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Midoriya Izuku is a mama's boy. And everyone is aware of it except for him. Maybe it's because he treats his mother like a best friend, or maybe it's because she is the only family he has since he was a kid.
He had his dad, but at the same time, he was barely there for him. Didn't even show himself in a couple of years since he studied middle school.
Suffice to say, his whole world rotates around hero work and his mother. His friends noticed his infallible love for his mother first during their second year at UA.
"I didn't know you knew how to knit Deku." Uraraka commented one day as she saw him knitting a pink scarf under the porch of their dorm one hot day.
"But why are you making a scarf in the middle of summer?" She raised an eyebrow, noting the small blush he had.
He smiled sheepishly at her, touching the scarf fondly. "I uhmm... I just recently learned how. Mom told me to take up a new hobby if I have time. So I'm making one for her."
"Your mom? Awww that so sweet! When will you give it to her?" Uraraka was particulary excited about this detail, Deku barely mentions his mother. But every time he does, his clear affection for her shows in his words and the way he talks about her.
"Oh. I noticed before than mom's scarf is worn out before. But she didn't want to replace it since my dad gave it to her. She's so kind and considerate like that. I actually plan on giving it to her on this Christmas."
The sentiment was sweet. A son making the effort to do a girl thing and give it to his mother to make sure that what he gives has actual sentimental value, but...
"Deku it's July."
"Oh, it's because I'm going to give her three pairs of scarves, a few hats and maybe even gloves. I want her to have a few choices."
And at that point, it got worse or better, depending on the person who listened. Once he was comfortable with telling his classmates about his personal life, he would often, somehow, insert his mother in his dialogue.
"Mom has this cute expression when she's confused. Her eyes just widen and her eyebrows scrunch comically and her lips shrink and she tilts her head to the side like a cat."
No Midoriya. It's actually not as cute as you describe it to be. His classmates thought but, he was so happy explaining it that they let it go. After all they were just talking about Aizawa owning a cat themed mug. His story is totally connected to the topic.
Even when he lived away from her. He would religiously call her at exactly 7:30 in the evening. No matter what he was doing. Checking up on her and reminding her of her meds. Ever since she opened up and told him that she actually misses him living with her, he would call, EVERY. FUCKING. NIGHT. he was away from her. And whenever she said she was nearby, he would drop everything and meet up with her. Even if were only for a few minutes.
There was this one time where she called that she dreamt of Izuku dying and that she was worried that something might happen to him and that he should take care. He compromised in visiting her for a few minutes when he patrolled that day.
"Deku we are in the middle of a fucking recon for our internship."
"It would only be a few minutes Kacchan! It's close and I'm just the analyst anyway."
"That's the whole point stupid dumbass!"
When his mother started gardening, he saw himself looking for unique plants at UA that he could safely trim and plant. So with Nezu's (and by extention, Aizawa's) permission, he started collecting a few twigs, seeds and small roots. He created a good relationship with 1-B's Ibarra when she gave him a few stems of Vietnam Roses for his mother.
Even if there were times that she was a bit overbearing for his classmates' taste (not to disrespect, she was as pure as a child and bright as the sun and sweet as fuck, Bakugo's words) her presence was always welcome. Especially her cookies, dang they were good. Midoriya should NOT hog all of them when he brings some to the dorm. So thank God for mama Mido being considerate and making a few more and telling Izuku to share. Even Sato's could not compare to those cookies.
If you have a mother like her, you could not help but be protective of her, hero in training or not.
"I-I'm sorry. But I don't think u-using my mother as a hostage is a-a nice idea." He said to the holdaper with a muscle enhancement quirk, eyeing his accomplices. There were three of them total, the other two had a variation of a shape-shifting Quirk that only worked for his hands and the other had a bat mutation.
"Neither is talking back to us kid! Now on your knees, hands behind your back and head on the floor!"
The news story that contained the CCTV footage of the store with flashes of green lightning, an activated sprinkler and three men tied to the door, unconscious but mostly unharmed went viral along with a video of a young hero gushing over his mom who had a small cut on her face as if she was dying because of it.
When they graduated, no amount of measuring could estimate how much crying she did and how many tines she yelled that she was so proud of her baby. Thankfully, she kept her composure for the majority of the actual graduation and cried mostly at home. But his classmates would never forget the pure reaction of mama Mido when he handed her his diploma. The way she hugged her son and the way he twirled her in the air while both of them laughed was the most wholesome thing they witnessed that day. Well, other than the moment when Bakugo's parents also cried while hugging him. His reaction when he can't get out of his mother's grasp was hillarous. He looked like he was struggling to breathe after smelling something rather putrid.
As time passed even if he has a plethora of friends now that he is a successful Pro Hero, it is still obvious that she is his best friend and no one could ever top her in his list.
It was quite a shock how fast their class risen up in the hero ranks after graduation. And due to their popularity and the steady rise of technology, people usually document the normal lives of pro heores when they recognized them. So the heroes make a point to tell the netizens to just wave at them across the street if they see them, but never to crowd bear them in case of an untimely villain attack.
But that didn't stop them from capturing glimpses at their heroes. They caught moments on their days off from Red Riot having a food trip with Pinky, Chargebolt, Cellophane and surprisingly the explosive hothead hero, to Shoto having a moment admiring an order of high class soba for five minutes straight.
Although possible, it was hard to schedule an interview with a pro-hero unless you are a journalist or you have a really famous TV show. Deku was invited to a mother's day special reality show.
"Mr. Deku, here is seen by many as a symbol of peace. But people also say that he is a, quote and quote, "mama's boy". Watch this clip that a netizen posted for mother's day."
On the screen behind the host played a video of Deku and his mom in a shopping mall. He trekked beside her holding dozens of shopping bags and laughing with her, when he stopped to kiss the top of his mother's head and saying "I love you", his words very clear on his lips, to which she replied "Alright what do you want to eat this time?"
"Hero Deku is close with his mom isn't he?" The co-host commented after the vr.
"Yeah he is."
"Wait, now that I think about it, he was featured in the news years ago that he apprehended three thieves in a grocery."
"Was he? Yes. But I only knew about that because I saw the vr when he was checking all over his mother, over reacting to a cut of her face? I don't remember much though."
"Why don't you ask him yourself. Now please welcome, Hero Deku himself! Good evening Deku."
"Good evening to you and to everyone watching. Also, hi mom!"
That episode was full of his stories about how amazing his mom is. He told things from that time when she accidentally stopped a thief on her own by levitating his gun towards her, buying enough time for the heroes to apprehend the suspect to the time he caught her crying over a show about pets getting adopted.
But like any other relationship, theirs never had been all sunshine. It had it's stormy days too.
"Moooommm noooo... I wanna dieee... It hurtss..."
Inko rolled her eyes at her son as she put the glass of water on the side table of his bed. "Get up you baby. You need to drink medicine. Or do I need to get your old medicine dropper?"
Some things never change. Even if he was already a pro hero, living his own life, she was still in the front line on taking care of her baby boy.
"Come on Izuku get up and eat! Come on I'll feed you."
"Can't I eat while laying down? My head hurts."
"Well it would definitely hurt more without it. How are you complaining this much with a headache? You didn't even mutter an ow in front of me when you decided to vreak all of your bones during your UA days."
After a few years of seing him injured, she never really gotten used to seeing him in pain. But she learned to at least learn to deal with it to the point that she could joke about it on rare occassions.
But that doesn't mean that she liked it.
Inko excitedly twisted the doorknob to his apartment a month after he recovered from his fever. Once inside she noticed that a few things were scattered inside and that the floor is in desperate need of a nice clean.
It had been more than five months (yes she has been keeping track) since Izuku moved out of their home, but he hasn't visited her once. She knew that his hero work took priority now that he was rapidly climbing through the hero ranks. He did call her almost every night and explained that he was highly demanded by the force due to his versatile Quirk and ingenious mind. Deep down, Inko knew they most like also wanted him around because he was easy to work with. And Inko couldn't be more proud.
Nevertheless, she knew something was bothering him the past week. Call it a mother's instinct, but her baby was down and she could not help but worry. Last night he called and she could not help but notice the forced happiness in his voice.
From what she knew, he was working on a child trafficking case, which is never easy. And to top it off, the children were all orphans and quirkless. It was a sad case. But what hit home was that one child who had a stockhold syndrome and vehemently refused to face ANY hero, especially Izuku. The kid said that he hated Izuku for not saving him from his abusive father despite facing him face to face. He could have easily apprehended the suspect if it were not for the lack of evidence he had. All Izuku has was a psychological assessment and a child's plea. It was almost like Eri all over again.
So she though of surprising him with a home made dinner and a visit from his no. 1 fan. But first she needed to clean up.
But once her son entered the apartment, she immediately recognised the defeated look on his face. Upon seeing his mom, his eyes widened and a smile made it's way to his face.
Inko noted that it didn't reach his eyes.
"I make your favorite. I wanted to visit you today. I missed you so much." She replied when inquired the reason of her visit. She checked her son head to toe before giving him a hug.
He was so much taller than her now and his face is more mature. But he still had that innocent look on his face that seemes to stay with him during puberty.
"You don't have to pretend in front of your mother Izuku. I know. You are doing such a great job my hero."
It was as if a dam broke that day. He knelt to the groubd and clung to his mother like a lifeline. He was aware that his mother knew every little insecurity he has, ever since his childhood. She was the one person who saw him through it all and stood by him. He was never the easiest kid to have. Ut was just so hard to keep up with all of the rising expectations when all he wanted was to give his best and be done with it.
"I'm doing my best mom. I'm trying so... so hard. But... But..."
"I know Izuku. You are doing your best. And that is enough. Thank you." It might have been because of the certainty in her voice that left no room for doubt, or the fact that these were the words he needed to hear. There were no apologies or words of pity, his mother came and saved him from himself yet again.
She was the best mom he could ever have.
"Mooooom! Help me!" He screamed through the phone one day in the biggest crisis he had yet. "I don't have anything to wear! I never realized my suit is too small for me now and I have to wear something worthy of the hero gala tomorrow. My friends are going to mock me if I wear that hideous thing. It's the first hero gala and I need look cool or at least presentable but I procrastinated in finding one now I'm never going to find one and I'll look like a total idiot---"
"Hold on Izuku. You're giving your mother an anurism from your mumbling!" She could see the blush forming on his face through the phone. "Ok. Now show me your suit. Are you sure you have no suits left? Did you check the bottom closets?"
"Yes. I did." He whined.
Just a year ago, the fight that finally ended the league of villains. It lasted for a three days and it left the heroes, police and nearby civilians battered and exhausted. A lot of people died in that fight, including the league's own Shigaraki Tomura. It was sad that he had to die by his own hands actually. He might have had a chance to live a normal life if he did well during the new villain rehabitation program. But that was her opinion. Though, it might have happend for a reason. At least, she knew Izuku did become sad for him too, being the one to fight the man.
The Hero commission thought of celebrating it with a gala, to celebrate their victory and mourn for the losses.
She saw Izuku shift in the background, heading towards his closet. He still had the camera face him so she saw his sheepish smile. "I kind destroyed my other two when I fought a villain last week. I was wearing the suit."
His remaining suit WAS hideous. And his neon green tie was not helping the maroon ankle pants and checkered blazer which he wore to an event in the past. But suddenly, an idea struck her.
"You know what, you leave your suit to me and I promise you'll have everybody's eyes on you."
"I don't actually want that but, please save your son."
She cried in front of the TV the next night when he thanked her in his speech when he was officially announced as the symbol of hope and the no.1 hero, looking so professional in All Might's spare suit and his father's old tie.
She knew her son was a hero. It was a conscious desicion they both made the moment he applied for UA. Whether he passed or not, in some way, Izuku would have always ended up making a difference. It didn't matter how.
And was what she always believed in. However, she also knew that with that, came the weight of the world on his shoulders. Chasing after shadows and running away from scrutiny would be a constant. And now that he is a hero, staying alive was also added to that list.
Inko was casually humming to herself while folding her laundry when her phone rang. Izuku was comming home that Saturday to take two days off from hero work. And she was super excited for it. He was finally going to introduce his special someone to her.
But that happy Saturday was cursed not to come.
All she knew was that she took her favorite scarf and beanie that her dear son made for her a few years ago and rode straight to the hospital. It was a cold and raining, but she forgot to bring an umbrella. Just as he forgot to bring his phone while traveling to the grocery last night.
If he did bring it, a simple ringtone would have made his rescue under that toppled building easier.
Her beanie and scarf gave her the strength she needed to reassure herself that he would be fine. He's been through so much worse and pulled through.
But for a mother, every single scratch could make her worry. The times she was worried could not amount to the scars that littred his body. If anything, those scars made her weep more than any other person.
But looking at his still body through glass made her die inside, hurting her more every single time it happens.
Izuku was a known mama's boy. He shied away from it sometimes, but never denied the claim. But the same could be said for her. She loved him more than she ever loved anyone in her life.
No ammount of sweet reassurances from his friends and peers could stop the tears from rolling down even after a three whole days I'm the hospital. She would be crying until he woke up from his medical coma.
"I know what you are going to say. 'Mom, stop worrying I'm fine.' You could never stop your mother from worrying about you. I don't like this. I don't like this at all. I keep telling you that I support you. But I also keep telling you to stay as safe as possible. But you were always the one who defied the world itself." She kissed her son on the forehead as she ran a hanf through his green mess of curls, careful not to touch his bandages. They looked so much like his father's unruly hair.
"I love you Izuku. My baby. My brave brave baby boy."
More tears were shed when one day, he asked where his mom was and why did the room smell like fried chicken. But this time, she also smiled.
There were a lot of times she did that, smile and cry. Her baby was no longer a baby. He has been for a years now. But it never sinked in before the moment she fastened a messy red tie that matched his purely white suit. She looked up and down her son, from the tip of his hair to the sole of his white shoes.
She may not have been the best mom put there, but she was so proud to have managed to raise a son like Izuku. He was no longer a baby. He was a man, a hero, and now, he was about to be a husband.
"I am so proud of you Izuku. You always put love in everything you do. I am so proud of you. You are up into the man that you thought was only a dream. I am so proud that you are my son. Thank you for being mine for a few years Izuku. So be happy with being with someone else now. You really are leaving the nest now. But remember, I will never stop being your mother. I love you, my son, my Izuku."
So who was to blame her when her book entitled "On Rasing a Hero: Deku" became a big hit much to his pride and embarassment. The people would never live it down seeing him in an all might onesie with his mother by his side.
He wouldn't have it any other way.