Chapter Text
When Inko saw her son come home that day, she knew something was wrong. He was dirty, his uniform was messy and slightly torn, there was sludge in his hair and his eyes looked guarded, like he was trying to hide something from her.
“Izuku? How are you feeling, dear? Are you okay?” She asked worriedly, going to meet him near the door as he took off his shoes. He smiled at her, that smile he only wore when he was sad and scared and didn’t want her to worry about him.
“I’m fine, mum. Really. It’s just… it was a long day, and I got into something… don’t worry though!!! Everything is just fine!!! I’m not hurt!!!” He hurried to assure her, which didn’t, in fact, help. Not in the slightest. She could see his uniform was singed too, a sure sign that at least part of the “Something” he was talking about involved Katsuki. Inko sighed tiredly, running a gentle hand through Izuku’s hair.
“Go take a shower, dear. Dinner is almost ready, and we can talk about everything when we’re done with that.” She didn’t press him. The fake smile melted into a more real one, tired and grateful, as he hugged her. She pulled him close, making sure he knows he’s loved and cared for.
“Thanks mum… I love you.” He said, pulling away and going to the shower. His words filled Inko with warmth. People told her she was coddling him. They said she wasn’t strict enough with him because he was all she had left after her husband left (untrue, but never mind). They were wrong, of course. Inko didn’t coddle her son, she loved him, and made sure he knows that. She made sure her son had at least one safe place to go to. Because when the whole world shut door after door in his face, when people tried to get away from him like he had some horrible, infectious disease, Izuku needed a safe place, and Inko swore to always be that safe place. Her son deserved it.
They ate together near the table, Inko filling the quiet with soft chatter about her day at work and the people she met. They washed the dishes together, humming to their favourite songs. Inko was relieved to see a small smile spread on Izuku’s face as he joined her humming. Then they went to the living room, turning the TV on. The news report was talking about a villain attack in the city, about two middle school children who got caught in it, and about All Might saving the day like always. Inko expected Izuku to be excited, to start talking about how All Might’s punch was so strong it changed the weather, but he just curled into himself, looking down.
“Mum, about the things that happened today…” He started hesitantly, and Inko immediately knew to turn the volume on the TV to zero, and turn to face her son. Then he told her about his day. He told her about the high school applications, and how everyone laughed at him, like he knew would happen. He told her how Katsuki burned his notebook, and told him to kill himself (she noted to herself to catch Mitsuki for a talk, then grab Katsuki and have a talk with him as well. Maybe she’ll succeed where the boy’s parents failed. Mitsuki was afraid to be too hard on him, too scared to cross the lines that her own parents crossed with her, and Masaru simply wasn’t assertive enough to handle his son’s explosive personality). How on his way home, he got attacked by a villain, and saved by All Might. How he clung to All Might’s leg when he left. How he asked his hero if he can be one too, even though he’s quirkless. He told her, in tears, how he was turned down (and by god, Inko was furious. Even if he didn’t believe it, he should’ve lied. All Might saw a child begging for validation and comfort, and decided to brutally shatter his dream in his face). Izuku then proceeded, telling her how because of him, the villain got away. How he got Katsuki. How Izuku, the kind and brave boy that he was, ran in to try and save him. How All Might saved them both (she wondered why he used the words “pushed his limits”, but didn’t press).
Inko hugged her son tight. No matter how much he grew, no matter that he was now taller than her already, he was her son. The son she loved and raised and protected his whole life, and will always continue to do so.
“I think…” Izuku sniffled, burying his face in her neck. “I think I don’t want to be a hero anymore. I do want to save people, but… even All Might said I can’t be, so what’s the point?” Something broke in Inko’s heart. A decade of skepticism from the whole world, a decade of bullying and isolation, a decade of teachers and doctors and neighbours mocking his ambitions, none of it broke his conviction. But that one sentence did.
“The point is what you want to do, Izuku.” She said gently, tears in her eyes, as she ran her fingers through Izuku’s soft curls. “To hell with All Might. If you don’t want to be a hero, then I will support your decision. I will always support you, no matter what, because you are my son, and I believe in you. But if you do want to be a hero, I will stand by your side. Always. Even if I have to go and fight All Might for it.” Izuku chuckled, and it made Inko happy. She knew the image of her, soft and round and small and scared, going face to face with the towering, muscular giant that is All Might, was an amusing one. That was the reaction she was hoping for.
“You would win.” Izuku said quietly, his voice content. That was how they were. They cried, baring their emotions for the world to see (well, for each other to see, mainly), and then they felt better. She was glad she could get him to cooperate, even after a day full of horrible experiences like this one was to him. She chuckled a little, kissing the top of his head.
“But what do I do? My whole life, it was just heroics. I don’t… I don’t know what else I can do.” He confessed quietly. Inko thought for a moment, still holding him, thanking every star in the sky that she did good enough for her son to confide in her the way he did. To trust her the way he did. It meant the world to her.
“You could be a doctor. Or a paramedic. Any medical profession, really.” She spoke gently, and Izuku raised his head a little to look at her. “You’re smart, and you can pick situations apart in seconds. You could be a great emergency responder. Or, if you still want to stay in the heroics field… you could maybe become a Support mechanic. The way you think, I have no doubt that you’ll be good at it, and that way you’re still saving lives, both of the heroes and the people they try to save. A lot of heroes talk about how their support items saved their lives. Just think what you want to do, okay? You don’t have to give up on heroics, but you don’t have to keep going after it either. Maybe you can even apply to two courses and see which you’ll get accepted to.” She suggested, able to practically see the gears grinding in Izuku’s head. He smiled, hugging her again.
“Thanks, mum. You’re the best. I love you.” He said softly before pulling away. Inko smiled proudly at her boy, before sending him to bed.
A week later, Izuku put down his fork during breakfast.
“Mum, I… I decided I want to apply to the Support course. Even if I don’t eventually go to work in support, going to U.A. Should open pretty much any door, right?” He said, looking back down at his food.
“And heroics?” Inko asked softly, wanting to see where he goes from there. He paused for a moment, still looking down.
“I’m sick of Kacchan pushing me around. I’m sick of fighting him. And even All Might said I shouldn’t, and… I don’t think it was mean of him. Mum, he… he told me a secret. A secret I shouldn’t tell anyone, cause it would put him in danger. But after hearing it… I understand why he would tell me not to. I can still save lives, right? You said it. Save the people, and save the heroes saving them.” Izuku seemed to still be in deep thought, so Inko waited to let him finish what he had to think about. “I think I’ll tell you the secret. It’s… it’s a big secret, so please don’t tell anyone. But you’re my mum and I don’t want to hide this from you.” He looked at her and she nodded, swearing to keep it to herself.
“Six years ago, All Might… he got really hurt. He lost a lung, and his entire stomach. With the injury and all the surgeries… most of the time he looks like a skeleton these days. He can only do hero stuff for three hours a day. And… I saw the injury, mum. And I’m scared. If All Might, with all his power, got hurt like this… being Support is more realistic for me.” He sighed, smiling at her. Inko nodded, processing the new information she was given.
“You know, if you really want to apply to support,” she thought for a moment, “one of the clients in my office is a support mechanic. I’ve known her for over a decade now. She has a meeting today, actually. I could ask her if she could maybe help you. I think her daughter is applying too.” She suggested, and Izuku lit up. Of course he did. The chance to work with an actual support mechanic on actual hero gear in order to apply to U.A. was exactly his definition of excitement.
“Thank you so much mum!” He smiled brightly, going back to his food with new vigor. Inko laughed, eating her own food and leaving for work.
“Hi Inko, it’s been a while!” The pink haired woman called in greeting. Inko smiled brightly.
“Good to see you, Sai! I shouldn’t say I’m glad to see you, since you being here probably means you got in some kind of legal trouble, but I am happy to see you. We should meet more outside of the office. There’s still some time until your meeting so how about we drink some tea?” She offered, pouring the other woman a cup of tea. They say in the waiting room, Sai looking very out of place in the tidy office, considering her greasy work clothes and the goggles.
“So, how are you doing? How’s your daughter?” Inko asked, taking a small sip of her tea. Sai smiled proudly.
“We’re doing great! Mei’s a huge help in the workshop. She won’t stop working on designs based on old, pre-quirk comic books. She’s got a wild imagination, and the proper mad scientist attitude.” She gave a hearty laugh. “What about you? And your little hero boy? Didn’t you say he likes those comic books too?” She drank some of the tea.
“Yes, he does. Izuku loves those. Though… he’s actually considering a change of course. Say, you didn’t happen to have the space in your schedule to have him around, did you? He wants to apply to the Support course, and I’m worried that he’ll be at a disadvantage.” Inko sighed, worried, and Sai’s smile grew excited, if a bit scheming.
“I don’t know if I mentioned it, but being the way she is, Mei is… quite the lonely girl. Not many people can understand her, or even bother to try. It would be wonderful for her to have someone her age, with similar interests, working with her.” She turned her mug in her hands, eyes glancing up. Inko returned the same kind of smile.
“Oh, I know what you mean. Izuku is such a sweet boy, but he’s alone most of the time. It would be great for him to meet some nice person who doesn’t care much for pleasantries and small talk, who he can work with and learn from.” She turned her smile innocent, almost angelic, and drank her tea. Sai laughed.
“Very well. Izuku can come over, and Mei and I would help him prepare for the exams. And if two lonely kids happen to find friends in each other… well, that’s a bonus, isn’t it?” She put a hand on Inko’s knee. The short, chubby woman smiled, raising her mug slightly. Her taller, muscular companion smiled back, touching mugs. By he looks on their faces you might’ve thought they were villains scheming for world domination, or two CEOs signing the deal of the century, and not two mothers who just set a successful play-date for their children who are theoretically way too old for such things. But well, adults meet for play-dates as well. They just like to dress them in fancy names.