t get the chance to say anything else, because the boy had already left. He wondered which class the kid was in. Maybe he’d see him in support. He pulled his class schedule out of his pocket. If he didn’t get going, he was going to be late on his first day! He gripped his backpack straps and started moving.
There were plenty of students lingering in the hallways before the first bell. He quietly weaved his way around them, hurrying as he neared his homeroom, 1-F. As he entered, his eyes were drawn to the few students already in their seats. Two were sitting there with mildly strained expressions on their faces. Their sides pressed against the wall as a girl with pink hair and a pair of goggles on her head leaned further into their personal space. The door shut behind him, and Midoriya never had a chance to find a desk before the girl had whipped her head around, eyes locking with his.
She had crossed the room in seconds, “Wow, you’re so plain looking! How do you like being in Yuuei? Is this your first time on campus? What type of support do you work on? Do you make weapons? That’s my specialty! I already have so many designs for my super cute babies! What about you? What have you been working on?” He was honestly impressed; he’d never met someone who spoke as quickly as she did.
She loomed over him, so close that he could feel his face heating up. He instinctively took a step back when the door opened again.
“Alright everyone, settle down and get to your seats!”
Midoriya turned his head and found himself face to face with Power Loader! He was so close to the pro hero! Luckily, his fanboying was cut off when he realized he was blocking his teacher's way and immediately apologized, rushing to find a seat. There were only six desks in the small classroom, and the only seat left was in the front, right next to the pink haired girl. He could see a notebook on her desk with the name ‘Hatsume Mei’ inscribed on the front. He remembered her saying something about weapons. They might have been design schematics.
“Maijima-sensei,” Hatsume said as her hand shot up, “When will we start creating support items!?”
“You will all begin your support training after you have finished with your general studies, English, Literature, Art History, and Mathematics.” he explained, “Support training will be held in the Development Studio.”
He had checked the school’s staff members more than a dozen times. The only teachers listed for those subjects were pro heroes Present Mic, Cementoss, Midnight, and Ectoplasm! Midoriya felt his leg bouncing as the energy continued to build inside of him.
His head was spinning as each class came and went. Midoriya tried his best to take notes, but he couldn’t help the trail of thoughts in the back of his mind that were trying to find a way to get the pros to look at his analysis of their quirks and confirm things for him. He never came up with anything before the bell rang and Power Loader came back, meaning, it was time to learn all there was about Support!
Stepping into the Development Studio, Midoriya could see a handful of work tables set up with boxes of materials stacked on top of them. He recalled receiving a form to request materials, though he had only needed his notebook and a screen for viewing people’s quirks. The other students clearly had supplies for support gear on their work tables. Power Loader had his own setup of computers that contained mock-up designs for every hero student's gear. But they weren’t the only screens in the room. In the back, there was another table set up between two cabinets. It had three monitors angled so that they could be viewed by one person at the same time.
His classmates rushed past him, making haste to figure out which desk held their supplies. It didn’t surprise him that the girl from before had claimed the desk with the most boxes piled atop it. Midoriya had managed to take one step before there was a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Power Loader.
“Follow me,” Maijima-sensei instructed, “I have an assignment for you.”
Midoriya’s eyes widened as he let Power Loader lead him over to the three screens in the back; there was a stool in front of the table.
“I looked over the scans from your hero analysis notebooks. We were hoping you would be able to make similar profiles for our new class of students.” Maijima-sensei stated, “We have recordings from the entrance exams for you to look over. Do you think you’ll be able to work with that?”
He tightened his fists, nodding his head sharply, “Yes, Maijima-sensei!” Midoriya said.
Power Loader grinned beneath his helmet, “Good. Then I’ll leave you to it.” he replied.
Midoriya took his seat, slipping a pair of headphones on as he pulled out his notebook. His head jolted up as the volume suddenly blasted in his ears. The monitors had turned themselves on, and footage began to play. Students ran into the simulation room, instantly finding themselves targeted by robots. It took him a minute to realize who the recordings were focusing on when a name appeared at the bottom of the screen, Hagakure Tooru. An invisibility quirk! Midoriya rested his chin against his fist as he stared intently at the screens, wondering how she would use a quirk like that in a combat scenario.
As it turned out, Hagakure had a plan. The girl was easily able to dodge the robot's attention as she pulled out a handkerchief and a marker. After a minute she held up her creation, a crudely drawn face. Two different robots locked onto the cloth. The girl tossed it into the air, causing the robots to destroy it and each other in the process. When she wasn’t utilizing that little trick, she used her quirk to help rescue her fellow students. So, the robots never noticed her unless she wished them to. Clever . It was no wonder she had gotten into 1-A.
His pen flew across his paper as he scribbled down notes, oblivious to the stares he received as he muttered under his breath. After a minute the other students seemed to ignore it, turning back to their work. Modoriya’s incoherent mumbling was soon drowned out by the sound of drills and hammers.
It was amazing to see so many new quirks in action, though none of them had his eyes glued to the screen like the familiar explosion quirk. It was just as he’d expected; Kacchan was destroying every robot in his path. What he never would have predicted was that one of the screens began to shift focus to a brunette girl. It was odd since Kacchan’s time hadn’t ended and the other two screens were still tracking him from different angles. He thought Maijima-sensei had wanted to show him footage of one student at a time. Then the girl got trapped by rubble.
Midoriya felt his heart sink as he watched her call out for help, but no one was near her… except. “ DIE !” Kacchan shouted as he soared through the air, turning the robot that had been targeting the girl into a pile of scrap. When he landed, he helped lift the slabs of concrete trapping her. Midoriya gaped at the screens. Time still wasn’t up, and Kacchan said something to her before propelling himself back in the air to destroy even more robots, earning him the highest combined score on record. His score though… points for rescues hadn’t been disclosed to the students… Kacchan was smart, but there was no way he would have known it at the time. Not that Midoriya was upset Kacchan had stopped to rescue that girl! It was just… unexpected. A good unexpected.
The recordings continued to play, changing to focus on another student. Midoriya flipped to a new page, writing their name at the top. He was so engrossed in the videos that he missed Hatsume declaring, “I need someone to try my new baby!”
The rest of the class had been quick to take a step back, leaving a muttering Midoriya wide open. He nearly jumped out of his skin when two hands started roaming his chest, and he felt the warm presence of someone pressed against his back. His brain was short-circuiting, stuttering as he managed to squeak out a simple question, “What?”
“Midoriya, try on my new baby! It’s a chest plate that’s completely bulletproof and should take a hit from any strength-enhancing quirk!” Hatsume proclaimed as she strapped him into it.
His head whipped around, but the other students were pressed up against the wall. There were black soot stains on one of the tables. Midoriya had assumed all the explosions were from the videos…
“How does my baby feel? Lightweight, right? It’s super comfortable, right?” Hatsume said and he could feel her breath on his face. When had she changed into a tank top and workshop coveralls?
“It can even take a hit from my seventh baby, a titanium club that releases a burst of energy on contact when it hits! The swing helps to build up the pulsating blast,” she added as she reared back the weapon.
Midoriya flinched, bringing his arms up to block his face as Hatsume swung at him, hitting the chest plate square on. He could feel the energy coming off the attack. Then, he blinked, slowly letting his arms fall to his sides. It didn’t hurt at all . The chestplate had completely nullified the attack!
“Wow,” he mumbled as she pressed two buttons on his sides, causing the chest plate to retract, popping off as one single metal sheet that she caught before it hit the ground.
“I know, right?! My babies are the best!” Hatsume said excitedly, and then something on her desk caught on fire.
Midoriya pointed to it, stuttering over his words as he tried desperately to alert her. Hatsume eventually turned her head, calmly shrugging her shoulders, “It happens.” she remarked as she walked over to her burning creation and pulled out a fire extinguisher.
There was a knock at the door. He turned to see it slide open, revealing Eraser Head, no, Aizawa-sensei standing there! The man’s dark hair, clothes, and eyes all gave him a standoffish appearance. As a pro hero, Eraser Head had been really hard to learn about, working underground and all. He hoped he’d be able to get some more information on him for his analysis. The page he had now was nearly blank. He knew Aizawa-sensei used to go to Yuuei as a student; maybe they would let him see old footage… Midoriya was so lost in thought that he’d almost missed Power Loader step out of the room to speak with the pro hero. When he looked around the classroom, he realized none of the other students had noticed. They were already back to working on their projects… Maybe he should do the same.
Before he had a chance, the door opened again, “Midoriya-san? Can you come here for a moment?” Maijima-sensei said, with Aizawa-sensei looming behind him.
Midoriaya swallowed, feeling his nails dig into his palms as he nodded, walking towards them. He could feel the bundle of nerves in his chest jumping around. Was he in trouble? Did he do something wrong?
“Aizawa-sensei is the homeroom teacher of class 1-A. He has already had to expel one of his students.” Maijima-sensei explained far too casually.
A student had already been expelled?! It wasn’t even the end of their first day! What was going on? Was he getting expelled too?
“The entrance exam isn’t designed for every quirk to stand a reasonable chance of getting into the heroes course,” Aizawa-sensei said. Midoriya couldn’t tell if his glare was his natural state or if he was angry with him.
Power Loader folded his arms across his chest, “You’ve noticed it too, haven’t you?” he asked.
Midoriya pursed his lips, nodding sharply, “Yes, the test is designed for battle scenarios, but only against robots. Anyone with a quirk that is restricted to living targets is rendered useless.” he stated, “The ‘rescue’ points allotted to students seem to be there to make up for that, but seeing as students would be rescuing each other, there are fewer chances to earn them, skewing the results in favor of flashier, combat reliant quirks.”
Aizawa-sensei narrowed his eyes, arching his brow as he seemed to assess him. Midoriya felt his muscles become rigid under the man’s calculating gaze. After a moment, Aizawa-sensei looked away, simply saying, “Yes.”
Luckily, Power Loader was there to help change the uncomfortably intimidating atmosphere that was surrounding Midoriya. “You’ve been making those profiles, right?” Maijima-sensei asked, “We want you to go over them and submit one as a recommendation.”
Midoriya blinked, feeling his head suddenly go light. He pointed at himself, “Me?” he asked dumbly.
“There’s no guarantee we will go with your suggestion,” Aizawa-sensei stated.
“We believe this will be a good learning experience. You plan on supporting heroes as a strategist, which means you’ll need to be prepared for situations where you’ll be entrusted to pair the right heroes together for certain missions. You will be given access to every student’s current file, including quirk and personality assessments. That paired with the video recordings should be enough for you to make a decision.” Maijima-sensei explained, “Please have your recommendation by the end of the week.”
“Yes, Sensei!” Midoriya replied, feeling excitement well up in his chest. When the two teachers dismissed him, he raced back to his computer. The screens had already updated, giving him access to their application files on his left, physical records in front, and video footage of their quirk use to his right. Right now, he was looking in the gen-ed Department. Someone who would have slipped through the cracks. An amazing hero who just needed a chance to prove themselves. How could he not put his all into finding the right person?
Midoriya was going over each student’s file for the third time, having already eliminated a number of students as he refined his search when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Power Loader and quickly took off his headphones.
“Classes have ended.” Maijima-sensei stated, “You can start packing up.”
He felt his face warm as he nodded, “Yes, thank you Sensei.” he replied, scrambling to put his notes away. As he looked across the room, he breathed a little easier as he watched Hatsume put away the last of her tools. At least he wasn’t the only one still here.
While he pulled his backpack over his shoulder, the screens automatically shut off. A small smile tugged at the edge of his lips. Midoriya stepped out of the studio, turning his head when he thought he heard his name. His eyes widened as he looked up at a familiar face.
“You’re here,” Todoroki said, his stoic voice held a tinge of relief.
Midoriya couldn’t hide the way his face lit up at the other boy’s recognition, “I made a promise.” he replied, “I’ll definitely support you!”
Todoroki blinked, before a ghost of a smile crossed his face, “I was wondering if you wanted to walk home with me.”
“I’d like that,” he replied, feeling butterflies in his stomach.
Then Todoroki’s eyes suddenly narrowed. Midoriya felt a sudden sense of dread as he waited for the mocking to start when instead, Todoroki said, “Your tie is wrong…”
Midoriya looked down at his short tie, “I tried to watch videos on how to do it, but…” he mumbled before his face became suddenly inflamed as Todoroki’s hands grasped the red fabric, pulling it loose before he began tying it properly. He was sure he looked like a tomato as Todoroki smoothed the tie out. Nodding to himself when it hung correctly around Midoriya’s collar, “Let’s get going.” Todoroki said suddenly.
They walked side by side, silently for the most part. There were barely any students left. When Midoriya checked his phone, his eyes hurt from the strain of widening them so much. School ended over forty minutes ago! How long had Todoroki been standing there?
He bit the inside of his cheek, deciding to keep that question to himself for now, instead, Midoriya asked, “How was class?”
Todoroki shrugged, “It was fine. Some short purple kid got expelled.” he said, having never bothered to learn the kid’s name.
“Oh, I heard about that!” Midoriya said, feeling a hint of guilt at how excited he sounded, “They asked me to help find a suitable replacement.”
Todoroki arched his brow, giving him a side glance as he said, “Did they?”
He nodded, “I looked over everyone’s profiles from their applications and footage from the entrance exam.” Midoriya replied as he opened his backpack, pulling out notebook 14, “I think I’m going to suggest Shinso Hitoshi.” He could see Todoroki peeking over his shoulder as he flipped to the student’s page.
“Why?” Todoroki asked, “I’ve never heard that name before.”
“That’s because he’s in gen ed right now. Shinso-san has a really cool brainwashing quirk that could be really helpful!” Midoriya answered, his words tumbling out faster than he’d meant them to, “It just didn’t score him enough points in the practical exam, but now that there’s an empty seat in the heroes course, I think he’s got a chance.”
Todoroki hummed non committedly, “How does it work?”
“I think it has to be triggered verbally, but I’m not sure how. I was hoping I’d get the chance to ask him, or at least see some footage from the thing.” Midoriya stated, “I don’t know if he’ll mind. Some people find it bothersome…”
“I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to study my ice quirk.” Todoroki offered.
His eyes widened, almost sparkling with stars as he looked up at him, “Really?” he asked.
Todoroki simply nodded in response, but for he could ask him anything else, their train arrived.
There were a few empty seats, so the two got to sit next to one another. Midoriya had pulled his notebook out of his back, looking over the neat script to check for any discrepancies in his work. After a minute, Todoroki gently nudged his shoulder. As he looked up, Midoriya heard him quietly ask, “Can I see?” as he pointed to his new notebook.
Midoriya felt his face flush pink as he nodded his head, handing the notes over. He tapped his fingers against his leg as he waited for the boy’s reaction. They had just about reached his stop when the notes were placed back on his lap.
“They’re very good.” Todoroki said earnestly, making Midoriya’s chest swell as his face flushed, “I hadn’t thought about my classmates’ quirks like that.” he admitted.
As the train came to a halt, Midoriya stood up, and Todoroki was soon to follow. It was while they were walking that he remembered something, “I wanted to ask if it’s alright with you, would you want to exchange phone numbers?” Midoriya said, trying not to sound too hopeful as he held up his phone.
Todoroki didn’t respond at first, causing Midoriya to hesitate, nerves spiking in his chest. Just before he could apologize and pull his phone away, Todoroki took it from him, typing away at the device. When he returned it, Midoriya couldn’t hide the stupidly wide grin that filled his face as he looked down at the newest contact ‘Todoroki Shouto.’ He sent a quick ‘Hi, this is Midoriya Izuku :) ’ text, praying that this wasn’t a prank and the reply wouldn’t be from a confused wrong number.
The little ding that sounded from Todoroki’s bag drove those doubts away. Todoroki quietly checked his phone, and while Midoriya had been trying to keep his eyes in front of him, he couldn’t help but peek over, feeling his pulse rise as Todoroki smiled softly down at his text.
Midoriya’s phone dinged next with a simple, ‘Thanks’ which seemed silly since he was the one who should be saying that.
Before he knew it, they had peacefully fallen into step with one another, which made it all the more difficult when they finally reached Midoriya’s home. He bit the inside of his cheek, just standing there.
“Um…” Midoriya mumbled, feeling his face warm as a bundle of nerves bounced around his chest. Todoroki stopped, inclining his head to the side as he waited for the green-haired boy to find his words. After a moment, he managed to say, “Thanks for walking me home.”
Todoroki nodded, “Would you like to do it again tomorrow?”
“Yes!” he replied instantly, feeling his cheeks turn red at just how fast he’d answered, “I’d really like that…” he added after a moment.
“Good,” Todoroki said simply, “I look forward to it.”
Notes:
I think almost getting your childhood friend to commit suicide and then not getting to him in time to save him would have changed Bakugou’s priorities. Like, wanting to save people will be higher on his list after that failure. At least that's what I think, which is why he saves Uraraka. His overall personality hasn't changed very much though.
Art for the chapterOn My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter Text
There was a rush of hot air behind him that Midoriya had come to associate with the fires his classmates set off. After the fifth, he stopped letting it distract him from his research. Maijima-sensei always took care of it. He trusted the pro hero to keep them all safe.
The longer he looked over the gen ed. profiles, the more he felt sure he was making the right decision. He knew they had given him a week, and he didn’t want it to look like he’d rushed his choice, but he also knew it would be to the student’s benefit to switch as quickly as possible. There was so much paperwork they’d need to file. Midoriya had managed to make three pages of good notes, highlighting all the reasons Shinsou would be an ideal candidate for the free seat. As he finished triple checking his work for any errors, he couldn’t help but turn towards his notes for the student who had been expelled. The boy’s ‘pop off’ quirk looked like it would have been useful. Stopping enemies mid-battle, helping build tools like ladders, building makeshift traps. He wondered…
“Um, Hatsume-san?” Midoriya said, feeling a spike of anxiety run through him as the girl’s head shot up, her piercing gaze aimed right at him.
“Oh, uh,” she said staring at him, “I completely forgot your name.” Hatsume remarked nonchalantly.
“It’s Midoriya Izuku…” he mumbled quietly before he lightly shook his head, deciding to just get straight to the point, “I was wondering if you could create a support item that mimicked this quirk?” he said, passing her the page he had made on the former student.
There was a terrifying glint in Hatsume’s eyes as she eagerly snatched the notes out of his hand, “Oh, a new baby?! Yes, I can definitely make something like this! No, I’ll make it better! ” she declared.
While Hatsume threw herself back into her work, Midoriya took the opportunity to slip away. He didn’t stay at his desk for very long. There was a small ball of anxiety bouncing around his chest, but he’d already looked his papers over fourteen times, and they weren’t going to change if he checked them again, so he took a deep breath, and marched over to where his teacher was sitting.
“Maijima-sensei” Midoriya said, holding his proposal notes tightly.
Power Loader turned away from his screens to address him, “Yes, Midoriya-san?”
“I’d like to submit my recommendation.” Midoriya stated, holding out the paperwork, “Please look this over!”
There was a brief pause before his teacher took the papers out of his hands. Midoriya stood there, muscles tense as he tried to gauge Power Loader’s reaction. The helmet made the pro hero hard to read.
“Okay.”
Midoriya blanched, taking a moment to recover before asking, “Okay?”
“I will give this to Eraser before the end of the day.” Maijima-sensei stated, “And while you’re here, I need you to bring that stack of files to Ground Beta.” he instructed, pointing over to a plastic bin that currently held a small tower of papers.
“Ground Beta?” Midoriya questioned as he walked over to them. It only took a glance to recognize what they were. He felt his cheeks flush as he stared down at the photo-copied pages from his notebook.
“Yes, class 1-A will be conducting their first Foundational Hero Studies class.” Maijima-sensei replied, “After looking over your work, I recommended that All Might utilize the student’s analysis’. He seemed very enthusiastic about the idea.”
“All Might? ” Midoriya felt his voice crack, “He wants to use them now ?”
Power Loader paused for a moment, tilting his head to the side, “Is that a problem?” he asked.
“Uh, well, no, it’s just-” Midoriya floundered, feeling his face warm, “My notes aren’t going to really be complete until I can gather more data on them all… I’m not sure how useful they’ll be at this stage.”
“I’m aware. That’s why I want you to stay and observe today’s class. All Might has already given you permission to sit in.” Maijima-sensei stated, “I believe you will find it more useful to gather information alongside the heroes you will be working with. Afterward, you can return here and rewatch the footage from the class’s recordings.”
Midoriya nodded, feeling a flame of determination light inside him. He would definitely use this opportunity to improve his analysis and help future heroes! “Yes, Sensei!” he said, retrieving his new notebook and backpack before scooping up the stack of papers. As he turned to leave, Power Loader grinned beneath his helmet as he watched the green-haired boy disappear down the hall. Then another explosion sounded, causing the teacher to sigh.
He had memorized his school map, but knowing where he was going on paper and where he was going in real life was a bit different. He was pretty sure he was near the changing rooms, so Ground Beta wouldn’t be too far.
“Skipping class is highly unbecoming of Yuuei students!” a stern voice shouted from behind him.
Midoriya jumped, nearly losing every paper he was holding. Luckily, rather than let them all fly away, he’d instinctively pulled them tight against his chest. He turned to see a tall, serious-looking boy with glasses glaring at him while making various chopping motions with his hand. He recalled the student, Iida Tenya, quirk engine, ranked 6th in the entrance exam.
“But I’m not skipping.” Midoriya mumbled quietly, taking a step back to put a little more space between them. He felt his back bump into someone. He turned to see a girl with long dark green hair with large eyes staring at him.
“Are you lost?” she asked, pressing her finger to her lip. Asui Tsuyu, quirk frog. He was still working on figuring out her weaknesses, as she was a very well rounded fighter. He assumed extreme temperature changes would affect her, similarly to a frog.
“No, I know where I’m going. Maijima-sensei asked me to deliver these.” Midoriya answered, clutching his notes a little tighter.
“Oh! Forgive me for my mistake.” Iida apologized, though his booming voice did nothing to quell Midoriya’s rapid pulse from the heart attack he’d just suffered.
“Sorry, I really have to go.” Midoriya said as he slipped away. Class 1-A only had a few minutes to finish changing into their hero uniforms before the exercise was scheduled to begin. He was distracting them, and himself! He picked up his pace as he neared Ground Beta.
When he opened the door, he saw All Might standing there, in his muscular form. He swallowed, feeling a little nauseous as he stared at the number one hero. The man who warned him that he couldn’t be a hero. What if that included support?
“Young Midoriya Izuku!” All Might’s voice boomed, causing Midoriya to jump out of his skin, squeaking as the hero suddenly appeared at his side, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“A-All Might! I, I um, have the notes you requested.” Midoriya mumbled, stumbling over his words as he willed his hands to stop trembling.
The hero’s hand stayed firm on his shoulder, holding him in place as All Might’s eyes looked over the pages, “You’ve done a fine job, my boy.” he praised, freezing Midoriya in place.
He risked a glance up at the smiling hero’s encouraging face, “You think so?” Midoriya asked, unsure if his heart could take it if the hero rejected him again.
All Might nodded his head, “Of course! I apologize for speaking without a thought in our last encounter. I am ashamed to admit I had not thought about Support Heroes in that moment. But, looking over your work, it’s already at a near-professional level!”
“You remembered that?” his words shook as he spoke, feeling his stomach flip.
“You made a memorable impact.” All Might chuckled, “Though I would ask you refrain from endangering yourself in the future.”
Midoriya nodded, still shell shocked from their conversation. A conversation with All Might.
“Welcome future heroes!” All Might greeted, “Today we will be having a guest observer, Midoriya Izuku from the Support Course.”
He felt a spike of anxiety stab him as all eyes turned his way. Midoriya struggled to remember to breathe. Luckily, All Might opened the doors to the first building, and everyone shifted focus.
“This is a battle center from the entrance exam, so will we be conducting urban battles again?” a student asked.
“No, we're going to move ahead two steps! Most of the time, fighting villains takes place outside, but if you look at the total numbers, atrocious villains appear indoors at a higher rate.” All Might explained, “Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals. In this society filled with heroes truly intelligent, villains hide in the shadows! For this class, you'll be split into villains and heroes and fight 2-on-2 indoor battles.”
“Without basic training?”
“This is a real battle to understand those basics!” All Might proclaimed, “However, the key this time is that there's no robot you can just beat up.”
A number of students began to speak up, “How will wins and losses be determined?” “Can we beat them up anyway?” “Will the punishment be expulsion like with Mr. Aizawa?” “How shall we be split up?” “Isn't this cape crazy?”
All Might’s booming voice drowned them all out, “I'll answer all your questions! Now listen here.” he stated before he began to read off a script, “The situation is that the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout. The heroes are trying to dispose of that. The heroes need to catch the villains or get the nuclear weapon back in the allotted time. The villains need to protect the nuclear weapon for the whole time or catch the heroes.”
They ended up choosing the teams by random lot. Heroes would need to know how to work with other nearby heroes in real combat scenarios.
“After our first drawings, the villain team will be Iida Tenya and Bakugou Katsuki and our heroes will be Tokage Setsuna and Uraraka Ochaco! The villains will have five minutes to set up!” All Might announced, “And one more thing! Hero analysis’ have been made for each student, detailing how your quirk works along with its strengths and weaknesses. Each team will be receiving the analysis for the opposing team! After the battle has ended, you will have an opportunity to see your own file!”
The teams stood in front of All Might, ready to receive their papers. Tokage’s green hair rivaled his own, though her blue, scaly mask and matching bodysuit were what really stood out. Uraraka stood beside her, black bodysuit with a pale pink design down the middle of her torso that she paired with circular wrist guards, wide knee-high boots with magenta soles, and a two-piece belt around her waist a circle embedded into the center. Iida looked like some kind of knight, donning a full suit of armor, while Kacchan’s tight tank top and baggy pants were offset by the large grenade-like arm guards.
After receiving his, Bakugou grumbled, “I don’t need some damn notes to win.” shoving the pages into Iida’s hands.
“Wow! That’s what it says in your analysis!” Uraraka remarked cheerfully.
Kacchan narrowed his eyes, “The hell are you talking about, round face?” he demanded.
“That’s not a very cute nickname, Bakugou-kun.” she huffed, puffing out her cheeks before she looked back down at the analysis pages, “It says that you’re ‘very adaptable and quick to find a weakness in your opponents’ quirks and that you’ll exploit it for your advantage.’ So you shouldn’t need help. Then again, you already know my weakness.” Uraraka remarked, rubbing the back of her neck as she grinned. She gazed back down at the papers, looking between the sheets in her hand and the one’s Tokage was holding as she tilted her head to the side, “Why’s your profile so much bigger than Iida-kun’s?” she asked, noting the thick binding for Bakugou’s while Iida’s was only about two pages.
Midoriya pursed his lips, folding in on himself. He could always watch the tapes later… he really didn’t have to be here.
“Because stupid Zuku has been writing that shit since we were kids.” Bakugou replied curtly.
Zuku not Deku. He was using a real nickname for him! Midoriya guessed that face must have reflected the warmth he suddenly felt because Kacchan was quick to roll his eyes, folding his arms against his chest as he looked away. The explosive boy had never been good with feelings, but he was trying. Nothing would erase the years of bullying, and maybe they'd never be friends like before, but it was a good start.
“Before we begin, Midoriya-kun,” Tokage began, having exchanged files with Uraraka, “I understand most of this, but what does ‘Kacchan’ mean?”
He could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks as he looked to the ground, “It’s um-” Midoriya mumbled, feeling his pulse rise.
“It’s not fucking rocket science, Extra. It’s just a dumb name Zuku calls me.” Bakugou answered for him, and Midoriya let out a sigh of relief, feeling his body relax as the girls suddenly turned to Kacchan.
“That makes sense.” Tokage remarked, a sly grin on her face as she added, “Though I wouldn’t have thought you’d respond to something so…”
“CUTE!” Uraraka finished, “Oh my gosh that’s such an adorable nickname! Can I call you Kacchan?” she asked.
“Like hell. Only Zuku can fucking call me that.” Bakugou huffed, his frown shifting into a full scowl.
“Aww.” Uraraka pouted, folding her arms across her chest.
There was a cough that startled the group, “Alright, I believe the villains should begin setting up,” All Might announced, “Though I would recommend every student take the advantage presented to them and look over these papers. Young Midoriya has put a lot of effort into your profiles. I expect you all to use them.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes, snatching Tokage’s file from Iida. As he scanned the pages, his scowl turned into a dangerous smirk. He’d figured something out. Midoriya felt a ball of anticipation sit in his stomach, readying his pen. This was definitely going to be noteworthy.
“Come on, Glasses.” Kacchan said as he shoved the analysis back into the taller boy’s hands, “I’m not waiting for you.”
Iida looked offended by just about everything Kacchan did, which Midoriya couldn’t fault the boy for. As the villains disappeared, he began to wonder what plan they were making. Kacchan would undoubtedly want to attack. Sitting around wasn’t his style; he’d leave that to Iida. Then there was Uraraka and Tokage, a girl who placed third in the entrance examination and a girl who got in on recommendations. Midoriya tapped his pen against the blank page, waiting for the screen to reveal everything.
The battle began, and as he predicted, Kacchan was quick to take the offensive. He began a strike with his right hook, Uraraka moved in to try and touch his chest before the attack could land, but Bakugou was faster, blasting the girl back. Midoriya winced, knowing just what it felt like to be on the receiving end of that kind of hit. Luckily, Kacchan had mastered his quirk, leaving Uraraka relatively unharmed. Tokage moved, sending parts of her body flying through the air. He could see Kacchan curse as he turned to blast them. If one managed to touch the nuke, it was game over.
Uraraka continued to charge him, keeping her attacks low to the ground as she attempted to use her quirk on him. Each time, she was blasted away, along with chunks of the floor around them. Tokage continued throwing parts of her body around, Bakugou was barely managing to keep up with them all while blocking Uraraka from hitting him. His last blast blew away six of Tokage’s pieces while breaking off one of the support pillars. Tokage’s mouth appeared behind Bakugou, seeming to taunt him. He, of course, turned to blast it away, leaving himself open to-
“Home Run Comet!” Uraraka exclaimed as she grabbed hold of the pillar Bakugou had knocked loose, swinging it to launch the rubble she had floating nearby directly at Kacchan.
Midoriya was quick to write down the super move for Uraraka, it was a really smart move! It was just better suited against, well, anyone else in their class really. He watched as Bakugou quickly turned, pulling the pin in his grenade arm guard as he blew the rubble away, protecting himself while both Uraraka and Tokage were knocked back into the wall. Tokage was already slowed down from regenerating lost parts. The green-haired girl frowned as Iida picked up the nuke, carrying it away from the pieces of herself that had managed to slip by Kacchan. The timer soon ran out, and the first win went to the villain team.
While he was still writing notes, Midoriya knew the teams had returned as he overheard someone say, “Jeez Bakugou, I can’t believe you’d go so hard against those fragile girls.”
He looked up to see Bakugou frown, arching his brow, “What was fragile about them?” Kacchan questioned.
Midoriya caught the warm smile that spread across Uraraka’s face, “Yeah! Don’t go underestimating us Kaminari-kun!” she exclaimed, even as the exhaustion threatened to overtake her.
“Respecting your opponents’ strength? That’s so manly!” the spiky redhead, Kirishima, proclaimed, quirk harden, ranked 2nd in the entrance exam.
The air was soon filled with laughter and apologies as the teams exchanged notes, so they could read their own profiles. Kacchan huffed as he took his own, eyes silently raking over the pages. He wasn’t sure how he should interpret the silence. Good? Bad? He really couldn’t tell. He was pulled out of those thoughts when the second round was announced. Todoroki was next! Midoriya wondered what the dual wielder was planning. With all of class 1-A crowding around, he hadn’t actually spotted his friend until Todoroki was retrieving the notes from All Might. Not that he needed them since he’d already read everyone’s profiles… Midoriya felt a little bad about that. He hadn’t meant to give Todoroki an unfair advantage, but after seeing Todoroki’s mastery over his right side, he was confident that his friend wouldn’t have needed it.
As if to further his point, Midoriya stared at the screen as Todoroki said something to his partner, Shouji, that had the boy walking outside. Todoroki looked really pale with his entire left side encased in ice; he’d have to remember to ask him about that later. He didn’t notice the way his mumbling was earning him a few stares and concerned looks, nor the way Bakugou’s own glare caused the crowd to look back to the screen, effectively ignoring him.
Midoriya shivered as Todoroki’s plan came to fruition, freezing the entire building in ice, immobilizing his enemies, leaving his partner unharmed, and retrieving the nuke on his own. Midoriya’s teeth chattered as he continued scribbling down notes, his breath visible in the sudden temperature drop.
They switched buildings after that. All Might continued drawing names, making one exception, “Since we are currently down a student, Shouji Mezou will be paired with Yaoyorozu Momo.”
Midoriya felt a ball of anxiety in his chest. He hoped Aizawa-sensei would be able to see all of the potential Shinsou had. He really meant it when he believed a quirk like that would be well suited for hero work. He should be here, with 1-A, participating in this training.
He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, choosing to put his full focus on note-taking. By the end of the exercises, he’d filled up a number of pages. He felt a rush of excitement well up in him at the thought of reviewing the footage tomorrow. He’d be able to catch things he’d missed the first time, and make extra notes. As he was starting to pack up, he noticed a few students approaching him.
“So, Midoriya-kun, what’s your quirk? It’s gotta be an IQ one, right?” the blonde with the electricity quirk, Kaminari, asked.
“Yeah, what is it?” the pink-skinned girl with an acid quirk, Mina, questioned, leaning far too close into Midoriya’s personal space.
Midoriya clutched his notebook close to his chest as he willed his heart to stop pounding so hard in his chest as he answered, “I don’t have a quirk.” he tried keep his answer quiet, but somehow had managed to attract a crowd as students began to stare at him wide eyed, saying things like, “What? You’re joking right?” “I didn’t think that was even possible anymore…” “Are you sure? IQ quirks aren’t the easiest to pin down.” “No way!” “No really, what’s your quirk?” “Are you serious?”
“SHUT UP, FUCKING EXTRAS!” Bakugou shouted, “He’s been quirkless his whole damn life, stop acting like this is some big fucking thing.”
The class quieted down, and Midoriya thought Kacchan might have just given him a chance to leave without any more pestering questions, but he was wrong. The guilty expressions soon shifted to something else , determination? Something like that, as everyone started speaking at once again. “Midoriya-kun, did you want us to walk you back to your class?” “I can carry your bag for you.” “You’re going to the development studio right? I know where that is.” “Do you-”
Midoriya felt his head spinning as the students surrounded him. He could feel his chest tighten as he started mumbling, stuttering over his words as he tried to form a proper sentence. Not that it mattered, since everyone seemed to be talking over him, moving closer, closer, too close. He took a step back, feeling the cool stone wall trapping him.
“Oi, back the fuck up! He's quirkless not helpless, you fucking stupid extras. Don't fucking coddle him. He can walk back to his class on his own." Bakugou snapped.
With everyone's heads turned towards Kacchan, Midoriya took his chance, slipping away as he quickly headed for the door. When he stepped out, he could hear 1-A’s puzzled reactions as they finally noticed he was missing. Midoriya picked up his pace as he hurried back to the Development Studio. Just before he reached the doors, an explosion blew them open. He’d jumped, instinctively, but it really hadn’t surprised him. When he popped his head in, he could see Maijima-sensei scolding Hatsume.
It wasn’t going to be the last explosion, but as long as it didn’t mess with his notes, Midoriya was content to finish working on his profiles while Hatsume did her own thing.
Maijima-sensei placed a hand on his shoulder when the bell rang. He didn’t get a chance to thank his teacher because Hatsume’s latest project exploded again. Power Loader sighed, forcing Hatsume out of the room with him, scolding her the whole way about safety protocol. Midoriya smiled to himself as he finished packing up his things. The rest of his classmates had already left, but he didn’t mind being the last one out.
As he approached the door, a tall blonde kid stood in his way. The face was familiar, he was from 1-B: Monoma? Or something like that? Midoriya hesitated as the boy continued to block his path. There was a weird look on his face, but the disdain in his eyes was certainly familiar enough to place.
“You’re that quirkless support student Midoriya Izuku, right?” the blonde remarked, smirking as his glare narrowed in on the shorter boy, “Already playing favorites with class 1-A, I see.”
He knew it was inevitable, but it still stung to hear that word said in that kind of tone again, “I wasn’t playing favorites…” he mumbled meekly, taking a step back, “I made analyses for class 1-B too. Your homeroom teacher should have them.”
The blonde scoffed, “He handed them out, but we’ve seen 1-A’s. It’s obvious from the packets who you spent more time analyzing.”
“The only one who had a bigger packet was Kacchan, but that’s because I already had the research before coming here.” a part of him felt like he didn’t have to defend himself, but what else was he supposed to do?
“Kacchan? So, you do have a favorite, then.” Monoma sneered. “Tsk, if you’re going to be that way, then you shouldn’t even be here. You don’t have a quirk and your analyses are worthless if you aren’t treating the classes equally.”
Midoriya felt his chest tighten. He’d heard those kinds of insults hundreds of times before. He’d been a worthless, useless deku ever since he was diagnosed as quirkless. That didn’t stop the familiar wetness in his eyes that threatened to spill over. No! He didn’t want to cry here. He was treating every class fairly! He wasn’t even sure Monoma had read his analysis of his quirk. His personality had seemed the type to ignore it, overconfident in his own abilities; sure that he would know his quirk better than someone else. It was a bad case of a superiority complex.
His nails dug into his palms as he stared up at the blonde’s smirking face. The boy was starting to lean forward, using his height to make Midoriya feel even smaller. Then a hand came out of nowhere, pressing itself against the side of Monoma’s head. There was a familiar boom , paired with a bright flash of light, and Monoma was on the ground. Midoriya blinked as Kacchan silently walked past them, never acknowledging the way he’d just saved him.
At his feet, Monoma was beginning to stir, so Midoriya was quick to leave. He managed to catch up with Kacchan, who glanced his way just for a second before looking ahead again.
Bakugou’s face twisted into a scowl as he muttered, "Stop letting idiots back you into a fucking corner, Zuku."
“Doesn’t that include you, Kacchan?” Midoriya remarked, instantly regretting the words as they spilled from his lips. He felt dread settle into the pit of his stomach as he stopped, steeling himself for the attack that surely would follow.
“Yeah, it does, so fucking learn to stand up for yourself more, Zuku.” Bakugou retorted, his fists clenched as he stood there, “It pisses me off when you let yourself be weak.”
“Kacchan...” Midoriya mumbled.
“Didn’t you say you were going to be a hero without a fucking quirk? Yeah, well heroes don’t let dumbasses push them around.” Bakugou said, turning his near permanent glare towards Midoriya, “They don’t listen to stupid fucking idiot cocky assholes who tell them to jump off a fucking-” he cut himself off, sucking in a breath as he punched his hand into his open palm. He breathed out a moment later, adding, “How are you going to stand up for someone else when you can't even do it for yourself, Zuku?”
Midoriya felt his eyes widen as something painful squeezed in his chest. He watched Kacchan walk away. He tried to speak up, but his voice was gone. His legs wouldn’t move. And soon enough, Bakugou was gone.
It took him a few minutes to get his breathing back to normal. When he could finally move his legs, he started walking back. As he turned the corner, he slammed into someone’s chest. Two arms quickly wrapped around him to stop him from falling backwards. He looked up to dual colored eyes, “Todoroki-kun!” he said, feeling his face warm.
“Midoriya-kun, are you alright?” Todoroki asked, letting Midoriya go as the boy regained his balance, “You weren’t in the Development Studio.”
“I had to talk to Kacchan.” Midoriya admitted after a brief moment of hesitation, “I’m sorry if I made you wait.”
“It’s no trouble.” Todoroki assured him, eyes glancing downwards, "Your tie is still wrong."
Midoriya felt his muscles tense as Todoroki pulled the red fabric loose. The dual wielder's fingers worked to properly adjust the length. Midoriya could hear his pulse drumming in his ears. Todoroki had yet to actually explain how he was doing it either, not that Midoriya wasn't greatful! But, he wasn't learning from this.
"Okay." Todoroki announced, releasing the fabric, "Now it's tied."
"Thank you." Midoriya replied quickly. It felt oddly difficult to breathe even though the tie was comfortable against his neck.
Before he could begin to ponder why, a door opened. Over the taller boy’s shoulder, Midoriya watched the skeletal form of All Might exit one of the classrooms before coughing into his hand. The hero didn’t seem to notice them as he continued walking off towards the teachers lounge.
“Is something on your mind?”
The question pulled Midoriya out of his thoughts as he fumbled over his words, “Huh? Oh, well, yes, kind of…”
Todoroki watched him for a moment, before asking, “Would you like to talk about it?”
“Yeah, I do.” Midoriya said, thankful that he had someone he knew he could trust. Even so, it was a difficult topic to bridge. He fiddled with his fingers, trying to find the right way to ask as Todoroki stood there, a patient little smile on his face.
After a minute of indecision, Midoriya asked, “Can we talk in one of the empty classrooms?”
There was a brief pause before Todoroki simply replied, “Okay.”
With school over, they didn’t have to walk very far to find an empty room. Midoriya walked in, hearing Todoroki shut the door behind them. After a quick look around, to make sure they were really alone, Mirodiya turned his large green eyes towards his friend, “Todoroki-kun, can you keep a secret?” he asked.
The boy paused, inclining his head towards Midoriya as he asked, “Are you experiencing dark thoughts again?”
“Wha-? No, no, nothing like that.” he assured him, arms flailing around himself as he spoke. When he stilled, Midoriya looked down at the floor, “It’s not actually my secret, but I think it’s important that someone knows.” he admitted.
“Okay.” Todoroki said, his face schooled into a familiar, entirely neutral expression.
“You promise you won’t tell anyone else?” Midoriya asked, holding up his pinkie finger.
Todoroki paused, “So long as it doesn’t endanger you, yes, I promise.” he answered, wrapping his pinkie finger around the shorter boy’s.
A small smile blossomed on Midoriya’s face as he looked up to Todoroki, before returning to the more serious topic at hand, “It’s about All Might… He’s sick, but he doesn’t want people to know. Before I… you know, ” he said, gesturing with his head towards the ground, his hands clenched around the loose fabric of his pants, “Before you saved me, I was caught in a villain attack where All Might saved me. I wanted to talk to him, and that was when I saw him cough up blood and deflate . His real body is really skinny because of some old injury on the side of his torso.” he said, pointing to the spot on his own body, “All Might told me he got it in a big fight. He told me he could only hold his hero form for three hours.”
Todoroki was quiet for a moment before he spoke up, “I believe you, but why would he trust such information to you?”
“It... was an accident.” Midoriya admitted, “He was out of time and switched back in front of me. I… was asking him if I could be a hero even though I’m quirkless. I think explaining his injury was his way of showing me how dangerous hero work can be even with a strong quirk. And it wasn’t like telling a quirkless middle schooler would really jeopardize his secret.” Midoriya said, pushing away the lingering pain the memory brought him, “It’s just… He always makes sure everyone else is safe, but I don’t think he looks out for his own health enough. I wanted someone in his class to know, and I trust you.”
“I’ll help any way that I can.” Todoroki promised, “I assume no one else knows this, so I’ll ensure his safety and wellbeing without letting anyone know that I’m aware of All Might’s injury.”
Midoriya felt a wave of relief wash over him as he slumped forward, “Thank you.” he said softly.
“Thank you for trusting me.” Todoroki replied.
As they walked to the train, Midoriya felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Someone as strong as Todoroki would be looking out for All Might. It really was a relief. While they waited, Mirodiya filled the silence by babbling on about 1-A’s quirks. All the things he’d noticed about them, or what he really wanted to find out. Todoroki seemed content to listen, occasionally offering a few of his own observations. Midoriya was thrilled to get the boy’s perspective.
On the train, it was a little crowded, so they stood, practically squished into each other. Todoroki held onto one of the hanging straps to keep himself steady. Though there weren’t any others available. Without any sort of prompting, Todoroki guided Midoriya’s hand to hold onto his bicep, causing a crimson blush to blossom over his face.
Midoriya uttered a small, “Thanks.” in return.
Todoroki simply nodded.
When the train finally reached their stop, Midoriya took a deep breath of fresh air, feeling his heart racing in his chest.
“Are you alright?” Todoroki asked, causing Midoriya to squeak.
“Yes, I’m fine!” Midoriya replied quickly, “Let’s get walking.” he added, grip tightening on his backpack straps as he looked ahead.
Even though they had walked the rest of the way in relative silence, Midoriya still felt a twinge of disappointment as they reached his house. He tried not to let it show, smiling brightly at Todoroki, “Thanks for walking with me.”
“I enjoy walking with you.” Todoroki replied, “I’ll see you again tomorrow?”
Midoriya grinned widely, “Definitely!” he said before disappearing into his house. He really hoped this would become a regular thing. Not that he would pressure Todoroki into something like that. He wouldn’t want to make the dual wielder feel obligated to spend time with him, but… it was nice.
Notes:
I made some art for this chapter, On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter Text
His breathing was ragged as he sprinted down the street. Midoriya cursed his own insatiable need to watch heroes! He just couldn’t help himself. How could he not stop and stare as Kamui Woods apprehended a bunch of robbers! Midoriya had to see the pro hero use his Lacquered Chains Prison super move. There was nothing he could do, really. Now, as his lungs ached, he could just make out the large gates of Yuuei. Though he couldn't quite feel relieved as he noticed how the place was completely surrounded by reporters. Midoriya allowed himself a moment to stop, panting for air as he checked his phone. Well, he was late for being early, but he wasn’t going to get a tardy. He’d take that victory.
The reporters were frenzied, hounding every student who walked in about All Might. Even the ones who didn’t have the number one hero as their teacher. He was in the middle of concocting a plan to get by them when they suddenly all swarmed one student, Iida, if he was remembering right. The tall boy began to speak, giving them something to work with. Midoriya used the distraction to slip past them all. He doubted anyone would actually try and question someone as plain looking as him, but there was a small chance that a reporter would get the wrong assumption and think, because he was so plain, there must be something important about him. Thinking ‘how else could someone like that get into Yuuei?’ Which, stung, quite frankly, but the hero course was always going to overshadow every other class. Sometimes it felt like people forgot there were support and gen ed courses.
It only took a moment after he had stepped onto school grounds for someone to grab his backpack strap, pulling him off to the side. He didn’t have to wait long to discover who had done it, because the pink-haired girl was instantly in his space.
“Midoriya Izuku, right?” Hatsume asked.
“Uh, yes?” Midoriya replied cautiously.
Her manic grin matched the eccentric look to her eyes as she began to speak, “I finished making my new baby using those notes you gave me!” she said excitedly, showing off a belt with ten, ping-pong sized orbs stuck to it, “They stick to any surface and if you hit the detonate button on the buckle, any orb no longer attached to the belt will explode in a four-meter radius, trapping everything around it!” she made her point as she plucked one off, the ball instantly growing to the size of a softball before she reared back, throwing it towards the trees. It stuck to the trunk without budging. Hatsume pressed the button on the belt buckle, and the orb blew up with a pop , spreading a sticky goo-web around the nearby trees and bushes.
“Wow! That’s incredible!” Midoriya exclaimed, staring at the scene wide-eyed.
Hatsume grinned, “I know, right? My super cute baby is the best!” she exclaimed, “And the belt holds the formula inside it, so it can replace the ammo up to three times! I’m sure I can get it to hold even more soon.”
Sure enough, when he looked at the belt, another little orb had refilled itself like a balloon, “Your baby is amazing Hatsume-san!”
Her bright smile matched his own as she remarked, “Your notes were really helpful! The way you described the quirk made it super easy to figure out how I should replicate it! So, I wanted to know if you had any more ideas for any babies. You’ve been taking lots of notes, right? I want to see if there are any other quirks I can duplicate or give me some ideas for some support gear that will enhance the quirks that they have! Oh! I could make something that totally eliminates their weaknesses! That little ‘pop off’ guy had a long list of those. I bet you have more for the other students. Let me see, please?”
Midoriya took a step back as the girl drew closer to his face, taking a moment to breathe before replying, “Of course, Hatsume-san. Maijima-sensei has digital copies of my notes. I can ask him to give you a set.” he offered, “I’m still working to get more data though. I haven’t really seen all they can do yet.”
“Well, future business partner, call me Mei-chan.” Hatsume insisted, wrapping her arm around his shoulder, “We’re going to be working together a lot from now on, so we can skip the formalities, right?”
Midoriya blinked. “Oh, okay!” he said, the excitement in his chest overpowering the anxiety he felt from her proximity, “You can call me Izuku then.”
“I’ll see you in class, Izuku-kun!” she said happily, grinning widely before she turned and ran off.
He sighed, feeling himself relax. Future business partner? The thought had him buzzing. What sort of gear could she make from his notes? There were definitely suits and other costume upgrades that could be made. And replicating quirks, obviously some would be impossible but others seemed doable. Then there were the babies Mei had already created. The profiles might be helpful to pair them with the right student. As Midoriya continued to mindlessly mumble under his breath, he made his way to class. He was pulled out of his trance while he was in his seat when Maijima-sensei entered the room, greeting them all.
Midoriya felt a wave of anxiety roll over him as he tried to subtly glance around the room. He blinked, the tension in his body disappeared, replaced by confusion as he realized no one had been watching him, growing steadily more annoyed with every word he uttered. Everyone seemed to have their noses stuck in their own notes. He turned back to face the front of the room with a small smile on his lips.
In between classes, Midoriya felt a buzz in his pocket. He jolted at the unfamiliar sensation. He reached down to grab at whatever was vibrating, feeling his face flush as he realized it was just his phone. He unlocked the screen, expecting his mom to have sent him a message, asking him to pick something up before he got home. Instead, the name that popped up was Todoroki Shouto.
Hello Midoriya, I was planning on requesting the use of one of the training rooms after school. Would you care to join me? My offer to observe my ice quirk is still open.
Yes! (((o(*゚▽゚*)o))) I’d love that! (◞⁎˃ᆺ˂)◞*✰
I really appreciate
Hey Todoroki! o(^◇^)o I would
Thank you for inviting me
Yeah, that sounds great! Which training room?
Midoriya let out a small sigh as he finally sent the text. Kayama-sensei was still unpacking her worksheets, so he guessed he had about a minute before class. Just as he was about to slip his phone back into his pocket, it vibrated again.
I will let you know as soon as I get permission. I was planning on asking before lunch. Would you like to sit together then?
I would love that o(^▽^)o
Cool! What table should we meet at?
(^ _ ^)/ I’m looking forward to it
I can’t wait!
Okay! I’ll see you at lunch (^▽^)
The lectures began, and Midoriya felt giddy. It had been a really long time since someone invited him to sit with them. That didn’t stop the spike of nerves running up his spine as his mind wandered. Was he supposed to sit with Todoroki and 1-A or was he just supposed to do what he’d been doing and sit at an empty table where a few other support kids would join in? Did he find a seat first or did Todoroki? Should he wait until Todoroki sat at a table, or choose one quickly and wait for Todoroki to come to him?
By the time Lunch had rolled he hadn’t decided on a plan of action. Luckily, he didn’t have to, because Hatsume had linked his arm with hers, dragging him over to an empty table. He barely managed to keep everything on his tray from spilling as she ushered him into his seat. Hatsume was smiling at him, a bundle of paper next to her ricebowl.
“Izuku-kun I have so many new ideas for some babies!” Hatsume beamed at him, eyes narrowing in on him. He knew it was her zoom quirk, but it was a little intense. She handed him the first few pages she appeared to have been brainstorming on.
His eyes widened as he looked over the details, “Wow, a temperature nullifying suit would be perfect for Asui-san. As long as her internal temperature stays the same, she really wouldn’t have any obvious weaknesses. Mei-chan you’re amazing!”
“No, we are amazing! I only came up with it after reading her profile.” she corrected. Hatsume grinned wide at him, declaring, “We’re going to make so many super cute babies together!”
“Aren’t you both young for that?”
Midoriya was pretty sure his heart stopped as the blood rushed to his cheeks. He recognized that stoic voice. “She means support weapons!” he blurted out, turning to see the dual colored eyes staring blankly back at him.
“Oh.” was all Todoroki said as he took the empty seat next to Midoriya.
“Yeah! Izuku-kun and I are business partners now!” Hatsume stated proudly, “His notes are going to make my babies really stand out!”
Todoroki simply hummed in response, before he began to eat his cold soba. Hatsume seemed to take this time to start eating her own meal. Midoriya stared down at his tray, knowing he wouldn’t be able to eat until he asked, “Um, so, were you able to get a training room reserved?”
Todoroki paused, taking a moment to swallow his noodles before answering, “Yes, I was given permission for after school training. You’ll be joining me, right?”
“Yes!” he replied almost instantly, “I mean, if you still want me to…” he added sheepishly.
“I do.” Todoroki stated matter-of-factly before returning to his soba.
Midoriya smiled softly, feeling a sense of excitement replace the anxiousness that had been welling up inside him. As he was starting to dig into his rice, a cheerful voice asked, “Hey, can we sit with you?” Midoriya looked up to see Uraraka and Iida standing in front of their table with their lunch trays in hand.
After a beat of silence when neither Hatsume nor Todoroki objected, Midoriya replied, “Of course!”
Uraraka grinned, “Thanks!” she said as she set her tray down, sitting across from Midoriya, “You know, I tried to get Bakugou-kun to come with us, but Kirishima-kun beat me to him.” she added, pouting as she stared across the lunchroom.
“Kacchan?” Midoriya mumbled, following her gaze until he saw Bakugou frowning as the red-head cheerfully chatted next to him. To anyone else, Kacchan might look miserable, but if he didn’t want to be there, he wouldn’t. Midoriya knew Bakugou wasn’t shy about telling people to leave him alone and ditch them if he didn’t want to be around him. Maybe he was upset Kirishima wasn’t paying him his full attention? Kacchan always loved it when their old classmates fawned over him and his amazing quirk. Now he was sharing the attention with Mina, Kaminari, and the black-haired boy with the tape quirk, Sero?
“Um, Midoriya-kun?” Uraraka’s voice caused him to blink, looking up at her, “You were mumbling.” she said almost apologetically.
“Sorry.” Midoriya replied instinctively.
“It’s fine, I just couldn’t understand what you were saying.” Uraraka remarked.
“It wasn’t important.” Midoriya assured her.
“You appeared very focused.” Iida commented, “Are you sure it wasn’t important?”
He was saved from answering when their conversation was cut short by an alarm. The sound blared through the air, announcing a villain attack?! It only took a moment before then lunchroom turned into a frenzy. The upperclassmen looked around, panic in their eyes. He could hear his senpai muttering about how ‘the alarm had never gone off before.’ And it really wasn’t helping to calm his nerves. As everyone filed into the hallways, Midoriya found himself crammed against the other students. It felt like the entire school was smashed up against each other like a can of sardines. Midoriya felt someone shove hard against his back, slamming his face into the shoulder of the person in front of him.
A stern voice rang out, pulling everyone out of their frenzied state. Midoriya looked up to see Iida kun. How did he get up there? Uraraka must have used her zero gravity quirk on him! That was so cool! What was Iida saying, there wasn’t a villain attack, it was only the press?
As he glanced out the window, he could see the press hounding Aizawa-sensei and the voice hero: Present Mic, or Yamada-sensei. He was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to call them by their hero names unless they were outside of school. He wondered how the media got in.
The security system should have shut the gates if any unauthorized trespassers tried to get inside. Which meant that the security feature was inactive, but the others were still up and running because the alarms had gone off. Why would only one section stop functioning? Maybe they were updating the system, so the gates were temporarily down, and when the reporters noticed, they swarmed inside, triggering the alarms.
“That seems possible.”
Midoriya’s head shot up, turning to see Todoroki, staring out the window alongside him. He didn't know whether or not he should be thankful that the rest of the students had already returned to the lunchroom. He hadn’t realized he’d started muttering his thoughts out loud.
“Sorry, the rambling must be really annoying, I’ll stop.” Midoriya said, folding his arms across his chest, shrinking in on himself.
“You don’t have to stop,” Todoroki remarked, “I like the sound of your voice.”
He instantly straightened up, feeling a rosy blush spread across his face, “O-Oh, really?” Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek, trying to prepare himself for the disappointment when he was inevitably laughed off, but that never happened.
Todoroki kept his gaze locked on the scene outside, simply answering, “Yes, it’s nice.”
Midoriya didn’t know how the dual wielder could be so blunt. He was somewhat envious of how easily the boy seemed to be able to speak his mind. When his pulse finally evened out, Midoriya suggested, “We should probably get back to lunch while there’s still time left.”
“Yes.” Todoroki said, nodding once before he began walking back to the lunch room. Midoriya was quick to follow, walking a step behind him. He almost stopped in his tracks when Todoroki silently started to slow down until they were walking alongside each other. Midoriya’s mind whirled, but he kept moving as though on auto-pilot. Kacchan didn't like people walking with him, and despised people walking in front of him, so Midoriya was used to trailing behind his friends. Todoroki had purposely slowed down to walk with him. He wasn’t sure what to do, breathing a small sigh of relief when they’d returned to the table.
Even so, he spent the remainder of lunch thinking about it as he ate. He knew due to the lack of eyes on him that he hadn’t begun to mumble his thoughts, thankfully, but he still wasn’t sure why the dual wielder had done that… He was honestly shocked he’d even noticed Midoriya behind him. He’d expected the boy to look ahead, leaving himself unnoticed. As he returned to classes, he forced himself to drop the subject. It was probably nothing anyway. Todoroki hadn’t said anything, so he wouldn’t either.
Midoriya stared at the three screens in front of him, reviewing footage from the hero courses. As he updated profiles, he learned to distinguish between the bursts of explosives from the videos and from his classmates. The easiest tell was whether or not Power Loader would suddenly sigh before dishing out a lecture. He was in the middle of updating Tokage’s profile when he felt a buzz in his pocket.
I forgot to tell you which location we will be going to, Gym Gamma.
(๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ Thanks! I’ll be there!
I’ve never seen that area of school before
Okay!ヽ(o^▽^o)ノ I’ll see you at Gym Gamma
I
I’ll meet you outside of the development studio and we can walk there together.
I’ll be waiting for you (o^ ^o)
\(^∀^)メ(^∀^)ノGreat! I really like walking together
(b ᵔ▽ᵔ)b
In the end, he couldn’t find the right words to say. Todoroki had even messaged him again before he could properly reply the first time. Not to mention that he’d taken so long, Majima-sensei had nearly caught him on his phone. As he breathed out a small sigh, Midoriya readjusted his headphones, gazing at the screens in front of him. Notes, that’s what he needed. By focusing on his work, he’d forget about his own awkwardness and ignore the ball of anxiety building up in his chest. With that in mind, Midoriya tripled his efforts, scanning the footage for any detail that might help him analyze the future heroes.
While he was writing, he felt something hit his back, almost like someone had flicked him with their fingers. He turned, seeing pieces of debris scattered across the room as another invention flickered with flames. The only thing that surprised him was it hadn’t been Hatsume this time. Power Loader was already scolding them while another student readied the extinguisher when Midoriya turned back around.
His pen flew across the paper while his eyes stayed glued to the screens. There was such a wide range of powers coming from all the soon-to-be heroes. He felt himself jump when everything suddenly went black, coming online a moment later with an updated class roster. Shinsou was in! He grinned wide, feeling a rush of excitement run through him. His recommendation was chosen! He’d have his first day in 1-A tomorrow. Midoriya took a moment to recenter himself, so he wouldn’t get too distracted from his work. But it would be so cool to make Shinsou’s profile. Brainwashing! It had so many possibilities. He could tell villains to stop and surrender peacefully, the damage control alone made the quirk so incredibly useful!
Class felt like it had barely begun when Maijima-sensei patted him on the shoulder. Sure enough, everyone else was already packed up and starting to head out.
As he was getting his things together, he heard his teacher call out to him, “Midoriya-san, tomorrow, you’ll be accompanying class 1-A on their field trip to USJ.”
His head whipped around to face his teacher, hurting his neck in the process, “Huh? Me? Why?” Midoriya asked.
Power Loader held up his hand to stop the flow of questions spilling from Midoriya’s mouth, “Because it will help you observe the students outside of battle scenarios. You will have the chance to discern their strengths and weaknesses in order to help them improve while heightening your own skill.” Majima-sensei answered.
Hatsume leaned in, appearing out of nowhere as she asked, “If Izuku-kun is going, can he take some of my super cute babies with him?! They’re ready for testing Majima-sensei!”
There was a rather dramatic sigh from their teacher before he folded his arms across his chest, “You can pick one for Midoriya-san to take with him.” Majima-sensei relented.
Her grin was brighter than the screens he’d been staring at, “Izuku-kun, take our super cute baby tomorrow! It has a lot of potential for rescue missions.” she insisted before dashing over to her table, retrieving the glue-belt support item, or baby 15, as Mei referred to it.
“I’ll take good care of it!” Midoriya promised, “I’ll try and find a simulation where the heroes can use it, Mei-chan.”
“I know you will, business partner.” Hatsume replied, giving him a thumbs up, “Pairing my babies with the right heroes is part of being a strategist right?”
Midoriya felt a wave of warmth wash over him as he smiled, replying with a simple, “Yeah.”
He was careful to slip the support weapon into his backpack, making sure none of the glueballs would accidentally pop off. When he finally stepped out, he was face to face with peppermint hair and charcoal and ice colored eyes.
“Hey, Todoroki-kun!” Midoriya greeted, feeling his heart stop when the dual wielder silently reached out for his tie, fixing it once again. Once the red fabric sat correctly against his shirt, Todoroki looked at him and replied, “Hello, Midoriya-kun. Are you ready to go?” He couldn't help but notice that Todoroki was dressed in his official school gym uniform.
“Yeah, I'm ready whenever you are.” he replied. Todoroki just nodded his head before he began walking. Midoriya followed his lead.
Gym Gamma was huge, with a floor completely made out of concrete. If he had to guess, Midoriya would assume that Cementoss normally used it for his quirk, manipulating the concrete into whatever form he wished. However, right now, it was just a large, empty room. Todoroki didn't say much as Midoriya set his bag down. The dual wielder seemed to be doing some light stretches.
“So, how did you want to start?” Midoriya questioned, hoping he didn't sound as awkward as he felt, “What can your ice do?”
Todoroki didn't respond verbally, seeming to ponder Midoriya's words for a moment before taking a step and leaning forward, activating his quirk. The temperature instantly dropped as the sound of crystallizing ice filled the air.
“Woah!” Midoriya said as he stood in awe at the huge glacier Todoroki had made so quickly. It was like he could’ve blinked and missed it. The ice jutted out of the ground in a cone shape, spreading further out and up as Todoroki put his power into it. It reached the ceiling!
“That’s amazing, Todoroki-kun! You’re so strong!” Midoriya gushed as he took everything in. He noticed some ice building up on Todoroki’s leg and arm.
“When you use your quirk is there a limit to how much ice you can make? Can you shoot ice projectiles or do you need to make physical contact with it? Like touching the ground or an opponent? How much control do you have over the shape of the ice? Does it always come out like spikes or can you make it smooth? I saw recordings of you propelling yourself with your ice to go faster, how much speed do you gain from using it?” Midoriya asked all at once as he went to fish his notebook out of his bag. He stared up at the dual wielder expectantly, pen ready on the paper.
Todoroki paused, tilting his head to the side as he said, “Can you ask them all again, but one at a time?”
Midoriya felt his face flush as he nodded, “Yeah, sorry.” he added before he began going through his list. Todoroki was extremely patient with him, seeming to genuinely consider each question before providing an answer, going so far as to test a few in front of the strategist. He noticed the ice beginning to pile up on Todoroki’s right side. He stopped asking questions when he realized Todoroki’s breath was coming out foggy. How cold had he gotten? He never complained about it. Using his left side would instantly thaw him out, they both knew this. Midoriya wanted to ask why the dual wielder was so hesitant to use his left side, but he’d already asked too many questions today. He’d definitely ask him about it soon. He made a little note for himself on Todoroki’s page, so he wouldn’t forget. Then there was a little vibration coming from his pocket.
Izuku, where are you?
I’m still at school, sorry mom, I completely forgot to ask you if I could stay (*_ _)人
That’s fine sweetie, just tell me ahead of time so I don’t worry (⌒‿⌒)
“Is everything alright?”
Midoriya looked up to see a few trails of steam coming off Todoroki. He’d melted the ice off while he wasn’t looking.
“Yeah, I just forgot to tell my mom I was staying late today, and she got worried.” he answered.
“Oh.” Todoroki replied, pausing after a moment before asking, “Would you like me to walk you home?”
He nodded, a small smile on his lips, “Yeah, thanks for letting me watch you train. I know I ask too many questions, but I really appreciate your patience.” Midoriya said as he packed up his notes.
“I don’t think you ask too many questions, and I enjoy spending time with you.” Todoroki remarked, his words were flat and his expression as neutral as ever, but he had sounded so honest that Midoriya dared to believe him.
The train had arrived only minutes after they had reached the station. It was late enough in the day that most adults were on their way home from work. Midoriya again found himself uncomfortable close to the dual wielder, but at least they had both managed to grab a hanging strap to keep themselves upright. It didn’t stop him from finding himself pressed up against Todorki’s left side, feeling oddly warm from the contact. He couldn’t help but wonder how the boy’s quirk affected his body temperature. What was normal to him? Did he run hot or cold in the summer? Did he prefer any one season because it felt nicer with his quirk? Did winter feel better because of the cold or because he could warm himself up with his fire half?
“I never really thought about it.” Todoroki answered.
Midoriya’s face felt like it was on fire as he quickly silenced himself after ushering a quick apology. It was rude to talk on the train, he must have been disturbing so many people. The train shook and Midoriya felt someone slam into his back shoving his face into the nook between Todoroki’s neck and shoulder. He thought he was going to burst into flames, and judging by how warm Todoroki’s skin felt, the dual wielder was just as flustered.
The second they stepped off the train Midoriya let out a stream of apologizes, his hands flying through the air as he gestured wildly with each word.
Todoroki held up his hand, stopping him, “It wasn’t your fault. There’s nothing to apologize for.” he stated plainly, not even showing a hint of embarrassment. Midoriya began to wonder if it had only been his own face burning.
“Let’s go. Your mother will get worried the longer you stay out.” Todoroki stated, pulling him out of his thoughts.
“Ah, right, sorry.” Midoriya mumbled, walking alongside the dual wielder.
They fell into a comfortable silence as the two walked side by side. When they finally reached his house, Midoriya paused, turning towards his friend to say, “Thanks for everything today.”
Todoroki nodded, “It was nothing.” he replied, “We can do it again if you like, tomorrow?”
“Yeah! Oh, but won’t you be tired after your field trip?” Midoriya said, clutching his backpack strap, “I wouldn’t want you to overexert yourself on my behalf.”
“Field trip?” Todoroki questioned, tilting his head to the side.
“To USJ? Oh my gosh did you not know? Was that supposed to be a surprise? I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to spoil that for you! Maijima-sensei said I’d be going with your class, so I assumed you already knew.” Midoriya ran his fingers through his curls as he rambled.
“I wasn't aware, but I’m glad that you told me.” Todoroki replied, his words grounding the green-haired boy’s thoughts, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Midoriya-kun.”
“See you tomorrow, Todoroki-kun.” he repeated, waving goodbye before darting inside.
As the door closed behind him, Midoriya was hit with the delicious smell of Katsudon. He followed it, finding his mother standing in the kitchen, smiling to herself as she cooked.
“So, what after school activities were you up to?” she asked.
“A friend let me watch him train and ask questions about his quirk.” he replied, setting his backpack down.
“Oh? Tell me about it.” she prompted as she fixed two bowls, bringing them over to the table.
Midoriya grinned, filling the air with his observations and questions he still had to ask. His mother smiled warmly as she watched her son’s enthusiasm grow after every other word, silently thanking the boy that had made her son’s face shine so bright.
Notes:
Some more art On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter Text
His fingers drummed along the top of his desk, leg bouncing as Midoriya tried to rid himself of the energy welled up inside him. He struggled to write down everything his teachers said as the hours ticked on and on, but he knew he couldn’t let himself completely lose focus. If his grades slipped, there was no way he’d be allowed to continue observing the hero course, at least not directly. With a renewed vigor, his pen flew across the pages, copying everything he heard or he saw on the board. Midoriya was so entranced in his note-taking that he’d barely registered class ending.
Before he could step out, Maijima-sensei had his hand on Midoriya’s shoulder, grabbing his attention, “It’s time. Go change into your P.E. uniform and make sure you have your notebook with you. The bus will be leaving in about twenty minutes; don’t miss it.” Maijima-sensei stated. He waited for Midoriya to nod before taking his leave.
Midoriya felt a sudden, sharp sting as someone slapped his back. He turned to see a familiar head of pink hair, “Make sure you take lots of good notes, Izuku-kun!” Hatsume said, giving him a wide grin and a thumbs up.
“I will!” he promised.
Even though he’d been let out early, Midoriya still rushed through changing, nearly leaving the room with his shirt on backwards. Luckily, he caught the mistake before he could embarrass himself. While he was readjusting his top, Midoriya remembered to snap the glue belt around his waist, fitting him like a glove. He wondered who he’d end up giving it to. Maybe someone would use it to make a ladder or some other sort of rescue tool.
He chewed his lip as he paced back and forth in front of the bus, hugging his notebook close to his chest. Midoriya squeezed the pages. He was going to get to see some real hero work up close! How would each student adapt? Would they be fine with him watching them or was it weird?
“I thought you might already be here.”
Midoriya felt his heart leap out of his chest, barely holding back a shrill scream as he turned towards the new voice. Todoroki stood beside him, and Midoriya instantly relaxed. Though his eyes were drawn to the dual wielder’s left side; from the shoulder down, he was completely encased in ice.
“Is that comfortable?” Midoriya asked, resisting the urge to shiver as the frosty vapors emanated off the ice.
“It’s not uncomfortable.” Todoroki replied, “I run hot on my left.”
Midoriya had flipped open his notebook, stopping on Todoroki’s page, “So cool...” he mumbled under his breath as he jotted that down. While he was writing, more and more students filed out. One caught his eye, the purple-haired boy dressed in his P.E. uniform. They must not have had time to make a hero costume for him yet.
Todoroki followed his gaze, “Aizawa-sensei introduced him to our class this morning, ‘Shinsou Hitoshi, quirk brainwashing.’ He mentioned Gen Ed. for half a second before our first lecture.” he stated, looking back to Midoriya, “You want to ask him about his quirk, don’t you?”
He nearly jumped at the accusation, turning towards his friend. After the shock faded Midoriya asked, “Am I that obvious?” pouting as Todoroki simply nodded his head.
“We could go talk to him.” Todoroki suggested.
“But I don’t want to disturb him.” Midoriya said, closing his notebook, “I’ll get to watch everyone when we get to USJ.”
“Yes, though I’m not sure how many opportunities he’ll have to use his quirk.” Todoroki commented.
“Well, if someone was panicking, he could use it to calm them down and get them out safely.” Midoriya theorized, “Or if he can make people talk, he could get them to list their injuries.”
Todoroki didn’t say anything, not that Midoriya expected him to. Though he did see the dual wielder shift his gaze to something behind them.
“Oh, Midoriya-kun!”
He turned to see a familiar pair of rosy cheeks as Uraraka grinned at him, “This’ll be fun!” she exclaimed, “You’re coming with us, right?”
Midoriya nodded, “Yeah, I’m still working to make everyone’s profiles, so Maijima-sensei is letting me tag along.”
She looked like she was about to say something before she looked past them, grinning as she called out, “Shinsou-kun,” Uraraka started waving him over. The taller boy seemed to hesitate before making his way towards them. “Since you weren’t here before, you haven’t met Midoriya-kun! He’s from the support course. He makes profiles on all of our quirks and stuff!” she chirped.
“Midoriya-kun?” Shinsou repeated, looking the green-haired boy over, “Aizawa-sensei mentioned you.”
“He did?” Midoriya said, voice nearly cracking. He was hoping that his teachers hadn’t actually told Shinsou about his recommendation. That’d be so embarrassing, like he was fanboying already or something.
“So, you know how my quirk works, right?” Shinsou asked.
Midoriya blinked, “Sort of?” he answered, “I know you have brainwashing, and that it seems to be triggered when you talk to someone, but I don’t know how.”
Shinsou was quiet for a moment before he asked, “Doesn’t that scare you?”
“No? Why would it?” Midoriya replied honestly.
“Because I could brainwash you and you wouldn’t know how to stop me.” Shinsou pointed out, and Midoriya could see where he was coming from, but there was a big flaw in that logic.
“You could, sure, but you’re going to be a hero, so I trust you not to abuse that power.” Midoriya stated, “Besides, you have no records to show improper quirk usage.”
“Wait, you looked at his records?” Uraraka questioned.
Midoriya felt his face warm as he quickly replied, “Not just his! I was told to look at everyone's! Maijima-sensei said it was important to add a personality assessment to my profiles.”
“That makes sense.” Uraraka said after a moment, “But I didn’t think the school would let someone just look at our personal files.”
“Midoriya-kun is very trustworthy.” Todoroki stated, saving Midoriya from having to try and explain that himself, “And if he’s going to be a professional strategist, any hero agency would give him access to those sorts of files.”
“I guess that’s true... But Shinsou-kun only just started." Uraraka pointed out, "Midoriya-kun, did you already make a profile for him?”
“I got an update for the class roster the other day. I started, but it’s not very long.” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his next, “It’s mostly questions since I don’t fully understand how it works yet.”
“If someone verbally responds to me, I can put them under my control.” Shinsou replied, sounding almost bored as he spoke.
“Really?" Midoriya said, his eyes were practically sparkling as his mind whirled with questions, "Can you put multiple people under? Do you have to do it one at a time, or can you do it all at once? Can you do it over the phone or some other device or does it have to be in person? When someone’s under your control, how strong is the connection? What distance apart can you be? What’s it like to be brainwashed? Is the person aware or do they not remember anything?”
“Breathe, Midoriya-kun.” Uraraka teased, poking his side.
“If you want to know what being brainwashed feels like, I don’t believe Shinsou-kun would know. Experiencing it first hand would give you better results.” Todoroki remarked, bringing the first emotion out of Shinsou’s otherwise blank face, surprise.
“That’s true, it would be easier to describe after being brainwashed.” Midoriya agreed.
Shinsou was staring at him, taking a moment before speaking again, “Seriously?” he said, waiting for Midoriya to sheepishly nod before asking, “Do you want me to brainwash you?”
“Yeah, I-” Midoriya’s sentence fell flat as his eyes glazed over. His mind felt clouded. Open your notebook. His hands moved on their own, flipping to a random page before his sight cleared. He blinked repeatedly, resisting the urge to rub his eyes.
“That answer your question?” Shinsou asked, looking nonchalant, but there was an edge of hesitance to his stance.
Midoriya grinned widely, nodding his head, “Yeah, that was super helpful!” he replied, taking his pen in his hand as he turned to Shinsou’s profile, detailing what it had felt like to be under his control.
The brief silence that had settled over their group lasted long enough for Midoriya to finish writing. As soon as he looked up, Uraraka was watching him, a hint of mischief in her eyes, “You know, I think I figured something out.” she commented, “Bakugou-kun has the biggest frown, Midoriya has the brightest smile, and between the two of them, there weren’t any emotions left for Todoroki-kun or Shinsou-kun.”
Midoriya nearly choked on his tongue, managing to say, “That’s not true!”
“Wow, I can’t believe Midoriya-kun caused my permanent resting bitch face.” Shinsou remarked dryly.
Todoroki tilted his head to the side, a serious look on his face, “I’m fine with it, so long as Midoriya-kun never stops smiling.” he stated.
He was so caught off guard that he couldn’t form a sentence, barely managing to squeak as his face began to burn. Midoriya felt his pulse thundering in his ears, unable to think straight. Though in fairness, he’d never been able to think straight.
“You broke him.” Shinsou remarked plainly. Midoriya had to wonder if the brainwasher was putting some effort into sounding completely deadpan, or if that was just what he sounded like all the time.
“Aww, that’s adorable!” Uraraka said, barely resisting the urge to pinch the green-haired boy’s cheeks.
A whistle cut through the air, causing them all to turn towards the tall figure, glasses shining in the sunlight. Iida began to speak, "Class 1-A, gather round!" and then went into detail about how everyone would sit on the bus smoothly and efficiently. Midoriya almost felt bad by how disappointed the class president had looked when he realized the bus wasn't a standard twin row set up.
Todoroki had let him have the window seat, which was good for two reasons. He got to look outside and he wasn’t sitting next to the ice still encasing his friend’s left side. It was nice that Todoroki had left his face unfrozen this time. Midoriya felt his cheeks blush as Todoroki turned to look at him, realizing he'd been staring at said face. He whipped his head towards the window, watching the buildings go by as he tried to calm down. Todoroki was kind enough not to comment. As he felt his face cool down, he decided to look around the bus. Everyone was quietly sitting in their seats, some tapping their fingers against their legs as they drew nearer to their destination. However, the peace that had settled over them, of course, couldn’t last.
Asui was the first to break the silence, “I say whatever comes to mind.” she remarked, “Shinsou?”
The brainwasher paused, “What is it, Asui?” he asked. Despite his blank expression, he’d clearly not been expecting any more conversations.
“Call me Tsu.” she insisted.
“...Alright.” Shinsou said after a moment.
“Your quirk is like Aizawa-sensei’s.” Asui observed.
Shinsou sat there, staring at the girl beside him. He finally replied, “...It’s really not.” his monotone voice never wavering.
“You have to interact with people in order for it to work.” Asui said, “That’s why you didn’t start in our class, right?”
“Well, it’s not like I could brainwash a robot.” Shinsou remarked dryly.
“Ah man, I didn’t even think about that.” Kirishima said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I got lucky with the test. My hardening is good against opponents, but it doesn’t look like much.”
“Didn’t you get second in the entrance exams?” Shinsou remarked.
“Yeah, but that’s not everything. Popularity’s important too, you know.” Kirishima retorted.
“I’m going to be an underground hero, so I don’t really care.” Shinsou replied.
“If a lot of people knew how your quirk worked, it would be harder to use against villains, kero.” Asui agreed, nodding her head sagely.
“My navel laser is pro-level in both flashiness and strength" Aoyama boasted.
Ashido rested her hand on the blonde's shoulder, "But it's not great that it gives you a stomachache." she commented, making Aoyama’s gaze fall as he silently agreed with her, looking a little sick from the thought.
“Well, if you're talking about flashy and strong, it's gotta be Todoroki and Bakugou, though, huh?” Kirishima stated, looking over at Kacchan.
Bakugou glanced at the red head, just for a second before looking away. Pretending not to be interested in the positive attention. Midoriya knew better though. Kacchan was always happy whenever someone acknowledged how powerful he was. Though being named after Todoroki probably soured it for him.
“Bakugou's always mad, so he doesn't seem like he'll be popular, though.” Asui remarked, clearly showing that she had no concept of fear.
"What the hell?! You wanna fight?!" Bakugou barked, jumping up, his hands gripping the bar in front of him.
“Kacchan, calm down!” Midoriya pleaded, bolting up from his seat as he leaned over the row to grab his friend’s shoulder. He could feel how warm Kacchan’s skin was, the nitroglycerin in his sweat was just waiting to explode.
Bakugou narrowed his eyes at Asui before glancing back at Midoriya. He pursed his lips before pulling his arm forward, shrugging off Midoriya’s hand. “Tsk, whatever.” he huffed, folding his arms across his chest as he scowled out the window. Midoriya was pretty sure he could hear Kacchan grinding his teeth together.
“Wow, Midoriya-kun can stop Bakugou’s crappy attitude.” Kaminari teased, looking rather smug from his seat, “He’s like the bitch-whisperer.”
Before Kacchan could react to the obvious prodding, Midoriya said, “Please don’t try to antagonize him.” while he silently wondered if some of these kids had a death wish.
“How did someone like Midoriya-kun end up being friends with a hot-head like Bakugou-kun anyway?” Kaminari continued, having no self-preservation instincts, apparently. That was going in his profile. Asui’s too, now that he was thinking about it.
He could hear a series of tiny explosions popping off in Kacchan’s hand, “You wanna DIE?” Bakugou growled, though he didn’t jump up from his seat this time.
“We grew up together.” Midoriya answered, wondering what ‘someone like him’ was supposed to mean? Just, not aggressive? Or did they mean he was plain while Bakugou was lively and cool, even with his short fuse.
“We’re here, stop messing around.” Aizawa-sensei’s voice cut through the air. Thankfully, the other students listened. If they kept poking Kacchan, there was no way Midoriya could prevent their murders.
A figure was standing outside, in a large, white and puffy spacesuit, “Everyone, I have been waiting for you.” the Space Hero, Thirteen said.
Midoriya couldn’t believe he was getting to meet the pro hero! He couldn’t even speak as he held his hand over his mouth, the other gripping his journal. Logically, it made sense; of course the gentlemanly hero who has rescued tons of people from disasters would be in charge of USJ. That didn’t stop him from fanboying, hard . Luckily, he wasn’t alone.
“Oh, I love Thirteen" Uraraka cheered, seeming to be just as excited.
“Let’s go in without Delay.” Thirteen said, walking towards the front doors.
“We look forward to working with you!” the class exclaimed all at once.
The inside was enormous! It was hard to believe everything fit in one building! He could feel his mouth fall open, but looking around, he wasn’t the only one reacting that way.
“Wow, it looks like Universal Studios Japan!” a student remarked.
It really was, with the different sections all connected by one main area. The paths branched out between them all, uniting the terrains.
“A shipwreck, a landslide, a fire, a windstorm, et cetera.” Thirteen said, highlighting the different environments the students would be working in, “It is a training ground that I made with different types of accidents and disasters. It's called the Unforeseen Simulation Join, USJ for short!”
Mirdoriya was still gawking over the facility when he heard Aizawa-sensei ask, “Thirteen, where's All Might? He was supposed to meet us here?”
“About that…” Thirteen began, and Midoriya strained to listen, “It looks like he did too much hero work on his way to work and ran out of time," Thirteen said, holding up three fingers, "So he's resting in the lounge."
Midoriya could feel Todoroki stiffen beside him. All Might had already overexerted himself. Three fingers, that had to be for each hour.
“That's the height of irrationality" Aizawa-sensei complained, "It can't be helped. Shall we begin?"
Thirteen nodded, and began to speak, “Before we begin, let me say one thing… two things… three, four five six” the numbers kept ticking up, “Everyone, I am sure you are aware of my quirk, Black Hole. I can suck up anything and turn it to dust."
Uraraka eagerly nodded along.
"You've been able to use that quirk to save people from all kinds of disasters, right?" Midoriya asked.
"Yes," Thirteen confirmed, "But it is a power that can kill easily." the hero's words caused an immediate hush to settle over the students as everyone took in the severity of them. "Some of you also have quirks like that, right? In a superhuman society, personal quirks have been certified and stringently regulated, so that doesn't seem to be a problem at first glance. However, please don't forget that there are many Quirks that can easily kill with one wrong step.”
Midoriya had never been happy to be quirkless, but something about the way Thirteen spoke, he was glad that he would never have to worry about something like that.
“With Aizawa's physical fitness test, you found out about the possibility of your own hidden powers, and with All Might's person-to-person combat training, I think you experienced the danger of using those powers against others.” Thirteen stated, “This class is a fresh start. You shall learn how to use your quirks to save people's lives. You don't have powers so you can harm others. I hope you leave here with the understanding that you have powers in order to help others. That is all, thank you for listening.”
“That was wonderful!” the students cheered, “Bravo! Bravo!”
“Alright then, first-” Aizawa-sensei was cut off as a ripple of electricity coursed through the lighting system, breaking the bulbs above them.
“Gather together and don't move! Thirteen, protect the students!” Aizawa-sensei shouted.
“What's that?" Kirishima said, looking down in the center of the facility where a huge dark, purplish cloud had appeared, and people were stepping out from it. Midoriya could hear a few students wonder aloud if this was like the entrance exam, but something was off.
"Don't move" Aizawa-sensei ordered as he put on his goggles, "Those are villains." he stated scornfully, "The trespassing the other day was the work of these scumbags after all, huh?"
Yaoyorozu spoke up, "Sensei, what about the trespassing sensors?"
"We have them, of course, but..." Thirteen’s voice trailed off.
Todoroki began to speak, "Either way, if the sensors aren't responding, that means they have someone with a quirk that can do that. This surprise attack was carefully planned with some sort of goal in mind." His observations were sound. He’d have to add, ‘keen intellect’ to Todoroki’s profile.
"Thirteen, start the evacuation. Try calling the school. These villains even had something to counteract the sensors." Aizawa-sensei stated, "It's possible someone with a radio-wave-type power is interfering.” he turned towards the students, “Kaminari, you try contacting the school with your quirk too."
"Yessir." Kaminari replied quickly, holding his hand up to the device on his ear.
“What about you sir? You can't fight by yourself?" Midoriya said, stunned by his own outburst, but he couldn't help it, "With that many, even if you can erase their quirks... Eraser Head's fighting style is capturing after erasing the enemy's quirk. A frontal battle is..."
"You can't be a hero with just one trick." he stated, the confidence pushing Midoriya’s doubts away as the pro hero continued, "I'm leaving it to you thirteen." Aizawa-sensei said before leaping down towards the villains, his capture weapon readied.
Midoriya stared in awe as Eraser Head took down three villains at once, using his capture weapon to fling them into each other, “Wow, Aizawa-sensei's actually good at fighting by himself against a lot of people, huh?" he mumbled under his breath.
Todoroki grabbed his hand, "I know you want to watch, but now isn't the time for an analysis." he stated, pulling him towards the others, who were already moving to evacuate.
The blackish, purpleish cloud was suddenly in front of them. It had to be someone with a portal quirk. Aizawa-sensei must have blinked.
“Trying to leave?” the villain asked, “I won’t let you.”
Midoriya froze, as he stared up at the man blocking their way. Then, the guy started to monologue.
“Nice to meet you. We are the league of villains.” the man casually said, introducing himself and his team? “It may be presumptuous of us, but we have invited ourselves into the home of the heroes, Yuuei High School, in order to have All Might, the Symbol of Peace, take his last breath." both he and Todoroki stiffened, "I believe All Might should have been here. Has there been some kind of change? Well, that is neither here nor there. This is the part I am to play.”
Before the villain could make his move, Bakugou and Kirishima leapt into action, striking the villain.
“Did you consider that you'd get beaten by us before you did it?!” Kirishima questioned.
“Oh dear, that's dangerous.” the nameless villain remarked, “That's right. Even if you are students, you are excellent golden eggs.”
Kirishima and Bakugou stood closest to the villain, blocking Thirteen from using her Black Hole.
“This is bad! Move away, you two!” Thirteen ordered.
“My job is to scatter you all and torture you to death!” the villain stated as the purple mist that made up his body shot out at them, entrapping them in swirling darkness. His notes were ripped from his grasp, though Midoriya soon found that was the least of his worries. The darkness surrounded him, enveloping him in the fog. His stomach sank as he felt the ground get pulled out from under him.
Midoriya screamed as he fell from the sky. He could see the water below him and managed to take a deep breath, bracing himself as he crashed against the surface, plummeting deep into the blue. His skin stung from his impromptu high dive. He tried to ignore it as he reoriented himself, swimming up towards the light. Had that been a warp? What was going on? Why were they trying to kill All Might? He lost his train of thought when a villain with a shark quirk came right for him. Bubbles escaped his lips as his shout was silenced by the water filling his mouth.
Asui was there, kicking the villain away, “Midoriya-chan, kero.” her tongue shot out, wrapping around his torso, “See ya.” she said to the villain as she swam forward. Midoriya was dragged along with her, barely able to make out the purple tucked under her arm. Shinsou had fallen with them.
She brought them over to the large cruise ship in the center of the water. Asui managed to lift them both with her tongue, dropping Midoriya and Shinsou safely onto the ship before she climbed up the side, pulling herself over the railing.
Once he managed to catch his breath, Midoriya turned to her, “Thanks, Asui-san.”
“Call me Tsu." she replied.
“T-Tsu, thanks!” he said, correcting himself. After a moment, he recovered, looking out over the ship's railing, “This has turned into a bad situation, though.” Midoriya observed.
“Well, guess this isn’t as boring as Gen Ed.” Shinsou joked.
Midoriya barely heard him, already lost to his thoughts. What the villain said earlier... All Might should have been here. Has there been some kind of change? That could only mean...
“They knew U.A.'s schedule. Looking at the big picture, those guys must have set up the media intrusion the other day to get information. They were waiting to pounce, just as Todoroki said.” Midoriya stated.
“Yeah, but what the hell are they playing at?” Shinsou wondered aloud.
“Well, guys that strong just told us they would torture us to death.” Asui pointed out, “I wonder if we'll be able to hold out until All Might arrives Even if All Might comes, I wonder if we will all make it out in one piece.”
“You’re an optimistic person, huh?” Shinsou remarked dryly.
“But she's probably right.” Midoriya said, resting his chin in his hand. Why do they want to kill him? Because he's become a person who deters villains and evil? Because he's the one and only Symbol of Peace?
“We can’t stay here.” Midoriya declared, “They’re gonna try and fight us no matter what we do.”
“Yeah,” Shinsou agreed, “So why haven’t they moved yet?”
“They’re clearly assuming we'll fight in the water.” Midoriya assessed, “Does that mean they knew what was in these facilities before they gathered people?”
“Yeah.” Asui agreed.
“For people who gathered that much intel so meticulously, there's something strange.” Midoriya said, turning his gaze towards her, “They sent you, Asui-san.”
“Kero?”
“I mean, T-Tsu,” he corrected, “To the shipwreck zone.”
“Your own pace is fine.” she assured him.
“Right…” Midoriya mumbled before getting back on track, “So, that means the villains probably don't know what your quirks are.” he surmised.
“Kero! That's true If they knew that I was a frog then they probably would have thrown me into that fire zone over there.” Asui agreed.
“And since they didn’t know what our quirks were, they split us up into small groups.” Shinsou said, “They want to use their numbers to overpower us.”
“Yeah, we have inferior numbers and less experience.” Midoriya assessed. His own experience was with getting beat up, not fighting back. Kacchan’s words echoed in his head. How are you going to stand up for someone else when you can't even do it for yourself, Zuku. His nails dug into his fists. “Our only hope lies in the fact that our opponents don't know what your quirks are. The enemy isn't trying to climb the boat.” he continued, “That supports my hypothesis! But that probably means they aren't underestimating us, either.”
“I'll tell you more about my Quirk.” Asui offered, “I can jump high, stick to walls, and stick my tongue out up to about 20 meters. I can also spit out my stomach and wash it, and secrete toxic mucus, though that actually just stings a little.”
Midoriya wished he still had his notebook with him, but knowing his luck, it had gone through the warp too and was lost to the ocean environment they were thrown in.
“I can brainwash anyone who responds to me.” Shinsou stated, “It has to be verbal, and I can have multiple people under my control, but I can only add them one at a time. And I can’t make anyone do things that require some kind of advanced brain function, like talking or writing a name from their memory.” he explained, “I could make them fight each other, but the second they get hit, they’ll be pulled out of it.”
“I think we can work with that.” Midoriya remarked, “I don’t have a quirk, but I have Mei-chan’s support baby,” he said, gesturing to the belt, “These orbs are detachable and will stick to any surface. They don’t stick to the wearer though. If the button on the buckle is hit, the orbs will explode into a sticky glue trap about four meters wide. There are ten to start with, but they can regenerate, so I have thirty total.”
There was a pause before Asui asked, “Baby?”
He felt a rosy blush spread across his cheeks, “It’s what she calls them.” he explained.
Down below, the villains stewed in the water, “I'm getting impatient. Let's end this quickly!” one shouted, his attack splitting the ship in half.
Midoriya felt his pulse racing as he struggled to remember to breathe. The ship rocked underneath them. Shouts filled the air as they all clung to the railing,
“The boat will sink in less than a minute.” Midoriya exclaimed, looking between his two companions, “When the enemy becomes certain of their victory, that will be our chance.” he stated, “All Might said so before on TV.” His words came out far more confident than he felt. He was shaking on the inside, but now wasn’t the time. He couldn’t afford to be weak.
There was no time left for planning. The villains below were looking eager to tear them to shreds. Torture you to death. Midoriya ignored the villains below them, “As long as Hatsume’s baby still works in water, then I might be able to get them all stuck together.” he said, holding up a glueball, “Shinsou, do you think you can get some of them under your control? It’d be easier if you could round them up in a circle.”
“Wow, you guys are impatient aren’t you?” Shinsou taunted, raising his voice, though it still maintained that monotone pitch.
“Are you kids stupid? You should be begging for your life-” Shinsou waited for the right moment to ensnare the first target. Couldn’t have too many catching on right away.
“Beg? You should be begging for mercy when All Might comes to kick your sorry asses.” Shinsou shouted, grinning as another took the bait.
“No one’s coming to save you-”
“You think you can attack Yuuei and not have every pro hero coming after you?” Shinsou goaded, “Are you guys stupid?”
“I’m killing you first, kid-” three, and the ship was sinking fast.
“It’s now or never.” Midoriya whispered as he took two orbs in his hands, “Go!”
“Use your quirks, push the villains together!” Shinsou ordered.
Midoriya turned, throwing the orbs as far as he could over the railing. The villains cried out as the water swirled around them, thankfully Shinsou’s villains had been pretty strong. Before any of them could fight back, Midoriya hit the button, and the villains found themselves stuck in a sticky web, floating atop the water’s surface. He’d used about twelve in his attack, leaving him with eighteen left.
Part two of their plan came to action when Asui grabbed them both with her tongue, springing off the ship in one giant leap, pulling the two with her. Midoriya breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the villains struggle, unable to free themselves.
They landed in the water again, luckily Asui had managed to swim them over to the shallows. As they began to wade through the water, Midoriya found himself muttering under his breath. “We were lucky that was all of them. Normally, they would have kept some people underwater in reserve. I was trying to keep my composure, but I couldn't stay calm.”
“Midoriya-kun, stop that.” Asui lightly scolded, “Rather than reflecting back, shouldn't you think about what to do next?”
He swallowed, “Y-You're right.” Midoriya said, letting out a shaky breath.
“Are you all right?” Shinsou asked.
He took a moment to steady his breathing before he replied, “Yeah.” Midoriya said, tightening his fists, “We should make getting help our top priority. It would be best to follow the shore and avoid the central plaza as we head toward the exit.”
“That's true.” Asui agreed.
“Aizawa-sensei has drawn a large number of villains to the plaza, but there are too many of them.” Midoriya remarked.
“What do you mean?” Shinsou asked.
“Well, Aizawa is trying to suppress them, but I think he overexerted himself by jumping into that crowd of villains to protect us.” Midoriya assessed, “He’s been fighting them all by himself all this time. Even a pro hero’s stamina has limits.”
“Wait, you don’t think…” Shinsou said, his words trailing off.
“We can’t do anything that'll get in his way.” Midoriya stated, “But if we can just find an opening and lessen Aizawa-sensei's load, even a little…” his words trailed off as the three of them silently continued to move closer.
As they reached the edge, merging the shipwreck zone with the central plaza, Asui spoke up, “Hey, Midoriya, we're just here to see how things are going, okay? Kero.”
“I know.” he said, his hand hovering over his belt, “We'll run away the instant it seems dangerous.”
Eraser Head was moving quickly, capturing villains with his gear, jumping through the air like an acrobat. Then, the villain covered in severed hands came at him. Aizawa elbowed him in the chest, and it looked like he’d taken him down when… Midoriya felt his stomach drop as dread settled inside him. Eraser Head’s elbow slowly began to crumble away, revealing the muscle beneath it.
“It's hard to see because you keep moving around but there's an instant when your hair falls.” the villain taunted, “That's when you have finished an action. And the space in between has gotten shorter and shorter. Don't push yourself, Eraser Head.”
Aizawa managed to punch the villain with his other arm, jumping back to give himself a moment to plan. There wasn’t much time since the other villains kept coming at him. But Eraser Head was agile, easily dodging and countering them all even while his right arm was out of commission.
“That Quirk isn't suited for fighting long fights against a large group, is it? Isn't this too different from your usual job? What you're good at is a short fight after a surprise attack, right? Even so, you jumped right in to fight us from the front.” the hand villain jeered, “Was that to put your students at ease?” Eraser’s hair fell and the other villains attacked. Aizawa-sensei used his capture gear to take them out, dodging blows, but he was breathing hard. He’d been fighting so many of them on his own, his stamina wasn’t lasting.
“You're so cool You're so cool! By the way, hero” the hand villain remarked, his voice growing dangerous, “I'm not the last boss.” as the words left his lips, a huge villain with completely black skin covered in red scars, a beak-like face, and exposed brain appeared behind Aizawa-sensei.
The monster’s hand flew up, striking the pro hero. Midoriya felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach as his mouth fell open, watching in horror. He was sure Eraser Head had looked at the monster, erasing his quirk, but the Nomu was breaking him like a twig! Was it really that powerful?
“He’s as strong as All Might!” the villain boasted.
“What are we supposed to do? Shinsou-kun could try and brainwash the villain, but if it didn’t work, we’re done for.” Midoriya mumbled under his breath, voice shaking with every other word.
“Tomura Shigaraki" the purple warp villain suddenly appeared, addressing the hand guy, Tomura.
"Kurogiri, did you kill Thirteen?" Tomura questioned.
"I put Thirteen out of action, but there were students I was unable to disperse, and one was able to run away.” Kurogiri answered solemnly.
"Kurogiri, you- If you weren't a warp gate I would've crushed you to pieces." Tomura threatened, fingers clawing into his own neck, "We can't win against dozens of pros. It's game over. Man, it's game over this time. Let's go home."
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Asui whispered.
"Yeah, for them to just retreat after all of this..." Midoriya agreed. They would only have one chance to kill All Might. Yuuei would definitely beef up security after this. They wouldn’t get an opportunity like it again.
"Oh yeah, before we leave, let's smash his pride as the Symbol of Peace!" Tomura said giving Midoriya only a moment to process what those words meant before the villain had closed the distance between them, his hand moving towards Asui. The hand that crumbled Aizawa-sensei's elbow; if it touched her face! Midoriya was moving without thinking, grabbing Asui by the shoulders as he pulled himself in front of her. His heart stopped as he felt those five fingers press against the back of his head. He expected it to hurt, but, nothing?
"Dammit, you really are cool…” Tomura muttered, “Eraser Head."
Then he felt someone tug on his arm. Shinsou had pulled them both back, further into the water, away from Tomura.
“Why are you doing this?” Shinsou tried, but Tomura hadn’t taken the bait.
He could see the villain’s eye staring at them from behind the severed hand stuck to his face. Tomura wasn’t talking. Midoriya grit his teeth as he reached for his belt, throwing as many of the glue orbs at the villain as he could. A cloud of dust appeared, but that didn’t stop him from unloading the belt and pressing the button. When everything settled, the Nomu was standing there at the edge, a thick web of glue encasing him. The creature ripped the glue off, tearing its own skin along with it. The sound made him gag. The Nomu didn’t seem to feel the pain, discarding it all to the side. Then, the monster reached out grabbed him by his right hand. Tears pricked at Midoriya’s eyes as he felt the bones snap. He was torn away from the others, lifted out of the water. The second large hand closed around his face, the thick fingers bruising his skin. Midoriya forgot to breathe. His hands were free to struggle against the monster’s hold, but it was so strong.
“What was that? Not a quirk, a support weapon?” Tomura said from behind the Nomu. “Oh well, I’m done with you.” Midoriya twisted, barely managing to free his head before the creature’s grip could tighten. Asui’s tongue shot out, grabbing him as she dove under the water, her hand pulling Shinsou with her. The monster hadn’t followed them under. Why? His answer came a second later when he suddenly found himself on dry land next to the unconscious form of Aizawa-sensei. Midoriya looked up and saw All Might standing before him.
“I'm leaving Aizawa to you.” All Might instructed, “He's unconscious. Hurry!”
They all nodded, but Asui was the only one to reply, “Y-Yes, sir! Kero.”
He had to say something too, “All Might! They came to kill you!” Midoriya warned, “That thing… it was made to fight you.”
“Young Midoriya, it’s fine.” All Might declared, turning to give him a reassuring smile and peace sign.
He knew All Might was running on fumes, but he trusted the hero. Midoriya nodded sharply. He and Asui began to pick up Aizawa from the front while Shinsou took his legs. They were careful not to jostle the teacher too much. His wounds were severe. Midoriya reminded himself of that as he ignored the pain emanating from his hand. Bigger problems. Broken fingers could wait.
As they walked, the three kept their eyes on the fight. All Might easily took out the minor villains. The Nomu was the real problem. It resisted All Might’s Smash move, gripping the number one hero in a tight hold. Then, the warp grabbed them both.
“They’re trying to cut him in half.” the words spilled from his lips as dread filled his body. Midoriya stopped, unable to look away.
“No way…” Shinsou said under his breath.
Then there was ice, spreading into the warp up and the Nomu. All Might freed himself as he was joined by, “Kacchan, Todoroki, and Kirishima!” Midoriya cried.
The sick feeling left him instantly. Todoroki knew about All Might’s condition. Kacchan and Kirishima were the two top ranked hero students from the entrance exam.
As soon as All Might punched the Nomu out of the USJ ceiling, they began to move again, eyes still peeled to the battle below. The villains hadn’t retreated yet. All Might was surrounded by a dust cloud from his own Smash. But that wasn’t just it. There was steam. All Might was going to deflate again.
The villains lunged forward and a huge glacier rose up, trapping Tomura and blocking Kurogiri. It didn’t hold for long as Tomura placed all five fingers on the ice, shattering it. Bullets flew through the air, hitting Tomura’s legs before Kurogiri could shield him.
“The pros are here!”
Midoriya looked up, feeling tears spill from his eyes as the heroes appeared. They were saved.
The heroes sprang into action, taking down the last of the remaining villains. Present Mic’s voice boomed through the air, though the damage was controlled by his directional speaker, hitting only the villains in its path.
The pros spread out, each heading to different zones. Some of the others were still by the front, rushing down to help them carry their teacher. Uraraka used her quirk to float him safely up the rest of the way.
As everything seemed to wind down, Midoriya felt the adrenaline leave his body. He was battered and bruised, still soaking wet from the shipwreck zone, but his hand was wrapped, his cuts were cleaned, and he had a towel wrapped snugly around his shoulders. He’d been given a few healing gummies to help with his hand. He’d still need to see Recovery Girl when they got back, but Aizawa-sensei was everyone’s main concern right now. Present Mic had taken him back while the other heroes looked over the students.
He blinked, looking up when he thought he’d heard his name. Todoroki was standing there, offering him a water bottle. Midoriya smiled reaching out to take it.
“Thanks.” he said, his throat drier than he’d thought. Midoriya drank from the bottle as Todoroki sat down beside him, the ice no longer stuck to his side. He must have melted it all off at some point.
“Cementoss put a wall between me and All Might.” Todoroki commented, “I think he, deflated, as you put it.”
Midoriya nodded, “You’re amazing Todoroki-kun.” he remarked, “You’re so good at saving people. It’s incredible.”
“You’re amazing, too.” Todoroki stated, taking a seat beside Midoriya on the ground, “Asui-san told me about the ship. That was dangerous, but your plan worked well for you. I’m glad you’re safe, and I’m sorry I wasn’t faster. If I’d gotten there sooner, your hand...”
“My hand will be fine.” Midoriya assured him, relieved no one seemed to have told his friend about the near head-crushing moment he’d had, “The gummies numbed the pain, and Recovery girl can fix it.”
Todoroki still had a prominent, albeit little, frown on his face as he reached out, gently taking Midoriya’s injured hand in his own, seeming to inspect the bandaging. Midoriya felt his face warm, only managing to squeak in surprise.
“I don’t like seeing you hurt.” Todoroki said softly, fingers ghosting over Midoriya's injury before they reached up to do the same to the bruises on his face.
Mirodirya was sure if he’d had Todoroki’s fire quirk, he’d have burned down all of USJ. Maybe there was a reason he was born quirkless… “I’ll be more careful.” he promised, the edge of his lips turned into a sheepish smile as he looked into those dual colored eyes.
Todoroki didn’t seem to react, only nodding his head once before pulling back, “I’m going to check with the teachers and see if one of them will bring us back early. Recovery girl should be done with Aizawa-sensei.”
He’d drank about half the water before Todoroki returned, stopping a few feet before him. Midoriya was about to ask him what was wrong when he breathed in something, a almost sweet aroma that made his head feel light. The world went dark.
When he finally opened his eyes, he woke feeling sluggish. He rubbed both of his eyes before his brain registered that the bandages were gone. He let out a little “Huh?” before Midoriya fully registered where he was, the nurses office.
Aizawa-sensei looked like a mummy wrapped up next to him, with Yamada-sensei asleep in a chair pressed so close to Aizawa’s bed that he was partially resting on it, still dressed in his hero attire. The pro hadn’t even removed his directional speaker from his neck. That would definitely feel uncomfortable when the hero woke up.
“Good, you’re awake.”
Midoriya turned towards the voice, feeling himself smile warmly as his eyes met charcoal and ice.
“How are you feeling?” Todoroki questioned, hovering close to him as Midoriya began to sit up.
“A bit lightheaded, really tired, like I could sleep for a few years.” he replied honestly.
“Recovery Girl said you would wake feeling drained.” Todoroki remarked, folding his arms across his chest, “I texted your mother about the situation.” he stated, “She knows you’re safe and I’m walking you home.”
He blinked, barely managing to process that information, “My mom gave you her number?” Midoriya mumbled.
“I used your phone.” Todoroki explained, “She texted you while you were unconscious. Midnight thought it would be best if you rested after everything that happened.”
“Oh! That’s what that smell was.” he muttered under his breath, itching to update his notes on the pro, “Wait, my phone has a password lock.”
“Your password is ‘All Might’ with no spaces.” Todoroki replied, “I’m sorry for invading your privacy, but I only spoke with your mother because I thought you wouldn’t want to worry her. I should have asked beforehand.”
“No, I trust you.” Midoriya assured him, blushing furiously at how easily Todoroki had guessed his password. He would be changing that, “But, there’s nothing really on there anyway. I’ve got some notes on heroes and a few pictures from fights, but I really only text mom and you. Kacchan’s in there, but we barely talk anymore.”
"Still, I apologize." Todoroki said, “Oh, and I believe you’ll want this.” he added, holding a familiar pad of paper in his hands.
“My notes!” he exclaimed, grinning brightly as he reached out for them, pulling them close to his chest, “How did you get these?”
Todoroki smiled softly, “They were still by the doors.” he replied, “They’d been knocked off to the side, but I found it before we left.”
“Thank you,” Midoriya said earnestly, barely keeping tears from spilling, “I know it’s silly, but these are really important to me.”
“It’s not silly. You put a lot of time into it.” Todoroki stated plainly, reaching out to wipe a tear that had managed to drip down his cheek.
Midoriya could feel his heart trying to burst from his chest. He didn’t think as he reached out, pulling the dual wielder into a tight hug, staining Todoroki’s shoulder with the silent tears that poured out.
He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but when he finally pulled back, he felt his face burning as he looked down at his lap, “S-Sorry…” he mumbled.
Todoroki was silent for a moment. Then Midoriya felt a hand cradle his cheek, gently guiding his gaze up to meet those dual colored eyes, “Don’t ever apologize for that.” Todoroki said, “Even heroes cry. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Midoriya felt a little sniffle escape him as he willed his voice to stay steady, “Really?”
The dual wielder nodded sharply, “Yes.” he stated as a fact, “Now, do you think you can walk?”
“Y-Yeah, I just, can I lean on you?” Midoriya asked, immediately regretting his question. He could walk fine, he was just tired. His legs still worked. There was no need for help.
“Of course.” Todoroki replied, having grabbed both their bags, putting them over his shoulder before wrapping his arm around Midoriya’s waist.
The green haired boy was a flustered mess, barely registering the way Todoroki was guiding his hand over the dual wielder’s shoulder, so he could hold onto him while he walked. His head was heavy, resting against the taller boy. He half expected to be shrugged off, but Todoroki’s grip only tightened around him. Midoriya clung to the dual wielder, fingers gripping the fabric of Todoroki’s school jacket while his other hand clung to his notes.
Midoriya was struggling not to fall asleep on his feet as they made their way to the train station. By a small miracle, the train arrived moments after they made it to the platform and it wasn’t crowded. They both managed to grab a seat next to one another. He didn’t register anything else until Todoroki was gently nudging him awake.
“This is our stop.”
“It is?” he mumbled sleepily before he realized what was happening, “S-Sorry!”
“It’s fine.” Todoroki assured him.
They both managed to get off the train before the doors closed again. It felt like their walk had doubled, but he knew that was the exhaustion talking. His gaze was locked on the concrete beneath his feet, only realizing where they were when he saw the familiar welcome mat.
The door opened and his mom was there, her words running a hundred miles an hour. He knew where he got it from, but he didn’t have the energy to figure out what she was saying, luckily, Todoroki had. They were moved inside, and suddenly, Midoriya felt a spike of nerves stab his chest.
Todoroki was in his room. His room that looked like a tornado hit a truck carrying All Might merch. His heart was thundering in his ears, but the softness of his mattress had a stronger pull than the anxiety swarming in his chest. As the blanket was pulled up to his neck, Midoriya made a silent oath that he was going to clean his room. He’d definitely remember it when he woke up. As his eyes fluttered closed, he knew his imagination was already running wild, because he could have sworn he felt Todoroki's fingers smooth back his curls to place a kiss on his forehead before he was overcome by exhaustion and sleep took him.
Notes:
Here's the art for this chapterOn My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
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wearythesaurusofneverweres made some cute art for this chapter Here (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)josilina123 made some cute art for this Here (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
Chapter Text
Dust tickled his nose as he struggled not to sneeze. Midoriya held the feather duster away from his face as he sniffled, eyes watering. He rubbed his nose against his shoulder as he stepped back. His All Might figurines looked better, though he was wondering if he had a few too many… If Todoroki visited him again, there wasn’t any spot that didn’t bare the pro hero’s face. Midoriya felt his own face warm, hanging his head as he pouted. Ugh, why did Todoroki have to see his room like that.
He stared up as his All Might poster. He still held a strong fondness for them, and the motivation they had always given him, but… would Todoroki think it was weird? If they were alone together, then it would almost feel like All Might was watching them when they- his face flushed crimson as he quickly went back to dusting, tripling his efforts. No, nope, they wouldn’t be doing anything, definitely not kissing, so there’d be nothing to see.
“I AM HERE, I AM HERE, I AM-” Midoriya silenced his alarm, a small frown on his face. His room wasn’t what he’d call ‘clean’ just yet, but it was a start. He’d finish when he got back.
As he grabbed his backpack, he remembered to snag a protein bar from his desk. Midoriya snacked on his way to the train station. Recovery Girl’s healing had managed to knock him out, letting him have a dreamless night of pure sleep. He’d awoken feeling more refreshed than he had in, well, probably in years. An observation he planned on keeping to himself. Though he was considering changing up his late night hero studies. Now that he could do them in class without threat of a scolding, Midoriya wondered if sleep would be a more beneficial use of his time.
The crowd of reporters seemed to have doubled after the USJ attack. Midoriya kept close to the walls that surrounded their school, pushing his way through the sea of journalists. Questions were hurled at him left and right, but he clutched his backpack straps and powered through.
Once he got inside, he left out a deep sigh before he felt five digits wrap around his wrist. They yanked on him hard, and Midoriya found his face smothered by something soft and warm. “Izuku-kun, are you okay?! I heard about the USJ attack!” the voice was familiar, and judging by his current lack of air, he had a pretty good guess as to who was speaking.
“Mei-chan, can’t breathe…” he muttered, feeling the grip around him loosen. Midoriya pulled back, panting.
Hatsume was still watching him, a small frown on her lips, “Tell me what happened.”
“It was really scary.” Midoriya admitted, folding his arms across his chest, “There were so many villains waiting for us. They stole the school’s schedule and tried to ambush All Might. We were all split up from each other by a villain with a warp quirk. I got thrown into the shipwreck zone with Asui-san and Shinsou-kun. There were a few moments I thought I might die,” Hatsume was an inch from his face, flustering him as he continued, “But your support baby saved me. I don’t know if you tested it out yet, but the glue works in water. I don’t know what would have happened without it...”
“ Our super cute baby, Izuku-kun.” she corrected, a small smile on her lips as she took a step back, “I’m just really glad you’re safe, business partner.”
Midoriya chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, “Yeah, me too.”
“I guess you did find the right hero for it after all.” Hatsume remarked.
He blinked, a rosy blush covering his freckled cheeks. He grinned, folding his arms across his chest as he stared down at his shoes. A warmth blossomed in his chest. “I’ve never been called a hero before…” be mumbled, voice barely a whisper.
Hatsume reached out to ruffle his curls. The moment her fingers touched the back of his head, Midoriya flinched away, a spike of nerves stabbing his chest. He stared up at her wide-eyed, realizing what he’d just done. “S-Sorry, I just, a villain grabbed my head, and it reminded me of that.” he stammered, his words coming out all mashed together.
“You know, my super cute baby 18 needs to be tested. The hard hat should be able to withstand any hit or damage from falling debris.” Hatsume said, taking a step back to let him breathe, “Do you want to try it out for me?”
“Thanks,” he said softly, “I don’t think I need it, but, thanks.”
“No problem, Izuku-kun.” Hatsume replied, “Let’s get to class.”
He nodded in silent agreement, his heart still hammering in his chest as he willed his nerves to calm down. Even as he sat down at his desk, his hands were still shaky. He held them in his lap, chewing on his lower lip as he tried to let himself relax.
Some of the tension left him when Power Loader walked in. “I’m sure you all know that the Sports Festival is around the corner,” Maijima-sensei announced, standing at his podium, “Despite the attack on USJ, the school has decided to continue with the festival. As such, you will all be expected to participate. I know this is exciting for most of you, so I’ll give you a few minutes to get it out of your systems before today’s lecture.”
Everyone began turning in their seats, chatting it up with one another. Midoriya turned when he heard a familiar, almost dark, chuckle coming from the seat beside him.
“Are you excited for the Sports Festival?” Hatsume questioned, practically buzzing with excitement.
“Yeah! I watch the Sports Festival every year on tv with my mom!” Midoriya beamed, though his smile shrunk as he added, “But, I’ve only ever seen students from the hero course get recognized. After all, they’re the ones that always make it to the final round. I know some Gen Ed. students use it as their chance to move up, but I don’t really know what we’ll get to do other than hang back with the business students.”
“Izuku-kun, are you insane? All that brain in there, and you can’t see the opportunity in front of you? The Sports Festival will be our time to shine! We’ll get to show off our super cute babies to future investors! Support agencies will be in the stands watching, and so will the heroes who will buy my babies when I go big! When we get scouted by big agencies, you’ll have access to all their files! Think of the analyses you can make with all that data, and all the babies I can make with your notes!” Hatsume exclaimed, “The Sports Festival is SO important for that! If I can make it to the third round, I can really show off my super cute babies to all of those investors! I even made a microphone so I can tell everyone what my babies can do!”
“Then, I’ll definitely help you get into the third round, Mei-chan!” Midoriya promised, “I’ll work really hard to come up with a plan to get you there, so make sure your babies are ready!”
Hatsume grinned, giving him a thumbs up, “I knew I could count on you, business partner!” she chirped before a gleam of determination shone in her eyes, “I’m going to make sure my babies are the best they’ve ever been!”
Midoriya knew the basic rules the Sports Festival usually utilized. There was an obstacle race, but the obstacles themselves changed every year. A group game, usually with teams of four facing off against one another, and then, as always, a round-robin duel against the first four winning teams from the second round. Midoriya wrote down some notes, reminding himself to think of possible teams. There were different set-ups to account for. A team with good mobility, defense, or strength. They’d have to wait and see which would be good for whatever game was chosen. As long as they could adapt, they should be fine. He would need to know what babies Hatsume was planning on bringing with her.
Midoriya began to multitask, making lists of possible partners while jotting down notes during class. His pen danced across his pages as he looked between the paper and the board. His teachers' voices washed over him, occasionally mixing with his profiling work if he wasn’t too careful.
When the time came to go to the Development Studio, Maijima-sensei was waiting outside the door, looking directly at him. Midoriya let his classmates go inside. Power Loader closed the door on them, leaving them both alone in the hallway.
“After the events at USJ, I wanted to keep you in the studio for a few more classes before sending you out again, but Kan-sensei is rather adamant that you observe today’s physical training for 1-B.” Maijima-sensei stated, “He has requested you specifically over the strategists from 3-F. With the Sports Festival coming up, I’m sure he wants to give his students the best chance they can get, and you have been the primary researcher looking into this year’s freshmen class.”
No pressure… Midoriya didn’t voice his concerns, instead, nodding as he said, “Where will they be training?”
“Out in the P.E. grounds.” Maijima-sensei replied, “You don’t need to change since you’ll only be watching.”
“Alright, should I go now?” he asked.
“You can start to head out, though if anything makes you feel uncomfortable, you can come back here.” Maijima-sensei stated, “I don’t plan to take your experience with USJ lightly. Your mental wellbeing is just as important to me as your physical.”
Midoriya felt his eyes widen, “Yes, sensei.” he said softly, gripping his backpack straps in his hands.
Power Loader nodded his head, “Good.” he remarked before disappearing into the Development Studio, leaving Midoriya alone in the hall. He felt a warmth spread through his chest as he smiled to himself. It was strange to have a teacher care so much about his own safety. His middle school teacher certainly never cared when his bullies harassed him. It was entirely unfamiliar in the best way possible.
The P.E. grounds were just a large exercise field. It had a few areas for fitness tests, like the running track for the 50-meter dash, a sandpit for the long jump, and a pitching circle for the softball throw. Otherwise, it was just a large field. Midoriya could already see 1-B gathered in the center, with their teacher standing in between them all.
The Blood Hero: Vlad King, or Kan-sensei, was a tall, muscular man, with two fang-like teeth that jutted up from his lower lip. He was somehow even more intimidating than Aizawa-sensei, but in a very different way. Aizawa-sensei was a dark and almost mysterious figure, a cryptid among hero society. Kan-sensei was prominent, large, and just looked like a hero you’d see in the midst of a brutal battle. Kan-sensei’s quirk, blood control, allowed him to manipulate his own blood. Midoriya wondered if he could do it to another person’s blood too. He knew that Kan-sensei wore a ‘Blood Ejecting Glove’ that shot large amounts of his own blood out onto enemies that he was fighting, so he could harden and trap them. He really wanted to study it more, but he knew he was here for 1-B, not their homeroom teacher.
“As you all know, with the media fixated on the USJ attack, they’ll have their eyes on class 1-A this year. We’re going to show” Kan-sensei announced, “Are you all ready to prove to the world that class 1-B is just as heroic as they are?”
“We’ll show them we’re better!” Monoma declared.
Kan-sensei grinned, nodding his head approvingly, “We’re working on our sparring today. The stadium at the Sports Festival will be similar to this. We’ll start with Kendō versus Yanagi.”
As the two students moved into position, the group seemed to finally notice him. Midoriya felt his pulse rising as 1-B began to murmur amongst themselves, doing a poor job of disguising the fact that they were asking about him.
“Ah, Midoriya-san,” Kan-sensei greeted, “Everyone, I’m sure you remember the profiles I gave you earlier this week. Midoriya-san is the student from the support course who made them for you. He’s here today to help you all improve, so be sure to make him feel welcome.”
“Yes, Sensei,” the students said in unison, “Welcome, Midoriya-kun!” they greeted, still giving him his space, which he was grateful for. 1-A was nice, but they were always so close to him that he sometimes felt overwhelmed.
“Thank you for having me.” he mumbled in reply. Kan-sensei marked down the ‘arena’ portion of the grounds they would be using. Midoriya stood off to the sides, giving himself a place to observe the battle unobscured. The other students weren’t too far away, watching from a spot where they could easily cheer their classmates on.
Kendō Itsuka had teal eyes and long, ginger hair that she wore in a high side-ponytail. Her quirk, big fist, let her enlarge both of her hands to a gigantic size. And with that, came enhanced striking power and gripping capabilities. She was up against Yanagi Reiko, a girl with short pale-gray hair, parted to the right, hanging down over her eye, obscuring the majority of the left side of her face. She looked almost ghostly, which he assumed was on purpose since her quirk was poltergeist. It allowed her to telekinetically control nearby objects. From what he could tell from the entrance exam footage, the weight limit of her quirk was roughly the weight of the average human.
When Yanagi moved to lift Kendō up, presumably trying to toss her out of the makeshift arena, Kendō let her hands grow bigger than her own body. Yanagi looked unsteady, wavering as she lost control, dropping the ginger. Kendō was quick to move, shirking her hands back down until she’d closed the distance between them. Yanagi had no time to react as Kendō’s hand grew once more, grabbing the ghostly girl and pinning her to the ground.
Until Yanagi trained her quirk up enough to carry more weight, she’d do well to have a support weapon with her. Midoriya scribbled down ideas for something lightweight, maybe adaptable projectiles, something that Yanagi could mold in the air like clay, while maintaining some sturdiness to whatever she makes. He wasn’t sure how that would be done, but if anyone could do it, Hatsume would be the support hero, so he continued making his notes.
Kuroiro Shihai was up next. He was a tall young man with fluffy white hair and pitch black skin, a hint at his quirk, black. Midoriya wondered what the boy would do, since his quirk allowed him to merge into the darkness, but they were in an open, sunny field. There was the fact that he could merge his body into anything that dark in color; whether naturally or due to external circumstances. His only hope of utilizing his quirk now would be to get inside Kendō’s shadow and attack her from there. Reaching it before she slapped him out of bounds was the trick.
Kuroiro could really use some support gear to help him gain some sort of advantage. Maybe some sort of spray ink gun, or something to shoot dark discs that would serve a dual purpose of attacking an enemy while providing a place to merge into. Mirodriya winced as Kendō’s hand grew large, slamming into Kuroiro before the boy could get behind her. He was definitely at a disadvantage in bright environments.
As the battles continued, Kendō was knocked out after having been completely exhausted. Her style was heavily reliant on combat, which made her a formidable opponent, but she had little ability to recover stamina in such a long series of battles. Monoma borrowed her quirk for the next round. The blonde copycat had avoided Midoriya since he arrived. Now he was facing off against Komori Kinoko, a short girl of a rather thin build, honey brown hair worn in bob that reached just below her shoulders and almost looked like a mushroom top when paired with her flat bangs that covered her eyes. The style no doubt was meant to reflect her quirk, mushroom.
Komori grinned as she began to spread various types of fungus spores from her body. If any landed on Monoma, he’d be covered in a mushroom prison. The spores were quick-growing, turning into adult mushrooms once they make contact with a solid surface. He recalled the current record for her mushrooms lasting 2-3 hours, and how the spores spread better in a humid environment. Would a humidifier type support gadget help? Or some sort of grenade that she can fill with her spores? They were a few ideas for Hatsume to expand upon.
Monoma’s hand grew huge, swatting the spores back at Komori. She blocked her face as her mushrooms began sprouting around her feet and over her body. Komori didn’t get a chance to try again because Monoma had moved in, pinning Komori to the ground just as Kendō had done to Yanagi in the first round.
1-B continued to duke it out, fighting to see who would end up on top. Midoriya couldn’t help but notice how different it was between 1-A and 1-B. Mostly because 1-B didn’t have many destructive quirks that constantly tore up (or froze) buildings.
The winner ended up being Bondo Kojirō, a tall, pale yellow skinned boy with a large and muscular figure. He had some wide shoulders in comparison to his slender waist, though his glue-dispenser shaped head and seven ‘eye-holes’ were more striking. The holes on his face released his quirk, glue squall. It was similar to Hatsume’s glue-belt baby, except Bondo could control the speed the glue dried. He was able to easily trap his opponent, rendering them unable to fight.
While he was finished writing down his observations, he missed the sound of Kan-sensei walking up beside him, nearly jumping out of his skin when the man suddenly began to speak, “Midoriya-kun, I plan on having my students look over the profiles you made for 1-A.” he stated, “Do you have them with you?”
“Huh? I mean, I think you need to ask Maijima-sensei or Aizawa-sensei, for them not me.” Midoriya replied, feeling his pulse rise as he looked down at the floor, “Maijima-sensei has digital copies of every profile I made, and he updates them regularly.” Was this okay? He didn’t want one class to have an unfair advantage, but he really only had basic notes at this point. He’d need to work with everyone more before he got really detailed analyses for everyone.
“I’ll ask them then.” Kan-sensei stated, resting his hand on the green-haired boy’s shoulder, “Don’t look so nervous, Midoriya-san. I want the best for my students, but we’re heroes here. No one is cheating by looking at your work. Any hero agency would have files made by strategists available to anyone who requested them.”
That… was true. Midoriya felt his muscles relax as he nodded his head, “Yeah, s-sorry, I didn’t mean to imply-”
Kan-sensei held his hand up to stop him, “There was no offense taken. You have good instincts. But just because one class chooses not to take an advantage presented to them, doesn’t mean the other is cheating by doing so.” he explained, “My students are just as determined to become pros. If Aizawa doesn’t want to do the same, that’s his decision to make.”
Midoriya could understand both sides after thinking about it. Kan-sensei wanted to present his students with a situation where they would know their enemy. Aizawa-sensei wanted them to face a situation where they were against new opponents, forced to figure out how to beat them on their own. Both were real situations they face as pro heroes.
“I understand.” Midoriya replied.
“Good, I look forward to working with you, kid.” Kan-sensei remarked.
“I-I look forward to working with you as well!” Midoriya said, feeling himself fluster at the sudden acknowledgement.
After he was dismissed, Midoriya hurried back to the Development Studio. There was a shocking lack of ash surrounding the work tables. He wondered if they were getting more responsible or if it was just because no one had worked with flammable materials today.
Midoriya had sat in front of his screens, detailing his profiles in between taking glances at the clock. Classes were over, but Todoroki wasn’t here yet. He waited a few more minutes before packing up. He resolved to simply try 1-A’s homeroom. Maybe Aizawa-sensei was giving them an extra lecture about safety or something? His shoes clicked against the tile as he rounded the halls, coming to a complete stop when he saw the enormous crowd in front of his destination.
Murmurs of USJ were being whispered from onlooker to onlooker. Midoriya felt himself tense at the memory. Is that why they were here? To see the class that had fought so many villains so soon in their first year? He was pulled out of the memories by a familiar shout, “OUT OF MY WAY, EXTRAS!”
Kacchan was there, pushing through the crowd. He’d opened up a path for the rest of 1-A to leave. Before he could move out of the Bakugou’s way, they were face to face. Kacchan stopped, narrowing his eyes at the green-haired boy, “You good, Zuku?” he asked.
Midoriya blinked before rapidly nodding his head, “Y-Yeah!” he answered.
“Tsk” Kacchan huffed, schooling his face into a disinterested frown as he stalked past him without saying another word. Midoriya felt a fond smile on his own lips. He was good. This was fine. They were fine. Now, where was Todoroki?
With Bakugou gone, the crowd seemed to be losing interest, slowly filing out. Midoriya took the opportunity to squeeze into 1-A, finding a sobbing Kirishima muttering something like “He’s just so manly, bro!” between sobs as his friends tried to comfort him. He looked around the room, but didn’t see the familiar mop of peppermint hair.
Two hands covered his eyes and Midoriya flinched back into the body of whoever was blinding him, “Guess who?” a familiar feminine voice said.
“Uraraka?” Midoriya answered, soon blinking away the brightness of the room as the hands disappeared.
“Yep!” Uraraka chirped.
He turned to see her standing next to Ashido Mina, the pink-skinned girl with black eyes.
“I heard you were talking to Bakugou-kun.” Ashido remarked.
“I floated above the crowd to see where he was going.” Uraraka explained, “He never tells us anything.” she added, pouting as she folded her arms across her chest.
“It’s like he never wants to have fun.” Ashido complained before leaning into Midoriya’s space, “What were you talking about?”
“W-We weren’t really talking…” Midoriya said, taking a step back as he brushed up against a desk, “He just asked me if I was okay.”
“ And ?” Ashido pried.
“I said I was fine and he left.” Midoriya recounted.
“You know, even though he acts all gruff, Bakugou-kun is kind of a softie, huh?” Uraraka commented.
“Yeah, like, I think he’d blast me if I said it to his face,” Ashido agreed, “But I love soft Bakugou! I only see it around Midoriya-kun.”
“Huh?” he blanched, never having considered the ashe blonde… soft. Midoriya did know that Kacchan would blow someone up for ever even implying he had feelings though. That he was sure of.
“He was checking up on you! USJ was rough, and you had some nasty bruises yesterday. And he was totally defending you the day we all met.” Ashido remarked, “He acts like he doesn’t care, but he totally does!”
“I don’t think he’s at a point I’d call soft .” Midoriya retorted, “But he has gotten nicer.” he admitted. He was hopeful that one day Kacchan could be ‘soft’ but he knew that he wasn’t going to be the one to bring that out of him. He glanced over at Kirishima, still wiping tears from his face. Kacchan liked him. And Kirishima knew how to be both tough and soft at the same time. Maybe they’d rub off on each other. After all, the girls might say Bakugou was soft for him, but he would say that was protective, which, he understood why. But soft? That was Kacchan letting someone new drag him around and pouting whenever the redhead wasn’t looking his way. He hadn’t thought Bakugou was a tsundere, but now, it seemed likely.
“Baby steps.” Ashido remarked, pulling Midoriya out of his thoughts, “One day, he’ll be so nice, he’ll stop calling me Raccoon Eyes.”
“Nice doesn’t really have to do with that. Names are kind of important to Kacchan, so that will only happen when he respects you.” Midoriya commented before feeling his face warm, “Not that he doesn’t because you’re a girl! He’s like that to everyone! I mean, having a nickname like Racoon Eyes actually puts you above Extra , so I think he already sees you as an individual. To really earn his respect though, you’d have to challenge him in combat. Then, he’d probably call you by your name, not out of niceness or anything, but because he acknowledges you. Does that make sense?”
They both paused, taking a moment before Ashido smirked, asking, “So, if I kick his ass, would he let me call him Kacchan?”
Midoriya paused, resting his hand against his chin as he thought it over, “Maybe if you really impressed him during the fight, but even then, I’m not sure. He’d have to know you better, I think.”
“Is that what you did?” Ashido said, wiggling her eyebrows, “Impressed him?”
“Huh?” Midoriya felt a blush blossom on his face, “N-No, we’ve just known each other since before preschool! I’ve always called him that! And he didn’t really care about names until after he got his quirk.” He wasn’t sure why nearly dying meant he wasn’t Deku anymore, but he wasn’t going to bring it up to the ashe blonde. He liked Zuku better, anyway.
Midoriya looked up to see Uraraka sporting a scary expression as a fire burned behind her eyes. She tightened her fists, punching the air as she exclaimed, “I’m going to beat him in the Sports Festival and call him Kacchan!”
“That’s the spirit!” Ashido shouted encouragingly as the two girls soon burst into giggles.
“Um, by the way,” Midoriya began, “Have either of you seen Todoroki-kun?”
“Todoroki-kun? He and Shinsou went the opposite way you came from.” Uraraka replied, pointing down the hall.
Midoriya nodded, “Thanks.” he said, gripping his backpack straps.
“Todoroki-kun’s so cool,” Ashido remarked, “Definitely the prettiest boy in class.”
“Yeah, he’s great.” Midoriya agreed.
“Just great?” Ashido asked innocently, but the mischief in her eyes betrayed her, “Is that all?”
“W-What?” Midoriya squeaked, saved only by Uraraka, and even then, saved was probably the wrong word.
“I don’t think Midoriya-kun’s jealous or anything, Ashido-chan,” Uraraka remarked, smirking as she added, “After all, Todoroki-kun did say he liked Midoriya-kun’s smile.”
His phone vibrated in his pocket, loudly enough to draw the girls attention. He pulled it out, relieved to see Todoroki’s message. It was for the classroom they’d spoken in the other day.
“I’ve got to go.” Midoriya said quickly, “It was nice speaking to you.” he added before rushing out of the room, much to the mirth of the girls behind him.
The crowd was thankfully gone as he turned down the hall, navigating his way through the school building. When he made it to the classroom, he wasn’t sure why he was so shocked to see Shinsou standing next to Todoroki. Uraraka had mentioned that they were last seen together after all.
“Um, hi, sorry if I made you wait.” Midoriya greeted as he walked over to the two boys. Before either could speak, Todoroki’s fingers grabbed the red fabric around Midoriya’s neck, causing the green-haired boy’s face to burn as his muscles turned rigid. Shinsou had his hands in his pockets, tilting his head to the side. Midoriya felt his heart spike as the blood rushed to his cheeks. Todoroki had never done it in front of someone before, and, though it might just have felt that way, the dual wielder seemed to be taking his time adjusting the red tie until it sat properly around Midoriya’s neck.
“There.” Todoroki stated as he released the fabric.
“T-Thanks.” Midoriya mumbled, his pulse still thundering in his ears.
“So…” Shinsou began and Midoriya turned his gaze up at the brainwasher, “Todoroki said you wanted to do some afterschool training with my quirk.”
Midoriya blinked, face flushing as he blanched for a moment, “H-He did? I mean, yeah, I would love to do that! But, I-”
“Didn’t ask him to?” Shinsou guessed, turning to raise one brow at Todoroki, keeping the rest of his face characteristically blank.
Midoriya blushed, fingers gripping his backpack straps.
“I assumed you would like an opportunity to train your quirk before the Sports Festival, and I was well aware of Midoriya-kun’s curiosity.” Todoroki explained, his expressionless gaze never wavering while Midoriya only grew more flustered at the dual wielder’s blunt, but accurate, assessment. At ‘ well aware,’ Shinsou had turned to give Midoriya that blank-faced quirked brow that had his ears burning red. Todoroki seemed unfazed by this and continued on, “In order to improve, it would be wise to allow Midoriya-kun to make an accurate profile for you to see where you stand and give you ideas on where to improve.”
“I already know what my quirk can and can’t do.” Shinsou deadpanned, turning back to stare at Todoroki.
“Well, actually, I was thinking,” Midoriya cut in, “The limits that you have now might be there because of how rarely you use your quirk. If you learn how to strengthen it, then you might be able to go past the limits you have now.”
“Huh.” Shinsou remarked.
“If you want to do your best in the final round-robin, this training would help you.” Todoroki remarked. Midoriya noted that he didn’t say win because Todoroki planned on doing that himself, but he didn’t point it out.
“I know, and look, I don’t really mind Midoriya-kun studying my quirk or anything, but I’m not sure I want to make it to the round-robin.” Shinsou remarked, “I mean, my original plan was to win the Sports Festival and get into the hero course, but now that I’m already in the hero course, it might be a bad idea.”
“Why?” Todoroki asked, tilting his head to the side, “Isn’t it beneficial to be seen by hero agencies?”
“I want to become an underground hero. The less people that know about my quirk, the more effective it will be.” Shinsou explained, “If everyone sees me using it at the festival, I’ll be at a disadvantage.”
“Oh.” Todoroki remarked, “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“You mentioned that on the bus. It actually gave me a few ideas.” Midoriya said, pulling his notebook out of his backpack, “We should work on trying to get people to respond when they’re actively trying to keep quiet and move on to doing that while sparing, so if you ever fought a villain familiar with you, you could still fight them.”
“Okay.” Shinsou said, his tone was as unenthusiastic as his normal speech pattern, but there was an aura about him that was entirely new.
“Huh?” was all Midoriya managed to mumble before Todoroki moved close beside him, taking his backpack off for him to hold it while he worked.
“It’ll be easier for you to work without this.” Todoroki said, slipping it over his own shoulder.
“Thanks,” Midoriya said sheepishly, “But you can just set it on a desk.”
“But then you might forget it.” Todoroki stated, “I don’t mind holding it.” he added.
“O-Okay, thank you.” Midoriya mumbled, “I do need something though…” he added as he riffled through his bag, feeling strangely comfortable while still feeling flustered at his and Todoroki’s proximity.
He pulled out a few index cards and a marker. Midoriya moved quickly, jotting down ideas that had been floating around his head. “Here, these are some commands I want you to try on me.” Midoriya stated, passing the finished cards over to the purple-haired boy.
The brainwasher gingerly took them, flipping through a few before asking, “Do you want to try resisting at first, or are you just going to answer me?”
“I think-” Hold up four fingers. As his mind grew foggy, his hand moved on its own, following the command without restraint. Hold up ten fingers. Again, the digits reflected the order given, his body felt strangely light as he moved. Hold up eleven fingers. Nothing happened, which was expected. Clap your hands twice. Midoriya complied, unable to fully register the movement he was making until his world started to come back to him as Shinsou dropped his hold over him.
“That went well.” Todoroki remarked.
Midoriya turned towards the desk writing a few things down in his notebook, “Okay, this time, I’m going to try not to reply to you.” he stated. He planned on making two profiles for Shinsou, one for school, and one just for him. He didn’t want any major details of the brainwasher’s quirk where someone else could access it.
Shinsou cocked his head to the side, asking, “Are you ready?”
Midoriya caught himself before he could answer, grinning as he waited for the brainwasher to try again.
“So, Midoriya-kun,” Shinsou said, a dangerous smirk on his face, “How long have you and Todoroki-kun been dating?”
“Wha-?” Midoriya squeaked, trying to say ‘we’re not dating!’ but found himself unable to deny the accusation as his mind grew foggy. His entranced state made him miss the way Todoroki neutrally mumbled, “Not yet...” under his breath.
Say ‘hello world.’
Everything was numb as he heard his own voice speaking, soft and unsure even as he had no real control over his words, “H-Hello world.” he stammered.
Say ‘ apple.’
“A-Apple.” Again. “ Apple.” I said, again. “ Apple.” Say that one more time for me. “ Apple.” the longer he spoke the easier it became.
The next time I tell you to ‘say apple’ jump. He didn’t know how long the pause lasted before the order came. Say apple. He jumped once.
Tell me who your homeroom teacher is.
Silence followed as Midoriya’s mind was unable to navigate the clouds to find the name Shinsou was looking for.
“Beginning with Midoriya seems acceptable, but if you want to improve your skills, you should try against an opponent who isn’t as easily provoked into replying.” Todoroki advised.
Midoriya pouted, “I’m not easy!”
“It’s natural for you to respond to someone verbally.” Todoroki stated.
“So, next time I should try it with you?” Shinsou asked.
Todoroki stared blankly at the brainwasher, simply nodding his head.
“Guess he is better at this than you.”
“Hey-!” Midoriya felt his mind fog again before Shinsou let go, smirking at him. Midoriya felt his face flush as he folded his arms across his chest. He moved to sit down, silently, going to work in his notebook. Todoroki had moved to stand beside him, looking over his right shoulder. Eventually Shinsou joined in, standing across from Todoroki to look over his left. He’d managed to fill two pages before the silence was broken.
“Midoriya-kun, what’s your phone background?” Shinsou asked.
Midoriya pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it before replying, “It’s All Might in his original costume from-”
Let me see your phone for a second.
Shinsou handed him back his phone with a new contact added, InsomniaCat. Midoriya blinked a few times, the last of the fog leaving him as he fully registered what was in front of him. He grinned, beaming up at Shinsou, “This is your number right?”
The brainwasher nearly said something sarcastic, but found himself unable to while looking at the pure embodiment of sunshine standing before him, “Yeah, that’s me.” he replied.
Midoriya’s fingers moved before he could overthink his message.
(⌒ ∇ ⌒)/ hi Shinsou! it’s Midoriya-kun!
(=ↀᆺↀ=)η got it
Shinsou smirked, huffing a little laugh under his breath before tucking his phone back in his pocket, “I gotta head out, but I’ll see you around.” he remarked before giving them a little wave.
“Bye Shinsou-kun!” Midoriya chirped as Shinsou disappeared out the door. He turned towards Todoroki, “Thanks for doing this. I really learned a lot!”
Todoroki nodded, “Good. I’m glad.” he replied.
As Midoriya was about to put his phone away, he was hit with a wave of unease when he realized, “Agh! I forgot to tell my mom I was staying late!” he exclaimed, hastily opening his messenger.
“That’s fine, Midoriya-kun, I texted your mother that you would be with me after school.” Todoroki mentioned.
“Really? That’s great, thanks!” Midoriya said before his mind caught up with him, “Wait, I changed my password.” he mumbled before remembering that his phone was also still in his pocket not his backpack.
“Your mother gave me her contact information when I dropped you off at your house.” Todoroki supplied.
“That makes sense.” Midoriya mumbled as he moved to stand up from the desk, finding himself mere inches away from the dual wielder.
“Can I see those?” Todoroki requested, pointing at his notes.
“S-Sure!” Midoriya stammered, accidentally shoving his notes into the taller boy’s chest as he took a step back, moving the chair behind him.
Todoroki appeared unfazed as he flipped through the pages, eyes scanning over each updated profile. When he reached the end, he carefully placed them back into Midoriya’s bag, before slinging the strap over his shoulder alongside his own.
“It looks good.” the dual wielder remarked, “Are you ready to go?”
Midoriya nodded, “Yeah.”
As they reached the train station, a large crowd was waiting on the platform. Midoriya’s brow furrowed when he felt something touch his hand, taking a moment to process when he realized it was Todoroki, who had laced their fingers together. Midoriya felt his brain short circuit, barely able to stop himself from instinctively pulling away. Instead, he stared at his shoes, giving Todoroki’s hand a light squeeze. It was a good idea. They didn’t want to be separated in the sea of people gathered around them. It made sense.
“I can let go if you’re not comfortable.” Todoroki’s breath was hot against his ear.
He knew he must have been mumbling again. Midoriya swallowed, holding Todoroki’s hand a little tighter, “No, I’m fine.” he replied, “I’m just not used to this.”
“Oh.” was all Todoroki said.
The train was worse, since everyone had less space to stand next to each other, the two found themselves pressed against each other. Midoriya held onto Todoroki’s hand, holding their laced fingers up against his chest. The train rocked and he instinctively wrapped his free arm around Todoroki’s waist, pulling him into a hug as he tried to stop himself from falling.
“Sorry…” Midoriya mumbled, feeling his new position pinned in place by the crowds around them.
Todoroki gave his hand a firm squeeze, “I’ve got you.” he stated, his other hand gripping a hanging strap, anchoring them both.
Midoriya felt his blush spread from the tips of his ears down his neck. How could Todoroki just say things like that? He ducked his head, trying to hide his burning face under his curls.
As they stepped off the train, Midoriya welcomed the cool breeze that touched his skin. He filled the silence, babbling on about 1-B and how the class had performed. Todoroki seemed content to listen, only ever adding little encouragements to keep Midoriya talking.
When they made it home, Todoroki handed him his backpack, “Thanks.” Midoriya said as he slipped it over his shoulder, a bright crimson blush spreading across his cheeks when he realized they had never let go of each other’s hand. His instincts told him to yank away like he’d been burned, but he ignored them and the butterflies swarming in his chest as he gently untangled their fingers, “I had fun today.”
“Me too.” Todoroki remarked, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Midoriya-kun.”
“Yeah.” Midoriya nodded, “See you tomorrow, Todoroki-kun.”
As he walked inside, he ignored how cold his hand seemed to feel now that it was no longer wrapped up in Todoroki’s left hand.
Notes:
Bakugou stops calling Uraraka ‘Round Face’ and calls her by her name after their fight in the sports festival, after acknowledging that she really pushed him to his limits, straining his hands like no other opponent had with her last attack, so that’s my reasoning on that
Some art for this chapter On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter Text
Cameras were hidden around every corner, watching them all from any angle. Midoriya stood just outside the large oval-shaped, open building known as the Sports Festival Stadium. It featured three floors of stands for the audience to fill, along with several huge screens for viewers to watch. There was a giddiness welling up inside him that he couldn’t shake. He’d remembered his mom's grin as she wished him good luck. There was no way he was going to let her or Hatsume down!
He had to be smart about this. Whatever the first challenge was, they would need to do decently well in order to have a better chance of making through the second challenge. They didn’t want a target on their backs though, so they wanted to aim for the top ten range, but outside of the top four. That would give them the advantage they need without any unnecessary hostility.
“I see you’re already coming up with our gameplan.”
Hatsume was leaning down into his space, close enough to breathe on him. Her goggles covered her eyes as she zoomed in on him.
Midoriya felt his face flushed, “Um, yeah…” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. He made a mental note to try and get his mumbling under control.
“We’re going to get so many offers after today!” she cheered, stepping back to punch the air above her, “Izuku-kun, let’s do our best today!”
Her energy was infectious. Midoirya could feel the smile tugging at his lips, “Yeah, let’s do our best!” he repeated.
Just as Hatsume was turning to walk inside, Midoriya reached out to grab her arm, “Wait, before we go in,” he said, reaching into his pocket, “I thought you should write your name over all your support weapons. That way, even if someone deaf was watching or someone was just looking at a picture, they’d know you were the one who made them.” he explained as he offered her a black sharpie.
Hatsume grinned widely, eagerly snatching the marker from his hand, “That’s why you’re such an amazing business partner!” she commented, “Come on, let’s get suited up!”
Midoriya soon found himself strapped into Hatsume’s jetpack and hover soles. She was decked out in a matching set along with a few other babies she hadn’t had time to duplicate. Registering them all had been a nightmare, but it was necessary for their goal.
As the first years gathered in the center, Midoriya stuck to Hatsume’s side. Everyone, even the hero students, stood side by side in their P.E. uniforms. Since many of the hero course students' costumes were built to enhance their quirks, it was deemed an unfair advantage to wear them to the festival. That, and he was sure the school also liked having everyone in uniform for the cameras.
The R-18 hero: Midnight was the chief referee. She was dressed in her hero costume which resembled a traditional dominatrix paired with a short whip. There were a few whispers wondering if the pro should be around high schoolers when she was… R-18.
Everyone was abuzz with energy as the crowds piled into the stadium. It wasn’t long before the stands were full of people, mostly pro heroes and representatives of hero companies. Scouts who were looking for students to recruit.
Midoriya felt a spike of nerves stab him when he saw who the student chosen to make the pledge for the first-years was. Kacchan walked up, Midoriya shook with every step; dread looming under his skin as Kacchan leaned in close to the microphone before making his announcement.
“I pledge,” Bakugou said calm and clearly, “That I’ll be number one.”
It was like getting a bucket of ice water thrown over him. Midoriya could see the shocked faces of Kacchan’s classmates. He knew Kacchan was going to do that, but he still wished the explosive boy wouldn’t make such cocky declarative statements. Even if Kacchan could back up his words, that didn’t mean he should say them…
The first event was announced, and they were doing an obstacle course. Before Hatsume could rush in alongside their classmates, Midoriya grabbed her forearm, “Wait!” he said.
She looked back at him, tilting her head to the side, expecting an explanation. The rest of the students flooded past them as Midoriya began to speak, “You remember when the villains broke into campus? Everyone got stuck in the hallway because they were all pushing to get through. If we go now, we’ll just get stuck!”
As if to further his point, Present Mic’s voice ran out through the speakers, commenting on how the tunnel appeared to be an obstacle for the students.
“I think we should use the jetpack to go over everyone’s heads.” Midoriya stated, “But we don’t want to use all our fuel, so only one of us should use that baby while we both activate our hover soles.”
Without any further prompting, Hatsume wrapped her hands snugly around Midoriya’s waist seconds before triggering her jetpack. As they soared through the air above their classmates' heads, he felt a chill run through his body, his breath coming out foggy. He heard Present Mic detailing Todoroki’s attack that they had accidentally dodged. Most of the first years feet were iced to the floor as they became stuck around and inside the tunnel. A few students managed to get around it, chasing after Todoroki.
The first real obstacle of the race was “robo inferno": a blockade of villain robots that he recognized from footage of the Entrance Exam. Midoriya looked up at the gigantic zero-pointer robots that were used in the exam. They towered over them, terrifying most, but after USJ, what was a robot compared to near death at the hands of actual villains?
Todoroki took the first one down, already moving on to the next section. As the metal beast collapsed, Midoriya shouted through the turbulent wind hitting them, “Let’s go over!”
He heard a little grunt of acknowledgment behind him as he and Hatsume flew over the beast, dodging the others lingering around the sides of the arena. Kacchan was in front of them, moving to catch up to Todoroki. They were both so fast! Todoroki propelled himself with his ice, and Kacchan was soaring through the air with his explosions.
Twin hover soles whirred, safely allowing them both to land on solid ground, just outside of the robotic danger zone. A few hero course students zoomed past them, making their way towards the second obstacle, "the fall," a canyon could only be trekked by walking along tightropes attached to pillars of rock. Any students who fell to the bottom were automatically eliminated.
They could, of course, simply jetpack over the fall, but it would be smarter not to waste all the fuel they brought with them. Besides, they wanted to show off as many babies as they could.
“Hatsume, do you have the wire arrow?” he asked.
She answered with a manic grin, moving to stand in front of him. The Wire Arrow was a grappling hook with a retractable wire that would pull the wearer towards whatever the arrowhead impaled.
As she locked onto her target she exclaimed, “Hold on tight, Izuku-kun!” followed by her terrifying laughter.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist as she retracted the cable, pulling them both off the edge. Midoriya felt his heart fly up to his throat as they plummeted. The only thing keeping him from screaming was his trust in Hatsume. Before he could open his eyes, they were tugged back up. He let out a sigh of relief as soon as they were on solid ground again.
They had to take multiple dives before they finally cleared the fall, but, it was worth it because the third and final part of the course was the minefield. Something their jetpacks would do well to soar over. Perfect timing to since Todoroki and Kacchan were almost across! It’d be better if just one or two more students managed to pass them, but he didn’t want to risk getting placed any further back.
“Mei-chan, let me carry you across this time.” Midoriya requested.
Hatsume nodded, allowing him to pick her up bridal style, since it was more convenient to carry her that way and she could wrap her arms around his neck for a better hold. And a small part of him was terrified if he carried her while working against gravity , unlike with the wire arrow, she might slip down and his heart would actually stop if he had to touch her chest. Bridal style was just safer. He triggered his jetpack, using his hover boots to help stabilize himself in the air.
As they were flying he could hear Present Mic’s cry as Todoroki was announced first place, Kacchan coming in second. Oh, Bakugou was not going to be satisfied with that. The thought of having to see Kacchan in that mood was almost enough to make him pause, but as he felt Hatsume’s grip tighten around his neck, he shook those thoughts away. With a spark of determination burning inside him, they soared through the tunnel, landing back in the main arena to earn their respective third(Hatsume) and forth(Midoriya) places.
Kacchan was steaming . Midoriya felt a twinge of fear run down his spine as the angsty aura emanated off Bakugou. Todoroki on the other hand… he was just expressionless, which wasn’t horribly strange for his friend, but he knew Todoroki could smile. He’d felt a little proud to be the one to bring a few of them out of the stoic boy. Now, it was subtle, but Todoroki almost looked dejected with his win.
There was a forceful slap on his shoulder that jolted him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Hatsume buzzing with energy beside him.
“That was great, Izuku-kun!” she chirped, a fire in her eyes as she added, “We’re going to get so many sponsors!” before laughing to herself. Cackling might have actually been the better word.
The two boys finally noticed them after her outburst. Kacchan, he actually seemed to lose a bit of his stiffness as he glared at the two support students. His piercing stare lacked its usually deadly edge. Bakugou huffed, rolling his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest before looking away. Though it was the soft, tiny hint of a smile that Todoroki gave him that made Izuku feel warm and fuzzy.
Midnight stood beneath one of the larger screens as the second round was about to be announced. Games rapidly flickered across the screen until one was chosen, Cavalry Battle. The pro grinned as she began to explain the rules. Participants would form teams with a maximum of 4 people and then get in a ‘horse configuration,’ which looked more like a cheerleader standing pyramid, but he wasn’t going to argue. The objective was to earn points by swiping other teams' headbands while protecting their own. The value of a team's headband would be the sum of the points each person on the team received based on their performance in the obstacle course. The person who ranked last would be worth 5 points, and each rank above that would be worth 5 more points than the previous one. Though there was one major exception. Midoriya felt his stomach drop as his mouth hung agape. Todoroki, the 1st place winner of the previous competition was worth 10 million points!
Midoriya felt his blood run cold as everyone turned towards the peppermint-haired boy. The energy around him was unsettling, making his skin crawl as the hostility grew. A target had been chosen. His friend was that target. He tried to tell himself Todoroki would be fine, but there was an uncomfortable pit in his stomach that still worried him.
“Could you get the ice guy or that explosive kid to work with us?” Hatsume asked, “With their points and skills combined we’d definitely win.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Midoriya replied, shaking himself out of his thoughts, “You’re right, they’ll both definitely make it to the third round,” of course they would, “But Todoroki is going to have everyone gunning for him, and Kacchan’s so aggressive, he wouldn’t be able to utilize us as team members at all… No, what we need is…”
“Midoriya-kun! Do you want to work together?” he turned to see Uraraka beside him.
“Yes! That would be great!” Midoriya exclaimed before turning towards his pink-haired friend, “Mei-chan, you brought the tape gun, right?” he asked, knowing the answer as Hatsume grinned at him before disappearing.
Uraraka tilted her head to the side, “Tape-gun?” she asked as Hatsume returned with a briefcase containing the support baby.
“It was inspired by Sero’s quirk.” Midoriya explained as he took out the weapon, feeling the weight of it, “Pulling the trigger released a powerful shot that can extend up to forty meters. By hitting the blue button on the side, the gun recalls the tape back like a vacuum, while the green triggers a hidden blade inside the gun to cut whatever was extended loose. Mei-chan made it so it could be used to grab or grapple with its double-sided tape.” he smiled as he holstered the weapon, “This baby is just what we need to get more headbands.”
“What’s our gameplan, Strategist-kun?” Hatsume questioned.
Midoriya felt a light blush creep up his neck at the nickname, “Uraraka-chan, if we keep to ourselves we should be fine, but it is better to have more headbands in case ours is stolen.” Midoriya stated, “We want as many points as we can. So, if you use your quirk on our opponents and float them up, I could use the tape-gun to grab their headbands. When you release your quirk, we might even be able to disqualify them by having them touch the ground and eliminate our possible threats.”
Uraraka grinned dangerously at him, a fire burning behind her eyes as she nodded her head, “Yeah!” He appreciated her enthusiasm, but her aura sent a shiver down his spine.
“But, only if we start having people get close to us.” Midoriya stated, “Using the tape-gun for long distance attacks will be safer. We won’t always be able to stay safe though. Once people realize Todoroki and Kacchan are basically untouchable, we’ll be the next target.”
“But we’ll have stolen all their headbands before that happens!” Uraraka proclaimed.
“Of course we will,” Hatsume agreed, “My super cute babies are going to take us to victory!”
“We’re set on offense, but we need something else…” Midoriya mumbled, bringing his hand to rest on his chin, “One person who can protect us once we have enough headbands to secure our victory…”
A name instantly came to mind and Midoriya was off, darting through the crowd as he tried to find the boy before another team scouted him out.
“Tokoyami, would you join our group?” Midoriya asked, standing in front of the raven-like feathery face of Tokoyami Fumikage, “You wouldn’t have to be offensive, we really just need someone to defend what we have. With our combined score, we’re pretty much guaranteed fourth place.” he added, hoping it was enough to persuade the teen to join them.
“Our main strategy is to stay back and try and grab a few lower-level headbands to secure our place in forth.” Midoriya explained, “Everyone will be gunning for Todoroki for his points and Kacchan after his declaration. If we stay out of their way and keep quiet, we’ll definitely make it to the final round.”
“Alright, I will join you.” Tokoyami agreed.
Midoriya’s face lit up as he smiled wide. Hatsume and Uraraka appeared behind him a moment later, scolding him for running off without telling them.
“It surprised me you wanted me for defense,” Tokoyami remarked, “Midoriya, as a strategist, did you already know the limitations of my quirk?”
“No, I’m still working on understanding everyone's quirks.” Midoriya replied.
Tokoyami nodded, “Then let me tell you a little more about my quirk,” he insisted, “My Quirk's offensive ability increases the darker it is, but it becomes fierce and difficult to control. In a well-lit space such as this, Dark Shadow will be less powerful, but he will listen.”
Their conversation was cut off as the games officially began. Tokoyami stood at the front, with Hatsume and Uraraka taking up the rear while Midoriya ‘rode’ on top. They started off near the back, waiting as the others rushed forward, all gunning for the 10 million points. Todoroki threw up blockades of ice, blocking attacks and freezing entire teams to the ground. Midoriya took advantage of a few, firing off his tape-gun to snag three headbands before the groups could notice.
After slipping the white fabric around his neck, their team rocketed into second place. He knew they weren’t going to stay there, but the goal was top four. He kept reminding himself that he needed to protect what he had. Let everyone target Todoroki. He knew his friend was strong enough to hold onto those points, even with Kacchan gunning for the dual wielder. As much as he wanted to help everyone, he had Hatsume, Uraraka, and Tokoyami relying on him. He’d promised to get them to the final battle, and he was going to get them there.
He felt two of the headbands around his neck slip away, turning to see a hand holding them. Tokage! He turned, seeing the green-haired girl grinning at him.
“Tokoyami!” Midoriya cried, calling upon his teammate to guard them. The raven faced boy managed to block Tokage’s second hand from swiping any more, “Mei-chan, Uraraka-chan, watch your heads.” he warned as he triggered his jetpack, launching them into the air. It was a short flight, but it was what they needed to move further back and away from the more aggressive teams.
He looked around for another one to steal, but found that most teams had already lost their bands. Midoriya stared up at the scoreboard, hoping to figure out what was happening, only to find himself more confused as Kacchan’s name dropped to zero points. That couldn’t be right. He watched as Monoma’s name rose to second place, only to drop to forth a moment later, pushing Midoriya into fifth. He’d felt a spike of panic run down his spine before Monoma promptly dropped to zero and Kacchan was back up.
If it was that easy to change places, they really needed more headbands. Just as he was scanning the area, someone came up behind them, nearly grabbed the white fabric tied around Midoriya’s head. Uraraka was the closest, reaching out to slap the offenders arm, activating her quirk. The boy floated up in the air, the headbands dangling from his neck. Midoriya aimed and fired, his tape latching onto the bundle. As he recalled them back into the gun, Uraraka dropped the kid, who plummeted to the ground before his team could catch him. Dark Shadow blocked their side as another two teams surrounded them.
Time was ticking down. He felt a sudden chill as the space around them froze. Midoriya turned towards the cold, spotting Todoroki, moving to guard himself as Kacchan soared through the air, edging closer to the dual wielder, arm outstretched as he reached for the 10 million- Then the round ended. Bakugou fell gracelessly to the ground, a cloud of dust rising around him. Midoriya had never felt more relieved. The final scores were in. Team Todoroki had maintained first, Kacchan was second, Tokage was third, and- Midoriya felt the tears spilling down his cheeks as he saw his name on the board. They did it!
The instant euphoria that filled his body was gone as he realized what that meant. He did it. He was also a member of this team. He was going to have to fight in the final battle. Shit.
He had all of lunch break to come up with a plan, but what? Midoriya poked at his food. His lips pursed as he stared down at his bowl with a furrowed brow.
“Is the Katsudon not good here? You haven’t eaten.” Todoroki commented, “Do you want some of my soba?”
“Ah- no thank you.” Midoriya replied, feeling his face flush as he jolted upright, turning to face his friend, “I guess I’m just nervous.” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
“You’ll be fine.” Todoroki remarked, “Recovery girl is on standby if you get hurt, but I don’t think you will.”
“Thanks.” Midoriya said, feeling a little lighter.
“Of course he’ll be fine!” Hatsume remarked, “He has my super cute babies!”
“Yeah.” Midoriya agreed, “I’ll make sure lots of companies see how they work. Did you remember to write your name on the glue belt?”
“Yep!” she chirped, “I branded them all, just like you planned, business partner-kun!”
After that, he’d managed to take a few bites of food before his phone started shouting at him in All Might’s voice. Lunch had come and gone, but his stomach was buzzing with nerves. He looked up at the round-robin style chart, breathing out a sigh when he learned he wouldn’t be fighting Todoroki or Kacchan. Unless he won. The tension was back in his muscles as he stewed over the thought of fighting either. He couldn’t not give it his all, but still, his nerves were stabbing him in the chest. It really didn’t help that he was up first.
Present Mic’s voice rang out through the speakers, “Alright! Is everyone ready for the poltergeist powerhouse from 1-B, Yanagi Reiko! ” the crowd cheered loudly as the voice hero continued, “And don’t underestimate the first ever quirkless competitor for the final event, representing class 1-F it’s that strategist from support, Midoriya Izuku!”
Midoriya could feel his stomach flip as he walked out onto the concrete battle arena. He willed his pulse to stop racing as he tried to focus on a battle plan. The glue belt around his waist paired nicely with his tape-gun. The jetpack and hover soles were still ready and fueled. Midoriya knew he could win by rendering his opponent unable to move, preventing them from continuing the fight. That was his only realistic shot of making it through to the next round.
Midnight repeated the rules as the two stood on opposing sides. Midoriya took a deep breath, fingers itching to reach for his belt. He grit his teeth, knowing he’d need to act fast. Once the match had officially begun, Midoriya threw a lob shot high in the air followed by a series of direct shots. Yanagi moved skillfully as she dodged the sticky orbs barreling towards her, even managing to grab a few with her telekinetic reach. Then the lob fell at her feet behind her. Midoriya triggered his trap, letting out a sigh of relief as Yanagi pulled at the glue; her legs weren’t budging.
Midnight began to ask if the ghostly girl could still fight in this state. Just when he was sure of his victory, Midoriya’s muscles tensed as he suddenly felt his legs pulled out from under him. This wasn’t the work of his jetpack or the hover soles. As his body twisted in the air, he saw Yanagi’s concentrated stare. She was still in this. His mind raced, trying to think of something, anything. If he could activate his jetpack, he might be able to forcibly break her control, but he couldn’t press the button.
It was a stroke of luck that Yanagi had contorted him in a way where he managed to grab the tape-gun, instantly firing off a shot as soon as he’d gripped the trigger. He had been aiming for her face, trying to block her vision, but she had jerked him up, causing him to overshoot. As the tape fell uselessly to the ground, Midoriya triggered the gun to cut it loose, firing again, this time, snagging Yanagi’s arm. He recalled the tape, causing the stuck girl to pull him towards her.
As he was rapidly gaining speed, he suddenly felt gravity hit him. It took him a second to realize Yanagi had dropped her hold over him. He didn’t have time to understand why as he readied his second glueball. Midoriya leaned to his side as he threw the orb at the ghostly girl's head. He knew he needed to blind her. It landed against her cheek and he knew he’d done it. Just as his finger brushed the buckle’s trigger. Midoriya felt his body tighten. He blinked in confusion, realizing too late that Yagami had grabbed the discarded tape, and bound him with it.
Midoriya grit his teeth, struggling to press the button before the familiar sensation grabbed hold of him. Yanagi was bleeding from her nose as she sent him flying through the air. He had managed to trigger the last glueball, temporarily blinding her, but Midoriya found himself dropped out of bounds, hitting the concrete hard as he landed.
Hatsume was on standby with a solution crafted to dissolve the glue coating Yagami. Midoriya had known before hand that there was no permanent threat of the sticky substance getting on his opponents hair or skin. He’d never be able to use it on his fellow students otherwise. He couldn’t help but struggle to sit up as the tape wrapped him tighter than a mummy. He knew he’d have to wait for Hatsume to cut him free. The tape was designed to withstand villains with strength enhancement quirks. Even if he’d gotten stronger over the summer, there was no getting out of it alone.
“Izuku-kun that was amazing!” Hatsume chirped, unsheathing a knife she’d been developing to cut through just about anything, “I was watching the crowd and I saw the support companies talking about my gear! After my sales pitch, there’s no way we won’t get offers!”
Midoriya smiled gently, his body sore and still recovering from having the wind knocked out of him on landing, “Thanks. I just wish I could have won. Then they would have really been impressed with your gear.” he lamented, “If it was so good a quirkless kid could win, then it must be incredible in the hands of a pro.”
She just shrugged, giving him a lopsided grin, “You basically tied.” Hatsume pointed out, “If you hadn’t landed out of bounds, it would have been a draw. That’s plenty impressive, if you ask me.”
“Mei-chan…” Midoriya’s words sounded choked up as he felt tears pricking his eyes.
Hastume pulled him to his feet before giving him a tight hug, “You did great!” she reiterated.
Midoriya took a step back, wiping the tears from his cheeks. Before he could properly thank her, she cut him off, “Go ahead and grab our seats.” Hatsume said, an almost mischievous glint in her eyes, “I want to talk to my opponent before our match and see if I can get him to show off my super cute babies too!”
“Oh, that’s a good idea.” Midoriya remarked, “That way you could make the round a real sales pitch.” he knew that’s what she wanted since she’d crafted her microphone baby that could hack into any nearby speaker.
“See you soon, Izuku-kun!” Hatsume chirped before darting off.
He sniffled, wiping his eyes before heading back through the halls beneath the stadium. Midoriya sighed, gently rubbing the bruises that blossomed over his lower back and hip. They weren’t bad enough to warrant a visit to Recovery Girl, but they were still tender.
He paused in front of one of the waiting rooms. Todoroki’s match was up next, maybe he should wish him luck. This one should be his… Before he could second guess himself, his knuckles knocked against the door. A rosy flush colored his cheeks as the door instantly opened, Midoriya’s hand still raised. His eyes locked with Todoroki’s.
“U-Um…” Midoriya stammered, “I wanted to say, I’ll be cheering for you, so please do your best!” his words tumbling out faster than he’d meant.
The dual wielder blinked at him for a moment before simply uttering, “Oh.”
Midoriya’s gaze fell, his nails digging into his palms as he stared at his shoes. His mind whirled, trying to think of something to say that would let him retreat without any further embarrassment. Then, he suddenly felt his heart skip a beat as Todoroki took his hand in his own, “Thank you, Midoriya-kun,” the dual wielder replied, giving his hand a squeeze, “I intend to win today.”
The moment was shattered by the loud footsteps that thundered through the hall behind them. Todoroki looked past him, the taller boy’s face suddenly growing cold. Midoriya felt a shiver run down his spine as he took in the dual wielder’s scary expression. He then looked down and realized there was a thin layer of ice building up on the hand Todoroki was holding. He swallowed, wondering just who would have set the stoic boy off. Todoroki hadn’t even looked that intense during the USJ fight.
Midoriya pivoted to look behind himself, eyes widening as he saw the Flame Hero: Endeavor stomping towards them. Wasn’t that Todoroki’s dad? He knew the Todoroki name was about as common as fire type quirks, and he’d never heard anything about Endeavor’s family life, but he was sure somewhere in Yuuei’s database, he’d seen the family relation.
“I have to go to my match,” Todoroki stated, pulling Midoriya out of his thoughts, “I’ll find you when it’s over.” he promised.
“O-Okay, I’ll be in the 1-F booth.” Midoriya replied, “Good luck.”
He was quick to round the corner, his pace only fastening as he moved down the hall. Midoriya really didn’t want to eavesdrop.
Unlike the other courses, Support was a relatively confined group, only accepting a handful of highly skilled and specialized students into its ranks. That meant they had plenty of spare seats in 1-F’s viewing booth. After all, they were all built to seat the standard classes of twenty.
Midoriya decided to sit in the back row, with, what he considered, a better view of the arena below. As much as he wanted to be closer to the actual fight, he’d seen just how large Todoroki could make his glaciers. One was practically guaranteed to reach at least one booth. Depending on how the battles went, maybe multiple.
Despite its booming sound, Midoriya barely heard Present Mic announcing the match. He was too focused on the peppermint haired boy standing opposite to Sero Hanta, the tall lanky boy with tape in his elbows. The moment the match began, Sero launched his attack, ensnaring Todoroki before yanking on his tape to pull him out of bounds.
A spike of nerves jabbed at his chest, even though his mind knew Todoroki wasn’t in as much danger as it seemed. Surely enough, the dual wielder let out an icy blast, trapping Sero in a glacier of ice that was so large it extended out of the stadium! Midoriya felt his jaw drop as his notebook hit the floor, the pen disappearing under nearby chairs.
His breath was foggy as he craned his head up, staring wide-eyed at Todoroki’s attack. He was so powerful and cool. As he looked back down towards the two teens, he couldn’t help but notice how when Todoroki moved to free Sero from the ice, melting the glacier with his left side, that he just looked miserable despite his victory. Why?
He didn’t have long to think it over before the stage was reset and the next match was set to begin, Shiozaki Ibara vs Kaminari Denki. He picked up his notebook, relinquishing his pen to the stadium as he pulled a pencil out of his pocket.
Shiozaki definitely had the advantage in this battle. Her vines were grounded, allowing her to completely nullify Kaminari’s electrical attacks. His best strategy would be to try and get around her for some physical attacks that didn’t rely on his quirk. When Kaminari chose to fry his brain with a big electric blast, Midoriya made a note in his profile to encourage more problem-solving study sessions. He guessed something like a video game that made him think things through would be the best way to get Kaminari to actually do it both willingly and ‘enthusiastically’ would be too strong a word, but certainly more so than if it were a school project or something associated with ‘work.’
“That seems wise.”
Midoriya jumped, head whipping around towards the voice. Hatsume had left to prepare for her match. A familiar set of charcoal and ice eyes gazed back at him. And he’d been mumbling. The rest of his classmates hadn’t commented on it or given him any odd looks. They were accustomed to the quiet whispers Midoriya uttered under his breath. That didn’t stop the blush from creeping up his neck, reaching his ears.
“Todoroki-kun,” he said, before straightening up in his seat, “Congratulations on your match!” Midoriya internally winced at how his words came out too loud and rushed. The only thing stopping his premature death was that his voice hadn’t cracked.
“Thank you.” Todoroki replied.
Both were silenced as the crowd was once again greeted by Present Mic’s enthusiastic voice. The hero introduced Iida and Hatsume to the arena. Before the match could begin, Midnight stated that “Hero course students aren’t allowed to use support gear without the proper paperwork.”
Iida was clearly flustered as he apologized, explaining how Hatsume had offered the equipment to keep the fight fair. He said that he wanted to honor her integrity and wear the gear. That didn’t sit right with Midoriya. He pursed his lips as Midnight grinned, allowing the fight to commence with the gear in play.
“Keep the fight fair?” Midoriya repeated under his breath, “Wait, don’t tell me…”
“Don’t tell you what?” Todoroki questioned.
“Did she not tell Iida-kun her plan?” Midoriya said, running his fingers through his curls.
“Her plan?” Todoroki asked.
Midoriya didn’t need to answer as the match began. Hatsume turned her mic on as she quickly began to turn the match into a live commercial for her gadgets. She skillfully used each of her babies to help them both, continuing the battle just long enough to properly show off each and every function. The last baby that she pulled out was her capture gun, tangling Iida-kun in a net. The cameras would undoubtedly have seen her name printed clearly and boldly on all of her gear, but she made sure to re-introduce herself directly to the support companies in the audience. With her sales pitch made, Hatsume stepped out of bounds, forfeiting the round to Iida-kun.
“She’s very resourceful…” Todoroki commented.
Midoriya let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck, a little smile tugging at the edge of his lips, “Yeah.” he agreed. He just wished Hatsume had been honest with Iida-kun from the start. He seemed like a reasonable person. If she’d explained how she wanted to demonstrate her support gear to the representatives in the audience and at home, he probably would have still agreed to help. After all, he would still move on to the next round, and it was an admirable goal to want her work seen by her future employers.
Ashido Mina was up next against Tokage Setsuna. Midoriya’s pencil tapped against the clean page as his eyes scanned the arena. He barely registered Hatsume as she returned to join them, crowing about sponsors.
Tokage was quick to move on the offensive, throwing parts of herself at Ashido. The pink girl was slippery though, easily dodging her attacks while throwing up a protective acid shield that melted through the chunks Tokage had separated from herself. The lizard girl was soon slowed as Ashido moved in for a close-ranged attack, knocking Tokage out. With a quirk that relied on maintaining all her parts to prevent her regeneration from slowing her down, Tokage really had a poor matchup against Ashido and her acid.
The following battle between Tokoyami Fumikage and Yaoyorozu Momo proved similar, but in a very different way.
Momo was quick to make a shield with her creation quirk, only to be forced back by Tokoyami’s direct attack. Dark shadow might have been weakened by the bright lights, but it looked like Momo was having a tough time deciding on the best course of action. Midoriya knew the feeling. It had taken him a while to learn how to think quickly enough to act before his opportunity slipped away from him. Just like Momo’s vanished from her as the ponytailed girl stepped out of bounds without even realizing it. He’d have to suggest some timed event style games to help Momo. She needed to rely on her gut decision-making skills more and work on a detailed plan from there. As for Tokoyami, he seemed to work really well with Dark Shadow. The only thing he wondered was just how unruly the quirk got at night, since Tokoyami had mentioned Dark Shadow didn’t like to listen to him then.
Midoriya gazed down at the concrete battle stage, listening to Present Mic introduce the silver-haired boy with white eyelashes and a very repetitive name, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, who would be facing the redheaded manly teen, Kirishima Eijirou.
The two teens had such similar quirks. Tetsutetsu’s steel and Kirishima’s hardening both protected themselves from physical blows. What they really needed was to improve their techniques. As of now, they might as well be fighting against one another quirkless. Neither seemed to know how to grab or pin his opponent. They weren’t thinking their actions through at all, they were just throwing punchings, hoping the other would tire out first. With that logic, they’d both just end up passing out in a few minutes. They gave into their frustrations too quickly, both still mad about having to face an opponent so similar to themselves. He’d have to suggest their teachers work on their ability to read their opponent's fighting style and counter it. They couldn’t just rely on their quirks alone. What if a villain had a similar quirk, but more endurance?
He shut his notebook, turning towards the peppermint haired boy sitting beside him, “Um, hey, I know it’s not my place to ask, but Todoroki-kin,” Midoriya began, “When you were melting Sero-kun out of the ice earlier… you looked sad. Why is that?”
There was a long stretch of silence between the two. Midoriya was about to apologize when Todoroki replied,“Let’s talk somewhere more private.” he stated, taking Midoriya’s hand in his own, causing the green-haired boy’s pulse to race.
They walked through the empty stadium halls, reaching a more secluded corridor when Todoroki asked him, “Have you heard of quirk marriages?”
Midoriya blinked, feeling his heart sink for a moment. He’d known quirk marriages were a thing, but little about their inner workings. He could barely wrap his head around the idea of marrying for something other than love.
Todoroki carried on, “My father realized that he would never achieve his dream of beating All Might. That was when he decided to make a child with the perfect quirk combination to earn that spot. I was born to surpass him, to become the next number one hero.”
“Well… you’re already my number one hero, Shouto-kun.” Midoriya admitted, a pink blush on his cheeks.
Todoroki’s eyes widened, the rest of his face stayed expressionless as he said, “I’m not a hero yet.”
“You are to me.” Midoriya retorted, letting a small silence fall between them before asking, “But… being number one, is that what you want to do? Or is that your dad’s dream?”
“It’s never really been about what I want. Even at the beginning, I wasn’t given much of a choice. My mother tried to protect me from training, but that man was insistent that I start as soon as my quirk manifested.” Todoroki explained, “Then one night while she was on the phone, I wandered into the kitchen. I could hear her talking about me. How my left side reminded her of that man. She wasn’t sure she could look at me. I called out to her, not knowing what was wrong.” he reached up to touch his scar, “You’re left side is unsightly” Todoroki stated, “My mother said that as she poured boiling water on me.”
Midoriya went still, his chest tightened at the very thought of something so horrible. Before he could let himself think, he had lunged forward, pulling Todoroki into a tight hug. The boy was stiff in his arms, but Midoriya didn’t loosen his grip, “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but no part of you is unsightly.” he said quietly, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“It was a long time ago.” Todoroki stated.
“That doesn’t mean it can’t still hurt… Time doesn’t invalidate a wound.” Midoriya countered, staining Todoroki’s uniform with his tears, “You don’t look like him though. Not even your left. You look like yourself.” he stated, “I didn’t even know he was your dad until I read your file.” he added quietly.
Present Mic’s voice rang out through the stadium, announcing the draw Midoriya had predicted. He begrudgingly released Todoroki, taking a step back as he dried his eyes. When he looked up at the dual wielder, he caught that serious gaze the boy was shooting, not at Midoriya, but back towards the stadium.
“I’m going to win today, and I’ll do it without using my bastard of a father's quirk.” Todoroki stated, “By rising to the top without using it... I'll have denied him everything.”
Midoriya paused, staring at his friend before taking Todoroki’s hand in his own, “That guy doesn’t have a half-cold half-hot quirk.” he mumbled softly as he started to gently lead Todoroki back inside, “You do.”
The peppermint-haired boy remained silent for the rest of their walk back. Midoriya had a heavy heart as he wondered if he should have said more.
Uraraka and Kacchan were already facing off when they returned to their seats. The brunette girl had charged forward, reaching out to grab Bakugou before he could strike. She’d done everything right, but Kacchan was faster. He blew her back, taking chunks of concrete along with her. The explosion left a cloud of dust and smoke in its wake. Uraraka used it to her advantage, taking off her shirt and making it float. Kacchan had fallen for the trap, but he reacted too quickly for her to capitalize on it.
Kacchan had blasted her back. Again and again, the cycle repeated. They were both playing to win. Uraraka striking low, refusing to give Bakugou the time he needed to make his winning blow. She wasn’t giving him an inch. The concrete stage was filled with craters as Kacchan’s explosions kept breaking the floor.
One hero in the crowd started to ‘boo’ Kacchan for ‘playing with Uraraka’ instead of ending it quickly. Aizawa-sensei stole the mic to call that hero out, taking the words right out of Midoriya’s mouth. They both wanted to win. If Kacchan had allowed himself to underestimate Uraraka, he’d have lost in the first five seconds. He was taking her seriously.
It wasn’t much longer until Uraraka pulled out her special move, having floated chunks of debris high above the stadium without anyone’s noticed. They had all been too focused on Kacchan’s flashy quirk. Meteor Shower rained down onto the stage. Midoriya watched as Kacchan raised his arm, supporting it with his other hand as he blew the rubble away. He watched the way he rubbed his forearm, the muscles strained from the intensity of Uraraka’s attack.
But just as things were beginning, Uraraka collapsed, passing out from the sheer exhaustion. Midnight declared Kacchan the victor as Uraraka was taken to Recovery Girl.
Before he knew what he was doing, Midoriya was on his feet. He turned to see Todoroki following his lead.
“You want to check on her.” a statement, not a question.
Hatsume waved them off. He understood that she didn’t really know much about Uraraka outside of the help she’d given them in the cavalry battle.
The two teens slipped out of their booth, navigating the empty halls as they neared the nurses office. As they turned the corner, Recovery Girl’s office door flung open. A familiar sour face was leaving, Kacchan. He’d only taken a few steps before he looked up, suddenly frozen in place. They stood there for a few moments before Bakugou broke the silence.
“You weren’t the one who gave her that dumbass plan, were you Zuku?” Kacchan questioned, more like accused.
“No, Uraraka-chan’s actions were her own.” Midoriya stated, “I didn’t even get a chance to talk to her before your match!”
There was a gentle hand on his shoulder, “You don’t have to explain yourself, Midoriya-kun.” Todoroki stated, his gaze locked with the ashe blonde across from them.
Kacchan was scowling, but instead of the threats Midoriya was accustomed to, he simply muttered under his breath, “Tsk” before stomping off down the hall.
After a moment, Todoroki lightly nudged him, “Let’s go.” he prompted.
Midoriya nodded his head, “Yeah.” he said softly.
The two approached the door, knuckles knocking against its surface before they let themselves in. Uraraka was blearily waking up from her spot on a white bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“Oh, Todoroki-kun, Midoriya-kun,” Uraraka said, grinning widely at them, “Did you come to check on me?” she asked, laughing lightly as she sat up, rubbing the back of her neck, “That’s so sweet, but I’m fine! Promise!”
“You fought well in your match.” Todoroki commented, and all Midoriya could do was nod in agreement.
“Thanks! I’ll definitely do better next time, though!” she declared, still smiling as she added, “I’ve got to call my parents though.”
“We’ll see you later then.” Midoriya replied.
His heart hurt seeing her smile. Midoriya knew first hand what it looked like to force yourself to act happy, like nothing was wrong when you were dying inside. She had fought so hard, only to be betrayed by her own body. Her will to fight was still burning bright inside her. How could she not be upset?
“You’re thinking too hard.”
Midoriya blinked, feeling the tension in his muscles start to relax, “Huh?” he mumbled.
“Uraraka-san is strong. She’ll overcome her defeat.” Todoroki stated, his confidence was almost infectious.
“Yeah.” he agreed.
By the time they had gotten back to their seats, Kirishima had won the arm-wrestling tiebreaker against Tetsutetsu. Todoroki had to run. His match would officially start the quarter-finals.
Midoriya readied his pencil as he opened a new page in his notebook. He needed to give his all, just like everyone else. If they were going to try their hardest, then he’d definitely use these battles to help them.
Down below, Todoroki stood facing Yanagi. The ghostly girl seemed a shade paler. Midoriya guessed that anyone would after what happened to Sero… As soon as the battle began, Todoroki knelt down, putting up a wall of ice was moved to encircle Yanagi, trapping her in a frozen cage. There was way too much ice for her to telekinetically lift. A small part of him felt warm, like Todoroki had avenged his own loss. It was silly, but that didn't stop the smile that tugged on his lip.
Yanagi needed something to prevent her from being blinded. A support weapon would help, but some overall training would help. She'd need to be faster if she was ever caught on her own.
Iida’s match followed as he faced off against Shiozaki. He didn’t let the vine-haired girl have the chance to use her quirk against him as he gripped her shoulders, using the burst from his engines to push her out of bounds. It was a quick and clever win for the round. Midoriya wondered if after Hatsume had played her ‘game’ with him, Iida wanted to end his battles as quickly as possible. Either way, Shiozaki needed to work on her reaction time. That would have been bad if she’d been fighting a villain.
Tokoyami’s fight wasn’t very different from Iida’s. Dark Shadow had forced Ashido out of bounds, ending the round before it could really begin. He wondered if she had been too intimidated by Tokoyami’s quirk, or if she couldn’t think through her plan when her opponent so forcefully barreled towards her. Maybe she and Kaminari would both need brain games to help them succeed.
The next match certainly wasn’t a short one. Kacchan and Kirishima were both quick to move into the offensive, trading blows with one another. Kirishima’s quirk was dampening Kacchan’s explosions, rendering them almost useless. He was pretty sure he saw blood when one of Kirishima’s punches managed to hit Bakugou’s cheek, causing Kacchan to back off. Midoriya felt like he was in shock as he watched what happened next, his mouth going dry from hanging open. Kirishima unleashed a quick flurry of attacks that forced Kacchan to switch to a defensive style! Bakugou was losing ground with every dodge, keeping up the explosions until one finally managed to damage the redhead.
Quirks were physical, meaning they all had limits. Kirishima had been pushing himself past his by keeping his entire body hardened during the fight. Kacchan was too smart to not have figured that out. Kirishima’s defenses were going to fall any second! Kacchan capitalized on that, striking with a huge explosion. Kirishima had just barely managed to block it, but Bakugou was unrelenting, releasing a barrage of explosions that forced Kirishima to overuse his quirk, giving Kacchan the moment he needed to hit him with one final blow. Kirishma fell, defeated.
Midoriya wasn’t sure what Kirishima could have done differently. Maybe if he’d held back, only hardened what he needed while he searched for some kind of opening. Though Kacchan wouldn’t have given him many options. Trying to push him out before Bakugou realized his defenses were breaking was a solid strategy. He needed some way of preventing his enemy from breaking his resolve. Endurance training might help extend the time he has to use his quirk, but more than that, he needed to prioritize sections of his hardening, focus on concentrated areas.
As his mumbling droned on, his pencil flew across his paper, only looking up when he heard Present Mic’s voice echo through the stadium.
Midoriya watched as the semi-finals began with Todoroki facing off against Iida. The dual wielder once again started by using his ice attack, forcing Iida to evade by sprinting towards Todoroki’s right side using his Engine legs. But Todoroki defended himself by freezing the ground with his right arm. It was a trap! Iida now found himself between two waves of ice. Todoroki moved in with another freezing attack, but Iida avoided it with a rather impressive standing long jump.
The taller boy moved mid-air, activating his Recipro Burst technique. As his engines fired up, Todoroki barely had a chance to dodge the initial kick, ducking out of the way. Iida wasn’t about to give up, instantly following up with a second powerful kick that slammed Todoroki into the ground. Midoriya gasped, as he watched Iida leapt over his still prone state to grab Todoroki by his shirt, dragging the boy towards the edge of the arena before the dual wielder could launch another large scale ice attack.
Midoriya felt his heart pounding in his chest as his stomach sank. Just as he was sure Todoroki was done for, Iida stopped mid-sprint. Hatsume was the one to say, “He has ice in his engines! Todoroki-kun blocked them up!”
His face flushed as he scolded himself for forgetting Todoroki could use precision attacks. It only took a moment for the boy to freeze the ground, grabbing Iida’s arm as he encased most of the taller boy’s body in ice. Midoriya shivered as he remembered what that felt like. He shook his head, hoping the memories would go with it. Now, since Iida was unable to fight, Todoroki would be moving onto the finals.
Iida had underestimated Todoroki and it had cost him the match. If he continued like this, he would easily be overcome in a real fight against villains. He needed more battle practice, preferably against students he knew little about.
While he theorized, Present Mic announced the start of the next battle, Katsuki Bakugo vs. Fumikage Tokoyami. The raven-faced boy had taken his first two victories with ease. How would he handle someone who always strives to win? Head on, apparently.
Dark Shadow moved to strike Kacchan, but was hit with an explosion. Tokoyami managed to use his quirk to shield himself from the blast damage as Kacchan forced him back with every blast. His quirk was weakened by light. If this continued, Dark Shadow would never be able to go on the offensive. The spacious stage and open stadium left no dark spots for the Tokoyami to recharge his quirk.
Kacchan was in the air, using another explosion to propel himself through the air towards Tokoyami. His attacks were getting faster. Dark Shadow moved to grab him, but Kacchan was just as good at dodging mid-air as he was on the ground. He landed behind Tokoyami.
Dark Shadow was quick to adjust, rushing Kacchan, but Bakugou had another unleashed a stun grenade move, the blinding flash it created weakened Tokoyami’s quirk considerably. He capitalized on the moment, grabbing him by the beak as he kept Dark Shadow at bay with a steady series of small explosions in his other hand. Tokoyami was forced to surrender, making Kacchan the winner.
Dark Shadow needed some way to recharge outside of his hero costume. He assumed that was what the large poncho-cape was for at least. Maybe Tokoyami should also work on his hand to hand. If he was always relying on his quirk, then he’d be at an extreme disadvantage.
As Midoriya wrote in his notebook, his stomach flipped. The final match was coming up and he wasn’t really sure who he was rooting for. Todoroki was his friend, but so was Kacchan. They both wanted to win so badly. His stomach sank, he wanted Todoroki to win. He knew it. That’s why it felt so bad. Todoroki’s goal was to both appease and deny his father. But Kacchan, he was self-motivated.
Present Mic’s voice boomed through the stadium, hyping up the attendees for the finale. Midoriya swallowed as he stared at the two teens below. Todoroki began the match with a focused version of his giant glacier attack. As Midoriya leaned forward in his seat, he could see the sparks of light coming from within seconds before Kacchan emerged, having tunneled his way out.
Todoroki charged forward as Kacchan used an explosion to rush him. Before the dual wielder could grab him, Bakugou had dodged with another blast, letting him grip Todoroki by his left side, hurling him towards the edge of the arena with a throw that had been boosted with an explosive punch. Midoriya gasps as the match nearly ended, sighing as Todoroki recovered, creating a wave of ice that he surfed, curving himself back into the main stage.
As Todoroki moved to attack Kacchan with another freezing attack, Bakugou avoided the ice, but before he could get another hit, Todoroki grabbed him, but with his left. He wasn’t using his fire, tossing Kacchan back. Bakugou picked himself up, taking to the sky. He was using his explosions to propel himself into a circular motion, almost like he was encasing him in a tornado.
Ice alone wasn’t going to do it, not against Kacchan. Midoriya wasn’t thinking as he leaned forward in his seat, squeezing his eyes shut.
Over the roar of the crowd, he shouted, “Don’t hold back!” his heart was beating rapidly, “ Shouto, it’s your power! ”
He knew he wasn’t the loudest person in a room, but when Midoriya opened his eyes, his gaze locked with Todoroki’s, just for a moment. Then the stage was engulfed in a roar of flames.
Todoroki had aimed his fire up towards Kacchan, but before they could reach Bakugou, the ashe blonde unleashed his Howitzer Impact technique, utilizing the build up of oxygen pulled in by his twister-like spin to fuel the incoming explosion. Even though some of Todoroki’s flames had burned up some of that oxygen, it hadn’t been fast enough. The blast was still enormous, almost shaking the entire stadium. The impact alone destroyed Todoroki’s ice and sent him flying out of bounds. Kacchan stood alone within the arena, panting. He’d won.
He couldn’t think of what to do differently. It felt so wrong to critique him now. To tell him he should have been using his flames to start with. The lead on his pencil snapped. It was for the best. He closed his notebook, mind still lost. Hatsume was babbling beside him, but they both knew she was talking to herself, mostly rubber-ducking her support weapon schematics on him. The shaking stopped and his breathing returned to normal. Midoriya dug his nails into his palm. He’d be fine.
As the top three students stood on the pillars Cementoss had promptly created, All Might appeared to award them all their medals. Kacchan looked extremely pleased with his ‘indisputable first-place victory,’ though Midoriya wondered if he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes, but no, it was still there. The ashe blonde was grinning up at All Might, but he didn’t quite look smug , which was his usual state of being, especially after a victory. A small part of him wondered if Kacchan was happy because it hadn’t been easy. Unlike all the ‘battles’ in their neighborhood, this had tested him, forced him to pull out a few super moves in order to secure his victory. He was proud of himself, but he wasn’t being a jerk about it. Huh.
The ceremony went on for a little longer than expected, but pictures needed to be taken with the winners, after all. Midoriya stayed back, waiting as the others filed out. Hatsume had offered to stay with him, but he didn’t think Todoroki would want that, so he returned the last of her support gear and bid her farewell.
As he leaned against the wall where they had previously talked, Midoriya began to wonder if he should’ve texted Todoroki. The dual wielder might have already gone home with his father or something. Or he could be on the opposite side of the stadium or-
“I used fire.”
Midoriya squeaked, jumping as he turned towards the voice. Todoroki was there, his shiny silver medal dangling from his neck.
Todoroki was staring at him, “I heard your voice, and without thinking, I broke my vow.” he stated.
The green-haired boy was in the middle of making his apology when he was cut off.
“At that time,” Todoroki remarked, “You called me Shouto.”
Midoriya felt his heart stop as his mouth hung open, no words coming out as his chest tightened. He was beet red, stuttering up a storm as he tried to apologize. Todoroki cut him off, “I want you to call me that again.”
He had to have heard him wrong. Midoriya’s blush somehow darkened as his brain short-circuited.
“Izuku-kun, call me by my first name.”
That was it. Midoriya had died. He was nearly shaking as he tried to say, “S-Shou… Shouto-kun.”
Todoroki just nodded his head, a ghost of pink dusting his cheeks, “Please call me Shouto from now on.”
He was rapidly nodding his head, so much so that he thought he might have given himself a headache with how dizzy he felt, “P-Please call me Izuku then too!” Midoriya replied.
“Izuku-kun,” Todoroki repeated, and Midoriya nearly fainted, “You called out to me, through the crowds I heard your voice… At that moment, I forgot all about him.”
Midoriya didn’t need to ask who Todoroki was talking about.
“I’m still unsure how I feel about my left…” Todoroki admitted, gazing down at his hand, “But, I want to be a hero.” he stated, his nails digging into his palm, “I lost because I was unprepared to use that bastard's-” he paused, glancing at Midoriya before continued, “ My fire. I don’t know if I could forgive myself if someone was hurt because I was unprepared in battle… I think I’m going to visit my mother.”
Midoriya took Todoroki’s left hand in his own, causing the dual wielder to direct his gaze on him, “I’m not going to tell you what to do with your own quirk, but… I’m glad you’re trying. Even if you decide to never use it again, I think it was brave.”
“I want you to have this.” Todoroki stated. Midoriya looked at the taller teen’s right hand, feeling himself squeak as Todoroki held up his silver medal.
“What?! But, I can’t take this!” he squawked, his hands flying up to his chest, “You worked so hard to earn that!”
“I want you to have it Izuku-kun.” Todoroki insisted, leaning in close as he draped the medal around his neck before he could protest any further, “Next year, I’ll give you the gold.” the dual wielder promised.
“Shouto-kun…” Midoriya mumbled, feeling tears spill down his cheeks. He sniffled, reaching up to clutch the cool metal in his palm close to his chest, “I’ll be cheering for you.”
Todoroki smiled softly at him, “Let’s both do our best.”
“Yeah!” Midoriya agreed.
His breath was stolen from him as Todoroki’s hand cupped his cheek, using his thumb to brush away Midoriya’s tears. The dual wielder was close, so close that he could feel the warm puffs of breath against his lips. It would be so easy to lean up and capture them, but instead, he tensed, feeling his face warm as he stood frozen.
“Let’s go home.” Todoroki said as though nothing had happened between them.
Midoriya took a moment for his brain to catch up, “O-Okay!”
The train ride was a blur. There were plenty of murmurs around them, most whispering Todoroki’s name. He was still dizzy. A small part of him wondered if he’d hit his head in the obstacle course and dreamed up the rest of the events. He had enough information on everyone’s quirks to plausibly imagine the fights. It certainly seemed more likely than Shouto nearly kissing him. Was that what it was though? He had been crying. Maybe he wanted to see if there was something in his eye? His gaze had been really intense. He could feel his face heating up at the memory.
He felt a warm puff of air hit his ear, “Izuku-kun, we’re here.”
Midoriya squeaked, every muscle in his body tensing. He’d nearly thrown his notes. It took him a minute to blink, whipping his head around before he realized they were standing in front of his home.
“Thank you for walking me home,” he stammered, eyes flicking between the ground at the dual wielder’s face, “Shouto-kun.” he added, face burning at the unfamiliar first name.
“Of course, Izuku-kun.” Todoroki replied.
This name thing was a double-edged sword, stabbing him from both sides. He’d squeaked again just hearing his name on Todoroki’s tongue, barely managing to wave before he retreated into his house, leaning back against the door.
He was saved from his thoughts as his mother rounded the corner, pulling him into a teary-eyed hug that lasted almost a minute. When she finally pulled back, a glint caught her eye.
“What’s this?” she asked, pointing to the medal hanging around his neck.
“O-Oh, this is Shouto-kun’s. He, um, gave it to me after he won.” Midoriya explained.
“Shouto? The boy who brought you home?” she asked, “Oh my, I didn’t realize you were so close!” she said, pulling him into another bone-crushing hug, “I’m so happy for you!”
As the tears spilled down his mother's face, he found himself smiling again, a small, real smile as warmth blossomed in his chest.
“Thanks, mom.”
Notes:
♡✧。 (⋈◍>◡<◍)。✧♡ Amazing fanart for this chapter by yunaontherun Here on Instagram or Here on Tumblr
my art for this chapter On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter Text
Good morning, Izuku. How are you feeling?
~ヾ(^∇^) Good morning Shouto! I’m great!
Good morning to you too!(⌒▽⌒ゞ I’m fine
Hey Shouto, I’m feeling better now that I’m talking to you
Good morning Shouto (꒪ ▽ ꒪)ノ I’m good, what about you?
I’m feeling well.
I look forward to seeing you at lunch.
(๑´ლ`๑)フフ♡
(…) typing
OMG SORRY I WAS TRYING TO SEND A DIFFERENT FACE
(⌒▽⌒)THIS ONE
Ah.
Both are cute, but I prefer to see your face.
I
( *o* ) how can you say things like that???
(๑꒪⍘꒪๑) i’m dead
(O∆O)
Thanks I like your face too
Midoriya sighed, his cheeks felt feverishly warm. He couldn’t think of a single reply as he defeatedly shoved his phone back into his pocket. Hopefully, Todoroki wouldn’t be upset.
The train soon arrived at the platform, pulling him out of his thoughts. As the doors began to open, he stepped on. His fingers gripped the hanging strap when he started to hear the murmurs around him. Midoriya curiously glanced around, finding nothing out of the ordinary in sight.
Suddenly, a kid spoke up, looking directly at him, “You were in the Sport’s Festival right? You’re the quirkless one!” the word stung, but the kid’s eyes were shining. It wasn’t meant as an insult.
“Y-Yeah, that was me.” Midoriya admitted, freezing up as more eyes turned towards him.
“You were so cool!” the kid gushed, “It sucks you didn’t win, but you got super close!”
Before he knew it, some of the other passengers joined in, “Yeah, you were great out there!” “Such youthful spirit!” “A shame they didn’t let you tie the first round. I was shouting at my tv!” “You were awesome!” “Yeah, you looked so cool! I was really rooting for you!” “Really gave it your Plus Ultra! ”
Midoriya blushed, smiling sheepishly, “Thank you all.” he mumbled, his head lightly spinning from the sudden burst of attention. It really didn’t help with how close everyone was.
By the time the train reached his stop, Midoriya was happy to get off. Everyone had been so friendly and kind to him, it was strange. His heart was hammering in his chest. Then, he felt something tug on the back of his jacket. Midoriya turned to see the kid from earlier.
“Can I have your autograph?” they asked.
“W-What? But, I’m just a student! And I’m going to be a support hero, not a pro hero…” Midoriya stammered, waving his hands in the air as he gestured wildly.
“Please,” they pleaded, holding up a blue journal, “I want to remember that someone like me has a chance!”
“Someone like you?” Midoriya mumbled, blinking rapidly as his mind connected the dots, “You’re quirkless too?”
The kid nodded, “Yeah, so, please give me your autograph!”
Midoriya’s hand moved before his mind caught up with his actions. The paper was signed “Midoriya Izuku, Plus Ultra!” and the kid’s smile brightened. It was almost blinding.
“Thank you!” they said before running off, the autograph clutched tightly to their chest.
“You’re welcome…” Midoriya mumbled under his breath, feeling a bit dazed.
When he’d reached the front gates, he found himself nearly knocked off his feet as a familiar head of pink hair.
“Izuku-kun, are you ready?” she questioned, releasing him from her hug-attack.
He blinked, staring at her for a moment before asking, “For what?”
“New projects? More babies? After that show we put on, we’re going to have so many investors lining up, Maijima-sensei won’t know what to do with them all!” Hatsume crowed, a manic grin on her lips.
“I guess you’ll be busy.” Midoriya remarked, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Don’t think you won’t be too!” Hatsume warned, “The hero course will be going on their internships, but we’re still going to have work! I bet Majima-sensei will have you working with their homeroom teachers to get their students into shape once they all get back.”
That definitely seemed likely for Kan-sensei, but Aizawa-sensei… they hadn’t spoken much.
“Come on!” Hatsume cried, grabbing Midoriya’s wrist.
He knew he shouldn’t underestimate the strength of a girl constantly working with heavy metal, but Midoriya hadn’t expected to be dragged along so easily. He was fairly winded when he found himself tugged inside the classroom. Then his pocket buzzed.
I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.
You could never make me uncomfortable, Shouto!
(๑′°︿°๑) I swear it’s nothing you did
(●///o///●) I really liked your text actually, maybe too much, and I got so flustered that I couldn’t react properly.
Sorry for not replying, I’m just not used to compliments ( 〃..)
I see.
I shall begin the process of rectifying this.
You have a lovely smile.
♡(。→ˇ艸←) Shouto! You can’t just say things like that, I’ll die!
There’s nothing to rectify! (╯ಊ╰)
Your smile is also very lovely
Shouto! (/□\*)・゜
You are an incredibly kind and brave individual.
sTOP!!!! (•́ ॣ·̫ ॣ•̀,)՞
There’s no one more kind or brave than you though!
I can’t handle this (///Σ///)
There is nothing you can’t handle because you are an incredible person, Izuku.
Shouto! I think I’m blushing so hard I’ll get a fever.
I’m gonna faint! Σ(‘◉⌓◉’) I actually feel a little dizzy
You’re too much! (;´д`)ゞ
You’re a really incredible person, Shouto. I really admire you
Shouto, I’m burning up! It’s going to be your responsibility to take me to recovery girl.
ヾ(´・ ・`。)ノ” You can’t just say that kind of stuff!
I only speak the truth. My only regret is that I’m not there to see your cute face.
My face isn’t as cute as yours.
Wait, you’re flustering me on purpose! Σ(・口・) That’s so mean!
Stop teasing me, I’ll explode! ο(‘・’〃)ο″
No you won’t, you’re too strong to blow up.
Asdfgjhmhngbfvsd
Wtgrdvs cvsgRy
I’m serious!<(`^´)>
( ̄︶ ̄)
I’ll see you at lunch, my adorable Izuku.
(๑◕︵◕๑)
Are you upset? I will stop if you really don’t like it.
(⸝⸝⸝ª̷̛იॢª̷̛⸝⸝⸝)ᵒʰ┈
No, Shouto, it’s not that...
Please don’t stop.
It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s that I like it /too/ much
No… Σ(♡@﹏ @☆)ノ” I’m just really not used to it
I will do my best to take it slow then. I’ll be gentle with you, Izuku.
⁽⁽◝(๑꒪່౪̮꒪່๑)◜⁾⁾≡₍₍◞(๑꒪່౪̮꒪່๑)◟₎₎
yOU cAnT SaY iT lIKe tHaT
awderfhgaETFDGVagae
щ (*ㅇ△ Φ☆)ノ
ଘ(。͡° ͜ʖ ͡° 。)
As the door closed behind him, Midoriya nearly threw his phone across the room as he squeaked in surprise.
Majima-sensei was kind enough not to scold him directly, instead saying, “Everyone get to your seats.”
Midoriya practically flew to his seat, shoving his phone in his pocket. He riffled through his backpack, gathering his pen and notebook.
“I want to first congratulate the two students who managed to upstage the hero course students in the final event.” Maijima-sensei remarked, “Normally the support course has to wait until the School Festival to shine.”
“Upstage is a little too much, don’t you think?” Midoriya mumbled softly.
“My babies stole the show!” Hatsume exclaimed.
There were a few supportive murmurs from behind them, “You two were great!” “Showing off your gear to those companies was smart. I should have thought of that.” “Hatsume-chan really gave that one engine kid the runaround! It was hilarious!” “Midoriya-kun did a great job too! He really showed off how the gear could be utilized in combat.”
“Alright, settle down.” Maijima-sensei stated, “There were many heroes, a few teachers included, who felt turning the event into a commercial was inappropriate.” he remarked, shifting the energy of the room, “However, the Sport’s Festival is for every Yuuei student, and if the hero course can impress pro agencies with their battles, I see no reason why you all couldn’t use the platform to promote yourselves. You’re all here to succeed. It would be wrong of me not to instruct you to use every opportunity you get to push yourselves forward. Plus Ultra isn’t just for the hero course.”
His eyes widened, mouth hanging agape. He felt his chest tighten as everyone started to chant “ Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! ”
Beneath his helmet, Power Loader smiled warmly, allowing his students a few more hearty shouts before raising both of his hands, silencing them all, “Now, we do have to start today’s lectures.” he stated as he moved to pick up the chalk.
He couldn’t wipe the smile from his lips as his pen moved across his paper. Maijima-sensei believed in them. They were all here to be great support heroes. Midoriya’s gaze focused on the board. He would do his best to succeed, just like his teacher thought he would.
When the bell rang, signaling their lunch break, Midoriya felt a strange sense of anticipation in his stomach, almost like butterflies. He shook his head, hoping the odd feeling would leave him. As he walked through the hall, he nearly bumped into Kacchan as he turned the corner. The ashe blonde’s snide remark died when he looked at the boy blocking his path.
“The hell are you just standing there for, Zuku?” Bakugou muttered.
Midoriya floundered for a moment. Why had he walked all the way over to this side of the building. He’d completely spaced out!
“Is something wrong?” a familiar voice asked. Midoriya turned to see Todoroki standing beside them.
Before Kacchan could tell Todoroki to fuck off, Midoriya answered, “I was looking for you.” he admitted, both to Todoroki and himself.
“Oh.” Todoroki mumbled, blinking down at the green-haired boy.
“D-Did you want to walk to lunch together, Shouto-kun?” Midoriya asked, face flushing a rosy hue as Todoroki reached out for his tie, pulling the fabric loose.
The taller boy smoothed the red fabric out until it was sitting properly around Midoriya’s neck, “Yes.” Todoroki replied.
Bakugou rolled his eyes, “Idiots, don’t block the fucking hallway.” he growled as he moved to walk around the two teens.
“Is he always in such a rush?” Todoroki wondered aloud.
“Kind of?” Midoriya replied, “Sorry. Kacchan can be a little rude sometimes.”
“I don’t mind. He’s very honest.” Todoroki remarked, “I never have to wonder where I stand with him.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck.
When they entered the lunchroom, they ended up temporarily parting ways. The support table had filled up quickly today, though everyone, Hatsume especially, had their noses buried into their notebooks, sketching designs for new support gear or working out equations to make them function properly. Midoriya smiled as Todoroki took the last empty seat beside him. Uraraka had looked a bit disappointed to see the table filled, but the brunette perked up once she and Iida took the free seats next to Asui.
After eating about half of his katsudon, Midoriya asked, “So, you should be picking out your hero names soon, right? Are you excited?” he kept his voice low so he wouldn’t distract the others, “Do you know what you’re going to pick, Shouto-kun?”
Todoroki shrugged, “I was just going to go with Shouto.” he replied casually before taking another bite of his soba.
“You’re just going to use your name?” Midoriya said after a moment of confusion, resting his chopsticks against his bowl.
There was a pause as Todoroki swallowed, “Yes.” he answered plainly.
Midoriya looked away, “Oh.” he said softly, trying to hide his disappointment.
“You don’t like it.” Todoroki stated.
Midoriya blinked, flailing his arms around, “No, no! Of course I like it, Shouto-kun! I like your name a lot! It’s just that- Nothing! Nevermind, it’s stupid, really not important. Don’t listen to me. It’s your hero name after all.” he stammered, his words coming out a thousand miles an hour. He was struggling to look everywhere except for the boy sitting next to him as Midoriya’s cheeks reddened.
“Izuku-kun,” Todoroki said, reaching out to touch Midoriya’s face, guiding it until their eyes met, “Talk to me.”
“I-” he began his gaze dropping for a moment before he took a deep breath and met Todoroki’s gaze, “It’s selfish, but I kind of liked being one of the only people who calls you ‘Shouto’ and if it’s your hero name, everyone will call you that.”
Todoroki stared at him, wide-eyed, saying nothing. He watched as Midoriya’s face darkened, the crimson flush spreading down his neck. Todoroki tried to say something but found himself temporarily at a loss for words.
Midoriya didn’t do well under the unwavering gaze, sputtering out “See? I told you it was stupid.” as he turned away.
“No,” Todoroki said as he straightened up, regaining his composure, “Izuku-kun, I don’t think it’s stupid.” he stated pausing for a moment as he brought his fist up to touch his chin, “Though, I haven’t thought of any other names. Would you be willing to help me choose another?”
“You don’t have to change it.” Midoriya said softly, folding his arms across his chest.
“I want to change it.” Todoroki assured him, “I hadn’t thought about it from your perspective, but I agree. I like Izuku-kun being one of the few people who call me by ‘Shouto,’ so please, help me think of a hero name.”
He hadn’t known it was possible for his face to turn any darker, but that didn’t stop the crimson from coloring Midoriya’s face. “If you’re sure…” he mumbled, “But, I don’t know how much help I’ll be. Before my diagnosis , I had a list of hero names for myself, but they were all silly things like ‘All Might Jr.’ or ‘Captain All Might,’ and I’m pretty sure those aren’t what you’re looking for.”
There was a familiar ghost of a smile on Todoroki's lips, “My father would disown me if I picked that name.” he remarked, “It’s somewhat tempting…”
“Your quirk is half hot and half cold, right? So if you wanted to incorporate both elements into your name, like Icyhot or Freezerburn, but I’m not sure how either would work. One is already a brand name anyway, and actual freezerburn isn’t something someone wants to have. Those were bad examples. And your quirk isn’t the only thing about you, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be the only thing considered...” Midoriya instantly relaxed as his mind focused entirely on the task given to him, blocking out the rest of the world as he rambled on, “There are names like Hellfrost, which would be intimidating, but you’re a really nice person, and it might make you sound mean. Maybe incorporating your other physical attributes? Like how you have red and white hair that looks like a peppermint candy, which makes your mouth feel cold if you eat too many and some people call it spicy, so you could be Peppermint. Or you could try some sort of pun name, like since you’re really attractive so you could be the Cool Hero: Hot Guy.”
“Wouldn’t Hot Guy cause similar problems to Shouto?” Todoroki remarked, pulling Midoriya out of his daze, “I like that only Izuku-kun gives me such compliments.”
Midoriya froze stiffly, face burning hot enough that for a moment he thought he might actually be on fire.
Todoroki reached out with his right hand, cupping the green-haired boy’s cheek, letting his icy touch soothe Midoriya’s skin as he chuckled lightly, “Sorry, was that too much teasing? I appreciate all of the hero names you’ve suggested so far.” Todoroki stated, “Though I’m not sure I’ll be able to find a name that can fit every category you brought up.”
The green-haired boy was quiet for a moment, letting his thoughts distract him from the thundering in his chest, “What about Dual?” Midoriya said after a moment, still leaning into the palm of Todoroki’s hand, “Because your quirk is half cold, half hot, your hair is perfectly split down the middle, your eyes are charcoal and blue, and you’re ready to fight? Dual incorporates your physical characteristics as well as your quirk. It also reflects your personality since you can be really kind, but you’re also super serious when you’re fighting.”
As he let his own words sink in, Midoriya’s blush came back with full force. ‘ Ready to fight,’ ugh that was so lame! Before Todoroki could respond, Midoriya muttered, “No! Nevermind don't listen to me. It was stupid.” turning away while moving back on the bench.
“I love it.” Todoroki declared.
Midoriya blinked, “R-Really?” he asked, swallowing the lump in his throat.
“Yes.” Todoroki said, smiling softly at him, “I’ll be Dual.”
The butterflies were back in his stomach as he smiled wide. Midoriya looked down at his lap, his finger tapping against his chopsticks. He felt a little guilty at how warm his chest felt, knowing Todoroki thought he was special enough to choose his hero name and call him Shouto. It was silly.
“Oh, before I forget, Izuku-kun, I was wondering if I could look at one of your old notebooks.” Todoroki requested, pulling Midoriya out of his thoughts.
“Um, sure, which one?” Midoriya asked.
Todoroki paused for a moment, “The burnt one?” he finally said.
“I actually have that one with me.” Midoriya remarked. He’d been planning on comparing his old notes with newer entries, mostly for Kacchan.
Their fingers brushed briefly as Midoriya passed the notebook over to Todoroki, making his pulse rise. He needed something to distract his quickly wandering thoughts, so Midoriya pulled out his phone. Reading the latest hero news was always interesting and informative. He wondered if any papers were still covering the Sports Festival. As he looked through the different articles, he felt his chest seize up, finger hovering over one specific paper. The headline read, “Turbo Hero: Ingenium Attacked by Serial Killer!” Midoriya’s stomach sank, suddenly losing his appetite as he clicked the article.
Iida-kun’s older brother had been the latest victim of the Serial Killer, Stain. This would be the killer’s first attack in Hosu City. More victims were sure to follow. A chill ran down his spine. He glanced over at Iida-kun, who was forcing a smile while pushing his noodles around. Midoriya tore his eyes away, staring back down at his screen. There was a photo from the hospital: Iida Tensei giving the camera a smile behind his oxygen mask and a thumbs up. The bottom read that the hero would recover, but the Turbo Hero: Ingenium would be retiring.
Midoriya exited out of the article, fingers moving before he could think to stop himself. The Hero Killer: Stain, an anonymous figure that few could give a proper description of. There were theories, speculations on his quirk and how it worked. He needed to know them all. There were few victims ever left alive. The idea that Iida’s brother had somehow been lucky made him nauseous. What kind of person could be so cruel?
“Hey, Izuku-kun, what’s this?” Todoroki questioned.
Midoriya set his phone down on his lap, leaning over to see which page Todoroki was on. His face instantly flushed red as he saw what the dual wielder was asking about.
“A costume…” he answered, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Oh?” Todoroki remarked, “I don’t recognize it. Who’s is it?”
Midoriya felt his stomach flip as he admitted, “It’s mine… um, from before.”
Todoroki was quiet for a moment, staring down at the page, “It’s cute, like a bunny.” he remarked, pointing at his headgear.
Midoriya blushed, staring down at his lap. It was supposed to be like All Might, but, in fairness, it did look like a rabbit.
“I was thinking of changing my own hero costume.” Todoroki remarked, “Do you think you could design something similar to this for me? Just without the ears. I think those would only look cute on you.”
“O-Oh, um, yeah, I can do that, I mean, if you wanted me too.” Midoriya mumbled.
“Yes, I do.” Todoroki confirmed.
Midoriya’s heart skipped a beat. He knew that he’d only be changing the look, since the other support students were the ones actually making the costumes, so they would get to choose the materials and make sure they function properly. Todoroki’s would need to be both fireproof and ice proof.
Before he knew it, the lunchroom started moving. He didn’t really mind, since he was done eating anyway, “Um, I’ll see you later, Shouto-kun?” Midoriya mumbled, looking over at Todoroki.
“Of course, Izuku-kun.” Todoroki replied.
Midoriya scooped up his notebooks, walking alongside Hatsume as they headed for the Development Studio. As she babbled on about her baby designs, he couldn’t help but start mentally pairing students with them.
Just as he stepped through the door, Maijima-sensei pulled him aside, “Midoriya-san, I have another assignment for you.” he stated, “I’m sure you were watching closely during the Sports Festival. While everyone performed well, we believe there was room for improvement. If I’m right, you already have a few ideas on how to correct some of the mistakes our first years made. I would like you to make a list of a suggested course of action for each student to take. Though, I will warn you, their homeroom teachers will ultimately be the ones to decide whether or not they will be implemented.”
“I’ll do my best!” Midoriya promised.
Maijima-sensei smiled beneath his helmet, “I expect nothing less.” he remarked. A moment later, they both felt a wave of hot air hit them, mixing with the smell of burnt oil as another booming explosion went off. Power Loader sighed, shaking his head as he moved to scold Hatsume again.
Midoriya stepped over the metal debris as he made his way to his chair. The screens flickered to life as soon as he reached them, each booting up footage from the festival. Luckily, the clips playing were all short. It was almost like a blooper reel, since they only contained the obvious ‘mistakes’ students had made throughout the challenges. Impatience, inattentive, stubbornness, lack of cooperation, the list went on.
He began categorizing students into different work groups. There were enough similarities in the mistakes that it only made sense to have them work together or at the very least, follow the same ‘correction course.’ Midoriya frowned. Is that what he was calling them? He erased it and simply wrote ‘suggested course of action.’ That sounded nicer.
Midoriya did plan to add personalizations for each student. After all, they had different learning styles and needs that he wanted to meet. But by the time he’d finished making his groupings, his mind was distracted by Todoroki. The dual wielder had entrusted him with his costume, the very image of his hero persona. He really wanted to make something Todoroki would like.
Without thinking, he started to sketch. It was, admittedly very similar to his own hero costume design, sans the headgear. Todoroki already had a very iconic hairstyle. It would be a shame to cover it up. He did design the sleeves to be a bit shorter, stopping at his elbows. No gloves either, they might inhibit his quirk.
Then there was color… He pictured his own costume in green, but that would make todoroki look like a Christmas tree. No, he needed something else. Every time Midoriya closed his eyes, he pictured Todoroki in the blue P.E. uniform. The color looked good on him, maybe a bit darker though. Well, any color would, but he scribbled down ‘dark blue and white’ for his suggested color pallet. With his sketch finished, he turned to look around the room.
As soon as he recognized their face, he stood up, walking over to their desk, “Um… are you in charge of Shouto-kun’s hero costume?” Midoriya asked.
“Yep!” they replied cheerfully as they flipped their goggles up, “I overheard a little of your conversation at lunch, so am I right to guess you have an updated design for me?”
Midoriya felt his cheeks turn pink as he nodded, handing the paper over, “Y-Yeah, please take this into consideration.” he requested.
Their eyes scanned over the sheet, nodding slightly, “It’s very practical.” they remarked, “I’m surprised you didn’t use this as your chance to add something fun, like a chest window or an open back. Maybe make the boots thigh-highs.”
“W-What?! I couldn’t do that!” Midoriya stammered, face flushing crimson.
“I wasn’t suggesting something like Momo-chan’s big belt and swimsuit style costume, but you know, a deep V wouldn’t hurt.” they commented, “Kan-sensei has one.”
The image of Todoroki dressed in his costume while showing off his chest was planted in his mind. His cheeks were burning as he started to feel dizzy, “I think that would be too distracting…” he mumbled.
“Just a peek then,” they suggested, “Like an open shirt. If the zipper stops there,” they said, marking a little ‘x’ between Todoroki’s pecs, “Then it stops there.”
He needed to sit down before he got too lightheaded. “I trust you to know what’s best for your assigned hero.” Midoriya stated, because he really did believe that.
As he sat back down at his stool, his eyes flitted over the many notes he’d taken. There was nothing left to distract him. It was time to customize his plans for each student. His pen danced across the pages as he took their quirks, personalities, and overall capabilities into account. It felt a little mean to focus on their negative traits, but it was for the sake of improvement.
When he’d finished, he let out a little sigh. There was a small smile on his lips as he collected the sheets. Power Loader was at his desk, currently enjoying the lack of fires. Midoriya decided now was as good a time as any to turn everything in. After all, if he waited a moment longer, something might actually catch on fire, and it would be bad if it spread enough to burn his papers. He quickly crossed the room, presenting his work to his teacher.
“Thank you, Midoriya-kun.” Maijima-sensei said as he began moving his papers into a folder, “Since you’re finished with that, All Might has requested you observe his class once again. I believe he’s with 1-A now at Ground Beta.”
“Really?” Midoriya asked. All Might wanted his help? Again?
“Yes, now get going. There isn’t much time left, so you shouldn’t waste it here.” Maijima-sensei advised.
“Yes, sensei!” Midoriya exclaimed, quickly running back to his desk. With his notebook shoved in his backpack, he went for the door, feeling a burst of heat behind him that practically sent him flying into the hallway. He looked back in time to see Hatsume covered in soot, pulling her goggles off her face.
Midoriya could see no one had been hurt, so he kept going. Behind him, he could hear Maijima-sensei’s threats to kick Hatsume out of the studio. Knowing the pink-haired girl, she’d be just as dangerous anywhere else. Her inventive spirit couldn’t be stopped simply because she wasn’t inside.
Ground Beta appeared more beaten up than the last time he’d entered the fake city’s streets. All Might was near the front, overseeing the groups he’d divided everyone into. Midoriya was hesitant to approach him, unsure of what he was supposed to say. He didn’t have anything to give the hero this time.
“Ah, young Midoriya!” All Might’s voice boomed, causing Midoriya to jump.
“A-All Might!” he said, his heart still hammering in his chest.
“I’m glad you were able to come today. Did you finish your project already?”
“Yes, sir!” Midoriya replied.
“Good. I had thought you would be busy for a few more days.” All Might remarked, “Unfortunately, there isn’t very much time left today, but I do have one request for you. Young Bakugou is an incredibly skilled student, but I worry his pride is interfering with his ability to cooperate with his fellow students.”
“That sounds like Kacchan…” Midoriya remarked, “I think pairing him with students he feels comfortable with will help him feel better about relying on another person, like Kirishima or Uraraka.”
All Might nodded sharply, “Alright. Are there any other students you believe he would work with?”
Midoriya paused, mentally running through the class roster, “No… but if you hear him call a student by their actual name, that means he’d work with them.”
“Understood!” All Might exclaimed, resting his hands on his waist, “As for your observations, Young Bakugou is currently by himself at the moment if you wished to watch him. There are targets set up at various distances to test his accuracy.”
Midoriya nodded, “I’ll do that.” he replied. He didn’t need to wait for All Might to tell him where Bakugou was. He just needed to follow the sound of explosions.
He turned the corner and nearly had his eyebrows singed off. He stumbled back from the makeshift wooden target. He looked around seeing a line of charred wood around his feet. There was a string of colorful curses that filled the air. They were enough to make a sailor blush, but it wasn’t anything he hadn’t heard a hundred times before.
Suddenly, there was a quick succession of small explosions and a hand shoved in his face. Midoriya looked up to see a familiar scowl, his eyes flicking between Kacchan’s face and his hand. His mind barely pieced together that Bakugou had used his quirk to ‘fly’ over to him.
Kacchan’s scowl softened into a frown as he turned to look off to the side, “You gonna stay on the ground or get the fuck up, Zuku?” he asked, hand still extended towards him.
Midoriya hesitantly grabbed the ashe blonde’s hand, finding himself yanked to his feet in one swift motion, “Um, thanks.” he mumbled softly.
“Tsk, whatever.” Kacchan huffed, “What are you even doing here, Zuku?”
“I’m just observing your class.” Midoriya mumbled, clutching his notebook to his chest.
“Yeah, fucking obviously,” Kacchan rolled his eyes, “But what the fuck are you bugging me for, Zuku? Shouldn’t you go check on your shitty boyfriend?”
“B-Boyfriend?” Midoriya squeaked, face flushing, “I’m not dating anyone!”
“The hell you mean you’re not fucking dating that half-n-half bastard?” Bakugou asked, scowling at him.
“I’m not!” Midoriya repeated. A part of him wished he was, but that didn’t change anything.
“Why the hell are you always fucking glued to his hip then, Zuku?” Kacchan questioned, “You walk home together. I know that asshole waits for you like a fucking puppy.”
“I just like hanging out with him.” Midoriya defended, feeling his blush darken, “And he’s not a dog.”
“Zuku, half-and-half fixes your shitty tie every day. He’s always looking at you. He fucking smiles when you start rambling on and on about hero bullshit.” Bakugou listed, “And I saw you two after the Sports Festival. He gave you his damn medal and fucking kissed your crybaby ass.”
“W-We didn’t kiss. He got really close, b-but nothing happened!” Midoriya retorted, “Shouto’s just really nice!”
“...You’re really fucking stupid sometimes, Zuku.” Bakugou muttered, shaking his head, “If you’re seriously not dating then just confess to him already. It’s pretty fucking obvious he likes you. You’re already using first fucking names.”
“Have you confessed to Kirishima-kun yet?” Midoriya asked, biting the inside of his cheek as he waited for some sort of explosion.
Bakugou froze, his muscles tensing as a rosy flush colored his cheeks, “Why the hell would I do that?”
Midoriya weighed his options, and decided to test his luck, “Because it’d be manly of you to confess first and Kirishima would probably cry and then kiss you.”
“Go to hell, Zuku.” Kacchan growled, turning to aim and blast a few of the long-distance targets that had been set up.
“Come on, now who’s being stupid?” Midoriya remarked.
“You are, idiot!” Bakugou huffed, folding his arms across his chest as he looked down at the ground, “He doesn’t fucking like me anyway, he just thinks I’m manly and shit.”
Midoriya fell silent, biting the inside of his cheek. Kacchan’s scowl looked more like a pout as the ashe blonde kept his gaze locked on the targets.
“I’m sorry,” Midoriya said softly, rubbing his arm, “I don’t think Shouto-kun likes me either though. I’m pretty sure he mostly just feels responsible for me since the whole, you know… thing.” Midoriya gestured and Kacchan grimaced, “Like he’s really nice and kind of protective, but I don’t think he likes me romantically. It sometimes feels almost like an obligation to walk me home and keep me safe.”
Kacchan was quiet for a moment, before he lifted his hand, aiming another shot, “Fucking feelings are dumb as hell.” he stated before the blast went off.
“Yeah, I guess that’s something we can agree on.” Midoriya remarked.
He stayed watching Kacchan for a little longer. Bakugou really had an amazing quirk, one that he’d mastered so well. It was hard to find anything to really add or change in his notes. There was a little time left, so Midoriya decided to try and watch some of the other students. He continued down the streets, when a flash of red caught his eye.
Midoriya slowly stepped backwards as his eyes were locked on the dual wielder’s flames dancing through the air. As his back bumped against someone, he quickly turned around, “S-Sorry!” he apologized, looking up at a familiar baggy-eyed face.
Shinsou turned around to meet his gaze, “Oh, hey Midoriya-kun.” he greeted.
The electric blonde standing next to Shinsou suddenly looked over, giving Midoriya a friendly grin, “Hey dude, what’s up?” Kaminari asked.
“Maijima-sensei and All Might-sensei asked me to come and observe again.” Midoriya explained.
“Oh? Are you sure they’re not going to have you sparing with us soon?” Kaminari asked, “Since you made it to the final round.”
Midoriya felt his face pale, “Oh, I hope not.” he muttered to himself, but the others seemed to hear him.
“Hey, no worries, we wouldn’t beat you up or anything!” Kaminari remarked.
“Besides, you did way better than Pikachu over here in the Festival.” Shinshou teased, resting his hand on his hip, “Forgot electric moves don’t really work on grass types.”
“She was a super nice girl! What did you want me to do? Try to punch her? There’s no way I could do that!” Kaminari remarked, “It wasn’t like she was a villain or something.”
Shinsou paused, tilting his head to the side, “Did you think electrocuting her would really be the ‘nicer’ thing to do if it had worked?” he asked, arching his brow.
“Uhhh…” Kaminari mumbled as he struggled to answer, “I mean… I thought it was, but probably not, huh…”
“There are fighting styles that would allow you to take your opponent down without doing much damage to them.” Midoriya commented, drawing both eyes back to him, “It might be useful.”
“Yeah, and learning some self-defense wouldn’t be bad.” Shinsou commented. Midoriya tensed at the thought, remembering the sparring matches he’d observed. The hero course didn’t hold back, and they all had really strong quirks. Midoriya knew the basics of combat skills and fundamental fighting knowledge from his years of studying heroes, but practically speaking, he had never actually thrown that many punches. “But since support heroes normally stay behind the scenes, I doubt they’d make you.” Shinsou continued.
“Yeah, relax, Midoriya-kun.” Ashido said, appearing behind him to ruffle his curls and give him a heart attack, “Bakugou-kun would murder anyone who tried to hurt you anyway.”
“As would I.” Todoroki stated, nearly making Midoriya jump as the dual wielder decided to join them.
“Ooo, Todoroki-kun is like your knight, or a paladin!” Ashido remarked, grinning at Midoriya who flushed, taking a step back.
“Bakugou’s more like a dragon guarding a princess, or prince in this case.” Kaminari joked as he teasingly elbowed Midoriya’s side. The green-haired boy forced a little laugh, his chest tightening.
“Don’t let him hear you say that.” Shinsou remarked.
“That guy’s all bark-” Kaminari replied, his words suddenly dying off as his eyes grayed.
Shinsou turned towards the pink-skinned girl, “Hey, Ashido-chan, what about me?”
“You’re obviously Midoriya’s wizard, duh-” she replied cheerfully, her face suddenly blanking as her posture straightened up.
“Both of you go back to your actual assignments.” Shinsou ordered. As the two teens silently marched off to the other side of the training grounds, Shinsou looked to Midoriya, “Better?”
“Yeah, thanks.” he said softly, breathing out a little sigh.
“Do you want to sit down?” Todoroki asked.
“I’m fine, just a little overwhelmed.” Midoriya admitted.
All Might’s voice suddenly echoed throughout the training grounds, “ALL RIGHT STUDENTS, OUR CLASS HAS ENDED FOR THE DAY! YOU ALL DID WELL! REST UP, AND PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERNSHIPS!” he announced.
Midoriya would be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed he didn’t get to study any more quirks, but he knew there would be more chances soon. As the three boys began to walk back to the main building, Midoriya asked, “Where are you guys interning?”
“I’ll be working with Eraser Head.” Shinsou remarked with an almost forced casual tone.
“Since your goal is to be an underground hero, that does make sense.” Todoroki stated, “I didn’t know he did internships as well.”
“I don’t think most students want to spend more time with their teachers.” Midoriya commented, “S-Statistically speaking.” he quickly added.
“I don’t know.” Shinsou shrugged, “He doesn’t really talk much about himself. I’m not gonna ask.”
“What about you, Shouto-kun?” Midoriya asked.
“I’ve decided to intern with my father.” Todoroki stated.
Shinsou seemed unphased, but Midoriya’s eyes widened, “What?! Why?” the green-haired boy questioned. At his outburst, Shinsou also seemed to tilt his head, waiting for the dual wielder’s answer.
“That man may be a horrible father, but he is still the number two hero. He’s done something to earn that title, so I believe there is something I could learn from him.” Todoroki explained.
“I guess that makes sense…” Midoriya conceded, unable to stop the pout that rested on his lips, “I just wish you didn’t have to be around him.”
“I’ll be fine.” Todoroki assured him, “Thank you for your concern.”
Shinsou didn’t ask. Midoriya was glad that he trusted their judgement, even if he didn’t know that Endeavor was the absolute worst.
They had to go their separate ways so Midoriya could go to the Development Studio. As he entered the room, he was greeted by the whirl of drills and the hammering of metal. The air only smelled a little burnt.
He decided to spend the rest of his time watching clips for anything that would benefit his notes. Midoriya knew in the back of his mind that he was just distracting himself until classes officially ended, but as long as it worked, he wasn’t complaining.
Todoroki was waiting out the door for him, not at all like a puppy , he decided. He couldn’t help but notice that the dual wielder was back in his school uniform. Soon, he’d get to see Todoroki in his new costume. Just a peek. Suddenly the hallway felt too warm.
“Are you alright, Izuku-kun.” Todoroki asked.
“I’m fine.” he squeaked, “L-Let’s get going. We don’t want to miss our train.” he quickly added.
“Okay.” Todoroki replied.
The train was about as packed as usual. It would have been normal, if everyone wasn’t staring at them. Between the two of them, Midoriya had expected Todoroki to be the center of their gossip, but he could hear murmurs that sounded like people were talking about him too, which was baffling. Why would anyone think about his failure of a match when Todoroki was right there?
The train car shook, throwing Midoriya into Todoroki’s chest. The dual wielder’s arm wrapped around his waist, “Are you alright, Izuku-kun?” he questioned.
Midoriya felt his cheeks blush, “Y-Yeah, I’m good, Shouto-kun.” better now, his traitorous mind thought.
When they stepped off the car, he’d expected a few ‘fans’ to flock to Todoroki, but they seemed content to keep their distance. Maybe he was too cool and mysterious, making him harder to approach. Then Todoroki took his hand in his own and Midoriya felt his pulse rise, thrumming in his ears.
“Let’s go.” Todoroki suggested.
The green-haired boy barely managed to nod as his feet started moving, keeping pace with the taller boy. It was almost disappointing when they’d reached his house. No, it was disappointing. He could admit that to himself, and never out loud.
Before he could walk inside, Todoroki tugged on his hand, stopping him in his tracks, “Earlier on your phone, you were researching the hero killer, weren’t you?” he asked.
“I- uh,” Midoriya sighed, “Yeah, I was.” he admitted.
“My father also operates in Hosu City. I have a feeling Iida-kun will take his internship there to look for him.” Todoroki stated, “You were thinking that too, weren’t you?”
Midoriya nodded, “Yes, I’m afraid he’ll do something he’ll regret…”
“So am I.” Todoroki stated, “I know what holding a grudge like that can do to a person. I promise you, I’ll look out for him.”
“I know you will, Shouto-kun. I trust you.” Midoriya said, because it was true.
There was a wisp of fire that had sparked in Todoroki’s red locks. Midoriya jumped, pointing at it, “S-Shouto, your hair!”
“Oh.” the other boy said softly, reaching out with his right hand to touch his hair, extinguishing the flames, “Sorry about that.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for.” Midoriya stated.
“I’ll see you later.” Todoroki promised.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Midoriya admitted before he bit his tongue, feeling his face flush, “B-Bye!” he added before fleeing inside. He went to his room and threw himself on his bed, smothering his face with his pillow.
Notes:
some art for this chapter On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter 9: Internships
Summary:
POV Swap
Notes:
Trigger warning: includes a brief reference to the suicide attempt from ch 1 at the train station, starting at -“I’m fine, it’s just, not easy to talk about…” Izuku mumbled.- and ending at -Izuku reached out and hugged him.-
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Todoroki tugged on the dark blue fabric of his baggy pants. They were held up by a brown utility belt paired with five or so thin metal capsules which dangled from the sides, each containing medical supplies. His metal-plated combat vest that almost resembled a backpack. The white boots were familiar, as they were the only piece from his old uniform that remained unchanged.
He slipped on his jacket, brow furrowing as he tugged his zipper up. It didn’t fully connect to his collar like he first suspected it would. Instead, stopping in the center of his chest. An odd choice, but he assumed there was some purpose to it. The fabric was somewhat stiff, perhaps it was there to improve his maneuverability. He found a metal band that ran across the opening, clipping beneath his vest similarly to how Momo’s costume connected above her chest.
As he stepped out of the changing room, Todoroki was greeted by the sight of green eyes and freckled cheeks. There was also another support student standing beside Izuku; the one technically in charge of his gear.
“How’s everything feel?” they asked. Izuku didn’t voice his own question, but those expressive eyes of his spoke for him.
“It fits well.” Todoroki replied, instinctively reaching out to fix Izuku’s tie. He took his time correctly wrapping the fabric around the green-haired boy’s neck, relishing in the way Izuku’s blush colored his cheeks. His pulse raced as Izuku’s eyes flicked between Todoroki’s face and his hands.
“Good, good.” the other student remarked after Todoroki had finished with the tie, “Have you tried to use your quirk yet?” they asked.
Without further prompting, Todoroki stretched out his arms, frosting over his right side before his left burst into flames, melting the ice away.
Todoroki glanced over, watching as Izuku's gaze fell, cheeks reddening as his throat bobbed, ducking his head to hide behind his dark curls. The adorably bashful display made Todoroki’s left side feel warm, flames growing for a moment before regaining his composure. As cute as Izuku looked, Todoroki couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly. When he glanced down at himself, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He stared blankly as he wondered what he could have done to make Izuku so flustered. Where had Izuku been staring?
“Nice. The material’s really holding up.” the other student remarked, reminding Todoroki they were still in the hallway with them, “You better change back though, classes are about to start.”
“I’ll do that.” Todoroki said after a moment, taking one last look at Izuku before returning to the changing rooms. Just before the door clicked shut behind him, he heard Izuku’s voice whisper, “That was more than a peek!”
He let the door close behind him, unsure of what the adorable teen could be referring to. It wasn’t as though the design was a secret to him, nor his quirk. Todoroki shrugged his shoulders. Perhaps it was just something to do with the support course. Izuku would tell him if it were truly important.
As he packed his costume back into its suitcase, Todoroki found himself smiling. He’d soon be wearing Izuku’s design in the field, where everyone would get to see it. Even the knowledge that he’d be standing beside Endeavor couldn’t sully his mood. He was carving his own path.
Izuku’s words whispered in the back of his head, “You’re already my number one hero.” and Todoroki’s left side burst into flames. As he casually reached over with his right hand, the fire sizzled until it went out. The smile remained on his lips.
Todoroki quickly changed back into his uniform, finding Izuku waiting outside for him when he returned. The warning bell stopped him before he could speak.
“I’ll see you later.” Todoroki said
“Y-Yeah.” Izuku replied, an adorable rosy flush coloring his cheeks.
It was a shame to have to leave his side, but Todoroki knew better than to risk them both being tardy. Instead, he made his way to class. A small part of him yearned to have Izuku in his class, where he could watch him from the back of the room, but the rest of him knew his own productivity would go down.
At some point during the day, Aizawa-sensei curled up in his sleeping bag, content to nap beneath his desk. Todoroki flipped through his textbook, following the instructions left on the board. He was halfway through the first page when he suddenly felt his phone buzz in his pocket.
Hey Shouto I forgot to ask but did you like your costume
You can tell me if you didnt like something about it.
I want to make sure it works for you
I love my new costume.
It functions optimally and I enjoy the design.
It’s perfect, Izuku. I couldn’t have asked for a better design.
Hey, wait.
Izuku, should you be texting during class?
I don’t want to get you in trouble.
Oh its fine.
I memorized my phones keyboard so Im typing in my pocket without looking. I just cant do faces anymore.
How are you seeing my messages if you aren’t looking at your phone?
I take it out for 1 second to read what you say after it vibrates.
Im still taking notes and stuff.
Its not that distracting honestly.
You are so incredibly talented and amazing.
That’s very impressive, Izuku. I’m glad to hear that.
I wouldn’t want to be distracting you.
Not too much anyway.
Fcgvibhkjlnk
Sorry I just got flustered for a moment I didnt mean to send that.
Im finding it hard to draft my thoughts without accidentally sending them.
I want to hear all of your thoughts.
And there’s no need to feel embarrassed. I would never judge you.
I know but still…
This is all still new for me.
I understand. I too had few friends to text before.
There’s no need to rush yourself.
I just want you to know that I would never think ill of you.
Thank you Shouto.
Always, Izuku ♡
Love you
The heart was probably too much already. Todoroki smiled softly at his screen before tucking his phone back in his pocket. As he looked back at his textbook, his eyes glazed over the words, unable to comprehend them. It took him four tries to read the same paragraph until he’d finally gotten back into his studious mindset.
Due to their internships starting up, Todoroki was required to stay a bit later in order for the school to ensure that his gear was working properly. It didn’t seem to matter that he’d already checked earlier. He didn’t even get to go into the studio as the school thought now was as good a time as any to remind them all of the laws they were meant to follow. They were not to engage in fights or use their quirks without the explicit instruction from the hero they were interning under. Without a provisional license they couldn’t do anything. His father would undoubtedly make him take the test soon, if the school didn’t hurry up and have his class take it.
It was a bittersweet feeling to see Izuku’s warm smile greet him as the school day finally came to an end. He wouldn’t get to ride home with the green-haired boy. He’d be meeting with that man. The weight of the metal suitcase in his hand was enough to distract him, knowing that it carried the costume Izuku had designed just for him.
His left side warmed, nearly burning through his dress shirt. He took a moment to regulate his temperature before taking Izuku’s hand in his right.
The green-haired boy blushed, but there was a shy little smile on his lips that made Todoroki want to kiss them. He stopped himself, staring blankly ahead while they walked.
The station was practically deserted when they arrived. The ones who were around had their eyes glued to their phones, reading news articles or chatting with family and friends. Izuku had been adamant about seeing him off before getting on his own train. There was no way Todoroki could deny him when his eyes shone so seriously.
A familiar face appeared, marching determinedly across the station. Izuku stopped in his tracks, his eyes locked on Iida, “Can you give me a minute?” he asked.
“Of course.” Todoroki replied, letting go of Izuku’s hand. He waited as the green-haired boy ran over to Iida, saying something to the tall boy that Todoroki couldn’t hear. As the pair started walking, he couldn’t help but follow.
The two teens stood around a vacant section of the train platform, giving them some semblance of privacy. As Todoroki leaned back against a wall, he heard Iida ask, “What is it, Midoriya-kun?”
“W-Well, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” Izuku stammered, “B-Before you leave.”
There was a concerned look behind Iida’s glasses, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, it’s just, not easy to talk about…” Izuku mumbled.
“Okay.” Iida replied, allowing Izuku to work up the courage to speak properly.
After a few moments, Izuku hesitantly began to speak, “So, I never told you how Shouto-kun and I became friends.” he was clenching his fist as he tried not to let his voice waver, “I jumped off a building.”
Iida stood there, suddenly frozen in place. Todoroki felt his chest tighten painfully at the memory. He never wanted to see that hopeless look in Izuku’s beautiful eyes ever again.
“I was in a bad place… I thought I was useless, everyone in my class agreed. I didn’t have a quirk. I couldn’t help anyone. Then… I met All Might, and he told me it was too dangerous for someone quirkless to try and be a pro hero so I-” Izuku’s voice quivered as he rambled on, unable to look Iida in the eyes. Todoroki could see the way Izuku’s nails were digging into his palms as the green-haired boy ignored the tears that were already spilling down his face, “I climbed to the top of my Middle School’s roof and-” Izuku took a deep breath, “I took my shoes off and jumped.”
There was a long stretch of silence before Iida spoke, only able to say, “Midoriya-kun...”
The green-haired rubbed his sleeves against his cheeks, sombering up as he said, “The hero killer has murdered seventeen pro heroes and injured twenty-four beyond recovery. Every one of these attacks has been in secluded areas away from crowds, so no one will hear him or come to that hero’s aid.” Izuku stated, his voice growing stronger, “Based on the witness testimonies of the injured heroes, the police think his quirk has something to do with his victims blood. The theory going around is that his quirk varies on either how much he takes or the blood type of his victims. Those who survived recalled feeling paralyzed.”
“Midoriya-kun,” Iida began cautiously, “You sound like you’re trying to stop me, so why tell me this?”
“I know you want to avenge your brother, just please don’t do it alone.” Izuku pleaded,
“No. I am the only one who can stop him. No one else needs to be involved.” Iida stated.
“The Hero Killer specializes in one on one battles. He’s powerful enough to take down pros. If you go alone, you’ll never get the chance to avenge your brother.” Izuku reasoned, “Please, if you go looking, take the pro-hero your interning with you, or go get help like you did in the villian attack. I know you want to do this on your own, but…” he felt himself shaking, eyes watering, “There are some things you shouldn’t do alone. If Shouto hadn’t been walking by that night, I wouldn’t be here.”
Iida stood rigid, staring down at the sobbing teen in front of him, “...Midoriya-kun…” he mumbled breathlessly.
“I really don’t want to see that happen to you, Iida-kun. I know you’re mad, and I know you think there’s only one answer, but please , don’t jump in without thinking. I know you want to, but you can’t run in and try to fight him on your own. I-” Izuku hiccuped, wiping the tears that streamed down his cheeks, “I don’t want to see you get hurt too! The hero killer has hurt so many people. Please don’t be one of them!”
Izuku reached out and hugged him. As he pulled back, he shoved the notebook he had undoubtedly made with every strategy he could think of to take the hero killer down into Iida’s hands. Izuku looked up to meet the taller boy’s wide eyed stare, mouth still hanging agape. Then the green-haired boy ran off, leaving the soon to be hero standing there, speechless. Todoroki stayed leaning against the wall, just out of view.
He had kept his eyes trained on Izuku, watching as the shorter boy disappeared into the bathrooms. Todoroki turned his gaze to Iida, who was still frozen in place.
“Ever since your brother got taken down... I've had my eye on you. It seems Izuku has too.” Todoroki remarked, “You say you’re fine, but I’ve seen the building resentment written over your face. I know that when I see it. And I know just how much grudges like that can cloud a person's vision.”
“It’s not that simple.” Iida stated coldly, though his gaze was hesitant.
“Izuku-kun spent a lot of time crafting those notes for you.” Todoroki remarked, shifting the conversation, “I believe you should look them over and take them into consideration. If you truly aim to be a hero, then you won’t let his efforts go to waste.” with that said, Todoroki turned around, intending to find Izuku.
He was stopped by Iida’s voice, “Wait!”
Todoroki turned around, his face expressionless as he tilted his head to the side, waiting for the taller boy to speak.
“What Midoriya said, about how you met…” Iida nearly whispered.
“It’s true.” Todoroki replied plainly, “And it’s not something that he normally shares. I know his mother doesn’t know. I think he sees a similar darkness in your eyes that he once held.” He knew Iida wasn’t the type to gossip, but Todoroki didn’t like the thought of anyone ever trying to use Midoriya’s past against him. It wasn’t something to be shared thoughtlessly.
Iida’s body was rigid, but he had nothing left to say. Todoroki turned, heading for the bathroom. He found Izuku washing his face in one of the sinks, gently patting his cheeks with paper towels. The pink puffy marks under his eyes were beginning to fade.
“Hey.” Todoroki said, watching as Izuku jumped, turning to stare at him wide-eyed.
There was a warm feeling in his chest that burned as Izuku instantly relaxed, tension leaving his figure once he realized who was there.
“O-Oh, hey.” Izuku replied, forcing a smile on his lips, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you wait.”
“You don’t have to pretend to feel fine.” Todoroki stated as he moved closer, using his right hand to cool Izuku’s warm face, “Okay?”
The tears were back, streaming down his cheeks. Todoroki had to control himself when Izuku pulled him into a hug. All his mental functions were spent on ensuring he didn’t accidentally char the boy in his arms. The green-haired boy silently shook in his arms, occasionally sniffling as the last of his tears drained from his body.
“Be sure to drink water when you get home.” Todoroki remarked, “You don’t want to get dehydrated.”
Izuku huffed a laugh, wearing a small, but genuine smile on his lips, “Okay.” he promised.
As they returned to the main section of the platform, Todoroki felt something small being shoved into the palm of his hands. He looked down at the device that almost resembled a cellphone, “What’s this?” he asked.
“Since you said Endeavor sometimes works in Hosu, I thought you might be able to use this just in case.” Izuku explained, “It’s Mei’s newest baby. It can track the signal within a hundred mile radius.”
“Why are you giving me a tracking device?” Todoroki questioned, tilting his head to the side.
“...I may have planted a test on Iida’s armor when everything was getting checked over…” Midoriya admitted, staring down at his shoes, “I just know he’s going to get himself in trouble. If I didn’t do something to try and help, I don’t think I’d be able to look at myself in the mirror.”
“You’ve done more than enough.” Todoroki assured him. Before he could say anything else, his train arrived.
“Well, you better get going.” Izuku said, rushing forward to hug him, “See you in a week.” he added, his curls tickling the side of Todoroki’s face.
His hair was smoking. Todoroki silently touched his head, cooling the spot before the flames could rise. “Yeah.” was all he managed to say before stepping onto the train. One week, and he would get to see Izuku’s bright smile, knowing that both his friends were safe. He would ensure that Izuku’s happiness never had to be faked.
When he arrived, Todoroki found that Endeavor had been caught up in hero work. Not that he particularly minded. It gave him time to speak with that man’s sidekicks, and it meant that he didn’t have to hear Endeavor’s irritating voice. The way the man spoke was almost enough to make Todoroki hate his own name. Though he did like the way it sounded on Izuku’s tongue.
The second day was when he began to believe Endeavor was up to something. Todoroki frowned as he sat back in one of the waiting chairs. That man’s secretary kept glancing between him and her computer, a worried look on her eyes, as though he might snap at her like some foolish man with a short fuse. Todoroki pulled out the device Izuku had given him, watching as Iida’s marker moved around the city. He must be patrolling with his mentor.
“Young Todoroki-sama, Endeavor is ready to see you.”
“Thank you.” he replied.
As he walked through Endeavor’s agency, Todoroki thought back to his mother. She was the real reason he could stomach walking down these halls. If it weren’t for Izuku, he wasn’t sure he’d ever have the courage to go see her. His chest tightened as he remembered his mother’s tearful embrace. If she could accept both sides of him, then Todoroki could too. It was his power .
The last rays of sunlight trickled in through the large windows lining the wall of Endeavor’s office. The spacious room seemed appropriate; where else would that man store his ego.
Endeavor stood behind his desk, flames roaring on his head and shoulders, “I've been waiting for you, Shouto.” the man greeted, “It seems you're finally ready to take the path of the mighty, huh?”
“I have no intention of going down a path you made.” Todoroki stated firmly, “I will take my own path.”
“Oh well, you should get ready, too. We're going out.”
“Where?”
“I'll show you what a hero is.” Endeavor stated in lieu of an actual answer.
That man is truly infuriating.
Mei-chan is working on a new extinguisher-baby.
I could lend it to you to test run on him. (•̀ᴗ•́)
No, it’s just his general state of being.
Oh, well, my offer is still on the table. ┳━┳╭( ・ㅂ・)و
I will keep that in mind.
How’s your internship going so far? (*「・ω・)ン?
Endeavor is taking me somewhere.
I have no idea where as he has given me no details.
Only that he’ll “show me what a hero is.”
Well, I wish it was with anyone else, but maybe it’ll be fun.
Like a mystery adventure. (⌒▽⌒)☆
You might even get to do some real hero work. ⌒°(ᴖ◡ᴖ)°⌒
Oh, it looks like we’re here.
I’ll tell you more about it when I can.
Okay, stay safe and kick some butt ヽ( `∀´)┌┛★)`з゜)y
I will.
Love you
Todoroki shoved his phone in his pocket as he followed Endeavor down the street. Screams suddenly rang out as a Nomu appeared, chasing citizens. That man instinctively headed towards the center of the fight. As Todoroki followed him, his eyes watched the crowds running away, and he froze.
The device Izuku had given him was out of his pocket before he could second guess himself. Just as he thought, the signal was blinking away from the crowds and obvious danger. Whatever the League of Villains was doing here, it was giving the Hero Killer the cover he needed to work, and Iida was with him. Todoroki stood there, memorizing the path as Iida’s marker stayed unmoving.
“Shouto!” Endeavor called impatiently.
“Go ahead without me and take this.” Todoroki stated, tossing the device to his father, “When you're done handling the central threat, send as many heroes as you can to that location.”
He didn’t bother waiting for confirmation as he ran off, letting his ice propel him further as he turned down the different alleyways until-
Todoroki recognized the signature fish-finned helmet and blue visor worn by the pro hero Manual, the man that Iida had chosen to intern with. Manual was standing over Iida’s prone form where he laid on the ground, using his quirk to manipulate the water from the puddles around them. There was another hero Todoroki didn’t quite recognize laying beside the wall.
There was no time to waste. He slid his right foot forward, shooting a blast of ice forward. The Hero Killer jumped, avoiding his attack, but it worked out for the better. Todoroki let the small glacier rise up, forming a ramp. As he shot a fiery blast at the villain, he melted the ice, causing the others to slide down, landing safely behind him.
“Another child?” the Hero Killer muttered, readying his blade.
Todoroki ignored the villain’s taunt, “Manual, more heroes are on the way. They’ll be here shortly.”
The moment the words left his lips, Todoroki was forced to dodge a knife thrown straight at his head. The blade just barely sliced through his cheek, nicking his skin.
“Just take the kids and leave!” the one fallen hero pleaded, “This is too dangerous for children.”
“We’re not leaving you, Native!” Manual shouted, hissing in pain as the Hero Killer threw a blade through his water wall, jabbing into his shoulder.
Todoroki threw up an ice shield, preventing the villain from getting any closer to the pro.
"You both have good friends, Native, Ingenium!” the Hero Killer mocked as he shifted his focus to Todoroki, lunging forward to try and slice through him.
He breathed out a frosty fog as a glacier rammed into the villain’s stomach, forcing him back. Todoroki kneeled down, building up his ice until a thick wall was between them. He turned to assess the situation. The hero, Native was paralized along with Iida, while the pro Manual was visibly wounded but still standing.
“You’re the one from the Sport’s Festival. What’s your hero name?” Manual asked as he pulled the knife out of his shoulder, his eyes watching the top of the wall in case the villain tried to climb over.
“Dual.” Todoroki stated.
Manual nodded, “Dual, has your mentor given you permission to fight?”
Todoroki couldn’t stop himself from muttering, “As if that man would have me do anything else.” before quickly clarifying, “Yes, Endeavor has given me permission. He’ll be here once he’s finished taking care of the Nomu attacking the streets.”
“Then we’ll just have to hold him off until then.” Manual assessed.
Both instinctively jumped back as the Hero Killer’s blade sliced through the ice.
“To block your own view against an opponent faster than you... What a foolish plan.” the villain taunted.
“I wonder about that.” Todoroki retorted, feeling the flames rising on his left side, only to stop as two knives embedded themselves into his arm.
He watched as the villain readied an aerial strike on the downed pro hero, “Above you.” Todoroki warned, watching as the Hero Killer was knocked back by a tentacle of water. It smacked against him, pushing him further down the alleyway.
Todoroki ripped the short knives out of his arms, letting them fall to the ground as he kept his eyes on the Hero Killer. He sent wave after wave of ice towards the villain, but his attacks were either sliced through or dodged completely. If ice wasn’t working, then he needed something else.
As his flames funneled down the alley, Todoroki couldn’t help but think how bad this situation would be if he had still foolishly been handicapping himself. This internship… it was just so he could experience the fact that that man is the number two hero with his own eyes and body, to accept that. Everything was so simple. But even though it was simple, Todoroki hadn’t seen it.
The Hero Killer moved faster than any villain Todoroki had previously fought. He seemed to dance around his flames, preparing to strike Manual.
Todoroki threw up a thick pillar of ice, blocking the blade before it could cut Manual, but the Hero Killer suddenly turned his body mid-air, leaning forward to lick the blood off Todoroki’s cheek. There was a sharp, sudden pain that ran through his entire body before he found himself falling flat on the ground, unable to move.
Even so, he grit his teeth, struggling against the paralysis as he activated his quirk. There was no way to control the direction, but it didn’t need to be. The fire rose up straight above like a beacon. His head was turned, allowing him to see the Hero Killer hovering above the fallen pro. The villain took his eyes off his target to watch the flames, allowing Manual to push the pro away with another watery blast.
In a matter of moments, Todoroki felt his fingers twitch. The more he struggled, the faster his body seemed to move back to him. What had Izuku been saying, some theory about blood types? He knew Iida wasn’t O like he was. It must have different times depending on the type.
Todoroki was back on his feet, sending a mini-glacier between the Hero Killer and Manual. From behind him, he heard Iida speak up.
“I’m sorry, please just run.” Iida pleaded, “I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”
He didn’t budge, readying another burst of flames, “If you wanna stop this, then stand up! Because I've just got one thing to say to you! Never forget who you want to become!” Todoroki shouted.
A spiral of flames shot out from his left side, aiming them at the villain. Todoroki grit his teeth, sending out another icy pillar that the villain dodged. Shit . The blade loomed under his left arm. It was going to sever it. Todoroki felt his chest tighten, expecting a wave of pain when something tugged on the back of his jacket, pulling him away from the villain. As he was tossed aside, Todoroki saw Iida, no Ingenium activate his engines, kicking the Hero Killer into the wall.
“Freeze the armor around my engines. If I can slow the overheating, I know I can take him out.” Iida stated. It wasn’t much of a plan, but it was all they had.
Todoroki nodded, but before he could make his move, the Hero Killer was in his face. The villain's movements were different, erratic, almost as if he was flustered. His style was so uncertain, relying on blood types and close contact fighting. He's gotten desperate to kill Native and Ingenium before the other pros get here. He’s got crazy tenacity…
“You’re in the way!” the Hero Killer shouted, throwing another knife through Todoroki’s flames, nearly stabbing him between his eyes, but Iida threw his arm up, catching the blade in his bicep.
The villain had thrown another blade, exclaiming “You stop too!” but Iida dived in front of Manual, letting it pierce his forearm to protect his mentor.
Iida was the only one of them with speed that matched the villain.
“Hurry up and do it!” Iida shouted.
Todoroki moved, freezing the metal around the engine quirk without blocking the exhaust pipes.
Before the hero killer could attack, Manual restrained him with a watery tentacle. Before the villain could break free, Iida soared through the air, landing a solid kick to his target’s face, before turning to land a second kick to the Hero Killer’s back and sending him straight into the ground.
As the Hero Killer laid there unmoving, Manual removed his many knives and various blades, only allowing Todoroki to restrain the villain with ropes once there were no more weapons that they could see. With his wrists and torso tied, the group felt comfortable moving outside of the alleyway towards the street.
“You two should get to a hospital.” Native commented, “You’ve done so much already. We can wait here for the police while you have your wounds tended to.”
Todoroki wanted to argue, but despite his injuries being relatively minor, in the grander scheme of things, he wanted to get Iida checked out, so he nodded. As they reached the sidewalk, a group of pro heroes came running towards them, apparently sent by Endeavor. At least that man was good for something, even if help had arrived too late.
Todoroki suddenly felt his stomach sink as his feet were picked off the ground. Something sharp dug into his shoulders. As he looked up, he spotted one of the creatures from before, a winged Nomu.
Before he could think to summon his quirk, the Hero Killer had freed himself from his bindings, pulling out a hidden knife. As the villain jumped through the air, he began to speak, “The society overgrown with fake heroes,” he said, jabbing his blade through the Nomu’s head, “And the criminals who wave their power around idly should all be purged.” they landed, Todoroki’s skin scraping harshly against the street, “This is all,” the Hero Killer added, ripping the blade out of the Nomu’s exposed brain, “To create a more just society.”
Todoroki suddenly felt paralyzed once more. Had the villain gotten a taste of his blood? There was plenty of it dripping onto the asphalt.
“Why are you all standing around in a group? The villain should've escaped this way.” the unmistakable voice said.
“Endeavor…” the Hero Killer growled, confirming what Todoroki had already known. The villain’s eyes narrowed in on the flaming form of the pro.
“Hero Killer!” that man grinned,
“Wait!” Manual called out, stopping Endeavor before he could launch his fiery javelin. Todoroki knew he was likely trying to stop that man from hitting him with splash damage, but it wasn’t as though his father's flames could really hurt him.
The Hero killer was back on his feet, eyes unfocused as his gaze shifted between the gathered heroes, “You fake, try and get me you fakes!" he jeered, "The only one I'll let kill me is the true hero... All Might!" the Hero Killer shouted, his voice carrying an aura that left everyone frozen in place. But just before the villain could attack, his knife fell to the ground and the Hero Killer fell into a standing, unconscious state.
As the police moved to apprehend the villain, Todoroki felt his vision blur. He pushed himself off the ground, hearing that man’s irritating shouts. His mind was unsteady. Dizziness soon took over and the next thing he knew, Todoroki was laying in a hospital robe on a white bed across from Iida.
“You’re awake.” Iida stated.
“It would seem so.” Todoroki replied, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. He blearily noticed the bandages wrapped around his arm. As he looked across at Iida, he could see the taller boy was in a similar state, “What happened with the Hero Killer?” he asked.
“A broken rib punctured his lung. He passed out due to his injuries. He’s at the villain hospital now under heavy police supervision.” Iida stated.
“Oh.” he replied.
Iida tilted his head to the side, “Todoroki-kun, I was wondering… how did you know where we were during the attack?” he asked.
“Izuku-kun bugged your costume.” Todoroki said plainly, watching as Iida's eyes widened, mouth opening and closing like a fish.
“Is that what this device is?” an extremely tall man with a dog head asked, having suddenly entered the room. He was holding up the tracker Todoroki had given Endeavor.
Todoroki pursed his lips, staring at the stranger. Manual appeared next to him, introducing the dog-man as the chief of police.
“Yes. My friend is a support course student and he was worried since Iida would be working in the same city the Hero Killer attacked.” Todoroki stated a touch coldly, “Since my father is known to patrol in the area, he gave me that device.”
“It is technically evidence now, but we will try to return it to you as quickly as possible.” the officer? stated, “It was smart of you to call upon pro heroes, even if they didn’t reach the battle until it was over.”
Manual was smiling at Iida, who was taking this all with the same, extreme seriousness that he seemed to give everything.
Todoroki stopped listening when the dog-man-officer began to drone on about press coverage. It didn’t really matter what the papers decided to say. They’d either focus on Iida being ‘the new Ingenium’ or, the idea that made him nauseous, ‘father and son take down villains.’ Hopefully since he and Endeavor didn’t actually work together, the press would focus on Iida. He was at least prepared to speak with them like he had the reporters outside the school gates.
A nurse came in, his father alongside him. Todoroki listened to the nurse, taking a cup of pills with a glass of water. The painkillers were great to numb the headache that man was giving him alongside his bandaged wounds.
As the nurse left to check on Iida, his father thankfully left him alone, not before remarking on Todoroki’s fire. He took a breath, ignoring the irritation building up inside him. Through some small miracle, he found his phone in a bin by his bed. Todoroki opened it up to find a number of missed messages and two calls, all from the same contact, ‘My Adorable Izuku.’
So, where did Endeavor take you?
Did you get to do any hero work? (๑•̌ᴗ•̑๑)ˀ̣ˀ̣
What was it like? (૦ୂ૦ॢ)ɂ̥Ɂ̥
(っ- ‸ – ς) Sorry, you’re probably tired, right?
I don’t want to bother you.
Shouto?
I know you’re probably just busy, but please text me back when you get this. (。ŏ﹏ŏ)
I just watched the news, are you alright Shouto? Please text me back, I need to know that you’re okay ๐·°(৹˃̵﹏˂̵৹)°·๐
I’m fine.
I only received a few minor cuts, and I’m at the hospital now.
Iida is also here, with a minor hand injury.
You also got your hand injured at USJ. What if I’m cursed?
Izuku, am I, like, the hand crusher or something?
I’m so glad you’re safe! Also, are you on painkillers?
According to that man, I am on /the best/ painkillers.
Just checking.
Can I call you?
Todoroki had already begun to dial the number before Izuku could send him a text apologizing for asking. He stepped out of his shared room, not wanting to bother Iida with his call.
“S-Shouto?” Izuku answered after the second ring.
“Yes.” he replied, “And I’m serious about the hand crusher thing. I think I’m cursed.”
There was that lovely laugh that made his left side warm, threatening to burst into roaring flames, “You’re not cursed.” Izuku assured him, “Did you call me to talk about that?”
“You asked me to call you. Did you have something you want to talk about?” Todoroki asked.
“N-Nothing really. I was just a little worried I guess.” Izuku mumbled into his speaker, “You didn’t have to call me…”
“I like hearing your voice.” Todoroki stated, “I wanted to call you.”
“O-Oh.” Izuku mumbled.
Todoroki could just picture the rosy blush on Izuku’s face. He wished he could see it. “Talk to me, please.” he requested.
He could hear Izuku flustering on the other end of the call, taking a few moments to stammer out his question, “About what?”
“Anything. I just want to listen to you.” Todoroki replied, smiling as he heard Izuku squeak.
His eyes fell shut as Izuku began to ramble on about his theories on what happened exactly from what he had gathered from different news channels. The adorable boy also had a few remarks on the heroes who had been on camera fighting the Nomus. Every now and again, Todoroki would add his own account, though his fight with the Hero Killer was kept mostly to the shadows.
When he heard the tired yawn come through his phone, Todoroki pulled it away from his ear for a moment to glance at the clock; 3:00 AM stared back at him.
“Izuku-kun, thank you for talking to me, but you should go to bed.” Todoroki remarked, “You have regular classes tomorrow, don’t you?”
Izuku tried to conceal another yawn as he replied, “Yeah, but I’ve gone to school on less before.”
“That is far more concerning than comforting, Izuku-kun.” Todoroki stated, “Please get some rest.”
There was an adorable sigh that Todoroki could picture Izuku making with a little pout on his lips, “Alright, but only if you go to bed too,” he replied.
“That sounds fair.” Todoroki agreed.
“Night, Shouto-kun.” Izuku mumbled, sounding as though he was almost asleep already.
“Goodnight, Izuku-kun, sweet dreams.” Todoroki replied before his finger pressed against the red button. “Love you.” Todoroki mumbled to himself, staring down at the flashing ‘end call’ screen. He let out a little sigh as he returned to his room. After crawling into bed, Todoroki scrolled through his contact list.
He’s so perfect? And incredibly amazing?
So amazing that I won’t even yell at you for allowing yourself to have a fit of gay panic in the middle of the night.
Have you tried asking him out yet?
He almost died when I complimented him, Momo.
He’ll actually die if I try to date him now.
Do you want him to die?
I want you and your mystery crush to be happy.
I’m sure he didn’t almost die.
He told me so, multiple times.
If you aren’t going to ask him out, then can this wait until the morning?
no
Fine.
As he shut off his screen, he let his eyes fall close. Even as he succumbed to the darkness that welcomed him, Todoroki dreamed of soft freckles in the sunlight.
Notes:
Some art for this chapter On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter 10: I Spy
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The Hero Killer, Stain, real name Akaguro Chizome, had some video expressing his views on heroes that went viral. Midoriya frowned at his phone screen. Todoroki almost died to that man, and some people were really trying to say he wasn’t that bad. A small part of him understood, at the most basic level, why they did. Because Stain had a reason behind his despicable actions. The villain wanted heroes to be better, to be like All Might. Lots of people wanted that, but they didn’t murder in order to get there.
At least some papers were talking about Iida becoming Ingenium 2.0 and how incredible Todoroki was. It was a little soured by all of the praise Endeavor was getting for “raising” such an amazing upcoming hero. It was a pretty even split between the press running stories about the villain and the heroes who stopped him. Ingenium fans held onto the hope that Iida would take on his brother’s legacy, Endeavor fans seemed incredibly interested in Todoroki, and Stain sold papers because he just had an aura about him that drew people in, like people who slow down to look at car crashes.
There was one photo circling around of Todoroki, still dressed in his hospital garb with a bandaid on his cheek. His face was almost impressively blank as he stood beside his father. He’d seen it used in quite a few papers, but one popular gossip magazine seemed to have it as a video. The sound quality was awful, but Midoriya could hear Endeavor’s voice, speaking to some other reporter. Todoroki tilted his head to the side, reaching into his pocket. As he stared down at his phone, that expressionless face suddenly wore a little smile that brightened up the entire room. Midoriya felt like its power could blind him if he looked at it too long.
After the video ended, a rather obnoxious font read, “Endeavor’s Son in Secret Relationship?!?! Click to read more->”
Midoriya didn’t click, since he knew that Todoroki wasn’t actually dating anyone, but what had the dual wielder been smiling at? Wait. Midoriya’s nerves spiked in his chest as he played the video again, searching for the clock in the background. His stomach flipped as he pulled his texting app. He looked at the timestamp for his “Good morning Shouto! I hope you’re feeling better ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁)” message. His mouth hung agape. Todoroki had been looking at his text. It was his fault gossipers thought Todoroki was in some sort of secret relationship. Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek. He knew he should have just waited until internships ended to talk to him at school.
As he stepped off the train, Midoriya let out a small sigh. His hands clutched the straps of his backpack as his feet trudged forward. What was he supposed to do in a situation like this? It wasn’t like reporters would take a quote from him. The truth wasn’t as marketable. Blearily, he registered his classroom door, still muttering under his breath as he walked over to his seat.
Before he could set his notes out, he felt his phone buzz. Midoriya unlocked it to find a new notification for a hero magazine he’d subscribed to. It was a photo of Todoroki walking alongside a dark-haired girl with a high ponytail. He was pretty sure it was Yaoyorozu, but the photo was taken from a distance. Underneath the picture read “New Development on Secret Relationship: Is Upcoming Hero Dual Dating Fellow Student Creati? Click to find out more ->” Midoriya felt his chest tighten as his stomach flipped. Now his text was affecting them both! His pen began to move on his paper as he tried to think of an appropriate apology.
He’d gone through four pages by the time Maijima-sensei entered the room. Midoriya forced himself to focus on his teacher, despite the voice in the back of his head that continuously fretted over everything. He turned to a fresh page and began copying what was written on the board.
When the bell rang for lunch, Midoriya found himself tearing his apology pages out of his notepad. His eyes scanned over them as he walked down the hall. Should he bring a gift? How many flowers meant “I’m sorry” and he was sure the kind and color mattered too... Midoriya made a mental note to look through the language of flowers.
As he walked opposite to the lunchroom, the halls grew quieter until it was just the sound of his own shoes tapping against the tile. Midoriya’s hands flipped through his pages, eyes glued to the inked words he struggled to memorize.
“Izuku-kun?”
Midoriya looked up, feeling his chest tighten at the sight of Todoroki. With his plan long forgotten, Midoriya burst forward, wrapping his arms around the dual wielder. He felt his eyes watering, tears spilling down his cheeks, staining Todoroki’s school jacket.
Two tentative hands gently rested against his back as Midoriya heard the dual wielder ask, “Are you alright?” there was a slight burning smell.
Midoriya felt his face warm as he pulled back, staring up at Todoroki whose left shoulder was smoking while little flames danced through his hair, “S-Sorry, I was just really happy you’re okay.” he said softly, surprised by his own reaction. Logically, he knew Todoroki was fine, and that he’d been safe all week, but, it was different seeing him in person after everything. After Midoriya had practically sent him to fight a serial killer when he was the one who asked him to watch Iida. He was the reason Todoroki had been hurt and put in the hospital.
“Oh.” Todoroki mumbled, dousing the fire before pulling one hand back to reach into his pocket, pulling out a handkerchief. He brought the soft fabric up to Midoriya’s face, wiping away the tears. “I’m sorry for worrying you.” Todoroki added, “I’ll do better next time, so please don’t cry.”
“B-But it’s my fault-” Midoriya found himself cut off as Todoroki rested his right hand against his cheek, cooling the warmed skin.
“Izuku-kun, there will always be danger in our line of work. And regardless, Endeavor was taking me to find the Hero Killer before the Nomu attacked.” Todoroki stated, “I was hurt because I wasn’t fast enough. I need to practice wielding both sides. My ice can block projectiles, but his knives cut through my fire. I’ll get better.”
Midoriya frowned, eyes dropping to the floor, “I know…” he mumbled, “I just wish I could’ve done more to help.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to save Iida and Manual without your tracker.” Todoroki stated.
“It was Mei-chan’s device.” Midoriya argued.
“But you’re the one who thought to bug Iida and give me his location.” Todoroki retorted, “A strategist makes use of those around them to stop villains. That’s what you did. Iida followed your notes, I followed your directions, and with your help, Stain won’t hurt anyone else ever again.”
“Meddling when you don't need to is the essence of being a hero!”
Midoriya jumped back at the sound of the new voice, one hand clutching his chest while the other held onto Todoroki’s sleeve. His eyes were locked onto the head that suddenly appeared in the wall. He felt like part of his soul had left his body as two blue eyes looked back at him. They were eerily familiar, but he couldn’t place where he’d seen them before...
The blonde-haired boy (head?) continued, “All Might once said that to me, and by that definition, you two sound like great heroes!” he chirped.
Todoroki was silent beside him, staring at the blonde for a few moments before saying, “Tōgata-senpai?”
“Were you surprised? I was hoping to startle you a bit, but then I didn’t want to interrupt you two either.” Tōgata remarked, “People were talking about you energetic first years, so I came to see.” he added before disappearing.
Midoriya didn’t have time to question what just happened because another, far more familiar voice called out to them, “There you are.” Iida remarked, hand chopping through the air in front of him as he walked, “You’re both missing lunch.”
“Sorry Iida-kun, we’re on our way.” Midoriya replied, face going red as Todoroki’s hands reached out for his tie, pulling the fabric loose.
“How are you doing?” Todoroki asked, looking up at the taller boy as he effortlessly fixed Midoriya’s tie.
Iida looked between the two of them, coughing into his fist as he averted his gaze, “My wounds were healed, though I’ll have some scarring on my hand. Manual and Native have also made full recoveries.”
As Todoroki smoothed out the fabric against Midoriya’s shirt, he replied, “I’m sorry about your hand.”
“It’s fine. I consider it a reminder of that night.” Iida remarked, “I wanted to thank you both for keeping me on the path of becoming a hero.”
“We didn’t do anything, Iida-kun. You were always a hero.” Midoriya replied.
“No, I almost did something terrible.” Iida stated, clenching his fists.
“You chose to do the right thing.” Todoroki retorted, “That says more about you than your past thoughts.”
Iida’s eyes widened behind his glasses. When he didn’t reply, Midoriya said, “Let’s get to lunch before time’s up.”
By the time they made it to the lunchroom, Midoriya’s normal table was full, luckily, Uraraka was waving him over. Midoriya took the empty seat beside Shinsou, while Todoroki and Iida sat beside Uraraka.
“What were you guys up to?” she asked excitedly.
While both Midoriya and Iida suddenly tensed up, Todoroki nonchalantly answered, “We were discussing our internships.” before he began to eat his soba.
“Oh, yeah, I read about that.” Uraraka remarked.
“Bet you’re tired of talking about it.” Shinsou remarked, “From what I’ve seen, reporters keep hounding you two.”
“It’s their job to inform the public of the events as accurately as possible.” Iida stated.
Midoriya opened his juice, “How were your internships?” he asked.
“I feel like I learned a lot!” Uraraka chirped, sporting a scary expression on her face as a fire burned behind her eyes, “We did a lot of combat training at Gunhead’s agency. I was surprised by how cute he was though!”
“Mine was just like normal training but worse.” Shinsou remarked, “He gave me a new workout schedule too.”
“Oh?” Uraraka remarked. She looked like she was about to ask who he interned with when a small explosion popped off at the table across from them.
There was a burst of laughter that’s volume was matched only by Kacchan’s threats.
“I think Kaminari is about to die.” Shinsou commented.
Seeing the phone in the electric blonde’s hand made it easy to guess what had set Bakugou off. While Todoroki, Iida, and Stain had taken over the media, Kacchan’s internship had been trending on twitter for the past few days with the hashtag #Jakugou. Apparently, a few people had tweeted a picture of Bakugou patrolling with Best Jeanist. Midoriya’s curiosity had tempted him to look into the tag, only to shut his phone off minutes later, red-faced. The experience reminded him that he’d wanted to ask Hatsume about the probability of developing some sort of brain bleach, so he’d never have to know what some people thought about Kacchan wearing skinny jeans.
“Should you try to stop him?” Uraraka asked, looking directly at the green-haired boy.
“It’s fine, he’s not going to do anything.” Midoriya replied, watching the way Kirishima’s hand rested on Kacchan’s shoulder, unknowingly forcing the ashe blonde to stay in his seat.
“Are you sure?” Iida questioned, “It would be wrong for any students to get into a fight.”
Midoriya watched as Kirishima said something to Kacchan that made his scowl soften ever so slightly, “Yeah, I’m sure.” he replied.
It wasn’t long before the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Midoriya was content with his near-empty rice bowl. As he waved goodbye to his friends, a sudden realization stabbed through him. He hadn’t apologized for the gossipers! Midoriya’s nails dug into the palms of his hands as he resolved to properly make amends the next time he saw the dual wielder.
As he stepped into the Department Studio, he noticed Power Loader waiting by his station.
“I’m sure you know that final exams are approaching.”
Midoriya nodded, feeling a wave of unease hit him. Why would his teacher want to talk to him about this in private? He was fairly sure his grades hadn’t slipped.
“I have another project for you regarding the hero course.” Maijima-sensei began, and Midoriya visibly relaxed.
“What kind of project?” he asked.
“The teachers are planning something different for this year’s final exams. The hero course will need to be more prepared, which is why their physical exam will have them pitted against us.”
Midoriya blinked, taking a moment to process his teacher's words before replying, “What?”
“Stain and the League of Villains have caused a disturbance. Crime is rising, and it’s our job to ensure they’re prepared.” Maijima-sensei stated, “We want to challenge them, set them up for failure.”
“Make them face their weaknesses in order to push them to succeed anyway.” Midoriya assessed.
Power Loader nodded, “Exactly.”
“Are the teachers going to go all out? Won’t that make it impossible for them to win?” Midoriya questioned. It seemed really unfair to give students a test they had no chance of winning.
“We’re going to be wearing weighted bracers to handicap ourselves.” Majima-sensei stated, “Now, both Aizawa-sensei and Kan-sensei have students paired together, but I would like you to attempt to do the same. Look over the student roster and try to figure out what would be the most difficult situations for the students.”
With that, Power Loader left, almost making it to his desk before the smell of smoke filled the room. Midoriya took his seat as the screens came to life. He tapped his fingers against the table as he mulled over his options.
Power Loader specializes in manipulating the battlefield and setting traps. For him, he’d be better off negating some student’s strengths rather than trying to target one’s weakness. Putting him up against Iida and Ojiro would make it a very difficult test since Power Loader can negate their mobility.
As much as he didn’t like to think about it, Todoroki relied a bit too heavily on his quirk, much like Yaoyorozu’s creation. Todoroki mainly used his brute force to take down enemies, only occasionally using more precise attacks when all else has failed, but he always used his quirk. Yaoyorozu was more of an all-around fighter, but during the sport’s festival, she lost because she couldn’t make any instant decisions and act on them before she was pushed out of bounds. Their most difficult opponent would definitely be Eraser Head. By erasing their quirks, he’ll have the advantage.
Present Mic’s voice quirk outclasses other sound-based quirks like Jirō’s earphone jack and Kōda’s anivoice. The two would need to work together to take down an opponent who has a stronger quirk and more experience using it. Midoriya continued to mumble through his thoughts as he filled in his table chart, displaying the match-up and his reasoning.
He moved on to Principal Nezu. Midoriya felt a little bad with how quickly he paired Kaminari and Ashido together. They both had poorer grades compared to their classmates and difficult quirks that can cause damage to those around them, teammates included. While they had some time to work on the puzzle type brain games he’d suggested, Midoriya had no way to know if they were actually helping. Putting them up against the smartest quirk in their school would certainly test it.
Cementoss’s quirk doesn't have a time limit like Sato's Sugar Rush and Tokage doesn't have many strong physical moves. It would be good for them to work together. With Tokage’s strategy and Sato’s strength, they stood a chance, but only if they worked together. If the two couldn’t figure out how to cooperate and cover the other’s weaknesses, they would definitely fail.
Then there was Snipe. The teacher’s homing quirk allowed him to accurately hit any target he chose by controlling the trajectory of any and all of the bullets he fires. His strength negated stealth quirks like Shōji and Hagakure.
Tokoyami is weak in close-range combat. Setting him up against Ectoplasm would really test him since Ectoplasm’s clones can appear suddenly, Tokoyami would constantly be fighting surprise attacks. None of the teachers really have an advantage over Asui, so her real test would be how well she is able to work with Tokoyami to help him while he’s in a weakened state.
For Midnight’s Somnambulist quirk, Midoriya knew he needed to pair her against the guys, since her quirk worked better on men. As he tapped his pen against his paper, he looked over the names he had left. Sero’s tape and Shinsou’s brainwashing quirks both were suited for a ‘restrain and capture’ strategy. Sero wouldn’t be able to get close enough to use his quirk without risking breathing in Midnight’s quirk, and it wasn’t like Shinsou could command people in his sleep. With Midnight knowing how Shinsou’s quirk worked, he would already be at a severe disadvantage.
There weren’t many students left. Midoriya looked at Uraraka and Aoyama’s names. They both had nausea-inducing quirks that limited how much of their power they could use at once. He only had two teachers left, and between them, Thirteen seemed the most fitting to exploit the students’ weaknesses.
All that was left was All Might, Kacchan, and Kirishima. All Might was the number one hero, someone who couldn’t be beaten. Bakugou was a fighter with a mastery of his quirk and a personality that refused to back down from a fight, even one he stood no chance against; he would always aim for the top. Kirishima’s quirk paired nicely with Kacchan’s. Where Bakugou was explosive, Kirishima was protective, a shield and a bomb. There were almost no students Kacchan would even consider working with, as his cooperativeness was essentially in the negatives, but one student could. Kirishima was the only one Kacchan would let talk to him as a true equal, respecting his strength and tenacity. If any pairing stood a chance at getting past All Might, it was those two.
When he glanced at the clock, Midoriya knew that even if he started now, he wouldn’t be able to finish 1-B before the final bell. He resolved to give it his full attention the next day.
With his decision made, he approached his teacher with the pages he’d made, listing the justifications for each pairing he’d suggested. As his teacher looked them over, Power Loader smiled beneath his helmet.
“Good work,” Maijima-sensei praised, “Could you go deliver those to Aizawa-sensei for me? He should be in the teacher’s lounge now since All-Might is working with his class.”
“Yes!” Midoriya replied, collecting his papers before heading out the door. Just before it closed behind him, he heard a familiar hiss that was almost instantly followed by a thunderous boom.
He hurried down the hall, catching a few shouts from Maijima-sensei about proper safety guidelines.
As he entered the teacher’s lounge, Midoriya noted it was rather empty. For a moment he wondered if the other teachers were in some sort of meeting. Then he noticed Yamada-sensei. The hair made him easy to spot, though it was harder to see Aizawa-sensei as the blonde was leaning over the man’s desk, so close that Midoriya could barely see 1-A’s homeroom teacher.
“But Shota-” Yamada-sensei began before Aizawa-sensei cut him off with a firm, “No.”
“ Please !” the blonde whined, leaning further into Aizawa-sensei’s space, so close that their noses were almost touching.
Aizawa-sensei pinched his brow, “Hizashi, you’re not getting out of feeding the cats.”
“Fine,” Yamada-sensei huffed, a mischievous look in his eyes before adding, “But you’re still my favorite kitten.”
Midoriya furrowed his brow, sure that he’d misheard. Did Aizawa’s cat have kittens? His thought process ended there as Yamada-sensei leaned in closer, stealing a kiss. Oh, he should not be here.
He’d nearly made it to the door when he felt something wrap around his chest and head, pulling him back into the center of the room. It took him a moment to realize he was tangled up in Aizawa-sensei’s capture gear. He looked up to two, angry red eyes glaring at him while Aizawa-sensei's hair floated above his head, quirk activated despite having nothing to erase. There was a pink dusting that colored the homeroom teacher’s cheeks.
“What are you doing here?” Aizawa-sensei demanded.
Midoriya couldn’t form a proper sentence as he stuttered, babbling uselessly as he looked between the papers in his hands and the homeroom teacher.
Aizawa-sensei put two and two together, taking the pages out of his hands. As his eyes scanned over the words, Aizawa-sensei simply sighed, loosening his capture gear, so Midoriya could free himself.
“You are forbidden from telling anyone what you saw here today.” Aizawa-sensei stated with a threatening edge to his words.
“We don’t want students to get distracted.” Yamada-sensei remarked, slinging his arm around the slightly shorter teacher’s shoulder.
“They’re bad enough on their own.” Aizawa-sensei grumbled.
“I-I won’t tell anyone!” Midoriya promised. Something on his face seemed to make the two teachers relax.
“Good.” Aizawa-sensei said as Yamada-sensei replied, “Thanks, Little Listener.”
While Midoriya walked back to the Development Studio, his mind replayed the scene. He should’ve just left the papers in the 1-A classroom. A small part of him felt grateful that both teachers seemed to trust him with their secret. A part that he was equally guilty over for accidentally spying on his teachers’ love life.
By the time he’d returned to class, Todoroki was already there waiting for him. Midoriya blinked, checking his phone to see that, yes, school had ended. He’d been so lost in thought he’d missed the bell ringing.
“Ready to go?” Todoroki asked.
“Yeah.” Midoriya nodded.
As they were walking past the school gates, Midoriya watched as a head of scarlet red hair rushed by Todoroki, only to stumble forward. The dual wielder reached out, stopping him before he could face plant into the ground.
“Thanks.” Kirishima said, sheepishly grinning up at Todoroki.
“It was no trouble.” Todoroki replied.
Midoriya heard a familiar huff, looking over to see Kacchan with his arms folded across his chest.
“Idiot.” Bakugou grumbled, “Hurry up. I’m not waiting for you.” he added, despite the fact that he’d clearly been standing there while Todoroki helped Kirishima up. The ashe blonde rolled his eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets as he turned, stalking off down the sidewalk.
“Sorry, I’ll see you guys later.” Kirishima said before dashing off to catch up to Kacchan.
Todoroki didn’t comment on the two, seeming content to simply walk alongside Midoriya. The green-haired boy fidgeted beside him, biting the inside of his cheek. When they made it to the train station, he finally spoke up.
“Um, Shouto-kun, about the press coverage… I’m sorry.” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked down at his shoes.
“It’s fine. I knew it would happen.” Todoroki replied.
“Y-You did?!” Midoriya asked, his head jolting up to meet Todoroki’s gaze.
“Endeavor is the number two hero. Reporters were always going to bother me.” Todoroki stated plainly, “Though they haven’t approached me since the hospital.”
“But haven’t some been following you? I saw a picture of you and Momo this morning.” Midoriya remarked, guilt coiling in his stomach as he remembered the article. It was his fault.
“Oh. I didn’t notice. Photographers don’t get close to me.” Todoroki said simply, “Endeavor has a history of melting cameras.”
“But you don’t.” Midoriya retorted.
“As of now, no one has taken the risk.” Todoroki remarked, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
Midoriya wanted to take a picture of that smile and make it his screensaver. His face flushed at the sudden realization, causing Midoriya to duck his head and stare at his shoes. He instantly relaxed as the train arrived, preventing Todoroki from asking the question that rested on the tip of his tongue.
Midoriya’s hand gripped the hanging strap, his shoulder brushing up against Todoroki’s side as the train filled up. It was warm, in a nice way. When he glanced over at the dual wielder, he noticed a little hole where something had burned through the fabric of Todoroki’s shirt and jacket. He couldn’t think to ask as Todoroki was thrown off balance, stumbling into Midoriya. They both wound up pressed close to the doors, faces inches apart from one another. The crowd had moved to fill the sudden space, preventing them from moving.
When they reached their stop, Midoriya’s head was dizzy, his face feeling far too warm. Todoroki stood beside him patiently waiting for the green-haired boy to reorient himself before taking his hand. Midoriya barely registered the way their fingers intertwined together. Todoroki seemed to give him a look that silently asked if this was alright. Midoriya smiled softly, squeezing the dual wielder’s hand as a rosy blush dusted his cheeks.
Midoriya rambled on as they walked, filling the air with his hero babble. He had a lot of new information he’d been poring over since Todoroki’s internship had started. By the time they had reached Midoriya’s house, he’d only managed to cover a handful of heroes he’d observed.
“You’ll tell me the rest later, right?” Todoroki asked.
Midoriya felt his heart skip a beat, “Y-Yeah,” he replied, “Definitely!”
Todoroki smiled, his eyes practically shining as he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Izuku-kun.”
“See you tomorrow, Shouto-kun.” Midoriya mirrored, his mouth suddenly feeling dry.
As he stepped inside his phone buzzed with another article, “Love Theory: Todoroki Shoto was watching Yaoyorozu Momo’s Commercial!”
Midoriya frowned at his phone, knowing Todoroki was alright with this didn’t stop his chest from hurting.
“Izuku, is that you?”
His mother poked her head out of the kitchen, grinning as she spotted him, “I’m making Katsudon!” she remarked.
His smile matched hers as he took off his shoes, dropping his bag by the door, “Thanks mom.”
The smell alone was mouth-watering. His stomach growled loudly, causing his mother’s laugh to fill the house. “They feed you at that school of yours don’t they?” his mom asked as she brought two bowls over to their table.
Midoriya fought back his urge to simply inhale his meal, forcing himself to eat at the same leisurely pace as his mother. After a few minutes, his mom disappeared into the kitchen to refill her drink. A moment later, there was another buzz in his pocket.
He clicked open his phone screen and his heart stopped. His chopsticks fell into his bowl, clinking against the porcelain. Midoriya sat frozen in place, unable to breathe as his chest tightened. The only thing he could do was stare helplessly down at his newest notification. The article title read: “The Rumor Come Out: Does Todoroki Shoto is Gay?”
As Midoriya clicked the article, his mouth hung open, eyes squinting at the image, almost waiting for it to change. The picture was from a distance, likely across the road from their school gates. It captured the moment where Todoroki stopped Kirishima from his fall, hand resting on the redhead’s chest as he steadied him.
Kacchan wasn’t going to like this. Even if the ashe blonde knew it was all baseless gossip, he’d still be fuming. Midoriya hoped for the world’s sake, that Bakugou didn’t subscribe to this magazine.
Notes:
for anyone that didn't get the reference "Does Bruno Mars is Gay?" is an article generated by a bot. It gained a lot of meme popularity when Dan from GameGrumps read it
Some art On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
And because my Beta asked, Jakugou On My Tumblr
Chapter 11: Study Buddy
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
His pen tapped against his notepad as Midoriya’s mumbling filled the room. The words mixed with the sound of drills and the occasional explosion.
For Cementoss, it would be good to pair Shishida Jūrōta with Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu. Shishida’s quirk, beast, transformed him into a huge man-beast, increasing all of his senses and overall strength, though while transformed, he has a tendency to become wild and reckless. He needed to work on his control and learn how to plan while transformed. Pitting him against Cementoss in a concrete city would force him to think on his feet. Tetsutetsu was paired with him, for the same reasons as Sato from 1-A. Their quirks had limits and they needed to learn how to work within those limits.
With Kaibara Sen’s quirk gyrate, he can turn his limbs into large drills. He's good at hand-to-hand combat, but how would he do against Midnight? Now he needed a partner... Awase Yōsetsu, quirk weld. It gave Awase the ability to fuse objects together at an atomic level. It was an extremely handy quirk, but it required the boy to be touching both objects in order to fuse them, which meant getting close to Midnight.
“Hey, Midoriya-kun, check this out!”
His mumbling ceased as Midoriya turned, pulling off his headphones to see his classmate standing in front of a worktable. There was a metal bar and clamp set up, pinning a familiar shade of blue material in place. He made his way over.
“I was thinking about how I could upgrade Todoroki-kun’s suit again. The material was already temperature resistant, but I’ve thought of a way to increase that.” they said, before dousing the display in roaring blue flames.
The fabric stayed strong, without even a thread burning. The metal clamp that had been holding the test strip up; however, was beginning to melt onto the table.
“Daisuke-san, what have I told you about lab regulations?!” Maijima-sensei scolded
“Sorry, sensei,” they said, flipping the switch on what looked like Hatsume’s pocket flamethrower baby. The fire soon dwindled until nothing remained. “I’ll clean this up, promise.”
Midoriya heard Power Loader sigh, shaking his head slightly as he returned to his computer monitors, “I’ll be including all lab safety protocols in your final exam!” Maijima-sensei announced, “So you all better memorize them!”
Midoriya smiled to himself, rubbing the back of his neck. He’d read the lab manual before school started, but considering the daily (hourly) explosions, fires, or chemical mishaps, looking it over again would probably benefit the class, and his teacher’s sanity.
By the time the final bell was ringing, Midoriya had finished pairing 1-B with their teachers. He smiled at his work, dropping it off on Power Loader's desk before slinging his backpack over his shoulder. Midoriya stepped out the door, expecting to see a familiar mop of peppermint hair, but instead, found the hallway empty. He pursed his lips before checking his phone, no new messages. As he shoved the device back in his pocket he started making his way towards 1-A.
As he approached the hero course hallway, Midoriya noticed the door slide open. Kacchan came storming out, practically dragging a smiling Kirishima behind him. The ashe blonde stopped when his eyes met Midoriya’s.
“Fucking what?” Kacchan asked with a hint of a blush on his cheeks while Kirishima looked between the two of them.
“N-Nothing!” Midoriya squeaked, holding both of his hands up. He quickly moved around the pair to duck into the classroom.
The room was more or less empty, with a few students seeming to crowd around Yaoyorozu who was making her way to the front of the room. He spotted Todoroki and Shinsou chatting in the back. He made his way over to the two teens.
Shinsou seemed to be organizing his backpack. Midoriya’s eyes were naturally drawn to the movement, spotting something interesting inside, “Wow, Shinsou-kun, that looks just like Aizawa-sensei’s capture weapon.” he commented.
“Yeah, he’s been showing me how to use them.” Shinsou replied in his usual monotone.
“That’s a very fatherly thing for him to do.” Todoroki remarked.
Shinsou sighed as he zipped up his bag, “We’re not having this discussion again.” he stated dryly.
“Again?” Midoriya repeated, looking between the two boys, “What discussion?”
“Shinsou-kun is Aizawa-sensei’s secret love child.” Todoroki stated plainly.
“Wouldn’t he have had to be a teenager when that happened for that to be true?” Midoriya remarked, “And Aizawa-sensei was dedicated to his hero training at that time.”
Todoroki paused. After a moment, he simply said, “I see.”
Shinsou slung his backpack over his shoulders, narrowing his eyes at the dual wielder, “So when Midoriya-kun tells you I’m not his kid, it’s true?”
“He presented reasonable evidence to the contrary.” Todoroki retorted, “While you made a face resembling your newest father figure, which did little to convince me otherwise.”
“Father figure?” Shinsou said, arching his brow.
“You called him ‘dad’ in the hallway.” Todoroki stated.
That got a dry chuckle out of the purple-haired boy, “Yeah, it pisses him off.” Shinsou remarked.
“I don’t think you should be purposely trying to anger your teacher.” Midoriya said.
“At least one of you has sense.”
Midoriya squeaked, nearly jumping out of his skin at the sound of the new voice. He whipped his head around, eyes meeting Aizawa-sensei’s blank stare. His stomach filled with dread as he remembered the teacher’s threat. Even though Midoriya would never betray the man’s trust, it was still scary to have such an intense glare leveled at him.
“I forgot something in the Department Studio bye.” Midoriya mumbled, his words all smashed together, barely understandable as he bolted (speed-walked) out of the classroom. He didn’t dare run in front of the teacher. The last thing he wanted was to give Aizawa-sensei a reason to use that capture weapon on him again.
He panted lightly as he reached the studio door. He made his way back over to his section, despite not having anything else to do. Midoriya tapped his fingers against his thigh, feeling his phone in his pocket. He pulled it out, staring down at the screen.
I’m happy for you and Kirishima!
( ⌒▽⌒)ノ
DIE
We’re just fucking studying, okay
( •́ ∧ •̀ )Oh, sorry
He seemed happy though
Of fucking course he is
I’m making sure his dumb ass doesn’t fail
That’s really nice of you
To care about someone else's grade
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Yeah, I’m a fucking delight
Why don’t you fucking bother icyhot
Maybe I will
“Izuku-kun!” Hatsume exclaimed as she slung her arm around his neck, leaning herself against his side, “Did you come back to see my new super cute baby?”
Midoriya blinked, slipping his phone back in his pocket as he looked up at her, “What does it do?”
“Well, when I was making my power suit, the sensors were getting overwhelmed.”
A phantom pain ran down his back as Midoriya remembered the suit malfunctioning with him inside it. Neither Power Loader or Recovery Girl had been happy about that.
Hatsume grinned, “Well, I decided to break up the suit into parts, and now I’ve just finished my power legs baby!” she shouted, tugging Midoriya over to the finished pair of metal, thigh-high boots.
“They’ll sense the wearer’s muscle contraction and aid in movement.” Hatsume chirped, “The plating is super flexible, so I can shift them to fit just about any hero!”
“That’s amazing, Mei-chan!” Midoriya replied, “Have you tested them yet?”
“Just a few preliminary checks.” Hatsume admitted, “But I know my baby’s ready for work.”
As she moved away, Midoriya noticed a few spots on his uniform where she'd accidentally smeared some of the caked-on soot that covered her body into the fabric.
“Oh, oops.” Hatsume remarked, her eyes zooming in on the stains. She casually walked over to her desk, “Don’t worry, I have my ultimate cleaner baby!” she announced, holding up an unmarked spray bottle with a clear liquid inside.
“What kind of cleaner is that exactly?” Midoriya asked, taking a step back.
Hatsume waved away his concerns, “It’s completely safe to use on the human body.” she replied, doing little to lessen the bundle of nerves in his chest.
“You tested this?” he asked, watching as she sprayed the cocktail of chemicals onto his jacket. After a moment, the stains began to vanish, “So fast!” he commented, looking back up at the pink-haired girl.
“Yeah!” Hatsume replied, “It’s great for cleaning my other super cute babies.”
“Wait, you tested it on metal?” Midoriya asked, his voice nearly cracking as he looked back down at his uniform. Whatever acid was in Hatsume’s formula was beginning to eat away at the threads, chewing a hole right through his jacket.
Hatsume leisurely hovered over his arm, zooming in on the process, “Hmm, interesting. My baby’s too powerful for clothes.” she remarked, giving him a little shrug.
“Mei-chan!” Midoriya said, tangling his fingers in his curls.
A familiar deadpan voice spoke up, “In shows, I think it usually starts spreading to the rest of the clothes.” which caused Midoriya to practically rip the jacket off of himself, tossing it on the ground.
The green-haired boy turned to see two teens standing in the Development Studio doorway.
“Do we want to know what happened?” Shinsou asked, arching his brow.
Midoriya flustered, looking helplessly between them and Hatsume. The pink-haired girl easily answered, “I got some stains on his jacket, and my cleaner was a bit too strong.”
“Oh.” Todoroki remarked, “You can have mine.” he offered, having already removed his own jacket, “I have a spare at home.”
“What?” Midoriya squeaked, “No, I couldn’t!” he argued, holding his hands up in front of himself.
“I want you to have it.” Todoroki insisted as he crossed the room, closing the distance between them. The peppermint-haired boy moved to drape the fabric around Midoriya’s shoulders. Todoroki’s fingers slipped over to fix the tie around his neck.
Midoriya felt like he might explode then and there. His shoulders practically burned where the dual wielder’s jacket sat while Todoroki’s hands tugged at the red fabric around his throat. It would be so easy for the dual wielder to tug on it, pulling him closer until- His head felt dizzy as his crimson flush darkened.
When Todoroki finished, he rested his right hand against Midoriya’s cheek, cooling the heated skin there. Midoriya couldn’t help but lean into the soothing touch. He couldn’t help but notice the way Todoroki’s sleeve pulled back to reveal a bruise blossoming on his wrist. Midoriya moved to tug back the fabric so he could properly look at it.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Nothing really.” Todoroki dismissed, “Bakugou-kun is always ruthless in training. I was partnered against him.”
“Shouldn’t you have gone to Recovery Girl?” Midoriya pressed.
“I didn’t want to trouble her with something so minor.” Todoroki replied, “But thank you for your concern.”
Midoriya felt his face blush, hands immediately withdrawn from the dual wielder as he flustered.
“Come on lovebirds, let’s get going.” Shinsou said.
Midoriya squeaked, “W-” and everything went fuzzy. Put on the jacket and walk with us.
As the world came back into focus, Midoriya found himself walking between the two teens. He blinked, trying to remember what had happened. A rosy blush crept down his neck. He idly tugged at his -no, Todoroki’s jacket. It was almost a perfect fit. The sleeves were a bit longer, but if he were being honest with himself, that just made it comfier.
There was a peaceful silence that stretched between them, but there were questions of Midoriya’s mind that he had to voice, “Are you walking home with us, Shinsou-kun?” he asked, “Or did you want to work on your quirk more?”
“Actually, Kaminari-kun invited me to join the study group that’s going over to Yaoyorozu’s house.” Shinsou commented with a shrug, “I figured I’d extend the invitation.”
“Oh,” Midoriya remarked, “It’d be a little strange to go to her house.” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’ve barely talked to her.”
“I already informed Momo-chan that I wouldn’t be going.” Todoroki commented, “But thank you for offering.”
Midoriya shifted his gaze over to the dual wielder, “Really?”
Todoroki nodded his head, “I don’t normally work in large groups.” he added.
“I see.” Midoriya said, “Though it would probably be helpful to study with others…” he mumbled.
“You and I could study together.” Todoroki suggested.
“Really?” Midoriya asked, “You’d want to do that?”
“I think it would be beneficial.” Todoroki stated, “Shinsou, would you like to join us?”
“Nah, I already said I go to the other group.” the brainwasher replied, “You two can have fun on your date without me.”
“It’s not-” Midoriya replied before he felt his body relax, almost going slack as his mind turned to gray.
Shinsou leaned down to whisper in his ear.
Soon the words stammered out of Midoriya’s mouth, “I-I’m really looking forward to our date Sho-chan.”
When his mind cleared, the smell of smoke hit his nose. When he looked up, Todoroki’s hair was ablaze. Before he could really start panicking, the dual wielder reached up to touch his face with his right hand. A sizzling sound filled the air as the fire went out.
A deep chuckle drew his attention over to the end of the hallway where Shinsou stood looking back at the two of them. In that moment, Shinsou’s smirk did resemble his homeroom teacher’s. If he didn’t know any better, he might have sided with Todoroki. The brainwasher gave them a little wave before turning the corner without them.
“Sorry about that.” Todoroki said softly.
Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek as he built up the courage to take Todoroki’s hand in his own, “There’s nothing to apologize for.” he replied. The smile Todoroki gave him made his chest explode a little bit. Midoriya tried his best to stay composed while they walked out the school gates, but it was hard to wipe the grin from his own lips. Even if it wasn’t actually a date, his pulse was racing.
He let Todoroki take the lead. When they passed the train station, he wondered where the dual wielder wanted to study. His question was answered when they stopped in front of a cute looking little cafe.
As they walked through the door, Midoriya froze, his eyes landing on the ashe blonde sitting across from Kirishima. Kacchan was currently hitting Kirishima over the head with a rolled-up notebook while aggressively pointing at the worksheet laid out before the redhead.
Midoriya reached out to grab onto Todoroki’s sleeve, “I think we should go to another cafe.” he whispered.
Todoroki paused, looking between the green-haired boy and his classmates, “Okay.” he replied. Just before they could make their retreat, they heard a voice call out to them.
“Todoroki-kun, Midoriya-kun, what’s up bros?” Kirishima shouted, causing both boys to stop in their tracks before they could make their escape.
“You’re being too fucking loud.” Bakugou scolded, whacking Kirishima again before he began glaring absolute daggers into Todoroki.
Kirishima looked affronted as he turned to look at the ashe blonde, “But you were yelling too!”
Kacchan scowled, “I wouldn’t have to fucking yell if you’d start using your damn ears and listen .” he retorted.
“U-Um, I think we’re gonna go…” Midoriya mumbled.
Todoroki nodded, “We don’t want to distract you from your studying.” he stated.
“That’s not true! You guys aren’t gonna-” Kirishima insisted before he was cut off but Bakugou grumbling, “You haven’t even started on your math yet.”
Kirishima laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’ve looked at it.”
Before Kacchan could tear into the redhead for his flimsy argument, Midoriya said, “Well, we’ll see you at school.” as he backed his way out of the cafe; Todoroki followed behind him.
Midoriya let out a little sigh, tangling his fingers in his curls, “Now where should we go?”
“There’s a new ice cream parlor not too far from here.” Todoroki remarked, “Would you like to go there?”
“That sounds great.” Midoriya beamed, easily falling into step beside Todoroki as the peppermint-haired boy led the way.
The shop itself was only about a block away. When they walked inside, Todoroki started moving towards one table by the window. It was a long booth on one side while the other had two normal chairs. Todoroki led them over to the booth side, “It’ll be easier to compare notes if we sit together.” the dual wielder stated.
Midoriya nodded, “Y-Yeah.” he agreed, sliding into the booth. He took off his backpack, setting it down on the floor next to his feet. His notes took up quite a bit of the table space on his side. Todoroki mirrored him.
There were some menus waiting on the table. Both boys silently decided to look them over before they got into any actual studying.
Only a minute later, a waitress approached their table, asking for their order. Before he could second guess himself, Midoriya ordered the strawberries and cream cone. From the picture in the menu, he knew the treat was soft-serve topped with a strawberry. It’s red and white swirl matched Todoroki’s hair.
“I’ll have the bear sundae with mint ice cream.” Todoroki ordered, before handing her back the menus, “Thank you.” he added. Midoriya remembered seeing a picture of a dessert with cookie ears and a little chocolate bear face. He’d been tempted to get it himself, but he really liked the look of the strawberry.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. Midoriya pulled it out to see another news notification, “Who Did Todoroki Shouto Lend His Jacket To? Read more to find out ->” His blood chilled the second his eyes landed on the photo of him and Todoroki walking out of the school gates, Midoriya clad in the dual wielder’s jacket. As he scrolled to the end of the article, he breathed out a sigh of relief. They didn’t have a name. They didn’t even seem to realize it was him. He silently thanked the school for having such a standard uniform. The only real giveaway was how the jacket was a bit large on his frame.
“Were there any subjects you were having trouble with?”
Midoriya shoved his phone back in his pocket, “Actually, yeah, there was one section of the math that I didn’t really get.”
“Show me?” Todoroki requested.
They’d managed to spend the next few minutes working over two complex problems before their waitress appeared with their orders. Midoriya scrambled to clear a spot on the table for her to set the treats down. Both managed to thank her before she left.
He picked up his spoon, moving to take a little from the top. It tasted sweet and fruity on his tongue. Midoriya hummed happily, moving to take another bite.
“How’s your ice cream?” Todoroki asked.
Midoriya took a moment to swallow before replying, “It’s delicious! Wanna try some?” he offered.
“Sure.” Todoroki said, using his spoon to take a bit of each color, “Do you want to try mine?”
“This is really good too.” Midoriya chirped, the mint didn’t really pair with strawberry, but he could imagine it tasting amazing on its own. “Maybe next time we’re here, I’ll get that one.” he added. It took him a moment for his own words sunk in.
Before he could stammer out an apology for implying Todoroki would have to come back with him, the dual wielder said, “Okay. I look forward to it.”
A wide grin spread across his face as Midoriya nodded. The warmth in his chest matched his rosy cheeks. While they finished off their treats, both boys continued reviewing their notes. Midoriya wouldn’t hesitate to question a problem he didn’t quite understand. Todoroki voiced a handful of his own questions from the hero studies he’d be tested on. Midoriya eagerly filled him in on specific laws or famous heroes the dual wielder would undoubtedly be tested on, and a little more.
“Excuse me a moment,” Todoroki said as he stood up, “I’m going to go to the bathroom.”
“Okay.” Midoriya replied.
As Todoroki disappeared into the restroom, Midoriya felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
Hey, Midoriya
~ヾ(^∇^) Hi Shinsou
How’s your study date going? (=^・ェ・^=)?
It’s going really well
Wait
✧*。ヾ(。>﹏<。)ノ゙✧*。It’s not a date!
Our /study session/ is great (๑•︶•๑)
ฅ(  ̄꒳ ̄)ฅ “study session”
ლ(。-﹏-。 ლ) stop that
ლ(=ↀωↀ=)ლ
So what’s happening
?
We accidentally ran into Kacchan and Kirishima
They were studying at the first cafe we went to
Now we’re at an ice cream shop
Too loud, right? (=^-ω-^=)
I didn’t want to interrupt their date
Kacchan wouldn’t have wanted other people there
Yeah, just a bit
Has anything exciting happened on your end?
(・・。)ゞ
Okay, buckle up
Kaminari got frustrated over a math worksheet, and he leaned back in his chair, accidentally frying the outlet behind him, which caused the entire house to black out. =ටᆼට=
So that was fun.
Oh no!
(*〇□〇)……!
It’s fine, this place has backup generators for their backup generators.
Kaminari didn’t fry his brains this time either
That’s good.!(•ᴗ•)و
(๑ↀᆺↀ๑)✧
His quirk can be self-damaging can’t it?
Yeah, but this time I think he only wounded his pride
His face is pretty red right now
I think he’s embarrassed, even though no one’s blaming him
I wonder if that happens to him often
I’d imagine it’s hard not to feel that way
Yeah
“Did I miss anything?”
Midoriya jumped, nearly dropping his phone, “You startled me.” he mumbled under his breath as he turned to look up at Todoroki, “Not really. Shinsou was just texting me about their study session.”
“Oh.” Todoroki said as he took his seat, “Momo-chan also texted me about that.”
“Did she say anything else?” Midoriya wondered aloud.
“Momo-chan sent me some link to a video.” Todoroki remarked, “I plan to watch it when I get home.”
Midoriya hummed, “Really?” he asked, tilting his head to the side, “Who’s it by?”
“They’re simply called TheAnalyst on Youtube.” Todoroki answered.
“I’ve watched a few of their hero videos.” Midoriya remarked, “Sometimes they go over different villain fights.”
All Might’s voice began to shout “Answer the phone!” repeatedly, making Midoriya jump as he scrambled to pull the device out of his pocket, answering it after the third ring.
“Izuku-kun, how long are you planning on staying out?” his mother asked, “Your friend Todoroki-san messaged me that you’d be studying, but I haven’t gotten anything from you.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry mom, I completely forgot!” Midoriya said, tangling his fingers in his hair. He was officially the worst son ever, “I didn’t mean to make you worried.”
“It’s fine dear.” his mother replied, “I’m happy you’re having fun with your new friends. I just wanted to know when you’ll be home?”
“When I’ll be home…?” Midoriya repeated under his breath, glancing over at Todoroki.
“We can go now.” Todoroki replied, “I doubt your mother would want you to stay out after the sun’s gone down.”
As much as Midoriya wanted to protest, Todoroki did have a point. It already looked like the sun was starting to set, and the ice cream parlor would undoubtedly be closing soon… “We’re on our way home now.”
“Alright, I’ll see you when you get home. Love you.”
“Love you too, mom.” Midoriya replied.
After paying for their desserts, the two packed up their things and headed out. Todoroki took his hand in his own, intertwining their fingers together. Midoriya felt his heart skip a beat.
The train was thankfully sparse, with only a few other passengers inside. Midoriya took one of the empty seats alongside Todoroki. He’d almost completely spaced out when he heard a few giggles. After subtly glancing around the train, he spotted their source. A few kids, middle schoolers judging by their uniforms were gossiping amongst themselves. Every now and then they would glance over before turning back to face each other, bursting into another fit of giggles. Midoriya couldn’t figure out why for the life of him. Maybe it had something to do with Yuuei, or Todoroki because of his recent debut paired with the Sports Festival.
By the time they’d reached their stop, Midoriya gave up on trying to guess. With their hands still locked together, the two walked off the platform, making their way down the street. Midoriya filled the silence by going over a few other historical heroes that he hadn’t covered while they were at the parlor. Todoroki smiled softly at him, his dual-colored eyes practically sparkling. Midoriya was lucky not to trip over his tongue with such a handsome face staring at him.
“We’re here.”
Midoriya wondered how two words could sound so disappointing, “I’ll see you later?”
Todoroki nodded, “Of course,” he said, letting go of Midoriya’s hand, “Until then, Izuku-kun.”
“Bye, Shouto-kun.” Midoriya mumbled, giving his friend a quick hug before darting inside.
As he stepped through the front door, he was greeted by his mother, “Did you two have fun?” she asked.
“Yeah, it was great.” Midoriya replied, “I really feel prepared for finals.”
He looked up to see his mom’s watery eyes, “I’m so happy for you.” she sobbed, pulling him into a big hug. Her tears were infectious and Midoriya soon found himself crying as they held each other.
“Thanks, mom.” he said softly as they pulled apart, both wiping their wet faces into their sleeves.
She kissed his forehead, “I’m so proud of you.” she remarked, “Getting into Yuuei, making new friends, bringing home good grades. You’re so special, Izuku. I’m glad you’ve found people who see that.”
Midoriya felt his face warm as a blush spread down his cheek. He rubbed the back of his neck.
His mom chuckled, “I’ll stop embarrassing you.” she said, ruffling his curls.
By the time he got to his room, Midoriya remembered Todoroki saying something about TheAnalyst, and he couldn’t pull his phone out faster. He opened his youtube app to find the channel Todoroki had mentioned. The youtuber had an analysis quirk, where they would take popular theories and explain the truth behind them, or completely debunk them. Their latest video was titled “Todoroki Shouto, Romance or No?”
Midoriya felt a chill run through his body as he trudged over to his bed, letting the video begin to play.
“As you can see in this photo, the reporter wonders where Todoroki-san’s jacket has gone, but if you look closely, the answer is in the very same photo.” their voice stated clearly, with an edge of excitement that made Midoriya’s stomach flip, “The boy standing next to him happens to be wearing a jacket a size too large for him, and if we look at the flyer in the background which is roughly twenty by twenty-eight centimeters, then we can assume the jacket length is-”
Numbers filled the screen as makeshift rulers appeared, taking Midoriya’s measurements. The voice in the video continued, “Now if we compare this to Todoroki-san, the jacket is a perfect match!”
They took a sip of tea before continuing, “Who is this mystery boy? Well, if you’ve watched the Sport’s Festival, then you’d know that it is none other than Midoriya Izuku, the support course student from 1-F. I won’t say that these two are dating, but the facts are laid out before us. The two were out together, with one Midoriya-san wearing Todoroki-san’s jacket. Until more information comes out, this is all I can leave you with. Like, share, subscribe, and be sure to hit that notification bell-” Midoriya shut his phone off. Their channel was reasonably popular, by youtube standards, but it was extremely niche. He’d only found them a few months ago while bingeing hero videos. And they had plenty of content on their channel. Maybe there was a chance this wasn’t the video Todoroki was watching.
He swallowed, practically collapsing on his bed. Like Todoroki would get sent any other video. As he buried his burning face in his hands, he wondered what he’d done to deserve this.
Notes:
art On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter 12: Final Exam Arc
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The familiar whirl of drills and pounding of hammers faded out behind him as Midoriya slipped out of the Department Studio. While the others worked on their gear for their final grade, Midoriya held his notes closer to his chest. While 1-A and 1-B would be battling it out for their practical exam, Maijima-sensei had given him his own test. It was his job to analyze every fight, highlighting where mistakes were made and theorizing on how improvements could be made; though he hoped he’d have more positive things to write about.
The glare stung his eyes as Midoriya stepped outside. He held his arm up to block the sun’s blinding rays. There were voices nearby that he assumed were either 1-A or 1-B. Maijima-sensei hadn’t told him which class would be going up first. As he followed the sound, he recognized the students of Aizawa-sensei’s homeroom. He scanned the crowd for peppermint hair, his eyes landing on Todoroki. Midoriya made his way over to his friend, unable to stop himself from overhearing the rest of the class’s chatter.
“I can’t wait to smash some of those robots!” Kaminari remarked.
“Yeah, this is gonna be great!” Ashido agreed.
“Sure it will.” Shinsou said dryly.
“Wait, robots?” Midoriya mumbled, face scrunching up in confusion, “You’re not fighting robots.”
There was a moment of silence before everyone seemed to burst into a unanimous, “ Eehhhhhh ?”
“If we’re not fighting robots,” Tokoyami began, raising his fist to his beak, “Then what are we fighting?”
“The teachers.” Izuku replied, because it was obvious, wasn’t it? “W-Wait, was that a secret? Was I not supposed to tell you guys?” he stammered, feeling his pulse rising. Did this count as cheating? Why would it be a secret? He was told what his practical would be beforehand. Everyone in the support course knew what they’d be doing.
“I don’t think it matters at this point.” Todoroki remarked.
Ashido tangered her fingers in her hair as she shouted, “What?! But they’re pros!”
“How are we supposed to win against them?” Kaminari questioned.
“It wouldn’t be a test if it was fucking easy.” Bakugou retorted, rolling his eyes.
“And some of them don’t seem that tough.” Jirō remarked with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Any pro who works for Yuuei is going to be pretty strong.” Setsuna pointed out, “It’d be easier if we knew who we were fighting.”
Midoriya pursed his lips, glancing down at his notes. In those pages were the matchups for 1-A and 1-B, including what aspects each student should consider if they had a chance to win. But they were supposed to figure that out on their own, weren’t they? The whole point of the exercise was to push them to think when facing a more skilled and powerful opponent.
“Oh my gosh, you know don’t you?” “Seriously?!” “Don’t hold out on us!” “Tell us! Tell us!”
Midoriya found himself surrounded as his fingers clutched his notebook. His pulse was racing in his ears as he backed up, bumping into a wall.
“Get the fuck away from him!” Kacchan ordered, the palms of his hands popping threateningly as he glared at his classmates. Everyone seemed to take a hesitant step back, but their eyes flicked between Bakugou and Midoriya.
A hand chopped the air in front of the green-haired boy’s face, putting some more distance between Midoriya and the crowd, “This behavior unbecoming of Yuuei students.” Iida scolded, “We will all find out when we’re given the test.”
“It’s not like knowing changes anything, anyway.” Shinsou commented dryly.
“Yeah, but still…” Kaminari whined.
Midoriya internally winced, knowing that the electric blonde would likely have a harder time that Kacchan and Kirishima did against All Might.
“Everyone, now isn’t the time for doubt. I don’t believe the school would give us a test that we were unable to pass.” Iida said, making Midoriya’s stomach flip, “We don’t want to keep them waiting.”
Iida’s words seemed to resonate with the hero course as everyone’s moods seemed to lighten. Well, almost all of them. Kacchan still looked disinterested, but Midoriya didn’t miss the light blush that spread across his cheeks as Kirishima threw his arm around the ashe blonde’s shoulders as he ushered them both along. The rest of 1-A seemed to follow Iida, though Midoriya’s own feet felt like bricks.
“You’re coming with us, right Izuku-kun?”
There were suddenly two familiar hands around his neck, tugging at the red fabric. His pulse was drumming in his ears as Midoriya looked up at the pair of charcoal and ice colored eyes.
“Y-Yeah, I think so, at least.” Midoriya replied.
Todoroki smoothed the tie down, his hands moving to adjust the rest of Midoriya’s borrowed jacket. Midoriya’s face burned as the dual weilder’s hands moved across his chest. Before the green-haired boy could explode, Todoroki finished.
“Let’s go.” Todoroki suggested, taking Midoriya’s hand in his own as they continued walking outside the school. 1-A was standing together in front of the rest of the teachers. No one seemed to notice their arrival as Principal Nezu appeared from Aizawa-sensei’s capture gear.
While Nezu began explaining the rules to the hero course students, Midoriya found his gaze shifting between 1-A and the teachers. The determination in the pro heroes’ eyes was unmistakable. They weren’t just going to let their students off easily. Everyone would have to work hard to earn their final grades. Midoriya swallowed. As they named the pairings, he quickly recognized the order. Aizawa-sensei had really approved of his choices. A small part of him was proud the teacher agreed with his reasoning, but it was heavily outweighed by a sense of guilt. He’d made it hard on purpose. What if everyone failed? It would be his fault.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Maijima-sensei start talking, “Midoriya-san will be sitting in to observe alongside Recovery Girl.” Power Loader stated, “Any groups not competing can also go watch from the observation room.”
“The ten teams will be transported by Yuuei's buses to an uninhabited training city area where the test will take place.” Aizawa-sensei stated plainly, “Midoriya-san will be travelling with our class.”
No one argued, not that Midoriya had expected them too. Though it still felt awkward whenever someone would glance his way with an almost questioning look in his eyes. Should he really be here? He didn’t know when, but he realized that Todoroki wasn’t holding his hand any longer. Not that the dual wielder needed to. It was a selfish thought, but his hand felt almost cold now.
Midoriya assumed every team would want to sit together. It would certainly make sense for every pair to take this time to strategize, but Todoroki stayed by his side. When the dual wielder led them over to the same seat they’d had before, the relief that spread through his chest was almost palpable. Though a part of himself felt guilty Yaoyorozu wasn’t in his seat. If Todoroki didn’t pass because of his own selfishness…
“You’re thinking too hard.” Todoroki commented.
“Sorry.” Midoriya replied.
Todoroki took his hand again, intertwining their fingers together, “Don’t be.”
Midoriya was sure his face was on fire.
It wasn’t long before everyone's voices filled the bus with idle chatter. There was a clear mix of excitement and fear that bubbled up in the soon-to-be heroes. Some were strategizing while others were content to simply gossip. Midoriya could barely hear himself think over the noise. When he looked over the seats in front of him, he could see Aizawa-sensei asleep in his sleeping bag in the first row. Midoriya’s fingers itched to add to the hero’s profile. It was truly a skill to be able to rest in any situation.
As they drew nearer to the deserted city, his mind began to run out of distractions. Midoriya’s stomach flipped, “Maybe I shouldn’t be here…” he mumbled, feeling a knot of nerves tighten in his chest, “I can just watch the footage later.”
“That’s not true.” Todoroki stated, “You’re not a hindrance to anyone here. There’s no reason you should go.”
“What if I start muttering and I accidentally distract someone?” Midoriya argued, “I don’t want to be the reason they fail.”
“If they could be so easily distracted, then they deserve to fail.” Todoroki dismissed, “We all need to learn how to work as heroes no matter the circumstances. Isn’t that the reason for this test in the first place.”
“I guess…” Midoriya agreed, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’d still feel bad about it.”
“That’s because you have a kind heart.” Todoroki remarked, “It’s something I really admire about you.”
Midoriya’s face flushed crimson. His free hand quickly flew up to hide his blushing cheeks. He peeked over at Todoroki, who was wearing that ghost of a smile, patiently waiting for his reply.
“It’s nothing really…” Midoriya mumbled.
“No,” Todoroki argued, gently taking Midoriya’s hand in his own, pulling it away, so their eyes could properly meet, “You’re special. Don’t say you’re not.”
It almost felt like Todoroki was saying Midoriya was special to him. His blush darkened as his head felt a bit dizzy. Logically, he knew that wasn’t what Todoroki meant. The dual wielder was simply trying to make him feel more important than he really was, but that didn’t stop his heart from racing.
“Prepare yourselves.” Aizawa-sensei suddenly announced as the bus came to a stop, “We’re here.”
As little as he wanted to leave the dual wielder’s side, Midoriya knew it wasn’t right to take up any more of Todoroki’s time when he needed to strategize.
“Good luck, Shouto-kun.” Midoriya said, regretfully letting go of the dual wielder’s hand, “I know you’ll do great.”
“Thank you, Izuku-kun.” Todoroki replied.
As they got off the bus, Midoriya watched as each pair split off, Setsuna and Sato leaving first with Cementoss. He clutched his notebook in his hands as he hurried to the observation room.
By the time he’d managed to follow the unnecessarily confusing signs, the large screen already showed Setsuna and Sato gearing up to go. Midoriya flipped open to a clean page as the match officially began.
The pair rushed forward, straight down the middle of the open street, directly targeting Cementoss with a front-on attack. The cement ground beneath them rippled, shooting up to create multiple walls blocking their path. Before Sato could activate his quirk, Setsuna grabbed him by the shoulder, whispering something in his ear. Midoriya watched as the Sweets Hero nodded his head.
Sato shoved some sugar cube’s in his mouth, activating sugar rush. His muscles grew as he reared back his fist. He began pounding his way through wall after wall, angling his way to the right. Cementoss adjusted the walls he was creating to cut the heroes off.
Setsuna stayed behind Sato, using him as a human shield from the debris his punches were making. Midoriya squinted at the screen. He could have sworn he saw something other than the rocks flying through the air.
Time was ticking down, and Sato wasn’t gaining nearly enough ground. Even as they angled their way towards the hero, Cementoss was truly in his element. The concrete city gave him an endless ammo to throw at the pair. Suddenly, the pro stood up, turning towards some spec on the screen. Midoriya would have to zoom in on it later, but he guessed, like in her fight against Kacchan, it was Setsuna’s mouth. As the hero looked away from his work, a cuff snapped around his wrist. The camera switched over to Sato, who was passed out on the ground and Setsuna, who stood there handless. Her mouth flew back to her face, grinning as she said something to Sato, who gave her a tired thumbs up.
The direct attack was just a distraction. Setsuna had managed to sneak parts of herself around Cementoss’s defenses, letting Sato take the hero’s full focus since the pro would expect Setsuna to be unable to break through his walls on her own. With that, they both pass, just barely.
If they had taken a second longer, Sato would have collapsed, causing Cementoss to devote his full attention to Setsuna. Without the distraction, she likely wouldn’t have been able to surprise the hero. If Cementoss were a true villain, then he likely would have begun by trapping them both in a concrete prison before Setsuna could split herself up. If he simply focused on making the walls thicker, he would still have been able to tire Sato out without risking Setsuna’s attack.
The next battle began inside a building, which Ectoplasm had filled with his clones. Clearly, the pro was attempting to surround and overwhelm Asui and Tokoyami. The pair worked incredibly well together when it came to traversing their environment. Once dark shadow would throw Asui across the room, the Rainy Season hero would use her tongue to pull Tokoyami up to her level.
As expected, Tokoyami was struggling with facing multiple opponents at close range. When dark shadow took out the clones in front of him, Ectoplasm simply spawned more behind him. Luckily, Asui kept them off her partner.
Utilizing their enhanced mobility, the pair continued climbing up the tower. Midoriya had to commend them both. Despite the fact that without Asui, Tokoyami likely wouldn’t have gotten past the second level with the number of attackers coming at him, but that’s why they were together. Both began their test already in sync. If either had tried to ‘one up’ their partner or simply neglected to keep an eye out for one another, they wouldn’t have gotten nearly as far.
When the duo finally reached the escape gate, Ectoplasm used his super move, Forced Internment Giant Bites! The hero began to shoot ectoplasm from his mouth, transforming it into a giant clone of himself. That clone then took a huge bite, trapping the pair inside its body.
While the two were stuck in the side of the giant clone, dark shadow attempted to reach the goal, but the real Ectoplasm was keeping him at bay. Midoriya could see the two students talking while dark shadow continued his attack. From the footage, he couldn’t exactly see what had happened, but he was pretty sure Asui had handed something off to dark shadow with her tongue.
The next time dark shadow attacked the pro hero, Ectoplasm seemed to have defeated the quirk with a strong kick. Midoriya’s eyes widened when he spotted the handcuffs on the teacher.
If he remembered what Asui had said about her quirk before, Midoriya guessed that she had swallowed the handcuffs at the beginning of the test, which is why neither had been seen carrying them around. Doing so would cause her enemy to forget that they had them. Their quirk combination guaranteed a passing grade.
Only a small bit of unease still lingered in his stomach as Midoriya’s pen flew across his paper. The screens switched over to Power Loader, who had laced a field with pitfalls. Though he couldn’t see the hero’s face, Midoriya was fairly certain that Iida had decided the best course of action was to run, rather than fight Power Loader in a terrain where he had the clear advantage. A wise choice, as if Maijima-sensei were a villain, Midoriya was sure he wouldn’t hesitate to collapse those tunnels on the hero students, leaving them buried alive, should they go after him. The thought sent a chill down his spine.
It did look a little silly to see Ojiro climb onto Iida’s back like a piggy-back ride, but it was smarter to prioritize getting them both out rather than maintaining pride. Iida’s recipro-burst was powerful enough to propel them over the traps before they could fall. Power Loader wasn’t going to let them off so easily.
The ground in front of them collapsed. Iida attempted to jump the large crater, while Ojiro wrapped his muscular tail around Iida’s leg. Midoriya grinned as he watched Iida’s second super move, recipro-extend, in action. Iide sent Ojiro flying towards the escape gate. Power Loader nearly cut the Martial Arts hero off, but Ojiro kept Power Loader at bay with a swipe of his tail. As Ojiro flew through the escape gate, the pair passed the practical test.
Midoriya felt his chest tighten as the footage shifted to Eraser Head standing over the city on top of a telephone pole, clearly scoping the area for his opponents. It shifted over to Todoroki and Yaoyorozu who were moving throughout the abandoned neighborhood.
He found it odd that Yaoyorozu would be wasting her quirk to check if Eraser Head was nearby. She had a limit to how much she could after all, and Todoroki didn’t, not to his knowledge at least. Midoriya could see the frost on Todoroki’s arm, but the dual wielder didn’t seem to really be focusing on it. Midoriya frowned as he added the mistake to his notes with a bitter taste on his tongue.
The pair moved through the street, seemingly searching for the escape gate. Yaoyorozu continued to create what looked like nesting dolls from her body. Midoriya’s heart stopped when the dolls disappeared and neither seemed to notice quickly enough.
The two looked up to see the pro hero dangling upside-down like an old spider-man comic. Eraser Head was clearly talking to his student’s, though Midoriya had no idea what the man was saying. As the hero lunged forward to attack Todoroki, the dual wielder tried to kick him. He must have told Yaoyorozu to go, since the girl hesitated before running off in the opposite direction.
Todoroki didn’t get the chance to fight as Eraser Head used his capture weapon to restrain the dual wielder. The white binding wrapped around Shouto’s waist, restraining his arms behind his back as he was suspended in the air by the pro.
Midoriya dropped his notepad as a rosy blush colored his cheeks. He swallowed, his gaze locked on the screen as Todoroki dangled above the ground. A small voice whispered in the back of his mind I hope this doesn't awaken something within me…
The green-haired boy quickly shook his head, reaching down to pick up his notes. He watched Eraser Head throw some caltrops beneath Todoroki, before moving swiftly to track down Yaoyorozu. As the dual wielder hung there, Midoriya wondered why he wasn’t using his ice to make a platform for himself to land on after using his flames to break his restraints. Todoroki seemed too distracted by whatever his teacher had said to make a proper plan.
Midoriya’s stomach flipped as he glanced at the clock. What if Todoroki failed because of his suggestion? When Eraser Head caught up with Yaoyorozu, it felt like his fears were confirmed, but the girl’s quirk hadn’t been erased. The damage Aizawa-sensei had received from the USJ fight left the hero unable to use his quirk as frequently.
In her escape, Yaoyorozu doubled back to Todoroki. He wondered if she assumed they would have a better chance escaping together rather than facing the pro on her own. As she reached Todoroki, Eraser Head was preparing another attack. Suddenly, Yaoyorozu threw up her nesting dolls and the screen went white.
Flash grenades?! Midoriya amended his earlier critique. Clearly Yaoyorozu hadn’t been as careless with her quirk as he’d first thought. Losing his vision was definitely Eraser Head’s biggest weakness. If he couldn’t see, then he couldn’t use his quirk. Yaoyorozu used the time she’d bought them to carefully lower Todoroki down to the street.
While the two escaped, Midoriya had to note that Eraser Head must have incredible balance, since he was chasing them by running along power cables.
While Eraser Head threw his scarf at them from above, Midoriya guessed the hero must have blinked behind his goggles, as Todoroki stopped in his tracks, countering with his signature move: Heaven-Piercing Ice Wall. The gigantic glacier blocked the hero from following them. Though as the pair were still in a residential area, they really needed to keep damages to a minimum. Hopefully when the ice melted, there wouldn’t be too much out of place.
Midoriya felt a flicker of pride in his chest as Todoroki used his flames to melt the frost off his right side. When his eyes followed the dual wielder’s over to Yaoyorozu, Midoriya felt his cheeks flush a rosy pink, quickly looking back over to Todoroki. The Everything Hero was making her own capture weapon from her chest.
When the two cloaked figures ran out from behind the glacier, Eraser Head was on them. Luckily Yaoyorozu’s dummies were tied up in the teacher’s capture weapon, while she was able to launch her counter attack from her catapult. Todoroki’s flames burst beneath the hero, causing the heat to rise and react to Yaoyorozu’s capture gear. The binding instantly reacted, tightening around Eraser Head. Midoriya let out a sigh, his shoulders relaxing as he watched the two pass.
As the screens shifted to Aoyama and Uraraka’s battle, Midoriya immersed himself in the footage. He missed the sound of the door’s opening halfway through the battle when Yaoyorozu and Todoroki walked in.
Midoriya had to wonder what Aoyama said to his partner to seemingly fluster her so much that she let go. Against a real villain, that move might have cost her her life, but since Thirteen wasn’t going to actually suck a student into her blackhole, the cap closed. Before the hero could counter attack, Aoyama blasted his way down towards them both, giving Uraraka the opportunity to put the cuffs on her. It was an extremely risky win, but the two still passed.
“Taking notes?”
Midoriya squeaked, nearly jumping as he turned to see Todoroki’s face far too close to his own. He might have gotten stuck in the trance of charcoal and ice eyes, but a giggle pulled him out of it. As he turned around he saw Yaoyorozu, trying to stifle her laughter behind her hand.
“Sorry.” she apologized.
“It’s fine.” Midoriya assured her, “And, yes, Maijima-sensei is going to look over my notes at the end of this for my practical exam.”
“Oh,” Yaoyorozu remarked, “I suppose that makes more sense than your class having to take one like ours, though I hadn’t given it much thought.”
“Did you get everything you needed from the footage?” Todoroki asked.
“I have one question actually,” Midoriya said, “Yaoyorozu-san, what did you use in your capture weapon to make it react that way?”
“I wove nitonyl alloy into the restraining bonds so that it would return to its previous form whenever heated.” she explained.
Midoriya nodded as he wrote that down in his notes, “That was really smart.” he commented, “Utilizing both of your quirks that way.” Though a small part of him still worried if the two ever faced an opponent who could render them quirkless without Eraser Head’s restrictions.
Yaoyorozu smiled warmly, “Thank you.” she said softly.
“Don’t get too distracted,” Recovery Girl scolded, “The next match has already started.”
Midoriya floundered as he fumbled to get to a clean page. On the screen, Kaminari and Ashido were jogging through Field Gamma. They didn’t look like they were planning on taking the offensive, which was a smart play. Both of their quirks could be dangerous when used against actual opponents, and they didn’t want to actually hurt the principal. He wondered if Mei had a baby or two that they could use to help them control or at least focus their quirks, like Present Mic’s directional speaker.
Midoriya winced as the structures around the duo began to crumble and fall, raining down debris. Both began frantically running away. Midoriya let out a small sigh. It would have been smarter for Ashido to use her acid to melt the falling debris instead of simply running from it. The two would have a far better chance at finding the exit that way.
And with all the metal pipes around them, Kaminari could run low bursts of electricity through them to try and reach Nezu. As long as he didn’t use one of his larger voltage strikes, he’d likely just stun the principal.
The camera switched over to Nezu, who sat perched in a crane while he sipped his tea. His quirk, high spec, easily let him outsmart the two students. Midoriya felt really bad pairing them against Nezu. The tiniest tap from the principal’s wrecking ball would cause a chain reaction throughout Field Gamma.
“Is principal Nezu alright?” Midoriya asked as he watched the tea spill from the mouse-bear-dog-principal’s cup as he laughed maniacally.
“He was experimented on by humans in the past.” Recovery Girl explained, “So he shows this side of himself during combat.”
Midoriya felt a chill run down his spine. It was a truly horrible thing to happen to Nezu. He couldn’t imagine what the principal was put through to make him so sadistic. Midoriya swallowed, hoping to never get on Nezu’s bad side. He made another silent apology to Kaminari and Ashido as the two struggled to find some place that wasn’t instantly trying to crumble and smother them. In the end, their time limit expired.
The next match took place in the forest, with Present Mic waiting at the escape gate, screaming shockwaves through the air at Jirō and Kōda. Midoriya couldn’t tell what Jirō was saying, but he could see Kōda’s sign language. It made sense, most animals would be scared away by Present Mic’s booming voice.
From the footage, Midoriya could see Jirō’s ears starting to bleed from the volume, even though they were really far from the pro hero. Her amplified heartbeat attack did nothing to stop Mic’s own scream. Midoriya wasn’t sure they would be able to win, until Kōda suddenly started talking to a rock. He really wasn’t sure what the hero-in-training was up to, that was, until that happened. Midoriya froze, watching in horror as bugs shot up from the ground, crawling up the voice hero’s pants leg. The two passed, but at what cost? He felt Todoroki’s hand on his shoulder, smiling softly at the comforting gesture. It helped.
Shōji and Hagakure were both stuck in a large corridor filled with stone pillars. As the two took refuge behind one, Snipe threw a smoke bomb, making it difficult to see what else was happening. Midoriya was able to make out the fact that one of the pillars had crumbled, forcing the duo to move to another spot. Midoriya did spot Hagakure’s gloves and shoes discarded amongst the debris, which meant she had decided to go full stealth. He would have guessed Shōji realized this when he charged the pro hero, distracting him long enough for Hagakure to sneak up behind him with the handcuffs.
Midoriya’s pen tapped against an empty page as he waited for the next pair to take the stage. He knew what Sero looked like, but this was his first time getting to see Shinsou’s hero costume actually complete. The purple jumpsuit was paired with fingerless gloves and a belt that had multiple pouches. Midoriya wondered if they had support items, first aid gear, or both inside. Shinsou’s capture gear, of course, matched Eraser Head’s, but the mask he wore over his mouth was new. Midoriya guessed that it was to hide when he spoke, but if someone recognized his voice, did that really matter?
The pair scanned the area of the rocky environment they’d been placed in. It was a smart move on the teachers part. It limited both of their movements. In a place like Field Gamma, Shinsou’s capture gear and Sero’s quirk would have allowed them both to have increased mobility. Here, they were grounded.
Midnight suddenly appeared behind them. Sero reacted first, firing off his tape. It wrapped around Midnight’s arm, but the hero just smirked, tugged sharply. The sleeve of her costume was torn off with the tape, allowing her quirk to spread faster through the air. Midoriya hoped for Sero’s sake that he’d thought to ask the support department to put some sort of filter in his helmet. If not, he’d definitely need to after this.
Midnight looked scary as she stalked closer to the duo, her pink aroma clouding around her. Midoriya couldn’t hear what was said, but the hero looked at Sero, saying something before her body suddenly relaxed in a way Midoriya knew first hand. His eyes shifted over to Shinsou, who tossed Midnight the handcuffs. The hero secured them to her own wrists before coming to. Both passed.
“Shinsou’s been working on mimicking other people’s voices.” Todoroki remarked, “I’m sure he sounded like Sero to get her to respond to him.”
“Wow! That’s so clever.” Midoriya chirped, “It totally gets around the weakness of people recognizing his own voice.”
The doors opened behind them as the rest of 1-A filed in. It was expected. Who wouldn’t want to watch Bakugou and Kirishima face off against the number one hero? Even with the weights the pro was wearing, All Might was All Might .
Kirishima and Bakugou moved down the center of the main street. Midoriya wondered what the duo had planned in the time they’d been given. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind burst down the road, destroying shop buildings all along the way. Midoriya swallowed as he watched the smoke rise. Unlike most of the other teachers, All Might was in character. Villains didn’t care about damages. Just like Nezu, the number one wasn’t afraid to wreck the place.
Kacchan was never one to back down from a challenge. The footage whited out as Bakugou used his stun grenade move, leaping to attack the hero. All Might was quick to react, grabbing Kacchan by his face. But, the explosive blonde didn’t try to free himself, choosing to use their closeness to his advantage and set off a series of explosions right in All Might’s face.
While the hero was blinded, Kirishima shot forward, taking Kacchan’s grenadier bracer. All Might moved to flip Bakugou, slamming him into the street. As he landed, Kirishima lined up his shot from beside the hero, hardening his body as he pulled the pin. The explosion it unleashed filled the screen. It blasted out the already shattered windows, damaging areas already hit by All Might’s first attack.
Bakugou used a series of small explosions to propel himself through the air. Kirishima ran alongside him from ground level. The duo raced towards the escape gate, but as the smoke settled, All Might was still standing, seeming unphased by the huge blast he’d just taken, as expected from the number one hero. Even if his form had been weakened, he was still undeniably the best.
Just as the pair were nearing the gate, the pro appeared between them. Even with the weights he was wearing, All Might was so fast! Midoriya’s mouth hung agape as he watched the number one hero destroy both of Kacchan’s gauntlets in seconds. While he knew it was a smart move on All Might’s part, Midoriya couldn’t help but feel bad for whoever would have to redesign Kacchan’s gear now that it had been damaged beyond repair.
The hero kneed Bakugou in the chin, sending the teen flying through the air into a nearby building. Kirishima was saying something, but Midoriya couldn’t tell what it was. The redhead hardened his skin as All Might moved for another attack. Kacchan re-emerged from the building, flying towards the hero. Before Bakugou could attack, All Might grabbed Kirishima, using his body like a bat to hit Kacchan out of the sky, causing another cloud of dust to obscure the footage.
When the scene cleared, Kirishima was dangling in All Might’s grasp while Kacchan was left pinned under his foot. Midoriya couldn’t hear what the hero was saying, but he noticed Bakugou’s palm flip up. In a second, Kirishima hardened himself as a huge explosion blew All Might into the air, letting the redhead fall to the ground.
Kacchan said something to Kirishima before the teen hardened his form again. Bakugou grabbed the redhead’s arm, flipping him midair, before letting another explosion blast Kirishima towards the escape gate, similar to how Iida had sent Ojiro flying in their match. Unlike before though, Ojiro didn’t have to worry about All Might punching the air to send himself flying backwards.
The number one hero slammed into Kirishima’s hardened form, sending the redhead careening into the street below them. Midoriya watched Bakugou swear before taking off in the sky again towards the pro hero. Just like in his fight against Todoroki, Kacchan unleashed a huge missile-like explosion on the hero. The ashe blonde landed in the street, firing again at All Might while the hero moved to counter-attack.
Kacchan was clearly buying time for his partner, but instead of running for the gates, Kirishima doubled back, hardening his body like a wall in front of Kacchan, taking a direct hit from All Might. Pieces of Kirishima’s hardened forearms broke off, splintering to the ground. The pro seemed just as stunned as Bakugou when the redhead took the hit, but Kacchan recovered almost instantly, moving swiftly around Kirishima to land another huge blast on All Might, giving it everything he had left in him. The duo really were like a sword and shield, complementing each other perfectly.
While All Might was thrown back by the impact of the blast, Kirishima grabbed Bakugou by his waist, hauling him over his shoulder. The redhead sprinted towards the escape gate while Bakugou yelled something at him, likely obscenities since it was Kacchan. The dust settled around All Might as the duo passed through the gates, successfully escaping the city and passing their exam. The observation room erupted in a roar of cheers as the camera’s zoomed in on the two soon-to-be heroes.
With the last match over, the final pair should be heading down to Recovery Girl’s office. The healing hero had already left to ready some beds. Midoriya stepped out into the halls, hoping to catch them before they were too busy. He turned the hall to see the duo ahead of him, Kacchan letting Kirishima support him as they moved further down the hall.
“That was stupid.” Bakugou remarked, “You should have just run for the exit.”
The redhead frowned, “What kind of man would I be if I left you there?” Kirishima retorted, “There’s no way I could have gone without you.”
“Tch,” Kacchan muttered, his ears turning pink, “Whatever.”
Midoriya smiled to himself as he turned to walk back to the observation room. He’d congratulate them both later. For now, he’d let them have a moment alone together.
With that, the final exam for 1-A came to its conclusion. The heroes filled out, leaving Midoriya behind. With Eraser Head gone, replaced by Vlad King, 1-B did even better than Midoriya could have expected. Only Monoma failed.
He promptly returned to the department Studio to have his notes scanned for Maijima-sensei. He wondered how his teacher would grade his performance. Recovery Girl had seen the same footage as him, maybe she’d point out things he’d missed? After all, she’d been watching the students just as closely. As he slung his backpack over his shoulder, Midoriya wondered what more he could have done.
“Hey, what’s with that look on your face, Izuku-kun.”
Midoriya glanced up, finding Hastume standing in front of him, completely covered head to toe in dirt and grim.
“Mei-chan, when was the last time you bathed?”
“Don’t know.” she replied with a casual shrug, “When I’m having a breakthrough, I can’t stop for useless things like bathing or sleep. Now that finals are over, I’ll probably crash as soon as I get home.”
“I don’t think that’s very healthy…” Midoriya mumbled.
“Neither’s that,” Hatsume retorted, poking his cheek. Midoriya was sure there was some sort of smudge left there now, judging by how filthy her gloves were, “What’s got you sulking?”
“I’m not sulking.” Midoriya retorted, forcing a smile on his face, “I was just caught up in my thoughts.”
Hatsume hummed, not sounding fully convinced, “Alright,” she relented, grabbing a washcloth off her table, “Don’t overthink too much. You can only put so much into a system before it overloads and blows up.” she added, wiping the cloth against Midoriya’s cheek.
“I won’t.” he promised, “See you later?”
“Of course, Strategist-kun.” Hatsume replied.
As Midoriya readjusted his bag on his shoulder, he stepped outside the classroom.
“Ready to go?”
Hot air brushed against his ear, making him squeak. Midoriya turned to see Todoroki standing beside him. His shoulder’s instantly relaxed, a smile tugging at his lips.
As they walked, Midoriya couldn’t help the little seed of guilt that rooted itself in his chest. He thought he was hiding it well, but apparently he was making it obvious because Todoroki asked, “What is it?” with his tone subtly laced with concern.
Midoriya bit his lower lip, letting out a little sigh before admitting, “I wish I could have done something for Kaminari-kun and Ashido-chan.”
“That wasn’t your fault.” Todoroki said plainly.
“But it still feels like it was.” Midoriya countered, “I knew putting them up against Nezu would be really difficult for them.”
“Sometimes failure is as important as success.” Todoroki remarked, “They both need to work on their ability to think on their feet. This defeat will remind them of that and push them to better themselves.”
“Yeah, but this was their final...” Midoriya replied, “They looked so sad. What if they don’t get to go on your class’s camping trip now?”
“They don’t blame you.” Todoroki stated, “You shouldn’t either.”
Midoriya frowned, folding his arms across his chest, “It’s not that easy.”
Todoroki was silent for a moment. Before Midoriya could question it, the dual wielder carded his fingers through his green curls, pushing them out of his face. “That’s only because you make it difficult for yourself.”
His breath caught in the back of his throat as his gaze flicked between Todoroki’s eyes and his lips. Midoriya’s face heated up while his mind started spinning. He was going to faint. A chill suddenly spread across his skin as Todoroki activated his quirk.
“Izuku-kun, are you alright?”
“Y-Yeah!” Midoriya stammered, feeling his heart pounding almost painfully in his chest.
“Let’s get you home.” Todoroki suggested, taking Midoriya’s hand in his own. He felt the dual wielder’s fingers brush his wrist, feeling for his pulse. Midoriya stared at his feet as they walked, thankful that Todoroki didn’t say anything about how fast it was beating.
They wound up smushed together on another crowded train. Midoriya’s back was pressed firmly against Todoroki’s chest as everyone packed together like a tin of sardines. He’d done this before. They’d been close like this before. Midoriya wondered why his stupid heart wouldn’t stop thundering in his ears.
He breathed a little sigh when they were finally free. Todoroki took his hand, keeping the small, familiar distance between them. This, he knew. Midoriya finally felt himself calm down while they walked.
“Later, can I read your notes?” Todoroki asked, “I want to know where I can improve.”
“Of course!” Midoriya replied, “You can borrow them now, if you want.” he offered, “I filled up the last of my blank pages, so I’ll have to start another one.” Before Todoroki could reply, Midoriya instantly added, “U-Unless you don’t want to, because you really don’t have to-”
“I would love that, actually.” Todoroki stated before Midoriya could backtrack any further.
“O-Oh, okay!” Midoriya mumbled, his fingers fumbling through his backpack to find the right notebook. His heart nearly stopped when he’d almost grabbed his English notebook, where he’d written ‘Sh♡ut♡’ in English replacing the ‘o’s with little hearts. He was sure he would have died if he’d actually done that. Midoriya corrected himself, handing over his latest hero notebook over to the dual wielder.
“Thank you, Izuku-kun.”
“Y-You’re welcome,” Midoriya replied, “It’s nothing really.”
“I think the effort you put in your work is more than incredible.” Todoroki corrected, “Don’t belittle yourself so much.”
“I-I’ll try not to.” Midoriya promised, “See you later?”
“Until next time, Izuku-kun.” Todoroki replied, giving him a beautiful little smile that warmed Midoriya’s heart.
Notes:
For /I hope this doesn't awaken something within me…/
"Should I leave it in for the meme, or are the implications too raunchy?"- Me
"You have to leave it in. I can't be the only one to experience this whiplash."-My beta
the art for this chapter On My Tumblr
Chapter 13: Fun mall trip (^:
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya felt a rush of hot air hit the back of his neck as his curls blew into his face. He didn’t need to turn around to know that the explosion wasn’t from the footage of Kacchan and Kirishima’s fight. That didn’t stop him from glancing over his shoulder, spotting Hatsume waving away a cloud of smoke.
She caught him looking and grinned, saying something to him that he missed. Midoriya pulled off his headphones, setting them down in his lap.
“What was that?” he asked.
“I said,” Hatsume flipped up her goggles. There was a clear line where the grime stopped below her eyes. “What are you watching, Izuku-kun?” she asked.
“I wanted to go back over everyone’s finals, so I could see if there was anything I missed.” Midoriya explained.
“Ah, I’ve been doing that with my babies. I want them to be in their best shape!” Hatsume remarked, “By the way, I wanted to look at your notes for some more babies. Can I borrow them?”
“Yeah, of course!” Midoriya replied, rifling through his backpack. When his search came up fruitless, a light flush crept up his neck, “Oh, I forgot I already lent it to Shouto-kun.”
“Is he interested in making some babies with you, too?” Hatsume asked.
“N-No! Definitely not!” Midoriya denied, feeling his blush darken, “M-Maijima-sensei has copies of all my notes, so he should be able to give you them.” he deflected.
“Oh, really? I’ll do that!” Hatsume replied, darting over to their teacher’s side.
Midoriya let out a small sigh as his shoulders slumped. He turned back to watch the footage. Just as he was about to slip his headphones back on, he heard his teacher clear his voice. When he looked over, Midoriya could see Power Loader with his arms folded over his chest.
“Everyone, don’t forget that over the break there will be one week where we’ll all meet to test out your support gear, so make sure it’s ready.” Maijima-sensei stated, “And Midoriya, even though you don’t have any gear, I hope you’ll join us. Seeing everything in action will help you to pair these support weapons with the students who could best use them.”
Midoriya nodded along. He could see the benefits of going. It actually sounded like a lot of fun. Wherever they were heading would have to be pretty deserted, considering the caliber of weapons his classmates were creating, and how often they resulted in fires.
He stopped his muttering when he noticed Hatsume sidle up to him, “So…” she began, “You’re gonna help me test out some of our super cute babies, right?”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to going.” Midoriya replied, “I wonder if it will be anything like the hero course’s training camp.”
“Pft, no way. Our trip will be loads more fun!” Hatsume quipped, “They don’t have any of my babies.”
Midoriya chuckled, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” he agreed.
The final bell chimed, seeming to cause everyone to turn towards the clock hanging on the wall.
“Wow, over already?” Hatsume said, resting her hands on her hips, “I’m gonna stay a little longer to finish polishing up my babies.”
“Alright, I guess I’ll see you at the trip then?” Midoriya replied.
“Of course!” Hatsume chirped.
As Midoriya reached for his bag, he heard someone clear their voice.
“Everyone,” Majima-sensei shouted, getting the class’s attention, “When the time comes, we’ll be meeting at the school gates. From there, we’ll be taking a bus to a secure location. That’s where you’ll be able to test your gear to the best of its abilities.”
There was a buzz of excitement that settled in his chest as Midoriya stepped out of the Development Studio. Todoroki wasn’t there. He pursed his lips. Maybe Aizawa-sensei was still going over their exam results.
As he approached 1-A’s homeroom, he could hear idle chatter from inside. Aizawa-sensei actually looked like he was the first to leave, as he appeared in the door with his sleeping bag tucked under his arm. Their eyes met for a moment, making Midoriya freeze in place.
Thankfully, Yamada-sensei came to his rescue when the blonde appeared at the end of the hall shouting, “Shota! Hurry up!”
Aizawa-sensei huffed, rolling his eyes as he continued walking. Midoriya felt his shoulders fall as he breathed out a sigh. The door to 1-A was still open, so he cautiously looked inside. It didn’t seem like anyone had gone home yet. From bits and pieces he overheard, Midoriya could tell everyone was talking about their training camp trip.
He almost jumped when he heard, “Oh! Hey, Midoriya-kun, did you want to come to the mall with us?” Ashido asked, “We’re all going as a class, but you should totally come too!”
“Yeah, it’ll be fun!” Uraraka chirped, “You’re like, an honorary member of our class at this point.”
“Oh, um sure?” Midoriya agreed without really thinking.
A moment later, Todoroki was at his side, with his bag packed and slung over his shoulder. While they left the room, Midoriya found himself asking, “Are you going too, Shouto-kun?”
“I can’t. I’m visiting my mother.” Todoroki stated, “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Midoriya replied, “It would have been fun to have you there, but I’m sure your mom will be really happy to see you.”
Todoroki smiled, just a little curve of his lips, “Thank you for understanding.”
The moment the two teens found themselves alone in the hallway, Todoroki’s hands reached over for the red fabric wrapped around Midoriya’s neck. The green-haired boy stopped in his tracks as he let the dual wielder work.
“You know, you could just show me how to tie it.” Midoriya mumbled, “I’m not really learning from this.”
“But then you wouldn’t need me to fix it anymore.” Todoroki stated plainly.
“O-Oh.” Midoriya stammered, feeling his pulse race. What did that mean? Todoroki liked fixing his tie? Could that be a platonic thing? Ugh.
Todoroki smoothed the fabric down his chest, seeming to take his time adjusting it. When he finally finished, he met Midoriya’s gaze, “Are you ready to go, Izuku-kun?”
“Yeah.” he said, taking Todoroki’s hand in his own, “Let’s go, Sho-chan.” he added, feeling his cheeks burn as he tested the nickname on his tongue. Todoroki’s hand felt warm in his, but the dual wielder hadn’t complained. Midoriya pursed his lips. Did this mean Todoroki liked him? Or was he just embarrassed that Midoriya would use such a ‘cute’ name for him?
The train was packed, which was unfortunately normal for this hour. Midoriya held onto one of the hanging straps, steadying himself even as the crowd of other passengers shoved him further against Todoroki’s side. It was warm, but not uncomfortably so. If he were being honest with himself, he didn’t mind it.
As they stepped onto the platform, Midoriya took Todoroki’s hand in his own, intertwining their fingers together. As his pulse raced, he found himself muttering about the final exams, and what he’d noticed. He was sure he was talking too fast, but whenever he glanced over, Todoroki seemed to hang on his every word. Maybe he was just really good at pretending to listen because he was so polite?
When they finally made it home, Midoriya couldn’t stop the disappointed feeling that sat in his stomach.
“Thank you for letting me borrow these.” Todoroki remarked, handing him back his notebook, “They were very informative.”
“O-Oh, thanks! I’m glad they could help.” Midoriya replied, “Is it okay if I text you over the break?” he asked. He didn’t want to be a bother, but he really didn’t want to have to give up all contact with the dual wielder until school started up again.
“Of course.” Todoroki stated, “You never have to ask for something like that.”
“Alright,” Midoriya said, pulling the dual wielder into a hug, “Have fun visiting your mom.” he added as he pulled back, “I’ll see you later.”
He wanted to stay there, watching Todoroki’s reaction. Trying to figure out how the boy felt, but knowing he’d just done that was too much. Midoriya gave Todoroki a quick wave before fleeing inside his house and collapsing on his bed.
TheAnalyst wasn’t the only one talking about them. There was an entire subreddit of people theorizing about them. From what he’d read, Midoriya knew some of them must take the same train. If he didn’t know any better, their theories seemed almost concrete. With all the evidence they supplied, he and Todoroki should be going out together. Ugh, why was everything so complicated?
Part of him wanted to scroll through and see if anyone had said anything new. Maybe they had seen something he hadn’t. In the photos a few posts showed, Todoroki always had his eyes on him, even when he knew he’d just been babbling about hero stuff. It was boring to most people, but even in the blurry image, Todoroki looked like he was really interested in what he was saying, or was he- no, Midoriya sighed. No one with a perfect quirk and a princely face would be interested in a plain, quirkless kid.
Midoriya sat up, reaching for his notes. Now that he had them back, he could look for any errors. Maijima-sensei had scored him highly, but he knew he could have done more. As he flipped through the pages, he noticed a corner was folded down. When Midoriya opened it to the page, his face blushed crimson. He'd forgotten his own remarks, suggesting some sort of escape training in case of a quirk-eraser or weapon designed to withstand a quirk was used. Todoroki left him a message on a post-it-note. “This sounds useful. Shinsou’s gear is similar to Aizawas. Perhaps the three of us could train together?”
He felt his lips tug into a smile as he pulled out his phone.
I found your note
If Shinsou wanted to train with us, then I think that’s a really good idea ☆ ~('▽^人)
(・・ ) ? Maybe we could do it after your training camp?
I wouldn’t want to distract you guys before it. ( ̄▽ ̄*)ゞ
Though it would be nice to see you ( ´ ▽ ` ).。o♡
I look forward to it.
Great, I can’t wait to see you Sho-chan (♡˙︶˙♡)
Me too (*^^*)♡
Was the heart too much? Midoriya plugged his phone into his charger,
Leaving it across the room.
“Bye mom, I’ll be back later!” he shouted as he pulled on his shoes.
“Have fun, Izuku,” his mom said, sniffling as she dried her eyes, a huge smile on her face, “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”
“No, mom, I’m just going to the mall with some friends.” Midoriya replied, “I’m good.”
“Alright, don’t get into trouble.” his mom teased.
“I’ll do my best not to.” Midoriya replied before slipping out the door.
When he arrived at the meeting point, Midoriya smiled softly, seeing so many familiar faces. Maybe now would be a chance to get to know them better. It felt like he knew their quirks, but not really the individuals. He might even make some friends.
Everyone was animated, excitedly babbling about their upcoming training camp. He could hear mentions of supplies before groups started breaking off, announcing that they’d all meet up again later.
As Midoriya stood alone, he let out a little sigh. He wasn’t all that surprised honestly. It wasn’t like he was particularly close to anyone, except maybe Shinsou, but Kaminari had already dragged the purple-haired boy away.
Well, maybe the trip wouldn’t be a complete waste. He pulled out his phone to text Hatsume. He was pretty sure she needed a few electrical parts that she couldn’t find at school. Todoroki was always so prepared, that he probably didn’t need anything. But should he ask anyway?
Before he could make a decision, he thought he heard someone say his name. Midoriya stiffened as he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder.
“You were the quirkless kid from the Sports Festival, right?” the guy asked, “Wow, it is you, isn’t it?”
Midoriya knew a lot of people watched the Sports Festival on tv, but it was still jarring to get recognized. It reminded him how Yuuei was an incredible school to go to.
“I can't believe I'd see you again in a place like this. There must be something to it.” the stranger remarked.
Again? Midoriya’s mind hung on the word. When had they met before?
“Something like fate, or destiny…” the guy continued, his fingers curling around Midoriya’s neck.
Izuku’s mind flashed back to the feeling of those same fingers gripping the back of his head. His breath hitched in his throat as his pulse raced. He didn’t want to look back and confirm what he already knew.
“But well, from your perspective, I guess we haven't met since the attack on Yuuei, huh?” the man said, all but confirming his suspicions, “I wonder what a support course student was even doing there.” he wondered aloud.
Midoriya was sure his heart had stopped. His nails dug into the palms of his hands as he dared to look up at the villain.
“Why don't we have tea or something, Midoriya Izuku?”
There was no severed hand obscuring the man’s features, but Midoriya instantly recognized it. The blood drained from his face as their eyes met. It was Shigaraki Tomura. The villain behind the USJ attack, the one who released the Nomu alongside the Hero Killer, what was he doing here?
“Act natural, like I'm an old friend. Don't make a fuss, okay?” Shigaraki said casually, “Calm down and catch your breath. I want to talk to you. That's all.”
Even if he said that, Midoriya couldn’t stop his muscles from tensing. It was hard to remember to breathe, even as his lungs ached for air.
“Just try and do something funny. It's simple. The instant all five of my fingers touch your neck, you'll start crumbling from the skin of your throat. You'll be dust in less than a minute.” Shigaraki threatened plainly.
“I-If you do that in this place, with so many people, a hero will come and catch you in no time…” Midoriya said, struggling to keep his voice steady. It didn’t make sense. What was the villain doing here?
“I’m sure.” Shigaraki agreed, “But look at these guys.” he said, pointing to the crowds, “Even though anyone could wield their quirk at any time, how can they smile and gather like that? When it comes down to it, laws and rules assume that individuals have morals. They're convinced that there's no way anyone would do it. Before I'm caught, I could kill twenty- no, thirty people..."
Midoriya felt his blood freeze. Someone as dangerous as Shigaraki could really do that. The more his mind thought about it, the more thirty seemed like a low number. If Shigaraki went for the support columns, he could topple entire shops onto customers, taking out dozens of people on top of the ones he could just grab, like he was doing now.
Midoriya felt his resolve crumble, "What... do you want to talk about?" he asked.
"This is nice. Since we've got this chance, why don't we sit down and have a chat?" the villain suggested.
Midoriya let the man steer him over to some empty seats. Not a single person seemed phased by the pair. Though he was used to eyes glazing over him. He was plain, and Shigaraki’s large black hoodie didn’t really draw attention to himself. He blended in with the rest of the crowd.
“Anyway, I hate everything." Shigaraki began. It was those words that made him see the villain a bit differently. Midoriya had to wonder why the universe would give such a powerful and destructive quirk to a self centered man child, like the one holding him by his throat? Shigaraki continued, "But what pisses me off the most right now is the Hero Killer."
Midoriya blinked, “He’s not with you?” the questioned tumbled from his lips before he could think better of it.
"I didn't acknowledge it, but that's how it ended up in the news." Shigaraki dismissed, "That's the problem. Almost everyone is looking at the Hero Killer. The attack on Yuuei and the Nomus I released on Hosu City... Everything was upstaged by him. No one's looking at me. Why is that? No matter how much he boasts, in the end, he just destroyed what he didn't like, right? What do you think the difference is between me and him, Midoriya?”
“What the difference is?” Midoriya repeated, mulling the words over in his mind. After dealing with the press surrounding Todoroki, he’d actually given it quite a lot of thought. “Well, no one knew there was a difference at all. And because everyone thought he was with you, reporters wouldn’t really know the Nomu were a different story. In their eyes, you were getting equal reporting.” he assessed. Midoriya remembered how reporters covered Endeavor and Todoroki almost as if they were the same person in their news spreads.
“On top of that, the Nomu are faceless monsters. It’s hard for people to make a connection with them. Stain had a face and a message. That’s what reporters focus on. Between the two, the Hero Killer would sell more papers, even if the Nomu pose a bigger threat.” Midoriya continued, “To them, it doesn’t really matter what you do if they can’t spin a story out of it. They need something to go off of, and there’s already so much violence from other villain attacks that it would take more than just attacking or even killing people to make the front page.”
It was the same reason why most reporters wouldn’t just post any picture of Todoroki standing next to one of his classmates. There’s already so much hero drama surrounding people’s love lives, that it had to appear juicy. Yaoyorozu was rich and was gaining popularity with her commercial, and Kirishima’s red hair and sharp teeth really drew eyes to him. Midoriya knew he didn’t have the same pull. It’s why only a youtuber and a handful of others even bothered speculating on his connection to the dual wielder. He just wasn’t as interesting.
“As for the League of Villains…” Midoriya continued, “I don’t know what you stand for. I don’t know anything about you or the League other than that you want to kill All Might. I can’t understand or agree with any of it. But with Stain, I don't agree with him, but I can understand him. Because for me and the Hero Killer, it all started with All Might.” he explained, “When he saved Shouto-kun, he wasn't just destroying because he wanted to. He had a goal 'to create a more just society.' Even if the way he did was wrong, I think he was trying to live up to his ideals. Reporters like stories like that because they can spin it both ways. They get to condemn the Hero Killer’s actions while also showcasing his strange moral code, getting readers to sympathize with him. It broadens the audience and amplifies sales.” which was all most cared about in the end.
Midoriya made a mistake by looking back up at the villain sitting next to him. Those piercing red eyes were terrifying, chilling the blood in his body. The words died on his tongue as Midoriya sat frozen.
“It's like a weight off my chest. I feel like I've connected the dots.” Shigaraki said. Midoriya resisted the urge to retort, you didn't connect shit.
“Why the Hero Killer pisses me off, and why you irritate me…” the man continued, “I feel like I understand now.” Shigaraki’s smile was far more terrifying than his frown. Midoriya understood why he normally hid his face behind that severed hand. He was actually less scary that way.
“Everything’s because of All Might.” the villain stated, “Yeah, that's it... when all's said and done, that's where I ended up. What was I worrying so much about? These guys are able to smile thoughtlessly because All Might is smiling thoughtlessly."
The fingers were digging into his throat, making it painful to try and breathe, "It's because that trash is smiling thoughtlessly, as if there was no one he couldn't save! Oh, I'm so glad we could talk." Shigaraki remarked, grinning widely.
Dread filled his body as he wondered how useless he was to the villain now, "It's great. Thanks, Midoriya!" the villain said, squeezing the life out of Midoriya's throat, "I don't have to do anything different." What was he planning? Everyone thought they were together, did that mean he was going to steal Stain’s message? Manipulate it to fit his own needs. As Shigaraki’s grip tightened painfully, he struggled to think clearly.
Midoriya's hands instinctively tried to remove the pressure around his throat, "Whoops, don't struggle." the villain chided, “Do you want to die?”
He forced his hands to drop to his sides, feeling tears well up in his eyes. Midoriya struggled to hold them back.
"You think it's okay for the masses to die?" Shigaraki questioned.
No, he couldn’t let that happen. There were so many innocent people here. The mall echoed with children’s bubbly laughter as they shopped with their parents. Everyone was just trying to live their lives, unbeknownst to the threat sitting nearby.
"Midoriya?" tears were pricking his eyes as he looked toward the voice, staring at Shinsou and Kaminari. Both teen’s stood, narrowing their eyes as they glanced between the two of them.
“Who’s your friend?” Kaminari asked, his stance straightening up as he looked at the hand around Midoriya’s neck.
Panic filled his body as he looked between the three of them.
Shinsou's eyes widened as he recognized the man sitting next to Midoriya, "Get your hands off him."
No, Tomura would kill them too if he didn't act fast, "It's nothing! I'm fine! Please, don't come close!" Midoriya said, trying to stammer out some excuse, some reason they couldn’t come near, but Shigaraki suddenly let go.
"If you try following me, I'll get angry."
Midoriya clutched his tender throat, choking on air. Before either teen could attempt to attack the villain, Midoriya reached out, grabbing them by their shirts, “Don’t.”
He could tell from the look in Shinsou’s eyes that he was conflicted, but Shigaraki had already disappeared.
“Who was that guy?”
“Shigaraki Tomura.” Shinsou stated, “Why did you stop us? He got away!”
“He didn’t answer you and Kaminari-kun’s quirk is too dangerous to use in crowds.” Midoriya said softly, his throat was killing him, “It was too risky. Shigaraki threatened to kill the civilians here, and he would follow through with it.”
The two boys stood there, gritting their teeth. Neither could argue with Midoriya’s logic, no matter how much they wanted to.
“Can you call the police?”
Five hours later, Midoriya leaned into his mother’s side as he finally made his way home. He wasn’t sure he was much help, but he had answered their questions as best as he could.
When they got back, Midoriya practically fell into his mom’s embrace. Both of their eyes were dried out from too much crying.
“That bruise looks nasty.” his mother remarked, her fingers brushing his throat.
Midoriya felt his entire body tense as he stumbled back, his hand instinctively whipping up to cover the spot, “S-Sorry, Mom,” he stammered.
His mom pulled her hand back like she’d been burned, “No, sweetie, I’m sorry. I should have realized.” she said, “I’m going to call your school’s guidance counselor. The policeman recommended you speak to Hounddog about everything that happened. I won’t force you to go, but I think you should consider it.”
“Okay, mom.” Midoriya promised.
He barely remembered showering before falling into bed. Midoriya blearily blinked his eyes as something banged loudly. As he sat up, he registered that it was his door.
“Huh?” he mumbled.
“Zuku open up!”
“It’s not locked…” Midoriya remarked as he rubbed his tired eyes.
A second later his door was practically thrown open as Bakugou stomped in, glaring at him.
“Kacchan? What are you doing here?” Midoriya questioned.
“Dunce-face and eye-bags told us what happened in the fucking stupid group chat.” he explained, ploping himself down on the bed next to Midoriya.
“What- oh.” Midoriya mumbled dumbly, “Um, yeah… that happened.”
“Does it hurt?” Bakugou asked, his scowl replaced with a small frown.
He tilted his head to the side, “Does what hurt?” Midoriya questioned, watching Kacchan narrow his eyes at him before remembering the bruise on his neck, “OH! It’s a little sore, but nothing bad, really.”
“Tch,” Bakugou muttered, “How did this even happen?”
“W-Well, everyone was talking about what they needed for the trip, and they all kind of split off into different groups, and I wound up by myself.” Midoriya summarized, “And that’s when he appeared…”
Bakugou was quiet, looking down at his hands, which were folded in his lap, “Fuck.”
“Kacchan…”
“I’m always fucking late to this shit.” Bakugou grumbled, “What kind of hero will I be if I’m never there for your dumbass.”
“You’re going to be a great hero.” Midoriya retorted.
“No, I’m not. I’m a shitty person and an even shittier friend. Fuck, I couldn’t even be there for you this one fucking time.” Bakugou said, harshly tangling his fingers in his hair.
Midoriya frowned, “You couldn’t have known this would happen.” he reasoned.
“I should have. You always manage to find trouble, Zuku. You’re like a fucking magnet for it.” Bakugou retorted.
“That’s not true.” Midoriya disputed, folding his arms across his chest, “I’m careful.”
“You never stopped being friends with me. How is that fucking careful?” Bakugou snapped, “Even after everything I did.”
“...Kacchan.”
“No, don’t try and deny it.” Bakugou said, his hand lightly popping as his brow furrowed in frustration, “You attract disaster.”
Midoriya knew there was no real way to argue with the ashe blonde, “Well, what am I supposed to do about it?” he asked.
Bakugou sat there silently for a moment, just staring at him, “... Learn how to fight.”
“W-What?” Midoriya questioned.
“You’ve been getting your ass beat for years; you know what it looks like.” Bakugou stated, “But you never fight back. That’s what’s got to change. Come on, hit me.”
“I can’t do that!” Midoriya argued, rearing back until he felt the wall behind him.
“Come on, damn nerd, fucking hit me.” Bakugou prompted, grabbing Midoriya by the front of his shirt, so he could drag him back to the edge of the bed, “Show me what you’ve got.”
Midoriya chewed his lip. What he’s got? What did he have? A huge bruise on his neck. A problem with people touching the back of his head and his throat? What was that look in Kacchan’s eyes? There was something there, more than just regret and frustration. He couldn’t place it… And he certainly couldn’t fight him. This was Kacchan! He’d held his own against All Might! If he tried to fight him, he’d get his head blown through his own wall.
“I can hear you overthinking this, Zuku. I’m not going to use my quirk. I won’t even block the first hit, so just fucking come at me!” Kacchan shouted.
Bakugou pulled him to his feet before dropping him. Midoriya looked down at Kacchan’s hand, which was still hovering so close to his throat. A wave of panic seized him, and without thinking, he swung his arm around. He felt it connect with Bakugou’s face.
Kacchan’s lip was swollen from where he’d been punched. Midoriya felt dread in the pit of his stomach as he stared up at Bakugou.
The ashe blonde blinked, his hand reached up to touch his mouth, feeling the damage. Bakugou stared back at him, and actually smiled, well, smirked. “Not awful.” Kacchan remarked, sounding almost satisfied, “But it needs fucking work. Tomorrow, I’m gonna show you how to throw a real punch.”
“Wait, are you offering to train me?” Midoriya asked.
“It’s not an offer, it’s a fucking fact.” Bakugou replied gruffly, “You need to know how to handle yourself.”
“Really?” Midoriya asked, looking up at Kacchan with hopeful green eyes.
“Yes, fucking don’t make me repeat myself, Zuku.” Bakugou said, rolling his eyes, “I’d make you come with me today, but you need to recover first.”
As much as he wanted to argue, Midoriya knew he wouldn’t get far with Kacchan. There was a weird mix of excitement and dread that pooled in his stomach the more he thought about it. He didn’t really see Bakugou as a kind or patient teacher, but he’d definitely be effective. Both boys suddenly turned when there was a loud knock down the hall. Someone was at the front door.
Kacchan shoved Midoriya’s chest, sending him back onto his bed, “I’ll fucking deal with it.” he stated as he stomped out. Midoriya took the chance to glance at a clock. It was already noon? His mom must have left for work. Did Bakugou get here before she left, or did he just use the spare key? He did know where it was.
His door burst open, the hinges creaking from the force, “The fucking extras came to check on you, or some shit.” Bakugou grumbled, rolling his eyes dramatically as he leaned against the wall, barely avoiding Midoriya’s All Might posters.
“Midoriya-kun! Are you okay?” “We’re so sorry, we shouldn’t have left you.” “It was super unmanly of us, bro. We won’t ditch you again.” “How are you feeling?”
There were too many questions to answer.
“Shut the fuck up if you’re gonna all talk over each other like fucking idiots.” Bakugou scolded, narrowing his eyes at the group.
Midoriya noticed the way they all sheepishly apologized, before their gazes drifted between his messy bedhead and the ashe blonde's mussed hair from where Bakugou had tugged at it. Though as funny as their hair looked, the group seemed to find themselves distracted by Kacchan’s swollen lip. Midoriya followed their shifting gaze to his All Might pajama shirt, which was still wrinkled from where Bakugou had grabbed him. It was clear there had been a fight, kind of/sort of. No one commented on it, but he was sure they were connecting some dots. Sero even moved to lightly elbow Kacchan’s side, whispering something to him that had the ashe blonde fuming.
“Please don’t blow up my room.” Midoriya requested, though he knew nothing could stop Kacchan if he really got pissed.
“Tsk,” Bakugou grumbled, glaring daggers into Sero’s smirking face, “You’re dead at the training camp.” he stated factually.
Before anything else could happen between the two boys, Uraraka commented, “Wow, this really is a fanboy’s bedroom.” as she looked around the room. She wasn’t wrong, but the moment she drew attention to it, everyone’s eyes seemed to look over his immense collection.
Midoriya felt his face flush red, “I-I just really admire him.” he mumbled, feeling his chest tighten. He was staring down at his lap, fingers gripping the fabric of his pajama pants.
“Like you don’t have fucking hero merch in your room.” Bakugou retorted, “You were fangirling over Thirteen back at USJ.”
“Bakugou coming at you with receipts.” Ashido joked, poking at Uraraka’s side.
“I didn’t mean it as a bad thing.” Uraraka retorted, “I think it’s sweet that you care about your idol so much.” the even if it’s a little excessive, was left unsaid, most likely because Kacchan was still in the room.
The well-wishes were nice, and a few had brought him little goodies that were left on his desk. Though it wasn’t long before Kacchan ushered everyone out, right as Midoriya began to feel overwhelmed again. Bakugou was always really observant though.
He sighed, falling back into bed. Midoriya knew he should get dressed for the day, but he wasn’t going anywhere. His stomach growled, making him sigh. It wasn’t like he couldn’t make himself something to eat, but his bed was so comfortable.
Two knocks pulled him back to the land of the living. Midoriya rubbed his eyes as he sat up. Did he hear that right? He was pretty sure they weren’t expecting any packages…
As he stumbled his way down the hall, Midoriya yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. When he pulled the door open, he actually pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t actually back in bed. The pain in his wrist told him, no, this was real.
Todoroki stood in front of him, holding a bag filled with takeout and some huge, mysterious shopping bag on both arms.
“Can I come in?”
“Y-Yes! Of course!” Midoriya replied, stepping aside for the dual wielder.
They both ended up on the couch in front of the coffee table. Midoriya couldn’t help but wonder what the dual wielder had with him.
“Your mother told me which restaurant was your favorite.” Todoroki stated, “I got you Katsudon.” he added, passing the dish to Midoriya before taking his own cold soba.
“What?” Midoriya said as he opened the box, it’s heavenly scent hitting his nose, “Thank you, Sho-chan, but you really didn’t have to do all this.”
“I wanted to.” Todoroki replied, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save you.”
“It’s not your fault, okay?” Midoriya stated.
“I understand…” Todoroki said, “Though I wish things had been different.”
“I’m fine, promise.”
“You should feel better than fine,” Todoroki remarked, opening the other bag he’d brought with him, “So I got you this.” he said, pulling out an extremely soft and fluffy limited edition ‘Teacher All Might’ blanket that was only being sold at the hero superstore in Hosu. “Do you like it?”
Midoriya felt his heart flutter as Todoroki moved to drape the fabric over their shoulders. As he looked between his meal, blanket, and peppermint-haired boy, a warm fuzzy feeling spread throughout his chest.
“You’re the best, Sho-chan.” Midoriya remarked, though what he desperately wanted to say was ‘I think I’m in love with you.’
Notes:
art On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
saltyreina made a really good meme for this chapter On Tumblr
Chapter 14: Support Training Camp
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Birds flew out of the trees as Kacchan blasted himself into the air, attacking from above. Midoriya jumped back, barely dodging Bakugou’s fist as he shot himself back down. But Kacchan was already behind him again. Midoriya grunted as he fell back against the ground. The dirt stuck to his palms as he began to push himself up before the heel of Bakugou’s boot pressed firmly into his chest.
Kacchan sighed, giving him a tired look, “Are you even trying, Zuku? Is this the best you’ve got?”
He sniffled, “Yeah.” Midoriya mumbled, barely holding back his tears.
“Tch.” Bakugou rolled his eyes, resting his hands on his hips, “I barely have you pinned.” he grumbled, “Grab my ankle and try to push me off while you roll. Best case, you manage to push me back, but if your opponent’s too big, the point is to knock them off balance, so you can get back up.”
His hands moved while his mind caught up, stuck on processing Kacchan’s instructions. He could feel Bakugou take some of the weight off his chest as he glared down at Izuku, waiting for him to act.
Midoriya took a deep breath, furrowing his brow. He grit his teeth as he pushed against Kacchan’s leg, twisting his shoulders and hips as he struggled to roll around. He managed to shove the ashe blonde off. Midoriya pushed himself to his feet, squaring up.
He blinked, staring at the empty forest in front of him. What? Midoriya heard the familiar pop of Bakugou’s quirk. He barely had time to turn his head and see the ashe blonde. Kacchan was slamming into his side, hard enough to bruise, but nothing that could cause any more damage.
“You can’t just get up,” Bakugou stated, as he straightened himself, “You need to be ready to throw the next punch. Otherwise, you’re just going to keep getting your ass beaten.”
As he clutched his side, Midoriya barely managed to stay on his feet. His muscles ached all over, but he wasn’t ready to give up. “What should I do?” he asked.
Bakugou dropped his hands to his sides, closing the distance between them, “Hit me.”
“W-What?” Midoriya stammered.
“I’m not gonna repeat myself, Zuku.” Kacchan muttered, narrowing his eyes at the green-haired boy, “Now, hurry up!”
“Can’t we just keep-”
“No, we’re done with dodging. You’re going to overwork yourself, idiot.” Bakugou scolded, “We still need to hike back down, and I’m not carrying your dumbass.”
“But-” he was silenced by Bakugou’s fierce glare.
“What did I just say, Zuku?”
Midoriya pursed his lips. He took a deep breath before reeling his fist back. His knuckles hurt as they connected with Kacchan’s chest. The ashe blonde didn’t budge, but Midoriya knew he’d left a bruise.
“Tch, you’re barely putting any weight behind your punches.” Bakugou grumbled, “When I say ‘hit me’ I mean, fucking hit me!”
He didn’t think as he moved, his fist slamming into Kacchan’s cheek. Midoriya could see the bluish bruise blossoming there, “S-Sorry, I-”
“That’s more fucking like it.” Bakugou smirked, wiping a bit of blood from his nose.
Midoriya felt a rush of pride swell up in his chest at the praise. Though a part of him felt guilty for it. He shouldn’t enjoy hurting someone, even if they were literally asking him to. It just didn’t sit right with him.
“Now, let’s see if you can do it again, Zuku.” Bakugou prompted.
By the end of his lesson, Midoriya’s knuckles felt bruised and sore, along with the rest of his body. The hike back almost felt worse than their sparing.
Dirt and sweat stuck to his skin as he kicked off his shoes. The first thing he needed was a hot shower to soothe his muscles. But the moment he was out and dressed in his pajamas, Midoriya went to the freezer for an ice pack. He fell into bed moments after.
There was a buzz in his pocket. As he pulled his phone out, Midoriya felt his lips tug into a grin as he recognized the name on his screen. He sat down on the edge of his bed, resting an ice pack against his side while he unlocked his phone.
How are you feeling?
A little sore.
Even when he’s holding back, Kacchan really packs a punch
(((ง’ω’)و三 ง’ω’)ڡ≡
Are you okay?
Did you two get in a fight?
I’m fine! ✧٩(•́⌄•́๑)
Thank you for worrying about me
No, he’s just training me. (ง •̀v•́)ง
Knowing Kacchan, that was probably supposed to be a secret
Please don’t tell him I told you (*_ _)人
You can always trust me, Izuku
I won’t tell him
You’re so amazing (。♥‿♥。)
♡♡+.゚(→ε←*)゚+.゚ You’re really an incredible person
How are you so perfect? (●♡∀♡)
Thank you Shochan ♡(*´꒳`*)
Midoriya sighed, smiling to himself as he curled up in bed. The exhaustion sunk into his bones, knocking him out almost instantly.
The break seemed to speed by as days merged together. Midoriya found himself pummeled into the ground more often than not, but he wasn’t giving up yet. The daily hikes improved his cardio and he was following Kacchan’s diet and workout instructions to a T.
When the time came for Bakugou to leave for his training camp, Midoriya found himself missing their sessions together. But, he wasn’t going to stop just because Kacchan wasn’t there to spar with him.
His PC blared as the screen lit up, a news team videoing footage of the latest hero fights. Midoriya watched the way they fought, attempting to mimic their movements after clearing a space in his room. Kacchan said his technique ‘sucked ass,’ so now was the time to work on it.
After a few hours of news channels and compilation videos, Midoriya could feel sweat sticking to his skin as he panted lightly. He switched over to stretches. The last time his muscles had felt too sore to move, Kacchan spent the entire time scolding him for being ‘a dumbass’ and they ended up doing yoga instead. Midoriya wanted to be just as flexible as the ashe blonde, maybe even more so.
While he finished, moving into a cool down stage, Midoriya wandered into the kitchen to get some water. Somehow, it always tasted better after working himself ragged.
As he collapsed on the couch, he found his phone in his hands, already typing out a message.
How’s camp, Shochan? (°▽°)/
It’s been very educational
Oh?
How so?
(?・・)σ
In my previous training, I haven’t been pushed this way.
I feel like these exercises are improving my quirk usage overall.
Really? ╰(✧∇✧╰)
What are you doing?
Temperature regulation.
Mostly, I sit in a boiling hot bath while I freeze and reheat the metal barrel.
That is a strong mental image (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
Oh
That seems really intense.
The Wild Wild Pussy Cats don’t hold back.
!!!!!
Oh my gosh, I love them!!!! ꉂ (′̤ॢ∀ ू‵̤๑))ˉ̞̭♡
They’re the ones training you guys?
Do you think you could get their autographs for me?
Not that you have to
I don’t want to trouble you
If it’s for you, then it’s no trouble at all.
I-
Shouto-
How can you just say that?
Thank you ₍՞◌′ᵕ‵ू◌₎♡
I think I’m in love with you
I know I’m in love with you
I have to tell you
A sigh escaped his lips as he tangled his fingers in his curls. Why was it so hard to say it? Not that he wanted to admit it over text anyway. Though it was tempting. If Todoroki rejected him, then he’d be far away and he wouldn’t have to see the disgust on the dual wielder's face. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the bitter taste in his mouth.
Midoriya knew it was smarter to pace himself, but that didn’t stop him from running a few extra miles in the morning and lifting weights ten pounds heavier than he was told. His muscles felt like they were screaming at him in protest, but he wasn’t going to get anywhere if he didn’t get through this. He just smiled as he grit his teeth, pushing through the pain as he watched hero videos, again and again, trying his best to replicate certain moves.
His mother’s worried glances stuck with him. Midoriya relented, giving himself a do-nothing day to recover from his new workout routine. He was laying in bed, scrolling through his and Todoroki’s subreddit when he saw the text notification. His fingers fumbled, dropping his phone on his face.
Your Support Training Camp is tomorrow, right?
Yeah! o((*^▽^*))o
I’m really looking forward to it!
I wonder if you’ll be going somewhere similar to us.
It’s possible,
but I think the school wants to keep everyone separate for now.
True.
I hope you’ll have a comfortable stay.
Will there be a hot spring at your camp as well?
I doubt it. ┐( ̄ヮ ̄)┌
We should be going to a deserted, spacious area to test gear.
Besides, none of us should be sore enough to justify having one.
We won’t be sparing with each other (`⌒*)O-(`⌒´Q)
( ◞・౪・)
That’s a shame.
Perhaps we can visit one together another time.
⁽⁽◝(∗ ❛⃘ ꒫ ❜⃘⃘ ∗)◜⁾⁾ aswertghjuiol
Lnjbhgktyrfrr ヽ(゜Q。)ノ
That’s-
∑(*☼_☉*)
Sure, there’s nothing inherently non-platonic about going to a hot spring. Lots of friends do that together
I think that could be fun (⌒▽⌒)☆
Great. We can talk about it further when we both return from camp.
Definitely! ೕ(˃̵ᴗ˂̵ ๑)
When the day finally arrived, Midoriya laughed as his mom pulled him into a tight bear hug. She softly sobbed as she held him close, “I hope you have fun, Izuku.” she said.
“I will, mom.” Midoriya replied, “Hatsume’s been texting me non-stop about her babies.”
“Babies? Oh, her inventions! I remember.” his mom remarked as she finally let him go, but not before placing a kiss on his forehead, “I’m sure you two will be busy then.”
Midoriya grinned as he tugged his bags over his shoulder, “Bye mom, love you.”
“Love you too.” his mom replied, “Stay safe!”
“I’ll try!” Midoriya promised.
Seeing the large bus waiting outside Yuuei’s gates sent a thrill down his spine. Midoriya grinned to himself as he darted over to the rest of his classmates. Power Loader had a clipboard in his hands. He knew Maijima-sensei must have made a checklist to ensure their class’s gear was all accounted for.
Midoriya helped load his and his classmates' luggage onto the bus. As he finished tucking the last bag away, he felt someone poke his side. Midoriya turned to see a familiar pair of goggles leaning unnervingly close to his face.
“Hi, Mei-chan.” Midoriya greeted.
“Hey yourself,” Hatsume replied as she straightened her spine, placing her hands on her hips, “Are you prepared to witness the next generation of support weapons?”
Midoriya’s eyes were practically sparkling as he grinned, “Yeah! I can’t wait to see everyone’s gear in action!” he replied, “Especially your new babies.”
“My babies are going to be the best!” Hatsume agreed.
“It won’t matter if you’re not there to test them.” Maijima-sensei remarked as he stood between the bus’s door, “So make sure you get on before we leave.”
“Yes, sensei!” the pair replied.
There were plenty of open seats when the two climbed on. Midoriya took the window, tucking his backpack between his knees while Hatsume preferred the aisle. That way, she could look back at her biggest babies. Maijima-sensei had taken out the last three back rows to make room for the larger projects.
As he rested his cheek against the window, Midoriya wondered what Todoroki was doing. Was his training the same every day? Or were they changing things up? Would he be so advanced that he wouldn’t want to talk to a useless nothing like him anymore? No, Todoroki was too kind to do something like that. Even if he didn’t return his feelings, Midoriya was sure Todoroki wouldn’t hate him.
“What’s on your mind, Izuku-kun?”
Midoriya jolted up in his seat, turning to meet the girl’s intense gaze. He chewed his lower lip, debating on telling her the truth. It was embarrassing to admit, but it’d be nice to tell someone, “I don’t know how to confess...” he said softly, feeling his cheeks burn as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Confess? You mean to Todoroki-kun? I thought you two were already together.” Hatsume remarked.
He squeaked, “W-What?! Why?” Midoriya asked.
“You two act like a couple all the time.” Hatsume stated easily, “He even fixes your tie for you.”
His blush darkened as he stared down at his lap, “I’m not good at tying them…”
“Well, If you’re not already together, then why don’t you just tell him that you like him?” Hatsume questioned, “Then you can officially start dating.”
“I get tongue-tied whenever I want to talk to him about how much I like him…” Midoriya admitted, his fists squeezing the loose fabric of his sweatpants, “Just thinking about telling him makes my heart race, and I don’t know what to do. How can I tell him how I feel when I can’t talk about it?”
“You brought your notebooks with you, right?” she asked.
Midoriya nodded, “Uh, yeah, I did. We’re going to be pairing students with gear, so I wanted to be prepared.” he stated.
Hatsume grinned, “Then you have paper.”
“Y-Yes...?” Midoriya confirmed, arching his brow as he stared up at the pink-haired girl.
“Just write him a confession letter.” Hatsume said, nudging his shoulder,
“Oh... Oh !” Midoriya riffled through his backpack, “Mei-chan, you’re a genius!” he praised as he readied his pen, turning his notebook to a fresh page, “Thank you.”
“No problem, Izuku-kun,” Hatsume replied.
The pink-haired girl pulled out her phone, using her stylus to design a few more babies while Midoriya tapped his pen against the paper. He wanted to properly express his feelings, to show Shouto how much he cared for him. By the time the bus rolled to a stop, Midoriya had filled up nearly six pages.
He tucked his notebook back in his bag, before following his classmates off the bus. Everyone seemed to stare in awe at the huge open space surrounded by a dense treeline. They were at the base of a mountain range, almost shielding them from the rest of the world. A target range had been set up, along with an area for detonating explosives. The metal shell that contained the bombs could measure their explosive power and display it on the nearby screens that had been set up. In the middle of it all were a set of tables, likely to set their gear while others were being tested. Past that was a sturdy looking concrete building. Midoriya guessed that it would have the tools to fix or adjust any gear they needed to tweak while they were here and house them while they were away from home.
“Alright everyone, the faster we get this unpacked, the quicker you’ll get to see what your support gear can do!” Maijima-sensei announced.
Midoriya could feel the buzzing energy all around them as students eagerly lined up to help carry equipment. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t excited. They had made so much gear! Trying to pair the right student with them was a challenge he was looking forward to.
As they finished lugging everything over to the tables, Power Loader whistled, causing every head to turn towards him. “Now, you all know the safety guidelines, so follow them.” Maijima-sensei instructed, “I’ll be going around to check in on everyone while you work.”
There was a chorus of, “Yes, sensei!” before everyone seemed to split off, rushing towards the different sections.
One of his classmates unloaded a familiar pair of giant grenades, “I’m done with Bakugou-kun’s new gauntlets.” they remarked, “I just need to put some nitroglycerin in there to test them.”
Maijima-sensei nodded, “Good, I’ll help you with that.” he stated.
Well, that was one support weapon he wouldn’t need to pair with anyone.
“Izuku-kun!”
Midoriya nearly threw his notebook across the field as he jumped, turning towards the voice.
“Try on my power boots!” Hatsume said, already tugging his shoe off. Midoriya nearly lost his balance, pressing both his hands back against the table to steady himself while Hatsume fitted him with her baby.
“Now, run from here to the main building and back! I’m going to time you.” Hatsume instructed.
Midoriya felt his lips curl into a tired smile as he set his notes down. He was curious how well this baby worked, and there was no better way than to test it himself.
As he sprinted across the ground, Midoriya couldn’t help but notice something was off. While the grass was stable under his feet, it almost felt like there were multiple hollow sections underneath them.
When he reached the building, he noticed Cementoss exiting the building. If the Wild Wild Pussycats were helping train the hero course students, Midoriya guessed the hero was here to assist with their support gear. He hadn’t gotten a close look at the target range, but he’d wager a guess that they were all concrete. He waved to the pro before dashing back to Hatsume. While Midoriya would have loved to ask Cementoss a few things, he didn’t want to mess up Hatsume’s test results either.
He let his feet dig into the ground as he practically skidded to a stop, “So fast!” one of his classmates remarked excitedly, “Nice work you two!”
“Thanks!” Midoriya replied, feeling a light blush spread across his cheeks.
“How are you feeling, Izuku-kun?” Hatsume asked, “You’re not tired or out of breath?”
“No, I barely feel like I ran at all.” Midoriya remarked.
Hatsume grinned, “Yes! My super cute baby is working!” she cheered, “Now let’s test something else!” she added as she began scanning the table.
“Hey, Hatsume-chan, you were working on a really powerful flamethrower, weren’t you?” Daisuke asked, “I just put my new fabric on one of the test dummies. Do you think you can hit it with your baby?”
Her eyes were sparkling as she grabbed her concealable flamethrower off the table. Hatsume slipped on her fireproof glove, a requirement when testing any flame related weaponry. Her baby snapped onto her wrist, where it would be easily hidden by a long sleeve, if she were wearing one. Midoriya watched as the blue flames licked at her target, charring the concrete dummy, but the fabric held. He made a note to suggest pairing the two together. Otherwise, the flame baby might set the user on fire.
“Oi, Midoriya-kun!” his classmate shouted, causing his pen to pause on his paper.
He could see the green-horned student waving him over. Midoriya glanced back at Hatsume, who was still excitedly chatting to Daisuke. Knowing the two would probably chat for a while, Midoriya jogged back over to the tables, where his classmate was waiting for him.
They grinned, “Here, check this out,” they said, brandishing what looked like an epipen, “I finally perfected my healing shot! Recovery Girl let me study her quirk. It’s supposed to stabilize someone who’s in a near-death state.”
“So heroes can administer them to victims before paramedics can get there.” Midoriya surmised, “That’s incredible!”
“Yeah, it just sucks there’s no real way to test it without someone getting hurt.” they remarked, “I mean, I’ve tested it under microscopes and stuff. It speeds up the healing process, but I can’t use it unless someone’s really injured.”
Midoriya nodded, “Yeah,” he agreed, “But that’s also a good thing, right?”
They chuckled, “I guess you’re right.” they remarked, “You know, Bakugou-kun asked about it when I was going over his costume with him and-”
“Kacchan did?” Midoriya blurted out, accidentally cutting them off.
“Yeah, well, more specifically he said ‘ what the fuck is that shit and why’s it near my gauntlets ,’ but you know,” they said, with a little shrug.
He pursed his lips because, yeah, he did know.
“Anyway, he said you were the most accident-prone person he knew, so I thought I’d give you one.” they remarked, “Not to be rude or anything, I just figured it can’t hurt to carry one with you, right?”
“I’m not that accident prone.” Midoriya pouted, “But, yeah, thanks.” he said, pocketing the item.
“No problem.” they replied cheerfully before grabbing a few hand grenades that were undoubtedly new prototypes for Kacchan, “Hopefully you won’t need to use it.”
There was a hand on his waist that had Midoriya’s muscles go rigged. He turned to see Hatsume snapping the glue-belt on him and shove some kind of gun in each hand. He barely had time to mumble a little “huh?” as he was dragged over to the target range once more.
Twenty-three babies later, they heard Power Loader whistle again, “All right everyone,” Maijima-sensei called, “We’re going to have dinner, so start finishing up! I want to see everyone inside within the next five minutes.”
Hatsume pouted, “I didn’t even get to try my pocket jet baby! When it turns on, it will open to twin rockets that will blast off, carrying the user away.” she explained, though it only has enough fuel for one short flight. I’ll definitely improve that later.”
“Even as a one time use, it sounds amazing.” Midoriya remarked.
Hatsume grinned, “Thanks, Izuku-kun,” she replied, “Actually, can you hold onto my jet baby? I think I can talk Maijima-sensei into letting us test it after dinner.”
“Sure.” Midoriya agreed, placing the baby in his pocket.
As they all piled inside, the wonderful mix of scents hit their noses. Midoriya could feel his mouth water. As he looked around, he instantly knew why. Lunch Rush! Midoriya felt so happy he might cry. After hearing from Todoroki and Kacchan about having to make their own meals, he’d been worried. He wasn’t sure he could tell them that Maijima-sensei had gotten the chef hero to come to their camp.
He chewed his inner cheek. Midoriya wanted to stay on the diet Kacchan had set for him, but the Katsudon was just too tempting. His stomach grumbled as Midoriya quickly served himself a bowl.
Midoriya mumbled under his breath as he looked over his notes, absentmindedly eating in between thoughts. When Kaminari mentioned wanting something to help his aim, Hatsume had thought up a number of babies for him to use, but her sharpshooter disc launcher would definitely work the best. They were able to run electricity through the baby, hitting the targets in the disc’s path. Shinsou might want to use the power boots, or power gloves if Hatsume was finished tweaking them. Since he was lacking in physical attacks, the gear could really help him against bigger opponents.
After he finished with his meal, everyone worked together to get the dishes clean for Lunch Rush. The chef had cooked them such delicious food, it was only right that they helped tidy up.
While everyone finished up, Power Loader cleared his throat, “Now, before we get to sleeping arrangements,” Maijima-sensei said, “I know some of you have been designing stealth gear. Now that the sun is set, I think it would be a good time to test them, if you all are willing to stay up a little longer.”
“Yes! We’re still using my babies.” Hatsume chirped, “You should put on our glue baby and use my new night vision goggles to aim at the targets!”
“If you’re doing that, then you should try my gear too.” his classmate requested, ushering the pair over to their side of the table, “Midoriya-kun, check out my knock-out darts.” they called, “I’ve improved the needles, so they can pierce through solid steel! Even someone with a quirk that shield’s their skin wouldn’t stop them. And the serum I’m using is strong enough to knock out an elephant, so I’m confident it will put any villain to sleep.”
“Oh! I was thinking of doing something like that, but a bomb that explodes, releasing multiple darts at once!” Hatsume remarked.
“That’d be wicked.” they commented, “Like in games when a spikey enemy blows up.”
“Yeah!” Hatsume agreed.
Midoriya stared down at the gun, with its suspicious serum inside, “Is it safe to use something so strong?”
“The dosage is pretty small.” they replied, “It’s just supposed to knock the target out long enough for the hero to properly restrain them.”
He nodded, “Got it.” Midoriya replied.
As they gathered around the target range, he lined up his shot. The dart pierced through the concrete dummy. Midoriya felt his jaw drop as he looked between his target and the gun. With quirks being so tough, he supposed it wasn’t exactly overkill, but at the same time… The gun only held three shots, two now, but still, whoever used this would need to make the most of them.
Over by the tables, he could see a group touching up their helmet designs. Some had added night-vision features, but others focused on Midnight’s quirk. It only made sense that everyone who covered their faces had a filter. The table was absolutely littered with prototypes. Hatsume had designed a few compact masks that would extend to cover the wearer’s face when pressed to someone’s mouth. They were meant to test them in the morning, which is why it was strange that a cloud of gas was drawing closer to their group.
“Sensei, what is that?” Midoriya asked, pointing towards it.
“There aren’t any gas tanks that way.” Cementoss stated.
“Everyone, come to me!” Power Loader instructed as he locked himself into his costume gear. He moved, scooping up a huge chunk of the ground underneath one of the tables. The hole led to a series of tunnels beneath
“Grab the masks!” Midoriya shouted as the gas drew closer, “Don’t breathe it in!”
He slapped one of Hatsume’s masks on his face before sprinting over to the pink-haired girl, who had gotten caught up in the cloud. He pressed the filtered mask to her face.
“Are you okay?” Midoriya asked.
She coughed a little before replying, “Yeah, I’m good.”
Once he knew she was alright, his eyes scanned the area, searching for the source of the gas. While it was moving closer to them all, it hadn’t spread too far just yet. Midoriya squinted behind his night-vision goggles. He could swear he saw a figure standing in the middle of the gas. This was a quirk.
There was only one lower-level villain that came to mind when a gas quirk was involved. Mustard, a C-ranked threat who could detect any movement from within his gas by reading its fluctuation. But he was a lower tier villain for a reason.
Midoriya powered up his boots, giving himself the speed boost he needed to dash through the cloud, right towards the heart of it all. The villain jolted, unable to react quickly enough to block Midoriya’s foot as he jumped, spin-kicking the guy in the head. The gas lingered, but it was beginning to fade.
As he looked up, he saw a wall of blue flames rise up, spreading around them in an almost perfect crescent shape, like the fire was following a path doused in lighter fluid. Had someone done this while they were all inside? How long had this been planned? The tall grass burned easily, inching closer to the group of students. They could only enter Maijima-sensei’s escape tunnels one at a time.
A green man wielding a huge sword appeared next to a sturdy looking woman. The guy had to have some kind of lizard or gecko quirk. The other used her quirk on Cementoss, repelling him away from her partner as the hero tried to stop him. The concrete hero was thrown into Power Loader, knocking them both back. The other guy he didn’t recognize, but she was a B-rank villain, Big Sis Magne.
He needed to do something fast, but this was a premeditated attack. And not every villain had shown themselves yet. With only two darts left in his gun, Midoriya had to think quickly: who were the biggest threats? Above the flames, a figure appeared, held up by his own long, misshapen teeth. Midoriya’s chest tightened as he recognized the black straitjacket. Moonfish, an insane villain who has an obsession with consuming flesh. Midoriya didn’t need to think twice before firing his first dart, impaling the villain’s neck.
Another villain showed himself, his eyes locking with Midoriya's. He didn’t recognize the man with staples in his skin wielding the blue flames. How dangerous was he? He glanced between the flame villain and the other pair, trying to figure out who to target when a laugh echoed through the air, chilling his blood instantly. Muscular, the bloodthirsty villain with a hulking frame appeared. This villain who had earned the title 'The Carnal Murderer,' was walking through the now-fading cloud of gas.
Muscular cracked his knuckles, “We’re just here for the pink-haired girl, right?” he asked, “I want to crush the rest, starting with him.” he stated as he pointed at Power Loader.
Midoriya could hear the man’s partners cursing at their teammate’s bluntness, but he couldn’t focus on it. He was too busy calculating where the villain was moving as Muscular closed the distance between him and Maijima-sensei, punching clean through a concrete wall Cementoss had thrown up. The rubble flew through the air, smacking into him, but Midoriya didn’t let his arm drop. He pulled the trigger, feeling his body tense as the dart hit the villain’s back. Muscular’s body began to ripple; he seemed to be trying to fight off the drug with his quirk, creating more muscle than the serum could numb.
While the villain was distracted, Midoriya grabbed the orbs off his belt, throwing as many as he could at Muscular. Cementoss pulled the concrete from the target range to cover his classmates while Power Loader dug underground, so Midoriya could trigger the glue.
The staple guy moved to grab Hatsume, but she triggered her shock gloves, tazing the villain. As he fell to the ground, his body seemed to melt into clay. Another quirk! One that could make copies of people! Who knew how many enemies they’d be facing?
His blood froze as he saw a Nomu at the end of the tables, threatening the last of his classmates as they rushed to get down. One had grabbed Kacchan’s gauntlet, firing a blast at the creature. It shook off the attack.
Midoriya darted over to Hatsume’s side, carrying her over to the escape hole. Power Loader had resurfaced, holding off Big Sis Magne, while Cementoss fought the other gecko man. As he was running, there was a sudden, small stinging pain near his eye as goggles fell off his face. He saw a knife embedded into the ground that had its blade stained with red. Midoriya could feel the trickle of blood running down his face. He didn’t stop, but he did risk a glance over his shoulder. A girl wearing a bandana or scarf over her face stared at him with an intense gaze while she brandished another knife.
Before the girl could try again, Cementoss launched walls of concrete at her. He mentally thanked the hero for his distraction as they drew near the escape hole. Midoriya set Hatsume down by their exit before quickly swiping one of her trackers off the table. With only a second to aim, he threw it, managing to stick the device to the Nomu’s leg. The creature didn’t seem to notice. If he was right, whatever warp villain that had attacked USJ would be here for that thing.
Just as he and Hatsume were about to duck under the table, a masked man in a top hat appeared, causing the rest of the support gear to disappear from the tables, seemingly destroying all her babies and his notes. Hatsume cried out as she stared at the colored marble looking things that the villain’s quirk had left behind. Midoriya got a better look at them, noticing that there seemed to be a mini picture of what once was on the table. Had the man shrunk them into these tiny orbs? Was this how they planned on getting Hatsume!
Midoriya felt his eyes widen as he watched the man ready his quirk again. He wrapped himself around Hatsume, before ducking under the table. He pushed her as they fell, hoping to give her some extra distance. The tunnel was dark, nearly pitch black. Midoriya wished he still had his goggles. He was pretty sure someone had elbowed his head. His eye felt sore. As he tried to get up, his body seemed frozen in place, like he couldn’t move. He was scared, but he wasn’t that scared. The pros were here, and they would keep them safe, so why wasn’t he going?
The light was sudden and blinding. The hand on the back of his neck had Midoriya instinctively reaching for it, but as he glanced up, his gaze met the stapled man’s. Fire quirk, hand on his neck, one wrong move, and he was charred. Midoriya froze. How did he get here? There were purple portals around them.
“Good work, Compress.” the staple guy remarked, “We were here for someone else, but you’ll do.” he added.
Midoriya stared at his teacher’s as they raced towards him, reaching out, but the hand around his neck pulled back, and the cold cloudy portal engulfed him.
Notes:
the art for this chapter On My Tumblr
Chapter 15: Little League Game
Notes:
Having a name that starts with ‘M’ seems to be bad for these villains.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
A swirling purple abyss surrounded his vision. Everything was cold, well, everything except for the hand gripping the back of his neck. He felt his feet pulled out from under him as he stumbled through the vortex. By the time his vision cleared, he was surrounded by dark brick walls, a creaky wooden floor, and the entire League of Villains.
“You again? Hmm, perhaps it is fate, Midoriya Izuku.”
He really didn’t like the way the villain said his full name. Shigaraki sat in front of him, resting his elbow on the bar. The severed hands were back, which was an overall improvement. He could only see one eye glaring at him through the fingers covering Shigaraki’s face.
Midoriya could see a series of photos spread out across the bartop. There were many close-ups of Hatsume’s gear along with a photo of the girl herself, her profile circled in red. What were they all doing here?
“Muscular gave away the plan, and we lost the girl.” the stapled man stated.
Shigaraki scratched at his neck, grumbling something incoherent under his breath while Mr. Compress began revealing the stolen support weapons. Midoriya watched as his notebooks fluttered open, falling against the wooden floorboards.
“But we did get a few consolation prizes.” Mr. Compress remarked.
“At the cost of Mustard, Muscular, and Moonfish.” Big Sis Magne stated, “The Midoriya kid took them out.”
Shigaraki glared at him through the fingers covering his face, “You don’t know when to keep your head down, do you? Heroes, always getting in the way of things.” he muttered, drumming his fingers on his knee, “Now, what should we do with you?”
“He probably knows how this stuff works.” Big Sis Magne commented.
Shigaraki’s eyes narrowed, making Midoriya’s blood run cold, “Do you?”
Midoriya hesitated for a moment before nodding, “W-We tested most of them earlier…” he stammered.
The younger girl from before stood in front of him, now having lost her bandana and gear, “Hey, hey, can I have some of his blood?” she asked, grinning widely, showing off her pointed canines, “All the others escaped before I could get any of their’s, and I really want it!” Midoriya felt his pulse rise.
Shigaraki shrugged, idly scratching his neck, “Sure.” he replied, “Just leave him alive. We’re not done with him yet.”
Midoriya found himself pushed into a chair while the girl bounced around happily, causing more of her dirty-blonde locks to fall out of her twin buns. He swallowed, nails digging into the palms of his fists as the girl grabbed a huge needle, jabbing it into his thigh. Midoriya ground his teeth together, holding back a shout.
“So you’re Izuku-kun, right?” she chirped, “I love guys when they’re all bruised and smell like blood!” she added with an equally bubbly voice that made Midoriya’s muscles tense.
He could do nothing but watch as the blood was sucked out of him, moving from a long tube into some sort of collector. When she finished, she yanked the needle back, staring at him with a strange look on her face. Her cheeks were flushed red as she grinned, sticking one finger in her mouth, “So much blood!” she hummed.
His stomach flipped.
The villains almost seemed to lose interest in him after a while, distracted by the stolen babies they’d taken. Midoriya let his hand fall to his lap as subtly as possible. Through the fabric of his pants, he tapped his phone screen. He silently thanked Todoroki for texting him during class, or he might have never perfected the skill. If he could send out his location, maybe he’d get out of this. He wouldn’t risk typing out an explanation. It was too risky. He trusted that his message would be understood. Except, there was one short text, just four words, that he needed to send. Words that had nothing to do with his current situation, but they needed to be said nonetheless.
Just as he finished sending the text, he heard Shigaraki’s voice, “Something on your mind, Strategist-kun?” he asked, “You’ve been quiet.”
Midoriya felt his heart stop for a moment, but when the villain didn’t press him, he dared to say, “W-Why did you want Hatsume?”
“Why? Isn’t it obvious? Her support weapons were good enough to distract my Nomu and get a quirkless kid to the final event of the great Yuuei’s Sports Festival.” Shigaraki explained, “If her gear could do that for someone like you, imagine what destruction we could cause with them!”
“But Hatsume-chan’s only a first year.” Midoriya reasoned, and while her gear was good, she was still learning, “Why attack the school when you could have taken an industry professional?”
“That wouldn’t ruin Yuuei’s reputation.” Shigaraki replied, “The media likes stories like this, don’t they? Ones where they get to throw blame around. Why couldn’t Yuuei stop us? We’ve already attacked once, and now they’ve lost a student. How can anyone expect to trust them now?”
“But why support?” Midoriya asked before he could stop himself, “Wouldn’t it be a bigger statement to attack the hero course?”
“What could they give us? Sure, some of them were violent, but all the winners were smiling next to All Might.” Shigaraki muttered in disgust, “None of them would join us.”
Midoriya blinked, “You thought Hatsume would join you?”
“We thought her quirk wasn’t strong enough to pose a real threat,” Shigaraki stated, “And she wouldn’t be stupid enough to fight back.”
Would she have? If they hurt her babies, Midoriya wasn’t so sure the girl would have stayed quiet or docile. There was still something bothering him, “But you already have such a wide array of amazing and powerful quirks,” Midoriya remarked, “Do you really need support weapons?”
“I don’t know, Strategist-kun, isn’t that a part of your job? To pair people with weapons?” Shigaraki taunted, “Tell me, what would you suggest for us?”
There was no way he could lie to them. At least not without some permanent disfigurement. There was nothing he could tell them that they couldn’t figure out by themselves... Midoriya swallowed, “W-Well, most of you could use some kind of armor. While your quirks are good for offense, you don’t really have many ways to protect yourselves without Kurogiri or a Nomu directly shielding you. It’s why Snipe was able to injure you back at USJ.” he explained, “And why Muscular and Moonfish went down. None of your current gear is set to protect you from your opponents.”
“Oh! He’s good!” the man in the dark mask remarked, “Ugh, no, this is stupid.” he grumbled a moment later. Split personalities?
Shigaraki hummed, “Maybe you aren’t so useless after all.”
“Oh! Oh! What about me, Izuku-kun?” the blonde girl chirped, “Do me next!”
“I don’t know what your quirk is.” Midoriya replied, “B-But I guess it needs blood? So, getting some kind of support weapon to help you get that more stealthily, like a mosquito would probably help. That way you could extract vials of blood without your target noticing. It would be good for crowded places, where you could easily blend in while you work.”
The girl was staring at him with sparkling eyes while the stapled guy asked, “How would anyone make something like that?”
“Well, Hatsume’s the one who makes them work,” Midoriya admitted, “But I’d guess a smaller needle paired a numbing agent. Maybe something to thin the blood gets injected first before it starts sucking it up.”
“I could probably get lots more blood that way,” Toga hummed, her face seeming to flush at the thought, “I could suck up lots and lots of it!”
She seemed unnervingly happy at the thought.
Midoriya felt his stomach drop as the purple clouds appeared around him. He blinked, finding himself seated at the bar.
“You seemed rather isolated over there.” Kurogiri remarked.
He knew what that meant. Midoriya felt a bundle of nerves bounce around his chest. They must not have seen him as a threat before. Being quirkless meant he couldn’t really put up a fight. But now, he knew the biggest threats in the League had recognized him. The ones carefully watching his every move, because Midoriya was a Strategist. Someone who could see their strengths as easily as their weaknesses. He was surrounded by gear he knew better than them, and all he needed was the right opportunity. One they seemed intent on keeping him from.
“You know, earlier, I thought it might have been a nervous tick, but you haven’t done it for a while. I wonder what you were doing.” the villain's breath was dangerously hot against his ear, as though little licks of flames were brushing his skin. A stapled hand reached into Midoriya’s pocket, pulling his phone free, “Unlock it.” he ordered, holding the screen up to the green-haired boy’s face.
Midoriya swallowed, feeling sweat pool on the back of his neck as his shaky hand tapped out his password. As the screen unlocked revealing the messenger app still open. The villain’s eyes looked over the text. After a moment, he tossed it across the room to Shigaraki.
“You risked a lot, Midoriya Izuku,” the villain remarked as he held the phone to his face, “So sentimental.” Shigaraki commented, staring at four little words, I love you, Mom. The phone began to crumble as the villain activated his quirk, cremating the device, “Of course, we can’t risk having anyone track that, right?”
“U-Understood.” Midoriya stammered.
“Good.” Shigaraki repiled, standing in one swift motion. He moved to pick one of the journals off the ground, “These notes are yours, right?” he asked as he flipped through the pages, “You seem to really like taking notes, Midoriya Izuku,” he stated as Kurogiri dropped a black on the bartop in front of the green-haired boy, “If we were to take down All Might, how do you think we’d succeed?” Shigaraki asked, holding out a pen to him.
Midoriya felt his blood run cold. Were they seriously asking him? He hesitantly took the pen from the villain’s hand, flipping to the first blank page. He supposed it didn’t really matter. No one could defeat All Might. USJ had really been their best attempt. It had been close. The thing was, they tried to hurt the students to insult All Might, but they let everyone go right after All Might saved them. Instead of reveling in the Nomu’s fight against the number one hero, they should have grabbed another hostage.
The real weakness that every hero has is a need to save other people. Something that villains don’t care about. It was really obvious, so he didn’t feel bad including it. Every villain knew to take a hostage for that very reason. But, if All Might was trying to fight off that Nomu while saving other students, it would have been a completely different battle. The reason All Might had so little trouble with the monster was because everyone was already safe. Todoroki had even helped the number one hero. If they had cared to learn more about the students they were attacking, targeting the weakest while countering the strongest, things really would have gone differently.
“Oh, what’s this? This isn’t hero garbage.” Shigaraki remarked, startling Midoriya out of his muttering. He glanced over to see the villain holding his newest notebook, “Wow, whoever this is for must feel really special.”
It took Midoriya a moment to realize what Shigaraki was referring to. His face flushed as his heart stopped.
“I wanna see!” the blonde girl said, skipping over to Shigaraki’s side. She snatched the notebook from his hand, her eyes pouring over the pages, “Oh, Izuku-kun’s in love! That’s okay, I’m willing to share.” she remarked, moving closer to press a knife to his cheek, “You know, you’d look cooler if you bled more! Maybe you should try that.”
“We don’t have a healer on our team yet.” Shigaraki commented, “I’m not done with him yet.”
The blonde pouted, “Fine, the cuts and bruises are already enough for me.” she stated, “Tell me, why did you save that girl? The one we were after?” she asked, leaning closer into Midoriya’s space.
“Why?” Midoriya asked, his face twisting in confusion, “Because you were trying to kidnap her.”
“But you ended up getting caught instead.” she remarked, tilting her head to the side, “Would you have still done it if you knew you’d get trapped instead?”
Midoriya didn’t hesitate as he replied, “Yes.”
The blonde girl hummed, giggling to herself, “You've got to let me get to know you better.”
The tv suddenly flickered to life, saving him from further conversation. On the screen Majima-sensei stood there without his helmet and wearing a suit over his normally bare chest. It just seemed wrong to see his teacher like that. As the briefing commenced, Midoriya felt nauseous. The press were practically attacking his teacher, questioning both Power Loader and Nezu’s ability to keep everyone at school safe. They had put a defenseless, quirkless boy in danger.
Maijima-sensei stopped the journalist, “Midoriya Izuku doesn’t need a quirk to be strong.” he stated, “He is one of my brightest pupils, so don’t belittle him simply because he doesn’t have a quirk.”
“Sensei…” Midoriya mumbled under his breath, feeling his chest tighten. The press continued to question
“Are you trying to excuse your actions?” another journalist asked.
They really weren’t letting up. Midoriya winced internally, feeling the guilt build in his stomach. It was his fault they were being so viciously questioned. No one would have doubted them if he’d been faster, if he hadn’t been caught… It left a bad taste in his mouth.
Shigaraki chuckled, “They’ve all turned on the great heroes!” he jeered as the tv shut off, “Look at how easily the people turn on them.”
Before the villain could gloat any further, the brick wall suddenly collapsed.
Smash !
Midoriya could already feel the tears pricking his eyes as he saw All Might. They had found him. He was saved!
“Kurogiri! Gate!” Shigaraki called.
Before the purple vortex of a man could activate his quirk, wooden branches coiled around the villains, “Pre-emptive Binding Lacquered Chain Prison!” Kamui Woods was here too!
As the stapled man glared at the branches, beginning to activate his quirk, an old man in yellow kicked him in the head, knocking him out before he could burn their bindings
"Don't be impatient.” the hero scolded, “It'd be in your best interests to stay put."
All Might grinned, “Just what I'd expect from one of the most competent new heroes around, Kamui Woods! And the veteran faster than the eye can see, Gran Torino" he remarked, “You can't run anymore, League of Villains! Why? Because we are here!”
The relief that washed over Midoriya was almost tangible. He barely heard Mr. Compress say, “Right after the press conference? Don't tell me this was pre-arranged?”
“When one is on the offensive is when one neglects defense most."
Midoriya felt his jaw fall as the pro hero Edgeshot appeared. His quirk was amazing! Foldabody allowed him to turn his body extremely thin and long, effectively transforming himself into a razor sharp string! Why were there so many important heroes here? He supposed it was a necessary precaution. They couldn’t risk the League getting away. By stamping them out, they would effectively regain the public’s trust.
"We're not the only one's here from the Pizza-La Camino store." Edgeshot said, opening the door to reveal a team of officers, "Outside, you're surrounded by skillful heroes, like Endeavor, and the police."
"I'm sure you were scared. You did good bearing it." All Might said, directly addressing him, "I'm sorry. It's fine now, young man!”
Tears spilled down his cheeks. Midoriya tried to choke back his sobs, but they just kept coming. All Might rested his hand on Midoriya’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"You are still green, Shigaraki!" All Might commented, "League of Villains, you underestimated too much, the soul of a young man, the diligent investigations of the police, and our anger.” he stated, “The Nomu hanger... is completely under our control. That's enough with the childish pranks. This is the end, Tomura Shigaraki!”
Midoriya stood in awe of the hero beside him. He was so cool, even one of the villains seemed to take notice.
“All Might… this is the hero acknowledged by Stain.” the gecko man stated.
Shigaraki glared at All Might, “The end you say? Don't be ridiculous. I've only just begun." he said, struggling to stand in his bindings, "Justice... Peace... I'll destroy this garbage heap that you put a lid on with such vague ideas! It was for that purpose that I set All Might apart, and started gathering people to my cause... Don't be ridiculous, this is the beginning. Kurogiri!" Shigaraki shouted, but the purple villain collapsed on the bartop.
"No stop!” Big Sis Magne pleaded, “I couldn't see anything. What, did you kill him?”
“I played around with his insides and made him unconscious. He isn’t dead.” Edgeshot stated, appearing out of his famous Thousand Sheet Pierce, “This man was always a nuisance. I’ll have him sleep.”
“Didn't I tell you earlier that it'd be in your best interests to stay put?" Gran Torino asked, "Hikiishi Kenji, Sako Atsuhiro, Iguchi Shuichi, Toga Himiko, Bubaigawara Jin. With little information and time, the police officers worked through the night to determine your true identities. Do you understand? There’s nowhere left for you to run.”
Shigaraki ground his teeth as he tried to lunge forward. Kamui Woods held the villain back. All of a sudden, blackish gray portals began appearing, with the open-brained heads of Nomu crawling through. Midoriya felt his muscles tense as the monsters kept appearing.
“Nomus? They came from nowhere! What is that?” Kamui Woods asked.
"Edgeshot, what about Kurogiri?!" Gran Torino questioned, looking towards the purple villain.
"He's still unconscious.” Edgeshot replied, “He didn't do it"
"They just keep coming!"
"Kamui Woods! Do not let them go under any circumstance!" All Might ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
Midoriya felt something in his mouth. It was growing, choking him. As he tried to speak, another one of those dark portals poured out from his lips, engulfing him until he was completely swallowed up by it. The last thing he saw as the blackness swirled around him was All Might’s broken face as the hero tried to reach for him, but was too late.
The dirt beneath his palms stuck to his skin as Midoriya pushed himself up off the concrete floor. He glanced around the darkness, looking for something, anything.
There was a loud sound, not quite an explosion, but something had knocked out the supports, no, more than just that. It was like the entire building had nearly crumbled. There was no time to even look back. What happened hadn’t even taken a full second. From the wreckage, Midoriya could make out a figure in the distance. That man's aura... gave him hallucinations of death. A villain, it had to be. Midoriya swallowed as his stomach threatened to turn on him.
“As expected of the number four hero, Best Jeanist." a strange man’s voice said while he clapped his hands, "I intended to blow everyone away. What a skill... and nerves of steel. So what a top hero doesn't use that as an excuse for failure.” there was a pause before it continued again, “I don't need yours .”
He couldn’t see what had happened, but the sinking feeling inside him said it wasn’t good. Midoriya grit his teeth, fighting the paralysis that seemed to overtake him in the villain’s presence.
Suddenly, the villain was speaking again, “You're here after all, aren't you?”
"I'll have you return everything, All For One!" All Might declared. He knew this super villain?
“Will you kill me again, All Might?" this man, All For One taunted.
As the two fought, the blast knocked him off his feet, sending Midoriya into the remains of a wall. The air was knocked out of his lungs. Midoriya felt his nails dig into his palms as he tried to breathe properly. As he looked around, the League was here too. When had they gotten here? He’d been too distracted with All Might. The gecko was next to him, trying to grab Midoriya. He reacted purely on instinct as he punched the villain in the face before turning to kick him with his power boots, sending him flying back into the debris.
All For One ignored them, setting his sights on the number one hero, “You're late.” he jeered, “It's a little more than five kilometers from the bar to here. You've gotten weaker, All Might.”
Weaker? Was this the villain who had injured All Might before. The one who gave him the time limit? Though, from the way the villain spoke, Midoriya wondered why it sounded like this was more than just about the hero’s old injury. Like he knew more…
“What about you?” All Might retorted, “What's with that industrial mask you've got on?"
He held All Might back with his bare hands! Sent All might back through multiple buildings. "I won't let you get away!" All Might shouted, before turning towards him, "Young Midoriya!"
Midoriya’s eyes widened. All Might was still trying to save him. But he needs to focus on the fight! He needed to think!
His eyes looked between the League members slowly surrounding him, All For One, and All Might. Midoriya knew the number one hero couldn't focus on fighting them if he was trying to save him. Plan, plan he needed- Hatsume’s mini-jet baby. Midoriya dug into his pocket, pulling out the device. It snapped onto his wrist tightly. He could see Mr. Compress coming for him. He couldn’t let the villain lay a finger on him. He wouldn’t be able to escape the man’s quirk.
“Be smart about this, and come quietly.” Mr. Compress ordered.
Midoriya waited for the right moment, grabbing the villain by the arm and flipping him over his shoulder. As Mr. Compress slammed into the ground, he hit the red button.
In a second, Midoriya found himself lifted off his feet, flying through the air, away from the fight. He didn’t risk a glance back, but was it worth it for the villains to go after him? He wasn’t even their real target in the first place. Midoriya knew someone must have tried since Mount Lady took a hit, blocking him from whatever attack had come his way.
He landed just on the edge of the fight, stumbling forward as he tried to stop himself from falling. As he caught himself, Midoriya glanced around. That’s when he noticed the bloodsoaked denim. Best Jeanist laid unconscious with a huge hole in his stomach. Midoriya didn’t even think as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the healing shot his classmate had given him, and jammed it near the wound. Almost instantly the injury began to seal up and the hero blinked awake.
There was a rush of wind behind him as he heard All Might’s SMASH echo across the city. Bits of rubble flew by his head. Suddenly, Midoriya felt the fabric of his shirt tug, yanking him away from the battle. On instinct, he’d shut his eyes, shielding his face as clouds of dust rose up.
The fighting grew quieter the more distance was put between them. When Midoriya opened his eyes, he realized he was down the block, with Best Jeanist at his side. For a second, he was overwhelmed, standing so close to the number four hero! No, now wasn’t the time for fanboying. As Midoriya looked around, his stomach sank. Fires raged as buildings crumbled in on themselves, falling with every shockwave the battle caused. There were still civillains around. The heroes called in were doing their best to find survivors. He needed to do something, to help-
Suddenly bystanders and heroes alike were pulled to safety as the side of a building came down. Midoriya watched the strings of their clothes pulling at them like puppets. When he looked up again, Best Jeanist was clutching his stomach, his other arm extended towards the scene. A moment later, Midoriya felt himself picked up once again, soon finding himself in the center of a group of officers. Lifeless Nomu laid near them in the street.
“Take him to the hospital.” Best Jeanist instructed the officer.
Midoriya frowned, “But-” he started before the hero held up his hand, stopping the green-haired boy in his tracks.
“It’s our job to keep you safe, and we can’t do that if you run off.” Best Jeanist stated.
Midoriya’s eyes widened, wordlessly nodding his head. Best Jeanist gave his own nod of approval before running back towards the action. While All Might held off the main villain, the others were left to rescue everyone they could. Some day, Midoriya would help heroes like them, but for now, all he could do was allow himself to be ushered into a police car.
He turned to the officer who was sitting with him in the back, “My phone was destroyed by the League.” Midoriya stated, “Can I see the news feed on yours?”
The man smiled as he pulled the device out of his pocket, tuning into the local news feed before handing it over to the green-haired boy. Midoriya bounced his leg as the battle raged on.
His breath grew shallow as his heart stopped as he stared down at the screen. All Might had reached his limit. He could see the panic in the eyes of the officer sitting behind him, both watching with muscles tense. That was right. No one else knew. It had been a closely guarded secret. And now, what would All Might do? Even if the hero couldn’t hear them, Midoriya found himself pleading for All Might to win! Everyone seemed to be cheering for him to get up and fight.
Even in his skeletal form, the number one hero summoned enough energy to power his arm, taking on its muscular form. All For One’s right arm expanded, seeming to wield multiple quirks all at once.
As the two duked it out, All Might unleashed his most powerful smash, The United States of Smash. It was done. All Might had succeeded. Midoriya felt the tears pouring down his cheeks.
Standing in victory, All Might’s final words as the number one hero echoed through his mind and heart, “I have used up everything in me. Next, it's your turn.”
While the relief seeped into his bones, Midoriya found his vision darkening. His head drooped forward as the phone slipped from his fingers. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a white room, sitting in a sterile bed. Two arms wrapped fully around him, pulling him into a tearful embrace.
“Mom?” Midoriya mumbled, wrapping his arms around her.
“Izuku!” she hiccuped as she tightened her grip around him, “Izuku are you okay?”
“Yeah, I am now.” he assured her.
“The police have recovered all of the stolen support gear and journals. They will be returned to Yuuei once officers are done processing them.” the man Midoriya recognized from news stories was the chief of police.
“Thank you for bringing my boy back.” his mom said through her sniffles.
“We’re sorry we couldn’t get to you sooner.” he stated.
“Given the timeframe, I’d say you worked incredibly fast.” Midoriya commented, “Especially given the nature of the situation.”
“Well said.”
Midoriya looked to the door, seeing the Fiber Hero himself. His torn denim was repaired and not a hair was out of place.
“I almost forgot, someone here wanted to thank you for saving them.” the police chief remarked.
His jaw dropped as he looked between their faces. Was he still dreaming?
He wasn’t sure how it happened, but in only a few minutes time, Midoriya found himself dressed head to toe in denim as the Fiber Hero, Best Jeanist tried to tame his unruly curls. The comb promptly snapped in half.
Best Jeanist hummed thoughtfully, “Have you thought of getting an undercut?” he asked, “It would certainly work with your natural hair.”
“I-I don’t know if something like that would suit me…” Midoriya stammered.
“Of course it would.” Best Jeanist remarked, “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I thought otherwise.”
Those words actually made Midoriya stop to consider it. He’d always considered the style to ‘cool’ for him to pull off, but if someone like Best Jeanist thought he could…
Outside the hospital, the press were surrounding the doors. The Fiber Hero left to give his statement, though everyone knew who the journalists really wanted to talk to.
All Might was still recovering from his own injuries. Midoriya knew the hero would never get his strength back after a battle like that. He’d used the last of it up. Midoriya was determined to properly apologize the moment he had the chance. Until then, there was something else he still needed to do.
“Hey mom, can I borrow your phone? I want to let everyone know I’m alright.”
“Of course, Izuku.”
Midoriya walked out of the room. The denim was easier to move in than he thought, although it still clung tightly to his skin. He idly rubbed at the bandage stuck to his cheek as he worked up the courage to dial the number.
“Inko-san?”
Midoriya bit his lip, “N-No, it’s-”
“Izuku-kun” Shouto sounded breathless as his name rolled off the dual wielder’s tongue.
There was a moment of silence that made the bundle of nerves tighten painfully in his chest, “U-Um, Shouto-kun, are you there?” Midoriya asked.
“Sorry, the others-” Shouto began before another familiar shout echoed through the phone.
“Dumbass Zuku, why didn’t you call us sooner!” Bakugou scolded.
“Midoriya is that really you?” “Bro, are you alright” “We were watching the news coverage!” “Are you okay?” “We were all so worried!” “What happened?” “Is everything okay?”
“Shut the fuck up!” Kacchan’s voice roared through the receiver, “What the fuck, Zuku?”
He took a deep breath. Midoriya held the phone away from his ear until the ashe blonde had finished, “I was stuck in the hospital and my phone got cremated by Shigaraki.” he explained.
“How did that happen?” a voice he recognized as Kaminari questioned. There were a number of murmurs behind him that sounded like the others wanted to know too.
“He knew I sent a message.” Midoriya explained.
“You’re not hurt are you?” Asui asked.
Midoriya smiled softly, “No, I’m fine, just a few cuts and bruises.” he assured them.
“I’m glad to hear you’re safe.” Shouto stated, his voice wavered at the end, almost like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself.
A few minutes after he’d started the call, one of the policemen appeared, waving at him. “When you have a moment, can you answer a few questions about what happened while you were taken?” the officer asked.
Midoriya nodded, before focusing back on his call, “I’ve got to go, but I’ll talk to you all later.” he promised, smiling at the protests he could hear on the other end of the line.
“Until then, Izuku-kun.” Shouto replied, making Midoriya’s heart skip a beat.
“Bye.” Midoriya said before ending the call, though he yearned to say “I love you.” Shouto deserved to hear it in person. Midoriya could wait just a little longer.
Notes:
the sad art On My Tumblr
the fun art On My Tumblr
Chapter Text
There was a slight ache in his lungs as Midoriya held his breath. The measuring tape squeezed his chest before slipping down to his waist. “I-Is this really necessary?” he asked, finally breathing out as the tape retracted.
“Of course it is!” Hatsume retorted, “How else can I make sure the power chest fits?” she added before shoving her new helmet over his curls.
Midoriya’s eyes widened as the visor lit up, highlighting everything in the room. Hatsume’s sensors had become so advanced that he could set them to identify everything around him. Icons would show up next to his ‘posters’ ‘picture frames,’ ‘figurines,’ ‘lamp,’ ‘desk’; it even identified Hatsume by name when he spun around to face her.
“It’s not like I can always be wearing this.” Midoriya reasoned.
“If I can make it retractable, you could.” Hatsume stated, resting her hands on her hips, “I’ve been looking into some old comics from before people even had quirks, and while it's all fiction, I think I can turn it into a reality! There was one where their power suit was kept as a backpack when they were living their normal life. I Bet I could do that for the chest plate. And I can make bracers that turn into power arms, and-”
He rested his hand on her shoulder, “Mei-chan, it’s not your fault.” Midoriya said softly.
“I’m not losing you again.” Hatsume stated, “My babies can be repaired or rebuilt, but I’m not letting someone take you.”
“...Mei-chan.”
Three sharp knocks rapped against the door. Both heads turned towards the sound. After a moment of hesitation, Hatsume had whipped out her upgraded shock pistol while Midoriya crossed the room. His hand was shaking as he reached for the handle.
Standing on the other side was an officer, “Um, Midoriya Izuku?” the man asked, staring down at him.
He felt his face warm as he moved to take off the helmet, “Y-Yes?”
“While processing all of the stolen items from your support class,” the officer said. Midoriya couldn’t help but notice the way Hatsume perked up at the mention of her babies, “We found something that seemed rather important.” the man continued, holding out one of his notebooks.
Midoriya watched as Hatsume’s shoulders slumped, “What about everything else?” he asked, taking his notes back. As he stared at the cover, he realized they were his most recent pages.
“We’re working to get them all finished by the start of your next semester.” the officer answered.
“Why was this different?” Midoriya questioned.
The officer smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, “Well, we found some rather sensitive documents inside that we thought you might want now.”
Documents ? Midoriya felt his face flush crimson, “T-thank you very much.” he said, bowing slightly as he clutched his notebook to his chest, the one that held his confession letter. How many people had to read that? Midoriya’s pulse was drumming in his ears.
“It’s the least we could do.” the officer replied, tipping his hat, “Have a nice day.”
He chewed his bottom lip, staring down at the notes in his hands. Midoriya nearly jumped when Hatsume asked, “Are you going to give it to him now, or when we get back to school?”
“I have a plan.” Midoriya replied.
“I’d expect nothing less, Strategist-kun.” Hatsume remarked, “How can I help?”
The pair moved through the house, plopping down on the couch, “Well, I’m not allowed to leave,” Midoriya explained, “The police want me to stay inside just in case the League tries anything. I don’t think they would right now, not when everyone’s looking for them, but I don’t want to worry my mom either.”
“You need supplies?” Hatsume surmised.
“Yeah, I have a list, actually.”
Hatsume seemed to zoom in as her eyes scanned the scrap of paper, “I’ll take care of it, Izuku-kun!” she promised.
“Thanks, Mei-chan,” Midoriya replied, “I really appreciate this.”
“It’s what friends are for, right?”
“Yeah.” Midoriya agreed.
Hatsume jumped up, squeezing the list in her fist, “Alright!” she cheered, “Operation Perfect Confession is a go!” she fist pumped the air. Before she ran out, Midoriya helped her pack up all her babies and schematics into her bag, “This is going to be amazing, Izuku.”
“I hope so.” Midoriya said, smiling softly.
As he fell back against the couch cushions, Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek, letting his eyes look over the confession. His fingers tapped against the pages as his knee began to bounce. There wasn’t anything he wanted to change. Though there was certainly more he could add. But he didn’t want to overwhelm Shouto, that would make his inevitable rejection so much worse.
The sound of a key turning caught his attention. Midoriya glanced over to see his mom walking in, a few groceries hanging off her wrist. He pushed himself up, crossing the room towards her, “Hey mom, did you need any help with-” he began to ask before another face followed behind her, “S-Shouto!” he squeaked.
“I bumped into Shouto-san while I was at the market.” his mom remarked, “He’s such a sweet boy. He insisted on helping me carry these home.” she added as she set her bags on the counter.
A warm little smile tugged at the edge of his lips. The dual wielder suddenly turned, their eyes meeting, “I’m sorry I didn’t visit sooner, Izuku-kun.”
“You were stuck at camp.” Midoriya reasoned, “They didn’t want to move anyone until they were sure they could keep you guys safe.”
Shouto’s pout was adorable. It made Midoriya’s heart ache.
“I got you something.” he said, pulling out a brand new phone, “It has all your old contacts added.”
“Shouto-kun, this looks expensive.” Midoriya said, hesitantly holding the device in his hands, “I-I can’t accept something so nice.”
“I used my father’s card to buy it, so there’s no reason to concern yourself over the price,” Shouto stated, “I wanted to make sure you had something nice, so please accept it.”
Midoriya felt his face warm, “O-okay, thank you.” he mumbled.
His mother spoke up, “Are you staying for lunch, Shouto-san?” she asked, “I’m making Katsudon.”
“I’d love to,” Shouto replied, “But my sister is expecting me home.” his phone buzzed a moment later. The peppermint haired boy frowned as he remarked, “That’s her. I’m afraid I should be going.”
“Oh, what a shame.” she said.
“I’ll walk you out.” Midoriya offered.
As the pair made their way towards the door, Midoriya found himself saying, “Thanks for coming by, Sho-chan. It was really nice seeing you, even if you couldn’t stay long.”
“I’ll make sure my next visit lasts longer.” Shouto promised.
Before he could leave, Midoriya pulled the dual wielder into a hug, “I’ll see you later?” he said, feeling Shouto’s skin warm. Was that a good sign or had he just made him uncomfortable?
“Preferably sooner rather than later.” Shouto replied, “Until then.”
“Bye.” Midoriya mumbled, watching the dual wielder disappear down the road before stepping back inside, leaning his head against the door.
There was the telltale crash of something falling from the kitchen. It wasn’t followed by any sort of shatter, so Midoriya guessed it was a pot or a pan. He raced into the kitchen, finding his mother hunched over the counter. Groceries were strewn about while it looked like an empty wok had accidentally been elbowed off the stovetop.
“Mom? Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, I’m trying to be strong, but every time I see it-” his mother turned towards him, tears staining her cheeks as she held a crumpled newspaper in her hands, “I-I never thought you’d be in so much danger.” she said, choking back a sob.
Midoriya was at her side in an instant, pulling his mom into a hug, “I’m normally on the sidelines mom, or watching from behind a screen.” he assured her, “This isn’t how it’s always going to be. I’ll be safe, mom.”
“B-but what if they come back?” she questioned, “I can’t lose you.”
“There’s no way Yuuei would let that happen.” Midoriya reasoned, “The League already lost their chance.” he added, pulling back, “Now, can I help you with lunch?”
She smiled up at him, wiping the tears from her eyes, “Yes, but let’s put these away first.” she said, reaching for one of the grocery bags.
Fitted with an old apron, Midoriya worked to help chop and prepare the meat and vegetables for his mom. Their house was soon filled with the heavenly scent of Katsudon. He could feel his stomach growling in anticipation.
The two stayed away from tv. There was no channel that wasn’t reporting on the delicate subject. Instead, they sat side-by-side on the couch, watching an old reality show where new heroes tried to gain some publicity by appearing on the program. For a moment, things were almost peaceful.
Then there was a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it mom.” Midoriya said as he stood up, feeling Hatsume’s taser baby in his pocket.
“B-be careful!” she called back.
He smiled, nodding back at her. As he reached for the handle, his brain took a moment to register the face on the other side, “Maijima-sensei?” Midoriya questioned, furrowing his brow. As he stepped back to let his teacher in, he realized the man wasn’t alone, “A-All Might?!”
“What’s going on?” his mother asked.
“We’re here today on behalf of Yuuei.” Maijima-sensei stated, “But more than that, Midoriya-san, I wanted to apologize for allowing your son to come into harm's way.”
“As am I.” All Might stated, “I should have been faster to get him out.”
“No, it wasn’t either of your faults!” Midoriya exclaimed.
“Yes, it was.” Maijima-sensei replied, resting his hand on the green-haired boy’s shoulder, “It was my job to keep you safe while you learn how to become an incredible support hero. I failed you, and I can only promise that I will make sure that never happens again.”
“Sensei…” Midoriya mumbled.
The two turned to address his mother, “But we came here for a specific reason. Yuuei will be implementing a dorm system, so that we can ensure our students are fully protected, and something like this will never happen again.” Maijima-sensei explained, “So we have come here to seek your permission to allow us to protect your son.”
Midoriya felt his stomach flip. His mother stayed silent for a moment, before turning to face All Might, “Thank you for bringing my son back to me.” she said with misty eyes. She looked to Maijima-sensei, “Can you promise he’ll be safe there? No more attacks or injuries?”
“Yes,” Maijima-sensei promised, “His safety is my utmost concern.”
His mother paused, folding her arms across her chest, “Then I’ll let him go.” she agreed, “As long as he stays safe.”
“Thank you, Midoriya-san.” Maijima-sensei replied, “I won’t fail you again.”
“I trust you.” she said, “Both of you. Keep him safe.”
All Might’s eyes widened. If Midoriya had to guess, he suspected the former number one hero hadn’t expected her to really acknowledge him now that he’d lost his strength. Luckily, Maijima-sensei replied, “We will.”
As he watched the two heroes depart, Midoriya felt like butterflies were swarming inside him. He knew he was going to miss his mom, but at the same time, it was exciting and new! Yuuei had never had dorms before. He’d be so close to everyone, even Shouto. A sharp pain stabbed his chest when he realized that also meant they wouldn’t get to walk home together anymore. Though if Shouto rejected him, then that was probably for the best.
Midoriya sighed, falling back against his bed. He wondered what his new dorm would be like. What floor would he be on? How should he decorate his room? Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek, looking around at everything All Might. He still really admired the hero, but he also wanted a room where he was comfortable inviting Shouto over. Now that he had a phone, he knew just who to call for advice.
“Why the fuck am I here?”
“Because I need your help, Kacchan!” Midoriya stated, “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“Obviously,” Bakugou muttered, “Did you at least come up with an idea for your shitty dorm?”
Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, I want it to look-”
“A little less obsessive?” Kacchan guessed, “No fucking kidding. I doubt you could even fit all this shit in there. Start going through your shit and decide what sparks joy or whatever that bullshit is.”
He nodded, wading through his room as he began to access his merch. His stomach flipped, almost feeling nauseous. Midoriya frowned, staring down at the All Might figurine in his hand. He felt his chest tighten. “Kacchan… It’s my fault All Might had to retire, wasn’t it?”
“What the fuck? You weren’t even the one they were after, dumbass.” Bakugou said, punching him in the shoulder, “That big fucking asshole knew All Might was gonna save whoever they took. He didn’t even try to grab you after All Might showed up to kick his ass. You’re supposed to be the fucking smart one here.”
“But, if I hadn’t let them take me, then none of this would have happened.” Midoriya argued, lightly rubbing his new bruise.
“You took down three villains and saved that pink bitch.” Kacchan retorted, “Stop acting like you were a little bitch that got grabbed. You were outnumbered and that Compress asshole’s quirk was good enough to steal from two pros and kidnap someone out from under their noses. You didn’t let them do shit. You fought back.”
“Not hard enough,” Midoriya muttered, “I should have been stronger.”
“Then we’ll fucking get stronger.” Kacchan said, narrowing his eyes, “Ugh, this is such shit. This whole thing was fucking bullshit.” the ashe blonde was digging his nails into his palms. Midoriya could have sworn he heard Bakugou mumble something under his breath that sounded like, “I’m sorry.”
“W-What?” he asked, his face twisting in confusion. Why would Kacchan be sorry? He didn’t do anything.
“I said- Fuck” Bakugou growled, tangling his fingers in his hair, “I’m sorry. You almost fucking died again and I would have never been able to tell you-”
“Kacchan…”
Bakugou ground his teeth together, “Fuck. Don’t look so fucking clueless, Zuku, I mean for the shit I did to you before, the piece of shit bullying, telling you to-”
Before he could think better of it, Midoriya wrapped the ashe blonde in a hug, feeling Kacchan tense before he let out a strangled sigh.
“This is fucking stupid.” Bakugou stated, looking away as he hugged back.
Midoriya smiled, “Maybe, but it’s nice, right?”
Kacchan grumbled, not dignifying him with a response, which meant he wasn’t denying it either. Midoriya would take that victory.
Of course, the tender moment could only last so long, “Ugh, enough with the sappy shit,” Bakugou huffed as he pulled away, folding his arms across his chest, “You wanted help picking what goes in your stupid dorm room, right Zuku?”
He nodded, “Yes!”
“Then let’s forget the whole ‘sparks joy’ bullshit. You want to have Icyhot come over without looking like a total fucking nerd.” Kacchan stated, his tone was too confident for it to have been a question.
“Maybe.” Midoriya admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Leave the posters and the expensive figurines. They’re safer here anyway.” Bakugou remarked, “You can take the curtains, a few figurines, and- Is that the fucking exclusive Teacher All Might blanket? How the fuck did you even get that?”
Midoriya stared at his floor, “Shouto got it for me after the mall trip…” he explained.
“Bring that too.”
When the day came to move in, Midoriya grinned, carrying box after box up to his room. The support dorms were well outfitted, even having their own little workshop area. He knew his classmates were all going to take advantage of that, though he guessed Hatsume would still prefer the familiar space of the Development Studio.
Before he got to unpacking, Midoriya’s eyes fell to his notebook. He turned to his last entry, feeling his chest tighten. Midoriya stared down at his confession, cheeks flushing as he chewed the bottom of his lip. His fingers were careful as he gently tugged the pages free. He folded them all, tucking the letter into his pocket.
Tonight was the night. He was sure of it. His pulse thrummed rapidly in his ears as he threw himself into his work, organizing shelves and putting away clothes.
He had just finished unboxing the final pieces of his merch collection. It was certainly less than his old room, but enough that he didn’t feel like he was hiding who he was. Though Shouto had already seen his room, so it wasn’t like he could ever hide his nerdy nature.
“Hello, Midoriya-san?”
The door? As he crossed the room, he wondered why the voice sounded so familiar. “Yes,” Midoriya replied as he was beginning to open his door. His vision grey foggy as everything seemed to fade away.
He blinked, feeling the beanbag beneath him as well as a strange weight in his lap. “Huh?” Midoriya mumbled, glancing down to see a large, fluffy cat pawing at his hand.
“She wants you to pet her.”
Midoriya turned towards the deadpan voice, meeting Shinsou’s gaze.
“Her name’s Socks.” the brainwasher remarked, tilting his head to the side as he leaned back against his wall.
As he let his fingers tentatively brush over her fur, Midoriya couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you bring me here?” Socks purred, leaning into his touch.
Shinsou looked away, shrugging, “You’ve been through hell. I figured cats might help.”
“Cats,” Midoriya repeated as he glanced around the room, “Plural?”
“Well, Socks is pregnant.” Shinsou stated, “She was an alley cat, and never got neutered. Eraser-dad’s already claimed her firstborn.”
Socks moved to butt her head against his chin. Midoriya felt his lips twitch into a grin, “Thanks,” he said, petting her silky coat, “I think I needed this.”
Midoriya let himself sink into the chair as Socks laid down on his chest. At some point Shinsou had moved to lay on his bed, cracking a book open. It looked like a textbook from his angle. Midoriya stayed quiet so the brainwasher could focus on the words in front of him. The only sound filling the room was Sock’s purring.
Then the door suddenly burst open as Kaminari stepped inside, “Hey Babe, I just finished unpacking all my stuff, but I’m missing one of my hoodies. Do you know what I did with it?” he asked.
Shinsou stared at him blankly for a moment, “You mean a different one than the one you’re wearing?”
Kaminari blinked, looking down at himself. There was a pause before the electric blonde pursed his lips, “It’s been a day.” he stated, “Hey, where's Socks? She’s not even gonna say ‘hi’ to me?” That was when he finally noticed the green-haired boy sitting in the bean bag chair, “Oh, Midoriya-kun, how are you feeling bro?”
After a moment of hesitation, Midoriya found that he could honestly say, “Better.” Socks butted her head against his hand, mewling at him for the brief lack of attention. He smiled softly as he went back to petting her soft fur.
The electric blonde gave Socks a little scratch behind her ear before heading back towards the door, “Bye Hitoshi-kun, Midoriya-kun.” Kaminari said, waving to them as he stepped out. In the hall, Kaminari had nearly stumbled into a familiar head of peppermint hair, “Woah, sorry Todoroki bro.” he apologized before leaving.
A moment later, the dual wielder had stepped inside, “What did you need, Shinsou? You weren’t very specific in your text.” Shouto stated, before his eyes met Midoriya’s. “Izuku.” he greeted.
“I need you to meet my cat.” Shinsou said in his usual deadpan, “And I figured Midoriya-kun would want to see you. You’ve been hiding away in your room all day.” he added, “What are you even doing up there? I thought I heard power tools.”
“Work.” Shouto replied simply, before kneeling down to gently pet the cat. She leaned into his left hand, purring up a storm. “Cats seem to be fond of the warmth my left side exudes.” he remarked.
Midoriya wished he’d brought his notebook for this.
He wasn’t sure how long they’d been petting Socks, but it seemed like she finally grew tired of them, slipping under Shinsou’s bed to take a nap. Midoriya glanced over towards the balcony. The sun had already set.
As he stood up, stretching his arms above his head, Midoriya asked, “Can I come visit again?”
The purity in those hopeful eyes made Shinsou pause, “Yeah, sure,” he replied, glancing away as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Socks looks like she’s already adopted you anyway.”
As the three of them were walking through the common room, Midoriya heard the girls declare, “Let’s go check out everyone’s rooms!”
Midoriya was suddenly grateful that his room was in the other building, and they wouldn’t be having a field trip over there just to see it. He did; however, find himself pulled into the middle of the impromptu competition, alongside Shouto.
There were so many cool and interesting rooms. Tokoyami’s even had a sword! Midoriya wondered how his own would compare. It certainly was as decorated as some, like Kaminari’s, but it wasn’t as plain as others, sorry Ojiro. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
I’ve got the stuff.
You weren’t in your room, so I just set it up for you.
You’re welcome
Thank you Mei-chan 人(o´▽`o)
(つ≧▽≦)つ I really appreciate this! ♡\(´。• ᵕ •。`)/♡
Let me know how much I owe you
Don’t even think about repaying me
Just get your mans
ヾ( ̄ー ̄(≧ω≦*)ゝ
“Oh, do you not have a case for that yet?”
He blinked, turning towards the voice, “No, not yet.” Midoriya replied.
“Are you planning on getting one?” Yaoyorozu asked.
“Yeah,” Midoriya replied, “I’m just not sure which one to get.” An All Might case would normally be his go-to but now, he wondered if it’d bring up sour thoughts.
Before he knew what was happening, the phone had disappeared from his hands, Yaoyorozu stared down at the device for a moment. Then she pulled a brand new case from her arm. The pattern was divided down the middle, with the left decorated with swirling flames while the right looked like ice and snow. After creating a screen protector and applying it, Yaoyorozu popped the phone inside, sealing it shut. As she handed it back to him she said, “There, now it’s safe.”
“T-Thank you!” Midoriya said, admiring the details. If Shouto had his own merch, this was definitely something that would be there.
“It’s no trouble really.”
The shouts of the other 1-A girls cut her off. The two turned towards the sound. Everyone seemed to be crowding around Shouto’s room. Midoriya and Yaoyorozu glanced at each other, seeming equally confused. As they walked close enough to glance inside, Midoriya suddenly understood their reaction as his mouth fell agape. It was completely redone to look like a traditional Japanese room!
“H-How did you remodel this entire room in just one day?!”
“With hard work.” Shouto replied plainly.
Midoriya stared at the peppermint-haired boy, finding himself in awe. To have such dedication and drive, Shouto really was an incredible person.
As the group began to depart, moving on to judge the girl’s rooms by the sound of it, Midoriya reached out to take Shouto’s hand in his own, receiving a quizzical look from the dual wielder. As the crowd moved further down the hall, he spoke up, “Um, I kind of wanted to talk to you… alone,” Midoriya mumbled, “I-If that’s alright with you.”
With a sharp nod, Midoriya found himself guided inside Shouto’s room. The two found themselves on the balcony. Midoriya swallowed. There was no turning back now, “I wanted to tell you something,” he began, willing his legs to stop trembling, “but, I wasn’t sure how to say it, so I wrote it down…” he explained, pulling his confession out of his pocket.
Shouto took the offered pages, his eyes scanning over them as his face remained neutral. Midoriya bit his lip, rubbing his arm as he ignored the way his pulse drummed in his ears.
There was a little flicker of orange and red before Shouto’s left side erupted in flames. The dual wielder’s eyes widened as he pulled the letter away before it could burn the same way his shirt and pants were. Shouto flipped through the pages silently, the crackle of fire illuminating the night.
As Shouto finished reading the last page, Midoriya felt his stomach flip. When the dual wielder didn’t immediately respond, he bowed his head and found himself saying, “Shouto, please accept my feelings!”
In a flash, his right hand had extinguished the flames, leaving much of himself exposed as the remnants of his uniform hung on to him, “I love you too, Izuku.” Shouto stated, closing the distance between them, “Can I kiss you?”
Midoriya felt like he might faint. Was he dreaming? At that moment, he didn’t care. With a nod, Shouto’s lips pressed against his own. They were gentle, almost hesitant, like Shouto didn’t want to scare him away. Midoriya’s arms wrapped around the dual wielder’s neck as he leaned up into it, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. Shouto, in turn, rested his hands on Midoriya’s hips, pulling their bodies flush together.
As they parted, Midoriya was panting for air. He let his gaze fall for a moment, unable to forget how exposed Shouto’s chest and hip suddenly were. His face blushed crimson as he quickly looked up, meeting dual-colored eyes.
“I don’t want to assume, but does this make us boyfriends?” Shouto asked.
Midoriya nodded, “I-If you want us too,” he replied, “I want us to be boyfriends.” he admitted, “Is that okay?”
He could feel Shouto’s skin heating up as sections of his hair caught on fire. The dual wielder reluctantly let go so he could douse the flames with his right hand, “Yes, I’d like that too, Izuku-kun.”
The smile that spread across his face shone brighter than the fire that had claimed half of Shouto’s PE uniform, “I’m Sho-chan’s boyfriend. It doesn’t feel real.” Midoriya mumbled.
“I can’t believe I’m Zu-chan’s boyfriend, either.” Shouto remarked.
His face flushed at the new name. Midoriya buried his face in the crook of Shouto’s neck, “That was too much!” he whined, "you need to warn me!”
“But Zu-chan is so cute like this.” Shouto retorted, “And you didn’t warm me before you started saying Sho-chan .”
“That’s different.” Midoriya said, unable to stop his smile.
“How?” Shouto asked.
“I didn’t know it would make me feel so flustered,” Midoriya replied, “It’s so intimate…”
He felt Shouto’s chest rumble as the dual wielder chuckled, “Is it too much?” he asked, “I’ll stop if you want me to.”
Midoriya took a step back, meeting the dual wielder’s gaze, “N-No, I’ll get used to it.”
“You don’t have to get used to it,” Shouto retorted.
“I like it,” Midoriya admitted, “And I want to get used to it. Everything’s just so new, but I want it to feel normal.”
“Can I kiss you again, Zu-chan?”
“Yes,” Midoriya replied, hesitating just a moment before adding, “Please.”
The second kiss was just as sweet as the first, but a bit longer. Midoriya found himself growing addicted. The two eventually stumbled back inside when a particularly chilling gust blew through. Midoriya felt light, still unsure that this wasn’t all a dream. But Shouto was solid under his touch, and unbelievable as it seemed, it felt real.
“I wasn’t sure when I’d get you alone again, but I actually had something else planned in my room.” Midoriya commented.
“In your room?” Shouto asked, arching his brow.
“Yes I-” Midoriya began before his face started to heat up, “N-not like that!”
Shouto smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek, “What was it?”
“Well, it’s still set up, so I can show you,” Midoriya said in lieu of a real explanation, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to!”
“Let’s go.”
Midoriya nearly stepped out the door before realizing Shouto was still wearing his burnt clothes, “Y-You should change first.” he suggested. His head nearly exploded when Shouto tugged his shirt off, tossing it across the room towards his trash can. Midoriya turned, his face felt like it was burning as he stared at the door. He pulled out his phone to send one last text to Hatsume.
After a minute passed, he felt a warm puff of breath against his ear, “Are you ready?” Shouto asked.
Midoriya squeaked, “Sho-chan!” he whined, spinning around to face the dual wielder. He pouted as Shouto chuckled at him.
“Sorry, you’re just really cute.” he remarked.
He snaked his hand around Shouto’s neck, leaning up to kiss him. He felt a twinge of satisfaction as a rosy flush colored the dual wielder’s cheeks, “Now I’m ready to go.” he said, taking Shouto’s hand in his own.
They managed to sneak out of the common room without much fuss. Everyone seemed to be occupied with the results of their contest. Only Yaoyorozu seemed to notice them. She smiled politely, giving them both a little thumbs up before turning back to the group.
When they reached his dorm, Midoriya could tell Hatsume had only left a moment ago. Her oil-stained boots had left a fresh trail down the hallway. As he opened the door, he was finally able to see his plan unfold. The cold soba was laid out for them on a borrowed work table. In the center, there was a bouquet of half red half white roses.
“I-I don’t know if you’re hungry, but-”
“It’s lovely,” Shouto said, moving over to pull out a chair for Midoriya, “Is this our first date?”
He nodded as he took his seat, “Yeah, I was hoping it would be, at least.” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Shouto sat down across from him, smiling warmly as a blush crept down his neck, “It’s perfect.”
Notes:
art <3 On My Tumblr
Chapter 17: Cut Out For This
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The red fabric was pulled loose from his neck. Midoriya smiled softly as Shouto’s fingers moved to properly tie the fabric. As it was smoothed down, he found himself leaning up to press a kiss to his boyfriend’s lips. “Thanks, Sho-chan.”
His hair flickered with flames for just a moment before he regained control of his quirk, “Of course, Zu-chan.” Shouto replied, taking Midoriya’s hand in his own, “Did you need anything else before we go?”
Midoriya shook his head, “No, I’m all set,” he stated, readjusting the backpack strap, “Let’s go!”
Their shoulder’s occasionally brushed as the pair made their way over to the main building. The halls were fairly empty as they made it to Midoriya’s homeroom. It seemed most students were using the close proximity to sleep in. He couldn’t help the bittersweet taste on his tongue. They lived so close, that it had taken no time at all to get here.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt Shouto’s lips press against his forehead, “I don’t think you meant to mumble most of that, but we’ll get to spend more time together after class.” Shouto stated.
A rosy blush colored his cheeks as Midoriya grinned, “Yeah, you’re right,” he remarked, “Now, I’m looking forward to it.”
“Until then, Zu-chan.” Shouto said before continuing on towards his own home room.
Midoriya let out a little sigh as he smiled to himself. There were little butterflies in his stomach. As he plopped down into his seat, he barely noticed the heads turned towards him, only really registering them once he was surrounded.
“Hey, I didn’t see you during the move-in, were you okay?” “I’m really sorry you got kidnapped, but you were amazing when you saved all of us!” “I didn’t get to see much, but the police arrested three of those villains you took down.” “Thank you for saving us!” “You don’t have any lasting injuries, right?” “Was it scary being in their lair?” “Was it cool to be saved by All Might? You’re probably going to be the last person ever saved by him too!” “How many heroes did you get to meet?” “Are you sure you’re okay? That whole building went down.” “Yeah, you’re not still hurt right? Did you see Recovery Girl?”
“Um…” Midoriya mumbled glancing between his classmates' faces as his chest began to tighten.
“You’re crowding him.” Majima-sensei scolded, “Everyone back to your seats. Midoriya-san had my permission to visit his friend in the 1-A dorms, which is why he was absent for most of the day. He received a clean bill of health from the hospital. It is good to see you expressing concern for your fellow student, but you must be aware of how you choose to show it.”
“Sorry, sensei. Sorry, Midoriya-kun.” his classmates mumbled.
“What happened during our training camp is something that will never happen again. The safety of our students is our biggest concern.” Maijima-sensei stated.
“It’s not your fault.” Midoriya defended, “You and Cementoss were outnumbered, and it was obvious that they had planned the attack in advance. It could have been far worse if you hadn’t dug those escape tunnels. If I had been faster, then we all would have gotten away.”
“It’s not your job to be faster, Midoriya-san, it’s mine.” Maijima-sensei stated, “I have to take responsibility for this. An unfortunate lesson every hero must learn is that you normally can’t predict a villain attack, you can only respond to it after it’s begun. Locations change, targets change, but a hero must act regardless. I dug those tunnels as a safety precaution, one I hadn’t expected any of you to need to use. While it’s not unheard of, most support heroes are rarely ever involved in these fights. Don’t let a false sense of security make you forget to put in a failsafe or memorize an escape route.”
“Yes, sensei.”
As the true lecture began, Midoriya couldn’t help but simmer on his teacher's words. It was clear the hero hadn’t wanted his students to become paranoid about future attacks, so he rationalized them. Most professional support heroes either had weak quirks or were quirkless. To suggest they should fight, like Midoriya had done, would be somewhat irresponsible. They weren’t trained for combat like the hero course students.
When lunch finally rolled around, Midoriya didn’t have to force the smile on his face. He felt giddy as he got his food, knowing his boyfriend would soon be sitting beside him. It was so normal for Shouto to join him with the other support students, but now, it felt like something more.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Hatsume nudged his shoulder, “Have you seen the headlines?” she asked.
There was a bitter taste in his mouth as Midoriya said, “About All Might’s retirement?” While he’d seen a few articles, he eventually just muted his news notifications. The former number one hero would still be teaching students, but he’d forever hung up his cape.
“No, the ones about how you saved Best Jeanist!” Daisuke said.
Another classmate grinned, “You used the healing shot, right?” they asked, “The Best Jeanist showed it in one of his first interviews.”
“Yeah, that’s what I used, but,” Midoriya replied, “What articles?”
Midoriya flinched as the table suddenly erupted, “Ehhhh?!”
“You really haven’t read any?” Hatsume asked, “You should be keeping up with the publicity surrounding you. It’ll be good for promoting yourself once we graduate!”
As he listened to her go on, Midoriya pulled out his phone, switching on his notifications. His phone was suddenly flooded with headlines, “ Fiber Hero Was Saved by the Quirkless Student from Yuuei. ->” “The Boy Who Saved Best Jeanist! Click to read more ->” “ Quirkless in Distress? Not this Yuuei Student. Find Out How the Support Student Who Was Kidnapped by the League of Villains Saved the Number Three Hero!->” “Best Jeanist’s New Apprentice? ->”
The headlines were almost as distracting as the photos someone had managed to grab of him and Best Jeanist in the hospital after the hero dressed him in denim.
“W-Why?” Midoriya mumbled.
“Well, if we’re going to be analytical about it,” Daisuke said, “Everyone has bittersweet feelings towards All Might’s retirement. Sometimes news outlets want to run something fun and inspiring to cheer people up, and Best Jeanist is the number three hero now. His popularity rivals All Might’s, so they know it will sell, and what’s a bigger headline than the number three hero being saved by the student he was sent to rescue?”
Midoriya pursed his lips, rubbing the back of his neck. He knew being plain and quirkless probably added to the story. It made the feat seem more unbelievable, though he was thankful that Daisuke left that aspect out.
“I think it’s nice. More people should acknowledge how incredible you are.” Shouto remarked, pressing their legs together under the table.
He felt his face warm as Midoriya ducked his head, hiding behind his curls.
“Yeah, Izuku-kun is the best!” Hatsume agreed, “I would expect nothing less from my business partner.”
“I didn’t do that much.” Midoriya dismissed.
“You took down three villains, saved all of your classmates, a pro hero, and yourself.” Shouto listed.
“Hatsume’s rocket saved me, and the Healing Shot-”
“When a hero uses our super cute babies, that doesn’t mean they didn’t save anyone or defeat a villain just because they used support weapons.” Hatsume remarked, “That goes for you, too.”
Midoriya couldn’t fault her logic, but it didn’t sit well in his stomach. He had just gotten lucky. He didn’t deserve any praise when he worried so many people. Now everyone was stuck in the dorms, away from their families. He hoped his mom wouldn’t get too lonely.
He managed to force himself to eat most of his lunch, though it was more of a trial than it had any right to be. As Midoriya sat back down at his station, he heard the delighted squeals behind him as his classmates were reunited with their gear. He glanced down at his table, finding his notebooks there. Though even if he added the journal he got back early, there was still one missing.
“I see you’ve noticed by now that you didn’t get everything back. I was informed that one of your earlier journals will be delivered after school directly to the dorms.” Maijima-sensei remarked, “Be sure to take care of it.”
“Yes, sensei!” Midoriya replied.
The screens lit up before him, automatically loading up footage of the hero course. He slipped the headphones on. Each screen had different angles of students testing out super moves. Midoriya’s eyes were sparkling as his pen moved across the paper, taking in every second.
There were so many interesting techniques. Everyone seemed to have really increased the versatility of their quirks. From 1-B, Kendō Itsuka’s “Double Jumbo Fist” displayed her skill in both her fighting and her quirk. She would strike her target with both hands, only activating her quirk just before impact to maximize damage.
With 1-A, he watched as Iida practiced with his “Recipro Burst.” While he’d already witnessed the technique during finals, Midoriya could see in the way the boy moved that Iida had improved a lot.
Everyone seemed to have grown stronger. They were all supposed to take their provisional license tests after the camp. It was delayed because of him. They had all worked so hard for it. Midoriya felt his stomach turn. His nails dug into his palms as he stared at the screen. He had to try his best to update everyone’s profiles. Giving them all the best chance of covering their weaknesses was the least he could do.
As he was finishing up Kirishima’s page, Midoriya felt a tap on his shoulder. He pulled his headphones off, turning to see Shouto standing there.
“Classes have ended,” he remarked, “Did you want to walk back to the dorms with me?”
“Y-Yeah!” Midoriya replied, shoving his notebooks back into his backpack. He glanced around, seeing that the room was empty before leaning up to steal a chaste kiss, “Let’s go.”
He ducked his head, gripping his backpack straps as he walked ahead, smiling to himself. Shouto was at his side a moment later. As they turned down the hall, Midoriya felt something vibrate in his pocket. He furrowed his brow. If Shouto was here, who would be texting him?
Hi Izuku ( ^◡^)
How are you settling in?
Really well, mom! ╰(*´︶`*)╯
I’m dating Shouto now
I confessed to Shouto.
You probably already thought Shouto and I were dating, but we weren't before and now we are.
Midoriya’s chest tightened as he stared down at his screen. He hadn’t actually meant to send that one. He bit the inside of his cheek as a new message arrived.
I did think you were dating
But I’m happy you’ve made it official!
✧٩(•́⌄•́๑)
Thanks, mom
(´。• ᵕ •。`)
As he tucked the device back in his pocket, Midoriya looked over to his boyfriend. Shouto had a light shade of pink dusting his cheeks, “Your phone case…” he said, his voice trailing off.
“Hmm? Oh, Yaoyorozu made it for me!” Midoriya chirped, “I still need to thank her for it. It looks like something that would be in your merch, right?”
“Yes.” Shouto agreed, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I haven’t really spoken to her that much,” Midoriya remarked, “Was my crush really that obvious?”
“Actually, Momo already knew that I liked you.” Shouto admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor, “I didn’t even tell her. She’s very observant. I think the two of you would get along.”
“Really?” Midoriya blinked, “I couldn’t tell at all.”
“Perhaps I should be more direct.” Shouto commented, “So you always know how I feel.”
Midoriya smiled, “I’d like that.”
The dual wielder grabbed Midoriya’s wrist, tugging him into an empty classroom. He stared up at Shouto questioningly.
“I want to kiss you again.” he stated, cupping Midoriya’s cheek.
“Then kiss me.”
As their lips pressed together, Midoriya grinned. He could feel the warmth radiating off Shouto’s skin. It was nice to know he wasn’t the only one feeling flustered.
Shouto’s hand moved off his cheek, carding through his curls until it settled on the back of his neck. The kiss was broken a moment later as Midoriya’s chest tightened. Before he could connect the dots, Shouto was flipped over his shoulder and pinned to the floor, his knee pressed firmly against the dual wielder’s chest. Midoriya blinked, his face flushing red, “I-I’m sorry! Sho-chan are you okay?” he said, his hands flying up as he quickly scooted back off him.
“Yes, though I should be the one apologizing,” Shouto replied, propping himself up on his elbows, “That was a trigger, right?”
“Yeah…” Midoriya admitted, hugging his arms close to his chest, “Sorry.”
“Zu-chan, you have nothing to feel sorry for.” Shouto stated as he moved to stand, offering his hand to Midoriya, “I should have taken that into consideration after everything that happened.”
Midoriya took his hand, letting Shouto pull him to his feet, “I’ll get over it.” he promised.
“No, you’ll overcome this, because you’re an incredibly strong person,” Shouto corrected, “This isn’t a simple problem that you can ‘just get over.’ That trivializes it. You deserve better than that. I don’t like people demeaning my boyfriend, and that includes you, Zu-chan.”
A little small tugged at his lips as Midoriya said, “Okay, Sho-chan.”
Shouto nodded, intertwining their fingers together as they made their way back to the 1-F dorms. Midoriya couldn’t have prepared himself for the denim clad hero waiting in the center of the common room. He stopped in his tracks, squeezing Shouto’s hand as he leaned against his boyfriend.
Best Jeanist was taking a picture with Hatsume. The pink-haired girl had oil on her cheek, but what she was really showing off were her power gloves, which had her name branded into them. Modeling her gear beside the number three hero was bound to get them seen by Support Companies. His heart stopped when Hatsume ran off and the Fiber Hero met his gaze. Only by Shouto gently ushering him forward could he cross the room towards the pro.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Midoriya-san.” Best Jeanist remarked “While we were recovering the stolen items, I noticed in one of your earlier journals that you had taken a number of notes on pro heroes. I’m afraid it seems to have been damaged,” he stated, holding up his Kacchan-exploded notebook, “But as everything was still intact, the heroes in attendance signed their pages.” he added as he handed the journal over.
Midoriya’s eyes widened, his hands immediately turning to Mount Lady, Edge Shot, Kamuri Woods, and Best Jeanist’s pages. Even Gran Torino signed the back. The only one missing was Endeavor, and that actually made it better.
“T-Thank you!” Midoriya exclaimed, bowing his head.
“It was the least we could do.” Best Jeanist replied, “And, if you’re still interested in styling your hair,” he said, picking up a black briefcase off the floor, “I’m prepared to help you with that.”
Midoriya felt a bundle of nerves bounce around his chest as he glanced up at Shouto.
The dual wielder tilted his head to the side, “Any style would suit you.” he stated as if it was an unquestionable fact, “If you want to, then you should.”
He bit the inside of his cheek. Hair did grow back, so even if it didn’t look good, he could wear a hat or Hatsume’s helmet until it had grown back. His chest tightened. Midoriya hadn’t ever tried any sort of ‘cool’ hairstyles before. Even as a child, his wild curls had always just been lightly trimmed.
“I wouldn’t want to take up your time.” Midoriya mumbled.
Best Jeanist shook his head, “My only appointment today is with you.” he replied.
“O-oh.” Midoriya stammered. He didn’t know why the hero would bother to do that when he had so many more important people he could visit, but since he came all the way here, it would be rude to just refuse, “Please style my hair.”
They ended up in the bathroom, with Shouto returning to his own dorm. Midoriya bit his lower lip as he stared down into the sink. Beside him Best Jeanist opened the case to reveal a huge selection of hair care tools and products. His hair was sprayed with some sort of nutrient water, that helped ‘give it shine’ while making it easier to cut.
When Best Jeanist poured some sort of product into his hands, moving to rub it into Midoriya’s hair, the boy flinched forward, instinctively turning to grab the hero. Though the pro reacted just as quickly, restraining Midoriya before he could accidentally flip the Fiber Hero.
“This is from the League?” Best Jeanist said, more of a statement than a question.
Midoriya felt a blush creep up his neck as he nodded, “Um, yeah,” he said, hiding behind his curls, “The back of my head and my neck. I start to panic whenever someone touches there. Hound Dog is the only one I’ve really talked to about it.”
Best Jeanist nodded, “It’s normal for you to feel that way after experiencing trauma.” he stated, “Though, if you’re willing to try, I may have some methods that might help.’
His nails dug into his fists as he asked, “What did you have in mind?”
“These villains have caught you by surprise when this happened, right?” Best Jeanist asked, waiting for Midoriya to nod before continuing, “Look into the Mirror and watch my movements. The next step is to place your hand over mine. This should ground you.”
His stomach was a little uneasy as he reached back, holding onto the hero's wrist, “Like this?” Midoriya asked.
“Yes,” Best Jeanist replied, moving to run his fingers through Midoriya’s hair. While he instinctively wanted to jolt away, he managed to restrain himself. After a few minutes, he found his muscles relaxing.
When it came time for the actual cut, Midoriya held onto Best Jeanist’s wrist as the electric razor buzzed to life. He stared into the mirror, watching the Fiber Hero’s movements. He managed not to flinch as it touched the back of his head. Midoriya soon found his shoulders relaxing while the hero worked.
As locks of hair fell to the floor, Best Jeanist began to fill the silence, “After All For One’s defeat, I was able to return to my agency and look into the details of that case. Because of it’s time sensitive nature, we were only briefed on the villains we knew would be there and the Nomu.” the hero remarked, “I only later learned how you defeated three villains on your own before the kidnapping. You risked your own safety to ensure the others would be safe. What made you act?”
“I don’t know; I just sort of reacted.” Midoriya explained, as he struggled to keep his head still, “Everyone was in trouble. I couldn’t just stand by. I know Power Loader and Cementoss are pros, but there were so many of them. I don’t regret it.”
The Fiber Hero was quiet for a moment, absorbing all of Midoriya’s words, “No matter how dire a situation may be, a real hero doesn't believe in excuses.” Best Jeanist said, “You acted when others were in need, even at the cost of your own safety. Not everyone is hero material , but this shows that you have the heart of a hero.”
His mouth hung agape as he processed the hero’s words. His heart clenched as he struggled to hold his tears back. To hear those words from someone like Best Jeanist, it made him want to believe them.
When the buzzing stopped, Best Jeanist set the razor down on the counter. Midoriya stared at his own reflection. Even though he’d been watching the process, it was still hard to believe what he was seeing.
“I also prepared an outfit to pair with your new look.” Best Jeanist stated.
Midoriya soon found himself in a pair of dark denim skinny jeans and a simple green shirt. The fabric was extremely soft. He looked at himself in the mirror and could barely recognize himself. His typical baggy clothes normally did a good job of hiding his figure. Now he didn’t have his long curls or shirts to hide behind.
He bit the inside of his lip as he stepped out of the bathroom. There was a sudden banging on the door. Midoriya was quick to go over and open it up.
“Oi dumbass, you missed dinner so- Zuku, what the fuck?”
“K-Kacchan?” Midoriya said, looking up at the ashe blonde who was holding a bag of leftovers. The heavenly smell of Bakugou’s cooking made his stomach grumble.
“When the fuck did you cut your hair?” Kacchan asked. His tone was more inquisitive than aggressive.
Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck, “Just now?” he replied.
Bakugou quirked his brow, folding his arms across his chest, “Since when do you wear jeans? What happened to your shitty shorts?”
“I’m trying something new.” Midoriya said, his confidence waning, “Do you not like it?”
Kacchan blinked at him for a moment, his frown replaced by a blank look before returning only a moment later, “Tsk, it’s fine.” Bakugou stated as he looked away.
Midoriya couldn’t help but grin, “Thanks, Kacchan.” he chirped.
“Tch, Whatever.” Bakugou grumbled, rolling his eyes.
“Kacchan? Is that the hero name you finally decided on?” Best Jeanist questioned, making Bakugou’s muscles tense as he shifted his gaze over to the Fiber Hero.
“Obviously not. There’s no way I would use a cutesy-ass name like that.” Bakugou said, “That’s just what Zuku’s called me since we were kids.”
“Your language still needs work, but you seem to have calmed your temper.” Best Jeanist remarked.
Kacchan pursed his lips. Somehow, he managed to hold his tongue.
“It was nice to see you both.” Best Jeanist remarked, “And Bakugou,” he said, meeting the ashe blonde’s gaze, “My offer is still on the table.”
As the Fiber Hero disappeared around the hallway, Midoriya found himself asking, “What offer?” as Bakugou shoved the food into his chest.
“To do my work study under him once I get my damn license.” Kacchan muttered.
He hadn’t moved the table yet, so Midoriya sat down, opening up the tupperware. He practically shoveled the food into his face, slowing down just enough to avoid Kacchan’s scolding.
“Why the fuck was that guy here, anyway?” Bakugou asked.
“He was giving me back one of my notebooks.” Midoriya replied, “He and a few other heroes signed it.”
Bakugou narrowed his eyes, “He came all the way here for that?”
“Yeah, and he offered to, um, ‘change my style’ so-” Midoriya added.
“Asshole can’t fucking resist fixing someone’s hair.” Bakugou said, his scowl intensifying.
“Did you not like your internship?” Midoriya questioned.
“It was the fucking worst mistake I’d ever made.” Kacchan grumbled, “We didn’t do shit. Even patrolling was just to fucking wave at people and shit.”
“Oh, I thought you picked his agency because you knew you were already an incredible fighter. The only thing that might have been holding you back from becoming number one was your appearance.” Midoriya remarked, “You’ve always been kind of scary, like Endeavor. Since most people think that’s why he wasn’t able to surpass All Might on his own.”
Bakugou scowled, “I’m nothing like that flame dickhead.”
“I know, but most reporters don’t see it that way. Midoriya replied, taking one final bite before setting the tupperware aside, “I’ll clean that and return it tomorrow.” he promised.
Kacchan was quiet for a moment before he finally muttered, “Tsk, whatever.” He suddenly stood up, stomping towards the door, “Let’s just fucking go.” he said, glaring at Midoriya when he didn’t react, “You wanna show half-n-half your new look, right?”
“Y-Yeah.” Midoriya mumbled.
“Then fucking move. ” Bakugou ordered, sending Midoriya scrambling to catch up.
Midoriya bit his lip as he made his way towards the 1-A dorms, carding his fingers through what was left of his curls as Kacchan walked beside him. He pulled out his phone.
I’m back
♡ ~('▽^人)
( ˊᵕˋ )♡.°⑅
I’ll be down in just a minute.
Okay (´∩。• ᵕ •。∩`) ♡ I’ll be waiting in the common room.
Love you
♡。゚.(*♡´‿` 人´‿` ♡*)゚♡ °・♡
Love you too ₍՞◌′ᵕ‵ू◌₎♡
There was a sudden pain in his nose as he bumped against something hard. He stumbled back, glancing up. There was no way he could have hit a wall.
“You okay, Midoriya-kun?”
He recognized the deep, deadpan tone, meeting Shinsou’s gaze, “Yeah, sorry.” Midoriya replied, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Woah, bro, nice haircut!” Kaminari remarked, snapping finger guns his way.
“O-oh, thanks.” Midoriya mumbled, “I’m still getting used to having it so short. It feels a little weird.”
“It looks good.” Shinsou remarked.
Midoriya smiled, ducking his head, “Thanks.” A moment later the elevator dinged. He turned towards the sound, seeing a familiar head of peppermint hair. He was holding a picture frame in his hands.
Shouto’s hair flickered with flames for a moment, and Midoriya could smell the burnt fabric as his boyfriend struggled to reign in his quirk. It instantly put his mind at ease. Midoriya grinned as he met the dual wielder halfway, “Hey.” he greeted.
“You look nice.” Shouto remarked, admiring Midoriya for just a moment before pressing the frame into his hands, “This is for you.”
He furrowed his brow, glancing down at the photo. Midoriya’s mouth hung agape as he stared at the Wild Wild Pussycats posing together, their autographs all written beneath themselves.
“I wanted to get a proper frame before I gave it to you.” Shouto stated.
“Thank you!” Midoriya said. If there weren’t so many people around, he would have kissed him, then and there.
At some point, the couple had moved over towards the kitchen area, where Iida and Uraraka were discussing smoothies and protein shakes. Though at one point, the brunette girl began playfully floating fruits in the air.
He found himself asking, “How long can you keep them suspended before you get sick?”
“I don’t know.” Uraraka replied, shrugging her shoulders, “Let’s find out!”
While Midoriya leaned against the counter, he glanced between his phone and the fruit floating above them. He wanted to know how long Uraraka could use her quirk before getting sick. For lightweight objects, it seemed she wasn’t even breaking a sweat. He missed the way Ashido bounced over to them, appearing behind him suddenly to ruffle his hair. Midoriya had flipped her onto the ground, knocking the air from her lungs.
“I-I’m so sorry!” Midoriya said, offering his hand to her. He could hear Kacchan cackling with laughter from one of the couches.
“No, no, you’re fine, Midoriya-kun!” Ashido said, propping herself up on her elbows, “I guess I shouldn’t have startled you.”
“I’m here too!” Hagakure announced, her t-shirt and shorts floating beside them over her otherwise invisible body, “Please don’t flip me!”
“I-I won’t.” Midoriya promised.
“We wanted to invite you to our sleepover tomorrow.” Ashido stated.
Midoriya’s brow furrowed, “But I’m not in your class, and I’m not a girl.” he mumbled.
“So? Kirishima will be there too!” Ashido remarked.
“You should come, Midoriya,” Uraraka remarked, “It’ll be more fun with you there! We never get to hang out with you.”
“Um…” Midoriya mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. He still felt a little guilty for accidentally attacking Ashido, and they didn’t get to hang out much. It wouldn’t be so bad to get to know them more, right? And he wouldn’t actually sleep there. He’d just go back to his own dorm, or if it was too late to be out, he could write Maijima-sensei and get permission to stay in 1-A with Shouto.
“Okay.” Midoriya agreed, unsure how to take the cheers he received from the girls around him.
Notes:
The art On Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter 18: Sleepover!!!
Chapter Text
His fingers tangled in the small curls on his head, “What do you even bring to a slumber party?” Midoriya questioned, letting himself fall back against his bed, “I’ve never actually gone to one before.”
“I’m not sure.” Shouto replied as he sat beside him, “I don’t have any experience either.”
Midoriya pushed himself up, resting his head against the dual wielder’s shoulder, “Am I supposed to bring a futon, or a sleeping bag?” he wondered, “Or are we just going to go back to our own dorms? It would be weird sleeping there, right? I don’t think we’re supposed to be outside after midnight. How long do these things last?”
“You could always come to my room.” Shouto offered.
A rosy flush colored his cheeks as Midoriya sat up straight, his muscles rigid, “T-to sleep in your room?” he stammered, “W-with you?”
Shouto blinked, staring at him blankly for a moment before mumbling, “Oh,” under his breath, a light blush spreading down his neck, “I have a spare futon in my room.” he clarified.
“That would actually be really helpful.” Midoriya remarked, his shoulders relaxing as a smile spread across his face, “Maijima-sensei know’s I’ll be in your building tonight, so it’d probably be better than going back to my own room.”
The dual wielder nodded, “That’s what I was thinking.”
He pursed his lips, “I still feel like I should bring something though…” Midoriya said, shifting his position to rest his head in Shouto’s lap, “But Uraraka said Satō’s already making food.”
His boyfriend nodded, “Momo mentioned an exchange of baking equipment and ingredients for his help.” Shouto remarked.
Midoriya sighed, gazing up at the dual wielder, “Help me.” he pleaded.
“What about flowers?”
His face brightened, just for a moment, before it fell again, “But what if they take it the wrong way?” Midoriya questioned.
“As long as you stay away from traditionally romantic flowers, I don’t think there will be any problem.” Shouto assured him, brushing his curls back from Midoriya’s forehead, “I believe yellow means friendship.”
He pursed his lips as he tried to think of the right type to get. Yellow was typically associated with joy or friendship. “What about sunflowers?” he asked, “Wait- I don’t think I can even get anything off campus without putting in a request form.” Midoriya frowned, “Ugh, I should have put one in yesterday.” he lamented.
Shouto didn’t reply immediately, instead, he took his phone out of his pocket. The silence that spread between them gave Midoriya a sense of unease in his stomach. Just before he could ask what the dual wielder was up to, Shouto put his phone away, “The flowers have been ordered,” he stated, “They’ll be delivered in forty minutes.”
“W-What?” Midoriya questioned, blinking repeatedly.
“Since the bouquet only has one type of flower, it won’t be long to prepare.” Shouto replied.
Midoriya paused for a moment, before sitting up.
“Zu-chan?” Shouto said, tilting his head to the side, “Did I overstep-”
He moved, slipping his arms around the dual wielder’s neck, pulling him close until their lips met. The kiss was sweet, though neither dared to deepen it. It still left him breathless when they pulled back.
“You’re amazing.” Midoriya remarked, pressing another chaste kiss to his boyfriend's lips, “And I’m paying you back for the flowers.”
“It’s on my father's card, so I’d say you’re doing me a favor.” Shouto retorted, a small, genuine smile on his lips. The sight of it made Midoriya’s heart flutter.
“Fine.” Midoriya relented, mentally making a note to buy Shouto some flowers in return.
The two returned to their textbooks, leaning against one another as pens moved across paper. By the time their homework was finished, Shouto’s phone beeped. Midoriya glanced over to see him check the message.
“The flowers are here.” Shouto remarked, “They’re waiting at the gate.”
Midoriya grinned, pushing himself to his feet, “Let’s go.”
The delivery girl was standing at the front of the school, bouquet of Sunflowers in hand. Shouto, having already paid for his order, thanked the girl as he accepted the flowers. The first thing the dual wielder did was turn right around to give them to Midoriya.
The green-haired boy blushed lightly as he held them close to his chest. They didn’t have an overwhelming scent, but the bright yellow petals looked lovely. He couldn’t help but notice Shouto had gotten eight. Midoriya guessed one was meant for him.
As they began to walk back inside, Midoriya plucked one flower from the bunch, handing it over to Shouto.
His boyfriend blinked as he took the offered flower, “You want me to hold this for you?” Shouto asked, looking adorably befuddled.
“You ordered an extra,” Midoriya remarked, “And even if it doesn’t have a very romantic meaning, I know they’re sometimes called ‘happy’ flowers, and that’s how you make me feel when we’re together.”
The flower’s thick stem began to burn for just a moment before it was frosted over. “Oh.” Shouto mumbled, looking down at the flower with a smile on his lips.
As they reached the dorm buildings, the two parted ways. Midoriya dashed up to his room, taking care not to disturb the bouquet as he ran. The flowers were gently set on his bed while he changed into pajamas. If any movie had taught him anything about sleepovers, it was that everyone attended in their pajamas.
Now clad in his All Might themed pants and Best Jeanist themed shirt, he glanced at the clock. He only had a few minutes to get to the 1-A dorms before it was set to start. The sun slowly sank in the sky as he walked toward the large building, bouquet in hand.
When he entered the elevator, he paused to look at the floors. He’d never actually been to the girls dorms. Which he couldn’t bring himself to regret, not when it had gotten him the world’s best boyfriend. He pressed the button, feeling his chest tighten as the elevator rose. Midoriya took a deep breath and began counting the door numbers. When he found Ashido’s, he bit the inside of his cheek, pausing a moment before knocking his knuckles against the door.
The pink-skinned girl opened it without any hesitation, squealing as she pulled him inside, “Oh my gosh, that’s so sweet! You brought flowers?!” Ashido said, grinning widely.
“Really? Midoriya-kun, that’s so cute!” Uraraka commented.
Midoriya had a hard time answering immediately, too distracted by the decor. His eyes widened as he took in the room. From the zebra curtains to the pillows and rug, it was all pink. Where did she find it all?
He pulled himself out of his thoughts, “T-There’s one for everyone.” Midoriya replied, handing the bouquet over to her.
“Aww, Kiri, you get one too!” Ashido said as she passed out the flowers. She glanced around her room, finding a reasonably long glass water bottle to use as a vase.
“Woah, seriously bro?” Kirishima said, flashing a pointy-toothed grin, “That’s so nice! Thanks!”
“They’re so pretty!” Hagakure exclaimed, her flower seemingly floating around the air as she bounced around energetically.
“Midoriya-kun’s so sweet.” Uraraka chirped.
“You didn’t have to bring anything.” Jirō commented, “But thanks.”
“I think it was very thoughtful of you, Midoriya-chan, kero.” Asui remarked.
“It’s a kind gesture.” Yaoyorozu agreed as she made a rather fancy looking vase, “Everyone can keep theirs in this for now so they don’t wilt.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, “It’s my first slumber party, so I wasn’t really sure.” Midoriya admitted, “I’m glad you all like them.” he added, suddenly feeling his stomach flip as the room grew quiet and everyone was staring at him.
The silence was broken by a rapid series of questions, “Ehhh? Seriously?!” “Never had a sleepover?!” “Not even when you were little?!” “How is that possible?!”
Was it that strange? Midoriya took a step back, feeling his chest tighten.
Ashido suddenly slammed her fist into her open palm, “Alright, Midoriya-kun,” she exclaimed, making him jump, “We’re going to make this the best slumber party ever!” she declared. The rest of the room nodded in agreement.
“So, what are we doing first?” Uraraka asked.
“I made custom dice to choose our activities.” Yaoyorozu remarked as she rolled the die on the floor, it landed on ‘nails.’
“Yes! I’ve been wanting a manicure!” Ashido chirped, running across her room to pull out a small chest. When she opened it, the polishes were practically falling out. There were an unsurprisingly large selection of pinks, but with other colors mixed in.
“Let’s all partner up!” Uraraka suggested before turning to face Asui, “Tsu, can I do your nails?”
“Of course, kero.” Asui replied, smiling brightly at her.
As everyone else began to pair up, Midoriya glanced around awkwardly. He had planned on asking Uraraka, since they sometimes sat together at lunch. He blinked when Yaoyorozu approached him.
“If you don’t have a partner, can I paint your nails?” she asked.
“Y-Yeah.” Midoriya said.
Yaoyorozu went to grab her own little box filled with all sorts of nail products. Midorya could tell some were more than just color, though, what they were, he had no idea. As the two sat cross-legged on the floor, Yaoyorozu took his hand in her own.
“I’m going to use a peel-off base coat, so you won’t have to worry about nail polish remover later.” Yaoyorozu explained as she pulled out some bottles, “And I’m going to put some liquid latex around your nail, so that when we sponge on the gradient, we can peel off the mess.”
“...Okay.” Midoriya mumbled as he tried to wrap his brain around what she just said, and what a gradient meant in this context.
He hadn’t known how much of a manicure was spent waiting for polish to dry, and things that apparently weren’t polish to dry. It was going faster, since Yaoyorozu had made a fan dryer specifically for nails. Midoriya watched intently as she picked out a range of colors. She applied two white and icy blue polishes to one sponge, dabbing it over his right hand. After the first nail, he realized what the ‘gradient’ was as the blue naturally faded into the white. His left went from red to orange, then yellow.
After peeling off the latex, Midoriya thought they’d be done, but Yaoyorozu pulled some sort of detailing tools out.
“So, on one hand, I’m going to do little white dots,” Yaoyorozu explained, “And the other, I’m going to use this paintbrush to make little flecks of flame. And when we’re done, we’re going to seal it all in with a glossy top coat.”
When everything was set and dried, Midoriya stared down at his nails. It was pretty obvious that Yaoyorozu had made them look like Shouto’s quirk. He grinned, “I love them.”
“I thought you might.” Yaoyorozu remarked, “Now, did you have any ideas for my nails?”
“Well, I think I can do a gradient. And since your quirk is creation, I thought maybe doing a rainbow would be nice since it has almost every color.”
Yaoyorozu beamed at him, “Yes, that sounds amazing!”
Midoriya began with the same base coat and protective peel. As they waited for the latex to dry on her fingers, Midoriya couldn’t help but overhear Hagakure, “Jirō! You’re getting it all over my fingers!” she complained.
“Sorry,” the punk girl apologized, “It’s hard to know where your nails are…” Jirō mumbled under her breath.
Midoriya looked to Yaoyorozu, “Could Hagakure borrow your liquid latex?” He asked, “If she puts it around her nails, I think Jirō would have an easier time painting her nails.”
Yaoyorozu nodded, smiling brightly at him, “Of course!” she replied.
He was quick to run over and explain his idea. Hagakure seemed to like it. Even if he couldn’t tell from her face, she had been quick to grab the bottle from him. Midoriya hurried back, with everything dry, he could start coating his sponge in polish. Yaoyorozu insisted on a holographic top coat that then had another glossy top coat. Midoriya wondered why so much polish was necessary, but he couldn’t argue with the outcome. They were really pretty.
As everyone regrouped, he could see what the others had done. Most of the girls had done plain colored nails, though Ashido and Kirishima had some black stencils detailing their nails. Unsurprisingly the two had picked pink and red respectively.
“That was so much fun!” Hagakure exclaimed, her pink and white striped nails floating around her pajamas.
“What’s next, kero?” Asui asked.
Yaoyorozu took out her die, rolling it across the floor. “Makeovers.” she replied.
“Let’s switch up partners too!” Hagakure suggested.
Midoriya somehow found himself sitting across from Uraraka as she rubbed some moisturizer onto his face. He’d never considered wearing make up. He really only knew about brands that were sponsored by heroes, and even then, he didn’t know much about them.
“You have such nice skin, Midoriya-kun!” Uraraka remarked, “And the foundation would hide your cute freckles.” she said, pursing her lips, “Maybe we’ll just do your eyes.”
“O-Okay.” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck, “What do I need to do?”
“I’m just going to use some liner,” Uraraka replied, “Close your eyes and relax. Don’t squint your eyes either, or everything will smudge.”
“I won’t.” he promised as Midoriya let his eyes fall closed. The liquid liner was wet and sticky. He resisted the urge to finch as it dragged across his lash line. She gave him a cat-eye winged look on both sides.
“Should we try mascara, or are you good?” she asked.
Midoriya lightly shook his head, “No, I think this is good.” he replied, feeling a bit relieved that they weren’t going to go overboard, “Um, how did you want me to do yours?”
“Well, I think it’s fair to assume you’ve never used make-up before.” Uraraka remarked, “So, I picked out this video earlier. I figured we’d all do some kind of makeover eventually, so I came prepared.”
“I’ll try my best.” Midoriya promised.
He watched the tutorial twice before making his attempt. The instructions were clear and concise. Plus, it certainly helped that Uraraka was directing him to her favorite products. Midoriya couldn’t help but notice that in comparison to the other girls, she didn’t use as much, or maybe it was more like she didn’t have the same variety. Most of the extra items seemed to be eyeshadows and lipsticks.
The contour that he used was extremely light, keeping her skin looking more ‘natural’ than ‘night out on the town.’ As for her eyes, Midoriya bit his lip in concentration as he tried to make a neutral brown-gold smokey eyed look. He continuously used his reference, watching how the pigments were added, and noting when to blend and what direction to go in. Uraraka’s lashes were so long, he only needed to use mascara, thankfully avoiding the false lashes and the terror gluing them would have caused. He skipped the eye liner, since he’d been told that can go horribly wrong. He wasn’t prepared to risk it all.
“Did you want the dark red lipstick, or the pink gloss?” Midoriya asked.
“You pick.” Uraraka replied.
The lipgloss seemed to be for everyday use, so he decided to go for the dark red. With everything on, he handed her a mirror.
“Oh my gosh!” Uraraka exclaimed, “Midoriya, it looks so good!”
“Well, I watched the video a lot, and you did help me with the products.” Midoriya remarked, rubbing the back of his neck, “I don’t think I could have done that without your help.”
“Still, thank you! Most guys wouldn’t have tried at all!” Uraraka said.
“That’s why we didn’t invite them.” Jirō commented as she worked on Yaoyorozu’s lashes.
While they waited for everyone to finish getting ready, Midoriya noticed Kirishima. He went all out on the eye makeup, with a smokey red eyeshadow and liner. It looked like something he could have worn with his hero costume. He was pulled out of his musings when he heard some giggling behind him.
He could see Hagakure’s phone floating in front of her pajama shirt. Ashido was leaning over her shoulder to look at the screen.
“Guys, you’ve gotta come look at this!” the two called.
They all made their way over. He recognized the magazine, before his eyes flicked down to the headline. It read, “Midoriya Izuku and Todoroki Shouto Budding Friendship,” with its brief description going on to say, “Son of number one hero Endeavor and Quirkless Yuuei student pictured together exchanging a bouquet of sunflowers. Is this the start of a new friendship, or something more? Read to find out ->”
Midoriya’s face felt warm. Something more certainly wasn’t wrong, but he didn’t think he could read any more of the article.
“You two look cute together.” Yaoyorozu remarked, “Can you send me that article?”
“Sure!” Hagakure chirped.
“Articles like this make me wonder how often misunderstandings happen,” Uraraka remarked, “Maybe we could take a photo together holding the flowers you got us and post it.”
“Someone’s going to make a harem joke.” Jirō pointed out.
The room grimaced, but no one could exactly say she was wrong.
“I think it's nice that Midoriya-chan is getting press attention, but it should be accurate.” Asui said, pressing her finger to her lip, “There are lots of people who want to know he’s okay.”
“Gossip magazines clearly aren’t the best source of information.” Jirō remarked.
“Maybe we could make a video?” Hagakure suggested, “With the flowers in the background.”
“That’s a great idea!” Ashido chirped, “When I was looking for games to play, I watched a bunch of videos of people and even some heroes recording themselves playing party games,” she stated, “So, I was thinking, as soon as Satō finishes making the food, we can play blind taste test . And if we record it, then we can upload it and everyone will know you’re safe and having fun with friends.”
Midoriya swallowed as all eyes turned to him. They were right, the world was in a strange place now that All Might was retiring. Any sort of reassurance that things were alright would help. The former number one hero had always said he wanted to make a world where people can smile freely. If people were really still worried about him… “O-okay. That sounds like fun.” Midoriya replied.
As Yaoyorozu was making a camera and stand, there was a knock on the door. “I think everything came out alright. Let me know what you guys liked best, and I can make more of it later.” Satō said, delivering a cart of desserts.
After everyone thanked the blushing baker, Kirishima brought the cart inside. With everyone grouped together, Yaoyorozu pulled a blindfold out of her arm, “How should we do this?” she asked.
“Hi everyone! We’re here from Yuuei and we’re going to be doing a blind taste test! Our good friend Midoriya Izuku, from 1-F is joining us!” Ashido announced, “Since you already have the blindfold, why don’t you go first, Yaoyorozu-chan.”
“For the game, one person will be blindfolded, while the other picks out two delicious desserts off this cart. Everything was lovely made by our fellow student Satō.” Ashido explained, her energetic tone was really making it sound exciting, “Who wants to pick the first combo?”
“Oh, I’ll do it!” Uraraka said, raising her hand.
Yaoyorozu sat in Ashido’s desk chair as she slipped the blindfold on, “I’m ready.” she declared.
“Okay!” Uraraka chirped as she cut two slices of cake, taking a piece of each on one fork, “Open up!” she said, waiting until Yaoyorozu complied to give it to her.
Yaoyorozu chewed silently, tilting her head to the side, “This is hard, they’re both so soft and wonderful…” she mumbled, “I believe I taste cream cheese in one, and pairing that with the texture, I would say one is a cotton cheesecake, but the other I can’t place. It had such a similar feeling. Maybe a vanilla sponge, or a Kasutera cake?”
“Yes! Well, not the sponge, but you nailed the other two!” Uraraka praised.
There was a light blush on Yaoyorozu’s cheeks as she grinned, “Thank you.” she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, “Would you like to go next?” she asked, “And I’ll choose a pair of treats for you?”
Uraraka nodded vigorously as she traded spots with Yaoyorozu.
The dark-haired girl’s eyes scanned the cart, looking for the perfect treat combination. Something that would taste delicious, but in a way that was still difficult to guess.
“I should have known you would pick something tea flavored,” Uraraka teased, “One tastes like mochi, and the other is really close. It’s sticking to my teeth a little.” she remarked, “Is it dango?”
Yaoyorozu beamed, “Yes, that’s it exactly!” she said, clasping her hands together, “Matcha mochi and green tea dango!”
“You got that so fast!” Hagakure shouted.
The brunette grinned, rubbing the back of her neck, “Well the mochi was really easy to recognize.” Uraraka said.
Ashido suddenly grabbed Hagakure’s arm, “Let’s go next!”
Hagakure seemed to nod, “Yeah!” she agreed, moving to sit in the chair.
“And no cheating, that better actually be on your eyes!” Ashido said as she looked over the cart.
The invisible girl giggled, “It is!” Hagakure stated.
When Hagakure got her bite, she was silent for a few moments before finally saying, “I have absolutely no idea what this is.” she admitted, letting her head drop forward, “It’s so weird to not see it, and the textures are so different!”
Ashido grinned triumphantly, “Do you give up?” she asked.
They couldn’t see her face, but Midoriya was pretty sure Hagakure was pouting. After a moment she sighed, “Yes, tell me what it was.”
“Rakugan and Gyūhi.” Ashido replied.
The invisible girl stood up, “Raku- that was so hard!” Hagakure exclaimed, “They have like, nothing in common! And eating them together just made it impossible to identify one.”
Ashido plucked the blindfold off her head, “Sorry, sorry,” she apologized, “I thought making them different might be easier.”
Hagakure huffed, “It wasn’t!” she stated, “I’m not going easy on you!”
“Good!” Ashido laughed, slipping the blindfold on.
Hagakure stumped her by pairing chocolate chip cookies with the little bear-shaped chocolates. Kirishima and Asui were next. Neither held back, with Kirishima picking two red bean focused desserts, Neri yokan and Botamochi, for Asui, and the punk girl picking two wafer-like treats, Choc Taiyaki and Monaka for the redhead. It only took Asui three guesses to get hers, but after figuring out the Taiyaki, Kirishima got stumped.
When it was Midoriya’s turn to choose for Jirō, he tried to make sure it didn’t taste gross, choosing two cakey desserts, Mushi pan, Imagawayaki. Jirō pursed her lips as she concentrated on the flavors, guessing the Mushi pan correctly, but not the other.
“Damn, I should have got that one.” Jirō said as she passed him the blindfold, “Watch out, I’m going to make yours super difficult now.”
Midoriya grinned, “Okay.” he replied. As he slipped the blindfold on, he realized how weird it felt to not see, when he could still hear everyone around him.
“Open up.” Jirō prompted.
A spoon hit his tongue, and he instinctively closed his mouth. Midoriya decided eating when you couldn’t see or even touch the spoon was really weird, though not as weird as the almost jelly consistency on his tongue. He tried to remember what had been on the cart that could possibly match, especially when there were odd little hard candies mixed in with it.
“Do you have a guess?” Jirō asked.
His hand covered his lips as he tried to speak while it was in his mouth, “It tastes like sugar.” Midoriya stated as clearly as he could.
“Come on, this should be easy,” Jirō said, “They’re totally different consistencies.”
“It’s just wet and hard in my mouth,” Midoriya mumbled, rolling his tongue against the strange shape, “One has to be a raindrop cake. It’s just like a sweet watery gelatin, but the other just tastes like candy.”
“I mean you're not wrong” Jirō commented.
“But you should try to guess the candy!” Ashido shouted from the sidelines.
Midoriya playfully rolled his eyes behind his blindfold. He would have guessed rock candy, but it didn’t seem jagged enough for that. It was oddly shaped and mostly composed of sugar… “Is it Konpeitō?” he finally guessed.
“Yeah!” Jirō answered.
“How did you guess that?!” Uraraka asked.
“I couldn’t think of anything else shaped like that.” Midoriya replied as he pulled the blindfold off. He awkwardly glanced between the group and the camera, “Um, since everyone already went,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “Do you guys want to stop playing and eat?”
Jiro grinned, “Yeah.”
Ashido waved at the camera, “Thanks for watching, bye!” the rest of the room chimed in with their own ‘goodbyes’ as the camera was switched off.
“Yaomomo, I can help you edit it later, if you want.” Jirō offered, tapping her earphone jacks together.
“Thanks Kyoka, I’d appreciate it.” Yaoyorozu replied.
As they all made themselves little plates, Midoriya found that he really liked the cotton cheesecake. It was so soft and fluffy. Satō’s baking skills might have been too good. He quickly found his stomach getting full. Yaoyorozu seemed to be the only one capable of eating more, and that was likely due to her quirk training.
“Okay, the dice have been fun, but we need to do the most quintessential Slumber party game!” Ashido announced, “Truth or Dare!”
Midoriya felt a strange twist in his stomach, almost like butterflies. He’d always wanted to try the game, but from the shows he’d seen, it could get really intense...
“I’ll start!” Uraraka declared, “Kirishima-kun, Truth or dare?”
Kirishima grinned, “Dare!”
Uraraka hummed, looking around the room before her eyes landed on the cart, “I dare you to put a piece of all the desserts in a bowl, mix it up, and try it together!”
“That’ll be so gross.” Jirō remarked.
“How are you going to mix it up?” Asui wondered aloud.
Just as Kirishima had flexed his arm, undoubtedly ready to answer ‘with brute force’ when Yaoyorozu lifted up her shirt to pull an electric mixer out of her stomach, “Will this work?” she asked.
The redhead blinked, after a moment he smiled, “That’ll work really well!” he replied, “Thanks.”
Ashido had the bowl prepared while Kirishima plugged the mixer in. He turned it on medium, watching as everything soon began to turn into a dark chunky paste.
After taking a huge spoonful of the concoction, Kirishima’s face contorted as he choked it down. The room was filled with giggles as they waited for the redhead to say, “It’s not good, but it’s also not the worst thing I’ve tasted. Though gross health drinks are at least good for me.”
“Aww, I was kinda hoping it would weirdly taste good.” Ashido remarked.
“It’s not.” Kirishima replied, “Mina-chan, truth or dare?”
The pink-skinned girl grinned, “ Dare .”
Kirishima grinned, “Okay, I dare you to make a cup of tea out of something that isn’t tea.”
“What? How am I even supposed to do that,” Ashido said looking around the room, her eyes landing on the sunflowers, “Is the flower part edible?” she asked.
Asui looked down at her phone before replying, “They are safe to eat, kero.”
While Kirishima went to get a warm mug of water, Ashido moved on to ask, “Toru-chan, truth or dare?”
The invisible girl hummed, “Truth.” she decided.
“Have you ever followed anyone around when you weren’t supposed to, just for fun?” Ashido questioned.
Hagakure laughed, “Yeah,” she answered honestly, “It helps me train for real stealth missions, and I get all sorts of drama! But, I don’t listen to really personal stuff.”
Kirishima returned with the water, and Ashido’s sunflower was snipped from its stem and tossed into the steaming water to soak.
“Yaoyorozu, truth or dare?” Hakagure asked.
“Dare.” she replied.
The invisible girl clapped her hands together, “Eat the rest of the cheesecake in under two minutes!” she exclaimed, much to the delight of the rest of the room. Midoriya was really curious if she could do it. After all, there was still half a cake left and they’d been eating all night, but she’d also been pushing herself to eat more sweets to help her quirk.
The normally elegant girl cracked her knuckles, digging into the cake as everyone cheered her on.
Just as Yaoyorozu had finished pushing the last piece into her mouth, it was Ashido’s turn to try her ‘tea.’ The pink skinned girl blew into her mug before taking a tentative sip.
“It’s kinda grassy.” Ashido remarked, looking mildly disgusted.
When everyone stopped giggling, Yaoyorozu turned to Jirō, “Kyoka, truth or dare.”
The punk girl seemed to hesitate for a moment before replying, “Truth?”
Yaoyorozu nodded, promptly asking, “I’ve always wondered, how many instruments can you play? I know you have quite a few in your room.”
Jiro’s face flushed a rosy pink as she tapped her headphone jacks together while she stared down at her lap, “Well, I can play a little bit of all those,” she admitted, “But I like guitar and base.”
Before everyone could shower the punk girl in praises, she asked, “Ochaco-chan, truth or dare?”
Uraraka hummed thoughtfully, “If I pick dare, are you going to do a food one too?” she questioned.
“Nope.” Jirō stated.
“Okay, then dare.” Uraraka replied.
“Draw something on your face.” Jirō ordered, tossing the brunette a marker.
Uraraka grabbed a handheld mirror, turning pink cheeks into cute little pigs. The room was filled with an equal mix of ‘awws’ and giggles. When everyone calmed down, Uraraka asked, “Tsu-chan, truth or dare?”
“Truth, kero.” she replied.
“What’s the silliest thing you’ve ever done?” Uraraka questioned.
Asui blushed lightly, rubbing the back of her neck, “Once, I was under the kotatsu, and my phone beeped. I didn’t want to go out and grabbed it, so I used my tongue. But, it had gotten so cold that I accidentally got my phone stuck to my tongue for a minute.”
Uraraka covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh too hard, while the rest of the room fared similarly, “Sorry, that’s just so funny!”
“Looking back on it, it is, kero.” Asui agreed, “Midoriya-chan, truth or dare?”
“I’ll do a dare.” he replied. None of them had been too horrible so far. It seemed fun.
She pressed her finger to her lips, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. After a moment, her gaze met Midoriya’s as she said, “Confess to your crush.”
Midoriya felt his face burning bright red as he started to stammer, his brain was making it really difficult to form a sentence.
The room giggled, shouting encouragement, “Come on!” “You can totally do it!” “We believe in you!”
“B-but” Midoriya stuttered, blush darkening as he rubbed the back of his neck, “I already did…” he mumbled, ducking his head down to hide behind what was left of his curls.
“WHAT!” “Whoa, really?” “Wait, did it go well, or...?”
The questions keep coming at him. He waited for a pause to reply, “Well, we’re dating so…”
There was a sudden burst of shrill screams as Midoriya found himself completely surrounded on all sides.
“Oh my gosh, who?” Ashido asked, “Do we know them?”
Midoriya squeaked, looking between everyone, “Y-yeah, you do.” he replied.
“Wait, don’t tell us, we should guess!” Uraraka exclaimed.
“We all kind of know already anyway.” Jirō commented, “You two are really obvious.”
The room quietly nodded in agreement
Midoriya blanked. They all knew? Kacchan figuring it out was one thing. He was always super observant. And Shouto definitely told Yaoyorozu about the confession, but the others? Did everyone know that he was dating-
“It’s Bakugou-kun, right?”
His brain stopped working for a minute before his face was clearing twisted in confused horror, “What? Kacchan?! Why would you think I was dating Kacchan?”
“Yes, I have to ask the same thing.” Yaoyorozu agreed.
“What do you mean it’s not him?” “But you two are so close!” “He defends you all the time, and he’s super nice to you!” “You’re childhood friends!” “He acts so differently around you, and you have cute nicknames for each other!” “Of course we thought it was Bakugou!”
“I’ve called him Kacchan since we were four! He’s not my boyfriend!” Midoriya found his eyes naturally drawn to the redhead sitting next to him, “And it’s so obvious that Kacchan likes-” he stopped himself before he could let that secret out, slapping his hand over his mouth.
“Wait, Bakugou has a crush on someone!” “And you know who it is?” “SPILL!”
Midoriya hesitated a moment, looking between the excited group, forcing his gaze not to linger on Kirishima, but he did notice the way the redhead seemed to be intensely listening, “I-I didn’t pick truth, and I wouldn’t share someone else’s secret anyway.” he replied. That seemed to quiet everyone down.
“Well, you still need to do a dare.” Jirō remarked.
“Let’s take a picture and send it to your boyfriend.” Hagakure suggested.
“I agree.” Asui stated.
That was how Midoriya found himself sitting on his knees, smiling awkwardly up at his phone while Yaoyorozu took a picture. He wasn’t sure what to do with his hands, so he just went for a peace sign.
Yaoyorozu grinned, “Sent.” she remarked.
There was a sudden knock on the door. Ashido opened it to see Aizawa-sensei, glaring at them all, “It’s curfew, boys out.” he ordered.
He and Kirishima were quick to collect their things, “Thank you for having us!” they said dashing out past the terrifying teacher. Midoriya was sure Aizawa-sensei would have known he was there, since Maijima-sensei would have spoken to him about it. That might have been how he knew to arrive at midnight on the dot.
The two made their way to the elevator, which was thankfully already on the first floor. As they waited for the elevator to rise, Kirishima asked, “Are you staying with Bakugou tonight?”
“Huh? No, Shouto-chan invited me over.” Midoriya replied, “We were talking earlier, and he offered to let me stay, so I wouldn’t break curfew.”
“That’s so manly.” Kirishima remarked, “Todoroki-kun’s such a good bro.”
Midoriya blushed, rubbing the back of his neck, “Boyfriend.”
“What?” Kirishima asked.
“He’s my boyfriend, not Kacchan.” Midoriya clarified, “Ah, it’s still kind of embarrassing to say out loud.” It didn’t feel real.
“Hey, bro, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, you’re both totally cool.” Kirishima assured him, “It was super manly of you to defend Bakugou-kun too, not giving into peer-pressure. I’m sure whatever girl he likes is lucky though.”
It was probably the way Midoriya said “ Girl? ” that gave it away, but he couldn’t help it. In all the time he’d known Kacchan, he’d never seen the ashe blonde consider dating a girl. He barely noticed them, or anyone really.
“Oh! That’s totally cool too. I just thought- Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you tell me anything. That was super unmanly.” Kirishima lamented.
“You didn’t ask for a name or anything.” Midoriya retorted.
The elevator doors opened a second later, and the two stepped out. “Um, goodnight.” Midoriya said as he opened Shouto’s door.
“Night Midori-bro!” Kirishima called.
There were two futons rolled out on the floor a few inches separating them. “Did you have fun, Zu-chan?” Shouto asked, sitting cross-legged on his futon.
“Yeah, I did.” Midoriya replied as the exhaustion began to set in, “Do you mind if I wash my face really quick?” He may have only had eyeliner on, but he was pretty sure he read that people were supposed to take it off before sleeping.
“Of course not.” Shouto replied.
With a little soap and water, he managed to get it all off. When he reentered the room, Midoriya could feel the air conditioning blowing extremely hard. He was standing under a vent, feeling the full brunt of its chill.
“Um, I know we’re not…” Midoriya said, feeling his cheeks burn, “B-but do you think we could maybe,” he bit the inside of his cheek, “Cuddle?” he finished, hoping he wasn’t rushing things.
Shouto’s hair was on fire for a solid two seconds before he put it out with his right hand, “Yes, I think that’d be nice.” the dual wielder replied.
As their futons slotted together, Midoriya laid down next to Shouto. The warm air that radiated off the dual wielder’s left side was like being under a kotatsu. He could barely tell how hard the air conditioning was working. Midoriya found himself gravitating towards it, until they were spooning. His eyes became heavy as they fluttered closed. He briefly registered the light brush of lips against his forehead before he succumbed to sleep.
Notes:
Pajamas! On My Tumblr
Still mind blown this chapter was so wholesome only 1 person commented on the "that's what she said" joke i slipped in here
Chapter 19: Provisional License
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
There was a loud series of bangs and shouts as Midoriya barely blinked awake. It was so comfortable, leaning into Shouto’s cool embrace. As he opened his eyes, he noticed Shouto had shifted to lay on his stomach, so Midoriya wouldn’t overheat and wake up sweaty and uncomfortable. He smiled softly, still clinging to Shouto’s arm like a koala, wondering how he managed to get such a thoughtful boyfriend.
He was pulled out of his thoughts as the banging continued. Midoriya recognized the shouting. Before he could even sit up to rub the sleep from his eyes, the door burst open, the hinges creaking from the force.
“Bros, just give ‘em a minute.” Kirishima said, almost awkwardly as he tried to pull Bakugou back.
“Haaa?” Kacchan turned his gaze to the redhead, “Fucking dumbass needs to wake up already. I’m not gonna be late because this dumb fuck-” he stopped, going silent as he stared at the room’s two occupants.
Midoriya propped himself up on his elbows, the sleep draining from his body as he began to realize how this looked, with their pajamas wrinkled and bedhead mused. Beside him, Shouto moved to sit up, simply blinking at the intruders. After a few moments, Kacchan walked inside, so calmly that Midoriya began to sweat, his chest tightening.
“K-Kacchan!” Midoriya mumbled, watching as Bakugou grabbed Shouto by his shirt, dragging the dual wielder outside.
Midoriya paled, knowing Shouto was about to receive some kind of shovel talk.
“Sorry, bro,” Kirishima said, rubbing the back of his neck. Midoriya couldn’t help but notice he was already dressed for the day, “We were all waiting for Todoroki-kun to get up, and I kind of forgot you were in here until Bakugou-kun started banging on the door.
“Waiting?” Midoriya pulled out his phone, “But we have at least an hour before classes.”
“Yeah, but we all agreed to get some extra training in before our exam.” Kirishima explained, “Since Todoroki-kun’s so strong, almost everyone wanted to spar with him.”
“Wait, the exam’s today?!” Midoriya questioned, wide-eyed.
“Yeah, it’s today bro. Aizawa-sensei said you’re coming to watch right?” Kirishima asked.
“I was so worried about the slumber party, I completely forgot.” Midoriya admitted, mentally kicking himself. He quickly moved to put the futons away, “I have to go get my notes.”
Midoriya darted out of the room, calling the elevator back up. He carded his fingers through his beheaded curls, biting the inside of his cheek as he waited for the ding. Only moments after stepping inside, it began to stop at one of the lower floors. A familiar pair of tired eyes met his gaze before Midoriya noticed the electric blonde draped over Shinsou’s shoulder.
“Nice pjs.” Kaminari remarked.
“Um, thanks?” Midoriya mumbled, unable to tell if the blonde was teasing him or not.
They managed to reach the bottom without any more stops. Before Midoriya could step out, he was met with the terrifying gaze of Aizawa-sensei. The tired looking man opened his mouth, undoubtedly ready to scold him when Shinsou suddenly said, “Like you have room to talk.”
While the homeroom teacher was glaring at the brainwasher, Midoriya made his escape. As he sprinted over to his dorm, he pulled his phone out.
Thank you (o´ᴗ`o)人
(๑ↀᆺↀ๑)✧
No problem
His breathing was ragged as he skidded to a stop, yanking his door open. Midoriya glanced around the room, eyes searching for his notes. He found the haphazardly spread across the edge of his bed. Midoriya flipped through the pages, looking over his old data. In the end, he decided to only take his newest with him. It had everyone’s super moves, and for something like this, he wanted to be sure he had plenty of blank pages.
As he changed into his uniform, Midoriya paused at his tie. Did he bother to try when Shouto was going to fix it for him? The idea of wearing it loose, draped over his shoulders didn’t seem fitting of Yuuei, so Midoriya tried his best, letting his stubby tie sit around his neck.
He glanced at the clock. They still had a little time before the bus was scheduled to leave. The real question would be was he going with 1-A or 1-B? Midoriya felt a little guilty now that he had an obvious preference. But could anyone blame him for wanting to cheer on his boyfriend? Monoma probably would, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him.
While he was leaving Midoriya heard someone call his name. He turned to see Maijima-sensei, “Good to see you awake, Midoriya-san. Are you prepared for today?” he asked.
“Yes!” Midoriya replied, nodding his head sharply, “I’ll be sure to take lots of notes!”
His teacher grinned beneath his helmet, “I’m sure you will.”
Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips. Together, the pair made their way to the buses. The other students were already gathered together, holding their suitcases filled with their hero costumes. Midoriya made his way to Shouto’s side while power loader found the other teachers.
Aizawa-sensei, Vlad-sensei, and Majima-sensei were all huddled together. Midoriya stood between both buses, waiting for the teachers to decide who he would go with when he noticed someone approach him.
“Hey Midoriya-kun, Do you have any advice?” Kendō asked.
After a moment to think about it, he replied, “When you all go to take the exam, I don't think you guys should split up.”
“Why?” Uraraka asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Because everyone already knows what your quirks can do.” Midoriya explained, “You’ll be the only students who have lost that advantage.”
“They already know?” Uraraka mumbled, her face twisted in confusion.
“How would they?” Yanagi questioned.
“I see. The sports festival.” Iida stated suddenly, chopping his hand through the air to illustrate his conclusion. The realization seemed to dawn on the others’ faces.
“Exactly,” Midoriya nodded, “Every school will start thinking about which to target first…”
“Don’t tell me.” Jirō muttered under her breath.
“Is the great 1-A scared-” Monoma began to ask before Kendō chopped him over the head. The blonde fell back into his classmate’s waiting arms.
Midoriya internally winced, but carried on, “You’ve all got targets on you.” he explained, “Sticking together gives you the best chance at winning and making it through whatever challenge they’ve made for you.”
“I think I’ll go on my own.” Shouto remarked, startling Midoriya as he turned towards his boyfriend, wide-eyed as he waited for the dual wielder to continue, “Because of my father, I’ll have more eyes on me than the rest of them.”
“But then you’ll be facing opponents that are specifically targeting you. ” Midoriya stressed.
“Yes, and when I’m a hero, I’ll have villains doing the same.” Shouto stated, “This is something that I must do. Failure isn’t an option.”
He pursed his lips. Midoriya wanted to argue, to keep Shouto safe and with the group, but he couldn’t fault his logic. There would come a day when villains try to take him down. They’ll all know what his quirk is and how to defend against it. Midoriya swallowed. And counter it. “Okay,” he relented, “I trust you, and I’ll be cheering for you.”
Everyone’s heads suddenly turned as the three teachers started to approach them all. “Midoriya-san will be joining our class, understood?” Aizawa-sensei said.
“Yes!” 1-A all but shouted.
Majima-sensei rested his hand on Midoriya’s shoulder, “You’ll be able to look over class 1-B’s footage along with 1-A tomorrow.” he stated.
Midoriya nodded, “I understand!” he replied.
He couldn’t wipe the smile from his lips as he sat next to Shouto on the bus. His fingers intertwined with his boyfriend’s hand. It was a little chilly, but he didn’t mind.
When they arrived at 1-A’s exam site, Takoba National Stadium, Midoriya’s eyes widened. There were so many school’s already here. The competition was going to be fierce. He stayed close to Shouto as they stepped off the bus.
“What if we don’t get our licenses?” Kaminari whispered to Shinsou.
Before the brainwasher could reply, Aizawa-sensei stated, “It's not about whether or not you can. Go and get it! If you can pass this test and get your provisional licenses, you'll hatch into semi-pros. Do your best.” Aizawa said.
As the students began to shout, “Plus Ultra!” Midoriya couldn’t help but notice the extra face in the center of their group. A tall boy cheerfully chanting alongside them. Where had he come from?
“You shouldn't just barge in on other people's huddles, Inasa.” one of his fellow student’s muttered as they gathered in a small group behind him.
“I am…” the student said, pressing his hands to his side, “Very extremely…” he continued as he moved to bow, “Sorry!” he finished, slamming his head into the ground, causing blood to fly out. Midoriya flinched, eyes wide as he stepped back, grabbing onto Shouto’s sleeve.
“Wait, that uniform…” Jiro said
"It's from that famous school in western Japan..."
"Yuuei in the east, Shiketsu in the west..." Kacchan remarked.
“I wanted to try saying it just once! Plus Ultra!” the boy’s enthusiasm was frightening, “I am extremely honored to compete against Yuuei students! I’m looking forward to it.” he added, the blood still dripping down his forehead.
"Oh, blood." one girl commented. "Let's go." another muttered.
“Yoarashi Inasa.”
“Mr. Aizawa, you know him?"
"He's strong. Yoarashi got top scores of those admitted through recommendations." Aizawa-sensei stated.
Midoriya remembered watching the footage from that day. That boy was even faster than Shouto. He chewed the inside of his cheek. Is Yoarashi going to be one of the students targeting Sho-chan? He trusted his boyfriend’s strength. The super moves Shouto had under his belt were on par with pros. But the wind would be a good counter to his fire… Probably not his ice though.
"Even though he says he loves Yuuei, he threw away his chance to enroll. I don't get it." Sero commented.
“Eraser? It’s you, isn't it eraser?” a green haired woman in an orange bandana called, Midoriya instantly recognized the hero, “I’ve seen you on tv and at the sport’s festival. Let’s get married.” she proposed.
Aizawa-sensei replied instantly, “No.”
“No? Good one!” she laughed.
“You’re hard to talk to as usual, Joke.” Aizawa muttered.
“Smile hero: Ms. Joke! Her quirk's outburst! Her fights against villains are full of craziness!” Midoriya gushed.
“You two seem close.” Asui remarked, pressing her finger to her lip.
“Our agencies used to be close to each other!" Ms. Joke explained, "In our cycle of helping and being helped, our mutual love for each other bloomed-"
"No, it didn't." Aizawa-sensei corrected. Midoriya guessed as much. He didn’t think the homeroom teacher was the type to cheat, and he seemed happy with Yamada-sensei. "Joke, since you're here, that means..." Aizawa-sensei trailed off.
"That's right. Come here, everyone! It's Yuuei." she called over her shoulder, "Ketsubutsu Academy second years, Class 2!"
"I'm Shindo! Yuuei this year’s had trouble after trouble, so it must've been tough!" a boy with Midoriya's old hairstyle said, "A heart of fortitude," he added, almost sparkling as he spoke, "Is what I believe all heroes should have from now on!" Shindo stated, extended his hand to Bakugou "Today, I'll do my best while learning from you!" Kacchan smacked it away.
“Stop pretending. What you say doesn't match the look in your eyes.” Bakugou said plainly. Kacchan was always so good at knowing when people were lying.
"Hey man, don't be so rude!" Kirishima scolded. "Sorry, he's just like that."
"It's fine," Shindo said, "It proves how tough his heart is."
Kacchan rolled his eyes while Kirishima seemed to be nodding along.
Midoriya was pulled out of his thoughts as a girl with blonde, almost fin-like hair asked, “Hey Todoroki-kun, can I have your autograph?”
Shouto blinked, “Sure.” he said plainly, taking the girl’s offered notebook. Midoriya felt his chest swell. Shouto already had people asking for his autograph and he hadn’t even gotten his license! He really had the coolest boyfriend.
He wanted to give Shouto a kiss before they had to part, but with so many people around, Midoriya just couldn’t do it. Instead, he squeezed Shouto’s hand, “Good luck. I know you’ll do great.”
With a nod, Sho-chan followed the rest of 1-A into the main building. Every year the test was different, he wondered what they’d be up against. Midoriya sat in front of Aizawa in the stands, Ms. Joke beside him. Midoriya couldn’t help but overhear as she remarked about the disadvantage Yuuei had.
“If you liked your class this year, then you should have told your students what always happens at the beginning," Ms. Joke remarked, as Midoriya pursed his lips, staring intently down at his notebook. He hadn’t realized it was meant to be a secret. Though he was sure some of them would have figured it out on their own. “The crushing of Yuuei.” Ms. Joke commented.
“There wasn't really a reason why I didn't tell them, but in the end, it wouldn't change what they had to do." Aizawa-sensi stated, "They just have to overcome everything. A hero is someone who can turn around a bad situation. In the first place, if they become pros, then everyone will already know their quirks, so I'm sorry, but we look a little further ahead than everyone else.” Aizawa-sensei remarked, and the tea was scalding.
Midoriya tried to refocus on the event in front of him. According to the announcer, examinees must place three targets or "weak points" on their body in any exposed area. The targets would recognize the six balls previously handed out and would register who hit who based on distance, movement and other factors. The targets would light up if they're hit by one of the balls. If all three targets are hit by a ball, that student is eliminated. The competitor that lights up another student's third target is credited with their eliminations. Students must eliminate two other competitors to pass the first phase, and only the first 100 applicants to pass will advance to the final phase.
Midoriya swallowed, only 100 students would make it to the next round? But there were so many here?! How would 1-A make it through to the end? He chewed his bottom lip. He knew how strong they all were, but they would undoubtedly be up against some pretty strong, unknown quirks.
Suddenly, the room where all the participants were opened up to reveal the massive interior of the stadium to the students. It was made up of various different terrains. They only had a minute to spread out and get to their desired area before the first test began.
It was difficult to see from so far away. Midoriya hoped whatever footage was being collected would have a closer look at the action. The central area was a rocky terrain. He could recognize a few costumes from 1-A as the onslaught began. Ms. Joke’s students seemed to be targeting them. Someone out there must have had some sort of quake or vibration quirk, because the rocky terrain broke , separating classes from one another. In the midst of the destruction, Midoriya couldn’t see anyone from 1-A anymore.
Midoriya’s mouth fell agape as the announcer said that Yoarashi Inasa eliminated 120 students by himself. He had passed already?! And took so many kids out with him. His chest tightened. Midoriya really hoped no one from 1-A had gotten caught in the attack…
He narrowed his eyes as he strained to follow all the students. It made him wish he had Hatsume’s zoom quirk.
“If you’re having trouble watching from here, you should go down and talk to the students who’ve already passed.” Aizawa-sensei suggested, “Just make sure you leave before all 100 applicants arrive.”
“Yes, sensei!” Midoriya said, his nerves frazzled. Had he really been so obvious? He noticed Ms. Joke made a strange face, almost as though she hadn’t expected Aizawa-sensei to suggest something like that, but he wasn’t about to argue with the man.
Midoriya cautiously stepped through the back door. His stomach flipped. It felt like he was trespassing, even if he had permission to be here… only the applicants that already passed should be here… Midoriya felt a wave of relief wash over him when he spotted Shouto. He appeared to be approaching Yoarashi, but paused as their eyes met. Sho-chan smiled, walking towards him.
“Did Aizawa-sensei send you down here?” Shouto asked.
“Yeah, after that earthquake quirk separated everyone, it was kinda hard to see, so he told me I could come here and ask you guys directly.” Midoriya explained, “Is anyone else from your class here?”
“Not yet,” Shouto replied, “I’m sure they’ll be here shortly. Until then, do you want to take a seat?” he suggested, leading Midoriya over to one of the couches.
Midoriya felt eyes on them. He snuck a glance around the room. Yoarashi was staring at them, his brow furrowed in confusion. Beside him a blonde girl, Camie, if he was remembering right, waved at them. Midoriya shyly waved back before focusing on Sho-chan again. Though he couldn’t help but wonder why that guy was looking at them. Maybe it was because Midoriya wasn’t an applicant.
“So, how did you make it through?” Midoriya asked, trying to hide his excitement, but he was sure it showed on his face as he opened his notebook to a new page.
“Some school with multicolored ninjas approached me. It was nice since I didn’t have to find my opponents.” Shouto remarked, “One with a quirk that made things bigger. He used bolts and nails to attack me. My ice could block them, but fire couldn’t melt the material they were made out of.” he explained, “Together, they had counters to suppress my flames and used physical attacks on my ice. But I had picked the construction factory for a reason. I knew they would make it as realistic as possible.”
“Wow, that’s so cool.” Midoriya gushed, “Then what happened?”
“After creating a smokescreen, I lit a sign on fire as a decoy and used my ice to penetrate a gas tank.” Shouto stated as plainly as someone would the weather, “When they were in position, I lit the gas on fire, and used my ice to create a wall to shield myself from the blast." he explained. "After they were prone, I used my ice to restrain them and scored the points I needed to come here."
“That’s so smart.” Midoriya commented, “You really used the terrain to your advantage.”
The smile Shouto gave him made his pulse rise as a light blush crept down his neck. “I’m happy I managed to impress you.” Sho-chan remarked.
“You always impress me.” Midoriya replied, blushing at his own admission.
“Oh.” Shouto mumbled, his hair flickering for a moment before it put itself out. “I’m glad.” he said, smiling softly, “You impress me too. Even without a quirk you’re a very strong, smart person.”
“T-Thanks.” Midoriya said, feeling his face turning crimson. He wanted to stay with Shouto, but it wasn’t long before more and more students began to pass. The room was starting to become crowded.
He’d seen Kacchan, Kirishima, Shinsou, and Kaminari enter, but he wasn’t sure who else was here yet. It was hard to tell with everyone bunched up. With only a few spots remaining, Midoriya begrugly stood up. “Aizawa-sensei said I needed to leave before the final applicants passed, so, I should get going.”
“Alright, I’ll see you after the exam,” Shouto replied, “I’m sure you’ll have questions for me.”
Midoriya felt his cheeks warm as he grinned, rubbing the back of his neck, “Yeah, thanks Sho-chan.” he said, “Once you get your license, maybe you can give me your autograph.” he joked.
“Of course.” Shouto replied instantly.
“Ah, you don’t actually have to.” Midoriya added, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’ll see you when you’ve passed.” he mumbled, his words sticking together as he practically ran back to the stands.
How was Shouto so sweet? It was giving him cavities. Midoriya made it back in time to see the building he’d just been in open up as the students were suddenly thrust into a search and rescue environment, where all applicants must help locate and save anyone hurt from a ‘villain attack’ scenario.
Things suddenly got worse as Gang Orca appeared, taking on the role of villain for the exercise. There were multiple ‘goon’ characters behind him causing more damage and destruction. Shouto immediately moved to attack the villain. His quirk had incredible offensive capabilities, and his fire would be able to dry out his Gane Orca’s skin, leaving him vulnerable. It made sense he would want to take down the villain quickly, giving the others time to evacuate.
It seemed like Yoarashi had similar instincts. The boy’s wind knocked Shouto’s fire away. The two seemed to share a look. Midoriya wondered what they were saying. Again, their quirks clashed, but then, Yoarashi seemed to be using his air to feed oxygen into Shouto’s flames, making them bigger as they surrounded Gang Orca.
Midoriya stared in awe. It was a simple plan, but being able to combine quirks with a hero he’d only just met, Shouto was so cool! And it was something he might have to do when he really became a hero. The other students contained the goons and evacuated the civilians while Shouto and Yoarashi kept Gang Orca contained.
As the second exam came to a close, students gathered to see who passed. Most had a few minor cuts and scrapes. Even Shouto had a little cut on his cheek. Midoriya was relieved to see Shouto’s name on the board. Kacchan’s too, though the ashe blonde had just barely made the cut with a 51. He could hear Kaminari teasing him, because all points against Bakugou lost were for his foul language. Midoriya got a glance at his page. There were some notes about how Kacchan was very good at discerning what injuries were most severe and which were minor, while aptly handling the situation. Also that he, despite being a strong fighter, stayed to help the victims, trusting in his classmates to take on the villains.
As they were walking out, Midoriya could barely believe what he was seeing in his hands, “Wow, an official hero license!” Midoriya gushed, “You look so cool.”
“Thank you. You can hold onto it for now, Zu-chan.” Shouto offered, “But, can I see your notebook for a second?”
“Huh? Oh, sure.” Midoriya said, handing over his journal.
Shouto flipped to his own section, pulling out a pen to autograph the page. Midoriya felt his face warm as he flustered, “Ah! Y-You don’t actually have to do that!” he stammered.
When Shouto handed the notes back to him, he couldn’t help but smile at “Dual’s” autograph. His boyfriend was really the best. Out of every autograph he’d collected, this felt the most special. Even more so than All Might’s.
They stopped as the energetic student, Yoarashi appeared. Midoriya jumped, clutching Shouto’s arm as the Shiketsu student slammed his head into the ground as he bowed.
“I'm sorry for thinking poorly of you. I thought you were a cold and callous person, but now I see that you are a true hero." Yoarashi apologized.
Shouto shook his head, “No, I shouldn’t have brushed you off the last time we met. Your opinion of me has helped me see how far I’ve come.” he stated,” When we first met, I was in a darker place, but now I know I can be a hero the way I want to be.” Not like him was left unspoken.
“I believe you have what it takes to be a true hero,” Yoarashi stated, “Let’s work to do our best!” his shouting was certainly enthusiastic, but Midoriya couldn’t help the way it frazzled his nerves. He smiled softly at the energetic display.
The bus ride back was filled with glee as everyone chatted excitedly with one another. Midoriya wrote down bits and pieces of everyone’s stories as he leaned his head against Shouto’s shoulder. It was nice.
Notes:
Some art for this chapter On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter 20: Work Studies Start!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
His pen flew across the paper as Midoriya stared at his computer screen. Monoma seemed to have copied Yanagi’s quirk as the pair used the poltergeist to maneuver their balls through the air, slamming into the targets on their opponents who had jumped into the air. They’d both definitely improved since their final exams.
A knock on his dorm pulled him out of the fight. He paused the footage before getting up. Midoriya stretched his arms above his head as he crossed the room. As he pulled the door open, he couldn’t help but grin as he met Shouto’s gaze. The dual wielder leaned down, pressing a kiss to his lips, pulling away just slightly as his fingers worked to tie the red fabric around Midoriya’s neck.
“Are you ready for the opening ceremony?” Shouto questioned.
“Yeah,” Midoriya replied, taking a step back to grab his backpack, slipping it over his shoulder.
“Then let’s get going.” the peppermint haired boy suggested as he intertwined his fingers with Midoriya’s, “We don’t want to be late.”
The front of the school was crowded as every student joined together to listen to the principal speak. Midoriya’s shoulder brushed against Shouto’s as he waited for whatever announcements the school would be making. There was a buzz of excitement in his chest that outweighed the guilt in his stomach as Nezu stated that the first year students would be beginning "hero work studies" earlier than usual due to the rising villain threat.
Even if it was his fault, this seemed like a good thing. Everyone would get to work under professional heroes and be taken seriously! It had so much more impact than an internship. Now they had licenses and could act without a pro’s direct instruction. Everyone was so advanced with their quirks, he was sure they’d do well. They just needed to find heroes willing to take on students so young. Midoriya pursed his lips. They were going to have to compete with third years for those spots.
“I’m sure everything will work out.”
Midoriya’s face flushed a rosy pink, “Y-Yeah.” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, “Sorry, I didn’t realize I was talking.”
“I enjoy hearing my boyfriend speak his mind.” Shouto replied, a small smile on his lips.
He could feel his face warming, “I don’t know how you can say those things so easily.” Midoriya said, ducking his head. It still made his heart race, but he found that he’d grown used to Shouto’s compliments. Even if the bluntness of the dual wielder's words still flustered him.
“Because they’re true, Zu-chan.” Shouto stated.
A small part of Midoriya wondered if the dual wielder was trying to set him on fire. He nearly let out a sigh of relief when the principal finished his speech, sending them all to class. Everyone’s homeroom teacher was already there, so they didn’t get to walk to class. Sho-chan pouted as soon as he realized. Midoriya fought back the urge to laugh and kiss the look off Shouto’s face. There were too many people around for it.
Hatsume had let him copy her notes from the lectures he’d missed traveling with 1-A. Even so, he felt a little behind as he struggled to copy down the board. It was a welcome relief when they finally made it back to the Development Studio.
The computer screens lit up the moment Midoriya sat down at his station. Before he could slip his headphones on, he heard someone clear their voice behind him. He turned to see Power Loader. “Midoriya-san, I have some news for you.” Maijima-sensei stated, “I’m sure you’re aware of Best Jeanist’s Agency.”
“Of course,” Midoriya replied, “There wasn’t an attack, was there?”
“No, nothing like that,” Maijima-sensei assured him, “This is good news. Best Jeanist has decided to offer you a position as a support hero work studies student. While you’re there, you’ll overlook data collected by Best Jeanist’s agency, begin processing it, and create profiles for heroes and villains,” his teacher explained, “It’ll be a lot of work, but I know you can do it.”
The excitement buzzing under his skin faded as he pursed his lips, “But Iyasu-kun made the healing shot that saved him, and Mei’s jet-baby is what really got me out of there.” Midoriya said, glancing down at his lap. “They should get this opportunity, not me.”
“It’s good that you value your classmates' help, but you shouldn’t let it diminish your own achievements. Best Jeanist was impressed by you. That alone is an incredible feat. You’re allowed to be proud of it.” Maijima-sensei said, “And, if you do well in this position, then Best Jeanist might be willing to take your recommendations.”
Midoriya glanced up at his teacher, his eyes filled with determination, “I’ll do my best.” he promised.
“I know you will.” Maijima-sensei replied.
Before he could turn back to the screens, Midoriya felt something vibrate in his pocket.
Ashido and Hagakure invited me to play games in the 1-A common room after classes end. Would you like to join me?
I’d love to (´∀`)♡
Okay, I’ll tell them I’ll go then.
?
You hadn’t already?
I wanted to spend my time with you, so I wanted to ask first.
♡。゚.(*♡´‿` 人´‿` ♡*)゚♡ °・
That’s so sweet ♥(ノ´∀`)
( ๑ ᴖ ᴈ ᴖ)ᴖ ᴑ ᴖ๑) so are you
ʚ♡⃛ɞLᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁)
(ღˇ◡ˇ)♥ℒᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ♥
He turned his attention to the computer screens, watching as Yaoyorozu outwitted Intelli Saiko, a second year with an IQ quirk. Midoriya had to concede that Intelli had a good plan for countering the 1-A student’s quirks, but she forgot to account for Creati seeing through it. She had crafted ‘the perfect plan’ and without a backup strategy, it cost her the exam.
As the screens shifted over to Bakugou, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Shinsou, Midoriya could only stare at the screen in horror as Kirishima pushed Kacchan out of the way of the ‘meatball’ attack, morphing into a terrifying ball of flesh. What a scary quirk! Midoriya was more than a little relieved that Shishikura Seiji was trying to be a hero and not a villain with something so powerful.
His biggest flaw was underestimating his opponents, though. Seiji immediately replied to Shinsou. While his eyes were grayed over, Kaminari used his new support weapon to accurately zap Seiji without hurting anyone around him. As the kid fainted, Kirishima thankfully reverted back to his normal body. Midoriya couldn’t help but grin fondly as Kacchan scolded him, all while pretending he hadn’t been scared of losing him. The group's celebratory tune took a change when the rest of the ‘meatballs’ also began turning back into rival students. Bakugou, of course, just smirked, immediately switching back into battle mode. The other’s followed his lead.
Shiozaki Ibara and Komori Kinoko both worked to cover a park in vines and mushrooms. While the girls built up walls, Honenuki Juzo used his softening quirk to make quicksand traps, while Kuroiro Shihai took to the shadows, ambushing opponents and scaring them into Juzo’s traps.
As the footage was switching over to the next group, Midoriya heard the final bell ring. By the time he’d packed up his back and reached the door, Shouto was there waiting for him. Midoriya couldn’t wipe the grin from his face as he took the dual wielder’s hand in his own.
1-A’s common room certainly had less mechanical parts lying around. And there weren’t any oil stains on the furniture or walls. Midoriya could’ve sworn he saw the residue from an explosion. One that he guessed was linked to the ashe blonde barking orders at Kaminari and Sero as the two set up the game they were all going to play.
Midoriya took a seat next to Shouto on one of the couches as Mario Kart started up. Kacchan was quick to claim one of the ‘lightweight’ characters, switching to a motorcycle so he’d have optional speed. Bakugou had memorised every short cut. Normally he’d get so far ahead everyone would just end up killing each other behind him. As much as Kacchan liked winning, Midoriya couldn’t help but wonder if he’d have more fun if he got to use the more offensive items too.
It was a ‘king of the hill’ style rotation. The winner stayed in while everyone else had to pass the controller onto another player at the end of each race. Everyone seemed a bit on edge as Kacchan silently claimed victory after victory, never cursing or even acknowledging a blue shell. He almost always had the horn item to negate it, regardless.
The electric blonde seemed determined to change the mood, “So, how long do you guys think it will take before we all get work studies?” Kaminari questioned.
“Todoroki-kun’s probably going to work with his dad again, right, kero?” Asui guessed.
“Probably.” Shouto replied without taking his eyes off the screen. Despite his concentration, Midoriya couldn’t help notice his boyfriend getting lapped again.
“Bakugou’s still got an open invitation to work with Best Jeanist, right?” Kirishima commented, “I bet that would be cool.”
“It would fucking suck.” Kacchan retorted, rolling his eyes.
“Aww, c’mon bro,” Kirishima said, “You’d be working with the number three hero, imagine how much that could help you when you go pro!”
“It could backfire.” Asui remarked, “If Bakugou-kun’s bad attitude gets a lot of press, people might not like him.” she said, seeming almost unaware of the rage emanating off of Kacchan.
Midoriya interjected, “I don’t think that would happen.”
“Yeah, Bakugou can be really chill.” Kirishima agreed, “And he passed his license exam.”
“With a 51.” Sero retorted.
“Just for swearing,” Kirishima argued, “I think he’d do really well at Best Jeanist’s agency. He got popular after his internship.”
“Because people thought he looked hot in jeans.” Ashindo said, smirking as she leaned her weight into the redhead’s side, “I bet you just wanna see him in those jeans again.” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.
While Kirishima tried to defend himself, Shouto didn’t appear to be listening to them at all. The dual wielder simply said, “Zu-chan,” he started as his car fell off the track, “Hatsume was telling me you also got offered a work study for Best Jeanist’s support department.”
“Oh, yeah,” Midoriya mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, “Maijima-sensei said I’ll be making profiles for him and stuff.”
“Wow! I didn’t even know they did that kind of thing for support.” Hagakure remarked.
“It only makes sense that the support students would also be given opportunities to learn how to apply their skills in a work environment.” Iida stated.
Before anyone could ask any more questions, Aizawa-sensei walked into the room, a blank look on his face as he observed them all.
“Uraraka-san, Asui-san, Kirishima-san,” the homeroom teacher called, “You each have heroes interested in taking you on for your work studies.”
The students he’d named were over at his side in an instant. Bakugou even took his eyes off the game so he could see what was going on. It was hard to hear the details, but Kirishima seemed to have run off to go talk to one of his senpai.
After everyone turned back to the game, all eyes couldn’t help but stare at the finish screen. “I placed ninth, but I was ahead of the other players,” Shouto said, tilting his head to the side, “Does that mean I won?” It seemed like he was the only one who hadn’t been eavesdropping.
“Yes! Todoroki has dethroned Bakugou!” Ashido cheered happily.
“Tsk, whatever.” Kacchan grumbled, dropping the controller into Kaminari’s lap, “I’ve beat your asses enough.”
Midoriya was surprised to see Bakugou stay to watch a few more rounds before going back up to his room. Kirishima came back a few minutes later, grinning widely. Though his expression soured slightly when he noticed the blonde missing. “Where’s Blasty?” he asked.
“Probably asleep.” Sero guessed, “He left a little while ago.”
“I’m gonna go see if he’s still up,” Kirishima remarked, “Maybe I can talk him into coming back down.” he added before heading towards the elevator.
He could hear a few of the girls giggling as they all huddled around Yaoyorozu, who was scrolling through her phone. “Midoriya, you should look at these,” Uraraka said, “The video we made is getting semi-popular.”
“Yeah, it’s got a few thousand views.” Setsuna remarked, “I wish I could’ve been there, but I had to help my family.”
‘No problem, you can come to the next one.” Ashido replied.
The guys seemed to ignore them as they spoke, diverting their full attention to the game in front of them. Or almost all. Shouto seemed far more interested in what Midoriya was doing than the game. The green-haired boy leaned over to look at the screen.
“Even though none of us are popular yet, there are a ton of really nice comments.” Uraraka remarked.
“And the other half are ‘that’s what she said’ jokes about Midoriya-kun’s turn.” Jiro said, resting her chin in the palm of her hand as she leaned her elbow against the arm of the couch.
“B-but that’s not what I meant at all!” Midoriya stammered, feeling a blush crawl down his neck.
“We know, we know,” Uraraka assured him, “I think they’re just teasing comments, look, this one ends with ‘he’s so cute but i had to make the joke uwu’ ”
“You are very cute.” Shouto agreed.
Midoriya was sure his face was beet red, “I think I should go work on my homework.” he mumbled as he started to stand up.
“You left your phone charger in my room.” Shouto remarked, “You should grab it before you go.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Midoriya said, taking the dual wielder’s offered room key. He hurried into the elevator, breathing out a sigh as he leaned against the side. Just as he’d begun to calm down, the door opened just in time for him to see Bakugou grab Kirishima by the shirt and pull him into a kiss. Midoriya’s eyes widened as he immediately hit the ‘close doors’ button, taking him back down to the first floor.
“Did you find it?” Shouto asked, tilting his head to the side.
“No, can you bring it over tomorrow?” Midoriya stammered, feeling a bit dizzy as he gave the dual wielder his key back.
“Of course.” Sho-chan replied.
Notes:
The art for this chapter On My Twitter or the same thing but On My Tumblr
Chapter 21: Permission Slip for Fighting Crime
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Maijima-sensei sighed as he erased the board which read “--- number of days since the last fire.”
The flames dwindled as Hatsume activated her extinguisher-baby. When he was sure his class had everything under control, Midoriya turned back to his monitors, which thankfully lacked the scorch marks the walls now bore. 1-A had gotten a chance to spar with ‘the Big Three,’ Togata Mirio, Hado Nejire, and Amajiki Tamaki.
Amajiki-senpai had a really powerful quirk, manifest, where he could meld his body with things that he’d eaten. It didn’t seem like he was going to participate in the sparring session though, since he just walked up to a wall and pressed his face against it. Hado-senpai’s wave motion quirk turned her vital energy into spiral wave attacks. He’d seen a few from footage from previous sports festivals. It was really powerful, but the spirals made it kind of slow. She was still standing on the sidelines too. Midoriya furrowed his brow. Were they only facing one of the big three?
Togata-senpai stood, grinning as he rested his hands on his hips. His records had recently changed. Originally his quirk was just permeation, which let him move between walls or objects, but now, when he returned to his physical state after being intangible, he also received super strength. Or at least that was how they explained it on his form. Midoriya wondered if his senpai would be able to channel that strength without needing to go intangible first.
His grip tightened around his pen as the sparring match began. Togata-senpai vanished, slipping into the ground. He went for the long distance fighters first. It was so efficient! In a few quick strikes, they were taken down. Now, Midoriya could see why everyone said that Togata-senpai was set to be a future ‘no. 1 hero!’
As the fight carried on, Midoriya winced as Sho-chan got kneed in the stomach before his fire could leave his fingers. There was some ice left of Togata-senpai’s arm, but he just phased out of it as he fell back through the ground. When the upperclassman went after Kacchan, the ashe blonde used his explosion to whip around. Togata-senpai leaned back, Bakugou’s fist ghosting over his face. Their senpai moved to return the attack, but Kacchan was already dodging it, except that Togata-senpai had punched so hard that a gust of wind came off it, blowing the sweat off Kacchan’s palm, and the ashe blonde into a wall. It was like when All Might punched himself backwards in Bakugou and Kirishima’s final exam! He had no idea Togata-senpai was so strong.
He wanted to slow the footage down to really see how Togata-senpai was fighting, but… Midoriya’s face flushed. He knew it was because of his quirk, but did the upperclassman have to fight naked? His hero costume worked with his quirk. Had no one thought to make his P.E. uniform out of the same material?!
His hands covered his face as he peeked through his fingers, feeling his face heat up. Midoriya pursed his lips as he struggled to keep watching before burying his head in his arms. He couldn’t do it. The green-haired boy looked like an overripe tomato as he shut his screens off.
As he pulled his headphones off, he heard a cough behind him. Midoirya turned to see his homeroom teacher holding a folder filled with papers.
“If you’re taking a break from your notes, I think now would be a good time to start filling out the paperwork for your work studies.” Maijima-sensei stated, “It should only take a few minutes.”
“Yes, sensei!” Midoriya replied.
The keyboard was moved back to make room for the papers. Midoriya gripped his pen as he began reading through the pages. Most simply asked for his name and date. He’d also need a signature from his teacher and his mom. That part was already filled in. When had she signed it? Did Maijima-sensei visit his house again?
“I noticed Aizawa-sensei had a form filled out on his desk for the Best Jeanist agency.” Maijima-sensei commented as Midoriya reached the final page, “Bakugou-san will be going as well, though I believe you’ll be in different sections.”
Midoriya blinked, “He decided to go?” he mumbled.
“Was he planning not to?” Majima-sensei asked, “Most students would jump at the chance to work under the number three hero.”
“Ah, well, Kacchan likes fighting, and he didn’t really do that on his internship, since their patrols didn’t have any villain attacks,” Midoriya explained, “So I thought he might try and get a work study under someone who would send him on more missions.”
“I see.” Maijima-sensei said, a smile on his lips, “Then I believe he has a lot to learn from this work study.”
“Yeah.” Midoriya agreed.
While he was writing in the last section, asking for the date, the bell began to ring. His teacher took the papers back, neatly slipping them into the folder, “Thank you, Midoriya-san. I’ll let you know when everything has been processed.”
“Thank you, sensei!” Midoriya said, bowing his head.
His teacher chuckled, “I know you’ll do well, Midoriya-san,” he remarked, “Be sure to pack up your things. You wouldn’t want to forget anything.”
Midoriya nodded sharply, before grabbing his notes. He shoved them in his bag. The straps were slipped around his shoulders as he walked towards the door. Sho-chan was just turning the corner, his lips curling into a small smile as their eyes met. Midoriya couldn’t help the grin on his own face as he moved to sidle up beside the peppermint haired boy.
“Are you ready to study?” Midoriya asked.
“Yeah,” Shouto said, taking his boyfriend’s hand in his own, “Your room, or mine?”
“I-Is it alright if we go to mine?” he asked, “N-Not that yours isn’t nice. I just thought we could lay on my bed, and you only have a futon.”
“Of course, Zu-chan,” Shouto said, pressing a kiss to his forehead, “And you don’t have to explain yourself. You can ask me for things without having to justify them all.”
His face flushed, “Okay,” he said softly, “Then, can I have another kiss?”
Shouto’s hair flickered for a moment before he pressed his lips against Midoriya’s, just for a chaste moment.
“Thanks.” Midoriya said, before tugging Shouto down the hall.
By the time they had made it to his room, most of the other support students were working around the tables in the common room. Hatsume was covered in grease and grime as she worked on her spotless, new baby. Midoriya smiled, quietly moving past them, though with the drills and hammers, he probably could have shouted and had no one hear him.
It only took him a moment to unlock his door. After that, the two pulled out their books. Midoriya laid on his stomach, feeling the softness of his limited edition blanket on his skin, with his notes spread around him. Shouto sat on the floor, leaning his head against the foot of Midoriya’s bed. They both enjoyed the peaceful silence, Midoriya reviewing Support guidelines for his upcoming quiz, while Sho-chan looked over his Hero notes. Shinsou had apparently dropped a hint that Aizawa-sensei was going to have a pop quiz soon. Midoriya couldn’t help but wonder if the homeroom teacher was still mentoring Shinsou after his internship had ended. He wanted to ask, but would it seem rude? It had been a while since they last worked on his quirk training. Maybe he’d be interested.
“I don’t think he’d mind you asking.” Shouto remarked, causing Midoriya to blush.
“Sorry, was I muttering again?” he asked.
“Yes, but please don’t apologize,” the dual wielder replied, “I like listening to you talk out your thoughts. And as for Shinsou, I think he’s been working on a few special moves that you two can go over. And maybe you could observe Kaminari’s quirk as well.”
“You think he’d let me?” Midoriya said, leaning over the bed to meet Shouto’s gaze.
Shouto nodded, “I think he’d appreciate your advice.” he stated, “And I believe he’s openly wondered what sort of funny stories you have about Bakugou-kun.”
“Funny?” Midoriya mumbled, before pausing to think it over, “Like when he accidentally blew up his parents washing machine when we were younger?”
The dual wielder blinked, tilting his head to the side, “How?” he asked.
“His clothes got covered in his sweat, and it doesn’t take much to make it explode.” Midoriya explained, “I think he has a special detergent for it now. He’s really careful about what his sweat gets on. That’s why he normally just pops it off. That way the residue doesn’t get left behind.”
“I thought that was just for intimidation.” Shouto remarked.
“Well, that’s probably part of it.” Midoriya admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, “But I don’t think anyone in your class is scared of him.”
“No, they’re not.” Shouto agreed.
Midoriya glanced at his half finished-math homework. He reached out to grab his worksheet, mumbling calculations under his breath as he worked to finish it. Shouto turned his attention to his Heroics textbook. His mind felt numb when the green-haired boy finished his last problem. Midoriya let out a little sigh as he moved to lay flat on his stomach with his chin resting on his arms.
“Hey, Zu-chan,” Shouto said without looking up from his book, “You know Togata-senpai?”
“The one from the big three?” Midoriya questioned, “I’m still making notes on him…” he said, feeling a blush creep up his neck, “I wish more of the footage of him was in his hero costume. It’s kinda weird watching him fight naked. Like I should be looking away when I’m trying to study him.”
“I believe he’s All Might’s secret love child.” Shouto stated plainly.
Midoriya blinked rapidly, “W-What?!” he exclaimed, propping himself up on his arms, “Why would you think that?”
“Togata-senpai’s quirks, he has permeation and strength enhancement. The way he moves so quickly, how powerful his attacks are, and he’s always smiling. It’s like All Might.”
He paused for a moment, resting his chin against his fist, “They do look kind of similar…” Midoriya admitted, pursing his lips, “He might not have publicly announced his relationship to keep his child out of the gossip magazines or to protect them from being targeted by villains, like All For One.”
“Exactly.” Shouto agreed, “I knew you’d understand.”
Midoriya rested his chin in the palm of his hand, “You know, that actually would make a lot of things clearer.” he mumbled.
“What do you mean, Zu-chan?” the dual wielder asked.
“Well, Togata-senpai’s quirk was recently changed to include strength enhancement.” Midoriya remarked.
“That’s normal. Sometimes people need to update their quirks because they misunderstood how they worked, or they just hadn’t fully developed it yet.” Shouto commented.
“Yeah, but it’s just that during their fight, I thought I heard All For One say All Might was getting weaker, and in his final victory speech, All Might said “ You’re next!” So what if that wasn’t just meant to put fear in the hearts of villains and inspire new heroes? What if that was actually a message for one specific person?” Midoriya stated.
“His illegitimate son.” Shouto supplied.
“Yeah! Togata-senpai seemed to have fully developed his quirk, permeation. Then when I was making my notes, I got to look at his records. Togata-senpai didn’t have the strength enhancement quirk registered until after All Might became a teacher here. And we know that All For One could give and take away quirks.” Midoriya said, turning to meet Shouto’s gaze, “What if All Might’s quirk worked like that? And he had passed it on to his son? That’s why he can’t hold his form anymore!”
Sho-chan stared at him for a moment before uttering, “Zu-chan, you’re so incredibly brilliant.”
The dual wielder’s lips were on his a moment later. Midoriya grinned into the kiss, letting his eyes flutter closed. Shouto’s hands ghosted over his skin, roaming his back as they drifted lower with each passing moment. His face flushed as Shouto grabbed his ass, squeezing it gently.
His tongue pushed against Shouto’s as the kiss grew heated. Midoriya winced. He was hit with a rush of numbing pain, almost as though he’d taken a sip of near-boiling tea.
In an instant, Shouto had pulled away, “Are you alright?” the dual wielder questioned, his eyes wide with worry.
“I’m fine, promise.” Midoriya assured him, “But what was that?”
Shouto’s face blushed lightly, “I’m sorry, I got too excited,” he stated, “I lost control. ”
Midoriya reached for his notebook, turning to a fresh page, “You normally have a really precise control over it.” he remarked, “I wonder if I experienced both a burn and frostburn.” he mused.
The dual wielder was pouting, “Do you need to see Recovery Girl?” he questioned.
“What? No, it’s barely anything.” Midoriya stated, a smile on his lips, “But you know, I can help you with quirk training. ” he offered.
Shouto swallowed, his hair flickering for a moment before he simply nodded his head.
Midoriya shifted to straddle Shouto’s lap, draping his arms around the dual wielder’s neck, “Okay, where would you like to begin Sho-chan?” he questioned, a rosy flush covering his cheeks.
“This is very bold.”
He blinked before his face turned crimson, “I meant more kissing and stuff!” Midoriya stated.
“Oh,” Shouto said, a small smile on his lips, “Let’s do that.”
Notes:
chapter art On My Tumblr
Chapter 22: Unbe-weave-able
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya pursed his lips, tugging at the edge of his denim jacket sleeve. His ‘work uniform’ clung tightly to his thighs. He wasn’t sure how skinny jeans would improve his output, but everyone here seemed to wear them. Even Kacchan, though the ashe blonde’s brow was pinched, his eye twitching as he zoned out, an aura of thinly suppressed rage emanating off him. Midoriya was sure Kacchan’s gelled and combed hair was bothering him more than the jeans.
The Fiber Hero stood before then, nodding approvingly at their attire. “Bakugou-san, wait here a moment while I take Midoriya-san to the support floor.” Best Jeanist instructed, as he smoothed out his bangs.
Kacchan replied gruffly, “Yeah, alright.”
Best Jeanist began walking towards the elevator. Midoriya glanced between him and Bakugou, receiving a nasty glare from the blonde that said ‘go, idiot’ without Kacchan having to say a word. Midoriya flustered, hurrying after the number 3 hero.
As the doors shut, Best Jeanist pressed one of the buttons. They began to descend slowly. Midoriya felt a buzz of excitement in his chest. He tried his best to hold it in.
“Something on your mind?”
He nearly jumped, squeaking in surprise. “Um…” he began, rubbing the back of his neck, “I know why you wanted to work with Kacchan, but why me?” Midoriya asked.
“Your work speaks for itself.” Best Jeanist replied, “I meant what I said before. You have the heart of a hero.” he stated cooly, “Bakugou on the other hand. There’s a stubbornness woven into the very fabric of his being,” the Fiber Hero said, resting one hand on his hip, “I was surprised he agreed to work under me again. I won’t fail him this time.”
“Fail?” Midoriya mumbled, furrowing his brow, “You never failed him.”
“A teacher is responsible for ensuring their students learn what they need to.” Best Jeanist said, “As his mentor, it is my responsibility to fix his image and get him working towards the path of becoming a hero. His attitude nearly cost him his provisional licence. That was my failing. I will ensure that he keeps in line as straight as his jeans.”
Those jeans are the only thing straight about him, Midoriya mused. The elevator dinged as the doors slid open. His mouth fell agape as he looked at the huge screens lining the walls. There were multiple work tables where support heroes were testing out their gear, with only a few explosions peppering the atmosphere. They passed a few protective glass walls until they reached a small nook, where a worktable was set up with a thin, blue laptop resting there. It had a belt emblem.
“This is yours,” Best Jeanist said, sliding a laptop over to him, “You can input your hero and villain profiles here. It’s encrypted, so you won’t have to worry about someone stealing your data. The password is Bootcut03, but you are free to change it to whatever you’d like.” he stated.
“M-Mine? I can’t take this!” Midoriya said, glancing between the electronic and the pro.
“It’s customary for support staff to have their own laptop. You will have access to my office’s data network at all times, so you can work on your profiles here and off site.” Best Jeanist explained, “It’s yours.”
His nails dug into the palms of his fists, “I’ll do my best!” he promised, bowing his head.
“I trust that you will.” Best Jeanist remarked.
As the Fiber Hero departed, Midoriya took his seat, opening the laptop. It already had his school photo as the user. He typed in the password, and it loaded in an instant. The processor was incredible! Files were pre-loaded onto the device, giving him access to names, dates, and known locations of heroes and villains alike. Each profile was set up with ample space for his additions. All of it came alongside footage of their fights.
With stars in his eyes, he opened the first folder, clicking the most recent video. It wasn’t sorted by alphabetical order, but rather, those currently active in the area came first. Every detail of the users quirk and fighting style were dissected and analysed. For heroes, he’d offer suggestions to counter weak points or openings they’d left in battle, while Midoriya would be sure to point out how best to exploit a villain’s quirk, and what quirks would work best or worst against them.
Bubble girl, a pro hero who worked at Sir Nighteye's hero office as a sidekick along with the hero Centipeder. Midoriya had to applaud the ingenuity of her quirk, throwing the bubbles she made into the eyes of her enemies, taking them down in combat while they were prone from the soapy sting. He smiled when he saw Togata-senpai appear alongside her, taking out a villain before they could activate their quirk. His work study had appeared on his school file. Midoriya wondered what it was like working with a former sidekick to All Might. He lightly shook his head, focusing back on his data.
He’d worked himself into a rhythm, barely noticing how the time had passed until his phone vibrated in his denim pocket. As he pulled it out he felt his stomach rumble.
How’s your work study going?
Good!
(♡°▽°♡)
I’m glad. Though I knew you’d do well, because you’re so incredible. (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
Asdfghjkl Sho-chan!
You’re too much sometimes (o^ ^o)
I only speak the truth, Zu-chan
(/^-^(^ ^*)/ ♡
Oh yeah?
Well,
You’re really incredible too
❤ (ɔˆз(ˆ⌣ˆc)
Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→
Love you Sho-chan ( ´ ▽ ` ).。o♡
Love you Zu-chan (*˘︶˘*).。.:*♡ Before he could put his phone away, he noticed a notification on his phone. The headline read, “Teachers Fired for Quirk/Quirkless Discrimination at Middle School->” He’d clicked the link before he could think about it. He recognized the faces of his old teachers, their profiles paired with social media posts honoring those with amazing quirks while either pitying(the lesser offense) those quirkless, or (the far greater offense) openly and blatantly saying those without a quirk have no place in society and should die out so the next generation of humanity will live on and prosper. His stomach flipped as he lost his appetite. There was something else, as he looked at those credited in the article. A few heroes were linked for exposing these teachers and the school for being complicite in student-quirk discrimination. Three out of the four worked for Ingenium agency. He pulled out his phone. |
Thank you You’re welcome, Midoriya. He stared down at his screen, biting his lower lip. Thank you didn’t feel like enough, but what else could he say. Midoriya pursed his lips. You can call me Izuku Regret filled him instantly as he hit send instead of his backspace. That was too intimate. They hadn’t spoken that much and now he’d be making things awkward- He paused, feeling his shoulders slip, as he read the reply. Alright, then please refer to me as Tenya. |
Midoriya pocketed his phone as his chest tightened, face uncomfortably warm as a small, genuine smile tugged at his lips. He’d almost forgotten he told Iida- Tenya all of those embarrassing things from middle school. Looking back, any teacher who let another student threaten someone, probably didn’t deserve to be a teacher. He couldn’t be bothered feeling guilty that they had lost their jobs.
With the idea of ‘lunch’ long forgotten, he shook his head, focusing back on his laptop screen. His fingers tapped against the keys as he doubled his efforts to take in every detail of the battles, finding all the angles. His muttering matched the echoed shots of weapons and bursts from bombs that filled the floor. He’d made quite a dent in the profiles when he heard a familiar ‘tch’ from over his shoulder.
“You’re gonna need fucking glasses if you don’t stop staring at your screen so hard.”
He blinked, suddenly feeling the irritation in his eyes. He rubbed them as he turned to see the ashe blonde, glaring at him with narrowed eyes and his hands on his hips. Midoriya smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Sorry, I’ll be more responsible next time.” Midoriya promised.
“Tch, fucking better.” Kacchan muttered under his breath, lightly rolling his eyes, but Midoriya knew it was just for show, “Let’s just fucking go. We’re not missing our damn train.”
“Yeah!” Midoriya said, closing his laptop before tucking it under his arm, “Sorry for making you wait.”
“I just finished.” Bakugou said, crossing his arms over his chest, “Hurry the fuck up before you actually make us late.”
“Sorry, I’m coming, I’m coming!” he said as he got to his feet.
He waved goodbye to the receptionist as they exited the building, heading out onto the streets. Midoriya couldn’t help but notice that while Kacchan had changed back into his casual clothes, costume tucked away in his briefcase, the ashe blonde was still wearing the jeans. He was sure a certain redhead had something to do with it.
The train arrived just moments after they got there. It was empty enough for the duo to grab seats next to each other. They sat in silence, but it lacked the tension it would have held no less than a year ago. Midoriya smiled to himself, a warmth blossoming in his chest. It was nice.
As they stepped off the train platform, Midoriya asked, “Kirishima’s working with Fat Gum, right?”
“Of course he is.” Bakugou said, quirking his brow, “Why do you fucking care?”
“Well, he seemed really excited about it.” he commented, ‘ and loud’ Midoriya left out. He really admired Kirishima’s energy, but sometimes it was a little overwhelming.
“The fuck is that? He can’t be happy to go?” Kacchan asked, like he could read his mind. If his quirk weren’t so obvious, Midoriya would have guessed Bakugou had some sort of lie detector quirk.
“O-Of course not! It only makes sense that he’d react that way.” Midoriya said, holding his hands up at chest-level.
“Tch,” Bakugou huffed, rolling his eyes as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his crisp, blue jeans, “At least my boyfriend’s not fucking stupid.”
Midoriya’s mouth fell agape for a moment as he tried to recover, “Sho-chan’s not stupid!” he defended.
“Zuku,” Kacchan began, giving him a flat look, “Sero asked him for some ice while holding out a fucking cup, and he made one of those fucking glaciers in the middle of the damn common room kitchen and had the fucking audacity to ask ‘is this enough?’ He’s a dumbass.” the ashe blonde retorted.
“That’s just the difference between wisdom and intelligence.” Midoriya mumbled under his breath, “He’s not always like that.”
“Whatever you have to tell yourself to keep getting in his pants.” Bakugou remarked with a roll of his eyes.
Midoriya felt his face flush crimson, “Kacchan!” he whined, “Don’t say things like that!”
Bakugou snickered, smothering his laughter with his hand. Midoriya pouted, narrowing his eyes at the ashe blonde.
“Are you jealous I’m beating you at something?” he quipped.
Kacchan stopped, face twisting into a scowl, “What the fuck did you just say?” he asked.
Midoriya swallowed, taking a moment to question his life choices, “Sho-chan and I have been dating longer. It only makes sense that we’ve done more-”
“Fuck you, you’re not beating me at shit.” Kacchan huffed, his hair exploding back to normal, “Icyhot loses his quirk when fucking looks at your ass. He couldn’t fuck you without leaving some fucking marks. And you didn’t have any time to go to recovery girl, so you haven’t beat me at shit. I’ll fuck before you do.”
“You shouldn’t do that though!” Midoriya said.
“What the fuck are you saying now, Zuku?” Bakugou questioned harshly.
“N-no that’s not what I mean,” Midoriya said, feeling himself fluster, “I mean, what if he doesn’t want to? People like taking things slow!”
“I wouldn’t fucking fuck if he didn’t fucking want to. I’m not fucking evil.” Kacchan retorted, narrowing his eyes at the green-haired boy, “I’ll make him want to fuck me, ” he stated, “And then you’re gonna fucking lose.”
“Kacchan please reconsider.” Midoriya pleaded.
“No, fuck you.”
He didn’t get a chance to retort as the ashe blonde disappeared inside 1-A’s dorms. Midoriya pursed his lips as he pulled his phone out
I’m sorry
(╯︵╰)
???
Bro?
You’ll know
(*´ー)ノ(ノд`)
???
What does that mean???
Nevermind, he’s at the door
“Lost?”
“Wh-” Midoriya said, turning towards the voice when he suddenly felt his eyes glaze over as the world turned gray. When he blinked back to reality, he found himself sunken into a bean bag, surrounded by mewling kittens.
“Laptop’s on your bed. Took you because you looked stressed.” Shinsou stated.
“Cats fix that, dude.” Kaminari added.
He looked down at the Socks, who was purring against his side. In the palm of his hand was a little ball of fur that stared at him with its mix-matched eyes. He felt a tug on his heartstrings as he pet its fluffy head.
“Thanks.”
Notes:
chapter art On My Twitter or the same thing On My Tumblr
Chapter 23: A Shot in the Dark
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
A paw kneaded into his chest. Midoriya grinned down at the snowy ball of fluff as little claws dug into his denim jacket. He finished taking the bottle out of the microwave, testing the temperature of the milk on his wrist. The mewling grew louder as the impatient little cat pawed at him.
Socks was laying in Hitoshi’s lap, taking a well deserved nap as the kittens were focused on the few students gathered in the 1-A common room. As Midoriya let Cloud drink from their bottle, he glanced to his left. He bit his lip to hold back a laugh as Tenya fed one of the kittens. The tall boy had such a serious look on his face as he carried out his task while one of the other kittens sat on his shoulder, swiping at his glasses.
The electric blonde leaned back against Hitoshi. “You’re really good at this Class Prez.” Kaminari remarked as he fed his own kitten with brown and white fur.
“It’s a hero’s duty to help those in need, no matter the task.” Tenya replied, just as his glasses were knocked askew on his face.
Midoriya set his empty bottle down as he reached over to fix them, “I’m sure Socks appreciates it.” he remarked.
“She will when she wakes up.” Hitoshi agreed.
The elevator dinged. Shouto walked out with Midoriya’s custom laptop bag slung over his shoulder. Yaoyorozu had made it just for him, with its dual, peppermint colors. It was his new favorite bag. The best part was the black ink scribbled over the side, where Shouto had autographed it for him. The laptop Best Jeanist had given him was slotted inside.
“Are we still going to the cafe or did you want to stay here?” Shouto asked, tilting his head to the side.
Midoriya blinked, “It’s noon already?!” he exclaimed, wincing as the startled kitten dug its claws into his hand, “I completely lost track of time!”
“It’s fine,” Hitoshi commented, “You still have work to do for your internship, right?”
“Yeah.” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck while Cloud moved into his lap, playing with the hem of his shirt.
“While it’s important to help those in need, you shouldn’t let your work slip,” Tenya stated, “We’ll take care of the kittens for Socks while you finish what you need to do for your work study.
“Yeah, dude,” Kaminari said, shooting him finger guns, “We’ll take care of the little guys.”
“I know, but—”
“Izuku, just go,” Hitoshi said, “The kittens will still be here when you get back. I’m sure Todoroki wants to play with them too.”
Shouto nodded, “They are very cute.”
“Okay,” Midoriya agreed, gently moving Cloud off his lap, “I’ll help feed them again later today!” he promised.
He managed to get his bag from Shouto, though his boyfriend pouted at him. Midoriya chuckled, intertwining their hands together tugging the dual wielder towards the door.
A flyer for a new All Might themed cafe stuck out of Shouto’s pocket as they waited by the train station. It was meant to commemorate all of the former number one heroes greatest rescues. Midoriya’s stomach flipped as he wondered if his would be included. At the very least, All Might’s final fight against All for One had to be.
When it arrived, the pair found that there were numerous empty seats. Midoriya grinned as he sat next to Shouto, holding his bag in his lap. He glanced around the train, noticing a few other passengers looking their way. Some middle schoolers were not-so-subtly holding out their phones while the older people wore the ‘approving smile’ that normally was followed by some comment about ‘ah, young love.’ Midoriya felt his face warm. Shouto squeezed his hand, pulling the green-haired boy’s attention towards him.
He didn’t need to wait for his boyfriend to ask. “I’m fine.” Midoriya replied.
As the train reached their stop, the two stepped onto the platform, their hands still interlinked.
“How many hero profiles do you have left to work on?” Shouto asked.
“Actually, I’ve been looking over a lot of villain profiles lately. Ever since All Might retired, more and more of them are becoming active.” Midoriya stated, “Getting accurate dating on their quirks should help heroes take them down safely while minimizing damages.”
The dual wielder nodded his head, “Until that man is able to take the mantle of number one, it will likely grow worse before it gets better.”
“Yeah,” Midoriya agreed, letting out a small sigh, “I feel bad for how hard all of the heroes are working.”
“It’s their job.”
Midoriya pursed his lips, “I know, but—”
“No buts,” Shouto retorted, “Everyone knows hero work is dangerous. If All Might hadn’t saved you, he’d have been saving someone else.”
Pink hair came to mind. Midoriya internally shuddered. He didn’t know how Mei would have reacted. Would she have complied while she awaited her rescue? Or would she have refused immediately? The image of his phone disintegrating flashed in his head, just before Shigaraki reached for Tsu—
“They have omelet rice, crepes, pancakes,”
His breathing began to even out as he focused on Shouto’s voice.
“Are you back with me?”
Midoriya nodded, “Y-yeah, sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” Shouto stated firmly, leaving no room for argument.
“Okay,” he replied, a small smile on his lips, “I think I saw a picture of the omelet rice where they drew All Might on it with ketchup. It looked really—”
He blinked as something bumped into his leg. There was a child on the ground. Bandages covered her arms. Her long, off-white hair fell around her face. Midoriya instinctively knelt down to check on her. The girl suddenly burst into his arms, tiny fists grabbing onto his shirt. He furrowed his brow as he wrapped his arms around her. Before he could even think of something to say, a stranger's voice caught his ear.
Midoriya froze as he recognized the man behind the birdlike plague mask. The child’s grip tightened on his shirt sleeves. Whatever the villain was saying didn’t reach Midoriya’s ears. “Sho-” the words had barely left Izuku’s lips as a huge glacier appeared between them.
“Run.” Shouto instructed.
As he turned to run, the ice began to shift before the entire glacier moved, jutting out wildly to stab them. A flash of flame turned into a huge wave as Shouto melted the ice. Midoriya grit his teeth as his feet continued to move. He hugged the girl closer to his chest as he sprinted down the street.
Quirk: overhaul, the ability to disassemble anything touched, as well as reassemble it in any configuration desired. Midoriya felt his chest tighten. Fire, Shouto had fire, the villain can’t touch fire. The ground shook. The villain could still change the terrain. Midoriya’s pulse was thrumming in his ears. As long as Shouto wasn’t attacking with ice, he would still be able to use it to move around and evade them long enough to tire the villain out or weaken them with his fire until they surrendered. But Shouto hadn’t even officially debuted yet. Was he ready for this?!
Midoriya chanced a glance over his shoulder. The street looked jagged as pointed pillars jutted out of the ground. Ice mixed with them as Shouto moved back. A flash of yellow and red caught his eye as crackles of yellow lightning sparked around the grinning hero. Lemillion! With his quirk, it didn’t matter how the terrain changed, because he could move through it! And if he was fast enough, he could land a hit before overhaul activated and turn permeation back on so the villain couldn’t touch him!
His breathing grew heavy as he glanced around. How was he supposed to know where the police station was or the hospital? His eyes widened as he noticed another man in a grey hoodie frantically looking around an alleyway. As their eyes met, it was like time had slowed down. The sunlight glinted off the metal barrel as the gun was pulled from his pocket. He turned, shielding the child as pain flooded his back. The bang echoed through the street. Distantly, he was sure he heard Shouto calling after him.
He stumbled forward. “No!” the girl cried, “I’ll go back! I’ll go back, just stop!”
But even as the girl tried to push back against him, Midoriya hugged her closer, “Everything’s going to be fine. I’m definitely going to save you!”
His feet were moving as determination blinded him to the pain building up just below his shoulder. Midoriya grit his teeth, eyes scanning for a tall white building. A hospital had to be nearby. There was usually one every— His eyes locked onto the sign directing patients in. He nearly tripped over himself as he pushed through the glass doors.
Words, something was being said to him but it wasn’t getting through. As the adrenaline left his body Midoriya was starting to see spots. A nurse took the girl from his arms, and everything went black.
Harsh, artificial lights shone above him as a groan escaped his lips. Midoriya pushed himself up in his plain, white bed. “You were shot.” Shouto stated, his eyes filled with worry as a pout remained firmly on his lips.
He knew that. He could still feel a dull ache in his back. Midoriya fought through the fog that was still clouding his brain. The mix of hospital drugs and exhaustion were nothing compared to his and Hitoshi’s quirk training. “The girl, is she—?”
“She’s alright!” Midoriya turned to see the tall, blonde-haired boy grin at him, “Her name’s Eri-chan and the doctors are looking over her now.” Togata-senpai promised.
A man with green and yellow hair pushed his glasses up his nose as he walked inside. Whatever pain reliever was coursing through his veins helped calm him enough not to fanboy over All Might’s former sidekick, Sir Nighteye! “You were shot with a special bullet.” he stated, “Earlier this week, a villain attacked your fellow students, Suneater and Red Riot with a similar form of ammunition. Riot’s hardening quirk prevented him from being shot, which allowed us to analyze those bullets.”
“Okay?” Midoriya mumbled, tilting his head to the side, “What makes them so special?”
“The bullets fired at Riot were meant to temporarily inhibit a quirk. What you were shot with was larger. We believe the dose was intended to remove a quirk, possibly indefinitely.” Sir Nighteye explained.
Midoriya took a moment to comprehend those words before letting out a sigh as a smile graced his lips, “I’m glad I was the one who got shot then,” he commented, “I wouldn’t want either of you or Eri to lose your quirks.” As the words left his lips, he could feel Shouto’s frown deepen.
“Don’t make a habit out of it.” Sir Nighteye remarked.
“Yes, Sir.” Midoriya promised, internally wincing at the scolding. He glanced up at the former sidekick, the words on the tip of his tongue before he averted his gaze.
“Was there something else?”
“U-um, yes, the villain,” Midoriya said, “Did he—”
“His name is Chisaki Kai; no, he was not arrested.” Nighteye answered, “After the gunshot rang out, Chisaki put a wall between himself and the two heroes. Lemillion made the decision to allow Chisaki to flee in order to prioritize getting both you and Eri to a hospital. If the fight had continued, it is highly likely that Chisaki would have caused severe damages to the city as well as endangering civilians, so his decision is understandable. My office has been investigating Chisaki and his yakuza ties.”
“Right, that makes sense.” he mumbled, “And Eri, you said doctors were looking after her. Is she alright?”
“She has multiple cuts along her arms and legs, which she is being treated for, but there don’t appear to be any major physical conditions.” Sir Nighteye answered, “They believe she will make a full recovery shortly.”
“Thank goodness.” Midoriya sighed, leaning back against his pillow.
“I’ll leave you to rest.” Sir Nighteye remarked, “When you're able, I’ll speak with the doctors about having you meet with the girl.”
Midoriya nodded, “Thank you very much!”
Sir Nighteye didn’t say anything further as he walked out of the room. Togata-senpai gave him a smile and a thumbs up before following his mentor out.
“You got shot.”
He turned his gaze to his boyfriend, who was closer now. The pout evident on his lips.
“I did.” Midoriya replied, “I’m sorry for worrying you.”
The dual wielder sat down on the bed beside him, cupping Midoriya’s cheek, “You scared me. I heard the shot, and there was blood—”
“I’ll be faster next time.”
Shouto bumped their foreheads together, “Don’t get hurt again.”
He chuckled, “I’ll try not to.” Midoriya promised.
Shouto sighed softly, “That’s all I can ask for.” he murmured, pressing a chaste kiss to the green-haired boy’s lips.
Notes:
Art On My Tumblr
Chapter 24: Blood Work
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
A sigh escaped his lips as Midoriya massaged the back of his neck. He could feel the tension building beneath his muscles. Reluctantly, he closed his laptop, setting it beside him on the mattress. He made a mental note to stop hunching over the screen while he worked.
Three soft knocks drew his attention towards the door. As it opened, his mother’s gaze met his own. Her eyes red and puffy as tears silently streamed down her cheeks. She was at his side in an instant, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. His mom sniffled as she cried, “Izuku, I was so worried! I got a call from the hospital; they said you got shot in a villain attack!”
“I’m fine mom,” Izuku assured her, “It was my shoulder; the doctors don’t even think it will scar.”
“But—”
“Mom, I’m safe, I promise. I should be allowed to leave soon. They’re just running blood work to make sure the bullet didn’t leave any lasting effects. Since I don’t have a quirk to erase, I’m sure everything will come back fine.”
“But what if it's not?! I thought you’d be safe staying at Yuuei, but you’re still in danger.”
He pursed his lips, “Well, um, it didn’t have to do with school this time?”
“Izuku! You have to be more careful! I can’t stand seeing you hurt,” tears streamed down his mother's face, “I thought you were going to stay out of fights.”
“I didn’t fight though! I ran away from the villain!” Midoriya explained, “Sho-chan and Togata-senpai were the ones fighting him. I don’t want to worry you. I really was trying to stay out of trouble.”
His mom wiped her face against her sleeve, “Then how?”
“The villain wasn’t alone, and while I was running I got hit in the shoulder.” Midoriya explained, “I managed to get away, and bring Eri with me.”
“Eri? That’s the little girl you saved, right?”
Midoriya nodded, “Yeah, I still need to visit her, but I was told she’s doing better.”
Her fingers brushed his forehead as she pushed his curls back, “You’ve always had a good heart. I know I can’t stop you from helping people, but please try not to get hurt. I don’t think my heart can take it.”
“I’ll try, mom.” he promised.
As his mother was leaving, another, denim figure came through his door. Midoriya straightened up as Best Jeanist approached his bedside.
“You seem to be following a pattern,” the Fiber Hero remarked, “One I will not dissuade you from. You desire to help those in need. I cannot scold you for saving a child. You clearly have the heart of a hero. What you must focus on is how to protect yourself while you are helping others. Did you have any support gear with you?”
“N-no, I left it in my dorm…” Midoriya admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, “I didn’t think I’d need it.”
“You can never predict when trouble will find you, so you must always be prepared for it. You should have at least one piece of support gear for when such events occur.”
“Okay, I will.” Midoriya promised.
“Now, you haven’t been overworking yourself while you were meant to be recovering, were you?”
“Um, making notes doesn’t strain my shoulder, so I don’t think so,” Midoriya said folding his arms in, against his chest, “I’m almost finished profiling the villains who have been causing the most trouble recently. I really wanted to get that finished for you.”
“Yes, I receive updates on your progress each time you complete a profile.” Best Jeanist stated, holding up his phone to show the long stream of texts he’d received.
“Ah— Sorry! I didn’t realize—”
“I requested the notifications. It is important for heroes to stay up to date with villains. My sidekicks and I have been implementing your research into our patrols,” Best Jeanist explained, “But it is also important that you don’t stress your body by overworking yourself. You have to allow your mind to have breaks.”
Midoriya nodded, “I will.”
“Good.” the Fiber Hero replied, “Now, I don’t have much time left to spare, but I believe you wanted to meet with Eri-san, correct? I can escort you to her room.”
Before he left, Midoriya changed out of his hospital robes. Best Jeanist was kind enough to bring him a change of clothes, a complete denim outfit. He wondered if Hatsume had finished her bulletproof polymer spray. It would probably coat the denim well since the fabric was thick and wouldn’t absorb too much. That way the coating could harden properly on the outside of the material, keeping the outfit comfortable to wear while staying safe.
As they neared the room, Midoriya easily recognized the sleep deprived hero in a baggy black jumpsuit speaking to a few officers.
“Aizawa-sensei?” he mumbled under his breath.
“Eri-san’s quirk has been linked to quirk erasing bullets. She doesn’t seem to know how to control this ability. Given the situation and that her power only appears to work on organic life, Eraserhead will be watching over her until we can sort things out.” one officer explained.
“She’s going to stay at the Yuuei dorms as soon as she’s released!” Togata-senpai cheered, grinning widely. Sho-chan stood beside him, simply nodding in agreement.
Best Jeanist rested his hand on Midoriya’s shoulder, “I’ll be leaving Midoriya-san in your care.” he stated, looking between the adults in the room.
Sir Nighteye pushed his glasses up, “We’ll continue watching over them both. I’ll keep you informed on Chisaki Kai.” The villain? He wasn’t in Best Jeanist’s section of the city. Did they think he’d come looking for Eri?
“Eri has just woken up, if you’d like to speak with her.” a nurse interjected.
As they entered, Midoriya tried not to stare at the scars that littered her body. She was so small, and yet they covered her arms and legs. There were three chairs set up for them as the Yuuei students took their seats while Eri sat on her knees in bed. Aizawa-sensei stood in the doorway, watching in case her quirk suddenly went off without her meaning to use it.
The white-haried girl blinked up at them, “About when you rescued me, I didn’t know your names,” she said softly, “I want to know what they are.”
“I’m Midoriya Izuku, but Izuku is shorter, so that might be easier to remember,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m Izuku.” he concluded.
Sho-chan spoke flatly as he introduced himself, “My name is Todoroki Shouto, my hero name is Dual.”
“And I’m Togata Mirio, but my hero name is Lemillion!” the blonde stated, giving Eri a very exaggeratedly excited thumbs up.
“Hero names?” Eri questioned, tilting her head to the side.
“They’re like nicknames” Midoriya explained.
“Lemillion, Dual, Izuku.” Eri repeated, “Izuku, you were injured because of me.” tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, “Because of me, you suffered. I’m sorry. That bullet, you must have lost your power.” she mumbled, grip tightening on the helm of her gown.
“I didn’t have any to lose. I was born quirkless, and there were no serious damages. I’m really fine, promise!” he quickly assured her, “You have nothing to feel sorry for!”
“Nobody’s here to blame you Eri-chan,” Togata-senpai stated, “Everyone fought because we wanted to see your smile.”
Midoriya nodded in agreement.
The girl furrowed her brow, moving her tiny hands up to her cheeks as she pushed them upwards. She struggled for a moment before dropping her arms in her lap, “I’m sorry, how do you smile again?”
It only took seven words for his heart to shatter.
“When emotions are suppressed for so long, it can become difficult to express any feeling besides depression,” Shouto stated evenly. Midoriya knew why his boyfriend could relate to her; it tugged at what was left of his heartstrings, “And it’s not something you can easily force because your facial muscles aren’t used to it. When you feel happy, it should come naturally. There’s no need to push yourself.” Shouto finished.
Eri was quiet for a moment before she balled up her fists, “I’ll still try to smile for you.” she declared.
As they exited the room, Midoriya stayed by Shouto’s side. When they turned down the hall, he tightened his fist, turning to face his boyfriend, “I want to help her smile again.”
“I know,” Sho-chan replied, “It will be difficult. Until now, she’s experienced a life where fear and pain followed her. She’ll need to feel safe with us.”
“I just wish I could do more for her.” Midoriya stated, tangling his fingers in his hair, “I really want to see her smiling.”
“An admirable goal.”
Midoriya jumped as he spun around to see Sir Nighteye, “Every hero should strive to create a world in which everyone can smile freely.” the former sidekick stated.
“Yeah! Let’s all help Eri together!” Togata-senpai cheered.
Before they could properly hash out a plan, a nurse approached them, coming to escort Midoriya back to his room. They still needed to watch his vitals until the full 48hrs was up. As he laid back in bed, he couldn’t help but pull open his laptop. He only had a few more profiles to go. He was sure he’d be able to review the footage and finish it all before dinner.
His fingers tapped away at the keyboard as his muttering filled the air. He didn’t know how long he’d been in his obsessive state when the door suddenly opened. Peppermint hair peeked inside.
“Sho-chan?” Midoriya mumbled, “You’re still here?”
“I wanted to check on you.” the dual wielder replied, “I missed you.”
Midoriya chuckled, “I just saw you it’s only been-” he glanced down at the clock, “Oh, wow, has it been that long already?”
“Yes, it has.” Shouto remarked, “You’ve been working on your notes haven’t you?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah, I guess I got a little carried away…” he remarked.
“Why do you push yourself so hard?”
“Uh,” Midoriya blinked, “I guess, I just want to help. I can’t do much without a quirk, but if I can help heroes save lives with my notes, then I really want to give it my all.”
Shouto grinned, “You really care a lot about saving people.”
“Well, yeah, I’ve always wanted to help save people. It’s why I wanted to be a hero.”
“That’s so cool.” Shouto gushed, “I want to know everything about you~”
“I-is that why you’re here?”
The dual wielder blinked, “Oh, I actually came for your notes. They’re on the laptop, right? Can I have it?”
“S-sure? Did Best Jeanist ask for it back?” Midoriya asked. He thought everything automatically entered his data system, so he wasn’t sure why he’d need the laptop itself, but maybe something happened.
“Yep!” Shouto replied, tucking the laptop into it’s carrier bag. Midoriya furrowed his brow as his boyfriend moved to look over the IV that was hooked up to his arm, “You’ll be leaving here soon right?” Sho-chan asked as something beeped.
Midoriya blinked as everything seemed to feel lighter, “I think?” he mumbled as his mind grew foggy.
There was another beep, different from the first. Shouto pulled his phone out, pouting at the screen, “I have to go.” he stated, “I love you!”
“Love you too, Sho-chan.”
Shouto grinned widely, leaning down to kiss him. Then he was gone.
His mind continued to drift as everything felt airy. After a minute, everything seemed to be beeping in his room. He glanced at his monitors which seemed to be dropping. Before he could try to think about what it meant, his doctor and the nurses were surrounding him. People were shouting, but he couldn’t make out the words. Everything was fading as he slipped into darkness.
His head was pounding the next time he woke up. Some officers were at his bedside.
“Your pain medication was increased.” one of them said.
“Huh?” Midoriya mumbled deliriously as he fought off the fog still clouding his thoughts.
“You didn’t do it?” another asked. The one with the truth quirk if he was remembering correctly.
“No,” Midoriya answered, clutching his aching head, “When did that happen?” Did someone hit him with a quirk that intensified the medication, or was there someone who could control machines?
“It occurred minutes before you lost consciousness. Do you know who could have done this?”
“The only one who came in here was Shouto, but he wouldn’t have done that.” Midoriya reasoned. He was sure his boyfriend wouldn’t have on purpose. But maybe his bag knocked the machine before he left?
“Todoroki-san was escorted back to the Yuuei dormitory after you all spoke to Eri.”
“What? No, he was here.” Midoriya stated, “He said he needed my laptop.”
“The security footage confirms that someone taking on his appearance visited you. We were hoping you’d have more details on the matter. As of now, we believe the person who visited you was Toga Himiko.”
Midoriya felt his chest tighten as the world seemed to come spinning to a halt.
“What?”
Notes:
Art On My Tumblr
Chapter 25: Cuddle Pile
Notes:
old chapter title - That Tag No One Called Me Out for Adding
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As the last of the officers filed out of his room, Midoriya let his head fall back against the pillow, his chest wound tight as his nails dug into the palms of his hands. Somehow, he’d convinced the doctors to take him off pain meds entirely. The ache in his shoulder was bearable without them. With a sigh, he rolled out of bed, changing into the denim attire left for him. His stomach churned as he replayed the last few hours in his mind.
It had been so obvious it wasn’t Sho-chan. He didn’t get bubbly, he just lost control of his quirk and set himself on fire when he got emotional or flustered. But his mind had been fuzzy, and it looked so close to the real thing, he’d let himself be fooled. Midoriya tangled his fingers in his hair. He hadn’t even suspected a quirk was at play.
A chill ran down his spine as he recalled the paralyzing feeling of being trapped in Mr. Compress’s marbles. They could have taken him again, but they didn’t. Why not? Why just the laptop? They couldn’t even use it. He changed the password, and there was no way they’d guess cApTAinAlLmiGHtJR! Even if they’d read his notes and knew his old hero names, they just wouldn’t guess that, and Best Jeanist’s security was too encrypted to hack into. So what was their goal? Just opening the laptop would ping their location and every hero would join together to take them down.
“Midoriya-san.”
He turned to see Power Loader standing next to Best Jeanist.
“How are you feeling?” his teacher questioned.
“I’m doing better now.” he replied.
The tall blonde held out a tablet, “Until we are able to retrieve your laptop, I have issued you the newest J-ablet. We have severed the laptop’s connection to the server, but so far, they haven’t powered it on, so we have been unable to track it,” Best Jeanist stated, “But I will update you when things have changed.”
“Do you know how she—”
“Utsushimi Camie, a second-year student at Shiketsu High School, was abducted by the League for a brief period of time. We believe Toga Himiko used her quirk to infiltrate the provisional license exam where she obtained Todoroki Shouto’s blood,” Power Loader explained, “But it’s unknown how many students she was able to get blood from.”
He swallowed the lump building in his throat, “That’s bad.”
“Very much so.” Best Jeanist agreed, “Which is why Yuuei along with every participating school will be watching their students more closely until the villains are apprehended.”
“But that’s for us to worry about. You should be resting, which is why I’m here to take you back to the dorms.” Maijima-sensei explained.
They took a car back. Midoriya sat in his seat, staring at the tablet in his hands, unable to open it. He trusted Best Jeanist. The laptop wouldn’t be able to connect to the system anymore… but what if it could? What if they found someone with a laptop quirk? It seemed ridiculous, but quirks could be so specific nowadays. His stomach flipped.
He bit his cheek as he neared the dorm building, unable to shake the queasiness overtaking him. The quiet was unnerving as he stood in the common room, looking around the empty space. Were his classmates out? Or in their rooms? Normally at least two or three students would be testing weapons down here. Though what hurt was the lack of peppermint hair. Maybe Shouto was getting questioned too? He hadn’t thought to ask, or text. What if he was mad he hadn’t recognized Toga? Or that he’d endangered himself again? What if—
“I was helping Eri-chan get acquainted with her dorm. They didn’t tell me when you’d be back, and Aizawa didn’t want me leaving campus.”
“S-sho-chan!” Midoriya squeaked as he spun around to meet the boy’s charcoal and ice gaze.
Despite his blank stare, Midoriya knew the emotion his words held as Shouto said, “I’m not mad, but I was worried. You were in danger again.”
“I know, but—”
“Izuku, no buts.”
Midoriya sniffled, feeling his eyes begin to water, “How am I supposed to stop what I can’t control?”
“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.” Shouto stated, brushing the tears from his boyfriend’s cheeks, “You defeated League members before.”
“That was because of Mei-chan’s babies.”
“Using support weapons doesn’t make you weak. Before quirks, there were many stories of quirkless heroes using support gear to help save people. You’ve already done that for your class. I trust you, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying.” Shouto stated, “I’m sorry this keeps happening to you.”
“I’ve never had good luck,” Midoriya chuckled dryly, wiping his face on his sleeve, “Well, no, I had one lucky thing happen.”
Shouto blinked, “What?”
“I met you.”
For a moment, neither spoke as shouto leaned down to press a kiss to his lips. When they parted, the dual wielder replied, “I feel very lucky to have met you, Zu-chan.”
He took Shouto’s hand as they began walking to his dorm. Midoriya unlocked his room to see his clothes thrown all over the floor. “Wha—?” he mumbled before pink hair caught his eye. Mei was digging through his dresser with a spray can in her hand. He recognized her polymer baby. It was supposed to add a protective layer to common fabric, armoring any outfit. He felt his face flush crimson as she pulled up a pair of half-red, half-white boxer briefs, “M-mei-chan!” he shrieked as he felt a sudden burst of heat and frost hit his back.
Behind him, Shouto mumbled, “Oh.” under his breath. Midoriya wasn’t sure his face could turn any darker.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Making sure my business partner doesn’t get shot.” Mei said, her eyes zooming in on him.
His gaze softened, “Mei-chan, I’m sorry.”
“No you’re not. You wanted to save that girl, because you’re a hero.” Mei corrected, “You'll always put yourself in danger to help people, because that’s who you are. But we’re business partners, aren’t we? So stop leaving me out.”
“Mei—”
“Izuku-kun, I’m leaving my best babies with you, and you’d better keep them on you at all times!” she said, sounding more serious than he’d ever heard from her, “Got it?” she added, pointing her finger at him.
“Yes, ma’am!” he squeaked, holding his hands up.
“Good.” she said, nodding her head in approval, “Now,” Mei chirped, slipping back into her baby-driven mindset, “I’ve had a lot of time to upgrade my babies to make them even stronger!” The babies were all lined up on top of his dresser: the glue belt, power bracers that began gloves, the power boots, the jetpack baby, some sort of gun he didn’t recognize, and what looked like a new version of her taser baby. “With these, you’ll be safe from any villain!” she stated.
“I’ll keep them with me.” Izuku promised.
Mei nodded, “I’m gonna hold you to that.”
The pink haired girl left, leaving his clothes all over the place. Midoriya knelt down, picking up his scattered shirts. Shouto silently offered his help, folding the shorts that were crumpled on his bed. They’d almost finished when the dual wielder suddenly asked, “How many of these sorts of things did Momo make for you?” as he held up a pair of ‘dual merch’ boxers.
Midoriya snatched the fabric from the dual wielder, shoving it back in his drawer, “She said she got carried away making outfits.” he mumbled. The jeans, shorts, shirts, and hoodies had all been really cool, but the socks and underwear… Midoriya felt his ears burning red.
The moment everything was back in place, he collapsed into bed. Shouto moved to lay next to him, content to be the big spoon. Midoriya was just beginning to fall asleep when he felt his boyfriend’s phone vibrate. The dual wielder silently unlocked the screen, staring down at the message. Instead of replying, he left his phone on the bed as he got up to open Izuku’s door. Midoriya quirked his brow. Before he could ask, he heard a mewl. It was all the warning he got before Socks was tackling him down, meowing at his face as she sat on his chest. The kittens were quick to follow.
When he looked up, he saw Hitoshi standing there, his hands tucked in his hoodie pocket, and Tenya with one of the kittens asleep in his arms.
Hitoshi grinned, looking almost like Aizawa as he said, “We heard you needed cats.”
“And we wanted to see if you were doing alright.” Tenya stated.
“I’m fine, you really didn’t have to—”
“Izuku, you believed I could be a hero and recommended me to join 1-A. You didn’t see my quirk as villainous, and you helped me learn how to use it.” Hitoshi stated.
Tenya pushed his glasses up his nose, “When I was in my weakest moment, you shared your past with me to help open my eyes and stop me from making a horrible mistake. You reminded me of what it meant to be a hero.”
“You taught me to accept myself and my quirk and encouraged me to repair my relationship with my mother.”
The three boys looked to Midoriya, “So, let us help you for once.” Hitoshi said.
Midoriya felt tears prick the corners of his eyes as he let the kittens curl up against him. He looked to his friends and nodded.
“Okay.”
With Shouto and Hitoshi on either side of him, Midoriya wound up sitting in front of Tenya, all of them covered in kittens. Midoriya leaned back against the tall boy’s solid chest, while Shouto drew little patterns on his thigh, and Hitoshi held his hand. Socks was napping in his lap, the mewling kittens climbing all over them. Midoriya blinked as he realized how light he felt. The tension in his body was gone, replaced by a calming warmth.
He felt safe.
Notes:
Art On My Tumblr
Chapter 26: Loose Ends
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya stared down at his homework, biting the end of his pen. He leaned back against his bed frame as Shouto cuddled up to him.
“I was thinking of having a group date.” Shouto stated.
“With who?” Midoriya asked as he stared down at the next equation on his worksheet.
“Shinsou and Iida.”
“Tenya’s dating someone?” Midoriya questioned, quirking his brow. He knew Kaminari and Shinsou were together, since they never really tried that hard to hide it, but Tenya? He hadn’t thought the boy wanted a relationship, since he was so focused on his studies.
Shouto stared back at him blankly, “You.” he replied.
His eyes widened, “Me?!” he squeaked.
“After you accepted their confessions—” Shouto began when Midoriya dropped his pen.
"Wait, were those confessions?" he asked.
The dual wielder tilted his head to the side, "Yes, I thought you were aware."
"But I'm dating you! How can—"
Shouto leaned over the side of the bed, pulling a book off Midoriya's desk. He hadn’t noticed when his boyfriend had added it to the pile sitting there, and he didn't recognize the cover. As he read the title, he felt his face flush."The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships & Other Adventures"
Midoriya nearly choked, "What have you been reading?!"
"It came highly recommended." Shouto remarked, "When I first noticed your feelings towards Shinsou I purchased it."
His head was swimming with questions but the only one that left his lips was, "What?"
"I broached the subject with Shinsou and Kaminari a few weeks ago. I also spoke with Iida since you both appeared interested in one another."
Midoriya was sure his face was crimson. "You what?!"
The dual wielder blinked, "Are you not interested?"
"I— Sho-chan—" Midoriya stammered.
"You're overwhelmed." Shouto observed, “I apologize if I overstepped. I don’t have much experience with relationships outside of… I don’t have experience with true relationships.”
Midoriya’s gaze softened, “I think I understand, but this is a lot to drop on me so suddenly, Sho-chan."
“I’m sorry. I should have communicated my intentions more clearly. I had originally planned on asking you at the All Might Cafe, but,” Shouto trailed off, “I care for you greatly, Zu-chan. I have never loved another more than you, and I want you to be as cherished and loved as you deserve. I trust Shinsou and Iida to provide that. I wanted to speak with them first to avoid any possible rejection or pain if they were uninterested. When I called them here the other day, I thought you accepted their feelings. I’m sorry for misunderstanding the situation.”
"I never thought about my feelings for anyone other than you." Midoriya admitted. Did he have a crush on Hitoshi and Tenya? He liked spending time with them. He always looked forward to quirk training with Hitoshi. He never even told his mom all the things he told Tenya. He definitely trusted them both. His face flushed as he realized he was muttering again.
"Would you like to read this?" the dual wielder offered.
He nodded, silently taking the book from Shouto’s hand. Midoriya’s stomach turned as he opened the first page. Thinking about it as research helped a bit. Sho-chan silently playing with his hair also grounded him. He couldn’t help but lean into the touch as he continued reading. When he reached the end, he turned to meet the dual wielder’s gaze, “So… if we did this, how would it work, exactly?” Midoriya questioned.
“It was my understanding that Kaminari and you would both be dating Shinsou.” Shouto stated, “Tenya would be dating you, and I would be dating you.”
“Would you be dating either of them?” Midoriya asked.
“I hadn’t considered my feelings for anyone other than you.” Shouto replied, “Would you be bothered if I said yes?”
Midoriya shook his head, “No, I just want to understand all of this.”
“For now, I would just be dating you, though my research indicates that our polycule could potentially lead to us all dating each other. The most important factor is communication. I will be sure to tell you if any feelings develop, but as of now, I view both Shinsou and Iida platonically.” Shouto declared.
“Okay.” Midoriya said.
Shouto tilted his head, “Okay?”
“Yeah, I think I’m willing to try this.” Midoriya replied, “I’m still not really sure how I feel. I know I love you, but maybe I do really like Tenya and Hitoshi, m-more than friends. Exploring those feelings might be good.” the admission made his face burn, “If you want this, I think I do too.”
“I do.” the dual wielder agreed, leaning in for a kiss. It ended almost as soon as it began as Shouto’s phone buzzed loudly in his pocket. He pouted as he pulled the device out. “Eri’s down at the 1-A dorms. Do you want to go see her?”
“Eri is?” Midoriya said, “Yeah, can we?”
“Of course.” Shouto replied, taking Midoriya’s hand in his own.
As they entered the common room floor, it was impossible not to notice the small gathering around the couches. Eri was sitting in Hadō Nejire’s lap, carefully feeding one of the kittens their bottle. She had such a serious expression, Midoriya couldn’t help but chuckle.
“The big three are helping watch over Eri while she’s here.” Shouto remarked, “Hadō-san has taken an elderly sister role.”
Kirishima had Amajiki locked in conversation as he animatedly chatted with their senpai. The nervous elder classman leaned against the wall, hiding his face behind his bangs as he listened to the redhead. Kirishima seemed excited about something, he was practically radiating cheer.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Kaminari stepped out from the elevator with the rest of the bakusquad. “Hey,” the electric blonde shouted, shooting Midoriya finger guns as he grinned, “Same boyfriend!” he called excitedly, causing the green-haired boy to fluster, his face burning. He nearly missed Kacchan's slight limp as the group made their way over to the couches. Training must’ve been really intense.
As he attempted to calm himself down, he couldn’t help but notice, “Where’s Togata-senpai? They’re all usually together.” Midoriya observed as only two of the big three were here.
“He’s speaking with his father.” Shouto replied, gesturing outside.
Through the window, All Might stood beside Togata. They really did look like father and son as the former number one rested his arm on the taller blonde’s shoulder. He wondered what they were talking about.
“Todoroki-kun, please refrain from spreading conspiracy theories about our senpais and teachers.”
Midoriya turned, craning his neck up to meet Tenya’s gaze.
“Zu-chan, you agree with me, don’t you?” Shouto asked.
“Well, All Might does spend more time with him than any other student, and they have really similar quirks. Togata-senpai didn’t have a strength quirk until after All Might got here, so it could have been something to do with their meeting. It’s not concrete, but it isn’t entirely impossible.”
Tenya opened and closed his mouth, finally pushing his glasses up, “I hadn’t considered that, though I still believe it is improper to speak of others in such a way.”
“Wait is Togata-senpai really All Might’s secret love child?!” Kaminari half-whispered.
Before he could say anything, Shouto nodded, “He appears to be.”
“Kaminari-kun, Todoroki-kun, such gossip is unbecoming of U.A. students.” Tenya scolded, “I must insist you refrain!” he said using an extreme amount of chopping hand gestures. Midoriya had to stifle his laugh with his hand. He could admit it was really endearing to see Tenya get so worked up.
Something knocked into his leg. Midoriya looked down to see Socks. She pawed at his knee meowing loudly at him. He guessed it was her way of asking to be picked up. Midoriya complied instantly, kneeling down to scoop up the cat. She put her full weight against his chest as she laid in his arms.
“Is she bossing you around?”
Hitoshi quirked his brow, a bemused little smile on his face, “Stop being a brat.” he said, scratching under Socks’s chin. She mewled at him.
“I don’t think she’s that demanding.” Midoriya commented.
“You’re just too nice,” Hitoshi retorted, leaning down until he was eye level with the cat, “She likes taking advantage of that, because she’s a brat.”
Socks reached out to press her paw against Hitoshi’s nose. Midoriya wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but she did look pretty smug. The brainwasher smirked, leaning back out of reach, “See, a brat.” he stated, before looking over Midoriya’s shoulder, “I think Denki and Todoroki are trying to break Iida.” he commented as the dual wielder and stun gun hero appeared to be comparing wild theories with one another. Tenya was moving around them, unable to stop the chaos.
“Sorry, Sho-chan never really stops once he’s on a roll.” Midoriya said.
“It’s fine, I’ll stop them.” Hitoshi stated, “We can talk more later.”
Midoriya felt his cheeks heat up, “Y-yeah! Sounds good!” he stammered, accidentally squeezing Socks a bit too tight. She meowed, pushing herself out of his arm, landing gracefully on the ground. She darted over to Eri on the couch, resting her head in the girl’s lap, supervising her kitten’s dinner.
Hitoshi chuckled, giving him a grin that made his pulse thunder in his ears. Shouto said they both already liked him. There was nothing to be nervous over. As the purple-haired boy left, Midoriya found one of the empty couches, plopping himself down. He pulled out the jablet ™ Best Jeanist had given him. Going over his notes would call him down. Profile after profile, he familiarized himself with the local criminals. Overhaul had a number of powerful quirk wielders suspected of working under him. They would really complicate things whenever the heroes attempted to arrest them.
“So you’re dating glasses and eyebags now too?”
He jumped, turning to see Kacchan, a bored expression on the ashe blonde’s face.
“I think so?” Midoriya replied, “We haven’t all sat down and talked about it yet, but I think I’m dating Shouto, Tenya, and Hitoshi now.” he blushed. Just saying it out loud made his pulse race.
“About time you figured your shit out.” Bakugou commented, “They’ve been mooning over you forever.”
Kacchan was always really observant. “I didn’t realize…”
“Fucking hell, don’t make such a big deal out of it. You all like each other. Just fucking talk about it and stop acting like a little bitch.” Kacchan stated, “Talk to them.”
“I-I will.” Midoriya promised. He’d definitely talk to them on their group date. They can figure out what they all want. Midoriya was sure of it.
“Besides, it doesn’t matter how many guys you're dating,” Kacchan remarked, shrugging his shoulders, “You still lost.” The ashe blonde was gone before Midoriya could reply, already making his way back to Kirishima’s side.
“Lost?” Midoriya mumbled to himself. Lost what? They didn’t have a competition or— His face burned bright red, nearly choking on his own spit as he realized what Bakugou meant. Kirishima’s energetic mood, Kacchan’s ever so slight limp. He couldn’t look their way.
His tablet vibrated in his hand. As he tapped on the notification, Midoriya felt his stomach twist. “We’ve isolated the laptop’s signal.”—Best Jeanist
Notes:
art for this chapter On My Tumblr
Chapter 27: The Laptop
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek as he carded his fingers through his curls. His skinny jeans were pressed, and he’d gotten every wrinkle out of his black polo shirt. He blinked when Shouto appeared at his side.
“My school tie?” Midoriya said, quirking his brow as Shouto slipped the red fabric around the green-haired boy’s neck, tucking it under his collar.
“Yes, I think it will go over well.”
He turned to his mirror, pursing his lips. Midoriya knew that his fashion sense wasn’t the greatest. Before his internship, his closet almost entirely consisted of graphic t-shirts and cargo shorts. But Sho-chan was just wearing a nice short-sleeve button up and pants. And they were just going to that cafe. Midoriya narrowed his eyes. The knot of the tie looked wrong, almost like he’d done it himself.
Three sharp knocks startled him from his thoughts. Midoriya jumped, making his way to his door. He nearly missed the handle as he yanked it open. He craned his neck up to meet the taller boy’s gaze.
“Izuku-kun, I’m looking forward to today’s outing.” Tenya said, his smile faltering slightly as his gaze dropped to Midoriya’s neck, “This isn’t quite right. May I?”
He barely registered himself nodding before the taller boy stepped forward, large hands pulling the tie loose, diligently working to properly knot it before smoothing it down his chest. Midoriya felt his face heating up as he watched Tenya work.
“There.” he said, stepping back once he was finished, pushing his glasses up his nose, a light pink dusting his cheeks, “You look very nice, Izuku.”
“T-thanks!” Midoriya squeaked, rubbing the back of his neck, “You look really good too.” he added. He’d never really seen Tenya in casual clothes. Even out of uniform, he always seemed at least semi-formal. It was nice to see him in simple blue polo. The shorts certainly looked good on his long legs. Midoriya pinched his inner arm, fighting off his darkening blush.
“Have you seen Shinsou-kun?” Shouto asked, tilting his head to the side.
“Not my fault you guys came early.”
The purple-haired boy stood in the doorway, wearing his lavender cat-ear hoodie and black sweatpants. His tired eyes seemed to warm as he regarded them all. Though as he looked over Midoriya, he quirked his brow, “It’s way too formal with the tie.” Hitoshi remarked, his only warning before two hands were pulling at the fabric, tugging it loose.
Belatedly, Midoriya had the sudden realization that all three boys were taller than him. Though it didn’t feel like he was being crowded when Hitoshi stood so close to him, a playful smirk on his lips as he tossed the tie back on Midoriya’s desk, “Better?”
“Yeah, I think it was too formal.” Midoriya agreed. His stomach suddenly flipped as he turned to look over at Shouto, hoping he hadn’t offended him. But the dual wielder just stared back at him blankly, giving him a thumbs up. His mind stalled for a moment before one answer came to mind. This was his plan from the start?!
When they reached the train, it was packed. Midoriya found himself pressed against Shouto’s chest, with both boys behind him. With no hanging straps to ground him, Midoriya wrapped his arms around Shouto’s neck, holding the dual wielder tightly. As the crowded car sandwiched them all together, Midoriya came to one conclusion, each one of these boys were jacked. The press of muscle was warm, familiar, and entirely flustering. He was sure with his hair, that he looked like a tomato.
The moment they stepped off, he took a breath, trying to calm his swirling thoughts. While he instinctively laced his fingers with Shouto’s, Midoriya felt a jolt of panic. He only had two hands! Now, that he’d finally accepted his quirkless life, he found himself longing for a multi-arm quirk. That was when Shouto took Tenya’s hand in his other. Hitoshi smirked, taking Izuku’s other hand, “You know we’ll cause sidewalk traffic if we actually walk like this?” the brainwasher commented.
Shouto’s pout was adorable as he simply replied, “Oh.”
“That would be very rude of us,” Tenya reluctantly agreed, “And unbecoming of future heroes to impair the public walkways.”
Midoriya felt a bit relieved when they all simply walked in a group together. Even though Tenya did seem happy to take Shouto’s hand, he still wouldn’t want to make anyone feel left out. With no villains to slow them down, they actually made it to the cafe. Midoriya took in the large yellow building, feeling excitement well up in his chest.
“Hello, Welcome to the All Might Cafe. We expect you’ll enjoy yourselves here. Why? Because we are here!” the hostess said, smiling widely. Her headband had a long yellow bow that mimicked All Might’s famous hairstyle. “Would you like a table?”
“There should be a reservation under Todoroki Shouto.”
“Yes, right this way!” the hostess replied, grabbing a few menus before leading them over to a table with a curved, half-circle booth. Midoriya found himself sandwiched between Hitoshi and Shouto while Tenya sat next to the dual wielder.
The bright room was positively covered in All Might merch. It had even more than his old bedroom, with posters lining the walls, All Might fairy lights stretching around the ceiling, and the tables were a clear glass, almost like a large display case, with little figurines filling the interior. Midoriya personally owned more than half that were at their booth. Though, on Kacchan’s advice, they’d stayed with his mom.
“The cafe broadened their menu to include brunch options.” Shouto remarked, “Though I think you’ll like the crepes, Zu-chan. They use dried fruit and little candies to make them look like All Might’s face.”
Midoriya grinned, looking for it on the menu, “I think that’s what I’m getting.”
When the waitress came to take their orders, Hitoshi ended up getting an omelet while Shouto got Soba. And while everyone else had gotten tea, Tenya had opted to drink orange juice with his order of beef stew. He knew some people liked a bit of citrus in their stew, something about the acidic flavor balancing things. Though it still seemed like a strange combination.
“Izuku-kun, how has your internship been going?” Tenya inquired.
“My laptop got stolen, but Best Jeanist said he’d found where it was taken. I think he’s going to text me again either today or tomorrow with more details.”
“You just got that thing too.” Hitoshi lamented, his foot lightly brushing against Midoriya’s.
“He gave me a tablet to use for my notes in the meantime! I’m just glad Best Jeanist was able to stop them from getting into the database.”
“It is rather concerning that they targeted you again.” Shouto said, resting his hand on Midoriya’s thigh beneath the table, “Before it seemed like chance that you met at the USJ, and then the mall. We know Hatsume-san was their original target as well, but now, the League has actively sought you out.”
“If they wanted to kidnap me again, they definitely could have at the hospital,” Midoriya said, trying to make his words sound reassuring, but after they came out of his mouth, he wasn’t sure he’d managed it, “But they didn’t. They just took my laptop.”
“They don’t have a hacker.” Hitoshi said, “Did they really think it wouldn’t be encrypted?”
“I doubt any of them have experience with any hero agency, nor their databases.” Tenya replied, “Perhaps they mistook it for Izuku-kun’s personal laptop where he might have scanned copies of his notes?”
“Maybe, but it was pretty… Jean-y,” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck, “And it’s fuzzy, but I think she said something about Best Jeanist wanting it as her excuse to get me to give it to her.”
“Then they definitely knew.” Hitoshi stated, grimacing, “But you said they found it?”
“Yeah, I don’t know all the details yet, but they know where it is.” Midoriya assured them.
“Who ordered the All Might Omelet?”
The waitress stood before them, holding a tray in each of her four arms. The mood shifted as they each received their orders. The sweetness of the crepe was incredible. Midoriya couldn’t help but smile as he ate. All Might was always smiling. The cafe must have designed their menu around making the customers grin through their food. Topics changed from school, to the upcoming festival. As a support student, things were really intense. He’d been helping just about everyone test their gear. Mei had so many babies she was working on, but her power suit had to take the most of her time. Things would only get more intense once the festival really started nearing.
“I was going to show off my notes, but with everything that happened, I don’t think that would be good. I’m fine with just helping everyone else.” Midoriya remarked, “Do you know what your class is doing yet?”
“Aizawa-sensei hasn’t discussed it with us yet.” Tenya replied, “Though I’m sure we’ll take suggestions and vote from there.”
“Cat cafe.” Hitoshi said before taking a sip of his tea.
Shouto nodded, “I like cats.”
“While a cat cafe is a good option, I presume the cats used would be yours? In which case, are the kittens ready to be introduced to so many strangers? And we’d have to make sure everyone’s hands were sanitized, so none of the cats nor visitors get sick. And it would have to win the majority of the votes from our fellow classmates.”
“They’ve dealt with 1-A, they can handle anyone.” Hitoshi assured him.
“I’m voting for cats.” Shouto stated.
Midoriya had been keeping it in ever since Tenya started going in on the discussion, but he couldn’t help but chuckle at the serious tone Sho-chan used.
When their bill arrived, Tenya held up his hand, “I’ll pay for everyone’s meals.” he offered.
“No, I’m using my father’s card for this.” Shouto rebutted. Before Tenya could say anything else, Sho-chan added, “I won’t budge on this matter.”
The taller boy pursed his lips, looking like he wanted to argue, but Sho-chan had already ended the discussion. Tenya’s shoulders slumped as he resigned himself to a loss. Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck, “I think Sho-chan just really wants the ‘All Might Cafe’ to appear on Endeavor’s credit statements.” He was tempted to give the boy a kiss on the cheek, but he’d have to get out of the booth first, and there were way too many people around. Such public displays of affection were considered rude by most. Maybe he’d give him one at the dorms. Or would that be too forward? This was their first official date, but they were already so familiar with one another. Was it taboo to kiss so early?
As they exited the cafe, Midoriya felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. When he pulled it out, he didn’t quite know how to feel. His stomach twisted, anxious, but it mixed with the disappointment in his chest, “Best Jeanist just sent me another update. I’m supposed to meet with him at this address.” Midoriya said, searching for directions on his phone. So much for that kiss. “I’ll see you guys back at the dorms.”
“We can go with you.” Hitoshi remarked.
“It’s fine, you should go without me.” Midoriya insisted.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to escort you there?” Tenya asked, “It really wouldn’t be any trouble.”
“No, it’s the opposite direction from school. I’ll be fine without an escort. I have Mei-chan’s babies with me, but I don’t think I’ll need to use any of them.” he assured them.
Shouto pouted, “...Alright, come to my dorm when you get back?”
Midoriya felt his face flush at the request, but replied, “Yeah, of course.”
Despite the crowded train he stepped into, Midoriya felt a bit lonely, knowing the others weren’t beside him. But he couldn’t trouble them with this. It would be going too far out of their way. And Shouto would want to wait to take him back, and he had no idea how long Best Jeanist was planning on keeping him. Five minutes? Five hours? He didn’t want Shouto to wait that long.
The train came to a stop as Midoriya neared the address. He stared down at his screen, following the directions until he came upon a building, but not just any building. Midoriya’s mouth fell open as he stared at Sir Nighteye’s hero agency. He immediately glanced between his phone and the doors, double checking Best Jeanist’s text to make sure the address was right. It was.
Tentatively, Midoriya stepped inside, glancing around for any sort of direction. Before he could ask the receptionist anything, pro hero and sidekick Bubble Girl stepped into the lobby, locking eyes with him.
“You’re with Best Jeanist right? Midoriya-san?” she questioned.
She knew his name! He had to force his inner fanboy to calm down long enough to reply, “Yes, that’s me. Is Best Jeanist here?”
“Yeah, come with me.” she replied.
As Midoriya followed behind Bubble Girl, he was led into a room with Best Jeanist, Sir Nighteye, which he’d expected, but he was a bit surprised to see Kacchan and Togata-senpai there too. Best Jeanist nodded at him, and Sir Nighteye clicked a remote. The large screen behind them lit up, showing a map with a red dot pinged on it.
“We were able to trace Midoriya-san’s stolen laptop signal.” Best Jeanist stated, “It was active for eight hours until the battery died. The laptop is likely still there. We were able to ensure no one was able to gain access to the account. No information was lost, rather, some was gained.”
Midoriya blinked. They added information? No, they didn’t have access to the laptop, so it had to be the location that was special. The League wouldn’t be stupid enough to open it in their actual base though, right?
“As you all should know by now, my office has been investigating Chisaki and his ties to the local yakuza.” Sir Nighteye stated, clicking a remote to switch the image on the screen. The map disappeared, replaced with a large home. “This is where the League of Villains activated the laptop. It is also the base of Chisaki’s yakuza operation. We have confirmed that Chisaki himself is at this address, though we are unsure of how many men he has inside.”
The League was working with Chisaki?! Did that mean the League had access to quirk destroying bullets? That couldn’t be good. The group was dangerous enough without any outside aid. Midoriya remembered his phone turning to ash in Shigaraki’s hand. A chill ran down his spine. How easily could that have been him? Now that guy could destroy someone’s quirk. The only positive thing was Eri was safe. They couldn’t hurt her anymore, use her to make those horrible weapons. She was surrounded by kittens, far away from that man. Chisaki’s eyes had looked so cold. Almost too cold to match the chaotic-crazy energy the League members had.
“I was able to use my quirk on one of Chisaki’s men.” Sir Nighteye continued, “Through his eyes, I saw a series of underground tunnels. We expect getting to Chisaki himself will mean fighting our way through a yakuza army, as well as the League of Villains, which is why we are currently gathering a team of heroes to assist in the raid.”
Best Jeanist spoke up, “This mission would normally be too dangerous for interns to join,” Midoriya could see Bakugou tense, but he managed to bite his tongue while Best Jeanist finished, “But, we have decided to make an exception. Midoriya-san, you will work from Sir Nighteye’s agency, watching live footage we’ll provide you with. You’ll be able to tap into our com-links in order to speak with us while we work. Bakugou-san, you will assist the heroes but the gate, ensuring that none flee to harm any civilians. I trust you will be able to do this while I assist the others in the search for Chisaki.”
“Lemillion will be with me.” Sir Nighteye remarked, “And I believe Ryukyu will have her interns as well as Fatgum’s. As far as the other pros go, the list is being compiled as we speak.”
The Dragon Hero Ryukyu and BMI Hero Fat Gum would be there! Midoriya wondered if he could somehow get their autographs. No, professionalism. He was here to help, not fanboy over every hero that ended up on the raid team.
“Midoriya-san, Sir Nighteye and I have agreed to compile our agencies data on these villains. With each confirmed name, you’ll be sent their information in order to create profiles. The heroes will be reviewing them before the raid.” Best Jeanist instructed.
He nodded sharply. There was no way he’d let everyone down. Understanding an opponent’s quirk, history, personality, and fighting style meant giving the heroes every advantage they needed over the villains. If they were really so outnumbered, any sort of edge would mean a world of difference.
When they were dismissed, Togata-senpai stayed behind to speak with Sir Nighteye. Midoriya couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about. All Might’s former sidekick, and his possible secret love child… Shouto would be dying to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
He and Bakugou made their way out, having silently agreed to travel back to the dorms together.
“I think Hadō-senpai is interning under Ryukyu. And someone else from your class, Tsu-chan and Uraraka-chan, right?”
“Why the fuck would I know what they’re doing?” Bakugou retorted, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Right…” Midoriya mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, “Well, Amajiki-senpai and Kirishima-kun are interning under Fat Gum, aren’t they? I wonder if Kirishima-kun will get to go or if it’ll just be Amajiki-senpai. They might just want the Big 3 since they’ve got powerful quirks and they’re upperclassmen.”
“They’d be fucking stupid to leave Ei behind.” Kacchan stated.
“If they’re letting us help, I’m sure Kirishima and the others will get to help.”
Bakguou merely grunted. But he hadn’t expected a reply. He blinked as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Midoriya opened it to see new notifications from a magazine. The very first article had a photo from the cafe, with all four sitting together. The headline beneath it read, “Is the Son of #1 Hero Endeavor, the Up-and-Coming Hero Dual, Dating the Heir to the Iida Family, the Next Ingenium??? Click to Read More →”
Kacchan glanced over his shoulder, smothering a laugh with his hand, “Wow, they’re dumb as shit. Half and half is looking at you in the damn picture.”
“Yeah, but Tenya’s family is famous, and they are still sitting next to each other. Using his name would sell more papers.”
“Then they’re assholes with no fucking integrity.” Bakugou corrected.
He rolled his eyes, pocketing his phone before he could see the other hero magazine he’d subscribed to. Their headline was a bit different. “Son of #1 Hero Endeavor Dating Quirkless Intern of #3 Hero Best Jeanist? Click to Read More →”
Notes:
Some art for this chapter On My Tumblr or
On My Twitter
Chapter 28: Before the Storm
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Midoriya, morning!” Kirishima greeted Midoriya as he passed by the steps outside the 1-A dorms, “Are you going to your work study today too?”
“Obviously if I’m here, Zuku’s going too, dumbass.” Kacchan muttered.
“I did miss a few days.” Midoriya defended.
“You didn’t miss shit. Best Jeanist didn’t have any interns after Eri got here.” Bakugou rebutted. The timeline wasn’t wrong, but he did purposely leave out the hospital and the other incident.
Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck, “I didn’t realize.”
“Morning!”
The boys turned to see Uraraka and Tsu stepping out of the dorm building. If they were here too, then it must be time. Midoriya’s nails dug into the palms of his hands. Eri still hadn’t smiled, always looking over her shoulder. Only the cats seemed to calm her down.
“You three going in today too?” Uraraka asked.
“Yeah!” Kirishima replied.
As they left school grounds, a few heroes offered to walk them to the train station. Midoriya wondered if Principal Nedzu asked pros to patrol around campus more often.
When they made it inside the station, they all headed for the same train. “We’re all going the same way.” Uraraka remarked as she swung her arms by her sides.
“Kirishima-kun, aren't you in Kansai?” Tsu asked, pressing a finger to her lip.
“We're meeting in a place that's different than usual.” he replied casually.
Kacchan’s face twisted as he said, "Hah? Fat Gum didn't tell you?"
The redhead blinked, "Tell me what?"
"Tsk, you'll see when we get there." Bakugou grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets as he kept walking.
"What? Kat, that's so mean!" Kirishima whined catching up to the ashe blonde. He threw his arms around Bakugou, hanging off his back while Kacchan yelled at him, a light pink dusting his cheeks.
“Do you know, Midoriya?” Uraraka asked, standing a bit too close to his face.
He stumbled back, barely catching himself before he could fall, “Um, maybe? I have a good guess, but I won’t really know until we get there.” Midoriya deflected.
They all managed to find open seats on the train. Bakugou sat between him and Kirishima, allowing the redhead to lean against him while he looked at his phone. Tsu and Uraraka were chatting happily beside him, but Midoriya couldn’t help the bundle of nerves in his chest. If they were really going to the meeting, then everything would be starting soon. He wouldn’t be in the action, which his mother would be happy to hear, but he really wanted to be there, helping everyone. If he couldn’t support them in the field, he was determined to do his best as base support.
They stepped off the train, taking the same path, even turning the same corners. There was no doubt in his mind now.
“Oh, senpai?” Kirishima mumbled as he saw Amajiki standing behind the other two members of—
“All of the big three are here?” Uraraka remarked, “I thought it was just gonna be Hado-senpai.”
As they stepped through the doors, more than a dozen heroes filled the room. He immediately recognized Gran Torino from the raid that rescued him, though Midoriya failed to find much else on the hero. He might have been an underground hero like— Aizawa-sensei, 1-A’s intimidating home room teacher was here too!
It was incredible to see so many heroes from different agencies gathered for this. It really felt like Best Jeanist and Sir Nighteye were preparing for war. Midoriya swallowed, pulling out his tablet to look over the profiles again. There were some really terrifying villains. His eyes scanned each page, ensuring no detail was left out.
“Hey, hey, what's this? What're we gonna do?” Hado-senpai asked as she hugged the Dragon Hero Ryukyu.
Midoriya stuck to Bakugou’s side, not too close or the explosive boy might push him away. Kirishima certainly had no qualms about sticking right to Kacchan’s side, their shoulders occasionally brushing.
“Aizawa-sensei? Why are you here?” Tsu asked as she and Uraraka bumped into the hero.
“It’s Eraser Head when we’re outside of school.” he corrected.
“Girls, I told you before, didn't I?” Ryukyu interjected before turning her attention to All Might’s former sidekick, “Nighteye, let's get started.”
They filed into the meeting room. Midoriya sat at Best Jeanist’s side along with Bakugou. Kirishima grinned at them from across the table. Uraraka and Tsu were too far down for him to really see.
“Thanks to the information we received from you all regarding the small organization, Shie Hassaikai, we have been thoroughly researching what it is they are planning.” Sir Nighteye announced, bringing the meeting to a start.
"Well then, let us begin." Bubble Girl began, "We've been looking into the designated villain group known as the Shie Hassaikai for about two weeks. There was an accident involving a gang of thieves called the Reservoir Dogs.”
“I, Centipeder, conducted a follow-up investigation moving with the aim of expanding their organization and increasing their funds. He was in contact with a member of the League of Villains, Bubaigawara Jin, villain name Twice.”
"Since the League was involved, they also reached out to Tsukauchi and me." Gran Torino remarked.
“We are also aware that the League member Toga Himiko stole a laptop from Best Jeanist’s intern Midoriya Izuku while at the hospital. This laptop was traced to the current address of the Shie Hassaikai’s base of operations.”
Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek, feeling the room seem to glance his way. The Lock Hero: Rock Lock asked, "Even if they're from U.A., why are there kids here?"
“They have been directly involved.” Best Jeanist stated.
“We suspect one of the Hassaikai's main sources of income is unauthorized drugs.”
"I crushed tons of guys like that back in the day!" Fat Gum remarked.
“Midoriya-san was shot with this drug. After analyzing it, we believe it is meant to destroy the target's quirk, though we don't know how strong these bullets are, as Midoriya-san was already quirkless.” Best Jeanist informed, “As a precaution, another support student, Hatsume Mei, has supplied us with a bullet proof polymer that will be sprayed on our hero uniforms. Powerloader has fully approved its professional usage.”
“I feel better knowing we have some way to prevent that, but if we do get hit, is it gone for good?” Rock Lock asked.
“No. We will hear from Eraser Head on the matter.” Sir Nighteye replied.
“It’s a little different than my erasure. The quirk is an extra part with a special function added to a basic human body. I can only stop those genes temporarily, but I can't directly inflict damage on them.”
“Midoriya didn’t receive any damage from the bullet beyond it’s puncture, which is why we believe it only targets these genes. The villain who shot him refused to provide us with any further information”
“I'm not really sure how I'm following this. How is this related to the Hassaikai?”
“It's gotten a lot smaller these days, but various people and organizations sell them wholesale. There's no proof that the Hassaikai handled the goods.”
“The other day, when Ryukyu's team broke up a fight between two villain groups,” Sir Nighteye began before the Dragon Hero took over, “One of the two that turned into a giant had been given an inferior drug that didn’t last very long.”
Sir Nighteye continued, “We believe the young head of the organization Chisaki Kai is the creator of this drug. Chisaki’s quirk is Overhaul. It’s biggest feature being the ability to disassemble and reassemble living and nonliving matter however he pleases. The bullet we’ve collected is one that can break down quirks. The young girl, Eri, was previously held captive by this villain. When Midoriya found her, she had many bandages wrapped around her arms.”
Kirishima squinted in confusion, "What are you talking about?”
“Are you sure we need the kids?” Rock Lock questioned.
“We believe he was using Eri's body, turning it into bullets and selling them.” Sir Nighteye stated.
He knew Eri-san’s quirk had been linked to quirk erasing bullets, but he didn’t realize… Midoriya’s stomach twisted. He felt like he might throw up.
“However if they're at the test stage, he's using them as samples to gather more to his cause... I'm sure they'll have many ideas for crimes using this.” Sir Nighteye stated, pushing his glasses up his nose.
“Just imagining it makes my blood boil!” Fat Gum shouted.
Midoriya really understood why Kirishima got along with the BMI hero. They were both so passionate about saving people. The intensity of their emotion was really admirable.
“The girl is currently safe within U.A.’s protection. But she won’t be able to properly heal until that man has been served justice.” Best Jeanist stated.
Sir Nighteye interjected, “We have one chance to strike where it counts. To that end, we have found groups with connections to the Hassaikai.”
From the back, he heard someone comment, "So that's why you asked minor heroes like us."
"What do you mean?”
“This is too roundabout! While we’re taking our time, who knows who that bastard’s hurting?” Fat Gum huffed. Brash, intense, ready to take action without hesitation, maybe Bakugou had something in common with the BMI hero too.
“If we make a big fuss about this and he ends up escaping, this could be the kindling for something bigger.” Gran Torino stated.
“You're thinking too much! If you keep saying stuff like that, you won't be able to do anything!” Fat Gum argued.
Ignoring the growing tension, Eraser Head asked, “But if you can predict the future, then why don't you just use Foresight to see our futures?”
Sir Nighteye frowned, pursing his lips, “My Foresight requires a 24-hour interval between activations.In addition, it's played in my mind like a flashback. However, that film is all from the perspective of that person.”
Midoriya was already taking mental notes for his new profile.
"Well, that should be enough to let you find out a lot, though.” Eraser Head remarked, seeming to be the only one in the room willing to state the obvious about All Might’s former sidekick.
Sir Nighteye stared down at the table, a melancholy air about him as he asked, “What if in that person's near future, death… just a merciless death was waiting? My quirk should only be used after we have already drawn out the highest probability of success, when it can be used to ensure our victory.”
He was speaking from experience. Midoriya’s chest tightened. Who had Sir Nighteye seen die? Was there really no way to go against his prediction? It couldn’t always be true, not if someone tried to change it.
“With that in mind, everyone’s agencies have been given access to the profiles my intern Midoriya has compiled on the villains we will be facing as well as the heroes you will be fighting alongside. Be sure to do your reading.” Best Jeanist stated, “We must be prepared for the battle before us, lest we allow wrinkles in our plans.”
As they filed out, the students found a table to sit at while the other heroes dispersed. Midoriya sighed, unable to shake the nerves twisting inside him. If Eri had really been through that… tortured daily to make bioweapons. He swallowed before his stomach could turn on him.
“At least Eri is safe.” Hado-senpai commented, “We’ll never let that man take her again.”
“I want to see her smile.” Togata-senpai stated.
“I want to see it too.” he agreed.
Footsteps caught his ear. Midoriya turned to see 1-A’s homeroom teacher standing there.
“I was going to recommend suspending your work studies,” Eraser Head said, causing a hush to fall over the table. Aizawa was looking at Bakugou and Kirishima as he continued, “But I’ve realized that if we hadn’t been miles away, I’m sure you would have tried rushing in on your own to find Midoriya. When this goes down, I want to be sure you’ll listen to me and the other pros.”
Bakugou held his tongue, nodding to his teacher. His other students were fired up, both Uraraka and Tsu seemed ready to take on the challenge, and Kirishima was even more so pumped, jumping out of his seat in his excitement.
Midoriya could feel the energy around the table. They all knew Eri. They all wanted to protect her from that man. Once he was locked away, she could finally start recovering. Midoriya’s nails dug into the palms of his hands. He wouldn’t let her down. He wouldn’t let any of them down!
Notes:
The art for this chapter On My Tumblr or On My Twiiter
Chapter 29: The Storm (kiribaku heavy ch)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Fingers flexed, the fabric of his gloves was stiff, but workable. Sparks popped in his palm, sweat seeping through the material.
Eijirou adjusted his shoulder guard for the tenth time. Sharp teeth dug into his lower lip, threatening to break skin if the idiot wasn't careful. The redhead's brow stayed furrowed as he started hardening his forearm before deactivating his quirk.
"The fuck are you worried about?"
Eijirou's eyes widened as his head snapped to attention, "I'm not—"
"Don't lie to me, Ei."
He rubbed the back of his neck, "It's our first big mission. I don't want to screw up. I've barely been on patrols and now this. The gap between me and everyone else in our class has only gotten bigger. I haven’t closed it yet. And even Rock Lock said students shouldn’t be involved. What if I-"
"Do you think I shouldn't be here?"
"What? Of course you should, Kat! You're like, the strongest person in our class and—"
"Then shut the fuck up 'cause you're the only one on my level. If I'm here, obviously you should be too. Stop talking down on yourself."
Eiji blinked before giving him a big, stupidly endearing smile. Even his eyes were looking all sappy as he said, "You're so manly," like it was taking his breath away.
His hands were sweaty. "Tsk." Bakugou huffed. Nails dug into his fist as tiny sparks popped in his palm, barely audible. His face was warm, skin flushed pink. He tore his gaze away, glaring at the tile. Eijirou chuckled, the sound right against his ear. The redhead gripped Bakugou’s waist, holding him there as he closed the space between them, pressing their lips together.
All tension left his muscles as he leaned into the kiss, letting Eiji's tongue in. He hooked one arm around his neck, the other finding Eijirou’s hip.
Eiji pressed their foreheads together, “Thanks, Kit-Kat. I needed to hear that.”
“It’s whatever.” Bakugou muttered, letting his eyes fall shut as Ei kissed him again. The redhead’s hands drifted lower, squeezing.
"Are these different than before?"
"It's the stupid polymer. Makes the jeans tighter."
Eijirou's grip grew firm, breath warm against his skin as Ei asked, "Do you want me to stretch you out?" Bakugou blushed, causing the redhead to furrow his brow, "What? Mobility’s a big part of your attack strategy and since you do so many aerial moves, I just thought that, wait… Oh! You thought— No, I meant your legs, babe, not your—"
"I know what you meant, idiot!" he snapped, "I fucking did already. It's fine. They feel tighter than they are."
"Yeah, they do."
"Idiot." Bakugou mumbled as he pressed their lips together.
The door flew open with a bang. "Hey, Red I wanna t—" The BMI hero stood in the doorway, frozen like the two teens intertwined with one another. Bakugou turned a deep crimson, from the tips of his ears to the blush crawling down his neck.
“Fatgum? Have you seen my intern? Ah, nevermind.”
Bakugou's eye twitched, "Turn your fucking quirk off." he hissed under his breath. Eiji stared at him blankly before his brain caught up with him. His arms were hardened, trapping the ashe blonde between them. Eijirou dropped his quirk, raising his hands as he spewed out apologies.
"It's fucking whatever, Eiji." he muttered, shoving the redhead towards Fatgum. Eijirou stumbled the first few steps, catching himself as he rubbed the back of his neck, walking out with the BMI hero. Bakugou folded his arms across his chest, meeting Best Jeanists eye.
"I wanted to speak with you before we leave."
Bakugou grunted in acknowledgement, shifting his weight to one side.
He didn't have to wait long for the Fiber hero to continue, "I'll be with Sir Nighteye inside their base. I want you to stay up top on street level."
"I know.”
"Thirteen mentioned your level-headedness during your training in mock rescue missions. And rather than take part of the fighting, you chose to focus your efforts on rescuing civilians in your license exam. That's why I'm trusting you to keep things running as smooth as silk. Ryukyu will be with you, so consider yourself under her care while I’m away."
"Yeah, I got it."
He’d only made it a few steps down the hall when he heard, “And Bakugou-san,” The ashe blonde turned around, quirking his brow as he waited for the pro to continue. “It is important to find a balance between hero work and your daily life. Have either your parents or your teachers given you information regarding safe—”
His palms popped, “We researched it ourselves. We’ve got protection.”
Best Jeanist nodded, “While I’m sure you were diligent in your searching, you are free to ask any questions, or if you’d be more comfortable, Hound Dog is trained to help students as they—”
“Jeanist-san?”
Bubble Girl turned the corner, carrying a clipboard in her hands, “Sir Nighteye wanted to discuss a few things with you before we start.”
He didn’t wait for Jeanist’s response as he sped down the hall. He’d nearly made it back when the muttering caught his ear. The words were too jumbled to make out anything being said. Bakugou pursed his lips as he turned around, pulling the hall door open. Eijirou’s grinning face flashed up on one of monitors that covered the walls. Fatgum already turned his body camera on. Zuku leaned forward in his seat, bouncing his knee; Dumbass was gripping his tablet so hard it looked like it would crack.
Bakugou sighed, "Oi, Zuku!"
He nearly dropped the fucking thing as his head shot up, eyes wide as he met the ashe blonde’s gaze. “Kacchan, you’re still here?”
“Shit hasn't started."
"I know, I just thought…" Zuku trailed off as his eyes glanced over to the monitors.
"He's with Fatgum."
"Oh." Zuku mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.
Bakugou breathed out a sigh through his nose, looking back at the doorway, "Your notes weren't bad."
"Huh?"
"The fucking profiles you made. They weren't bad. Eijirou spent the last week studying them. If his dumb ass read them, then everyone did."
"Other villains might be there."
"No shit. With a mission like this, there'll always be shitty villain extras. Only a fucking idiot wouldn't think that."
"What if-"
"Jeanist wouldn't have us here if we couldn't handle it, Zuku. He knows you're not shitty at analyzing dumb fucks like these yakuza bastards."
"Wow, that was almost a compliment."
"Shut the fuck up, Zuku." he grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets as he stomped over to the door.
"Kacchan!"
Bakugou stopped in the doorway, looking over his shoulder with a scowl. "Fucking what?"
With the tablet on his lap, Zuku balled up his fists, a fire of determination flickering behind his eyes, "I'll do my best today!"
"No shit."
The door shut behind him, a smirk resting on his lips. Bakugou rolled his eyes as he made his way outside of the station. Officers and heroes were gathering around. The third years were grouped together. Elf ears ducked his head as the Smiley fuck slung his arm around the guy’s shoulders. Fairy face was waving. Uraraka and Frog girl waved back, making their way over.
"Oh, everyone's already together? Let's go join them!"
Eiji slung his arm around Bakugou's shoulder. He merely grunted, allowing Eijirou to guide him over to the others. Eyes were on them. Bakugou looked over his shoulder to see Fatgum, grinning stupidly at them. His cheeks flushed a rosy pink as he tore his gaze away, looking pointedly at his boots.
Some officer cleared his throat a minute later, “We discovered the existence of undocumented underground facilities at the head of the Hassaikai's residence. Although we were unable to uncover the entire underground layout, it's the best intel we have. However, even if we head there, if they use their quirks freely on us, it would make the search difficult. Please memorize this list. ” the lead officer said as the maps were handed out.
Bakugou’s eyes scanned the sheet. Someone’s quirk had to make those tunnels if they’d been undocumented. No way construction like that would go unnoticed if heavy duty equipment went in there. Either overhaul could disassemble and assemble the ground, or someone under him could manipulate them, either like Cementoss or something else entirely.
"Things are moving fast now, huh?" Ei commented.
Frog girl pressed a finger to her lips, “From detective work to cooperation with the police..."
“Yeah, schools don't really teach you much about things like this.” Ryukyu remarked as she walked up to their group.
He half listened to the dragon hero as she started explaining obvious shit to the other idiots. Heroes were always working with the police. It wasn’t that fucking complicated.
From the corner of his eye, he caught something dark moving towards them. "Hey, I'll be moving with the Nighteye Agency. Do you understand what that means?"Eraserhead said.
“Uh…” Ei mumbled, face twisting as his eyes grew blank.
Bakugou scowled at the pang of fondness that washed over him. He folded his arms across his chest, “You can’t babysit us, because they’ll need your quirk to erase overhaul.”
“Oh, that makes sense.” Uraraka commented while Frog girl nodded her head.
Things finally started moving. As they neared the yakuza base, Zuku's voice came through his ear, "Can everyone hear me clearly? The body cameras are all on and functioning." The nerd barely stammered.
Best Jeanist pressed a finger to his ear, "Yes, all coms are working, Midoriya-san."
The ashe blonde glanced around. Most of the officers were adjusting the cameras on their badges. Fucking stupid. If something got fucked, Zuku would've said shit.
“Tamaki, eat this. It's swordfish.” Fatgum said, tossing a snack pack to Elf ears.
“Don’t let your guard down and carry out your respective tasks.” the lead officer ordered, “Once they’ve read the warrant, charge in!”
“It’s like they don’t trust us to do our jobs.” Rock Lock grumbled like the guy wasn't saying it for the fucking students.
"Hey! We're all working together on this!" Fatgum scolded.
With a roll of his eyes, Bakugou narrowed in on the gate. The yakuza extras took the warrant. How long did it take for those morons to read?
The wood splintered, flying off its hinges as some big fucker burst through, punching it clean across the road. Best Jeanist pulled the officers back by the fiber of their uniforms. Bakugou caught the two that fell his way.
“What do you people want?!” the villain shouted, flexing his arms to snap the threads tying him down. He swung; his punch blocked by the dragon hero's claws. “The Ryukyu agency will take care of this one.” she stated.
“Okay, everyone get in! Quickly, quickly!” Fatgum ushered, Eiji right behind him.
There were plenty of minor villains out in the yard. His AP Shot took care of the idiots who tried to get in the way of Sir Nighteye’s team as they rushed the door. The shitty villains were even lamer than the losers the League drudged up to fight them at USJ. And just like then, he was stuck fighting weak asses while the real fight played out just below him. Eijirou kept his back to him as they easily knocked the yakuza bastards on their asses.
“Suneater-senpai, those are three of the eight bullets, you—”
Bakugou rolled his eyes, pressing his finger to his ear, “Switch off main coms, Zuku.”
“Sor—”
Yakuza grunts kept pouring out of the base. Little fuckers. Weak quirks were still useless even with drugs. A gunshot rang out. One of the lower ranked heroes stood, hand over his shoulder. The fabric wasn't pierced. The villain stared like a wide-eyed idiot. His AP shot took the dumbshit down.
He pinned one to the ground. Ei was halfway through cuffing the yakuza fuck when Jeanist said, "Fatgum, do you copy? Are you alright?"
Eijirou went rigid.
Seconds dragged on before Zuku said, “His com's been damaged. Lemillion, can you go through that wall down to Fatgum?”
“Yeah!” Not even a minute later, Smiley fuck chirped, “Both yakuza villains are out of commission! Fatgum and I will rejoin the group now!” Before his com fully shut off, something burst to rubble. Something was shifting tunnels, and he punched through it. How strong was that Smiley fuck?
No one touched the coms. Not until Zuku piped up again, “Is anyone near Rock Lock? His camera went dark when Toga attacked him.”
“We’re on our way.” Eraserhead replied.
Bakugou blasted some yakuza extra into a wall when Zuku’s squeak suddenly spiked in his ear, immediately met by a thud as the idiot no doubt fell back in his chair. What the fuck?
“Rock Lock, Eraserhead, and I have encountered Toga Himiko. Unfortunately, once her quirk was erased, she was not wearing any fibers, so I could not use my quirk on her directly. She cut through the thread of my jeans and escaped up into some ceiling tunnel. We’ve lost sight of her.” Best Jeani stated.
Sir Nighteye’s voice came over the coms, “The villain Twice also attempted to stop us, but escaped. Be on the lookout for any other League members, but press forward. Chisaki Kai is our priority right now.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes. No shit. He dragged some dumbass yakuza extra by their shitty plague mask, hands cuffed behind the moron's back. Eijirou held some skinny little shithead under his arm. As they went to hand the fuckers over to the officers on standby, he quirked his brow. Ryukyu stood by the knocked out form of that big yakuza from earlier.
“Rikiya Katsukame. He inhales the life force of those he touches and uses it to enhance his size. Isolate him before he regains consciousness.” the Dragon hero ordered.
As the officers began moving to restrain the villain, a foggy aura began seeping out of them. Bakugou grabbed Eiji by the shoulder, throwing him back from the villain before blasting himself up in the air. The big fucker used some booster drug, inhaling the life energy from any idiot that got close enough. Uraraka and frog face were out, their life force stolen alongside the officers around them.
“I feel full of energy!” the villain cried.
“The villain's using some sort of quirk enhancer!”
“No shit, Zuku” Bakugou grunted as Ryukyu blocked the villain’s attack, shifting to her dragon form.
“Neijire-chan!” the dragon hero called out.
Fairy face was strong, but her attacks were slow. As they hit the villain, the big fuck barely even flinched. Then, he breathed out a puff of fog, losing some of the energy. Fucker didn’t get the long lasting drugs. Bakugou smirked, letting his AP shot fire into the villain’s back. As the moron cried out, he used a series of small explosions to put himself between the others and the big fucker. Bakugou smirked dangerously as he set off his flash bang.
"DIE!" He grabbed the asshole by his shitty bird mask, angling the explosion downward, dragging the yakuza bastard through the asphalt. Idiot went out cold.
The fuck? When he looked back, Best Jeanist was beside Ryukyu. The Fiber hero wasn't standing right, weight shifted to the wrong foot. And his jeans, they didn't have the polymer's shine. As he moved to use his AP shot, the street shook. The ground beneath his feet gave out. Bakugou grabbed the big fuck, using his other hand to blast them to the sidewalk.
He scowled at the crater filling the crossroad. Toga was gone, wearing some extra's face if she wasn't a total fucking moron. Bakugou cursed under his breath as he peered down the hole.
Smiley fuck stood at the bottom, blue crackling around him, fist still extended from his punch. The bastard they came for was half in a wall, out fucking cold. Bakugou's chest tightened as he stared wide-eyed. Smiley fuck punched that yakuza shithead so hard the street collapsed. Only All Might was that fucking strong.
“They’ve got a gun! They’re definitely using the quirk erasing bullets. Even with the polymer, if they hit someone’s exposed skin, a hand or neck, or—” Zuku’s voice flooded into his ear, words coming at him a million miles an hour, “Kacchan, like in your final exam.”
He squinted. What was- oh . Bakugou grabbed Eijirou, “Harden” he said before his palm exploded, sending the redhead hurtling into the underground space. Unbreakable, Eiji landed between that plague mask extra and the rest of the heroes. The gun fired, the shot echoing throughout the warped chamber.
Sir Nighteye stared at Eijirou as the bullet bounced off his forehead, falling to the ground. “I was supposed to get hit…”
Fatgum was at Eiji's side, mother-henning him. The rest of the group pulled themselves off the ground. The fuck? He pressed a finger to his ear, "Zuku, where's—?"
"Suneater-senpai has Aizawa-sensei."
"Get him back before that overhaul fuck wakes up."
"I don't think he'll be up anytime soon… But they're coming back!"
"Fucking better." Bakugou muttered under his breath.
Ambulance. They needed a damn ambulance. Aizawa-sensei only had minor injuries, but Elf ears got fucked up. Smiley was at his side, insistent on riding with paramedics to the hospital. Eijirou was frowning as he watched them drive away, brow creased and muscles tense.
“Zuku would’ve called someone if it was that bad. He’ll be fucking fine.”
Ei chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he finally let himself relax. “Yeah, you’re right.” he said, slinging his arm around Bakugou's shoulder, pulling him flush against his side.
“Fucking course I am.”
The police hauled off the last of the villains. Clean up was minimal, even if they counted the giant fucking crater. It only stretched around the midsection of the crossroads. If that overhaul ass wanted to take apart and remake the entire neighborhood, then they’d be fucked. If the huge spikes of concrete that covered the underground tunnel were anything to go off of, the shithead could’ve done it.
“Red!” “Bakugou-san.”
The pair turned to see Fatgum’s big fucking grin and Jeanist; his sleeve was fucked up, a bandage on his hand. Both of their mentors were sandwiched between Ryukyu and her interns.
“You did great today, kiddos!” Fatgum remarked.
Best Jeanist nodded, “I’m im-pressed by your diligence today.”
“We’ll handle the rest from here. You all should be checked on by the medics before you head back to the dorms.” Ryukyu stated.
The walk to the train was loud as the chatty fucks kept talking to each other. Zuku joined them at the station. Nerd kept explaining fights as Fairy face threw questions at him. The other idiots just said whatever came to mind. He could block most of it out, at least until it was directed right at him.
“You two work so well together!” Uraraka remarked while Frog girl pressed a finger to her lips, “And your quirks compliment each other.” Zuku didn’t say shit, but he nodded along.
“Have you been practicing a lot? Does your teacher have group sparing a lot? Or do you go off on your own for extra training?” Fairy face asked.
“Kinda? We don’t always get to spar together, but it’s nice when we do! Super manly!” Eijirou replied with a sharp-toothed grin, pulling Bakugou closer.
“Tch.” he grumbled, a small frown on his lips as he leaned into Eiji’s side. His shitty heart thundered, face feeling warm.
Dumbasses.
Notes:
Mirio having his quirk + one for all + actually staying with the group instead of running ahead because Eri's already safe???
The art for this chapter On My Tumblr or On My Twitter
Chapter 30: Oops (:
Notes:
Hey guys!
For anyone that saw the 'reminder to vote' chapter, I decided to delete it once voting was over to keep each chapter about the actual story, but i would like to add a few things for people who don't really get why people say voting is important or think their vote doesn't matter.
Voting is more than just who becomes the president. You vote on representatives in Congress, state officials, Sheriffs, Judges, and amendments. Every state that had 'legalize weed' on their amendment got it passed because people came out to vote for it, but amendments also include things like raising the minimum wage in your state, raising/lowering taxes, and lots of other things. It's important to look at a sample ballot before going in to look at the amendments as well as the judges and Sheriff. These positions can be taken advantage off, like Sheriffs misusing funding or not requiring body cams on officers or judges who make bad calls or appear to have a bias. It's always important to look these things over and go out and vote!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“We suspect the League of Villains purposely left the laptop at the Hassaikai's base to signal my agency. They planned to betray Chisaki Kai . This is further supported by the attack they made on him in transport, removing both his arms and the quirk erasing bullets he had hidden on himself. We cannot be sure how their plan will unfold, but we must stay sharp as needles.
“The laptop has been scanned, washed, and pressed through every possible security check. It is yours, once again, Midoriya-san.” Best Jeanist said, handing the device to the green-haired boy.
“I’m sorry. I won’t let anything like this happen again!”
“None of us were aware of what the League was plotting. Do not let the blame rest solely on your shoulders.”
“I should have known though. She didn’t act like Shouto at all. She just had his face.”
“Toga Himiko has fooled pro heroes with her quirk and caused many significant injuries. You were also in an inebriated state at the hospital. It is good that you want to take responsibility and cuff villains like jeans, but you shouldn’t dwell on mistakes when you have already done all you can to ensure that you won’t make them again.”
Midoriya gripped the laptop. “I—”
The door swung open, one of the Fiber Hero’s sidekicks came in, holding a phone, “Best Jeanist-san, you have a call from Gran Torino.”
“I’m sorry, Midoriya-san, but I have to take this. We will talk more on your next visit.”
“I understand.”
As the sidekick and number three hero left, Midoriya pursed his lips, a fire burning behind his eyes. He tucked the laptop into his bag, securing it between his books. “I won’t lose it again.” he mumbled under his breath.
The elevator dinged as he reached the ground floor. He waved to the receptionist before he left. He made it three steps out of the agency before a microphone was shoved in his face. “You’re one of Best Jeanists new interns, correct? The quirkless Yuuei student Midoriya Izuku?”
“Y-yes?” He counted three different journalists staring at him, eyes practically shining.
“Were you a part of the Hassaikai raid? There was footage of multiple Yuuei student interns at the scene including Best Jeanists second intern, the young explosion hero.”
“Are you talking about Kacchan?”
The middle journalist pulled a photo from their phone, showing the ashe blonde fighting back to back with Kirishima. “Is this Kacchan?”
“Yeah, that’s him.” Midoriya blinked as a bright flash blinded him. “Um, what was the first question?”
“Were you a member of the raid? Did Best Jeanist bring you with him?”
“I helped from the police station. I wasn’t at the raid.”
“What were you doing?”
“I don’t know if I’m allowed to answer that if it wasn’t already published in the official report.”
“Can you tell us anything?”
“I really don’t know.” His words trailed off as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
Where are you??? My babies need testing!!!
(*〇□〇)……!
Sorry!
I’m on my way now!
Hurry up, Strategist-kun!
“I’m really sorry, I have to go.”
The questions didn’t reach his ears as Midoriya moved around the reporters, taking the train back to the 1-F dorms. Every workroom on the main floor was filled with boxes overflowing with parts as students tinkered with their support weapons. In the back, there was a large room with blast-proof glass. Babies covered the table inside, as the pink-haired girl took a wrench to her power suit.
Her overalls were covered in grease and oil stains; her face was just as smudged. The door clicked shut behind him as he entered. Mei flipped up her goggles, eyes zooming in on him. She wore a manic grin. “You’re here! I put the babies ready for testing over there, and the target’s set up on the wall.” She put the power helmet on his head, slapping some chestpate over his torso. “Hit the switch to put up the extra blast shield.”
Midoriya strapped on the glue belt and grabbed the tape baby. “Got it!”
“All my babies need to be in their best shape for the festival!”
He looked at the ground. There was an indentation where the secondary wall would rise. Mei’s tools, pieces, and babies were a mess of organized chaos, each set away from the indent. The switch was easy enough to find. Flipping it caused a wall of glass to rise up from the floor until it connected with the ceiling. “You’re really going all out, even though support companies won’t be able to come this year.”
“That doesn’t matter. Companies know me from the Sports Festival. And the hero students are gonna need my super cute babies. When they graduate, they’ll remember how incredible every single one of my babies are and want me to be their personal support hero! You’ll be able to look over their quirks and fighting styles to help me make the best babies for them all, Business Partner-kun!”
“Yeah!”
Midoriya grabbed one of the orbs from his belt. Testing for stickiness, distance, and the overall size of the blast radius, he threw one at the wall. The ball stuck to the center of the target, detonating as Midoriya triggered the belt. The glue exploded outwards, going from its original four-meter radius to five. The baby was heavier, by about a pound, holding more ammo. The tape gun, on the other hand, was redesigned. It’s compressed tape and new weapon shell made it lightweight.
He clicked the trigger and tape came flying out faster than he could blink, sticking right on his target. The recall button triggered the target to rip off the wall. Midoriya cut the tape, jumping out of the way as the target hit the glass behind him.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
I love you.
I love you too
Um, is there any reason you’re sending that now (,,꒪꒫꒪,,)
(❁°͈▵°͈) Are you ok?
Hound Dog informed me that I should cherish the things I love
So I bought you an All Might hoodie
And flowers
They’re in your room
Dxrtgyuiljhgzsedrfgy
ヾ(〃ω〃ヾ)) ((ノ〃ω〃)ノ゙
Sho-chan you don’t have to buy me anything!
I know, but I wanted to
Do you accept them?
(*^^*)
Yes! Of course I do!
Now I want to get you something special.
You are already very special to me.
ʚ♡⃛ɞLᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁)
Ƭ ɧ ձ ƞ Ƙ ʂ (◦˘ З(◦’ںˉ◦) Ȼ ɧ ư ♡
(ღ꒡ ᵌ꒡)⋆﹡♡⃛*⁎⋆(꒡ᵋ ꒡ღ)
♡。゚.(*♡´‿` 人´‿` ♡*)゚♡ °・
( ๑ ᴖ ᴈ ᴖ)ᴖ ᴑ ᴖ๑)♡
As he slipped his phone away, Midoriya lowered the barrier. He set the tested babies back on the table. Something popped beside him, a rush of warm air hitting his cheek. No smoke or flames, yet.
Mei turned her head sharply, grabbing for her tools, “I’ll take a hammer and fix the baby!” Her muttering began to grow more incoherent as she jerked back around. Some of the grease on her arm rubbed off on the power suit’s frame. “Baby need snack! I give baby snack of cleaner.”
“Mei-chan, are you okay?”
“Hmm? Yeah, I’m great! I’ve made so much progress!” The power suit was sparkling as she scrubbed the cleaner baby into it, dissolving the mess while Mei’s skin was layered in motor oil. Dark circles hung under her eyes.
“When’s the last time you slept?”
“Sleep? I can’t sleep! Not when I could be using those hours to invent!” The cloth she was using to scrub was filled with holes, the fabric melting.
“I just think—”
“Less talking, more shooting!” Mei grabbed something off her work space, shoving the new baby in his hands. The gun was sleek, looking like some sort of compressed cannon.
“So quirk bullets, right? I made my polymer to stop them from piercing the cloth, but what about a gun that shoots no bullets?! I call this my ‘All Sweat Baby.’ I based it on Bakugou’s quirk. It uses the sweat he’s collected and fires it in a precise blast like his AP Shot. The impact blasts an opponent, so whether their bullet proof or not, they’ll take the hit.”
The liquid canister was full. “Mei-chan, where did you get Kacchan’s sweat?”
“He stores it up in his gauntlets. What he doesn’t use when they spare here, gets emptied into a storage container. It’s how we fill the grenades on his belt. And how I’ll be testing this baby!”
“Is it for Kacchan? He doesn’t need a gun.”
“No, anyone can use it. I can recreate his sweat by analyzing the chemical components and synthetically make my own to sell once we graduate.”
“The gun may not be as versatile as Bakugou-san, but the same can be said for any support weapon that mirrors a quirk. It may not be as powerful in the hands of others, but the same can be said for a gun in the hands of anyone who isn’t Snipe.” Power Loader remarked as he leaned against the doorway. “You two aren’t getting into trouble, are you?”
“No, sensei! We’re following protocol!” Midoriya replied. Mei didn’t look up from her work as she reached for a blow torch, flipping her goggles down.
“Good. I’ll be checking in every hour to make sure no one’s burned the dorms down.” Power Loader stated.
Midoriya pointed to their emergency bucket in the corner. “We have everything we need to put out any fires if they start.”
“And my fire extinguisher baby is the best at putting them out.” the pink-haired girl remarked.
Power Loader nodded. “Good. Now try not to need them.”
“We’ll do our best.” Midoriya promised.
When Maijima-sensei was gone, he turned back to his target. Midoriya aimed the gun at the bullseye. The kickback sent him flying off his feet, slamming into the back thick glass wall. It’s polymer coating protected it from scratching. He slid down onto his butt. Everything felt sore. His arms ached, pain ran up and down his back. The target was in pieces, singled bits clung to the wall.
“Huh, I need to narrow the blast radius. It’s got the distance, but the spray is bigger than I’d like.” Mei muttered to herself while Midoriya picked himself up off the floor.
His phone vibrated. He pulled it out to see a photo of Eri petting one of the kittens while Hadō-senpai braided her hair.
“What’s that?”
“Hito-chan sent me a text. Eri’s in his room.”
“Go ahead and go. I’ve still got work to do here. None of these babies are ready for testing yet.”
“I promise, I’ll be back to help later.”
“Mhmm.” she mumbled, waving him off as she went back to work with her gear.
He slipped his backpack on and headed to 1-A’s dorms. The future hero students who were on the common floor all stayed grouped up, chatting animatedly about something. With the festival coming up, Midoriya could guess, but he went straight for the elevator.
The moment he opened Hitoshi’s door, little balls of fur were at his ankles, mewling at him. Midoriya grinned as he knelt down to pet them all.
“You just missed Eri. The senpai are showing her around school now that she’s allowed outside the dorms.” the brainwasher said from his spot on the bed, Socks sitting on his lap.
“But you can still hang out with us!” Kaminari offered, sinking into the beanbag.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt anything if—”
Hitoshi stopped him. “Izuku, just come in before the cats try to get in the hallway.”
“Yeah, you can’t third wheel, you can only second hand.” Kaminari said sagely.
Midoriya squinted, face twisting in confusion, “What?”
“Just sit down.”
He took a spot on the floor, letting the kittens crawl over his lap.
Kaminari stretched his arms above his head. “The festival is big for Support students right? You got any plans?”
“My notes are already archived digitally, so I was just going to have a screen that flipped through them all. Power Loader said since the festival will be closed off to the public, I can show them, but only my student and villain profiles.”
The electric blonde tilted his head, “Why wouldn’t you be able to normally?”
“They’ve been stolen before. If villains got my notes on every hero...”
“Yeah, that’d be bad.”
“Mhmm.” Midoriya agreed. “What about you guys? 1-A is doing something for the festival, right?”
Kaminari nodded. “Yeah, our old idea got scrapped, and now we’re making a band and have a concert.”
“The kittens are still too young to have a cat cafe anyway.” Hitoshi shrugged.
“That sounds so cool! What made you guys want to do a concert?” he asked.
“A lot of the gen ed kids are saying that Yuuei only got targeted because of the USJ incident. And if it weren’t for the hero course showing off at the sports festival, Hatsume and you wouldn’t have been targeted. A concert is something we can give back without making it about ourselves like all our other ideas.” the brainwasher explained.
Midoriya’s mouth fell open. “What?! Who’s blaming you guys for that? It’s not your fault!”
“We know, but Iida thought it’d be good to help the rest of the school relax without feeling like the League is hanging over our shoulders. Bakugou didn’t feel like pandering to them, but he’s gonna be the drummer anyway because he wants to kill everyone at Yuuei with his sound.” Kaminari said with a flippant wave of his hand.
“That... tracks.” Midoriya mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “By the way, Kaminari, are you wearing part of your hero costume?”
The electric blonde blinked, looking down at himself. “Uh, no?” he said as Hitoshi pointed at his neck. Kaminari squinted before his eyes widened, “Oh! This is a different choker. The one for my hero costume is a little darker. It looks good, right?”
Midoriya felt his cheeks warm, “Y-yeah it looks nice.”
“Have you ever tried one?”
“No.”
Mischief sparkled behind his eyes as the electric blonde asked, “Do you want to?”
“I don’t know. I’m not against it?”
Kaminari unclasped the accessory, leaning into Midoriya’s space. The fabric was stiffer than he expected, fitting snugly against his skin. When the electric blonde leaned back, he whistled. “Bro, you look hot. If you had a piercing to go with this and your undercut, you’d be rocking the punk look. Toshi, tell him.”
Hitoshi’s cheeks grew pink as he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck, a smile on his lips.
“He looks good right?” Kaminari pressed, lightly shoving Midoriya closer to the purple-haired boy. Midoriya grabbed onto Hitoshi’s leg to catch himself from completely crashing into the bed. He looked up at the brainwasher with his big green eyes.
“Very.”
Midoriya blushed, ducking his head. “Thanks. I’ve never tried something like this.”
“I have more if you wanna keep that one.”
“No, I wouldn’t want to take it from you, but maybe you could help me pick one out? Or something like it?” he said, getting up to sit next to Hitoshi on the bed.
“Hell yes!” Kaminari cheered, punching the air above his head. He pulled out his phone, tapping at the screen.
Socks jumped down, stretching lazily as she went over towards the balcony to lay in the light.
“Hey, Midoriya, can I try something?” Hitoshi asked.
“Sure.”
Hitoshi hooked his finger under the choker, pulling Midoriya closer until their lips pressed together. His face felt like fire as he melted into the kiss, ignoring the pinch of tightness around his throat. When they broke apart, his head felt light on his shoulders.
“Denki likes it when I do that. Your thoughts?”
“It’s nice, but I don’t know if that’s just because I like kissing you.” Midoriya admitted. Whatever the brainwasher was about to say was cut off as his mouth hung agape, face turning red. "Maybe if we test it a little more, I'll be able to make my conclusion." Midoriya said, hovering an inch away from his lips.
A strangled noise pulled from his throat as Hitoshi closed the distance between them. The moment broke as muffled snickering grew louder.
Kaminari finally burst into uproarious laughter, dropping his phone as he clutched his stomach. A tear streamed down his cheek. Through his giggling fit, he said, “Toshi, call Iida and Todoroki. Midoriya’s gonna need them.”
The brainwasher furrowed his brow. “Why?
“What happened?” Midoriya asked.
It took a minute for the electric blonde to catch his breath, long enough to hold up his phone. “Look at this”
Hitoshi took the device, scrolling through the new results from the articles on the Hassaikai raid. The google search was specifically looking at Yuuei students. Midoriya leaned against the purple-haired boy’s shoulder as he looked at the phone. The headlines were all different, but one detail remained the same. The name. “Best Jeanist’s intern, The Explosion Hero: Kacchan!”
Midoriya stared, mouth agape, eyes wide in horror. “They thought I said his hero name.” His stomach flipped.
“This is the greatest thing to ever happen!” Kaminari bent over laughing again.
Shouto and Tenya arrived within the minute Hitoshi sent the text. The taller boy’s glasses had slipped slightly down his nose while his hair was wind-blown. The dual-wielder left a train of ice in the hallway. Tenya was still scolding him for it, but Shouto was unfazed. “You also used your quirk to get here.” he said plainly. He made a beeline for Midoriya, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “Are you alright?”
“I messed up. He’s gonna be so mad at me. It's his hero name. ”
Tenya visibly softened, “What can we do for your, Izuku?”
Midoriya found himself in the center of a cuddle pile, pressed against Tenya’s chest as Shouto leaned his right side against Midoriya’s shoulder, and Hitoshi leaned against the other. With shaking fingers, he managed to pull out his phone.
Kacchan I’m sorry
I’m really sorry!
I didn’t realize they would take it that way ヽ(●゚´Д`゚●)ノ゚
No
Midoriya’s heart sank. No? No, he didn’t accept his apology? No, he didn’t want to be friends anymore? He leaned back into Tenya’s chest as he bit the inside of his cheek. His phone vibrated again.
This is karma for the years of calling you deku
Now I’ve got your shitty cutsie ass nickname for me
I really am sorry
(っ- ﹏ – ς)
I can see if i can talk to someone
Don’t fucking bother
Not like they’d let me use the name i wanted anyway
But I should at least try to
I can see you typing
Shut the fuck up
It’s done, Zuku. Every fucking magazine’s calling me fucking Kacchan now. Even if they redacted it, it wouldn’t fucking matter.
I’m gonna use your dumb fucking name
“So how mad is he?” Hitoshi asked, quirking his brow.
Midoriya clicked his screen off. “I don’t know.”
“I texted Kiri. He said Bakugou was just cursing for like an hour before he got quiet and started sulking. It’s hilarious. Don’t worry about it, Midori-Bro.” Kaminari remarked from his bean bag chair, covered in kittens.
“I don’t think Bakugou-kun would try to hurt you.” Shouto remarked.
“Other people are gonna start calling him Kacchan because of me. I don’t want him to hate me.”
“He’s not gonna hate you over the nickname. I’ve called him Kacchan before and sometimes he didn’t even try to blow my face off.” Kaminari commented.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” the electric blonde said, smirking, “So Todoroki, Iida, how do you like Midoriya’s choker.”
He could feel the boys move to get a better look at his neck. Tenya’s face was about as red as Midoriya’s, while Shouto’s hair caught on fire. The dual wielder gave him a nod and a thumbs up, only serving to further fluster the green-haired boy. He hid his face behind his arms.
“It suits you very nicely. I was unaware you enjoyed such accessories.” Tenya stated.
“I was just trying it on.”
“I’ll order you more.” Shouto pulled his phone out, tapping at the screen.
“Sho-chan!”
“Kaminari-kun, would you like some as well?”
“Oh, hell yeah!”
Midoriya sighed, slumping back against Tenya. The taller boy hugged him close while Hitoshi chuckled.
Notes:
Monster Factory reference from -> Here
The art for this chapter On My Tumblr
Chapter 31: Practice Makes Perfect, Right?
Notes:
Hey, sorry for the delay, I got injured(nothing extreme!) but now I'm completely healed! I couldn't write with the pain, but now I'm back!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Are you measuring your blast radius?” Maijima-sensei called over the booming force.
The debris piled up as trees fell over, the trunks still smoldering as smoke rose up. Mei adjusted her goggles. “Twelve meters in diameter on impact! Minimal splash damage outside of the intended target!”
Powerloader nodded. “And how’s the kickback, Midoriya-san?”
“Better, but it could be dialed back.” He rubbed his arm. The muscles ached, but his feet were still firmly planted in the ground.
"Good. Hatsume-san, are you taking note of that?"
She grinned, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "My super cute baby's going to be amazing!"
"I am, Maijima-sensei." Midoriya replied.
“My other super cute baby can capture this moment!” Mei remarked as she crouched down to rifle through her bag. She pulled out a drone. Its main body was an orb with little wings on its back and a camera lens in its center. With a beep, it turned on. The baby lifted off the ground, fully supporting its own weight. The drone hovered in the air, making slight adjustments as it shifted around. The baby beeped again, chirping a short tune.
"So cute! My baby's scanned the terrain and now it can-" The drone shot off like a rocket, disappearing into the trees. "My baby!" Hatsume cried.
"I'll get them!" Midoriya shouted as he took off, racing after it.
The drone plowed through the trees, knocking off leaves as it zipped through the air in a straight line. Midoriya’s chest heaved as he struggled to keep it in his sights.
In a small clearing, a skeletal man stood, having caught the drone in his hand. Beside him a tall green-haired man pushed his glasses up.
“Young Midoriya, is this yours?”
All Might asked, holding out the baby.
“Yes! Well, it’s Mei-chan’s. We were testing some things, and it flew off." He took the drone and bowed his head. "Sorry for disturbing you! And thank you for catching it!”
“Sounds like there’s still a few bugs to work out.”
Midoriya turned towards the voice. There was a tall tree next to him, with a face poking out of its trunk. He startled, taking a step back. Togata-senpai dropped down into the ground, popping back up between All Might and Sir Nighteye.
A family outing?!
"Are you referring to Hatsume Mei from the Sports Festival?" Sir Nighteye questioned.
Midoriya nodded. "Yes, that's her."
"I see she's creating a new line of Support Weapons. I look forward to seeing the finished products at this year's festival."
"You're coming?"
"While the festival is closed to the public, I was granted an exception as Eri requested I attend."
All Might smiled. "Even Nedzu can't say no to such a request."
Midoriya looked around. "Where is Eri?" The girl was normally right behind Togata-senpai while Aizawa-sensei was busy.
"She's with Tamaki-kun right now." Togata-senpai replied.
"Amajiki-senpai is watching her?" Alone? Midoriya could picture his senpai curled up with his head pressed against a wall.
"He's not always so shy and Eri feels safe around him. They actually get along really well."
Midoriya nodded. They did have a few things in common. Like how they both loved Togata-senpai.
The drone started beeping loudly in his hands as the wings started to move. He tightened his hold before it could slip away. "I'm going to bring this back to Mei-chan. Sorry for disturbing you all!"
"It was no trouble, Young Midoriya." All Might gave him a little wave as the green-haired boy ran back through the trees.
The blast zone was cooled down. Mei stood in its center, glancing around the trees. A thick coating of grim stuck to her skin as dirt and soot stained her pink hair. Dark circles hung under her eyes as they zoomed in on him. "My baby!" she cheered, taking the drone from his arms. “The auto-pilot kicked in too quickly. I’ll have to work on that.”
"You were gone longer than I expected." Maijima-sensei commented.
"Sorry if I made you worry."
"I worry over all of my students. Did something delay you or was the drone more evasive than we anticipated?"
"I ran into All Might. He's the one who caught it."
Maijima-sensei nodded. "Even without his strength, those reflexes reflect a number one hero. As does his innate need to help those around him. I trust you thanked him properly."
"Yes, sensei!" Midoriya nodded sharply. "Oh! And Mei-chan, Sir Nighteye was with him, and he said he looks forward to seeing your babies at the festival."
Hatsume paused, tilting her head to the side. "Who?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "The one who commissioned you for the polymer baby."
Her eyes widened. "Oh! Him!"
"If he's attending, then he's likely looking for possible recruits." Maijima-sensei remarked.
"Or another commission! Izuku this is incredible! I have to get back to my work table. My babies must be in their best shape." Mei started piling her babies back in her bag, slinging it over her shoulder to sprint back to the dorms.
Power Loader shook his head lightly, “That girl… Midoriya-san, I’ll be heading back to supervise her. With this new energy, she is likely to have more than a few mishaps.”
“If we’re done testing, I think I’m going to see what Sho-chan’s doing. I think he said his class is practicing in Gym Gamma.”
“Alright.” Maijima-sensei said, giving him a thumbs up.
1-A were spread out in groups. The largest were the dancers, led by Ashido. The pink girl sternly gave out corrections, keeping everyone on beat.
Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek to stop any laughter from bubbling up. Tenya looked so stiff as he danced with everyone else, and his face was so intense. It was adorable.
Rather than disturb their practice, he spotted his other boyfriends across the room. Shouto was looking at his phone while Hitoshi tested the tension of the rope in his hands, pulling at it.
Midoriya's phone vibrated.
How's your day going? Are you still testing Hatsume's children?
We just finished for today. She wants to work on her designs more.
♡✧( ु•⌄• )
Do you have any plans for now?
Well ( ˊᵕˋ )♡.°⑅
I see two cute boys I was thinking about spending some time with.
(๑・ω-)~♥”
Shall I extend an invitation to the polycule?
Adhigvjkgdt
Sho, look up
"Oh.” The dual wielder pocketed his phone. “Hello, Zu-chan."
"Hi Sho."
"No 'hi' for me?"
"Sorry, hi Hito-chan," Midoriya greeted, "Everyone." He added, giving a small wave to the rest of the group.
"Hey Midori-bro." Kirishima grinned.
"Come for a sneak peek before the show ?" Sero asked.
Midoriya felt his cheeks warm. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just wanted to see my boyfriends."
Sero nodded. "Understandable. Have a nice day."
"Not that I'm not curious about your performance. It's just not why I came here."
"Relax, Midoriya-kun. He's just teasing you. We figured that's why you're here." Kirishima assured him.
Hitoshi ruffled Midoriya's curls. "Watch the dance with us."
"It looks like they're having fun." Midoriya remarked.
Shouto asked, "Do you want to dance with them?"
He waved his hands as he shook his head, "No, I'm horrible. I get really stiff and awkward because I don't know what I'm doing."
"Aoyama was too when he started. Ashido is a very good teacher." Shouto remarked.
“Still, I don’t want to disturb their practice. I’m not bothering your group either, am I?”
“You’re good Midoriya-kun!” Sero said, giving him a thumbs up. “We’re waiting for Aoyama.”
Kōda stopped feeding his birds to nod in agreement.
“But isn't Aoyama a dancer? What’s he going to do for the special effects?”
“The plan is that while Shinsou pulls Aoyama through the air Kirishima will continuously shave off ice that I give him. When combined, the laser light show will look like stardust.”
“Wow, that sounds incredible! But, Hito-chan, won’t it be difficult to lift Aoyama on your own?” Midoriya asked.
Hitoshi shrugged. “He doesn't weigh much.”
"Still, if you're running up there with him, won't it be danger—" Midoriya squeaked as his feet were suddenly lifted off the ground. He grabbed Shouto's shoulder to balance himself while the peppermint haired boy held him in a bridal carry.
"Sho!"
"Yes?"
Kirishima gave him a thumbs up, “Wow, really manly, Todoroki-kun!”
“Sweeping your boyfriend off his feet.” Sero added.
Midoriya buried his blushing face in his hands. “Why?” he mumbled.
“You were worried about Shinsou carrying Aoyama. I don’t have a strength quirk. It is important that we are able to carry civilians out of danger.”
“Yeah, I’ve been strength training with Eraser. Using the ropes with Aoyama isn’t that different from practicing with my capture gear.”
Midoriya’s eyes widened. “It is really similar to working with your capture gear.” he remarked. “Sho, please put me down.”
“Okay."
He breathed a sigh of relief as his feet touched the ground.
It wasn’t long before the dancer’s practice ended. Everyone was breathing heavily, visibly exhausted, but smiles all around. Tenya wiped the sweat from his brow with a hand towel as he made his way over to their group.
“Oh, hello Izuku. What brings you here?” Tenya asked.
“I finished testing things with Mei early, and I wanted to come see you guys.” Midoriya explained. “The dance looked cool! I’m sure it will be even better on stage.”
Tenya smiled. “Thank you, Ashido-san has been a very dedicated teacher.”
“I thought you looked really cute.” Midoriya commented.
The taller boy’s glasses began to fog as his cheeks turned red. An engine sputtered and Tenya’s exhaust pipes started smoking.
“Are you alright?!” Midoriya asked, catching Tenya as he stumbled forward. Shouto cooled down his legs, lightly icing his pipes.
Tenya straightened his glasses. “Yes, sorry, I suddenly felt lightheaded.”
“Have you been drinking enough water?” Midoriya asked.
“Yeah, he seems really thirsty.” Sero commented.
Hitoshi and Kirishima muffled snickers.
Midoriya furrowed his brow. “Why is that funny?”
Shouto paused. “Tenya is normally the most responsible as President, so it’s humorously out of character to forget to stay hydrated?” he guessed.
“Yeah, that’s definitely what he meant Todoroki-bro!” Kirishima agreed. “Sorry for laughing Iida. Are you good bro? Do you need to see recovery girl?”
“No, I’m fine. I just need water.” Tenya replied.
Midoriya grabbed a bottle, sitting with the taller boy while the special effects group began practicing their parts. Shouto made various chunks of ice, while Kirishima stripped from his shirt. The redhead hardened his skin, trying out each of the ice blocks to see which was best to run with and shave off at the same time.
While that was going on, Hitoshi grabbed the rope. “We can start now that Aoyama’s here.” he remarked.
“Yes, like a star, I have arrived! Always twinkling!” Aoyama chirped as he put on the harness.
“Your hero name could have just been twink.” Sero remarked as he tested out angles for shooting off his tape.
“What was that?” Aoyama asked.
Sero kept going, “When people ask why, you could say ‘because I can’t stop twinkling!’ like a catchphrase.”
Aoyama pursed his lips.
The green haired boy leaned back against the gym wall. “I like your hero name as is.”
“Thank you, Midoriya-kun!” the blonde chirp, shining almost blindingly as he grinned. Hitoshi attached the rope, pulling Aoyama up with ease. He and Kirishima ran back and forth around the gym. Kōda shut the lights off, and it was dazzling. Midoriya found himself staring in awe as the gym transformed into a sparkling starry sky.
As they started cleaning up, Midoriya and Tenya both moved to help, collecting the excess tape and unused ice.
“You guys are going to be incredible!” Midoriya commented.
“And you haven’t even seen everything yet! They’ll be lots more at the show!” Sero remarked.
“I can’t wait to see it!” he chirped.
“We could check in on the band. I’m sure Denki’s been testing Bakugou’s limits all day.” Hitoshi stated.
“Katsuki’s been getting better about his temper.” Kirishima defended.
“I would like to see how their progress is going.” Tenya remarked.
The music blasted down the hallway. The door was left cracked open. As they entered, Tokoyami was working with Jirō on his chords while Kaminari jammed away, little sparks dancing on his fingers as he strummed his guitar. Yaoyorozu dutifully kept her eyes on the keyboard while Kacchan banged out the rhythm on the drums. It sounded like they were going over the chorus.
As they finished, Bakugou twirled the drumstick in his hand.
Kaminari whistled. “That sounded good, Kacchan!” he remarked, grinning as Bakugou’s scowl deepened.
“I still can’t believe that’s his hero name.” Sero remarked.
Kirishima grinned. “Yeah. Some reporter ran into us, and asked Katsuki about his name. Now they're running it as 'The god of explosive destruction: Kacchan.' They took our picture together too!”
“Isn't that kind of long? 'the explosion hero' worked better.” Kaminari said, tuning the strings of his guitar.
“Big words coming from 'the stun gun hero: Chargebolt." Jirō remarked
The electric blonde blanched. “It’s not as long!” Kaminari cried.
Jirō shrugged. “It's pretty close.”
“I think it's cute.” Kirishima hummed.
Bakugou scowled, his grip tightening around his drumsticks. “I’m not fucking cute.”
“Sure you are, Kit-Kat.”
Kacchan looked mortified. Kaminari looked delighted. The explosion was loud, but contained. Kirishima was shaking with laughter in his hardened form. His festival shirt was in pieces, barely hanging on by a thread. The ashe blonde was spewing curses berating the redhead.
"Oh my. I'll have to make him a new one." Yaoyorozu commented.
Jirō rubbed the back of her neck. "I think we should call a break."
Yaoyorozu nodded. "Yes, I think that’d be good. I have some tea I wanted you all to try.”
Midoriya held the steaming cup in his hand as he scrolled through his phone. He leaned back on the couch, his shoulder brushing Shouto’s as he rested his head against the dual wielder. There were quite a few articles updating Kacchan’s name. A notification suddenly popped up for a new video. He clicked the link.
Gentle Criminal struck again, leaving the stolen goods behind after defeating a number of heroes. Midoriya frowned. The villain’s threat level was low, considering he never left any permanent damage to those he fought, and never killed, but just like Twice, a villain’s ranking could easily shoot up if they continue down the path of evil. He didn’t have a profile on Gentle yet. The villain always turned off the camera during his fights, so his quirk remained unknown. It had to be something strong to defeat so many heroes. Even if they’re low ranking, they’re still licensed heroes. And the camera girl, she needed a profile too.
“Your tea’s getting cold.”
Midoriya blinked as the cup was taken from his hand. Shouto blew on it, and the tea began steaming. He placed it back in Midoriya’s hands. He closed his phone screen.
“Thanks Sho.” Midoriya kissed his cheek.
Notes:
Art Here On My Tumblr
Chapter 32: Lost Phone
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“I’ll be right back. Don’t blow up anything while I’m gone.” Maijima-sensei announced.
“Yes, Sensei!”
The table lifted off the ground as Midoriya gripped the edges, walking backwards as another classmate carried the other side. “Thanks for helping us Midoriya. I know your display’s already done, since it’s just gonna be on those screens, right?”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind. It’s nice to help get everything in order.”
They pushed the table against the wall, slotting it into place between the other two.
“I’m surprised Hatsume’s not with you.”
“Mei-chan’s still stuck in the dorm’s workshop.” Midoriya replied.
“That tracks.”
He grabbed a duster, brushing off the caked layers coating the monitors.
“This is so exciting!” “I know, it’s finally our time to show off a little.” “Yeah!”
“My costume designs have really improved since I got here, temperature regulated fabric, tactical belts, personalized armour. I wanna make so many different costumes! If other hero students like me, they might ask me to help refurbish their designs.” Daisuke remarked.
“Costume designers are always needed. People can be so picky about support weapons. I don’t understand the ‘quirk purists’ that think hero work would be better without them.”
“Yeah, apparently villains recognize our potential more than them!”
“What if they come back?”
Midoriya’s stomach sank.
“Who? The League?” Daisuke asked.
“Yeah! Obviously them! Like, is any of this really okay? After they attacked our camp, what if they try to come again? After all, this is when our best weapons are on display. Before they only went after our prototypes. And what if they try to grab Midoriya or Hatsume again?”
Midoriya swallowed, feeling his chest tighten.
“I keep hearing the Gen. Ed. kids saying stuff like ‘Because of those hero course students, the support course is in danger now. What if those villains try to attack our festival to get their weapons?’ and, like, I know they’re mad about the festival, but what if they’re right?”
“There is no need to worry. The staff and I have worked hard to prevent villain attacks during the festival.” Midoriya turned towards the door, as they continued, “We have taken every precaution to ensure your safety. If any villain did manage to break inside, an alarm would go off immediately, alerting every faculty member of the breach. All students would be forced to evacuate and we would cancel the event. Know that your safety is always our first concern.”
Nezu finished his speech, standing beside Power Loader in the doorway.
“Your only worry should be choosing your best work to display. Each of you have incredible talent. Support weapons, costuming, analytics, you have all worked hard on your specialties, honing your craft. You deserve this moment to show everyone just how far you’ve come. From the prototypes you submitted alongside your entrance exam to now. I’m proud of each and every one of you, please don’t feel as though you have to give up your chance to show everyone else what I see in you.”
Midoriya sniffled. Everyone else seemed teary-eyed.
“Sensei, we won’t let you down!” “We’re going to have the best displays!” “My costumes will be flawless!” “My weapons will work perfectly!”
With everyone fired up, Midoriya dusted the entire room. Every desk table and chair were set up, leaving space for each student’s displays. Daisuke already laid out his costumes, fabric, sketchbook filled with designs, and one other student put their weapons out.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Just finished practice. (๑ↀᆺↀ๑)✧
We're back at the dorms.
Todoroki went out for a run.
Ok! Can i come over?
(⌒▽⌒ゞ
Not that I have to! (,,꒪꒫꒪,,) If it bothers you or if i’m too clingy
Yeah, come over ฅ(^ↀᴥↀ^) ฅ❤
Me and Kaminari are hanging out with a
few of the other guys in the common room
I’m on my way (‘∀’●)♡
A heart popped up next to Izuku’s message, and his face warmed. His smile started hurting his cheeks, but he couldn’t help it.
The door pushed open as Midoriya stepped into the 1-A dorms. Bubbling laughter filled the air. It’s source was clutching his stomach. Sero shook with mirth, eyes tearing up, while Kaminari sulked on the couch, pulling his knees up to his chest.
Midorya made his way over to the group of future heroes, sitting down next to the purple-haired boy. “What happened?”
“Something stupid, don’t worry about it.” Hitoshi replied.
Kaminari buried his face in his knees. “I can’t believe my bro would betray me like this.”
Kirishima wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “It's cool bro. Even super smart people can fall for it too.” the redhead soothed.
Sero finally caught his breath, huge grin on his face. “Midoriya, can you text Shouto?”
“...Text him what?”
(´;︵;`)
What's wrong?
i cant find my phone
(ó﹏ò。)
( Ĭ ^ Ĭ ) What should I do?
Do you want me to look for you?
Σ(‘◉⌓◉’) I think i left it too close to the blast
zone while Mei and I were testing babies ๐·°(৹˃̵﹏˂̵৹)°·๐
I'll order you a new one
"So fast! He didn't even hesitate." Kirishima shouted.
Sero was cackling.
Kaminari stared over his shoulder at the screen. "But he's a top student? I know I fell for it, but he's Todoroki ."
"Yeah. It's Todoroki. He's already got some All Might phone in his shopping cart." Hitoshi retorted.
"This is mean." Izuku pouted.
I’m sorry
Phones are easily replaceable, zu.
No Shouto
Im texting you
From my phone (T▽T)
Oh
Then I should cancel the order?
(╥_╥)
Please
Midoriya dropped his phone on the couch, hiding his face behind his hands, pink coloring his cheeks.
Hitoshi smirked. "Told you."
“But-?!” Kaminari tangled his fingers in his hair, eyes squinting, “But he’s Todoroki?!”
"You know what makes it funnier? He's going to think Midoriya just didn't realize his phone was in his hand. Like when my mom's glasses are on her head." Sero remarked.
Kirishima’s eyes widened. “He is.”
Midoriya squeezed his eyes shut, leaning over to press against Hitoshi, leaning his head against the brainwasher’s shoulder. The purple-haired boy smiled, ruffling his hair, before reaching into his bag. He pulled out the rope he used to lift Aoyama off the stage. It looked well used.
“Wow, these ropes are really frayed. Is that safe?” Sato asked.
“They look damaged.” Kōda agreed.
“I think Yaoyorozu already went to bed.” Kaminari remarked.
“I’ll get some tomorrow before the festival. She’s going to want her quirk for the other special effects she has planned.” Hitoshi stated. “It’s my responsibility, so I’ll go.”
“If you’re going, can I walk with you?” Midoriya asked.
A small smile curled at the edge of the brainwasher’s lips. “Yeah, sure.”
Stepping into the teacher’s lounge, no one was in Aizawa-sensei’s chair. “Maybe he’s talking with someone?”
“No, he’s at his desk.” Hitoshi insisted.
Midoriya furrowed his brow, but followed the purple-haired boy over to the teacher’s desk. Underneath was a gigantic yellow caterpillar. Midorya startled, grabbing onto Hitoshi’s arm.
“Eraser, wake up.”
It moved. The caterpillar turned, revealing the tired face of 1-A’s homeroom teacher.
“The rope for our concert isn’t safe. I need to go out tomorrow and get more. Midoriya’s coming with me?”
Aizawa-sensei blinked slowly before his calculating gaze washed over them. Midoriya couldn’t help the way his grip tightened around Hitoshi’s arm, clinging to him like a lifeline.
“Stop scaring my boyfriend and write us the permission slip.” Hitoshi chided.
The homeroom teacher rolled his eyes, unzipping the sleeping bag. He moved into his seat, not bothering to look up from the slip of paper he was writing.
“Boyfriend?” Yamada-sensei muttered as he walked in, mug of coffee in hand. He came over, leaning down to whisper, a bit too loudly, into Hitoshi’s ear, “Did you and Kaminari-?”
“No, we're poly.” the brainwasher replied casually.
Yamada-sensei held up his hand like devil horns. “Oh! Rock n roll.”
Midoriya stood there red faced while Hitoshi remained unphased.
“Don't talk to my students.” Aizawa-senesi ordered.
“You only teach—”
“Hizashi.”
Present Mic held up his hands, “Fine, fine, sorry. I’ll go back to grading.”
After a minute, Eraserhead spun in his chair, handing the brainwasher the slip of paper, keeping a copy for himself. “Don’t be late. You shouldn’t be gone longer than twenty minutes.”
“Yeah, we know.” Hitoshi replied.
“T-Thank you, Aizawa-sensei.”
Eraserhead blinked before giving him a nod, wordlessly returning to his sleeping bag.
Notes:
art On My Tumblr
Chapter 33: Gently Holds
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Should we be running? Aizawa-sensei said we have to be back in twenty minutes.” Izuku squeezed his hand, an adorable pout on his lips as he held his shopping bag in his free arm.
“He knows we’re gonna be longer than that. It takes fifteen just to get here. Eraser’s just trying to rush us. Why are you scared of him?” Shinsou teased, bumping their shoulders together.
Zu paused, looking down at his shoes. “Aizawa-sensei is really intimidating.”
Shinsou shrugged. “That’s just his face. He’s a dork who likes cats and taking naps. Trust me, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Okay,” the analyst said, tugging at his hand, “But we should still hurry. Stopping at the convenience store took longer than I thought. I don’t want to make you late for your concert.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Shinsou said, pulling the door to the hardware store open. He let go of Izuku, so his boyfriend could walk in first. “I’ll grab the rope, you wait by the register with Todoroki’s card.”
Zu nodded heading straight for the counter. Shinsou scanned the aisles, finding a sturdy, polypropylene rope. He went ahead and grabbed the name brand since Endeavor was paying. As he plopped it on the counter, Izuku pressed the card to the scanner.
He grabbed the bag as Zu glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, “It’s already eight thirty? We’ve got to go!” he said, racing out the door. Shinsou smirked, lightly rolling his eyes as he went after him. He stepped out just in time to see his boyfriend nearly slam into a couple walking out from the building next door. He caught up as the green-haired boy apologized for his haste.
“Please be careful. You were about to ruin the aftertaste of the Gold Tips Imperial.” the old man chastised. Beside him stood a short, young girl with long red hair pulled back in pigtails that she hid under a large sunhat. Both wore sunglasses to block their eyes while the old man beside her wore a medical mask over his face along with a long coat and hat. “Come. let us go, L-Honey.”
“Honey? Yes, I’m Honey!” she said, following after him as they continued down the pavement.
Hitoshi narrowed his eyes. She hesitated. Clearly not her name, but she was eager to be with him, so she was at least familiar with the weirdo. The girl wasn’t kidnapped, but something was off. Their clothes, their composure, all of it made his warning bells ring.
“Oh, that house? Is it a cafe or something?” Izuku asked.
Shinsou tensed as the old man turned on his heel, walking towards them again. “You can’t tell? If you didn’t know what Gold Tips Imperial was, then you would not have thought that… Are you… someone who understands? It’s wonderful, even though you’re so young!”
“Um… I don’t know that much… I just know because my friend made some for us...” Izuku admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with an adorable awkwardness.
“Oh-ho, you have such a high-class friend.” the old guy praised, pausing for too long to make it natural. “It’s wonderful to have such a nice friend.” he said, tension in his tone. His words were chosen like he was thinking too hard on them. It was entirely unnatural.
“Yes, I’ve been blessed.” Izuku agreed, somehow unaware of the growing strain on the conversation he stumbled into.
“That is a wonderful thing.” the old guy replied.
The mood wasn’t just awkward, there was an edge to it, uncertain. Hitoshi put his foot down, inserting himself between them. With a practiced grin, he said, “Our teachers are expecting us back. If we don’t get going soon, they’ll come looking for us, so we should get going.” Izuku tensed beside him, reeling back, his hand squeezing Shinsou’s. Something clicked for him then.
“Of course, we’ll be going then—”
“Please wait.” Izuku straightened up, his voice steady, but off. “Is this like a ritual for you?”
Shit.
“Ritual? What are you talking about?” the old guy asked.
“I saw your video.” Izuku explained.
The criminal took off his glasses. “La Brava, start filming.” he stated, lurking towards them.
He cursed himself for leaving his capture gear behind. “Filming?! Who the hell are you?” Shinsou prompted, hiding his grin behind the arm he threw up while pretending he was bracing himself. The villain took the bait.
“Who am I? I am—” he said, half-rid of his coat and hat, which obscured his costume. The old man’s eyes became clouded as he froze, the girl beside him shrieking as she pulled her camera out. “Gentle? Gentle! What did you do?” She rushed to his side, grabbing onto his pants leg. One good shake and he’d wake up.
“Do what?” Shinsou asked quizzically, squinting as he stepped back. She looked confused, buying it. He could feel his pull over Gentle drop as she shoved against him.
“You—” her words cut short.
“La Brava!”
The villain looked to his partner. Before he could wake her up, Hitoshi ordered, “Use your quirk on him.”
“I love you.” The words left her lips, and his face scrunched up. He could feel her under his pull, so what the hell was that? Pink smoke suddenly began to rise from the old guy.
“Oh shit.” Shinsou cursed.
Izuku grabbed his arm. “Her quirk! A confession of love must have done something to Gentle.”
“Of course it did.” Shinsou muttered as he pulled the rope from his bag, draping it over his shoulders. “Zu, call your hero agency.”
“Our last resort used so soon!” the criminal muttered, slamming his hand on the sidewalk, “Sorry boys, but I need you out of our way, Gently Trampoline!” he shouted before grabbing La Brava.
Shinsou felt his connection to her snap as the ground rippled beneath them. His feet were lifted off the ground, skyrocketing them above the buildings. They flew apart, with Izuku ten feet away from him. He threw his rope to Zu, wrapping it around his boyfriend's waist and pulling him close. As they fell, he looked for something to grab onto, but the buildings were all square, and there were no poles or posts to lasso.
Tape flew past his face as Izuku fired his baby-gun. It stuck to the side of the building as they swung towards the fleeing criminals. Gentle was jumping away at an incredible speed with La Brava under his arm. He was making some kind of invisible bouncy platforms to propel himself forward. The girl was recording, pointing the camera at Gentle’s face.
“When I was a student, I too, worked hard to put on events. I’m sure you have feelings invested in this too, but they can’t win against my mustache and my soul! This scheme is a big step toward my becoming a legend! Please don’t get in my way!”
“What ‘legend’ tries to kill kids!?” Shinsou retorted as a wall smacked him in the face. The elastic wall flung them both back as the two villains fled through the sky.
Just when the old man was about to reply and fall under, La Brava shouted, “Gentle, I remember now. The green-haired boy is Midoriya Izuku, the quirkless student from the Sports Festival and the one who was kidnapped by the League of Villains.”
“And the other one?” old guy asked.
“No idea.” she replied. Good.
Gentle grimace. “Uncertainty. He already did something to us both. Better not to get involved.”
“Cowards!” Shinsou taunted as Izuku swung after them, landing on a roof.
“We have to stop them before they reach the school, but he’s going so fast with his power increased.” While the bastard was talking to the camera, Izuku’s eyes widened, “I have an idea!” he said, tape shooting out. Between the two villains, it grabbed hold of the camera, yanking it from La Brava’s hands as he retracted it. “If he can’t record it, he can’t go through with his plan! Mei extended the tape-baby’s reach.”
“Remind me to thank her when we get back.” Shinsou remarked. As he stepped back, he felt another wall of arm press against him, propelling him forward. Izuku grabbed his arm.
“Before, he made the ground into a trampoline. I think his quirk turns things elastic. He’s doing it to the air.” Izuku said, “We have to move out of his sightlines.”
“Okay, give me a sec,” Shinsou said, shouting, “Hey asshole, you think anyone’s going to give a shit about you? Millions of people dream of becoming legends, and they don’t fuck with highschoolers to do it. Are you that pathetic?”
There was scorn in his eyes as Gentle said, “I—”
“Move now before the girl wakes him up. We need to get back to street level.”
Izuku nodded, pocketing the camera as he taped the edge of the building. Shinsou grabbed onto him as they both scaled down the side. As they hit the ground, some bald bystander looked their way. “Is there some kind of trouble going on?”
“What?” Shinsou called back. His pull on Gentle broke.
“I said—”
“Go somewhere safe, and stay out of trouble!” he ordered. The man blindly jogged down the street, ducking inside one of the shops. “Izuku, can you call the others?”
“My phone’s on Mei’s display table. I was helping her with the babies before I left to meet you.”
“Shit, Denki’s charging mine.”
“It’s rude to say such nasty words, boy, but you’re only saying that to protect your friend, yes? Don’t go and presume I’m like any of those League of Villain members. I’m not trying to kidnap or harm anyone. I just want to sneak into the festival. Return that camera to me, and we can be on our separate ways.” Gentle said, standing across the street with La Brava at his side.
His mouth fell open as he narrowed his eyes at the old man. This guy was a moron, an absolute idiot. His voice didn’t waver, his tone was honest. He actually believed himself when he spoke.
Izuku frowned, shaking his head. “If the alarm sounds, the festival will get canceled, and everyone’s hard work will go to waste. Even if you’re not trying to hurt anyone, you can’t ruin it!”
“If that’s what you’re worried about, the alarm won’t sound. My partner has a device that will disable it. It’s a win-win!” Gentle proposed.
“You gotta know that’s a bigger problem.” Shinsou said, narrowing his eyes at the villain.
Gentle pursed his lips in a thin line, looking to Izuku. “If you can’t be reasoned with, then I’m sorry to say I must take it by force.” The stupid response wasn’t directed at him.
The old man launched himself forward, targeting Izuku at lightning speed. Shinsou adjusting to the weight of the rope in his hand, throwing it like his capture gear. He snagged Gentle, tying his arms before he could reach his boyfriend. Pink smoke continued to rise from him as the villain spread his arms, snapping the rope into bits. It wasn’t as strong as his capture gear.
“Shit.”
Izuku hit him with the tape-baby, but Gentle tore through it, ripping the strips from his suit. “Enough games, return what you’ve stolen.”
As Gentle lunged for him again, propelling himself with his quirk. Zu threw the camera up in the air, switching out the tape gun for a second support weapon. Gentle made another elastic wall, acting as a barrier between Izuku and the camera while La Brava ran beneath it, trying to catch it as it fell.
Izuku fired the ‘All Sweat Baby,’ not at the camera, but at one of the elastic air walls Gentle created. Burnt sugar hit his nose as the blast redirected itself, bouncing off the platforms. The explosion landed, blowing the camera to pieces. The debris rained down as the red-haired girl jumped back to avoid it.
“No!” the criminals cried. Real tears began to spill down La Brava’s face.
“Everyone’s been working so hard, you can’t ruin it for them! Just go! You have no reason to break in if you can’t prove it!” Izuku shouted.
Gentle stared at the remains of the camera, wide-eyed, before hanging his head. The final wisps of pink smoke appeared to be fading. “La Brava!” he shouted as she snapped to attention. “It’s time to go.”
“You’re running away?” Shinsou taunted, as the criminal picked up his partner and bolted down the road, away from their school.
“Dammit, I should’ve—” Shinsou grit his teeth.
“They only got away this time.” Izuku said, looping his arms around the brainwasher.
“Huh?”
“Before, no one knew how their quirks worked. Small time heroes were called in, the fight scenes were always edited out of the video, so no one really knew what he was doing. But now I can make profiles on them. We might even be able to find their identities if their quirks were registered.” Izuku stated, grinning up at him. His eyes shining with determination. “His is elasticity and La Brava’s quirk gives whoever she confesses her love to a power boost. And going off of this fight, I think it’s a limited effect.”
He was so fucking cute. His eyes were sparkling as he talked about their quirks. Shinsou nodded. “So you can help the pros fight them.”
“I know I can.” Zu stated. Too fucking adorable.
Shinsou smirked, leaning down to kiss him. “Loving the confidence, babe. Hell yeah, you will.”
Izuku grinned up at him, before his smile suddenly fell. “Oh no, what time is it? And the rope! We need a new one.”
“The store’s right there, we’ll run this time.” Shinsou replied, “I get the rope, you have the cashier call the police, let them know Gentle was here.”
“Yeah!” Zu nodded.
With a new rope in his bag, the pair burst out the door, nearly crashing into someone.
“You’re late. I said twenty minutes.”
Izuku went rigid beside him as Shinsou relaxed. “No phones, and there were minor level villains here. Gentle Criminal and La Brava. They loved to talk, but they kept pulling each other before I could get them both.”
“Where are they now?”
“They ran for it down that way a minute ago.” Shinsou said, pointing down the road. “We just finished telling the shopkeeper. She’s on the phone with the cops, and heroes should be looking for them now.”
Eraserdad gripped his capture gear. “Get back to school. I expect a full explanation at the end of the day. Don’t keep your classmates waiting.”
“Okay, dad . You gonna escort us back?”
“Yes, now get moving.” He said, pulling out his phone. “I’m calling Ectoplasm to have him secure the border again. Tomorrow you're running laps for neglecting to have your phones on hand.”
“That’s fair.”
Notes:
art On My Tumblr or On My Twitter
or On My TikTok
The next chapter will be the cute festival date ₍՞◌′ᵕ‵ू◌₎♡
Also Shouto next chapter: You know what would have solved this? A second phone.
Chapter 34: Festival date!!!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Panting, he rounded the corner, Hitoshi pulling him along. The banner hung brightly as decorations littered the space.
“What are you doing?”
Aoyama stood there with a bundle of fabric in his arms. “Here, change your clothes. Everyone is waiting.” he said as Hitoshi grabbed them from him.
Before the brainwasher could leave, Midoriya pulled him in for a kiss, “Good luck.”
Hitoshi smirked, but before he could open his mouth, Aoyama yelled, “Hurry!”
Midoriya’s face went red. “S-Sorry.” he said, letting go of Hitoshi. “I’ll be cheering for you guys.”
Weaving through the people hanging around food stalls, Midoriya made his way to gym gamma. The place was packed to the brim with students and teachers alike. Rather than squeeze in like a sardine, he stayed in the back by the doors. Midoriya’s heart jumped as the ground moved beneath him. Suddenly he could see over the crowd. Underneath his feet, a cube sprouted up. Turning, he saw Cementoss, who gave him a thumbs up. He grinned. “Thank you!”
Whispers in the crowd grew louder, “I wonder what class 1-A’s performance will be like. I’m kind of excited to see.”
As the curtains opened, Midoriya’s stomach flipped.
“Yeah first years! Do your best!” “Show us what you’ve got, first years!” “Yaoyorozu! Yaoyorozu! Yaoyorozu!” Everyone kept chanting, “Yaoyorozu!”
Something nudged his shoulder. He looked over to see a crescent of yellow hair.
“Oi, Midoriya, do you know where Eraser is?” Yamada-sensei asked.
“He stayed behind.”
“What? He’s gonna miss the show! He was so proud of everyone!”
“I think he’s still coming. He just needed to talk to one of the other teachers first.”
“Yamada-sensei, aren’t you supposed to be on patrol right now?” Cementoss questioned.
“Yeah, I’m just staying for a minute, promise!”
“Um, Yamada-sensei, if you’re staying to watch—”
The gym went completely dark.
“Let’s go, damn it!” Kacchan shouted, “All of Yuuei… We’ll kill ‘em with our sound!” he exclaimed, setting off a huge explosion as he pounded on the drums. The blast sent a rush of air over the crowd, blowing Midoriya's curls back. The rest of the band began playing as the dance started.
“Thanks for coming today!” Jiro yelled before transitioning naturally into her song.
Kaminari looked so cool on the guitar. And the dancers were so in sync, Tenya was giving it his all, plus ultra. Midoriya couldn’t help but grin and let the music wash over him.
The moment Hitoshi ran off stage he knew it wasn’t long before Shouto used his ice. Streamers filled the air. Looking up, Shouto had ice runways up above that some of the dancers moved to. Kirishima sprinted along the highest one, shaving off ice as Hitoshi ran alongside him. Aoyama really was a star, reflecting across the stadium. The laser light show looked like stardust raining down on the crowd.
Midoriya felt tears prick his eyes as he smiled wide. Everyone worked so hard for this, and it paid off. The energy that washed over the sea of people, the positive joy that they brought. Everyone would surely hear their message loud and clear.
When the song ended, everyone began filing out. Midoriya stuck to the walls, moving towards the stage. At the sight of him, his boyfriends were quick to make their way over.
“You guys were amazing!” Midoriya gushed.
“You liked it then?” Shouto asked.
“I loved it!”
“You wanted to see 1-B’s play too, right? I think it’s still going.” Kaminari remarked. “If we hurry, we might be able to catch the last of it.”
“Do you think we can make it?” Midoriya asked.
“We still have a responsibility to clean—” Tenya began when flames burst from Shouto’s fingers, melting the ice and burning the tape and ribbon up. “There, let’s go.” he said, taking Midoriya’s hand. His fingers were warm.
Packed into the crowd, the stage lights pointed to Monoma and Tetsutetsu.
“Return Juliet to me!” the blonde demanded.
“Romeo? You heard about your father from Gandalf, right? That he was the king of Gondor? That was a lie. I am your father!”
“You’re lying!”
Midoriya found himself nestled between Shouto and Hitoshi as they walked back to the gym, fingers intertwined. “I liked how they fused different stories together to make something new! And the casting was great.” Midoriya commented.
“I could feel the passion in their delivery.” Tenya agreed.
“And a loud mouth like Monoma made a great Romeo.” Kaminari quipped.
Shouto nodded, “It was nice to see the hero defeat his father.”
Back at the gym, Shōji, Satō, and Kirishima were helping carry stage equipment while most of the band put their instruments away. Most of the dancers were sweeping brooms or holding dustpans for one another.
“Do you need help with anything?” Midoriya offered
“The largest portion of debris was cleared out with the fire. We’re just picking up the ashes now.” Yaoyorozu stated.
“Thank you for taking lead in my absence.” Tenya said.
“Of course. How was the play?” she asked.
As Tenya spoke with her, Eri ran up to them. His heart ached at the sight of the enormous grin on her face. She started to ramble on, “You know what? At first there was a loud noise and it was scary,” Kacchan. “But then everyone was hopping with the dance and then there was a flash and Shinsou, he went away,” she said raising her arms in the air as Togata-senpai mimicked her. “But then it got cold and then there was a spinning light and a girl’s voice said ‘wow’ and I said ‘wow’ too…” Midoriya felt his eyes tearing up at her pure happiness.
“I’m glad you had a good time.”
Eri wasn’t the only one who stuck around. A small crowd shouted at them. “Hey, class I-A, good job!” “Hey, good work!”
“Sorry! We watched it to criticize it! I’m really sorry!” a pair of students suddenly confessed before running away.
“We won.” Bakugou said smugly.
“I wonder if they’re some of the people Aizawa-sensei was talking about who were stressed.” Kirishima said. “If they were, then Iida, our feelings reached them!”
“Yeah! But no matter what their reason, it was because they watched us!” Tenya said. “I’m sure those who didn’t watch. Let’s not let this end today and let our feelings—
“It’s fine, isn’t it?” “We heard about what you guys wanted to do when you planned this. We got it. Now, we’ll tell the others.” “I mean, it was really fun.” “Those of us who watched it, we’ll pass on your feelings!” the group promised.
“That’ll be great!” Ashido cheered.
“Thank you for your kindness.” Tenya said.
“I don’t like it.” Kacchan grumbled. “Find the guys who didn’t watch and bring them here!”
“It’s fine, stop that. Stop it, jeez.” Ojiro said, holding Kacchan back.
“Yamada-sensei recorded it on his phone for me. I could upload it, so everyone can view it.”
“Awesome!” “Nice.” “Good thinking!”
“What happened to your phone, Izu?” Shouto asked.
“...Mei-chan has it.”
On stage Kendo stepped out in a pretty blue dress. For her display, she used her quirk, chopping through four walls of concrete with her bare hand. Her form was perfect. He itched for a pen, mentally taking notes.
He didn’t so much as flinch when his senpai rolled out on a giant tank she made in the image of her own face. The third year and reigning beauty queen, Kenranzaki-senpai made herself well known after visiting Maijima-sensei.
As strong as her impression was, when Hadō-senpai took to the stage, she made it her own. Using her quirk to dance in the air, she painted a rose, looking almost like a fairy. Her girlfriend was crying beside Amajiki-senpai.
“Voting closes at 5 p.m.” a voice announced over the speakers.
Monoma took to the stage, shouting “Vote for Kendo” while Awase held him back. Ignoring the blonde, Shouto asked, “What should we do next?”
“Class C’s haunted maze looks crazy! Hito, that’s your old class, right? Let’s go check it out!” Kaminari suggested.
Hitoshi shrugged. “Sure, are you guys coming?”
Midoriya nodded, “Yeah! That sounds like fun.”
“Okay.” Shouto replied instantly.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what each class came up with.” Tenya remarked.
“There’s an obstacle course!” Kirishima remarked, taking Bakugou’s hand. The ash blonde huffed, letting Kirishima lead him away.
The room was dark. It was difficult to see his hand in front of his face. Ominous sounds played over speakers hidden throughout the classroom. The maze was set up, further blocking their vision, so each and every turn made his heart jump out of his chest. His nerves were on edge, squeezing Tenya and Shouto’s hands.
Upside-down, a body dangled from the ceiling. Midoriya’s throat hurt from screaming. Hitoshi stayed completely relaxed, “Hey, Yamamoto.” he said casually to one of the ghosts as Kaminari cowered behind him, clinging to him for dear life. Midoriya clutched both Tenya and Shouto’s shirts, holding himself close to them. Shouto was so unfazed, just going “Oh.” at every scare. Tenya would freeze at every jumpscare, chopping his arm as he screamed, while squeezing Midoriya’s hand with the other. Midoriya was glad he and Kaminari were there, so he wasn’t the only one squealing every time a ghost popped out at them.
He buried his face in Shouto’s shoulder, Tenya pulling him through to the end. Midoriya let out a sigh, feeling lightheaded. Kaminari let off small charges of static to anyone who got too close. He wondered how much discharge was let out, and how it reflected the blondes emotions or excitement levels. Maybe they could test them.
Food stalls lined the event. Tenya treated them all to crepes, and Shouto pouted over it until he was promised to pay for any games being hosted. One stall had a ring toss game, where they all tossed a bucket of plastic rings at a tray of bottles.
While the rest of them ran out of rings, Hitoshi asked, “What are the rules again?”
“You can’t pass over this line here,” they said, pointing at the counter, “And you have to get your ring on the bottle.”
“Take these and put it on the bottle.” the brainwasher instructed, never passing the line.
As the last of five rings slid down the bottle, the attendant’s eyes returned to normal. “Huh?” they mumbled before laughing, “I guess that works.” they said, “What prizes would you like?”
With a gold kitten plush tucked under his arm, Hitoshi let each of them pick out their own prize. Midoriya and Shoto got matching All Might plushies, while Tenya chose a Yuuei themed bookmark, and Kaminari got a lavender cat.
On their way to the 1-F display, they passed some photo cutouts. Midoriya borrowed Shouto’s phone, snapping a picture of the peppermint-haired boy and Tenya as they posed together sticking their heads through the cut outs of the principal and school building. Kaminari and Hitoshi posed in one of Eraserhead and Present Mic. It looked like every teacher had one, so Midoriya got his photo as Power Loader.
Mei stood in front of her display, sparkling like her polished armor. Her uniform was pressed, without a single stain or wrinkle. A large group crowded around her as she excitedly explained each of her babies functions. But it wasn’t just students listening. Sir Nighteye and All Might watched, the tall, green-haired man taking note of Mei’s best babies as well as their classmates' displays.
When she had a moment to breathe, Hitoshi stopped by Mei, thanking her for the babies she’d given Midoriya, dragging him into a baby-filled conversation for the next five minutes.
He chuckled, leaning against Shouto. As he looked around, Midoriya’s eyes widened. There were upperclassmen looking over his notes on the digital screens. Not just glancing, they were actively reading everything he’d compiled on 1-A and 1-B. None of whom were here, as they already kept updated copies of their personal profiles, current support gear, and costumes. Midoriya marked the improvements each student made as their profiles grew and were in need of updating.
“Aww, man. I want one of these. I would’ve improved so much faster. The underclassmen are lucky!” “Yeah, power loader, why don’t we have any analysts helping us?”
Midoriya blushed, hiding his face in Shouto’s sleeve.
“Good. You deserve praise.” Shouto stated.
“It’s nice to see our senpai appreciate your efforts as much as we all do.” Tenya added.
His cheeks were warm, ears turning red. He grabbed his phone off Mei’s display table. Eager to change the subject, he said, “Would you guys mind if we went back to the dorms? I wanted to make something for Eri, but I need Satō’s help.”
“Sure.” Shouto instantly agreed.
“Does he know?” Kaminari asked.
“Yeah, we talked about it beforehand. I just need to text him that I’m ready.”
Midoriya fetched his bag of apples he picked up on his outing with Hitoshi. Satō stored a bunch of baking supplies and food coloring in his room. Everyone pitched in, sorting the ingredients, measuring. Kaminari read the recipe aloud.
While everything cooled, Midoriya’s phone buzzed. The beauty pageant results were in, Hadō-senpai finally won.
“Eri-chan should be by the gate.” Shouto commented, “Since All Might’s secret husband has to leave campus.”
“They’re not really subtle about it anymore. I wonder if they’re gonna consider coming out now that All Might’s retired.” Kaminari remarked.
“But that could be even more dangerous if a villain tries to get to Sir Nighteye by threatening All Might now that he’s unable to continue hero work.” Tenya argued. “Disclosing their relationship is just as dangerous now as before.”
“More really, since before All Might was unstoppable.” Hitoshi added.
“What are you guys talking about?” Satō questioned.
Satō sat on his bed while the conspiracy theory was detailed in length. Kaminari animatedly explaining the connection while Shouto nodded in agreement. Midoriya collected the treat that had since cooled and set.
As expected, Sir Nighteye, All Might, Togata-senpai, and Eri were all at the school gate. They really looked like a family. Eri fit right into their dynamic.
“Eri, surprise!”
“A candy apple!” Togata-senpai exclaimed. “They were selling them? I couldn’t find any!”
“Looking at the program, I thought maybe there wouldn’t be any, so I bought ingredients for it when I went out with Hitoshi this morning.” Midoriya explained, “It was easier to make then I expected. The only thing I couldn’t find at the convenience store was food coloring, so I borrowed some from Satō.”
“It’s even sweeter!” Eri said, with a huge smile on her face.
His heart was ready to burst. “I’ll make it again!” Midoriya promised. “Look forward to it!”
“I will!”
The sun was beginning to sink in the sky as they made their way back to the dorms. There was a bounce in his step. Most of the other students were back in their dorms, while a handful stayed behind, packing up the last of the stalls.
“Thanks for helping me.” Midoriya said, pressing a chaste kiss to Shouto, Tenya, and Hitoshi’s lips.
“Aww, I feel left out.” Kaminari remarked.
Midoriya leaned over, pecking his cheek. There was static on his lips as the blonde went red.
Before they could get back to the dorms, Aizawa-sensei stood in front of the door, his gaze narrowing in on them.
“Why did neither of you have your cell phones this morning?”
Hitoshi rolled his head back, “Izuku forgot his here, and Denki was charging mine.”
“Do you both need secondary phones?” Shouto asked, holding up his screen with two new phones in his shopping cart. “I’m buying them for you.”
“Sho!” Midoriya shouted.
“As long as you have a phone on you, I don’t care.” Aizawa-sensei remarked.
“So what happened?” Kaminari asked. “Is this about why you were late?”
“Yes, I’m waiting for an explanation as well.” Aizawa-sensei stated.
“It happened when we left the hardware store—”
Notes:
Art Here On My Tumblr or On My Twitter or On My TikTok
Chapter 35: Japan’s Next Top Hero
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“The Japanese Hero Billboard Chart is going to be announced today. You want to watch it don’t you?” Shouto asked.
“No, not this year. Today, I want to spend time with you!” Midoriya said, taking Shouto’s hands in his own. “The news will be covering the list, so I’ll read about it later. I’m pretty sure I know what the rankings will be anyway.”
“But you love hero content.”
“I love you more! And I don’t want to see Endeavor take the number one spot when I know he doesn’t deserve it for treating you that way. Let’s just make today about us. I got permission to leave campus earlier since I knew this was coming up. Everyone else is watching, but I thought we could go on a date."
"A date?"
"Yeah! I thought you could pick where we go.".
Shouto pressed his thumb to his lip. "I never got to take you to a hot spring."
“Y-you want to go there?” His face was hot.
“Yes, but I don’t think we could spend all day there, so we’ll have to go another time.” the dual wielder pulled out his phone, typing something in. After a minute, he looked up from the screen. "Would you rather go to the beach?"
“The beach? Ah, if we go there, then would you mind…”
Stepping off the train platform, Midoriya took Shouto’s hand in his own. It was a little chilly. Goosebumps ran up his arm. He grinned, leaning against the dual wielder’s right side. Sho-chan’s cheeks were pink.
The streets were almost empty, with everyone inside staring at their phones or tv screens. Midoriya clung to Shouto like a koala. With the sun beating down on them, it was like hugging an air conditioning vent. It didn’t take long before they reached the water.
Broken appliances, bags, and other garbage covered the sand. The waves gently lapped against the piles of waste. Shouto’s hand tightened around his when one of the stacks began to shake. A figure popped up. Taking off her helmet, Mei called out to them “Izuku, you came! And with reinforcements!” The others soon stepped into view, each support student decked out in their own gear. They waved, shouting “hello’s.”
“Hi everyone!” Midoriya greeted.
Shouto looked around. “There’s a lot of trash here.”
“Takoba Municipal Beach Park used to be a really nice beach spot, but after years of trash washing up on the shore, it’s more of a garbage dump.” Daisuke said.
“It’s free real estate!” Mei cheered, “I’m going to make so many super cute babies with these materials!”
Maijima-sensei shook his head, “Don’t overexert yourselves.” he scolded.
“After we found out about the beach, we decided that we could recycle the materials here for hero gear and help clean up for the rest of the community.” Midoriya explained. “We’re going to be bringing everything to the trucks Yuuei gave Maijima-sensei for the project.” He opened Mei’s suitcase, taking off his shirt to use her new formulated sunscreen before clicking on the power gauntlets and leg bracers. He pocketed the shirt in the swim trunks Daisuke made for him to look like Dual’s hero costume.
“So, everything should go in the truck?” Shouto asked.
“Yup!”
Midoriya took a deep breath, grabbing an old oven that was half buried in the sand. It was heavy. Sweat dripped down his neck as he lifted it up. Halfway towards the truck, the ground shook. His heart stopped, whipping his head around. Midoriya let out a sigh when a giant glacier appeared, lifting a good chunk of the trash off the ground. Shouto melted it into a slide, letting the garbage fall into the back of the moving truck. It was practically overflowing.
“This will go a lot faster than I thought!” one student commented.
Midoriya set the oven down on the street so he could close the back of the truck. The driver held his hand over his chest, but recovered quickly. As they pulled away, another took it’s spot. He put the oven inside, pushing it to the end of the truck bed while Shouto melted the rest of his ice.
“Make sure you unload everything at a safe speed. The trucks might get damaged if you send that much in so quickly.” Maijima-sensei instructed.
Shouto nodded.
“I can use this, and this, and OH THIS!” Mei chirped as she combed through the pieces, sorting them into her own boxes before bringing anything to the trucks. She wasn’t the only one, as with Shouto doing the heavy lifting, everyone else became more selective with what caught their eye.
In the end, they alternated, the Support students filling up one truck while Shouto handled the next. With Mei’s updated babies, his muscles barely ached after hours of lifting. As the last chunk of sheet metal was loaded in the back, Midoriya wiped the sweat from his brow. He found the dual wielder, looking over the wide expanse of shore. “Wow! It’s like a brand new beach!” he said, grabbing Shouto’s hand.
“Yes, It’s nice.”
He smiled softly, a bittersweet taste on his tongue. “Today was supposed to be about you, but it ended up like this.”
“I had fun with you today, besides,” Shouto said pressing a kiss to his cheek, “Our date isn’t over yet.”
“That’s true. We finished early thanks to you.”
“Everyone was working together.”
Midoriya chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Even if you say that.”
He took off his sandals, walking through the waves as they washed up on shore. The water felt amazing. He almost wanted to jump in, but his stomach grumbled. He turned red.
Though restaurants were packed with people watching the event, the stalls were vacant. They found a Takoyaki stall, sharing the savory octopus balls between the two of them. There was a bench by the shore. They sat there, Midoriya resting his head against Shouto’s shoulder. “It’s silly, but just sitting here with you is nice.”
“I don’t think it’s silly. I like spending time with you too, Zu-chan, even if it’s just being together like this.”
“We should do something though. Is there anything you want?”
“Shaved ice?”
“On it! You stay here, and I’ll get it for us.” Midoriya jumped up. “What flavor do you want?”
“I trust Zu-chan. I’ll take whatever you recommend.”
Getting the shaved ice was a breeze. Midoriya only had a single person in front of him. The flavor list was daunting, stretching over two boards. After looking everything over, debating each one, he decided to ask what was popular instead. When he got back, Shouto held something under his arm with a glimmer in his eyes. “Where’d that come from?” Midoriya asked.
“A man was selling them at one of the stalls. It’s an All Might Beach towel. Do you like it?"
"Yeah! I think this one's from the 'classics' collection. I haven't seen them in circulation for a while. They must be bringing them back for the event today. I can't wait to start collecting your merch too. I bet you'll have towels like this."
"Oh." Shouto blushed, a wisp of smoke rising from his hair. "Would you like to sit on the sand now?”
“We’re already sandy, so I don’t see why not.” Midoriya said. As they sat down on the towel, he handed over the cup. “I got us both strawberry. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s from you, so I love it.”
Midoriya pressed a kiss to his cheek, “Tell me if you don’t, and I’ll get another flavor. I don’t want you to pretend to like something just because I gave it to you.”
“Okay.” Shouto nodded, taking a bite. “It’s good.”
A seagull squacked, flying down into the water. He felt the wind from its wings. Shouto startled, his spoon hitting his nose. Midoriya burst into laughter as the dual wielder blushed, half of the ice froze to his skin, while the other melted down his nose. Midoriya leaned up, kissing it away. It was salty and sweet.
“You missed a spot.”
Midoriya grinned, “I did? Where?”
Shouto pointed to his lips, leaning in as Midoriya kissed him.
With their dessert gone, the pair got up to throw the cups away. He looped his arm around Sho-chan. “Can we walk in the water again?”
“Okay.”
The cool waves brushed against his ankles. Midoriya held his sandals in one hand. Their shoulders were brushing. He tried to playfully bump into the dual wielder, but Shouto’s sandal was stuck in the sand, so he sent him into the water.
“I’m so sorry!” Midoriya rushed to apologize while Shouto stared blankly back at him, unfazed by the waves washing over him. His shirt was soaked, turning transparent as it clung to his skin. Water droplets dripped down his hair. It was too much. Midoriya turned crimson, as he started mumbling a hundred miles an hour.
“Oh,” Shouto said, taking Midoriya’s hand. He radiated heat, steam rising up from his left side. He moved his hand to dry off the right while Midoriya kept uttering apologies. Shouto chuckled, taking his boyfriend’s hand. “I’m fine, Zu-chan. I should have watched my footing. They do that sort of thing in romance movies?”
“I think that’s where I saw it.” he admitted, feeling his face burning up.
They turned around, heading back to the blanket. Midoriya leaned back against Shouto’s chest, gazing up at the peppermint haired boy. He could have stayed cuddled up with Shouto for hours, but as the sun sank lower, he said, “We’re gonna have to get back to the train station.”
“Oh.” Sho-chan rested his chin on top of his curls. “Do we have to?”
“If we don’t go back, Maijima-sensei won’t ever sign my permission slips again, and we won’t be able to go on any more dates—” His heart jumped as he was suddenly lifted off the ground.
“We have to get back, immediately.” Shouto declared.
The Support dorms were vacant, but with the trucks parked outside, it wasn’t hard to guess everyone was calling dibs in the workshop. The door clicked shut behind him, and Shouto sat on his bed.
“I had fun today.”
Midoriya grinned. “Me too.”
“Zu-chan, can you come here?” He slotted between the dual wielder’s legs. “It’s not over, right?”
“Today’s for you, Sho-chan. It’s not over if you don’t want it to be.”
Shouto wrapped his arms around Midoriya’s neck, pulling him down as he fell back against the bed. Their lips met. There was a cool, hot sensation on his tongue. It never hurt, even as the dual wielder’s pupils were blown out, he kept it from becoming painful.
But even if it didn’t burn, his body felt hot. Shouto’s hands move, touching, groping. Midoriya wasn’t any better, pulling Sho-chan’s shirt up.
His face was flushed, “Izuku, please, I want…”
Notes:
art On My Tumblr or On My Tiktok
Chapter 36: Plus Ultra
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya sat up, head still groggy as he rubbed his eyes. The blanket pooled low around his waist. The ruffling of drawers caught his ear. “Sho-?” The question died as he saw the peppermint haired boy sleeping soundly next to him.
His eyes widened, whipping his head around to see the figure kneeled over in front of his drawers. It turned to meet his gaze.
“Good morning, Strategist-kun!”
The pink-haired girl flipped up her goggles. “Is the air conditioner not working? I could make a thermal blanket baby to help with temperature shifts.”
“What?”
She gestured at him. “Well, you’re nude.” His skin flushed as the words left her lips. “And you have too many sets of pajamas for that to be your normal routine. So if you need thermal sheets, I can start working on a baby for that,” she offered.
He scrambled to grab his blanket, pulling it up to his chin. “Mei-chan! What are you doing here?”
“I needed one of the babies I left you, because I figured out how to improve it in my dream. And I got to test out my lock-pick baby. Don’t mind me, I’m almost done.”
Midoriya sunk back into the bed, pulling the sheets over his head. The mattress shifted beside him as Shouto began to stir. The dual wielder yawned. “Good morning, Hatsume-san,” he greeted.
“Oh, I didn’t notice you at first. I’m getting a baby real quick…” Her words trailed off, distracted by something, usually her own train of thought getting ahead of her. Midoriya did the same with his notes. “So that’s why he wasn’t wearing clothes. Got it! A protection baby.”
“Wouldn’t that be an anti-baby?” Shouto asked.
Midoriya’s arm shot out to grab his boyfriend by the elbow, pulling him under the sheets. He moved on top of him, his hand over Shouto’s mouth. “Mei-chan, did you find everything you need yet?” he asked, heart racing in his chest.
“Wow, starting early, Izuku.” Mei commented, “I’ve got enough to fix my babies up. I’ll text you when I’m finished.”
He squinted. “Starting early?" Then it clicked and his face went red. "W-we aren’t doing anything like that!”
Shouto sounded too disappointed when he said, “We aren’t?” with a pout on his face.
The door slammed shut behind her as Mei left. Midorya sighed, collapsing on top of his boyfriend. “Sho-chan!” he whined.
“Yes?” His eyes, like ice and coal staring right into his heart. Midoriya felt himself crumble.
Giving into Shouto, feeling the heat, the cool goosebumps rising on his skin. It wasn’t until his phone rang for the third time that they pulled themselves apart. Midoriya picked up, sliding to answer.
“Hello?”
Tenya’s voice came in through the speaker. “Izuku, is that you? Did Shouto stay over?”
“Yeah, I got permission from Maijima-sensei. Why?”
“It’s noon, and neither of you tend to sleep in,” Tenya replied. “And you answered Shouto’s phone.”
Midoriya pulled the device away from his ear, turning it over in his hand. Sure enough, there was no fire and ice Dual themed case. Instead, there was a green rabbit holding a notepad. He felt his cheeks heat up, quickly bringing the phone back to his ear.
“I got them mixed up since Denki changed Sho-chan’s ringtone to match mine.” And he didn’t change it back because he really liked hearing All Might’s voice shouting through the speaker as he stared his father dead in the eyes.
“Do you two still plan on joining us over here?”
“Yes! Yeah, we’re getting ready to leave now!” Midoriya promised, even as Shouto hugged him from behind.
By the time they made it to the 1-A dorms, Midoriya had at least three new marks between his shoulder and neck. Shouto had a pretty big one on the back of his neck that was hidden by the collar of his shirt.
Midoriya smoothed the wrinkles out of his t-shirt while his boyfriend pressed the elevator button. As they neared the dorm room, they could hear little mewls. The kittens were all over the floor, chasing the lazer as Denki waved it around. Socks sat lazily in Hitoshi’s lap while the electric blonde leaned against his shoulder. Tenya was sinking into the beanbag. The TV was playing in the background. One of the kittens was batting at the remote, flipping through channels.
The purple-haired boy ran his fingers through Sock’s fur. “Eraser was looking for you earlier. I told him you’d be here, so he’ll probably bother you later.”
Shouto nodded. “Okay.”
The green-haired boy moved, sinking into the mattress as he scratched under Sock’s chin. His leg brushed Hitoshi’s, then Shouto’s as the bed dipped.
“So, you stayed the night with Izuku, huh?” Denki grinned, leaning back with his arms behind his head. “How was the sex?”
Midoriya felt the tips of his ears burn as he turned pink.
“It was nice.” Shouto replied casually.
He blanched, reaching out to grab the dual wielder’s arm. "sTOP." Midoriya pleaded.
The electric blonde leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "Say more," he goaded, mischief dancing in his eyes as his smile grew.
Shouto tilted his head. “I thought communication was an important part of a healthy relationship, Zu-chan.” And that wasn’t fair. He was right, and it wasn’t fair.
Midoriya’s tongue was tied. Before he could stop stuttering, Denki jumped between them. "Yes, exactly! Who topped who and was there any quirkplay? Izuku looks like he'd be into that."
"He keeps his notebook by the bed for that reason. And he to—"
"Sho-chan!" Midoriya nearly clapped his hand over his mouth. Everything was too warm, his face was overheating.
The dual wielder blinked. "Yes?"
Denki looked delighted as he grinned at Midoriya. "You're a top?"
Shouto pressed his thumb to his chin. "I believe the accurate term is a switch."
He was dying. This was the end. Death by embarrassment as his boyfriends chatted away about his activities . It was a good life… towards the end. Midoriya could feel his heart stuttering in his chest worse than his mouth as he helplessly stammered away, wanting nothing more than to crawl under the bed and smother his face with a pillow.
"What's sex with him like?"
"Babe." Hitoshi chided.
"What? Don't you want to know?" Denki retorted.
The flicker of hope that sparked in his chest for some sort of rescue was lost when the brainwasher shrugged "I mean, yeah." he said honestly, which was the worst part. How could Midoriya be upset when they were just speaking what was on their minds? But why did their minds have to be in the gutter!
Midoriya buried his reddening face in his hands. "Guys stop. I'm not even good."
"I disagree," Shouto interrupted.
The electric blonde fell back on the bed cackling with that cute smile that made his stomach flip.
He shook his head. "You have nothing to compare it to," Midoriya retorted.
Denki sat up. "I mean that can be arranged."
Shouto rested his arms in his lap. "Are you offering?"
"Are you accepting?" Denki replied.
"Guys, Izuku and Tenya’s heads are gonna pop if you keep teasing them like this." Hitoshi commented. Midoriya looked over to see the taller boy just as crimson as he knew his own face looked. There was steam coming out of his exhaust pipes. His glasses were slightly askew on his face.
“Which heads?” Denki asked.
Midoriya sputtered, nearly choking on air. Tenya slumped forward in his seat, catching himself. One of his legs backfired.
“And you killed them.” Hitoshi droned.
“How can you just say stuff like that so easily?” Midoriya whined.
“Easy, just say what you’re thinking.” Denki replied. “We’re all dating here. Nothing to be embarrassed about. But red does look good on you guys. It’s cute.”
“You’re cute.” Midoriya argued.
“Aw, you think I’m cute?” He hummed. “Iida, why don’t you try? What have you really been thinking about this whole time?”
“I— I don’t feel comfortable yet, saying what’s on my mind.”
“Oh? The prez is lewd?” as Tenya’s glasses fogged up, Denki laughed, “Hey, no judgement. You’ve heard me talking this whole time. Not like I was holding back.”
Tenya paused. “I don’t think our lines of thought are comparable. Mine are more-” he stopped himself.
“Owo?!”
The TV suddenly screamed. A woman holding a microphone stood bracing her head as the cameraman struggled to keep the shot in focus. Behind them, pieces of a building started to fall as glass shattered everywhere. A black, twisted figure was breaking inside the skyscraper.
Breathlessly, Denki asked, “Is that-?”
Nomu, it was a nomu. And Shouto’s dad was fighting it.
Hawks used his feathers to evacuate the building where Endeavor was brawling with the bioengineered monster.
“Hell Spider!” Endeavor called out as he channeled his flames, sending out thin, string-like blasts of fire that stretched across the sky, dicing the top of a skyscraper as he fought the nomu. Hawks flew from the building, landing on a rooftop as he shot out his feathers, moving each through the air to catch most of the falling debris before reforming his wings.
When the attack failed, the fiery hero used his biggest blast, “Prominence Burn!” he shouted as he launched a massive, concentrated beam of fire from his entire body. The heat was so intense that it was able to vaporize any target. It was that man’s most powerful technique.
It— it wasn’t enough.
Blood was dripping down Endeavor’s face, the nomu’s limb dug into his skull. Midoriya felt his heart stop. He gripped Shouto’s hand tightly as a wisp of flame sparked on the dual wielder’s head. Even if Endeavor didn’t deserve to be a hero, he didn’t deserve to die.
Over the tv, the newscaster’s voice came through, “The villain that appeared suddenly is trampling the city all by itself! I can’t confirm this, but it seems that many bioengineered human Nomus have also appeared. Currently, the heroes are fighting them, and evacuating people. However, Endeavor, who was the first to respond, has been wounded… This scene… I can’t help but remember the nightmare at Kamino three months ago…”
Midoriya’s blood had already run cold. Now it felt like his entire body was frozen.
People were fleeing the scene. Children were crying.
“No Symbol. This is what it means to have no Symbol…” The newswoman was shaking.
“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Shouto said softly, gritting his teeth.
Midoriya forced himself to stop shaking. His eyes strained as he stared at the screen. Everyone was panicking.He barely registered the door bursting open behind them.
“Todoroki.. You already saw it?” Aizawa sensei asked as he reached the dual wielder’s side.
Through the screen, a person shouted, “Don’t just say whatever you want! What are you looking at to come up with that, TV?!”
“Stop that! It’s not the time for it.” their friend pleaded.
“Look at that. The flames are still burning, see You can see that, can’t you? Endeavor’s still alive and fighting! Stop letting something that isn’t there get you down!” they yelled, being held back by their yellow scarf.
“You’re taking this too seriously! Stop it!” the other said, pulling them back. “Let’s hurry up and get out of here!”
They didn’t stop. “Right now, who’s the man risking his life for our sakes? Look!”
Endeavor was back, flying through the air. With the nomu, they looked like comets soaring through the sky, bashing into one another. Hawks joined the fight, slashing at the nomu with his feather blades.
Hawks controlled his feathers, sending them to push Endeavor forward, so he could match the nomu’s speed.
The newswoman looked up at the sky. “E-Endeavor is fighting. Even as he suffers… and struggles… he’s fighting.”
“Old man…” Shouto said under his breath. A burst of flame rising from his fist. “I’m watching!”
Midoriya sucked in a sharp breath. Looking back to the screen. His nails dug into his fist as a fire lit in his chest. He’d watch too!
Using Hawks feathers to push him up, far above the buildings and people, where he could unleash his full power. Prominence Burn was like a sunflare, bright, huge, the power unleashed. Midoriya had never seen Endeavor go ‘plus ultra’ before now. The nomu turned to ash, and the new number one hero fell from the sky in a roar of flame. Asphalt cushioned him, the flames licking at the sides of concrete and glass. As the smoke cleared, a fist appeared in frame.
“Endeavor is standing!” the news woman cheered. “Standing with his fist raised high! A sign of victory— No, of his start!”
Even with All Might retired, heroes can’t stop moving forward. Shouto said his dad promised to change. To be a hero he could respect some day. Midoriya wasn’t sure everything that happened in the past could be forgotten, but he was trying. He was alive. Shouto still had the chance to choose.
Midoriya let out a breath, relief flooding through him. Shouto was crouched on the floor, tips of his fingers pressed together.
Endeavor stayed on the screen, standing defiantly against all odds.
Notes:
art of the boys comforting our boy On My Tumblr
And on TikTok, the line art speed draw and the coloring speed paint here
Chapter 37: So This Is My Boyfriend...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya took off his shoes as he stepped inside. Seeing the enormous, traditional home really helped him understand why Shouto altered his room the way he did. Tatami mat flooring, sliding doors, and wooden engawa verandas, the place looked like something out of a tourist book, showing off Japan’s history and culture.
“Thank you all for coming.” Fuyumi said. Her hair was almost like Shouto’s, white with bits of red. His brother, Natsuo, just had white hair. He had a stockier build than Sho-chan.
“Thank you for having us,” Midoriya said.
“It’s nice to meet Shouto’s family,”
“We brought this as a gift for you. Please accept it,” Tenya said, holding a basket of vegetables they picked up from a local market, and a bouquet of ‘lily of the valley.’ The flowers were expensive, but Tenya was insistent. Their meaning, return of happiness, seemed the most fitting to bring. He made sure to swipe his card before Shouto could open his wallet, scolding the dual wielder for attempting to buy their present for his family. A second bouquet was sent to Shouto’s mom.
And ‘out of spite' weren't the right words for it, but immediately after, Shouto placed an order for red roses and bluebells to be sent to each of their parents. When Midoriya asked why, Shouto replied, “To represent the gratitude I feel that they gave me a chance to love you.” Midoriya felt it was safe to say they all about melted on the spot.
“Shouto has said that you are an excellent cook,” Tenya added.
“And none of us are old enough to get you wine,” Hitoshi remarked.
She started pouring cups of tea as they went inside and sat down. Natsuo already had a glass of water that he was drinking as he loitered nearby, a big grin on his face. Shouto never really had a chance to meet people before going to their school. Midoriya felt a tug in his chest. They had only met by chance, and now... They were happy.
The teacup was warm in his hands. A floral scent emanated from the cup. It was bitter on his tongue with a sweet aftertaste. It was a relief knowing that Endeavor was away at his agency. Having to sit near him would definitely give him an upset stomach.
“It’s wonderful to meet Shouto’s friends. I’m happy you all could make it,” Fuyumi said, stirring something in the kitchen.
“Yeah, thank you for taking care of him,” Natsuo added.
Just when his brother took a sip of water, Shouto spoke up, “They’re not just my friends. This is my boyfriend Izuku, and his boyfriends Tenya and Hitoshi, and Hitoshi’s boyfriend Denki.”
There was a misty spray as Natsuo did a spit take.
“What?” Fuyumi asked.
After a few coughs, Natsuo was looking at them. His mouth hung open, but no words came out. He was grinning. Fuyumi was wide-eyed, glancing between them all. It seemed like Shouto hadn’t kept them as ‘up-to-date’ as he made it sound.
Shouto pressed his finger to his chin. “That’s how it started but I believe we’re all dating now.”
“Yep~” Denki agreed.
“That’s great!” Natsuo stated. “I didn’t think Shouto would have such a successful dating life.”
“I love them all very dearly,” he said, taking Midoriya’s hand and giving it a squeeze. It felt like his heart was going to burst hearing such an honest declaration.
Fuyumi pursed her lips. “Shouto, I’m really happy for you, but... Does he know?”
“I don’t need his approval.”
“That’s right,” Natsuo agreed, ruffling Shouto’s hair.
Fuyumi rubbed her temple. “But did you tell him?”
Shouto shook his head. “I never spoke to him about it.”
Natsuo sat down beside his little brother. He looked around at them all. “Is your relationship public?”
“We’re not hiding it, but I think most people just assume we’re a group of friends, not a polyamourus couple,” Hitoshi stated with a shrug of his shoulders.
Natsuo chuckled. “Imagine his face trying to deal with reporters asking about it.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that,” Fuyumi scolded, though her words held no real heat.
“I could request a correction from one of the gossip papers that like to theorize about my dating life.”
“Shouto.”
“Do it!” Natsou cheered him on, stopping just to add, “As long as your boyfriends are cool with that.”
“Our relationship isn’t a secret, so requesting a correction is reasonable,” Tenya stated. “Publishers should strive to only put out factual information.”
“Yeah, go ahead and do it!” Denki cheered.
Shouto smiled softly. “What do you think, Zu-chan?”
“Well, we’re not hiding it,” Midoriya said. And seeing Endeavor have to face such questioning, it would be kinda funny.
Fuyumi sighed, but didn’t say anything more to stop her little brother. As she brought over some cold soba, she asked, “So, how did you all meet?”
Midoriya tensed. He felt Shouto squeeze his hand and Tenya moved his to Midoriya’s thigh, a small reassurance.
“I met Zu-chan the summer before school began and Tenya, Hitoshi, and Denki are all in my class.”
“I think I saw most of you guys at the sports festival,” Natsuo remarked.
“Yeah, Toshi held back since he’s gonna be an underground hero,” Denki said, leaning against the brainwasher. “That way, he’s still got an advantage since most people don’t know his quirk.”
“Is it an uncommon quirk?” Fuyumi asked.
“It’s brainwashing,” Hitoshi replied.
“Back when USJ was attacked, Hitoshi was able to save me when we were stranded on a boat by brainwashing some of the villains. He got them to use their quirks against each other while we made our escape.”
“That’s very clever. I can see why you’d rather be an underground hero since it’s more strategic than offensive,” Fuyumi remarked.
“Sounds cool,” Natsuo commented. “Do you think you could brainwash a civilian out of shock or panic too?”
“I haven’t been able to test that, but I’d imagine I could,” Hitoshi replied, the tension gone from his body as Shouto’s siblings kept prodding him with questions.
“Midoriya, why were you at USJ? I thought you were in support?” Natsuo asked.
“I am. I was supposed to go and observe their class for my analytic work.”
“Oh yeah, you were on the Shie Hassaikai Raid team as the strategist under Best Jeanist, right?” Fuyumi asked.
“Yes, Zu-chan’s very talented,” Shouto stated, his lips curled into a sweet smile that had Midoriya’s heart racing.
He felt his face flush pink. “I didn’t do as much as everyone else,” he said, ducking his head to let his curls fall in his face.
“Still, even if you weren’t in the fight, it’s impressive that they had you helping as a first year. Best Jeanist isn’t the type to give people more than he thinks they can handle, so he clearly trusts you a lot,” Natsuo said.
His blush darkened, but Midoriya couldn’t refute him. Best Jeanist didn’t make mistakes, and his judgement reflected his position as a top hero. Natsuo grinned and ruffled his hair. Was this what it was like to have a big brother?
Given the chance, Shouto continued on, listing any of Midoriya’s achievements, even the smallest ones like, “He’s wonderful at picking up on small details. He once helped Yamada-sensei find his glasses when they were on his head. He also was chosen to help pair students together with their partners and opponents during their final exams to test them to their best capabilities.”
Midoriya could feel his other boyfriend’s stares without needing to look up.
“Is there anything he can’t do?” Natsuo teased.
“Tie a tie,” Shouto stated very seriously. “But I like to tie it for him, so it’s not a bad thing.”
Midoriya wondered if it was possible for a blush to give himself a fever and keel over dead. It felt like he was dying.
It felt like an hour had passed before the conversation shifted away from him and onto the other boys. The air between them all was warm and cheerful, as they shared stories and laughed over their meals. Midoriya helped take care of the dishes despite Fuyumi’s protests. It would be rude to have her do everything after she cooked.
As they were putting on their shoes, she said, “It was wonderful to meet you all. Please take care of Shouto.”
“We will,” they each replied.
“You also have to take care of yourselves,” Shouto stated.
“We will, little bro, so make sure you do the same,” Natsuo replied.
On the train ride back, Midoriya somehow found himself sandwiched between his boyfriends as the train car filled with passengers until they were all pressed against each other like a pack of sardines.
“Were you seriously the one who put me up against principal Nezu?” Denki asked, his breath hot against Midoriya’s ear.
He kept his voice low, “They wanted me to give you guys a difficult challenge. You’d been doing puzzles, so I thought—”
Denki’s hands wrapped around his waist, pulling him flush against his chest. “It was way too hard! There was no way we could beat him. It’s impossible.” he whined mostly for show, voice soft so the other passengers weren’t disturbed. He pressed a kiss to the back of Midoriya’s neck. “That was mean.”
“So’s trying to rile me up,” Izuku mumbled, biting his lip as Denki nibbled his ear. “And Aizawa-sensei is the one who approved the list.”
“Still.”
By the time they got off the train, Midoriya struggled to think of a very bitter tea to distract himself and calm things down.
“Did I go too far?” Denki asked.
Midoriya pursed his lips, looking down at his shoes as he admitted, “I would have asked you to stop if you did.”
Kaminari grinned. “I thought so, but it’s always good to check.”
“Looked like fun,” the brainwasher remarked.
“Guys!” Midoriya pleaded, his cheeks burning as pink as Hatsume’s hair.
“Fine, we’ll stop teasing you,” Hitoshi agreed. “For now.”
When they stepped back on campus, Midoriya let out a small sigh. “It’s going to be lonely when you’re all gone for your safety program,” he sulked, not bothering to hide his pout.
“Aww, you’re gonna miss us?” Denki teased.
“Of course I will,” Midoriya said, feeling his chest tighten. “And more than that, I’m a little worried. Is it really alright for you to go by yourselves? If not the teachers, I at least thought they’d send some of the senpai with you. After all the attacks, even if it’s remote like Nabu Island, something could happen and no one would be there to help you. And even if it turns out to be safe, it doesn’t seem fair not to give you any instructor or some sort of guidance while you’re in the program.”
“Aren’t the support course students going on a program like ours?” Denki asked.
“No, not that I’ve heard of.”
Principal Nezu sat on Aizawa-sensei’s shoulder and Maijima-sensei stood beside them. Despite the fact that they’d done nothing wrong, had gone through all the paperwork to request leaving and made it back in time, Midoriya couldn’t help but tense like he’d been caught doing something wrong. Maijima-sensei normally made him feel relaxed, even when explosions were going off and there were fires all around him, but both Aizawa-sensei and Nezu had such an imposing presence.
“Do you have a proposal?” Nezu asked. It felt like a test as his eyes bore into him.
Midoriya glanced between his boyfriends. Nope, Nezu was just looking at him then. He swallowed. “Well, if the support students were able to accompany the hero students, it would be a good opportunity to see how their support weapons would function in the field and they could make on site fixes and adjustments according to how they perform.” Mei would definitely love an opportunity to have her babies out there.
“And what about an analyst such as yourself?” the principal asked.
“I would be able to use the data from the hero students’ work in the field to more accurately create their profiles. This would help me match them to types of hero work, support weapons, strategies and more.”
Nezu nodded. He helped onto Aizawa-sensei’s capture gear as he lowered himself to the ground. “Majima-sensei, why don’t we go discuss some specifics?”
“Of course,” Power Loader said.
Nezu left to discuss more with Maijima-sensei, leaving Aizawa-sensei behind.
Their homeroom teacher gave them a bland look as he asked, “How was your trip?” Almost like he was pretending to be uninterested, but if that were the case, he could have just left. Midoriya had to wonder how scary Aizawa-sensei was if he let Hitoshi act so casually with him and he married someone as lively as Yamada-sensei.
“It was a pleasant trip. My siblings were happy to meet everyone,” Shouto replied.
“What were you talking about with Nezu with?” Denki asked.
“That isn’t something I’m going to discuss with you,” Aizawa-sensei dismissed. “Remember not to stay out past curfew,” he added, staring directly at Midoriya as he spoke.
“Is that any way to speak to your future son-in-laws?”
“Hitoshi,” Midoriya pleaded.
Aizawa-sensei shut his eyes. He let out a heavy sigh as he rubbed his temples. “I’m going to take a nap. Don’t cause trouble,” he said without bothering to correct Hitoshi.
As they crossed campus, Midoriya caught sight of a tall blonde, skeletal figure. All Might was by the trees speaking with someone. The closer they got, he could see that it was Togata-senpai. The normally smiley senpai had a serious look on his face.
“They must be having a father-son conversation,” Shouto remarked.
“We shouldn't disturb them,” Tenya stated.
They quietly stuck to the main path heading into the 1-A dorms. As they got into the elevator, Hitoshi said, “Shouto, you wanted to see the cats again, right?”
“Yes, I enjoy playing with them,” he agreed.
“Cool,” Denki said. As the doors opened up, both the electric blonde and Hitoshi took Shouto’s hand, pulling him out of the elevator. Kaminari reached back in to hit the button for Tenya’s floor.
Shouto looked back over his shoulder before the doors closed. “Have a good time,” he said.
Midoriya took some solace in the fact that Tenya was blushing just as much as he was, if not a little more. It looked like his glasses were starting to fog.
“Um, do you want to hang out in your room?” Midoriya asked.
“Yes, please join me,” Tenya replied.
He stood awkwardly, glancing around his boyfriend’s room. He certainly was prepared, with row upon row of glasses and all sorts of heroic textbooks.
“I enjoyed visiting with Shouto’s siblings today. It was a shame we were unable to visit his mother,” Tenya stated.
“We’ll get to go soon,” Midoriya remarked. “My mom’s been wanting everyone to come over too.”
“Speaking of family, would you like to meet my brother?”
“Yes, of course! I’d love to!” Midoriya chirped. “Sorry, was that too much?” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. This wasn’t just hero stuff, it was Tenya’s family, but still, “Would it be rude if I asked your brother for an autograph?”
“No, my brother always enjoyed speaking with his fans. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to serve as a hero. My brother was always humbled to meet people who respected him and his work.”
“Wow. I can see why you look up to him.”
“I’ve always looked up to him. He was truly the best Ingenium,” His voice didn’t wobble, but there was regret in his eyes. Regret for actions beyond his control. Midoriya pouted as he tried to think of something to do, to say. Tenya forced a smile. “I don’t know how I’ll compare to someone of his caliber.”
“You’re going to be a great Ingenium,” Midoriya said, standing on the tips of his toes to press a kiss to Tenya’s cheek.
“Thank you,” he said, turning back towards his bookshelf. His ears and the back of his neck were flushed pink.
Midoriya sat down on the edge of Tenya’s bed. “Why do you think everyone else is doing?”
“They’re likely still feeding the kittens,” Tenya stated. “Did you want to join them?”
“Not right now, but maybe before I go back to my dorm.”
“Alright.”
There was a pause between them. Iida was glancing over the titles. It didn’t seem like he was actually looking for a book, but rather, something to do with himself.
Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek, feeling his “Tenya?”
“Yes, Izuku?”
“I know we haven’t said it, but we both know why they left us like that, right?”
“I’m aware of the implication, yes.”
“Does that sort of thing bother you?”
“No, it doesn’t bother me, but I don’t want to impose upon you.”
Midoriya smiled softly, feeling his pulse rise. “I really appreciate you and everyone. This sort of thing is all new, and I feel like you’re trying to be considerate to everyone, but it’s also okay if you want to be a little selfish sometimes. You didn’t voice it, but I’d like it too. Whatever your desires are, I want to see them too,” his blush was deep, reaching the tips of his ears and traveling down his neck. “O-Only if you actually wanted to. I didn’t mean to assume—”
Tenya’s lips were on his before Midoriya’s brain could process what was happening. His back was against the mattress, feeling the full weight of Tenya on top of him. A hand slipped under his shirt, rough, hard, needy— He melted into the touch. It almost sounded like an engine roared.
He wanted his notebook.
Notes:
Check Out the Art for This Chapter Here On My Tumblr or On My Twitter
And on TikTok, the line art speed draw and the coloring speed paint here
Chapter 38: Oh Brother
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Are you sure it isn’t rude to ask for an autograph?” Izuku asked.
Iida smiled softly, “Yes, I’m still sure.”
“I can recall you mentioning your brother enjoying hayashi rice and sports, though I wasn’t sure which sport was his favorite, so I brought the food from a highly recommended restaurant,” Shouto said, carrying the bag of takeout around his wrist.
“You didn’t have to do that, but I’m sure he’ll greatly appreciate your efforts,” Iida said, feeling his nerves begin to calm. His boyfriends were so thoughtful, there was no way his brother would be unable to see that. Tensei always had an incredible ability to read people.
“It’s a shame Denki and Hitoshi couldn’t make it,” Izuku lamented, rubbing the metal strap of the baby-backpack Hatsume insisted he wore before leaving campus. It was difficult to say if it was for his safety or to show off to Team Idaten.
“Aizawa-sensei did say that if the cats found their way into the air vents again, they’d have to take lessons on observation and reinforcements,” Shouto remarked. “Rather than suspend them from classes, they’ll be working even harder, so it should be educational for them.”
Izuku pouted. “Still…”
“Shouto is right. Aizawa-sensei is both an incredible hero and teacher. He’s working to instill the right principles in us. As much as I’d hoped they’d be able to meet my brother, I trust that Aizawa-sensei is looking out for their futures as heroes.”
“You’re right. And we’ll be able to do this again another time,” Izuku stated.
When they reached the building for Team Idaten, Iida opened his wallet to pull out his I.D. pressing it against the scanner. There was a beep and the doors opened. Iida led the way inside. A few sidekicks were wandering around. Izuku recognized each of them, from the well-established to the new recruits. Iida made a note to try and give Izuku an opportunity to meet with them all, if not today, then sometime in the future.
Stepping into an elevator, the two were able to observe the agency from up high. Iida remembered pressing his hands against the glass when he was a child. He would never do that now. It would be improper to cover with smeared fingerprints.
They reached the top floor. The hall led to a breakroom, one that was normally used to discuss missions, but Tensei insisted there weren’t any needing that room currently. If his brother said it, then it would be alright, just for today. Iida pulled open the door, holding it so his boyfriends could walk inside.
Though the brothers looked very similar, Tensei had slightly shorter, dark blue hair, arrow-shaped eyebrows, and a slightly-longer face. He also didn’t need glasses. It was difficult to see him in a wheelchair, but Tensei didn’t let it bother him, shooting them a big smile.
“Welcome! It’s good to finally meet you!” he greeted. “It’s Todoroki Shouto and Midoriya Izuku, right? Are the other two not coming?”
“They were unable to make it,” Shouto replied. “I brought this for you,” he added, crossing the room to give Tensei the takeout.”
As he opened the box, he grinned. “Wow, thank you! This is my favorite meal,” Tensei stated. “But, I don’t want to be the only one eating. Tenya also told me about your favorite foods too, so I had some prepared,” he said, gesturing to the table behind him.
Shouto didn’t hesitate to sit in front of the cold soba. Before Izuku could get some Katsudon, he pulled out his notebook, “Um, if it’s alright, would you mind giving me your autograph?” Izuku requested.
His brother smiled, flipping through the pages. “I’ll sign next to Tenya,” Tensei said. Izuku’s nerves seemed to melt away as his smile widened, having collected both heroes' autographs. “I know my little brother is going to be an even more incredible Ingenium than I was.”
“I don’t know if that’s possible, but I’ll try to live up to your expectations,” Iida said.
Tensei continued reading through the notes before handing it back to Izuku. “I’m sad Jeanist got you first. If you ever think of leaving his agency, Team Idaten would appreciate your skills. The agency emphasizes teamwork, gathering people with quirks that have a single strong point. Knowing how to pair these heroes and deploy them in the right places is extremely important. Of course, they also need to be compatible, working together with perfect teamwork and coordination to take on villains,” he stated, handing Izuku a business card. “Of course there’s no pressure to just abandon Best Jeanist. I don’t want to make you start questioning loyalties. I’m just saying, if you ever want a position, I can make that happen.”
Shouto nodded, “I heard you were very good at seeing talent in others. It is obvious that that’s true,” he remarked.
“T-Thank you,” Midoriya stuttered, cheeks pink from all the rightfully deserved praise.
After that, Midoriya sat next to Shouto and Iida sat next to his brother across from them. He took a sip of orange juice, fueling up on both his quirk and vitamin C. There was some idle banter between the meal, but it wasn’t until everyone was finished that Tensei decided to tease him, “I still can’t believe my little brother’s fallen in love.”
He couldn’t say it was hard to know when it happened. Iida knew the exact moment his heart began to race. After Midoriya had trusted him with his past and protected him from making a horrible mistake. From the moment Shouto appeared out of nowhere to save him and Manual. Back then, seeing how the two were so infatuated with each other, Iida had accepted that his feelings would have to remain unrequited. Then Shouto walked back into his life one day and offered him a proposal he couldn’t refuse. To be together now, it didn’t feel real at times.
“Tenya has many great qualities that make it easy to love him. Why is it surprising?” Shouto asked, tilting his head to the side. It was painfully genuine.
Tensei laughed, “I was afraid he’d focus so much on his studies that he wouldn’t make time for something like love.”
The dual wielder nodded. “He is very studious. I understand your concerns.”
Something brushed against his leg. When Iida looked down, it was Izuku, who brushed his foot against him as he shot Tenya a small smile.
“I make appropriate time for my studies, training, and partners,” Iida defended.
“I’m sure you do, Tenya,” Tensei replied. “Speaking of training. I heard you’ll be taking part in some safety program.”
Aizawa-sensei had yet to give them any concrete details about the trip. Izuku perked up, “1-A will be sent to Nabu Island as part of a safety program. Since it’s remote, there shouldn’t be any real trouble, but Togata-senpai will be going too as a role model. I heard Amajiki and Hadō-senpai are going with 1-B.”
“Those are the third years people have been talking about, right?” Tensei asked.
Izuku nodded, “Yeah, the big three. It was decided that they would be the best suited to accompany classes 1-A and -B.”
“I wasn’t aware that had been decided,” Shouto commented.
“It will be good to have this opportunity to learn from our senpai,” Iida remarked.
His brother quirked his brow. “Midoriya, how do you know more about their trip?”
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, Maijima-sensei told us since Mei-chan and I will be going too. The rest of 1-F will go with 1-B.”
Tensei’s eyes widened. “You two are the only ones going with 1-A?”
“Mei-chan has about as many bab—, support weapons, as the rest of our class combined. A safe place like Nabu island would be perfect for testing them out. They’ve been tested beforehand, of course, just not in the hands of heroes.”
“You’ve tested them,” Shouto commented.
Izuku blushed. “You know what I meant, Sho-chan.”
So Hatsume mei was going. He knew she was close to Midoriya, but the way she was at the Sports Festival, using deceitful tactics to get her way. It was difficult to ignore. Still, she single handedly supplied Izuku with the tools he needed to not only save himself but others from their school, at USJ, the camp, and the festival. If Izuku believed in her, Iida was willing to give her a second chance.
“That sounds great. I’m sure it will be a good learning experience for you all,” Tensei said.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” Izuku chirped.
There were a series of buzzes and beeps as their phones went off. It was a message from Denki.
Check the news! It’s the interview! ((ヾ(* ´∀`)ノ))
Iida got up to get the remote for the large monitor hung on the wall. Tensei quirked his brow, but didn’t ask as his little brother switched through the channels, finally landing on the right news broadcast.
“One last thing, Endeavor. Your son, the upcoming hero, Dual, has reached out to multiple magazines in order to request a clarification. The statement he wished to rectify was who he was dating at Yuuei. Were you aware that your son is dating not one, but four of his fellow students? It would appear that he has a harem of boys. How do you feel about that?”
“I wouldn’t say it’s my harem,” Shouto mumbled, staring blankly at the screen. Tensei snorted.
“You kind of started it though,” Midoriya commented.
The camera zoomed in on Endeavor. A verbal answer wasn’t needed when anyone could look at his face. The current number one hero was stiff, uneasy. He didn't want to answer, but he had to. What could he say without revealing that his son didn't tell him about it? How they weren't close, so Shouto told the gossip magazines before his own father? After a moment, he finally responded to the reporters, “My son will become a hero who shall surpass me in every way, including the relationships he builds.”
Shouto narrowed his eyes. Iida didn’t pry for the full details, but he wasn’t blind. With how Izuku and Shouto spoke about Endeavor, it was clear he was a less than ideal father. Perhaps he was trying to mend things, though he never said he wouldn’t attempt to meddle in his son’s relationships either. It was difficult to say how things would turn out. Either way, it was fun to see Endeavor squirm as the press lobbed more and more questions at him, having shaken the hornets nest.
It was clear the current number one hero wasn’t prepared for these kinds of questions.
Only a few minutes after the interview came to an end, Shouto received a phone call from his siblings. “It would appear that I need to stop at home before returning to school. I’ll take my leave now, it was nice to meet you,” the dual wielder said.
“You’re welcome here any time. I’m sure you’ve got your own plans for hero work, but you’d have a spot here if you ever wanted one,” Tensei said. Iida had to wonder if he planned on recruiting all of his boyfriends. It would be nice to work together.
“We should probably get going too. We have to get the train back before curfew,” Izuku stated. “It really was an honor to meet you!”
“Hey, no need to sound so formal. I really enjoyed talking to you all,” Tensei replied. Iida held the door open for them both. Before he could leave with them, Tensei gave Iida two more business cards, “It’s a shame your other boyfriends couldn’t make it. Be sure to pass those along for me. I’d like to meet them too.”
He really was planning on recruiting them all. “...Yes, brother.”
Tensei laughed, “Don’t be so stiff! And hurry up, you don’t want to keep them waiting.”
“Yes! Thank you for doing this today.”
“Of course, little brother.”
With that, Iida raced down the hallway to reach his boyfriends at the elevator. Shouto ended up on a separate train. With it being so crowded, Izuku was pressed against Iida’s chest. He wrapped an arm around his boyfriend, holding him steady as he grabbed the hanging strap above his head.
Things calmed down once they reached their stop. Foot traffic slowed until it was just the two of them walking down the street towards campus. As they turned the corner, a familiar mop of lavender hair bumped into them. Hitoshi was in a simple, grey t-shirt and sweatpants. “So this is where you two were,” he said “Hurry up. Aizawa-sensei wants to see you both.”
“Sorry, did you come all the way here looking for us? Did we miss your call?” Izuku said.
The brainwasher shrugged. “My phone died,” he stated.
““Aizawa-sensei wants to see both of us?” Iida asked. “Is Maijima-sensei there too?”
“I don’t think so. I was asked to bring Midoriya too. You guys shouldn’t keep him waiting. Whatever he wants to say seemed important.”
Just as he was about to move forward, Iida paused.
Izuku squinted. “Are you mad at us?”
Hitoshi quirked his brow. “Why would I be?”
He hadn’t thought of the purple-haired boy as jealous. They could have postponed meeting with his older brother, but they insisted they go. Was Denki also upset that they went?
“Sorry, Shinsou, you just looked a little intense,” Izuku said. “Where did you say we needed to be?”
“Aizawa-sensei wanted to talk to you guys. He’s finishing up some hero duty off campus. Follow me, I’ll show you where to go.”
“Okay, I hope we didn’t make you wait up on us. Please lead the way,” Izuku said.
The moment she turned her back, Izuku stepped in front of Iida, activating the armor Hatsume had given him. The backpack unfolded, extending to wrap around his chest, arms, and thankfully his head. He didn’t have the shoes or leg bracers though. Why he decided to activate was a puzzle, unfortunately solved when Izuku said two words, “Toga Himiko.”
Iida’s blood froze.
While wearing Hitoshi’s face, she turned, pulling a knife from her pocket and lunged.
Izuku refused to dodge, holding his ground. He was trying to protect him. It reminded Iida of Shouto and Stain, when the dual wielder didn’t hesitate to jump into battle. But while Iida and Manual ran headfirst into that fight, Izuku never asked for this. It was time someone helped him too. Tensei always said the coolest heroes were the ones who saved people quickly. Ingenium was going to protect him.
Activating Recipro Burst, Iida grabbed Izuku’s shoulder, pulling him back as he shot around him. Toga’s knife sliced through his arm, but the pain didn’t matter. Hitoshi’s face was stained in Iida’s blood as Toga shot him a fang-toothed grin, giggling as she lunged for another strike. His leg was already swinging around. He just needed to land one kick to knock her out. The tip of his shoe grazed her cheek when he was suddenly pulled away, a blue aura wrapping around him. He came face to face with Big Sis Magne.
Shit.
His engines stalled. Iida had to trust in Bakugou’s self defense classes, because his legs were stuck. Magne swung her gigantic magnet stick at him. Iida barely ducked, throwing his own punch that she dodged. Again and again, she moved out of the way. Magne threw an uppercut, cracking his glasses.
He could taste iron as blood dripped down his nose. He couldn’t look back at Izuku, no matter how much he wanted to. If he gave her an inch, she’d take his head off his shoulders.
Iida panted, gritting his teeth as his engines came back to life. He needed space between them. Feigning a kick, he was able to activate his Engine Boost and put some distance between them. Now facing the other two, Izuku had some shock gloves, but Toga wasn’t letting him touch her.
Surveying the area, they were close enough to the school. Iida grabbed Izuku, scooping him up in his arms and carrying him away. “We need to get the teachers,” Iida stated. As his engines were roaring, a blue aura coated them both and suddenly they were flying apart in opposite directions. It was Magne’s super move, Repulsion Breakup: Moonlight Flit Cannon, an attack that magnetizes two people of the same gender. Just like when magnets of the same polarity meet, they repel each other.
Izuku was yanked away, back towards Toga. This couldn’t happen. Without any hesitation, Iida used Recipro Extend, breaking free of his hold and accelerating past Izuku towards the villains. He spun in the air, landing a solid kick to Toga’s stomach. She flew into a wall. The blood coming out of her mouth looked to be her own.
He heard Magne cuss, looking over to her fallen partner. An electric blast hit her in the arm. Iida thought it was Denki until he turned back and saw Midoriya on the ground, hand over his palm like when Bakugou used his AP Shot.
Magne grit her teeth, and both of them went blue again, this time, they were sent flying backwards. Iida had no idea how she pushed them away until they flew into some woman. Her shop keys fell to the ground as they slammed into her. The pink aura over her skin confirmed it. Magne hit a bystander to pull them back. He checked her for serious wounds before turning back to see an empty street.
“She’s out cold,” Izuku said, leaning her against the door. “But she only has a few bruises.”
“I’m calling the police. They’ll make sure she gets treatment if she needs it,” Iida stated, pulling his phone out. After informing them of the situation, he turned to Izuku. “How did she get Hitoshi’s blood?”
“She probably got a little when she infiltrated the licensing exam.”
“The other thing I’m wondering is, how did they know we’d be here? Are they staking out the school or is it possible they were able to see when and what we requested absence for.”
“What are you implying?”
“The school probably already expects it, but if the League knew about our training camp location and that we were coming back from your family’s hero agency, then there’s a chance that they have a way to get information from inside the school. There might be a traitor somewhere, or they have someone on their team with a quirk we don’t know about, something reconnaissance based.” Izuku tore a piece from the bottom of his shirt, tying it around the wound on Iida’s arm. “Let’s hurry back. We need to get you to Recovery Girl and tell the teacher’s what happened.”
“Right,” Iida agreed.
Notes:
Me: Midoriya wouldn’t be smart enough to play along then activate his armor. He’d just try to fight her outright. The second he realized she’s Toga, he’d say “You’re not Hitoshi!” and she’d stab him.
Also me: I still want to do it, so I’ll curb it by having him shout her name like the smart dumbass he is instead of trying to attack her stealthily while he had the advantage.
The art for this chapter Here on My Tumblr or Here on My Twitter
Speeddraw on my TikTok Here
Chapter 39: Rising
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya folded his shirt, setting it down in his luggage. His phone was pressed between his shoulder and his ear. “Yes mom, I’m bringing extra socks and Mei-chan upgraded my armor. The Hero Public Safety Commission is the one sponsoring the trip. We’ll be on Nabu Island, where there’s a super low crime rate. Even one of our senpai is going.”
“Alright, that does make me feel better. Just stay safe and have fun on your trip,” she replied.
“I will, promise!” he said, zipping up his bag. “And when we get back, I’ll bring Shouto, Tenya, Hitoshi, and Denki over.”
“I’m looking forward to it! Love you.”
“Love you too, mom.”
After hanging up the phone, Midoriya tucked the device in his pocket. He couldn’t tell her that Maijima-sensei wanted to go with them. With the League of Villains recent attack and unknown motives, everyone at the school was on edge, but the Hero Public Safety Commission thought it was better for everyone to learn to be self-reliant in a safe environment. There was no way the League could know where they were going, or that Midoriya would be there at all.
With one of the big three, and possibly All Might’s son, Togata-senpai going along, Midoriya pushed any worries from his mind. This was a chance to see what everyone was capable of. He was going to fill his entire notebook, maybe two.
Midoriya left, taking the elevator to Mei’s room. Just as he was about to knock, a rumbling shook the door followed by an all-to familiar boom.
“Are you okay in there?” Midoriya called.
“Yeah,” she coughed. The door opened a second later and Mei appeared, her pink hair covered in soot. “My baby’s being a bit temperamental, but they’ll all be in top shape when we get to the island!” Her smile was wide.
“Are you going to work on them on the boat ride over?”
“Of course! Maijima-sensei showed me where I could go. There’s a special workroom for my babies.”
It was reassuring to know that no stray explosion would be sinking the ship. Not anytime soon, at least. About three boxes were packed while the rest of her babies lay scattered across her bed and work table. She didn’t look like she remembered to put her clothes in a bag. Midoriya let out a small sigh, searching for her luggage case. The faded pink was covered in oil stains. It was the same one she used when they had moved in.
“I’m going to start packing your things. Did you have anything specific you wanted to wear?” he asked, opening her second drawer. The top was undoubtedly full of garments she would want to pack herself.
“Nothing nice. I’m going to be working, so grab whatever looks used,” she said without looking up from her workbench.
There were two nicely pressed dress shirts and her school uniform on the left side of the drawer and then there were t-shirts and tank tops, black to hide the permanent stains. Then there were some athletic shorts, overalls, pajama pants.
“I packed everything except your, um… You know, personal items…” he stated, rubbing the back of his neck.
She furrowed her brow. “Huh? Oh! You mean my underwear? It’s in the top drawer.”
Midoriya blanched. “What?”
“The top—”
“No, aren’t you going to, you know?”
“Izuku, I’m elbow deep in oil and grime right now. By the time I finish with my babies and shower, I’ll be so busy thinking about my babies that I won’t remember to pack. But I’ve gone without before so I don’t need—”
“It’s fine! I’ll…” Midoriya looked at the drawer. “Ask one of the girls to come here,” he finished, darting out of the room and over to the door beside Mei. When Midoriya was about to knock, his classmate opened up, covering her mouth as she tried to suppress her giggles. She was wearing her support gear, a headset meant for stealth missions.
“Sorry, I was just giving it a quick test,” she giggled. “I already know, so I’ll help her out.”
Midoriya sighed, letting his head fall forward. “Thank you.”
He went back up to grab his own things. Shouto was standing outside of his door. After everything that happened, it wasn’t odd for at least one of his boyfriends to come check on him. Midoriya greeted him, pressing a small peck to his cheek. “Hey Sho-chan.”
“Zu-chan,” he said, a small, soft smile on his lips. “I wanted to see if you needed any help getting ready.”
“Oh, thanks, but I think I’ve got everything. Clothes, phones, chargers, the laptop.”
He tilted his head. “What about Hatsume?”
“She’s still working on her babies. She’ll pack everything last minute.” Midoriya glanced at his phone. “And she’s getting close to the time.”
“Should we help?” he said, pressing his thumb to his lower lip.
“I was just there. I don’t think there’s anything for us to do,” he said, carding his fingers through his curls. “Unless, are you all packed?”
Shouto nodded. “As are the others. Tenya and Hitoshi just finished helping Denki.”
With nothing better to do, Midoriya took his boyfriend’s hand, leading him into his room. Sitting and chatting turned into little kisses then to Izuku nipping Shouto’s neck. The skin was chilly. Before the ‘quirk training,’ Midoriya’s tongue got stuck to his neck when it froze over. Then again when they first tried to get intimate. Shouto had gone so red.
Now, it was familiar, and the dual wielder could fully control his quirk. The temperature shifted from hot to cold, but Shouto never so much as sparked. Unbuttoning his shirt, Midoriya pushed the fabric away to make room. As he was pressing a kiss to his skin, he heard, “First years, it’s time to get on the bus.”
Mortified, he turned to see Togata-senpai’s face pressed through the door. “Oh, sorry to interrupt,” he said without looking the least bit remorseful. “But you should get going to the buses now!”
“Y-yes, senpai.” Midoriya replied, having gone beet red.
Helping Mei pack her babies went quickly with the other 1-A students offering to help. Once everything was in, they were loaded into the buses. He sat next to Shouto, with Denki and Hitoshi in the row behind them and Tenya and Aoyama in front. Midoriya rested his head against his boyfriend’s shoulder.
“Before I came to see you, I saw Momo over with the support students. Do you know anything about that?” Shouto asked.
“Earlier in the week I was talking to Yaomomo,” Midoriya said as he started to explain what happened.
She was reading through her book when he saw her. Yaoyorozu looked up and greeted him. After some small talk, Midoriya said, “Um, if you don’t mind me saying, Daisuke-san mentioned some ideas for your costume. If you’re open to changes, we think it could be improved with something more like a sports bra, poncho, and shorts. That way, your costume shouldn’t break when you need to pull something bigger out, and you can conceal what it is you're making beneath the poncho to give you an edge over who you’re fighting.”
Yaoyorozu seemed interested, and as they were chatting, Uraraka was passing by and overheard. She jumped into the conversation to say, “I didn’t decide how to design mine. Do you have some ideas for me too?”
Midoriya blinked, taking a second to think about it. “Well, since you make things lighter, some one of Mei-chan’s heavier hitting babies might be good to pair with you. A hammer or a large bat would make it so you could always use your ‘Comet Home Run’ super move. You could also have some throwing projectiles that you could either throw with your hand or hit with the weapon. Your costume would be altered to accommodate for those. I-If you wanted to do something like that.”
“Of course! I’m willing to give it a go!” she chirped.
As Midoriya finished recounting the scene, Shouto nodded. “That makes sense,” he stated. “I also came to you for suggestions. I’m glad more people are seeing how useful and insightful your advice is.”
“Sho-chan,” Midoriya whined, ducking his head as his cheeks turned pink.
“After this trip, everyone will be working with you and Hatsume, so I’m sure they will all come to the same conclusion. Zu-chan is the best.”
They traveled down to the docks where they would be boarding a large ship set for Nabu island. Tokage used her lizard quirk, separating pieces of her arms. With extreme accuracy, she controlled them through the air to push the luggage Uraraka floated in the air onto the boat. Together, they had everything loaded in minutes.
The ship set sail, and Midoriya leaned over the railing, looking out at the water. He wondered where 1-B was going. It was a secret for now. He'd be able to ask the others when they got back. A few of his classmates offered to record their hero work and use of support gear for his notes. Working with them all was amazing.
It wasn’t long before his boyfriends joined him, looking out over the view.
“This is so exciting!” Denki chirped.
“It’ll be a good experience for us all,” Tenya remarked. “We’ll get to see what it’s like to do hero work in a professional setting.”
“I doubt I’ll get to do much,” Hitoshi commented. “But someone’s gotta answer the phones.”
“No job is too small when it comes to running a hero agency. It is a place where every person plays an invaluable role. With no one to answer the phones, there are civilians who would be otherwise left without the help they need,” Tenya stated.
Shouto nodded.
“You could also try out one of Mei-chan’s babies,” Midoriya remarked.
“Mmm, I think I might pass on that,” Hitoshi said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I like my hero work to be free of explosives.”
“We only brought the babies that have been run through safety tests,” he stated.
“So that wasn’t soot on Hatsume’s face when she got on?”
Midoriya pursed his lips into a thin line. “I know which ones have never exploded.”
Hitoshi chuckled, ruffling his green curls. “Alright. If you say it won’t backfire on me, I might be willing to try something. Though I still think I’ll be on the phones for the majority of this trip.”
“I like the baby she made me,” Denki commented.
“And the ones she made for Zu-chan to ensure his safety and wellbeing,” Shouto said.
She was pretty protective, Midoriya mused. He stretched his arms, looking back over the ship. A few other students were wandering around chatting amongst themselves. Togata-senpai was with Ashido and Sero. At some point Denki left to talk to them. On the upper deck, Kirishima clung to Kacchan’s side, an arm thrown over his shoulder. The ashe blonde didn’t push him away, instead leaning into the redhead’s embrace as the two looked out over the railing. Kirishima looked like he was talking for the both of them.
When they docked, a few of the island residents were there to greet them and show them the way to their hero agency. Before they could go in, Togata-senpai clapped his hands together, “All right first years! This is your chance to experience what it will be like to work at a real hero agency! Make sure to always give it your all! Unless you’re donating blood.”
As most of 1-A stood there dumbfounded, Hitoshi remarked under his breath, “I think that was supposed to be a joke.”
“Let’s go! Plus Ultra!” their senpai tried again, and everyone cheered, “Plus Ultra!”
The inside was just like any office building. Mei and Midoriya took one of the side rooms and started unloading the babies. There were a few boxes full of spare parts that he set down on a table. The pink-haired girl pulled her goggles on and got to work.
While the hero students divided into teams, those patrolling, those on the phones, and those who were ready to go when called, Midoriya opened his laptop. The drone babies were up and running, each pre-programed to cover specific zones on the island. Mei could, of course, take control of them at any time, but they had their own auto pilot to guide them while she worked. They started buzzing as Midoriya went to open a window.
Togata-senpai stuck his face through the door. “Oh, those are the things you were testing before the festival, right?” He finished by actually walking in, albeit through the door. He was dressed in his hero costume. The others changed as well. Midoriya was just in a t-shirt and jeans while Mei stuck to a tank top and overalls.
“No, these are my new and improved babies!” Mei chirped, a wide grin that she sported whenever she had the chance to brag about her children. “They're extremely durable, their cameras are high definition, and their zoom is the best!”
“Oh, wow! So what are they for? Surveillance?” their senpai asked.
“Well,” Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck. “That makes it sound like spying. Everyone should know we brought them. It’s so I’ll be able to see everyone’s hero work for my notes.”
“Ah, I see! I remember your insights being very helpful. I’m sure the other first years will learn a lot from you,” Togata-senpai said before vanishing through the floor. There was a startled scream from the other room, so it wasn’t hard to guess where he’d gone.
He let out a sigh and opened the window. Mei’s babies all went for it, filing out one right after the other.
Shouto knocked on the door, before popping in. He was in his hero costume. With the new design, there was a small bruise poking out from his chest window. Midoriya’s face warmed. “Are you settling in okay? Can I help?” Shouto asked.
“We’re good, Sho-chan,” he said, giving his boyfriend a quick kiss before one of the others started calling for him. “You should go. It might be hero work.”
The dual wielder pouted, leaving only after getting a second kiss and having Midoriya gently shove him out the door.
Things were finally starting. Midoriya felt a buzz of excitement in his chest. They were finally going to see how things could be after graduation. Though what Tensei said might be impossible, it would be the best case scenario for them all to work at the same agency, to see each other every day, to help out during missions. This was a one time chance to really experience hero life. Midoriya grinned, scrolling through the footage from the drone-babies.
“This is gonna be the best!”
Notes:
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The art for this chapter speeddraw Here on My TikTok
Chapter 40: Falling
Chapter Text
The drones flew around the island as Midoriya switched from screen to screen. Denki was helping charge some farmer’s battery for his tractor. Tenya was rushing to carry an elderly woman to the hospital. Ashido and Aoyama cleared a road blocked by boulders. Kirishima was helping some people load their truck. Hitoshi got a cat out of a tree. A bunch of the hero students were patrolling a popular tourist beach. Things were running pretty smoothly.
There was heat on the back of his neck as something sparked and popped. Mei was quick to extinguish the flames. That was going to take more than ‘a little rewiring’ to fix. Midoriya jumped as the hero students burst open the door.
“Are you guys alright in here?” Uraraka questioned.
“Yeah, we’re fine,” Midoriya promised. He’d forgotten the explosions weren’t common for 1-A, non-Kacchan related ones, at least.
“I can fix it. Just give me an hour,” Mei said, without looking up from her burnt baby.
“...Are you guys really alright?” Jiro asked as smoke still filled the room. It wasn’t built to have the same ventilation as their workspace at school. Midoriya cracked open a window.
“Yep, but thanks for checking on us.”
“Uh, no problem…” Jiro said, rubbing the back of her neck.
As they left and the door was closing, Midoriya could have sworn he heard Kacchan say, “Fucking told you so.”
Not long afterward, a call came in. A young boy lost his sister somewhere on the island. As Jiro and Uraraka ran out, Midoriya used the drones to cover more ground. He tapped his earpiece. “Can you guys hear me?”
“Loud and clear!” Jiro replied.
“Wow, it’s like the raid,” Uraraka remarked.
“Uravity, I can see a little girl all by herself. Head up that road on your left. Earphone Jack, can you take the boy and meet them there? I’ll continue to guide you,” Midoriya instructed.
“On it!” “Gotcha!”
The two raced off. From the drones, Midoriya could get a closer look. The girl did not seem happy about being found. Furious worked better.
“How did you find me so quickly?” she demanded, hands on her hips.
Uraraka held up her hands in mock surrender, “Ah, we had the help of our school’s support hero student, Midoriya,” she explained as Jiro and the boy arrived on the scene.
The boy ran over to his sister’s side. “You cheated by getting help. Heroes should be able to do things on their own. What if there was no support to help you? How long would it have taken then? See? Heroes aren’t responsible at all!”
“It’s a good thing we do have support heroes then,” Jiro remarked.
“What do support heroes do?” the boy asked.
“They work to help pro heroes in their work. Some make gear like Hatsume, a girl you can meet back at the office, and others are like Midoriya, who work in analysis and strategy,” Uraraka said.
“So, like, behind-the-scenes heroes?” the kid asked.
“I guess?” Jiro replied.
“Whatever,” the girl huffed, taking her brother’s hand and leading him away.
Midoriya sighed, a smile on his lips. Despite her attitude, he was relieved to know she was safe and sound.
Thankfully, after all that was done, the day carried on rather uneventfully. That is, for the heroes-to-be. Mei had a few more fires, which lead to those running the phones to periodically stop by to poke their heads in. The growing concern amongst 1-A was sweet, if unwarranted. Minor explosions were manageable.
When it was time to finish up for the evening, the island residents were too kind, having prepared a feast for everyone, even the support students. Seeing their grateful smiles for all the hard work they'd done, Midoriya felt a swell of pride in his chest. Helping people, he'd really been able to achieve his dream. Even if it was "less impressive" than the raid, this somehow felt like he'd made more of a difference.
The meal was delicious. Midoriya grinned after each bite. While he enjoyed his food, a few of the others started chatting. He heard Sero say, “Who do you think should go on night patrol?”
The rest of the class began to murmur amongst themselves until, out of nowhere, Togata-senpai bravely suggested, “How about Bakugou?”
“What? Why me?” Kacchan fumed over being singled out.
“Well, you’re the only one who hasn’t taken a call all day,” Togata-senpai observed. “It only seems fair, don’t you think.”
“Tsk,” the ashe blonde huffed.
When the other boys asked Kirishima if he’d join them in the onsen, he brushed them off to go patrol with Kacchan. Midoriya ended up going with the guys, sticking with his boyfriends.
As he sunk into the warm water, he heard Denki remark, “Kacchan really couldn’t be bothered to do anything, huh?” Something he would still say even if the ashe blonde were here with them now.
“His focus has always been fighting,” Hitoshi commented. “This probably seems trivial or beneath him.”
Midoriya leaned back against the rocks. “Well, he said he was waiting for a real villain attack. I don’t think Kacchan’s wrong for being cautious. The summer camps were supposed to be secure too, but the League still discovered our location. And with their recent activity after the Shie Hassaikai raid, anything’s possible. We have no idea what they’re planning. Having someone with a strong offensive quirk stay here is a good idea,” Midoriya stated.
“Bakugou is more thoughtful than I gave him credit for,” Tenya remarked as his glasses fogged up.
“He could take a call while someone covers him, though,” Denki argued.
“I don’t think Kacchan would trust anyone else,” Midoriya retorted.
“Sounds like a him problem,” Hitoshi commented.
“If Zu-chan thinks it’s a good idea, I agree,” Shouto stated.
“I’m shocked,” Denki said.
“Because of your quirk?” Sho-chan asked.
The electric blonde narrowed his eyes, “I am going to punch you in the face with my mouth.”
Shouto’s poker face bore a hint of a smile, “Okay.”
“Could you guys get a room? Or at least wait until everyone else has left?” Sero asked.
“Jealous?” Denki teased his friend.
“I have the right not to answer that,” the taller boy retorted.
When they got out of the bath, Midoriya changed into his pajamas and pulled up the live footage. He couldn’t fall asleep without checking on his friends at least once, to make sure they were alright. Kacchan and Kirishima were an amazing pair, definitely future top pro heroes, but nothing felt 100% safe lately. Even All Might was forced to retire early. A pang of guilt stabbed at his chest. Midoriya closed his eyes, letting out a breath, remembering words of reassurances. It wasn’t his fault, even if it felt like it was sometimes.
He opened his eyes, staring back at the screens, but before he could shift to the right one, his communicator baby buzzed on the table. He got a call. Plugging his com into his ear, Kirishima’s voice came in, “Hey, Katsuki and I are going to a possible villain attack. Some kid thinks he saw one at the ancient castle ruins in Mount Shiroyama.”
“I’ll send a drone over there.”
It was the smaller island next to Nabu. Midoriya tapped into the closest drone baby and flew it over. Once he was in range, he could start surveying the scene. It looked like the boy from the earlier call. They found out his name was Katsuma from some of the other residents. He was the one who spotted the villain.
Midoriya tapped his earpiece. “There’s a giant praying mantis wreaking havoc on the side of the hill!”
Kacchan got to it first, using his Stun Grenade to blind it. Something was off though. He must have noticed too because he stopped attacking. Kirishima got there in time to see the praying mantis attacking Kacchan and jumped in front of him, activating his Unbreakable form. Then the villain phased through them both.
“An illusion?” Midoriya wondered as Kacchan suddenly caused a big explosion that shook the drone. Watching the footage was dizzying. When it stabilized, he could see that a little girl fell out, the same one from earlier, Katsuma’s sister, Mahoro. She must have been determined to test the hero students' skills, but this was taking it a bit too far.
When the giant mantis disappeared, it became pretty obvious that Mahoro caused it. The girl had some sort of projection, hologram, or illusion-type quirk, something that didn’t have a physical form.
Kacchan looked pissed while Kirishima seemed to be putting the pieces together. The redhead was quick to catch up, especially when Bakugou started to scold them. Red Riot had an arm thrown over his shoulder and the other hand on his boyfriend’s chest, calming him down. It only took a minute for Kacchan to sigh and relent, though it looked like the pair still scolded the kids for playing such a potentially dangerous prank.
Then Mahoro spotted the drone and pointed at it. Her voice wasn’t loud enough to be picked up by the microphone, but going off of the absolutely insulted face on Kacchan, Midoriya guessed she’d said something similar to her argument earlier. He was quick to pilot the drone away.
As he was removing the com baby, he could hear Kirishima talking Kacchan down from his rage. It was nice that the ashe blonde took Midoriya’s help, but they both knew that he didn’t need it. To say otherwise was a hefty insult to Kacchan’s capabilities as a hero. It still stung a little.
With that settled, Midoriya sighed and closed his laptop.
The door opened. Sho-chan walked in, glancing between the analyst and the laptop. “Are you working?” he asked.
“No, I just finished looking a few things over.”
After a small pause, the dual wielder asked, “Then you’re available to cuddle?”
A smile tugged at his lips as Midoriya walked towards the bed. “Yeah, I am if you are.”
Shouto nodded adorably.
Taking the role of big spoon, Midoriya held his boyfriend close, drifting off almost instantly. Waking up to Shouto was always wonderful, but opening his eyes to see blond hair was confusing to say the least. As he groggily blinked, Midoriya said, “Denki?” Before realizing the head wasn’t laying with them, but sticking through the wall. Midoriya’s soul left his body for a minute before his brain could put together that Togata-senpai was the one waking them up.
“Get up, sleepy-heads. You’re gonna be the last ones to breakfast!” He said with a big grin.
Sho-chan didn’t react to their senpai’s presence, staying comfortably still in the bed, while Midoriya had jumped up, nearly falling out. Thankfully, they were both still clothed. Otherwise, he’d never be able to look his senpai in the eyes again.
Having calmed down from the morning scare, Midoriya went back to work. He was able to pair Uraraka with one of Mei’s bat baby’s. And while it was smaller than a war-hammer styled weapon, the baseball bat was heavy, made with steel and other wiring that let it double as a taser. Mei had already been designing the bat when she decided to try making something like Denki’s quirk to give it that extra punch.
The problem with staring at screens all day was the damage they could do to his eyes. When they started to feel strained, Midoriya took a break, stepping outside to let them rest. He leaned back against the building, letting them fall shut.
“Excuse me, are you one of the hero students?”
He blinked, whipping his head around until he noticed the small boy in front of him. “Ah, I’m actually one of the support hero students. My name’s Midoriya Izuku. You’re Katsuma, right?”
“Oh! Were you the one with the drones?” he asked.
“My friend Hatsume Mei made those drones. I was just watching the footage,” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Did you need something?”
“Um, well, I wanted to apologize for my sister’s prank last night,” he said, sitting down next to Midoriya on the steps. “Mahoro was trying to prove that the heroes wouldn't come to help.”
Midoriya had come to a similar conclusion on his own. Looking at Katsuma’s bag, he said, “That’s an Edgeshot pin, right? Do you like heroes?”
The boy blushed, “I really admire heroes! I want to be one too, but my quirk isn’t suited for combat.”
“Neither is Hitoshi’s,” Midoriya remarked. “Or the hero Eraserhead. Their quirks can impair their opponent, but they don’t help them fight. They train really hard to overcome that, and use support gear. It’s not easy, and it takes a lot of work and dedication, but it’s possible.”
“Really?” Katsuma said, big eyes looking up at him. Midoriya could see a reflection of himself in the kid. “Mahoro doesn’t want me to be one.”
“It’s a dangerous job. Your sister must really want to protect you from it. My mom is like that. I know she wants me to choose a safer job, but helping people has always been my dream. I think you can be a hero if you put in the effort.”
Katsuma smiled.
Before he could speak, the door burst open. The pink-haired girl was covered in smudges of grime and oil. “Strategist-kun, come look at my baby!”
Judging from her smile, it was ready to be paired with one of the hero students. “I’ll be right there, just give me a minute,” he replied.
“Well, hurry up!” she said as she darted back inside.
Midoriya sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry about that.”
“What did she call you?”
“Huh? Oh,” Midoriya ducked his head, feeling a light flush on his cheeks. Rather than explaining Mei’s ‘babies’ he found himself saying, “It’s just a nickname she calls me. I focus on analysis and strategy for hero work.”
“Cool,” Katsuma remarked, standing up. He waved as he started to run off, “Bye, Strategist-kun.”
He went pink, but he couldn’t help but smile. As he was about to go back inside, one of the residents stopped him.
“Thank you for talking to him. Katsuma and Mahoro live alone with their father on the island. Their mother passed away from an illness when they were very young, so whenever their father is away for work, the village watches after them. Mahoro is very protective of her brother,” they explained. “Sorry for any trouble she may have caused.”
“I understand. We’ll do our best to watch over them while we’re here too,” Midoriya promised.
The resident smiled, given him a nod before they wandered off.
The baby! Midoriya ran back inside before Mei could come looking for him again.
“Finally! I wanted to show you my disguise baby! The League shouldn’t be the only ones who can make copies,” she remarked. “I just couldn’t figure it out, since Toga uses blood, but then you were telling me about that kid, and duh, it was so obvious,” she said, clipping on a headband, bracelets, anklets, and a belt to Midoriya. “Holograms!” she exclaimed, clicking the button in her hand.
“What do you—” Midoriya cut himself off as Mei rolled a mirror in front of him. He looked just like the pink-haired girl, minus the dirt and debris that stuck to her. “But you’re shorter than me?” he said, feeling the top of his head. The empty space there shook and distorted as he ruffled his curls.
“It’s similar to a green screen. It still has a few bugs. I want the arms to react better with yours since our shoulders are off too, but isn’t it amazing already?! Think of how incredible my baby will be once it’s finished!”
“Yeah, you really outdid yourself,” Midoriya agreed, watching the hologram disappear as he took off the wristband.
“I know,” she preened, collecting her baby.
Diving back into work, Midoriya switched from drone to drone, helping students locate lost jackets, a dropped cell phone, a puppy that got outside and just kept running. It was a fulfilling day. The sun was setting when he spotted the kids over by the park. Midoriya smiled to himself, watching the siblings chat. He was about to close the laptop when one drone lost its footage. He squinted, trying to reconnect to the baby, but nothing was working.
“Mei-chan, I think one of your drones malfunctioned,” he stated, flying another drone over towards the beach where the last one must have dropped. A lot of people were running away. There weren’t any marathons going on. Zooming in on their faces, people were terrified.
The drone shook violently. When Midoriya regained control, stabilizing the flight, he saw the smoke and destruction. Every ship was on fire, some were still exploding. Villains were on the shore.
From the hall, they heard, “Hey, the phones aren’t working.”
Wordlessly, Mei took the controls as Midoriya ran back, grabbing his armor off her worktable. The green and black metal wrapped around his body as Midoriya ran out the door.
Chapter 41: Going
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Midoriya ran into the main hall, fully geared up. The students who were manning the phones were all standing up at their desks, asking each other about the sudden loss of connection. Izuku could feel his heart racing as he shouted, “Everyone, there’s been a villain attack at the beach!”
As they were rushing out, a civilian pulled up on his motorbike, saying something about a villain attacking the shopping district. “It wasn’t just the beach? How many were there? It didn’t look like the league, but why else would villains be here?” Midoriya mumbled to himself when Mei piped up in his ear, “The drones’ footage is fuzzy. I’m switching off the towers and connecting it to my wifi-baby. It’s gonna be a minute.”
“If it can get a signal at all,” Midoriya said, feeling his stomach twist in knots.
Smoke was rising up across the island. The ships were still burning. They needed to act fast before the destruction continued. These villains were powerful enough to wreck half the island.
Togata-senpai, no, Lemillion got their attention, shouting, “Everyone, now isn’t the time to panic. You need a level head to fight against villains. We’ll split into teams to take them on. Does anyone know how many there are?”
“Uh, at least two?” Denki said.
“Yes, but there are likely more. We need to move quickly to evacuate the civilians and take these villains down. If they chose to attack here, they can’t be normal villains, so don’t underestimate them. As the only heroes on this island, we’re these people’s only line of defense. Class 1-A, it’s time to save everyone!”
“Yeah!” they cheered, already dividing themselves into two teams, just like in the provisional license exam. This time, Kacchan looked ready to take on the offensive, leaving the evacuation to the rest of his group as he blasted over to the shopping district.
Midoriya started to leave with the beach group when a hand gripped his shoulder. “Hold on a second,” Lemillion said. “Before the phones went dead, I got a call from those two kids. I know you want to fight, but with Ingenium on the beach, your boots make you the fastest. I need you to come with me and get the two children to safety.”
The kids were probably by the park when things started. If they were able to call in the attack, they’d try going to their house first. “Yes, senpai!” he agreed, turning the dial on his boots to the max. Midoriya tore through the trees, making his way across the island. Lemillion was keeping pace, cape billowing behind him.
Just as he thought, Katsuma and Mahoro were running towards their home. Midoriya scooped them up mid-run, feeling a sudden, familiar heat as a blast went off on his side. There was nothing by splinters left of the children’s house as a villain stood in the wreckage. The man wore a large black mask that covered his face, much like a gas mask, except it didn’t stop at his chin. It continued into a chest plate that disappeared into his pale lilac pants and matching blazer jacket that was less a costume and looked more like he could have walked out of a department store. But the mask, it looked far too close to the one that villain wore, the one who All Might defeated at the cost of his power, All for One.
He didn’t have time to think. Midoriya moved on instinct, getting the kids out of there. Using the power boots, he jumped over the forest, looking out over the sea of leaves. He needed to get as much distance as he could. Lemillion might be facing him alone, but he was one of the big three. Midoriya couldn't turn back and help. His job was evacuation. But part of that included checking on civilians. They didn't look injured, but he needed to ask. When they reached a clearing, he set them down.
“Are you both okay?”
Mahoro nodded. “Y-yeah.”
“Mister Strategist-kun, will that other guy be okay? That villain…” Katsuma trailed off, voice shaking.
“Don’t worry, Lemillion is one of the strongest heroes I’ve seen. He’ll definitely—” The sky suddenly grew dark as lightning struck through the trees. Smoke rose up as fire crackled. A weather manipulation quirk?
Midoriya picked the kids back up. As he started sprinting, he felt something hit the back of his helmet like a brick. The impact sent him stumbling forward. He landed on his knees, leaning over the children to shield them with his back. Four more hit him. Three got the armor, but the drawback of making the ‘power suit’ in pieces was that not everything was covered. Blood trickled down his shoulder as the attack cut through his t-shirt sleeve.
“Kids, run!” Midoriya ordered, turning to face the villain. Something in that man's eyes seemed like they were looking through him.
“A truly superhuman society should be one where hierarchy is determined by one's strength, making heroes and villains irrelevant. You use toys to attempt to elevate yourself, but you should understand that you’re nothing but dirt beneath my feet. To be born with nothing and attempt to stand against me shows you’re bold. It’s a shame your body betrays that mindset. Don’t try to stand in my way again. This is my only warning to you. Be grateful I’ve given you that much.”
Midoriya grit his teeth. The explosives in his gauntlet weren’t fully tested, but there was no time for that. Midoriya gripped his arm, bracing for the recoil. His skin felt hot as the mini-missiles fired. Rather than try to shoot them out of the sky, an air shield appeared in front of the villain. Another quirk? Then he really was like All for One. A chill ran down Midoriya’s spine.
“No, you’re not even dirt. You’re a worm struggling to make your way to the surface. I’ll end your pathetic life here,” the villain declared.
Digging his feet into the ground, Midoriya braced himself.
An explosion went off. Kacchan was in the villain’s face, fist pressed against an air shield. “Villains say the dumbest shit. Shut the fuck up and die!” Kacchan shouted.
The smoke faded, but just like his missiles, the shield didn’t even have a single crack. With a flick of his wrist, the villain launched Kacchan back. He dented the ground as he landed.
“The fuck are the kids still doing here? Run, morons!” Kacchan yelled, blasting himself back into the air.
Laser bullets fired from the villain’s fingertips. Kaccchan maneuvered around them. Midoriya held up his arm, firing the missiles again. Even if he couldn’t damage the guy, just distracting him a little bit, that’s all he needed to do.
“Can’t use the same trick on me, fucker. Once I’ve seen something once, I won’t let it fool me again!”
In a flash, blue coiled out from the villains back. Kacchan was pinned to the ground in the jaws of some beast that looked like blue-eyes white dragon combined with gyarados.
“Motherfucker,” Kacchan said, trying to blow the dragon off of him.
“Are you still yapping?” the villain asked as the beast tightened its jaws.
An air shield popped up as a fist slammed into it full force. Blue crackled and sparked around it. The blonde with electric blue eyes glared at the villain. Lemillion’s cape was burnt, as were sections of his costume. A few of the charred ends still had embers falling off. The shield was cracked. Before it could break, a second blue dragon sprung from the villain’s spine, moving to pin Lemillion. The hero phased through it and the shield, solidifying to punch the villain, knocking him out. As the villain fell, his dragons dispersed. Lemillion checked his pulse and reflexes. That bastard was out like a light.
Their senpai panted, catching his breath, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to take so long. Is everyone okay?” The kids were still there, despite all the pleading to run. Lemillion gave them a wide smile and thumbs up. "Don't worry kids, your heroes are here!" Now more than ever, he looked like All Might's son.
Kacchan huffed, picking himself up off the ground, “Yeah, we’re fine. Check yourself first, dumbass.”
“That lightning strike,” Midoriya said.
“Ha, yeah, I said not to underestimate them, but then I went and did it myself. He scanned my quirk, then boom, the lightning struck,” Lemillion remarked, rubbing the back of his neck. “Kacchan, if you’re here, that must mean the shopping district is safe, right?”
Bakugou brushed some dirt off his arm. “Yeah, that loser is down.”
“What about the fire?” Midoriya asked. The smell of smoke hung in the air.
“I blew most of it out getting here, but Dual should use his quirk to ensure all the embers have been extinguished. Were they able to clear the beach?”
Midoriya and Kacchan looked at each other. “No idea.”
“Haven’t heard anything,” Bakugou said.
Lemillion nodded sharply. “I’ll go check it out then!” he said before running towards the beach, that blue crackling lightning glowing around him.
“I’m coming too, Smiley fuck,” Kacchan yelled, blasting after him.
Midoriya watched them disappear before going over to the kids. “Sorry, that must have been scary, but it’s okay now.” He pulled Mei’s handcuff-baby out, restraining the villain. A flare went off in the sky. It couldn’t be Yaomomo, because she went to the urban area, unless they really cleaned that up fast. Midoriya shook his head, focusing on the task in front of him. “He can’t hurt you, so let’s go.” They walked alongside him, while he carried the villain back. “Next time, you really should try to get somewhere safe, even if it’s scary.”
“Yes,” Mahoro mumbled. “Sorry, Strategist-kun,” Katsuma said.
“I’m just glad you’re both okay,” Midoriya remarked.
His helmet chimed up again, “-ku, Izuku? Are you there? I have a visual on the villains. The two at the beach are retreating. I’m trying to follow them, but they blasted the last drone I sent over, so I’m keeping my distance now and—”
“Slow down, Mei-chan. That’s great, if you can get a general location, then we can plan to ambush them once we’ve all regrouped.”
“Yeah, okay, that’s good, Strategist-kun. When you bring that villain in, let me get a clean kick at his dic—”
“Mei-chan,” Midoriya said, looking down at the kids still wiping tears from their eyes. “You can have more than one.”
The other villain was already locked up in the boiler room basement when they got there. Without knowing how many quirks the villains had, it was too dangerous to talk to them. Hitoshi could put them back under if they regained consciousness.
“Mei-chan, if you connected to the drones, is my laptop running?”
“Yeah, but it’s painfully slow. It takes twenty minutes to load into the internet. My wifi baby has to pull a connection from the mainland, and it’s barely hanging on,” she stated.
“But I can check the database for the villains,” Midoriya said, pulling his helmet off as he entered their workroom. Mei jumped up from her chair, practically tackling him in a hug. Midoriya winced as the pain in his shoulder spiked.
She pulled back, eyes drawn to the red-soaked sleeve. The cut wasn’t too bad, all things considered, but it still stung.
Mei frowned. “I’m going to improve the design,” she promised. “The original was too bulky for you to use, so this seemed like a good alternative, but it’s still flawed. I’ll definitely make it better.”
“I would’ve taken much worse hits without it,” Midoriya said, still feeling the bruises on his back and the dull ache on his head. “Thanks.”
Mei hugged him again, avoiding the wound this time, “Just keep that head on your shoulders, Strategist-kun.”
Midoriya hopped back into his seat, clicking out of the camera feeds. Before he could search for the villains, he needed to try to call for help. It took ages for the page to load. Email, PM, DM, Midoriya tried each one, taking a few thousand years to ‘send’ them.
There was a knock on the door. He glanced over to see Hitoshi. “Denki’s down there helping charge some batteries. Shouto and Tenya are on their way back with most of the citizens. How are you? Is that cut not bandaged?” he asked, darting over to his side like he wasn’t also covered in scrapes.
His boyfriend helped him out of the armor and took Midoriya’s shirt off when another little knock rapped against the door. Katsuma was standing there. Midoriya smiled at him.
“Um, I wanted to say thank you again, and,” Katsuma walked up to them. “You got hurt. Can I try to help make it better?” He asked, holding out his hand.
“Sure,” Midoriya agreed, reaching out. When their skin touched, he felt the quirk. It was closing his wound and causing the minor burn on his arm from his power-baby-gauntlet to vanish. The soreness disappeared too. In fact, his whole body felt great, like he could run a marathon. Katsuma healed Hitoshi’s scratches too. After he was done, Katsuma blinked, stumbling a bit. Dark circles were beginning to show under his eyes.
“Thank you, Katsuma,” Midoriya said, patting his head. “I think you should rest now. Where’s your sister?”
The little boy turned around and he noticed Mahoro peeking through the doorway before hiding in the hall. Midoriya smiled, “Why don’t you two take a nap. After everything that happened, I think it would do you well.”
Katsuma rubbed his eyes, fighting off the sleep before sighing, “Yes, Strategist-kun.”
As he left, Hitoshi quirked his brow.
“What?” Midoriya asked.
“Nothing,” he shrugged. “It was just cute.”
“I sent a message to Best Jeanist and Majima-sensei, but with the signal being so weak, it’s hard to tell if it went through or if it’s still loading despite saying that it sent. I’ve got a few minutes delay on everything, even when it’s running well.”
“What about the other villains?”
“There are two left. Mei was able to get a general area, surrounding it with the remaining drones. The question is if we want to go to them, or if we want them to come to us,” Midoriya stated. “We have a lot of defenses here, but we’d be endangering everyone.”
“Well, you don’t have to decide right now.” Hitoshi pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Just do your thing.”
Midoriya nodded. “My thing, yeah.”
After about twenty minutes, he got into the villain archives. Searching by description was his best bet at finding them since he didn’t know their names. He opened the filters, bringing up the data selections: face, body type, scars, horns, tails, arms, quirk, costume, height, weight, the list went on.
One had a face like a blue wolf, but with talon-like claws and a snake tail. As for villain attire, his trench coat, button-up top, and jeans made him look more like a wannabe detective or a McGruff the Crime Dog cosplayer. Clothing aside, with such defining physical features, it was easy to find him in the system. Chimera was easily an ‘S’ ranked villain. The other one that escaped was a redheaded woman who dressed like an office worker with a domino mask. Slice was the one who destroyed all the ships, so no one could leave. Those two couldn’t be left on their own for long. With their skillset, time was of the essence.
Thankfully, Kacchan defeated the silver-haired villain, Mummy, quickly with little damages. This villain was covered in burgundy bandages. He wore a combat vest with grey pants and beige knee guards. Overall, he looked like he put the most work into his villain costume. Turning inorganic and organic beings into puppets he could control, it really was a good thing Kacchan took him out already.
Midoriya looked over the table covered in babies. Outfitting the heroes would give them an edge. He ran his hand over the glue belt.
Someone was hugging him. Two people were hugging him. With no knock or warning, he looked up to see Shouto and Tenya practically squeezing him to death. Once he realized who they were, he pulled them in just as tightly.
“You’re both okay,” Midoriya said.
“So are you,” Sho-chan replied. “I’m glad you're safe.”
“Hitoshi said you were healed?” Tenya stated.
“By Katsuma, yeah. That villain was targeting him, specifically. If I’m right, he was trying to steal that healing quirk,” Midoriya explained. “I don’t know if they’re connected to the league of villains yet, but they definitely have something to do with All for One.”
“Him? Are you sure?” Tenya asked.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Sho-chan frowned, “Then the others will try to not only get their allies, but the child as well.”
“If I go over the video feed, I can try to pinpoint their exact location and devise a plan to subdue them both,” Midoriya stated. “They won’t just be sitting around, and we have to decide to move first or wait for them to come to us. I need to see the layout to decide which is better.”
“Before that,” Shouto said.
“What?” Midoriya asked as his boyfriend leaned down for a kiss.
“I love you,” he said. “I didn’t get to say that earlier.”
Tenya followed his lead, giving them both a kiss. “I love you too.”
Midoriya smiled, “I love you guys,” he said, feeling his nerves fade away like they were never there at all. He turned back to the laptop and switched over to the drone footage. “We’re going to defeat these villains.”
“With your planning, I have no doubts,” Sho-chan remarked.
“I feel the same,” Tenya commented.
“Thanks,” he said. “I won’t let you down.”
Notes:
Meme for this chapter Here on my Tumblr
The art for this chapter on my Tumblr Here
Speeddraw on my TikTok Here
Chapter 42: Gone
Notes:
Finally got a new laptop after mine died *。ヾ(。>v<。)ノ゙*。I can once again write
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
His pen scribbled across the page as Midoriya glanced at the laptop screen. No movement. He went back to the paper. Ojiro was a skilled fighter, packing an extra punch with his tail, but he could use some more defensive gear considering how uneven it can be going against a strong offensive quirk, like what happened with Shouto when they first started sparring under All Might’s guidance.
Uraraka on the other hand could stand to be more offensive. If she liked Mei’s bat baby, then she was probably fine.
Jirō could use something that maximized her movement, allowing her to dodge things more easily and increase her overall speed. The skate baby might do the trick. If she needed them, Mei made new and improved auto-balancers that would pair really well with them. An electric booster would also be good if she needed to dash away at a moment's notice.
The door swung open. The pink-haired girl burst in carrying a belt and tools in her arms. “My glue-belt baby is even stronger now! I was able to increase the sticking solution while increasing the blast radius. It’ll be better against individuals while the bigger blast is good for groups. Or people that can’t aim,” Mei rambled. The two kids came in behind her, pulling up a seat next to Midoriya.
“That’s amazing,” Midoriya said, looking at her as she laid everything out on the table. “How are you feeling? I know this has all been a lot.”
“Huh? Oh, this is nothing,” she insisted. “My babies are gonna get put to work! Honestly, that one girl. I already forgot her name. She wears a ponytail—”
“Yaoyorozu?”
“Yeah, her,” Mei continued. “She’d be a great support hero. It’s almost a waste that she’s in the hero course. I want her as an assistant. She can make any part, any size! Do you know how much time I'd save? My output would triple! So many babies.” She hummed.
“I don’t think she has any plans of changing courses,” Midoriya remarked.
“Terrible, I know,” Mei lamented.
He smiled, shaking his head.
As Midoriya started looking over the other students, the laptop beeped. The screen went fuzzy. Trying to reconnect to the drone was fruitless. They destroyed it. His heart started to beat loudly in his chest. The villains were coming here. There was no time to wait, no time to move to a safer location.
He grabbed Mei’s siren baby and ran out into the hall. Activating it caused a loud bell and flashing lights. The baby split itself up into four floating alarms, racing down the corridors. Midoriya bumped into Creati and said, “They’re coming here right now.”
With Yaoyorozu’s last bit of lipids, she made earpieces for everyone so Midoriya could speak clearly with them all. The sirens brought everyone back together. With the class synced up, Midoriya could take a minute to think, breathe, get back behind his computer, then speak, “We need to split them up. They’re too dangerous together. We want them far away from any buildings too. Someone needs to stay and guard the villains we’ve captured,” Hitoshi was already there. “And others need to help evacuate the civilians.” Whoever wasn’t fighting would do that. He needed to think. Who was best suited for this?
“If we get one of them in the forest, Tsukuyomi, you and Dark Shadow are already stronger under the cover of night, but you’ll have a better advantage under the trees away from the street lights,” Midoriya stated. “As for the other, if you can push one villain to either the beach or a river, Froppy and Dual can work to pull the villain in the water and freeze them. With Chimera able to use fire, he shouldn’t be anywhere near the forest. If you can get him to the beach, that would definitely be the best.”
Yoayorozu and Denki were exhausted, neither were in any shape to fight. For someone like Slice, disarming her quickly was key. Ashido could protect hers with Jiro making rubble for them. And Sero could help them dodge too. With Slice’s speed, that was definitely necessary. Tokoyami had the raw power to fight back as well. “Earphone Jack, Uravity, Pinky, Cellophane, go with Tsukuyomi to apprehend Slice,” Midoriya instructed.
As for Chimera, they were gonna need power. Kacchan was an obvious first pick. Tsu and Sho-chan would freeze him. Kirishima and Tenya could keep him at bay. Ojiro’s martial arts wouldn’t be bad either. “Kacchan, Red Riot, Tailman, Ingenium, go with Dual and Froppy.
Togata-senpai was at his side, looking over the files Midoriya pulled up on the villains as Mei tried to make another drone out of scraps.
“Send Shinsou out,” Lemillion said. “I’ll stay behind to ensure the villains we’ve captured don’t escape. His quirk can safely disarm both opponents if he gets the opportunity.”
Nine was easily the most dangerous. With multiple quirks, he was like the guy who fought All Might. It made sense that Togata-senpai wanted to personally ensure that villain didn’t escape. Not only that, but Togata-senpai already proved he could handle Nine. One punch and he’d be knocked out again. With the civilians still evacuating, the strongest should stay with the captured villains. “Okay,” Midoriya nodded, tapping his earpiece. “Hitoshi, Lemillion is going to trade places with you! Come up top.”
“On it!” Hitoshi replied.
While the groups gathered, Midoriya started mumbling to himself, picking out babies. Mei was listening along, passing out each to the heroes as they entered the room. Despite the pressure weighing down on them, Mei was still able to give a quick sales pitch for each item she gave out, “—and the skate baby will increase your movement speed tenfold! Along with the auto-balacers that will ensure—”
Kacchan locked eyes with Midoriya as he picked up the glue belt. “I’m taking this one,” he stated. The green-haired boy's eyes widened. Bakugou was actually planning to use one of their support weapons! It almost felt like a seal of approval.
There was a beep as the battery on Mei’s scrap-drone fully charged. It automatically disconnected itself, bumping into the wall before going out the window. Mei held the remote in her hands, dashing back over to the screen as she moved the joystick around. While she tried to get an eye on the villains, Midoriya took a breath. “Okay, everyone, let’s work together and save this island. As the only heroes here, it’s up to you all to defeat these villains.”
“It’s up to us , dumbass,” Kacchan retorted.
“Yeah,” Kirishima said, punching the palm of his hand. “We’re gonna save everyone!”
Kacchan smiled, “Let’s get these assholes.”
The tension seemed to lift ever so slightly as the room filled with determination. The hero students ran out to the front, and Midoriya slid into his seat. Mei managed to find them both. “If you keep going north, you’ll be able to intercept them,” he instructed.
Jiro’s earphone jacks plunged into the ground. Once she was able to locate the villains, she sent a wave of her heartbeat through her stereo boots, amplifying the blast. It was enough to startle the villains, causing them to cover their ears. Kacchan took the opportunity, yelling, “Die, bastard!” as he popped out, sending Chimera back with an explosion. The villain shook off the damage, but Kacchan kept pushing him back until they were at the shoreline.
Tenya carried Ojiro on his back and Tsu in his arms. She jumped off of him, shooting out her tongue to drag the villain under the water with her. As she disappeared beneath the dark blue ways, a chill spread. Shouto used his quirk, catching up to everyone by propelling himself forward with his ice. He stopped on the sand, but sent a glacier off, freezing over the waves. Froppy surfaced, leaping from the water to rejoin everyone on the shore.
Kirishima came running up, “Woah, you guys already beat him?”
“No,” Kacchan replied, palm crackling. The sparks illuminated his face, showing off his wild smile.
“It’s not over yet,” Sho-chan agreed.
The ice cracked and melted away as Chimera blew fire from his jaws, leaping out of the water to land in front of them. “You kids are really starting to piss me off. You know that?” he remarked.
“Just shut up and die!”
Bakugou blasted himself up to flash bang Chimera, going back down to grab Kirishima. “Unbreakable!” Red Riot yelled as Kacchan used an explosion to send him flying towards the villain.
Rubbing his eyes, the villain only had a moment to react. He caught Kirishima, but—
“Twirling tail dance!”
Ojiro blocked Chimera’s tail with Mei’s blocker baby and smacked the back of the villain's head.
Stumbling forward, Chimera dropped Kirishima. “You kids have done it now,” he said, puffing up. His clothes began to tear as he grew in size, opening his mouth to fire his energy beam. Tsu wrapped her tongue around Bakugou, swinging him over the water. He blasted the wave up over Chimera, soaking his fur and Shouto froze it instantly.
Froppy released Kacchan, and the ashe blonde propelled himself in the air, throwing the glue bomb in Chimera’s mouth. The villain bit down and it popped. As he tried to pull the sticky solution out of his jaws, flexing his muscles to break the ice, Bakugou threw more around him while Tenya grabbed Tsu and Ojiro, getting them away from the blast radius. Shouto used his ice to put up a barrier for himself and Kirishima while Kacchan blasted into the air and set it off.
The glue was thick, almost like tar. There was a shine to it under the light. Mei made the glue a bright pink, so it would stick out easily. Otherwise residue might get left behind after cleaning up.
“Chimera’s down,” Shouto reported.
Midoriya tapped his ear piece, “I saw. Is he going to choke though?”
“He’s breathing through his nose,” Kacchan stated. “I already checked. Where are the other losers?”
“I’m not sure, let me check,” Midoriya said. “If they need help I’ll tell you guys, but if not, you might want to watch Chimera to make sure he doesn’t have some way to get out of that.”
Kacchan looked up at the drone, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave a single nod.
Midoriya smiled.
Mei flew the scrap-baby around until she saw trees collapsing in the forest. Slice was clearing away sections, cutting clean through the wood with her hair. She was making a battlefield, taking away any cover the heroes could use to hide behind.
Pinky threw up her acid shield, melting an attack as Slice turned her hair into needles, firing the individual stands at them. Uraraka was behind her while Dark Shadow protected the others.
“Heartbeat Distortion!” Jiro shouted as she skated out and plunged her earphone jacks into the ground. It rippled under the shockwaves, splitting the surface.
Tape flew from Sero’s elbows, latching onto the rocks and ran along the other side, touching the debris. Uravity floated the chunks above Ashido’s shield, jumping up to hit them with her bat. She launched them at high speed, but took four needles to her thigh. Sero whipped his around, hitting Slice from behind. She managed to cut through most of their attacks, but Uraraka’s came so fast, one hit her face, causing her nose to bleed.
“You damn kids,” she hissed, charging at them. Tokoyami dawned Black Abyss, pulling Dark Shadow over himself to compete with her in close range combat. Hitoshi aided him, using his capture rope to grab her leg. Sero tapped the other, and Ashido threw acid at her hair, cutting it short.
That stopped her from using her red locks like blades, but now she was firing needles nonstop. Dark shadow grew, acting as a pincushion.
“Just give up already before you go bald! You’re not gonna save your friends!” Hitoshi goaded.
“I won’t let you get in Nine’s way!” Slice shouted, then her eyes went grey. The brainwasher smirked despite the way his hands were shaking.
“Pinky, melt the rest of her hair off in case something wakes her up,” Hitoshi stated.
“On it!” Ashido replied.
Relief washed over Midoriya as he watched Pinky effectively disarm the villain while Cellophane restrained her, so Hitoshi could take his capture rope back. The children were cheering beside him. “We did it!” Midoriya announced.
Just as he turned the monitor off, he saw a reflection in the black screen. Instinctively, Midoriya grabbed the kids, pulling them close to his chest as he dived away from the computer. Nine was naked, his foot phasing through the floor until he was standing in the room with them. Without his gas mask, he looked sick, like he was weakening, but the hydra appeared from his back and grabbed Midoriya, lifting the three of them into the air. The second came out and grabbed Mei, who shrieked as she was smacked against the wall.
“Midoriya, what's going on? What’s that noise?”
“N-nine,” he choked, feeling blood dripping down his torso.
“Just hand over the kid,” the villain said, reaching out his hand as he brought them closer. Midoriya struggled to wrap his arms tightly around the two.
Nine’s breathing was getting heavier. His eyes looked dark. He phased through the floors to get here. He stole Togata-senpai’s Permeation. Every muscle in Midoriya’s body tensed. As long as he couldn’t touch the kids, as long as Nine couldn’t get to them— Midoriya curled his legs up and tried to kick the villain’s hand away, hitting a shield.
“Irritating,” Nine muttered. “A spec of dirt should stay buried in the ground.” The jaws of the hydra tightened around Midoriya. It lowered itself to the floor only to rear up, bashing through the ceiling. Debris rained down around them, hitting his arms, leg, and the back of his head.
As much as he wanted to stay strong in front of the kids, he couldn’t help but cry out in pain. The hydra was biting him just under his power gear Mei made him. The pink-haired girl was bruised and bleeding, but she managed to grab something off the table. She pointed her weapon at his head, firing a sleep dart.
It stuck to the shield that appeared between them. He spared her a glance. “What a weak quirk,” he muttered.
Nine used his shields like stairs, stepping up until he could reach out, fingers getting closer. Between the kids, Mahoro’s quirk wasn’t of any use. It could project images, but it wasn’t offensive at all. His instincts were right, Katsuma had to be the target. Nine needed his quirk to heal himself. That’s why he looked sick.
“Stay away!” Midoriya shouted, squeezing his eyes shut. The children were trembling in his arms. His pulse was beating so loudly in his ears it was the only thing he could hear.
Something tightened around his chest, then the jaws of the hydra loosened and he felt himself pulled away. When Midoriya opened his eyes, Mei was beside him while the kids were still safe in his arms. He looked up to see blue denim.
The fiber hero restrained Nine with the thread from his own sleeve. “I’ve had some villains try such a strategy against me, but I hadn’t expected one to use it against you,” Best Jeanist commented.
It took Midoriya a second to realize what he meant. Without any clothing, Best Jeanist couldn’t use his quirk directly on him since there were no fibers for him to control. An ultimately fruitless and humiliating tactic since he could use his own costume to defeat and capture villains. Though it wasn’t Nine’s strategy at all. The villain went through the threads, phasing through the floor.
Midoriya held the kids tight when his clothes suddenly yanked him up. Best Jeanist flung them away from the fight as Nine reappeared behind him. His shields blocked Jeanist’s fiber’s from reaching him.
“Get to a safe location, now!” Jeanist ordered, jumping back as Nine shot lasers from his fingers. “There are medics and reinforcements.”
He nodded, but just as he was running, his nose slammed into a shield. “You’re not going anywhere,” Nine stated.
Midoriya looked back over his shoulder. Nine wasn’t even looking as he sent a hydra after Jeanist. The No. 3 hero dodged, but he had to keep moving as the beast broke through his threads.
There was heavy banging growing louder as sections of wall started to crumble.
Blue lightning crackled around Lemillion’s fist it connected with Nine’s face. Only part of his quirk was stolen. The strength was still there. Nine must have had some sort of limit. Maybe he could only hold nine abilities. Why else would Togata-senpai still have his strength?
Nine’s eyes rolled back into his head as he lost consciousness. Best Jeanist immediately wrapped him up tightly in his denim fibers. As the villain laid there, Lemillion made a face, like he was concentrating, trying to use his quirk, but he didn’t phase through anything.
“It’s really gone,” he said softly.
Midoriya knew how hard he’d trained that quirk. The footage from start to finish, even his middle school records. All of it was gone because of that villain. His stomach sank as a bitter taste coated his mouth.
There was a small chance Eri could reverse it, but only a chance. Nine’s quirk was similar to the bullets made from her body. Midoriya didn’t say so out loud. If Eri wasn’t able to fix it, he didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, especially not Togata-senpai’s. To have hope only to lose it would just be reopening the wound.
“I’ll ensure these criminals are taken away,” Best Jeanist assured them. “We have medics that will look over your wounds, as well as the other students and any civilians who may have been harmed in these attacks. Any adrenaline running through your system will start to fade.”
As he spoke, Midoriya could feel his muscles starting to weaken. Staying on his feet felt like a challenge. Mei’s power gear was keeping him upright. The kids stopped crying too, wiping their eyes.
“Is it really over?” Mahoro asked.
The kids helped Togata-senpai snap out of his funk. He put on a smile and said, “You guys are safe now.”
Since he still had part of his quirk, Lemillion would be able to get the kids to the medics faster. Just as Midoriya was able to pass them to him, Togata-senpai picked up all three of them like they weighed nothing, and Mei’s power gear was heavy. It didn’t bother him because it was evenly distributed across his body, but to be picked up, it would all become dead weight.
“Do I even weigh anything to you?” he found himself asking.
Lemillion grinned, “No, it’s like holding a couple of grapes.”
Togata-senpai was about to grab Mei too when a cold breeze blew into the room.
Ice covered the broken walls as Shouto appeared, frost covering the left side of his face. Tenya was right behind him. With everything going on, Midoriya barely registered the explosions as Bakugou blasted in, landing between them all.
“Considering where you were on the island, you arrived sooner than I would have expected,” Jeanist remarked.
Midoriya looked up and noticed a helicopter circling the island. Jeanist must have jumped out of that. Rather than chat, Tenya moved to pick up Mei. Midoriya’s head started to feel heavy. He couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer.
He woke up with Shouto, Hitoshi, Tenya, and Denki sitting around him while a doctor finished wrapping his wounds. Midoriya glanced over to see Bakugou there too. And the kids.
The moment they realized he was awake, he was absolutely smothered. Mahoro and Katsuma were on either side of him, applying small bandages of their own to his cheek and forehead. “Hatsume-oneesan said these would help,” Mahoro stated. They did, a little. Like the healing shot, Mei had been working on something similar, but on a smaller scale like for tiny cuts. Midoriya suspected she started after he’d given himself a few papercuts.
Katsuma tried to use his quirk again, but Midroiya held his hand up, “It’s alright. You shouldn’t overexert yourself.”
“But—”
“I’m fine. It’s more dangerous for you to overuse your quirk, but thank you. I appreciate the thought,” he said, patting Katsuma’s head.
Once the kids were gone, his boyfriends took their spot. They couldn’t hug him, not until the wounds healed a bit more, but they did give him lots of kisses. The doctor politely excused himself, and Kacchan rolled his eyes.
“How do you feel?” Shouto asked.
“Better now,” Midoriya replied. “A lot better.”
The curtain opened, but it wasn’t a doctor or nurse. When Best Jeanist entered their med tent, his boyfriends reluctantly left his side, leaving Midoriya and Kacchan alone with their mentor.
“Bakugou,” Best Jeanist said, causing the blonde to pause. “Good job.”
Kacchan looked away, hiding his smile with his hand as he pretended not to care about the praise. “Yeah, whatever,” he muttered, giving Midoriya one last glance, making sure he was okay before leaving.
The fiber hero watched him go before looking back at Midoriya. He walked over to his side. “You held on by a thread, never giving up. As I have said before, you truly have the heart of a hero,” Best Jeanist said, putting his hand on Midoriya’s shoulder.
After everything they went through, hearing those words made tears well up in his eyes, spilling down his face. He was too choked up to speak properly.
Best Jeanist handed him a jean handkerchief. “You did a good job, Midoriya,” he repeated.
The next person to visit him was Mei, who had her fair share of bandages. Power Loader came in behind her.
She darted over to his side. “The doctor’s said you’re doing better. How do you feel?” she asked.
“Good. I’m good,” Midoriya replied.
“My baby almost got him. I just need to make it fire faster, before any shield quirk can go up,” Mei stated with a fire in her eyes. “Next time, I’ll be able to protect us.”
“You already did,” Midoriya retorted. “If I wasn’t wearing your power gear, I would have been crushed. That villain thinks people like me who are quirkless deserve to die. He was trying to kill me.”
“Neither of you are at an age where you should have to be dealing with this pressure,” Majima-sensei said. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to protect you both, and I’m so proud of what you accomplished. I hope you will never experience something like this again, but I can’t promise you that. I can only say that I will do everything in my power to protect you and help you prepare for your future.”
The tears were back.
When the doctor came back, he made Midoriya drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
Things started to calm down as the Pro Heroes took care of the villains, escorting them personally to make sure the League wasn’t able to free them. Shouto sighed as Endeavor left, leaning against Midoriya side. “He wouldn’t stop hugging me once he saw me,” Sho-chan complained.
“Well, he’s gone now,” he replied. Shouto nodded.
With everything taken care of, it was finally time for them to pack up and go. Yaoyorozu humored Mei and after getting some more lipids from her meal, made new suitcases for the babies she made over the trip. Once everything was on the ship, the residents started to visit to say their thanks and goodbyes.
It warmed his chest to see them all safe.
As they arrived at the docks and were getting set to leave, Midoriya watched the kids run over to them. Mahoro went to Kacchan first, apologizing for her prank. Midoriya couldn’t hear what she said, but he patted her head. She blushed, smiling widely. Kirishima threw his arm over the ashe blonde’s shoulder and looked like he was teasing him, but Kacchan didn’t push him away.
Midoriya sighed in relief. Bakugou was getting better at dealing with kids, much better.
Katsuma turned his way and pulled his sister over. “Goodbye Strategist-kun,” they said. “Thank you for protecting us!”
Denki bumped shoulders with him, “Looks like you’ve got your first official fans. They even picked out a hero name for you.”
“Support heroes don’t use names like that,” Midoriya argued, feeling his face get hot.
“I’m sure some do,” Hitoshi retorted. “That, or you’ll be the first.”
“Strategist-kun does sound very suitable for Zu-chan’s skillset,” Shouto remarked. “I like it,” he added, giving a thumbs up.
“I agree,” Tenya said.
Midoriya blushed, ducking his head. “It’s not like that though.”
The horn on their boat sounded, and someone up top yelled, “Time to come aboard!” Midoriya breathed a sigh of relief, quickly climbing up the ramp. He went to the back and leaned over the railing, looking over the island. His boyfriends joined him.
As they started to pull out from port, there was a pang in his chest. It was almost bittersweet leaving the island. Seeing Katsuma running down the dock, promising to work hard to become a hero tugged at his heartstrings. Maybe he could be a hero to them, someone who could be inspiring, even without a quirk. He wasn’t a deku, he wasn’t a useless spec of dirt or a worm, he was a support hero, Strategist-kun.
Notes:
Me Chapter 41: I'm not gonna do it, girl. I was just thinking about it. I'm not gonna do it
Me Chapter 42: I did it
RIP Lemillion
meme ref
Chapter 43: Hold the Phone
Chapter Text
The salty breeze rustled his hair as Midoriya overlooked the deep blue waters. Shouto’s chin rested against his shoulder, arms wrapped around his waist. As they drifted across the gentle waves, the dock was growing closer. When they finally pulled into port, Sho-chan pouted into his neck. Midoriya chuckled, pushing him off to take his hand.
“Come on, we have to go,” he said.
The dual wielder didn’t reply but gave his palm a squeeze.
Midoriya quirked his brow but didn’t call him out. Denki on the other hand, “He doesn’t want to leave yet. That way he can spend more time glued to your side since he didn’t call dibs sitting next to you on the ride back to school.”
“I didn’t know what you were talking about,” Shouto grumbled.
“And when you snooze, you lose,” the electric blonde remarked as he stepped down the boat ramp.
Midoriya chuckled at Sho-chan’s little frown, gently bumping their shoulders together. “You could sit next to Tenya,” he offered.
“He’s the one who called dibs,” Hitoshi remarked.
The taller boy pushed his glasses up his nose. “It seemed prevalent to make our arrangements beforehand. Regardless, Hatsume wished to go over support gear designs with Shouto.”
Midoriya’s eyes widened, “You want a baby?” What could he have in mind for himself? He had speed, power, defense… Maybe he wanted something to help him with communication since there were more team battle exercises planned. A speaker or something to help his voice carry across places like Ground Beta, Ground Gamma, or Ground Omega.
“Actually, she wanted to show me armor designs for you,” Shouto stated, stepping onto the pier.
“Oh,” Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck. He let his mind wander for nothing.
The school bus pulled into a park. Recovery Girl stepped off with Aizawa-sensei behind her. The short, elderly woman’s eyes locked on him. Her sharp gaze froze Midoriya in place. It wasn’t long before she was kissing him, activating her quirk. The healing power worked through his system, draining his energy, but the soreness was completely gone.
“There. Now as soon as you get to the dorms, go and rest!” she ordered.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Midoriya replied.
Recovery Girl smiled and nodded. “Good. Now who else needs healing?” she said as she put both hands on her syringe-shaped cane.
Hito-chan jogged over to intercept Aizawa-sensei. It looked like the homeroom teacher was grilling him for details. He must have been worried sick. And he wasn’t the only one.
His mom was dabbing her puffy eyes with her handkerchief. As soon as she saw Midoriya, she ran over to pull him into a hug. “Are you alright? Did you get hurt again?”
“I’m fine mom,” he choked out as she squeezed him tighter. Which was true. Even if he did get hurt, again, he was healing.
“I was so scared when I heard there was a villain attack,” she said.
“Wow, that got out already?” Denki remarked.
Tenya crossed his arms over his chest. “The school likely informed our parents about it,” he said before waving his hand. “Greetings Inko, it’s good to see you again.”
“Yes, it’s good to see you too, all of you. I just hope you stay safe. You're still so young. Please take care of yourselves,” his mom pleaded.
“We will do our best to keep ourselves and Zu-chan safe,” Shouto promised.
Midoriya’s mom wasn’t the only parent there. Most of the students were being pulled into tight bear hugs. Alongside the adults he’d seen visit the 1-A dorms, there was a tall man with black hair and dotted blue eyes.
When Recovery Girl let Togata-senpai off the boat, he spotted the man, breaking out into a big smile. He ran over to him and pulled him into a hug, “Dad! What are you doing here?”
“Wait—” Midoriya said.
Tenya tilted his head. “Did I hear him correctly?”
“All Might’s not his dad?!” Denki exclaimed.
“Are you a moron?” Kacchan asked genuinely. Kirishima was smothering his laughter with his fist.
Denki pushed his bangs out of his face, tangling his fingers in the blonde locks. “But it made so much sense. I really thought he was All Might’s secret love child.”
“Yes, this is a very surprising turn of events,” Shouto remarked.
Togata-senpai started cracking up. They were talking too loud. “You thought—” he laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. “No! This is my dad! Can’t you see the resemblance?”
“We can now!” Denki defended.
Despite the small embarrassment, it was worth it to make their senpai genuinely laugh after everything. Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess our theories were more like gossip in the end…” Almost as bad as some magazines.
“You all have five minutes to get loaded into the bus. For each minute you're late, I’ll add five laps around the school to your training,” Aizawa-sensei suddenly announced.
It certainly got people moving. People gathered to help load bags, still taking care with their babies despite the time limit rushing things. When they climbed in, Aizawa-sensei clicked his stop-watch. He didn’t announce the results. Midoriya couldn’t help but wonder if Majima-sensei would make him run if they were late…
Tenya gave him the window seat. The taller boy was stiff at first, but relaxed after a minute. Midoriya smiled, leaning against his boyfriend. He wasn’t sure if it was the stress from before or the after effect of Recovery Girl’s quirk, but he fell asleep on him. When he opened his eyes, he was tucked into his dorm bed.
Midoriya sat up, rubbing his eyes. He was alone in the room, but there was a sticky note on his phone screen. ‘Sleep well ♡’ He felt his cheeks go pink as he grinned.
Stretching his legs, he went over to his suitcase and started unpacking. When he reached his notebook, he couldn’t help but go to Togata-senpai’s page. He needed to update it again, especially after that reveal. It really got his mind turning, because their theory made so much sense. Now that it was undeniably proven false, there were things that just didn’t add up.
If All Might wasn’t Togata-senpai’s dad, then why was he always with him? All Might didn’t teach the third years. If he was Lemillion’s mentor, why wasn’t he also mentoring the other big three, or any other third year? Things weren’t adding up anymore.
Like, why was Togata-senpai’s quirk so similar to All Might’s, and it only appeared after All Might started working at the school? Before it was only Permeation that affected his body. It’s not uncommon for quirks to have been previously misunderstood. Permeation affected his physical body, so did a strength enhancer. But then Togata-senpai wouldn’t have part of his quirk leftover.
His original theory had been that All Might’s quirk could be passed down from father to son, but the process takes time to complete which is why All Might could still act as a hero until the final fight where the transfer became complete and Togata-senpai fully inherited his quirk. But what if he’d been right, just not about the father-son part?
Midoriya tangled his fingers in his curls. “Either I’m crazy or a genius,” he mumbled to himself. “Can I tell anyone? If I told Shouto, he’d probably want me to tell the others, and Denki can’t keep a secret. He was going around sharing his secret love child theories to everyone in his class.”
Should he even tell All Might? Or Togata-senpai? Was it better to pocket the knowledge than to share it with anyone? If he told them, they would probably get stressed out over their secret being discovered. There was no benefit to telling them, or for knowing. But it wasn’t like he could just unlearn it.
Midoriya sighed, rubbing his eyes. He needed a distraction.
What are you guys up to?
We are currently helping your mother make dinner. ♡
「(゚<゚)゙??
You're at my mom’s house?
No, she’s at your dorm. We’re downstairs. ♡
(*゚◯゚*)
She came over??
I’m coming down! 一二三┏( >_<)┛
(っ˘з(˘⌣˘ )♡
With hurried steps, he reached the elevator. His body felt lighter, the stress melting off of him. There was laughter in the air and the smell of fried pork. His mom’s green hair was pulled back in a bun as she flipped the meat over in her pan. Kacchan was beside her chopping vegetables while Kirishima sat on the counter chatting away.
“We got kicked out of the kitchen,” Hitoshi remarked as Midoriya made his way over to the group.
“Bakugou is very good with a knife,” Sho-chan commented.
“You just fucking suck!” the ashe blonde retorted.
“Katsuki,” his Mom scolded.
“Tsk,” he sighed. “Sorry.”
“Wow, she must be the original bitch whisperer,” Denki said, making his mom turn to look over her shoulder.
“That goes for you as well,” she stated.
Denki clapped his hands together, bowing his head, “Sorry, sorry!”
Midoriya chuckled and went up to give his mom a hug. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I knew you couldn’t come home after the recent attacks, but I still wanted to spend more time together.”
“You could have told me. I would have been down sooner.”
“You were working,” she retorted. “I went to check on you and decided to let you keep going until dinner was ready. Hatsume was showing me some of her designs.”
“Yeah! Your mom likes my new babies I’m making for you,” Mei chipped in. Her hair was a little damp, skin clear of any dirt or oil. She must have showered before coming down.
“Knowing you have those, it helps me not worry as much. I’ll always worry. I’m your mom, that’s my job. But, I trust you, and I’m so proud of you. All I ask is that you try to stay safe,” his mom said.
He could already feel tears pricking his eyes. “I will.”
His mom was crying too.
Kacchan took over cooking the meat. “You're both such crybabies,” he huffed.
Tenya grabbed plates out of the cabinet while Hitoshi got glasses, Shouto got the chopsticks, Denki filled up a pitcher of water, and Mei got the napkins. Kirishima, Kacchan, and Midoriya brought the food over. The rice was white and fluffy, still steaming in the bowl.
A warm meal surrounded by everyone he loved, Midoriya couldn’t wipe the smile from his lips. For now, quirks, villains, none of it mattered: tonight, he was just a high schooler enjoying a family dinner.
Chapter 44: Emergency Drill
Chapter Text
Shouto’s hands skillfully wrapped the red fabric around Midoriya’s neck, tying it snugly in place before leaning in for a kiss. Midoriya chuckled, gently pushing him away. “We’re gonna be late,” he chided.
The dual wielder pouted.
Midoriya pecked his cheek, lacing their fingers together. “Come on,” he said, tugging his boyfriend towards the elevator. When they reached the lower level, a few students were in the work rooms fixing up their support weapons before class. Midoriya knocked on the glass of each one to let them know they only had a few minutes left.
Living inside the school walls gave them just enough time to get to class without being late. It was disappointing that their morning walk was shortened, but the time they were able to spend together in the dorms more than made up for it.
Shouto was reluctant to go when they reached Midoriya’s class. “Have a good day,” he said, giving Midoriya’s hand a squeeze.
The green-haired boy smiled. “You too. See you at lunch!”
“Yes, I will,” he replied so seriously that Midoriya had to hold back a laugh.
When he entered his classroom, a few students were chatting while others, like Mei, were buried in their blueprints. She still had oil on her hands and a smudge on her forehead. There were dark circles under her eyes. He wondered if it was a new baby or an improvement on an old one.
The chatter died down as Power Loader entered the room. Their teacher carried a stack of papers with him, passing them out as he walked by their desks. “Today, I want you to look over these sample contracts. Afterwards we’ll discuss what’s a good deal versus a bad one. It may be a long ways away, but it’s a good idea to be at least a little familiar with this process since most of you will be selling your weapons or costumes in the future.”
“What about support heroes who sell information?” a student asked, glancing over at Midoriya.
“Strategists may sell their compiled notes, but most are on salary paid jobs working directly inside hero agencies, much like Midoriya-san is doing now with Best Jeanist,” their teacher explained. “Though I actually have another assignment for you, Midoriya-san.” Maijima-sensei gestured for him to follow, leading him outside the classroom. Power Loader poked his head back through the door to say, “Everyone else, please begin reading the sheets I passed out to you all. I’ll return in just a few minutes.” Then he shut it behind him.
“What’s happening?” Midoriya asked.
“Class 1-A will be participating in an emergency drill today. Before it begins, I wanted to get you over to the cameras so you can watch it unfold.”
Inside their work room, he sat down at his desk. The footage clicked on automatically, displaying the 1-A homeroom where students were idly chatting amongst themselves. Aizawa-sensei silenced them as he entered a few minutes late. Once they were all sitting down, the alarms began to blare. The sound was turned up higher than he would have liked, but he needed it to hear what they were saying.
Midoriya squinted at the screen.
“They want them to change into their costumes?” he commented. “If this was a real emergency, would it make that much of a difference? I can understand certain heroes, like Denki, getting his support gear to help aim his charge attacks, but the whole costume? Doesn’t that take time away from actually fighting the villains who would be, in the time they take changing into their costumes, destroying the school or attacking students and teachers?”
“Well, yes.” Maijima-sensei agreed.
“I don’t think that’s a practical use of their time if the situation were real.”
“If you feel that way, then take note of it. I have to return to the classroom, but you keep watching here.”
“Yes, sensei!”
The only information they were given was that villains had invaded Ground Beta. Tenya looked really cool as he rallied together with 1-A, taking the lead as class president. There was just one thing bothering him. “I understand why the fight is taking place in one of the training grounds, since they're built to hold staged fights, but I also don’t think that’s where a villain would realistically go if they managed to get inside the school.” Midoriya began to mutter under his breath as he watched the events unfold. He scratched notes down on a piece of paper he left at his work desk
Since no one knew what was happening, they started with their class’s reconnaissance squad. It consisted of Koda Koji the Petting Hero: Anima, with the quirk Anivoice; Jiro Kyoka the Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack, with the matching quirk Earphone Jack; and Shoji Mezo the Tentacle Hero: Tentacole, with his quirk Dupli-Arms. Each of them were specialized in detection.
Feathers floated through the air as a flock of birds descended upon them. Koda was right in the center of it. He asked the pigeons to search for any signs of destruction while Jiro plugged her ear into the ground, locating active wreckage 900 meters away. Shoji climbed atop one of the roof railings and stretched out his arms, creating new limbs that twisted upwards towards the sky, each with an eyeball attached to the end, allowing him to scan the scene and spot a collapsed and smoking building.
No villains were seen, so the active fire became the hero students first priority. It made sense since the fire could potentially spread, and if it was still active and contained, whoever set the fire was likely still in the area. The students were just beginning to split up when one of the birds told Koda someone was in the river by the fire, getting pulled away by the current.
A civilian or a villain? In this case, one of the villains would be more likely since no one else should be in this area. Then again, the teachers might have sent themselves or other students in to play the role of endangered civilian. Or they could have hired outside actors like in the licensing exam. Making any assumption would be far too presumptuous. He’d just have to watch as the cameras split between screens, providing new angles for him to observe.
His face flushed, closing his eyes as Momo created a cart. Mentally calculating how long it would take her to construct it, he opened them to see her top snuggly back on. He needed to finalize those new costume designs soon. They really couldn’t come fast enough. He’d have to apologize to her later. He stopped to delete the clip.
When he tuned back in, Tenya had already taken the cart. With it, he was easily able to carry multiple heroes with him to the scene, racing down the streets with his engines roaring. Sho-chan was with him.
The peppermint-haired boy froze the entire building, effectively putting out the fire, but if anyone had been inside… Having someone like Jiro go with them to check first would have been a smarter move, but it worked out in the end, and there were benefits to having the reconnaissance team stay together and observe from a distance since none of the villains had been located.
Or at least identified as villains, since Togata-senpai was in the river. He wasn’t in costume, though it was still unsure if he was playing the role of a villain or victim since he was supposed to be on a leave of absence. Physically, he appeared to have recovered physically, but the mental toll of losing his quirk must still bother him. He’d seen Hounddog chatting with him in the teacher’s room after dropping off papers for Power Loader. He left quickly since he didn’t want to eavesdrop. Togata-sensei still had All Might’s quirk, so he wasn’t out of the game.
Sato threw Tsu towards the river. She aptly dodged the falling pieces of bridge, shooting out her tongue to pull Togata-sensei from the water. They landed on top of the stable section of cement while the cracked edges fell with a splash. The blonde senpai made no moves to attack her. He just smiled cheerfully.
Maybe he was harmless.
Once the last of the debris disappeared into the river, sinking to the bottom, Togata-senpai grinned and fell backwards right back into the current.
Maybe harmless wasn’t the right word. Distracting seemed better since Tsu was forced to dive back in and save him once again. Togata-senpai wasn’t just playing a civilian, but the kind who actively put themselves in more danger, be it intentional or accidental.
He watched one screen for too long. When he turned, Hado-senpai was floating in the air, holding Ashido hostage. Amajiki-senpai was with her, but on the ground. There were hero students between them. When Tenya and Sho-chan’s group tried to move in to help, a spiraled burst of light shot from Hado-senpai’s hand. Shouto blocked the attack with another glacier that shattered into pieces.
If those two were playing villains, it would then make sense to say Togata-senpai, as a member of the big three, was also playing the bad guy.
Watching Togata-senpai jump head-first into the river again Mdioriya decided he was definitely a civilian. That was probably for the best since he was as strong as All Might. Battling someone with that kind of strength could lead to some bad injuries if they weren’t careful.
One of the students shouted out, “What do you want, villain?”
Midoriya already guessed it, but he still laughed when Amajiki-senpai replied, “I want to go home.”
As he walked away, Hado-senpai made him stick around. The painfully shy senpai could get really overwhelmed in a situation like this. Even if he wasn’t playing a villain, it would be tough. Controlled situations like this were a good way to build confidence, in theory, but starting with an entire class watching his every move must have been a lot. Midoriya made a note to ask teachers to consider the downsides of students' mental well being. Fatgum seemed like a positive encouragement in his life, Kirishima too, and of course Togata-senpai, but taking things slowly just seemed more beneficial.
That being said, he was curious how they would fight.
Suddenly, Ashido was falling down, pulling Hado-senpai with her. Midoriya’s eyes widened when he realized what was going on. Uraraka used her quirk to float Harakure above Ashido and released it to send her down.
“Say cheese!” Hado-senpai taunted as she used her quirk, sending out another bright spiraled light, blinding screen. It came back in time to see the tape shoot out from Sero’s elbow and just to make sure she stayed down, there was a shot from the net gun Yaoyorozu crafted.
If Mei-chan shared her blueprints with Yaoyorozu, then she could have any baby on hand whenever the need arose. As long as she signed a contract with Mei not to go around selling her work, which she would never do, then it could work. She could even calculate how much of her body fat she’d need for each baby and adjust to better optimize her quirk. There were so many possibilities.
Uraraka swung her war hammer baby. The comically large hammer could pack a real punch. She lightened the heavy alloys with her quirk. The weapon cut through the air, stopping a hair in front of the side of Amajiki-senpai’s head. “You’re done. Surrender, villain!” she ordered.
He looked at her and said, “You should have hit me.” Even if he didn’t want to be here, Amajiki-senpai was prepared to fight, jumping in the air to spin and kick her away. She slid back, using the hammer to balance herself and stay on her feet.
Whatever speech he was giving was lost when another camera picked up some fast movement. Rather than another villain appearing, Midoriya had to ask, why was Denki driving a car? Did he have a license? His boyfriend was chewing on the battery's wires as he clutched the steering wheel. Kacchan and Kirishima were riding on the hood instead of the seats.
The ashe blonde blasted his boyfriend towards Amajiki-senpai, slamming into him. Kacchan wasn’t staying out of the action either. He easily maneuvered around “the villain’s” counterattack and pinned him to the floor, holding his palm to Amajiki’s face.
With both villains restrained and the civilian safe, the drill was over and victory was theirs. Class 1-A began to celebrate. His eyes drifted to each of his boyfriends and he couldn’t help but smile warmly.
“Eh?” Midoriya said, when he noticed that Kacchan wasn’t getting up. His face seemed to darken despite their quick victory, almost like he was going to start sparking.
Kacchan blew up Ground Beta.
He ripped the headphones off as the huge explosion cut off most of the camera footage save for one that captured the cloud of smoke rising up in the shape of a skull. He was glad he only watched from a safe distance.
The teachers were probably, no, definitely going to scold him for that, but the Big-3 looked like they were holding back. Togata-senpai wasn’t even fighting. Kacchan hated being looked down on, almost as much as he hated villains, but it was still too much. He couldn’t suggest it without being worried Kacchan would hold it against him, but talking to someone like Hounddog seemed like a healthy way to deal with that. He knew Kacchan spoke to him a little, but didn’t ask how frequently. After blowing up like that, he could probably use a few more sessions. And maybe a hug.
Everyone was fine, just covered in soot. They all slowly began returning to the classroom as the screens shut off. Midoriya finished compiling his notes before heading back to his own class. Since the heroes in training quickly took down their villains, he slipped back inside with enough time to discuss those sample contracts.
He skimmed through the papers on his desk, searching for any standout statements. Some didn’t cover material costs well enough to compensate for the time spent actually making the product. Some deals were decent, others were trash. His classmates made quick work of the garbage, pointing out every unfavorable detail. Midoriya circled them and added notes in the margins.
“Remember, it’s your job to help heroes, not to let them walk all over you. Never settle for a bad deal and know the worth of your time and products,” Maijima-sensei stated. “It is also important to note that finishing a project quickly while maintaining top quality is a skill that requires appropriate compensation. Don’t allow yourself to become a tool, pumping out projects left and right only to receive the bare minimum.”
With that, they went to lunch.
As he turned down the hallway, he caught sight of a dark ponytail. “Yaoyorozu, can I talk to you for a second?”
She stopped and turned around. “Of course. What is it, Midoriya?”
“Well,” he mumbled, face feeling warm. Jiro was with her, but seeing his blush, she gracefully walked away. He knew she was probably around the corner listening with her quirk, but it was still easier with just the two of them in the hall. He explained what happened and bowed his head. “I’m really sorry.”
Her face was a little pink too. “It’s alright. I understand you weren’t trying to peep.”
“If I give you the designs we were talking about for your costume, do you think you could make them for yourself or would you rather the support department finalize it and give it to you later?” he asked, hoping she would at least make that poncho.
“I can make them right now,” she replied.
He scrambled to pull his notes out. Hito-chan had given him a mini-pad of paper that fit in his pocket to use whenever he forgot his notebook. The small pages had a rough design for a sort of sport’s bra crop top that fully covered her chest but showed considerable more of her stomach and back for the purpose of her quirk and short-shorts that would also get covered by the large poncho. Her book belt could stay the same. “With this, you could still make large objects and keep items hidden. I think the poncho should have pockets on the inside for you to store things.”
She nodded and pulled the cloth from her arm. “This looks good. I’m sure it will work well. Thank you!”
“I just made an observation,” Midoriya dismissed. “But I’m glad you like it.
His boyfriends were already at their table when he grabbed his food and joined them. He had more to say, but the first thing he said was, “Denki, where did you get a car?”
“How’d you know about that?” the electric blonde replied.
“They obviously had him watch us,” Hito-chan said, flicking Denki’s forehead.
“Ow!” he whined. “Kiss it and make it better.”
Shouto leaned over to peck him. “Did it work?” he asked.
Midoriya could see how Denki was struggling not to laugh. He managed to nod his head. “Anyway, after Kacchan dragged me away with him and Kirishima, we just found it in the street. Kacchan could fly himself over to the fight, obviously, but he’d have to leave Kirishima and me behind so we took the car instead.”
“I didn’t know you knew how to drive,” Midoriya remarked.
“Me neither.” Denki grinned. Before their group could scold him, Tenya especially, he added. “I’m kidding. I’ve driven a few times with my parents.”
They settled down, but Tenya still gave him a light reprimanding for recklessly driving after not practicing for a while. Sitting back in his seat, Midoriya ate comfortably as listened to them banter back and forth. His chest felt warm as a smile tugged at his lips.
Chapter 45: Distracting ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The kittens were getting big. They were climbing around the room on the empty shelves Hito-chan set up like steps for them to leap to. Socks was in Midoriya’s lap making biscuits against his thigh. Her fur was soft under his palm as he rubbed her head. Happy purrs rumbled from her, but even that wasn’t enough to soothe the nerves tying knots in his stomach.
“It’s something he wants to do on his own,” Hitoshi commented, walking over to ruffle his curls.
“I know,” Midoriya pouted, puffing out his cheeks. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Sho-chan went home because his sister asked him to, but there was definitely a small part of him that wanted to see if his father was okay, even if he hated him. Midoriya wanted to be a shoulder to lean on, but it was a family affair, and they weren’t married yet.
Having dinner together sounded like a terrible idea. If it was just his siblings, then it’d be great, but with Endeavor… He wasn’t even there, but Midoriya thought if he tried to eat he was going to get indigestion.
His unease must have been showing because his boyfriends tried to lighten the mood. Tenya showed him books, Hitoshi dropped more kittens on him, and Denki, well, he suggested, “We could play spin the bottle.” While he spoke he was moving his eyebrows up and down.
“You don’t need an excuse to kiss me,” Midoriya remarked.
“I, uh—” the electric paused, unable to think of a reply as his cheeks went red.
Hitoshi chuckled, “You broke our boy.”
“That was so smooth,” Denki finally mumbled.
“Was it?” Midoriya asked under his breath, talking to himself more than any of the boys in the room.
“Izuku is correct, Denki,” Tenya stated. “Communication is very important, so you shouldn’t feel the need to use games as an excuse to ask for intimacy.”
“So if I said I wanted to ride you like a—”
Hito-chan kissed him before he could finish. “Which one?” he asked.
Denki grinned as replied, “All of the above?”
Four words quickly sent them over the edge. It was easy to lose track of time when Denki kissed him and his tongue didn’t spark but had an addictive tang like licking a battery. The sun was setting by the time his boyfriends escorted him down and saw him off.
His muscles were aching. Midoriya ran his fingers through his damp hair. Showering together was more difficult than he'd imagined, but if he closed his eyes, he could still feel Tenya's fingers massaging soap into his curls. Hiroshi's t-shirt hung loose on his frame, the fabric gently billowing in the breeze. There were a few hickies coloring his skin. Most of them stayed hidden under his clothes.
When he returned to his dorm, Midoriya collapsed into bed. He stayed like that, face smushed into his pillow until he began to toss and turn, eventually lying flat on his back. He squeezed his eyes shut, but his mind was elsewhere. Denki’s distraction was admittedly, very distracting in the moment, but now that he was alone in the darkness, he couldn’t help but wonder how Shouto was doing. The dual welder was likely back in his dorm by now.
Midoriya blindly swung his arm around his bed until he landed on his phone. He unlocked the screen, squinting at the brightness.
(‘◇’)? How did it go?
Natsuo left after telling him off.
Rei seemed disappointed since she was hoping we’d behave
What’d you do? 「(゚<゚)゙??
I ate soba. (•́⌄•́๑)✧
Midoriya snorted, picturing his boyfriend silently eating his noodles while his brother told off Endeavor. He’d do his best to support Sho-chan if he really wanted to try and repair his relationship with that man, but if he didn’t want to, he’d be more than happy to support that too. It was always Shouto’s choice, so Midoriya had to resist the urge to encourage the latter.
His heart felt lighter knowing the evening hadn’t been a disaster, well, it might have been for Sho-chan’s sister, but his boyfriend seemed content. Midoriya settled back against his pillow and let his eyes fall shut. He waited for sleep to take him, but it never came. He sighed heavily, and after an hour of fruitless efforts, he rolled out of bed. Usually one or two students would be in the communal work spaces creating some support gear. Midoriya understood the notion of wanting to get all of the ideas out before sleeping, but he couldn’t help but notice how statistically, more errors were made and the projects took longer when his classmates didn’t stop to take any breaks. It would be hypocritical of him to scold any for it considering the nights he spent writing in his journals.
There was the unmistakable whirr of an electric drill as he walked down the hall. Out of everyone in the building, he didn’t expect to see his teacher. Power Loader was bent over a table, drilling into the metal of his hero costume. There were any number of minor upgrades that could be added or tweaks to make. Curiosity got the better of him, and he poked his head inside. Maijima-sensei noticed him the second the door creaked open. Someone needed to oil that thing.
“Ah, Midoriya-san, what brings you down here?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to take a walk.”
Maijima-sensei looked over at the clock. “Has it gotten that late already?” he remarked.
“Sensei, would I be able to walk around outside?” Midoriya asked. He could see the stars from his balcony, but it was different to be able to walk around and stare up at the sky.
He paused before shrugging his shoulders, “Sure.” Power Loader smiled. “The weather’s nice, so you should be able to enjoy it. I’ll give you a pass in case anyone asks what you’re doing out, but really no one should bother you. There’s a chip in it so our security bots can scan it.” He took out his school ID and tapped it to the pass. A tiny light went green and Maijima-sensei handed the card over. “I’m still working on the programming for these, so you can be my beta. You can tell me if there were any bugs in class tomorrow. I’d appreciate the feedback.”
His teacher really tried making it sound like Midoriya was the one doing him a favor. He smiled wide as he accepted the pass. “Thank you sensei!”
The cool, crisp air and the shimmer of stars were a welcome distraction. Midoriya wandered with his head up to the sky, watching the few clouds roll past the moon. Things became more green and he realized he walked into Ground Omega. There was a security bot not too far away from him with its camera lens zooming in. Midoriya fumbled for his pass and dropped it. He hastily kneeled to the ground, snatching it up and holding it out to the bot. After a minute of silence that made his heart race, the bot turned and left to continue its way on its routine.
Midoriya let out a heavy sigh, collapsing back into the grass. He peered up through the leaves at the sparkling sky and a tiny smile crept onto his lips. When he finally started to relax his eyes began to feel heavy. He let them fall shut for what only felt like a moment, but there were voices around. Was there a class here already?
Midoriya shot up, hiding behind a tree. It took him a second to realize it was still dark. Panic crept in as he started to think the worse was upon him, villains were inside the school. The voices were speaking in a hushed tone. Midoriya swallowed the knot in his throat and inched closer, ducking behind bushes and trees until he could properly hear them. He recognized those voices.
“We can speak freely here,” All Might stated. Midoriya’s shoulders slumped at the sound of the retired hero. The school was safe. Alarms would’ve sounded if something were up.
“Something happened,” Togata-senpai stated. “I had a dream. I saw the vestiges of One For All.”
What? Midoriya’s eyes widened. There was only one thing Togata-senpai could be talking about with All Might in secret so late at night. One For All, that was the quirk. “I was right,” Midoriya whispered under his breath.
“It was clear. I could see them all. Seven people, eight including me. All the successors of One For All. I’m the ninth.”
All Might wasn’t in the dream then. So there were seven people who wielding that power before him. Maybe he wasn’t in the dream because he was still alive and the others…
“I could see a flashback.”
“You saw the memories of the first One For All?” All Might asked.
“Yes, but it wasn’t just him. All For One was there. I heard him. ‘Come with me. Dear foolish little brother, why do you resist?’ The first told All For One he was wrong. He wanted to stop him.”
Little brother? Big Brother? Was he hearing correctly? All For One and One For All, the very first One For All, it had to be him. They were siblings? The greatest villain and the greatest hero, no heroes, all of them must have fought against him at some point. How old was All For One?
“The past was being reenacted before me, their confrontation,” Togata-senpai stated. “All For One used his powers to create lackeys. From the way they spoke, he’s always doing that. It was like he wanted to create an army. He bragged about wanting something to happen and having his followers act without needing to be ordered. They killed people because they thought it would please him.” He looked sickened when he added, “They were right.”
“Mirio…”
“You saw this too, right? These dreams are just part of the quirk, the connection we share,” Togata-senpai said.
“Yeah, I saw it, and I learned from my master, my predecessor about the existence of the shades.”
“The first spoke to me directly. He told me to be careful, but that everything would be fine. What I lost was still inside me somewhere. My quirk was absorbed by One For All, like the quirks of the previous successors. I can’t feel it, yet, but it’s there, somewhere.”
“It wasn’t stolen? No, more than that, the first spoke with you directly? I never experienced that, and I told you what my master told me.”
“You never spoke to him, in all those years?”
All might shook his head. “No, and my master never mentioned such a phenomenon.”
“Maybe it has something to do with that attack?” Togata-sempai scratched his head. “Ahh, I don’t really understand, but from what the first said, somehow One For All kept it, almost like a memory of it. I think I can still use it. I just need to figure out how to unlock it,” Togata-senpai explained. “But that’s not all. When I woke up, the glass in my dorm room was broken. I’d accidentally used my quirk in my sleep.”
“Strange.”
“What does this mean?”
“I’m sorry that I can’t say for certain, but let’s keep investigating this together,” All Might said.
“Right,” Togata-senpai nodded sharply, a wide smile spread across his lips.
Midoriya felt conflicted. Part of him wanted to help. He already knew their secret after all, but they didn’t know that. Was it better to stay out of it or to insert himself into the whole mess? If he did, how would he tell them? It wasn’t like he could just walk up to them and say, “Hey, I figured out your secret!” It was a secret. No one was supposed to know. He already accidentally discovered All Might’s secret about the time limit before he lost his quirk. Finding the second secret would look like it was forming a pattern. He didn’t want All Might to think he was spying on him. But should he still try to help without telling them?
A hand gripped his shoulder and he instinctively moved to flip them over his shoulder, only the person reacted faster, jumping back before he could grab them. His eyes met Togata-senpai’s. Midoriya’s head was spinning. His senpai released him saying something that didn’t reach his ears.
After nearly fainting from the shock, Midoriya felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest. He clutched it, breathing heavily as he struggled to recover.
“S-Senpai—” he said, head still spinning.
“Oh, did I scare you? Sorry,” Togata-senpai said, but he didn’t look sorry. Despite the smile on his face, his gaze held a level of seriousness to it that made Midoriya’s hairs stand on end.
“Midoriya, my boy, how much of our conversation did you hear?”
Oh, he’d been muttering to himself. They heard him and walked over. Midoriya swallowed the lump in his throat and answered honestly. “Most of it… Maybe all of it, but I already knew about your quirk though.”
“I never said— My medical condition had nothing to do with it.” All Might stated.
Oh, he thought he meant the time limit. “No, I figured it out after the trip,” Midoriya explained before quickly adding. “I didn’t tell anyone or add it to your files!”
“You figured it out?” Togata-senpai said, blinking before putting his hands on his hips.
“Well, if there’s someone with the power to steal quirks, it’s not far off to presume there could be a quirk given to someone.” Even if it wasn’t likely. “Originally, I thought it was hereditary.”
Togata-senpai snorted, covering his mouth with his fist as he tried to suppress the laughter. All Might sighed, hanging his head.
“—But since you’re not… related, I theorized All Might passed on his quirk some other way. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to pry into things. It was an accident.”
“You know you can’t let anyone know, even if you trust them. This kind of information can put people at risk,” All Might stated.
“I won’t say a word, I promise!” Midoriya explained.
“Not even your boyfriends,” Togata-senpai teased.
He felt his cheeks warm, “I know that.” If he had to tell anyone it would be Best Jeanist or Kacchan, but he didn’t want to pull anyone else into this kind of trouble or share secrets that weren’t his. Togata-senpai didn’t seem to be in danger, All Might didn’t have to worry about a time limit anymore, so there wasn’t a reason for him to talk. “Can I help?”
All Might ran his fingers through his hair, pursing his lips in a thin line. Before the former number one hero could answer, Togata-senpai bent his knees to get at eye-level with him and replied, “Are you up for the task? You’d have to do a lot of research and keep it hidden from everyone around you.”
Midoriya’s nails dug into the palms of his hands as he balled up his fists. A spark of determination burned in his gut. “Yes! I wanna help you!”
“Don’t be discouraged if you can’t find much,” All Might warned.
Togata-senpai pressed his fist to his chin and thought for a minute before suddenly exclaiming, “I know! It will be the most helpful thing you can do for us!”
“What?” Midoriya asked.
“Help me analyze One For All and unlock its full potential. I think my own quirk is locked somewhere inside it. I’d really appreciate having someone to help me figure it out.”
It felt like a mission that was destined for him, a reason for his love of heroes and studying their quirks.
Midoriya quickly agreed, “I can do that! I know I can!”
“Then please take good care of us,” Togata-senpai smiled widely. “I’m counting on you.”
Notes:
I'm alive and temporarily beat writer's block