Archive of Our Own ^beta

"im sorry to tell you this, your son is quirkless."

the room felt uncomfortably stuffy and frozen at those few words that left the doctors mouth. izukus smile felt forced and strained, twitching to barely hold itself up anymore. he knew tears were falling down his freckled cheeks based on the cold, numb and stinging feeling that was left behind each tear drop.

it was okay though, he'd be okay. he knew his mommy wouldn't be mad, he could still be a hero. he was always her little hero, quirk or no quirk.

"h- how could that be doctor?.. i don't understand.. his father can breathe fire and i can pull small objects to me." his mommy – inko – says with a tremble in her voice. she sounded upset, distressed even. izuku would hate to make inko upset just because he's quirkless, he was supposed to be her little hero and make her smile. not frown.

"you see this? yeah, the kid has a two joints in his pinky toe." the doctor says as he pointed at the x-ray. "usually those who are quirkless, possess two joints in their pinky toe instead of one, like your son. though, there could be a chance of him having a quirk that is dormant and he'll be a late bloomer but that is rare."

inko gave a numb nod. her son didn't posses a quirk, her precious baby boy was quirkless. quirkless the doctor told her, how ridiculous. she knew he had a quirk in him, her baby boy would never go and become such a defective... thing. he was just late at blooming his quirk, and she just had to help him.

after the doctors appointment, things felt a beyond uncomfortable between mother and son. izuku knew he made his mother upset, he just didn't know exactly why. she was too silent on her way back to the apartment, not sparing a single glance to the freckled faced greenhead boy.

things weren't any better when they got home. izuku felt an unsettling feeling twsiting in his gut and it wasn't until his mommy shut the door and turned to look at him with cold, calculating, eyes, he felt a sense of dread wash over him.

"m- mommy.. a- are y- you.. you mad?" he asked as his little body started to shake seeing his mother draw closer to him with a smile that didn't sit right in his stomach. his instincts told him to run, inko would hurt him if he stay here too long. but he believed that mommy wouldn't ever lay a finger on him unless it was necessary. but, he couldn't help hearing the voice in the back of his head – whispering that he was wrong. mommy would hit him and do worse if she wanted to, not needed to.

"izuku, you love mommy, right?" inko asked, watching her son tremble in front of her. it brought her pleasure to know the hold she already has on her baby boy and she barely even started the party. though, if she doesn't need to hurt him, physically at least, she won't. not yet at least. if she could just push his mental state, then his quirk would bloom and they'll be a happy family again.

"o- of course mommy!"

inko gave a twisted smile as she crouch down eye level to her son who flinched when she got close. "and you want to make mommy happy right? you wanna be mommy's little hero right, izukun?" she gently says as she cupped her sons cheek that was cold from the old dried up tears. the greenhead boy nodded and inko placed a kiss onto his cheek before leaning closer to his ear to whisper, as if she was telling a secret.

"then give mommy a quirk.. you need a quirk, izukun. you can do that for me, right my little hero?" she whispered in the boys ear. izuku body was vibrating now, he could see his vision clouding with tears once again. he couldnt just force a quirk to show if he had no quirk, but his mommy wanted a quirk so he had to give her a quirk. but he was quirkless.

"m- mommy.. im q- quirkless though.." izuku chocked out as inko sighed, her baby was not quirkless. his quirk was just hidden, stubborn, refusing to come out.

"do you want to disappoint mommy? i thought you were going to be my hero, izuku." inko says, her tone sharp while her look turning icy – almost deadly. –

"i am mommy! i - i am!" izuku cried out. he hated the look his mother was giving him, he was going to be her little hero and he was going to get a quirk if that's what his mommy wanted. he would hate to make her disappointed for him being a failure.

inko warmly smiled, the icy look soon faded away. she pressed her lips against her sons forehead before standing back up onto her own two feet. "i knew you wouldn't disappoint me my sweet little baby. mommy know you'll gain a quirk, you need a quirk. or else, you can't be my little hero anymore, understand?"

izuku slowly nodded his head to what his mother had said. he didn't trust his voice, but he knew that he desperately needed a quirk. fast. any quirk would make him and his mommy happy, just as long as it shows, he will – they will be okay.

izuku didn't liked training with his mommy. it started off nonviolent, only harsh words that inko had said were to encourage his quirk to come. but as the days progress, and no quirk shown, she had gotten frustrated. that's when she started using violence against the boy.

but izuku didn't blame her, she had the right to be upset. he was defective and weak, he didn't even get called her little hero anymore.

inko had started wearing a scrawl on her face when the two of them were alone, and it scared izuku. he watched as his mother grow distant from him, he watched as she started picking up a drinking habit and he watched as she struck him more when it wasn't even training time.

it didn't even seem like she was trying to find a quirk, izuku knew this deep down. he knew his mother was hurting him because she liked and because she wanted to do it. the young, greenhead five year old boy knew she hated him because he was quirkless.

"m- mommy?.." izuku whispered as he approached his mother. he could tell she wasn't drunk just yet, though, she had a glass of wine in her hands while trying to watch tv.

inko let out a deep, tired sigh. of course her son was here to ruin her calm and peaceful down time. it was just like him to ruin things for her. taking first place with him being a defective thing that she managed give birth to. "yes izuku? cant you see mommy's busy?" she dryly asked as she saw from the corner of her eyes her son looking down; fumbling with his shirt.

"i- i w- wanted t- t- to go to k- kacchans h- house.. i- i- is that o- o- okay?" izuku sputtered out.

inko gave a brief, thoughtful look. she could finally get the cry baby brat out of her hair. even for a few hours. mitsuki thought of izuku as a son, she'd surely take care of him well too. he'd be fine.

"okay, izuku. just remember what we talked about." inko finally says as she sat down her wine glass. she had a smile on her face, though, it wasnt warm nor was it welcoming. it was just there.

"don't t- tell people about t- the training."

"and?"

"a- and t- things that g- go on at h- h- home." if was possible, izukus voice was lower than a whisper. he was trembling ever so slightly but inko ignored it and gave a more genuine smile.

"i- i know. ill go now mommy.." izuku murmured as he turned away from his mother. he wanted to run straight to katsukis apartment room, but he knew that would make inko upset and then he wouldn't be able to see his best friend.

izuku had walked to the bakugos home, and he felt the tension from his body relax. he was away from home. he can be himself, even its only for a few short hours.

knocking on the door, his smile forced its way onto his lips. he was greeted with mitsuki who wore a kind grin, that he rarely get see anymore from his own mother.

"oh! little izu! 'cmon in and ill get my brat." she says, stepping out of the way so izuku could walk into the room.

izuku doesnt come over often like he used to, not after inko took up her special training with the small freckled face greenhead boy. izuku missed the times he spent with kacchan, he was the only one – besides katsuki parents – that genuinely cared about him and that didn't care he was quirkless.

"hey nerd, are you gon' keep standing there all day or are we gonna play somth'in!" katsuki says with a wide firey smile as izuku nodded his head and ran over to his bond haired friend.

"hero's and villains! hero's and villains! kacchan we gotta play that!" izuku says with a loud cheer, now clinging onto to the blonds arm as he bounced up and down while the two of them walked to katsukis room.

katsuki snorted and rolled his eyes. "we always play that 'zukun but kay. are we doing action figures or live action?" he asked, as izuku mused. he left his toys at home trying to get away from as fast as possible but this time he really did want to play action figure rather than just act it all out.

"mm a bit of both, mostly action figures. but.. i left mines."

"we can solve that, use mine. just, don't lay a damn finger on my all might one." katsuki threatened with a empty glare as he snatched up his favorite all might doll.

izuku pouted slightly but it was fair, he doesn't even let kacchan touch his all might figures. so instead, he opted for the electoplant that katsuki had.

katsuki abruptly stood up with the all might doll raised high in the air. "i am here!" the blond male said in his best deep voice. izuku laughed as he stood up next to his best friend that soon took off running out of the room, already having his imagination gone wild.

izuku followed close behind, the electoplant doll flying in the air with playful giggles erupting from his chest.

"old hag! all might and electoplant is here to save you!" katsuki announced just as he pounced on his unexpecting mother. izuku just giggles more as he joins in on the pile of people.

"ah! i don't think this is saving me kids!" mitsuki says with a laugh as she sat up and held the two small boys in her arms. izuku blinked but had a cheesy grin on his face while katsuki huffed and rolled his eyes – dispite the smile that was tugging away at his lips.

"you two seem to be having fun and i hate to ruin it with this question but izu, did inko ever say when she wanted you back home?" mitsuki asked as the freckled face boy gave a nod. his smile had faltered at the question, knowing he would have to go home eventually.

"s- she said s- six.." izuku murmured as his eyes fell to mitsukis lap that he and katsuki both were sitting on. he hated that he had to go home so early, he used to be able to come over whenever he liked and go home when he felt ready. granted, when he felt ready was usually never, which led to him spending the night or coming home around eight or nine just to go to bed for school.

"auntie wants you home that early?!" katsuki yelled, clearly upset that he had to go home sooner rather than later.

mitsuki brows furrowed as her smile drop into a thin line. izuku had to be home in less than an hour, already. "izuku, honey, did she really say six?" she asked as izuku gave a nod. mitsuki didn't understand why izuku needed to be home so soon, but inko must have her reasons.

"alright, then shit! we need to get to dinner right away huh? i thought you had plenty of time to play but i was wrong." mitsuki says with a sigh that came out more like a tired huff. she placed to two children that were in her lap, carefully down onto the ground as she made her way into the kitchen.

"cant we just ask auntie for zukun to spend the night?" katsuki asked with an whine while he followed his mother close behind. he hated he barely had two hours to play and talk with izuku, he already barely has the time to play with him anymore since for some reason inko never comes around unless izuku wants to or he ask for izuku. and the last time he had the chance to play with izuku, he also had to go home at six. it was becoming annoying.

"if auntie inko wants him –"

"she hasn't been around and she don't ever let izuku over unless we beg. that isn't fair." katsuki says as small little sparks popped into his palm of his hand. he was starting to get angry over this whole thing, he just wanted his damn best friend back but inko was keeping him away.

"i know, katsuki." mitsuki says with a sigh. of course she knows, she noticed when he sister like best friend suddenly changed. when she slowly but surely had stopped visiting everyday for tea and talking when the kids were at school. she noticed how she never calls anymore and how it seemed like she was avoiding her and her family. she also noticed how when she does see inko, everything about her personality seemed fake and unfriendly but she never was direct about it where mitsuki could point it out.

mitsuki also noticed how izuku seemed to never want to be at home anymore when he was always over. the look in his eyes when he was told it was time to go back home wasn't just him being disappointed, it was fear. he was scared to go home, and she didn't understand why and to be honest, mitsuki was scared herself to know why.

izuku had changed a lot over the last few months, and it was subtle. a few flinches here and there when an adult got close to him, mitsuki wrote that off as him being naturally jumping. then the stuttering kicked in when he was panicked or talking about something that he was nervous about. again, she wrote that off as him being a nervous kid. then, then she started noticing the bruise and markings when she looked close enough. she thought maybe he was being bullied at school for being quirkless, after all any quirk rather than none is better. and she asked katsuki about that, and he said he was being bullied but not in the way she originally thought.

sure, izuku had a few nasty words thrown at him but that's as far as things would go. no one dared to lay a finger on them or else, as her son put it, they would lose a fucking finger.

mitsuki knew the scars and bruises had to come from somewhere and she would like to think izuku didn't scare himself up that badly when playing. it was possible, kids can be rough and clumsy. but if it really wasn't izuku, she knew the next thing or person, would be inko. and she would hate it to be inko, she hates to think of inko abusing her own son.

but she can't ignore the fact both izuku and inko changed after the quirkless diagnoses. and it wasnt a good change either, that's for sure.

quietly setting down the knife that mitsuki was using to cut the pork she had, she looked over at her son who had a strange concerned look on his face. "katsuki, i need you to get my phone and i need you to get it right now." mitsuki's voice was unusually low, threatening even, but katsuki knew it wasn't directed at him. the blond haired boy quickly scrambled out of the kitchen to grab his mother phone.

mitsuki was pissed, she felt her blood boil at the thought at her nephew – no son izuku was a son to her – getting abused by his own mother. the state of worry she previous felt was long gone, if she was correct about her thoughts, she was going to snatch izuku out of that home and make him legally hers.

"here mom." katsuki says as he handed up the phone to the angry blonde who replaced her frown with a smile. izuku was ducked behind katsuki, curious on why mitsuki suddenly upset.

"thank you, 'suki. oh and 'zuku, you can stay here longer than six baby." izuku eyes lit up for a second before they flashed with confusion and worry.

"but mom –"

"your mom won't do shit. now you kids go play, i have a very important phone call to make." izuku understood the underlying meaning of what mitsuki said, he wanted to deny everything but he couldn't, katsuki was pulling him out of the kitchen rambling on about the new hero movie featuring all might.

mitsuki took in a breath as she dialed inkos number. she needed to stay calm and collected, she had to get through this like a reasonable adult and pray that her assumption are wrong.

"mitsuki, what a pleasant surprise. did something happen with izuku?" inko asked, her voice ranging in concern.

"no no, just the kids staying a few hours longer if that's okay?" there was a long, heavy pause in the line. it felt tense and uncomfortable, just listening to static and the occasional breath of inko but it only lasted a long fifteen seconds before inko took in a breath and responded.

"wonderful, ill see him when i see him then." inkos voice sounded strained and almost forced to be airy and cheerful. mitsuki frowned, this was not the inko grew up with since elementary.

"well if there's nothing else ill–"

"actually, there's one more tiny thing." mitsuki says with a shaky breath. she could hear the hesitance from inko, which she didn't like. she hated the pauses, she hated the secrecy that was going on that placed a huge wedge in their relationship.

"inko, please tell me the truth, are you.. hurting izuku? ive seen him littered in old scars and new ones. hes covered in purple and yellow bruises that show that its been going on for a long time. so inko if you are.. tell me." mitsuki says, in hopes inko would go the easy way of saying she did it. or maybe, it wasnt inko or someone else and mitsuki could help. either way, she needed to hear it from inkos own mouth.

"mitsuki how could you assume such a thing about me? the school has been hurting him and i try my best to keep my baby safe and happy. but you know i can't change schools, not with the tight budget." inko says with a soft croak and an sadden tone as she sighs. mitsuki wanted to believe her friend, she desperately wanted to. but she knew the school wasn't physically harming izuku and when they even attempted to, she usually got a call from the school about katsuki burning the poor kid until they couldn't even walk no more.

"inko.. the school doesnt harm izuku, not like that."

"and how would you know, mitsuki?" inko shot back, the sad tone left her voice now replaced with a certain sharpness and iciness.

"because katsuki told me. and he always the one to sadly.. hurt the person who even attempts to lay a finger on izuku." mitsuki says and was met with the same uncomfortable and tense silence.

mitsuki hated this, she was finding little reasons to believe her best friend and finding more reasons to see she is an abusive mother.

"kids do lie mitsuki."

"and you really think katsuki lie about protecting izuku?!" mitsuki voiced raised with an loud gasp. her feelings completely shifted into anger hearing that inko just called her child a liar.

"i wouldn't say that, just katsuki and izuku are on different.. levels and he shouldn't need to protect someone who is –"

"inko, if you think your son isn't strong because he is fucking quirkless you are wrong. hes strong for having to take the damn beatings you put him through and he's strong for having to worry if his mother even still love him! fuck he's strong for being quirkless rather than with a quirk. your son doesn't need your pity." mitsuki was fuming, she wanted to fucking murder inko for even think for a second izuku was some weak quirkless boy. he wasnt, he was strong, smart and she knew with the right amount of love he'll be a great hero. quirk or no quirk.

"if you think that, then keep that quirkless defect." inko said as her tone slipped into an unkind and cold one. mitsuki scoffed and rolled her eyes, that's exactly what she planned on doing even if she had to personally fight inko, she would.

"then sign him over to me. make me his legal guardian." mitsuki says, the line fell silent again. this time, the blonde haired woman didn't wait for inko to respond, she did so for her.

"if you don't do it the easy way inko, i swear ill take your ass to court and you'll be in jail up to fifty years for quirkless discrimination, child abuse and child neglect. don't fucking test me." mitsuki was hissing through her teeth at every word. her threat was not empty, if inko wouldnt take her down to the court and sign him over without a fight then she'd take him away and put that abusive bitch in her place; prison.

inko gave a long, tired and drawn out sigh. "you really leave me no option do you?" she says with a huff as mitsuki rolled her eyes.

"i gave you plenty of options. give me him easy and have your free time or make me fight and rot in jail."

"okay okay, take izuku. ill sign him over to you. we can go to the court house when the a kids are at school and ill sign him over to you, okay?" inko says in an exasperated tone while mitsuki wore a proud smile.

"perfect. ill see you then." mitsuki hung up the phone with a lighter feeling in her chest. she was going to take izuku out of that abusive home, which, she should probably tell her husband that she just adopted a kid. ah, and she should tell katsuki too that izuku was going to be living there with them. and she definitely had to tell izuku he didn't need to ever go back home, he was safe from his own mother.

"kids! can you come here for a second." she called out to the boys, who ran into the kitchen with matching all might blankets tied around their necks. she smiled fondly at the two of them before turning serious.

"izuku.. katsuki we need to talk, about something serious." mitsuki says, the two boys nodded their head, listening to whatever mitsuki had to say.

"izuku, you don't have to go home for the night, or the next or ever. your mother, we had a nice little chat about how she's been treating you." izuku eyes flew open – widen with tears ready to spill at any second. his small little body started to tremble, while his mouth hung open from shock.

"oh, izuku honey don't cry." mitsuki says as she fell to her knees to pull the smaller boy into a tight and comforting hug. "she won't be allowed to hurt you no more, ive made sure of that. starting tomorrow you're going to be with us."

"mom.. does that mean zukun is going to be living with us?" katsuki asked with confused furrowed brows. he was happy that izuku would be living with them and would probably be his new brother from what his mother was saying but he was confused on why. he didn't think inko was hurting him.

"yes, yes it does katsuki. he can't go back home – i won't allow him to do back home. you two will have to share a bed until i buy one for you izuku, but im sure the both of you don't mind." the two boys nodded their head in unison, of course they don't mind. izuku would have crawled in katsukis bed anyways if he had his own, and katsuki probably would have done the same too.

mitsuki smiled and ruffled the two boys head. "good, now go play. ill finish dinner." she says while watching the two of the run off to continue whatever game they had started.

mitsuki turned back to the chopped up uncooked pork that was resting on her cutting board. dispite the things that had just happened, mitsuki was happy. sure she found out her childhood friend abused her son, which crushed mitsuki but in the end she's the one that's going to suffer. mitsuki was just glad she was able to save izuku early on before it was too late, before inko had done something much worse that she'll soon regret later.

even though she has to meet the woman tomorrow, and has to do her best to have self control and not strangle her on sight, things were going to be okay.

mitsuki was sure of that.