Chapter Text
Iida Tensei is ridden with guilt.
Seeing his little brother's fucked up arm in a cast, with that sad look in his eyes along with that half-faked smile? It sucks. And then he has not even gotten to thinking about Tenya's friend whose heart apparently stopped completely when one of those open-brained bastards Tensei saw on the news grabbed him and managed to cause severe damage to his ribcage and lungs. The friend - Midoriya Izuku, the one Tenya has been talking about almost every day since he began his first year at U.A - is just a kid. And he, along with Tenya and that other kid, Endeavor's youngest, have suffered incredibly because Tensei got himself hurt on the job.
If it had not been for Tensei, Tenya would be safe and sound on an internship far better suited for his ambitions than Manual's agency. Not that Manual's work as a hero is not important or fantastic to Hosu, but that work is not fitted for his little brother. Nah, Iida Tenya wants to be big in the future, and he would have been way better off with someone like that fairly new hero, Miruko (though she might convert Tenya to further distance himself from teamwork, which would be a concern for the future) or perhaps even Best Jeanist.
But yeah, Tenya chose what he did and it ended badly. Tensei can not blame him; he would do the same, if he were in Tenya's place. No, Tensei blames himself. Even though his logical brain tells him it was Stain's fault, he was the one who attacked Tensei because of some dumb ideal he could not live up to. But the emotional brain has a better grip of Tensei in the moment than the logical one has.
Tensei was not strong enough. He was not enough of a hero for Stain, and it makes him feel shitty, if he has to be honest. And now he can't do hero work anymore. His legs are paralyzed and he is going to need a wheelchair for the rest of his life. And it is all because of his own carelessness.
It is.... It is horrible of him, to think that way. That he is useless just because he can't move his legs. It is a selfish thought to focus on, when Midoriya Izuku lays semi-conscious a few rooms away, with a heart monitor counting the beats he nearly lost forever.
Tensei eventually finds himself outside of Midoriya's room. Tenya helps him over there - his mom helps him into the wheelchair, Tenya pushes him down the corridor with the ugly yellow walls and the stinking scent of antiseptics.
Midoriya waves when they enter, with a hand that has an IV needle in it. If it gives him any pain, he doesn't show it. He looks mildly bewildered to see Tensei in the room, and Tensei inwardly chuckles as he remembers Tenya's talks about Midoriya's fascination with heroes.
"Hi, Midoriya-kun," says Tenya softly as he pushes Tensei's wheelchair to Midoriya's bedside. Midoriya is sitting up, which Tensei takes as a good sign even though the kids needs the bed angled to support his back and that he looks ready for death, just going by the pale hue to Midoriya's dark skin and the bags under his eyes.
"'Lo," Midoriya mumbles back and pats Tenya on the arm that he has rested on the edge of the bed. Aw. That's cute.
"Tensei wanted to talk to you," says Tenya this time. "If that's okay with you?" Midoriya's huge eyes blink as if to clear a fog from his sight, and his gaze flickers between Tenya, Tensei and the wall behind them with a quick pace.
He glances to Tenya, signs out a quick one-handed does he know sign? to his friend. Tensei straightens up, taps Midoriya's ankle and signs a affirming response. Midoriya doesn't exactly beam, but it does come close. Considering the heavy influence of painkillers, it's not going to get much better than that.
"I didn't know you knew sign," signs Midoriya. "That's really cool! I knew Iida-kun did, and I know some Pro Heroes does know some basic signs for stealth missions and such." His signing is hurried and excited despite the drowsiness apparent in the rest of his body. He seems to realize this himself, and gives both Tenya and Tensei a sheepish smile.
"Sorry. I just can't believe you're in my room, Ingenium-sensei!"
The use of his former hero name brings a smile to Tensei's face, but it does sting with the reminder of what he has lost. It disappears soon though, when Tensei snorts as he realizes what Midoriya called him.
"That's Tensei to you, buddy," signs Tensei and watches Midoriya's eyes widen in surprise. Tensei shrugs. "Or Iida, if that's what you prefer."
Midoriya thinks this over for a few moments, before he gets an excited glint to his eye.
"Tensei-sensei."
It surprises Tensei, who breaks into a belly-deep laugh which Tenya and Midoriya soon joins with laughter of their own. It ends with Tensei wheezing for air as his lower ribs begin to hurt, still sore from the accident and the following surgeries. Tenya worries over him, of course, but he waves him off and accuses him of being a worry-wart. Tenya's cheeks puff up in annoyance, but it's light-hearted and the relaxed atmosphere returns immediately after that.
Tensei and Midoriya begin to talk, quick hand motions, expressive faces and a buzzing energy fills the room. Tenya excuses himself out of the room to give them some privacy.
They speak about quirks. Midoriya has a lot of questions about Tensei's quirk, though he seems too tired for a lot of information so he only goes over the basics about his engines and how he used them. They speak about other heroes and how their quirks work, what quirks are suited to what work, weak points they have spotted in footage of Pro Heroes, as well as strengths. Most of the time is dedicated to All Might; that one famous rescue mission, several missions he has been on and villains he has fought. Midoriya has them all memorized to almost every single detail.
"It's so cool that you know all of this down to the millisecond,"signs Tensei, and Midoriya blinks as if he is surprised, and then gives a shining smile that almost hides the pale sickness to his face and the dark bags under his eyes. "It must be really helpful with quirk analysis, I imagine."
Midoriya waves his hands as if he's embarrassed and flattered at the same time, or it could just be the exhaustion working its way to his core - his signing has gradually evolved to more and more sluggish and sloppy as the minutes passes by.
"Thanks," is what Tensei catches between frantic signs. It's almost as if Midoriya doesn't like being caught analyzing quirks. Hm. Might be a history, there. Tensei frowns briefly, but shakes it off shortly. Not his business, anyway. Midoriya looks grateful and relieved, his facial expressions sliding to a more relaxed state. His hands drop from the air where he's been signing and he stifles a yawn. Tensei catches his eye, and Midoriya gives him an apologetic look.
"Tired," signs Midoriya, and Tensei can definitely see that drowsiness and exhaustion take over.
Tensei had come here to get something said, though. He intends to finish that mission before this visit is over.
"Thank you," he signs. Midoriya blinks in surprise; a confused but curious frown decorates his features. His head tilts slightly to the side, urging him to go on. "For everything you've done for Tenya. Not just for this, but for everything ." He makes sure to put emphasis on that last word, lifting his eyebrows as he signs.
"He talks about you a lot. He's had trouble making friends before, and he values your friendship and you as a person. So thank you, Midoriya. For saving Tenya, as well as being his friend. I don't know what he, or I for that matter, would do if you hadn't been here. Both for the accident, and everything else."
Midoriya looks confused. Tensei doesn't blame him. He hesitantly puts his hands up again, but this time his signing is slower and more controlled.
"I don't understand why you're thanking me. Tenya is my friend." He stills, thinking about what's next to say. "I'm autistic, if you didn't know." He waits for a second or two to watch Tensei's reaction. Tensei nods, but gives nothing else as he's intent on listening to what Midoriya has to say. With all of Tenya's talking about Midoriya, it's been hard to miss that he's autistic. Tenya's delight in finding a friend who is also autistic was the main chatter of the Iida household for the first days after Tenya started U.A.
"He's my friend," Midoriya continues. "Of course I'll be there for him. I don't understand why you're thanking me."
Tensei hums as he thinks of a way to explain. He doesn't come up with much, and says so to Midoriya as well. "Felt like the right thing to say. If it wasn't... Tenya would be dead if you hadn't been there. He's been much happier since you became his friend. I don't like that you risked your life for him, keep that in mind. You're still just a kid. But you thought of him, and you looked out for him. For that, I am eternally grateful to you." He finishes off with a very slight bow in his wheelchair - his body doesn't allow him to bend forward very much at this moment.
"He's always taken much comfort in me and now that I can't be a hero anymore, I'm glad that he has someone else he feels safe with."
That certainly brings a reaction. Midoriya hasn't reacted much except for the occasional glance to the wall, then back to Tensei again, but that last sentence brings forth something that Tensei could almost say looks like anger. It's not as intense, or directed at him, but it's frustration and confusion.
"Why wouldn't you be able to be a hero?" Midoriya asks, choosing not to address anything else Tensei said. Fair enough. Tensei himself feels confused at Midoriya's question. Hasn't he realized that Tensei's legs are nonfunctional?
"I'm paralyzed from the waist down," signs Tensei, and he feels his hands trembling ever so slightly. Damn. Real shit hours, huh? "I can't work out in the field anymore."
Midoriya is quiet. He's staring at Tensei, and there's an almost hostile energy radiating from him. But Tensei doesn't feel threatened; no, he quickly understands that Midoriya is angry at the words he said, not an Tensei himself.
"That's bullshit," Midoriya signs, and his hand movements are choppy and harsh. Tensei startles at the swear, but lets no other reaction. "I get that it feels hopeless. Just because you're disabled doesn't mean that you can't be a hero." Tensei's breath hitches, and Midoriya's words hurt. He says it like Tensei is still... still worth something. Still can contribute. He doesn't get a word in before Midoriya continues.
"Ectoplasm has two leg prosthetics. Present Mic is hard of hearing. I know a hero who lost half of his internal organs and he's still kicking it. I knew a quirkless kid who had his heart set on becoming the first Quirkless Hero out there, and though he didn't have a physical or mental disability, he was still considered disabled because he didn't have a quirk to help him on his way."
Tensei doesn't know how to react. He's thirty-one, he's a pro hero, and he's getting lectured by his brother's friend, and he wants to cry. Because what Midoriya is saying is completely true.
"I'm not saying you have to be a hero," Midoriya signs, not bothering to check if Tensei looking. "You don't have to continue to be a hero, if you don't want to. But don't say you can't be a hero, because that's bullshit . It's going to take a lot of work, I'm sure, adjusting to your disability. You can be a hero. If you want to, that is. Ever since I was diagnosed autistic, I've had people tell me I can't be a hero because I'd be a disadvantage, not only for myself but for the people around me. I can't compare my situation to yours, really. But the concept is the same." Midoriya's gaze is soft now, but he snorts an unamused laugh to break off his signing.
"Look. Of course you can be a hero. You already are. You just have to make some adjustments." He pauses, thinking something over. "You should contact Power Loader, he's at U.A. There's this girl, Hatsume Mei, who would love to work with you if I know her even half as well as I think I do."
Tensei doesn't know what to say.
After everything Midoriya just said to him, he can't come up with a word to say. This kid, this child , shouldn't be wiser than Tensei, who's been a Pro Hero for several years. Midoriya shouldn't be the one giving him advice and comfort. He shouldn't be the one to solve his problems.
But he did anyways.
"Thank you," Tensei finally manages to sign, and his hands are shaking and there are tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Midoriya."
Midoriya slumps back in his bed, his shoulders dropping and he heaves a deep, deep sigh. But then he smiles, and Tensei has no doubt (if he had any before) that Midoriya will be one of the future's best heroes.
Tensei smiles back, and he feels like Ingenium again.