Chapter Text
There's a lot in this world that Midoriya Izuku would very much prefer not talking about. Thinks about his past most of all, especially given his rotten luck. Things he may have to if he ever wants a shot of getting back his old life. And one of biggest of those things is that one mistake that would change the course of his life forever.
Because yes, there are plenty of things from his past Izuku would rather not talk about, most of them terrible, awful, and shameful, but all of them ultimately his fault. So there's not much to say about it in the end other than that, and very little room for complaint. After all he was only trapped by his own choice, now he's just paying the price.
Not a lot of the rest of that day really stands out as noteworthy, but there are a few things you should know.
In a neighbourhood full of middle income families, six year olds are left with far too much free time. Adventure wasn't a new school fieldtrip your parents had to sign for it was something you had to go out and find, and nobody embodied that ideal more than Kacchan.
Secondly, friends weren't always friends back then because they had much of a choice.
Looking back on it now, it's hard to say whether or not Kacchan really was his friend in any meaningful sense, beyond all the time they spent together. Of course, Izuku did consider him a friend, absolutely, and there was a lot of him following him around and playing heroes and villains and the like. But they were friends because their mothers were, and had been for a long time. And when your mothers are that close, well their sons would naturally be expected to as well. So if Mitsuki was letting her kid out for the day for a wander around the local neighbourhood to look for bugs or something, then Izuku would be joining him and vice versa and end of discussion. It's not like either of them really seemed to mind at first either, but as time goes on and quirks come in well… opinions seem to shift, and walls between friends grow higher and stronger. And while Izuku could hardly see through his own admiration and innate desire for a friend (no matter how brash or rude they could be at times), he would be naïve if he didn't consider the fact that Kacchan likely didn't feel the same.
After all, Kacchan wasn't acting like he used to. He was always the best, and he was always in charge and above all of that he was always going to be a hero. And he was hardly going to argue that, because in such young eyes Kacchan was just the pinnacle of, well, amazing. A natural born hero, to the point he didn't need help from anyone. Confident and brave, it was like he could face any challenge they met with no question as to if he could win. He was, in short, everything a young Izuku wanted to be. Someone who inspired him, almost more than shaky footage of a fiery rescue did, played on loop on the family computer. Someone who he would follow into hell.
And he supposed, with no small sense of regret, that he did, or at least he would have. Maybe that's why he said what he did that day. He was right after all, he didn't need his help.
But then again if he's learnt anything these past few years it's that he just can't help it. He can't help how much he needs to makes sure people are ok and that he does everything he can to help when everything seems helpless.
He just can't help but care.
But Kacchan didn't know that. How could he? So he really shouldn't have been surprised back then when he roughly shoved his hand away and looked at him like he'd just been insulted. He shouldn't have let it get to him when he yelled at him for it later. Kids were dumb after all, and they were mean and said and did things neither party could really understand. He shouldn't have let it hurt him, he should have been stronger than that…
Maybe then he wouldn't have done it.
Being singled out at forest entrance didn't feel good. More than anything else, really he was just confused as to what he'd done wrong and what exactly Kacchan wanted to say to him specifically.
The words and specifics are lost to time now, but he remembers the gist. He was nothing, would always be nothing and would never be anything more than useless, much less a hero. The regular mean jaunts and jabs about him being a worthless Deku that should just give up and stay out of his way because nobody wanted him around. That he didn't deserve to follow someone as strong as him, and he didn't need any of his damn help so he should just give it up already.
Then things escalated, of course it did. Because even through all of that he couldn't help but try to right things, even just a little. Because Kacchan was wrong, he didn't look down on him one bit he'd just wanted to help, and he wanted to tell him so much and of course he tried. And well… next thing he knew he was on the ground again, jaw throbbing, fresh tears in his eyes with a stinging red burn mark marring his cheek.
And that's how he left him. In cold, shocked silence under a fading sky. Alone on the side of the street, left abandoned like the garbage they always said he was.
And then things really started. Because that's when he showed up.
A tall man, with short white hair and all dressed up like he'd just come home from an important business meeting or so he thought. He didn't say much at first, not even a word as he lowered himself on the curb beside him and with the kindest look in his eyes, handed him an icepack and asked him if he was ok. If he wanted to talk about what had happened.
He didn't want to at first, but like so many other times it didn't stop the words from pouring out of his mouth and mixing with wet unintelligible sobs. He told him too much, though that's for sure. About how his friends weren't acting like friends at all. How everyone seemed to hate him for being quirkless and how he prayed every night the doctor and everyone else was wrong about him. That one morning he would wake up and he wouldn't be so weak and useless anymore, no matter how impossible it seemed. Because he couldn't be a hero without a quirk, everyone said that. And as much as he wanted to prove them wrong, he was a hopeless six year old who'd watched the world crumble before his eyes as everyone told him to just give it up.
And all the while the man just hugged him tightly, and shushed him and told him it would be ok. He shared his own secrets too. About how he was bullied too as a kid, and just how unfair he knows it is that people like them are pushed aside in favour of those with flashy quirks. He told him he's so brave for making it so far on his own, that everyone was wrong about him and… that he'd like to help him achieve his dream.
So as the sky got darker he asks him if he would like a quirk.
And like a fool he answered:
"More than anything,"
So the man gives him a reassuring smile, and tells him another secret. Tells him that he thinks he can be a hero, and that he could be worth something more than anyone would have said. That no matter how hard it was to believe, he could give him a quirk and help train him to be a hero.
But he also said it wouldn't be easy. That it could be really scary and that he had to be brave, like no one had ever been before.
And… that he had to come with him.
So this kind man, who told him everything he had ever needed to hear, held out his hand. And little naïve and hopeless Izuku took up what would end up being the worst decision he could ever make in his life.
That night, a six year old quirkless kid vanished from the face of the earth. A kid by the name of Midoriya Izuku, who'd only ever wanted to be a hero and help people, reported missing by his grieving mother and latter presumed dead.
And not even a trace of him would be found for the next 8 years.
And those 8 years, would be hell.