Chapter Text
To say that Inko failed as a mom is the understatement of the year. Even after knowing the consequence they have to face after that fateful 4th birthday, Inko feels that she has failed as a mom to notice the apparent signs of abuse. With fuming heart and puffed eyes, when she sees her baby standing on the porch clutching his injured shoulder, her heart shattered into million pieces.
"What happened my bunny? Why is your shoulder injured like that?" Even though she knew the answer, she wants to confirm the suspicion she had for the past 2 weeks. She noticed that Izuku returning late from his school regularly for the past 2 weeks. Someday he would slightly limping, someday it would be bruised arms, shoulder. Someday he would have slight scratches in his forehead near the ear, neck. She was concerned, but when asked her son brushed the topic as if it is nothing and going to his room quietly. But today, it seems he must have pushed past his limit of hiding his bullshit.
"Kacchan said that I cannot be a hero without a quirk and his lackeys started beating me when I protested to be a hero in our play. B-But when I h-he pushed me again, I p-punched him and he slipped and fell on the g-ground.." She couldn't stand the sight before her eye. Izuku's entire left side is burnt and marked with claws. His clothes are torn and his eyes are blood red from crying."B-But, before I got up to run, his lackeys started punching me, and before Kacchan blasted me, Tsubara clawed my chest. M-Mom, I-I am so sorry for not telling you and being weak and quirkless like this."
That, that word hits the nail in the coffin. Inko finally realized why Izuku hides everything and why he seems aloof, ever since the doctor's appointment few months back. She couldn't fathom the pain her baby must have gone through to think that he is a burden to her.
To say that she wasn't expecting the result that Izuku could be quirkless is not fair. To be honest, ever since she knows Hisashi back in her collage days, ever since she fell for him, she knows that there is a high chance that their offspring would turn quirkless, since he is one of them. But, she didn't mind that. She saw the man who was passionate about his research. She saw a wonderful, kind, fearsome man who stood his ground among all the quirked people to shine in his industry. She saw the man who showered her with the love and affection she had never experienced in her life. And she married that man, knowing that she may be censured by the society to stand by him.
She still remembers the day so vividly like it happened yesterday. That was the week Hisashi returned from I-Island for Izuku's 4th birthday. Izuku was so happy to see his papa after a long time and was bouncing across the home with the new toy Hisashi designed for him. They were so happy to be together to visit their friends/relatives' places, to be sleeping under the same roof and see each other smile. So, when the topic of Izuku's quirk came, the natural worry which was haunting the couple pushed them to consult the doctor to get over the suspicion and to shut people's mouth. They both were hoping that somehow their worry would not turn to be true. But, when the doctor announced that Izuku will not manifest his quirk, she didn't know whom to console first. Her pillar and her support Hisashi became so silent and at the opposite spectrum, Izuku started howling on hearing the news. She knows that she should be strong, and be supportive of her family, but on seeing that both her husband and her son broken, she couldn't help but curse at their genetics and at the god for their situation.
Her trail of thoughts broke when the room became silent. When she returned her focus to her son, she could see a defeated look in his eyes, the one she has never seen in him before. "Mom, am I really useless, now that I don't have a quirk? Am I really a Deku as Kacchan calls me?" She couldn't find the right word to console him and that point, she doesn't know whether her words would console either her or her son's shattered heart. But Izuku continued "Can I not become a hero as All Might?" She doesn't know what to say. She knows being quirkless don't mean a person is weak. Heck, she knows a lot of people who are pretty useless regardless of their quirks. But, she can't bring herself to reject the idea of her child becoming a hero or shattering his only hope now that he is declared as quirkless. But,she also knows what kind of job is being a hero, how dangerous the situation would turn out and how a person should push beyond their limit to become a top hero at it and her motherly side wants her son to have a safe and happy future.
So, she steeled herself and masking a determined look in her face, "Izuku, listen carefully. Just because you don't have a quirk, doesn't mean you are useless. You know a lot of underground hero's quirk are not suitable for big fights, but they are hero nonetheless. They put in a lot of efforts in building their strength and shines in their own way. You many not have a quirk, but when I think of smart kid, my money is on you among all of your friends. Even Kacchan don't stand before your hero analysis, right?" She smiled and that brought a small on her son's face. "So, I should never ever hear that you think yourself as weak and powerless than the rest of your classmates. Do you understand?" She watched as her son captively listened to her speech. Good. She really needs to work on his self esteem from now on to avoid future bullying and to build up his attitude. "Now, go and bring me the first aid kit and we will patch up that scratches and wounds off, okay?" She ruffled his fluffy hair and pushed him towards the medicine cabinet and rose from the kneeling position.
Once patching up are done, and feeding him his favorite sweet, she started asking about the incident slowly. She know for the fact that Mitsuki's boy is quite abrasive and rough around the edges just like his mother. After all the years they have spent as collage mates, she knows what kind of person Mitsuki is and how brash and uncouth her language and action can be. But to compensate for all that, she has a heart of gold and quite a good judgement of character. So, she didn't mind her or her friendship. And when their sons were born, she thought that their friendship would continue the same way as their's. Oh boy! How wrong, she is! She need to know who else is bullying Izuku so she can understand the situation better before acting.
"So, now that you have calmed down, can you tell me what happened?"
"Hmm.. Me, kacchan, Tsubara and Koshi were playing as usual in the playground. Kacchan got bored after playing in the Jungle gym and suggested we play heroes. He said he will be playing the hero and Tsubara and koshi will play the villan and assigned me as hostage. I- I said I will be playing hero too, but he started insulting me that a quirkless deku can't be a hero. When I said I will be one, and argued back how I can be a good sidekick to know about their quirks and how helpful I can be, he started beating me and said that he will not take help from a quirkless nobody like and pushed me to the ground with his quirk and the other two just followed the suit."
"So, did you fight back?"
He made a slight bashful face at the question and nodded facing the ground. "Dad taught me some m-moves when he was here last time. We practiced some punch and kicks and he said that I can use that when I am c-cornered. I know its not much against power like kacchan's but, I couldn't back down when they started pushing me to the ground. So, I punched Koshi first, and pushed kacchan to the mud.."
After saying that, he started shrinking into the sofa afraid and waiting for the scolding to come from his mom for being reckless. But, Inko couldn't help but smile that her son holds the same attitude as his father. So, instead of scolding him, she gently lifted his head to face him properly.
"Izuku, darling, I am not going to scold you for the actions you did for your self defense. Though punching kids are morally wrong, it is justifiable under self protection. You do understand what I am saying right?" He tilted his eyes and viewed her carefully.
"I won't condemn you for fighting back. Infact, I am going to speak to your classmate's mom about this and going to scold them for their reckless behavior, but, you should never start a fight on your own in the first place, do you understand? Because, heroes can punch and will punch back to defeat the villains, but they will not start a fight. You want to be a hero right?" He nodded his head quickly. "Good, so, you should behave like one. It doesn't matter if they provoke you or insult you, you should hold your head high and ignore them. After all, boys/girls behaving like to bully innocent are not definitely hero, OK?"
Izuku processed all the info immediately and nodded in agreement and that made her smile despite the situation. "Ok, so go ahead and do your homework while mom prepares the dinner hmm."
After hearing that his mother is not going to scold him and she infact supports him on his self defense, Izuku regained his usual bubbly demeanor and bounced towards his room to complete the homework and to fill up on the new quirks he saw today at the class in his notebook.
"We have a long way to go, Hisashi." She smiled to herself seeing her son bouncing off to his room, "But, we will reach there together." With the new found determination to support her family, she set to do proceed with her plan to safeguard his son and his future.