Chapter Text
Izuku was pretty excited; he was going to intern with the Nighteye! He wondered if he could get an autograph- he might have had the poster with All Might and Nighteye together. It was a limited edition release, he remembered Papa had to pull some strings to get it, since it had been so long since its release. Izuku walked with Mirio, he was rapidly signing his fanboy-ness to the older student who could only laugh. “I think you and Sir are going to get along great. I mean, you both are huge fanboys.”
Izuku beamed, ‘How could we not be? I’m so excited, and Sir’s quirk, foresight, is just amazing! Imagine being able to see someone’s future with just a single touch!’
“Yeah! It really helps in investigations.” Mirio agreed.
Sir Nighteye’s building was tall and nondescript. Once they were inside, there were mostly suites and quick moves. There were a few big screens with map layouts and trackers displayed. Cases on glass walls where teams were going over information. There were many desks laid out in the office, structured in a way for quick communication.
Sir’s office was past all of that, a door marked simply ‘Nighteye.’ Mirio knocked before opening the door when a ‘come in’ was called from the other side.
At first glance, the office was a dream come true. Limited edition and none released All might merch posters on the walls with newspaper articles and such. The prize of the displayed collection was the massive poster. It was the tenth anniversary tapestry; Izuku knew he didn’t own it. It was so pretty! Then Izuku registered the cries of laughter and sounds of struggling. He turned to look at the other occupants in the room. Izuku paled at what he saw: bubble girl strapped down to some X-shaped contraption getting tickled. She didn’t even look like she was into it. That, that couldn’t be okay, could it?
“Ah, Mirio.” Sir greeted flatly, putting aside his tickle tools and letting his sidekick free. “Bubblegirl, you’ll be sure not to disappoint next time.”
“Ah, y-yes, sir.” Bubble girl nodded, wheezing for breath and quickly leaving the area. She scampered away with some documents.
Izuku shifted; he really hoped that the whole ordeal was consented to on some level. Nighteye wouldn’t do anything shady, would he?
“I’m to believe this is Izuku Midoriya?” Nighteye asked, looking over Izuku. Izuku swallowed, looking up. The pro hero towered over him; he felt like he was looking up to a giant praying mantis in human form with how those eyes glared down at him. The gaze was sharp, and Izuku found himself bringing in his arms and body, if only to take up less space to be scrutinized.
“Yes! I was telling you about how amazing he was! He even took me on successfully! He’s been helping students with quirk analysis for years; he’s so smart, and I think his analytical skills are something the Nighteye Agency can certainly use, especially with your current case, Sir.” Mirio beamed.
Izuku swallowed, those green-yellow eyes going to Mirio, and Izuku held back a wince when he saw them soften as they looked to Mirio.
“So you’ve said. Well, I think this interview should take place alone, Mirio, if you don’t mind.” Nighteye waved him away.
Mirio must have had one hell of a blessed life- no Izuku shouldn’t assume, but how could he not see this was a trap? As Mirio grinned and wished Izuku luck. Izuku felt danger sense go off, making the omega side step Sir’s hand that had been reaching out for his shoulder.
Nighteye’s eyebrows raised. “What?” He asked.
Izuku’s eyes went to the hand, still lingering where he’d been only a moment ago, and then to the pro hero. He raised his hands up hesitantly, taking a step back. ‘You were about to use your quirk. Without my consent. I’ve done nothing wrong to you to deserve that. What are you doing?’
Nighteye hummed, seeming to be... impressed? “So, you know about my quirk then?”
Of course, Izuku knew, he was an All Might fanboy, he.. He really thought Nighteye was cool, too, but this experience was starting to take a turn somewhere that worried Izuku. Set his nerves on edge. Izuku nodded his head to the question. ‘Foresight, you can see what someone will do just by a touch. You can look into their futures; you’ve used this to solve many cases and to apprehend criminals. You can also use it to side-step your opponents in battle.’
Nighteye narrowed his eyes on the boy. “I see. You’re well informed. Be that as it may, I still think you’re a mistake.”
Izuku’s eyes widened. He, what? That, what did Nighteye mean by that? He was a mistake? How?
“I had the perfect successor picked out for All Might. Someone who smiles, brings comfort, can talk and can save millions. I was training Mirio for that power you hold, and you, a small little omega, come and steal it?” Nighteye asked, the lights from overhead blocking out most of Nighteye’s gaze save for the intensity.
‘I don’t understand? All Might chose me; I’ve proven myself to him. I shouldn’t have to prove myself to you.’ Izuku frowned.
“All Might made a mistake.” Nighteye accused. “He should have taken on Mirio. Tell me, you’re an analyst. Correct? Then, between yourself and Mirio, if you take away the quirk, who was more deserving of it?”
Izuku paused and swallowed. He was confident before that he could be an underground hero no matter what. In terms of power or character, though... Mirio did fit the All Might bill. He already had that gusto about him. Perhaps a bit more aware and conscious of who he was around than All Might was. And then there was their upbringings. Before Shota and Hizashi, Izuku had been under the care of a villain, he had deep ties to the underworld. He... he didn’t want to take away from the potential to save lives, but... All Might chose him over someone with a quirk for a reason... right?
Don’t listen to him, child. You are strong. There are other heroes if he won’t take you on. Nana’s voice soothed. Izuku closed his eyes as he listened to her. Her presence faded back out. He needed to train on making that stronger, too.
“See? Your hesitation is all the confirmation I need.” Nighteye huffed. “You should save us all the trouble and give Mirio the quirk.”
Izuku swallowed, his eyes up at the man. He steeled himself, shaking his head. ‘It’s mine. It chose me. And, you... You have no right to take it from me.’
“You can’t even speak, child, let alone comfort civilians.” Nighteye barked back. “JSL is hardly a skill those outside of care professions know. What will you do?”
‘Don’t worry about it. I have it covered. But if you won’t take me on, I think I’m done here.’ Izuku signed, going to turn.
Nighteye watched him, straightening out. “Oh? I do wonder then what All Might will think. I heard from Mirio that you were quite excited for us to be talking. I didn’t say I wouldn’t take you on as a work study student. If you did work here with me, then perhaps Yagi and I would meet together more often, go over your... growth.” Nighteye mused. “Not to mention, it would add a nasty taste to your current headliner, ‘the one who caused All Might’s downfall’. That was you, correct? The wretch who was kidnapped and forced All Might to go all out. You getting kidnapped has cost us the symbol of peace. You forced him into retirement.”
Izuku stopped, swallowing. He closed his eyes. That stung. He’d been struggling with that in the back of his mind for a minute, trying to ignore it. But Nighteye was right. The papers had that all over. Though it has died off for the most part. It was low for Nighteye to throw it back at him, and he did not doubt that Nighteye would twist the story to make it look like Izuku just wanted All Might all to himself.
So he had a choice to make: Stay here, and I’ll work to make All Might happy. Leave, and the growing rift will be on you; not only that, but Nighteye will slander you.
Izuku knew that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair to put all of that on a child, but... but if he left and told his dad, his dad would get on Yagi about it. And then... Yagi would learn what this... monster really was. Or Yagi would talk to Nighteye, and Nighteye might twist the truth about what happened to Yagi... what if he did that to Aizawa? Izuku already knew he was a drain on the family. He tried so hard not to be, but with all of these issues being caused because of him... he just... and Nighteye holding a case to him would fall back on his dads. They... they didn’t need that.
He really didn’t think what Nighteye was doing to Bubblegirl came with consent.
Izuku turned back to Nighteye. Yagi had so few people he trusted. Nighteye was somehow one of them. Izuku just... couldn’t find it in him to be the reason Yagi loses Nighteye again, after just now having them talk to one another.
Izuku worries his lip. No wonder Yagi didn’t think that someone without a quirk could be a hero. If Gran Torino’s training was just physically focused, and Nighteye was supposed to be All Might’s right hand... who was he supposed to depend on? All Might had Nana, until he didn’t. And then he had the self-important Nighteye and Gran, which... Gran wasn’t bad; he was well-meaning, just a bit rough. But Izuku highly doubted Gran’s own pain of losing Nana did him or Yagi any favors.
Yagi struggled with trust. Yagi trusted Nigheye. Izuku accepted the Work Study offer from Nighteye Agency.