Chapter Text
Midoriya Izuku was a nervous wreck. Here he was, ready to finally take the entrance exam to U.A., he had done everything that he was possibly able to do. He had ten months of intense training from the number 1 Hero, he even ate the strand of All Might’s hair! But his legs still shook to the point it nearly tripped him and he had to be saved by that pretty girl he talked to (that he didn’t actually say anything to). Izuku’s nerves were still getting the best of him, even as he sat down next to Kacchan and was being given instructions for the practical exam by Present Mic, Izuku barely heard a word around him as he mumbled thru both his nerves and excitement.
Next thing he knew someone was pointing at him and everyone’s attention was now on him. “You’ve been muttering this whole time. It’s distracting!” the stern looking guy said to him, “If you’re here for a pleasure trip, then you should leave immediately."
Izuku covered his mouth, nullifying the apology he tried to mutter as people around him began to laugh. He was so thankful when Present Mic pulled the attention back to him so Izuku could slid down in his seat. He couldn’t wait to be out of this room now, but he tried his best to pay attention to the Voice Hero.
While Bakugou Katsuki couldn’t believe that quirkless Deku would actually show up for U.A.’s exam, he had at least long since learned how to tune out the mumbling that came from his former friend as he sat next to him listening to Present Mic explain the practical. He sneered when some know-it-all stood up to try and correct the explanation. But when said extra turned to towards them and said “In addition, you over there with the curly hair--“
Bakugou couldn’t help his head snapping towards Deku, he couldn’t believe it, this worthless loser actually found his fucking soulmate before he did. He continued to stare as Deku covered his mouth, slid down in his chair, and didn’t say anything. In fact, he wasn’t even looking at his newly acquired soulmate. Holy shit, did he really not notice? Now that might be amusing, Bakugou thought as he turned back towards the front in time to catch the explanation of the zero point robots.
As Izuku gathered with everyone else at the gates of the testing ground, he marveled at how calm and cool the other students appeared to be. As he looked around he saw the pretty girl that had saved him earlier. Taking his chance to actually thank her this time, he made his way towards her, when a large hand grabbed his shoulder.
Izuku turned around to find the stern looking guy glaring down at him. “That girl appears to be trying to focus. What are you doing here? Are you taking the entrance exam to interfere with everyone else?”
Panicked at his sudden appearance, “N-N-No, of course not…” Izuku began to frantically wave his arms and try to explain himself, as everyone around them noticed. The stern looking guy just talked over Izuku and started to lecture him about personal space.
Just when it couldn’t get any worse, Present Mic called for the start of the exam and everyone took off for the gates, leaving Izuku at the back. Alone. Just great.
Every part of his body was sore as Izuku dragged himself up the stairs to his apartment. Even with Recovery Girl healing all of his injuries, he still felt like his muscles were screaming it him. And he was tired, All Might, was he tired. He went to open the front door, but it flew open before he got a chance and he was quickly engulfed in a hug.
“Izuku!! I was so worried! How was it? Are you hurt? How do you think you did? Are you hungry? I made dinner, it’s your favorite!” his mom cried as she held him even tighter.
Izuku blinked at all the questions before returning the hug and giving her a tired smile, “I’m okay, mom, I’m just a little tired. Results won’t be mailed for a couple weeks and I’ll eat once I shower. I stink.”
She gave him a once over as if not really believing that he wasn’t injured. “Okay then, I’ll go keep the food warm while you clean up,” she patted his cheek and kissed his forehead before releasing him and making her way back to the kitchen.
Once in the bathroom, Izuku breathed a sigh of relief and removed his clothes. He dragged his sore body into the shower and let the almost too hot water run over him, feeling even more tired than before. After lazily washing his hair, he grabbed his soap and started scrubbing the sweat and grime off his skin. He kept seeing red out of the corner of his eye near his neck on the left side and he kept bringing the soap there to scrub but to no avail. He rinsed off but stayed under the spray. He ran his fingers where he could almost see the red, where usually he could almost see- Izuku yelped and jumped out the shower, nearly slipping and braining himself on the sink. He tried to wipe away the condensation on the mirror so he could get a better look at his left collarbone, so he could get a better look at his soulmark, at the first words his soulmate will say to him. Izuku stared at the now bright red words that were their usual black just this morning. That meant- but when? Who? Izuku froze, recalling the stern looking guy who had called his attention in front of hundreds of other people and then lectured him right before the practical. No, no, no, no, no this can’t be true, it can’t be him, why did it have to be him? Izuku’s thoughts raced, he couldn’t believe it, he never even got- he never even got his soulmate’s name. All Might, he was a failure, he was such a- wait, wait he had actually spoken to his soulmate. Said real words and everything, but he never reacted to anything Izuku said. Unrequited Soulmates were rare, far rarer even than being quirkless, but they did exist. Could that explain his soulmate’s lack of response? It sort of made sense, he was quirkless and who, especially a hero-in-training, would want a soulmate like him? Sure All Might had given him One for All, but that was almost cheating fate, not to mention the fact that he couldn’t even begin to use it without destroying his body, would he ever get control over it? He was pretty sure that he failed the practical part of the exam and wouldn’t be going to U.A. and his soulmate probably was. Could he ever make a worthy soulmate to anyone? Could he-
He’s brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door, “Izuku? Are you alright? I thought I heard a strange sound,” his mom called thru the door.
“I’m fine! Really, it's okay, I just nearly slipped and startled myself. I’ll be out in minute,” Izuku felt a little bad about lying, but he needed time to think first before he told her the truth. The truth about his soulmate and how he missed it and how-
“Alright, if you’re sure. Food’s ready when you are,” Inko replied and left Izuku to get dressed. He dressed quickly making sure none of the now red words could be seen. No one knew and Izuku had no plans to tell anyone anytime soon.